Black-eyed peas contain calcium, folate, protein, fiber and vitamin A, among other nutrients, and have less than 200 calories per cup.

Eating Hoppin John on the New Year is said to bring prosperity and good luck. Stock up on your black-eyed peas and get ready to prepare a feast to welcome 2022.

The dish Hoppin John originated in South Carolina. Variations of the dish appear in cookbooks dating back to the mid-1800s, although enslaved people in the south ate the mixture of black-eyed peas, rice and pork before then. Although it is traditional to cook Hoppin John with an animal product, the dish is delicious loaded with vegetables. Some vegan bacon crumbles would make a nice addition.

Ingredients:

Saute green pepper, red pepper, onion, celery and garlic until soft. Stir in seasoning and saute for another 30 seconds. Add black-eyed peas and rice. Stir together and serve with hot sauce on the side.

Sometimes I roll my Hoppin John in blanched collard leaves.

Quick Hoppin John in blanched collard leaves. Contributed / Susan Alexander

Salad ingredients:

Marinade:

Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. Place marinade ingredients in a small pot. Bring to a boil for a minute, then pour into the bowl with the salad ingredients. Let marinate for a few hours or overnight, then serve.

Black-eyed Pea Salad. Contributed / Susan Alexander

Ingredients:

Mix everything together except canola oil. Roll into 10 sausages or patties, fry in a skillet in a little canola oil, and serve hot.

Plantains look like large bananas, but unlike bananas, they cannot be eaten raw. Although plantains can be eaten at any stage of ripeness, I find them most palatable, and sweetest, when the skin is black. Plantains are delicious fried, but much more healthful when steamed. (If you dont have a steaming basket, the plantains can be boiled in an inch of water.) The texture is like that of a potato, but the flesh is sweeter.

This recipe is adapted from the Post Punk Kitchen cookbook:

Ingredients:

Peel plantains, slice in half, and steam them for about 5 minutes. The plantains should look plump and bright yellow after being steamed. Set the plantains aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onion and peppers until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and saute another minute. Add curry powder, cinnamon and thyme, and saute for another minute to wake up the spices. Add remaining ingredients and heat thoroughly for about five minutes.

Remove the anise and bay leaves. Slice the plantain and mix in. Serve on a bed of rice or other grain. This would also be good served in a bowl with slices of toasted naan to dip into the sauce.

Black-eyed Pea Curry with Plantains. Contributed / Susan Alexander

Heres a weird combination of ingredients that makes a delicious bean dish. The mandarin oranges break down and create an entree with little flecks of orange throughout.

Ingredients:

Heat all the ingredients in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve warm with rice or naan.

Spicy Mandarin Black-eyed Peas. Contributed / Susan Alexander

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Add the oil and onion to a pan and saut over medium heat until the onion begins to caramelize (about 15-20 minutes). Add the garlic and ginger and saut for a couple more minutes. Then add in the collard greens and cook until the greens are softened. Add in the spices and stir well.

Using a fork, roughly mash in the skinned boiled potatoes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then let the mixture cool.

Place mixture in a food processor with the can of black-eyed peas. Pulse until everything is roughly chopped.

Add the breadcrumbs to a plate and soy milk to another plate. Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls. Dip balls in milk then bread crumbs till all the mixture is used up.

Place the croquette balls on an oiled sheet pan, flatten the balls slightly, and spray with a little canola oil. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake the croquettes about 15 minutes per side until crisp and golden.

Croquettes. Contributed / Susan Alexander

If you want to make pie crust from scratch, go right ahead. The prepared pie crusts in the refrigerator section of your local grocery store work very well for this delicious quiche.

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes.

Place remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the same skillet. Add the onion and cook until transparent and soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chorizo sausage, and cook until evenly browned and cooked through. Mix in the poblano pepper, and cook until soft, 2-4 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.

In a food processor, blend the vegan cream with tofu until creamy. Add the spinach, 1 1/2 cups of the black-eyed peas, Monterey Jack cheese and cayenne pepper. Process until well mixed, but still chunky. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line a 10-inch pie plate with one pie crust. Spoon the sausage mixture into the pie shell. Layer with the mushrooms, then the spinach mixture, and the remaining black-eyed peas. Cover the filling with the remaining pastry. Fold and crimp the edges to seal top and bottom pastry.

Bake in a preheated oven until the top is golden brown, 45-60 minutes. Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Black-eyed Pea Quiche. Contributed / Susan Alexander

A slice of Black-eyed Pea Quiche. Contributed / Susan Alexander

Susan Alexander is food columnist for the Duluth News Tribune. She loves gardening, farmers markets and creating delicious meals consisting of whole grains, fresh vegetables and fruits.

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Vegan cooking: Versatile black-eyed peas packed with protein, vitamins - PostBulletin.com

Vegans get a pretty bad reputation in the United States. Plenty of people scoff and roll their eyes at vegans. If you want people to instantly write you off as a hippie tree-hugger, tell them youre vegan. With that said, there are plenty of scientifically-backed reasons to go vegan. In fact, veganism could very well be an inevitable trend. Before we look at particular vegan stocks to buy based on this trend, let me explain a little bit further.

For the purposes of this argument, Im going to expand veganism to vegetarianism. Remember, vegetarianism is a vegetables-only diet. Veganism is a diet with no animal products at all (milk, cheese, dairy, etc.)

Todays society is facing two major problems. The first problem is the task of feeding an exponentially increasing population. The second problem is cooling off a rapidly warming planet. Veganism actually addresses both of these problems.

Many people dont quite realize how inefficient the meat industry is from an energy consumption perspective. This isnt because meat companies are poorly run. Its just science. For example, a full-grown bull weighs about 1,100-2,200 lbs. A bull also takes five years to reach full size. It requires a massive amount of grain, water, energy, labor, and physical land to produce one bull. On the other hand, vegetables and grains require just a fraction of the water and land. They also can be grown to full-size within one year. On average, it requires about 100 times more water to produce a pound of animal protein than grain protein.

Each year, the U.S. livestock population eats seven times as much grain as the American population does. As the human population continues to increase exponentially, food producers will need to get more efficient in how they use their limited land and resources.

As far as fighting climate change, cattle are the top contributor to greenhouse gases. According to Stanford Magazine, cattle produce about 18% of the worlds methane. This is more than all of the worlds planes, cars and trains put together.

Livestock just require too much land, food and water. So why arent there more vegans?

In general, most people dont want to go vegetarian due to the lack of options. Going vegetarian use to imply switching from juicy, delicious steak to lettuce. Who would ever want to do that? This is no longer the case though.

In the past few years, there has been a surge of alternative meat companies. These companies produce meatless meat products that taste near identical to their counterparts. Over the coming years, traditional meat companies will face growing backlash. This backlash will come from both consumers and politicians.

The whole scenario is similar to whats currently unfolding in the electric vehicle industry. At first, consumers rejected the idea of electric cars. This was mainly because there was no viable option on the market. Tesla changed this. Now, consumers pretty much love Tesla. Additionally, the government is investing heavily to make electric vehicles the norm.

Right now, there isnt necessarily a Tesla of Vegan Stocks. But there are a few companies that come close. With that out of the way, its time to finally talk about how we can make some money.

