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The novel coronavirus is a horrifying human tragedy that is having an unprecedented global impact. Starting in Wuhan, China, and moving across the globe, the pandemic has today affected almost every individual, either directly or indirectly.
People are dying, businesses are going bankrupt, oil and gold prices continue to decline, and the unemployment rate is rising. Nobody has an answer to how long it will last and what would be the recovery time.
But, no matter how tough the situation is, there is some silver lining that brings us hope in these adverse times. Some sectors are particularly flourishing because they are innovating their offerings and offering solutions to meet the current demands.
While it is true that some of these have a strategic placement to thrive during the current situation, their growth is worth noticing. Here is a look at the five industries that are thriving in the current situation.
E-learning or Ed-tech
The e-learning industry is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the pandemic. With educational institutions closed around the world for an indefinite time, online learning has emerged as the best option.
This is ensuring the academic progress of students continues, and they do not risk losing out on a year. Even when the lockdown gets lifted, social distancing norms will prevail, which means that students might have to continue learning from home for a little longer.
Besides learning for students, many e-learning businesses and universities are offering free courses to working professionals. These are great resources to upskill oneself and are becoming increasingly popular as people look forward to making good use of the available time in their hands. Industry experts expected that the e-learning industry will scale up to $18 billion by 2022.
This was before the pandemic, so the industry might have already achieved a good portion of the target. Heavy reliance on e-learning is possible in the coming months and years, as this might just be the beginning of the new norm.
If you are looking to tap into these businesses, who are thriving during COVID-19, make sure to get in touch with us. Check out our custom data page for more details.
E-commerce & Online marketplaces
Shopping online from the comfort of one’s home was already popular before the pandemic. Now with new social distancing norms in place and the ongoing threat of virus transmission, e-commerce platforms have gained a lot more prominence.
Even for groceries, people are avoiding the local shops and instead opting for platforms like BigBasket, Grofers, etc. The introduction of JioMart across the 200 towns of India is a testimony to the fact that e-commerce platforms are on the boom.
The grocery platforms are offering big discounts while also limiting the amount of purchase one can make. This is ensuring that the needs of everyone get fulfilled in these tough times. With increasing demands, there is a tremendous upsurge in order values, which is leading to order delays and cancelations.
There is a general mindset shift that is happening at the moment, forcing people to switch to online. It only shows that when people get accustomed to buying essential online, they will continue to follow even when the pandemic is over.
The healthcare industry
Since this is a health crisis, the demand for certain medicines and medical equipment has skyrocketed. Ventilators, testing kits, PPE (personal protective equipment) kits, disinfectants are in tremendous demand. With people following increased hygiene practices, the demand for face masks, sanitizers, and disinfectants are extraordinary.
This trend will continue for longer, as we will continue to live under social distancing norms for quite a while. There is also a steady demand for fitness tracking gadgets and downloads of fitness apps on smartphones is on an all-time high.
Medical equipment and medicine manufacturers are ramping up their production lines to meet global demand. India alone supplied the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine to several countries around the world to battle the virus. Another trend on the rise is the online ordering of medicines and virtual consulting.
Significant investments in healthcare are likely in countries where the healthcare system was already vulnerable and became even worse during this crisis. Besides healthcare facilities becoming more accessible and affordable, employment opportunities will be on the rise.
Social Media Platforms
This does not come as a surprise at all. With people confined to their homes, connecting virtually with their friends, colleagues, or loved ones is the only option. Though people concerned about the usage of social media before the pandemic, the situation has reversed now.
Whether it’s news, entertainment, or leisure, social media has become a primary source of information for people. It is becoming tougher for people to not use social media platforms when there is nothing much to do.
As soon as the lockdown measures began, the number of time people spent on platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram increased. According to a Business Today report, Indians spend 87% more time on social media during the first week of lockdown, as compared to the previous week.
When the situation begins to normalize, businesses will turn to social media to attract customers, leading to a continuous surge in usage.
E-sports or Online games
As lockdown measures are in place, the global video game industry is thriving. Video games offer an engaging distraction for people who cannot do much sitting at home. According to a report, the video game industry can be worth $159 billion in 2020.
This would be a 4x more than box office revenues and 3x more than music industry revenues of 2019. Asia-Pacific continues to be the biggest market, accounting for 50% of the gaming market value. Though the revenues depend on consumer spending, business models have grown to become engagement-based.
There are significant in-game monetization opportunities that businesses look to cash on through their engaging games. The improvements in gaming hardware and internet availability have only contributed to making games more accessible and enjoyable. As much as around 48% of the industry revenue gets generated from mobile gaming.
What are businesses doing differently to fuel their growth?
Businesses that are successful at this time are taking several steps to pivot their strategies that match the requirements of the current situation. They are ensuring the safety of everyone involved in the supply chain, including the end customer.
Once the lockdown measures get lifted, we can witness many more success stories of businesses that change their operations strategically. Restaurants and e-commerce businesses that incorporate simple changes like touchless experience will win the trust of their customers more easily.
Businesses like Dominos and other essential goods and services delivery apps are also offering custom drop-off points from where customers can collect their deliveries. Businesses that follow strict hygiene, sanitation, and social distancing measures are not only gaining the trust of their customers but also laying a strong foundation for continued success in the future.
Indeed, some industries like e-learning or e-commerce are better placed given the enormity of the current situation. More disadvantaged industries like travel or sports are completely down and out.
However, it is only a matter of time before the situation begins to improve. Incorporating customer-friendly measures in terms of hygiene and sanitation to gain their trust is the most important factor that will help businesses succeed in the near future, irrespective of their industry.


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As Internet shoppers know, online sales taxes have been a legal gray area since the Internet was first invented. Amazon.com
Now, 24 states are joining together to adopt a uniform policy on daily deals sites like Groupon
An unfavorable tax policy would affect the pure-play Groupon more than companies such as Google or Amazon, for which deals are a small portion of their business, or discount travel sites like Expedia
So far the group of states has agreed that taxes should not be collected when the deal is purchased, but when the coupon is exchanged for the respective good or service. With average sales tax rates nationwide near 10%, the difference in being taxed on half the normal rate or the full rate amounts to a 5% fee over the purchase.
Expecting merchants to tax a consumer at the full rate seems odd when shoppers using store-produced coupons only pay taxes on what they spend.
Amazon's resistance to collecting taxes may serve as a warning for Groupon, as online shoppers are particularly price-sensitive, and daily deal hunters tend to be even more so. Reviewers on Yelp
Interestingly, a study discovered a negative correlation between Groupon offers and Yelp ratings. On average, researchers from Boston University and Harvard found that consumers who mentioned "Groupon" or "coupon" in their review gave an average rating 10% lower than their peers. The experimenters speculated the cause could be that Groupon users are more critical, or that there was a poor fit between the merchants' businesses and the new customers.
State-by-state legal questions have also arisen in other areas of Groupon's deals. In some states, for example, it's illegal to offer discounts on alcohol, though many Groupon merchants do so. Other states require coupons to last five years before expiring, a much longer period than Groupon uses. Sometimes shoppers receive cash back for redeeming coupons for less than their face value.
The group of 24 states could reach a decision as early as late May, when it holds its next meeting. Two of the states in the organization, Kentucky and Iowa, have already issued tax policies similar to California's. In those states, sales tax should be applied to what the consumer pays if the price is listed on the coupon, as it usually is; otherwise, they must pay tax on the full retail price.
Groupon Founder Andrew Mason said five years from now he envisions a much different retail climate guided by smartphones and tablets, but his company is just one of many businesses growing from the mobile revolution. Our experts have found a well-established company with triple-digit sales in mobile that got on the bandwagon early. Learn more about this hot stock in the Fool's special free report: "The Next Trillion Dollar Revolution." You can get your free copy by clicking right here.Fool contributor Jeremy Bowman owns shares of Google but holds no other positions in the companies in this article. The Motley Fool owns shares of Google and Amazon.com. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of priceline.com, Google, and Amazon.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

