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Today is the birthday of Frank J. Selinger (July 8, 1914-June 15, 2000). He was born in Philadelphia and was trained as a chemist and later became a brewmaster, first with the Esslinger Brewing Co. in Philadelphia, but later with the Burger Brewing Co. and Anheuser-Busch. But in 1977, he accepted the position of CEO for Schlitz Brewing and even appeared in television commercials for them in the early 1980s.
Here’s an obituary of Sellinger, from the Williamsburg Daily Press:
Francis J. Sellinger, a former brewing executive in Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Philadelphia, died Thursday, June 15, 2000, at Williamsburg Community Hospital. He was 85.
A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Sellinger graduated in 1936 with a degree in chemistry from St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia. According to his son, Joseph Sellinger, he initially wanted to become a doctor but took a job in a brewery in order to help support his family. He began his career in the brewing industry in 1936 as chief chemist and assistant brewmaster with the Esslinger Brewing Co. in Philadelphia. In 1952, he joined the Burger Brewing Co. in Cincinnati, and he became vice president and general manager in 1956.
Mr. Sellinger joined Anheuser-Busch Inc. in St. Louis, Mo., in 1964. During his 14 years with the company, he held many senior executive positions, including vice president of engineering, and was a key figure in the company’s rapid brewery expansion during the 1970s, with the construction of breweries in Columbus, Ohio; Jacksonville, Fla.; Merrimack, N.H.; Williamsburg, Va.; and Fairfield, Calif. Mr. Sellinger was also heavily involved in the promotion of new technological advances within the company.
“He was the one that understood the direction the economics of the industry were going in,” said Patrick Stokes, president of Anheuser-Busch Inc.
He also played a key role in the development of the company’s Busch Gardens-The Old Country theme park and the Kingsmill Residential Community and Resort, both in Williamsburg.
In 1978, he became the vice chairman and chief executive officer of Schlitz Brewing Co. in Milwaukee. According to Joseph Sellinger, one of his first tasks at Schlitz was to turn the image of the company around. He worked to accomplish this by returning the company to a traditional brewing process. In addition, Mr. Sellinger appeared in the “Taste My Schlitz” television advertising campaign that began in 1978. Joseph Sellinger said that the locales for his father’s commercials ranged from barley fields to bars. Mr. Sellinger continued his career at Schlitz until his retirement in 1983 to Kingsmill in Williamsburg.
After his retirement, Mr. Sellinger became involved with the Anheuser-Busch Golf Classic, now the Michelob Golf Classic, and worked for St. Bede’s Catholic Church.
Mr. Sellinger will be remembered for his integrity, caring and generosity toward his family, friends and employees. He came from very humble beginnings, said Joseph Sellinger, yet gave so much to others.
And this is from the New York time, from March 1, 1981, an article by Ray Kenny entitled “Trying to Stop the Flight from Schlitz.”
MILWAUKEE SHORTLY after Frank J. Sellinger went to work at the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company in November 1977, he faced the first in a long list of problems.
A daughter, who then lived on the West Coast, telephoned and confessed: “Daddy, I don’t like that beer.” She had a lot of company. Schlitz, which had reformulated its flagship brand in a disastrous economy move in the 70’s, has been fighting a steady decline in sales ever since. Earnings plunged from almost $50 million five years ago to a $50.6 million loss in 1979 when it sold its newest brewery.
Said Mr. Sellinger: “I told my daughter, ‘Honey, do me a favor. Try Schlitz Malt Liquor. If you still don’t like it, go back to Budweiser.'”
After all, Mr. Sellinger said, “Anheuser-Busch put bread and butter on the Sellinger table for a lot of years.” Mr. Sellinger was an executive there all those years. Now, as vice chairman and chief executive at Schlitz charged with getting people to drink Schlitz again, he has reworked its taste, pitted it against the major beers in taste competitions televised live and gone on television commercials himself as the company’s down-to-earth pitchman. He has also pared expenses, cut excess brewing capacity and tightened quality control.
For all that, Schlitz is still losing sales position. In its best year, 1976, the company sold 24.2 million barrels. In 1980, shipments declined 11 percent on the year, to 15 million barrels. The company lost its fingertip hold on third place in the industry, behind the Anheuser-Busch Companies, which sold 50.2 million barrels in 1980, and the Miller Brewing Company, a subsidiary of Philip Morris Inc., which shipped 37.3 million barrels last year. Schlitz dropped to fourth place, behind its crosstown rival, Pabst, which shipped 15.1 million barrels.
“This company faced the toughest marketing problem you’ve ever seen,” an outside director said. “Beer drinkers are intensely loyal and we drove them away. Getting them to switch back is a horrendous challenge.”
Despite the continued falling sales, the company managed to show a profit last year of $27 million, or 93 cents a share, on revenues of $1 billion. Mr. Sellinger’s efforts apparently have paid off, along with gains by Schlitz’s container division and some profits attributed to nonoperating areas of the business. Clearly, corporate executives and members of the Uihlein (rhymes with E-line) family, who continue to hold the controlling interest in the company, were buoyed by the earnings swing.
“When sales are falling, the first thing you do is arrest the decline,” Mr. Sellinger said. “We’ve slowed things down but it’s too early to tell whether we’ve turned it around. Ask me again in June.”
Mr. Sellinger, 66, was named vice chairman and chief executive officer at Schlitz last April after coming on board in 1977 as president. One of the first things he did in an attempt to slow falling sales was to formulate what he calls “one helluva good brew.” He assembled technical personnel and urged them to create a flagship beer that would appeal to the eye as well as the taste.
“It has to look good,” he said. “Americans drink with their eyes. Beer has to be rich in flavor and hold its head. “There is just so much you can do. You can increase the barley malt and change the amount of hopping – the ratio of hops to corn. But the malt is the soul of the beer.
“From January of 1978 until July, we conducted test after test after test. Finally, we all agreed, and I’ll tell you, if we can get people to taste the beer, we’ll keep ’em.”
Then he sought to improve quality control. “If the quality guy at a plant says it doesn’t go, it doesn’t go,” he said. “He reports to headquarters, not to the plant manager, and if that means we dump 5,000 cans because of high air content, then we dump 5,000 cans.”
Mr. Sellinger pared the payroll to 6,100 employees, eliminating 800 to 1,000 jobs. “I believe in paying fair wages,” he said, “but I can’t afford two workers for one job. We eliminated a lot of people. We sacrificed a few for the good of the many.”
As for expenses, he said, “We had grown fat. Lax. I mean, how many WATS lines do you really need? How many copies do you have to make? There a million ways to save.”
He cut deeply into excess capacity when he closed the company’s newest brewery – a six-year-old facility in Syracuse, N.Y., in 1979. The move, together with the closing of a small brewery in Honolulu, trimmed production capacity by 5.4 million barrels. But the company is still swimming in capacity. Last year it was capable of turning out 25.6 million barrels while it sold 15 million.
A year ago, the Syracuse plant was sold to Anheuser-Busch for $100 million. The company absorbed a $44.3 million loss in the process. “That was a beautiful brewery,” Mr. Sellinger said, “but it was an albatross. That doesn’t mean the decision to build it wasn’t right at the time. If your sales trend is a plus 12 percent a year, then you know that in three and a half years – the time it takes to construct a brewery – you will need so much beer to satisfy demand. The 1974 trend told us we would have to spend $157 million for the beer we would need by 1977.”
B REWERIES are built with the wholesalers in mind, Mr. Sellinger said. “We pressure them to sell Schlitz and they want to know whether Schlitz will have the beer if the business continues. We can’t say, ‘we have no beer.’ That takes all their incentive away.”
But if the customers leave, there’s no need for a brewery. “That’s the chance business takes constantly,” Mr. Sellinger said. “Look at our friends at Miller. Their trend line has been a plus 24 percent a year, but now it’s 3 1/2 percent.” Between 1954 and 1964, no breweries were built in the United States, the Schlitz chief recalled.
“Only Anheuser-Busch and Schlitz had the guts to borrow the money at 9.2 percent interest and build new plants. We didn’t have a ‘cash cow,’ ” he said, using his favorite description for Philip Morris. “What would Miller’s profit be if they paid even 8 percent interest on that Philip Morris investment?”
Schlitz embarked on an expensive campaign featuring live taste tests on television, pitting its product, at various times, against Miller High Life and Anheuser’s Budweiser and Michelob. Half the 100 Budweiser drinkers pulled the lever for Schlitz in one test supervised by Tommy Bell, a widely recognized referee in the National Football League. Other scores were respectable. But some critics said that the nature of the tests gave Schlitz the advantage. (Since the participants in a given test were all, say, Budweiser drinkers, Schlitz could claim victory if any favored its beer.)
Concluded Joseph Doyle, a brewing industry analyst at Smith Barney Harris Upham & Company: “All the media coverage (of the taste tests) is giving Schlitz a big bang for their buck. I’d count the campaign a huge success if it arrests the decline of the brand, and it looks like it is doing that.”
The company trumpeted the results in follow-up newspaper ads, but there are no current plans to continue the live taste tests. Nevertheless, Mr. Sellinger’s desk is piled with letters and comments. “Here’s one from five students at Holy Cross – Bud drinkers – who have started a Tommy Bell/Schlitz fan club,” he said. “The young drinkers are the ones you want to win.”
The company has not disclosed sales figures related to the television campaign but some distributors reported sales gains. “We doubled our January sales in the first week,” after the commercials began, reported Jack Lewis, a distributor in Cleveland. Joe Scheurer, in Philadelphia, said his sales were up 10 percent. Other distributors reported gains.
Mr. Sellinger, who prefers the term “beer tasting” to beer guzzling, will drink to that.
Here’s one of Sellinger’s TV ads, this one from 1981.
And here’s another one.


