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There has been some recent controversy about whether the Canadian government got their money’s worth when they spent an estimated $56,000 to have Finance Minister Jim Flaherty stamp the final Canadian penny produced for circulation. It was staged as a publicity stunt in May at the Royal Canadian mint in Winnipeg with accompanying press conference.
The Canadian government is ending production of the penny as of May 2012 because it costs 1.6 cents to mint one-cent coins.
From a communications goal, letting the public know that the penny was ending its service would be paramount to avoid banking questions,
currency problems, and consumer confusion.
What is the value of getting that information out to the public? What executional and cost options are there?
To make the announcement via traditional media advertising would costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. To simply send out a press release would probably get some coverage, but not that much.
Without a video story, getting it on the nightly news would be a challenge and would not get the impact required. The cost seems very reasonable when compared to the media pick up. Complaining about whether the Minister spent too much on his flight or not is pretty penny wise and pound foolish (so to speak).
The kind of publicity that the event achieved, even the resulting whining about the cost of it, adds to the “earned media value” of the event.
Without an idea like having the Minister stop the production, the event may have been lost in the back pages, below the fold, off the lead.
When we have planned and run PR events like this, having a clear and interesting idea for the media is critical in getting any coverage at all.
So from a communications professional point of view, spending $56,000 is an efficient investment in managing the marketing of Canadian currency. We should be happy with the job that has been done in transitioning from one-dollar and two-dollar bills to coinage. An achievement others have failed at. The US has tried four times to gain popularity of dollar coins, but never convinced the public of the benefit.
The management of currency needs marketing support to be successful. When currency costs more to produce than it is worth, action is required that needs consumer support.


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On Capitol Hill, lawmakers who have been on opposite sides of a long-running battle have now come together on a bill that would require reporting of deaths or other ill effects linked to supplements and over-the-counter medications.
The bill would require that reports be filed to the Food and Drug Administration within 15 days about what it calls "serious adverse events." If defines those as death, hospitalization, or what it calls a significant disability or incapacity, among other things.
Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch says the premise is simple. He is a longtime backer of the diet supplement industry — which has a major presence in his state — and is a well-known consumer of supplements, as well. He wrote the 1994 law that specifically exempted makers of diet supplements from having to prove to the FDA that they are safe and effective.
So for him to be advocating what amounts to increased government regulation is significant.
But even more surprising is that Hatch unveiled the bill Wednesday with Illinois Democrat Dick Durbin, one of the most outspoken opponents of the 1994 law. Durbin helped lead the charge against the supplement ephedra, which the FDA outlawed two years ago.
Durbin has made no secret of the fact that he'd like supplement makers to have to meet the same standards for safety and effectiveness as makers of prescription drugs. But he says that reporting adverse events is an important first step, as he discovered during his own investigation of companies that sold products that contain ephedra.
Durbin was also quick to add that he thinks the bill will not only be good for consumers, but for the supplement industry, as well.
The supplement industry appears to agree.
"We represent a class of goods that has a remarkable safety record," says Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association. "But we're also really a mature industry, and we think it's time to take on this responsibility. I'm just thrilled that we've gotten to this point."
Consumer groups, which have long been critical of the government's lack of oversight over supplements, are also backing the bill. That improves its chances of getting signed into law this year.

domain: news


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Tokyo Crepes, the almost-always-on-Folly Beach food truck, will be opening a traditional storefront later this year. The truck’s Facebook page eluded to the announcement earlier this afternoon and was confirmed by the Post & Courier’s Hanna Raskin shortly thereafter.
The store will be located at 62 Spring Street (pictured) and will reportedly feature an expanded menu. No opening date has been set.
Raskin reported that the food truck will remain open on Folly Beach.
Miranda Lambert & Little Big Town to Play Credit One Stadium with The Cadillac Three
Country superstars Miranda Lambert & Little Big Town will perform at the newly-renovated Credit One Stadium, formerly the Volvo Car...


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For the first time, inflation is expected to exceed 2%. Is it true?
The 2021 year has ended, leaving us with an injured economy. It’s like 1982 all over again. Prices are rising, unemployment arrests are increasing, small business owners are suffering, and the Fed is trying to find a solution to all of it.
The Wall Street market is uncertain but remains optimistic about the future. At this point, a number of factors, including labor shortages, increases in manufacturing costs, and, of course, international health care, were expected to cause these aggressive inflation hits. But things are far worse.
On December the 10th, the bureau of labor statistics released alarming figures about the consumer price index. In the second half of 2021, prices experienced an increase on a global scale, not only in the U.S.
The report announced that by the end of October, the consumer price index for all Auburn consumers rose by 0.9%. The following month, it also rose by 0.8%. The bureau also added that the thesis increase was a result of broad increases in component indexes. As a result that, prices increased significantly in various businesses and industries, such as the food sector, energy sector, and health sector. It seems that inflation will stick around and won’t disappear for some time. Because, simply, last year’s inflation rates were considered the worst in the last 40 years.
How will inflation affect the average American buyer?
If businesses are not doing well, consumer confidence will decline. It’s all related. Now, the American people must acknowledge the fact that their economy is wounded. 2021 was an exceptional year. We have seen high unemployment rates. Unemployment complaints are rising day by day.
Goods and services prices are increasing as well, especially in the food sector, as it appears by the end of November, prices will have increased for three months in a row. On top of that, gasoline prices hit their highest level since 1980. You can only describe it as the largest increase since the end of 1982.
According to another report, American buyers’ confidence is dwindling by the day. The verge buyer is facing dark times these days, and will still face them in 2022. On top of that, we are about to come through the first week of 2022 and things will remain the same. The prices of cars, household furnishings, gasoline, and food are still above the average. The Federal Reserve previously announced a plan that could aid in price reductions. The impact is still too early to notice. The president also stated that today’s prices are not today’s reality. The Whitehouse added that its main concern is to work on lowering the prices on the known average.
Will inflation rates go up in 2022?
Joe Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM, says that inflation will still be with us for a good long time. The prices are likely to remain hot and will not settle down soon. It is still unclear how much inflation will persist or how severe it will be. We remain uncertain about the impact of inflation, but we still believe that it won’t be that easy. That’s a bright outlook, as it seems there are signs of relief and resistance.
Economists have conducted extensive analysis on that matter, and they actually forecast that inflation rates will decrease to 2.6% by the end of December 2022. The experts believe that the Federal Reserve policy is the right course of action. They also added that this policy will also help result in a decrease in inflation to 2.3% by the end of 2023. The Whitehouse speakers also announced that they are working on lowering expenses for American families so that the average consumer can afford the expenses.


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about 1 year ago • 2 mins
TSMC, the world’s biggest contract chipmaker, revealed on Friday that business was booming in November.
What does this mean?
Talk about a killer month: TSMC raked in over $7 billion in revenue this November – a whopping 50% improvement from the same time last year – to bring this quarter’s revenue goal of around $20 billion within spitting distance. The reason for that sterling performance is simple: the firm’s top-of-the-range chip-making services were snapped up by titans like Qualcomm, while its favorite customer Apple has got TSMC producing chips to power its latest, high-end iPhone. That means that while whole swathes of the chip industry are being rocked to sleep by a spiraling global economy, TSMC’s still bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and bagging success after success.
Why should I care?
Zooming in: Caught in the crossfire.
TSMC’s based in disputed territory, Taiwan, and operates in a powder-keg industry – so despite the firm’s bumper revenue, its bosses probably aren’t sleeping all that soundly at night. After all, the US is trying to cut China off from the kind of high-tech chips TSMC specializes in, and is encouraging TSMC to take its operations to safer, overseas locations – to the US, in short. That meant that TSMC’s decision to up its investment in Arizona from $12 billion to $40 billion last week probably wasn’t a total bolt from the blue. But it could signal that the firm’s moving into a new, prominent role at the heart of US chipmaking.
The bigger picture: Made in China, soon.
China’s not going to take this lying down, mind you. The People’s Republic is bringing out the big guns, Alibaba and Tencent, to design chip tech rivaling anything the West has got its hands on. But Rome wasn’t built in a day, and experts think China’s vision of home-grown, first-class chips could remain a pipe dream for another few years.
Disclaimer: These articles are provided for information purposes only. Occasionally, an opinion about whether to buy or sell a specific investment may be provided. The content is not intended to be a personal recommendation to buy or sell any financial instrument or product, or to adopt any investment strategy as it is not provided based on an assessment of your investing knowledge and experience, your financial situation or your investment objectives. The value of your investments, and the income derived from them, may go down as well as up. You may not get back all the money that you invest. The investments referred to in this article may not be suitable for all investors, and if in doubt, an investor should seek advice from a qualified investment advisor.


