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Onions, one of the indispensable items when it comes to Kerala cuisine, are gradually becoming a luxury for middle-class households in the state.
The price of shallots (small onions) is skyrocketing in Kerala, with a kilogram now costing more than Rs 100, compared to the Rs 25 three months ago, and is expected to shoot up even more. Shallots are priced at Rs 90 per kg in wholesale markets, while at retail shops it costs over Rs 100.
The production of shallots has come down drastically in recent weeks, which resulted in the price rise. Shallots mostly come from Tamil Nadu, and the crisis was triggered by the drought situation in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Onions are an important part of the dishes in the cooking menu across the households in the state. Three months back, shallots could have been bought for Rs 25 per kg. In March, the price touched Rs 40, and by mid-April it rose to Rs 70.
For the past few months, a few vegetables have witnessed a 150 per cent rise in prices. With the drought situation in southern states continuing unabated, the prices of several vegetables are expected to rise further.
However, while small onions have become dearer, the price of big onions is coming down. Onions come to Kerala from Maharashtra in large quantities and the production remains unaffected.


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Tech giants – Apple, Pixar, Nvidia and others have come together to create the Alliance for OpenUSD to develop AR & VR standards.
The newly formed alliance will push and standardize Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD) technology, a file format that enables developers to move their work across different tools, which makes it easier to create 3D content for gaming, animation and metaverse experiences.
According to their website, the Alliance for OpenUSD (AOUSD) seeks to promote the interoperability of 3D content. This alliance is also meant to bring together a community that would collaborate on developments and discussions around OpenUSD-related issues.
AOUSD chairperson and Pixar CTO Steve May said OpenUSD, which is based on years of research and application in film-making, now expands beyond animation or visual effects to include other industries that “rely on 3D data for media interchange.”
Promising future for the alliance
OpenUSD was founded in 2012 by Pixar, to promote 3D foundations for their films and in 2016 it was made open source. In 2018, Apple joined forces with Pixar and announced plans to develop USDZ Universal file format which would be used to create 3D models for AR.
Now, the formation of the alliance signifies a greater move towards standardization in the 3D content creation pipeline with plans in place to develop written specifications to promote adoption and integration of OpenUSD.
Its future seems promising with support from gaming companies like Epic Games, while tech firms like Apple and Nvidia as founding members add weight to the initiative, and Apple is expected to release its Vision Pro mixed reality headset, months after the formation of the alliance.
Apple’s vice president Mike Rockwell said that the company had already been involved with OpenUSD contributing towards its development.
“OpenUSD will help accelerate the next generation of AR experiences, from artistic creation to content delivery, and produce an ever-widening array of spatial computing applications,” he said in a statement.
“Apple has been an active contributor to the development of USD, and it is an essential technology for the ground-breaking VisionOS platform, as well as the new Reality Composer Pro developer tool.”
Nvidia also weighed in saying: “Standardizing OpenUSD will accelerate its adoption, creating a foundational technology that will help today’s 2D internet evolve into a 3D web,” said Nvidia in a statement.
The alliance now plans to develop a standard that can later be used by other bodies. Companies like Unity, Epic, Foundry and SideFX have also offered some statements in support of the Alliance’s goals.
@Pixar, @Adobe, @Apple, @Autodesk, and @NVIDIA have formed the Alliance for #OpenUSD (AOUSD) to promote the standardization, development, evolution, and growth of @openusd technology to standardize the 3D ecosystem.
— Pixar's OpenUSD (@openusd) August 1, 2023
Someone is missing
Pixar, which has described USD as the “first open-source software that can robustly and scalably interchange 3D scenes,” sees the technology as a “fundamental requirement for those creating metaverse content.
However, while these big names are putting work into AR & VR development, one big name that has been making waves in the metaverse – Meta – is missing from the alliance.
The social media platforms giant, also maker of Quest headsets could play a big role in this alliance but seems to be missing out together with Google, Samsung and Qualcomm, which is working on a new XR platform.
According to Fagen Wasanni Technologies, the absence of these tech firms suggests there could be “competing efforts in the industry.”
Other firms involved in the AOUSD include Joint Development Foundation, Autodesk, and Adobe.

domain: news


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The recently pulled Black Lotus from an unopened pack of Beta has received an official grading of 8.5 from Beckett Grading Services.
In a since mod-removed post to the MagicTCG subreddit, u/veritesq shared the following image with the title “I’m the guy who accidentally pulled a Black Lotus from a Beta booster… Just got it back from Beckett! Surface indentation under ‘Black’ knocked it down a bit, but still super psyched!”
While worth significantly less than its Alpha counterpart, a Beta Black Lotus is still one the most expensive cards in the game, and similarly graded Black Lotus are being sold for over $40,000.
When initially posted, the community expressed their skepticism, pointing out that the pack showed signs of already being heavily searched. Despite these claims, many users were captivated by the fantastical tale, and were pleased when the final update provided a fitting conclusion to arguably the best pull story of the decade.
The original threads have been deleted, however you can read through them here:


