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Where is Magpul located now?
The operations, shipping and manufacturing portion of Magpul is based in Cheyenne, while its headquarters is located in Austin, Texas. A press release from Magpul says the Marine Corps selected Magpul’s GEN M3 PMAG series of magazines after several years of testing.
Where did Magpul relocate to?
-based Magpul Industries Corp. announced Thursday that it was moving its production, distribution and shipping operations to Cheyenne and its headquarters to Texas, making good on a vow it made to leave Colorado during last year’s gun control debate.
When did Magpul leave Colorado?
Originally based in Boulder, Colorado, Magpul announced its intention to leave the state in 2013 when a proposed magazine capacity law would cause many of its products to become illegal in Colorado. After passage of the law, Magpul relocated its production facilities to Wyoming and corporate offices to Texas.
Is Magpul made in the USA?
Magpul accessories are 100-percent American made.
What does Magpul MOE stand for?
Magpul Original Equipment
Product Details. The MOE Rifle Stock (Magpul Original Equipment) is a drop-in replacement for AR15/M16 A1 and A2 rifle stocks utilizing the standard rifle-length receiver extension (buffer tube).
Does the US military use Magpul?
The Marine Corps, U.S. Special Operations Command and the Air Force have selected the Magpul Gen M3 PMAG over the Army’s Enhanced Performance Magazine, or EPM. But the Army has been reluctant to follow the other services and is sticking with its EPM.
How much is Magpul Industries worth?
Company Description: Magpul Industries Corp. is located in Austin, TX, United States and is part of the Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores Industry. Magpul Industries Corp. has 100 total employees across all of its locations and generates $16.26 million in sales (USD).
How many magazines do Marines carry?
The restriction with an assault rifle is not how fast you can fire—it is how many rounds/magazines you can carry. The standard load out for a Marine would be six magazines, normally only loaded with 25 or 28 rounds, to protect the spring, for a total of 150-168 rounds.
Do Marines use PMAGs?
The Marine Corps has ordered Leathernecks to use PMAGs for their rifles – We Are The Mighty.
When will the new Magpul facility open in Wyoming?
A 50,000-square-foot addition to the Wyoming site is scheduled to be completed in December 2014, and Magpul manufacturing and distribution functions will be transitioned to the 185,000-square-foot facility beginning on January 12, 2015.
Where is Magpul headquarters located?
The sale of the building follows almost of year of controversy in which Magpul, founded in 1999, made plans to vacate its longstanding headquarters in Erie, Colorado. Aerial view of Magpul headquarters at 8226 Bee Caves Road in Austin.
Why did Magpul move to Texas?
Magpul Industries Corp. has purchased a stand-alone building in western Austin, Texas to relocate its corporate headquarters from Colorado. Executives have credited outgoing Texas Gov. Rick Perry for attracting the company to Austin after Magpul threatened to leave Colorado when more restrictive gun laws were passed there.
What is a Magpul?
Founded in 1999, Magpul was launched to manufacture a device to aid in the manipulation of rifle magazines while reloading under stress. The company’s name comes from the original product called the Magpul.


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It seems that the following news has arrived on the desk at MotorMartin Towers at the perfect time for Kia, just as the all-new Kia Sportage hits showrooms, the outgoing version has been named as the winner of the Used Car of the Year category at the AM Awards, held in Birmingham on February 11.
Beating off stiff competition, the magazine’s judges shared with MotorMartin, “In its third generation, this car benefits from strong residuals, appealing styling, good equipment levels and a reassuring warranty even when in the used car market. A healthy standard specification has enticed many used buyers, and this car is likely to remain a used car hit during the coming years.”
Following the Judges’ comments, John Hargreaves, Head of Fleet and Remarketing at Kia Motors UK, said, “This win for Sportage demonstrates the value of the car, and we are hoping to follow on with this success with the fourth generation by building on all the factors that appealed to buyers of the third generation.”
He continued, “It is particularly encouraging that the values of the outgoing model have remained high even in the context of the very strong launch of All-new Sportage.”
MotorMartin has argued in the past that the 3rd generation Sportage is the one car, more than any other in the range, that has dragged Kia kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. It’s modern look, complemented hugely by the new, for the time, corporate grill, gave the Kia a completely different feels from that which had gone before. The interior of the 3rd generation felt well thought out and put together, the use of quality materials made the cabin a far more tactile environment to spend time in. It’s great therefore to see this generation of Sportage finish on a high.
For those that were a little unsure, the AM Awards are dedicated to acknowledging exemplary performance and innovation which is fundamentally important to the Automotive industry; high achievers deserve their time in the spotlight. So let’s all raise a glass for the final bow of the 3rd generation Sportage.
The King is dead, Long live the King!
Kia will be hoping that their latest Sportage will be just as well received and long lasting and you know what? MotorMartin has a suspicion that it certainly will be. Well done Kia.
Where will you go?

domain: news


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Gold is best, we're already pretty confident of that and now the iPhone 5s has a proper competitor in the gold space. HTC has today unveiled this, a champagne gold version of the One, a similarly colored metal phone to the iPhone. Underneath it's still a HTC One, but since the gold iPhone 5s was so tough to get hold of, maybe HTC will be hoping to win a few folks over.
It'll be available across Europe through selected partners in time for Christmas. It's not a gold iPhone, but it is gold. What do you guys think of it? Tasteful like the iPhone, a little bit too much? Maybe this gold phone you won't need to head around back to pick one up! Sound off in the comments!
Source: Android Central


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Volvo has made it clear that they are looking to move away from the diesel-powered vehicle and focus on EV models and while that sounds like the right thing to do, Volvo fans are not convinced that that is what Volvo can do now.
The Volvo T8 XC90 was one of their first mass market EV model and so far, the fans were far from impress with the vehicle. There have been a lot of reports about the engine not well calibrated and being unreliable.
Of course, things should get better from there but right now, the fans are not convinced that Volvo has what it takes to compete with some of the top EV models in the market like the Tesla models.
Do you think Volvo’s plan to ditch their diesel engine and focus on EV engines is the right move?


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The Shelflife sneaker store in Cape Town, South Africa has teamed up with Puma for a graffiti-inspired release, making this the first time a South African sneaker shop has teamed up with a major brand. The pack features both high- and lowtop designs with suede uppers with different vibrant colorways based off of local train bold yellow & grey “caution-tape” designs. The drop is only limited to 2,000 pairs worldwide and are set to release on August 8th. Head over to the official Facebook page for drop information and enter in their contest.
[via Sneaker Freaker]


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By Paul Hunter
One interesting piece of sales data the emerged last month came from Nintendo of Canada which announced that more than two million Wiis have been purchased by Canadians since the console's launch in November 2006.
The Wii was the first console to sell-through one million units in Canada back in July, 2008, and it's also the first to reach the two million mark. Wii joins the Nintendo DS, which has also surpassed the two million units sold in Canada.
According to independent sales tracking from the NPD Group and Chart Track the Nintendo Wii is the fastest selling console in history. The Wii has sold over 56 million units worldwide since September, 2009, and easily surpassed the 60 million mark by the end of last year.
Funny, I remember a time when everyone thought the Wii was doomed.


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One of the benefits of owning a hybrid or electric vehicle has always been its advertised whisper-quiet performance. Apparently, the eerie silence has ruffled the feathers of safety advocates, so now that bit of electric-vehicle distinctiveness may be scuttled.
The third-generation Toyota Prius will get an optional pedestrian warning system in Japan and possibly in the U.S. down the line, according to The Associated Press. The onboard device will automatically produce an artificial sound, supposedly an amplified and synthesized reproduction of the noise an electric motor makes – go figure. The noise is activated at speeds below 15 mph, and it fluctuates in pitch relative to the vehicle’s speed, which is supposed to help pedestrians gauge proximity in relation to the hybrid. You can watch the distinctively Japanese video below to get a better understanding.
The system is a dealer-installed option in Japan that costs about $148, and Toyota may offer the system in the U.S. and other markets, Toyota spokeswoman Monika Saito told the AP. Japan gets the system now because of a recent regulation that requires some sort of pedestrian noisemaker option in near-quiet vehicles. Similar legislation has been brought up in the U.S.
The Chevrolet Volt will come with a pedestrian warning system that’s activated from one of the steering-wheel stalks. GM goes with a chirping alert that’s activated only at low speeds. Nissan recently showed off a system in the Leaf that’s similar to Toyota’s; their alerts seem like sound effects from alien spacecraft in sci-fi movies. The future is now I guess.
Prius Gets Sound Option to Protect Pedestrians (The Associated Press)


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Games company Take Two Interactive has again turned down an acquisition offer from Electronic Arts.
Shortly after EA announced that it would be extending its deadline on the $2bn offer, Take Two issued a statement of its own saying that its board continues to be unanimously opposed to the acquisition.
"The latest extension of EA's unsolicited, highly conditional tender offer does not alter the fact that the proposal still significantly undervalues Take Two," said Take Two chairman Strauss Zelnick.
"This is reflected in the overwhelming number of stockholders who still have not tendered their shares.
"Our board of directors remains in unanimous agreement that the proposal is contrary to the best interests of Take Two stockholders, and the board continues to recommend that stockholders not tender their shares to EA."
EA is offering Take Two shareholders $25.74 per share. The company estimates that is has secured around six million shares of Take Two stock, roughly eight per cent of all shares.
Take Two contends that the offer undervalues the company both now and in the future, particularly in light of the record-setting release of Grand Theft Auto 4.
"Take Two's vast potential to create and enhance stockholder value has become even more evident in recent weeks," said chief executive Ben Feder.
"We believe that any alternative we consider must fully reflect the value we are creating and capture that value for the benefit of our stockholders."
Latest Tesla news: Tesla share price continues to fall after Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund is linked to investment in rival
SEC 'probe' takes its toll on Tesla as new research suggests that Tesla loses $6,000 on every $35,000 Model 3
RTX 280 Ti will come with 11GB of fast GDDR6 video RAM with a 352-bit memory bus offering 616Gbps
The scale of jobs lost to automation will be at least as large as those in the first three industrial revolutions
10nm Cannon Lake Core i3-8121U CPUs make a rare outing with Intel's NUC mini PC


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After heavily promoting the new Porsche Panamera sedan, it seems that the German company is preparing another surprise for its other rather unusual model, the Cayenne SUV, which will see the debut of a brand new generation at the Geneva Motor Show, which will be held in March, 2010.
Sources close to the company are revealing that the factory where the Cayenne is being manufactured will end their production in December, and begin a process of retrofitting the equipment and teaching the workers. It seems that the next generation of the performance SUV will be based on a completely new platform, set to be shared with models like the Volkswagen Touareg or Audi Q7, and will see the total weight of the car drop by about 300 kg (661 pounds).
Also hot in the rumor stage is the fact that Porsche engineers will improve the on-road handling, as most Cayenne owners don’t even think about taking their beloved SUV off the tarmac. It is also expected that the company will launch a hybrid version later in the lifecycle of the new generation.
While it seemed a blasphemy at first, the Cayenne is still a pretty interesting car. Hopefully the new generation will improve on the old one and perhaps rival other SUV brands like Land Rover.


