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The Australian truck market closed in on an all-time record and came close to breaking it a month early with another booming sales result in November which saw a massive 4233 trucks sold for the month, more than 500 ahead of the same month in the all-time record year of 2018.
The result means that the market year to date has recorded 40267 sales, which puts it 2000 ahead of the same point in 2018 and that means it is just 1361 trucks short of that all-time record.
Isuzu again dominated the market , having already surpassed its own all time annual record at the end of October, selling 1278 trucks in November to capture 30.1 per cent of the market, giving it a year to date tally of 12,110, almost 2000 trucks ahead of its annual record, set in 2021.
The boom could be seen across the market, with few exceptions, most notably Hino, which is clearly hamstrung by the self-imposed supply issues resulting from the emission/fuel consumption fraud scandal of its parent in Japan.
For the third month in a row long-time rival Fuso bettered Hino’s sales with Fuso moving 457 trucks for 11 per cent overall market share to Hino’s 367 and 8.7 per cent for November. Year to date Hino still leads Fuso overall 5472 to 4409, and is unlikely to be overtaken, however no one could have guessed half-way through 2022 that the perennial third place getter could have closed the gap so significantly on Hino by the end of the year.
Volvo, which has been starved of supply for the past couple of years, and has struggled to beat Kenworth as a result, put in another stellar performance, with 329 sales to outsell the big K by exactly 30 trucks for the month. Volvo has boosted its supplies in recent times by importing CBU trucks from its factory in Saudi Arabia, prompting some to wonder whether it may be the first move in a potential shut down of its Australian factory at Wacol in Brisbane.
Volvo’s performance saw it finish the month with a 7.8 per cent market share with Kenworth in fifth place in the market with 7.1 per cent share. Volvo actually finished the month just 38 trucks behind Fuso.
Mercedes had a great month finishing sixth overall with 160 sales and 3.8 per cent share for the month, including its Sprinter light truck, while Iveco finished with 159 sales just one behind Mercedes.
UD’s stocks continue to rise with the Volvo marketed Japanese brand finishing in eighth place with 118 trucks and 2.8 per cent share for the month, while Scania demonstrated another consistently strong performance with 109 sales and 2.6 per cent share.
The outstanding month for the Volvo. Group was capped off with a strong month for Mack, selling 81 Bulldogs and registering a 1.9 per cent market share, rounding out the top ten.
Behind that came DAF with 78 , Fiat with 62 and Freightliner with 42, while Renault sold 28, Hyundai 20, Dennis Eagle with 16, Western Star with 5 and SEA Electric with 3.
In Heavy Duty, Volvo ruled the roost with 320 trucks, 21 clear of Kenworth, ahead of Isuzu on 199, Scania on 109 and UD on 106, while Mercedes sold 94 heavies, Mack 81 and Fuso 76.
In Medium Duty Hino wasn’t as badly affected by supply as in light duty and finished the sector closer to market leader Isuzu and ahead of Fuso. Isuzu finished on top of the medium sector for November with 356 trucks and 51.1 pe cent share of the segment, while Hino moved 172 trucks for 24.7 per cent share, while Fuso moved 118 trucks for a 17 per cent share.
The dominance of the three Japanese brands meant that the next best sellers, UD and Iveco both sold just 12 trucks for the month each with 1.7 per cent share.
Light duty saw Isuzu running rampant taking 50.3 per cent of the market with a whopping 723 sales, 442 sales ahead of Fuso which was next best on 281 sales and 19.6 per cent share. Hino meanwhile really suffered and was back in third with a paltry 136 sales and 9.5 per cent share, only marginally ahead of Iveco with 119 and 8.3 per cent.
Behind that came Mercedes with 64, Fiat with 62, Renault with 28 and Hyundai with 17.
Meanwhile Mercedes had a dominant display in vans, with its Sprinter capturing 42.3 per cent of the sector with 246 vans, well ahead of second placed Iveco with 137 Daily sales and 23.5 per cent share. Volkswagen with 77 Crafters sold, Renault with 74 Masters, Fiat with 42 Ducatos while Ford managed just six of its large Transits.
With another booming month rolling out across December and no respite in order taking, the Ausssie truck market is still on a rip roaring record making run


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Managed public cloud provider 2nd Watch recently released survey results showing that most companies are actively working on big data projects and have dedicated significant dollars to their efforts. The online survey, conducted the first two weeks in May, included 500 IT and business executives in the United States.
According to the study, nearly 60% of companies are currently engaged in a big data project, while 20% say they will soon begin one. The business leader driving these projects is firstly the CEO (32%) followed by the CIO (25%) and line of business managers (18%).
Thus far, big data has not translated into big money. The majority (34%) of companies polled are spending just $50,000-$100,000 on their big data initiatives, and nearly one fifth (18%) are spending more than $100,000. Top areas for spending and research include supporting social media and digital marketing initiatives (26%), followed closely by improving internal processes and operations (25%).
To address the unique needs of big data deployments, the majority of participants (71%) report that their company is considering purchasing or has already adopted a new data warehouse. Companies are experiencing several limitations with their current relational database systems including scalability (22%), maintenance (22%) performance (22%), cost (17%) and access (16%). Established enterprise vendors dominate customer preferences for new database technology, with IBM the most popular choice (38%), followed by Oracle (31%) and HP (24%).
Cloud infrastructure companies however are ramping up their offerings in database and analytics management. AWS for example has been making waves with its Amazon Redshift data warehouse service, which AWS CTO Werner Vogels recently described as the company’s “fastest-growing service ever.” Gartner, according to Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service report, meanwhile has said that database as a service products like Amazon Redshift are key differentiators for cloud IaaS providers. Amazon Redshift is highly regarded for its power, speed, security, low cost and ease of use. Airbnb, Nokia and Pinterest are among the name brand customers known to be using Amazon Redshift.
“Our research shows that big data has moved from market hype to valid competitive strategy for the largest companies, with support from the very tops of their organizations,” said Jeff Aden, EVP of Marketing and Strategic Business Development at 2nd Watch, according to a news release. “That said, some companies are still wrestling with outdated infrastructure and a lack of internal expertise when it comes to initiating and completing big data projects. 2nd Watch which recently achieved the AWS Big Data Competency, are working hard to help companies overcome these issues, and we firmly expect the pace of big data projects to accelerate in the coming months.”
Additional findings include:
Top business hurdles to implementing big data: Organizational silos (21%), lack of money (21%) lack of consensus on goals (16%) and lack of executive support (16%).
Top technical hurdles to implementing big data: Data quality issues (21%), outdated infrastructure (20%), lack of internal expertise (18%), governance and security challenges (17%), silos of data and legacy apps (12%) and too much data (10%).
Top drivers for big data plans: Identify new areas for business growth or product strategy (33%), identify areas for operational efficiency and cost savings (28%), to better understand customers and improve customer experience (25%), pressure from business executives to mine data (13%).
Leading technologies companies will invest in to prepare for big data: Networking and servers (24%), databases and storage (23%), cloud services or infrastructure hosting (19%) analytics software (18%) and integration software (15%).
Source: MarketWired; edited by Richard Carufel

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Singapore's new MVNOs to cause headwinds for telcos
MyRepublic plans to sell MVNO services to its 70,000 fibre broadband subscribers.
Singapore has attracted a slew of start-ups offering mobile services based on the mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) model, UOB Kay Hian said.
According to a report, MVNO usually targets niche and customised segments. The overall impact of the three new MVNOs could create some headaches and headwinds for the incumbents.
The first MVNO, Circles.Life, launched commercial services hosted by M1 in May 2016. It focuses on SIM-only post-paid mobile services.
It differentiates itself by providing unlimited messaging, voice calls and sending of videos on Whatsapp. It has a user friendly mobile app CirclesCare, which customers can access to modify their service plans.
The second MVNO, Zero Mobile launched commercial services in Dec 2017. It charges $45 a month for unlimited local calls and 6GB of mobile data.
Customers also have to pay a sign-up fee of $18, which covers the costs for postage and SIM cards. Customers get a recurring credit of $9 a month for every referral. Thus, customers get to enjoy free mobile services with five successful referrals.
Finally, MyRepublic, who lost out to TPG Telecom in the race to become the fourth mobile operator, is currently conducting trials and plans to launch MVNO services in Mar 2018.
UOB Kay Hian said it intends to cross-sell to its base of 70,000 fibre broadband subscribers. MyRepublic plans to launch its IPO towards 4Q2018 or 1Q2019.


