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Hawaii’s sense of place is evolving as hotels and resorts renovate to keep pace with consumer demands.
“Space is always evolving,” said Philip “Pip” White, president and founder of Philip White Architects and president of the American Institute of Architects Honolulu chapter. “Waikiki has always had a sense of place, but it was getting pretty kitschy, not authentic.”
To White, a sense of place today means using inside and outside spaces together and incorporating regional materials.
“It’s not just about the architecture,” he said. “It’s much more of a holistic vision and doing things more sustainably.”
If you design a hotel in Hawaii that make guests think they’re in Las Vegas, “you’ve missed it big time,” he said.
“Sense of place can be a challenge,” said Lisa Rapp, an Architects Hawaii Ltd. hospitality projects architect. “The Hawaiian sense of place is having a bit of a transformation. It doesn’t have to be earth tones, chevrons and a Dickey roof. Today, you want to provide a sense of place with a modern twist. It’s a good, healthy challenge for us to create space that adds visual interest.”
She said Hawaii hotels are developing new branding concepts that cater not just to families but to business travelers and single people.
“It’s not so full-service oriented,” Rapp said. “It’s more grab-and-go rather than full-service restaurants.”
Examples, she said, are Starwood’s Aloft brand and Hyatt Place hotels.
“Marriott has its Courtyards, but a new brand is coming out that is trying to give the same price range but with a more modern twist to appeal to a younger traveler,” Rapp said. “It’s a challenge to have a three-star line that comes off a little fresher and more modern.”
She said Hyatt Place in Waikiki has been fairly successful in meeting the challenge of offering something a little more modern and urban, like W Hotels, while within an affordable price range.
“I’m hearing a lot of buzz about different brands and operators looking at this state and depressed properties that they can obtain and reposition,” she said.
When it comes to renovations of existing structures, the change happens in the finishes and the detailing, Rapp said.
“Waikiki is more urban, so it’s where architecture is more modern with traditional elements,” she said. “You want a little balance. Success is all very subjective.”
She said Asia plays an important role in the trend toward more modern design.
“There is an interest in what the Asian markets offer, especially in Hawaii,” she said. “The hotels do their homework on who their customer is. It’s driving a trend toward more modern design.”
“There’s a reinterpretation of traditional forms,” White said. “A lot of the time, people are returning to more authentic regional materials in their design.”
Waikiki is a special design district, which means the city’s urban design branch reviews projects to make sure they follow certain guidelines, such as not too much glass or reflective surfaces and the use of certain trees, plants, traditional materials and colors found in nature. Traditional materials might include local wood and stone or the work of local artists and craftsmen.
“People often mistake that the city can control design, but they can’t dictate good design,” White said. “Setbacks and all those things can be counterproductive if you don’t have a good design. The city is involved with the lowest common denominator. They’re trying to protect from those who are less sensitive to it.”
White and Rapp agree that a key element for maintaining a sense of place in Hawaii hotels is successful incorporation of indoor and outdoor spaces.
“At least for our local market, the whole indoor-outdoor space concept is still important,” Rapp said. “In the open-air spaces, I’m seeing a trend toward more lounge-type areas — areas where people can use their iPad and access the Internet.”
Because of the flow of indoor-outdoor spaces, landscaping is integral to the whole process of creating a sense of place, White said.
White and Rapp also agree that while the use of space and layout are important, a hotel’s quality of service is a critical element in creating a sense of place — the aloha spirit, if you will.
“It’s the people, the way the staff treats visitors,” White said. “Staff attitude is probably No. 1. But without the rest of it, you lose it. So there’s all kinds of things that go into creating a sense of place. Even the food is important. You have to picture it as a woven basket.”


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The cult of Kickstarter and the looming promise of the JOBS Act, which will let entrepreneurs to raise capital from non-accredited investors on a certified platform, have presented an opportunity that Fundable wants to pursue.
The service, which is backed by Virtucon Ventures out of Columbus, Ohio, debuted today with five projects and a goal of helping entrepreneurs raise capital for their businesses. (It’s not the only one, my colleague Bobbie has a profile on a European crowdfunding platform launching today called Seedrs.)
CEO Wil Schroter says while Fundable looks a lot like Kickstarter, its focus isn’t on creative projects (surprisingly for those in the tech world, most Kickstarter projects are related to film, literature and the arts). It wants to help companies raise money to build products or reach business goals. As part of this effort Schroter is cultivating relationships with distribution companies, retailers and other brands that want a pipeline for new products. Think of it as Kickstarter for sell outs.
“We want to be the LinkedIn to their Facebook,” Schroter says. “This money has already been out there, it’s just that getting to it has been painful. We’re taking inefficiencies out of the market.”
What Fundable is. And isn’t.
However the crowdsourced funding model isn’t for everyone. Schroter says the ideal customer in this case is a pre-product business that wants to use a rewards-based system, such as letting the pledgers donate money in exchange for the first production run or some special offer. For Kickstarter that might be a character named after a large donor in a soliciting film. When it comes to something like Fundable project StampTEG, which is making a small, mobile charging solution that generates USB power from any significant heat source, the rewards may have to get more clever.
Sometime later this year, or early next year, after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approves its application, Fundable will also be able to help companies raise up to $1 million in equity. This isn’t going to put the traditional venture-backed startup model of investing out of business, but broaden it. There are plenty of entrepreneurs with an idea for a mobile app or a device that can build a business from less than $1 million, as is clearly seen on Kickstarter or even Quirky, a similar platform designed primarily for projects.
The biggest problem with crowds is security.
But, as exciting as opening up a potentially vast amount of capital from the pockets of family and Facebook friends may be, there are a few glaring issues that arise with the crowdsourcing that most of the parties aren’t keen to deal with. Fraud is the big worry, but Schroter downplays it. He points out that the community can help determine if products aren’t on the up and up and points out that has already happened on on Kickstarter.
He also feels that the company’s limiting maximum pledge amounts to $10,000 will help people limit their losses. “That’s a lot of money, but no one will lose their house,” he said. His larger worry is unhappy pledges. What if people donate the cash and the product isn’t manufacturable? Or it just isn’t any good. For now much of the money going to these projects is small, but when things get to the scale of Kickstarter’s highly successful Pebble watch, for example, people are going to get mad if the product doesn’t come through.
Economic gamechanger or just a new way to raise cash? Does it matter?
But when anyone can raise money on these platforms it does have the potential to unleash billions in capital from customers and select friends and family in a scalable way. This will reduce friction, benefit entrepreneurs and provide an outlet for a new type of manufacturing to emerge. For an epic take on this topic check out Om’s interview with Perry Chen, a cofounder of Kickstarter.
Running a Kickstarter, or presumably a Fundable campaign, is a lot of work, but the bar is low enough that anyone with an idea can take some time and see if it gels with the audience. For every Pebble watch there will be a set number that fail. Judging from Kickstarter’s numbers from 2011 that about one in two, and as more people list (and contribute to projects) it’s unclear where that number will go.
Fundable plans to take a 5 percent fee from the final raise to fund the business, and Schroter declined to list how much money the idea has behind it or its backers. Virtucon is one of the lab-style companies that throws a few ideas out and see what businesses stick. It lists supporting investors including Bessemer Ventures, Founders Fund, Dave Mcclure, First Round Capital, Charles River Ventures, SV Angel and others.
If Fundable succeeds, it may not only become a pipeline for retailers or consumer products companies looking for the next big projects, but it might be the next platform for early-stage financing for wide variety of business. It’s hard not to look at the evolution of crowdfunding in general and compare it to the emergence of eBay back in the late 90s. Within a few years hundreds of existing and new retailers found a new audience for their wares.
Yes, some of this was savvy people playing arbitrage games with people who didn’t understand or know enough to list their goods on the Internet, or a new type of storefront for existing shops but some legitimate businesses were created. Many view the emergence of crowdfunding platforms in a similar way. The question is whether this the new way to build and invest in startups or will it (as is more likely) join an established roster of existing options and open up entrepreneurialism to a slightly wider audience?

domain: news


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Parking lots are the antithesis of sustainability–cold, hard seas of concrete and (mostly) petroleum-fueled cars. But they don’t have to be that way, as Dell and Envision Solar recently showed us. Envision completed a renewable energy installation in the parking lot of Dell’s Round Rock, Texas headquarters that uses 512 solar panels to give shelter to 56 cars and provide over 130 kW of power to Dell facilities. The Solar Grove installation also juices up two Envision Solar CleanCharge solar charging stations for EVs and PHEVs. Below, we take a look at three more examples of parking structures turned into centers of sustainability.
People-Powered Check-Out Lines
A Sainsbury supermarket in Gloucester, England recently started using kinetic road plates in its parking lot to power its checkout lines. Sainsbury’s plates are pushed down by the weight of vehicles, creating
a rocking motion that turns generators. The generators produce energy
that is captured and used inside the supermarket. The plates produce 30 kWh of energy each hour from cars passing over them–more than enough power for the supermarket’s lines.
LEED-Certified Parking Structure
The Santa Monica Civic Center boasts the first LEED-certified parking garage in the U.S. The ultra high-tech garage features a rooftop solar array, low-VOC paints and finishes, free bike storage, and a gray-water harvesting system that uses storm runoff for landscaping and Civic Center facilities.
Solar Parking Lot
Dell isn’t the only company to experience the benefits of a solar parking lot. Google led the charge in 2006 with a 1.6 MW solar system featuring 9,000 panels, a third of which are overhanging parking shades at the company’s Mountain View headquarters. The panels provide enough energy for 1,000 homes, or 30% of Google HQ’s needs.


