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A colossal $280 billion in extra income and four million jobs could be generated for minorities and women if spending with those groups is increased.
The income could be collected if corporations boosted buying goods and services with MWBEs (Minority/Woman Owned Business Enterprises) to $2 trillion from $1 trillion now. That analysis comes from “Expand diversity among your suppliers—and add value to your organization,” a new report from McKinsey and Co.
Plus, the study declared that roughly 210,000 of the new jobs would be achieved in executive and management roles if spending for minority businesses was twice as much. The research suggests that it would spur wealth creation and improve intergenerational outcomes for families in diverse populations.
It infers several other findings that could potentially benefit the Black community. One finding shows diverse businesses are 67% more inclined to hire minority talent versus the U.S. company average and give more minorities higher-level positions in their organizations. If 40% of the $50 billion that companies have pledged to MWBEs went into these sectors, that would equal $20 billion in revenues for MWBEs. This would bring some 190,000 jobs and $15 billion in income for minority communities.
The study too surmised corporations have greater potential “to generate value as America transitions to a professional services-oriented economy. It reported professional and business services such as real estate, finance, insurance, and IT made up nearly 40% of GDP in 2020, versus 35% in 2000. Yet, “some of these high-growth sectors “remain low priorities for even the most mature supplier diversity programs: less than 10% of companies rank finance and insurance among their top spending areas for supplier diversity.”
Another interesting finding showed that finance, IT, legal, and engineering are high-paying sectors where minorities are underrepresented. Contrarily, it reported Black Americans are overrepresented in jobs with the highest rates of displacement by automation and underrepresented in categories with the lowest rates.
“Expanding the scope of supplier diversity would create more jobs for minorities in higher-wage sectors and in roles less likely to fall prey to machine learning and AI,” researchers wrote.
Shelley Stewart III, a senior partner at McKinsey and leader of the firm’s Institute for Black Economic Mobility, talked about why now is a good time for large U.S. companies to build a larger supplier ecosystem with MWBEs and ways they can do it.
He says stakeholders are increasingly holding corporations accountable for their efforts toward inclusivity and equity in business, including customers, employees, investors, and federal and state governments.
“The supply chain reset is a great opportunity for companies to redevelop their supply base with an eye toward increased participation from minority businesses, especially as nearshoring and regional supply become a critical part of delivering for customers.”
Stewart also reflected on why it makes good business sense for large U.S. companies.
He says working with MWBEs drive tangible impact to corporations’ bottom line.
“The research found that MWBEs have helped corporations identify and capture cost savings of up to 8%, compared to industry average procurement savings of 3% to 7%. Additionally, the study found that key benefits for working with MWBEs include increasing corporations’ speed, agility, localization, and innovation of products and services.”


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The year to come promises yet more innovative mainstream blockchain and cryptocurrency applications. Two years after the bitcoin boom, we can see increasing understanding of cryptocurrencies and markets reaching greater maturity.
Whilst the hype around bitcoin has certainly passed, the advantages and benefits of deploying blockchain have only just started to show. Blockchain technology itself has improved in 2018, with greater scalability, more decentralised features and enhanced security. One thing we can be sure of is that in 2019, the blockchain and fintech revolutions will continue to gain ground, paving the way for more innovations to enter the market.
The external mood is causing investors and entrepreneurs to steer clear of traditional markets. With the political climate bringing chaos in the UK and Europe, coupled with low oil price expectations and continued volatility in equities, alternative investment options, as those found in the crypto market, can be much more attractive.
Check out our predictions in the blockchain and crypto space for next year and pick your favourite projects.
- Bitcoin out, Altcoins in. DigiByte under the spotlight
The Bitcoin hype is certainly over, and the last year has created a chance for other crytpocurrencies — known as altcoins to shine.
One of the most successful of such projects is DigiByte (DGB). Powered by strong community effort, DGB is a token designed for mass scale adoption and cybersecurity. DGB is the fastest and most scalable blockchain in the world due to its design choices, such as multi-algorithm mining and decreasing block times. Every 2 years, the DGB blockchain's dynamic strcuture system doubles the number of transactions per second by doubling the block size. In 2019, capacity should reach 1100+ transactions per second, with a maximum capability of 280,000 transactions per second by 2035.
Another crypto in strong favour is Ripple. Desgined as the cryptocurrency of banks and international companies for money transfer, its token XRP allows users to send money all around the globe at high speed and low cost. Ripple is becoming further integrated to banks and fintech systems and is already being used by over 100 companies worldwide.
2. The Darwin Effect in the ICO market.
Capital to be directed to projects with stronger use cases.
After the ICO boom in 2017 through 2018, the next year will bring a more ‘evolved’ phase of the ICO market. Many of the vast number of coins launched over the last couple of years proved to be poorly managed projects with no real or practical applications, or in some cases even fraudulent.
The future of ICOs is in projects that present great scalability — ability to grow without losing efficiency — and strong use cases. Coins and tokens to watch are those that can add real value to the user experience and provide new avenues for efficiency in business models while promoting innovation.
With the introduction of more reliable regulating mechanisms both at governmental and community level, we’ll see a cleansing in the market, with a ‘survival-of-the-fittest’ model allowing only the most solid projects to stay in the game.
3. The Technology Revolution is on: Blockchain meets AI
The integration of blockchain with other disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence is already a hot topic this year — a trend set to increase even more. Recently, Google announced solid moves to widen its AI team and research. The tech giant has promised to deploy AI features to social change projects and develop fairer machine learning mechanisms.
We should also expect further integration of blockchain into platforms with AI and Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is a system of multiple interconnected devices, all with unique identifiers and capable of transferring information between one another via network connection.
Because of its decentralisation, automated data and strong security framework, blockchain is an ideal underlying structural technology for many industries.
4. Crypto market matures and becomes more sophisticated amid widespread adoption of blockchain by different industries
According to a survey by the International Data Corporation, in 2019, we can expect more investments in blockchain projects as investors are searching for increasingly sophisticated solutions, faster networks and a higher degree of innovation. The technology is set not only to generate new applications but also be integrated into already existing systems. Respondents reported being keen to take blockchain on board as it will provide significant benefits to their companies and improve their way of doing business.
In the crypto market, the trend indicates that the number of exchanges and listed coins are continuing to grow, but also that the crypto market in general is more mature, more sustainable and receiving more substantial investments from institutional investors.
Aside from finance, so many different industries can benefit from adopting blockchain. One of the prime cases is Online Blockchain (OBC), a pioneer tech company developing a number of blockchain projects around the world. OBC employs a long-term strategy, analysing various markets and applications where blockchain can bring disruption. Throughout 2018, the company has launched cryptocurrencies in many Asian and Latin American countries, as well as establishing partnership with a gaming company to integrate blockchain into its gaming features.
5. Stronger crypto communities: DigiByte in the driving seat
With the widespread adoption of blockchain and people getting used to the decentralised ecosystem, there is an atmosphere of understanding and appreciation. People all over the world are beginning to understand the power of decentralisation so are keen to get involved in blockchain projects, sharing ideas and bringing their contributions to the cause. This proactive social involvement and engagement in the technology revolution has resulted in digital communities which are starting to serve as a key element for any project aiming at a wide adoption. They are also the new protagonist of a new marketing and communication frontier.
One example of such a strong and effective community is the community around DigiByte Coin. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world have contributed to DigiByte in countless ways over the past half-decade to make it what it is today. In fact, in a first-of-its-kind DGB event in London hosted by Cassiopeia Services, the founder of DGB Mr Jared Tate himself admitted that one of his developers is someone he has never met in his life, showing that people’s strong belief in DGB is the real reason behind its immense growth. Those people are highly motivated, driving the development of blockchain with new project ideas, all the while spreading awareness.
The next DGB event, DigiByte Global Summit is taking place in Amsterdam on 19th April 2019. Registrations now open here.
5.The Power of Decentralisation: Increasing Decentralised Applications (DApps)
The coming year will see a prominent boost in the adoption of decentralised applications. Any centralised database can be converted into a distributed, scalable database that can be used to power such innovative applications.
More recently, the scalability of DApps has been improving and investor attention is turning to the different applications that are built of top of blockchain platforms. One of the most prominent coins developing and exploring DApps is DigiByte, which has implemented further decentralisation features and increased security for the new generations of crypto applications.
Decentralised applications run on a peer-to-peer network, rather than a single computer, and have existed since the advent of peer-to-peer networks. They are a type of software program designed to exist on the internet in a way that is not controlled by any single entity. A DApp is a distributed application that runs its back-end code on a distributed ledger network. DApps can be designed to be censorship-resistant and prevent a failure or attack from a single point. The software program is designed on the internet where consensus — rather than a single entity — is the control. DGB’S focus on DApps regarding decentralised networks will cause a paradigm shift in the industry’s software models. The distributed, transparent, and incentivised application will transform technology, especially the app industry.
Games as DApps have already started to get the attention of millennials, an area which is expected to increase considerably in the coming year. One such example of a potential ICO is ULTICOIN.
6. Regulations and jurisdictions: Increase watchdog
Along with the ‘mainstreaming’ of blockchain come regulations and legal frameworks to standardise it. Countries like Malta, Gibraltar and Switzerland have already indicated moves towards welcoming crypto into their economies and legislations.
In light of expansive growth, other economies are working on strategies for digital economy and fintech, with special address to cryptocurrencies. In Europe, Switzerland takes the lead in welcoming blockchain and disruptive technologies into a regulatory framework. During this year, the country has established a crypto sector within FINM, its financial market regulatory body. In recognition of the increasing number of coins on offer under the Swiss market, the body has set specific rules for ICOs and digital assets, aiming to better protect banks, businesses and customers who transact with cryptocurrencies.
Malta has also followed similar steps to set cryptocurrency regulations which came into effect in late 2018 under the The Innovative Technology Arrangement and Services Act. The small country is indeed showing itself as the leading nations in embracing blockchain. Malta is home to famous crypto exchanges such as Binance and BitBay, and has established a partnership with OKEx to launch a new crypto exchange with the fintech arm of Malta Stock Exchange Holdings.
7. Gaming innovation and development. Gamification to spread
The multi-billion-dollar gaming industry is usually seen as a forward-thinking space in terms of adopting new technologies. This is (almost certainly the case with blockchain. Projects integrating blockchain into gaming services or coupling gaming and cryptocurrencies have recently emerged and are showing strong tendencies towards growth.
Gaming platforms built on blockchain offer many more features to users such as increased security and transparency, and the ability to trade assets without the need for a third party — which would usually set rules and charge fees.
Furthermore, projects such as ULTICoin offer gamers — for the first time — the chance to exchange their gaming tokens into cryptocurrencies and potentially fiat currencies, promising to turn gaming into a profitable activity and make the market increasingly attractive to investors. ULTI capitalises on the value locked in the gaming market, giving more power and control to developers over earnings and distribution.
A decentralised gaming market allows more independence for all parts involved, as it eliminates the middlemen who can delay proceedings or deprive these developers of their entitlements. On top of that, blockchain helps with distribution and publishing fees, arbitrary selection and restrictions.
8. Future Economy Tokenisation & Digital Security Assets
Structurally comparable to stocks, tokens are becoming the new assets, with the advantage of being more user-friendly, as tokens — more accurately called digital assets — are more practical and tangible. Usually located in digital wallets in smartphones, tokens are secure and immutable, representing a more attractive alternative to the old environment of the stock market.
Security tokens are fully-compliant digital assets representing the ownership in traditional asset classes such as real-estate, equities and bonds. Thanks to blockchain, investors of all levels are able to access investments on a 24/7, transparent and global platform to trade securities of all kinds.
Swarm Fund is at the forefront of the digital security implementation in market and investment. Swarm is the Open Infrastructure for Digital Securities and the first private equity blockchain fund: an open-source fully regulated platform for scalable crypto investments. In essence, Swarm is a decentralised capital marketplace that democratises investment in crypto security assets offering a fully compliant and legal infrastructure.
It offers a wide variety of investment options in crypto security assets, within a fully compliant and legal infrastructure. The investments are all built on the same platform: new opportunities and free access to digitised assets to any investor on a non-discriminatory basis.
Crypto experts believe that, due to increased sophistication and better regulation, Security Token Offerings will be just as successful as the movement in the ICO markets in 2018, or even more so.
9. Cybersecurity at the top
While a digital economy can make doing finance easier, it also poses risks of data breaches and hacking. Therefore, the future calls for better management of digital assets at all levels and more sophisticated mechanisms to counter malicious acts.
DX exchange is the first crypto exchange powered by NASDAQ. Its technology relies on NASDAQ’s infrastructure, such as its matching engine, used by over 70 exchanges around the world. DX’s regulations meet the highest regulatory standards, thus avoiding common errors and bugs, such as double count trading, and in general prevents fake volumes.
Cybersecurity is a major concern for crypto exchanges, as has been seen in numerous cases. This issue will also be addressed with the help of NASDAQ’s infrastructure, and Daniel Skowronski, the CEO of DX exchange, has promised to hire the best specialists in the field to avoid hacks and other malicious attacks.
10. Decentralised Exchanges (DEX)
The past couple years have seen centralised crypto exchanges being hacked, and attacked by regulators as a result. One of the trends in 2019 will be the growth of the decentralised exchange, which introduces the features of blockchain to the market structure. Even though DEX architecture employs centrally-managed, off-chain order books, traders retain possession of their private keys until a counterparty is found, at which point the trade is executed on chain.
11. Fintech spurs growth in developing countries
In emerging economies, technological developments are set to prompt economic growth and societal change by increasing financial inclusion and individual empowerment. Fintech tools, especially mobile banking, have helped millions of unbanked citizens to manage their money better and more safely.
In Africa, where the vast majority of the population works in agriculture, technology can make a big difference. Use of innovative tools allows small holder farmers to grow production and make a living. Block Commodities, a leading agritech company operating in Africa, has developed Farmer 3.0, a farming model that integrates small scale farmers into commercial supply chains and markets with the aid of disruptive technologies. With the use of digital finance, as well as big data, artificial intelligence, drones and machine learning, farmers are able to reduce inefficiencies in their practices and maximise production as a result.
12. Blockchain to combat fake news: Securing your digital identity is now a priority.
Among its various applications, blockchain technology can underpin online platforms that promote more authentic relationships between users and a healthier social media environment overall.
During 2018, we witnessed the spread of fake news on social media for political purposes. In light of this, technology companies have started developing applications to counter malicious content and bad actors online. One such company is Right of Reply, which is harnessing blockchain to create multiple platforms which can better regulate online interactions.
One way of addressing the fake news problem is to allow opposing ‘sides’ of a story to tell their respective versions within the same platform, to save time and enhance relevance. For this to happen, users need access to mechanisms which can manage their reputations and flag any mention of their names in online content.
RoRkey, Right of Reply’s technology subsidiary, focusses on aligning digital and real identity to allow verifiable identity and truth.
RoRKey offers verified digital reputation identities for registered users (DRI Standard and DRI Pro) which allow them to interact in a secure and protected ecosystem in various social communications and online media content as well as offering a verified ID that can used for different services within Right of Reply and its partners.
DRI Pro utilises a thorough identification process, requiring each user to undergo significant KYC (“know your customer”) and AML (“anti-money laundering”) procedures. This verification process reflects financial service level procedures, and includes the delivery of private and public encryption keys to the registered user.
Right of Reply and RorKey are planning to partner with other third-parties such as financial institutions, utility and insurance companies, online payment platforms, websites and social media to use DRI Pro as the means to prove the user’s digital identity. The plan for for DRI Pro is to become an officially recognized legal proof of ID.
The trends above set the scene for what we can expect in the tech space and the areas where growth and opportunity are brewing.
“Individuals have finally understood that blockchain is so much more than bitcoin and can truly revolutionise the way many industries work. Embracing this technology is not only positive but necessary to survive in an increasingly competitive space,” says Stefania Barbaglio, director of Cassiopeia Services, a leading PR/IR company acting in the blockchain space.
“The key to successful projects is to have strong use cases and applications that can add value to people and society. Innovation is the rule.”

