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Jack, a 15 1/2-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback mix, suffers from a triple whammy: dementia, anxiety and arthritis. So his owner, Liz Hughston, an emergency vet tech in San Jose, gives her senior dog Canna Companion, a hemp-based cannabis capsule for pets, to improve his quality of life.
Meanwhile, Hughston gives Treatibles, a brand of cannabis chews, to her 4-year-old Chihuaha mix to stop him from going into freak-out mode during July 4th fireworks. It worked a lot better than Xanax.
“Augie would act like your worst drunk friend at a bar who picks fights with everyone, Hughston said. “He’d be running around barking at everything, then he’d pass out for an hour. Then we’d have to dose him again.”
After eating Treatibles, the 8-pound dog sits calmly on the sofa with his owners instead of refusing to sleep, eat or let anyone pick him up.
More and more pet owners are turning to cannabis-based products to help their animals with anxiety, arthritis, seizures, cancer and other ailments. One pioneer in the cannabis pet market is Auntie Dolores, an Oakland company that began by making edibles for people. In 2013, it launched Treatibles, blueberry- and pumpkin-flavored hemp chews shaped like dog bones that are sold in pet stores, dispensaries and online.
Unlike human edibles, the pet version has only a tiny fraction of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, said CEO Julianna Carella. Its main ingredient is CBD, another compound — or cannabinoid — in cannabis or hemp that does not make people or animals high, but offers relief from anxiety and pain, she said.
She said she got the idea for the pet products after clients started asking whether it was OK to give their own edibles to their dogs for arthritis. It’s not. Concentrated doses of THC can be toxic in animals, as evidenced by the increasing number of pets who have gotten into their owners stashes and landed in vet emergency rooms. So Carella decided to make something for animals so people wouldn’t dose their pets with unsafe human products.
“We have people using it (on their pets) for separation anxiety, or when they’re going to the vet or groomer,” Carella said. “We’ve also heard from pet owners who used the product in the last weeks and months of their animal’s life that they were much more comfortable and in less pain.”
Under federal law, both CBD and THC are illegal, this is where things get complicated. Because CBD is also found in hemp, which can be legally imported and sold in the U.S., most companies that make pet cannabis products are taking advantage of this loophole. And those don’t require customers to have a medical marijuana card.
Federal regulators haven’t approved cannabis for use in animals, and have sent warning letters to producers who claim health benefits. Even in states like California that have medical and/or recreational marijuana laws, those pertain to humans, not animals.
The California Veterinary Medical Board guidelines say that prescribing or recommending any cannabis to animals is against the law, period, which means anyone who does so risks losing their license. Oakland veterinarian Gary Richter, who does not prescribe cannabis for pet patients because it is illegal, said the prohibitions create an ethical dilemma for practitioners.
“It’s a real quandary because I know from experience that it can be incredibly helpful to pets in ways that no other medicine can be,” Richter said. “But then on the other side the board has made it clear that if you discuss cannabis with clients you do so at your own peril.”
Richter is gathering signatures on a Moveon.Org petition calling for a change in state law to allow for compassionate use of medical cannabis for animals.
Veterinarian Ashley McCaughan, at Creature Comfort Holistic Veterinary Center in Oakland, said she found out about cannabis tinctures — a liquid combination of THC/CBD — for pets from a client who was using it for her cat, who’d just had surgery for intestinal cancer and was on a feeding tube. McCaughan said the TreatWell tincture helped the cat’s appetite, and it lived a lot longer than expected.
“The number of products has exploded but because of the legal ramifications, we can’t prescribe anything with the THC CBD in it,” McCaughan said.
The prohibitions have stymied research. As a result, there’s no science on the effectiveness of pet cookies, pills, tinctures, oils and other products.
Maureen Dorsey, a veterinarian at Oakland Veterinary Hospital, is concerned about the absence of data to support manufacturers’ claims.
“In my vet community, we have online discussions that this is coming up,” she said, “but we have no information about the efficacy, the dosage or the content of these products, and no one can do the research because the plant is still federally illegal.”
Yet anecdotal evidence is convincing many people to give it a try anyway, particularly those with elderly or sick pets. And the passage of state Proposition 64, which legalized the recreational use of pot, is likely to have even more people running to dose their pets.
Before the death of her dog, Ziggy, in March, Kaity Evans, a pet sitter in Oakland, gave him Treatibles for his arthritis. The 11-year-old Great Dane would drag his back feet on the ground, scuffing his paw pads. Evans said when he was on the CBD-based treats he could pick up his feet and seemed to feel better in general.
When Evans and her husband rescued Vincent, another Great Dane in April, they began giving him cannabis chews to help him adjust to his new life with two cats.
“It really helped Ziggy a lot and we give Vincent a cookie or two to keep his stress levels low,” Evans said.
TreatWell CEO Alison Ettel said she’s aware that dogs, cats, pigs, alpacas, goats, horses and even a bearded dragon have been given the tincture by their owners. She said hemp-based products work for anxiety in pets, but aren’t effective for more serious medical conditions, so the San Francisco company began marketing pet tinctures with a combination of THC and CBD to dispensaries nine months ago.
Unlike hemp-based products, the pet’s owner needs a medical marijuana card to buy the products with THC. However, there is no scientific research to support the claim that they work better, and manufacturers of CBD-based products dispute the claim.
“We see people coming in for palliative care (for their pets) to try to fight the cancer or reduce the tumor or for symptom relief,” Ettel said. “We’re seeing fantastic results with severe pain far more than CBD alone would ever be able to do.”
Yet companies like TreatWell that use THC in their products are in risky legal waters, though it’s a chance Ettel says she’s willing to take to help seriously ill animals and their desperate owners.
And despite the unclear legal territory, pet store owners say customer demand for pet cannabis products has surged.
Heidi Hill, owner of Holistic Hound pet store in Berkeley, created its own edible line in August. Since June alone, Hill said she’s sold 8800 CBD products. There are treats and oils available in different potencies. The cost ranges from $29.50 to $99.
“People really want to do anything they can to help their pets, and a lot of times, this is their last hope,” Hill said. “It doesn’t always work, but when it does it’s a beautiful thing.”
However, there is little information available about proper dosage.
“We recommend that they use a very small amount, the least possible to get the desired effect whether it’s for pain relief or anxiety,” Hill said. “But then if you don’t get the results you want, go incrementally up.”
Tim Shu, a Los Angeles-Area veterinarian learned the benefits of cannabis firsthand with his senior dog Tye. The 15-year-old Pit bull has arthritis and two bad knees.
“If you look at the pain meds out there, like anti-inflamatories they help with pain and arthritis but then they can possibly cause liver and kidney damage,” Shu said. “I created a tincture for her and noticed that she wasn’t getting any side effects and she was a lot more nimble.”
Shu said he also used the tincture on a friend’s arthritic Great Dane that also had good results.
Three years ago, Shu founded VET CBD, a company that makes CBD-based tinctures for pets. It is sold at medical dispensaries.
“Ten or 15 years ago people would say, ‘this is terrible, you can’t give cannabis to your dogs,”’ said Shu, who is no longer a practicing vet. “But we’ve had a real turnaround. Unfortunately the laws are a little bit behind the times.”
This story was originally published on Nov. 18, 2016.
To read more from our special section on Pot & Pets, click here.
To subscribe to The Cannifornian’s email newsletter, click here.


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You know, it’s starting to look like Apple may have been on to something with the whole prohibiting third party apps from running in the background thing. While the iPhone isn’t exactly known for its stellar battery life, Apple could at least be certain that apps weren’t drawing more power than they needed by constantly running in the background. And while iPhone OS 4.0 will support allowing some apps to run while you’re doing other things with your phone, there will be a limited set of APIs for multitasking, which should help keep energy consumption down.
Google Android, on the other hand, lets developers run pretty much willy nilly. The up side is that users can quickly switch between any running application. The down side, apparently, is that there are no real limitations keeping apps from constantly running in the background, using your phone’s radio and other hardware, and running down your battery.
Speaking at an event this week, Google co-founder Larry Page basically said that Android phone should be able to get at least all-day battery life. And if that’s not happening, Page blames third party apps that are running constantly in the background.
The answer is basically to develop apps that do a better job of managing how they use the radio transmitter and receiver. But it doesn’t sound like Google is planning to make anyone do that anytime soon.
Google has given conferences on maximizing battery life for Android. Whether or not developers follow their guidelines is another case. However, like any “computer” device users need to be aware of the apps they use and how they affect the system as a whole and act accordingly.
Personally I always prefer choice over no-choice.
If Google would release a profiling app like powertop, except integrated in to the system so that it would warn you if a program's resource consumption goes above certain thresholds, then the users can fix their own problem by using another program. Ideally this will get reflected in market ratings (“great app but kills my batt. uninst”)
solution= automatic task killer. Get it. My battery lasts 1-3 days, depending on use.
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Gourmet To Go Sees Social Media As The Future of Business
Randy Sims of Gourmet To Go says successful businesses can't ignore social media.
Gourmet To Go is a 28-year-old local catering business headquartered in Maryland Heights. They specialize in freshly made corporate lunches and have an appreciation for locally sourced ingredients.
Owner Martha Uhlhorn says Gourmet to Go is the largest purchaser of Kale from Thies Farm (which also has an outlet in Maryland Heights.)
In addition to corporate lunches, Gourmet To Go offers catering services, three St. Louis retail outlets for lunch and take home dinners for busy workers who want to bring home something fresh but just as convenient as a drive through.
Randy Sims, a consultant who maintains Gourmet To Go’s online presence, said breaking into both Facebook and Twitter was a no-brainer.
“It’s another means of communicating the same message to a younger target audience," Sims said. "As a business, it’s where you have to be.”
Sims said Gourmet To Go’s year-old Twitter page specifically targets customers within walking distance of the downtown St. Louis retail outlet. “I tweet about the daily specials, sometimes about the nightly entrees.” The Gourmet To Go website offers a calendar of ever changing nightly entrees, but Sims considers Twitter a proactive way to remind people of their options rather than passively wait for customers to come to him.
The newer Facebook page was started in the fall of 2010 with the intention of appealing to a broader market. Around the holiday season, the Facebook posts focused mostly on the catering end. For 2011, Sims is examining the possibility of adding special coupons for people following Gourmet To Go on Facebook or Twitter.
Sims isn’t deterred by Gourmet To Go’s slow trickle of followers. “We’re growing more slowly because of the nature of what we are. Instead of a restaurant offering happy hours we use it to talk about our corporate menu, nightly entrees or fresh sandwiches. It’s a more immediate way of providing information.”