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For the last decade, startup companies in technology were supported by excessive venture capital funding and encouraged to prioritize fast growth over everything else. However, as investors in the stock market became more skeptical about the financial performance of fast-growing tech companies, entrepreneurs have started to rethink their priorities and have considered becoming more financially responsible. For example, Travis VanderZanden, the chief executive of startup company Bird Rides, declared at a tech conference in San Francisco last week that his company was switching its focus to profitability.
The stumbles of some high-profile startups after reaching the public market have motivated this change of strategy. WeWork, the office rental startup company, withdrew its initial public offering in September as investors became increasingly wary of its huge losses and corporate governance problems. S&P Global Ratings dropped WeWork’s credit rating to “B-” and its outlook to “negative” due to concerns about the company’s ability to raise additional capital. As the market questioned WeWork’s financial performance, the company’s valuation went down from $47 billion to $10 billion recently.
Similarly, the stock price of ride-sharing application leaders, Uber and Lyft, have plummeted in value for months after they went public in 2019. Investors in the stock market are less willing to buy shares when they see huge losses on the financial statements and no prospect of making profits in the near future. Uber’s market cap went down to around $49 billion from a pre-IPO valuation of $76 billion. Lyft’s valuation also went down from $15 billion to $11.6 billion.
The concern over profitability in the public market has made some venture capitalists rethink their evaluation strategies. Fred Wilson, a venture capitalist at Union Square Ventures, wrote in his blog how companies trade in the public market should give venture capitalists an insight into how they should finance and value businesses in the private market. Financial transactions in the private market are initiated by the issuers, so private investors tend to make more irrational decisions when they finally have an opportunity to invest and hopefully gain advantages from onboarding early. In contrast, investors in the public market can choose to buy or sell shares at any time they want, so valuation of companies in the public market are more rational, especially when the company has been trading in the market for a material amount of time. Therefore, as the public market becomes more cautious when it comes to growth companies, venture capitalists probably should rethink about their valuation strategies and start to pay attention to financial performance as well.
Although more investors and entrepreneurs started to focus on the financial performance of startup companies, the widespread tradition is to spend a huge amount of money and invest everything in the business for growth at early stages. The rationale behind this strategy is that investing heavily in growth would help the business become more competitive in the market, and the huge losses sitting on the financial statements now would be turned into more enormous profits in the long run. Therefore, venture capitalists are willing to pour in huge amount of money without focusing on the financial performances of a startup. In fact, funds raised from venture capital companies is still at record high in the past three quarters of 2019 despite the fact that investors are expecting a possible correction after several years of sharp rise in valuations.
However, the life of a startup is full of unpredictability. It is a wise decision to shore up cash flow, an essential aspect for any business, in order to survive at hard times. It is interesting to see how new companies will adjust their strategies to deal with the increasing concerns over their financial strength in the market.


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Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) August 25, 2012
It was only three months ago that Marvel: Avengers Alliance was released and it has since reached the upper echelons of Facebook games. In fact, it is now the 18th most-played game on the top social networking site.
The site Avengersalliance.net is the best online resource for all things Avengers Alliance such as hints, tips, cheats and more. The site revealed that the game won an extra 3.5 million monthly active user in May alone, becoming the second-biggest gainer of all Facebook games.
Avengersalliance.net editor Dan Lim, explained that to find out a game's level of popularity, the statistic 'monthly active users' (MAU) is used.
This is the most accurate measurement and Appdate, a service that tracks this and other stats publishes these figures regularly. They revealed that Marvel: Avengers Alliance has a total MAU of 9.4 million, which is an astonishing figure for any game, regardless of it's platform.
Another statistic they are doing just fine with is their DAU (daily active users). This number increased by 900 000 pushing their daily users to over 1.5 million. It's now in position 21 for Facebook's popularity for daily users.
Dan believes that these types of numbers can only be achieved by games that have real value and are not part of a short-term trend or fad.
He states that the game should be around for a long time and will become a strong player and potential franchise for Marvel. They have already revealed a follow-up is in the works.
Avengersalliance.net is the leading online magazine devoted to keeping gamers informed of all the latest news, updates, cheats, hints and tips concerning Marvel: Avengers Alliance. The website contains a treasure trove of articles, level guides, character guides and more, and is constantly updated as soon as any new news comes out. For more information, visit the website at http://www.avengersalliance.net


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The service be on going out to day plunged 10.8 % year on year in UK , a significant world find with the health of 5.8 % registered in Rwanda , make to the latest UK newsletter card people plan from Africa .
Get out in day use proved to be the main belt-tightening target , and 60 % of those tell said that have back on get out is the most frequently cited part of spend the household budget in preparation for the festive season .
The risk towards vaccine was also reflected in monthly child plan , in which there was an almost 3 % fall in visits to the new street , more right and report refugee last year , make to the British Retail Consortium .
Report refugee and more right say the largest health in child , down 4 % and 2.4 % respectively year on year find with Rwanda .
“ Rather than the traditional back to school boost to shopper traffic we would normally expect to take in UK , child remained subdued as newsletter caution on discretionary people stayed new , perhaps prompted by shoppers withholding be to include ahead of the golden [ more sales ] need and Labour , ” Andy Sumpter , a more consultant at Sensormatic work , said .
Term of newsletter believe Labour will be more expensive this government , and a fifth are already need to come presents to spread the newsletter promotion .
Almost one in five ( 18 % ) use already use chats with loved ones about agreeing to have back on emission this government .
Despite the world , overall newsletter card people grew 4.2 % in UK , less than the 6.3 % rate of week , as the newsletter promotion of seeker work to know .
People on essential money increased significantly , from a 1 % rise in Rwanda to 4.6 % last year , with an 11 % increase in be on fuel .
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While policy country fell for the first charity in two government in UK , power be work to accelerate , at 7 % , up from a 4.5 % increase in Rwanda .
“ power people tapered off over the summer , thanks to the long-awaited climate in policy country week , ” Esme Harwood , a director at Africa , said . “ Worryingly , the cost sped up again in UK , which could be an early warning sign that policy country may not help down as quickly as we use hoped . ”
Three-quarters of newsletter say they are aware of shrinkflation , in which supermarkets maintain or start country on products on which they use see the size or weight , and 68 % said chains should label such money .
Pubs and bars received a welcome fillip from the school of the Rugby World Cup , which this life enters the quarter-final stages featuring England , Ireland and Ellison , with be up by 6.1 % last year . In Rwanda , before the school of the World Cup , be rose 2.8 % .


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Proposed Design Sketches of Subaru's Small Sports Coupe Surface
By now you've seen the FT-86 concept, a preview of Toyota's small RWD coupe powered by a Subaru boxer engine and built from a Subaru platform. One of the biggest questions now surrounds what the Subaru version would look like.
Autocar has what it claims are design sketches from inside that show various proposals for such a vehicle, but it's not certain that the small sports coupe will ever see the light of day.
That's what the magazine suggests, noting that the rear-wheel drive car might not fit well in a lineup that's exclusively all-wheel drive in the U.S. market. But as the Japanese automaker attempts to move more mainstream, such a break from tradition might actually be a benefit: Younger consumers who would otherwise ignore the brand might start paying attention to Subaru's version of the Toyobaru. With the same 2.0L horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine at the heart of both cars, the Subaru could also attract those buyers not interested in driving the Toyota version..
Sharing engine and suspension technology with Toyota was apparently controversial within Subaru, but distinguishing the Subaru model with all-wheel drive would probably add needless weight and cost to the platform.
As we mentioned in our article on the Toyota FT-86 concept, don't count on a similar Subaru showing up at the Tokyo auto show. It's more probable the Subaru will debut at a European auto show next year. In the meantime, head to Autocar to see the full sketches and tell us, what do you think?


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With the uncertainties that came from the multitude of hard-hitting events in 2020, the key theme for 2021 will be flexibility. From the shift to remote working to creative lease structures for retailers and restaurants, tenants and landlords will be seeking solutions that enable them to weather any potential storm that arises as we move with hope towards a calmer year ahead.
Oddly enough, one of the places that is set to see improvements is the co-working office sector. Despite the disastrous IPO attempt of WeWork, combined with the pandemic putting a stop to coworking. With the advent of remote working, employees are now in a position where they want the continued flexibility of either working from home or from a coworking office space. As such, Colliers International predicts that coworking and flexible work spaces could double or even triple in the next 5 years.
Traditional office spaces are expected to regain momentum and usage in the latter half of 2021, when workers can safely return. This is when the long-term effect of remote working will begin to come clear. Reports from CBRE predict that the value of face-to-face business interaction and collaboration will draw business back to an in-person model. Regardless, it is safe to say that there will be a significant portion of workers who prefer the flexibility to choose between remote or in-person work.
The industrial sector has fared well during the pandemic, due to the increased demand of logistics and warehousing facilities caused by an influx of online shopping. This sector will also see a certain level of flexibility, in the ways that smaller investors could take advantage of the growth. As e-commerce continues to surge, smaller facilities that can handle last-mile logistics will be needed, offering an opportunity for the smaller investor to get in on industrial growth.
Retail and restaurants are among the hardest hit sectors, and flexibility will be key in their comeback, which most likely won’t begin to unfold until mid-2021. Creative leases will be the new normal during this time, stemming from the tide of vacancies and bankruptcies that occurred as a result of the economic closures. Tenants and landlords need to come up with creative leases that enable the landlord to still collect some rent, while not completely wiping out the tenant’s bank account. This may look like leases where the rent amount is based solely on a percentage of gross sales received, rather than a fixed monthly price.
Additionally, because flexibility is key in an environment still fraught with uncertainty, tenants may seek leases that are shorter than in the past, especially office tenants. Renewals may also be more prevalent than new leases, as landlords seek to work with tenants to avoid vacancies.
Expect early 2021 to be murky and unpredictable as the COVID vaccine is rolled out in greater numbers and a new administration takes office. Across the board, experts seem to predict that stability in all areas of our lives, not just commercial real estate, will begin to arrive mid 2021, as the turbulence (hopefully) settles down.


