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Reeling off our names and nationalities between East Halls 1 and 2 of convention center Tokyo Big Sight, our group introduces itself: “I’m from Thailand,” “Vietnam, hi,” “We’re Taiwanese”, “Singapore”, “Korea”.
Our leader, Joe Simonsen, is about to whisk us around Eco-Products 2011, a giant trade fair focusing on eco-friendly goods and services.
Oh, and I’m Matt, from England.
Kazunori Kobayashi, CEO of EcoNetworks, who helped with translators and tours of the event, tells me he’s seen a growth of visitors from Asia, mainly Korea and China.
“Nikkei (the organizer) plans to make this event more international,” he says. “And together with Japan for Sustainability (a nonprofit platform for environmental communication) we have started to help realize that vision.”
Though a trade fair, the ethos behind Eco Products 2011 is that being “green” comes from a desire to change the way we think about the future — and to change the way we live. And being ecologically sound involves far more than simply saving energy. By showcasing innovative thinking and product design, the event is one way the public can learn how they can make a difference through their everyday choices.
There are, of course, the familiar logos of most of Japan’s major manufacturers — here to showcase their latest flagship eco products — but the event doesn’t purely focus on industrial design by giant names. It’s also a forum where many smaller organizations, startups, NGOs, NPOs, universities and entrepreneurs can brush shoulders with the big players. And, with booths flaunting mascots, quizzes and quirky freebies, they all compete for our attention.
The future of travel?
Just four days after Tokyo Motor Show finished in Tokyo Big Sight’s West Arena, the car companies only had a short distance to travel to exhibit their eco-friendly vehicles.
First, Nissan shows us its electric car, the Leaf. Advertised as having “zero emissions” (from the car itself, at least), 8,000 have already been sold in Japan — it could be the future of road travel. But then so could sticking to gasoline, a tactic Mazda shows off with its two-geared “intelligent” (that word comes up a lot) engine, which it says “vastly improves fuel efficiency.”
Toyota and Honda, too, have their own electrical/hybrid ideas — and tire company Yokohama draws us in with a trophy-laden electric racing car, equipped with its BluEarth fuel-efficient performance tires.
The talking-point vehicle-of-the-show, though, is the Toilet Bike Neo. Straddling the bike, the rider sits on, yes, a toilet seat. Thankfully, the toilet seat is not for the waste of the rider — it’s a reference to the fertilized, purified and compressed waste from livestock that made up the bio-gas fuel used to power the bike’s recent journey to Tokyo from Kokura, in Kyushu.
But why use fuel at all? Engineering and construction company Giken tackles what it calls a “social problem” and something that might have put you off that emission-free form of transport — cycling. Walk along any sidewalk in Japan, and you probably have to watch out for more stationary two-wheelers than moving ones. The bicycle might be the perfect zero-emission way to get from A to B, if only B had more space to park.
Giken, whose motto is “Culture above ground, function beneath,” puts forward an interesting solution. Shoppers in Jiyugaoka, Meguro Ward, may already have noticed some Eco-Cycle parking signs — but what they may not know is what lies below them. Roll your bicycle toward a booth, secure the front wheel, tap a registered IC card — or swipe your ¥2,700 monthly ticket — and wait. A mechanism will pull your bicycle into the booth, and then down into a space 12 meters underground where it parks the bicycles carousel style. The Jiyugaoka cycle park can store 144 bicycles, though there are others that can store up to 204. Whenever you are ready, in just 13 seconds, the system will pluck, spin and deliver your bike back to you. No more nuisance parking and no more street-obstruction tickets for cyclists.
Cleaning up your mess
What if the next washing machine you buy could actually tell you how dirty your clothes are? Panasonic’s latest prototype Eco-Navi washing machine does just that.
The idea at the heart of Panasonic’s Eco-Navi range is distributing power where it is needed and saving it where it’s not.
“Usually, you can’t see inside the washing machine,” says the Panasonic attendant, “but with this Eco-Navi you can.”
The specially built exhibition model has a transparent casing, exposing its circuitry, sensors and spinning drum — its functions all clearly labelled with flashing LEDs.
It has four high-tech sensors, with this new model including for the first time a detector in its water outlet. By checking the clarity of the exiting water of a laundry load, the machine is able to adjust the amount of detergent and water needed, and precisely control the time and power of spin cycles, to get those whiter than white shirts. Seeing through the jargon — a “dancing pulsator” and some “intelligent inverters” — whether you are doing a family load or just a couple of days worth of socks, it’ll only use the energy needed, helping streamline your household bills.
Sometimes the simplest ideas are the most eye-catching. When they make a mundane or necessary everyday task interesting, they are even more impressive. Whenever you turn on a tap, the pressure of the water rushing up through the pipes holds a lot of energy. Plumbing and bathroom company Toto have developed a dynamo, which when placed between the water source and the tap converts some of that energy into electrical power. When your hand triggers a sensor, it opens and closes a valve, releasing water toward those grubby fingers — providing mains power and touch-free washing for the hygiene conscious.
Applications for Toto’s dynamo could include public bathrooms and so called “eco-homes of the future”. At this stage, however, it doesn’t produce much power — about 15 mW — just enough to work a micro-sensor, but also enough to show potential. In the future, the product range could be adapted to harness power from water falling through drains and sinkholes.
Other bright ideas
A clock on your kitchen, office or even bedroom wall showing you how much power you are using compared to average and targeted rates for the hour, might make you think twice about leaving that light on. And the color-coded energy-efficient LED lights that make up the “electricity usage visualization” of Nihon Techno Corporation’s Smart Clock not only look good, they also serve as warning signals. Aim for the “low-usage for the hour” deep green and try to avoid red. The company hopes that if the consumer’s awareness of energy usage is improved, it will encourage them to do their bit for the planet while lowering energy bills.
If you’re wondering about the energy needed to run the Eco Product fair itself, organizers claim to have cut its usage by 30 percent this year, and almost all of the 12,000 kW that is used is produced through biomass, solar power and other sustainable sources. By my calculations, that would be about 8 billion of Toto’s tap mechanisms — but at least that energy goes toward saving more.
Nonprofit and Nongovernmental
In the impressively cooperative NPO and NGO zone — exhibitors here seem happy to share and feed off each other’s ideas — is the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies, which is raising funds for and promoting the Tsunagari Nukumori Project. The project, among other things, salvages wood from across the Tohoku region — such as timber destroyed by the March 11 earthquake and following tsunami.
The project’s title, “Tsunagari Nukumori,” uses the Japanese words for “unity” and “warmth and care” — and the warmth bit is literal. The wood collected is chipped, and among its many uses — such as cat litter and soft-toy stuffing — it can be burned as fuel. It has already been used to heat hot baths for many people who have had to do without. The NGOs and NPOs working with the project have installed biomass and wood-chip boilers and solar panels in more than 115 locations across Tohoku. Many evacuation centers, temporary housing projects, meeting places and kindergartens have benefited from such green power.
As I have a break over a (fair-trade) coffee, and take stock of the day, elementary school children run around in color-coded caps trying to finish their eco quizzes; business men and women compare free gifts; and staff hurriedly chase down as many business cards and contacts as they can — all in the name of eco-awareness.
But it’s not just freebies and fun. There’s a serious message to take away, delivered with incredible diversity. A total of 181,487 visitors made it to this year’s event, and hopefully each of them will have a new drive to change their lives; the banners covering the exits rallied the masses — “Green for All, All for Green.”
Eco-Products 2011 was held Dec. 15-17 at Tokyo Big Site. For more information on some of the exhibitors visit, Econetworks: www.econetworks.jp/en. Japan for Sustainability: www.japanfs.org/en. Tsunagari Nukumori Project: www.tsunagari-nukumori.jp.


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The U.K. government is looking to increase oversight into cryptocurrency promotions in order to protect investors.
- HM Treasury said Monday it was looking to clamp down on "misleading and inadequate promotions" that endangered retail investors.
- Brought forward by John Glen, the City Minister responsible for the U.K.'s financial services sector, the proposals, published Monday, call for companies to pass through a "regulatory gateway" before being approved to promote cryptocurrency products.
- This follows a 2018 report from the government's "Cryptoassets Taskforce," which said misleading advertisements and promotions for cryptocurrency products was a key investor protection issue.
- Under the proposals, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) would become the body responsible for overseeing digital asset promotions.
- Any firm looking to approve the financial promotions from unauthorized firms would first need to have the consent of the FCA.
- In a statement, Glen said existing regulation had failed to keep up with the expanding number of products coming to market.
- He added the proposals would bring crypto product promotions up to the same levels as those for other asset-classes.
- The proposals are currently in the consultation phase, which will continue until Oct. 25.
The leader in news and information on cryptocurrency, digital assets and the future of money, CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, institutional digital assets exchange. Bullish group is majority owned by Block.one; both groups have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary, and an editorial committee, chaired by a former editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal, is being formed to support journalistic integrity.

domain: news


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In the global fight against coronavirus, there's perhaps one essential item that has become a sort of commodity in the 'new normal' fashion industry – the face mask.
You see, there's nothing wrong with wearing a surgical mask. They're the most effective at shielding people from the deadly coronavirus, but they're also highly sought after by actual medical frontliners.
This has caused many people to resort to homemade fabric or cloth masks, as well as those sold by independent vendors. In fact, there are so many choices out there, it can be pretty hard to pick just one.
But people in Singapore will soon have another strong contender for their next mask purchase: The Uniqlo AIRism face mask.
Originally released in Uniqlo stores across Japan on June 19, the AIRism mask was an instant hit among the Japanese.
Set to release in Singapore on August 24, the Uniqlo AIRism face mask is predicted to sell out pretty quickly, judging from the insanely-long lines the mask's launch garnered in Japan itself.
In fact, the masks were so popular, customers ended up flooding Uniqlo Japan's online store, causing it to crash, only to greet customers with 'Sold Out' notices once the site came back online.
Those who decided to purchase the masks in physical stores had to brave long lines, with some exposed to the rain outside.
But what's so great about the AIRism face mask?
The mask features a three-layer construction that consists of a smooth inner layer to make it easier to breathe, a triple-tier outer layer with UV Cut UPF50+, and a nano-filter that blocks 99 percent of bacteria and pollen sandwiched in between.
The Uniqlo AIRism face mask comes in three sizes: Child, Adult (Small), and Adult (Regular).
Each individual mask can be rewashed up to 20 times, with each pack coming with three individual masks.
They also come in two colors – black and white.
Starting August 24, you can get your own pack of AIRism face masks for S$14.90 (US$10.88).
If you're thinking about buying in bulk, think again. Uniqlo Singapore is imposing a purchase limit of one pack per color and per person.


