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PIF Launches the Saudi Coffee Company to Further Enable Saudi Arabia’s Food & Agriculture Sector
RIYADH, 15/May/2022. – The Public Investment Fund (PIF) today announced the launch of the Saudi Coffee Company. The company has been established to enable Saudi Arabia’s coffee bean to be a global product in the future, and will play a vital role in developing sustainable coffee production in the southern Jazan region, home to the world-famous Coffea Arabica.
The launch of the Saudi Coffee Company aligns with PIF’s strategy, which focuses on developing and enabling 13 promising sectors, including food and agriculture, as part of broader efforts to diversify sources of income for the local economy.
In partnership with the private sector, the Saudi Coffee Company’s primary goal is to ensure that the national coffee industry is enabled along its entire value chain, from bean to cup. The company will have a strong focus on achieving sustainability across the production, distribution, and marketing aspects of the coffee supply chain, implementing the highest standards and global best practices to empower the national industry’s growth, create new jobs, and promote Saudi Arabia’s capabilities to export the highest-quality coffee beans to the global markets.
The coffee market in Saudi Arabia has grown considerably in recent years, and domestic market statistics demonstrate the attractive opportunity presented by the coffee sector. Market data shows that coffee consumption in Saudi Arabia grew by approximately 4% a year between 2016 and 2021 and is forecast to increase by a further 5% per annum up to 2026, reaching an expected annual consumption of 28,700 tons*.
Over the next ten years, the company intends to invest nearly SAR 1.2 billion in the national coffee industry, with the goal of boosting the country’s production from 300 tons per year to 2,500 tons per year. According to the latest statistics, the national production of the Saudi Khawlani coffee beans comes from the mountainous regions of Jazan, Al Baha, and Aseer. Across the three regions, there are more than 2,500 coffee plantations with a combined total of around 400,000 coffee trees.
As part of its role to build expertise across the industry, the company will also localize knowledge and introduce the latest technologies across the planting, harvesting, roasting, and marketing sides of the coffee industry in Saudi Arabia. With these goals in mind, the company plans to establish a dedicated academy in various locations in the country, where Saudi Arabian professionals, entrepreneurs, coffee plantation owners, and farmers can receive the training and knowledge they need to help them start their own businesses. The academy will also help locals in the region to contribute to the industry’s growth and take advantage of the opportunities this creates.


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Will 'Chicken Little' be the ticket to cure the movie industry's woes? Big things are expected from ''Chicken Little."
The Walt Disney Co. animated movie, which opens nationwide this Friday, will play on standard 35-millimeter film at most megaplexes. But on 84 screens, including three here in the Boston area, audiences will don special glasses and watch the movie in digital 3-D.
It's the first test of whether the on-screen three-dimensional realism made possible by digital projection can bring consumers out to the megaplex in large enough numbers to keep the sky from falling on the movie theater business. Attendance through Oct. 23 this year was down 8.1 percent from a year ago, according to Exhibitor Relations Co.
Movie industry veterans, including big-name directors like George Lucas and James Cameron, say digital 3-D is a technological breakthrough in film realism, likely to become as standard as sound, action, and color.
''I envision a day when we release a picture just in 3-D," said Charles Viane, president of distribution for Disney. ''We're finally bringing to the theater a presentation that the consumer cannot get from a home theater."

domain: news


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home sales in November down 13 per cent from 7,446 sales in November 2009. New listings were also down 13 per cent annually to 8,642.
On a month-over-month basis, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of sales increased for the fourth straight month to 88,100. This rate was substantially higher than the July low of 67,900.
“The GTA resale market has tightened since the summer. Healthy market conditions continued to support growth in the average selling price,” said Toronto Real Estate Board President Bill Johnston.
“Sales through the first 11 months of the year were down only marginally compared to the same period in 2009. We remain on track for one of the best years on record under the current TREB market area,” continued Johnston.
The average selling price for November transactions was $438,030 – up five per cent compared to November 2009.
“The average selling price in the GTA is affordable. A household earning the average income can comfortably cover the mortgage payments on an average priced home. Expect the average selling price to grow at a moderate pace over the next year,” said Jason Mercer, TREB’s Senior Manager of Market Analysis.
In November, the median price was $366,000, from the $353,800 recorded during November of 2009.


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The company stopped delivering DVDs on Saturdays in June but most of its customers didn’t even realize the move. Although the company has plenty of DVD customers (8.2 million at the beginning of the year), Netflix has about three times as many streaming customers.
The move makes sense financially but some customers are very upset over how secretive the movie provider was about getting rid of Saturday deliveries. Some Netflix users went to the company’s website to express their displeasure while others were shocked when they found out about the move through news sources.
NFLX stock is down close to 1% Wednesday afternoon.
More Netflix (NFLX) News:


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Whether you’ve been Keeping Up with Kourtney Kardashian or not, the 42-year-old mother, entrepreneur and television personality is known for her love for all-things health and wellness. This passion materialized into her online publication and e-tailer Poosh, launched in 2015, a destination where she and her team share lifestyle tips and favorite products. Poosh has also spearheaded their fair share of product collaborations, and their latest partnership has its sights set on upgrading your water.
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Introduced this week, Poosh has teamed up with the hydration experts at Liquid I.V. to create a celebrity-approved mix-in powder: the Liquid I.V. x Poosh Honey Ginger Turmeric Hydration Multiplier ($25 for 10 packets).
If you’re unfamiliar, Liquid I.V. is beloved among countless athletes and health-conscious consumers for its ability to enhance hydration via a single-serve powder packed with three times more electrolytes than leading sports drinks and a signature Cellular Transport Technology (CTT) which helps which helps water and nutrients—think vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, and vitamin C—get absorbed into your bloodstream better and quicker. Translation: When mixed into your water, Liquid I.V. delivers a faster and more effective absorption of vital nutrients for more hydration than from water alone.
Ideal for use pre- or post-workout, after too many cocktails or while traveling, the slim packet is a surefire way to keep your hydration levels steady.
While the formula remains untouched, Kardashian put her Poosh spin on the brand’s classic lineup of flavors, launching a spa-inspired Honey Ginger Turmeric iteration. In true Poosh fashion, Kardashian celebrated the launch by sending a care package to A-listers all over the country, including her family, complete with a box of her Liquid I.V. collaboration we’re sure they’ll love.
While it hasn’t been confirmed the hydration-booster lives inside of Khloe or Kim’s kitchens or medicine cabinets, it’s clear Kourtney gives it her big-sister stamp of approval.


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Entertainment Franchise Industry News & Announcements
Franchising.com brings you the latest in Entertainment franchising news from around the web. As one of the most trusted news sources for the Entertainment franchise industry, Franchising.com streams hundreds of the latest news directly to your desktop.
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has welcomed IHG veteran Fergus Stewart to the Europe region as Vice President, Luxury Operations.
Cruise Planners®, an American Express Travel Representative, hosted hundreds of their travel advisors in Cancun, Mexico for its annual convention.
Expanding its brand portfolio and positioning for long term growth, Red Roof has launched The Red Collection, the first soft brand in the company’s 44-year history.
The leader in performance-based music education, School of Rock, is proud to announce the opening of its newest school in Calgary, Alberta in Canada.
Cruise Planners®, an American Express Travel Representative, continued its legacy of achievement by winning eight Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly, the premier award for the travel industry.
Hilton (NYSE:HLT) has named Shruti Gandhi Buckley as global head of the company’s Hampton by Hilton brand.
Already the richest rewards program in the economy hotel industry, Red Roof’s RediCard® is taking its point-based rewards to new heights.
Houston-based BrisketU (Backyard Pitmasters, LLC) has expanded to Bryan and Austin, and is now franchising its three-hour brisket smoking class business model throughout Texas and beyond.
School of Rock, the renowned leader in performance-based music education, announces it Randolph, New Jersey location has been acquired by new owners Suzanne and Jimmi Kane.
Sky Zone, creator of the world’s first indoor trampoline park, announces the relocation of its Rochester location to Henrietta.
The Pinot’s Palette franchise system, which includes 137 paint and sip studios nationwide, launched a series of fundraising events for Hurricane Harvey relief.
SPONSORED Open a Launch Trampoline Park Franchise
Launch Trampoline Park is an indoor sports and entertainment facility featuring interconnected trampolines that form a giant jumping surface. Our parks allow customers of all ages to launch off the walls and burn some energy while enjoying time...
The second Australian Funtopia® started operations on August 30, 2017, and promised to be a must-go place for residents and visitors of Maribyrnong.
Five Texas Pump It Up locations will be hosting fun-filled play events in support of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts.
Hampton by Hilton welcomes 25 properties to its growing portfolio, with several hotels debuting in less-traveled locales known for their distinct natural attractions and recreational activities.
School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, is pleased to announce Anthony Padulo as their new Chief Development Officer.
The leader in performance-based music education, School of Rock, is proud to announce the opening of its newest school in Schaumburg, Illinois.
Red Roof is taking the lead to further protect consumers by launching its Type Don’t Click campaign to ensure safe, authentic booking.
Wine and art-lovers will be eager to hear about the recent arrival of Pinot’s Palette to Rancho Santa Margarita, California.
InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®), one of the world’s leading hotel companies, has announced the signing two new properties in Dubai: Crowne Plaza® Dubai Business Bay and InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Business Bay.
BirthdayPak has established a national sales account agreement with Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa.
A consortium comprising SGX-listed ICP Ltd and a real estate private equity fund has acquired Butterfly on Hollywood, a 148-room midscale hotel primely located in the Central district of Hong Kong.
CEC Entertainment, Inc. (the "Company") today announced financial results for its second quarter ended July 2, 2017.
BirthdayPak is now coast to coast with the addition of the newest franchisee, Linda Stallings.
Jennifer Bradley is the proud new owner of BirthdayPak of Dallas/Fort Worth and is looking forward to bringing BirthdayPak to the Dallas area in the near future.
ky Zone Trampoline Park, creator of the world’s first indoor trampoline playing court, announces the July 14 opening of its second location in Cincinnati, at Anderson Towne Center.
Mr. Keith Barr was appointed to the Board as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of InterContinental Hotels Group PLC on 1 July 2017.
School of Rock, a leader in performance-based music education, announced today the appointment of Rob Price as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Hilton announced the signing of a management agreement with Desarrolladores Asociados de Honduras (DAH) to operate a new build 173-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
BirthdayPak is extremely excited to announce its newest franchisee, Colleen Carlberg, owner of BirthdayPak of Phoenix.
Wheel Fun Rentals is excited to announce the new addition of Water Trikes to its impressive rental product lineup at City Park.


