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Lake County suing Juul over "predatory" marketing to teens
Lake County and a trio of Chicago law firms are taking e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs to court, alleging in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that the company hooked teens on nicotine by glamorizing the product on social media and elsewhere.
Lake County State's Attorney Mike Nerheim on Tuesday announced what he described as a first-of-its-kind action at a news conference outside Daniel Wright Junior High School in Lincolnshire.
Surrounded by students, county officials and lawyers from three firms that have joined the effort, Nerheim said teen vaping has become a "massive health epidemic across the nation" and targeted Juul, which owns more than 75% of the e-cigarette market.
"Like dope dealers on a street corner, Juul intentionally created addicted teen customers to continuously come back looking for another fix," Nerheim said, likening the tactics to tobacco companies in the '60s and '70s.
San Francisco-based Juul Labs exists to help adult smokers switch from combustible cigarettes, spokesman Ted Kwong said in a statement Tuesday.
"We have never marketed to youth and do not want non-nicotine users, especially youth, to ever try our product," he said. The company has exited Instagram and Facebook and taken "aggressive industry leading actions" to combat youth usage, he added.
Nerheim and partners in the suit -- Romanucci and Blandin, LLC; Hart McLaughlin and Eldridge LLC; and Edelson, PC -- say Juul's "predatory" marketing campaign is aimed to recruit new users at a young age by getting them hooked on the nicotine in e-cigarettes.
The company launched a massive online advertising campaign that specifically targeted teens on social media platforms and pushed them to take pictures of themselves using the product, then asked them to post those pictures on social media using the Juul hashtag, the lawsuit claims.
Kwong said the company works "constantly" to remove inappropriate social media content generated by others and is developing technologies to restrict teen access. Juul has stopped the sale of non-tobacco and non-menthol based flavored Juul pads to retail stores and conducted more than 2,000 "secret shopper" visits per month, he added.
But Nerheim isn't buying it, saying "hundreds of thousands of adolescents" were conned and became hooked on nicotine. Attorney Tony Romanucci said the company has done an "end around" by creating a new company to market products.
"Juul simply appears to be addressing a problem that they created and only tried to fix the damage after being called out for what they have done," Nerheim said. "Those efforts are far too little, far too late."
Kids vape in class, school bathrooms, parks and in their bedroom, but have no idea they are ingesting "huge amounts of a highly addictive chemical and carcinogens," Nerheim said.
Vrushali Thakkar, a senior at Stevenson High School and president of Catalyst, a substance abuse prevention club, said students use it in the classroom after teachers leave and aren't caught because there is no smell.
"We're becoming nicotine addicts," she said. The array of flavors "have been engineered to attract kids and romanticize the industry," she added.
The suit alleges Juul's practices have led to widespread adolescent addiction to its products, which can be undone only through expensive anti-addiction and cessation treatment and education programs.
"It will take years of education and money to right the wrongs and cover the damages caused by Juul's marketing campaigns. To that end, the company should be held accountable for the massive expected cost to undo the damage they created," Nerheim said.
He said the suit has been in the works a year and 17 lawyers at the private firms are on the case.
"I'm proud we're first. We know this will be a long, hard-fought lawsuit and we're prepared for that," he added.


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Home IN MAG
The pandemic has driven every auctioneer to improve its online service, and eBay is not standing still either.
Marathon is one of the biggest watch brands in the world you have probably never heard of. That is unless you are in the military, in which case you may have been trusting one of their ultra-rugged timepieces with your life for decades.
Advancing treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is by far the most valuable contribution the biennial Only Watch auction makes to the world, a cause that the watch industry has embraced as warmly as Luc Pettavino, who founded the fundraiser. The results of the auction also give a guide to what watch collectors value most these days in terms of brands, materials, styles, provenance and storytelling.
Peers Hardy, best known for bringing blockbuster fashion brands like ICE-Watch and Daniel Wellington to the UK, is looking for another trend to blow up, this time for affordable and trend-led smartwatches.
Having been postponed twice since its original release date of April 2020, the 25th James Bond movie, No Time To Die, was finally released at the end of September. Simon de Burton revisits the watches that have become as much a part of Bond's essential operational equipment as an Aston Martin and a dry martini.
The 2021 WATCHPRO Awards Ceremony takes place on November 11 in central London.
Brother and sister Dominic and Melanie Wakefield have transformed their showroom with a £1.4 million refurbishment built around prestige brands from Rolex and Fope to Tudor and its own fine jewellery collections.
What happens when the free market damages the reputation of an industry's most successful brands?
Market for certified pre-owned watches is predicted to grow from a retail value of $19 billion in 2019 to over $30 billion in 2025. Here's why.
Pre-owned watch specialist Watchfinder walks us through the classic timepieces seen on the wrist of 007 back to 1954.

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When you think music videos - like Beyonce’s smashing Grammys performance - where would you go to watch them? As of now, most of you would have answered YouTube. Right? While YouTube may be the most popular destination for music videos currently, we now see new rivals emerging for the Google-owned video streaming platform - Facebook & Apple.
"Facebook has its sights set on YouTube’s most engaging content - music videos"
We have, in the past, discussed Facebook’s growing video prowess at length. A recent move by the company to introduce mid-roll ads within its videos and share revenues with creators, shook the streaming world, especially YouTube, which has sustained on a very similar business model for over a decade. Afterall, a giant like Facebook with 1.86 billion monthly active users, that’s almost 28% of the world’s population, is a large threat to any business it decides to step into. In this case, it is the business of videos.
As per reports, Facebook has its sights set on YouTube’s most engaging content - music videos. Facebook is known to be wooing music labels, artists, publishers and industry executives for a deal that would let Facebook users include copyright music in their creations, while the owner of the copyright gets a cut for the same. The social network is meeting with label lawyers and will potentially also look to obtain entire music videos from labels as well, eating right into YouTube’s $1 billion ad revenue. But will it be so simple? Can Facebook walk right out the door with a deal in hand into YouTube’s territory?
In Q1 2015, 725 of the 1000 most popular videos on Facebook were stolen from YouTube
While Facebook may be looking for multiple ways to monetise its videos business, it does have a few stones to turn before it can convince music labels to sign up for the platform. For starters, Facebook has to do a mass cleanse of stolen YouTube videos that are already floating in thousands on the platform. In Q1 2015, 725 of the 1000 most popular videos on Facebook were stolen from YouTube. These stolen YouTube videos were natively uploaded on Facebook, amassing around 17 billion in views. If Facebook wants to house music videos on its newsfeeds, the company will have to enforce stricter infringement guidelines and rules to govern video uploads.
Music labels are anyways not too happy with YouTube’s tech for recognising infringement, so Facebook will have to work extra hard to identify copyright music in videos. How it plans to identify such music in each and every video uploaded by content makers is still a mystery.
How Facebook plans to monetise music in user generated videos is also something that is unclear as of now. The platform will certainly not charge its users to license these songs, and streaming giants like Apple Music and Spotify will not be too happy, given that this music will be available to Facebook users for free. In fact, Apple may also be looking to introduce videos to Apple Music, as per statements made by Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services, Eddy Cue. "It's one of the differentiating factors we can add to Apple Music," he said at Recode's Media Event on Monday.
However, the social media giant seems to be strategizing its moves well, and has been hiring long-term professionals from the music and video space to help it get on track. The company recently hired Tamara Hrivnak, a well-known record executive and former Director of Music Partnerships at YouTube & Google Play. Facebook is also reassuring the music industry that it will have a strict anti-piracy policy and will share ad revenue with stakeholders.
Back in December 2016, big record labels were putting pressure on Facebook to deal with copyright infringement issues. The news was followed by reported comments from sources close to the company that it is in the process of building a copyright tracking tech, similar to YouTube’s ‘Content ID’. Also, since covers of songs by Facebook users are the most popular forms of music videos on the platform, gathering nearly 600 million views as per The National Music Publishers’ Association, Facebook will need a solid licensing deal in place to help publishers earn their dues. Can Facebook or Apple Music become the next YouTube? The answer is something folks over at Google would shudder to think of.


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Salmonella In Spices: FDA Study Finds 7 Percent of Imported Spices Are Contaminated; Which Are The Worst Offenders?
About seven percent of imported spices tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2002 and 2009 were contaminated with salmonella, according to a study published in Food Microbiology. The FDA will release a comprehensive analysis related to this study "soon," according to the New York Times.
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"Salmonella is a widespread problem with respect to imported spices," Michael Taylor, deputy F.D.A. commissioner for food, told the New York Times. "We have decided that spices are one of the significant issues we need to be addressing right now."
In the Food Microbiology study, researchers from the FDA tested 20,000 imported spices over a seven-year period. With seven percent of spice lots containing salmonella, imported spices were twice as likely as other imported foods to contain the bacterium. Certain types of imported spices tested by the FDA were found to be contaminated with salmonella 15 percent of the time.
The worst offenders were some of the most common products on spice racks across America: coriander, basil, oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, curry powder and -- most alarmingly -- black pepper. Spices that came from fruit, seeds and leaves were more likely to be contaminated with salmonella than spices from bark or the flowering part of a plant. Spices that were ground up or cracked were more likely to be contaminated than were whole spices.
The highest number of contaminated spices came from Mexico and India. Mexican spices showed 14 percent levels of salmonella, while Indian spices were contaminated in 9 percent of cases. But while the percentage of salmonella cases from India is a bit lower than that of Mexico, the U.S. imports one-fourth of its spices and oils from India.
A representative from Mexico's Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risk disputed the findings, but in India, precautions are being taken to minimize the salmonella risk.
"The world wants safe spices, and we are committed to making that happen," said A. Jayathilak, chairman of the government agency Spices Board of India.
The New York Times tells the story of the Josephs, a family that runs a pepper farm in India. While the have traditionally dried their pepper seeds on bamboo mats or dirt floors -- where the seeds were subjected to possible contamination from dung and dirt -- the Josephs now use safer methods.
Now, the Josephs boil their harvest in water to clean the kernels, speed drying and encourage a uniform color. They are then placed on tarps spread over a concrete slab with nets above to catch bird droppings. Ovens would be even more sanitary, but ovens and electricity are expensive "and sunlight is free," Mr. Joseph said.
Salmonella poisoning from imported spices is a particular concern in the U.S., which buys $1.1 billion of spices from other countries each year. In the U.S., it is common practice to spice foods after they've been cooked, whereas in other countries it can be more common to only spice foods while cooking, which kills bacteria. And because salmonella lives in spices indefinitely, a bottle of coriander contaminated with salmonella may sit in a spice rack for years, making salmonella cases difficult to trace.
© 2012 iScience Times All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.