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text: Later this September, winemaker Elias Fernandez will take part in his 30th grape harvest, overseeing workers as they pluck fruit from the vines spread across the 200 acres of Shafer Vineyards in Napa Valley, California, the heart of America’s winemaking industry. But this year is different. Unlike all of his previous harvests — including his 2008 vintage, named best in the world last year by Wine Spectator — this one won’t be of grapes grown using purely gut intuition. Instead, Shafer Vineyards has a few new hi-tech systems to thank. "It’s always good to look at technology and use it to see if your gut was the correct way to go after all," Fernandez tells The Verge.


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For some, the Brexit debate is about wresting back sovereignty over our laws and our borders, regaining some sort of control in a chaotic, globalised world.
For others, it’s about the importance of transnational cooperation – on trade, counter-terror and climate change – in that same, chaotic, globalised world.
For everyone else it’s an arcane and sometimes tedious debate of interest mainly to political nerds.
But what if you’re a business owner or senior executive? A recent YouGov poll found that the size of your business is a strong indicator of your outlook: while big business strongly favoured remaining in the EU by 93%% to 7%, small-business owners were more evenly split, with 47% in favour and 42% against.
The pros and cons below help explain this disparity. Employing a bigger workforce and conducting more cross-border business, big businesses value the free movement of labour and homogenised trading environment of the EU. But the trading bloc’s myriad regulations are arguably more burdensome for often understaffed SMEs.
Whether these pros and cons are fair is another question. Hopefully you won’t chastise the author for not speculating – as economists discover time and again, making economic predictions is a fool’s errand.
More opportunities in more vibrant markets. Some argue that Brexit would liberate the UK government to sign fresh trade deals with more dynamic markets outside the EU. Neil Harris, chief financial officer of EA Technology Limited, told Grant Thornton that “one of the biggest inhibitors for us in some countries is withholding tax and the lack of mitigation through effective double tax treaties.”
The powerhouses of China and India are still posting strong growth rates despite recent slowdowns, while even traditional basket cases in Latin America and Africa are achieving growth rates the Eurozone can only dream of. Proponents of Brexit argue that new agreements to exploit these burgeoning markets will more than offset any damage to EU trade – a danger they argue is overstated anyway.
Indeed, as members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Switzerland, Iceland and Norway still enjoy the benefits of the EU's internal market. Why not the UK too?
The EU is stagnant and debt-ridden. The EU is not exactly a picture of rude health. In the final quarter of 2015 the Eurozone’s GDP was still below its pre-crisis peak of seven years earlier. To put that into some sort of context, in the same quarter the US economy was 10% above its peak, which came at the tail end of 2007.
Are we not just leaving a sinking ship by parting ways with the Eurozone?
Deeper talent pool. Shackled by freedom-of-movement obligations within the EU the Conservatives have imposed draconian limits on non-EU immigration. If they were liberated to limit EU migration the government would have more room for manoeuvre in attracting talented labour from beyond. “A Brexit could also be beneficial in terms of accessing a wider staff pool,” says Neil Harris of EA Technology. “For example, it would be easier to recruit high calibre engineers from non-EU countries.”
Fewer onerous regulations. Feelings run high on the subject of EU regulations. While some of the absurd tales of strangulation by regulation might be apocryphal (the EU denies, for example, that it wanted to ban coffee machines), entrepreneurs are undoubtedly frustrated by some of the red tape emanating from Brussels.
“What really bothers us is the crassness of some of the regulations and the fact that while they’re implemented very thoroughly in the UK, elsewhere implementation is a lot laxer, so we lose competitive advantage,” complained one anonymous FD of a large global chemical business to Grant Thornton.
An Open Europe survey cites 93 EU regulations that cost UK business a total of £31 billion. However, in a Norway-style deal, the five most costly of these would still apply, says the Economist.
Cross-border administrative burden. The – probably very gradual – divergence of the UK’s regulatory system from its EU counterpart would make cross-border commerce more difficult to some degree.
Dr Zulf Masters, founder and president of Masters Pharmaceuticals Ltd, told Grant Thornton: “At the moment we’re looking to acquire assets in Europe,” says Dr Masters. “If Britain left the EU that might affect our thinking, because administratively speaking it would be more difficult.
“Also, because of the common regulatory system, at the moment it’s easier for pharmaceutical products to be bought and sold on prescription within the EU. If that was severed it becomes an extra burden for us.”
If Brexit happened, continues Masters, “we would leave the UK and go to Europe, because strategically it would be better to be in a market which is bigger and also more harmonised.”
Cross-border costs. British businesses exporting to the EU could be subject to new tariffs, while even businesses that don’t export could suffer if businesses on the continent are subject to new import taxes and thus discouraged from investing in the UK.
Brexit benefits are overhyped. In the latest World Bank study on the ease of doing business in various countries Britain ranked sixth – just below ultra-deregulated Hong Kong and above free-enterprise champion America. Not bad for an economy supposedly stifled by regulatory constraints imposed by a sclerotic trading bloc. europe flag stay or go
Moreover, Britain ranks third on AT Kearney's Foreign Direct Investment confidence index 2016, which undermines any notion that the EU deters investment on account of an over-regulated business environment. In 2014, only the US, China and Hong Kong received more foreign direct investment.
Uncertainty. The Remain camp’s trump card. Uncertainty is anathema to business, especially big business, which explains the preponderance of support among blue chips. ‘Better the devil you know’ – and some business leaders are supporting the Remain campaign without great enthusiasm – is a powerful factor.
Neil Harris of EA Investments – hardly rabidly pro-EU given his aforementioned comments – fears that the transition could even result in recession: “There would be a short-term need to rebalance the economy as quickly as possible [given the potential] impact on the volatility of sterling’s value and the propensity of other countries to invest in the UK.
“I think there would be quite a nasty and significant risk of a severe recession in the immediate aftermath.”
Have we missed something, or do you have anything else to add? Let us know in the comments.


