The Face of the Dollar

The Face of the Dollar

The United States dollar ranks as the most used currency in the world; however, this wasn't always the case. The history of the US currency is worth exploring if we want to understand our ever-changing monetary policy and fluctuating markets. We can look at how the dollar became what it is today- from a colonial currency to its current status as the global standard. The dollar ranks as the currency of choice in modern international trade. For decades, the US has funded its military around the world using the dollar. How was life before the creation of the dollar? What events led up to it?

We can explore the origin of the "Mighty Dollar" from its creation in 1792 through today. The US dollar was initially known as the Spanish milled dollar; it was minted in Mexico City in the mid-1600s. The dollar was initially designed to be used throughout the Spanish empire. Still, after the British colonists won the War of Independence from Great Britain, they took over the minting of the Spanish milled dollar in America. Over time, people began to call these coins "American dollars;" distinguishing them from other dollars circulating Europe at the time. What about the face of the dollar? This is a unique, intriguing question that has puzzled many for countless decades.

Well, George Washington was the first President of the United States. He served from 1789 until 1797. Washington served as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army- this was during the Revolutionary War that eventually established independence from Great Britain. Later, Washington took office as the first President, leading his country through a difficult time of crisis. George Washington is regarded as one of America's greatest heroes. He was a man who seemed to have it all together, but behind the scenes, there were challenges.

The fascinating story of George Washington has been told for centuries. He's famous as America's founding father. Some say he created more jobs than most other US presidents. Indeed, many regard the man as America's greatest hero. He earned the "Founding Father" accolades from his service during the Revolutionary War and his presidency. Thus, he is an important historical figure in America's annals.

George Washington led and inspired many nations; for this, the first president of the United States is remembered as a great leader. A genius regarding military strategy and a gifted leader, much like his illustrious father, he inspired great confidence in his troops. Washington was born into a wealthy family of Virginia plantation owners. He was among ten children born to Augustine and Mary Ball Washington. However, he became an orphan at age ten and grew up in Virginia's Westmoreland County.

Although Washington was born in a small farming town, his family moved to his father's Miami-area plantation at Ferry Farm, where he started school. President Washington never called himself a "farmer" on the same level as many of his predecessors, even though they also grew crops. Instead, he admired farmers who could clear land and save it from being used for other purposes, such as grazing or overhunting.

As such, Washington was a farmer and businessman who later served as President. He was a politician and military leader who helped establish American democracy during the American Revolution. He was a soldier, statesman, and hero in the Revolutionary War; he eventually led the Continental Army to victory.

Interestingly, George Washington wasn't a founding member of the US government as it is commonly believed. Instead, he became President due to an act of Congress passed by that body in 1787. The Congress appointed him commander-in-chief of the colonial army established by the act. The first portrait of George Washington was painted by his nephew, Charles Wilson Peale. It depicts him in a classic pose, with his left hand supporting his chin and looking at the viewer with his right arm resting on the shoulder. The painting was likely commissioned at Washington's request and painted as a refreshment to celebrate the completion of the Bunker Hill monument.

Today, the US dollar is America's official currency. It is one of the world's most traded currencies. Now is probably the best time in the last decade to book your dream holiday while the exchange rates are super high against almost all other currencies, go enjoy that trip you deserve, meet some cool people and take advantage of the global nomad remote working revolution.

Electric Bike Conversion Kit Sees Record Demand

Electric Bike Conversion Kit Sees Record Demand

Following the launch of Swytch's new electric bike conversion kit, the company has been inundated with over 27,000 orders, and predicts that the successful launch of this new product has grown the size of the eBike markets in the USA by 1.6%, in just one month.

Amidst a deepening cost-of-living crisis with the average worker spending 20% of their salary on travelling annually, commuters have been forced to seek more affordable sources of transport. For this reason, Swytch has engineered a solution that allows you to own a state-of-the-art electric bike for under $500, with a pocket-sized battery that costs less than 2 cents to charge per 10 miles of range.

The Swytch Kit is now available to pre-order on Swytch's website. Due to significant demand, the option to receive your kit from one of the first two batches of production has now sold out. However, you can pre-order a kit from a later production run, with prices starting from $599 (with 50% discount applied, delivery in January/February) or from as little as $499 (with a 60% discount applied, delivery in March/April).

The conversion kit features a battery similar in size to a large smartphone (the "Power Pack"), weighs just 1.5lbs, recharges in just one hour, and provides 10 miles range. Furthermore, the system provides 250W of pedal-assist power via a high torque front motor wheel, allowing users to climb gradients of 30% without breaking a sweat.

Oliver Montague, CEO of Swytch comments: "Our job as innovators is to make environmentally-friendly technology that people want to use because it is cool! That way, a global change to a more sustainable way of life will happen naturally."

Co-Founder and CTO Dmitro Khroma comments: "Our new improved Swytch Kit is a game-changer. It is going to totally disrupt the eBike industry because it is so much lighter, smaller and more affordable than anything else out there."

Top US Parking App Expands

Top US Parking App Expands

ParkMobile, the #1 parking app in the U.S., has expanded its partnership with Park Cedar Rapids to offer parking reservations at Alliant Energy Powerhouse, Paramount Theatre, and Theatre Cedar Rapids. Now, parking can be reserved prior to an event at 675 off-street spaces. Reservations can be made via the ParkMobile app or the reservation site for the venues, Alliant Energy Powerhouse, Paramount Theatre, and Theatre Cedar Rapids.

"Since partnering with ParkMobile earlier this year for on-demand parking in Downtown Cedar Rapids, the parking experience in town has been seamless. Due to that success, we've expanded our partnership to offer parking reservations in the city's top venues," said Park Cedar Rapids General Manager Ryan Baack.

