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A subsidiary of Woltonchain, Xiamen ZhongChuan IoT Industry Research Institute, has recently reached an agreement with Alibaba Cloud (Aliyun) to join forces for the smart cities solutions and blockchain applications scheme.
Woltonchain and Alibaba signed a partnership that will bring multiple IOT application solutions designed by the ZhongChuan IoT to the Alibaba ecosystem.
It will not only support with promoting the smart city development, but it will also help with establishing an artificial intelligence hub for urban management.
What Is Woltonchain?
Waltonchain combines blockchain with IoT (specifically RFID) to create a management system for supply chains.
The project is named after Charlie Walton, the inventor of RFID technology and a pioneer in the space.
Logistics systems are complex and commonly involve several different parties. As these systems grow, it becomes increasingly desperate for businesses in the same vertical to coordinate with each other.
On top of that, individual entities may have different processes that further hinder the ability to transfer data back and forth.
Waltonchain used RFID identification to track products during each step of production and distribution. The data associated with each item is stored on an immutable blockchain that ensures its accuracy no matter where in the process it is.
With Waltonchain, a simple scan of the RFID tag provides you with all the information you need to know. What the product is, where it’s been, who’s handled it, and other relevant data is all stored on the blockchain through these tags.
Applying it to logistics has plenty of benefits:
- Improved security through blockchain technology
- Accurate tracking of a product back to its origin
- Anti-counterfeiting through RFID identification
- Decentralization without the need for trust
- Reduced labour costs
More About The Partnership
The continuous development of the human society and the expansion of urban life, the current facilities are not enough to meet the increasing demands.
According to the World Bank, by 2030, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in cities.
It’s becoming more and more visible that the world we are used to is not sustainable enough. Hence, the concept of Smart Cities.
The core idea behind a smart city is to incorporate information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the quality of urban life, such as energy, transportation and utilities.
The overall goal is to enhance the quality of living for the citizens through smart technology.
If we look at the current urban situation in China, it’s noticeable that there is a significant issue with urbanisation and accommodating everyone.
Therefore, during the presentation of the 2015 Government Work Report, the Prime Minister of China Li Keqiang delineated the following strategy:
“Develop smart cities, protect and inherit the history and regional culture.”
The development of smart cities is undoubtedly a focal point of the agenda of the Chinese Government’s long-term development plans.
And the only way of doing that now is through the implementation of blockchain technology.
Two years ago, Alibaba Group decided to take the cloud part of its business more seriously and expand outside of China with a billion-dollar investment in Aliyun (now known as Alibaba Cloud in English).
Combining blockchain technology and computing cloud services seems like a perfect match for the new concept of smart cities.
The partnership will focus on:
- Promoting Waltonchain blockchain technology to achieve the maximum IoT coverage.
- Establishing new smart cities Xiong’an and Yuhang.
- Constructing smart cities, their applications and intelligent resource allocation through the blockchain + IoT technology.
Can This Be a Success?
It’s inevitable for smart cities to become the future of our urban living. However, a lot still has to be done to make smart cities actually smart.
We have already hit a brick wall, knowing that IoT on its own is not sustainable and that blockchain is much more powerful than just being the Bitcoin’s backbone.
We also know that blockchain cannot simply replace the Internet.
Therefore, in the future, we will need a seamless solution for combing the Internet of Things, the internet, big data and the blockchain.
Woltonchain and Alibaba signing a partnership indicate a potential solution that will bring maximum convenience to urban life.
Similarly to IOTA and Taipei, this partnership sets the way forward for smart cities around the world.


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With wait times as long as 18 months, the i4 is already shaping up to be one of the most successful products in the BMW’s history. During a recent media event in Regensburg, BMWBLOG interviewed Frank Weber, BMW Board Member responsible for Development. Among many topics, including the Neue Klasse, Weber talked about the success of the i4 lineup and what it means for BMW.
The BMW i4 Gran Coupe launched earlier this year and it’s currently offered in two variants: i4 eDrive40 and an M-tuned i4 M50. A third variant i4 eDrive35 will arrive next year. Of course, it’s the i4 M50 that excites customers the most. Mostly because the BMW i4 M50 is a seriously quick car. Its dual electric motors make 536 horsepower and 586 lb-ft of torque, which are fed by an 80.7 kWh battery pack. While using launch control, we were able to snag a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds. So it comes as no surprise that customers are lining up to place orders for the electric M Performance model.
“The highest volume M product we will have is the i4 M50,” said Weber. “We will increase production even more next year when we expect no bottlenecks or chip shortages.” We asked Weber which markets lead the way for i4 demand. “Across the board,” Weber told us. According to Weber, customers like the i4 because it simply looks like a BMW. “From a driving experience also, people are surprised how much the i4 is a BMW,” said Weber.
Next, Weber said that the BMW i4 demand has certainly exceeded their expectations and because of supply chain constrains, the product is lower than he’d want to. But BMW is not stopping here. Weber says that the company is currently assigning six Gigafactories. They’ll be strategically positioned where the company is making electric vehicles in order to cut logistics costs. “A single gigafactory spawns over 200 hectare (495 acres),” Weber added.
Last week, BMW introduced a new generation of battery technology, developed internally, to be unveiled in the “NEUE KLASSE” electric vehicles in the 2025 timeframe. The cylindrical cells are a departure from the prismatic battery format BMW has previously used. Cylindrical batteries offer several advantages over prismatic batteries that BMW will take advantage of. Of course, the BMW i4 models continue to use the Gen5 battery tech.
In the United States, the 2023 BMW i4 M50 starts at $65,900 and has an EPA-rated maximum range of 227 miles. But recent independent tests showed that the i4 M50 with 20 inch wheels can achieve a range of 268 miles, 41 more than the EPA rating.

domain: news


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Every Wednesday, Yahoo invites you to learn more about a company. Little secrets, anecdotes, unusual stories, don’t miss the opportunity to impress your friends. For this 102nd episode, focus on the king of grilled meat in France: Buffalo Grill.
1 – The oil giant Total participated in its success
Buffalo Grill is above all the story of an autodidact who wanted at all costs to succeed and become rich. Alternately commis chef at Maxim’s and waiter at the Lido, Christian Picart flew to the United States in the early 1960s to fill his pockets and live his “American dream”. Across the Atlantic, he multiplies odd jobs to return to France after four years of hard work. He set up his first business in the laundry and hotel industry. Without much success.
Fascinated by the concept of the family steak house, which he saw develop when he was in the United States, Christian Picart wants to import the model of establishments with a western atmosphere along our roads. The first Buffalo Grill opened its doors in 1980, along the National 20 in Avrainville, in Essonne. To go faster, Buffalo Grill can count on the unexpected support of… Total.
Burger King, McDonald’s… Find all our episodes here
Competing from large retailers, the French oil giant is forced to close many service stations. The new chain of restaurants therefore recovers a lot of land at reasonable prices to develop quickly. “Christian was looking for land on major roads, preferably close to service stations. We did a lot of business with him”, confirms Total in Release. The firm has long been a shareholder in the capital of Buffalo Grill before distancing itself in 1998 by pocketing a “very good capital gain”.
2 – The mad cow crisis, 15 years in hell
End of 2002. Four leaders and executives of the Buffalo Grill group, including CEO Christian Picart, are indicted for “deliberate endangering the lives of others” and “aggravated deception”. “It was very brutal, he recalls bitterly. Two of my directors were sentenced to four months in pre-trial detention and I only escaped because I was a resident of Switzerland”, recalls the founder of brand in 2016 in the columns of Capital.
The group is suspected by French justice of having imported British beef in the midst of the mad cow crisis. Investigators find that two of the victims of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, who died in 2001 and 2002, had their habits at Buffalo Grill. The media coverage of the case sowed doubt in the minds of the French and attendance fell dramatically at the height of the crisis, at the beginning of 2003. Three restaurants of the chain were even set on fire in Essonne in less than an hour, including the first opened in 1980.
Thanks to well-oiled crisis communication, Buffalo Grill is reversing the trend and demonstrating that the company is not the culprit but the victim. “This company is becoming a friendly company, the impact surveys that are carried out show that people say they are victims, attendance is on the rise again, which is still surprising”, explains Tristan Gaston Breton, business historian. , for RTL. To prove its good faith and win back a suspicious public, Buffalo Grill also plays the quality card and displays the origins of all its meats.
Despite this spectacular recovery, Christian Picart, tired of this legal battle, sold his company to the Colony Capital fund in 2005 for 200 million euros. “A tidy sum, but it was not that expensive to pay when you know that we made 500 million in turnover three years ago”, enrages the business manager. After fifteen years of investigation and thirteen long years of investigation, the justice dismissed the case in 2016. The judges finally considered that the investigations had “not made it possible to demonstrate the illegal importation of English meat into the territory French”.
3 – A very noticeable style change in 2021
Last year, the brand made a 180-degree turn by abandoning its Far West universe to offer customers of the 360 restaurants a more modern, less “cheesy” decoration, as the gossip would say. The group, which has 600 restaurants (former rival Courtepaille has been part of the same group since 2020) is now called Napaqaro – in reference to the checkered tablecloths of typical French bistros – betting on a “House of BBQ” atmosphere, understand, in French “Barbecue House”. “Cowboys and Indians no longer speak to my children who are young, there are no more westerns on TV…”, justifies Jocelyn Olive, the president of the catering group. The purists can be reassured, the eternal welcome salad and the birthday song are still relevant. Following the health crisis and the closure of restaurants, Buffalo Grill went through a complicated period: its turnover fell by 40% to 232 million euros in 2020.
In addition to a makeover of its restaurants, the group has also accelerated digitalization and home delivery to adapt to new consumption patterns. “On March 14, 2020, we closed our restaurants, on April 2 we decided to deliver at home and we started the service on April 13. At the beginning of 2021, we also launched Bun Meat Bun, a 100% digital brand. Today, our home delivery activities generate 100 million euros in annual turnover with the desire to become one of the leaders in France”, confides Jocelyn Olive, CEO of Buffalo Grill to Agefi.
4 – The French love it
Rather cheap meats, a varied menu and generous portions: for more than four decades, the French have grown up with this restaurant with a large red roof that adorns our commercial areas, the outskirts of our cities and more occasionally our city centers. With each opinion poll, the brand shines with its excellent results despite its crises and its change of look. In 2022, Buffalo Grill was once again voted France’s favorite brand in the “Table restaurant” category with a fan rate of 20%. It is hands down ahead of its other competitors (Del’Arte, Hippopotamus, Courtepaille, Au Bureau, La Boucherie, La Pataterie, Léon, Bistro Régent) since none of them exceeds the 10% fan mark.
5 – A customer found a frog on her plate
It is well known, the French are famous for being consumers of frogs. Which earned us the nickname “Froggies” in Anglo-Saxon countries. On the other hand, like everyone else, we hate finding them unexpectedly on our plate. In 2013, a client of a Buffalo Grill in Lomme (Nord) had the unpleasant surprise of finding a dead frog in the middle of her green salad.
“Initially, my wife wanted to have a meat skewer, but the waitress recommended a hearty salad, with a large baked potato,” the husband tells France 3 Hauts-de-France. “It was when she started fishing in the first lettuce leaves that she found the frog. It’s amazing no one saw it because it was a rather large frog. My wife screamed. She struggled to eat until the next day”.
Horrified, the couple somehow warns a manager who offers them as compensation vouchers for free cocktails, “valid only on condition of paying for the next meal”. Faced with the outcry, the management of Buffalo Grill expressed its “sincere regrets” and announced the launch of an internal investigation as well as with the supplier.
VIDEO – 5 things to know about McDonald’s


