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©Sankei Digital INC.
In February, Honda started selling its Insight Hybrid and received 18,000 of orders for one month though its monthly sales target was 5,000, making Insight Hybrid 10th in the ranking of car sales by model and 18th in the ranking of car sales; Toyota Prius hybrid was ranked 12th in the former ranking and 20th in the latter ranking.
There seem four kinds of main reasons for the success of Honda Insight hybrid.
First, this success of Honda may owe much to its pricing strategies. There are three kinds of prices available for Honda Insight hybrid: 1.89 million yen (Grade G), 2.09 million yen (Grade L) and 2.21 million yen (Grade LS). Though Japanese needed to pay more than 2 million yen to buy hybrid cars, they now need to pay 1.89 million yen for the cheapest one. As prices of Toyota Prius hybrid start at 2,331,000 yen, Honda Insight hybrid is much cheaper. Normally, when new car model is sold, that of middle prices is most sold, but the cheapest one is most sold among these three, indicating the successful pricing strategies of Honda. Takayoshi Ito, an executive director of Honda, said, ‘Honda is good at producing highly efficient and environmentally friendly cars at affordable prices like Honda Insight hybrid’.
The second reason may be its high efficiency. Experiencing the rapid increase in global fuel prices in 2008 as well as the increasing awareness about the environment, Japanese became more concerned about hybrid cars. According to Kaoru Iguch, a chief of the sales development office in the sales control department of Honda, ‘although prices of gasoline have halved compared to their peak in the last year, the public have been still worried about the increase in its prices in the future and as a result highly interested in hybrid cars’.
Thirdly, many Japanese may want to buy Honda Insight hybrid because it is ‘stylish’. According to Nikkei bp, the top reason of buying Honda Insight hybrid is its appearances and body style. Its straight line from front to rear and its virile front mask mostly attracted many of those who have bought it. People may not be willing to purchase hybrid car if it is not fun. Hybrid car may need to be entertaining.
Finally, related to the first reason, tax reduction for ‘eco car’ may have pushed Japanese to purchase Honda Insight hybrid. Because tax reduction for eco car is to be introduced from this April, owner of eco car can receive 100%, 75% or 50% of reduction for automobile acquisition tax and Automobile weight tax for the next three years from this April. These two kinds of taxes for Honda Insight hybrid as well as Toyota Prius hybrid and Nissan X-Trail (20GT) will be fully exempted, which will be equivalent to 108,500 yen for Honda Insight Hybrid, 122,000 yen for Toyota Prius hybrid and 178,400 yen for Nissan X-Trail (20GT).
Although there can be other reasons, these may be the main reasons for the success of Honda Insight hybrid. Namely, people would not purchase hybrid cars only because they are environmentally friendly. Hybrid cars need to be inexpensive and stylish as well as highly fuel efficient and environmentally friendly if they want to be popular among people. Honda Insight hybrid has been amazingly sold because it is sold at affordable prices; many people are highly concerned about fuel efficiency and the environment; many people think it is stylish; and the Government encourages purchasing hybrid cars by introducing tax reduction measures for ‘eco-car’.
Selling ‘eco products’ may not be so simple and easy even though they are highly environmentally friendly because consumers are selfish or wagamama in Japanese. Eco products may need to be satisfying wagamama consumers and be sold at affordable prices as well as environmentally friendly. If they failed to do so, consumers could not maximize their utility by purchasing them and such products would not become popular among them. Eco-products may become popular among people only when they could satisfy demand of wagamama consumers, which may enrich our lives without sacrificing the environment. Surely, the Government must play a significant role in the success of eco-products through, for instance, tax reduction for them and environmental education. Honda Insight hybrid may indicate the hint of the eco products’ success.


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Good day and welcome to the Sprout, where your host hopes everyone celebrating had a marvellous Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for ways to use up those delicious Thanksgiving leftovers, Canadian Living has you covered with the classics like pot pie and turkey sandwiches. If you’re looking for something a bit more eclectic…apparently Thanksgiving Leftovers poutine is a thing..
Now, here’s today’s agriculture news.
Canada’s fertilizer sector is asking the federal government to rethink its target for emissions stemming from fertilizer usage.
As the Western Producer reports, Fertilizer Canada says the Canadian government’s unilateral decision to establish a voluntary 30-per cent emissions reduction target by 2030 will have far-reaching and unintended economic consequences. Fertilizer Canada president Karen Proud told the Western Producer that achieving a 30 per cent reduction “would require a reduction in fertilizer use.”
“There’s no other way at this stage to achieve it,” Proud said.
Manitoba Egg Farmers has received $1.5 million in funding from the governments of Canada and Manitoba to establish an Egg Layer Research and Public Engagement Facility at the University of Manitoba. Real Agriculture has more.
Food banks in Ottawa are reporting higher usage of their services as rising food prices and job losses push many in the city to seek out meals and grocery boxes from local food programs. CBC News reports.
Potato processors are facing contracting headaches and supply issues because of poorer than average potato yields this year in Western Canada, Idaho, and the United States’ Columbia Basin. As Real Agriculture reports, the tight supplies are having significant effects on the retail channel.
Invasive wild pigs have have been found in Elk Island National Park for the first time. As The Canadian Press reports, wild pigs are considered to be one of the most destructive and rapidly spreading species on the continent, tearing up landscapes and eating everything form root to bird eggs to deer.
Meanwhile, pumpkin farmers in Newfoundland have had a good harvest.
Finally, the Globe and Mail looks at how an Anishinabe chef is advocating for Indigenous food sovereignty through a new urban farm in Toronto that uses traditional harvesting methods.
Mexican officials have rejected a new variety of genetically modified (GMO) corn for the first time. As Reuters reports, while Mexico has never permitted the commercial-scale cultivation of GMO corn, regulators have allowed GMO varieties to be imported, largely from the growers in the United States, to be used as livestock feed.
As deal struck with U.S. firm CF Industries to avoid a critical shortage of carbon dioxide used in the food, beverage and meat sectors has been extended to early 2022. “CO2 suppliers have agreed to pay CF Fertilisers a price for the CO2 it produces that will enable it to continue operating while global gas prices remain high, drawing on support from industry and delivering value for money for the taxpayer,” the U.K. government said, according to a report from the BBC. It is unclear how much more firms will have to pay for supplies of the gas.
ICYMI: The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Thursday that world food prices rose for a second consecutive month in September, reaching a 1o-year peak. Reuters has more.
In other price-related news: Reuters explores how U.S. prices for organic soybeans used to feed livestock and manufacture soy milk are soaring, hitting record highs and, in turn, fuelling food inflation, thanks to lower imports.
And Bloomberg looks at how inflation is coming to a food court near you.
NFL offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, who opted out of the 2020 football season to work as an orderly in a long-term care home during the height of the COVID-19 crisis, has set his sights on a new challenge: promoting healthier eating habits for children. As CBC News reports, the Kansas City Chiefs player has partnered with company Sodexo to promote healthier habits among students of all ages.

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American vlogger Jacques Slade is famous for unveiling the latest sneakers from Adidas and Nike on his YouTube channel.
But this time he unboxed a brand new pair of white trainers with a twist — they highlight modern slavery and its ties to fast fashion.
The price tag of $90 (66 pounds) reflects the cost of slave labor today, while a logo stating “40M” refers to the estimated 40 million people trapped in modern slavery. The insole features pictures of sweatshops, where workers around the world are known to be subjected to forced labor.
Thomson Reuters Foundation reports:
The campaign by the Thomson Reuters Foundation – “Unboxing the real price of sneakers” – aims to raise awareness of the hidden human cost of clothing among millennials as the issue of ethical fashion increasingly influences how young people shop.
The advent of fast fashion, with consumers constantly buying and discarding clothing, has fueled the risk of worker abuses such as forced labor in global supply chains, campaigners say.
“Being a part of this campaign has made me take a more thoughtful stance on the issues around forced labor,” said Slade, who has about 850,000 subscribers to his YouTube channel.
The sneakers Slade reveals in his video were made in collaboration with a prominent Los Angeles designer and are slavery-free.
Slade says he hopes to inspire his followers to purchase ethically-made products.
“Given the impact we can all make with our voices, I am proud I may be able to help educate and empower those around me to look deeper at their own understanding of the topic and … inspire them to enact change both locally and globally,” he said.
Jakub Sobik of charity Anti-Slavery International added that it is consumers who will ultimately drive fashion companies to make tangible changes to their supply chains.
“Conscious consumers will be an essential part of the movement that will make companies and governments get serious about ending the evil that taints the products we use every day.”
Chip in and help end modern slavery once and for all.