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Elio Motors Launches Its Own Cryptocurrency
The company is still trying to fund production of its tiny three-wheeler.
Troubled automotive startup Elio Motors is turning to crytocurrency in order to fund production of its three-wheeled vehicle. The company is launching ElioCoin as an offering to investors with help from financial firm Jones Trading and online retailer Overstock.com, which will also become an Elio investor.
Companies already use cryptocurrencies—digital currencies like the popular Bitcoin—to raise money, and Elio intends ElioCoin to be a safer bet than other offerings. ElioCoin will be offered as a "Securitized Token Offering," meaning it will be subject to stricter regulations and offered only to financial institutions and accredited investors. Elio also hopes that bringing in Jones Trading to lead the offering will add more clout.
Investors will redeem ElioCoins for actual Elio vehicles, although the company isn't ready to discuss exactly how that will work just yet. Overstock.com is currently negotiating to become the lead investor in the ElioCoin sale, and the tokens will be traded on Overstock subsidiary tZero. Overstock also plans to buy $2.5 million of newly-issued Elio common stock. However, Elio won't discuss the amount it hopes to raise through the coin offering at this time.
Elio was launched by Paul Elio in 2009 and has been promoting a small and reasonably-priced three-wheeled vehicle ever since. Elio has said the vehicle will be fuel efficent, achieving an EPA-rated 84 mpg on the highway, and it was originally priced at $6,800, though the price was raised last year to $7,450. Elio secured a former General Motors plant in Shreveport, Louisiana, to build the vehicle, but the only examples built so far have been pre-production prototypes.
This isn't the first time Elio has resorted to unorthodox fundraising methods. In 2015, the company launched a fundraising campaign aimed at so-called non-accredited investors. This allowed the company to collect small amounts of money from a large group of investors, like a Kickstarter campaign on steroids. Elio raised over $20 million that way. But Elio has still struggled.
While it claims to have 65,000 reservations for its three-wheeler, Elio has repeatedly delayed the start of production due to lack of funds (production was originally expected to start in 2014). In August 2017, it announced the sale of $100 million in stock and another production delay. The company now says that it hopes to start production 76 weeks after the ElioCoin fundraising round, meaning vehicles won't start rolling off the assembly line until 2019 at the earliest.


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The ICICI Bank has launched the WhatsApp service for the customers. It will allow customers to pay bills, create a fixed deposit, and detailed access to their trade finance instantly using WhatsApp.
WhatsApp banking brought to you by ICICI bank.
Now customers have the convenience of accessing the bank from home. Due to the COVID pandemic issue, people have to maintain social distancing with this initiative. They can avoid an unwanted rush, and with that chances of getting in contact with the infected people will reduce.
Now retailers can pay their bills and maintain their FDs from shops. Corporates and MSMEs can check their client’s finance-related details and services which includes import-export code, customer ID, etc.
Currently, phone recharging service is not offered, but soon it will be included in the list of the services. Six months before the bank launched a host of services. The services include checking the balance of the account, credit card limit, pre-approved loan offers, block/unblock credit/debit card, access to predominant newspapers/magazines and locating nearby stores of essentials. Many borrowers have chosen moratorium through WhatsApp service.
All that the customers need to do is save the number provided by the ICICI bank and say ‘Hi.’ The bank will respond with the list of services that the customers can avail.
The customers need to type the keyword for the service they want, and the service carried out and then displayed instantly.
Mr Bijith Bhaskar, the Head-Digital Channels and Partnership of ICICI bank, mentioned that with the growing influence of the social media, the services offered through WhatsApp could bring more comfort and convenience to the customers.
Over two million users have adopted the banking services via the WhatsApp in a span of just six months and looking at such a great response from the customers. The services have been expanded to retail, NRI, corporate and MSME customers as well.


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Fashion retailer Nordstrom is selling a pair of $425 jeans that allegedly show "you're not afraid to get down and dirty."
The "Barracuda Straight Leg Jeans," which come with a "caked-on muddy coating," have been roundly mocked on social media, with Mike Rowe remarking that the jeans are intended to make someone appear like they have a dirty job when they do not.
"The Barracuda Straight Leg Jeans aren’t pants. They’re not even fashion. They’re a costume for wealthy people who see work as ironic – not iconic," Rowe wrote on Facebook.


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San Francisco, California (PRWEB) November 30, 2011
Stunner of the Month is pleased to announce its participation in the 2011 BizTech @Wharton Conference. On Friday, December 2 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, The 2011 BizTech@Wharton Conference will bring together more than 350 prominent industry professionals who represent the very latest thinking in business technology and the students who will lead the next generation of companies into a world of eCommerce .
Todd Smith, Co-founder of Stunner of the Month, will be speaking at the Subscriptions: The Importance of Access panel from 3:15 4:15 PM. The panel will cover online companies who offer subscriptions to physical goods. These companies, like Stunner of the Month, act as expert curators and personal tastemakers, delivering series of products to consumers who may never have discovered them on their own. Smith will share his companys experience behind this emerging trend.
Smith will be joined by fellow San Francisco e-businessman, Rob Lafave, Co-founder and CEO of Foodzie, an online marketplace where consumers can discover and buy food directly from small passionate food producers and growerstheir mission is to help the small food producers across the country find customers and grow their business. Additional panelists will be, Anand Sanwal, Co-founder and CEO of CB Insights, Greg Alvo, Founder and CEO of OrderGroove, Phin Barnes, Principal, First Round Capital, and Matthew Smith, Product Director, New Products, Shutterstock.
Other panel topics include Social Commerce: Using the power of social networks to influence purchase decisions; Alternative Currencies: Alternative Currencies in a Digital Word; Social Fundraising: Using the Web to Raise Money, Access Capital, and Participate in a Broader Cause; Deal Mania: Flash Sales; and The Sharing Economy.
Stunner of the Month has always been on the cutting edge of fashion, and now standing among the best and brightest of Whartons elite and the most successful eCommerce companies in the country, they are positioned to stand on the cutting edge of business too.
To learn more about Stunner of the Month or to place an order visit http://www.StunnerOftheMonth.com. Stay up-to-date on the latest eyewear trends by following on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Soundcloud.
Launched in 2009, Stunner of the Month isnt just a club, its a lifestyle. The monthly sunglasses subscription service encourages subscribers to make each pair of unbranded shades their own. Wear Januarys Stunners in September. Share a pair with a friend. Give a pair to get a number. Wear two at the same time. It doesnt matter. With this mentality in mind, the San Francisco based startup supplies rare, fashion eyewear to thousands of stunsetters in all 50 states, and the District of Columbia and internationally to over 15 countries.


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The Portuguese government has banned the use of the term ‘vegan leather'. Now, any company using a plant-based prefix such as ‘vegan,' ‘synthetic,' mycelial, ‘desserto' or ‘pineapple' on their products will face fines and prosecution.
Consumer transparency is the main reason for this legislation. However, with the vegan leather market projected to be USD 90 billion by the year 2025, the enormous growth will create an enormous problem for the Portuguese government, which is under pressure to protect the country's leather industry.
The Semantic War
portugal is not the first country in the world to ban so-called ‘misleading' terms. Belgium, france, Italy, and Spain have all made similar moves and legislation when consumer clarity is always cited as the primary motivation.
However, last year's new research shows that it's a myth that consumers are confused by labels such as “meat'” and “milk'” on plant-based products.
Attempts to suppress the plant bases market haven't always been successful. In 2020, European farmers lost in their attempt to ban terms such as “veggie burger,” and Australian senators failed to enforce a ban on meat-like terms used on vegan product packaging.
The use of conventional leather is under heavy criticism in recent years for its influence on the environmental impact.
The Livestock sector is the world's biggest consumer of agricultural land through grazing and feed crops. As a result, real leather has a role in climate change.
Many of the plant-based alternatives hitting the market are considered by many as a better sustainable solution.


