Tenino prints wooden currency...again!

It is no surprise that the pandemic is killing small independent businesses around the world. While many have managed to migrate to digital platforms, others have shut down. A similar situation has gripped the city of Tenino in Washington. But fire-fighter turned mayor Wayne Fournier has come up with a unique solution....

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MilkRun: A startup that sells local products the old way

In the old days, a familiar sight was the milkman delivering at the doorsteps of customers. Milk produced locally was consumed locally too. Today, the large farms cater to the commercial market, sending their products to distant stores and receiving just 8 cents out of every dollar spent by consumers, on an average. Important aspects such as taste, nutrition, and the farmer’s earnings have taken a backseat; instead, it’s all about efficiency and scale. Due to the COVID-19 situation, many such farmers have been unable to reach those distant markets and consequently suffered huge losses. That has created a strong case for a return to the old door-to-door milkman-delivery model. Portland-based startup MilkRun is pursuing that course with significant success....

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$0-budget movie tops the US box office

Usually, big-budget movies turn out to be blockbusters. But is it possible to make a movie with no budget and still top the box office? To find out, YouTuber Eric Tabach and filmmaker Christian Nilsson developed and executed a unique idea by producing a 29-minute horror movie called Unsubscribe and taking it to the top of the box office chart....

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Taiwan’s fake vacation experience

It is no surprise that COVID-19 has spoiled summer vacation plans for many, with most people under lockdown since the past few months. But if you are craving for travel, would you like to experience a holiday without actually traveling anywhere? That’s right! Taiwan is allowing residents to have the complete experience of going through immigration and boarding a plane....

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Microsoft favors AI over employees

It is said that artificial intelligence is the future. In many business areas, AI has been accommodated to make lives easier, such as the hospitality business. But an old debate has once again resurfaced with tech giant Microsoft laying off employees and replacing them with trained AI: Will AI make employees dispensable?...

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Amazon offers credit for businesses

Amazon is now venturing into the world of financing. The e-commerce giant is collaborating with Goldman Sachs’ Marcus, a fixed-rate, no-fee personal loan provider, to help small independent companies that are also sellers on Amazon. This is a calculated move by both companies during this time of economic downturn. Previously, Amazon tried to enter the finance business to provide student loans by partnering with Wells Fargo, but the move ended abruptly....

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Germany unleashes "Technology You Can Trust" initiative

The German government will invest millions of euros toward research and development in electronics. The objective is to reduce dependence on imported equipment to build infrastructure....

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R.I.P. social media influencers

Popularity of social media over the years has seen a sharp rise in the number of social media influencers--people who have a large following and are veritable internet celebrities. They played a big part in shaping advertising on social media as people were drawn to their posts and believed what they sold. But things changed as the pandemic spread earlier this year....

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Bank of England helps Europe’s billionaires

During this time of unprecedented crisis and vagueness about the future, many business owners are struggling to keep their businesses alive and looking for a financial helping hand. In a unique case, companies owned by European billionaires have received emergency financial aid totaling over 16 billion pounds ($20.6 billion). This emergency financial aid, launched by the Bank of England, is called COVID Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF)....

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Rotary dial cellphone in 2020?

Astronomy instrumentation engineer Justine Haupt has developed a cellphone with a retro look that goes back to the 1970s. She has replaced the touchscreen with an old-school rotary dial. She published images of a prototype and viewers seem to be appreciating it....

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