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After the modernization of Kazakhstan’s refineries, a surplus of gasoline is observed in the republic. At the same time, the government limited the export of oil products across the Kazakhstan border, but continues to export fuel, including to European countries.
In 2018, after the modernization of the country’s largest oil refineries was completed, Kazakhstan’s producers for the first time in a long time managed to satisfy the needs of the domestic market in excess. According to KazMunayGas, three Kazakhstan’s refineries are capable of producing 24% more gasoline than market needs, and the closest deficit will occur no earlier than 2032. Gasoline production after modernization of the refinery increased by 84%, diesel – by 36%. Jet fuel, in turn, produces three times as much.
In Kazakhstan, the production of gasoline, including aviation, monthly increases by an average of 12%. 3.6 million tons of fuel were produced in the ten months of 2019. The growth compared to the same period in 2018 was 12.4%. At the same time, in September 2019, domestic refineries produced a record volume of gasoline – 465.6 thousand tons. Compared to September 2018, volumes grew by 22.8%, and by the results of three quarters – by 14.7%.
The largest volumes of output fell to the city of Shymkent – 1.5 million tons of gasoline were produced, or 42.5% of the total output. The region has the newest refinery in the republic. 30% of gasoline production was provided by the Pavlodar petrochemical plant, and 26.7% was provided by the Atyrau refinery.
Increased production volumes allowed to reduce imports to a minimum – if in January – August 2018, imports amounted to about 590 thousand tons, then over the nine months of 2019 it decreased to 18.7 thousand tons. However, the share of gasoline exports is only 0.3%.
In addition, gasoline consumption decreased in the country – for the seven months of 2019, 2.33 million tons were sold on the domestic market, which is 12.8% less than in the same period in 2018. That is, the volume of unsold gasoline is increasing in the country.
It is also known that in January-September, 32.6 thousand tons of gasoline were exported, of which 1,827 tons of K5 class gasoline had already been sent to Europe. The Ministry of Energy plans to supply another 35,606 tons to the European market only in November this year.
At the same time, in order to prevent a shortage of gasoline on the domestic market in August 2019, the order “On some issues of the export of petroleum products from the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was adopted. According to the document, a ban was introduced on the export of gasoline, diesel fuel and other certain types of petroleum products.
The indicated measure affected the level of oil products shipment. In September, the shipment of AI-92 gasoline from the RK refinery to the regions amounted to 391 thousand tons, then in October the volume of shipment amounted to 354.5 thousand tons, that is, 35.5 thousand tons less.
For example, the volume of deliveries to the Almaty region decreased by 20.2 thousand tons in comparison with the month of August and by 37.8 thousand tons in comparison with September. Deliveries to East Kazakhstan oblast decreased by 11 thousand tons in comparison with August and by 17.7 thousand tons in comparison with September. This may indicate that some of the gasoline was exported to the border territories, and the ban worked.
In 2018, Minister of Energy Kanat Bozumbayev noted that in the WKO and Kostanay regions, where about 700-800 thousand people live, the consumption of fuels and lubricants is several times higher than in the south of the country. At the same time, a total of about three million people live in the Turkestan region and Shymkent.
Over the past five years, the cost of gasoline increased by 30%
In 2014, after a global drop in oil prices, the cost of fuel in the countries of the Customs Union increased from 112 to 115 tenge per liter. In late August, a shortage of fuel appeared on the market and in order to prevent price increases, the Government adopted an order according to which the cost of AI92 gasoline amounted to 115 tenge per liter.
Already in January 2015, prices fell to 105 tenge per liter. In February, the decline continued and AI92 gasoline began to be traded at 99 tenge.
However, in September 2015, the Government decided to abolish the regulation of gas prices due to the inability of domestic refineries to independently provide the domestic market with fuel and the transition to a floating tenge exchange rate. As a result, the price per liter of gasoline increased from 108 tenge to 129 tenge per liter.
Subsequently, the growth trend continued – in 2016 the price increased to 135 tenge, in 2017 – up to 143 tenge.
As a result of modernization of oil refineries, a surplus of own fuel appeared in the country, and prices decreased monthly by 0.5%. If in January 2018 the cost of gasoline was 159.4 tenge per liter, then already at the end of the year it decreased to 154.85 tenge, and in November 2019 amounted to 148.49 tenge. After increasing the excise tax by 10 tenge from January 1, 2020, the price will rise again.
As of early July 2019, in the ranking of European countries in terms of fuel availability for the population, Kazakhstan became the leader among 33 countries in terms of cost, which amounted to 169.35 tenge per liter of AI95. After changing the excise tax, the Republic of Kazakhstan will remain the leader, since Russia is in second place with a price of 276.19 tenge, and Belarus is the third, where a liter of fuel cost about 315.64 tenge.
However, Kazakhstan takes 18th place in terms of gasoline availability for the population. According to a study on the average wage of Kazakhstan people, 843.5 liters of gasoline can be purchased. According to this indicator, the TOP-3 countries include Luxembourg, Norway and Austria, and the lowest rates are in Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine.


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We’re animal lovers here at Asiance, so when we see an Asian/Asian American person standing up for animal rights, we just have to announce it!
A new PETA Asia ad starring Chinese actor Gao Yuanyuan launched just as the annual slaughter of baby seals began this year on the ice floes of eastern Canada. During the annual slaughter, seal pups are shot or have their heads bashed in, and many are skinned alive. The European Union, Mexico, Russia and the US have banned seal products, and world leaders – including seal products, and world leaders – including Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Barack Obama – have spoken out against the massacre.
Gao Yuanyuan also poses for photography wearing a gown made of lettuce and cabbage leaves and a necklace made of red chili peppers during an event organized by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia in Beijing June 8, 2011. According to the organizers, the aim of the event was to encourage people to quit meat and adopt a healthy and animal-friendly vegetarian diet. The words read, “A vegetarian diet starts from the heart”.


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India wastes 21 million tonnes of wheat every year: report
- Rs 20L seized from Ajit Chandila relative's home, another ex-cricketer held
- India and China ask SRs to work on more border steps
- Can't charge man with rape over consensual sex even if marriage eludes: Supreme Court
- Saudi Arabian authorities refuse to accept new Indian passports
- FIR filed against Facebook for not discontinuing hate page
The report by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME) on global food wastage found that as much as 50 per cent of all food produced around the world never reaches a human mouth.
"Considerably greater levels of tonnage loss exist in larger developing nations, such as India for example, where about 21 million tonnes of wheat annually perishes due to inadequate storage and distribution, equivalent to the entire production of Australia," said the 'Global Food Waste Not Want Not' report, released here today.
"In neighbouring Pakistan, losses amount to about 16 per cent of production, or 3.2 million tonnes annually, where inadequate storage infrastructure leads to widespread rodent infestation problems," it said.
Overall, wastage rates in vegetables and fruit are even higher than for grains.
At least 40 per cent of all fruit and vegetable is lost in India between the grower and consumer due to lack of refrigerated transport, poor roads, inclement weather and corruption.
According to the latest survey, wastage tends to move up the distribution chain as the standard of development improves and regional and national transport, storage and distribution facilities fail to match the improvements made at the farm level.
This is a particular issue in India, which requires massive investments in the food logistics chain.
"Controlling and reducing the level of wastage is frequently beyond the capability of the individual farmer, distributor or consumer, since it depends on market philosophies, security of power supply, quality of roads and the presence or absence of transport hubs.
"These are all related more to societal, political and economic norms, as well as engineered infrastructure, rather than to agriculture," the authors of the report said, calling on governments in the developing world to introduce better technology and food storage facilities.
The Indian government has maintained that the recent reforms in the retail sector approved by Parliament, allowing
51 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and 100 per cent FDI in the single-brand segment, will
lead to increased investments in infrastructure and improve the logistics chain.
- Former Ranji player among 3 more held
- Rajasthan Royals to file FIR against tainted trio
- If found guilty, BCCI to ask ICC to erase Sreesanth records
- Top cops among 42 named in death of blast accused
- Manmohan-Li talks: PM takes tough line on incursion issue
- Security forces blame Maoists, villagers say CoBRA man was killed in 'friendly fire'


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Indian Mobile Carrier service providers Vodafone-Idea and Jio have decided to deploy blockchain technology in partnership with Tanla Solutions and Tech Mahindra respectively. The step is set to impact almost a billion users of the two service providers and give a big respite to the consumers against spam calls and messages.
The deployment of the tech is in line with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (Trai) regulations, and the deployments would begin by this month end. Consumers can send their preferences against the spam calls and messages to their respective service providers, and unlike before where even hundreds of requests did not really fetch any fruitful result, the use of blockchain is set to change that.
Vodafone and Idea which has merged into one company boasts of a user base of around 395 million while Jio has around 307 million users. Another major carrier Bharti Airtel with 325 million userbases has already applied for a similar tech deployment in association with IBM.
Vodafone-Idea has inked a multi-year deal with Tanla Solutions for the deployment of the technology who will also be responsible for the sandbox regulatory program along with the production platform. A company spokesperson said that the firm is focused on using the latest modern day technology to make lives easier for its users.
A Tania spokesperson commented on the recent partnership and the role of Tania solution. He said,
“Deployment is underway and will help in arresting spam and fraud-related commercial communications for Vodafone Idea subscribers “
Tania would also be helping Airtel in the deployment of the network, however, IBM would play the major role in the deployment process, being the primary vendor in the partnership.
Jio has partnered with Tech Mahindra for the deployment of the blockchain tech, however, neither firm confirmed or commented on the use of the tech.
Once the deployment is complete, it would become the largest use case of blockchain in the telecom sector with around a billion users. The next step for these telecom giants could be the use of tech for mobile number portability interconnect settlements, supply chain streamlining and content partner settlements among others.


