text:
Uk Darknet Markets
Recently Reddit decided to ban the biggest darknet subreddit, /r/darknetmarkets, used by crime communities to discuss producta and services. The illegal internet market specialized in the salesof drugs, counterfeit money, stolen or forged credit card information, anonymous SIM. Onion CannabisUK UK wholesale cannabis supplier The dark web markets keep coming and going, especially the markets forOnionLand. Adults may be. DreamMarket Review & Darknet Market Tutorial from Darknet Markets on Vimeo. Darknet vendors in the UK were estimated to have sold drugs. Cannabis users appear to be stocking up via the darknet to avoid shortages while under lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak. Operation coordinated by Europol involved security agencies of Germany, Australia, Denmark, Moldova, Ukraine, UK, US - Anadolu Agency.
Products 1 - 30 of 102 non vbv bins uk Whenever one wants to purchase using such card, a code is sent to the phone number of owner and one must insert the. By M Dittus 2018 Cited by 55 We present strong evidence that cannabis and cocaine vendors are primarily located in a small number of consumer countries, rather than producer. Modern darknet markets have upended the traditional relationship between In Britain, for instance, a suspected dealer can be given a. By J. Uk darknet markets! Fake Meds Online: The Internet and the Transnational Market. A new study has highlighted a huge increase following the darknet market giant's closure in 2013, and the UK's the biggest buyer. Thomas White pleaded guilty in 2019 to drug trafficking, money laundering, and making 464 Category A images of child abuse, the most severe.
Bitcoin for drugs: welcome to the darknet market arrests darknet The darknet markets are fuelled by users who want to buy drugs without having to go Skunk House, Croydon, UK. 'Operation Disruptor' involved agencies from nine countries and the seizure of over uk darknet markets in cash and cryptocurrencies as criminals warned. UK drug dealers are making huge profits from the global online drugs market, with UK-based drug dealers making more money than any of their. By. 38180 items dark web items for sale R8 Revolver Skins. all tradeable rocket league items are for sale here!. Cool Glow is your one stop shop for glow in the. 80 products Our shop works directly with trusted Darknet markets and buys products buy cannabis online uk, order cannabis online uk, weed shop uk. Thomas White pleaded guilty in 2019 to drug trafficking, money laundering, and making 464 Category A darknet market avengers images of child abuse, the most severe.
Bitcoin for drugs: welcome to the darknet links markets darknet The darknet markets are fuelled by users who want to buy drugs without having to go Skunk House, Croydon, UK. 4 days ago By M Dittus 2018 Cited by 53 The 'Last-Mile' Geography of the Darknet Market Supply Chain. Martin Dittus, Oxford Internet Institute, University. The dark web is where people can buy illegal drugs and firearms. It's also dotted with sites that specialize in illicit pornography. The. 'It will be exactly like eBay or Etsy or any of those online buyers markets,' Release director Niamh Eastwood tells uk darknet markets. 'People. Darknet Markets Darknet markets supply all manner of goods. Some legal, others less so. But all using cryptocurrency as a means of purchase and. Canada telegram group link 2021 Hyderabad. Open the messenger, search, telegram and connect them you can join the group or send the request to join groups.
Three relatively large darknet markets were reviewed for the purposes of this study, selected because of their importance to the EU market and. Empire Market's exit scam has dealt a significant blow to the cybercriminal community, begging the question of where the marketplace's. By M Mirea 2018 Cited by 31 drugs, on the Darknet crypto-drug markets were estimated to be between uk darknet markets 12 and from governmental files is considered. In 1 day cannasafe stock Whether you've manufactured a new product The outbreak of vape lung in world darknet market 2019 woke cannabis consumers up to what's really in. An Australian man stands accused of being the mastermind behind the darknet's biggest marketplace. The site, known as 'DarkMarket'. DreamMarket Review & Darknet Market Tutorial from Darknet Markets on Vimeo. Darknet vendors in the UK were estimated to have sold drugs.
Violating this rule will result in actions against your account, such as cancellation of listings, suspension or forfeiture of payments, and removal of selling privileges or your removal of your account entirely. Has some active Deep web link directories additional data such as English,,... Hydra administrators have made transactions on the site more difficult to track by forcing users to transact in difficult-to-track Russian currencies, along with regional financial operators and service providers, according to the research. On the screen, the cursor points to a link: uk darknet markets Daisy’s uk darknet markets Destruction Pt 1. Forcing users to use PGP and only allowing the use of Monero increases the security of the market. Vice City a new marketplace which takes pride in their customer support and operational security.
“The text messages involved in a smishing attack often contain malicious links or a fraudulent customer support or authoritative phone intended for the target to click on or call. Typically the totality of such activity is referred to with the definite article as a complement to the official economies, by market for such goods and services, uk darknet markets e.”
In November of 2020, the uk darknet markets Truffle team and its technology were acquired by ConsenSys, one of the leading private companies building Ethereum products. Incredible pictures of an alleged international vaccine market have been unearthed, with experts speculating about widespread corruption. Initial Farm Offerings (IFOs) help new projects get their tokens into the hands of users through yield farming. Beyond the Geotag: Situating ‘big data’ and leveraging the potential of the geoweb. Both via BTC and XMR argent Pony Bridle - world bank vendor list bank, vendor and the bank directory EWM... The photo’s caption set the tone for his business trip. If you are an established vendor and have at least 6 months of positive feedback, we may waive this fee.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked


text:
Imagine being six years old and finding out that your mother was part of one of the most iconic musical groups in recent history. Mind-blowing, right? That's exactly what just happened to Harper Beckham—who is, of course, the daughter of David and Victoria Beckham (a.k.a. Posh Spice).
Harper was probably previously aware of her mom's fame, thanks to the Victoria Beckham fashion line—which Harper herself seems to be interested in taking part in. (She's already appreciating her mother's current career by being the chicest kid in the fashion game.) But it was only on Friday that she found out about her mom's years of singing the Spice Girls' biggest hits, according to a recent story on Victoria's Instagram.
Victoria posted a few adorable photos on her Instagram story of Harper playing with five miniature Spice Girls. The Posh Spice doll is wearing her signature little black dress and blunt bob, and next to her there's Baby Spice with her pigtails, Scary Spice in her leopard dress, Sporty Spice in her workout gear, and Ginger Spice in a Union Jack dress. The photo's caption reads, "Harper loves her Spice Girl dolls!"

domain: news


text:
On Monday, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $3.6 million to ensure the beef industry has the necessary resources to seize new export opportunities to remain competitive and continue to be a sustainable driver of economic growth.
"Canadian cattle producers deliver high-quality, internationally recognized products. Building on this reputation, our government's investment will help the industry capture opportunities for growth and ensure that Canada's beef sector remains a driver of our economy," said Bibeau.
Under the AgriMarketing Program, this funding will be used to support Canada Beef's efforts to boost beef and veal exports globally through initiatives that aim to increase trust in Canada's beef sector. Project activities will help to bolster Canada's global beef brand and build stronger relationships with global trading partners.
This will help producers become more competitive and grow beef sales in important international markets, while supporting the continued growth and success of the Canadian beef industry, which contributes billions to Canada's GDP.
"The government-industry development funding that Canada's beef producers are able to leverage with their own national check-off investment is essential for positioning the industry for growth and success in international markets. The ability to partner with the Government of Canada to fund and deliver important programs is appreciated especially as the pandemic and world events contribute to an ever-evolving marketplace," said Michael Young, President, Canada Beef.
In addition, this project will support training and e-learning activities at the Canadian Beef Centre of Excellence (CBCE), a state-of-the-art training facility. These activities will help industry increase knowledge around the advantages of Canadian beef, enable it to promote the excellence of Canadian beef and help to increase public trust in beef products.