Lets dive into the five best vegan stocks to buy.

NOTE: Im not a financial advisor and am just offering information and commentary. Please do your own due diligence before making any decisions.

In general, its a great time to consider investing in vegan stocks. Over the past few years, there were lots of high-profile IPOs. The entire industry may have gotten overhyped. Since then, prices have come crashing back down.

For example, Beyond Meat was an incredibly talked-about IPO. This vegan stock surged as high as 250% on the day it went public. Since that day, it is down over 70%. Even though the stock has fallen from its all-time high, that doesnt mean that business is slowing. In fact, sales were up every single quarter in 2021 on a year-over-year basis.

On average, Beyond Meats sales have grown 136% annually since 2017. It also has one of the strongest brands of any alternate meat company. This has helped it land partnerships with McDonalds and Yum Brands! (KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell).

Beyond Meats stock is down 48% year-to-date (YTD). Its down 3% since it went public in 2019.

Oatly is mainly known for its oat-based alternative dairy drinks. It was another vegan stock that recently went public in a highly-anticipated listing. The stock rose almost 30% initially but has since fallen 70%.

Despite this, Oatlys business still appears to be doing well. In 2021, its quarterly sales have risen from $140.05 million to $146.15 million to $171.06 million. These are year-over-year quarterly increases of 66%, 53% and 49% respectively.

Oatly is another company that has an incredibly strong brand. On its website, it listed 10-holiday sweaters for sale at $125 a pop. As I write this, every single one is sold out.

Since it went public, Oatlys stock is down about 60%.

The next vegan stock to consider investing in isnt as well-known as Beyond Meat or Oatly. Tattooed Chef is another plant-based food company. A few products on its menu are ready-to-cook bowls, zucchini spirals, riced cauliflower, acai and smoothie bowls and cauliflower pizza crusts.

Tattooed Chef is yet another great example of an overhyped vegan stock. After going public in 2020, its stock surged 170% in a few months. Since its all-time high, the stock has fallen about 40%. With that said, sales still seem to be doing just fine. In fact, Tattooed Chef just reported record revenue of $58.78 million in Q3 2021. This was a 43.9% increase from the previous year.

Tattooed Chefs stock is down 30% so far in 2021. Its up about 60% since going public in 2020.

Very Good Food Company is a Canadian-based alternative food company. It is yet another example on this list of vegan stocks that has slumped from its all-time high. Very Good went public in 2020 and has fallen over 80% from its all-time high. The company got its start in 2018 when it appeared on Dragons Den, the Canadian version of Shark Tank. Afterward, it raised $600,000 through the crowdfunding platform FrontFundr.

Very Good has posted a few huge losses that might be making investors nervous. In 2020, it reported revenue of just $4.64 million and a net loss of $13.86 million. The first three quarters of 2021 werent much better. It posted net losses of $15.02 million, $12.50 million, and $13.70 million. However, there is some good news.

This vegan stock is in the process of aggressively entering the U.S. market. It is currently on the shelves of 600 U.S. stores. It plans to almost double this number to 1,125 stores by Q1 2022. So far, Very Good products seem to be selling well. In October 2021, it reported record revenue of $1.5 million. It generated this revenue from both retail and eCommerce channels.

Very Goods stock is down almost 80% so far in 2021.

Im cheating a little bit by including Natural Order Acquisition Corp. on a list of vegan stocks to buy. Thats because this is a SPAC that has not made a final decision yet on which company to buy. However, according to its website, it is our intention to pursue prospective targets that are focused on technologies and products related to sustainable plant-based food and beverages, alternative protein, and ingredients.

This company could end up taking another plant-based food company public. Notably, one of the largest players in the market, Impossible Foods, is still private.

I hope that youve found this article valuable when it comes to learning a few of the best vegan stocks to buy. Please base all investment decisions on your own due diligence and risk tolerance.

A University of Miami grad, Teddy studied marketing and finance while also playing four years on the football team. Hes always had a passion for business and used his experience from a few personal projects to become one of the top-rated business writers on Fiverr.com. When hes not hammering words onto paper, you can find him hammering notes on the piano or traveling to some place random.

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5 Vegan Stocks That Will Whet Your Appetite - Investment U

Weve long been used to playing games; artificial intelligence holds the promise of games that play along with us.

Artificial intelligence (AI for short) is undoubtedly one of the hottest topics of the last few years. From facial recognition to high-powered finance applications, it is quickly embedding itself throughout all the layers of our lives, and our societies.

Video gaming, a particularly tech-savvy domain, is no stranger to AI, either. So what can we expect to see in the future?

Maybe one of the most exciting prospects regarding the use of AI in our games is the possibilities it opens up in regards to interactions between the player and the software being played. AI systems can be deployed inside games to study and learn the patterns of individual players, and then deliver a tailored response to improve their experience. In other words, just like youre learning to play against the game, the game may be learning how to play against you.

One telling example is Monoliths use of AI elements in their Middle-Earth series. Dubbed Nemesis AI, this algorithm was designed to allow opponents throughout the game to learn the players particular combat patterns and style, as well as the instances when they fought. These opponents re-appear at various points throughout the game, recounting their encounters with the player and providing more difficult (and, developers hope, more entertaining) fights.

An arguably simpler but not less powerful example of AI in gaming is AI Dungeon: this text-based dungeon adventure uses GPT-3, OpenAIs natural language modeler, to create ongoing narratives for the players to enjoy.

Its easy to let the final product of the video game development process steal the spotlight. And although it all runs seamlessly on screen, there is a lot of work that goes into creating them. Any well-coded and well-thought-out game requires a lot of time, effort, and love to create which, in practical terms, translates into costs.

AI can help in this regard as well. Tools such as procedural generation can help automate some of the more time- and effort-intensive parts of game development, such as asset production. Knowing that more run-of-the-mill processes can be handled well by software helpers can free human artists and developers to focus on more important details of their games.

Automating asset production can also open the way to games that are completely new freshly-generated maps or characters, for example every time you play them.

For now, AI is still limited in the quality of writing it can output, which is definitely a limitation in this regard; after all, great games are always built on great ideas or great narratives.

Better graphics has long been a rallying cry of the gaming industry, and for good reason we all enjoy a good show. But AI can help push the limits of what is possible today in this regard.

For starters, machine learning can be used to develop completely new textures, on the fly, for almost no cost. With enough processing power, it can even be done in real-time, as a player journeys through their digital world. Lighting and reflections can also be handled more realistically and altered to be more fantastic by AI systems than simple scripted code.

Facial expressions are another area where AI can help. With enough data, an automated system can produce and animate very life-like human faces. This would also save us the trouble of recording and storing gigabytes worth of facial animations beforehand.

The most significant potential of AI systems in this area, however, is in interactivity. Although graphics today are quite sophisticated and we do not lack eye candy, interactivity is still limited to what a programmer can anticipate and code. AI systems can learn and adapt to players while they are immersed in the game, opening the way to some truly incredible graphical displays.

AI has already made its way into the world of gaming. The case of Alpha Go and Alpha Zero showcase just how powerful such systems can be in a game. And although video games have seen some AI implementation, there is still a long way to go.