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Turlock’s fourth and final cannabis dispensary has selected a location, which is set to go before the Planning Commission next week for approval.
Natural Healing Center, a Grover Beach-based dispensary brand, was originally ranked No. 5 on the City of Turlock’s list of top 10 candidates for retail cannabis operators — a selection compiled one year ago for the pilot cannabis program. The dispensaries ranked in the top four were selected to operate in Turlock and originally included Firehouse (1601 W. Main St.), Perfect Union (2500 N. Golden State Blvd.), Evergreen Market (1206 N. Golden State Blvd.) and MedMen.
When MedMen dropped out of the pilot cannabis program toward the end of last year, NHC was bumped up into the top four and is now hoping to open a dispensary at 3401 W. Monte Vista Ave.
“We’re grateful,” NHC Director of Government and Public Relations Joe Armendariz said. “We expect and hope to be able to open our doors if not by the end of the year, by the beginning of 2021.”
The proposed location is currently home to the Mexican food restaurant El Rosal. Armendariz said that the owners of the building were interested in selling the location but is unsure what the restaurant’s next move will be. The owners of El Rosal were not able to be reached for a comment by press time.
“It’s a really great location because it has easy on and off access to the freeway and it’s across the street from a very busy retail commercial location,” Armendariz said. “From a business standpoint, it’s an ideal location for us.”
If approved, the current building would receive a complete facelift before NHC moves in. The tan and orange exterior that greets El Rosal diners will shift to a more modern black, white and grey storefront, reminiscent of the experience NHC aims to provide inside of the dispensary.
“I think what sets us apart is absolutely our commitment to a high-end, Apple store surrounding and architectural feel,” Armendariz said. “In addition to the aesthetic feel of our stores, we’re committed to behaving in a respectful, ethical way that benefits everybody, from our patients and customers to the city.”
Like the other three dispensaries making their way through the City of Turlock’s permitting process, NHC plans on assuming an active role within the community by supporting local nonprofits. The company already has established locations in Grover Beach and Lemoore, with another two planned for Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo. Like their other locations, Armendariz believes their fifth Turlock dispensary will thrive and hopefully help alleviate some of the City’s financial strain.
“Our stores are extraordinarily successful. Cannabis was deemed an essential business by the state so we’ve been able to operate throughout the entire COVID pandemic, but what I think COVID has caused a slowdown in is the process. It’s more difficult to go through the public process when you can’t have public meetings and have to do everything on Zoom,” Armendariz said. “The COVID has also had an extraordinarily negative economic impact of jurisdictions large and small, and we are excited as a company to be able to go into a community like Turlock and be able to create a really revitalizing impact on the economy.”
NHC’s proposed location will go before the City of Turlock Planning Commission at 6 p.m. Aug. 6. This meeting will not be physically open to the public due to COVID-19. All members of the public may participate in the meeting via teleconference by calling 209-289-0280, Conference ID 665029, and will be given the opportunity to provide public comment.


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GREENVILLE, S.C. – Author John Boyanoski will be signing copies of the revised edition of “Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown in America” on Saturday, January 26, 2018 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Joe’s Place Bookstore in Greenville.
First released in 2013 with numerous reprints since, this new edition expands on the story of how Greenville’s downtown transformed from ghost town to one of the most celebrated examples of urban planning in the country.
The books focuses on the some of the key elements in the transformation including the reopening of the historic Poinsett Hotel, the beautification of the Reedy River, the construction of a Main Street baseball stadium and more.
Copies will be available for purchase at Joe’s Place, 2 Williams Street, Greenville, the day of the signing, or can be purchased here.
The book was the idea of Greenville Mayor Knox White, who wanted to chronicle the behind the scene’s stories of how downtown evolved over the decades. As the city’s mayor since 1995, White has been a key figure in creating and adhering to the plans that have landed Greenville numerous accolades in the past decade.
“It surprised me that as Greenville has grown and attracted so many new people, businesses and visitors that so many of them are unaware of the key steps, near misses and travails that went into building Greenville into a model for other downtown revitalizations,” White said.
To aid with the book process, White joined with Boyanoski, who wrote about many of the key developments while a writer with the Greenville News and Greenville Journal. Boyanoski has written three other books: “Ghosts of Upstate South Carolina” (2006), “More Ghosts of Upstate South Carolina” (2008) and “Palmetto Pigskins” (2010).
“Greenville has a great story and I am honored to have been allowed to try and capture part of it,” Boyanoski said.
The new edition was created because so much has changed about downtown in the past four years including hundreds of new apartments, more parking, an expanding West End area and overall growth of the streets beyond on Main Street.
Downtown success has garnered national media attention as everyone from the New York Times to the Atlantic to American Spectator to Outside Magazine have written large stories about how Greenville was reshaped. In addition, the city hosts thousands of leaders from other communities each year that come hearing want to learn more about how Greenville grew.
Known for its exceptional beauty, the two most distinctive natural features of downtown Greenville are its lush, tree-lined Main Street and the stunning Reedy River Falls, located in the heart of Falls Park. The award-winning Liberty Bridge in Falls Park serves as Greenville’s signature postcard setting, and downtown’s extensive collection of public artwork adds beauty and energy to its public spaces.
During the day, downtown is home to more than 20,000 employees. At night, area residents and visitors flock to downtown to take advantage of its extensive offering of cultural, entertainment and dining options. Not surprisingly, downtown has also become one of the most desirable residential districts in and around Greenville, giving the area an even more well-rounded character.
With more than 100 independent restaurants in a 10-block stretch, downtown’s lively dining scene has sparked Greenville’s emerging reputation as a foodie’s paradise.
About Reimagining Greenville:
Reimagining Greenville: Building the Best Downtown America is being published by Arcadia Publishing, which is the largest publisher of local history books, and regional content guides in America, with more than 12,000 titles. The book can be purchased online here or at numerous Greenville retail locations. Learn more at www.facebook.com/reimagininggreenville. People interested in setting up a speaking engagement can contact Complete Public Relations at firstname.lastname@example.org or 864-289-9772.


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TOTTENHAM have dropped a hint of next year’s Champions League final in Turkey in their home kit launch for the 2022-23 season.
The North London giants sealed their place in Europe’s premier competition on the final day of the Premier League campaign at the expense of rivals Arsenal.
Antonio Conte’s side hit Norwich for five away at Carrow Road to secure fourth spot.
It will be the first time since the 2019-20 term where they reached the Round of 16 that Spurs will be competing in the Champions League.
And the club were quick to poke fun at rivals Arsenal in their kit launch video for their new Nike white strip.
In the clip, a fan can be seen reading a travel book of the top ten things to do in Istanbul.
The 2023 Champions League final will be held in Turkey at Fatih Karagumruk’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
Fans were quick to comment on the club’s cheeky reference, as one user tweeted: “Oh my god this is so clever ahahahaha.”
Another remarked: “I approve of this.”
A third added: “Cheeky little nod to the Champions League final in Istanbul I notice…!!”
This supporter then messaged: “LEGENDS!! Who’s with me and booking their ticket right now?! Champs League baby! See you guys in Istanbul.”
Meanwhile another simply stated: “To dare is to do.”
Those wishing to get their hands on Spurs’ new jersey will have to fork out £75.
And those looking to buy the ‘Elite’ version of the strip will have to cough up a whopping £115 on the club website.


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Former SAP partner Wellogix is accusing the vendor of stealing its trade secrets and swindling it out of lucrative software projects, according to a lawsuit Wellogix filed last week in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.
SAP customers seeking to move from traditional deployments to a private cloud architecture have a new option from Accenture, the companies announced Wednesday during the Sapphire conference in Madrid.
Technology services and consulting company Accenture has agreed to pay $US63.7 million to resolve whistleblower allegations that it participated in a large-scale kickbacks scheme involving U.S. government contracts, the U.S. Department of Justice ann...
Ingram Micro's profits were dragged down for the second quarter in a row due to problems with an SAP implementation in Australia, the technology distributor said Thursday.
The U.S. Army's massive SAP software project is "at high risk" of running further over time and budget, according to a recent report by the Department of Defense's Inspector General's Office.
Nokia said on Wednesday it has finalized an agreement with Accenture to develop the Symbian mobile OS as the company retrenches in a competitive mobile device market.
Cloud computing can cut the cost of running small workloads though may actually be more expensive for larger compute jobs, compared to the costs of running such work in-house, according to researchers from Pennsylvania State University.
IT departments, long criticized as being too slow in offering new technologies and services, may be facing a grassroots rebellion in many companies over cloud services.
Business strategy is getting short shrift in outsourcing relationships while outsourcing customers and providers focus excessively on basic service level agreements (SLAs), according to a recent survey conducted by Accenture and the Shared Services a...
SAP is giving its ongoing push into mobile applications an extra shove with a series of new products aimed at verticals such as utilities, energy, retail and manufacturing, the company announced Tuesday during the Sapphire Now conference in Orlando.
Accenture is taking on 3,000 Nokia staff who support and develop the Symbian operating system and support services.
Nokia will outsource its Symbian software activities to Accenture, transferring 3,000 employees to the company in the process, as it moves its focus to making phones running on Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system.
Accenture's Kenneth Corless Ask a Premier 100 IT Leader
Oracle has agreed to pay the U.S. government US$46 million to settle complaints that Sun Microsystems, which merged with Oracle in 2010, engaged with other technology vendors in a kickbacks scheme affecting government contracts, the U.S. Department o...
Open source software management provider Black Duck Software said Monday it has made its third acquisition in recent months and fourth overall, scooping up consulting firm Olliance Group for an undisclosed sum.
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New ride-hailing app to test launch in Vancouver
Company says it's testing service before full launch later this spring
A B.C. company called Kater will soon begin testing its new taxi service, using what it describes as Vancouver's first legally compliant ride-hailing app.
Like other ride-hailing apps, Kater will allow users to order a taxi through a mobile app, track vehicle arrival times, rate passengers and drivers, and view the estimated cost of a trip and travel times.
Kater will use licensed taxis and drivers with Class-4 licences, unlike popular rideshare services like Uber and Lyft, which don't operate now in B.C., and which traditionally involve local drivers using their personal vehicles to transport passengers.
In B.C., a Class-4 licence is required for people to drive commercial vehicles like buses, ambulances, taxis and limousines.
"In order to be fully operational we had to adhere to the guidelines and the rules, that meant that all of our vehicles needed to have taxi licences," said Corrie Larsen, a spokesperson for Kater.
Larsen says Kater struck a deal with the Vancouver Taxi Association to obtain 140 taxi licences. In exchange, Kater will hand 20 per cent of its profits to the taxi association.
"We chose to be fully compliant, because ultimately at the end of the day we wanted to provide the solution, and waiting for any rules and regulations to change was a gamble," said Larson.
The provincial government passed legislation last fall to enable ride-hailing services, but according to the Ministry of Transportation, companies like Uber and Lyft must wait until this fall to apply to enter the market.
Part of the regulations from the provincial legislation call for ride-hailing and taxi drivers to maintain a Class-4 passenger licence, which requires drivers to pass a criminal record check and medical fitness checks every five years.
Ride-hailing or taxi service?
Kater plans to fully launch later this spring with 140 cars servicing various regions around Metro Vancouver, including Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, and North Vancouver.
While the new cars will give consumers another option when trying to get around, critics question Kater's use of the term ride-hailing.
"Kater is a taxi service, not ridesharing, meaning it is subject to the same rules that make taxis unreliable," said Lyft spokesperson Fatima Reyes.
She noted that Lyft provides drivers, many of whom drive part-time, with a "flexible earning opportunity," which allows drivers to arrange their own schedules.
A group that advocates for more ridesharing options in B.C. tweeted: "Kater is simply another form of taxi and does not address the need for transportation options across B.C."
Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver says this app isn't the ride-hailing service people in B.C. have been clamouring for.
"[Ride-hailing is about] providing timely service to meet surge demand," said Weaver. "It is not about developing an app that allows you to access taxis more efficiently."
Weaver says the government needs to move away from the requirement that ride-hailing operators hold a Class-4 licence, and instead allow people with a Class-5 — which allows people to drive cars, vans and trucks — to participate.
"We're talking about people driving the car they normally drive a few extra hours, in some cases, a week and to do that, Class-5 is sufficient, provided you have the additional checks on top of it," said Weaver.


