text:
With its new product PLANTY-OF-BURGER, German food startup PLANTY-OF-MEAT is launching the first ever locally-made meat alternative onto the German market. The company hopes the new burger will impress vegans, vegetarians, flexitarians, and meat-eaters alike.
PLANTY-OF-MEAT, founded in January 2019 in Gilchingen near Munich, is the first German plant-based food start-up to develop natural meat alternatives domestically. With its new products, the company aims to offer European consumers and restaurateurs regionally-produced and realistic alternatives to plant-based products sold internationally. PLANTY-OF-MEAT debuts with the PLANTY-OF-BURGER “SUNNY-CUT” and the company is working on further new products, including PLANTY-OF-SAUSAGE, which will be launched later this year.
Most of the realistic meat alternatives on the market are imported, but PLANTY-OF-MEAT products are developed locally in Germany and manufactured regionally. This meets consumer demand for more transparency and sustainability, including with regards to their own carbon footprints. The startup’s mission: locally-made, realistic alternatives which can be enjoyed by meat fans as well as vegans. This is timely, because according to the German Future Institute’s Food Trends 2019, these foods are set to increasingly displace animal products from the market.


text:
Facebook email ‘bug’ affects smartphone users
KUALA LUMPUR, July 5 – A new email setting introduced by Facebook has affected several smartphone users using contact-sync devices, such as Android, BlackBerry and iOS 6 devices as it changes their default email address to @facebook.com.
The social network is known to make changes to the layout, privacy and account settings, often sparking outrage from users who were not informed of the change beforehand.
Instead of using their usual email addresses, the emails sent out to their contacts uses the @facebook.com address. Important emails are missed by recipients because the messages are going into other email folders.
After several news reports were published, Facebook confirmed on Monday that the issue is real. According to Facebook, “... it was caused by a bug in the contact-sync system for some phones.”
“We are in the process of fixing this issue and it will be resolved soon. After that, those specific devices should pull the correct addresses,” said a spokesperson from the social network company.
A report by CNNMoney said US resident David Thomas who owns an HTC Incredible contacted the news portal about the issue. Thomas was quoted as saying that he didn’t mind the @facebook.com change on Facebook’s site but the issue on his smartphone upset him.
“Talk about an invasion of privacy,” Thomas wrote. “I don’t want to write to people’s Facebook email address... they probably don’t know they have one.”
According to Graham Cluley, Senior Technology Consultant at Sophos, “I believe the site was trying to get more people to adopt @facebook.com email addresses for their regular communications, to make their dependence on Facebook even greater. But they’ve ended up with more disgruntled users, who will be wary of the next time Facebook changes things without proper notification and without thinking of the repercussions.”
If you don’t want your @facebook.com email address to be displayed on your profile (and don’t want it to be synced to friends’ smartphones), you should change your settings.
Click on the “About” tab on your profile. Go to the section marked “Contact info” and choose “Edit”.
Adjust the settings to choose which – if any – of your email addresses (including the new @facebook.com email address that you have been given) you would like to appear on your timeline, and who has the rights to see it.

domain: news


text:
The Vape Shop Vape Shop near Birmingham Alabama 35201 (33.4564, read full article -86.8019). We stock over 800 eliquid brands including Aktion Vapor Co., Chibi Bar by Yami Vapor E-Juice, C.R.E.A.M E-Juice, Juice Roll Upz SALT E-Juice, Roper E-Liquid and Twisted Treats by Liquid EFX.
The Vape Shop Vape Shop located in Birmingham Alabama 35201 (33.4564, -86.8019). We carry a mind blowing 800 vape juice brands such as Ayokay E-Juice, Boss Tobacco E-Juice, Creative-juices Premium Elixir, Jelly E-Juice, Rounds E-Liquid Ice & Vape Parfait E-Juice.
Last Friday, the Fda (FDA) revealed it will certainly finish the debatable nicotine dependency examination it had actually been carrying out on squirrel monkeys complying with strong objections from customers and also animal rights lobbyists.
In a statement, the FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, stated the company will completely finish the research. In this study, adult as well as adolescent squirrel apes were injected with nicotine. Gottlieb stopped the research study in the autumn and required an investigation into the well-being of the animals after he found out the death of 4 monkeys.
On Friday, Gottlieb said it was clear that the research was inconsistent with the firm's high animal welfare standards based on the searchings for of the examination. He said, a group of primate vets and also animal care experts found repeated problems with the agency's third-party animal well-being service provider.
In a letter to Gottlieb in September, Jane Goodall, the world-renowned primatologist, called the FDA's research study "scandalous" and advised the company to finish its research study program. She composed: "It is not only very harsh to limit apes, however likewise the ill-effects of the nicotine are stated to include throwing up, looseness of the bowels and tremors. I was deeply surprised to review during the experiment, each ape was kept alone in a cage for nearly three years."
Customer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association, Students for Sensible Medicine Policy and also Not Blowing Smoke likewise urged Gottlieb not to return to the studies in a letter earlier this month.
" Nonhuman pets that do not select to smoke and also are forced to live in a managed, very demanding and also sterile restricted atmosphere are difficult to fully educate inquiries regarding the facility habits of human cigarette smokers that have a lot more complex brain function and reside in an extra complicated globe," they composed. "Our team believe using animals in researches putatively created to educate tobacco plan to be misleading, unstable as well as underhanded."
While the agency is functioning to minimize the need for animal screening, Gottlieb claims there are still lots of areas where pet screening is needed. "Without animal study, it would be difficult to obtain some vital knowledge to avoid animal and also human struggling with many deadly illness," he stated. "In the past, animal study has actually played a crucial role in preventing polio, eliminating smallpox as well as identifying brand-new cancer cells treatments."
Anthony Bellotti, founder of the taxpayer watchdog team White Layer Waste Project, praised FDA's decision in a statement Friday. "This is a significant triumph for taxpayers as well as abused pets," he said.
Vaping is under risk in Indonesia. Chain-smoking Indonesia is moving to stub out its thriving e-cigarette industry, which raises people's criticism that the federal find more government is on gigantic cigarette firms side at the cost of public wellness.
The Southeast Oriental nation has one of the greatest smoking cigarettes prices worldwide. Concerning 65 percent of grown-up men smoking cigarettes in this nation. A pack of cigarettes expenses simply $2 there.
Cigarette marketing is everywhere across Indonesia, which is a crucial growth market for worldwide cigarette companies. In the last few years, despite its tobacco-heaven standing, e-cigarette cafes have actually been popping up across Indonesia amidst argument over their safety.
Vaping Under Hazard in Tobacco-loving IndonesiaIn response, Jakarta claimed it would enforce a 57 percent tax on e-cigarettes this summer. Hasbullah Thabrany, a health and wellness specialist and also expert for the National Compensation on Cigarette Control, alerted that although customizeds and also excise legislation asked the federal government to impose taxes for such products, it was feasible that authorities can make use of the tax obligation to take a stand. He included: "I do believe that the policy has something to do with the cigarette sector."
Rhomedal Aquino, representative for the Association of Indonesian Individual Vaporizers said: "We consent to a tax obligation plan to manage usage, but a 57 percent tax price is expensive. It will eliminate an expanding sector."
E-cigarettes have actually been popular for the past 10 years. They are hand-held gadgets that can heat up nicotine-containing liquid so that the user could breathe in the vapors. The very early scientific consensus was that, for grownups, they may be much safer than smoking.
Last November, Indonesia's profession preacher Enggartiasto Lukita activated a backlash from anti-smoking groups. He recommended tobacco farmers would undergo damage by the arising vaping market, as well as that those who use e-cigarettes-- likewise called vaping-- must smoke regular cigarettes instead. "We need to turn vapers right into cigarette smokers," he said back then.
The government's strategies are bad news for IT employee Roy Iskandar. He is a heavy smoker-turned-vaper that stresses regarding the surge in costs. "If they impose such a high tax obligation, those that feel much healthier after quitting cigarettes like me will certainly relapse," claimed the 38-year-old.
Indonesian customizeds office claimed it wishes the high tax will certainly make e-cigarettes expensive for children, while the health and wellness ministry said it is not offered on the disagreement that vaping is secure. "E-cigarettes are as hazardous as cigarettes, even a lot more cancer causing than cigarettes," claimed Muhammad Subuh, a senior ministry authorities.
It adds about $10.5 billion every year in tax obligations. In contrast, the vaping industy kicks in just $7.5 million, primarily through the sales tax.
Gudang Garam, a neighborhood brand name, that makes ubiquitous clove-infused cigarettes, is one of the country's biggest employers as well as the two brothers who own competing Djarum top the list of richest Indonesians.
" This is not about home siding with one service," Deni Sirjantoro, spokesperson for the Indonesian Customs as well as Exise workplace claimed. "The nation's revenue from the vaping market is not as big as cigarette tasks. Cigarette responsibilities can be as high as 54 percent."
Protestors state some of the most preferred brands are resources tired at rates around 35-40 percent, much below compared to the suggested 57 percent vaping responsibility. "The tax obligation on cigarettes is not even that high," stated Eqy Riqly, supervisor of a vaping coffee shop in Jakarta.
Vaping has ended up being a lot more preferred. On the streets of Denver, or occasionally at familygatherings, you could see people vape. There is one area you don't anticipate to see it is inside the State Capitol. Nevertheless, that was not the case inside a State Board meeting area on January 22, 2018. As a member of the Us senate Judiciary Committee, State Sen. Daniel Kagan very carefully vaped as he presided over the conference.
While the agency is working to reduce the need for animal testing, Gottlieb says there are still many locations where animal screening is required. "Without animal research study, it would certainly be impossible to obtain some essential expertise to protect against human and animal suffering from numerous serious conditions," he claimed. "If they enforce such a high tax obligation, those who really feel healthier after quitting cigarettes like me will certainly regression," said the 38-year-old.
Indonesian customs office said it wishes the high tax obligation will certainly make e-cigarettes expensive for kids, while the health ministry said it is not marketed on the disagreement that vaping is secure. "E-cigarettes are as harmful as cigarettes, also more carcinogenic compared to cigarettes," said Muhammad Subuh, an elderly ministry official.
the cousins cinna peach 30ml vape juice
Hello individuals. In case you have not taken the flavor survey still Here's the link. If flavored E juice goes away we is going to be remaining with practically nothing but tobacco and menthol.
I am a present vapor. I am keen on starting up my very own, but dont contain the funds or perhaps the credit score to do so. I need to do a lounge where folks can buy mechanical mods and E-cigs kits, batteries, and so on and possess vape contests, a tasting bar and coil developing bar.
considering starting off a The Vape Shop Vape Shop shop in a small suburb beyond the greater town. The suburb is often a extremely popular spot to Dwell and regarded a “hipster” style of group. plenty of middle agers elevating family members. It’s populace is about 6000.
This is certainly ability toy that flips and rolls and In case you have the ability, you can stop it excellent. I am even now Mastering this thing and it can be infuriatingly addictive lol.
CASAA is a superb source for community legislation and political motion Get an RSS feed of all The Vape Shop Vape Shop news about laws right here:
This shop presents tutorials for different things that can assist you stay Risk-free. Lightning Vapes gives $1 dollar Max VG e-juice of one's deciding upon when you location an get of $thirty or maybe more. This on line site even gives wholesale price tag crack choices for anyone who indicators up for the wholesale account.
Like most other vapers, I’ve also been below, and it’s Tremendous disheartening! This is precisely the problem I faced After i to start with commenced vaping, Which’s why this online vape shop locator is listed here. We can assist you get into the spot you would like.
consumer Friendliness: The extremely old-university structure will kinda consider you again but we dig it…even though it could acquire slightly obtaining used to, it does what it’s imagined to. an incredible resource.
this is the twin blade spinner with blue and red LED lights which have been activated by tapping the spinner. These things search quite neat once useful They are really activated and The Vape Shop Vape Shop spinning.
This can be short article is a culmination of every little thing We now have figured out helping vape shop house owners open a shop for The 1st time.
Leafly operates in compliance with state legal guidelines pertaining to usage of cannabis. If you keep looking at this age prompt everytime you visit Leafly.com, make sure you enable cookies in the Internet browser.
When you bought your initially vape, you almost certainly tried out it out initially prior to ponying up the income. I'd The Vape Shop Vape Shop to be sure it absolutely was the proper vaporizer, And that i’m glad other I did in advance of I bought the very best one particular from their Distinctive delivers. buying a vaporizer online is the simple portion. nonetheless, there’s almost nothing rather like Keeping it in your hand or hoping it out before you commit.
consumers might also get free delivery on any get more than $seventy five, and ecigs.com only sells reliable items. There are several terrific promotions out there by this vendor, so it had been quick to put them on my checklist of the best on line vape shops. go on and Look at them out, Iâ€™m confident you will find some astounding discounts.
Crowdfunding web pages like GoFundMe, KickStarter, and IndieGoGo – you might not get funding from strangers however, you can deliver your relatives and buddies there to start out