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There’s been a sharp decline in interest for the “metaverse” keyword in Google search. However, while the hype may be waning, it seems that companies are still very keen on dipping their toes into the virtual world.In March alone, companies have either launched or revealed plans to build metaverse offices that would be used for online meetings with international clients, internal innovation hubs and enhancing social communication with users.While we may be witnessing its earlier versions, metaverse offices seem like a sneak peek into the future of work. With this, let’s take a look at some companies that have recently entered the metaverse.Events firm Atom sets up a metaverse officeAtom, an events firm based in Mumbai, has recently set up its metaverse office. The firm purchased digital space in Decentraland, and it’s planning to use the virtual office as a new way to reach out to its international clients. The company also plans to use it for future metaverse events.Yash Kulshreshtha, the creative head for Atom, said in an interview that the move aims to expand the company’s global operations and cater to younger generations. “The young generation growing up today will find it completely natural,” said Kulshreshtha.KuCoin exchange launched KuCoin Meta OfficeDigital asset exchange KuCoin has launched an office based on the Bloktopia Digital Space. In a press release, the trading platform revealed its KuCoin Meta Office. The office aims to provide an immersive metaverse experience to its visitors as well as access to interactive social communication.KuCoin CEO Johnny Lyu said that this milestone helps bring adoption to the metaverse and blockchain. “KuCoin is exploring the application scenarios of metaverse and blockchain technology,” said Lyu.Related: The Sandbox metaverse hits 2M users, begins K-pop partnershipBjarke Ingels designs first virtual officeProminent architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group worked with Vice Media’s creative agency Virtue Futures to design a new metaverse office located in Decentraland. Dubbed as the “Viceverse office,” the digital space will be a hub for Vice Media Group employees.In an interview, Virtue Futures executive Morten Grubak described the office as an “experimental playground.” According to Grubak, the office allows its teams to experiment with nonfungible tokens, decentralized autonomous organizations and Web3.SCB 10x reveals plans to launch The Sandbox-based officeSCB 10x, the venture arm of Siam Commercial Bank, has revealed plans to launch a virtual office based in The Sandbox. According to the announcement, the office will be launched later in 2022 and will be used for connecting with the global community of builders.Apart from connecting with the community, the digital office will allow visitors to attend events, join product demonstrations and visit uniquely crafted environments.Čítaj viac
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For the six months ended August 3, 2013, the Company earned net income of $45.6 million or $1.56 per diluted share, compared with net income of $49.1 million or $1.68 per diluted share for the six months ended July 28, 2012, a 7% decrease in net income and earnings per diluted share. Sales for the first half were $496.6 million, down 2% to the prior year's first half sales of $504.2 million. Same-store sales for the first half were down 4% from the prior year.
"Same-store sales continue to be affected by slow economic growth, high unemployment and our customers' limited discretionary spending," said John Cato, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. "We expect this difficult environment to continue in the second half. We project second half earnings per diluted share will be within our original guidance range of $.19 to $.32."
Second quarter gross margin was 36.8% compared to 38.4% last year due primarily to lower merchandise margins and higher store occupancy costs. Second quarter SG&A costs as a percent of sales was up slightly at 25.7% versus 25.6% last year primarily as a result of higher insurance costs offset by lower incentive compensation expense. The effective tax rate for the quarter was 36.0% compared to 37.3% last year, primarily due to the late renewal of the Work Opportunity Tax Credit last year, which had not been renewed by Congress as of the end of the second quarter last year.
As noted above, based on year-to-date results and the Company's original guidance for the second half, earnings per diluted share are expected to be within the adjusted range of $1.75 to $1.88 versus $2.11 last year, a decrease of 17% to 11%. By quarter, earnings per diluted share are estimated to be in the range of $.02 to $.09 versus $.16 last year for the third quarter and $.17 to $.23 versus $.27 last year for the fourth quarter. Comparable store sales for both the third and fourth quarters are estimated to be in the range of down 3% to flat.
During the first half, the Company opened four new stores, relocated three stores and closed eight stores. The Company now expects to open 51 stores during 2013. As of August 3, 2013, The Cato Corporation operated 1,306 stores in 31 states, compared to 1,295 stores in 31 states as of July 28, 2012.
The Cato Corporation is a leading specialty retailer of value-priced fashion apparel and accessories operating three concepts, "Cato", "Versona" and "It's Fashion". The Company's Cato stores offer exclusive merchandise with fashion and quality comparable to mall specialty stores at low prices every day.
Versona is a unique fashion destination offering accessories and apparel including jewelry, handbags and shoes at exceptional prices every day. It's Fashion offers fashion with a focus on the latest trendy styles for the entire family at low prices every day.
The Cato Corporation
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The ScrapsBook cookbook, which is free to download, has 50 recipes with an aim at reducing massive food waste.
With an eye on sustainability and cutting food waste, IKEA Canada and chefs from across North America have produced a new cookbook that shows how to cook meals using food scraps most people would throw away.
The ScrapsBook cookbook is free to download from IKEA Canada. Ten chefs, including Adrian Forte, Craig Wong, and Trevor Bird, have each contributed five recipes, spanning multiple cuisines and cultures, IKEA said.
For breakfast, you could try a No-Waste Omelette, Banana Peel Bacon and Watermelon Rind Jam. Lunchtime could be the right time for Mac & Rinds or Radish Top Risotto. For dinner, whip up Kale Stem Pesto Tagliatelle, Sweet & Scrappy Meatballs and Spare Fish Croquettes.
Food waste has become a growing concern because of the environmental toll of production, including the land required to raise crops and animals and the greenhouse gas emissions produced along the way.
The cookbook has been released two weeks after a United Nations report found that 17% of food produced in the world, or 1 billion tons, is wasted each year. Most of that — 61% — is household food waste.
“Seeing how much waste is created in one of the most important rooms in the home, we set out to inspire Canadians by giving food scraps another look and offering new, creative ways to reduce food waste at home,” Johanna Andren, head of IKEA Canada’s marketing division said in a statement.
The story continues after this video
RELATED: 17% of food production globally wasted, UN report estimates
RELATED: 80 billion pounds of food is thrown out in the U.S. Here’s how this new app wants to stop food waste
In the U.S., the Department of Agriculture estimates that a family of four wastes about $1,500 in food each year.
“Food is valuable and precious. We believe that everyone in the food chain has a role to play in preventing and reducing food waste,” said IKEA Canada Sustainability Manager Melissa Barbosa.
IKEA said it will launch a weekly series of live cooking tutorials on Instagram Live. #Scrapcooking Sundays starts April 11 with Trevor Bird.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.


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- "One of our big themes is recycling. ... There's lots of uses where aluminum can have a useful second life for consumers and we have been a pioneer in recycling schemes for aluminum," Nestle CEO Mark Schneider says.
- "We did not want to be a passenger to what the packaging industry is dishing up. We wanted to do our own thing," he says in an interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer.
- The CEO details the food and drink processing giant's sustainability plans, including launching plant-based cuisines.
Nestle has the wheels rolling on a number of sustainability initiatives with both the environment and health in mind, CEO Mark Schneider told CNBC on Tuesday.
The Switzerland-based food and drink processing conglomerate, the holding company of household names such as Kit Kat and Nesquik, is focused on creating packages and edible products that are more eco-friendly, he said in a one-on-one interview with "Mad Money's" Jim Cramer. One of those initiatives includes Nestle's plan to package its Nespresso coffee capsules with 100% aluminum, which Schneider explained could find a second life as an aluminum pen or bicycle.
"One of our big themes is recycling," he said when asked about the company's "Impact Per Share." In November, Nespresso announced that it would sell all of its coffee in aluminum capsules by 2020. "There's lots of uses where aluminum can have a useful second life for consumers and we have been a pioneer in recycling schemes for aluminum."
In its efforts to help U.S. consumers in their recycling habits, the company also provides a prepaid United Parcel Service bag when customers order the capsules, which can be easily sent off for recycling, Schneider added.
Nestle also launched its own Institute of Packaging Sciences late last year to develop packaging solutions that are tailored toward its recycling program, he explained. With the institute, the company plans to sell every one of its products in recyclable or reusable packages by 2025.
"We did not want to be a passenger to what the packaging industry is dishing up. We wanted to do our own thing," said Schneider who became the first outsider to lead Nestle in more than a century when he joined the food giant in 2017. "One thing we realized it's our name that's on the product, hence we want to be sure its packaging material that we fully endorse and that we can stand behind."
In terms of health, plant-based food has become a "major theme" for Nestle, the CEO said. That includes its meat and dairy products, such as ice cream and coffee creamers, he continued. Nestle sells the Incredible Burger in Europe, which can be found in German McDonald's restaurants, and plans to launch the Awesome Burger in the United States next month under its Sweet Earth brand. Nestle acquired the brand in 2017.
"That's a key theme because at the end of the day it usually has a better nutritional profile for consumers and it also has a better environmental foot print," Schneider said.
Under his tenure as CEO, Nestle's stock has gained nearly 50%. The shares climbed nearly 1% on Tuesday to close at $109.06.


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©2004-2011. All Rights Reserved
LittleBigPlanet is a digital sandbox for PlayStation 3 users to create their own levels and even entire little games, and the series has been particularly successful at allowing players to explore some of their favorite media franchises in a whole new way. A previous pack of costumes inspired by the Tron films was a big hit last summer, and now developer Media Molecule and Disney have released an additional set of gear from the flicks.
The Clu costume was actually initially available as a pre-order bonus for last year's LittleBigPlanet 2, but the Quorra and Gem costumes are totally new, and the pack also includes stickers for use in the stages. The Tron: Legacy Minipack is available now for LittleBigPlanet and LittleBigPlanet 2 for $2.99 on PlayStation 3.


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04 October 2001 | Robin Parker
Restructuring of supply chains to cope with the impact of the US attacks could set the automotive industry back 10 years, said an industry analyst.
Peter Cooke, professor of automotive industry management at Nottingham Business School, said global manufacturers' movement towards single sourcing could be reversed.
"Manufacturers based in the US could become more insular," he warned. "The European operations could be forced to use suppliers only within the euro-zone and extra security could lengthen delivery times."
Cooke said the nature of the European automotive supply chain posed a problem. "Components are often distributed from east to west," he said. "We're going to see increasing numbers of people trying to escape to the west and thus extra security."
Ford closed its US headquarters and production plants for several days last month because of parts shortages, and cut its production forecast for the quarter by 110,000 vehicles.
Ford said European business was continuing, but orders for Ford Explorer engines have been cut significantly after the US plant was temporarily closed.