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Credit cards Updated:
Consumers could soon be paying for goods using mobile phones rather than credit cards, it has emerged.Orange has announced that it is teaming up with Barclaycard to develop a system that may see customers make payments simply by waving their handset over a reader.The firms are planning to launch products and services in partnership, aimed at their combined existing customer base of 28 million people.Chief executive of Barclaycard Antony Jenkins explained that he now expects phones to be used for everyday payments within the next three years."Both Barclaycard and Orange have a heritage of innovation and can see how mobile communications and payments can come together for the benefit of our customers," he remarked.UK payments association Apacs recently noted that changes had been made to allow consumers to carry out credit card comparisons more effectively, with a new format being adopted for the standard summary box.
Disclaimer: Information is correct as of the date of publication (shown at the top of this article). Any products featured may be withdrawn by their provider or changed at any time.
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Get involved! Send your photos, video, news & views by texting HT NEWS to 80360 or e-mail us
3:23pm Thursday 18th April 2013
COUNTRY PRODUCE MARKET – April 27, 10am to 12noon, at Vowchurch village hall. The best produce from the Golden Valley; cheeses, delicatessen, bread, chocolates, honey, preserves, apple juice, sausages and pies.
1:30pm Friday 28th September 2012
COUNTRY MARKET - Saturday, 10am to noon, get late summer produce, artisan breads, cheeses, honey, preserves, apple juice, pies, chocolates, hand-turned wood artifacts and other products from the Golden Valley . There will be a cafe, newspapers and made-toorder bacon butties.
12:55pm Thursday 28th June 2012
12:03pm Thursday 17th May 2012
COFFEE - Sheila Harvey will be welcoming visitors to a coffee morning in the garden of her home at Ladywell Cottage, on the Vowchurch to Michaelchurch Escley road, next Thursday, May 24, from 10.30am. There will be the usual stalls and a draw. The entrance fee of £4 and all proceeds will be for St Mary’s Church, Turnastone. The church thanks all those who came to the Easter tea.
1:40pm Thursday 22nd March 2012
COUNTRY MARKET - On March 31, 10am to noon at Vowchurch Village Hall, find all the best produce from the Golden Valley including eggs, spring lamb, organic veg, apple juice, bread and cheese, pies and preserves.
10:58am Thursday 23rd February 2012
12:00pm Thursday 8th December 2011
CHRISTMAS MARKET - On Saturday, 10am to noon at Vowchurch Village Hall, find mistletoe, mulled cider, Christmas gift ideas, artisan breads, cheeses, charcuterie, apple juice, organic vegetables, cakes, chocolates, preserves, honey and pies. Freshly brewed coffee, cakes, carols and custom-made bacon butties.
3:29pm Thursday 24th November 2011
COUNTRY MARKET - On Saturday, 10am to noon, at Vowchurch Village Hall, find artisan breads and cheeses, local meat and organic vegetables, pork pies, apple juice, chocolates, honey plus lots of original ideas for Christmas gifts and decorations. Order hampers for collection in December.
8:00am Thursday 20th October 2011
8:00am Thursday 23rd June 2011
Click on the links below to read latest news from your local area!


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It’s probably clear by now that we’re pretty big Halloween fans here. Spooky season for us starts earlier than it does for most, and we’re always keeping up with the latest films and tv series that pack a great scare. One of the most incredible things about this time of year is the influx of scary movies on tv networks and streaming platforms.
There’s Netflix and Chills, Hallowstream, and Huluween, to name a few, and fans are already setting up watch schedules alongside spooktacular food and drink items for friends and family. If there’s ever a time to have a themed night in with your friends, it’s Halloween.
While most streaming services are releasing those Halloween-centric lineups, HBO Max is sadly losing some horror favorites. New titles join streaming platforms every month which means some have to fall off as well; it’s just a shame that so many Halloween classics are leaving right before the spine-chilling night.
As Comicbook.com initially reported, fan favorites are leaving the streaming service before the holiday; so you may want to cram in as many of them as you can before they’re gone. Films like the first 3 Scream Movies, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Craft, and more are leaving the platform. I mean, how can we celebrate Halloween without this iconic quote?
Luckily, some of the titles leaving HBO Max should pop up on other streaming services/network Halloween watch-a-thons; and if not, you can always check your on-demand services, too.
What scary movies are a must-watch for you during Halloween? Let us know.


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Retailers play the survival game
Amid rising rents, operators adopt strategies such as moving back-offices, buying shop space or just closing expensive sites
Squeezed between soaring retail rents and a highly competitive market, big and small tenants are scratching their heads trying to find out the rule of survival in the city.
While big retail chains minimise the space they need by moving back-offices north of the border, some small retailers and banks choose to buy their own shop space to avoid the ups and downs of rents.
For property agents, the number of shops they keep serves as the market barometer as they have a flexible policy of opening and closing shops overnight in response to their business revenues.
Fast-food chain operator Fairwood Holdings says rising retail rents have not stopped its expansion in the city, where the economy is on the recovery track.
It plans to add eight stores this year and aims to have 100 stores in the city by 2010. It now has 72 fast-food outlets and cafes.
How does it manage to expand despite rising rents? By keeping only its head office and central kitchen in Hong Kong.
Fairwood chairman Dennis Lo Hoi-yeung said the company had moved most of its back-offices to Shenzhen where rents were cheaper and outsourced the logistics side to limit its expenses.
And Mr Lo adds: 'Our new outlets avoid prime locations.'
He said the chain preferred to move into shopping centres, where rents were more reasonable than street-level shops.
'We do not go for ground-level retail premises held by speculators who charge higher rents to attract buyers,' he said.
Besides, shopping centre operators charge base rent or turnover rent, whichever is higher.
'We normally pay 10 per cent to 12 per cent of our sales as turnover rents,' Mr Lo said, adding that the chain only leased retail space that charged about $50 per square foot per month, unlike cosmetic retailers and jewellers that can afford to pay up to $300 per square foot.
Underpinned by strong consumer spending, Hong Kong's retail leasing market continues to record steady growth. For example, two street-level units at 67 and 69 Argyle Street were pre-leased recently to a local apparel store at more than $900,000 per month.
Based on the floor area of about 1,550 square feet, the average rent is more than $580 per square foot a month, says Colliers International.
Mr Lo said although Fairwood had bought retail premises to offset the soaring rents of the 1990s, most of those properties had been sold. 'Buying our own shops is not economically viable for us,' he said.
For instance, for the cost of a retail property, the company can invest that on opening 10 to 20 new stores, Mr Lo said.
Just such a strategy is being adopted by Yu Kee, which sells food and vegetables at discounted prices. The firm prefers to buy properties for its retail chain to offset thinning margins from escalating rents. The chain bought 10 shops for its own operations in 2000.
'It is one way to maximise our margins even when retail rents are on an upswing,' a spokeswoman at Yu Kee said, adding that the company leased 60 shops as well.
Landlords have sought rent increases of up to 50 per cent as some of its leases come up for renewal, she said.
Yu Kee's rental expenses make up 5 per cent of its turnover, lower than the market's 10 per cent to 20 per cent.
CB Richard Ellis expects overall rental levels for retail properties to exhibit double-digit growth this year.
Ricacorp Properties managing director Ivan Ho Shiu-cheong said property agency branches that did not generate enough business to cover the rent were closed when the lease came up for renewal.
'Those leases that require 100 per cent higher rent than the previous agreement will also be reconsidered. Business determines the affordability of our rents,' he said.
Ricacorp operated 140 branches and would not renew 10 to 20 leases. he said.


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Tanya is a senior reporter at Business Insider, covering the intersection of brands, ad agencies, media companies, technology and culture.
Before joining BI, Tanya was a reporter at Digiday. She holds a Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University.
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Nissan Leaf Open Car unveiled
One-off designed to celebrate sales milestone
The Nissan Leaf Open Car was unveiled recently in Tokyo, at a forum about building a zero-emission society.
Nissan created this special one-off vehicle to celebrate the Leaf's 100,000th sale in Japan. According to Carsalesbase, 118,524 Leafs have been sold in the US, and 92,025 in Europe.
To make the car, Nissan lopped the roof off a regular Leaf hatchback. There doesn't seem to be a roof mechanism for the vehicle, and the rear doors are welded shut, possibly to improve structural rigidity.
As the rear doors no longer function, the company has removed the front passenger seat to enable easy ingress and egress for rear passengers.
The rear seats have also been elevated substantially, which means the vehicle could be used to carry dignitaries or celebrities in parades and other events.
Nissan hasn't released any details about the Leaf Open Car, so we don't know if the changes have impacted the vehicle's performance or range.
Launched in 2017, the second-generation Leaf is powered by a 110kW/320Nm electric motor, and has a 40kWh battery pack good for around 400km of driving range under the Japanese cycle, or 243km according to the US EPA. The new Leaf has yet to go on sale in Australia.
The company says it "currently [has] no production plans" for the Leaf Open Car.