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Feb 20, 2023
San Francisco Fed Seeks Senior Application Developer For CBDC
The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco is looking for a software engineer to help them develop and implement systems related to a central bank digital currency (CBDC). On Feb. 18, the San Francisco Fed posted an opening for a “senior application developer – digital currency.” The successful candidate will aid the Federal Reserve in designing and implementing systems critical to CBDC research.
The job posting states that the software engineer will engage with management, other developers, development operations teams, and vendors to ensure the Federal Reserve is well-positioned to design, develop, and implement technology to support a CBDC as required by the Board of Governors. Responsibilities include developing systems related to CBDCs, identifying improvements and mitigating risks. The job location is in San Francisco, California, with a base salary ranging from $110,300 to $176,300.
At the time of writing, 45 applicants have shown interest in joining the federal government to build an in-house CBDC. Major economies across the world are testing CBDCs, with India onboarding 50,000 users and 5,000 merchants to test out its recently launched digital rupee CBDC. Reserve Bank of India deputy governor Rabi Sankar noted that the government plans to proceed with CBDC testing in a gradual manner. The project is currently active across five cities, with nine more cities potentially gradually joining the pilot soon.
The use of CBDCs is becoming more widespread, with many companies exploring the potential of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, to promote their products and services. NFTs are digital assets that are unique, immutable, and tradeable. They have become increasingly popular in the web3 space, with crypto projects, artists, and other companies using them to create digital collectibles, verify ownership, and monetize digital content.
In response to this trend, many NFT marketing agencies have emerged to help companies promote their NFTs. These agencies offer services such as Twitter NFT marketing, NFT promotion, and NFT marketing strategies. They also help companies create and sell NFTs, as well as provide advice on how to maximize the return on investment of their NFTs.
As the use of CBDCs and NFTs continues to grow, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco is looking for a software engineer to help develop and implement systems related to CBDCs. Those interested in the position can apply on the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s website. With the emergence of NFT marketing agencies, companies can now use NFTs to promote their products and services, as well as monetize digital content and verify ownership. As the use of CBDCs and NFTs continues to rise, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco is looking for a software engineer to help develop and implement systems related to CBDCs.Disclaimer: All investment or financial opinions expressed by MoonLanding Media are not recommendations and are intended for entertainment purposes only. Do your own research prior to making any kind of investment. This article has been generated based on trending topics, has not been fact checked and may contain incorrect information. Please verify all information before relying on it.


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Rating & Comment: Inflation: The Insidious Tax On All Of Us | Jax Daily Record | Jacksonville Daily Record
Take a close look at the charts to the right of the Federal Reserve Bank.
Unfortunately, they are prima facie evidence of the untold story of Washington politicians killing the wealth of the middle class and savers and setting the stage for yet another national economic calamity.
The weapon is inflation – simply printing more money. Print more dollars to feed the startlingly reckless spending of our Washington politicians – presidents and congressmen of both parties alike.
Consider this: From the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency to the presidency of Joe Biden, the M2 money supply – the standard measure of money and deposits in circulation – has increased 47% from $ 13.36 trillion to $ 19.67 trillion. Since 2010 the increase has been 132%.
It seems incomprehensible just to think of the stacks of trillions of dollars that were printed to keep up with spending:
• $ 839 billion for the 2009 Obama incentive.
• $ 900 billion for the first COVID relief package in 2020.
• $ 1.9 trillion in the Biden COVID package this month.
• Not to mention the $ 6 trillion in federal deficits over the past five years.
Of course, it is difficult to understand how all these billions and trillions flow down on you and affect your daily life.
But maybe here’s an explicit way to shape the printing of all that money:
You must have noticed that the $ 100 at the grocery checkout is buying less and less.
And that’s it. This is the hidden, insidious inflation tax. It strikes in small quantities, like a constant drop that gradually diminishes everyone’s purchasing power, with consumers seldom realizing the gravity of the tragedy.
This is the vicious work of Washington politicians.
Ludwig von Mises
How the late Austrian economist Ludwig von Mises explained inflation in the 1960s in a series of lectures:
“The first rule, or the only rule we must teach everyone to explain the problems of money, is that increasing the amount of money for the group, for the people, for society, for the king, for the emperors, who does, a temporary improvement in the situation. [Think of this in terms of the COVID stimulus checks — the “temporary improvement.”]
“But if so, why only today and not tomorrow? That is the problem of inflation.
“The problem is not to increase the amount of money. The problem is increasing the amount of things that money can buy. And if you increase the amount of money, instead of increasing the amount of things that money can buy, you are only increasing the prices that can be paid for them. “
This is happening now.
A longtime restaurant owner in Sarasota and Manatee told us last week that food prices for his restaurants have increased 8% to 10% in the past 30 days. Lobster prices have tripled.
A Siesta Key restaurant owner reiterated the rise in food prices and found that they are rising too because their suppliers cannot find enough truck drivers to deliver the groceries.
Such bottlenecks are likely to get worse. Think about what will happen at the national level when the lockdown states are reopened. More restaurants will compete to buy limited food, which will drive prices up even more.
Meanwhile, the National Association of Home Builders reports that lumber prices have increased more than 200% since April 2020, increasing the price of the average new single family home by more than $ 24,000.
A Longboat Key contractor tells us his business is strong, but two problems are weighing on him – the material backlog, which is delaying completion dates, and the inability to find reliable people to work with.
The same applies to the restaurant owner: someone has more than 100 positions that he was unable to fill.
The labor shortage is acute. You know it by yourself. The waiters are slower and you can see the “Hire Now” signs on the doors of every retail store. Employers are desperately looking for reliable help.
The labor shortage is also one of the unintended consequences of Congress printing too much money and handing out COVID relief checks. The incentive to work has decreased.
In March 2020, just before all of the pandemic shutdowns began, Florida’s labor force participation rate hit 60%, its highest level since 2013. It is now 57%. Why work when Washington keeps sending you checks?
Why raise Florida’s weekly unemployment benefit rates too, since the Florida Senate voted unanimously in favor of employers in dire need of help? It is politically popular, but it contradicts economic logic.
It’s hard to imagine how today’s circumstances could end well. Especially when people like AOC, Sanders, Pelosi, Schumer and their puppet Biden demand even more spending and pressure on the Green New Deal. When Congress was about to approve the latest $ 2 trillion plan, AOC said that was not enough. it should be $ 10 trillion.
All of this is a national tragedy and a colossal economic calamity that is inevitable.
Equally tragic is how the Americans don’t seem to know what the looters in Washington DC are doing to them. As von Mises said more than 50 years ago:
“Everything that a government does against the purchasing power of the monetary unit is done against the middle class and the working class of the population under the current conditions. Only these people don’t know. And that’s the tragedy. The tragedy is that all of these people support policies that make all of their savings worthless. “


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Feedity to launch on spigitPosted: July 11, 2007
Feedity has been selected as one of 25 featured startups with innovative ideas to participate in the public beta launch of spigit on July 18, 2007. spigit is a networking channel for innovative projects.
I recently received an email from Richard, who’s the director of marketing for spigit, inviting an application from Feedity for the spigit launch event. After some groundwork, we are all set for it now. By participating in this launch, Feedity will receive exposure to influential technologists, top-tier venture capital firms, a robust participant base, and individuals that can help further the idea.
With the spigit launch we hope to build a community around our idea behind Feedity (i.e. custom data syndication, dynamic feed generation, data mining) to advance it through the stages of the spigit’s simulation (a three-stage platform) – Incubation, Validation, Emergence. I haven’t yet seen or explored the spigit platform (the application login’s are being setup), but it seems like a mesh of social networking, multi-player online play, and business creation. Sounds quite interesting, and definitely worth exploring.


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Cruise and Maritime has today taken delivery of it’s ‘new’ flagship, the 46,052 to Magellan. The ship, built in Denmark in 1985 as the Holiday for Carnival, is at present en route to Genoa to begin an extensive refurbishment, prior to a string of media events before sailing on her maiden voyage- a Northern Lights itinerary- from Tilbury on March 15th.
Though initial artist impressions suggested otherwise, the ship will in fact retain the famous, swept back, gull wing funnel that was her trademark in her Carnival days. And, since her cruises went on sale on November 3rd last year, CMV is reporting that some sixty per cent of her entire 2015 programme has sold out, proving the truth that there is a market in the UK for smaller, more personalised ships.
Part of this success is due to the large number of single cabins that the company is making available on the ship. With even the inside cabins coming in at around 185 square feet, the Magellan actually offers the largest standard cabins- both inside and outside- of any cruise ship in the mainstream UK market.
With a programme of cruises sailing from Tilbury, Newcastle and Dundee over 2015, the Magellan offers a range of diverse sailings, from short, weekend city breaks to Amsterdam and Antwerp, to a season of Canary Islands cruises.
For more news as it becomes available, stay tuned.