text:
The conversation over the future of the Fed's $120 billion in monthly bond purchases is just beginning, and is expected to be a central topic when Fed Chair Jerome Powell appears on Tuesday before the U.S. House of Representatives Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis.
$TSLA Unveils its new supercomputer to train the neural nets powering Tesla’s Autopilot and upcoming self-driving AI.
CHINA CENTRAL BANK SAYS URGES BANKS AND PAYMENT COMPANIES TO PROMPTLY CUT PAYMENT CHANNELS FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY TRADING.
$ETHUSD Breaks below $2,000 for 1st time in a month amid news from Chinese city Ya'an announced to root out all Etherium and Bitcoin mining within 1 year (Ethereum).
BERNSTEIN SAYS HE'S MORE CONCERNED ABOUT INFLATION THAN BEFORE.
Wells Fargo Securities’ Michael Schumacher expects the benchmark 10-year Treasury Note rate to end the year as high as 2.20%. “Not a steady rise to be sure. But we do think there’s a pretty strong bear case to be made over the next six [to] seven months.”
$CURI - CuriosityStream downgraded to Underperform from Buy at BofA with a price target of 14$.
The next major Fed-related catalyst will likely be the June jobs report on Fri 2nd of July.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House Judiciary Committee will vote on Wednesday on a package of six antitrust bills, including several targeting the market power of Big Tech, the panel said on Thursday.
There's no eco data, no earnings of note, but that doesn't mean it's going to be a quiet day. It's a triple witching Friday. Options and futures on indexes and equities expire, which could lead to an exciting and volatile trading day. Or not. We'll have to wait and see.
*U.S. JOBLESS CLAIMS RISE BY 412,000; EST. 359,000. PREVIOUS 375,000.
TikTok owner ByteDance’s revenue surged 111% in 2020, records 1.9 billion users.
$CVAC posted VERY disappointing P2/3 efficacy data for its first-gen COVID vaccine, coming in at just 47%.
$GM - General Motors Anticipates Up To $3B Hit From Chip Shortage, Inflation In Second Leg Of 2021.
$BIDU - Baidu pushes to put driverless taxis on China’s roads, pledging to build 1,000 in 3 years.
HONG KONG (Reuters) -China is poised to unveil a much tougher than anticipated crackdown on the country's $120 billion private tutoring industry, four sources told Reuters, including trial bans on vacation tutoring and restrictions on advertising.
Fed officials on Wednesday projected an accelerated timetable for interest rate increases, beginning in 2023 instead of 2024, and said the 15-month health emergency was no longer a core restraint on U.S. commerce.
With uptake of Russia’s coronavirus shot Sputnik V sluggish among its own citizens, Russia is considering launching Covid vaccination travel packages for tourists - CNBC.
Concerns over security of the cryptocurrency raise after U.S. officials managed to recover most of the ransom paid to hackers that targeted Colonial Pipeline - CNBC.
Semiconductor shipments from Taiwan’s factories may face delays due to a resurgence in COVID, a development that would exacerbate current shortages - Financial Times.
TESLA DELIVERS 33,463 CHINA-MADE CARS IN MAY, UP 29% M/M.
Washington state residents can now get a free joint with a COVID shot - NYP.
CuriosityStream looks set to join the Russell 3000 Index - SeekingAlpha.
France fines Google $267 million for abusing ‘dominant position’ in online advertising.
Higher interest rates would be good for the country, Treasury Secretary Yellen says.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen predicted inflation would hit 3% this year although she continues to think this will only be transitory.
On monetary policy, the Fed isn’t tapering now but is increasingly moving toward a discussion about when to dial back purchases.
Attention will now turn to the U.S. consumer price report on Thursday where the risk is of another high number, though the Fed still argues the spike is transitory.
Tesla has canceled the most expensive variant of its flagship sedan, the Model S Plaid Plus, according to a tweet from CEO Elon Musk on Sunday.
@elonmusk (Twitter): “Plaid+ is canceled. No need, as Plaid is just so good.”
LONDON (Reuters) -The United States, Britain and other large, rich nations reached a landmark deal on Saturday to squeeze more money out of multinational companies such as Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and reduce their incentive to shift profits to low-tax offshore havens.
*U.S. MAY UNEMPLOYMENT RATE FALLS TO 5.8% VS 6.1%.
US Labor May Nonfarm Payrolls +559K; Consensus +671K.
U.S. Looks Into Cryptocurrency’s Role in Ransomware Hacks.
The White House is exploring possible ways to trace transactions that line hackers’ pockets.
*EU and UK Open Antitrust Probes Into Facebook;
*EU and UK Investigate Whether Facebook Uses Advertiser Data to Favor Own Services.
$AMC Proposes to increase authorized share capital by 25M shares for 2022; contrasts with a previous request that shareholders authorize 500M new shares; no plans for a stock split or reverse stock split - proxy statement.
Jack Ma’s Ant Group gets nod to operate consumer finance firm, a key step in fixing regulatory issues.
*US Jobless Claims -20K To 385K In May-29 Wk; Survey 393K
*US May-22 Week Continuing Claims +169K to 3,771,000.
Google To Reverse Crypto Exchange and Wallet Advertisement Ban - news.
Russia warns its economy is showing signs of overheating.
Asked when the ECB would start tapering its asset purchases programme, a slim majority of economists, or 20 of 35, said sometime later this year, including 13 who expected a start as early as next quarter.
BMW To Build 360,000 EV Charging Sites In China In Green Push - BBG.
The Fed said on Wednesday that it plans to slowly sell a portfolio of corporate debt purchased through an emergency lending facility that it launched in 2020 when COVID-19 hit financial markets.
China to hand out $6.2 million in digital currency to Beijing residents as part of trial.
GLOBAL JOBS MARKET WON'T RECOVER FROM PANDEMIC "UNTIL AT LEAST 2023" - ILO.
Italian Artist Sells Invisible Sculpture for More Than $18,000 - news.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is getting closer to the Fed's maximum employment and 2% inflation goals, Fed Governor Lael Brainard said on Tuesday, but the depth of the remaining problem still requires the central bank to stick to its super-easy monetary policy until more progress is seen.
$ZM - Zoom Video reports Q1 EPS $1.32, consensus 99c.
Reports Q1 revenue $956.2M, consensus $906.03M.
(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) said on Tuesday it supports a proposed U.S. legislation to legalize cannabis at the federal level, and would drop weed-testing requirements for some recruitments.
COINBASE GLOBAL -STARTING THIS WEEK, WE'LL INVITE SELECT CUSTOMERS OFF THE WAITLIST FOR COINBASE CARD TO BEGIN EARNING UP TO 4% BACK IN CRYPTO REWARDS.
Ford's electric Mustang tops Norway car sales in May.


text:
Eric Marks - I am a contractor who is engaged for maintenacne of Rental Trends properties. Over the many years I have always found them to be fair. The properties are maintained to a high standard and kept in line with all required legislation. I would have no hesitation in recommending Rental Trends to any prospective tenant or landlord.
THE Australian share market looks set to open comfortably higher after strong gains on major international markets and a mainly positive lead from Wall Street thanks to upbeat earnings reports. At 0700 AEDT on Wednesday, the share price futures index was up 16 points, or 0.27 per cent, at 6,002.
Meanwhile, the Australian dollar is a smidgen higher, creeping back toward 80 US cents.
The local currency was trading at 79.97 US cents at 0700 AEDT on Wednesday, from 79.90 on Tuesday.
WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
DAVOS — Protectionism is gaining ground and globalisation is losing its attractiveness, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told the World Economic Forum.
TOKYO — Eleven countries, including Australia, aiming to forge a new Asia- Pacific trade pact after the US pulled out of an earlier version will hold a signing ceremony in Chile in March, Japan’s economy minister says.
LONDON — Drug-makers’ response to the threat posed by “superbugs” remains patchy even after years of warnings, according to the first analysis of individual companies’ efforts to tackle the antibiotic-resistance crisis.
NEW YORK CITY — JPMorgan Chase & Co have unveiled a $US20 billion ($A28 billion) investment plan to increase wages, hire more, open new branches and expand its business as it takes advantage of sweeping changes to the US tax law and improved regulatory environment.
NEW YORK CITY — Johnson & Johnson, one of the world’s largest drug makers, will take a $US13.6-billion ($A19 billion) charge related to the new US tax law and plans to bring back billions of dollars from overseas immediately.
LONDON — Rupert Murdoch suffered a knock-back after 21st Century Fox’s bid for Sky was provisionally blocked by the British competition watchdog.
QBE — QBE has flagged a full-year loss of about $US1.2 billion ($A1.5 billion) due to almost $US1 billion in one-off costs and blowouts associated with wildfires in California and Hurricane Maria in the Caribbean.
RETAILERS AUST — Electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi has been ranked among the top 250 retailers in the world for the first time.
WINE AUST — Australian wine exports to mainland China have soared 63 per cent to a record $848 million, helping drive up total exports in 2017 to $2.56 billion.
RESMED — ResMed shares have hit a record high after the respiratory device maker’s quarterly sales revenue jumped 13 per cent to $US601 million ($US750 million).
OIL SEARCH — Oil Search has lifted its full year revenue 17 per cent to $1.4 billion as prices improved and it hit the upper end of its annual production guidance.
TYRO — A small business banking and payment services company has snared the services of outgoing Tatts chief executive Robbie Cookie.
THORN — Radio Rentals’ parent company Thorn Group has agreed to pay $6.1 million in remediation for customers and expects to be hit with a $2 million civil penalty.
CONSUMER ANZ — Consumer confidence has fallen following a jump in petrol prices in Melbourne and Brisbane, and talk of rail strikes in Sydney — all against a backdrop of low wages growth.


text:
January 11, 2024
Several pioneering companies are at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, creating technologies that could transform various sectors and redefine the interaction between humans and machines. As the AI field expands rapidly, a multitude of new entrants are making significant impacts. This article spotlights three such artificial intelligence companies to watch based in Asia, showcasing their transformative capabilities, groundbreaking AI technologies, and aspirational objectives.
Founded in 2021, Jidu Automobile, a Chinese smart electric car manufacturer, has accumulated a total of £294.82 million in funding. This includes a significant contribution from a Series A funding round led by Geely and Baidu on January 26th, 2022. The company originated as a collaborative venture between Geely and Baidu in March 2021, with an initial investment exceeding $300 million.
In the earlier part of 2023, Jidu unveiled its inaugural models, the Robo-01 and the Robo-02. The Robo-01, an electric SUV, is equipped with dual electric drives that produce a combined 400 kW and a 100 kWh CATL battery. It’s anticipated to have a 600 km range under Chinese standards.
The Robo-02, on the other hand, is an electric sedan. Its precise specifications are still under wraps, but it has the potential to exceed the SUV’s range, especially if it employs a similar drive system and benefits from better aerodynamics.
These vehicles are designed to function as robotic cars, employing the use of advanced AI technology. Powered by Geely’s SEA hardware platform for electric drive, they are distinguished by Baidu’s integration of advanced driving features and connectivity software. Notably, the Robo-02 abandons conventional door handles, instead allowing doors to be opened via voice commands or a Bluetooth-connected smartphone.
Founded in April 2023 by Wang Xiaochuan, the brain behind the search engine Sogou, the Chinese enterprise Baichuan swiftly emerged as one of the pioneers to secure approval from Beijing for public deployment of chatbots in August. Since its launch, Baichuan has introduced four open-source large language models (LLMs) and is actively developing two distinctive platforms. The startup secured $300 million in funding from backers including Alibaba and Tencent on May 1st, 2023, following an initial $50 million from angel investors. Bloomberg now estimates Baichuan’s value to exceed $1 billion.
Baichuan’s workforce consists of over 170 individuals, with more than 80% specialising in R&D. Its team includes elite AI experts formerly associated with major corporations like Google, Tencent, Baidu, Huawei, Microsoft, and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
The startup has achieved over six million downloads with two of its open-source models. Baichuan is positioning itself as a leading force in the generative AI sector in China, presenting a strong challenge to American tech giants such as Microsoft and OpenAI.
Light Year Beyond
Wang Huiwen, one of the co-founders of the Chinese food delivery giant Meituan, founded the company Guangnian Zhi Wai, also known as Light Year Beyond in 2023 with the goal of becoming China’s equivalent of OpenAI.
Meituan acquired the company in June 2023 for approximately $285 million, in a deal consisting of $233.7 million in cash, while also assuming the startup’s debt of $50.66 million.
This acquisition occurred amidst a global surge in investor fascination with artificial intelligence, leading to a wave of investments and acquisitions by companies eager to advance in the field of generative AI, similar to ChatGPT. The acquisition will assist Meituan in creating its own AI technology akin to ChatGPT.
Published on 11-01-2024


