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State agriculture regulators are increasingly looking at solutions to problems that have arisen for the country’s hemp farmers.
Following the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized cannabis plants containing .3% THC or less, also known as hemp, the crop has been a frequent agenda item for state agriculture regulators. And, this week, it was a topic of discussion at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Winter Policy Conference.
With debates forming ahead of the drafting of the 2023 Farm Bill, NASDA regulators have selected 10 policy areas of importance, including hemp, which is among topics like food safety, cyber security, and Specialty Crop Block Grants.
On the note of Specialty Crop Block Grants, NASDA supports the “dual designation for hemp as a specialty crop based on the manner and purpose for which it is grown,” and for the expansion of these grants to farmers growing hemp for “horticultural uses.”
As part of the conference, NASDA released its policy book and a number of policy statements. Among the policy statements, NASDA reiterated its support of hemp growing, processing, and “commercialization.”
NASDA also supports a “clarification in federal law that would specifically allow the production and sale of hemp concentrates as process intermediates so long as hemp-infused products being sold to the public or enter interstate commerce do not exceed federal THC concentration thresholds.”
NASDA “encourages research in all aspects of hemp from crop production to finished products, including hemp infused products,” the statement noted.
One part of the statement noted how a “model” law on hemp could help regulators do their jobs better.
“NASDA supports consistent model legislation to assist state legislatures in their efforts to enact laws permitting hemp production within their jurisdictions in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill, while also permitting state legislatures to consider the needs and resources of their individual state when structuring their individual state plans,” a statement highlighted.
Testing of hemp — specifically to determine THC content — has proven to be a headache for many hemp farmers and regulators, especially because standards differ from state to state. Cannabis Wire published a Q&A with Bryan Hurlburt, head of Connecticut’s ag department and previous vice chair of a NASDA committee looking at hemp. In that interview, Hurlburt spoke about how many hemp crops failed because they were deemed “hot hemp,” or hemp with too much THC.
“We’re on the cusp of a new program. So, you know, there are challenges with getting good seed. There are challenges with growing methods, there are challenges with testing requirements to make sure that people are testing as frequently as they need to be in order to prevent it,” Hurlburt told Cannabis Wire at the time.
On the topic of testing, NASDA “supports the development of uniform standards for field sampling and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content testing,” according to its policy statement.
One policy area that many members of the cannabis and hemp industries have been eagerly awaiting are the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s regulations for CBD products—for humans and animals, for food and cosmetics, and much more in between. NASDA noted in a policy statement that the group “encourages” the FDA, in “consultations with states, to develop a model regulatory framework for oversight of the processing of hemp and manufacturing of cannabis derived products which will protect public health, comply with federal law, and foster growth in the industry.”
Last September, during a Plant Agriculture & Pesticide Regulation Committee meeting, NASDA members heard from Kay Doyle, director of U.S. Public Policy and Public Affairs for Greenwich Biosciences. Doyle also previously served on the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.
Greenwich Biosciences is the United States arm of GW Pharmaceuticals, the company that makes Epidiolex, which is the country’s first cannabis plant-based medicine approved by the U.S. FDA.
When Doyle spoke to state agriculture regulators, she called for a federal regulatory framework that would “encourage” the development of additional FDA-approved cannabinoid drugs, because, Doyle said “we’d like to have some more company in this space,” and for clear differentiation in “cannabinoid content between FDA approved medications and cannabinoid consumer goods.”
“Research into the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids is just beginning. The FDA is at a crossroads,” Doyle said. “They obviously must proceed carefully, especially in the way they regulate consumer goods so that it doesn’t just disincentivize the kind of research we and others would like to do to bring more FDA-approved medications to patients.”


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Tetra Pak has topped the KPI 7 Product Stewardship category at this year's Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) Awards.
The award acknowledges some of our packaging improvement and stewardship programs, including the introduction of the Tetra Rex® bio-based carton, made entirely from renewable materials, such as plant-based plastics derived from sugar cane. Tetra Pak also obtained FSC® Chain of Custody certification for the last seven of its 92 entities worldwide, and supplied over 300 million packages carrying the FSC® label in Oceania.
Cheryl Speechley (left) alongside Anne Prince – CEO WasteAid
Tetra Pak Oceania Environment Manager Cheryl Speechley said the award is a testament to our commitment in driving environmental excellence.
"We continue to collaborate with our supply chain partners to develop more sustainable and better value packaging solutions for our customers, which plays to our 2020 strategy," she said.
APC CEO, Stan Moore said: "The APC is proud to acknowledge the work of our high performing signatories, who are leading the way in packaging sustainability and innovation."
The APC is a sustainable packaging initiative involving government, industry and community groups. Over 900 organisations are signatories.
About Tetra Pak
Together with our customers we make food safe and available, everywhere. Since the start in 1951 we have taken pride in providing the best possible processing and packaging solutions for food.

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Sep 13 2021
Through an official bulletin published on September 9, the Government of Uruguay confirmed that it had signed an agreement with the e-commerce company Amazon, in its Amazon Web Services (AWS) division, with the goal of promoting innovation in the country South American company enabling the use of Amazon’s services and computer programs that are used through the internet, also known as “cloud” services, and promoting entrepreneurship.
“Today we met with AWS and it is a pleasure to announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding to continue promoting innovation and economic development in Uruguay, through the use of cloud computing services,” said the Uruguayan Minister of Industry, Omar Paganini.
The president emphasized that this alliance will benefit public and private institutions, including entrepreneurs, to promote digital transformation, talent and new digital services in the country.
Jeffrey Kratz, general manager of Amazon Web Services (AWS), also participated in the signing of this memorandum of understanding, who pointed out that this agreement is based on the company’s commitment to supporting Uruguay’s growing digital economy.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with Uruguay and to provide, through cloud computing services, a continued focus on innovation and workforce development,” shared Kratz.
As has been announced, one of the objectives of this alliance is cooperation in the development of human resources prepared for the use of cloud technology, through training and free courses.
“The agreement establishes support for Uruguay in its efforts to modernize information technologies to promote access to information technology on the Internet,” concludes the Uruguayan government.
Copyright © 2021 Hermesbelts.co.uk All rights reserved.


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UK retail employment fell by 85,000 jobs between the third quarter of 2018 and the third quarter of 2019, new data has shown.
In the third quarter of 2019, the total number of retail employees fell by 2.8% year on year, the most recent British Retail Consortium retail employment monitor indicates. This marks the 15th consecutive quarter of year-on-year decline in the retail industry.
This decline is in contrast to the UK labour market as a whole, which reached 75.9% employment rate over the three over the three months to August 2019.
A total of 62% of retailers indicated plans to increase staff in the coming quarter. However, this seasonal-pick up is a temporary measure to cope with the increased demand over the peak trading period. Of those surveyed, none expressed plans to reduce employment levels, compared with 21% last year.
The BRC expects long-term employment to continue to decline as a result of the combined effect of ongoing structural change, lower consumer spending and fierce competition within the industry.
The chief executive of the BRC, Helen Dickinson, said: ”Weak consumer demand and Brexit uncertainty continue to put pressure on retailers already focused on delivering the transformation taking place in the industry. While MPs rail against job losses in manufacturing, their response to larger losses in retail has remained muted.
“The government should enact policies that enable retailers to invest more in the millions of people who choose to build their careers in retail. In order to promote innovation, training and productivity, government must reform both the broken business rates system and the inflexibilities of the apprenticeship levy. This will allow retailers to focus on enhancing their digital and physical offerings for customers, support the development of employees and ensure high streets remain diverse and exciting places for everyone.”