text:
Hemp CBD scorecard draws controversy
By Todd Runestad for New Hope Network
“We cover all aspects of cannabis hemp cultivation and processing. People are like, ‘Who says you are doing it the right way?’ To answer that question, we are getting our ISO-17065 standard. We are doing it the right way.” - Heather Despres, director of the Patient Focused Certification for Americans for Safe Access
The controversial “Hemp CBD scorecard” unveiled at Natural Products Expo East to the dismay of brands caught off guard by aggressive accusations can’t be considered without looking at the history of hemp in its modern reincarnation for American agriculture.
Hemp is the latest and, some would say, perhaps the last American commodity crop to grace the fields of farmers from coast to coast. In 2016, only 9,000 acres were grown. By 2019, nearly half a million acres were planted, with some 250,000 acres of hemp harvested, according to Vote Hemp.
Amid this rapid expansion the U.S. Department of Agriculture has promised that, by planting season 2020, it will unveil official guidelines for growing the plant. The EPA in August 2019 announced it is seeking public input on 10 pesticide application options for hemp.
Against this regulatory backdrop, the pioneers of the hemp industry—who also represent the core shoppers that supported hemp through thick and thin, from even before the famous 2004 DEA ruling that legalized hemp for nutrition—are adherents to the natural products lifestyle. From an agricultural perspective, this means organic and even nouveau regenerative ag practices. These are the people who shop, plant and produce in opposition to the post-WWII Big Ag paradigm that features petrochemical pesticides and herbicides sprayed all over mono-cultured fields of GMO crops.
That’s the backdrop of today’s battle between activists, NGOs, government officials, farmers and consumers who are all seeking to define how hemp should start and flourish in America. Will it be organic and regenerative? Or will it be synthetic and GMO?
Into this frothy debate enters the Center for Food Safety, a self-proclaimed government watchdog group that routinely files lawsuits against the USDA for its genetic engineering promotions, against the EPA for its pesticide approvals, and against the FDA for its GMO salmon considerations.
The group unveiled its Hemp CBD Scorecard in September at Expo East to evaluate hemp CBD producers on their “production and processing methods, testing protocols, and transparency to consumers.”
From a practical perspective, the Center for Food Safety is promoting organic and regenerative growing practices, pushing hemp CBD companies to test their products, and demanding companies provide those test results on their websites so consumers can see for themselves that certain benchmarks of quality are being met.
The group selected 40 leading hemp CBD companies to assess.
Of them, only four received an A, while 10 received F’s.
“We were surprised to find so many CBD companies failing to meet basic requirements to ensure their products are safe for people and the environment,” said Rebecca Spector, the west coast director at the Center for Food Safety and lead author of the report. “It’s crucial that these companies test for pesticides including glyphosate, heavy metals and other contaminants. Companies should support their claims by posting test results from independent labs on their websites and seeking independent certifications to ensure quality of their products.”
That all sounds laudable, and Spector said the response she received at Expo East was “overwhelmingly positive” and that people told her they “appreciate the criteria.”
Other attendees, however, offered a very different response.
Many of the companies graded agree with the overarching sentiments behind the report but have taken issue with the criteria and tactics the Center for Food Safety used in grading.
Case in point: Barlean’s.
Barlean’s is a longstanding, respected supplements company, well-known for its quality nutritional oils. Barlean’s was among the first to roll out a hemp CBD product that was certified USDA organic, by third-party certifier QAI, which also means that while they use ethanol extraction (which the Center for Food Safety opposes because ethanol is usually derived from GMO corn), the ethanol Barlean’s uses is actually from organic sugar cane and not GMO corn. The Barlean’s hemp CBD is certified non-GMO.
Barlean’s was also in the first batch of 13 hemp CBD companies to be certified by the U.S. Hemp Authority—an organization that sets quality standards and validates these with companies through a rigorous process via third-party certifying agencies. And Barlean’s has a lot number on every bottle that consumers can input on the Barlean’s website to get information on that specific bottle—a certificate of analysis on that specific bottle and 8-10 pages of other testing information.
So Barlean’s seems to ring the bell on the big three things the Center for Food Safety was looking for—organic, testing, transparency.
And yet, Barlean’s received an F on the Center for Food Safety scorecard.
That disconnect represents the rift among many leading hemp CBD companies that have taken issue with the way the Center for Food Safety conducted its scorecard.
“I like the goals of the Center for Food Safety,” said Brandon Beatty, founder and CEO of Bluebird Botanicals, which was the first hemp CBD brand to receive a glyphosate-free seal. The company also has batch testing results available on its website. It is working with its supply chain that will enable it to launch two SKUs of organic, but Beatty says the organic supply just has not been there at scale yet. The company received a C on the report card.
“I like the ideas,” said Beatty, “of generally wanting companies to be non-GMO, be organic, be glyphosate-free. I think those are good goals. But the way they went about it was haphazard, a misrepresentation of safety, and without any verification it’s all about nothing.”
Complaint 1: Response
Beatty said Bluebird did not respond to the survey inquiry. Companies that did not respond were docked a full letter grade of 10 points in the survey.
“The Center for Food Safety policy director told me that if a company did not respond they got a low grade,” said Ola Lessard, the Barlean’s vice president of consumer marketing and communications. “That’s not what this was supposed to be about. We make 100 different products, our 800 number is on all of them. It’s not hard to find a person to talk to at Barlean’s if you make an effort.”
The rule of thumb among junk-mail purveyors is that it takes seven mailings for an average consumer to respond. The Center for Food Safety said they emailed and called companies twice. Rather than just move on, or even move on from that company in its judging (there are, after all, estimated to be more than 1,000 brands on the market), the scorecard docked a company a letter grade.
“To ding for not responding is irresponsible,” said Marielle Weintraub, president of the U.S. Hemp Authority.
Spector said the organization thought a 10-point deduction for lack of response was “completely reasonable.”
Complaint 2: Testing
Another complaint was around product testing. The responsible hemp CBD industry advocates testing biomass at every stage of the value chain, from the proper selection of seed genetics to the harvested biomass to the extracted oil and distilled oil to blended finished products.
The first thing that needs testing is to ensure the hemp contains lower than 0.3% THC.
“Below 0.3% THC takes it out of the Controlled Substances Act,” said attorney Justin Prochnow, with the GreenbergTraurig law firm. “The farm bill took the DEA out of the equation if you abided by the farm bill. That says THC content that’s 0.3% or less by dry weight is industrial hemp and exempt from the Controlled Substances Act. So that was a big deal.”
Certificates of analysis list test results for potency, cannabinoid and terpene levels, as well as the purity of the hemp—pesticides, heavy metals, residual solvents, microbiologicals and the like.
Bluebird Botanicals lists certificates of analysis results on its website for each and every batch it produces. Green Gorilla, which received an A on the scorecard, lists one representative Certificate of Analysis for some of its SKUs. Barlean’s does not list either past results nor samples on its website, but instead provides real time test results specific to that particular bottle.
“Our goal is that you know the bottle you are holding in your hand, that specific bottle, gets a specific test,” said Lessard. “How does someone who doesn’t offer any batch-specific information get an A but a company that has bottle-specific information gets an F? It doesn’t add up to me.”
Some might call bottle-specific information radical transparency. In the determination of the Center for Food Safety, however, that’s “inadequate” because the organization determined that it’s important to have information on a website available on a home computer in advance and too inconvenient to have information available on a phone for a specific product in hand at the store.
“Consumers want to do research at home before they go to the store,” said Spector. “We think that’s the high standard for transparency—to have test results online for everything—pesticides, heavy metals—so consumers can pull that up prior to going to the store.”
Complaint 3: Third-party validation
For companies to receive the USDA organic certification, companies have to amass reams of paperwork validating their farming and production practices. Third-party certifiers validate these claims.
With the U.S. Hemp Authority seal, independent auditors go over the application form, which comes in at nearly 100 pages. It requires an audit of a manufacturer’s facility, test results and methods, and other objective measures of quality.
“The U.S. Hemp Authority,” said Beatty, “ensures the supply chain is made from legal hemp as far as the Controlled Substances Act is concerned and isn’t grown from marijuana. And also proves that it’s produced in a safe manner according to GMPs.”
“The U.S. Hemp Authority agrees strongly with the Center for Food Safety that hemp CBD products must be held to the highest safety standards by applying rigorous scrutiny to every product on the market. It’s essential to promoting a responsible industry,” said Weintraub. “The best way to promote high safety standards is through independent verification of products and product labeling. That ensures that the companies actually are complying with our high standards and best practices. We simply do not believe that self-reporting surveys are the optimal approach.”
Americans for Safe Access is another advocacy group. Through its Patient Focused Certification, the group offers a compliance program including a documentation review, on-site assessment, employee interviews and training. The group developed its standards with the American Herbal Products Association and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia monographs. And the group is undergoing ISO accreditation to validate its process.
“We cover all aspects of cannabis hemp cultivation and processing,” said Heather Despres, director of the Patient Focused Certification for Americans for Safe Access. “People are like, ‘Who says you are doing it the right way?’ To answer that question, we are getting our ISO-17065 standard. We are doing it the right way.”
CV Sciences, makers of the PlusCBD Oil brand, also took issue with aspects of the scorecard. While the company tests for glyphosate, they do not market that angle over concerns that if they state their product is glyphosate “free,” it could open the company up to a lawsuit if any glyphosate is found in their products, as could happen from pollen drift or other accidental contamination at even infinitesimally small levels.
“I get advocacy and activism,” said Duffy MacKay, senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs at CV Sciences and previously a 10-year veteran at the Council for Responsible Nutrition. “But let’s not put lipstick on a pig and call this a third-party standard. If I read all the scorecard criteria correctly, you can’t put Barlean’s as an F. They have organic certification. They are certified by the U.S. Hemp Authority. They’re testing their stuff. Yeah, I don’t know.”
He said CV Sciences, which received a C on the scorecard, has been validated by ConsumerLab, the U.S. Hemp Authority and Eurofins audits.
“At some point,” said MacKay, “you have to focus on your business.”
HempFusion is another pioneer of the hemp CBD space, but also failed to answer the Center for Food Safety’s survey and received an F. President Jason Mitchell believes that’s because of the capricious manner in which the testing was done.
“The principles of the Center for Food Safety are fine,” he said. “I disagree with their execution. We’re radically transparent but maybe not in a manner they like.”
HempFusion grows 1,000 acres of organic hemp in Croatia, but has not gone through the process of getting that imported hemp re-certified organic by the USDA. Mitchell said HempFusion was one of the first 13 U.S. Hemp Authority certified.
“You are validated that you are doing things correctly,” he said. “The Center for Food Safety judged based only on what was available in the public domain in a way they wanted it. It’s a lopsided, agenda-driven scorecard. They were all about transparency but they don’t even have scoring on their website with how they came up with their scores of the companies.”
How to rate right
Glyphosate testing is very new to the game. Even certified organic for hemp is new—and in the case of Montana, which was the top-growing hemp state last year, according to Vote Hemp, the state is not allowing organic certification yet. The supply chain in 2018 was not robust enough to deliver organic hemp at scale, according to Bluebird’s Beatty. But 2019 is by all accounts set to be a banner year. It remains to be seen how much of the quarter-million acres of hemp grown are grown to be certified USDA organic.
QR codes on labels can show consumers the product’s certificate of analysis, the expiration date, the concentration of CBD being sold, the ingredients used and their influence on health. QR codes are mandated by law in the states of Indiana, Oregon and Utah. They were considered invalid by the Center for Food Safety under the belief that consumers deserve information (even if generic) at home in front of their computers instead of at the store on their phone (even if specific to that bottle).
“If their true goal is transparency and moving the industry forward on transparency and quality,” said Lessard, “now that you know there are significant flaws with the scorecard, they should stop putting it out and have a good-faith effort.”
A consortium of 11 hemp CBD companies mailed the Center for Food Safety a response with concerns about the scorecard’s criteria around production, processing, testing and transparency. (The full letter can be seen here.) It included a call to action around updating the scorecard to reflect the companies’ varied concerns.
“Until these steps are taken,” said a statement from CV Sciences, “the Hemp CBD Scorecard should be ignored and consumers should look to objective certifications and third-party labs like ConsumerLab.com and the U.S. Hemp Authority.”
The future of agriculture
At the end of the day, the Center for Food Safety scorecard is a well-meaning attempt to bring quality and clarity to the budding hemp CBD industry. Even if its effort provoked serious questioning, the intent is laudable to make hemp into an commodity crop that can turn around American agricultural practices.
On that point, there is agreement all the way around.
“Now is the time,” said Gwendolyn Wyard, vice president of regulatory and technical affairs at the Organic Trade Association, “for farmers and processors to seize the moment and take steps so that we can avoid hemp becoming yet another exploited commodity that is not grown sustainably. There is no need for hemp to be grown with chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Organic agriculture and innovation has all the tools needed to produce a thriving hemp crop and associated processed hemp products that are better for the planet and what consumers want.”
“The use of pesticides and genetic modification are kind of destroying crops and human health,” said Mitchell from HempFusion. “We’ve gone so far out of bounds that radical activists like this are trying to get it back in order. We should grow with as few pesticides as possible and still have a viable crop.”
“Hemp is the best thing to happen to American family farmers in a long time,” said Lessard from Barlean’s. “There are so many less chemicals. All of this stuff people are spraying on crops is really bad for our farmers.”
“Agriculture is our biggest hope for solving climate change if we do it right,” said Spector from the Center for Food Safety. “And so many farmers are doing it right and are models for doing it right with commodity crops. We have this unique opportunity with hemp to start out growing it without petrochemical fertilizers and pesticides. That’s going to take a lot of conscious thought into farming it sustainably. We know it can be done. A lot of hemp farmers are doing it already.”
Share this page


