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Analysis-Tesla's Search For Mexico Location Shows Bumps On Nearshoring Road
Published on February 23, 2023
Tesla Inc's quest to build its first factory in Mexico reveals some of the shaky underpinnings of the country's rise as a nearshoring darling, with proximity to U.S. buyers weighed down by concerns over power supply and political interference.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Nuevo Leon at the U.S. border and Hidalgo in central Mexico are the two states leading the race for the coveted investment, and his foreign minister said on Friday that the electric vehicle maker led by billionaire Elon Musk was close to announcing expansion plans in Mexico.
Nuevo Leon - which recent reports suggest is now the most likely destination - boasts quick access to the United States, a skilled workforce and comfortable living for executives.
Hidalgo, just outside Mexico City, is hundreds of miles from the border yet land and labor costs are lower.
In either place, Tesla will depend on the federal government to tap in to Mexico's strained energy supply and face difficulties securing substantial power from renewable sources.
That puts the Austin, Texas-based company - and any other major investor looking to build factories in Mexico - at the mercy of political forces mostly dictated by Lopez Obrador. The nationalist leader has prioritized Mexico's state power utility, CFE, despite criticism that its fossil fuel turbines pollute and that it crowds out private enterprise.
The United States and Canada have formally entered a trade dispute over Mexico's energy policy.
Many analysts also say the federal government appears to have tried to tip the scales in Hidalgo's favor, as the state government is aligned with Lopez Obrador's MORENA party and it is near one of the administration's flagship projects, the Felipe Angeles International Airport.
"The political issues right now are very important to take into consideration and this is a perfect example," said Claudio Rodriguez, a lawyer at Holland & Knight who specializes in energy. "The Nuevo Leon/Hidalgo issue is 100% political."
Tesla and a spokesman for Lopez Obrador did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
It remains unclear exactly what Tesla's investment in Mexico will look like and what the company plans to produce in the country.
Musk's interest in plunking a large investment into Mexico comes as the country is increasingly seen as a hotspot for nearshoring – the trend to move production closer to North American buyers and away from Asia, where supply-chain snarls during the pandemic overshadowed the region's low-cost advantage.
With its low costs and location next to the U.S. market, Mexico emerged as an attractive alternative that is gradually luring manufacturing in sectors including autos, electronics and furniture.
Many deals have landed near Monterrey, Nuevo Leon's wealthy capital, including for Tesla suppliers. Those deals include the first plant outside Asia for Taiwanese electronics company Quanta Computer and an expansion for Italian brakes maker Brembo.
In another recently announced deal, Germany's BMW will invest near $870 million in the central state of San Luis Potosi to produce high-voltage batteries and electric cars.
Foreign direct investment in Mexico rose 12% last year to reach $35.3 billion, according to preliminary data, another sign that nearshoring is building momentum, analysts say.
Across the border, in another sign of the trend, U.S. manufacturing imports from Mexico rose 7% in 2021 versus 2019, the fastest pace in a decade.
Yet Mexico's capacity for a nearshoring boom has been held back by Lopez Obrador, particularly his energy policies, analysts said. The federal government holds the keys to Mexico's electricity supply, with the ability to speed up or delay requests to connect to the grid.
Lopez Obrador has rolled back a reform under his predecessor that he argues was too generous in opening up the energy market to private capital. He has suspended self-supply power generation permits, which allowed companies to arrange their own electricity supplies, and also hampered attempts by private companies to connect their power production to the national grid.
"Imagine what it would be like if you had profitable investment policy, energy efficiency ... we would be flying at 30,000 feet and having endless investments," said Juan Francisco Torres, an attorney at Hogan Lovells. “That is not happening.”
Last Updated on February 23, 2023
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Skurrays Vauxhall has launched a new 'Customer Journey programme with automotive eCRM agency Marketing Delivery.
Using data from existing dealership systems, Marketing Delivery manages service reminders and follow-up sales enquiries through mobile responsive emails and SMS.
Skurrays’ managing director Nick Plevey, said “The initial responses to the first messages have been excellent – both in volume and quality. Customers are engaging with the emails straight away.”
Marketing Delivery is running the programme across sales and aftersales for the group’s three Vauxhall dealerships in Swindon, Oxford and Marlborough. It will also monitor how customers perceive the service levels they have experienced.
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domain: news


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According to a new Automotive News report, Volkswagen will axe the mid-size Passat sedan and Arteon from its global model line-up as SUVs continue to rise in popularity and all-electric vehicles (EVs) become a key focus for the German brand.
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Over the decades, nearly 30 Thai companies are active in the field of infrastructure, real estate, food processing, chemicals, hotel and hospitality sectors in India.
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To offer the latest Thai technologies and products to the Indian consumers, the department of international trade promotion, ministry of commerce, Thailand and Thai Trade Centre Mumbai, has organised a three day "Thailand Week 2018" between 7- 9 June.
In view of taking advantage of the fast growing Indian economy, several Thai companies are also keen to make investments in India.
"The Thailand based companies see good opportunity here and looking to invest around USD 3 billion by 2020. The fast growing Indian market remains attractive for Thai investors given the opportunities in green and brown field projects including energy, infrastructure and metals," Thai Trade Centre executive director and consul Suwimol Tilokruangchai said.
"Thailand based companies see a big potential in Indian energy, metals as well as infrastructural facilities," she added.
Over the decades, nearly 30 Thai companies are active in the field of infrastructure, real estate, food processing, chemicals, hotel and hospitality sectors in India.The Thai government has also invited Indian companies to investment in Thailand. At present around 40 Indian companies have made an investment of around USD 2 billion in the areas of software, agri chemicals, electric car development in Thailand.Leading Indian companies include, Tata Motors (Thailand), Tata Steel Thailand, TCS, The Aditya Birla group, Mahindra Satyam, Lupin, NIIT, Kirloskar Bothers, Punj Lloyd group, Ashok Leylands, Jindal group and Usha Siam Steel Industries are active in Thailand.


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A piece of sneaker history can be yours for $50,000.
A Sneaker Ponzi Scheme Stole $85 Million. Now 60,000 Pairs of Kicks Are Being Auctioned to the Help the Victims.
Altogether, experts say the still-boxed and tagged shoes could be worth between $12 million and $20 million—at best.
The kicks are expected to fetch in excess of $100,000.
Images of the unreleased edition were shared on a sneaker leak social media account Thursday in a brown hue.
A sneaker sample collector recently shared images of the unreleased style.
Comfortable designs by Brunello Cucinelli, Nike and Balenciaga are just a few to make the cut.
The year’s most coveted sneakers are almost here.
The latest and greatest from John Elliott, Carmina, Frescobol Carioca and others.
Over half a million people tried to buy the sneaker when it dropped on Tuesday.


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The Indy Racing League confirmed stories published last week about the change in engine dimension for the largest part of next year's IndyCar Series schedule, as Chevrolet/Cosworth, Honda and Toyota motors will go on diets, losing half a liter of...
The Indy Racing League confirmed stories published last week about the change in engine dimension for the largest part of next year's IndyCar Series schedule, as Chevrolet/Cosworth, Honda and Toyota motors will go on diets, losing half a liter of power in time for the 88th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
That Brian Barnhart, IRL senior vice president of racing operations took until today to acknowledge the changes is due to diligence. He heard all the suggestions and got all the manufacturers to agree with him. Bottom end revisions should take about 10mph off optimum qualifying times, Barnhart believes.
Additional aerodynamic adjustments will come into play at the start of the season. In July of last year, Barnhart and Co. advised engine and chassis makers to prepare for road racing.
Subsequently, Dallara and Panoz G Force chassis update kits for 2004 will include road-course radiators and sidepods, increasing drag on the cars and, hopefully, adding to the diminishing of speeds and forcing drivers to lift or brake in corners.
There's also talk, as yet unsubstantiated, that Firestone will produce harder tires that will complement the newly slowed racers.
Until the engine specs come into play next May, all three engine makers' current 3.5-liter engines will be on-circuit but there will be changes to these cars. Beginning at Homestead-Miami Speedway on February 29th, all cars must cut away a 3-inch by 12-inch slot in the airbox and engine cover behind the drivers head. The slot will "decrease positive airflow to the engine, reducing horsepower and reducing overall speeds," the League stated. When the 3-liter engine is introduced in May, this slot will not be used.
"We have been gathering data and studying way to slow the cars down without compromising the highly competitive racing we have in the IndyCar Series," Barnhart allowed.
"We believe these changes to the cars and engines will accomplish that goal." Barnhart credited "our teams and drivers, as well as our engine suppliers, our chassis manufacturers and our official tire supplier have been extremely helpful and cooperative in assisting us as we make changes to the cars."