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|By PR Newswire||
|January 18, 2013 08:00 AM EST||
NEW YORK, January 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
The quick-to-adapt business model of conglomerate IBM will keep itself very profitable for years to come with a shift towards services over manufacturing and products.
Multinational technology and consulting company International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM) [Full Research Report](1) grabbed headlines and saw its share price soar in November last year after investment mogul Warren Buffett bought over $10 billion worth of stock, or 5.98 percent of IBM's ownership.
This alone demonstrates the intrinsic value of IBM, rooted in the fact that the company is earning on a consistent basis, and will continue to do so for a very long time. Its ability to quickly adapt to changes in market dynamics allows IBM to meet client demands as they evolve.
Their recent move towards being a services company away from a manufacturing and products-centric one has helped position them to where they are now and where they will be in the future. It was the right choice, considering the speed of change and innovation in business and technology. Instead of competing through building and delivering new products, IBM decided their services would set them apart.
For example, IBM not only develops cloud computing - one of their growth areas - but they also deliver cloud computing consulting services for cloud capabilities developed by other companies or organizations.
The shift started in early 1993, when newly installed then-chief executive Louis V. Gerstner Jr. put a much larger focus on services and started selling low-margin businesses, like the PC business that was later sold to Chinese firm Lenovo. Even with a new CEO in former EVP Virginia Rometty, this will likely continue, with a projected $20 per share earnings in four years.
Another factor would be the company's continuous pursuit for innovation and new research, as a report from International Business Times suggests. At least five IBM employees have won Nobel Prizes in the past for their innovations, including the scanning-tunneling microscope and superconductivity.
In addition, the company and their more than 8,000 inventors across the world lead the United States in a number of patents awarded by the US Patent Office for 20 straight years. Last year, IBM received a record 6,478 patents in analytics, cyber security, cloud computing, among others.
However, among a sea of praise, there is an emerging threat to IBM from smaller, more agile players emerging in the space. IBM must remain diligent in its commitment to innovation and set itself apart, leveraging its strong brand. In a time when everything is changing, it seems International Business Machines is ready and willing to change with the times. For more information, download our research report below.
(1) The Full Research Report on International Business Machines - including full detailed breakdown, analyst ratings and price targets - is available to download free of charge at: [http://www.nationaltradersassociation.org/r/entire_report/14b1_IBM]
Consider National Traders Association
Tired of hearing about the latest, greatest trade opportunity... only to realize that the ship has long sailed? You need a strong, informative community in your arsenal. Join the group that has been consistently identifying momentous situations as they develop - long before they become the next top news on major financial networks.
An IoT product’s log files speak volumes about what’s happening with your products in the field, pinpointing current and potential issues, and enabling you to predict failures and save millions of dollars in inventory. But until recently, no one knew how to listen. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Dan Gettens, Chief Research Officer at OnProcess, will discuss recent research by Massachusetts Institute of Technology and OnProcess Technology, where MIT created a new, breakthrough analytics model f...
Oct. 1, 2016 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,238
The Transparent Cloud-computing Consortium (abbreviation: T-Cloud Consortium) will conduct research activities into changes in the computing model as a result of collaboration between "device" and "cloud" and the creation of new value and markets through organic data processing High speed and high quality networks, and dramatic improvements in computer processing capabilities, have greatly changed the nature of applications and made the storing and processing of data on the network commonplace.
Oct. 1, 2016 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,307
The Internet of Things can drive efficiency for airlines and airports. In their session at @ThingsExpo, Shyam Varan Nath, Principal Architect with GE, and Sudip Majumder, senior director of development at Oracle, will discuss the technical details of the connected airline baggage and related social media solutions. These IoT applications will enhance travelers' journey experience and drive efficiency for the airlines and the airports. The session will include a working demo and a technical d...
Oct. 1, 2016 07:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,864
In this strange new world where more and more power is drawn from business technology, companies are effectively straddling two paths on the road to innovation and transformation into digital enterprises. The first path is the heritage trail – with “legacy” technology forming the background. Here, extant technologies are transformed by core IT teams to provide more API-driven approaches. Legacy systems can restrict companies that are transitioning into digital enterprises. To truly become a lea...
Oct. 1, 2016 06:15 AM EDT Reads: 807
Almost two-thirds of companies either have or soon will have IoT as the backbone of their business in 2016. However, IoT is far more complex than most firms expected. How can you not get trapped in the pitfalls? In his session at @ThingsExpo, Tony Shan, a renowned visionary and thought leader, will introduce a holistic method of IoTification, which is the process of IoTifying the existing technology and business models to adopt and leverage IoT. He will drill down to the components in this fra...
Oct. 1, 2016 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,944
Digital transformation is too big and important for our future success to not understand the rules that apply to it. The first three rules for winning in this age of hyper-digital transformation are: Advantages in speed, analytics and operational tempos must be captured by implementing an optimized information logistics system (OILS) Real-time operational tempos (IT, people and business processes) must be achieved Businesses that can "analyze data and act and with speed" will dominate those t...
Oct. 1, 2016 05:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,341
If you had a chance to enter on the ground level of the largest e-commerce market in the world – would you? China is the world’s most populated country with the second largest economy and the world’s fastest growing market. It is estimated that by 2018 the Chinese market will be reaching over $30 billion in gaming revenue alone. Admittedly for a foreign company, doing business in China can be challenging. Often changing laws, administrative regulations and the often inscrutable Chinese Interne...
Oct. 1, 2016 05:30 AM EDT Reads: 641
I'm a lonely sensor. I spend all day telling the world how I'm feeling, but none of the other sensors seem to care. I want to be connected. I want to build relationships with other sensors to be more useful for my human. I want my human to understand that when my friends next door are too hot for a while, I'll soon be flaming. And when all my friends go outside without me, I may be left behind. Don't just log my data; use the relationship graph. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Ryan Boyd, Engi...
Oct. 1, 2016 05:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,437
Internet of @ThingsExpo, taking place November 1-3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA, is co-located with the 19th International Cloud Expo and will feature technical sessions from a rock star conference faculty and the leading industry players in the world and ThingsExpo Silicon Valley Call for Papers is now open.
Oct. 1, 2016 05:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,755
Adobe is changing the world though digital experiences. Adobe helps customers develop and deliver high-impact experiences that differentiate brands, build loyalty, and drive revenue across every screen, including smartphones, computers, tablets and TVs. Adobe content solutions are used daily by millions of companies worldwide-from publishers and broadcasters, to enterprises, marketing agencies and household-name brands. Building on its established design leadership, Adobe enables customers not o...
Oct. 1, 2016 04:45 AM EDT Reads: 578
If you’re responsible for an application that depends on the data or functionality of various IoT endpoints – either sensors or devices – your brand reputation depends on the security, reliability, and compliance of its many integrated parts. If your application fails to deliver the expected business results, your customers and partners won't care if that failure stems from the code you developed or from a component that you integrated. What can you do to ensure that the endpoints work as expect...
Oct. 1, 2016 04:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,820
SYS-CON Events announced today that ReadyTalk, a leading provider of online conferencing and webinar services, has been named Vendor Presentation Sponsor at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. ReadyTalk delivers audio and web conferencing services that inspire collaboration and enable the Future of Work for today’s increasingly digital and mobile workforce. By combining intuitive, innovative tec...
Oct. 1, 2016 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 3,129
Just over a week ago I received a long and loud sustained applause for a presentation I delivered at this year’s Cloud Expo in Santa Clara. I was extremely pleased with the turnout and had some very good conversations with many of the attendees. Over the next few days I had many more meaningful conversations and was not only happy with the results but also learned a few new things. Here is everything I learned in those three days distilled into three short points.
Oct. 1, 2016 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 5,486
WebRTC adoption has generated a wave of creative uses of communications and collaboration through websites, sales apps, customer care and business applications. As WebRTC has become more mainstream it has evolved to use cases beyond the original peer-to-peer case, which has led to a repeating requirement for interoperability with existing infrastructures. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Graham Holt, Executive Vice President of Daitan Group, will cover implementation examples that have enabled ea...
Oct. 1, 2016 04:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,658
There is growing need for data-driven applications and the need for digital platforms to build these apps. In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Muddu Sudhakar, VP and GM of Security & IoT at Splunk, will cover different PaaS solutions and Big Data platforms that are available to build applications. In addition, AI and machine learning are creating new requirements that developers need in the building of next-gen apps. The next-generation digital platforms have some of the past platform needs a...
Oct. 1, 2016 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,979
Fifty billion connected devices and still no winning protocols standards. HTTP, WebSockets, MQTT, and CoAP seem to be leading in the IoT protocol race at the moment but many more protocols are getting introduced on a regular basis. Each protocol has its pros and cons depending on the nature of the communications. Does there really need to be only one protocol to rule them all? Of course not. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Matthieu, co-founder and CTO of Octoblu, walk you through how Oct...
Oct. 1, 2016 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,461
Smart Cities are here to stay, but for their promise to be delivered, the data they produce must not be put in new siloes. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Mathias Herberts, Co-founder and CTO of Cityzen Data, will deep dive into best practices that will ensure a successful smart city journey.
Oct. 1, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,719
Businesses are struggling to manage the information flow and interactions between all of these new devices and things jumping on their network, and the apps and IT systems they control. The data businesses gather is only helpful if they can do something with it. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Chris Witeck, Principal Technology Strategist at Citrix, will discuss how different the impact of IoT will be for large businesses, expanding how IoT will allow large organizations to make their legacy ap...
Oct. 1, 2016 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 693
SYS-CON Events announced today that Numerex Corp, a leading provider of managed enterprise solutions enabling the Internet of Things (IoT), will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo | @ThingsExpo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Numerex Corp. (NASDAQ:NMRX) is a leading provider of managed enterprise solutions enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). The Company's solutions produce new revenue streams or create operating...
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24Notion is full-service global creative digital marketing, technology and lifestyle agency that combines strategic ideas with customized tactical execution. With a broad understand of the art of traditional marketing, new media, communications and social influence, 24Notion uniquely understands how to connect your brand strategy with the right consumer. 24Notion ranked #12 on Corporate Social Responsibility - Book of List.
Oct. 1, 2016 02:15 AM EDT Reads: 556


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OnePlus 6 Leaked Specifications
The next flagship of the Chinese Phone maker "OnePlus" will be launched in March of 2018 according to the gadget blog GizmoChina.
Given that the OnePlus 5 launched in June this year and the OnePlus 5t that is just one month old, we will have three flagships from the company only in nine months.
And as the reports tips that the phone will carry Qualcomm’s newly Snapdragon 845 chipset, however the interesting thing that the reports mentioned is the phone will feature a fingerprint sensor built-in underneath the front glass, so the sensor will be installed without sacrificing the bezel-less screen
Of course this is just rumors so we have to take it carefully, beside that even if the rumors is true the company could change it plans between now and launch


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Center Oil revenue jumps 75% to $2.8 billion in year
- Linda Tucci
Higher crude oil prices and increased demand fueled record sales at Center Oil Co. last year.
The distributor of heating oil and gasoline had revenue of $2.8 billion in 2000, a 75 percent increase over the $1.6 billion in 1999. The spike in revenue is rare for the privately held company, where sales have been "fairly consistent" since its founding in 1986, said Richard Powers, Center Oil's treasurer.
"Our first full year in business, 1987, sales were $1.7 billion, and they have been around $1.5 billion and $1.6 billion a year since," Powers said.
He declined to discuss profits, making it unclear whether the St. Louis-based middleman also enjoyed the record earnings announced recently by the nation's three largest oil companies. Sharply higher crude oil prices and high domestic gas prices, coupled with low supplies, pushed fourth quarter profits above analysts' expectations at Exxon Mobil Corp., Chevron Corp. and Texaco Inc.
"In many cases, the middleman actually does not fare that well," said Kate Warne, senior energy analyst for Edward Jones. "Companies closer to the retail have been hurt rather than helped."
Ron Leone, executive vice president of the Missouri Petroleum Marketers and Convenience Store Association, said member retail companies make more money on a per gallon basis when gas is low than when it is high. "Nobody hates the high gas prices worse than my guys."
For distributors, such as Center Oil, it depends on whether the company has been able to buy low and sell when the price at the pump has moved up some, Warne said.
"Either way, they certainly are not doing as well as what we are seeing with the major oil companies," Warne said.
Contact Linda Tucci at email@example.com
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Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced plans to use a blockchain-based airline loyalty digital wallet in six months in a statement on the official website of the company. A new KrisFlyer digital wallet app holding this innovative financial technology will possess a private blockchain that includes only merchants and partners.
“This groundbreaking development in which we will be using blockchain technology to ‘digitalise’ KrisFlyer miles is a demonstration of the investment we are making to significantly enhance the digital side of our business for the benefit of our customers. It is in line with our recently unveiled Digital Innovation Blueprint, under which we aim to be the world’s leading digital airline,” - reported Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong.
On February 5, Singapore Airlines stated in an announcement that the blockchain-based wallet will give members of the program an opportunity to spend their air miles at retail partners for point-of-sale transactions. SIA will be able to expand retail partnerships and offer users more ways to spend their points. This, in turn, may encourage customers to participate in the scheme and increase customer loyalty.
“I think we are the first airline to do it,” said Goh Choon Phong at the
Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit, a gathering of aviation leaders, on the eve of Asia’s largest air show.
SIA made a statement last month, according to which, it is going to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in digital technology over a few years as part of a fintech strategy built to remain competitive against global rivals.
Blockchain works as an online record-keeping system or digital ledger controlled by a random group of people rather than any central agency or authority. Famous for underpinning bitcoin and other alternative currencies, blockchain keeps a promise for changing the way transactions are handled in many industries.
However, Singapore Airlines is only the latest instance on the financial market where blockchain technology is being used by airline and airport operators to intensify their operations, there also exist some companies on the blockchain as well as bitcoin market looking to install cryptocurrency technology in the industry.
For example, Australia's Brisbane airport is using bitcoin payments across some terminal shopping and dining facilities. While U.S. airline Surf Air has claimed plans to accept cryptocurrencies for ticket payments, and Russian airline S7 is reportedly working with blockchain technology on the issuing of flight tickets. Furthermore, travel agency TUI is researching the blockchain to improve the efficiency of hotel bookings, while Air France is exploring distributed ledger technologies to keep track of its supply chain.


