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Bitcoin will be ‘massively more valuable’ over the next decade: expert
Ric Edelman, founder of the Digital Assets Council of Financial Professionals.
Heidi Gutman | CNBC
Bitcoin’s recent rout — including its recent dip below $20,000 — gave some cryptocurrency naysayers an “I told you so” moment.
“How do you make a million? Invest a billion in bitcoin,” joked a panelist at a conference for financial advisers earlier this month, which drew laughter from the crowd.
Ric Edelman, former independent financial advisor and founder of Edelman Financial Services, presented in a separate session at the same Wealth Management EDGE conference with a different message.
“A lot of people are convinced it’s a fad or a cheat, it’s a tulip bulb or a Beanie Baby,” Edelman said. “I’m not here to tell you that you should fall in love with bitcoin.”
“My point is that you need to be knowledgeable about this because you get questions from customers” about crypto, he said.
Learn more about personal finance:
What to know about buying Series I bonds through TreasuryDirect
A $1 million winning Mega Millions ticket is about to expire
What investors need to know as bitcoin’s value declines
Edelman founded a new company, the Finance Professionals Digital Asset Councilto help the financial sector learn about what it calls “the first major new asset class in 150 years.”
With this, he walked away from the day-to-day business of Edelman Financial Engines, although he was still its largest individual shareholder. He also gave up all of his securities licenses.
CNBC.com caught up with Edelman to learn more about his new book, “The Truth About Crypto,” and what he has in store for bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.
“Bitcoin will most likely be much more valuable than it is today, along with many other parts of the digital asset community,” he told CNBC. “This represents an opportunity for wealth creation that we haven’t seen in 35 years.”
(Editor’s note: This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.)
“Major declines” are not unusual for emerging technologies
Lorie Konish: What is crypto winter and what does it mean for investments in digital assets?
Ric Edelman: A crypto winter refers to a significant drop in the prices of bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital assets. Seven times in the history of bitcoin, its price has fallen by 70% or more, and it has become known as the crypto winter.
It is not uncommon for new emerging technologies to experience significant declines of this degree or frequency. If you look at the first 12 years of Amazon, Apple, Google, you’ll see very similar price performance of their stocks in their early years of development. It is common that you are in the process of innovating new technology, gaining market share and reaching maturity that you see massive price volatility along the way to produce unprecedented levels of profits.
Even though bitcoin has seen these massive declines several times, it has generated a total return of 40 million percent since its inception. Even since 2018, even though bitcoin is now down 70% since November, since 2018 it’s up 7x – not 7% - 7x. That’s what innovation is all about, and you have to maintain a long-term perspective and be prepared to tolerate this kind of incredible volatility along the way.
LK: There were many naysayers in the financial advisory community before this who might see this as proof of what they already believe. What would you say to them?
RE: That they would not tolerate this sentiment if customers were to express this view regarding actions. In the early days of the pandemic, the stock market fell 35% in six weeks. If you look at a short-term period like that and use it as an argument that stocks are risky, too risky to invest in, advisors would say it’s an artificial period. You need to consider a longer period of time to come to a more legit conclusion.
The same is true for crypto. You can easily look at the last nine months and say bitcoin’s 70% decline proves it’s too risky to invest. But if you look at the last four years, with a 7x return, you would have a very different perspective. What I find is that people using this latest decline as an argument against bitcoin is just confirmation bias and recency bias, preconceived advisors grabbing a single data point to prove a argument which is specious in the first place.
LK: What are the risks of not investing in crypto?
RE: In my new book, “The Truth About Crypto,” I recommend a 1% asset allocation to digital assets. This is a whole new asset class. It develops and matures, and it faces many risks. You have the potential for regulatory risk. You run the risk of fraud and abuse. There is a technological risk. There is always the potential for a drop in market demand. For this reason, I recommend a very low single digit allocation to this asset class as part of a diversified portfolio.
Dave Pope (center) works in the Digifox booth setup at Bitcoin Convention 2021, a cryptocurrency conference held in Miami on June 4, 2021.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
That said, if instead of doing 1%, you do zero, you run the risk of being 100% wrong. Bitcoin’s price history has proven that a very low asset allocation, 1% or 2% or 3%, is enough to significantly improve overall portfolio performance. Whereas if bitcoin goes bankrupt and becomes worthless, a 1% loss will not cause you significant financial harm. The risk of not investing means you could be 100% wrong.
LK: As you point out in the book, investing in digital assets does not necessarily mean directly in cryptocurrencies. So you can still expose yourself to this somewhere else?
RE: Absolutely correct. Just because you’re a fan of the auto industry doesn’t mean you should buy General Motors stock. Instead, you could buy shares in companies that make asphalt, because those cars will need roads to drive on. Or you could invest in companies that make white paint, because those roads need to be painted. Or you invest in companies that build traffic lights and stop signs. There are many, many ways to invest in an industrial sector without direct investment. It’s called the pick and shovel approach made famous by Levi Strauss, who never mined for gold during the California Gold Rush, but instead sold jeans to gold diggers. ‘gold.
This same approach can be used in crypto. Instead of buying bitcoin, invest in the companies that facilitate and develop the technology. You can invest in exchange-listed bitcoin miners or crypto exchanges that allow investors to buy and sell crypto. You can invest in Nvidia, which is a computer chip manufacturer that provides the chips bitcoin miners use to mine bitcoin. You can invest in blockchain development companies, such as IBM or Silvergate Bank, which is a government-licensed digital bank. There are many ways to thematically invest in this asset class without directly owning bitcoin itself.
LK: What are the most common misconceptions about crypto that you hear?
RE: The most common is that there is no way to value bitcoin, that bitcoin has no intrinsic value. This is an extraordinarily common mistake, often made by well-respected people in the financial world, such as Jamie Dimon and Warren Buffett. Jamie Dimon is infamous for saying that bitcoin has no intrinsic value.
The problem with economists and market analysts making this statement is that they apply traditional equity economic modeling to crypto. What they don’t understand is that digital assets are a whole new asset class that has nothing in common with the stock market. And trying to apply traditional inventory valuation methodologies to digital assets leads you to the wrong conclusion.
As a market analyst, you would look at a company’s product, you would look at its competitors, its management, its products. You would examine its income and profits. But if you try to do that with bitcoin, you find there’s no business, there’s no employees, there’s no product, no revenue, and no profits. All of these numbers are zeros, which would lead you to conclude that bitcoin has zero intrinsic value, which would lead you to draw the wrong conclusion.
A flag at a 7-Eleven gas station in Lawrenceville, New Jersey advertises a Cash2Bitcoin ATM in March 2021.
Suzanne Barlyn | Reuters
Instead of trying to compare bitcoin like you would comparing IBM stock, you need to recognize that bitcoin, rather than being a commodity, is more of a network. And networks are rated based on the number of users on the network and the growth rate of user adoption. When you look at it from that angle, you can compare it to AT&T, which is a network, or to Netflix or Facebook, which are networks. You begin to realize that the bitcoin network is growing so rapidly that there is an exponential effect of the increase in value of the network itself, which grows exponentially faster than the number of adopted users on the network . This is a fundamental basis for how you recognize that while bitcoin may not have a value, it most certainly does have a price, which is set by the market.
LK: Where do you see crypto in 10 years?
RE: It will be a common part of commerce globally. McKinsey says 70% of global GDP by 2030 will be digital. Every central bank in the world will offer a digital currency, and the functionality of our personal finances through digital assets will be routine.
It’s hard for us to remember that the iPhone is only 14 years old. And yet, today, we couldn’t imagine leaving home without her. Most of us are within a meter of our phones 24/7. Blockchain technology will also be ubiquitous and routine in our lives. The sooner people start realizing this, the sooner they can seize the economic and investment opportunities it represents.


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Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck carried out their second wedding ceremony at Affleck’s Georgia home in Riceboro on Saturday, Aug. 20, with the married couple inviting friends and family to stick to their theme of an all-white color palette. Lopez, 53, tapped Ralph Lauren for her three immaculate wedding gowns, which all took an incredible amount of work and care.
The ruffled, handkerchief dress she wore down the aisle was a reimagination of a turtleneck column sheath, according to a press release from the brand. Complete with over 1,000 handkerchiefs and 500 meters of fabric, the ruffled cap sleeves and voluminous, ruffle-tiered train were meant to evoke the romantic sensibility of the fashion house. The mermaid-style silhouette came complete with an open back and sheer, 20-foot veil that began at the crown of her head and highlighted her slicked-back updo, all the better to catch a glimpse of her Mikimoto pearl drop earrings.
Lopez then switched into a second gown that was completed by 30 artisans across 700 hours and essentially saw her dripping in pearls and Swarovski crystals, all of which were strung onto micro-pleated silk tulle fabric and finished with the same earrings and a pair of Jimmy Choo Maisel sandals.
Lopez’s final Ralph Lauren look also took a mermaid shape and spoke to her brand of sporty glamour with its sheer organza hood and keyhole neckline, adorned with Swarovski crystals around the trim. For this moment, Lopez accessorized with $2 million worth of rare diamonds from Samer Halimeh, thanks to her 27-carat, one-of-a-kind, pear-shaped drop flower marquise earrings.
Affleck, 50, wore a classic tuxedo from Ralph Lauren consisting of a cream dinner jacket over a crisp white bib shirt with a boutonnière to match Lopez’s intricate, mossy green bouquet. His look was finished with black pleated slacks and patent loafers, accented by a black bow tie.
The rest of the wedding party included Lopez’s 14-year-old twins, Max and Emme, and Affleck’s kids: Violet, 16; Seraphina, 13; and Samuel, 10. The five children were also spotted wearing all white.
Lopez, who also worked with Ralph Lauren on her memorable look for the 2021 Met Gala, chose Zuhair Murad for her more intimate ceremony in Las Vegas on July 16, later changing into an Alexander McQueen dress at the chapel — a costume she had saved from the 2004 romantic comedy “Jersey Girl,” which she starred in alongside Affleck.
Ahead, enjoy sketches and a behind-the-scenes video from the Ralph Lauren team, as well as Lopez’s most memorable red carpet moment repping the designer at the Met Gala last year.
Source by www.popsugar.com

