Apple's first original movie stars Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson. It will be released on Friday.

After sitting in escrow for four months, fledgling Apple TV+ stakes its first public offering on an in-house movie in The Banker, an old-fashioned biopic with a thoroughly modern twist on the uphill climb of aspiring African American entrepreneurs. Although its claim of being true has become a subject of debate, its hard to argue against investing in a fascinating story long buried in the abject racism it aims to dissolve.

The assets are plentiful, chiefly powerful turns by Marvel Universe cohorts Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson as disparate business partners looking to place their differences aside to shatter racist barriers in the Caucasians-only game of real estate investment in 1950s L.A. Simply put, they were out to prove that in making green it doesnt matter if youre black or white. But concessions must be made, namely a need to borrow a trick from a concurrent form of discrimination, the Hollywood Black List, by employing a naive dupe to be their front.

In the case of Mackies native-born Texan, Bernard Garrett, and Jacksons bon vivant nightclub owner, Joe Morris, that clueless rube is laborer-turned-player Matt Steiner, brought perfectly to life by a sheen-free Nicholas Hoult (The Favourite). Together, the unconventional trio snookers its way into anonymously ascending to the undisputed kings of downtown L.A. real estate.

The first half of the movie -- directed by George Nolfi (the Matt Damon vehicle, The Adjustment Bureau) and co-written by a gaggle led by Nolfi -- is a treat, as the characters meet and hatch their plan to unleash a clever end-around catching their white counterparts napping. Particularly enjoyable are the scenes of the two black men tutoring their utterly vanilla partner, Matt, on how to be white. Garrett, the brains, instructs the dupe on the intricacies of algebraic equations and how they relate to cost vs. square footage. And Morris, the gregarious funster, teaches him the combined fineries of schmoozing and golf.

Naturally, it all miraculously works; otherwise, we wouldnt have a movie. And I would have been fine with continuing on such an amusingly predictable path, watching the trio gobble up one high-rise or mansion after the other. Then, Nolfi abruptly switches gears on a trip with Garrett, his gorgeous wife, Eunice (Nia Long), and young son, Bernard Jr. (Jaylon Gordon), back to Garretts overtly racist hometown of Willis, Texas, where the idea of buying the local bank suddenly pops into the millionaires head. As the owner, and with Matt masquerading as the banks president, he envisions a world of long-overdue change endeavored by doing something no one in Jim Crow Willis ever considered possible: extending home and business loans to blacks.

Morris, who like the song says, Loves L.A., is rightly hesitant about his partners brainstorm, but reluctantly goes along. And once again, its a blast watching Garrett and Morris, posing as the banks janitor and Matts chauffeur, respectively, in pulling the wool over the eyes of stupid, racist rednecks. At least it is for a while. Nolfi sadly cant resist the urge to insert a stock white villain and a bloviating U.S. senator in James DuMonts George McClellan (the Arkansas pol central in the depantsing of demigod Joe McCarthy) to break up the party. Yes, what ensues really happened, but the convoluted nature of the financial crimes our three heroes have committed causes the movie to get lost in the weeds. The fanciful air begins to escape, a deflation exacerbated by Nolfis sudden rush to reach his films unsatisfying conclusion.

Still, by then, hes built enough goodwill upon his three charming lead actors to sustain. Jackson, especially, is rapturous as the happy-go-lucky Dean Martin of this greenback Rat Pack. Hes as electric as Mackie is subdued and steadfast as the films Gary Cooper-like backbone of integrity. Sure, his Garrett breaks some banking laws along the way, but his heart is always pure in helping his people rise up against centuries of unjust oppression.

Yet, a dark (i)Cloud hovers above The Banker in the person of the real Eunice Garrett, claiming the film is filled with inaccuracies (a claim the producers deny). Even more nefarious, and the reason Apple abruptly pulled The Banker from its planned awards-season theatrical debut in December, are claims by Bernard Garrett Sr.'s daughter, Cynthia, that as a child she was molested by her older half-brother, Bernard Jr., a one-time producer on the movie. Thats terrible, of course, but why should that affect the movie's release? It's a bit like Joe Biden being judged by the suspect actions of his 50-year-old son, Hunter. What does one have to do with the other?

Apple apparently agrees and has decided to go forth with The Banker. And the timing couldnt be better, seeing how the weight of current events has pretty much pinned us to our couches in front of the TV. Captive audiences could certainly do a lot worse, like Mark Wahlbergs hideous Spenser Confidential over on Netflix. Whereas that turkey is an account best closed out, The Banker, flawed as it is, generously yields interest.

Read the original:
Review: The Banker is worth investing your time - The Patriot Ledger

As toilet paper packages fly off the shelves and are rationed by retailers, some people are concerned that they might run out during the coronavirus pandemic. Its even become difficult to track down toilet paper rolls online.

Whats an alternative? Well, you might want to consider getting a bidet or bidet-toilet attachments. More common in Europe, Latin America and Asia, they are becoming more popular in America. Bidets keep users clean and require little to no toilet paper.

We found two lower-budget options and one higher-budget option, but you might want to get them while theyre still available, as theyre starting to sell out.

Price: $79 (reg. $99)

These bidets are flying out of the warehouse. The affordable TUSHY Classics are either sold out or back ordered until April 20, but they might be worth the month wait. TUSHY boasts that its bidet can be installed in under 10 minutes. The Classic has several different water pressure settings.

Price: $69.97

Shoppers who purchase this option should be prepared to install it themselves. This hand-held bidet nozzle and hose attaches to a holster. You can put the holster on the wall or on the side of the toilet. The bidet can be shut off using the valve.

