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at 2:44 PM on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
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Battery metals tracker Adamas Intelligence says electric vehicle manufacturers deployed 57 percent more nickel in passenger EV batteries in May this year, compared to 2018.
The Toronto-based research company, which tracks EV registrations and battery chemistries in
more than 80 countries says the nickel metal equivalent used in
lithium-ion batteries (primarily in the form of nickel sulphate)
increased by 69 percent whereas the amount used in nickel metal hydride
(NiMH) batteries (primarily in the form of nickel hydroxide and AB5
nickel-REE alloy) increased by 26 percent.
The deployment of nickel also outpaced the growth of the EV market
overall. In May this year, total passenger EV battery capacity deployed
globally was 48 percent higher year-on-year, according to Adamas data.
Nickel’s inroads are mainly due to shifting chemistries of nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) battery cathodes.
First generation NCM111 batteries had a chemical composition of 1
part nickel, 1 part cobalt and 1 part manganese, but NCM batteries with
higher nickel content (622 and 523 chemistries) are quickly becoming the
standard in China, which is responsible for half the world’s electric
car sales, and a much greater proportion of EV battery manufacture.
With worries about the security of supply of cobalt persisting, the
industry is now fast moving towards even higher nickel content with the
market share of NCM811 increasing to 2 percent worldwide and 4 percent
in China in May, a doubling of market share in just one month.q Related: China’s Crude Oil Imports Rise In June
Adamas points out that in China the increased deployment coincided
with the launch of a number of new EV models in China using NCM811 cells
from battery leader CATL.
The world’s number one carmaker, Volkswagen, is spending more than $50 billion on batteries to
start mass producing EVs by mid-2023 and the company announced earlier
this month that from 2021 it would use the NCM811 composition.
Nickel touched $13,000 a tonne for the first time since April on
Wednesday. The price is up just over 19 percent in 2019 as the EV boom
creates additional demand and primary use of the metal today – stainless
steel production – continues to grow.
Cobalt is now worth $28,000 a tonne after peaking at $95,000 little
more than a year ago as miners in the Congo – responsible for two-thirds
of output – ramp up production.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:51 AM on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
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New normal in US Congress: Marijuana hearings, reform bills & how they could affect the MJ industry
Cannabis has gone from the butt of jokes on Capitol Hill to milestone hearings and the introduction of landmark legalization reform packages that offer the potential to pave the way for billions of dollars in new business opportunities nationwide.
The current situation is in stark contrast to just a couple of years ago, showing how far and how quickly marijuana reform has come in Washington DC – even if it doesn’t appear at the moment to have a good chance to pass the full Congress.
The Marijuana Business Factbook estimates that from 2018 to 2023, sales of legal cannabis in the United States could grow by nearly 200%,
but those estimates also suggest legal sales represent a fraction of
the estimated total potential demand for cannabis in the United States.
Demand for recreational cannabis is roughly $50 billion-$60 billion
when black-market demand is included, according to the Factbook.
Federal legalization obviously would offer licensed MJ businesses inroads to take a bigger bite of the overall demand.
How times are changing in DC around MJ
Just a few months ago, the consensus was that the federal marijuana legislation most likely to pass would be narrowly focused, such as a bill to help veterans or spending bill amendments to protect state-legal cannabis programs.
Now the leading House measure appears to involve a comprehensive bill that would legalize marijuana nationwide.
The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act of
2019 could open massive business opportunities for legal cannabis firms
around the country, similar to the federal legalization of hemp, if it passes. But that’s a big “if.â€
Experts point out major reform before 2021 has long odds because of resistance in the Republican-controlled Senate.
But here’s the new normal:
Cannabis reform garnered milestone congressional hearings this year
in both the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled
Senate.
A U.S. House committee approved a cannabis banking bill, sending the measure toward the full chamber.
House Judiciary Committee chair Jerrold Nadler introduced the MORE Act, a comprehensive bill that would legalize marijuana nationwide by removing it from the Controlled Substance Act.
House Democrats are in effect saying that marijuana reform no longer
needs to be modest, said Douglas Berman, director of Ohio State
University’s Drug Enforcement and Policy Center.