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Verizon on Tuesday posted second-quarter results that topped Wall Street’s expectations as huge tablet sales offset the continued decline of cell phone contract additions. Verizon posted earnings of $1.01 per share, or $4.34 billion in profit, which is down significantly from the $5.2 billion profit it recorded in the year-ago quarter. Revenue climbed nearly 6% to $31.48 billion, however. The nation’s top carrier only added 304,000 net new cell phone subscribers in the quarter, but 1.15 million new tablet additions certainly helped to bolster the company’s results.
Verizon’s full press release follows below.
Verizon Delivers Sixth Consecutive Quarter of Double-Digit Operating Income and Earnings Growth
2Q 2014 HIGHLIGHTS
• $1.01 in earnings per share (EPS), compared with 78 cents per share in 2Q 2013.
• 91 cents in adjusted EPS (non-GAAP), compared with 73 cents in adjusted EPS in 2Q 2013, excluding non-operational gains in both periods.
• Added 1.4 million net retail connections; low retail postpaid churn of 0.94 percent; 104.6 million total retail connections; 98.6 million total retail postpaid connections.
• 5.9 percent year-over-year increase in service revenues; 5.3 percent year-over-year increase in retail service revenues; 32.5 percent operating income margin; 50.3 percent segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP).
• 5.3 percent year-over-year increase in consumer revenues, the eighth consecutive quarter of more than 4 percent growth; consumer ARPU (average revenue per user) up 11.0 percent.
• 14.4 percent year-over-year increase in FiOS revenues; 139,000 FiOS Internet and 100,000 FiOS Video net additions.
NEW YORK – Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) today reported its sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit percentage growth in operating income and earnings per share. In second-quarter 2014, the company delivered consolidated top-line growth, driven by strong wireless and FiOS revenues, and continued margin expansion.
Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam said: “Verizon’s second-quarter results continue to demonstrate our ability to deliver strong customer growth, with equally strong financial performance, in a dynamic and competitive environment. We have great momentum heading into the second half of the year. We remain focused on profitable growth and on meaningful network investments that provide our customers with the best, and with a continuously improving, overall experience.”
Verizon has posted double-digit year-over-year percentage growth in reported and adjusted EPS in nine of the last 10 quarters.
Verizon reported $1.01 in EPS in second-quarter 2014, compared with 78 cents per share in second-quarter 2013. Second-quarter 2014 results included an after-tax gain of $434 million (10 cents per share) related to the sale of 700 MHz A Block spectrum licenses.
On an adjusted basis (non-GAAP), Verizon posted EPS of 91 cents in second-quarter 2014, a 24.7 percent increase compared with 73 cents per share in second-quarter 2013.
• Verizon recorded its highest quarterly revenue growth rate in the past six quarters. Total operating revenues in second-quarter 2014 were $31.5 billion, a 5.7 percent increase compared with second-quarter 2013.
• Continued effective cost management drove second-quarter 2014 operating income to $7.7 billion, a 17.2 percent increase compared with second-quarter 2013.
• Consolidated operating income margin was 24.4 percent for second-quarter 2014, compared with 22.0 percent for second-quarter 2013.
• Consolidated EBITDA margin (non-GAAP, based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) was 37.6 percent for second-quarter 2014, compared with 35.9 percent for second-quarter 2013.
Verizon Wireless Delivers Strong Customer Additions, Revenue Growth and Profitability
In second-quarter 2014, Verizon Wireless delivered strong growth in retail postpaid net connections and revenues, company-record tablet additions, an increase in smartphone penetration, and continued high segment EBITDA margin on service revenues (non-GAAP).
Wireless Financial Highlights
• Total revenues were $21.5 billion in second-quarter 2014, up 7.5 percent year over year. Service revenues in the quarter totaled $18.1 billion, up 5.9 percent year over year. Retail service revenues grew 5.3 percent year over year, to $17.3 billion.
• Retail postpaid ARPA (average revenue per account) increased 4.7 percent over second-quarter 2013, to $159.73 per month.
• In second-quarter 2014, wireless operating income margin was 32.5 percent and segment EBITDA margin on service revenues was 50.3 percent. This compares with 32.4 percent and 49.8 percent, respectively, in second-quarter 2013.
Wireless Operational Highlights
• Verizon Wireless added 1.4 million retail net connections, all of which were postpaid, in the second quarter. These additions exclude acquisitions and adjustments.
• At the end of the second quarter, the company had 104.6 million retail connections. This includes 98.6 million retail postpaid connections, a 4.6 percent increase year over year.
• Verizon Wireless had 35.2 million retail postpaid accounts at the end of the second quarter, up 0.7 percent over second-quarter 2013, and 2.80 connections per account, up 3.7 percent year over year.
• During second-quarter 2014, the company added 304,000 postpaid phone net additions and 1.15 million postpaid tablets. At the end of the quarter, smartphones accounted for nearly 75 percent of the Verizon Wireless retail postpaid customer phone base, up from 72 percent in first-quarter 2014. This was also the third straight quarter of company-record net additions for tablets.
• Retail postpaid churn was 0.94 percent in the second quarter, down 13 basis points sequentially and up 1 basis point year over year. Retail churn was 1.25 percent in the second quarter, down 12 basis points sequentially and up 2 basis points year over year.
• The company continued to enhance its 4G LTE smartphone lineup. In the second quarter, Verizon Wireless launched the Samsung Galaxy S 5 and ATIV SE, the Lucid 3 by LG and the HTC One (M8). The company also launched the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 8.0 tablet and announced the Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 10.1 and Galaxy Tab S. Earlier this month, Verizon Wireless launched the Sony Xperia Z2 tablet and the LG G3 smartphone.
• During the second quarter, Verizon Wireless continued to add capacity to its 4G LTE network, the largest in the United States, using AWS spectrum. The additional bandwidth, called XLTE, is now available in more than 350 markets across the country.
Wireline Consumer Revenue Growth Remains Strong
Verizon’s wireline segment reported continued strong results for consumer services, where year-over-year quarterly revenues now have grown by more than 4 percent for eight consecutive quarters.
Wireline Financial Highlights
• Total revenues were $9.8 billion in second-quarter 2014, up 0.3 percent year over year. This is the first quarterly year-over-year increase in total wireline revenues in more than seven years.
• In second-quarter 2014, consumer revenues were $3.9 billion, up 5.3 percent compared with second-quarter 2013, with FiOS revenues representing 75 percent of the total. Consumer ARPU for wireline services increased to $122.57 in second-quarter 2014, up 11.0 percent compared with second-quarter 2013.
• Total FiOS revenues grew 14.4 percent, to $3.1 billion, comparing second-quarter 2014 with second-quarter 2013.
• Wireline operating income margin was 2.7 percent in second-quarter 2014, up from 0.8 percent in second-quarter 2013. Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 23.2 percent in second-quarter 2014, compared with 22.2 percent in second-quarter 2013.
• Sales of strategic services to enterprise customers increased 3.0 percent compared with second-quarter 2013. Strategic services include private IP, Ethernet, data center, cloud, security and managed services.
Wireline Operational Highlights
• In second-quarter 2014, Verizon added 139,000 net new FiOS Internet connections and 100,000 net new FiOS Video connections. Verizon had totals of 6.3 million FiOS Internet and 5.4 million FiOS Video connections at the end of the second quarter, representing year-over-year increases of 9.3 percent and 7.6 percent, respectively.
• FiOS Internet penetration (subscribers as a percentage of potential subscribers) was 40.1 percent at the end of second-quarter 2014, compared with 38.6 percent at the end of second-quarter 2013. In the same periods, FiOS Video penetration was 35.3 percent, compared with 34.5 percent. The FiOS network passed 19.3 million premises by the end of second-quarter 2014.
• By the end of second-quarter 2014, 55 percent of consumer FiOS Internet customers subscribed to FiOS Quantum, which provides speeds ranging from 50 to 500 megabits per second, up from 51 percent at the end of first-quarter 2014.
• Beginning this week, existing and new FiOS customers are receiving upload speeds that mirror download speeds. Verizon is the first provider to offer symmetrical broadband speeds at no additional charge, enhancing the ability of FiOS customers to upload to the cloud, share videos and photos, and video chat.
• Broadband connections totaled 9.1 million at the end of second-quarter 2014, a 1.5 percent year-over-year increase. Net broadband connections increased by 46,000 in second-quarter 2014, as FiOS Internet net additions more than offset declines in DSL-based High Speed Internet connections.
• Verizon has been replacing high-maintenance portions of its residential copper network with fiber optics to provide customers with more resilient infrastructure and reduce repairs, which improves customer satisfaction and reduces costs. In second-quarter 2014, Verizon migrated an additional 70,000 customers to fiber.
• In the second quarter, Verizon Enterprise Solutions began deploying innovative cloud, security, M2M (machine-to-machine), networking and other technology solutions for a variety of clients around the globe, including healthcare clients Avera, Cardinal Health, Cerner, iCare and Molina Healthcare; as well as 1-800-Flowers, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Ferrellgas, Johnson Controls, KG Inicis, Northgate Information Solutions, Peninsula Light Corporation and the state of Colorado’s Statewide Internet Portal Authority.
Verizon continues to target 2014 investments in the range of $16.5 billion to $17 billion, with a decrease in capital spending as a percentage of total revenues for the full year.
Verizon continues to target consolidated top-line growth of 4 percent and adjusted consolidated EBITDA margin expansion in 2014, with positive contributions to profitable growth from both wireless and wireline.


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- Easter Egg Hunt List
- Irish dance showcase at Warwick High School
- Roots and Blues 2017
- Reel Reviews: 2017 Oscar picks
- ‘American Idiot’ at EPAC
- Warwick grad producing ‘Million Dollar Quartet’ at Dutch Apple
- ‘Somewhereville Station’ revisits the 50s and 60s
- St. Patty’s musical at Ephrata Main
- Dance, concert will benefit Jamaica missions
The Ephrata Police Department reported that a citizen stopped at the police station Aug. 28 at approximately 9:40 a.m. to report the front door to the Wine and Spirits Store, located at 31 W. Main St., was smashed.
Upon arrival police found that the business was entered and several liquor items were taken. Police determined the business was burglarized sometime after closing at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 and the morning of Aug. 28.
Although the manager who answered the phone at the Wine and Spirits store was unable to comment on the incident, it was determined after visiting the premises that the store remains open. The door, which still maintains its frame, has been temporarily boarded by wood. There were no signs indicating altered hours or closures, however the store will not be open Labor Day, Sept. 3.
Police said the estimated value of damage to the door is approximately $250. An undetermined amount/value of liquor was taken.
Anyone with information regarding the burglary is asked to call police at 738-9200. More BREAK-IN, page A6