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The Overwatch Anniversary event is now live on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4. To celebrate the acclaimed multiplayer shooter’s first birthday, Blizzard is giving players the chance to earn new 100 new cosmetic through Commemorative Loot Boxes.
Here are Overwatch’s Anniversary skinsPolygon
Overwatch’s anniversary event offers some amazing new skinsThe Verge
Overwatch Update Today Adds the Anniversary Event, Game of the Year Edition LaunchesPlayStation LifeStyle
Engadget -VentureBeat -Tech Times -Mashable
all 107 news articles …read more


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After announcing last month that they would take their first permanent kitchen residency in four years, the food design Team Blanch and Shock have just released a set of images from their new menu at The Endurance Pub London.
The guys, Mike Knowlden and Josh Pollen, are putting out some serious plates of food at the new pop-up. With food like this it's no wonder they're always so busy. You can see more food pictures from The Endurance on the Blanch and Shock website.
Woodpigeon with braised shallots and pickled green elderberrie.
Dill-seed cured mackerel with greengages, celery and nasturtiums.
Hay and malt tart with macerated Jubilee strawberries and lime blossoms.
Now a three-Michelin-star restaurant, Noma has changed, but not necessarily on the plate. According to Kenneth Foong, it's all about the way the team works, which is closer to a tech company than a traditional restaurant. Read our exclusive interview with Noma's head chef.


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FOR those who enjoy serious spending, a trek from Abington Square to Sheridan Square will discover Bleecker Street is filling up with fashionistas like Cynthia Rowley, Brunello Cucinelli, Marc Jacobs, Intermix and the incoming Reiss.
Bleecker Street is in the midst of the hippest six blocks of destination shopping in the city.
Since Ralph Lauren dropped in a men’s store three years ago, he’s added a women’s fragrance location, and last October added his third, the Double RL, named after his Telluride ranch.
This one is filled with pre-distressed and faded items at prices that could send some off seeking a thrift store.
British High Street fashion retailer Reiss, led by David Reiss, just took the largest store in the area, with 5,000 feet on the ground and a 5,000-foot selling basement formerly occupied by grocer Strawberry Fields.
Elliot Resnick and Lasia Casil Sonmez of Newmark Knight Frank brought in the retailer, while Kim Mogull and Cheryl Cohen of Mogull Realty represented the Building, which had an asking rent of just over $100 a foot.
As we advised last week, Juicy Couture just leased the northwest corner of Charles Street near the Double RL. The other day, its store-to-be at No. 368 was redubbed “22 Bleecker” for the Catherine Zeta-Jones movie remake, “Mostly Martha.”
Around the Ralph Lauren shops, Bleecker asking rents are now running $300 to $350 a foot for the tiny, 1,000 foot shops.
Long-timer Abdul Knusraty, whose Husraty Afghan Imports has been a fixture on the northwest 10th Street corner for 27 years, has been offered princely sums to give up the remaining 10 years of his lease.
“But what about tomorrow?” the Afghan refugee asked as he mulled selling the family operated business.
He’s also not charmed by the new shoppers: “They come in and look but don’t buy,” Knusraty said. Where they do break out their Platinum cards is at the area’s more contemporary shops and cozy dining spots.
Peter Ripka, principal of Ripco Real Estate, said Bleecker has become a destination retail center “because people like to go on a little bit of a shopping journey.” Ripka explained, “The stores aren’t as crowded, it’s charming, and you are among creative types.”
Besides, as two uptown girls swinging Intermix shopping bags shared, “It’s a great place to shop and have lunch.” And bring back something for dinner, too.
Former Douglas Elliman Chairman and CEO Alan Rogers is now based in the hottest real estate market in the world: Dubai. He’s taken the job as interim CEO of Nakheel, on-going developer of more than $30 billion in real estate projects including The Palm and The World. Nakheel’s next CEO Chris O’Donnell bumps Rogers from the post in July.
Goodstein Management sold the residential building at 211 E. 46th St. to Ruby Schron‘s Cammeby’s International for $142 million. The deal was in contract since last August and closed in January, city records show.
Chic to chic (Street map)
The upscaling of Bleecker Street
* Biography Bookshop
* Lu Lu Guiness 394
* Venfreld 392
* Ralph Lauren distressed
* Fresh 388
* Robert Marc
* Olive Bettes 384
* Old Japan Inc. 382
* Ralph Lauren Women 380
* Irma 378
* Cynthia Rowley 376
* Clary and Co. 372
* Ruehl 370
* Restaurant leased 368
* Magnolia Bakery 401
* Bond NYC Fragrance
* Lease Out 387
* Marc Jacobs
* L’Uomo 383
* Ralph Lauren 381
* Brunello Cucinelli 377-379
* Robert Kree 375
* Les Pierre Antiques 369


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A broke Brooklyn rapper spent four months recording an entire album using the display computers at the Apple Store in Soho.
Prince Harvey, 25, spent every weekday singing, humming and rapping into a floor computer at the Prince Street location.
Harvey said he pulled off the coup with the help of two particularly understanding store employees, and a friend who came in to record backup vocals.
“It wasn’t my plan to record this at the Apple Store. First, my computer died. Then my external [hard drive] died,” Harvey told the Daily Beast. “New York is expensive. I couldn’t just buy another laptop. I just thought, ‘I’m going to die before anyone knows I’m hot.’ ”
Harvey said he dodged the store’s end-of-day policy of wiping its display computers’ memory by hiding files in the devices’ trash.
He said he also relied on e-mail and a thumb drive to store his work.
It usually did the trick.
But “one time, there was a fire drill, and I was trying to save my work, and this lady came over and disconnected the thumb drive while it was saving,” he lamented.
Harvey said that while he’s grateful to the pair of Apple workers who looked the other way while he belted out his tunes, he wants to keep them anonymous.
“I’m not gonna say their names because they might get in trouble,” he said.
Harvey’s album is due out July 26.
Its name couldn’t be more apt: “PHATASS,” for “Prince Harvey At The Apple Store: SoHo.”
“But if one of them wasn’t there, the other one was” to help out.The determined singer, who is from the Caribbean island of Dominica, said others might consider him a hard-luck case but, “I don’t think I’m poor.”
“Poor is a mentality,’’ he said. “I mean, I can be broke — no money in my pocket — but I’ve never been poor. I’ve been rich my whole life.
“But I do want money,’’ Harvey said. “I want to tour. I want to perform for different people. S–t, I’ll go to Antarctica for the penguins if they’re feeling it.”