“I have this ever-growing sense that more progressive advocates for
marijuana reform think the momentum is on their side and that they don’t
have to be content with a set of modest reforms or even an
industry-friendly reform that doesn’t expressly seek to address the
social equity parts of the story,†Berman noted.
Nadler’s bill, for example, not only would legalize cannabis
nationwide, but through a 5% rec MJ sales tax, it would fund programs to
help individuals and communities disadvantaged by the federal marijuana
prohibition.
Marijuana entrepreneurs are paying close attention, and industry experts attribute the shifting ground to:
Strong public support for reform. Some polls find it exceeding 60%.
Democrats have control of the House and, thus, the committees that set the schedules for hearings.
The Democratic presidential lineup includes near unanimity that marijuana should be federally legalized.
A strategy exists among Democrats that it’s better to ask for more than less to build negotiating leverage for eventual reform.
There’s a growing consensus that comprehensive cannabis reform must
include elements of social justice and equity as well as reinvestment in
communities most affected by the war on drugs. Progressives in the
Democratic party have expressed that attitude, and recreational
marijuana legalization discussions in Illinois, New Jersey and New York
have reflected it as well.
Addressing MJ banking/tax conundrums
Large industry groups including the American Bankers Association and the Credit Union National Association increasingly are pushing for specific reforms,
such as the SAFE Banking Act, which would enable financial institutions
to serve state-lawful cannabis businesses without fear of federal
prosecution.
“It’s really the voices of these groups that have given the momentum
and traction to the issue in the Senate,†said Saphira Galoob, CEO of
the Liaison Group and executive director of the National Cannabis
Roundtable.
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, a longtime advocate for marijuana reform
from Oregon, told the media that Nadler’s bill will represent the “path forward†to fixing cannabis policy in the House.
That’s because most major reform measures must go through the House
Judiciary Committee, and Nadler controls which bills get considered.
Many experts doubt he’ll want committee votes on bills other than his own.
The House Judiciary Committee may mark up his reform bill and vote on
it by as soon as September, after lawmakers return from their summer
recess, Blumenauer and others noted.
The Nadler bill would resolve major industry issues such as access to banking and tax equity.
But Berman said he would be surprised if the Republican-controlled Senate considers the Senate version of Nadler’s bill, which is sponsored by Sen. Kamala Harris, a California Democrat running for president.
Experts say major reform still faces high hurdles in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, “has
unilateral control of the Senate schedule,†St. Louis-headquartered
investment firm Stifel noted in a recent cannabis industry update.
“His statements have suggested personal opposition to marijuana, and
we believe his political calculus favors keeping his senators off the
record with many Republicans facing re-elections in areas without more
progressive marijuana policies,†the report added.
That seemed to be the case when the Senate Banking Committee recently held a landmark hearing on cannabis banking.
Committee Chair Michael Crapo from Idaho was the only Republican present of the 13 Republicans on the committee.
The future role of SAFE and the STATES Act
The prevailing view by many experts is that major reform becomes even less likely as the 2020 election draws near.
But it’s hard to predict political dynamics.
If President Donald Trump or McConnell wants reform for political reasons, then it could occur, Berman said.
So if Nadler’s bill becomes the leading House bill, what happens to
other cannabis-related legislation, such as the STATES Act, which would
protect state-lawful cannabis businesses from federal interference but
wouldn’t legalize marijuana nationwide?
Blumenauer, who earlier this year predicted that the House would pass
SAFE, said that measure would be unnecessary if Nadler’s bill goes
through the House.
STATES, which has no social equity component, has “interesting
support†and “still has the opportunity to be the catalyst in the
Senate,†Blumenauer said.
STATES also has some implicit support from U.S. Attorney General William Barr.
Neal Levine, CEO of the Cannabis Trade Federation, lauded Nadler’s bill.
But the industry group still is backing the STATES Act as well, Levine told Marijuana Business Daily.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:55 AM on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
AMK:TSX-V
780 Meter Intercept of 0.683 g/t Gold;
Including a higher grade upper portion of 1.095 g/t over 370.5 meters in new hole at Treaty Creek
Results prompting mobilization of second drill to project
Darren Blaney, President and CEO of American Creek, commented: “This is very encouraging as we have our best hole to date at Treaty. Furthermore, in addition to a major extension of the system to the northeast, we are now seeing some high grade gold, silver and base metals showing up in the core. I congratulate Mr. Konkin on delivering the goods. Well done!”