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“A senior Microsoft Corp. executive says the company is concerned that uncertified third-party software loaded onto new computers by manufacturers could hurt the launch of consumer versions of its Windows Vista operating system later this month,” Saleem Khan reports for CBC News.
Khan reports, “In a private discussion Tuesday night at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Microsoft official told CBC News Online, on condition of anonymity, that the world’s largest software maker is frustrated by legal shackles that prevent the company from restricting what kinds of software major computer makers install on new PCs.”
‘We can’t do anything about it because it would be illegal,’ the executive said in reference to restrictions placed on the company following a U.S. federal anti-trust lawsuit against the company,” Khan reports.
Khan reports, “The concern arises from third-party software that hardware makers commonly install on new computers in exchange for a fee, many of which have not been tested and certified by Microsoft to work with Vista, the executive said. They include things such as links to online services, and demo versions of programs. ‘We call them craplets,’ the official said. The term is a contraction of the words ‘crap’ and ‘applet.’ An applet is a small computer program or application.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apparently you can make crap even crappier by topping it with more crap.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Wealthy Industrialite” for the heads up.]
Top Windows developer dumps Microsoft’s ‘pile of crap’ for Apple’s Mac OS X – September 12, 2006
PC World writer’s advice for Microsoft: ‘Stop making crap’ – July 27, 2006


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Exporters suffer loss due to pesticide residues in rice
Author(s): Manoj DhimanLudhiana, September 5, 2012: All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA), an apex body of Indian rice exporters, executive director Rajen Sundaresan, has said the association has taken an initiative to generate...
Ludhiana, September 5, 2012: All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA), an apex body of Indian rice exporters, executive director Rajen Sundaresan, has said the association has taken an initiative to generate awareness and train the farmers on appropriate use of pesticide in rice crop so that there is a little or no residue.
Addressing a press conference here today, he added this step has been taken by AIREA to curb the growing concern among the exporters on the rejection of the rice consignment almost on daily basis because of the pesticide residues found above permissible limit in the processed grain. Rice is the staple food for the people of India with 50% of the global population being rice eaters. India is also one of the world’s largest producers of rice, contributing to a 20% of all world rice production.
He revealed that AIREA through its various meetings, summits, conferences, workshops and events is trying to educate farmers about the negative impacts on the incorrect use of pesticides resulting in the presence of residues even after processing. This presence of residues beyond permissible levels is causing rejection of export consignments. In order that the residues remain within the permissible level the farmers need to adopt GAP (Good Agriculture Practices). This can only be controlled by generating awareness on how it is impacting exports and training the farmers on appropriate use.
Rajen said,” Controlling the pesticide residue is not in the hands of exporter nor the dealer, but the farmer, right pesticide, right dose, right time and right equipment is the only formula that will work in reducing presence of pesticide residues, thereby enhance export.”
The problem is reaching such proportion that exporters are
contemplating pre-testing the produce before buying as it is exports
are pre-testing their consignment before exporting. This is limiting
the exportable volume. The basic principle for pesticide use that
needs to be widely spread around the farmers is not to spray any
pesticide at the time of flowering and beyond. In other words spray
the pesticide till just before the flowering stage. Once the flower
is initiated there should be no spray.
He said generally the pesticide used on rice are prophylactic, meaning they are to prevent infection once infection has set in such pesticides can’t do anything. Therefore, using the pesticide after the infection has set in is waste of money.
Further, he said if the farmers sprays at the right pesticide, in the right dose, at the right time using the right equipment he will have saved his crop and at the same time given enough space for the pesticide to dissipate by the time of harvest. If the farmer stick to this basic formula of pesticide application the problem is rectified, the growth of rice export is ensured by 10-15%.
The All India Rice Exporters’ Association, more popularly known by its acronym AIREA, is the Apex body of Indian Rice exporters both in India and abroad. AIREA’s over 100 members account for about three million tonnes of exports of basmati rice to the world, earning a foreign exchange equivalent of Rs. 15,400 crores in fiscal 2011-12. (April 2011 to March 2012). 90% of India’s total Basmati rice export is done by AIREA Members. AIREA has its secretariat located in South Delhi, guided by a Governing Body of over 20 members, representing all major rice exporters of India. AIREA also interacts with State Governments of major rice growing states and their departments of agriculture, for giving proper advice to farmers.
(City Air News spoke separately to AIREA executive director Rajen Sundaresan after the press conference. Watch a video clip with this copy. )


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Apple recently launched a new ad campaign to promote iPod. The magazine and billboard ads feature a black silouhuetted figure holding an iPod against a bright colored background. Cropped versions of these ads can also be seen being used on the updated Apple iPod web pages.
“Brianna LaHara said she was frightened to learn she was among the hundreds of people sued yesterday by giant music companies in federal courts around the country.
‘I got really scared. My stomach is all turning,’ Brianna said last night at the city Housing Authority apartment where she lives with her mom and her 9-year-old brother.
‘I thought it was OK to download music because my mom paid a service fee for it. Out of all people, why did they pick me?’”
“The Recording Industry Association of America said it has filed 261 lawsuits against alleged file swappers Monday, charging the computer users with “egregious” copyright infringement potentially worth millions of dollars. [...]
‘Our goal is not to be vindictive or punitive,’ said RIAA President Cary Sherman. ‘It is simply to get peer-to-peer users to stop offering music that does not belong to them.’”
iPod Extractor a simple and free iPod song extractor for OS X. Also included is an importer to load your songs automatically into iTunes.
Dealmac: A reader notes that The Apple Store lowered prices on its line of factory-refurbished iPods in its Special Deals section. The iPod 10GB, without docking cradle, fell to $229, $20 off. The 15GB and 30GB models include a docking cradle and now cost $279 and $379, respectively. Also available are the second-generation 10GB and 20GB iPods for Mac, which cost $169 and $269, respectively. Shipping is free, although sales tax is added where applicable. Each features a one-year Apple warranty.
All 15 and 30GB iPods on Sale for $380.99 (15 GB) and $480.99 (30 GB) at the Apple Store (while supplies last). Check with your local Apple Store.
Apple has released new 20 and 40GB iPods and have dropped the 15 and 30GB models from the the iPod line up. Each of the new models include Apple earphones, AC adapter, FireWire cable, PC FireWire adapter, wired remote, carrying case w/ belt clip, iPod dock and one year warranty. The 20GB costs $399 and the 40GB is $499, and joins the existing 10GB for $299.
We recently reported that Smart is manufacturing the limitied-edition i-move car with built-in connectivity for iPod. Macworld UK has posted a photo and more information regarding this new development.
“Macworld sources say the iPod connects to the car stereo, with a dock that’s built-into the car. It shows up on the stereo as an auxiliary device, and can be controlled using the stereo. Just one hundred so-equipped Smart cars will be released in France, though “Smart UK is really interested in doing the same,” said a source.
Unlike the US ‘iPods unite’ promotion of a Volkswagen Beetle with an iPod that connects to the car using a cassette stereo adaptor, Smart have built connectivity into the vehicle.”
Shinza has released a line of accessory cases for digital devices including a small size said to be perfect for iPod. The ZeroShock Mobile Accessory cases feature “high-resistance polyurethane foam that provides superior absorption of external impact force”, two mesh pockets, comes in three sizes (small, medium and long), and is available in black or grey.
“Wolfson Microelectronics has this morning confirmed plans to float on London’s Stock Exchange this year.
The company makes the digital audio chips used in Apple’s iPod products. Its technologies appear in products from other manufacturers, including Microsoft. You’ll find them in digital cameras, mobile phones, DVD players and games consoles.”
In the October issue of MacWorld UK the upcoming Apple Expo Paris 2003 is expected to reveal the introduction of aluminium 15” PowerBooks. Shortages of Apple products is also mentioned which includes the iPod.
Deals on The Web: Deal Express offers the new, open box 3rd generation 15GB iPod for $329.99. It’s among the best prices we’ve seen. No warranty information is listed on the site.
The latest MacGeneration website reports that Smart will introduce the i-move car onto the European auto market. Using the same concept as Volkswagens’ “Pods Unite” campaign, Smart will present the new i-move during the Apple Expo in Paris. The i-move and the new Smart Roadster will feature built-in connectivity for iPod.
“During the summer, Apple became one of the coolest companies in America. At least that’s what youth marketing experts who follow the tastes of teenagers say.
Thanks to the iPod, the iTunes Music Store and the PowerMac G5, Apple is one of the hottest companies in youth culture, say so-called “cool hunters,” researchers who track buying trends among young people. [...]
This fall, the iPod is the No. 2 ‘must have’ item for the back-to-school season, right after new shoes, according to Look-Look’s August youth culture newsletter. A new computer or laptop comes third on the list, specifically an iMac or PowerMac G5.”
Deals on the Web: MacResQ has the Griffin iTrip FM Transmitter for iPod for $29.99, $5 off their regular price. Use coupon code “RESQ” to get the discount. The device works with iPods that have a FireWire port on top, not the new dock-interface models. It’s among the best prices we’ve seen. Coupon expires 9/10/03.
“Consumers can resell CDs purchased in a record shop, but what about digital music files downloaded from an online store?
George Hotelling wants to know. In a move that could spark a novel legal test of Internet music resale rights, the Web developer in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Tuesday night put a digital song he purchased online at Apple Computer’s iTunes Music Store up for auction on eBay. [...]
The effort has apparently resonated with online music aficionados, many of whom have expressed anger at copyright controls used by licensed Internet music services, including iTunes. With the auction set to end Sept. 9, the price on the song had gone up to $15,099 as of Wednesday evening.”
Buy.com is offering a $10 off coupon on purchases over $150. The 3G 15GB iPod is available for a special price of $384.99, and with the coupon it drops the price to $374.99. Check Buy.com for available iPod models.