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Like most industries today, Consumer Finance Services businesses are being significantly impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Troutman Pepper has developed a dedicated COVID-19 Resource Center to guide clients through this unprecedented global health challenge. We regularly update this site with COVID-19 news and developments, recommendations from leading health organizations, and tools that businesses can use free of charge.
Our bank and loan servicing clients also face novel challenges affecting their industry due to COVID-19, particularly the ever-changing rules and regulations concerning evictions and foreclosures. We closely track these updates and have assembled an interactive tracker containing state orders and guidance documents regarding residential foreclosure and eviction moratoriums.
To help you keep abreast of relevant activities, below find a breakdown of some of the biggest COVID-19 driven events at the federal and state levels to impact the Consumer Finance Services industry this past week:
- On March 18, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a fact sheet regarding the American Rescue Plan’s economic impact payments, child tax credits, and other state recovery funds. As of March 17, approximately 90 million Economic Impact Payments had been disbursed, which is more than $242 billion. Additionally, to facilitate the disbursement of Child Tax Credit advance payments during 2021, the American Rescue Plan requires the IRS to establish an online portal for taxpayers to update relevant data for mid-year payment adjustments (e.g., the birth of a child during 2021). For more information, click here.
- On March 18, the U.S. Department of Education announced that about 72,000 student loan borrowers, who were defrauded by their schools, will receive student loan forgiveness that could total $1 billion. Current provisions in federal law will allow federal borrowers to seek cancellation if their institution engaged in certain misconduct. As of March 18, the department intends to issue full loan discharges for borrowers with approved borrower defense claims. This includes borrowers with previously approved claims that received less than a full loan discharge. For more information, click here.
- On March 18, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a proposal to the Office of Management and Budget for regulatory review. This is one of the first step toward extending the order preventing evictions during the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, which is set to expire in two weeks. For more information, click here.
- On March 17, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a consumer advisory to encourage consumers to take action to protect economic impact payments under the American Rescue Plan. The advisory provides a list of steps a consumer can take to ensure that they have the full benefit of those funds by protecting them from bank and credit union setoffs if the consumer’s account is overdrawn. For more information, click here.
- On March 17, the Federal Reserve issued a Federal Open Market Committee statement regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. Following a moderation in the pace of the recovery, indicators of economic activity and employment have turned up recently, although the sectors most adversely affected by the pandemic remain weak. According to the FOMC, inflation continues to run below 2%. For more information, click here.
- On March 17, CFPB Acting Director Dave Uejio issued a statement encouraging financial institutions and debt collectors to allow stimulus payments to reach consumers: “The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is squarely focused on addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on economically vulnerable consumers and is looking carefully at the stimulus payments that millions are now receiving through the American Rescue Plan. The Bureau is concerned that some of those desperately needed funds will not reach consumers, and will instead be intercepted by financial institutions or debt collectors to cover overdraft fees, past-due debts, or other liabilities. . . . In recent days, many financial industry trade associations in dialogue with the CFPB have said they want to work with consumers struggling in the pandemic. . . . I applaud the actions of our state partners, who have taken rapid action and concrete measures to protect stimulus funds.” For more information, click here.
- On March 17, U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown, Ron Wyden, Bob Menendez, and Chris Van Hollen introduced a bill that would extend existing rules restricting garnishment of federal benefit payments issued under the American Rescue Plan. The bill also would require such payments to be encoded, and would extend other restrictions on collection of such funds. For more information, click here.
- On March 16, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that the three national credit reporting agencies will allow consumers weekly access to monitor their credit report for free until April 20, 2022. For more information, click here.
- On March 19, a bill that would lower small-loan interest rate caps to 36% from 175% failed to pass in both of New Mexico’s legislative chambers. For more information, click here.
- On March 16, Ohio Governor Dewine signed a bill into law that shortens the statute of limitations in Ohio for filing a lawsuit based on a contract. The statute of limitations will drop from eight to six years on written contracts and from six to four years on oral contracts. For more information, click here.
- On March 17, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced a new law preventing garnishment or seizure of economic support payments. HB 5068, passed during special session after the first round of federal support payments, makes the first $1,200 of any COVID-19-related economic relief payments exempt from garnishment by debt collectors and creditors. For more information, click here.
- On March 10, the Oklahoma Senate passed a health care debt collection bill. The bill has been engrossed to the house for its consideration. SB 548 would prevent health care providers from reporting debts to a credit reporting agency or placing them with a collection agency unless a medical provider provides a good faith estimate for the services to be rendered. For more information, click here.
- On March 19, Axios reported the COVID-19 pandemic has “left many vulnerable to exposure, exploitation and fraud.” FTC Chairwoman Rebecca Slaughter told Axios that many people moving their lives online due to the pandemic has had “real implications for the exposure of personal data[.]” Axios reported the pandemic led to “better privacy and cybersecurity practices” in some companies, “[i]n others, they exposed big shortcomings.”
- On March 17, the FTC offered consumers tips on spotting email scams. For instance, the FTC warned consumers they might receive an email from a prominent antivirus company informing them they have been charged for a product, and that consumers should call immediately if the charge was a “mistake.” The FTC reminds consumers that they:
- Shouldn’t click on any links before verifying their authenticity;
- Shouldn’t use the number in the email to call the “company;”
- Never give their password to a stranger by phone;
- Never give your bank account, credit card, or personal information over the phone when contacted “out of the blue.”
To read the full post, click here.
- On March 16, the FTC reminded consumers they are eligible to acquire free weekly credit reports until April 20, 2022. “[S]taying on top of your credit report is one important tool to help manage your financial data” during the COVID-19 pandemic. The FTC also reminds consumers to fix any error or mistakes spotted on credit reports; consumers may dispute errors by clicking here. To read the full post, click here.
- On March 16, the FTC warned consumers that scammers are “reportedly using fake unemployment benefits websites as phishing lures.” Phishing is a fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from a reputable source to trick consumers to reveal personal information. The Department of Justice’s National Unemployment Insurance Fraud Task Force reported that scammers are making websites and “messages look like they’re from a state workforce agency.” To read the full warning, click here.


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Gas Prices Expected to Rise in 2022, Could Hit Over $4 per Gallon in Spring: GasBuddy GasBuddy's 2022 Gasoline Forecast (pdf), released Dec. 29, predicts that the national retail gasoline price will average $3.41 per gallon for all of 2022-assuming no significant interruptions to the ongoing economic recovery.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
A fuel forecast from GasBuddy predicts gasoline prices will reverse their downward drift and rise next year, potentially jumping as high as $4.13 per gallon in June, though a likely bump in crude supply is expected to push prices lower by the end of 2022.
GasBuddy's 2022 Gasoline Forecast (pdf), released Dec. 29, predicts that the national retail gasoline price will average $3.41 per gallon for all of 2022—assuming no significant interruptions to the ongoing economic recovery.
"While Americans are likely to see higher prices in 2022, it's a sign that the economy continues to recover from COVID-19," GasBuddy head petroleum analyst Patrick De Haan wrote in the forecast.
Pump prices will peak in spring, ranging between $3.52-$4.06 per gallon in May and between $3.43-$4.13 per gallon in June, according to the forecast.
"No one would love to see $4 per gallon gasoline, but we'll only get there on the back of a very strong economy, so it's not necessarily bad news," De Haan said, adding that the forecast is subject to higher uncertainty due to the pandemic, "but all signs point to gas prices remaining elevated next year until the high prices attract additional oil supply, which will help prices cool off as we end 2022."
National average retail gasoline prices have been in a downward trend since peaking at $3.505 for the week ending Nov. 8, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The week ending Dec. 27 saw the national average fall to $3.375 per gallon, with the agency predicting in early December that prices would drop to $3.01 per gallon in January and average $2.88 per gallon in 2022.
EIA's price projections are lower than GasBuddy's prediction of a monthly average of $3.27 per gallon in January and $3.41 per gallon for the whole year.
Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service at IHS Markit said in a Dec. 27 Twitter post that he, like De Haan, believes the falling gas price trend has reversed.
"Cash prices for gasoline up 4cts (East of Rockies) to as much as 16cts gal (PNW). Downtrend in retail pump prices probably over for now," Kloza wrote.
The AAA said in a Dec. 27 note that crude price volatility has kept pump prices from falling more than they have, even as EIA data from the prior week showed a jump in domestic gasoline stocks along with a drop in demand.
"Typically, falling demand and increased supply would support larger drops in pump prices, but fluctuations in the price of crude oil have helped to keep pump prices elevated. If crude prices continue to climb, pump prices will likely follow suit," the AAA stated.
While gasoline prices have eased recently, they remain far above the year-ago national average of $2.250 per gallon. On Dec. 29, gas prices stood at $3.28 per gallon, around 11 cents lower than a month ago, according to the AAA.
High gas prices have played a major role in pushing up the rate of inflation, which hit a multi-decade high of 6.8 percent in the 12 months through November. They've also posed a political problem for the Biden administration, which has sought to cool pump prices by first pleading with OPEC to boost production and later releasing crude from the U.S. national strategic stockpile.
Republicans have criticized President Joe Biden for relying on OPEC to ramp up supply to counter higher prices at the pump, rather than boosting domestic oil production.
By Tom Ozimek
Tom Ozimek has a broad background in journalism, deposit insurance, marketing and communications, and adult education. The best writing advice he's ever heard is from Roy Peter Clark: 'Hit your target' and 'leave the best for last.'


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Chevrolet Cruze at 2009 Los Angeles International Auto Show
Almost every single manufacturer is trying to reduce the fuel consumption and the CO2 emission of their cars and Chevrolet is not an exception. The all-new Cruze will make its U.S. premiere at the 2009 LA Auto Show. Besides Cruze, other vehicles, which will be on display are Volt, Camaro, Equinox and much more hot-selling Chevrolet cars.
"With expected highway fuel economy up to 40 miles per gallon, Cruze will be extremely gas friendly while the Volt electric vehicle can be operated gas-free," said Brent Dewar, vice president, Chevrolet. "Chevrolet's focus is on forward-looking technologies to the benefit of our customers, such as the highly efficient, small-displacement turbocharged engine in the Cruze or the Volt electric vehicle with extended range." The Cruze is extremely appreciated in Europe and Asia. The car will go on sale in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2010. Cruze is on of the most globally tested Chevrolet products across the world. The model has already more than 4 million miles in quality and durability testing.
Chevrolet Cruze is designed to achieve class-leading highway fuel economy. It features 1.4 liter turbo engine, which can go up to 40mpg highway. Finally, the American cars will use small-displacement, turbocharged engines instead of the massive V6s and V8s.
The equipment of Cruze is at very high level, the compact car offers spacious interior and big cargo capacity. It features navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and XM Satellite Radio. The ten standard air bags along with OnStar make it one the safest cars in the segment.
Chevrolet Cruze is the right way of doing things, good quality at descent price.