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12. January 2022
Berlin-based Fintech Banxware raises EUR 10m to expand its embedded Business Lending solution
Banxware is a lending-as-a-service provider for Embedded Financial Services that enables digital platforms such as marketplaces, payments providers, and other aggregators to offer embedded lending products such as white label merchant cash advance. Element Ventures, D4 Ventures and FinVC as well as Banxwares strategic partner Varengold Bank AG are new investors, joined by all of the existing
3. February 2021
High-Tech Gründerfonds celebrates providing seed funding for 600th start-up – Successful investment in Banxware
After 15 years on the market, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) has now financed its 600th start-up. Banxware, a software-as-a-service provider for Embedded Financial Services, secured a total of EUR 4 million as part of a seed financing round. Co-investors include UK-based FinTech investor Force over Mass, VR Ventures and several business angels from the FinTech environment.
Not long after celebrating its 15-year anniversary, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) has now reached another important


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Online video solution Brightcove has released research that reveals some rather interesting insights into the social video viewing differences of various generations.
The survey showed that 74 percent of consumers connect watching a video on social media and their purchasing decision making process.
Brightcove also revealed some rather interesting generational differences when it came to social view viewing habits, branded video engagement and social video conversion.
Highlights from the study, available here, include:
+ When asked about their trust in video sources, 18-25 year olds said they were more likely to trust video from influencers and vloggers (49 percent more likely to trust) than from brands (40 percent) or publishers (44 percent)
+ 26-34 year olds are the most likely to connect watching a social video and their purchase decision making process - 84% said that social videos have an impact (versus an average of 74 percent)
+ One in three 55+ year olds (30 percent) had made a purchase as a result of watching a brand video on social media


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The retailer, a division of Miroglio, had an exclusive on four Betty Boop styles from one of King Features’ Italian licensees. Inspired by the announcement of the Simon Cowell film initiative, Fiorella Rubino created an event surrounding it. King Features is the worldwide exclusive licensing agent for the flagship Fleischer Studios character. Fiorella Rubino used the T-shirt collection as the basis for an in-store “selfie” contest, called “Searching for Miss Betty Boop.”
The contest was structured so that consumers who purchased a Betty Boop garment were then entitled to take a selfie with Betty and, by posting the photo on the Fiorella Rubino website, were entered to win a professional photo shoot. The promotion has been a big success with more than 800 photos uploaded and thousands of votes cast.
The contest is prominently highlighted on the home page of the Fiorella Rubino website
In addition, Fiorella Rubino created special weekend events for its top-performing stores featuring professional photographers taking pictures of the customers. Many of the Fiorella Rubino stores are located at shopping malls and the contest has received additional exposure thanks to the publicity efforts of the malls themselves.
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Fhotoroom is a popular photo editor app which recently made the jump to Windows 10 Mobile with a new beta, adding a lots of new features.
After upgrading to a Universal Windows App, the Fhotoroom app has received a new update which brings general bug fixes and improvements, and also adds appreciation masks.
– Fhotoroom was completely rewritten for Windows 10 Mobile so please help us find those bugs. (beta)
– Thanks to feedback we have been able to fix a lot Windows 10 beta bug fixes.
– To show our appreciation Masks has been added to Fhotoroom
– General Bug Fixes and Improvements


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Coca Cola is one of the companies that many workers depended on in Venezuela. This is a multi-billion dollar company that was paying a decent wage to workers in Venezuela, but now many will lose jobs? asked a Linked In user, because the production of Coca Cola has ceased as sugar shortages take a toll on the economy.
No one but analyst Manuel Gonzalez can predict how long things will go in this direction, but everyone can agree that this is very bad. It is the type of company that was a big deal in Venezuela. There are also other companies like Ford that have slowed down production. Companies are pulling out in order to avoid the loss that many big name companies are experiencing.
This is unfortunate at a time when there are food shortages, medical care dilemmas and limited power sources. This makes it difficult for the economy to thrive. The shortage of sugar, something that is so basic in Venezuela, is a sign that there is serious trouble for the people that live and work here.
It is going to be crucial for the government to step in and do something and do it fast. If the government fails there will be no way for Venezuela to bounce back. Even tourists have ceased as the natives scramble for food and try to make the best of the conditions that they are in. This is quite a blow for Venezuela natives.


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Jerry Lorenzo clearly has a great 2020 ahead of him and now today we just got a first look at a Triple Black Nike Air Fear of God 1.
We just got a look at the “String” FOG 1 and now images have surfaced of a new iteration that may be releasing soon. While we have seen Jerry Lorenzo adapt his Nike shoes with pale and vibrant uppers it’s honestly a surprise we haven’t gotten a Triple Black look yet but that may be changing very soon. It appears the edition will arrive with the usual makeover but in full stealth with a black neoprene upper, cage, midsole and even Air bubble. Although these are not confirmed to be releasing, if and when they do, they’ll most likely be one of the most coveted sneakers we have seen from Fear of God and Nike yet.
While we wait for more details, you can check out the first look below thanks to soldebrief that showcases the dark pair. We will be following the sneakers closely, so keep it locked to JustFreshKicks for any updates on this Triple Black FOG 1 and also more of the latest sneaker news.
Nike Air Fear of God 1
Color: Off Noir/Off Noir
Release Date: April 25, 2020
UPDATE: 6/27: Months after the release, fans get a second chance at pinking up a pair with Foot Locker doing an in-store only release on July 4th, 2020. Check your stores availability via the Footlocker app. Good luck!
UPDATE 4/14: Official images were just loaded up ahead of the April 25th release date. Be sure to check out our release page for online links and raffles.
UPDATE 2/6: It looks like the triple black edition of the Nike Fear of God 1 will in fact be releasing, as they recently got loaded on the Footlocker app for February 14th. As always, stay tuned for updates.
UPDATE 3/3: After originally expected to be releasing for Valentine’s Day, the Nike Air Fear of God 1 “Triple Black” got delayed and is now expected to be releasing April 25th.


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Asian Artist Seamus Phan Launches Online Gallery at artistaviator.com Using Brush Pens and Sketchbooks
Consumer Technology Association Honors Plantronics Audio Solutions Nine-Years Running
New Plantronics BackBeat PRO2 wireless headphones shape the sound of your day with on-demand active noise cancellation and immersive audio (Contains 1 attachments.)
More Than 1 Million Google Accounts Breached by Gooligan, New Android Malware Variant Check Point reveals a major Google security breach, caused by a new Android malware variant that infects… Continue reading "Check Point reveals a major Google security breach"
Check Point’s Global Threat Index Shows Malware Attacks are on the Rise
SITEX 2016 launches new Tech Zone to promote adoption of next generation technology with the young consumers (Contains 1 attachments.)


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A recent vulnerability in the way Apple’s iOS camera app handles automatic QR code scanning, could potentially be abused to trick users into opening potentially nasty websites, according to security researchers.
The bug is triggered whenever users point their cameras at QR codes that redirect to various websites. Because the URL is not properly sanitized by the iOS camera app, threat actors can redirect users to a different domain than the one displayed in the notification bar, according to security researcher Roman Mueller.
Both the camera app and the Safari browser opening the URL embedded in the QR code appear to have different ways in parsing URLs, which in turn leads to the current issue.
“The URL parser of the camera app has a problem here detecting the hostname in this URL in the same way as Safari does,” wrote Mueller. “This leads to a different hostname being displayed in the notification compared to what actually is opened in Safari.”
The example used by Mueller involves creating a QR code from the following URL: https://xxx\@facebook.com:firstname.lastname@example.org/. Instead of redirecting users to Facebook, as the notification on iOS displays, it will actually redirects them to infosec.rm-it.de.
While it’s unclear where exactly the bug occurs, as Apple’s software is notoriously gated, the vulnerability has been reported to Apple’s security team on 2017-12-23.
Testing the vulnerability, as shown in the screenshots above, revealed that it has yet to be patched. Creating our own QR code, it prompts users that hotforsecurity.com will be opened, only for Safari to redirect to businessinsights.bitdefender.com.
Until an update addressing the bug becomes available, caution is advised when scanning QR codes.


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The Golden Arches will acquire Apprente, a "sound-to-meaning" voice assistant, to speed up its drive-through.
Catch up on the most important news today in 2 minutes or less.
The fast-food giant's largest acquisition in 20 years is bringing machine learning to the drive-thru.
Man, folks on Twitter started a lot of boycotts this week.
If you have been offline, you may have missed porn site xHamster's protest against anti-LGBTQ laws and AMC's about-face on movie texting. Read up here.
Virtual reality with a side of fries: McDonald's Sweden is releasing Happy Meal boxes that transform into VR headsets.
Demand for cage-free eggs is soaring. But it took a long time to put hens in a cage. It’s going to take a while to figure out how to get them all back out.
We love Egg McMuffins too. But 21st-century fast food isn't just about what you eat. As Starbucks' success shows, it's about the tech in your pocket.
The fast-food chain just made it way easier for cyclists to transport their Happy Meals.
Fast food giant McDonald's volunteers to buy only chicken raised without routine antibiotic use, a move likely to shake up both the food industry and agriculture.