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Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia has been rumored quite a few times before to plan the launch of a large, Windows Phone 8 smartphone, and some more info on the matter is now available.
The upcoming device, supposedly codenamed Bandit, is now said to have been confirmed with a 6-inch touchscreen display capable of delivering a full HD resolution, being the first out of a long range of 1080p handsets powered by Microsoft’s OS.
According to a recent article on The Verge, the upcoming handset will also land on the market with a quad-core Snapdragon processor inside, as well as with a 20-megapixel or higher photo snapper on the back.
Nokia Bandit is also said to be lightweight and thin, while already being tested with Windows Phone 8 GDR3 loaded on top.
Additionally, the news site claims that Nokia’s Lumia 925 smartphone is set to become available for purchase in the US on more wireless carriers in the near future, with AT&T already testing it.


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Investors fearful of HSBC's US gamble
HSBC is facing a grilling from shareholders at a meeting this week to approve its £9.7 billion takeover of US loan company Household International.
The extraordinary general meeting in London's Docklands on Friday is the first held by the banking giant in more than ten years, but will come just ten days after Household International was rapped for making misleading statements about its loans.
HSBC's board, headed by chairman Sir John Bond and chief executive Sir Keith Whitson, is likely to face tough questioning from nervous investors.
Household specialises in lending cash to US consumers to buy electrical goods and it targets people with poor credit ratings.
Last week, the US Securities and Exchange Commission said the company had made misleading statements about how many loans had gone bad, or ' delinquent'. Household neither admitted nor denied the findings.
The ambitious takeover has been described by one analyst as HSBC's 'biggest gamble'. Lending to low-rated consumers is high-risk and could turn sour if the US economy slips into recession and a large number of customers cannot repay their loans.
Martin Cross, a banking analyst at stockbroker Teather & Greenwood, said: 'In addition to the credit risk, there is a risk to HSBC's reputation from Household. The SEC report is an example of this.'
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Keith Hufnagel, professional skateboarder and founder of streetwear brand Huf Worldwide, has died after a 2 1/2 year battle with brain cancer, his company said in an Instagram post.
Huf Worldwide released a statement on Friday announcing the news.
“We are absolutely heartbroken to deliver the news today that HUF founder Keith Hufnagel has passed away,” the statement began. “Keith battled brain cancer for the past 2.5 years. And though he beat the odds and fought back much longer than his diagnosis permitted, he ultimately and unfortunately lost the fight.
“Keith was not only the ‘HUF’nagel in HUF. He was the heart and soul of this brand. He built and brought together a community of people like no one else could,” the statement continued. “Keith paved the way for all of us – as a respected professional skateboarder, shop owner, brand founder, footwear and apparel designer, creative director, and industry leader. He showed us how to do it, and how do it right.
“Keith loved skateboarding and the culture around it. He did things his way and did them for the right reasons. He inspired so many of us across the globe,” the touching statement read. “But above anything else, Keith loved and supported the people around him. He would do anything for his friends, family and children. He passionately wanted to see others succeed. And we all loved him for it.”
The statement concluded, “Keith’s legacy will continue to live on at HUF. Today, tomorrow and forever. Rest in peace, Keith.”
Hufnagel, who was born on January 21, 1974, grew up in New York City and skateboarded throughout his youth. In 1992, he made the move to San Francisco to pursue skateboarding, according to Huf Worldwide's website.
In an effort to give back to his community on the West Coast, Hufnagel opened a shop called HUF in 2002 to “bring together under one roof the most respected brands that the skateboard, streetwear, and sneaker communities had to offer," according to the company's website. The company sells clothing and accessories and operates stores in the U.S. and Japan.
"The name HUF just stuck with me as a sort of nickname amongst my friends, so once I turned pro I started using it on product and clothing and it became what people recognized me by," Hufnagel told Complex back in 2012. "The whole evolution of the brand was really organic in a sense, and that’s something I’m really proud of. I’m stoked to see the brand where it is at today, considering how it all came about."
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The skateboarding community shared an outpouring of love and support for Hufnagel after the news of his passing broke.
Tony Hawk shared a touching tribute on Instagram Friday, writing, "It’s incredibly sad to hear about the passing of Keith Hufnagel. He was a skating legend of NYC and SF fame, and a pioneer DIY businessman that valued integrity over profits."
"He was also one of the first to recognize Riley as a talented skater on his own merits," he continued. "I am thankful to have spent time with him during my Lakai days; he was the catalyst and my biggest advocate for joining the team. Thank you Huf for all of the good times and constant inspiration. Skateboarding is collectively mourning today. This ride known as 2020 truly sucks."
Atiba Jefferson, a fellow skateboarder and photographer, shared a post honoring the life of Hufnagel on Instagram and their memories together, writing, "We lost one of the kindest humans To skate this planet thank you Huf for showing me NYC when were just kids ... the world is crazy right now tell everyone to you love them 🖤 I luv u."
Hufnagel is survived by his wife, Mariellen Olson, and their two children.


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Dell is expected to meet or exceed revised third-quarter earnings estimates, according to a consensus of analysts polled by First Call/Thompson Financial, which predicts earnings per share of 25 cents for the third quarter.
A year earlier, Dell disappointed Wall Street, as quarterly net earnings declined 25 percent to $289 million, or 18 cents a share. An unexpected rise in memory prices added about $75 apiece to the manufacturing cost of about one-third of Dell's PCs.
But supply shortages, a weak euro, and a market shift that favors consumer PCs over corporate sales mean that the computer maker has its work cut out for it going forward, said analysts.
Dell faced third-quarter challenges once again this year. In early October, the Round Rock, Texas-based company issued an unexpected profit warning, indicating revenue would grow only 7 percent sequentially instead of the expected 10 percent.
Analysts now project revenue of about $8.2 billion, compared with $6.78 billion a year earlier and $7.67 billion in the second quarter. Before the warning, analysts had expected as much as $8.5 billion in revenue, or about an $800 million sequential gain.
Like Compaq Computer, IBM and Intel, among others, Dell took a hit in Europe as the euro's performance against the dollar caused a sales slowdown. But Dell admitted it also faced unique challenges, as the company struggled to work out organizational problems in its European operations.
Dell also warned that sales among certain dot-com operations unexpectedly plummeted, hitting high-margin products, such as servers and hosting services.
In an interview last month, Dell chief financial officer James Schneider told CNET News.com he thought the company could still meet original estimated earnings per share (EPS) as the company benefited from falling component prices.
"I'm confident about the original EPS for this quarter," he said. "It was supposed to go up about 3 cents. Component costs have come down, and we've been pretty aggressive on pricing."
Potential crisis area: hard drives
While the costs of many components started a rapid decline in September and October, Dell faces one potential crisis area: hard drives.
"Drive prices are way up. If Dell's in the spot market or short market for drives, they could be in bad shape," said IDC analyst Roger Kay.
Supply shortages from one or more major drive manufacturers mean higher costs to companies like Dell, cutting the margins the company makes on potentially every system it sells.
"Drives are a big component you can't get away from," Kay said. "It could really hurt Dell."
While Dell still expects to exceed $30 billion in sales this year, the company still faces potential problems going into the fourth quarter. In October, Dell warned EPS could be 1 cent to 2 cents shy of estimates.
Dell faces challenges to its core PC business as sales slow in the United States and abroad and as the consumer market dominates corporate sales. Worldwide PC shipments grew between 16 percent and 17 percent, according to estimates by market researchers Dataquest and IDC. But in the United States, Dell's core market, sales grew only 12.2 percent, according to Dataquest, and 9.4 percent as projected by IDC.
Dell also faces challenges as it grapples with changing market dynamics favoring consumer sales.
"Things have shifted to the consumer side the last few quarters in terms of growth rates," Kay said. "Companies like Gateway and (Hewlett-Packard), which emphasize those markets, are doing relatively better. Those companies that are positioned for corporate, like Dell, are doing relatively worse."
During the fourth quarter of 1999, PC sales in the consumer segment for the first time passed commercial sales here and in Japan.
Still, Dell benefits from a strong uptake in notebook sales, which could offset slower growth on the desktop, as well as from increased emphasis on higher-margin products, such as servers and storage.
During the third quarter, for example, the company broke off its storage operation as an independent division.


