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Aphria's Broken Coast Enters Concentrates Sector With Wax Product
Broken Coast is a British Columbia-based cannabis producer that was acquired by Aphria in February 2018 for around CA$217 million ($175.12 million).
The new product, Broken Coast Wax, is crafted with B.C. flower and is part of the company's award-winning list of cultivars in Canada. It is rich in THC (70%), providing “a clear expression of each cultivar’s profile,” according to the company.
The cannabis producer said it relies on hydrocarbon extraction procedures to extract desirable cannabinoids and terpenes from the flower.
This marks the third recent innovation by Broken Coast, coming after its entrance in the cannabis 2.0 space with 510 Capes and the launch of a new dried flower strain, Pipe Dream.
Wax will be reachable in single 1-gram units in various strains such as Muskmelon OG, Stargazer and Up In The Sky.
At the moment, the new product can be purchased online and in specific retail stores. It will hit the shelves of stores in other markets across Canada (except Quebec) in the following months, Broken Coast said.
"We're really excited to see our cannabis made into a wax. The quality and unique terpene profile of each strain really shines through,” Kevin Anderson, Broken Coast's head grower, said in a statement.
“I think people are going to really enjoy experiencing their favorite strains in a concentrated form. It is thrilling to provide our consumers a variety of consumption options that are in line with Broken Coast's quality."
Recent Aphria News
Aphria recently announced it has fulfilled one of the conditions for its merger with Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) after its shareholders approved the arrangement at a special meeting. The merger received a 99.38% approval rate.
It has also released earnings for the third quarter and nine months ended Feb. 28, revealing quarterly net revenue of CA$153.6 million. This was a year-over-year increase of 6.4% and a sequential decline of 4.3%.
APHA Price Action
Aphria shares were trading 3.68% higher at $14.6 per share at the time of publication.
Photo courtesy of Broken Coast.
© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.


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Morgan is developing a replacement for its iconic 3-Wheeler
The lightweight, retro-styled Morgan 3-Wheeler is making a comeback with a new engine and ‘new design language’.
Production of the outgoing first-generation model ended last year with the limited-edition P101, although Morgan was quick to confirm a replacement was in the works. These new images are our first of the new car in its developmental stage and show that the 3-Wheeler will remain one of the most distinctive cars on sale.
- New Morgan Plus Four CX-T goes off road as Ariel Nomad rival
What won’t remain is the old car’s motorcycle-derived 82bhp 2.0-litre, twin-cylinder petrol engine – partly due to it becoming non-compliant with tightening emissions regulations. The new car will receive a 1.5-litre three-cylinder, naturally-aspirated petrol engine from Ford.
While engine power is yet to be revealed, Morgan says the new car benefits from ‘engineering enhancements’ so expect it to beat the 0-62mph time of six seconds of the old car. Given the layout, it’s likely the new 3-Wheeler will stay rear-wheel drive.
The prototype features some key design details shared with the old car, such as front mud guards for the skinny tyres and round headlights. Although, the front end will change significantly with the replacement of the exposed V-twin engine for an inline three-cylinder. The side-exit exhausts look to have been omitted as well.
The 3-Wheeler has been one of the most popular Morgans on sale in the past decade with 2,500 examples sold since its launch in 2011.
Check out our review of the new Morgan Plus Four here…
Source: Read Full Article

domain: news


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News on Chevrolet continually updated from thousands of sources around the net.
Trending on the Topix Network
Robert Doan is the lucky ticket holder who now has his pick between a pair of vehicle packages or $75,000 cash.
That can be said of the 1986 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that Nick Deal has been working to customize at Auto Dynamix in downtown Kalamazoo.
Good news for fans of the Chevrolet SS; an update from General Motors has confirmed the inclusion of both a six-speed manual transmission and Magnetic Selective Ride Control on the 2015 SS options list.
Jay Leno gets low in his latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage by showing off two custom lowriders based on a pair of '60s Chevrolet Impala classics and talks to some experts in the field.
While the tide of bigger-is-better SUVs has been in recession since, well, the recession, fullsize utes are still very much with us.
The Chevrolet SS is very much a muscle car for grownups. If you have a career, significant other and maybe some kids to tote around, you can still drive one, secure in the knowledge that there is a 415-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 lurking under the hood for when it's time to have some fun.
The Ram Promaster and Promaster City vans are both European style cargo carriers that have been modified for U.S. duty.
When the C4 Corvette debuted for 1984, it was a fresh take on a well-established brand.
Opel will discontinue the Ampera, the slow-selling rebadged version of the Volt made by General Motors sister brand Chevrolet, after the redesign of the 2016 Volt, according to two people familiar with the company's plans.
Once the Colorado and Canyon mid-sized pickups hit showrooms this fall, Chevrolet and GMC will have churned out new generations of every pickup and SUV in their lineups in about 15 months.
Last weekend, while pausing at Starbucks to let the molten aluminum cool in my car engine, I saw a familiar sight: a sweaty dad and mom in their McDonald’s food-splattered minivan, complete with three uncomfortable, dyspeptic children.
Engines revved, candy paint sparkled in the sun and music from the 1960s echoed through the streets as classic cars filled the streets of North Hamilton and Court for the Old Town Motorfest.
Way back in April, we learned from Motor Trend's Jonny Lieberman that America's modern-day answer to the E39 BMW M5, the Chevrolet SS , was upping its game by adding a manual transmission and a Magnetic Ride suspension.
Most people think of the Cadillac ELR as nothing more than a fancy Chevy Volt, but it's actually a pretty decent car.
Northern New Mexico Street Rodders organized the event, which is now in its 32nd year.
Click on http://testdrivenow.com to watch more Drive Time with Steve Hammes videos.
Updated: Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:54 am
Copyright © 2014 Topix LLC


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KFC Thailand Apologizes for Improper Quake Posting
BANGKOK (AP) — KFC Thailand has apologized for posting a Facebook message that urged people to rush home during Wednesday’s tsunami scare and order a bucket of KFC chicken.
As people were being urged to evacuate from beaches, the company posted this message: “Let’s hurry home and follow the earthquake news. And don’t forget to order your favorite KFC menu.”
Hundreds of angry commenters on Thai web boards denounced the company as insensitive and selfish.
By Thursday, the message was removed and replaced by one that asked for forgiveness.
Wednesday’s earthquakes near Indonesia revived memories of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that claimed 230,000 lives, including more than 8,000 people in Thailand.
KFC Thailand is managed by YUM Restaurants International (Thailand) Co., Ltd and Central Restaurants Group Co., Ltd.
- Five Cool Gadgets Announced at MWC 2024
- OpenAI faces New York Times hacking allegations while exploring deals with Tumblr
- Improving efficiency and customer experience: The role of AI and cloud phone systems in today’s business landscape
- Is the LockBit ransomware group back?
- Qualcomm Technologies unveils AI innovations at MWC Barcelona


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Thermalabs Bonus Size Tanner Available in European Market
Thermalabs bonus size tanner is now available in the European market
View as PDF
March 15, 2017 (FPRC) -- Thermalabs, a leading producer of self-tanners and cosmetics product, has introduced its famous tanning lotion in the European market. The company said that the bonus-sized version of its organic tanning formula will be available to consumers in Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and other European nations. Previously, the product was just available to users in the U.S. Additionally, non-U.S. customers who ordered it directly from Thermalabs official website incurred hefty shipping expenses.
Thermalabs is a leading cosmetics brand based in New York City. The company has operated over the last 3 years. Founded back in 2013, Thermalabs started out as an organization that created awareness against skin cancer. Towards the end of 2013 though, the team of young Israeli-Americans who run the firm decided to turn it into a full-fledged production outfit. Thermalabs pilot product was a tanning lotion known as the Gold Standard Tanner. This was a premium product created from quality skincare ingredients such as Green Tea, Aloe Vera, and Olive Oil, among others. Back then, the new firm rolled out an ingenious marketing campaign to introduce its upcoming pilot launch. By the time, it hit the market, the Gold Standard Tanner was already a success. The lotion sold over 10,000 within its first week on online marketplace Amazon.com. It created a solid foundation that the new company – Thermalabs – needed to make it in the often cut-throat cosmetics marketplace.
Today, Thermalabs has furnished the global marketplace with over 40 different products, the majority of them being tanning aids. The firm has in recent times diversified to other market areas. Thermalabs today also manufacturers beach tents, beach t-shirts, and organic healthcare products.
The move to introduce it popular bonus size tanner to the European market will likely boost the company’s prospects. Over the last 1 year or so, the company has made massive efforts to expand its influence to markets outside the U.S. For instance, Thermalabs last month sought a new distributor to market its Utimitt tan applicator mitt in the Asian market block. This was in line with its plan to have more of its products available on store shelves around the world.
Alex Howard, a marketing coordinator working at Thermalabs, said, “We are excited to announce that one of our most successful products – the organic self tanner – will now be available to consumers in Europe. We have completed plans to ship the bonus sized tanner to Europe so that users in France, Germany, the UK and other European nations can access it. Currently, our intention is to have the product available in local Amazon sites…”
For more information contact James McCoy of Thermalabs
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Thermalabs Glow2Go is Now Available in the German Market (Thu 12th Oct 17)
Thermalabs Gold Standard Tanner Available Back in the Market (Thu 12th Oct 17)
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Supremasea Working on More Skincare Formulations (Thu 12th Oct 17)