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BIGfish client Christie Street was feautred in VentureBeat this afternoon. The crowdfunding site's first product, DoorBot, reached its funding goal last week and has raised nearly $300,000 to date. "If Kickstarter is the community college for crowdfunded projects, Christie Street is the Ivy League," VentureBeat reported.
Christie Street, a new crowdfunding site dedicated to hardware and products, was featured on MarketWatch after reporter Kelli B. Grant stopped by the Christie Street table at Pepcom Monday evening at CES. The first three products available through Christie Street include a backpack with built-in battery for on-the-go charging ($169), decorative Bluetooth headsets ($49) and DoorBot, Wi-Fi Enabled "Smart" Doorbell ($169). To read the entire article, click the photo above or click here.
After raising $139,170 on Kickstarter to support the creation of POP, a multi-device charging station, Edison Junior CEO Jamie Siminoff announced it would return all that money to backers in the largest Kickstarter refund yet. Backers will receive refunds through Christie Street, Siminoff's new crowdfunding platform created specifically for products. To read the full article from Wired, click the photo above or click here.
BIGfish client DoorBot, a simple yet powerful doorbell that streams live video of a home’s front doorstep directly to a smartphone or tablet, was featured on Mashable today. DoorBot enables residents to communicate with visitors remotely and is the first product to seek funding on the new crowdfunding platform Christie Street. To read the entire article from Mashable, click the photo above or click here.
BIGfish client Christie Street, a new crowdfunding site devoted exclusively to physical products, was featured on Wired today for its innovative approach to crowdfunding. To read the entire article, click the photo above or click here.


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Apple is going to feature rewards points in different programs
We all know about the iPhone and iPad apps like Passbook and Health by now but they’re still in early stages of use and functionality so many people ignore these programs completely. Apple knows they have the power to build new ecosystems with certain apps like Apple Pay, Passbook, Health, and other rumored apps (similar in function to Yelp! which will we report on when more information is availabe). So how do you get more users to use Apps they aren’t taking advantage of in their daily lives? Apple believes that the answer lies in loyalty points designed to change the way of American life and standardize it to a new age of iPhone dependency.
The loyalty program looks like it will come this year, based on Digiday’s timetable. This was unexpected — many had assumed the program would wait until the launch of Apple Pay 2.0, tentatively scheduled for October 2015. It looks like market demand pushed the timetable up to this holiday season, which my sources within the retail industry have said for sme time is “super unlikely.”
iphone repair in schaumburg, iphone repair in hoffman estates, iphone


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Autumn has such a distinct aroma that is incomparable to any other season. With crispness in the air, and leaves turning from green to the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows, the anticipation of your local brewery’s pumpkin ale, and warm, cozy scarves. What a feeling to behold!
With the changing of the seasons, comes the influx of craft markets. One of the city’s oldest, The Handcrafters Guild, has been a Dartmouth staple since 1974. Founded by a unique collective of craftspeople, the guild is a not-for-profit organization that has donated over $250,000 to 90 local well-deserving charities throughout Nova Scotia including shelters, schools, sports clubs, senior’s and children’s clubs, food banks and health organizations. Proceeds from the 2021 show will be donated to Spay Day HRM. (https://spaydaynovascotia.wpcomstaging.com/
The volunteer-driven market is back this year after being closed in 2020 due to the pandemic. The guild has welcomed some new faces to the board who are all committed to building a great show for vendors and customers. The board also welcomes back some 50 return vendors, some of which have been particpating for over 30 years, while adding 50 brand new ones to the show.
Visitors will come to the recently renovated Zatzman Sportsplex arena with an ambition to procure a unique, handmade gift before the Holiday season starts. The creative minds of local artisans gather to share their handmade wares hoping to inspire and delight. Jewelry, eco-friendly goods, ceramics, handmade fabrics, candles, art, clothing, pet swag, sweet treats, savory snacks and more are all on offer (for a full list follow the link https://handcraftersguild.ca/exhibitor-list-2021/).
Interested in a sneak peek? Head to the Dartmouth Handcrafter’s Facebook page to meet the crafters and their creations (and to make out your Christmas list)
The market will run Friday October 22nd from 2pm-9pm,
Saturday, October 23rd from 9am-6pm and
Sunday, October 24th from 10am-4pm
Admission for the market is $6.00 (Children under 12 get free admission) Admission includes a weekend pass bracelet good for the entire week. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Spay Day HRM. Tickets will not be available until the day of the show.
Covid precautions will be in place. Masks are mandatory and proof of vaccinations are required.
The Zatzman Sportsplex is located on 110 Wyse Road in Dartmouth near the Metro Transit Dartmouth Bridge Terminal and the Doubletree by Hilton Halifax Dartmouth.


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Costco offers cheaper alternative to Starbucks' bacon and gouda breakfast sandwich
Costco offers their sandwiches at roughly $12.50 per frozen pack
Costco is offering a cheaper alternative to Starbucks' roughly $5 bacon and gouda breakfast sandwich.
For around $12.50, Costco shoppers can have breakfast covered for eight days in a row with a frozen pack of bacon, gouda, and egg sandwiches on ciabatta rolls.
At that price, it’s roughly $1.60 per sandwich – which is significantly less than the $5 a Starbucks patron would spend on the coffee giant’s breakfast sandwich.
MEAT IS PILING UP AT STEAKHOUSES AS COVID-WORRIED PATRONS CANCEL RESERVATIONS
The independent Instagram account, Costco Hot Finds, which features products from the company, says the sandwiches are best cooked at around 335 degrees for six minutes – while flipping the ciabatta roll for the last two.
CLICK HERE TO GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO
Costco's members can find these breakfast sandwiches in the store’s frozen food aisle or request Item Number 1584153 for the stores that don’t have them.


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Johnny Morgan, Harrison, Jr, Robert W
News Release Distributed 11/05/13
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Four LSU College of Agriculture students attended a recent Produce Marketing Association Career Pathways program in New Orleans.
Career Pathways is designed to attract students into careers in the fresh produce industry, said LSU AgCenter economist R. Wes Harrison.
At the event, which was Oct. 17-20, the students received one-on-one mentoring with leaders from the produce industry, customized education including an industry overview, career panel discussions, tours of area companies and the chance to network with industry professionals at workshops, social events and on the trade show floor.
Harrison led the LSU team, which included four agribusiness students – Guillermo Fernandez, Elise Moore, Christine Schmidt and Robert Selders.
The Produce Marketing Association board selected LSU as one of 14 universities to participate in this year’s program.
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture


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Dell will likely make storage supplier acquisitions to fill holes in its offerings, the company has told analysts. The company held a financial analysts event at its Round Rock, Texas headquarters yesterday. It said it is enduring a spending squeeze by its corporate, public sector and SME customers and sees a transition to …
bean counter management BS?
Dell is shrinking, not growing (they like to call it cutting costs). They don't talk about how they will improve their product, they talk about buying turnover, but they're borrowing the money to do it because they spent all their past profits and more buying back shares to keep prices high while insiders were exercising their option grants. Shareholders must think this is management BS: the shares are down 12% relative to the Nasdaq in the past 2 days.
3PAR is cheap right now
excellent product line, soft numbers. Strike while the iron's hot...
- JLaw, Kate Upton exposed in celeb nude pics hack
- Google flushes out users of old browsers by serving up CLUNKY, AGED version of search
- GCHQ protesters stick it to British spooks ... by drinking urine
- Page File Love XKCD? Love science? You'll love a book about science from Randall Munroe
- Facebook to let stalkers unearth buried posts with mobe search


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A couple of HTC’s newest devices have been priced for pre-order and dated in the United Kingdom. To start, their Android 2.3 tablet – the HTC Flyer – has been put up for presale at Carphone Warehouse starting at £599. It’s a 3G version and isn’t expected to make its way out until “early May 2011”, according to them.
You already know its deal – 1.5GHz single core processor, HTC Sense for tablets, Scribe functionality, and a 7 inch display. Be sure to take a look at our hands on from Mobile World Congress here.
HTC’s also set to sell the smallest device in their Android lineup – the HTC Wildfire S – on May 13th, according to Play.com. It’ll run you an easy-to-swallow £230 there. Amazon’ll have it for the same price on May 22nd, while Clove wants a bit more and will ship it a bit later.


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Hazleton Student Wins ADM Scholarship
HAZLETON, Pa., July 2, 2012 – Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) announced today that Kayle Smith has been awarded a college scholarship through the ADM Scholarship Program.
“ADM is proud to sponsor this scholarship for Kayle,” said Erik Lightner, plant manager for ADM’s Cocoa facility in Hazleton. “Outstanding young leaders like Kayle have already shown tremendous dedication, ability, and commitment to their communities, and we are pleased to help provide them the opportunity for future achievements.”
Smith, a graduate of Hazleton Area High School, hopes to attend Albright College and plans to study biology. Her father is an operator at ADM’s cocoa facility in Hazle
The ADM Scholarship Program was created to assist the children of ADM active employees with the costs associated with a college education. Winners were selected on the basis of high scores on the PSAT/NMSQT; academic record throughout high school; significant activities and contributions to the school and community; the school’s recommendation of the candidate; and a student essay.
About ADM in Hazleton
ADM owns and operates a cocoa processing plant in Hazleton, employing 200 people. This facility connects the harvest to the home by processing cocoa beans into cocoa and chocolate products for use in a variety of applications — from bakery, dairy and confections to cereals, snacks and desserts.
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve vital needs. Today, 30,000 ADM employees around the globe convert oilseeds, corn, wheat and cocoa into products for food, animal feed, industrial and energy uses. With more than 265 processing plants, 400 crop procurement facilities, and the world’s premier crop transportation network, ADM helps connect the harvest to the home in more than 160 countries. For more information about ADM and its products, visit www.adm.com.
Archer Daniels Midland Company


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“There are hundreds of unit conversion apps out there, but the Gemco Valve Converter is tailored specifically for use in the powder/bulk solids processing industries,” said Jim Lenihan, Gemco Valve President. “We have customized units for values like grit size and surface finish, in addition to the standard density, mass, temp, volume etc. And with this new version, we wanted to make the Converter more accessible to our customers-however or wherever they choose to use it.”
The new edition of this industry specific application, was redesigned by the Development Team at Elwood Studio and has been in the works for several months. A web only beta version is being released today to a select group of solids industry users. The Gemco Valve Converter is downloadable for both Mac or PC or via a smart phone browser. An Android version of the converter is also now available via the web and through Google Play App Store on your Android phone or tablet. “We’re looking for input about usability and suitability–how well the new app works, especially for mobile users, and whether it offers solutions to the problems customers are trying to resolve,” added Lenihan.
Get the mobile App web version: Gemcovalve.com/converter or Android App version at Google Play.