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Here is a great article we came across about physical vs. digital reading:
Physical versus digital. Are you willing to pay more without the paper (and the smell)?
Yes, Amazon said last week that they’re selling millions of Kindle Fire tablets and Kindle e-Readers, so, more Kindle users means more eBook buyers. Barnes and Noble also enjoyed “millions” with its Nook Color, and its latest Nook Tablet Android-based device sporting the still cheaper $249 price. But here’s the problem of eReader owners, the prices of digitalized books are going up, while the printed books prices are going down.
The trend started last year, according to a New York Times article. Kindle, iPad and other eReader owners say the eBooks should be much (plus another “much”) cheaper with than print books largely due to the fact that publishers do not have to pay to print, cut trees and distribute the heavy books to brick and mortar stores.
Fast forward to 2011, the “e-books vs price vs demand vs supply trend” is continuing, and prices of eBooks are reportedly going up because book publishers have decided to set their own e-book prices.
For example, Walter Isaacson’s hit book “Steve Jobs” (hardcover) is currently priced at $17.49 in Amazon.com, while the Kindle version of the book is currently flaunting the $11.99 price tag. A total of $5.50 savings, but you’ll not experience the smell of the new book, the texture of the pages, and — the weight of the hardcover.
According to a Wall Street Journal article posted last week, the continuous increase in the prices of electronic books may already be hurting sales, and sadly, the price movement will continue despite the number of available e-books in multiple retailers, and the continuous growth of tablet computer and e-reader owners.
The Kindle Fire, despite its tablet nature, is a hot device that will surely boost the e-books sales. Apparently, the Kindle Fire is cheaper compared to the iPad and other Android-based tablets, but what is the point of buying a cheap tablet computer if you’re a heavy e-book buyer?
The point is this, Amazon and other e-book retailers wants to sell cheap e-books because it will attract more customers. Period.


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LOCAL ship operators were left speechless when Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) through their Harbour’s Division office issued a new rule on pilotage for ships with a length of 40m and above.
The new regulation will see SIPA pilots taking charge of the boat when arriving and departing the Point Cruz wharves.
The new rule comes into effect today.
Speaking to the Solomon Star yesterday Director of Fairwest shipping Chacha Bule Amoi said the new rule will affect ship owners.
In a letter addressed from the Harbour Master of SIPA J.Kulabule dated 14th of March, 2016 which was cited by the Solomon Star it said: “Please be advised that as of Friday 18th of March 2016, domestic ships with the length overall (LOA) of 40 meter and above will be boarded by SIPA pilots, when coming to berth and leaving berth.”
As such, the Harbour’s Division needs to be provided with the ships arrival and departure times, at least one hour before arrivals and departures, it added.
It further stated that the following domestic ships fall into the 40m and above category are as follows; Anjeanette (56.7), MB Makulata (40.1), LC Dragon (46.7), LC Phoenix, Marama Senikabuta (65), MV Express Pelican (44.7), Atlantic Puffin (45.5), Albatross (40.62), Chanella (41.55), Neptune Gale (56.54), Fair Glory (55.5), LC Pemandu (43.89), Wayline 8 (42.47), Meutek (42.47), Arnavon (43.99), Onogou (54), Pacific Ace (42.8), MV Lauru 1 (44.9), San Macos (45.37), Nusa Tupe (46), Ocean Grace (40.23), Solomon Venture (46), Derek 9 (46.83), Florence (47.1), Power 88 (42.51), Kosco (42.80), Solomon Ruby (46), Solomon Pearl (46), Solomon Emerald (46), Solomon Opal (46), Solomon Jade (46), LC Muva II (46.40), LC Meutck 4 (42.87), Kafe (43.50), LC Zaraly (58.56).
In response to this new regulation from the SIPA management, Mr Amoi who spoke on behalf of grieving ship owners said, this new system will definitely affect local shipping operators in the country, considering the costs of running such business is quite expensive.
He said, ship owners have spent a lot to the deteriorating wharves in Honiara, compared to the wharves in the provinces, which are better than the ones in Point Cruz, but they never spend any money when berthing.
Furthermore, he questioned the SIPA management if they can guarantee any damage sustain by their ship when berthing under the control of SIPA captains.
Mr Amoi, revealed that they spend almost millions to the fees imposed by SIPA new reform, and this new regulation on berthing will certainly has a negative recursion to the already struggling shipping businesses in the country.
He said, all ship owners are appealing to the SIPA Board to do away with the new rules applied here, as it kills the local ship masters, who strives to provide regular shipping services to the people of Solomon Islands.
He concluded that this new rules is normally for foreign vessels and they did not understand why it has to be applied on local ship owners.
The Ports management could not be reached for comments last night before this edition went to press.
By AATAI JOHN


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The United States will release the weekly Unemployment Claims on October 21, at 15:30 MT time (GMT+3).
5 important things this week will bring us!
- FOMC Meeting Minutes (Wed, 21:00 MT (19:00 GMT) time) – The Federal Reserve announced the “patient” way of its monetary policy and decided to leave its interest rates unchanged during the last meeting in January. The minutes from that meeting will shed more light on the current economic outlook by the Fed. If it contains any supportive data for the greenback, the American currency will go up.
- Australian jobs data (Thu, 2:30 MT (00:30 GMT) time) – the level of employment change is expected to advance by 15.2 thousand jobs. At the same time, the level of the unemployment rate is forecast to remain at the same level of 5%. If employment change is higher and the unemployment rate is lower than the forecasts, the AUD will go up.
- US headline and core durable goods orders (Thu, 15:30 MT (13:30 GMT) time) - According to analysts, the level of durable goods orders will increase by 0.8%, while its core level will rise by 0.2%. The higher-than-expected figures will push the USD higher.
- Canadian retail sales and core retail sales (Fri, 15:30 MT (13:30 GMT) time) - The headline indicator will likely remain at the same level. As for core retail sales, analysts expect it to decline by 0.5%. If the actual releases are higher, it will help the Canadian dollar to rise.
- Speech by the ECB president Mario Draghi (Fri, 17:30 MT (15:30 GMT) time) – the ECB president will speak as he accepts an honorary degree from the University of Bologna. His comments or answers to the questions may provide an opportunity to trade the euro.
- Theresa May plans to dispatch her ministers across Europe during this week in an attempt to save her Brexit agreement and ask the EU members to make concessions so that the party can vote for a re-written deal. She still has 9 days left before the vote in the Parliament on February 27. If her attempts are unsuccessful by that date, the Parliament will take over the process.
- Reportedly, the US and China have made great progress in trade negotiations last week. Next round of the talks will continue in Washington. Hopefully, they provide us with more clues on the conditions of the deal.
- Trump released declaration of a national emergency along the U.S.-Mexico border in an attempt to get funds for building a wall along the US-Mexico border. This news affected the USD negatively.
The Fed is ready to start tapering in November. Since the markets were expecting this and it wasn’t a surprise, the USD slumped allowing risk-on currencies and gold to rally up.
US Retail Sales will be out on October 15 at 15:30 MetaTrader time (GMT+3).
Last week was full of surprises! Stock indices have shown significant growth…
The US dollar is heading to close the seventh day in the red as it remains under selling pressure. The US data at 15:30 GMT+3 (jobless claims and Philly Fed Manufacturing Index) may support the greenback if it's strong.
Canada will publish the Retail Sales and Core Retail Sales on October 22, at 15:30 MT time (GMT+3).


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Girls’ Doors Shibuya – New Shop
In June of this year, the Japanese girl’s clothing brand LDS (Love Drug Store) opened a new shop / brand on Spain Zaka in Shibuya. This new LDS sub-brand is called “Girl’s Doors” and the theme is “Girl’s Fantasy”. According to the website of their parent company, that “fantasy” apparently refers to the fantasy of every Japanese girl to be hip and cool with the latest season’s trends in fashion. Even more than the already trendy LDS shops, the Girls’ Doors shop seems to be targeted at those girls who need to keep up with the latest constantly changing Japanese fashion trends.
Again, according their website, the demographic for Girls’ Doors is 20-28 year old Japanese females. They say that 80% of their clothing items are imported and 20% are produced in Japan. The prices in the boutique are listed as around 5,000 – 15,000 yen (US$50-US$150) for clothing items, and less for accessories. The shop carries all of the womens clothing items you would expect including shirts, pants, jackets, shoes, boots, hats, bags, belts, stockings, and other accessories – with styles changing often depending on the trend of the current season.
Here are a couple pictures of the new Shibuya shop:
Because this shop is located in the center of Shibuya’s trendy shopping area (near Parco), it seems to cater to the “cool” Japanese girls, including gyaru / gals and various different stylish Japanese fashion subcultures. This fall 2008 season, they have a lot of “folklore” fashion items, which all of the girls in central Tokyo seem to be wearing.
What: Girls’ Doors by LDS
Where: Shibuya on Spain Zaka
Address: 13-17 Udagawa-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Hours: 11:00 – 21:00
Map: Spain Zaka Shops
Website: Official Site (Japanese)
Nearest Train Station: Shibuya Station
I am posting this in the “new shop” updates, even though the shop officially opened a few months ago – sorry!