For starters, AIs are only as good as the data you train them with and they need tons and tons of data. The gaming industry needs to produce, source, and store large quantities of reliable data in order to train their AIs before they can be used inside a game. Theres also the question of how exactly to code and train them, and what level of sophistication is best for software that is meant to be playable on most personal computers out there.

With that being said, there is no doubt that AI will continue to be mixed into our video games. Its very likely that in the not-so-distant future, the idea that such a game would not include AI would be considered quite brave and exotic.

Original post:

How AI is impacting the video game industry - ZME Science

Accelerating advances in quantum computing are serving as powerful reminders that the technology is rapidly advancing toward commercial viability. In just the past few months, for example, a research center in Japan announced a breakthrough in entangling qubits (the basic unit of information in quantum, akin to bits in conventional computers) that could improve error correction in quantum systems and potentially make large-scale quantum computers possible. And one company in Australia has developed software that has shown in experiments to improve the performance of any quantum-computing hardware.

As breakthroughs accelerate, investment dollars are pouring in, and quantum-computing start-ups are proliferating. Major technology companies continue to develop their quantum capabilities as well: companies such as Alibaba, Amazon, IBM, Google, and Microsoft have already launched commercial quantum-computing cloud services.

Of course, all this activity does not necessarily translate into commercial results. While quantum computing promises to help businesses solve problems that are beyond the reach and speed of conventional high-performance computers, use cases are largely experimental and hypothetical at this early stage. Indeed, experts are still debating the most foundational topics for the field (for more on these open questions, see sidebar, Debates in quantum computing).

Still, the activity suggests that chief information officers and other leaders who have been keeping an eye out for quantum-computing news can no longer be mere bystanders. Leaders should start to formulate their quantum-computing strategies, especially in industries, such as pharmaceuticals, that may reap the early benefits of commercial quantum computing. Change may come as early as 2030, as several companies predict they will launch usable quantum systems by that time.

To help leaders start planning, we conducted extensive research and interviewed 47 experts around the globe about quantum hardware, software, and applications; the emerging quantum-computing ecosystem; possible business use cases; and the most important drivers of the quantum-computing market. In the report Quantum computing: An emerging ecosystem and industry use cases, we discuss the evolution of the quantum-computing industry and dive into the technologys possible commercial uses in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive, and financefields that may derive significant value from quantum computing in the near term. We then outline a path forward and how industry decision makers can start their efforts in quantum computing.

An ecosystem that can sustain a quantum-computing industry has begun to unfold. Our research indicates that the value at stake for quantum-computing players is nearly $80 billion (not to be confused with the value that quantum-computing use cases could generate).

Because quantum computing is still a young field, the majority of funding for basic research in the area still comes from public sources (Exhibit 1).

Exhibit 1

However, private funding is increasing rapidly. In 2021 alone, announced investments in quantum-computing start-ups have surpassed $1.7 billion, more than double the amount raised in 2020 (Exhibit 2). We expect private funding to continue increasing significantly as quantum-computing commercialization gains traction.

Exhibit 2

Hardware is a significant bottleneck in the ecosystem. The challenge is both technical and structural. First, there is the matter of scaling the number of qubits in a quantum computer while achieving a sufficient level of qubit quality. Hardware also has a high barrier to entry because it requires a rare combination of capital, experience in experimental and theoretical quantum physics, and deep knowledgeespecially domain knowledge of the relevant options for implementation.

Multiple quantum-computing hardware platforms are under development. The most important milestone will be the achievement of fully error-corrected, fault-tolerant quantum computing, without which a quantum computer cannot provide exact, mathematically accurate results (Exhibit 3).

Exhibit 3

Experts disagree on whether quantum computers can create significant business value before they are fully fault tolerant. However, many say that imperfect fault tolerance does not necessarily make quantum-computing systems unusable.

When might we reach fault tolerance? Most hardware players are hesitant to reveal their development road maps, but a few have publicly shared their plans. Five manufacturers have announced plans to have fault-tolerant quantum-computing hardware by 2030. If this timeline holds, the industry will likely establish a clear quantum advantage for many use cases by then.

The number of software-focused start-ups is increasing faster than any other segment of the quantum-computing value chain. In software, industry participants currently offer customized services and aim to develop turnkey services when the industry is more mature. As quantum-computing software continues to develop, organizations will be able to upgrade their software tools and eventually use fully quantum tools. In the meantime, quantum computing requires a new programming paradigmand software stack. To build communities of developers around their offerings, the larger industry participants often provide their software-development kits free of charge.

In the end, cloud-based quantum-computing services may become the most valuable part of the ecosystem and can create outsize rewards to those who control them. Most providers of cloud-computing services now offer access to quantum computers on their platforms, which allows potential users to experiment with the technology. Since personal or mobile quantum computing is unlikely this decade, the cloud may be the main way for early users to experience the technology until the larger ecosystem matures.

Most known use cases fit into four archetypes: quantum simulation, quantum linear algebra for AI and machine learning, quantum optimization and search, and quantum factorization. We describe these fully in the report, as well as outline questions leaders should consider as they evaluate potential use cases.

We focus on potential use cases in a few industries that research suggests could reap the greatest short-term benefits from the technology: pharmaceuticals, chemicals, automotive, and finance. Collectively (and conservatively), the value at stake for these industries could be between roughly $300 billion and $700 billion (Exhibit 4).

Exhibit 4

Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize the research and development of molecular structures in the biopharmaceuticals industry as well as provide value in production and further down the value chain. In R&D, for example, new drugs take an average of $2 billion and more than ten years to reach the market after discovery. Quantum computing could make R&D dramatically faster and more targeted and precise by making target identification, drug design, and toxicity testing less dependent on trial and error and therefore more efficient. A faster R&D timeline could get products to the right patients more quickly and more efficientlyin short, it would improve more patients quality of life. Production, logistics, and supply chain could also benefit from quantum computing. While it is difficult to estimate how much revenue or patient impact such advances could create, in a $1.5 trillion industry with average margins in earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of 16 percent (by our calculations), even a 1 to 5 percent revenue increase would result in $15 billion to $75 billion of additional revenues and $2 billion to $12 billion in EBIT.

Quantum computing can improve R&D, production, and supply-chain optimization in chemicals. Consider that quantum computing can be used in production to improve catalyst designs. New and improved catalysts, for example, could enable energy savings on existing production processesa single catalyst can produce up to 15 percent in efficiency gainsand innovative catalysts may enable the replacement of petrochemicals by more sustainable feedstock or the breakdown of carbon for CO2 usage. In the context of the chemicals industry, which spends $800 billion on production every year (half of which relies on catalysis), a realistic 5 to 10 percent efficiency gain would mean a gain of $20 billion to $40 billion in value.

The automotive industry can benefit from quantum computing in its R&D, product design, supply-chain management, production, and mobility and traffic management. The technology could, for example, be applied to decrease manufacturing processrelated costs and shorten cycle times by optimizing elements such as path planning in complex multirobot processes (the path a robot follows to complete a task) including welding, gluing, and painting. Even a 2 to 5 percent productivity gainin the context of an industry that spends $500 billion per year on manufacturing costswould create $10 billion to $25 billion of value per year.