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Facebook Camera is just Instagram by another name
You may have missed it with all the news that the Facebook float has flopped to such an extent that angry investors are suing the company for not disclosing accurate revenue estimates, but yesterday the beleaguered social network announced the launch of the new Facebook Camera.
According to Facebook�s own words, this is a �new mobile app that makes using Facebook photos faster and easier�. The features it promotes are seeing all your friends� photos in one place, sharing multiple photos fast (!), the ability to add captions and new editing tools.
Now if that some of that sounds familiar, that�s because they are the same features already present on Instagram, which Facebook is in the process of buying for $1 billion.
Which begs the questions how can Facebook claim the app (available for Apple smartphones and tablets only at this stage) is �new�? And was it really worth paying all that money simply to be able to introduce existing features to a product that carries your name?
Brian Blau, research director at technology analysts Gartner, believes the answer is �yes�, telling the BBC: �Facebook has to move its business forward. By doing this [bringing out a �new� product using established features], Facebook allows Instagram to remain intact while adopting some of its features to ensure its core service maintains its lead as the Internet�s most used photo-sharing site.�
My Blau may be right, but we�re betting this will give yet more people another reason to suddenly start questioning Mark Zuckerberg�s business acumen. And Instagram�s founders have been given another reason for laughing all the way to the bank.
The Message is brought to you by�Tick Yes�� providing solutions for all your digital and content marketing needs.

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The automotive, agriculture and chemical sectors are likely to be hit the hardest by a no-deal Brexit, according to analysts.
Finance firm ING said the sectors could be impacted due to trade exposure to the UK, potentially high trade tariffs in 2021, and disruptions to supply chains.
Timme Spakman, economist of international trade at ING, said: “As a result of the large economic volatility caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the economic impact will not be as noticeable as it would have been if a 'cliff-edge' Brexit had occurred last year at growth rates closer to zero.
“Make no mistake: the introduction of tariffs, disruptions to supply chains and the risk of other non-tariff related disruption will have a negative impact.”
He added: “Disruptions to supply chains, thanks to border checks, will be small initially but could become an issue after a few months. Tariffs will be raised on numerous EU goods, and disruption to trade in both services and goods requiring new certifications is a risk if no contingency measures can be put in place.”
The three at-risk sectors have “more complex supply chain networks”, such as multiple border crossings due to imported parts, and they’re likely to “see the largest increase in costs as the rise in trade costs will accumulate with every border crossing”, according to Spakman.
“For example, more than 80% of UK cars are made for export. However, these cars include a lot of imported parts on which the EU and the UK will also impose tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit.”
Processed agricultural products will also see the largest negative impact due to tariffs becoming “as high as 150% on some dairy products” exported to the UK.
“Exporting to the UK will become a lot more expensive for the EU agricultural sector if no trade deal is reached. Other product categories with high tariffs are textiles and cars, adding to worries for an already volatile sector,” said Spakman.
The UK and the European Union are in the process of negotiating a trade agreement, with the transition period ending on 31 December. The government has published guidance on its Border Operating Model.
Stefan Tärneberg, director of Solution Consulting at supply management software firm, BluJay Solutions, said: “Crashing out of the EU without a deal will have a monumental effect on British trade.
“The sheer volume of customs declarations organisations will need to handle as the UK becomes a ‘third country’ is unprecedented. A trade agreement with the EU won’t take away the complexity of declarations, but it will lessen the strain on us all, slashing the number of hoops to jump through and restoring abundance as we know it.
“Without a deal, there is only one solution for a smoother trade situation. Companies must take matters into their own hands and automate the management of these declarations. Those which are so far unprepared will have a huge shock come January 1st – with a ripple effect that will impact us all.”
Matthew Woodcock, director at supply chain software firm Llamasoft, recommended that firms prepare by investing in advanced technologies, such as digital twins, to identify and fix potential supply chain weaknesses before they are exposed.
He said: “It is time for businesses to accept uncertainty as the deal they’ve been given, and prepare accordingly. The volatile nature of negotiations and confusion around trade deals mean businesses are unable to make any major decisions and subsequent changes to supply chains.
“Businesses must therefore focus on having responsive options immediately available. They should also draw upon their learnings from Covid-19 around the need for agility, contingency planning, inventory management and alternate sources of supply.
“Companies don't have to shoot in the dark. Digital twin technology allows businesses to model a range of scenarios and test the effectiveness of contingency plans ahead of deployment. For the prosperity of businesses and the country alike, the time to prepare is right now.”
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The charging infrastructure is a critical constraint in the electric vehicle (EV) transition for the commercial vehicle industry in Canada, a new Deloitte Canada report reveals.
Strategic planning and collaboration across the fleet ecosystem are vital to overcome this challenge, according to Power to the Fleet: Choosing the best charging infrastructure and commercial ecosystem for your electric vehicles.
According to Deloitte research, commercial vehicles comprise just 20% of all vehicles, yet contribute more than 60% of road transport emissions, underscoring the urgency of the transition. Canada’s commitment to achieving 30% zero-emission new vehicle sales by 2030 and 100% new truck and bus sales by 2040 reflects a shared goal towards a sustainable future.
With more than a million EVs expected on Canadian roads by 2025, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), stakeholders must collaborate effectively to meet the growing demand for charging infrastructure.
“Electrifying commercial fleets isn’t just about reducing emissions; it’s about future-proofing businesses for the evolving mobility landscape,” said Elizabeth Baker, partner in Deloitte Canada’s Supply Chain & Network Operations practice, and a leader in the firm’s fleet decarbonization offering. “By planning for electrification, companies can unlock new opportunities for efficiency, cost savings, and environmental stewardship.”
The report says fleet owners must choose between behind-the-fence (private infrastructure) and outside-the-fence (public infrastructure) charging options based on their operational needs and business models. Selecting the right ownership model and accessing financing opportunities are crucial for successful infrastructure development.
Green financing and government grants can substantially reduce costs, facilitating broader electrification efforts. Deloitte estimates more than $3 billion in grants and incentives are available for zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption and infrastructure development.
NRCan’s Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program, for example, has allocated $680 million to the development of charging infrastructure for ZEVs across Canada. Under the program’s stream targeting owners and operators of ZEV infrastructure — such as a fleet owner building a behind-the-fence charging network — NRCan can contribute 50% of total project costs, up to $10 million per project.
Innovative technologies like microgrids and energy storage enhance resilience and cut costs for behind-the-fence charging, offering increased site capacity and supplementary energy supply, the report says.
Bi-directional charging, where vehicles act as mobile battery storage, is being explored as an addition to microgrid systems, providing extra power to facilities or the grid.
Hydrogen fuel-cell-electric vehicles (FCEVs) may be preferable in certain applications and locations where battery technology alone isn’t sufficient, such as long-range transportation, according to the report. The full report can be downloaded here.
Credit: Source link


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The Wagh Bakri Tea Group, which is part of a 52-year-old Gujarat tea trading and blending company, and among the biggest tea traders, is now getting attracted to the strong aroma of coffee.
The group, which is now engaged in tea trading and blending tea besides running tea lounges, is planning to launch a coffee brand, Piyush Desai, Chairman and Managing Director of Gujarat Tea Processors & Packers Ltd. said. Gujarat Tea Depot was the precursor of GTPPL.
He told The Hindu that the company was yet to decide on the coffee brand, but will not extend the current equity of the Wagh Bakri brand to coffee. A total of 40 million kgs of the Wagh Bkhri brand is sold annually in western and northern India. Maharashtra is the largest domestic market for tea consuming 85 million kgs , followed by Gujarat at 65 and Punjab. The Ahmedabad-based GTPPL also buys tea from the auction centres in Kenya’s Mombasa and Colombo, Sri Lanka for blending with Indian teas.
GPPL, which had an annual turnover of around Rs.900 crore, is also present in modern retail and has tea lounges in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. It is now planning to scale up and hive off this business into a separate subsidiary
Addressing reporters, he said that the board has also okayed a proposal to enter the tea plantation business and was on the lookout for the right opportunity.
“Our requirement is for about 6 to 10 gardens with an output of a million kgs each. We have cash reserves of around Rs.200 crore and also expect to get private equity support as well as bank loans. But, we will wait and watch before taking a plunge as there are a lot of uncertainties in the Indian tea industry,” he said.
He mentioned in this context the current Tea (Marketing) Control (amendment) Order, which has mandated that 70 per cent of the tea produced by small tea growers, should be sold through auction Guwahati and Kolkata.
He feared that this will put additional costs on small tea growers, adding that supplies may be affected due to this.