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June 13, 2014
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla Motors, has said many times that the main objective of his company is to promote the arrival of greener means of transport. His latest move reinforces these words. From Thursday, June 12, any company can use the technologies of this company as long as they do so “in good faith.” That is, those who take advantage of them with the purpose of putting more and better electric cars on the market.
“Tesla Motors was created to accelerate the advent of sustainable transportation. If we open a path to create attractive electric cars but then plant intellectual mines in our path that prevent others from continuing on this path, we are acting against this goal, “said Musk – founder, owner and CEO of the company – in a statement. “Tesla will not take legal action against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technologies.”
Until May of this year Tesla Motors has registered 249 patents that cover all kinds of aspects of an electric vehicle. Many of them are related to the rapid recharging of batteries, as well as their control and safety. The company’s latest model – ‘Model S’ – has a range of more than 400 kilometers.
via Tesla Motors opens its patents to promote the adoption of the electric car – ABC.es.
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Following the success of its published RPG HIT in Korea, Nexon has invested in developer NAT Games.
The deal - labelled a strategic partnership - sees Nexon taking a 22.4 percent stake in NAT Games, making it the second largest shareholder.
NAT Games was set up by CEO Yong-Hyun Park, who was involved with the development of hit MMORPGs Lineage II at rival Korean publisher NCsoft.
A top grossing game in Korea off the back of 5 million downloads, the Unreal Engine 4-utilising HIT (aka Heroes of Incredible Tales) is due for global release later in 2016.
"We are pleased to enter into this partnership. Nexon is the ideal partner to support our global growth," commented Yong-Hyun Park.
The move follows on from Nexon's acquisition of western developer Big Huge Games.
The move follows on from Nexon's acquisition to secure the services of western developer Big Huge Games, which developed its hit strategy game DomiNations.
"We will continue to improve our development skills and this partnership will enable us to produce unique and high-quality games."
"HIT archieved remarkable regional success, and we look forward to continuing our work with NAT Games for HIT's further success and a seamless global launch," said Nexon Korea CEO Jiwon Park.


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Kriptofuture begins to sell ticket for Dubai event which will be held on July 30, so you can buy it now with $199, $799 or $999. Payment options include Bitcoin, Litecoin or Dogecoin. You can find the payment link when you login your panel.
Kriptofuture review: https://www.hyiper.net/blog/282.html
HYIPer.net » Kriptofuture - Ticket for Dubai event on July 30


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NFTs have been taking the dance music world by storm as of late. Many artists are finding that the digital collectibles are a great way to recoup some of the revenue lost due to the pandemic. Now, a recent story from Decrypt reports that a seller named “Daft Punk” has been gifting NFTs to a number of celebrities on the online marketplace Rarible.
While the artwork featuring images of the duo was transferred to Mark Cuban, Soulja Boy, and Tyga, among other celebrities, only one has put theirs up for sale—Lindsay Lohan. The report shared that the listing was set to 8.8 ETH, which converted to around $15,000 when posted. However, at the time of this article’s publication, the listing for Lohan’s sale has been restricted from public viewing.
Similar to Twitter, the marketplace verifies high-profile users. It’s worth noting that Lohan’s account is verified and is authentic while the page belonging to “Daft Punk” is not, leading many to believe that this is the work of a fan and not the French robots.
Nevertheless, eyebrows have raised because Decrypt‘s report notes that the NFTs were minted and transferred to the celebrities on February 21st, 2021, one day before Daft Punk announced their shocking split.


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This week his next chapter opened with the launch of an email newsletter written by Ted and some of his key writers from Q. The launch has been reported in the Guardian, and it seems thousands of people have already signed up. It’s part of a boom in authored newsletters, for which subscribers have an option to pay, thus making them viable. Many of them, including Ted’s New Cue, also have a free option.
The site of Wanstead’s much-loved Percy Ingle is to be converted to a “high-class coffee shop” and bakery, according to a planning application which includes a patio and seating area to the rear of the shop.
The application describes the project as a “high class Coffee Shop/Cafe/Takeaway/Bakery” which would involve “Change existing layout of shop to include new shopfront, sign and blind and outside seating to front and rear. Shopfront similar to adjacent Ginger Pig but with central doorway and bifold windows at 2/3 height either side of entrance.”
If approved, the new cafe will be called City Place Coffee, another branch of which is due to open in Chelmsford. It plans to employ 10 people.
Some might think the high street had reached caffeine saturation point, but it’s in any case good to see that someone is prepared to back the long-term health of Wanstead and that things will be returning to normal.
Non-stop charity worker Frank Charles (left) – who for years has been making sure children who are patients in hospital over Christmas still receive gifts – has received this rather impressive bit of mail.
Frank said: “I would like to thank the people of Wanstead for their continuous support over the years.”
It never felt as if a vape shop was going to fit in on Wanstead High Street – regular commenter Juan Stead said in 2018, when we revealed it was opening, that he could “hear the sound of a thousand spluttering lattes”.
And yet with an artisanal look which owed something to Farrow & Ball, it did its best to fit in. But the lockdown has obviously done for it. Perhaps smokers have given up vaping, or maybe months spent at home has driven vapers back to smoking.
Whatever the reason, it’s now evaporated in a sweet smelling cloud.


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Southwest Airlines became the first customer to place a firm order for 737 MAX. The press release is here. First delivery is 2017.
Southwest had been urging Boeing to proceed with the re-engine for two years, only to watch American Airlines become the first company to commit to the MAX last July.
Southwest has ordered more 737s than any other customer. It was the launch customer (and operator) of the 737-300/500/700.
Southwest’s delivery schedule for the MAX is here.


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This may seem like a niche market, but the statistics indicate that the trend is growing. A recent study by KPMG suggests meat substitutes are set to outpace meat sales.1 As discussed at the recent Te Hono conference in Auckland, alternative and bio-engineered proteins could be a major disruption to the New Zealand primary industries.
“What makes this so disruptive is not that we now have a burger that a vegan will eat,” says speaker Kaila Colbin, New Zealand Ambassador for Singularity University. “It’s that we have a plant based burger that a meat eater will eat and be happy about it.”
The United States, currently taking 50% of our beef exports, is seeing alternative proteins grow at a rate of 4-10 times faster than conventional proteins.2 Meanwhile, the number of vegetarians, vegans, flexitarians and people just wanting “meatless days” is growing.
Plant based proteins aren’t the only challengers in this arena. In the past few years great strides have been made in bioengineered products. That is, genetically engineered food. Public response to genetically engineered food has been mixed, and if the idea of an egg grown in a test tube doesn’t sound appetising, what’s important to remember is that these companies are not targeting you. As Colbin notes, these products are intended for “industrial caterers who buy eggs by the thousands of kilos.”
“They need them to last longer on the shelf, be 100% salmonella free, and they need total certainty of supply. And they need them to brown nicely around the edges and taste more like egg. And they need them to be cheaper. And by every one of those metrics, the bioengineered product wins.”
It may seem like science fiction now, but the rate of change in these areas is exponential. When Mosa Meat grew their first laboratory beef burger in 2013, it cost around $300,000. In 2015, just two years later, another company Memphis Meats were producing grown meatballs at around $1,200. These may still be outside of your budget, but don’t expect them to stay that way for long.
Colbin suggests that for a technology to become ubiquitous, “the technology has to be ready, the regulatory environment has to be ready, the market appetite has to be ready and the investment environment has to be ready”. With the growing desire for alternative proteins alongside the investments companies such as Unilever, Ingredion and Givaudan have made into the production of meat substitutes, signs are pointing towards these products becoming more readily accepted.
“When those things start to come together, that’s when every bell and whistle should start going off for you that this stuff is going to go from nothing into everything.”
ASB is proud to partner with Te Hono, a collaboration of New Zealand business leaders, driving transformational change and innovation for the future success of our Primary Industry and agribusiness sectors.