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Redmi General Manager Lu Weibing has revealed on Weibo that Redmi Note 7 Pro is set to arrive in China with "more surprises" than its India launch.
The China launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro is taking place on March 18. This is notably just a few days after the first sale of the Redmi Note 7 Pro in India that is scheduled for March 13.
The official Redmi account on Weibo posted an official invite on Friday that confirms the launch of the Redmi Note 7 Pro in China.
The invite shows that the phone will debut in China at 2 pm CST (11:30 pm IST) on March 18.
On Thursday, Xiaomi launched the Redmi Note 7 and Redmi Note 7 Pro in India with a starting price of Rs. 13,999.
The India variant of the Redmi Note 7 is notably different from its China model in terms of having a 12-megapixel primary sensor instead of a 48-megapixel Samsung ISOCELL GM-1 sensor.
The India model also has two storage options instead of three options available in China.
The phone packs a 4,000mAh battery that supports Qualcomm Quick.


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The mission for brand-new prescription antibiotics has actually led scientists to an unexpected prospect: the cannabis substance CBD.
A brand-new research study discovers that CBD, or cannabidiol, is “incredibly reliable” at eliminating germs, a minimum of in a test tube, the scientists in the brand-new research study stated. The outcomes revealed that CBD had antibiotic results versus a variety of so-called Gram-positive germs, consisting of kinds of staph and strep germs, along with pressures that had actually ended up being resistant to other antibiotic drugs.
Still, the outcomes are extremely initial, and individuals must never self-treat infections with CBD at this time, the scientists stated.
” It requires a lot more work to reveal [that CBD] would work to deal with infections in human beings,” stated research study lead author Mark Blaskovich, of The University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience’s Centre for Superbug Solutions in Brisbane, Australia. “It would be extremely harmful to attempt to deal with a severe infection with cannabidiol rather of among the attempted and evaluated prescription antibiotics,” Blaskovich informed Live Science. [6 Superbugs to Watch Out For]
The research study was performed in partnership with Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd., a drug-discovery business that’s examining usages of artificial cannabidiol for a variety of skin problem. The business likewise assisted money the research study.
The work will exist today (June 23) in San Francisco at ASM Microorganism, the yearly conference of the American Society for Microbiology; the research study has actually not yet been released in a peer-reviewed journal.
CBD has actually gathered a great deal of attention over the last few years for its prospective to offer restorative results without producing the high usually related to cannabis. However up until now, the Fda (FDA) has actually authorized CBD just in prescription-drug type for dealing with uncommon kinds of youth epilepsy
In addition, research studies recommend that CBD might have anti-inflammatory results, however whether it likewise has antibiotic results has actually been uncertain.
In the brand-new research study, the scientists evaluated whether an artificially produced type of CBD might eliminate various kinds of germs.
In experiments in laboratory meals, the artificial CBD did simply as well as the prescription antibiotics vancomycin and daptomycin in eliminating particular pressures of Staphylococ c us and Streptococcus germs. The substance even worked versus pressures of staph and strep germs that had actually ended up being resistant to vancomycin and daptomycin, the authors stated.
CBD likewise revealed activity versus bacterial biofilms, which form when germs produce proteins to form movies on surface areas. These biofilms can trigger difficult-to-treat infections.
Professionals warned that several substances appear to reveal antibiotic results in laboratory meals, called “in vitro” experiments, however these findings do not constantly equate to individuals.
” Even if [CBD] has antibiotic activity in an in vitro assay does not imply it carries out in the body,” stated Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, who wasn’t included with the research study. “Great deals of various substances … have [antibiotic] activity in a petri meal.”
Much more research studies will be required to see if CBD might be utilized as an antibiotic in individuals. Research study will require to figure out the dosage required to eliminate germs in the body, whether this dosage is safe and how the antibiotic may be provided, Adalja stated.
Still, Adalja stated the research study is appealing. “[It’s] more proof that there [are] a great deal of untapped opportunities of research study with CBD,” he stated.
The authors now prepare to perform animal research studies to comprehend the kinds of infections CBD may deal with, along with how CBD might eliminate germs, Blaskovich stated. In addition, Botanix prepares to perform a scientific trial in individuals to check whether CBD can efficiently eliminate Staphylococcus aureus germs on the skin prior to surgical treatments, to avoid post-surgical infections, he stated.
Initially released on Live Science


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Armani: Be gay but don’t dress it
THE fashion designer Giorgio Armani has condemned men who work out too much and women who resort to breast enhancement to look good.
“I don’t like muscle boy. Not too much gym! I like somebody healthy, somebody solid, who looks after his body but doesn’t use his muscles too much,” says Armani, who has dressed actors and celebrities including Nicole Kidman, David Beckham and George Clooney.
The 80-year-old, who has amassed a £5bn personal fortune over a 40-year career that he will celebrate in Milan, his home town, next week, describes cosmetic surgery as “idiocy . . . A small breast does not have to become big,” he says. “I prefer to look at a natural woman. A woman should be courageous to become older,


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Apple CEO Tim Cook today informed staff that it is “likely” the majority of teams won’t be back in offices until June of 2021 at the earliest. This comes as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen in many parts of the world.
As first reported by Bloomberg, Cook’s comments came during a virtual town hall with employees earlier today. The Apple CEO said that while there is no replacement for face-to-face collaboration, there’s a lot to be learned from working remotely this year:
“There’s no replacement for face-to-face collaboration, but we have also learned a great deal about how we can get our work done outside of the office without sacrificing productivity or results,” he told staff, according to people familiar with the comments. “All of these learnings are important. When we’re on the other side of this pandemic, we will preserve everything that is great about Apple while incorporating the best of our transformations this year.”
But with all of that having been said, Cook said it “seems likely” that the majority of Apple teams won’t be back in the office before June of 2021. This means that the majority of teams at Apple will continue working remotely, at least through then. During a recent interview, Cook noted that Apple Park is currently at around 15% capacity.
Cook said it “seems likely” that the majority of teams won’t be back before June 2021. The Cupertino, California-based technology giant has historically had an office-centric culture, but the CEO implied that the company’s success this year during the pandemic lockdown could enable more flexibility to work remotely in the future.
Cook also told employees during today’s town hall that, because of the “challenges over the past several months,” they will be getting an additional paid holiday on January 4.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.