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Very hires former BBC tech director as CIO
November 19, 2020
The Very Group, the UK’s largest integrated online retailer and financial services provider, has hired Matt Grest as chief information officer (CIO). He will become part of the Group’s executive board and report to CEO, Henry Birch.
Matt will join The Very Group on 21 December 2020 from the BBC, where he led a 400-strong team of technologists as director of digital platforms and oversaw the transformation of the corporation’s digital and broadcast products into a fully integrated tech platform. Combining content and user data with audience personalisation, the platform powers the BBC’s flagship products, including iPlayer and Sounds, and the syndication of content to a weekly global audience of 500m users.
Prior to the BBC, Matt was at Sky, where as digital platform director he was responsible for IT delivery and transformation across the company, including for Sky Sports, Sky News and Sky.com. He also led the creation of Sky’s digital hub in Leeds, building a team of 650 people within 18 months and implementing new agile ways of working. With over 20 years’ experience, he has also held a range of senior technology roles with Yorkshire Building Society, the NHS and Plusnet.
Matt will lead The Very Group’s 350-strong technology team as it continues to transform its technology and platforms, enhances access to, and analysis of, data, and further improves ways of working to deliver positive changes to the customer experience.
Henry Birch, CEO at The Very Group, said: “Technology and data underpin everything we do, including the digital journey that keeps our customers coming back to Very. Matt is a talented technologist and leader, with a track record for driving strong performance through tech and new ways of working. Under his stewardship, I am confident we will continue to deliver the platforms we need to support our ambitions and make changes to the customer experience faster than ever before.”
Matt Grest commented: “The Very Group has a history of reinvention powered by technology and this is an exciting time to be joining the business. With more people shopping online than ever before and continued appetite for flexible ways to pay, providing the best possible experience – powered by technology and data – has never been more important. I can’t wait to get started.”
Dave Lafferty (The Very Group)
07552 283 266
Sam Chiene (Brunswick)020 7404 5959
About The Very Group
The Very Group is the UK’s largest integrated pureplay digital retailer and financial services provider, with annual sales of over £2bn.
We receive an average of 1.9m website visits every day with 82% of online sales completed on mobile devices.
We sell 1,900 famous brands, including big name labels and our own exclusive brands. We serve four and a half million customers, delivering 49 million products every year.
We exist to make good things easily accessible to more people and our aim is to be the number one destination for shoppers who value flexible ways to pay.
By offering customers the brands they love and options to spread the cost, we help them say yes when it really matters.
We have over a hundred years of history behind us, but at our heart there is a passion for change – to constantly improve what we do, to innovate with data and technology at our core and to be the best possible place to work.


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Baby North West has become known for her fashion flair, wearing sporty outfits and brands that often reflect her father, Kanye West’s, tastes. As such, it’s pretty significant that she was photographed in Los Angeles accompanied by her mother and father, wearing yes, a cute pair of Dr. Marten boots, but more significantly a mini-YSL bag.
It’s significant because West famously dressed down Saint Laurent designer Hedi Slimane several times during the portion of his Yeezus concert set aside to speak on topical events. A search shows that the last record of West criticizing Slimane was at Madison Square Garden in November 2013, when he complained that the designer, while a visionary and “a god,” had attempted to dictate what fashion week shows West could attend should he receive an invite to a Saint Laurent show.
Could it be that there has been a thawing between Slimane and West? And might the official peace pipe come in the form of a mini-designer bag, likely custom, made for the baby West? From the perspective of a fashion lover, one can dream!


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Emerson Electric Co. shares sat out a broader market advance Tuesday after the company reported a strong surge in fourth-quarter profit but issued a disappointing outlook for 2011.
The shares closed down $1.25 to stand at $54.72, pulling back from their recent high for the year of $56.01.
The St. Louis-based electrical products manufacturer
Net sales for the quarter ended Sept. 30 grew 14% to $5.84 billion.
Earnings from continuing operations in the latest quarter were 75 cents a share, including 6 cents a share of negative one-time items.
Analysts polled by FactSet Research had been expecting earnings of 78 cents a share, excluding one-time items, on sales of $5.89 billion.
The latest quarter’s results “reflect continued strengthening in the global economy and improved demand for Emerson’s products,” said CEO David Farr. “Businesses are spending again.”
The company said its initial expectations for fiscal 2011 include reported sales growth of between 12% and 15% as well as a margin for operating profit of between 17.2% and 17.5%.
Sterne Agee analyst Nicholas Heymann said that the outlook, based on calculations using those targets, comes to earnings of $3.01 to $3.20 a share, slightly below consensus forecasts for the year.
Heymann reiterated his neutral rating on Emerson with a $53 price target.
Separately, Emerson’s board approved a 3% increase in the quarterly cash dividend on common stock, to 34.5 cents a share. It’s payable Dec. 10 to shareholders of record on Nov. 12.


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Inspiration meets innovation at Brandweek, the ultimate marketing experience. Join industry luminaries, rising talent and strategic experts in Phoenix, Arizona this September 23–26 to assess challenges, develop solutions and create new pathways for growth. Register early to save.
It only took a few hours on Tuesday for KFC to answer the question, “Will people buy chicken-free chicken?” Yes, yes they will.
The one franchise in the Atlanta area that launched the faux-meat Beyond Fried Chicken sold out of its supply of nuggets and boneless wings just after lunch time. Customers had started arriving before 8 a.m., with lines that stretched a few blocks. There was a “double loop” of cars around the building trying to get to the drive-through windows, according to social media posts.


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Concord PD Gets a Sweet New Ride That Will Turn Heads [FACEBOOK]
The Concord Police Department may have some future augments between it's officers. I mean, who wouldn't want to drive their brand new Dodge Challenger!
The Concord PD has announced the arrival of a brand new, bad ass looking cruiser that can chase any bad guy down! They have acquired a brand new Dodge Challenger that will be used mostly for Community Service. You will be seeing this beauty in parades, and other special functions.
Dibs on the front seat!


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Despite the latest onslaught of scrutiny facing bitcoin across a number of countries, long-time bitcoin bull Cathie Wood appears to firmly hold her conviction that the cryptocurrency has a robust prospect, and as a result has filed for a bitcoin ETF.
According to a filing received by the SEC on Monday, Wood’s ARK Invest is petitioning to create a bitcoin ETF alongside European crypto issuer 21Shares, and if approved, would trade under the ticker symbol ARKB. Wood’s latest application marks the twelfth time the SEC has received a filing seeking permission to launch a bitcoin ETF.
Thus far, the SEC has remained relatively mum on cryptocurrencies, even postponing a decision to approve the first ever US bitcoin ETF last week. SEC Chairman Gary Gensler, who previously taught courses on digital assets at MIT, has recently called on increased regulation surrounding cryptocurrencies exchanges as well as more investor protections. However, according to a previous CNBC interview, Wood said that the regulator may turn tepid on cryptocurrencies, particularly alongside the leadership of the Biden administration.
Over the past several weeks, bitcoin has faced increased scrutiny by regulators and investors alike. The digital token came crashing from its all-time high of $63,000 in April, after several regions in China imposed stringent crypto regulations, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk decided to cease accepting bitcoin as payment for electric vehicles.
Information for this briefing was found via the SEC and CNBC. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.


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The Samsung A52s is a mid-budget Android-based smartphone manufactured and launched by Samsung Electronics as part of its Galaxy A family. The smartphone is slated to be released on 17 March 2021 at a launch event in New York. It is rumoured that the device will be launched in Australia in the coming months. The company has not yet revealed many details about the new handset, apart from saying that it will be powered by the same Exynona chip that has been used in the premium Notebook series from Samsung. We will look at the key features of the A52s along with a review of the device. samsung a52s
To provide a quick overview, the Samsung A52s features a dual-core 1.5ghz processor backed by the Mali-Tango mobile application development. With the help of this application, the device can perform video and picture-taking applications, along with several games. In addition, it offers support for Bluetooth 5.1 technology, which is very helpful for many Android users. Apart from this, the Samsung A52s has a large 8GB RAM in it, along with a generous amount of storage space. Samsung has not yet disclosed much about the camera or the resolution, but it comes preinstalled with the S Pen, so you can draw all the buttons on the screen.
Since the Samsung A52s comes with a dual-mode S Pen, it can also be used as a Write-on-SMART keyboard. Samsung has not finalized the camera department, but it comes preinstalled with the Exmor P and Super AMOLED touch screen technology, along with dual-tone LED flash and infrared. There is also a handwriting recognition facility that comes along with the Samsung A52s. You can write on the virtual keyboard or use the stylus for drawing on the virtual keyboard.
The Samsung A52s has two modes, which allow you to adjust according to your needs. The first mode runs on a quad-core 1.5ghz processor, the second mode is on a dual-core Samsung processor. The Samsung A52s runs on a Samsung quad-core 1.5ghz processor, and on a dual-core Samsung S Pen. The Samsung A52s comes with Samsung’s Exmor P and Super AMOLED touch screen technology and comes with 8GB RAM, four USB ports, one micro USB port, and one Card reader port.
At the front, the Samsung A52s has a five-megapixel camera, a memory card reader, an infrared scanner, a proximity sensor, and a dual-tone, dual LED flashlight. On the back, there are a fingerprint scanner, a micro USB port, and a 3000 mah battery. On the bottom, there is a micro USB port, and a headphone jack. The Samsung A52s has a complete package of features, which makes it popular among travelers. This a-series smartphone has been designed to be very flexible for the mobile user, who can use it anywhere in the world. With its ability to work as a PDA, digital camera, and a radio, it can even act as a PDA if you connect it to a laptop.
In today’s world, a lot of people are turning to technology giants to help them stay connected. Samsung has recognized this need and created its own line of smartphones, in order to provide its users with the best of mobile technology. The Samsung A52s is part of this new line of mobile devices from Samsung and is proving to be a big hit with travelers. With all of these features, the new Samsung A52s is proving to be a real winner, which makes it one of the hottest phones on the market. Be sure to find out everything you need to know about the Samsung A52s when you visit this page!


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After posting a picture of Nikon camera on Weibo yesterday, Leehom Wang (王力宏) was heavily blasted by Chinese netizens.
Admist the tensions between China and Japan’s disputes over the Diaoyu Islands, Leehom’s insensitive flaunting of the Japanese camera was slammed by netizens. At his micro-blog, Leehom uploaded the latest model of the Nikon camera and wrote, “The new arrival is here. I am going to improve on my photography skills! Haha…. I am so happy.”
Some angry netizens were upset over Leehom’s support of Japanese product and wrote, “Japan will forever be China’s pain. The heavenly king will also have to die since he stepped on the landmine.”
While other netizens wrote, “Are you looking for scolding since you choose to display a Japanese product at this point of time?”
“You are showing off Japanese product, don’t you know about the China-Japan disputes? You are so disappointing,” wrote another netizen.
However, Leehom’s fans were protective of their idol and the fans got into a heated row with the netizens at the micro-blog. As a result, there are over 20,000 of forum discussions at the Weibo!
Leehom is currently the endorser for Nikon in the China region and his endorsing fee is estimated around NT $30 million . After the backlash, his posting has already been deleted from his Weibo.