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The headline and an excerpt from each story are included in the list. Clicking on the headlines will take you to multimedia assets that are available for download. In October last year, the US authorities imposed export restrictions on the supply of a certain range of chip making equipment to China, which immediately called into question the further development of the companies. A European consumer group has urged the EU to investigate the potential harms of generative artificial intelligence, a technology that can create realistic content such as images, text and audio. Hired looked at wage gaps in the tech industry and found that Hispanic men, Black men, Hispanic women and Black women were paid more for every dollar a white male counterpart was paid.
In September of last year, the tech giant released the public version of its operating system, which is compatible with newer models of iPhones. Around the same time last year, Apple said that 81 per cent of active iPhones were running the new operating system. A senior executive of the tech giant said on Friday that the “Galaxy Unpacked” event is likely to be held in South Korea. The Unpacked event is likely to be held in the capital city of South Korea. The summer edition of the phone would be held in South Korea, according to the executive. The event is held twice a year in February and August in Europe or the US.
The tech giant is in talks with several Indian manufacturers to assemble their products in India. Stay up to date with the latest business technology releases from PR Newswire by following the PRNtech account on social media. The finance director believes that the coexistence of several technical processes in the Intel production area is justified, since the transition to more advanced lithography does not make sense in all areas due to the high cost. It wasn’t always the case with IDM 1.0 that the cost of the business came to the fore.
Why Is Drone Tech Important In The Area?
The lack of transparent financial reporting has limited the economic efficiency of their activities. The new IDM 2.0 model allows production units to officially earn profits in terms of financial reporting. In the long term, Intel will have an overall profit margin of at least 60% and an operating profit margin of at least 40%.
Many women and people of color don’t get interview invitations according to a new study. Concerns over whether Chinese companies will be able to retain reliable access to the high end chips needed to develop large scale artificial intelligence models have been raised. The Indian mobile market is driven by the rapid adoption of 5G technology, according to the findings of the report. Over 120 communication service providers have launched commercial 5G services around the world and around 35 have deployed or launched 5G networks. According to a recent report, the number of 5G mobile subscriptions in India will reach 10 million by the end of the year. The number of mobile subscriptions in the country will increase to around 700 million by the end of the decade, according to the study.
ByteDance, which owns popular video service TikTok, is running a program called Project S to expand its presence in online retail. Trendy Beat is a new section on TikTok where you can buy products from popular videos. All items advertised are manufactured in Singapore by a subsidiary of ByteDance. New CEO Linda Yaccarino will likely focus on video, creator and commerce partnerships. According to a report, Yaccarino told the company’s investors during a presentation that they plan to revitalise the microblogging platform’s business which will not only focus on digital advertising but will go beyond it. They are in contact with political and entertainment figures, as well as different payment services, for a potential partnership.
Apple’s Production In India Is Expected To Increase
There is evidence of bias against women for traditionally male jobs and against women for typically female ones. The CEO of Hired said that there has been more focused on including a more representative set across races. The representation of women and nonwhite individuals is still Ideal Logic an issue, despite the data moving in the right direction. According to Hired’s findings, many of the tech industry’s workforce gender and racial disparity are caused by bias hiring. The tech industry has low percentages of women and Black Americans. Women make up less than a third of the tech industry and Black Americans make up less than 5% of the workforce.
NetChoice took aim at Microsoft in one of the public comments. The price of the largest scurvy was almost five times the current price, and the price of the all scurvy was twice the current price. Realme is said to be collecting user data through its feature called Enhanced Intelligent Services. According to sources close to Modi, the Indian leader is hoping to alleviate those concerns and see more U.S. companies commit to manufacturing there. Sources previously told CNBC that Modi met Musk on Tuesday to discuss opening a factory in the country.
generative artificial intelligence poses serious threats to privacy, security, democracy, and human dignity according to the group. We wake up, drink some coffee, get ready, and check our tech. Here are a few stories from around the tech world that fit into the first cup. Before you enter the real world this morning, you need to know about these things. A 2003 study by researchers at the University of Chicago and MIT found that Emily and Greg were more likely to be employed.
The new “My Nickname IN” and “In Top Nicknames” will be available in India on June 21. The company spent more money on R&D last year than in the previous year. The company is working on technology for distributed databases, computer infrastructure, and privacy computing. A number of companies, including its affiliates, are racing against Ant. They are following in the footsteps of their US counterparts who are exploring generative artificial intelligence, which can create original content from poetry to art. A percentage of total mobile subscriptions is expected to rise from 76% in 2021 to a staggering 93% in 2028.
Here are all the technology terms and definitions that you should be aware of as you pick the best HR tech for your business. A closer look at the terms one should know when selecting an HR software solution. These close calls with asteroids highlight the importance of continued technological development in asteroid detection and monitoring programs, which help to ensure the safety of our planet from the potential impact of these space rocks.


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NEW YORK -- The Fortune 500 list of largest corporations showed a number of shakeups among companies' rank on the list, but none larger than the top spot, which saw ExxonMobil, last year's No. 1 company, drop to second place in favor of Wal-Mart, a company that has taken the highest seat for the fifth time in six years.
ExxonMobil earned $347.25 billion in revenue and $39.5 billion in profits in 2006, outpacing Wal-Mart in profit, but not in revenue, where the retail giant generated $351.1 billion in 2006. ExxonMobil topped the list of Top 20 Most Profitable Companies within the Top 500, due to high crude oil prices, according to Fortune.
A number of other energy and petroleum companies achieved spots on Fortune Magazine's Fortune 500 list of largest corporations, including Top 10 finishers Chevron and ConocoPhillips. Chevron, with $200.5 billion in revenue, narrowly beat out ConocoPhillips for fourth place on the list, the same seat it held in 2006. ConocoPhillips moved up one spot from last year to fifth place, with $172.4 billion in revenue, and placed eighth on the list of Most Profitable Companies.
The next energy company to make the list was No. 16, Valero Energy, which also placed first on the list of best big companies to work for. The company dropped one spot on the Fortune 500 due to low fourth-quarter numbers on lower oil prices.
Marathon Oil dropped seven spots, from 23 to 30, even though earnings jumped 73 percent to $5.2 billion. The drop was attributed to lower fourth quarter revenue, leaving sales up 3 percent for the year.
Next on the list was Sunoco, placing 60th, up six spots from last year with $979 million in profits for 2006. Finishing up the Top 100 was Hess, at No. 75.
Placing 128 on the Fortune 500 was Tesoro, up four spots from last year, when the company ranked 132. Murphy Oil, the petroleum product supplier for Wal-Mart gas locations across the country, ranked 169 on the list, a leap from its 2006 seat of 193.
Filling out the list of Top 500 corporations was The Pantry Inc., at No. 436. The company was the only convenience retailer not associated with an oil company to make the list, with $5.2 billion in revenue and $89 million in earnings in 2006. Making the Top 500 is a first for the company.


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Earlier this month, Dee Mani, a mother of two from Birmingham, claimed she’d cured her aggressive breast cancer by taking a drop of cannabis oil a day.
Dee had refused chemotherapy as it had failed to keep her sister alive a few years earlier when she had the disease.
After being diagnosed in March 2017, Dee, 44, read online about the reported benefits of the oil and began putting a single drop on her tongue every evening. Five months later, scans showed her cancer had gone.
Alternative: Cannabis oil is often credit by users as ‘curing’ their cancer and other diseases
Over the years, more stories such as Dee’s have emerged, with claims not only that cannabis oil can ‘cure’ cancer, but that it can successfully treat a host of other serious problems where conventional medicine has failed. Its proponents point to research that shows it can help with nerve pain, for instance. Anecdotal evidence suggests it may also prevent seizures caused by some forms of epilepsy.
And recently cannabis oil, or specifically, a chemical found in cannabis plants called cannabidiol (CBD), was given a clean bill of health by none other than the World Health Organisation.
In a report published in December, its Expert Committee on Drug Dependence said it found cannabidiol had several possible major medical applications and no adverse health outcomes.
Perhaps not surprisingly, then, CBD products have become increasingly popular. Last week Holland & Barrett reported that sales of one remedy, Jacob Hooy CBD+Oil have risen by 37 per cent since it started stocking it in January. The health food chain says it’s going to add four more cannabis oil products to its shelves next month.
Meanwhile, the Cannabis Trades Association says the number of regular users of CBD in the UK has doubled to 250,000 in the past 18 months.
However, CBD products, which include digestible gel capsules, vaping liquid to be inhaled with an e-cigarette, lip balm and even gummy bear sweets, are not cheap.
Prices range from £9.49 for a 10ml bottle (containing 240 drops) from Holland & Barrett to £400 for a 100ml bottle from some UK online suppliers: even the gummy bear sweets cost an eye-watering £1 each.
Popular: 250,000 UK people use cannabidiol (CBD), says the Cannabis Trades Association
Against this are the question marks over just how effective CBD actually is. For instance, a 2016 study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, carried out at the North-West University in South Africa, showed CBD slowed the rate at which cervical cancer cells grew in the laboratory or, in some cases, even killed them off.
But these findings have not yet been replicated in humans.
And just last week, guidelines issued to 30,000 doctors in Canada highlighted that in the few conditions where cannabis has been shown to be helpful (such as for nerve pain and muscle spasticity in multiple sclerosis) the impact is only marginal, but there was plenty of evidence of side-effects.
‘We recommend against the use of cannabinoids for most conditions owing to lack of evidence of benefits and known harms,’ the document from the University of Alberta said.
Cannabis is a Schedule 1, Class B drug. When people talk about using cannabis as a medical treatment, usually it is in the form of drops of oil, taken daily, made from the stalks and leaves of cannabis plants.
The oil is said to ease pain, reduce the nausea of chemotherapy and relieve muscle spasms, amongst other things.
There are two types of oil — cannabis oil made from marijuana and containing THC, the psychoactive element of cannabis that causes a high. This form is illegal. The ‘legal’ CBD you can buy on the High Street is derived from hemp, which comes from the same plant as marijuana, but is cultivated differently.
Natural wonder? The oil is said to ease pain, reduce the nausea of chemotherapy and relieve muscle spasms, amongst other things
As a result, it has very much lower levels of THC — less than 0.2 per cent compared with 50 to 80 per cent in marijuana.
The question is, will the legal CBD you get on the High Street be potent enough to make a difference? The simple answer is no, say some experts.
They say research shows that for CBD to have any beneficial effect, it must be given in much larger quantities than found in these High Street products. This is because CBD is poorly absorbed by the body as it can easily be broken down by enzymes produced in the gut and the liver.
Consequently, only a fraction of the CBD ingested reaches the bloodstream. ‘Only about 6 per cent of what is taken gets absorbed,’ says Dr Amir Englund, a researcher in psychopharmacology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London. ‘That’s why, in trials, we have to use very large doses.’
He was involved in a study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry last December, which showed that giving a daily dose of CBD oil to mentally ill patients significantly reduced the level of psychotic symptoms such as paranoia and hallucinations.
CBD has great potential and there are many studies under way looking at its possible future uses
They gave 88 patients either CBD or a dummy drug for six weeks and found a significant reduction in psychosis, with hardly any side-effects. But the dose needed was 1,000mg of (100 per cent) CBD oil, twice daily.
Most online oils, gels or sweets provide no more than a couple of hundred milligrams at most: Jacob Hooy CBD+Oil 240 drops bottle contains just 2.75 per cent CBD. Online suppliers such as CBD Oils UK, which produces a product range called Love Hemp, have oils containing up to 40 per cent CBD.
‘The daily dose of CBD from these would be very low and there are no studies to support the idea that it would have any beneficial effects,’ says Dr Englund.
In fact, none of the CBD products supplied by UK firms are allowed to be described as medicines, or make claims for their health benefits.
This is because the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Authority, which regulates the sale of drugs, has classed CBD as a medicine. That means any claims must be backed up by extensive clinical trials proving its effectiveness.
So CBD products are instead sold as food supplements and suppliers are careful not to make specific claims. For example, one online UK supplier, called For The Ageless, says its products ‘support wellbeing and optimum health’.
CBD Oils claims on its website: ‘Regular use of CBD as a food supplement can help to improve and maintain your health.’ And another online supplier, Canabidol, states on the opening page of its website: ‘Maintain your health with cannabis.’
Scientists who have spent years investigating the drug’s potential medicinal powers say there is good evidence that CBD could indeed be the basis for powerful new medicines for a range of conditions. But there is no evidence yet that placing a few drops of oil on the tongue every day, chewing a sweet made with CBD or rubbing on a lip balm will prevent ill health or combat common ailments.
‘CBD has great potential and there are many studies under way looking at its possible future uses,’ says Dr Tom Freeman, a senior academic fellow at the National Addiction Centre at King’s College London, who has been investigating CBD for the last decade.
‘But none of these products on sale has been through clinical trials and people should definitely not be using them as though they are a medicine. ‘I would recommend that people using these products seek advice from their GP for any decisions related to their treatment.’
In fact, there are already legitimate and licensed cannabis-based medicines available. British drugs firm GW Pharmaceuticals makes Sativ ex, a peppermint-flavoured mouth spray for multiple sclerosis, using CBD and tiny amounts of psychoactive THC to ease painful muscle spasms. However, the drug is so expensive, about £500 a month, that it is rarely prescribed on the NHS.
GW Pharmaceuticals has also developed a CBD-based drug for certain hard-to-treat forms of epilepsy. The drug, called Epidiolex, is awaiting approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration following successful trials. It is 98 per cent CBD, more than double the highest content oil sold online.
The University of Oxford recently set up a £10 million drugs research business, called Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies, to investigate CBD’s potential to treat arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer’s, depression and Parkinson’s disease.
This research could take several years to bear fruit. In the meantime, celebrity-backed endorsements of cannabis oil, along with deregulation of cannabis for medical use in U.S. states such as California, Colorado and Oregon, are fuelling consumer demand.
Former EastEnders actress Pam St Clement recently revealed she takes CBD oil every day to help ease the pain of her osteoarthritis.
Dr Ian Hamilton, a lecturer in mental health at York University, fears the hype around CBD may put some patients at risk — especially if anxious parents of children with epilepsy decide to abandon prescription medicines in favour of what they perceive as a more ‘natural’ treatment. ‘People who buy these CBD products are potentially wasting their money,’ he says. ‘And parents should never stop a child’s anti-epileptic medication without going to see their GP first.’
Dr Jeremy Howick, a senior researcher at the University of Oxford who specialises in studying the placebo effect, says any health-boosting benefits that cannabis oil devotees experience are probably all in the mind.
‘They are unlikely to help other than through a placebo mechanism,’ he says.
And when it comes to hemp products, it’s potentially a very expensive placebo at that.


