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As 2016 disappears from view and e-bike manufacturers look to what 2017 will bring, ElectricBikeReport.com outlines what it sees as the main trends that emerged in e-bike design over the last 12 months and of course the highlights.
E-BIKES GO MAINSTREAM….IN THE MEDIA TOO
Whilst its been known for some time that countries like the Netherlands and Germany are leading the e-bike charge in the western world (in terms of sales numbers anyway) 2016 seems to be the year when other countries long languishing in the doldrums really began to catch up – the US and the UK in particular.
E-bikes also made it big in mainstream media too, from the mainstream cycling press to ABC and CBS.
ELECTRIC BIKE EXPOS
The rise of e-bikes in the US was surely helped by a very successful round of Electric Bike Expos, which took place at eight locations across the US and gave attendees the ability to test a wide range of the latest electric bikes on the test track. Stay tuned for the 2017 Expo calendar!
LOADS OF INSPIRING TRIPS
Whether it was relative e-bike newcomer Angelos Georgopoulos cycling around the world by e-bike
or The eBike Cycle Tourists making their way all over Europe and beyond
or the highly experienced Pedelec Adventures team who completed this amazing Sand to Snow trip around the western US.
Top billing goes here to Ravi Kempaiah from Madison, Wisconsin who set the Guinness World Record for most miles pedaled on an e-bike ‘non-stop’ on his 5,000 mile ride to San Diego.
SMOOTH, SLEEK AND INEGRATED
Clean lines, frame integrated batteries and semi-concealed batteries were everywhere in 2016.
Good examples were Estonia’s Ampler, which virtually looks like a non-assisted bike,
and Trek’s Super Commuter which must be one of the best crank drive examples, and is to be aimed specifically at younger riders apparently.
MORE E-MTBS HIT THE TRAIL
With regular e-mtb releases throughout the year it’s clear e-mtbs are taking off in a big way. Pre-eminent amongst e-mtb manufacturers are Haibike won the best brand of 2016 from E-MountainBike Readers Choice.
Shimano launched their E-8000 e-MTB crank drive system and the new Bulls E-Core range was one of the first to take it up.
Along with BESV.
For those wanter to tackle even rougher terrain, e-fat bikes were seemingly everywhere too with the introduction of Fantic e-fats to the UK and US markets just one example.
Or if you really wanted to go to extremes you could try the Electric Juggernaut.
Of course the fun factor has to be a big part; if you doubt that take a look at Specialized’s promo vid, featuring some rather nifty camera work that wouldn’t be out of place in a Hollywood blockbuster.
And another off road category has entered the electric bike world with the first production eBMX out of Florida.
POWER & CAPACITY
Bigger, more energy-dense batteries have been a continuing trend over the years of e–bike development. Perhaps least glamorously but most significantly for the future success of e-bikes, Bike Europe reported on the prospect of new bigger capacity batteries, made possible in part by big orders from car firm Tesla.
Bosch announced its new 500Wh battery system would be coming to the US and also that new models would be appearing with its staggeringly large 1000Wh dual battery system.
DELIVERIES BY E-BIKE
UPS rolled out deliveries by eTrike in Portland Oregon and they have been using similar eTrikes in other cities around the world.
LOOKING ON THE LIGHT SIDE
Whilst more battery capacity and more powerful motors is likely to come at the cost of greater e-bike weight there were also plenty of companies looking to help e-bikes shed the pounds.
Imagine that instead of adding a motor to a bicycle, parts of the bicycle are designed to function as the motor. And that is true of the Lightweight Velocité”Maglev”.
Velomini brought a new and souped up version of the mini e-folder with a claimed weight of 11.5kg to the US.
But the title lightest of the light surely has to go to Austria’s Steinbach and their Sonnblick e-assist.
ALL IN THE WHEEL (AND OTHER RETRO FITS)
As one writer recently pointed out ‘Nearly $30 million has been invested in companies trying to bring electric wheels to market — though it’s still difficult to find one in your local bike shop.’
But 2016 did see more ‘e-wheels’ making it to market like the very innovative looking GeoOrbital.
Although not a kit, Austria’s Vello Kickstarter campaign featured an all in one e-wheel as the basis for this 12kg bike
and the Budnitz Model E also featured the same regenerative Zehus e-wheel.
Other kits, not just of the single-wheel variety appeared and several were exploiting the seductive and minimalist idea of fitting a motor onto the non-chain of the cranks, most notably Pendix,
HOW SMART IS YOUR E-BIKE?
The latest ‘bells and whistles’ addition to an e-bike has to be COBI from Germany.
In a nutshell, want lights, indicators and smartphone controls and e-bike app integrating with your e-bike? Then consider COBI.
RISE OF THE SUPERHIGHWAYS
London got some smart and very popular superhighways which saw a 50% jump in cycle use in some hotspots and new mayor Sadiq Kahn announced a doubling of funds for cycling over the next five years.
E-BIKE BIZ TRENDS
E-bike crowdfunding took centre stage in 2016, with likes of Tern’s Vektron model proving that it wasn’t just startups that need Kickstarter and its like
There was crowdfunding from Indian e-bike firms and even an equity crowdfunding site which featured e-bike firm Evelo.
INTO THE FUTURE
On a final note it’s always fun to guess where e-bikes might be heading in the distant future and whether ElectricBikeReport.com might have pointed the way in some of its news features.
Removable batteries are pretty standard on e-bikes but will motors soon be equally removable meaning you have a lightweight unassisted bike hidden away in your regular e-bike?
Will we all be riding around in ‘kind of bike kind of car’ things, like the Schaeffler Bio-Hybrid?
Will we all be living in houses with solar roofs and powerwalls?
Perhaps 2017 will show us the way just a little more clearly…
Stay tuned for more e-bike news and thanks for reading!
P.S. Don’t forget to join the Electric Bike Report community for updates from the electric bike world, plus ebike riding and maintenance tips!


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Hyundai Motor Group is preparing to introduce its new high-power charging infrastructure, dubbed Blue Plug, in an effort to bolster its E-Pit charging network. The move comes as Hyundai strives to catch up with Tesla's established supercharging dominance in the South Korean market.
According to local sources, Hyundai's subsidiary, Hyundai Kefico, a renowned engine and transmission manufacturer, is actively pursuing certification from the Korean government for its super-fast chargers boasting an impressive 350-kilowatt (kW) power output. This significant development could potentially pave the way for a more competitive charging landscape in the region.
The expansion of the E-Pit network, initially announced by Hyundai-Kia in March 2021 alongside the launch of their innovative 800-Volt architecture, has encountered a gradual pace. While Hyundai had set its sights on deploying 120 high-power charging (HPC) columns by the close of 2021, only 36 of these stations are operational as of now.
In stark contrast, Tesla has surged ahead by already establishing 106 Superchargers across South Korea, highlighting Hyundai's ongoing challenge in matching Tesla's charging infrastructure footprint.
The slower progression of Hyundai's charging network is attributed to the company's commitment to a premium approach. Reports indicate that the cost of implementing an E-Pit charging station surpasses the typical 150 million won ($113,000) required for a standard 350-kW charger installation.
Initial plans for the E-Pit stations entailed housing six high-power charging stations under a canopy, promising quick and efficient charging stops. However, visuals of the stations presented a more conventional roof design, deviating from the initial concept. Hyundai also aimed to offer advanced features such as automatic height adjustment, rotational functionality, and an ergonomic auxiliary handle for the hefty charging cables.
It remains uncertain whether Hyundai will retain these elaborate specifications for its Blue Plug initiative with Kefico. The company has thus far unveiled two Blue Plug variants, with differing housing designs – one featuring a streamlined structure with a single CCS charging cable and a vertical display, and the other boasting a larger transversely-mounted display and dual quick-charging cables. Both models appear to incorporate a card reader, while specifics regarding power-sharing mechanisms and compatibility with multiple vehicles remain undisclosed.
The global trajectory of Hyundai's fast chargers beyond the domestic market also remains ambiguous. While details regarding potential expansion and third-party partnerships are scarce, Hyundai's engagement in the Ionity HPC joint venture in Europe since 2020 reflects its dedication to pursuing charging infrastructure initiatives on a global scale.
In North America, Hyundai's collaboration with prominent automakers including BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis signals the group's intention to establish HPC stations featuring both CCS connectors and NACS plugs. Tesla's recent strides in adopting a more open approach to its proprietary Supercharger network have garnered traction, as evidenced by partnerships with major manufacturers. While Hyundai-Kia holds membership in this alliance, the compatibility of their 800-volt models with the existing 400-volt Superchargers is yet to be addressed.
As Hyundai Motor Group endeavors to expand its high-power charging network and enhance its competitive edge, industry observers keenly await further developments in the ever-evolving landscape of electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

domain: news


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Facebook recently released its new Reactions to global fanfare. Not only can people “like” a post on Facebook they’re now able to express love, laughter, excitement, sadness or anger all with the click of a button. What does this mean for retailers? These new emotions will allow retailers to have a better understanding of their audience and what they would like to see on their News Feeds.
In today’s mobile-consumed world, it is easy to understand why the experts are telling us mobile devices are eroding our relationships. The average teen sends 109.5 texts per day, which makes it easy to wonder if we are creating a generation of detached, socially inept zombies.
Are you actively using social media to your promote you company and brand? Just as importantly, are you actively responding to inbound social media messages?
Yesterday (Oct. 12), Bloomberg reported Facebook is testing new mobile shopping functionality beyond its simple "buy" button.
On Tuesday (Oct. 6), pricing strategy consultant Rafi Mohammed wrote an article for the Harvard Business Review that analyzed the logic behind Bed Bath & Beyond's "ubiquitous" 20% coupons.
Last week (Sept. 28), Business Insider's Marina Nazario visited Macy's brand new, 53,000-square-foot basement in its New York City flagship store. The floor is called "One Below" and targets younger shoppers.
Yesterday (Oct. 5), Racked published a fascinating exposé on the retail sales machine known to many as HSN, previously called the Home Shopping Network.
Best Buy is testing a new robot, named "Chloe," which retrieves small items like DVDs, CDs, video games and tech accessories for customers, right before their eyes.
Anil Kaul, CEO of Absolutedata, warned retailers of a few "traps" related to social media buy buttons today on PaymentsSource.com.
Indeed, Facebook owns Instagram and as the former looks to monetize the latter, Instagram users can expect to see new types of advertisements soon.
I recently moved into a new place and I happen to be on a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime. I figured, I should take advantage of the trial and get some stuff for my new apartment. While searching for “best amazon prime products” and “products for the home on amazon” (I was looking for a blog or something that gave me not only ideas to decorate my place but also links to actually buy the products off Amazon), I stumbled on Canopy.
A recent Jumio/Harris Interactive study found that 56% of U.S. smartphone users have abandoned a mobile transaction. This figure is down from 66% of respondents in 2013.