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The clock may be ticking on social media as we’ve known it.
Or, more accurately, TikTocking.
TikTok is giving social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram fits, specifically because it’s not a social media platform. It’s a content discovery engine that uses a smart algorithm instead of a social graph – which makes it much more engaging and addictive.
Major influencers (like the Kardashians) are upset, because they have massive (semi)direct relationships with their audience based on the social graph and their celebrity. The algorithm doesn’t care about that – only about the most riveting content.
“Instagram is in an identity crisis,” said Qianna Smith Bruneteau, founder of the American Influencer Council.
So, where will influencers have to head to enjoy that direct relationship with fans in an algorithm-driven world? That’s right… email.
The irony, of course, is that since the beginning of social media, pundits have been wrongly claiming it would kill email.
Instead, email is stronger than ever, and may well outlast social media.
Listen in for what this means.
- The End of Social Media and the Rise of Recommendation Media
- The newsletter boom is over. What’s next?
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In news that should be taken with a grain of salt, computer technology company Oracle has made claims to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Digital Platforms Inquiry that Google is tracking Android phones and then using customers own data allowances to report it back to their servers.
According to a report on News.com.au Oracle claims that ACCC chairman Rod Sims has been briefed by Oracle, who say that user location data is tracked by Google and then sent back to their servers using up to 1GB of data every month. The data is apparently used to help target users for advertising according to their location.
The sending of data can’t be stopped unless the phone is turned off, with News saying:
The Oracle experts say phone owners’ data ends up being consumed even if Google Maps is not in use or aeroplane mode is switched on. Nor will removing the SIM card stop it from happening. Only turning off a phone prevents monitoring.
Mr Sims has told News Corp Australia that the ACCC is looking into it, describing the presentation by Oracle as “extremely interesting” and “valuable input”
Oracle is of course in the middle of an ongoing lawsuit against Google in the US with regards to Google supposedly using protected Java APIs in Android. Google claims they developed ‘cleanroom’ versions, however the lawsuit has gone on for some time and after a trip on appeal by Oracle to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in March, Google was found to have infringed upon their copyright. The case is due to head back to a lower court to decide damages, however Google is expected to appeal.
Making claims against Google of this nature seems to be an unusual way of rattling sabers. The claims of Google tracking your location data is dragged out regularly, this is the first time that the link to using customer data allowances has been made. The ACCC is currently looking into the claims as part of the Digital Platforms Inquiry.
Google has never hidden the fact that they are tracking your location, you can see your location history in Maps by going to ‘My Timeline’. You can also choose to delete that data by going to ‘myactivity.google.com‘.


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The brand celebrates a milestone with the inauguration of Texas on Friday, September 17
Atlanta, Georgia (RestaurantNews.com) Tropical smoothie coffee joins the exclusive club of restaurant brands with a four-digit slot count this week with the official opening of its most recent – and 1,000th system-wide cafe – in Flower Mound, Texas.
This milestone comes at a time when the company is experiencing record growth and is poised to open 130 new franchise locations in 2021. So far this year, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has signed agreements for 249 additional future franchise locations, s ‘adding to an already extensive pipeline of future commitments. These agreements position the brand well in its progress towards its goal of 1,500 coffees by the end of 2024.
“I like to say we’re the biggest brand you’ve never heard of,” said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe LLC. “We quietly broke sales and growth records, thanks to our incredible franchisees who have a passion for this brand and want to open more stores in our target markets. “
Franchisee DYNE Hospitality Group, owner of the new Flower Mound location, owns 13 more Tropical Smoothie Cafés in Texas and 70 more in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma. DYNE Hospitality Group opened its first two sites in 2011 and will open 10 to 12 new cafes in 2021.
“Since we opened our first location, we have seen the enormous potential of this brand, and we have wholeheartedly supported the Tropical Smoothie Cafe mission to ‘inspire better’ in the communities we serve through our food and our amazing smoothies, ”said DYNE Hotel Group Co-CEO Nick Crouch. “It’s an honor to open the 1,000th café, but what’s even more exciting is the growth and awareness we are experiencing across the system. It’s an amazing time to be a Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchisee.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is built for growth and its franchisees benefit from an award-winning franchise offering and a business model with multiple built-in time slots. One of the main differentiators from other smoothie concepts is the brand’s extensive menu of dishes which includes wraps, flatbreads, sandwiches, bowls and quesadillas made to order, as well as LTOs that drive sales, such as the hearty and healthy Green Goddess flatbread, served with a choice of chicken, shrimp or vegetable protein.
For more information on the menu, locations, hours and franchise opportunities, go to www.tropicalsmoothiecafe.com.
About Tropical Smoothie Cafe®
Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national concept of fast, casual coffee that inspires a healthier lifestyle with 1,000 locations nationwide. Serving healthier smoothies, wraps, sandwiches and flatbreads, Tropical Smoothie Cafe also features improved app technology and enhanced mobile ordering capabilities to further elevate the digital and coffee experience and highlight the brand emphasis on convenience. The rapidly growing franchise has received numerous accolades, including FRANdata’s TopScore FUND Award 2021, as well as rankings in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500, Forbes’ Best Franchises, Franchise Times’ Fast & Serious list and the Franchise Times’ Top 200. Notably , the franchise was also recognized on Fast Casual’s Top 100 Movers and Shakers, Nation’s Restaurant News 200 and 10 Fastest Growing Chains, and America’s Favorite Restaurant Business Chains.
For more information on the franchise, please visit https://www.tropicalsmoothiefranchise.com.


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Jeanette Martinez, Charlene Garcia Simms and Abel Santistevan attended the Roots Tech conference in Salt Lake City March 1. Chapter president, Margie Victoria Delgado, and other Utah chapter members arranged a gathering at Maria Garcias' house. We were treated to a feast and the hospitality was wonderful. More to come about our Utah gathering.
A group of FACC members who attended a field trip arranged by John Valdez to Espanola and Abiquiu, New Mexico in October
Part of the California contingent who attended the annual conference in Pueblo in August
GSHA Now Accepts Online Payments for Membership – Join or Renew Today!
The Genealogical Society of Hispanic America is pleased to announce that we are now set up to accept Membership payments online. Renewing and new members now have the ability to pay 2019 dues using our convenient secure online payment system–powered by PayPal.