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It looks like Harmonix is gearing up to start work on new Rock Band content, but to help decide what the studio should focus on a survey has been released so fans can give their input. The survey is rather short, only containing five questions focusing on how often you play Rockband, on which platform, how much DLC has been bought, and what instruments are owned. It’s the final question that looks like it will really shape the future though.
The company asks you to rank what out of the list you’d be most excited for, with the main choices focusing on a new game for last gen consoles or a new entry of the franchise on current consoles. If you’re interested in having your opinion taken into account then you can take the survey here. Just last week comments from Harmonix stated that it was looking to bring Rock Band back at the right time.
Source: Survey Monkey


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The BMW has released a promotional video of its upcoming compact naked sports bike, G 310 R. The one and half minute video features a parallel ride of the World Champion of Longboard Downhill, Guto Negao on a skateboard alongside the BMW G 310 R run. During the entire video, the Negao describes the similar feeling of going a downhill on a longboard and astride the G 310 R.
Catch the Promotional Video of BMW G 310 R here:
BMW Motorrad even launched an official website for the naked G 310 R, and guess what more surprised us, the official website does not list India !!
The G 310 R will be the first product from the Joint venture of BMW Motorrad and TVS Motor company, and is the highly anticipated motorcycle in India since it was showcased at 2016 Delhi Auto Expo. Recently, the naked roadster has been launched in the UK at the price tag of GBP 4290 which is equivalent to INR 3.88 lakh and all set to go on sale in Europe. Considering especially the European market, the upcoming BMW G 310 R will be more affordable than the current likes of KTM Duke 390, Kawasaki Z300, and Yamaha MT-03.
No official word yet, considering some reports, the Indian-spec G 310 R launch is slated for the festive season this year. To cater the demand soon after its launch, the automaker has already begun the production of the street fighter at the TVS Motors Karnataka-based Hosur facility.
When launched in India, the naked street bike BMW G 310 R will compete the likes of KTM Duke 390, Kawasaki Ninja 300 and Yamaha MT-03.
Get latest and updated information about automobiles on our Google Plus Community Speed Gears.


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SINGAPORE: It’s good news for consumers in this year’s Chinese rice dumpling season as the prices of the delicacy are staying the same at some shops.
Retailers Channel NewsAsia spoke to said fuel prices may have risen in recent months.
But the cost of ingredients have stayed the same.
Shop owners said they have been able to hold prices because of the highly competitive market.
A key challenge this year though, is finding the necessary temporary staff, to pump up production for the peak period.
Managing director of Eastern Rice Dumpling Lim Cheng Hwee said: "In the past, we pay about S$1,500, S$1,600 a month for a part—time (worker). But this time round, I even offered S$2,000 a month, after speaking they didn’t turn up for the job, so it’s quite a headache.
"We’re even considering getting students, like junior college and university students as part timers, since the festival falls within their holiday period."
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Despite being a land rich in agricultural resources, almost 30 percent of Ugandan crops never make it onto the shelves, because they are not... More Despite being a land rich in agricultural resources, almost 30 percent of Ugandan crops never make it onto the shelves, because they are not properly preserved. That's why a research centre at the University of Makarere is developing a new range of food products, to try and combat food wastage. Duration: 01:56
Date 4 hrs ago, Duration 1:56, Views 0


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While it’s hard not to think of Huawei’s gradient designs when looking at these promotional images of this unreleased OnePlus 6T option, it wouldn’t be fair to call the phone a copycat. Those are some pretty unique shades the 6T is rocking, ranging from a darker violet to something more closely resembling lavender.
Besides, we can probably all agree more smartphone manufacturers need to “rip off” the gradient effect to help high-end mobile devices shine (both figuratively and literally speaking).
It remains to be seen if this is the only additional color option planned for the OnePlus 6T or if perhaps there’s also a red or white version in the pipeline. By the way, there are no words on a Thunder Purple release date yet, but an official announcement could drop any day now.


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The first Ubuntu smartphones are coming in 2014, and they’ll be manufactured by European designer bq and Chinese phone maker Meizu.
Canonical and Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth says additional details will be available at Mobile World Congress, although he implied that Meizu’s phone will basically be a version of the Meizu MX3 running Ubuntu instead of Android.
Canonical and Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth says the first two partners were selected thanks to their expertise in breaking into markets. Bq has a reputation for designing high-end devices in Europe, while Meizu is becoming a big name in the Chinese market… and has plans to go global soon.
Canonical introduced Ubuntu for phones a little over a year ago, and the company has been releasing public beta builds for installation on Google Nexus phones and tablets since then. But so far you haven’t been able to buy a phone that comes preloaded with Ubuntu software.
At this point, Ubuntu for phones and tablets is a touchscreen-friendly, Linux-based operating system designed to run mobile apps rather than desktop Linux apps. But eventually the platform could let you run full desktop-style apps on your phone — Canonical says that the ultimate goal is for Ubuntu’s desktop and phone operating systems to be one operating system, sharing about 95 percent the same code.
One day you could be able to use your phone as a phone while on the go, then attach it to a docking station to run desktop apps with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor.
For now, the team has been focusing on attracting developers to its new mobile platform.
Canonical will be showing off Ubuntu phones and tablets at Mobile World Congress during the last week of February and while the big news right now is the imminent launch of Ubuntu phones. Shuttleworth says tablets fit more into its traditional PC mold.
Shuttleworth clearly has a vested interest in promoting Ubuntu as an open alternative to Google Android, but when asked for his thoughts on rival Tizen, which is backed by Samsung and Intel, he had some pretty harsh words. He says Tizen looks like less of a competitor today than 6 months ago, after facing many delays. Ultimately, he says, he finds it “highly unlikely that Tizen will be adopted by any manufacturer, or shipped by any carrier.”
While Ubuntu is open source software, Shuttleworth says Canonical’s business model for the platform involves charging device makers a license fee and generating revenue from app store sales (which will be shared with carrier and manufacturer partners).
Canonical says the first Ubuntu phones will be available for purchase online from bq, Meizu, and Ubuntu.com.
About time! Hoping for a dock accessory of some type to turn it into a mobile desktop and HDMI out…
Only reason I havent bothered messing around with Ubuntu on a Nexus is because of the lack of HDMI. If niethre of the phones have hdmi, I won’t be in the market, but I’ll be pretty sad.
If there isn’t a universal mobile/desktop app, are you able to run a desktop app while not docked? For example, I want to run the desktop version of Firefox or Chrome because some sites just don’t work well on mobile browsers including the mobile versions of Firefox and Chrome. Of course, it’d be nice to have a pointer of some sort to make it easier to use like a Wacom stylus or an integrated optical thumb mouse.
Hoping for a decent performing terminal friendly slider. If that happens then I’ll import one as a UMPC.
I’ve been looking for slider Linux UMPC (not Android) for a while. With Bay Trail, I was hoping for some to come out but, so far, only 8″ tablets have come out. The ASUS Vivotab Note 8 seems to be the best so far with its stowable Wacom stylus. I’m currently planning on getting that once it supports booting 64-bit UEFI compatible Linux distros or Linux distros s create UEFI compatible 32-bit images. I’d prefer a 32-bit OS due to only 2 GB of RAM and I don’t run any software that would get a noticeable speed up from 64-bit operations.
If an Ubuntu phone with a good slide out keyboard is released then I may try to import it into the US instead of getting the ASUS. Of course, it hopefully has good desktop performance. I’ve used a Utilite with a quad core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A9 and it was not adequate for my tastes. I hope newer ARM chips perform MUCH better.
Comments are closed.


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The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is one of the highlights of the automotive year and is traditionally an event where the best of the best is showcased. This year Aston Martin is bringing the latest development of its hybrid supercar.
Named the Valhalla, this mid-engined supercar has undergone numerous developments and will debut with a revised concept that Aston Martin says reflects a more driver-focussed interior. Prospective owners will be able to sample the car's Formula One-inspired ergonomics and unique seating position at the Aston Martin Club 1913 building at the event, located at 1536 Cypress Drive in Pebble Beach, overlooking the 18th fairway of the world-famous golf links.
Powering the Aston Martin Valhalla is a twin-turbocharged flat-plane V8 that combines with two electric motors to create a total power output of 950hp. While it is less extreme than the Valkyrie hypercar, it will be no less spectacular and should remain an exclusive driving experience as Aston Martin intends to limit production to 999 examples.
Visitors to the Aston Martin Club 1913 will also be able to see the latest and most potent iteration of the company's SUV. The DBX707 will be making one of its first appearances on US soil, and guests of the brand will have the opportunity to drive the 707hp luxury SUV throughout the weekend.
Renato Bisignani, Head of Global Marketing and Communications at Aston Martin, said: "As one of the premier luxury events in the world, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is an important opportunity for Aston Martin to connect with our loyal customers and showcase our latest product offering.
"We look forward to celebrating Aston Martin's new era of performance at Pebble Beach and displaying our iconic ultra-luxury models, including a world-first reveal of an exciting new model and the public debut of another thrilling addition to our breathtaking portfolio."
To mark the 10th anniversary of Q by Aston Martin, the company's bespoke service, an ultra-exclusive new model will be shown for the first time. Said to encapsulate the brand's winning bloodline at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, this is expected to be an instant collector's hit.
A second, performance-focussed model is also set to be revealed that Aston Martin claims will continue the 'high-octane emotion and intense driving pleasure defined by breath-taking new models such as DBX707, V12 Vantage and the uncompromising Aston Martin Valkyrie'. It will make its public debut on August 19.
Last month, Aston Martin revealed a new brand identity with a redesign of its wings logo - the first since 2003 and only the eighth time in the company's 109-year history that it has altered its logo.