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Philadelphia Magazine’s Best of Philly 2022 - Artsy Reusable Totes
"Thanks to the city’s long-awaited ban on plastic bags, the hottest accessory in Philly right now is the humble reusable tote. So it’s time to invest in a bag that’s worth keeping tabs on. The PMA’s collection features the obligatory famous works of art but also Philly-themed designs from local makers. We’re certain the Basquiat print of colorful skulls will turn heads in any checkout aisle."


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As China’s economy delivered its best performance since the coronavirus pandemic emerged, one metric has remained resolutely downbeat.
Industrial production has powered to its highest rate of growth in 2020, surpassing most of 2019. Consumption has recovered and exports are booming, rising by 21 per cent in November. But the same month, the country’s consumer price index fell into negative territory for the first time in over a decade.
The headline rate of minus 0.5 per cent was mainly driven by pork, a crucial component in the basket of goods and services used to determine the price level. Pork prices rose sharply last year as African swine fever swept through China’s herds, but have recently begun to decline, dragging overall price growth into negative territory.
But even when food and energy are stripped out, China’s core inflation has remained at 0.5 per cent for the past five months — its lowest level since 2010, and a puzzle given that China is experiencing the world’s most resilient rebound from the coronavirus pandemic.
The persistent weakness of Chinese prices indicates subdued household demand and poses a challenge for the People’s Bank of China as it tries to manage the recovery in other areas of the economy, analysts said.
“With this sort of strength of economic activity, there should be more price pressure,” said Dariusz Kowalczyk, an economist at Crédit Agricole, who pointed out that industry is growing faster than it was before the pandemic.
Although retail sales have been growing year-on-year since August, rising by 5 per cent last month, the subdued inflation data suggest households have a limited appetite to spend.
“We think low inflation is not only because of low food and oil prices, but because there is still some weakness on the demand side,” said Jingyang Chen, an economist at HSBC. She added that China “is still in the middle of an uphill battle to achieve a full recovery in domestic demand”.
Unlike many western economies, China has taken limited measures to prop up household spending, and has instead focused on supply-side measures to boost its economy combined with a strict approach to virus prevention that limited new reported cases to a trickle.
“[The government] orchestrated and managed a rapid recovery of industrial production, and as a result we had this overhang of supply not matched by demand, so not surprisingly, prices have to be low,” Mr Kowalczyk said.
There are some caveats to the price data. Interpretation is more difficult than usual because of changes in household behaviour during the pandemic, particularly regarding the basket of goods and services they consume. Spending on services such as travel and tourism has risen recently, for example, but remains depressed compared with last year.
And not all prices are weak.
China’s producer price index, which measures factory gate prices, has been in negative territory since February on an annual basis. But it rose month-on-month in November, suggesting the contraction is easing thanks to export growth, which relies on consumption in the west, where government support has been stronger.
China’s stock market has boomed this year and the prices of new homes have risen sharply. Concerns over leverage have already surfaced in the property sector, where the government has taken measures to constrain borrowing. These are beginning to have an effect: in November, new home prices rose 4 per cent year on year across major cities — the slowest rate in nearly four years. China’s CPI measure does not directly include house purchases but does partly incorporate the cost of renting.
Another bright spot is China’s improving labour market, which could help revive inflation in the coming months. In November, the unemployment rate fell to the same level it had been in December 2019, before the pandemic struck. That could drive a recovery in consumer confidence and consumption, supporting prices.
But Ms Chen said income growth remained uneven: “A lot of people only focus on average disposable income growth in China, but if you take a look at migrant workers’ [income] growth they are still lagging behind.”
The country’s millions of migrant workers, who are not fully reflected in official unemployment data, were hit hard by travel restrictions and lockdown measures earlier this year.
Negative inflation exerts pressure on corporates and households by increasing real interest rates, as well as threatening to undermine profitability. And while many expect rate hikes to begin next year, some suggest that stagnating prices could put pressure on the PBoC to hold or even cut rates.
Haibin Zhu, chief China economist at JPMorgan, argued in a December report that “macro and inflation dynamics are pointing in different directions” and that the PBoC is likely to cut rates in 2021. He says that financial markets have focused “too much on the strong data”.
But the central bank would have to tread carefully in considering whether to loosen monetary policy in the midst of a strong recovery.
“Cutting the rates may send a misleading message of policy easing,” said Mr Zhu. “That’s something the PBoC doesn’t want to miscommunicate to the market.”
Additional reporting by Wang Xueqiao in Shanghai


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For over a decade most semiconductor manufacturing is based in China and Taiwan.....which China claims.Frankly, we’re in a different world than we used to be. We need a government that is heavily invested in our economic success and national interests. If all semi-conductor companies wanted to outsource production to china, should we let them?
Don’t bring a fluffy pink bracelet to a bazooka fight
Four major chip manufacturers have announced plans to build factories in the US, three in Phoenix, at a cost of over $40 billion dollars.


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SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Among the companies whose shares are expected to see active trade in Thursday’s session are Google Inc., Zumiez, and Hot Topic Inc.
After Wednesday’s closing bell, Google
said that “hundreds” of Gmail accounts had been hijacked. “This campaign, which appears to originate from Jinan, China, affected what seem to be the personal Gmail accounts of hundreds of users including, among others, senior U.S. government officials, Chinese political activists, officials in several Asian countries (predominantly South Korea), military personnel and journalists,” Google said in a blog entry.
said its May sales at stores open at least one year rose 7.8%. Analysts, on average, had expected same-store sales to rise 7.5%, according to Thomson Reuters.
said its May same-store sales rose 0.4%. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters estimated a rise of 1.4%.
On Thursday, Joy Global Inc.
is expected to report second-quarter earnings of $1.35 a share, according to a consensus survey by FactSet Research.
is likely to report first-quarter earnings of 33 cents a share.
Verifone Systems Inc.
is projected to post second-quarter earnings of 43 cents a share.
Diamond Foods Inc.
is forecast to report third-quarter earnings of 48 cents a share.


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EUREKA SPRINGS, Ark. (KNWA) — Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) closed the doors on its downtown store at the beginning of January.
The Refuge’s main location on Turpentine Creek Lane will be the only place open for ticket purchases and shopping.
While the downtown area was not home to any of TCWR’s 90 animal residents, it spread the Refuge’s mission to those touring historic Eureka Springs and providing a convenient location for the purchasing of tickets and merchandise.
Because of this, TCWR is looking for a similar space to rent.
If anyone knows of a location that might be able to accommodate a new downtown space for TCWR, call Tanya Smith at 479-253-3715 or email Tanya@tcwr.org.
Important Note: Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, as a whole, will remain open to the public. The singular area closing is the downtown store.


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Foothill Cattle ranch loan provider loanDepot’s expansion right into customer financing got to a milestone today with the sale of $150 million worth of personal financings to a worldwide financial investment banking institution.
Jefferies, a New York-based investment banking firm, acquired the individual financings, after that packed the financial obligation and also marketed it to financiers as safeties, stated Bryan Sullivan, loanDepot’s chief economic officer.
In all, $250 million in individual financings have been released to 17,000 borrowers considering that the on-line lender released its personal loan company in Could.
“It’s a whole lot. That’s the elegance of the (loanDepot online) platform,” Sullivan said. “We see a dreadful bunch of consumers involve loanDepot attempting to identify which is the most effective product for them.”
The firm started as a nonbank home loan lending institution in 2010, issuing even more than $50 billion in home loans since its founding, $22 billion of that in 2015 alone, the company stated.
But with rising interest rates expected to decrease some of the mortgage re-finance commercial building in coming years, the business is increasing into the $11.8 trillion customer lending market.
Along with the launch of its personal financing business, loanDepot began supplying house equity lendings in September.
Cross River Financial institution gives the personal loan financing as well as has the debt produced with loanDepot’s website or phone banking institution, Sullivan claimed. LoanDepot gets a portion from each transaction.
Debtors can rise to $35,000 for 3- and also five-year terms at rates varying from 6.17 percent to 30 percent, Sullivan claimed. The typical loan is $15,000, with prices in the 14 percent to 15 percent array.
One of the most usual reasons for personal loans are debt consolidation as well as residence enhancement, a company statement stated.
The firm, which terminated a first public providing last month, stated the debt sale shows that loanDepot can proceed growing without releasing stock.
Earlier this year, loanDepot increased into more area at its Foothill Cattle ranch head office and opened additional offices in Costa Mesa and also Lake Woodland.
Call the author: 714-796-7734 or firstname.lastname@example.org!.?.!