Cardston, Alberta–(July 30, 2019) – American Creek Resources Ltd. (TSXV: AMK) (“the Corporation”) (“American Creek”) is pleased to announce results from the first three diamond drill holes at the Goldstorm Zone on the Treaty Creek Joint Venture project, located in the Golden Triangle of NW British Columbia. In light of the favourable results obtained during phase one drilling, a second drill has arrived on-site and has begun drilling for the phase two portion of the program.
Tudor Gold Exploration Manager, Ken Konkin explains:
“The Goldstorm system continues to grow rapidly along strike to the
northeast and towards the footwall contact zone to the southeast. The
best near-surface intercept obtained to-date on the project has been
obtained from the latest hole; GS19-42. This is a vertical hole that is a
150m step-out to the northeast from drill hole CB18-39 (0.981g/t Au
over 563.8m intercept). The higher grade upper portion of last year’s
hole CB18-39 averaged 1.141 g/t Au over 280.5m compared to the same
upper mineralized horizon of GS19-42 that averages 1.268 g/t Au over a
252.0 m intercept. The system appears to be gaining strength to the
northeast as the depth is now showing to exceed 700m, with an average of
0.683 g/t Au over 780 meters of vertical intercept. The mineralized
horizon appear to be near flat-lying with excellent grade consistency
between holes along the upper horizon. Exploration efforts will attempt
to extend the zone further to the northeast with yet another 150m NE
step-out hole from GS19-42.”
Drill holes GS19-40 and GS19-41, were successful in locating the
footwall contact zone, which is a very fine-grained strongly silicified
volcanic unit. Furthermore, porphyritic intrusive was also encountered
at the base of GS19-40, and within GS19-41 that returned anomalous
copper and molybdenum values. As well, a strong silver-bearing
base-metal system has been seen for the first time in the northernmost
hole (GS19-42), within the upper mineralized horizon. Values of 33.51
g/t Au, 1,154 g/t Ag, 2.89% Cu, 5.96% Pb and 1.89% Zn were returned over
a 1.5 meter interval from 209.5 m to 211.0 m was a pleasant surprise in
the last hole GS19-42.
The following table provides gold composites from the Goldstorm Zone in the first three 2019 drill holes completed:
Table I: Gold Composites for GS19-42, 41 and 40
SECTION
HOLE ID
FROM M
TO M
Interval (M)
GOLD (gpt)
112+50NE
GS19-42
63.5
843.5
780
0.683
including
63.5
315.5
252
1.268
including
63.5
434
370.5
1.095
108+00NE
GS19-41
27.5
353
325
0.589
including
47
146
99
1.015
GS19-40
23
350
327
0.443
including
81.5
127
45.5
0.907
* All assay values are uncut and intervals reflect drilled intercept lengths.
* True widths of the mineralization have not been determined.
Goldstorm Zone Drill Sections 108+00 NE and
112+50 NE and Goldstorm Zone Plan Map are included at the bottom of the
news release.
Walter Storm, President and CEO of Tudor Gold, stated:
“I am delighted to see that the Goldstorm Zone has been expanded for
another 150 meters with this step out drill-hole 42. I am looking
forward to potentially expanding the Goldstorm zone again with another
150 meter step out drill-hole, which has started with our second drill.”
Darren Blaney, President and CEO of American Creek, commented:
“This is very encouraging as we have our best hole to date at Treaty.
Furthermore, in addition to a major extension of the system to the
northeast, we are now seeing some high grade gold, silver and base
metals showing up in the core. I congratulate Mr. Konkin on delivering
the goods. Well done!”
QA/QC
Drill core samples were prepared at MSA
Labs’ Preparation Laboratory in Terrace, BC and assayed at MSA Labs’
Geochemical Laboratory in Langley, BC. Analytical accuracy and precision
are monitored by the submission of blanks, certified standards and
duplicate samples inserted at regular intervals into the sample stream
by Tudor Gold personnel. MSA Laboratories quality system complies with
the requirements for the International Standards ISO 17025 and ISO 9001.
Qualified Person
The Qualified Person for this news release
for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 is Tudor Gold’s
Exploration Manager, Ken Konkin, P.Geo. He has read and approved the
scientific and technical information that forms the basis for the
disclosure contained in this news release.
