Posted by AGORACOM
at 2:40 PM on Wednesday, August 21st, 2019
SPONSOR: Gratomic Inc. (TSX-V: GRAT) Advanced materials company focused on mine to market commercialization of graphite products, most notably high value graphene based components for a range of mass market products. Collaborating with Perpetuus, Gratomic will use Aukam graphite to manufacture graphene products for commercialization on an industrial scale. For More Info Click Here
Smartphones and portable electronic devices are omnipresent in the
world we live in today. We rely heavily on these gadgets to complete a
wide range of daily tasks from simple reminders and calendar events to
more complex assignments and applications as powerful business tools.
At some point in the day, we will find ourselves rushing around a
room searching for a plug or USB socket as a cable dangles from our
hands because the lithium-ion batteries that currently power our devices
still only hold a limited charge.
However, frustrations such as this could soon be a thing of the past.
According to the reliable tech-tipster Evan Blass, Samsung is gearing
up to a 2021 launch of their usually hotly anticipated Galaxy series to
come equipped with a more efficient longer-lasting graphene battery.
On Monday, Evan Blass tweeted, “Samsung is hoping to have at
least one handset either next year or in 2021, I’m told, which will
feature a graphene battery instead.â€
Capable of a full charge in under a half-hour, they still need to raise capacities while lowering costs.
Evan Blass
Graphene batteries are believed to be the optimal solution and
alternative to the current generation of lithium-ion batteries on the
market. With higher electrical and heat conductivity compared to
lithium-ion solutions, graphene is also superior due to its lightweight,
flexible and durable qualities. For these reasons, we can begin to
understand why graphene has been hailed as a ‘wonder material’.
So, what would be the benefits of using the material graphene as an alternative to lithium-ion in battery packs?
Slimline solutions: having already discussed how
graphene is lightweight, we should also consider that when you stack 3
million layers of this material, it only amounts to 1 mm of thickness.
This could mean that manufacturers can place small high-capacity
batteries in devices to reduce the overall size of the device for
compactness or enhance other capabilities and overall performance.
Faster charging times: this increases the battery
endurance compared to lithium-ion batteries as the conductivity
capabilities of graphene offers little to no resistance to the flow of
electrons.
Reduced thermal output: because of its ability to
dissipate heat much more effectively, graphene can reduce the operating
temperature of smart devices. This means better performance and safety
when charging or operating the device for complex tasks or gaming.
These may be of particular interest to a company like Samsung who
have previously been affected by battery issues, particularly concerning
the overheating issues of the Note7 back in 2016. This led to Samsung
implementing an eight-point inspection process for batteries as well as
stepping up its research into battery technology, making significant
progress in recent years.
We need only look back to 2017 when Samsung revealed its researchers developed a “graphene ball†material capable of five times faster-charging speeds
than standard lithium-ion batteries. Coupled with Blass’s latest
claims, it is plausible to expect that we will see graphene batteries go
mainstream within the next couple of years.
With products likely restricted to select smartphones and smart
devices initially, we can also anticipate further developments on other
applications for graphene in the coming years. For example, Tesla are
showing interest in metal-air batteries which utilize a graphene rod as a
cathode. These types of battery can increase battery efficiency up to
five times at just one-third of the cost and because of the greater
abundance of carbon, compared to a rare metal like lithium,
manufacturers will continue to research its potential as they have been
trying to implement the use of graphene as a material in about
everything since its discovery in 2004.
So, it would suffice to say that graphene batteries are definitely
set to be a game-changer and put an end to panicked searches for a place
to charge devices or carrying around multiple charging packs to get
through a busy day.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 12:30 PM on Wednesday, August 21st, 2019
Discovery of gold enriched zone near high grade (8,973ppb) soil sample at Ashuanipi, Labrador
Defined by gold in soil and rock samples that cover an area of 450 metres by 450 metres
Results of ground VLF-Magnetic survey over the area are pending
Drill testing of zone expected in fall
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 21, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
Labrador Gold Corp. (TSX-V: LAB) (“Labrador Gold†or the “Companyâ€) is
pleased to announce that it has delineated a new gold enriched zone near
the site of a high grade soil sample at its Ashuanipi project in
western Labrador.
The initial program at Ashuanipi this year continued our systematic
approach of detailed geological mapping, rock and soil sampling and
ground magnetics/VLF-EM (very low frequency electromagnetics) to follow
up on specific areas to generate targets for drilling in the fall. In
particular, infill soil sampling allowed us to define an anomalous gold
zone near the site of a soil sample taken in 2018 that assayed 8,973ppb
gold.