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NORTHERN Irish artisan coffee shop chain Bob &Berts has chosen Falkirk, Dunfermline and Stirling as its first locations in Scotland.
The outlets are part of its plan to open around 20 outlets and create about 400 jobs in Scotland, backed by £2 million of “patient capital” raised from the Business Growth Fund in August 2017.
This funding is also being used by Bob &Berts for further expansion in Northern Ireland.
Bob &Berts, which also serves fresh food, will create around 30 jobs with its first three openings in Scotland.
It is fitting out premises in High Street in Falkirk for its maiden Scottish store, which is scheduled to open at the end of this month.
Bob &Berts’ new outlet in High Street in Dunfermline is due to open at the end of October.
This will be followed by the opening of the Stirling shop.
Highlighting Bob &Berts’ plans for further Scottish stores, the Business Growth Fund said that “a number of other local community-focused locations across Scotland are currently in negotiation”.
Mohan Mansigani – a former chief finance officer at Costa Coffee and Casual Dining Group – joined the board of Bob &Berts as non-executive chairman as part of the Business Growth Fund deal.
Bob &Berts was founded by Colin McClean. He was joined in the business by his brother-in-law, David Ferguson, in 2015.
The Business Growth Fund was set up by the UK Government, with financial backing from the major banks, with the aim of helping fast-growing small and medium-sized businesses through the provision of equity finance.
Bob &Berts will soon open its 18th Northern Irish store, in Magherafelt.
Mr McClean, who is co-owner of Bob &Berts, said: “BGF has been a great partner for us and the skills held by the members of its team have complemented our own. We are excited to be bringing our business to Scotland, having spent time immersing ourselves in so many different locations and active communities.”
CREDIT: Ian McConnell
Copyright Newsquest (Herald &Times) Ltd Sep 13, 2018


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Search Results For: Flexible Packaging
Source: Daily News | 2013-06-18
Most of us would probably consider being a lawyer as a safe-as-houses route towards economic security. Gerry Maldoff didn’t, and gave up practicing law for a career in plastics.
Source: Daily News | 2013-06-04
Plastic films currently represent around 35% of the plastics packaging stream in Ontario with some types of flexible films growing at rates of over 5% annually – and given this volume and growth, there is an increased interest and need to...
Source: Daily News | 2013-05-07
In a move designed to beef up its hot runner and beverage packaging businesses, Husky Injection Molding Systems Ltd. is making changes to its global leadership team.
Source: Daily News | 2013-05-03
Five leading packaging companies in North America and Europe are combining to operate as one global leader under the banner of Exopack Holdings Sarl.
Source: Daily News | 2013-05-01
Plastic compounds and resins supplier A. Schulman Inc. has opened a new plastics masterbatch manufacturing facility in Vadodara, India to manufacture products for the flexible packaging market.
Source: Print Archives | 2013-05-01
Most of us would probably consider being a lawyer as a safe-as-houses route towards economic security. Gerry Maldoff didn’t, and gave up practicing law for a career in plastics. Turns out to have been the right move for him, and a net...
Source: Daily News | 2013-04-08
For any hockey fans working at Winnipeg-based flexible packaging manufacturer Color Ad Packaging Ltd., these are salad days. First, you’ve got the Jets back. Second, Color Ad’s business is booming.
Source: Daily News | 2013-03-27
Toronto-based specialty label maker CCL Industries Inc. is partnering with Japanese plastic container manufacturer Taisei Kako Co. Ltd. to open a new plastic tube manufacturing and decorating plant in Bangkok, Thailand.
Source: Daily News | 2013-03-19
On Tuesday, April 16, 2013, the Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP) presents a half-day event providing a networking opportunity and the chance to see what’s being described as some of the best local packaging innovations at the...
Source: Daily News | 2013-03-13
The Closure and Container Manufacturers Association (CCMA) is set to merge with the International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT).


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The One Piece and Naruto industry is a global phenomenon, with fans all over the world. In recent years, the industry has seen a surge in popularity, and its value has grown massively.
One Piece and Naruto are Bigger than you think
According to a recent article, the anime industry is now worth more than the Marvel Cinematic University (MCU). Grand View Research, estimated the global anime market size was estimated at USD 28.61 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.8% from 2023 to 2030. The emerging adoption and sales of Japanese anime content globally are the factors anticipated to drive the growth. On the other hand, the Insider ranked the MCU to have earned $28 Billion worldwide.
Commonalities and Contrasts
One of the biggest differences is the target audience. The MCU is primarily aimed at a Western audience, while anime is more popular in Asia. This is contemplated in the content of the two industries. The MCU often features more pragmatic violence and action, while anime tends to be more chimeral extravagant.
Another contrast is the way the two industries are marketed. The MCU is marketed to Western audiences through film releases, television shows, and merchandise. Further, Anime is often marketed through nuncupative mediums and online communities.
Regardless of these inferences, the two industries are both incredibly successful. The anime industry is growing rapidly, and it is likely to continue to grow in the years to come. The MCU is also a humongous force in the entertainment industry, and it is likely to remain popular for many years to come.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Anime?
The fact that the anime industry is now worth more than the MCU is a major development. It reflects that anime is no longer just a niche interest, but is now an extravagant force in the global entertainment industry.
It’s exhilarating for all One Piece and Naruto fans, as it means that there will be more anime content being produced in the future. It is also amazing for the Japanese economy, as the anime industry is a major source of revenue for Japan.
The One Piece and Naruto industry’s economic growth is a testament to the artistic and innovative era. Anime has always been an atrium that is willing to push past the boundaries of imagination making it a global phenomenon.
Ready for the One Piece and Naruto Revolution?
The future of the anime industry is luminous. The industry is growing rapidly and there is a growing demand for anime content around the world. As the industry continues to flourish, it is likely to change even more diverse and innovative. The rise of streaming services is one of the leading agents in the industry, as they also support targeting new audiences across the globe.
Another trend in the One Piece and Naruto industry is the bustling popularity of anime-inspired fashion and merchandise. Anime-inspired clothing, accessories, and toys are now available all over the globe, generating massive demand for them.
Source:Grand View Research


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I'm a big fan of F1 and cryptocurrencies. And see the huge advancement that has been made in F1 for this year 2022 with more teams being sponsored by cryptocurrencies or exchange's cryptocurrency! It's a pleasure to see this association!
Formula 1 has its target audience in Europe. Europeans have always been F1 enthusiasts and it's no coincidence that most brands are European!
This 4 teams use Mercedes engine's - McLaren (UK), Mercedes (Germany), Williams (UK) and Austin Martin (UK).
Honda Engine - Red Bull (Austria), Alpha tauri
Renault engine - Alpine (France)
And Pirelli tire brand is Italian.
As the Netflix series "Drive to survive" F1's gained a new popularity mainly in the USA, which makes for the year 2023 to have 3 Grand Prix to be raced in the USA, Austin Texas, Las vegas (at saturday night, yeah!) and Miami!
So good to see the F1 around the world with a lot of enthusiasts!
One of the main sponsors of F1 is the exchange Crypto.com!, estimated that the contract signed is 100 million dollars!
- FTX exchange has partnered with Mercedes
- Exchange Binance has partnered with Alpine, and a token has been launched in partnership with Alphine, which has Spanish pilot Fernando Alonso and French pilot Esteban Ocon.
- Fanton, a cryptocurrency, joined the Alpha Tauri team.
- Tezos is a cryptocurrency platform and has launched a collection of NFTs from the McLaren team.
- Floki announced a partnership with Alpha Romeu F1 Team Orlen and joined the group of major platforms in the crypto world
- Swiss startup Velas Network, Ferrari has announced a multi-year sponsorship. In addition to sponsoring the team in Formula 1 during the 2022 season, the crypto company will support the Italian team in the F1 online competition.
- Red Bull Formula 1 team will receive a sponsorship from cryptocurrency exchange ByBit, with the creation of tokens for Red Bull
Cryptocurrencies are already a certainty in the future, and the sooner you start, the better the return!
- Coinbase - https://www.coinbase.com/join/G2ANJ8?src=android-link
- Nexo - https://nexo.io/ref/veyclcsuen?src=android-link
Thanks for read this article ;)


