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Transit app Zipster to launch monthly subscription plans for public transport, ride-hailing in 2020
SINGAPORE: Within the next six months, commuters here will have access to virtually unlimited rides on buses and trains, as well as discounted rides on ride-hailing services and shared-bikes with a flat monthly fee.
By early next year, all-in-one transit app Zipster - officially launched on Monday (Sep 16) by local start-up MobilityX - aims to offer commuters between three and five different subscription plans depending on their transport needs.
While the prices of these subscriptions have yet to be confirmed, they are likely to cost from S$50 to about S$100, and allow users to save up to 20 per cent on transport every month, mobilityX CEO Colin Lim told reporters on Monday.
This is in line with Zipster’s mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) model - referring to apps which allow commuters to plan their journeys and pay for different transport modes through a single platform.
The subscription plans are likely to allow for some level of customisation based on a user's specific needs, said Mr Lim.
"If you live next to an MRT station, versus say someone living in a private estate, obviously your requirements are very different," he noted.
mobilityX - which is backed by transport operator SMRT as well as Toyota Tsusho, the general trading arm of carmaker Toyota - has also partnered MasterCard and fintech start-up MatchMove to facilitate digital payments, with a Zipster MasterCard expected to be launched in the fourth quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, a tie-up between mobilityX and the Nanyang Technological University will allow environmentally-conscious commuters to calculate the carbon footprint of their transport choices through the Zipster app.
mobilityX is currently partnered with eight different companies - including ride-hailing firms Grab and Gojek, electric car-sharing service BlueSG and bike-sharing firm Anywheel - to offer their services through its app, which has about 16,000 users following a beta-launch in April this year.
These are at "different stages of integration" with the platform, Mr Lim said.
For example, while it is possible to book a private-hire car ride through Zipster, users will still be directed to the Grab or Gojek apps.
A "BAO KA LIAO" MOBILITY APP
Speaking at Zipster's launch at The Star Vista, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry Chee Hong Tat said it was the first "bao ka liao" mobility app, using a Hokkien phrase that means "all-in-one".
"When our agencies first encounter such new ideas, the initial thought was that these might run contrary to our current rules and regulations," said Mr Chee.
"Fortunately, our regulators are open to new ideas and they are prepared to change their assumptions and positions based on feedback."
mobilityX got the green light to trial subscription-based pricing after working closely with a few government agencies, he said.
He added that Enterprise Singapore is working with the start-up to bring Zipster to other countries in the region.
While Grab has also entered the MaaS sector - the Singapore-based firm now offers a transit journey planner in addition to ride-hailing and e-scooter sharing services on its app - Mr Lim believes Zipster's advantage is that it offers an open ecosystem that allows users to choose from rides across a variety of services.
He stresses that there are no plans to turn Zipster into a "super-app", similar to Grab or Gojek, which offer a variety of services ranging from food delivery to courier services in addition to transport.
"At this point in time, we have no desire to be a super-app. We’re just a 30-person start-up, who want to do a very good transport experience."


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The rise of e-commerce helped create a driver shortage that is transforming the logistics and transportation industry, but there are tools that can make sure that, when you’re filling job openings, you’re in the driver’s seat.
The rapid growth of e-commerce during the pandemic didn’t just change how Canadians shop. It’s reshaped the trucking and freight industry too, ushering in changes in delivery times, fleet composition, and the demand for short-haul drivers.
How e-commerce fueled a driver shortage
Think back to spring 2020 when the world shut down and everything changed. Seemingly overnight, every aspect of modern life – work meetings, family gatherings, shopping, takeout, even grocery runs – moved online. Government restrictions and consumer anxiety combined to force a paradigm shift in how people shopped, and Canada’s e-commerce industry grew an eye-popping 75%.
As the pandemic stretched on and on, the way consumers shopped fundamentally changed. People started buying everything online and faster delivery became the expectation as retailers rushed to offer the same-day or next-day shipping provided by giants like Amazon and Walmart. New industries rushed to enter the world of e-commerce and consumers became comfortable ordering everything from groceries to cars online. Now nearly three years in, there’s no sign consumers are shifting back to their old shopping habits. E-commerce is here to stay.
However, what’s good for e-commerce retailers caused logistical challenges that the transportation and logistics industry is still grappling with. Just as the sudden increase in online ordering forced a dramatic increase in the need for delivery trucks and drivers, supply chain issues led to nationwide vehicle shortages and the trucking industry was faced with thousands of job vacancies in a time of record low unemployment.
The rise of the “last mile”
The shift to online shopping, with orders delivered by truck directly to buyers’ doors, underlines the short-haul transportation industry’s importance in the last few years.
To cope with the logistics of last-mile deliveries and deliver the fast, efficient shipping that consumers demand, the trucking industry has had to rewrite its playbook, changing its fleet composition – and the composition of its workforce to add more short-haul drivers – to deliver effective service. The result? The number of truck drivers in Canada increased from 300,000 in 2020 to 324,200 in 2021.
How to hire drivers who are in it for the long haul
With more than 50,000 trucking jobs projected to go unfilled through 2023, how can you attract and hire the drivers you need to keep your trucks on the road?
You already know that in today’s candidate-driven talent market, the recruitment tactics that used to work no longer move the needle. Gone are the days when you could simply post a listing on a job board and watch the applications pile up. Today, if you want to attract and engage talent, you need a talent recruitment program that inspires job seekers to choose your company over other employers.
That starts with creating a brand story that showcases your company’s leadership, values, and culture and helps candidates answer the questions:
- Why should I want to work for this company?
- What’s in it for me?
- What can this company offer me that others won’t?
- Why should I apply for this job?
A successful employer brand has to meet job seekers where they are. Indeed recently commissioned a global market research in five countries to understand what workers were looking for and they are looking not only at pay but the complete compensation package, including benefits, as well as flexibility and freedom. These are all aspects employers must consider when branding their organization to potential employees, especially in an industry struggling to recruit such as transportation. To help you create a brand story that lets you control the dialogue about your company as an employer, leverage tools like the Indeed+Glassdoor Employer Branding Hub to better engage and attract drivers and other transportation professionals, and retain them in the long term.

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Uludağ Economy Summit, one of the most important business and economic events of Turkey and the Eurasia Region, organized by Capital, Economist and StartUp magazines since 2012, takes place as a hybrid (physical and online).
Uludağ Economy Summit, whose main theme is “Sustainability and the Future”, started with the opening speeches of Sedef Seçkin Büyük, Publication Director of Capital, Economist, Start Up Magazines, and Engin Aksoy, CEO of Vodafone Turkey.
Sedef Seçkin Büyük, Editorial Director of Capital, Economist, Start Up Magazines, in her speech, said that the scope of the summit includes the "sustainability" practices and goals of the leading companies of the public and business world, more women's participation in the workforce, which are indispensable for accelerating economic development, and the development of gender equality. He stated that it was formed in a way to cover development areas and critical problems waiting to be solved. “We believe that our summit will shed light on 2022 and beyond as a strong idea platform where predictions and messages regarding the new order, recovery and ascension process in the post-pandemic world will be shared.” Büyük said that he hoped that the summit, where the economic management and prominent leaders of the business world will share their future visions, will provide clues and inspire all senior managers and viewers who make medium and long-term plans and devise a strategy.
We realized the importance of sustainability early on
Vodafone Turkey CEO Engin Aksoy said: “We have been feeling the effects of climate change both in our country and in the world in recent years. On the one hand, we see an increase in natural disasters caused by climate change, and on the other hand, we see that nature is being destroyed by human hands. It is of great importance that we all say stop to this trend and act quickly for the future of our planet. In this period, companies especially need to rethink their responsibilities towards society and our planet. As Vodafone, we are among the first companies to understand the importance of sustainability early and take action in this direction without delay. We work with the aim of finding solutions to global and local problems by using the power of digitalization. We continue to reduce our carbon footprint thanks to increased energy efficiency, renewable energy supply, reduction of our grid waste and new environmental criteria for supplier selection. We became the first and only operator in Turkey to purchase 100% of the electricity consumed in the grid and offices from renewable sources. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions originating from our own operations in terms of the sector we serve, we also contribute to reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint by managing our customers' business processes more efficiently with the IoT solutions we have developed. We expand our sphere of influence in society by implementing smart solutions in different fields such as finance, urbanization, art, sports, health, agriculture and energy. We need strong and urgent social will and consensus on sustainability. We call on all companies to take action right now for a better future and jointly move both our country and our world to a better tomorrow.”
Trade Minister Mehmet Muş: “We are among the countries that increased exports the most”
Minister of Commerce Mehmet Muş, who attended the summit via video after the opening speeches, talked about the breakthroughs Turkey has made in the economic, commercial and legal fields in the last 20 years and said that it is necessary to work hard to realize Turkey's potential in the change in the world economy. Stating that after the pandemic, whose global economic effects have been felt since 2019, the new opportunities waiting for the economy and business world should be analyzed well, Muş said that a strong recovery was seen in the first two quarters of 2021 thanks to the expansionary fiscal policies in the world, and that this recovery will continue, albeit at a slower pace, in 2022. he said it could be said. Stating that there has been a deterioration in the supply and demand balance due to the rapid recovery in global demand and the increase in basic commodity prices and logistics costs, Muş stated that the global economy is going through a difficult process.
Muş stated that the Turkish economy also showed a recovery in the first two quarters of 2021 and that Turkey's exports exceeded the estimates, and stated that they anticipate exporting more than $2021 billion by the end of 211. Stating that they want to maximize the contribution of net exports to growth, Muş said, "Our country has become the country that increased its exports the most, after South Africa and India, among the G20 countries."
A prosperous Turkey comes with sustainability
Drawing attention to climate change, Muş said, “The climate crisis cannot be postponed, neglected or ignored. We cannot punish ourselves and our future by spectating the end of sustainability.” he said. Stating that every success in climate capital will also affect the trade of countries, Muş said, "We should better focus on sustainability in order to make the records we broke in our country's exports of goods and services permanent and to create a prosperous Turkey." Stating that the lifestyle and consumption habits of the world's richest countries also affect climate change, Muş reminded that the Paris Climate Agreement was approved in Turkey and that he developed a green transformation action plan, and expressed his belief that the burden of the climate crisis should be shared among all countries.