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"We are worried that any near-term weakness related to iPad could add more fuel to investor concerns over iPhone softness and consolidated gross margin risks."
Apple hit an 11-month low on Monday after reports underscored concerns about iPhone 5 sales and the wider smartphone market
Shares in Apple Inc dipped below $500 for the first time in almost one year after reports it is slashing orders for screens and other components as intensifying competition erodes demand for its latest iPhone
Apple Inc. could be on track to sell 173 million of the devices this fiscal year, according to a new estimate Monday, the same day as the company said users have downloaded more than 40 billion of its apps
"The key for Apple in 2013 is to convince investors it can transform into a more reliable web- and cloud-based service provider to compete effectively with Google and Amazon."
Shares of the world’s largest technology company briefly dipped below US$500 on Monday following another analyst downgrade and reports that Asian parts suppliers for the iPhone 5 are seeing order reductions
'The stock has been a tug of war between low valuation and peaking growth and margins,' said UBS analyst Steven Milunovich, who cut his target on Apple shares to US$700 from US$780
Assuming roughly US$83 worth of semiconductor content on 172 million iPhone units, RBC estimates the device could account for 4.6% of total semiconductor revenues in 2013
UBS analyst Steven Milunovich said near-term shipments of Apple Inc.'s iPhone are being restrained by supply difficulties
Post Arcade's resident gaming guru, Chad Sapieha, takes the new iPhone 5 for a spin to see how Apple's latest iPhone stacks up for gamers.
The CRTC’s solution to quell consumer sentiment is simply offside. Carving the Super Bowl out as an exemption to sim-sub policy is an overreaction, says Association of Canadian Advertisers CEO
Weak markets and a weak loonie have left investors wondering what to do. Purpose Investment’s Som Seif provides some strategies and advice to help you weather the storm
As tough as the fourth quarter was for energy companies, the first quarter of 2016 is expected to be even worse. Geoff Morgan has more from Calgary
Before the Financial Post's Garry Marr starts working on his tan, he breaks down the extras charges on his airline ticket
Patrick Harrison: The dragons aren’t fire-breathing monsters. They gave me a better understanding of where I'm going


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New for 2012, the addition of award categories reflecting large and small garages means that entrants can benchmark performance with comparable businesses.
Now in its third year of running, Motor Codes has also gained support from Havoline as headline competition sponsor.
Chris Mason, managing director at Motor Codes, said: ‘In the last two years, thousands of motorists have voted to support their local garage and both the regional and national winners have spoken about the impact this has had on their business.
‘The competition is a great opportunity to shout about what’s good in our industry and stand up against the negative image that some people still hold.’
Helping garages promote their involvement with Garage of the Year, a free marketing suite, containing posters, flyers and online banners is available online at www.motorcodes.co.uk.
All Motor Codes subscribers, franchised and independent, are registered automatically and can start directing customers to vote, via www.motorcodes.co.uk, immediately.
Opening the competition to all garages committed to delivering first-class service, non-subscribers can also register, free of charge.
In return for asking dealers’ customers to vote, a consumer prize of a year’s free servicing and tickets to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone is on offer.
Not to be left out, a garage prize fund including Snap-on vouchers, driving experiences and free Motor Codes subscriptions, worth over £10,000, is up for grabs.


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By Farmobile Editors
. . .
This is a summary of an agtech article, written by managing editor Dan Jacobs in the March 30 issue of CropLife, How the Convergence of Technologies Has Transformed Logistics in Agriculture. Read the full article online at CropLife.
Over the last decade, ag technology has converged with internet and cellular connectivity, to connect farmers and ag retailers with fields, crops and machines in entirely new ways.
Don Jacobs explores how the “cloud” has moved from being just a “weather phenomenon hanging over a field” to a virtual ecosystem that is central to helping farmers and operation managers with their daily workflows.
Steve Cubbage, vice president of Farmobile Services, joined the conversation noting how Farmobile’s agtech solved inconsistent rural internet and cellular coverage to collect, stream and standardize agronomic and machine data across a mixed fleet of machines — all in real-time.
“The quicker you can get data it’s more valuable,” said Cubbage. “Farmobile created a piece of hardware it calls a PUC, a data collection device that can go into planters, combines — anything that is running across that field doing something agronomic and record it.”
Read how other systems are utilizing new technologies.


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Join Mercury News staff writer Howard Mintz as Apple and Samsung square off in a San Jose federal courtroom for a four-week patent trial over smartphone and tablet technology. The first witness Friday will be Philip Schiller, Apple’s chief marketing executive, who will be followed by Scott Forstall, a senior software executive for Apple.
More in Technology
The group’s performance would have been even better but Apple’s declining sales and profits dragged it down.
In a possible hint that Google’s area’s of interest could expand in downtown San Jose, the site of a future tech campus planned by two veteran realty developers has captured the interest of Google’s development ally.
The batch of more than 3,000 Russian-bought ads that Facebook is preparing to turn over to Congress shows a deep understanding of social divides in American society.
Using Apple’s ARKit augmented reality platform, the new app will allow ballpark attendees to point their iPhone and iPad to the field and get real-time information.


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May 21, 2018
There’s no question that newsletters are on the rise. Legacy publishers are constantly launching new newsletter products. Quartz’s Obsession newsletter, for instance, picks seemingly random topics and goes deeps on them. Vox’s Voxcare newsletter, a favorite of mine, covers new developments in healthcare policy.
But we’re also seeing a number of media startups that are producing newsletters without corresponding websites. The Hustle, a business-news oriented newsletter that has over 500,000 subscribers, keeps all its content contained within its newsletter and publishes none of it to its website. The same can be said for theSkimm, a female-focused newsletter launched by two former NBC producers, and Lena Dunham’s Lenny Letter.
So what’s the business model for these types of newsletters? Of course many of them rely on advertising, but we’re also seeing a number of new products enter the market that allow newsletter publishers to charge money to their subscribers, often in exchange for access to extra premium newsletters. For example, Hot Pod, a newsletter about the podcast industry, sends out a weekly free newsletter each Tuesday and a second one every Friday for subscribers who pay $7 a month.
Given the rise of paid newsletters, we’ve seen a number of new platforms spring up to service this type of publisher. One of those platforms is Revue, a newsletter distribution platform that was designed with content publishers in mind. I interviewed its founder Martijn de Kuijper about the platform’s offerings and the best way for publishers to convert casual newsletter readers into paying subscribers.


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Shaiya, a MMORPG developed by Sonov and published by Aeria Games in North America and Europe, is going to be available in Turkish as well. The CBT date is not announced yet but you can sign up at the Turkish website.
SONOV, Korean developer of Shaiya (샤이야: Kor), Dragonsky (용천기: Kor), and Neo (네오 온라인: Kor), unveiled its much-anticipated new game Berkanix (베르카닉스: Kor) today. ?Here are some numbers that the company wants to impress you with; the game has been developed by in-house studio of 100 engineers and designers for three years and spent more than US$7.7 million.
The company also plans to introduce a web browser-based game and comic books as well.


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Accenture has announced that it will open a new research, development and innovation centre in Dublin, Ireland, to develop predictive analytics offerings for clients worldwide.
The company said that the predictive analytics applies advanced statistical modelling techniques to internal and external data sources to generate deeper insights that help businesses and governments drive better outcomes.
The Accenture Analytics Innovation Centre (AAIC) is expected to create 100 new highly-skilled jobs over the next four years adding to its 1,300 people in Ireland today.
The Centre is backed by the Investment & Development Agency (IDA) Ireland and will form part of a wider Accenture global network of innovation centres dedicated to the demonstration, research & development and delivery of predictive analytics.
Accenture said that the Dublin centre will focus on the innovative development of sophisticated techniques in fraud analytics to address many of the key business challenges facing its clients today.
In addition, the Innovation Centre network supports activities related to delivering business insight innovations, both descriptive and predictive analytics, to clients across multiple industries and business functions.
The company’s other centres in the analytics network are located in Bangalore, Chicago, Milan, Mumbai, New Delhi and San Jose, California, with others across the world planned.


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The Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB) announced on Wednesday it has formed a partnership with Singapore Fintech Consortium (SFC) and Truical Investment Partners to develop a fintech ecosystem and regulatory frame for the kingdom.
According to EDB, the partnership aims to transform Bahrain into the region’s fintech “powerhouse” and will include support in developing related commercial and legal infrastructure required to initiate, nurture and sustain Bahrain’s fintech ecosystem. The organization noted that the partnership will pave the way for increased interaction between fintech firms in the Middle East via Bahrain and those in ASEAN through Singapore and will facilitate the entry of Singaporean fintech companies into the kingdom. A dedicated fintech hub, an incubator/accelerator platform and FinTech-focused venture capital are also being considered in the partnership.
“Singapore has been an excellent model of FinTech development and we can now benefit from SFC’s expertise as we develop our own hub. We are very excited about the opportunities that FinTech presents in the region and in Bahrain. Yet we know that to realize these opportunities it is vital to get the right ecosystem in place. This partnership will play an important role in helping us to do that.”
“This includes assisting in the execution of a range of comprehensive initiatives related to regulation, co-working, incubation and venture capital. We believe the collaboration with a multitude of public and private sector partners are opportune, timely and will contribute to the future-proofing of its financial service centre.”
“We believe that Bahrain is uniquely positioned to build on its strength in financial services and become a major player in global FinTech. Bahrain offers many factors that would support the development of a thriving FinTech ecosystem, including having a highly-reputed regulator, a young and innovative local population, world-class technological and telecom infrastructure, and a size advantage, like Singapore, that is well suited for start-ups. We have been working closely with the Singapore Fintech Consortium to launch a comprehensive FinTech platform in the Middle East and we have found in Bahrain the ideal partner, stakeholders and geographic location for this venture.”


