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Shipments of Soylent bars and v1.6 of its powder (which users add to water to make a drinkable meal) were temporarily halted in October amid reports that “a small number of customers" had "experienced gastrointestinal issues” post consumption.
Three weeks later, Soylent told reporters it would be reformulating both products to remove whole algal flour (supplied by TerraVia) and putting them back on the market asap, prompting headlines including ‘Soylent Says Algae-Based Ingredient Caused Customers to Puke’ and ‘Solved: Algal flour was causing violent illnesses, Soylent says.'
However, TerraVia said Soylent had not had the time to determine which ingredients, or combination of ingredients, were in fact responsible for the digestive issues.
TerraVia CEO ‘surprised and disappointed’
In a statement issued this morning, TerraVia said it was suspending supplies of ALL of its ingredients to Soylent, including its high oleic algal oil, which is a key ingredient in Soylent’s flagship 2.0 ready-to-drink drinkable meal and its new Coffiest coffee-flavored beverage.
The move was “based on the high level of concern that Soylent’s actions in addressing its issues with Powder 1.6 indicate a pattern of behavior that is damaging TerraVia’s business,” said TerraVia, which said its algal flour has been used in more than 20 million servings of products without being shown to have caused any adverse reactions.
It also has a letter of no objection from the FDA in response to its GRAS (generally recognized as safe) determination for the algal flour.
TerraVia: Soylent has not conducted a rigorous investigation of the root causes of the GI problems
It added: “TerraVia has tried to work collaboratively with Soylent to appropriately investigate the cause of the GI issues experienced by a small number of Soylent’s customers.
“To TerraVia’s knowledge, there has not been a rigorous investigation of the root causes of the GI problems before releasing a new version (Powder v.1.7) and to date, Soylent has made no data available that would substantiate its decision to remove algal flour from its products.”
TerraVia CEO Apu Mody said he was “surprised and disappointed” that Soylent had attributed its woes on TerraVia’s ingredient when it lacked compelling evidence to support this assertion.
TerraVia also included a quote from toxicologist George Burdock PhD, president of safety and regulatory consulting firm Burdock Group, in its release, in which Dr Burdock claimed there was “no evidence to indicate a cause-effect relationship for a single ingredient in such a complex mixture.”
'We have to ensure that mis-information isn’t allowed to go unchecked'
Asked why TerraVia had chosen to enter into such a public spat with Soylent, Mark Brooks, SVP of Food Ingredients at TerraVia, told FoodNavigator-USA: "It is critical that we protect the integrity and reputation of our ingredients, many reputable companies are successfully using our ingredients across a wide range of quality food products, on behalf of our customers we have to ensure that mis-information isn’t allowed to go unchecked...
"For us, it’s about protecting the integrity and reputation of our ingredients."
‘There is a cocktail of things in these products that individually or collectively could be responsible for digestive issues’
While whole algal flour is a fairly new ingredient, it already features in several commercial products, but has been removed from the latest version of Soylent's powder on the basis that earlier versions of the powder (without the flour) did not prompt adverse reactions.
However, industry sources pointed out that other changes had also been made to the formulation between versions 1.5 and 1.6 of Soylent's powder, notably the addition of soy protein isolate as the #1 ingredient (replacing brown rice protein), and isomaltooligosaccharide or ‘IMO' a dietary fiber that can cause gas and bloating at high dosage levels.
Version 1.6 also contained higher levels of sucralose and isomaltulose than v1.5.
While IMO and soy protein isolate are also used in the ready-to-drink products (2.0 and Coffiest), which have not apparently generated any digestive problems, the inclusion rates may differ, while other factors such as usage trends (the RTD products are portion-controlled, the powder isn't) and different manufacturing and processing methods could also play a role in the digestive issues experienced, industry sources told FoodNavigator-USA.
There’s a reason why larger companies have two to three year development cycles
One industry source told us last month: “The problem is, there is a cocktail of things in these products that individually or collectively could be responsible for digestive issues, because you’ve got protein, fiber and high intensity sweeteners, and I don’t see how it’s possible in the time that they have had to come to any conclusions about the source of the problem.
“You're talking about products with 40+ ingredients, so it’s very hard to isolate the root cause of the problem unless they do exhaustive studies involving inclusion and exclusion and you can’t do that in a few weeks.
“They’re a fairly new company, there’s a lot of pressure to move fast and all eyes are on them. Food formulation is difficult and expensive and there’s a reason why larger companies have two to three year development cycles, because they don’t want this to happen.”
The combination of many of the ingredients can overwhelm a sensitive gut
Tim Avila, president of Systems Bioscience Inc - a California-based consultancy - told FoodNavigator-USA last month: "Any junior formulator should know that the combination of many of the ingredients can simply overwhelm a sensitive gut. And for those with cast iron GI tracts there are still problems."
He added: "It's not necessarily any single ingredient; you have to look at the combination of ingredients, the dose, and the cumulative effect, because every formulation is a system, and there are a few things in there that are problematic when it comes to osmolality, indigestibility and fermentability.
"And when you've got these things in a dense product like a bar, it compounds the problem, as these ingredients are diverting water into the gut. We're still learning about the digestive effects of some of these new carbohydrates like IMO and if they don't spend enough time testing a new formulation and really understanding what's going on and bring reformulated products to the market too early, they could end up in trouble again."
Soylent begins shipping version 1.7 of its powder
In its most recent blog post dated December 15, Soylent announced it had started shipping a reformulated version of its powder (v1.7), minus the algal flour, but also with a lower level of sucralose, xanthan gum, flavoring and other adjustments. The new, smaller, pack also contains 400 instead of 500 calories.
It did not say when the food bar would be back on the market.
Soylent: TerraVia move will have 'no impact'
However, early this afternoon, it issued a statement saying TerraVia's move would have "no impact" on its business:
"This will have no impact on our business. We have already re-released Powder (v 1.7) without algal flour and halted shipments of Bar until it is reformulated.
"Although our ready to drink line does not contain the ingredients of concern, we have already developed versions without algae out of an abundance of caution. Customers will continue to receive Powder, Drink and Coffiest without delay."
According to its release notes for the beverages, the algal oil was chosen as a replacement for sunflower oil owing to its superior taste and lower environmental footprint.


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As of 12:05 local time in Thailand, the share price of Jay Mart Public Company Limited (JMART) rose THB1.25/share or 2.56% to THB50/share, with a trading value of THB364 million.
Since November 4, 2021, when the share price ended at 39.00 baht, JMART’s share price has been climbing for two weeks, representing an increase of 11.25 baht or 28.84%.
Maybank Kim Eng Securities (Thailand) (MBKET) has a positive view on and gives “BUY” recommendations on JMART with an upgrade on the target price.
MBKET expected the better-than-expected net profit for JMART was due to the performance of its financial segment that was able to maintain growth rate in the quarter even though the retail sector was impacted by the lockdown. MBKET stated that the recovery in the fourth quarter will hit a record high at 1.2 billion baht, representing an increase by 56%, seeing an opportunity for an entry before the analyst meeting on November 18, 2021, that the market would have a positive reaction on the completion of VGI and U later this year. The synergy will financially support JMART and its business outlook significantly in 2022-2023. MBKET revised up JMART’s target price from THB46.50 to THB50.50 per share.

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Today in 2020, over 140 Million businesses use Facebook to connect with customers. Over 60 Million businesses have a Facebook page. … In our experience as a Digital Marketing agency, if you have spent time creating a Business Page on Facebook, it is still worth taking the time to engage with it.
Is Facebook still popular 2020?
From what we can now tell, Facebook engagement time, the time a user spends on Facebook, has been declining and will continue to decline well into 2020. We could see an average drop in usage of almost 4 minutes. … According to techspot.com Facebook has lost over 15 million users dating back to 2017.
Is Facebook growing or dying?
With over 2.79 billion monthly active users worldwide and an increase of 12% year-over-year from September 2019, Facebook is still on the throne of social media networks. According to data, this number is expected to grow in the US, from 228.6 million to 237.8 million by 2025.
Is Facebook becoming less popular?
The behemoth of social media saw a decline in usage, from 67 percent of Americans ages 12 and older to 62 percent of that same audience, according to Edison and Triton’s survey of 2,000 randomly selected persons. This drop is seen in every age and gender demographic as well.
Is Facebook on the decline?
Facebook’s daily active users decline for a second quarter in the United States and Canada, caused by user fatigue and growing competition. Despite robust topline numbers, Facebook’s fourth-quarter earnings show a significant slow in growth and a second in a row decline for DAUs in its main markets.
Is Facebook losing users 2020?
Facebook reported a decline of 2 million daily active users in the US and Canada. … “As expected… we saw Facebook DAUs and MAUs in the US & Canada decline slightly from the second quarter 2020 levels which were elevated due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” CFO Dave Wehner said in the release.
What age group uses Facebook the most?
What age group uses Facebook most? Overall, 25 to 34-year-olds made up the biggest demographic group of Facebook users in the United States. As of January 2018, there were 58.3 million U.S. Facebook users within that particular age range, far more than among any other age group.
Is Snapchat dying 2020?
Although Snapchat users have been declining, the app is unlikely to be going anywhere anytime soon. Snapchat’s relevance in today’s world largely depends on a user’s age and preference, but it is apparent that a significant number of teens today still use the app, and use it frequently.
Is anyone still on Facebook?
The number of active users of Facebook (those people who have logged onto the site in the previous month) has reached a historic high of 2.45 billion. To put this in some context, approximately 32% of the global population now use the social media platform, and the trend line of participation is still going up.
What is replacing Facebook?
MeWe is a social network that says it has no ads, spyware, targeting, political bias, or newsfeed manipulation. In other words, it bills itself as the “anti” Facebook. Parler is a social media app with one point of view: conservative.
Why deleting Facebook is a good idea?
“Deactivation caused small but significant improvements in wellbeing, and in particular on self-reported happiness, life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety,” they concluded. “Effects on subjective wellbeing as measured by responses to brief daily text messages are positive but not significant.”
Why Is Facebook Bad?
The use of Facebook can have negative psychological effects that include feelings of jealousy and stress, a lack of attention, and social media addiction that in some cases is comparable to drug addiction. Facebook’s operations have also received coverage.
What happens when you quit Facebook?
“Deactivation caused small but significant improvements in well-being, and in particular in self-reported happiness, life satisfaction, depression, and anxiety.” The researchers report this effect to be around 25-40% of the effect typically attributed to participating in therapy.
Is social media on the decline?
For example, 2019 findings from Edison Research and Triton Digital show social media usage overall among Americans 12 to 34 years old across several platforms has either leveled off or is waning, while 2019 research from Global Web Index suggests that the amount of time millennial and Gen Z audiences spend on many …
Is Instagram taking over Facebook?
Facebook is still a behemoth and is the only social network that approaches ubiquity. But, Instagram is turning into a BETTER social network, in my estimation. If that continues, it’s entirely possible that Instagram becomes more popular than Facebook by 2020, at least among users in the United States.
Who is the Facebook owner name?
Facebook. “Mark Zuckerberg, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.” Accessed April 23, 2020.