Finally, quantum-computing use cases in finance are a bit further in the future, and the advantages of possible short-term uses are speculative. However, we believe that the most promising use cases of quantum computing in finance are in portfolio and risk management. For example, efficiently quantum-optimized loan portfolios that focus on collateral could allow lenders to improve their offerings, possibly lowering interest rates and freeing up capital. It is earlyand complicatedto estimate the value potential of quantum computingenhanced collateral management, but as of 2021, the global lending market stands at $6.9 trillion, which suggests significant potential impact from quantum optimization.

In the meantime, business leaders in every sector should prepare for the maturation of quantum computing.

Until about 2030, we believe that quantum-computing use cases will have a hybrid operating model that is a cross between quantum and conventional high-performance computing. For example, conventional high-performance computers may benefit from quantum-inspired algorithms.

Beyond 2030, intense ongoing research by private companies and public institutions will remain vital to improve quantum hardware and enable moreand more complexuse cases. Six key factorsfunding, accessibility, standardization, industry consortia, talent, and digital infrastructurewill determine the technologys path to commercialization.

Leaders outside the quantum-computing industry can take five concrete steps to prepare for the maturation of quantum computing:

Leaders in every industry have an uncommon opportunity to stay alert to a generation-defining technology. Strategic insights and soaring business value could be the prize.

Excerpt from:

Quantum computing use cases are getting real--what you need to know - McKinsey

The race for quantum supremacy isn't just between tech companies, but between nation-states as well.

Why it matters: The first country to produce effective, working quantum computers will have a key advantage in economics, defense and cybersecurity and the U.S., China, and Europe are all competing.

What's happening: Last month, the Commerce Department added a dozen Chinese companies to a trade blacklist in an effort to prevent emerging U.S. technologies from being used for quantum computing efforts that would boost Beijing's military.

The big picture: One of the clearest uses of quantum computing is to eventually break the complex mathematical problems used to encrypt information of all kinds on the internet, including sensitive government data.

Between the lines: While U.S. companies generally have the lead on building better quantum computers, China has invested massively in the industry, including an $11 billion national laboratory for quantum information sciences.

What to watch: Progress on American efforts to develop post-quantum cryptography standards that would resist more powerful quantum computers, as well as research from the five new quantum institutes created by the White House last year.

The bottom line: "The economy for the next hundred years will be driven by quantum," says Chapman. "So it's not a game we want to lose."

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Running the international quantum race - Axios

The race to lead in quantum computing is not just a matter of two. Currently the United States and China have the upper hand, but other countries, including Germany, France or the United Kingdom, are also making important contributions with a very clear purpose: to acquire a solid technological foundation in this discipline.

In the medium term, quantum computing, if it continues to develop as it has done during the last decade and little by little it circumvents the challenges that still remain to be solved, will make a difference not only in the field of scientific research; also in telecommunications, economy or in the very sensitive field of cryptography, among other critical areas for many nations.

Quantum computing will make a difference not only in the field of scientific research; also in telecommunications, economics or in the very sensitive field of cryptography

The countries that I mentioned in the first paragraph of this article, and some others, have embarked on a long-distance race to avoid being left off the hook, but beyond this international pulse there is a strictly technical struggle that is going relatively unnoticed outside the scientific realm.

The interesting thing is that in this context, the leading role is not played by the countries that seek to lead in quantum computing; It is demanded by the most advanced technologies that are being used to make qubits. However, that in an area where there is so much to do we have several options on the table is great news. Far from being a problem, any innovation that allows us to develop more and better qubits is welcome.

Having quantum computers with many qubits is crucial. And it is so not only because by increasing the number of qubits it is possible to carry out many more calculations simultaneously, but also because in order to make these equipment capable of make amends for their own mistakes it is essential to have more qubits. So many more.

Eagle, the most advanced quantum processor to date, is from IBM and has no less than 127 qubits

The most advanced quantum processor developed to date, known as Eagle, was unveiled by IBM in mid-November, and has 127 qubits. This company plans to have a 433 qubit quantum chip ready by 2022, and one of no less than 1121 qubits in 2023. If this progression is confirmed, come from the hand of IBM or any other company, the first quantum processors with more than a million qubits will arrive in a few years, and just at that moment quantum computers will reach a tipping point.

During the conversation we had with Ignacio Cirac, a Spanish scientist unanimously considered one of the founding fathers of quantum computing, last June he explained to us how many qubits a quantum processor must have to be capable of solve truly significant problems and implement the long-awaited bug fix:

The number of qubits will depend on the type of problems we want to solve with quantum computers. To tackle symbolic problems we will need to have several million qubits. Probably even hundreds of millions of qubits. Right now we are talking about a hundred qubits, so there is a long way to go. There are people who say that 100,000 qubits may solve a specific problem, but it really takes a lot of qubits.

There is no doubt that much remains to be done. Very much. But the researchers are on it. And, furthermore, they are not following a single path. Currently there are two technologies that are proving to have enormous potential not only because of their ability to allow us to increase the number of qubits of quantum processors, but also because they are allowing researchers fine-tune higher quality qubits.

As the quality of a qubit increases, the greater its ability to resist quantum decoherence, which is the phenomenon that appears when the quantum effects that give these computers an insurmountable advantage over classical supercomputers vanish. This is the reason why it is crucial not only to have processors with more qubits, but also to develop higher quality qubits.

Intel is working to increase the scalability of its quantum processors by applying the knowledge that this company has accumulated during decades of producing CMOS devices in their manufacture.

The technology that companies such as IBM, Google or Intel, among others, are using to manufacture their quantum processors uses the superconducting qubits, which are characterized by working at a temperature of about 20 millikelvin, which is approximately -273 degrees Celsius. It is imperative that they operate with the highest degree of isolation from the environment possible and at such an astonishingly low temperature.

IBM aims to have a quantum processor with 1,121 qubits by 2023, and its competitors are likely to be on its heels.

And it is because this minimum level of energy allows them to extend the time during which the quantum states of the system are maintained, and, at the same time, also postpone the moment in which quantum decoherence appears. Quantum states are maintained for a limited period of time, and this time is precisely what we have for carry out quantum logic operations with the qubits of our computer.

One of the greatest successes that superconducting qubits are achieving is precisely how fast they are allowing scaling the number of quantum bits. As weve seen, IBM aims to have a 1,121-qubit quantum processor by 2023, and possibly Intel, Google, and the quantum chips being developed by China will undergo similar development.

In fact, Intel announced just a few days ago that it is working to increase scalability of its quantum processors, applying in their manufacture all the knowledge that this company has accumulated during decades of production of CMOS devices. In fact, the background that both this company and IBM have in the field of semiconductor production works in their favor because all that knowledge is being very useful when it comes to addressing the progressive refinement of their superconducting qubits.

This is the path that IonQ and Honeywell are taking, and they seem to be getting good results. In this article we are not going to delve into the operation of this technology so as not to complicate it too much (we can do it in another report if you are interested in this topic and you confirm it in the comments), but it is interesting that very broadly we can intuit what is your strategy to identify how superconducting qubits differ from those that use ion traps.