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Now that Marc Jacobs appears to be out of the picture at Christian Dior, industry sources said the French fashion house is closing in on a contract with acclaimed Belgian designer Raf Simons to become its next couturier.
A deal with Simons, 43, has yet to be concluded, and sources cautioned that several key details must be worked out. Chief among them would be a start date, given that Simons, creative director at Jil Sander since 2005, would have to unravel his contract with that Milan-based house, which is understood to have been extended recently for an unknown duration.
What’s more, given the rapid cycle of collections at a big couture house, it’s unlikely any newly installed designer would be able to produce a collection in time for Paris Fashion Week in March, let alone the couture in January.
Dior officials could not be reached for comment on Monday.
Should Dior secure Simons, it would mark the latest step up in an impressive career for the men’s wear maverick, who added women’s wear to his design repertoire only when he arrived at Sander.
It would also suggest Dior management is prepared to nudge the storied fashion house in a more modernist direction, given Simons’ predilection for minimalism and futurism.
Galliano, who brought spectacular showmanship and epic, romantic inspirations to Dior during his 15-year tenure, had recently been devoted to more ladylike dressing, turning out collections inspired by the founder’s earlier work and focusing on iconic styles such as its “bar” jacket and grand eveningwear. Dior presented his first collection in 1947.
Simons, too, has recently shown a fascination with midcentury couture, incorporating ballgowns — and even bridalwear — into recent collections, winning him rave reviews from fashion critics.
Simons has been on the radar of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, sister company of Dior, for some time. When Michael Kors wrapped up his stint as the designer of LVMH’s Celine house back in 2004, Simons was among candidates that advisers of luxury titan Bernard Arnault had been touting.
In recent years, Simons’ fashion star has continued to rise given a string of hit women’s shows for Sander. His spring-summer 2012 collection reimagined ideas from the Fifties into hyper-chic fashions for today.
According to sources, Simons had also been approached by Yves Saint Laurent, which has yet to indicate if it will extend its relationship with Stefano Pilati, who succeeded Tom Ford as the house’s chief designer in 2004. Pilati’s latest contract is due to expire in March.
Born in Neerpelt, Belgium, Simons moved to Genk and obtained a degree in industrial and furniture design in 1991. He segued from furniture into fashion and launched a youth-oriented, street-inspired collection of men’s wear in 1995.
He started showing it in Paris two years later, and quickly caused a sensation with his skinny tailoring, street casting, and such imposing runway venues such as La Grande Arche de la Défense.
A designer with an intellectual bent, Simons is also an enthusiastic fan of contemporary art — echoing Dior’s earlier background as an art dealer.
At Sander, he has elaborated on the German brand’s esthetic, adding dresses and eveningwear to its signature tailoring. “I knew in the long run I couldn’t only think about minimalism and purism,” he said in a 2008 interview.
For his spring 2011 collection, he invoked the grandeur of couture and the extravagant style of Elisabeth of Bavaria, the iconic royal, a riposte to other designers who had muscled in on minimalism. “It almost challenged me to the opposite, to do the idea of maximalism,” he told WWD at the time.
Earlier this year, Simons was an honoree at Fashion Group International’s Night of the Stars in New York.
Simons emerged as the new front-runner to succeed Galliano after talks to move Marc Jacobs over from Louis Vuitton came to a halt last month.
It is understood Dior has considered a wide swath of potential candidates, from young to mature talents, long insisting it would take all the time it needs to find a designer strongly matched to Dior’s DNA and ambitions.
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye
“It’s passion that helps get anybody to a certain point and it’s what’s propelled me,” said Kith founder @ronniefieg, one of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables who are changing the face of retail, fashion and beauty. Fieg, who opened a Manhattan flagship on October 7, began his career at age 13 as a stock boy and salesman for footwear chain David Z. “I think staying true to [my] beliefs, hard work and passion have gotten me to where [Kith] is today.” See the rest of the 40 at WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
25-year-old @samweaving is about to break out this fall, starring in Netflix’s horror film “The Babysitter,” fittingly out today on Friday the 13th. That’s not the only place you’ll be seeing her, though — Weaving’s got a role Showtime’s “SMILF” and another alongside Frances McDormand and Woody Harrelson in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” Though she’s got a full plate at the moment, there’s one role she’s got her eye on: Marilyn Monroe. “I’m a little too young at the moment, but it’s on my bucket list,” the actress told WWD (📷: @dandoperalski) #wwdeye
BFF's Poppy Jamie and Suki Waterhouse celebrated the launch of their bag line Pop x Suki at Nordstrom last night. "The line is really about our friendship, and how we are so different but complement each other," said Waterhouse. 👯 (📷: Katie Jones) #wwdeye
After designing the new @louisvuitton and @bulgariofficial flagships and a @chanelofficial boutique opening in Japan, @petermarinoarchitect has another project on his plate: The Lobster Club. Located in the Seagram Building, it’s the famed architect’s first restaurant project in New York, serving up modern Japanese brasserie-style cuisine. Bronze hues, bespoke material detailing, blush and chartreuse tones and a heavy emphasis on Picasso can be seen throughout. Mark your calendars for Nov. 1 for the much-anticipated opening. (📷: @clint_spaulding) #wwdeye
Did you know: @carlychaikin of "Mr. Robot" has been painting for about a decade? The actress, who plays Darlene on the show, is a self-taught artist who lists Salvador Dalí and Chuck Close as some of her idols. Chaikin told WWD that painting is a form of meditation for her — A much-needed one given the intensity of "Mr. Robot." See a piece Chaikin is working on at WWD.com (📷: @jilliansollazzo) #wwdeye


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With the ongoing festival season, various smartphones are being released in the market. If you are looking for a budget 5G smartphone, then this may be a good opportunity for you. Recently, Oppo India has launched its latest A79 5G. This device is built for users who seek a premium 5G device that strikes a balance between design, performance, and a fast-charging battery that lasts over a day of moderate use. Let’s take a look at the features of this newly launched smartphone in detail.
The Oppo A79 5G is available in Glowing Green and Mystery Black color options. It weighs just 193g and is 7.99mm thin. For extra durability, the IP54-rated smartphone is subjected to more than 320 quality tests and 130 extreme reliability tests. This device sports a 6.72-inch FHD+ display with a punch-hole camera. This screen comes with a 90Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling.
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Oppo A79 5G sports a triple-rear camera setup, including a 50MP AI camera, a 2MP portrait camera, and an 8MP selfie camera. The A79 5G packs the MediaTek 6020 SoC that comprises dual 2.2GHz Arm Cortex-A76 performance cores and six 2GHz Arm Cortex-A55 efficiency cores.
The smartphone boasts 8GB RAM and 128GB storage while adding support for up to 1TB microSD cards. ColorOS 13 based on Android 13 offers myriad other features, including auto Pixelate for privacy when sharing chat screenshots, and an upgraded Private Safe to protect sensitive documents from prying eyes. It is backed by a 5000mAh battery with 33W charger.
The device is priced at Rs. 19999 and will be available starting Oct 28, 2023, at the Oppo Store, Flipkart, Amazon, and other retail outlets.
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A molecular diagnostics company Mylab Discovery Solutions Pvt Ltd, based in Pune has developed the first made-in-India test kit for COVID-19 in a record time of six weeks, as per the reports.
How Did This Happen?
Basically this company specializes in molecular diagnostic kits.
Also, this kit - Mylab PathoDetect COVID-19 Qualitative PCR kit - is the first one to receive commercial approval from the Indian FDA/ Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
No Internet connection


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In a surprising turn of events, a viral meme featuring pop sensation Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce has ignited a condiment revolution. The photo, taken during Swift’s unexpected appearance at Kelce’s September 24th home game at Arrowhead Stadium, captured her indulging in chicken tenders with an unusual condiment pairing of ketchup and “seemingly ranch.”
The image quickly spread across social media, with fans playfully speculating about Swift’s unique snack choice. Heinz, the renowned ketchup brand, wasted no time capitalizing on the moment, announcing a limited-edition condiment in honor of the viral sensation. Heinz posted on Instagram, “It’s a new Era for Heinz. Introducing Ketchup and Seemingly Ranch. Limited-edition bottles coming soon.”
While some may see this as a rebranding of Heinz’s existing “Kranch” sauce, which has been available since 2019, the new version will feature a custom label inspired by the viral photograph.
But Heinz isn’t the only company having fun with this meme. Hidden Valley shared a recipe for “Chicken Tender and Seemingly Ranch” on their website, using their own iconic sauce. Primal Valley, another dressing company, announced that they will be offering “Seemingly Ranch” friendship bracelets with every purchase of their dressing.
Even the official Twitter account for New York City’s Empire State Building joined the excitement, sharing a photo of the iconic skyscraper illuminated in red and white lights, captioned, “Ketchup and seemingly ranch.” The internet is buzzing with excitement over this unlikely condiment pairing, proving once again that pop culture can have a surprising influence on our taste buds.
In the midst of the condiment craze, it’s worth noting that neither Taylor Swift nor Travis Kelce has publicly commented on the viral meme. However, the NFL star did share his thoughts on seeing the “You Belong With Me” singer in the stands during his recent appearance on the September 27th episode of his and his brother Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast.
“She looked amazing,” he gushed, reflecting on the slow-motion chest bumps, high-fives with his mom, and the excitement throughout Chiefs Kingdom upon Taylor Swift’s presence at the game. Kelce continued, “It was definitely a game I will remember, that’s for damn sure.”
While the celebrities involved have stayed mum about the condiment sensation they inadvertently sparked, fans continue to revel in the unexpected connection between Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, and the world of condiments.
Suggested Read: ‘Foe’: All About the Saoirse Ronan-Paul Mescal Sci-Fi Thriller