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MINNEAPOLIS, June 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- For 50 years Mr. Bubble® has been Making Getting Clean Almost as Much Fun as Getting Dirty! ® To celebrate his 50th birthday, Mr. Bubble is hosting the World's Largest Bubble Bath!
An 11-foot high by 16-foot wide bubble bath filled with bubbles welcomes partygoers at the Water Park of America. Bubbles are overflowing to a 2,800-square foot bubble bath area for kids and parents to play. Mr. Bubble will be soaking in the tub, playing with kids and even showing off his surfing skills at the water parks' FlowRider surf simulator.
Thousands of guests will enjoy a sculptured Mr. Bubble birthday cake, a bubble beard contest and a chance to get your picture taken with Mr. Bubble. Limited addition Mr. Bubble memorabilia will be handed out to partygoers throughout the day.
"Turning 50 only happens once in a career," says Fran Klisanich, President and CEO of The Village Company, parent company of Mr. Bubble, "Mr. Bubble wants to celebrate this milestone with a big splash."
The birthday bash at the Water Park of America in Bloomington , MN is from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM Saturday, June 11th.
To celebrate turning 50, Mr. Bubble is now social! Find him on Facebook and Twitter to see more of his new personality. Visit the new www.mrbubble.com for more birthday party information or to see all the new products.
About Mr. Bubble®
For 50 years Mr. Bubble® has been an iconic brand and continues to be the best-selling bubble bath in the United States.* After being purchased by The Village Company, LLC in 2008, Mr. Bubble was reformulated to create even more bubbles with a gentler clean. In 2011, the brand celebrates its 50th birthday with special edition packaging and a new look for Mr. Bubble. Learn more at www.MrBubble.com.
*Source: Nielsen Total U.S. FDM 52 weeks ending 12/25/2010.
SOURCE Mr. Bubble


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Bitcoin exchange failure
Flexcoin was a Bitcoin exchange that shut down on March 3rd,.
Exchange failed... Submitted ticket. What's next?Louis continue after ex-cop acquitted 21 reactions -1% 88% 13% Donald Trump Is Demanding An Apology.
A Second BitCoin Exchange Goes Bankrupt - BreitbartGox has gone down — but could there be an upside for the cryptocurrency.
Money needs to be a medium of exchange and unit of account,.Australia bitcoin bitcoin atm bitcoin core bitcoin exchange bitcoin foundation Bitcoin price bitcoin regulation.
Bitcoin Transaction Failed : Bitcoin - reddit
Bitcoin: A Failed Experiment? | The Science Explorer
US indicts Alexander Vinnik, alleged operator of BTC-e
Attaching a database (created in SQL Server 2012) to an instance of SQL Server 2014 without upgrading it.But the failure of Mt.Gox shows the agony of an evolving industry without any.Gox, which once handled close to 80% of global bitcoin trades before going bankrupt in early 2014, pleaded not guilty to the charges.Most notable among all bitcoin exchange failures is that of Mt.Gox has pleaded innocent to charges of embezzlement and data manipulation.
Exchange failed. Submitted. like to use your money for 1-2 week and then when they will feel like it they will return it to you. most likely when bitcoin.
BitCoin & Alternative Currencies | Armstrong EconomicsTOKYO (AP) — A Tokyo court began hearings Tuesday into charges that the head of the failed Japan-based bitcoin exchange Mt.Bitcoin is unlike. here are some of the leading players in bitcoin exchange. move it to your bitcoin wallet.
Buy/Sell Digital Currency - CoinbaseGox, was triggered by an alleged failure of the company to comply with U.S. financial regulations.Why Bitcoin is Failing to Take Over the World. Ryan Taylor of Dash sees why Bitcoin is failing to take over the world.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about how Bitcoins work, how to pick an exchange, and how the blockchain technology behind Bitcoin really works.
First published in March 2014, in the immediate wake of the failure of Japan-based bitcoin exchange Mt.Gox In the free market, failure is always an option.Bitcoin Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for Bitcoin crypto-currency enthusiasts.Specifically, he wanted to know whether the IRS would accept.Exchange failure is not merely a theoretical possibility in bitcoin markets—it occurs.TOKYO (AP) — The head of the failed Japan-based bitcoin exchange Mt.
DOJ Charges Operators of Unregistered Bitcoin Exchange
Yang Weizhou, analyst at Mizuho Securities Co. in Tokyo, said laws to regulate virtual currencies may have to be created by countries including Japan.INTERESTING FOR FAILURE BTC-E EXCHANGE. on which the people make the exchange of. an order to buy currency for fiatnoy bitcoin on the exchange.Gox has made a deal with the claimants in two class action lawsuits on a.Late last year, China banned its banks and payment systems from handling bitcoin, although people still use them online.Bitcoin Transaction Failed (self.Bitcoin). as he is not the sender of the failed bitcoin.They pointed to the Consumer Affairs Agency, which deals with product safety, as one possible place where disgruntled users may go for help.That led to a typical right-money disaster — a sudden loss of trust and the failure of.
Mt. Gox was a bitcoin exchange based in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan.Many participants in the Bitcoin economy provide exchange-like services.Bitcoin: A Failed Experiment. but you can exchange your regular currency to. wrote a recent blog post detailing how and why he thinks that Bitcoin has failed.


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The cost of stoned decreases.
The average cost of a flower or bud in the Maine adult cannabis market has dropped by more than 41% in the past two years.
This is good news for customers whose wallets have been hit, but it may be bad news for growers, who industry officials say have overpriced the market and are sitting on a glut of unsold produce. .
When the adult use market launched in October 2020, the average price per gram of flower was $15.83.
It fell to an average of $12.75 per gram in 2021, and by June 2022 it had fallen further to $9.26 per gram. The year-to-date average is $10.29 per gram. An average joint contains between 0.32 and 0.5 grams of cannabis.
Industry officials expected prices to fall as the market matured, but flower prices weren’t expected to fall much further, said Matt Hawes, director of the Maine Cannabis Industry Association. The association represents members in retail, manufacturing and culture.
Consumers are not demanding lower retail prices and growers are operating at the bottom of their margins, he said.
Hawes owns the Novel Beverage Company, which makes THC-infused beverages, and co-owns Brothers Cannabis, which has locations in Bangor and Brewer.
At first, the industry struggled with limited supply, few options, and high costs, especially compared to the state’s prolific medical cannabis market.
There are approximately 3,500 medical marijuana operators — known in the industry as caregivers — in the state.
When the adult-use marketplace first launched, only nine stores were open.
That’s grown more than tenfold in less than two years, with 100 stores now operating in Maine, according to the Office of Cannabis Policy.
Growers grew at the same rate, with 70 licensed recreational growers, up from seven when the market launched.
But now, with 70 growers supplying 100 stores, there’s plenty of cannabis on the market. While this is good for consumers, who are seeing more options and prices falling just about everywhere, it is a concern for producers who may have been counting on different market dynamics.
DEMAND MAY HAVE BEEN OVERESTIMATED
Many say the demand for the adult market may have been overstated.
There’s been a buzz for several months that there’s plenty of extra supply on the market, said Eben Sumner, president and legislative chairman of the Maine Growers Alliance.
“I think despite all the hype that happened, it was a bit outdated,” he said.
Sumner owns Casco Bay Hemp and 1780 Maine, a medical marijuana caregiver store and grow site.
“I think it’s just a lot of growers injecting flowers into the market,” he said, despite the fact that there are still plenty of products just lying around on the shelves. He said it would take some time to equalise.
“There are these growers who want to take over the whole state and they have these huge shoots (but) it’s not endless,” said David Vickers, owner of Origins Cannabis. “If you’re just a grower and you don’t have a storefront, I think you’re in a tough spot.”
Origins has an adults-only site in Manchester, two medical dispensaries in Augusta, and a cultivation site and manufacturing facility in Hallowell.
Hawes attributes this disparity between market expectations and reality to a few things.
The medical market has remained strong, thanks in part to its longevity and lower prices. And only about 10% of Maine towns have “opted in” to adult-use sales, meaning the 100 stores are too concentrated, he said. They need to compete with each other instead of spreading across the state creating cannabis deserts.
MORE CULTURES AND STORES TO COME
This underperformance led to saturation, and Hawes said it will get worse. There are 111 additional grow sites at various stages of the approval process and 160 stores.
People are still building new crops — that’s the first segment of the supply chain people are investing in, he said.
“There’s this misconception among people who are inexperienced with cannabis that it’s an endless source of easy money,” he said.
Additionally, many stores, such as Origins, are vertically integrated, meaning owners choose to grow their own produce, reducing some of the demand from larger growers.
Vickers said that helped him keep prices low.
“We felt the market was overinflated when it started and we never participated in it,” he said.
Launch prices were artificially high because there were only a few growers, which “held the industry hostage”, he added.
John Kreis, owner of Portland Greenhouse, said there had been an uptick in sales since prices had fallen, but he said that was difficult in a market like Portland where there was so much competition.
Even with lower prices, Kreis said, it’s hard to compete with the medical market, which has fewer regulations, taxes and testing requirements than the adult segment. Prices will always be lower.
“The adult use market is going to suffer until the state starts regulating this,” he said.
LOWER PRICES ACROSS THE NATIONAL
The prices are fall across the country. A wholesale price index tracked by Cannabis Benchmarks, an independent news agency, revealed that the price per pound of cannabis flower has been falling since last summer.
Accounting and consulting firm GreenGrowth CPAs reported that the overall national price for the 18 legal markets covered by Cannabis Benchmarks fell to $1,114 per pound in June, the lowest price seen in more than three years.
Colorado prices fell to an all-time low of $709 per pound on July 1, down 46% from a year ago and 60% from January 2021, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue.
In Massachusetts, the price per gram is similar to Maine, at $10.58. Prices fell to $9.74 per gram in April 2020, but rebounded to the standard rate of around $14 before starting to fall in June 2021 and continuing to fall every month since.
While Maine prices have consistently fallen, sales continue to set records.
In June, the recreational market brought in $13.4 million.
So far this year, the state’s 100 Adult Stores have grossed just under $65 million and are on track to far exceed last year’s $81.9 million.
“A saturated market doesn’t mean the market isn’t strong,” Vickers said, adding that he expects it to stabilize soon.
FAA clears Boeing to resume delivery of 787 Dreamliners