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Feasterville, PA (PressExposure) March 17, 2014 -- Opulent Jewelry & Fine Watches is now accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment at its online boutique, via BitPay. This progressive new arrangement allows shoppers all over the world to browse Opulent Jewelry's popular online store and purchase authentic luxury watches and designer jewelry pieces with bitcoins. By embracing this new digital currency, Opulent Jewelry aims to give shoppers more options in how they decide to pay for luxury goods, and - at the same time - help offer a vibrant new market to the Bitcoin community.
Bitcoin is a decentralized digital currency that was first launched in 2009 by inventor Satoshi Nakamoto. In that time, it has grown exponentially in value, becoming the financial world's most intriguing new development in decades. While many shop owners were at first uneasy about accepting bitcoins as payment for services and goods, the currency's robust value continues to entice more and more merchants to take part.
Opulent Jewelry CEO Jonathan Yedwabnik sees bitcoins as a promising currency for both his customers and his business, saying: "Bitcoin's transaction fees are generally lower than similar fees for credit cards, which helps keep our overhead costs lower. That, in turn, allows us to offer lower prices to our customers. This really is a win-win situation for everyone, and we're very excited to start taking part in it."
Having been in business for over 20 years, and boasting a world-famous guarantee of authenticity for each and every product it sells, Opulent Jewelry & Fine Watches has established a name for itself among jewelry lovers as one of the most trusted sources in the world for buying high-end pieces. Its online shop is now one of the largest, most-visited luxury jewelry/watch stores on the web.
Those interested in browsing Opulent Jewelry & Fine Watches' online shop, and seeing precisely what their bitcoins can now buy, may do so by visiting http://opulentjewelers.com today!


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A Saturday shopping trip leads to some big questions
Share Now on:
What does our consumer economy look like?
Starting today, and running the rest of the week on the broadcast, we’ve got a special series from our Sustainability desk: Consumed.
The series focuses on what this economy we all live in actually looks like and how it doesn’t really work right without us, the consumer.
What we want to know — what we’re trying to figure out — is whether we can actually afford all this in the long run. Is this consumer economy sustainable?
Think about what happens on a regular day, when we’re out and about, just running errands. My plan was nothing special, really. It was filled with the same things lots of us do all the time: a couple of stores, a much needed haircut. My weekend started with errands, but ended with me looking at all kinds of stuff I didn’t need.
So, what does my weekend have to do with the consumer economy? What we consume is often dictated and ramped up by what everyone around us is spending. It’s sort of a competition, like Scott Tong discovered in his reporting.
Later in the week, we’ll see an economy dependent on all this spending impacts everything from businesses to workers to our personal relationships.
Can we afford the consumer economy? Marketplace explores how we consume, what we get from it, what it costs and whether we can keep it up.
We’re here to help you navigate this changed world and economy.
Our mission at Marketplace is to raise the economic intelligence of the country. It’s a tough task, but it’s never been more important.
In the past year, we’ve seen record unemployment, stimulus bills, and reddit users influencing the stock market. Marketplace helps you understand it all, will fact-based, approachable, and unbiased reporting.
Generous support from listeners and readers is what powers our nonprofit news—and your donation today will help provide this essential service. For just $5/month, you can sustain independent journalism that keeps you and thousands of others informed.


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IWSR analyses the 2008 global financial crisis to predict what may happen to the industry after this pandemic.
The Liquor Stores Association has created a new membership category to support small and medium WA wine producers.
Data suggests liquor sales may be lower than an average year now that panic buying spikes have settled.
Liquor Legends is ensuring its members are well equipped to deliver with a new online marketplace and AI technology.
Liquor retailers are reminded to remain three steps ahead in case of a return to a more rigid lock down restrictions.
A new survey from Wine Intelligence has revealed the impact of COVID-19 on the Australian wine market, including that many wine drinkers are cautious about going out once lockdown is over.
It’s been determined that the health and logistical risks are too great for a June launch.
The @supportaussiewineries Instagram account aims to garner support for small struggling winemakers.
A new store, new roles and a new virtual event help Dan Murphy’s embrace community connections.
Reports of increased online retail liquor sales aren’t likely to translate to a rise in overall consumption.


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An employee at Walmart on Lexington Road was arrested Sunday for stealing a customer’s wallet, Athens-Clarke County police said.
Police said the employee was caught on surveillance video taking the wallet from a shopping cart the victim left outside a restroom. Additional video showed the employee throwing the wallet into the trash.
The victim said the only thing missing was a small amount of change, according to police.
The employee, an 18-year-old Lexington Heights resident, was fired and barred from Walmart for two years and then taken to jail on a theft by taking charge.


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TORRINGTON – When it comes to feeding livestock in Goshen County, no one has been more of a staple in the community than Z&W Mill.
The business began in the 1930’s and has been a prominent fixture in the community ever since. The company’s office is attached to a wooden grain elevator which houses various processing equipment used for the manufacturing of their product line.
The elevator was once standing in Colorado and is estimated to be over 100 years old. It was deconstructed from its location in Colorado and then transported and rebuilt in its present location at Z&W Mill.
Shane Viktorin’s parents, Terry and Mary purchased the business from Russell Zimmer, Mary’s father, after his retirement in 1992 and grew the company into the business the community has known since.
After the untimely passing of Terry in 2013, Chane decided to join his mother and help continue operating the business, becoming the fourth generation to operate the company in Torrington.
“My great-grandfather Frank Zimmer started it,” said Viktorin. “After World War II, my grandfather Russell returned home, and he took over managing the business. Expanding it from rolling grain, to the southside of the highway, most of the buildings [on the southside] were built for government storage of commodities. The government paid to store grain here for use across the country.”
When the government programs went away, Viktorin’s grandfather shifted their focus on the southside from grain storage to the production of feed pellets.
The feed pellets are a mixture of raw materials that are produced into various sizes for different livestock. The pellets can be used to deliver different nutrients to the animals and it’s an easier way to ensure the animals get the nutrients they need.
“Pellets are a more efficient way to deliver feed,” Viktorin said. “Animals tend to sort feed they don’t like, so if we can make a batch of feed and produce it into a more palatable delivery vehicle, animals are more apt to consume it. We make multiple different sizes.”
When it comes to feed production, Z&W Mill separates themselves from their competitors by the amount of customization they offer to their customers.
Z&W Mill’s specialty is creating custom feed blends for their customers. Their niche is premium show feed that is used for animals that are shown at the fair. The feed can be customized to enhance various different attributes of the animal based on the wants of the customer.
About 90% of the products sold at Z&W Mill utilize grains and other products that were all locally produced and purchased in Goshen County.
“We buy all our corn, oats, barley and wheat from local farmers,” Viktorin said. “We take those and through various methods, turn them into a value-added product, whether by flaking grain, cracking grain, grind and mix and turn those commodities into something that the consumer needs to feed their livestock.”
The other 10% is purchased from various locations outside the state of Wyoming. Some of the commodities they purchase are the ones that aren’t grown or produced locally in Goshen County. Those products consist of: soybean meal, sunflower meal, cottonseed hulls, cottonseed meal, molasses and dried distillers grain.
“We pride ourselves on buying local and selling local,” Viktorin said. “We also have many customers in Colorado, Nebraska, Montana and South Dakota.”
The company employs around a dozen employees, most of which is very labor-intensive work. They still sack and sew all of the feed by hand.
When filling the sacks with feed, the sack is latched onto a bagging spout where the feed will travel into the bags. The sacks are then sewn by hand and placed on pallets or stored in their warehouse for future use.
While some businesses suffered due to the pandemic, Z&W Mill has been a thriving business. More people started to raise livestock of their own after grocery stores across the country dealt with meat shortages due to closings of meat packaging facilities.
“From our vantage point [people] decided they wanted to raise their own meat,” Viktorin said. “We had an influx of customers, new customers, that bought their own beef, pork, chicken and fed them themselves to harvest later.”
A year later and Z&W Mill is still seeing an increased need from new customers who are trying to harvest their own animals.
When it comes to raising your own livestock, Viktorin says the most important thing is patience. A fat beef will take upwards of 150 days, pigs and chicken are easier to raise and don’t need much attention.
“The problem a lot of folks have in the area is a way to process their animals,” Viktorin said. “It’s coming back, but there’s not a huge outlet for people to take animals to be custom processed. While they can easily feed them, they can’t harvest them as quickly as they used to be.”
From day one, manufacturing has been the driving mission behind the business at Z&W Mill. They don’t just buy already made products and re-sell them. They manufacture their own product by turning commodities into something that the consumer needs.
“This business has been 100% family owned since the beginning,” Viktorin said. “We’ve been in the same location, and it’s always been our goal to serve the community. We’re big supporters of agriculture education and programs in the county.”
That goal to serve the community and to help support other local businesses in Goshen County is a big part of what has made Z&W Mill a fixture in the community for four generations.
“It’s a great community, it’s not always for everyone but it’s a very safe community and friendly community,” Viktorin said. “Everybody supports everybody. The farmer down the road, we buy their product. That same farmer comes in and buys something from me to feed his animals. It’s a very close community and one that’s worthy of living in.”