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Archive For The “Health” Category
by Schmieding Produce
According to research from PaleoLeap, the average weight gain between Thanksgiving and Christmas is 3.5 pounds, but overweight people gain an average of 5 to 10 pounds during this time frame. January is a key month for Americans to lose weight.
“We are extremely excited about the launch of our new 100 Calorie- Skinny potato product next week,” says Scott McDulin- Vice President of Marketing/Retail Sales with Schmieding Produce. During January, everybody wants to focus on health.
“We think the January timeframe is perfect since people are actively looking for diet friendly items to help with nutritional meal planning. The Skinny potato is a 100-calorie potato that offers consumers an opportunity to use smart portion control while keeping potatoes as part of a healthy diet,” mentioned McDulin.
Supermarkets are filled with 100-calorie packs of yogurt, pretzels, popcorn, snacks, etc. “Nabisco recently launched 100-calorie packs of Oreo’s,” shared McDulin. “It shows that the 100-calorie measurement resonates with today’s consumers so we wanted to add the same portion controlled serving to the potato segment.”
The serving size for this Non GMO potato is 4.8 oz. or 135g which equates to 100-calories. “Since it’s a natural product, not all potatoes will exactly have the same weight, but they will have a tight spec during sorting,” mentioned McDulin. Schmieding Produce sells the premium product in 3 lb. bags, offering approximately 10-12 potatoes in a bag.
Opportunities in declining Russet market
The development of the 100 Calorie- Skinny potato program is the result of the declining Russet market. “The potato industry is witnessing tremendous growth in the specialty segment with consumers increasingly demanding smaller, convenience-type of packs”, declared McDulin. Larger, 15 lb. bags are declining while growth of 5 lb. and 10 lb. bags is flat. “Breathing life into the Russet potato segment will provide us and the retailer tremendous incremental growth opportunities given the significant size of the overall Russet market. Today, Russets represent 53 percent of overall potato sales dollars. So, we are going to fish where the big fish are.”
Since only 8% of potatoes fit this size profile, it will be offered at a premium. Offered in conventional and organic, the suggested retail price of $1.99 per bag for conventional and will be promoted back to $1.49. The suggested retail price of the organic alternative will be $3.49 with a $2.99 ad. It is available in Hy-Vee and other select markets across the nation.
The United Fresh Start Foundation is launching a new community grants program to help advance the organization’s mission to increase children’s access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
The new initiative will provide $25,000 in grants to local community organizations and groups that share the United Fresh Start Foundation’s commitment to increasing kids’ access to fresh produce, ensuring they develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime. This effort extends the foundation’s work beyond the school day and will provide children with fresh fruit and vegetables after school, on weekends and during summer breaks.
“Food insecurity and obesity are major challenges for millions of children across the country,” Tom Stenzel, United Fresh president and chief executive officer, said in a press release. “We are proud of the work we have done in schools to increase fresh fruits and vegetables, but we know that many children need access when school is out. The program is designed to ensure kids have access throughout the day and the year.”
During a recent Produce Legends Dinner in New Orleans, the foundation announced the plans to launch the Community Grants Program. The foundation is committing $25,000 to the 2017 Community Grants Program. Grants will be available in various amounts up to $2,500. Applications will be accepted this spring and the recipients will be announced during the United Fresh Show this June in Chicago.
The United Fresh Start Foundation is focused on one core mission — to increase children’s access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
There differing opinion by Americans on the value of organic foods and concerns about genetically modified (GM) foods, according to a new poll.
A poll of 1,480 adults nationwide found that 55 percent said organically grown produce is healthier than conventionally grown produce, while 41 percent said there’s no difference, says The Pew Research Center.
Nearly four out of 10 respondents said GM foods are worse for health than other foods, while almost 50 percent believe is no difference. Ten percent said GM foods are healthier, the researchers found.
Genetically modified foods come from plants, animals or microorganisms in which their DNA has been altered by technology.
“The data suggest that people’s divisions are linked to their interest in food issues and how they think food consumption ties to their well-being,” said Cary Funk, lead author and associate director of research at Pew.
“Their views are not driven by their political attitudes, their level of education, their household income, or where they live,” she noted in a center news release.
Some of the other survey results:
- Thirty-four percent said some of the food they eat is organic. Six percent said most of it is.
- Women care more than men about the issue of GM foods — 20 percent versus 12 percent, respectively. And they’re more pessimistic than men about the effect genetically modified foods may have on society.
- Broken down by age, 18- to 49-year-olds were more likely than older adults to consider organic produce better for health. Similarly, many more young adults said GM food is worse for health than non-GM food, compared with those 65 and older.
- Among those who care deeply about the issue of genetically modified foods, three-quarters consider GM foods worse for health, compared with 17 percent of those with little or no concern about GM foods.
The survey also found that 18 percent of respondents are focused on healthy and nutritious eating. These people are especially likely to believe that organic produce is healthier than regular produce.
Many respondents lack trust in scientists studying GM foods, the survey found.
More than one-third “say scientists do not understand the health effects of GM at all or not too well,” Funk said. Meanwhile, “just 19 percent of Americans say scientists understand the health effects of GM foods ‘very well.’ ”
by The NPD Group, Inc
Chicago — The continual parental reminder to “eat your vegetables” stuck with Millennials and Gen Zs because they are driving the growth in fresh and frozen vegetable consumption, but many of the parents who offered the reminder are not eating theirs, reports The NPD Group, a leading global information company. Younger consumers, those under age 40, have increased the annual eatings per capita of fresh vegetables by 52 percent and frozen vegetables by 59 percent over the last decade. Boomers, ages 60 and up, on the other hand, decreased their consumption of fresh vegetables by 30 percent and frozen vegetables by 4 percent over the same period.
Increased consumption of fresh vegetables is an outcome of the shift to fresh foods among young consumers over the last decade. Generational change is partly responsible for the move to fresh as younger consumers are adopting fresh at a much earlier age than the generations before them. Millennials and Gen Zs will sustain the growth of fresh vegetable consumption as they age into their heaviest consumption years. Over the next several years fresh vegetable consumption is forecast to increase by 10 percent, an increase that will be tempered by the lower eating rates of Boomers, according to NPD Group’s
Frozen vegetable consumption, which was declining earlier this decade, is now on the rise due to the interest of more health-conscious Millennials and Gen Zs. Just as they did with fresh vegetable consumption, these younger consumers are eating more frozen vegetables than previous generations did at their ages. Although the category’s growth forecast is not as strong as fresh vegetables, consumption of frozen vegetables is forecast to increase by 3 percent through 2024.
“Vegetable consumption among younger consumers is a reflection of their more health-conscious eating behaviors,” says David Portalatin, vice president, food industry analyst at NPD Group and author of the recently published Eating Patterns in America. “Our research shows that their attitudes about eating vegetables will not shift as they age and go through their life stages. Their parents and grandparents, on the other hand, may need a reminder from the younger generations to eat their vegetables.”
About The NPD Group, Inc.
The NPD Group provides market information and business solutions that drive better decision-making and better results. The world’s leading brands rely on us to help them get the right products in the right places for the right people. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, consumer electronics, diamonds, e-commerce, entertainment, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, technology, toys, video games, and watches / jewelry.
Data on vegetable consumption broken down by income level reveal that individuals (children and adults) in households with incomes below 185 percent of the poverty level consumed smaller quantities of potatoes and tomatoes than people in households with incomes above that level. In 2007-08, lower income individuals consumed 49.3 and 28.1 pounds per person per year of potatoes and tomatoes, respectively, and those with higher incomes consumed 53.8 pounds of potatoes and 32.1 pounds of tomatoes per person. A bigger difference was observed in consumption of other vegetables (nonpotato and nontomato): 85.8 pounds per person for higher income individuals versus 69.8 pounds per person for lower income individuals.
The more educated the adult, the more other vegetables (nonpotato and nontomato) eaten. In 2007-08, college-educated adults consumed 187.4 pounds of total vegetables per person per year, of which 100.7 pounds were other vegetables. Adults with only a high school education ate 181.9 pounds of total vegetables per person, of which 87.6 pounds were other vegetables. Adults who had less than a high school education consumed 158.2 pounds per person of all vegetables, of which 76.3 pounds were other vegetables.
Consumption Trends Consistent Across Demographic Groups for Juice…
Total fruit consumption was lower in 2007-08 than in 1994-98 for all four age and gender groups. For example, girls’ consumption of fruit declined from 131.3 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 121.2 pounds in 2007-08. Some of the decline in total fruit consumption was due to less orange juice being drunk by all four groups. Orange juice is the largest fruit category in terms of consumption, and average U.S. consumption fell from the equivalent of 38.3 pounds of oranges per person per year in 1994-98 to 30.9 pounds in 2007-08.
Falling orange juice consumption, however, was not the only driver of declining fruit consumption—declines were common for other fruits as well. Apple juice, berries, and grapes were the only fruits and fruit categories that had higher average U.S. consumption in 2007-08 than in 1994-98. Every demographic group examined displayed the same patterns for apple juice and orange juice consumption—larger quantities of apple juice and smaller quantities of orange juice were consumed in 2007-08 versus 1994-98.
… But Not For Whole Fruits
Trends in whole fruit consumption were not consistent across demographic groups. In this study, whole fruits comprised all categories of fruits consumed, minus orange juice and apple juice. Thus, whole fruit consumption includes a relatively small amount of juices from other fruits, such as pineapple juice and grape juice, in addition to whole fruits. Federal dietary guidance advises that at least half a person’s recommended daily intake of fruits be whole fruits.
Whole fruit consumption declined for the age and gender groups between 1994-98 and 2007-08. For example, boys’ consumption of whole fruits fell from 71.9 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 65.4 pounds in 2007-08. For non-college-educated adults, consumption of whole fruits was relatively stable over the period, averaging around 65 pounds per person per year; for college-educated adults, it fell from 93.7 pounds in 1994-98 to 83.2 pounds in 2007-08.
Higher income consumers’ consumption of whole fruit fell from 81.2 pounds per person per year in 1994-98 to 75.7 pounds in 2007-08, whereas lower income individuals consumed similar quantities in both periods. Non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics’ consumption of whole fruits declined between 1994-98 and 2007-08, while non-Hispanic Blacks’ consumption in the two periods rose from 65.5 to 71.4 pounds per person per year.
Multiple Factors Affect What We Buy and Eat
ERS’s food availability and loss-adjusted food availability data show that Americans are not increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables, despite the exhortations of health and nutrition experts. Federal food intake surveys also point out lower fruit and vegetable consumption. The big question for future research is why? In some cases, one or two particular fruits and vegetables make up much of the decrease. For vegetables, U.S. potato consumption has fallen from 61.3 to 52.0 pounds per person between 1994-98 and 2007-08, with bigger relative drops for boys and no change in potato consumption for non-Hispanic Blacks. Declining orange juice consumption among all demographic groups is the largest contributor to lower fruit consumption.
Substitution among some products is also evident. Head lettuce is down, but leafy greens—such as spinach and kale—are up. Between 1994-98 and 2007-08, consumption of nonpotato and nontomato vegetables by women grew slightly from 85.5 to 87.7 pounds per person per year. For girls, boys, and men, small declines in consumption of nonpotato and nontomato vegetables occurred. Less bananas and citrus fruits are being consumed, but consumption of berries has risen over the decade. Increases in some whole fruits were not enough to offset declines in other fruits, and whole fruit consumption fell for all age and gender groups.
Food choices are complex, and a multitude of factors affect what we buy and eat. Life style changes and time constraints can determine if we sit down with a glass of orange juice for breakfast, grab a banana on the way out, or forgo the meal altogether. Time for and interest in cooking play a role, too. More eating out could mean more fries on the side or consumption of vegetables not usually prepared at home. Dietary fads and widespread popularity of ethnic cuisines can cause shifts in food choices, including for fruits and vegetables.