Price: $299 (reg. $316.99)

This installable bidet seat is a luxurious addition to your bathroom. It includes a heated seat, two self-cleaning bidet nozzles, five water pressure settings, five water temperature settings, a deodorizer, a remote control and power-saver mode.

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Read more:
Coronavirus tips: Worried about toilet paper supply? Consider investing in a bidet - syracuse.com

With the S&P 500 down 28.4% in the past month, it's fair to say the novel coronavirus pandemic has not started us out on the right path for 2020. Still, not all is hopeless.

For those with some extra capital lying around, there are some plays to be made. I like a small bank that has just gone on sale called CNB Financial (NASDAQ:CCNE), the quarantine-friendly nature of social media stock Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), and the king of warehouse retailers Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST). If I had $5,000 available right now to invest, it would be put toward buying some combination of these three stocks.

CNB Financial is a smaller bank that is creating some big growth. I took shares in the bank at $20 and around $17.43, and I am looking to increase that position at some point. The valuation here is what makes the bank such an appealing play. Growth has been stellar, and the current pullback has created a remarkable entry point for those with dry powder.

Image source: Getty Images.

Interest income through the last three years has grown in the double digits, averaging 18.2% annually through that time frame. Net interest income from that cash has averaged 12.7% annually over the last three years. Non-interest income has also experienced annual growth, culminating in an average annual increase in operating income of 18.6% over the same time period.

Overall, CNB finished 2019 with a 19% gain in net income to $39.9 million.

Most of the growth here has only come in recent years, as the bank has engaged in M&A to spur growth. Most recently, the bank announced its agreed acquisition of Bank of Akron for $64.5 million. The trend of M&A has allowed for expansion into new markets in Ohio, while the bank has also pressed a new presence in the Buffalo, New York, area.

With $305 million reported in total equity on the balance sheet, the company carries a book value of $19.80 a share. At the time of writing, the stock carries a price-to-book of 0.93. It's not often that you can find a company that just reported a 19% increase in annual net income, and is also trading below book. The bank returned 13% on equity last year, outpacing the industry average of 11.8%.

The stock has lost three years of gains in less than a month, falling more than 30%. Now, the stock is prime for taking. As the stock has gained, the dividend yield had been neglected, offering less than desired on that front. Thanks to the sell-off, the yield is now at 3.4%. Over the last 20 years the stock has gained 263.9% versus the S&P 500's 131.7%. To me, this one is a no-brainer at these prices.

Facebook requires absolutely no public exposure or travel to use. It has arguably made it far easier for couch potatoes to do nothing. Now, with the mounting fear and avoidance of public spaces, the social media giant seems likely to be a place of distraction and entertainment for those who are wisely avoiding the risks of going out. Because of these attributes, I consider it a safe play right now.

Giving up 28.3% in share price over a month's time, Facebook shares have fallen more than the S&P 500, and that might be offering some upside considering there isn't a lot within the company's business structure that should be affected by the coronavirus. As I said before, by my logic more people will be sitting inside staring at social media, thanks in large part to the coronavirus. So many professional sports leagues have been postponed. So many people are now working remotely, and so many schools have been canceled. This all leads to a lot of bored people with time on their hands.

Though overall revenue growth has slowed in recent years, Facebook still finished 2019 with 26.6% sales growth totaling $70.7 billion. Net income did slide 16%, but it had less to do with operations, which only saw income slide 4%. This virus might be the thing that shifts the story.

User growth remained strong through 2019, with a year-over-year 8% increase in monthly active users as of Dec. 31. With the slowing of businesses and activities, I think all of Facebook's apps, including Instagram, stand to see a rise in traffic in the foreseeable future. After the sell-off, shares are trading at around 23.6 times trailing full-year earnings of $6.43 per diluted share.

Current year analyst estimates are calling for earnings of around $9.07 per share. That would be some pretty nice growth year over year. It would also give the company a forward P/E ratio of 16.4. Overall, I like Facebook as a play in a time when many more businesses based on physical stores or real-world activities are facing a tough headwind.

Long-term, the coronavirus can't hamper retail forever. But it most certainly does seem able to cause a lot of headaches in the short term. If this is a concern, then the king of bulk goods seems like the way to go. Costco carries everything in bulk, and the extra sales figures provided by the company when it reported on the most recent quarter gave insight into the effect that the coronavirus has had on its sales. Traffic increased 11.7% year over year in February, with a 9% increase in the United States. Thanks to the warehouse nature of Costco, the panic on COVID-19 seems to have driven customers to the store to prepare.

Overall, it is still about the long game, rather than the short-term shock of something like the coronavirus. In the ever-continuing onslaught between Amazonand virtually every other retailer, Costco carries the weight to thrive.

Revenues have gained an average of 7.1% annually from fiscal 2016 to 2019, with prudent management leading to an annualized average gain in net income of 11.7% through that same time frame. Similarly, earnings per diluted share averaged 11.6% through that same time frame. Finishing fiscal 2019 with $8.26 per diluted share, earnings increased 16.5% for the year.

Sales for the first two quarters of fiscal 2020 have been encouraging. Total comp sales for the first 24 weeks of the fiscal year are up 6.6% year over year, with 7% gains in the United States. E-commerce sales are up 17.4% through that time frame. Thus far for the fiscal year, total revenues are up 8% at $76.1 billion, with earnings up 6.9% to $4.00 per diluted share.