Ion trap qubits use positively charged ionized atoms, keeping them confined and isolated in an electromagnetic field

These last use ionized atomsTherefore, they have a non-neutral global electrical charge that allows them to be isolated and confined within an electromagnetic field. This is the starting point of this technology, and from here the strategies used by IonQ and Honeywell, which are the companies that have decided to travel this path with more impetus, to manipulate these ionized atoms and carry out logical operations with them differ. slightly.

The ion-trapped qubits that IonQ and Honeywell are using are more robust than superconducting qubits, allowing them to effectively bypass quantum decoherence for longer.

IonQ acts on the quantum state of its qubits with ion traps by cooling them to reduce the computational noise level and using lasers just below to trade them. But it does not use a single laser; It uses one for each ion, and also a global laser that acts on all of them simultaneously. Honeywell also uses ionized atoms and lasers, but the procedure it uses to establish entanglement between two ions and act on them with a laser is different from that used by IonQ.

In any case, the most interesting thing is that both Honeywell and IonQ ensure that their qubits with ion traps they are more robust than the superconducting qubits used by your competitors. And this means, as we have seen a few lines above, that they manage to preserve the stability of a quantum state for a longer time, which allows them to carry out, according to these companies, more operations with their qubits before quantum decoherence appears. .

Although, as we have seen, superconducting qubits and those using ion traps are currently the most highly developed, they are not the only technologies within our grasp. Many research groups are working in this area, and some promising lines of research propose different ideas at the two in which we just inquired.

There are experts in Spain who work in quantum computing with molecules. They implant ions in macromolecules, store information in them, and can do little calculations. It is a very unique line both in Europe and in the world that could be strengthened. There are many areas where all the greater robustness of ion-trapped qubits versus superconducting qubits. And, incidentally, he told us about another very promising technology, which reminds us that, fortunately, there are several attractive lines of research open that seek to develop more robust and stable qubits:

Superconducting qubits will probably help us to have more qubits, but we think they will have more errors than ion qubits. There is also a third technology, neutral atoms, in which several research groups are working and which is managing to gather more qubits while maintaining the accuracy and lack of errors of the other systems. I hope that very soon we will be able to develop more advanced technologies that will surpass those we have today.

Images | Honeywell | IonQ | Intel

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In the race for the best quantum computer there are two sides, and they are not the United States and China: they are the two most advanced qubit...

IonQ(NYSE:IONQ) seeks to lead the way in a very specific market: quantum computing. Fortunately, you dont have to be a mathematician or computer scientist to invest in IONQ stock.

Source: Amin Van / Shutterstock.com

It is important to understand what the company does, though. To put it simply, IonQ develops quantum computers designed to solve the worlds most complex problems.

This niche industry has vast moneymaking potential. According to IonQ, experts predict that the total addressable market for quantum computing will reach around $65 billion by 2030.

IonQ got in fairly early and aggressively, as the company has been around since 2015 and produced six generations of quantum computers. Theres a terrific investment opportunity here, yet the share price is down and if you ask me, this just doesnt compute.

Going back to the beginning, IonQoffered its shares for public tradingon theNew York Stock Exchange on Oct. 1, 2021, after reverse-merging with dMY Technology Group III.

The stock started off at around $10 but sank to the low $7s in just a few days time. However, that turned out to be a great time to start a long position.

Amazingly, IONQ stock staged a swift turnaround and soared to nearly $36 in November. In hindsight, however, this rally went too fast and too far.

Inevitably, a retracement ensued and the early investors had to cough up some of their gains. By early December, the share price had declined to $18 and change.

Sure, you could wait and hope that IONQ stock falls further before considering a position. Yet, you might miss out on a buy-the-dip opportunity with an ambitious, future-facing tech business.

I case I didnt make it abundantly clear already, IonQ is serious about advancing quantum-computing technology.

Case in point: in order to cement its leadership position in this niche, IonQ recently revealed its plans to use barium ions as qubits in its systems, thereby bringing about a wave of advantages it believes will enable advanced quantum computing architectures.

A qubit, or quantum bit, is basically a tiny bit of coded information in quantum mechanics.

Its perfectly fine if you dont fully understand the scientific minutiae, as IonQ President and CEO Peter Chapman and his team have the necessary know-how and experience.

We believe the advanced architectures enabled by barium qubits will be even more powerful and more scalable than the systems we have been able to build so far, opening the door to broader applications of quantum computing, Chapman assured.

Apparently, the advantages of using barium ions as qubits include lower error rates, higher gate fidelity, better state detection, more easily networked quantum systems and iterable, more reliable hardware, with more uptime for customers.

Thankfully, now I can leave the science to the scientists, and focus on what I do best: breaking down financial data.After all, Id be hard-pressed to recommend any company if it didnt at least have a decent capital position.

CFO Thomas Kramer was evidently glad to report that, as of Sept. 30 IonQ had cash and cash equivalents of $587 million.The companys strong balance sheet, according to Kramer will allow IonQ to accelerate [the] scaling of all business functions and continue attracting the industrys best and brightest.

Since IonQ is well-capitalized, the company should be well-positioned to benefit from Capitol Hills interest in quantum as shown by the infrastructure bill, the CFO added.

Its also worth noting that IonQ generated $223,000 in revenues during 2021s third quarter, bringing the year-to-date total to $451,000.

Hopefully, the company can parlay its quantum-computing know-how into seven-figure revenues in the near future.

IonQs loyal investors dont need to understand everything about qubits. They only need to envision a robust future for the quantum-computing market.

We cant claim that IonQ is generating massive revenues at this point. Therefore, it requires patience and foresight to invest in this company with confidence.

Yet, an early stake could offer vast rewards in the long run. After all, when it comes to deep-level, next-gen quantum computing, IonQ clearly has it down to a science.

On the date of publication, David Moadeldid not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

David Moadel has provided compelling content and crossed the occasional line on behalf of Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, Finom Group, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets.

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IonQ Stock Is an Investment in Cutting Edge, Global Solutions - InvestorPlace

The coming era of quantum computing how it will usher in a new era for our world one company on the cutting edge to consider today

Atoms dont follow the traditional rules of physics.

Our top scientists now understand that quantum particles can move forward or backward in time.

It gets crazier

They can also exist in two places at onceand even teleport.

Its mind-blowing stuff.

Now, consider that these strange behaviors are what leading technologists are trying to harness as they create a tool that will transform, well,everything.

***That tool is the quantum computer

Heres a boiled-down description from our hypergrowth expert, Luke Lango:

While the engineering behind quantum computing is super complex, the big idea is quite simple: Take the unique attributes of quantum mechanics such as super-positioning and entanglement and apply them to computing, so as to create a new generation of quantum computers that can do things infinitely faster than even the fastest supercomputers can do today.

Its hard to grasp the additional speed of these quantum computers, and what it means for coming technological advancements.

But consider this comparison from Peter Chapman, CEO of leading quantum startup, IonQ:

The differences between quantum computers and classical computers are even more vast than those between classical computers and pen and paper.