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For its seventh year, Fashions Finest, the second largest independent trade event during London Fashion Week, has teamed up with the Prince’s Trust for its SS18 outing, which takes place from 16-17 September 2017, at The Grand Connaught Rooms, London.
The must-attend annual event, features an array of catwalk shows, pop up and an exhibition space featuring a careful curation of over 30 British and international designers. The collaboration with the Prince’s Trust will see the charity feature its first collective made up of eight designers to include ByVarga, Fifth Studio, Babydol Clothing, War & Drobe, Quillattire, Rosie Red Corsetry, Sheree Robinson Knitwear and VIMELOVA.
The Prince’s Trust collective will also hold a popup exhibition and showcase their designs on the catwalk alongside designers Marina Willms, Chico De Barrio, Fleur Angelique, Tito London, Kim Tiziana Rottmüller, Korhlay, Larrita, 13 Magpies Design Studio and Unbridaled Couture, to name a few.
Fashions Finest CEO, Deborah St Louis, said: “We are excited to be working with the Prince’s Trust. Working with and providing young people with opportunities has always been a personal passion of mine that has always run a thread in Fashions Finest as a whole. The collaboration with the Prince’s Trust is an ideal symbiotic relationship for us.”
For more information, visit Fashions Finest.


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Tesla is reopening its Fremont, California, plant Friday despite county public health orders against such nonessential businesses, according to a CNBC report citing company emails.
CEO Elon Musk sent an email to employees with the Palo Alto-based electric vehicle maker, saying the Fremont plant would attempt to restart production Friday afternoon, CNBC reported.
A separate email from Tesla's HR department indicated the plant will resume "limited operations" Friday, with about 30% of workers on a typical shift, though it was unclear how the plant would produce vehicles with a skeleton crew, the report said.
Musk's message cited the revised California health order announced Thursday by Gov. Gavin Newsom, but Alameda County's guidelines still prohibit such nonessential operations through May 31.
California’s order does not override county health orders.
The HR message said employees returning to the Fremont factory will be required to complete video training on new coronavirus safety protocols.
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Tesla and Musk, for the most part, have been at odds with the state and county shelter orders halting nonessential businesses.
Late last month, Tesla asked workers at the Fremont plant to return to work in defiance of the county public health order but later retracted that request to resume production. In March, the company defied the initial Alameda County shelter order by continuing to operate the factory for days before suspending operations.
Just last week, Musk lashed out at the government shelter orders, calling them "fascist" during an expletive-laced rant on Tesla's earnings call.


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In-store Shoppers Prefer Using Phone
The CEA said this is especially true of men and shoppers in the 25-44 age group. The majority of in-store shoppers (62 per cent) said they think the information they get online is more beneficial than the information from in-store product displays or sales literature.
When shopping for electronics, shoppers use their smartphone even more (60 per cent more) than when shopping for other product categories.
The CEA reported that mobile shoppers for electronics use their devices to compare prices (63 per cent), read customer ratings or reviews (52 per cent) and to search for more information (51 per cent).
CEA director of industry analysis, Steve Koenig said: “Mobile devices have significantly shifted consumers’ shopping behavior.”
“Retailers are increasingly focusing on delivering a complete consumer shopping experience and mobile devices are now a vital piece of that puzzle,” he added.
CEA chief economist, Shawn DuBravac said: “In a very short amount of time, a majority of Americans now own mobile devices and just as quickly, those mobile devices have become the viewfinders of American’s digital lives.”
“We are now seeing this trend influence shopping habits, especially among tech purchases. Retailers are beginning to respond to consumers’ shifting habits, and that is especially true this holiday shopping season with increased focus on retailer apps,” he said.


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AOL Is Launching 2 New Video Ad Formats for Publishers
AOL is debuting two video ad formats today it says will be more viewable for advertisers and more user-friendly for consumers.
Tim Armstrong: AOL Aims to Wise Up the Online Ad Space
AOL chairman and CEO Tim Armstrong on Thursday told Adweek that the wealth of available consumer data will help the industry evolve beyond attributing the bulk of advertising value to last-click [...]
AOL’s Ad Comeback Continues
AOL’s booming video ads business helped the company overcome some of the drag from its ongoing Patch issues in the third quarter. Overall, the company announced today a 14 percent [...]
A Night to Remember: Brand Genius Awards 2013
The 2013 Brand Genius awards show and dinner, hosted by Adweek and sponsor AOL at downtown Manhattan's Capitale, feted 10 winners and one Brand Visionary. More than 460 friends, family [...]
AOL Launches New Premium Ad Formats
These aren't your grandparents' display ads.
AOL Advertising Gets a New Chief Marketing Officer
Erika Nardini, previously AOL's vp, head of marketing solutions, has been promoted to chief marketing officer of AOL Advertising, the company announced on Tuesday.


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NITI Aayog, a policy think tank of the Indian government, has launched a cloud storage service, DigiBoxx, offering “secure” cloud storage of up to 2TB storage for merely INR 30 per month. This premium plan is in addition to the free plan, which gives a single user up to 25GB of free storage, along with exciting features like unlimited external collaborations and a single file size limit of 2GB.
India’s Digiboxx to compete with Google, Dropbox
When it comes to the premium plan that costs less than 50 cents a month, users can avail elevated maximum file size limit of 25GB and advanced editing options. DigiBoxx also offers customized plans for SMBs and enterprise customers.
For instance, the dedicated plan for SMBs starts at INR 999 per month, which translates to around $14 per month. This plan offers up to 25TB of secure cloud storage and allows up to 500 members to access it from different devices.
Advanced real-time collaboration, automated backups, platform training, and complete user management are some of the package’s additions. An enterprise user can also go for a customized plan to get the desired amount of storage space from DigiBoxx. For this, however, you have to get in touch with the DigiBoxx team.
DigiBoxx says that it would introduce more features like Gmail integration in the near future. Even now, the service claims to offer an ideal environment where users can manage their cloud storage and collaborate with team members.
InstaShare file sharing service also launched
Besides private cloud storage, DigiBoxx has launched a feature called InstaShare — a web service that allows users to share huge files. As you can guess, this is supposed to be a direct competitor to WeShare. However, unlike WeShare, InstaShare requires users to provide their email ID and other credentials before sending a file.
Considering the rates at which DigiBoxx offers its private cloud storage services, the service would become disruptive in the Indian market without a doubt. Whether the think tank has plans to expand the service to users from other countries is another question.
However, the company has advertised that it would be storing all the user information in servers located in India and not overseas. This comes as a solace for many companies and users who are afraid of privacy breaches when using global file-sharing services like Google Drive and Dropbox.
For more information, watch the official website of DigiBoxx.
Read: 10 Best free secure online file sharing and storage services you should be using.


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IFA National Sheep Chairman John Lynskey has said the lamb trade is buoyant this week with factories looking for lambs and expecting a major increase in demand as the week progresses, heading into a big kill next week for the Muslim festival of Eid.
John Lynskey said factories are paying €4.80 to €4.90/kg for lambs up to carcase weights of 22 and 22.5kgs.
He said the live trade is also buoyant with €2.20 to €2.30/k liveweight being paid, up to weights of 50kgs.
John Lynskey said the ewe trade is also strong with €2.70/kg being paid.
IFA National Livestock Chairman Angus Woods said the cattle trade is solid this week with factories paying a base price of €3.85 for steers and €3.95 for heifers.
He said, with the good weather farmers are very busy and factories are finding it very difficult to get adequate numbers. He said in some cases in the last week top prices of €3.90 and €4.00/kg were paid to get stock.
Angus Woods said with the schools reopening across our main markets in the UK and the EU, beef demand will pick up as is normal at this time of the year.
The IFA Livestock Leader said in the UK market, our main export destination, cattle prices continue to increase, up another 3p/kg again last week. He said the AHDB report that cattle prices in Britain have increased by 10p/kg in the last 3 weeks and are up 35p/kg since May 1st.
He said the R3 steer beef price in Britain is £3.57/kg, which is equivalent to €4.39/kg including VAT.
On numbers, Angus Woods said the weekly kill is running at just over 30,000 head. He said the AIMs data would point to tight finished cattle supplies over the coming weeks. Compared to the same period last year, the number of beef cattle in the 24 to 36 month age category are down 44,000 head compared to June 2015.
Live Exports to Turkey
Angus Woods said IFA is continuing to work with live exporters and the Department of Agriculture to get the live export to Turkey up and running. He called on the Government to commit additional resources, in terms of manpower and funds, to secure greater market access for beef and live cattle. He said, “It is essential that more resources are provided to assist the live export trade and no effort can be spared to get the vitally important trade to Turkey moving as soon as possible. IFA has made it very clear to Minister Creed that a strong live export trade this autumn is essential for competition and to put a strong floor under weanling prices”.