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Illinois is about to make history as the first state to legalize recreational cannabis and allow commercial sales through the state legislature instead of via a voter initiative, pending the governor’s signature. But this historic piece of legislation almost died along the way over the increasingly contentious issue of homegrow.
Eventually, lawmakers compromised by allowing only medical cannabis patients to cultivate for themselves; recreational consumers can’t grow at all. This may sound like politics as usual, but it actually represents a worrying trend for those who believe that the right to grow your own cannabis is an essential part of a truly equitable legalization plan.
Currently, every state—except for Washington—that allows recreational cannabis dispensaries also allows homegrow. So far, none of these states have seriously considered rescinding the policy, and in Washington, there’s a growing push to add homegrow to the mix.
So what gives? Why has growing six plants at home become so controversial?
Illinois lawmakers actually passed an admirably equity-centered legalization bill, other than deciding that non-medical-patient adults can’t grow their own. And now lawmakers in New York and New Jersey appear poised to make the same mistake when considering their own legalization bills.
To find out why, let’s follow the money a bit.
It’s Like Home Brewing, But for Cannabis
In a recent interview with Cannabis Wire, New York State Senator Diane Savino described homegrow as a major sticking point in trying to pass legalization.
“The truth is, if you’re going to have a legal, regulated market, it’s hard to manage homegrow. I don’t know how you really do that. And every state that has it, has said to us, ‘Don’t do it,’” said Savino.
Savino’s office did not reply to several inquiries from Leafly seeking clarification on which states advised against homegrow and for what specific reasons. But apparently she hasn’t spoken with Shaleen Title—one of five members of the Cannabis Control Commission in Massachusetts—because Title put “Allow Homegrow” at #1 in her widely disseminated list, “10 Must-Haves in Any Cannabis Legalization Bill.”
“The truth is, if you’re going to have a legal, regulated market, it’s hard to manage homegrow. I don’t know how you really do that. And every state that has it, has said to us, 'Don’t do it'”
Meanwhile, we do know that some of the biggest players in New York’s nascent cannabis industry have been aggressively lobbying against allowing individuals to cultivate their own cannabis for personal use.
Through a Freedom of Information Act request, the advocacy website Marijuana Moment gained access to a 29-page document that was sent to Governor Andrew Cuomo by the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association (NYMCIA) roughly a month before he announced a legalization plan that specifically excluded homegrow.
The NYMCIA represents a who’s who of Big Marijuana in the state, including Acreage NY (featuring John Boehner), and MedMen (yup, those guys). The industry group’s policy statement featured an entire chapter titled “The Fallacy of Home Grow” that cited five reasons why allowing at-home personal cultivation poses a supposed risk to public safety.
Here are those five reasons, and my response to each:
1. Homegrow will make it impossible for the state to eliminate the black market.
An adult growing six plants securely in their backyard or basement no more represents a dangerous black market in cannabis than someone who brews small batches of beer at home.
2. Homegrow will make it impossible for law enforcement to distinguish between legal and illegal products, thus frustrating enforcement efforts.
Homegrow typically allows an adult to grow only six plants—does the NYMCIA really want the cops arresting people for such small amounts? Are the authorities not able to distinguish between a dangerous criminal operation and a six-plant homegrow? Big Marijuana is basically saying that if the only weed that’s legal is the stuff they package and sell, then it’ll be much easier for the police to bust anyone operating outside that system.
3. Homegrow will undermine the state’s harm-reduction goal of ensuring that cannabis sold in New York State is grown without noxious pesticides or other contaminants.
People who cultivate their own cannabis have total control over how it’s grown, harvested, and processed, same as people who grow their own tomatoes.
4. Homegrow will undermine the state’s public health interest in ensuring that cannabis sold in New York State is tested, packaged, and labeled correctly.
Yes, it’s a legitimate benefit to have your cannabis lab tested, but cannabis can be grown organically at home for a fraction of what dispensaries charge, thus making it available to those who can’t otherwise afford it, including medical cannabis patients and those seeking an alternative to alcohol or opioids.
5. Homegrow will cost the state tax revenue, thus hindering the state’s ability to fund priorities such as drug abuse treatment and community investment.
The government spent the last one hundred or so years wasting trillions of dollars on arresting cannabis consumers and tearing apart people’s lives and families, and now I can’t grow six plants of Bubba Kush on my back patio because it’s gonna deprive them of a tiny trickle of tax revenue?
My High Five
Naturally, the NYMCIA letter never mentions that homegrow might hurt their bottom line. But that’s clearly the reason Big Marijuana joined forces to push homegrow out of New York. And every state that legalizes from now on will face the same pressure, since the increasingly corporatized and capitalized Wall Street wing of the cannabis industry will no doubt continue to lobby to protect its own interests above those of consumers and patients.
Not that the entire industry shares this view.
The National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), a far older, larger, and more representative industry association, says it doesn’t oppose homegrow, and even believes personal cultivation can help spark an interest in craft cannabis the same way home brewing has helped spur the market in craft beer.
But mostly it will be up to medical cannabis patients and activists to push back against Big Marijuana’s brazen attempts to roll back our inalienable rights in this regard. In New Jersey, there’s already been public protests to make lawmakers understand the many benefits of allowing homegrow.
And in that spirit, here are my top five reasons for allowing homegrow, which we all need to use when pushing back against the brazen attempts to curtail our freedoms.
Five Reasons to Allow At-Home Personal Cannabis Cultivation:
1. Provides a check on high prices at dispensaries, giving people an affordable option
2. Maintains cannabis plant biodiversity
3. Patients can access specific strains that work best for their conditions
4. Growing your own is a fun, life-affirming process
5. It’s pot, not plutonium


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The Echo Wall Clock, which is designed sync up with your Alexa voice-controlled devices to give you some visual feedback on your timers and reminders, has only been on sale in the US for a month, with availability in other territories still to be confirmed.
A spokesperson for Amazon said in statement: "We’re aware that a small number of customers have had issues with connectivity. We’re working hard to address this and plan to make Echo Wall Clock available again in the coming weeks.”
The clock's ticking
At just $29.99 (around £26 / AU$55), the Echo Wall Clock looks just like a standard clock, but features an LED array, marking down the minutes and seconds. Connect the clock to your Echo devices over Bluetooth, and these LEDs light up to show exactly how long is left on a timer, or until a reminder has counted down.
It was launched alongside the Amazon Basics Alexa Microwave in September 2018, demonstrating how easily voice assistants like Alexa can now be integrated into everyday appliances – if you have a smart speaker to control them with, that is.
Right now, it's not clear when the Echo Wall Clock will go back on sale in the US, or whether these connectivity issues will hinder the device's release in other countries like the UK and Australia. Unfortunately, you'll just have to use your regular wall clock to count down the hours until it's back on sale.
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Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.


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The global plant-based cheese and meat sectors are showing marked growth, according to two recent market reports.
The first report, released by Market Research Future, notes that lactose intolerance is a significant factor driving marketplace growth, but it also credits "substantial innovation" with the rise of the sector.
"It’s an exciting time for innovation," explains Michele Simon, Executive Director of the Plant Based Foods Association. "And we’re seeing so many great-tasting options that it’s easier than ever to make the switch from dairy to plant-based."
A survey conducted this summer by Comax Flavors found that 48 percent of consumers who choose plant-based dairy alternatives do so for reasons related to taste. Just 4 percent of the 1,000 people surveyed by Comax described themselves as vegan.
From the Organic Authority Files
The plant-based meat industry is also on the rise, according to a new report from Markets and Markets. The report notes that the meat substitutes market is expected to reach $4.63 billion this year and to rise to $6.43 billion by 2023.
The report found that tofu and tofu-based products accounted for the largest share of the market last year, followed by textured vegetable protein.
Both reports note that Europe is showing the largest market growth in the plant-based foods sector, due in large part to the increasing popularity of plant-based diets in this region. France even saw the recent development of a vegan "Camembert" by French entrepreneur Anne Guth. The "Camembert," which is made with cashew milk, is aged one month before sale.
However, this growth is far from limited to Europe. Market Research Future's report found that the North American plant-based cheese market is projected to grow 7.79 percent by 2023, and during a recent webinar, SPINS predicted that 2018 would see a rise in plant-based proteins such as hemp and moringa.
Last year, the dairy milk and cheese industry proposed the Dairy Pride Act which would forbid the plant-based sector’s use of words like milk, yogurt, and cheese on plant-based dairy products. While ostensibly developed to reduce consumer confusion, many plant-based dairy proponents believe that the Act was developed to fight the growing popularity of plant-based cheese, milk, and yogurt among consumers.
Related on Organic Authority
Plant-Based Burgers Coming to a Meat Counter Near You?
Beyond Meat Announces Launch of Beyond Sausage, a 'Revolutionary Plant-Based Breakthrough'
Tyson Foods Invests $150 Million in Fixing the Food System with Plant-Based Protein