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Craft brewer Moa is expecting to report a similar annual loss to last year's $5.8 million.
The company is in growth mode, lifting sales and expanding its presence in New Zealand and Australian supermarkets, and other outlets.
Chief executive Geoff Ross said the company was on track to boost volume and margins.
Annual volume is expected to rise 40 percent to 1.7 million litres, or about five million bottles, by the end of the month.
A new packaging format should lift margins by lowering production costs, though Mr Ross said that would not flow through until the coming financial year.
The company releases its full-year earnings in late May.


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As part of its global expansion strategy Gamesa has created a new international logistics company, Compass Transworld Logistics (CTL), which will provide key support for its turbine manufacture in Spain, China and the US. CTL is kicking off with a five year contract worth EUR 150-175 million to transport machines and components produced by Gamesa in Spain to "ports in the US and China and then to final destinations in the rest of the world." The new company is a joint venture with Bergé Negocios Marítimos, a global maritime logistics firm based in Spain. Gamesa holds 51% of CTL.
Leading business intelligence for the wind community.
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- Join today and get your first 30 days free
In these extreme times, we need creative measures to find answers to pressing challenges – and this community-driven energy initiative is already getting legislative backing…
Tech that has more commonly been used to monitor damage to structures such as bridges is now coming to the fore in the wind industry as a more efficient way to detect blades that have been compromised
No wind farm or operator is the same. That’s why Winergy offers turbine-ready service solutions
Keynote speaker at Blades USA 2022 – David Kaskie, vice president of Products & Systemsdivision, MISTRAS Group – on the importance of getting creative.


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May 11, 2000 - Industry News
Werner Enterprises may be about to end its eight-year run of double-digit income growth.
Although the company’s first quarter 2000 revenue was up 21% from first quarter 1999, Chairman and CEO Clarence Werner reportedly told stockholders that, under current conditions, he doesn’t expect revenue for the year to be up more than 8% to 10%. This would be the first time since 1991 that the carrier’s growth was less than 10%
May 10, 2000 - Industry News
Marten Transport, Ltd., Mondovi, Wl, has opened a new terminal in Forest Park, GA, that will replace the existing Jonesboro, GA, terminal
Marten Transport has begun adding Volvo tractors to its fleet. The Mondovi, WI based refrigerated carrier has initially purchased 20 Volvo 660 tractors from Central Truck of Madison, WI. Marten's management and drivers say
May 9, 2000 - Industry News
The battle over ownership of KLLM Transport Services continues as a special committee reviews the latest takeover offers. Details are confidential but the panel, including a KLLM board member and three from outside the company, is looking at revised offers from New Prime Inc. owner Robert Low and from KLLM chairman, president and CEO Jack Lilies III and his partner, WorldCom chief Bernie Ebbers
May 8, 2000 - Industry News
Consolidated Freightways has signed a letter of intent to purchase FirstAir, Inc., an airfreight forwarder based in St. Paul, MN
May 4, 2000 - Industry News
FedEx Supply Chain Services, a third-party provider of integrated supply chain solutions, has created a new division named FedEx eLogistics to focus on providing businesses end-to-end electronic commerce logistics solutions
First quarter operating revenues rose 14% and net income increased 10% compared to the first quarter of 1999 for Arnold Industries, Lebanon, PA
First quarter results for Boyd Bros. Transportation, Clayton, AL, were hit by significant increases in fuel costs
May 2, 2000 - Industry News
Kenan Transport Co., Chapel Hill, NC, reported solid results for the first quarter of 2000. Revenue was $38.3 million compared to $34 million for the first quarter of 1999. Net income was $944,000 compared to
Low Acquisition, a company owned by New Prime President Robert Low, has extended its tender offer for outstanding shares of KLLM Transport Services common stock to May 30, 2000. The offer was to have expired on May 9
Dallas-based Frozen Food Express Industries, in the middle of a restructuring, reported a $563,000 loss for the first quarter.
The Nasdaq Stock Market has commenced proceedings to delist the shares of Asche Transportation Services, Shannon, IL from the Nasdaq National Market as a result of the company's failure to file its Form 10-K for the
Con-Way Transportation Services, Ann Arbor, MI, has added three new service features to its website, www.con-way.com. The features include an on-line function that allows electronic communication of a bill-of-lading and pickup notice, a
Canadian currency translation
April 28, 2000 - Industry News
KLLM Transport Services, Inc., Jackson, MS lost $1.0 million in the first quarter, compared with a net loss of $225,000 a year ago. Operating revenue was $57.6 million compared
with $55.3 million for the first quarter of
OTR Express, Olathe, KS, had a net loss of $814,000 in the first quarter, compared to net income of $144,000 in 1999. The company is in the process of restructuring and hopes to increase the number of owner-operators
Landair Corp. said first quarter operating revenue increased to $33.1 million compared with $31.9 million for the same quarter in 1999, but it had a net loss of $139,000. The company had net income of $421,000
Car-hauling giant Allied Holdings Inc., Decatur, GA, had a net loss of $1 million in the first quarter. The company said higher fuel costs, net of the surcharges, reduced earnings in by approximately $1.6 million, or
Consolidated Freightways Corp., Menlo Park, CA, had a net loss of $3.0 million in the first quarter after non-recurring charges. It had net income of $1.1 million before the charges. Net income for the same period
April 26, 2000 - Industry News
USA Truck, Inc., Van Buren, AR, suffered a first quarter loss it says was due largely to high fuel prices. The truckload fleet had record operating revenues of $55.1 million, up 52.3% from $36.2 million for
Transport Corporation of America, Minneapolis, has announced record revenues for the first quarter 2000 of $72.2 million, representing a 7.5 percent increase over 1999 first quarter revenues of $67.1 million.
First quarter net income, prior to
April 25, 2000 - Industry News
P.A.M. Transportation Services, Tonitown, AR, has reported net income of $2.1 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2000, compared to net income of $2.8 million for the quarter ended March 31, 1999. Revenues for the
Despite an ongoing Teamster protest, Overnite Transportation Co., Richmond, VA, was in the black in the first quarter
Knight Transportation Inc., Phoenix, AZ had higher income for the first quarter, despite higher fuel prices. The fleet reported operating revenue of $43.6 million, up 30 percent from $33.5 million for the same quarter of 1999.
Earnings at Old Dominion Freight Line, High Point, NC dropped slightly in the first quarter
April 24, 2000 - Industry News
J.B. Hunt Transport Inc. has contracted with Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to run truckload, rail and fleet service for 31 Wal-Mart distribution centers nationwide.
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wants you to get your Gmail without fail, even
when you’re away from your laptop or PC.
So today, the Internet giant is enabling Gmail users to access their
messages from mobile devices.
The service is free to users in the United States, although Google offered
this caveat: Check your wireless carrier contract for details about Web
access or data transfer fees.
Gmail Mobile is designed to work seamlessly with users’ phones and Gmail
accounts. It sizes photos and documents for small screens; allows users to
reply-by-call to people whose phone number is stored in their Gmail
accounts; and automatically synchronizes between Gmail Mobile and Gmail
Today’s launch is the latest move by Google to enhance its webmail. It also
recently added customizable Web clips and feeds to the Gmail in-box page,
vacation auto-responder features and the option to create contact groups,
among other improvements.
The competition for webmail users is keen and mobile access appears to be
the next carrot that ISPs and portal players are dangling before users.
already have mobile versions of their products.
Previously, Google and its rivals have rolled out added storage, spam
filters and antivirus protection among other features to keep users or
attract new ones. Besides building brand loyalty, webmail can serve as an
important way to deliver ads and launch new products to a large number of