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Former Plantiitas shop in Belmont Heights which will house over 20 local vendors from underrepresented communities.
By Susan Payne
In under two years, a DIY plant marketplace built inside of a Long Beach garage will have become a beloved brick and mortar business and expand to meet the demand of its market.
The self-proclaimed “plant daddies,” Anthony Diaz and Kevin Alcaraz opened the Plantiitas Market located at the former Plantiitas shop in Belmont Heights which will house over 20 local vendors from underrepresented communities.
“We’re trying to share our platform with them basically,” Plantiitas co-owner Diaz told the Signal Tribune. “We know it’s hard to start a business. There’s so much that goes into it that even we didn’t realize when we were getting started.”
The idea has been harboring for more than a year, Diaz said. During this process, Diaz said the two have been paying the lease on both locations, along with added fees and labor to turn the old storefront into a community-friendly layout, according to the Signal Tribune.
Diaz said the need for a space such as this become apparent as they have been building relationships with many LGBTQ and Latinx vendors and residents on their Fourth Street location.
“We poured so much time, effort and money for that space that we thought it would be wise for us to continue building and growing because we’ve had a successful shop this whole time,” Diaz said. “We were built on that corner essentially.”
The new marketplace will provide a permanent location for LGBTQ+, immigrant, disabled and other minority-owned vendors. In the coming months, Diaz said the space will also be used by vendors to host workshops, events and meetings with clients.
“There’s so many intersectional barriers and challenges and a lot of people like us I don’t think feel seen on Retro Row right now. So I think things like that keep us motivated to know there are people who are being inspired, people whose businesses are being changed for the better,” Diaz said, holding back tears. “There’s a lot of people who are being touched by what we’re doing. And that keeps us going.”
More than 20 vendors of Plantiitas met in July for an open house to discuss plans for the marketplace, which eventually turned into a mission to lock down the location and start collaborations.
“So my husband and I have been — we’re exhausted and we’re really tired. It feels like we haven’t had a day off in quite some time,” Diaz said. “As a matter of fact, we haven’t and we’re having to balance all of the work and the demands that we have coming our way, while still kind of maintaining our mental, physical and emotional health. And it’s a lot it’s a lot to juggle. It’s not easy.”
One vendor, Beau Beatrix, a queer, transgender Black and Filipino, neurodivergent and disabled artist, attended the initial July meeting. Beatrix became disabled after a work injury and couldn’t leave his home for more than a year due to being immunocompromised. From his pain, Beatrix started Owie Artwork, a hypoallergenic and size-inclusive jewelry business.
“I started making my own jewelry and then made things to give to my partner,” Beatrix said. “And then at some point, something clicked, and I was like I could sell this kind of thing. I could maybe find a way to support myself.”
Beatrix is one of the vendors who will get a chance at having a brick-and-mortar location through the marketplace.
“I never expected to have physical space,” Beatrix said. “There’s something really special about a collective of artists being given equal footing, and a physical location to sell things. In theory, if it was successful, I feel like other spaces could follow the same model.”
Plantiitas Market hours are Wednesdays through Fridays 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Vendor applications can be found here.


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Puerto Rican lawmakers are studying a bill aimed at curbing the expansion of “big box” retail chains, whose growth has triggered the closure of hundreds of small businesses in recent years.
The speaker of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico, Jaime Perello, says the proposed Small and Medium Enterprise Support Law would require that a study be conducted to estimate the business impact of the opening of any new retail outlet covering a surface area greater than 80,000 sq. feet (7,400 sq. meters).
The bill also proposes the creation of an advisory board to address issues related to SMEs and an increase - from 15 percent to 30 percent - in the proportion of government agency budgets that must be earmarked for procurement from SMEs.
The measure “is not directed against anyone,” Perello said.
Large U.S. retail chains create low-wage jobs and the profits those companies earn in Puerto Rico are transferred back to the mainland United States.
“Twenty years from now, there won’t be any local businesses,” Perello said in stressing the urgency of passing the bill, which also would reduce the wait time for obtaining permits for new businesses to 24 hours.
The Community Pharmacy Association of Puerto Rico supports the measure, executive director Maria Isabel Vicente told Efe, pointing out that the number of small establishments her organization represents has fallen to 750, down from nearly 1,200 two decades ago.
But Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce President Jorge Cañellas told Efe his organization opposes the bill and will not support legislation that restrict free-market competition.
A study by economist Jose Alameda Lozada estimates that every percentage-point increase in the market share of large retail chains such as Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Costco in the U.S. commonwealth results in six additional closures of small retailers and wholesalers annually.


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Starbucks have caved into pressure from bad PR and coughed up a voluntary sum of tax:
Starbucks has only reported taxable profit once in 15 years in the UK.
It announced late last year it would pay more corporation tax after a public outcry and an investigation by MPs.
"We listened to our customers in December and so decided to forgo certain deductions which would make us liable to pay £10m in corporation tax this year and a further £10m in 2014," a Starbucks spokeswoman said.How exactly it has created a liability remains to be seen.
After waking up late and only picking up the story an hour ago, UK Uncut have issued this:
This is just a PR stunt- who is to say these funds won't come straight out of Starbuck's marketing budget? Such desperate attempts by Starbucks to deflect public pressure will get them nowhere. The government must force Starbucks and every other tax dodging company to pay their fair share, instead of inflicting brutal cuts on those least able to shoulder the burden of austerity."And they are right about the PR stunt bit; it's money to try and kill off bad publicity but Starbucks are damned if they do and damned if they don't. It also looks like they've had a bit of a revelation. Yep, they've finally realised that it's the government who can change things so that companies pay more tax. So there's your target UK Uncut, not the companies that just follow the law.