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A Facebook friend of mine recently flew with a Middle Eastern carrier from London to Singapore and complained to me: “The food is awful, nigh on inedible. Are they renowned for it or has all airline food got worse recently? The rubbery cheddar in particular was a treat!”
I advised her to tweet about her experiences or, at the very least, give the airline her feedback. She replied: “It is impossible to find a contact email address/web submission form to make any kind of complaint/feedback. It does give a phone number but no-one in their right mind is going to call an 0800 number for this. So that is my passenger feedback, the food is ‘meh’ and there is no-one to speak to. Crossing arms and pursing lips!”
It would seem an obvious solution for this airline to offer a better quality meal in the form of a pre-ordered ‘a la carte’ menu option. Indeed, many carriers are now offering economy class passengers the option to pre-order or upgrade their inflight meals at the time of booking and up to 24 hours before the flight….for a price.
Whilst this passenger-pleasing option is good for customers, it’s ultimately “all about ancillaries”, says David Loft, president of the International Flight Services Association (IFSA). “The benefits of preordering are that passengers can order something of higher quality, they’re paying for it and getting something decent. To the airline, it saves wastage because they’re not loading a plane full of food that’s not going to get eaten. The airline is not taking the risk of putting 50 sandwiches on a flight and only 10 of them being sold.”
The cynics among us might suggest that airlines are gradually trying to phase out the complimentary meal (well, let’s be clear, meals included in the economy fare) and ease us into buy-on-board programmes on long-haul and overseas routes.
Loft doesn’t believe this is the case. “I’m not sure it’s a trend. But I would support anything that gives passengers the opportunity to have a decent meal on board. As IFSA president, I’d support going back to having a good quality free meal. But it’s purely economic issues that go against this.”
Loft notes that while some US and European airlines have opted to offer this new service, the Middle Eastern carriers “tend to want to offer the same product to everyone”.
Hawaiian Airlines, for instance, is now offering ‘Premium Island Meals’ in addition to its complimentary meals. Passengers can even order their meal in the departure lounge and in the aircraft cabin.
Designed by Chef Chai, these meals “reflect the diversity of cultures and flavours that characterise local cuisine; including Kalua Pork Sandwich, Island-Style Chicken, Prawns with Cold Noodles, and Chinese Chicken Salad, and Maui Style Potato Chips and Hawaiian Spring bottled water”, says the carrier. Passengers are also treated to a “complimentary glass of wine with their premium selection”.
US Airways, meanwhile, beckons passengers aboard its flights to Europe, the Middle East and South America to order one of its premium chilled ‘DineFresh’ meals paired with wine for $19.99, at least 24 hours before their flight.
The Points Guy, a blogger who writes about “maximising your travel points”, notes that American Airlines is still offering a complimentary meal in economy class but passengers can also pre-order before the flight. “So no danger of them running out of the option I want. To ensure your preference is available, the airline requests that passengers place their orders at least 24 hours prior to departure.”
On the other side of the pond, Austrian Airlines allows passengers to book a meal 36 hours before departure. “In Vienna spontaneous passengers also have the possibility to directly order their desired menu directly at [suppliers] DO & CO at the à la carte desk in the Austrian Star Alliance terminal up to only one hour before their flight departs. Having the ticket booking code of the respective traveler at hand, the à la carte menu can also be ordered as a surprise present,” says the carrier.
Passengers of airberlin can pre-order “gourmet” meals online, in the airberlin service centre or buy them on board from Sansibar, (a popular restaurant on the German island of Sylt).
An airberlin spokesperson notes that passengers travelling in economy class can still purchase a hot meal without ordering it in advance. “The airline sells around 600,000 gourmet meals per year. The majority of the gourmet meals sold in 2011 were purchased spontaneously on board the aircraft. Around 17% of the meals were ordered in advance.”
KLM offers economy passengers the option to pre-order food with its ‘a la carte’ menu and offers complimentary coffee, tea or a liqueur. It offers destination-specific menus on flights to and from Asia including Indian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean fare. On flights to China, passengers can choose from a “delicious Chinese menu, alongside Western food”, says the airline.
The next time you’re in coach, unwrapping the foil of your “complimentary” meal to find a disappointing dish, glance over at your seat buddy. Perhaps he or she has upgraded to a premium, locally sourced meal option designed by a famous chef. Depending on your airline, it might not be too late to upgrade.


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Prince Constantijn van Oranje to continue his role as startup envoy of the Netherlands
Special Envoy Constantijn van Oranje said today, “I am thankful for the trust that was bestowed upon myself and StartupDelta and I look forward to continuing our work. Innovation and entrepreneurship are absolutely crucial for the Dutch competitive edge. I am confident that we have all the right conditions at present to turn the Netherlands into the most innovative start-up nation in Europe.”
Rinke Zonneveld, Director at InovationQuarter: “On behalf of the West Holland startup hubs, InnovationQuarter is a partner of StartupDelta. We look forward to working with Prince Constantijn and his team to strengthen the startup ecosystem in the region in the coming years, in the Netherlands and internationally.”
StartupFest Europe 2017: Global challenges, Start-up Solutions
Constantijn van Oranje is also spearheading StartupFest Europe. From 25-58 September, across various locations in the Netherlands, StartupFest Europe will take place. The ultimate goal is to connect entrepreneurs, investors and businesses, and bring new innovations to the market.
The central event: CapitalFest takes place on the 27th of September at de Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. One on one matchmaking sessions will be set up between startups and over 140 international investors. Also on the agenda, acclaimed speakers such as Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Boyan Slat (The Ocean Cleanup), Werner Vogels (Amazon), Deep Nishar (MD SoftBank Group), Kees Koolen (EQT) and Slava Rubin (Indiegogo).
Other themes include:
- New materials for the circular economy (25/9, Rotterdam Harbour)
- Digital Health & MedTech (26/9, Tivoli Vredenburg, Utrecht)
- Impact StartupFest (26/9, Caballero Fabriek, The Hague)
- FinTech Vortex (26/9, Fokker Terminal, The Hague)
- The Future of High Tech (26/9, Thales, Hengelo)
- Blockchain (28/9, Ridderzaal, The Hague)
- EnergyFest (28/9, Shell Technology Centre, Amsterdam)
Source / StartupDelta