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Win rewards while having a blast: Crypto Gravity from ionomy Studios.
[Note: This is a press release]
Crypto Gravity is Here
SWANSEA March 3, 2017 – ionomy Studios has launched Crypto Gravity, the first major title of their new mobile gaming franchise. Crypto Gravity, the foundation stone of the ionomy.com business model, is free to play and available on iOS and Android.
Lead character Grav must navigate the dangers of a futuristic dystopian galaxy, plagued by deadly robots and collapsing infrastructure.
Only Grav can restore the powers of the blockchain, and he’s racing against time. Jump and shoot your way through the galaxy to restore the power of the blockchain to the people. It takes precision, creativity, and mastery to advance through progressively challenging levels. Featuring a new take on an iconic gaming style, Crypto Gravity is a classic action platform game.
Gravity melds easytolearn touch and tilt controls with oldschool levels of difficulty. Head to head tournaments, equipment upgrades, flying enemies, and a chance to save humanity combine to deliver an immersive experience. Gamers enjoy challenging and fun gameplay while earning rewards.
Regular tournaments pit players and teams against each other for substantial prizes. Champions win ION, the digital currency based on Bitcoin that’s at the heart of ionomy’s ecosystem. In app purchases and even regular play earn “points,” which are redeemable in the store on the ionomy.com platform.
Store items include a wide range of in game benefits, financial advantages, and merchandise, such as ammunition, extra lives, powerups, bonuses on ION held in the user’s account, and real world goods like phones, game consoles, and assorted gadgets. ION prizes can be withdrawn to private wallets or sold for Bitcoin on the Bittrex Exchange.
ionomy is a new digital entertainment and investment platform built around the ION coin, a digital currency. By integrating ION into mobile gaming and closely tying it to a user friendly platform, ionomy makes games that introduce new users to cryptocurrency at their own pace.
The mobile gaming market is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors in the world. Players will come for the fun of gaming, and stick around when they discover the value of the rewards in the real world for goods and services. Start playing now and get in on the ION economy at the ground level.
Visit us online at ionomy.com or join the developer and user community at slack.ionomy.com. Questions? (844) 2372721
Images courtesy of ionomy, Shutterstock


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Four hotel management companies are vying for the opportunity to represent the new Canouan Resort on St. Vincent and The Grenadines. The hotel, which was the former Raffles Canouan from 2004-2010, recently underwent a $200 million transformation and is expected to be one of the most luxurious resorts in the Caribbean when it opens next year.
Patrice Van Isacker, director of sales and marketing for Canouan Resort, told Luxury Travel Advisor discussions have begun with four possible management companies: Belmond Hotels, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Mandarin would be especially interesting, since Canouan Resort would represent the company's first Caribbean hotel. Regardless of who gets named, Jeff Morgan, hotel manager for Canouan Resort, told us he doesn't expect the new management company to make any major changes at the hotel, aside from splashing around a few of the management company's logos.
Van Isacker told us he expects a management company to be announced within the next month. There will actually be a sneak preview in December for past guests only. Then a grand opening is expected around February or March of 2016.
|The spa at Canouan Resort has two over-the-water treatement rooms.|
There is also a landing strip that can accommodate some larger jets. The private jet can be picked up in Barbados. When the new Argyle International Airport, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year, is unveiled in St. Vincent and The Grenadines, there will be more connecting flights from St. Vincent to Canouan. VIPs who stay four nights get a private jet transfer one way. Guests who stay seven or more nights get the private jet transfer both ways.
Some of Canouan Resort's amenities include three restaurants and two bars; complimentary golf; a new Kids Club with full sized swimming pool with water-slides; brand new tennis center; library; a gaming terrace with a pool table, table football and table tennis; a culinary counter; media center; several beaches; and a personal golf cart per bedroom.
As far as rooms go, there will be 20 one-bedroom suites, four two-bedroom suites and two penthouse suites. There is also a spa with nine treatment rooms on the beautiful hillside, while two treatment rooms will be over the water.
Canouan is just five square miles in size and formerly a community of sailors and fishermen. The now expanding local population still includes fishermen, proud of their community heritage as boat builders and harvesters of the sea. Models of the traditional wooden boats are still lovingly constructed by hand.


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German automaker Mercedes-Benz will cut the prices of spare parts by an average of 15 percent in after-sales maintenance for all models as of Sept 1 in China in response to the country's antitrust regulator's investigation, the Economic Information Daily newspaper reported Monday.
According to Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co Ltd, as much as 10,000 types of spare parts covering all Mercedes-Benz models will see a price reduction starting next month. Among the spare parts set for price cuts, prices of windshields will be reduced by 29 percent, those of power steering pumps 24 percent and radiators by 16 percent.
Average spare-part prices will be cut by 15 percent amid this round of adjustment, said Marc-Oliver Nandy, executive vice-president of after-sales at Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co Ltd.
Earlier China Daily report said the carmaker on July cut the cost of maintenance by 20 percent on average covering both smart cars and Mercedes-Benz models, including the A-, B-, C-, E-, GLK-, M-, R-, and S-Class. And the reduction for some specific models could be as much as 50 percent.
The company was the first major international car manufacturer to cut after-sales cost amid China's anti-monopoly probe followed by Jaguar Land Rover and Audi, which are reducing the prices of their vehicles, parts and after-sales service as of Aug 1.
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Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


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Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge
After months of publicity, Quibi — the mobile phone app that’s centered on short, bite-sized original programming — is launching today on iPhone and Android. The platform is the brainchild of entertainment industry giant Jeffrey Katzenberg and seasoned tech executive Meg Whitman, and it has been built from the ground up for smartphones. After investing $1 billion in star power and content production, Quibi is about to find out whether consumers are willing to pay $4.99 (with ads) or $7.99 (ad-free) for shows that last 10 minutes or less.
We’ll have a separate review for Quibi’s launch shows, but I’m focusing more on the app itself. To start, let me reiterate that your phone is the only way to experience Quibi. There’s no TV app, which…
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Author: Chris Welch


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Medicare will change the way it pays hospitals and doctors to reward quality over volume
Fifty-four percent of respondents in a new survey said that their home, not the office, was their location of choice to undertake important job-related assignments.When asked why, avoiding office... Read more »
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Some employers are taking drastic measures to ensure their employees’ happiness, but researcher Christina Maslach thinks that most companies aren’t addressing the real issue. Read more »
Your loved one just lost their job. So what can you do to help them? Here's a look at the different things you can do. Read more »
A better job market is linked to a more motivated, supported, financially successful, content and physically healthy workforce, according to a recent Gallup survey. Read more »
A recent national study of worker relationships says work friends matter more than ever and companies should care more about fostering those connections. Read more »
The number of workers employed through temporary help agencies is at all-time highs. Each week about 3 million people — 2 percent of the workforce — cycle through staffing companies. Read more »
Macy's plans to hire about 86,000 seasonal holiday workers nationwide to bolster its stores, call centers and distribution hubs. That number represents a 3.6 percent increase from a year ago. Read more »
There are some things you might want your boss to know, but here's a list of four things that might be worth hiding. Read more »
Subprime lending is back. This time for auto loans. The question is whether or not subprime lending to borrowers with poor credit will lead to another financial bubble bursting and Round 2 of the... Read more »
Your job may cause you stress or frustration, but it could also be the best medicine. New research has shown that those with anger and depression can benefit from a stressful work environment. Read more »
What would you like the world to look like in 2030? World leaders, acclaimed activists and a few celebs put their heads together at the annual Social Good Summit in New York City. Read more »
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I've been lucky to work for several managers who proved through their words and actions that they genuinely cared about my success and about me as an individual. I'm sure I'm not alone in this good... Read more »
R&B singer Alicia Keys received a standing ovation when she announced that she was kicking off the movement "We Are Here" movement with $1 million of her own money at the annual Social Good Summit... Read more »
Ten percent of middle aged Americans have their wages slashed by debtors, NPR reported last week, and over $50 billion in consumer credit card debt will likely be added to America’s existing... Read more »
Noe Rueda was raised in a loving but devastatingly poor home on Chicago’s West Side. To make ends meet, and to help financially support his mother and family, Rueda sold odds and ends and... Read more »
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it plans to hire 60,000 temporary holiday workers for the crucial holiday season, an increase of nearly 10 percent from last year. Read more »
Growth in online shopping is boosting profit at FedEx, and the company plans to hire more than 50,000 extra workers to handle what is shaping up as another record year for holiday-season package... Read more »
The average corporate office is a serious place full of serious people doing serious work. Or so we'd like to believe. The reality is, to paraphrase Monty Python, that Cubeville is often a silly... Read more »
Employers need to tackle the national health problem by improving how they operate, according to an article published yesterday in the Gallup Business Journal. Read more »
Not all of Congress has a high net worth. In fact, there are plenty of politicians without much net worth at all. Here's a look at the poorest politicians in America right now. Read more »
Women and men are always entering the workforce. But some jobs are looking for more men than women, and more women than men. Read more »
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Senior traffic commissioner (TC) Beverley Bell (right) has questioned whether a one-size-fits-all O-licence fee is still appropriate given the diversity in the type, scale and size of transport operations across today’s road transport industry. In the TCs’ annual reports for 2015/16, Bell noted that nearly three-quarters of goods and PSV O-licences were held by companies operating between one and five vehicles, and queried whether the current flat-rate licence fees for all operators were set at the right level. She said […]
In 2016 the UK road transport industry moved more freight by both weight and distance than it has ever done since modern records began According to newly published figures the UK road transport industry (excluding Northern Ireland) lifted freight amounting to 1.89 billion tonnes in 2016; a 15% increase year-on-year. This is the highest recorded collective weight since comparative records began in 1990.
Trade associations have expressed concern that the general election in June could prevent government tackling pressing industry issues.
Trade associations have welcomed the announcement that the Transport Committee has launched an investigation into skills and workforce planning in the road haulage industry.