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VANDALISM? CORRUPTION? HAVE NO WHERE ELSE TO TURN? NO STORY TOO BIG OR SMALL THE OSN WILL INVESTIGATE! Please email news tips to email@example.com
By Hilde Kate Lysiak
December 22, 2017
Homemade bolonga from a Selinsgrove butcher shop has gone national with people coming from all around the country to grab a ring for the holidays.
Troutman’s Meat Market employee told the OSN that the meat market at 195 Spruce Street expects to sell 800 rings of their homemade bologna just between the Christmas and New Year’s season with people coming from places like Georgia and Florida all for a taste of bologna.
“This time of year, it [ the orders] could rang from 2 rings of bologna to 5 rings of bologna [ per order],” Leah Dawes told the Orange Street News.
Customers say the reason they flock to the bologna because it is the best.
“I’ve tried a lot of different places, but this is the best one,” customer Denise Enery told the Orange Street News.
Troutman’s has a location / store in Middleburg, where all of their meat is made. The meat then gets taken to Selinsgrove, where the food is then served to Troutman’s customers.


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What goes into the fast food meat you eat?
Our favorite fast foods could come back to bite us, according to a report released Wednesday — and it’s not just the extra calories.
The new report grades the 25 largest US fast food chains on where they stand on antibiotics.
The results are a mixed bag: For the third year in a row, the only two As were awarded to Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panera Bread. More companies passed this year than ever before.
But 11 of the top 25 chains received an F, having taken “no (discernible) action to reduce use of antibiotics in their supply chains.”
Nine companies didn’t respond to the survey at all, just like last year.
“These drugs have historically been given to animals that are not sick, to accelerate weight gain and prevent disease in crowded and unsanitary industrial farming conditions,” wrote the authors, who come from six public interest groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council, Consumers Union and the Center for Food Safety.
While regulations and consumer pressure have encouraged some chains to cut back on the use of antibiotics, some experts worry it’s not enough to stave off development of “superbugs” that can’t be killed by some of our current medicines. These bugs may get into our meat and produce.
“If we don’t rein in this pattern of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, what we will see is half a century of medical progress reversed,” said Lena Brook, a food policy advocate with the Natural Resources Defense Council. She has served as a lead expert on the report for each of the past three years.
Despite nearly half of restaurants receiving a failing grade, this is an improvement over the 16 that failed last year, the authors said.
“It’s a rapid shift that we’ve seen in just a few short years, and that leaves me really hopeful,” Brook said.


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David Puelle, a well-known Bitcoin analyst, believes that Bitcoin is in a situation where overcoming the level of $14,000 will be a decisive moment to reach a stable growth trajectory. Last week, the oldest cryptocurrency was below $12,000 for most of the time, and never updated its annual high, which was around $12,100.
Puelle analyzed and concluded that the majority of Bitcoin purchases have been made in the last two months, when the price of the cryptocurrency fluctuated in the corridor with the boundaries of $9,000 and $12,000. We are talking about a game of “whales”, that is, large buyers of Bitcoin.
If you want to find more details about the course of Bitcoin and how the main cryptocurrency could reach the $14,000 mark, download for free our companion app, Born2Invest. Read the most important financial headlines in the crypto sector and not only with the best online aggregator.
Investors who bought Bitcoin at the level of $9,000 are already on the winners side
Those investors, who bought Bitcoin at the level of about $9,000, see already now a high return on their investment. Those who buy it at current prices find themselves in a situation where they do not see any income yet. As the volume of purchases grows, both categories of buyers will be interested in “bullish” market movement, as a result of which the price of Bitcoin will go to the level of $14,000. As a result, profit taking will start, and Bitcoin may go to the level of $10,000 on this background.
However, if Bitcoin overcomes $14,000, then the market will again enter the large buyers who want to see an update of the historical maximum price of this asset this year.
Famous Bitcoin billionaire Mike Novograts also sees the potential of Bitcoin to go beyond the level of $20,085, which the cryptocurrency took last time in December 2017. Novograts noted:
“I like Bitcoin more than gold, simply because the cryptocurrency is a rarer asset than the precious metal, which means that cryptocurrencies are harder to buy. So, the total estimate of all Bitcoins is currently $220 billion. Gold has a similar figure exceeding $10 trillion. And although it will take time for the cryptocurrency to reach that estimate, sooner or later it will happen.”
Bitcoin is constantly gaining popularity among investors
The cryptocurrency’s flagship asset, Bitcoin, has bounced significantly from its year high, which was fixed at $ 12,118 in the week that ended on Sunday, August 9th. Together with the fall in the price of a troy ounce of gold from $2,070 to $1,920, Bitcoin tested the level of $ 11,210 at the beginning of August 12th, following the dynamics of the world’s key precious metal.
Meanwhile, if gold has yet to find the strength to resume its growth, Bitcoin added $200, demonstrating that it is fundamentally gaining popularity among investors. Raoul Pal, founder of Global Macro Investor and Real Vision Group, is confident that Bitcoin is still at the beginning of its new bullish cycle.
He noted that “a very strong rise in the price of cryptocurrency is expected, and this will happen as classical companies begin to act like ordinary investors-individuals in Bitcoin, realizing that the cryptocurrency looks undervalued, and therefore interesting to invest.”
DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Born2Invest, its management, staff or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.
This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the Company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the Company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the Company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.
First published in CLICK CHAIN, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.
Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Born2Invest assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Born2Invest is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.
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Compiled by Latesha Richards
Time Inc. Rebrands
Time Inc.’s Targeted Marketing Division is now Targeted Media Health, a company dedicated to serving pharma and healthcare advertisers. This new company will deliver educational and health-related content directly to consumers at multiple touch points including physician waiting rooms, homes, online and mobile, ensuring that marketers increase brand awareness and engagement. John Kenyon, Vice President, Managing Director at Targeted Media Health, is leading the business’ new direction.
Amgen To Acquire deCODE Genetics
In an all-cash transaction, Amgen has agreed to purchase the Iceland-based human genetics company deCODE for $415 million. According to Robert A. Bradway, Amgen’s President and CEO, the acquisition will enhance Amgen’s R&D efforts to identify and validate human disease targets. The deal will not require regulatory approval and is expected to close before the end of 2012, subject to customary closing adjustments.
iPhone to Surpass Desktop Use for Health Info by 2014
A mobile behavior study, which looked at 30 health-related websites and compiled data for mobile trends in various locations across North America, found that consumer usage of the iPhone for medical information increased 94% from 2011 to 2012. iPhone usage captured 41% of total mobile traffic this year and is the No. 1 consumer mobile device used to seek medical information. Rounding out the top five are the iPad (2), the iPod (3), the Sony Xperia smartphone (4) and the Samsung Galaxy smartphone (5).
Publicis Acquires Outside Line
Publicis recently purchased the British digital agency Outside Line, a specialist in social and experiential media with strengths in the areas of digital design and development, content creation, customer relations management and experience-driven social media marketing. The deal enhances Publicis’ capabilities in digital markets and its strong commitment to increasing the revenue it generates from digital and other high-growth sectors.
Survey Reveals Doctors Are Using Basic EHRs
According to the Centers for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics study, which surveyed over 10,000 office-based physicians, nearly 40% of them are using an electronic health record (EHR) system on a basic level. The survey also found that 39.6% of respondents used a basic EHR system in 2012, up from 33.9% in 2011. Wisconsin had the highest percentage of office-based physicians using basic EHR systems at 70.6%, and D.C. had the lowest percentage at 22.4%.
Study Reveals Physician Reach Online
A longitudinal study that involved 1,000 U.S. physicians showed that in Q1 2012, HCP content sites reached 81% of physicians as compared to other health-related sites. Health social media sites had the highest visitation among high-prescribers. In contrast, electronic medical records (EMR) sites showed only a 4% reach, but garnered the highest visitation frequency and time spent among physicians. Physicians using tablets accessed medical records online much more than those using mobile phones.
Remedy Health Media Partners with UC Berkeley
Remedy Health Media, a health information and technology company, and University of California, Berkeley partnered to create BerkeleyWellness.com, a new, evidence-based, expert-reviewed online health resource for consumers. The site will focus on timely health and wellness information including fitness, nutrition and self-care and provide consumers with quizzes, slide shows, email alerts, social media feeds, as well as roundtables and video chats with UC Berkeley’s experts. BerkeleyWellness.com will launch in February 2013.
ViroPharma Launches New Unbranded Campaign
A new ViroPharma campaign focuses on moments lost to hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in order to raise awareness among physicians of the physical and emotional burden on patients’ lives. HAE is a rare, debilitating, and life-threatening genetic disorder caused by a deficiency of a human plasma protein called C1 inhibitor. Physicians can visit www.momentsmissed.com to find out more about the disease.