The anomalous zone measures approximately 450 metres by 450 metres
and is defined by soil samples ranging from below detection up to
1,190ppb gold, in addition to the previous high-grade sample, and rock
samples from below detection up to 2,353 ppb Au (2.35g/t). The 2.35g/t
rock sample lies approximately 450m northwest of the high-grade soil
sample within a 200m by 100m gold in soil anomaly with values ranging
from 40ppb to 778ppb gold. The area was also covered by a ground
magnetic and VLF-EM (Very low frequency electromagnetic) survey, the
data from which is currently being processed.
A second area also shows potential, with rock samples grading from
below detection to 0.68g/t gold and 10 samples showing values greater
than 0.1g/t gold over an area of 200m by 120m within a larger anomalous
area of gold in soil. The gold mineralization is associated with
garnet-bearing gossanous gneiss. Further work in the area, including
detailed soil sampling and a VLF-magnetic survey will enable better
definition of the anomalous zone. Maps of the two zones can be found at www.labradorgold.com/portfolio/ashuanipi/.
“Our systematic approach to exploration of district scale anomalies
at Ashuanipi has allowed us to quickly identify favourable areas for
gold mineralization along these trends,†said Roger Moss, President and
Chief Executive Officer of Labrador Gold. “We look forward to the
results of the magnetic – VLF-EM survey that will allow us to further
refine our drill targets for the fall.â€
The 2019 exploration program at Ashuanipi is designed to follow up on
successful results of 2017 and 2018 work that outlined district scale
gold anomalies. To date the company has collected 13,184 soil samples,
752 lake sediment samples and 138 rock samples over the 896 square
kilometre property.
“Our 2019 program confirms and reinforces the thought that the large
regional (20 by 25 km) gold in lake sediment anomaly (greater than the
99th percentile) covering the Ashuanipi north claim block is real. The
anomaly, derived from GSC data (Open File 8348), is the largest and most
robust in the entire northern Quebec and Labrador,†said Shawn Ryan,
Technical Advisor to Labrador Gold. “We are the first exploration
company to give this anomaly a good look and start to explain this new
mineralized system. As we continue our systematic exploration approach
over the property, we should uncover more gold mineralization over the
15-kilometre gold in soil anomaly outlined during the 2018 exploration
program.â€
All samples were shipped to the Bureau Veritas preparation laboratory
in Timmins, Ontario, where rocks were crushed and split and a 500g sub
sample pulverized to 200 mesh. Pulps were sent to the Vancouver
laboratory for assay. Samples of 30g were analyzed for gold by fire
assay with an atomic absorption finish and another 15g sample for 36
elements by ultratrace ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma-mass
spectrometry) following an aqua regia digestion. Soil samples are dried
and sieved to -80 mesh followed by aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS/ES
assay. In addition to the QA-QC conducted by the laboratory, the Company
routinely submits blanks, field duplicates and certified reference
standards with batches of samples to monitor the quality of the
analyses.
Roger Moss, PhD., P.Geo., is the qualified person responsible for all technical information in this release.
About Labrador Gold:
Labrador Gold is a Canadian based mineral exploration company focused
on the acquisition and exploration of prospective gold projects in the
Americas. In 2017 Labrador Gold signed a Letter of Intent under which
the Company has the option to acquire 100% of the 896 square kilometre
(km2) Ashuanipi property in northwest Labrador and the Hopedale (458
km2) property in eastern Labrador.
The Hopedale property covers much of the Hunt River and Florence Lake
greenstone belts that stretch over 80 km. The belts are typical of
greenstone belts around the world but have been underexplored by
comparison. Initial work by Labrador Gold during 2017 show gold
anomalies in soils and lake sediments over a 3 kilometre section of the
northern portion of the Florence Lake greenstone belt in the vicinity of
the known Thurber Dog gold showing where grab samples assayed up to
7.8g/t gold. In addition, anomalous gold in soil and lake sediment
samples occur over approximately 40 kilometres along the southern
section of the greenstone belt (see news release dated January 25th 2018
for more details). Labrador Gold now controls approximately 57km strike
length of the Florence Lake Greenstone Belt.
The Ashuanipi gold project is located just 35 km from the historical
iron ore mining community of Schefferville, which is linked by rail to
the port of Sept Iles, Quebec in the south. The claim blocks cover large
lake sediment gold anomalies that, with the exception of local
prospecting, have not seen a systematic modern day exploration program.