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#LAAUTOSHOW: BMW Reveals A Refreshed i8 And An All New Roadster
- Author: Gina Adkins Nov 30, 2017,
Nov 30, 2017, 13:02
That means total system power is now 275 kW/374 hp, allowing the i8 Roadster to cover the 0-100 km/h sprint in 4.6 seconds (0.2 seconds slower than the coupé).
Taking advantage of the new version of the vehicle being introduced, BMW offers a slight but interesting increase in power. Both i8 models continue to use a turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine and an enhanced battery-powered electric motor.
2018 BMW i8 Roadster adds open-top thrills to Munich's plug-in sports car
The auto can switch from a coupe to a roadster in just 15 seconds and at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph).
The long talked about roadster features an electric folding soft-top that's stored in a space-saving vertical position.
The 2019 BMW i8 Roadster features an electric soft top that can open in less than 16 seconds and operate at speeds up to 31 miles per hour. Its cell capacity has risen from a previous 20 Ah to 34 Ah, with energy capacity increasing from 7.1 kWh to 11.6 kWh. The rear window doubles as a wind deflector can also be closed or opened independently without the roof.
I should've left basketballers in jail
Trump has said he raised the players' detention with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the leaders' recent meeting in Beijing. There was no way Trump wasn't going to respond to that, it just took him until Sunday.
In terms of performance, the i8 now has a combined output of 369 horsepower, which is up 12 horsepower from before. Efficiency improvements in the batteries also liberate an extra 12bhp from the electric motor, which powers the front wheels.
The design of the coupe remains fairly unchanged from the nearly 4-year-old version, but the open-top roadster is the new long-awaited version of the plug-in vehicle. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 miles per hour for both cars. When we say this beast is packing a 1.5-litre engine it might not sound impressive but bare with us. For reference, an i8 Coupe starts at $144,395 today.
Since both models are essentially a mid-cycle facelift, despite the Roadster not having a predecessor, both the exterior and the interior have been updated.
Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku avoids Premier League suspension
United next visit Watford , who are eighth on the league table after an impressive 3-0 win at Newcastle United on Saturday. The £90m summer signing from Everton has scored 13 goals this season but only one in his last 10 appearances for United.
Also new is BMW's latest 360° electric charging system. Otherwise, the car's design will be familiar to current owners of the coupe - much of the changes to the Roadster are to its complex aluminium construction, to compensate for the loss of a rigid roof. Mpg has also been improved to 149.8mpg for the Coupe and 134.5mpg for the Roadster, although these numbers are always notoriously hard to replicate in the real world, unless you charge frequently and mainly undertake short journeys.
Tesla unveils 'the quickest vehicle in the world'
Mr Osborne said Tesla's cumulative capex announcements now exceed $15 billion to $20 billion over the next few years. The semi, which is set to start production in 2019, is accepting pre-orders for $5,000 apiece.


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Google has had to issue an apology after Ubisoft’s upcoming open world action game Gods and Kings was made available to play on its Stadia platform.
The playable demo is an early version of the game and was used for E3, but Ubisoft had never planned for the demo to be released to the public.
- The best Google Stadia prices and sales in June 2020
- Our pick of the best Google Stadia games
- How to set up Google Stadia on your smartphone
However, God’s and Monsters was accidentally made available in the Stadia store and given the name Orpheus. It was only up for no more than 30 minutes before Google removed it, but it was enough to get people's attention.
Google has seen its fair share of issues since launching its cloud-based gaming platform, Stadia. First it had a rough launch with pre-order numbers being underwhelming, leaving many in the community ready to start the Google’s-about-to-jump-out-of-its-sinking-ship countdown.
Prior to the launch of Stadia, there were also concerns over Google’s history of monopolising certain markets, due to it influence over searches and advertising on the internet.
Google Stadia was released on November 19 2019. The machines used for the service are reported to run at 10.7 teraflops (the metric sometimes used to measure processor and graphics performance), but some gamers didn’t get a feel for that when playing popular games like Destiny on the service.
So, Google was criticized for not delivering on its early Stadia promises, but it has recently announced that it is working to fix this.
Another issue has been the lack of games and subscription options available at launch, which the company has promised to improve over the next coming months.
The question is, with so many blunders before the platform has really had a chance to take off, will gamers be patient enough to ditch their PlayStations, Xboxes or gaming PCs in favour of Google’s cloud-gaming offering? We’re not so sure.
- Want some more Google Stadia news?
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The reasons for the breach of the contract between Adidas and Beyoncé
It’s the end of an era: Beyoncé and Adidasthe world’s second largest sportswear brand, mutually agree to part ways. Ivy Park sales fell more than 50% to $40 million in 2022, well below the 250 million anticipated by Adidas. This has prompted a profit warning for investors as the brand tries to climb out of its billion-dollar hole and focus on core products.
The breakdown you need to know:
CultureBanx reported that Adidas’ main problem has been its strategy in recent years, centered on partnerships with other artists, such as Bad Bunny, Pharell Williams and rapper Ye (aka Kanye West). Only one of those associations consistently met or exceeded its financial expectations.
Specifically for Ivy Park, in 2021 revenue was $93 million, in 2022 revenue was $40 million vs. $250 million forecast. In 2023, revenue is projected to be $65 million, far from the target of $335 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Adidas’ contract with Beyoncé pays her $20 million a year and was due to expire at the end of this year.
“Adidas has all the ingredients to be successful, but we need to refocus on our core: product, consumers, retail partners and athletes.” stated Bjørn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, on his earnings call in early March.
There have been major creative differences between Ivy Park and Adidas, and Beyoncé, according to hollywood reporter. Perhaps for this reason, the CEO of Adidas declared that athletes, and not artists, should be the center of attention.
Overall, though, it’s been a rough ride for the sportswear and footwear company. which projects an operating loss of 700 million euros in 2023. It would be the first annual loss for Adidas in 31 years.
Let’s not forget that Adidas has $750 million worth of Yeezy-branded inventory that it may never sell, after breaking up with Ye. Earlier this month, the company reported a large fourth-quarter loss and slashed its dividend following the costly end of its partnership with Ye’s Yeezy brand in October 2022.


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Dubai International Airport has launched a smart scheme enabling travellers to use their smartphones instead of their passport or express gate cards at the airport to reduce travel clearing procedures to the minimum. Also Read - Facebook for Android will soon get dark mode and coronavirus tracking featureAlso Read - Scientists develop soft contact lens that can zoom with a blink
Dubbed “Emirates Smart Wallet”, the scheme is meant to further streamline travel movement across the airport and is considered the first of its kind in the world, said a media report. ALSO READ: In-flight Wi-Fi coming soon to India as security firms give the green signal: Report
The scheme was launched at the airport’s departure terminal by Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Dubai’s Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security, and Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Head of Dubai’s Naturalisation and Residency Department. ALOS READ: Dubai Airports launches ‘world’s fastest’ free public Wi-Fi service offering 100 mbps speed
Launched in its first phase, the scheme incorporates the traveller’s personal data, Emirates ID and passport information as well as the e-gate card data.


text: WASHINGTON - Five years ago this week, 15% ethanol (E15) blends debuted in the marketplace, offering consumers a new lower-cost, higher-octane fuel option at the pump. On July 10, 2012, Kansas became the first in the nation to offer E15. Since that time, the growth of E15 availability has expanded, with nearly 900 stations in 29 states currently offering the fuel blend. In June 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave final approval for the sale and use of E15 in light duty vehicles made since 2001, representing nearly 90 percent of today's automotive fleet. Meanwhile, manufacturers of more than 80 percent of the new vehicles sold in 2017 clearly list E15 as an approved fuel. "Since the debut of E15 five years ago, consumers have enjoyed greater access to a fuel that typically costs less, reduces harmful tailpipe pollution, offers higher octane, and boasts a higher renewable content," said Renewable Fuels Association President and CEO Bob Dinneen. "Thanks in part to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Biofuels Infrastructure Partnership Program and the industry-funded Prime the Pump initiative, more and more stations are offering E15. We look forward to the continued growth of E15 throughout our nation and enhancing the ability of American drivers to choose a fuel that is better for their pocketbook, better for the environment, and better for engine performance." Since the first gallon of E15 was pumped five years ago, more than 1 billion trouble-free miles have been driven on the fuel. Not a single verified case of misfueling, "engine damage," or inferior performance has been reported. Even greater E15 expansion will occur once consumers have year-round access to E15. Due to an outdated EPA regulation, retail gas stations are essentially prohibited from selling E15 in more than two-thirds of the nation's gasoline market during the summer ozone control season, from June 1-Sept. 15. Whether through legislative or regulatory action, RFA is working to ensure E15 is available year-round, throughout the nation.