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Probably one of the most controversial tech companies in the world right now, Huawei, the Chinese-based smartphone manufacturing giant, is yet again in the middle of another faux pas as reports poured regarding the deliberate decision of the company to display ad on the lock screen of phones which uses the auto-generated wallpaper feature.
Specifically, Huawei phones started to show ads for the popular booking website, Booking.com, superimposed in landscape images for the built-in wallpapers of specific Huawei devices. The affected models include the P30 Pro, P20, P20 Lite, Honor 10, and P20 Pro.
Reports from social media users have revealed that the Booking.com ad started to appear in their preinstalled background wallpapers. Many users took to Twitter to ask Huawei why are there ads on their lock screens with screenshots accompanied in it.
“@Huawei_Europe Why is there advertisement on my lock screen?! Have I signed up to this in some small print T&C somewhere?” one wrote on Twitter.
The ads don’t seem to be limited to a particular region or country — they appear on devices in the UK, Netherlands, Ireland, South Africa, Norway, and Germany, at the very least.
While it is relatively easier to remedy even in the user level as the problem is not intrusive, one only needs to refrain from using the preinstalled landscape background images on their phones to prevent the unwanted ad from showing on their lock screens.
A series of bad press for Huawei
This new blunder adds to the list of the recent bad press the company has attracted, especially after Washington’s policy that forced different US suppliers from cutting business with Huawei. An executive order coming from the Trump administration has required US companies from engaging any transaction with the Chinese company, that the US government has repeatedly accused of being used by the Chinese communist government for espionage and economic sabotage.
The first of the long list of companies to impose the ban against Huawei is Google, as the company revoked Huawei’s license to use Android, the operating system currently employed in all Huawei and Honor devices. Chip maker ARM also cut off ties with the Chinese tech giant, which, just like the Google/Android ban, impacts the operations of the company profoundly.
As explained by Android Authority, “ARM is the lifeblood of the smartphone market, as it’s responsible for the inner workings of the vast majority of smartphones. Literally, everyone in the smartphone industry licenses the company’s architecture and instruction sets […] Huawei has seemingly lost the very technology it requires to make a modern smartphone.”
Amidst the ban, Huawei said that it is prepared for situations like this. Following the ban, the China-based company released its very own operating system, Hongmeng. A source has confirmed that Huawei is set to officially launch Hongmeng, as the company has been working on it since 2012. The company has been testing the new OS on selected devices under closer door and closed environment. The source also said that the testing was accelerated for the new operating system to be ready for situations just like this.
Nonetheless, it is still unclear whether Hongmeng will be the official name of the OS from Huawei. Experts note that even if Huawei can successfully launch its operating system, the company will still be faced with the challenge of establishing an app ecosystem. It would take Huawei a lot of time to build apps that are compatible with the new operating system.
Huawei accounted for 19% of the worldwide smartphone market and became the second largest smartphone manufacturer, overtaking Apple, in Q1 2019.
Huawei’s predicament drags tech stocks down
As the US-China trade wars continue and the prevalence of bad press against Huawei, the overall tech market has been affected as the volatile US tech market has seen a series of downfall dragged by the Huawei predicament down. Huawei is dragging the entire tech industry with it as market uncertainty brought upon by the apparent tech trade wars. As Huawei’s future remains at the limbo, it brings with it the rest of the tech world.
“If this remains enforced, it’s going to create some opportunity, but companies are working with their compliance departments to get out of the way of this Huawei situation,” said Quincy Krosby, chief market strategist at Prudential Financial. That’s difficult because “Huawei has its tentacles in so many parts of the technology sector. That’s why this is not a one-day event.”


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PlayStation is leader in gaming industry for money spent for television advertising, according to latest data. The survey shows that the gaming industry has increased its television advertising spending to 118.5 million USD in November this year from 102.3 million USD in October. PlayStation continues to dominate by giving nearly half of the industry’s funds for this type of advertising. After that, Nintendo and Xbox are ranked with almost similar titles.
In total, 31 brands broadcast 119 ads over 24,500 times, generating an impressive 5.9 billion TV views.
PlayStation is headed with the 52.2 million USD spent on 16 ad spots, shown 5,200 times and generating 1.9 billion TV ad impressions. The ad with the largest placement budget (11.5 million USD) is Star Wars Battlefront II: Heroes Are Born.
Nintendo has more than doubled its television advertising costs from October to November – up to 23.1 million USD. The brand has elapsed 27 ads over 7600 times and generated 1.4 billion impressions. Its most expensive advertising in terms of positioning (4 million USD) is “Get Together With Great Games”, which promotes the Switch console.
Third is the Xbox with a 21.9 million USD of TV advertising budget. It has been spent on 5 ads that have been broadcast 2200 times, generating 841.2 million TV impressions. “Feel True Power”, which includes Kanye West’s music, is the company’s most high-end advertising. The company has paid 19.2 million USD for its broadcast.
Fourth in the list is Blizzard Entertainment with about 4.3 million USD budget for television advertising, followed by King with 2.2 million USD.


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Apple iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C coming to Malaysia by 1 November 2013
Apple has just announced the second phase of it's iPhone roll-out and Malaysia is on the list. With this, Apple has officially confirmed that the Apple iPhone 5S and Apple iPhone 5C will be launched in Malaysia on 1 November 2013. While the announcement covers the Malaysia release date, it doesn't include pricing, so we still don't know the official price of either smartphone. In this case we're happy to be wrong with our initial release date estimates of December 2013 but prices are likely to be a bit higher this time around due to the weaker Ringgit and a currency exchange between US Dollars and the Ringgit. We expect that on the launch date of 1 November 2013, all the major telcos will release their Apple iPhone 5C or 5S bundles as well but it will also likely be made available at other local retail sellers. Stay tuned and we'll keep you posted as to any new development.


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Vision 2030 to transform the economy, shipping and logistics sectors of the country under ambitious new platform
Saudi Arabia’s maritime and logistics sector is set to provide a host of fresh investment opportunities that will enable the Kingdom’s integration into the regional and global economies as a hub connecting three continents – Asia, Europe and Africa, and positioning the country as a global logistics hub.
In fact, the country is on an aggressive growth and diversification path, seeking completely to transform its economy and reduce dependency on oil exports in line with ‘Vision 2030’. This growth and diversification will be achieved through a range of measures and an integral part of the plan is to seek greater contribution from the private sector to the national economy and to attract foreign direct investment opportunities.
The 2nd Saudi Maritime Congress held on March 11th and 12th at the Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will bring together leading figures from the shipping industry to discuss the effect the ambitious Vision 2030 programme will have on the Saudi economy and how shipping and logistics sectors will contribute to this project.
Held under the patronage of Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and in partnership with Bahri, Saudi Maritime Congress will bring together leaders from the Kingdom’s shipping, ports, ship construction and offshore marine companies, as well as their international partners, to learn, network and explore new opportunities.
Abdullah Aldubaikhi, CEO of Bahri, said: “Bahri is proud to be working in partnership with the 2nd Saudi Maritime Congress – a strategic meeting point of the region’s leading logistics and shipping industry decision-makers and experts.
We would like to emphasize the importance of this event to us, which has established itself as one of the most important highlights of the maritime industry calendar. The Congress offers a valuable platform to discuss the latest developments and trends in the shipping industry and highlights Saudi Arabia’s milestones in its evolution as a leading maritime hub in the world.
At Bahri, we are delighted to be reinforcing our commitment to connecting economies and future-proofing the maritime industry through our partnership with Saudi Maritime Congress and look forward to you joining us in March to drive forward the goals of Vision 2030.”
For more details about the event, please visit www.saudimaritimecongress.com


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The US dollar has some momentum into the retail sales and CPI numbers. What to watch for
Two major data releases due at the bottom of the hour
Here’s what to watch at 1230 GMT (8:30 am ET) when US September CPI and retail sales numbers are due.
– Headline CPI. The year-over-year reading is expected to rise to 2.3% from 1.9%
The US dollar is at, or near, the highs of the day against


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Michigan will start accepting adult-use cannabis business license applications Nov. 1 and will award the first licenses in the coming weeks, according to a Michigan Radio report.
Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency (MRA) released instructions on how to apply for adult-use cannabis business licenses earlier this month. License types include cultivators, retailers, “consumption establishments,” “marijuana event organizers” and “temporary marijuana events.”
Starting Nov. 1, applicants can apply online or submit paper applications, although the MRA recommends the online system for faster processing. The application process consists of two steps: prequalification and establishment licensing. The prequalification stage includes background checks and a $6,000 nonrefundable application fee, and once an applicant secures prequalification status, he or she will be vetted by the MRA and will be required to submit business specifications, proof of financial responsibility, information on local regulations and employee information, and each applicant must also undergo an inspection of the facility.
A supply shortage in the state’s medical market could cast a shadow on adult-use licensing and the rollout of retail sales, however, according to Michigan Radio.
Michigan Cannabis Industry Association Executive Director Robin Schneider told Michigan Radio that she is not expecting many applications to be submitted on the first day.
“I just don’t believe that we’re going to see a Green Rush of businesses running out to get those rec licenses on the first day because of the lack of supply,” she told the news outlet.
The launch of the adult-use market will likely make the supply shortage worse, Michigan Radio reported, and retailers may have to wait until March or April for their first supply of adult-use products to allow time for businesses to become operational and grow and test their cannabis.