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Lew blames 'inept' Labor for woes
Normally Australia's leading businessmen and captains of industry are a diplomatic lot. They rarely criticise the government, not in public anyway, and shy away from being dragged into the feisty orbit of Canberra.
Not so billionaire and retail mogul Solomon Lew, chairman of fashion business Premier Investments and a former Reserve Bank board member, who on Tuesday launched a stinging spray at the legacy of the outgoing Labor government.
Mr Lew said both the Gillard and Rudd governments were "inept" in their handling of the mining boom and "bumbled" their way through the good times to the great detriment of the nation's $100-billion-plus retail sector.
"The legacy of the former government in its inept handling of the mining boom at the expense of the non-resource sectors continues to impact on retail, given the employment numbers last week, the continued strength of the Australian dollar and the fragility of consumer confidence," Mr Lew said.
Last week it was revealed that Australia's unemployment rate had climbed to a post-global financial crisis high of 5.8 per cent, surprising some economists.
Mr Lew, one of the richest men in Australia through his investments in retail businesses such as Just Jeans, Portmans, Dotti, Smiggle, Breville and Country Road, said Labor's bickering and day-to-day political manoeuvring left the retail sector hanging.
"If you ask me I'd say to you the former government's complete disregard for the non-resource sector of the economy while it sort of bumbled its way though the mining boom is a major contributor to the poor state of the retail sector.
"Even good retailers found it very, very hard, and it almost feels that what the new government needs to concentrate on is [being] medical people - apply what you would call CPR.
"C stands for confidence, P for productivity and R stands being responsible," Mr Lew said.
His strong views were backed up by Premier chief executive and former David Jones boss Mark McInnes, who squarely blamed Labor for 80,000 job losses and for non-investing in the retail sector.
He and Mr Lew again called on the Abbott government to eliminate the $1000 GST-free threshold on online goods bought from overseas. "We are the only Western country that allows that," Mr McInnes said.
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SHOPPERS will no longer be able to buy free-range eggs from today when they pop to the shops.
Eggs will no longer be labelled as free range - they'll carry a sticker saying they are "barn eggs".
That's the sticker given to eggs that have been produced by hens permanently housed indoors.
We explain why free-range eggs will be unavailable.
Why will free-range eggs be unavailable?
The reason why free-range eggs will no longer be on the shelves is because hens have been kept indoors for months.
That's because chickens have been under lockdown since December to prevent a spike in bird flu from escalating further.
This is a type of flu that spreads among birds by close contact with an infected bird, either dead or alive.
Chief vets warned there was a "phenomenal level" of bird flu in the country, with tens of thousands of farmed birds culled at the time.
The length of time hens of been kept inside means eggs sold in shops can no longer be labelled as free-range.
A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told The Guardian: "The 16-week grace period we allowed for free-range eggs has now been exceeded, and eggs must now be marketed as ‘barn eggs’.
Most read in Money
"We have worked closely with the sector and retailers to implement these changes as smoothly as possible."
When will they be unavailable?
You won't be able to buy free range eggs from today (Monday, March 21).
The British Retail Consortium has told shops that signs should be put in place to tell shoppers about the changes and why they're happening.
It added: “When the current measures are lifted, eggs will go back to being free-range”.
It's not known exactly when hens will be allowed to go outside again while bird flu continues to put farm birds at risk.
We explain if humans can catch bird flu.
We also spoke to the first person to catch the deadly bird flu.
Here are the symptoms of catching bird flu.
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NARCISO RODRIGUEZ: BRINGING N.Y. SMARTS TO LVMH'S LOEWE
Byline: Sara Raper, Paris / Lisa Lockwood, New York
PARIS--"I've been a Latin living in New York, but I can bring that energy [to Madrid], that edge that the New York streets have," said Narciso Rodriguez, talking about his new position as women's ready-to-wear designer at Loewe, the Madrid-based leather house. Rodriguez is the latest in a series of hot names joining Bernard Arnault's growing stable of designers. Loewe is a unit of Arnault's LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Loewe president Gerald Maz-zalovo confirmed a Rodriguez report that appeared in these columns Friday. Rodriguez's appointment--paralleling that of Marc Jacobs at Vuitton--is perceived as an attempt by LVMH to expand Loewe's position in women's wear and to compete aggressively with Hermes and Gucci. Rodriguez's first runway presentation for Loewe will be at LVMH headquarters here next March for the fall/winter 1998 season. Discussing Rodriguez's appointment, Mazzalovo, in a telephone interview from Madrid, said, "I think he's a natural. Loewe is a Spanish brand expressing Spanish culture, but it needs a more resolutely modern, contemporary look." Known for his impeccable tailoring, Rodriguez, 36, received international attention last fall when he designed the wedding dress for Carolyn Bessette Kennedy--a bias-cut pearl silk crepe slipdress with subtle draping in the front and back. He had been design director of Nino Cerruti until last March, when his two-year contract expired. He had spent two seasons as a design consultant at Tse, the luxury sportswear company, and earlier was a design assistant at Calvin Klein Inc. "I'm so excited," said Rodriguez, who was reached Friday in Loewe's atelier in Madrid. He said he'd been talking to Arnault, LVMH chairman, since his departure from Cerruti in March. Rodriguez said he'd been contacted by "quite a few people" after he left Cerruti, but noted, "I was very serious about coming here, and this was always my first choice." "The whole idea of working for an Hispanic company is a natural for me," said Rodriguez, who is a Cuban-American. "The image they have is one of quality and luxury. Everything I've been feeling for the past eight to 10 months is of my Latin side really emerging. "My goal here is to really make this a more international house and introduce a larger portion of ready-to-wear. They're mainly known for their leathers and accessories, and are very strong in Spain and Asia. We'd like to open more doors in Europe and the U.S." Both Mazzalovo and Rodriguez said much of the collection will be focused on leather, in keeping with the tradition of the house, which was founded in 1846 and is the official supplier of leather goods to the Spanish court. Mazzalovo said Loewe decided to show its collection here because Paris was "coming back as the center of fashion." Loewe is interested in competing globally with Gucci and Hermes, and Madrid is too far from center stage. He also noted the city was a natural for Loewe because of Loewe's affiliation with Paris-based LVMH. Rodriguez said he planned to divide his time between Madrid and New York with stopovers in Paris. "Someone at dinner last night asked if I had taken an apartment here, and I thought to myself, 'Maybe I should buy a plane first,"' he joked. But he added he probably would look for an apartment. "I'm not a hotel designer. "I've visited here a few times and I'm really excited to be here. There's no language barrier for me," Rodriguez continued. "It's such a beautiful and romantic city. It seems like a little bit of a windfall." In February 1996, LVMH, which already had a minority stake in Loewe, bought out the Spanish company. A statement from the house said Rodriguez would work exclusively for Loewe, but he would be permitted to continue designing under his own label. Asked whether LVMH had offered to back a line under Rodriguez's name--as it had with Christian Dior designer John Galliano--the designer said, "Today I am focused on Loewe." Both Mazzalovo and Rodriguez declined to disclose the designer's salary. Rodriguez showed his first fur collection under his own name for Goldin-Feldman in New York last Monday, and he will continue with it. Mazzalovo said Loewe has had rtw, which was designed by a team, for more than 20 years. Last year, rtw sales were $20 million, 10 percent of Loewe's worldwide consolidated sales of $200 million. Spain and Japan are Loewe's strongest markets. It has 20 boutiques in Spain and 60 in Europe, Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. It also has 10 wholesale accounts in Europe. While Loewe is not sold now in the U.S., executives said the company plans to expand to North and South America. Rodriguez said he had already visited the rtw factory in Madrid and had gone foraging in the house archives. "I've taken a look at all the logos since 1846--they're superb," said Rodriguez. He said he will bring members of his own team to Loewe. "They also have amazing people here. I visited factories and saw craftsmen and the quality is unbelievable," Rodriguez added. "My design is very clean, and the quality really shines when you take away the gimmicks. "Loewe has a strong reputation and image already, and a strong clientele. I want to bring a more useful, sexier look to the collection, and keep all the refinement, elegance and quality that this collection stands for," said Rodriguez. Asked how he feels about being in such company as John Galliano for Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen for Givenchy and Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton, Rodriguez said, "I'm totally excited. John and Marc have become friends. Marc and I were in school around the same time, and our friendship has become stronger. John is a new acquaintance. To be included in that group of designers is really an honor for me. I really respect their work." Rodriguez said the fact that he had been raised speaking Spanish would help him fit in at Loewe. He also said he took to Madrid immediately. "It totally seduces you. Once you're here, it's like Paris, but more Mediterranean. It's bright and white and there are flowers. It's total seduction here."
@juicebeauty, where @gwynethpaltrow holds the title of creative director of makeup, has become one of the foremost labels in the organic beauty category –– with sales on track to hit $100 million this year. What’s behind the rapid growth the brand is experiencing right now? It all started in 2005 when the wellness movement was just getting started. Read more on WWD.com. #wwdbeauty
Stay up to do date with breaking news and trending stories with WWD’s “The Essentialist.” Our newsletter delivers the top news in fashion right to your inbox. Want more info? Link in bio. #wwdfashion (📷: @kukukuba)
"I want to tell a story that inspires people to feel good about themselves, but also I'm making a commentary about the lack of female stories and female directors and saying this should change," said @imheathergraham on her latest project "Half Magic." The comedy feature, which the actress wrote and directed, is based on her own struggles as a woman in show business. Read @andrewnodell's full interview with Graham on WWD.com. #wwdeye (📷: @jgreenery)
@meltcosmetics cofounders @lora_arellano and @danabomar built their brand on a single idea: a true matte lipstick. To set the brand apart, they said they always put their customers first –– including a personalized note in each package. #wwdsummits #wwdbeauty
@moncler unveiled its latest project, #MonclerGenius, yesterday at Milan Fashion Week. The Italian outwear maker gave show-goers a preview of the monthly collections – which were created by eight designers and creative talents including Pierpaolo Piccioli, Simone Rocha, Craig Green and more – that will start rolling out in the summer.