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Obama: Signing Up for Obamacare Is ‘Just Part of Growing Up’
5 Years After Stimulus, Obama Says It Worked
New ‘climate change’ tack: It's the economy, stupid
The UAW's Waterloo — The United Auto Workers Union suffered …
The day's must-read political news and opinion pieces are scattered across hundreds of news outlets and blogs, too many for any one person to read.
Fortunately, memeorandum arranges all of these links in a single, easy-to-scan page. It auto-generates a news summary every 5 minutes, drawing on experts and pundits, insiders and outsiders, media professionals and amateur bloggers.
View the current page or another snapshot:
Nothing recent. See Techmeme News for earlier news.
Eric Slivka / MacRumors:
CVS and Rite Aid reportedly disabling NFC in stores to shut down Apple Pay and Google Wallet, as they prepare to roll out MCX's rival payment system
Noah Everett / Twitpic Blog:
Twitpic agrees to give Twitter the Twitpic.com domain and photo archive, site to remain in read-only mode
Adrian Chen / Wired:
“It's like PTSD”: inside the army of outsourced moderators cleaning gore, porn, and hate speech from the Internet
Tech news essentials
Must-read media news
Celebrity news and gossip


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SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Jeremy DeChario has been working to bring a cooperative market expansion downtown for almost seven years. And next week, all that work will pay off. The Syracuse Cooperative Market will open its second location on Wednesday, April 14, at the Salt City Market on South Salina Street.
“I think opening up in the downtown neighborhood immediately adjacent to the near west side and the south side is a great opportunity to sort of sing the benefits of cooperation and cooperative to communities that we haven’t been able to traditionally reach by our location up in the Westcott neighborhood,” he said.
DeChario is proud to be opening the first full-service grocery store in the area.
“We’ve been working very closely with the Syracuse Urban Partnership and the Salt City Market for the last three to make it so that the co-op could be downtowns first full-service grocery store and make it in a way that is accessible for all of the community to come in and feel welcome and be able to shop at the co-op and get the high-quality products that we’re known for,” he said.
There has been debate over whether Downtown Syracuse and the South Side are considered food deserts. Food deserts are urban areas where access to affordable, good quality fresh food is limited. The new co-op location sits just around the corner from Centro’s bus hub, adding to the accessibility of fresh food.
“Our produce, especially our fresh food mix, is going to be focused on both organic options that we’ve been known for, for 45 years and also bringing in lower-priced conventional options to be able to offer affordable food for the communities that surround us,” said DeChario.
He stressed the importance of this store not only be accessible but also affordable to all people in the area.
“Additionally, once we are given the clearance for our SNAP EBT, we’ll be able to offer a program called Double Up Food Bucks which will give people additional money when they purchase fresh food from the co-op with their EBT cards.”
The Syracuse Cooperative Market is owned by community members who decide to opt-in, but anyone can purchase from the store. The first location in the Westcott/University neighborhood has been around since 1972 and was founded with the intention of having locally-produced food, and those values have stuck.
DeChario says that last year, the co-op did business in the local season with over 800 local farms for various products on various scales.
“At the height of summer, we’re able to get products from local farms to fill our produce section, but this being Syracuse, we don’t get bananas and avocados locally and everybody wants them,” he said. “So we’re able to bring in ethically sourced, fair-trade bananas and avocados from national suppliers who bring them in from ethical farmers and distributed worldwide. “
He says that they do as much as they can to support local farmers because without them the community wouldn’t have the vibrant foodshed that exists in the central new york area.
The co-op will be opening Wednesday the 14th and is open every day from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
DeChario says, “We want to bring a co-op to every neighborhood that wants one so let us know where you think our next location should be.”


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On Thursday, Cryptocurrency prices were down . Reports that Nasdaq’s CEO voiced support for the digital coins gathered some attention. Meanwhile, U.S. state Wisconsin is considering accepting Bitcoin for donation.
On the Bitfinex exchange, Bitcoin was trading at $8,860.5 by 12:30AM ET (04:30GMT) , down 5.74% over the previous 24 hours.
Ethereum, the world’s second largest cryptocurrency by market cap, shed 5.43% at $621.74 on the Bitfinex exchange.
Ripple’s XRP token lost 5.08% to $0.80275 on the Poloniex exchange.
Meanwhile, Litecoin slipped 5.49% to $145.93.
Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman said Nasdaq is open to launching a cryptocurrency exchange in the future as the regulatory environment evolves.
Certainly, Nasdaq would consider it. “I believe that digital currencies will continue to persist…it’s just a matter of how long it will take for that space to mature,” said Friedman. “Once you look at it and say, ‘do we want to provide a regulated market for this?'”
Friedman said: But the virtual currencies are still very lightly regulated. That is part of the appeal to many early adopters but would have to change in order for Nasdaq to operate a cryptocurrency exchange.
Meanwhile, reports that Wisconsin ethics officials in the U.S. are considering accepting political contributions in bitcoins and other digital currencies attracted some attention. The move caused concerns about the inherent anonymity of such donations and the fluctuation of exchange rates.
The traditional method of campaign donations via cheque or credit cards allows authorities to trace their source and learn about the donor’s identity.
This came after the federal government, Montana and Washington, D.C., already allow bitcoin campaign contributions, while most U.S. states have been lukewarm in accepting cryptocurrencies due to untraceable source of donation./investing.com


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Net 3.0 and associated fields, in addition to the cryptocurrency market as a complete, confronted many difficulties in 2022. However these difficulties, a current focus group dialogue and report from Forkast present that enterprise professionals have some optimism about the way forward for blockchain know-how. They mentioned the tendencies and developments within the blockchain business for 2023 and their expectations for the way gaming will drive the widespread adoption of cryptocurrencies.
Report on Key Findings
The adoption of Web3 know-how by conventional companies and the contribution of gaming to the widespread uptake of blockchain know-how are two key components that may decide the long run improvement and prosperity of the cryptocurrency business, based mostly on a report from Forkast.
The report additionally discusses the continued significance of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and their potential for future enlargement. We are able to be taught loads about the way forward for the blockchain business and what it may possibly accomplish within the upcoming 12 months from these opinions from specialists within the subject.
The Important Drive Behind the Widespread Adoption of Cryptocurrencies Is Gaming
Cryptocurrencies and blockchain know-how can be broadly adopted, in line with Animoca Manufacturers, a outstanding investor within the blockchain gaming sector. Yat Siu, the CEO, and founding father of Animoca Manufacturers believes that many gamers will enter the market because of the opportunity of incomes cryptocurrency while additionally enjoying prime blockchain video games.
These AAA video games are anticipated to be launched progressively over the following 12 months, with lots of them debuting in 2024. It will end in a large inflow of recent gamers within the blockchain gaming business.
New governance fashions and DAOs created for collective monetary administration could begin to seem in 2023. Within the blockchain and cryptocurrency gaming industries, these fashions could result in higher transparency. An additional good thing about the DAO mannequin is that it provides companies an opportunity to innovate with it and improve transparency and accountability. Basically, the implementation of the DAO and associated fashions of governance might result in main developments in the best way that cash is managed within the blockchain sector.
DAO Function Will Solidify Its Place in Blockchain Video games Additional
A key element of Gamefi that permits gamers to grab management and restructure energy from builders is the DAO, or decentralized autonomous group. In 2023, the gaming business is predicted to see a major improve on this characteristic.
As an illustration, the DAO in Alien Worlds permits gamers to take part in elections for the management of a digital planet. The profitable candidates be part of the council and have management over the treasury, allocating funds, and making essential selections. The gaming group is strengthened and extra energetic because of DAO actions of this nature.
NFTs Will Preserve Rising in Reputation in 2023
Wasinger of Cryptoslams predicts that conventional royalty buildings will disappear in 2023 as new and cutting-edge income fashions change into extra commonplace. This development will give creators and artists extra freedom and management over how they become profitable from their digital property. Within the upcoming years, we will anticipate seeing extra well-known names from totally different sectors becoming a member of the NFT motion.
Trade insiders predict that the evolution of tokens will resemble the development of the web from static web sites to interactive cloud software program. Tokens are predicted to grow to be extra subtle and interactive on-chain brokers sooner or later. As synthetic intelligence (AI) develops in energy, AI and the metaverse would possibly work together in attention-grabbing methods. These growing applied sciences coming collectively might revolutionize the market and maintain nice promise for it, given their affect on the adoption of cryptocurrencies.


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No, it's not Valentine's Day.
In the tradition of celebrating traditions, Overwatch will be hosting a Chinese New Year celebration! Starting Tuesday, January 24th, we can participate in the Year of the Rooster event which is sure to feature new skins, voice lines, emotes, etc. Nothing is known about what kind of new featured game we'll get, but Mei is finally getting a "non winter" skin:
And D.Va's new skin was revealed to Korea:
I'm willing to bet our NEXT event will be St. Patrick's Day.
What do you think? Do you know of any cool holiday's from other countries that would rock as Overwatch events? Let us know!
I love you all.