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May 8, 2013 10:00 AM
Nintendo refunds Club Nintendo Super Metroid purchases due to the upcoming 30 cent virtual console promotion.
May 3, 2013 7:07 AM
Capcom steps up the ball by releasing some of its most loved games to virtual console this month.
April 26, 2013 11:28 AM
The virtual console is now live for North America, but Europe will have to wait until Saturday.
April 17, 2013 8:08 AM
The number one asked for game for virtual console is finally arriving.


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Apple should finally begin paying $15.4 billion in back taxes into an escrow account in the first quarter of next year, Ireland's finance minister announced on Monday.
"We have now reached agreement with Apple in relation to the principles and operation of the escrow fund," Paschal Donohoe told Reuters and other media outlets ahead of a meeting with European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. "We expect the money will begin to be transmitted into the account from Apple across the first quarter of next year."
In 2016, the European Commission ruled that Ireland had for years extended preferential state aid to Apple, something illegal under E.U. law. The Irish government was originally asked to collect the money by January, but has taken so long that the Commission is now taking the country to court.
The creation of an escrow account is likely a primary for the delay. Both Apple and Ireland are appealing the 2016 ruling, and have worked on setting up the account as a way of later returning the money. A point of concern for the Irish government was ensuring it wouldn't end up owing Apple large sums in interest.
Apple has maintained that it obeys tax laws, while the Irish government has claimed that the benefits it offered were available to other companies as well. In 2003, however, the company was paying 1 percent in Irish taxes, and by 2014 that amount had dropped to 0.005 percent on billions in international revenues funneled through the country. The Commission has accused Ireland of reverse engineering taxes on the fly to keep Apple happy.


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With this year’s E3 now over and done with, we’ve decided to check just how Sony stacked up against its main video game rival, Microsoft. It’s the battle of the E3 press conferences!
Both companies took to the stage to announce games, show off the future of their respective platforms and more. And that’s where we come in! Did Sony’s focus on a barrage of games beat Microsoft’s two hardware reveals? What are you waiting for? Hit play and see which one we declare the victor.
Do you agree with our winner? Which company won it in your opinion? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Be sure to subscribe to PlayStation LifeStyle’s YouTube channel for more Versus episodes and the latest in game trailers.
Versus is PlayStation LifeStyle’s recurring video series where we we pit a game, franchise, basically anything game-related against another and pick a winner.


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A Vancouver online identity-verification provider backed by global financial services giants has raised one of the largest growth capital financings by a Canadian technology enterprise – and has joined Canada’s rapidly growing elite ranks of “unicorns.”
Trulioo information Services Inc. has inked a US$394-million financing, valuing the company at US$1.75-billion postfunding. Silicon Valley financier TCV led the deal, which was also backed by existing investors Blumberg Capital, Mouro Capital and the venture-capital arms of Citigroup Inc. and American Express Co.
About US$150-million will go to Trulioo while existing investors selling their stakes will receive the balance. Other Trulioo investors include Goldman Sachs Group , Banco Santander and Business Development Bank of Canada.
Startups that reach US$1-billion valuations are known as unicorns, although the implication that they are rare, mythical beasts is at odds with their raccoon-like proliferation in Canada. The list of new unicorns in the past year includes four other Vancouver companies, Galvanize Inc., AbCellera Biologics Inc., Themis Solutions Inc. (known as Clio) and Dapper Labs Inc. A fifth, Thinkific Labs Inc., reached that valuation after going public in April. At least eight other Canadian companies have become unicorns in that time.
“You’re seeing companies that are growing profitable, disrupting very large markets and you’re attracting best-in-class international investors to back them; that’s really exciting for Canada,” said Trulioo chief executive Steve Munford in an interview.
Trulioo is a rarity for a relatively young company, reaching $100-million in annualized revenues while still experiencing rapid growth of about 100 per cent and generating positive cash flows and profits. “To be at this size they’re at now and still be on that growth trajectory is rare,” said Trulioo director Andrew Lugsdin, who manages BDC’s investment through his Framework Venture Partners.
“COVID-19 has accelerated people doing transactions online and you have a need for those parties to connect and get comfort with each other that they’re real.”
TCV general partner Jake Reynolds, whose company has backed Airbnb Inc. , Facebook Inc. , Netflix Inc. , Clio Infotech Ltd. and Wealthsimple, said its stake in Trulioo is its largest inaugural investment in a company.
“The golden triangle for investing is when you can find a very large market, an excellent management team and a company exhibiting significant momentum,” he said. “Trulioo has all three in spades. We don’t get a chance to find many situations where we can check all three boxes at initial investment in such an exciting market.”
Trulioo has the capability to confirm the identities of five billion people and verify 330 million companies. The 240-person company has more than 400 customers, including payments processors, online marketplaces, cryptocurrency exchanges and financial giants.
They use Trulioo’s GlobalGateway platform to access hundreds of data sources online including credit bureaus, government agencies and phone companies to confirm the identities of customers or voters and expose money launderers. Trulioo verifies identities within minutes, not the days or weeks traditional credit bureaus typically take.
“It’s a fact of life that the world is moving online rapidly and it’s going to require new tools and capabilities in order to do that effectively,“ Mr. Reynolds said. “Trulioo sits right in the middle of that.”
Friends Stephen Ufford and Tanis Jorge founded Trulioo in 2011 after building and selling three credit-information startups together. They were inspired to build an online identity verification platform to help people in developing countries sign up for accounts online and by Mr. Ufford’s cumbersome experiences securing bank and credit-card accounts when he lived in the U.S.
With the latest financing, Ms. Jorge and Lisa Stanton are leaving the board as Mr. Reynolds and another TCV representative join. Mr. Ufford, who is still a director, ceded the CEO position last spring to Mr. Munford, a 55-year-old Burlington native who has led public and private companies, including three other unicorns. Since joining, he has hired new chiefs of finance, revenue and technology with public markets experience.
With the accelerated shift to e-commerce during the pandemic, “all these [online] products need levels of authentication, which has been a real boon for us,” Mr. Munford said.
With the U.S. digital identity market projected by consulting firm One World Identity to exceed US$30-billion in two years, he said Trulioo is still “in the early innings” of its growth. Mr. Munford added that Trulioo is looking to invest in building out an “end-to-end” identity platform and may acquire other companies if they can help fill gaps in its product offering.
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Pinnacle is participating in the McKesson Buying Show 2023. Some may still refer to this by its old title – the DT or Drug Trading Show. Due to Covid-19 McKesson held the event digitally for the first time in 2020 and has decided to continue with this format again this year.
This digital pre-booking event is to support the positioning of the Guardian, I.D.A, Medicine Shoppe, and Remedy RX banners as a destination for complete patient care including OTC, prescription, counselling and overall wellness.
The show deals will be the best of the year. This event continues until April 25.
Pinnacle is looking forward to attending the PharmaChoice Trade Show, April 21st & 22nd, 2023. This is the first in-person PharmaChoice Trade Show since the global pandemic and is being held in Toronto Ontario, at the Toronto Congress Centre.
PharmaChoice Canada has experienced exceptional growth since the last in-person show with over 1,000 independent pharmacies and over $2 Billion in retail sales. We are excited to again connect face-to-face with PharmaChoice and RxHealthMed members.
Please visit the Pinnacle Booths 204/206.


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Sheetz Taking New Campus Concept to Second College
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Sheetz Inc. will open its second convenience store without gas pumps later this year, the company announced. Located at 129 S. Pugh St. in State College, the new store near Penn State University will instead feature a beer cave and casual dining options.
The new store concept will be the second of its kind. The first gas-free store with a beer cave is scheduled to open in March in Morgantown. W.Va., near West Virginia University.
Renovations of the 5,000-square-foot Pennsylvania location will begin in April. It will be the first Sheetz store near downtown State College.
"This location is ideal for Sheetz, in the heart of downtown State College," the retailer said in a statement. "It will be within walking distance for students of Penn State and a great place for locals to enjoy Sheetz food in a convenient location."
Development of the store concept reportedly took two years. Along with the beer cave, it will feature hot and cold ready-to-eat products; Sheetz' Made-To-Order subs, sandwiches and salads; Sheetz Bros. Coffeez; a pizza oven and more. It will also offer a tray service concept that lets customers eat at a table inside or outside the store.
"The new Sheetz concept is the fulfillment of a goal and our relentless pursuit of innovation in the food and beverage category," said Emily Sheetz, the company's director of special projects. "It will create [a] new way for our customers to enjoy our food in a casual dining experience. Our pioneering spirit has led us to this point. This is the next generation of Sheetz."
Altoona-based Sheetz Inc. operates 489 convenience stores throughout Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio and North Carolina.


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TEHRAN : Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration (IRICA) has opened a representative office at Tehran Permanent International Fairgrounds in order to facilitate custom operations for exhibitors and participants of international exhibitions in the country.
As reported by IRNA, the office, which was officially opened on Sunday, is aimed to facilitate customs services and commodity clearance for the exhibitors.
According to Iran’s new deputy industry minister in trade affairs, Hossein Modares Khiabani, the office is going to operate only for clearing commodities which are going to be exhibited in events or are needed for international exhibitions.
Iran International Exhibition Company holds about 90 exhibitions annually, according to the Managing Director of the company, Bahman Hosseinzadeh.
“The [representative] office has been launched in accordance with the existing customs conventions in order to encourage the presence of foreign companies in these exhibitions and their cooperation with Iranian companies,” Hosseinzadeh said.
“The office provides important services to companies intending to import technology into Iran, and in the face of the U.S. sanctions this step can have a significant impact on developing the country’s industry,” he added.