For the second fiscal quarter alone, comp sales gained 8.9% with 28.4% gains in e-commerce. Net sales increased by 10.5% to $38.3 billion.

Full-year estimates are around $8.71 per share. Yes, that gives Costco shares a high premium of 33 times forward earnings. The retailer tends to command a higher premium due in part to the strength of its business over time.

Historically, Costco shares have absolutely decimated the S&P 500 over the last 20 years, gaining 509.2% versus the S&P 500's 106.3%. Market confidence is displayed in the stock's performance over the last month, as it is down 7.4% compared to the S&P 500's 19.8%. I like it as a good stock investment right now.

Go here to see the original:
Coronavirus Market Crash: Where to Invest $5,000 Right Now - Motley Fool

06:01 19/03/2020 Warren Ingram

Stock markets are moving around like a child on a jumping castle.

If you observe the herd mentality of those clearing out the stocks of toilet paper from the shops, you have an inkling of the limited thought being applied by investors who are selling shares at this time. Rational investors are watching events with interest and doing very little.

The best investors are starting to gradually buy quality assets at great prices, but they are moving slowly and with great fortitude. If you are in a state of panic (or even worse) are selling all your shares now, you are doing yourself a great disservice.

The moves are big

Some people are saying that this current market crash is a once-in-a-lifetime event. I think that is a foolish comment.

I started in the investment markets in 1996, just in time to experience one year of rising markets before the Emerging Markets crashed.

Soon after, markets crashed again with the IT bubble that burst in spectacular fashion. Since then we have had many notable market events, including the 2008 financial crisis.

These crashes were hard to predict, and markets recovered after all of them. Investors who sold out in the middle of the crash lost money forever and those who did nothing, recovered their losses and made profits again. It is nearly impossible to understand why it will be different this time.

The reasons are varied

I have had many conversations with investors over the last few years about the US stock market. We generally agreed that the market was expensive and that it was due for a pause or a bit of a drop. No one foresaw that the market would crash because of a coronavirus from China.

Unfortunately, the stock market was also impacted by a new trade war between Saudi Arabia and Russia, two of OPECs biggest oil producing members. To make matters worse, interest rates on US government bonds (US Treasuries) dropped suddenly and posed a real threat of reducing to negative interest rates.

The markets were impacted by three major events in a very short space of time. However, none of them are structural issues that will change the way the world works. If anything, increased awareness of sanitation and the benefits of the efficiency of online meetings and working from home might force a change for the better.

Central banks have done what is necessary

I really like the action taken by the US Federal Reserve in recent weeks. They took decisive action to limit the financial impact on the economy. They ensured that the financial system will not grind to a halt by giving comfort to banks by providing additional capital and sureties that are necessary in times of crisis.

Similar action has been taken by other central banks around the world and this will mitigate the economic impact that is currently being felt globally.

If you need income

If you live on the income from your assets, there is no benefit in selling your investments now. If you feel the need to act, try to reduce the income that you withdraw from your investments.

Im not suggesting you change your lifestyle, just try to cut where possible. In addition, try to delay big expenses that are not essential now. For example, if you were planning to buy a new car, delay this decision if it means that you must sell some investments to raise the necessary cash.

If you want to buy shares

I think it is absolutely the right time to consider buying investments now. However, I would not rush to invest all the money at once.

Rather take time and phase your purchases over a period of months. For South African investments, I would phase in my purchases over three months and for international purchases, I would take six months.

My reason for the accelerated SA purchases is that SA is really cheap now. There are brilliant companies on offer at crazy low prices. The US stock market is not really that cheap, it is probably at fair value now, i.e. not cheap or expensive.

Act slowly now

If I can leave you with one message in these times, resist the urge to act quickly with your investments. These market events always feel overwhelming and devastating.

However, they all pass and investors who dont panic tend to profit from the crashes. If you are feeling optimistic and want to buy shares, I agree with you, just do it slowly and over a period of months!

Warren Ingram is a Director of Galileo Capital and hosts the HonestMoney Podcast.

See original here:
HONEST MONEY | Is it time to panic over your investments? - Fin24

Editors note: Read the latest on how the coronavirus is rattling the markets and what investors can do to navigate it.

Daniel Needham: Market volatility is one of the most reliable things that you can predict. You don't know what prices are going to do next month, next year. The one thing we know is that prices are going to move around, and what we see is that prices often move around more than fundamentals, more than the underlying cash flows. And that means at times, you'll have these volatile periods where market prices will fall a lot, where stocks' share prices will fall, and maybe even residential property prices will fall. And often people get scared. People feel the pain of losses more than they enjoy the pleasure of gains. One of the most important things is that you don't overreact and sell stocks when they're down or sell shares when they're down. That's the worst thing that people can do. We think that what you want to be able to do is be prepared for the periods of market volatility by buying assets that you think are worth more than the price that you're paying for them.

Original post:
The Importance of Staying Invested in Volatile Times - Morningstar.com

This week on The Trip podcast: Zoltan Istvan has come from the future with a message New Hampshire doesnt want to hear.