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MicroStrategy Now Holds $4.6 Billion In Bitcoin After Buying Another 12,333 BTC
- MicroStrategy acquires 12,333 Bitcoins for $347 million, totaling 152,333 Bitcoins owned.
- Average purchase price is around $29,668 per Bitcoin, including fees and expenditures.
- Michael Saylor expects Bitcoin to dominate as regulations reshape the industry, with positive momentum and ETF plans potentially driving prices up.
MicroStrategy, the company led by one of Bitcoin’s most outspoken and prominent supporters, Michael Saylor, has purchased $350 million in Bitcoin (BTC).
MicroStrategy acquired an additional 12,333 BTC for a total of $347 million in cash between April 29 and June 27, at an average price of roughly $28,136 per Bitcoin, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing published Wednesday.
The company currently owns 152,333 BTC, which is worth more than $4.6 billion at current pricing. The company paid around $4.52 billion for these BTC, with an average purchase price of approximately $29,668 per Bitcoin, including fees and expenditures.
The firm, created by crypto millionaire Michael Saylor, is one of the biggest Bitcoin HODLers. MicroStrategy also said that the company sold $333.7 million of its shares in accordance with a previously announced share sale agreement.
After the legislative onslaught on altcoins, Michael Saylor believes the cryptocurrency industry will soon become controlled and focused on BTC. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, he said that things might work in BTC’s favor, resulting in a price increase.
“The SEC’s view is that crypto exchanges should trade and hold pure digital commodities like Bitcoin and so, the entire industry is kind of destined to be rationalized down to a Bitcoin-focused industry with maybe a half a dozen to a dozen proof-of-work tokens,” he said.
The return of MicroStrategy follows a significant rally in the second part of June by the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, which recorded a new 2023 high of $31,400. In May, the company reported a smaller-than-expected first-quarter write-down on its Bitcoin assets.
The reason for this rising momentum is that various US financial behemoths, including BlackRock, WisdomTree, Invesco, Valkyrie, and Fidelity, have unveiled Bitcoin spot ETF plans.
DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is provided as general market commentary and does not constitute investment advice. We encourage you to do your own research before investing.
Join us to keep track of news: https://linktr.ee/coincu


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Queen's University and PARTEQ Innovations are taking on Samsung in a lawsuit claiming the Korean electronics giant infringed on several patents.
According to a release from the school and its technology commercialization arm, the lawsuit was filed on Jan. 31 against Samsung Electronics, Co. Ltd. and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC, for patent infringement and is seeking undetermined damages.
"Queen's University offered Samsung the opportunity to license the technology to create such return on investment. Samsung chose not to do so, and therefore it has no right to use our intellectual property," the university said in a release.
The suit centres around attentive user interface technologies, which is based on research conducted by professor Roel Vertegaal and graduate students at the Human Media Laboratory in Queen's School of Computing. Basically with the technology a video will stop when a viewer looks away and starts when the viewer returns their eyes to the screen.
The university said it first applied for patent protection for the technology in March 2003.
A similar technology, known as Smart Pause, appears in the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy S4, both released in the market in 2013, which pauses video when a user looks away.
According to the claim the university and Samsung started talks in November 2003 for commercializing the attentive-user interfaces research. The university also says that a confidentiality agreement between the parties was agreed to a month later.
The claim adds that in January 2004, Vertegaal submitted a proposal to the company for "an attentive home theater system that could pause video content and perform other functions by processing a user's eye-contact cues."
The proposal also put forward possible applications for mobile devices, says the claim.
According to Queen's, Samsung said the project was not appropriate at the time but offered to collaborate with Vertegaal to develop the attentive home theatre application.
Samsung later informed PARTEQ and Queen's that it was "not interested in pursuing the project," the complaint states.
In the release, the university defends its position, stating: "Queen's protection of intellectual property is critical to fulfilling its mission of creating and disseminating knowledge by encouraging faculty, staff and students to produce cutting edge research results."
It added that the patent protections are important not only for the school, but for businesses and Canadians as well.
"Thus Queen's ability to conduct its research depends in part on the protections afforded by the patent system," reads the statement.
Queen's and PARTEQ are seeking actual and punitive damages in the suit, which was filed in a federal court in Texas.
-- The Whig-Standard


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Fisker Automotive said it has already fixed most of the Karma Plug-in Hybrids affected by a recent recall related to possible problems with the cooling systems for their battery packs.
Fisker, maker of the high-end Karma plug-in hybrid car, on Dec. 29 recalled 239 units of its luxury Karma sedan to fix a hose clamp in the A123 battery pack at risk of leaking coolant, potentially causing a fire.
Repairs or inspections have been completed and “a majority” of cars are back in service after getting new packs, Fisker said in its announcement.
“We identified the appropriate fix, made our retailers aware of the situation and began contacting all our customers within 48 hours and were well advanced with the recall ourselves before the official posting on the NHSTA website,” said Henrik Fisker, CEO of Fisker Automotive.
Fisker, whose Karma sedan retails for $102,000, had sent 225 of the cars to dealers and had 1,200 “in the pipeline,” Henrik Fisker said in a Dec. 21 interview.


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Taiwan based OPlus is all set to enter a direct rivalry with the other budget smartphone manufacturers in India with the launch of the XonPhone 5 smartphone. The firm has already sent us invites to attend the press event to happen tomorrow in New Delhi and now, it has revealed that the device will be priced in the sub Rs 10,000 price bracket.
OPlus has not only announced its plans of launching the XonPhone 5 in India on Thursday, but it has also revealed its impressive USP. According to this, the firm will be setting up over 350 service centers spread across India and provide door to door pick and drop services for the convenience of its consumers.
The XonPhone 5 will be running on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system and employ a quad-core MediaTek MTK6582 processor clocked at 1.3 GHz. This processor is paired with a standard 1 GB of RAM to ensure a lag-free and smooth operation along with efficient multi-tasking.
OPlus has given the XonPhone 5 a 5 inch HD IPS OGS display carrying a screen resolution of 1280×720 pixels and this is claimed to be capable enough of delivering sharp and bright colors. Enhancing these aspects of the phone is an 8 MP primary snapper at its back with auto focus, LED flash and FHD video recording. This is coupled with a 2 MP front-facing camera that will be well suited for video conferencing and for clicking selfies keeping the users with the trend.
The interesting aspect of this sub Rs 10,000 priced smartphone is its surplus 16 GB of default storage space of which 12 GB will be user accessible. This storage capacity can be expanded up to 32 GB by means of a micro SD card. Other notable features in the XonPhone 5 include Wi-Fi, GPS, 3G, Bluetooth and dual SIM functionality.
It has already been announced that the XonPhone 5 will be made available exclusively via online retailer Snapdeal for the alleged sub Rs 10,000 price range. While such advanced specifications including 16 GB of storage is a rare sight in this price bracket, the handset will be a tough challenger to many offerings from the local and global players.
|OPlus XonPhone 5
|5 inch, HD
|1.3 GHz Quad Core MediaTek MTK 6582
|16 GB, Expandable up to 32 GB
|Android 4.4 KitKat
|8 MP/ 2 MP
|Expected to cost below Rs 10,000


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WASHINGTON—Responding to widespread consumer complaints, the Federal Communications Commission says it will take steps to give phone companies permission to block unwanted robocalls.
Americans get billions of unwanted phone calls annually, making it the No. 1 complaint received by the FCC. But carriers have long been wary of blocking robocalls for fear of breaking the regulator’s call-completion rules that require phone companies to make sure calls reach their intended recipient.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn.—Marangoni S.p.A. will invest $10 million in the coming year to build a RINGtread pressing plant and warehouse in the U.S., underscoring its commitment to establishing a North American retreading network. The company, through its Marangoni Tread North America Inc. subsidiary, also has two new RINGtread system (RTS) franchisees in the U.S. ready to start production. RINGtread is Marangoni's circular precured tread rubber, which is mated with the prepared casing in a proprietary process.
A to Z Tire & Battery Inc., a 25-outlet retail and commercial dealership based in Amarillo, Texas, recently started production of RTS retreads at a plant in San Antonio.
The company also has signed up a third U.S. franchisee—an as-yet unidentified retreader in the Southeast—putting the firm on track for its target of 20 retread franchisees by the end of 2000, said Jack Woodland, president of the U.S. subsidiary, during the recent International Tire and Rubber Association Expo in Nashville.
The first Marangoni RTS retread plant in the U.S., at Ray Carr Tires Inc. in Harrisonburg, Va., opened earlier this year. RTS Ring Tread System Inc. in Montreal was the first North American RTS franchisee, starting production in 1996.
Marangoni has two sites still under consideration for its new tread pressing plant: one in Alabama and one in Georgia. Company officials declined to specify the plant's size or capacity, but said manufacturing will start the second half of 2000.
The facility's warehouse will be in operation first, allowing Marangoni Tread to service its dealers more efficiently with circle treads imported from Italy, Mr. Woodland said.
The third phase of the project, in mid to late 2001, will be the addition of mixing capacity at the tread plant, Mr. Woodland said. This not only will facilitate improved ring tread production, he added, but also will put Marangoni Tread in a position to supply its franchisees with strip rubber for mold-cure production, should they so choose, or to evaluate whether to offer other Marangoni precured products, like the arced-surface WINGtread.
That eventuality also could open up possibilities for Marangoni's machinery division to get more involved in North America, Mr. Woodland said.
Marangoni's newest partner, A to Z Tire, used to retread passenger and light truck tires, but got out of business in the mid-1970s, said President Phil Nussbaum, who said he decided to consider commercial tire retreading after realizing the company's outside purchases of retreads had reached a point where it made sense to bring it in-house.
Commercial tire sales made up approximately one-fourth of A to Z's $50 million in sales in 1997.
Production started in May at a converted warehouse in San Antonio, and is going well enough that Mr. Nussbaum said he sees expansion as likely.
A to Z Tire chose Marangoni RTS for several reasons, Mr. Nussbaum said.
``There are some major retread wars and politics going on, and we don't want to be involved in that,'' he said.
``Marangoni's process is fairly unique. I think it's the best system—it's the retread system of the future,'' he added. ``With Marangoni, we can make a superior product and not enter the fray of price-cutting.''
Nearly all of A to Z's locations are combination commercial and retail, according to company data.
Larry Wingert of the Tire Business staff also contributed to this report.