Results of the 2017 reconnaissance exploration program following up the
lake sediment anomalies show gold anomalies in soils and lake sediments
over a 15 kilometre long by 2 to 6 kilometre wide north-south trend and
over a 14 kilometre long by 2 to 4 kilometre wide east-west trend. The
anomalies appear to be broadly associated with magnetic highs and do not
show any correlation with specific rock types on a regional scale (see
news release dated January 18th 2018). This suggests a possible
structural control on the localization of the gold anomalies. Historical
work 30 km north on the Quebec side led to gold intersections of up to
2.23 grams per tonne (g/t) Au over 19.55 metres (not true width)
(Source: IOS Services Geoscientifiques, 2012, Exploration and geological
reconnaissance work in the Goodwood River Area, Sheffor Project, Summer
Field Season 2011). Gold in both areas appears to be associated with
similar rock types.
The Company has 56,264,022 common shares issued and outstanding and trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol LAB.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:01 AM on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Ford launches its own esports virtual racing teams
Ford plans to launch its own esports virtual racing teams. Under the name Fordzilla, the company will recruit top esports drivers for teams in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
The company will also invite star players to form a European team with select members from each national team.
The Fordzilla teams will compete in games like Forza Motorsport 7, developed by Microsoft Game Studios’ Turn 10 Studios. According to Ford, millions of people play Forza games each month, and one million players choose Ford vehicles.
Ford has partnered with Microsoft Game Studios before, and a few years ago, the top prize in the first-ever Forza Racing Championship was a 2017 Ford Focus RS. We don’t know what prizes Ford will offer to its driving teams, but recruitment begins at Gamescom in Germany this week.
Posted by AGORACOM
at 10:23 AM on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
SPONSOR: ZEN Graphene Solutions: An emerging advanced materials and graphene development company with a focus on new solutions using pure graphene and other two-dimensional materials. Our competitive advantage relies on the unique qualities of our multi-decade supply of precursor materials in the Albany Graphite Deposit. Independent labs in Japan, UK, Israel, USA and Canada confirm this. Click here for more information
Increasing demand for lightweight, versatile and renewable products with lengthy lifespan are a few variables driving worldwide graphene market growth.
Nanotechnology demand in the electronic products sector also pumps
graphene market growth. The global energy market is shifting towards
clean energy sources, which in turn drives demand for products with
greater effectiveness.
Products like solar panels can improve battery efficiency by using
graphene, another driving factor for the worldwide graphene industry.
Other types of graphene such as graphene oxide (GO) are one of the types
of graphene that drive graphene market growth in areas such as North
America as applied to electronic instruments, catalytic oxidation,
biotechnology, and others.
Due to its flammable nature, graphene needs unique processing,
regulatory compliance for flammable goods are few other considerations
restricting graphene production. Because of its diverse spectrum of
characteristics, product innovations as well as new applications
findings of graphene by significant producers in electronics sectors are
performed. Lack of mass production and high-priced machinery, however,
are few considerations that restrain worldwide graphene development.
Increasing investment in brand research and development will drive
worldwide graphene market growth throughout the prediction time frame. A
two-dimensional transparent carbon allotrope discovered in 2004. The
item resistance surpasses steel almost 200 times and is a very useful
heat and electricity conductor. Product-related characteristics such as
outstanding thermal resistance, elevated electron motion and
permeability have led in increased use in many apps such as consumer
electronics, supercapacitors, RFID equipment, composites, detectors,
coatings, conductive inks, etc. Product-based research journals rose to
over 9,000 in 2013, from just over 125 in 2005. It will boost business
development as growing sector study operations will lead to multiple
fresh consumer apps.
Due to its distinctive features and broad variety of applications,
R&D expenditure on the industry has risen considerably. The European
Commission invested around $1.4 billion in the Graphene Flagship
initiative to increase market growth, resulting in consumer development
and fresh apps. Private businesses from multiple sectors including
specialty chemicals, consumer electronics, steel and energy also invest
in research and development operations to preserve their competitive
market benefit. American and Chinese entities have over 1,750 and 200
patents respectively on product and its various uses. These developments
have led in fresh consumer apps like graphene-based transistors,
detectors, conductive movie, etc. and will drive consumer demand
throughout the time frame prediction.
High material-related manufacturing costs may hinder worldwide market
growth in the future. Product marketing is hampered by costly and
complicated manufacturing procedures. Furthermore, standard
manufacturing procedures have negative economic and health impacts,
which could hinder item supply throughout the prediction time frame as
it could lead to better alternatives in the future.