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Hyundai i30 diesel – a new competitor in Cyprus
Cypriots love their cars. It is no wonder that in every 1000 Cypriots, 736 of them are car owners. Cyprus is the third country (after India and China) that has such a high car density for every 1000 people. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that the Korean car manufacturing company Hyundai has its eyes set on marketing the latest model of i30 in Cyprus, which is due to hit the markets in 2017. The first glimpse of the Hyundai i30 was caught while it was being test driven close to Nurburgring.
Earlier this year, the facelifted range of Hyundai i30 was presented in the Geneva motor show and word is out that work on a third generation all new version is already underway. Although the first glimpses of the i30 were highly camouflaged due to which the styling still remains a suspense, one can imagine that it will come with a revised grille much like the ones used in the facelifted version and the upgraded i40.
Even though not much is known about the specification of the i30, Hyundai officials have declared that the engine powering will be a turbo charged unit, the technology used for it will be similar to that used in Hyundai’s i20 based WRC car. Hyundai’s rally car currently runs on a four cylinder, 1.6 liter turbo charged petrol engine with 296bhp.
The i30, even in its camouflaged state it looks more or less like the Toyota Pirus where its design is concerned, their front design and headlight area seem to be the same, and similarities can be spotted with their bonnets, windscreens, front benders and front door. But that is only the front area, the back of both the cars is where they greatly differ, the i30 has a flatter roof. The back doors look taller and the hatchback is traditionally upright.
What the interior of the car will look like is highly speculated, but the word on the street is that it sports the same minimalistic look of the Elantra. It seems like Hyundai is seeking an image change from value oriented cars that are rather plain looking to a more upmarket performance oriented car. With this i30 model it is probably looking to give competition to Volkswagen’s Golf SV in Europe.
Hyundai is already known to be amongst the most popular cars to be hired in Cyprus, come 2017, this car is definitely the one to look out for. If you are interested in buy or selling Hyundai car, feel free to use the most popular car buy and sell platform in Cyprus.


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The second Indonesia Australia Business Week (IABW) will take place across multiple cities in the week of 6–10 March 2017 and is expected to be led by The Hon Steven Ciobo MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment. IABW will comprise a range of trade, investment, education and tourism promotion events.
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Here are last week’s top trending stories on Just Style:
WEEK IN REVIEW: Sustainable action soars as apparel industry attempts to make amends
As apparel brands and retailers focus on sustainability, more apparel is being made from recycled fabric and some brands are even developing what is being described as ‘revolutionary fibres’.
Gap Inc focuses on savings following ‘bland retail’ performance
Gap Inc’s most recent financial results offer a “bland retail” performance, according to GlobalData analyst Neil Saunders with the Athleta and Banana Republic owner reporting an operating loss of US$69m.
Adidas reveals ‘disappointing’ FY amid poor China performance
German sportswear giant Adidas saw its share price drop on 8 March after revealing what analysts have described as “disappointing” full-year results on the back of a “catastrophic” performance in China.
Türkiye clothing makers must push quality and ‘true’ sustainability to compete with Asia says Yesim CEO
Senol Sankaya, CEO of Türkiye clothing manufacturing giant Yesim Group, tells Just Style it is impossible to compete with Asia on price but quality and speed are where Turkey shines.
Authentic Brands Group ‘interested’ in acquiring Hunter
Authentic Brands Group (ABG), the company behind the Reebok and Ted Baker brands, is said to be among the suitors interested in acquiring footwear firm Hunter Boots.
Cambodia garment workers impacted by crisis to receive financial aid
Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor (MOL) is implementing a scheme in partnership with garment factory owners to provide financial allowances for workers impacted by the economic crisis.


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Launched 30 years ago, Hilton Worldwide’s focused-service Hampton brand celebrated a milestone last Thursday that few brands can lay claim to: the opening of its 2,000th hotel worldwide. The 128-room Hampton Inn & Suites Bellevue Downtown-Seattle is owned by Palmetto Hospitality and managed by its affiliate OTO Development.
The challenge for any legacy midscale brand with such significant distribution—both in the United States and, increasingly, international—is how to remain fresh and relevant to consumers at a time when new competitors in this already crowded industry tier continue to enter the marketplace.
“The service standards that are at the core of our brand—things like the complimentary hot breakfast, complimentary Wi-Fi, the 100 percent satisfaction guarantee, many of which we pioneered—are still in demand today,” explained Phil Cordell, Hilton Worldwide’s global head for focused service and Hampton brand management. “But in terms of the style and ambience of the hotels, from the curb appeal of the exterior to the design of the guestrooms and public spaces, we’ve added touches to ensure we remain contemporary and even stylish.”
Consistency has always been a calling card of brands like Hampton, and that remains the case today. But Cordell expressed pride in the steps the brand has taken lately to underscore each hotel’s individuality, such as by adding local foods to the breakfast offerings at many properties, especially in international markets.
Less visible to guests are changes back of house, such as increased wireless bandwidth at the new Seattle suburb hotel. Considering Bellevue is a base of operations for many high-tech companies, including Microsoft, business travelers booking the hotel are likely to have higher expectations for fast, reliable Wi-Fi.
The 2,000-hotel milestone notwithstanding, Cordell and his team still see room for growth. Roughly 400 hotels and 40,000 rooms are in the final stage pipeline, meaning they’re either in construction or approved. Distribution is greatest in the U.S. market, but occasional milestones are still possible there regardless. “We just approved a hotel in Oahu, our first Hampton in Hawaii, which means we’ll be in all 50 states,” said Cordell, whose career with the brand goes back to the mid-1980s, when he was general manager of the second Hampton.
Meanwhile, there are considerable international growth opportunities. In the past few years, Hampton has made significant inroads in the U.K., the Netherlands, Turkey, Russia, and Poland. A 300-room property, the largest outside the United States, opened in downtown Warsaw, Poland, in September.
Cordell is particularly excited about an exclusive licensing agreement the brand unveiled in October that will accelerate growth in China. Under the agreement, China-based Plateno Hotels Group will build 400 Hampton properties throughout that powerhouse market. “The first hotel is expected to open by year-end 2015,” Cordell said.
Going forward, he estimated that roughly 75 percent of those developing Hampton properties will be partners the brand has already worked with. OTO Development is one of these. In addition to the new Bellevue property, OTO operates 11 Hamptons in six states and the District of Columbia, a third of its portfolio. Two more are in development.
“We have many opportunities right now in a variety of markets,” said Corry Oakes, OTO CEO and founder. “We obviously have tremendous confidence in Hampton. In our experience, it’s a brand that continually delivers on its promise.”


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If you're looking to evaluate the effectiveness of Nautilus Inc.'s new elliptical machine, just look at the bulk it has piled on to the company's stock price.
The Vancouver, Wash.-based maker of exercise equipment (NYSE: NLS) on Wednesday announced the release of the Schwinn 520 Reclined Elliptical machine. The cardiovascular exercise system, as described in a news release, emulates a natural walking motion to provide an effective workout while relieving pressure on the joints.
The company's stock price shot up 8.6 percent on the announcement, rising from $3.50 at the end of the day Tuesday to close at $3.80 on Wednesday. Bloomberg reported that it was Nautilus' highest closing price in more than two years.
The stock didn't slow down on Thursday, rising another 4 percent to close at $3.95. Shares reached as high as $4 during mid-day trading, easily eclipsing the company's previous 52-week high of $3.88.
Analysts reached Thursday couldn't explain how the release of a single product could cause the company's stock to elevate so rapidly. But it's likely investors' reactions are the result of a culmination of several factors, not the least of which is the company's improving financial health.
Through nine months this year, Nautilus' sales have climbed 7 percent from a year ago. Profits from continuing operations grew to $3.4 million, or 11 cents per share, compared with a loss of $800,000, or 3 cents per share, at the same time a year ago.
Probably more noteworthy to investors, though, is the company's growing profit margins. In the third quarter this year, Nautilus' gross margin grew to 48.7 percent — a 6.5 percent increase over the same quarter last year. The company attributed the growth to increased sales from its higher-margin direct-to-consumer business.
The growing share price might also make the case that CEO Bruce Cazenave's strategy of growing the business through new product innovation is working.
His plan was to replicate some of the success he experienced at previous posts such as Black & Decker Corp., where he helped steer the brand into the decorating and remodeling category while also launching the DeWalt tool brand.
The elliptical machine is Nautilus' third new product release within the past year, following the Bowflex BodyTower strength machine released in April and the CoreBody Reformer that made its debut in Nov. 2011.
"Nautilus' mission is to develop and market innovative products that help people achieve their health and fitness goals," Cazenave said in a news release Wednesday.
Investors appear to approve.