Here they are in the New Hampshire Secretary of States office, paying their thousand dollars to be on the official primary ballot. They are the lesser-known candidates, the dramatic fringe of each presidential primary election up here. And they are the stars of my quadrennial quixotic reporting project with photographer Shane Carpenter. And listen, they arent like Tom Steyer lesser-known, theyre like Vermin Supreme lesser-known, Mary Maxwell lesser-known, Zoltan Istvan lesser-known. Almost nobody knows these people, but theyre running anyway. This is the fifth primary that Shane and I have spent ducking out of mainstream campaign press events to track down the people who are just obsessive, idealistic, or imbalanced enough to think they should run for president, often with no money, no support, sometimes no platform really. Of course, the idea of a non-politician becoming president was distinctly more laughable before 2016, and now it doesnt seem that funny at all. But these candidates are something different, a wild bunch, far more entertaining and thought-provoking even than the scripted candidates. Shane and I just published a feature on the lesser-known and their radical approach to democracy on roadsandkingdoms.com; I hope youll take a look. But for now, in this episode, Ive got one of the most composed and compelling of this years fringe candidates, writer and transhumanist Zoltan Istvan. We drank some 15 year old Dalwinnie Scotch and talked about exoskeletons, being escorted at gunpoint from a megachurch, and why he let someone jam a horse syringe into his hand to give him a permanent bio-chip implant.

Here is an edited and condensed transcript from my conversation with Eva. Subscribers canlisten to the full episode here. If youre not on Luminary yet, subscribe and listen (and get a 7-day free trial) by signing uphere.

Lets take a moment to appreciate the quadrennial snowball of beauty and oddity that is the New Hampshire primary.

This week on The Trip podcast: Drinking baijiu with Tom Tillotson in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.

This week on The Trip podcast: Eva Castillo on Presidential politics and immigrant advocacy in New Hampshire in the time of Trump.

Nathan Thornburgh: What is transhumanism?

Zoltan Istvan: Transhumanism is a social movement, now of many millions of people around the world, that want to use science and technology to radically transform the human body and transform the human experience. Anything from exoskeleton suits to brain implants to even driverless cars. But whatever it is, its kind of the top 10% of the most radical technologies that are affecting the human race.

Thornburgh: You say there were many millions. Are these people who would actively knowingly define themselves as transhumanists, or you think its just aligned with the way that they look at the world?

Istvan: I think there are now probably millions that would say, if you ask them are you a transhumanist, they would now say, yes I am. When you ask them, is that what they consider themselves? Thats a little bit more challenging of a question. Google, for example, is probably the most transhumanist of all the companies out there, and they have the largest, what we call life extension company, a company worth billions of dollars, that wants to overcome aging. Its specifically designed to make people essentially live indefinitely. So we are getting to a point when you can now say millions and likely tens of millions who are supporters of the idea. Chinas probably leading the transhumanist movement in terms of innovationthey have the first designer baby babies and stuff like that. So there might be even many more.

But the word is just an umbrella term for many other ideas. Cryonics, singulariatism. Cyborgism. Singularity is the concept of transhumanists where they believe that AI will become so sophisticated that our human brains wont even be able to understand its sophistication. And at that point we get left behind.

The main goal of transhumanism is overcoming death with science and technology.

Thornburgh: The word itself, can you just break it down for me?

Istvan: Well, the Latin would say its beyond human.

Thornburgh: Okay, got it. All of our limitations are physicalchronological aging, mortality. Those are the things that youre going to supersede through technology.

Istvan: Basically, yes. And nobodys really sure like exactly what transhumanism means in terms of the specific agenda. Is it when a primate picked up a rock and made an axe millions of years ago, or is it a robot taking over a workers job, which of course is increasingly happening. Is that transhumanism, or is it brain implants? Nobody really knows, but whatever it is and it radical science is, is sort of changing the human species and the core of it is the microprocessor. It keeps evolving exponentially and we even have things like quantum computing now happening where, you know, that could revolutionize again, the microprocessor. So anything that applies to the human being, in terms of merging us with machines, is a transhuman event.

I think whats very important is that there are various versions of transhumanism. There are socialist transhumanists, there are libertarian transients like myself, and there are transceivers party transhumanism. Of course, Im, Im the founder of the transceivers party, but Im also now running as a Republican. But Ive also run as a libertarian, Ive said openly, I might run as a Democrat in the future. For me, its about the seed of transhumanism. You can take it whichever political way you want. Theres also Christian transhumanism, theres Buddhist transhumanist. So we want a worldwide movement. I want different factions. I want a decentralized idea of it. And I hope to influence it in terms of it grows and grows and grows. Because you have to understand about 80% of the worlds population believes in an afterlife. The main goal of transhumanism is overcoming death with science and technology. Were fighting 80% of the population. So its very important that we coalesce together as a movement that says we need to change that 80%. We need to change their mindset. And thats really where the cultural reform comes in, and why its so important to have a huge movements like environmentalism, where the trajectory is that one day we also become a billion person movement that really wants to move beyond our cultural heritage.

Thornburgh: So lets, lets posit success and you reach those 80% and flip them into transhumanists. What will that actually mean? Does that mean that they will vote for people who pour more resources into death-defying technologies or pass laws? What, practically, would having people be fired up about transhumanism do?

Istvan: Thats the best question. The great question. Thats exactly what Im trying to do. My main goal here with running for office and my main goal of spreading transhumanism is to get more money into the hands of the scientists who are making the movement happen. You have to understand, right now our United States Congress, all 535 members, all nine Supreme Court justices, believe in an afterlife, and they say they believe in God, so they have no real reason to pass laws to put money into the hands of the scientists who want to end aging and live indefinitely and upgrade ourselves to this new bionic future. Now the problem with that is if the entire government doesnt want to give money to it, it doesnt happen. Really only private industry does it. We need an American culture on board with transhumanism.

I run for office in hopes of saying, look, instead of giant military fighting warrants in Afghanistan and Iraq, were going to take that money and put it into creating a science-industrial complex in America dedicated to ending aging and upgrading the human being. Its a very different kind of way. Im interested in American healthcare, in terms of eliminating disease. And thats a very transhuman idea that our president right now doesnt share. A president whos cut the budget of the National Institute of Health.