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Engine Creative tasked with the creation of first augmented reality issue of Heat Magazine
Engine Creative, a digital advertising firm, has been tapped by Heat Magazine to create its first augmented reality issue. The augmented reality magazine will be connected to the launch of the new Heat TV channel. The special issue of the magazine features a number of augmented reality features that are designed to engage readers. Heat believes that the use of augmented reality will provide readers with an enjoyable experience they will not soon forget and help direct attention to the company’s new broadcasting venture.
Consumers beginning to show interest in the concept of an augmented reality magazine
Augmented reality magazines are becoming an increasingly popular issue throughout the publishing industry. While much of the publishing industry has struggled to keep the interests of consumers high in the advent of technology, magazines have been able to fare well. Consumers have shown a great deal of loyalty to many magazines spanning a wide range of interests. Nonetheless, magazine publishers are looking to draw in new readers and more have begun to turn to augmented reality to accomplish this goal.
Technology Quotes That Invite Thought -
Interactive technology may be the key to keeping consumer interest high
The augmented reality magazine will feature an interactive treasure hunt, which will task readers with finding the new Heat TV icon that is hidden in the pages of the magazine. Readers will be able to win a variety of prizes through the interactive treasure hunt. Heat expects that the campaign will expose readers of the augmented reality magazine to the Heat TV channel.
Augmented reality magazine to promote Heat TV
The demand for interactive technology is becoming too loud for publishers to ignore any longer. As consumers continue to seek out interactive experiences, augmented reality magazines are becoming more commonplace. Heat is not the first publisher to make use of the technology, but is among the first to associate its augmented reality magazine with the launch of a TV channel. Readers will be able to experience the magazine’s augmented reality content through the use of the Aurasma mobile application.


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South Korea to Give Green Light to Zilmax Beef from June02 April 2014
SOUTH KOREA – South Korea will begin allowing a limited level of Zilmax in beef from June, according to media reports.
The decision follows a pledge made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs last October that restrictions on the banned feed additive would be relaxed, reports Reuters.
Son Seong-wan, a director at the Ministry, told Reuters that beef muscle containing Zilmax at levels of 1 part per billion and beef liver containing five parts per billion would be approved.
This is lower than two parts per billion permitted in Canada and 12 parts per billion in the US, he added.
The ban on Zilmax – Zilpaterol Hydropchloride - is widespread and came late last summer when reports from slaughter yards raised alarm bells over ‘non-ambulatory’ cattle.
Product manufacturer Merck Animal Health is running comprehensive tests on the safety of the product, aimed at adding lean muscle towards the end of the feedlot stage.
TheCattleSite News Desk


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Summary: Increasingly, people are telling us that their medications are no longer covered by their insurance policy, or are covered but with a much higher out-of-pocket price. Andy Pollack wrote a remarkable piece in The New York Times this week pulling back the curtain on the price of prescriptions, and what you can do about it. Hint: coupons and manufacturers’ cards are less and less valuable. Click here to read more….
Every Andy Pollack piece is a must-read, but this one is especially interesting.
“In dealing with health plans, drug companies are facing a new imperative — bargain or be banned,” he wrote.
“Determined to slow the rapid rise in drug prices, more health plans are refusing to cover certain drugs unless the companies charge less for them.
“The strategy appears to be getting pharmaceutical makers to compete on price. Some big-selling products, like the respiratory medicine Advair and the diabetes drug Victoza, have suffered precipitous declines in market share because Express Scripts, the biggest pharmacy benefits manager, recently stopped paying for them for many patients.
“ ‘There’s clearly more price competition in the marketplace,’ Andrew Witty, chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, said, talking about Advair in a recent company earnings call.”
via Health Insurers Pressing Down on Drug Prices – NYTimes.com.


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National Christmas tree shortage is no problem for Connecticut farms
Thanksgiving weekend marked the beginning of the holiday season and the rush to buy fresh Christmas trees. Those shopping at big box stores may have experienced sticker shock due to a national shortage of trees. But here in Connecticut, cut-your-own tree farms have not felt the shortage; they say prices as well as inventory are as good as ever.
The shortage is really only affecting lots that get trees from giant production farms in places like North Carolina, Maine and Oregon. The reason Connecticut farmers have been immune to the national shortage has a lot to do with the size of their farms, according to John Cimochowski, president of the Connecticut Christmas Tree Growers Association.
The root of the problem goes back to the economic downturn of 2007-2010.
"In 2007, we were at the beginning of our recession and tree sales were down, prices were down, farmers didn't have the space in their fields to replant because they weren't harvesting as many," National Christmas Tree Association spokesman Doug Hundley told Hearst Newspapers.
Now, those trees from about 10 years ago are at the right age to sell, and there just aren't enough to go around.
While national production farms around the country harvest hundreds of thousands of trees, the largest Connecticut tree farms harvest about 25,000, so inventory is small enough to maintain. Also, Connecticut tree farms mainly supply the state with trees and do not have to produce trees to sell wholesale around the country, Cimochowski said. There are about 460 Christmas tree growers in Connecticut.
Jones Family Farm in Shelton and Maple Row Farm in Easton both raised their prices on cut-your-own trees by one or two dollars as they do each year, but said it has nothing to do with the shortage. Paproski's Family Tree Farm in Newtown didn't raise prices at all.
The cost of picking out and cutting your own tree ranges from $70 to $73 at these farms while the price of fresh pre-cut trees ranges based on the size.
Stew Leonard's is a bit of an anomaly because it's a neither a big box store nor a family farm. Stew's said it has been able to keep prices steady this year, and Bill Allen, the Norwalk store's Christmas Shoppe Manager, said the shortage has not affected inventory. Stew's receives daily shipments of trees from Quebec, Canada.
The tree shortage has not brought down local tree sales, and may actually be motivating people to go out and buy. Steven Paproski, owner of Paproski's Family Tree Farm said he was busier than ever on the day after Thanksgiving this year.
"I was stunned," he said. "I wasn't ready. I didn't have enough netting and had to borrow. I guess people are getting earlier all time."
Cimochowsk said one of the possible reasons people have gone out in droves to buy trees this November is because they see the news of the national shortage and fear the trees will run out.
Buying a tree the day after Thanksgiving is not unique to 2017. In the last ten years, Black Friday sales have grown two to three times at Maple Row Farm, said owner Scott Edwards. At Stew Leonard's, 2017's Thanksgiving weekend sales were on par with years past, according to Allen.
Jones Family Farm has been opening the week of Thanksgiving since 1947 when they sold just 12 trees, said Farm Manager Thomas Harbinson. Over the years, families have created traditions of cutting their own trees at the farm, Harbison said.
"Heading out to explore and taking in the views and fresh air, taking a healthy walk...it's really an experience unlike any other."
Harbison said his customers come in early for different reasons; some families want to get the tree while college students are home for Thanksgiving break. He said some military personnel come in early so they can set up their trees before being deployed.
And even with Thanksgiving falling a bit early in the month this year, Harbison said a fresh cut tree with proper watering should last all the way through Christmas.