About American Creek
American Creek is a Canadian junior mineral
exploration company with a strong portfolio of gold and silver
properties in British Columbia.
Three of those properties are located in
the prolific “Golden Triangle”; the Treaty Creek and Electrum joint
venture projects with Tudor Gold/Walter Storm as well as the 100% owned
past producing Dunwell Mine.
The Treaty Creek Project is a Joint Venture
with Tudor Gold owning 60% and acting as operator. American Creek and
Teuton Resources each have 20% interests in the project. American Creek
and Teuton are both fully carried until such time as a Production Notice
is issued, at which time they are required to contribute their
respective 20% share of development costs. Until such time, Tudor is
required to fund all exploration and development costs while both
American Creek and Teuton have “free rides”.
Tudor is presently conducting a major drill
program at Treaty Creek with the objective being to define a
significant gold resource.
The Corporation also holds the Gold Hill,
Austruck-Bonanza, Ample Goldmax, Silver Side, and Glitter King
properties located in other prospective areas of the province.
For further information please contact Kelvin Burton at: Phone: 403 752-4040 or Email: [email protected]. Information relating to the Corporation is available on its website at www.americancreek.com.
Neither the TSX Venture
Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined
in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for
the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Tags: #mining, gold, Seabridge Gold, stocks, tsx, tsx-v Posted in American Creek Resources Ltd., Featured | Comments Off on American Creek $AMK.ca Reports 780m Intercept of 0.683 g/t #Gold Including a Higher Grade Upper Portion of 1.095 g/t over 370.5m in New Hole at Treaty Creek Prompting Mobilization of Second Drill to Project $SII.ca $SA $SKE.ca $TUD.ca $PVG.ca $MRO.ca $NGT.ca $SPMT.ca $GTT.ca$III.ca $GGI.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:58 AM on Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
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Byju Raveendran newest billionaire of Indian startup ecosystem
The founder of BYJU’s joined the billionaire’s gang following the
edtech startup’s latest funding, which valued the company at $5.7
billion.
Byju Raveendran, the founder of the leading edtech startup – BYJU’s, became the latest billionaire of the Indian startup ecosystem after his company’s latest funding round, according to a media report.
A report by Bloomberg stated that BYJU’s
valuation is now at $5.7 billion after it raised $150 million in funding
earlier this month. Byju Raveendran is reported to be holding a 21
percent stake in the company.
The edtech startup’s founder joins the elite list of billionaires from the Indian startup ecosystem, which includes Flipkart founders Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal, Paytm founder Vijay Shekar Sharma, Media.net founder Divyank Turakhia, and Zerodha Co-founder Nitin Kamath.
The Barclays Hurun India Rich List 2018 – a
compilation of the richest individuals in India with a net worth of Rs
1,000 crore or more – saw the entry of 19 entrepreneurs from unicorn
companies such as Paytm, Flipkart, Udaan, Oyo, Ola, and BYJU’s, among
others.
Byju Raveendran, Founder and CEO, BYJU’S
The list was topped by Divyank Turakhia with a total wealth
of Rs 11,600 crore, followed by Vijay Shekhar Sharma at Rs 10,500 crore,
and Nithin Kamath and family at Rs 8,600 crore.
BYJU’s has been on a fundraising spree. Earlier this month, it raised
$150 million investment led by Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). The
round also saw participation from Owl Ventures, a leading investor in
education technology.
In March, 2019, the company secured Rs 214 crore in funding from its existing investors New York-headquartered equity firm General Atlantic and Chinese conglomerate Tencent.
The Bengaluru-based unicorn had earlier announced that it has tripled
its revenue to Rs 1,430 crore in FY 18-19, and also turned profitable
on a full year basis.
BYJU’s added that its app is recording high adoption, with an 85
percent annual renewal from small towns and cities. This shows an
increasing acceptance of digital learning as a primary tool for learning
at home.