text:
THE future of Fittleworth village shop was top of the agenda at the latest meeting of the parish council.
Despite plans by the new owner to reopen the shop it was revealed it may go back on the market.
Around 20 villagers turned out to hear what the future held for the shop and post office which closed in February, 2011, following the death of shopkeeper Diane Newsom.
The premises were eventually bought by Robert Hastings who had plans to turn them into an antiques shop and a combined café-delicatessen with inside seating for some ten to 12 people.
Mr Hastings told parish councillors of his frustration over the delay in opening his new business.
He told the meeting the delay was partly due to problems with gaining planning permission from Chichester District Council and also because of serious family illness.
He said he had carried out ‘considerable refurbishment’ and was now looking at several options to get the business up and running but he warned he might also consider putting it back on the market.
In the meantime, he said he was aiming to open the antiques business this month with the delicatessen following in about five to six weeks time, possibly employing local people on a part-time basis.
He said he was aware it was an emotive issue and the village wanted another general store but he believed with two major supermarkets only a few miles away at Pulborough, he needed to offer ‘something different’.
He told the meeting he intended to stock deli-style foods, and maybe wines and beers, together with basic essentials such as bread and toiletries.
He could provide newspapers to order but did not want to become a newsagent as there were insufficient profit margins.
Mr Hastings said he believed a full post office in Fittleworth was not viable but would consider allowing someone else to run a post office facility selling stamps and dealing with mail.
Villagers said they felt the shop, if sold, should remain a retail outlet.
Mr Hastings told them he was still in contact with the owner of the Graffham store who made an offer two years ago.
But he would have to decide what to do, although he was “very willing to listen to suggestions and would welcome any approaches.”