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Consumer demand and relocation to Southern states fuels 35% annual growth
Even as the company announced record sales for 2021, Pool Corporation President and CEO Peter Arvan cautioned that chemicals and computer chip-based equipment will remain areas of concern for the pool and spa industry.
“Chemicals will continue to be tight, and the products that contain computer chips, such as automation and some variable-speed pumps, will remain challenged,” Arvan said in his fourth quarter report to stockholders.
Arvan’s comments were included in his February 17 fourth quarter earnings teleconference, in which the Covington, Louisiana-based distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products reported robust fourth quarter and full year 2021 results.
“I am thrilled to announce that, for the first time in our company’s history, we surpassed annual sales of $5.0 billion, including $1.0 billion of sales in the fourth quarter,” Arvin said. “This tremendous accomplishment is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the POOLCORP team to serve our customers and help them grow their businesses.”
Arvin announced that Pool Corporation (stock ticker symbol “POOL”) had capped off an extraordinary year with record fourth quarter net sales of $1 billion as well as record annual net sales of $5.3 billion, compared to $3.9 million in 2020, an increase of 35 percent. Further, the company announced record adjusted earnings per share of $15.97, compared to $8.42 in 2020, up 78 percent.
Sales were driven by a strong customer demand for outdoor living products throughout the year, warmer weather trends across most of the U.S., a COVID-accelerated movement to the suburbs as well as overall southern migration, and the company benefited from inflation.
In terms of product sales performance, the company witnessed a solid demand for heaters, automation products, and variable-speed pumps leading this category’s growth. Also, strong growth in terms of maintenance, repair, and construction activities added to the upside.
The company stated that the year presented many obstacles, including consistently elevated consumer demand alongside historic supplychain disruptions. However, moving forward, Arvan said that supply chains are improving and that this year, their inventory is significantly better than it was last year.
In its fourth quarter investor letter, Carillon Tower Advisers, a global asset-management company, said the following about Pool Corporation: “Pool (Corporation) is the world’s largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool supplies, equipment, and related leisure products. The stock continues to be an impressive performer, as the company reported yet another quarterly update that exceeded investor expectations.
The current strong housing market and positive migration trends toward the Sunbelt have resulted in healthy underlying fundamentals for the pool industry.
Additionally, consumers have shown a clear desire to invest in their outdoor living and entertainment spaces, resulting in robust demand for the firm’s products.”
At press time, Zacks Rank, a stock picking tool that classifies stocks into five groups, ranging from “Strong Buy” to “Strong Sell” ranks POOL as Number 2 to – “Buy.”


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Ever since a black man named George Floyd died in the custody of a multiracial group of Minneapolis police officers, America has learned a lot about what is and isn’t racist. Just to name a few examples: The phrase “master bedroom” is now racist, because it has the word “master” in it. Refusing to yell “Black lives matter” on command is now racist, because Jimmy Kimmel wants to keep working in Hollywood. Hiring a white person to do the voice of a black cartoon character is racist, because… I dunno, it just is. Rather than trying to list all the things that are now racist, you should just assume that every single thing you do and say is racist until you’re instructed otherwise.
For example, have you bought any rice lately? Did it have a picture of a black man on the box? Well, guess what?
Mars Inc. has renamed its Uncle Ben’s rice products “Ben’s Original,” making it the latest food producer to ditch a brand steeped in racist imagery.
The Virginia-based company is also scrapping the portrait of a white-haired black man that has adorned its rice boxes for decades — an image that’s long been criticized as a racist stereotype…
The Uncle Ben’s brand was established in the 1940s and originally named for a “legendary” Texas rice farmer, according to an archived page on its website. The portrait long used on the box was that of Frank Brown, the maitre d’ of a Chicago restaurant who agreed to pose for the brand, the page says.
That’s right: A rice company used for its logo a portrait of a living, breathing individual human being, a person who actually existed on this planet in real life, and now that’s racist because George Floyd is dead.
Here’s the racist imagery, if you can even bring yourself to look at it:
Doesn’t really look like Al Jolson to me, but that must be my white privilege talking.
That’s from the company’s Twitter avatar, which you can see here as they grovel for forgiveness:
We listened. And we learned. Moving forward, Uncle Ben's will be known as Ben’s Original™. Read our full statement to find out more about our brand's new purpose to create opportunities that offer everyone a seat at the table: https://t.co/0tSE0lnMa1 pic.twitter.com/741JQU1qTI
— Uncle Ben's USA (@UncleBens) September 23, 2020
Over the last several weeks, we have listened to thousands of consumers, our own Associates and other stakeholders from around the world. We understand the inequities that were associated with the name and face of the Uncle Ben’s brand and as we announced in June, we have committed to change.
We will change our name to Ben’s Original™ as well as remove the image on our packaging to create more equitable iconography. This change signals our ambition to create a more inclusive future while maintaining our commitment to producing the world’s best rice.
If you know what “more equitable iconography” means, please let me know.
Look, I don’t even like rice, and I don’t spend much time worrying about what Uncle Ben’s — oh, sorry, Ben’s Original — puts on the box. But the idea that somehow the old packaging is evidence of “systemic racism” and “inequities” and other buzzwords is nonsense. They make rice, man. That’s it. They didn’t do anything to anybody. It’s rice. Okay, so there’s a picture of a black guy on the box. You eat the rice, you don’t eat the rice, whatever. How is it hurting you? The worst that can happen is you’ll get fat from all the carbs.
What happened to representation and diversity and all that stuff? What’s the point of demanding more black faces in movies and on TV, while erasing black faces from grocery stores and kitchens?
If you see a black person eating rice in real life, are you supposed to scold them for perpetuating racial stereotypes? I’m not being sarcastic, I honestly don’t know. What’s acceptable and what isn’t?
It just seems like a mistake for companies to bow to pressure campaigns like this. No matter what they do, it won’t be good enough.
I mean, it used to be racist to capitalize “Black,” and now it’s racist not to. Now I have to go through my cupboards for racist rice to throw out. How am I supposed to keep track of all this crap?


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The economic outlook in the US remains relatively optimistic with a rise in intent to spend spare funds on a car
Blis, a trusted leader in location-powered advertising and analytics, has today released the Blis consumer confidence pulse, an interactive tracker that captures a quick snapshot of consumer sentiment.
The tracker plots how consumers are feeling about their local economy, household finances and spending intent, and the survey is running in the US, UK, UAE, Singapore and Australia.
Based on three highly topical questions around finances, the Blis pulse is updated twice monthly to provide a rounded picture of how consumers are reacting to changes in their situation, both personally and on a national scale.
Head of Insights, Alex Wright, speaking on the tracker said, “We started this tracker in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak being declared a pandemic to give us a quick read on consumer sentiment. Armed with the knowledge of what consumers are telling us, we can then plot this against our retail foot traffic and consumer movement data to give a rounded view of progress through crisis, stability and recovery.”
Over the past six months, physical movement restrictions have ebbed and flowed in different cities across the country with daily activities requiring new safety measures. As a result, most consumers are behaving differently, with many working from home, avoiding crowded public spaces and communicating virtually.
For brands, this tracker provides an opportunity to contextualise other data sources to really understand the concerns of their audience.
At a macro level, the economic outlook is optimistic. Closer inspection, however, shows that the rise in net sentiment has come as a result of sentiment shifting from negative to neutral, as people remain uncertain in light of the fluctuating levels of the virus across the country.
This pattern is reflected in personal finances also, as people wait to find out the impact of the removal of the enhanced unemployment support packages. Despite this uncertainty, respondents in the US are almost as likely to spend spare funds on purchasing a car as saving for a rainy day.
“2020 has been nothing short of a rollercoaster year. Everyone has been impacted differently and now people are not only concerned about the health crisis, but also the global financial crisis.
Since March, we’ve seen brands pivot their operations, strategy and messaging multiple times to meet their consumers’ concerns about safety. Looking ahead, it’s essential for brands to pivot again and remain sensitive to their audience’s financial confidence. The Blis consumer confidence pulse allows brands a quick snapshot of the direction of sentiment,” said Gil Larsen, Managing Director, Americas.
The interactive trackers can be found here and will be updated twice monthly.
For associated images, click here.
Blis is the trusted leader in location-powered advertising and analytics, helping brands understand, reach and engage consumers globally to deliver measurable results. Because location data is the most accurate indicator of ‘real’ behaviour and intent at scale vs any other type of data, Blis uses this data to map real-world consumer behaviours based on where people are and where they’ve been, uncovering the truth about what people actually do.
Blis’ Smart Platform provides unmatched transparency, accuracy and scale. Its three tried and tested proprietary technologies – Smart Pin, Smart Scale and Smart Places – and its new Smart Households technology allow for more effective planning, activation and measurement for marketers and business decision-makers alike.
Established in the UK in 2004, Blis now operates in 42 offices across five continents. Working with the world’s largest and most customer-driven companies across all verticals including Unilever, Samsung, McDonald’s, HSBC, Mercedes Benz and Peugeot, as well as every major media agency, Blis reaches over a billion mobile devices a year.
To learn more, visit blis.com.


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The government is considering regulating Kombucha as an alcoholic beverage.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is trying to get a monopoly on nutritional advice. Read the full story here.
Keep your dinner safe from fracking fluid. Taken Action Now!
Did you know that most Big Pharma companies spend more on marketing than they do on research? Last Week Tonight reveals this and other shocking facts from the world of pharmaceutical marketing. Some language may be inappropriate for all audiences.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) recently announced that it was partnering with food manufacturers and ascribing the label “Kids Eat Right” to certain foods. The qualifications for obtaining this label- donating to AND.
David Lettuceman and the Late Night GMO Band examine the Top 5 GMO pickup lies. GMO Fact Check from Alliance For Natural Health on Vimeo.
Dr. Einsteinburger, scientific director of Biosantech (no relation to any real biotech companies located in the St. Louis area), elaborates on the latest innovations by the leader in biotech.