Asia Pacific is anticipated to experience the highest demand
development over the forecast period. Booming electronics was a
significant factor driving regional product supply. Increasing
investment in renewable energy generation is also anticipated to
increase demand in the future. China is anticipated to emerge as a
successful economy over the forecast period, given favourable public
assistance for manufacturing sector investment. China’s state has placed
forward powerful measures to promote research and growth. The state has
created a domestic graphene park, which contributes to the region’s
quantity of material manufacturing.
According to Acumen Research and Consulting, the global graphene market
is estimated to grow at CAGR above 38.2% over the forecast time frame
and reach the market value around US$ 552.6 million by 2026.
Key Players & Strategies
The worldwide graphene industry is semi-consolidated among the top
few. With ongoing and active research and graphene growth for fresh and
developing apps, many fresh competitors are entering the industry,
leading to a divided industry among tiny but powerful competitors. Some
vital players in the graphene market include Global Graphene Group, XG
Sciences Inc., Sixth Element (Changzhou) Materials Technology Co. Ltd.,
Ningbo Morsh Technology, and Perpetuus Advanced Materials, among others.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:09 AM on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
SPONSOR: Spyder Cannabis (SPDR:TSXV)
went public just a couple of months ago and hit the ground running
with 5 operating Canadian retail locations – and a 6th one on the way
via an 8,000 sq ft super store in Alberta. Most companies would be
ecstatic to have this number of locations – but Spyder just announced a
major move into the United States, with a 5 location deal for boutique
stores up and down the US Eastern seaboard. The news gets better. If
all goes well with these 5 locations, the US outlet partner has a total
of 39 locations across 20 states for Spyder to grow into to. Click here for more info.
(TSX-V: SPDR)
Statistics Canada releases a bong full of new cannabis data
Statistics Canada released a whack of statistics on August 15 that shed some insight into the almost five million Canadians who consumed cannabis during the first half of 2019.Â
About 77% of Canadians who said they used cannabis during the first half of 2019 consumed dried cannabis, while 26% consumed edibles. Other reported ways of consuming cannabis were as liquid concentrates (20%), cannabis oil cartridges or vape pens (19%), and hashish or kief (16%).Â
Among the findings were that more men consume cannabis than do women,
and that men consume cannabis more frequently than women. Men also
consume cannabis for non-medical reasons more than women do.
Cannabis/Shutterstock
Another big takeaway was that 42% of Canadians who consumed cannabis
said that they bought at least some of their cannabis from black-market
dealers in the first half of the year.
The stats were all part of Statistics Canada’s National Cannabis
Survey (NCS), which continued to show that males and females older than
age 15 differ in how they obtain and consume cannabis products.
Females, for example, more often reported getting cannabis from
family and friends than their male counterparts, That may explain why
fewer females said they paid for the cannabis they consume. The study
didn’t go into how many people stole cannabis, although it noted that 4%
got their cannabis in an unspecified way.
Females are more likely to use an alternative method to consume cannabis, such as putting it on the skin or under the tongue.
Males are more likely to report consuming dried cannabis and hashish.
To monitor cannabis consumption before and after Canada legalized
cannabis last October, the nation’s number cruncher has been conducting
the NCS every three months since 2018.
Males almost twice as likely as females to have consumed cannabis
Males (21%) were almost twice as likely to have used cannabis in the
first half of 2019 as females (12%), according to the NCS. This held
true for every age group except seniors aged 65 and older.
Almost three in five females reported never having consumed cannabis (59%), compared with just over half (51%) of males.
About one-third of Canadians reported having tried cannabis in the past but are not current users.
Males more likely to use cannabis daily or almost daily
Statistics Canada said in its August 15 release that research has
shown that using cannabis regularly and over a long period of time has
been associated with the “risk of dependence and poor mental healthâ€
According to combined data from the first half of 2019, males (8%)
were twice as likely to report daily or almost daily use as females
(4%). Males were also more likely than females to consume cannabis on a
weekly and a monthly basis but equally as likely to report occasional
use (defined here as once or twice over the three-month reference
periods).
Males are more likely to use cannabis for non-medical reasons
Statistics Canada asked Canadians to say whether they used cannabis
for medical purposes and had a medical document, for medical purposes
without a medical document or simply for fun, or what some call
recreational use.
Just over one-fifth of males aged 15 and older reported consuming
cannabis in the first half of 2019. More than half of these males (52%)
reported using cannabis exclusively for non-medical reasons, while
about 30% reported using it for both medical and non-medical reasons,
and about one-fifth reported medical reasons (with or without medical
documentation).
Meanwhile, 12% of females said that they consuming cannabis in the
first half of 2019. Their reasons were fairly evenly split, between
those who said it was for non-medical use, medical use or a mix of
both.