domain: news


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PARIS (Reuters) – Credit Agricole (CAGR.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), France’s No. 3 bank, announced a further 3.8 billion euros ($5.2 billion) in charges on Friday as banks struggle to move on from ill-timed deals before the 2008 financial crisis.
The charges come less than three months after Credit Agricole unveiled 3.6 billion euros of writedowns with its third-quarter results and will plunge it to the largest annual loss since it went public in 2001.
PARIS, Feb 1 (Reuters) – Credit Agricole, France’s
No. 3 bank, announced a further 3.8 billion euros ($5.2 billion)
in charges on Friday as banks struggle to move on from ill-timed
deals before the 2008 financial crisis.
The charges come less than three months after Credit
Agricole unveiled 3.6 billion euros of writedowns with its
third-quarter results and will plunge it to the largest annual
loss since it went public in 2001.
PARIS (Reuters) – Private equity firms including Carlyle (CG.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and KKR (KKR.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) this week submitted non-binding offers for control of French fashion brands Maje, Sandro and Claudie Pierlot, sources familiar with the transaction told Reuters.
The auction of the brands, known for their trendy and affordable ready-to-wear garments, has generated close interest in part because of a dearth of similar assets of that size on the market, one of the sources said.
PARIS (Reuters) – Credit Agricole (CAGR.PA: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) sold a 5.2 percent stake in Spain’s Bankinter (BKT.MC: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz), continuing its strategy to refocus on domestic operations, but saw profit from the deal eclipsed by a big charge as its owners revalued their Agricole holding.
Credit Agricole is controlled by a network of French regional banks via holding company SAS Rue La Boetie. The banks have adjusted the value of their stake to account for a drop in Agricole’s shares which despite recent gains are worth less than half the price of their December 2001 initial public offering.
The bank said it would write down an unspecified portion of 384 million euros ($510.58 million) in goodwill on its balance sheet for brokerage Newedge in the fourth quarter, and would take a charge on its own debt of more than 605 million euros.
PARIS, Jan 16 (Reuters) – Societe Generale shares
fell as much as 4.9 percent on Wednesday after the French bank’s
outgoing chief financial officer told analysts about
fourth-quarter write-downs and rising loan losses.
Bertrand Badre, who is leaving in March to join the World
Bank, said at a private dinner on Tuesday the bank faced a
goodwill impairment from restructuring brokerage Newedge of
between 200 million euros to 384 million euros and an accounting
loss on its own debt of up to 1 billion ($1.33 billion),
according to analysts who attended.
PARIS/MILAN, Dec 20 (Reuters) – French bank Credit Agricole
, having paid billions of euros to extricate itself
from an ill-fated Greek acquisition, is now struggling with
rising loan losses in Italy.
Its 19 billion euro ($25.2 billion) Italian consumer credit
unit Agos Ducato, the latest of a series of soured foreign bets,
is already reeling and Agricole last month took a shock 572
million euro quarterly goodwill provision for the unit.
LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) – French state bank Caisse des Depots (CDC) has teamed up with Abu Dhabi investment fund ADIA ADIAIN.UL to form a powerful consortium to bid for Total’s (TOTF.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) TIGF gas network business, sources said.
The move increases pressure on rival contenders for TIGF, which sources say is worth 2.5 billion euros (1.98 billion pounds), as a late-January deadline for final bids approaches, people familiar with the situation told Reuters.
PARIS, Nov 30 (Reuters) – French banks will be able to adapt
easily to changes proposed by President Francois Hollande and
will escape the more stringent measures being adopted by the
United States and Britain.
“This is really not ‘finance as the enemy’,” said Fabrice
Asvazadourian, a consultant at Roland Berger in Paris, referring
to the softening of Hollande’s stance towards the industry since
his anti-bank election campaign.
PARIS/JAKARTA, Nov 20 (Reuters) – Carrefour is
selling its 60 percent stake in its Indonesian supermarket
operations to local partner CT Corp for $673 million, the latest
move by the European retailer to retreat from secondary markets.
The world’s No. 2 retailer after Wal-Mart Corp has
been reducing its presence elsewhere in Asia, part of a plan to
cut debt and refocus on core operations. It sold its Malaysian
operations last month to Aeon, Japan’s No. 1
supermarket operator, and has said it would close its two stores


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Natural Rubber supply will be short of demand from 2020, says ANRPC secretary general
Research in rubber plantation sector should focus on the impact of climate change on rubber cultivation and strategies to combat the possible adverse impact.
Speaking at the ninth annual rubber conference of ANRPC, an inter-governmental organization of major rubber producing countries, at Guwahati on Monday, she said the price of natural rubber is not determined by demand and supply alone, but is strongly influenced by the general trend in commodity market, crude oil prices and exchange rate of currencies of major NR-exporting countries. Owing to this, NR prices need not always reflect the imbalance between demand and supply.
Earlier inaugurating the event K K Mittal, additional chief secretary and production commissioner of Assam urged the stakeholders to target a paradigm shift in thinking, conceptualizing, formulating and implementing development strategies to sustain NR.
He said that there is a growing concern on climate change and its impact on crop production. Research in rubber plantation sector should focus on the impact of climate change on rubber cultivation and strategies to combat the possible adverse impact.
He also said that rubber product manufacturing sectors in India and abroad have not accorded due recognition for the environment-friendliness of NR while deciding on the raw material composition.
Rubber Board chairman Ajith Kumar said prolonged slump in demand and price of NR, currently being witnessed, can be attributed mainly to supply-demand imbalances emanating from production cycles typical to perennial crops; deceleration in industrial activities globally; and relatively low petroleum prices.
Projections by international agencies generally indicate that low commodity prices would prevail for some more time before recovering, he added. He released a new rubber clone, RRII 208, developed by Rubber Research Institute of India for exclusive cultivation in the northeast.
The theme of the ANRPC Conference this year was “Preparing for the Paradigm Shift”.


text: Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder recently got his hands on what will be one of the first battery-electric cars in the U.S., the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Besides being propelled by a virtually quiet electric motor, the i-MiEV drives and feels like any other car, Wiesenfelder says. It even has decent cargo space in comparison to its tiny footprint. Still, with a limited total range — especially when you start trying to control the cabin temperature — is the i-MiEV a realistic heir apparent to today’s gas chuggers? Watch the video to find out.


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Pull out the camping gear, grab the makings for s’mores and leave the wallet at home for a night of free camping with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The night of free camping will be available at 54 campgrounds within Ohio State Parks on Thursday, April 18.
“I want to encourage Ohioans to start their weekend early by camping at one of our Ohio State Parks campgrounds for free,” ODNR Director James Zehringer said. “This is an excellent opportunity for families to explore new parts of Ohio and find out what is available within our state parks system.”
For this promotion, campers can make a free reservation for a stay that includes the Free Camping Day. To make the reservation, people must call the Ohio State Parks Reservation Call Center at (866) 644-6727. Customers can also reserve online but will pay the standard reservation fee. Walkins are also welcome on April 18, but space is limited.
For more information about Ohio State Parks campground availability, reservations and amenities, go to: http://bit.ly/freecamping.
This promotion will not be available at Jackson Lake State Park or Strouds Run State Park, as these are concession-operated campgrounds.
Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has released figures quantifying the economic impact of outdoor recreation in all 50 states, with a separate report for each state that tallies direct spending, jobs, salaries and tax revenue. This data demonstrates that outdoor recreation is an important driver of state economies, supporting jobs, businesses and communities.
In Ohio, Americans spend $17.4 billion on outdoor recreation, supporting 196,100 Ohio jobs, generating $5.1 billion in wages, and producing $1.3 billion in state and local tax revenue. Ohio offers spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities at treasured destinations, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Salt Fork State Park and many others, providing the types of outdoor experiences that produce these economic benefits.
The state-by-state figures expand upon a national report OIA published in June 2012, which found that nationally Americans spend $646 billion each year on outdoor recreation, directly supporting 6.1 million jobs and generating nearly $80 billion in tax revenue.
“Outdoor recreation is a growing American industry that produces significant economic benefits,” Will Manzer, chair of the OIA Board of Directors and former CEO of Eastern Mountain Sports, said. “For example, Americans spend almost twice as much on outdoor recreation as they spend on pharmaceuticals each year. And outdoor recreation supports more than twice as many jobs as the oil and gas industry.”
Outdoor recreation creates diverse jobs in product development, manufacturing, marketing, logistics, sales, retail, public land management, guiding services and more. It also supports service sector and other jobs when people spend money on trips and travel-related expenses associated with outdoor pursuits.
With nearly 140 million Americans participating in outdoor activities each year, outdoor recreation is a larger and more critical sector of the American economy than most people realize. The outdoor industry can continue to generate jobs and be an economic driver in the United States if parks, waters and trails are managed as a system designed to sustain these economic dividends for America.
“Outdoor recreation is good for the American economy and our future,” Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of OIA, said. “When we invest in the nation’s network of public lands and waters, we are protecting and enhancing outdoor experiences for the benefit of the thousands of businesses, communities and families whose livelihoods depends on the outdoor recreation economy.”
The new data is an expansion to OIA’s 2006 study and tracks direct jobs as well as direct consumer spending on gear, vehicles, trips and travel in 10 activity categories. OIA commissioned Southwick Associates, a research firm that specializes in shooting sports, hunting, angling, natural resource and environmental economics, to perform the research. Motorcycle Industry Council and National Marine Manufacturers Association contributed funding and data to support this study.
The national report as well as a one page fact sheet for each U.S. state is available on the OIA website at www.outdoorindustry.org/recreationeconomy.