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Online platform for rental accommodations
Airbnb ▸ Facts ▸ Comments ▸ News ▸ Videos
Airbnb Is Cancelling 1-Night Stays During Halloween Weekend
Credit: Cover Video STUDIO Duration: 01:17Published
Accommodation Listing Offers Chance To Spend A Night As Mayor Of Hell
Credit: Cover Video STUDIO Duration: 00:59Published
Airbnb Plans IPO, Seek About $3 Billion
Credit: Wochit News Duration: 00:32Published
Town hosts 'Airbnb from Hell'
Credit: PA - Press Association STUDIO Duration: 00:58Published
EU capitals want greater control over short term rentals, despite drop in tourism
Credit: Euronews English Duration: 02:47Published
Will Smith helps launch budget break at The Fresh Prince of Bel Air mansion on Airbnb
Credit: Cover Video STUDIO Duration: 00:50Published
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is now on Airbnb – hosted by Will Smith
Credit: PA - Press Association STUDIO Duration: 00:55Published
Airbnb Declines Takeover By Billionaire Investor
Credit: Wochit News Duration: 00:33Published
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Geodis promotes Saricinar into airfreight director APAC role
09 / 04 / 2021
Geodis has promoted Yigit Saricinar — former sub-regional airfreight director, ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) — into the role of airfreight director, Asia Pacific (APAC).
Saricinar, who has 15 years of experience in the industry, also joins the company’s regional management board.
He will report to Onno Boots, regional president and chief executive of Geodis Asia Pacific.
Boots commenced: “The head of airfreight for APAC has a key role to play in the development of Geodis’ services in the region. We have ambitious goals. We will continue to be a valued growth partner to our customers, and assurance of delivering reliable and differentiated airfreight solutions to our customers is crucial. As we expand on our scheduled services, such as AirDirect Mexico which connects Greater China to Mexico twice weekly, Saricinar’s leadership will be pivotal.”
Saricinar added: “While some passenger airlines have resumed operations, the current situation in the air freight market remains volatile. The airfreight team in APAC is well positioned to not only navigate the continued turbulence of the air cargo market in 2021, but to also thrive in both these conditions and in the years to come. We will continue to invest in our own controlled network and fixed capacity.”


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Addleshaw Goddard's market-leading banking team is delighted to have advised online beauty Retail Company The Hut Group on its latest funding facility taking its debt facilities to $1bn.
The company, which owns a number of brands including recently acquired eye cosmetics brand Eyeko, on which Addleshaw Goddard also advised, will use the cash boost to fund further acquisitions and grow its already impressive portfolio.
Addleshaw Goddard's team was led by Partner Martin O'Shea, with support from Elizabeth Wareing and Emma Parker. The firm has an established reputation in the personal care and health and beauty sector, having been instructed on a number of transactions, including advising bodycare supplier Grace Cole on its multi-million investment from the Business Growth Fund.
O'Shea comments: "This is what the AG banking team does best – advising clients on debt facilities with minimal fuss so they can get on with developing their business."
"We have experienced a large increase in activity within this sector and look forward to further building on this experience over the coming months."


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Dubai Design Week
Dominc Lutyens reports on the growing appetite for finely crafted, contemporary design in the Middle East.
11th – 15th November, 2019
FINELY CRAFTED CONTEMPORARY design in the futuristic environs of Dubai, with its many freeways and brash skyscrapers, might seem incongruous. Yet Dubai Design Week (DXBDW), the Middle East’s leading design fair, which was launched five years ago, provides an ideal opportunity to see the latest developments in regional, limited-edition design.
This year, DDW hosted over 200 events, including exhibitions, talks and workshops, and attracted over 90,000 visitors. The heart of the festival is Dubai Design District, also known as d3 — purpose-built, low-rise buildings on a refreshingly human scale. During DXBDW, visitors throng its pedestrianised streets, admiring its annual attraction, Abwab (meaning ‘doors’ in Arabic) — pavilions created by architects from the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia. Another key attraction of DXBDW is the trade fair Downtown Design, a 10-minute walk away. This year, 200 brands from over 30 countries participated.
According to the fair’s director, Rue Kothari, there’s a growing appetite for contemporary design in the Middle East: “Visitors to Downtown Design used to be very trade-focused but more consumers come now, reflecting a growing interest in design. If Emiratis once favoured glitzy, baroque design they increasingly appreciate a more pared-down Scandi style.”
Certainly, there was nothing blingy about the best offerings at Downtown Editions, a section of Downtown Design devoted to limited-edition and bespoke design with a strong Middle Eastern focus. There is a movement in the region for preserving local crafts, which are in danger of dying out, through reinvention. One organisation spearheading this is Dubai-based Tashkeel, established in 2008. In 2013, it launched its Tanween design programme, which invites UAE-based designers to create limited-edition products using indigenous materials and production processes, often with the aid of local artisans. Tanween’s collection this year included Yara Habib’s ‘Katta’ screen, inspired by room dividers traditionally found in Bedouin tents. It is made of aluminium, steel, teak veneer, Corian and woven faux-suede threads and incorporates vertical panels that swivel, allowing the piece to be more transparent. The piece is symbolic, too, says Dubai-based Habib: “Its transparency reflects the dialogue that has always been part of Bedouin traditions and which led to the UAE’s formation in 1971.”
Another exhibitor was Irthi Contemporary Crafts Council, a Sharjah-based organisation founded in 2015. This instigates collaborations between Emirati designers and creatives from other parts of the world. The pieces are created with the aid of Emirati women artisans, with the aim of empowering them. One highlight at Downtown Editions this year was its Safeefah x Clay collection — stackable ceramic tables and chairs — a collaboration between Abdallah Al Mulla, a Dubai-based Emirati, and Barcelona-based product designer Pepa Reverter. The pieces are wrapped with decorative bands made using a traditional palm frond-weaving technique called safeefah. Meanwhile, Emirati designer Ghaya Bin Mesmar and Barcelona-based Mermelada Estudio co-created chairs fashioned using the same technique.
Exhibiting for the first time was Kuwait-born, Dubai-based Meshary AlNassar, who showed his ambient 410 lighting, inspired by memories of his grandfather’s idyllic, self-designed home.
This comprises three sculptural lights and only five pieces per design have been made. They are created using travertine, a limestone sourced from Italian company Ateliers Romeo, which carved it into elongated forms embedded with LED lights.
Ironically, creatives in Dubai are exploring painstakingly crafted design that runs counter to the city’s fast-paced culture.
Dubai Design Week – the region’s largest creative festival, reflecting Dubai’s position as design capital of the Middle East.


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Fedgroup has released an opportunity for investors on its Impact Farming platform to invest in the first tranche of over 500 lettuce stacks in a sustainable facility in Pretoria. This is hot on the heels of moringa, and macadamia nut trees being made available on its app.
Investing in a lettuce stack will cost R7 000 and the returns are expected to yield an estimated 14% on average per year, over the seven-year investment term. Returns are calculated on an internal rate of return across the lifecycle of the asset
The lettuce farm belonging to Can-Agri is an impressive sustainable farm that has been created to be both profitable and sustainable. The lettuce is planted in vertical stacks that span six meters with 82 plants in each stack. Water is recycled and repurposed and great care has been taken to minimise its carbon footprint.
“The business has been structured to be profitable and sustainable,” says Grant Field, Fedgroup CEO.
“Since our launch three years ago, our average internal rate of return across our three assets has been consistent,” he adds.
The success of the returns on the Impact Farming platform have been because of the business’ hands on approach to each asset.
“We have designed a comprehensive process that includes a vigorous due diligence on each asset to ensure that it meets our requirements as a stable investment,” says Field. “We have learnt a lot along the way and have refined the model to now be able to scale even more – we have paid our school fees.”
He adds that this is an agricultural product and that there are risks associated, as with any investment, but the business works closely with its partners to mitigate these risks.
“Last year we had two Black Swan events where frost, a one in a hundred-year occurrence, affected a large portion of the blueberry farm. But we were able to recover and still pay out a return to our investors,” says Field.
Impact Farming initially provided consumers with the opportunity to make a once-off investment in a blueberry bush, beehive or solar panel on a sustainable farm and earn income from a portion of the sale of the harvest. The world’s first product suite of its kind was launched in August 2018 and is available on the Fedgroup App.