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- Sender Wallet announced seed round financing from Binance Labs and MetaWeb Ventures; the investment will help the Sender team to expand its development and ecosystem team.
- Sender is currently the leading browser extension wallet of NEAR Protocol with the highest level of security. It currently supports four mainstream browsers. The team expects to launch a mobile wallet in Q2 2022;
- Sender is launching a campaign in mid-April to create “.near” accounts for more than 1 million users for free. Sender will also launch weekly NFT airdrops and NEAR giveaways on Twitter and other social platforms to onboard mainstream users to crypto.
Sender Wallet announced its seed round financing from Binance Labs and MetaWeb Ventures today. The investment will help the Sender team to expand its R&D personnel, build global communities and accelerate its ecosystem growth.
Sender Wallet is a non-custodial wallet built on NEAR Protocol. Its one-stop wallet management solution supports a variety of built-in features such as send/receive, instant swap, NFT gallery, and staking.
Currently, Sender Wallet’s browser extension has supported four mainstream browsers: Chrome, Brave, Edge, and Kiwi, integrating top projects across the NEAR ecosystem. Through its browser plug-in, users can enjoy a seamless experience exploring the NEAR Dapp ecosystem.
In the near future, Sender will release the following upgrades:
Strengthening security level.
- With SlowMist’s security audit in April, Sender will work with well-known security audit companies to jointly create a blacklist of fraudulent and suspicious addresses/accounts on NEAR. Meanwhile, Sender will add integration to hardware wallets like Ledger in the next version.
Releasing native mobile wallets for Android and iOS.
- Sender will release mobile wallets for Android and iOS in Q2 2022;
Aurora & Multichain Support.
- Sender plans to support Aurora and other EVM chains starting in Q2 2022
Integrating more NEAR ecosystem DApps
- Sender has integrated and partnered with the largest DEX on NEAR — ref.finance, the largest NFT market on NEAR — Paras.id, as well as the largest DAO platform AstroDAO. In the future, Sender will integrate more NEAR ecosystem projects.
Global Community Building.
- Sender will launch a campaign in mid-April to create .near accounts for more than 1 Million users for free; it will also launch weekly NFT airdrops and NEAR giveaways on Twitter and other socials to help more new users enter the web3 world.
“NEAR has always placed a great focus on making blockchain and crypto easy to use, so even mainstream users who are not familiar with crypto yet can be onboarded. As a result, The NEAR ecosystem has been growing at an amazing pace over the past year. With the official launch of Sender Wallet, we hope to provide NEAR users a more secure asset management with a fast, smooth user experience.” said Kenny, founder of Sender Labs.
Nicole Zhang, Investment Director at Binance Labs, said: “We have been very impressed by Sender Wallet’s growth since its launch, we also see it as important infrastructure and the ecological entrance of the NEAR ecosystem, which is why we choose to support Sender Wallet.“
“With the latest $350M fundraising announcement, the NEAR ecosystem is about to take off. An easy-to-use yet secure wallet like Sender has been something that the global community of NEAR has been longing for. We are honored to support Sender alongside Binance Labs to become the largest wallet of NEAR, Aurora, and beyond” said Amos, Founding Partner of Metaweb Ventures.


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On Thursday, Aug. 10, the department store chain reported earnings for the quarter ending July 29. Sales of $4.144 billion were down 0.9% year-over-year, while net income of $208 billion bested last year's, which was $140 billion. Earnings per share were at $1.24, up 2% from the same quarter last year. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected Kohl's to earn $1.19 per share on sales of $4.124 billion.
CEO Kevin Mansell touted accelerating traffic momentum and cost-savings in a statement. "While traffic still remained slightly negative in the quarter, an improvement in traffic was the driver of the improved performance in sales," he said on a call with analysts, adding that the sales improvement came from both new customer visits and existing customers increasing their visits.
The Active business was Kohl's most successful, increasing in the mid-teens, driven by the introduction of Under Armour Inc. (UAA - Get Report) as well as strong performance by existing brands Nike Inc. (NKE - Get Report) and Adidas AG (ADDYY) , Mansell said. Skechers USA Inc. (SKX - Get Report) had the strongest improvement at Kohl's compared to the first quarter, he added.
Shares were down 8.2% to $38.48 in Thursday morning trading.
Kohl's added four stores on net year over year, ending the quarter with 1,154 stores in 49 states. Kohl's also operates 12 FILA Outlets and four Off/Aisle clearance centers.
On Tuesday, Aug. 8, the company's board of directors announced a quarterly cash dividend of its common stock of 55 cents per share, payable on Sept. 6.
Capitalizing on the spate of retail store closures and bankruptcies remains a priority for Kohl's, Mansell said on the analyst call. "We're activating a very targeted effort to capture more than our fair share of sales from competitor stores that are closing in our trade areas," he said. "The marketing supporting that plan started at the end of July and will continue through the fall and holiday season. We do believe there's a significant sales opportunity for us to capture in several hundred stores, and early results on that are promising."
More of What's Trending on TheStreet:


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Jun 27, 2017 11:14 AM EDT
AMD Radeon RX Vega will reportedly boast an excellent price to performance ratio as claimed by an insider source. The news is coming months before the launch of the gaming-focused cards which several buyers are anticipating.
The latest information is coming from Bits and Chips who have been historically accurate with most of their rumors and leaks. The latest series of tweets from the same claims that AMD Radeon RX Vega will be having an excellent pricing and performance ration.
This sounds really good for those who have been waiting for AMD Radeon RX Vega for so long and it looks like the Radeon RX Vega cards will be targeting multiple price points. AMD has already launched two Vega GPUs for the Apple Mac Pro series which include a full 64 NCU and a cut down 56 CU variant.
These come with the same number of cores as the Radeon R9 Fury series cards at 4096 and 3584 respectively. But, AMD Radeon RX Vega delivers more performance throughput and has increased clocks. Vega will also include several architectural upgrades such as HBCC and Rapid Packed Math which might speed up gaming app performance as demonstrated several months ago, as reported by WCCFTech.
In leaked slides, it was given that AMD will prepare a Vega 20 GPU with same features as the present Vega 10 GPUs but added twice precision hardware to the mix. The information leaked inside old roadmaps so it's expected AMD could have changed the plans and are focusing on the Navi for a proper FP64 capable GPU.
The AMD is yet to confirm but the report also claims that the company will be releasing a Vega card that will be based on the Radeon R9 Nano. However, Polaris will continue to give the best price to performance ratio for the users looking for a graphics card mainly for mining.
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May tractor sales of 432 units were significantly (19%) more than the 364 units sold in May last year. On a year-to-date basis, tractor sales are now 9% down on the same period last year.
May combine harvester sales of 31 units were four units more than the 27 units sold in May last year. On a year-to-date basis, combine harvester sales are now almost 10% up on the same period last year.
Factors that influenced May machinery sales
There are two main reasons for the better than expected May agricultural machinery sales. Firstly, farmers are buying up existing stock at current price levels, ahead of the inevitable price increases which will prevail as a result of the weaker rand. Secondly, good crops are currently being harvested.
Overall sentiment in the market continues to be positive. It is likely that sales will be good in the near future as lower-priced stock is bought up. However, current industry sentiment is still that 2020 tractor sales will probably be up to 10% down on last year. – Press release, South African Agricultural Machinery Association


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Virtues and Hopes in Cuba's Tourism
- Submitted by: manso
- Editorial Articles
- 09 / 04 / 2011
By Roberto F. Campos. The Cuban tourism authorities try to close 2011 with the reception of 2.7 million travelers.In the midst of a changing economic situation that today impacts in many ways, especially in poor countries, tourism is for Cuba a useful tool that takes environmental strategies into account.
Until now, the increases and imbalances in fuel prices, and hence the cost of airfare, influence the modern world, especially so in the Caribbean.
However, the Cuban tourism authorities have shown their optimism on several occasions, to the point of trying to close 2011 with the reception of 2.7 million travelers, mostly from Europe and Canada.
A recent report by the National Statistics Office (NSO) shows signs of a growth spiral in the industry, faced with the disadvantages of the global economic crisis and its influences.
The NSO reports that 209,640 international tourists arrived in Cuba last July, signifying an inter-annual growth of 1.6 percent, a figure that keeps the specialists smiling.
The same source reported more than 1,747,510 arrivals from January to July, 9.5 percent over the same period for 2010.
The major source markets are Canada, Russia, Argentina, UK, Chile and France, showing an upturn in Latin America among those most interested in taking a vacation on this island, and therefore reinforcing the already encouraging data for growth in the sector.
The authorities, for example, look very favorably on the upsurge of Argentina, which so far this year -up to August- has accumulated 52,000 visitors, as recorded in Buenos Aires by Luis Aguilera, director of the Office of Information and Promotion of Tourism in Cuba for the southern cone.
The Argentines went from 37,922 visitors in 2007 to 47,657 one year later and to 48,518 in 2009, while last year they numbered 58,604, a good sign for the hopes of continued growth by the authorities.
And everything seems to indicate that an environmental strategy, and variety in offerings, has much to do with the growth of tourism from different nations.
Nature, culture, history, conferences, events and incentive trips are just some of the variants that either add to the attractions of sun and beach or perhaps even compete with them.
Another element to consider in this growth spiral is the advertising campaign called Authentic Cuba, which in its latest version was extended to Hong Kong, China, during the International Tourism Fair in that city.
The director of the Office of the Ministry of Tourism (Mintur) in China, Elizabeth Vela, said at that time that among the attractions of this island are guaranteed quality and safety, besides the traditional sun and beach programs, as pillars of the industry in the country.
Cuba has more than 50,000 hotel rooms spread over some 300 establishments that are mainly located in eight regions for tourism development, and every day there is a growing acceptance by travelers for this destination.


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Broadcast Gear Goes on the Auction Block
November 18, 2005
On Dec. 7, more than 1,000 pieces of professional video and audio gear will be up for auction at veteran auction house Joseph Finn Co. in New York City.
Products include digital betacam VTRs, betacam SP VTRs, cameras, digital waveform monitors, standards converters, routers and switchers as well as audio processors, monitors, mixers and microphones.
Auction brochures are available at the Joseph Finn Web site.
The catalog auction will be held at the Holiday Inn at 440 West 57th St and a simultaneous online auction will take place at www.bidspotter.com.


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According to the article “AOP launches campaign on UV and eye health” by the Association of Optometrists and Kimberley Young in the UK, less than half of UK adults in survey reported owning sunglasses with UV protection. This is an astounding statistic and likely the backbone for a campaign urging the public to wear glasses that better protect their eyes. The campaign is called ‘SPF for your eyes’ and runs from July 27th through the end of September.
Ceri Smith-Jaynes, AOP spokesperson and Optometry Today clinical multimedia editor notes, while many realize that sun causes skin damage, “few realize it is just as damaging to their eyes.” Supplying data to support this, Young stated that, “Releasing research from an AOP Voice of Optometry survey of 1,207 participants, the association revealed that almost a quarter of optometrists see up to nine patients every month with an eye disease linked to UV exposure, with 15% reporting that they see more than 20." Young also notes that from a poll of the UK public, “two fifths were unaware that too much UV exposure can contribute to sight threatening conditions, such as cataract, age-related macular degeneration and eye cancers.”
Public research shared by the AOP reported that “46% of respondents said they owned a pair of sunglasses, but of those who did, 24% admitted to only sometimes checking UV protection when purchasing a pair.” However, Young did note that those over 55 were more aware of this and that three quarters reported checking the UV filter.
According to Young, AOP has released a 60-second tips and resources video regarding protecting eyes against UV damage. According to Smith-Jaynes, a focus of the campaign is communicating the idea that damage can also be caused in poorer weather, thus encouraging UV protection during all seasons. Even for those who wear contacts, Young noted that AOP encouraged sunglasses given that they protect the skin around the eye. In terms of further advice, "checking prescription lenses include a UV filter, choosing sunglasses that fit closer to the eye and wrap-around, and wearing a wide-brimmed sun hat" are some other items Young noted that are in the campaign. AOP members can also download a campaign pack of materials, and practices can utilize the #EyeSPF hashtag on social media .