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FDA lacks adequate authority to ban dietary supplements
USA Today (8/5) editorializes “the watchdog publication Consumer Reports,” in its latest issue, “spotlights a list of 12 widely used supplement ingredients linked to serious health risks, including cardiovascular, liver and kidney problems.” The sale of supplements, which is a “$27 billion” industry, is not illegal. The paper says “spokesmen for the self-described ‘responsible’ part of the industry claim” that “the limited powers given” the FDA “are adequate to protect the public.” But “the record says otherwise. It’s so hard for FDA to ban a product that only one such case has ever succeeded.” Supplements, “like drugs, shouldn’t be allowed on store shelves till they’ve been proven safe and effective,” the paper adds.
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Economic and Investment Update – July 2022
- The Consumer Price Index (CPI) continues on a 39-year high, rising to 8.1 per cent in June
- Bank of Canada raises the policy rate by 100 basis points – the largest increase since 1998
- National unemployment rate hits another record low, falling to 4.9 per cent in June
- Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remains unchanged in May
- Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Retail Trade, and Accommodation & Food Services in June
- Vaughan-headquartered Bausch + Lomb announces two new collaborations with foreign-based companies to expand services offerings
SELECT Economic Indicators
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) maintains a 39-year high, climbing to 8.1 per cent in June
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached 8.1 per cent in June, up from a 7.7 per cent year-over-year basis in May. In Ontario, prices increased 7.9 per cent over the same period last year in June, rising at a faster pace than seen in May and June.
Gasoline prices were the largest driver of inflation over this period – consumers were hit with a 6.2 per cent month-over-month increase in the cost of fuel, which was 54.6 per cent higher than June 2021.
Bank of Canada raises the policy rate by 100 basis points – the largest increase since 1998
The Bank of Canada increased its target for the overnight rate in July to 2.5 per cent, up by 100 points and the largest single increase since 1998. This increase continues the policy of tightening which began in April, and the Bank of Canada anticipates that interest rates will need to rise further given the rate of economic growth in the country and the persistent levels of inflation.
The Bank also indicated their forecast and are expecting Canada’s economy to grow by 3.5 per cent in 2022, 1.75 per cent in 2023, and 2.5 per cent in 2024. The policy of tightening of monetary conditions combined with fewer supply disruptions should help decrease the rate of inflation. The Bank’s July outlook has inflation easing to about 3 per cent by the end of 2023 and returning to the 2 per cent target by the end of 2024.
National unemployment rate hits another record low, falling to 4.9 per cent in June
National unemployment reaches a new low of 4.9 per cent in June, the lowest level since data became available in 1976. In Ontario, unemployment also dropped from 5.5 per cent to 5.1 per cent, while the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) – which includes Vaughan – remained at the same unemployment rate as May, staying at 6 per cent.
Youth unemployment in Ontario (aged 15 to 24) highest decreased to 10.5 per cent, while unemployment dropped 0.3 per cent for adult women (25 years and over) in Ontario to 4.3 per cent, and 0.2 per cent for adult men, decreasing to 4.2 per cent.
Employment in service-producing sectors declined by 0.5 per cent in June, with the largest decline seen in retail trade – dropping 2.5 per cent in one month. Whether this trend continues amidst lower consumer confidence and decreased spending power will be revealed in the coming months. The goods-producing sector saw employment increases, rising 0.8 per cent in June. Manufacturing employment grew in June, increasing 1.5 per cent, up 2.2 per cent compared to the same month last year. Construction employment also grew in June, with Ontario accounting for nearly all of the increase – up 3.3 per cent over the previous month in Ontario. Compared with the same period last year, construction employment has grown by 8 per cent, a faster pace than most industries.
Hourly wages for employees rose 5.2 per cent compared with the previous year in June, which was a higher increase than the 3.9 per cent seen in May. Despite the increase, the rise in wages still falls behind the rate of inflation, decreasing purchasing power for Canadians.
Workers who work all their hours at home dropped slightly in June, from 19.2 per cent to 17.9 per cent. However, changes to work location in summer months may be affected by jobs in tourism and hospitality industries, where fewer workers are able to complete work at home.
Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) remained unchanged in May
Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which measures the inflation-adjusted value of goods and services produced in the economy, remained unchanged in May. This zero per cent change comes after ten consecutive months of growth as measured by economic output.
Growth of 0.4 per cent in services-producing industries was offset by a 1 per cent decline in goods-producing industries.
Transportation and warehousing increased for the fourth consecutive month, up 1.9 per cent in May, but lags significantly (by 7 per cent) behind pre-pandemic levels. In Vaughan, transportation accounted for $1.16 billion in economic output and employed more than 15,500 workers in 2021.
Manufacturing declined in May after seven months of increases, falling by 1.7 per cent. The construction sector also dropped for the second month, decreasing 1.6 per cent in May. This coincides with the strikes seen in Ontario in the construction industry in the month of May, which saw delays in many projects across the province. Construction and manufacturing are two of the largest industries in Vaughan by both economic output and employment – they accounted for nearly 75,000 jobs and $8.6 billion in real GDP for the City.
LOCAL TRENDS, INVESTMENTS, AND SUCCESS STORIES
Small Business and Entrepreneurship sees demand for consultations driven by Accommodation & Food Services, Retail Trade, and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services in July
ED’s Small Business and Entrepreneurship top five industries seeking consultations in April were:
- Accommodation & Food Services (28%)
- Retail Trade (24%)
- Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (17%)
- Other (12%)
- Other Services (Except Public Administration) (8%)
Vaughan-headquartered Bausch + Lomb announces two new collaborations with foreign-based companies to expand services offerings
Vaughan-headquartered Bausch + Lomb, a leading global eye health company, in partnership with Novaliq GmbH, a German biopharmaceutical company focused on ocular therapeutics, announced in July the submission of a new drug in June to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a treatment developed that may treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Also in July, Bausch + Lomb announced a strategic agreement with Israeli ophthalmic medical device start-up Sanoculis to enter into an exclusive European distribution agreement for a minimally invasive surgical procedure to treat glaucoma.
Vaughan is located in a growing life science and health tech cluster of more than 350 companies in York Region, and the City is home to other global and Canadian industry leaders such as AB Sciex, Cardinal Health, Toronto Research Chemicals (TRC), a division of LGC Group, and Sterling Industries.


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Read an interview with Quantore Managing Director Arnold Theuws in this months Office Times online digital magazine. The article covers how this Dutch dealer group is poised to take advantage of growing markets.
OPI have released their digital magazine for September. The innovative Issuu format means its a pleasure to read.
Sofidel, owner of the Regina brand, will ban the use of disposable plastics in its workplaces.
Stationery manufacturer, BIC, commits to significantly reduce carbon emissions.
Newell Brands prepares students for their return to school – giving them the supplies to make it happen.
Stationery manufacturer, Pilot Pens, has launched a new creative range. Pintor, by Pilot Pen Europe, is a water-based paint marker, also available in four tip sizes.
More than 70 guests attended the grand opening of COLOP UK’s new headquarters in Birmingham on 4 September.
Office products vendor, Durable, has launched a portal on its UK website to provide dealers with a range of marketing and sales tools.
Consumer products giant Henkel invests in Truman’s – a cleaning products start-up selling direct to consumer.
Office Club is inviting members to an additional networking event. The aim is to provide updates and demonstrations of newly launched services and vendors since becoming part of the Nemo Group. The Open Day event takes place in Watford on Wednesday 16th October. Read more.
Integra Business Solutions launches new-look consumer website for Initiative Office Products.
Colleagues representing Fellowes Brands will by now have completed their challenge to raise £30,000 for charity.


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Despite mixed reviews, the Nike Air Zoom Flight 95, released in the 90s, has built, over the years, a strong adhesion around its distinctive silhouette.
The year 2022 is marked by its comeback which saw one of its OG colorways re-released, a Jason Kidd PE inspired version and even a collab with Supreme and now this new Nike Air Zoom Flight 95 “Light Orewood Brown”.
The pair arrives in a beige colored base called “Light Orewood Brown”, completed with black tabs and laces. The most interesting part worth mentioning is towards the bottom as we see on the outer side three bug eyes of different sizes and colors – “University Red”, “Blue Cobalt” and “University Gold” – while on the inner one, only a big bug eye takes place towards the back.
A white midsole on a black rubber outsole completes the design.
This Nike Air Zoom Flight 95 “Light Orewood Brown” is set to be released on September 1 at select retailers and Nike.com, with a retail price set at around 185 $ USD.


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Khadi Store Locator App launched
When you are India and want to take back some wonderful Khadi sarees, dress materials and artefacts, you don’t have to search for the authentic khadi store anymore. To ease the process, the Minister of State for MSME, Giriraj Singh has launched a mobile phone application for locating 4,000 Khadi stores in the country.
“There are more than 8,000 Khadi stores in India, the rest of stores will also be available on the store locator by the end of this month,” said Vinai Kumar Saxena, Chairman KVIC in the board meeting today.
The Chairman further said that KVIC expects to surpass the sales target of Rs 5,000 crore by the end of 2017-18. KVIC is also setting up export cells to promote overseas sales of Khadi products in order to make Khadi an international brand.
The Khadi and Village Industries products are manufactured by about 7 lakh privately owned household units which are funded through schemes like the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP).


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Walt Disney Co., which owns the ABC television network, is one of the originators of the modern licensing industry, beginning with Mickey Mouse products in the 1930s. Licensing and marketing have changed dramatically since then. “Over the past couple of years here at ABC, we’ve been evolving our approach to managing our TV properties inside ABC,” Sanderson says. “This idea of franchise management – managing our properties in a holistic way – is a relatively new idea to the network.”
It involves trying to understand what drives the affinity of viewers for a particular television program and providing them with the points at which they would like to connect with it.
“We search for partners and brands that are a perfect match for our show, have the same sort of sensibility, that share our vision and have a desire to leverage that pop culture phenomenon that TV brings,” Sanderson says.
Mysteries and Wines
Television programs are broadcast to millions of homes, and they become what people talk about at the proverbial office water cooler and, increasingly, what they blog and tweet about. So becoming associated with a television property is an attractive proposition for licensees.
Among the specialized properties that Disney-ABC Television Group is licensing products for is “Castle,” a program about a murder mystery writer. A logical licensing scheme was to actually pen and publish the books that were being fictionally penned in the show by protagonist Richard Castle. The five novels marketed under Castle’s name so far have sold more than 1.5 million copies and have been on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 55 weeks.
For another Disney-ABC show called “Revenge,” the company is licensing a line of fine jewelry. “At the core of ‘Revenge’ is this unbreakable love between a father and daughter,” Sanderson says. “The character, Emily, goes to all ends to clear her father’s wronged name.”
An iconic symbol of love – the double infinity symbol that is a central element to the show – was licensed as part of a 20-piece jewelry line in white diamonds and gold and silver. Disney-ABC also has licensed a fragrance to be introduced in June named “Double Infinity,” and red and white vintages of a wine called “Vintage Revenge.” Cosmetics are another opportunity for “Revenge” licensing.
“All these products evoke the lush lifestyle portrayed in the show and capitalize on what our fans love,” Sanderson emphasizes. “Revenge” appeals strongly to women ages 18 to 49, a demographic of which Sanderson says Disney-ABC has the highest concentration among broadcasters.
Dancing With Customers
The Disney-ABC Television Group’s licensing efforts for its eight-year, 16-season success, “Dancing With the Stars,” revolve around what it sees as the show’s various appeals. Some fans watch the show because of the transformations the stars undergo as they get in shape and learn dance routines. Others love the glamour of the contestants’ hair styles and wardrobes.
Fitness fans have purchased more than 2 million “Dancing With the Stars” fitness DVDs, with a new DVD slated to ship this fall. For the fans of the glitz and glamour, the licensing of beauty and apparel products is being pursued, too.
For fans of the show itself, a live stage production last year at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas was a hit and is providing support for fans having an appetite for a live experience with the show that goes beyond television. Additionally, Holland America cruise lines launched “Dancing With the Stars at Sea” cruises in which passengers could take dance lessons, watch performances and hobnob with the show’s celebrities.
Among other opportunities, a fashion trend toward fairy tales – another specialty of Disney – is being capitalized on with a line of jewelry for the Disney-ABC show “Once Upon a Time.” For “Wipeout” – in which contestants race through a surreal water park – a line of water toys is a natural.
A cookbook for “The Chew” – a daytime cooking show featuring five famous chefs – has already sold more than 150,000 copies, and a line of cookware, bakeware and kitchen gadgets is being cooked up.
“Everything we do must have a dose of creativity, whether in its product design, its product quality or product features,” Sanderson says. “What’s really important is we must move quickly. This is our moment, and we can’t wait.”