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Few things are as captivating to Burgundy lovers as a packed auction selling more than 750 barrels of the Côte d’Or’s greatest wines from the latest vintage. Last month, the historic Hospices de Beaune wine auction, conducted by Sotheby’s, raised a grand total of $27.4 million at its 163rd sale. The amount marks the second-highest total in the event’s history, behind 2022’s $32 millon total.
This year, sales will support winery modernization and the construction of new buildings at the Hospices Civils de Beaune—which has operated charity hospitals for nearly 600 years—and will fund medical research on aging and longevity.
The annual sale, a highlight of the fall season in Beaune, is often considered an indicator of how the new Burgundy vintage will be priced. Mounir Saouma, who makes wine with his wife in Burgundy and the Rhône and has supported the auction since 1995, told Wine Spectator that since 2005, the wines of the Hospices have been “in the top of the hierarchy in terms of finesse and quality.” The auction, he continued, is “a great event [that reminds] us that wine is also charity.”
Albéric Bichot, proprietor of Albert Bichot and a longtime supporter of the auction, said in a statement, “The results of the Hospices sale are extraordinary, and I’m delighted to see the mobilization of the industry in support of this institution and the fine causes it supports.” Bichot was the top bidder of the auction, purchasing 156 barrels in total, including 43 from grand crus.
Though prices were down, the sale generated plenty of enthusiasm. Three auctioneers rotated over seven hours to sell 753 barrels of 2023 Burgundy. Over 700 participants from 24 countries filled the Halle de Beaune to bid on 51 different cuvées, sourced from across the Hospices’ 150 acres of vineyard holdings, which are in their final year of being converted to organic farming.
In a sign of buyers’ continued enthusiasm for white Burgundy, three barrels of Bâtard-Montrachet grand cru, Cuvée Dames de Flandres, sold for over $380,000 each, and the five total barrels of Bâtard-Montrachet on offer (which were all bought by Albert Bichot) surpassed the price of last year’s equivalent barrels by 14 percent.
The highlight of the sale, at over $380,000, was the Pièce des Présidents, a unique barrel specially designated each year by the Hospices to support particular charities. This year, proceeds will support the Foundation for Medical Research and the Initiative for Research on Healthy Longevity. The barrel was bought by the owner of Château de Couches, a medieval fortress that belonged to the Dukes of Burgundy. This year’s wine is a Mazis-Chambertin grand cru that will age in a barrel crafted with leftover wood from one of the 220-year-old oak trees used to restore the spire of Notre Dame cathedral.
Average barrel prices were down by around 16 percent for reds and 13 for whites this year. There were also almost 50 fewer barrels sold compared to 2022. After two record-setting years—$15.3 million in 2021 and $32 million last year—the drop in prices may indicate some reservations over the quality of the 2023 vintage, which was marked by a rainy spring and a hot, stormy summer. To Bichot, the lower prices aren’t necessarily a bad thing: “For many wines, we’re back to prices that will arouse the interest of former aficionados of the event, which is rather pleasing.”
Bichot noted that prices per barrel for the grands crus were down just 9 percent (for reds) and 11 percent (for whites), while village lots were down 41 percent (reds) and 25 percent (whites). The discrepancy may indicate that buyers of top wines are less impacted by economic uncertainty, while those seeking less expensive wines are more cautious. Whether the drop in prices for village wines will translate to a price break for consumers remains to be seen.
[article-img-container][src=2023-12/ns_hospices-beaune-auction-120523_1600.jpg] [credit= (Courtesy Sotheby’s)] [alt= Sotheby’s auctioneer calls for bids on barrels of Burgundy.][end: article-img-container]
Notably, this year’s average price decrease is the first since 2016. In 2021, a year marked by extreme spring frosts, low yields drove prices up dramatically, by 63 percent overall. Then, in 2022, prices increased by a relatively modest 8 percent—perhaps a sign of enthusiasm from buyers who missed out on the scarce and expensive 2021 vintage.
This year is the second relatively generous harvest in a row, and since there’s generally plenty of wine to go around, price increases simply may not be justified. Saouma reflected that auction results don’t always give clear signals on future pricing: “The human factor is very important.”
Ludivine Griveau, manager and winemaker of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune, called 2023 a “yo-yo” vintage and said she “had to make some strong choices in the vineyard and during the harvest with my team, which resulted in lower quantities than expected.” Nonetheless, she predicts that “the 2023 vintage will stand proudly on its own.”
While yields were generally on the high end and quality was mixed, many winemakers share her optimism. “Whites are amazingly balanced, pure [and] deep and … are showing the potential of a great vintage,” said Saouma. The reds, meanwhile, show “a mysterious disconnection between color and tannins. They have deep, [beautiful] purple color but their tannins are very fine, very [typical of the] terroir.”
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The stock market's volatility during 2020 has been extreme, and the pace of the recent recovery has drawn a lot of speculative investment into the market. Genius Brands International (GNUS 2.02%) has been one of the beneficiaries of that trend, as its stock soared from $0.31 per share at the beginning of May to well above $10 per share for a brief period on June 4.
Those who like Genius Brands' prospects have high hopes that the kids' entertainment company is on the cusp of being the next big thing. Yet even though the stock has given up some of its recent gains, it's still trading far above where it did a couple months ago. Below, we'll look at three things that Genius Brands needs to do quickly in order to justify the confidence that shareholders have put in bidding the stock price up so far.
1. The Kartoon Channel launch needs to be a big success
The reason why Genius Brands is in the spotlight right now is because it's launching its kids' digital network, Kartoon Channel, on June 15. CEO Andy Heyward has been outspoken about the prospects for the launch, referring to it as "Netflix (NFLX 1.39%) for kids" and noting that it will be available in more than 100 million television households in the U.S. and 200 million mobile devices. Unlike other streaming services, Kartoon Channel won't have any subscription fees, with advertisers providing all of the financial support for the programming.
Heyward believes that cartoons have timeless appeal that will make the network prosper despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on other media producers. Indeed, the Genius Brands CEO sees a time when kids are at home as being bullish for Kartoon Channel's prospects.
Investors will need to see audience numbers and ad buying activity that's in line with that optimism. Moreover, they'll want to see it quickly, because the current share price implies a fast ramp-up and won't tolerate calls for greater patience.
2. Genius Brands' selling shareholders need to cancel their stock offering
As often happens when a stock price soars, early investors in Genius Brands are looking for the exits. If Genius really wants to avoid the appearance of a pump-and-dump scheme, then it should urge those selling shareholders to reconsider.
Regardless of the true motivation behind the stock offering, the optics look terrible. During May, Genius Brands sold stock to "certain long standing investors" at prices ranging from $0.35 to $1.50 per share, raising gross proceeds of about $47.25 million. That followed the issuance of secured convertible notes and warrants in March to certain accredited investors, including Heyward. The warrants gave investors the right to buy stock at $0.21 per share, and now Genius Brands is registering the shares to allow those investors to sell the stock acquired through the warrants at much higher current prices.
To be fair, Heyward isn't listed as a selling shareholder, and the prospectus for the sale doesn't list the Genius Brands CEO as being affiliated with any of the limited partnerships and other investment groups that are selling shares. Nevertheless, with expectations of selling more than 60 million shares, the desire to cash out quick is evident -- and actions speak louder than the words of those trying to reassure current shareholders not to draw inferences from the move.
3. Genius Brands needs to avoid shareholder dilution to obtain talent
Short-sellers have attacked Genius Brands, making critical claims about the quality of its programming and likelihood of success. Genius Brands has answered in part by pointing to industry executives coming on board, including former Fox Kids Networks Worldwide president Margaret Loesch and former Walt Disney (DIS -0.75%) television segment president David Neuman.
The press release that announced Neuman's and Loesch's appointment didn't give details about their compensation. Investors can therefore only hope that Genius didn't offer huge amounts of stock and option incentives that will divert significant portions of any future gains away from rank-and-file shareholders toward executives. For tiny companies to attract strong talent, however, it's all too common to have to make major concessions that aren't always in the best interest of shareholders.
Don't touch that dial
Genius Brands is about to go through the most important event in its history, and investors are watching closely. For the kids' entertainment company to justify the big gains it's already seen in its share price, tackling these three issues would do a lot to build investor confidence and point to a brighter future. If it can't, then questions will linger about the growth stock's true potential, and it'll be tougher for Genius Brands to keep gaining ground.


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In the last few weeks, our coverage of the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 has picked up, with official information greatly outweighed by rapid speculation. That said, it’s been reported by mustang6g.com that the GT500 possesses an approximate base curb weight of 4,225 lbs. Slating the vehicle between the 3,890-lb Camaro ZL1 and the 4,450-ln Challenger SRT Hellcat, the weight rating feels appropriate – even if those numbers haven’t been officially released. Needless to say, we’ll keep sharing such morsels until the official specs are dropped.
Another conversation touched on in recent weeks was the tease of the all-electric F-150. But, as you might recall, it was only a few months ago when Ford dropped $500 million to invest in EV rival Rivian. Ford CEO Jim Hackett was recently put on the spot, asked about the nature of that relationship and how it relates to plans for an EV truck. His response? “You shouldn’t go down the path of assuming it’s a pickup.” Since the Rivian platform indicates a large vehicle, such as a truck or SUV, it stands to reason that his statements all-but confirm that the vehicle they are working on together would be the latter, or are simply an epic troll.
But on the topic of Ford trucks, it appears the the upcoming release of a compact pickup (slotted below the Ranger) might bear an offshoot of the revived Bronco branding. Expected to be built on a long-wheelbase version of the Focus’ platform, it is also expected to come front-wheel drive standard with the option of all-wheel drive powered by either a 1.5, 2.0 or 2.5-liter four-cylinder powertrain. At this point, all signs point to a 2022 North American release.
And Ford continues to cash in on the trend of tough, off-road designs aimed at urban markets with the release of the new FX2 package for the 2019 Ford Ranger. Upgrading the two-wheel drive pickup with off-road tuned suspension, 17 or 18-inch tires, front underbody guards and locking rear differential – the FX2 package offers the appeal of a 4×4 vibe albeit customized to better fit the habits of the more modest adventurer. It joins such popular packages as the Trailer Tow Package and FX4 Off-Road package in expanding the already-immediate appeal of the Ranger, and the upcharge for the FX2 package is priced at $595 with deliveries (of models equipped with it) expected to begin late this year.
GM / Chevy / GMC
General Motors and OnStar found themselves in the crosshairs of a social media backlash this week, following an incident just outside of Miami. Prior to loading her vehicle in a public parking lot, a mother, who had started her vehicle in order to run the A/C for the comfort of her 10-month old child, accidentally locked the vehicle with both her child and the keys inside. At the time, the outside temperature was clocked at 95 degrees. Prior to the arrival of emergency services, she had attempted to gain access through the built-in OnStar system. Unfortunately, her account with OnStar had expired, which deactivated OnStar’s connection to the vehicle; a connection which can only be restored by the driver, by physically reactivating the account by pushing the blue OnStar button found inside of the vehicle. But, as is often the case with social media, keyboard warriors united to condemn both OnStar and GM despite having little-to-no understanding of how the system works. Fortunately, the child was rescued unharmed, but a investigations are being facilitated on all sides.
Continuing our coverage of the mid-engine 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray, GM has now dropped official price points. Starting at $59,995 MSRP the C8 is slotted about $4,000 higher than its immediate predecessor, and almost $3,000 higher than the Porsche 718 Cayman. Granted, that price point is for the base model only. With two higher trims available, starting pricing is set at $67,295 and $71,945 respectively.
Having previously announced that AT4 off-road treatment would be extended across their entire lineup, GMC has confirmed specs for the 2020 Acadia AT4 including an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (alongside 2.5 and 3.6-liter powertrain options) and “more aggressive exterior styling”. GMC also confirmed the availability of a 3.0-liter Duramax Diesel , as well as upgraded trailering options for the 2020 Sierra, while the midsize Canyon gains some expanded driver assistive features.
FCA / Dodge / RAM / Jeep
Pleasing muscle fans (such as yours truly) Dodge, Chrysler and SRT design chief Mark Trostle has confirmed that the unapologetically retro styling of both the Challenger and Charger will be retained for the immediate future. Recognizing this design philosophy as a strength, the challenge lies in adapting the next generation platform to retain visual appeal while remaining compliant with regulatory changes. And while FCA has made no secret as to the future of muscle being electrified under the hood, it appears that the goal is retain the same celebrated visual cues in their exterior aesthetic.
Which segues nicely into the 2020 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition, a special edition offering that pays homage to the 1969 Charger Daytona which first broke the 200-mph average lap speed and held that distinction for 17 years. The 50th Anniversary Edition comes powered by the current supercharged 6.2-liter, albeit with a 10 point boost to reach 717 horsepower. In addition, buyers gain black faux suede upholstery with blue stiching, flat-bottomed carbon fiber steering wheel, Daytona badging and can choose from four colors: Pitch Black, White Knuckle, Triple Knuckle and B5 Blue. Dealer preorders will be opened up in late fall.
Over at RAM, it has been announced that the third-generation 3.0-liter V6 EcoDiesel powertrain will be priced as a $4,995 option (a $3,000 premium over the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 eTorque). Leading output for the half-ton pickup segment when housed in the RAM 1500, the powertrain delivers 480 lb-ft of torque as well as a 12,560 towing capability. That said, it will now be offered across all models and configurations, including (for the first time) the RAM Rebel.
A few months back, we had reported forward motion on a class action lawsuit against FCA for the dramatically-named Jeep phenomenon known as ‘death wobble’. For those unfamiliar, ‘death wobble’ is used to describe steering wheel vibrating that can occur when a Jeep hits a bump at high speeds – an experience which (however frightening to a driver) FCA claims poses no safety risk. While long-term solutions, as well as scope of the suit itself, have yet to unfold, FCA has announced a new campaign which will support the installation of a stabilizing steering damper. Described by some as a ‘band-aid fix’ it’ll be interesting to watch these events play out.
Toyota / Lexus
And Toyota has confirmed that the Corolla sedan and hatchback will gain the option of the blacked out Nightshade Edition, alongside the 4Runner, Camry, Highlander and Sienna. The upgrade, which consists of blacked out elements such as: 18-inch alloy wheels, grille, badging, roof-mounted shark fin, spoilers, window trim, door handles and exterior handles will be available in three exterior color options: Black Sand Pearl, Classic Silver Metallic, and Super White. In terms of price bump, it is expected to start at around $700
In our only recall announcement of the day, Toyota has announced for 6,925 vehicles produced between April and June of 2019. Due to a faulty brake booster, affected vehicles could experience deactivation of the Vehicle Stability Control system if their booster fail. Should that occur, vehicles will no longer meet federal requirements. Toyota has specified that the issue is estimated to exist in only 25% of the recalled vehicles. Vehicles include 2019 Prius and RAV4 Hybrid, 2020 Prius Prime Corolla Hybrid and a number of Lexus models including: LS500, LC500, ES300h, UX250h and LS500h. Notifications are being sent out to affected parties.
And speaking of the LC500, those of you who enjoyed the featured image of this podcast on AutoInfluence should know that Lexus is introducing the 2020 Inspiration Series which upgrades the celebrated design with a striking Nori Green exterior and two-tone Saddle Tan / Black Amber interior with brown stitching. Limited to just 100 units here in the U.S. the 2020 LC 500 Inspiration Series will go on-sale later this fall, with pricing yet to be advised.
Hyundai / Kia
Hyundai raked in the accolades from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this week, with the 2020 Hyundai Kona, Santa Fe and Tucson all earning 5-Star Overall Safety Ratings. Credit is contingent upon inclusion of the Hyundai SmartSense safety technologies which supplement award-winning structural engineering to ensure superior crashworthiness and collision avoidance.
And both Hyundai and Kia were recognized by Autopacific in their annual Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. Based on over 50,000 responses designed to evaluate more than 30 separate attributes of new model year offerings winners included: 2019 Hyundai Accent and Tucson for Economy Car and Compact Crossover segments along with the 2019 Kia Forte and Cadenza for compact and large segments, respectively.
Of course, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the Infiniti brand and – in celebration of the event – Infiniti has debuted their Edition 30 lineup. Consisting of special edition trims of the 2020 Q50, Q60, QX50, QX60 and QX80 Edition 30 vehicles are slated to arrive at dealerships during the fall, with man of the details associated with them still being kept under wraps. That said, they will feature an array of Driver Assistive technologies as well as high-end exterior and interior accents.
Which just about wraps things up for us this week. Be sure to come back next week for all your current auto news headlines. And until then, say hi to your mom for me.