Cannabis products and consumption methods
About 77% of Canadians who said they used cannabis during the first
half of 2019 consumed dried cannabis, while 26% consumed edibles. Other
reported ways of consuming cannabis were as liquid concentrates (20%),
cannabis oil cartridges or vape pens (19%), and hashish or kief (16%).
More males (82%) said they consumed dried cannabis, compared with
females (67%). Males (19%) were also more likely to have consumed
hashish or kief, compared with females (12%).
While a majority of both males and females use dried cannabis, for
49% of males and 41% of females, it is the only form of cannabis that
they consumed.
Conversely, females (23%) were almost twice as likely as males (12%)
to report using only products other than dried cannabis. Other products
include edibles, oil cartridges and vape pens.
Smoking remains the most common method of consuming cannabis, with
68% of males and 62% of females choosing this method in the first half
of 2019, according to Statistics Canada.
At 14%, females were almost three times more likely than males (5%)
to have consumed cannabis through methods such as the application of
products on the skin or under the tongue.
Buying cannabis
Males are more likely to purchase cannabis while females are more likely to get it from family and friends for free.
Approximately one-quarter of Canadians who consumed cannabis in the
first half of 2019 did not pay for it, with female consumers (29%) more
likely than males (22%) to consume it without having paid for it,
according to the survey.
Nearly half of all cannabis consumers (48%) reported buying at least
some of their cannabis from a legal source, such as a legally authorized
retailer or an online licensed producer.
There was 42%, however, who said that they bought at least some of
their cannabis from illegal sources, such as a drug dealer, while 37%
said that they used cannabis that they got from, or shared among,
friends and family.
Growing cannabis, either by the users or by someone else, was a
supply source for about 8% of consumers, while 4% reported another
source, although Statistics Canada did not specify what that source
might be.
For the first time, analysis of the sources of cannabis by type of
consumer (those who obtained it from one source and those who obtained
it from multiple sources) is available. This more detailed examination
revealed that 29% of all current users got their cannabis exclusively
from legal sources.
In general, males and females access cannabis from the same sources
and in similar numbers, but with one notable difference: a relatively
larger proportion of females (42%) than males (33%) report friends and
family as their cannabis source.
Quality and safety remain foremost consideration when deciding where to buy cannabis
Three-quarters of Canadians (76%) who consumed cannabis in the first
half of 2019 said quality and safety was an important consideration when
buying it, while 42% primarily considered price.
Other important factors when buying cannabis were accessibility, location and availability of a preferred potency.
While both males and females share many of the same considerations
when obtaining cannabis, there are a few differences. For example,
females (22%) were twice as likely as males (11%) to cite sales support
as being important, while proportionally more males (19%) placed a
higher value on anonymity and discretion than did females (12%). More
males (20%) said that availability of a preferred strain of cannabis was
important than did females (11%.)
Males are more likely to report that they will use cannabis in next three months
More males (25%) than females (16%) said they thought that they would
use cannabis in the next three months. That is higher than the 21% of
males and 12% of females who currently consume cannabis.
Virtually all Canadians (99%) who reported having never consumed
cannabis indicated that they will not use cannabis in the next three
months. In contrast, most daily or almost daily (94%) and weekly (87%)
users think that they will continue to consume cannabis over the next
three months and at a similar pace.
Former users (12%) and those who use cannabis less than once a month
(27%) were more likely to report that they will increase their
consumption in the coming three months than were people who have never
used cannabis (1%).
Second quarter 2019: Almost five million Canadians report using cannabis
From mid-May to mid-June 2019, about 4.9 million or 16% of Canadians
aged 15 and older reported using cannabis in the previous three months,
according to Statistics Canada.
This was unchanged from data collected from provinces a year ago,
when recreational cannabis use was illegal. It is also unchanged from
the last time estimates for from territorial capitals were collected.
In the second quarter of 2019, 24% of Nova Scotians and 20% of
Albertans reported using cannabis in the previous three months. That is
above the average for the rest of Canada (other provinces and
territorial capitals combined).
Cannabis use in the previous three months was also above the national
average in all three territorial capitals: Whitehorse (24%),
Yellowknife (30%) and Iqaluit (32%). Meanwhile, current use was lower
than the national average in Quebec (10%).
Cannabis consumption in the second quarter of 2019 was essentially
unchanged from the same quarter in 2018, prior to legalization. However,
the number of Canadians aged 65 and older reporting cannabis use
increased from 3% to 5% over this period, while cannabis use among 15-
to 64-year-olds was stable (ranging from 10% to 25%, depending on the
age group).