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Cheju Local Gov't Proposes $4 Million LotteryCheju Island authorities declared on June 5 preparations for the launch of the Millennium Tour Lottery, with the highest ever first prize of $4 million.
＂We sold tickets for the Super Tour Lottery in the first half of the year, with a first prize of $3 million, but failed to find a winner. We are promoting the $4 million lottery to prevent consumers losing interest,＂ said a source.
Cheju Island issued 20 million lottery tickets in the first half of the year, and made profits of around $9 million with sales of 15.6 million tickets.
However, whether the promotion will go ahead looks to be in doubt. The Premier＇s Office and the Ministry of Government Administration and Home Affairs is seeking a lower first prize of under $900,000, fearing that public involvement in gambling could be encouraged.
by Yang Sung-chol
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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Betterment Slashes Fees and Adds IRAs
By RON LIEBER
When I last wrote about Betterment, an online investment adviser that doesn’t mind if you don’t have a lot of money, I noted its promise but fretted over its relatively high prices, lack of international investments and lack of Individual Retirement Accounts.
Since then, it has added international funds to the menu of exchange-traded funds it puts its customers in. And on Wednesday, it added regular, Roth and rollover I.R.A.’s to the mix.
Customers will now pay 0.35 percent of their balance annually in fees if they have less than $10,000 invested with Betterment, 0.25 percent of the balance if it ranges from $10,001 to $100,000 and 0.15 percent for balances higher than that.
This includes all trading costs, though it doesn’t include underlying annual fees from the E.T.F. manager, which do tend to be low. Before Wednesday, customers paid Betterment 0.30 percent to 0.90 percent, with the average about 0.75 percent.
When prices fall that far, it usually means that the boss is trying to save the company. But Jon Stein, Betterment’s chief executive, said this was not a move born of desperation, though the company has just $23 million or so in assets under management thus far.
Still, after polling customers, the company found that about three quarters of them said that if the fees dropped, they would deposit significantly more money. “To be the no-brainer, the thing that anyone can recommend without reservation, you have to win on every point,” he said. “And one of those is price.”
Even at this price, there will plenty of do-it-yourselfers who scoff at those who hand over fund selection and rebalancing responsibilities to someone else. But everyone else out there may well be waiting for someone else take care of it and do it at the right price. Many of these potential Betterment customers likely know that they can’t be trusted on their own to sell winners, buy losers and not pull their money altogether when markets get shaky.
The new rates come with some new rules. If you have less than $10,000 at Betterment, it’s going to ask that you commit to automatically depositing $100 a month. Otherwise, you’ll pay a $3 monthly fee. At the high end, customers with more than $100,000 will get customized advice from Mr. Stein himself, who can add things like municipal bond funds to the mix that are not part of the standard portfolio.
For more on how Betterment works, you can view the demo on its site. Would any of you put your money with the company now that its fees have fallen so far?Read the Original Article
This article originally published February 22nd, 2012 on The New York Times


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iPhone 7 launch in-review: ‘Apple shows how it’s done’
The dust has settled on Apple-fest 2016, and people are already shelling out cash for the iPhone 7. With plenty of news to mull over, here are the views from the TrustedReviews office.
On Wednesday, Apple finally announced the iPhone 7, the Apple Watch Series 2, and a pair of wireless earbuds so hideous that they’ll be generating memes for months to come.
Apple vs Sony
There’s plenty to talk about, so let’s kick off on a high note with Mobile Editor Max Parker’s positive outlook on Apple’s 2016 keynote:
“Last week I was at IFA, sitting through snore-worthy press conferences from Asus, Huawei and more. The one thing all these had in common was their constant comparisons and digs at Apple. ‘Our laptop is 25% faster than the MacBook’ blah blah ‘Our phone is thinner than the iPhone’ blah blah. Shut up. It’s everywhere. It’s annoying, and it’s petty.
Apple’s press conferences are just generally better than anyone else’s. Yes, they’re filled with odd comments – normally attributed to the cringe-worthy Phil Schiller who needs some serious modernisation himself – but they get the point across very well. It made me believe I didn’t need that old-fashioned, pesky headphone jack.
Sony, who had a PS4 event at the same time, failed with this. It didn’t successfully explain why anyone would need the PS4 Pro, mumbling for far too long about obvious points without going into any sort of interesting technical detail. Wednesday night had two press conferences; Apple showed how it’s done, and Sony showed how not to do it.”
But while it’s all smiles and waves over in California, the outlook is less rosy across the pond, as Deputy News and Features Editor Sean Keach (hey, that’s me!) explains:
“On September 8, I woke up to a new world. The grass looked greener, the air felt cleaner, and the faint echo of Tim Cook’s gentle southern tones washed over me like a cool breeze. It was in that halcyon moment – that familiar post-keynote daze – that I realised I had been royally shafted. We all had. Britain had become the Anastasia Steele to Apple’s Christian Grey, in a twisted 50 Shades of Brexit.
Thanks to post-referendum fluctuations in the pound-to-dollar exchange rate, Brits are paying between 11% and 16% more than we should be for the new iPhones, which now start at £600 and rise to a lofty £920. While the US enjoys a lowly $20 bump to the price of Apple’s ‘Plus’ model over last year’s, we’ll be forking out a bonus £100. Even the basic iPhone 7 has been jacked up by £60 – but Americans won’t pay a penny extra.
‘One of the biggest reasons to upgrade’
If you can look past the wallet-fondling price however, as Computing Editor Michael Passingham has, then there’s plenty of joy to be found in Apple’s overhauled CPU architecture – so he says:
“Apple has done a fantastic job of making processors exciting, and the new A10 Fusion was actually very interesting to the more technical among us. Where previously we had basic dual-core chips, Apple is now using a design very similar to ARM’s big.LITTLE technique to produce a smart quad-core processor.
Low-priority tasks will get shoved off to the two low-power cores while important functions will be kept on the high-performance main cores. As a result, you have a chip that’s 40% more powerful than last year’s A9 and without compromising battery life – Apple has clearly learned from its mistakes with the previous two generations, where battery life was middling at best.
Apple likes to blow its own trumpet, but if the A10 Fusion lives up to Apple’s claims, it could be one of the biggest reasons to upgrade, especially if you’re on an iPhone 6 or older.”
Related: iPhone 7 vs Galaxy S7
Apple’s CEO Tim Cook at the September 2016 keynote
If high-efficiency cores didn’t get you all hot and bothered, then maybe Apple’s announcement that Pokémon Go is coming to the Apple Watch did.
Or maybe it made you really, really miserable, as is the case with honourable moaner-in-chief, our very own News and Features Editor James Laird:
“You can talk about the iPhone 7, new Apple Watch, and cringe opening reel with Tim Cook all you want – the real takeaway from the Apple event this week is that Pokémon Go is dead. That’s right, dead. And yes, I was wrong. I was obviously being far too optimistic when I recently said the ridiculous fad would last up to a year, because Apple’s belated attempt to jump on the Pokéwagon underlines the fact that no one other than a few token saddos –
Why? Look at yourself in the mirror. What was your reaction when Apple and Niantic announced that a Pokémon Go app was coming to the Apple Watch? Nothing. Because you don’t care, admit it.
Like me, you probably downloaded the game to see what all the fuss was about. Maybe, unlike me, you’re not a cynical sociopath and actually got some kind of enjoyment out of pretending to be five again. But the pleasure lasted about as long as your first orgasm, and when Apple and Nintendo tried to make out like it was still a thing, the truth finally dawned. You got up to grab another beer, maybe took out the rubbish. What you didn’t do is think: “Hurrah, now I can see how many calories I burn trying to find that Snorlax!” Because neither you, me, or any one else with a vague semblance of sanity care any more.
That’s what I learnt from this year’s iPhone launch: that it’s time to send Pokémon Go the way of Flappy Bird and delete it from Home screen.”
It’s a-me, Mario!
As we pack James off to anger management counselling, Games Editor Brett Phipps is here to offer an upbeat view on Nintendo’s new Mario game for the iPhone:
“The fear of Nintendo joining the world of mobile games was seeing classic titles shoehorned onto touch screens. The company has been very shrewd with making its first title a combination of the most recognisable character in gaming history and one of the most popular and familiar mobile gaming genres – the infinite runner.
While I often fall away from the likes of Temple Run and Flappy Bird, the simple fact this is a Mario game, made by Nintendo, is enough to keep me very interested.”
Look past the pods
And last, but certainly not least, is Wearables Editor Richard Easton, who believes that despite the blunder-tactic AirPods, Apple’s keynote could be the best thing that’s every happened to your body:
“Aside from the hilarity of the AirPods, it felt like Apple finally knows what it wants to do with its Apple Watch. Apple has taken the fitness aspect and decided to really run with it. Just look at the Apple Watch Series 2 marketing on its website to see how important it is now, which is great. I’m actually really impressed that they’ve managed to pack in GPS and really bumped up the waterproofing to such an extent.
The fact that Apple has made such a big push also shows that the fitness aspect of wearables and smartwatches is a big deal to Joe consumer, too. Huzzah.”
That’s all from us, but let us know your views in the comments section below!
Watch the full keynote here:
Related: iPhone 8
Watch: iPhone 7 vs iPhone 7 Plus
What’s your take on the Apple keynote? Let us know in the comments.