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Talk of Nike Inc. sales taking a hit from the company’s decision to put ex–NFL player Colin Kaepernick at the center of its latest “Just Do It” campaign is looking overblown, based on data from a Silicon Valley digital commerce research company.
After an initial dip immediately after the news broke, Nike’s
“There was speculation that the Nike/Kaepernick campaign would lead to a drop in sales, but our data over the last week does not support that theory,” said Hetal Pandya, co-founder of Edison Trends.
Don’t miss: Here’s what Twitter data say about the Nike boycott
Nike’s stock has also held up after its initial slump. The stock rallied 2.2% on Monday and has retraced 93% of the decline to a three-week low that it suffered on Sept. 4, immediately after the campaign was revealed. It has gained 31% in 2018, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average
The news generated plenty of online buzz, with social engagement around Nike and Kaepernick rising sharply this week, according to 4C Insights, a marketing technology company. Mentions of and comments about Nike on social-media platforms rose 1,678% on Sunday and Monday, according to 4C data. Mentions of Kaepernick spiked 362,280%, the data showed.
The athlete has become the face of player protests against racial injustice and police brutality, since he started sitting and later kneeling during the national anthem, inspiring others to follow suit. The action has irked President Donald Trump, who weighed in on the Nike campaign in a series of tweets this week.
See also: Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks ... Colin Kaepernick? Super Bowl champ says those raging against Nike will regret it
That didn’t deter Nike from airing its first TV ad of the campaign on Thursday. Narrated by Kaepernick, the ad includes appearances by other high-profile African-American athletes Odell Beckham Jr., LeBron James and Serena Williams. The ad urged people to follow their dreams and ignore naysayers.
“Calling a dream crazy is not an insult,” Kaepernick says in the Nike spot. “It’s a compliment.”
To be sure, Nike has taken some flak from customers who oppose the NFL player’s actions. Sentiment toward the brand dropped 38% on Sunday and Monday, according to 4C, but it’s not all bad news.
Read also:Nike’s Kaepernick ad to provide a long-term gain after some near-term pain, analyst says
Related: The obvious reason why burning Nikes is so ridiculous, explained by Trevor Noah
Nike’s most engaged audience persona is “Made it and Know it,” said 4C Chief Marketing Officer Aaron Goldman, one of 70 categories of consumers that 4C has identified by analyzing social-media engagement on a range of platforms. People in that bracket are generally successful in their careers and personal lives, are typically single with robust social lives, and like to spend money on entertainment and travel, as well as online streaming services.
“Racial equality is a top concern for this audience, along with causes like clean-water access and gun control,” Goldman said.
“‘You can be darn sure that Nike has done its research and knows what will move its product and who this campaign will resonate with. They are the ones [Nike has] decided will be its future customers, so, if others are getting upset, [Nike has] planned for that, and it doesn’t care.’”
Sentiment toward Kaepernick actually improved by 40% this week, he said.
“You can be darn sure that Nike has done its research and knows what will move its product and who this campaign will resonate with,” said Goldman. “They are the ones [Nike has] decided will be its future customers, so, if others are getting upset, [Nike has] planned for that, and it doesn’t care.”
Daring to take a political stand has become a new paradigm for brands, as they seek to connect with a younger generation and changing political views, said Goldman.
“A company like Procter & Gamble
The outdoor-pursuits retailer REI was one of the companies that hit back against Trump’s executive order late last year that would dramatically reduce the size of two national monuments in Utah.
Read also: REI rolls out first-of-its-kind sustainability requirement that will affect every brand in its stores
Oppenheimer analyst Brian Nagel commended Nike for its “more edgy, risky” campaign, while refreshing the three-decades-old “Just Do It” slogan.
“The extensive roster of athletes and their powerful stories are core to the company’s stepped-up efforts in reaching a younger demographic,” Nagel wrote in a note earlier this week.
The Kaepernick campaign “is clearly an effective way to make some noise in the industry, regardless of any political bent. Over time, for Nike, we think the power of the messaging from this new broader campaign is apt to overshadow any potential backlash, near term, in our view,” Nagel wrote.
Read next:Is Jack in the Box’s new ad really offensive or are people just busting his bowls?


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Adoption of stablecoins proves popular
Different forms of currency have been used over the ages — such as seashells, wampum and metal coins — and in more recent times, bank notes made from paper and plastic are in wide circulation.
Nowadays, the digital era is set to redefine the features of money and the ways in which it is used.
Almost overnight, the world has started to talk about stablecoins, a new form of digital currency fully backed or collateralized by a country’s fiat currency — money that the government declares to be legal tender.
Stablecoins can also be viewed as an electronic version of fiat money, or e-money, as defined by the International Monetary Fund. Different from their predecessor bitcoin, which first appeared a decade ago, their value is linked to a pool of assets that can ensure a stable price for these “coins”.
Experts said that compared with bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, stablecoins may be more capable of acting as a means of payment and for storing value.
Tobias Adrian, financial counselor and director of the IMF’s Monetary and Capital Markets Department, said their value is stable compared with fiat currencies and transactions are convenient, nearly cost-free and faster than card payments.
“Emoney is better integrated into our digital lives, and often issued by companies that fundamentally understand user-centered design and integration with social media,” Adrian said.
Given these advantages, not only privately owned technology companies, but also government officials worldwide are rushing to announce that they will soon introduce their own form of stablecoins.
In China, residents have already accepted electronic payments, and just by carrying a smartphone can transfer money through scanning QR codes with apps such as Alipay or WeChat. IMF research showed that by May, electronic payments via WeChat Pay and AliPay had reached $18.7 trillion, more than all the transactions handled worldwide by Visa and MasterCard combined.
This may make it easier for Chinese consumers to use digital fiat money, as the payment process could be similar, according to experts.
Observers at home and overseas have said that the People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, could be the first of the major central banks to issue its own digital currency, and customers in the country may be able to use the electronic version of the yuan before too long.
Mu Changchun, director-general of the PBOC’s Institute of Digital Currency, said in the summer that after more than five years’ study, the Chinese version of a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, might be introduced soon, either to create tokens based on blockchain technology or to offer accounts to the public.
“In the future, this central bank digital currency may be traded between individuals and businesses through an app on a cellphone, acting like an electronic wallet,” Mu said.
Making payments with the fingertips may sound attractive, but at the same time, this unconventional type of money raises concerns related to customer protection, safety of the payments system, and financial stability.
Referring to the Chinese version of government-backed stablecoins, Mu said making a transaction could be as convenient as using cash, and will benefit the circulation and internationalization of the yuan.
“We need to ensure anonymity for both sides of the transaction, as well as meet antimoney laundering, anti-terrorist financing and anti-tax evasion requirements.” The balance between anonymity and regulatory needs should be achieved, he added.
PBOC officials refer to the forthcoming digital yuan as “digital currency and electronic payment”, or DC/EP, which will act as a replacement for paper bank notes, but not as a substitute for bank deposits or credit instruments.
According to official explanations, DC/EP providers act as a type of public-private partnership — the central bank has the issuing authority and the system also encourages competition between institutional and commercial providers, which can even come from the private sector.
Adrian, from the IMF, said: “If such providers can keep client funds as central bank reserves, and if these are protected from other creditors, then, by proxy, e-money users can hold, and transact in, a central bank liability. Isn’t that the very definition of a central bank digital currency?”
Liu Yan, assistant general counsel with the IMF Legal Department, told China Daily earlier in an exclusive interview: “There is no one-size-fits-all solution for central bank digital currency. Benefits and risks will have to be fully weighed by each country independently. End-user demand will vary with the relative attractiveness of other forms of money.”
Most of the “first generation” of crypto assets, mainly created based on blockchain technology — with Bitcoin being the best-known — have served investors more as a highly speculative asset. Since Bitcoin was introduced in 2008, accounts in this form of currency now account for more than 60 percent of the total of cryptocurrencies’ market value, according to a study by the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business, headquartered in Beijing.
Bitcoins cannot match the features of stablecoins, as the former are created by a process known as “mining”, where transactions are verified and added to the public ledger, and their price fluctuates without being linked to any valuable assets.
But the recently announced Libra, the blockchain digital currency proposed by Facebook is much more like stablecoins as it is connected with a portfolio of underlying assets.
Jean-Michel Godeffroy, president at JMG Consulting and a former official with the European Central Bank, said central banks had not reacted so nervously to Bitcoin as they had to Libra, as it is much more likely that the latter could become a real currency.
Issues related to Libra mainly concern cross-border payments. However, this appears to have created a legally complex organizational and technical model under which Facebook and its associates receive customer funds, manage money and process transactions, experts said.
Godeffory said that to some extent, Libra may challenge monetary sovereignty — the power of a state to exercise exclusive control over its currency — especially for developed countries.
“But there is no doubt that digital currency is the currency of the future, and it should be managed under some regulatory frameworks,” he added.
Liu, from the IMF, said: “Digital currencies still have a relatively small footprint and limited links to the rest of the financial system. Even so, authorities should remain vigilant. Digital currencies such as Libra have the potential to have a significant effect on the world financial system, particularly those that quickly reach a global scale.”
Since stablecoins were first mooted, technology innovators and financial regulators have been asking if they can really remain stable.
It is a requirement that they be backed by a central bank and can be transferred at any time into a fiat currency to ensure that the issuance of digital money cannot fuel inflation.
Wang Yongli, former president of Bank of China, said on Saturday that to achieve stable prices, central banks should not follow Bitcoin in using “mining” to create new CBDCs.
Mu, the central bank official, said China’s CBDC regulatory and policy frameworks are expected to remain “technology-neutral”, and innovation is encouraged in different types of institutions. Technology and financial companies, as well as monetary sovereignty, are playing a role in the innovation of stablecoins.
When it comes to cross-border payments using stablecoins, many researchers feel that the issue is even more complicated. It not only focuses on the technological choices or domestic regulatory framework, but is related to international monetary stability. As such, the researchers feel that further international policy coordination is needed.
Former PBOC governor Zhou Xiaochuan said on Saturday that financial regulation has to follow in the footsteps of global economic and financial innovation.
“Currently, the world is experiencing an unprecedented period of opportunity driven by technological development, which can rebuild global financial infrastructures and connections,” he said.
According to a report by the G7 nations, as different countries may have various arrangements for stablecoins, this could raise crossborder transaction charges, including banking fees, foreign exchange and telecommunication costs.
Payment service providers may also struggle to operate among themselves due to a lack of standardization, implying a fragmentation of the international payments system, the report said.
Godeffory, from JMG Consulting, said that the issuance of stablecoins by central banks may also depend on users’ requirements.
Persuading customers to switch from physical cash to digital currency may be another key problem.”Thus, many central banks, especially those in Europe, will wait and see,” he said.
“Thus, many central banks, especially those in Europe, will wait and see,” he said.