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Nissan announced its best sales year in nearly two decades, hiking 10 percent market share in fiscal year 2017, with passenger vehicles growing 44 percent against the previous year and bakkies (pick-ups) mustering a share of 19.5 percent up by nearly a fifth.
Datsun, the brandâ€™s highest market share in South Africa since 1981 similarly rose to 1.3%, just as the Sub-Saharan Africa sales also grew, rising to 13.9%.
Nissan Sub-Sahara said the sales success came on the back of product launches including the Patrol, X-Trail and Micra Active.
Nissan had in the year under review, also focused on customer service, winning 8 awards.
â€œNissan is now poised to build on our success with further growth in Africa,â€ said Mike Whitfield, Managing Director of Nissan South Africa.
He said: â€œWe have invested almost R1 billion rand to increase the efficiency of our plant at Rosslyn increasing automation without reducing jobs, and in training and skills development for our people.â€
Nissan has developed its supplier base with initiatives to encourage young black entrepreneurs to become suppliers and the company continues to produce a high number of engineers at Rosslyn through its graduate development programme, which has been supporting South Africa employees to become master trainers by sending them to Nissan manufacturing plants across the world.
To drive future growth Nissan will focus on further developing its dealership network in South Africa with improved customer experience and enhanced facilities, while it continues to work to increase its share of the passenger vehicle market, and maintaining its strong position in bakkies.
Nissan was the first manufacturer to introduce electric vehicle to South Africa, with the Nissan LEAF launched locally in 2013. Globally, more than 300,000 units of the LEAF have been sold, more than any other electric vehicle.
â€œThe global automotive industry is going through revolutionary technological change, with electric vehicles, autonomous driving and connectivity,â€ said Mike Whitfield. â€œSouth Africa has the potential to lead Africa in embracing this change, and the automotive industry here and the economy stand to benefit.
Â To do that we need to ensure that the infrastructure and support is in place in South Africa to help build demand for these products.â€
Rosslyn is Nissanâ€™s manufacturing hub for the rest of the continent where demand is growing rapidly. And in April 2014, Nissan became the first mover to assemble cars in Nigeria, and is now exploring new manufacturing opportunities in the continent.
â€œAfrica has huge potential but not every country can have a plant and manufacturing hubs needed to be developed,â€ said Mike Whitfield. â€œThe automotive industry has been a driver of economic growth around the world for a century, and Africa will be next. What is we need now is a conducive environment, including the development of free trade areas, for the continent to flourish. Africaâ€™s middle class is forecast to grow from 137 million people in 2009 to 341 million by 2030.â€


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Today’s episode is more an interesting piece of information as opposed to a tip.
Voice tech is beginning to resonate in the video game space and it’s gaining attention. The article, 6 Voice Controlled Games that Prove Voice Belongs in Gaming, shares some heavy hitting games now featuring voice tech.
So far, Netflix released a game called The 3% Challenge, HBO has tapped into Alexa with their game Westworld: The Maze, Lego has DUPLO Stories, and we’re seeing a rise in Alexa-led board games.
It’s a fascinating shift, especially if you’re not as involved in the voice tech space. The article goes into more detail and has additional examples.


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GSMA estimates there could be up to 2.8bn eSIM connections globally by 2025
Sim Local has teamed up with Vodafone UK to explore opportunities around eSIM technology.
The eSIM specialist will work with the mobile network operator to “explore opportunities to collaborate and drive customer adoption of eSIM technologies”.
A key area of focus around this will be around eSIM travel growth.
It comes as the GSMA estimates that by 2025, over 35 per cent of all smartphone network connections will be made using eSIM.
And this shift from a traditional physical SIM to a digital eSIM download is expected to transform mobile connectivity.
The partnership with Vodafone UK, builds on Sim Local’s existing partners including Giesecke + Devrient (G+D), plus more global retail affiliates.
Sim Local chief executive officer Killian Whelan said: “eSIM technology is revolutionising the mobile industry at a rapid pace and will transform the way people connect to their everyday devices in the coming years, especially whilst travelling.
“As the travel market rebounds following the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will witness accelerated growth for eSIM both in the UK and across the globe.”
Vodafone UK head of consumer sales Jon Shaw added: “Sim Local is a valued partner and an expert in this space, with whom we have had many years of joint trading.”


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While we read a lot about the huge trade deficit that America runs with China it is important to understand that we are not the only one. Other countries also have this problem.
Europe as a whole runs solid trade deficit with China. In some way, this is balanced by an EU surplus with America. However, in many respects, China has a poor trade deficit with a growing trade with China as they look down the road.
Europe is running a Solid Trade Deficit with China
Reuters reports the European Union trade surplus in goods with the US and its deficit with China increased in the first seven months of 2019. Eurostat, the EU statistics office, reported that the EU’s surplus to the US grows to 100.8 billion dollars in January. July 2019 from 88.6 billion over the same period 2018. During that time the EU trade deficit with China increased to 120.9 billion dollars from 109.2. This happens at a time when trading figures are putting additional pressure on global tensions.
This gives the importance of buying and selling countries together. If county exports are not focused on products that have a key advantage over time they can detect them. I argue that as part of the EU’s ongoing problem, only a large part of the EU is non-competitive. This means that if it does not strongly accept Chinese consumer goods to stop it becoming flooded in the coming years. As Europe does not sell China much because of “raw goods” there is little to balance this trade.
Simply put, the EU and its calling companies hamper innovation and technology. The most innovative companies based on the number of patents they received in 2017 were IBM, Samsung Electronics, Canon, Intel, LG, Qualcomm, Google, and Microsoft, in that order. Note how European companies are absent from this list. The absence of industrial leadership is the key to the EU companies’ progress. For low-cost production China and other Asian countries also meet them. As a result, Brussels replaced Washington to complain that China needs free trade but is not fair.
The automobile industry is just one example of the EU that has lost its ability to compete. A recent article entitled “European Carmakers Face Perfect Storm” explores how European agents are facing a major crisis. It is being created by automated EU regulators to reduce emissions at a great cost. The EU is implementing emissions caps on cars but starting next year they will be reduced to 95 grams per km. This means that electric vehicle spew will be applied but there is no guarantee that people will want to buy these cars. These cars will be much more expensive to construct, each is estimated to cost more than $ 10,000 more to produce, so as many people do not claim to be a greener option, they guarantee a market for them.
In the coming years it is expected that the EU will continue to fall further afield in many areas. Politico reports that Washington is preparing to announce tariffs on billions of goods from the European Union. This follows a WTO decision which has been in favor of the United States in the case of Airbus. This concludes a perennial transatlantic dispute between the two largest aircraft manufacturers in the world as to whether Airbus has availed of illegal state subsidies. Unfortunately, in the case of America and the EU, the state-owned aviation manufacturer of China’s Commercial Aircraft Corp (COMAC), has been busy developing the C919, which is seen as the Chinese response to Boeing 737 and Airbus. 320.
The C-919 hits the core market of both companies. COMAC is not yet releasing the jet price tag, but according to a report from China National Radio, it is likely to be sold for about $ 43 million. This is much cheaper than Boeing 737 or Airbus 320 costing about $ 80 million $ 100 million respectively. It does not take a rocket scientist to calculate how quickly China can increase production.
This is just the sort of thing that the EU puts in an unpredictable position. The EU will be hit hard if America breaks the existing deficit with the region and the China deficit continues to expand.


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An update to Sony’s product pages showcases some of the first streaming services confirmed for the company’s next-generation PlayStation 5 console. Specifically, images on the Media Remote accessory’s page have been updated with new labels on what had previously been blank hot key buttons.
The four buttons now apparently offer direct access to Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube. Of course, plenty more streaming apps are likely to be supported on the next-gen console and its Xbox Series X/S competitors, but these four are getting top billing on Sony’s first-party accessory.
A Twitter account listed as belonging to a senior manager at Disney posted a close-up of the remote, highlighting the “deal” Disney secured for placement on the remote control. However, details of that deal aren’t currently available.
We’ve reported in the past how the speedy storage systems of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S should enable these high-powered gaming systems to become extremely capable streaming devices as well. And a media remote with direct access to some big-name services, should just make accessing your entertainment that much quicker. The media remote will retail for $29.99 and is expected to launch alongside the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Digital Edition on Nov. 12.
Featured image: Sony


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(Facebook photo / Scheels)
PHOENIX – A Midwestern sporting goods salesman plans to open one of his huge, attraction-filled stores in a Chandler mall in two years.
North Dakota’s employee-owned Scheels announced on Wednesday that it will take over the former Nordstrom at the Chandler Fashion Center and is expected to open in fall 2023.
Nordstrom closed in August 2020, citing coronavirus setbacks.
The new store will occupy 220,000 square feet in the mall near Loop 101 and Chandler Boulevard.
The retailer said in a press release that its first store in Arizona will feature a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium and over 600 fish, interactive arcade games, a wildlife mountain, and a coffee shop serving gourmet sandwiches and soups, homemade fudge, and specialty coffees.
“Scheels will be a great convenience to this family-friendly market,” said Ed Coppola, president of mall operator Macerich.
The Chandler business will employ around 400 people.
“After looking into the Phoenix market for several years, we are pleased to announce that the first Scheels location is coming to Arizona,” said CEO Steve M. Scheel. “We are very excited to be part of the Chandler Fashion Center.”
The chain has 29 stores and one more opening in Montana this fall.
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We want to hear from you.
Do you have an idea or a tip for a story? Pass it on to the KTAR news team here.