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Associated Press, Published December 28 2012
10 at Bismarck skateboard shop face drug chargesBISMARCK – The owner and manager of a downtown Bismarck skateboard shop and eight of their employees have been charged with selling illegal synthetic drugs after a yearlong investigation, authorities said.
The law enforcement officers began investigating substances being sold at Discontent in January, after they seized a package of synthetic marijuana from a man who claimed he had purchased it at the store. Other packages of the synthetic drug also were seized over the next several months, allegedly originating from the skate shop.
Discontent owner Thomas Teply, 59, of Moorhead, and manager Steven Johnson, 29, of Bismarck, face several felony charges, including conspiracy to deliver synthetic cannabinoids.
Employees Nicholas Kantor, 22; Edison Sprynczynatyk, 23; Bradley Weigum, 29; Nathan Wilson, 19; Amanda Johnson, 22; Tyler Bohl, 21; David Heid, 22; and Thomas Palanuk, 28, have been charged with felony delivery of synthetic cannabinoids and felony delivery of drug paraphernalia.
Johnson, the store manager, referred all questions to the Vogel Law Firm. Attorney James Cailao confirmed that the law firm “is involved in the matter” but declined further comment.
The North Dakota Board of Pharmacy used an emergency rule in February 2010 to outlaw numerous chemicals being used to make synthetic versions of common street drugs. The 2011 North Dakota Legislature expanded the law, but the state crime laboratory began seeing new chemicals in substances within weeks of the laws being put into effect.
The Board of Pharmacy again expanded the law in December, and North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem has said more efforts will be made to strengthen the law to stop the use and distribution of such substances.
The 10 people associated with Discontent are charged with offenses under the law prior to new rules enacted by the Board of Pharmacy earlier this month, authorities said.


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Citra was a 3DS emulator which was originally created in April 2014, and continued to see regular updates until February this year.
The core Citra team went on to create the Switch emulator Yuzu, and earlier this week a Nintendo lawsuit settlement saw the Yuzu team agreeing to pay $2.4 million in damages and permanently stop offering or marketing Yuzu or its source code.
However, the settlement has seen a similar shutdown for the Citra emulator too, a move which some commentators suggest is a blow for game preservation.
They argue that while Yuzu is morally and ethically dubious because it allows users to play backups of current commercially available software, Citra is somewhat less egregious because the games it plays are by and large considered archive titles that are no longer being sold by Nintendo.
Indeed, Nintendo’s closure of the 3DS eShop in March 2023 means the handheld’s entire library of digital games, many of which were eShop exclusives, have been impossible to legally acquire for nearly a year now.
As such, some have been arguing that emulation is the only way to access these games today, making it important for game preservation.
Holly Nielsen, a historian who specialises in play and games, noted on X that while she can access board games from the 1800s as part of her research, some games from just a few years ago are harder to obtain.
“It’s very worrying that in many ways it is easier for me to research games made in the 19th century than it is to research digital games,” she wrote.
“Unless there is a flood or fire at the archive, the games I look at are relatively accessible and playable. Not the case for many digital games. Just something to think about when it comes to emulation and preservation.”
I think the worst part about the whole Yuzu Switch emulator shutdown is that the Citra 3DS emulator is also being shutdown. And you can’t even purchase 3DS games unless you look for physical games online sometimes at ridiculously high prices. pic.twitter.com/PGy13POdS3— Jacob (@Mega_Mii51) March 5, 2024
The GitHub repo for Citra, the 3DS emulator, is now empty. Hats off to Nintendo for utterly eviscerating game preservation efforts. pic.twitter.com/xwFRxe31jV— Nitroid ❗ (@Nitroid) March 4, 2024
Accessibility expert Laura Kate Dale also noted that Citra was useful for players with accessibility needs, and its closure will harm them.
“Citra, the primary 3DS emulator, being made unavailable sucks not only for preservation, but also accessibility,” she wrote on X.
“Citra allowed a method for playing 3DS games on larger screens, using accessibility focused alternate input devices / controllers.
“With a system you can no longer purchase games for digitally, piracy isn’t hurting a bottom line. Losing Citra undoubtedly means some disabled players losing access to the option of experiencing 3DS titles.”
It should be stressed that despite the arguments in favour of emulation, the sharing of ROM images of copyrighted video games remains illegal.
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion


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DETROIT (Reuters) -- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has asked for a new trial following one that ended early in April with a Georgia jury awarding $150 million to the family of a 4-year-old boy killed in a fiery crash involving at 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Evidence and the law did not support that verdict in April, the company's lawyers said in a filing Thursday.
The filing with the Superior Court of Decatur County says the $120 million wrongful death award is more than 11 times the largest death award in Georgia history. The $30 million pain and suffering award is more than four times the largest award upheld in the state, it says.
The filing added: "The jury's stunning and unprecedented damage awards are grossly excessive."
The jury found Chrysler, now part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, was 99 percent at fault in the death of Remington Walden. The driver who slammed into the back of the Jeep Grand Cherokee was found to be 1 percent at fault.
Jeep was a brand of Chrysler and is now an FCA brand.
Attorneys for the Walden family argued that the placement of the Jeep's fuel tank behind the rear axle made it more likely to cause a fire in the event of a rear-end crash, such as the one that led to the child's death.
Newer Jeep SUVs do not have gasoline tanks located behind the rear axle.
U.S. safety regulators said last week they were ready to take action soon to accelerate recalls, including one for gas tank fires in Jeep SUVs.
The 1999 Grand Cherokee was not included in a June 2013 recall of 1.56 million Jeep SUVs as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and FCA had agreed to limit the recalls. The safety regulator had earlier pushed for a wider recall of 2.7 million Jeeps


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The Google Pixel 6a was announced a month ago at the Google IO 2022. However, the device will be up for pre-order only on July 21st in the US. With over two months of time between the official announcement and the launch date, we have already seen a couple of Pixel 6a unboxing videos on the internet.
First, Google France’s training channel posted a video of the Pixel 6a’s key features. More recently, the device was unboxed in a TikTok video and was also listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace. Now, a new video of the device has been uploaded on YouTube by a Malaysian YouTuber.
Google Pixel 6a Unboxing Video on YouTube
Fazli Halim, a YouTuber based out of Malaysia has posted a new video recently with the “Google Pixel 6a Sampai Malaysia” title, in which he unboxes the device and also talks about what he likes and dislikes about the device 一 which gives us some clarity on what the device will be like in the real life. While the video is in the Malay language, the video gives us a general idea of the device.
As for the unboxing, the box will come with the device (Pixel 6a), a Type-C to Type-C charging cable, a USB to Type-C adapter, and some paperwork. The YouTuber seems to like the phone’s display, battery, and fingerprint scanner. He expressed his disappointment in the selfie camera, 18W charging, and overall camera departments. The box seems to be an official retail unit and it is unclear if Google will take any action or if the video will be taken down. At the time of writing this, the video is available on YouTube.
In terms of specifications, the Pixel 6a is powered by the Tensor chipset and it comes with a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED display with a 20:9 aspect ratio and 60Hz refresh rate. Further, it comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It packs a 4,410mAh battery and supports 18W fast charging out of the box. The Pixel 6a has an 8MP front camera. On the back, there is a dual-camera setup. The phone has a 12MP main camera and a 12MP ultrawide camera. It runs on Android 12 out of the box. The Google Pixel 6a is also confirmed to launch in India later this year.


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As reported by several news outlets in the industry late last week, the writing instruments manufacturer Manuscript Pen Company has now acquired stationery distributor, Lime Art & Stationery.
The transition now means that Manuscript will own both the Lime Art & Stationery business and its subsidiaries based in the UK going forwards.
It is said that the transaction of the firm was concluded at the beginning of August this year, with the deal now meaning that both Manuscript and Lime will begin trading as one joint entity.
Manuscript commented that the addition of Lime will give it “more diversity and strength in the domestic market” and “allow it to grow as a business”.
A Smooth Transition Assured for Manuscript Pen Company and Lime Art & Stationery
In order for the business transition to take place as efficiently as possible, it has been confirmed that Lime’s now former owners – Michael Owen, Tracy Owen and Jon Sumner, will continue to trade as representatives of the new Manuscript and Lime merger.
It is hoped that by doing so, it will ensure both companies supply chain partners and customers will be able to easily adapt to the changes, providing no detrimental effects to their current trading agreements and processes.
Managing Director of Manuscript Pen Company, Charlie Stockbridge, emphasized that this new acquisition would prove to be of great benefit for both parties, expressing that it would be “a real opportunity for both Manuscript and Lime to expand and increase their footprint in an ever-changing industry.”
“This is a key step in the growth plans of Manuscript as a brand and the company as a whole.
The purchase of Lime Stationery made complete sense, due to their reputation, strong UK sales presence and network of contacts.
They join the Manuscript family and I can’t wait to see where this acquisition takes us.”
Manuscript and Lime a ‘Perfect Match’
Supporting many of the thoughts and sentiments expressed by Stockbridge, one of the former owners of Lime, Michael Owen, comments:
“We’ve known Manuscript for over a decade and seen how they have developed and grown.
They are one of the most forward-thinking companies in the industry and our combined skills and knowledge will be a perfect match.”
“We’re excited for what the future holds and looking forward to working together.”


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Sept 29 (Reuters) - British auto dealer Pendragon said on Tuesday strong performance since the easing of COVID-19 lockdowns helped it return to profitability in July and August, after posting a smaller first-half loss.
However, the company, which operates the Evans Halshaw, Stratstone, Quickco and Car Store brands, said it was not reinstating annual guidance given the uncertainty that exists once government economic support is withdrawn.
Reuters Breakingviews is the world's leading source of agenda-setting financial insight. As the Reuters brand for financial commentary, we dissect the big business and economic stories as they break around the world every day. A global team of about 30 correspondents in New York, London, Hong Kong and other major cities provides expert analysis in real time.
Sign up for a free trial of our full service at https://www.breakingviews.com/trial and follow us on Twitter @Breakingviews and at www.breakingviews.com. All opinions expressed are those of the authors.