Im running because, ultimately, I think that Trump has failed the most important part of America: the science and innovation part.

Thornburgh: Youre running as a Republican. This is your opponent.

Istvan: You gotta you gotta hit them hard on that. One thing Trump has done that hasnt been great is hes not only cut the budget of the National Institute of Health, but he hasnt made a culture where science really thrives. In China, its thriving. Chinas our main kind of competitor at this point. So probably within five years, China lead the world in AI and genetic editing. Its game over for America in terms of leadership, and who wants not authoritarian nation to be leading the world and in science and technology. So this is where I really fault Trump. In fact, this is why Im running. This is the singular reason Im running because, ultimately, I think that Trump has failed the most important part of America: the science and innovation part.

Thornburgh: What is your background? Take me way back.

Istvan: My career really began after I graduated from Columbia University, and I went into journalism at National Geographic. And so for five years I traveled around the world and I wrote something like 50 or 60 articles for their website, and also was on their National Geographic Today, show, doing a lot of documentary work. It was a great time in my life. I was in my twenties, I covered a lot of conflict zones, so saw some horrifying things. In Vietnam I was covering the demilitarized zone 20, 30 years after the war. And theres a bunch of rice farmers that now dig up bombs that were dropped in Vietnam from Americans, but theyre unexploded. They sell the metal. But to get there you have to go through these landmine-infested jungles. And I almost stepped on one. It freaked me out because my guide had to throw me out of the way and pointed to the ground. And after covering war zones for a while kind of gets in your head. And it was that moment in Vietnam when I said, you know, Im going to stop being a journalist and Im going to do something to try to overcome death. And of course transhumanism has been an ongoing movement since the 90s, and thats their primary job. Their primary purpose is to use science to overcome death.

Istvan: So I came home, joined the movement, wrote a novel, the novel did really well. It was called The Transhumanist Wager, became a bestseller, and it launched my career as a public figure. And because I was a journalist, I began writing some of the very first transhumanist columns. So Ive had an ability over six years to write over 230 opinion pieces and essays for major media, almost cheerleading transhumanism. Up until that point, no one had ever been optimistic about it. People had been kind of skeptical.

Thornburgh: That literally came from a near-death experience that you had.

Istvan: Its based on two or three years of covering other conflicts. Id covered the Sri Lanka conflict. I covered the Kashmir conflict between Pakistan and India. Id been doing some pretty harrowing stories and it made me, I think it kinda got in my head, I dont want to say its PTSD, but really it made me think, What if we could overcome death? And when it hit me that I could do this, I realized that this is why I want to dedicate my life to.

Thornburgh: Does transhumanism have any rights or rituals or holidays?

Istvan: Its secular. Its a very decentralized movement. A lot of the life-extension people are not interested in the robotics people, because life extension people want to biologically live longer, where the robotics people want to become machines and upload themselves. So even though they are both transhumanist and I like both groups, they dont really talk to each other. Then there are the biohackers, who are mostly young, tattooed people that are putting chips in. I have a chip in my hand. It opens my front door, starts a car, it sends a text message.

Thornburgh: You have this right now?

Istvan: I have it right now. You can touch it. Its right there. Push. Youll see. Youll feel a bump. Its a glass-enclosed microchip.

Thornburgh: Does that hurt when I press your chip?

Istvan: No. Its tiny. Its the size of a grain of rice. When you get these chip implants, you use a horse syringe you just put it in. Its kind of painful. But the chip itself is about the size of a grain rice.

Thornburgh: But that wasnt sexual what we just did?

Istvan: No. Its just a chip.

Thornburgh: How do you program this chip? Is this like a radio-frequency identification?

Istvan: Yeah. Unfortunately, the technology doesnt work with Apple phones, but it works with all Android. And so if you have an Android phone, you will actually be able to put it against my hand and then get my serial number. Of course, that freaks people out, because who has a serial number? But you can also put in medical information. So if youre unconscious and they find you, they can scan it. But in my case, Im a surfer and a jogger and when you go surfing you have to always hide your keys, and what a pain in the butt that is, because then someone can steal it when youre surfing and take your car. So in my case, its just great because all my keys are embedded into my hand and you can even do things like hold Bitcoin on it, but you cant pay it Starbucks yet.

Listen to the full episode at Luminary.

Excerpt from:
Zoltan Istvan: The Transhumanist Candidate - Roads and Kingdoms

RPG

Sleeve Into Altered Carbon: The Role Playing Game

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Based on the 2002 novel Altered Carbon, the self-proclaimed neo-noir cyberpunk series is expanding into a tabletop roleplaying game. The Netflix show just launched its second season. Combining a healthy mix of Blade Runner, Total Recall, and Transhumanismthe setting rocks as an RPG. Apparently, the Kickstarter did too, raising over 1000% of their funding goal and hitting over 3,900 backers by the end of its run. Hunters Entertainment (Outbreak: Undead) headed up the design with an amazing team of people, so its no surprise that this Kickstarter slew expectations.

The Kickstarter page contains the vital information any prospective player could need. We still wanted to take a moment to highlight some things that are unique to a world in which you cant die. Imagine the prospects for a moment. Villains can be killed only to return later, potentially wearing the face of the partys friends. A full TPK can happen, and the adventure continues with the consequences of that folly. Or bar fights suddenly become far more bone-breaking. Not only does this concept present interesting ideas for storytelling but Altered Carbon RPG is also flipping our dice on us.