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IN its bid to rev up entertainment to the public, Genesis Studio is set to introduce a new show titled The Price is Right. Partnering with London-based television content company, Freemantle Media, Genesis is working on five seasons of the show which is set to premiere towards the end of the year.
The gameshow focuses on contestants which are picked from the audience guessing the prices of everyday consumer goods for a chance to win fantastic prizes.
The Price is Right, one of the longest family game show, has won 20 daytime Emmys and has been sold to 42 territories worldwide with Nigeria being the first in Sub-Sahara Africa. Genesis Studios managing director and CEO, Olatubosun Olaegbe, said feedbacks from viewers have been encouraging.
“They appreciate the new wholesome and inspiring dimension of televisin entertainment that we offer,” he said.
“It parades different categories of contents specifically designed to inform, entertain and promote the right family values.”
With the commencement of the Digital Switch Over (DSO), Olaegbe promised viewers to expect the best in terms of content and programming.
Genesis Studios is the producer of award-winning series So Wrong, So Wright and Tales of Eve.


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Indonesia’s love of BlackBerry smartphones uncovered
The BBC has an excellent article looking at the reasons and consequences of BlackBerry’s smartphone dominance in Indonesia. It is a long piece, but well worth reading, so I’ve picked out a few key excerpts below.
On BlackBerry devices, social media and social effects:
The explosion of smartphone users seems to have coincided with a surge in social media enthusiasts.
According to the Internet World Stats website, since 2000 internet usage in Indonesia has grown by 1500 per cent.
Web statisticians Socialbakers estimate Indonesia has 37 million Facebook users, second only to the United States, while traffic counter comScore ranked Indonesia fourth in the world for Twitter reach.
The importance of social networking came to Indonesia’s attention in 2009, when Prita Mulyasari, an Indonesian bank worker, was jailed for defamation after complaining about hospital treatment in an e-mail to friends.
Her supporters launched enormous Facebook and Twitter campaigns, sparking widespread national and international media coverage, and she was later acquitted of all charges.
More recently, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono used an address to the nation to denounce critics he claims are spreading lies and rumours about him using social media.
The president even cited Blackberry as a platform that can “improve life” but added that those who “use online media to assassinate character or abuse anyone are irresponsible, ignoble and cowardly.’
While US President Barack Obama may be known to be a long-time Blackberry addict, President Yudhoyono is surely the first head of state to mention its impact in an address to the nation.
On security issues and Indonesia’s potential jobs for the country:
For years, the Indonesian government has been negotiating with Research In Motion over regulations that require the Canadian company to build a local server.
Purbo believes the government needs to be more pro-active in pushing Research In Motion to invest in Indonesia.
“Why stop at one server? It’s a small piece of equipment and can be put anywhere. Why not ask them to build a factory here?
“Indonesian programmers should be getting involved and sharing some of the profit.”
On the potential for Android to displace BlackBerry as the country’s most popular:
Android smartphones are yet to win over the Indonesian consumer.
Purbo believes this is because they are largely manufactured in Asia, so are unappealing to Indonesians craving American or European goods.
But with millions of Blackberry users putting pressure on mobile networks, Indonesian providers are having a hard time supplying a reliable service.
“I ditched my Blackberry long ago and use the Android system now, ” laughs Purbo.
“It’s cheap and made in China.”
DJ Prabowo is also keeping a close eye the Android system.
“Some of my friends are using Android already. Others might soon have to catch up,” he says with a knowing grin.
The potential of Android in Indonesia is an interesting one as the country mirrors smartphone trends from other Southeast Asian neighbours, like Thailand, albeit Indonesia’s is a step or two more advanced and on a far greater scale – with an estimated 3 million BlackBerry devices in use according to the BBC’s stats, compared to estimated total smartphone sales of 1 million in Thailand during 2010.
BlackBerry dominates Thailand’s smartphone-owning masses, as it does in Indonesia, for very similar reasons (read this post for more) while Android’s potential is equally as strong in both markets.
With its devices open to greater customisation, more applications, a freer web experience and, crucially, available at lower cost – for first time buyers or those on a budget – Android has all the ingredients to challenge BlackBerry in Indonesia. Equally it has a product range which offers more sophisticated devices to those who can afford them, and more advanced, sophisticated and slick devices to more influential, early-mover users (like the two quoted in the article).
Added to that there is much talk of a budget $200 iPhone, and the future is certainly far from clear in the smartphone market in Indonesia. However for the time being, like Thailand, Indonesia is dominated by BlackBerry devices.
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The great changes of the last two years have brought about a new, more careful and conscious way of considering tissue, also on the part of the consumer. A product capable of protecting health and ensuring hygiene. Despite its acknowledged essentiality, the industry producing this product continues to suffer from the rising costs of raw materials and energy. The result is a sector that will have to find new stability.
A market in trouble for a variety of contingent and economic reasons, and a worrying situation linked to supplies of materials and, even more so, of energy. The framework within which the industry in general – and the paper industry in particular – must currently operate is one of the most complex in recent years. However, some certainties remain firmly in place and constitute a solid foundation for European manufacturing industries: the quality of their products. And the first element is the technology applied to the processing phases. In this brief focus we will talk about tissue converting.
The European tissue trend
But let’s start with a quick overview of the situation. According to data referred to at Miac 2021 by Assocarta specifically by Tissue Gruppo president Guido Pasquini, who spoke about it at the conference dedicated to tissue, at European level production stood at 7.9 million tons with a production increase of 105 thousand tons, equal to 1.7%. A general context with some interesting differences within it.
The United Kingdom shows a situation that ends up affecting the other countries on the continent, as it shifts the balance that has existed up to now. The British data speaks of a drop in production that, although only 20 thousand tons, is equal to 2.6%; a result that is sufficient to increase the need to import tissue paper from other countries. In particular, those who are increasing their export quota include Turkey and Indonesia. So much so that, as Pasquini pointed out, in the last few months important new installations of paper machines have been announced in these countries, precisely to compensate for the production gap created by Great Britain’s exit from the European Union.
This trend in the growth of non-EU production is also confirmed by looking at the decreasing data from Cepi (Confederation of European Paper Industries) the European association of paper manufacturers that groups 18 countries in the continent, i.e. Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Hungary. Overall, a decrease of 3.9% must be recorded (figure 1). The top two tissue paper producers in the region are Italy and Germany, which have 20.4% and 19.3% of the total produced in 2020, respectively (figure 2), and which will remain at the top in 2021.
While Europe is declining, other parts of the world are proving far more vibrant. In Latin America, Risi forecasts a growth of around 4% by 2020, rising to 8% for North American countries.
Different trends, motivated by various factors that may be related to what has happened in the last two years following the pandemic. Mr. Pasquini of Assocarta speaks of possible changes in market trends that may have consequences in the years to come and that in the meantime have led to a general reduction in volumes and a return to pre-pandemic values in 2019.
The biggest – and most worrying – impact now is cost increases. Already between 2020 and 2021 there has been an explosion in the cost of everything raw material related, followed by a surge in all other cost components due to the post lockdown recovery. Plastics, which are used to package tissue products, chemical additives, transport, pallets have all gone up. Not to mention energy components – electricity and natural gas – which sky-rocketed in late 2021 and early 2022.
Contingencies that, of course, affect the entire world and industry as a whole, but which must necessarily be taken into account when talking specifically about certain manufacturing sectors. The paper industry, in particular, is affected by the problem of energy costs, as it is energy intensive.
The cost of energy will have a major impact on what happens in the coming months. Certainly, the market will shift to new equilibriums and, as far as European-made tissue is concerned, there are already forecasts of a substantial increase in production between now and 2024, with several new productions putting more than 1.2 million tons on the market in three years, an increase of 20%.
Despite the great difficulties faced in the last two years – mainly economic – the profound changes that have taken place have improved the perception of the tissue product by the market and consumers. There has been recognition of the essential nature of a sector that, especially in the peculiarities of household and sanitary paper, represents an important tool for hygiene and for safeguarding people’s health.