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of eDiets.com diet tumbled 25 percent to $5.29 after the company warned of a bigger first quarter loss due to rising advertising costs and a smaller-than-expected increase in revenues for the period. The online diet specialist said it now expects to record a net loss between $2.6 million, or 14 cents a share and $3 million, or 16 cents a share compared with a prior forecast of a loss between $1 million, or 5 cents a share and $2 million, or 11 cents a share. The company expects to report revenues of around $11 million, against a prior estimate of $12 million to $13 million. The Thomson First Call mean estimate was for a first quarter loss of 8 cents a share on revenue of 12.05 million. eDiet.com will announce its final results for the first quarter during the week of April 19.
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CVS to end sales of tobacco productsUPDATED 5:30 PM CST Feb 05, 2014Video Transcript
If you're a smoker, you'll no longer be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products at CVS stores as of October first. KCCI's Cynthia Fodor is LIVE with the details..Cynthia . Kevin, CVS is snuffing out cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco this fall..so it can focus more on health care. "14;44 ONE MORE PACK, JUST ONE MORE... " Terri Weisbrod is a smoker..but she is not upset that CVS is planning to kick the habit of selling tobacco products. "13;50 I THINK IT'S A GOOD MOVE MAYBE THAT WILL MOTIVATE ME TO QUIT" That's just what the American Lung Association hopes...As lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths in Iowa, Micki Sandquist say the bold move by CVS can make a big difference. "11;04 YOUNG PEOPLE START AT 18 OR YOUNGER .....BE HEALTHEIR AND THEY WON'T GET ADDICTED DOWN THE ROAD ..." We checked and found most family owned pharmacies in DM do not sell tobacco products. NAT SOT-pills or? Don Cassidy says he remembers his dad's pharmacy sold cigarettes 3 decades ago but they've been off the shelves for years. " 27 DIDN'T MAKE a lot OF SENSE WHEN IT COMES TO PROMOTING HEALTH AND WELLNESS WHICH IS WHAT WE DO. IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE A GOOD POLICY." Although CVS says it will lose about 2 billion dollars a year in revenue, it lead the way for others. Walgreen's released this statement, saying We will continue to evaluate the choice of products our customers want while helping to educate them and providing smoking cessation products and alternatives that help to reduce the demand for tobacco products. This may be just the start. Attorney General Tom Miller and others are now calling on all pharmacy retailers to stop the sale of tobacco products. Kevin.


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By Mia Lamar
U.K. consumer-goods firm Reckitt Benckiser Group(RBGPY, RB.LN) has offered to buy Schiff Nutrition for $1.4 billion in an attempt to best Bayer (BAYRY, BAYN.XE) recent agreement to acquire the vitamin maker. Reckitt Benckiser’s all-cash tender offer values Schiff’s shares at $42, a 23% premium to the company’s Thursday closing price. Schiff’s shares jumped 29% premarket to $43.65.
Penn National said it plans to split its businesses into two publicly traded companies, a gaming-focused real-estate investment trust and a gaming operator. Shares surged 40% to $52.60 premarket.
Gap’s fiscal third-quarter profit jumped 60%, as the retailer posted growing same-store sales in North America and stronger margins. Shares rose 4.3% premarket to $34.70, as the company also raised its full-year earnings view.
Shares of Dynavax Technologies (DVAX) plunged 53% to $2.15 after a surprise FDA advisory-panel decision that could hold up approval of its hepatitis C vaccine for years.
Foot Locker (FL) same-store sales soared 10% in the latest quarter, building on last year’s 7.4% jump and helping the company post third-quarter results that easily exceeded Wall Street’s expectations. Shares jumped 4.9% to $33.40 in recent trading.
Sears Holdings (SHLD) fiscal third-quarter loss widened, as the retailer’s same-store sales continued to weaken and as a tax benefit helped year-ago results, though its operating costs declined in the latest period. Shares slumped 5.2% to $55.47 premarket.
Sina (SINA) swung to a third-quarter profit, as the Chinese Internet company benefited from fewer one-off expenses and advertising revenue jumped. But shares fell 7.7% premarket to $49.02, as Sina’s core profit dropped and the company gave a pessimistic revenue view for the current quarter, saying it expects its nonadvertising revenue to drop.
Aruba Networks (ARUN) fiscal first-quarter loss widened slightly, as the Wi-Fi equipment maker’s higher revenue was offset by higher costs. Results beat the company’s expectations, and Aruba also offered second-quarter revenue guidance above analysts’ projections.
Applied Materials (AMAT) swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter loss, as the semiconductor-equipment company recorded weaker revenue and large impairment and restructuring charges.
Autodesk (ADSK) fiscal third-quarter income slumped 60%, as the design-software company reported flat revenue and booked hefty restructuring charges.
Dell (DELL) quarterly profit plunged by nearly half, weighed down by weak demand for personal computers, even as the company tries to expand into more-lucrative businesses.
Dole Food (DOLE) third-quarter loss narrowed, as the fruit-and-vegetable producer benefited from a gain related to an asset sale. The bottom line and revenue missed expectations.
Getco Holding Co. disclosed a 23.8% stake in Knight Capital Group (KCG) and said it plans to evaluate its investment in the embattled brokerage on an ongoing basis, according to a regulatory filing late Thursday.
HollyFrontier (HFC) said Executive Chairman Matthew Clifton is retiring in January after more than 30 years with the refiner.
Intuit (INTU) fiscal first-quarter loss narrowed, as the financial-software provider posted improvements in its small-business segment, aided by its Demandforce acquisition, and benefited from a recent asset sale.
Marvell Technology Group (MRVL) fiscal third-quarter earnings fell 65%, as the chip maker’s revenue was hit by a global slowdown in demand for personal computers.
Motricity (MOTR) has named a new chief executive in a management reshuffling that comes as the mobile Internet-services company restructures its operations.
Proto Labs (PRLB) said an offering of 3.6 million of the prototype manufacturer’s shares priced at a 2.5% discount to its Thursday close.
Starbucks (SBUX) board has approved the repurchase of an additional 25 million shares of common stock, the coffee giant’s latest effort to return value to shareholders.
Targa Resources Partners L.P. (NGLS) priced its offering of 9.5 million units at $36 each, equal to the Thursday close.
Wet Inc. (WTSLA) swung to fiscal third-quarter loss, as the women’s apparel retailer was hurt by weaker sales and asset write-downs.


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The LG (Optimus) G2 is expected to be one of the most interesting smartphones to see the light of day in 2013, a handset that will reportedly have the volume rocker placed on the back. Anyway, today we get to see new leaked photos of the terminal, which come to confirm the odd placement of the Volume Up/Down buttons.
Unfortunately the LG G2 leaked photos are a bit blurred, but they are still able to reveal an almost edge-to-edge display. The guys at GSMArena were among the first to report about the leaked LG G2 photos, after they were found on @leakschina Twitter account, claiming that the terminal will have a 5-inch display and the volume rocker placed on the back, confirming the rumors that made the headlines over the past couple of months.
The ones who already got their hands on the LG G2 said that the volume buttons are not in handy, but maybe we are looking at a prototype and things will be different with the final product. It seems that LG chose to place the volume buttons on the back in order to be able to narrow the bezel and reduce its profile. Sources say that the LG G2 will include a removable 2,600 mAh battery, which is great news for those of you who are always on the move.
LG recently announced that the G2 flagship will be officially introduced on August 7th.
Summing up, the recently leaked photos of the LG G2 have confirmed most of the previous rumors: the primary camera sensor has a special design, and the Volume Up/Down buttons are placed below the LED flash. The case seems to be made of plastic, which is a very common material among the South Korean phone makers.
Just in case you are wondering what the rumor mill has to say about the LG G2 specs, learn that the smartphone is expected to come with a 5-inch full HD display which will most likely use an IPS LCD panel, just like the one that was fitted on the Optimus G Pro. The thin case of the LG G2 might hide a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 chipset with quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 320 GPU, and 2 GB of RAM.
The camera sensor mounted on the back of the smartphone will most likely pack a 13 megapixel sensor with optical image stabilization. Now that we are less than a month away from the LG G2 release date, the leaks regarding the next-gen LG flagship should start to intensify.