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US energy storage startup Cadenza Innovation has raised over USD 5 million (EUR 4.5m) in a series A funding round to back product development, extend initial deployments, and boost revenues.
The company said Monday the Golden Seeds-led oversubscribed round attracted Connecticut Innovations, Scale Investors, Eric Redman (Summit Power Group Co-chairman) and entrepreneur Mark Torrance. Angel investors from Asia, Europe and North America also participated.
Cadenza Innovation is bringing to market what it says is a low cost and high-performance technology platform for licensing to lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery makers around the world. “There is unprecedented demand for these next-generation solutions, especially in the electric transport and grid markets – each of which is expected to surpass USD 100 billion in sales within the next decade,” Cadenza said.
(USD 1 = EUR 0.908)
By Tsvetomira Tsanova


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Beware of Angry Farmers
Last Tuesday, I watched as tractors took over the Place de la Bastille. Their bright colors shone in the spring sun. Bike riders slalomed among them. Pedestrians waved at the drivers and took pictures.
But the bucolic image of the countryside invading Paris had a bitter taste. On board the tractors were commodity farmers—mostly cereal producers. Their t-shirts read "Fauchés comme les blés" on one side and "Attention, paysans en colère" on the other—the former, "cut down like wheat," a play on words meaning stone-broke, the latter translating as "beware of angry farmers."
The facts are quite striking: despite EU and French subsidies of about 260 euros per hectare (that is $140 per acre with a dollar at 0.75 euros), cereal farmers foresee net revenues for the year as low as negative 80 euros per hectare (-$43 per acre—yes, that's 80 and 43 below zero). After last year, when dairy producers were hit by milk price fluctuations, cereal producers are now fighting to survive. It is further evidence—as if we need further evidence - that the French agricultural system is failing.
In a recent article in Télérama, a French cultural magazine, Rémy Vincent interviews Marc Dufumier, an agronomist, teacher, and researcher on agricultural matters. Dufumier provides a thorough analysis of the agricultural system, from how it all started, to how it is no longer sustainable, to a vision of the future of French agriculture.
Its foundations were laid during the post-war period, Dufumier explains. Back then, Europe lacked self-sufficiency and could not produce enough of its own cereals, sugar, milk, and meat. So the government provided incentives, some of which guaranteed prices, for farmers to increase production in these sectors. The model worked: farms grew bigger and bigger through investments made possible by the guaranteed prices. Bigger operations led to more specialization—a trend that demand from food companies and retailers, who needed more and more standardized products in order to offer the lowest possible prices, only reinforced.
France is now the biggest cereal producer in Europe, and the second largest exporter worldwide after the U.S. But the system remained the same in a changing global environment, and the side effects we ignored started to add up—both of which combined to make a situation that is no longer sustainable.
The globalization of agriculture brought in new competitors, especially in commodity sectors like cereals, as well as speculation on staple foods prices. The price of cereals, which boomed in 2007 at 270 euros per ton on average, has collapsed since then; it was at 110 euros per ton in 2009. European and French subsidy systems tackled such situations for a while, but are no longer able to do so, partly because such price crises are coming from all fronts. They have failed to maintain the guaranteed prices on which the system was built.
Hyper-specialization led to absurd situations. There is now a total disconnection between livestock farming and crops growing, where farms used to be a combination of both. Dufumier takes the example of Brittany, now highly specialized in cattle, where farmers import soy from Brazil to feed the livestock. The lack of cereal production prevents Brittany's farmers from doing what our ancestors used to do: mix the animal waste with hay to produce fertilizers. Instead, the waste remains waste, polluting local groundwater. Conversely, the Parisian basin, highly specialized in cereals, could use this potential fertilizer from Brittany. Instead, farmers import non-organic fertilizers.
The race for more production led not only to a loss in biodiversity, with some species and their lower yields being left behind, but also to a loss in quality. Recent food scandals have left consumers wondering what our farmers are doing, Dufumier notes. And they question the legitimacy of subsidies—for which we all pay through taxation—if the end result of agriculture is of such poor quality.
The farmers I talked to on Tuesday were very aware of all of this. They all agree that the system, conceived in another time and another world, no longer functions. But they feel betrayed, players of a game whose fundamental rules have changed. And they feel powerless, most of them, especially the young ones, lacking the financial capacity to change the way they practice agriculture.
In Télérama's article, Dufumier proposes ways to create a new system of French agriculture. "There is a growing market for quality products," he says. Organic is one: France imports 10 percent more organic products every year, since it is unable to provide them from within. Dufumier's idea is that "subsidies should be geared towards helping transitions to agriculture centered on quality." An agriculture that would move from specialization to diversification. From blindly growing a single crop, to reconnecting to the terroir, growing crops and raising breeds adapted to it.
"By doing so," Dufumier points out, "we will stop being unfair competition to other countries with our subsidized commodities, especially countries from the South." He adds, "Farmers would ultimately get their revenues from their work, not from subsidies, consumers would be grateful for better products and farmers would recover their dignity."


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Why Amaya.Inc Shares are Surging
Amaya's flagship poker brands Poker Stars and Full Tilt has received approval to operate in New Jersey from the regulator. The response to this good new Amaya's shares increased by 24% the next day.
It is not usual when a business expands into New Jersey, so it was a surprise for such a dramatic surge.
After the disaster of "Black Friday" for PokerStars and Full Tilt, where they were shut down in 2011. PokerStars bought out Full Tilt, then later sold the whole lot to Amaya for $5 billion.
Investors hoped that the company would bring PokerStart and its partner Full Tilt back to the American Market.
Hoping to Grow
Two other states besides New Jersea, Nevada and Delaware have also legalized online gambling, so they will be the next targets for Amaya, PokerStars were shut out, but Amaya are hopeful that the two states will be receptive as they are in New Jersey now that Amaya have bought them out. There are also several other states that are considering legalizing gambling, which could mean more opportunities to do business


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Watch the Xperia Z2 Launch in India Live
If you are interested in getting the action of the Xperia Z2 launch happening today, then you are at the right place. We saw the Xperia Z2 back at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The new variant of the Z series comes with a IP58 Rating making it dust tight and water resistant just like its predecessor, so as long as the doors are all closed.
The new Z2 is expected to hit the Indian market for a price of around 50 thousand, so check out the live feed up top for more info. The event will start at about 1 PM IST.


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Meta (previously known as Facebook) has come up with a translator specifically for spoken Hokkien. Quite amazing, in my opinion. Check out the video.
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp Are Down
If you are trying to access Facebook, Instagram, or WhatsApp for the past hours, you might not be able to do so. These social platforms suffer from an outage
Facebook Introduces Ray-Ban Stories Smart Glasses
Facebook, In partnership with EssilorLuxottica, is introducing the Ray-Ban Stories smart glasses. It is a smart glasses with built-in cameras and speakers.
Audio House Giveaway in less than 24 hours
Just a quick one. Audio House is giving away air purifier, Air Fryer and a Fan. Just need to do a few steps to participate. Results will be announced tonight
Facebook and Google Compete in Video Conferencing Solutions
With COVID-19 cases pass 3 million globally, it’ll take a while for the world to become normal. Thanks to technology, social distancing and lockdowns become
Facebook Gaming App is Available Now
Facebook has recently launched a dedicated app just for gamers and for gaming. If you love gaming or watch people game, this new Facebook Gaming app might..


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Young or old, Halloween is a day that everyone seems to enjoy, whether it’s for stocking up on candy or coming up with outrageous costume ideas. However, it’s not often that people delve into the consumer trends behind the festive occasion. Statista, a statistics portal, prepared an interesting infographic going into the consumer trends this year. While the data is largely general and focuses on end-user expenditures, it does provide insights for businesses that depend on the Halloween season as a big source of revenue generation. With that knowledge, businesses can plan strategic marketing efforts to ensure that consumer dollars are going into their pockets and not to their competitors.
Some interesting stats include:
Happy Halloween from all of us here at Rank Media!


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This week saw the end of one streaming service and news of the launch of a new platform. We also take a look at some useful new tools for cord cutters from Plex and check out a rumor about Amazon getting rights to a post-Thanksgiving NFL game.
Here are some of the top streaming stories from this week.
Comcast & Charter Join Forces to Start Streaming
This week, Comcast and Charter announced a joint venture to create a new streaming platform. For the new platform, Comcast will license Flex, its current streaming platform and hardware, and incorporate its free streaming service, Xumo, while highlighting Peacock among other services. Charter will contribute $900 million over multiple years.
Plex’s New Search and Discover Tools Are Promising Works in Progress
We dug into the new features being added to Plex, which the platform says will simplify finding and launching content from across the internet. The posts goes hand in hand with our most recent video, giving viewers an in-depth look at how the new features work.
CNN+ Lasted 1/8 of a Quibi
Just a month after launching, CNN+ shut down this week, two days ahead of the planned end date announced last week. For comparison, the short-lived mobile-first streaming app Quibi lasted eight months before going under.
Report: Amazon May Have A Black Friday NFL Game by 2023
With streaming services battling it out for rights to exclusively stream NFL games for the 2022/2023 season, Amazon is reportedly looking for dibs on a Black Friday game. Sources say Amazon made a bid between $70-100 million for rights to the game.
Best Deals of the Week
This week, we’ve rounded up deals on video rentals, smart home devices, headphones perfect for private listening on your streaming device, and more.