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The Habit Restaurants to Attend June Conferences
IRVINE, Calif., May 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Habit Restaurants, Inc. (Nasdaq:HABT) (“The Habit”), today announced that it will be participating at the following investor conferences in June:
- On Wednesday, June 6, 2018, The Habit will be presenting at the Baird 2018 Global Consumer, Technology & Services Conference at the InterContinental New York Barclay in New York, NY. The presentation will begin at 3:45 p.m. Eastern Time. Investors and interested parties may listen to the webcast by visiting the Company’s website at www.habitburger.com under the investor relations section.
- On Thursday, June 7, 2018, The Habit will be hosting investor meetings at the 38th Annual Piper Jaffray Consumer Conference at The Plaza Hotel in New York, NY.
About The Habit Restaurants, Inc.
The Habit Burger Grill is a burger-centric, fast casual restaurant concept that specializes in preparing fresh, made-to-order chargrilled burgers and sandwiches featuring USDA choice tri-tip steak, grilled chicken and sushi-grade tuna cooked over an open flame. In addition, it features fresh made-to-order salads and an appealing selection of sides, shakes and malts. The Habit was named the “best tasting burger in America” in July 2014 in a comprehensive survey conducted by one of America’s leading consumer magazines. The first Habit opened in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. The Habit has since grown to over 225 restaurants in 11 states throughout California, Arizona, Utah, New Jersey, Florida, Idaho, Virginia, Nevada, Washington, Maryland and Pennsylvania, as well as four international locations.
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The release of the Energy Efficiency Advisory Panel’s final report today means Alberta now has a long-term vision for energy efficiency.
The panel heard from hundreds of Albertans, including individuals, non-profit groups, businesses and First Nations. Their voices helped shape a path forward for the province that includes practical initiatives to help people reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Energy efficiency will create jobs in construction and energy services, grow forward-thinking industries such as solar, and help families and communities become more self-reliant. Rebates and incentives will help Albertans invest in energy-saving appliances, solar panels and retrofits of homes and buildings, putting money in Albertans’ pockets and making homes more comfortable.
Among the panel’s recommendations are small-scale solar and micro-generation, and $11.5 million has already been earmarked for solar programming for Indigenous communities and public schools. The government is also exploring the possibility of powering half its operations through solar power.
Energy Efficiency Advisory Panel members, Jesse Row, Tanya Doran and Michele Aasgard, presented the panel’s final report to Minister Shannon Phillips and Graham Sucha, MLA, Calgary-Shaw, at Avalon Master Builder in Calgary.
Three energy efficiency programs have already been announced:
- Residential No-Cost Energy Savings Program offers direct, no-charge installation of energy-efficiency products to homeowners and tenants, including lighting, water and heating components in about two hours or less.
- Residential Retail Products Program offers rebates to residential customers at retail outlets around the province, with an initial focus on lighting, insulation and appliances with options such as consumer electronics, and others being considered for inclusion down the road.
- Business, Non-Profit and Institutional Energy Savings Program offers incentives for high-efficiency products from a comprehensive list, using mail-in rebates to buy and install electric and gas-based products such as lighting, heating and cooling systems, and hot-water systems.
The panel’s final report, Getting it Right: A More Energy Efficient Alberta, is available online, and you can listen to today’s announcement, Alberta sets out energy efficiency vision, here:


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News for the Hospitality Executive
Best Western Business Travel Advisory Board Finds Increase
in Business Trips, New Growth Opportunities in 2010
More Than Half of Best Western Diamond 100 Members Report Favorable Signs of New Activity in Their Industries, up from 37 Percent in Mid-2009
NEW YORK - March 18, 2010 - Results from a new survey of unmanaged business travelers in Best Western’s loyalty program, Best Western Rewards®, provide further indication that the effects of the recession are easing and that more people plan to hit the road for business again in 2010.
Survey findings were a key discussion point at this year’s annual Best Western Business Travel Summit, held yesterday for members of the media in New York. A panel of experts including Dorothy Dowling, Best Western’s senior vice president of sales and marketing; Mike McCormick, executive director and COO of the National Business Travel Association; and Jesal Meswani, vice president of global commercial products for MasterCard discussed a wide range of topics important to business travelers who are adjusting to a “new normal” following changes taking place during the recession.
As a sign of ongoing economic recovery, positive indicators in industries such as aerospace, maritime, petroleum and food are being seen, according to members of the Best Western Diamond 100 (BWD100) Advisory Board. Made up of nearly 400 of the brand’s best customers, BWD100 members work for small and medium sized companies, or for themselves. These business travelers drive more often than they fly and often make their own travel decisions, rather than relying on travel agents or corporate travel managers.
“The positive signals indicated in this recent survey are in line with recent data from American Express and others that show a slow but steady return to business travel as the year progresses,” said Chris McGinnis, editor for Best Western’s blog, YouMustBeTrippin.com and manager of the survey. “More than 20 percent of BWD100 members, for example, said they plan on taking more business trips in the coming months, compared with just 11 percent back in July of 2009.”
Other key findings from the survey include:
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|Also See:||Dorothy Dowling Named Senior Vice President, Marketing at Best Western International / October 2004|


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The Galaxy A8 was first launched in 2015 and its refreshed version is expected to be launched in early 2018. The smartphone is tipped to feature the infinity display design seen on the Galaxy S8 and come with a dual front-facing camera setup
Leaked front panel images of Samsung’s alleged Galaxy A8 (2018) smartphone suggests that it will sport a bezel-less design, similar to the Galaxy S8 series. GizChina posted the images which also reveal that the smartphone will come with a dual front-facing camera setup. Samsung launched the Galaxy A8 smartphone back in 2015 but the company didn’t refresh the lineup in subsequent years.
Samsung is also expected to launch the Galaxy A series smartphones early next year. The Galaxy A5 (2018) and the Galaxy A7 (2018) smartphones are also expected to launch next year. The devices are expected to sport larger displays with a taller 18:9 aspect ratio. The devices are tipped to sport a 5.5-inch and 6-inch Full HD+ displays respectively, which is larger than the current 5.2-inch and 5.7-inch display on the devices. The smartphones are expected to support Always on Display feature.
Both the Galaxy A5 (2018) and the Galaxy A7 (2018) smartphones are rumoured to be launched in two chipset variants. They could be powered by the Samsung Exynos 7885 chipset for some markets and could come with the Snapdragon 660 SoC for some others. Similar to the Galaxy A8, the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 mobile phones are expected to come with a dual selfie camera setup and rear placed fingerprint sensors.
A previous report also reiterates the rumour that the Samsung Galaxy A (2018) series will adopt the infinity display design of Samsung's Galaxy S8. The report showed leaked case images of the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2018) smartphone which suggests that the company will include a dedicated Bixby button on the left side of the device. The smartphone has been reported to have already received FCC certification.
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December 20, 2023
50 years of BvL silage block cutters
It is 50 years since German manufacturer BvL made its first silage block cutter in 1973. To mark the anniversary, the company has released the V-Load Cutter Megastar HD.
Subscribe today from only £57.20 and save up to 46%, either as a special gift or as a treat for yourself! In addition, get FREE access to the test archive PLUS the digital edition of Agricultural Trader every month!


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It wasn’t bad!
Retailers relatively pleased with pre-Christmas sales
BY GARFIELD MYERS Editor-at-Large South/Central Bureau firstname.lastname@example.org
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Business has often been better in seasons past.
However, a quick telephone poll of retailers in Mandeville, May Pen and Santa Cruz reflected quiet satisfaction with pre-Christmas sales.
"We have seen better days, but it was okay considering the state of the economy," said a representative of Fontana Pharmacy in Mandeville who, like all the other responders, declined to be named.
House of Style (Mandeville), which had a Christmas sale, reported brisk business for its line of women's clothing and footwear.
"It was good on Christmas Eve," said a House of Style spokesperson. "Generally it could have been better, but you catch what you get," she said.
In most cases, shopping built to a crescendo on Christmas Eve with thousands of people on the streets of the main towns until the early hours of Christmas morning.
In May Pen, a representative of appliance retailers Singer regretted that the store had to be closed by 8:30 pm on Christmas Eve because of its "location".
She felt there was a "decline" in business on Christmas Eve compared to last year. However, she said "people were shopping with us... we did good business in the days leading up".
In Santa Cruz, where vendors were allowed to take to the streets, one retailer in the Santa Cruz arcade said she declined the opportunity to go on the streets because "is too much stress".
However, she said, while the mass of shoppers did not come her way, "business wasn't bad but it could have been better".


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Friday, January 24, 2014
U.S. Retailer Of Electronics And Computing Products TigerDirect Accepts Bitcoin Payments
Via CNET: TigerDirect.com, a significant U.S. retailer of electronics products, has announced it will accept payments made in the Bitcoin currency. The move is a small but notable step in the gradual transformation of Bitcoin from an obscure digital currency into a mainstream payment mechanism.