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May 31, 2020
Marc Grens is an investor, Fin Tech expert, and the Co-Founder and President of DigitalMint, the leading Bitcoin point-of-sale provider in the USA.
May 27, 2020
Evan Shapiro is the CEO and Co-Founder of O(1) Labs, the team behind Coda Protocol. Coda swaps the traditional blockchain for a tiny cryptographic proof, enabling a cryptocurrency as accessible as any other app or website. This makes it dramatically easier to develop user friendly crypto apps that run natively in...


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CPGToolBox Connects with Salesforce Lightning
To deliver packaged goods companies a more intuitive way to plan and analyze trade promotions, CPGToolBox released an upgraded TPM platform that harnesses Salesforce.com.
As the CPG industry continues to adjust to the effects of e-commerce and shrinking shelf space, improving the speed of information to remain competitive has become a priority.
The Salesforce.com Lightning version of CGPToolBox's Trade Planner platform offers a single-page interface with streamlined navigation, fewer steps, clicks and toggling for a better user experience and improved productivity. Upgraded features include reporting, on-screen data, cloning and an interactive planning calendar.
“CPG companies who utilize the Lightning version ... will be able to manage the entire lifecycle of a promotion in less time and with less effort,” says Rick Pensa, chief executive officer of CPGToolBox.
A Forrester Research study commissioned by Salesforce recently quantified the time-saving benefits that come with Lightning, the newest version of Salesforce.com. The findings revealed that an organization deploying Lightning-ready software increased productivity by up to 25% and saved more than one hour per week over a three-year period.
“The fact that CPGToolBox Trade Planner is built on the Salesforce.com Lightning platform means we can pass all the proven productivity enhancements directly to CPG companies and help them take trade management to the next level,” says Pensa.


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Daisy Fit Forms Uses 3D Printing to Transform Prostheses for Breast Cancer Survivors — Asks Kickstarter for Help
Breast cancer is the most common cancer found in women—across the board—with over 220,000 women being diagnosed each year (according to the CDC ). With those numbers piling up year after year, that leads to a great number of mastectomies being performed, whether single or double, yearly.
One would think the prostheses business for breasts would be booming after all this time, with choices and technology abounding. What a shock to find that there are only four types of prostheses being made for breasts, with only four styles. The Daisy Fit Forms company, upon discovering this—and the technology of 3D printing–has set out to make a change. The team is well-aware that there is enormous demand for the product which they know they can produce in a quality, affordable manner—hoping to make breast cancer survivor’s lives just that much easier.
Hoping to serve just some of the many hundreds of thousands of women who have been affected by breast cancer and mastectomies by offering them new 3D printed prostheses designed specifically for them, and created through a one-on-one basis, Daisy Fit Forms has turned to Kickstarter to launch their product and gain recognition for a very necessary product. The team hopes to raise $45K by May 2nd.
With the Daisy Fit Forms prostheses, women are offered not only unmatched, expertly designed and fitted prostheses, but are treated with sensitivity regarding unique concerns, symmetry, etc.
Obviously four sizes cannot fit all. Answering an outpouring of requests from women who want to feel beautiful and complete again, not only after struggling with breast cancer, but also mastectomies, Daisy Fit Forms offers an affordable way for women to have access to a broader array of choices that offer symmetry, balance, and comfort.
What makes an enormous difference with Daisy Fit is the customization and affordability made possible with 3D printing. Even better, and more convenient too, is that women are able to get the process going privately with the use of a mobile or web-based app that the Daisy Fit Forms team created for free downloading. The app allows the user to take a picture of her breast(s) that require the prosthesis and then upload it for 3D printing.
Each prosthetic is:
- Made from a 3D printed mold which is then hand-crafted in lightweight form
- Constructed from medically approved materials
- Custom-molded for individual shape and size
- Realistic and comfortable
- Encased in either white, beige, or black soft, durable fabric
Daisy Fit Forms was founded by designer Lorne Gagnon, a certified mastectomy fitter who for 25 years has been in the business of fitting women who’ve endured mastectomies. He designs custom-fitted swimwear, bras, tops, and dresses.
With the Kickstarter funds, the company would be able to implement manufacturing of their completed prosthetic prototype, improve plans for customer service, create a bigger online presence, and do more for their customers overall. With a pledge of $250, supporters receive recognition plaques, as do all the supporters at or past that amount. At the $500 level, supporters also receive two custom prostheses. As the pledge amounts go up from there, supporters are offered more prostheses, as well as wholesale price coupons for friends.
Headquartered in West Palm Beach Florida, the company will be opening their online services to the public in May.
Have you, or do you know someone who has been affected by breast cancer? Is this a Kickstarter campaign you plan to support? Tell us about it in the Daisy Fit Forms 3D Printed Prostheses forum over at 3DPB.com. Check out the Kickstarter pitch video below:
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text: There's been a lot of innovation this year in the hemp space from harvesting equipment, dryers and genetics to product development. This week we have a conversation with Patrick Hyland and Nicole Foss of NeXtraction, a company that has developed a new extraction process using water. Their products are produced with little waste and environmental impact operating under a triple bottom line ideology. It's clean, safe and scalable. As always please like, share and subscribe to The Hemp Entrepreneur Podcast to hear from more entrepreneurs like Patrick and Nicole.


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KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia would focus on regional economic integration and the conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) could not materialize following the withdrawal of the United States, officials said Tuesday.
Prime Minister Najib Razak said Malaysian economy would remain strong despite TPP does not come into effect.
The country would push for the economic integration among the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the timely conclusion of the RCEP which groups ASEAN and its six major trading partners including China, said International and Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed.
Malaysia will also pursue bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) including with TPP members whom it currently does not have any preferential trading arrangement, Mustapa said in a statement.
In regard to the argument by newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump that TPP would cause job losses in the U.S. and outflow of funds, Mustapa insisted that the trade pact was a balanced agreement as U.S. will also benefit from better market access to countries which it does not have FTA with such as Japan, Vietnam and Malaysia.
He said the chief negotiators from other 11 TPP countries will be in constant communication with each other to consider all available options before deciding the best way forward, without elaborating on whether Malaysia would pursue a TPP without the United States.
Prime Minister Najib said the 11 remaining TPP countries will hold meeting to discuss the future directions and the way forward.
In an article published on his blog on Tuesday, Najib said Malaysia could still tap into the opportunities provided by its ties with existing trading partners and with other ASEAN members, mentioning its strong bilateral ties with countries like China and Japan.
"We expect the bilateral trade volume between Malaysia and China to exceed 100 billion U.S. dollars," he said.


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Andersen Corporation recently teamed up with the University of Minnesota’s College of Design to create an innovation challenge, part of the senior capstone for the school’s product design majors.
Graduating seniors spent their Spring 2021 semester working directly with Andersen® products and the company’s Research, Development and Innovation team to develop innovative window and door solutions for bringing the outdoors in.
“The idea for the contest arose from the trend of merging indoor and outdoor spaces through creative home design, as well as COVID-era concerns about getting enough fresh air inside buildings. For people without an outdoor space to utilize, windows can be a means to allow the outdoors in,” explained Andersen’s Research Development & Innovation Product Design Manager, Ben Goebel.
Students were tasked with designing a fully functional window prototype that addresses one of four concerns: security, allergies, accessibility, or noise for tenants living in apartments, assisted living, or dorm-type buildings. The student with the best all-around product was awarded a $1,000 prize.
The 2021 Innovation Challenge winner was Rachel Davel. Davel’s winning project focused on improving air quality and long-term health for families living in dense urban environments, who she found were often affixing air filters to box fans and propping them in their windows to provide air influx without pollution. With this in mind, Davel designed an adjustable window fan with a minimalist-profile and two-way filters to more effectively purify the air.
Image Credit: University of Minnesota College of Design
“By the end of the semester, we had all been dealing with the pandemic for over a year, giving us a very different relationship with our homes and personal space. Designing around increasing airflow and how that can positively influence an individual's health felt very relevant. It was a reminder that as designers we have a responsibility to use our skills to help others,” said Davel in an interview with the College of Design.
Read more about the contest, here.
Posted: August 31, 2021


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Kerry Logistics, Spain's Correos enter JV; will set up sortation centre in China
June 19, 2019: Kerry Logistics Network Limited has formed a joint venture with Spain’s national postal service Sociedad Estatal de Correos y Telégrafos, S.A. (Correos) to tap the potential of China
June 19, 2019: Kerry Logistics Network Limited has formed a joint venture with Spain’s national postal service Sociedad Estatal de Correos y Telégrafos, S.A. (Correos) to tap the potential of China's e-commerce growth.
Under the joint venture, a sortation centre will be set up in Southern China, equipped with an automated sorting system and stringent parcel screening and security controls to ensure speedy parcel handling and full compliance.
The 2,00,000 sq ft facility is likely to be opened in 2019 Q4. It will have an initial sorting capacity of 5,00,000 parcels per day, said a release.
William Ma, group managing director of Kerry Logistics, said, “The JV combines the diverse capabilities of its two partners, each complementing the other to refine the process of e-commerce parcels handling and deliveries. As China’s cross-border e-commerce exports grow, we are determined to prepare ourselves for seizing emerging opportunities. Utilising our deep understanding of customers’ needs both in China and abroad, Kerry Logistics is confident in meeting the rapidly growing international demands through working closely with Correos.”
Cross-border e-commerce exports from China recorded a 67 percent year-on-year increase in 2018, amounting to RMB56.12 billion, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.
Juan Manuel Serrano Quintana, president of the board of directors of Correos, said, “The new partnership with Kerry Logistics presents a unique opportunity for Correos to capture the outbound e-commerce parcel deliveries from China, which is the largest trade and economic partner for Spain in Asia. It also offers a way forward for Correos to create a sustainable business model to meet the growing demand in the booming e-commerce business and the ever-changing customer needs.”
In May 2019, Kerry Logistics established Kerry Cold Chain Solution Ltd to expand its food-related cold chain business in Mainland China.