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He scoffed at comparisons linking taxes and regulation to slower growth.
F&N will ‘look at’ buying more of Vinamilk if it’s available
"Whoever is going to buy this will have to pay a high price to get Central out or they will have to...
A deal would add to the $54.9 billion of acquisitions in Southeast Asia over the past 12 months, data compiled...
"Masan's extensive distribution platform will help Singha reach a market of 90 million people that is expanding quickly"
Prayuth Chan-Ocha, the general who runs Thailand, wants to turn once unruly border regions into zones of economic prosperity.
State to divest its 45 pct Vinamilk stake, time frame unknown
The pace of the acquisitions has startled both local and foreign investors
The government predicts India's economy will grow at 8 percent or more in 2015/16, prodded by government spending.
Three leaders of the private bank have been arrested so far, including Ha Van Tham, one of Vietnam's richest man...
You can't make this stuff up.
Pham Nhat Vuong is ranked at 1,118 among world's 1,826 billionaires
The richest people in the world, according to Forbes.


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Japanese social games giant DeNA has reported a 45 per cent jump in quarterly revenue to $627m.
Profits were up 38 per cent year-on-year at $254m.
The company’s Moba-coin virtual currency also set a new high, grossing $700m from mobile games in Japan. Coin consumption was for the first time higher on smartphones than feature phones, leading DeNA to conclude this its shift in platform is proving a success.
Coin consumption outside of Japan reached $30m. Average revenue per daily active user across its six Google Play titles in America and Europe has reached $1.
In our second quarter we continued to see steady growth internationally, as well as in Japan,” CEO Isao Moriyasu stated. In order to build the world’s top social games platform, we must stay focused on expanding our audience and delighting our customers with exciting games that will keep them engaged.”


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ATDynamics launches campaign to sell 50,000 trailer tails
October 19, 2011
DALLAS, Texas -- Trailer tail manufacturer ATDynamics announced at the American Trucking Associations convention, an ambitious goal to have another 50,000 trailer tail devices deployed on US highways by 2014.
If ATDynamics has its way, you'll be seeing a lot more of its trailer tails on American roads by 2014.
DALLAS, Texas — Trailer tail manufacturer ATDynamics announced at the American Trucking Associations convention, an ambitious goal to have another 50,000 trailer tail devices deployed on US highways by 2014.
The devices, not yet approved in Canada, are US EPA SmartWay-verified. Currently, about 5,000 trailer tails have been sold into the US market.
The ‘Campaign for the next 50,000 tails’ aims to grow that number tenfold over the next three years. ATDynamics is launching several initiatives to help make it happen: increasing options for factory-installed trailer tails at OEM facilities; launching an expanded 2012 swing door TrailerTail product line for low and high mileage dry vans and reefers, including drop deck and rolling tarp trailers; launching a roll door product line in 2012; and expanding an existing Fleet Trial Program that allows carriers to test up to 200 TrailerTails at no risk.
“ATDynamics’ TrailerTail has redefined the shape of the modern semi-trailer,” said Andrew Smith, founder and CEO of ATDynamics. “With more than 5,000 TrailerTails sold, we will work with the most profitable fleets in the industry to deploy over 50,000 tails on America’s highways by 2014. TrailerTails have become a highly visible sign of which fleets are operating with the greatest fuel efficiency.”
“The side skirt successfully established in the minds of fleet owners and executives the legitimacy of trailer aerodynamics as a major opportunity to save fuel,” added Kyle Houston, ATDynamics vice-president of sales. “Skirts save fuel, and tails double those savings. Ordering fuel-efficient trailers for 2012 means ordering trailers with skirts and tails. Non-aerodynamic trailers will burn 14 gallons more fuel per 1,000 miles at highway speeds than those with tails and skirts.”
The company estimates deploying 50,000 trailer tails will deliver to industry US$800 million in fuel savings over the next decade.
Truck News is Canada's leading trucking newspaper - news and information for trucking companies, owner/operators, truck drivers and logistics professionals working in the Canadian trucking industry. All posts by Truck News


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The Main will look to local and convention business for success
Norfolk’s newest luxury hotel and conference center, The Main, is counting on local business, the business traveler and conventions to make the $150 million project a success, the managing director of the project said Thursday.
In an address to about 170 members of the Hampton Roads Association of Commercial Real Estate, Kurt J. Krause said developers are “absolutely counting on the local market,” especially to patronize the three new restaurants in the conference center and Hilton Hotel project that will be built at the corner of Main and Granby Streets downtown. “We’re not trying to steal business from local restaurants. We’re trying to bring in more business,” Krause said.
Site work already is underway, and construction begins next month on the 22-story, 301-room project scheduled to open during the first quarter of 2017. Krause said The Main has booked three conventions and expects to become a high-demand venue for weddings and meetings for state and federal associations.
One thing is clear: The Main, billed by developers as an iconic, transformational project with high-end finishes and amenities, will up the price for travelers to Norfolk. According to Krause, room rates will carry a $30 to $40 higher premium than what the market is seeing now. Asked later about the going rate for business travelers to Norfolk, he said it is about $120 a night.
The city of Norfolk, and Gold Key |PHR Hotels and Resorts, based in Virginia Beach, are partners in the public/private initiative. Bruce Thompson, who heads PHR, has developed other major projects in the region, including a Virginia Beach Hilton on the Oceanfront. He also is currently redeveloping The Cavalier, a historic hotel on Atlantic Avenue at the beach.
As he took the audience through a video slide show, Krause, the former general manager of the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, said the property’s design would be a draw. Thompson and the design team visited properties in Miami, Denver, Chicago, Los Angeles and New York for inspiration in search of a design “that will represent the renaissance of downtown Norfolk,” said Krause.
The glass exterior of the 484,711-square-foot building will include an atrium inspired by the Time-Warner building in New York. Meanwhile when guests enter on the first level, it will have the feel of Grand Central Station, Krause said, with a seafood restaurant and an escalator leading to a second-floor lobby where visitors will find another atrium and the front desk.
Besides the seafood restaurant, the hotel plans an Italian restaurant, a wine bar, and 4,000-square-foot rooftop garden with sliding garage doors that will open to outdoor terraces. There also will be a large ballroom and Exchange at the Main, a high-tech conference room with views of the Elizabeth River. Krause said hotel rooms would offer views of downtown Norfolk and the river. Parking will be available in a 362-space garage.
Overall, the hotel/conference center expects to employ a staff of 300 to 350 workers, Krause said.


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It looks like Circle K will start supplying double of your gas needs. Circle K is starting to sell weed in various locations in Florida.
"Athletes of color have for long suffered stigmatization over any hint of marijuana use. However, African-American sports personalities are at the forefront of harnessing opportunities in this market"
The vibrant Slim Aarons-inspired, Hype Williams images are quite memorable, and the person who effortlessly stands out amongst the rest is fashion and beauty model, Slick Woods. Take a look at how she graciously slayed Monogram's campaign.
Jaleel White wants to put "purple fire weed" on the map.
Rappers illegally in the weed business has always been a thing, but with state-level legislation relaxing across the country for legalization, there's an opportunity for these guys to go legit for the first time ever. We're naming names on rappers who have found a way to secure bags in the marijuana business
Marijuana Investments Up Nearly 600% From Last Year If you were ever thinking about investing in the Marijuana, you should consider planting those seeds now seeing as Cannabis industry saw a return of almost $1.23 billion in just the month of January. This number outlines a nearly 600 percent growth from the same time last […]
Some White folks will make Black people the scapegoat for anything if you let them.
Marijuana can take on many forms theses days, from cupcakes to cookies to tea — but who knew that weed manicures would become a thing? To see what we’re talking about, watch the video below: https://www.instagram.com/p/BSgRRZ8Dj7S/?tagged=weednails Photos of the trendy look are all over social media, grabbing the attention of stylish women and stoners alike. […]
Just a few things this election didn't screw up.
Facing 24 years, she's probably missing her old job right about now.
Snoop Dogg Defends Ezekiel Elliot Going To A Marijuana Dispensary!