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‘How do we change from being the interruption’: Why Anheuser-Busch is creating a TV show
Anheuser-Busch is getting into television production.
The beer behemoth has partnered with production company Panay Films for a new talk show, Not A Sports Show, hosted by Lil Rel Howery. The show features Howery interviewing athletes like snowboarder Shaun White as well as WNBA and NBA players like Chiney Ogwumike and Paul Pierce. It will air weekly on a free streaming platform, Ficto, starting March 25.
Producing a television show is part of Anheuser-Busch’s push to evolve how it is connecting with consumers, according to Spencer Gordon, vp of digital for Anheuser-Busch.
“Consumers are paying to skip ads,” said Gordon. “They are going out of their way to put in ad blockers, to have subscription services, to have all these different things that prevent them from interacting with brands. It makes it tougher to break through and to be relevant to them. We’re thinking, ‘How do we change from being the interruption to be fun, be part of the story, part of the content that they want to watch?’”
The aim of the show is to simply be content that consumers would want to interact with and watch organically just as they would any other show. Interviews take place at a bar where Anheuser-Busch products — the show features a variety of the beer giant’s brands as it’s a portfolio play, explained Gordon — are featured and consumed but not directly pitched.
“It’s not an advertisement, it’s not branded content, it’s literally like you’re watching a TV show,” said Gordon, adding that the intent is to create multiple seasons of the show. “We just happen to be the studio behind it.”
Anheuser-Busch co-owns and co-financed the show with Panay Films. Ficto is licensing the content from the companies. As for tune-in marketing to get people to watch Not a Sports Show, the plan is to market it like any other television show by using a trailer and other assets to push the content of the show rather than simply tout Anheuser-Busch, according to Gordon, adding that Ficto will help promote it as they are licensing the show from them.
It’s unclear how much Anheuser-Busch spent on the production, as Gordon declined to specify, though he did say the budget came from the portfolio of brands’ marketing budget rather than that of a specific brand. In 2020, Anheuser-Busch spent $359 million on media, down from $443 million in 2019, per research firm Kantar. However, those figures exclude social media spending as Kantar doesn’t track that spending.
“It’s a bit back to the future,” said Allen Adamson, brand consultant and co-founder of Metaforce of the approach, adding that Procter & Gamble pioneered the soap opera in the ’50s and ’60s sponsoring shows like The Guiding Light and As the World Turns to promote brands like White Naphtha Soap and Joy. “It’s going back to something that was effective. Consumers are becoming less open to being interrupted with commercials so the only way to connect is to better weave the brand into the content.”
While the approach isn’t new the landscape is much more fragmented than it was when the soap opera pitched P&G products. “There’s now so much content that the big challenge is whether they will create content compelling enough for anyone to watch it,” said Adamson. “Can you create a must-see TV? It’s really hard to do. And typically marketers are not good at it.”
Whether or not the content will draw in viewers is yet to be determined. That being said, the show is part of an on-going strategy shift for Anheuser-Busch, according to Gordon.
“We are definitely at an inflection point where brands have to change how they operate,” said Gordon. “They can’t just talk at people, they have to talk with people and really be relevant to them.”
How Salesforce is gathering its own customer data through its new streaming video play
Salesforce is combining data from Salesforce+ with data gathered from sales and customer service channels viewers inside its customer data platform.
‘We’re all figuring out what our new reality is’: How DTC underwear brand Thinx is diversifying its media mix with more OOH
As a cookieless future and Apple's data privacy updates loom over advertisers, at least one DTC brand is diversifying its ad spend by doubling down on OOH efforts.
Pay On Demand: Immediate payment for work growing in popularity as tech companies fight for talent
On-demand pay could be just the ticket for industries like the restaurant business struggling to find and keep workers in key roles.
SponsoredHow retailers can be ready for holiday shoppers this year
Suchi Sastri, managing director and partner, Boston Consulting Group As the holiday season approaches and the pandemic continues to evolve, retailers want to know what to expect. Will e-commerce continue to grow at the rate it did last year? How big of a role will in-store shopping play in holiday shopping? While it’s still early, […]
Misfits Gaming partners with The E.W. Scripps Company in a bid to bring esports content to Floridian television viewers
Misfits’ is the most prominent Florida-based esports organization. Both its Call of Duty League team and its Overwatch League squad are based in the Sunshine State.
‘It’s really just like a catalog’: Overheard at the Digiday Media Marketplace Strategies Forum
Top concerns expressed included navigating selling on a multitude of new marketplaces and maintaining brand equity in the face of third-party sellers


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Sharp To Channel 1-Bit Exclusively for Specialty Retail
&000;By David Dritsas
Sharp Electronics is hoping to secure profitability on its new audio products. The company recently unveiled new 1-Bit audio products, as well as a tightly distribution strategy that intends to keep the line in the specialty retail channel. Meanwhile, the vertically inclined design of the products is taking aim at the flat panel television market.
Sharp introduced its 1-Bit audio technology two years ago. The technology uses a digital amplifier the uses less energy produces a lower amount of heat, thus reducing the amount of space needed by traditional analog amplifiers and allowing more possibility in chassis design.


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Chicago-area Target shoppers will begin seeing the red bull's-eye logo swapped for CVS Health's red heart above in-store pharmacies starting in March, a CVS spokeswoman said Monday.
CVS acquired Target's pharmacy and clinic businesses for about $1.9 billion last year. The first rebranded CVS pharmacies opened in Charlotte, N.C., Target stores earlier this month.
All 1,672 Target pharmacies and 79 clinics will be converted to CVS locations over the next six to eight months, CVS has said.
Chicago's Target pharmacies will make the switch in March and April, said CVS spokeswoman Erin Pensa. Clinics will be rebranded as CVS MinuteClinics by early April, she said.
The Target acquisition would have made CVS the largest U.S. drugstore chain, with about 9,435 locations, before Walgreens Boots Alliance announced it agreed to purchase Rite Aid for $17.2 billion in October, putting the Deerfield-based chain back on top. The pending deal is still waiting on Federal Trade Commission approval, Walgreens spokesman Michael Polzin said Monday.
With competition from big-box retailers and grocery stores that have begun stocking shelves with more health and personal care products or opening walk-in clinics, CVS' decision to put stores within a larger retailer's locations may be a smart one, said David VanAmburg, director of the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
Customers' happiness with the drugstore shopping experience was the lowest it has been since surveys began in 2005, according to results of ACSI surveys of customer satisfaction in the retail sector released Tuesday.
Traditional drugstores such as Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid all saw customer satisfaction ratings drop in 2015, according to the ACSI report. But pharmacies within Kroger and Target — which received the highest scores for overall customer experience among health and personal care stores included in ACSI's survey — saw ratings hold steady or improve, VanAmburg said.
Although customers surveyed gave traditional drugstores higher marks for pharmacy operations, retailers with in-store pharmacies won out on convenience and range of merchandise, he said.
"You've got that one-stop appeal," VanAmburg said. "The way to go may be to partner with a big-box store and get the benefit of that foot traffic."


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According to Steuart Walton, co-founder of the runway group in Bentonville and grandsons of Walmart founders Helen and Sam Walton.
Heartland entrepreneurship was a topic discussed Wednesday (October 19) at the America Leads Idea Summit in Bentonville at the Momentary Museum of Modern Art.
Walton and his brother Tom, also a co-founder of Runway Group and chairman of the home region of the Walton Family Foundation, were joined by Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and now at the head of venture capital group Revolution, to discuss the importance of investing in entrepreneurship in the heart of the country . Elise Mitchell, founder of Mitchell Communications in Fayetteville, now Dentsu Group, moderated the panel discussion.
“America itself was a startup about 250 years ago,” said Case, who is also the executive chairman of the Smithsonian Institute. “America almost failed, and many thought it would surely fail, but it survived and became the leader of the free world because we have the largest economy in the world.”
INVESTMENTS IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Case said that 75% of venture capital was spent in three states: California, New York and Massachusetts, leaving little for states like Arkansas and the rest of the middle country. That’s why he founded Revolution to invest in startups in places like Fayetteville and Detroit. Steuart said the impetus for his family’s ongoing investments in Bentonville and the region has been to make Northwest Arkansas the best place to live, work and play.
“We want Bentonville to compete in the global arena and we had to look at our best pitch. … Here it is logistics and supply chain. We then had to try to perfect that. We’ve also looked at what makes us unique, our natural amenities, and we’ve invested in trails and quality of life elements that are also paying dividends,” he said.
Runway Group is a venture capital firm that backs startups and has created some companies like the Trails. Walton said there are now 47 other companies that have sprung up around the bike lanes.
Tom said philanthropy alone cannot create entrepreneurial ecosystems like those emerging in Northwest Arkansas. He said it takes a shared vision and collaboration with city governments, other companies and stakeholders like the University of Arkansas.
Panelists also discussed the future of work and how it’s not just about recruiting companies. It’s also about recruiting talent and building ecosystems through innovation districts. Case said there was still a need to pool talent to some extent, but there was no reason it couldn’t be done in the middle of the country. Case said when he started AOL in Northern Virginia in the mid-1980s, only 3% of Americans were online and only an hour or so a week.
“Our mission was to bring America online and we did that. Finding opportunities in the face of challenges and then capitalizing on those moments is crucial. We had to go out of state for capital, but it paid off,” Case said. “Today, this region is also home to dozens of other tech companies, including Amazon, which they have chosen as their second headquarters.”
He said Dell did something similar in Austin, Texas.
Steuart Walton said it’s crucial to find out what works and then double it down. He said Northwest Arkansas will also be blessed if business leaders reinvest in the region.
“Every time you see that, it’s a positive sign. We also have to remember that it’s a long-term game,” he said.
Tom Walton agreed, saying it’s an iterative process. The brothers said that five years ago there were times when they wondered if there would be enough opportunities in Northwest Arkansas to sustain their interest, and concluded that there are not today.
FUNDING “UNSATISFACTED NEEDS”
Tom Walton said he worries about complacency because it’s the fastest way to defeat. Case said that Sears and cities like Detroit were at the top of the world 30 years ago. He said cities and businesses often fall out of favor when leaders are complacent and content with their reputation. Case said that there is always someone trying to disrupt the status quo, and finding ways to invest in these companies is a mission of Revolution.
He said Revolution has invested in 200 startups across Central America, such as Fayetteville-based AcreTrader, which provides a platform that allows farmers to raise capital by engaging investors who buy interests in farmland. He said it made sense for the company to be located in a rural state with lots of farmland. He said the founder, Carter Malloy, was a Silicon Valley venture capitalist but understood the importance of earning farmers’ trust, so he relocated his business to Fayetteville. It has grown to more than $100 million in sales and 200 employees.
Other Revolution-funded companies like Stock X, a commodity exchange similar to eBay but verifiable, started out in a Detroit basement with about a dozen people. The company has created 200 jobs in downtown Detroit, an area that is coming back to life.
Mitchell asked the Waltons how they decide where to invest in the region. Steuart Walton said they literally drew a ring around the region on a map and looked at the tailwinds that are benefiting the region. They looked for potential stakeholders who could also collaborate on a common vision.
“We want to help grow in the region and create businesses that solve unmet needs and provide opportunity. We have invested in the creation of places and the concept of urban life in inner cities and in some airlines. Last year we invested in a solar energy startup because we see solar energy as part of the energy independence solution in the long term. Costs have come down sharply, and apparently Arkansas is the 9th or 10th sunniest state,” Steuart Walton said.
Tom Walton said the Runway Group’s North Star is designed to help create the best possible version of Bentonville and the surrounding cities.
“We don’t want to be Austin or Nashville. We want to be the best Bentonville we can be. We will die trying to make this the best place to live, work and play on the planet,” he said.