text: [Sponsored Article] HKUST has a growing reputation for nurturing the entrepreneurial and technical talent fueling the FinTech revolution. Here, four alumni share insights on the tech, from blockchain to AI and from robo-advisory services to digital payments, they have harnessed in their businesses. Mike GAULT and Guardtime Kellogg-HKUST EMBA alumnus Mike GAULT is the founder and CEO of Guardtime, a blockchain startup based in Tallinn, Estonia, that employs a team of over 150 cryptographers, developers and security architects. Guardtime’s blockchain-based solutions can potentially be used to ensure the integrity and security of information across most areas of economic and societal activity, with the insurance, health and defense sectors among those currently targeted. The application of blockchain technology to improve efficiency and guarantee authenticity in international trade and cross-border manufacturing has garnered a lot of headlines in recent years, and Gault can understand why. “Blockchain provides a mechanism for verification throughout the entire supply chain, from the first part that’s created, all the way to the consumer. We estimate the efficiency savings businesses get through using blockchain as between 5 and 20 per cent.” Guardtime has offices in six locations around the globe but Gault chose Estonia for his HQ as he believes it is the world’s first truly digital society. “You can vote online in Estonia, and you can file your taxes — and find out how much you need to pay — in three minutes. This is because all the databases in Estonia are connected.” Blockchain technology can take a great deal of credit for Estonia’s successful digitization, Gault says, with its impact on the health sector particularly noteworthy. He compares the health sector in the US — citing losses there due to inefficient processes of hundreds of billions of dollars — with Estonia, where, he says, the figure is zero. “In Estonia, citizens own their health care records and give permission for doctors and family members to access them. Everyone can verify the processes, without having to trust all the people in between.” The demands of building the Guardtime business meant that Gault had to extend his studies across three Kellogg-HKUST EMBA cohorts. But, in fact, these delays proved very fortuitous, allowing him to connect with an even wider range of executives — and recruit three of them for leading positions in his company. Jian TAN, now Guardtime’s General Manager, China, and James KOO, the company’s President, Singapore, were both in KH12 with Gault, while the company’s President, Tim FITZPATRICK, was a classmate in KH13. “Tim, our President, was a general counsel of a Chinese company located in Shenzhen, so he was really experienced in legal and managing risk,” Gault says. Tan, who completed a doctorate in Computational Genomics in Beijing, brought with him a deep knowledge of the Mainland. “He came to me during a class one day and said, ‘Hey, Mike, I love your technology. Let me help you build a business in China’.” Bianca HO and Clare.AI In recent years, digital assistants have leveraged the latest developments in AI technology to engage users in ever more convincing and useful conversations via speech and text. Bianca HO, who graduated from HKUST BBA in Global Business, co-founded Clare.AI with YEUNG Chi-kwong, also an HKUST alumnus. She is the co-founder and COO of Clare.AI. Clare.AI builds software for industry-specific, conversational digital assistants that are capable of understanding more than ten Asian languages. Ho points to the manner in which customer expectations have been rising — with them expecting quicker responses delivered in a more user-friendly and useful form — as being a key driver behind the rapid adoption of FinTech in the banking and financial services sector. The goals of Clare.AI are to create effortless communication experiences. To achieve these objectives, the business strives to remove the barriers that prevent enterprises communicating effectively with their end-users. “We see those barriers as languages, channels and costs,” she says. As it has grown, Clare.AI has attracted larger and more complex clients, with 50 per cent now coming from the banking and finance sector. “The common points I see [among Clare.AI’s clients] are that they are large traditional enterprises and organizations, who want to find a more innovative way of communicating and understanding their clients,” says Ho. In HKUST’s 2017 One Million Dollar Entrepreneurship Competition, the Clare.AI team won a GF Securities Award, worth HK$200,000. The awarding of that cash prize is just one of the ways in which the HKUST community has played an important role in supporting the development of the business, notes Ho. She is also in regular touch with the HKUST Entrepreneurship Center, which was established to support innovation and entrepreneurship on the campus, and cultivate a risk-taking value-creation mindset. The Entrepreneurship Center has given Clare.AI exposure to investors and clients, and Ho sees its work as indicative of the real-world relationship the University has with startups. When it comes to the performance of Hong Kong in general, in terms of FinTech innovation and adoption, Ho says it has a lot to do with its current and past strengths. “Hong Kong is strong because of regulation, but it’s also not strong because of regulation. It’s very much a double-edged sword. Hong Kong’s robustness comes from its regulatory framework, but this can also stifle innovation.” What’s more, success can diminish a certain type of hunger. “Hong Kong does not evolve as quickly as other hubs because the businesses here are so profitable. It’s ironic that many large banks make their decisions here, but because Hong Kong is so profitable for them, it’s usually not the first market they innovate in.” However, she does see evidence of a desire to catch up, and this is partly driven by an acknowledgment that lagging behind is starting to have an impact on the bottom line. As for investor interest, Ho believes venture capitalists are excited the most by large markets, and so are looking to new FinTech services in areas such as virtual insurance and virtual banking. Greater awareness of the economic direction of travel is also reflected in the career choices Hong Kong graduates are now making. When she completed her own studies at HKUST, Ho says most of her classmates were looking to join investment banks or major consultancies, while startups and new tech companies were seen as too risky a bet. Today, to a large degree that paradigm has been turned on its head. Don HUANG and Magnum Research’s AQUMON Also harnessing the growing powers of AI is AQUMON, a robo-advisory service developed by Magnum Research, which aims to make the wealth management process more accessible. “A robo-advisory service is a type of automated wealth management service that is based on quantitative investment strategies and is customized to clients’ needs,” explains Don HUANG, Co-founder of Magnum Research. Based on the investor's risk profile and investment preferences, AQUMON’s algorithm engine suggests a tailor-made investment portfolio. “The portfolio will then be automatically constructed and monitored for re-balancing needs as the financial market fluctuates. The experience can be fully online, facilitated by AQUMON’s mobile and web platform,” says Huang. The thesis he wrote for the doctorate he completed at the School of Science of HKUST focused on the pricing of exotic derivatives. “Some results of my research can be directly applied in our quantitative-based investment strategies,” Huang notes. Now, having obtained the requisite licenses and funding, AQUMON serves both individual investors and financial institutions and is currently partnering with over 30 financial institutions across Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. “We obtained Hong Kong SFC Licenses 1 and 4 to service Hong Kong citizens, and the US SEC RIA License to service non-Hong Kong citizens. We closed the Series A++ round of financing in September 2018. Our major investors include Bohai XingWang, L.P., managed by BOC International, and Alibaba Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF), a not-for-profit initiative by Alibaba Group.” Huang says Magnum Research has had to overcome a number of obstacles to establish itself in Hong Kong. These go beyond the high cost of office space in the city. “AQUMON closely integrates IT and AI, but the relevant talents are rare in Hong Kong. Additionally, there are strong regulatory requirements placed on financial services providers, so we had to go to great lengths to obtain the related licenses as a startup.” But one element of the local startup eco-system has had only a positive impact on the company’s development. Huang says the HKUST Entrepreneurship Center has offered Magnum Research a huge range of resources on an ongoing basis, including, at an early stage, office space. “We were also invited by HKUST Entrepreneurship Center to different financial technology events that helped raise awareness of our brand. “In addition, we have partnered with professors from the Department of Mathematics and from the Business School on many research projects. An AI laboratory is also being set up at HKUST, dedicated to research and application of AI and investment.” But since talent is his company's most valuable asset, Huang is particularly keen to express his gratitude to HKUST for nurturing the outstanding graduates who now work with Magnum Research. Ken LO and ZhongAn Entrepreneurship is more than the process of starting a company. It is a combination of attitude and a skill-set applicable to pursuing innovation in business and career. Having graduated from HKUST BBA Program (Marketing and Management and MSc in Investment Management), Ken LO is now a founding member of ZhongAn International, a wholly-owned FinTech subsidiary of mainland giant ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance. Despite having such powerful backing, he still believes in the importance of retaining a startup mentality. “No matter how big or small your company, you have to retain a ‘day one’ mindset.” Many established businesses in the finance sector are now looking for ways to change a corporate culture that may have been successful in the past, Lo notes. “This is a critical moment for a lot of traditional financial institutions who are wondering how to spur innovation when they know ‘winter is coming’. Increasingly we are seeing them partner with FinTech companies and digital platforms, as they start to orientate their company to be more customer - not product-centric.” ZhongAn Online P&C Insurance was founded jointly by Ant Financial, Tencent and PingAn in 2013 and was the first Chinese online insurer. “We are also the first licensed financial institution in China to put our core systems in the cloud,” adds Lo. “In 2017 alone, we served more than 340 million customers in China, and we sold more than 5.4 billion policies.” Established in 2017, ZhongAn Technologies International Group is based in Cyberport, in Hong Kong, and in Shenzhen. “We supply insurance tech solutions for traditional insurance companies to accelerate their digital transformation, and we are co-creating insurance related products and solutions for our international partners,” Lo says. Current international collaborations include those with SoftBank and a long-established insurer in Japan. The company’s Shenzhen operation focuses on IT engineering, coding, system development and product management, while the Cyberport office concentrates on marketing and risk, leveraging on Hong Kong’s established business acumen. “Its cross-border operation leverages the talents, cultural and product knowledge in both the Mainland and Hong Kong to accelerate the company’s growth and development.” The argument that Hong Kong is lagging behind the Mainland, particularly in areas such as digital payments, is one that Lo believes needs to be put into context. “In Hong Kong, the payment market is very mature,” he points out. Hongkongers have, for example, an average of, two to three credit cards per person, whereas on the Mainland the comparable figure is well under one. Developments in technology, and its growing reach, led to an inflection point at which it was possible for mainland companies to explore other payment options. In Hong Kong, there is something of a legacy problem for established financial institutions, who are having to decide whether to keep on improving existing systems or write off years of investment. Long renowned as an international financial center, Hong Kong now also has the ambition to be a leading FinTech hub, Lo notes. This, however, requires talent as well as technological understanding and business smarts, and Lo’s alma mater, HKUST, is a place where he believes these talents can be blended together.


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3D printing may have an image problem. It's sometimes seen as a hobbyist pursuit -- a fun way to build knickknacks from your living room desktop -- but a growing number of companies are giving serious thought to the technology to help get new ideas o...
Xerox has issued the first software patch intended to fix a problem in some multi-function printers that causes characters to be incorrectly reproduced when scanned.
A software bug that caused some characters to be substituted for others in scans by some Xerox machines is more serious than previously thought.
Xerox will disable a scanner setting in some of its WorkCentre products that can sometimes result in figures being altered in scanned documents.
Japan's Casio is preparing to launch a new Android tablet for businesses that acts as a personal scanner.
A pair of Taiwan researchers have designed what they believe to be the first webcam-equipped antenna that can be unfolded from a laptop PC for quick scans of lengthy documents.
Full-size scanners and multifunction printers that scan, fax, and print are so 2009, right? And good luck lugging one of those huge beasts around with you on the road. Enter the PlanOn DocuPen Xtreme X05, a scanner that has the shape and size of an e...
The HP Photosmart e-All-in-One could be any low-end color inkjet multifunction printer saddled with limited features and pricey inks. Its solid performance and its access to a range of Web-based printing apps make it an acceptable choice for home use...
Tomorrow marks the 35th anniversary of the first time a laser scanner was used to "read" a bar code, according to Motorola Inc.
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FAA may make cuts at airports in Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Dothan
- Staff Birmingham Business Journal
Fallout from the federal budget sequestration that is due to take effect this Friday may result in massive furloughs and the closure of air traffic control facilities by the Federal Aviation Administration at airports in Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Dothan.
According to the Tuscaloosa News, the FAA announced last week that more than 100 airports may be affected in an effort to trim $600 million from its budget for the remainder of the 2013 fiscal year.
A release by the agency said furloughs and facility shutdowns would begin in April.
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Confidential self-exclusion personal customer information binned outside Ladbrokes shop
A Ladbrokes retail shop’s data protection compliance procedures are in question after a self-excluded customer’s information was found in a bin bag outside a retail shop in Central Glasgow.
The information reportedly included sensitive personal data along with photographs of the customer, but excluded bank details and betting history.
Ladbrokes has initiated its own internal investigation saying the issue does not reflect company data protection procedures across its properties.
“We are taking this extremely seriously and are undertaking a full investigation,” Ladbrokes said in a statement.