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It's the digital age, do you know where your brand is?
It only takes an iPhone and a Twitter handle to engage your customers. While the payoff can be big, so can the risks.
- Brian Bushner and Todd Kehoe, Albany Business Review
(Page 5 of 5)
3 Plan, Plan, Plan
With so many platforms to consider, planning is key. University at Albany posts on nine social sites; without planning, it wouldn't work. "It takes a person full-time just to keep it together," says Jennifer Carron, the school's director of marketing services.
Which platform to use, when to post and how often are also questions that need to be answered before starting. Many companies with multiple people working on social media plan the timing on their posts long before they're sent.
4 Have a conversation
Never forget that social media should be a conversation. It shouldn't be treated like direct marketing. That means networks need to be monitored closely, which allows organizations to talk with customers, rather than at them.
"We try not to just post. We also spend a lot of time retweeting people and interacting," said Rachel Pieliazek, marketing coordinator at the Times Union Center.
5 Don't go overboard
In Twitter's IPO filing, the company said its users were tweeting more than 500 million times a day. That's a lot of noise, and people interviewed for this story stressed repeatedly not to add to it.
But it can be a fine line.
If you are commenting using a Facebook account, your profile information may be displayed with your comment depending on your privacy settings. By leaving the 'Post to Facebook' box selected, your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below.
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Former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King believes Sazka Group could help to revive the UK’s high streets if it wins the bid for the Fourth National Lottery Licence.
King, who stepped down from his role at Sainsbury’s in 2014, was appointed to the Czech firm’s advisory board for its bid for the UK National Lottery last month.
Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, King stated that Sazka aims to add its ‘technological savvy’ to the lottery’s online offer and drive more players to independent stores.
He said: “If you look at the lottery as it stands, one of the trends that is not good is that its growth has been achieved largely by fewer players playing much more often.
“The lottery was billed as one of the saving graces of the independent corner shop – it would be a footfall driver, a reason for regular visits, which perhaps those corner shops have lost.”
The UK Gambling Commission will decide later this year who to award the Fourth National Lottery Licence to, with the contenders believed to be current licence holders Camelot, Sazka, and Indian firm Sugal & Damani.
King is part of Sazka’s advisory board that will provide counsel to bid chair Sir Keith Mills and the wider team as part of the company’s bid for the Fourth National Lottery Licence.
The bid advisory board includes experts from a range of fields, including good causes, player protection, digital and innovation, and entertainment. Recent additions to the board include tech entrepreneur Brent Hoberman and former Global CEO of Syco Entertainment Charles Garland.
King will work closely with Mills and the Sazka team on retail strategy and how the lottery can play an integral role in the revitalisation of the high street and local retail post-COVID-19.
The team will draw on his expertise to improve the customer experience, support independent retailers and expand the lottery’s product and marketing portfolio.
If the group is awarded the licence, it would mark the first change in operator since the lottery’s 1994 inception.


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Last-minute negotiations fail, Hostess to close
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Time will likely run out for Hostess Brands on Wednesday, after a last-ditch mediation effort by a bankruptcy court judge failed to produce a deal between the company and its striking bakers’ union.
Judge Robert Drain, who had essentially ordered the two sides to a mediation effort he himself oversaw, is set to rule on Hostess Brands’ motion to wind down the company at a hearing in White Plains, N.Y. He adjourned a hearing on the motion Monday after saying he wanted to take one last shot at saving the 18,500 jobs at the company.
But Hostess, maker of such beloved products as Twinkies, Wonder Bread and Drake’s snacks, announced Tuesday that the mediation efforts had failed to produce a deal to restart its operations. Its CEO and attorneys had previously said reaching a deal that could restart the company’s nationwide network of 33 bakeries and 565 distribution centers would be difficult due to the financial damage done by the strike that started Nov. 9.
The company announced the shutdown of its operations on Friday, and the hearing Monday had been expected to simply confirm the decision to liquidate and start the sale of its assets. Hostess Brands also has asked for approval of $1.75 million in bonuses, ranging from $7,400 to $130,500, to be paid to 19 executives to oversee the liquidation of the company. It said it needs the bonuses to make sure the executives it needs stay with the company through the end.
“The cessation of … operations is not a simple matter of turning off the lights and shutting the doors,” the company wrote in a court filing on Friday.
Unions at Hostess are on record opposing the bonus requests.
The Bakery Workers union did not comment on the failed mediation. It has repeatedly said that mismanagement and the debt placed on the company by its current and past owners were the reasons for the company’s failure, not the strike. It said its membership was overwhelmingly opposed to the wage and benefit concessions agreed to by other Hostess employees, including the majority of the 6,700 members of the Teamsters’ union at Hostess.
The Teamsters issued a statement Tuesday saying the failure of mediation and the likely liquidation of the company was a tragic outcome. It did not comment on who it blamed for the shutdown.
A statement last week blamed poor management for the shutdown, but also appeared to also criticize the bakers’ union without explicitly naming it, saying that “not all stakeholders were willing to be constructive.”
Assuming Drain approves the company’s motion, Hostess will start to sell off its assets, including its iconic brands and recipes, which could return its beloved products to store shelves at some time in the future.
On Monday, private equity firm Sun Capital Partners told Fortune that it wants to buy Hostess as a going concern. It would reopen the shuttered factories, and keep the Hostess workers and their unions. But it’s not clear Sun Capital’s offer would top those of other bidders who would simply produce the product with the bidders’ existing staff facilities, leaving the Hostess workers out of luck.


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WORKING TOWARDS INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION
SUSTAINABILITY IS A buzz word often used in agriculture around the globe; but for Ontario growers, it is a word that is about to become more meaningful in the soybean market at home.
With the goal of developing market opportunities, Grain Farmers of Ontario is leading an initiative to add Canada to the list of Roundtable for Responsible Soy (RTRS) members. For growers, this means they will have the opportunity to earn a certification in sustainable production and potentially access markets currently out of reach.
“The motivation for this project comes from the goal of equipping growers with business tools now so they are ready to meet demand when opportunities arise,” says Crosby Devitt, Grain Farmers of Ontario’s manager of market development and research.
RTRS was founded in 2006 as a multi-stakeholder association and now has more than 170 international members. Four years post-launch, the organization approved the RTRS Standard for Responsible Soy Production — a certification program that ensures production methods are environmentally, socially, and economically responsible.
“Our mission is to encourage soybeans to be produced in a responsible manner to reduce social and environmental impacts now and in the future,” says Veronica Chorkulak, RTRS business development manager.
Chorkulak says that RTRS-certified soybeans are currently being grown in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, India, Paraguay, China, and the United States. In addition to Canada, plans to adopt the program are also underway in Bolivia.
While RTRS sets the overall framework, each participating country works to develop and approve their own interpretation of the certification standard. Each interpretation supports the program’s mission but is open to customization depending on national labour laws, environmental regulations, or other legislation.
The Canadian standard began to take shape last winter when initial roundtable discussions were held between Grain Farmers of Ontario, grower representatives, industry partners, and retailers such as Sobey’s Inc.
“Canada is an important soy producer and through province involvement, the market transformation process that has already started internationally can be enriched and accelerated,” says Chorkulak.
The Canadian interpretation of the RTRS standard was finalized at the end of August 2014.
A pilot project was conducted during the 2014 growing season to assess the feasibility of the certification process in Ontario. It was conducted under the leadership of Troy Snobelen of Snobelen Farms Ltd. in Lucknow. Seven producers dedicated acreage to the project and tracked their sustainable growing methods to put the proposed framework to the test.
Snobelen is now working to confirm market opportunities for these beans and will collaborate with Grain Farmers of Ontario to analyze project findings post-harvest.
“As the agricultural industry aims towards producing sustainable products, Snobelen Farms feels that it is necessary to gain RTRS certification,” says Snobelen. “Customers and end users have been discussing the need to buy sustainable soybeans for some time and we believe that RTRS is the right model to follow as it encompasses a worldwide approach.”
Devitt says it is important to note that Ontario growers are already doing many of the things that the program deems as sustainable practices. “To become certified, the most significant change for most growers would be the level of documentation required.”
Maintaining RTRS certification includes audit procedures and he says record keeping and auditing are components being tested through the pilot project.
“The documentation would be comparable to the requirements of an Identify Preserved (IP) program where growers agree to conduct certain activities on-farm, record when and how the tasks are completed, and share that information with the end customer,” says Devitt.
The RTRS system was initially developed in response to market demand for soybeans produced using sustainable practices that are tracked and recorded. This demand was primarily sparked by concerns in Europe regarding the health of ecosystems and rainforests in high production areas.
“Given the growing demand, we researched ways to track sustainable production and found that RTRS certification has the most immediate market potential,” says Devitt. “But until now, demand for soybeans with this certification has been an opportunity only available to South American suppliers.”
Scott Tudor, sustainability manager at Sobeys Inc., echoes Devitt’s comments about the growing demand for sustainable products. “We recognize that as the world population continues to grow, we as food retailers need to support sustainable production as a way to feed the next generation.”
Tudor says that soybeans are recognized by The Consumer Goods Forum — a group of over 400 manufacturers and retailers across 70 countries — as a key protein commodity. “Sustainable soybean production is being talked about as a global issue,” he explains.
“At Sobey’s, we are looking forward to the opportunity to work with Grain Farmers of Ontario and potentially individual Ontario growers to bring certified sustainable soybeans to market.”
Devitt says future market opportunities will ultimately dictate how many acres of certified soybeans will be demanded
“Grain Farmers of Ontario’s role is to support this market as it develops and provide growers with the tools they need,” he says. Devitt notes that one example of Grain Farmers of Ontario’s support could be the creation of a central web-based record keeping program where all certified growers in the province could store required information.
“We believe producers are agents of change,” says Chorkulak. “We hope Ontario can expand the certification process, involve new stakeholders and lead market development for RTRS material in North America.”
Updated information about the grower pilot project and related market opportunities can be found at www.gfo.ca as they become available.
This project was funded in part through Growing Forward 2 (GF2), a federal-provincial- territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of GF2 in Ontario. Funding has also been provided by Grain Farmers of Ontario. •