The price of products and the income available to buy them can also affect a person’s food choices. Smaller food budgets over time or higher prices due to supply constraints or other factors can induce one to switch to a lower priced alternative food item. Observing national trends and patterns for demographic groups is a first step in analyzing what is driving food choice and potential changes over time.
by AgroFresh Solutions, Inc.
PHILADELPHIA — An innovation from AgroFresh is bringing new life to bananas — with RipeLock – a technology proven to help consistently keep high-quality bananas at the optimal color on display at retail. While it’s important for retailers to stay up on consumer demands for new fruit varieties and packaging options, the quality of flagship items, such as bananas, remain a key indicator for overall consumer perception of the produce department.
Retailers recognize that a limiting factor in sales and consumption is that bananas ripen too quickly. With the new RipeLock™ Quality System from AgroFresh, suppliers, ripeners and retailers now have the tools to deliver bananas with greater consumer appeal and a broader window of freshness. At the same time, shrink and markdowns can be reduced, facilitating sales and inventory management.
“A trend we’re watching is how consumers are looking for healthy snacks and innovative packaging options,” said Kevin Frye, RipeLock North American sales manager for AgroFresh. “These are also the qualities that make RipeLock bananas the perfect option for both on-the-go snacking and increased at-home consumption.”
“RipeLock enhances the banana’s natural ripening process to maintain their bright, yellow color, fresh taste, creamy texture and appealing look significantly longer than traditionally ripened bananas,” Frye said.
RipeLock helps increase the demand for quality produce.
A recent study by MMR Research Worldwide in United Kingdom reveals how RipeLock positively affects banana taste and appearance. In the study, seven out of ten consumers preferred the quality of RipeLock bananas.
“When retailers can stock more appealing, longer-lasting bananas, it not only translates into more banana sales, it’s been proven to drive overall produce sales,” Frye said. “This is because consumers feel confident in the quality and freshness of the other fruit in the store.”
Craig Stephen, a leader in the banana industry for more than 20 years and past Produce Marketing Association Board member, agrees.
“Produce managers that can consistently offer bananas at color stage 5 generate higher consumption and more repeat customers. Until now, that was not possible due to the risk of high shrink.”
RipeLock helps reduce food waste.
The MMR Research Worldwide study also demonstrates the ability of RipeLock to reduce waste by maintaining fruit longer at the optimal color and flavor — both in the store and in the home.
“In talking with banana consumers all over the world, they’ve expressed for years that the biggest unmet need is longer shelf-life, that bananas ripen too quickly, leading to under consumption,” Stephen said.
RipeLock adds flexibility to the supply chain
The longer shelf-life also gives retailers the ability to have consistent, high-quality fruit on display longer with less frequent restocking and without extra deliveries. And in most back-room environments, RipeLock reduces the need to ‘air stack’ boxes.
“Many non-traditional outlets, like coffee shops and convenience stores, are not offering fresh fruit, resulting in a big missed opportunity for sales. Longer-lasting RipeLock bananas can make servicing these non-traditional outlets simpler and more economical, and can lead to increased sales and consumption,” Frye said.
A recent independent study with consumers in the United Kingdom reveals how RipeLock positively affects banana taste and appearance — both key factors in buying decisions.
By National Kay Day
New York, NY— What began as a grassroots effort to celebrate the nutritional benefits of kale as a trending superfood, has grown into a worldwide movement. This year marks the fourth annual National Kay Day, which was held recently.
Spearheaded by Co-Founders Dr. Drew Ramsey & Chef Jennifer Iserloh, authors of the bestselling book 50 Shades of Kale, the movement began in 2013 when Ramsey and Iserloh, along with a dedicated army of kale lovers, hosted the first event in October and reached hundreds of thousands of consumers gaining millions of impressions for kale.
In fact, this year’s kale army has grown into quite a military operation with all DeCA military commissaries throughout the U.S. promoted kale October 3-9, 2016. In addition to the weeklong promotion, all 144 commissaries had special signage and in-store events that included demos and recipes of kale smoothies, stir-fry and salads.
In recent years, kale’s popularity has grown in both supermarkets and on restaurant menus. In fact, Whole Foods Market now buys and sells more kale than all other greens combined and other retailers have reported triple digit sales increases. This growing interest in kale has growers and manufacturers excited about the opportunity to promote not just kale, but all leafy greens. While some say that kale’s day has passed, others know that what no longer appears as trending has moved to the mainstream when it’s become easy to find kale at places like Chick-Fil-A and McDonalds.
This year’s celebrations will focus on building online communities through social media, in-market events and school participation. Facilitated by an advertising grant from Google, National Kale Day will be actively promoting it’s free downloadable e-cookbook featuring nearly two dozen kale recipes, and the $1000 cool cash kale giveaway. In addition to online events, including an evening Twitter party, health care provider Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, IN will feature a variety of events including giving away over 4000 bunches of kale throughout the community.
In addition, to consumer events, National Kale Day has touched 10 countries, multiple health care institutions, retailers, restaurants and and schools with some of the largest school districts in the country including New York Public Schools planning to serve up kale. Dr. Ramsey remarked, “I have been a proponent of brain foods like kale for years, and there is nothing more exciting than seeing the potential to reach kids early on in their lives and teach them about healthy foods in a fun way.”
By Organics Unlimited
SAN DIEGO – The GROW Fund, a nonprofit program developed by Organics Unlimited, partnered with Produce for Kids to encourage families to take a pledge to pack healthier lunch items during the back-to-school season. For each pledge, GROW by Organics Unlimited and other sponsor brands collectively donated $1 to Feeding America to provide meals for families in need.
Through its Power Your Lunchbox campaign, Produce for Kids collected 21,674 pledges, surpassing its goal of 20,000. Thanks to the campaign sponsors’ donations, Produce for Kids was able to donate enough funds to Feeding America to provide 238,414 meals.
“As a company that grows and sells organic bananas, we provide healthier eating options for individuals and families,” said Mayra Velazquez de León, president of Organics Unlimited and GROW. “We are proud to partner with Produce for Kids and take part in the Power Your Lunchbox campaign, giving our support to children’s health initiatives.”
This is the third year Organics Unlimited has partnered with Produce for Kids, a company that encourages families to eat healthier by providing recipes, expert advice and tips from other parents. The campaign encourages families, teachers and dietitians to take the pledge to eat a healthier lunch.
The Power Your Lunchbox campaign took place from August 8 to September 23, 2016. The campaign consisted of promotion through social media, parent and food bloggers, e-newsletters, media placements and a NatureFresh Greenhouse Tour visiting 36 grocery stores and nine schools to create awareness and encourage people to sign the pledge. The campaign had a total reach of 145 million impressions.
Organics Unlimited participated directly to the campaign through social media outreach, including a Twitter party promoting healthy recipes and facts. The #PowerYourLunchbox Twitter Party on August 17 gave an opportunity for the organization and sponsors to interact with parents and inform them of healthy lunches and lifestyles. During the Twitter Party, there were over 3,761 tweets and more than 14 million impressions. Organics Unlimited alone earned 2,500 impressions.
“We created the GROW Fund to enrich the lives of our farming communities through various education and health programs,” said Velazquez de León. “Although that is what the GROW Fund strives towards, we think that it is equally important to promote a healthier lifestyle towards people in the United States. We believe growing organic bananas is better for the environment, employees and is the healthier option for consumers.”
About Organics Unlimited
Organics Unlimited is a San Diego-based distributor of organic tropical fruit from Mexico and South America, providing its traditional label as well as the GROW label. Its fruits are USDA certified organic for the U.S. and Canada through Organic Certifiers. For more information on Organics Unlimited and GROW, visit OrganicsUnlimited.com, or call 619.710.0658. Check out the latest blog post from Organics Unlimited, or find Organics Unlimited on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.
by Hass Avocado Board
MISSION VIEJO, California – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed new guidance for the use of the nutrient content claim “healthy” on food labeling, and fresh avocados meet the criteria. Long touted for the range of health and wellness benefits associated with them, avocados can finally bear the claim that sums it all up: avocados are healthy.
While 90% of consumers report that they purchase avocados based on the nutritional benefits they provide, 21% still say that the fat content in avocados is a barrier to purchase, despite the fact that the latest science demonstrates that the type of fat, rather than the total amount, is more important to good health.
The term “healthy” on food labels is regulated by the FDA and reserved for foods low in fat among other restrictions. The past definition, which was established more than 20 years ago, focused on total fat content per serving. The new proposed guidance from FDA gives consideration to the breakdown between good (unsaturated) and bad (saturated) fats in light of new evidence and dietary recommendations in the recently published 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). Avocados contain 8 g of fat per 50 g serving, over 75% of which are naturally good fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats). Avocados comply with the new FDA guidance because they have a fat profile of predominantly naturally good monounsaturated fats.
“With the pervasiveness of many chronic diseases in the US population, consumers are thinking about the ways to make healthy food choices for themselves and their families” said Emiliano Escobedo, Executive Director of the Hass Avocado Board (HAB). “We applaud the FDA for its efforts in updating the guidance on what makes a food healthy, and recognizing that good fats play an important role in healthy diets.”
For industry, this means fresh avocados can start to use the term “healthy” in marketing and communications as well as packaging and point-of-sale materials. HAB is updating its messages and materials to include the claim.
Avocados are a healthy fruit that provide a good source of fiber and folate per 50 g serving (one-third of a medium avocado), and nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can enhance the nutrient quality of the diet. A healthy fruit, avocados are virtually the only fruit that contain monounsaturated fat, and they are sodium, cholesterol and trans-fat free. To learn more about the naturally good fats in avocados, the latest avocado nutrition research and fresh avocado recipes, visit LoveOneToday.com/goodfats.
Patients with kidney disease eating three to four more servings of fruits and vegetables every day could lower their blood pressure and nearly cut medication costs by 50 percent, new research suggests.
The findings stem from the multi-year tracking of a small group of patients, in which standard medical treatment was compared with the simple nutritional intervention. The goal: to see which approach did a better job at driving down both blood pressure and drug expenses.
The result on both fronts showed a clear win for healthy food.
Dr. Nimrit Goraya, author of the study, described the links seen between increased fruit and vegetable intake, kidney disease control and lower medication expenses as “huge.” And “the impact was visible from the very first year. This study has been done over five years, but every year since the therapy with fruits and vegetables began, we were able to lower medications,” she noted.
The program director for nephrology with Baylor Scott & White Healthcare in Temple, TX and her colleagues recently presented their findings at an American Heart Association meeting on blood pressure, in Orlando, FL
The heart association points out high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure. The kidneys and the circulatory system depend on each other for good health.
In all, 108 kidney disease patients were enlisted in the study, all of whom were taking similar doses of blood pressure drugs. Patients were divided into three groups. One group was treated with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), the standard treatment designed to neutralize the lingering acid that kidney patients typically struggle to excrete. Failure to excrete can lead to abnormally high acid levels, a condition known as “metabolic acidosis.”
A second group was not prescribed sodium bicarbonate, but instead was provided three to four servings of fruits and vegetables a day. These patients were not instructed to alter their usual diet beyond consuming their new fruit and vegetable allotment.
A third group was not treated in any way.
The result: After five years, systolic blood pressure (the top number in a reading) was pegged at 125 mm Hg among the fruit and vegetable group, compared with 135 mm Hg and 134 mm Hg, respectively, among the medication and no treatment groups.
What’s more, those in the food group were taking considerably lower doses of daily blood pressure medication than those in the other groups, the study authors said.
This translated into a near halving of the food group’s total expenditure on such drugs, down to roughly $80,000 over five years compared with an average total of more than $153,000 among each of the other two groups.