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RFID Journal Announces Winners of Its 13th Annual Awards
Grupo Boticário, BAE Systems, Adventist Health-White Memorial Medical Center and HP are among this year's winners, which were announced last week at the 17th annual RFID Journal LIVE! conference, held in Phoenix, Ariz.
Apr 08, 2019—
At the RFID Journal LIVE! 2019 conference and exhibition, held last week in Phoenix, Ariz., RFID Journal announced the winners of its 13th annual RFID Journal Awards. The winners were selected in six different end-user categories:
Best Retail RFID Implementation
Best Manufacturing RFID Implementation
Best Health-Care RFID Implementation
Best RFID Implementation (Other Industry)
Best Use of RFID to Enhance a Product or Service
In addition, RFID Journal presented the Best New Product award to RF Controls for its overhead reader system which enables companies to track tagged goods between zones, as well as update tasks and workflow based on real-time location data. Furthermore, the editors gave this year's RFID Special Achievement Award to the IEEE Council on RFID for its work in producing the annual IEEE RFID event and promoting the work of RFID researchers from around the world.
"The projects and products submitted this year were among the most impressive the judges have ever seen," says Mark Roberti, RFID Journal's founder and editor. "We are certainly seeing how RFID has matured into a technology that is delivering real value to companies in different industries and different areas of the world."
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A mailing is going around promising that for a fee you can get everything you need to turn your family pet into a service dog.
It's being called the "Service Dog Scam" and it makes cracking down on service dog fakers very hard.
"They are basically telling people to violate the law by doing this," said disability rights advocate Lou Erteschik.
Erteschik got very upset when he saw a 15-page color brochure that's arriving in mailboxes.
It claims customers can legally turn their family pets into service dogs if they pay anywhere from $69 to $197, plus extra for rush delivery.
They can receive service dog ID cards and certificates.
The problem is, there is no federal process for certifying service dogs.
"This, to me, creates a backlash and it sets back the disability movement because these people are obviously fakers and the people who use their service are likely to be fakers," said Erteschik.
Legitimate service dogs help people every day.
But others try to claim that their family dogs are service animals, trying to get them access to public facilities
"At its core, it's deceptive advertising and the least, at the worst, it's another scam," said Erteschik.
The head of the Better Business Bureau says the Oregon-based company behind the brochure has a history of get-rich-quick schemes.
"And it's unfortunate that scams such as this and deceptive marketing lead people to believe that it's okay to represent your family pet as something that it's not," says Gregory Dunn.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a business cannot require a person with a service animal to disclose what disability they have, or provide proof the dog is certified, according to consumer advocate Angus McKelvey.
"People are now being able to get fraudulent badges and certificates saying 'this is an actual service animal to help me with a disability' when there's no such thing. They just want to be able to bring their dog into the restaurants or on the plane or everything else," said McKelvey.
While a business owner can't ask about a person's disability, they can ask what work or task the animal has been trained to perform. If the dog misbehaves, barks, jumps or soils the premises, the owner can ask for the dog to be removed.
Click here for answers to some common questions about service dogs.


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Intel yesterday demonstrated a sample of its future microprocessor line including a Pentium 4 with a record clock rate of 2Ghz.
In his keynote speech at Intel's Developer Forum (IDF) in California, Albert Yu, senior vice president and general manager of the company's architecture group, also unveiled new developments in other Intel processor families.
Several Pentium 4 demonstrations were made including one of an air-cooled Pentium 4 processor-based system running at 2Ghz.
Yu said a new Rapid Execution Engine will execute frequently used instructions at twice the clock speed of the rest of the microprocessor, and a new 400Mhz system bus will allow the Pentium 4 to input and output data three times faster than Intel's Pentium III.
He said specific attention was focused on internet, imaging, streaming video, speech, 3D, multimedia and multi-tasking applications. "The Pentium 4 will be the fastest desktop processor in the world," he claimed.
Yu also demonstrated a desktop PC with a 1.4Ghz Pentium 4 chip and 400Mhz Rambus DirectRAM. He said the new chip provides higher video frame rates and more realistic three-dimensional graphics.
Another highlight during Yu's speech was the announcement of an Itanium server cluster running Linux. He highlighted the 'fail over' capabilities of the system which can keep an application running even when one machine in the cluster goes down.
"Intel has shipped more than 6000 prototype systems and more than 18,000 Itanium processors," he said. Beta versions of Itanium processor-based systems, running Windows, HP-UX, Linux and AIX, are scheduled to ship to end users in the fourth quarter.
Yu also announced that a 1Ghz Pentium III Xeon chip for servers is available now, but admitted that the 1Ghz Pentium III chip for desktop PCs is still in short supply.
"We are making solid progress and marching forward," he said.
Found by calculating the strength of the material deep inside the crust of neutron stars
Can highlight in real-time the relevant regions of an image being described
Double legal trouble for Musk as he also faces civil lawsuit over renewed British pot-holer 'paedo' claims
Battery development could help boost performance of smartphones


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Fashion Forward Dubai dates confirmed: Oct 30 - Nov 2 2019
- Fashion Forward Dubai is set to return this October with innovative new features
- Event will take place from October 30 to November 2 at Dubai Design District
- Participating designers will be confirmed by the end of June
- The fashion extravagancza will showcase global designs as well as excluive collections to the Middle East
Fashion Forward returns to Dubai in October, taking place from the 30 October to 2 November at the Dubai design District ( d3). The event will bring its 'shop now' element, which has already been seen in other countries.
Pop-up shops will be available, making shopping on the spot accessible. Aside from its pop up shops, there will also be an online platform where you will be able to purchase looks seen on the runway. The new feature available is aimed at providing exposure for the regional fashion industry, and reawakening the global brand and partner activations across the venue.
The fashion show will include runway shows, couture, ready to wear designs, and accessory presentations. Launched in 2013, Fashion Forward Dubai has been an important platform for both, emerging and established designers from the region, and is considering applications from well known international designers that have an interest in the region.
“We’re delighted to welcome back Dubai’s leading fashion event, Fashion Forward to d3 this year. This year will see even more designers participating and a greater number of our own business partners playing a central role in the programming,” says Khadija Al Bastaki, executive director of Dubai Design District


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More details of the rumoured PlayStation 4.5 (codenamed PS4K) have been revealed. And, it has been reported that the console will be announced before the launch of PlayStation VR.
Kotaku was the first to reveal about the rumoured console, Eurogamer, and they backed their version with a thorough analysis. Now, the Wall Street Journal has reported that PlayStation 4.5 may be revealed before PlayStation VR's launch.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, the new console is touted to feature "ultra-high definition resolution graphics" and with this, Sony aims to "capture gamers willing to pay for a richer gaming environment, including a high-end virtual-reality experience."
The report also stated that the new console will have "enhanced graphics and power," and the games would work on both the platforms. It added that the PS4 and PS4.5 are likely to "share the same software catalog," which would save PS4 users from buying the new console for the upcoming gaming titles.
The report cited sources as suggesting that the console is likely to be announced before October, prior to the launch of PlayStation VR.
Sony had previously claimed the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive were superior to PlayStation VR, mostly due to the powerful PC that they run on, and PlayStation 4.5 could bridge this gap.
There was no mention of the price of PlayStation 4.5 console. GameSpot reported that Sony had declined to comment on the matter.
It is likely that this rumoured console might be unveiled at the E3 2016, which takes place in June.


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Procedure for e-stamps of up to ₹500 taken online in Uttar Pradesh
Noida: People needing low-value e-stamps for routine works such as affidavit, rent agreement, authorisation letter, etc. need not visit stamp vendors anymore as the Uttar Pradesh government has taken the process online.
Ministhy S, the UP commissioner of stamps, in a letter stated that the Stock Holding Corporation of India sells e-stamps at its authorised centres. “Low value e-stamps are on demand in the state, and ensuring their availability is important. Considering this, and for ease of doing business, the government approved to be made online e-stamps (self-printing) up to ₹500 on February 25, 2021,” she wrote.
Individuals need to visit the corporation’s website (https://shcilestamp.com/) and register themselves using an ID and a password. Payment can be made through net banking, debit or credit cards, after which the e-stamp will be generated, which can be printed. However, the stamps issued by vendors will still be valid.
S K Tripathi, assistant commissioner stamps, and assistant inspector of general registration of Gautam Budh Nagar, said the new initiative will the people. “There are various works like rent agreement, internships, authorisation letter, etc. in which e-stamps of low amount are required. Earlier, people needed to visit the authorised centre of the corporation or the local stamp vendor. This new initiative will help people to get the e-stamps online,” he said.
Surinder Bhatia, Noida branch manager, Stock Holding Corporation of India Limited, confirmed that the Corporation has received the letter. “We are updating the system to integrate the required changes. The e-stamps up to ₹500 will be issued online soon,” he said.