text:
CastMedic Designs is thrilled to announce that on November 1, 2012, founder Christina Daves competed along with five other budding inventors on the the nationally syndicated Steve Harvey Show. The competition took place before a live studio audience, and Christina was selected as the winner by a panel of judges including Nicole Hait, Director of Corporate Communications of InventHelp® and Reggie Moore, VP of Marketing, Hillshire Brands. She was awarded the title of "Steve's Top Inventor" and received a prize of $20,000 in seed money to help grow the business. The judges thought the product has "wow factor", was "ingenious". and both commented on what a great way to turn something like a broken foot or ankle into something positive and fun.
It makes us so happy to continue to help the injured look and heal their best and experience, The Healing Power of Fashion®!
How does one broken foot lead to an innovative product, create U.S. jobs and become a national fashion sensation? Gainesville resident Christina Daves, CEO, creator and innovator of CastMedic Designs knows how: just combine an untapped market segment with a creative mind.
CastMedic Designs was the overwhelming winner of the Woman Inventor Award for the month of January! This puts CastMedic Designs in the running for the 2013 Women Inventor of the Year!
Why shouldn't business be fun? In 2010 Christina Daves broke her foot and was put in a medical boot. Heading to NY the next day... Fashion Capital of the World, she scoured the internet for anything to make the boot look better. With nothing on the market to make medical boots fashion-forward, she created CastMedic Designs to help the injured look and heal their best. They we were named one of 2011 Leading Moms in Business by Startup Nation and just recently won top prize on the Steve Harvey Show’s inventor search, receiving $20,000 in seed money! Wow!
CastMedic Designs is thrilled to have Diana Ross as a happy Strap-It! customer. Unfortunately, Ms. Ross broke her ankle performing at a birthday party for Naomi Campbell, but thanks to the Strap-It Flower on her boot, she was able to look and heal her best and experience The Healing Power of Fashion® during TNT's annual Christmas in Washington event on December 21, 2012.
A weekly talk show featuring interviews with small business experts from around the globe offering tips and discussing topics important to the small business community - this week features Christina Daves of CastMedic Designs.
On December 1, 2012, CastMedic Designs was invited back by the Steve Harvey TV show for a special guest. Host Steve Harvey helped a woman find The Healing Power of Fashion during a "Ask Steve" segment. She explained that after breaking her foot she was worried about looking fashionable and sexy during the upcoming holiday season, and challenged Steve to solve her problem. Lucky for her, CastMedic Designs was winner of the first ever"Steve's Top Inventor" competition! This is the second appearance on the Steve Harvey TV Show for CastMedic Designs!
See the Video Clip Here: http://youtu.be/dEPE_UX-x3g
A little over 9 years ago, I broke my foot in 3 places. I had one of those BIG, ugly black boots and a 2-year-old in diapers and a newborn. I always say that the story itself would make a very funny post (after the fact), but that is for another day. One of these days, I will get around to writing about the family vacation we took with a baby and a toddler in a double stroller and moi’ in a wheelchair with the boot, but today is all about the most amazing product which I only wished that I had back then. When they say ‘Moms are the mother of invention,’ there is a reason why it has become so overused – it is true. A few months ago, I was introduced to Christina Daves, Founder of CastMedic Designs and quickly realized she gave birth to a product that I needed badly nine years ago. A fellow mom with no experience in inventing like myself, I was excited to chat with Christina about her product and its success
Christina Daves was in high-fashion New York the day after being fitted with an orthopedic boot – and the ugly appliance left her feeling miserable. Daves says she haunted the internet on her return home, trying to find something that would dress up the boot. Nothing existed, so Daves took matters into her own hands. The result was CastMedic Designs, a line of colorful socks, cuffs, faux-fur wraps, flowers and buttons that take the boot from casual to formal, with styles for children and adults.
Wrapping up our tribute to women entrepreneurs in honor of National Women in Small Business month, here are more our favorite women-run small businesses and some of the great products that we discovered this week. These women retailers have built these small businesses themselves and share about their experiences and learning from running a business. We hope you find these women as inspiring as we do.
It’s sad enough that you broke your foot but now you have to wear an ugly cast boot until your foot heals. Now your foot can heal in style with CastMedic Designs medical boot accessories! Find faux fur wraps, lovely cast socks, and flower clip ons in a wide variety of colors to turn your broken foot cast into a seamless part of your wardrobe.
Over the past couple of decades, fashion found its way into the healthcare industry through the creation of exciting and unique scrubs for the various types of healthcare professionals. The concept was created in an attempt to make medical facilities appear more friendly and less scary. But that's where it ended.
Evidently, it never occurred to anyone that patients might actually benefit from a little fashion-forward thinking until one day in 2010, when Christina Daves broke her foot, which was placed in the standard medical boot.
Christina Daves of CastMedic Designs says she finally made the decision to hire a social media manager when she realized she simply didn’t have the time to keep up with maintaining the company’s social presence across multiple channels. In both cases, these companies found the decision well worth it once they found a candidate who was both qualified and a good match for their respective businesses.
Mom Talk Radio, the first radio talk show dedicated to real-life moms. Each week Maria Bailey tackles issues important to moms, featuring expert guests. This week, Christina Daves of CastMedic Designs shares her secrets for injured fashionistas!
Who else can turn a broken foot into a profitable business? Christina Davis, founder of CastMedic Designs. As a businesswoman who previously owned an upscale boutique she began searching for products on the market to dress-up the unattractive, heavy black boot. With nothing available, she began designing cuffs and accessories to take the boot from a casual affair to the office to formal events with styles for both children and adults.
Christina Daves is a serial entrepreneur who has founded and run 4 successful companies over the past 20 years all serving unique niche markets. Her latest venture, CastMedic Designs, was created to bring fashion to the medical industry by providing accessories to decorate unattractive medical devices. The first products available are fashion accessories for walking medical boots. These will help the over 2 million people in the U.S. (and more worldwide) who are prescribed boots annually, look and heal their best. Christina wants to offer people ideas and products that will give them an opportunity to feel good about themselves while they are recovering.
The worst thing about an injury is not only the pain or healing process, but the agony of wearing an ugly cast or boot! Have you ever wondered if it was possible to recover in style? What if you were able to wear items that complimented your wardrobe while healing? Thanks to CastMedic Designs, this is now possible!! CastMedic Designs was created to bring fashion to the medical industry by providing accessories to decorate unattractive medical devices. CastMedic Designs comes in a wide selection and caters to everything, from casual to evening wear.
"Knock on wood, none of our readers literally breaks a leg this summer. But in case one does, at least he or she may do so in style with an innovative new line of MediFashions – fashion accessories for medical walking boots – from CastMedic Designs.
It is the company’s mission to bring “the healing power of fashion” to a mainly function-only industry and provide consumers an opportunity to feel good about themselves while healing from an injury."
Christina Daves, the visionary behind the CastMedic brand, conceived the idea while wearing an orthopedic boot following a foot fracture.
"Gainesville resident Christine Daves may have literally stumbled upon her life’s calling.
While climbing from a boat near her mother’s lakefront home last summer, the barefooted Daves accidentally put her foot down on a metal cleat that’s used to secure watercraft to docks. As a result, she broke a few bones on the bottom of her foot."
"It’s your worst nightmare: You break your ankle and you’re forced to wear one of those clunky plastic strap-on casts. And you have the social gathering of the year coming up.
What’s a fashion-conscious Washingtonian to do?"
"Company founder Christina Daves developed MediFashions in 2010 after realizing no product like this currently existed. "With at least 1.5 to 2.5 million walking medical boots prescribed annually, why should that many people have to walk around in a big ugly boot? Why not have some fun?"she said."
"StartupNation 2012 Top 200 Leading Moms in Business"
"Some accidents just can’t be avoided, but that shouldn’t stop people from being the stylish individuals that they are, at least that is what CastMedic Designs is proposing. With their unique line of medical boot accessories, they make sure that girls (and some guys) will still feel on top of their fashion game even if many other activities are now out of their reach for a few weeks."
"CastMedic Designs offers more than 60 fashion accessory products to accessorize medical walking boots, including faux-fur wraps, decorative socks, flowers, and themed buttons for children."
"If you’re going to suffer, do so in style…CastMedic Designs has a new line of swanky accessories for medical walking boots. It all began last summer when Christina Daves, founder of CastMedic Designs, broke her foot and had to use a walking medical boot for eight weeks."
"Why didn’t I know about these strikingly fashionable medical boots when I fractured my foot earlier on in the year? Unfortunately, I was stuck in a very boring, garden-variety, plain black moon boot for six weeks when I could have been rocking one of these stylish babies."
"Yay! Snow! The thing is, we know we’re now going to see some people walking (well, that’s relative) with those big black cast boots, after a not-so-successful meeting with the snowy slopes. While some accidents just can’t be avoided, that doesn’t mean you can’t be stylish…"
"For the millions of people placed in medical boots annually, there has been no way to fashionably accessorize them… until now! CastMedic Designs is providing accessories for medical boots with designs for adults and children to offer them the opportunity to look and heal their best while recovering from an injury or surgery."
"For those of us who have have the misfortune to suffer a stress fracture or broken ankle it’s bad enough you have to wear a leg brace for weeks. Even worse, those medically necessary boots look like leftovers from a “Transformers” flick."