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 8:19 AM on Tuesday, August 20th, 2019
Announced that its common shares will begin trading on the OTCQB Venture Market at the opening of the market on August 20th, 2019 under the stock symbol (OTC: EPWCF)
VANCOUVER, Aug. 20, 2019 – EMPOWER CLINICS INC. (CSE: CBDT) (Frankfurt: 8EC) (OTC: EPWCF) (“Empower” or the “Company“), a vertically integrated and growth-oriented CBD life sciences company, and a multi-state operator of medical health & wellness clinics in the U.S., today announced that its common shares will begin trading on the OTCQB Venture Market at the opening of the market on August 20th, 2019 under the stock symbol (OTC: EPWCF).
Empower Clinics Inc. (OTCQB: EPWCF) now trades on the OTCQB Venture
Market for early stage and developing U.S. and international companies.
Companies are current in their reporting and undergo an annual
verification and management certification process. Investors can find
Real-Time quotes and market information for the company on http://www.otcmarkets.com.
In addition, Empower’s shares will continue to be listed on the
Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) under the ticker symbol “CBDT,” as
well as on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “8EC.”
“Our listing on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States
complements Empower’s listings on the Canadian and Frankfurt Stock
Exchanges, respectively, broadening our investment base as we accelerate
our growth strategy in the global medical cannabis and wellness
sectors,” said Steven McAuley, Empower CEO. “This is a
timely milestone, as we have a robust pipeline of activity tied to
product development, business development, M&A and, overall company
expansion.”
ABOUT OTC MARKETS GROUP INC.
OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX:
OTCM) operates the OTCQX® Best Market, the OTCQB® Venture Market and
the Pink® Open Market for 10,000 U.S. and global securities. Through
OTC Link® ATS and OTC Link ECN, the company connects a diverse network
of broker-dealers that provide liquidity and execution services. OTC
Markets enables investors to easily trade through the broker of their
choice and enable companies to improve the quality of information
available for investors. To learn more about how OTC Markets creates
better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com.
ABOUT EMPOWER
Empower is a vertically integrated and growth-oriented CBD life
sciences company, and a multi-state operator of medical health &
wellness clinics, operating the Sun Valley Health™ clinic brand www.sunvalleyhealth.com, for its nine corporate locations and for franchises in the United States. As a CBD product manufacturer under the Sollievo™
brand, the company distributes its lines through clinics, online and
through retail partners. Extraction operations are currently being
developed in the Company’s new extraction facility in Oregon.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Steven McAuley Chief Executive Officer
DISCLAIMER FOR FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”
or “forward-looking information” (collectively “forward looking
statements”) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All
statements, other than statements of historical fact, are
forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and
projections as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements
can frequently be identified by words such as “plans”, “continues”,
“expects”, “projects”, “intends”, “believes”, “anticipates”,
“estimates”, “may”, “will”, “potential”, “proposed” and other similar
words, or information that certain events or conditions “may” or “will”
occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include
statements regarding; the Company’s intention to open a hemp-based CBD
extraction facility, the expected benefits to the Company and its
shareholders as a result of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships;
the terms of the proposed acquisitions and partnerships; the
effectiveness of the extraction technology; the expected benefits for
Empower’s patient base and customers; the benefits of CBD based
products; the effect of the approval of the Farm Bill; the growth of the
Company’s patient list and that the Company will be positioned to be a
market-leading service provider for complex patient requirements in 2019
and beyond. Such statements are only projections, are based on
assumptions known to management at this time, and are subject to risks
and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or
developments to differ materially from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, including; that the Company may not open a
hemp-based CBD extraction facility; that the hemp-based CBD extraction
facility may not be fully operation by Q2 2019 if at all; that
legislative changes may have an adverse effect on the Company’s business
and product development; that the Company may not be able to obtain
adequate financing to pursue its business plan; general business,
economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; failure to
obtain any necessary approvals in connection with the proposed
acquisitions and partnerships; and other factors beyond the Company’s
control. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by
the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what
benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are cautioned not to
place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements in this release,
which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements.
The Company is under no obligation, and expressly disclaims any
intention or obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking
statements in this release, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable
laws.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Monday, August 19th, 2019
STAR-A.D.S.® (Airborne Data Service)
Real-time on-board, tracking, flight monitoring and analysis system that provides a virtual window into an aircraft
STAR-A.D.S. ® system installed on a major VVIP private operator in
the Mid-East has been operating for more than one year now, to the
satisfaction of the customer.