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For as many that love to apply pancakes, foundation and concealer using the powder or sponge, a study conducted by several scientists from the School of Life and Health Sciences at Aston University in Birmingham, United Kingdom, have recently found that many makeup products that have passed their expiry dates, as well as many beauty tools particularly, makeup sponges not periodically clean, harbour potentially dangerous bacteria, such as staphylococcus aureus and escherichia coli.
Makeups are substances or products used to enhance or alter the appearance of the face or fragrance and texture of the body. Many makeups are designed for use of applying to the face and body. They are generally mixtures of chemical compounds derived from natural sources, or may be synthetic or artificial.
According to recent data, as of May 2017, 31 percent of people aged 18–29 years, 41 percent of people aged 30–59 years, and 35 percent of individuals aged 60 years and over wear makeup on a daily basis.
When people apply makeup in places like public toilet, bathrooms, on car, train, and plane, it is established that journeys give makeup powders and associated beauty tools plenty of chances to gather potentially dangerous bacteria.
All makeup products have a “shelf life,” which refers to the period during which they are typically safe to use. The duration of this period varies from product to product, and improper use of makeup such as rubbing eye shadow with unclean fingers can affect it, too.
Many companies use a symbol (an opened makeup jar) and a number representing a number of months on the packaging to indicate how long these products are safe to use for after a person has opened them.
European Union regulations enforce the rule that all makeup products on sale in countries should feature this shelf life information, which they call “period of time after opening,” on the packaging.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “[t]here are no U.S. laws or regulations that require cosmetics [including makeup] to have specific shelf lives or have expiration dates on their labels.” As a result, in the U.S., at least, manufacturers can get away with not giving consumers any information about the length of time for which a makeup product remains safe.
Additionally, many makeup users also own special tools, such as brushes and sponges, to apply their products. These tools, too, can easily pick up harmful bacteria, but many users still neglect to clean them as frequently as they should.
The study also shows that the existing evidences that makeup products and cosmetic applicators harbor dangerous bacteria.
Prof. Peter Lambert analyzed samples from 467 beauty products that U.K. users had donated. These products included: 96 lipsticks, 92 eyeliners, 93 mascaras, 107 lip glosses, and 79 beauty blenders (makeup powders that people use to apply foundation or concealer).
The researchers’ tests revealed that about 70–90 percent of all these products were contaminated with bacteria and that beauty blenders were the worst offenders.
Predominantly, the investigators found S. aureus, E. coli, and Citrobacter freundii — which bacteria are associated with skin infections, food poisoning, and urinary tract infections (UTIs), respectively.
“The majority of contaminants were found to be staphylococci/micrococci. Enterobacteriaceae were also detected in all product types, with particularly high prevalence in the beauty blenders (26.58 percent),” the researchers write in their study paper.
Beauty blenders also had the highest rate of contamination with fungi, at 56.96 percent. The investigators believe that this is because people must first moisten these powders to be able to apply makeup with them. Moist surfaces, the study authors explain, provide fertile breeding grounds for fungi.
Some of the highest loads of bacterial contaminants particularly Enterobacteriaceae were also present in lip glosses, with lipsticks demonstrating the lowest rate of contamination.
According to self-reported information from the people who had sent these products to Bashir and Prof. Lambert for their research, only 6.4percent of beauty products had ever received a cleaning. None of the submitted mascara wands had ever undergone cleaning.
Also, from the self-reported data, people typically applied as many as 27.3 percent of the beauty products and particularly eyeliner in bathrooms, which can lead to contamination with fecal matter.
Disturbingly, it also turned out that people had dropped 28.7 percent of the products on the floor, which can teem with bacteria. Of the beauty blender samples, people had handled or stored 35.6 percent of them in bathrooms and dropped as many as 64.4 percent of them on the floor.
The researchers warn that these findings may spell trouble, particularly for immune compromised individuals who are more prone to infection.
Amreen Bashir, Ph.D. said, “Consumers’ poor hygiene practices when it comes to using makeup, especially beauty blenders, is very worrying when you consider that we found bacteria such as E. coli — which is linked with fecal contamination — breeding on the products we tested.”
“More needs to be done to help educate consumers and the makeup industry as a whole about the need to wash beauty blenders regularly and dry them thoroughly, as well as the risks of using makeup beyond its expiry date,” Bashir emphasized.


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Philadelphia, PA - The PHL COVID-19 Fund announced PHLove, a one-time variety show on Thursday, May 21 at 7 p.m., to support the Fund.
PHLove, a Concert for COVID-19 Relief, Featuring Daryl Hall, Questlove, Patti LaBelle, DJ Jazzy Jeff
The lineup included Daryl Hall, Questlove, and Patti LaBelle will headline PHLove and feature DJ Jazzy Jeff, Amos Lee, DJ Diamond Kuts & Friends, WALLO267, Jeffrey Gaines, Jay Buchanan of Rival Sons, The Geator, Jerry Blavat, and Friends, and Pastor Alyn Waller and The Enon Tabernacle Fresh Anointing.
The event will air live on 6ABC, CBS3, NBC10, 96.5 TDY, 98.1 WOGL, B101.1, and KYW Newsradio, as well as stream nationwide online at Inquirer.com and Radio.com.
The PHL COVID-19 Fund supports individuals hit hardest by the pandemic, such as seniors, people experiencing homelessness, those with disabilities, as well as survivors of abuse.
More information on the PHL COVID-19 Fund and its efforts to date can be found at www.PHLCOVID19Fund.org.
Food and Event Writer
My joy is aimed at food and foodie lovers. I enjoy covering trends, issues, and all things Philly
Leo's Steak Shop Wins 1st Annual Cheesesteak Madness - Leo's Wins!! Leo's Steak Shop, 16 seed representing the Delco Region, wins the 1st Annual Philadelphia Cheesesteak Adventure March Cheesesteak Madness Tournament and takes the title of "Best Tri-State Cheesesteak 2020".
Wildwood Crest to Allow Restaurants Outdoor Seating - Wildwood Crest has approved a resolution permitting temporary outdoor seating for restaurants as well as retail businesses in response to social-distancing requirements in effect during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.