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(As seen in the Valley Voice Magazine)
By Andrea Jones RNCP
A CBC article was recently posted scrutinizing the organic food industry in regards to pesticide residues. The article, written by Joanne Levasseur and Vera-Lynn Kubinec has given non-supporters of the organic food movement justification to continue purchasing chemically grown agriculture. The ongoing debate on whether or not organic food is any different or superior to conventionally grown agriculture has been happening since the early 1900’s. According to The Organic Institute, all agriculture was organic before the Second World War. After World War II it was discovered that the thousands of gallons of leftover chemicals that had been formerly used to kill people, could also kill insects. (1) As activist Vandana Shiva so eloquently and accurately states, “we’re still eating the leftovers of world war II.” As industrialized agriculture (what we now call conventional) was born, so created the need for traditional farming practices to be preserved. The new term for farming without chemicals was “organic”. After reading the CBC article the big question hanging heavily over our heads remains: Is buying organic still any better for us or worth the added expense?
Organic foods may be mildly contaminated some of the time; however these foods are still far safer than the non-organic versions. In the article written by Levasseur and Kubinec of CBC, the authors state that pesticide residue levels in organic food “were still considerably less than the ... [levels]... of non-organic samples the inspection agency found containing pesticide residues”. If I can choose between food containing lots of chemical residue almost all of the time and organic food that sometimes contains a small amount of chemical residue, I am still choosing organic.
The use of these chemicals in the first place has permanently contaminated our planet. If we are seeing detrimental effects of this now, the use of more chemicals is only going to make the situation worse. The CBC authors quote Matthew Holmes, the executive director of the Ottawa-based Canada Organic Trade Association. Holmes points out, “We see pesticide residues throughout our environment. It's in our soil, they're in our water, drinking water now, and there's new reports coming out showing there's pesticides in fetal cord blood. So unfortunately, it's really hard to have a zero pesticide residue any longer”. We can take this information for what it is, a huge warning flag, or we can use it as an evasion. Either way it does not make any logical sense to justify the previous use of poisonous pesticides by continuing to use more pesticides. We cannot hold an “oh well, we’ve ruined it anyways” attitude. It is up to us as individuals and together as collective communities and countries to ban the use of these pesticides and grow food in the most ecologically conscious ways we can. When choosing ecological consciousness, the only choice is organic.
When we buy organic we are not just minimizing the effects of the chemicals on our health, but also using our dollar to vote for farmers who are trying to minimize the harm of agriculture on our environment and our entire ecosystem. Levasseur and Kubinec quote Mark Kastel, a farm policy analyst at the Cornucopia Institute in Wisconsin. Kastel says “I'm very comfortable that the vast majority of allorganic fruits and vegetables and other commodities are produced with high integrity, but we do need to protect the ethical farmers that are participating, and businesses in the organic industry — and, most importantly, consumers who are seeking authentic food.” If we want to be able to trust what we are eating as consumers, than we need to put the responsibility of growing our food into the hands of farmers who actually care about its quality and integrity—not into the hands of chemical companies whose sole responsibility is to maintain the highest profits possible. When we buy organic, we are voting with our money for the kinds of foods we want to be grown. We are choosing to support farmers who are trying to set a higher standard for better quality food, and a healthier, stronger eco-system. When we put money into the hands of large corporations, we are not giving them incentive to change.
We have to start somewhere. If one can grow and forage all of his or her foods locally, that would be ideal. However, when faced with the question of which is better for you and the planet: buying an organically grown pineapple or a genetically engineered, chemically grown pineapple? The answer is obviously the organic pineapple is better. Holmes states that “past studies have shown the quantity and incidence of pesticide residues in organic produce are consistently lower than those in non-organic”, for example: “[t]he average quantity of thiabendazole measured on organic apples was 0.02 ppm whereas the average amount measured on non-organic was 0.3 ppm — about 15 times higher”. I would still rather purchase food that is accidentally contaminated from “contamination of water or soil through pesticide spray drift from neighboring farms” than from those very farms where the pesticide spray is drifting from that are knowingly poisoning their food and soil in much higher volumes than what their unfortunate neighbors may passively receive.
As intelligent beings we have to realize that regardless of the state of things, we can always choose better. We have a responsibility to choose better for ourselves, for our children, for our environment and most importantly for the future. So when I ask myself if I should continue to support organic or not, the answer is “YES!” It is definitely still better and has a lower cost to my health, the health of the planet and everyone and everything on it.


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- Green Growth
- Your Consultant
The survey, conducted between February 13 and 18, featured 426 member companies under the JCCI in Ho Chi Minh City. These included 209 companies from the manufacturing field.
Around 40 per cent of respondents said that supply chain disruptions are affecting their businesses amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. 76 per cent of surveyed participants experienced delays or disruptions in sourcing supplies and materials from China. 53 per cent of Japanese companies in the manufacturing sector and 28 per cent of Japanese non-manufacturing firms have been impacted by supply disruptions.
Specifically, Japanese firms are facing weeks of disruptions to secure input materials, which leads to a dramatic rise of material prices. At present, many firms have yet to be affected by the disruptions, but they predict that the impact will begin to be visible in March. Many firms continue their efforts to balance inventory, find alternative materials and goods supplies, seek new suppliers and change manufacturing locations.
The slowdown of manufacturing activities in Vietnam is attributable to the delayed restart of Chinese manufacturing activities, road closures, and transportation restrictions as well as restrictions on Chinese technical experts.
The impacts on the flow of goods include high transportation costs, delays in goods transport from China, and time-consuming procedures for importing goods under quarantine. These challenges have led to changes in transportation routes of materials and switching to alternative products.
When asked about the impact on their business performance in 2020, half of the respondents were unclear for now. However, about 30 per cent of Japanese firms said their businesses will be affected by COVID-19. Among them, 22 per cent of businesses said their business results will be "least affected" by the outbreak, 7 per cent of businesses expect to be "greatly affected, and 1 per cent are expected to be severely affected.


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The UK has tried to strike deals with its trading partners as it prepares to leave the European Union in October. Seoul-based experts warned, however, that while the “continuity agreement” has downplayed the shutdown in the near future, its move to a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) is still linked to the uncertain outcome of the UK trade agreement with the European Union. Yoo said the deal would remove “a lot of Brexit uncertainty” from the economic partnership between the two countries. International Trade Minister Liz Truss signed the agreement with her South Korean counterpart, Yoo Myung-hee, in London. Seoul may want to strengthen safeguards so that Korean EU companies can continue to supply the UK independently of the EU-UK deal. Its exports fell by 10.4 per cent in 2019 and the regime will want to take further losses. On 22 August 2019, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Korea (Korea or South Korea) signed a continuity free trade agreement.  In the event of a Non-Brexit Deal on 31 October 2019, the trade agreement between Britain and Korea will enter into force, allowing British and Korean companies to continue to operate under the same preferential conditions under the free trade agreement between the European Union (EU) and Korea. The agreement will enable businesses to manage free trade after leaving the EU on 31 October, which will guarantee UK jobs in key sectors such as manufacturing, technology and professional services. “For Hyundai, Britain is a very cheap one, but if the UK is stupid about the kind of deal it has with the EU, then the Hyundai car market can be destroyed,” he warns. “Covid`s situation will seriously damage Korea`s trade relations. That is why Korea will strive to make the agreement as comprehensive and sustainable as possible,” Michell said. The UK will publish the text of the agreement as soon as it is presented to Parliament.
Truss said the deal would allow companies such as luxury carmaker Bentley to “maintain trade as they do today and be able to seize the opportunities offered by Brexit.” Britain tried to emulate EU trade deals with third countries before its planned exit from the bloc, but many had come to the fore about uncertainty about whether and when Brexit would take place after being delayed earlier this year. The UK-Korea trade agreement must now be ratified by both parliaments before it enters into force. After legislative approval, the agreement will enter into force either on 31 October 2019 in the event of a Non-Deal-Brexit, or at the end of the transition period, when the UK ratifies the withdrawal agreement. It could try to emulate the new free trade agreement BETWEEN the EU and Vietnam, which is being ratified, which pays special attention to Korean imports in Vietnamese exports to ensure that production within the specifications of the country of origin counts, Michell explains. If the agreement between the UK and Korea were renewed, Korea may also want its ownership of car and electric vehicle factories in the EU to be recognised in the agreement. The UK has signed a “continuity” trade agreement with South Korea, which allows businesses to maintain free trade after Brexit.  The UK Department for International Trade (DIT), the United Kingdom and Korea sign a trade continuity agreement to ensure that businesses are ready to trade after Brexit (21 August 2019), www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-and-korea-to-sign-trade-continuity-deal-to-ensure-businesses-are-ready-to-trade-post-brexit. This agreement is roughly in line with the terms of the existing free trade agreement between Korea and the EU.