Discussions are being finalized to expand the installation of the
STAR solution of real-time monitoring to the rest of the customers’
fleet
Contract for 5 aircraft installations with a scheduled flights airline in Egypt has been implemented
First installation is scheduled for Fall 2019 as scheduling permits,
with the balance of fleet installations to match the C-check schedule
of the remaining aircraft in the fleet.
Production of 27 STAR-A.D.S.® System units has commenced in order to meet ongoing requirements
FULL DISCLOSURE: Star Navigation Systems Group Ltd. is an advertising client of AGORA Internet Relations Corp.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:45 AM on Monday, August 19th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The company exceeded 2018 target with $11.0 million in revenue. Learn More
EGLX: TSX-V
Prize pot of $30 million at Fortnite World Cup shows eSports’ rapid growth
The recent Fortnite World Cup had a total prize pool of $33m and the top winners took away several million each.
By: Federico Winer, PhD researcher, Loughborough University
The American teenager took home the largest-ever payout for a single player in an eSports tournament.
His win reflects the growing popularity of the game and the power of the eSports market. British teenager Jaden Ashman shared $2.25m with his teammate as the runners-up in the doubles competition.
The finals, at the end of July, followed ten weeks of competition involving more than 40m competitors and a total prize pot of over $30m. The tournament packed out the 23,771-seat Arthur Ashe stadium at Flushing Meadows, New York’s largest tennis arenas.
Fortnite Battle Royale is emerging as one of the most popular
computer games with an estimated 250m players around the world.
Essentially, it is a First-Person Shooter game where players fight to
survive in a battle against other human players. Unlike some other games
in this genre, such as PUBG or Counter-Strike,
its graphics are cartoonish, which means parents of teenage players are
less likely to object to the content – it doesn’t look violent of
feature excessive blood, bullets and bombs.
Fortnite is rising to prominence in an increasingly lucrative market.
Out of 7.6 billion people on the planet, there are approximately 2.2 billion gamers.
This includes social gaming, mobile gaming, as well as free-to-play and
pay-to-play multiplayer gaming. Of these players, there are about 380m
eSports viewer fans – 165m of them regular viewers and 215m occasionals.
Epic Games, publisher of Fortnite, attracts players by making the game itself free to play. But they also sell “V-Bucks†to the players, which cost US$9.99 per 1,000 and can be spent on a variety of customisation and enhancements for players’ characters.
Evolution of eSports titles’ popularity, breakdown by searches in Google, 2004-present. Google Trends, 2019b, Author provided
None of these influence the actual performance of the character in
the battle – accuracy and pace still depend on the skill of the
individual competitor. This is similar to most eSports titles. But according to research firm Superdata, between its release in July 2017 and May 2018 Fortnite netted US$1.2 billion in revenue.
Competitive edge
So what exactly are eSports? They are defined as competitive
tournaments involving electronic games – especially among professionals.
Players compete in leagues or play for an audience on a live-streaming
service in exchange for payment, which can range to several million
dollars for the most successful players.
Top players and teams are well remunerated. Forbes
reported that the “average starting North America League of Legends
Championship Series (NA LCS) player salary is now over US$320,000, with
over 70% of the players performing on multi-year contractsâ€. An article in Business Insider
in 2018 reveals that top teams such as Evil Geniuses earn more than
US$10m a year in revenue. This is almost the same budget as a top second division team from La Liga, in Spain.
The recent Fortnite world cup had a total prize pool of $33m
and, as we have heard, the top winners took away several million each.
Even players who ranked as lowly as 65-108 took away $50,000 for their
pains.
When it comes to training for competition, you could be forgiven for
thinking that eSports players are not like traditional athletes,
building strength and endurance over long hours in the gym or pounding
the streets. But, as the growth in prize money means the potential
rewards for success grow ever larger, a new generation of eSports
professionals is finding that fitness aids concentration. Some of the
more successful teams are even drafting in coaches from other sports.
I have connected with several teams and, even in those with low
budgets, they are aware of the importance of their physical and mental
well-being through nutrition and exercise to perform better in games.
What’s next?
ESports look to be here to stay, but the degree of success will
depend on a variety of factors, including general entertainment trends,
industry governance and the possibility of government censorship in
certain regions. To help the various players in the market understand
consumers better and react proactively to changes in the business
environment, it is essential to highlight the critical value of eSports
data – something that I have been researching for some time.
The huge and rapid growth of eSports – and the massive revenues this
promises – are thought by many industry insiders to be indicative of a
bubble. Commenting on headlines which implied that gaming tournaments
were “bigger than the Superbowlâ€, Sebastian Park, vice-president of
eSports with the Houston Rockets (which owns a majority stake in
professional League of Legends team Clutch Gaming) said recently: “When I read a lot of these papers, I don’t know where they derive 50% of those numbersâ€.