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Samurai adventure Ghost of Tsushima has become Sony's fastest-selling original IP this console generation.
More than 2.4m copies of the game have been sold over its first three days worldwide, PlayStation announced via Twitter.
Sony said the game was now "PlayStation 4's fastest selling first-party original IP debut", which is a bit of a mouthful. In essence, it means Tsushima sold more at launch than other new PlayStation properties such as Horizon Zero Dawn, Days Gone and Dreams.
That claim won't cover established PlayStation franchises such as The Last of Us, God of War, Uncharted or Knack.
Ghost of Tsushima is now PS4's fastest selling first-party original IP debut with more than 2.4 million units sold through globally in its first 3 days of sales.— PlayStation (@PlayStation) July 24, 2020
Congratulations @SuckerPunchProd, and thank you to fans around the world for taking part in Jin's journey. pic.twitter.com/6aE4U7YZJH
In contrast, The Last of Us Part 2 sold 4m copies over its opening three days - enough to make it the fastest-selling PS4 exclusive ever and 2020's fastest-selling console game launch to date.


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The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) issued a statement today ahead of the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture’s consideration of the Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) Amendments Act, praising them for rescinding statutes that mandate the program.
Last month, the World Trade Organization (WTO) issued its fourth ruling against the U.S. regarding mandatory COOL. Their belief is that produce sourced from countries such as Canada and Mexico will be unfairly judged by consumers. Both countries have vowed to restrict trading and even impose additional taxes totalling $3.7 billion if COOL is ever signed into law.
Bryan Silbermann, CEO of the PMA wrote that its 2,700 member companies that represent 90 percent of the fresh produce sold in the U.S. could be at a disadvantage if the WTO ever changes its mind with respect to COOL labeling.
“Like most of the organizations that represent targeted products, our members stand to be collateral damage in a program from which they derive no benefit. U.S. produce exporters now face retaliation in these important markets which not only jeopardize sales once the tariffs are imposed, but they have threatened these important markets immediately because of the uncertainty that long-term contracts face given the amount of time the WTO has to approve the retaliation requests.”
PMA estimates that $1 billion in annual produce exports could be lost.
“We urge Congress to protect important export markets in Canada and Mexico by acting quickly to approve H.R. 2393, a bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to repeal country-of-origin labeling requirements with respect to beef, pork and chicken.”
According to agriculture secretary Tom Vilasack, Congress is now responsible for coming up with a plan regarding whether or not to move forward with COOL.


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As cited in a BtoB (http://www.btobonline.com/) July 27 article, according to Magda Media Futures, "Online video viewing continues to grow, with 23% of Americans watching a video online daily, compared with 13% in a similar study conducted a year ago."
They go on to indicate that "...57% watch online video weekly, up from 50% of the population last year. Males ages 18 to 34 watch 7.8 hours of online video weekly, compared with 5.6 hours per week among all viewers."
As more people begin to 'expect' video as part of their lifestyle, are associations prepared for yet another retooling of their channels of communications? 10 years ago websites with 20 pages and flash were new and exciting and listserves were the 'next great thing.' They then could cost $25000 to $50000 to develop, design and implement. Now, they simply are expected.
15 years ago, when I dabbled in music video production, we could put a music video together for $15000 to $50000. Today, those types of videos wouldn't sell much - simply the technology has gotten better and cheaper...and most importantly, PEOPLE EXPECT MORE!!!
Associations went kicking and screaming into the digital world, and really many associations are still combating the transition from an 'analog to digital world.'
But a digital world it is and that is where our members live.
The point being, lets embrace the video technology and get ahead of this curve. We are the curators of information for our members, so lets provide it through ALL CHANNELS that they deem appropriate.
I'd enjoy your thoughts on this and examples of what your association is doing to use video in their marketing and member engagement programs.
Experts in Membership Marketing is written by Erik D Schonher, Vice President for Marketing General Incorporated.