The Global Energy Map Is Changing Faster Than You Think
YANGZHOU, CHINA – JUNE 24: Aerial view of fishermen catching crayfish
next to photovoltaic solar panels at a fishery-solar hybrid
photovoltaic power station on June 24, 2019 in Yangzhou, Jiangsu
Province of China. (Photo by Meng Delong/VCG)
Located in Australia and linked by a 3,800-kilometer submarine cable, its magnificent 15,000 hectares of solar panels will provide about 10 gigawatts, enough to cover a fifth of the country’s energy needs and replace its combined-cycle power stations, with enough batteries to ensure uninterrupted supply.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 4:30 PM on Monday, July 29th, 2019
SPONSOR:Â 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.
An Ernst and Young (EY) report released in April projects that by 2025, 20 percent of the Canadian population will be cannabis consumers and the size of the market (legal and illegal) could reach up to $11 billion.
The size of the cannabis market (legal and illegal) could reach up to $11 billion by 2025. Getty Images
Cannabis consumers have certainly come a long way since the
flower-toting, tie-dye-wearing hippies or the weed-smoking, Cheech and
Chong-watching stoners of decades past.
The stereotypes often associated with previous eras of cannabis use
seem far less pervasive today, with current, sometimes-surprising
consumers hitting more demographic markers. Here’s what recent figures
and experts have to say about what this new wave of consumers could look
like.
What do the numbers say?
The latest National Cannabis Survey
(NCS), released in May, indicates that 5.3 million or 18 percent of
Canadians aged 15 or older used cannabis in the first quarter of 2019,
up four percent from the same quarter of 2018. This increase can be
partially attributed to greater use among male respondents (from 16
percent to 22 percent) and people aged 45 to 64 (from nine percent to 14
percent).
The NCS data also shows an increase in the number of new cannabis
users, some being first-timers and others former consumers who sought
out cannabis again post-legalization.
Statistics from the National Cannabis Survey, 2019 Statistics Canada
A Pollara survey
of about 2,000 people, released in March, notes those who bought legal
recreational weed over the last year are likely to do so again in the
coming year. In fact, purchasing legally is expected to be twice as
popular as buying illegally, with 69 percent of respondents indicating
the former and 31 percent indicating the latter.
An Ernst and Young (EY) report
released in April projects that by 2025, 20 percent of the Canadian
population will be cannabis consumers and the size of the market (legal
and illegal) could reach up to $11 billion.
Are there archetypal consumers?
An Early Look Into Consumer Profiles
is a report jointly released by Toronto-based Lift & Co. and
Washington-based Headset Inc. in early June. Based on 862 recreational
customer receipts and 347 respondents on Lift & Co.’s website, the
report divides consumers into two main segments: the experienced user,
the so-called connoisseur, and the new user.
Matei Olaru, CEO of Lift & Co., suggests that the connoisseurs of
the Canadian market tend to be male millennials who know what they’re
looking for, while new consumers tend to be 45 and older and require
some guidance before purchasing product.
Deloitte LLP released a report leading up to the second wave of legalization—expected to take effect in October, with edibles, topicals and concentrates likely available
in December—that classifies current recreational users as “risk-takersâ€
and likely post-legalization users as “conservative experimenters.â€
Deloitte’s new and likely user profiles Deloitte
Jennifer Lee, partner and national cannabis sector leader at
Deloitte, explains that the risk-takers tend to be less educated and
more willing to deviate from the law, while new-to-category consumers
tend to be highly educated and have a higher income.
“The new consumers aren’t your typical quote-on-quote ‘stoners’,†Lee
says of the conservative experimenters. They tend to be “family peopleâ€
between the ages of 35 and 54.
Who is buying what?
New users are spending considerably more on balanced and lower-THC products (less than 19 percent THC), while experienced users spend more on higher THC products (over 20 percent THC).
THC percentage chart Ontario Cannabis Store
The Lift & Co. and Headset report shows younger buyers are
spending less per purchase (averaging $55) and more on individual items
(averaging $24). Buyers aged 55 and older are spending more per purchase
(averaging $157), but buying more items at lower price points.
“If we look at what people are buying by age, we see that the older
demographic disproportionately buys more oil than flower,†Olaru says.
“So there’s an inherent prediction there that as new consumers come on,
they will probably buy non-combustible products, such as edibles or
beverages.â€
Lee predicts that carbonated beverages and teas will be of interest
to likely users, which she attributes to the trade-off between alcohol
and cannabis.
“We found that usage occasion for cannabis is almost exactly the same as alcohol among older consumers,†Lee says.