text:
The NFL has announced that the jersey that was stolen from Tom Brady’s locker after the Super Bowl was found in Mexico.
It’s incredible that the jersey was found considering the case went cold in recent weeks. What’s even more incredible is that not only was this jersey found but authorities have also located Brady’s jersey from Super Bowl XLIX two years ago, which was apparently stolen by the same person.
We do not know much about the thief except that he or she was a credentialed member of the international media.
— Brian McCarthy (@NFLprguy) March 20, 2017
Brady’s Super Bowl LI jersey has immense historical significance. It was worn as he conducted the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history winning a record fifth Super Bowl ring. The Houston Police assigned a value of $500,000 to the jersey, the same number sports auctioneer Ken Goldin, who has sold game-used Brady jerseys before, said he believed it was worth if it were to hit the open market. Game-used Brady jerseys from regular season games have been sold in the $50,000 range.


text:
The Influence Power’ event was marked by the presentation of the most renowned companies in the Vale do Araguaia, Mato Grosso, which is a Brazilian region for the agricultural field. The biggest digital influencers in the region promoted brands, service, and products.
The event `The Influence Power’, took place on March 25th of this year at Vale do Araguaia-MT in Brazil. Several digital influencers in the region attended the event. The meeting was sponsored by companies from the city of Barra do Garças-MT and the region at the event place Olimpo. During the event, the influencers had the chance to promote all the brands, products and services.
“Those kind of expressive events enhance local trade and bring people closer to brands, products and services. It’s the city buying from the city itself, which has an excellent effect on the local economy. It was a great pleasure to attend the event and to be able to cover this initiative in the city”, said Rodrigo Lins, who is an international journalist and CEO of the multinational Onevox Creative Solutions.
According to the event organizer, the entrepreneur João Pedro, the event was a successful chance for the local commercial trade to get featured. “This was an event that filled me with pride. Having you all here has been wonderful. I hope that the visibility achieved encourages commercial activity in our city and region”, said João Pedro, who organized the event.
Some of the event sponsors, Rayslla Souza and Syelle Aguiar, who sponsored the event through the Movimento physiotherapy clinic and the security company Inviolável, highlighted that the event was a great opportunity to show the brand new offers of their companies to the potential clients. “We had the chance to present our new pilates treatment with equipment and demonstration. It was important for us to be here”, said Rayslla Silva.
Assessoria de imprensa Onevox Brasil
Tel: +55 (61 ) 99411-9836 – WhatsApp
Endereço : Av. Independência, n 951, centro, Barra do Garças- MT, Brazil.


text:
Google Chrome for iOS is getting an replace after a four-month hiatus, as per a report. It’s an incremental replace in Chrome 87 that primarily focuses on bug fixes. The replace is being rolled out for iPhone and iPad globally. What’s noteworthy about this replace is that Google normally releases a refresh each six weeks. Nevertheless, within the case of Chrome for iOS, the tech large skipped the discharge of the Chrome 88 (January) and Chrome 89 (March) upgrades altogether.
As per a report by 9to5Google, the replace — Chrome 87.0.4280.163 — is rolling out now to iPhone and iPad customers through the App Retailer. The report additionally says that this replace is small as a result of no main points have been reported for the reason that Chrome 87 release in November.
Other than bug fixes, the Chrome 87 replace additionally makes some tweaks to the App Privateness label. Underneath the Knowledge Linked to You part, App Performance now consists of the “Identify” of the customers. The 9to5Google report says that this is because of the truth that Google Pay in Chrome requires this element to finish a transaction. Moreover, Crash Knowledge and Buyer Help have been moved below the Not linked to You part. Google reportedly says that it’s going to be certain that it’s only gathering knowledge that’s needed to offer and develop helpful merchandise and options.
Google Chrome 90 steady construct is scheduled for April 13 launch. Not too long ago, Google released an replace to Chrome that makes the Net browser sooner and safer than earlier than by utilizing HTTPS as an alternative of HTTP. Chrome has additionally been urging the Web to undertake HTTPS for a very long time now. Moreover, if you wish to preview new options in Chrome, you possibly can download Chrome Beta to strive them. Reportedly, Google has been testing Contact/Face ID to guard open incognito tabs in Chrome 90.
What’s the greatest cellphone below Rs. 15,000 in India proper now? We mentioned this on Orbital, the Devices 360 podcast. Later (beginning at 27:54), we communicate to OK Laptop creators Neil Pagedar and Pooja Shetty. Orbital is offered on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you get your podcasts.


text:
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Luby's Inc.
said late Thursday the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ruled that Credit Suisse Securities must buy back auction rate securities that Luby's had bought through Credit Suisse. Credit Suisse was also ordered to pay 6% per annum interest on the securities. The decision makes no specific findings of fact but Luby had claimed that it has not been able to sell the auction rate securities because of Credit Suisse. Luby's holds $7.1 million par value in auction rate securities and is expected to record a pretax gain of about $1.8 million in the fourth quarter from the sale of the securities.


text:
The invasion of smartphones and tablets has had a big impact on many different industries and the home-studio world is no exception. Many software and hardware products for iPhone and Android phones have been developed. Apogee, which has been married with Apple for several years, followed this trend by launching the JAM last year, an interface to connect your electric guitar directly to your iPhone/iPad. Now, the manufacturer comes back with the Mic, a condenser microphone for iOS and Mac.Read the article
This thread was created automatically after the publishing of an article. Feel free to post your comments here!


text:
Among everything Apple announced at its press conference this week, the Apple TV 4K was the only one lacking a killer hook.
The new streaming box’s most noteworthy features are support for 4K HDR video—already table stakes in other high-end streaming boxes—and a faster processor for the Apple TV’s oft-neglected gaming features. The remote control got a slight redesign, perhaps to stop people from holding it wrong, and there’s gigabit ethernet instead of 10/100Mbps, but Apple introduced nothing on the hardware side to change the way we interact with our televisions.
Mentioned in this article
Apple TV (2015)
The company did raise prices: The new Apple TV 4K costs $179, which is $30 more than the previous version (introduced in 2015). And while the two-year-old 1080p Apple TV is sticking around, it’ll carry the same $150 price tag that it always has.
This was an unusual segment in a presentation that otherwise focused on how Apple, in the words of worldwide marketing head Phil Schiller, tries to “skate to where the puck is going to be.” Schiller had just demoed the iPhone X, and was referring to a classic Wayne Gretzky quote as relayed by Steve Jobs a decade earlier. But while Apple’s new iPhone displayed foresight with its new approaches to security, augmented reality, and software design, the Apple TV is still playing catch-up.
All about VOD
The Apple TV 4K does have one unique angle: Beyond just Netflix and Amazon in 4K HDR, iTunes will offer movie purchases and rentals in the new format, and they’ll cost the same in 4K HDR as they do in HD. For purchases, prices should be around $20 per film, rather than the $25 or $30 per film that other stores charge currently. For rentals, the price will likely be around $5 per film instead of up to $10. Apple will also upgrade iTunes users’ existing HD purchases to 4K HDR at no extra charge, provided the films are available in the new format.
4K HDR, with its crisper images and more vivid colors, is a genuine leap forward in video quality, so this might give some owners of the requisite 4K HDR televisions an incentive to buy. But for most people, it won’t register as a major benefit for a few reasons:
First, Apple hasn’t said how many 4K HDR titles it’ll have for purchase or upgrade, but we can probably get an idea by looking at other services. Vudu offers 121 movies in Ultra HD, compared to more than 24,000 films in standard or high definition, while FandangoNow lists 197 Ultra HD films, so it’s safe to assume most movies will remain in HD for a while. Disney has also indicated that it won’t offer 4K HDR movies on iTunes at all.
Mentioned in this article
Second, digital purchases and rentals make up a small fraction of what people spend on video, especially compared to subscription streaming. Survey data supplied by Parks Associates shows that U.S. households on average spent less than $1 per month each for video purchases and rentals in Q3 2016, which is the last time Parks gathered this data. Those figures—which include both TV shows and movies—have been steadily declining over the past five years, while subscription streaming expenditure is sharply rising. Surveyed households spent around $8 per month on average for services like Netflix in Q3 2016.
Finally, the $179 Apple TV 4K is about $90 pricier than the Roku Premiere+ and about $110 pricier than the Chromecast Ultra. Rumored 4K HDR Fire TV devices from Amazon are expected to be much cheaper than the Apple TV 4K as well. That means the idea of saving money on 4K HDR iTunes movies rings a bit hollow.
At best, then, Apple’s pricing and upgrades create a modest Apple TV purchase incentive for 4K HDR TV owners. But given the dearth of available 4K HDR titles, the shortage of interest in digital movie purchases, and the strong preference among consumers for lower-cost streaming devices, selling discounted 4K HDR movies through iTunes isn’t a huge selling point overall.
(Still) not too late
The Apple TV can still redeem itself, and you can see some signs of foresight if you squint hard enough. As part of this week’s press conference, Apple announced support for live news and sports in its TV app, which aggregates video from various streaming apps into a single guide. ESPN, MLB, NBA, CNN, and Bloomberg are on board as early supporters.
In its current form, the TV app still seems like it’s searching for an audience. Antenna-friendly services like Tablo, Plex, and Channels aren’t supported, nor is Netflix, making it a tough sell for many cord-cutters. For streaming bundles like Sling TV and DirecTV Now, the patchy nature of TV Everywhere app support means you can’t reliably use the TV app in place of those bundles’ own apps. And the limited support for single sign-in among major cable providers means that using Apple TV instead of a cable box can be a hassle.
Yet with live sports and news, the TV app almost seems evermore like scaffolding for an Apple streaming bundle. Instead of creating an entirely new interface, Apple could just tie into TV Everywhere apps and embed its bundle directly into the Apple TV’s main menu, which also integrates with standalone services like Amazon Video and Crunchyroll. This sort of solution would be unique to the Apple TV, and could provide an easy off ramp from cable for many more people.
This is all just speculation, though, and 4K HDR has little to do with it. Compared to what cheaper streaming devices offer already, the Apple TV 4K’s namesake feature is only a minor perk for the small percentage of people who haven’t left Apple’s video ecosystem. Wherever the puck is going, it’s unlikely to travel through iTunes.
Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter to get this column and other cord-cutting news, insights, and deals delivered to your inbox.