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CSPN is an all-in-one platform for sports enthusiasts and gamers.
Jupiter, FL, USA – – The Crypto Sports Network (CSPN) is excited to announce the upcoming release of its groundbreaking Fantasy Sports Application, which is set to revolutionize the gaming industry. This highly anticipated app is targeted to be available in the 3rd quarter of 2023. However, the platform has already created a buzz in the gaming community for its unique business model, trustless leagues, and staking-for-access feature.
The CSPN Fantasy Sports Application stands out from its competitors by requiring creators to stake CSPN tokens for access. This innovative approach eliminates the need for expensive subscription fees, making the platform more accessible and attractive to users. By staking their CSPN tokens, creators gain access to a comprehensive suite of tools and features, enabling them to create and manage their fantasy leagues efficiently and effectively.
In addition to its unique business model, the CSPN Fantasy Sports Application will also offer trustless leagues. Creators can set an entry fee in CSPN tokens, which will be placed into a smart contract. Throughout the league season, the entire amount of CSPN tokens will be staked, and the creator will receive the staking rewards as a creator fee. This ensures that the entire pool of CSPN tokens remains available for the league winners while the creator is still rewarded for their time and effort.
Staking for access is a revolutionary concept allowing users to access premium features and services by staking their tokens instead of paying a traditional subscription fee. By staking their CSPN tokens, creators are essentially “locking” them in a smart contract for a specified period, during which they can utilize the platform’s features. The staked tokens generate rewards over time, which are then paid out to the creators as a form of passive income. This model encourages long-term engagement with the platform and helps reduce the circulating supply of the CSPN token.
The CSPN Fantasy Sports Application is a testament to the Crypto Sports Network’s dedication to transforming the sports and gaming industry by providing a decentralized platform that reimagines the way the engages with sports, play games, and own NFTs. With its innovative technology, dedicated team, and passionate community, the CSPN platform is leading the way.
The CSPN Fantasy Sports Application is a testament to the Crypto Sports Network’s dedication to transforming the sports and gaming industry by providing a decentralized platform that reimagines the way fans engage with sports, play games, and own NFTs. With its innovative technology, dedicated team, and passionate community, the CSPN platform is poised to revolutionize the way anyone thinks about online gaming and fantasy sports.
About Crypto Sports Network (CSPN)
The Crypto Sports Network (CSPN) is a decentralized platform that aims to create a global community of sports enthusiasts transcending borders and cultures. CSPN leverages the power of blockchain technology to provide a transparent, secure, and trustless platform for fan engagement, player rewards, and sports tournaments. The platform comprises three pillars: The Social Network, The Gaming Platform, and The NFT Marketplace, which together set a new standard for the sports, gaming, and entertainment industries.
For more information about the Crypto Sports Network and its upcoming Fantasy Sports Application, please visit https://cspn.io
Company Name: CSPN crypto sports network
Contact Person: Tonya Fox
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Economy Lane journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.


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So, where does Toyota go from here? How does the automaker gain back the confidence of its customers? In fact, can the company put things right?
It can, according to Clarence Ditlow of the Center for Auto Safety, but it won't be easy.
"For the next year they have to bat 1,000," he told ConsumerAffairs.com. "If they make a mistake they have to correct it almost overnight."
Analyst Jessica Caldwell at the automotive Web site Edmunds.com agrees that Toyota can bounce back, but says, "It's going to take some time."
Toyota attempted to get the healing process started during the past week.
Appearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Jim Lentz, president and chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales, USA, confessed that the automaker has not "lived up to the high standards our customers and the public have come to expect." Lentz said he is "confident that no problems exist with the electronic throttle control" relating to the unintended acceleration problem, but noted that the investigation continues.
Lentz apologized for what he called the company's "mistakes," adding that the company "must think differently when investigating complaints and communicate faster, better and more effectively with our customers and our regulators."
At the same hearing, Rhonda Smith of Sevierville, TN, told of a harrowing experience she had while driving her new Lexus 350 ES on October 12, 2006.
Smith told the panel she "lost all control of the acceleration of the vehicle" and that the car eventually reached a speed of 100 mph. She says she had the emergency brake on "while frantically shifting between all the gears (besides park) but mainly had it in reverse." After about three miles had passed, Smith adds, "I thought it was my time to die."
After traveling six miles, Smith says, the car began to slow -- by itself -- and by the time it reached 33 mph, she was able to turn the engine off.
The vehicle was towed to the dealership in Kingsport, TN, which said it would thoroughly check the problem. After several weeks, Smith says, "we were advised they could find nothing wrong with the car."
The mea culpas from the automaker continued a day later when Toyota Motor Corporation President Akio Toyoda told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform that he takes "full responsibility" for the uncertainty about the safety of Toyota's vehicles that consumers are feeling.
In his prepared testimony, Toyoda said part of the problem is due to the fact that the company "pursued growth over the speed at which we were able to develop our people and our organization," -- in other words, the company grew too fast. He expressed regret "that this has resulted in the safety issues described in the recalls we face today," adding "I am deeply sorry for any accidents that Toyota drivers have experienced."
Ditlow says one way Toyota can help restore confidence is to meet its problems head on. "Every time they get a complaint of unintended acceleration, they need to have a team of engineers available to examine it, produce a written report, give it to NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), give it to the consumer."
According to Ditlow, the way Toyota handled - or failed to handle - the problem "did more damage" to the company's image than the problem itself. "No one expects a perfect vehicle," Ditlow concluded. "What you do expect is that when there is a problem, it will be fixed."
Edmunds.com's Caldwell tells ConsumerAffairs.com that Toyota can learn from its mistakes. "When you don't answer questions or have a press conference, people are left to their own devices and will make the story for Toyota."
She says if the company had taken a "firmer, more aggressive stance in the beginning, there wouldn't be just a complete witch hunt out there."


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The S.s.d. Casarano Volley, after having unveiled the new company logo to its fans, is pleased to announce the completion of a commercial agreement through which the sportswear brand NINESQUARED will be the technical sponsor of the red-blue company.
In fact, a multi-year partnership has been signed which will begin with the 2022/23 sports season: based on the agreements reached, Ninesquared becomes a commercial partner of the partnership in Via Carlo Magno and a new supplier of sportswear kits.
The new technical sponsor will take care of the design and realization, all tailor-made and totally personalized, of the game uniforms and training garments for both the first team involved in the A-3 series championship and for the youth teams. All clothing will be characterized, among other things, by the presence of the new company emblem.
Andrea Anastasia, General Manager of Casarano Volley and direct referent of the negotiation, declares: “It is with great pleasure that we announce this further news. Ninesquared is a young, successful and innovative brand that is committed to enhancing our great sporting heritage in a contemporary and elegant way. It is a brand that is gaining more and more visibility every year on the national and international scene. We are determined to start this journey with the aim of enhancing the growth of the two companies, each with great expectations for the future “.
Lorenzo Gallosti, CEO of Ninesquared declares “We are really happy with this new collaboration with S.s.d. Casarano Volley. After the agreement with New Mater, collaborating with another so prestigious reality in Puglia is a big step forward for us. After the milestone reached in the 21/22 season, we are proud to accompany a team with determination and ambition towards next season. We have always believed that the Volleyball movement deserved more, which is why ninesquared was born. We recognize the crucial role of volleyball clubs for the entire movement and support them in creating value and providing services to their athletes. S.s.d. Casarano Volley has proved to be in line with our values from the beginning, Volleyball is in our DNA, it is not just a sport, but a way of being and we are happy to be able to enhance it together with you! “


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Another market springs to life
Chico Certified Farmers’ Market is opening a market in north Chico
Chico shoppers who are fans of the local farmers’ markets will soon have another option for picking up delicious, fresh, locally grown produce.
The Chico Certified Farmers’ Market, the same nonprofit group that organizes the popular year-round downtown market on Saturdays, is opening another Saturday market out in the ’burbs. Later this spring, CCOF vendors will be selling at the North Valley Plaza in a parking lot next to the old Mervyn’s building.
This new market is seasonal, running from May 1 through October, covering the busiest months of the year for local growers. The hours of operation will be 7:30 a.m. to noon.
CCOF has been organizing farmers’ markets for 30 years. The new market is its sixth.