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Wello has received a 10MW wave energy park order from Gapura Energi Utama (GEU) in Bali. This new energy park will be next to Nusa Penida Island which is part of Bali and is expected to be complete by the end of 2018. This is part of the agreement Wello went into for the Indonesian market as they add renewable energy sources like wave power.
The CEO and Founder of Wello, Heikki Paakkinen, stated that he was proud of the work being accomplished and that Wello Penguin, the name of the new energy park, will be quite competitive with offshore wind energy production facilities. The overall goal is to reduce costs by as much as 50% for the generation of electricity through wave power.
The President Manager of GE, Komang Agus Pribadiana, believes that there is more than 17GW potential in the ocean that surrounds Indonesia that has yet to be fully developed. By teaming up with Wello, it helps increase the capacity for renewable energy in a safe manner that is environmentally sound.
Wello uses a wave energy converter that has been in the design and testing stages for nearly a decade. The rough waters off the coast of Orkney, Scotland has been one of the testing sites for the energy converter that has been handled by the European Marine Energy Center (EMEC). Because the testing was performed in waters that are just as harsh, if not even more challenging that what is found next to Nusa Penida Island in Bali, it means that the success of the new wave energy park is more assured.
The potential for Wello Penguin is considerable and estimated to be at over a billion euros by the company itself. In addition, new wave energy parks are planned for around the world, but the success of Wello Penguin in Bali will help determine its future.
It’s a known fact that the amount of cars we have on our roads is bad for the environment. With climate-damaging fuel emissions and health polluting toxic gases, diesel cars will one day be a thing of the past. While countries such as Copenhagen are seeing the rise of cycling over driving – see https://stateofgreen.com/en/ for more details – most people are looking towards electric and hybrid cars as the solution to tackling air pollution. However, how eco-friendly are they, and should you buy one?
Doubts have been raised
There are those who refute the idea that electric and hybrid cars emit zero emissions. Joshua Graff Zivin, a professor at the University of California, and advisor to the electric industry, suggests there are still issues to the climate. Why? According to him, not only is the manufacturing process less than eco-friendly, but the power plants providing the power to charge the vehicles are not completely emission free. There are also concerns about the batteries that are potentially disposed at the end of an electric car’s lifespan. Considering they contain toxic chemicals, there are fears that they will create a new crisis in the environment. As you can also read here, http://www.dw.com/en/opinion-the-myth-of-a-clean-electric-car/, there are increasing doubts as to the viability of a completely clean electric car.
On the positive side
It’s not all bad news. It has been proven that electric cars are more energy-efficient and cleaner when out on the roads, especially when compared to their diesel equivalent. In a time when there is more traffic than ever on our highways and byways, this is certainly a positive thing. Scientists are also looking to find ways to reuse the batteries from electric vehicles, such as using them within industrial processes. So, while there may not yet be an end to zero emissions, advances are being made to find a solution. While there is still a move to put electric public transport at the top of the agenda in some counties to ease traffic, it’s clear that electric cars are still the future, and continued changes will be made to ensure they are safer for our environment.
The future for you
The question for you, the consumer, is this. When should you take the plunge into buying an electric or hybrid car? We have already outlined some of the benefits here at http://www.greentechgazette.com, whether you are an eco-warrior or not. You may not be ready to make the transition, but you will eventually be forced into the upgrade, as many governments have vowed to take diesel-powered cars off the roads as soon as possible. The UK, for example, will stop selling petrol and diesel cars from 2040. Targets have been set, to both reduce greenhouse gases and tackle air pollution, so you need to check with your local government as to the implications for your future on the road.
We are all responsible for playing our part in reducing the carbon footprint. Not adding to the traffic at all is one solution, but if public transport or cycling is not a solution for you, it is time to think about your future on the road. Take a look at some of the latest hybrid and electric cars here https://www.caranddriver.com/best-hybrid-electric-cars, and consider them when deciding on your next vehicle. We raised the question about the eco-friendliness of electric cars, and the answer is not straightforward. Time will tell if they reduce zero emissions entirely, but one thing is clear, they are more sustainable than the diesel cars that currently pollute our environment.
Shape memory alloys are metals that can shift from one predetermined shape to another depending on the temperature it is subjected to. It was discovered 60 years ago and has since been used in different fields, including biomedicine and aeronautical engineering. But it has continuously refused to harvest energy from hot water – something that is about to change.
The founders of a company called Exergyn said they have made an engine capable of generating electricity. Their machine uses morphing wire and hot water left over from industrial processes. The development of the engine has its roots in a backyard experiment conducted five years ago in Dublin.
After heating water in an electric tea maker, the founders – a scientist, an engineer, and a businessman – poured it into a bisected segment of pipe. At the bottom of that pipe lay a wire made of shape memory alloy, with one of the men holding a ruler next to it.
The men observed that the wire shortened by a couple of centimeters when hot water was poured through the pipe. When they poured cold water over the wire, its original length returned.
It is estimated that in the US about a third of the energy is lost as heat. Rigoberto Advincula, a waste-heat expert and professor of macromolecular science at Case Western University, said that lots of energy is wasted in industrial processes or during heat exchange, which happens when water is poured on machines to cool them off. The hot water produced as a result of industrial applications is not hot enough to produce steam capable of powering an engine in order to get a generator going.
There are a few power plants and others in the industrial industry who send hot waste water through secondary engines. These engines area able to convert a little amount of energy into electricity. The process for achieving that is called the organic Ranking cycle, but it needs chemicals in order to generate power from hot water.
Since some of the chemicals that need to be used are considered dangerous and harmful for the environment, they have been banned or their use is restricted. Although there are cleaner chemicals, they are not as efficient in creating energy from waste water. Plus, they create additional operational costs.
The answer, then, lies in morphing wires – the heart of what’s in the new engine created by Exergyn. The company’s engine uses nitinol, a shape metal alloy variation made of nickel (Ni) and titanium (Ti). The “nol” in its name refers to the former Naval Ordnance Laboratory where the alloy was invented.
The Exergyn engine takes advantage of nitinol’s shape-shifting behavior to convert hot water waste into electricity. Its makers say the engine could be used in a waste-heat plumbing system where hot water is cycled into piston chambers, each attached to a nitinol wire. The wire contracts when hit with hot water then expands when cold water rushes through.
A viscous fluid lies on the other side of the piston, which pushes the fluid through a hydraulic transmission which in turn spins a generator leading to electricity being created.
Exergyn isn’t claiming a breakthrough with their engine, but they used existing research to create nitriol. Just how much a company can save on electricity when they buy an Exergyn engine still remains to be seen. For now, a prototype sits in Exergyn’s own offices in Dublin with actual field tests scheduled to be carried out in 2018.
Exergyn CEO Alan Healy says that the trials will prove that there is a way to achieve energy efficiency. He says that unless businesses are given a money saving option, they won’t do the right thing.
While renewable energy has become popular and more relevant in today’s energy grid, it is not always available when needed. However, one major transmitter of power has removed the technology to help them better incorporate renewable energy into their power grid.
Tennet, a European firm, announced that it was going to the be the first on the continent to team up with Sonnen, a battery supplier, and revitalize the blockchain concept to incorporate renewable energy so that it can be used when their customers need the extra power. This represents a fundamental change in how renewable energy sources are used since previously they were only available during daylight hours or when the wind was constant. Now, the energy created can be stored and used when needed or the batteries can be used when excessive energy is available for storage purposes.
Under the old system in Germany, if extra power was needed it had to be delivered from other power plants which may be hundreds of miles away. With the new battery storage, energy that was created from renewable sources can be stored and tapped when needed to make up for any deficiency. The result is not only faster access to power, it also solves one of the biggest concerns with today’s energy grid in Germany.
Currently, energy transmission operators in Europe have to manage a congested network that makes up their power grid, using technology that is expensive and requiring considerable precision to operate. This is especially true with third-party plants having to be contracted to provide extra power while cutting down on wind output which only seems counterproductive. By adding large battery storage units, Tennet may be able to solve several issues at once while promoting a more renewable energy-friendly policy.
The idea sprang from the use of batteries in homes that use solar or wind power. The application seemed logical for networking in a grid if the battery capacity was available and could be stored on site. This means that when excess energy is created, it can be readily stored and used when needed. Of course, this does not address the issue of what happens when the batteries are full and excess energy is still being created.
This new approach does have advancing technology to thank for creating batteries that can hold substantial amounts of electricity. Before, batteries of that size needed to be replaced frequently because their components would no longer be able to fully recharge. Today, it is possible to overcome that issue with far less cost.
However, one effect may be to greatly reduce operating costs once the batteries are installed. It is estimated that the current network grid cost about 800 million euros, a large part of which could be saved by using battery storage instead. Plus, it would greatly reduce the demands of running an energy transmission network since most of the energy could be tapped from a singular source in using batteries. This may not eliminate the need for networking the grid, but it would greatly reduce the demand in tapping for energy that is hundreds of miles away.
Surf ‘n’ Turf, a pilot project installed in Orkney, Scotland, has successfully generated tidal and wind energy that will be used to generate hydrogen. Whatever hydrogen is produced will then be stored and used later for a variety of different ideas and schemes.
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) believed that, unless hydrogen is produced from marine renewable projects, potential customers will go elsewhere. Thus, the need for a practical measure to generate and use electricity despite grid restraints in Orkney.
How is tidal energy produced?
Tidal energy generators are used to produce tidal energy. These are large underwater turbines that are placed in areas with high tidal movements. The generators are designed to capture the kinetic motion of the ocean tides. The ebbing and surging help produce electricity.
Because of the massive size of the oceans, tidal power is considered to have a great potential for future power and electricity generation.
Depending on the system used, energy from the tides can be captured in a vertical direction or through the flow of tides. With the former, the tide comes in and raises the water level in the basin before it is discharged through a turbine as the tides lower.
What is the technology used in Surf ‘n’ Turf project?
Surf ‘n’ Turf uses an electrolyzer unit that is powered by the Scotrenewables SR2000 and Tocardo TFS and T2 turbine prototype tidal energy converters that are currently being tested at the tidal energy test sites at EMEC. It is also powered by a wind turbine run by Eday Renewable Energy.
The power fed goes into a 0.5MW rapid response ITM Power electrolyzer unit that is located in an onshore substation. The unit generates hydrogen that can be moved and stored as needed.
According to EMEC’s Hydrogen Development Manager Jon Clipsham, “The electrolyser splits water into its component elements – hydrogen and oxygen – in an electrochemical process. Whilst generating hydrogen isn’t a new process, this is the first time that it has been generated from tidal energy”.
The renewable AC power is then converted to DC and applied to water in a series of electrochemical cells through catalysts. Technology Development Manager at ITM Power Kris Hyde explains that after the water goes through the catalysts, it is split into separate streams of hydrogen and oxygen. The former self-compresses and is then delivered to downstream equipment, while the latter is vented.
Challenges to using tidal energy to generate hydrogen power
Although tidal power is inherently a more predictable source than wind and wave, the technology used in power generation is still in its infancy. Many of the devices used are also in their prototype stages.
In fact, the ITM electrolyzer used in Orkney was selected after a competitive tender process.
The remote location of the EMEC tidal testing facility also poses logistical and access challenges. Combined with extremes of weather, commissioning and designing of the facility was not exactly a walk in the park.
The interconnection between the inter-island grid and Scotland is also weak. So even when Orkney’s electricity grid ‘routinely hit full capacity’, distribution to renewable generators are affected.
The smartflowerTM solar energy system brings on-the-go solar power to your home. Initially developed for European households, the smartflower is a self-contained, ground-mounted system that can be quickly installed and de-installed, perfect for people who want to enjoy the benefits of solar energy even as they move from home to home.
Here is an overview of the smartflower system and how it can benefit your lifestyle.
What Is smartflower?
The smartflower system looks like its name. Petal-shaped panels embedded with solar cells are arranged around a central point and fan out into a daisy-like pattern. The “stem” of the flower is a sturdy base containing the electronics and connections to send power to your home. The power generated is stored in batteries and is accessed by the homeowner through a “smart” energy management system.
The smartflower petals open when the sun comes up, soaking up solar energy during the day and then fold up like a fan at night to self-clean and protect the petals. The system has a dual-axis tracker that allows the smartflower to follow the sun throughout the day at the optimum angle to maximize the harvest. In high winds, the smartflower blades retract just as they do at night, to prevent damage.
The entire system is self-contained and can be removed and re-installed at a new home if needed. With dual-axis tracking, the smartflower can generate as much or more energy as a standard roof-top solar installation. One smartflower generates the equivalent of a four-kilowatt rooftop system, according to the manufacturer.
Compare smartflower to Other Solar Energy Systems
Traditional rooftop and ground level solar energy systems are made up of stationary panels oriented to the south or southwest to catch the prevailing sunlight. Unlike smartflower, stationary panels cannot optimize the angle of approach to gather the maximum amount of sunlight at every hour of the day.