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Technology has changed the way art is created and consumed. Is this a good thing?
From the outside, recent years have seen an unbroken series of revolutions in the art world.
Since gaining widespread notoriety early last year, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have cost tens of millions of dollars for digital artwork. But critics paint them as a basically worthless rip-off that offers nothing substantial to patrons of the arts, and artists themselves have complained that their work has been stolen and « hit » without their knowledge.
At the same time, the Web3-based metaverse has been touted as the new home of this art – a digital environment in which Facebook has sunk billions of dollars, even if its own employees don’t embrace its use.
And more recently, AI art (which can create art from text prompts or just an unfinished sketch) has been touted as a path to the « democratization » of art, allowing those without the technical capabilities to create artwork themselves cheaply and quickly – but only after the systems have been trained on billions of examples of existing art, often without consent or compensation original creators.
So what gives? Why has the art world been rocked again and again over the past year with changes marketed as benefiting artists, but seemingly upending the way art is made and consumed? Why have innovations from the tech world meant to affect the functioning of society as a whole seemed to explode and spark controversy, especially in art spaces?
“These technologies are coming forward, looking for ways to get the art world talking about them,” said Rob Horning, technology editor and founding editor of Real Life magazine, pointing particularly to the rise of NFTs.
An NFT is a creation operating primarily off the Ethereum blockchain – effectively a system that publicly records and tracks online transactions. The main purpose of this system is to enable the Ethereum cryptocurrency – which uses « fungible » (exchangeable) tokens, meaning they can be exchanged for each other as functionally identical items – to work.
In contrast, the « non-fungible » nature of an NFT means that it is unique – no two are interchangeable. This means that they can be linked to a piece of digital art (which itself is very rarely stored on the blockchain itself) to give it authenticity.
Essentially, this means that the valuable part of an NFT in the visual arts world is the perception of value. While the digital art it links to can be copied an unlimited number of times, only one person can say they own an « authentic » copy.
This technology, Horning said, had little or no clear purpose before inventing a market for selling digital artwork.
Pushback, critic of tech in the art world
While the original expressed goal was to give artists without representation the opportunity to sell their work, NFTs have proven to be much more divisive among artists.
Whereas flight and piracy have proven to be huge problems in the space, there has been a pronounced pushback against the NFTs of the group they were originally meant to help: smaller artists who, instead of finding new avenues to sell their work , find themselves crushed against tech and crypto subcultures using – and selling – their work without the consent of the artists.
But despite the setback, the technology continues to be launched and promoted, Horning said, as NFTs and cryptocurrency remain only « as important as the buzz around them. »
« There’s constant pressure on people who invest in crypto to get crypto into the headlines, to get people talking about crypto, » he said. « And one of the ways to do that is to get artists to talk about crypto, or to get artists to do things that tangentially involve crypto or NFTs. »
The bumpy intersection of the worlds of art and technology is experiencing a more recent, but not unheard of, collision with the art of AI. Using machine learning models such as DALL-E, Stable Diffusion, and Midjourney, anyone with an internet connection can enter a few prompts and generate whatever image they want.
As with NFTs, some artists objected. Artists such as Simon Stålenhag – whose sci-fi scenes inspired the Amazon Prime series Tales from the Loop — and webcomic artist Sarah Andersen have complained that these systems are formed from publicly available art, including their own works. This gives users the ability to request that images be generated in the style of a living artist, mimicking their work – and potentially taking business away from them.
AI art generators « are not in the hands of the artists right now. It’s in the hands of the early adopters of the technology, » Stålenhag said. Business Insider in a recent interview.
Blair Attard-Frost is a PhD candidate at the University of Toronto studying the impact of AI and ethical ways to implement it in industry. They said these artists fall into the camp of « displaced workers », those whose labor is used for the creation and implementation of AI for little or no play.
But these problems arise in many industries that implement artificial intelligence. The reason it is more visible in the art world is the central place art has in people’s daily lives.
« One of the reasons this ‘AI artist’ thing is getting so much attention is that it’s so much more generalized, isn’t it? » said Attard-Frost. « It affects everyone, and it unlocks all sorts of new abilities for many people…in a way that these more specialized apps don’t quite do. »
As to why these technological inventions have established such strong ties with the art world as opposed to other fields, there are a number of reasons. Robert Enright, editor of Manitoba’s Border Crossings magazine and research professor of art theory and criticism at the University of Guelph, said this is partly because the industry favors the sale of art rather than its creation.
« One of the things that’s happened – and I think that explains why NFTs and why there’s this kind of search to find something new to sell – I think in many ways the marketing of art became a very, very important part of that process,” Enright said.
« Because there’s so much money in the world now, and because the rich have to find things to do with their money, one of the things they do is pay exorbitant sums for art. . »
At the same time, as Attard-Frost explained, these are technologies that arrive sooner or later in all areas of life. They simply took their first stumbling steps into the art world, while the regulation around many of these technologies is still in its infancy, they compared it to the « Wild West ».
But Sara Ludy, an American artist whose work often uses new technologies, says that’s just an indication of the field. The nature of art is experimental, which will always attract artists to new mediums and techniques, which have yet to be widely understood.
While this can make it incredibly difficult to keep up with the changing demands of the tools an artist must master – and lead to potentially predatory business practices by those outside of the art world who see opportunities – art and technology will always find themselves intertwined, she said.
« Artists are driven to expand our definitions of the world and of self. Technology is there to expand our definitions of self and connection and all of those things, » Ludy said. « So…our motivations run very parallel to each other. »


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Apple fights it out with Chinese 'Ipad' manufacturer in Shanghai courtroom
Thursday 23 February 2012
The escalating legal battle over the rights to the iPad name in China has reached a Shanghai courtroom, in a case that could prevent Apple selling the wildly popular tablet computer in the country's commercial heartland.
Lawyers for Proview, a Chinese television manufacturer which claims it owns the rights to the trademark in the country, made an impassioned plea for support from a judge yesterday, saying that Apple was costing it up to $2bn (£1.3bn) in profits.
They showed the court a thin computer, packed tightly in a cardboard box, that they said was their own "Ipad", or Internet Personal Access Device.
But at the fractious four-hour hearing, Apple's lawyers said the US tech giant bought the rights to the name from Proview in 2009, and that the trademark was probably invalid anyway.
"Proview has no product, no markets, no customers and no suppliers. It has nothing," said Hu Jinnan, Apple's attorney. "Apple has huge sales in China. Its fans line up to buy Apple products. The ban, if executed, would not only hurt Apple sales but it would also hurt China's national interest."
Proview, whose business has fallen into financial difficulties, is pursuing Apple in courts throughout China,and has even tried to get the government to ban imports of iPads.
Last week, it said it had won an injunction on one independent retailer of the device in the southern city of Huizhou, but a victory in Shanghai would be dramatic because three of the five Chinese Apple Stores are there.
Fracking is turning the US into a bigger oil producer than Saudi Arabia
Missing Malaysia Airlines plane: Details emerge of two young Iranians using stolen passports in search for a better life
Three-quarters of Britons are saying it wrong - the top ten most common mispronunciations
Oscar Pistorius trial: Athlete's friend asked him if 'he was f***ing mad' after shooting through sunroof
How climate change helped Genghis Khan: Scientists believe a sudden period of warmer weather allowed the Mongols to invade with such success
Britain's top vet sparks controversy with call for ban on slashing animals' throats in 'ritual' slaughters for halal and kosher meat products
Exclusive: Impact of immigrants on British workers ‘negligible’
Katie Hopkins continues campaign to become Britain's most hated talking head with poorly timed Bob Crow tweet
Ukraine crisis: Russia pledges to 'retaliate against sanctions' as Ukrainian president says Crimea vote will not be recognised
The quiet diplomat: Catherine Ashton - recognised and admired in all the world’s troubled countries, yet ridiculed at home
Grace Dent: Who cares if she spells it Barraco Barner? Gemma Worrall is more employable than some bookish arts graduate
- 1 Watch: The student election Macklemore parody that isn't completely awful - and all the others that are
- 2 Grace Dent: Who cares if she spells it Barraco Barner? Gemma Worrall is more employable than some bookish arts graduate
- 3 First Kiss: Filmmaker gets 20 strangers to make out on YouTube with awkward results
- 4 Joanna Lumley’s garden bridge over the Thames gets £30m seal of approval from Government
- 5 Ian Wright breaks down in ITV documentary charting his rise to England and Arsenal striker
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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Natural-gas futures added to losses Thursday after a weekly government supply report, even as the report showed a larger decline that some analysts had expected. Natural gas for February delivery ng12g declined 8 cents, or 3%, to $2.72 per million British thermal units. The product traded at above $2.75 before the report. The Energy Information Administration reported a decline of 95 billion cubic feet in the nation's storages of natural gas in the week ended Jan. 6. Analysts polled by Platts had expected a decline between 86 bcf and 90 bcf.
Natural gas trades lower after inventories report
A longtime Tesla bull has a new price target for Tesla stock, the highest on the Street.
- Here’s how much the pandemic has been worth to the average American household
- Barron's: Stocks Gain as Pfizer Data Ease Omicron Fears
- America’s new export problem: 12.1 million shipping containers left biggest U.S. ports empty
- After a brief omicron scare, the Dow is now poised for the best start to a December in 24 years. Here’s what history says happens next.
Claudia Assis is a San Francisco-based reporter for MarketWatch. Follow her on Twitter @ClaudiaAssisMW.


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SEOUL, Korea, April 6 (Korea Bizwire) – As more and more people use their smartphones to buy things on the Internet, the use of mobile coupons is also rapidly on the rise. A recent study found that consumers show distinctive patterns in using mobile coupons by different regions.
According to G-Market, a major online retailer, on April 2, based on a month of mobile e-coupon sales trend in March, those residing in Seoul and the metropolitan areas prefer to use the coupons on food delivery. In contrast, those consumers living in the Chungcheong region including the city of Daejeon tend to use the coupon on convenience store purchases most.
For example, of the mobile coupons redeemed in Seoul proper between March 1 and 30 as many as 38 percent were delivery food such as fried chicken and pizza. It was then followed by coupons for cafes and bakeries (24%), convenience stores and gas stations (16%), children’s playgrounds and public baths (9%), donut houses and ice cream parlors (7%), and restaurants (6%).
During the same period, the mobile coupon sales trend in Gyeonggi Province was in the order of delivery food (37%), convenience stores and gas stations (26%), cafes and bakeries (21%), and donut houses and ice cream parlors (7%).
Meanwhile, the residents in the Chungcheong region used 39 percent mobile coupons in convenience stores and gas stations, followed by food delivery (31%), cafes and bakeries (17%), and donut houses and ice cream parlors (8%). Other categories such as restaurant (3%) and children’s playgrounds and public baths (2%) were relatively rare.
Mobile payment: from vision to reality (The Korea Times, April 6, 2014)
Online stores brace for Amazon’s arrival (The Korea Times, Mar 17, 2014)
In late February, G-Market has launched a separate Mobile e-Coupon section in its online market and began selling coupons for cafes, bakeries, pizza and fried chicken delivery services, and convenience stores. The sales of mobile e-coupons on the site have increased 73 percent from the previous month.
Written by Sean Chung (email@example.com)


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Apple (iOS) and Google (Android) have come out with softwares that detect whether you are in a car accident. You will be able to put your phone into a new mode called either “attack detection mode (apparently it will also be able to detect if you are being attacked?) or accident mode.” Certain embodiments of the respective software enable your Phone to detect a probable automobile accident. It then locates you via the global positioning system (GPS) and/or an accelerometer contained within that device. (I am not sure how they got a patent for this? It sure sounds like General Motors “On star”.) I am providing the link to the press release at the bottom of the page.
From a consumers perspective anytime you have an app that can help you in an emergency situation you have to consider using it. The very fact your phone is so findable because of Global positioning is awesome. Unfortunately, if your are off roading or in areas where wifi, phone service etc., are suspect – “good luck”, or should I say “Tough luck”, – no phone service means no global tracking or a total inability to stay in touch. The famous advertiser Marshall McLuhan once said about television that it was a medium making the world smaller. I wonder what he would have said about cell and wifi service?
A new system that will help “connectivity” is a Elon Musk invention. It is based on low flying satellites for remote areas. The Elon system is brilliant. It is presently being tested in remote northern ontario areas. If there is one thing the covid pandemic has taught us, jobs are now very transportable. The Musk system could really hasten the migration of people from cities to rural communities. What are the chances those expensive downtown business towers could become signs of the past? Working remotely is fantastic but it proceeds on the premise you are digitally linked to the world.
Travelling is also going through a Renaissance. Covid is waning and Connectivity is the key. Think of how accessible our world is because of this ability to communicate. We can literally go anywhere in the world, (once the borders open) and reliably stay in touch with loved ones, find places of interest, restaurants etc., and as Apple and Google want to do – make us little safer while doing it.