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COVID-19 highlighted the importance of digital medicine such as therapeutic and digital diagnostic applications. These technologies can help alert doctors of potential health risks and more.
The world’s first smart multifunctional keyboard allows people with severe motor disabilities to easily use their computer, smartphone or tablet. With a blink of an eye, Key-X can be used by almost anyone with severe motor disabilities.
A recent study by Parks Associates found that the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in seniors becoming increasingly likely to utilize broadband-connected technology, defying the myth that this age group shies away from new technology.


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India’s global brand recall and attributes of multi-cultural ethos, authenticity, and ethnic diversity are potential turbochargers for the country’s economy. One channel through which these attributes are brought out are Geographical Indications or GI tags. These were either assigned to the dusty pages of history books or left to rural artisans to propagate and preserve. Today, with the emphasis on climate change and sustainability, these products can be ready revenue generators. A modern distribution system exists in India’s robust global e-commerce backbone and a newly-released domestic drone policy, which will propel the nascent GI industry onto the national and world stage.
There is traction already. Amazon’s local to global programme has taken Indian producers and their products such as Delta Leather Corporation’s leather and SVA Organics’s organic products to 18 global markets in over 200 countries, increasing demand and company size by as much as 300 times. In the two years ending March 2021, Amazon exported such Made in India goods worth $2 billion.
GI products need the support of governments. The Europeans are masters at it, as seen by products such as Brie cheese and sparkling wine from Champagne. The EU has an $87 billion GI economy. China has also done very well by GI, strengthening e-commerce in rural areas and actively promoting agricultural special product brands in lesser developed areas. China’s Ministry of Commerce has accelerated the growth of rural online retail sales by almost 20 per cent annually. Nationally, online retail sales of agricultural products in China hit $94.4 billion in 2020.
Why is this important? A 2017 UNCTAD report on inclusive growth and e-commerce deems China’s e-commerce-driven growth as inclusive. That means China has successfully empowered micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to compete with large companies on the same stage, with no geographic boundaries. This has increased China-EU agricultural trade volumes by 16 per cent to $19.4 billion in the first few months of 2021 alone. Likewise, despite a globally depressed market for wines, the produce from the Ningxia region of China saw exports surge 46.4 per cent in 2020, benefitting 211 wineries in Ningxia. The output value of GI producers in China totalled $92.771 billion as of 2020. Several studies show that the patents and copyright protection of products under GIs result in higher economic gains, fostering quality production and better distribution of profits.
GI protection has wider positive benefits, especially for local communities. In particular, it encourages the preservation of biodiversity, local know-how and natural resources. And this is where India can do well.
Multiple benefits flow from a strong GI ecosystem, which can be a wellspring of economic and soft power. It will automatically resolve the three fraught India issues of poor pay for talent, low female participation in the labour force, and urban migration.
First, it will convert talent into entrepreneurship with gig workers, and create a “passion” economy, that is, a new way for individuals to monetise their skills and scale their businesses exponentially. It removes the hurdles associated with freelance work to earn a regular income from a source other than an employer. Second, the labour-intensive nature of GI offers the best solution to boosting the employment-to-population ratio in India, an abysmal 43 per cent compared with the 55 per cent global average. Monetising artisanal work done at home will increase India’s low female labour force participation rate, which at 21 per cent in 2019 was half the 47 per cent global average.
The hyper-localised nature of GI offers solutions to reverse urban migration and conserve India’s ancient crafts, culture and food. A rejuvenation of MSMEs, which account for 31 per cent of India’s GDP and 45 per cent of exports, will follow. An estimated 55.80 million MSMEs employ close to 130 million people; of this, 14 per cent are women-led enterprises and 59.5 per cent are rural. Another revenue-earner, GI tourism, is typically a by-product of a strong GI ecosystem.
There are several hurdles to the creation of this new industry. Because GI businesses are micro, it is necessary to address the challenges of capacity-building, formal or easy access to credit, forming marketing linkages, research and development, product innovation and competitiveness in both domestic and international markets. The groundwork for MSME access to formal credit has already been done with the new Account Aggregator data-sharing framework.
There is the vexed issue of middlemen, who run system. With the shift to digital platforms, the distribution margins of these gate keepers or mandi agents must be competitive so they do not act as countervailing agents by getting into similar businesses or product lines which will erode GI producer incomes. As seen from the experience of the new farm laws, this will be a task for the central and state governments; they must ensure the transition without breaking down too many existing linkages. GI producers and distribution intermediaries are partners in grime and sweat, one bringing unique skills and techniques and the other ensuring that the product reaches the dining table or adorns homes. Guardrails like regular audits and consultations with the GI producers must be mandated.
Pulling it together will be local GI cooperative bodies or associations which can be nationally managed by a GI board under the auspices of the Department for the Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), the Ministry of Commerce department which should be tasked with developing this new sector.
Finally, a required skill for GI producers is digital literacy. This should be a priority agenda item for NGOs and stakeholders like the DPIIT. It is an opportunity for India to redefine the future of work using automation, technology and artificial intelligence while simultaneously enhancing and adorning the country’s talented local work force.
The Indian GI economy can be a platform for India to showcase to the world a model for ethical capitalism, social entrepreneurship, de-urbanisation, and bringing women to the workforce, on the back of a robust digital system. It encompasses the concept of trusteeship, as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi and more recently, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the UN. It is truly Made in India.
This column first appeared in the print edition on October 1, 2021 under the title ‘Growing locally’. The writer is the Director, Gateway House: Indian Council on Global Relations.


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CXM Direct had an incredibly successful experience at IFX EXPO International, the largest financial B2B Expo held in Bangkok, Thailand. As a proud Platinum Sponsor, CXM Direct is confident to say that they've made a significant impact at the event.
From June 20th to 22nd, their team had the opportunity to participate in the event held at the stunning Centara Grand and Bangkok Convention Centre at CentralWorld.
It was an absolute honor for the team to connect with industry leaders, professionals, and like-minded individuals from around the globe. The expo provided an exceptional platform for networking, exchanging ideas, and exploring the latest trends in the financial sector.
Notably, one of CXM Direct’s Team leaders was featured as one of the speakers, further showcasing their expertise and thought leadership in the industry.
The positive feedback received about CXM Direct’s innovative solutions and exceptional customer service reaffirmed their commitment to excellence.
CXM Direct would like to extend a heartfelt gratitude to the organizers for putting together such a remarkable event, as well as to all the visitors who stopped by the booth to learn more about the company.
Stay tuned for more exciting updates as CXM Direct continues to revolutionize the financial industry with the company’s cutting-edge solutions.


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Vietnam is promoting tea and coffee products at an international exposition held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from March 27-31, aiming to boost exports of such commodities to the regional country.
Organised by the Malaysian Tea Trade Association, the Malaysia International Tea and Coffee Expo (MITCE) aims to increase information exchanges and embrace global economic links, said the organising chairman Ooi Wee Boon.
He underlined tea and coffee as the two key Asian trade products, and raised the fact that in Malaysia, tea consumption doubled from 14,000 to 24,000 tonnes over the past decade.
Participating countries are showcasing various tea and coffee samples at 76 booths over an area of over 5,000 square meters. Vietnamese products, especially Trung Nguyen coffee, have impressed visitors with their unique taste.
Two-way trade between Vietnam and Malaysia posted an average growth of 24 percent per year during the 2011-2013 period, according to Hoang Thi Lien, a representative from the Trade Office of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia.
She noted that bilateral trade hit 9.1 billion USD in the year just gone, of which Vietnam enjoyed a trade surplus of 850 million USD.
In addition to crude oil, rice, electronic spare parts, computers, and plastic products, tea and coffee are the country’s major export lines.
In 2013, tea and coffee exports to Malaysia were estimated at 3.7 million USD and 40 million USD, respectively.
According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, tea and coffee farmers brought home 270,000 USD and 632,000 USD respectively in this January.


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Washington: The US Congress on Thursday passed a bill that requires companies to prove that goods imported from China’s Xinjiang region have not been produced using forced labour, BBC reported here on Friday.
The US has consistently accused China of genocide in its repression of the predominantly Muslim Uyghur minority there – a charge repeatedly denied by China.
However, the bill had been criticised by major companies that have been doing business in the area, including the likes of Coca-Cola, Nike and Apple.
The bill was initially not backed by the White House.
It was approved by the Senate on Thursday with the vote of every member of Congress except one.
The bill is known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, now heads to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.