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The Fairview Area Historical Society will open its last exhibit of the summer for one more Sunday, on August 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Sturgeon House, 4302 Avonia Rd (Rte 98), Fairview. The exhibit, “Fahsions! Fashions!” is a display of the period clothing in the collection and includes many women’s dress from the late 1800s, undergarments, baby clothes and several men’s uniforms. Hats and shoes are also on view. The public is invited to attend; admission is free.
Last Day to See Fashion Exhibit at Sturgeon House is August 28th
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What you need to know
- Microsoft's HoloLens 2 may go on sale in September 2019.
- Microsoft has since clarified that no firm date has been announced.
- The new headset brings improved hardware and software when compared to the original HoloLens.
- The HoloLens 2 costs $3,500 for both developers and businesses.
Update: Microsoft has reached out with a statement clarifying the remarks "As we announced in February, Microsoft HoloLens 2 will begin shipping later this year. We have started collecting expressions of interest for HoloLens 2 preorders and, as part of our standard practice for gathering feedback, have shared near-final prototypes with some customers, but have not announced a date for general availability." – a Microsoft spokesperson
Microsoft's HoloLens 2 will go on sale in September 2019 according to a recent comment at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai (via Reuters). Harry Shum, Microsoft's Executive Vice President of Artificial Intelligence and Research, shared the September sale date.
The HoloLens 2 brings several significant improvements when compared to the original HoloLens in terms of design, hardware internals, and software. The HoloLens 2 has a carbon fiber body, better weight distribution, extra padding, eye-tracking, and a wider field of view.
Internally, the HoloLens 2 runs on a Snapdragon 850 processor. It is the first Windows 10 on ARM device made by Microsoft. It is also the first product to ship running Windows Core OS.
Microsoft HoloLens 2
HoloLens, but better
HoloLens 2 takes everything that made the original great and turns it up to 11. With a new carbon fiber body, extra padding, eye tracking, and a wider field of view, the headset should have no problem finding success among developers and first-line workers.
Sean Endicott is the news writer for Windows Central. If it runs Windows, is made by Microsoft, or has anything to do with either, he's on it. Sean's been with Windows Central since 2017 and is also our resident app expert. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at email@example.com.
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Price 2014 - Usps Rate Increase 2014, Free guide: understanding the 2014 usps postage rate increase, The usps is introducing new rates and services this sunday, january 26, 2014. to ensure a smooth transition for you and your business, stamps has created the 2014. 2014 postage rate increase news - postcard postage rates, Los angeles, ca - january 28, 2014 - the cost of mailing postcards is going up. the united states postal service has announced a postage rate increase from 33 to 34.
Postage increase 2014: usps rate increase of stamps to 49, A postage increase for 2014 will soon go into effect through the u.s. postal service. myfoxdc reported dec. 28 that the cost for a first cl stamp will go from. Postage increase 2014: rate increase for stamp prices, Postage increase 2014 time is here. an increase in stamp prices will greet people as 2014 gets started. according to a report from monday evening (dec. 30), the. Stamps.com publishes 2014 usps postage rate increase guide, Press release. jan. 24, 2014, 3:53 p.m. est stamps publishes 2014 usps postage rate increase guide offers free webinar to discuss usps rate changes. Postage rate increase in 2014 — usps hopes to hike stamp, Today, the usps announced a proposal requesting permission to increase the price of a stamp by 3 cents in january 2014. that would hike the price of a stamp.


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At the tail end of 2020, news of iOS 14’s policy changes rocked the digital and advertising industry. Apple’s move to tighten privacy protections means stricter limitations on targeted ads, data sharing, and reporting capabilities for app users. With changes slated to roll out in early spring 2021, we understand the heightened confusion and concerns advertisers now face.
To help comb through the chaos, we’ve broken down:
The iOS 14 changes
Steps you can take to prepare for the shift
Ways to better leverage your marketing strategies
Here’s what eCommerce and D2C brands need to know about the change.
What will change in iOS 14?
Apple’s AppTrackingTransparency framework (ATT) — a new framework for Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA) opt-in mechanism — will no longer automatically default to opt-in for iOS 14 users. Instead, a future iOS 14 update will show a permissions prompt that will ask users to “opt-in” to data sharing and activity tracking.
This story continues at Yotpo


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The Singapore gaming business has been dominated by Maxim88 for many years. Get special bonuses and promotions when you play Evolution Gaming.
An Official Asian Partner of Evolution Gaming!
Over the years, Maxim88 has maintained its dominance over Singapore’s gaming business. As a result, it’s not surprising to see hundreds of new players joining the popular betting site every week. Due to the wide range of gaming and gambling options offered by the well-known online casino. On their initial visit to the online betting facility, players can quickly explore the variety of gaming and betting categories. In addition, they are promoting front-page articles that inform prospective clients of the casino’s features.
Additionally, the customer service department is always on hand to assist new players with registration, deposits, gameplay, and winnings withdrawals. Getting started at Maxim88 online casino Singapore is as easy as clicking a few buttons. Along with seamless registration, players can access a variety of betting categories, including live casino games, slots games, sports betting, and fishing games. Because there are so many groups of online game software developers, the list of games on the popular betting site is even more impressive.
Evolution Gaming stands out from the rest of the suppliers on Maxim88. Gaming software is supplied to online casino operators by this well-known game provider. Evolution Gaming’s classic table games include Lightning Roulette, Mega ball, Lightning Baccarat, Lightning dice, Crazy time, Free bet Blackjack, and Extreme Texas Hold’em poker.
Evolution Gaming recently acquired NetEnt and Red Tiger, enhancing its popularity and product offering. Having won the Live Casino Supplier of the Year award for the eleventh year in a row at the EGR B2B awards, the Swedish-listed game also has a long-standing relationship with Maxim88 online casino.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the worldwide provider of online casino software has decided to partner with Maxim88 to expand its audience in Asia.
Both Giant Companies’ Collaboration
The world’s largest online game developer just announced a collaboration with Singapore’s premier online casino, Maxim88. The deal is estimated to be worth millions of dollars. According to Evolution Gaming’s management during a press conference, a megadeal is an exclusive agreement with Maxim88. Following an extensive study of the growth and evolution of the online casino over the last few years, this decision was made.
Maxim88 is ranked by Evolution Gaming as one of Singapore’s and the world’s fastest-growing online casinos. The growth rate of Maxim88 is regarded as “unbelievable,” outperforming and outperforming many other leading gambling companies. With the current state and magnitude of the online gambling software provider, Evolution Gaming believes it is only reasonable to be cautious and cautious when selecting partners. Considering the number of fraudulent sites posing as online casinos, this is understandable.
Evolution Gaming views Maxim88 as the next best platform to collaborate with since it has millions of members and fans worldwide. The online casino is also well-regulated and trustworthy. Consequently, Evolution Gaming and Maxim88 have agreed to offer baccarat tables.
Maxim88 players that play Evolution Gaming get special bonuses and promotions.
A series of exciting promotions will begin in the coming weeks between Evolution Gaming and Maxim88. The launch of the Evolution Gaming Baccarat table will be a significant aspect of the contract. The table will be available on the Maxim88 online casino. Maxim88 executives noted that with the new flood of financial awards, the online betting house can now develop more engaging and attractive promotions for its customers. Additionally, Maxim88 points out that other game creators aren’t required to spend large sums of money on their games. Consequently, Maxim88’s financial muscle has been strengthened, allowing it to offer more lucrative offers to its loyal and supportive customers.


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And Samsung became Sony
IHT:In 1997, Japan's premium electronics company took little notice of Samsung Electronics, a South Korean television maker fighting a life or death battle to survive the Asian currency crisis. Less than a decade later, Samsung has twice the market capitalization of Sony. (...) Samsung also has a huge capacity to build raw components like memory chips and display panels, lowering production costs. Samsung was once a back-of-the-store brand with bulky televisions and boom boxes. After the Asian currency crisis, Samsung upgraded its product lines to compete directly with Sony for the premium market, leaving cheaper electronic goods to new companies in China. (...) "Samsung is like the old Sony," said Gilder, who edits the Gilder Technology Report. "Samsung has much of the spirit of Sony 10 years ago."