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Australia’s small businesses have been slow to leverage technology that would improve the customer service experience even though consumers are increasingly turning to large organisations to satisfy their spending needs, according to Katrina Konstas, Vice President Small Merchant JAPA, American Express.
Konstas spoke with Dynamic Business about findings from American Express’ Economy of Shopping Small: Keeping it in the Community report, released to support its month-long Shop Small campaign.
DB: What success has the Shop Small campaign enjoyed to date?
Konstas: Shop Small is a national movement founded by American Express to ignite passion for small businesses and encourage Australians to walk through their doors. Last year, more than one million American Express card members were inspired to shop small, spending more than $600 million at small businesses during November. And this year’s campaign is also proving successful, with a record number of small businesses across Australia taking part, and our card members signing up for the Shop Small offer faster than ever before. It’s encouraging to have so many people so enthusiastic about supporting their local communities.
DB: What does the report say about the barriers facing small businesses?
Konstas: While Australia’s small business community continues to thrive, representing 97% of all Australian businesses, the daily grind is taking its toll. Our report shows that almost one in ten can’t see how they’ll stay open beyond this time next year and 13% often think about giving up on their business.
Further, small businesses are being forced to focus on operating costs rather than business growth; namely, 55% of owners concerned about rising energy prices while 53% are worried about managing costs and overheads.
In a digital-era, small businesses should be thinking about the end-to-end customer experience and leveraging technologies. Consumers’ expectations of convenience, speed and service have heightened, yet some small businesses are failing to embrace technology fast enough compared with the bigger end of town. Funding, a lack of technical expertise and time were cited as key barriers for technology adoption.
DB: What steps should small businesses take to support their success?
Konstas: We encourage all small businesses to take a proactive approach to managing the overall health of their business. It’s important for them to stay close to the numbers; however, they must not lose sight of how they can keep their customers happy and loyal, which could include going surcharge free, and providing seamless payment options. Too often small business owners focus on their bottom line at the expense of the customer service experience.
There is huge opportunity for small businesses to capitalise on technology innovation to support their success. Consumers believe that technology offers greater convenience, with the majority telling us that a basic website is the most important tech investment for a small business. This is followed by online sales or booking functionality and social media channels.
However, some smaller businesses have been slow on the uptake; just 52% of small businesses have a website, with 24% saying they have no intention of ever getting one – and only around half of small businesses use social media marketing.
While there is still a significant opportunity for some small business owners who have taken longer to adopt, there are others who are responding to this trend positively: 27% of small businesses expect to incorporate more technology into daily operations and 24% are targeting increased online sales.
Opting to go surcharge free also brings both business and customer benefits. Seventy per cent of our small business survey respondents are currently surcharge free, with 46% seeing improved customer satisfaction upon removal of the fee and 13% experiencing boosted financial performance.
DB: What are some of the surprising findings from the research?
Konstas: We found that Australians are increasingly turning to large organisations to satisfy their buying needs at the expense of small business. Worryingly, 20% of people increased their shopping at big business compared to only 13% who increased shopping at small businesses. Despite this, 43% of small businesses have increased their financial turnover in the past year, and 41% are holding steady. This is good news for more than just the small business sector, because almost half of what we spend in small businesses is ploughed back into local economies.
Another surprising finding was that small businesses seem oblivious to larger and online businesses who threaten to take them out of business. Relevantly, only two in five owners felt under threat from either large online businesses (38%) or larger bricks and mortar rivals (37%).
DB: How can big business and government support small businesses?
Konstas: Throughout November, we’re asking big business, associations and government to throw their support behind their local communities by encouraging others to shop at small businesses. They can do so by sharing messages of support via their social media networks, using #ShopSmallAU and their influence to encourage others to support local businesses.
An emerging trend we’re seeing is collaboration – and we think it’s a great way for larger businesses to support small in a mutually beneficial way. Our research found there are considerable financial benefits in collaborating. Small businesses are aware of how the Boomerang Dollar can drive more local economic growth as four in five said they would consider greater collaboration with other small businesses in the area.


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Press releases and articles
Should Hotels offer free WiFi?
28 Feb 2014. James Gardiner, Product Strategy Director of Power Ethernet talks about the WiFi Revolution in Hotels for Big Hospitality Magazine.
A hot topic at the recent Hospitality Technology Europe 2014 conference was the disruption caused by technology providers like OTAs to a hotel’s traditional revenue streams and whether hotels can use technology to counter these and other effects to realise profits and top-line revenue. The perennial question on whether hotels should charge for Internet access or try to maintain it as a revenue stream was hotly debated now that client’s demand for Internet access is a growing requirement.
The conclusion was that a lack of free basic Internet access can put clients off booking but a premium tier service should be offered to those who want fast Internet to access their office systems. The panel was united that hotels need to use technology to get to know their clients better and to promote value added offers that could be turned into new revenue opportunities.
There was also a warning: hotel owners need to be aware that, if they enter into long term revenue sharing models with providers of WiFi networks, they may be forced to charge for Internet access for the length on the contract or have to pay a hefty penalty clause. Some hotels have done the maths and found that the incremental value of bookings by providing free Internet is worth more than their share of charging for Internet access.
An alternative is for hotels to own the networking infrastructure. The latest business-grade Powerline technology, as used by the likes of De Vere Hotels, allows for a data network to be installed using the existing mains wiring without needing to cut into walls and ceilings thus keeping the downtime and disruption to a minimum – a big saving all round.
Read here for the De Vere's solution to offer a highly reliable Internet access in their "Chambre Unique" rooms
The original article can be found at Big Hospitality: Customer focused technology Smart experiences
About Power Ethernet:
Founded in 2011, Power Ethernet is a UK technology start-up with an innovative, new approach to PowerLine-based networking for both home and commercial applications. Powerline is a proven, well-established and recognised standard that uses power cables to create an instant Ethernet network. Power Ethernet’s patent pending integration of Powerline networking technology into electrical sockets provides an effective solution for businesses and home users who seek a simple but elegant solution for creating a high-speed, highly reliable network.


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The Samsung has not been able to announce the sale date of Galaxy Fold has caused many partners to be impatient with the pre-orders of users.
According to the Android Authority, AT & T's US network recently decided to cancel all pre-orders for Galaxy Fold folding screen because Samsung could not close the official sale date of the device. AT&T has sent a mail claiming to cancel the order even though the carrier had previously said it could deliver it from June 13 (of course, there were no machines for delivery).
When it debuted at the Unpacked 2019 event last February, Samsung plans to deliver Galaxy Fold to customers from April 26. However, the plan must be postponed when the batch is sent to the reviewers with screen problems after a day of use. Samsung must recover all equipment to investigate the cause, fortunately, the time of recall has not been delivered to the customer.
After about two months and yet to announce the exact selling date, many partners were not patient enough, for example, Best Buy canceled the reservation from May 23, most recently AT&T had T-Mobile, The network operator distributing the remaining Galaxy Fold in the US did not open the pre-order as expected.
Along with canceling Galaxy Fold order, AT&T also sent a gift card worth 100 USD to customers to thank for waiting patiently.
About Galaxy Fold, Samsung is currently refining the device to fix the error. Samsung spokesman earlier this week said it will announce a new sale date "in the next few weeks".


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In a move that has come as a surprise to many in the tech industry, Jeff Bezos has announced he is stepping down as Amazon CEO after 27 years.
Amazon announced Bezos’s departure during its fourth-quarter financial results, saying that the CEO will transition to the role of executive chair in the third quarter of 2021, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) CEO Andy Jassy taking over as Amazon CEO.
In a letter to Amazon staff, Bezos explained that he will “stay engaged in important Amazon initiatives” while having the time to focus on other projects such as “the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin, The Washington Post, and my other passions”. He emphasised that “this isn’t about retiring”.
Bezos said that Jassy “will be an outstanding leader” and that in his new executive chair role, he intends to “focus my energies and attention on new products and early initiatives”.
The letter gives some indication as to what can be expected for Bezos’s career moving forward, both in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. But the tech world will undoubtedly be watching closely to see what the outgoing Amazon CEO does next.
From his statement, many have speculated whether Bezos could follow the path taken by Bill Gates who, through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is perhaps now associated as much with philanthropy as he is with Microsoft.
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Bezos’s Day 1 Fund focuses on building a network of full-scholarship preschools in underserved communities and helping families experiencing homelessness.
The Bezos Earth Fund is an initiative to award grants to organisations fighting climate change, with a share of $10bn available to recipients. In November 2020, nine organisations received the first of the Bezos Earth Fund grants.
As the second richest person on Earth, any philanthropic efforts will undoubtedly face scrutiny, particularly in the context of Amazon facing long-standing criticism over the treatment of its workers. But Bezos may devote more time – and money – to his own non-profit organisations and others after stepping down as CEO.
Andrew Missingham, co-founder of B+A said:
“Bezos has already announced that he intends to spend more time on his Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, Blue Origin and other interests. And this is all good news. These are great, lofty, needed projects, that, if they succeed, could benefit the world for many coming generations. But, compared to what he has available, the investment in these projects is mere pocket change.
“With a bit of ambition allied to his now-free hours, Bezos has the opportunity to really achieve something if he devotes significantly more of his wealth to these causes, especially if he uses (in his words) ‘curiosity as his compass’. After all, 2020 was as bumper a year for Amazon as it was bumpy for the rest of us.”
A “catalyst for the tech industry”
Bezos also indicated his intention to follow the likes of Elon Musk and Richard Branson and focus at least some of his attention on space exploration. Previously describing it as his “most important work”, Bezos launched self-funded aerospace and spaceflight company Blue Origin in 2000 with the mission of “building a road to space”.
In 2018 Bezos publicly stated that he intends to put $1bn into Blue Origin per year from sales of his equity in Amazon, a clear sign that he is investing serious money in the company. So far keeping a lower profile than the likes of SpaceX and Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin may assume a more prominent role in the world of private space missions in the years to come, with the company saying it is “getting really close” to manned space flights.
The Washington Post, which Bezos bought for $250m in 2013, was also listed among his post-Amazon CEO endeavours. While he hasn’t had editorial input, Bezos’s ownership has seen the once declining media company turn into a profitable business with a greater digital presence. Whether Bezos’s role at the publication could change in the future remains to be seen.
Dirk Hoerig, CEO and co-founder of Commercetools, believes that Bezos’s decision to step down as CEO could foster innovation in other fields:
“Nobody will be able to replace Jeff or fit into the deep footprints that he has left behind (as there was also nobody who could properly replace Steve Jobs when he passed away). That said I believe that Andy Jassy will do a phenomenal job continuing the growth of Amazon.com and its AWS cloud business that he ran until now. How Jeff will be able to focus on other companies and areas of interest will create additional potential and drive innovation in other fields of technology. I believe that this could be seen as another catalyst for the tech industry in the upcoming years.”
Whichever route he takes, Bezos will remain Amazon’s largest individual shareholder, owning over 10% of the company, so any future ventures will certainly not be short on capital.
On Tuesday Amazon reported record sales in its Q4 results and revenue of $125.6bn.
As a well-known figure in Silicon Valley and beyond, and his 2019 divorce from MacKenzie Scott receiving considerable media attention, it is likely that Bezos will remain in the public eye once his time as Amazon CEO has come to an end. Some have even speculated that he might one day enter politics.
The future of Amazon
When it comes to the future of Amazon, the company looks likely to continue benefiting from the boom in ecommerce triggered by the pandemic for the foreseeable future. Nicholas McQuire, SVP enterprise research at CCS Insight, believes it has been left in capable hands with Jassy:
“This is an astute approach to succession planning. Bezos created the blueprint for internet businesses: rapid innovation, huge scale and relentless focus on the customer and few people on the planet have the DNA of managing high growth / high innovation businesses at scale than Andy Jassy. “
“He also fully understands the wealth of assets across Amazon’s flywheel of operations as well and the move should afford Jeff Bezos more time to focus on big, new bets for the company. The key question will be how Jassy manages some of the inevitable bumps in the road Amazon will face with issues like anti-trust, workers’ rights and employee activism on this rise. “
“He has proven to be very outspoken on broader political issues in the past and he will face an increasingly scrutinous media as the firm continues on its trajectory. Along with his successor at AWS (which will be another key move to watch), above all, Jassy will need to maintain trust in the Amazon brand in light of these issues.”