ParkMobile has had rapid expansion throughout Iowa with close to 140,000 registered users in the state and locations in Ames, Davenport, Des Moines, and Sioux City. ParkMobile has over 39 million users across North America, is available for both iPhone and Android devices, and can also be accessed on a mobile web browser.

Reserving a parking space is quick and easy. A user can go to venue's reservation site to view a full list of upcoming events with all the available parking options. To make a parking reservation, a user searches for the event venue in the ParkMobile app or website and selects the space they'd like to park in. After the user books the reservation, it can be redeemed at the location using a mobile pass in the ParkMobile app or a printed permit.

"It's always exciting when an already existing partner expands their offerings to include more ParkMobile capabilities," added David Hoyt, Chief Revenue Officer and Managing Director for ParkMobile. "Cedar Rapids has been going well since launching in the spring, so we're pleased to offer parking reservations with them now too."

About ParkMobile: ParkMobile, LLC is the leading provider of smart parking and mobility solutions in North America, using a contactless approach to help millions of people easily find, reserve, and pay for parking on their mobile devices. The company's technology is used in thousands of locations across the country, including 8 of the top 10 cities as well as college campuses, airports, and stadiums. People can use ParkMobile solutions to quickly pay for on-street and off-street parking without having to use a meter or kiosk.

Additionally, ParkMobile offers parking reservations at stadium venues for concerts and sporting events. Reservations are also available in metro area garages, allowing people to drive into the city without having to worry about finding parking. ParkMobile has been named to the Inc. 5000, Deloitte Fast 500, Smart Cities Connect "Smart 50," and the Atlanta Journal Constitution's Top Workplaces. Additionally, the company won the 2020 Stevie Awards for Achievement in Product Innovation and the 2019 Stevie Awards for Most Innovative Tech Company and Best Travel App.

Park Cedar Rapids is an organization committed to providing a positive parking experience for patrons of downtown Cedar Rapids. Let Park Cedar Rapids help you plan your next trip downtown by visiting parkcedarrapids.com.

Free Gas and Chocolate for your Road Trip

Free Gas and Chocolate for your Road Trip

Kinder Bueno®, the crispy, creamy chocolate bar with a taste experience that defies expectation, is celebrating the busy summer road trip season with "Summer Gets Bueno" a new program that will help summer travelers fill up their gas tanks and enjoy Kinder Bueno chocolate bars for free at participating gas stations. Beginning on July 29, Kinder Bueno is giving the consumers who pull up to the pump at participating gas stations in Westchester County, New York and on Long Island, New York the chance to receive a gift card with up to $50 worth of free gas while supplies last. A Kinder Bueno gas station attendant will also surprise drivers with a white glove service gas pumping experience, free Kinder Bueno chocolate bars and top fans also have the chance to receive additional road trip and travel swag.

"Nothing says summer like a road trip with friends and family, however, these days that can come with a hefty price tag," said Shalini Stansberry, Vice President of Marketing, Kinder Snacking. "That is why we launched "Summer Gets Bueno" as part of our ongoing "Life Gets Bueno" campaign, to help people get where they need to go and to savor their summer road trips by taking a crispy, creamy Kinder Bueno along for the ride. With one chocolatey bite of Kinder Bueno, the journey is sure to be extraordinary."

The Kinder Bueno "Summer Gets Bueno" event will be open for fans to enjoy on Friday, July 29 at the Shell at 1000 Central Park Avenue in Scarsdale, New York 10583 and on Saturday, July 30 at the Ocean Gas & Mini Mart at 980 Montauk Highway in Shirley, New York 11967 from 1:00PM to 4:00PM ET or while supplies last.

In addition to experiencing the "Summer Gets Bueno" event in person, Kinder Bueno is also hosting a "Summer Gets Bueno Sweepstakes" through 8/11/22. Starting today, chocolate lovers from across the nation can enter for a chance to win one of hundreds of summer prizes like a Kinder Bueno gas gift card, a Kinder Bueno tumbler, a cooler and more from 12 a.m. ET on 4/22/22 through 11:59 p.m. ET on 8/11/22. Consumers must be 18 years or older to participate in the Summer Gets Bueno Sweepstakes. For more information and full sweepstakes rules, visit summergetsbueno.com.

Kinder Bueno comes in individually wrapped, shareable packaging that is perfect for sharing and creating special moments on the road all summer long. Share your summer fun with Kinder Bueno by using #SummerGetsBueno and tagging @KinderBuenoUS.

About Kinder Bueno. Kinder Bueno is a crispy creamy chocolate bar that comes with a creamy hazelnut filling in a crispy wafer, enrobed in milk chocolate and a dark chocolate drizzle. Since launching in the US, Kinder Bueno has reached more than 15 million households and is ranked in the Top 10 of 2020 Food and Beverage New Product Pacesetters by IRI1. Kinder Bueno is available nationwide at retail, grocery, drug and convenience stores.

About Ferrero. For over 70 years, Ferrero has created products loved by generations. We've grown from a bakery in Alba, Italy into the third largest confectionery company in the world. Ferrero entered the North American market in 1969 and continues to spread joy with Ferrero Rocher®, Nutella®, Kinder®, Tic Tac® and Fannie May® chocolates. Ferrero Group expanded its portfolio in 2018 with the addition of Butterfinger®, CRUNCH®, Baby Ruth®, 100Grand® and other legendary chocolate brands. "We are a family-owned company with 3,000 employees in eight offices and ten plants and warehouses in North America, including a cocoa processing plant in Brantford, Ontario and a planned chocolate processing factory in Bloomington, Illinois. Instilled in every aspect of our business is the entrepreneurial spirit of our founders, and their passion for quality, creativity, and innovation."