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Etihad Airways has teamed up with renowned Indian fashion designer Manish Malhotra to showcase the artiste’s latest collection at the forthcoming Lakmé Fashion Week in Mumbai.
The award-winning airline will join the highly acclaimed designer at India’s leading fashion event for the unveiling of his winter collection, taking place in the country’s commercial capital from August 24 – 28. Known for designing lavish costumes for Bollywood film stars and Indian cinema for more than two decades, Manish Malhotra has captured the imagination of fashionistas around the world.
His opening night show on August 24, ‘Etihad Airways Presents Manish Malhotra’, will be shot in virtual reality allowing viewers to feel the excitement of being present at the show, whether backstage, front row or at the post-show party. It comes just months after Etihad Airways used the pioneering technology to give viewers unprecedented access to the airline’s award-winning Airbus A380 by immersing them in the aircraft cabins in a virtual reality film ‘Reimagine’ featuring Hollywood actress Nicole Kidman.
The collaboration with Manish Malhotra is the latest initiative by the Abu Dhabi-based airline following its recently-announced sponsorship efforts to become the fashion industry’s preferred airline. This will help further elevate the airline’s premium brand positioning alongside the world’s most revered luxury brands.
Earlier this year, Etihad Airways struck a comprehensive global agreement with WME | IMG as a long-term partner of the fashion industry, connecting the airline with the fashion capitals of the world. The agreement is the first multinational, multi-year airline sponsorship supporting the fashion industry.
Mumbai is the latest stop in Etihad Airways’ global fashion sponsorship, supporting 17 fashion week events in London, Milan, Sydney, New York and Mumbai, worldwide every year. It follows on from the airline’s recent participation at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia.
The tie-up with Manish Malhotra, announced at a Press Conference in Mumbai featuring an exclusive preview of his new collection, is the second designer collaboration for Etihad Airways after the successful partnership with the Oscar de la Renta fashion house in Australia earlier this summer.
Patrick Pierce, Etihad Airways Vice President Sponsorship, said: “The fashion industry and Etihad Airways represent an ideal brand fit, sharing attributes of being ambitious, innovative and creative – key characteristics that are reflected in our renowned inflight service and hospitality.
“We are therefore delighted to collaborate with Manish Malhotra, one of India’s most celebrated fashion designers, for his opening night event at Lakmé Fashion Week. It promises to be a remarkable show featuring the same VR technology that we premiered with our recent A380 film Reimagine.”
Addressing the Press Conference, Manish Malhotra commented: “I am delighted to be partnering with Etihad Airways as two future forward brands come together. This will be the very first fashion show that will give viewers an experience beyond frontiers, space and time.”
Added Neerja Bhatia, Etihad Airways Vice President Indian Subcontinent: “Etihad Airways is a proud partner of India with the largest international network of flights connecting India and the world, with our strategic partner Jet Airways. Together with our award-winning A380 recently introduced on the Mumbai – Abu Dhabi route featuring The Residence, a stylish and iconic three-room suite in the air, this is a perfect fit for high flyers from the fashion industry.
“Etihad Airways truly encompasses all areas of design, innovation and style to become the ultimate premium lifestyle airline. Our A380 service from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi and onwards to New York provides a seamless service to and from these leading fashion cities onboard our luxurious aircraft.”
Lakmé Fashion Week is Etihad Airways’ second major partnership in India following on from its sponsorship of the Mumbai Indians, one of the most successful cricket franchise teams in the Indian Premier League.
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By John Eggerton, Multichannel News, 9-14-20
Federal Trade Commission chairman Joseph Simons is cautioning against a rush to regulate big tech.
That came in virtual remarks at the International Competition Network (ICN) annual conference. ICN is a convocation of global competition authorities. In addition to being FTC chair, Simons is former head of the commission’s antitrust division.
The FTC and Justice are both investigating dominant digital platforms for how they got so big and whether it was by skirting antitrust laws, or alternatively, because the laws have not been able to keep up with the explosive growth of companies like Google, Amazon, Facebook and Twitter.
Currently, the FTC is studying Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft to “better understand” some of the acquisitions they made that were not subject to pre-merger reviews because their price points at the time were below the trigger for such reviews. » Read More


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Item 9 Labs was listed as a top 10 according to research firm BDSA
Item 9 Labs—the award-winning, premium cannabis brand from Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTCQX: INLB)—kicks off 2023 after a year of budding growth and achievements embedded in product innovation and increased consumer engagement.
The Arizona marijuana market has experienced one of the most rapid developments in consumer participation and retail expansion of any market over the past year, according to cannabis data research firm BDSA. With the legalization of adult-use marijuana in early 2021, Arizona has seen noticeable popularity across the pre-roll, flower and concentrate categories with the market predicted to exceed $1 billion by year end.
BDSA recognized Item 9 Labs as one of the top 10 cannabis brands in the state overall, along with top five placements across multiple vape categories.
“Wrapping up 2022 as a top 10 brand is a true testament to our team of extraction and cultivation experts and their deep commitment to delivering masterfully crafted cannabis products,” said Item 9 Labs Corp. Chief Executive Officer, Mike Weinberger. “In the year ahead, we are optimistic that our Item 9 Labs brand will continue building on this positive momentum while driving forward brand recognition and loyalty.”
In August 2022, Item 9 Labs was recognized as the No. 1 cannabis brand in Arizona by MJ Brand Insights (MJBI), the official publication of MJ Unpacked, for its creative brand engagement. Using a proprietary, comparison-based scoring system by Pioneer Intelligence, the technology leverages data to benchmark marketing performance of consumer-facing cannabis brands.
This past June, the brand launched a new permanent mainstay to its product lineup—1-gram concentrate infused pre-rolls—recognizing the trending triple-digit growth of this category. Item 9 Labs infused pre-rolls are crafted with award-winning flower and live resin sugar, live resin badder or crumble concentrates, which are grown and extracted in-house. With products in 65 percent of Arizona’s dispensaries, the brand sold more than 13,000 units of its pre-rolls within the first two months and they have been flying off the shelves ever since.
Item 9 Labs consistently bolsters and strengthens its existing extensive product lineup. As the brand entered 2022, it introduced its best-selling proprietary vape technology Orion 710 Live Resin Pod and Battery System with a half-gram pod (500 mg) due to the popularity of its 1-gram (1000 mg) pod. Since hitting the market, Item 9 Labs sold nearly 64,000 units across the state, creating buzz amongst local consumers and generating a go-to vape option for the market.
“Last year was the first year we witnessed the true impact of legal cannabis sales and saw how consumer dynamics evolved alongside it,” said Item 9 Labs Corp. Chief Operating Officer, Chris Wolven. He added, “We put an emphasis on the art of innovation and fueled our go-to-market strategy to meet the increasing demand, and it shows in the awards we took home for product excellence.”
Item 9 Labs’ dedication to perfecting its cannabis products this past year did not go unnoticed. The brand earned multiple top podium finishes in Arizona’s largest and longest-running annual cannabis festivals and awards events. At the Spring Errl Cup and Fall Errl Cup this year, the brand was awarded:
First place for “Best Cannabis Vape Pen – Indica”
First place for “Best Cannabis Vape Pen – Sativa”
Second place for “Best Cannabis Flower – Sativa”
Second place for “Best Cannabis Vape Pen – Indica”
Second place for “Best Concentrate – Hybrid”
Third place for “Best Hand-Crafted Cannabis Product”
Third place for “Best Cannabis Vape Pen – Sativa”
Third place for “Best Derivative”
For more information on Item 9 Labs, the brand’s wide range of premium cannabis products and its awards, visit item9labs.com or Item 9 Labs’ Instagram.
ABOUT ITEM 9 LABS
Item 9 Labs cultivates the highest quality cannabis products while providing transparency, consistency and well-being for an enhanced cannabis experience. With more than 30 podium finishes in Arizona marijuana competitions, Item 9 Labs is a trusted source for premium cannabis products. Starting with intentionally grown flower, the Item 9 Labs product catalog spans across five core categories, including several active cannabis strains, cannabis vape products, premium concentrates and Orion vape technology.
For additional information, visit item9labs.com.
ABOUT ITEM 9 LABS CORP.
Item 9 Labs Corp. (OTCQX: INLB) is a vertically integrated cannabis operator and dispensary franchisor delivering premium products from its large-scale cultivation and production facilities in the United States. The award-winning Item 9 Labs brand specializes in best-in-class products and user experience across several cannabis categories. The company also offers a unique dispensary franchise model through the national Unity Rd. retail brand. Easing barriers to entry, the franchise provides an opportunity for both new and existing dispensary owners to leverage the knowledge, resources and ongoing support needed to thrive in their state compliantly and successfully. Item 9 Labs brings the best industry practices to markets nationwide through distinctive retail experience, cultivation capabilities and product innovation. The veteran management team combines a diverse skill set with deep experience in the cannabis sector, franchising and the capital markets to lead a new generation of public cannabis companies that provide transparency, consistency and well-being. Headquartered in Arizona, the company is currently expanding its operations space up to 640,000-plus square feet on its 50-acre site, one of the largest properties in Arizona zoned to grow and cultivate flower. For additional information, visit item9labscorp.com.