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- Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed "part deux" of his master plan for the company in a Wednesday blog post, outlining a vision to expand Tesla's vehicle offerings and network them with rooftop solar and residential batteries.
- In addition to the Model 3 sedan, Musk wrote Tesla would soon offer a "future compact SUV and a new kind of pickup truck," as well as buses and semi trucks. Consumer vehicles, once autonomous, could be configured to provide ride-sharing services when not in use by the owner, earning income and reducing the overall cost of the car.
- The acquisition of Tesla's sister company SolarCity will allow Tesla to "create a smoothly integrated and beautiful solar-roof-with-battery product that just works," Musk wrote, "empowering the individual as their own utility."
Elon Musk often frames his business vision in terms of sustainability, as he did when announcing Tesla would buy SolarCity, the largest U.S. residential installer headed by his cousin Lyndon Rive.
“Our goal is to accelerate the advent of sustainable energy, so this is, broadly speaking, right in line with that,” Musk said at the time.
The second part of the Tesla Master Plan picks up on those themes, with Musk saying it is his way to help accelerate the day society stops using fossil fuels for electricity and transport.
In a post on the Tesla site, Musk said the company would offer an expanded vehicle product line and support the use of autonomous driving features for vehicle sharing. Through a smartphone app, a vehicle could be deployed to generate income for the owner.
"This dramatically lowers the true cost of ownership to the point where almost anyone could own a Tesla," Musk wrote. "Since most cars are only in use by their owner for 5% to 10% of the day, the fundamental economic utility of a true self-driving car is likely to be several times that of a car which is not."
In cities where demand for cars exceeds supply, Tesla will own and operate its own fleet, expanding the car and battery company into the ride hailing sector currently dominated by Uber and Lyft. Tesla is already vertically-integrated, owning nearly all aspects of its car and battery development.
Musk did not offer details of any potential partnerships with taxi services, but did indicate Tesla would also expand into mass transit and industrial transportation with new bus and semi truck offerings.
Those products may be smaller than is traditional, as the CEO wrote that it "probably makes sense" to shrink the size of buses as autonomous driving becomes more widespread, reducing traffic congestion. The role of a bus drive, Musk wrote, could become that of a fleet manager, overseeing numerous mid-sized vehicles that use algorithms to bring passengers all the way to their destination.
Beyond transportation, Musk said the combination of Tesla and SolarCity will allow the company to create a seamless residential rooftop solar-plus-storage system, cutting electricity costs for consumers, providing a sustainable charging source, and acting as a grid resource in aggregation.
Some analysts speculated that the Tesla merger was prompted by SolarCity's slumping stock price and struggles in regulatory battles over net metering, but Musk claimed the ability to offer an integrated solar-storage product through "ordering experience, one installation, one service contact, one phone app," was the motivation.
"That [the companies] are separate at all, despite similar origins and pursuit of the same overarching goal of sustainable energy, is largely an accident of history," Musk wrote. "Now that Tesla is ready to scale Powerwall and SolarCity is ready to provide highly differentiated solar, the time has come to bring them together."
This week, Musk told the Wall Street Journal
he expects shareholders to approve the Tesla-SolarCity merger by at least a two-thirds margin. Tesla wants to pay $26.50 to $28.50 per share to buy SolarCity, a premium of up to 30% based on its June 21 stock price.
"In short," Musk wrote at the end of his post, "the master plan is:"
Create stunning solar roofs with seamlessly integrated battery storage
Expand the electric vehicle product line to address all major segments
Develop a self-driving capability that is 10X safer than manual via massive fleet learning
Enable your car to make money for you when you aren't using it.