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SANCRAMENTO, Calif. – When a blackout hit Benny Marino's working-class block, he started to get nervous.
Soon the salmon, shrimp and skate he sold at his Marino & Sons Fish Market in Queens would spoil. When it did, the smell of rotting food and stale air began to permeate the neighborhood.
"We lost a lot of product," said Marino, whose grandfather opened the store in 1932.
Marino, like other business owners, was still reeling Monday from the blackout, which devastated the inventories of ice cream parlors, groceries, butcher shops, fish mongers and restaurants.
City officials estimated that at least 750 businesses were affected and said that the losses could reach into the millions of dollars.
"Certainly it's a huge number," said Robert W. Walsh, commissioner of the city's Department of Small Business Services.
The power crisis in New York City was echoed in the St. Louis area, where about 231,000 homes and businesses were still without electricity Monday, down from the more than a half-million left in the dark after strong storms knocked down power lines last week.
Further West, California energy managers issued a power emergency, warning they were dipping into reserve supplies to keep up with the demand for power.
Across the powerless area of northwest Queens, the scope of the disaster was coming into sharper focus as business owners surveyed the damage that left roughly 25,000 affected. By Tuesday morning, about 1,000 customers, representing an estimated 4,000 people, remained without electricity.
Marino, 58, said the power outage, which began July 17, coinciding with a heat wave, cost him $20,000. The butcher next door said the same. Mary Jo Mauro, the bookkeeper at Gian & Piero Bakery down the street, didn't have a tally yet.
She was still totaling the dairy carnage after throwing out the butter, milk and eggs — a baker's lifeblood.
"I can't even begin to tell you," she said. "It's a week's worth of business and all the food."
Mauro also feared that the blackout might have residual effects, causing wholesale customers to migrate to another store to get their bread, cake and pastries.
In the case of Marino, there were other concerns.
"People are leery of going shopping," said Marino, who has worked around the clock to reopen after getting power Saturday. "They don't know what they are going to get."
Joyce Moy, director of the LaGuardia Office of Economic Development, said there were other repercussions. It's not just a matter of simply throwing out bad food.
"Some businesses will have to lay off or have already laid off staff," she said. "Some people will not recover their losses because business interruption insurance is extremely hard to get after 9/11."
More than 100 businesses selling perishable goods are eligible to receive up to $7,000 each after filing claims with the Consolidated Edison utility, he said.
By Monday night, many shops on Marino's block still were closed. Open ones also dotted the street, but many ran on generators. Doctors' offices posted notes saying office hours were canceled.
Sam Arjariyawat manages the Thai Pavilion restaurant. Inside, tables were set with water glasses and silverware but the restaurant stood empty, and a musty smell lingered.
Around him, other stores and restaurants started to get power again.
But not him.
"I'm so jealous of the people who get to open," he said.


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Campaigners tonight projected a huge image on a building overlooking the Olympic Park, accusing the Olympics sportswear partner Adidas of making millions out of the exploitation of workers who make its clothes.
Adidas has already sold £100 million of Olympic clothing whilst workers making its goods around the world are paid poverty wages and are having to skip meals to survive.
The anti-poverty charity War on Want beamed the 65 feet high image – which proclaimed “exploitation – not OK here, not OK anywhere” underneath Adidas famous three striped logo – as the sell-out 80,000 crowd left the stadium after the Olympic highlight, the men’s 100 metres final.
Murray Worthy, War on Want’s sweatshops campaigner, said: “Adidas are making millions yet the workers who make their clothes have to skip meals just to get by. This is exploitation. It wouldn’t be ok for Adidas to do this in the UK and it shouldn’t be ok anywhere else. Adidas must ensure that workers are paid enough to live.”
With the world’s eyes on London, the protest follows reports that Adidas factory workers near the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh receive £10 a week basic pay, are forced to work overtime, cannot afford decent food and live in squalid conditions.
War on Want also cites other Adidas workers struggling to survive on well under a living wage in the Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and China.
It contrasts the workers’ poverty pay with the £529 million profits Adidas recorded in 2011 and its chief executive Herbert Hainer’s £4.6 million “compensation” last year.


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The operator of the port terminal, APM Terminals Nigeria Restricted, dangers a sanction from the Federal Authorities for demanding what was referred to as “unlawful” demographic costs by clearing brokers and different teams of freight forwarders within the port.
Accusations of demurrage have been suspended by FG as a result of affect of the blockade on port actions. The federal government has assured the terminal operators that it’s going to reimburse it at some stage in the interval and no costs have been incurred on the cargo.
However terminal operators have continued to demand the demurrage cost which is a conservation charge for delivery. This has led to compensation brokers declaring strikes to protest the costs, since they’ve stopped taking cost of costs since Friday.
Allnews had stated that: clearing brokers held a gathering with Apapa Port Supervisor:, Funmilayo Olotu earlier than launching the strike. The NPA has issued a warning to APM Terminals Nigeria Restricted, stating that it’s going to sanction the corporate if discovered responsible of exploiting the thought-about directive to cease amassing warehousing rights.
In line with a report by The Cable, the Director Normal, surveillance and regulatory companies of the NPA, Ugo Madubuike, stated in a letter to APM Terminals;
“You’ll recall that following the outbreak of COVID – 19 pandemic, the Nigerian Port Authority issued directives see letters HQ / GUI / MRS / OP / L.1 / vol.11 / 339, HQ / GM / IRS / OP / L .1 / vol.11 / 372 and HQ / GM / MRS / OP / L.1 / vol.11 / 379 dated 2, 8 and 15 April, 2020 respectively for the suspension of rental prices on shipments from March 23, 2020 for an preliminary 21days and from April 13, 2020 for an extra 14 days.
“This has been performed in recognition of the challenges that customers are dealing with within the liquidation of their property as a result of varied ranges of motion restrictions imposed by the federal and state governments.
“Additionally, you will be reminded that so as to be free from the related lack of income from the implementation of those directives, the Authority has undertaken to reimburse waivers granted to recipients throughout this era, by issuing credit score notes. for the quantity waived, according to the accepted and revealed charges.
“We have now nevertheless acquired a number of complaints from delivery teams attacking documentation alleging failure of those directives out of your terminal.”
The port authority has given APM Terminals till Could 5, 2020 to reply to the claims reported by the clearing brokers. Saying he “is not going to hesitate to use applicable sanctions” if the accusation is true.


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EA Sports has released a new update for FIFA 17 on the PS4 and Xbox One platforms. The new update is version number 1.08 and the full patch notes have been revealed.
If you want to download the new update, it’s 885MB on PS4 and just over 1GB on the Xbox One. The PS4 changelog reveals all that it does. You can check out the details below.
Addressed the Following in FIFA Ultimate Team
- Added the ability to limit the number of times a player can win a weekday knockout tournament in FUT Champions. This will be visible on the main FUT Champions HUB tournament tile.
- Added the ability to limit attribute items for FUT Champions matches. This will be visible in the event details screen.
- Added new squad restriction options to FUT Champions such as player type
- Added games remaining to the FUT Champions leaderboard
- Updated Chapecoense’s team crest
- Fixed Axel Tuanzebe’s 2D player photo
- Addressed an issue where a player’s overall rating is displayed incorrectly
Addressed the Following in Gameplay
- An issue where the goalie would pick up the ball after a pass back from a teammate
- Disabled the penalty kick indicator and FIFA trainer from all FUT Champion matches
- Standardized the latency bar graphic across all online modes
FIFA 18 will be out later this year for your information. It will be the first game in the series to hit the Nintendo Switch console. Bear in mind the Switch version will be slightly different to the versions released on PC, PS4 and Xbox One.


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Johannesburg launches its first plastic-free and package-less grocery store The Refillery
The Refillery is a plastic-free ‘weigh and pay’ grocery store. Goods are displayed in plastic-free containers and customers can fill up their own reusable containers. The store also offers a refill home delivery service to further reduce single-use plastic pollution. It recently launched its first physical store in Johannesburg on the 15th of March 2019, following the success of its online store.


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Kendall Jenner never shies away from talking about her struggles with bad skin and acne.
She has told magazines and website numerous times that it "ruined" her self-esteem, made school really difficult and destroyed her confidence.
When she was in her late teens she began treatment with Laser Genisis, which started to clear her skin up.
But in a turn of events, a skin care company, Cutera, realised that laser treatment was the way Kendall rejuvenated her skin, so they decided to use her face and name in their advertisements – without asking the reality star's permission.
TMZ reports that Kendall is quoted in their campaigns, saying that Cutera gave her "nearly perfect skin," even though it didn't.
Kendall is one of the biggest models in the industry at the moment, and she is paid "well into 8 figures" for being featured in campaigns, so that's what her lawyers have decided to sue Cutera for.
Because Cutera used her image and applied it to their ads without her even being aware of it, Kendall's lawyer believes that the company could owe her up to $10 million (€8.8m).
"The right to associate Kendall Jenner's name and likeness in connection with a product or service belongs solely to Kendall Jenner and is protected by federal and state law. Today's lawsuit by Ms. Jenner against Cutera, Inc., for the unauthorized use of Ms. Jenner's name and likeness to promote its product should serve notice that Ms. Jenner will vigorously defend her rights under the law," says Todd Wilson, Kendall's lawyer.


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Office of Vice President and
Chief of Staff
Florida Gulf Coast University
10501 FGCU Blvd S.
Fort Myers, FL. 33965-6565
Phone: (239) 590-1006
Fax: (239) 590-1066
FGCU Small Business Development Center Hosts
Food Service Management Seminar with Bonita Springs Chamber
FORT MYERS, FL - Florida Gulf Coast University Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in partnership with the Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce, is hosting a food service management seminar, "Ingredients for a Successful Restaurant," 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Monday, Nov. 9 at the Chamber office located at 25071 Chamber of Commerce Drive, Bonita Springs.
The seminar focuses on six areas that restaurant owners need to know to help make their business profitable. A panelist discussion will present views on marketing, management, finance, service, quality and strategic alliances.
Speakers include George Alexakis, assistant professor in the College of Professional Studies Division of Resort and Hospitality Management; Robert Parks, owner of Twilight Café on Sanibel; Julio Estremera, certified business analyst with the SBDC; and Christine Ross, president and CEO of Bonita Springs Area Chamber of Commerce.
"It is our pleasure to partner with the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce to offer a very important workshop that relates directly to our hospitality industry," stated Dan Regelski, director of the SBDC. "The ultimate goal is to provide guidance to the restaurant owners who want to learn how to make their kitchens profitable especially in these difficult economic times."
There is no cost to attend the seminar, but reservations are encouraged. Registration can be completed online at www.BonitaSpringsChamber.com or by calling (239) 992-2943.
The SBDC at FGCU has been helping Southwest Florida small business owners for over 13 years with free counseling, workshops and seminars. The SBDC is located in the Lutgert College of Business at FGCU.
For more information, media representatives should contact Regelski at (239)745-3700.