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Wine enthusiasts received good news this week as the California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that this past year’s plentiful harvest of grapes in California was record breaking. The 2013 crop weighed in at 4.23 million tons, up 5 percent more than the 2012 record breaking harvest of of 4.02 million tons. This plentiful harvest means that there will be more affordable bottles of wine on store shelves. Vineyards in Napa and the San Joaquin Valley were able to bring in the record breaking harvest despite the severe drought that has recently affected the nearby area and the rest of the state.
California’s grapes are one of the state’s most profitable goods. This year’s plentiful grape harvest will only increase the revenue for all vineyards and wineries across the state. According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, grapes produced in the state during 2012 were valued at over $4.449 billion – this comes in second to California’s milk which was valued at $6.9 billion. The grapes made in California alone account for over 91 percent of grapes produced in the United States as a whole – because of this, California also produces 90 percent of the volume of wine in the United States. California’s coastal region along with frequent sunny weather makes the state the ideal place for growing quality grapes.
The first grape vineyard in California was opened in present day Los Angeles by William Wolfskill in 1839. As the gold rush brought more and more people through California, more farmers and growers invested in California’s agricultural industry. As of 2012, there were over 1,200 wineries in the California, spreading all throughout the state. Napa Valley, located in northern California, is famous for housing some of the most world-renown vineyards and wineries. Over 44 percent of California’s grapes come from vineyards in the 220 mile span of the San Joaquin Valley.
The record breaking 2012 and 2013 crops follow two years of shorter, less plentiful harvests. Growers attributed the large harvest to good weather, and the expansion of the acreage of vineyards across the state. Heidi Scheid, chairwoman of the California Association of Winegrape Growers announced that despite short crops in 2010 and 2011, vineyards managed to produce “two vintages, with record-sized harvests and exceptional quality.” California grape growers receive an average of $746 per ton, while vineyards in Napa Valley received an average of $3,691 per ton.
There are over a hundred grape varieties that are grown in California. Some of the most popular grape varieties include “Cabernet Sauvignon,” “Chardonnay,” and “Merlot.” Many vineyards and producers frequently develop new varieties of grapes every year. The Univeristy of California at Davis has a department dedicated to both “Viticulture,” or “the cultivation or culture of grapes,” and “Encology,” “the science that deals with wine and wine making.” The department has assisted California wine growers in developing new practices, which has helped California maintain its status as one of the top leading grape producers in the world.
The record breaking 2013 harvest comes as a result of good weather, increased overall acreage of vineyards in the state, as well as some good fortune. Both the vineyards that grow and produce the state’s wine, as well as the consumers who buy their wine around the world will all profit from this year’s plentiful grape harvest in California.
By Tyler Shibata


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It was only a couple of years ago that just saying the words ‘natural wine’ could get the fur flying. There were spats on social media and angry articles in the press, from people who thought that natural wines were a trendy scam, to people who said that any wine that wasn’t natural had no authenticity.
As always happens, opinion has settled somewhere in the middle, and natural wine has become an accepted category, like any other. But just how important is it? Although the topic has generated a lot of sound and fury, it’s been hard to work out just how significant the trend really is. That question runs like a thread through this issue, from Simon Woolf’s analysis of just how big the market for natural wines really is, to the Power Lists from Scandinavia, which in this issue identify top sommeliers from Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
It becomes clear from talking to these sommeliers that natural wines have come of age with Nordic cuisine, and are an important part of the offering in top restaurants.
This issue of just how important natural wines are isn’t a small, academic one. As Darrel Joseph’s article on Kakheti, Georgia shows, whether or not the world embraces natural wines could have an enormous impact on the wine economy of his Transcaucasian country, the spiritual home of natural wines.
This is also the issue where I’ve finally got around to tackling a topic that’s been on my radar for a couple of years: selling wine to men. It became apparent to me two years ago, when I was preparing a talk on the subject for the 2014 Digital Wine Communications Conference, that the wine trade was focusing far too much on ‘wine for women’ and failing to see that young men were gravitating to craft beer. But over this same period, some of the biggest wine companies in the world were beginning to focus on the young male demographic. The result is a slew of wines created for male millennials.
Gender marketing isn’t a game that anybody can play, because when it backfires, it backfires in a spectacular blaze of publicity. Just ask Bic pens. But the humour that’s embedded into some of these wines, created after extensive research, at least shows that craft beer can’t have all the fun. Finally, next issue we turn ten years old and have a series of special stories to look forward to.


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Originally published on 5th of May 2023
ESGFIRE returns since 2018: + 1100 %
ESGFIRE returns year to date 2023: + 2%
NASDAQ returns year to date 2023: +19 %
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Portfolio comment for April 2023
April saw the ESGFIRE portfolio take a hit for the worse with Absolicon, Gomero and Biofrigas to mention a few of the drainers.
We believe especially Earthrenew may have a positive run short term due to the encouraging words from the management discussion of their financials. Management mentions a strong possibility of licensing revenues becoming a major part of the strategy going forward which could provide much well needed non diluting cashflow ! We have therefore chosen to increase our position.
The portfolio remains 100 % invested at this point. We have seen many former portfolio companies in pre revenue stage decrease in value by more than our own portfolio. The reasons vary however in this new market condition valuations and a well funded business have become increasingly more important than ever before.
Gladly on the makro front Inflations seems to finally be coming down which should provide a warm welcome from central banks around the world. In turn this definately is good for stocks which has seen major indexes have a great run lately.
Current ESGFIRE portfolio with Monthly performance for March 2023.
April performance: – 29 %
Sadly the high interest environment seems to finally be taking it’s toll on Absolicon. The company has previously withstood alot of the downfall for growth companies but reality seems to be catching up due to cashflow still being negative.
Absolicon were unfortunately only able to raise 43,4 million SEK out of a planned 120 million SEK. On the bright side however this means less dilution for existing shareholders and an increased sales focus for the company. Absolicon have responsibly began some restructuring to lower cash burn and planned less projects in conjunction to delivering the 2 production lines ordered last year by customers.
For 2023 we hope there will be a “ketchup effect”and a potential of 3-4 production lines being sold totalling $20-25 million USD in revenues. Absolicon have signed in total 21 framework agreements and totals a sales pipeline exceeding $120 million USD. One production line should produce one off revenues of 4-5 MUSD and recurrent revenue of 3-4 MUSD annually.
April performance: – 15 %
Biofrigas have had a rough april due to macro related trends which have been negative for Biogas in the European Union. We hope to see a new government support act of Biogas in Sweden shortly which should be positive for the sales of the company. We are also positive that Biofrigas are entering the german market where there is a big need for their products.
April performance : + 10 %
Earthrenew has agreed to part ways with current CEO Keith Driver and have lowered guidance for 2022 from 27 million CAD to 17 million CAD. Although ofcourse extremely dissapointing short term we think this might prove a great buy opportunity for patient investors. To be fair we were extremely dissapointed to learn recently that Keith Driver had signed up as CEO for another ESG company raising funds namely Impact Carbon Capital. We think Keith was probably fired due to this reason and all we can say is good riddance since the CEO performance lately has not been stellar to be frank. We look forward to see what the new CEO Neil Wiens can do !
Having read managements analysis of the financial report for 2022 we think there may be a strong possibility that licensing revenues can become a major part of the companys strategy to fund their new facilities. If we are correct this cashflow would provide much well needed non dilutive financing!
Vicinity Motor Corp
April: +- 0 %
Vicinity Motors had a rough financial report for Q4 2022 due to supply chain issues. Looking forward the company still has an impressicve $150 million USD backlog and with a recent credit line of $30 million USD and finally having the new US facility in Ferndale open we hope 2023 will be a great comeback for Vicinity Motors! The company has during April added a further 9 million in financing which greatly should help the ongoing production of the new VMC 1200 class 3 truck!
April performance: – 5 %
Norditek has had a great start to 2023 with a wooping performance of 104 % returns. The company stock performance has exceeded our expectations. The latest financial report however was more normal in terms of revenues due to the comparable quarter last year having one off revenues which was an effect of supply chain issues. The stock magazine Börsveckan recently issued a purchase recommendation.
April performance: +- 0 %
Clean motion during march announced super interesting sales cooperation with one of Israels largest car dealerships. This small Swedish company has a hyper interesting last mile delivery vehicle. There are several peers valued at 10-20 X the market cap of Clean Motion. The company has begun taking orders for their new last mile delivery vehicle which has solar cells on the roof and charges itself! The company currently has capacity for 500 vehicles per year which implies 5-6 MUSD revenues per year however the plan is to scale this up to 5000 vehicles per year before the end of 2023 which equals roughly 50-60 MUSD per year. The company made an update recently that they expect production to begin in March 2023 in parallel with the work for European type approval the latter is expected to be finished in april 2023. We have however not had any update of the european type approval in april so we hope to see something very soon!
April performance: +- 0 %
This hydrogen and RNG mobility company is set for massive growth and is extremly undervalued with more than 100 % upside. We published a guest article in March at Börsvärlden which can be read here.
April Performance: – 10 %
The latest report from Gomero was a dissapointment as growth was below 10 % ( 8 %) . We will wait to revise our projections until we see the results for Q2 of 2023. Gomero has a history of weak Q1 reports and stronger Q3-Q4s so we were not completely shocked by the result. An interesting aspect to note is that they now have begun reporting the different revenue streams where subscription revenues are growing Our investment case is based on a growth assumption is a year over year organic growth between 20-30 %.
April Performance: – 10%
We were not surprised to see Ekobot share price drop a bit after their latest share issue which gave the company 26,8 million SEK. We are however a bit surprised to see the share price trade below the share issue of 2,50 SEK. We think the risk reward on current levels is attractive as the core business deducting cash at hand is valued at only 10 million SEK / $1 million USD.
We have a number of positions in unlisted companies which we anticipate will go public through initial public offerings within the next 6-18 months.
Evanesce packaging solutions
As a sustainable technology innovator,Evansesce is revolutionizing sustainable packaging with 100% compostable and affordable plant-based solutions.
ESGFIRE and those of our readers who invested in the company entered at a valuation of 30 MCAD implying a likely 12-24 X upside to our initial investment. The company is likely going public in the third or fourth quarter of 2023 on one of the Canadian stock exchanges or NASDAQ.
The vision of Captico2 is to be the world leading in offering high impact Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage technologies (CCUS). Captico2 can capture mineralize and transform carbon dioxide into a valuable and sellable commodity in less than 60 seconds. The company aims to pre-sell 10 full scale units in 2022 creating potential revenues of 160 million EUR. The company currently has a 500 million USD sales pipeline.
Captico2 is currently undergoing restructuring and IPO plans have been postponed for a few months.
OLA MEDIA is a network of interactive touch screens located exclusively in the backseat of Ubers. By leveraging innovative technologies and captivating spaces, they help brands create engaging experiences with a high value audience.
Ola Media is currently closing a capital round which implies a 300 % upside for our initial investment. The company is likely going public during the second quarter of 2022 at either Canadian exchanges or NASDAQ.
Alchemy is developing innovative nanocoating solutions to the challenges faced by many industries. Their coatings are designed to repel water, dirt, and ice while maintaining the high transparency, mechanical durability, and weatherability specifications for advanced sensor systems used in harsh environments. The company has a deal with the Canadian army and this may be further increased during this fall which could imply a 3-5 X valuation of our initial investment.IPO status:
Most likely going public by Q3 of 2022 .
The stock price development above was calculated by taking the opening price at the first day of the month and the closing price at the last day of the month.
We own shares of these companies personally.
Investing in stocks is combined with certain risks and it is possible to lose your entire investment. Our posts are made for Educational purposes only and are not to be interpreted as tips , financial advice or recommendations of any kind to either buy or sell any stocks.
Companies may or may not be paying us for content posted on this website