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Blizzard has announced a partnership with The esports Association (TeSPA) to support gaming clubs in educational institutions.
The Membership Milestone campaign will provide funding, promotion and in-game rewards for events hosted by esports clubs in universities.
A group website, member T-shirts, mailing list service and advice on how to grow the group will be provided to those who sign up.
At 40 members, a Twitch stream will be provided; at 65, $300 (£183) towards one event each year and the chance to rent hardware such as cables; at 80, money towards a pizza party and additional equipment; at 200, a yearly budget of $500 (£305), gaming peripherals and other benefits.
The benefits of the programme will be provided to members of the TeSPA network, on the condition that they pay a $10 (£6) fee and provide a “game agnostic” group where anyone can join and play.
The choice of titles to be played competitively isn’t limited to Blizzard games, but in-game rewards will be provided for the publisher’s StarCraft II, Heroes of the Storm and Hearthstone games.
“TeSPA has been a positive force in the esports community built from the ground up by a small group of dedicated fans,” said CEO and co-founder of Blizzard Mike Morhaime.
“By partnering with TeSPA we hope to give back to the players in a very new way to add fuel to an already thriving collegiate scene.”


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Trade back over $ 5,000, more eyes are on the world’s largest cryptocurrency, bitcoin, than has been almost 19 weeks, a fact confirmed as Google searches for the “bitcoin” currently hovering at levels not seen since November 20.
Google trend data reveal that the sharp increase in searches was unambiguously achieved on April 2, as the cryptocransancy price jumped almost 20% to one hour of $ 4,961, the highest since November 19, according to CoinDesk’s price data.
While Google Trends does not provide the exact number of searches, it is apparent that the volume of “bitcoin” searches worldwide reached 90% of what it was on November 20, as shown below.
Indeed, “bitcoin” searches skyrocketed skyline on Tuesday as investors, traders and media alike searched for reasons why the price of bitcoin surged.
It is interesting to note that most of the searches came from countries that may not be seen as the source of the highest chance.
Google’s data reveals even more the largest amount of searches on April 2-3 were from St. Helena, the Netherlands, South Africa, Nigeria and Austria in this order. The US, Canada and the UK failed to crack the top ten of the most sought after “bitcoin”, ranking 11, 12 and 17 respectively.
The significance of spike in bitcoin searches may seem trivial par value, but studies have shown that there is a correlation between the price of the cryptocurrency and its search interest. Core findings indicate periods of low search volume tend to precede large markings at the price generated with the famous market cycles of bitcoin, or perhaps the wild market.


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It takes six years to recover from this type of disaster.
That was the consensus of people who had witnessed the kind of flooding devastation that swept through the Delaware County village of Margaretville on August 28, 2011. A foot of torrential rain, courtesy of Hurricane Irene, had swept through the region overnight. In the light of day, the stunning range of damage became distressingly clear.
The Freshtown Marketplace, an economic magnet for the village, took the brunt of the rushing waters. The supermarket’s windows were shattered, coolers and grocery items all destroyed. The adjacent CVS Pharmacy sustained even more structural damage and was eventually razed due to safety concerns.
Across Bridge Street, the sprawling Granary building that houses several commercial businesses and five upstairs apartments was similarly impacted as flood waters of historic levels smashed windows and wrecked equipment.
The impact on the village was startling. Less than a week later, Margaretville was hit with a second round of flooding as the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee drench the village.
As was the case with much of the country, Margaretville’s business community had been lagging from the recession and empty storefronts were glaringly prominent. The flooding stamped a soggy exclamation point on a village that had already been besieged by economic doldrums.
The outlook was bleak and few would have blamed the remaining business owners for throwing in the proverbial towel and seeking drier ground. Then, something extraordinary occurred.
The sheer force of human will burst through, and shop owners, volunteer firefighters, residents, and state-supplied aid workers began to pick up the pieces of the village—literally.
The cleanup for most businesses took months, but the determination was unrelenting. The village would rebound—there was no doubt. Newly fortified and redesigned to help withstand subsequent high waters, Freshtown was back in business by early 2012. Next door, CVS was rebuilt with similar flood-proofing methods. Like reverse dominoes, businesses were revamped and reopened.
There were still abundant open storefronts, but that slowly began to change. Over the past four years, Margaretville has been hit by another kind of torrent—a deluge of new businesses setting up shop.
A New TideThe list is impressive and growing: Home Goods of Margaretville, Catskill Candies and Confections, Bloom Fabric, Art & Retreat, The Happy Giraffe, Picnic!, Catskill Seasons Ltd., Northhill Outdoors, Catskill Perfection Barbershop, Honey Bee Herbs, La Pizza Nostra, Catskill Mountain Tattoo, Foothills Shoes, The Longyear Gallery, General Technical computer repairs, Barbara Alyn: Artwear, Luxury & Mercantile have all opened in the village during this span.
Chef Bryan Calvert’s Binnekill Tavern, set to debut in September, promises to be a community lynchpin on the dining scene. The Ark Bowl & BBQ, on the border of Margaretville and Arkville will also be a fall entry into the local commerce scene. Owner Paul Collyer is creating a multi-attraction venue that will include bowling, live music, movies, dining, and a bar.
It’s been a truly impressive and diverse influx of business commitment and optimism.
Jessica and Jake Olenych, both Catskill Region natives, logged countless hours volunteering with flood cleanup efforts and were inspired by camaraderie they witnessed.
After 10 years working in the watershed education field, Jessica was one of the first to commit to opening a business in the village. Home Goods of Margaretville (not to be confused with the TJ Maxx franchise) had operated in the community for 16 years, but had closed when the owner moved out of state. The business had been up for sale, with no takers. After much deliberation, Jessica and Jake purchased the kitchen store in May 2014 and relocated it to the corner of Main and Bridge streets. The investment was a gamble for the young couple, but they saw great promise for the community. Four years later, their enthusiasm remains high.
“We love seeing the growth and change Margaretville is going through. “There’s so much creative energy and so many dedicated people opening businesses in the community,” Jessica remarks. “Honestly, I see lots of continued economic revival. Margaretville has always been the ‘workhouse’ of the Catskills—with all of the amenities and little of the cachet afforded some other nearby communities. However, that’s changing with the types of stores and restaurants that are opening.”
A few hundred feet south on Main Street, Lori Rosa and her daughter, Katie, recently marked the first anniversary of their shop Bloom, Fabric, Art & Retreat.
Lori, who had retired after many years in the teaching profession, felt that the renewed energy in the village made it a perfect time for a new venture. She and Katie purchased the former Masonic building and began an extensive remodeling project that includes retail space for their fabric shop, as well as accommodations for quilters and other crafters who wish to enjoy a weekend immersed in workshops and social activities.
“It took a while for the village to come back, but now most of the stores are occupied, storefronts have been remodeled, and everything is looking good!” Lori observes. “We are once again on track toward being a prosperous little village.”
She adds,“We are very fortunate to have several groups and individuals in the Margaretville area who work hard to make the village attractive and organize community events. I applaud their promotional efforts. This really helps the business community.”
Looking ahead, Lori says, “If the economy continues on the current projection that started under the Obama administration, I foresee more business coming to Margaretville and bringing in more visitors spending money. I’m optimistic this will happen as long as current trade wars don’t lead to another recession.”
Around the corner on Bridge Street, Kari Blish is enjoying operating The Happy Giraffe gift shop, which she opened in February 2017. A Margaretville native, Blish has welcomed the opportunity to put down local roots and start two businesses.
“After already having a business in the village for 16 years prior [The Flour Patch restaurant], I have definitely seen how the area has changed,” Blish says. “The Catskills are a very hip place to be right now, and most everyone has adapted to the new influx of people that has brought to our area.” Blish notes that the rustic and barn wedding trend continues to bring huge business to the county, as well as visitors from all around the country.
“I think the Village of Margaretville is looking great for the future. It’s a place people want to visit,” she says. “Whether it’s second homeowners or people just passing through, the consensus is that people love the beauty and atmosphere of Margaretville.”
A number of shop owners touted the efforts of the Business Association of Margaretville (BAM) in playing a pivotal role in boosting the visibility of the village. The organization hosts at least half-a-dozen themed events throughout the year to shine a spotlight on the community. While the entire Catskill Region benefits from the support of second homeowners, a key to most Margaretville businesses has been maintaining a strong emphasis on providing goods and services essential to full-time residents.
Chocolate may not be vital to everyone (although it should be!), but Raelene Bond tapped into a winning formula with the opening of Catskill Candies and Confections on Main Street in May 2016. Bond had conducted extensive market research for several years before committing to opening up shop. Her chocolate creations and associated products have won rave reviews and the enterprise immediately took off.
We’re going to have something special for the street event tonight: chocolate covered bacon! 🥓🍫😍 . . Come celebrate the first day of summer tonight, 5pm to 8pm! It’s going to be a fun evening filled with music, food, and games! . . . . #catskillcandiesandconfections #mainstreetmargaretville #visitmargaretville #summeronmain #streetevent #itsfinallysummer #chocolatecoveredbacon
“There is so much excitement around Margaretville and surrounding communities,” Bond says. “People are really enjoying the small-town, country feel of our beautiful village. More and more activities are happening and our local specialty shops have become attractions. We’ve come a long way since Irene and the new businesses have created lots of good community spirit.”
Barbara Alyn is a longtime village resident and previously sold her artistic creations at specialty events and festivals. Witnessing the renaissance of Margaretville convinced her to set up a permanent location.
“We opened in January at 806 Main Street and by June we had such a big success, we took the shop next door and expanded to house Barbara Alyn Artwear, Luxury & Mercantile,” she recounts. “We felt that it was time to invest in our town and the resurgence of Main Street. If you look around, every shop in town is rented and BAM is part of the new Margaretville. We are a bunch of folks trying to get people to come walk our Main Street again.”
It’s a common sentiment in Margaretville these days. and the results are truly impressive as the village has become more vibrant than ever—one new shop at a time.