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Know what the Colombians call Canadians' swimwear? Diapers.
Know what the Colombians call what we wear to the beach?
No joke. They say we North Americans are obsessed with covering our butts, and not just metaphorically.
While women here are digging retro looks that cover our bodies with yards of fabric, women in much of the rest of the world are wearing cuts that show all but the crux of their womanhood.
Then there is Brazil, which redefines crux.
Two Vancouver sisters, whose itsy bitsy teeny weeny design picks up the international trend, say they faced incredulous Colombian manufacturers when they said they would sell their bikinis in Canada.
"They said Canadians never wear small-cut things," says Cami Rush who created the line called Fenntessa with her sister Robyn. "It's always diapers, diapers, diapers. They kept mentioning diapers. They didn't think there would be a market."
But not all Canadian girls are reserved, she says. While not Brazilian thongs, Fenntessa bikinis show as much bottom as they hide and they have been selling well at two Vancouver stores.
"The most popular so far is the smallest cut," she says. "People are jumping on it."
Not only that, they are jumping on the lime green version. So much for reservation.
The Rush sisters have always spent Christmas with their parents in Maui and they have travelled through Europe, Australia, South America and the South Pacific seeking fun in the sun. Both Latinophiles with degrees in Hispanic studies, they couldn't help noticing the shrinking trend going on at the beaches they visited.
They saw men's board shorts cut above the knee instead of below and they saw women rocking the small-cut bikini regardless of their size.
"You really don't have to be a twig, especially down there," says Cami.
"They just love their bodies. You don't have to be skinny or the stereotypical model body to be sexy. You can wear it at any shape or size."
Tan lines are as minimal as the suits. Even if women don't feel comfortable wearing the bikinis here, the Rushes think travellers will love them.
"There are a lot of girls that do go to Maui and these hot weather places and they want them, but they aren't available," says Rush.
They decided to put Cami's master's degree in fashion design from Milan's Domus Academy to work and produce a line for Canadians. They came up with four itsy bitsy styles. Plain, ruffles, bandeau and two cuts of bottoms. Cami is most proud of the ruched bottom.
"The ruching is great. It actually contours to your bum, your cheeks, so it's a perfect fit as opposed to a regular cut that you wear a dozen times and it starts sagging. These are perfect, they make you look more fit. They are for sure a winner."
Manufactured in Colombia, which has a strong record working with Lycra, the suits are well-crafted and stay on the body well.
CC:Read More From Source
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The Federal Reserve’s new November industrial production figures show that manufacturing grew sequentially for the second straight month following a technical recession. But the increase was negligible, and revisions were slightly negative. In fact, on an annual basis, manufacturing’s after-inflation 1.01 percent November output gain was its worst since winter-affected February, 2014.
The sector’s woes remained concentrated in durable goods. November durables real production fell from October levels and is down since July, led partly by a nearly one percent monthly automotive decline. In addition, the November’s 0.46 percent annual increase was durables’ weakest such performance since July, 2013’s decrease. Non-durable goods output was stronger in both monthly and yearly terms, continuing a recent trend. Still, real manufacturing output remains 1.24 percent lower than its pre-recession highs, eight years ago.
Here are the manufacturing highlights of the Federal Reserve’s new release on November industrial production:
>Manufacturing’s inflation-adjusted output grew in November for the second straight month following a technical recession, but the new monthly 0.11 percent rise was slower than October’s downwardly revised 0.31 percent advance.
>October’s real manufacturing output increase was originally pegged at 0.42 percent. Other revisions were negative on balance as well. September’s real production shrinkage was greater (0.18 percent) than reported last month (0.06 percent). August’s 0.14 percent drop was revised up to a 0.03 percent dip, but July’s 1.03 percent increase was (again) reduced – to 1.02 percent.
>Thanks to this weak recent performance – and to a string of record monthly manufacturing trade deficits – the sector’s year-on-year growth in November (1.01 percent) was its worst such performance since February, 2014’s (0.85 percent).
> The new Fed figures, however, did revise most recent yearly manufacturing production gains upward. October’s after-inflation gain was taken down from 1.94 percent to 1.83 percent, but September’s was revised up from 1.58 percent to 1.81 percent. August’s 1.95 percent advance is now pegged at 2.28 percent, and July’s 1.98 percent increase was revised up to 1.99 percent.
>At the same time, the latest November-to-November figure was much lower than the previous year’s 4.23 percent and even 2012-2013’s 1.38 percent.
>Largely as a result, constant-dollar U.S. manufacturing production is now 1.24 percent below its level when the last recession began – nearly eight years ago (December, 2007).
>Real output of durable goods – the largest sub-sector in manufacturing – also rose for the second straight month. But its latest sequential increase – 0.22 percent – was also slower than October’s upwardly revised 0.59 percent.
>November’s durable goods performance was held down by a 0.96 percent real production drop in the automotive sector – industry’s production leader for most of the current recovery – and a 2.77 percent plunge in the steel-dominated primary metals sector.
>In fact, November primary metals output after inflation marked a three-year monthly low.
>Yet that October durables figure was better than the 0.49 percent originally reported, and other revisions were overall positive as well. September’s 0.26 percent output drop is now reported to have been only 0.23 percent. August’s decline was changed from 0.53 percent to 0.42 percent. Only July showed a deterioration – from 1.25 percent real growth to 1.23 percent.
>Durable goods output gains were much slower on a year-on-year basis, with November’s 0.46 percent inflation-adjusted rise the worst performance since July, 2013’s 0.66 percent decrease.
>All the same, the year-on-year durable goods production revisions were all positive. October’s real yearly output gain is now judged to be 1.46 percent, not 1.23 percent. September’s 1.24 percent was revised up to 1.37 percent. August’s figure is now 2.01 percent instead of 1.91 percent. And July’s gain was revised from 1.64 percent to 1.66 percent.
> The November year-on-year durable goods increase also represents a major slowdown compared with the previous November-to-November’s 5.19 percent jump, and the 2.22 percent constant-dollar advance registered from November, 2012 to November, 2013.
>Inflation-adjusted durable goods production is now 3.28 percent higher than in December, 2007, when the last recession began.
>Non-durables’ real output rose by 0.50 percent in November but revisions put a damper on these results. In fact, they revealed that non-durables production had fallen during the previous two months.
>October’s 0.34 percent monthly increase was downgraded to a 0.03 percent decrease. September’s 0.01 percent rise is now pegged at a 0.11 percent fall.
>The news in non-durables was better for the previous two months. August’s 0.14 percent monthly real production decline was revised up to a 0.19 percent advance, and July’s 0.77 percent jump remained unchanged.
>On a year-on-year basis, inflation-adjusted non-durable goods output climbed in November by 1.64 percent – much higher than the durables number, but lower than October’s downwardly revised 2.23 percent (from 2.76 percent).
>Notably, the latest annual gains for non-durable goods exceeded those for durable goods, in contrast to the pattern that has held for most of the recovery.
>Other non-durables year-on-year revisions were mixed. September’s annual increase is now reported at 2.30 percent, not 2.46 percent. August was upgraded from 2.45 percent to 2.58 percent, but July was downgraded from 2.35 percent to 2.34 percent.
>Non-durables’ latest year-on-year growth lagged 2013-2014’s (3.17 percent) but topped the previous poor reading of 0.46 percent.
>Non-durable goods production, however, is still down by 6.81 percent after inflation since its pre-recession peak in July, 2007.