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WOWBii Interactive, pioneer manufacturer (OEM) of Interactive flat panel displays in Africa, has announced plans to showcase its education focused solutions, ‘EdTech’ at the forthcoming Computer Village Expo 2019 (#CVE2019).
It will also be showing the Wowbudd, its classic interactive touchscreen, alongside other solutions that are helping it to transform the way Africa works and learns.
The CVE is an annual flagship integrated events platform connecting over 10, 000 technology SMEs from Nigeria’s largest technology market, Ikeja Computer Village, and consumer technology buyers across Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
Speaking on WOWBi’s participation, Executive Director of CVE2019, Mr. Foluso Busari, stated that it was a major highlight of the show.
She said: “We are excited to have WOWBii Interactive among a growing number of organisations that will showcase solutions across Smart Lifestyles, Mobile Money & Financial Inclusion, Gaming, Mobile Apps, Mobile Lifestyles, Nigeria Internet Domain Name & Hosting as well e-Commerce, among others.
“As a proudly-African brand focused on providing simple yet durable products, WOWBii aims to be the preferred interactive solutions provider on the continent. We are pleased to partner WOWBii to showcase EdTech solutions that can transform classrooms and enhance the learning experience across the continent”.
The expo would also feature extensive panel sessions to be taken by notable and industry experts including the Chief Executive Officer of Wowbii Interactive, Mrs.Terae Onyeje, who would be discussing the theme ‘Unlocking Possibilities’.
According to Onyeje, “the story of a successful Nigeria education reform cannot be told without Ikeja Computer Village technology. It is imperative we forge strong sustainable alliances with the key drivers of technology change as they support the showcase with EdTech”.
With its theme as ‘A New Partnership Agenda for Growth’, CVE will bring together SME CEOs, founders, directors, technology and solutions providers, policy makers and leaders of institutions to discuss most pressing issues and forge new partnerships agenda that will drive innovation, job creation and overall economic growth.
The CVE was conceived following a strategic partnership between the Ikeja Computer Village Market Management and Board (Under the Iyaloja and Babaloja) and Technology Times Media Limited, organisers of the tech festival, to promote the best of entrepreneurship, innovation and consumer technologies out of Nigeria’s largest technology market hub.


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The company behind NBA Top Shot has announced a massive new funding round and a deal with one of the most popular sports leagues on earth.
Dapper Labs made two massive announcements Wednesday as it tries to grow and scale its popular NFT business, bringing sports, entertainment, and music experiences to consumers through its Flow blockchain.
It announced a new $250 million funding round led by Coatue, existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, GV (Google Ventures), and Version One Ventures, along with new investors BOND and GIC. The new round values Dapper Labs at $7.6 billion, a source close to the company told Boardroom.
That’s up $5 billion from the company’s most recent funding round at the end of March.
Dapper also announced an extension of its wildly successful NBA Top Shot digital collectibles platform by partnering with LaLiga on a new non-fungible token experience. LaLiga is Spain’s top soccer league and one of the most popular leagues on the planet in any sport. Just like NBA Top Shot brought fans digital highlight Moments from the NBA and WNBA, Dapper will do the same for popular teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Sevilla, Villarreal, Valencia, and more beginning in June 2022.
Moments from the last 10 LaLiga seasons will be included.
“Dapper Labs is growing quickly but we’re just scratching the surface of what this new technology can do for people,” Dapper Labs CEO Roham Gharegozlou said. “We’re excited to partner with our incredible investors to scale NBA Top Shot and launch our upcoming titles as well as unlock the potential of the open ecosystem building on Flow.”
Dapper said it would use the new infusion of capital to continue to scale while supporting new major products being developed on the Flow blockchain like the upcoming LaLiga NFTs.
“The partnership between LaLiga and Dapper Labs will bring us the closest we’ve ever been to our fans worldwide through a new and growing medium, and alongside the industry partner that created and jump-started the entire NFT movement,” LaLiga President Javier Tebas said. “This experience will have soccer fans all over the world at the center, giving them a platform and product to enjoy and express their passion for LaLiga in a unique way.”
Dapper and LaLiga will partner on a variety of fan activations developed around key tentpole events during the season, including a trip to El Classico at Camp Nou, to watch Barcelona and Real Madrid from a VIP box.
“As Barcelona’s captain for a decade, I enjoyed some of LaLiga’s greatest moments. I also experienced some of the game’s biggest lows; but in spite of it all, the game would be impossible to play without our fans,” said Carles Puyol, a six-time LaLiga champion, three-time UEFA Champions League champion, and captain of FC Barcelona from 2004-14. “Fans give us energy that encourages us not to give up. They help us dig in when we’ve got nothing left and they give us support when we need it. To be able to be a part of an experience that brings players one step closer to their biggest advocates is exciting and meaningful. I look forward to what this relationship holds.”
NBA Top Shot, still officially in Beta, saw more than $780 million of Moments bought and sold in 2021, a 30x increase year-over-year. More than 48% of its 1.1 million registered users own at least one Moment, the company said.
“With NBA Top Shot and a compelling pipeline of products to come, Dapper Labs is leading the way with the innovative Flow platform,” BOND general partner Mary Meeker said. “We are excited to be a part of this journey – and its next iterations – with Roham and team.”
These announcements come on the heels of Dapper’s recently revealed partnership with Google, naming Google Cloud as Flow’s cloud provider. Dapper Labs has now raised over $500 million in capital with the help of sports stars like like Michael Jordan, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Lowry,Kevin Durant, and DK Metcalf.
In addition to LaLiga, Dapper said that collaborations will soon drop with UFC, Genies, and Warner Music Group as the company continues its rapid ascent.


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New York, NY, October 19, 2012 --(PR.com
)-- Leading NYC CCTV installation experts 360 Protection has recently announced that the company will be offering remote access CCTV options to their local area clientele. These new solutions are designed to capitalize on the increased use of smart phone technology, through which clients can monitor their businesses from any location around the globe.
The modern business person is required to travel across the country, even around the globe in order to promote their business and ensure that their brand is moving forward within their industry. But they still need to have fast access to security information about their home business property while on the road. That’s why many are now considering remote CCTV solutions for their business. By working with specialists such as 360 Protection, companies can achieve a fail-safe monitoring system that keeps their property safe from outside threats through 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Those NYC business owners interested in learning more about the 360 Protection remote monitoring CCTV installation service may wish to book their free security review. During this review a company specialist will visit their property and detail the areas in which they see a weakness within the security infrastructure. They will the recommend a remote monitoring solution based on their unique experience within the field and their understanding of the latest CCTV technology.
To learn more about 360 Protection or book a free business security review, please visit http://www.360-protection.com.


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U.S, May, 2019 (GRAND VIEW RESEARCH)- The global legal marijuana market size is expected to reach USD 66.3 billion by the end of 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 23.9% during the forecast period. Increasing legalization and use of marijuana in medical as well as recreational applications is expected to promote the growth.
Growing adoption of cannabis as a pharmaceutical product for treating severe medical conditions, such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, and other neurological conditions is anticipated to drive demand for medical marijuana in the forthcoming years. Increasing need for pain management therapies and growing disease burden of chronic pain among elders is also expected to boost demand.
Legalization of medicinal marijuana and decriminalization in some countries has led to a significant decrease in the black market, as people are resorting to legally purchasing cannabis for medicinal as well as recreational use. Moreover, government earnings through taxation is further viewed as an opportunity for countries to earn revenues. Presence of a large customer pool and legalization of medical marijuana in U.S. and Canada is expected propel the product demand from North America.
However, legalization of medicinal cannabis in European countries, accompanied by stringent rules and regulations regarding the product sale and cultivation may limit the overall growth in Europe and in turn for the global market. Other promising markets for Cannabis are Australia, Germany, Poland, Colombia, Uruguay, and Israel. Israel is currently at the forefront of providing technology and knowledge transfer to the other world markets. As the newer markets such as the U.K. and Thailand create their legal structure for cannabis, the revenue growth is expected to witness significant growth. Moreover, countries like South Africa and New Zealand are discussing legalization for medicinal marijuana and may emerge as viable markets in the forthcoming years.
Further key findings from the report suggest:
- U.S. legal cannabis market was valued USD 11.9 billion in 2018 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 24.1% from 2019 to 2025
- Medical cannabis held the largest market share in 2018 and is estimated to be expand at a CAGR of 12.7% by 2025 owing to increasing of marijuana for the treatment of cancer and other medicinal conditions
- By product type, buds segment accounted for a significant market share in 2018 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 20.6% from 2019 to 2025
- Key players operating in the legal cannabis market include Aurora Cannabis; Canopy Growth Corporation; Maricann Group, Inc.; GW Pharmaceuticals, plc.; Aphria, Inc.; Tilray; The Cronos Group; ABcann Medicinals, Inc.; Lexaria Corp.; and Organigram Holding, Inc.
Grand View Research has segmented the global legal marijuana market on the basis of marijuana type, product type, medical application, and region:
Legal Marijuana Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 – 2025)
Legal Marijuana Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 – 2025)
Legal Marijuana Medical Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 – 2025)
- Chronic Pain
- Mental Disorders
Legal Marijuana Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 – 2025)
- Czech Republic


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With summer grilling in mind, the Mushroom Council and the North American Meat Institute are partnering for the fifth year on a retail grilling promotion encouraging consumers to pair veal and mushrooms while entering to win prizes.
Now through Sept. 3, specially marked packs of veal at participating grocers will feature Grilled Blended Meatballs with Sweet Teriyaki Glaze, a recipe developed exclusively for the Mushroom Council and the Beef Checkoff by Jess Pryles, founder of the Hardcore Carnivore, according to a news release.
Participating customers can enter the on-pack sweepstakes for a chance to win $500 in groceries.
The Beef Checkoff — similar to grower-funded research and promotion campaigns in the fresh produce industry — and the Mushroom Council’s veal and mushroom promotion encourages home cooks to combine veal and mushrooms in recipes. Since inception, the promotion has earned more than 800,000 sweepstakes entries, including nearly 200,000 entries and 1,800 store participants in 2018, according to the release.
“The blend offers retailers a creative cross promotion between the meat and produce departments, and it offers consumers a flavorful dish that’s perfect for summertime,” Bart Minor, Mushroom Council president, said in the release.
The summer promotion will also include blog posts, e-newsletters to consumers and the mushroom and veal industries, sharing through Pinterest and a Facebook Live recipe demo from Pryles.
- Mushroom Council, Bon Appetit award $25,000 for blended burger
- The laws of attraction — applied to mushrooms
- USDA appoints Mushroom Council members


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Hudson Camera Becoming Sports Bar
By ianmac47 on Thursday, May 3rd, 2012 at 6:23 am
The former Hudson Camera shop that closed last month is rapidly being renovated to become a sports bar.
The long time camera shop has succumb to age of digital pictures. The owner intends to open a new shop somewhere downtown, but not in the former space on Newark Avenue.
The retail space is in a prime location a half block from the Grove Street PATH. The interior has been completely gutted and the front is missing a wall.
A sports bar is rumored to be planned for the space.