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Official launch for search giant's delivery service for items from big-name retailers came Wednesday after a beta version saw months of trials by customers.
(Scott Everett White/AP)
(Photo by Joel Ryan/Invision/AP)
Surprise! Justin Bieber in news for his music
The troubled singer releases clips of 11 new tracks on Instagram, hinting at prospect of new album.


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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake gave the impression to be one of the greater exclusives for PS5 when it was announced in 2021. However, rumors emerged of it being indefinitely on hold and Saber Interactive taking over development over Aspyr Media. It now appears that issues may very well be extra dire than initially thought, with the announcement trailer going non-public on YouTube.
PlayStation additionally deleted its announcement tweet from September 2021, however you’ll be able to try a cached model here. Lucasfilm Games’ tweet continues to be out there with a hyperlink to the privated trailer, nevertheless it’s not wanting good. At finest, the undertaking is being rebooted and readied for a re-announcement.
At worst, it may very well be cancelled. Embracer Group, which owns Saber Interactive and Aspyr Media, has undergone a restructuring recently, closing studios like Volition and reportedly planning to sell Gearbox Entertainment. It wouldn’t be too unusual to shutter an costly undertaking like the remake, however we’ll want to attend for extra particulars. Stay tuned in the meantime.
A legendary story remade for a brand new era of gamers is coming to PlayStation 5 and PC. https://t.co/JdeFhyMG9W
— Lucasfilm Games (@LucasfilmGames) September 9, 2021


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Relax Gaming signs distribution deal with cryptocurrency operator Roobet21st May 2020 7:50 am GMT
Casino supplier Relax Gaming has signed a deal to provide its games to Curacao-licensed cryptocurrency casino operator Roobet.
Roobet will gain access to a growing selection of proprietary games from Relax, including latest release Hellcatraz and the Tumble series of games, as well as a wide range of content from third-party suppliers through the Silver Bullet and Powered By platforms.
“Roobet’s plans to transform online gaming with blockchain technology make it an exciting brand to partner with and we are delighted to provide the online casino with our unique blend of original and popular titles primed for the next-generation player,” said Relax Gaming chief commercial officer Daniel Eskola.
“The partnership demonstrates the appeal of our offering among a wide variety of operators, which is underscored by fast, seamless integration and business simplicity.”
Roobet integrations director Matt Duea added: “Roobet is committed to offering something different to the market status quo and partnering with Relax perfectly ties into this strive for innovation.
“With the range of quality content the supplier offers, combined with the flexibility of its platform and ease of doing business, we are positive this partnership presents great opportunity from all angles.”


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Shares of Cascades Inc. (OTCMKTS:CADNF – Get Rating) have received an average rating of “N/A” from the seven analysts that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $14.29.
A number of brokerages have weighed in on CADNF. Royal Bank of Canada reduced their target price on Cascades from C$17.00 to C$15.00 in a report on Friday, May 13th. Desjardins cut their price objective on Cascades from C$13.00 to C$11.50 in a report on Tuesday, May 17th. TD Securities cut their price objective on Cascades from C$14.00 to C$10.50 in a report on Friday, May 13th. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on Cascades from C$20.00 to C$17.00 in a report on Friday, May 13th. Finally, CIBC cut their price objective on Cascades from C$14.00 to C$11.00 in a report on Monday, May 16th.
Cascades stock opened at $8.40 on Tuesday. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $9.15 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $10.09. Cascades has a one year low of $7.02 and a one year high of $13.40.
Cascades Inc produces, converts, and markets packaging and tissue products in Canada and the United States. The company operates through three segments: Containerboard, Specialty Products, and Tissue Papers. It manufactures containerboards, as well as converts corrugated products. The company also offers uncoated recycled paperboards for use in packaging converters and industrial users of headers and wrappers for the paper industry, as well as partitions that are used as protective packaging; honeycomb paperboards for the beer, wine, and spirits industry; laminated paperboards for food packaging and furniture backing industries; and specialty containers, structural components, and paperboard and fiber composites.
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On Wednesday, July 13, Honor will introduce a new midrange smartphone to the market dubbed the Honor X40i. The device will feature two cameras on its back, arranged in a figure-eight configuration where the two modules meet.
A second video provides a closer look at the smartphone, this time in its Rose Galaxy iteration, without disclosing any other information.
Last year’s Honor X30i, a midranger with a 6.7-inch LCD (90Hz) and a 4,000 mAh camera with 22.5W charging, will be succeeded by this year’s Honor X40i. We will report on the release and specifics of the X40i on Wednesday.