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Hunter Engineering Co. has introduced its new Hawkeye XL alignment system for commercial vehicles.
According to Hunter officials, the aligner provides measurements in four minutes or less and will be on display at the Hunter booth at the Specialty Equipment Market Association show in Las Vegas, Nev. on Oct. 31 – Nov. 3.
“With our old system, I was doing 15 trucks in one 10-hour day,” says Vernon Embree, technician of Prime Inc., who tested the Hawkeye XL with its fleet of newer trucks.
“Now I’ve hit 26 trucks in one day. I would definitely recommend the XL to anybody.”
The aligner features new camera technology with expansion from the Hawkeye Elite alignment system. It also features three-dimensional XL targets that are non-electric; high-definition cameras that display live alignment readings; an extended range that allows the system to align with 53-foot trailers; and more.
The XL offers optional fully integrated alignment with Hunter’s L494HD alignment rack, or FIA-compatible turnplate kits to streamline processes. Standard self-centering adaptors fit wheels from 15- to 28-inches.
The Hawkeye XL also connects to the HunterNet 2 customer portal.
“Technicians love the simplicity and ease of the Hawkeye XL,” says Alan Hagerty, product manager, for Hunter.
“It’s perfect for heavy-duty shops looking to speed up and supersize their alignment capabilities.”


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Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San Jose) is leading the charge for canine cannabis . Under a bill recently proposed by Kalra, veterinarians would be able to talk about marijuana treatment for pets. Currently, it’s illegal for vets to discuss pot as an option. “We’re doing this bill because we want research to … Read More
The post Cannabis Treatments For Pets Could Be Coming To California appeared first on Dagga Magazine.


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Corsair is one of the companies that helped forge the third-party SSD ecosystem as SSDs entered the mainstream. The new Neutron XT is a continuation of that theme, but leverages the new Phison quad-core S10 controller. Phison and Silicon Motion have been grabbing SSD controller market share as we await new competitive products from SandForce and Marvell. The SSD also features Toshiba A19nm 2bit MLC NAND.
Chris posted the Corsair Neutron XT SSD Preview as an early look at the new drive, but withheld final scoring until concrete MSRP information was available. Corsair has released the MSRP guidelines. The 240GB SSD is $149.99, the 480GB is $269.99, and the 960GB weighs in at $539.00.
The Apple iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are extremely popular smartphones - demand has been very tight, and supply constraints have eased only slightly. However, supply still hasn't caught up with such strong demand, with 56 percent of models available in store as of Friday, December 12, according to figures compiled by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster.
Mid-November statistics indicated there was only little supply, and Munster predicts it will be close to the end of the quarter before the numbers reach 80 percent supply.
Apple previously said it didn't have interest in larger-screened iPhones, but reversed its decision after Google Android smartphones began to take over. Each new generation of iPhone tends to do well, but the large screen devices have captured a large amount of attention from Apple enthusiasts.
The Ebola outbreak has largely lost popularity in the press, but the war wages on in Africa, and over 6,800 people have died in the recent scourge. Unfortunately, the death toll continues to climb. One of the keys to combating Ebola is quick detection. Isolating patients away from the general population reduces risk of that infected person spreading the disease. The World Health Organization has set a goal of have 70% of Ebola victims quarantined, and 70% of the dead safely buried, in order to begin to turn the tide back. To achieve this goal a fast and reliable test is needed to streamline the process. Even the sad task of ensuring proper burial protocols is simply impossible if there isn't a confirmed Ebola diagnosis.
Enter technology. An IC developed by STMicroelectronics and Clonit, in collaboration with Italy's National Institute for Infectious Diseases, has led to development of a portable analyzer that can identify an Ebola infection in under 75 minutes. The portable analyzer is based on the Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) molecular biology technique and utilizes a stamp-sized silicon microchip. The device only requires a few microliters of human blood, and can even detect Ebola in samples that have been diluted up to a million times. The key is to get this device through regulatory agencies and in the field as soon as possible.
The debate regarding the use of police body cameras rages on across the country, as numerous jurisdictions continue to evaluate potential benefits and risks of using them. Supporters hope it will help keep police officers on their best behavior, while also making criminals think twice before engaging in an altercation with police.
Some of the benefits of deploying body cameras worn by officers include being able to resolve complaints from the public, using footage in future training efforts, and providing additional evidence in legal cases.
"In addition to these benefits, a recent study suggests that the mere presence of [body worn cameras] may even serve to prevent negative interactions by modifying police officer and citizen behavior," according to a study from the Department of Justice. "As a result, the use of these devices may lead to enhance police accountability, as well as improved police-community relations."
Stanford University will study artificial intelligence over the next 100 years, as part of a long-lasting study to see how AI impacts the US economy, war, crime, and society as a whole. There is growing concern that AI developments, while extremely impressive, could displace human workers and create something that may have disastrous long-term effects.
"Loss of control of A.I. systems has become a big concern," said Dr. Horvitz, Microsoft Research managing director, in a statement to the New York Times. "Rather than simply dismiss these dystopian claims, he said, scientists instead must monitor and continually evalutate the technologies. Even if the anxieties are unwarranted, they need to be addressed."
Dr. Horvitz will lead a committee of leading computer, math and engineering professors and representatives from around the country - and carefully chosen scientists will create a report on the current state of AI that will be published in late 2015.
Students studying unmanned aerial systems and aviation at the Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio, will be able to test their creations in a custom 40-foot high pavilion. The school wanted students to be able to test their flying aircraft in a controlled environment, while also not worrying about any Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restrictions.
"We think it is really important for students to be able to experience the capabilities of flying, said Deb Norris, Sinclair VP for workforce development and corporate services, in a statement published by the Associated Press.
As drones are expected to have a larger role in the United States, colleges and universities want to prepare students for job opportunities - and to give them real-world training in how to design, repair, and use them.
Seattle non-profit group Urban Death Project has a wacky idea: to provide human composting, so recently deceased human bodies can be used to help nurture plant life. Non-profit organizers want to begin the service within three years, but must complete fundraising and build a facility to conduct research. The Washington State Department of Licensing said the group will also have to receive a license to operate as a funeral home.
The bodies would be stored up to 10 days in a refrigeration unit, and no embalming would be required.
"The idea is to fold the dead back into the city," said Katrina Spade, founder and executive director of the Urban Death Project, in a statement. "The options we currently have for our bodies are lacking, both from an environmental standpoint, but also, and perhaps more importantly, from a meaning standpoint."
Re-gifting is a common practice, especially during the Christmas holiday season, and opens consumers up to potential security problems, according to identity protection company Protect Your Bubble. Consumers need to be fully aware of potential risks when they give PCs, laptops, smartphones and tablets to a family member or friend - many users forget about email addresses and social networking sites they are auto-logged into, financial details available on the storage drive, and other personal information.
"Identity theft has received a lot of awareness in the news media over the last few years, especially around the holidays," said David Anderson, Protect Your Bubble Director of Product. "However, someone's digital and personal footprint can still be acquired any number of ways outside the cash register or Internet shopping cart."
At a time when data breaches and identity theft are continually in the headlines, remembering to disable apps, uninstall programs, and delete financial information is important.
Connected technologies should have a major presence during CES 2015 next month in Las Vegas, as the Internet of Things (IoT) provides a great variety of different smart products. The wide adoption of smartphones and tablets, controlling these connected services, will make it even easier to control a slew of potential new devices.
Currently, 16 percent of online households have at least one connected home device, however, it will take some time to show connected tech is more than a gimmick. To that extend, most current spending on connected home devices and services is saved for households with "high-disposable-income," according to the Gartner research group.
"I think we will see the trend of more household/standard brands in the connected home space," said Hendrik Bartel, Gartner research director, in a Gartner statement. "This will be [a] huge step towards democratization of such services and devices. Certainly Apple HomeKit will bear the first fruits, and we should see products taking advantage of deep iOS integration at CES 2015. I am also really hoping for new innovative ways to control existing connected home devices."
After The Australian released reports on some possibly dodgy conduct by tech-giant Telstra back in October 2014, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) were urged to investigate - eventually ruling that Telstra's ads were misrepresenting the price of their iPhone 6 phone and plan bundle.
Telstra has rolled over to this claim, paying the fine in full. The ads in question were run in local newspapers, claiming that the phone and accompanying phone plan would cost consumers only $70 AU per month, with the fine print stating that there was a sneaky $11 AU per month handset payment applicable - raising the total cost to $81 AU.
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims commented that "consumers should be able to understand the true cost of an advertised product so they can make informed purchasing decisions," further warning that all "businesses must be careful about using attention-grabbing headline prices to ensure that their advertisements do not mislead consumers about the actual price they will have to pay. This is especially the case for bundled goods and services like phones and plans."