For the health of the industry, it’s critical to be able to establish
how different esports industry stakeholders are collecting data and
information from the fans to understand their behaviour and consumer
trends. There has been speculation that Nielsen, which has been
collecting data on TV viewing since the 1950s, is working on a solution. This could be the next big step in establishing eSports credibility.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:31 AM on Monday, August 19th, 2019
SPONSOR: Bougainville
Ventures Inc (CSE: BOG) provides strategic capital to the thriving
cannabis cultivation sector through ownership and development of
commercial real estate properties. The company also offers fully built
out turnkey facilities equipped with state-of-the-art growing
infrastructure to cannabis growers and processors. Click here for more info.
—————–
The CBD boom is reshaping America’s farmland
As the CBD boom continues, farmers across the country are ditching their former crops in favor of something more chill: hemp.
According to US Department of Agriculture data, the amount of farmland planted with hemp quadrupled in the past year, Quartzreports.
How did this all happen so fast?
Two words — decriminalization and demand.
First, the 2018 Farm Bill made hemp farming legal last year, allowing
farmers to start producing hemp plants as long as they are less than
0.3% THC by dry weight.
Then, when the first CBD products appeared — mostly in pain-relieving wellness products — they were hugely successful.
Demand for CBD-infused everything soon followed… Now, shoppers can buy CBD-infused fast food burgers (thanks, Carl’s Jr.),
tea, honey, beer, chocolate, dog treats, bath salts, deodorants,
protein powders, hot sauce, coffee, gummy candy, shampoo, and face
creams… and the list goes on.
But all that CBD comes from hemp…
And all that hemp has to be grown
So farmers are scrambling to grow the newest, chillest cash crop.
Even farmers who formerly had no interest in hemp are starting to grow
it.
Why? Consider this: An acre of soybeans will make a farmer $500. An acre of hemp could make them as much as $30k.
For now, hemp farming may be a great deal for farmers. But regulators have yet to develop proper oversight practices, and some industry groups worry that hemp prices are still too volatile to take seriously.
No one knows when the high (prices) will wear off…
“The boom is coming mostly from word-of-mouth reports about hemp’s profitability,†reports the Hemp Industry Daily.
For now, growth is poised to continue: Planting of industrial hemp
increased 368% from 2018 to 2019, outpacing all other crops, and some
big producers — like Ben & Jerry’s — have expressed interest in buying CBD but are holding off until federal laws become more clear.
But if it turns out that the market for CBD dog treats isn’t as big
as it’s being billed, the CBD boom could quickly go bust for the farmers
who put all their hemp in one basket…
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:19 AM on Monday, August 19th, 2019
SPONSOR: Tartisan Nickel (TN:CSE)
Kenbridge Property has a measured and indicated resource of 7.14
million tonnes at 0.62% nickel, 0.33% copper. Tartisan also has
interests in Peru, including a 20 percent equity stake in Eloro
Resources and 2 percent NSR in their La Victoria property. Click her for more information
After dropping below US$5 a pound at the end of 2018, metal reaches US$7.31 Friday
Worries about supply and expected demand for electric cars kept pushing up the price of nickel this week
Metal staying above US$7.31 a pound on the London Metals Exchange on Friday.
Prices are up by 50 per cent the start of the year, when nickel was
struggling to stay above US$5 a pound. Prices haven’t risen this fact in
a decade. Indonesia, one of the biggest suppliers in the world, plans
to ban exports in 2022, and rumours the ban could be imposed sooner has
accounted for some of nickel’s recent strength, analysts say.
Kieran Clancy, assistant commodities economist at UK-based Capital Economics, told Bnamericas on Friday that global supply shortages are expected to worsen since no major mines are coming into operation any time soon.
“What’s more, there are a number of tail risks, the most notable of
which being the prospect that Indonesia implements a ban on nickel ore
exports sooner than 2022, although they now have significant domestic
smelting capacity which would cushion the blow somewhat,” Clancy said.
And in a livewiremarkets.com
story Friday, Eddy Haegel of BHP said demand for high grade nickel
(which is mined in Sudbury) for electric car batteries will really take
off sometime next year.
“We do not expect to see a meaningful impact on the nickel market
from batteries until the mid – late 2020s,†Haegel said. “Only then, do
we expect to see serious industry investment by Class 1 nickel
producers.
“However, we will not rest waiting for that day to arrive. We are
actively developing options to position ourselves for this
once-in-a-generation opportunity.’’