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Submit Your Claim Using Flight Delay Compensation App
Rahul Sharma Debt Connect has expanded into larger working environment because of a rapid growth and increased demand since the FCA PPI claims deadline enforcement. Our new facility also includes a HQ for the company’s flight delay compensation app, airFair. The app is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom. It has also experienced a significant amount of increase in claims since its launch. Our entire 110 employees have made the move to a 6,400 sq ft. space at the Hale, Manchester, UK. The new workplace will bring more job opportunities for local residents with available roles in customer services, sales, and other general operations. Our recent move clearly shows dedication and commitment to maintain and create more local jobs in the region.
The new office of Debt Connect is going through design works to provide employees with breakout areas, including accommodating the growth of the company. It includes an outdoor picnic zone for lunch breaks and a considerable amount of area for indoor games complete with a dart board, pool table, and games consoles. Rahul Sharma Hale, UK believes in helping consumer’s claim to refund their money. It is rightfully theirs following the mis-selling of products has had a presence in Debt Connect since 2015, with airFair emerging in 2016. The new building was developed in the North West. The airFair was the first UK based company to launch an App to make the flight delay compensation process easier for passengers, providing a platform from which to make a DIY claim from as early as in the departure lounge.
Point to be noted that both Debt Connect and airFair have experienced a considerable amount of growth during the past 14-months. It was due to an increase in demand associated the launch of company’s efficient consumer app and PPI claims deadline coming into force. Rahul Sharma hale, UK is the partner of airFair. He said the new office in Manchester is an integral part of the firm’s operations. Its enlarged space will allow the company to continue adding professional members to the team. This efficient move is a part of our company-wide expansion. The CEO of Debt Connect, Rahul Sharma Manchester, UK has also confirmed that it has currently led to a recruitment drive.
But, these are considered long-term jobs and the company is already seeking into new products and services. It could give consumers benefit from our claims expertise, from mis-sold payday loans to home improvements. It is noteworthy that www.traveldailymedia.com published an article in October 2018 and provided more information about the expansion of the company, local job opportunities, and the launch of advanced version of airFair app. The airFair has recently released an advanced version of its app to manage the flight delay claims process for passengers on the go.
The airFair is still UK’s first flight delay compensation mobile app. Its creators have released new app features in order to include a boarding pass scanner. The new app would allow passengers to simply check if they are eligible for compensation without having to enter any explanation. Our app enables users to keep up-to-date during every level of the process to claim their claim using its dashboard monitor. So, users will be able to remain logged in to make your journey easier and quicker. Consumers just need their boarding card for scanning to launch a claim. Moreover, a check can be made using a booking reference, flight number, or departure date and destination airport without providing boarding card. Rahul Sharma debt connect is the partner at airFair. He said there has been an increase in claims since the launch of the ‘airFair App’. The company has continuously been developing its technology to speed-up the process for users. Now, launch your claim within minutes even from the departure lounge without checking the eligibility of passengers.


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Treasure Global Inc (NASDAQ: TGL), a leading technology solutions provider for the F&B industry, has revealed an exclusive partnership with enogy, a renowned health and wellness brand. This collaboration aims to diversify the product offerings on Treasure Global’s e-commerce marketplace, Zstore, catering to the ever-growing health and wellness industry.
As part of this strategic alliance, enogy products will be exclusively available on the Zstore marketplace within the ZCITY app, which serves as a digital entrepreneurship platform. Moreover, Treasure Global plans to leverage its expanding database of Zmembers to promote enogy products, employing a blend of traditional and cutting-edge digital marketing strategies to effectively target ZCITY users.
Through ZCITY’s AI technology, Treasure Global will personalize the app’s product selection based on consumers’ preferences and spending habits. This partnership with enogy, along with other affiliate partners, will create an additional revenue stream for the ZCITY app, contributing to Treasure Global’s revenue growth and bolstering its brand presence as it expands not only in Malaysia but also across other regions.
Sam Teo, Chief Executive Officer of Treasure Global, stated, “Our partnership with enogy will significantly broaden the range of health and wellness products available to our customers, making ZCITY even more appealing to those seeking to enhance their well-being. By aligning with enogy’s existing international reach in China and their expansion plans in Indonesia, South Korea, and Japan, we can further increase the exposure of Zstore and the ZCITY app.” He emphasized the strong demand for high-quality health and wellness products, citing the rapidly growing market for vitamins and minerals in Malaysia, projected to reach an estimated $193.4 million by 2027. Additionally, Teo highlighted the Asian-Pacific region as the world’s largest wellness market, currently valued at $1.5 trillion, with strong momentum for further growth.
enogy, already available in Hong Kong and mainland China (Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Dongbei) markets, has plans to expand into Indonesia next, followed by South Korea and Japan. Their first product to be launched on Zstore is the “Mix Blueberry Powder & Astaxanthin,” the result of a decade of research and development. This health product combines blueberries and Astaxanthin, known to be 6,000 times stronger than vitamin C, as a powerful antioxidant that stimulates immune reactions. The superfoods present in this product offer a wide range of benefits, including enhanced vision, strengthened immunity, anti-aging properties, improved skin, and overall well-being.
Furthermore, enogy is set to introduce its second product, S3, tailored to the needs of the fitness industry. S3 is a cutting-edge product designed to assist individuals in achieving their fitness goals and leading healthy, active lifestyles. enogy plans to launch S3 in the third quarter of 2023 and will concurrently promote it in Hong Kong and China. With the addition of S3 to its product line, enogy is poised for continued growth and success within the health and wellness sector.
16 May 2023


text: The decline is stunning. "Last year's ad revenues of about $21 billion were less than half of the $46 billion spent just four years ago in 2007, and less than one-third of the $64 billion spent in 2000," Mark Perry writes. In the next few years — and hopefully, in the next few decades (I like print!) — we'll see papers and magazines continue to invest in their websites and find advertising and pricing models that support journalism independently. Otherwise, one hopes that rich people continue to be fond of paying for the production of great writing on bundles of ink and paper.


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With more than 20,000 members, Female Fusion supports its members through online learning, face-to-face events, networking, social media forums and more.
Staff Reporter, Gulf Today
Mastercard, the Official Payment Technology Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, has teamed up with the region’s largest network for women-owned businesses, Female Fusion, to unlock opportunities for women entrepreneurs at the world’s largest cultural gathering.
The collaboration will result in a host of knowledge-sharing, networking and mentoring events aimed at women-owned businesses that will aim to empower and educate them, to grow and scale their businesses and include them in an evolving digital economy.
The series of activities, designed to accelerate women’s impact in creating a better world, will take place at the Women’s Pavilion by Expo 2020, in collaboration with Cartier. There will also be virtual workshops hosted during the six-month period.
The alliance will invite notable guests, including Sarah Beydoun, Founder and Creative Director of a social impact fashion business in Lebanon; Ioanna Angelidaki, co-founder of Instashop; and Maureen Hall, Founder and CEO of a sunwear brand. The workshops will empower entrepreneurs with valuable skills to go digital and grow digital in their ventures.
According to the inaugural Mastercard MEA SME Confidence Index, 81% of the region’s women entrepreneurs have a digital presence for their businesses, compared to 68% of their male counterparts. In terms of a digital footprint of the region’s women entrepreneurs, social media (71%) leads the way, followed by a company website (57%).
“Mastercard continues to work towards breaking gender barriers across the world. Today, the largest economic opportunity globally is the untapped potential of women entrepreneurship, which can spur unprecedented levels of growth if unlocked. Through our collaboration with Female Fusion, we want to take the opportunity to discuss topics relevant to women business owners on a global platform such as Expo 2020 Dubai and engage with this passionate group of women to help them in their journeys towards digital transformation,” said Ngozi Megwa, Senior Vice President, Digital Partnerships MEA, Mastercard.
“Whether it’s making full use of social media, streamlining their businesses to operate more efficiently online, or even selling online, we believe there is an opportunity for women SMEs to learn how to do it better. Female Fusion is proud to partner with Mastercard in educating and empowering our network in maximising their potential and paving the way to sustainable growth,” said Jennifer Blandos, Managing Partner, Female Fusion.
“The Women’s Pavilion by Expo 2020, in collaboration with Cartier, is designed to celebrate the positive impact women make on the world while understanding the challenges they still face. We welcome Mastercard, as one of our Premier Partners, in delivering these opportunities to a growing community of women business owners. When women thrive, all of humanity thrives,” said Hind Alowais, Senior Vice President, Participants Management, Expo 2020 Dubai.
Female Fusion Network is the region’s largest and most engaged community for women in business, women business leaders and women looking to set up their own business. With more than 20,000 members, Female Fusion supports its members through online learning, face-to-face events, networking, social media forums and more.
Expo 2020 Dubai and Cartier celebrated the official inauguration of the Women’s Pavilion in a spectacular celebration at Al Wasl Plaza,
The flight operated by flyadeal, budget subsidiary of flag carrier Saudia, was from the capital Riyadh to the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on Thursday, flyadeal spokesman Emad Iskandarani said.
At the Petromin Express garage in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, new female recruits check oil and change tyres alongside their male counterparts, part of a nationwide push to bring more women into the workforce.
Attended by Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, CEO of Alliances for Global Sustainability, the UAE Circular Economy Council convened its meeting, presided over by Mariam Bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment to discuss ‘Year of Sustainability’ initiatives and COP28.
The Federal Tax Authority (FTA) has launched the ‘Tax Support’ initiative to raise tax awareness among business sectors in the UAE through direct and sustained contact, as a means to enhance compliance with tax laws and regulations. The first workshop for 2023 under the initiative was held on Jan.24 and 25 as a collaboration
US consumer spending fell for a second straight month in December, putting the economy on a lower growth path heading into 2023, while inflation continued to subside, which could give the Federal Reserve room to further slow the pace of its interest rate hikes next week.