text:
California acknowledged a landpioned from the CR to add education loan borrowers the country’s strongest protections up against loan-upkeep abuses
Striking specialists shaped People Connection, now known due to the fact Individual Records. CR was made given that a separate, nonprofit company, playing with investigations, revealing, and advocacy so you’re able to stop industries misinformation and you will progress consumer protections.
When the You.S. visited battle inside the 1941, firms focused on war design. Of many customers was required to ration and then make comes to an end satisfy. To help individuals make smart conclusion on a tight budget, CR blogged a regular publication, “Dough & Butter.”
CR released the original large-measure study regarding individual exposure to fall-out off nuclear firearms review from inside the dinner, viewing the amount of Strontium-ninety from inside the milk products. Thus, the us government expanded its tabs on atomic fallout.
Getting a decade, CR used separate investigations and you may lookup in order to stress the dangers off smokes. The latest Surgeon General’s Consultative Panel on Smoking and you may Fitness utilized CR’s try to write the landmark statement.
CR wrote a beneficial landmark three-region collection on the cover of the Us water-supply, and that starred a key character in the guaranteeing Congress to pass the newest Safer Liquid Operate.
When CR earliest crash-checked child car seats, several off 15 were rated Perhaps not Appropriate. Once CR had written the results, the federal government necessary producers in order to certify you to definitely its chairs perform pass an equivalent shot.
In the an examination of You.S. Institution out-of Farming studies, CR discover pesticide membership in a number of vegetables & fruits was too higher. Immediately following, among the many pesticides is prohibited for usage into the eating plants aren’t consumed by the people.
CR helped to help you mobilize help in the Congress in order to make the new CFPB, a separate company guilty of managing this new economic world having vitality in order to police abusive practices in order to enact the latest individual protections.
CR try one of the first groups to test restaurants packing having BPA. Shortly after attempting to solution prohibitions in a lot of claims, new Fda in the long run launched a federal ban to the BPA when you look at the baby bottles and you may sippy cups (2012) and you can kids formula packaging (2013).
Immediately following numerous years of CR’s advocating to own standards to address the difficulty out-of blind zones behind trucks and cars, the fresh new Service off Transportation in the end needed copy webcams in most car less than 10,100 lbs because of the 2018.
The newest California Consumer Privacy Operate provided key personal privacy legal rights, like the right to prevent the marketing of private information. CR fought perform to help you deteriorate the latest regulations, mobilizing CR users to-name to the legislators to enact privacy defenses.
CR introduced the brand new Digital Research–a bold step to advance and you will include user legal rights from the digital time of the targeting research linked services networks for hackability, digital privacy, and how responsibly all of our data is managed.
CR affirmed before Congress throughout the cable charge, following numerous years of advocacy and you will lookup. Many CR members called lawmakers, and Congress introduced a rules demanding providers to disclose the entire price of provider ahead of a buyers signs up.
CR’s investigation with the shelter of kids more likely sleepers regarding those deaths contributed to the keep in mind of over 5 million https://www.badcreditloanshelp.net/payday-loans-ks/lacrosse/ sleepers. Pursuing the CR’s outreach, numerous shops an internet-based markets said they’d stop attempting to sell new sleepers.
CR screening shown a couple-thirds from seat straps failed safeness and you may longevity evaluation, top CR to name to have finest belts and for federal standards you to provided crash testing
Many considered CR 100% free stuff on the staying safe and to avoid misinformation as the COVID-19 spread. CR recommended to have recovery steps within the Congress to help people stay within their property, remain on line, and steer clear of wonder scientific bills.


text:
From this year, COSME TOKYO will take place within COSME Week Tokyo.
10th COSME Week TOKYO will be held in January 20 (Monday) – 22 (Wednesday), 2020. At the 2020 edition, it will be the largest and most diversified in the show’s history welcoming 900 exhibitors from 35 countries including many national pavilions and 30,000 visitors.
What is COSME Week Tokyo? It’s 10th COSME Week TOKYO gathers finished cosmetics products, ingredients, packaging, private label cosmetics and beauty & health foods, etc. The show consists of 3 specialised exhibitions (COSME Tokyo Osaka – COSMETECH Tokyo Osaka – INNER BEAUTY TOKYO) and the each exhibition will have synergetic effect as the show will get attention from whole beauty industry.


text:
Fish and chips the talk of Canada!
NFFF Regional Director and the UK's Number 1 Fish and Chip Shop owner, Craig Maw from Kingfisher Fish and Chips was invited to an interview on Canadian radios hit evening show, ‘As it happens’ which is hosted by Carol Off and Jeff Douglas.
‘As it Happens’promotes sourcing its stories from "the horse's mouth". The big story hitting the news this week is ‘U.K.'s best fish-and-chip shop could be in line for a Michelin star’.
On the show Craig was asked about potentially becoming the first ever fish and chip Michelin Star Restaurant/Takeaway and fish and chips in general.
To catch up on the interview click on the following link.
Story By: NFFF
Date : 15-02-2017


text:
McDonald’s Garlic Fries Are Back After Sellout Test Run
After a successful test run, McDonald’s (MCD) is bringing back its new garlic fries.
The fast food chain tried selling the “Gilroy Garlic Fries” earlier this month in some locations and quickly sold out of garlic. Now, the fries are being brought back and could soon be sold in 250 Bay Area restaurants in the next few months, according to KRON 4.
“The new fries are made-to-order in McDonald’s kitchens,” according to McDonald’s, “where restaurant employees toss French fries in stainless steel bowls with a purée mix that includes ingredients, such as chopped Gilroy garlic and olive oil, parmesan cheese, parsley, and a pinch of salt.”
“It’s been great for us,” said a store manager in an interview with KRON 4. “Just seeing the overwhelming customer demand, and people talking about it all over social media, and just the feedback has been great.”
In announcing the new product, the chain said it was testing out the fries as part of “a trend at McDonald’s [to] experiment with regional flavors and food on its menu.”


text:
Rare coins continue to shine as their performance outpaces equities, real estate, precious metals and most other asset classes. The Walton specimen of the 1913 Liberty Head nickel was recently sold to Great Collections for $4.2 million. (The same coin sold in an auction in 2013 for more than $3.17 million.) Great Collections in turn has already resold the coin. This may be an outstanding example, but it is far from being alone. Truly rare coins, be they because of either their condition or they are date rarities, continue to move forward as equities, real estate and just about anything else continues to either flat-line or decline in value.
The balance of the market for collectible coins continues to perform well; however, there are spots of weakness depending on the denomination and series. Softness in a less popular area of U.S. coin collecting can often lead to a buying opportunity. Bullion and bullion-impacted U.S. coins continue to be in demand despite gold’s weak performance. Silver appears to have snapped its losing streak at the time this commentary is being written. While platinum-composition coins aren’t as popular, platinum as a precious metal appears to be more resilient than are gold or silver. Platinum American Eagle coins have very low mintages, making them an attractive buy in these uncertain times.
Recently produced made-for-collector U.S. Mint products continue to perform well. The general public will likely once more turn its attention to coins due to the Oct. 24 release of the quarters honoring Anna May Wong, another plus for coin collecting. Looking at the practical side of mint production, the U.S. Mint recently reported a mintage increase of 5.9 percent in September from one month earlier, although this is still 14.2 percent lower than the number of circulation strike coins minted in September 2021.


text:
2023 key facts
- The Australian Export Awards are Australia's longest running business awards program.
- The program is celebrating its 61st year in 2023.
- In 1963, the Export Development Council wanted to recognise Australian businesses with outstanding export success. The inaugural Australian Export Awards national ceremony was held in Canberra on 27 November of that year.
- Since the first national ceremony, the awards have recognised 2037 Australian businesses as national finalists, including 755 businesses that have gone on to win a national award.
- The Australian Export Awards are presented by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade).
- The Australian Export Awards recognises innovative, ambitious and successful exporters, providing those businesses a chance to tell their export story in Australia and on a global stage.
- Businesses must apply in their home state or territory; state and territory winners of the 13 national categories become national finalists in the program.
- National winners of each category and the Australian Exporter of the Year are announced at an award ceremony at Parliament House Canberra in late November.
- The Minister for Trade and Tourism is invited to host the national awards ceremony.
- 331 applications submitted across 8 states and territories.
- 86 national finalists (State and Territory winners of the national award categories).
National finalists statistics
- Employed more than 22,500 people in FY2022-23
- Generated over $12 billion in export earnings in FY2022/23, including $900 million from 4 ASX listed companies.
- 29% (25 businesses) are new to the Australian Export Awards program.
- 51% (44 businesses) are classified as small businesses with an annual turnover of less than 10 million.
- 37% (32 businesses) are led by women (either independently or jointly).
- One is a First Nations business (at least 50% owned by indigenous persons).
- Two were established in 1900, and the youngest was established in 2021.
- The finalist with the longest export history started exporting in 1933.
All information on the Australian Export Awards can be found at exportawards.gov.au
All queries should be emailed to email@example.com


text:
UPDATED: 3/14/08 2:56 pm EDTFord Motor today named Stephen Odell Ford of Europe's chief operating officer.
Odell, 53, will report to John Fleming, Ford of Europe CEO. Odell will assume responsibility for Ford of Europe's product development, manufacturing, purchasing, plus marketing, sales and service operations.
In his new job, Odell will lead Ford of Europe's growing role in developing global vehicle programs, Ford said in a statement.
Odell joined the company in 1980 and has held key positions at Ford of Europe, Mazda and Jaguar.
"Stephen has done an excellent job of reinvigorating our marketing, sales and service functions since he returned to Ford of Europe," Fleming said in the statement.
"As we move into a more intensive phase of our global transformation, now is the right time to make more of Stephen's extensive operational experience around the world. Giving him operational responsibility for Ford of Europe will help us raise our game as we take a prominent role in developing new vehicles globally."
Odell had served as vice president of marketing, sales and service at Ford of Europe since September 2005. Before that assignment, he was senior managing executive officer in charge of marketing, sales and customer services at Mazda Motor Corp. in Japan, where he was also a member of the board.
Odell joined Ford Motor Company in 1980 as a graduate trainee, Ford of Britain. He held several positions in sales and marketing in Britain and the U.S., before being appointed vice president marketing and sales, Jaguar North America, in 1997.
Ingvar Sviggum, 62, will replace Odell as Ford of Europe's vice president of marketing and sales. Sviggum will report to Odell.
Both appointments take effect April 1.
Ford also changed the job titles of some executives. From now on, Ford says that corporate officers with global responsibilities who report directly to Ford CEO Alan Mulally will be group vice presidents.
So effective April 1, the following five executives will be group vice presidents:
Tony Brown, 52, previously senior vice president of global purchasing;
Sue Cischke, 54, previously senior vice president of sustainability, environment and safety engineering;
Bennie Fowler, 51, previously vice president of quality;
David Leitch, 47, previously senior vice president and general counsel;
Nick Smither, 49, previously vice president and chief information officer.
Amy Wilson and Philip Nussel contributed to this report


text:
Sony has announced that the company had sold over 91.6 million PlayStation 4 units as of the end of 2018.
5.6 million of these sales took place during the 2018 holiday season, with over 50.7 million PS4 games being sold in the same period.
Sony said that Marvel’s Spider-Man, which was launched in September 2018, had already sold over 9 million copies worldwide as of 25 November 2018.
“Monthly active users of PlayStation Network continues to show strong growth, and has surpassed 90 million as of end of November 2018,” said John Kodera, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
Kodera added that the company plans to bring more “enhanced experiences” to PS4 fans in 2019, along with a variety of PS4-specific games.
“As we look toward the next PS4 milestone, we will continue to evolve, and we will further expand the platform to deliver the best interactive entertainment experiences to the world,” said Kodera.
Recently, a variety of South Africa retailers listed the PlayStation 4 as “out of stock,” including Takealot, Raru, Dion Wired, BT Games, and Incredible Connection.