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- The Drum, Thursday, April 24, 2014 7:07 AM
For the first time, more than half of Facebook's growing advertising revenue now comes from mobile. Figures released for Q1 show an 82% hike in overall ad revenue to $2.27bn, year-on-year, of which
mobile now accounts for 59%. In Q1 2013, mobile accounted for 30% of advertising revenue. Daily active users are also up by 21%, to 802m. In mobile, daily active users has leapt 43% year-on-year to
hit 609m. Research from eMarketer suggests Facebook will increase its share of global mobile ad spend from 17.5% in 2013 to 21.67% this year. Google is predicted to have a 46.78% share.
Read the whole story at The Drum »


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|FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2009
Release # 09-291
Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 304-3769
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product.
Name of Product: Purdy 2 ?" 4-Edge Scrapers
Units: About 76,000
Distributor: The Sherwin-Williams Co., of Cleveland, Ohio
Manufacturer: Allway Tools Inc., of Bronx, New York
Hazard: The recalled scraper's body can break away from the handle when struck against a hard object. This poses a laceration hazard to users.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received four reports of the scraper's body separating from the handle. There have been no reported injuries.
Description: The recalled scraper is a 2 ?" wide steel tool with a four-sided edge. The handle has a soft black grip with "Purdy" printed in red letters on the side of the handle.
Sold at: Sherwin-Williams Paint stores, Duron Paint stores, MA Bruder Paint stores, United Paint Stores, Norfolk Paint Stores, Mercury Paint Stores, Old Quaker Paint Stores, Flex Bon Paint Stores and Columbia Paint Stores nationwide from February 2009 through June 2009 for about $9.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should stop using the recalled scraper immediately and return it to any Sherwin-Williams store or the place of purchase for a free replacement.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Sherwin-Williams at (888) 304-3769 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the firm's Web site at www.sherwin-williams.com
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC’s work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
For lifesaving information:
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800


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As per the findings of North American Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Statistical Program, IPC has announced the book-to-bill ratio which stands at 1.03 for the month of April 2022.
The total PCB shipments have gone up by 2.1 percent as compared to last year. However, in comparison to the preceding month, the shipments in April have fallen by 20.4 percent.
Shawn DuBravac, IPC’s chief economist commented, “The disconnect between shipments and orders is likely driven by backlogs for other components. Companies are disinclined to place PCB orders if they are waiting on other components. Despite strong shipments, the book-to-bill remains above 1.”


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Walt Disney World has announced some of the menu items that can be expected to make an appearance at Andy’s Lunch Box, the new eatery that will make its debut on June 30, 2018 at the grand opening of Toy Story Land in Disney’s Hollywood Studios – and even gave us some photos to drool over until that time comes!
The littlest toys can enjoy a grilled cheese sandwich or turkey sandwich, both served with potato barrels and mandarin oranges. For toys looking for more lighter options, they can grab one of these tasty bites at Woody’s Lunch Box or check out the many other healthful offerings available at Disney’s Hollywood Studios including fresh fruits and vegetables, salads, and grilled meats and fish.
The big kids can enjoy the backyard with Grown-Up’s Lemonade cocktail (cherry vodka, Odwalla Lemonade, and black cherry purée), beer, or hard cider.
Help your friends and family plan a magical vacation


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Business owners looking to sell or transfer their business to a family member may have some tax decisions to make if the Biden administration gets its tax code revisions through Congress this year.
Don Petrille, senior lawyer with High Swartz, Doylestown, said the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act created a lot of exemptions for business owners. However, many of those could go away by 2026, if not sooner.
The Biden administration’s American Jobs Plan would change the current Step-up in Basis law that Petrille explains using stock purchases as an example. “If you buy a stock at $10, that is your basis. If it appreciated to $15, your capital gain is $5,” he said. “If you give the stock to someone, they get your basis. So, under the current rules, the basis is based on what it is worth (when bought).”
That relates to selling a company. If an owner sells a company, the basis is what it is worth when it was started. Under the Biden proposal, the basis would be what the company is worth when sold. That will increase capital gains taxes.
John Reed, partner with Barley Snyder, Lancaster, expected capital gains to increase last year. “We all think change is coming, but we don’t know when.”
The takeaway, he said, “if someone is thinking about retiring, they should do it now when we know what the rules are.”
Colin Keefe, partner with Fitzpatrick, Lentz & Bubba, Allentown, agreed. “It’s a good time to sell because we believe taxes will go up in 2022.”
Reed said succession planning comes with many challenges. The proposed changes could make the financial challenges even greater.
“There is risk inherent in this,” he said. “If (the owner) needs to get money out of the business (to live on), he may sell to others and rely on monthly income. There is risk in that,” he said. “You hand control over to someone else and you no longer have control over the running of the operation.”
Petrille said owners have to take a holistic approach to keep the business going. “You have to look at what the departing owner is taking with him; his knowledge, vendor relationships, and what he contributes daily to the operation. How are you going to finance that?”
Insurance can offer some protection, he said. It can be used to retain people who can run the business or to get through rough times during the transition.
Many entrepreneurs will use a self-directed IRA to start a business, he said. The ownership is then tied to that. The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act (SECURE) of 2019 says if you inherit an IRA, or a business funded by one, you have to liquidate it and pay income tax and penalties or pay income tax on the money over a 10-year period.
“This is also integrated with estate planning because you own a business and that business has value which is taxed by Pennsylvania,” he said. “So, you need to have liquidity to pay the taxes owed nine months after the person’s death.”
Inheritance tax now stands at 4.5 % for children and 12% for siblings.
“Business owners are perceived to be wealthy,” Petrille said. “But wealth doesn’t always mean you have liquidity.”
Consider the construction worker who starts his own business using his personal truck, he said. The basis for this business is zero. But, as the business grows, and the owner hires more workers, buys more trucks and maybe even establishes a shop, the business value goes up. And though the value has increased, there may be no extra cash flow. If the owner sells the capital gains would be on the basis of zero.
If the Biden plan is passed, the basis would be on the value of the company at time of sale. “So, if the business is worth, say $10 million, the taxes could total $4 million. Where do you get the cash to make the transaction?”
Keefe said it is a good time to sell if a business owner is thinking of retiring. “There are lots of buyers right now and the interest rates are still low.”
Biden’s tax plan is in committee. The proposed $4 trillion of new federal spending over 10 years will be partially funded with higher taxes on individuals and businesses. Members of the House and Senate have put forth bills that include everything from increases in capital gains and corporate income taxes to new individual and business tax credits, according to the Tax Foundation.


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Seen at CEDIA 2010
At this year’s CEDIA Expo, held in Atlanta at the end of September, I felt that the mood on the show floor was decidedly upbeat. The positive vibe exuded by many suggested that the worst of the recession is over and that business is actually starting to pick back up.
As if to prove this, the Expo drew a slight increase over 2009’s numbers, with nearly 21,000 installers and a total of 453 exhibitors on hand. Perhaps most promising was that nearly 20% of the attendees and 90 exhibitors were first-timers, showing that the industry — and the Expo — continues to bring in new blood. CEDIA CEO Utz Baldwin commented, “The steady booth traffic, the increase in exhibitingcompanies, and the number of new attendees are all early indicators that our industry is poised for a resurgence.” I totally agree.
While the Expo also offers installers significant educational opportunities to help stay on top of their game, it’s all about the show floor for me. That’s where I look for the trends and themes that point to where the industry is heading — at least for the next few months, until CES comes along in January. Here are some of the top items that caught my eyes and ears at this show, my 12th CEDIA.


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Philippines’ outsourcing industry growing strong: World Bank
The Philippines’ business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is healthy and growing, according to the World Bank in this story from the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Despite some recent reports that the industry had seen recent declines, the World Bank’s report showed a healthy services sector actually making up for lost tourism revenue.
US based companies have been saving around 80% on operation costs by outsourcing administrative functions to the Philippines. Low labor costs, available skills, English language ability and government promotion including tax incentives had all worked to grow the industry in recent years. New BPO firms have a tax holiday of eight years, with only minimal income tax requirements thereafter.
It’s estimated that around half a million Filipinos work in business process jobs and more than 400,000 new graduates join the total workforce every year, many of them with exactly the kind of skills foreign companies are seeking. The country may even have taken the BPO crown from India, which has enjoyed more recognition until now as the Western world’s outsourcing capital.
- Could Indonesia overtake Thailand as an auto manufacturer?
- Clark International Airport becoming an important Philippines hub
- Singapore tightens conditions for foreign workers
- Philippines’ special economic zones expect further growth
- Infrastructure, construction boom in Southeast Asia: Reuters
- Philippines credit rating now one notch under investment-grade
- Philippines opening up business links in New Zealand under FTA
- Singapore’s job market heavily weighted in workers’ favor
- Investors behind Philippines projects ’100%’ but wary
- Philippines services exports: an impressive decade


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Delays at ports will prevent deliveries of alcohol reaching our pubs, bars and restaurants, The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has told Imbibe.
'This will stifle businesses which rely on offering UK consumers a diverse range of drinks,' Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, said.
'Wine and spirits alone are worth £10 billion to the hospitality industry in the UK. In 2015/2016 pubs sold 125 million bottles of wine, of which over 99% were imported. We must ensure that trade is not held up backlogs and gridlock,' he added.
The WSTA has today offered the Government a stark warning that if Brexit talks don’t achieve frictionless borders, delays and gridlocks at ports will encourage the resurgence of alcohol smugglers.
'The triggering of Article 50 next week has prompted concern from WSTA members who fear post-Brexit red tape will bring customs to a standstill and transform key ports and surrounding roads into lorry parks,' Beale added.
'The UK wine trade is worth £17.3 billion in economic activity. We import 1.8bn bottles of wine into Britain worth £2.8bn. The equivalent of 1bn bottles of wine come from the EU,' the WSTA said.
'The majority of wine imports arrive by boat and are transferred to lorries to be distributed across the country. On average, Dover alone handles 290 lorries per hour, carrying a range of goods, which works out at one every 12.4 seconds.'
Imports from and exports to countries from outside the European Union are subject to customs controls. Goods from the EU are free to be moved on with no extra checks, safeguarded by EU standards and the terms of the single market, according to the WSTA.
When the UK leaves the customs union, it would see more than double the volume of cargo that could be subject to inspection at British ports.
'All British ports’ operations are designed around the "just in time" principle, so there isn’t the capacity for hold ups,' Beale said.