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Google has announced the availability of Chrome 85, which adds several new tabs-related features to the popular web browser.
Recent Google Chrome Stories
Grammarly announced a major expansion of its add-in for Google Docs that adds a new sidebar and goal-setting panel, plus support for Grammarly Premium features.
Yesterday, Microsoft revealed that the new Edge uses up to 27 percent less RAM when running on Windows 10 version 2004.
A proposed class-action lawsuit claims that Google has been tracking users even when Chrome is set for private browsing.
Microsoft is integrating the built-in Windows Spellcheck API into Microsoft Edge, and it's also enabling the integration for all Chromium browsers in Windows.
The next version of Google Chrome will include a new feature called tab groups that should seem suspiciously familiar.
Momentum announced today that it is now offering Microsoft To Do integration in the paid version of its browser-based personal dashboard.
I’ve spent the past several months forcing myself to access my primary web apps differently, opening up new browser options.
Released two weeks late because of the Coronavirus, Chrome OS 81 is now available with several new features for tablet mode.
According to a very specific chart, Microsoft Edge is now the second most-often-used web browser on desktop. I have questions.
Microsoft says that it has made several “personality improvements” to scrolling in Edge and that some have come to Chromium as well.
Microsoft’s free grammar and spelling checking browser extension is now available on Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge.
An academic study about the privacy implications of various web browsers has incorrectly cited problems with the new Edge.
After pausing previously-planned Chrome and Chrome OS updates because of the Coronavirus, Google today revealed its new schedule.
After hitting pause on Chromium 81 because of the Coronavirus pandemic, Google now says it will skip Chromium 82 as well.
Microsoft announced new accessibility features and improvements to the Microsoft Edge Developer Tools and other Chromium-based browsers.
Like Opera, Mozilla is adding support for encrypted DNS over HTTPS (DoH) to its flagship web browser for improved privacy and security.
Google starts warning users of "security" issues when downloading extensions from the Chrome Web Store on the new Microsoft Edge browser.
The promise of new web browsers like Microsoft Edge is that you can get the good parts of Google without the bad.
Google Chrome includes an integrated ad blocker, but it doesn’t do much of anything. That’s about to change.
Microsoft's engineers are working to bring one of Edge's tab management features to Chromium, contributing the new "move tabs to another window" feature to Chromium.
Chrome 80---and, presumably, all Chromium-based browsers---will display much less annoying site notifications.
A Google Chrome for Android bug from last week almost deleted users' data, but Google has now fixed the issue without deleting user data.
A bug in the latest Google Chrome update for Android is not only causing data loss on the browser itself, but it's also affecting third-party apps. Google has paused the rollout while it evaluates a potential solution.
Web browsers are, by far, the most important applications we use on desktop and mobile. But privacy matters.
The latest version of Google Chrome adds new password and real-time phishing protections, tab freezing, and other new features.
A new web browser extension will allow you to view Thurrott.com---and most of the web---in dark mode. It works with all popular browsers


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Sarah Chalke stars in Hanes’ advertising campaign for its new “No Ride Up Panty.” Zach Braff, her costar on Scrubs, has directed two TV spots. The funny one, which debuts March 11 during American Idol, is embedded below.”I am so glad that Hanes is conquering the dreaded wedgie because it can happen at anytime to anyone — I should know,” Chalke said in a press release. “For my first appearance at the Emmys, which was also my first time on the red carpet, I chose a gorgeous dress, but made a bad underwear selection. There were cameras everywhere so I had no opportunity to fix anything, especially a wedgie. Now I wear my No Ride Up panties because I love how they fit and I don’t have to worry about tugging them back into place.”Funny, sad, or funny-sad?
Posted March 7 2008 — 9:20 PM EST
- 1D's Liam Payne announces third single from 'Made in the A.M.'
- New 'Luther' trailer asks: 'You scared of me?'
- Drake: 'I'd do anything with Adele' — including a 'Hotline Bling' remix
- National Dog Show names Charlie the Skye terrier its Best in Show
- CBS will air two Super Bowl commercial specials before 'Super Bowl 50'
- Amy Schumer, Mindy Kaling, and more celebs give thanks on social media
- Highlights from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade


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Let’s say you’re a hemp/CBD business (that also services the cannabis industry in a limited capacity) and COVID-19 has hit you. Hard. You’ve stretched your resources as far as you can, but you’re still on the ropes financially. The California eviction moratorium has been rolled back and your local eviction moratorium—the only thing protecting commercial tenants (in San Diego County and many others)–is about to expire at the end of September. The CDC has issued an order forbidding evictions until the end of the year, but only for residential tenants. Your landlord is waiting in the wings to be paid in full for the back rent you couldn’t afford to pay during the lockdown.
The b-word—bankruptcy—rears its head in your mind. But can you, as a business that is still federally illegal, file for bankruptcy—a creature of federal law?
One would think the answer is “absolutely not.” However, a relatively recent District of Colorado Bankruptcy Court ruling, and its soon-to-be progeny, may eventually provide a glimmer of hope for the distressed cannabis-adjacent business.
On April 20, 2020—a date not without significance for the cannabis industry—United Cannabis Corporation and its associated entity UC Colorado Corporation filed for bankruptcy in the District of Colorado. Shortly thereafter, on April 22, 2020, Bankruptcy Judge Joseph G. Rosania, Jr. issued an Order to Show Cause why the bankruptcy should not be dismissed, citing the rule that businesses whose operations constitute federal crimes cannot take advantage of the federal bankruptcy system. Arenas v. United States Tr. (In re Arenas), 535 B.R. 845, 847 (B.A.P. 10th Cir. 2015).
Despite this seemingly impassable roadblock, the debtors are hoping to take advantage of a narrow gap in the case law hinted at by an earlier bankruptcy case from the District of Colorado—In re Way to Grow, Inc., 610 B.R. 338 (D. Colo. 2019). In that case, the debtors were a group of business entities selling hydroponic agriculture equipment. On December 14, 2018, the Bankruptcy Court dismissed the petition, citing the fact that although hydroponic equipment can be used to grow any number of crops, the overwhelming majority of debtors’ sales were to cultivators. In re Way to Grow, Inc., 597 B.R. 111 (Bankr. D. Colo. 2018). The debtors appealed to the District Court, citing Congress’ passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018—also known as the 2018 Farm Bill—which legalized hemp on December 20, 2018, mere days after the Bankruptcy Court dismissed debtors’ petition. 610 B.R. at 355. The debtors argued that their products could have been used by their customers for the now-legal cultivation of hemp, as opposed to cannabis. Id. The court demurred, stating “[t]his Court does not opine on whether the timing of the Agriculture Improvement Act’s passage excuses Debtors’ failure to develop a proper record or to advance the argument” that “‘the legalization of hemp means that they could reorganize based on the hemp market.’” Id. at 355-56.
This brief discussion of the tension between federally illegal cannabis and federally legal hemp as it relates to bankruptcy eligibility left the door ajar for a debtor like United Cannabis. United Cannabis has filed a petition tailored to fit through that narrow gap, arguing that its chapter 11 reorganization can be funded by its non-cannabis income. United Cannabis argues that its $4 million bankruptcy estate is overwhelmingly derived from legal hemp/CBD business whose only cannabis-related holding is ownership of stock in WeedMD, a Canadian medical cannabis company whose shares are publicly traded in the United States.
In other words, United Cannabis has placed the exact question the District of Colorado dodged in Way to Grow squarely before the District of Colorado Bankruptcy Court: Can a company with some income derived from cannabis be allowed to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy if it can fully fund its reorganization without that cannabis-derived income?
As of now, that question remains unanswered. The debtor and the U.S. Trustee have filed their responses to the court’s OSC and now the parties—as well as industry watchdogs—eagerly await the court’s decision. The court’s ruling on the Order to Show Cause has been pending since mid-May 2020 and the court has allowed the bankruptcy to proceed as normal in the interim. Although the court itself has offered no timeline for when it will issue its decision on the Order to Show Cause, nor has it indicated why its decision has been pending for nearly four months, one can only speculate that the court may be waiting for guidance from Congress or elsewhere before issuing its decision. Moreover, the length of time that has elapsed since the parties in interest submitted their responses to the Order to Show Cause suggests that the court does not view the issue as a black-and-white one—or, at the very least, as a political hot potato.
Regardless of when the decision will be issued, if the court allows the debtors’ petitions to survive its OSC , it could be a watershed moment for businesses who service the industry in a small capacity by opening the door to bankruptcy relief, provided that they can fund their reorganization without cannabis money. However, the court could easily bypass this question just as the court did in Way to Grow. The U.S. Trustee, citing United Cannabis’ own marketing materials, argued in its response to the OSC that United Cannabis marketed itself largely as a cannabis company, not as a legal hemp/CBD company. Per the U.S. Trustee, United Cannabis had, in the recent past, identified numerous cannabis/THC products that it sold and distributed. If the court finds this evidence credible, it could easily find that United Cannabis is not entitled to bankruptcy relief because it cannot fund its reorganization with non-cannabis money, regardless of whether that route would be a viable path to bankruptcy.
COVID-19 has taken its toll on a wide swath of industries—including the “essential” cannabis industry. Despite this designation, cannabis businesses have been cut off from Paycheck Protection Program loans and bankruptcy, among other federal forms of economic relief. However, if the United Cannabis court decides that mixed hemp/cannabis companies can file for bankruptcy if they can reorganize without cannabis money, that pushes the cannabis industry an inch closer to enjoying the governmental benefits that its non-cannabis business counterparts enjoy.


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Experiencing unscheduled downtime due to a machine breakdown can be an expensive and painful experience. Adopting a preventive maintenance strategy and following maintenance routines are essential to avoid disruptions in production.
ENGEL has set a new record with two injection molding machines delivered to the USA. With a clamping force of 8,000 tons each, they are the largest machines ever built at the St. Valentin plant in Austria.
Wanhua Chemical is set to showcase its latest innovative products at CHINAPLAS 2023, paving the way for endless possibilities. The company has been making waves in various industries, including healthy living, energy efficiency, electronics and more. Additionally, Wanhua Chemical will give a series of technical lectures to introduce its newly PA12, post-consumer recycled materials, bio-based products and others. Attendees can expect to learn about the features and benefits of the company's products, as well as how they are making a sustainable impact on various industries.
LS Mtron Injection Molding Machines USA (LS IMM USA) has announced that industry veteran Paul Caprio has joined the company at President of Sales. Caprio is reuniting with his friend and colleague, LS IMM USA President, Peter Gardner.
Altech® ECO Near-to-Prime® Recycling compounds proved to be the right choice as a sustainable alternative in highly demanding applications where performance and value are the desirable criteria for a new cam cover of the OEM.