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Samsung on Monday confirmed a security breach that resulted in the exposure of internal company data, including the source code related to its Galaxy smartphones.
“According to our initial analysis, the breach involves some source code relating to the operation of Galaxy devices, but does not include the personal information of our consumers or employees,” the electronics giant told Bloomberg.
The South Korean chaebol also confirmed that it doesn’t anticipate any impact to its business or its customers as a result of the incident and that it has implemented new security measures to prevent such breaches in the future.
The confirmation comes after the LAPSUS$ hacking group dumped 190GB of Samsung data on its Telegram channel towards the end of last week, allegedly exposing the source code for trusted applets installed within TrustZone, algorithms for biometric authentication, bootloaders for recent devices, and even confidential data from its chip supplier Qualcomm.
The news of the leak was first reported by Bleeping Computer on March 4, 2022.
If the name LAPSUS$ rings familiar, it’s the same extortionist gang that made away with a 1TB trove of proprietary data from NVIDIA last month, namely employee credentials, schematics, driver source code, and information pertaining to the latest graphics chips. Read more:https://bit.ly/3HVtw2P


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Harmony One, the scalable and profound blockchain, developed by a team of engineers from Google, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Harvard and Stanford, announced its launch on the KuCoin exchange. Trading will start at 6:00 pm (UTC + 8), August 22nd and supported trading pairs include ONE / BTC and ONE / USDT.
With over 5 million registered users from around 100 countries and regions, KuCoin, a cryptocurrency exchange supported by IDG, is often known for a wide range of tradable digital assets. By listing high quality blockchain projects, the platform aims to better meet the needs of investors while providing greater liquidity of project tokens to user base all over the world.
Garlam Won, marketing manager of Harmony One, said:
"We want to make $ ONE available to everyone in the world, regardless of their country, race or gender. And having a global exchange like Kucoin as a launch partner will allow us to provide liquidity to $ ONE without borders"
With the launch of the mainnet, Harmony is expanding its ecosystem in the non-fungible collectibles sector with its recent acquisition of Quidd, a collectible digital startup funded by Sequoia with Animoca Brands. Quidd raised $ 13 million in venture capital funding led by Sequoia to create a digital collection mobile app.
Today, Quidd has 325 brand licenses including Game of Thrones, Rick and Morty and Marvel superheroes. Quidd has issued and sold over 2.1 billion individually serialized digital items and has generated over $ 10 million in gross revenue from its community of digital collectors.
With a focus on radical decentralization and a fair economy, the recent Harmony Pangea initiative integrated 700 nodes as a participant, making it the largest stake game ever played in the blockchain space.
Since launching IEO on Binance, Harmony One has expanded its liquidity through Bitmax as well as having been subscribed for 12,000% in excess since the recent launch on Gate.io. Harmony One was also selected by Coinbase as one of the 8 assets to be added to Coinbase.
Information on Harmony
Harmony is a fast and safe blockchain. Built by a team of engineers from Google, Apple, Amazon, Harvard and Stanford, Harmony helps companies build fungible token markets (such as energy credits and loyalty points) and non-fungible resources (such as collectibles and real estate). Harmony has a solid ecosystem building strategy focused on creating partnerships that drive the adoption of the protocol.
On a large scale, Harmony helps companies tokenise their resources and encourage user engagement. For more information, visit https://harmony.one/ or participate chirping or Telegram
Information about KuCoin
The KuCoin exchange was opened for cryptocurrency trading in September 2017 and recorded steady growth in 2018. The KuCoin exchange places a high priority on the quality of the projects listed based on a well-trained research department that researches the Blockchain industry for high-quality projects. KuCoin provides users with an exchange service to conduct digital resource transactions safely and efficiently.
Over time, KuCoin aims to provide added and lasting value to its more than five million registered users, in over 100 countries. In November 2018, "The People's Exchange" officially collaborated with IDG Capital and Matrix Partners.


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The times of huge handsets and failed connections may be long gone, but for 3, the legacy has been difficult to shake off.
The operator is planning to double its customer base over the next five years, propelled by a brand refresh and marketing campaign launched last week. The refresh will centre on 3’s strength in internet, with Three.co.uk stamped on everything it does.
And with the Orange and T-Mobile merger looming, 3 needs to act fast. It has changed its logo to black and white, aligned its retail and online channels, and launched an advertising campaign to rival its more sizable competitors.
‘We want to double the size of the business in the next three to five years,’ says 3 sales and marketing director Marc Allera, who at the same time acknowledges that ‘the advertising alone is not going to do it’.
He says: ‘Internet is linking people together – internet is the opportunity growth area, and it gives us confidence. All our tariffs come with internet options in PAYG. Contract voice is an opportunity, as well as the number of devices to access internet on the move, such as the iPad.’
But will it work? CCS Insight analyst Shaun Collins says: ‘In a marketplace where Vodafone are becoming more aggressive and O2 are very powerful, you have a strong number three and number two.
‘In the newly merged T-Mobile and Orange company, there will be a powerhouse and then there will be MVNOs. I think it will be a Herculean effort for 3 to double its customer base.’
Allera believes 3 can grow more aggressively than in the past because of Ofcom’s recent termination rate decision. He says: ‘The rate comes right down. We can now offer unlimited voice with tariffs coming down to £35 per month. Look at the States and Hong Kong. That’s what they’ve got.’
Allera adds: ‘We are the challenger brand. The role of 3 is ever more important in the market, competition for consumers is high on the agenda. We are small in relation to these guys [the other networks] – we have had success but competition is much higher up on the agenda.’
But for 3, the past few years have been about mobile broadband, and this is where they are ‘very strong’, Collins concedes. He adds: ‘They knew that if they were to embrace the internet, they needed smartphones as well. They needed to re-engineer 3G, as subscribers now understand the need for speed (see box) – which they didn’t understand a few years ago.’
3 saw 3G early. It is trying to establish in people’s minds the opportunities a 3G network can provide. The network also has its network share agreement with T-Mobile – MBNL – giving it 13,000 base stations by the end of this year.
With its ever-improving customer experience in mind, 3 will now focus on the benefits of a deal, rather than the price as it had previously done.
‘3 is being prudent in what it does, says Collins. ‘What is 3 known for? The best value for your pound. But there is a reason – coverage was not as good as the others. Now 3 is more confident that it can be an experience leader, but will it succeed?’
The network may be small, but Kevin Russell has put it ‘on an upper curve at the moment’, Collins adds.
3 may not become a giant overnight, but it is a business that is gradually turning the corner, in one of the most competitive market places in the world.
Will Vodafone merge with 3?
Some have speculated that 3’s refresh may be a sign of the operator gearing itself up for a sale, with Vodafone the most likely buyer.
One distributor source says: ‘The undercurrent is about whether they will be bought by Vodafone or O2. I think they are gearing up to sell – it’s not if, it is when.’
Meanwhile, CCS Insight’s Shaun Collins says: ‘What are Vodafone’s options? We have to assume they are not happy to be number three.
I can only see a merger – not a takeover. Vodafone and 3 merged in Australia, it is inconceivable that they haven’t had the conversation.’
The need for speed
Consumers are becoming more savvy when it comes to technology such as 3G, with speed of optimum importance when choosing a network.
Collins says: ‘There is no question in our minds that as people understand the need for speed, the experience is not being disconnected.
‘The conversation between our industry and the consumer has changed completely over the last 18 months,’ says Collins. ‘We are not talking about talking anymore – it’s all about the internet.
Most people use their phones mainly for talking but is this the reason people think about what they are buying? No – it becomes a commodity. People no longer buy just for minutes – it’s the complete package.’
The new campaign
A new ad campaign started on 8 May. The campaign has two phases: the first is TV, cinema and outdoor, the second press and online (pictured, left). ‘It’s in the style of a film showing the people at 3 who go into making the network,’ says Allera. ‘It will introduce people and make people smile.’
Allera adds: ‘It’s a big campaign and the first chapter in the story we are going to talk about. We are going to show all the effort that is going into the network. We have a legacy – big handsets, a bad experience. We have a different experience now, we have been doubling the size of the network.’
All activity is centred around 3 being the ‘best network for internet’ on the move, with Mi-Fi and 3 chips for embedded devices featuring in the push.
The campaign and rebrand met a positive response from dealers last week.
One distributor source says: ‘I like the way they’ve done it. I liked the new look and feel and the consistency of the internet pitch. They’re giving the right support for dealers.’
He adds: ‘Retail dealers don’t have a lot to sell – 3 is giving them something to sell.’
Retail staff have been given a guide on a new way of selling the network to customers. They will now educate customers on the benefits of 3G vs 2G, telling them the top three things the network has achieved over the last year.
The top three things delivered are: increased coverage to 3.1 million people, a 25% reduction in dropped calls, and doubled speed of mobile broadband.
Allera says: ‘With retail we are selling the strength of the network and the network rollout programme. It used to be a technical project, but now it’s a sales and marketing project.’
3’s in-store magazine has also been rebranded and will be called ‘Instore’ rather than the ‘Buyer’s Guide’.
Allera says: ‘We have 10,500 base stations and we’ll have 13,000 by the end of the year. The impact it is having is huge – it is improving internet experience, there are less dropped calls, lower churn and lower returns.’
The times of huge handsets and failed connections may


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A food company has launched a new product called dry caviar, allowing people to sprinkle caviar seasoning on top of dishes, much like you would with black pepper.
Caviar is creamy, salty and delicious. There's nothing quite like that fresh pop of fresh fish eggs but it is a delicacy and it's not eaten all the time. That's why Petrossian, a gourmet food gift producer, has made this dry version.
The dried eggs last up to six months in the fridge and the labeling points out that what's in the bottle is 100% caviar. The company suggests sprinkling it on eggs, potato, pasta, seafood, and more but at $88 for 28 grams we don't expect it to replace the salt on many tables.
Even though the picture suggests a range of flavors it seems from Petrossian's website that the company has just developed one flavor at the moment.