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Did you know that Bidenomics is actually a thing? And that it’s supposed to be a good thing?
It wasn’t always that way.
Once upon a time, the term “Bidenomics” was a snide pejorative, used by the president’s political opponents as a sarcastic term for the economic “strategy” they like to say has produced, among other conditions, the highest inflation and fastest interest-rate increases in 40 years.
Many still use it that way. Just last month, during an appearance at a fundraiser for the South Carolina Republican Party, Donald Trump said, “One of the most important issues of the campaign will be who can rescue our country from the burning wreckage of Bidenomics,” Trump said. “You know what that stands for right? Henceforth, it will be defined as inflation, taxation, submission and failure.”
For months now, on the back of what have been robust headline economic numbers in areas such as unemployment, consumer spending and GDP growth, the administration has seen fit to essentially coopt “Bidenomics” from critics and spin the term as a positive.
“Bidenomics,” a recent White House statement says, “is rooted in the recognition that the best way to grow the economy is from the middle out and the bottom up.”
Unfortunately for the president, the public-relations “repackaging” effort doesn’t appear to be working terribly well.
According to a recent CNN poll, a mere 25% of the country describes economic conditions in America today as “good.” And slightly more than half the country agrees with this depressing statement:
The economy is still in a downturn and conditions are continuing to worsen.
As for how Americans view the economy specifically in terms of the president’s stewardship, let’s just say they don’t seem to be impressed. The survey revealed that just 37% approve of how Biden is handling the economy, while 63% explicitly said they “disapprove.”
Did I mention this was a CNN poll, of all things?
And now there’s this: After spiking in recent months, consumer sentiment – chiefly viewed as how consumers see their own prospects in the current economy – once again is either sinking or struggling to keep its head above water, depending on which piece of evidence you’re looking at.
After making strides in both June and July, The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for August tumbled. The University of Michigan’s Index of Consumer Sentiment, which has languished among its lowest values for some time, had been surging slightly since May, but recently has appeared to have hit a bit of a wall.
And according to the New York Fed’s Survey of Consumer Expectations for August, longer-term inflation expectations now are at their highest level in well over a year while various measures of personal financial prospects suggest any recent optimism consumers might have been feeling about what lies ahead could be dampening.
The surveys – more recent assessments of consumers’ outlook than even the referenced CNN poll – seem to indicate that despite some good-looking economic numbers, Americans seem considerably less than enthusiastic.
So, just what it is that has them so glum? This week, we’re going to dive into these surveys and see if we can find out.
The details contained in the New York Fed’s Survey of Consumer Expectations suggest a wide swath of America has a significantly less than upbeat view of what the near-term future holds for the country…and for them.
Even though inflation is considerably lower than it was a year ago, consumers don’t appear to have much confidence that it will return to the Fed’s 2% target anytime soon. According to the August survey numbers, although expectations for inflation in the medium term (three years out) declined 0.1 percentage points from July – down to 2.8% from 2.9% – consumers expect inflation both one year from now and five years from now to be higher than they said in July.
A year from now, consumers expect inflation to be at 3.6%, 0.1 percentage points higher than they said in July. And in five years, they expect inflation to still be at 3.0%…also 0.1 percentage points higher than they said in the previous survey.
That’s not all. Expectations for income growth declined in August, dropping from 3.2% in July to 2.9% in August, the lowest level since July 2021. And expectations for job loss? Those spiked from 11.8% in July to 13.8% last month – the highest that percentage has been since April 2021. It seems difficult to conclude anything other than a noticeably greater sense of foreboding among Americans about future job security right now.
Unsurprisingly, median expected growth in household income fell a fair bit last month, as well, dropping 0.3 percentage points to 2.9% – the lowest point for THAT measure since July 2021.
All of this leads to a broader metric designed to assess consumers’ expectations of what their overall financial situations will be a year into the future. The August survey results showed that the percentage of consumers who anticipate their households will be either “somewhat better off” or “much better off” at that time declined to 23.8% last month from the 29.3% who expected the same thing in July.
The results of another survey, The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Survey, also reflect a recent turnaround in consumer sentiment. The metric generated by the survey results, The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, declined significantly last month to 106.1 from 114.0 in July (measures above 100 suggest greater optimism, while those below 100 indicate greater pessimism).
Dana Peterson, chief economist at The Conference Board, noted the index’s downturn last month ended up “erasing back-to-back increases in June and July.”
“Write-in responses showed that consumers were once again preoccupied with rising prices in general, and for groceries and gasoline in particular,” she added, pointing out that “the pullback in consumer confidence was evident across all age groups – and most notable among consumers with household incomes of $100,000 or more, as well as those earning less than $50,000.”
Revealingly, a component index of the overall metric, the Expectations Index – which asks consumers to assess conditions six months ahead – sank from 88 in July to 80.2 last month. Not only was the measure already firmly entrenched in the “pessimism” part of the spectrum, but it couldn’t keep from tanking further in August. What makes the 80.2 measure particularly notable is that it’s now just barely above the key measure of 80 that The Conference Board describes as “the level that historically signals a recession within the next year.”
In her assessment about the relatively sharp drop in the Expectations Index, Dana Peterson noted there’s “less confidence about future business conditions, job availability, and incomes. She added, “Consumers may be hearing more bad news about corporate earnings, while job openings are narrowing, and interest rates continue to rise—making big-ticket items more expensive.” The economist also noted that “average 12-month inflation expectations ticked up.”
In June 2022, the University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Index fell to an all-time low of 50. That’s an all-time low. Granted, the data series goes back “only” as far as 1952…but that’s still pretty far. It means, among other things, that consumers weren’t as gloomy at any point during the era of the 1970s and early 1980s known as the “Great Inflation,” nor at any time during the global financial crisis.
Perhaps not so coincidentally, the index reached that all-time low in the same month annual inflation topped 9% for the first time in nearly 41 years.
Anyway, since last June, the index has recovered some. As of July, it was up to 71.6; still solidly below its running historical average of 85.5, but nevertheless substantively above that record low “achieved” the year before.
By August, the index had ticked down to 69.5. And now we learn that in September it slid backwards once again, to 67.7, below economists’ forecast.
Interestingly, the one-year inflation expectations of Michigan survey respondents declined in September, from 3.5% to 3.1%, which puts that specific trend at odds with those reflected in the New York Fed and Conference Board surveys. But in her summary of the survey results, Surveys of Consumers Director Joanne Hsu noted that “consumers have taken note of the stalling slowdown in inflation,” and that “on net consumers remain relatively tentative about the trajectory of the economy.”
So, what’s going on? Why is it that consumers are seeing things as they are right now, in contradiction to a low unemployment rate along with other headline numbers that at least suggest meaningful economic growth?
It seems the principal “thread of negativity” running through each of these surveys is ongoing concern about inflation. And the most recent round of inflation numbers isn’t going to do much to calm the nerves of those who are apparently fretting about it.
It’s true that inflation has been decelerating broadly since the consumer price index last year hit the 9.0% mark I referenced a little earlier. But it seems inflation is hardly finished. Just this week, we were reminded once again about how stubborn price pressures have been during this current inflation cycle.
In August, the headline consumer price index (CPI) increased at a monthly rate of 0.6%…its fastest pace since June 2022. Year-over-year inflation picked up speed last month, as well, rising 3.7% after climbing 3.2% in July.
And as for core CPI, which excludes volatility-prone food and energy prices and thus is seen as a better measure of “true” economic inflation, that sped up last month, too, accelerating at 0.3% after increasing 0.2% in July. The annual core number did decelerate to 4.3% from 4.7%…but it obviously remains well above the Fed’s 2% target level.
Complicating the matter of prices for consumers are elevated interest rates. Inflation obviously puts upward pressure on prices, and higher interest rates are deployed specifically to rein that inflation in. But the fact is that higher interest rates make products more expensive, as well, and when inflation is persistent – like it is, currently – and interest rates are higher – like they are, currently – consumers are stuck dealing with the price consequences of both.
Along those lines, The Conference Board’s Dana Peterson noted from the August survey results that “expectations for interest rates jumped in August after falling two months ago.” This suggests that while the popular refrain right now might be that rate hikes are nearly over and rate cuts are pending, consumers may not be buying it. And given the recent acceleration in CPI I referenced earlier, it’s not as though their concerns are baseless.
There’s also the matter of concerns about job security, which is another recurring theme in these surveys. Sure enough, the July JOLTS report – Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey – indicated there were 338,000 fewer job openings in July than there were in June (August data isn’t due out until the beginning of October). Total job openings stood at 8.8 million as of the last day of July – the lowest level since March 2021. Also notable from the report is the number of quits fell by 253,000, suggesting Americans may be growing less confident in their ability to quickly find a comparable job if they lose the one they have.
The economy right now is particularly complex. There are headline numbers – such as the previously referenced employment and consumer spending data – that seem to suggest the nation’s economic engine is running on all cylinders. But as we’ve also discussed, the various impacts of chronically higher inflation and interest rates suggest a different reality. And right now, it seems that reality is the one that a growing number of Americans have decided they’re living right now.
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RuneScape – New Game Client (NXT) Teaser
Debuted at RuneFest, RuneScape showcases the NXT game client, bringing a brand new look to the game.
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It seem like just yesterday we saw Chelsea Houska welcome her daughter Aubree Skye into the world on MTV's 16 & Pregnant. Fast forward to today and Aubree has just completed her first day of school!
Seriously, where did the time go?
Just this morning, Chelsea posted this adorable picture of little Aubree sporting a pink floral dress (where does she find such cute clothes for her?), a matching pink backpack and sparkly gold flats.
Aubree's style has already caught the attention of many fans and Chelsea recently launched a website where fans can buy clothes and jewelry that have been hand-selected by the fashionable mother-daughter duo.
If the rumors are true, we will hopefully get to see more of Aubree and her adventures as there are reports that another season of Teen Mom 2 is currently being filmed.
In the meantime, Aubree can continue to kill us with her cuteness in Chelsea's Twitter and Instagram photos.
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Gallery | Guess the 'Teen Mom' Tot!


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Further reports have emerged that Sharp is nearing the sale of US solar developer Recurrent Energy, with news outlets claiming a deal has been agreed with Canadian Solar worth about ¥30 billion (US$247.5 million).
Japan-headquartered Sharp appears to have been trying to sell off Recurrent Energy for a short while, after a series of unconfirmed reports emerged in September that this was the case. At the time a company spokeswoman said that while the company was considering a number of options for Recurrent, including its sale, nothing had been decided.
In the latest turn of events, Japanese financial newspaper Nikkei reported over the weekend that Sharp had agreed the sale as part of an ongoing process to concentrate on its core businesses. So far this has included the company exiting its thin-film join venture (JV) with Enel at a cost of around US$141 million in July and the earlier closure of a PV module assembly plant in Wales, UK. Additionally, the company has been among many in Japan to suffer the effect of a controversial hike in consumption tax.
Recurrent was only purchased by Sharp in 2010. Nikkei claimed that the deal between the two parties had not yielded significant benefit to Sharp, with Recurrent not electing to use its new parent company’s panels in substantial volumes. According to Nikkei the deal with Canadian Solar could be completed by the end of the year.
Reuters news agency reported this morning that Sharp had said since the Nikkei report that it was considering various options including the sale of Recurrent Energy but was yet to make a final decision on the deal. Meanwhile, Sharp announced this morning in Japan that it completed and connected a 2.6MW solar farm project in Tochigi, eastern Japan at the end of November.