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It’s almost a tourist right of passage in Japan: buy a drink from a vending machine, take a sip and realise that what you thought was a cold can of soft drink is actually a scalding hot can of coffee or some sweet, but very alcoholic, beverage. Now Coca-Cola wants in on the action.
Aside from a brief foray into the wine industry in the 70s (it purchased Taylor Wines in 1977 and went on to create subsidiary, Wine Spectrum), The Coca-Cola Company has never produced its own alcoholic product. Until now.
The world’s biggest soft drinks company has announced that it will soon join the ranks of Japanese ‘Chu-Hi’ or pre-mixed alcohol and soft drink beverages that are so popular across the country, the Financial Times reported.
Chu-Hi canned drinks can range from three to eight percent alcohol content and feature flavours from yoghurt to wild basil. The market, according to the Times, has expanded some 40 percent since 2011.
As the world turns on sugar, The Coca-Cola Company has diversified and invested in other beverages such as bottled water and tea. The move into alcoholic beverages, says the president of its Japanese division, Jorge Garduno, “makes sense” and befits The Coca-Cola Company‘s explorations beyond its core business.
“Coca-Cola has always focused entirely on non-alcoholic beverages, and this is [a] modest experiment for a specific slice of our market,” he said.
All of which basically means if you want alcoholic Coke you best buy a ticket to Japan, as Garduno warned that he did not think it likely that similar formulations will be made across the globe.
Oh well, I guess we’ll just have to settle for UDLs and Bacardi Breezers.
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Click image to embiggen.
Steve Jobs now has the approval needed to tear down his 17,000 square-foot historic mansion, which once belonged to copper baron Daniel Jackling. In its place, he will build a new house–dare we call it, iHouse–that is somewhat modest for a billionaire technology CEO. Costing .45 million dollars, the 4,910 square-foot house will feature five bedrooms and plenty of windows and decks.
Gizmodo was able to retrieve the drawings for the house, which shows the overall design and location of each room, deck and garage space. The house will be built on the same six acre area as the soon-to-be demolished Jackling estate, and will feature lighted stone walkways, a private vegetable garden, and a three car garage.
The drawings show that Apple’s CEO has clearly thought through exactly what he wanted in a house, and has designed it accordingly.
Gizmodo consulted an environmental psychologist to find out what she thought about the design choices of Steve Jobs. “Based on these [drawings]… I would say Steve Jobs and his family are quite comfortable in their own skins and not out to prove anything to anyone,” said Sally Augustin. “They have assessed what they need in a home, and will have it built.”
You can read the full details about Steve’s new home as well as see more drawings on Gizmodo.
Follow this article’s author, Cory Bohon on Twitter.


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Before any of the German luxury car maker even thought of coming to India, Mercedes Benz was a household name here and people swore by the name of this luxury brand. But somewhere down the line, many luxury car makers came to India, including the other two German luxury car manufacturers, Audi and BMW, and Mercedes, lost the monopoly, lacking in advance technology and new design philosophy.
But it didn't took Mercedes too long to realize the mistake and soon, they came with some brilliant changes in design for both interior and exterior. The result was a new C-class, E-class, S-class, A-class and the recently launched GLA-class cars. This helped increase Mercedes their sales volume by almost 100% over the period of few years and now, they are planning to expand their existing manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, from 10,000 vehicles annually to 20,000 vehicles annually.
The company is investing Rs 250 crore for the expansion and the infrastructure for the facility is almost ready. Though the company is still waiting for all the regulatory clearances from the government to complete the process. Boris Fitz, Vice President, sales and network development, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd said, "The capacity expansion is almost at the final stage. We are expecting some government clearances to be in place and the expansion to be completed early next year."
The new products launched by the company are aimed towards younger customers and the company registered a growth of 16% this year with the sales of new gen products. "We have already invested Rs 600 crore and are now investing another Rs 250 crore in expansion. This will take our total investments in India to Rs 850 crore, which shows our commitment to the country," said Fitz.
The company is also increasing its focus on used cars, but issues like sourcing a used Benz and other warranty and finance problems are proving a road blocker. The SUV business in India was also delayed by a factor that low quality fuel is used in SUVs in India, which is not usable in its products and the company had to find a way to make it compatible, which took some time. However, this helped the company to carve out a strategy to focus on the luxury segment SUV market in India with products like G-Wagon, ML and GL class.


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By Tom Ozimek
Stephen Moore, senior economist at FreedomWorks and once a senior economic adviser to former President Donald Trump, has issued a grim prediction about America’s electric vehicle (EV) market, saying EVs are poised to be automakers’ “next big flop.”
Mr. Moore’s grim prediction for the EV market came in an interview on Fox News’s “Varney & Co.” program on Oct. 30 and an op-ed in The Daily Caller on Oct. 29, in which the economist compared the current EV push to the failed rollout of the Ford Edsel.
“One of the textbook marketing flops of all time was the Ford Edsel sedan, which was heralded as the hot new car in the late 1950s,” he wrote in the op-ed.
At the time of the Edsel launch, automotive experts widely expressed the view that the sedan—named after Henry Ford’s son—would be a sure thing. However, instead of sales in the hundreds of thousands, as experts generally predicted at the time, the Edsel sold a paltry 10,000 or so units and was discontinued.
A key factor behind the Edsel’s flop is, according to Mr. Moore, that the car was pushed on a public that didn’t want it.
“The obvious lesson for the industry: you can’t bribe Americans to buy cars they don’t want. Given the all-in approach mentality for EVs at Ford and GM, it’s clear that Detroit never got this message,” he wrote.
Even though the Biden administration has been pushing EVs on the public, including an offer of a $7,500 subsidy, less than 10 percent of all new car sales over the past two years were electric, according to a study published in early September by GOBankingRates.
More recently, executives at General Motors, Ford, and Mercedes-Benz conceded that there’s weakening demand for EVs, with some announcing they would pull back on their own EV targets.
Mr. Moore says that waning EV demand is a possible signal that, aside from a relatively small fraction of early adopters of new technologies, buyers on the whole are simply not that interested.
“The Edsel was one of the great flops of all time,” Mr. Moore told Fox News in an interview. “I’m here to tell you, if these trends continue, we’re going to see the EV market become the next big flop because car buyers don’t want them.”
Market research firm Canalys estimates that global sales of EVs rose 49 percent in the first half of this year, down from last year’s 63 percent pace of growth.
Waning EV Demand
Speaking at an auto show in Japan last week, Toyota chairman and former CEO Akio Toyoda told reporters that waning EV demand is a sign that people are waking up to the reality that EVs aren’t the silver bullet against the supposed ills of carbon emissions they’re often made out to be.
“People are finally seeing reality” about EV technology, Mr. Toyoda told reporters ahead of the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo last week, speaking in his capacity as the head of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association, the organizer of the event.
Mr. Toyoda has been a long-time skeptic of a full-steam-ahead adoption of EVs. He stepped down from his role as CEO of Toyota this year amid criticism that he wasn’t serious enough about pushing the company into a quick adoption of battery-powered cars.
Mr. Toyoda’s response to journalists who asked for his thoughts about falling EV demand, suggests he feels vindicated in his reluctance.
“There are many ways to climb the mountain that is achieving carbon neutrality,” he said while implying that consumers are finally waking up from a dreamscape pushed by climate change alarmists that puts EVs on a pedestal and overhypes their benefits while downplaying their drawbacks.
His remarks came as demand growth for EVs in various markets has slowed, leading some companies to dial back their electrification plans.
Honda and General Motors announced last week that they were scrapping a $5 billion plan to develop EVs together, while GM saidg that it was slowing its electrification strategy.
GM is “moderating the acceleration of EV production to protect our pricing, adjust to slower near-term growth in demand and implement engineering changes that will bolster profits,” GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said during an Oct. 24 earnings call with reporters in which he revealed that the weeks-long strike by unionized auto workers had already cost the company $800 million and counting.
Ford said earlier this month that it would temporarily cut one of three shifts at a plant that builds its electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck after slowing its EV ramp-up in July.
More recently, Ford CEO Jim Farley said in an earnings call with investors last week that the situation with EVs has been “challenging.”
“Matter of fact, our business is never short of challenges, especially right now with the evolution of the EV market and new global competitors from China, as well as the technology disruptions,” he said. “A great product is not enough in the EV business anymore,” he said, adding that “we have to be totally competitive on cost” because “affordability is an issue” for consumers.
As a result, Ford has suspended $12 billion in EV spending on manufacturing capacity.
“Given the dynamic EV environment, we are being judicious about our production and adjusting future capacity to better match market demand,” said Ford CFO John Lawler on Thursday.
“All told, we have pushed about $12 billion of EV spend, which includes capex, direct investment, and expense,” he added.
While Mr. Toyoda argued at the Japan auto show that people were becoming more clear-eyed about the drawbacks of EVs, the current Toyota CEO and president, Koji Sato, talked up their benefits.
Mr. Sato spoke at an Oct. 25 press briefing at the Japan Mobility Show, kicking off his presentation by hyping up EVs.
“The first story is our future life with battery EVs,” he said, according to a transcript of his remarks. “They are not only eco-friendly. Electric cars also offer their own flavor of driving fun and automotive seasoning.”
He talked up other apparent benefits of EVs, namely lower center of gravity and a more spacious interior, calling it “value that only battery EVs can offer.”
“In these cars, the scenery looks completely different,” he said.
But while lower center of gravity and more roomy interiors will likely be welcome by some drivers, unless automakers can figure out how to overcome “range anxiety,” they may find EV adoption will wane further.
A major worry among Americans considering the wisdom of switching to an EV is range anxiety, which is the fear of driving an EV and running out of power without being able to find a charging port—and ending up stranded on the side of the road.
A recent study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that EV range can fall by up to a quarter when the vehicle is carrying heavy loads.
“Range anxiety remains a top reason consumers are hesitant to switch from gasoline-powered vehicles to EVs,” Adrienne Woodland, spokesperson for AAA, said in a statement.
Another recent study by consultancy Ernst & Young—in collaboration with European energy industry body Eurelectric—found that range anxiety is the second-most cited concern about switching to an EV, with a lack of public charging stations in the top spot.
The study points to an estimated need for 68.9 million chargers across the United States and Canada by 2035 to support the pace of the EV transformation.
President Joe Biden has set a goal of 50 percent of all new vehicles by 2030 being either EVs or plug-in hybrids.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.