text:
Axiom Zen’s CryptoKitties, which is essentially a digital version of Beanie Babies based on the Ethereum blockchain, which describes its product as one of the world’s first blockchain games, uses blockchain technology to collect and “breed” digital cats. Users can buy colorful, googly-eyed cats, some of which cost thousands of real-world dollars, to trade and “breed” more digital cat offspring.
Per a Saturday report in Business Insider, investors put an additional $12 million into CryptoKitties in March after users had already pumped millions of dollars into the network buying and trading the cats.
At the time of the $12 million investment, Business Insider wrote, one investor, told the site the project “embodied one of the most important and applicable use-cases of the blockchain: The ability to safely store digital collectibles online.”
To the extent that everyone’s CryptoKitties are safely stored, that’s true. But that’s an entirely different question than whether they’ve continued to hold value. But it looks like CryptoKitties itself could be in danger of becoming a short-lived novelty.
The number of CryptoKitties transactions decreased in June by 98.4% compared to its peak of 80,500 transactions back in December 2017, according to data from Bloxy. The game is still among the most popular options for ethereum-related gaming, but public interest in buying and selling them seems to have waned significantly in recent months.
… In April, Greylock Partners took a closer look at the usage of some of the most popular decentralized apps. Drawing on data from DappRadar, the firm estimated CryptoKitties daily active users at around 907. On Friday, that same metric on DappRadar had fallen to around 300 daily active users.
The Diar analytics show that the “median price of sold kitties peaked at $41 and now is constantly at about $5,” with daily trading volume down to around $21k from $2.3 million in December 2017.
Cryptokitties usage down 98.5% since its peak. Less than 200 DAU. pic.twitter.com/s7PpyBz5bo
— nic carter (@nic__carter) June 8, 2018
“Rare Bits lists roughly 700,000 CryptoKitties for sale while only 4,200 have been sold in the last week,” the Diar analysis added.
For what it’s worth, the company says that lower trading volume does not necessarily mean that the cats themselves are becoming worthless. In an email, co-founder Bryce Bladon told Business Insider that one of the factors prohibiting people from investing further was the ballooning cost of transactions, since it’s based on the Etherum blockchain and subject to the network’s restrictions.


text:
Agora, an API Developer, Files for $100 Million IPO
With operations both in China and the U.S., Agora may be more successful in its IPO runup than smaller Chinese firms seeking a listing in New York.
Agora Inc., an API developer with offices in China and California, seeks an initial public offering of up to $100 million in New York.
The company calls its technology "Real-Time Engagement Platform-as-a-Service, or RTE-PaaS." Agora SDK provides software modules for developers to embed real-time engagement capabilities into an application. These may include "video and audio capturing, rendering, pre- and post-processing, encoding and decoding, packet loss compensation, as well as first- and last-mile transmission," the company said in its preliminary prospectus filed with the U.S. SEC on Friday.
Agora employs a freemium business model. It offers 10,000 free minutes per month to a user and charges after that time runs out. As of March 31, the company served 1,176 active customers, which it calls users that generate more than $100 of revenues during the preceding 12 months, it said.
For the first quarter of 2020, Agora reported its revenues increased 165.7% year-over-year to $35.6 million. It generated net income of $3 million in contrast to a net loss of $700,000 a year ago.
For 2019, Agora posted revenues of $64.4 million, up 47.6% from 2018, on losses of $6.2 million.
Agora had $151.7 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, according to the report.
Among its partners are Loop Team, Wordpress, and Human Soft Holding.
It competes with Tencent (HKEX: 0700) in China and Vonage's TokBox (Nasdaq: VG) and Twilio Inc. (NYSE: TWLO) in the United States.
Commenting on the Covid-19 impact, Agora said the pandemic has "severely disrupted our business and operations." Specifically, the company said the Covid-19 has hindered its purchase of "bandwidth, co-location space, servers and equipment on equally cost-efficient terms," among other things.
Agora said it intends to use the proceeds of its IPO for "research and development, marketing and branding, investment in technology infrastructure as well as for working capital and other general corporate purposes."
The company has applied to list its ADSs on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "API." The exact terms of the offering are yet to be determined.
Agora also warned about the risk of delisting from the stock exchange due to the lack of PCAOB inspections on Chinese firms, which would become mandatory under the new bill currently evaluated by U.S. Congress.
With headquarters in both Santa Clara, Calif., and Shanghai, Agora may get more interest from U.S. investors as a business with local operations. The hostility toward Asian listings was less apparent in three recent IPOs for Kingsoft Cloud (Nasdaq: KC), Dada Nexus (Nasdaq: DADA), and Legend Biotech (Nasdaq: LEGN). The three ADS companies are backed by China's giants, and the most successful of the three – Legend Biotech – also conducts operations in the United States and is partnered with a subsidiary of U.S. pharma giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ).
Agora's IPO is secured by Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and BofA Securities Inc.


text:
The Economist Global Trade Week
Australia is a trading nation.
Our 28 years of uninterrupted economic growth pre-pandemic was driven by our embrace of free trade, open markets and liberalisation.
Right now, action is required from those of us who champion the benefits of free and open trade.
In the face of the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a more important time to reform, bolster and support our global, rules-based trading system.
The World Trade Organisation is the only global institution that develops, monitors and enforces global trade rules.
Which is why it is so concerning to Australia, and to many of our international partners, that this system is facing significant challenges.
The first of these challenges is to openness.
While we have made remarkable progress towards liberalisation, we've seen in the last few years worrying trends towards insularity and protectionism.
The 25th Global Trade Alert Report, for example, found a sharp acceleration in protectionism between 2017 and 2019 – with 625 trade distorting measures introduced by governments in 2017, rising to almost 1,050 in 2019.1
The second challenge we face is to the authority of the rules of the global trading system.
Specifically, the ability within the WTO system to enforce agreed rules.
The best way that we can protect our interests is through having a proper functioning dispute settlement mechanism because that means when the economic heavyweights are in dispute, there is an independent umpire, and there is a body which sets the rules that they have to adhere to. Otherwise, smaller economies will get caught in the wash of big economic disputes.
That is why Australia remains deeply concerned that the Appellate Body remains unable to operate.
Australia shares many of the concerns raised by the US and other members around the operation of the Appellate Body.
But a binding, two-tiered dispute settlement system is crucial to enforcing the rules and upholding the authority of international trade law.
An effective and functioning dispute settlement system matters to every WTO member.
Members need to be certain that breaches of trade rules can be effectively and conclusively arbitrated.
It also matters to our businesses – the engine room of our economies – who rely on the predictable enforcement of global trade rules.
While it won't be easy, Australia remains committed to finding a way through the current impasse by looking for reforms to bring the Appellate Body back to life.
In the meantime, Australia and 24 WTO members have agreed an interim appeals arrangement – the MIPA – to finalise disputes between participating countries.
Australia's participation in this arrangement allows us to protect our commercial interests in disputes while the Appellate Body is not functional.
It also reflects our interest in ensuring the broadest enforceability of WTO rules until the dispute settlement system is once again fully functional.
Challenges to economic openness, liberalisation and the rules-based trading system have implications beyond the WTO.
The rules-based system allows countries to pursue and defend their economic interests, no matter their relative size or power.
We want to see multilateralism delivering for all members, not only in achieving a stronger recovery from the pandemic, but as we enter into a new and more complex era of geostrategic competition.
That's why strengthening the WTO is one of Australia's top priorities.
We're also investing in efforts to update the WTO's rulebook to ensure it reflects modern trade and business priorities and is effective in addressing unfair trade practices.
We need to restore confidence in the rule-making pillar of the WTO.
We're jointly leading, with Japan and Singapore, e-commerce negotiations to develop the first global set of digital trade rules.
These rules will promote a safe and open online environment, and deliver tangible benefits to business and consumers at a time when the world has become increasingly reliant on digital technology for economic activity.
The pandemic has been one of the greatest accelerators of the digital transformation, so this is particularly timely.
With the EU, Australia is driving work to develop new rules to help services exporters navigate qualifications, standards and licensing requirements in global markets.
We're actively engaged in efforts in Geneva to improve compliance with members' transparency and notification obligations which is critical to ensure rules are complied with and they are effective and enforceable
And, as Chair of the Cairns Group, we're fighting for reform of global rules on agricultural trade, which remains the most protected and distorted of all sectors.
Just last week, I hosted a meeting of my fellow Cairns Group ministers to advance our efforts to deliver a meaningful and ambitious outcome on agriculture at MC12.
Our focus is on capping and reducing growing levels of trade and production distorting agricultural subsidy entitlements to create a more level playing field for efficient and competitive farmers in Australia and around the world.
This is good policy that will help tackle inefficient overproduction that depresses global prices and exacerbates global food insecurity.
It's also an investment in the credibility of the WTO system, particularly in the eyes of developing countries and least developed countries that rely on agricultural trade, and are impacted most by the imposition of subsidies elsewhere in the world.
Achieving meaningful outcomes at MC12 will send a necessary and timely signal of our collective support for the WTO.
MC12 is our opportunity to show the world that the WTO can continue to deliver, and that WTO members are ready to defend and advocate for openness, liberalisation, and the rules-based system.
First, we must show the WTO can contribute to the health and economic recovery of its members in the wake of COVID-19.
Australia is supporting a range of proposals on this, including the Ottawa Group's proposed “Trade and Health Initiative”, which aims to keep critical supply chains open and trade in health-related products flowing.
We're also supporting equitable, widespread vaccine access, and we look forward to progressing discussions in the lead-up to MC12 about how IP rules can contribute to this objective.
Second, Australia wants to see tangible progress at MC12 on a range of negotiations.
I've already discussed Australia's work to galvanise support on ambitious initiatives on services domestic regulation, e-commerce and agriculture.
The WTO also has an opportunity to demonstrate how trade rules can contribute on issues of global concern like the environment…
…by concluding new rules to discipline harmful fisheries subsidies – an outcome on this is long overdue.
…and by launching negotiations to remove barriers to trade in environmental technologies, goods and services.
Reaching agreement on some or all of these initiatives will not only have practical benefits for our economies, businesses and for jobs…
…it will also be a vote of confidence in the convening power of the WTO in developing rules that facilitate more trade and greater prosperity.
To conclude, we need a multilateral trading system that facilitates cooperation between countries to address global challenges, underpinned by international rules, norms and principles.
We need a system that ensures every country is playing by the same legally binding rules, regardless of how big or small they are.
The WTO matters, and that's why its reform – to ensure the multilateral trading system continues to serve all our interests – matters too.
Australia stands ready to work with all partners to identify feasible options.
We know that outcomes will only be possible if all major economies have confidence the WTO can effectively address their interests.
As we look to the challenges that lie ahead of us – whether in recovery from COVID-19, or transitioning to a zero emissions future, or combatting new threats…
…it is increasingly clear that reforming the WTO, and strengthening our multilateral trading system now, is one of the most important investments we can make to deliver a more stable and prosperous future for all.