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Cyberport announced the new Cyberport Macro Fund (CMF) for Hong Kong-based digital entrepreneurs is open for applications. With an initial size of HK$ 200 million, the CMF aims to accelerate the growth of digital technology start-ups and facilitate their development to become the next generation of technology entrepreneurial leaders.
As part of a broader effort to expand the scope of the one-stop entrepreneur support programme, the CMF is open to all promising Hong Kong-based digital technology scalable start-ups. This includes incubatees, graduates of Cyberport’s programmes, Smart-Space companies and office tenants at Cyberport.
“Cyberport is excited to be the facilitator to transform the potential of Hong Kong’s digital entrepreneurs into actions and accelerate their growth in various stages of their development. Through the CMF, Cyberport looks forward to connecting investors with aspiring start-ups and opening up more funding opportunities for entrepreneurs to go after their ambition,” said Mr. Herman Lam, CEO of Cyberport.
The investment fund will offer seed to Series A stage funding to digital start-ups by co-investing with other private and public investors to encourage the development of a venture capital ecosystem in Hong Kong.
Successful applicants, set to receive between HK$1 million to HK$20 million in accumulative investment per each investee, will be assessed based on their business model including the areas of compliance, governance, financial position and business viability as well as the potential return on investment in business and proven involvement in the Cyberport community.
Don’t miss this unique chance to make a difference to your start-up. Apply today.
Visit www.cyberport.hk/en/about_cyberport/cyberport_macro_fund for more information.


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The Samsung Galaxy M13 5G and Galaxy M13 4G smartphones’ India launch dates have been announced. The handsets have been spotted on Amazon. Samsung will soon launch two new smartphones in India under its M-series. Notably, these devices will carry the Samsung Galaxy M13 and the Galaxy M13 5G monikers. To recap, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy M13 back in May this year. Now, the company will bring the Galaxy M13 and Galaxy M13 5G into the Indian market later this month.
The Samsung Galaxy M13 series smartphones will launch in India on July 14. The handset’s imminent launch isn’t surprising. To recap, the Galaxy M13 had already bagged a Bluetooth SIG certificate in April. This was a major sign that the device will launch soon. Now, the Galaxy M13 series will be available on Amazon India. The listing has shed some light on the devices’ key specs. Also, it gives us a glimpse into the handsets’ awe-inspiring design.
Gizchina News of the week
Samsung Galaxy M13, Galaxy M13 5G India launch Date
The Galaxy M13 will be available in 4G and 5G variants in India. Also, the smartphones will launch in India on July 14. As per the microsite on Amazon India, the two smartphones will ship with up to 12GB of RAM. Also, it will feature Samsung’s virtual RAM dubbed RAM Plus. So, the devices will use their internal storage in addition to the physical RAM. For optics, the Galaxy M13 will house three rear-mounted cameras. However, details about the sensors are still scarce.
Further, the Galaxy M13 will use a 6,000mAh battery to draw its juices. Also, this cell will support 15W fast charging. Now, the Galaxy M13 5G will come with a 5,000mAh battery that supports 15W fast charging. Moreover, the 5G-ready phone will have a dual rear camera setup. Both smartphones will feature a water-drop notch display. They will have a thicker chin bezel than the other three sides. According to Samsung, the 5G-enabled model will boast 11 5G bands.
Under the hood, the Galaxy M13 5G could pack a Dimensity 700 SoC. Also, it will reportedly sport a 6.5-inch LCD panel with an HD+ resolution. The phone will ship with up to 6GB RAM and offer 128GB of onboard storage. It could also get a 50MP main sensor on the back. There will be a 2MP secondary sensor as well. Upfront, the phone will feature a 5MP shooter for selfies. Now, the 4G variant will sport a 6.6-inch LCD panel with Full HD+ resolution. It could come with an Exynos 850 SoC. Both phones will run Android 12 with OneUI 4.1 on top.


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February 7th, 2011
Econintersect: The CMI (Consumer Metrics Institute) has estimated that some of the mortgage payments not made when a mortgagor is defaulting end up as consumer spending. The current levels of default and foreclosure activity has led CMI to estimate that $90 billion a year is no longer being paid to lenders by defaulting home owners. Follow up:
Follow up:Of this $90 billion, between 25% and 50% is being spent, CMI estimates. This would account for 2-4% of current consumer spending on discretionary consumer durable goods.
Source: GEI Analysis


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While the holiday season is filled with joy, shopping and twinkling lights, unfortunately many don’t know where there next meal will come from. Recent statistics show that in many impoverished areas in Arizona nearly one-in-three children go hungry.
For the holiday season, Vermaland has sponsored St. Vincent de Paul’s Family Evening Meal on Dec. 23 from 4:45 to 6:30 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul’s downtown Phoenix location at 420 W. Watkins Rd. Along with several hundred meals Vermaland will be hosting, there will be small gifts for guests popcorn and carnival games for children.
“During this time of year Vermaland likes to pay it forward to the community that has supported us for so many years,” said Kuldip Verma, CEO of Vermaland. “I believe that as a company owner it is our duty to reach out and help others when they are in need. Teaming up with a wonderful organization like St. Vincent de Paul for this meal just days before Christmas will help feed those who are hungry.”


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The focus of v10.1901.10521.0 of Windows 10’s Snip & Search app is on making fixes to problems previously reported by users.
Seeing AI now lets users tap on different parts of an image to have objects described, and has also launched a native iPad app.
Microsoft is urging Windows users not to make fear-based decisions in purchasing Windows cleaner programs.
Samsung Galaxy S8 and S9 users can now mirror their phone to their PC, increasing productivity on devices that support Bluetooth Low Energy.
Since the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, the Surface Pen has not been pairing with devices and some features are not working.
Windows Insider Program chief, Dona Sarkar, has spoken of the positive impact Insiders have had on Windows 10 through its first year. On the day of its anniversary, Sarkar says Insiders have helped shape the platform.
The Xbox One now lets Store users filter by price, category, rating, and more. After a short testing period, the feature is available to all users.
Microsoft is preparing to launch a preview of Chromium Edge and already has 82 Chrome extensions prepared for the browser.
Updates for SQL Server and Dashboard Management packs bring a number of fixes and improvements, including support for host names longer than fifteen symbols.
The FREEdom rewards program will run across several free-to-play games, including Warframe, Roblox, World of Tanks, and Neverwinter. Prizes range from a 49" 4K TV to in-game experience boosts and currency.
Microsoft's additional Gears of War 4 bundles include a 500 GB deep blue console, and a white 1 TB edition. Both come with the full Xbox 360 Gears of War collection.
While Outlook.com Calendar and People will remain under the Beta toggle, along with Mail the services will receive important new features.
Office 365 has grown considerably since this tie last year, with commercial revenue growth up by 51% and active users by 40.
Security firm Kaspersky says that a fileless malware first discovered two years ago, has gone mainstream and has infected more than 140 companies, banks, and government groups.
Microsoft has been busy suggesting changes to the Chromium code base, with automatic high-contrast mode and native support for caret browsing in the works.
Microsoft joined Qualcomm at its Snapdragon event to show how Windows 10 works through Always Connected PC. The chipmaker also announced plans for 5G growth.
Wireless Display is an Xbox One app that acts as a remote PC, allowing users to stream their PC screen to the console, including playing PC games.


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Joss Stone Should Emigrate
Despite a modest showing in the UK, Joss Stone is enjoying record-breaking sales in the U.S. with the release of her latest album.
The album, Introducing Joss Stone, is the highest new entry by a British female artist in US chart history, according to Music Week magazine.
Billboard said it sold 118,000 copies in its first week – 11,000 behind the number one by US rock act Modest Mouse.
Yeah, apparently, her album premiered in the UK at number twelve and then steadily dropped to number twenty-four.
And this is totally random, but when I first glanced quickly at the thumbnails below, I totally wasn’t wearing my glasses and thought for a moment that Joss was carrying her pet baby seal around. And then I thought that even though I don’t think for sure that they’re an endangered species, that’s still kind of a baller pet to have. Like how I plan to show up with my genetically-engineered pet Dodo bird that I’m leading around on a diamond leash to some red-carpet event. I’ll be all, “Yeah, you want one? Well, too bad, cause I bought the LAST ONE.”


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Watch Dogs listed for June release by Sony
Ubisoft's highly anticipated open-world title Watch Dogs will be released on June 30, if a new listing on the Sony Entertainment Network is to be believed.
It's possible that the date could serve as a placeholder for the listing of the digital version, which is priced at $39.99. It's not uncommon for online retailers to put up a estimated release date for a product, perhaps indicating that the game will launch some time around this date. The good thing is that June 30 happens to be a Tuesday which is typically when games release here in the United States. While it's entirely possible the date is wrong, it could also serve as indication that an official announcement from Ubisoft is at least imminent.
Ubisoft delayed Watch Dogs in October 2013, just a month before it was due out. It's certainly been a long development run for the game which was first teased back at E3 2012 during Ubisoft's press conference. Hopefully the wait has been worth it, though the lack of hands-on time with the game at press events is a little alarming.