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So there we go — another frenetic year in the world of tech draws to a close. While there were plenty of fascinating happenings to wow us along the way, there were a good number of lighter moments to enjoy, too. And with that in mind, why not kick back and check out these 15 stories from the past year that managed to give us a giggle.
No yolk! A photo of an egg becomes the most-liked post on Instagram
“A news item involving eggs almost always features numerous puns that try to eggspress the story in a clever way. But it’s overly easy to embark on such hennoying nonsense, and can be un oeuf to scramble a reader’s brain.”
Terrible jokes out of the way, the story from January goes on to explain how, in the space of only a week, a photo of an egg became the most popular post on Instagram, with more than 21 million likes (it now has 54 million). A British fella called Chris Godfrey turned out to be the person behind the deliberate effort to conquer the photo-sharing app. He said he chose an egg for his Instagram challenge because it has no gender, no race, and no religion, adding, “An egg is an egg, it’s universal.”
Japanese monks hit Twitter to protest driving ticket in the most hilarious way
— 祥山(声優) (@showzan331) 2 January 2019
“When cops in Japan told a monk he shouldn’t drive a car wearing his traditional garb because his robe may affect his ability to handle the vehicle, an offbeat response by fellow monks went viral on social media.”
The monks’ comeback was as simple as it was ingenious — to hit Twitter with the hashtag I-can-do-this-in-robes, at the same time posting videos showing themselves doing everything from somersaulting and playing the drums to juggling and wielding a lightsaber. Buoyed by the support, the monk told reporters: “I’d like to clearly state … that I can drive safely in a monk robe.”
Bank robbery suspect uses Jump scooter as getaway vehicle, gets caught
“Are electric scooters about to become the vehicle of choice for bank robbers fleeing the scene of the crime? Judging by what happened after an alleged robbery in Texas recently, probably not.”
The suspect reportedly walked into a bank before demanding cash from the teller and fleeing on the scooter. But it wasn’t the scooter’s top speed of 15 mph that proved the suspect’s undoing. Instead, it had everything to do with the fact that he rented the two-wheeler from Jump using his own account, making it easy for cops to track him down.
Ford’s ingenious bed for couples keeps mattress hogs in their own half
“Anyone who has shared a bed knows how annoying it can sometimes be when, in the middle of the night, you wake up to find yourself perched precariously on the outer edge of the mattress having been pushed there by your bed-hogging partner.”
Utilizing its autonomous-car technology, Ford came up with the fabulous “lane-keeping bed” that uses sensors and a conveyor belt to ensure that so-called “space invaders” stay on their side of the bed.
How much?! British Airways glitch results in $4.2M quote for family vacation
“There have been quite a few cases where website mishaps have enabled travelers to snap up airline seats at absurdly low prices, but here’s a story in which someone found themselves at the complete opposite end of the scale.”
Debbie Andrioli was hoping to book a reasonably priced package vacation with her husband and three children to Mexico’s Riviera Maya, an idyllic spot on the country’s Caribbean coastline. But a glitch on British Airways’ website presented a price of $4.2 million — around 200 times greater than it should’ve been. No, Andrioli didn’t hit the “book” button.
A giant carb-free potato has just become an Airbnb rental
“Fancy spending a night in a potato? OK, perhaps we should explain. In its previous incarnation, the Big Idaho Potato Hotel used to travel up and down the country on behalf of the Idaho Potato Commission to promote the state’s most famous crop. The giant spud’s nationwide tour recently concluded, but it seemed a waste to trash the prop, so tiny-house developer Kristie Wolfe proposed transforming it into a quirky Airbnb rental.”
The carb-free accommodation is located in 400 acres of farmland about 20 miles south-east of Idaho’s state capital, Boise. You can stay for $200 a night (think how many potatoes you could buy for that!), which’ll get you a queen bed and a bath. It also has air-conditioning and an indoor fireplace (for that baked potato feeling).
Tormented robot pulls a gun on its creators in latest Boston Dynamics spoof
“Boston Dynamics has made a name for itself building incredibly agile and skillful robots, its steady stream of demonstration videos never failing to impress. And scare us a little, too.”
The videos sometimes show engineers shoving their robots to demonstrate their ability to stay upright, so, in response, a team of creators in Los Angeles knocked together a wonderful spoof showing a “Bosstown Dynamics” robot refusing to take anymore of the mistreatment and turning on its creators.
The guy who invented USB finally admits it’s annoying to plug in
“You know how it is. You need to get some files off your thumb drive so you go to plug it into your PC and … nope … it ain’t going in. So you flip it around and fiddle and fumble to find the port again and … nope … it still ain’t going in. So you flip it around again and … what the … somehow it still refuses to slot in as it surely should. How can that be?”
Yep, it took a while, but 2019 was the year when USB creator Ajay Bhatt finally got around to publicly acknowledging that the design has caused a great deal of frustration over the last few decades. Thanks, Ajay.
Steve Ballmer shows us he’s still crazy after all these years
— Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) July 30, 2019
“Former Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer showed he’s still as pumped as ever when he welcomed NBA stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George to his L.A. Clippers team at a press conference in the city this week.”
There was something reassuring about seeing Ballmer launch into one of his much-missed, famously passionate outbursts over the summer. It wasn’t as sweaty as those from yesteryear, but nevertheless displayed plenty of that unmistakable Ballmer bluster and energy. And thankfully he managed to avoid ripping his vocal cords this time, an injury that he reportedly once suffered during another outburst at a Microsoft sales meeting.
Nissan creates a self-driving golf ball that always finds the hole
“If you’re a keen golfer but your putting game sucks, you might want to try getting hold of Nissan’s self-driving golf ball.”
Like Ford and its lane-keeping bed, Nissan built its unique golf ball primarily to showcase its autonomous-car technology. The setup uses an external camera linked to software that locates the hole and the ball, while an algorithm controls an internal motor that operates according to how the ball is initially struck. It’s a must-have gadget for crap golfers everywhere, but unfortunately Nissan has no plans to commercialize it.
Watch this guy catch a dropped iPhone during a roller-coaster ride
“If you’ve ever dropped your smartphone, you’ll know very well that awful sinking feeling as you watch it fall toward the ground, your reflexes not quite sharp enough to rescue it on the way down. But dropping it while traveling on a roller coaster at a speed of 80 mph? Well, that’s something else entirely.”
For one lucky rider at a theme park in Spain, eagle-eyed Samuel Kempf was sitting a few rows behind. When the rider dropped his iPhoneX, Kempf was quick enough to catch it in the brief moment that it appeared above his head. And the incredible feat was even captured on video!
Virtual reality goggles for dairy cows? Pull the udder one
“Dairy farmers in Russia are putting virtual reality headsets on their cows to encourage them to eat more grass. Of course, we initially thought this rather amoosing story was a load of bull, but it appears it’s not as udderly ridiculous as it first sounds. (Look, it’s not every day we happen upon a story about cows wearing VR glasses, so don’t be surprised that we’re milking it for all its worth).”
Environmental conditions can impact a cow’s health and, as a consequence, affect the quality and quantity of the milk that it produces. So, in grim weather, some farmers in Russia decided to stick some VR goggles on their dairy cows and play a video showing “a unique summer field simulation program.” Tests showed that the video lowered the cows’ stress levels, suggesting cattle with headsets could become a thing.
HBO competition prize is a cardboard box where you can watch TV in private
“HBO has had the ingenious idea of making a box where you can watch TV in private. Although it is a rather small one. The cardboard creation, which is black and box-shaped, is the top prize in a contest aimed at college students who might not have access to the kind of privacy they’d like in their dorm room.”
According to the promotional video, the HBO Box features “dual leg chambers,” an internal shelf, and ventilation holes. It also praises its portability, though we can’t imagine anyone wanting to use it on the train.
This flying robot-vacuum is not an altogether terrible idea
“Crackpot inventor Peter Sripol appears to have a penchant for attaching wings to anything from power drills to gaming chairs before sending them skyward. Why? Because … well, just because. But now the popular YouTuber has built something that’s at least half-sensible: A robot vacuum that flies.”
That means you don’t have to carry it between floors, or buy two machines for different parts the home that are on different levels. The idea is far better than the precarious device Sripol finally came up with, but with a little bit of tinkering — and massive investment and development from a team of highly skilled engineers — it could work.
Finally, a chocolate iPhone case you can eat
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“Digital Trends is packed with carefully curated collections of cases for iPhones and other smartphones, but up to now, none of the featured cases have been edible. Even those ‘chocolate’ cases you see advertised are merely plastic representations of the tasty treat loved by so many.”
But then, in November, we learned of an iPhone 11 case made from real chocolate — that you can eat. Great for chocoholics. Not so great if you want to protect your phone.