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February 5, 2010 |
As the first family member to lead Toyota Motor Corp. in 14 years, Akio Toyoda had a lot to prove, and his handling of the automaker's sudden-acceleration problems is testing his mettle. Nicknamed the "prince" by Japanese media, the 53-year-old grandson of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda took over as the youngest president in the company's history eight months ago after Toyota's biggest annual loss -- $4.4 billion for its last fiscal year. Despite his age, however, Toyoda's 25-year track record at Toyota -- he started as a junior manager and was the first in his family to take Toyota's management exam -- suggests that he's a strong manager with a fresh perspective.
February 17, 2010 |
Announcing that Toyota is considering a recall of its high-selling Corolla subcompact model, company president Akio Toyoda on Wednesday gave his full backing to the company's chief of U.S. operations, who he indicated would attend congressional hearings in Washington D.C. later this month. Toyoda and executive vice president Shinichi Sasaki also confirmed Toyota's completion of preparations for recall repairs for the "Sai" -- a luxury hybrid sedan -- and Lexus HS250h vehicles in Japan.
March 1, 2010 |
Reporting from Beijing — Apologizing several times and bowing twice, Toyota President Akio Toyoda spoke directly to the world's largest automotive market in a press conference here Monday to assuage fears about the safety of his company's vehicles. "The global recall has caused a lot of worries and confusion among Chinese consumers. We want to apologize sincerely," Toyoda said before bowing in front of hundreds of Chinese journalists. Flanked by seated Toyota executives, Toyoda stood stoically and read a prepared statement explaining that he rushed to Beijing as quickly as possible after his visit to the United States, where he spoke at a congressional hearing.
March 2, 2010 |
Apologizing several times and bowing twice, Toyota President Akio Toyoda arrived in the world's largest automotive market to assuage fears about the safety of his company's vehicles. "The global recall has caused a lot of worries and confusion among Chinese consumers. We want to apologize sincerely," Toyoda said in a Monday news conference before bowing in front of hundreds of Chinese journalists. Flanked by seated Toyota executives, Toyoda stood and read a prepared statement explaining that he rushed to Beijing as quickly as possible after testifying at a congressional hearing in the U.S. last week.
January 11, 2011 |
Toyota Motor Corp. President Akio Toyoda said Monday that the Japanese automaker needed to add more excitement to the styling of its vehicles. Speaking to reporters at the North American International Auto Show ? his first visit to an American auto show ? Toyoda said, "I think cars need to be better looking. We are going to come up with better-looking, nicer cars. " One way Toyota plans to improve the design of its vehicles is by giving more authority to its design studios in the locations where the vehicles will be sold and produced, he said.
February 6, 2010 |
Seeking to quell the firestorm over Toyota's sudden-acceleration problems, the company's president issued a rare public apology Friday -- but one that analysts said was unlikely to deflect the increasing scrutiny of Toyota's actions. Facing unusually aggressive Japanese reporters, Akio Toyoda said he was "deeply sorry about the inconvenience and concern caused to our customers and others." Toyoda, grandson of the company's founder, said the automaker had reached a "moment of crisis" and would form a global task force to improve quality.
December 24, 2008 |
Toyota Motor Corp. President Katsuaki Watanabe may step down next year and be succeeded by Akio Toyoda, grandson of the founder of the largest Asian automaker, said people familiar with the matter. Watanabe's exit would be intended in part to take responsibility for Toyota's forecast this week for a 150-billion-yen ($1.7-billion) operating loss for the year ending in March, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because a decision hadn't been announced.
February 22, 2010
TODAY → Toyota to discuss the electronic throttle system in many of its cars. → U.S. Treasury auction →Quarterly reports from Campbell Soup, Lowe's and Nordstrom TUESDAY → Indexes due on home prices (S&P/Case-Shiller) and consumer confidence (Conference Board) → House hearing on Toyota's sudden-acceleration problems → Results: Macy's, Sears, Target WEDNESDAY → Government reports U.S. sales of new homes in January.
February 24, 2010 |
Owners of recalled Toyotas who don't feel comfortable driving their cars to a dealer for repairs can have them picked up by the carmaker at their homes -- if they live in New York state, that is. Toyota USA also will give customers loaner vehicles at no cost while the repairs to prevent potential unintended acceleration are being made. New York Atty. Gen. Andrew Cuomo announced the agreement with the company Wednesday, saying it would affect the owners of about 500,000 Toyotas in the state.
March 26, 2010 |
Toyota Motor Corp. on Thursday named a veteran manufacturing executive to lead its North American Quality Task Force, an internal group created to improve the quality of its vehicles in the aftermath of recalls to address unintended acceleration. Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing North America, was named chief quality officer for North America and a member of an international Toyota quality committee. St. Angelo's appointment and the international committee are part of an initiative by Toyota President Akio Toyoda to address reliability and safety issues at the automaker.


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The U.S. Census Bureau said single-family new home sales rose by the strongest pace since November 2017, which at the time broke a multi-decade record.
New Home Sales
Sales of new single-family houses in March 2018 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 694,000, according to estimates released jointly today by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development. This is 4.0% (±18.6%)* above the revised February rate of 667,000 and is 8.8% (±17.0%)* above the March 2017 estimate of 638,000.
The median sales price of new houses sold in March 2018 was $337,200. The average sales price was $369,900.
For Sale Inventory and Months’ Supply
The seasonally-adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of March was 301,000. This represents a supply of 5.2 months at the current sales rate.


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The S&P 500 Food Retail index closed down nearly 5 percent as more than $10 billion was wiped off the market value of big food sellers. "Obviously the low-priced approach is in Amazon's DNA, and it's something Whole Foods has been struggling with for a quite some time".
Amazon said that starting on Monday it will cut prices on organic grocery staples such as bananas, avocados, brown eggs, farmed salmon and tilapia, baby kale and lettuce, some apples, butter and other products.
With lower prices for higher quality goods, Amazon is posing a direct threat to America's major supermarkets.
It could also pose a threat to other grocers and retailers.
Bringing Prime to Whole Foods will not only help bolster Prime loyalty, but it could bring many new customers to Whole Foods.
A ranking member of the Senate's Antitrust Subcommittee wants a top United States regulator to explain why it was so quick to approve Amazon's purchase of high-end grocery chain Whole Foods. Wall Street might come down on Amazon a little harder - might say they're over-leveraged, spending too much money, in a war with WalMart. "Long-term, this strategy works because the absolute profit dollars can still be significant".
MTV invited transgender troops to the VMAs, continues to be progressive champ
Where is it: The Forum in Inglewood, California. "Brace for impact", the screen says, promoting the VMAs on Sunday at 8 p.m. However, MTV wished to have them on the show and witness the momentous awards ceremonies.
New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers Involved In Bench-Clearing Brawl
The toll of Thursday's fury - three bench-clearing altercations, eight ejections, one beaning and a lot of angry words. Afterward, TV cameras showed Tigers' pitcher Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez jawing at one another in the dugout.
Chevy Camaro-Driving Teen Caught Smuggling Baby Tiger Across US-Mexico Border
The male tiger was confiscated at the US border crossing at Otay Mesa southeast of downtown San Diego early Wednesday. Valencia, a US citizen, was transported to the Metropolitan Correction Center to await his arraignment.
While Whole Foods does boast superior profit margins compared to many of its competitors, allowing Amazon to make some immediate price cuts, the two companies will need to innovate together in order to support ongoing price decreases.
"The reductions have, quite honestly, been haphazard and they've done very little to change peoples' perception of the company", said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail in NY.
As early as Monday you could walk into Whole Foods and see discounts on all of your favorite foods.
And if you're an Amazon Prime member it will only get better.
"Generally Whole Foods goes into markets with six-figure incomes and college-educated residents".
Going even further they intend to integrate your Amazon prime membership into the Whole Foods shopping experience.
"You have to be price relevant, and nobody wants to feel like they're being cheated", John Mackey, co-founder and chief executive of Whole Foods, said in a call with analysts in February.