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Well this is a surprise! Google has announced that they will now post pone the sale of the Nexus Q so that they can make it even better. The highly anticipated media streaming sphere will have to wait in the wings a bit longer before it makes its grand debut.
After the initial feedback Google received from developers, they came to the conclusion that it might be a good idea to develop the device further before putting the Nexus Q on the market. Now the release date is up in the air and those who pre-ordered sat back slump shouldered.
But Google isn’t one to make eager customers wait. Instead of being disappointed, those who pre-ordered the Nexus Q can now rejoice. Google has promised to send a free developer unit, the one shown at Google I/O, to customers who pre-ordered the media streaming sphere. Here is the note in Google’s own words:
We have an important update about your Nexus Q pre-order.
When we announced Nexus Q at Google I/O, we gave away devices to attendees for an early preview. The industrial design and hardware were met with great enthusiasm. We also heard initial feedback from users that they want Nexus Q to do even more than it does today. In response, we have decided to postpone the consumer launch of Nexus Q while we work on making it even better.
To thank you for your early interest, we’d like to extend the Nexus Q preview to our pre-order customers and send you a free device. If you had other items in your order, yourcredit card will be charged for those items only.
Your Nexus Q will be on its way soon and you will receive a notification and tracking number from Google Play when it ships.
The Nexus Q Team
The promise is both a consolation and a slight disappointment since the Nexus Q each pre-order customer will receive won’t be quite as magnificent as the one we’ll see in stores at a later date. But hey, it’s a free Nexus Q!


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More than $1 billion worth of organic vegetables and about $620 million worth of organic fruits were harvested in the U.S. in 2011.
About 1,998 U.S. farms produced $1.07 billion worth of organic vegetables grown on 118,071 acres last year, according to the 2011 Certified Organic Production Survey from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.
About 1,713 farms produced $495 million worth of non-berry fruits on 75,486 acres, according to the report.
Organic berry sales totaled $125 million, with 745 farms growing fruit on 6,051 acres.
California produced by far the most organic vegetables and fruits in 2011. Vegetable sales in the Golden State totaled $629 million, non-berry fruit sales $304 million and berry sales $88 million.
For a listing of sales, acreage and number of farms by commodity, visit http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/OrganicProduction/OrganicProduction-10-04-2012.pdf.


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After the successful limited rollout of a visual product search solution, Neiman Marcus has expanded the offering across all product categories. The upscale department store retailer initially launched the visual search solution powered by Slyce in October 2014, just for shoes and handbags.
“Our customers are excited to have such an innovative new way of finding items instantly without the hurdle of finding the right words to describe an item,” said Wanda Gierhart, CMO of Neiman Marcus Group, in an exclusive interview with Retail TouchPoints. The program now includes women’s apparel, jewelry, home furnishings, children’s, pets and men’s fashion.
With the solution called Snap. Find. Shop., shoppers can quickly purchase items in three steps:
Send a 3D image of a desired product via the mobile app;
Receive photos and information on the same or closely matching items from the Neiman Marcus product line; and
Purchase the items immediately.
Although Gierhart indicated that she is not able to share specific metrics, she noted: “We have had very positive customer feedback” following the launch of the expanded solution. “When we initially rolled out with shoes and handbags, we found that customers were taking lots of pictures of items in other categories as well. We always hate to disappoint our customers and realized there was a demand to use this technology across all the products we sell.”
In addition to helping shoppers with their own product search, Neiman Marcus store associates also are using the solution to improve the customer experience both in-store and via mobile communication. Gierhart explained: “Beyond making it easy to quickly purchase, customers enjoy using the app to easily connect with their sales associates, find out about great promotions and in-store events, and make payments in-store via the mobile wallet feature.”
A Toronto-based startup, Slyce raised $10.75 million in 2014 to kick off its visual search program. More recently, in January 2015 Slyce purchased mobile couponing app SnipSnap, a visual recognition tool that lets users snap a photo and digitize a paper coupon. Slyce also provides visual search capabilities for Tillys.com.


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EDMONTON, AB – Blind Enthusiasm Brewing has announced the release in cans of four of its beers, including an ale that was previously draught-only, two lagers that have shifted over from bottles, and a brand new dark lager.
ZÜS Amber Wheat Ale (4% abv), Union Bhoys Lager (4.7% abv), and Fabhelles Lager (4.4% abv) are joined by the new Düncan Dark Lager (5% abv), which is described as follows:
Brewed in honour of one of our assistant brewers, this smooth dark lager has chocolate wafer, cola, and dark cherry notes both in the aroma and flavour. It has low bitterness and finishes very clean and dry. It deftly walks the line between satisfying sipper, and crushable lager.
All four beers are available now at the Blind Enthusiasm retail store and online shop.
Source & Photo: Blind Enthusiasm Brewing mailing list


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As tech-savvy consumers fresh out of the aughts, most of us are unlikely to be impressed by new touch interfaces. But researchers from Microsoft and Carnegie Mellon University have something remarkable up their sleeve with Skinput, a bio-acoustic sensing technology that allows our body to be used as a large finger-input surface without any electronics touching the skin.
Though the average adult possesses approximately two square meters of external surface area, it may have never occurred to you that this space could act as a way to control the devices you carry around. Chris Harrison, however, a PhD student in the Human-Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon and one of the primary researchers for Skinput, believes the easy accessibility of our various limbs is quite conducive to such interactions.
When a finger taps the skin, the impact creates a variety of acoustic signals that travel through its surface. To capture and harness these signals, Harrison and his team created a special purpose bio-acoustic sensing array armband, accompanied by software that listens for skin surface impacts and classifies them appropriately. Variations in bone density, size, and mass, along with filtering effects from soft tissues and joints means different body locations are acoustically unique; the current Skinput prototype is built to gather signals from a user’s arms and hands.
Just how accurate can tapping on your arm be? “In our user study, we evaluated several input location sets, which demonstrated our approach could achieve accuracy as high as 95.5 percent for five locations, a sufficient number of buttons for many mobile interactions,” said Harrison. An audio player or portable PC, for example, could be controlled simply by tapping various fingers together.
Skinput is also capable of turning your body into a touchscreen of sorts. Harrison’s team outfitted its prototype with a Microvision pico projector, transforming a user’s arms into virtual buttons that respond in real time to various inputs.
While this technology is at least ten years away from being commercialized, its successful implementation could change the way we interact with the web and our data.
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New York, NY, January 26, 2008 --(PR.com
)-- LinkExperts, a premier provider of vertical organic search marketing solutions, today announced that it has been chosen by AlwaysOn as one of the OnMedia 100 Winners. Inclusion in the OnMedia 100 signifies major developments in the creation of marketing tools, services, venues, and advertising, branding, and public relation campaigns. LinkExperts was specially selected by the AlwaysOn editorial team and other industry experts spanning the globe, based on a set of five criteria: innovation, market potential, commercialization, stakeholder value, and media buzz.
LinkExperts and the OnMedia 100 Top Private Companies will be honored at the OnMedia conference scheduled to occur on January 28-30, 2008 at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in New York City. This two-and-a-half day executive event will feature technology CEO’s from Silicon Valley leading presentations and high-level debates with the global advertising and media establishment, about disrupting user behavior and creating new opportunities in the marketing, branding, advertising, and public relations industries.
Fifty of the top CEO’s from the OnMedia 100 will present their market strategies to a panel of industry experts in a “CEO Showcase.”
“The OnMedia 100 winners have excelled in key strategic areas in the advertising, marketing, public relations, and promotion industry,” said Tony Perkins, founder and CEO of AlwaysOn. “We congratulate them for their success in introducing new tools, services, and venues for marketers to have at their fingertips and for use to take their business to the next level in innovation.”
The OnMedia 100 was selected from over hundreds of companies, nominated by a panel of industry experts in the online ad service, technology, community platform, mobile advertising, marketing, and Web analytic sectors from around the world.
“We are thrilled to be selected as one of the Top 100 private companies by AlwaysOn,” said Seth Besmertnik, CEO of LinkExperts. “When you’re blazing a trail in a new industry, it is wonderful to have your innovation recognized. We share this success with the hundreds of premium brand advertisers, marketers and agencies with whom we work with on an ongoing basis.”
LinkExperts has shown significant leadership in bringing systems and methodologies to investing in organic search results, specifically focusing link authority between high profile advertisers and publishers.
LinkExperts’ customers are industry leading organizations with unexpectedly poor visibility in organic search rankings. The company works with them by creating new, high-quality, topically relevant links through relationships with authoritative content publishers. LinkExperts’ solutions combine the quality, relevancy, and client service of a boutique link builder with the power and efficiency of an ad network, allowing organizations to focus more time on developing products and services for their customers without the hassle and labor of managing links.
A full list of all the OnMedia 100 winners can be found on the AlwaysOn Web site at http://www.alwayson.goingon.com/
LinkExperts is an emerging leader in natural search solutions, whose customers are premier organizations with unexpectedly poor organic search rankings. LinkExperts works to improve their visibility by utilizing its rapidly expanding technology platforms, business procedures, and relationships.
AlwaysOn ignited the open-media revolution in early 2003 by being the first media brand to launch a community blog network. In 2004, AlwaysOn continued to lead the industry in innovation by engaging its bloggers in a social network. AlwaysOn is also revolutionizing the media business by applying its open-media principles to its executive event series (OnMedia NYC, Venture Summit East and West, On Hollywood, The Broadband Digital, Stanford Summit, and Going Green) and quarterly print “blogozine”. No other media brand has dared to create such open interaction with its readers and event participants.