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The most important things to know when shopping for a camera.
Valve on pressure vests worn at high altitude caused pilots of the jet fighter to experience dizziness, disorientation, and even blackouts for years.
The popular ride-sharing service has a controversy on its hands after a senior executive said he wanted to investigate reporters critical of the company.
A new survey -- conducted for a firm that recently brought its private social-networking app to the US -- also shows that teens are tired of the lack of reality on sites like Facebook.
Microsoft isn't going the Smartwatch 2.0 route with its rumored fitness band. Instead, the company has a more targeted and cloud-connected wearables game plan, sources say.
The website has only been available to the public for a little over a month, but it's already gaining attention among tech elite.
In a new video, the billion-dollar entertainment giant shows what it can do with a few quadcopters, and a lot of imagination.
Longtime Pentagon correspondent Richard Whittle investigated the unmanned aircraft that gave the military the ability to attack targets from the other side of the world. He talked to CNET about the drone.
A San Francisco project outfits homeless volunteers with personal camera rigs for shooting first-person footage of daily life. "The goal is to build empathy," Homeless GoPro says.
Apple will help consumers say buh-bye to plastic credit cards with the NFC-enabled iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and Apple Watch using its new mobile payment service Apple Pay.


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Tesla’s CEO exercised options to buy an additional 1.6 million shares and sold 934,090 of those shares for $ 1 billion ($ 1.38 billion) to cover the tax bite he will be subject to on this purchase.
The trades ended the exercise of the 22.9 million options he had, which were to expire in August. He sold 10.3 million of the shares he acquired throughout the process to cover his tax withholding claims.
And he did so by using a pre-agreed plan that allows corporate insiders to sell shares in such a way that they cannot be accused of trading insider information.
Musk was granted the options in 2012 as part of its pay package, and the options earned as Tesla hit various financial and operational targets in subsequent years. But he did not have to pay tax on the options until he exercised them, which he began to do in November.
The value of the shares he acquired by exercising the options, less the nominal purchase price of $ 6.24 ($ 8.60) per share. share, will be taxed at $ 23.5 billion ($ 32.39 billion) of ordinary income, a significant amount but still modest for the world’s richest person, whose net worth Forbes is estimated at $ 280 billion (385.9 billion USD).
With a top tax rate of 40.8 percent, he faces a federal tax bill of about $ 10.7 billion ($ 14.75 billion) from the exercise of those shares.
Although Musk could have waited until 2022 to take advantage of these opportunities, he faced the risk of an 8 percentage point higher tax bill if congressional Democrats and the Biden administration pass Build Back Better legislation.
Although the bill currently appears unlikely to become law, it was still very much in play when Musk set up his pre-agreed trading plan, meaning there was still a significant risk of a higher tax bill if he waited until the next year.
In early November, Musk also sold an additional 5.4 million shares that he had held in trust. The total of 15.7 million shares he sold this year put some downward pressure on Tesla stock prices, as the average selling price he received on Tuesday of $ 1,091.73 ($ 1504.79) has fallen 11 percent from record high close before the start of his trades.
But Tesla shares have risen in the past week and have risen 54 percent so far this year through Tuesday’s close.
The 5.4 million shares that Musk sold out of his confidence are most likely shares he has held since the company’s IPO in 2010, shares he received in return for investments he made in Tesla in its early days.
Instead of being taxed as income, the proceeds from these sales will be taxed at the lower, long-term capital gains rate of 20%. But it will still increase his taxes by $ 1.2 billion ($ 1.65 billion), bringing his 2021 federal tax bill to $ 10.7 billion ($ 14.75 billion).
Earlier this month, Musk said in a series of tweets that his $ 11 billion ($ 15.16 billion) in taxes would be the largest single-year tax bill ever paid by any individual.
But that’s something of a change from his previous tax bills. Since he does not receive cash salary or bonus from Tesla, it is likely that he had little or no taxable income in recent years. A study by ProPublica found that Musk and some of his fellow billionaires, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, paid zero income tax in 2018.
These revelations prompted some Democrats to call for a “wealth tax” on the possessions of the country’s richest people, rather than just their incomes.
Musk began selling some of his shares in November after conducting a poll on Twitter, asking his millions of followers if he should sell 10 percent of his Tesla share to raise his taxable income. The vote said he should.
The latest sale represents less than 10 percent of his previous holdings
Including the additional shares he sold on Tuesday, Musk has now sold 9.2 percent of the shares he owned at the time of the Twitter poll.
Unless he sells another 1.3 million of the shares he now owns, he will come just below that 10 percent promise, but he said in a recent interview with a YouTuber that he has “sold enough shares to reach around 10 percent. percent, “so Tuesday’s sales are apparently the culmination of this year’s process.
Despite all the sales in 2021, Musk now owns more shares directly than he did at the start of its trading round, with 177.7 million shares in trust or owned directly, an increase of 4 percent from the 170.5 million he had in trust at the start.
The most influential people of the time in 2021
And even though the number of options has dropped by 22.9 million, he still has 59 million additional options that can be exercised as part of his 2018 salary package.
These have a higher but still modest exercise price of $ 70.01 each ($ 96.5). These options will not expire until 2028, and therefore are unlikely to be exercised or taxed in the coming years.
And given forecasts for Tesla’s upcoming sales and profits, it’s likely that somewhere between 25.3 million and 33.8 million of these options from the 2018 package will be earned in the coming months, more than replacing the options he utilized this year.


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Business Models Two supermodels plan to spread lingerie joy around the world: Gisele Bündchen and Bar Refaeli.
Bündchen, a former Victoria’s Secret Angel who gleaned inspiration from the VS catwalk, plans to turn her namesake lingerie collection into a global brand. Launched last May, Bündchen’s line is carried in Latin America, Portugal, Japan, Israel and at Gbintimates.com.br. Prices range from $20 for panties to $160 for a camisole or corset. Her inspiration for the summer collection includes burlesque looks of Fifties cabaret dancers with lots of garters, lace, ribbons and ruffles, and a Leo group of leopard-print microfiber with black lace.
Refaeli, who has modeled little nothings for French bra brand Passionata, will launch her first online lingerie venture at Under.me in the U.K. around Valentine’s Day. It features classic underwear for men and women.
Refaeli said she based her line on what “I like and find cute. The Under.me philosophy is that underwear should complement your body, not steal the show. It was appealing to me to do a line of underwear from the fabric I like with the basic, comfy design I always look for, as well as underwear that can actually be delivered to your door.”
Prices will be $7.50 to $12.50 for panties, and $12 to $25 for tops.
First-year wholesale sales projections were not available for either line, but each brand could generate revenues of more than $25 million the first full year, according to industry estimates.
Glam Gams Charnos, the British hosiery specialist, is making use of some icons of glamour in a collection created to mark its 75th anniversary.
The firm, established in 1936, has launched a collection of styles — and package illustrations — inspired by six stars, from Betty Grable and Katharine Hepburn to Jackie Kennedy and Brigitte Bardot.
The line includes the Ava, sheer hold-up stockings with a floral seam along the leg inspired by Ava Gardner; the Brigitte, sheer tights with tiny black polka dots in the style of the French Sixties siren, and the Marilyn, sexy sheer stockings with a diamanté velour bow at the ankle inspired by Marilyn Monroe’s steamy role in “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” The anniversary collection is available — mainly in the U.K. — through next summer and retails from 14 to 20 pounds, or $22 to $31.
This isn’t the first time the Derbyshire-based label has created legwear inspired by vintage celebs. In 2004, Charnos collaborated with Jerry Hall on a collection called Retail Therapy, while in the Eighties, the brand did a glam collection with Bruce Oldfield. The company worked with the late Ossie Clark in the Seventies on a quirky collection that featured ladder motifs on tights — something of an irony, as Charnos made its name in the U.K. in the early Sixties as one of the first firms to create run-resistant stockings. — Nina Jones
@fearofgod and @maxfieldla have teamed up on a pop-up installation. The store, located in the gallery space across from Maxfield’s Melrose Ave location, is the site of the brand’s House of God pop-up in which Fear of God founder @jerrylorenzo has created a church-inspired installation. A dozen vintage church pews sit in front of an LED screen playing 90s gospel singers in an effort to re-create an environment akin to a Southern Baptist Church, Lorenzo explained. Read more about the pop-up on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: Jennifer Johnson)
Known for his sleek, sophisticated American glamour, Norman Norell is the subject of an upcoming exhibition at @fitnyc. “Norell: Dean of American Fashion,” which runs from February 9 through April 14, will feature approximately 100 ensembles and accessories. His best work is exemplified by the designer’s glittering “mermaid” gowns frosted with thousands of hand-sewn sequins – like the one pictured. (📷: William Helburn) #wwdfashion
For pre-fall 2018, @balmain didn’t let go of the glitz. A crystal embroidered baseball jacket priced at around $40,000 hangs in the “couture” section of the brand’s first men’s pre-collection. Sporting the words “Balmain Army” across the back, the item took around two months to make. “When it was completed, it was like Christmas, it was like, ‘It’s done, it’s exactly what I wanted,’” said Balmain’s creative director @olivier_rousteing during a tour of the collection in a Paris showroom on Monday. #wwdfashion
Eighty degree temperatures and outdoor installations at the annual Art Basel Miami Beach called for bright, elevated beachwear. See more street style pictures on WWD.com. #theyarewearing #ABMB (📷: @lifeinreverie)
Following September’s emotional tribute to her brother Gianni, Donatella Versace wanted to bring the spring show’s deep sense of intimacy to her @versace_official pre-fall collection. Donatella found inspiration in Versace Palazzo in Milan and from Gianni’s opulent apartment. Archival patterns and new motifs were splashed on silk shirtdresses and fitted jersey frocks. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com. #wwdfashion
Demna Gvasalia continues to shake up the Paris fashion calendar — and experiment with new runway timetables for his @vetements_official brand. WWD has learned that Vetements plans to stage its next coed show for the fall 2018 season on January 19 during Men’s Fashion Week in the French capital. Details about the timing and venue have not been confirmed — stay tuned on WWD.com to catch the latest. #wwdnews (📷: @giovanni_giannoni_photo)
@zacposen's go-to holiday gift? Cookies! "I'll usually bake cookies and send them as a gift," said the designer, who recently released his cookbook "Cooking With Zac: Recipes from Rustic to Refined." Get the recipe for his Brown Butter-Chocolate Chip Cookies via link in bio 🍪🍪🍪 #wwdeye #cookingwithzac
For @monsemaison’s pre-fall 2018 collection, Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim honed in on the brand’s many signatures — men’s wear, which was tweaked and feminized through deconstruction, proportion play and lots of bare shoulders. See the rest of the photos on WWD.com #wwdfashion (📷: George Chinese)
On Friday night, @yohjiyamamotoofficial received the Design for Asia Lifetime Achievement Award in Hong Kong. The 75-year-old designer has been celebrated for many years and is best known for his dark and avant-garde tailoring. “In my long career, in design, architecture, [I’ve been to] so many parties, this is the very first time that I have such a warm feeling, I really appreciate this,” Yamamoto said. #wwdfashion (📷: @dominiquemaitre)