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Today Union Minister Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurated the Home Expo India 2018 at India Expo Mart, Greater Noida. Union Minister for Textile, Information and Broadcasting Smriti Irani was the chief guest for the event and was welcomed by a Bagpiper Band playing patriotic tune.
The program started with the traditional Lamp lighting ceremony by Smriti Irani and other eminent guest on the dias including O P Prahladka , Chairman of EPCH and Rakesh Kumar, Executive Director, India Expo Mart. After that ribbon cutting ceremony was commenced.
Speaking at the event Smirti Irani said “Many new initiative were taken by EPCH that will help in expanding our business bases and strengthen the quality of the product all around the world. I would like to congratulate all the 680 exhibitors and more than 500 buyers for becoming a part of this trade fare”
Further she said that in expansion of our business we should also commit ourselves for the sustainable development. She also visited different stalls at the expo and took details about the products”.
Home Expo India combines three shows – IFFTEX, IFAS and IHDS with an exclusive choice of merchandise on offer, this show draws international buyers beside wholesalers. Distributers, retail chains, merchandise as well as architects and interior designer. Exhibition will be for next three days and is open only for bulk buyers and traders.


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Barry Callebaut aims to capitalise on strong growth within China’s chocolate market, as it celebrates ten years since opening its chocolate factory in the country.
While the domestic chocolate industry witnessed a big boost in sales recently, the company predicts that chocolate consumption in China still has plenty of room to grow.
Euromonitor estimates that the chocolate confectionery category in China will expand from $2.8 billion today to around $3.9 billion by 2021.
Over the last ten years, chocolate consumption in China has become more similar to other parts of Asia. According to market research done by Kadence, taste is the single most important driver for Chinese consumers.
Located in Suzhou, Barry Callebaut’s China facility was inaugurated in January 2008, and it has helped the confectionery company achieve double-digit growth in the country over the last three years.
The site manufactures chocolate for global and local food manufacturers (that use chocolate and cocoa as ingredients in their consumer products) and also imports premium European chocolate for artisanal and professional users of chocolate (such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs, bakers, hotels, restaurants and caterers).
Barry Callebaut is also the outsourcing partner for a growing number of Chinese food manufacturers seeking high-quality chocolates.
The company has made additional investments in China in the past decade, including: an additional production line for white chocolate, a new research lab and pilot plant, and a new chocolate academy in Shanghai where it has trained more than 3,000 professionals.
Furthermore, with China becoming the largest e-commerce market in the world, Barry Callebaut has made Callebaut, its brand for Belgian chocolates, available on the country’s most popular e-commerce sites including Tmall for professional chocolatiers across China.
Barry Callebaut Asia Pacific president Ben De Schryver said: “Over the last ten years, we have played a leading role in helping develop the chocolate market in China. Although chocolate consumption in China is still only about 100 grams per capita, consumers are becoming more and more sophisticated and educated on all things chocolate.
“This trend fuels our excitement about the future of chocolate in China which we believe has the potential to become one of the biggest chocolate markets in the world.”
With global chocolate confectionery sales struggling as consumers shift to healthier snacks, Barry Callebaut saw its sales volumes increase by 4.4% in its last quarterly results, which were driven by a good performance at its gourmet business and outsourcing contracts.
The global snacking, international cereal and noodles, plant-based foods and North American frozen breakfast business will be known as Kellanova – home to brands such as Pringles, MorningStar Farms and Nutri-Grain. Kellanova’s portfolio will also encompass cereal brands, including Frosties, Special K, Krave and Coco Pops.
Nestlé is piloting refillable vending machines for its Milo and Koko Krunch brands as part of its effort to explore solutions that help to reduce the need for disposable packaging. In collaboration with digital start-up Qyos by Algramo, the machines will be available at two retailers in Indonesia during a 4-6 month trial period.
Carlsberg has announced that Jacob Aarup-Andersen will join the company as chief executive officer, replacing Cees ’t Hart, who will retire by the end of Q3 2023. Since 2020, Aarup-Andersen has served as CEO of ISS, a global facility services company that operates in 60 countries.


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Allcargo Logistics demerging its businesses to attract the right investors, Shashi Kiran Shetty, chairman, told CNBC-TV18.
The company’s board has approved the separation of its asset-heavy and asset-light businesses. The container freight station and inland container depot businesses will be demerged into Allcargo Terminals while its equipment rental, logistics parks and other real estate assets will be demerged into Transindia Realty.
Shetty further said that the shareholding of the demerged entities would remain the same as Allcargo Logistics.
It will have 3 individual listed entities, housing 3 businesses, he said.
On debt, he said, “About Rs 1000 crore of debt, most likely, will move into realty business and the rest of the debt will be distributed between other two companies.”
For the entire interview, watch the video


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Apparently the way to get people to read magazines, and advertisers to pay you enough money to support your fancy editorial aims, is to lock them in planes where there are fewer distractions.
The Wall Street Journal reports that in-flight magazines are still profitable. A British company, Ink Publishing, now runs 40 airline mags in 17 countries, made $4m last year doing it and are on target to make a similar amount this year while everyone else tanks. The reasons are pretty straightforward:
You have very few places with such a captive audience," says Tony Cervone, chief communications officer at United Airlines. Even with seat-back entertainment and wireless Internet service becoming standard, he says, passengers must unplug during take-off and landing.
Advertisers like that and pay lots of money because they feel strongly that if people see Keira Knightley or Mikhail Gorbachev wielding their products in a nice magazine picture we'll all go and buy stuff.


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More than 70 prominent gaming software providers will add Fasttoken (FTN) to their list of supported cryptocurrencies.
Over 70 leading gaming solutions providers, including Wazdan, Boldplay, Aviatrix, OnlyPlay, Endorphina, G Games, FilsGame and Fugaso, will add Fasttoken (FTN) to the list of their supported cryptocurrencies. Fasttoken will be used for safe and fast transactions within online gaming. The integration of FTN will start on January 26.
Join Fasstoken Private Sale second phase and buy your FTN tokens here.


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Facebook Challenges Google with Microsoft Partnership
Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) plans to compete with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG). The social networking giant has entered into a partnership with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to use the company's Bing search engine within the social network.
On Tuesday, Facebook revealed its social search engine, that would allow users to ask questions and get results based on information shared with them on the social network. Questions such as, "Which of my friends play tennis?" could produce exact answers.
For those queries the social search engine cannot handle, it will turn to Microsoft's Bing, which will then search the web to provide results.
Microsoft's Bing has long been the second fiddle to Google's larger search business. Bing has roughly 15 percent of the search market, while Google has about two-thirds of the entire market.
Although most internet users will likely still turn to Google's search page for specific queries, the partnership might take some traffic away from Google.
© 2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Bandits attacked a Samsung Electronics Co Ltd factory near Sao Paulo Sunday and held workers hostage while they robbed truckloads of smartphones, tablets and notebook computers that police valued at $36 million. The dramatic heist, carried out by armed robbers who carjacked a shuttle used by factory employees, took place overnight during nearly four hours in Campinas, an industrial hub in the southeastern state of Sao Paulo. A spokesman for the state’s public security secretariat said the bandits made off with seven trucks laden with more than 40,000 Samsung products.
They subdued the guards, took their weapons and their ammunition and told them to continue working as if nothing had happened.
police Lt. Vitor Chaves
State police are investigating the attack, he added, but said no suspects have yet been identified. A spokesman for Samsung in Sao Paulo confirmed the heist but said police estimates for the value of the stolen goods were too high. The head of the General Investigations unit said it would be difficult for the thieves to commit a crime of this scale without inside help.