text:
Today marks the release of Legends of Aria‘s New Dawn update, which adds free accounts to the game. As of today, players can create an account for free that will grant them access to (almost) all content in the game. Some things are still locked away, like home building and player-run shops.
In addition to launching the free accounts, the update also adds new warrior abilities, townships, new world bosses, new missions, and more. Players can join townships, reaping the benefits in trade. But they’ll also need to support their local militia — and perhaps even join up.
As for the new bosses, there are three of them, all featuring new mechanics and AI improvements. If the bosses aren’t enough, the update also adds plenty of new monsters throughout the world. Details on these, as well as the other additions in this update, are available on the Legends of Aria site.


text:
Digital wealth giant Wealthsimple has raised a CA$100m (£58.8m) investment round, led by the investment unit of insurance firm and asset manager Allianz.
The Canadian fintech, which operates in the UK and US alongside its home country, manages an online investing service and a commission-free stock trading app, with over $4.5bn of assets under management.
Wealthsimple said it will use the funding to develop its existing services while also exploring new product offerings.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Allianz as an investor and partner in Wealthsimple, which is a major endorsement of our company and growth trajectory,” said Mike Katchen, co-founder and chief executive of Wealthsimple.
“We're now backed by companies that represent trillions of assets globally. We believe their deep expertise, plus the product, the brand and the team we’ve built, are a winning combination to further our mission to make great financial products and advice accessible to everyone.”
The startup has now raised CA$266m across three rounds, with existing investors including the Power Financial group of companies and Impression Ventures.
Allianz has previously invested in the likes of US insurtech stalwart Lemonade and Indonesian ride-hailing startup Go-jek through its Allianz X arm.
“As a digitally-enabled financial services provider with a strong customer focus, Wealthsimple can complement Allianz's business in a number of areas,” said Nazim Cetin, chief executive of Allianz X.
“This investment underlines our commitment to truly digital companies and is an excellent addition to our portfolio. We look forward to collaborating with Wealthsimple in our digital wealth management ecosystem."


text:
A Christmas-card category known as "difficult times" has undergone significant expansion since last year. About two dozen such offerings are on display this season from Hallmark Cards Inc., up from five last Christmas. "We can say it," says one new Hallmark message: "This wasn't the year that any of us had hoped for."
Recession-related sentiments might seem obvious at a time of double-digit unemployment, especially considering that Hallmark in April announced layoffs of perhaps 8% of its work force.
But product development takes time at Hallmark. Even in an era of do-it-yourself instant cards, privately held Hallmark can require a yearlong lead time, in part because of mass production: It holds a more than 60% share of the $7.5 billion-a-year greeting-card market.
So its Christmas 2009 offerings reflect decisions made a year ago, during a season of tanking markets, auto-maker insolvency and soaring unemployment.
Card designers at Hallmark gathered to ponder the same questions addressed at meetings of economists and policy makers in New York and Washington: How long would the recession last, and how deeply would it cut? Or as Mark Andrews, a product manager for Hallmark Christmas cards, puts it: "It was time to put on our economy hats."
To be sure, an economic summit at Hallmark is less like a meeting of the Federal Reserve than a coffee klatch. The creative team at the card maker is nearly 700 strong, making Kansas City, Mo., home to one of the nation's largest concentrations of professional artists. Unlike many economists, they foresaw no significant turnaround in the second half of 2009. "Everybody in our meetings had a sister or somebody they knew being laid off, and maybe having to move away from the family," recalls Leslie Baugher, a Hallmark editorial director.
Now, Hallmark's card-designing team is looking ahead to Christmas 2010, when it expects mitigated cheer. In fact, Hallmark might expand its line of difficult-times cards, based on "what I see in the marketplace, in society in general and in families," says Mr. Andrews, the product manager.
Hallmark says it is too early to tell whether consumers are buying Christmas cards that "don't sugarcoat" economic worries, as Mr. Andrews puts it. "We don't have to have a lot to have everything," says one card. Adds another: "We can still hold on to the things that will never change."
Rival American Greetings Corp. is taking a different tack, avoiding any overt references to economic troubles. "We have found that consumers want to share warm, optimistic and hopeful messages during the holiday season," says American Greetings spokesman Frank Cirillo.
Write to Kevin Helliker at firstname.lastname@example.org


text:
County enters entrepreneurial fray, offers cash and loans to start-ups
Published July 1, 1991 | July 1991 issue
If entrepreneurs are defined by their willingness to try something new and to take risks, then perhaps Eau Claire County in Wisconsin deserves entrepreneurial status.
Since 1986, Eau Claire County has been the only local government in the country to award cash prizes and zero-interest loans to qualified entrepreneurs. The awards are made through a competition called "Creating Your Own Business," a program that judges potential companies on the basis of submitted business plans.
The competition was initiated by the Eau Claire County Industrial Development Corp. (ECCIDC), along with technical and managerial advice from the Chippewa Valley Technical College and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Small Business Center. Officials hope to accomplish a number of goals through the program, for example, to enhance community spirit and to educate the business community about the importance of planningbut the primary objective is job creation. "The creation of new jobs from within the community is the bottom line measurement of success or failure," says Craig Carlson, executive director of the ECCIDC.
Since its inception, the competition has awarded cash and loans to companies that have created 48 jobs in Eau Claire County. All previous winners, except one, are still in business and there have been no defaults on loans, Carlson says.
In order to qualify for the business plan competition, entrepreneurial hopefuls must be working toward the manufacture of a product or toward the creation of a service-oriented business directly related to manufacturing. First-place winners receive a $1,000 prize and second-place winners get $500; if the business is initiated or significantly expanded six months after the award, the winning companies become eligible for zero-interest loans of up to $10,000.
"I was a young punk, just out of college," says Dean Hansen, a 1987 winner and owner of Asian Specialty Foods Co. "Winning gave me credibility. I would not have five employees and be doing over $2 million a year in sales if I hadn't won the contest. It's as simple as that." Hansen began his business by incubating duck eggs and selling them to food stores in Asian communities; his company now wholesales more than 800 oriental food products.
While the ECCIDC provided initial funding for the competition, grant money was soon supplied by other agencies and private companies, including Wal-Mart, which operates a store in Eau Claire.
Carlson says he is surprised that other counties or municipalities haven't created similar entrepreneurial competitions, and he has written an article in a national journal to encourage local governments to consider Eau Claire's plan.
While Eau Claire-area officials consider their business plan competition a successthis year, a record six cash prizes were awardedthey don't intend to rest on their laurels. Plans are under way for the creation of a new business start-up program. This one would be entitled "Be Your Own Boss," and would provide business skill development, business plan preparation and seed capital for dislocated workers in Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties. The new plan depends on a proposed grant from the U.S. Department of Labor and was inspired by the closure of Eau Claire's Uniroyal plant and the loss of 1,300 jobs.


text:
Amazon plans to extend its reach further by opening its own small format department stores in big cities to increase its sales items like of clothing, household items, and electronics as well as Amazon’s private label products.
This may be an avenue to reach people who want to touch and feel products before they buy, who don’t typically shop online or who don’t use credit cards. It will also allow Amazon to study and track the shopping habits and browsing of in-store consumers as they peruse the merchandise.
Ohio and California will be home to the first of the 30,000 square foot stores. Amazon’s track record in physical retail has not been tremendously strong, so it remains to be seen if this will be a profitable move for it.
This post is based on the Daily Voice article, Amazon plans to open department stores, but not for the reason you think, report says, by Zak Failla, August 30, 2021; the InStore Magazine article, Amazon’s New Department Stores: Robots and 4 More Things to Expect, by INSTORE Staff, October 10, 2021; Amazon is opening a brick-and-mortar store in the Providence Place mall, by Alexa Gagosz, November 29, 2021; and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: Evan Lorne/Shutterstock.
1. What dimensions of the external environment may be driving Amazon’s decision to open smaller format stores?
Guidance: While Amazon takes 40% of all online sales in the U.S., Americans still make 84% of their purchases in physical stores. So far, Amazon has over 600 physical locations of its own in various formats. Changes in the competitive environment have made this seem an opportune time to make further inroads.
Amazon wants to gain a larger foothold against competitors like Target, Walmart, and CVS, in addition to traditional department store chains. The pandemic further crippled traditional department stores, such as Sears and JC Penney, which were already struggling to fight Amazon’s presence before the pandemic even started. Since 2018, nearly 1,000 department stores have closed their doors.
Now, this dearth of competitors means that market voids may free up a spot for Amazon to more quickly get a foothold if it can find a more cost-effective store size and format than traditional stores and create a new department store model for the future.
2. How might location and capacity considerations factor into Amazon’s decision?
Guidance: The smaller store footprint of 30,000 square feet will be less expensive to build and maintain than traditional 100,000 square foot department stores. Also, with many stores of various types and sizes closing their doors permanently as a result of the pandemic as well as generally declining sales, Amazon can get in at lower prices or get better terms for its leases.
3. How could the Amazon department stores help with last mile delivery and reverse logistics?
Guidance: Typically, online purchases are returned more frequently than purchases at a physical store. Managing these costs and finding sufficient means to transport and process returned goods has become increasingly challenging for businesses. By having physical stores where customers can touch, feel, see, and try on items such as clothing or household décor, Amazon may be able to reduce the number of items returned.
Second, having its own branded stores could be less of a risk and commitment than trying to buy out an existing chain.
A third reason these physical locations may help with last mile delivery and reverse logistics is that the stores could serve as both distribution and return points. Amazon could ship some items purchased online from store locations instead of from warehouses, possibly offering same-day delivery. It could also have customers drop off online returns, similarly to how it currently does in its partnership with Kohl’s and at its Amazon-owned Whole Foods locations.