In addition to the ability to track the sun, the smartflower has a self-cleaning function, reducing the amount of maintenance needed to keep the solar cells in top condition. Traditional solar installations require periodic cleaning to clean dirt and grime off the panels and increase the amount of sunlight they can soak in.
The manufacturer of the smartflower states the unit operates at a lower temperature than roof-mounted panels because the design allows air to flow freely around the panels.
Finally, the smartflower is portable. It can be uninstalled and quickly and reinstalled at a new residence so you can take your solar energy system with you when you move; you won’t need to purchase another system for your new home.
The Advantages of smartflowerTM
The smartflower system has all the advantages of solar energy generation.
You reduce your utility bill.
You have the potential to sell electricity back to the local grid.
You produce clean energy.
The system also has advantages beyond the tradition solar energy system.
Installation only takes a few hours instead of several days.
The system is portable and can be taken to your new home.
The dual-axis tracking capability optimizes the angle of the panels to gather the most solar energy throughout the day.
It is self-cleaning.
It produces more energy than a roof-top or fixed-ground system of similar size.
You decide when to use power from the grid, the batteries, or the solar panels.
The smartflower may not be feasible if you have a very shady yard or live in an area where cloudy days are the norm, but those are the same disadvantages you would have with a traditional roof-top system. The petals open to 194 square feet and may not fit into a tiny yard or zero-lot-line home.
The smartflowerTM expands the choices for people who want to invest in solar energy but may be hesitant because they know they may not stay in a home long enough to reap the return. The company has a single version for sale in the US but plans to add to the selection early in 2018.
The sunflower’s easy installation, self-cleaning features, and portability plus the ability to produce clean energy lets you take your solar power with you wherever you go.
About the Author
Massy Almubidin is a solar expert and owner at IntegrateSun, providing solar panels to Houston-area homes and businesses.
In 2017, the world is a much more environmentally friendly place than it once was. Recycling is actively encouraged, companies give away free home insulation to cut energy costs, and various products are made from recycled materials, in fact upcycling (reusing and refreshing old furniture) has even become a popular trend. We live in a world that is more ‘green’ than ever before, and that is all thanks to the special measures that have been put in place by our governments after seeing the devastation that pollution has done to our world. Even technology is now built to be more eco-friendly than ever before. Bearing that in mind, today, we will be looking at some of the most state of the art pieces of software that have been made to help save the environment.
Smart homes are not run on just one piece of software but many different pieces of technology. However, for the purpose of discussing the most eco-friendly pieces of software, it works well to group them together, as most pieces of smart home software work in similar ways. Running on the internet, these pieces of technology make managing many home appliances simple; all it takes is the tap of a button on a smart device and your oven, cooker, kettle, or heating, can be turned on or off, how incredible is that? It’s tech like this that makes leading a more eco-friendly life, that little bit easier, even for those of us who are a little lazy when it comes to turning off the lights in our homes.
Each and every day new apps are being built and released. Of the thousands available on the app store, there are some that have been designed to make leading a greener life that little bit easier. Anyone can make an app these days, it just takes a certain amount of knowledge and the use of specialist services like an automated API testing tutorial, for instance, and an app can be created. Apps like PaperKarma, JouleBug, and SeafoodWatch are all examples of pieces of software made to save the environment. These are applications that have been created by green activists who have realized the need for additional support for other people attempting to lead greener lives, and really are incredible resources.
You may think that these belong in the ‘smart home’ section, but actually, smart thermostats are something else entirely. Yes, they make up part of a smart home, but they are that incredible that they also deserve their own section. The fantastic thing about smart thermostat software is how smart it actually is; not only can these pieces of tech be controlled via a smart device, they can also be set to turn on or off depending on the temperature of a property. So when the optimal temperature is reached and maintained, the thermostat turns off the heating, preventing energy wastage. How incredible is that? These pieces of tech might be small but sure are they mighty.
There you have it, a guide to three of the state of the art pieces of software that can help to make leading a more environmentally friendly life easier.
In many ways, batteries stand at the center of today’s energy crisis. The levelized cost of solar and wind are plummeting below that of coal – which is good news – yet those technologies will never be able to replace fossil fuels unless the storage problem is sorted first.
Then there are our devices. Consumers are demanding devices that stay charged for longer and don’t need to constantly be hooked up to the mains for a new supply of energy according to laptop.review. And they want electric cars without range anxiety – vehicles with the same, if not greater, range than their gas-guzzling brethren.
The good news is that since Sony introduced us to lithium-ion batteries back in 1994, we’ve seen about a 5 percent increase in storage capacity per unit volume every year since, and a similar decrease in price. But compared to the exponential gains seen in other areas, such as chip speed or computer storage, this progress seems pitiful. Though things are going in the right direction, improvements are incremental rather than game-changing.
The real worry is that we’ll never get the battery breakthrough we want. Though there are start-ups engaged in producing battery technologies which will store energy at costs of less than $100 per kWh, the problem is integrating these technologies into the existing commercial power system, and gaining interest from major industries, like the auto sector.
The problem, according to Ellen Williams, the director of the US Department of Energy’s ARPA-E division, is that most people just don’t understand batteries. Although new devices come to market quickly, those are consumer products and operate by different rules to the battery sector. Commercializing new battery technologies is often very difficult, especially since many of them are unproven or unsafe.
The other big problem is the length of time it takes to develop a new battery technology. The founder of Solid Energy Systems, Qichao Hu, wants to develop a new type of lithium-ion battery with a metallic anode which will replace the traditional graphite anode. The problem, he says, is that developing a battery is almost always a compromise. Suppose for instance that you want to increase the energy density, then all of a sudden the price goes up, or the longevity of the battery falls. There really are no simple solutions.
Setting up a battery research facility is also incredibly expensive. Gerd Ceder, a professor at the University of California, told technologyreview.com that a new manufacturing line to produce state of the art batteries would cost at least $500 million – capital that most research institutions don’t have.
At the moment, it looks as if we’re going to end up with an ecosystem of battery technologies. Our devices, unless something dramatic happens, will be powered by lithium-ion cells. Storage for the electricity network will be provided in the form of sodium-ion batteries or flow batteries. There are even discussions about non-chemical ways of storing grid energy, like pumping water uphill or store energy as heat in giant, underground brick kilns.
It’s for these reasons (unless we get a radical new chemistry), that battery technology is likely to peak – and much sooner than many of us had hoped.
Today, technology is growing rapidly, which allows us to envision solutions that were once deemed impossible. New Holland engineers, took an idea from the future, and have brought it to life. They have delivered a tractor that will not only be energy independent, it will be doing so using waste products. The tractor features a great advancement, as farmers can now use waste products from their land. This is made possible with the help of a closed-loop cycle, and can be put into practice with the methane powered tractor.
This concept tractor is nothing like you have ever seen or experienced before, and highlight the importance of alternative fuels. Which is why they are offering you a chance to create fuel from agriculture, and food industry waste. New Holland Agriculture has successfully tested their new technology, and produced fuels from various sources that can be combined together.
Alternative Fuel Solutions
With the addition of the Methane powered concept tractor, New Holland has taken a step towards a more reliable, viable, and proven technology. The company has a long standing history in offering alternative fuel solutions. They started from a 100% biodiesel compatible tractor to being the first company to offer a hydrogen tractor concept that leads to offering an energy independent farm. This farm was based on alternative fuels, and since then they have been actively working on offering solutions for the energy independent farm. Back in 2012, they offer a propane powered tractor that offered lower running costs, and reduced emission. Furthermore, their first Methan prototype came out in 2013, followed by two more that were tested around the world.
What is New in the Methane Powered Concept Tractor?
This New Holland tractor offers a significant advancement, and is built on similar foundations that were seen in the Methan prototypes. Moreover, the tractor houses a FPT industrial engine, which offers 180hp, and torque of 740Nm at max. In addition, the tractor includes FPT’s stoichiometries combustion technology, that was first introduced in 1995. Which in result offer low emissions, and higher rate of efficiency.
In addition, the concept tractor comes with an advanced fuel tank, that offers a 80% reduction in emissions. Additionally, the tractor offers the same torque and power offered by a standard diesel engine. This ensures equal working, with a 50% reduction in noise. The crop residue, waste products, and energy crops found on the farm will be used to produce Biomethane. Which ensures that the fuel being produced has 0% CO2, and offers great overall coverage.
What is Biomethane?
Biomethane is developed by using a system that ensures an equitable CO2 production. Keeping in mind that farmers have access to the space and the raw material to produce the gas.
Benefits of Biomethane
Production – it can be produced using waste plant, food materials, and some farm grown energy crops.
Independent – the concept tractor offers a complete autonomy system, so farmers can easily work through the day.
Versatility – the Methane powered concept tractor by New Holland Agriculture can take on the same tasks any other standard diesel tractor will be able to perform.
Futuristic – the tractor offers a complete futuristic design, and layout. Which is designed to help individuals realize the importance of alternative fuels.
These are some of the many benefits that allow the Methane powered concept tractor by New Holland Agriculture to stand apart from the others.
Solar panels attached to traditional roofing materials may not look appealing to the eye, but they have been – until now – the choice for those who want to use the sun to power their home. Tesla offers to do much of the same thing – and more – but in a more attractive package. With the solar roof product, the company has the final piece in place to achieve the goal of becoming a sun to a vehicle energy company.
Recently, Tesla has completed the first installations of their solar roof product. The homes of Tesla employees will serve as a testing bed for the product. The decision to do so is for reward and for strategic purposes. Solar roof installation on the home’s of employees serve as a thank you for the hard work performed to bring the product to market. It’s also a strategic move to closely monitor the product.
The solar roof material looks just like any of the common roofing materials: terra cotta, clay, asphalt, and slate. What makes the Tesla creation different is the presence of a solar cell that receives light from the sun which then powers the home and vehicle. With the product, the roof of homes will not only look aesthetically pleasing but also harness the sun’s energy for power.
There will be four options available for Tesla’s solar roof product, with two going into production in October. The company has opened up their online store to receive $1,000 deposits for the smooth black glass and textured-glass roof tile options. Tesla is also accepting orders from different countries for 2018.
Tesla’s solar roof product looks like a highly viable option for those wishing to switch to clean energy. But the overall cost of the product will still be a critical factor in determining if it’s a product only the wealthy could afford or an actual solution for the residential solar market, which has been experiencing a decline in the US.
The Cost of Tesla’s Solar Roof
Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla, unveiled pricing details and it was lower than what analysts expected. Musk revealed that installing the company’s solar roof product would cost $42 per square foot, an amount that is lower than attaching solar panels to traditional roofs.
Overall solar roof installation, however, would cost much higher because more tiles are needed. For instance, owners of a 2,000 square-foot property opting to have 40% active solar tiles would end up paying $50,000 after federal tax credits.
Despite that, it may still be the best option when taking energy savings and lifetime cost of ownership into account. Tesla guarantees their product is tough as steel and can withstand a lifetime of abuse from the elements. Residents living in colder climates can also have heating elements fitted into the tiles to melt off snow.
Musk envisions a future where rooftops not only look beautiful but also produce electricity. This may very well be achievable if pricing lowers a bit more – a scenario that is growing more likely given the continued drop in battery and solar cell prices.
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The Great American Takeout
A coalition of restaurants is asking U.S. consumers to participate in “The Great American Takeout” on Tuesday, March 24, as the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic continues.
The coalition's regional and national brands are encouraging U.S. consumers to order at least one delivery or pick-up meal on Tuesday to show support for the restaurant community, which is
struggling after state and city closures of dining rooms
to stem the spread of the COVID-19 infection.
“This is no longer about the survival of individual restaurants,” said Russ Bendel, Habit Restaurants CEO, in a statement. “It’s about the future of our industry. And time has run out. Together, we must act to support each other and our communities in unprecedented ways.” The campaign is also aimed at increasing awareness about the challenges restaurants face. “It will hopefully also raise awareness for how vulnerable restaurant businesses and their employees are during this difficult time,” said Mike Mirkil, a restaurant consultant and former marketing executive who founded Strategy for Sale.
A spokesperson said interested restaurants could reach the coalition team on social media, including @TheGATakeout on Twitter and @thegreatamericantakeout on Instagram, or "they can simply participate by promoting this initiative to their social media community using #TheGreatAmericanTakeout." To participate in The Great American Takeout, the coalition is asking consumers to:
- Post on social media in advance of the event, encouraging friends and followers to take part with the Hashtag #TheGreatAmericanTakeout.
- Engage friends, family and colleagues to support their local restaurants by ordering takeout meals.
- Order delivery or pick-up for at least one meal on Tuesday, sharing photos on social media and tagging them with #TheGreatAmericanTakeout.
“After The Great American Takeout, Americans are encouraged to continue supporting local restaurants and industry employees by ordering takeout regularly throughout the weeks and months ahead,” the coalition said in a statement.