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Nordstrom teams up with L.A.’s Union on streetwear-inspired pop-up shop
For the first time, Union, the eclectic streetwear shop on La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles, has teamed up with Nordstrom for a fresh pop-up that launched at the Seattle-based retailer’s department stores as well as online earlier this month..
Dubbed Concept 005: Union & Co., the collaboration is made up of more than 170 exclusive pieces from 13 labels and covers clothes, shoes and accessories.
In the mix are selections from Union, Marni, Neighborhood X Converse, Rhude, Jordan Brand, Awake NY, Fear of God, Cactus Plant Flea Market, No Vacancy Inn and Our Legends. Pieces, which include graphic T-shirts, loose-fitting shorts and hoodies, are priced from $42-$1,295.
In-store shops will be staged at eight Nordstrom locations in the U.S. and Canada through Sept. 1. Locally the pop-ups will be at the Grove in Los Angeles and at South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa. Also, selections will be available on shop.nordstrom.com and Union’s website, store.unionlosangeles.com.
Sam Lobban, Nordstrom’s vice president of men’s fashion, said he has known Union’s co-owner Chris Gibbs for about eight years. He approached Gibbs last fall about working together. Their project evolved into this new pop-up concept.
“There’s been a conversation for a while now about streetwear and its importance in the broader menswear industry,” Lobban said. “Chris and Union have a unique perspective on streetwear meets workwear meets designer wear. For us, it feels like a very interesting story to tell.”
According to Lobban, nine of the 13 featured brands are new to Nordstrom.
“I’m a massive fan of Chris and his own take on clothing and the store itself,” Lobban said. “I’m just super excited to be able to partner with him on this project. ... It’s a real mix of brands.”
The Union & Co. project is the fifth under Nordstrom’s ongoing New Concepts@NordstromMen banner, which provides shoppers with digital and physical pop-ups centered around new menswear. Previous collaborations involved Patagonia, Dior and a Japanese printing house.
During a phone call from Tokyo, Gibbs said what helped seal the deal for him was the inclusion of Italian label Marni, a brand he regularly wears and one he has always wanted to collaborate with, in the latest offering.
“One of the hallmarks of streetwear is collaboration,” Gibbs said. “The best way to do a collaboration is take the best things that each individual or party do well and marry them together. … What I learned through working with Nordstrom is that they treated this specially.”
In terms of in-store elements for the new Union & Co.-themed pop-ups, Gibbs said they were influenced by Union’s Tokyo store, which opened in 2018. Also, the concept’s overall look includes design touches by artist Kostas Seremetis, who created the promotional logo for the pop-up, as well as interior designer Sheila Bridges.
In particular, Bridges’ Harlem Toile wallpaper plays a role in the look of the pop-up designs, and it also turns up in Union’s actual collection for the collaboration, Gibbs said.
Thinking about the pop-up and the future, Gibbs said he wants Union to expand and have more bricks-and-mortar stores.
“We don’t want to be a little secret on La Brea for the rest of our lives,” Gibbs said. “In essence, it’s a Union pop-up but presenting it in a new way for the Nordstrom customer.”
Based on his experience working with Nordstrom, he said he’d be open to doing another collaboration.
“We’re a streetwear store,” Gibbs said. “Most of the product we get is from friends. What has been kind of crazy had been seeing things on this way bigger scale. … I’m really excited about what we’re about to launch.”
Follow me at @marquesharper on Twitter.
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Health warning to women over bigger wine glasses
by ADAM POWELL, Daily Mail
Last updated at 11:22 15 June 2004
In a survey, 96 per cent of bars and clubs said they had replaced the traditional small glasses with ones that hold 250ml - or a third of a bottle.
Many restaurants and hotels have also phased out the small glasses, which hold only 125ml.
Meanwhile, there has also been a marked increase in the number of customers ordering wine by the bottle rather than the glass as Britons seek to emulate the Mediterranean lifestyle.
Health experts say that because of this wine lovers risk drinking more than they anticipated.
Safe weekly levels
They could exceed the safe weekly levels which the Government has set of 21 units for women - or two to three drinks a day - and 28 units for men.
A unit is the equivalent of a traditional small glass of wine, so women who order just one drink in one of the larger glasses are already pushing their daily amount up towards the recommended limit.
Britain has the highest levels of female binge-drinking in Europe after the antics of "ladettes" such as radio DJs Zoe Ball and Sara Cox were blamed for encouraging women to drink to excess.
The average young woman here drinks the equivalent of five bottles of wine - or 30 units - a week and the larger glasses can only make the situation worse, it is feared.
Death rates from heart disease are seven times higher among women who drink every day compared to those who have an occasional drink.
Excessive drinking is implicated in 33,000 deaths a year.
Prevalence of heavy drinking
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who in January published a report for the Academy of Medical Services on drinking, warned: "The higher the average consumption, the higher the prevalence of heavy drinking.
"If you want to reduce cases of heavy drinking you have to reduce average drinking levels."
The influx of large wine glasses was revealed in a survey of 1,000 hoteliers, restaurateurs and publicans by wholesaler King UK and published in trade magazine Caterer & Hotelkeeper.
Only 4 per cent of pubs questioned used the regular 125ml glass compared with 50 per cent two years ago.
The number of restaurants using 250ml glasses doubled in the same time, while the proportion of hotels favouring bigger glasses trebled from 19 per cent in 2001 to 58 per cent in 2003.
Expenditure on alcohol
The report also reveals that Britain's expenditure on alcohol is £39.5billion a year.
The increasing popularity of ordering a bottle of wine in pubs and restaurants has been fuelled by decades of package holidays abroad.
Flying off to the sunshine of Spain or Greece and its islands has led to a taste for easy-going afternoons and evenings spent socialising with friends.
In addition many drinkers - especially women - prefer to order wine instead of lager or beer when they meet up with friends.
Pitchers of beer and cocktails are also becoming more popular, while the number of double measures of spirits sold continues to rise.
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After the successful launch earlier this year – the “Spaghetti Western” paid homage to Italian-directed Western films – Extra Butter New York continues its tribute to Italian movies with another take, this time on Diadora N.9000 silhouette.
The highly anticipated collaboration is inspired by Italian sub-genre of slasher and horror films called “Giallo”. The N.9000 is mixed in sangria, pomegranate, and persimmon-colored tones on the premium suede and leather uppers, with custom insoles and hang-tags.
Extra Butter x Diadora N.9000 will drop this Saturday, April 23rd in-store and online. Sizes will run from 4 to 13, priced at $200.


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Lamb of God singer Randy Blythe and DevilDriver frontman Dez Fafara have backed a new cryptocurrency called Chakra Coin.
While many bands have been dabbling in crypto via NFTs, Blythe and Fafara have gone a step further, investing in a brand-new cryptocurrency. According to a press release, the Chakra Coin was designed to “foster community and invest in charitable causes.”
It will be a fully community-owned “deflationary token,” which decreases in its market supply as time goes by and allows for passive income generation. This factor implies that users or the project’s team will participate in activities that reduce the coin’s supply on the blockchain (per Yahoo). Essentially, as the coin is purchased and traded, its value will increase, rendering profits that can put toward charitable causes.
The press release states that the Chakra Coin team “pledge to donate a portion of profits to various causes and hope to encourage the whole community to do the same.”
“I’m a believer in Chakra Coin,” stated Fafara, who also fronts Coal Chamber. “We started this venture to create a community of giving back and paying it forward. I will donate partial proceeds to multiple charity organizations. I hope that everyone who participates in Chakra Coin will do the same, creating a better world and a more cohesive existence for everyone involved.”
In more technical terms, the Chakra Coin combines “profitable yield generating DeFi and safe store-of-value, a gas-free cryptocurrency free from friction and borders” with a “disruptive aim” of helping “usher in a fairer economic standard of living.” As an outspoken activist, that is something Randy Blythe can get behind.
“The potential of blockchain technology, including DeFi and cryptocurrencies, to create a more equitable system of wealth distribution is extremely intriguing to me,” Blythe said. “It is my hope that being involved on the ground floor with a cryptocurrency community that holds a charitable component as one of its core tenants will be one small step towards creating a fairer, more altruistic economic system for everyone.”
Both Blythe and Fafara point out that they are not financial advisors, and encourage anyone interested in investing to do their own research or consult a financial expert before purchasing Chakra Coin or any cryptocurrency.
Concluded Fafara: “Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Safemoon, and all of the stuff happening with cryptocurrencies is immensely exciting. My hope is that Chakra Coin will encourage others to share the wealth with the less fortunate.”
For more information on Chakra Coin, visit the official website.


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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (CN) - A California company sold contaminated needles and ink in tattoo kits it sold online, two people who claim they got infections from the kits claim in a federal class action.
Kristine Murray and Jack Bradley sued White & Blue Lion Inc., of City of Industry, Calif., on Nov. 25.
They claim they bought a tattoo kit from the defendant on Amazon.com, which is not a party to the lawsuit.
Bradley, an experienced tattoo artist, says he used the kit to give Murray and himself tattoos on their legs on July 7.
Beginning that day, and until July 10, "Plaintiffs could not walk without suffering intense pain in their legs," the lawsuit states.
Then they "noticed open sores around the tattoos."
The complaint continues: "The skin around plaintiffs' tattoos became very red and hot to the touch.
"These conditions persisted for several weeks after July 7, 2014.
"The pain in the area around the tattoos fluctuated, but the appearance of the flesh worsened as plaintiffs developed blisters and scabs.
"The tattoos also looked worse over time as the skin rejected the tattoo ink."
On Aug. 7, Bradley says, he received an email notification that the tattoo kit had been recalled due to contaminated needles and ink. The next day, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a notice stating that the kits could cause infections that could lead to serious health infections, according to the complaint.
The plaintiffs say they sought medical treatment and had to take antibiotics. They claim that the skin where they got the tattoos is "permanently damaged and scarred from the contaminated ink and needles.
They seek class certification and damages for strict liability, negligence and violations of the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.
They are represented by Nathan A. Duncan with Douglas, Haun & Heidemann in Bolivar, Mo.
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Jim Ryan, who led Sony’s PlayStation video game console business, is retiring next year, Sony said on Wednesday.
Mr. Ryan joined Sony in 1994 and has held various executive positions in the company over the years. He became the chief executive of Sony subsidiary Sony Interactive Entertainment in 2019.
“I have found it very difficult to live in Europe and work in North America,” Mr. Ryan, who is British, wrote in a blog post announcing his retirement.
Hiroki Totoki, another top Sony executive, will become SIE’s interim chief executive following Mr. Ryan’s departure in March, the company said. Bloomberg previously reported Mr. Ryan plans to retire from Sony.
Sony has long been one of the most prominent companies in the lucrative video game industry, publishing popular franchises like Spider-Man and The Last of Us. In 2020, the company PlayStation 5 released, its latest console, to critical acclaim. Mr Ryan wrote in a blog post in July that Sony had since sold more than 40 million PlayStation 5s.
Sony’s main competitors are Nintendo, which makes the Switch console, and Microsoft, which makes the Xbox. Sony has long held the lead over Microsoft in terms of the number of hit games exclusive to its system, which has increased gamers’ interest in the PlayStation.
To compete, Microsoft introduced a new form of video game distribution: a Netflix-style subscription service in which gamers pay a monthly fee for a library of titles rather than purchasing individual games.
Microsoft is also on a spending spree in hopes of catching up with Sony, purchasing Bethesda Game Studios and several other studios for $7.5 billion in 2020. Sony had strongly objected to Microsoft’s other big purchase: its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which is still under review by regulators.
Mr. Ryan testified in a recorded video deposition with the Federal Trade Commission that he believed Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision’s game library would harm PlayStation users and limit competition.
He said he believed Microsoft could pull Activision’s biggest game, Call of Duty, from PlayStation “to harm us”. But a federal judge rejected their arguments and the Activision deal could close next month following a review by a British regulator.
Sony has also acquired. Last year it bought Bungie, the game studio that makes the Destiny franchise, for $3.6 billion.
Certainly, here’s some additional information and context:
1. Jim Ryan’s Legacy: Jim Ryan played a significant role in the success of Sony’s PlayStation brand. Under his leadership, the PlayStation 5 was launched, which became a major success. His tenure also saw the growth of PlayStation Plus, the subscription service that offers free games and online multiplayer access. He was known for his focus on exclusive titles and partnerships, which helped maintain PlayStation’s competitive edge in the gaming market.
2. Hiroki Totoki: As mentioned, Hiroki Totoki was set to become the interim chief executive of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) following Jim Ryan’s retirement. Totoki has been with Sony for a long time and has held various positions within the company. His leadership would be closely watched as he takes on the role of leading the PlayStation division.
3. Competition in the Gaming Industry: Sony’s primary competitors in the gaming industry, Nintendo and Microsoft, have taken different approaches to compete with the PlayStation. Nintendo has continued to focus on its own exclusive franchises like Mario and Zelda, while Microsoft has been investing heavily in acquiring game studios to bolster its exclusive game library and expanding its Game Pass subscription service.
4. Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard: The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft was a major development in the gaming industry. This move brought popular franchises like “Call of Duty,” “World of Warcraft,” and “Diablo” under Microsoft’s umbrella. It’s seen as a strategic move to strengthen the Xbox platform and its presence in the gaming world.
5. Sony’s Acquisitions: Sony’s acquisition of Bungie, the studio behind the Destiny franchise, was aimed at expanding its portfolio of exclusive titles. The Destiny franchise has a dedicated fan base, and Sony’s acquisition was seen as a way to secure more exclusive content for the PlayStation platform.
6. Regulatory Scrutiny: The acquisition of major game studios like Activision Blizzard often undergoes regulatory scrutiny to ensure fair competition and protect consumers’ interests. In the case of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it was mentioned that a British regulator was reviewing the deal, which is a standard procedure for such large mergers and acquisitions.
Jim Ryan’s retirement marked a transition in leadership for Sony’s PlayStation division, and the ongoing competition between major players like Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo continues to shape the future of the gaming industry, influencing the availability of exclusive titles, subscription services, and gaming experiences for players worldwide.
Sure, here’s a FAQ based on the article about Jim Ryan’s retirement and other related information:
1. Who is Jim Ryan, and what was his role at Sony?
– Jim Ryan is a British executive who played a key role in Sony’s PlayStation division. He joined Sony in 1994 and served in various executive positions. In 2019, he became the chief executive of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), which oversees the PlayStation brand.
2. Why is Jim Ryan retiring from Sony?
– Jim Ryan cited the challenge of living in Europe while working in North America as a reason for his retirement in a blog post. He has been a part of Sony for almost three decades and has decided to step down.
3. Who will replace Jim Ryan as the head of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)?
– Hiroki Totoki, another top executive at Sony, is set to become the interim chief executive of SIE after Jim Ryan’s departure.
4. What are some notable achievements during Jim Ryan’s tenure at Sony?
– Jim Ryan oversaw the successful launch of the PlayStation 5 in 2020, which received critical acclaim. During his leadership, Sony also achieved significant sales milestones, including selling over 40 million PlayStation 5 units.
5. Who are Sony’s primary competitors in the gaming industry?
– Sony’s main competitors in the gaming industry are Nintendo, known for the Switch console, and Microsoft, which produces the Xbox.
6. How has Microsoft been competing with Sony in the gaming industry?
– Microsoft introduced a subscription service called Game Pass, where gamers pay a monthly fee for access to a library of titles. They have also made strategic acquisitions, including buying Bethesda Game Studios and other game development studios.
7. What is the significance of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard?
– Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is a major move to strengthen the Xbox platform, bringing popular franchises like “Call of Duty,” “World of Warcraft,” and “Diablo” under their umbrella.
8. How has Sony responded to Microsoft’s acquisitions and competition?
– Sony has also been active in acquiring game studios. They purchased Bungie, the studio behind the Destiny franchise, to secure more exclusive content for the PlayStation platform.
9. Are there any regulatory concerns regarding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard?
– Yes, there are regulatory reviews underway to ensure fair competition and protect consumers’ interests in the wake of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
10. How will Jim Ryan’s retirement impact Sony’s PlayStation division?
– Jim Ryan’s retirement marks a transition in leadership for Sony’s PlayStation division. The impact will depend on the strategies and vision of his successor, Hiroki Totoki.
These FAQs provide an overview of the key points in the article, including Jim Ryan’s retirement, Sony’s competition in the gaming industry, and major developments in the gaming world.