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Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian Make Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars for Instagram Ads
Kashing in! Kim, Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian are sitting on Instagram gold mines. The Keeping Up With the Kardashians stars’ names are so valuable that brand executives shell out six figures for a social media endorsement, Michael Heller, CEO of digital marketing firm Talent Resources (he arranges many of their deals!), exclusively reveals in the latest issue of Us Weekly.


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In this post, we will explore several topics related to the US economy, including access to credit for small businesses, bank failures, looming credit crunch, predictions of a recession, and government intervention. These topics are all interconnected and highlight the challenges faced by small businesses and the broader economy. We will discuss the impacts of the tightening of access to credit for small businesses, the failures of banks in 2023, and the potential credit crunch.
Additionally, we will examine the predictions of an economic recession by Ian Shepherdson, the chief economist at Pantheon Macro, and the actions taken by the US government to stabilize the financial system. Finally, we will discuss the impact of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes on the labor market and the need for policymakers to support small businesses during times of economic uncertainty.
II. Access to Credit for Small Businesses
Small businesses are essential to the growth of the economy, and access to credit plays a crucial role in their success. However, in recent years, banks have been tightening their lending criteria, making it difficult for small businesses to obtain loans. The reasons for this tightening include increased regulatory scrutiny and concern over the creditworthiness of borrowers.
Additionally, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes have also impacted access to credit for small businesses. When interest rates are high, banks have to pay more to borrow money, making it more expensive for them to lend money to small businesses. As a result, they may be more selective in who they lend to and may require higher credit scores or collateral.
The impact of these developments on small businesses is significant. Without access to credit, small businesses may struggle to expand their operations, hire new employees, or purchase necessary equipment. They may also have to rely on expensive alternative sources of funding, such as credit cards or online lenders, which can lead to unsustainable debt levels.
III. Bank Failures in 2023
In 2023, there were several notable bank failures, including Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Bank. These failures were largely due to poor lending practices and risky investments.
Silicon Valley Bank, for example, had a significant exposure to the technology sector and had lent money to several high-risk startups that ultimately failed. Signature Bank had invested heavily in the real estate market, and when the market experienced a downturn, the bank was unable to recover. Silvergate Bank had made risky loans to several oil and gas companies that were unable to repay their debts.
The failure of these banks had significant consequences for their customers, including small businesses. Small businesses that had deposits or loans with these banks were left in a state of uncertainty and had to seek new banking relationships. The failure of these banks also led to a loss of confidence in the banking system and increased scrutiny from regulatory agencies.
In conclusion, the tightening of access to credit for small businesses and the failures of banks in 2023 have had significant impacts on the economy. Small businesses must find ways to navigate these challenges and find alternative sources of funding. Additionally, banks must take steps to mitigate risk and ensure that their lending practices are sound to prevent future failures.
IV. Looming Credit Crunch
Small businesses are facing a potential credit crunch due to a combination of factors such as tightening of access to credit by banks, rising interest rates, and the economic slowdown. The credit crunch occurs when the supply of credit in the market is limited, and borrowers find it challenging to access credit. Banks are the primary source of credit for small businesses, and the tightening of access to credit by banks can lead to a credit crunch. Small businesses may also face difficulty accessing credit due to their limited credit history and lack of collateral.
The credit crunch can have a severe impact on small businesses and the broader economy. Small businesses rely on credit to finance their operations, including hiring employees, purchasing inventory, and expanding their business. Without access to credit, small businesses may struggle to maintain their operations, resulting in job losses and decreased economic activity. The credit crunch can also lead to a decrease in consumer spending, as individuals may also struggle to access credit, leading to a further economic slowdown.
V. Pantheon Macro’s Chief Economist’s Predictions
Ian Shepherdson, the chief economist at Pantheon Macro, has predicted a recession in the near future. Shepherdson suggests that the economic slowdown will be driven by a combination of factors, including the end of fiscal stimulus, rising interest rates, and a slowdown in the global economy. The severity of the recession is expected to be moderate, with a decline in economic activity of around 1%.
Small businesses play a crucial role in economic activity, as they are responsible for job creation and innovation. In times of economic uncertainty, small businesses are often hit the hardest, as they may struggle to access credit and face increased competition. Small businesses must prepare for the potential economic downturn by focusing on financial management, including managing their cash flow, reducing expenses, and seeking alternative sources of financing.
In conclusion, the potential credit crunch faced by small businesses, coupled with the predictions of an economic recession, highlights the need for small businesses to focus on financial management and planning for economic uncertainty. Small businesses must seek alternative sources of financing, reduce expenses, and manage their cash flow effectively to survive and thrive during economic downturns. It is crucial for policymakers to take steps to support small businesses, including providing access to credit, reducing regulatory burden, and promoting economic growth.
VI. US Economy and the Labor Market
The US economy has been performing well, with strong job growth and low unemployment rates. As of March 2023, the unemployment rate stands at 3.6%, which is near historic lows. The labor market has been particularly strong in sectors such as healthcare, technology, and construction.
However, the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes may have an impact on the labor market. Higher interest rates make it more expensive for businesses to borrow money, which can lead to a reduction in investment and hiring. This can lead to slower job growth and potentially higher unemployment rates.
VII. Government Intervention
In response to the potential credit crunch and bank failures, the US government has taken several actions to prevent a bank run and stabilize the financial system. The US Treasury, Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. have all played a role in these efforts.
The Federal Reserve has provided liquidity to the banking system by buying short-term Treasury bills and injecting money into the repo market. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has also provided deposit insurance to banks to prevent customers from withdrawing their money en masse.
The US Treasury has taken a more proactive approach by implementing several policies aimed at preventing a credit crunch. These policies include providing loan guarantees to small businesses and increasing the availability of credit through programs such as the Main Street Lending Program.
Overall, government intervention has been effective in preventing a bank run and stabilizing the financial system. However, the effectiveness of these policies in preventing a potential recession remains to be seen.
In conclusion, the state of the US economy and the banking sector is cause for concern, with the looming credit crunch and the potential for a recession. The tightening of access to credit by banks, combined with the impact of the Federal Reserve’s interest rate hikes, has put small businesses at risk. This risk is reflected in the bank failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Bank, which have been attributed to a combination of factors, including poor lending practices and mismanagement.
The potential credit crunch facing small businesses is a cause for concern, as it may lead to decreased economic activity and job losses. Furthermore, Ian Shepherdson’s prediction of a recession is a stark reminder of the fragility of the US economy. If the recession does occur, it could have a significant impact on the economy, with the potential for widespread job losses, reduced consumer spending, and a decline in economic activity.
In this context, it is worth noting the importance of small businesses in the US economy. They represent the backbone of the economy, driving innovation, job creation, and economic growth. As such, any measures taken to support small businesses will have a positive impact on the broader economy.
The US Treasury, Federal Reserve, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. have taken action to address the challenges facing the banking sector and the broader economy. However, the effectiveness of these measures in preventing a bank run and mitigating the potential impact of a recession remains to be seen.
In conclusion, the state of the US economy and the banking sector is concerning, and it is essential that policymakers take swift action to support small businesses and mitigate the potential impact of a recession. The long-term health of the economy depends on it.


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Biodegradable plastic: don’t get carried away too quickly
Bacardi rum bottles, Skittles candy wrappers, designer water bottles: companies are developing biodegradable plastic packaging, touted as more environmentally friendly but which could turn out to be a false good idea.
In the absence of a universal definition of “biodegradable plastic” and the lack of suitable processing centres, observers fear that the arrival on the market of these new materials will contribute to increasing this pollution.
“People tend to believe that they are helping to protect the planet by buying biodegradable plastic products, but that’s not the case at all”, warns Gaëlle Haut, European coordinator of the Surfrider Foundation, an association environmental.
On the one hand, conventional plastics, produced by the petrochemical industry from fossil sources, can persist in nature for hundreds of years.
Conversely, biodegradable plastics, made from specific polymers derived from vegetable, animal or petroleum sources, can decompose rapidly under the action of micro-organisms. But on condition of eliminating them via suitable industrial or domestic composting, explains Ms. Haut.
Some experts fear that these conditions will escape consumers and that they will be led to dispose of these plastics directly in nature.
“People could say to themselves: + I forgot my biodegradable plastic bag in the forest after a picnic, but it does not matter because it will be biodegraded in nature +”, worries Moira Tourneur, responsible for the advocacy for Zero Waste France.
However, biodegradable plastics that end up in natural environments break down into microparticles, at different time horizons depending on the ecosystem.
These “microplastics” infiltrate soils, rivers and oceans, posing a health risk to animals that ingest them. They can even make their way into the human body through our diet.
To avoid the harmful decomposition of biodegradable plastic in nature or in unsuitable landfills, observers recommend the development of new composting and collection centers.
Many experts are also in favor of proposals to regulate the use of the terms “bio-based”, “biodegradable”, “compostable” or “sustainable” used on plastic packaging.
-‘A lot of confusion’-
Consumers sometimes find it difficult to navigate the terminology.
“There is a lot of confusion in the market,” confirms Philippe Dewolfs, commercial director of TUEV Austria, one of the main companies offering brands a “biodegradability” certification in exchange for remuneration.
Adding to the confusion, bio-based plastics are not necessarily compostable or biodegradable, warns Dewolfs.
To qualify as “bio-based”, the plastic must contain an organic material: corn, potato starch, wood pulp or sugar cane. But sometimes you can find materials derived from fossil fuels that are not necessarily biodegradable.
Conversely, so-called “biodegradable” plastics may contain no organic matter at all, but only petroleum-based polymers that meet certain biodegradation criteria.
These plastics are designed to break down into carbon dioxide (CO2), water and biomass, during a composting process. Or, more rarely, in landfills, but provided that specific parameters of humidity and microorganisms are met there.
For now, spirits brand Bacardi says its biodegradable bottle will hit shelves in 2023. Confectionery giant Mars-Wrigley has announced the imminent launch of biodegradable Skittles candy wrappers in the United States.
A Californian start-up, Cove, has even marketed what it presents as the world’s first biodegradable plastic water bottle.
None of these companies responded to AFP’s interview requests.
In the meantime, governments must educate the public about biodegradable plastics and sanction companies that make misleading claims, recommends Gaëlle Haut of Surfrider Europe: “if companies are left to decide what they do, it’s the jungle”.