Futurist, Bernard Marr, writes that quantum computers can solve problems that would take a traditional computer a billion years to solve.

And this isnt just a later this decade kind of technology were already tiptoeing into this world.

FromMedium:

In 2019, Googles quantum computer did a calculation in less than four minutes that would take the worlds most powerful computer 10,000 years to do

This makes Googles quantum computer about 158 million times faster than the worlds fastest supercomputer

It is the seed for the worlds first fully functional quantum computer that can make better medicines, create smarter artificial intelligence and solve great riddles of the cosmos

As to the ability of quantum computers to change everything, there are many examples, but consider perhaps the most significant healthcare.

FromForbes:

Quantum computers could enable drastic progression in drug discovery and development, ultimately giving scientists the ability to solve problems that are currently intractable

Scientists, such as those at Swiss pharmaceutical company, Roche, hope that quantum simulations will speed up the development of drugs and vaccines to protect against the likes of Covid-19, influenza, cancer and even potentially find a cure for Alzheimers.

***Big tech is already funneling money into this budding technology

Google isnt the only big tech name pouring money into research here.

Back to Luke:

In December of 2019, Amazon announced that the company would be jumping into the quantum compute space by launchingBraket, its own Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) business.

Not two weeks later, Intel unveiled a first-of-its-kind cryogenic control chip Horse Ridge to help facilitate the development of full-stack quantum computing systems.

More recently, IBM just shipped its first quantum computer to Germany (this summer), marking the first quantum computer in Europe. (Also this summer), researchers at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, fabricated a compact quantum computer processor that fits in two small boxes a huge step forward for the miniaturization of these computers.

Folks the quantum computing revolution startsnow and over the next decade, the rise of quantum computing will turn into one of Wall Streets biggest investment megatrends.

Lets put some numbers on Lukes claim.

FromGlobalNewswire:

The Global Quantum Computing Market Size is expected to value USD 487.4 million in 2021 and is expected to reach USD 3728.4 million by 2030 at a CAGR of 25.40% over the forecast period from 2021 to 2030.

We will be bringing you news of advancements here in theDigestover the coming years, as well as specific quantum-related recommendations for your portfolio. But its never too early to begin.

And so today, were peering over Lukes shoulder at a recent quantum computing play he wrote about in his service,The Daily 10X Stock Report. It turns out, this company is the same one that our venture capital expert, Cody Shirk, highlighted in his recent issue ofVenture Capital Digest.

Whats coming with quantum computing is going to be nothing short of astonishing. Today, lets put a company on your radar thats right in the middle of all of it.

***A pure-play quantum computing company

For newerDigestreaders, Luke is the analyst behindTheDaily 10X, as we call it. His specialty is finding market-leading tech innovators that are pioneering explosive trends, capable of generating 10X returns for investors over the long-term.

TheDaily 10Xis like nothing else we offer. Luke doesnt keep a portfolio or provide sell advice. But every day the market is open, he highlights a small cap stock with the potential to grow 1,000%.

Its a lucrative approach to the markets. To illustrate, in just the past five years, Luke has recommended 17 different 1,000%+ gaining stocks. Most investors never enjoy even one such 10X-winner.

Returning to quantum computers, whats the company on Lukes radar? The same that caught Cody Shirks eye?

From Luke:

The company were talking about isRigetti,who is coming public via a SPAC merger withSupernova Partners Acquisition Company II(SNII).

Rigetti is a pure-play quantum computing company founded in 2013 by someone we perceive as a modern-day genius, Chad Rigetti. Mr. Rigetti is an Applied Physics PhD from Yale that previously was a researcher for three years at IBMs quantum computing group. Very few people know the quantum computing industry like him.

Over the past eight years, Rigetti has established itself as a thought and technology leader in the quantum computing space. The company has secured huge partnerships with power tech players like Amazon Web Services and found itself cited in over 1,000 peer-reviewed publications. The company has also amassed a workforce in excess of 130 employees, over 40 of whom are PhD holders.

In Lukes issue, he dives into Rigettis competitive advantage its proprietary and scalable chip architecture. He notes that it appears to be highly effective and highly defensible.

But whats especially interesting at the moment is its valuation. At just $1.7 billion, its well beneath other quantum computing startups that are valued in the multi-billion-dollar range.

***How might Rigetti 10X your investment?

Lets go back to Luke:

Management pegs its addressable market at $850 billion, very similar to estimates being thrown around by other public quantum computing companies.

Revenues are expected around $600 million by 2026. That number could easily eclipse $1 billion by 2030.

Application software stocks of this ilk tend to trade around 11X sales.

That implies a long-term valuation target of $11 billion.

***One final note on Rigetti and quantum computing investing in general

Luke makes a great point, namely, that were in the earliest of the early days when it comes to investing here. That means plenty of risk we simply dont know who tomorrows winners will be.

In this type of situation, small position sizes in a basket of sector-related companies is often the best approach. This offers diversification, as well as the chance you align some of your money with tomorrows big winner.

On this note, heres Luke to take us out:

Were in love with the quantum computing market. I know. Were not supposed to fall in love in the stock market, but quantum computing is a rare exception because the trend will be that big and is that inevitable.

When you find a trend with huge potential like this, you have to take multiple shots on goal within the industry to maximize your return potential.

That is mostly why Rigetti is so interesting. It is another high-quality shot on goal in the quantum computing industry.

Have a good evening,

Jeff Remsburg

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The Next Megatrend Has Started - InvestorPlace

A recent reportpublished by theStreet.comranked QTUMas one of the top tech ETFs for 2022, beating out all of all of GlobalX's and Ark's suite of ETFs.QTUM's values hasrisen over34% so far in 2021,compared to ARKK'sbeing down22%.

QTUMlaunchedinSeptember2018 and now hasover $170 million in AUM. With 70 holdings and a 0.40% expense ratio, Defiance'sQTUM ETF offers diversified yet targeted exposureto a range oftopcloud computing, machine learning andquantum computing stocks.

Media Contact:

Julia Stoll MacMillan Communications (212) 473-4442[emailprotected]

As of this writing the Fund may or may not hold one or more of the positions (stocks) mentioned in the article. For a current list of holdings, click here

Fund holdings and sector allocations are subject to change at any time and should not be considered recommendations to buy or sell any security.

The Funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses must be considered carefully before investing. Theprospectuscontain this and other important information about the investment company. Please read it carefully before investing. A hard copy of the prospectus can be requested by calling 833.333.9383.

Investing involves risk. Principal loss is possible. As an ETF, the funds may trade at a premium or discount to NAV. Shares of any ETF are bought and sold at market price (not NAV) and are not individually redeemed from the Fund. The Funds are not actively managed and would not sell a security due to current or projected under performance unless that security is removed from the Index or is required upon a reconstitution of the Index. A portfolio concentrated in a single industry or country, may be subject to a higher degree of risk. The value of stocks of information technology companies are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology product cycles, rapid product obsolescence, government regulation and competition. The Funds are considered to be non-diversified, so they may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers. Investments in foreign securities involve certain risks including risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. This risk is magnified in emerging markets. Small and mid-cap companies are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than securities of large-cap companies.The possible applications of quantum computing are only in the exploration stages, and the possibility of returns is uncertain and may not be realized in the near future. The "BlueStar Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index", "BQTUM Index" (collectively "Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index"), is the exclusive property and a trademark of BlueStar Global Investors LLC d/b/a BlueStar Indexes and has been licensed for use for certain purposes by Defiance ETFs LLC. Products based on the Quantum Computing and Machine Learning Index are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by BlueStar Global Investors, LLC or BlueStar Indexes, and BlueStar Global Investors, LLC and BlueStar Indexes makes no representation regarding the advisability of trading in such product(s). It is not possible to invest directly in an index.