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OFPMA— proprietary moisture controlling molecular shield—has been co-formulated with another proprietary Living Proof molecule for microscopic hair thickening, PBAE, to create Perfect Hair Day (PHD): 5-in-1 Styling Treatment. This new product delivers five benefits, a combination of styling and treatment in one formula—which the firm is billing as a “feat which has been impossible to do with the established hair care ingredients of the last 30 years.”
PBAE is the acronym for PolyBetaAminoEster. MIT has numerous patents on PBAEs and much of their research has focused within the biotechnology field, in particular related to drug delivery. Living Proof, in its work with MIT, identified potential for harnessing this technology and re-engineering these materials to build larger polymers that can act as hair thickeners and volumizers. Living Proof has also been awarded specific patents for the PBAE polymers used by the company.
“When you’re willing to go out of the box and really invest in groundbreaking scientific discovery – creating entirely new ingredients that have never before been used in beauty – there is obviously big risk. But with that comes big reward,” said Jill Beraud, CEO of Living Proof. “With these new patents and the anticipated return of our new franchise, it is clear that there is huge value in our science.”
“The science taking place at Living Proof is special because, instead of following the traditional formula within the hair and skin care industry, the company follows a model we knew worked well for driving innovation -- the biotech industry,” explains Dr. Robert Langer, the David H. Koch Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Living Proof is built around the scientific principle I’ve always believed in: that if you can find the root cause of the problem, you can solve it. The company is also bringing the most modern and advanced technologies, such as novel material designs and high throughput technologies, to apply to the problems in hair and skin care, and the patents we have received are evidence of the innovation we’ve achieved so far."
Living Proof also announced that it received three Notices of Allowance and one issued patent related to its innovative hair care products. Issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the three notices of allowance for patents expand Living Proof’s proprietary technology around OFPMA, which is designed to weightlessly smooth, condition, strengthen, polish and extend the quality and appearance of styled hair.
The new patent, “Coloring Agents and Methods of Use Thereof” (U.S. Patent No. 8,444,715, covers a hair coloring innovation in Living Proof’s pipeline. The hair coloring innovation brings together for the first time two properties that have historically been a tradeoff in hair color products: color brilliance and durability. The claims of this new issued patent are directed to novel dye compositions. In a similar way that molecules are combined for innovative drugs and other molecular structures, the claimed dye compounds in Living Proof’s technology contain three parts: a chromophore which is responsible for the color of the dye; a color-fastness moiety, which is responsible for binding the dye compound to hair; and a linker, which connects the chromophore to the color-fastness moiety, according to the firm.
“Our scientists are discovering proprietary technologies inspired by biomedical research, and bringing this innovation to hair care,” said Eric Spengler, SVP of R&D for Living Proof. “We are applying scientific principles to enable the development of novel products that enable new and improved properties for strong, healthy hair. These new patents just build on our already strong patent estate which includes our Poly (beta-amino ester) compounds developed using high-throughput processes and technology originating from MIT.”


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|By Marketwired .||
|March 20, 2014 11:42 AM EDT||
NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwired - March 20, 2014) - Jewelers of America (JA), the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace, held its annual national retailer design competition, The CASE Awards, which recognizes independent jewelers who exhibit creativity, artistry, style and excellence in jewelry design. Many of the winning pieces of the 2014 CASE Awards feature handmade elements, bead settings and high quality stones that reflect the vintage style that has become very popular in current jewelry and fashion trends.
"Jewelers of America's CASE Awards retail design competition is the only national platform that showcases the craft and creativity of independent jewelers," says JA President & CEO David J. Bonaparte. "The jewelry that won the 2014 CASE Awards illustrates the talent and fine craftsmanship that jewelry shoppers can find in Jewelers of America-member stores nationwide."
All the winning jewelers are members of Jewelers of America, the largest national association for fine jewelry businesses. Jewelers of America-member jewelers are among most reputable jewelers in the United States, backed by a commitment to Jewelers of America's Code of Professional Practices.
Winners were selected out of 63 entries from Jewelers of America Retail Members for six categories: Jewelry up to $2000, $2001-$5000, $5001-$10000, Over $10000 (retail values); Buyers' Choice and Best in Show.
The 2014 CASE Awards were sponsored by GE Capital and Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company. For more information about the competition and to view the Winner's Photo Gallery, visit www.jewelers.org/caseawards.
Jewelers of America (JA) is the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry marketplace with more than 3,200 retail members nationwide. Jewelers of America members sign an annual Code of Professional Practices ensuring they uphold the highest social, environmental and ethical business practices. JA's consumer education arm, Jewelry Information Center (JIC), is the source for fine jewelry and watch information, trends and shopping tips. Visit www.jewelers.org and www.JIC.org for more information.
The following files are available for download:
- 18K yellow gold ring with a 1.00 carat round opaque rose cut diamond surrounded by 31 diamonds by Craig Underwood, Becki Lamascus and Tom Weishaar of Underwood's Fine Jewelers
- Best in Show earrings featuring moonstones, sapphires and diamonds by Belinda Vartenuk of Abshire and Haylan
- Men's Trinity Ring by Sherry Shifley and Tom Organ of Perry's At Southpark
Jewelers of America
Aug. 31, 2016 02:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,961
Aug. 31, 2016 01:45 AM EDT Reads: 3,067
Aug. 31, 2016 01:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,703
Aug. 30, 2016 08:15 PM EDT Reads: 2,489
Aug. 30, 2016 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,929
Aug. 30, 2016 08:00 PM EDT Reads: 2,031
Aug. 30, 2016 07:15 PM EDT Reads: 361
Aug. 30, 2016 07:00 PM EDT Reads: 937
Aug. 30, 2016 06:15 PM EDT Reads: 374
Aug. 30, 2016 05:45 PM EDT Reads: 3,595
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Aug. 30, 2016 04:15 PM EDT Reads: 976
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Aug. 30, 2016 03:00 PM EDT Reads: 872
SYS-CON Events announced today that StarNet Communications will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. StarNet Communications’ FastX is the industry first cloud-based remote X Windows emulator. Using standard Web browsers (FireFox, Chrome, Safari, etc.) users from around the world gain highly secure access to applications and data hosted on Linux-based servers in a central data center. ...
Aug. 30, 2016 02:30 PM EDT Reads: 965


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ORLANDO, Fla. — Walt Disney World is closing its theme parks in phases for Tropical Storm Nicole starting Wednesday, and the resort was closing some hotels Wednesday afternoon ahead of the storm’s local arrival.
Shortly after Disney’s announcement, Universal Orlando said it would close its theme parks and CityWalk entertainment district Wednesday evening due to the storm.
SeaWorld followed soon after, saying it would also close Wednesday afternoon and remain shuttered until Friday.
Disney’s theme parks were set to close at 5 p.m. Wednesday and remain shut down through Thursday morning, the resort said in an update just before noon. The parks will “likely not reopen” at their scheduled times Thursday morning, according to a post on the resort’s inclement weather site.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom was closing at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Disney’s Hollywood Studios at 6 p.m. and Magic Kingdom and Epcot at 7 p.m.
The resort also closed its Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort Wednesday afternoon and required all guests to leave by 3 p.m. Disney representatives are contacting guests with reservations at these resorts to find them lodging elsewhere.
Disney’s Galactic Starcruiser hotel will also be canceling its scheduled “voyage” on Thursday and the hotel is contacting guests with existing reservations.
No other hotels are affected by closures so far. Resort hotels with character breakfasts will not include costumed characters Thursday morning so the hotels can accommodate additional guests for breakfast, the update said.
The resort is honoring existing dining reservations for Wednesday evening at Disney’s theme parks through various times, depending on the closing time for each individual park. Further reservation details are available at disneyworld.com/weather.
Disney Springs also was closing at 7 p.m. Wednesday and will similarly stay closed through Thursday morning. Resort bus transportation from the shopping district was set to run until 8 p.m. Wednesday.


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Has the fever broken? What people have been bidding up in recent days – – – cruise liners, airlines, and other utterly disastrous industries – – has been both insane and comic. But these all pale in comparison to the most recent financial fetish, which is gobbling up companies that declare bankruptcy. Let’s see how that’s working out:
Honest to God, people, I’ve been doing this for a while, and what we’ve been witnessing the past eleven weeks is the stupidest market I’ve ever seen. Worse than 2007. Even worse than 2000. This is madness to the nth degree.


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It’s a bit of a rough patch for the UK beef industry these days. Picture this: we’re seeing one of the biggest slumps in beef production in the past couple of years. This isn’t just a statistic; it’s a change that’s touching everyone from your average shopper to the hard-working cattle farmer.
What’s Up with Beef Prices?
Next time you’re at the store, you might notice beef is pricier than last year. There’s a reason for that. Beef processors are in a tight spot – they need to sell beef at much higher prices than before to keep their heads above water. And with fewer cows around (thanks to a cutback in the herd), cattle feeders are seeing the cost of live cattle go sky-high. This makes it tough for the Packers to turn a profit in 2024.
Big Names Feeling the Pinch
Take Tyson Foods, for example. They’re usually on top of their game, but last year was rough. They reported their first annual loss since 2015. On the flip side, JBS Beef North America managed to stay in the green, but they’re also wrestling with a shortage of cattle.
Looking Ahead: Production and Exports
The US Department of Agriculture’s got some numbers that are a bit worrying. They’re predicting a drop in US beef production for 2024. We’re talking about a dip to 25.810 billion lbs – that’s not a small change. And with fewer cows around, don’t expect a beef herd rebuild until at least 2025. It’s a mix of dry weather and high costs causing this.
Too Many Plants, Not Enough Cows?
Here’s a curious twist. Despite the cattle crunch, there are plans to build more beef processing plants in the States. But with the current cattle numbers, some are wondering if that’s a wise move.
Poultry’s New Rules
Switching gears to poultry, there are some new rules coming from the USDA. Poultry processors need to give more info to the farmers raising the birds. It’s all about making things clearer and fairer in the broiler chicken world.
So, there you have it. The UK beef industry is going through a bit of a storm, but it’s not just about the numbers. It’s about real people making tough choices in a changing world. Let’s see how it all unfolds.