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With smartphones becoming ever thinner and their cameras becoming increasingly powerful, it seemed inevitable that something had to give – though not now necessarily with Toshiba's announcement of a new highly sensitive CMOS sensor.
Toshiba announced the launch of its new 1.12 micrometre pixel CMOS image sensor, that offers “the industry's smallest level pixel size with enhanced sensitivity and improved imaging performance of back-side illumination technology (BSI).” Most high-end smartphones these days have cameras with sensors boasting between 5 and 8 megapixels and the challenge now is to create smaller pixels but without the miniaturisation causing a fall-off in image quality.
Toshiba has overcome this by using BSI senors which deploy lenses on the rear of the sensor, on its silicon substrate, not on the front, where wiring limits light absorption. This positioning boosts light sensitivity and absorption, and allows formation of finer image pixels in smaller CMOS image sensors, bringing it more suitable for motion pictures applications as well. A statement from the company said: “Toshiba has made full use of the advantages of BSI to realize image pixels with a pitch of 1.12 micrometers, and to pack 8.08 million of them into a 1/4in sensor. The new sensor achieves high level imaging and processing that will bring a new level of image quality to smartphones.”
Toshiba has said it expects BSI CMOS image sensors to become the mainstream technology in portable digital technology, with applications expanding from mobile phones and digital cameras to smartphones and tablets. Sampling of the new sensor will begin at the end of this month and mass production will follow from the end of 2011.


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Pachamama, a vegan food stand at the downtown Phoenix farmers market, is making the leap to a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
The new Phoenix restaurant, located on the northeast corner of 19th Avenue and Indian School Road, will feature items the owners introduced at the farmers market, plus new items soon.
Owners and high school sweethearts Kevin and Maria Lebronwanted to open the restaurant in April, but the pandemic delayed their plans as they scrambled to keep their first business together alive.
Now, they’re ready to open their doors, starting with a soft opening on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or until sold out. The grand opening is set for Wednesday, Sept. 16.
“It has been humbling and extremely gratifying to hear the feedback,” Maria Lebron said. “One guy, who’s a meat eater, said after he had our tacos


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Back in December, we reported that the 1986 classic Willow will make its Blu-ray debut on March 12. Today, Fox Home Entertainment announced that director Ron Howard (@RealRonHoward) and star Warwick Davis (@WarwickADavis) will be hosting a Twitter chat on March 12, between 2 PM PST and 2:30 PM PST. Fans can ask their own questions to the filmmaker and actor via their Twitter handles and the hashtag #WillowChat. Take a look at the Willow Blu-ray cover art, then read the official details from the studio.
Join director Ron Howard and star Warwick Davis for an exclusive Artist to Artist Twitter chat in celebration of the 25th anniversary of Willow! Fans can even join in the conversation by tweeting questions using the hashtag #WillowChat.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the unforgettable classic, Willow, has been fully digitally restored and debuts on Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack March 12, 2013 from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
The Willow Blu-ray and DVD include a dazzling array of extras with never-before-seen exclusive content such as deleted scenes with remarks from Ron Howard, a personal video diary of Warwick Davis, matte paintings and much more. In addition, look out for Ron Howard's new introduction for the original 1988 featurette "The Making of an Adventure," as well as special effect legend Dennis Muren's new intro to his piece, "From Morf to Morphing: The Dawn of Digital Filmmaking."


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In 2022, Congress handed the $430 billion Inflation Relief Operate barring week electric-vehicle tax credit if any battery parts are manufactured or assembled via a “foreign entity of concern.”
The overseas entity of shock laws are aimed toward weaning america from Chinese language provide chains and are available into impact in 2024 for finished batteries and 2025 for important minerals impaired to build them. The query is how what exactly constitutes a “foreign entity of concern” and up to now negative overseas battery provider has been classified as such.
Smith requested Musk whether or not, with the exception of boosting North American production, his corporate had “taken any actions to increase production of the number of vehicles that will qualify for the clean vehicle credit?”
Smith additionally wrote Nissan on Tuesday inquiring for information about its battery providers and whether or not its U.S. production plans “include the production of batteries or battery components for EVs?”
Tesla and Nissan didn’t straight away reply to demands of remark.
In July, Smith and Mike Gallagher, Republican chair of the Choose Committee on China, demanded Ford solution questions concerning the CATL do business in.
“We are concerned that the deal could simply facilitate the partial onshoring of PRC-controlled battery technology, raw materials, and employees while collecting tax credits and flowing funds back to CATL through the licensing agreement,” the letter to Ford stated.
Ford informed Reuters Tuesday it consents that “U.S. taxpayer dollars should support American manufacturers, not foreign entities of concern.” It defended its deliberate battery plant as “one owned and controlled solely by Ford, a proud American company.”
Ford is looking ahead to steerage from the U.S. Treasury to safeguard the partnership does now not run afoul of the Operate.
Smith wrote Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen Tuesday announcing she must straight away factor the steerage and “make clear in the most comprehensive way possible that taxpayer subsidies cannot flow to foreign entities of concern through any structuring mechanism conceivable.”


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Lime and Coca-Cola® Partnership Encourages Recycling by Offering Free Rides
Today, we’re thrilled to announce a partnership with Coca-Cola, aimed at rewarding people who are committed to recycling. To celebrate the nationwide availability of Coca-Cola Sip Sized™ bottles, made from 100% recycled plastic material (rPET)*, the companies are offering more than 40,000 free bike or e-scooter rides to people who purchase and pledge to recycle their 13.2oz, 100% rPET* Coca-Cola bottles.
This partnership comes as consumer demand for micromobility has skyrocketed, specifically among Gen Z, who expect their use of alternative modes of transit to increase in the future, compared to pre-pandemic transportation. Lime’s mission is to expand access to sustainable transportation to everyone, regardless of ability, background or bank account, by offering a range of affordable, shared electric vehicles to make any trip, any time, anywhere. That’s why Coca-Cola is partnering with us to make zero-emission modes of transportation more accessible to those hoping to reduce their impact on the environment.
“With sustainability so central to Lime’s core values, we’re thrilled to partner with Coca-Cola to encourage recycling of its new bottle made from 100% recycled materials*,” said Sara Lannin, Head of Global Business Development and Partnerships at Lime. “Contributing to a healthier planet requires us all to live more sustainably, whether doing more to recycle or replacing car trips with light electric vehicles.”
“The 13.2oz, 100% rPET* Coca-Cola bottle is just one of the many innovations the company has introduced to make important advancements towards a World Without Waste,” said Brandan Strickland, Brand Director of Coca-Cola Trademark, Coca-Cola North America. “Now, with 13.2oz, 100% rPET* Coca-Cola bottles available at convenience stores across the nation, we’re encouraging people to go the extra mile to commit to recycling our products again and again.”
People who purchase the Sip Sized Coca-Cola bottle can pledge to recycle by visiting CokePlayToWin.com/endlesslyrefreshing to recycle their Sip Sized 100% rPET* Coca-Cola bottles. They will then receive a promo code via email – available on a first come, first serve basis – redeemable for a free, 10-minute bike or e-scooter ride through the Lime app.
Partnerships like this are a critical part of our Ride Green initiative and commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2030, adhering to a science-based target. We’ve already begun to take important steps, including phasing out fossil fuel vans for our operations, partnering with renewable energy providers to power our scooters and facilities, extending the lifespan of our vehicles and developing sustainable end-of-life processes for them and pushing our partners within our supply chain to reduce their carbon footprint as well.
For more information on our sustainability efforts, please, visit ridegreen.li.me.
*Does not include the bottles’ cap and label