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So, “how about that stock market?”
It’s no secret, the market is highly volatile right now. And, it’s not just the stock market. It’s the economy, gas prices, the real estate market – and even “recession-proof” cryptocurrencies – that has the entire world flipped upside down.
We’re in volatile times, folks. And that’s making it harder on investments.
Sure, “buying the dip” will certainly pay off at a later date, but how long do you have to wait and will those companies go bankrupt in the meantime?
Many Look to Alternative Investments to Offset Pain And Diversify Portfolios
According to a May 11 article at Reuters, “The S&P 500 (INDEXSP: .SPX), which is widely considered to be the main benchmark for U.S. stock market performance, declined 13.3% through April, the steepest four-month drop to start any year since 1939. The index continues to fall in May and was down 16% year-to-date as of Tuesday’s close, approaching the 20% threshold that some investors consider confirmation of a bear market.”
And while JP Morgan suggests “stocking up” on ETFs in today’s market, there are other ways to get in on the ground floor, collect even greater ROIs and really make a difference.
Undoubtedly, crowdfunding is one of these investments, and StartEngine is just one trading platform keeping investors pleasantly “divided.” It’s perfect for investors because it will withstand the weathering of volatile times with the only catch of how and when you can cash in on an investment.
Prices stay consistent until the end of each funding round, whereas stock prices are updated once fundraising is over – plus, only so many can invest, and there’s a cap to investment. This means low volume minus battling hedge funds and day traders. And a good number of these campaigns include extra shares, benefits and discounts.
The platform itself is very informative and does its best to provide investors with enough education on each company so that they can feel content knowing their investment is with a good cause. Videos, photos, social media streams, newsletters and a question/answers section are just a few features that each company feeds.
To Most Startups, Crowdfunding Will Mean Everything.
High-growth companies often offer shareholders five times the return of a medium-growth company, no matter the reach.
While investing in blockchain technology and crowdfunding presents unique risks as associated with liquidity, market and ongoing regulations, many of the startups found on this platform are in their earliest stages. This means that believing in a company early on could really pay off in the long term as companies grow and begin fulfilling their promises.
Funding is often one of the most critical factors in a startup’s success. 82% of small businesses fail due to poor cash management. They could never secure the necessary funding to make due on their expectations and begin cutting corners just to get by. Thus, CBInsights lists “running out of money” as the second most common reason for imminent startup failure.
Through regulated crowdfunding (Reg CF) and other means of fundraising, this number is exponentially improved through accessibility, accountability and required reporting with the U.S. Securities Exchange Committee (SEC). Most platforms won’t even release funds unless their initial goal has been obtained and they’ve demonstrated how each dollar will be spent.
NextLaw reports that “The new rules and growing number of Reg CF successes have made crowdfunding for startups more viable than ever. CCA reports Reg CF has now amassed over $1 billion in investment from 1.2 million investors backing 4500 companies in 450 industries. In 2021 alone, 1,117 companies raised $409 million through the third quarter.”
The company discloses that this has produced tangible results not only for the companies themselves but the communities where they thrive – and that just this year alone, Reg CF companies have created over 120,000 jobs, fulfilling employment shortages around the country.
Scott Harrigan, CEO of Securitize Markets and Forbes Business Council Member, expects more than 2,500 new issuers to enter crowdfunding in 2022, with Reg CF to reach more than $1 billion in 2022.
Global crowdfunding exploded from $8.61 billion in 2020 to a record $113.52 billion last year – a 1,021% increase in 2021. On top of this, the U.S. saw its own market double year-over-year through improved Regulation CF and A+ rules and classifications.
Crowdfunding activities are forecasted to reach new heights as we make it through 2022, as the entire private securities market is set to grow from $7 trillion in 2021 to $30 trillion in 2030.
Are you convinced yet? If so, check out this list of companies to start crowdfunding and making alternative investments in highly volatile environments.
Offering: Regulation A+
https://www.startengine.com/boxabl | https://www.boxabl.com
Boxabl is one company that has rapidly been gaining attention from not just investors but the world in general. Called “The Instant House,” the company has raised more than $68 million with more than 80,000 reservations already in the works. Their houses are 3D built and scalable with factory mass production. Their homes average at around $50,000 and are single-handedly lowering the cost of homeownership around the country.
Boxabl has recently gained the attention of Tesla’s Elon Musk, who himself owns a Boxabl unit. The company is now seeking to raise $1.07 billion to build “The World’s Largest and Most Advanced Housing Factory,” with the mission of creating upscale housing and making it affordable for everyone.
Jet Token Inc.
Offering: Regulation A+
https://www.startengine.com/jettoken | https://jettoken.com
Earlier this month, Jet Token announced future plans to uplist to the Nasdaq, reserving “PJ” as its ticker while sticking firm to business goals and roadmaps and capitalizing on the future of a $200 billion private jet industry.
Jet Token is a charter membership program based in the Western U.S., specializing in the HondaJet Elite. It aims to revolutionize the private jet industry in a period of record demand, empowering travelers to conveniently look, book and fly any aircraft right from the palm of their hands. The company focuses on the technology that powers flight – the booking, trading, buying and selling of private and commercial aircraft – specifically, jets.
There’s no Expedia (NASDAQ: EXPE) for private jets.
The Jet Token platform allows its members to book and resell unused jet time without penalty through its unprecedented blockchain technology. Before Jet Token, owning aircraft, booking private flights, trading or selling aircraft time, and connecting private flights with commercial flights, all on the same itinerary in one convenient mobile application, had never been possible.
As a side note: Jet Token has already started taking deliveries pursuant to a multi-aircraft deal for HondaJet Elite aircraft from Honda Aircraft Company, LLC (NYSE: HMC). In addition, the two companies collaborate in marketing efforts and joint promotion of the HondaJet Elite and the Jet Token brand.
Battle Approved Motors
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/bam | https://www.battleapproved.com
Battle Approved Motors (BAM) is definitely a top pick on this list.
It’s not just performance. It’s about luxury. It’s about racing. It’s about the experience.
Empowering its drivers to take on the toughest terrains, each UTV is built for safety, equipped with Chromoly steel tubing and said to “offer race-level security” to its drivers. They’re completely electric and perfect for those who just want to go “off-grid” for a few days or so.
Whether you’re offroading with a group of friends – or glamping out in the wilderness, BAM’s highly anticipated electric UTVs are definitely worth checking out – we’re talking about the “where’s my wallet, I want to buy one now” type of sexy.
First of all, these UTVs are fast. In fact, they’re expected to be much faster than the highest performing offroad vehicle currently on the market. It’s said that they will go from 0 to 60 in under 4 seconds, with a horsepower of over 400.
They’re high-tech. We’re talking built-in touch screens and everything. And, let’s not forget, each UTV comes equipped with proprietary reinforced tubular frames, crash structures and roll cages and is built to handle extreme winter and summer conditions. Aftermarket parts are already included within the design itself – making them some of the safest mods to ever hit the market.
It’s one of the first high-end UTVs, customizable and designed specifically for the elite driver. “We are like Ferrari (NYSE: RACE) meets Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) — in the dirt,” explains Kenny Osborn, business development manager at BAM and the former owner of Black Rhino Performance.
And, what about the environment? These UTVs are zero-emission powerhouses, easily charged through off-grid power stations – included within the Battle Approved racing trailer itself. There’s no noise pollution, and it comes equipped with reliable, high-performing electric batteries.
Early investors earn a BAM Legacy Membership, which provides first access to its products and membership privileges to “the primary investor, his or her spouse, their children and children’s children.” This means that they’d forever have access to events, usage tracking, subscription plans and discounts on vehicles and parts.
Members will also have access to the company’s private testing facility, and primary investors are offered initial rights to the purchase of a future homesite on the Battle Ground – 200+ acres of what’s destined to become the “Disney World of Offroad Racing,” with plenty of space for sustainable living, racing and testing on-site.
The Black Bread Company
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/the-black-bread-company | https://blackbreadco.com
Big on flavor and low on additives, the Black Bread Co. is an African American-owned and operated business that manufactures and sells gourmet bread products. As a black-owned business, this startup taps into an under-represented segment of not just the bread industry but the CPG industry, as well.
Three best friends from the Southside of Chicago started the company and reinvest its profits into disenfranchised communities through mentoring programs, job security and donations.
Their bread embodies their pledge to provide their customers [#BreadWinners] with high-quality, fresh products, free of dangerous additives, and to reinvest into the generational progression of marginalized communities while empowering and encouraging creativity in young entrepreneurs – a definite cause worth investing!
The global bakery market was estimated to be worth $331.37 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach The global bakery products market is projected to grow from $416.36 billion in 2021 to $590.54 billion by 2028.
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/o2-treehouse | https://www.o2treehouse.com
Who wouldn’t want to spend the night in a treehouse – especially as adults going on our own glamping adventures? The O2 Treehouse was developed to reintroduce people to nature, to get them into the woods and to refamiliarize them with everything that’s good in this world.
The company itself seeks to expand upon the travel and hospitality markets, capitalize on the ecotourism industry and promote home-sharing markets within its Treewalkers Franchise Network.
People are tired of the mundane 4 walls of a stuffy commercial building. They want adventure, memories and something unique to experience. Many have suffered from cabin fever in lieu of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, and this is one way they get to embrace it. O2 Treehouse is where nostalgia meets adulting, where thrill meets comfort and where the investor can become a major part of the “treehouse revolution.”
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/redivivus | https://www.redivivus.tech
By 2030, more than 145 million electric cars, buses, vans and freightliners expect to hit the public roadways. Not included in this mix is the multi-billion-dollar electric UTV industry, which is now considered one of the fastest-growing electric vehicle (EV) sectors globally – estimated by Yahoo! Finance to grow to $9 billion by 2025, while the entire electric vehicle market reaches more than $396.9 billion by 2028.
The entire world is preparing for a major EV boom, and demand from the battery sector is expected to rise by 30% annually until 2030, as reported by Electrek. The problem is that the global energy transition — or the “great battery race,” as Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) calls it — is necessary for total electrification. There’s a possible shortage of battery materials soon on its way.
That’s where Redivivus steps in to provide environmentally friendly, cost-effective and full-service lithium-ion battery recycling services to electric vehicle manufacturers through its Redi-Cycle™ technology.
According to the company, “The total global nickel demand for superalloys and stainless steels is approximately 1.617 kilotons at the current market price of roughly $32 billion. Redivivus is planning to open two plants, and if and when it does, it expects that its novel, no-burn metal recovery process could potentially supply 0.3% of the total available market in 2026.”
Redivivus has joined forces with Arcimoto (NASDAQ: FUV) and Power.Global, 2 EV powerhouses, in 2021 and agreed to recycle Lithium-ion batteries for both companies in an attempt to create a more sustainable solution for the future of electrification.
This process recovers battery materials in a mostly closed-loop process for secondary markets, reducing the reliance on metal mining and reclaiming each of the elements from the batteries: Copper, Aluminum, Steel, Plastics, Nickel, Cobalt, Lithium, Graphite and other materials.
This approach also allows the company to produce a complete solution for battery materials classified as dangerous goods – and an immediate process to safely reclaim materials found in existing and upcoming battery waste.
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/saebo | https://www.saebo.com
Stroke is the #1 cause of long-term disability and has a market size projected to double between 2010 and 2050.
Saebo’s award-winning rehabilitation products offer stroke survivors a second chance at overcoming paralysis and regaining a much improved overall quality of life. They’re designed with the patients’ unmet needs in mind – developing life-changing products for in-home neurorehabilitation.
As healthcare costs skyrocket, Saebo’s affordable home-based rehabilitation products improve patient recoveries while lowering the short- and long-term costs of care.
With a proven track record and 17 awarded patents, Saebo has grown into a leading global provider of rehabilitative products and a network spanning six continents and over 40 countries, including over 600,000 patients served and $44 million in net revenue to date.
Designed for elbow, hand, shoulder, hip, knee, foot and cognition, the best part about Saebo’s line of FDA-approved and non-invasive devices is that they are rather affordable, even to those without insurance coverage.
WOWCube® Entertainment System by CubiOS, Inc.
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/cubios | https://www.wowcube.com
It’s like the Rubix Cube on steroids and one of the coolest technologies on this list. The WOWCube® is an immersive reality console and gaming platform that allows players to interact with an object they can twist, shake, tap and tilt.
Games for the WOWCube® Entertainment System are already available in the Apple (NASDAQ AAPL) and Google Play (NASDAQ: GOOGL) stores, but the company is creating its own marketplace full of games, apps and tools – the CubiOS, Inc., which is currently in the pre-revenue stage of development.
Cubios WOWCube® Entertainment system was named one of The 100 Best Inventions of 2021 by Time, received an Edison Award in 2020, CES Innovation Award in 2021 and is a certified-STEM toy, teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics to children of all ages.
According to the company, “The global Educational Toys market size is projected to reach $29.4 billion by 2027 while WOWCube® system has a strong IP portfolio with multiple patents granted and pending in multiple countries. The full software stack is developed from scratch and protects the device from replication.”
The company has created a software development kit (SDK) and proprietary WOWStudio so that 3rd-party developers can begin developing programs – meaning investors aren’t investing in a device but rather an entire gaming ecosystem.
Zoe Immersive Inc.
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/zoeimmersive | https://www.zoe.com
Zoe Immersive is an award-winning software company launching an immersive, Edtech platform that allows just about anyone to create, share and monetize interactive 3D learning experiences.
Partnering with companies like Meta (NASDAQ: FB), Unity, including Unity Learn, and HTC, Zoe has reached millions of users in the virtual reality (VR) space through marketing and distribution, creating sophisticated, no-code tools for the next generation of creators.
Seizing upon the “creator economy,” Zoe operates primarily in the global edtech sector, a $254.8 billion industry in 2021 and expected to grow to $605.40 Billion by 2027. The global VR market will reach $26.86 billion by 2027, the augmented reality (AR) market $340.16 billion by 2028.
Zoe has also built strategic relationships with several advanced learning institutions as a conduit for recruiting and testing the onboarding of Zoe Marketplace Creators – many of which are already generating recurring revenues of over $15,000 a month.
The company has won an Epic Mega Grant to further its development toolset and was selected as an Elite 200 company by GSV and Finalist at The 2022 GSV Cup (GSV Summit is the gold standard of conferences in EdTech).
Flying Ship Technologies, Corp.
Offering: Regulation CF
https://www.startengine.com/flyingship | https://flyingship.co
The global supply chain is broken. Between sanctions and tariffs, no-fly zones and the lack of adequate infrastructure, maritime trade is brutal in “normal” times – let alone in a post-pandemic response of high trade demand and little product availability.
Let’s not forget, a failing global economy and food supply shortage essentially leave most ships in danger of being raided – especially in war-torn regions like Russia or Ukraine. A lack of adequate manpower is another issue that needs to be tackled.
The logistics market has seen a surge in the need for time-critical, price-sensitive goods. It’s a market that’s growing at a 6.5% compound rate of growing interest (CAGR) and will reach almost $13 trillion in annual revenue by 2027.
As it is now, most maritime routes are mapped out based on friendly waters and shipping-efficient costs. But in many cases, ships must travel the entire perimeter of a region – even if it’s a continent – just to get someplace a few hundred miles away.
Places, such as the Suez canal, become overloaded and jammed packed with traffic – making it almost impossible to deliver goods that have some sort of expiration date.
Flying Ship Technologies is combating all of that, building unmanned, autonomous, green wing-in-ground-effect vessels to deliver goods efficiently to hard-to-reach destinations. By combining green technologies and 21st-century aerodynamics, these ships dramatically decrease the cost of piloting vessels, improve energy efficiency and eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
With aero-marine hybrid technology, these Flying Ships will deliver goods up to ten times faster than boats, at a quarter the cost of airplanes.
Thanks to their green propulsion systems, they produce net-zero CO2 emissions. They can travel over dangerous waters, fly and hover over land. They have fewer regulations than standard aircraft and have more options for coastal delivery than other ships out there.
Offering: Regulation A+
Every so often, StartEngine hosts its own campaign – raising money for the site and marketing initiatives – as it grows and continues to deliver first-class solutions for startups in the digital age.
Please keep in mind that this and all other investments are speculative, illiquid, and involve a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of an entire investment.
While there is a rigorous process for vetting each startup, one should always use caution and do their own due diligence before going “all-in” on any one stock. But given the nature of our current markets – it’s a risk that most are willing to take.
Since August of last year, we’ve seen a dramatic downturn within the stock market, with many popular stocks seeing a decline of 50% or more in just a short matter of time. No matter the news – whether good or bad, whether from “The Fed” or the companies themselves – the markets seem to just keep on declining. It seems every time something good happens, something else is ready to counteract with “one step forward, ten steps back.”
A few of the triggers that have led to today’s volatility:
- New regulations in China and the threat of delisting Chinese stocks in U.S. markets
- The threat of impending inflation and companies preparing with price increases
- Logistics-related issues, coupled with supply and demand
- New Covid variants and other airborne illnesses
- Wars and rumors of war
- The reversal of age-old court rulings
- Potential tax increases
- On-again, off-again promises to pass infrastructure plans
- Grid hacking and ransomware
- Elon Musk’s tweets about crypto-mining and social media
- Sanctions, added tariffs and other trade restrictions with certain countries
- Bans on Crypto in China, Turkey and other nations (as well as individual states and cities in the U.S.)
- Threat of additional lockdowns
- Potential crypto regulations
- Threats of vaccine passports and travel regulations
- Various world councils on industry, global regulation, climate control and currency exchange
- Mass website and app outages
- Trading restrictions
- Short-selling wars between hedge funds and the retail investor
- Special unemployment programs were limited and then completely shutdown
- PPP and EIDL programs ended
- Threat of student loans returning (High-inflation private loans were never put on hold)
- The trucker strike in Canada seemed to slow down some markets
- Policy changes in Government
- No more stimulus, no more “free money”
- The exodus to NFTs
- Anticipated pull back, or “rug-pulling” from the Federal Reserve
- “Diamond-handing” with retail investments tied up in margin, “stonks” and crypto
- New investors hesitant or unable to continue trading
- “Experts” capitalizing on “FUD” for a few clicks, likes and shares
Reg CF is the smallest of the securities exemptions created by the JOBS Act, which also created Reg A+ and Reg D 506c.
Reg A+ is essentially a mini-IPO, and it must be qualified by the SEC, whereas issuers may raise up to $75 million from both accredited and non-accredited investors.
Reg D 506c is for accredited investors only, but issuers may raise an unlimited amount of money from an offering promoted online.
Reg CF was initially set to $1.07 million, in the latter part of 2021, the Securities Exchange Committee (SEC) started by allowing firms to raise up to $5 million through a “crowdfunding” status, which makes this securities exemption more viable for promising seed-stage funding rounds to reach $2 million on average per campaign.
Crowdfund Capital Advisors (CCA) notes that 50% of all Reg CF investments made in the last 5 years occurred in 2021 – a dramatic increase from the previous year.
DISCLAIMER: The author of this article holds stock in one or more of the below-mentioned companies. This article is meant to inform and educate. It does not and should not constitute financial advice.