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Opportunistic eBay sellers have listed iPhone handsets with Fortnite installed for thousands of pounds after the popular game was removed from the iOS app store.
It comes amid a dramatic escalation of developer versus the tech giants, over the fee charged to be on Apple and Google’s app stores.
Rules say purchases of digital items within an app must be done through Apple or Google’s respective payment system, from which the companies take a cut of up to 30%.
But Fortnite was removed from both stores after an option was added which allowed users to pay Epic directly for in-app purchases.
Apple devices with Fortnite installed before the ban will not receive updates, but they can still be accessed and played, leading to some owners putting their phones up for sale.
One pre-owned iPhone XS is currently listed for £3,000 with Fortnite “downloaded and working”.
Apple has said it “won’t make an exception” for Fortnite, threatening to revoke Epic’s membership of the Apple Developer Programme.
In a statement on Tuesday, the firm said it wanted to keep Epic Games in the programme and the problem could be resolved if Fortnite was updated in line with Apple’s rules.
The Fortnite maker has launched lawsuits against Apple and Google in the US over the matter.
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A group of Paso Robles-area wineries will donate $1 for every bottle sold through the end of the month to help those affected by the devastating fires in Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino counties.
The effort, coordinated by the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, represents one way the local wine community is rallying around its neighbors to the north.
The wine alliance and the SLO Wine Country Association are also coordinating with other regional wine associations around the state to offer goods, services and lodging to wine-industry workers affected by the fires, with many details still being worked out.
The Station wine shop in San Luis Obispo is also working on a campaign to bring the community together to help.
A continually updated list of wineries participating in the donation program can be found at www.pasowine.com/consumer_events/wildfire_relief/, featuring about two dozen wineries as of mid-day Wednesday.
At the end of the month, the funds from wine sales will be donated to three organizations working to help the stricken communities:
- Napa Valley Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund
- Community Foundation of Sonoma County’s Resilience Fund
- Community Foundation of Mendocino County
Granada Hotel & Bistro will donate 50 percent of the sales of bottles of Northern California wines straight to those affected through gift cards and other direct methods, as well as 10 percent of bottles sold at The Station wine shop, from Oct. 15-31.
The two locations also will serve as drop-off locations for donations of supplies, which they’ll deliver to affected areas. Baby food, pet food, blankets, pillows, toiletries and phone chargers are most in need, organizers note.
Fundraising events are also being planned for both locations, though details have not yet been worked out.
A GoFundMe campaign called NorCAL Fire Relief from SLO County has been launched on behalf of many businesses, wineries, resorts and restaurants in the area by Parker Sanpei. Donations will be split equally between the same three organizations the Paso Wine campaign is benefiting.
The SLO Wine group has added a #CAWineStrong page to its website to help amplify other efforts and list ways supporters can contribute through member wineries.
“In times like these, we are all neighbors,” said SLO Wine Executive Director Heather Muran. “In that spirit, the SLO Wine Country Association is mobilizing its members to help provide immediate relief and supplies to those in need.”
Some individual wineries, such as Bella Luna Estate Winery, put out offers of help on social media for everything from equipment to trucks to a place to crash, while many expressed their sympathies.
Jean Hoefliger — winemaker at Robin Baggett’s Alpha Omega Winery in Napa as well as consulting winemaker at its sister winery in Edna Valley, Tolosa Winery — told Wines and Vines that the fear is not for the vintage, but for those affected by the fires. “The tragedy is about people, and I think right now it’s about helping and saving people,” he said.


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Google might be secretly working on what we can call a “Pixel tablet”. There are indications that shows that the company might have interest in entering the tablet market. This market is largely dominate by Apple with its iPads and it seems more companies including Google is going to try the waters there.
Even though the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro has its many issues, lots of people widely accepted these devices because of its unique design and chipset. With this high level of acceptability, it seems Google wants to push out a tablet.
Note that this won’t be the first time a rumor is cycling around the company making a tablet. Last year, Google patent a tablet device but it was never released by the company. And this year, so many factors points to the company secretly working on a new Pixel tablet.
For starters, the company has posted openings for job with descriptions that includes experience in Android Tablets. Google has posted several vacancies online, for a ‘Senior Engineering Manager, with experience in “Android tablet app experience.” And the company is also in search of a Vice president and Director of Product management, with experience in “Android tablets”.
The vacancy ad on Google page reads in part: “We believe that the future of computers is shifting towards extra powerful and more capable tablets. We are working to deliver the next chapter of computing and input by launching seamless support across all our platforms that unlocks new and better ways to be productive and creative.”
Aside from the Job vacancies, Google has also been working on a brand new Android 12L. This is an Android OS that is meant for large screens. This Android OS will feature in foldable smartphones and tablets.
The company has said that this OS will be available for public use in 2022. Now, why Google waste time and resources, to hire workers who have experienced in Android Tablets and also work on a brand new Android OS for large screens if the company has no plans of making a tablet of its own?
Like Apple, Google can keep things under wraps for a very long time and maybe, just maybe there is a Pixel tablet in the works to test the Android 12L. We won’t be too surprised if a Google tablet is first to use the Android 12L.
Another explanation of a big screen will be a Google Pixel Fold. A foldable pixel smartphone has been on the rumor mill for a while now with many expecting the device to be released last year.
So, which do you think it’ll be? A Google Pixel tablet or a Google Pixel Fold? Which do you think will be released by Google? Going by the technicality and cost of making a foldable device, a safe bet will on a Pixel Tablet. But time will tell.


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ARLINGTON, Va. – The world of online underwriting got a little more crowded recently when Friedman, Billings, Ramsey Group Inc. (FBR) introduced fbr.com, a Web-based investment bank that distributes IPOs and venture capital investments to online investors.
Analysts said the move makes sense considering FBR had no previous relationship with retail investors, who now play an important role in the Internet-heavy IPO market and also are increasing their involvement in venture capital funds.
FBR emphasized that its online effort is more than just a quick-fix solution for the company’s lagging share price, pointing out that fbr.com has been in the works since 1996 but was held back until the online investment community reached a critical mass. FBR has ambitious goals for its new creation, planning to distribute as much as 20% of its IPO stock allocations to fbr.com clients and eventually opening the retail floodgates outside the technology sector.
“This allows us to offer a very real and powerful retail distribution,” said Russ Ramsey, president and co-founder of FBR.
The private equity play hinges on the launch of an accredited investors site that Mr. Ramsey said will come during the second quarter. Through that site, FBR intends to offer individual investors access to future FBR private equity funds and co-investment opportunities on direct transactions the firm is placing or leading.
FBR anticipates significant interest in these funds, and Mr.Ramsey said at least 25% of the next fund would likely come from commitments made through the accredited investor site. That means individual investors would pony up $12.5 million should the next fund simply match the $50 million raised for Fund I. Additionally, Mr. Ramsey said the firm would consider raising buyout or mezzanine funds in the future through fbr.com.
While FBR has begun to establish itself as a private equity manager, its lack of a track record and retail infrastructure have been impediments to earning a recognized place in the market. However, Mr. Ramsey said the Internet has given the firm a new opportunity.
“Our observation is that there is more interest beyond what the numbers reflect,” Mr. Ramsey said. “And we intend to use the medium to market to appropriate investors throughout the world.”
Direct investments will be introduced to members of the site only after consultation with the issuer. However, as the Internet continues to create more excitement around public offerings, Mr. Ramsey said companies might well look to generate that interest earlier by using an e-manager on private offerings.
To be sure, FBR faces plenty of competition in the public arena. So-called “e-managers” like Wit Capital and DLJdirect have been up and running for some time now, winning e-manager roles on a number of recent public offerings.
However, one advantage fbr.com has is that, because of FBR’s presence as a lead manager of IPOs, it can provide immediate deal flow to online buyers without having to attract business from other firms.
In April, FBR was co-manager on a deal from Proxicom Inc. and will co-manage an upcoming IPO from CareerBuilder.com, an Internet-based employment services provider in Reston, Va. The two deals were a direct result of previous investments in those companies through its venture capital affiliate.
Nonetheless, FBR faces the challenge of convincing the skeptics that fbr.com is the real deal.
With so much demand for anything related to the Internet, a number of companies have announced similar plans that never materialized but served to boost their stock price. “[Internet announcements] are like a panacea if your stock price is floundering,” said Amar Mehta, equity analyst for CIBC Oppenheimer.
However, no one interviewed for this story suggested that fbr.com was a bad idea. Analysts emphasized that online retail distribution is where the market is headed, mentioning that IPO issuers are in some cases demanding that e-managers be included in their deals.
“It’s a growing channel,” Mr. Mehta said. “There’s plenty of room in this market.”