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A brewery, restaurant, distillery and event center is under construction in La Mesa. Depot Springs Beer Company and Platform 1888 will bring together over 25,000 square feet of dining, entertainment and a brewery and distillery under one roof within a shopping center at 9176 Fletcher Parkway. Expected to open as early as this June, the ambitious project today announced that Chef Matt Richman, formerly of Table 926, is on board to lead the onsite restaurant.
"I'm so thrilled to share that my next professional undertaking will be with the Depot Springs Beer Co. new restaurant, Restaurant 1888, currently being built in La Mesa," Chef Matt Richman posted on Facebook. "This is an incredible opportunity for me to be apart of and can't wait to share my culinary efforts with all of you! Opening this June."
For more information on Depot Springs, visit depotsprings.com.


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A greater number of U.S. and European mobile users accessed online content through Web browsers on their mobile devices than through applications in the final three months of 2010, according to data from comScore. In addition, mobile Web use is growing faster than application use, the measurement firm estimated.
Thirty-six percent of mobile using Americans and 29 percent of Europeans browsed the mobile Web in the three months ending December 2010, while application access reached 34 percent of Americans and 28 percent of Europeans, comScore’s data suggests.
Compared with the same period in 2009, application access grew by 8 percent in the U.S. and 7 percent in Europe. Meanwhile, browser use grew at a faster pace, increasing by 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively.
Brand advertisers and their agencies only want to pay for mobile ads that are seen by a person.
Time is running out to feature your company in our inaugural Mobile Vendor Reader Survey.
Retailer Tops Unruly’s Annual Top 20; List Features Creatives From 10 Different Countries
Brands have been upping their investments in new ad products from popular social media services, but are they getting their money's worth?


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Shoppers opened their wallets Thanksgiving weekend, setting records in online purchases while also hitting the malls in a big way, giving retailers a strong start to the holiday shopping season.
The next big test comes Monday, also known as Cyber Monday, when consumers are expected to take to their keyboards in record numbers to pursue online discounts.
Shoppers spent $5.03 billion on Black Friday, traditionally one of the biggest shopping days of the year, 16.9 percent more than in 2016, and a new record, according to Adobe Analytics.
Thanksgiving Day also saw a surge in online spending, with purchases leaping 18.3 percent, to $2.87 billion, as compared to last year, Adobe says. That performance bolstered the forecast that Cyber Monday could become the largest online shopping day in history, generating $6.6 billion in sales, 16.5 percent more than in 2016.
ShopperTrak, meanwhile found that customer visits slipped less than 1 percent on Black Friday, and dropped a combined 1.6 percent over both Thanksgiving and Black Friday. In-store traffic declined 4.5 percent on Black Friday, according to RetailNext which analyzes in-store performance.
To read the full original article, please click here.


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Complete Construction Service is putting the finishing touches on Onelife Fitness, which is days away from opening to the public.
The downtown Kansas City fitness center at 1261 Main St. will open as early as Sunday if it passes Friday’s final inspection. The center is above Cosentino’s Downtown Market.
The 35,000-square-foot space has been transformed from a vacant concrete shell to a colorful space lined with state-of-the-art fitness equipment. Most of the cardio equipment features WiFi-enabled touch screens, where patrons can surf the Internet or watch Netflix or cable TV.
Another bonus for members is the “cardio cinema” room, where the latest popular movies will be shown. Front and center is a 228-inch movie screen complete with a theater-quality surround-sound system. In the future, Onelife Fitness plans to connect the room to cable TV, so those working out can watch local sports teams on game day, such as the Kansas City Chiefs.
Throughout the fitness studio are 11 60-inch TVs, plus one in each locker room. In addition to a variety of fitness equipment, Onelife also has three group fitness rooms for classes, such as strength training, cycling and Zumba; a small court for pickup basketball; and a 120-foot-long artificial turf training area.
Throughout the year, Onelife Fitness will host classes such as yoga on the green space rooftop, and it already has hosted three classes. One class had 144 attendees. Members can submit class ideas, and the fitness center is willing to try “goofy” things, such as a polar bear boot camp when it snows, said Bryan Bullock, general manager of the Kansas City location.
Onelife Fitness operates nine fitness centers in Virginia, and the Kansas City location will be the first to feature all LED lighting worth $120,000, Bullock said. Onelife Fitness aims to be eco-friendly, he said, which is why it emails receipts instead of using paper, doesn’t use paper towels and forgoes plastic and paper cups for its filtered water dispenser. Its ceiling fans are also low voltage and high velocity. In the fitness rooms, bamboo flooring is used because bamboo grows faster than other trees, he said.
“We’re just trying to be cognizant of our impact,” he said. “If we’re trying to promote good health and healthy living, it seems like a natural transition that we should also be promoting eco-friendly lifestyles.”
Onelife Fitness has hired 45 employees – including about 20 fitness instructors and seven personal trainers – and plans to hire more in the future as the fitness center grows, Bullock said. The fitness center will be open 24/7 and will close on only Christmas. The front desk will be manned 24/7, and every employee is certified in CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator).
Written by: Leslie Collins – Kansas City Business Journal
Link to original article: http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2014/09/25/photo-tour-onelife-fitness-gears-up-for-grand.html


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My anti-trend body is really not enjoying praising the Koreans but they are really on a roll these days.
After Hyundai-Kia took the European market away from Toyota we find that the rest of their customers aren’t very far away from it.
A recent Brand Keys survey among the car buying people of the Korean brand reveals that they are really happy.
There’s no problem with how people are happy but if their happiness is related to how their new cars from Hyundai are partly responsible for it that might make a difference.
Brand Keys President Robert Passikoff got the results of their latest survey and it seems that Hyundai really managed to not only meet customer expectations but also exceed them.
So that’s what got them the winning spot and it seems that the latest versions of the Hyundai Sonata and the Elantra are partly responsible for it.
Hyundai’s results overtook Ford, Honda, Nissan, BMW and Mercedes-Benz each of who got themselves in a couple of equal results.
If you’re wondering why a survey like this is important it’s because Hyundai is a company that’s really taken over large parts of the market.
In doing so, it’s really important for the Koreans to keep their current customer base happy as well as the new ones.