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Friday, April 11, 2008
Posted by D. Daniel Sokol
This week the Irish Competition Authority published a study of its grocery sector. According to the press release:
- The first report, A Description of the Structure and Operation of Grocery Retailing and Wholesaling in Ireland: 2001 to 2006 provides a description of the market structure at the wholesale and retail levels of the Irish grocery sector.
- The second report is entitled Price Trends in the Irish Retail Grocery Sector: A Description of the Evolution of Retail Grocery Prices between 2001 and 2007. In this report, the Competition Authority has considered the impact of the removal of the Groceries Order by examining the evolution of the aggregate retail grocery price trends since 2001.
- The third report to be published in the current phase of the project will be The Retail Planning System as Applied to the Retail Grocery Sector: 2001 to 2006.


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Pop-ups have a number of benefits for all kinds of brands. One of those being an opportunity to give your brand a boost when sales are slow. That was the case for JCPenney’s two-day Jacques Penné pop-up in New York City, powered by Storefront.
Facing similar challenges as many other big box retailers, JCPenney closed close to 140 stores in 2017. In an effort to change the perception of shoppers, especially younger ones, the brand launched its Jacques Penne pop-up: “premium lifestyle at an affordable price.” drove tons of traffic.
Jacques Penné’s New York City Debut
JCPenney used the holiday season to promote the launch of the new exclusive Jacques Penné collection. Rather than making this available at stores or on the main website, JCPenney opened a two-day pop-up shop that showcased the collection and offered customers a way to purchase the products in person.
Plus, customers could feel good about supporting the brand: $50,000 worth of merchandise was donated to the JCPenney Foundation.
The collection was also available to a global audience online through a digitally immersive experience that was essentially a virtual tour of the pop-up. Jacques Penné was a way to “rediscover JCPenney and get everything on your list within your budget,” says Alexandra Wicka, who worked with JCPenney on the project in her role as senior account manager at Periscope.
Budget was one of the first considerations for the Jacques Penné pop-up. JCPenney broke down the budget for Periscope — they had $250,000 to work with.
After that, it was time to start coming up with ideas to bring the concept to life. “JCPenney gave guidelines of what they wanted to highlight, and Periscope categorized on trends,” says Wicka. Brainstorming started as early as August, but Wicka recommends never to underestimate how much time you’ll need to plan.
“Words of advice: Start as early as you can, plan for things to change, and be agile,” Wicka says. Not everything will go according to plan.
They signed the lease for the pop-up space on October 18, and opened doors less than two months later on December 8.
Finding the Right Pop-Up Space
For the Jacques Penné team, the creative ideas were the primary focus, the space second. “The look and feel came first, in tandem came the space,” says Wicka. “Once look and feel was shared, it was about execution.”
It was essential to find the right space to complement the creative idea, because the customer experience should always be at the forefront. “Make sure it connects with your brand identity,” says Wicka.
On October 18, less than two months before the pop-up opened, they signed the lease for the space. Here’s what they found.
Finding the right space wasn’t easy. “Unexpected things came up with the space,” says Wicka. Be prepared for the unexpected, especially if this is your first pop-up. Plus, keep checking the Storefront page for updated listings and queries for you.
Bridging the Gap Between the Digital and Physical Worlds
Most multi-channel brands face challenges in creating a synonymous digital and physical experience. This was one of the challenges that Periscope knew they had to overcome in a short amount of time with the Jacques Penné pop-up.
“Connecting the virtual store with the store in real life was hardest,” says Wicka. “We had to meet deadlines in advance to set everything up.”
The Jacques Penne’s complementary online experience was a shoppable microsite that featured a virtual reality component. Users could tour the pop-up from their computers and mobile devices via the microsite.
“The microsite extended the pop-up for purchases,” Wicka says. Not only was Jacques Penné able to capture in-person sales at the pop-up, but they could reach a global audience online — all the while sharing the physical experience with an immersive digital one to match.
Partnering with other brands and influencers can increase the reach for your pop-up, and JCPenney tapped into that opportunity through a few smart partnerships:
Periscope: The social video-streaming app Periscope was a key partner, especially in bringing the digital aspects to life. JCPenney recognized that digital wasn’t their area of expertise, and thus turned to a collaborator with that skill set and experience.
Influencers and Celebrities: JCPenney also leveraged influencers and celebrities as part of the pop-up experience. They enlisted style icons like Nicole Richie, fashion blogger Danielle Bernstein, Disney channel star Laura Marano, and YouTubers Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight.
These influencers curated nine collections for Jacques Penné to feature at the pop-up and on the microsite. Some of them also attended the pop-up for meet-and-greets, which helped build buzz and drive more customers to visit the event.
The Pop-Up Dream Team: JCPenney built a team dedicated to the Jacques Penné. They knew that finding team members who knew about pop-ups and had experience in the area would be crucial to success. The team was comprised of about 30 individuals.
JCPenney recognized the value in brand awareness and found a strategic way to drive conversions at the same time. Through leveraging influencers, brand partners and seasonality to solve customers problems, the brand provided an immersive, positive experience.
It was so successful, that they’re adopting some of these approaches in their 2018 strategy.
Remember: Sales and traffic don’t have to be the primary goals. If you focus on brand awareness, and putting your customers first, other metrics will organically improve.


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Local business gets over 2,000 calls because a scammer used their number
IDAHO FALLS — You know those fraudulent phone calls you’ve likely received from someone promising auto warranties in exchange for personal information? The recording tells you to call a number and to take advantage of the unbelievable offer.
The majority of those calls are scams, but the phone numbers that come across your caller ID are local and very real, in most cases. Just ask Cure Touch Massage Therapy in Idaho Falls.
The company has been getting thousands of calls since Thursday as their number is being used to mask the true number of the alleged warranty providers.
“People are being called multiple times by our phone number,” Daniel Larson, President of Cure Touch Massage Therapy, tells EastIdahoNews.com. “We’ve received calls back from Boise’s Fourth of July parade organizers to Hawaiian islanders.”
The Better Business Bureau addressed this issue in May and calls these types of scams “Neighborhood Spoofing.”
Scammers use this method of a spoof caller ID to trick a person into thinking somebody local or even a phone number they recognize is calling. They usually try to get callers to answer the phone and engage in conversations, noting their victim’s active lines in which they can call for future scams.
“In many instances, it is a random number with the same area code and first three digits as your own phone number. In other cases, the number displays as coming from a local business or person in which you’ve previously communicated,” Better Business Bureau of Western PA stated.
Larson said his business has received some 2,000 phone calls from people saying they’ve missed calls from them. Some callers have been understanding, and others have been angry.
“We’re obviously very concerned that it’s giving us a bad reputation,” Larson said.
Not only is Larson concerned about his 10,000 customers in the area, but he’s worried about locals engaging in these scam calls.
“We care deeply about our community and that they have a good image of us. But also – we’re concerned that people have been giving up their personal information to strangers over the phone. We just want to make sure that there’s an awareness out there about call scamming,” Larson said.
Other local companies, including Idaho I-Repair in Rexburg, have confirmed they have been having similar issues. Larson is aware of spa companies in California and other massage groups that have received calls back because of neighborhood spoofing.
“Sometimes you think it’s going to be somebody who you think you know but it’s not,” Larson said.
Larson has not reported the issue to law enforcement as he doesn’t feel it will solve the issue. He said if threats take place in the future, or if this issue persists, he will report it and possibly change his business phone number.
“We’ve been established in this area very well and we have lots of marketing tools out there,” Larson said. “Changing our phone number could be detrimental to that.”
The BBB advises avoiding answering calls from phone numbers you don’t recognize, even if they appear to be local. To be safe, wait for the caller to leave a message.
“You shouldn’t give personal information over the phone if it seems suspicious,” Larson said.
Report any phone solicitations to the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.


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NERA – World-First Fully 3D Printed e-Motorcycle
BigRep presented the first electronic motorcycle NERA, the main structural elements of which were created using 3D printing.
The prototype was designed by the NOWlab consulting agency. NERA’s tires, frame, forks, seat rims, and other basic elements (excluding electronics) were 3D printed. The model includes a cross-section of several of the company’s innovative solutions. Developers create airless tires, one-piece design with integrated sensors, diamond-shaped rim and flexible bumper that replaces the usual suspension.
During the design process, engineers revisited the classic motorcycle structure to adapt it to 3D printing and take advantage of the new manufacturing technology. NERA is equipped with an electric motor located inside the housing.
According to BigRep management, these innovative prototypes demonstrate the huge potential of large format 3D printing in mechanical engineering. They foster engineering creativity and transform manufacturing processes.
Harley-Davidson also keeps up with current trends and unveils its first electric bike.
text: Ilya Bauer, photo: 3dprintingmedia