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Apple on May 29 published the schedule for the 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference, which will run June 11-15. Since Apple stopped sponsoring the Macworld show, the WWDC has become the most closely watched Apple event of the year because it is always the venue for at least one big announcement.
The big question, of course, is just what might Apple actually show off at the event? There is some speculation that the new iPhone could be announced and its a safe bet Mac OS X Mountain Lion will be on display.
As usual, Apple hasnt tipped its hand about what it has planned for the conference. Instead, the company has only announced that there will be a keynote address hosted on June 11 at 10 a.m. Pacific Time at the Moscone West Convention Center that, if history is to be any guide, will be headlined by Apple chief executive Tim Cook. Other than that, expect WWDC 2012 to be home to a bunch of surprises and maybe even some disappointments. Still, theres a lot to look forward to at Apples WWDC 2012.
Heres what you can expect to find at Apples event next month:
1. Mountain Lion Galore
Apple is planning to spend the majority of its time at WWDC 2012 talking about Mac OS X Mountain Lion. And why not? Its the operating system that will go head-to-head with Windows 8, and arguably has the best security of any version of the software yet. It seems like an easy choice.
2. An iPhone 5?
Its hard to say right now when Apple might unveil the new iPhone. Some reports say that Apple will show off the device at the Worldwide Developers Conference, while others say itll wait until the fall to do so. At the very least, well know one way or the other at the WWDC keynote.
3. iOS 6
Its more likely that Apples will talk about iOS 6, which is perhaps even more keenly anticipated than a new generation iPhone. The operating system will likely come with better security, an improved default interface, and some other additions that should make it a sizable jump over its predecessor, iOS 5.
4. An improved Siri
Apples Siri platform is currently in beta. However, its sometimes too slow and its been having trouble arriving at the correct answer. It would make sense that WWDC would be the best venue for Apple to introduce a new and improved Siri that is ready to make the transition from beta to full production and deliver far greater value to users.
New MacBooks, Improved iCloud, iOS Apps Would be Cheered
5. New MacBooks?
Apples MacBook line is now well on its way to becoming some of the top computers in the marketplace. However, the company hasnt released any new MacBooks this year so far. Is there a possibility that Apple will show off new models at WWDC? After all, it seems like the perfect place, considering Mountain Lion will be on display.
6. An eye on the Apple TV
According to rumors, Apple is planning to launch a television at some point in the next several months. The issue, though, is that Apple has never confirmed its actually developing or launching a television, let alone said when it might come out. Although its unlikely that Apple will actually show off a television at WWDC, there is a chance it might hint at its future plans with the device. Keep a close eye on that.
7. New and improved iOS apps
One of the nice things about WWDC since it is a developers conference is that Apple has the chance to show off new applications and other software features not found elsewhere. At this years conference, expect the iPhone maker to impress developers and fans alike with some new and improved iOS apps.
8. iCloud improvements
Apples iCloud platform is just plain nice. The offering allows users to synchronize content across multiple devices. As Apple itself acknowledged, iCloud was very much a work in progress when it first arrived last year. Heres hoping Apple will talk about some improvements to that work in progress at WWDC.
9. Some iTunes love
Over the last several years, Apple, for the most part, hasnt made major improvement to iTunes. Instead, the company has been content to leave it alone and continue to generate serious cash from it. In the future, however, it would be nice to see Apple give the platform a much-needed refresh and show why its still the central hub of its entertainment offerings. WWDC seems like the perfect place for Apple to do just that.
10. Apples gloating
Finally, we can all but expect Apple to use its platform at WWDC to gloat about its successes over the last several months since it last spoke before the media, customers and partners. Apple CEO Tim Cook will undoubtedly talk about his companys strong sales, app downloads and a host of other figures designed to make the Cupertino-based company look great and all others look bad.


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Canon Davis Church, at Russell and Maxwell will hold their Christmas Matket from 9-12. Food will be the focus, come and see what we have to offer! Jams, baking, meat pies, chilli, cabbage rolls, lasagna and much more. Last Trinkets, treasures and crafts, a great start to the Christmas season!


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Senate Judiciary Committee Chair and Ranking Member Grassley and Leahy to also participate in hearing, as will other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Lee (R-UT), the ranking member and chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights, announced they will hold a hearing on December 7th to examine the proposed AT&T and Time Warner merger. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) will also participate in the hearing, as will other members of the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The hearing will be held on December 7, at 10 am ET in the Judiciary Committee hearing room, Dirksen 226.
Both Randall Stephenson, the CEO of AT&T, and Jeffrey Bewkes, the CEO of Time Warner, are expected to testify.
The hearing will examine the impact of the proposed transaction on consumers, including the implications for competition and innovation in the creation and distribution of video content.


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Mahindra & Mahindra , India’s leading SUV maker, announced a rise of about 18 percent in its sales figure, which now stood at 48,143 units during the November 2012 as against the 40,722 units sold in the same period during 2011. The company’s domestic sales figure stands at 46,755 units during November 2012 in comparison to the 38,159 units in November last year, an increase of about 23%. The passenger vehicle segment that comprises of Verito and UVs recorded a growth of about 38 percent, with the sale of about 24,604 units in Nov 2012 against the 17,813 units last year during the same period.
The 4-wheeler segment that includes the load and passenger categories of vehicles have registered a growth of about 7 percent with the sale of about 14,353 units while the three wheeler segment saw a growth of about 17 percent with the sale of about 6867 units. The export figures stood at about 1388 units. Chief Executive of Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra said that the recent announced GDP no. are in accordance with the speculations and company is not seeing any immediate impact on the monetary policy.
Until there is a decrease in the interest rates for the retail credits, financing rate will remain high for the auto customers. This is a cause of concern but company is expecting to interest the rates to go down during the current financial year. Mahindra is happy to maintain the growth trend on the base of their strong product lineup. Mahindra & Mahindra is currently relying mostly on the sales of Quanto which has already crossed more than 12,000 bookings in just over 2 months of its launch.


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Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreens and PetSmart are among the retailers selling through Google’s voice-activated devices.
Meanwhile a name change is in the works for Liz Claiborne Inc.
What’s in a corporate name? Apparently not Liz Claiborne.
This morning as it announced the divestiture of several brands, Liz Claiborne Inc., No. 341 in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide, also said it was considering a new corporate name, although CEO William McComb didn’t provide many details. “We are exploring options for a new corporate name that will better reflect our keen focus on building and growing our three global lifestyle brands – Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand and Kate Spade,” McComb says. “We will share the new name for the corporation at the appropriate time."
Liz Claiborne is mulling over a corporate name change because that name is coming more under the marketing and merchandising umbrella of J.C. Penney Co. (No. 20). Penney is spending $267.5 million to acquire the global rights to Liz Claiborne brand names. The deal also includes branding rights for Monet, a Claiborne jewelry brand. J.C. Penney and Liz Claiborne signed a branding deal in August 2010, but the new deal accelerates the timeline and adds in Monet.
Specific terms of the deal give J.C Penney the worldwide rights and intellectual property for the entire Liz Claiborne brand portfolio, including Liz Claiborne, Claiborne, Liz, Liz & Co., Concepts by Claiborne, LC, Elizabeth, LizGolf, LizSport, Liz Claiborne New York and Lizwear. "As we seek to be part of our customers' everyday lives, ensuring that we offer the brands that are most relevant to them is a crucial component in transforming J.C. Penney into America's favorite store,” says incoming CEO Ron Johnson, who will take over running the company in November. “Liz Claiborne and Monet are classic brands that resonate deeply with consumers. Our ownership of these brands gives us a strong foundation for continued innovation and growth."
With Penney acquiring the rights to its core name, Liz Claiborne going forward will concentrate on its remaining brands, says McComb. In addition to the deal with J.C. Penney, Liz Claiborne is terminating DKNY Jeans and DKNY license agreements with Donna Karan International, and it has completed the sale of the Dana Buchman brand to Kohl's and agreed to sell the Kensie, Kensiegirl and Mac & Jac brands to affiliates of Bluestar Alliance, a New York private equity firm.
"Over the past few years, we have worked diligently to turn this into a more efficient, dynamic, brand-centric, retail-based company, and today marks the culmination of these efforts,” McComb says. “At the close of these transactions, at a time when most economists in the world are now agreeing that major European and the U.S. markets are facing significant risks of another recession, we will be a more appropriately levered, more capital efficient, growth-oriented company.”
Liz Claiborne didn’t say what will now happen to its e-commerce program, which still includes KateSpade.com and JackSpade.com.