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Grover Beach Approves Cannabis Consumption Lounges
The Grover Beach City Council has voted 3-1 to approve cannabis consumption lounges within city limits. That means that the four existing cannabis dispensaries can begin planning for on-site cannabis use areas.
One major concern for city leaders and members of the community was odor. To address that, the ordinance includes a requirement for absorbing ventilation and exhaust systems to prevent odors from seeping into adjacent properties.
A number of other California cities now allow cannabis consumption lounges, including West Hollywood and San Francisco. But Grover Beach is one of the first cities on the Central Coast to welcome these businesses.
You can learn more about commercial cannabis regulations in Grover Beach here.


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Metrics are a big element of marketing. But while numbers and trends are insightful, it’s what we do with that information that truly matters. In this year’s State of Marketing report, Salesforce surveyed more than 5,000 marketers across the globe to glean insight on top priorities for 2015 across all digital channels. This second annual report takes a look at areas for increased spending; biggest changes since last year; trends in social, mobile, and email marketing; and pressing business challenges. Here are some of the key findings from the report, which may influence your marketing strategy this year.
Globally, marketers’ challenges include:
Canadian marketers’ challenges include:
The digital marketing challenges in Canada reflect two realities:
For many Canadian businesses, CASL was a big shakeup to former email list building tactics. While many lists lost 50 per cent of subscribers overnight, the law pushed marketers to find new avenues and make bolder marketing choices. Canada and Brazil have the highest percentage (96 per cent) of marketers who plan to increase or maintain their digital marketing budgets.
The Takeaway: Canada plans to make a bold move toward more and higher quality digital marketing in 2015. This year, consider upping your digital marketing spend. If you don’t have one already, create a dedicated digital marketing team.
Ramping up the Marketing Budget:
The percentage of marketers who plan on increasing their spend on marketing activities and technologies
There’s a lot of noise for marketers to cut through. We don’t have a problem getting data from our digital efforts: The challenge is to decide what’s important and how to respond to it.
Revenue growth was deemed the number one metric. Marketers shifted their attention from traditional metrics (including conversion rates and return on investment) to metrics that better reflect customer satisfaction. These include engagement rate and sentiment analysis. But, overall, customer satisfaction still ranks relatively low in marketers’ minds (only 30 per cent consider it one of their top metrics). With social media as one of the most valuable tools in a marketer’s arsenal, it’s crucial to involve customer service representatives in marketing (and vice versa). Clients don’t care that your social media page is handled by marketing instead of customer service. They may complain on social pages if they feel like they’re receiving poor service. Keep in mind, tools like Chatter allow marketers to instantly inform a customer service team of a problem (and even hashtag it), then reply within minutes. This gives unhappy customers the reassurance that they’re being heard.
Which brings us to the customer journey. More than four out of five senior-level marketers said it was critical or very important to create a cohesive customer journey. Customer journey mapping is an important tactic to see where your touch points could improve. The available level of tracking, especially in mobile applications, gives us a view into the lives of our customers in a way that wasn’t possible in traditional advertising. This information can help us make smart decisions about many different areas of business in order to improve customer satisfaction. This demonstrates how crucial marketing is to all areas of the organization, not just to fill that funnel.
The Takeaway: Close the loop between traffic and revenue growth and focus on the numbers that matter, instead of the numbers that look impressive. Remember to respect the power of the customer’s voice and prioritize really great customer service.
The Effectiveness of Various Technologies of Creating a Cohesive Customer Journey
Below the graph, please include the text, “This graph illustrates which technologies marketers find most effective at creating a cohesive customer journey.
Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
Social listening tools
Social publishing tools
Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
Just 56 per cent of marketers use a corporate website in their marketing. While 26 per cent plan to add a website in the next 12 months, this statistic is pretty astounding considering it’s 2015.
Make time for a website. Include a blog, but avoid tacking on overt sales pitches to the end of a post. Sidestep pitches in blogging and content marketing efforts and you will likely see better results. Also, make sure to produce content your audience wants to share. Pay attention to the posts that perform well and those that falter.
The Takeaway: Corporate websites have a place in digital marketing. Make time for a website and publish relevant, compelling content your audience wants to share.
Three of the top five business challenges discussed in our report revolved around the value of digital marketing. “Understanding what data to analyze” was ranked 17 on the list of business challenges, so getting the data isn’t the problem. Instead, the challenge is to make sure marketing has a seat at the table. It’s also important to understand successes and failures at every level. Marketing should be a part of everyone’s job, including sales, customer service—even accounting.
Understanding what data to analyze and how to analyze it highlights an opportunity. Training isn’t met well in the marketplace right now. Many marketers learn on the job and from conferences and blog posts by experts in the field. A few universities offer programs, but many of the courses focus on the strategic pieces of digital marketing, not how to effectively slice and dice data to show value.
A lot of the need to prove value has to do with decision makers still not trusting digital marketing as a viable channel. This is a challenge we all need to face. Clearly demonstrate that digital marketing is just as reliable—if not more reliable—than traditional marketing by uncovering opportunities from new analytics insights.
The Takeaway: Go beyond just pulling analytics reports. Take your digital marketing analysis to the next level by continually testing content and ad copy, creating segments, and implementing multi-channel integration solutions. Make marketing a part of everyone’s job.
Email isn’t as exciting as other marketing channels and often gets overlooked as a result. Email is experiencing a resurgence as mobile’s power continues to rise. A portion of people on your mailing list will likely only view your emails on a mobile device, and that number is growing every year. In 2014, 72 per cent of U.S. online adults sent and received emails on their phone at least weekly. Remember that open rates skyrocket during black Friday and holiday shopping times.
Only 49 per cent of marketers employ responsive emails. If you can make one change to your email marketing program this year, consider making your emails responsive—before your competition does. Going responsive can lead to a 130 per cent increase in email clicks. Who can say no to that?
Finally, though CASL took a big bite out of email lists this year, it shouldn’t stop you from using list-building tactics. The most effective email tactics were transaction, birthday, anniversary, and mobile opt-in.
The Takeaway: Consider making your emails responsive. Segment email lists and try new tactics to re-engage tired subscribers.
One of the biggest changes from 2014 to 2015 was the number of marketers who said, “Mobile marketing is a critical enabler of our products and services,” a change from 57 per cent in 2014 to 70 per cent in 2015. That figure will likely crack 80 per cent and higher in 2016.
Chances are, it will also be more challenging to find mobile-savvy talent. More than half of marketers (58 per cent) have a dedicated mobile team and only 7 per cent of them had a team that was just one person. If you don’t yet have a mobile team, start recruiting aggressively to get the right people on your side.
Selling your company on mobile shouldn’t be hard. Mobile users are happily giving up their location data, which means mobile/social/local campaigns just got easier. Seventy nine per cent of mobile users allowed location sharing in-app and 70 per cent allowed push notifications, while only 18 per cent of marketers use location-based functionality. Retailers, take note: Combine that data, and you now have a huge pool of users who would love to get a push notification from your app when they’re close to one of your retail locations. This year may mark the moment mobile finally grew up, but 2016 will be the year where marketers make the mobile/location connection.
The Takeaway: If you don’t have a mobile team yet, start recruiting for one. Take advantage of mobile users’ willingness to share location data. Use this data to bridge the mobile/location gap.
With the number of marketers viewing social as a critical enabler—increasing from 25 per cent in 2014 to 64 per cent in 2015—social has arrived. Social was a primary revenue source for 29 per cent of the marketers surveyed, with another 57 per cent expecting to see eventual or indirect revenue from social.
Social is also more than just Facebook and Twitter. The two most effective social networks were video (YouTube, for example), and the best social network you’ve never heard of: Tagged. Eighty six per cent of marketers using this platform rated it as very effective or effective. With 300 million members and counting, you don’t want to miss out.
Pinterest rankings were a bit of a surprise. Only 57 per cent of respondents said it was effective or very effective. Pinterest certainly had a lot of hype in the past, so it has become oversaturated and overrated. New content is no longer being discovered as users resort to re-pinning old content. Since the platform isn’t as social as others, there’s less engagement between users. There are still marketing successes to be had there, but perhaps not as easily as in the past.
The Takeaway: Social is huge. Master one or two social platforms before diving into too many at once, but explore lesser-known networks, such as Tagged. Remember that some platforms may ebb and flow in their effectiveness, like Pinterest.
Social Media Networking Channels and Their Effectiveness
Other Messaging Apps
Marketing Strategies to Consider in 2015