text:
The choking smoke that blanketed Australia’s east and south coast during devastating wildfires is roiling some of its storied wineries.
Some winemakers are scrapping vintages this year after grapes were hit by smoke taint, which gives wines a burnt, ashy or medicinal flavor, dealing a further blow to an industry already reeling from years of drought.
Clonakilla winery in New South Wales, north of Canberra, won’t produce a 2020 vintage after analysis showed unacceptably high levels of smoke taint “across all varieties and all vineyard sites,” CEO and chief winemaker Tim Kirk said.
The estate experienced “a barrage of smoke from fires on every side this summer,” which meant the wine quality could not be guaranteed, he said.
“The severe drought and unprecedented bush fire emergency has made 2020 the toughest year in living memory for the Australian wine industry and for Australian farming in general,” Kirk said in a statement. Clonakilla will continue to sell earlier vintages and resume winemaking next year.
It’s far from alone. Tyrrell’s Wines in the Hunter Valley, north of Sydney, said it will produce about 20% of its typical output in 2020 after testing revealed smoke-taint damage. “Proximity to the fires, elevation of vineyards, and days in contact with fresh smoke” were taken into consideration when the decision was made, Managing Director Bruce Tyrrell said in a statement.
The NSW state government is paying for wine-grape growers to have their fruit tested. Early samples from the Hunter, Mudgee and Orange regions had shown some taint above critical levels, the government said. The South Australian government is also offering subsidized testing for growers in the fire-affected Adelaide Hills and Kangaroo Island areas.
“For those areas and producers it will be devastating,” Tony Battaglene, CEO of industry body Australian Grape & Wine, said in an interview, noting most affected fruit would have gone to domestic consumption, not exports.
Around 60,000 tons of grapes could be hit by taint, but “overall it won’t be significant” in terms of national output, he added. Some grapes could be filtered and used for grape concentrate or juice, he said.
The smoke taint has “created a bleak picture for Hunter wine producers this year with the potential for long term economic and agricultural damage to the oldest wine region in Australia,” Christina Tulloch, CEO of Tulloch Wines and President of the Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism Association, said in a statement, noting that small growers would be particularly affected.
Wildfire smoke has hurt some earlier Australian vintages and become a bigger issue in places like California, Oregon and parts of Canada and South Africa in the past decade. Australia’s La Trobe University is developing early detection tools to help growers assess the damage.
Still, amid devastation there’s innovation, with distillers, brewers and winemakers eyeing ways to use the tainted grapes to create new products.
Tulloch’s winery is working with Sydney-based Archie Rose Distilling, which is exploring uses for tainted grapes. The distiller will experiment with making brandy, and potentially other spirits, from wine made with more than 50 tons of smoke-affected Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Tulloch and First Creek Wines in the Hunter region.
As for Tyrrell’s fruit, some Semillon grapes have been harvested by Sydney-based Wildflower Brewing & Blending which will use them in its St Florence 2020 ale, which is refermented with wine grapes. The brewery noted in social media posts that previous beers made with smoke-affected grapes hadn’t shown negative attributes, though they’re unsure why.
Years of devastating drought are expected to have the biggest impact on the size of Australia’s 2020 vintage, with the grape crush potentially down as much as 10-15%, Battaglene said. The harvest is under way in most areas with signs output has dropped in some of the big inland production regions, mostly due to drought and low water availability.
The 2019 wine grape crush was around 1.73 million tons, down 3% from 2018 and close to the long-term average of 1.75 million tons, government research and marketing group Wine Australia said.
Australia is the fifth-biggest wine producer, according to Wine Australia, and exports about 60% of its output. Shipments were worth $2.89 billion in the year ended September, with mainland China, the U.S. and U.K. the top markets.
Grape growers are focusing on building resilience in existing vineyards, as well as exploring the use of more Spanish and Italian varieties that are better suited to warmer conditions than the French ones traditionally planted in Australia, Battaglene said.
–With assistance from Matt Turner.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.


text:
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich.- Auto parts maker DURA Automotive Systems Inc. (NasdaqNM:DRRA – news) on Friday said it acquired the German steering parts supplier Reiche Automotive in a transaction valued at about $20 million.
The acquisition includes stock from a foreign Dura Automotive unit and assumption of Reiche Automotive debt of about $4 million, the Rochester Hills, Michigan-based company said in a statement.
Reiche GmbH & Co. KG Automotive Components, was bought from Reiche GmbH & Co. KG Management Verwaltungs-und Beteiligungsgesellschaft and makes steering columns and steering column components for the automotive industry.
“It enhances our strategy to provide cockpit modules and components to the automotive OEM’s (original equipment manufacturers) and 1st tier suppliers,” Karl Storrie, Dura’s president, said in a statement.
Dura Automotive shares were up 1/8 at $7-1/2 Friday on Nasdaq, below the company’s year-high of $22-1/2 and above its year-low of $6-1/2.


text:
Baton Rouge, LA – March 18, 2011 – March Madness fans have something to look at besides the car in front of them while stuck in traffic now. Lamar Advertising (Nasdaq: LAMR) and Turner Media Group recently launched a digital campaign that transforms 19 of Lamar’s digital billboards into giant scoreboards with live-streaming updates from the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments airing on the CBS, TNT, TruTV and TBS networks.
“Some of the biggest moments in sports come during the NCAA basketball tournament every year,” said Lamar Digital Strategist Ian Dallimore. “Fans won’t miss a minute of game scores while in transit, thanks to Lamar’s digital billboards.”
Those who live in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit and Dallas will be privy to NCAA live scores and local channel information as they drive by digital billboards in those markets. In the hours leading up to the game, the billboards display schedule information for the TV networks showing the games and a countdown before the tournament begins. At tip off, the digital displays immediately transform into live score boards. The information rotates from games airing on CBS, TNT, TruTV and TBS.
(Images from left to right on Lamar digital billboards: NCAA March Madness display with network information; Live countdown to NCAA March Madness; Live-streaming scores from the NCAA Tournament games airing on the CBS, TNT, TruTV and TBS networks.)
The campaign showcases how outdoor advertising can be used to both compliment and drive traffic to the television medium. The campaign runs from February 28, 2011 to March 25, 2011, with live scores starting on March 17, 2011 at 6:30pm EST.
For additional information, images or general media inquiries please contact:
Manager of Marketing Communications
Founded in 1902, Baton Rouge-based Lamar Advertising Company is a leading outdoor advertising firm operating over 150 outdoor advertising companies and 60 transit advertising companies in 44 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. They reach driving audiences across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico through billboards, digital billboards, bus shelters, benches and buses. Lamar is also the nation’s leader in the highway logo sign business, with operations in 22 states and the province of Ontario, Canada.


text:
E-cigarettes hit the market in 2007, immediately becoming the new smoking choice over cigarettes and creating something of a new culture. However, what users did not expect was for those e-cigs to explode.
“With the advent of the vaping culture, we have seen an increase in e-cigarette-related injuries,” says Darren Miller, attorney and founder of D. Miller & Associates. “These cases are unique and not always easy to handle, since there is little regulation in that area of personal injury law.”
While rare, explosions associated with e-cigarettes, sometimes called vape pens, certainly happen. Consider the unfortunate circumstance met by Andrew Hall in 2017. While using his vape pen, the device exploded in Hall’s face, resulting in the loss of seven teeth and second-degree burns.
What causes these unfortunate mishaps? Are they really as common as the media has made them out to be?
Regardless of the media hype, the chances of an e-cigarette catching fire are minimal. According to the US Fire Administration, there were 195 reported cases of explosions or fires caused by vape pens from 2009 to 2016. In 68 percent of these cases, an individual was injured.
Many explosions are caused by misuse. That handy little packet of directions isn’t included just for looks; it contains pertinent information about proper charging techniques and storage temperature.
Of the 195 cases of reported fires, almost 25 percent of the incidences happened while the vape was charging. When this occurs, it is generally because the device is not plugged into the correct power supply. If it receives too high a voltage, the pen overheats. Stephanie Lee of Lifehacker writes, “Normally, batteries have safety features to prevent short circuits and overcharging. However, e-cigarettes typically have a USB port that appears to be compatible with any USB cable and charger. People often assume that any charger will do.” The heat causes the lithium battery inside the device to erupt, shooting out of its casing like a rocket. Extreme temperatures have a similar effect.
The lithium-ion batteries used in vapes are the real culprits. The US Fire Administration states, “E-cigarettes using lithium-ion batteries present a new and unique hazard to consumers. No other consumer product places a battery with a known explosion hazard such as this in such close proximity to vital areas of the human body.”
Part of the initial issue surrounding e-cigarettes is lack of regulation and oversight. In 2016, the FDA moved to enact new regulations that would require product authorization. The idea was to minimize the number of poor-quality e-cigarettes. Marketing registration should begin in 2018.
To avoid accidentally transforming a vape into a rocket, consider these steps:
- Always use a manufacturer-approved charger.
- Purchase high quality e-cigarettes or ones that have been safety-tested and approved by Underwriters Laboratories.
- Do not leave charging batteries unattended.
- Keep the vape and spare batteries away from coins, keys, and other metal objects.
- As soon as the device is fully charged, unplug it.
Presently, e-cigarettes are still being studied, so it might be a good idea to keep a wary eye on the device . . . just in case.