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by Ian Harvey
March 12, 2018
“RESULTS FOR MEMBERS OF STOCK OPTIONS MADE EASY”
|February 26, 2018||CRM APRIL 20 2018 120.000 CALL||264%|
|February 26, 2018||SQ MARCH 16 2018 47.000 CALL||P.P: 240%|
|February 27, 2018||ETSY APRIL 20 2018 22.500 CALL||P.P: 462%|
|February 27, 2018||ETSY APRIL 20 2018 22.500 CALL||P.P: 462%|
|February 28, 2018||TMUS APRIL 20 2018 62.500 CALL||P.P: 179%|
|March 05, 2018||BZUN APRIL 20 2018 35.000 CALL||100% or P.P: 268%|
|March 05, 2018||MOMO MARCH 16 2018 35.000 CALL||144%|
|March 09, 2018||AMAT APRIL 20 2018 62.50 CALL||59%++|
“RESULTS for EARNINGS PREDICTIONS for LAST WEEK ”
|March 07, 2018||OKTA APRIL 20 2018 40.000 CALL||P.P: 181%|
|March 08, 2018||KR APRIL 20 2018 27.000 PUT||P.P: 211%|
|March 08, 2018||AEO APRIL 20 2018 20.000 PUT||P.P: 60%|
NOTE: P.P: – Potential Profit
Options Trades to Consider Based on Expected Earnings Reports:
Monday, March 12
Coupa Software Inc (NASDAQ:COUP) -- providing a cloud-based spend management
platform designed to connect organizations with suppliers, will report earnings
after the market closes. Coupa is expected to report an adjusted loss of 15 cents
per share; but the company is expected to post revenue growth of 28%, with
total quarterly sales reaching $48.6 million.
The company’s story seems to be coming together a year after the IPO with increasing spend, high-profile customers, and brand awareness. Coupa is a top-performer, up 46% YTD compared to the 1% growth of the S&P.
Coupa Software Inc has an analyst consensus of Strong Buy. Recently Barclays gave an Overweight rating and raised its Coupa Software price target from $38 to $47.
The company has a one-year
high of $48.85 and a one-year low of $22.50.
Expect Coupa’s momentum to continue into the Q4 report with an outperformance
Option trade to consider: Buy the COUP APRIL 20 2018 50.000 CALL at approximately $2.25.
Tuesday, March 13
Dicks Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS) -- an omni-channel sporting goods retailer offering an assortment of sports equipment, apparel, footwear and accessories in its specialty retail stores in the eastern United States, will report earnings before the market opens. The consensus earnings estimate is $1.20 per share on revenue of $2.73 billion. The Earnings Whisper number is $1.23 per share. The company's guidance was for earnings of $1.12 to $1.14 per share.
Consensus estimates are for earnings to decline year-over-year by 9.09% with revenue increasing by 9.93%. Overall earnings estimates have been revised lower since the company's last earnings release.
DKS suffered during 2017, but was able to close the year on an upward trend. And DKS has managed to rise 11.06% so far in 2018. However, the shares have been stuck in a sideways pattern for the last two months, and the company will need a positive quarterly report for the stock to break out higher. The company has struggled to grow earnings, with profits expected to fall by 3.8% during the current year, and by 7.7% next year.
Option trade to consider: Buy the DKS APRIL 20 2018 32.000
PUT at approximately $2.20.
3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD) – providing three-dimensional (3D) printing solutions, will report earnings after the market closes. Analysts expect 3D Systems's EPS to be near 1 cent per share on sales of $162.48 million.
3D Systems EPS in the same period a year ago totaled 15 cents per share. Sales were $165.93 million. Analysts estimate would represent a 93.33 percent decrease in the company's earnings. Revenue would be down 2.08 percent from the same quarter last year.
Over the last 52-week period, shares are down 37.05 percent. Over the last six months, shares of 3D Systems have underperformed the industry. The stock has plunged 26.1% against the industry's positive return of 9.9%.
Analysts have adjusted their estimates lower for EPS and revenues over the past 90 days. The average rating by analysts on 3D Systems stock is a Neutral.
The company’s bleak earnings surprise history shows estimate misses by a huge margin in three of the trailing four quarters, the average negative surprise being a whopping 83.8%. Last quarter, the company reported an adjusted loss of 20 cents, lagging estimates by a massive 281.8%. The bottom line was dragged by top-line decline as well as a disproportionate rise in cost of sales.
Also, 3D Systems’ earnings estimates have moved south in the past month, indicating a bearish analyst sentiment for the stock.
Option trade to consider: Buy the DDD APRIL 20 2018 12.000 PUT at approximately $1.05.
Thursday, March 15
Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ:ULTA ) – a beauty retailer, will report earnings after the market closes. The consensus earnings estimate is $2.77 per share. The company's guidance was for earnings of $2.73 to $2.78 per share. Consensus estimates are for year-over-year earnings growth of 23.66% with revenue decreasing by 36.80%.
Ulta was a Wall Street darling for most of 2016 thanks to strong comps and EPS growth, but the stock struggled last year as growth rates began to slow a bit.
A slowing cosmetics industry and industry wide discounting caused Ulta to tumble 13% in 2017 despite otherwise stellar business performance. And 2018 is not treating the company any better, with a former employee accusing the makeup giant of unflattering sales practices in a series of recent tweets.
Comparable store sales marked a slowdown from the prior quarter's 12% increase. The retailer needed a surprisingly strong contribution from its e-commerce sales channel to meet its growth target, too. Digital sales accounted for 3.7 percentage points of its 10% comps gain, compared to 3.4 percentage points in the prior quarter.
CEO Mary Dillon and her team still believe they'll reach the growth goal they set for the full year of between 10% and 11%. But if they miss that target, it's likely to be on the low side since the industry contracted over the holiday season.
Price cuts forced Ulta to reduce its profit outlook, and executives are now calling for operating margin to hold steady in 2017 as opposed to the modest increase they had initially projected.
Short interest has increased by 32.4% since the company's last earnings release.
Option trade to consider: Buy the ULTA APRIL 20 2018
200.000 PUT at approximately $8.20.
Friday, March 16
Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF)
– a jeweler and specialty retailer, will report earnings before the
market opens. Analysts expect Tiffany to report $1.62
EPS. They anticipate $0.17 EPS change or 11.72 % from last quarter’s $1.45 EPS.
TIF’s profit would be $201.32 million giving it 15.70 P/E if the $1.62 EPS is
correct. After having $0.80 EPS previously, Tiffany’s analysts see 102.50 % EPS
Tiffany has risen 46.84% since March 10, 2017 and is
uptrending. It has outperformed the S&P500 by 30.14%.
The retail sector has not been hit as hard as some other sectors
during recent sell-offs. While Tiffany & Co. is not cheap — priced at more than $100 a share
—the luxury jewelry and specialty retailer has strong brand equity and a lot of
room to grow under its new management. Last summer Alessandro Bogliolo was
appointed the new CEO.
Among 27 analysts covering Tiffany, 14 have Buy rating, 0 Sell and
13 Hold. Tiffany has $125.0 highest and $66 lowest target.
Option trade to consider: Buy the TIF APRIL 20 2018 105.000 CALL at approximately $2.05.
An Important Note: That these suggestions for options trade considerations require investors/traders to use their own discretion as to when to enter or exit! As well, it is advisable to do further research and due diligence before executing your trade.
If you wish to receive more options trading recommendations similar to this, which will help boost your portfolio strategy, get on board with the members of Stock Options Made Easy.
Our proven track record says it all!!


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Rahul Mishra, Payal Pratap are Fiama designers for WIFW
New Delhi: Rahul Mishra and Payal Pratap Singh have been announced as Fiama Di Wills designers for autumn-winter 2013 edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW) starting March 13.
They will showcase their creations at a show sponsored by personal care brand Fiama Di Wills.
"To inspire and stimulate with the brand core of innovation and promise of eternal beauty, this season, we are extremely glad to present designers Rahul Mishra and Payal Pratap Singh," said Nilanjan Mukherjee, head of marketing, personal care products` business, ITC Limited.
WIFW, a five-day event, will be held at Pragati Maidan. It is expected to witness participation from an assorted mix of leading as well as upcoming designers from India and abroad.
"We are excited to see young creative talents come together at the prestigious Fiama Di Wills show at the WIFW autumn-winter 2013," Sunil Sethi, president, Fashion Design Council of India, said in a statement.
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- India Couture Week: Anita Dongre brings couture for 'bride on the go'
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- Kareena Kapoor Khan looks unapologetically sexy on the cover of Vogue India – See pic


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A new government report shows that the pace of consumer price inflation fell in August to its lowest monthly level since February, although the 12-month rate of inflation remained historically high.
The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.3 percent in July to August, the Labor Department said in a September 14 report, with the consensus forecast predicting a slightly higher rate of monthly inflation of 0.4 percent. This is a slower pace of consumer price growth than the rate of 0.5 percent in July and 0.9 percent in June, the latter marking the highest monthly spike in the measure since 2008.
While the month-on-month headline CPI numbers suggest that inflationary pressures are easing and reinforce the “transient” inflation narrative, experts say it is too early to jump to conclusions.
“The debate over whether inflation will be short-term or more sustained is not resolved,” Bankrate’s chief financial analyst Greg McBride told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “The jury will be out for many more months, especially with persistent supply chain constraints.”
The Federal Reserve noted in its most recent Beige Book report that many US businesses were experiencing inflation driven by supply constraints in input costs, with many firms indicating they expected to pass those higher prices on to consumers. Huh. Meanwhile, future inflation expectations among US consumers rose to an eight-year high in August, according to a New York Federal Reserve survey.
Tuesday’s CPI report also showed that consumer price inflation declined to 5.3 per cent in August, 0.1 per cent lower than figures for both June and July, representing the highest 12-month spike in 13 years.
So-called core inflation, which excludes the volatile categories of food and energy, rose 0.1 per cent in July to August, the lowest level since February 2021 and 0.3 per cent rate economists predicted. Core inflation rose to 0.9 percent monthly in April and then by the same percentage in June, the highest level since the early 1980s.
“The lower-than-expected growth in the headline, and especially the core, inflation for the month of August was underscored by easing of price pressures in some areas where we saw the biggest growth a few months ago. Airfare, accommodation, used car and truck prices and even motor vehicle insurance all declined in August, McBride said, supporting the idea of inflation being ‘temporary’.
Used car and truck prices, which rose 10.5 percent from May to June and were a clear example of the recent pulse of inflation, fell 1.5 percent in August. Transport service prices fell 2.3 percent, while airline fares declined 9.1 percent during the month.
Experts are looking to downplay costs as a possible hideout of future inflationary pressures.
“Rent and owners par rent – a proxy for homeownership costs – were both up 0.3 percent in August, but the worst is yet to come as rising home prices and higher rents have yet to fully reflect consumer value. index,” McBride noted.
The closely watched CPI report is likely to ease pressure on Federal Reserve officials to roll back some crisis support measures for the economy. Last year, the Fed cut its benchmark overnight interest rate to near zero and began buying $120 billion in Treasury and mortgage-backed securities each month to spur an economic recovery. Although rate hikes have yet to be revealed, Fed officials are considering when to begin asset purchases, with anticipation building ahead of the September 21-22 meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. Possible announcement on the tapering timeline, the Fed’s monetary policy decision-making body.
“The easing of some so-called ‘temporary’ items in the inflation index would bolster the Federal Reserve’s argument that inflation will eventually move closer to their 2 percent target,” McBride said.
“Based on inflation data, don’t expect an immediate urgency to reduce asset purchases, even if the ongoing $120 billion in monthly Fed stimulus is increasingly risking inflation of a significant asset bubble,” he said. ” They said.
Fed officials have made a job market recovery a condition of tighter monetary policy. While economic output has fully recovered to its pre-pandemic levels, labor market recovery is lagging behind, with the US economy remaining under nearly 5 million jobs from before the outbreak. The US economy has since recovered nearly 17 million jobs, after the pandemic left more than 22 million jobs in the first two months.
This News Originally From – The Epoch Times