Total return represents changes to the NAV and accounts for distributions from the fund. Median 30 Day Spread is a calculation of Fund's median bid-ask spread, expressed as a percentage rounded to the nearest hundredth, computed by: identifying the Fund's national best bid and national best offer as of the end of each 10 second interval during each trading day of the last 30 calendar days; dividing the difference between each such bid and offer by the midpoint of the national best bid and national best offer; and identifying the median of those values.

Diversification does not ensure a profit nor protect against loss in a declining market. Commissions may be charged on trades.

QTUM is distributed by Foreside Fund Services, LLC.

SOURCE Defiance ETFs

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$QTUM ETF, Disruptive Tech Exposure without the Soul Searching - PRNewswire

Personally, I don't make New Year's Resolutions anymore, because if something is worth doing, it is worth doing all year long. Plus, who wants to feel disappointed in themselves when you inevitably break your resolution? That being said, I looked up the most common New Year's Resolutions and there were some variables depending on the source. A lot of the categories overlap. For example, if you want to be healthier, you probably want to eat better, exercise more, and have less stress. I think Tia Mowry's cookbook, "The Quick Fix Kitchen: Easy Recipes & Time-Saving Tips For A Healthier, Stress-Free Life" ticks a lot of those boxes. Some people may want to live a more sustainable life or take up a new hobby by gardening and growing their own food. Scuddles Garden Tools will be a big help for those goals. Others may want to spend more time outdoors and spend quality time with loved ones. The Wicker Cooler Picnic Basket, which is one of my favorite things on this list, can fulfill those goals. Some may want to finally take that trip of a lifetime or just experience new places. Use the Travel Pin Board as a fun way to celebrate those trips. I hope you find something on this list to help you achieve your goals and don't be too hard on yourself if have a hard time sticking to your resolutions. You can try again tomorrow. In the meantime, have fun with these 87 Inspirational Challenge Cards to Make Your Life Better!

Amazon

Winter is definitely my least favorite season, and one of the main reasons is the absence of sunlight. Seasonal Affective Disorder, (SAD), is a real diagnosis that is related to the change in seasons. One treatment option is light therapy. I received a light therapy lamp as a gift a few years ago, but I don't use it much because of its large size. One of the things I love about this particular Light Therapy Lamp is how slim and portable it is! This lamp mimics the colors of daylight and lasts approximately 50,000 hours. One-touch operation with three levels of brightness to choose from. This would be a great addition to any office workspace.

Amazon

Different scents can have a huge impact on our moods. Think about how walking outside and smelling coming rain or freshly mown grass makes you feel. How wonderful it is to walk into the house and smell a favorite meal cooking on the stove! Well, this Ultimate Aromatherapy Diffuser & Essential Oil Set has everything needed to improve one's mood. The set includes an ultrasonic essence diffuser, 10 different essential oils, a power cable, and a manual. This diffuser even has lights, with seven ambient light modes. There are four timer settings and an auto-shutoff feature.

Amazon

Present, Not Perfect is an illustrated guided journal by Aimee Chase. "This creative journal invites you to take pause, let go of what doesn't matter, and stay present in the moment so that you can enjoy your life in a whole new way." An example of one of the prompts is to write down three fears that are holding you back and then to put those fears in a hot air balloon and imagine it floating away. Very thought-provoking. 128 pages available in paperback or spiral bound.

Amazon

A good night's sleep is important for health, as well as, mood. I know when I'm sleep-deprived, I catch myself being short-tempered with my family. Getting quality sleep is a resolution I need to work on this year! These Beckham Hotel Collection Pillows are Amazon's Choice, have a 4+ star rating, and have been reviewed by over 155,000 people! Suitable for all sleep positions and are even machine wash and dry.

Amazon

I have been consciously trying to drink more water, but it is hard especially in the colder months. Having a cool new Hydro Flask Tumbler will make it a little easier. It has a narrow design that makes it easy to hold and fit into most cup holders. Comes in eight colors and three different sizes. BPA and phthalate-free. Dishwasher safe and has a lifetime warranty.

Amazon

I usually take my lunch to work and, if I have something like chips or nuts, I will reuse the plastic sandwich bag a few times. I do feel a little guilty if I have something that is wet or has a distinct odor (like a boiled egg) and I throw the bag away after one use. I hate to wash dishes, so I definitely couldn't see myself washing sandwich bags! Problem solved with Reusable Food Storage Bags that can actually be put in the dishwasher! These bags are made of Food Grade Material and are free of BPA, PVC, Chloride, and lead.

Amazon

One of the best gifts I ever received was my Keurig coffee maker. I am the only daily coffee drinker in my family, so it doesn't make sense to brew a whole pot. I try to avoid using single-use products so these Stainless Steel Coffee Pods are great at eliminating unnecessary environmental plastic waste. Eco-friendly and long-lasting. Compatible with Keurig and other single-serve coffee brewers.

Amazon

I can only imagine how difficult life would be if I wasn't able to simply turn on a faucet and have water to come out. Water is easy to take for granted for those of us that are fortunate enough to have it at our fingertips. Conserving water is something I need to be more mindful of and the Waternymph Faucet Spray Head Aerator can help with that. It boasts savings of 30-70% compared with standard bubblers. Two flow design allows the user to pick either soft bubble stream or strong spray.

Amazon

When shopping on Amazon, there is a box that users can check named Climate Pledge Friendly. It "uses sustainability certifications to highlight products that support our commitment to help preserve the natural world." Dazz is one of those products. Dazz Natural Cleaning Tablets Whole House Refill Pack contains tablets for All-Purpose Cleaner, Glass/Window Cleaner, and Bathroom Cleaner that are plant and mineral-based, just add water.

Amazon

My husband usually takes a sandwich for lunch and he likes lettuce on his sandwich. Unfortunately, he waits for me to wash off the lettuce and I hate the salad spinner I did have. It had the handle to turn, which always got stuck! Farberware has eliminated that problem with their Pro Pump Salad Spinner. The one-handed operation allows for the user to just push down the spinner mechanism to start and then tap the brake button when done! Easy peasy!

Amazon

Being aware of serving sizes is key when trying to lose weight, but it is really inconvenient to try to count out 22 potato chips when trying to pack my lunch in the morning! (When I do count them, I definitely make sure to get a whole chip, not one of the broken ones.) Having a Food Scale With Bowl means I can weigh the chips to get an accurate serving size in ounces rather than counting out the 22 biggest chips. LCD display shows kg(g) or lb(oz). This scale also has an alarm timer and room temperature sensor.