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A mix of vintage and modern game jerseys were driving the traffic in the third auction from Game Used Universe.
A jersey worn by Peyton Manning during the Indianapolis Colts’ run to Super Bowl XLI in 2006 brought a winning bid of $6278 in a sports memorabilia auction conducted by Game Used Universe. The company’s 15% buyer’s premium pushed the actual realized price to $7220.
The jersey was autographed by Manning on the back and the quarterback also noted the shirt as "game used" and "SB XLI MVP" in silver sharpie.
Game Used Universe conducted its third auction with the usual focus on game-worn and game-used baseball, football and basketball items.
A Roberto Clemente game bat, signed by the late Hall of Famer, also drew attention in the sale which closed just before 3 AM Eastern time Friday morning. The bat sold for $5966 including the buyer’s premium.
A Cal Ripken 1988 game-worn Orioles road jersey sold for $5894 while another vintage double knit–this one donned by Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers during the Milwaukee Brewers’ pennant-winning season of 1982, sold for $4926.
Game Used Universe also offered the first jersey from Super Bowl II to be sold at auction. Dave Kocourek, a tight end and special teams player for the Oakland Raiders, consigned his autographed black jersey and it sold for $3701. John Taylor’s 49ers jersey from Super Bowl XXIX sold for $3061 while a Taylor helmet from the first part of his career–the one he says he was wearing when he caught Joe Montana’s game-winning touchdown pass in Super Bowl XXIII–sold for $2297.
Another vintage NFL jersey sold by GUU was a 1960 inaugural year Dallas Cowboys Don Bishop gamer which found a new home at a price of $3969.
Among modern era baseball shirts sold, a 2007 Joba Chamberlain game-worn Yankees road jersey drew 17 bids and sold for $4735 while a 2008 Daisuke Matsuzaka Red Sox alternate button-down which sold for $4035.


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Kim Kardashian has thrown it back to the Met Gala by embracing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic look yet again. She shared an Instagram advert snacking on pizza while dressed up in classy attire – and fans are obsessed.
The black-and-white video gave fans an ‘appetizer’ of the upcoming Dolce and Gabbana Saturday show at 2.30pm CEST. Kim was dressed to the ultimate nines in a black dress while paparazzi captured pics of her in the back of a car.
It comes just months after Kim wore Marilyn’s dress at the 2022 Met Gala. The TV personality is just one of the many Kardashian family members who often show off D&G’s clothing and accessories – as part of a huge brand deal.
Kim dons Marilyn-esque look
Kim appears to be recreating Marilyn’s iconic blonde barnet with curls in her recent ad with D&G. It is part of her #CiaoKim theme which is featured in the designer fashion firm’s Spring – Summer 2023 women’s show.
It is the second time in several months that Kim is embracing the late American actress’ iconic time on earth. It comes as Ana de Armas is set to play her in a soon-to-be-released biopic.
The steamy post saw Kim give sultry looks to the camera before grabbing pizza from a box next to her. She then chewed on a slice before throwing it down and laughing – much like Marilyn used to.
Fans think she is 2022’s Marilyn Monroe
If the Met Gala wasn’t enough to convince people that Kim is our generation’s new Marilyn, her recent ad has only gone and embraced that idea even more. Many fans have stated that she is today’s version of the actress.
One wrote: “Yep, Kim Kardashian is the Marylin Monroe of our days…”
While a Twitter user said Kim’s latest Instagram post is “giving Marilyn Monroe”, a fellow fan agreed and said: “It reminded me of the legend Marilyn Monroe.”
Not everyone agrees though. Another urged her: “Please stop impersonating Marilyn…”
Revisiting her Met Gala outfit
Kim switched up her usual eating habits to transform her body, with the result of fitting into Marilyn’s dress. The iconic Happy Birthday Mr President outfit bought my Ripley’s Believe It or Not! for $4.8 million in 2016.
The SKIMS founder made clear her respect for the historical piece by taking precautions to preserve its condition. Professionals helped her into the dress wearing gloves and the reality star didn’t wear her usual body makeup.
The original gown was worn also only on the carpet, but she immediately changed into a replica at the top of the stairs. Kim dropped 16 lbs ahead of the event to squeeze into the historic gown.
WATCH THE KARDASHIANS SEASON 2 ON HULU/DISNEY PLUS EVERY THURSDAY


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Recent news reports that a man had both his legs amputated after being bitten by a white-tailed spider have again cast this spider in a negative light. Experts have since said amputations may have been wrongly blamed on a spider bite, and authorities now consider a bacterial infection to be responsible for the man’s injuries. Despite this, the damage to the largely harmless white-tail may have been done.
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Tesla began 2018 with a report quarter in a bunch of ways, the corporate introduced nowadays. It generated $THREE.4 billion in income, which is more than ever ahead of. Tesla also burned via more cash than ever, turning that revenue determine right into a nearly $785 million loss. Tesla set a brand new corporate high for vehicles made in the first quarter of a 12 months, too, together with the critically necessary Fashion 3, which the corporate is making at a tempo of approximately 2,2 HUNDRED every week — nonetheless below the oft-behind schedule 2,500 every week objective set by means of CEO Elon Musk.
Nowadays, Musk and Tesla chief monetary officer Deepak Ahuja claim in a quarterly letter to (and a subsequent name with) traders that the corporate gets again within the inexperienced in the 2d 1/2 this 12 months. And Musk reiterated his claim that Tesla will do this without taking up further investment in 2018. part of how he plans to get there has been found out on the investor name, when he mentioned Tesla will perform some sort of restructuring in regards to the contractors the company makes use of. “The selection of 3rd birthday celebration contracting corporations we ’re the usage of is out of control,” Musk stated. “We ’re going to wash the barnacles on that front. We ’ve were given barnacles on barnacles. So there ’s going to be so much of barnacle removal.”
“We ’ve got barnacles on barnacles. So there ’s going to be so much of barnacle removal”
in the interim, the corporate is right down to $2.7 billion in money, after beginning the 12 months with $THREE.4 billion. Such are the highs and lows that come with the company that ’s seeking to make a trendy-yet-sensible electric car for the hundreds even as doing many, many other issues at the similar time.
Tesla says that, despite the uphill climb via “production hell” with the Type THREE, the whole number of reservations for the automobile continues to be above 450,000. THIS MIGHT mean two issues. Either there aren ’t that many of us canceling their preorders after the now “six to nine month” extend for deliveries. Or Tesla is attracting sufficient new preorders to maintain the number soaring close to the part million mark.
whatever the answer is, Tesla says it continues to be primarily focused on increasing the number of Type 3s the corporate could make every week because it heads into the second quarter of the yr. It needs to, as a result of, at this time, the company is still losing cash on every body it ships. Whilst it ’s targeting a gross margin of 25 % on the Model THREE someday subsequent 12 months, Tesla received ’t break even on each and every automotive offered till no less than the middle of this yr while it reaches the FIVE,000–6,000 per week manufacturing mark, the corporate stated in the quarterly letter.
A lately leaked e-mail from Musk to his workers defined some of the lengths Musk is prepared to push the company to achieve that point. in the coming weeks, Tesla will upload another shift and push production across the clock in order to make 6,000 Style 3s every week by the halfway point of 2018. this offers them, according to Musk, sufficient “margin of errors” to make a minimum of 5,000 deliverable vehicles a week. “Exact production will move as fast as the least fortunate and least smartly-accomplished part of all the Tesla manufacturing/supply chain device,” he wrote within the email.
Even nonetheless, Musk and Ahuja said in as of late ’s letter that extra shutdowns of production can be required to reach that focus on. at the present time-long delays allow the corporate cope with “small, identified constraints” that increase the output within the long-run, they are saying.
Tesla has long touted plans to make use of robots to build the Fashion THREE (and its other cars) at more and more top volumes, but Musk lately walked again a few of the ones statements in an interview with CBS This Morning the place he stated the company might need been too reliant on automation. That mentioned, in nowadays ’s investor letter, Musk and Ahuja were again to talking up automation. “within the end, this is all approximately having factories which are producing the world ’s highest quality cars as briefly and as value-effectively as conceivable, and with as with reference to 0 accidents as we can most likely get,” they wrote. “Our automation strategy is vital to this and we’re as committed to it as ever.”
This ongoing conversation about automation comes at a time while Tesla is facing scrutiny in regards to the protection of its factories. Up To Date investigative experiences have specified a host of worker accidents sustained at Tesla ’s assembly plant in California, and the state ’s Occupational Protection and Health Management has opened inquiries into the corporate.
As Tesla works 24/7 to ramp up production of the Fashion THREE, the corporate could also be starting to see cash are available from a few of its different efforts — specifically, its sun and effort garage trade. Tesla just about doubled the quantity of earnings that came from energy garage ultimate 12 months, and noticed a rise of 38 p.c from remaining quarter on my own. At $410 million, it ’s nonetheless a far cry from the just about $3 billion the company generates in keeping with quarter on its automobile trade. nevertheless it ’s develop into a bit of a buffer for Tesla, even before the corporate has shipped any significant selection of its new solar roofs.