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Craig Wismer hops out of his pickup at one of the 30 or so vineyards he manages in the Niagara Peninsula. Below him, rows of grape vines fill Niagara’s Vineland, serving up a panoramic view with a gleaming Lake Ontario.
Niagara Falls and its river are on the eastern horizon, in the west are Hamilton’s smoke stacks belching grey into the spring sky, and directly across the lake, a distant CN Tower punctuates Toronto’s skyline.
Rising steeply behind us, however, is the real reason we’re here. The geological ridge called the escarpment is why grapes and soft fruits like peaches can thrive in this vista. It captures the sun and bottles up the local lake effect, taking the edge off winter temperatures and staving off untimely frosts.
Wismer explains that this topography causes cold air to slide off the sloping fields, keeping Niagara’s temperatures more moderate and creating a climate that you’d expect to have to drive several hours south to experience.
Along the slopes of the escarpment are diverse smaller soil and climate regions, and the wines made from grapes in each of these different areas vary greatly.
Right now, we’re standing on what Wismer calls “The Bench,” one of the naturally formed terraces along the Niagara escarpment, and where his parents and brothers farm about 150 acres of grapes and 50 acres of soft fruit trees.
It’s a beautiful part of the country, and it as unique as it is breathtaking. Despite that, however, for the last 30 years, this has also been a farming area deeply affected by political, economic, agronomic and social changes, especially since the 1988 free trade agreement with the U.S. phased out many of the protections for Canadian wine.
The Canadian wine industry was still a baby back then — small, vulnerable and sweet, much like the bubbly Baby Duck that was one of the top-selling wines at the time. Most of the grapes grown in Niagara were for juice, not for making French or “noble” type wines, and there were only about 10 wineries.
“The industry was built on Baby Duck,” says the chair of the Grape Growers of Ontario, Bill George. “Now palates have changed worldwide and wine consumption is on the rise.”
After NAFTA was signed in 1992, government renewal funding helped producers replace many of their old juice vines with newer premium vinifera varieties, and this support continued over the next few decades. In addition, the Ontario government funded the Ontario Wine Strategy, which included helping to adopt the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) as a quality assurance and marketing tool.
The transition turned out to be perfectly timed. New World wines were becoming mainstream, and because of their success with some of the most popular new varieties, producers in Niagara were able to ride the wave.
Today the Niagara Peninsula still has the largest planted area of vineyards in Canada, with some 46 varieties across nearly 14,000 acres. The classic cool-climate varieties flourish here, such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc.
Until 2000, nearly all Canadian wines were made with some local grapes, topped up with imported stock from the U.S. or overseas. Since then, however, the practice of blending foreign juice has been subsiding, and 100 per cent Ontario-grown rich Cabernet Francs, crisp Rieslings and buttery Chardonnays began winning international acclaim, just when the local food movement came on the scene.
New pockets of wine production rose across southwestern Ontario and British Columbia and even northeast of Toronto, tucked along Lake Ontario in Prince Edward County.
Today, Ontario has more than 180 wineries producing 71 per cent of total Canadian wine volume, with the majority of this still in the Niagara Peninsula.
Glug, glug, glug
Over the same period, wine consumption began rising. Canadian adults in 2011 bought an average of 22 bottles of wine per year, up from 13 in 1995. Here’s a staggering fact: Canadians drink more than a billion glasses of Canadian-produced wine a year.
In the industry’s 2013 report “Canada’s Wine economy — Ripe, Robust and Remarkable,” the wine and grape industry was estimated to contribute $6.8 billion a year in economic impact to Canada, based on jobs, taxes and tourism, with about half of that in Ontario. That’s even though the majority of wine consumed in the province is still imported, with domestic wines claiming only 40 per cent market share.
Demand for quality, expensive wine has been on the rise, however, and the local food movement has shifted consumer demand. Our aging population has more disposable income and is aware of the health benefits of wine and desire the sophistication of wine.
According to Euromonitor International, the world’s leading independent provider of strategic market research, wine consumption in Canada is expected to grow annually by three per cent both in volume and gross sales, reaching 591 million litres and C$13.3 billion in 2019.
Canadians, it turns out, are spending almost three times as much on wine as on bread.
On his 150-acre farm, Bill George points to a field of vines stretching up and away from the sparkling water of Lake Ontario, explaining that it’s three to four per cent warmer near the lake than anywhere in the Niagara Peninsula. This field was one of the many ripped out and transplanted with French vines. The new vines are grafts, with rootstocks from winter-hardy varieties and tops from noble wine-producing varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Chardonnay and Riesling.
In 1988, George graduated from university and came home to the family fruit farm. At the time it took a vat of courage, and it was clear he faced a steep learning curve. “We knew we had to transform the industry. We knew we had to change or we’d be a dead industry,” says George. “We learned to trellis differently, we invested.”
The investment and learning continues today, with reports of $125 million being spent expanding vineyards to supply wineries’ demands for more premium grapes. That’s partially due to the tougher winters in 2014 and 2015, which killed many of the more tender vines. Fortunately, a government crop insurance program – vine death insurance — covered some of the replacement costs and many growers are moving to hardier varieties.
Also, peach land is slowly being converted to vineyards, catalyzed by the 2008 closing of Canada’s last tender fruit canning factory.
Sometimes it’s been a process of learning by failure, such as selecting varieties for specific locations. New web-based tracking programs are helping farmers here manage their pruning practices to deal with cold damage, and wind machines are now being used to stop frost from damaging the plants.
“We have winter conditions unlike anywhere else in the world,” says Craig Wismer. “We’ve learned a lot, very quickly.”
Wismer is a registered viticulture consultant with the Grape Growers of Ontario and operates Glen Elgin Vineyard Management. Originally the company served his family’s vineyards and orchards, and recognizing a need for quality-oriented vineyard management, expanded to service vineyards throughout the Twenty Valley and Beamsville bench areas. They offer brokerage, complete management and custom work, including all vineyard services, from spring pruning through to machine and hand harvesting.
In harvest, they run two harvesters and 80 to 100 labourers in various crews. Wismer explains that the industry relies on Vietnamese immigrants from Hamilton for most of their labour. Their dexterity and work ethic is prized for the highly intensive cropping cycle, including pruning and tying, leaf removal, cluster thinning, sorting and harvesting. Glen Elgin Vineyard Management also offers other services to their customers such as custom trellis installation and planting, applying fertilizer, and spraying up to 12 times a summer.
In the last decade, mechanization has boosted efficiency as well as the work environment. For example, mechanical pre-pruners do an preliminary trimming of the vine bushes, making the followup job of hand pruning much easier.
One of the biggest leaps in efficiency has been using bigger equipment to cover more rows per pass and incorporating multiple functions per pass, says Wismer. Sprayers now cover four rows when they used to do one at a time. Glen Elgin Vineyard Management has set up all of their fleet tractors with front and rear three-point hitches to allow for several jobs to be done in one pass, he explains.
Also, new recycling sprayers have resulted in up to 60 per cent savings, bringing both an environmental and a cost benefit.
Another big change has been the switch of harvest from hand to machine. A few years ago Wismer imported from Europe the only grape harvester in Canada with a purpose-built sorter. Grapes are gently de-stemmed by vibration and sent over abacus-like rollers that sort leaves and twigs out of the grapes, resulting in a massive increase in harvesting quality and capacity. This new technology is gentler than the traditional winery de-stemmer or other harvester mounted de-stemmers. Optical sorters are also being used on farms in the Niagara peninsula to further the mechanical sorting process.
The Niagara Peninsula is part of the industrial Golden Horseshoe, and was rapidly losing prime horticultural land through the 1990s and into the first decade of the new millennium.
About a decade ago, however, Ontario’s Greenbelt law landed on the escarpment. Nearly 50,000 acres were frozen, with a ban on housing and industrial development.
Growers had been concerned their land values would decline. Instead land values went up, due to the farms being financially sound. “As long as the countryside is economically viable, the land can remain valuable,” says George.
Population here has continued to increase, but the region’s towns and cities are building up instead of sprawling out. For growers, this has meant more interface with non-farming neighbours and learning how to deal with the broadening urban and rural divide.
Best management practices were developed by the Grape Growers of Ontario and adopted by growers. Use of pesticides, manure, bird bangers, and wind machines have to be explained and justified. Niagara’s farmers are acutely aware they need to communicate better so the public understands why and when things are being done on their farms. George says that they’ve had to learn to deal with more noise and smell complaints, but have found once the public understands why they’re doing things, it’s not a problem.
Wine tourism has also become a powerful marketing tool with nearly two million visitors to Ontario wineries. Wine tastings, weekend getaways, and banquets and weddings are hosted on local vineyards.
Non-farmer investment has flowed into the grape industry, from wine-loving urbanites to publicly traded companies. Canada’s top two players, Constellation Brands and Andrew Peller, held 17 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively, of total volume sales of all wines in Canada in 2014. These two companies use about 75 per cent of the grape production and are a strong anchor for the producers, says George.
Big names like Wayne Gretzky, Mike Weir, Dan Aykroyd and Kevin O’Leary are investing in Niagara vineyards and branding labels. The marketing power of those names has opened doors for the entire industry. “It’s adding to the credibility of industry,” says Wismer. “And giving us visibility on the international stage.”
In the early 1980s icewine was pioneered by Inniskillin and has slowly grown to 4,000 tonnes (800 acres) of grapes this year. While icewine is produced in relatively small quantities, its high value means dollar-wise it accounts for one-third of wine exports.
Canadian wineries are internationally renowned for this cold-climate product. Icewine has been a way to penetrate European markets with a uniquely Canadian market, and a foot in the door for other wines.
The trick is that VQA icewine is made with grapes harvested at -8 C. Mechanical harvesting has become almost a logistical requirement, because icewine grapes are usually harvested at night, when it’s cold. Think lights, limited harvest windows and cold crews. “It takes about 30 pickers to harvest an acre a day, but with a harvester, three to five guys can do 10 acres in one night,” says Wismer.
Not surprisingly to make mechanical harvesting work in the cold took some retro-fits, such as a way to deal with the netting necessary to protect the icewine grapes from birds, and tricks to stop belts freezing up.
Recently, two nearby post-secondary institutions have begun offering wine and vineyard courses. Nearby Brock University offers a B.Sc. in oenology and viticulture and a certificate in Grape and Wine Technology. Also, Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute has vineyard management, sommelier, laboratory, marketing and winemaking courses.
The information and students coming out of the programs have been catalysts for improvement of production and processing, says Wismer. Niagara is also now drawing winemakers from around the world.
Overall, vineyard management has become more informed and professional since the ’80s. This is in part due to the increase in farm size, largely due to consolidation.
It’s also been nearly three decades of trial by error, risk management, research, investment and embracing new technology. The farm management and the vines here are relative neophytes in the wine industry.
Viniferous vines take at least 40 years to reach prime productive capacity. One vine in Europe is still producing grapes at 400 years old. Generally, as vines mature, if they’re managed properly, they produce better quality grapes that can result in better quality wine. “The bulk of the industry here is still in its teenage years, with vines only 15 to 20 years old,” says a confident Wismer.


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-Tour operators from Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi are making enquiries regarding the New Year celebrations.
-Since international flights are not operating, tourists are more interested in celebrating in Udaipur.
We are about to bid farewell to 2020 praying that the pandemic ends and brings relief to the masses round the globe. People are always enthusiastic about celebrating the New Year’s Eve and are almost charged up for the parties. This has also resulted in bringing hopes for the tourism industry in Udaipur.
As per reports, almost 70 percent of big hotels of Udaipur have been booked for the New Year celebrations. The reason behind this is that the international flights are not operating and all those who used to fly abroad for the celebrations are now preferring Udaipur as their next best destination. The department of tourism informed that tourists from Maharashtra, Delhi and Gujarat are interested in partying in Udaipur and tour operators are also making enquiries for the same.
If we go by the information received, star category hotels like Laxmi Vilas, Radisson Blu, Leela, Udai Vilas have their rooms booked to the extent of 70 percent. 90 percent occupancy is expected in the coming days. This is a good indication for the hotel industry that has suffered a lot during the past pandemic months. The hotels have also arranged special packages of 2N/3D.
It may also be noted that the hotels are quite vigilant and have made all prior arrangements for safeguarding at their own end. The relevant safety measures have been stocked up so that the staff serving food and beverages can use them and ensure the safety of the guests. It has also been brought to notice that the tourists coming in are mostly interested in star category hotels and these are the tourists who have been well informed that all precautionary measures will be taken care of. Also that Goa is also one of the attractions for the tourists as far as celebrations are concerned but Udaipur is still unbeatable. The party mood begins with the Christmas eve and carries on further to the year end.
Udaipur has actually become one of the most searched destinations for the New Year celebrations. People are even enquiring about the various tourist spots that the city is well known for and are interested in energising themselves after a long spell of lockdown in the past. Hoping that the masses will also be vigilant and take care of their own safety so that no one suffers.