text:
TechNode China had a chance to test drive an EV, co-developed by Huawei and automaker Seres. Here are our takeaways.
Xpeng, Li Auto, and Nio are downsizing as rising costs of raw materials and supply chain disruptions cut into profit margins.
Chinese EV sales reported robust figures in January. Tesla ended 2021 with a solid profit performance. CATL retained its competitive lead.
Meituan’s foray into intelligent warehousing further intensifies its battle with e-commerce leaders like Alibaba and JD.com to control the logistics sector.
Li Auto booked its first quarterly net profit in Q4 but investors are worried about underinvestment in products and self-driving technology.
Baidu’s reports contain significantly less information about disengagements than its peers, causing industry insiders to raise questions about the quality of the company’s tests.


text:
Aug. 10, 2022
Scotts’ Numbers Decline
Scotts Miracle-Gro’s sales declined by 26 per cent to $1.19 billion on a year-over-year basis. The U.S. consumer segment saw sales decline 14 per cent to $904.5 compared to the same time last year. Separately, the company announced Project Springboard, a cross-functional initiative to expand margins, improve cash flow, and strengthen its balance sheet.


text:
Hong Kong tops New York City when it comes to office leasing in towers, as investors are open to paying twice the price for equivalent space in the former, according to a report from Knight Frank.
Skyscraper office space sold in Manhattan goes for an average price of $25,740 per square meter. Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, it sells for $69,222 per square meter. Tokyo also beats New York in this category, with $42,283. Of the 10 priciest cities for office space in the world, half of them are located in the Asia-Pacific region.
The report also projects that New York will become the most important city for the richest people in the world in next nine years, surpassing London for the title. The wealthiest are considered those with a net-asset portfolio exceeding $30 million, not counting a primary residence.
Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay beats Fifth Avenue in retail rents, as previously reported. [Bloomberg News] — Mark Maurer


text:
The items most likely to be ready for the dustbin are condiments, tinned food and dressings.
The research, commissioned by Healthspan, also discovered fridges and freezers are being clogged up by out-of-date frozen food, pickles and fruit.
Healthspan’s head of nutrition Robert Hobson said: “Keeping food fresh is key, especially if we are to retain the goodness and nutrient value as well as not becoming ill by eating out-of-date foods such as uncooked meats. Planning meals and only buying what you need could help minimise wastage.
“If we stop buying food ‘just in case’, then we wouldn’t let so much go to waste.”
If we stop buying food ‘just in case’, then we wouldn’t let so much go to waste
The poll also found Britons believe it is worth taking a chance on condiments, tinned food, fruit and vegetables if they are past the use-by date.
One in five would even be willing to eat out-of-date eggs, although three days would be the limit.
One in 10 respondents would be willing to use uncooked meat four to six days past the use-by date while one in six would take a risk with mayonnaise and one in seven would eat a ready meal after the recommended time.
Finding rotting vegetables at the back of a cupboard is a regular occurrence for one in five households, as a proper clearout only happens once every five months.
One in 10 has never cleaned out the medicine cabinet and more than one in five have only checked it in the past five years.
Almost a quarter of Britons would risk taking vitamins or supplements that were out of date, but many don’t even check the dates.


text:
This week two of our founders participated in an intensive Bootcamp, conducted by Accelerace and hosted at the InQvation headquarter in Høje Taastrup. The Bootcamp was four days if intense workshops that focused on perfecting the Lentii concept and making us able to provide the best solution to travelers around the world.
“We had a bunch of epiphanies during this workshop, starting with day one where we started seeing that the biggest issue that we are in a unique position to alleviate for travelers is the hassle of tedious decision-making. This was a new perspective to our value proposition, which we hadn’t previously considered.” – Bjørn CEO of Lentii
To elaborate further:
“We are very excited about the finding we mare during this Bootcamp. We cant wait to get started with taking action on these findings at soon as possible. Not only discovering that desition-making as one of the most significant issues in coordinating a trip, but also seeing group size as an issue, has flipped our product roadmap in quite an impactful way.”
We at Lentii are looking forward to the upcoming months, knowing that this is only the beginning of us honing in on how to solve the problems related to travel planning.
You can read more about the review from Accelerace on the kick-off Bootcamp here.


text:
Activision and Infinity Ward today officially announced the first DLC pack for Call of Duty: Ghosts. Titled “Onslaught,” the content is the first of four DLC packs that will be coming for the latest Call of Duty title this year.
Microsoft has maintained its timed exclusivity agreement with Activision for Ghosts, and Onslaught will be coming first to Xbox One and Xbox 360 starting January 28.
The highlight of the Onslaught DLC is the four new competitive multiplayer maps that it introduces: Fog, BayView, Containment, and Ignition.
Fog is a smaller map styled to evoke horror movies. Players who complete a “field order” can even step into the shoes of classic horror villain Michael Myers, complete with Halloween movie music.
BayView is another smaller map set on a Californian boardwalk. Players will have to dodge artillery strikes from the Destroyer ships waiting out in the water.
Containment puts players into a small Mexican village and features multi-level gameplay and a map split by a dried-up riverbed.
Ignition is the map that has been teased since early videos of Ghosts multiplayer. Players will fight in a missile launch facility in which multiple test engines that can be activated. The map is a re-make of the multiplayer map “Scrapyard” from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
In addition to the new competitive multiplayer maps, Onslaught will come with the first of four planned narrative-driven episodes for Ghosts‘ Extinction co-op mode. The add-on will introduce two new characters, two new alien species, and a new weapon. The content is set in a remote research station somewhere in Alaska, where players will have to battle aliens while on a mission to uncover the truth behind the invasion.


text:
In his testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, on February 12, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated that the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) will soon release new regulations related to cryptocurrency. FinCEN is responsible for issuing and implementing anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) regulations applicable to certain US financial institutions. According to Secretary Mnuchin:
We’re spending a lot of time on the issue of cryptocurrencies and digital payment systems …. on pure cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and there are others, we want to make sure that these are not used as the equivalent of secret bank accounts. So, we are working with FinCEN, and we will be rolling out new regulations to be very clear on greater transparency so that law enforcement can see where the money is going and that this isn’t used for money laundering.
FinCEN previously issued guidance on virtual currency in 2013 and 2019, which clarify how FinCEN’s existing rules for money services businesses, or MSBs, apply to “administrators,” “exchangers,” and “users” of what the agency calls “convertible virtual currency.” The MSB rules apply to certain persons dealing in fiat currency, convertible virtual currency, and other “value that substitutes for currency,” but does not treat MSBs dealing in convertible virtual currency differently than other types of MSBs. Therefore, if FinCEN were to issue new regulations specifically addressing cryptocurrencies or digital assets more broadly, such regulations would be a first of its kind.
Secretary Mnuchin did not offer any additional details with respect to the timing or scope for any new regulations. Assuming FinCEN used the formal notice and comment process to issue any new regulations, this would be the first opportunity for digital asset companies to formally weigh in on FinCEN’s approach to the industry. The outcome of such a process could have a significant impact on the digital asset industry in the United States. (However, it is possible the agency issues an interim final rule or utilizes another process whereby industry would not be granted the same opportunity to comment).
Secretary Mnuchin also addressed stablecoins and central bank issued cryptocurrencies, telling lawmakers, “There is another component of the market which people refer to as stablecoins, where we do think technology can be used to reduce payment processing quite considerably, particularly for small dollar payments cross-border. And then there’s a third component that people are looking at, which is central bank digital issued currency. That is something that Chairman Powell and I do not think the US needs to consider now, but could consider again down the road.”
Although not clear, his comments with respect to stablecoins suggest there is a possibility that FinCEN might take a different approach toward stablecoins than other types of digital assets in any new regulations. While most regulators in the US have treated varying types of digital assets similarly with respect to AML laws and regulations, there has been some movement toward treating stablecoins differently, as noted in our prior blog post on guidance from the Texas Department of Banking.


text: Puration launched the EVERx CBD Infused Sports Waters in the spring of 2017. EVERx has since become the leading CBD infused beverage in the sports nutrition market place. The company's sales grew 600% in the first year after the launch of EVERx. Kiwi Strawberry and Lemon Lime flavors are now available in addition the Original EVERx CBD Infused Sports Water. EVERx has more than twice the CBD of most CBD infused waters on the market. A proprietary technology enables EVERx to suspend more CBD than its competitors and still have a crystal-clear appearance and a refreshing taste. The company has recently initiated a package redesign after extensive market testing of a new logo design. Consumer demand for CBD infused beverages is growing and Puration is likewise receiving inquiries from a broader array of retail outlets. The package redesign is the first step of a comprehensive marketing plan to dramatically increase EVERx sales over the next 24 months.