Amazon

I love watching Tia Mowry's cooking shows on TV. One episode featured her husband, Cory Hardrict, making his Famous Mac and Cheese and it has become a holiday tradition in my house. It is the best Mac and Cheese I have ever tasted! I'm sure all of the recipes in her new cookbook, The Quick Fix Kitchen are all delicious. It was named one of the best cookbooks of the year by Food Network. "With The Quick Fix Kitchen, feeding yourself and your family wont feel like a chore." 288 pages

Amazon

Non-GMO, Vegan Quit Smoking Gummies will help you combat withdrawal, relieve tension, and balance your mood. The Gummies contain a proprietary blend of Hemp Extract, Mullein Leaf, and Reishi Mushroom. The Mullein helps clear the mucus and toxins while hemp extract calms the nervous system. Gentle on the stomach and taste good. Made in the USA.

Amazon

Cold outside temps and wet weather are no excuse not to exercise with the Exerpeutic Folding Upright Excercise Bike. The bike can be folded to half of its assembled size and can be moved with the transportation wheels. No more using the stationary bike to hang clothes on when done with it! LCD display indicates distance, calories burned, time, speed, pulse, and scan. Eight resistance levels. Assembly required.

Amazon

Weights are "Great for agility training, cardio, endurance, squats, lunges, and more". Get a set of two dumbbells with neoprene coating for an easy-grip secure hold and a vinyl-coated kettlebell. The hexagonal shape of the dumbells prevents them from rolling. This Dumbbell Hand Weight Set is available in a variety of weights from 10 to 60 pounds.

Amazon

The Renpho Smart BMI Scale connects with apps to help accomplish fitness goals, track daily, weekly, and monthly progress, and save historical data. The scale uses "advanced technology to calculate 13 key body composition metrics". Simply download the Renpho app and it will work with Fitbit and Google Fit. "Track Your Body, Not Just Your Weight".

Amazon

"All gardeners need quality Gardening tools that will perform well for many years," which is why Scuddles offers a Lifetime warranty on their Eight Piece Heavy Duty Gardening Kit. The kit includes gloves, hand trowel, digging fork, shovel, spade, weeder, transplanting tool, and a garden tote bag to carry it all! The tools have ergonomic handles for comfortable use and thick-gauge stainless steel blades that won't rust or bend. Garden with your kids and "Grow Together"!

Amazon

Everything anyone wants to know about Building Your Backyard Homestead is in this book by David Toht. Learn how to build raised beds, planters, and arbors. Build a chicken coop or install a fence. Build a goat shed or erect a windmill or install a solar system. Learn about Aquaponics or building beehives. Learn about outdoor wiring and plumbing basics. All that is just a start. This book has every bit of knowledge that will fit into 256 pages, which turns out to be 40 projects.

Amazon

I used to paint in high school, and when my daughters saw some of my old projects, they used to ask me why I don't paint anymore. It is amazing how much of what used to be done for joy and fun is replaced by the necessities of everyday life. I still haven't quite found the time to start painting again, but when I do, I will want a set like this that has everything needed to start painting again. It includes 24 acrylic paint colors, 22 paintbrushes, 2 stretched canvases, 3 canvas panels, and an adjustable easel.

Amazon

Embroidery is another skill of mine that has fallen by the wayside. My grandmother taught me to embroider when I would stay with her during summer break. I would have to relearn some of the different stitches I used to know. This Embroidery Kit for Starters would be a good foray back to the Victorian skill of fancy needlework. The kit includes three plastic hoops, three stamped fabric pieces, instructions for three patterns, six needles, and all the thread needed. If only I can do as good as the pictures!

Amazon

So many people are taking outdoor portraits of families as a side hustle, this would be a good time to hone those photography skills. The Kodak PIXPRO FZ43 16.15MP Digital Camera would be a good starting point. This bundle has everything needed to get sharp, high-quality images and videos. It has a 4x Optical Zoom Lens, digital image stabilization, 9 point autofocus modes, Face, Blink, and Smile Detection just to name a few of the features. Also included are a memory card, Point & Shoot case, card reader, cleaning system, screen protector, and Tabletop Tripod.

Amazon

It is shocking how affordable this Samsung Galaxy Chromebook is! I was really pleasantly surprised. I generally prefer to work on my desktop, but sometimes I want the flexibility to be able to work in a different environment. This Chromebook is compact and light while still having military-grade durability. The display is 11.6" and the keyboard and trackpad are full-sized. 12.5 hours of battery life can make for a very productive day and there are multiple layers of built-in virus protection.

Amazon

I think it is so much more thoughtful to take the time to actually pick a card, write a note, and mail a letter than to just text or send a greeting on Facebook. It seems like all the birthday cards I get in the mail now are from my bank or credit card company. Actually writing a letter to a friend or family member on pretty Stationery is a practice we need to bring back. This cute patterned stationery includes 32 pages of writing paper and 16 envelopes in various styles.

Amazon

Set Boundaries, Find Peace is a New York Times bestseller by one of the most influential therapists on Instagram, Nedra Glover Tawwab. The book is all about setting healthy boundaries and how we can "express our needs, say "no", and be assertive without offending" people. Healthy boundaries are needed "to achieve work/life balance, cope with toxic people, and enjoy rewarding relationships with partners, friends, and family."

Amazon

Amazon's #1 Best Seller in Foreign Language Translators is POCKETALKS Portable Two-Way Voice Interpreter. The "built-in data plan translates conversations anywhere internet signal is available." The translator allows the user to "travel and communicate confidently in 133 countries". One-year limited warranty.

Amazon

The Tribesigns 2 Drawer Lateral File Cabinet is a few steps above the old gray metal file cabinets of the past. I have a few file boxes, but I just can't keep organized with those. This file cabinet is available in Walnut, White, or Black. "The sleek and modern finish is an easy fit for any office or home study room.".

Amazon

It is so easy to say, "I'll do it tomorrow". I say that all too often. Get It Together by Melanie Cullen lays it all out. "Covered topics include healthcare, finances, dependent care, and funeral planning. From practical considerations, like coordinating care for children, pets, and other dependents,... it is easy to understand why this would be regarded as a trusted guide." The forms in the book can even be downloaded.

Amazon

"Write down all the things you have always wanted to do together but could never find the time" in Our Bucket List. There are 100 guided entries to answer questions like, "we want to do this because", and "to make it happen we need...". This journal can be the first step to making some of your dreams a reality.

Amazon

Building better habits is something Ksafe's Time Locking Container can help with. "Manage the amount of time you spend on your phone by placing it in the container, set a timer for how long you need to be away from it, and the lid will remain locked until the timer reaches zero!" Lock away whatever your temptation is whether it be cigarettes, candy, or phone.

Amazon

Pinch Me Therapy Dough is "a squishable putty that channels relief through the senses with its aromatic scent, soft texture, and calm color." It is a sensory dough that can be massaged between the fingers to relieve stress, enhance mood, and exercise hands. Think of it as a fidget toy for adults. Available in Ocean, Beach, Bumbleberry, Citrus, Refresh, and Spa scents.

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40 Genius Products That Will Help You Keep Your New Year's Resolutions - Brit + Co