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A Nigerian Lady, identified as Favour Onyii has said she is proudly the first person to own the new iPhone X in Nigeria, and her friends are celebrating her on Social Media.
Her friends then called out ‘Yahoo Boys’ to beat that, as they took to their various snapchat accounts to celebrate her.
“The first Person/Girl to buy Iphone x in Nigeria, She even first yahoo guys that are forming rich Guys, Land Money, 2 Million nor be beans oo onyi you get mind sha. Chai”, her friend wrote on Snapchat.The phone according to her cost N2 million naira… But according to our folks in Computer village, to purchase a brand new iPhone X costs N580,00… So, where’s the 2 million naira coming from?
Congratulations to her though!
See her Photos:


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Automakers with operations in the UK have worried significantly about Brexit and what effect it will have on their interests within the UK. Ford’s Joseph Hinrichs, President of Automotive, has warned that the chances of a no-deal Brexit have risen in the last few months. Joseph Hinrichs said that the “key” is going to be what happens at the borders, ports, and most importantly, what happens to the pound sterling when all is said and done.
Joseph Hinrichs noted that it has been a “bit of a rocky road.” The chances of a no-deal Brexit have risen in the last few months as new Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ramped up preparations for a possible Brexit in October. Ford Europe has been spending millions in preparation for Brexit.
The money has been spent on foreign currency exchange funds and shifting inventory between countries, among other measures. Ford executives had stated that best-case scenario, the money it has spent had been wasted. The automaker has stated that it could lose as much as $500 million to $1 billion in the wake of Brexit.
Ford has also said that if a no-deal Brexit happens in the UK, its vehicles and components could be taxed when imported and exported from the UK. The UK is a significant market for Ford, accounting for 6 percent of its global sales volume in 2017. Ford has also warned that 7,000 jobs would be at risk in a no-deal Brexit scenario. Ford operates two factories in the UK but plans to close its Bridgend Engine Plant in Wales next year. The plant closure will see 1,700 workers lose their jobs, the automaker has stated that Brexit wasn’t a decision in the plant closure. While other manufacturers had expressed interest in the Ford factory once Ford is gone, no offers or decisions have been made at this time.


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Welcome to Off-Menu, where we'll be rounding up all the food news and food-adjacent internet ephemera that delighted, fascinated, or infuriated us this morning.
- Yesterday, we led this morning news roundup with President Donald Trump rambling about his plan to feed the Clemson Tigers football team a selection of fast food on the occasion of their visit to the White House. Given his propensity for talk that only occasionally matches up to action, it appeared notable that he actually went ahead and did just that. Plus, the man called them "hamberders"—and not in a relatable speech stumble, but rather spelled out that way in a tweet on purpose.
There's a truly unlimited supply of fantastic tweets and photos commemorating an event that, sadly, will not actually be emblematic of this absurd era, as it is sure to be soon eclipsed by our Commander-in-Chief diverting public funds to a war on the Oxford English Dictionary for refusing to officially change the spelling of "hamburger"...but I am particularly fond of that one up at the top featuring a man in a bowtie lighting a gilded candelabra to ensure sufficient ambiance when the unpaid football players are treated to the cheap food putatively sprung for by a putative billionaire by birth.
- Amazon/Whole Foods is pivoting away from their strategy to open lower-priced 365-branded stores, according to internal documents obtained by Yahoo. They're not closing any of the existing 12 locations, but they also won't open any new ones. This is apparently because, according to emails from CEO John Mackey, there's no need for a designated affordable destination when they're already "consistently lowering prices in our core Whole Foods Market stores." Sounds nice! They should definitely give that a try.
- For the 100-year anniversary of the Boston Molasses Flood, Atlas Obscura has a deep dive on the 40-foot wave that killed 21 people and left the city smelling like “brown syrup and blood." In addition to providing a vivid description of what happened, the piece considers the impact of the mostly immigrant victims on the event's legacy.
- About 30,000 teachers in Los Angeles have gone on strike for the first time in 30 years to address California's chronic underfunding of education. On Monday afternoon, food trucks provided tacos to a group of 50 teachers protesting outside the Ramon C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts—aided by the Tacos for Teachers GoFundMe, which has raised almost $22,000 in 11 days.
A "former software engineer for Google and Facebook" has taken it upon himself to optimize our flawed measuring cup design. You can tell it's better than whatever women have been using for centuries because there's a math equation on it. As far as scare tactics go (Mashable captioned their video "All measuring cups are wrong"), this is fairly low stakes, but I still think you don't need to worry all that much—or Marie Kondo your current cups in favor of a $24 (plus $5 shipping and handling) version. If a recipe relies on absolute accuracy, it likely lists ingredients by weight (and if you're that concerned, you likely already have—and use—a scale). Beyond that, just assume the recipe tester was using the same flawed measuring cups you have in your cabinet at home.
Your favorite emo ex boyfriend Panic! At The Disco is collaborating with Asbury Park Brewery on a limited edition IPA, called IP!ATD, that will be released in March. And yes, this is something nice because some of us recognize that I Write Sins Not Tragedies still seriously slaps. Oh, wait, this is pegged to their new album? Panic! At the Disco is still releasing music? I'm sorry, I cannot endorse.
Buy This Bucket
For some reason, my grandmother persists in sending me this 3.5-gallon tub of three different popcorn flavors for every life event and achievement milestone. Pro tip: skip the artificial butter entirely, but eat the caramel and cheese flavor popcorns at the same time. It's basically like DIY Chicago Mix and yes, you'll make yourself sick, but it'll be worth it.