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First look: ADAM iOS-connected asthma monitorThe Automated Device for Asthma Management, or ADAM, by Health Care Originals is a unique iOS-connected medical device that aims to provide users with a complete solution for managing their asthma.
By measuring vital signs and other biological readings, the ADAM will predict and log asthma attacks, and can recommend behavior changes as well. It's set to launch in the second quarter of this year, and the price has not yet been announced.
As shown to AppleInsider at CES, the wearable ADAM sensor can count coughs, and measure respiration, wheeze, and heart rate. When it launches in the second quarter of this year, it will also feature inhaler detection, alerts and alert forwarding, symptom tracking and trending, and treatment plans.
ADAM users can also receive medication reminders, and the device includes HIPAA-compliant data storage.
The device aims to prevent complications with asthma that can become serious if detected too late. For some asthma sufferers, realizing they are in trouble on their own may already be too late.
The ADAM sensor has its own iOS-connected application, and HealthKit support is also in the works for the smart, wearable accessory.
On Topic: iOS
- Twitter for iOS gets 'Peek and Pop' 3D Touch gesture support, Google adds AMP integration
- Samsung to bring web-based 'SamsungPay Mini' to iPhones - report
- Apple eyes Apple Pay expansion into Asia and Europe, looks to roll out in 'every significant market'
- Hyundai adds Apple CarPlay support to six models, report says
- Apple brings iOS 9 Spotlight Suggestions to 7 more markets, adds NBC to Apple TV's universal search


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Ample Foods, a San Francisco-based nutrition startup that enables people to have a complete, satisfying and healthy meal in under two minutes, announced an additional $2 million in seed funding, led by San Francisco-based Slow Ventures.
As younger generations continue to turn toward healthier options, drinkable meals are starting to become a major factor in the lives of busy people unable to cook full meals at home.
Connor Young, founder and CEO of Ample Foods, put the brands product into layman’s terms for Loyalty360.
“Ample is a San Francisco-based nutrition start-up that makes it incredibly easy for customers to have a healthy, filling and delicious meal in under two minutes, start to finish. Ample is a drinkable meal that ships as powder in a BPA-free, recyclable bottle, and is packed with real-food ingredients, healthy fats, fiber, probiotics and more, so all you have to do is add water, shake and enjoy. It's available in three varieties, original (plenty of healthy fats, low-sugar, protein from grass-fed, rBST-free whey and collagen), V for plant-based diets and K for ketogenic food lifestyles.”
What makes Ample unique, according to Connor, is the commitment to lack of compromise in terms of quality ingredients.
“Many other quick meal options, especially in the drinkable meal space, look at a meal as little more than a math problem—getting to the government-defined RDAs as inexpensively as possible. Ample believes that real food is a synergistic system, and that a meal is more than the numeric sum of its parts. We spend time doing the research and sourcing the quality ingredients to give you a complete, real-food meal that's quick and delicious without compromises.”
Timeliness and health are major factors today. Typically, in the past, one could not be done without the other. Finding quick meals that are healthy has been nearly an impossible task for years. With Ample, consumers are able to provide their bodies with the necessary nutrients while not wasting any time.
Slow Ventures noticed Ample’s rapid growth and made an investment.
“From a purely fiscal perspective, the partners at Slow Ventures believe Ample has gone in a
direction with quality, honesty and transparency that is leading the way to where nutrition will go in the next 20 years, and that the drinkable meal category is clearly ripe for growth as lives get busier and people seek out healthier options.
“From a personal perspective, Scott Marlette, Slow Ventures partner, shared that he's been drinking Ample since November and that it's been personally revolutionary for him. He's a busy [venture capitalist] with two kids who care about his health, and is active. He started going down the path of doing all the research to figure out what's going to be the best option for him, but quickly found himself overwhelmed with info. He said, ‘It’s one thing to make the choice of healthy eating, but making the choice happen is where the lifestyle disconnect comes in.’ We find this is the case with many of our loyal customers and subscribers—they like that Ample does the research and sources the ingredients at takes all that off their plates. Couldn't resist a little drinkable meal joke there.”
The loyal customer base is what has contributed to Ample’s compounding growth.
“We have an incredibly loyal group of customers who are our best spokespeople,” says Young. “We incentivize them with ways to spread the Ample love to friends. We have also had some great supporters since before the launch in industry leaders like Dominic D'Agostino, Chris Kresser, Chis Masterjohn PhD, and more. We formalized some of those influencer relationships around the launch of Ample K and have been really pleased to see how much their trust in this company means to consumers.”
With $4 million now in investments, Ample plans to expand its reach in order to provide products that are foundations for healthier lives.
“We believe the food industry is in need of a major leveling up across the board,” Young says. “More than just expanding our own reach or growing sales, we want to be a catalyst for change by continuing to put pressure on ingredients suppliers and the food chain to make it easier for food companies to make truly healthy products and, thus, make healthy food choices more accessible to consumers.”
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The philippines has a rich history combining asian, european, and american influences prior to spanish colonization in 1521, the filipinos had a rich culture and were trading with the chinese and the japanese. The philippine economy: updates, prospects secretary, socioeconomic planning republic of the philippines bad governance and misguided economic policies. But look past these headline grabbers, and you’ll find other emerging economies continuing to show economic strength so for now, forget the brics take a look at the pines the pine economies are the philippines, indonesia, nigeria and ethiopia i have to confess i made up this acronym, and i fear it isn’t quite as catchy as bric. The state of play in the southern philippines a cell of the abu sayyaf group (asg), under the leadership of isnilon hapilon, was the first in the philippines to declare bai’at to sheikh ab bakar al-bagdhadi in a youtube video in july 2014, following the lead of abu bakar ba’asyir’s jemaah ansharaut tauhid (jat), and santoso’s mujihideen.
Economic prospects - download as word doc some may look at businessmen and as per latest reports on philippines economic conditions it is expected that there. Philippines and indonesia look at the economic powers in the asian pacific region, we find that the problems and prospects. In its global economic prospects 2016 report, the world bank cited the philippines and vietnam among the countries in east asia with the strongest growth prospects “in the philippines, growth is projected to firm to 64 percent in 2016, reflecting accelerated implementation of public-private partnership (ppp) projects and spending. A closer look at how the philippine president is impacting his country's economic prospects.
The job market employment prospects by just landed as a rule salaries are increasing in the philippines in line with economic growth what jobs to look for. For 2017, philippines’ economy is expected to advance between 65 to 75 percent that’s almost twice the country’s long-term growth gdp annual growth rate in philippines averaged 368 percent from 1982 until 2017, reaching an all time high of 1240 percent in the fourth quarter of 1988 and a record low of -1110 percent in the. A close look at the economic outlook for linkurl= philippines: 61: 69. With a 53-notch jump from 2011, the philippine economy holds the record for the largest gain in the region it is currently no 95 out of 189 countries, and is no 5 among asean nations prospects of real estate the increasing demand for real estate properties presents opportunities for developers and investors alike.
The head of oriental resources of the philippines talks to the bbc about the country's economic growth prospects and the role of the philippines' economic prospects. Philippines - current economic position and prospects (english) abstract this report provides a review on economic position and prospects of the philippines as of 1965. It-enabled services in the philippines: prospects on the economy the third part takes a closer look economic structure of the philippines is.
Dallas, texas (prweb) february 18, 2014 -- the textile and clothing industry in the philippines ranks as the country's fifth largest manufacturing sector in. Prospects for the economy the “new society” proclaimed by marcos in the early 1970s failed to philippines and had characterized the local electoral process. The economy of the philippines hit some rough patches in 2014 the outlook for 2015, on the other hand, is fairly strong economic prospects for the philippines as a whole in 2015 look relatively good, with growth likely to exceed the pace of 2014.
Fourth, the philippines can benefit from hopefully more trade, tourism and investments from world’s no 2 biggest economy, and hopefully reduce tensions in the spratleys, because duterte may also help repair and normalize the ancient friendship ties of the philippines with our neighbor china without forsaking philippine sovereignty. The country's economic growth is expected to remain strong in 2014, at 67%, despite the destructive impact of typhoon haiyan in late 2013 this comes as international retailers are struggling to expand amid a still subdued global economy rapid growth in retail trade retailing is one of the philippines' economic bright spots. Forbes philippines the launch is timely “given the philippines' rising economic prospects forbes philippines launches amid rising economic. Published under a licensing agreement between forbes media and summit media, forbes philippines joins a group of more than 30 editions of forbes available around the world the launch is timely “given the philippines’ rising economic prospects and its fast-growing community of ceos, entrepreneurs and investors,.