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LONDON — For all its modern talk of transparency, the jewelry trade is an opaque business and always has been. The nature of the merchandise — small, valuable, easy to misrepresent and even easier to steal — necessitates a culture of discretion and secrecy. This may explain why, in London’s jewelry quarter almost four centuries ago, someone went to great lengths to conceal a very big secret.
Around 1650, a mystery person stashed a trove of Elizabethan and Jacobean jewels in a cellar beneath a tenement on the western end of a commercial street known as Cheapside — and never showed up to reclaim it. Scholars surmise that a jeweler may have buried his stock-in-trade for safekeeping before leaving to fight in the English Civil Wars of 1642 to 1651 .
A carnelian intaglio, engraved with the heraldic badge of Viscount Stafford, provides a clue: The title was awarded in 1640, meaning the valuables were hidden after that year. The cellar itself provides another: it belonged to a house that appears to have burned to the ground with the rest of the neighborhood in the Great Fire of 1666.
The gems stayed hidden until June 1912, when a worker on a demolition crew broke through the floorboards of 30-32 Cheapside and struck a wooden casket. To his astonishment, it contained a tangled mass of exotic gemstones, ancient cameos, enameled chains and golden trinkets.
Dubbed the Cheapside Hoard, the mysterious cache — much of it still caked with bits of earth — found its way to a pawnbroker and antiquities trader named George Fabian Lawrence, better known as Stony Jack, “the bloke at Wandsworth who buys old stones and bits of pottery,” as a laborer quoted by The Daily Herald described him.
Stony Jack recognized the historic significance of the find and brought it to the attention of Lewis Harcourt, then a government minister and trustee of the nascent London Museum, who was later raised to the peerage as the first Viscount Harcourt. Determined to secure the Hoard for the museum, which had not yet opened, Harcourt and the other trustees kept it secret for two years, placating officials from rival institutions with a few pieces from the collection in exchange for their complicity.
“It was museum politics at its most heightened,” said Sharon Ament, director of the Museum of London, which was reborn in 1968 when the London Museum merged with the Guildhall Museum. “Clearly, Viscount Harcourt was very canny. He knew he was looking at something truly spectacular.”
As of last month, thousands of visitors to what is now the Museum of London can say the same thing. At long last, the entire Hoard — about 500 pieces, including a beguiling salamander pin set with emerald cabochons, a fob watch encased in a hexagonal hunk of Colombian emerald and an enameled gold scent bottle encrusted with chalcedony, rubies, opals and diamonds — is on display for the first time in a much-anticipated exhibition running through April 27.
The parade of Elizabethan and Early Stuart finery is remarkable for the simple reason that it exists. Unlike most jewels from past centuries, which were dismantled and melted down when fashions changed or their owners needed a quick spot of cash, the pieces in the Hoard have improbably survived as singular testaments to life in London at a dynamic point in its history.
“What’s so romantic about Cheapside is that it was a meeting of worlds,” said Shaun Leane, a London jeweler who appears in a BBC documentary about the Hoard.
Before the neighborhood was razed by fire, it was the 17th-century equivalent of New York’s modern Diamond District: a hub of commerce, creativity and craftsmanship fueled by an influx of immigrant artisans working with extraordinary gem materials imported from around the globe.
In a richly detailed book that accompanies the exhibition, the curator, Hazel Forsyth, describes the Hoard as a time capsule from an era when British explorers sailed the high seas in search of exotic goods to bring back to Britannia: “Among these are emeralds from Colombia; heliodors from Brazil; chrysoberyls, spinels, moonstones, sapphires and iolites from Sri Lanka; rubies, chalcedony, diamonds and garnets from India; lapis lazuli and turquoise from Afghanistan, Iran and the Sinai Peninsula; peridots from the Red Sea island of Zebriget; malachite and azurite from Russia; and rock crystal and amber from Continental Europe.”
Alas, one gem gets short shrift: The Hoard once contained scores of pearls, but most deteriorated or disintegrated during their spell in the cellar.
Even more astonishing than the Hoard’s eclectic mix of materials, or the fact that its baubles have survived for centuries, is how little has changed in the industry that created them.
“You could so easily picture someone reaching into a case and wearing one of the gold pendants out for the evening,” said Mish Tworkowski, a New York jeweler and patron of the exhibition. “They are very contemporary — and some are 400 years old.”
Echoed Mr. Leane: “When you look at the rings, especially the signet rings, they don’t look that old.”
Over the ages, jewelry has maintained an aesthetic continuity that few consumer goods can rival.
Take the Victorian era’s predilection for blackened silver, alive and well in today’s vogue for oxidized metals, or the perennially popular Art Deco style, which had a major pop culture moment earlier this year with the release of Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby.” Contemporary jewelers are even revisiting styles pioneered as far back as 700 B.C., when the ancient Etruscans developed specialized techniques of gold granulation.
Indeed, jewelry’s role as a symbol of wealth, status and belonging designed for wear on the human body is as old as culture itself. “When prehistoric man was looking for a mate, he’d collect twigs, rocks, shells — whatever was on the ground — he’d put a hole in it, he’d put it on a string and he’d cross mountains in search of a mate,” said the jewelry historian Joyce Jonas. “They’d put on their finery as a sign of who they were, how comfortable they were, how successful they were and to show they were part of a community.”
“And tell me what’s changed?” Ms. Jonas concluded.
If jewelry’s function as a keepsake of love or token of power has remained constant, so, by and large, have the methods by which it is constructed.
“Without exception, every jeweler that has been to the exhibition has jumped up and down with excitement and said, ‘That looks exactly like my workshop,”’ said Ms. Forsyth, describing a museum display that recreates a Cheapside jewelry studio, complete with a traditional jeweler’s bench and tools.
So great are the parallels between jewelry-making now and then that if a contemporary designer, well trained in hand fabrication, were transported centuries back in time, the skills required to manufacture a piece of jewelry would look utterly familiar: ingot making; alloying; hammering and forging; wire making; stone setting; lost wax casting; chasing and repoussé; enameling; engraving; polishing and finishing.
“Mass market jewelry has changed enormously, but for the pieces coming out of the finest houses, you could make a lot of the jewelry the same way as back then and get the same result,” said Tim McClelland, co-founder of McTeigue & McClelland, a high-end jeweler in Great Barrington, Mass. “If someone cut off the electricity in a workshop, you could still make jewelry.”
Of course, jewelers working under such limited conditions in the pre-Information Age past had something almost every modern jeweler lacks: time. The Cheapside Hoard brims with pieces bearing testament to a painstaking process of creation.
“Jewels of apparently ‘simple’ design, such as the group of 10 gold wire pendants decorated with alternating bands of enamel and pearls, were in fact extremely complex to make,” Ms. Forsyth writes in her book, “The Cheapside Hoard: London’s Lost Jewels.”
“At least 27 separate processes were needed to produce one pendant,” she wrote, “and before production could begin, the materials had to be sourced, ordered and prepared.”
Deliberate, systematic and meticulous — the work required to produce the pearl pendants that Ms. Forsyth describes says something else about the milieu in which the Hoard was created: “It was the beginning of the end of medieval jewelry,” Mr. McClelland said. “Alchemy was giving way to chemistry. Astrology was turning into astronomy.”
“In a sense, there was no one who was doing more advanced science and experimentation,” he said. “Jewelers were chemists and metallurgists, engineers and geologists.”
Today, nearly four centuries after the Hoard was buried, contemporary jewelers are on the brink of an equally drastic shift in perspective.
The change can be observed in the revamped classrooms at the Southern California campus of the Gemological Institute of America. In May 2012, the school replaced a 26-week course, Applied Jewelry Arts, with a new program, Jewelry Design and Technology.
The program is taught using a bank of computer stations equipped with computer-aided design, or CAD, software to yield results that have long been accomplished by human hands. Instead of focusing on wax carving, for example, the Gemological Institute of America now teaches digital technologies pioneered by the medical and aerospace industries: additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping and 3D printing.
“We discovered that we can teach wax carving for a year and the ability to obtain symmetry is still not as likely as if you CAD model something and put it on a machine — which is one reason our industry has adopted these techniques,” said Mark B. Mann, the institute’s director of global jewelry manufacturing arts.
The quest for precision is one way to explain the jewelry industry’s embrace of technology. Productivity is another, said Erik Stewart, a designer and graduate of the institute based in Tucson, Ariz. “CAD is such an important thing,” he said. “Inspiration and creativity take time and you’re not paid for that. So, when it comes to the work at the bench, it’s always about making that more efficient.”
The debate between traditionalists and technophiles is sure to rage on. A common complaint among the former is that the “soul” of a piece of jewelry is lost when computers supplant human beings. But a few recent developments suggest that even as the future of jewelry-making becomes more efficient and, inevitably, more digital, the design talent and technical ingenuity of jewelers past will continue to influence the industry’s collective imagination.
In September, the television shopping channel QVC, a behemoth of 21st century jewelry retailing, unveiled a replica collection of 14-karat gold-plated jewelry inspired by the Hoard, “using many of the manufacturing techniques that would have been applied to the original items,” according to Doug Moger, a gem and jewelry buyer.
For an even more compelling sign that jewelry’s past is, in fact, quite present, just look to the fascinating work being done at Birmingham City University’s jewelry industry innovation center, in Britain.
Ann-Marie Carey, a research fellow at the center and her colleague, Keith Adcock, have spent the past two and half years working with the Museum of London to study, 3D scan, and print replicas of a handful of pieces from the Hoard to create a “visual narrative” of how they were constructed. The goal is to manufacture “a handling collection” that encourages museum-goers to touch, hold and wear pieces from the Hoard without damaging the fragile originals.
“It’s an interesting collaboration between cutting-edge technology and medieval techniques,” Ms. Carey said.
She described the forensic work that went into duplicating a number of caged pearl droppers whose three-dimensional pendant-like forms had, over time, been denuded of pearls. “We were left with this skeleton and it was just asking us to dress it properly,” she said.
Using CAD modeling and laser sintering, a process by which metallic powder is fused into a three-dimensional form, Ms. Carey and Mr. Adcock reproduced the droppers in bronze, gold-plated them, and attached white cultured pearls to their delicate caging.
At the museum’s opening party Oct. 10, which drew 1,200 people, each wore a replica of the dropper. Ms. Carey placed hers on a silk organza ribbon around her neck, and Mr. Adcock, somewhat bravely, sported his as an earring.
Toward the end of the night, Ms. Carey encountered a security guard, who said he couldn’t help but notice her pearl pendant, a jewel originally designed and built in the Elizabethan era by anonymous artisans using hand skills passed down through generations, and now rebuilt, 400 years later, in a Birmingham lab using high-tech lasers.
In that moment, the notion of the jewelry industry as “a living museum,” as Ms. Carey wrote in May in a white paper about the Hoard, rang truer than ever.
“It was really nice to be stopped by the security man,” she said. “He didn’t know what to make of me.”