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Karen Walker To Exhibit Alongside Fashion’s Elite
MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
KAREN WALKER TO EXHIBIT ALONGSIDE FASHION’S ELITE
New Zealand fashion icon included in
stellar exhibition in United States
Seattle, Washington, United States – 7 April 2003. Leading New Zealand fashion icon Karen Walker has been invited to appear alongside a collection of industry luminaries, including Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Issey Miyake, at an exclusive art and fashion exhibition in the United States.
The exhibition, which runs from May through to August at Seattle’s Bellevue Art Museum, is titled Fashion: The Greatest Show on Earth and contains the work of twenty of the world’s leading designers. The show looks at how fashion houses and designers have drawn from political activism, theatre and popular culture to create a new form of performance art in the runway show. Incorporating clothing, video, performance and garments from leading couturiers and designers, the curators hope to illustrate the various connections between performance art and fashion, and how they depend on each other to inspire daring new concepts and projects. Walker’s involvement in the exhibition comes as a result of her increasing prominence on the international stage - and the importance she places on originality and ideas.
The exhibition will showcase a concept Karen Walker presented at the Australian Fashion Week 2000, where she stole the show after giving spectators the opportunity to select their own music with personal CD players. It proved to be a huge hit with fashion media and followers. Walker’s innovation with the show complemented her ‘Etiquette’ collection, where her take on tails, pearls and slinky daywear earned her high praise from the international media.
After hearing of her invitation to participate, Walker was delighted. “The most important thing for us is originality - strong ideas and concepts,” she says. “The presentation of a collection is an integral part of communicating the collection’s concept. Shows for us aren’t about just sending models down a runway, nor are they about silly gimmicks, they’re about originality and communicating the collection’s idea.
Walker says ‘Etiquette’s’ concept was about rule breaking and freedom of choice. “The clothes showed this by breaking traditional rules and mixing up opposites not normally seen together. We wanted to extend that same freedom of choice and rule breaking concept into all areas of the collection, including giving the audience the freedom to choose their own soundtrack to the show.”
The Seattle exhibition will feature Walker’s now famous broken pearl dress from ‘Etiquette’, a video of the show and a personal CD player with the original soundtrack selection so the audience at the exhibition can experience how choosing your own music, or silence, can fundamentally alter the feel of a show.
Walker says the exhibition is in recognition of the fashion and art worlds crossing over. “Fashion has become a modern art currency. It’s a form of expression and a statement that lives out on the street more than in the gallery. The crossover between art and fashion has been inherent in the two mediums for ever, and this exhibition is a celebration of it.”
“Being included in this exhibition is recognition for the hard work we’ve put in to stand out alongside the world’s best,” says Walker. “We’re flattered and excited to be included alongside such incredible designers.”
Now internationally recognised as a designer, Walker’s clothes can be found in around 100 fashion stores around the world and are worn by celebrities such as Madonna, Shirley Manson and Cate Blanchett.
more information and interviews with Karen
Catherine Etheredge 025 276 9712, 09 309 1494, Catherine@svl.co.nz


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Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports Blasts Canada's $1 Billion Dollar Subsidy Anno
Date: Wednesday, November 23 2005
Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports Blasts Canada's $1 Billion Dollar Subsidy Announcement
WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports today sharply criticized Canada's announcement of a new subsidy program worth over $1 billion dollars to benefit Canada's already heavily subsidized lumber industry. Steve Swanson, Chairman of the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, called the announcement "beyond outrageous," and warned that Canada was making a "mockery out of the NAFTA and the principles of free and competitive-based trade."
Mr. Swanson explained that "there remains very little that the Canadian taxpayers are not underwriting for their lumber industry." "First Canadian lumber producers benefit from a multi-billion dollar annual taxpayer-funded forest subsidy, then Canadian taxpayers reimburse Canada's lumber companies for having to comply with the U.S. trade laws, and lastly Canadian taxpayers pay for the Canadian lumber industry's legal and public relations campaign costs," Mr. Swanson stated. Now the Canadian taxpayer will provide an additional $1 billion dollars worth of subsidies for their industry to "ride-out" the trade dispute.
Mr. Cullen concluded by stating that "you can call this package whatever you want, but at the end of the day it simply is a $1 billion dollar subsidy on top of billions of dollars of other annual taxpayer-funded subsidies." These enormous subsidies are a particularly destructive step given the need to work together to resolve this trade dispute through negotiations.
SOURCE Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports
Web Site: http://www.fairlumbercoalition.org
[Proofreader's note: this article was edited for spelling and typos on November 23, 2005]


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The US government has officially announced that the country's Consumer Confidence Index fell 2.1 points to 109.5 in November.
According to the Conference Board, consumers in the country are less confident about the economy's short-term outlook for their employment and income prospects. Consumer spending generally leads around two-thirds of the country's economic growth. In the last month, the data increased marginally. So, analysts were expecting a push in Consumer Confidence, but failed.
Expectations Index and Present Situations Index
On the other hand, the Expectations Index fell to 87.6 from 89 in the earlier month. The Expectations Index measures how consumers feel about the short-term outlook for income, business and employment conditions. Additionally, the Present Situations Index dropped to 142.5 in November from 145.5 in October. The Present Situations Index assesses how consumers feel about the current business and job market situation. So, the common citizens are not pleased with the economy's monetary policy and employment growth, even after the pandemic started to ease.
Multiple reasons are being identified behind this fall, like surging prices in 2021, and businesses are experiencing rising costs from labor and raw material shortages. So, inflation is the most important reason. Hence, the businesses are passing a part of these surges in costs to the consumers. The country's consumers prices are hitting the highest in more than the last 3 decades, and the consumers reacted negatively about the Consumer Confidence. The Conference Board additionally mentioned that the proportion of consumers who are planning to buy homes, automobiles, and major appliances in the upcoming 6 months, have decreased.
The official statement behind the fall
Commenting on that, Lynn Franco, Senior Director of Economic Indicators at the Conference Board stated, "Concerns about rising prices - and, to a lesser degree, the Delta variant - were the primary drivers of the slight decline in confidence." Franco added, "Confidence levels suggest the economic expansion will continue into early 2022. However, both confidence and spending will likely face headwinds from rising prices and a potential resurgence of Covid-19 in the coming months."
Omicron variant is negligible on growth
The Conference Board had finished its survey before the news of the Omicron variant of the Covid virus started to roll on headlines, and again affected consumers. However, some economists are thinking that the Omicron variant will have only a moderate negative impact on the growth. Economists at Oxford Economics are expecting real GDP growth of 7.9% in Q4 and real consumer spending growth of 6.5%.


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We've been waiting on trulyfor years. The technology exists, but most products still require two components to touch. Now wireless technology company Reasonance says it's brought the the first "truly wireless TV" to . No need to drill holes. Just add Wi-Fi.
At the virtual trade show, Reasonance is showing off a 40-inch TV powered by a type of wireless power it calls "advanced magnetic resonance." The TV can be wall-mounted while the charger sits on your credenza. It's suitable for TVs that use up to 120 watts of power.
The demo TV has a receiving coil on its back panel (production models would include the loop inside) while the transmitting system is placed flat underneath the TV at a distance of 20 inches. The company says the transmitting system could be also integrated into a wall or an AV unit.
The company says you'll be able to move the TV around without fear of misalignment and that the system is 80 to 90% more cost-efficient than other existing wireless solutions. The technology is patented and ready to go, and it could also be used in larger devices such as electric vehicles, drones, robots or wearable devices.


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CleanSpark stock opened over 20 percent lower on March 16 after announcing a discounted stock sale. The company has followed in the footsteps of many other companies that have used the spike in their stock prices to issue more shares and raise cash. What’s the forecast for CLSK stock in 2021? Should you buy it or stay away from the company?
There has been a wave of stock issuances from listed companies over the last year. Tesla used them beautifully to raise $13 billion in 2020. NIO, XPeng, and Li Auto also raised cash by selling shares. Recently, Zomedica raised cash by selling shares.
CleanSpark’s stock issuance
When so many companies are raising capital by issuing shares, why is there so much noise about CleanSpark doing it? After all, companies are within their rights to issue new shares and investors use their discretion to buy them.
Two things look problematic in CleanSpark’s stock offering. First, the shares were issued at a massive discount to CLSK’s stock price. The stock is trading near $22 in early trading on March 16, which happens to be the price at which CleanSpark priced the shares.
Second, the company is raising $200 million from the share issuance. To put that in perspective, its market capitalization is a little over $550 million. This would mean that the company’s outstanding shares would increase by over 35 percent after the share issuance.
This would mean earnings dilution whenever CleanSpark starts posting profits. However, for now, markets are in love with everything related to bitcoins and cryptocurrencies. Stocks of companies that are in these industries have been on a fire over the last year as bitcoin prices reached record highs.
CLSK's stock forecast
Only two analysts are covering CLSK stock. Its median target price is $47.50, which is a premium of 108 percent over the current prices. CleanSpark's lowest and highest target prices are $45 and $50, respectively. Both of the analysts surveyed by CNN Business have a buy or equivalent rating on the stock.
CleanSpark is a bet on bitcoin mining and microgrid.
Wall Street is quite bullish on CLSK stock. The company is a dual bet on bitcoin mining and microgrid. According to CleanSpark, a microgrid is “a set of resources and storage (batteries) used to provide a source of energy distributed from a central utility provider.” Citing data from Navigant Research, CleanSpark sees the global market for microgrids rising at a CAGR of 28 percent between 2020 and 2029 and reaching $40 billion.
CleanSpark is growing fast. The company's revenues have doubled every year for the last three fiscal years including a 122 percent increase in fiscal 2020. The company has four business segments.
While the hardware segment has an average EBITDA margin of around 15 percent, the Consulting Services, bitcoin mining, and SaaS (Software as a Service) segments have average EBITDA margins of 60 percent, 80 percent, and 90 percent, respectively. The margins look quite juicy.
CLSK is targeting revenues of $30 million for 2021, which would mean a YoY rise of 300 percent. The stock trades at an NTM EV-to-sales multiple of 8.5x, which looks attractive considering the valuations of some of the other bitcoin mining companies.
Should I buy CLSK stock?
Currently, Riot Blockchain and Marathon Holdings trade at NTM EV-to-sales multiples of 40.4x and 41.4x, respectively. While the share offering is a discounted price, it's coming after an over a 2,000 percent increase in CLSK stock over the last year.
After the share issuance, CLSK would have plenty of cash to fund its growth objectives. If you believe in the blockchain and bitcoin story and are looking at a company with diversified operations along with bitcoin mining, CLSK would fit the bill.