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Vacation bookings have jumped as keen Britons see gentle on the finish of the tunnel after Monday’s roadmap announcement by the federal government.
Beneath the roadmap, which units a path out of England’s coronavirus lockdown, international holidays might be allowed as early as 17 Could. At the moment non-essential journey is banned.
Well being Secretary Matt Hancock instructed Sky Information that there can be a overview revealed on 12 April into worldwide journey earlier than holidays might resume.
He mentioned: “That overview shall be knowledgeable by the proof that we’re presently amassing on the influence of the vaccine on these, the so-called South Africa and Brazil new variants.
“If the vaccine works properly towards them, then we will be rather more relaxed about worldwide journey.
“If the vaccine would not work towards them, then that shall be a lot, rather more troublesome.”
EasyJet mentioned flight bookings jumped by greater than 300% and vacation bookings surged by greater than 600% week-on-week after the roadmap was introduced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday night time.
Seashore locations reminiscent of Malaga, Alicante and Palma in Spain, Faro in Portugal, and Crete in Greece had been the most well-liked because the nation sought one thing to sit up for after a winter caught at house.
Most bookings had been made for August, however July and September had been additionally fashionable.
EasyJet chief govt Johan Lundgren mentioned the federal government’s exit plans had “offered a much-needed enhance in confidence for therefore lots of our clients within the UK”.
He mentioned: “We now have constantly seen that there’s pent-up demand for journey and this surge in bookings exhibits that this sign from the federal government that it plans to reopen journey has been what UK customers have been ready for.
“Whereas the summer time could also be a short time off, we shall be working across the clock to make sure we shall be able to ramp up our flights to reconnect family and friends or take them on a long-awaited vacation to recollect.”
Andrew Flintham, managing director of TUI UK and Eire, mentioned that they had seen a 500% leap in bookings in a single day, with specific demand for Greece, Spain and Turkey from July onward.
He added: “The announcement from the prime minister on 22 February was constructive and exhibits that by working with the journey trade on a risk-based framework our clients could have the chance to journey overseas this summer time.
“We’ll proceed to work carefully with the federal government so folks can sit up for a well-deserved break free, after what has been a really troublesome 12 months for a lot of.”
A spokesman for Thomas Prepare dinner mentioned that they had seen comparable numbers, including that it was “simply our greatest day of gross sales for a very long time and triple Sunday’s”.
The favored locations for his or her clients had been Turkey, Cyprus and Greece however individuals are additionally reserving properly into 2022, he mentioned, including: “Clearly the pent-up demand is beginning to be launched and confidence is returning”.
Shares in airways had been on the rise in early Tuesday buying and selling – IAG the proprietor of British Airways rose by 5.9%, TUI was up by 6.4%, easyJet was up by 8.3% and Ryanair rose by 4.1%.
The success of Britain’s vaccination programme has additionally given the journey sector confidence that coronavirus restrictions can quickly be lifted.
The trade has been one of many hardest-hit by the pandemic, with border closures, journey bans and different measures, reminiscent of pre-travel testing and quarantine, all diminishing the willingness of individuals to journey.
However even after 17 Could, international governments might want to agree that Britons can go to.
France and Spain should not permitting guests from Britain as a result of new variants of coronavirus and international locations reminiscent of Australia and New Zealand haven’t been open to vacationers for nearly a 12 months.
EasyJet and TUI each mentioned they had been providing flexibility for travellers when it comes to modifications that may have to be made to bookings.
#COVID19 #Holidaystarved #Britons #flock #ebook #break #lockdown #exit #plans #revealed


text: Clothing and shapewear brand Spanx is launching its first retail pop-up series, commencing this month with events in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Following these pop-ups, Spanx will introduce its collection at the London location of department store Selfridges from November 20 to December 22, with the possibility of extending the offering beyond the holiday season. This move signifies a focus on Spanx’s apparel products as part of an experiential retail strategy. While the brand already sells its shapewear and apparel online and through various retailers, these pop-ups will provide a unique, interactive experience with artwork by artist Nkosi Ndlovu highlighting the female experience. Spanx’s foray into the pop-up model follows a leadership team reshuffle in October 2022, with Kim Jones becoming CEO and a majority stake acquisition by Blackstone, valuing the brand at $1.2 billion, while founder Sara Blakely retained a significant stake and the role of executive chairwoman.


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ESSENCE Festival headliner, Beyonce, released a teaser urging fans to stay tuned for a surprise tomorrow.
The R&B diva’s newest song, “Bow Down/ I Been On,” brought some controversy in the past month as critics worried that King Bey changed directions: from uplifting women with her hit, “Run the World (Girls)” to putting women down by using the B-word.
Despite the frenzy “Bow Down” may have caused, it hasn’t stopped fans from scooping up tickets for Beyonce’s upcoming world tour, Mrs. Carter Show. One of the most highly anticipated events of 2013, tickets for the show sold out in less than 15 minutes back in February when they went on sale. Now fans are going to auction websites to find tickets for the event and are paying up to $2,000 to see Beyonce hit the stage, reports the International Business Times.
‘Mrs. Carter Show,’ kicks off April 15 in Serbia but Beyonce has a surprise set to drop much sooner. Check out the teaser for it above.


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Owners of a Las Vegas company accused of importing tainted pet food ingredients that killed an estimated 1,950 cats and 2,200 dogs nationwide pleaded guilty Tuesday under an agreement calling for three years of probation and fines.
Stephen Miller, 56, and Sally Qing Miller, 43, his wife and a Chinese national, each pleaded guilty to one count of selling adulterated food and one count of selling misbranded food, misdemeanor offenses.
The U.S. attorney's office recommended that the Millers be put on probation for three years and pay fines of $5,000 each.
ChemNutra, their import company, would be fined another $25,000 under the plea agreement.
Prosecutors were not required to prove the Millers had criminal intent in importing the poisonous materials, according to defense attorneys.
The government agreed to dismiss 24 other misdemeanor charges and a single felony count for wire fraud conspiracy.
A federal judge in Kansas City, Mo., will sentence them, but the judge is not bound by the plea agreement.
Pet food makers recalled more than 150 brands of dog and cat food in 2007 after hearing reports of cats and dogs suffering kidney failure after eating tainted food.
The Millers imported 800 metric tons of tainted wheat gluten from China, according to their plea agreement. They discovered that the material was contaminated with melamine, a chemical used for plastics, cleaning materials, glues, fertilizers and other industrial purposes. The melamine made the wheat gluten appear to have a higher protein content than was present.
The Food and Drug Administration investigated the tainted pet food material.
"Today's announcement reflects our continued commitment to investigate and prosecute companies and individuals that violate the law and endanger the public's health through illegal conduct," said Food and Drugs Commissioner Margaret Hamburg.
Defense attorney Robert Becerra said in a statement: "The Millers and ChemNutra look forward to putting both this case and this tragic matter behind them and hope that today's enhanced awareness of food safety issues will prevent this from ever happening again."
Becerra said ChemNutra still exists but no longer is operating. He wouldn't say whether the Millers were continuing their import business through another company.
The Millers have a Web site for a new business called EOSDirect, which said it imports a variety of nutritional and pharmaceutical products from Asia, the Review-Journal has learned.
The Web site said EOSDirect buys only from manufacturers "whom we know, and whom we have visited and reviewed." EOSDirect said it will not buy materials from brokers or trading companies, because it cannot confirm the quality and safety of products from them.
ChemNutra relied on a trading company and broker for the tainted wheat gluten it imported and sold to pet food manufacturers.
The government separately indicted two Chinese residents and two companies with criminal violations stemming from the tainted wheat gluten. Defendant Mao Linzhun admitted to Chinese offcials in April 2007 that his company, Zuzhou Anying Biologic Technology Development Co., added melamine to the wheat gluten.
The U.S. attorney's office in Kansas City does not know where Linzhun and Zhen Hao Chen, another Chinese defendant, are or whether the Chinese prosecuted them, said spokesman Don Ledford. China does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
Contact reporter John G. Edwards at email@example.com or 702-383-0420.


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Kroger also scored high among the pure-play grocers in terms of its online grocery positioning compared with e-commerce giant Amazon, particularly as it related to pricing. But at the bottom of the list was Whole Foods Market.
Citi looked at the potential winners and losers in the online grocery space using a five-point analysis that looked at factors such as profitability, brick-and-mortar pricing, online pricing, exposure to Seattle-based Amazon, as well as any early adopter advantage.
"Based on our analysis, we determined that Wal-Mart was the winner (low exposure to Amazon Fresh/Prime Now markets and low EPS impact from exposure to those exposed markets)," Citi said in the 43-page report. "Whole Foods Market came in last place overall in our
analysis, largely due to their urban store exposure, which overlaps highly with Amazon Fresh and Prime Now, as well as their higher price points."
Online grocery shopping could grow five-fold over the next decade, with American consumers spending upwards of $100 billion on food-at-home items by 2025, according an forecast released earlier this year by Food Marketing Institute and Nielsen.
While many of the large grocers are still testing and investing in different formats to see which one works best, there's no denying the changing demographics and rise of millennials weaned on digital technologies supports the case for significant future growth in online grocery spending.
Amazon's growing presence in the grocery space with different approaches highlights how much profit potential it sees in capturing spending from food and beverage sales. Amazon's grocery operating margin potential could be about 3 percent, or roughly comparable to North American retail industry margins, according to Citi. The estimate assumes inclusion of revenue from membership fees.
Amazon's prices on grocery items tend to be higher than Wal-Mart, which accounts for about 20 percent of grocery sales domestically. Citi's research found the price gap between Wal-Mart's store pick-up prices relative to AmazonFresh was an average of 30 percent.
Wal-Mart has been rapidly expanding its online grocery business and concentrating on the so-called click-and-collect model, which allows consumers to pickup orders at stores. A spokesman for the retailer told CNBC the retailer has expanded pickup to more than 100 markets in the U.S. last year and now has more than 600 locations offering the service.