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Photo gallery Cooking up Cranniverscherry
Cranniverscherry cheese was created as the official cheese of the University of Wisconsin’s 175th anniversary celebration by mixing in ingredients from across Wisconsin: Door County tart cherries, Wisconsin Rapids cranberries and of course, milk from Wisconsin cows.
The first batch of the brick-style cheese was made in the newly renovated Babcock Dairy Plant earlier this semester, which has produced more than 20 styles of cheese since its founding in 1951. The cheese is for sale at the Babcock Dairy Store and select retailers.
Cheesemaker Joey Jaeggi mixes the cultured pasteurized milk and enzymes as the cheese-making process starts.
Jaeggi, left, and Babcock Dairy Plant supervisor Dave Niemiec mix the milk and other ingredients. They will then allow time for the milk to coagulate into curd.
Niemiec cuts the curd after it separates from the whey. It's an essential step that lets more of the liquid whey separate from the curd.
Curds are scooped up to separate them from the whey.
Niemiec (right) checks the pH level of the cheese sample. When the pH has fallen to the targeted level, salt is added, followed by the cherries and cranberries.
Niemiec places a screen before draining the whey from the curds.
Niemiec mixes the curds.
Niemiec works to extract moisture from Door County cherries and WIsconsin Rapids cranberries before adding them to the cheese mix.
Cheesemakers add the cherries and cranberries to make Cranniverscherry cheese.
Jaeggi scoops up the curds and other ingredients to be pressed into cheese forms.
Jaeggi (right) and Niemiec pour curds into a form.
Niemiec presses the curds into a cheese form.
Niemiec stacks cheese forms containing the Cranniverscherry cheese.
A wheel of 175 Cranniverscherrry cheese awaits guests at the 175th anniversary gala
A wheel of 175 Cranniverscherry cheese is served at the 175th anniversary gala on Oct. 27.


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The LPGA Legends Tour’s Walgreens Charity Championship will remain in the Sunshine State this year, but will move its tournament venue to The Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach.
Formerly known as the Hamlet Country Club, the completely renovated Seagate Country Club will play host to the official LPGA tour for professionals age 45 and over November 6 – 9. Last year’s tournament was staged in April at The Villages, with Nancy Scranton winning the championship. Scranton plans to return to defend her title.
“The Legends Tour is honored to team up with Walgreens and The Seagate Hotel and Country Club in bringing this prestigious event to Delray Beach,” said Jane Blalock, Legends Tour CEO. “Golf fans throughout Palm Beach County will be treated to quite a show with the return of LPGA greats to the area.”
The 36-hole tournament will feature a field of 40 players. LPGA legends such as Nancy Lopez, Patty Sheehan, Pat Bradley, Beth Daniel, Betsy King, JoAnne Carner, Rosie Jones, and Jan Stephenson remain active on The Legends Tour, which enters its 14th season in 2014.
“We are honored and excited to host the LPGA Legends Tour this November here in sunny Delray Beach at The Seagate Country Club,” said Tony Wilson, chairman and CEO of Seagate Hospitality Group. “It’s a privilege to host some of the greatest women golfers of all time, while also supporting their continued competitive golf careers.”
Walgreens will continue its sponsorship with the official senior tour of the LPGA. The 2014 season marks the third year Walgreens has title-sponsored tournaments on the Legends Tour.
“Walgreens is proud to announce it will showcase the Legends of the LPGA in a key Florida market at a premier property—The Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach,” said Bryan Pugh, vice president of U.S. Merchandising Program Development and Execution for Walgreens.
“While last year’s inaugural tournament held at The Villages was a tremendous success, we are excited to share these great players with enthusiastic fans on Florida’s east coast in 2014,” Pugh added. “The tournament will once again feature a health and wellness expo as well as an on-course Walgreens ‘Steps with Balance Rewards’ initiative for the local community and, of course, great golf from the Legends.”
The Seagate Country Club unveiled a full renovation of its 18-hole championship private golf course in November 2013. The original home of the first Golf Digest School, the club’s seven-month renovation began in May 2013. Renovations preserved the original Joe Lee design while modernizing and enhancing its condition. Restoration focused on the course’s fairways, greens, bunkers, and practice facilities, as well as modifications to several holes.
For ticket or tournament information, visit www.thelegendstour.com.
Photo Credit: On Thursday, January 9, Legends Tour CEO Jane Blalock was joined by Seagate’s Tony Wilson, Roger Lemke from Walgreens, fellow Legends Beth Daniel and Judy Dickinson, and the mayor of Delray Beach, Cary Glickstein, to announce that the 2014 Walgreens Charity Championship will be played in November at The Seagate Country Club in Delray Beach, Florida. Get ready for some legendary golf action, Delray Beach!
As the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2013 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to be the first choice in health and daily living for everyone in America, and beyond. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 8,200 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers, provider practices, and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 750 locations throughout the country.
About The Seagate Hotel & Spa
The Seagate Hotel & Spa is a luxury boutique resort in Delray Beach, Florida. The 154-room beach-inspired property offers upscale dining options, an 8,000 square-foot on-site spa and exclusive privileges at the private Seagate Beach Club, as well as access to the private Seagate Country Club, complete with championship golf course, eight Har-Tru tennis courts, full-service clubhouse and more. The signature restaurant, Atlantic Grille, features contemporary American cuisine with a focus on locally sourced seafood. The Seagate Hotel & Spa offers nine meeting rooms totaling 14,000 square feet and banqueting for up to 300 guests. For more information or reservations, call 877-577-3242 or visit www.seagategolf.com.
About The Legends Tour The Legends Tour is the official senior tour of the LPGA. The tour began in 2000 by LPGA professionals to showcase the talents of some of the greatest women’s golfers of all time. The Legends Tour has more than 120 members, including 12 LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame members. Legends Tour players have over 675 combined LPGA Tour victories, including 70 major championships. In its 13 seasons, The Legends Tour has awarded more than $11 million in prize money and helped raise more than $14 million for charity. The Legends Tour has hosted events in Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Japan and Australia. For additional information on The Legends Tour, log on to www.thelegendstour.com.


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Number of apps are making their way to the Xbox Live, including GoPro which will be available for the Gold Membership holders of the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The upcoming app will allow the users to stream on demand GoPro video content to all the members worldwide.
GoPro CEO Nicholas Woodman said in his press release:
“Our GoPro Channel app will make it easy for millions of global Xbox Live customers to watch GoPro originally-produced and ‘best of’ user-generated content on their televisions at home.”
The GoPro channel apps will stream curated video content to your TV via your console. However, the announcement didn’t make it clear exactly how the video content would be curated.
The app enables user to browse the number of different categories such as athletes, adventure, sports and watch individual videos or sit back and keep watching back to back videos in the same category.
The Gold Members of Xbox will also have the option of purchasing GoPro cameras and accessories directly with the help of this app, it is first time ever Microsoft has integrated the physical purchase of packaged goods into an Xbox Live app.
People who are unfamiliar to this app must know that it is a totally content oriented app. It enables customers and the professional around the world to capture and share all there exhilarating experiences via videos or images.
This app must be exciting for the people who are interested in sharing their videos and photo content with the rest of the world.
CEO of GoPro channel talked about their partnership with Xbox, he said:
“We’re excited to align ourselves with Microsoft and the Xbox brand as we believe our customers share the same desire to enjoy the type of immersive, experiential content that our cameras enable.”
If you want to know how the app works you can see the video here. The GoPro Channel app will release on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One this summer.


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Crimeware infects one-third of computers worldwide
The APWG reports that during the 4th quarter of 2014, a record number of crimeware variants were detected, a strategy of overwhelming proliferation of variations designed to defeat antivirus software. Meanwhile, phishers increasingly targeted retail and service sites, hoping to take advantage of the burgeoning numbers of online shoppers.
During the 4th quarter of 2014 the number of malware variants figure broke a new record, with 23,500,000 malware samples detected – an average of 255,000 new threats each day, according to PandaLabs. This was up 59 percent from 160,000 samples per day in the second quarter of 2014.
Never in the history of computer security has the amount of new malware created been so high, according to Luis Corrons, PandaLabs Technical Director. The great majority of these malware strains are variants of existing malware modified by their creators to evade antivirus software used by Internet consumers.
The escalating numbers illustrate the adaptability of the code and the creativity of the malware authors in extending the polymorphic obscuration scheme to such a degree. About one-third of computers worldwide were probably infected with malware of some sort, according to Corrons.
Retail/Service was the most-targeted industry sector in the fourth quarter of 2014, representing 29.37 percent of phishing sites, not a great surprise during the holiday season. Payment Services continued to be popular targets, with 25.13 percent of attacks during the three-month period, according to Internet Identity.
“The final quarter of 2014 also witnessed a raft of email-based phishing attempts against well-established financial institutions, possibly timed to coincide with both the holiday spending increase and heightened consumer fears in the wake of corporate security breaches,” said Carl Leonard, Principal Security Analyst, Websense Security Labs.
The complete report is available here.