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Data storage company Box, one of the most highly anticipated IPO candidates in Silicon Valley, has selected banks to lead a proposed initial public offering that could come in the first half of 2014, according to three people familiar with the matter.
The fast-growing technology start-up has selected Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse and JPMorgan Chase & Co to lead the offering that could raise around $500 million, the people said.
Representatives for Box, Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse did not immediately respond to requests for comment. JPMorgan declined to comment.
Box is one of several high-profile start-ups gearing up for an IPO, on the heels of a successful debut by Twitter Inc on Thursday, which raised more than $1.8 billion for the microblogging company.
Other closely watched startups which may be exploring an IPO include mobile payments company Square, Uber and Pinterest.
A public float for Box would come amid the strongest dollar volume for U.S. IPOs since 2000.
U.S. companies have raised $50.7 billion in proceeds year to date, a 26 per cent increase compared to a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters data.
This year is also the strongest year for the number of U.S. new listings since 2004.
Box, started in 2005 by University of Southern California drop-out Aaron Levie and his childhood friend Dylan Smith, has been valued at more than $1.2 billion by private investors, although it remains unclear whether the company is profitable.
The online storage company has tapped into growing demand by professional workers who increasingly want to share documents across different computers and has been locked in fierce competition with a number of rivals, including Dropbox, another privately held firm that is valued at $4 billion.
Box and Dropbox, which provide users with free storage but charge fees for additional space, have been able to steadily gain market share even though tech giants like Google Inc, Microsoft Corp and Apple Inc all offer their own versions of file-sharing utilities.
In 2011, Box rebuffed a takeover offer by Citrix Systems worth more than $500 million.


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30 Nov 2022 17:13:27 Natan Burkis posted:
Do you all manage to deal with the site? It's a bit difficult for me. Apple
is an American corporation that manufactures computers, smartphones and software. Its headquarters is located in Cupertino, California.
The company was founded in the mid-1970s by Steve Jobs, Ronald Wayne and Steve Wozniak, and its first Apple I computer came out in 1976. In the 80s and 90s, the company was a large, but far from the leading manufacturer of computer equipment. The breakthrough came in the 2000s, when Apple
released the iPod, and then the first smartphone, the iPhone. In addition to high technology, the company has relied on the aesthetic appeal of devices and interfaces, thanks to which it has gained millions of fans around the world and managed to conquer the market.
By the 2020s, the Apple lineup had dozens of device models: MacBook and iMac computers, iPhone smartphones, iPad tablets, Apple Watch smartwatches, Apple TV set-top boxes, Airpods wireless headphones. All Apple devices run on their own operating system, iOS.
Apple ranked first among the world's most valuable brands ($947 billion) in Kantar's 2022 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands. In the same year, the company became the first in the world to reach $3 trillion in market capitalization.
As a major player in the market, Apple has acquired more than fifty smaller technology companies (FingerWorks, Siri, Shazam, Metaio) over its history. One of the biggest deals was the purchase of headphone maker Beats Electronics for $3 billion.


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Opera Software will work with MediaTek, a designer of software and chipsets for low-end phones, on integrating the Norwegian company's Mini browser on feature phones, Opera said on Friday.
The deal with MediaTek will allow mobile phone makers who use MediaTek's chipset to more easily integrate the Opera Mini browser into their phones, according to a spokesman at Opera. That will in turn give more consumers the option of using Mini as their browser, he said.
Opera didn't announce when the first phones resulting from the collaboration will arrive.
The combination of Opera and MediaTek should be a good fit for users in emerging markets, where MediaTek-based phones are popular.
MediaTek's chipsets keep the cost of the phones down. Also, the compression technology used by Mini results in faster page-loading speeds on limited bandwidth connections, as well as lower data costs, according to Opera.
Today, Opera Mini has more than 140 million users, while MediaTek's partners shipped over 500 million units in 2010.
This is the second time in less than a month that MediaTek has added smartphone-like functionality to its platform. In November, the company also started to work with Facebook on adding the social network to phones costing less than US$50 before subsidies.
Besides social networking, music and games are also becoming more important as feature phones become increasingly advanced, Paolo Pescatore, an analyst at CCS Insight, said at the time.
The line between advanced feature phones and low-end smartphones is getting increasingly blurry, as the telecom industry is working to expand the audience for mobile Internet access and related applications.
Emerging markets will account for 60 percent of units sold by 2013, and 70 percent of phones sold in these parts of the world will still be feature phones, according to market research company Informa Telecoms & Media.


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Security Devices International Inc (CSE:SDZ) (OTCMKTS:SDEV) revealed that the sales of its popular non-lethal personal security device Byrna HD fired up record preliminary sales for the third quarter. In a statement, the Wakefield, Massachusetts-based company said preliminary sales for the third quarter, which ended August 31, totaled $309,150, compared to $105,730 in the second quarter, and $11,146 in the first quarter. The company chalked up 90% of the sales to the Byrna HD and accessories, with the balance of the sales coming from the company’s line of 40 mm Blunt Impact Projectiles. Of the $277,623 in Byrna sales, 81% was for the launcher and 19% came from accessories and ammunition.
American Battery Metals Corporation (OTCQB:ABML) has hired former Telsa manager Ryan Melsert to head the company’s battery metal extraction and battery recycling divisions, the company announced Wednesday. At Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), Melsert was the manager for the electric vehicle maker’s Gigafactory battery materials processing group, according to a statement.
NetCents Technology Inc (CSE:NC) (OTCMKTS:NTTCF), the electronic online payment service provider, is celebrating after signing its 40th partnership agreement this week. The Vancouver-based cryptocurrency company has double its number of partners since February 2019.
Nextleaf Solutions Ltd (CSE:OILS) (OTCMKTS:OILFF) told investors it had been awarded its fifth US patent, one of three new ones it has received, bringing its intellectual property (IP) portfolio to eight issued patents. The Vancouver-headquartered firm's patents all relate to the production of high-purity, cannabinoid-rich distillate, which is the key ingredient used in making THC and CBD infused products and the latest US one relates to post-extraction processing.
PyroGenesis Canada Inc has completed production and factory testing of a 900-kilowatt plasma torch system built for its Swedish client RISE Energy Technology Center AB. Following testing at PyroGenesis’ facility in Montreal, the company received payments totaling about C$936,000.
Zynerba Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ZYNE) shared positive top-line results Wednesday from BELIEVE 1, an open label multidose Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of Zygel, a CBD gel treatment for children and adolescents with a heterogeneous group of rare and ultra-rare epilepsies known as developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE). In a statement, the company said the trial also assessed the safety and efficacy of Zygel in various DEEs, including Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome that may be associated with severe cognitive impairment and behavioral disturbances.
Australis Capital Inc (CSE:AUSA) (OTCMKTS:AUSAF) has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market, the OTC Markets Group (OTCMKTS:OTCM) announced Wednesday. The Las Vegas-based cannabis company was upgraded from the OTCQB Venture Market and began trading Wednesday on the new platform, according to a statement
Nabis Holdings Inc (CSE:NAB) (OTCMKTS:NABIF) has reached a deal with CannaKorp Inc to become an authorized supplier of single-use pods for its signature Wisp Vaporizer System. Nabis will be the sole supplier of vapor pods in the US state of Arizona, including custom pods sold under the company’s recently launched BIS brand of CBD products.
TIMIA Capital Corporation (CVE:TCA) (OTCMKTS:TIMCF) is expanding its fintech platform to make additional capital available for North American Software-as-a-Service companies. The Vancouver-based investment company announced Wednesday that it has received approval from the TIMIA Capital 1 Limited Partnership (LP1) to expand the partnership to C$20 million, an increase from the C$12 million limit it had originally set aside in March 2019.
Medgold Resources Corp (CVE:MED), the Serbia-focused explorer, said Wednesday that drilling at its high-priority Karamanica prospect at the Tlamino project will start this week, as it also reported drill results from this year's work at the Barje-Liska area. It has planned around 2,000m of diamond drilling at Karamanica, the company said in a statement.
RNC Minerals (TSE:RNX) said in a brief statement Wednesday that it has refiled the resource update reports for its Beta Hunt mine in Western Australia and the Dumont Nickel project in Quebec in the light of its bought deal short form prospectus offering and a review by the Ontario Securities Commission. The Beta Hunt document now includes disclosure related to the Higginsville Gold operations, while the Dumont update provided additional detail with respect to certain items, the miner said.
1933 Industries Inc (CSE:TGIF) (OTCMKTS:TGIFF) announced Wednesday that it has won the intellectual property rights to The Original Jack Herer brand of cannabis products in Nevada for a one-year term. Under the terms of the agreement between its subsidiary Alternative Medicine Association (AMA) and HH Global Inc, AMA will license, market and distribute the brand’s flower, pre-rolls, vape cartridges and concentrates for the growing Nevada market, according to a statement. Created in the Netherlands in the mid-1990s and recognized worldwide, Jack Herer is a sativa-dominant hybrid cannabis strain well-known for its quality and potency. The strain has won several awards, including the 7th High Times Cannabis Cup.
1933 Industries also said it will be exhibiting in September at three tradeshows and conferences: Hall of Flowers, Business to Business Conference and Tradeshow at the Sonoma County Fairground in California September 18-19; The Money Show Toronto, Investment Conference and Tradeshow at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre September 20-21; and Extraordinary Futures Conference at the Vancouver Convention Centre West September 22-23.
Genprex Inc (NASDAQ:GNPX), a gene therapy company, said it will participate in the Singular Research Midwestern Values Conference on Thursday, September 19th. CEO Rodney Varnery will lead a webcast presentation at 4 pm CDT. The event will take place at the W Hotel in Chicago.
Lingo Media Corporation (CVE:LM) told shareholders on Wednesday that all matters were approved at the company’s annual general meeting held on August 30. The education technology company said that shareholders re-elected Jerry Grafstein, Robert Martellacci, Tommy Weibing Gong, Michael Kraft and Gali Bar-Ziv as directors and also approved the reappointment of RSM Canada as auditors.