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The first wave of electric car buyers in the US were often rich, environmentally conscious tech enthusiasts in California. But the second wave is those who are looking for a way to spend wisely in the midst of a price storm.
US President Joe Biden promotes electric cars by driving one at the Detroit auto show in the US in September 2022 – Photo: AFP
Mr. Russell Groom is a librarian in Virginia and one of the second wave. Last year he bought an electric car to save money on gas. Except for incentives from the government and automakers, he only had to spend about 20,000 USD to buy a car, save about 1,200 USD a year and pay no maintenance fees because electric cars don’t need to change oil.
People like Mr. Groom are potential customers of foreign electric car companies, including Vietnam’s VinFast.
New trends in North America
Electric vehicles are currently the fastest-growing segment of the US car market, with sales up 70% in the first nine months of the year compared with the same period in 2021, according to data from Cox Automotive, a research and investment firm. Sales of traditional cars and trucks fell 15% in the same period. California continues to be home to nearly 40% of electric vehicle registrations nationwide as of June 2022.
According to Cox data, electric vehicle buyers in 2021 are mostly women and tend to be younger than in 2019. The growth chart of electric vehicles could soar even higher if manufacturers pull through. The common difficulty of the automotive industry today is the lack of components such as chips, batteries and other parts. Not only Tesla, Volkswagen has sold all of its electric vehicles in the US because there are not enough batteries to make new cars.
According to the results of an online survey by the New York Times, the majority of more than 3,000 respondents said that electric cars are much cheaper than gas cars. Many people also reveal the secret to saving even more by investing in a solar panel on the roof to charge the car instead of using conventional electricity.
According to a survey by the New York Times, “great” is one of the adjectives that people using electric cars use to describe their cars. Many people said they would never buy a gas-powered car again, but many others also said they would keep at least one regular car because long-distance travel by electric cars is currently not convenient because charging stations are not covered all over the world.
Large piece of cake for many brands
Tesla, Ford, Mercedes-Benz and others are focusing on more profitable premium models. That is leaving room for affordable and used electric vehicles. Not to mention those who just want an electric car without expensive advanced features.
“I’m not a technology enthusiast. My purpose when buying an electric car is to not have to spend money on gas anymore,” – Tracy Miersch of Miramichi (New Brunswick province, Canada) shared.
For someone who has to drive thousands of kilometers a month just for work, fluctuating gas prices like this year is a nightmare. But thanks to an old Tesla Model 3 bought for about 50,000 USD, the increase in gas prices no longer bothers her.
In the long run, more and more people using electric cars will help the price of this car gradually become more affordable. But not the price, the biggest concern for those who plan to buy electric cars in the US today is that the charging station system is still not covered, especially in apartment buildings, where millions of Americans are living.
Americans eagerly wait for VinFast electric cars
Answering Tuoi Tre on the occasion of the event that VinFast Company shipped nearly 1,000 electric vehicles to the US market on November 25, US Embassy spokesman Cameron Thomas-Shah said: “We share the pride of Vietnam when VinFast entered the US market and envisioned how American consumers would be excited about VinFast cars in the future.
The US has a goal that half of all light-duty cars sold by 2030 will be electric. It is exciting to see a Vietnamese brand stand out in the US market, and we hope VinFast’s factory will be the beginning of many high-value and high-impact investments from Vietnam.”


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We are living in a world where mobile messaging has become the key to a great customer service experience across industries. The pandemic has shifted how both consumers and businesses view the messaging channel, propelling it into a new realm.
Is RCS really a richer experience than SMS? If so, what makes it “richer”? For starters, Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the functional foundation for a new messaging platform to be built upon, and this platform enhances just about every component of simple Short Message Services (SMS).
The CCA’s recent Mobile Carriers Show brought together regional and rural carriers from across the U.S. to discuss the challenges impacting their businesses and discover new ways to create value for their brands. A key highlight of the show was the “Pitch Perfect Keynote Lunch” that challenged six companies to pitch their best revenue generating solutions for carriers, in six minutes or less.
The days of delighting subscribers with standard voice and messaging are gone. Today, smartphone adoption and the technology advancements that have succeeded it have created new competitors, increased consumer demand and disrupted traditional business models
Through sophisticated application programming interfaces (API’s), Messaging-as-a-Platform (MaaP) is changing how businesses interact with consumers via messaging. The change is timely. As we approach 2020, consumer expectations are increasingly centered on the flexibility and immediacy of voice/text “intelligent assistance.” This is now the era of AI-powered chatbot messaging, accessible via a mobile device at any time, place, and occasion of one's choosing.


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Audrey and Stuart Peckner hosted a soiree last night at their N.P. Trent Antiques shop on South Dixie Highway’s Antique Row in West Palm Beach to toast Chip Kidd, designer of the new Abrams book, The World of Gloria Vanderbilt.
Kidd, 46, has designed more than 1,200 books over his 24-year career at Knopf, but lately, he has become very involved, as a designer and author, of books focused on high style and fashion.
He is the co-author and designer of the new True Prep book published by Knopf.
The Reading, PA-born Kidd, who graduated from Penn State, said it was an unusual turn for him to focus on fashion.
“We all deal with fashion every day, whether we like it or not,” said the nattily dressed Kidd. “So why not make it look like we like it?”
Kidd, who lives in Manhattan, had never been to Palm Beach before, so I had to ask him what he thought of our little enclave.
“It seems like Beverly Hills, but facing in the other direction,” he said.


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When people are considering investment options they have, coffee or marijuana rarely is an option on the table. Coffee is considered a cheap habit while marijuana is considered a gray area due to legal constraints. Despite not being a favorite for many people around the world, Stansberry Research thinks that these two could be the next high-value commodities for investment. Many people may ignore them right now, but they stand a high chance of bringing in good profits.
Currently, Coffee is considered to be a commodity that is losing value. The prices for coffee are too low to be considered a good investment option. Also, many farmers seem to be losing hope in coffee and are even considering other plants in place of coffee. However, this has been just the projection that has been made by experts. In recent years, the reality has been different from what the experts project. In 2014 and 2015, the prices of coffee per pound moved up by 92% and 50% consecutively.
Stansberry Research has recommended coffee as one of the possible gainers in the future although currently, it is not. It is not yet in an uptrend, and therefore its future remains shaky. It, however, falls under the category of inexpensive assets that could attract huge profits if was it go up.
Coffee may look tricky for investors, but marijuana is the trickiest. Although many people consider it illegal, the prospects of it becoming popular in future continue to escalate as more and more states continue to accept its growth. Stansberry Research thinks this is the right time for investors to take up marijuana investments as prices will soon go up.
As of early 2018, 9 states had legalized growing of marijuana. Half had legalized it for recreational use, while the other half have legalized it for medicinal purposes. Canada has gone way ahead of others in the implementing marijuana investments. In fact, marijuana stocks in the publicly traded companies are doing very well. Support for legalization of marijuana in different states in the United States is rapidly growing. We could be headed to a time when the whole world will accept marijuana to be grown.


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A group of analysts at FSDH Research have predicted that inflation rate for December 2018 is expected to rise to 11.69 per cent from 11.28per cent recorded in November over higher price increases within the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages.
According them, this represents a monthly increase of 0.41per cent between the two months and the highest monthly increase since November 2016.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) had reported 11.28 per cent inflation rate for November and 11.26 per cent inflation rate for October 2018.
“The expected increase in the inflation rate will reflect higher price increases within the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages division and other non-food items due to end-of-year and festivity purchases,” they explained in a report obtained by Nigerian NewsDirect.
The Bureau is due to release the inflation rate for the month of December this week, ahead of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting scheduled for 21-22 January, 2019.
They explained further that, “The Food Price Index (FPI) report that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) published for the month of December 2018 remained relatively the same as November 2018.
“However, the World Bank has hinted about a possible increase in food prices in 2019 because of severe weather conditions. This may accelerate the inflation rate in 2019 in Nigeria. The FAO notes that the decline in the prices of dairy and sugar in December were largely offset by the increases in cereal, meat and oils.”
According to them, report indicates that the value of the Naira depreciated at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange (NAFEX) in December 2018, while it appreciated at the parallel market.
In their words, “The value of the Naira depreciated marginally by 0.01per cent at the NAFEX market to close at N364.18/$ from N364.16/S in November, while it gained 0.14per cent in the parallel market to close at N365.00/$ from N365.50/$ in November 2018.
“The value of the Naira appreciated at the parallel market as a result of newly introduced special ‘Thursday sale’ to Bureau de Change (BDCs) operators. The depreciation recorded at NAFEX between the two months under review increased the impact of foreign exchange on the prices of imported consumer goods in the domestic market.
“The prices of food items that FSDH Research monitored in December 2018 moved in varying directions, leading to one per cent increase in our Food and Non-Alcoholic Index. This Index increased year-on-year by 13.83per cent to 295.66 points, up from 259.75 points recorded in December 2017.
“We also observed an increase in the prices of Transport and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas & Other Fuels divisions between November and December 2018. We estimate that the increase in the Composite Consumer Price Index (CCPI) in December would produce an inflation rate of 11.69per cent.
Despite the expected increase in the inflation rate in December 2018 and in 2019, FSDH Research believed that the members of the MPC of the Central Bank of Nigeria would vote to hold rates at the current levels in January 2019.
“The most appropriate instrument to signal tightening at the moment in the face of fragile credit and economic growth is to use open market operations (OMO) to mop up excess liquidity,” analysts at FSDH research added.
It will be recalled that a group of analysts at FBNQuest forecasted that Inflation rate for December might slowdown to 11.8 per cent over anticipated spending in the run-up to Christmas festivities and campaign-related spending towards the upcoming 2019 general elections.


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Lessons to Glean From the West Coast Port Dispute
Supply Chain @ MIT
MARCH 5, 2015
It appears that ports on the US West Coast are back in full swing after a protracted labor dispute delayed cargo worth billions of dollars and caused untold reputational damage to the companies caught in the crossfire. Limited options on the West Coast without new thinking?