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This past week, Amazon Inc reported an earnings miss for the third quarter, but analysts appear to be confident that the shortfall is merely a consequence of growth.
As such, Amazon shares fell 2.1 percent on Friday after releasing their results. This follows Thursday’s dramatic after-hours drop of nearly 10 percent. Shares hovered around $1,760 on Friday.
According to Amazon chief financial officer, Brian Oslavsky, the company surpassed the $800 million they had allocated for the second quarter in order to ensure their one-day shipping guarantee and to put in place a large investment in Q3. And more costs are on the way.
In a statement, Oslavsky commented, “So, as we head into Q4 we’ve added what’s just nearly a $1.5 billion penalty in Q4 year-over-year for the cost of shipping, which essentially is transportation costs, the cost of expanding our transportation capacity, things like adding additional roles and shifts in our warehouses.”
And this “penalty” as he calls it, has been worthy investment.
He goes on to say, “We’re very pleased with the customer response to one-day. You can see it in our revenue acceleration and also in our unit growth acceleration.”
That said, Oslvasky notes that perk has been quite the value for Prime members, who pay $119 per year for their memberships. He adds, “We have seen Prime members increase their orders, spend more. So they must also see it as a real help to them in their daily lives.”
This points seems to be a critical notion for investments and analysts, all of whom argue Amazon’s third-quarter investment in providing a superior online shopping experience through speedy delivery is a major driver in their success. As a matter of fact, this particular aspect has pushed growth rate faster than any quarter in the past two years. As such, it is quite apparent that Amazon is holding court to position itself at the front of the industry, even if that means sacrificing a little share value on the way.
In summary, Amazon reported a net income of $2.1 billion—about $4.23 per share—for the third quarter. This is 36 cents per share lower than what analysts had expected. However, revenue bested expectations in the quarter, up 40 percent to $70 billion.


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Horton’s Britton, SD, plant celebrated the production of its six millionth fan drive on November 15, 2011. The fan drive was manufactured for longtime Horton customer FleetPride, Inc. of The Woodlands, TX.
“We’re proud to reach the six million mark in Britton and delighted that FleetPride, a distributor we have worked with for more than 20 years, is part of this milestone,” says Jeff Lindgren, senior vice president of sales for Horton.
Lindgren, along with Horton President and CEO Geert Henk Touw and Tom Hujik, director, aftermarket/field sales, North America, presented the six millionth fan drive to FleetPride executives at a ceremonial event in Grapevine, TX. FleetPride officials at the event included Robert Lindley, vice president of supply chain; Steve Vaughn, director of marketing; Rick Jackson, product manager; Bob Thorpe, corporate sourcing manager; and Jessica Shaffer, buyer.
“We are honored that Horton is celebrating this significant achievement with us,” says Lindley. “FleetPride is pleased to offer Horton’s reliable, high-performance products to our customers throughout the United States.”
Horton opened its Britton plant in 1974 and employs 180 people today. This facility manufactures Horton’s VMaster and Stratis Viscous, EC450 and EC600 Electromagnetic, DM Advantage On/Off and Two-Speed and Remanufactured Fan Drives as well as repair and conversion kits.
Including the six millionth fan drive produced in May 2011 at the Britton facility, Horton has manufactured a total of 17 million fan drives around the world. The company has produced more on/off fan drives than any other manufacturer.


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Argentina's new cannabis watchdog is overseeing more than 50 projects related to the research and development of cannabis and is establishing a regulatory framework as it bids to enter the potentially lucrative weed export market.
"The industry has incredible potential," said Gabriel Gimenez, director of the ARICCAME cannabis agency created in January this year, last week.
He said 51 regulated research and development projects are currently taking place around the country, including Cannava in Jujuy province, Agrogenetica Riojana in La Rioja, Biofabrica in Misiones, and Medicinal Cannabis in San Juan.
Argentina is looking to build its domestic medical cannabis market and generate foreign currency through exports. It allows cannabis-derived products in pharmacies and has ordered insurers to cover prescriptions for marijuana-based medications, but recreational use is still forbidden.
Read more at reuters.com