Using the Hazard system, the game encourages you to roll natural 1s. Which is frankly, glorious blasphemy. I think this gameplay difference is important to differentiate the setting and game for long term roleplaying game players. If youve been rolling D20s for a while, changing the dice mechanics on your table does work as a tangible reminder of the new world.

For as long as Ive been a storyteller; Ive often been running Cyberpunk, Transhumanism, or modern settings as long-term campaigns. I love high-tension, cheeky, dystopian conspiracy games so naturally Altered Carbon stole my interest. But every group needs one person to take up the mantle of Gamemaster. Lets take a look at how two major aspects of storytelling in a Transhuman or Cyberpunk setting in order to inspire other storytellers!

In this transhumanist world, the human mind is Digital Human Freight. Stored in a small, diamond-hard device at the base of the skull, everyone calls a cortical stack it. Some people have their brains sliced and scanned in layer-by-layer while others take a more digital approach. The end result is the same: you can re-sleeve your entire consciousness into a new body. With remote digital back-ups, needle casting your mind to other planets, or having a variety of custom bodies on handyou can become an immortal god. The ability to change bodies or sculpt your frame like an automobile is a dream for many.

Permanent death is possible for anyone whose stack is destroyed, but namely, you focus on an uplifting style of storytelling. Re: The characters backstories. Create elaborate backstories with wonderfully fleshed-out characters with full narratives by spending time with your players. The concept of a session zero is infinitely more important in settings like AC. Once created, weave those delicious backstories together into one yarn-ball of a plot. Since characters can be hundreds of years old, its okay to hop a few decades. Long-term gameplay in a transhumanist setting isnt going to be about TPKs, rather, about the parties choices around that ball of yarn. Some threads will get tugged, others will get knotted, and at least one will be hacked with a chainsaw. Meanwhile, villains at the beginning of the game can become allies later on. Only to swap sides again later. Embrace this fluidity as a storyteller.

Since the characters and NPCs will remain under the campaign spotlight for a long time, time invested into them is well spent. This also opens several new tactical options for both sides of that storyteller screen. For example, if the party knows they will resleeve they might consider one-way-ticket missions with no extraction. Nothing says a salty faction cant strike at the partys prized bar in the same way.

Cyberpunk worlds are both storytelling gold and a daunting task of finding where to start. Altered Carbon gives us a major campaign focal point called Bay City. Focused into three, easy to identify, and easy to dabble in factions: The Ground, the Twilight, and the Aerium. Poor, middle, and methuselah godlike rich respectively. Narrowing down a multi-planet cyberpunk setting to former San Francisco is exactly what gamemasters need to focus on a campaign. I couldnt be happier with the QuickStart guide for doing exactly that, and I really want to give a special shout out to the designers for making that call.

Well done chaps.

To prevent getting lost, shine a spotlight on local beats. Basically, in a setting with billions of people teeming on top of each other location bloat can be a major design problem. Its easy to fall into the pit of infinite information, and your players suffer from the noise. Cities are nearly infinite in story, filled with vast sprawling segments, and can make the PCs feel tiny. Unlike fantasy campaigns, the pulse of an urban fantasy or cyberpunk campaign beats inherently different. Less territory control or nation wars, and more investigation and fights containedjust out of sight.

Keeping everything setting wise sorted into factions or companies creates instant bonding with players. The Meths and the Grounders are easy factions to grasp onto and weave into a story. For added flair, toss in some company products and branding on your player characters weapons and youve seeded your immersion. Instead of having named NPCs, simply use faction representatives. If a pair or duo of them keeps recurring, feel free to start fleshing them out a little more. By keeping motives and goals orientated around the faction or company, you can brand it, and use that branding in the world. Plus your party will naturally start to separate the employees, from the company. Pelican Corp is an evil weapons manufacturer, but Debbie in shipping is a heckin saint.

Have you tried the Altered Carbon RPG yet? Try the Quickstart Guide here and let us know your adventure in the comments!

Featured Image: Altered Carbon The Role-Playing Game

Image Credits: Altered Carbon

Rick Heinz is a storyteller with a focus on D&D For Kids, and an overdose of LARPs, and the author of The Seventh Age: Dawn. You can follow RPG or urban fantasy related thingies on Twitter or reach out for writing at [emailprotected]

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Sleeve Into Altered Carbon: The Role Playing Game - Nerdist

HomeStartupsGRNEO Indoor Gardening Boxes Allow You to Grow Organic Food on Your Windowsill Image credit Lisa Schlabitz

Berlin-based Grneo has created what it says is the first DIY-indoor gardening box with 100% organic materials to make gardening in small spaces possible. The home gardening kit allows you to grow a small scale organic garden all year long using forgotten spaces such as the windowsill.

Grneo developed an indoor box with all the materials and support you need to start easily an indoor garden from the seed phase. Each box includes 3 Seed varieties, a natural substrate for the sowing phase, biodegradable pots made of wood fiber, a plant-based fertilizer, sticks, a Starter Guide for beginner gardeners and the online Plant Coach service to offer customers a plant diagnostic anytime.

The products, which are 100% organic, plastic-free, regionally sourced and vegan, are now available for 24,90 for a limited period of time (until March 28th) through a crowdfunding campaign on the StartNext platform. The Starter Guide explains step-by-step how to grow from seed to harvest, and offers a cooking recipe in varieties of:

Co-founders Alicia and Lena say their aim is for everyone living in the city to experience the joy of gardening and grow their food locally while living in a big city, in a small apartment.