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Believe it or not, Hartmann isn't all about high-performance vehicles. The company just showed off its latest take on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van. The SP5 Conference boasts an interior inspired by the trappings of Air Force One and features front seats that can swivel 180 degrees to face rear passengers. You know, for conferencing and the like.
A small table can be folded into place and boasts swivel function of its own.
Posted on 10.17.2009 16:00 by Terence Keon Filed under: Alpina Mercedes | video | luxury cars | cool fast cars | Cars | Car News Both the Alpina B7 and the Mercedes Benz CLK 63 AMG Black Series are high performance luxury vehicles t... Read Post
Mercedes Benz has just revealed its new E250 BlueTEC, a concept vehicle based on the 2010 E-Class and featuring the company’s new clean diesel technology. According to Mercedes Benz, the exhaust treatment system used in its cars mea... Read Post


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DirectStorage is one of the gaming innovations in Xbox Series X|S that Microsoft will bring to Windows 11 ... and Windows 10.
Recent Games Stories
We’re well into the second half of July, so Microsoft has announced another set of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass this month.
It’s hard to explain how this happened during a component shortage, but Xbox just had a record month for console sales in the United States.
Anyone looking for a Nintendo Switch-like portable gaming PC will want to check out the Steam Deck, which will cost $400 and up.
As part of its virtual Google for Games Developer Summit, Google today announced dramatically better financial terms for game developers.
Microsoft’s Xbox Family Settings app has been updated to support a way to manage how your children spend money on the Xbox service.
Microsoft wants to expand its early access program for Xbox and will likely use Cloud Gaming to make it happen.
As part of its Google for Games Developer Summit 2021 event, Google today announced the release of the Android Game Development Kit.
In its last announcement, Microsoft revealed several Xbox Game Pass titles for July 1, but now we’re getting several more games.
The new Nintendo Switch (OLED model) will ship in October at a price of $350, $50 more than the standard switch model.
If you are hoping to easily pick up an Xbox console in the near future, the outlook is dim as constraints are still holding back supply.
Microsoft’s Bethesda Softworks announced a major upgrade to Doom Eternal that brings optimizations for the Xbox Series X|S consoles.
With July just days away, Microsoft has revealed which Games with Gold titles it will provide to subscribers next month.
Microsoft today announced that it is expanding its Designed for Xbox mobile accessory certification program to include those made for iPhones.
Microsoft has transitioned Xbox Cloud Gaming to Xbox Series X and has dramatically expanded the availability of the service.
Microsoft’s newfound love of gaming will see several important Xbox/videogame innovations come to Windows 11.
With June drawing to a close, Microsoft has unveiled the several more titles it will release to Xbox Game Pass this month across platforms.
Microsoft updated its “Designed for Xbox” program to focus on continuous compatibility across generations and announced today, for the first time, they are adding monitors to the program.
The games of the future may look similar to games that we play today but how they are developed, sold, and delivered is likely going to change.
New Flight Simulator World Update V: Nordics focuses on the countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.
The Xbox Design Lab is back with updated Xbox controllers and shipping in late July.
The future of Xbox lies not with standalone consoles but rather with the people who play games, no matter where they prefer to do so.
The June Xbox Update has arrived, but as with previous months, it’s really a set of updates across different platforms.
Microsoft today announced demos for 40 new independent game titles coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One over the next seven days.
After several months in early access, Amazon’s Luna game streaming service will be made available to all Prime members starting June 21.
Microsoft took to the virtual stage on Sunday and announced a slew of games headed to Game Pass, but one title is taking a slightly different approach.
Microsoft has added ten more Bethesda titles to Xbox Game Pass today. And it plans to launch 20 more titles Day One on Game Pass in 2021.


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Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Ltd (CGCEL) on Monday said its shareholders have approved raising up to Rs 700 crore through the issuance of non-convertible debentures (NCDs) on private placement basis.
The shareholders approved the resolution with requisite majority at its annual general meeting held on June 6, to issue NCDs of up to Rs 700 crore in one or more tranches during one year period, CGCEL said in a regulatory filing.
Its shareholders have approved raising up to Rs 700 crore from secured NCDs including debenture stocks, bonds and/or other debt securities, listed or unlisted, on private placement basis, it added.
In April last year, Avantha Group had sold its entire holding of 34.37% in demerged consumer products business of Crompton Greaves to private equity investors Advent International and Temasek for Rs 2,000 crore.
CGCEL was listed on BSE and NSE on May 13.
The company's stock closed at Rs 132.45, down 1.34%, on BSE.


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This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: Travel Feed
“The data calendar is once more light today, so the broad 1.1490 – 1.1710 range will likely remain in play.”
It is therefore not yet clear, according to Mr Brown, if the pound’s value against the euro will increase or decrease today.
Speaking yesterday about sterling’s success on Monday, Mr Brown said: “Sterling had its best day in a month against the euro yesterday, charging north of the 1.16 handle, as the pound started the week on the front foot, with optimism about the UK economic reopening continuing to mount.
Travel after Covid: Will holidays EVER be the same again? [EXPLAINED]
Portugal expat shares the ‘best’ things about life in Faro [INSIGHT]
Holidays abroad in the sun are NOT a privilege, says JUDY FINNIGAN [COMMENT]
George Vessey, UK Currency Strategist for Western Union Business Solutions, also commented on the pound’s performance at the start of the week.
He said: “After seven successive daily declines amounting to about 2.5 percent, GBP/EUR rebounded from the upper realms of €1.14 last week and has recouped half of its monthly losses.
“Yesterday was sterling’s best performance versus the euro in a month, rising over 0.6 percent on the day.”
Foreign travel is currently off the cards for Britons, however, some countries could reopen their borders to tourists from May 17.
The Global Travel Taskforce is currently looking into how to categorise countries into a traffic light system, with green countries free to visit, amber requiring isolation on return, and red banned.
The eight countries that could be given the green light are the USA, Gibraltar, Israel, Iceland, Ireland, Malta, Australia and New Zealand.
However, the Australian and New Zealand governments have said that they are not likely to be permitting visitors.
Many Britons have booked holiday tickets over the past few weeks, but experts have warned against exchanging travel money just yet.
James Lynn, co-CEO and co-founder of travel card Currensea, said: “It may be tempting to take out foreign currency in anticipation of a future holiday, while the exchange rate is favourable.
“However, I would advise against this. Market movements are often more marginal in reality than they appear.


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Tesla CEO Musk dangles California as Gigafactory contender; says ground breaking soon
Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said California is back in the running as a potential site for his Gigafactory battery plant while characterizing the state's chances of landing the facility as "improbable." That puts California in competition with Texas — with San Antonio the suggested target — Nevada, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona for the $4 billion to $5 billion plant.
Musk also said the company may break ground on the project as early as next month, ratcheting up anticipation of which states he'll choose — and potentially giving the competing states motivation to make their best offer of incentive packages quickly.
Adding another state to the potential slate of homes for the lithium-ion battery factory, which Musk needs to supply his Tesla electric cars, adds a new layer of complexity to the dance he's in with the states. They're trying to lure him with cocktails of charm and taxpayer-subsidized incentives. In return, Musk is dangling a Gigafactory that may cost $4 billion to $5 billion to build and create as many as 6,000 jobs in its eventual home.
In a conference call following release of the company's first-quarter earnings, Musk said California's circuitous project-approval process could take too long — a big risk to the Gigafactory timeline. He said Gov. Jerry Brown was working to mitigate that risk.
California's dark-horse status in the Gigafactory race won't surprise readers of this expert's analysis of the competition for the battery plant, which ranked Texas or Nevada most likely homes for the facility.
Musk in the earnings call also said Tesla had received a signed letter of intent from Panasonic to help finance the factory. Previous reports suggested that the Japanese battery manufacturer was balking at the potential size of the investment required.
The Tesla CEO's plan to dual-track the Gigafactory build shows how important the factory, which may match the current worldwide production of battery packs by 2020, is for Tesla's future. Every one-month delay is "far more expensive" than the upfront costs of working on two sites at same time, Tesla CFO Deepak Ahuja said during the call.
Eric Van Susteren is the Digital Producer at the Silicon Valley Business Journal.
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Potential EV drivers no longer need to fear being stranded on the open road, far away from the nearest charging station. A new study published in Nature Energy, by researchers at MIT and the Santa Fe Institute, shows that “range anxiety” is an irrational fear.
The range anxiety boogeyman has been a huge problem for attracting new customers to the EV market because it’s widely known that EV batteries won’t send a car as far as a full tank of gasoline will. However, this seems to be a case of consumers thinking they need something that they actually don’t.
The elaborate study, as reported by The Washington Post, shows that 87% of drivers could get through their normal daily commute in an electric powered car without needing to charge. The study was based on the 2013 Nissan Leaf, so as batteries improve in range with newer models, that number will creep towards 100%.
The researchers took into account regional temperature variations, vehicle speeds, and driver habits. They found that all types of cities would be able to transition to at least 84% EVs, and if the entire country were to make this transition, emissions from gasoline would drop 30%. Now there’s an incentive.
The biggest problem, then, appears to be consumer education. In order to make the EV case to the greater market, potential buyers need to know how much range they actually need, as well as the environmental benefits of electric vehicles. It also helps to tell consumers that these cars are a lot of fun to drive, and getting more affordable every year.