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Tag: Alan Crabbe
Childcare platform Juggle Street launches equity crowdfunding campaign, has grown to more than 93k...
The demand for flexible, last-minute childcare, as well as gig economy workers, is on the rise. Neighbourhood network, Juggle Street, has hit more than 93,000 registered users across Australia and New Zealand with 1000 plus new users signing up every week.
The Australian banking “cartel” has been the thorn in the SME’s side. Now that financial disruption is on the front page it will be interesting to see what happens with Apple Pay and the banking cartel.
Almost four years after Pozible was launched by Alan Crabbe and Rick Chen, as a boot-strapped startup, the crowdfunding platform has reached a milestone:...
Way back in June, we introduced you to Pozible, a newish online platform sharing the crowd-funding love with Australia’s arts industry. Just five wee months later, founders Rick Chen and Alan Crabbe have reached a cool $1 million in pledges. Here are Pozible’s 11 tips to crowd-funding success.
Crowd-funding, while nothing new globally, is still in its infancy in Oz. Provided it can remain on the good side of Australia’s consumer protection laws, it has the potential to go gangbusters in traditionally underfunded segments, like the arts.


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Calavo Growers reports record fourth quarter income
Calavo Growers, headquartered in Santa Paula, reported record fourth quarter revenues of $247.7 million and net income of $9.2 million, almost double its net income for the same period last year.
Earnings climbed to 53 cents per diluted share for the quarter ended Oct. 31, compared to 28 cents for the fourth quarter 2015, bringing the avocado and fresh food producer to $2.18 per share for the year, according to the Dec. 20 statement.
The growth came in large part from the Fresh segment of the business, which reported a 24 percent increase in fourth quarter revenues, to $143.4 million.
Calavo expects double digit growth in the segment in 2017, with the opening of its packinghouse in Jalisco, Mexico, said CEO Lee Cole, as well as growth in its RFG segment following $35 million of investment in manufacturing space over the past 15 months.
“Infrastructure investments that have been made are starting to pay off and the business is experiencing solid growth,” Cole said of food delivery company FreshRealm, in which Calavo holds 46 percent ownership. “We believe FreshRealm is at the early stages of an exciting period, and they are expecting meaningful revenue growth and new customer penetration in 2017.”
Full-year revenues grew 9 percent from $856.8 million to $935.7 million, for a net income of $38 million, a 40 percent increase over 2015, despite more than $4 million in costs related to the additional distribution facilities.
Gross margin grew from $85.2 million last fiscal year to $107.5 million in 2016, or 11.5 percent of total revenues, and operating income increased 39 percent over 2015, to $61.1 million. The company reported cash and cash equivalents of $13.8 million.
• Contact Marissa Nall at email@example.com.


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Blake Lively thanked all the women who made her Golden Globes dress by hand — we want more of this
We’ve already raved about how glamorous Blake Lively looked at the 2017 Golden Globes — and about how she graciously thanked her stylists for helping her look so beautiful. Now, the actress has turned her attention to the women who made her Golden Globes dress.
Her black velvet, custom Atelier Versace dress had 24-karat gold chain mail detailing around the neck and arms, as well as on some unexpected, but totally adorable pockets that gave Lively’s classic look some edge. Yahoo Style reported that a Versace representative said it took 300 hours to make Lively’s dress.
With that in mind, we are so pleased that Lively gave a shout-out to the women who were responsible for building this beautiful creation.
As the caption for the photo of the women working diligently to create the chain mail, Lively wrote:
Lively’s comments show how far she has come from those high school days while also acknowledging — and showing! — the care that the employees of Versace took to make this stunning dress.
Just two hours before this post, she also shared a pic of her on the Globes red carpet thanking everyone who had helped put her look together.
And it was reminiscent of the getting ready photo she shared on January 8th.
Lively was lovely on the red carpet as she accompanied her nominated husband Ryan Reynolds at the Golden Globes. And she has been lovely on social media lately, recognizing the people behind-the-scenes who usually get overlooked despite their hard work.
Now, can Lively share a throwback pic of her prom dress please??


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Becoming as predictable as the rising of the sun, bankrupt Blockbuster has once again requested additional time from its creditors to extricate itself from Chapter 11. BB has also requested more than $200 million from its bondholders to assist with its recovery.
This latest bad news from Blockbuster comes swiftly after the report that a group of shareholders are looking to replace the company’s current board due to concerns about their “credibility and competency”.
Blockbuster’s time is running out, regardless of who is running the show. The company’s extension on its reorganization plan filing lasts only until February 4. Should bondholders throw some more cash at the video rental money pit that is BB, or should the company be sold?
(via The Street)


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Mexico's colorful wrestling comes to U.S.
Lucha Libre, Mexico's iconic wrestling sport involving ornate masks, is celebrating its 80th anniversary, and its popularity is growing around the world.
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Amazon. Facebook. Now Google drones?


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1 Indiana Macy's store is closing
An Indiana Macy's is among seven stores closing their doors as part of a plan previously announced in 2016.
According to USA Today, the Macy's of Honey Creek Mall in Terre Haute will close as part of a plan announced in August 2016 to shutter 100 stores. There are still 19 closing locations to be determined as part of that plan.
Powerball and Mega Millions:What you need to know
Other stores not previously named include Novato (Furniture), Novato, Calif.; Miami (Downtown), Miami, Fla.; The Oaks, Gainesville, Fla.; Birchwood Mall, Fort Gratiot Township, Mich.; Fountain Place, Cincinnati, Ohio; and Burlington Town Center, Burlington, Vt.
The closings are part of 5,000 job cuts nationwide after holiday sales only rose 1.1 percent, according to the report. However, Macy's plans to add jobs in certain locations.
After the closure, 10 Macy's locations will remain open in Indiana, including two in Indianapolis and one in Greenwood.
Liquidation sales are expected to begin Jan. 8 and continue for eight to 12 weeks.
“Looking ahead to 2018, we are focused on continuous improvement and will take the necessary steps to move faster, execute more effectively and allocate resources to invest in growth," Macy's CEO Jeff Gennette said in a statement to USA Today.
Chris Sims is a digital producer at IndyStar. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.


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Lamborghini brand can be sold
The Volkswagen boss wants the Lamborghini brand to be disposed of or the stock market to be made more profitable. Labor unions support this decision.
The name Lamborghini reminds us of the super strong sports cars of the Italian school, but is actually a sub-brand of the German Volkswagen group. VW, the owner of the brand for 20 years, is considering disposing of the brand within the scope of restructuring.
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According to sources close to the company, the Lamborghini brand purchased in 1998 is planned to be sold. Since VW wants to focus on VW, Porsche and Audi brands in the coming period, it aims to prevent unnecessary costs. Herbert Diess, the company’s boss, wants to increase the brand value from 80 billion euros to 200 billion euros.
The Lamborghini brand, which was paid around $ 100 million 21 years ago, is expected to reach up to $ 11 billion after a possible sale. Lamborghini is in the process of moving from a pure sports car concept to a wide range of sporting vehicles, which is receiving positive reviews. The new SUV model Urus is constantly increasing sales. The revamped Aventador and a new hybrid super car will further increase revenues next year.
Another option in front of VW is to open the brand to the stock market. In this way, the value of the brand will be increased significantly. Whichever option is accepted, VW is determined to take action and work is underway to make Lamborghini a separate subsidiary within the company.
The Ferrari NV brand, which was once under the Fiat group, has now reached $ 30 billion. This is the biggest example of VW. However, it is known that the board of directors did not approve the sale of Bugatti, which was previously raised. On the other hand, the strong trade unions of the brand want strictly separating the sports car sections. The winner will also determine the future of the VW brand.