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In the past few months we’ve been hearing a lot about how bitcoin’s underlying technology is going to revolutionize not only our monetary system, but also notary services, DNS, authentication, intellectual property ownership and data storage. While most of the amazing products and services that were supposed to emerge on top of the bitcoin protocol […]
On Thursday, the Guardian reported that the developers of Whisper, an social media platform that allows individuals to post anonymous messages that can be seen by others based on a number of factors, isn’t all that anonymous after all. Whisper, which is advertised as “the safest place on the Internet,” tracks geolocation data of posters, […]
Host Steven Johnson and his homie Galileo relax in Pisa. Jack Chapman Welcome to the fuzzy, friendly era of modern mainstream science. Radiolab, Mythbusters, and varied radio and TV shows hosted by Neil DeGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye have injected humor, bombast, and likeability into the medium’s weirdest stories (not to mention a zillion science-friendly […]
Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am revealed his new wearable device and company to the world in a Dreamforce keynote today. He’s been talking about this device for a while now, referring to it as more of a fashion technology than a watch. And he’s right. The device, called the PULS, is much more than a […]
Many know will.i.am as a musician and frontman for the Black Eyed Peas, but he’s more than embedded himself in technology in the last several years. He’s invested in several startups, appeared at the FIRST robotics competition, Intel made him the Director of Creative Innovation, and he just revealed his new wearable technology company i.am+ […]
London Zoo is live streaming its meerkats, otters and Galapagos tortoises as a test of a new wireless technology known as white space.
My wife loves technology. Hell, she spotted the job posting that landed me my first tech writing gig. She also loves sharing snapshots with friends. So when I told her that the Sony RX100 III could sling amazing selfies to Instagram with a tap of her phone, she was understandably stoked. When we packed our […]
Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Note 4 at an event in New Delhi on October 14, with reports now suggesting the device will go on sale in the country as early as October 17. If true, Samsung’s flagship phablet will go on sale on the same day as the much awaited Apple iPhone […]
The worlds of art and technology are colliding in a new exhibition that uses MRI scans and CT imaging to create art out of the human body.


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China opens service sector, foreign enterprises can sell online
China has actively promoted the opening up of the service sector to the outside world since China joined the WTO. China has opened more than 100 service industries out of the 160 service industries in accordance with the classification of the WTO, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
This figure is on par with developed countries and far higher than the average level of developing countries. China’s pace of further opening up has never stopped and China has further expanded the opening up of the tourism industry and retail industry in August, according to the ministry.
Pilot programs were launched to allow Chinese-foreign joint venture travel agencies to operate overseas tours. Foreign-invested travel agencies are not allowed to engage in outbound tourism services for Chinese citizens. This is a national treatment limitation listed in the table of specific commitments when China joined the WTO.
Currently, the National Tourism Administration and the Ministry of Commerce jointly issued the “Interim Monitoring Measures of Pilot Chinese-foreign Joint Venture Travel Agencies to Operate Outbound Tourism” to allow Chinese-foreign joint venture travel agencies to operate outbound tourism businesses. This is a service trade measure that China opened up on its own initiative.
The total number of foreign-invested ventures in the tourism industry of China reached 665 by August 2010, involving nearly 1.5 billion U.S. dollars of actual foreign investments. This will help these enterprises to further expand their business.
Foreign-invested manufacturing enterprises and commercial enterprises are able to engage in online sales. A notice on relevant issues of the approval and management of Chinese-foreign joint ventures to sell through the Internet and vending machines recently released by the Ministry of Commerce said that foreign-invested manufacturing enterprises and commercial enterprises are allowed to directly engage in online sales.
The notice identified the approval matters of foreign-invested enterprises that want to engage in online sale. It also provided convenience for foreign-invested retail enterprises to launch online sales business and standardized the online sales business.
Yao Jian, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce, said that as China continues to expand the opening up of the service sector and optimize the industrial structure of foreign investments, China has focused on attracting foreign investment into the service industry.
A total of nearly 8,500 foreign-invested enterprises were established in China’s service industry from January to August 2010, an increase of more than 22 percent compared with the previous year, involving a total of more than 29.7 billion U.S. dollars of actual foreign investments, an increase of nearly 37 percent compared with the previous year and accounting for nearly 51 percent and more than 45 percent of the national total, respectively.


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Heavy-duty truck dealers and trade association executives from across the county traveled to the nation's Washington DC to gain congressional support for H R 2946, a new bill that would repeal the federal excise tax (FET) on the retail sale of most heavy-duty trucks, tractors and trailers. The American Truck Dealers’ two-day legislative briefing and fly-in included 92 meetings with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
"The 12% federal excise tax on heavy-duty trucks is the highest percentage rate of any federal excise tax that Congress levies, and it adds $12,000 to $22,000 to the price of a new heavy-duty truck," said ATD Chairman Steve Parker. "The FET depresses new heavy-duty truck sales and delays the deployment of cleaner, safer and more fuel-efficient trucks."
HR 2946, "Heavy Truck, Tractor and Trailer Retail Federal Excise Tax Repeal Act of 2017," was introduced by US Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) on June 20.
"The excessive 12% federal excise tax on heavy trucks adds tens of thousands of dollars to truck purchases and directly impacts the cost of food, consumer goods, and other products Americans need,” Rep LaMalfa said. “Even worse, truck owners large and small pay this tax whether a truck is driven 100,000 miles or never driven at all, forcing them to pay taxes on an investment that may not be generating any revenue.
"Repealing the truck tax will help small businesses invest in new equipment while jump-starting domestic manufacturing, and Congress should address this issue as we consider how to reform our outdated tax code."
Parker added: "Congress should include H R 2946 in the upcoming tax reform bill. A repeal of the FET will spur new-truck sales and get our economy moving. We commend Congressman LaMalfa for his leadership on this important issue."
The measure now heads to the House Ways and Means Committee. Other ATD legislative priorities this year include comprehensive tax reform and issues such as estate tax repeal and preserving the Like-Kind Exchange tax provision.


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I have been helping to coordinate a competition to select 12 legal technology startups to participate in the first-ever Startup Alley at the American Bar Association’s TECHSHOW conference in March.
For the first time ever, TECHSHOW is reserving a portion of its exhibition hall to showcase 12 innovative legal startups. In addition, on TECHSHOW’s opening night, the 12 startups will face off in a bracketed pitch competition (think March Madness) judged by TECHSHOW attendees to pick the most innovative startup.
The competition started in October, when we invited startups to apply for one of the 12 slots. From all the applications we received, a panel of three judges (of which I was one) chose the 20 best. We then posted those 20 and invited readers to vote for their favorite. Voting concluded Dec. 2.
This morning I announced the winners in my column at Above the Law. To read the results, see: This Week In Legal Tech: The Winners Of The TECHSHOW Startup Alley Competition.


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The actress, who won an Oscar for her short film about a deaf child, says progress has been slow.
The miniature, which shows the writer aged 31, is being exhibited at the Charles Dickens Museum in London.
The couple got hitched in Santa Barbara, California.
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High FICO score be damned: Your credit is no longer any good at California medical marijuana dispensaries, whose accounts with credit card processors have been canceled, thanks to pressure from the federal government.
Merchant services providers -- the intermediaries between retailers and credit card companies who process customers' payments -- began informing their medical marijuana dealing clients that cannabis credit card transactions would not be processed after July 1, according to Stephen DeAngelo, Executive Director of Oakland's Harborside Health Center.
No government agency is taking credit for making marijuana a cash-only business. But the "factual pattern" is as follows, DeAngelo said: Officials from the Treasury Department flexed on credit card companies, who then informed merchant services providers that they'd be "dropped from Visa and MasterCard forever" unless they stopped processing medical marijuana payments.
This is a safety concern for medical marijuana seekers, who must now
tote around wads of bills in order to purchase their preferred medicine.
It's also part of a larger federal "multi-agency campaign" to
marginalize medical marijuana, said DeAngelo, whose dispensary is also fighting the IRS over business taxes.
Harborside first announced the cash-only move with a tweet and online posting last week. Other dispensaries, including Haight Street's Vapor Room, also announced via the web that they'd gone cash-only.
DeAngelo declined to reveal the name of his dispensary's merchant services provider, but the dispensary did as of Thursday still take debit cards.
Harborside, the nation's largest dispensary, is also fighting the IRS over business tax deductions. The IRS claims that Harborside and other dispensaries owe back taxes because costs made for employee, healthcare, and other deductions are invalid under a section of tax code, 280E, intended to punish cocaine traffickers.
Some unscrupulous merchant services providers have already contacted Harborside, offering to process credit cards in return for a 5, 7, or 10 percent processing fee, but "we don't want any part of that," DeAngelo said.
In San Francisco, some dispensaries have always been cash-only. Some, like HopeNet on Ninth Street, continue to accept debit. At least one rented an ATM machine and set it up at the counter. "It [the machine] is really ugly," said one employee, not authorized to speak with the media. "It's like we're in a cheap convenience store."
It appears a few other dispensaries are working around the feds, using devices like the iPad-equippable Square to process card transactions. It's possible those Square accounts are connected to "sharks" that are either using a different business name or category to hide the marijuana sales from the feds, or using an off-shore bank, DeAngelo surmised.
Being unable to use a credit card to pay for medical cannabis hurts low-income patients, according to Americans for Safe Access: someone on a fixed income wishing to buy, say, an ounce for the month at $270 must now spend $320 in $40 eighths.
Not to mention the crime aspect -- a medical marijuana customer is now a guaranteed cash-carrying target for petty criminals.
Not to mention that getting away from the cash-only lifestyle, having a bank account and paying taxes was what going legal was supposed to be all about, DeAngelo said.
Shutting off cannabis buyers' credit is "a crazy policy," he said. "And it only helps criminals."
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