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GRNEO Indoor Gardening Boxes Allow You to Grow Organic Food on Your Windowsill - vegconomist - the vegan business magazine

The report on the global organic food additives market provides qualitative and quantitative analysis for the period from 2017 to 2025. The report predicts the global organic food additives market to grow with a CAGR of 4.

New York, March 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Organic Food Additives Market: Global Industry Analysis, Trends, Market Size, and Forecasts up to 2025" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05874178/?utm_source=GNW 5% over the forecast period from 2019-2025. The study on organic food additives market covers the analysis of the leading geographies such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and RoW for the period of 2017 to 2025.

The report on organic food additives market is a comprehensive study and presentation of drivers, restraints, opportunities, demand factors, market size, forecasts, and trends in the global organic food additives market over the period of 2017 to 2025. Moreover, the report is a collective presentation of primary and secondary research findings.

Porters five forces model in the report provides insights into the competitive rivalry, supplier and buyer positions in the market and opportunities for the new entrants in the global organic food additives market over the period of 2017 to 2025. Further, IGR- Growth Matrix gave in the report brings an insight into the investment areas that existing or new market players can consider.

Report Findings 1) Drivers Rising demand for ready to eat food, packaged food and frozen food Rising healthcare concerns among population and increasing preference towards a healthy lifestyle 2) Restraints Less awareness about organic food additives in emerging countries 3) Opportunities Recent enhancement in product coupled with technological development

Research Methodology

A) Primary Research Our primary research involves extensive interviews and analysis of the opinions provided by the primary respondents. The primary research starts with identifying and approaching the primary respondents, the primary respondents are approached include 1. Key Opinion Leaders associated with Infinium Global Research 2. Internal and External subject matter experts 3. Professionals and participants from the industry

Our primary research respondents typically include 1. Executives working with leading companies in the market under review 2. Product/brand/marketing managers 3. CXO level executives 4. Regional/zonal/ country managers 5. Vice President level executives.

B) Secondary Research Secondary research involves extensive exploring through the secondary sources of information available in both the public domain and paid sources. At Infinium Global Research, each research study is based on over 500 hours of secondary research accompanied by primary research. The information obtained through the secondary sources is validated through the crosscheck on various data sources.

The secondary sources of the data typically include 1. Company reports and publications 2. Government/institutional publications 3. Trade and associations journals 4. Databases such as WTO, OECD, World Bank, and among others. 5. Websites and publications by research agencies

Segment Covered The global organic food additives market is segmented on the basis of product type, nutrients, and application.

The Global Organic Food Additives Market by Product Type Flavoring Agent Antioxidants Nutrition Enhancer Colorants Sweeteners Emulsifiers Others

The Global Organic Food Additives Market by Nutrients Minerals Vitamins Phytonutrients Others

The Global Organic Food Additives Market by Application Dairy Products Bakery and Confectionery Beverages Others

Company Profiles DuPont Archer Danials Midland Company Cargill Chr. Hansen Holding A/S Kerry Group Plc BASF SE Novozymes

What does this report deliver? 1. Comprehensive analysis of the global as well as regional markets of the organic food additives market. 2. Complete coverage of all the segments in the organic food additives market to analyze the trends, developments in the global market and forecast of market size up to 2025. 3. Comprehensive analysis of the companies operating in the global organic food additives market. The company profile includes analysis of product portfolio, revenue, SWOT analysis and latest developments of the company. 4. IGR- Growth Matrix presents an analysis of the product segments and geographies that market players should focus to invest, consolidate, expand and/or diversify. Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05874178/?utm_source=GNW

About Reportlinker ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001

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Global organic food additives market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 4.5% over the forecast period from 2019-2025 - Yahoo Finance

This article is a part of RS Recommends, an editorial series reviewing products in music and entertainment. Items are independently selected; Penske Media may earn a commission from purchases made from our links.

With all the things we should be worrying about during the COVID-19 pandemic social distancing, washing our hands, disinfecting our devices the last thing on our mind should be how we eat. But the now-viral photos of long lines and empty grocery store shelves has caused widespread panic across the world, as people rush to stockpile their pantries with canned foods and non-perishables to last them through the (uncertain) foreseeable future.

But to borrow a line from Taylor Swift: we need to calm down.

According to Amy Rosoff Davis, a certified trainer, nutritionist and wellness coach who works with Selena Gomez and Kristen Bell, among others, quantity is never better than quality. Just because people are scrambling to stock their pantries, doesnt always mean more is better, she says. You have to read labels and pick carefully. Theres a common misconception that any organic or non-perishable items are good, she continues, [but] just because something says organic doesnt mean its nutrient-dense and good for you.

Another argument against stockpiling food: many people wont actually eat what theyve hoarded.

Its a misconception that we must buy anything and everything we can lay our hands on, says Cassie Berger, a registered dietitian nutritionist and co-founder of Pacific Nutrition Partners. If you buy foods you have never used before, you are less likely to make use of them. And, she adds, stocking up on foods you are not going to eat is taking those items away from families who actually use and need those items. If you dont like certain foods, now is definitely not the time to force yourself to eat them.

Fruits and vegetables with long shelf lives are ideal options to stock up on if theyre available. According to Berger, these include apples, oranges, citrus fruits, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, cabbage and winter squashes. These are high-nutrient staples that make up the base of many great recipes, she says.

Consider freezing your produce too. Bananas can be frozen once they start to brown too much and then used in smoothies, Davis offers. Apples can be roasted with cinnamon and coconut oil and used on oatmeal or as a snack there are lots of ways to make fresh foods last.