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“I started shooting movies when I stopped racing,” said original hot rod hero ...
Also in this episode: BMW brings four-bangers and electric cars to the United States, Infiniti plans a midsize crossover named the JX, and Buick previews its future SUVs in China with the Envision concept.
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Traders had to shut up shop as the day arrived for them to leave their Thornaby home.
But retailers at the InShops in the town are clinging to the hope that they may be able to return, albeit temporarily.
News of a possible breathing space for businesses came from centre manager Oliver Westley. He told retailers that the liquidation was going ahead and they had to cease trading at the Thornaby InShops yesterday.
But he said there was the possibility that they might be able to return “on a temporary basis”, although he couldn’t say what the timescale would be.
Mr Westley said: “The landlord is doing the best they can. They appreciate that these tenants have been left in the lurch by InShops.”
Speaking directly to some of the retailers, he told them: “They are trying to offer you as much breathing space as they can.
“Unfortunately it is not brilliant news, but it is not the end of the world either.”
He said it could be “next week or next month” but he couldn’t guarantee any times.
Yesterday was the last day of business before traders had to pack up and leave, having been given just a week’s notice.
Tracy Thompson, of Card Fayre, says she is fortunate because she is moving to premises in Stockton High Street but would rather have stayed in Thornaby.
“I am still gutted. It is disgusting the way they have treated us.” she said. “The support we have had from local people and businesses has been phenomenal.”
Massoud Qafouri, who owns electronic cigarette shop Mass Vapour, was emptying his shop. He said: “I am just waiting for a van to come to take everything to storage.”
He still had nowhere to go. He said: “Hopefully next week something will come up. As it stands I am unemployed now.”
Sharon Askew, of Mrs M’s Kitchen, said: “There is a glimmer of hope but we still have to move the stuff out.”
Nirpa Singh was packing up his carpets and bedding. He said: “I have another shop in Middlesbrough, so it is not too bad.” Shoe repairer Ian Black said: “We are in limbo. What do you do for the best?” His wife Louise said they were previously in the now-closed Coulby Newham InShops. “We had to get out of there as well.”
She said they had built up their business in Thornaby but were now “back to square one”.


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Galaxy lovers, rejoice! Samsung’s big summer show, Galaxy Unpacked, kicks off today. The event sets the stage for Samsung’s newest suite of consumer devices, including the long-awaited Galaxy Note 9.
What to Expect
The phone is the center of the Samsung universe, so we can expect a successor to last year’s Galaxy Note 8. The Galaxy Note 9 (or, who knows, maybe we’ll call it the Note X) probably won’t be a major departure from last year’s phone, but we’re looking for improvements to the camera, battery, and pen support. After a leak on Samsung’s own website, we also know that Samsung plans to introduce a new smartwatch, called the Galaxy Watch.
What else might Samsung show off? We’ve heard rumors of a wireless charging device for your new Galaxy phone and watch, and a Bixby-supported smart speaker. But you’ll have to tune into the show’s livestream to find out for sure.
How to Watch
The event starts at 11 am Eastern in New York. That’s 8 am on the Pacific coast. You can watch the livestream on Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked website, or from the company’s YouTube channel. We’ll be covering the event, so check back on Wired.com for updates on everything Samsung announces.


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In commenting on the investment, Cuscal managing director Craig Kennedy said: “The partnership with Moroku is a good fit for Cuscal. Their expertise in gamification and app development will help broaden our own capabilities and allow us to enhance our digital and mobile offering, which is an increasingly important part of our clients’ product suite.”
In the agreed terms, Cuscal will take a circa 11 per cent stake in Moroku and a seat on its board. Cuscal’s investment is part of a broader capital raising by Moroku.
Moroku is a fintech startup that is also part of the Stone and Chalk stable.The company was founded in 2012 by Colin Weir and Dave Durbin. The vision of Moroku is in creating immersive digital experiences to help banks connect better with customers.
They already developed two innovative products:
• Game System - a platform for next generation financial services applications that employs motivational theory and gamification to build financial literacy
• Marrakash - a cloud-based POS and business platform that supports multiple payment instruments and can be white-labelled by financial institutions
Does this make sense?
In my view the investment by Cuscal does make good strategic sense.Cuscal, which has been a traditional payments platform, has a need to diversify and remain relevant.
Let’s remember that Cuscal provides payment solutions including card and acquiring products, mobile payments, fraud prevention, EFT switching and direct entry.
While none of these services are going away and subject to innovation opportunity from the NPP payments platform, in the main these are not bleeding edge strategic platforms
For Moroku they will be using the capital injection to fund further business expansion (Moroku currently has clients in six countries) and will also draw on Cuscal’s financial and payments expertise, and deep integration within the Australian banking industry, to help with this expansion.
Moroku CEO, Colin Weir said: “There has been a significant increase in banks and insurance companies showing interest in partnering with smaller technology partners across the Asia Pacific region in the last six months.
Read more: Government launches fintech advisory group
“The strategic relationship we are building with Cuscal brings us great distribution and experience at an industry level, enabling Moroku to play to its strengths around innovation, designing and deploying customer centric, digital, financial applications.”
Moroku CEO Colin Weir
More Lego bricks
In my view we will see more of these investments by financial services companies and services companies who support them.Taking on new ‘Lego’ bricks enables opportunities that can be exploited.
Such Lego bricks are also attractive for international venture capital firms and I expect that investments from Asia in particular China will start to become more commonplace.
It is not a game… but there will be winners and losers.


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New restaurants on way to Clovis
Last updated 2/4/2023 at 12:51pm
Three well-known franchise restaurants are under construction in Clovis, a sign of growing confidence in the city's economic base, according to Tina Dziuk, executive director of the Clovis Economic Development Corporation.
The largest of the three...
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Chemical Week Magazine :: Newsbriefs
Shin-Etsu Issues Profit Warning
12:27 PM MST | December 22, 2008 | Chemical Week Editorial Staff
Shin-Etsu Chemical has warned that its earnings and sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 will be lower than previously forecast. “The market environment in a wide range of businesses is quickly worsening, mainly in the electronics and electrical, and automotive industries,” Shin-Etsu says. “Shin-Etsu has continued to strive to overcome the effects of the worsening market. However, the effects of the severe downturn in market conditions since November have gone far beyond the limits of the company’s management efforts.”...
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Affiliate exchange group iFinex and Tether have asked for a market manipulation suit to be dismissed. This is partly because they claim that the plaintiffs have no proof that billions of dollars worth of unbacked stablecoins were released in the market. In a motion filed on Thursday, lawyers for Tether and the parent company of the Bitfinex exchange, iFinex, called for the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit with prejudice, which accuses them of anti-competitive, deceptive, and market-manipulative behavior. In a complaint that was filed last October, the plaintiffs claimed that they had lost money because Tether had issued as much as $3 billion worth of unbacked USDT stablecoins during the course of five years.
They said that the tokens had then been used by Bifinex for purchasing crypto in the open market, which had propped up prices during the market downturn. As per the complaint, this move caused the total market capitalization of cryptocurrencies to skyrocket in late 2017 to reach a whopping $795 billion. The plaintiffs are basically five crypto traders and they claim that they purchased cryptocurrencies at inflated prices due to which they had to incur monetary losses. Since the lawsuit is a class action, it represents anyone in the United States who may also have been injured because of the inflated prices.
However, it is argued by the defendants’ lawyers in a supporting memorandum that the case partly falls down because the accusation against Tether of printing USDT stablecoins without any kind of backing hasn’t been made with any direct knowledge of the matter and is just an ‘unfounded allegation’. The lawyers also argued that the plaintiffs weren’t able to demonstrate that crypto prices were indeed artificially inflated at the specified time. According to the memorandum, this means that accusations of RICO conspiracy and market manipulation should be thrown out because the plaintiffs are unable to prove that they suffered a monetary loss because of the defendants.
This is a prerequisite in the United States. The memorandum said that allegations of monopolistic and anti-competitive behavior should also be thrown out because the class action is unable to show how the defendants tried to establish a dominant position in the market by restricting output or raising prices. Tether and iFinex are fighting two other separate cases that have similar accusations of USDT not being backed properly by collateralized reserves. These include one suit brought in April 2019 by the office of the New York Attorney General.
CoinGecko, the market data site has revealed that the circulating supply of Tether has exceeded 10 billion USDT and each of them carries a value of $1 each. A letter from FFS, a Washington-based law firm, is listed as ‘proof of funds’ on Tether’s website. This is an affirmation that as of June 1st, 2018, Tether held a sum of $2.358 billion. However, the company states that USDT is backed by their reserves, which include traditional cash and cash equivalents and sometimes, may also include receivables from loans and assets made by them to other parties.