text:
October 11 to 17, 2004< Prev PostPermalinkNext Post >
Segway's four-wheel Centaur concept:
The first waterless dishwater uses supercritical carbon dioxide:
It's been a while since a Hawaii-based tech company made big news - CherryOS (based on Maui) touts a MacOSX emulator for PCs, and their Web site is getting slammed:
Could it all be a hoax though?
"Tutorial D" looks like a great replacement for the aging, flawed SQL database language. I hope it takes off!
The first hotel with iris identification. One day you'll just walk into your room, no check-in needed!
Adam Rifkin's great summary of the recent Web 2.0 conference:
The Web 2.0 presentations are here:
Is this the beginning of "jacking into cyberspace"?
Advertising is coming to RSS feeds near you. If you're putting ads in RSS, don't overdo it!
"Center for the Digital Future Identifies the 10 Major Trends Emerging in the Internetís First Decade of Public Use" - TV down, net up, averaging 12.5 hrs/week:
"Alarming trend in spyware could undermine IT industry"
I think I got a spyware popup on this page:
A great interview with Steve Jobs on true innovation:
On Columbus Day, history professors relate Columbus' cruel history:
Nice stats on the "state of the blogosphere", Oct 2004:
"Big Media vs Blogs":
CARLSON: You need to get a job at a journalism school... STEWART: You need to go to one. Jon Stewart blasts big media on "Crossfire":
19-year-old Derek's "King George" sticker on his Grand Am got him a date with the Secret Service:
"Poll reveals world anger at Bush":
Printer forensics can now trace documents to specific (laser) printers:
"1/3 of the world's frogs, toads and newts are on the brink of extinction", thanks to pollution:
The Earth's 12 most fragile places:
The average mpg of a 40-foot Gillig Phantom bus, used in Honolulu: about 4. The average mpg of a hybrid-diesel bus used in Seattle: 7.5.
China faces an obesity epidemic:
"McDonald's Losing Revenue in World-Wide Market"
An astute reader points out that hyaluronic acid, which has been touted as an "anti-aging remedy", is found in taro (used for poi, the Hawaiian food staple). Here's the connection to a long-lived Japanese village, where more live beyond 85 than anywhere else in the U.S.:
The American health care system continues to flounder, with employer insurance increasing 11% in 2004:
Can nanofiltration solve the world's water problems?
Cultural (read: advertising) messages affect sensory perception:
Airplane contrails scar the atmosphere:
How Nobel-prize winner Wangari Maathai overcame beatings and jail to empower women to plant trees in Kenya. 30 million trees later, here is her story:
More on Wal-Mart vs. the Pyramids - workers told to hide archaeological relics they found:
In related news, 44 native remains found on the new Wal-Mart location in Honolulu await reburial:
Transparent ventilator bricks keep 85% of noise out:
Crate & Barrel switches to "Geami", a new tissue-based biodegradable, recyclable, efficient packing material:
Absolutely beautiful photography at File Magazine:
"The Sad Song"
Is this a new art form? A beautiful music video created with digital still camera movies:
For its 150th anniversary, Timex created a design competition for future timekeeping concepts. Here are the winners:
My favorite is the Sticker Watch:
A design analysis of Kerry and Bush's campaign logos. I agree, the Kerry design looks wimpy and old school:
Wal-Mart is battling the biggest labels over CD prices. This is basically a lose-lose-lose-lose situation here... Wal-Mart drives the music industry, labels get squeezed, consumers get less choice, musicians make even less:
< Prev PostPermalinkNext Post >
A good idea - lease satellite radio feeds and bring the public back into radio:


text:
A newly released set of security fixes from Apple is “recommended for all users,” meaning that for anyone with an iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch, it’s probably time for an update.
According to Apple, the patch will correct a security bug that left WebKit — the engine that powers Apple’s Safari browser — vulnerable to a memory corruption. Once users visited a web page containing the malicious code, the vulnerability could be exploited by attackers, who could then access the affected device and write malicious code onto it.
Despite being reported by Google and Microsoft, the bugs aren’t thought to have been actively exploited — unlike the three separate zero-day security flaws discovered in January. All three of the previous bugs had been “actively exploited,” Apple reported at the time, by hackers who found a way to chain the three vulnerabilities together in order to access the underlying iPhone software.
Apple users can secure their devices by heading to System Preferences, and then clicking on Software Update to check to see if there’s one available.


text:
Lego: building profits from plastic bricks
The popularity of Lego boomed as bored workers twiddled their thumbs at home. Chris Carter reports
When a video meeting got “a little boring” for Richard Weston, the 44-year-old from Birmingham did what many of us did during lockdown, says Shan Li in The Wall Street Journal. He watched a YouTube clip on his laptop, scanned Facebook and played with his Lego sets.
Thousands of Lego-builders went even further, BBC News reported in May, “taking advantage of lockdown… to create stop-motion movies and models of real-life constructions”. It’s little wonder, then, that sales of the colourful plastic bricks rose by 14% in the first six months of the year, and the addiction seems to be setting well and truly in. “We’ve seen momentum continue into the second half, even after people started going back to work and to school,” says Niels Christiansen, CEO of the Danish toymaker. (Note who appears first in that sentence – Lego’s not just for kids.)
Still others have had their eye on profits. Investment-related online searches for Lego jumped by 53% during lockdown in Britain, according to research commissioned by investment platform eToro. Over time, Lego sets can make serious money on the secondary market. “Dealers around the world trade the plastic bricks like any other asset,” says Adam Williams in The Daily Telegraph. “Some buy brand-new sets and keep them in pristine condition; others scour the planet for vintage models.” Over time, these sets can fetch significantly more than their original retail prices, with some going on to sell for thousands of pounds.
It’s no surprise, then, that some “Afols” (adult fans of Lego, in the lingo) have turned their hobby into money-making opportunities. The original 2007 edition of the Star Wars Millennium Falcon, for example, was available on Amazon this summer for more than £7,000, 20 times its original value, according to self-storage firm Space Station.
But collectors should be careful, says Tim Auld in the Financial Times. When Lego released the Millennium Falcon, it was the biggest Lego set ever produced, consisting of 5,195 pieces and costing £342.49. After two years, it was discontinued. Five years later, an unopened set in a sealed case sold for $15,000, setting a record for Lego. “Admittedly, that’s Las Vegas prices,” Gerben van IJken, a toy expert at auction site Catawiki, tells Auld. But even elsewhere, that set would have fetched a lot of money. Then, in 2017, Lego reissued an updated version of the toy– good news for fans, “not so good for those who had squirrelled away their 2007 set unopened for a rainy day”, says Auld. It may not be worth as much, but it is at least still valuable. Last Thursday, a used set in the US was sold to a buyer in Britain for almost $2,000 (including postage) on Ebay.


text:
U.S. carmaker Ford unveiled plans to nearly triple its production capacity in Russia alongside local partner Sollers, increasing its foothold in a market it hopes to double by the middle of the decade.
The company, which signed a letter of intent to team up with Sollers in February, signed the 50-50 joint venture in the company of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday.
The deal will see Ford's Russian operation combine with Sollers to produce 350,000 vehicles a year by around 2014 — enough to take advantage of a government incentive waiving import tariffs on components.
The plans include adding the Ford Transit van to its Russian production portfolio, the first in a line of new products to be rolled out in coming months.
"This deal will see Ford become part of the fabric of Russia and help with the manufacturing policy in Russia," Ford's Europe CEO, Stephen Odell, told reporters after the signing.
Ford is one of several foreign carmakers looking to sign partnerships in Russia to take advantage of state-sponsored incentives, part of the government's plan to strengthen its manufacturing base ahead of any future crisis.
Renault owns 25 percent of Lada-maker AvtoVAZ, while Volkswagen and General Motors have both done deals with GAZ Group.
Ford today has the capacity to produce 125,000 vehicles a year from its single plant outside St. Petersburg.
It built about 80,000 Ford Focuses and Mondeos there last year, selling just over 90,000, while Sollers, the second-biggest Russian producer behind AvtoVAZ, sold 98,000 cars and light commercial vehicles in 2010.
Car sales are forecast to total 2.35 million in 2011, according to the Association of European Businesses, up from 1.97 million last year.
Ford's Odell said he hoped the market would double from last year's total by the mid-point of the decade, a forecast more bullish than most, and said the Sollers deal would help Ford boost market share at the same time.
"Right now the forecast for mid-decade is 4 million. At that point you can expect a very high utilization of that capacity [350,000 a year]," he said.
"But we have lived through a recession and we need to be flexible in our approach to demand," he added.
He said Ford's historical market share in Russia has been 7 percent to 10 percent, a position likely to improve with increased capacity.


text:
Reebok is joining forces with Victoria Beckham. The British designer joins the brand’s growing coalition of unapologetically accomplished women—including Ariana Grande, Gigi Hadid, Aly Raisman and Teyana Taylor, among others—to push new boundaries in its long-time mission of empowering women to be the best version of themselves.
The long-term partnership will kick off with the Reebok x Victoria Beckham collection (http://www.reebok.com/en-US/victoria_beckham/) in late 2018. It will be a part of the Reebok Innovation Collective, a brand initiative that focuses on developing footwear and apparel that delivers the next generation of performance and expression, from conceptual runway designs to tech-driven products. Past partnerships under this umbrella include collaborations with Cottweiler, Vetements and David Clark Company. The latter in the quest to create a high-performance space boot.
“We look to partner with not just influential women, but women who want to truly change the world,” states Corinna Werkle, senior vice president of Women’s Initiatives at Reebok. “There’s no better embodiment of this than Victoria. She is a true visionary who possesses a relentless desire to help women become the best version of themselves. This desire shines through in everything she touches, especially her designs, which continue to push industry standards season after season. We cannot wait for the world to see what she will do with our collaboration.”
“I am incredibly excited to embark on this partnership built on shared values. I have always championed instilling confidence in women, and Reebok is a brand that has been at the forefront of this same message for decades,” Beckham says. “To have the opportunity to challenge the traditional notions of fitness wear within a fashion context is something I have always wanted to do. I have long incorporated sportswear into my wardrobe and daily life and I am thrilled to be coming together with Reebok on such a dynamic proposition.”