If fresh food isnt an option, Davis says frozen fruits and vegetables can be just as good. Organic frozen fruits and veggies often have just as much, if not more, nutrition than fresh, because they are frozen at the height of their nutritional value, she explains. Many prefer (and are used to) the taste of fresh food, but when it comes to nutrition, frozen doesnt mean inferior.

If you are able to keep fresh foods in the house thats great, adds Berger, but frozen, canned and dry foods are all excellent options too and loaded with the nutrients we need to support a strong immune system.

One thing experts agree on is consistency, both in terms of establishing a daily meal routine, and seeking out healthy eating habits as well.

Just because you need to rely more on the pantry and freezer does not mean this is an excuse to load up on refined carbohydrates and highly-processed foods, cautions Brigid Titgemeier, a licensed dietician and an Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner. Its best to keep these out of sight [and] out of mind, especially since you will likely be spending more time at home and around your pantry.

So what canned foods and non-perishable items should you be stocking up on? Whether youre planning out your menu for the month, or just want something healthy to snack on, heres what experts recommend adding to your shopping list right now.

Courtesy Amazon

I personally stocked up on quinoa, oats, organic pasta (get rice pasta or any other varietal if you need gluten-free), chickpeas and lentils, says Davis. In terms of lentils, I got dried and like to cook them myself, but organic and canned is fine too, she says.

The lentils we found above are non-GMO, certified kosher and field-traceable each bag comes with a code you can enter on the companys website to identify the exact field the crop was grown in, and the harvest date.

Courtesy Amazon

The red quinoa above is certified organic and triple-washed to eliminate impurities. The quinoa is ready to serve right out of the bag. It also has a 24-month shelf life, making it great to stock up on.

Courtesy Amazon

Courtesy Amazon

Berger recommends buying canned fruits, vegetables, beans and tomato products, though she says jarred foods like marinara sauce, applesauce, vegetables and pickles are good too.

This apple and pear sauce above is made from organic biodynamic apples and pears, and contains no sweeteners, flavors or preservatives. The sauce is also GMO-free, certified Kosher and gluten-free. Its great as a snack (safe for kids!) and great to add to a smoothie too.

Courtesy Amazon

A good can of crushed or diced tomatoes goes a long way. Davis suggests using them for everything from soups and rice bowls, to chili and pasta sauces. Add some greens [to the sauce] for extra nutrition, she says.

Courtesy Amazon

Courtesy Amazon

Veggies (or fruit) plus a grain plus a protein is a simple way to make sure our plates are well-balanced and nutritious, Berger says, though the combination can come in whatever form you choose.

Courtesy Amazon

Berger suggests looking for canned beans, meats and fish, along with nuts and nut butters. Something like the organic almond butter above can be spread on crackers and fruit, or used in a smoothie. Each serving of the sprouted almond butter contains 6g of protein and 14g of healthy fats.

Davis, meantime, is a fan of wild caught tuna. The box below gets you four cans of Italian Ventresca (or Yellowfin tuna belly), lightly seasoned and then set in pure olive oil. Tuna is high in omega-3 and low in fat, making it a great substitute for red meat.

Courtesy Amazon

Courtesy Amazon

Some of the most nutrient-dense pantry staples include organic apple cider vinegar, jerky, ground flaxseeds, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil, says Titgemeier, who recommends taking an apple cider vinegar shot in the morning for an immunity boost.

ACV Shot 1 tablespoon of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar 8oz of room temperature water Add lemon and/or honey

Courtesy Amazon

Another thing to stock up on: dried fruit and nuts. Dried fruit has lots of nutrients and is a great snack or addition to oatmeal and organic cereals, says Davis, and theyre especially great for children.

The 20-pack of dried fruit bars above contains four bars each of dried mangoes blueberries, strawberries, cherries and figs. The fruit bars are high in fiber, with no preservatives, and no added sugars. What we like: theyre individually-wrapped, so no worries about hands and fingers dipping into the same packaging.

Courtesy Amazon

Berger suggests stocking up on boxed items, like crackers, cereals, broth and stocks (for soups and stews). Look for bone broth if you can get it, adds Davis.

The bone broth mix above gets you 10g of protein per serving, is high in collagen and helps promote better digestion and immune function. The mix is non-GMO and gluten-free with no added flavoring, preservatives, artificial ingredients, or MSG. Stir into a soup, stew or saut, or add hot water for an instant healthy drink.

Courtesy Amazon

Other pantry essentials: if you drink non-dairy milk options, get boxed [versions], Davis says (the macadamia milk above has 50% more calcium than regular milk and doesnt need to be refrigerated until opened).

Teas are great too, she adds. Look for immune-boosting echinacea, or calming chamomile and mint.

Courtesy Amazon

Adds Berger: Dont forget to stock up on some pleasure foods as well. Chocolate, cookies, ice cream they are all good for the soul and there is value in that as well, she says.

Courtesy Amazon

As news and instructions continue to trickle in over how we should respond to the coronavirus pandemic, the best thing we can do for now, experts say, is to stay mindful and prepared. When it comes to food, that means ensuring that youre stocked up with essentials to keep you as healthy and active as possible. The one thing to avoid: Dont panic and dont over-buy, Davis says. Stress and anxiety lower your immune system and wont make this time go any faster. Know that this too shall pass and try and make the most of this time off from the daily grind.

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Everyone is Stocking Up on Canned Foods, But Which Ones Are Actually Good For You? - Rolling Stone