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How One Nonprofit’s Unique Local Strategy Raises $40K/YearMarch 31, 2014 by Chantelle Wallace
Effective fundraising is a challenge every nonprofit faces. Requesting repeat donations is particularly difficult—supporters receive numerous contribution solicitations, which means your organization must find a unique way to stand out and capture their attention.
Emancipet, which aims to make spay/neuter services and preventive veterinary care available to all pet owners, regardless of their ability to pay, is successfully doing just this with its Sit Stay Day kits.
Since 2011, Emancipet has delivered these kits to participants around Valentine’s Day—the perfect time to celebrate the love that pets bring to people’s lives.
The Sit Stay Day kits are the nonprofit’s second largest fundraiser, and getting bigger each year: in 2011, they raised $27,000, while in 2014, they nearly doubled that, raising $43,425.
The kit’s contents, which include things like locally-brewed beer, chips and salsa, dog biscuits and more, are obtained through partnerships Emancipet has developed with local vendors. These vendors donate items in exchange for the publicity the kits receive and the opportunity to have their product sampled by those who purchase the kits for $175—all of which goes to supporting Emancipet’s programs.
Emancipet creates only 250 kits each year. They’re made available to the general public in January via social media posts and e-newsletters, and are sold online on a first come, first served basis.
A Tweet announcing the Sit Stay Day kit
To better understand how other nonprofits can create similar mutually-beneficial fundraising partnerships with local companies, I spoke with Emancipet Chief Development Officer Jill Lally, along with several businesses that contributed to the kits. Here, we highlight best practices other nonprofits can use to achieve similar success.
Cater to Your Supporters’ Preferences
The idea for the Sit Stay Day kit originally came in part from another nonprofit, GENaustin, which provides high impact programs for teen girls. GENaustin’s Gala in a Box was one of their most successful fundraisers. It contained items such as martini ingredients, reservations at high-end restaurants and chocolates—the idea being to bring a “gala” to supporters instead of asking them to attend yet another fundraising event.
Similarly, the Sit Stay Day kit’s theme is, “Because Staying In is the New Going Out,” and its contents are designed to keep owners and their pets satisfied indoors on Valentine’s Day. It’s a ‘non-event’ that allows them to contribute to a good cause while staying put.
“The Sit Stay Day kit allows them to stay home with the pets and people they love most. We bring the party to them,” Lally explains.
Emancipet’s Sit Stay Day kit
Since Emancipet’s supporters tend to care about their community and the environment, the kit’s contents are sourced from local food and beverage companies that Emancipet approaches about participating.
While some of the kit’s contents and participating vendors do change each year, many companies have contributed consistently since 2011, including Taurus Training, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Whole Foods Market, Austin Pets Directory and The Container Store.
Align Your Mission With Vendors’ Core Values
Whole Foods Market is a large (yet also locally-based) donor, and contributes multiple items from their signature 365 Everyday Value products to the kit each year, including pasta, parmesan and salsa. Rachel Malish, Austin media and community relations coordinator for Whole Foods Market, says the company appreciates that the kits contain local products it sells on its shelves, such as KIND Snacks and Shiner White Wing Beer.
While Whole Foods Market is approached by many charities requesting contributions, Malish says it chooses to support those that can show how their cause relates to the company’s core values.
Emancipet’s mission aligns with Whole Foods Market’s value of serving and supporting local communities by providing preventive companion animal veterinary care to all, regardless of finances. Additionally, the company is headquartered in a pet-friendly city (Austin), and regularly hosts dog-related activities such as Yappy Hours. When Emancipet approached them about donating to the kit, it was clear doing so was a natural fit.
Similarly, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, which has donated a bottle of its famous liquor to the Sit Stay Day kit since day one, is known for its philanthropic and dog-loving team. It’s also based in the same part of East Austin as Emancipet—an area whose significant stray-dog problem Emancipet aims to mitigate with its spay/neuter services.
In fact, Tito’s has rescued 32 of the area’s homeless dogs and had them treated at Emancipet prior to putting them up for adoption or turning them into resident distillery dogs. When Emancipet asked the company to contribute a bottle to the kit, they were more than happy to do so.
Make Your Request Reasonable
The Sit Stay Day kit team has a staff lead and an active committee of volunteers who request product contributions from businesses the nonprofit appears to have a natural connection with. They also do a lot of cold calling, which is often successful. “Austin businesses are generally happy to help out animals,” says Lally.
The Sit Stay Day kits have earned many media mentions since starting in 2011, which provides an incentivizing benefit for businesses considering participation. That being said, asking companies to donate items for free can still be challenging, and the Emancipet team tries to be mindful of making their ask beneficial for the business.
This is why Emancipet only makes 250 kits available each year: asking some of their smaller vendor-donors for 250 units of their product would make it impossible for them to participate. Some businesses are only able to offer partial donations, which is why the contents of each kit can differ slightly.
Shweiki Media has been responsible for the kit’s printing needs since its start. Dave Reimherr, head of Shweiki Media’s sales and marketing department, says the company’s involvement with Emancipet stems from their passion for pet rescue and welfare.
While the Shweiki team cares about many causes and would love to contribute to more, Reimherr says they have to be selective about the charities they choose to support. “You can’t pro bono yourself out of business,” he says, adding that the residual business that often comes from contributing to causes such as the Sit Stay Day Kit can provide companies with growth that allows them to give back even more in the future.
An example of Shweiki Media’s printing work for Sit Stay Day kits
Use Publicity and Recognition to Say Thank You
Once the kits have been created, Emancipet uses social media, food blogs and columns, TV spots and their e-newsletter to let people know it’s available for purchase. This publicity push also serves as positive public relations and advertising for the 67 vendors who donate to this year’s kit, getting their brand name out there and associating it with a good deed.
“There’s a reason cause marketing is a popular topic,” says Reimherr. “It’s a great strategy to gain new business, and helps answer the customer question, ‘Is this a company I want to give money to?’”
For example, when a magazine Reimherr’s team had been trying to pitch learned that Shweiki had helped Emancipet with printing, they were suddenly open to talking about working together. And a client that was no longer using Shweiki’s services got back in touch when they learned of their involvement with Sit Stay Day.
Malish says that even when the Sit Stay Day kit marketing push is over, Emancipet continues to update their supporters and sponsors on how the money raised from the kits is being used to advance Emancipet programs. The nonprofit also finds ways to creatively thank sponsors on social media.
Emancipet’s picture tweet, used to thank Taurus for participating
“We pride ourselves on taking great care of our supporters,” says Lally. “Businesses get social media plugs, inclusion in the kit guidebook, acknowledgment in a thank you ad in the Austin Chronicle, and, of course, their brand delivered directly into the hands of 250 of our supporters.”
Beth Bellanti, relationship marketing manager at Tito’s Handmade Vodka, says the company relies on word of mouth for much of its marketing, so getting people to try their product is a significant source of new business.
“We don’t keep numbers on how our charitable contributions have benefited the business’ bottom line, but it’s certainly allowed our product to be sampled by a lot of people, and that’s significant for the business,” Bellanti says.
While “win-win” fundraisers like Sit Stay Day kits can yield significant benefits for nonprofits, Lally cautions organizations not to underestimate the soft costs of putting on these events. “The expense ratio looks great on paper, but the amount of staff and volunteer time is huge,” she says.
Emancipet staff members spend six months prior to Sit Stay Day pitching vendors about participating and arranging details for their donation. Additionally, volunteers and staff are needed to retrieve items, assemble and deliver the kits—all of which requires a significant amount of time, talent and coordination.
That being said, Lally says the amount of positive public relations and awareness about Emancipet the kit generates makes it well worth the effort.
A canine recipient investigating a Sit Stay Day kit
Photos courtesy of Emancipet.


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Anyone who has been to the supermarket recently can attest to the fact that prices of organic foods at the supermarket are generally much higher than conventional (either non-GM or GM) foods, often by as much as 50 percent. Much of this increase comes from the inputs necessary to grow organic foods, including more land to grow crops, labor-intensive processes like tilling and weed removal, and using high volumes of organic-approved pesticides.
But a new player, the non-GMO Project label (not to be confused with the USDA organic label) is also beginning to change the landscape of food pricing—from organic to GMO.
Non-GMO versus Organic
The Non-GMO Project, is a non-profit that is based in Bellingham, Washington. It requires submitters to demonstrate how their food is produced without genetic modification—which is easy for, say, salt, which has no genes or genetic material to speak of but harder for living organisms like corn. The non-GMO Project has a tolerance level of GM of less than 0.9 percent (the same as European Union countries). This is rather different from the USDA’s National Organic Program, which doesn’t have as strict a threshold for GM, and also requires submitters to show that they aren’t using prohibited pesticides or fertilizers, and are using other techniques approved for organic farming. So, a product could be non-GMO, but not be organic.
Most shoppers (about 67 percent, according to a recent survey by the NPD group) say they aren’t willing to pay more for non-GMO food, about 11 percent of those surveyed said they would be willing to pay more. In a country as large as the United States, that 11 percent may be enough to profit from. For example, a search of avocado oils from AvoHaus showed a 250 ml bottle of organic non-GMO Project certified avocado oil was $15, while a conventional extra-virgin avocado oil bottle of the same size was $12.50. An 8 oz bottle of Non-GMO Project avocado oil was selling for $12.75, while a conventional bottle of avocado oil was selling for $7.35 for 17 oz—interestingly there are no GMO avocados.
Switching to macaroni and cheese, Andy Schaul, global insights manager at Monsanto, Tweeted a picture of a 6 oz box of organic mac and cheese for $2.49, next to a 5 oz box of an organic non-GMO version of the same product that cost $3.35. For other retailers, however, the price of non-GMO (but not organic) might be cheaper than organic versions.
While prices—especially retail prices—can come from a lot of sources (transportation and processing costs, marketing activity, regional differences in price and cost), the price premium of this new product helps illustrate how costs of crop development move from farm to table, no matter how the crop was farmed. Depending on general crop prices and efforts by certain manufacturers to cash on in current farm economics, the non-GMO label could outstrip “organic” on costs to consumers.
In some ways, Non-GMO already is outstripping organic. From 2013 to 2015, Non-GMO sales rose 70 percent every year, totaling about $13 billion in sales for 2015. Meanwhile, food that has the USDA Organic seal (and thus is 95 percent or more organic) totaled $11 billion by November 2015.
Farming price pressures
Farmers are becoming more attracted to non-GMO crops, even more than organic. A large reason for this is price. While inputs for organic and non-GMO maybe higher, the prices for certain crops (like corn, soy and wheat) are very, very low. These low prices, the result of improved agricultural practices (including genetic modification, reduced pesticide use and advanced machinery) are making farmers look for alternatives that pay them more per unit of crop.
Terry Daynard, a Guelph, Ontario, farmer and former associate dean at the University of Guelph, wrote in his blog that last year, he received $11 per bushel of soybean, compared to $10 per bushel in 1983. But in constant (1983) dollars, that means last year he only got $5 per bushel. “If I’d grown organic soybeans in 2015, I would have received about 2.5 times that or normal soybeans and my cost of production would have been equally high.”
A number of other farmers in Canada and the US Midwest have moved away from biotech seeds, mainly because of price. Prices for corn and soybeans have fallen 50 percent for corn and 35 percent for soybeans over the past two years, which has forced a number of growers to look to organics and non-GMO varieties for higher profits.
John Ruelle, senior vice president of SunOpta, a Toronto, Ontario-based firm that is the first to get USDA certification for operating GMO-free, says that Non-GMO has a distinct price advantage over organics, at least in the short run:
We didn’t have a ton of interest from growers to grow specialty crops when corn was at $8 a bushel. To be a certified organic producer you have to go through three crop cycles in order to get the land certified. You can do non-GMO next year.
With low food prices, the difference between $3, $8 and even $11 a bushel isn’t going to affect consumers, especially affluent ones. But, as Terry Daynard pointed out, “many Canadians aren’t affluent,” which is true in every other country on the planet. “If government and food industry actions reduce availability of lower-cost foods, many low-income families will suffer. That’s unfortunate and perhaps unethical, too.”
Andrew Porterfield is a writer, editor and communications consultant for academic institutions, companies and non-profits in the life sciences. He is based in Camarillo, California. Follow @AMPorterfield on Twitter.