text:
Here’s your executive summary of the most newsworthy, fascinating and amusing stories from today’s Financial Post.
1. Mobility considers takeover bids from Telus and Rogers: sources
Mobilicity reportedly met over the weekend to weigh competing takeover bids from Telus and Rogers, both of which are said to be in excess of $350 million. The appeal of such a deal is not acquiring customers — Mobilicity has 157,000 wireless subscribers, a drop in the bucket compared to Telus’s 8.1 million and Rogers’s 9.5 million. Nor is it acquiring a moneymaker — the struggling Vaughan, Ont.-based firm was more than half a billion dollars in debt as of 2013. Rather, it is acquiring new spectrum — the ability to send wireless signals over a greater range of frequencies. However, the potential transfer of spectrum licences could also be the very thing that puts a dagger through a deal. Industry Canada is dead set against spectrum consolidation that would decrease competition and hamper consumer choice. But some suggest that the rise of Wind Mobile, which recently acquired a bunch of bargain-priced spectra, could lead Ottawa to ease up and approve the sale, perhaps excluding the spectrum owned by Mobilicity that had previously been set aside exclusively for upstarts.
2. We will win 300 contracts for the oft-delayed CSeries: Bombardier
Bombardier chief executive Alain Bellemare has reaffirmed that the Montreal-based firm will secure 300 CSeries orders before the long-delayed jetliners hit the market next year. The current tally is 57 orders shy of that prediction — a number that has remained unchanged for the past nine months, even after Bombardier first demonstrated the jets at the Paris Air Show last week. The goal is in some ways meaningless, of course — one giant order could be more financially significant than a handful of small orders — but the number would indicate the breadth, rather than depth, of appeal. Some analysts suggest that the target stresses quantity over quality, however, arguing that the true test will be retaining and attracting customers after the debut. To that end, Bombardier recently unveiled fresh performance data for the CSeries that exceeds what had previously been advertised — something the firm hopes will help offset the $2 billion it has spent above and beyond its budget for the program.
3. ‘We don’t ask you for free iPhones’: Taylor Swift slams Apple music
Apple has agreed to pay musicians after Taylor Swift threatened to withhold her latest album from Apple Music, the Cupertino, Calif.-based firm’s forthcoming streaming service. The effort, titled 1989, was the best-selling album of 2014 and, 32 weeks after its debut, currently holds the no.2 spot on the Billboard 200. The pop singer’s gripe stemmed from Apple’s decision to not begin compensating musicians until November, after the free streaming service transitions to a subscription-based model. “We don’t ask you for free iPhones,” Swift wrote in a Tumblr blog, noting that the world’s most-valuable company can afford to pay the artists it uses to attract customers and that three months of withheld income is exploitative and perhaps untenable for indie musicians. The move followed Swift’s decision last year to pull her catalog from Spotify after earning less than US$500,000 from the streaming service over 12 months, a sum amounting to a fraction of one cent per listen.
4. China moves to dominate from the factory floor to the point of sale
China has announced new tax breaks for Alibaba and other e-commerce exporters and plans to streamline the customs process as well. The country’s cross-border online-retail activity has totalled more than US$3.4 billion since 2013, with sales volume during the first five months of 2015 nearly eclipsing the entirety of 2014. The Xi-Li administration also announced plans to boost consumption at home with tax breaks aimed at making domestic sales more attractive, as well as policy changes aimed at promoting the yuan as the settlement currency of choice in online transactions. The moves are part of a bid to transition China from a manufacturing powerhouse to one that oversees everything from the factory floor to the point of sale — be it at home or abroad. The announcement follows last week’s decision to allow foreign companies to fully own Chinese e-commerce businesses — something the government believes will increase the sector’s international competitiveness.
5. Drivers paid 17.4 percent less at the pump in April: StatiCan
Statistics Canada reports that year-over-year inflation was 0.9 percent in April, up 10 basis points from March but still well below the Bank of Canada’s target of 2 percent. The collapse in crude prices is to blame — surprise, surprise — with the amount drivers paid at the pump down 17.4 percent from 12 months earlier. In fact, annual inflation would have clocked in at 2.2 percent if energy were excluded from the equation, according to StatsCan, thanks largely to a 3.8 percent spike in the price of food, in turn led by a 7.9 percent increase in the price of meats and a 5.8 percent increase in the price of fresh vegetables. Despite the disappointing overall performance, the Bank of Canada is widely expected to hold, not cut, its key lending rate when it meets to discuss the issue in July.


text:
Throughout the month of February, SNEWS will recap its coverage of Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2012 with select stories from the O.R. Daily we published at the show Jan. 19-22. It’s an opportunity for you to catch up on stories you might have missed in O.R.D., and for us to update and upload the articles to our searchable archives.
Telemark skiing isn’t dead. It’s actually getting younger. With a new focus on freeriding, in-bounds skiing, halfpipes and terrain parks, what was once Outdoor Retailer’s go-to granola market is gaining attitude and energy from a new wave of hard-charging riders.
“If you go to Morgedal, Norway, and actually look at the history of telemark skiing, it’s going back to its roots, when skis were wider for landing jumps and skiing powder instead of just being used for transportation,” said Josh Madsen, the new owner of Telemark Skier magazine. The magazine’s editor for the past two years, Madsen announced at Winter Market that he has agreed to purchase it from Height of Land Publications (HOL). He plans to cease the magazine’s two annual print issues in favor of publishing six online issues each year, all in English, and available internationally via Zinio for a single subscription fee.
“Telemark skiing has always been something we believed in strongly,” HOL editorial and creative director Adam Howard said in a statement. When HOL merged Couloir and Backcountry magazines in 2006, it also relaunched Telemark Skier, which had been dormant at Couloir for a year. “We still think tele skiers deserve their own media, and Madsen has the tools to deliver,” added Howard.
Madsen also plans to focus more on telemark skiing itself, rather than free-heel’s long-touted ease of backcountry access and winter travel. “I think for so long, people looked to telemark as a way to get into terrain they couldn’t get to any other way, instead of just at the excitement and beauty of the turn itself,” Madsen said. “There are a lot of younger skiers who are driving the next evolution of the sport, and it’s really important to focus on the spirit that they are bringing to telemark right now.”
His comments certainly reflected the sentiment of telemark equipment manufacturers at Winter Market, who introduced new skis, boots and bindings designed to perform at higher speeds, especially in steep lines and hardpack conditions.
“The market really has gone from focusing on transport to focusing on downhill performance,” said Thomas Laakso, Black Diamond Equipment’s ski category manager. “If you look at the freeride competitions, the people on tele are just charging right now, making higher-speed carving turns on bigger boards.”
To that end, Black Diamond has upgraded its 01 binding, adding two more screws to the baseplate to help keep the bindings from ripping out of skis. G3 introduced its new Enzo and Enzo R, and Rottefella its new Freedom binding at the show.
“It’s like the whole market has completely reversed itself, where people are going out of bounds on AT gear and heading in-bounds on telemark gear,” said Kim Miller, president and CEO of Scarpa North America. Miller agreed with Madsen’s statement that it is the dramatically unique look and feel of a free-heel turn that is driving the telemark market, rather than the backcountry experience that first brought it into vogue. “You really are seeing more young people getting into telemark, where a lot of the more traditional market is getting on the lighter-weight AT gear right now.”
Garmont USA ski-boot product manager Paul Parker, who literally wrote the book on telemark with his “Free-Heel Skiing: Telemark and Parallel Techniques for All Conditions,” said that once manufacturers stopped building telemark-specific skis, the lines between alpine, AT and free-heel boards was permanently blurred.
“Calling a ski a telemark ski was really a sales killer,” Parker said. “Once the focus shifted strictly to downhill performance, and there were fewer access arguments, it really changed the image from being a sport for a bunch of pinecone eaters to a sport for freeskiers.”


text:
They are five of the world’s collections of famous brands. Now Coca-Cola, Ford Motor, Heinz, Nike and Procter & Gamble (PG) pledged last week to form a strategic working group to ramp up the development of bioplastic. If this venture can scale, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), a lightweight material revered for its strength and reviled for its waste, could become, perhaps, a more responsible and sustainable packaging material.
The cooperation has its foundation with Coca-Cola’s successful PlantBottle, a PET product the beverage giant released in 2009 and is partially manufactured out of plant-based resins. By most accounts the PlantBottle, which Coca-Cola licensed to Heinz last year, has a lower environmental impact compared to conventional PET bottles that use fossil fuels as their feedstock. PET bottles of course, cause plenty of headaches with their most common destination, the landfill. Could this working group, the Plant PET Technology Collaborative (PTC), make a difference?
The PTC’s biggest asset is having Nike on board. Nike has been a leader when it comes to working with companies within and far outside its industry in melding sustainability and innovation. In a perfect, or near-perfect world, PET bottles would be recycled time and again in a closed-loop or zero waste system. Failing that, if bottles could be upcycled into fabric for Nike’s shoes or hoodies, the interior of Ford’s cars or become part of more HP printer cartridges, those alternatives are a far better option than centuries of entombment in a landfill. But just because a bottle has 30 or 40 percent less plastic does not mean it uses 30 or 40 percent less petroleum if petroleum-based fertilizers are what helps grow the plants that go into a bioplastic bottle.
To that end, the PTC promises to support new technologies that could allow plant-based PET resins to scale, find new commercial uses for plastics made derived from plants and create a common set of methodologies and standards for the manufacture of this new family of plastics.
Finding solutions will not be easy. Some environmental groups have raised the scenario of bioplastics competing with biofuels and food for farmland. And waste diversion has got to be a huge part of this working group’s success. There is no sense devoting land to growing plants for bioplastic, which will feed a well-groomed public relations machine, but instead could have been used to grow food for a hungrier and growing world. What is exciting, however, is that more companies from diverse industries are working together to solve a growing problem instead of keeping their technologies and best practices hidden from view.
Photo courtesy Coca-Cola.
Leon Kaye has written for TriplePundit since 2010, and became its Executive Editor in 2018. He's based in Fresno, CA, from where he happily explores California’s stellar Central Coast and the national parks in the Sierra Nevadas. He's lived in South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Uruguay, and has traveled to over 70 countries. He's an alum of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Southern California.