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Its official. Those prevalent Blackberry devices will support ODF natively mid 2009, as announced by RIM's co-CEO Jim Balsillie, during IBM's Lotusphere conference:
This is significant as many enterprises have had to hold back on ODF deployments due to key infrastructure compatibilities, and Blackberries happen to be one of them. It is wonderful to see the market forces from end users to governments requesting ODF support, and now we are seeing the fruits of this demand; all major vendors will support ODF.
Even Microsoft's Windows Vista 7 have enhanced their built in rich text editor, Wordpad, to natively support ODF (screenshot from Han).


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Trade with North Korea tipped to rise
Removal of sanctions expected over time
Thailand's export prospects are forecast to improve after tensions between the US and North Korea eased.
Pimchanok Vonkorpon, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO), said the Singapore summit's results on Tuesday heralded positive signs for world trade.
"Since Donald Trump became the US president, the Korean Peninsula has been an area of greater concern," she said. "The agreement between the two countries on Tuesday not only helps stabilise global trade sentiment but also delivers a positive effect to the world's financial, capital and commodities markets. It will be good for Thai exports in the long term."
Two-way trade between Thailand and North Korea totalled US$2.38 million (76.5 million baht) in 2017 as Thailand adhered to UN sanctions against the Kim regime.
If North Korea revives international trade relations, it will offer a good opportunity for Thailand to export more goods to North Korea, notably processed food and fruits; consumer and daily-use products such as garments and housewares; raw materials; and industrial and construction goods such as rubber, plastic products and machines.
"Direct trade between Thailand and North Korea will definitely increase, while Thailand's trade with China for intermediate goods will become much more convenient," Ms Pimchanok said.
But she warned that Thai exporters and importers still need to monitor developments, as the US has vowed to continue imposing economic sanctions on North Korea until the latter follows through on the agreement.
In 2017, North Korea reported trade volume worth $5.38 billion. Exports included garments, minerals and fuel, seafood, iron and steel, and vegetable and fruit products, while imported products included electric machinery, appliances and components, machines and components, plastic pellets and products, garments and textiles.
China was North Korea's largest trade partner, with two-way trade between the two countries amounting to $5 billion in 2017.
Kalin Sarasin, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the prospects of Thai trade will improve as sanctions against North Korea are lifted.
"Safety and security is the most vital issue," he said. "If the peninsula turns to peace, Asia will become an interesting site for trade and investment."
Visit Limlurcha, vice-chairman of the Thai National Shippers' Council, said Thailand will be offered a better opportunity to export raw materials, consumer goods, computers, refrigerators and washing machines to North Korea.
"Direct shipments to North Korea are unlikely to increase much, because more than 90% of North Korea's trade is with China," he said.
The council is maintaining an export growth forecast of 8% this year.


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|Women in Japan are being told not to wear glasses
Women in a variety of workplaces across Japan, including receptions at department stores and showrooms to hospitality staff and nurses at beauty clinics, have been banned from wearing glasses.To get more news about 国产xxxx色视频在线观看香蕉, you can visit our official website.
Apparently, glasses aren't being treated as just medical aids; while people being teased for wearing glasses isn't a new phenomenon, having them entirely banned at work takes the problem to a whole new extreme.
A Japanese woman who chose to remain anonymous, Ms. A, is in her twenties and works as a receptionist in a major department store, where she said she's been banned from wearing glasses while working.
The main responsibilities of her role are providing customer service, as well as lending out strollers and wheelchairs to customers.She explained that her superior had told her "glasses are prohibited."
"He said this as though it were obvious," she said. "I told myself at that time that we weren't allowed glasses because we needed to look feminine, that it just wouldn't do to wear them."
Now that I think about it, perhaps it was that they wanted us all to look uniform," she said, "as though we were part of some kind of gymnastics squad."
Ms. A's vision is below 0.01. She works five days a week for roughly eight hours every day. If you take into account her commute, she has to wear contact lenses for what works out to over 12 hours a day. Her eyes were so irritated from dryness and fatigue that she would sometimes just close her eyes for the duration of her breaks.There are times when it's bad whatever I do," said Ms. A, "and there are often mornings where I just think to myself, 'I wish I could wear glasses.'"
The uniform consists of a dress and shoes — provided by the company — which are 2-inch heel pumps.
"In those first few years I started working, I was told over and over that I needed to look sweeter and more feminine," she said.
Any makeup beyond what you might describe as "conservative" is also prohibited — for example, glittery eye shadows, dark lip colors, colored contact lenses, and eyelash extensions are all forbidden.Rules for hair color are also clearly outlined in the company's guidelines and if your hair is even a shade too light and your manager catches wind of it, you'll be reprimanded.
In Japan, it's generally good manners to wear a face mask if you think you're coming down with a cold, to prevent others from catching your illness.
Ms. A said: "I was worried that if I got a cold, I wouldn't be able to go to work. It'd be discourteous to customers [to turn up without wearing a face mask]."


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Only three districts have the facility now
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is all set to expand its SMS/IVRS-based automated cooking gas cylinder refill booking system across the State by this month end.
At present, the system is restricted to Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam, and Kozhikode districts.
Announcing this at a press conference here on Friday, Murali Srinivasan, general manager, IOC, Kerala, said the oil company’s LPG brand, Indane, has the biggest customer base in the State.
It has 40.88 lakh customers with 26.53 lakh having double cylinder connection, he said.
Mr. Srinivasan said that at 244, IOC had the largest number of distributors. IOC registered a growth of 2.52 per cent in domestic LPG in the State during 2013-14 and 2.02 lakh new connections were issued.
The move to roll out the automated booking system across the State has been welcomed by the stakeholders. It was introduced in Kochi about two years ago.
Sharada Joby, a housewife, said the system had proved very effective except for some hiccups in the initial stages. “The earlier system of booking refill directly with distributors was a nightmare as they often did not pick up the phone and booking was restricted to the working hours of distributors. Under the automated system, booking can be made round-the-clock,” she said.Aadhaar row
Roy Thekkan, convener, LPG Consumers Grievance Redressal Cell, said the system worked smoothly except during times when the accepted practice was tampered with.
“For instance, the system was affected when the Aadhaar-based Direct Benefit Transfer for LPG consumer was introduced and then withdrawn recently,” he said.
George Mathew, an IOC distributor, said the distributor-customer relation had improved substantially ever since the system was introduced. “Earlier, customers used to constantly come to us with complaints over refill booking. With direct contact with distributors eliminated for refill, such complaints are now minimal,” he said.
But at least some customers complain that the service is not without shortcomings with the IVRS system sometimes coming up with the details of the previously booked and delivered cylinder instead of accepting a new booking.


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U.S. NTSB closes probe into fatal Tesla 2020 California crash
Information about U.S. NTSB closes probe into fatal Tesla 2020 California crash
Kevin David Scam or Legit
By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday said it had closed an investigation into a fatal August 2020 Tesla <TSLA.O> crash in Saratoga, California, without taking any action.
The NTSB said the driver was operating a 2019 Tesla Model 3 with the driver assistance system Autopilot engaged but was manually pressing the accelerator pedal causing the vehicle to go into override mode when it struck the rear of a minivan.
The Tesla then struck a truck at approximately 110 miles per hour and caught fire, resulting in fatal injuries to the Tesla driver and his wife, who was also in the car.
The Tesla had issued multiple visual and audible


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Manatee County's first Costco to open late august
Manatee County's first Costco is expected to open in late August. According to the webpage of the new Bradenton Costco, the store will open on Aug. 21. Costco will anchor the Marketplace at Heritage Harbour plaza at State Road 64, and Interstate 75.
Costco, a membership warehouse club, is known for its bulk merchandise of everything from clothing to produce, to gas. The company opened a very popular warehouse at Sarasota Square mall in 2012.