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Australia’s first startup weekend for creative industries will be held in Brisbane this month with high-profile figures from the community set to head the judging panel.
With Australia’s creative sector valued at more than $35 billion, the CEO of QUT Creative Enterprise Australia Anna Rooke says the weekend will focus on inspiring people to start up ideas in this space.
“We combine tech with fashion, multimedia, robotics, advertising, psychology,” she tells StartupSmart.
“We’re trying to disrupt the way the physical and digital worlds interact.”
With the aim of developing more immersive, personalised and multi-dimensional user experiences, the weekend will see groups of “hackers, hustlers and hipsters” develop MVPs to pitch before a judging panel including Shark Tank’s Steve Baxter and Elaine Stead from Blue Sky Venture Capital.
Priced at $49 for students and $99 for everyone else, Rooke says she hopes to see a diverse mix of brainpower colliding at the 54-hour event.
“It’s open to anybody curious about what it takes to build a startup,” she says.
QUT Creative Enterprise Australia (CEA) will host the event from March 18th to 20th and registrations are still open.
With a maximum capacity of 80 people, participants will be sorted into groups of eight to 10 people.
“We assign them to different teams so we a get a good balance of skills and at the end of the weekend they’ll have a MVP they can pitch,” Rooke says.
Rooke says she wants the event to serve as a launch pad for new startup ideas and experimentation.
“The reason we’re doing this is we really see the value in harnessing talent in the creative tech industries,” she says.
“This is very much being delivered for the community.”


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Insight Partners, a New York based private equity firm, launched a report today with Wakefield Research that focuses on the challenges growth-stage software companies face in scaling their operations.
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Insight Partners typically invests in scaleups at Series B and beyond, but sometimes as early as Series A. Its key markets for investments include Israel, Europe and North America, with a few portfolio companies in Asia and Australia. In recent years Insight has ranked high in our reports for their pace of investing in private companies.
We spoke with Hilary Gosher, the managing director at Insight Partners who leads Onsite, the team that assists portfolio companies with growth efforts. The support includes setting up repeatable processes for marketing, sales, customer engagement, back office and recruiting, “the operational heft that really is the hallmark of a scaleup,” said Gosher.
The firm defines a scaleup as a startup that has $10 million to $1 billion in revenue, 50 to 1,000 employees, growing revenue and headcount growth of 20 percent to 50 percent or more over three years.
There is a lot of opportunity to get it wrong at the scaling phase as we have seen most recently with Robinhood, but also previously with high-growth companies like Zenefits and WeWork, among others. Gosher notes that the same assistance can be helpful to companies that are at $10 million as well as $150 million ARR.
“COVID-19 accelerated trends we were seeing and accelerated the growth of our company,” Gregg Coccari, CEO of online learning platform Udemy, said in the report. “We nearly tripled the capacity of our consumer business. [Web] traffic spiked to levels we hadn’t previously seen and we had to scale up very quickly … On the B2B/enterprise side of our business, our customers turned to us to help them navigate through change across their businesses and teams.”
“These markets are much bigger than we ever thought,” said Gosher.
There are now multiple entry points to the customer, and since sales organizations cannot always be in front of it, the product team is focused on adoption and trying before you buy.
Insights from the report
- Scaleups can be a particularly attractive software provider to large enterprises; scaleups with a growing customer base bring innovative solutions, with fewer business risks than earlier stage startups.
- Nearly half (49 percent) of software leaders who responded to the survey cited in the report also cite access to customer usage data as an element that can help with quick scaling. As companies grow, they can obtain valuable insights to help with product development such as extensive training data for algorithms, as well as feedback data to help with product performance and new feature design.
- Software leaders expect more than just a cash infusion from investors. They want a partnership that provides strategic resources across functional business areas (64 percent), along with networks of other high-growth companies and customers (58 percent).
According to the report, Insight Partners’ 200 portfolio scaleups had just under 6,500 open jobs at the beginning of 2020. During the pandemic, that number almost halved to 3,500, but as of December is back up, an indication of the scaleup growth despite the pandemic.
We have reached a stage where there is a confluence in venture and private equity, according to Gosher.
This appears to be borne out by the data. Of the 318 U.S. based private unicorns, private equity firms have invested in 265 per Crunchbase data. U.S. headquartered companies that have raised over $10 million in venture funding since 2016 comes out to 8,000 private companies. Close to half of those companies boast a private equity or alternative investor.
“Private equity has always had these teams of cost-cutting gurus who have gone in and fixed operations,” said Gosher. “For scaleups emerging we don’t need the cost cutting, but we need the operational expertise.”
Charts and photo of Hilary Gosher courtesy of Insight Partners.
Illustration: Li-Anne Dias
Stay up to date with recent funding rounds, acquisitions, and more with the Crunchbase Daily.


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GNC Announces New Global Headquarters While Increasing Focus on Walmart and Canada
Global health and wellness brand GNC today announced that the Company will be moving to a new headquarters located within the Pittsburgh metro area in early 2022, building on its 85-year history in the city. As the industry continues growing and evolving at a rapid pace, GNC also intends to hire more than 100 new employees over the next few months in Pittsburgh to support its growth and remain at the forefront of new trends in the space.
The new headquarters will be located at 75 Hopper Place in Pittsburgh's 3 Crossings development. Located within the vibrant Strip District neighborhood, 3 Crossings is the premier urban corporate campus for Pittsburgh. The location is currently under construction by Oxford Development Company and boasts a long list of amenities including a fitness center for employee use and several connections to the outdoors.
"We couldn't be more excited to announce this move as another important step forward in our brand transformation that also reinforces our commitment to our heritage as a Pittsburgh-based company. Since 1935, GNC has established its position as the authoritative brand in the health and wellness space and we will continue to shape the future of the industry within the walls of 75 Hopper Place," said Josh Burris, Chief Executive Officer at GNC. "The Strip District's energetic and eclectic spirit will provide the perfect atmosphere for our team to develop innovative solutions consumers around the world deserve. We are driving full speed ahead towards our goals. The world-class HQ site Oxford is delivering, in addition to the talented and passionate individuals we're bringing on board, will be integral in our business reaching its full potential. There's never been a more exciting time to be a part of Team GNC."
GNC plans to move into the new location immediately when it is ready for tenants early next year. The Company is excited to introduce employees to their new, state-of-the-art office space which will promote efficiency, collaboration, and flexibility. In line with these goals, GNC is developing new flexible work policies to align with today's changing workplace environment. As part of this transition, GNC also expects to soon be under contract with a buyer for its current headquarters located at 300 Sixth Ave. Over the next few months, GNC will also hire more than 100 new roles in the new headquarters across its business functions to right size workload, drive its growth strategy forward and position itself to capitalize on trends in the space faster than ever before.
We heard last week that GNC will be distributing its supplements in Walmart. shows that GNC is really pushing to get their own brand of supplements out there. Shortly after, this was followed with a job posting for a National Account Manager Walmart to manage the Walmart sales, so we can see that GNC is going all-in for this expansion in Walmart. With all the exciting things coming at GNC, there even looks to be an increased focus on Canada as they have also put up a job posting for Director, Canada Merchandising and Marketing.
For more information, be sure to visit the GNC website and visit their social media channels to stay up to date.
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Auckland, NZ (PRWEB) January 21, 2014
The release of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s own range of bodybuilding and sports supplements has been highly anticipated in New Zealand for the last six months. After what seemed like an endless wait for many, the MusclePharm Arnold Schwarzenegger Series has finally arrived in New Zealand. The online supplement retailer Punch Supplements are already stocking the Iron Pump pre workout, Iron Whey blended whey protein, Iron Mass weight gainer, and Iron Cre3 creatine.
Although NZ currently only has four out of seven products out of the Arnie range, reports suggest that the Iron Cuts fat burner will also be arriving soon. However, the Iron Pack multivitamin, and the Iron Dream sleep formula may take a little while longer. This is due to the need to reformulate these products to comply with NZ regulations.
Rumour also has it that a yet to be announced, eighth product, is in the development phase by manufacturers MusclePharm. Experts expect this product to be a testosterone booster, likely to be named Iron Test.


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Google could be working on a Pro version of its Pixel Buds true wireless earbuds based on the latest leak. The alleged Pixel Buds Pro would likely be introduced this year with ANC and spatial audio features that are missing in the Pixel Buds and Buds A series.
- Google is rumored to launch the Pixel Buds Pro 'soon'.
- The Pixel Buds Pro could come with active noise cancellation and 3D audio.
- Pricing and availability of the Pixel Buds Pro is not yet available.
An established leaker has shared new details about the existence of premium in-ear headphones made by Google. According to Jon Prosser, the Pixel Buds Pro are coming soon, but as to the exact date is not yet confirmed. But who knows, Google I/O is right around the corner. According to Prosser, there will be four color options for the earbuds: real red, carbon, limoncello, and fog.
Pixel Buds Pro to feature active noise cancelling, spatial audio with head tracking
The 'Pro' moniker means that the Pixel Buds Pro will arrive with flagship specs not found from the current budget headphones. Active noise cancellation could be employed on top of the adaptive sound present found on Google's more affordable non-ANC earbuds. In other words, users may expect a richer sound output comparable to the Apple Air Pods Pro or the recently launched Sennheiser Momentum 3 TWS.
- Read also: Sony Linkbuds Review
Most in-ear ANC headphones use up to three mics on each earbud such as the recently announced 1More Evo, thus providing better voice quality and more effective blocking of outside noises. Presumably, the Pixel Buds Pro could also use up to six microphones in total. However, we will only find out the exact number once it becomes official.
Google may also include spatial or 3D audio in the Pro earbuds model given the said feature is anticipated to come in Android 13 OS. A previous listing from a developer site confirms that confirms that spatial audio with head tracking technology will be added on Google's next version of the operating system.
Pricing and availability of the Pixel Buds Pro are not yet mentioned. But how much would you be willing to pay for the premium Pixel earbuds? In reference, the Pixel Buds A-series without ANC retail for $100 and the premium Apple AirPods Pro with ANC at $250.
Via: Jon Prosser