Differences in what people buy, Olaru estimates, can be ascribed to
experience with cannabis and income. “You can make an educated inference
that millennials probably have less disposable income, so they buy
fewer products than an older consumer,†he says. “If you look at the
older, first-time demographic, they might not know what is good or bad,
and believe higher price points equate to better products.â€
Are the “canna-curious†the next untapped market?
A report
co-authored by Lift & Co. and EY, released in June, reveals four
broad consumer segments based on a survey of nearly 3,000 Canadians:
pure recreational, pure medical, health and wellness and those who
remain unconvinced. Dubbing them the “canna-curious,†Olaru thinks the
skeptics can be converted.
“Even the unconvinced say they would still consider cannabis if it could help with something like pain relief.
So to us, that says even the unconvinced are looking for some sort of
relief or wellness, not for recreational use to party and not pure
medical, but somewhere in between,†Olaru says.
The canna-curious, he predicts, will be more open to products that are lower in THC, higher in CBD and non-combustible.
Can the future cannabis consumer truly be defined?
Jenn Larry, president of CBD Strategy Group Inc., says there is “no
ceiling on who will be interested in cannabis in the future because all
cohorts could find themselves interested.â€
Larry understands that consumers are divided into segments for
marketing purposes, but says that there will always be a spectrum of
groups. She identifies three groups that often go unnoticed by
marketers: baby boomers, ‘the dad’ and 33- to 45-year-old females.
“Cannabis provides consumers with an intimate experience, but
different people want different things so there’s no reason to limit who
the consumer could be,†Larry says.
“I think the cannabis consumer is yet to be defined,†Olaru notes. “That’s really the big opportunity in cannabis.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 3:29 PM on Monday, July 29th, 2019
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Beverage Companies Look to Capitalize on CBD’s Benefits and Accessibility
According to data compiled by Hemp Business Journal, a division of New Frontier Data, sales for the U.S. hemp industry totaled USD 820 Million in 2017.
Research suggests that the industry is expected to grow to USD 1.9 Billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 14.4% during the 5-year period.
NEW YORK, July 26, 2019 – For centuries, hemp has been used for a vast array of applications. In particular, hemp was predominantly used to manufacture textiles, paper, and construction materials because of its durability. However, now hemp has become even more popular because of its CBD compound. Hemp is derived from the cannabis plant and is one of the two main families found within the plant, the other being marijuana. Unlike marijuana, hemp’s main active component is CBD or cannabidiol, which does not cause psychoactive effects for its consumer.
Generally, the hemp plant contains less than 0.3% THC levels, which
is an insignificant amount. However, because hemp is derived from the
cannabis plant, federal regulators deemed hemp to be unsafe, and as a
result, hemp and its CBD compound were listed as a controlled substance.
Yet, researchers and scientists have begun new studies to better
understand the biological makeup of hemp and compiled compelling results
that went against the previously established understanding of the plant
and its effects. As a result of these studies and the non-psychoactive
nature of hemp, regulators lowered the scheduling of hemp and its CBD
compound on the controlled substance list.
Moreover, the passage of the U.S. Farm Bill paved the way for the
broader CBD industry, further accelerating its presence in legal
channels. Previously, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other state
departments only allowed pilot programs to study hemp, which allowed
for small-scale cultivation. To note, the Farm Bill legalized the
commercialization hemp and CBD, which caused a spur of retailers to add
the product to their shelves. For instance, local stores and even
e-commerce giants have CBD-based products being publicly sold for
every-day consumers. Notably, the bill does not put any restrictions on
the sale, transport, or possession of hemp-derived products, meaning
that CBD is federally legal as long as it is consistent with the law.
Now, the CBD market is one of the fastest-growing market segments
within the cannabis industry, due in large part to its lenient
guidelines. And as a result, more companies are looking to enter into or
expand within the CBD marketplace because of the vast potential that
has opened up for the market. According to data compiled by Hemp
Business Journal, a division of New Frontier Data, sales for the U.S.
hemp industry totaled USD 820 Million in 2017. The research suggests that the industry is expected to grow to USD 1.9 Billion by 2022 at a CAGR of 14.4% during the 5-year period.