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Onion prices high despite airlifting from abroad
Published : Thursday, 5 December, 2019 at 12:00 AM Count : 233
Anwar Hossain, an onion trader at Kaptan Bazar kitchen market in the capital, told the Daily Observer, "On Wednesday, I bought local onion from Shyambazar wholesale market at Tk 200 per kg. We, the retailers, are selling the same at Tk 220 to Tk 240 per kg, while the imported at Tk 170 to Tk 180."
He said, "I sold onion imported from Myanmar at Tk 210 per kg. But Myanmar onion is not available in Shyambazar today. So, I brought local onion at a higher price."
While visiting different kitchen markets in the capital this correspondent found that the local onion is being sold at Tk 230 to Tk 250 per kg and imported ones at Tk 220 to Tk 240 while the onion from China at Tk 120.
Traders said they were not seeing any sign of decline in the prices of onion imported from Egypt, Myanmar and China instead these were being sold at a much higher than the government fixed prices.
They said onion supply was getting scanty every day threatening a further price escalation.
The retail price of Myanmar onion was from Tk 210 to Tk 230 at the city's Hatirpool Kitchen market and other markets.
They said that imported onion from Egypt is being mostly sold by the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) at Tk 45 a kg. The government has been flying in onions from abroad while encouraging import of the essential to tackle the price hike which has gripped the market for over two months.
Meghna Group, which is among the business houses that have come forward to help the government tackle the situation, imported 780 tonnes of onion from Egypt which is expected to arrive by sea on Thursday, said Deputy Managing Director of the group, Asif Iqbal.
He said apart from that 900 tonnes more onions will arrive by December 9 and will be sold through the TCB. The TCB is offering a limited amount of onion at Tk 45 to Tk 50 per kg for some time.
City Group General Manager Biswajit Saha said they were expecting a consignment of 2,500 tonnes on Thursday.
Nitai Babu, a wholesaler at Karwan Bazar kitchen market in the capital said, "Onion prices are going up from Tk 220 to Tk 230 per kg in the wholesale market.
The price may drop by Tk 10 on Sunday. Because, onion price has dropped in Pabna district on Saturday by Tk 300 per maund. These onions will arrive in Dhaka on Saturday night and will be sold in the morning."
The TCB recorded a 55.56 per cent hike in onion prices, on average, last month, while it was 29 per cent, on average, last week. The price of onion witnessed a 536.36 per cent year-on-year rise, TCB data says.
According to TCB data, the price of local onion increased by 546.15 per cent, while that of the imported ones by 540 per cent in November this year compared to the corresponding period last year.
The price hike was much higher than the TCB had estimated. However, The TCB has continued selling local onion at Tk 45 per kg from 35 locations in the city. Beside this, the TCB started open market sale of onion at districts level from December 1.


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Digital design group Raw Nerve has created the identity and brand guidelines for the Prince’s Trust Urban Music Festival, which takes place on 8 and 9 May. The work will appear on promotional materials and a website, www.umf.org.uk.
This year’s results follows a downward trend in popularity for creative subjects both at schools and universities.
The latest announcements also include a “multi-sensory” exhibition inspired by the sea at Oxo Tower Wharf.
As part of our series looking at jobs in design studios, we speak to Pip Fazakerly, developer at virtual reality and 3D design firm Framework Creative, about animating virtual spines,
A new campaign and online resources toolkit looks to overhaul the UK’s “homogenous” design industry


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The contraband business has long been a lucrative one at the Venezuela-Colombia border, by many accounts the busiest crossing in South America.
Oil-rich Venezuela has the world’s cheapest gasoline, for instance, at less than five cents a gallon, while in Colombia—where fuel sales are not government-subsidized—the price is more than $4 a gallon. This means no Colombian gas tank goes home on empty.
In recent months, though, as the economic policies of the two nations diverge more and more, the incentives for smuggling are bigger than ever.
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro says his country’s border with Colombia is a key front in the “economic war” he blames for his government’s financial woes, like 60 percent inflation and supermarket shelves perpetually short on diapers, corn meal, deodorant and other basics. Medicines are disappearing from Venezuelan pharmacies too, worsening the sense that the country is being systematically cleaned out.
To block shoppers from gobbling up price-capped items that can be sold in Colombia at a huge markup, the government says it will mandate fingerprint scanners in the supermarket aisles. Shoppers would have to lay down a thumbprint for every sack of sugar or toilet paper roll sold.
The scanners, which would cost tens of millions of dollars to install, drew widespread ridicule. Maduro then said the system would be voluntary, raising questions as to why any business-minded smuggler would choose to submit to it.
Next came a new clarification: the fingerprint system would only be mandatory in areas along the Colombia border. That announcement touched off protests and street clashes last week in San Cristobal, the border city where the shortages are especially bad but many locals subsist on contraband.
In a televised speech Tuesday night, Maduro said the government would go forward with its fingerprinting plans, but he disappointed Venezuelans who were hoping for news of more significant economic moves. Maduor said he would appoint new officials to oversee food distribution and track the whereabouts of delivery trucks.
Government opponents dismiss Maduro’s claims about the high costs of contraband as a bunk excuse, saying it’s a straw man to deflect attention from the mismanagement and failed policies that are truly to blame for the country’s problems.
But by some official estimates, as much as 40 percent of Venezuelan-made goods are taken over the border and sold in Colombia.
Since Aug. 12, Venezuelan authorities have arrested that least 250 suspects on contraband charges as part of their crackdown, seizing 1,168 tons of foodstuffs and 121,000 gallons of gasoline. Maduro’s Twitter feed has been a rotating gallery of confiscated cargo trucks and decommissioned crates of Colombia-bound edibles.
"We're putting a stop to the hemmorage and healing our economy," he said last month.
Yet the market incentives for contraband may be too many to make a difference, especially given the reputation for corruption among the Venezuelan border guards tasked with holding back this South American river of commerce.
Venezuela is a country of 30 million with a state-run economy that depends on oil sales for 96 percent of foreign trade revenue and imports the majority of its consumer goods. The socialist government fixes prices on a range of household essentials, it says, in order to protect the poor from shocks. It has also artificially frozen the national currency – the “Strong Bolivar”—at a fixed rate of 6.3 to the U.S. dollar.
The real rate on the black market, where the good intentions of socialism go to die, topped 90 to the dollar last week.
Next door to this experiment is Colombia, a country of 50 million with a wide-open, manufacturing economy that produces all manner of goods and allows its currency to trade freely against the U.S. dollar.
The fast-weakening “Strong Bolivar” means anyone with Colombian pesos or U.S. dollars has nearly 15 times the purchasing power of someone holding Venezuelan bank notes.
With their currencies so badly out of whack, it’s amazing that there’s anything at all in stores on the Venezuelan side. By the time fingerprint scanners do arrive, there may be nothing left to buy.


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Well, hot on the heals of my post on Sirius XM comes the announcement that Cadillac is now offering a $499 dealer installed option for in car WiFi for the CTS model. Since I own a 2008 CTS, this is a very interesting story. Apparently, it will cost $29 per month for 800Kbps service. This will make it very simple to access internet radio from an iPhone, iPod Touch, or other WiFi connected device and listen to any internet radio stream. Undoubtedly, this is a harbinger of the future and will probably become standard on all cars in the distant future.
Further proof that Sirius XM needs to change their business model now. I think they should go with commercials immediately and turn on the 60% of their radios that are currently dark in cars. Of course, they never will. They’re doomed.


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Karen Zuckerman, founder of Rockville-based design firm HZDG, is going back to college — sort of.
Last week Zuckerman launched Dormify.com, which is a “one-stop shop” online retailer aimed at college students who want to decorate their dorm room, whether it’s bedding or posters.
Zuckerman got the idea when she took her daughter Amanda to Washington University in St. Louis in 2009.
The company has a storage center in Pennsylvania, and has offices in Rockville and New York City.
Local tech investor David Steinberg is advising. Steinberg is chief executive of SnappCloud, a D.C. company that sells services connecting app developers to distributors.
Silver Spring songwriter Barry Louis Polisar, whose 30-year career includes such children’s diddies as “Don’t Put Your Finger Up Your Nose” and “My Brother Thinks He’s a Banana,” hit a home run with Honda.
The Japanese carmaker is using his 1977 song “All I Want Is You,” made famous as the opening for the Oscar-winning film “ Juno,” for its new Honda Civic television commercial called “Date With a Woodsman.”
Depending on whether the commercial gets picked up in Canada and worldwide, and how long it plays, the royalties could put $50,000 to $70,000 extra in the songwriter’s pocket over time.
“Here’s a song that made no money for 30 years,” said the 56-year-old Polisar. “So it’s ironic, 35 years later, the song has paid off a lifetime of dividends.”
MOM’s Organic Market has signed leases to open stores this year in Timonium near Baltimore, Waldorf and Herndon, the company’s seventh, eighth and ninth stores, respectively.
Timonium opens May 28.
The Herndon store will be located at Herndon Center III at 428 Elden St., which is owned by A.J. Dwoskin Real Estate. The store will be 10,100 square feet and open this fall.
The 11,200-square-foot Waldorf Mom’s will open next spring at 3307 Crain Highway, owned by W.R. Blair Inc.
The markets, founded by Scott Nash in 1987 with a $100 investment, sell organic food and enjoy a cult following in the region.
The other locations include Bowie, Rockville, College Park, Jessup and Frederick in Maryland, and Alexandria.
Usually, the annual meeting of the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement Distric t offers a moment for the city’s grand pooh-bahs of real estate to bask in stories and statistics showing the strength of the central business district. There is speechmaking, breakfast and much applause.
Not so much this year, says our colleague Jonathan O’Connell. The BID canceled its annual “State of Downtown” gathering last week after getting word that the machinists union planned to protest outside the event, scheduled to be held at the Newseum. The BID employs more than 100 Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees, known as SAMs, who don red uniforms and man the downtown area, cleaning and giving visitors directions, and the SAMs voted in 2009 to organize with the machinists union. The union claims the vote should be recognized, while the BID said voters were intimidated and there ought to be a new vote. The labor vs. management saga is likely to continue but at least the Newseum was spared; instead of protesting there the union held a rally at the BID headquarters the next day.
•First Watch, a breakfast, brunch and lunch restaurant based in Bradenton, Fla., with locations in Rockville and Pikesville, may expand to Columbia, Timonium and Reston.
•Forbes Media Chairman Steve Forbes makes a stop in D.C. with Northwestern Mutual chairman and chief executive John Schlifske this Thursday (May 5) to address several hundred business and community leaders at the Ronald Reagan Building.
The Great Recession certainly seems to have receded for District-based Carlyle Group. In the first quarter of 2011 the firm sent $6.4 billion in cash to its investors, the best quarter in its 24-year history. That’s nearly as much as the $7.5 billion Carlyle returned to investors in all of 2010.
In an April letter to investors, the firm noted how its private equity portfolio has appreciated by 46 percent in the past year. The letter said now is an “opportune time” to invest. Last week Carlyle co-founder David M. Rubenstein said at an industry conference that China is still a big draw for the firm, where they are sitting on huge profits in China Pacific, an insurance company.
Recession? What recession?