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Earlier this year, we heard rumors about a new flagship device codenamed McLaren, which was to launch with high-end specifications, and a 3D Touch system. But later, it was reported that the handset had been canceled, which was apparently about to enter the final stages of development. Recently, some images of the purported Lumia McLaren popped up from Chinese shores, comparing the device with the latest iPhone 6.
By the looks of it, it seems like a successor to the cameraphone Lumia 1020, and resembles a little bit to the images we saw a few weeks back. If you take a closer look at the images, it carries the same RM-1052 model number as the previous leak. We don’t know much about the specifications, but the alleged device has a microSD card slot suggesting it will support expandable memory unlike the Lumia 1020. Previous rumors suggested Microsoft McLaren will sport a display of around 5-inch with a 20MP camera.
The images leaked also compares several aspects of the iPhone 6 and McLaren, including the camera and its thickness — it’s quite thicker than the iPhone may be due to the big camera module, and slightly larger. Furthermore, it comes with 4G LTE connectivity on board, and apparently allows users to switch between 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity.
The question which remains is if it’s just a leftover prototype device or if Microsoft has started developing the handset once again. It would be interesting to see what Microsoft has in store for its fans, and if we’ll ever get a chance to see the alleged McLaren device hit retail. In the meantime, you can head over to the source link below to check out a handful of images posted by the folks at CnBeta. We’ll update you if we get to hear anything more about the purported Microsoft McLaren handset.


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Shares of the meal-kit delivery company were up as much as 15% on Monday to trade above $7.50 for the first time since July 13.
Even with this pop, Blue Apron shares are down about 25% from its IPO debut price, indicating investors have not reached the same conclusions about the company being argued by analysts.
Monday’s rally came as Wall Street’s post-IPO blackout period ended, allowing firms involved in the initial offering of the company’s shares to initiate research coverage on the stock 25 days after the IPO.
Of the 11 firms that published new recommendations on Blue Apron, Business Insider noted that seven were either “buy” or “outperform” — in effect the most positive view a firm can have on a stock — while the remaining four were neutral.
What analysts are saying about Blue Apron
Unlike the market’s early verdict on Blue Apron, none of its Wall Street investment banking partners have an outright negative view on the company.
Analysts at RBC Capital Markets, which was an underwriter on the deal, put a $10 price target and “Outperform” rating on shares on Monday.
“Blue Apron is the leading player in the nascent meal-kit delivery market and addressing a large, multi-billion dollar market,” the firm wrote Monday. “We believe the company’s new product and service initiatives enhance its consumer value proposition and will lead to re-accelerating growth in [fiscal year 2018] and a multiple re-rating.”
(A “multiple re-rating basically” is a jargon-y way of saying that a company will be more highly valued by investors even if its underlying business does not fundamentally transform.)
Analysts at Oppenheimer, which also served as an underwriter on Blue Apron’s IPO, put an $11 price target and also pegged an “Outperform” rating on shares on Monday.
Like RBC, Oppenheimer cited Blue Apron’s large TAM, or total addressable market, as a reason for optimism on the company’s future prospects.
Oppenheimer, which calculates Blue Apron’s TAM at $524 billion, said this market “should buoy the growth of the meal kit industry, which should drive Blue Apron’s revenue growth over time.” RBC notes that the grocery market in the U.S. is about $780 billion with just 2% of this spending, or $20 billion, happening online. The firm sees growth in online grocery spending as a positive boost to Blue Apron over time.
Recent history, however, does not portend that Monday’s flurry of positive headlines for Blue Apron will be anything like a saving grace for the stock, which has been under pressure for all of its short time as a public company.
Back in March, firms that underwrote Snapchat parent company Snap Inc.’s (SNAP) debut rolled out their initial ratings on the stock, and were almost as universally positive across the board; only two of the ten underwriters did not slap a “Buy” or equivalent rating on the stock.
Since the March 27 end of Snap’s post-IPO quiet period, however, shares are down almost 40%. On Monday, the stock was down another 2.5% to as low as $14.11, a new all-time low for the stock. And a downgrade of Snap by analysts at Morgan Stanley — which had earlier put an “Overweight” rating on the stock — sent Snap shares down almost 9%.
Additionally, much of the pressure Blue Apron has been under since its IPO has been related to the elephant in the room of seemingly every consumer-facing business today: Amazon (AMZN).
Before Blue Apron even went public, the debut range for its stock fell after Amazon purchased Whole Foods (WFM), a move that made clear the leader in online retail was serious about moving into the food business, which they’ve struggled to master for years.
Eventually, Blue Apron went public at $10 per share, down from an initial range of $15-$17 per share sought at the beginning of its roadshow.
And then just last week, Blue Apron shares got slammed after a patent filing from Amazon indicated the company is exploring prepared food kits. In other words, Amazon will seek to become a direct competitor to Blue Apron. This news sent shares down as much as 11%.
Myles Udland is a writer at Yahoo Finance. Follow him on Twitter @MylesUdland
Read more from Myles here:


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Raley's: Pen Pieces May Have Gotten Into Meat Grinder
Store Issues Small, Voluntary Recall
A pen may have accidentally been ground into some meat at a Raley's store in Antioch, prompting a small recall, according to a statement from the company.
Once the store discovered what may have happened, all beef products were pulled from the shelves.
Still, some might have been sold, the store says.
The voluntary recall is for ground beef sold Sunday afternoon at the Antioch location only, the company emphasized.
"Yesterday, an employee in Raley's meat department at its store in Antioch discovered particles of a writing pen inside the meat grinder while sanitizing the machine," the statement reads.
The recall was announced after store officials learned there was a possibility that small plastic particles could have been grounded into the beef.
Here are the UPC codes involved:
--Natural Angus Ground Beef, Does Not Exceed 10% Fat
--Fresh Ground Beef, Not To Exceed 7% Fat
--Fresh Ground Beef, Not To Exceed 10% Fat
--Fresh Ground Beef, Not To Exceed 15% Fat
--Premium Ground Beef, 3 Lbs or More Not To Exceed 20% Fat
--Premium Ground Beef, Not To Exceed 20% Fat, Shop Trim
No one has reported any illnesses. Anyone who bought the meat is eligible for a refund.


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NEW PRAGUE, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–January 27, 2022–
Electromed, Inc. (“Electromed” or the “Company”) (NYSE American: ELMD), a leader in innovative airway clearance technologies, today announced that it will issue its financial results press release for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 ended December 31. 2021 on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 after the close of trading, and host a conference call the same day at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss the results.
Interested parties may participate in the call by dialing:
- (877) 407-0789 (domestic)
- (201) 689-8562 (International)
The live webcast of the conference call will be accessible on the Investor Relations section of Electromed’s website and directly via the following link:
For those unable to listen to the live stream, a replay will be available by dialing (844) 512-2921 (domestic) or (412) 317-6671 (international) and referring to replay PIN 13726774. In addition, an online replay will be available in the Investor Relations section of Electromed’s website at: http://investors.smartvest.com/.
About Electromed, Inc.
Electromed, Inc. manufactures, markets and sells products that provide airway clearance therapy, including the SmartVest ® airway clearance system, to patients with compromised lung function. The company is headquartered in New Prague, Minnesota and was founded in 1992. Further information about the company is available at www.smartvest.com.
See the source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220127006051/en/
CONTACT: Electromed, Inc.
Mike MacCourt, Chief Financial Officer
[email protected] Cavanaugh, Investor Relations
KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA MINNESOTA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: GENERAL HEALTHCARE MEDICAL DEVICES
SOURCE: Electromed, Inc.
Copyright BusinessWire 2022.
PUBLISHED: 01/27/2022 16:22 / DISK: 01/27/2022 16:22