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Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) recently unveiled multiple enhancements to its collaborative portfolio. The products include telepresence, web conferencing, unified telecommunications (UC), and contact center solutions. The company reported that the enhancements were a response to the challenge from Chinese firm, Huawei, considered a more significant networking competitor than Hewlett-Packard (NYSE:HPQ).
Due to this initiative and other factors, I believe Cisco is going through a major reorganization and will continue to execute plans to deliver profitable growth. While many investors were spooked by its earning report in November and are doubting the long-term strategies for success, Cisco is responding to the challenge, and 2012 could be its pivotal year.
In my opinion, Cisco is in a good position to succeed for several reasons. First, it has just announced the completion of a 100 G technology test carried out with Megafon, one of the three largest mobile operators in China. Second, it has over the years survived competition from Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT), Juniper (NYSE:JNPR), Hewlett Packard, and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC). Third, it invests in the development of new products, which illustrates its strong desire for innovation. And finally, it is squarely at the center of major technological architecture built on integrated products, services, and software platforms to fuel its customers' business.
Cisco recently reported fourth quarter results that showed net sales with a normal increase of 4% to $11.7 billion on a year-over-year basis and a net income increase of 56% to $9 billion on a year-over-year basis. It announced an increase of 64% on earning per share at $0.36. It has developed revenue growth of 7%, as well as a record year in revenue and earning per share.
Apart from this, it announced a 2012 net income with a normal increase of 24% to $8 billion year-over-year, and a 2012 net sales with a normal increase of 7% to $46.1 billion year-over-year. Cash flows were $3.1 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, up from $3.0 for the third quarter of fiscal 2012, while the amount for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $2.8 billion. Cash flows from operations for fiscal 2011 was $10.1 billion, but they were $11.5 billion for fiscal 2012.
Cisco, like others, has its problems. One of the most acute concerns a new technology called software-defined networking, which lets customers program from one control console and perform more jobs with fewer switches and routers. VMare bought Nicira for $1.26 billion recently to make foray into the market. Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) bought Xsigo Systems for the same reason. Cisco is having problems because it is finding it difficult to respond to the challenge.
Cisco has also been faced with significant competition in recent years from Juniper Networks and Avaya in the network space industry. Its rivals have been able to take advantage of Cisco's efforts to grow into new markets to steal some market share. For example, while Cisco recently announced its strategy to develop and sell an end-to-end smart grid network product to utilities, Juniper has been quietly focused on providing networking gear to utilities much deeper in the grid.
Cisco also has to cope with Huawei, which last year kicked off an aggressive enterprise business to challenge Cisco not only in networking, but in such areas as collaboration and devices. Added to this, HP, armed with its acquisition of 3Com, made a push into networking due to its strong presence in the business. Arguing that lower prices for a good enough networking infrastructure didn't always pay off, Cisco executives took six to 12 months to respond. This gave HP some advantage in the market.
Despite the challenges, I expect Cisco will come out stronger. Cisco's business units are presently undergoing reorganization. The goal is to cut $1 billion in annual operating expenses. It got rid of the profitable Flip Video camera unit and led to the sale of the T.V. set-top box manufacturing plant in Mexico. I expect these moves to streamline sales, services, and engineering units and result in a more focused and more competitive Cisco.
The company's financial numbers were a mix, but they give indications of a bright future. Sales in the data center equipment business, in particular Cisco's Unified Computing System (UCS), jumped. Although global economic uncertainty hit the company this year, Cisco overcame the challenge; 2,000 more customers signed on for the UCS, bringing the total number of customers to more than 7,400. Cisco's core switching and routing business remained strong, even though other networking companies lost business.
New products made an impact this year. They boosted Cisco's server and data center business, which grew 90%. New wireless routing products helped increase sales by 22% in the division. Though one reason behind the pressure on Cisco's gross margin had to do with new product launches, I expect this problem to come to an end. As a rule, new products start at lower gross margins and grow over a period of time.
One of the reasons behind the rise in net income was the winding down of the company's restructuring charges related to last year's transition. I expect more reduction this year, further boosting net income.
Cisco can be best compared to HP, Juniper, and Alcatel-Lucent (ALU). Cisco has a price to earning ratio of 12.66, lower than Juniper and the industry average. Though its price to sales is 2.13, it is just a little above the industry average and slightly higher than Juniper's. Furthermore, Cisco has moved aggressively to develop new technology and react very well to the challenge of competitors. It has reported better-than-expected results for the second fiscal quarter and issued a relatively positive forecast. It has increased its earning per share.
Cisco should be considered one of the superior income investments in the market. Cisco is currently trading around $18.58, between a 52-week range of $14.96 and $21.30. I think these new enhancements will lead Cisco to maintain a price level of around $20 by the end of 2012 and into 2013. Investors should consider buying Cisco now to take advantage of this.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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A novel product developed by researchers at the University of Cincinnati can alert consumers to the early stages of tooth decay brought on by conditions like gingivitis and periodontitis.
The earliest stage of gum disease, gingivitis, is brought on by bacteria, but not just any bacteria.
According to Andrew Steckl, an Ohio Eminent Scholar and distinguished research professor in the University of California's College of Engineering and Applied Science, the challenge for researchers was developing a tool to identify the specific kind responsible for the sickness.
“It’s been quite the challenge to get to the point where we can detect this toxin created by the bacteria responsible for gingivitis,” he said.
Steckl and UC Senior Research Associate Daewoo Han collaborated with Sancai Xie, a principal scientist at Procter & Gamble Co., and described their results in a paper published in the Royal Society of Chemistry journal Sensors and Diagnostics.
Steckl’s research team has been exploring biosensing for various applications. They studied stress hormones in sweat in collaboration with the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Now they are studying saliva.
“There are good reasons to use saliva,” he said, adding, “It’s relatively plentiful and easy to obtain through non-invasive methods. And saliva has a lot of important elements that can act as indicators of your health.”
Bacteria from gingivitis can travel through the bloodstream, leading to cardiovascular disease and other serious health problems, Steckl said.
But saliva is a complicated biofluid, said Han, the study's lead author.
Researchers pretreated the sample using potato starch to remove a protein called amylase that could interfere with the test results. Their test uses antibodies that react to the endotoxins found in the bacteria.
“Daewoo worked very hard on many dead-ends before he had success,” Steckl said, adding, “I tell my students that research is search, search and re-search until you find the answer.”
At-home health testing has been available for generations in niche uses such as detecting pregnancy. But the Covid-19 pandemic introduced a wide audience of consumers to the concept of monitoring their health with new technology.
The at-home testing industry is expected to generate $45 billion annually by 2031, according to Allied Market Research.
Steckl said he sees a lot of opportunities for new consumer products. “Our results definitely show promise,” Steckl said, adding, “Sometimes it comes easy. Most of the time you have to persevere.”


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The Port of Oakland has released a new five-year strategic plan that pairs business expansion with community benefits to form a blueprint for expansion.
Called ‘Growth with Care’, the 21-page strategic document envisions more jobs and economic stimulus as the port grows.
Chris Lytle, Port of Oakland Executive Director, said: “We can grow, but we want our neighbours to grow with us.
“We must conduct ourselves in the public interest for the public good.”
In the port's announcement about the plan, it stated that the “centrepiece” of its strategy would be curbing diesel emissions.
According to port data, truck emissions are down 98% since 2009 while vessel emissions have declined 76%.
The strategic plan commits the port to an overall reduction of 85% by 2020.
Read the 'Digital Container Shipping: The Path Toward Intelligent Supply Chains' technical paper for more information on the digitization of supply chains in the container shipping industry
There are also targets to support growth for Oakland’s cargo volume, which, for air and sea, should reach 2.6 million TEU by 2022.
The port has set a target of 8% more containerized cargo volume in Oakland by 2022, with part of this growth coming from two capital projects at the seaport.
The first is a 283,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution center called Cool Port Oakland that opens this summer.
This facility will receive support from a new 440,000-square-foot distribution center, which is yet to be built, but will be situated at a nearby Seaport Logistics Complex.


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18 Jan 2022 - 19 Jan 2022
email@example.com or call 01932 340115
Together with an array of diverse partners in the UK and beyond, City & Financial Global is delighted to be holding the EV Infrastructure Summit on 18-19 January 2022. (Please note that this event will now be held virtually.)
Key topics will include:
- How do we go from aspiration to delivery? Did the COP 26 have any influence on the recent developments in the UK EV Infrastructure industry and what exactly do we need to know now?
- What will be the requirements of the efficient EV charging infrastructure by 2030? To which extent is the EV Growth led by the market and does it require the UK Government’s intervention?
- What are the main barriers to rapid EV transition and how can this be addressed?
- EV fleets – how much additional investment in EV Infrastructure is needed to support the adoption by the fleet operators?
- The state of EV innovation and the race for EV leadership. The lessons learned from other countries in Europe and further afield
- Trudy Harrison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, The Department for Transport
- Shirley Rodrigues, Deputy Mayor, Environment and Energy, Greater London Authority
- Philippe Vangeel, Secretary General, The European Association for Euromobility
- Alex Smith, Managing Director, Volkswagen Group
- Graeme Cooper BSc MBA, Head of Future Markets, National Grid, Transport for London
- Mike Hawes, CEO, SMMT
- Senior Representative, Shell
- Gary Cook, Deputy Director and Head, UK Government Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles
- John Flint, CEO, UK Infrastructure Bank
Zemo Partnership members will receive a 20% discount on booking fees. For more information, click this link and use code EVI3ZP for 20% off.