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New catering business will bring barbecue to town
With the recent arctic blast of frigid temperatures, most people aren’t thinking of pig roasts right now. But Adam Nash has that and barbecue on his mind.
Nash and his brother Chris plan to open Somerset Swine, a catering business dedicated to pig roasts, barbecued ribs, roasted whole turkeys and all the fixings in June.
Nash, who is a chef at Crystal Lake Country Club in Lakeville, Minn., said he has been in the restaurant business since he was 14. His brother-in-law used to call him “Chef Adam.” He and his family have been roasting pigs in their spare time for many years, Nash said.
Nash’s brother-in-law, Dennis Nea, passed away suddenly two years ago. Opening a catering business dedicated to barbecue was one of his dreams, Nash said.
“He took me under his wing,” Nash said. “I want to keep pursuing this path, but something different than a chef.”
The Nash brothers hope to eventually expand their business into a full restaurant, or a “barbecue joint,” as Nash called it. He said there’s nothing like that in the area.
“If I can get something going good, it could be a family business,” Nash said. “We’re hoping to build a name for ourselves before we have the restaurant, so people will know about us.”
Nash said Nea owned a restaurant in St. Croix Falls, but he started it at the wrong time. The recession hit him hard.
“We don’t want to get in over our heads with a restaurant right off the bat,” Nash said. “We’ll get our name out there and we’ll get going. I would guess by the summer of 2017 we may have a restaurant.”
Nash said they already have a few events lined up to cater next summer, such as fantasy football draft parties and graduations. They hope to cater gatherings of 50 to 175 people, Nash said.
“We’ve had such a good response so far,” Nash said. “We even had to turn down a few offers to cater this fall. But I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot before we’re ready.”
Nash plans to use homemade barbecue sauces (ranging from mild to “fiery” hot) and recipes that have been handed down through his family, many of them from Nea. Nea used to say being a barbecue pit master would be the best job, Nash said.
The motto of the business is “low and slow” when it comes to roasting meat. According to Nash, a typical pig takes 12-15 hours to roast. Their roaster can hold up to a 200-pound pig. A 160-pound pig can feed a crowd of 150, Nash said.
They plan to use products from US Foods to start, but plan on looking into locally sourced options once the business gets going, Nash said.
“We can carve in front of people, or pull the meat apart and set it up buffet-style, whatever people want,” Nash said.
Side dishes touted on the company’s website include many different kinds of slaw, jalapeno-cheddar cornbread, grilled sweet corn and many others.
Nash said he and Chris have had a lot of support from their family, especially their father, who was in the restaurant business for a while thanks to Nea.
Nash, who has a 5-year-old daughter and a 4-year-old son, can’t wait to teach his kids the ropes when they’re a little older.
“I can teach them the value of a dollar,” Nash said.
Somerset Swine has a satellite “incubator” kitchen in the Twin Cities where the food will be prepped and stored, Nash said. An incubator kitchen is a site where small businesses that cater can have a safe, clean place to store and prep food.
Nash said he hopes to get Somerset Swine involved in community events like Pea Soup Days.
“Slowly, piece by piece, we’ll get out there and give back to the community,” Nash said. “Get those Somerset football players winning state again and I’ll give them a free pig roast. I thought they had it this year.”
For more information or to see menus and pricing, visit Somerset Swine’s website at SomersetSwine.com. For questions and bookings contact Nash at 715-338-8377 or visit their Facebook page Somerset Swine.


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Plants for re-large tire manufacturing
adoption process of the supply of advanced production lines is an important step in the circumstance experienced by the local markets, where the need for a local product quality which carries sufficient guarantees default his age protection
that achieves the economic viability of the country's economy and the company or laboratory which adopts such initiatives.
Experience productivity New was transferred from Europe to Kurdistan as a first stage in the hope that up to other areas of Iraq, where the re-large tires manufacturing (pregnancy) according to international standards through the production line was supplied from Germany and certified in most European cities.
Kamran Abdul Hamid, a specialist on production said that the reactivation of Alantah in Iraq needs to be bold decisions in light of the opening of domestic markets to all goods without control and this is one of the negative aspects of the production process, pointing out that the experience set up a production line for re-good types of old tire manufacturing is an important step economic feasibility of probability calculations to be inaccurate.
He said in an interview (morning) that this experiment has achieved great success in Europe has been the adoption of this experience after being studying the reality of production and relevance of local atmosphere and the ability to withstand varying temperatures, indicating that the industry and large cars only and prices suit owners pregnancy and guarantee a full year cars and carrying a PTT sign, pointing out that this experience must be circulated in all regions of Iraq to the presence of a heavy volume of work the country waiting for him in the next stages, which in turn require extensive transmission in all urban areas.
In turn Marwan Mustafa specialist said in the tire industry: that the local market absorb quality products manufactured according to international standards, particularly those that carry manufacturing guarantees, pointing out that the re-trial tire manufacturing according to international standards step proved to be successful demand that constantly begun in most parts of Iraq, noting that product line provides more than 03 jobs for (Shafat) per (8 hours) and card production up to 27 frame per day.
He pointed out that All workers in the production line has been trained by international experts, as organized training courses in this regard to enable them to cutting-edge technology, noting that their future plans to expand the establishment of production lines, central and southern Iraq.
He said Mustafa that demand initially confined to foreign companies operating in Kurdistan and that because they have backgrounds on the subject and information about the industry and then expand the application to include the private sector and expanding gradually, stressing that Iraq needs a sophisticated production lines manufactured quality specifications products
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Last year, pet boarding and daycare facilities faced an onslaught of challenges from canine flu to historic flooding to organized online competition from uncertified pet sitters. Daycare went mobile as pet boarding trailers — some certified, some not — camped out in shopping mall parking lots, offering to take care of pets while owners hit the stores.
Pet care nightmare stories once again made the national news as the negligence of some pet care service providers maligned an entire industry that safely cares for millions of furry family members every day. Not widely covered, of course, were the positive stories of pet boarding facilities that took in homeless pets and helped their fellow pet care service providers wiped out by weather catastrophes.
Read more at Pet Boarding and Daycare.


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Google just announced the launch of enhanced campaigns for AdWords, which it says will help advertisers better manage their campaigns in a multi-device world.
One key feature is bid adjustments to help advertisers manage bids across devices, locations, time of day, etc. from a single campaign. Google shares an example.
“A breakfast cafe wants to reach people nearby searching for ‘coffee’ or ‘breakfast’ on a smartphone,” says SVP of engineering, Sridhar Ramaswamy. “Using bid adjustments, with three simple entries, they can bid 25% higher for people searching a half-mile away, 20% lower for searches after 11am, and 50% higher for searches on smartphones. These bid adjustments can apply to all ads and all keywords in one single campaign.”
Enhanced campaigns will show ads across devices with the right ad text, sitelink, app or extension, without advertisers having to edit each campaign for every combination of devices, location and time of day.
“A national retailer with both physical locations and a website can show ads with click-to-call and location extensions for people searching on their smartphones, while showing an ad for their e-commerce website to people searching on a PC — all within a single campaign,” explains Ramaswamy.
The enhanced campaigns also come with advanced reports to measure new conversion types. For example, you can count calls and app downloads as conversions in your AdWords reports.
“You can count phone calls of 60 seconds or longer that result from a click-to-call ad as a conversion in your AdWords reports, and compare them to other conversions like leads, sales and downloads,” suggests Ramaswamy.
Enhanced campaigns will roll out to advertisers as an option over the coming weeks. All campaigns will be upgraded in mid-2013.


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Odesa – Recently, many analytics forecasted good prices for Ukrainian rapeseeds because of weather problems in Canada. Since the beginning of the harvest campaign, the prices were bouncing up and down. The market has got more offers from farmers and buyers showed good activity.
Apparently, this week a huge increase took place. CPT prices for rapeseeds in ports have boosted by 40 $/t and went up to 600 $/t. The reason is likely to be the following – some market participants have to close their contracts for rather big volumes. Due to unstable prices at the market, the farmers are not in a hurry to sell their volumes. So the traders had to increase the price to collect necessary volumes.
In addition, rapeseed was harvested on an area of 569 thousand hectares (56% of the forecast) with an average yield of 2.61 t / ha. Almost 1.5 million tons of seeds new crops are available now.
The following reports may be of interest to you:


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Ford is looking for online racers to compete in its first esports team, and starting at Gamescom, Ford will recruit for national Fordzilla teams for UK, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany, as well as a European squad consisting of the best players from each. Fordzilla racers will compete in Forza Motorsport 7 as well as others, a game that includes Ford vehicles too.
"We at Ford have a racing pedigree that others can only envy. Now is the time to take that know-how and apply it to the world of esports - capturing the imagination of a new generation of virtual racing drivers, inspiring them to take a ride in one of our Ford Performance vehicles," said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing Sales & Service, Ford of Europe.
"The distinction between real and virtual worlds is blurring. Gaming is now a part of mainstream culture. Top gamers challenge professional race drivers in real life and many of our day-to-day activities are 'gamified', from using fitness apps to collecting loyalty points for a free coffee," adds Amko Leenarts, director, Design, Ford of Europe. "Harnessing the passion and expertise of the gaming community will help evolve our thinking around what future journeys will look like - something that we are all committed to and really excited about."
"We are pleased to see Forza Motorsport continuing to be the game of choice for big brands like Ford as they launch esports initiatives," said Justin Osmer, Sr. Manager of Partnership Development at Turn 10 Studios. "With millions of fans playing Forza games, we've seen significant growth in the numbers who want to compete, or simply spectate, in esports and it's great to see a long-standing partner like Ford Motor Company bringing even more opportunities to participate."
Is this a good initiative from Ford?
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