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TORONTO — Some of the most active companies traded Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange:
Toronto Stock Exchange (20,590.98, up 19.68 points.)
Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Industrials. Up eight cents, or 4.9 per cent, to $170 on 11.3 million shares.
Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB). Energy. Up 87 cents, or 1.7 per cent, to $51.74 on 11 million shares.
Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Up $1.66, or five per cent, to $34.86 on 9.8 million shares.
Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE). Energy. Up 77 cents, or 4.4 per cent, to $18.38 on 8.8 million shares.
Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Financials. Up 24 cents, or one per cent, to $25.28 on eight million shares.
Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY). Financials. Down $2.12, or 1.5 per cent, to $141.22 on 7.8 million shares.
Companies in the news:
Canadian National Railway Co. (TSX:CNR). Up $1.35 to $154.94. Canadian National Railway Co. has named Tracy Robinson as its new president and CEO to succeed J.J. Ruest. CN says Robinson, the first woman to lead the 103-year-old company, will step into the top spot on Feb. 28 as Ruest departs following the failed takeover attempt of U.S. railway Kansas City Southern last year. The Montreal-based company says Ruest will stay on in an advisory role until March 31. Robinson is joining the company from TC Energy, where she served as an executive after spending 27 years at CN rival Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. The appointment came as CN reported its fourth-quarter profit rose 17 per cent compared with a year ago and the railway raised its 2022 dividend by 19 per cent. In spite of flooding in B.C. late last year, CN's net income amounted to nearly one-third of revenue, jumping to $1.2 billion from $1.02 billion in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Metro Inc. (TSX:MRU). Down 45 cents to $64. Vaccine mandates for truckers have raised transportation costs — but haven't impacted the shipment of goods to stores, the head of one of Canada's largest grocery chains says. Instead, Metro president and CEO Eric La Flèche said Tuesday the biggest impact on Canada's food industry supply chain has been worker absenteeism due to COVID-19 protocols. The labour shortage caused by quarantined workers has impacted the entire supply chain — including retail stores, distribution centres and suppliers as well as transportation — driving sporadic outages of certain products, he said. Metro raised its quarterly dividend by 10 per cent to 27.5 cents per share as the Montreal-based grocery and drugstore retailer said Tuesday it earned $207.7 million or 85 cents per diluted shared for the 12-week period ended Dec. 18, up from a profit of $191.2 million or 76 cents per share in the same quarter a year earlier. Sales in the quarter totalled $4.32 billion, up from $4.28 billion in the same quarter last year. The increase came as food same-store sales fell 1.4 per cent compared with a year ago, while pharmacy same-store sales rose 7.7 per cent.
Manulife Financial Corp. — Manulife Financial Corp. says Rick Lunny, president and CEO of Manulife Bank, is retiring at the end of February. It says Alex Lucas, current head of individual insurance at Manulife Canada, will step into the role as head of the Canadian online bank. Mike Doughty, chief executive of Manulife Canada, said in the memo announcing the change that Lucas has been at Manulife for over 15 years, including head of individual insurance since 2014. Lunny served in the role of CEO of the bank for more than seven years. Manulife Bank was established in 1993 and says it was the first branchless bank in Canada, and the first federally regulated bank opened in the country by an insurance company. The bank reported $27.7 billion in assets and a net income of $44 million for the quarter ending Sept. 30.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2022.
The Canadian Press


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Here’s everything you need to know.
Jumping into the world of streaming TV can be stressful, especially if you’re worried about keeping your favorite features. Fortunately, DVR has become standard on almost every streaming TV service. However, no company has embraced DVR with the fierce passion of YouTube TV. Offering significant features and flexibility for families, YouTube TV DVR is a dream for TV fans.
Here’s everything you need to know about YouTube TV DVR: How much it costs, how it works, and what limitations it’s known to have.
What is YouTube TV?
YouTube TV is Google’s live TV streaming service. It’s available nationwide and offers a compelling collection of more than 60 channels, including local channels and specialty sports channels like NBA TV, MLB Network, and Big Ten Network. (You can find the full list of YouTube TV channels here.) YouTube TV’s compatible devices include Google Chromecast, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, iOS and Android devices.
YouTube TV DVR cost
YouTube TV costs $40 per month. DVR is included in the cost of your YouTube TV membership at no additional charge. That makes YouTube TV one of the most affordable DVR solutions for consumers.
HOW THE COMPETITION STACKS UP:
How YouTube TV DVR works
YouTube TV DVR works exactly like any other standard DVR you’ve ever used: pick your show, set it to record, and tune-in to watch it later. YouTube TV offers cloud DVR, so you’ll be able to watch your recordings on any device logged into your account.
YouTube TV allows subscribers to set up accounts for up to six users, each with an individual DVR. You might say, “Hey, won’t I run out space if everyone in my house has their own DVR?” That’s a reasonable concern, but don’t stress. YouTube TV offers unlimited DVR space for all users. That means parents don’t have to worry about their favorite shows getting accidentally get deleted by the kids, and the kids can keep their shows separate from the folks. While other services are charging subscribers for extra space, YouTube TV is opening the floodgates.
In addition, YouTube TV has been working in recent months to increase the number of channels that let users fast-forward through ads on recorded shows. This includes deals with ABC, AMC, FOX, and Turner-stations.
Subscribers can fast-forward through ads on DVR recordings of the following channels: ABC, AMC, BBC America, Big Ten Network, Bravo, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, Cheddar, CNBC, CNN, Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, E!, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNews, Freeform, FOX, FS1, FS2, FX, FXX, FXM, Fox News, Fox Business Network, Golf Channel, HLN, IFC, MSNBC, National Geographic, Nat Geo Wild, NBC, NBCSN, Olympics Channel, Oxygen, SEC Network, Sundance TV, Syfy, TBS, Telemundo, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, TruTV, Universal Kids, Universo, USA Network, and WE TV.
YouTube TV DVR limitations
There are no traditional limits when it comes to YouTube TV DVR, but you should know that your recordings will only last nine months. While this makes it impossible to hoard your favorite episodes of The Simpsons forever, it’s still longer than any other streaming TV service gives.
YouTube TV DVR local channels
There are no hard limits on which local channels YouTube TV can record. However, some games are subject to blackout and won’t be recordable, as will be the case with most sporting events. This is up to your local affiliates and teams, not YouTube. YouTube TV also has massive blind spots around the country when it comes to local TV coverage. Make sure to test to see what local channels you get in your area during your free trial of YouTube TV.
John-Michael Bond is a tech reporter and culture writer for Daily Dot. A longtime cord-cutter and early adapter, he's an expert on streaming services (Hulu with Live TV), devices (Roku, Amazon Fire), and anime. A former staff writer for TUAW, he's knowledgeable on all things Apple and Android. You can also also find him regularly performing standup comedy in Los Angeles.


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Soft2Bet has launched its MGA-licensed Cadabrus operator brand, where a rabbit with a passion for magic tricks welcomes players.
Cadabrus is the newest addition to the portfolio of more than 20 operator brands from Soft2Bet and follows on from the highly successful launch of Wazamba, the first gamified online casino.
There are more immersive features available for purchase in the store as bettors aim to level up by collecting new achievements, as well as a strong range of slots , table games and live casinos.
CEO Boris Chaikin of Soft2Bet said: “Players in the mood to be entertained should sit back and enjoy the show we’ve put on with the spellbinding new casino, Cadabrus.
“With world class gamification features, an immersive theme and a plethora of engaging games to match, it’s a brand that continues our track record of producing products that stand out from the crowd.”
The licence pool of the company, Soft2Bet said, allows its partners around the world to provide a premium quality product.
It also holds, in addition to its MGA licence, those for Curacao and the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA), with more EU approval to follow in the near future.
Earlier this year, we heard how Soft2Bet, a casino and sportsbook white label supplier sponsored by the 7StarsPartners affiliate programme, responded to the 2020 events by diversifying its coverage to provide non-mainstream content alongside conventional casino games and sports betting favourites.
Chaikin explained: “Navigating the COVID-19 crisis has taught us some valuable lessons that will help shape how the industry moves on, not least the importance of product diversification and versatility.”
He added that while online casinos as a sector may seem “less vulnerable” than their sports betting equivalent, these “unprecedented times” mean that one vertical is never fundamentally more stable than another, combined with regulatory rumblings in the background.


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Although it was unexpected, the report released by Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank of the country, showed that Nepal's inflation was drastically lower from nearly 12 percent to 7.9 percent. At a time when prices of essential commodities have been increasing due to weakening Nepali rupee against US dollars and Nepal's economic performance is yet to show any sign of progress, Nepal Rastra Bank's (NRB) recent report of mid-August has surprised many.
According to the Macro Economic Situation of Nepal, a monthly economic update released by NRB, the prices of commodities under food and beverage group, and non-food and services group rose by 8.9 percent and 7 percent, respectively, during the review period. Last year, prices of food and beverages, and non-food and services had increased by 12.2 percent and 11.6 percent in the same period.
Average inflation was recorded at 9.9 percent in the last fiscal year, despite the government´s target to limit it within 7 percent. In the budget for fiscal year 2013/14, the government has set the target of containing inflation at 8 percent. Economists, however, have termed the target an ambitious one given the rising prices of fuel and other commodities owing to strong greenback.
Despite all these, export performance has continued to be sluggish. Merchandise exports (fob) registered a decline of 2.9% in FY2013 in US dollar terms, down from a growth of 6% in FY2012. Exports in FY2013 totaled $981 million, down from $1 billion in FY2012, reflecting weak export demand as well as the continued decline in competitiveness arising from the rising costs of production, power shortages, and political uncertainties. Overall, merchandise exports declined to 5.1% of GDP in FY2013 from 5.3% of GDP in FY2012.
Despite making certain progress in the first two months, Nepal's economy will depend upon how political settlement is found and remittance flow maintained. Although the present caretaker government was able to bring a full budget for the first time in the last two years, it is not alone sufficient to build the economic confidence.
Among the commodities falling under the food and beverage group, price index of meat and fish sub-group saw the highest increment of 17.4 percent during the review month. The inflation in the sub-group was recorded at 11.5 percent last year.
In foreign trade front, country´s trade deficit continued to increase, albeit at a lower rate, compared to trade figures of the same month last year. According to the central bank´s report, total trade deficit increased by 4.5 percent to Rs 41.56 billion during the review month. Trade deficit with India increased by 9.9 percent during the review period compared to an increase by 58.9 percent in the same period of the previous year.
However, trade deficit with other countries decreased by 4.4 percent in contrast to an increase of 36.3 percent during the same period of last year. The ratio of export to import was recorded at 15.4 percent during the review month compared to 15.3 percent during the same period of the last year.
“The rise in export to India during the review period is due to increase in export of zinc sheet, juice, Ayurvedic medicine and polyester yarn, among others,” says the report. However, the country´s export to third countries declined by 7.7 percent during the period due to drop in export of pulses, paper and paper products. Nepal´s third country exports had increased by 42.1 percent in the same month last year.
Similarly, total merchandise imports soared by 4.6 percent to Rs 49.15 billion in the review month. In the same month of last year, total merchandise imports had increased by 43.7 percent to Rs. 46.98 billion. Imports from India increased at a slower rate of 10.7 percent during the review month compared to 48.1 percent recorded in the same month of last year. However, import from other countries went down by 4.9 percent in the first month of 2013/14, compared to growth of 37.2 percent recorded in the same period last year.
Although the last months economic data indicated that economy is heading towards the right direction, it is too early now to predict the trend given Nepal's fragile political situation.