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Latin American crypto exchange AirTM has announced the suspension of all crypto trading and deposits on the platform. User assets have been converted to AirUSD, an exchnage-native stablecoin, in order to be withdrawn.
AirTM, a cryptocurrency exchange and wallet popular among users in Latin America, announced last week that it was winding down all services, including trading and custody of crypto assets. The company’s sudden decision has left more than two million users stranded as they are unable to deposit or withdraw their funds from the exchange.
The company’s announcement is supposedly due to change in terms of operations by one of its main custodial partners. According to a report by regional crypto news outlet Cripto Noticias, the anonymous provider was Wyre, a U.S-based crypto payments solutions company which is currently facing liquidity issues. Earlier last week, the fiat-to-crypto on-ramp provider asked employees to be prepared for possible liquidation and layoffs as it was preparing to shut down operations by the end of the month.
On January 7, Wyre announced that it will only be allowing customers to withdraw 90% of their account balances on the platform, as the remaining funds will be used by the company to finance its reorganisation efforts.
AirTM has further stated that it has auto-converted all available user balances in crypto to AirUSD, a dollar-pegged stablecoin native to the exchange which it claims to be audited by the U.S Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). The assets were converted to AirUSD on January 5, and the balance was credited to users’ accounts the next day. AirTM has suspended deposits and direct withdrawals in Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), Binance USD (BUSD), Stellar (XLM), Safe (SAFE), Circle USD (USDC), and DAI stablecoin.
However, customers have the option to transfer their AirUSD balances to AirTM’s partner exchange Belo to be converted to Argentine pesos or DAI stablecoins, minus transaction fees. As of Monday, January 9, customers have not faced any issues withdrawing these funds.
In addition to the above mentioned “preventive actions” imposed by AirTM, the exchange also brought restrictions to accounts linked to U.S and Europe-based banks. The company has deactivated direct fiat deposits from accounts with US-chartered banks, as well as purchase and withdrawals using debit cards of European banks until further notice. However, AirTM has not clarified whether these measures are temporary or if it will restart crypto trading and bank deposits again in the future.
AirTM has been an active player in the LATAM region’s crypto space. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the exchange was the main facilitator of a $300 bonus given out to health workers in Venezuela by President Juan Guaido’s interim-government. Due to high inflation in the oil-rich country – which was the direct result of years of bad monetary policy added with economic sanctions by the United States, people had resorted to using Bitcoin as a means of payment and store of value after the bolivar lost almost all of its value.
This event led to the current government under President Maduro blocking Venzuelans’ access to the crypto exchange. In 2018, AirTM launched a $1 million fundraising programme to airdrop stablecoin assets to more than 100,000 Venuzeulans who were registered users of the platform.


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How recent social trends might seep into travel habits in 2020
How recent social trends might seep into travel habits in 2020: The increased importance of concerns about the environment and a desire for luxury, socializing, and high-tech experiences in our daily lives have made these some of the factors that travelers consider when booking their trips. Bloomberg outlines eight trends that will reshape travel in 2020 with these considerations in mind and how the players in the travel industry are adjusting to match. For example, hotels are catering to a hunger for luxury by offering top-notch services and delivering a “pre-arrival experience.” And there are those who create elite communities for people willing to pay for them, with travel and hotel clubs making a comeback with elite cult-like membership that offer extravagant settings, destinations, and exclusive outings under a subscription basis.
Environment is playing into how people travel and where they go: Cruises and airlines are making sure to keep track of their carbon emissions and develop new ways to lower them and travel booking companies are creating zero-emission trip itineraries. Many travel companies are aiming to be carbon neutral, while others are even attempting to be carbon negative such as Intrepid Travel.
How Egypt measures up on these new trends: Egypt is seeing the potential in staying environmentally friendly, with “green tourism” being proposed as part of the Tourism Reform Program. Meanwhile, tourist destinations such as Hurghada and Dahab are doing their part to create zero-plastic environments, but we still have a long way to go until we can think of being carbon negative. As for our bustling capital, Cairo, electric cars and buses are a high priority initiative from the government going forward as they attempt to create a greener Egypt. On the tech and luxury side, developers are creating smart homes and new hotels to offer to visitors.


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You are here
Creative Technology suffers further losses in Q2
UNCERTAIN and difficult market conditions dampened sales of Creative Technology's products for the three months ended Dec 31, 2014, further deepening the group's net loss to US$9.19 million for Q2 FY15, compared to a net loss of US$4.17 million the same period a year ago.
Revenue over the same period was US$31.3 million, compared to US$37.79 million in Q2 FY14.
While sales plunged, there was no reduction in selling, general and administrative expenses due to an increase in marketing expenses for new products, including the Sound Blaster Roar and the Sound Blaster X7, squeezing Creative's profit margins.
Research and development expenses in Q2 fell 22 per cent, due to cost cutting actions taken by the management.
Other losses in the same period were related to foreign exchange loss of US$4.4 million and impairment loss on investments of US$0.7 million, which was partially offset by a US$0.4 million gain on disposal of a property owned by a subsidiary in Ireland.
The overall market for Creative's products remains challenging and for this quarter, it expects no major improvement in the difficult and uncertain conditions. Revenue is expected to be lower in the quarter compared to the current level and Creative expects to report an operating loss.
For the three months ended Dec 31, 2014, loss per share was 0.13 US cent, while net asset value per share was US$1.69.
No dividends were declared for the quarter.
On Thursday, Creative's counter closed unchanged at S$1.80.


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By Daniel Hunter
London’s entrepreneurs have an optimistic outlook for 2014, according to Global Entrepreneurship Indicator, a bi-annual member survey by the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, a global network of over 9,500 entrepreneurs.
Of the 2,700 entrepreneurs surveyed across the globe, 43% expect the economic outlook to improve in 2014. In London, 77% are planning for improvement.
While 48% of the London entrepreneurs surveyed saw their revenue increase in 2013, 70% are planning for growth in the next six months. Additional findings include:
- 65% expect to increase headcount in the next six months (compared to 63% globally).
- 68% expect to see net profit increase during the next six months (compared to 76% globally)
- 70% expect to see revenue increase during the next six months (compared to 81% globally)
- 29% expect an increase in debt load during the next six months (compared to 26% globally).
- 48% expect access to capital to increase and 6% expect it to decrease over the next six months (compared to 34% and 3% globally).
Julie Walters, UK President of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and Founder of Tudor Reilly Health comments: “The results show that London’s entrepreneurs are more optimistic than they have been for five years. London is a hotbed of entrepreneurial activity with initiatives such as Tech City raising the profile of the city as a great place to start a business. As more entrepreneurs gravitate towards the city, this opens up more opportunities for networking and peer-to-peer learning, increasing its appeal as a place to start a business.”
Join us on


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Over the past several years we have come to think of cosmetic surgery as someone getting the in-your-face full lips or extra-large breasts. However recently the trends have been changing and people are shifting away from the Kylie Jenner full lips and gravitating towards more natural, proportionate ‘Ivanka Trump’ look.
As Newport Beach plastic surgeon Dr. Bunkis points out: ‘People, especially in their 30s and 40s, prefer Ivanka’s classic unconventional features over the typical excessive look that we are used to in plastic surgery.’
People have always looked up to celebrities for cosmetic surgery ideas but typically these celebrities have more extravagant appearance. And although Trump has been in the spotlight recently, there is another underlying reason for ‘Ivanka Trump look’ emulation. At 35 Ivanka is the perfect example of natural beauty that is appropriate to her own age group. Women no longer want over-the-top features but rather lean towards the softer look that she has.
Although her look is not a conventional example of what the perfect face should look like, but women admire her classic and proportionate features. This extraordinary beauty is what makes her so appealing. ‘When you have someone who’s extraordinarily beautiful, like a fashion model, they often fall outside the norms of measurement [and symmetry] that dictate conventional beauty. But that anomaly makes the face beautiful and interesting. With Ivanka, her lowered brow, [which bucks convention], makes her face look even more attractive to us’ Dr. Frank Lista, medical director of the plastic surgery clinic in Toronto and Mississauga said to Global News.


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Emaar Q3 profit tops $158 million; up 50pc
Dubai, October 24, 2013
Emaar Properties, Dubai's largest property firm, made Dh581 million ($158.18 million) in the quarter ending Sept 30 compared with Dh387 million in the corresponding period in 2012, marking a higher-than-expected 50 per cent rise.
The jump in the net profit was driven by growth in its hotels, malls and real estate businesses said the builder of the world's tallest tower, the Burj Khalifa, in a statement on Dubai's bourse on Thursday.
This is well ahead of estimates by seven analysts polled by Reuters who predicted an average net profit of Dh449.9 million.
Revenue for the quarter was Dh2.35 billion, up 43 per cent from Dh1.64 billion in the same period last year.
The revenue for the first nine months of 2013 is Dh7.566 billion ($2.060 billion), 36 per cent higher than the revenue of Dh5.560 billion ($1.514 billion) during the same period in 2012.
Revenue for the third quarter 2013 is Dh2.347 billion ($639 million), which is 43 per cent more than the third-quarter 2012 revenue of Dh1.639 billion ($446 million).
Emaar continued to strengthen recurring revenues from its shopping malls & retail and hospitality & leisure businesses, which together contributed Dh3.356 billion ($914 million), 44 per cent of the total revenue in the first nine months of 2013. The international operations of Emaar contributed Dh770 million ($210 million), 10 per cent of the total revenue during the same period.
Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, said: “Emaar’s strong performance across all its core businesses is a testament to the positive growth recorded by Dubai. Our new developments, in real estate, malls, and hospitality, underline our strategic approach to supporting Dubai’s all-round growth. Over the past nine months, we have entered into joint venture agreements with large Government companies such as Dubai Holding and Meraas Holding to develop mega-projects in Dubai that will catalyse the economy.” - TradeArabia News Service and Reuters


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Students convert '64 Corvair to cruise via electric motor
Inspired by an electric vehicles course led by Don Cox, adjunct faculty in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln's College of Engineering, May graduates Arthur Fischer, Eric Peterson and Sam Wildman completed a senior design capstone project by converting a 1964 Chevy Corvair from an internal-combustion engine to full electric power.
The "Retro-Vair" is designed for a city commuter and will travel for at least 30 miles on a full charge. Top cruising speed is about 70 miles per hour. The students developed the project in the last three years, completing the build in the previous 18 months.
For more information about the project, click the image below.


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Microsoft today announced a big Windows 11 update that brings several new experiences. This new Windows 11 update will bring the new AI-powered Bing to the taskbar.
The search box on Windows 11 taskbar is one of the most widely used features on Windows. According to Microsoft, over half a billion users use Windows search box every month. With the typable Windows search box and the new AI-powered Bing, you can find the answers you’re looking for easier than ever before.
With the new Bing in the Windows taskbar, you will be more empowered to harness the world’s information.
With this update, hundreds of millions of Windows 11 users can get access to the new Bing to search, chat, answer questions and generate content from right on their Windows taskbar.
If you’re already part of the new Bing preview, you can install today’s Windows 11 update to access the new search box.