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Airport concessions to arrive in January
After about eight months in flux, full concessions will start to reopen at Pensacola International Airport next month, according to city officials.
The food vendors will open in waves starting in January. The two restaurants that will be operating outside airport security gates — Einstein Bros. Bagels and Pensacola Beach House — are expected to open the week of Jan. 12.
Post-security concessions such as Freshens — a "fresh food studio" that will serve crepes, rice bowls, flatbreads, smoothies and other healthy fare — currently are expected to open the first week of February.
The opening date for an airport Chick-fil-A still is up in the air. A contract to build the location will be awarded in January, with construction beginning at the end of that month.
The restaurants originally were scheduled to open in October, but OHM Group — the Missouri-based company awarded the 10-year contract to operate airport concessions in March — reported having difficulty finding local contractors to complete the work.
Kiosks have been providing food services at the airport in the interim.
OHM was awarded the contract after a contentious, monthslong debate over whether national chains or local brands were a better fit for the airport.


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So a deal is done and, so far, it looks like Obamacare is here to stay, whether you like it or not. Regardless of your views on universal healthcare, you likely like to profit—and may be able to do just that from this new buying opportunity.
With the initiation of Obamacare, tens of millions of Americans who previously did not have coverage will be required to get coverage. And in the healthcare market sector, it will mean a new buying opportunity for investors to make money, as more than 32 million new entrants to the healthcare system will require more products and services. Obamacare will be a boon to the healthcare sector.
We will see a buying opportunity in the providers of health plans, along with pharmaceutical and medical device makers, who will market to a much larger user base.
An interesting requirement for the debt extension was a compromise by the House that will delay the tax on medical devices for two years. This should give this sector a boost over the next few years and likely beyond, which will also benefit investors with a buying opportunity in the healthcare area.
To play the move, there are numerous medical device companies that could benefit. An interesting company in the medical devices area is SurModics, Inc. (NASDAQ/SRDX), which could really benefit from Obamacare.
The company offers a technology that helps coat the surface of medical devices that makes them more effective. SurModics also provides this coating technology for the drug delivery process.
For SurModics, the company needs to prove to the market that it’s ready to deliver consistent results. I believe Obamacare and the avoidance of the medical device tax may provide a nice contrarian buying opportunity for speculators at the current price level.
The company has seen its fiscal revenues fall in three straight years to fiscal 2012. But there are some positive signs, as SurModics is estimated to grow its revenues 10.4% this year to $57.35 million, followed by 10.7% to $63.45 million in 2014, based on data from Thomson Financial.
The chart of SurModics below shows the company’s breakdown in May and current sideways channel, with a possible upward breakout (as shown by the upper shaded oval) and a possible buying opportunity. A break could see the stock drive higher toward the $28.00 level and above.
Chart courtesy of www.StockCharts.com
In my view, SurModics represents a good contrarian buying opportunity that will be helped by the added spending in the healthcare area once Obamacare is initiated.


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Leaked confidential RIM roadmap shows launch of BlackBerry 10 handsets
0. phoneArena 02 Jul 2012, 21:56 posted on
With RIM having pushed back the launch of BlackBerry 10 handsets until 2013, the latest BlackBerry road map shows the BlackBerry London/Nevada launching in Q1 of 2013; more precisely, the first BB 10 phone will launch in Europe during the first week of January with North America coming a month later...
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1. savien808 (Posts: 59; Member since: 27 Aug 2011)
my mom is so hopefull that blackberry doesnt fade away
3. Droid_X_Doug (Posts: 5993; Member since: 22 Dec 2010)
I wonder if RIM will have any market left in the U.S. by the time they release their BB10 handsets in the U.S.? Might explain why they are choosing to launch overseas first.
5. speckledapple (Posts: 892; Member since: 29 Sep 2011)
They still ahve 17% of the market, it will not disappear that quickly if they can get BB10 right.
6. LiudvikasLTU (Posts: 15; Member since: 26 Jun 2012)
Yeah, I think that Blackberry last chance is BB10 :/
7. GeekMovement (Posts: 2156; Member since: 09 Sep 2011)
I'm getting nervous for them. I hope they can pull it off.
8. metoyou (Posts: 279; Member since: 19 Oct 2011)
Why move BB10 to 2013????? what a stupid move
9. pikapowerize (banned) (Posts: 1869; Member since: 03 May 2012)
i think if amazon will buy RIM it will make a lot more sense... and if Amazon RIM will license its BB10 it will be sweet!!!
but i still hopeful that RIM can survive being independent....
so is nokia! :)
10. pikapowerize (banned) (Posts: 1869; Member since: 03 May 2012)
they should release a BB10 device on Q3 or Q4! because if they dont... they will really loose there market! and if they fall we'll going to se "RIM for SALE"... RIP for being independent....
but microsoft and Google buying RIM is really weird for me... the only thing that will make sense is the BBM... if they will port BBM across android and Windows Phone it will be nice but i think if RIM will be for sale... it could be AMAZON! since amazon is really challenging google....
and IF amazon buy RIM, and if they will license BB10 it would be really sweet!!! now we'll see a very tough competition!!... apple's iOS,google's Android, microsoft's Windows Phone, (maybe) Mozilla's Boot To Gecko, and AMAZON'S RIM BLACKBERRY......
12. snowgator (Posts: 3583; Member since: 19 Jan 2011)
I think releasing a bad device at this point is worse than no device in 2012. BlackBerry is still making money. Their problem is decreasing profits, not being upside down. They still have good cash reserves and can survive. They have started to go into survival mode, and their sales are dropping quicker than expected. But, truly they can make it to 2013.
Releasing a sub-par device in 2012 though will be devastating. Unlike Google, Microsoft or Apple where income is filtering in from so many other sources, RIM HAS to get BB10 devices right on the first try. They are a mobile company first and only. They have to shoulder the R&D in hardware and software themselves- unlike Google and Microsoft. They only have mobile to offer developers. A bad BB10 offering and they will leave RIM high and dry.
RIM should still be at 15% Smartphone sales in Q1 2013. That gives them a huge base to launch from. Even if it ends up being Q2 of 2013 they can still use their strong base to launch a good device.
A bad device? They are done. At least as they are constructed right now.
11. pikapowerize (banned) (Posts: 1869; Member since: 03 May 2012)
oh and samsung/intel TIZEN/Meego prodigy too! the power of linux is what i love about it!
13. cornerofthemoon (Posts: 590; Member since: 20 Apr 2010)
Blackberry should continue development on BB10 and make Windows phones. Unlike Nokia, they wouldn't be putting all their eggs in one basket, they would probably get a huge check from MS, and many would love a WP8 handset with a Blackberry QWERTY keyboard.