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State Treaty on Gaming Regulation looks good for iGaming in general, but bad for affiliates
The recent draft of a new state regulation for iGaming has been hailed as a first step towards a modern, market-compliant gaming regulatory environment in Germany, but in its current form, affiliates (and also operators therefore) stand to lose out in a big way.
With the creation of a central and professional gaming supervisory authority as a result of the (currently in draft) State Treaty on Gaming Regulation, Germany is transforming its decade old legislation on how iGaming businesses operate.
A crucial change is the fact that applicants do not have to have their company headquarters to be based in Germany. Thus, for the first time, the online casino and sports betting markets will be completely opened up for foreign operators.
The new legislation is due to come into force on July 1, 2021, if agreed at the upcoming Minister-Presidents meeting, a committee formed by the sixteen States of Germany to coordinate policy, which is due to take place on 5th March 2020. While the lottery in Germany would retain its current monopoly structure, the current ban for online casinos, which exists in most German jurisdictions, would be removed and replaced by a federal-level regulation. Sports betting would remain legal (as it is currently).
The problem that concerns both affiliates and operators is that the restrictions planned for inclusion in the new legislation, including in-play bets for live sports games (which accounts for more than 60% of all sports betting activity), and a crackdown on advertising, would have a detrimental effect on affiliate businesses. In a nutshell, this could eliminate the opportunity for the affiliate revenue share model in a broad swathe of iGaming sectors.
It’s proposed that a waiting time of five minutes would be implemented when switching from one offer to another - something that industry advocates say is completely blind to the second-by-second digital nature of the iGaming industry and its consumers’ habits, meaning the very real prospect of players heading outside the regulated industry to find their iGaming needs in the grey or black market sector.
Another short-sighted clause in the draft legislation is to impose a cross-provider deposit limit of EUR 1,000 per customer per month, limiting the market and stifling the competition currently driven predominantly by the affiliate sector.
Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of the EBGA, said: “The challenge will be to deliver a new regulation which is fit for the digital age we live in, which provides a safer gambling environment for consumers and enables a well-regulated and well-channelled market.”
Both the EBGA and the DSVW (the German sports betting association) are voicing their concerns over the unbalanced approach that the new legislation invokes. Likewise, many other industry bodies and commentators have expressed a similar opinion and urged German lawmakers to review the details of the new treaty.
SiGMAnews will keep monitoring the situation as the Bills are debated in the EU’s strongest member state, and we will update our audience of global operators and affiliates as the story unfolds.
About SiGMA Expo:
The iGaming summit SiGMA is setting its sights on Asia. Our ground breaking Asian iGaming expo will be held in Manila, on the 8th & 9th of June 2020. SiGMA's largest venue to date will bring together high quality conferences and content, premium networking opportunities, and luxury networking event. 10,000 delegates from across Europe, the US, and Asia are expected to attend, making this one of the biggest shows to unite East and West in the region. To become a part of the fastest paced Asian iGaming event, book a pass or sponsor & exhibit.
For those planning to attend SiGMA Manila, AIBC Manila and ICE Asia at SMX on June 8-9th, this is the buzzing business environment to be expected:


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July 9, 2022
Google Discover may be the answer to improving your company’s SEO. The updated feed experience contributes to spikes in website traffic and is transforming the way to reach users.
Google Discover was launched in September 2018 as a feature on Google’s app. It is a feed that recommends content to users based on their search history. Google Discover came from a revamping of the previous Google Feed, where the suggested content was primarily headlines and meta descriptions. Discover now includes more visuals and evergreen content, with customizations available to create a user-friendly experience. Users can follow topics they are interested in and view similar topics.
Why does this matter for your company’s SEO?
Audio: Listen to this article.
- Google Discover drives more traffic than Google Search in some markets.
While the feed is still relatively new, there is evidence that Google Discover has driven more traffic to websites than Google Search. For example, Vogue reported in 2019 that in foreign markets Google Discover has accounted for more than three-quarters of the traffic its titles got from Google properties.
There is also evidence that Discover is performing in the U.S. as well. Condé Nast, which owns Vogue and other publications, has seen 20% of its sites’ Google traffic come from Google Discover. This shows the updated feed experience is reaching more users.
- Google Discover is leading the way of where search engines and other online platforms are going.
Websites need to stand out from their competitors, which is done by blog posts, videos, and images. Google Discover promotes this content for users to browse. Optimizing your content for mobile use and engaging is more important now than ever. Users prefer personalized experiences and their content to be tailored to them. Google Discover is implementing practices that capitalize on these recent online trends.
With Google Discover still being new, Google Search is still very important to your SEO, but with a combination of both, your SEO will optimize your visibility online. Optimizing your site for Google Discover will improve your user’s experience and boost your search rankings.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels


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Millennials are decisively the most environmentally conscious generation yet, and that conscientious spirit translates directly into their opinions about meat. A recent study shows that one in five 16-to-24 year olds is vegetarian, and nearly half of all young people have increased their awareness of the environmental impacts of eating meat.
This recent surge in reducetarian habits has resulted in a dramatic increase in the availability of animal-free products in both supermarkets and restaurants. The number of chocolate and sugar-based confectionary products available containing little to no animal products has doubled since 2009.
Looking towards the future, things are only getting better from here. It is estimated that the meat-free food market will continue to grow in the coming years as reducetarianism grows in popularity. This increased availability of alternative options will make it easier than ever to adopt reducetarianism, especially for those worried about variety in their diet. We're excited to see how the market adapts to cater to a more environmentally-aware society!
Written by Paris Martineau


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Congratulations to Cali Dream Taylor who is the latest to join the ranks of celebrity kids who double as models. The daughter of rapper The Game and children’s book author Tiffney Cambridge recently signed with Zuri Model Agency. The Game took to Instagram earlier this week to celebrate his daughter’s accomplishment.
“I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you,” The Game told his daughter. “God knows I am more than appreciative,” the rapper continued. “You’re so big now and out here killin’ these shots. Daddy loves you and I am overjoyed for you.” The Game went on to share pictures from Cali Dream’s latest photo shoot with his Instagram fans. Nearly 500,000 of the celebrity father’s followers gave the series of photos thumbs up in less than 48 hours.
Zuri Model Agency is responsible for the successful careers of many child models. Part of the positivity likely comes from the agency’s focus on the whole person. Zuri agents have an understanding of what it takes to be a child star, which is why the company only accepts the brightest talents who are also ready to put in the hard work needed to thrive.
Cali Dream is definitely the whole package. Not only does the youngster have an exuberance that shines through in her pictures, but Cali also understands the meaning of hard work from both her mom and dad who never stop seeking new opportunities in business.
In fact, it was just a few months ago that The Game shared his plans to expand his brand into the field of medical marijuana. “It’s a dream come true for me,” the rapper said of his new venture. “I simply want to build with the right people and brands so I can be a part of shaping what this industry looks like. It’s exciting to know that my ideas, my words, my voice … [makes] a difference in the industry. That’s the kind of stuff that keeps me inspired to be pushing limits with the best in the biz.”
It seems that both The Game and Cali Dream are ready to hit 2019 with a bang. Stay tuned for more celebrity family news!


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Pinterest is putting the “Secret” in Secret Santa this year! The virtual corkboard site is rolling out a test that will allow users to create three secret boards within their Pinterest account – perfect for keeping your gift ideas hidden!
Although the purpose of the site itself is to look at, re-pin and like other peoples pictures, according to the Pinterest Blog, secret boards have long been one of the most frequently requested features. That stands to reason given every other social platform has a myriad of privacy features, but Pinterest is yet to create one.
Among Christmas gift ideas, the most commonly requested use of the secret boards are for Wedding list ideas, photo journals and book ideas. I suppose this also means you can pin to your hearts content at work without popping up in your bosses news feed.
Software engineer Evrhet Milam wrote in a recent blog post; “ We hope that secret boards will make Pinterest even more useful. You can use secret boards to keep track of holiday gifts, plan a special event, or work on a project you aren’t yet ready to share with the rest of the world.”
Users can choose to keep the board entirely to themselves or invite secret collaborators to work on the boards with them, and the settings are available on both the website and all iPhone and android apps. The privacy settings can be turned on and off, but only for new boards. Unfortunately there is currently no way to switch previously made boards to secret ones. I’m sure we’ll all survive however, Halloween has been and gone for another year, so i think our current boards are of little interest to the prying eye.
Pinterest’s simple design has resinated with social users since the site took off earlier this year, so much so that it seems Facebook may be taking a “pin” from their page! Facebook recently began testing different versions of its “Like” button, including buttons labeled “Want” and “Collect” that will connect users directly to retailers. Items added via these buttons are set to show up on a grid of pictures on users profiles.
While the developer world will be giggling with glee to hear that Facebook may be losing its social edge, enough to copy another sites patent, we’re just happy that pinterest will be around for some time to come. Oh, and uh…. feel free to pin this to your board!


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Shares of AutoNation Inc. AN, +0.59% gained more than 2% after Bear Stearns upgraded the auto retailer to outperform from peer perform, citing lower financing costs and attractive valuation. Analyst Michael Geoghagan said in a note to clients that production cuts at the Big 3 auto makers -- General Motors, Ford Motor and DaimlerChrysler -- could be a positive for AutoNation "to the extent that leaner inventory reduces floor-plan (inventory) financing costs and supports higher transaction prices (because of less pressure to liquidate)." He added that valuation "looks compelling," given that its 12-mo. forward price-to-earnings ratio is at the lower end of its 3-year range, and since its valuation premium relative to its peer group is also lower than usual. The stock was last up 2.3% at $21.05, and reached a 2 1/2-month high of $21.29 in intraday trading.
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