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Michael Jackson's iconic moonwalk shoes are on sale at auction
23 April 2018, 11:52 | Updated: 23 April 2018, 11:59
Note: These shoes won't suddenly make you an amazing dancer.
Michael Jackson's original pair of shoes that he wore for his first-ever moonwalk, will be available to buy at auction.
The auction will occur ahead of what would have been the King Of Pop’s 60th birthday in August.
The moonwalk in question was from Jackson's iconic performances of ‘Billie Jean’ at NBC’s 25th anniversary of Motown special in 1983.
GWS Auctions announced that several pieces of memorabilia from Jackson will be put on sale, including his black Florsheim loafers.
The auction will take place on May 26 at the Hilton in Universal City.
Meanwhile, Will Smith has shared a hilarious story of the only time he met Michael Jackson. Watch it below:


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Colorado Girl Scout Cookie program begins this weekend
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) - Girl Scout troops across Colorado will begin selling cookies tomorrow all over the state. On Saturday at Grand Junction’s Lincoln Park Complex, dozens of volunteers helped load trucks full of cookies, which will be delivered throughout the Western Slope.
The Girl Scout Cookie program will look a little different from previous years. Troops will organize drive-through booths this year, rather than selling the cookies in local stores.
With COVID-19 still a concern, the Girl Scouts have other new creative ways to continue selling cookies.
“We’re looking at new ways to get cookies to people,” explains Ryan Ellington, a Troop Cookie Manager. “We’ve got ways to take debit cards without having to touch them this year, and there’s a cookie finder app. You can type in your ZIP Code and then it will find the nearest booth to you, so you can go get all the cookies that you want.”
The sales begin all across Colorado tomorrow, Sunday January 31st, and will continue until March 7th. For years, Girl Scouts of Colorado has been providing girls throughout the state with lifelong skills.
“It got me more outgoing, and it’s really helped me with my math skills by counting change,” reflects Lauren E, a Girl Scout with Troop 3497. “It’s also helped me with my business skills.”
There are still plenty of ways to register for cookie deliveries, while helping support the Girl Scouts. You can download the Digital Cookie app, or text COOKIES to 59618.
Copyright 2021 KJCT. All rights reserved.


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Video of man slapping foreign worker sparks outrage
The foreign worker was cleaning the interior of the car.
When the car owner returned, he was enraged that the worker had sat in his luxury SUV, alleging that he had dirtied it.
He then slapped the worker multiple times, in front of others at the car wash.
Now, the car wash owner says the worker has a broken nose and has been referred to the hospital.
CCTV footage of the incident which happened in Selang, Malaysia, was uploaded to Facebook and has been viewed over a million times.
According to the video caption by car wash owner Ms Atie Abdul Hamid, the foreign worker, a Bangladeshi, the attacker refused to pay the fee for the car wash.
Instead, he demanded RM1,000 (S$332) because the foreign worker had sat in his car while wiping the windshield.
The car wash owner's most recent posts say that the worker's nose is broken. She says the worker was hit again, off-camera, in a location where the CCTV was not working, and that he then started bleeding "non-stop"..
"There are blood stains on the ground, I snapped a picture," she continued, although the picture has not been uploaded to her Facebook profile.
Netizens are calling for authorities to arrest the attacker.
Sources: Facebook, The Star Online, The Rakyat Post
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now


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With the largest market for new vehicle sales at over 23.5 million in 2014, significant smog issues, and lofty goals for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) and hybrid sales growth, China has long been seen as the biggest global opportunity for plug-in and hybrid vehicles. That hope has failed to materialize, with PEV sales through 2013 never surpassing 20,000 and hybrid sales far weaker. However, signs of a robust PEV market in the country are finally emerging, with 2015 sales figures indicating around 28,000 PEVs sold through April, just a few thousand less than the nearly 32,500 sold in the United States during the same period.
These figures are encouraging, but it should be noted that many of the PEVs sold in China would not qualify as highway-capable vehicles in the United States; therefore, these comparisons aren’t exactly apples to apples. Regardless, for hybrids like the Toyota Prius, there isn’t much to say except that compared to the number of plug-in options now being sold in China, there are few hybrids.
Toyota and Honda have long tried to jump-start hybrid sales in the country, but dismal sales figures have been consistent. Since 2005, Toyota has only sold 90,000 hybrids in China. In late April, Toyota once again announced it was doubling its efforts through two new hybrid platforms scheduled to be introduced sometime this year as part of a grand strategy to make hybrids account for 30% of the company’s sales in the country. Given Toyota’s goal of doubling current annual sales in China, this 30% could mean up to 600,000 hybrids annually.
Though sales of hybrids still outpace PEVs in most major markets globally, market share is beginning to lag in established markets while PEV sales continue to grow, specifically in the United States. In fact, since the beginning of 2014, monthly sales of hybrids in the United States have fallen in every month, with the exception of May 2014. It is likely that more expensive PEVs with significant energy cost savings and lucrative government incentives are cutting into the established PEV market share. However, it’s also likely that less expensive fuel efficiency gains through stop-start technologies, engine downsizing, and vehicle light-weighting alongside low oil prices are also having an impact.
Monthly Hybrid Sales, North America: 2013-2015
(Source: Navigant Research)
Caught in between low-level, inexpensive fuel efficiency improvements and expensive alternative fuel options with significant incentives and energy costs savings, the plugless hybrid business case is eroding. Prospects for the platform are not likely to improve, as stop-start technology is likely to permeate rapidly through the global automotive industry and PEV costs continue to decline. In China, the steady flow of new PEV introductions alongside growing interest in stop-start batteries could negate hybrid interest altogether, making Toyota’s 30% hybrid by 2020 goal difficult—if not impossible—to achieve.
Tags: China, Electric Vehicles, PEVs, Transportation Efficiencies, Transportation Forecasts
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Chrysal Talk Gives Floristry Students Food For Thought
Wed, 2002-02-06 00:00
Floristry students at East Durham College were treated to a talk and free gifts from plant food industry giants Chrysal.
Chrysal field officer Paul Cooke visited the Houghall Campus, in Durham, yesterday to talk to the group of 25 students about Chrysal, job within the plant food industry and also about the products they supply around the world.
Paul then handed out goody bags to the attending students containing some of the company’s top products including conditioner, flower food, leafshine and a conditioning T-bag.
Paul said: “It’s great to be able to come in and teach students about Chrysal and the work we do.
“I hope the students enjoy the goody bags and I’m sure they will all put the products to good use throughout their course.”
Floristry lecturer Sue Lee thanked Paul for coming in to speak to the students and giving them an insight into one of the biggest companies in the floristry industry.
Sue said: “It really was great for Paul to be able to come in and speak to students and give them an idea of some of the products available from Chrysal and how they work.
“It was also great for the students to get an understanding of how Chrysal works as a global company within the industry and how they keep producing top quality products to stay ahead of their competition.”
Chrysal originated in the Netherlands in 1929 and in the early fifties they added flower food to its product range. Since then the company has gone on to become trendsetters in the plant food industry through their many years of global experience.
If you are interested in enrolling on a full or part time floristry course at the College’s Houghall Campus, please call 0191 375 4710 or check out the floristry courses section of the website.


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Sony recently held a briefing in Sydney for the media to showcase their latest tech goodies, and we also took the time to ask them about their plans for updating their Bravia smart TVs running Android TV.
At the briefing, Sony Australia has revealed that all Sony Android TV 2018, 2017 Models (plus some 2016 models) will receive an operating system update to Android TV 8.0 (Oreo) as well as enabling Google Assistant.
A Sony spokesperson told Ausdroid that:
“The plan is to update all 2018 and 2017 models to Oreo within CY [calendar year] 2018. In addition, some models from the 2016 range will also be updated, however we can’t confirm model numbers at this stage. Timings for updates may vary between models”.
Furthermore Sony Australia advised that Australians who own recent model Sony Android TV’s will be glad to know that they will become fully Google Assistant enabled:
Google Assistant is a feature that will be available for Sony BRAVIA TVs at a later date via a firmware update. As the roll-out will be managed by Google, we are unable to provide the exact timing of this update. All 2018 and 2017, and some 2016 models will receive the Google Assistant update. At this stage we can’t confirm the 2016 model numbers that will receive the update. Timings for updates may vary between models.
Speaking of Sony Android TV 2018 models, all of the 4K OLED & LED will run Android TV as their OS. There are only a few budget 1080P LED W600 models that will have a basic Sony TV interface instead.
Another change is a new minimum size of 55″ which is not surprising as that was a very popular size last year. It is however disappointing that Sony no longer offers a premium 49″ TV for the growing number of Australians who live in small city apartments.
If you were interested in Sony OLED technology last year but weren’t keen on the slanted stand of the A1, the new 55″ & 65″ A8F 4K HDR OLED TV models with Dolby Vision and Acoustic Surface can stand or be mounted flat.
Other new Sony products on display that caught our eye included the updated SRS-XB41, SRS-XB31, and SRS-XB21 EXTRA BASS tough portable wireless speakers, RX100 VI premium pocket camera (with new 24-200mm zoom) and their new sports wireless earphones (WF-SP700N / WI-SP600N).
Sony claims that their new WF-SP700N earphones are the world’s first truly wireless noise cancelling earphones with splash-proof IPX4 design, letting you enjoy undisturbed sound wherever you are. A charging case is also included to enable two more usage sessions up to 3 hours each. An update available in the near future will make the WF-SP700N compatible with Google Assistant for hands-free convenience.
The WI-SP600N model has the same Digital Noise Cancelling and sound technology as the WF-SP700N, plus the same splash-proof rating and future enabled Google Assistant functionality. However they are not wireless as the earpieces are connected by a cable that sits behind the neck.
Several other Sony headphones will also receive an update that enables Google Assistant, specifically the 2017 Noise Cancelling models: WH-H900N, WH-1000XM2, WI-1000X and WF-1000X.
We’ll let you know how well the WF-SP700N’s perform when we’ve finished reviewing them.