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Conor McGregor's used fight shorts could be yours -- if you're into that sorta thing -- his gear just hit the auction block and bids are already through the roof!
The gloves, hand wraps, fight shorts and Irish flag Conor used during his UFC 246 showdown with Donald Cerrone back in January is up for grabs on the Fanatics Authentic auction site.
Remember, Conor dominated Cowboy in his first fight back in the Octagon since taking an L to Khabib Nurmagomedov in 2018 -- defeating Cerrone in just 40 seconds.
Starting bid on Conor's used (and signed) gloves was $2,500 -- but it attracted a WAVE of interested buyers who quickly bid the price up to $31,000 ... and there's still 19 days left to go!!!
The used shorts are also signed by Conor -- starting bid was $2,500 ... and now it's up to $11,000.
The Irish flag Conor raised after the fight is also on the block -- it's signed too! That's at $2,500.
Bottom line ... the McGregor collectibles market is still red hot!


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The Port of South Louisiana on the Mississippi River is a global shipping center and a cornerstone of the state’s economy. With its planned enhancements, it can only get better.
Louisiana’s five deepwater port districts along the Mississippi River comprise the world’s largest port complex, handling 485 million tons of cargo per year and shipping nearly 25% of all waterborne commerce in the United States. As the largest tonnage port in the western hemisphere and fifth largest in the world, the Port of South Louisiana is the crux of the state’s maritime industry, stretching 54 miles along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and accounting for more than half of all of Louisiana’s imports and exports. The port’s headquarters is located in LaPlace, LA, midway between its end points.
In February, Joel Chaisson, executive director of the Port of South Louisiana, outlined the port’s top infrastructure and expansion projects for 2008 and the next several years. Completing these projects is crucial to meeting short-term customer demand as well as for continued growth of the port, which encompasses the Louisiana parishes of St. Charles,
St. John, and St. James.
The existing general cargo dock will receive a couple of enhancements; the access bridge, which connects to the cargo dock, will be reinforced to accommodate heavier truckloads; and a finger pier extension will be added to the cargo dock to allow direct barge-to-ship loading and unloading of goods.
Construction at the 50-foot deep Globalplex Intermodal Terminal, one of the port’s largest terminals, will include a new dock; an on-dock transit shed will meet additional commodity storage and handling demand from customers in the nearby industrial park. Land-based upgrades are also part of the port’s 2008 plans. These include a new railroad spur and improvements to the roadways to enhance transportation in and out of Globalplex.
In St. Charles Parish, a new general cargo dock will be built to attract industrial development on the west bank of the Mississippi River. Also, the entire Port of South Louisiana will receive cutting-edge technology to improve the surveillance and communication of its security system.
To further bolster safety, port employees with unescorted access to secure port facilities and vessels have begun enrolling in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Worker Identification Credential program. This involves a thorough criminal background check to reduce the risk of security threats. More than 75 U.S. ports have begun enrolling in the program.
Louisiana’s economic development secretary, Stephen Moret, who met with port officials in February, is impressed by the detailed improvement plans. Moret told officials that the state’s ports are very important to Governor Bobby Jindal and are a major priority for the state’s economic growth.
The Port of South Louisiana employs more than 60 workers and is a Foreign-Trade Zone. Its major inbound cargo shipments include crude oil, chemicals, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel products, concrete/stone products, ores/phosphate rock, wood/wood chips, edible oils, and coal/lignite/coke. Outbound cargo includes animal feed, wheat, soybeans, coal/lignite/coke, maize, petrochemicals, rice, chemicals, fertilizers, edible oils, and crude oil.
The maritime industry in Louisiana supports 270,000 direct and indirect jobs, meaning one in every eight jobs is connected to the industry. It has a $33 billion impact on the state’s economy annually, equaling approximately 23% of the gross state product.
The Ports Association of Louisiana, a nonprofit organization founded in 1984 to aid in the advancement of the state’s ports and economic development, has more than 30 member ports.


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Bitcoin, Ethereum Struggle with Market Downturn
Major digital assets are struggling to break out but the cryptocurrencies market downturn holds back uptick momentum due to selling rallies. Most investors in cryptocurrencies are engaging in selling rallies amidst global inflation.
Weak corporate positioning has also been noted as a downside risk, according to MarketForces Africa discussions with crypto analysts, saying the crypto prices crash is a buying signal. Since the crypto market rout, retail investors continue to trade short to strengthen their position after losing streaks.
Bitcoin (BTCUSD), the largest cryptocurrency by market value, was changing hands at $19,905, up 0.3% in the past 24 hours, after swinging between a day low of $19,296 and a day high of $20,432, according to Coinmarketcap data. Trading volume was at $23.54 billion, up 19%.
The oldest cryptocurrency is currently down 57% since the beginning of the year and 71% since it reached an all-time high of $68,990 on Nov. 10. Ethereum (ETHUSD), the second-largest digital asset, was trading 0.5% lower at $1,115, expanding its year-to-date loss to 70%.
XRP (XRPUSD), the fifth-largest digital asset, dropped 1.1% to $0.32, whereas Solana (SOLUSD), the sixth-largest, decreased 1.9% to $34.06. Cosmos (ATOMUSD), the 15th-largest digital asset, was the day’s top gainer, rising as much as 3.7%. READ: Cryptocurrencies Struggle as Retail Buyers Exit Positions
The overall market capitalization of the cryptocurrency industry decreased 1.3% in the past 24 hours to $929 billion, according to CoinGecko data. # Bitcoin, Ethereum Struggle with Market Downturn


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Old Rooster Creek Filipino/Asian American BBQ (ORC BBQ) in Princeton, Texas, has enjoyed a steady following since its 2017 debut. But after YouTube celebrity and now-Dallas-area-resident Mikey Chen featured the barbecue spot in a recent video, swarms of new customers queued up hours before opening time on Saturday. They were eager to try the lechón (whole roasted pig stuffed with herbs) and Filipino street foods that Chen touted in his April 20 video.
Within two hours, the mom-and-pop business sold out of pork — including 1,200 skewers — and nearly all of the other Filipino dishes on the menu.
It was a record day for owners Josephine and Allen Cook, who run the weekends-only outdoor food stall near a farm road in the Collin County town of Princeton. Between the whole pigs roasting on spits and the cheery “shack” that’s both counter and kitchen, it’s a dead-ringer for the street food stalls of the Philippines — except for the picnic table seating and a karaoke stage nearby.
“We have customers who posted pictures [from ORC BBQ] on Facebook; their friends thought they were posting from the Philippines,” Allen says.
Josephine, a Filipina native from the island of Leyte, cooks a rotating handful of Filipino dishes to accompany the wood-grilled meats, lechón, and fish that the couple prepares. They include a vegetarian pancit (a Filipino noodle stir-fry); lumpia (fried egg rolls); chicken and pork adobo (practically the national dish of the Philippines); dinuguan (a rich and tangy stew of ground pork in pig’s blood gravy); caldereta (a goat, beef or pork stew); sisig (a hash made of pig cheeks and ears, seasoned with chile and vinegar); isaw (skewers of barbecued pork offal); and skewers of fried, caramelized bananas or sweet potatoes, to name a few.
Every Friday, the couple stays up all night, preparing the Saturday menu. At 2 a.m., they start slow-roasting the whole pigs, and by late Saturday morning, Allen chops the lechón, which goes on sale at 11:30 a.m. (all the other foods are sold starting at 11). Sundays, the menu features wood-grilled seafood: stuffed squid and whole mackerel. In light of the buzz created by Chen’s YouTube video, the couple has added lechón to the Sunday menu, too.
Filipino breakfast street-food dishes are sold on Fridays, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Among them is tapsilog: rice, topped with fried egg and sliced beef, marinated in soy sauce, calamansi (a tangy citrus) and garlic, then quick-fried. The “Tocino” version of the breakfast features slices of sweet marinated and fried pork. Throughout the weekend, there are Filipino drinks and gelatin desserts for sale, too.
The Cooks hadn’t intended to start a barbecue and street food business. Allen works weekdays as an aviation electrician at L3Harris, and prior to launching ORC BBQ, Josephine, a former band singer, had a clothing and home goods stall at the neighboring Old Rooster Creek Flea Market. After the flea market owner tasted Josephine’s brisket and pulled pork at a Thanksgiving potluck, he begged her for months to open a barbecue stall next near the market. “I agreed, on one condition: he give me a space behind the stall for a garden,” Josephine says. Now the herbs, bitter melon, okra, eggplant, bok choy, and other vegetables from the couple’s on-site garden are used in Josephine’s Filipino dishes.
Although ORC BBQ started out as an American barbecue spot that also sold lechón, it morphed into a Filipino and Asian barbecue and street food venue when Filipino customers clamored for dishes from their homeland. Those who want a whole lechón for a party can order the roast pig at least one week in advance. Parties of at least ten who want to eat a whole lechón on-site can reserve tables and food in advance, too.
ORC BBQ’s Saturday and Sunday hours are 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., or until the food runs out. Thanks to Chen’s video, though, that may be happening earlier than expected.
Old Rooster Creek Filipino/Asian American BBQ is located at 10424 County Road 1099, in Princeton. Facebook: ORC Filipino/Asian American BBQ.
Tina Danze is a Dallas freelance writer.


