Protein Boom 🍳
This Week in Review ☕️ : The Most Influential Women of 2022 | Amazon shuts down stores | Retail is a tough nut to crack | The Humanitarian Crisis ensues | Russia becomes Worlds Most Sanctioned Nation
Quick Bites☕️:
Big Tech 📚 : Amazon exits the physical bookstore business as it closes down 65 stores across the US and UK.
The retail giant opened its 1st bookstore in Seattle in 2015.
Bezos finally realizing what we've known all along-Books are a labor of love, not profit💗
Bezos shutting down stores after he shut down all the non-Amazon stores.
Personally, we don't think Barnes & Nobles or the thousands of bookstores that were driven to bankruptcy by Bezos are feeling too sorry for Amazon Books today!
Amazon's physical stores unit-which includes Whole Foods-has slowed down its overall retail business in recent years. Sales were lower in 2021 than in 2018, CNBC reports.
However, the company said it “remains committed” to physical retail and is focusing on new concepts, like its recently opened Amazon Style fashion store in Los Angeles.
Our Thoughts💡: The brick and mortar business has been a tough nut to crack- especially during Covid.
As shopping moved online this pandemic, the face of Amazon addiction has become far less about the bored suburban housewife hitting the high street and more about anyone who can't help themselves away from that one-click ordering button.. ahem..🙄
On a side note💡: Easter is around the corner and there'll be deals on Amazon Prime for meaty savings.
Like Easter leftovers, you can't enjoy Egg Brownies & Ham-everything bliss forever, so grab em' while you can. There's no knowing how long they'll last..
Food 🥘 : Paleo, Pescatarian, Pollotarian, Non-Vegatarian, Vegetarian.. and we finally have a winner- Vegan.
The global sustainable protein sector raised a record $5 billion in 2021. This was a 60% increase from the year prior, Veg News reports.
Meanwhile, Taco Bell employees at the drive thru spotting our Subaru pull up for our 3rd Naked Chicken Chalupa today👇🏻🙈
According to Vegan News, The Notable Investments made were:
💡US-based Impossible Foods' $500mn latest funding round in November
💡Chile-based NotCo's $235mn series D round
💡Singapore-based Next Gen Foods' $30mn seed round (also, the largest seed round raised by an alternative protein company!)
Animal agriculture is responsible for 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The urgency of the climate crisis is driving investors in the alternative protein sector.
Another noticeable factor is the role of meat and poultry in the emergence of zoonotic diseases over the pandemic.
Our Thoughts💡: Ok, so we can't drink, smoke, get high or eat now?!
Lets just suck all the joy outta life and wait for Omicron BA.2 to take us all out tf
Also, is consuming meat really a "sin"?! What's with the judgement?
Personally, we dig a Croque Monsieur with buttered Texas toast, smoked ham, mild provolone and cheddar. A goey, melty ball of cheesy, meaty goodness.. 😍👇🏻
Women 👧 : TIME Magazine just released TIME's Women of the Year 2022, featuring 12 leaders creating a better future.
#WhoRunTheWorld👯♀️
TIME's Women of the Year List:
💡Amal Clooney: Fights for human-rights abuse victims
"I'm guided by what I'm really outraged about"
💡Kerry Washington: Using Hollywood stardom for political change
"The most effective use of my microphone is handing it to women and marginalized people"
💡Tracy Chou: Founder of 'Block Party'- an app to women safe from online abuse
"Women have had to deal with harassment throughout their lives"
💡Allyson Felix: Olympian runner and founder of 'Saysh'- a community of Black women athletes that discuss issues from mental and maternal health to equal pay etc.
"When you speak your truth, things happen"
💡Adena Friedman: President and CEO of Nasdaq. Friedman is demanding adversity on corporate boards.
"Capitalism, by its nature, gives the greatest opportunity to unlock human potential, but you have to make sure that system is available to everyone"
Art 🖼 : NFT fans swarm Beeple's first gallery show in New York.
Background💡: Last year, Beeple sold his NFT for a record $69.3mn in a sale at Christie's, becoming an overnight sensation in the art world.
To put that in context, a Vincent van Gogh brought in "only" $16mn last October.
According to ARTNews, Beeple included a few oil paintings at his debut this time:
💡'ZUCK', showed the giant, decapitated head of Mark Zuckerberg on the ground with tears in his eyes
💡'YOU GOT MAIL', another print, depicts a headless Jeff Bezos with people in hazmat suits surrounding him
PS. Whats up with Beeple chopping off billionaires heads?! Are we the only ones concerned here..? 🤔
💡'TOXIC MASCULINITY', Bezos is again the subject here, this time surrounded by penises that sprout from his many giant heads.
All works were accompanied by associated NFTs that go to the owner of the physical works.
Beeple is today one of the Top 3 Expensive Living Artists in the world. Until 2021, his most expensive piece was $100. Mad, mad world.
Well, the good news is that atleast people will shell out millions for more than what's essentially a jpeg after this show!
PS. We love how "NFT" has turned into a verb in like, 10 months.
Our Thoughts💡: What if you could store such art in a Special Folder?
An Art Folder. Signed and Sealed digitally
A NFT Folder.
SPAC coming soon.. Hit us up if you wanna join 🚀
Russia-Ukraine 🇺🇦 : Sure, you put up an Instagram photo this week but you can certainly do more.
As the world erupts in violent protests, Ukraine is in desperate need of support- from emergency relief to support those who are fleeing the country.
As Russia's invasion continues, more than 600,000 people have fled Ukraine, the UN refugee agency announced.
From Europe's largest nuclear plant shutting down to Ukrainian towns being reduced to rubble from intense shelling, the war is on in full force this very moment.
As the humanitarian crisis continues, here's how you can help:
Donate to charities:
💡Unicef: is working to provide psychosocial care to children who have been traumatized by the conflict.
💡The British Red Cross: providing supplies from water and food to gas burners and first-aid kits. You can donate online by card or PayPal.
💡UN Refugee Agency: who is ready to provide humanitarian assistance wherever necessary and possible".
💡Sunflower Of Peace: a local Ukrainian charity gathering medical supplies for paramedics and doctors on the front lines.
Other ways to help:
💡Write to your state head. You can use your zip code to find your local representative here.
💡Support Ukrainian Journalism
💡Supporting people directly via online marketplaces like Etsy which recently cancelled listing fees, transaction fees and advertising fees for its Ukraine-based sellers.
Quicker Bites:
US may ban imports of Russian oil.
Ukrainian and Russian officials end 3rd round of talks as shelling continues.
Russia is now the world's most sanctioned nation.
President Biden to sign crypto executive order this week as industry faces sanctions pressure.
"Our sons were sent to Ukraine as cannon fodder": Furious Russian mothers face down Kremlin, The Telegraph reports.
As the pandemic enters its 3rd year, the global Covid-19 death toll nears 6mn.
Analysts express concern as commodities hit new highs amid Russian sanctions.
Kim Kardashian declared legally single in divorce proceedings with Kanye West.
"Tinder Swindler" Simon Leviev sued by real diamond family.
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