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After the first two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the country on March 2, Indonesia’s homegrown super app, Gojek, has been very active in launching new initiatives. From a contactless delivery feature, to an income support fund for partners, and multiple donations to disadvantaged communities, the company has shown that is is committed to provide assistance.
Gojek hasn’t said so far how this will affect its strategy and plans, but the firm said that it will focus on supporting drivers and merchant partners, especially since the majority of its merchants are small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and therefore vulnerable during this time of crisis.
KrASIA recently spoke with Catherine Hindra Sutjahyo, Gojek’s chief food officer, on how the company is addressing COVID-19 within its ecosystem and beyond.
KrASIA (Kr): With large-scale social restrictions in place and a ban of motorcycle passenger transport, how is Gojek adjusting its business strategy to make up for the lost orders?
Catherine Sutjahyo (CS): One thing that we have to highlight here is that we are a platform—some may call it a super app. In that sense, thankfully, our business is resilient as we don’t rely on only one particular area. So the compensation between the different services has been working quite well for us during this period.
Kr: How has the pandemic impacted GoFood and Gojek’s logistics services? How is the consumer behavior changing during the pandemic?
CS: I can’t share specific numbers, but as you can imagine, food and logistics is going strong in this period. People are going out less and ordering in more, we have seen several interesting trends around that within the food business. With families spending most of their time at home, we have seen an increase in order values, as people order larger quantities. Snacks and special food items, such as Martabak and pizza, are popular during this period.
Our focus is on being quick in responding to consumer needs. We see more people cooking at home, so we introduced an option for merchant partners to sell “ready to cook” meals, which include frozen or half-cooked meals that are easy to prepare. Essential items are a priority for consumers, as they keep their homes stocked during this time, so we have also expanded GoFood delivery to include more convenience stores and services for daily needs. Overall, we see resilience in online commerce, which includes food and package deliveries, cashless payments, and digital content (GoNews and the streaming video app GoPlay). Consumers were showing these behaviors long before the COVID-19 pandemic, and now those online services have become much more necessary.
Kr: How do you ensure the safety of goods, food, and drivers?
CS: We have lots of initiatives to ensure safety and hygiene. First, what we are pushing hard is contactless delivery and cashless payments, to limit the disease transmission risk. We provide merchants with online training related to COVID-19 prevention. We have close to 500,000 merchants and many of them are small and medium businesses, so we rely on this online training feature to educate them about this issue. We also have a health card that is attached to food orders to track who’s preparing the food, who’s delivering, and their body temperatures. We also transformed our shelters into “COVID-19 prevention points,” where drivers can come to check their body temperatures and use hand sanitizer. These are just some examples as we continue improving our efforts to protect drivers, merchants, and customers. We were starting these initiatives in Indonesia, but a few of them are already implemented in other markets as well.
Kr: SMEs are vulnerable during the pandemic and many might even go bankrupt. How is Gojek helping them during and after the crisis?
CS: Out of our 500,000 merchant partners, 96% are MSMEs, so we made it part of our mission to ensure they are supported and given opportunities to grow. For merchants who depend on offline footfalls, we are working hard to help them migrate online and increase transactions. Through services such as GoBiz, GoPay, and GoSend, we make it as seamless as possible for them to establish an online presence, process digital payments, and make deliveries. For merchants who have had to close premises or experienced a significant reduction in footfalls, we are helping them set up shop in our cloud kitchens, so they can continue with their businesses and meet online demand. We currently have 30 cloud kitchens operating across Indonesia, with plans to expand this significantly over the course of this year and next.
For online merchant partners, our focus is to help them drive demand. We have several initiatives in place for this, such as the virtual GoFood National Culinary Day, the easy setup of online promotions using GoBiz, the affordable meals program for driver-partners, and the delivery fee vouchers to attract consumers. We are also offering discount vouchers to merchant partners so they can shop for staple goods and groceries on GoFresh, and reduce operating costs.
The affordable meals program is particularly effective, because not only do drivers get access to much-needed support, it also generates demand for the micro-merchants that are participating in the scheme.
The health and safety of our partners is, of course, the biggest priority at this time. We have been conducting education on health and hygiene measures for all partners, while providing them with temperature check cards, masks, hand sanitizers, and vitamins. GoFood has also implemented contactless deliveries across markets to support social distancing efforts and ensure that merchants and drivers can meet consumer needs as safely as possible.
Kr: How effective are Gojek’s GoFood National Culinary Day, Support Local Brands ID, and other initiatives? How will they support SMEs in the long run?
CS: The GoFood National Culinary Day has been a very successful annual program for our merchants, and it’s currently in its third edition—running from April 1 to May 5. Merchants that participated in 2019 experienced a 42% increase in transaction value, compared to their regular sales period, and we have seen an increase in participating merchants this year.
The #SupportLocalBrandsID movement, in partnership with Tada and Moka, is another campaign that we are very passionate about. It is part of our larger effort to empower small businesses and help our local community with tackling this crisis. With this, we provide people access to purchase discounted coupons to use them at local brands, immediately or once the crisis is over. The coupons will be valid for a year, so consumers can continue to support local businesses that are a crucial part of our community and dependent on us for survival.
Kr: What is the biggest challenge for Gojek as a business during this crisis? Have any plans been compromised? For example, Gojek wanted to expand into Malaysia and the Philippines this year. Is that still happening?
CS: The COVID-19 crisis is affecting every single company in the world, that’s why it is called a global pandemic. I think we are well-positioned coming into this period, and we are well-funded. The biggest challenge is that we must move very fast to fulfill the needs of our customers, drivers, and merchants. For example, we launched the contactless delivery feature within three days after the first cases were found in Indonesia.
In terms of business plans, this crisis is definitely going to be one of the factors that we take into consideration. We have not decided anything yet [regarding the expansion], given that we’re only two months into this crisis. We are working very closely with governments as well as stakeholders to see how this will evolve.


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Last week saw Unilever, Edge Chile and the Chilean Ministry of Environment launch a pioneering new life cycle analysis-based sustainability declaration (developed by Edge), that will feature on 85% of the washing detergent products available in Chile, helping consumer make informed choices. The declaration was developed to recognise Unilever’s commitment to ongoing improvements to the products’ life cycle performance, and to help support the Country’s ambition to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Today we are in a virtuous circle where environmental and economic objectives are aligned, and where reducing impacts can mean much more profit for companies… this means that sustainable development is therefore inevitable.” Minister of Environment, Marcelo Mena
The declaration (Translation: Continuous Improvement in its Life Cycle)
In recent years, Unilever Chile has implemented a range of initiatives to help reduce environmental footprint of their laundry products as part of its ambitious global sustainability programme. They have achieved zero waste to landfill and 100% renewable energy use at their detergent factory, while also removing phosphates from the formulation across their range. Local suppliers are prioritised, and it is expected that all packaging will soon be 100% recyclable. Yet little was known about the aggregate impact of these measures on the life cycle impacts of the products.
At the same time, the Chilean Government is pushing forward with its own, far-reaching sustainability agenda, with a strong focus on reducing carbon emissions, managing waste and water resources, protecting the natural environment, and implementing the Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Programme. More broadly, the Government is a strong advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has created a National Council to oversee progress against their achievement.
The two agendas came together this year in a plan to develop a new sustainability declaration to recognise continuous improvements in products’ life cycle impacts, and to investigate the extent to which Unilever’s environmental initiatives had contributed to the SDGs and the SCPP. Edge was commissioned as an independent expert to undertake the analysis and develop a rigorous analysis framework that could be applied more widely across a range of consumer products.
The analysis demonstrated improvements across the Unilever range, creating a range of direct environmental benefits while also contributing to half of the targets under both SDG #12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production) and the lines of action under the SCP Programme. The LCA highlighted a number of areas in which there is room for further improvement by Unilever and generated useful learning that they can share with others across the sector to support industry-wide progress. And the resulting declaration will soon be seen on detergent packets across Chile, helping to raise awareness of sustainability for millions of Chileans.
The “Continuous Improvement in its Life Cycle” declaration in situ
From an Edge perspective, it was fantastic to be involved in a project driven by a company with such strong commitment to sustainability, and to do so with the full support of the Government. It was a great example of collaboration, with outcomes that have the potential to drive action not only amongst Unilever’s peers in Chile, but also in other sectors and across the globe.
“We are very happy because ours are very ambitious goals, and I think that is what this is about. Set yourself ambitious goals, goals that are aligned with the SDGs, and see how your company can contribute to this agenda.” CEO of Unilever Chile, Hans Eben
Edge is advocating better labelling of consumer products to help the public make more informed choices. This feels like a small but important step in that journey, and one that we look forward to sharing with the product manufacturing and retail sectors, as well as our own State and Federal Governments.
For more information, see (in Spanish):
Press coverage (in Spanish):


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The key government index designed to predict turning points in the economy plunged sharply in November, bolstering suggestions that the economy is truly on a recession slide, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.
The department's index of leading economic indicators fell 1.3 percent, following a revised 1.4 percent drop the previous month. The weakness was spread throughout seven of the 10 indicators now available.
The figures came as the Agriculture Department announced separately that farm prices rose a relatively moderate 0.5 percent in December for the second month in a row, bringing them to 8 percent above a year ago.
Meanwhile, the Labor Department reported the layoff rate among factory workers rose 0.2 percentage point in October to 1.3 percent, while the number of strikes and striking workers declined sharply.
The combination of figures was in line with most analysts' assessments that the economy is in or just entering a moderate recession, which is likely to show up in earnest early this year.
William A. Cox, the Commerce Department's deputy chief economist, noted there already has been a steep falloff in both automobile production and housing. If those continue as expected, the downturn will spread, he said.
Perhaps the most significant feature of the leading indicators index this time was the continuing spread of the declines to indicators beyond the financial and stock market sphere, such as building permits.
The 1.4 percent drop recorded for October was revised from an 0.9 percent decline estimated previously. The index generally has been edging downward since its peak this past March. It is not universally regarded as infallible.
The figures nevertheless appeared to jibe with a new survey of corporate purchasing managers which showed that the economy softened visibly in December, with new orders slumping in the face of cutbacks in production.
Charles T. Haffey of Pfizer, Inc., chairman of the group's business survey committee, said there "isn't any question that danger signals are flashing all over the place." Still, some firms continue to see business good ahead.
At the same time, producers of machine tools say they are winding up their best year ever, and they're unusually optimistic about the outlook for 1980, according to the National Machine Tool Builder's Association.
The trade group said that while November orders fell 23 percent from the previous month's level, the total still was in line with those of the first eight months of 1979, and there are no indications that orders will be curtailed soon.
Most economists still believe the economy is continuing robust enough that output will grow a slight 1 to 1.5 percent, at an annual rate, the final three months of 1979, but that declines may be posted in early 1980.
Although the consensus among economists is that a downturn is coming, if it is not already here, the Carter administration is remaining cautious, for fear of exacerbating inflation.
President Carter is said to have decided not to propose a major tax cut as part of the fiscal 1981 budget he will send Congress in late January. However, aides say Carter could change his mind in late spring if conditions change.
The relative slowdown in agricultural prices would appear to point to some further relief for grocery shoppers in coming months. Food prices, as well as energy prices, have risen less rapidly at the retail level in recent weeks .
The Agriculture Department is predicting that retail food prices will rise about 8 percent again in 1980. However, year-ahead predictions such as that depend heavily on variables such as weather and potential crop damage.
The Labor Department's new figures on the layoff rate were matched by companion statistics showing the rate of new hirings down 0.5 percentage point and the rate for quits down 0.1 percentage point.


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New York – Barnes & Noble has updated its Apple iOS app.
The app improves word and image sharpness to take advantage
of the Retina display on Apple’s latest iPad.
Version 3.1.3 also gives users the flexibility to read in
either one or two columns in landscape orientation, and it has an easier-to-use
highlight feature, the company said.