In 2017, hemp-derived CBD products accounted for the largest market share, as the segment delivered sales of USD 190 Million,
accounting for 23% of the overall market share that year. Other
segments such as personal care, food, and industrial care followed
closely. However, by 2022, CBD products are expected to take off,
outpacing the rest of the hemp sector. Hemp-derived CBD products are
anticipated to deliver sales of USD 646 Million by 2022, followed by industrial application sales of USD 527 Million.
While other segments are projected to grow, they are nonetheless
expected to lag behind the exponential growth of the CBD product
segment. CBD can be used to simply relax after a strenuous and stressful
day but it is now being leveraged within the medical sector for
patients suffering from ailments such as arthritis, multiple sclerosis,
chronic pain, and epilepsy.
In particular, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already
legalized a CBD-based drug, Epidiolex, which is used to treat epilepsy.
However, the FDA has mentioned that researchers will need to conduct
more large-scale positive clinical trials in order for cannabis-based
treatments to be approved. Currently, evidence of CBD effects comes from
animal testing or very small-scale clinical trials that are minuscule
compared to the FDA’s standards. For example, Esther Blessing, a psychiatrist and researcher at New York University,
pointed to a 2011 study where a few dozen people who had anxiety
disorders were asked to speak in front of a large audience. The study
concluded that people who received CBD reported significantly less
anxiety compared to those who received the placebo.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:49 PM on Monday, July 29th, 2019
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Startup PlayShifu raises $7 M in Series A from Chiratae, Inventus Capital, BIF and others
US and Bengaluru-based startup PlayShifu has raised $8.5 million till date, and its primary focus will remain on tech innovation, research on unique phygital interactions and new product developments.
Augmented reality technology startup PlayShifu raised Series A funding of $7 million
in a funding round led by Chiratae (formerly IDG Ventures India),
Inventus Capital and Bharat Innovation Fund (BIF). Existing investor
IDFC-Parampara Fund also participated in the round.
Founded in 2016 by Vivek Goyal and Dinesh Advani, graduates of
Stanford GSB and IIT Kharagpur, PlayShifu creates engaging and immersive
AR experiences for children that encourage early STEM skills.
With the fresh funding, the startup has an aggressive strategic plan
in place to expand on its tech prowess, it said in a statement.
Vivek Goyal, CEO and Co-founder of Playshifu, said,
“We have an exhaustive product pipeline, an incessantly
creative and passionate team of innovators, and now, the right partners
to make an extremely positive impact on the educational foundations of
generations to come.
(LtoR) Vivek Goyal and Dinesh Advani, co-founders of PlayShifu
The US and Bengaluru-based startup raised $8.5 million to date,
and the company’s primary focus will remain on tech innovation,
research on unique phygital interactions and new product developments,
it added.
PlayShifu also plans to update its current products significantly and expand the diverse retail presence from 15 countries to 30 countries in 2020 and beyond.
At present, the startup has a retail presence in several markets
including the US, Canada, UK, Russia, Germany, Ukraine, Poland, Hong
Kong, South Africa, Middle East, and Japan.
PlayShifu’s first flagship product Shifu Orboot, is an AR-based globe that promises an adventure around the world. The user base has crossed 250,000 kids worldwide
The startup claims that in less than a year, teachers and technology
integrators from hundreds of schools in the US, Europe, and India
discovered PlayShifu and experimented with adopting the innovative
products in their tech-friendly classrooms.
“Today, more than 65 percent of these schools use Orboot
every week in their classes. With Orboot 2.0 launching soon (student
profiles and progress tracking, teachers’ portal, detailed lesson
plans), this engagement will only increase from here, as PlayShifu
prepares to expand its reach in schools by 10x this year,” the statement
added.
The newest addition, Shifu Plugo, combines physical consoles with
new-age digital interactions. The physical consoles bring alive the
alphabet, math, engineering, music, steering, and more. With two
consoles available today, PlayShifu plans to introduce four more by the end of 2019.
“We now have the tools at our disposal to execute against an
even more impactful retail strategy and presence, while we continue to
strengthen our position as the segment leader and disruptor in the early
learning space,” added Dinesh Advani, Co-founder and COO.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:33 PM on Monday, July 29th, 2019
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SPDR: TSX-V
Top 7 benefits and uses of CBD oil
Cannabidiol is a chemical compound in the cannabis plant and is most often derived from hemp.