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Amazon to create 2,000 new jobs
Friday 07 September 2012
Online shopping giant Amazon is to create 2,000 new jobs with the opening of three more distribution centres.
Up to 3,000 temporary workers will also be taken on during the Christmas peak period.
The new jobs will include posts in computing, management and human resources.
The news was announced as Amazon opened a new site at Hemel Hempstead, creating 600 permanent jobs.
Amazon managing director Christopher North said: "We have created thousands of jobs in the UK over the last few years and are delighted to announce that we plan to create thousands more in the next 24 months.
"Our recruitment team has been exceptionally busy recently hiring hundreds of employees at the Hemel Hempstead fulfilment centre and they will certainly be busy over the next couple of years as we continue to expand to provide customers with the best possible experience."
Prime Minister David Cameron said: "This is great news, not only for those individuals who will find work, but for the UK economy. This shows that the UK has the infrastructure and talent to continue to attract major investments from leading companies such as Amazon."
- 1 This 'woman calls police to order pizza' story isn't going where you're expecting
- 2 Axe wielding man shot dead after attacking four New York policemen on busy street
- 3 Watch what happened when food critics were unknowingly served McDonald's
- 4 Jimmy Carr's Oscar Pistorius joke goes a bit too far at the Q Awards
- 5 Ottawa shootings: Bruce MacKinnon's cartoon is the perfect tribute to soldier Nathan Cirillo
Renee Zellweger on plastic surgery rumours: 'I'm living a more fulfilling life and I'm thrilled that perhaps it shows'
FCKH8: YouTube reinstates provocative anti-sexism video showing young girls swearing
Axe wielding man shot dead after attacking four New York policemen on busy street
This 'woman calls police to order pizza' story isn't going where you're expecting
Jimmy Carr's Oscar Pistorius joke goes a bit too far at the Q Awards
Of course, teenage girls need role models – but not like beauty vlogger Zoella
Cameron is warned 'no possibility' of UK reducing immigration and that bid to bring in quota on migrant workers would be illegal
Support for EU membership 'at highest level since 1991' with most Brits wanting to stay 'in'
Thousands with degenerative conditions classified as 'fit to work in future' – despite no possibility of improvement
Attacks on 'Ukip Calypso' show how skewed people’s priorities are
London bus driver 'kicks gay couple off for kissing'
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Hi-tech startups are increasingly setting up shop in cities like San Francisco instead of mighty Silicon Valley, according to urban expert Richard Florida’s latest report “Startup City: The Urban Shift in Venture Capital and High Technology.” Greater access to talent pools and a more creative and diverse environment open to innovation are some of the reasons for this shift.
Tech giants like Twitter, Pinterest and Zynga all call the City of San Francisco home, while other cities like New York, Boston and Austin are gaining relevance as tech destinations.
And proof is in the numbers, says Florida, now that San Francisco is attracting more venture capital investment than Silicon Valley.
But Silicon Valley tech reporter, Cromwell Schubarth, begs to differ and says that Silicon Valley is still as relevant as ever.
Fusion caught up with Richard Florida at The Atlantic’s Start-Up City: Miami event in March.


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Chet Babla, VP Automotive Business, Arm | LinkedIn
The software-defined vehicle is becoming a reality. In parallel to this revolution in automotive software, there is a need to address power and cost constraints while raising the computing performance for new safety use cases.
In this free webinar, Arm‘s Chet Babla explains how innovation at the intersection of hardware and software will shape the future of safe and affordable mobility.
Key topics and takeaways:
- How innovation is happening at the intersection of hardware and software
- A new generation of heterogeneous high-performance silicon is emerging for higher ADAS functionality
- Software approaches from high-performance cloud computing can help the automotive industry in this transition


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Bitcoin dropped a further $2,000 in value, leading the general slide across cryptocurrency markets as investor confidence waivers
Cryptocurrencies continued their sharp tumble on Wednesday as bitcoin dropped by over 16% as continued fears of regulation from Russia and China dent investor confidence.
The price of the world’s biggest and best known cryptocurrency fell $2,000 to as low as $10,000, on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange, for the first time since November, and down from lows of $11,200 on Monday and $12,000 at 2pm GMT Tuesday.
Bitcoin is the first, and the biggest, “cryptocurrency” – a decentralised tradable digital asset. Whether it is a bad investment is the big question. Bitcoin can only be used as a medium of exchange and in practice has been far more important for the dark economy than it has for most legitimate uses. The lack of any central authority makes bitcoin remarkably resilient to censorship, corruption – or regulation. That means it has attracted a range of backers, from libertarian monetarists who enjoy the idea of a currency with no inflation and no central bank, to drug dealers who like the fact that it is hard (but not impossible) to trace a bitcoin transaction back to a physical person.


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Ashley Graham flaunted one of her sexiest looks on Instagram on Sunday. Yesterday evening, the bodacious plus-size model took to the popular social media platform to share an update from her adventures to the Caribbean Sea – and received some viral attention for it.
Fresh from her trip to the Dominican Republic, where she posed for a sweltering bikini photo shoot, as reported by The Inquisitr earlier this week, Ashley jetted to Costa Rica to start filming for another project.
While she hasn’t yet revealed anything about her latest work, the celebrated Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Edition model did share a collection of three videos, posted to Instagram on Saturday, in which she goes horseback riding on the beach.
The next day, Ashley followed up with a second post shared from Costa Rica – a sun-drenched photo in which she rocked the wet-hair look. In the sexy snap, one taken in Los Pargos, at the famous Costa Rican beach Playa Negra, the buxom model appeared to be topless as she walked around the sandy shore, wearing no visible clothes that could be seen in the frame.
The Addition Elle lingerie model cut a fresh figure in the sun-kissed snap, sporting very natural-looking makeup that beautifully accentuated her pretty features. As she took a walk on the beach, Ashley showed off her wet hair look, showcasing her bare shoulders and quite a bit of her naked chest.
Ashley’s latest photo share certainly brought the heat to Instagram. Whether she was, in fact, topless or not, her social media fans immediately went crazy over the sultry snap, which garnered more than 211,000 likes in addition to 770 comments.
While it’s safe to assume that Ashley was simply clad in a bandeau swimsuit and had just gone for a swim in the sea, which would account for her wet hair, the photo caption suggested that she might have been working out. The Swimsuit for All model captioned the photo with just two words, “Sweaty Betty,” followed by a wave hand emoji. The cryptic caption may have been a reference to the Sweaty Betty posh fitness brand.
One thing is certain; Ashley’s fans were thrilled with the new pic. One of her followers even took the time to pen her a lengthy message in which she thanked Ashley for helping redefine the notion of “supermodel.”
“Yesterday my boyfriend called me a supermodel and I was just thinking that before you came around, I probably would have told him ‘yeah whatever Josh, I’m not a super model’ but because you have redefined what a super model [sic] is, I was like oooo s**t I am a supermodel! Ur [sic] awesome sweaty Betty!” read the message.
Other fans were equally as generous with the compliments.
“Absolute beaut [sic],” wrote one person, while another quipped, “THE PRETTIEST WOMAN ALIIIVE,” ending their comment with a heart emoji.


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BTIG Analyst Richard Greenfield notices larger, more difficult to avoid ads on Zynga's games, calls them a "desperate action" to encourage "fat fingers," or accidental clicks.
Internet analysts, recovering from initial sticker shock, seem cautiously optimistic about the social network's ability to gobble up the global messaging market.
If you've been hoping to get an iPhone 5 but were discouraged by the lengthy shipping schedule, you may now be in luck.
Internet company plans to live-stream a video broadcast of its second-quarter financial results meeting on Tuesday.
The company's new service, which could be known as "iRadio," was rumored to be close to launching earlier this year, if not a snag with a music publisher.
About five months after Apple's iPhone debuts on Verizon's network, it is already the carrier's top-selling handset, according to a survey of the wireless carrier's stores by BTIG Research.
Apple appears to have made quiet changes to how it ranks top applications with the release of iOS 6 yesterday.
A surprisingly high number of customers are opting to pay for their own smartphones in monthly installments, avoiding a two-year contract. And that's good news for AT&T.
Instead of the traditional conference call with analysts, the video streaming company will broadcast a video discussion based on questions submitted via e-mail and Twitter.
The Google Chromecast media app-to-TV broadcasting dongle finally begins to add support for new apps. First to jump in the Chromecast pool: Hulu Plus.


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Milan 2013: here's a slideshow of new furniture and pendant lamps that New Zealand furniture company Resident will present in Milan next month.
Last year in Milan the Auckland-based company exhibited products including a pendant lamp made of white clay sourced from a bay in New Zealand.
Other designs that will be launched at MOST include Tom Dixon's range of faceted furniture.
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The metaverse is the once great promise of Facebook that the company’s CEO puts a lot of effort into developing. However, this alternate world lost users and did not achieve the goals. This news was revealed by a new report.
Horizon Worlds does not collect the expected number of users Mark Zuckerberg and Meta.
According to the Wall Street Journal, which reviewed the internal documents, Horizon worlds, Mark Zuckerberg's chief objector, does not live up to expectations. This world is a network of virtual spaces, where users can interact with each other as avatars.
Initially, Meta set a goal of collecting 500,000 monthly active users. However, these documents show that the current number is less than 200,000. More than that, they revealed that the majority of users did not return to Horizon Worlds after the first month metaverseThe number of users has been gradually decreasing for a few months.
According to reports consulted by the newspaper, only 9% of the metaverses are visited by at least 50 people, with the majority never visiting.
Metaverse does not meet expectations
This year hasn't been easy for Meta, nor for this new project the company is so excited about: stocks are down (down 62% so far), users are decreasing and companies are cutting your ad spend.
to me The Wall Street JournalA Meta spokesperson revealed that the company continues to make improvements to the metaverse, and that it was thought to be a multi-year project.
“Wannabe internet buff. Future teen idol. Hardcore zombie guru. Gamer. Avid creator. Entrepreneur. Bacon ninja.”