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What if we could pick up a bag of chips at the grocery store, and know, just by looking at the label, the climate impact as well as the calorie count? We aren’t there yet—at least not for most products in the United States—but a new web-based tool released by Swedish climate intelligence company CarbonCloud is bringing us closer to being able to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of a grocery list as easily as we would the nutrition values. It’s not quite ready to launch the carbon-counting revolution, but it is a start.
To test it out, I volunteered to run my editor’s weekly shopping list through the database and, by selecting the products and brands with the lowest emissions, ended up saving her the equivalent of 83.8 kg of CO2, about the same as driving a gasoline-powered car for 208 miles. And she still gets to eat Ben & Jerry’s for dessert, as long as she chooses the non-dairy Half Baked ice cream (2 kg CO2 per kg of ice cream) over regular Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (4 kg CO2/kg). (A pint of ice cream is about 0.25 kg)
When I was a kid, my parents based my weekly allowance on the money I saved them by clipping coupons. Too bad I can’t convert carbon emissions savings into a raise. At this point in the website’s development, it’s about the only way it would be worth going through the cumbersome process again, even if it helps with climate change.
Food and agriculture are responsible for nearly a quarter of global emissions. But unlike electricity generation (25%) and transportation (14%), little has been done to reduce the climate impact of what we eat. Yet doing so is vital: a recently published study in Nature Climate Change found that our current food system could add 1°C in global warming by the end of the century, propelling us well past the 1.5°C (2.7°F) limit that helps us avoid the worst effects of the climate crisis.
Consumers could play a significant role in pushing food companies to reduce emissions by choosing low- or net-zero carbon products, but not without data, says David Bryngelsson, CarbonCloud’s CEO and founder. The confusion stems from a food industry rendered inscrutable by multiple layers of suppliers—a microwavable frozen pad thai meal, for example, could have a dozen or more ingredients, each sourced from a different state, or even country, each producing varying amounts of emissions. Quantifying them all requires a climate scientist’s expertise; comparing one microwavable meal against another requires a standardized system of assessing impact. While most food companies publish emissions data in the fine print of their corporate sustainability reports, few consumers are going to take the time to parse the details and choose accordingly.
Now they don’t have to, according to Bryngelsson. CarbonCloud has just released its free searchable database online, listing the carbon footprint of 10,000 branded food and beverage products found on American grocery shelves, ranging from Campbell’s Soup to Lipton tea, Barilla pasta and Tyson packaged meat. Each item on their ClimateHub website has a total emissions by weight tag; consumers looking for more details can click through to find out what percent of emissions come from transport, packaging, processing and agricultural practices or, in some cases, dig even deeper to look at sourcing and emissions at the ingredient level. “We start with the consumer because they feed money into the food supply system,” says Bryngelsson. “They need to start making informed choices, and if those choices lean towards better climate performance, the incentive is there for the food producers to start differentiating themselves. That’s what we’re after.”
The idea is not exactly new—the world’s first carbon label, introduced by the Carbon Trust, debuted in a U.K. grocery store chain in 2007 with tags on everything from sugar to laundry detergent and toilet paper. But the program fizzled out a few years later due to poor uptake and low consumer interest. That is starting to change, says Bryngelsson. Consumers are much more climate aware than they were a decade ago—a 2020 survey commissioned by Carbon Trust and conducted by YouGov found that two thirds of consumers in the U.K., U.S., and multiple European countries support carbon labeling on products. Several companies, such as oat-milk innovators Oatly, are already affixing their own labels to get ahead of the trend.
CarbonCloud got its start helping companies like Oatly, Dole, and baby food maker Little Freddie assess their own carbon impacts. That expertise forms the basis of ClimateHub’s dataset, says Bryngelsson, who worked on carbon accounting methods as a researcher at Sweden’s Chalmers University of Technology before going on to found CarbonCloud. “We know the impacts of different agricultural products in different regions. We know what electricity systems look like, we know what transport routes are usually taken, and which vehicles are used.” By breaking supply chains into modules, and then plugging in publicly available data for each sector, he has been able to estimate the total emissions of tens of thousands of products in the U.S. and Europe.
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In aggregate, it could be a powerful tool for greenhouse gas reductions—CarbonCloud claims to have the largest food emissions database in the world, which, if widely adopted by climate-conscious consumers, could force change in the industry. “Once you start labeling things, consumers are going to demand more accountability and lower carbon footprints,” says Bryngelsson. That may be the case. But a closer examination of the dataset shows that it’s not exactly ready for prime time.
I looked up every item on my editor’s list with an eye towards minimizing carbon emissions whenever possible. “Coffee creamer” had several options, from whole milk (2kg CO2/kg) to several brands of oat and nut milk alternatives (0.6 kg CO2/kg). So far, so obvious: it is well known that meat and dairy products have a much higher climate impact than plant-based items. But the entries for non-dairy flavored creamers, like butter pecan or hazelnut, took me by surprise, clocking in at 20 kg CO2/kg. When I clicked through for details, it was frustratingly scant, only listing that 99% of the emissions came from agriculture. It was only by researching the ingredient list on the creamer company’s own website that I began to grasp the reason for the disparity: the main ingredient is palm oil, a big climate offender due to deforestation.
And while Bryngelsson’s goal for ClimateHub is to get companies to compete on lowering impacts, most food items shared the same emissions across categories: pasta, no matter the brand, nets 2 kg of CO2/kg. So too do granola and salsa, regardless of whether or not they are organic, which would, presumably, have an impact in lowering the use of high-emissions fertilizer. If Chobani’s blueberry flavor Greek yogurt (2 kg CO2/kg) emits the same amount of carbon equivalents as rival Danone’s, it’s hard to see the incentive for either company to change the status quo. Bryngelsson disagrees, citing surveys showing that consumers are more likely to think positively about a brand that could demonstrate it had lowered the carbon footprint of its products, and that they are also willing to pay a small premium to buy it.
The category-wide standard emissions are a starting point, says Bryngelsson. The next step is for individual companies and suppliers to weigh in with their own reduction efforts, whether it be electrified transport, a renewable energy source or recycled packaging. “We can produce zero carbon food. But we need 1,000 little business decisions and innovations to get there,” he says. “By making this information available, we will get that movement going.” Those actions can be made visible to consumers by plugging them into the supply chain module on a per-product basis, reducing the overall emissions total. To do so, companies must subscribe to ClimateHub, starting in the low hundreds of dollars a month per listing. So far, only a few have done so, but Bryngelsson is expecting more uptake now that the dataset is public.
It took me more than an hour to go through the 20-odd items on my editor’s grocery list in order to find the lowest possible emissions via ClimateHub’s dataset, and the process was both frustrating—the search function is basic at best—and enlightening. Frozen, farm-raised skinless salmon filets, at 10 kg CO2/kg, are a much better climate buy than their wild caught pacific salmon cousins at 60 kg CO2/kg. It’s better to buy a Starbucks cold-brew (2 kg CO2/kg) than a pumpkin-spice latte (10 kg CO2/kg). I can recommend Frito-Lay Spicy Nacho tortilla chips (4 kgs of CO2/kg) over Doritos at 7 kg CO2/kg, but I still can’t tell what sets them apart. I want the system to work, but I can’t imagine the average grocery-store customer doing this much homework just to reduce the impact of dinner.
There are scores of organizations like CarbonCloud promising to help companies calculate their carbon footprint, and just as many apps and websites offering consumers a way to shop better. But the data sets and calculations vary widely. CarbonCloud may come closest to a standardized method of assessing carbon emissions of our food products, but ultimately the only thing that is really going to make a difference in the average 13 seconds a customer spends choosing a grocery store item is by posting a clear climate label on the products.
Correction May 15, 2023
The original version of this story misspelled the name of an oat milk brand. It is Oatly, not Oatley.
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Posted on July 2,2020
It’s been over a year since Apple introduced the iPad Air 3 in March 2019, so it only makes sense that speculation has started on a possible iPad Air 4th generation release in 2020. The iPad Air is considered Apple’s mid-range tablet, second to the iPad Pro, but above the iPad Mini and entry-level iPad models. Although this year has already seen the release of the latest iPad Pro, there are plenty of rumors going around suggesting an iPad Air follow up is heading our way. Here’s some answers to the top questions everyone is asking.
When will it be released?
Unlike their iPhones, Apple doesn’t follow a specific pattern or schedule of releasing iPads. For example, March 2020 would have been a year since the iPad Air 3 was released, but Apple dropped new models of the iPad Pro that month instead. They haven’t officially announced a date, but according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the release will be in the sometime during the second half of 2020.
How much will it cost?
Apple typically charges the same entry level price as its former model, so we can speculate it would cost around $499. Keep in mind that if an iPad Air 4 is coming, older model prices will drop as they commonly do with new releases.
What features could it have?
The newest iPad is predicted to be 10.8 inches and have the usual glass home button with Touch ID sensor for fingertips. There is speculation that instead of featuring the lightning charging port, it may have the same USB-C port that the iPad Pro 11 inch features. This would allow the iPad Air 4 to charge faster and increase its data transfer speeds. One other feature we might see is the new tablet being designed with MiniLED technology, which allows for lighter and thinner devices without compromising contrast, color and vibrancy.
Any other rumors to share?
Although this isn’t related directly to a new iPad Air, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo anticipates a new iPad Mini between 8.5 and 9 inches coming in the first half of 2021. It’s too early to know anything else about it, but we’ll keep our ear to the ground about this fun rumor.
We can’t wait to see what Apple has next in store for their iPads – stay turned for future updates!


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We'll be honest to say right up front that this is one of those articles where you read the headline and think perhaps it's a neat story, but it can't really be that big of a deal. Well, think again. We clicked on the video of the "massive" Tesla delivery train and couldn't believe how long it keeps going and going and going.
When you first see the image of the Tesla EVs on the train, you can probably imagine there being many more beyond what the picture reveals. However, that's a huge understatement. In fact, the person filming the moving train must continue filming for a full 45 seconds to capture all the Teslas on the train. Perhaps you can count them.
The end of the quarter and the end of 2022 are literally right around the corner. We already know Tesla will post record production and deliveries this year. The company has already far exceeded numbers from 2021, and the goal is to show 50 percent year-over-year growth. As far as we can tell, the US electric automaker is pulling out all the stops to make that happen.
During the end of each quarter, and especially at the end of the year, we commonly receive images of car haulers taking Tesla vehicles to various locations. We've actually seen a few on the road ourselves, and while it is "news," it's not really that exciting anymore. However, this is the first time we've seen a video of a train loaded with Teslas, and we're honest to say it surprised us, perhaps even more than it should have, but still.
According to Teslarati, the delivery train was seen in Europe and shared on Twitter by Luc Waterlot. The publication notes that Stanford H. also shared the video, though it was on LinkedIn. He says that while the information is not confirmed, the train is reportedly heading from Giga Berlin to Norway, which makes a lot of sense since Norway is essentially the EV capital of the world.
How many EVs do you think Tesla will deliver across the globe in Q4 2022? How about for the entire year as a whole?
It's important to note that while it seems Tesla is kicking it into high gear and will break even more records before the year comes to an end, there are also reports of demand issues for the US EV maker's vehicles.
Perhaps those demand concerns will further materialize (or fizzle out) as we head into 2023, but it's difficult to know exactly what the story is, and Tesla doesn't typically offer much insight. The company continues to call demand issues "false," but it's lowering prices and offering discounts and incentives. Is Tesla just trying to ensure an incredibly impressive quarter, or are the reported "demand levers" necessary at this point?