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We hate to say “we told you so”, but again we point out the downside of not doing Background Screening. Had a Background check been done, the owner of a Kendall, Florida Dealership would not be wearing a red face.
The Finance Manager at the dealership discovered a treasure trove of personal and credit card information while accepting down payments on new and used cars. He used the information to make more than two dozen fraudulent phone purchases of high dollar products at Saks 5th Avenue in the Dadeland Mall. After the scheme was detected, Police detectives searched the manager’s home and recovered about $5,000 in new merchandise.
After completing their investigation, Police charged the manager, Osvaldo Batista, with Organized Scheme to Defraud, Aggravated White Collar Crime, Criminal Use of Identification and Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards.
After the crime came to light, several customers were aghast. One, Michael Gonzalez said, “It makes me feel unsafe as a customer.”
Another felt incredulous after Police pointed out that Batista was on probation for committing a similar type offense about 1 year ago, while working at another automobile dealership.
It’s shocking to think that something as simple as a criminal records search could have prevented the harm to the dealerships reputation and standing in the community.


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Online retailer Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has reportedly acquired Middle East Souq.com for around $650 million. The acquisition promises to provide Amazon with a substantial presence in the growing region which is believed to generate over $20 billion in e-commerce sales annually.
Assuming the deal is confirmed at the reported price, Amazon will have notched a significant win as part of its increasingly global footprint expansion.
UAE-based Souq was founded in 2005 by CEO Ronaldo Mouchawar to provide an online marketplace and fulfillment service for the Arab world, selling apparel, consumer electronics, household goods and numerous other product categories.
Souq.com offers localized websites for the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.
Below is a brief video about the company:
The company had raised at least $425 million in several funding rounds from investors including Naspers, Tiger Global Management, Baillie Gifford, IFC Venture Capital Group and Standard Chartered Bank.
Valuation in its most recent funding round in February 2016 was reported to have been $1 billion. If so, and if the acquisition by Amazon was for around $650 million, the deal would have been a poor outcome for its late stage investors.
Souq had been known to want to expand into media streaming services, a la Amazon, but had not announced any services yet. The company was not without competitors in the Middle East, which included Wadi.com and others.
Acquisition Terms, Rationale and Commentary
The acquisition, which has been reported by several mainstream news organizations, is believed to have been finalized after several months of on and off discussions between the two firms.
The Financial Times has reported the price as "more than $650 million", but neither company has confirmed the transaction or the amount at press time. The main rationale for the deal appears to be that it would provide Amazon with a strong geographic presence in the growing Middle East market.
Additionally, operating in the Middle East requires significant regulatory knowledge and approvals, which can take time to acquire. Also, mobile penetration is strong in the region, which enables Souq to provide Amazon with a launchpad for other mobile-intensive service offerings beyond commerce.
Amazon has recently increased its investment in overseas markets, announcing multi-year billion-dollar investments in large markets such as India.
The Souq deal would appear to continue that focus on expanding its geographic footprint by either organic growth or acquisitions.
With the Middle East continuing to be a politically volatile region, it makes sense to acquire localized operating knowledge and capabilities rather than the wholesale transplanting of Western personnel and business processes.
Western firms in other industries are pursuing joint ventures or acquisitions in the MENA region as a way to expand their presence while retaining local talent and institutional knowledge.
I write about IPOs and M&A deals. Click the Follow button next to my name at the top of this article if you want to receive future articles automatically.
Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


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This year’s cruise ship season has been cancelled, however it is hoped that the island may yet welcome tourists again this summer.
The news comes before any update on whether or not border restrictions will be lifted.
“I can understand the early decision made by Economic Development,” said the Head of the Civil Contingencies Authority, Deputy Peter Ferbrache.
“Cruise ship companies need to know months in advance whether they can come to some particular venue.”
Pictured: Guernsey joins Australia and the Seychelles in extending its cruise ship ban until 2022.
Guernsey’s last cruise season, in 2019, saw more than 100,000 people come ashore from various liners. The season usually starts in March and runs through to October.
“The cruise sector is very important to the Bailiwick of Guernsey and to our tourism industry,” said Economic Development President Deputy Neil Inder. “This is not a decision that the Committee has taken lightly.
“Following consultation with Public Health, we have taken the proactive decision to cancel the cruise programme for this year and focus our efforts on the 2022 cruise programme."
Pictured: “We would like to thank the cruise industry for their understanding and support,” said Deputy Inder.
Despite this, the Head of the CCA said Guernsey may still generate some tourism this year, with vaccine passports a possibility.
“We’re hoping that there will be tourism in the summer,” said Deputy Ferbrache, who has previously said the island is exploring air bridges with Jersey and the Isle of Man.
The CCA will be discussing what to do with Guernsey's borders next week and Deputy Ferbrache hopes the authority "will be able to give an update on our borders the week after that.”
Once your comment has been submitted, it won’t appear immediately. There is no need to submit it more than once. Comments are published at the discretion of Bailiwick Publishing, and will include your username.


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is a big name in the auto industry and they are tireless in their effort to bring their best innovation in the auto world and have come up with really great cars. One thing about owning or purchasing cars is that it purely depends on the choice and need of the end users. Here Hyundai takes the risk of bringing different model with features which suit the buyers.
We know about the launch of Genesis in 2009 which was an attractive car in par with the others and with the redesigned aggressively stylish, new look the Hyundai Genesis 2012 is
August 5th, 2010
The perfect fuel economy has nowadays become a major concern of almost every auto developing and on this issue Hyundai has revealed some really exciting announcement. This Tuesday the company said that it has a goal of developing a lineup of cars and trucks
with an average fuel economy of at least 50 miles per gallon by 2025.
Hyundai Motor America CEO John Krafcik while speaking at the Management Briefing Seminars in Traverse City, Mich. Stated that “Getting to 50 mpg and beyond seems like a huge leap, but by making this commitment and aligning our r&d initiatives now, we know


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A slew of 4K releases on the usual piracy sites suggests that pirates have found a loophole in the copy protection schemes that have so far managed to safely protect 4K content on streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix.
4K rips of Netflix series 'Jessica Jones' and Amazon's 'The Man in the High Castle', among others, have started appearing on popular piracy sites.
A breakthrough in 4K ripping was thought to have first surfaced in August, when a Netflix 4K copy of 'Breaking Bad' was uploaded online, but the 4K ripping scene had remained quiet until last week.
Sources close to TorrentFreak told the torrent news website that there indeed has been a new breakthrough in defeating the copy protection on these streams.
It is thought that the HDCP 2.2 content protection scheme that comes with HDMI 2.0 connections has not yet been cracked, but the availability of 4K content on older devices such as the Amazon Fire TV, which features an older version of HDCP (1.4b), has allowed pirates to find a loophole.
The release of a new 4K compatible Roku player in early November may also have led to the ripping breakthrough.
But with relatively few 4K screens in people's homes, and with 4K downloads coming in more than 10 GB per hour of content, 4K pirated downloads currently remains a niche choice for most.


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Coronavirus: After Zomato, Swiggy too announces job cuts; will lay off 1,100 employees
Swiggy will lay off 1,100 employees due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Sriharsha Majety, Swiggy’s co-founder and CEO, wrote a letter to his staff where he made this announcement on Monday (May 18)
Bengaluru: Food delivery company Swiggy on Monday (May 18) announced that it will lay off 1,100 employees after its business was severely impacted due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Sriharsha Majety, Swiggy’s co-founder and CEO, wrote to his employees and said Monday was “one of the saddest days” for the organisation.
“Today is one of the saddest days for Swiggy as we have to go through an unfortunate downsizing exercise. With a heavy heart, I have tried to share the reasons,” Majety wrote to the employees, according to Swiggy’s blog. The full blog post had earlier gone to all employees via email, the company said.
Also read: Zomato to lay off 13% of its employees
“We unfortunately have to part ways with 1100 of our employees spanning across grades and functions in the cities and head office over the next few days. This is easily the hardest and longest deliberated decision the management team and I have been faced with over recent times. We have been fortunate to have some of the brightest missionary talent in the country join us over the last few years, and I would like to state unequivocally that this is not at all a reflection of anyone’s performance,” Majety said.
He said the impacted employees would receive “at least three months of salary”. Majety explained, “All impacted employees will receive at least 3 months of salary irrespective of their notice period or tenure. For every year they have spent with us, we will be offering an extra month of ex-gratia in addition to their notice period pay, working out to between 3-8 months of salary depending on the tenure.”
Stating that the food delivery business was severely impacted and will stay impacted, he said it was important to prepare for “worst scenarios”.
“The core food delivery business has been severely impacted and will stay impacted over the short term, but is expected to start growing again after that. We need to hence prepare to come out stronger on the other side by continuing to build on capabilities that will help us make the most of the opportunity when things are better again. While we are very fortunate to have raised capital just before Covid hit and have sufficient runway today, it is incredibly important to prepare for worse scenarios in the macro environment and make sure we are protected.
“We are choosing to scale down or shut down adjacent businesses that are either going to be highly volatile or will not be highly relevant for the next 18 months. The biggest impact here is on the cloud kitchens business, with many unknowns about volumes through the year. Since the onset of Covid, we have already begun the process of scaling down our kitchen facilities temporarily or permanently, depending on their outlook and profitability profile. We are already operating at significantly lower levels on our staffing and physical infra than our earlier footprint, and will continue to optimize before we get more clarity on order volumes for food delivery,” he said.
Recently, another food delivery platform, Zomato had announced that it will lay off 13% of its workforce due to the coronavirus crisis.