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California Tortilla, a fast-casual Mexican-inspired restaurant franchise, is expanding its footprint and will introduce its farm-fresh dishes and innovative restaurant concept to guests in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kansas, and Georgia.
Currently operating 42 locations across the mid-Atlantic region, California Tortilla expects to open a total of eight new units by the end of 2019 with aspirations to hit 100 units by 2023. The franchise’s innovative offerings and commitment to using fresh and quality flavors has helped the fuel the brand’s growth and demand in new, booming markets.
2019 expansion will be driven by the following franchise agreements:
Three restaurants in Wichita, KS
- Five restaurants Atlanta, GA
- Five restaurants in Virginia Beach, VA
- One restaurant in Raleigh/Durham, NC
- One restaurant in Chattanooga, TN
California Tortilla serves burritos, bowls, street tacos, quesadillas and salads. Each restaurant is dedicated to serving farm-fresh, ingredients and everything is hand prepared in small batches daily in scratch cook kitchens. The innovative menu features 25 unique chef-created dishes, such as the Korean BBQ Burrito, Blackened Fish Street Tacos and California Sunset Bowl. Every California Tortilla features a Wall-of-Flame, a towering display of 75 distinct hot sauces, ranging from mild to tongue-melting, allowing guests to further customize the flavor and heat level of their meal.
“Our brand’s devotion to fresh flavors and cult-worthy menu items has led us to develop a strong presence in the Mid-Atlantic region,” says Jim Tisack, Vice President of Franchise Development at California Tortilla. “There are a lot of great real estate opportunities in other thriving markets that are attracted to our brand, which presents a strong opportunity for us to increase our geographic footprint”.
The total initial investment to open a California Tortilla ranges from $412,700-$708,800. California Tortilla seeks franchise partners in new markets and markets where the brand is already present for multi- and single- unit agreements. The brand is targeting growth in large metropolitan areas and suburban locations in strip malls. It also has several locations in non-traditional venues such as airports, college campuses and mall food courts and is looking for these development opportunities as well.


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Wine consumers should raise a toast, to Wegmans, for telling the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to remove its wine vending machines from the 10 Wegmans supermarkets in the state.
Wegmans knows a thing or two about selling agriculture products and, unlike the PLCB monopoly, must listen to its customers because it operates in a competitive environment.
"The most weighty factor in our decision," Wegmans said in a letter to the PLCB, "â¦ is the significant volume of complaints that our store management is receiving about the kiosks on an ongoing basis â¦ Unfortunately, the kiosks have not realized their potential, and in some ways have been a detriment to our stores."
Frequent operating problems, low sales and customers' rejection of the convoluted system contributed to the company's decision.
For the privilege of buying a bottle of wine from the machine, the PLCB requires customers to swipe a license or ID, blow into a breath analyzer, look into a camera monitored by a PLCB human drone in Harrisburg, and buy only by credit card. Then, customers must pay an additional $1 convenience charge.
Geez, how did Wegmans conclude there was a lack of customer acceptance?
Fortunately, the problem is easy to correct. Pennsylvania should become the 29th state to allow wine sales in supermarkets, as part of a broader plan to end the state's obsolete and absurd monopoly over retail alcohol sales.
As for the wine kiosks, the PLCB should save one for the Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.


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“I’m probably being too conservative by saying that,” said the owner of Huntington’s Summit Beer Station.
Fortunately, with the vaccine rate improving, McKay says things are looking up for him and his employees. Business has had a huge bump in the last month.
“I think people are ready to get out and start doing things again,” he said.
But his optimism is dampened by Gov. Jim Justice’s proposal to reduce and eventually eliminate the state’s income tax, while also raising the sales tax and tax rates on beer, wine and liquor — all of which McKay sells.
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This wacky monster is actually a stealth voice messenger that can insult, serenade or freak-out anyone who triggers its motion sensor.
All you have to do is record your message in the mic and wait until an unsuspecting victim passes. The Echo Bot's eyeball sensor will play the recording out loud.
Life on Earth may have arrived from Mars on an asteroid, scientists have claimed.
Lunar mission scheduled at the end of 2017 could find out if beer can be brewed on the moon.
A bottle used to teach children how far litter can travel ended up on Scottish beach after 8,700-mile journey.
Confused Apple customers are finding coins in their MacBooks.
High levels of iron help prevent hearing loss, a study has claimed.
A software engineer has constructed a fingernail-sized engine made of paper and it totally works!
Conspiracy theorists claim that there is a mysterious alien based pyramid in the Antarctic.
Toblerone design shape change angers some loyal chocolate lovers in the UK.0 comments
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I recently made the startling discovery that in just two months, more than 50,328 trackers and ads tried to target me on the internet. They were snooping on my activity and collecting and storing my data on an industrial scale.
The idea that our mobile phones are recording every word we say was once the ramblings of conspiracy theorists and crazy libertarians. However, in today’s world, it’s happening. Our apps listen to us 24/7, our browsers track every site we look at, and our smartwatch records every time we skip the gym for Friday drinks.
In an alarming escalation of the data collection problem, Facebook recently announced they will be updating privacy terms of its WhatsApp messaging platform to bring them more in line with the data they collect from the Facebook Messenger app. This was eye-opening for the 2 billion WhatsApp users seeing how much data Facebook would soon collect on their daily lives.
If you are worried about big tech giants knowing your exact location, seeing private messages between you and your partner, and selling this data to a marketing company, you should be.
The good news is that a new generation of Web 3.0 and privacy focused non-profit companies are emerging that are solving the internet privacy problem. We look at two new tech saviours — Brave and Signal — that are handing back control and privacy to users.
Brave and Signal could potentially disrupt the online ad revenue model globally, which will forever change how companies attract and retarget customers online. Any company with an online presence needs to watch the adoption of this new technology very closely.
When you use your browser today it is constantly trying to create a digital fingerprint of everything you do. It’s constantly sending sites you visit and your IP address back to their company HQ.
Meanwhile, while you’re on your favourite site, data-grabbing ads and trackers are monitoring every mouse movement and filtering you into a global engine to track you around the web.
Brave, a new privacy-focused browser, has inbuilt technology that automatically blocks trackers, popup ads and anything trying to hack your privacy. In the two months since I started using Brave, I have been blown away by how many trackers and ads have tried to target me – 50,328!
When you take all those trackers and ads out of the loading time of the browser, something amazing happens: your browsing experience is FAST. Brave touts that it can increase your browsing speed by 2x in the browser and 7x faster on mobile.
In the future, a privacy-focused browser like Brave will build more features that move the browser into the second phase of its journey. It will move the world from the ‘attention’ economy, to the ‘intention’ economy: you will earn BAT (Basic Attention Tokens) for looking at ads you choose to view. Earning a cup of coffee for looking at ads from your favourite golfing brand sounds good to us!
Brave can also access The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). IPFS allows documents/media assets to be stored all over the world in little pieces on multiple computers. Moving how we access files on the internet from location-addressing (centralised) to content-addressing (decentralised) has three major benefits; it speeds up the internet, makes the infrastructure more robust and protects content from censorship.
Sending a Signal on privacy
When we communicate via message it is usually with family and friends, so it is our most sensitive and private communication. But, as you can see from the chart above, using a Web 2.0 centralised company like Facebook or Apple isn’t the best service to keep our privacy intact.
Signal, a non-profit company, is now creating the world’s best state-of-the-art, end-to-end encrypted messaging app to enhance privacy.
Signal isn’t tied to any major tech companies. They won’t be acquired by one either. They are a non-profit, supported by donations from the global community and grants from business leaders, like Jack Dorsey, who says he trusts Signal because of how it is built: “Open source, peer reviewed, and funded entirely by grants and donations. A refreshing model for how critical services should be built.”
Signal has no ads, no trackers, no affiliate marketers and records zero information on your messages and calls which makes it a clear winner in today’s world of overbearing data collection.
Giving back control
Awareness of just how invasive the platforms we live on is reaching a crescendo. Governments are trying to regulate them, and the majority of people simply want some level of our personal data to stay personal. There are next generation solutions and platforms like Brave and Signal available to do just that, put the control in the hands of the user and let us decide what data we are happy to share.
Google’s ad revenue for the fourth quarter of 2020 was $46.20 billion, a large portion of this ad revenue could be potentially disrupted by Brave and Signal. Our research teams are watching the emergence of privacy-focused technology very closely as these innovations could change how brands and customers interact forever.
Our research into web 3.0 platforms is a good example of Holon’s innovative investment approach and an outcome of our work to remain ahead of the curve, ensuring we are always creating value to our customers and our shareholders.


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•The bank through its Single Digital Market (SDM) initiative aims at supporting the region to become a more deeply integrated.
•The project scope was deliberated on in a meeting held at the World Bank offices in Washington, D.C.
World Bank has allocated about Sh1.5 billion to enhance and fast-track regional digital integration efforts across the East African Community (EAC).
The bank through its Single Digital Market (SDM) initiative aims at supporting the region to become a more deeply integrated and dynamic digital investment, innovation, and growth hub.
The project will focus on connectivity market development and integration, which entails creating an enabling legal, regulatory, and ICT institutional environment to enhance digitalisation in the region.
The project scope was deliberated on in a meeting held at the World Bank offices in Washington, D.C, between the EAC Secretary General Peter Mathuki and the World Bank team led by Mohammed Essakali, Manager, Africa Regional Integration and Casey Torgusson, the Global Manager, Digital Development.
Mathuki noted that EAC is looking at establishing regional digital innovation hubs across the Partner States to respond to digital challenges.
“This support will further enhance the region’s competitiveness and skills development that are central to successful digital transformation,” he added.
Further, the project will look into data market development with the setting up of cyber-security frameworks, infrastructure and capacity building.
The digitalisation project will further look into enhancing mechanisms to develop cross-border electronic trade and payments and e-commerce initiatives.
The Secretary General further added that the EAC plans to implement Smart Gates at its One-Stop Border Posts, which will help to track regional trade and reduce the time taken at borders through migration processes.
The project is aligned with the EAC strategic objective and commitment to move towards a single digital market in the Community.


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There's a huge upside to having a tech business in a city like Nashville that's not known for its tech industries: The ability to start such a company is tremendously easier than in more tech-savvy cities, considering the level of competition is much lower.
For our cover story in the April 26 print edition of the Nashville Business Journal, we spoke with a number of techies in Nashville and in tech hubs across the country, in addition to recruiters and site selectors.
Steve Berneman, co-founder at OverDog in Nashville
"In Austin we would have been one of 500 startups with a really interesting story and a really good team. We would have been in a co-working space and occasionally good things would have happened. In Nashville, we can be one in 50 to 100 of us. We can get meetings we probably couldn’t have gotten. We can get our name out a little better.
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