text:
Retail in the regions dubbed the fast mover of 2021
City life is losing its appeal off the back of what has been a stressful year for many, and some city slickers are opting for a regional respite.
Recent research from Regional Australia Institute has found one in five city residents are looking to relocate to the regions, and more than half of those are seriously considering the move within the next 12 months.
DMA Partners Managing Director Ryan Andersen said there was a great opportunity to be leveraged for owners of land in regional towns and cities, particularly off the back of the huge levels of regional migration and interstate migration.
“There is a resurgence in the desire to live away from big cities following the pandemic and due to the general strain of city life,” Mr Andersen said.
“Property assets in regional locations have had mixed success over recent years. Where there has been solid investment to maintain asset quality and currency with market trends, we’ve seen them thrive. But the opposite is also sadly the case in many cases.
“In the case of retail assets, we’ve seen centres in regional locations with the right retail mix and customer offering actually performing better than they were before the pandemic.”
DMA’s view of retail in regional locations comes from a decade long history on projects including:
– Townsville (Riverway Place Shopping Centre, The Hive)
– Byron Bay (Mercato on Byron)
– Airlie Beach (Whitsunday Shopping Centre)
– Yeppoon (Keppel Bay Plaza, Farnborough Retail Centre)
– Rockhampton (Parkhurst Town Centre)
– Lennox Head (Epiq Marketplace) and others.
People cite general stress and anxiety, traffic congestion and cost of living as the key reasons for wanting to make the regional switch.
However, it’s not just the negatives of city living and the impacts of COVID-19 that are driving residents out. The research has also shown the appeal of regional life is the strongest motivator to move. Additionally, 22 percent of respondents said they were already considering a relocation pre-pandemic.
Mr Andersen said there needed to be a real emphasis on the right retail mix and exceptional customer experience if landowners were to fully maximise the opportunities that come with population growth outside of the major cities.
“In some areas there are some relatively tired assets that will really need to look at refurbishment or redevelopment to capture the new market that is emerging with the population push into regional locations.
“Those looking to take up life in the country are looking for the same access they have in the city; similar retailers, nice restaurants and bars, and the user experience that they know and love.
“There is a huge opportunity here for landlords to make a short-term investment if they want to see long term gain.”


text:
SuperValu announced today (23 August) that it expects to sell €8 million in home grown carrots, this year.
The Irish retailer has sourced its carrots from fifth-generation Kilkenny family farmers, TJ, Tommy and James O’Shea since 1981 and the home grown vegetables are 100% Bord Bia assured.
“Our long-standing partnership with O’Shea Farms has allowed us to give shoppers the very best in locally sourced fresh Irish produce, and we will continue to leverage this relationship as we drive our strategy of fresh food leadership.” Martin Kelleher, managing director, SuperValu said.
TJ O’Shea said that the carrots are harvested every morning at 5am, washed, cooled, packing and dispatched on the very same day as intake.
"As a result, when you buy our carrots at SuperValu, you can be assured that you are putting the best Irish produce on the dinner table.” He added.
© 2017 - Checkout Magazine by Donna Ahern


text:
$11,500 More For Farmers From Trade Liberalisation
25 March 2002
Every Beef, Sheep, And Dairy Farmers Gained Average Of $11,500 Extra From Trade Liberalisation
Sheepmeat, beef, and dairy farmers each earned at least $11,500 extra in 2000 because of gains from the Uruguay Round of trade liberalization, Trade Negotiations Minister Jim Sutton said today.
Mr Sutton told the Federated Farmers meat and fibre producers' meeting in Wellington that provisional findings of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry researchers on the quantitative benefits of the last big round of international trade negotiations, the Uruguay Round, indicated in the single year of 2000 (the year that many of the gains of the Uruguay Round kicked in) the beef, sheepmeat, and dairy sectors gained about $590 million from product price and volume increases in the major markets of the United States and European Union, Mr Sutton said.
"MAF warns that this figure probably understates the likely gains accruing to the whole primary production sector because: they only look at beef, sheepmeat, and dairy; they consider only the main effects of the agreement on agriculture on trade patterns in those sectors; and they do not look at gains arising from savings in tariff duties.
"MAF also says there are further gains from the Uruguay Round which are far less easy to quantify, including: the firmer trade rules; a strengthened dispute settlement system; and the dynamic effects of a world economy stronger than it would have been without such an agreement."
Mr Sutton said one benefit of the stronger dispute settlement mechanism was quantifiable.
"That is the removal of the increased tariff on New Zealand lamb exported to the United States in October last year, after New Zealand successfully took a case to the World Trade Organisation dispute settlement panel. That single decision is generating gains to New Zealand, in the form of lower tariffs, at an annual rate of about NZ$10 million."
Mr Sutton said the Labour-led Government's policy on trade was clear. Trade liberalisation agreements would only be entered into when they benefited our citizens.
"These preliminary results from MAF's research show that belonging to the WTO does benefit our citizens, both through the gains in increased market access and the binding disputes resolution process.
"This research shows there have been real, tangible gains for New Zealand from the results of the Uruguay Round. Each sheep, beef, and dairy farmer earned more than $11,500 extra in 2000 solely because of gains from the Uruguay Round.
"And that is probably understating the gains they have received."
Mr Sutton said the MAF research was still being worked on and he expected final results and a full report to be available by the end of this year.


text:
Software Will Help Prepare Students to Take Advantage of Manufacturing Resurgence
At a ceremony today that included the Governor of Virginia, the Siemens Corporation announced more than $1 billion in software grants to seven colleges and universities, including ECPI. ECPI University students will now have access to the same Siemens product lifecycle management (PLM) software used throughout the global manufacturing industry to design, develop and manufacture some of the world’s most sophisticated products in a variety of industries, including automotive, aerospace, consumer products, medical devices, machinery, shipbuilding, apparel and high-tech electronics.
The series of in-kind grants was established as a result of an industry need for skilled workers and is designed to support the state’s largest industrial employer, Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries, and other companies with local ties such as Rolls-Royce. The grants are part of ongoing workforce development collaboration among community colleges, universities and organizations like the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Virginia Manufacturers Association and Southern Virginia Higher Education Center (SHVEC) – an organization that provides workforce training to the rural population. [Read more...]


text:
AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced that virtualization environments running on AMD Opteron™ processor-based servers offer superior price/performance while reducing capital expense (cap-ex) by up to 30 percent1 versus comparable solutions. The findings, based on recently published VMmark™ 2.1 benchmarks of high-end systems, can amount to $130,000 in savings1 or more for a single server rack, enabling IT decision makers to greatly reduce cap-ex and total cost of ownership (TCO). In a separate announcement, AMD also announced today the launch of its AMD FirePro™ S9000 and S7000 server graphics products.
Another test using VMware ESX™, a more typical virtualized environment consisting of mid-range processor and memory configurations, reveals that AMD Opteron processors lead in both price as well as price/performance2 versus Intel-based systems. And yet a third test with Hyper-V running 14 to 38 virtual machines, also using mid-range processor and memory configurations, shows that AMD Opteron-based servers offer not only superior price/performance but also scalability as server utilization increases3.
“Virtualization is a sweet spot for AMD Opteron processors,” said Suresh Gopalakrishnan, corporate vice president and general manager of Servers, AMD. “Servers using high core count AMD Opteron™ 4200 and 6200 series processors today consistently provide our customers with outstanding scalability and lower cost per VM in virtualized IT environments for server consolidation and building public or private clouds.”
AMD will be showcasing its virtualization solutions at VMworld® 2012 through August 30 in San Francisco’s Moscone Center, booth 801. It will be demonstrating the HP DL385p and the Dell PowerEdge R815 servers with VMware vSphere™ and View™, the graphics path capabilities of vSphere with AMD FirePro™ graphics boards, and also showing first looks at the AMD Opteron module for the AMD SeaMicro platform.
AMD Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Mike Wolfe, and VMware Chief Platform Architect, Rich Brunner, will be speaking at a super session titled “Transforming Your Business Through Cloud Computing,” today at 3:30 p.m. (PT). Additionally, AMD Field Engineer Ruben Soto will be discussing “NUMA Performance Consideration in VMware vSphere,” in a breakout session at 11:40 a.m. (PT), also today.
More information on AMD and its participation at VMworld 2012 is available at www.amd.com/vmworld2012.
AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its groundbreaking AMD Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) that power a wide range of computing devices. AMD’s server computing products are focused on driving industry-leading cloud computing and virtualization environments. AMD’s superior graphics technologies are found in a variety of solutions ranging from game consoles, PCs to supercomputers. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.