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Table of Contents
SpaceX has reportedly reduced the value of its Bitcoin by a whopping $373 million and has potentially liquidated all of its holdings.
The Elon Musk-led technology firm had announced in 2021 that it held some Bitcoin. Accounting rules state that once written down, the value cannot be adjusted upwards.
Uncertainty Around Bitcoin Holdings
According to a report published on the 17th of August, the Wall Street Journal stated that SpaceX had recorded $373 million worth of Bitcoin on its balance sheet in 2021 and 2022. It has now reportedly sold the cryptocurrency in question. However, it is still not clear if the company has sold its entire $373 million stash. The Wall Street Journal stated in its report,
“SpaceX wrote down the value of bitcoin it owns by a total of $373 million last year and in 2021 and has sold the cryptocurrency.”
The outlet reportedly viewed financial documents related to the firm’s finances, showing expenses of around $5.2 billion for 2022. The documents also showed expenses of around $5.2 billion towards acquiring property and equipment and towards research and developmental costs.
According to Big Four Accounting Firm Deloitte, Bitcoin is typically considered an “indefinite-lived intangible asset.” It further adds that companies should account for Bitcoin at cost and then make adjustments should the price of the asset experience a notable decrease. If the value of Bitcoin declines, companies must declare a write-down in its books, which is also referred to as impairment charges. However, the asset’s value cannot be written up after recording a decrease. This applies to all subsequent Bitcoin price increases or rebounds.
Tesla’s Revision Of Bitcoin Holdings
Elon Musk had publicly announced that SpaceX had acquired crypto, Bitcoin in particular, in 2021. This announcement came after a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission showed that Tesla, another of Musk’s companies, was planning to purchase $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin. The announcement by Tesla had played a crucial role in Bitcoin hitting a then-all-time high price of $43,000.
However, according to the company’s second-quarter earnings report for 2023, Tesla had sold all except for $184 million worth of its Bitcoin holdings. Tesla confirmed that it had liquidated over 30,000 BTC in the second quarter of 2022, netting around $936 million. This figure represented around 75% of Tesla’s original $1.5 billion worth of BTC holdings. However, since then, Tesla has held on to its remaining Bitcoin reserves, with the company continuing to do so in the second quarter of 2023 as well. This means the company has not purchased or sold Bitcoin for the fourth consecutive quarter, with the value of its assets holding steady at $185 million.
Musk and Crypto
Elon Musk is one of the richest individuals in the world and has often commented on the crypto space and cryptocurrencies. Musk seems particularly fond of Dogecoin (DOGE) and had briefly changed Twitter’s iconic blue bird logo to the Shiba Inu of Dogecoin. Musk purchased Twitter for $44 billion, later rebranding the company to X, and has suggested that the platform could offer an entire financial world to users, including payment and banking services.
While Musk and his companies may hold a considerable amount of Bitcoin, he has often reaffirmed that his favorite crypto remains Dogecoin. Musk has not given any reason for his admiration for Dogecoin, simply stating that “it has the best humor, and it has dogs.”
“I’m not advising anyone to buy crypto or bet the farm on Dogecoin or anything like that.”
Disclaimer: This article is provided for informational purposes only. It is not offered or intended to be used as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice.


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Freight Market Update: April 29, 2020
Ocean and air freight rates and trends; customs and trade industry news for the week of April 29, 2020.
How will businesses recover from COVID-19? And how can you ensure your cargo is moving when they do? Visit Flexport’s COVID-19 Trade Insights for information and analysis.
Want to receive our weekly Market Update via email? Subscribe here.
Ocean Freight Market Update
Air Freight Market Update
Freight Market News
World’s Largest Cargo Ship Launches South Korea christened the world’s largest cargo ship last week, despite trade pressures from COVID-19. The Algeciras is the first of a new line of next-gen ships called megamaxes and has a capacity of 24,000 containers, according to the WSJ.
Box Manufacturers Limit Production In stark contrast to the Algeciras’ christening, a separate item in The Loadstar reports Chinese container manufacturers are limiting production to maintain a grip on prices. Even as equipment shortages challenge shippers worldwide, the world’s fleet of containers is likely to shrink for the first time in a decade.
FMC Rules on Demurrage and Detention Fees Trade groups that requested guidance from the Federal Maritime Commission on unfair detention and demurrage practices got their interpretive rule, which takes force after upcoming publication in the Federal Register. American Shipper notes the fees have been a point of contention for businesses that often paid fees for situations beyond their control.
Meanwhile, this week, Flexport Chief Economist Dr. Phil Levy noted the following economic highlights:
- US durable goods orders dropped by 14% in March, the biggest fall since 2014 and worse than estimates. The sharpest drop was in civilian aircraft.
- The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for March had its worst reading since the Great Recession.
- Weekly unemployment claims led more timely economic data, as another 4.4m workers filed for benefits. That brought the 5-week total to 26.4m.
- The Markit Flash PMI US Composite Index in April recorded a new low for the series. Manufacturers reported the largest drop in sales since early 2009.
- UK GDP contraction is underway as a separate Markit PMI survey found conditions worsening more quickly than in the Great Recession.
- German business confidence has been called “catastrophic.” The Ifo Institute’s index of company sentiment in Europe’s biggest economy dropped to a record low, even worse than economists’ median estimate.
Customs and Trade Updates
Section 301 Exclusions Granted New product exclusions were granted to Section 301 List 3, including one full HTS and 107 specifically prepared HTS descriptions. The exclusions apply retroactively from the implementation date of September 24, 2018 and will remain in place until August 7, 2020.
USMCA to Enter Into Force July 1 A press release from the USTR said that the US "had completed its domestic procedures to implement the agreement" with Mexico and Canada. On July 1, the USMCA will officially replace the original trade agreement NAFTA. Requests from the auto industry in the US and Mexico for delays to new origin rules have so far not been granted. Interim instructions for USMCA are here.
Items From Thailand Not Eligible for GSP On April 25, some products that were previously eligible for duty-free treatment under GSP are no longer eligible. Last week, industry groups sent a letter to President Trump citing the pandemic and tight financial situations as reasons to delay the implementation, but there was no response, and the tariff reductions were eliminated as of Saturday, April 25.
For a roundup of tariff-related news, visit Tariff Insider.
Please note that the information in our publications is compiled from a variety of sources based on the information we have to date. This information is provided to our community for informational purposes only, and we do not accept any liability or responsibility for reliance on the information contained herein.


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Nestlé makes available a report outlining efforts to comply with formula marketing guidelines that in recent years has been a subject of contention for the owners of the Gerber and NAN baby food brands.
Danone was an early corporate proponent of regenerative agriculture, signalling its intention to tackle emissions through regenerative practices back in 2017. We caught up with Yann-Gaël Rio, the company’s VP of agriculture, procurement and sustainability,...
The European Commission (EC) has reiterated its commitment to ending all forms of child labour by 2025 and will use trade incentives, such as General Scheme of Preferences, to cooperate with partners to combat the problem.
Poor harvests globally are pushing up wheat prices and raising concerns over supply constraints. But, despite ‘temperamental’ weather this summer, the UK’s biggest cereal brand says its local sourcing strategy has paid off.
In this week's new product development gallery, we spotlight a new ice cream targeting adults but made from infant formula and energy boosting powders for endurance athletes and others seeking an energy lift.
A team of esteemed data scientists and performance nutritionists have joined forces to create a personalised nutrition app which brings the newly discovered power of ‘carb coding’ from the world of elite sports, to the everyday active consumer.
The Mars Advanced Research Institute (MARI) is a division of Mars examining how developments in science and technology are going to shape the future food system. Dr Abi Stevenson, Mars VP of MARI, told us her unit is ‘looking at those truly next generation...


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XINDA FINANCIAL: The investment platform has been completed, and the innovative projects will be joined soon
Through adversity, arrived in the stars, under the efforts of XINDA FINANCIAL, as one of the many users preferred financial transaction decision platform XINDA FINANCIAL with “take the user-centered” business philosophy, to users, continue to upgrade the user experience, through constantly gathering financial institutions, investment institutions, service structure and other resources has completed a comprehensive upgrade task, officially become a global investment platform. Today, XINDA FINANCIAL takes the platform as the carrier and combines online and offline, and is committed to providing more warm financial services for global investors.
Bid farewell to the past and embrace the future, the XINDA FINANCIAL system upgrade is to better integrate with The Times and create a better financial world. This platform focuses on upgrading the functions of online docking of financing needs, whole-process tracking of financing links, and full statistics of financing data, thus realizing the benign interaction between finance and the real economy. The major upgrade plan will comprehensively optimize all aspects of the XINDA FINANCIAL, including the technical architecture, functional expansion, user interface, and more. At the same time, the platform from a global perspective also attracts more excellent international projects to join. Of course, in order to protect the interests of investors, the platform will also invest more capital and manpower to choose more suitable projects.
Develop actively and create the future. After upgrading, XINDA FINANCIAL using the difference of foreign investment and financing costs, through the domestic initiative transaction structure, in the industry launched an innovative QDII fund account bond portfolio products and overseas characteristic fund structured products, and focus on the international, launched the overseas asset management, overseas real estate funds and cross-border financing solutions, provide customers with new overseas investment opportunities. In addition, on the basis of comprehensive integration of world resources, the platform gathers financial leaders and industry elites, builds a global financial business communication platform, and establishes the platform’s own “think tank” and “social circle” to realize information sharing, and jointly develop personalized global investment products for high-end customers.
Open the door of wealth and lead the dream of wealth. According to the latest news, in order to protect the interests of the platform members, XINDA FINANCIAL will introduce an emerging world frontier project, — Digital mining. Digital mining, or digital currency mining, is a process in which computers run algorithms to verify cryptocurrency transactions and receive rewards. At present, digital currency has become a new hot spot in the investment field, and its market value continues to rise, and mining is the main way to obtain digital currency. Digital currency is relative to the traditional currency, it is not controlled by any bank or control, so its value is highly volatile. Current global digital currency transactions are expanding, and increased mining power will reduce mining costs, making the mining market more attractive.
XINDA FINANCIAL The platform upgrade plays a crucial step for the future development of the Internet finance industry. More importantly, the new project launched this time not only marks the progress of the team in technological innovation and digital transformation, but also brings more convenience and investment opportunities to investors. Its launch will promote the global financial industry to become a more intelligent, open and win-win direction, and contribute to the global economic growth.