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Everything is indeed smaller in Japan. The main reason for this has been the lack of space, but in the case of the Minimum Mobility car prototype, sustainability is the main driver behind the small-size vehicle. KG Motors announced the completion of its first prototype on January 31, 2024.
Minimum Mobility is a small electric vehicle tailored for individual use, hence the single seat placed centrally. The symmetrical design is inspired by the Polaroid camera from the 1980s, giving it a retro yet modern feel, since Polaroid cameras have had something of a recent revival. As the vehicle is small and lightweight, it has a better environmental performance in addition to being affordable.
The Minimum Mobility vehicle can be charged using a 100V AC household outlet, and has a cruising range of 100km after five hours of charging. Additionally, the software can be updated wirelessly, which helps with easy mobility.
From Prototype to Mass Production
The concept for the Minimum Mobility vehicle was announced at the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon, and 5,800 applications were received through pre-monitor registration.
With the prototype vehicle completed on January 31, 2024, KG Motors held an unveiling event for other companies and media over three days from January 31 to February 2. Representative Director and CEO Kazunari Kusunoki gave a presentation and the target cost of one Minimum Mobility car was set to be ¥1 million.
The car is not available for purchase yet, but preparations are currently underway for mass production sales in 2025.


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In little more than a decade, PAMA has grown into one of Canada’s top specialists in ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization and the manufacture of medical devices. Focused on single-use custom medical kits and accessories for other businesses through its private label, PAMA (short for Production of Advanced Medical Accessories) also meets the needs of customers through its own brand.
It took hard work and dedication for PAMA to become a leader in ethylene oxide sterilization. Development and installation, over several years, by company experts of a state-of-the-art sterilizer was completed in 2019.
Optimizing the system in 2020, around the same time as the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) began reviewing EtO emissions, PAMA dramatically reduced the amount of time needed for sterilization processes. Batch load release times that previously took an entire week could now be completed in under a day, saving customers time and, best of all, money.
“The installation of our sterilization system turns around a lot of automation, so we were able to re-engineer the EtO sterilization process,” says PAMA’s Executive Director and Engineer, Rasha Al Hashimi. The company also worked with new guidelines for parametric release, which refers to sterility assurance. This helped to reduce the EtO sterilization time and concentration, which plays a major role in the process.
Innovation and success
Initially existing under a different name, PAMA Manufacturing and Sterilization began life under its new name in 2012. From its inception, PAMA committed itself to the utmost professionalism and strict guiding principles, covering corporate social responsibility, respect for the environment, and sustainability.
“From the first year, the company has provided the equipment necessary for several surgical procedures in Quebec,” says the PAMA website, adding that 2013 saw the business “focused on solidifying its corporate structure and practices.” These included establishing a Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) structure, investing in staff training, and creating a top-notch quality management system to meet industry requirements.
The coming years saw outstanding success for PAMA, which secured a new factory location, installing a new sterilization system and “defining itself as a green company.”
At PAMA, helping the planet has consistently been a front-and-centre, genuine commitment to making a positive difference. Every year, the company acknowledges Earth Day on its website, posting information on how PAMA is doing its part in reducing its environmental footprint.
This includes the development of the unique new process for eco-efficient ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization by the company’s dedicated engineers in which, through sterilization, PAMA practically eliminates the presence of EtO in the air.
Using half of the amount of EtO gas in its cycle compared to the sterilization industry, EtO residue is also recycled. Transformed in ethylene glycol, it can be used for practical applications, like windshield washer fluid, or even to de-ice aircraft.
“We’re using 50 percent less of the EtO scientifically used in the sterilization cycle,” says Al Hashimi. “Consuming less material to achieve the same result is part of our sustainability as well.” As a further commitment to the environment and sustainability, PAMA’s system is powered with renewable energy from Hydro-Québec.
Another way the company lessens its environmental footprint is through its recyclable PAMA-labeled trays.
According to the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet, approximately 313 million surgical procedures are done worldwide every year. Many of these operations need a procedure tray, which is typically thrown out.
“We’re always working on the recycling part of our disposable medical devices,” says Al Hashimi. “Our trays labelled PAMA are recyclable. That’s one initiative that’s important for us, that those products can be recycled, and not just thrown away.”
Along with many contract manufacturing and contract sterilization services like kitting, packing, regulatory approval, assembly, labelling, validation services, and EtO sterilization, the trays that PAMA makes for customers are customizable.
“This means that each of our kits has been created for a specific healthcare professional need,” says the company. When using standard, non-customized trays, healthcare professionals often add missing components, or throw away other components, adding to global waste. “So, in addition to helping to reduce the environmental impact, the custom tray also reduces the risk of contamination,” says PAMA. “Customizable trays help prevent wasted material, as we ensure that all components of the tray are going to be used.”
Soon after the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020, PAMA Manufacturing and Sterilization stepped up. Social distancing and other precautions, like masks and sanitation, were immediately implemented at the facility in Mirabel, Quebec, and the company worked with a nurse, closely following her guidelines.
Even though some raw materials were unavailable due to supply chain issues, PAMA kept going for the benefit of its many faithful customers. “We had to find other solutions,” says Al Hashimi, “but we always have backup suppliers, depending on the material we need to put into our kits.”
Like many others in the medical supply and services sector, PAMA was called upon to help during the pandemic. Shifting production, the company received a contract and worked with the authorization of the Public Health Agency of Canada on a massive order: the packaging and sterilization of five million COVID-19 testing swabs.
To meet deadlines, the company hired students and other short-term staff, keeping some on. That same year, 2020, PAMA obtained its pharmaceutical product establishment licenses (LEPP).
PAMA takes pride in being part of the Ethylene Oxide Sterilization Association, Inc. (EOSA) and Medtech Canada, which it joined last year. Medtech Canada represents around 100 medical technology companies. “There are a lot of benefits to being part of MedTech,” says Al Hashimi. “They have a good networking ground, and there are a lot of ways for us to be up-to-date on everything regarding medical devices in Canada.”
Being a part of the EOSA since 2018—a non-profit organization with a membership that includes medical device companies, laboratories, contract sterilizers, and others promoting the use of ethylene oxide—also provides PAMA with valuable information on industry news, safety, federal and state regulatory issues, and more. “It’s beneficial because we’re up to date with everything going around the EtO sterilization industry in the United States,” she says.
Currently marketing its kits only in Canada, PAMA is looking to expand into the U.S. market. On the contract sterilization side, the company’s services are available to Canadian and American clients, with PAMA registered as a contact sterilizer. Through its staff of about 35, PAMA Manufacturing and Sterilization continues to proudly manufacture and assemble its single-use procedure kits in Canada. However, the company plans to take on more staff soon to meet growing demand, especially for its sector-leading ethylene oxide (EtO) sterilization. The company looks forward to continuing to innovate and lead the way in this growing sector.


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Tyson 2.0, the cannabis brand of former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson, is continuing its nationwide expansion with its launch of products in three new states.
Tyson’s line of edibles, concentrates, and flower are now available at retailers in Delaware, Illinois and Washington D.C. In addition to the markets just announced, Tyson 2.0 products, including the popular Mike Bites edibles shaped like Evander Holyfield’s “holy ear” are available in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Nevada with plans for more states coming online in the near future.
Columbia Care Partnership
Cannabis cultivator, manufacturer, distributor, and retailer Columbia Care is partnering with the champ for the rollout.
“Cannabis has been a game changer for me both physically and mentally, and I’m excited to share the healing benefits of this miracle plant with Tyson 2.0 fans in Delaware, Illinois and D.C.,” said Tyson, who serves as Chief Brand Officer of Tyson 2.0. “Through Columbia Care’s retail network, we are expanding our market presence and gaining nationwide distribution.”
Columbia Care’s three dispensaries in Delaware, located in Rehoboth Beach, Smyrna, and Wilmington are offering flower and Bubble Hash of Tyson’s all-time favorite strain Sour Diesel, Fruit Punch vapes, and pre-rolls and vapes of Sour Diesel Coma.
Products available to consumers in Washington D.C. include Mega Runtz flower and kief at Capital City Care, DC.
In Illinois, people can find Tyson’s brand at Columbia Care’s Chicago location and select retail locations of Zen Leaf, Windy City, and Ascend.
Currently in Illinois stores are Mac 7 flower and the fan-favorite Toad line including flower of East Coast Toad and Sonoran Toad. Tyson 2.0 products will also be available at Medmen, Cresco, and Green Thumb Industries in the company’s next quarter.
“Each of our markets are clamoring for the Tyson 2.0 products, with lines around the blocks when we launch,” said BJ Carretta, SVP of Marketing at Columbia Care. “This speaks directly to the power of the brand and the thoughtfulness for the consumer that goes into creating each product. We are proud to partner with the Tyson 2.0 team and help further their vision.”