text:
It wasn't long ago investors were buying global consumer stocks in order to protect portfolios from a sliding U.S. economy. Now, with America on the mend and Europe on the skids, investors have turned their attention to America-centric companies, such as athletic apparel maker Under Armour (NYSE:UA).
Under Armour's Europe exposure is small and growing.
Last quarter, the company generated $384 million in sales and only $21.8 million came from Europe. The rest came from North America, where the company has built a well known premium price brand.
Despite high unemployment in Italy and Spain, the third and fourth largest economies in the EU, Under Armour's emerging brand appears to be in the sweet spot of a transformation from infancy to adolescence.
Sales in the region were up 31.6% last quarter, nicely ahead of the respectable 22.9% growth the company notched overall. This suggests the small exposure to Europe is more a reflection of the company's emerging effort to build its brand overseas than a failure to crack into the market.
North America is getting stronger.
At the same time the company is enjoying growth in its nascent markets, North America is rebounding.
In the most recently reported month of April, U.S. retail sales were 6.4% higher than last year.
The category including sporting goods retailers saw sales climb 7.2%. And over the past three months clothing stores sales are 6.9% above the comparable three months last year.
Part of the reason for the success remains innovation. Under Armour's wicking technology revamped athletic apparel brought the industry out of malaise and inspired a move away from Rocky Balboa inspired sweats.
Today, athletes of all ages are concerned with both performance and appearance. And that means a broader audience for Under Armour products.
The company's biggest U.S. retail partner, Dick's Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS), seems to agree.
In mid May the company upped its FY12 guidance on the heels of 8.4% comparable store sales growth in Q1. Success at sporting goods retailers like Dick's means higher inventory turns for Under Armour. And that's good for shareholders.
Product growth is strong across categories.
While Nike (NYSE:NKE) leveraged footwear to grab share in apparel, Under Armour is leveraging apparel to grab share in footwear. The company's strategy seems to be working as footwear sales increased 23.8% last quarter to $63.6 million. Accessories sales were also up strongly, rising 25.9% to $29.6 million. Both remain dwarfed by apparel, which accounted for $283 million in sales, up 22.9%. But each offers significant opportunity for growth.
And, while cotton prices acted as a drag on margins the past few quarters, they've retreated significantly from last summer's peak. This means margins will start to see relief as the year progresses.
This is doubly good given the company has been expanding its direct-to-consumer channel, with new stores and a new e-commerce site.
The efforts helped related sales climb 48.6% in Q1 from last year. This brings direct-to-consumer to 25% of total sales, up from 20% a year ago. And since direct sales offer higher average selling prices, the affect of lower cotton prices on margins should be even greater.
Couple emerging growth in what remains the globe's biggest economy with an established market position in retailers across the United States and you have a stock positioned to grow regardless of widening Spanish credit default swaps.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, but may initiate a long position in UA over the next 72 hours.


text:
M&S shook up its buying team, George Davies discussed his plans for Asda, and gangs terrorised shop staff.
10 years ago…
Marks & Spencer was poised to shake up its buying department according to Drapers’ October 16, 1999 issue.
The retailer had scheduled a board meeting to discuss removing a layer of management to speed up decision-making on new product, following proposals by consultancy AT Kearney.
A spokesman for M&S said the changes had been discussed with suppliers, and added: “We are looking at our global buying operation and looking at ways to streamline and speed up.”
A shake-up in March earlier this year cut the number of departments responsible for different categories of clothing, but the retailer denied that these new changes would lead to further job losses.
In the booming value sector this week, retailer Peacocks hit the headlines by announcing it would float its 261-store business by December this year.
Drapers questioned whether chief executive Richard Kirk had got his timing right, but Soc Gen analyst Nick Bubb thought he had, pointing out the “outstanding success” of Matalan’s stock. “Value is currently a sexy bit of the market,” he said.
Retail entrepreneur George Davies spoke to Drapers on October 14, 1989, following the publication of his autobiography, What Next?
Unfortunately the book revealed little about Davies’ dismissal in a boardroom coup from Next, the high street chain he created.
However, Davies did discuss his new role, designing a range of clothing for Asda. Davies was relishing the challenge, as he believed true entrepreneurialism was all about changing attitudes, and the public had a downmarket image of out-of-town, supermarket fashion.
“Retailers like Asda have gained in sophistication,” he said. “Asda has elevated the clothing line and my vision of the future is that they will become departmental. But I am not introducing anything new to Asda. They are doing £150m in clothing already.
“What we are doing is developing the product range and offering people a tremendous deal on a really good product.”
Also this week, rising rents and rate increases were blamed for an increase in empty shops on one of London’s leading fashion thoroughfares, South Molton Street.
A report on UK shop rental growth by real estate firm Healey and Baker showed that rents had risen by an average of 16.4% in the past year. The year before, rents had soared by 26%.
Sydney Burstein, owner of premium indie Browns, said when he opened his shop on the street nearly 20 years ago he was paying £2,250 a year in rent, which had since risen to £120,000. He feared he would be forced to put prices up, which may deter customers.
Drapers also reported from Italian textile fair Prato Expo this week, where Vivienne Westwood showed a “lampshade dress”, created in collaboration with Italian textile mills.
40 years ago…
“Gangs terrorise shop staff” was the headline in Drapers’ October 18, 1969 issue.
The marauding gangs of youths were racing through stores “terrorising shop assistants” and making off with armfuls of merchandise, the latest trend in “the growing incidence of shoplifting”.
After a number of such incidents in Liverpool, the city’s Stores Committee asked the local police to put more uniformed policemen on the beat.
The Committee told Drapers it believed the problem was on the increase throughout the country, and that rather than targeting specific items, the gangs were snatching handfuls of merchandise in an act of “sheer hooliganism”.
A fashion spread this week identified a new, long casual look for spring 1970. The elegant and easy clothes came in practical, easy-care fabrics in strong, clear pastels, red, emerald, white, black and neutrals.
70 years ago…
Clothing suppliers struggled to fulfil deliveries as stocks ran low after the outbreak of the Second World War, reported Men’s Wear (later incorporated into Drapers) on October 14, 1939.
Although demand for stock was “considerable”, only a minority of suppliers had been able to meet small orders placed before hostilities broke out.
One long-established firm told Drapers that deliveries were running four weeks late. “Trench coats and fleece-lined merchandise generally are subject to much delay,” a spokesperson said.
Another manufacturer said he had been waiting five weeks for about 150 pieces of blue serge coating. The delay in obtaining materials was also hindering the completion of British Army orders, particularly greatcoats. As a result, the Army was being forced to buy up civilian overcoats.
Ties were the worst hit category, as almost 70% of the cloths used to manufacture them were previously imported from Germany.
Also this week, Harrods created a small department of Christmas gift ideas to be sent from the UK to men serving abroad in the war.


text:
Atlast Food Co., the mycelium food company growing the future of plant-based meats, today announced a $40M Series A round to develop and supply whole cut plant-based meat to partners around the globe, including directly to consumers through its own brand MyEats. Viking Global Investors led the round with participation from 40 North, AiiM Partners, Senator Investment Group, Stray Dog Capital, Footprint Coalition Ventures, and others. Also joining were the leaders and founders of food and CPG companies, including Applegate, Stonyfield, and Whole Foods. This funding will support the further development and scaling of this technology and team.
"This investment will allow us to meet the incredible demand we've felt for our product," said Stephen Lomnes, President of Atlast Food Co. "We are building the largest mycelium production facility in the U.S. to provide consumers nationwide with a tastier alternative to their favorite animal proteins."
The majority of meat sold today — like bacon, chicken breast, and steak — is considered "whole cut," yet most plant-based meats are ground, extruded analogs of their animal counterparts and few offer the experience, texture and flavor profile of whole-cut meats. Atlast is partnering with the pioneers of mycelium technology, Ecovative, to expand its current production capacity and supply partners throughout the CPG, food service and grocery industries with plant-based meats that can be flavored to give consumers an uncompromised experience. This investment will speed up both the discovery and production process for Atlast and MyEats by supporting the construction of the world's largest Aerial Mycelium farm.
"Atlast is creating a new category of plant-based foods by offering whole cut options. Mycelium, Atlast's unique ingredient, is nutritious, versatile, and scalable — consumers should get ready to see a lot more mycelium in their stores and on their plates," said Lisa Feria, CEO at Stray Dog Capital.
"I've spent the last thirty years working to bring sustainable meat to consumers around the nation. The Atlast team is advancing that mission for the 21st century to give today's brands and consumers new plant based alternatives that mimic the texture and flavor of whole cut meats," said Stephen McDonnell, Founder of Applegate Farms.
While consumer adoption of plant-based alternatives has skyrocketed, none of the existing products have successfully recreated the multi-sensory experience of eating a whole cut of meat. Current offerings in the vegan and vegetarian market have failed to replicate the caramelized, rich brown crust from a proper sear, the tender juicy center, and the mouthfeel of fatty and savory flavors that come when chewing. MyEats' first product is a plant-based bacon that offers all the taste, crunch and sizzle of pork bacon, but is made from just six ingredients.
"I've been stocking MyEats' MyBacon strips since November 2020 and it continues to sell out every week, usually in 48 hours. The product tastes so much like bacon we decided to sell it alongside the real thing rather than with the other plant-based ground meats," said Mo Durr, Meat Department Manager, Honest Weight Food Co-op, an Albany, NY-based grocer and the first retailer to stock MyBacon strips.
"If you love bacon and the planet, Atlast has created a six-ingredient solution for enjoying one without harming the other. Atlast has a great team, a strong business plan and the full (undying) support of my Kunekune pigs, Ladybug and Pops," said Robert Downey Jr., founder of FootPrint Coalition Ventures, which launched in early 2021 to accelerate groundbreaking technologies that are addressing the world's largest environmental challenges.