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For US market share
Last Friday, an exclusive report from Reuters noted that the SoftBank Group in Japan is financially prepared to give up control of recently acquired Sprint and hand over the keys to Deutsche Telekom AG’s brand in America, also known as T-Mobile USA.
Not the Developer Edition
Launching later this April
iPhone costs $7 billion
Goes on sale Friday in several smaller markets
Sprint to offer 9930 in global roaming config
Wi-Max version on track for summer release
Possible acquisition in the works?
EVO Shift, Inspire and Thunderbolt


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So onto have confirmed a new car coming to the fleet next month what do we think it will be?
The latest newsletter also mentioned a new version of the FIAT (presumably branded) and an increased reward bonus…but then gave no details. Did I miss something?
So, assuming it’s not the Fisker - as we know about that anyway - there’s a number of options and we should get speculating now!!
Not sure what new cars have been released recently unless it’s an old car that they have got some stock of, maybe the id5
Think the clue is in the fact they said new car not bew manufacturer which they would normally do so I think will be ioniq5 or id5 as I think into have all the cars that each manufacturer they use produces other than id5 or ioniq5
Don’t think it will be the Ioniq 5 as Hyundai only received 175 into Britain last month.
Mocean got 17 for their subscription service.
Don’t think Onto could get anywhere near the £627 a month fee.
Mind you it’s a cracking car and had 12 mile on clock when I picked it up
Ioniq 5 would make sense because the Hyundai Ioniq in the Onto Fleet has been discontinued. However, I am wondering whether it may be the Nissan Ariya or MG4 ?
I was really hoping this was going to be the Fisker Ocean but its been deathly silent on the web forums about what is going on with the first round of deliveries on this.
Not going to get either, I think…
Hyundai, UK supply is severely constrained as someone posted.
Fisker, first batch is US bound, and I have feeling the UK wont see it till Q4 2023
MG have deprioritised fleets, as they make more money from Consumers… so cant see that one coming, unless OntO pay retail for it…
I cant see it been the Nissan for some reason…
Cant think what it will be…
I’d quite like a Leaf, not sure it would come in cheap enough to be competitive against Nissan’s own deals though.
Only leaves the id5
Or the 500e La Prima, which is my guess
Not sure as ONTO don’t usually go for the top spec model. Usually the one below.
Would love it to be the Buzz, saw my first one in the wild this morning and its a beaut
Maybe the new Peugeot e 408 ???
Anyone know when it will be? is Mid February?
Onto just think it’s fun to tease us…. sometimes for as long as possible…. It’s as if they think we’re all sitting here with nothing better to do than drum our fingers, roll our eyes, and think up another ludicrous candidate…
I don’t think it’ll be a MINI… (went to have a nosey around them this morning)… if that’s any help. God! It’s just like Groundhog Day sitting here waiting for the news isn’t it…
… sorry couldn’t resist
Pity it’s not a leap year


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Detroit – Our union was successful in negotiating an enhanced profit-sharing formula with Stellantis in 2019. The new formula more accurately reflects the contributions of UAW members to the success of Stellantis. Today’s announcement that eligible UAW-Stellantis members will receive a record average profit-sharing amount of $14,760 confirms that the skill, dedication, and hard work of UAW members are a critical part of the success of Mopar, Chrysler, Jeep, RAM, Wagoneer and Dodge. The financial strength of Stellantis primarily relies on the company’s UAW workforce as evidenced by its financial report. Our members are the backbone of this company. We ... Read more
Detroit – UAW Ford members play a key role in the success of the company through their expertise, extraordinary efforts, and commitment to the jobs they perform each and every day. Official notification from Ford to the UAW will take place several weeks from now. However, based on the announcement today and in accordance with our collective bargaining agreement, our members are expected to receive an average of $9,176 in profit sharing. Actual pay-outs will be based on compensated hours over the course of the plan year. UAW President Ray Curry and I extend well deserved congratulations and share deep ... Read more
Today UAW members who work for General Motors received the news that they may receive up to $12,750 in profit sharing. UAW members have earned their share of the company’s prosperity, and this negotiated benefit reflects that contribution. Our members are essential to the success of General Motors. UAW members bring skill, experience, and dedication to the job every day and are well deserving of today’s news. While we celebrate today, we know that there are challenges ahead. We will continue to fight for fairness and equity for all UAW-GM members.
Detroit – During the 2019 Collective Bargaining with Stellantis, the UAW bargaining team fought hard for an enhanced profit sharing formula that more fairly distributed profit earnings based on the company’s unique structure. Today’s announcement that eligible UAW Stellantis members will receive an eligible profit sharing amount of $14,670 is a reflection of the hard work and dedication UAW members bring toward the success of Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and RAM sales. UAW Stellantis members are proud of the product they create every day especially during challenging environments over the past two years. We continue to make sure that this dedication ... Read more
Detroit – UAW Ford members worked diligently and remained dedicated to produce the finest built products in the world during a year that presented great challenges due to the pandemic and unprecedented supply chain issues. Their contributions to Ford Motor Company’s profits under such conditions are to be commended and our members should be very proud of this great accomplishment. Although official notification from Ford will not take place for several weeks, as a result of our collective bargaining agreement with the company, our members are expected to receive an average of $7,377 in profit sharing with variation based on hours ... Read more
Because of their hard work, dedication and through collective bargaining UAW FCA members will receive an average profit share of $6,000. UAW members take great pride in building quality products that our customers want to buy. We look forward to working with FCA for continued success in building great union-made vehicles here in the United States long into the future.
The UAW Membership makes the components for and builds the finest General Motors cars, trucks, crossovers, SUVs and vans in the world right here in the U.S.A. That is the driving force behind propelling GM to make $10.769 billion in net profits in the U.S. for 2018. Profit Sharing payments to UAW-GM Members up to $10,750 is because the UAW proposed this during Negotiations; achieved it at the bargaining table and our members ratified it.
“Today’s General Motors profit sharing, established under the 2015 contract negotiations, recognizes that UAW GM members’ hard work is an essential part of General Motors sales and profits. UAW members at GM negotiated a well-deserved share in the profits of their hard work and sacrifice.”
“We are pleased to see an increase in the average profit sharing, per member, over last year! This could not have been possible if not for the enhanced profit sharing formula negotiated in the 2015 National Agreement and was achieved due to the dedication and hard work of our Brothers and Sisters of the UAW that work for FCA.”
“Through hard work and collective bargaining in 2015, UAW Ford members will receive an average of $7,500 in profit sharing for their work in 2017.”


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The popularity wave of poke has hit Federal Way.
Big Island Poke, owned by Jaydean Gabriel, recently opened a second restaurant location in Federal Way; the first location is housed in Renton.
Poke (pronounced “po-kay”) is a Hawaiian word meaning “to slice” or cut into pieces. The dish consists of marinated raw fish, diced and cubed with rice, veggies and other mixings.
Federal Way’s seemingly untouched market, and taste palate, of poke was one of the main reasons to open up another small business shop, Gabriel said.
“Before Renton, I wanted to come here,” he said. “I wanted to stay away from Seattle, and there’s no poke in Federal Way.”
While various restaurants offer poke as a side dish or appetizer, Big Island Poke is one of the only restaurants dedicated solely to poke in Federal Way.
Born on the Big Island of Hawaii, Gabriel brings the authenticity of flavor to his meals.
“We couldn’t keep our door closed,” Gabriel said about Renton’s business upon opening in 2016. “It was overwhelming. I did not expect it to be like that at all.”
Federal Way’s poke spot has been open since January, but in striking contrast, business at the restaurant has been “tough,” Gabriel said.
Consulting with owners of surrounding shops, the winter months prove to be trying times for all businesses in Twin Lakes Village, he said.
“Our Renton location is still producing well,” he said. “Here … I think people are still trying to figure out what it is.”
The Federal Way shop is tucked along the strip mall in Twin Lakes, which isn’t as visible as Renton’s prime location along Rainier Avenue, Gabriel said.
“I knew that coming in,” he said. “What I go by is if you have good food, [customers] are going to come no matter where you’re at.”
Gabriel discovered the power of poke in 2014.
After working at an automotive shop for years, the field didn’t fuel his passion anymore, so Gabriel switched to a tastier industry.
On a visit to California years ago, Gabriel found his inspiration. It seemed as though poke was found on every block in Los Angeles, so Gabriel decided to jump the poke wave before it hit the Pacific Northwest.“I was tired of getting my hands dirty,” he joked. “I love food, I look cooking, and there was no poke at the time in the Washington area.”
Gabriel, along with his lifelong friend and business partner, opened a food truck called People of the Chubbs that serves poke among other Asian-Hawaiian-Mexican fusion dishes, he said.
“It bugged me, there was nothing authentic,” he said. “There were all these chains that were just mixing fish. I’m from Hawaii so poke, to me, is pretty simple.”
Opposed to chain restaurants, Big Island Poke focuses on marinating, allowing the fish to soak up all the flavors over time — a process that takes more time but yields better taste, Gabriel said.
Imitating what is done on the big island helps him craft his line-up of poke options: ahi tuna, salmon, octopus, imitation crab and more.
Big Island Poke also imports a few ingredients from Hawaii such as limu (seaweed), an important ingredient to the locals due to the health benefits, he said.
“I did this just to give everyone a taste of what I think traditional poke is.”
In Hawaii, the day’s batch of poke is made fresh and when it runs out, it’s out.
The business game plan changes on the mainland though, Gabriel said. He includes various side options and has turned his restaurants into more of a make-your-own-bowl, fast casual-style establishment.
“Every day gets better,” he said. “We see new people and we see return customers; we’re showing progress.”
People of the Chubbs food truck can be found at community street fair or food events, such as the Bite of Seattle and Taste of Tacoma.
Big Island Poke is located at 2128 SW 336th St. in Federal Way. For hours, menu and information on other locations, visit bigislandpokeinc.com.