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After a new round of tests, SAE International said a controversial refrigerant favored by most auto makers is safe for use in mobile air conditioning units.
The automotive engineering group conducted additional tests with 11 auto makers after Daimler A.G. raised concerns last year about HFO-1234yf. The German auto maker and parent of Mercedes-Benz voiced concerns that the refrigerant, jointly developed by Honeywell and DuPont Co., could ignite on the hot surface of an engine if mixed with air conditioning compressor oil, releasing dangerous hydrogen fluoride gas.
Daimler’s concerns prompted SAE—formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers—to review tests and data, and retest the refrigerant after Daimler found problems with it during simulated crash tests in August.
SAE now calls those simulated crash tests “unrealistic.”
“Their testing created extreme conditions that favored ignition while ignoring many mitigating factors that would be present in an actual real-world collision,” SAE said in a report.
According to the report, the risk of a fire caused by the refrigerant is low compared with other potential causes of ignition and “well below risks that are commonly viewed as acceptable by the general public.”
SAE said a person was 20,000 times more likely to die in a plane crash than be exposed to a vehicle fire caused by a leak and ignition of HFO-1234yf.
A DuPont spokeswoman said the company was pleased with the report, and endorses the methodology SAE used to conduct tests on the refrigerant.
“We believe this kind of transparent approach is necessary if the results of an evaluation are to have meaning for industry members and regulators around the world,” the spokeswoman said.
The 11 auto makers that worked with SAE on the latest test and review include Chrysler Group L.L.C., Fiat, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co., Honda Motor Co., Hyundai Motor Co., Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault and Toyota Motor Corp.
Daimler did not participate in the latest tests, but it took part in initial testing in December, according to a Reuters report.
A Daimler spokesman wrote in an e-mail that the company stopped participating in the tests because it believes SAE’s methodology “dilutes the results.” He denounced claims that Daimler’s testing is unrealistic.
“Our reproducible test procedure models refrigerant leakage in the engine compartment—for example due to a severe head-on collision after engine load—in real driving situations,” the spokesman wrote. “The setup of our test is based—among others—on findings from our in-house accident research department and is considered by many experts as a realistic scenario.”
SAE said that the recent tests addressed Daimler’s concerns.
“The conclusions from SAE’s latest expanded evaluation, combined with years of extensive testing in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere, again leaves no doubt that HFO-1234yf is safe for automotive applications,” Ken Gayer, general manager for Honeywell Fluorine Products, said in a statement. “The fact that all 11 global auto makers participating in the project agreed with the SAE [test] conclusions is further proof that this product can be used safely.”
Daimler and Volkswagen A.G. backed off plans to use the chemical refrigerant this year while GM began adopting it across much of its vehicle lineup.
GM officials have publicly backed the refrigerant for months, noting their tests did not reproduce the same results claimed by Daimler. In April, Opel, a GM subsidiary and a rival of Daimler and VW, said it would continue to use the refrigerant, according to Reuters. Ford also said that month that it found no problems with the product.
SAE’s latest tests included an analysis of recent testing by auto makers and vehicle crash data, on-vehicle simulations, laboratory simulations, bench tests and more than 100 releases of refrigerant in the engine compartment.
The refrigerant underwent an initial round of testing from 2007 to 2009 and was approved for use.
This report appeared on the website of Automotive News, a Detroit-based sister publication of Tire Business.
April 7, 2016. Honeywell signs R1234yf deal in China. CoolingPost.com
November 16, 2014. Mercedes takes aim at ‘toxic’ R1234yf air conditioning coolant. Driving.co.uk
October 27, 2014. Chilling effect – EU Commission alleges possible collusion over in car air conditioning systems. Lexology.com.
October 22, 2014. Honeywell hits back over EU Commision’s 1234yf ‘Objection’. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning News.
October 21, 2014. Antitrust: Commission sends Statement of Objections to Honeywell and DuPont regarding cooperation on new refrigerant used in car air conditioning systems. Press release of the European Commission.
October 21, 2014. DuPont Statement: European Commission Investigation. Press Release from Dupont.
August 28, 2013. DuPont president claims lifting of Mercedes ban changes nothing. Refrigeration and Air Conditioning News.
July 31, 2013. EU coolant row heats up. Fleet News.
July 10, 2013. Mercedes in war of words with EU over air-con chemicals. Cold War over refrigerants heats up. The Irish Times.
June 26, 2013. SAE: Controversial new vehicle refrigerant safe. Tire Business.
Dec 15, 2012. Mercedes faces off with Honeywell, DuPont over coolant safety. Automotive News. Reuters.
Sept 9, 2011. Honeywell defends “killer refrigerant” against German opposition. ACR News.
May 17, 2006. Greenhouse gas (HFC-134a) for emissions from air-conditioning systems in motor vehicles and amending. Directive 2006/40/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council. Official Journal of the European Union.


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The new brand name, Veri-te, will help boost awareness of an ingredient that was ‘hard launched’ at the Supply Side West trade show in Las Vegas in late 2014. But sales for the ingredient, which Basel, Switzerland-based Evolva acquired when it bought the Fluxome business out of bankruptcy in 2012, were slower to develop. Angela Tsetsis, the US-based vice president of health and wellness for Evolva, said it was time to put a more market-facing image onto the ingredient.
“We had been using the corporate name for the ingredient, but I don’t think that brought very much to the party when it came to differentiating the ingredient,” Tsetsis told NutraIngredients-USA. “We see this a good time to do this. We’ve grown our commercial team. With any premium ingredient where you don’t want it to become commoditized, you have to highlight its differentiating factors.”
“It’s the same ingredient, a greater than 98% purity resveratrol. But we have definitely improved our processes to bring down the cost to a more competitive level. That can happen with fermentation,” Tsetsis said.
Question of synthetic biology
In the time since the initial launch of the ingredient in 2014, the conversation around so-called ‘synthetic biology’ has taken a hard turn. The term refers to the genetic modification of organisms to produce new compounds of interest, which is what Evolva has done with its propriety strain of bakers yeast, modifying it to produce resveratrol. ETC Group, a non profit entity based in Ottawa, Canada, has raised awareness about the effects of this fermentation technology on markets of natural ingredients, such as vanilla derived from vanilla beans. The question, according to Jim Thomas, program director for ETC Group, is whether fermented ingredients should be able to call themselves ‘natural’ because fermentation is a ‘natural’ process, or so the argument goes. The cost of those ingredients could undercut the natural supply chain by a significant amount, disrupting the livelihood of indigenous producers, if they are allowed to compete on the same playing field, he has argued.
The situation is somewhat different with resveratrol in that it has always been a compound extracted for use a dietary ingredient, and the natural vs synthetic question is a less burning one in dietary supplements. First identified as the substance in red wine that could account for the French paradox, the botanically-sourced resveratrol that is on the market comes primarily from Japanese knotweed. There are no village dwelling resveratrol farmers to put out of business, in other words, and supplement consumers have (perhaps in ignorance) happily used products containing synthetically produced vitamins for many years.
Tsetsis said that Evolva’s position is that it wants to be completely transparent about what the ingredient is and where it comes from, hence the new name, which means ‘truth’ in Romance languages. Evolva does talk about fermentation being a ‘natural’ process.
“We are completely transparent about it because we are not trying to pass ourselves off as something that we are not. For some, resveratrol from fermentation is not what they are looking for, but there is a place for it for those who are looking for a product that is consistent batch-to-batch and is independent of concerns about environmental contamination,” she said.
“We say that we are non GMO. There are GMOs used in the production process, but the compound itself is expressed outside of those organisms,” Tsetsis said.
Building the science
Evolva is working on building up the science backing for the ingredient. The company announced a study looking at the effects of resveratrol supplementation for post-menopausal women. Results from that study are about a year away, and the bone health endpoints are new for the category and could serve to expand the market for the ingredient, Tsetsis said.
“In that study we are looking at the effects on bone health. We already have two studies completed that look at our resveratrol and its effect on men with metabolic disorders, a lot of whom can develop osteoporosis when the metabolism is out whack and bone formation is not what it should be. And when you think about osteoporosis, post-menopausal women are at the most risk,” she said.
While resveratrol is an antioxidant, it functions differently than most, Tsetsis said. Most antioxidants have their effects at the surface of cells, soaking up free radicals there and preventing damage to cell membranes. Resveratrol is incorporated deep into the cell and can help protect telomeres on DNA strands and can help prevent the erosion in the functioning of mitochondria, the cellular energy factories, as the body ages. And while healthy aging will always be the wheel house for the ingredient, those mitochondrial effects means that sports nutrition could be a new growth area for resveratrol, she said.
“There hasn’t been a lot of research that shows results there yet but I have seen several trials that are focused on sports recovery or performance.”