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As one of the largest aftermarket vehicle trade shows in the world, many people dream of being able to have a car displayed at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. And now synthetic lubricant manufacturer Royal Purple is making that possible with its Show It Off contest.
Contest entrants have the opportunity to display their car at the 2012 SEMA Show as a featured vehicle in the Royal Purple booth.
Beginning July 2 and running throughout July, the contest will be hosted on the company's Facebook page and entries will be accepted for a two-week period from July 2-16. Ten finalists will then be chosen by an online vote from July 17-24 andthen judges will select the two cars to appear in the booth.
Once the ten finalists are selected, each will have the opportunity to submit a detailed spec list and additional photos of their vehicle for the five judges to review. The two winners will be announced August 3 on Facebook.
A similar contest ran last year and the company had such a great response it decided to repeat the process. "We had so many great entries and such a positive experience with the winners last year that we're bringing our most popular contest back for another year," said Marlena Solomon from Royal Purple. "We run our contest early to allow our winners to secure sponsors for their trip to cover costs like travel, accommodations and vehicle transportation," she added.
In addition to showing their vehicles at the 2012 SEMA Show, Royal Purple will pay for the feature car registration and fees, and will provide two badges for the show, Royal Purple swag, and host a dinner where the winners are guests of honor.


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In May 2020, easyJet, a low-cost British airline, revealed that it was the victim of a cyberattack that affected nine million customers. The attack occurred in January and compromised the email addresses, travel details, and credit card information of the 2,208 customers who booked flights between October 17, 2019 and March 4, 2020.
As soon as the attack was discovered, easyJet hired a third-party forensics expert to assess the breach and implement tighter security measures. The airline is currently in the process of notifying all the affected customers regarding the breach. Users who had financial details stolen have been already notified and were advised to keep an eye out for phishing emails and suspicious credit card activity. The company also notified the National Cyber Security Centre and the ICO.
"We take the cyber security of our systems very seriously and have robust security measures in place to protect our customers' personal information," said EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren. "However, this is an evolving threat as cyber attackers get ever more sophisticated. We would like to apologize to those customers who have been affected by this incident."
Arm yourself against cybersecurity disasters like this by investing in a tool that will protect your network from brute-force attacks, ransomware threats, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks. Download ManageEngine Log360, a comprehensive solution to help you combat both internal and external security attacks.
Log360, our comprehensive SIEM solution, can help your organization by:
Download a free trial of Log360 to see the tool in action for yourself.
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Leaders from the logistics and manufacturing industry in North America gathered for the 24th Annual Logistics and Manufacturing Symposium Pathways for Trade: North America, the Most Competitive Region in the World held on September 19-20, 2017.
The establishing and strengthening of new international trade corridors and the status of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was the focus of panel discussions and presentations at Laredo, Texas, home to one of the world’s largest inland ports.
The Calgary Regional Partnership (CRP) was invited to present on the strength of the Calgary Region Inland Port (CRIP) in the North American economy and to identify opportunities to connect trade flows from Laredo Inland Port to the CRIP along the Canada-Mexico trade corridor.
Exploring new trade opportunities for Calgary Region
Colleen Shepherd, Executive Director, CRP brought a team from the Calgary Region including Bryndis Whitson, Director, Stakeholder Relations, Van Horne Institute, and Karla Spilsted, Marketing Strategist, Real Estate & Development Services, The City of Calgary. Both Shepherd and Whitson represented Canada on the North American Ports and Corridor Initiatives Panel at the Symposium.
“We are honoured to be invited to represent Canada as well as the Calgary Region Inland Port at the Symposium. We are in discussions with industry and government officials at Laredo Inland Port on the emerging trade corridor running between the Calgary Region and Laredo,” said Shepherd.
“We are looking at how this trade corridor can be used to increase trade opportunities for all sides.”
Direct connection from northern Canada, U.S., and Mexico
“The Calgary Region Inland Port has a direct connection from Northern Canada to Mexico on the CANAMEX corridor,” said Shepherd. “The CANAMEX corridor runs through the Calgary Region and is one of North America’s largest highways.”
The Highway has become a cornerstone for efficient transportation including:
As a trade corridor, the highway is over 6,000 km (3,700 miles) long. In recent years, the provincial government has spent more than $1.4 billion to upgrade the CANAMEX corridor in Alberta alone. The Highway is well-maintained and provides excellent flow for truck transportation.
Laredo is one of world’s largest inland ports
Situated along the U.S./Mexico borders, The Port of Laredo is the largest inland port along the U.S.-Mexico border. Here are some facts about Laredo Inland Port:
- Approximately 2,090,172 trucks, 253,419 rail car shipments, and 450.1 million pounds (204.162 kg) of air freight crossed the border in 2016
- Home to 510 freight forwarders, 210 trucking companies, and 105 U.S. Customs Brokers
- One rail bridge, four vehicle bridges: two for commercial and three for private vehicles
- Goods shipped through Laredo travel to more than 60 countries
Currently, there are 830 trade-handling, transportation-related businesses in Laredo, Texas. Including cars, over 13.4 million vehicles crossed the Rio Grande at Laredo in 2016.
Speakers at the conference
Speakers at the conference included:
- Alan D. Bersin, Global Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson Center and Former Assistant Secretary for International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Policy
- Colleen Shepherd, Executive Director, Calgary Regional Partnership
- Bryndis Wilton, Director, Stakeholder Regions, Van Horne Institute
- Christopher Wilson, Deputy Director of the Mexico Institute of the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars
- Karen Antebi Benuzillo, Economic Counsellor for the Trade and NAFTA Office of the Ministry of the Economy of Mexico in Washington, D.C.
- Cynthia F. Whittenburg, Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of International Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Multi-billion-dollar investment in new trade corridor
Shepherd said, “the growth of imports into Canada from Asia-Pacific markets has been the catalyst for billions of dollars in intermodal investments in the Calgary Region Inland Port as well as Port of Prince Rupert.”
“The Calgary Region is a thriving distribution hub, and industry has been building a solid network of linked supply chain capacity in our region for many years,” said Shepherd.
“In 2017, the Calgary Region is hitting a critical mass – we have grown to become the second largest Inland Port in Canada. We’re seeing rapid growth in state-of-the-art warehousing and distribution centres for companies such as Costco and Home Depot and major expansions in our logistics parks,” said Shepherd.
Calgary Region partners with seaports
The Calgary Region Inland Port works directly with the seaports, Port of Vancouver and Port of Prince Rupert, to create fluidity of goods movement by providing multimodal options for manufacturers, energy, and agricultural producers.
According to Whitson, Van Horne Institute, “we have two vibrant and expanding seaports in Vancouver and Prince Rupert, supported by five major inland ports whose growth reflects a critical interaction between their catchment area and the seaports to which they connect by our rail and road networks.”
“The Calgary Region Inland Port offers an efficient and high-velocity gateway for transpacific container trade. The Port of Prince Rupert and Port of Vancouver intermodal terminals anchor the fastest and most reliable trade corridor on the Mexican, U.S., and Canadian west coast, providing shippers a significant advantage over alternative gateways,” said Whitson.
Beyond excellent rail and port connections, other critical components to the success of the CRIP is ease of access to highways and airports and the availability of industrial land.
Industrial parks within the Calgary Region have different levels of service to meet the needs of small and large businesses and offer affordable pricing compared to Vancouver. “The inland port model has developed as an effective supply chain solution for companies in various sectors,” explains Spilsted, City of Calgary.
“Our region offers distinct advantages to companies for distribution from Asia Pacific markets,” she said.
The renegotiation of NAFTA
The Symposium also addressed the current state of affairs with the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Chris Wilson, keynote speaker at the Symposium and deputy director of the Mexico Institute, said the United States has diverse goals as it renegotiates NAFTA with Canada and Mexico.
“This is a unique trade negotiation. The United States has never decided to renegotiate a trade agreement before. So, this is a first in that sense,” Wilson told the Rio Grande Guardian.
“What is unique about it is that the United States comes in with a diverse set or probably even a conflicting set of goals. On the one hand, their goal is to expand trade, to expand market access in Mexico and Canada, to introduce more market access for financial services, telecom services, agricultural goods, that is a more traditional trade agenda and a liberalizing agenda. But, on the other hand, there is a U.S. agenda that is aiming to restrict trade, which is concerned about balancing the deficit, getting rid of the deficit,” he said in the Rio Grande Guardian interview.
Wilson said there are only two ways to lower the deficit. “You either expand exports, which would be the traditional model of a trade negotiation, or you limit imports. That is where the U.S. objectives could run into direct conflict with Mexico and Canada and their real interest in maintaining the benefits of the free trade agreement.”
“We will be looking at specific things, like Rules of Origin, Dispute Resolution which will be on the table in these coming rounds of the negotiations,” Wilson said.
Can NAFTA still work for Canada, U.S., and Mexico?
“If the U.S. administration can have some sort of an argument that they have a plan in place to reduce the deficit, while maintaining the benefits of NAFTA that so many U.S., Canadian, and Mexican companies and workers depend on, we can probably get through this and through a complicated, narrow, path find a way to a successful renegotiation,” Wilson said.
Continuing the conversation on the emerging Trade Corridor
The symposium concluded with the intent to move forward by creating an ongoing dialogue with all stakeholders to further develop new export and import possibilities including the trade corridor between the CRIP and Laredo Inland Port.
“You have to build international trade corridors. That’s what we are doing here at the Symposium; we are building emerging trade corridors and looking at how NAFTA can be negotiated in ways that positively impact our future economy in North America,” said Shepherd.
“I am encouraged to see private sector industry and government officials from Canada, U.S., and Mexico working together to strengthen key trade corridor and distribution hubs,” said Shepherd.