It’s a naturally occurring substance that is not psychoactive — meaning it won’t impair or impact your mental state of being.
Experts from Charlotte’s Web highlight how cannabidiol can be beneficial in many ways in this guide to the top 7 uses of CBD oil
While an easy-going, uncomplicated and fulfilling life is what we are all after — we can’t all be rosy, all the time. Every aspect of our day-to-day — from professional to personal — is filled with responsibilities and expectations. Though many of these to-do list items are part of the path to success and happiness, sometimes we need a little pick-me-up to make the road easier. This is why certain cure-all ingredients become trendy seemingly overnight. From those that promise to help us lose the belly fat to ones that guarantee a mood-boost–if you can Google it, you can find it.
Though generations across the globe
have been utilising the wondrous properties of hemp for hundreds of
years, cannabidiol (or CBD) has recently been used as an oil and capsule
for general wellness
As a smart shopper, if you are on the
fence about implementing a new product into your routine, you likely
want to know how it will boost your vitality. We have been studying and
fostering quality, reliable and safe products for years, giving us a
first-hand perspective on how this gem from Mother Nature can benefit
your health. Though there are countless claims about what CBD can provide, not all are backed by science. That’s why we stand by these specific benefits of CBD oil:
Cannabidiol is a chemical compound in
the cannabis plant and is most often derived from hemp. It’s a
naturally occurring substance that is not psychoactive — meaning it
won’t impair or impact your mental state of being. Not to be confused
with its cousin, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), this derivative is more
widely legalised across the country. You should definitely do your
homework to understand the rules and regulations of your state, though
many allow the use of CBD in various products.
If you look backwards thousands of
years, indigenous people used hemp for many daily uses — including
spinning it into fibre to make clothing, controlling weeds and purifying
water, to name a few. In modern times, CBD oil can be turned into oils
for you skin or to drop on your tongue to support recovery from
post-workout inflammation, maintain focus and other perks.
While most of the time it is humans
who use the products, whether topically or orally, there are also a few
benefits for man’s (and woman’s!) best friend. And while your best
friend may go the oil route, you could be more on Team Supplement since
you already take daily vitamins anyway. That’s the beauty of CBD as a
health Kickstarter — you can use it however you feel most comfortable.
The benefits below are ones we
celebrate — but it is still important to exercise patience. Because of
the vast variety and reach of this natural ingredient, using it across
various mediums could be beneficial. As with anything, give your body
time to adjust to CBD, and don’t expect overnight results. Your system
needs time to process, and we generally recommend 30-60 days to witness
an impact.
If you are willing to go the long mile and give it a try, here are a few CBD benefits you may experience:
CBD Benefit #1: Help you remain calm during stressful situations.
Think back when you were in college
and you were trying to decide on a major. There are some lucky people
who have always known what they were destined to do for their career —
but for many, it took trial and error to arrive where they are now. Even
more, are still figuring out the right trajectory. Regardless of where
you happen to be on the career ladder, work-related stress is to be
expected. People who are captivated and challenged by their gigs, as
well as those who frequently experience the Sunday Scaries, are
sometimes bogged down by a seemingly never-ending stream of deadlines
and emails. Not to mention client and colleague meetings, business trips
and interpersonal, in-office relationships.
However, to be productive and channel
your creativity, managing stress is essential. Everyone has their
moments when they feel overworked and over-booked, but your ability to
prioritise and work through the chaos and collect your thoughts will set
you apart. One of the most talked-about benefits of CBD oil is how it
can ease your anxiety and worries in your everyday life. And this isn’t
limited to career-related angst. Many professionals find this essential
to guide them through difficult quarters, overbearing clients and all of
the annoyances in between. Our CBD gummies
for calm can support in calming your nerves, allowing you to focus on
the task at hand. When you need to finish a project, shoot off an email
or have a tricky conversation with your manager, the extra zen will go a
long way.
CBD Benefit #2: Help you navigate everyday stresses.
Everyday stresses come at us from
every angle. The vast majority of the workforce doesn’t work traditional
9 to 5 hours — we’re expected to be on call and available 24/7.
Families with children may have two working parents with full-time gigs,
making family life that much more demanding. And though friendships are
meant to help us navigate life’s ups and the downs, they require
accountability too. Juggling all of that maybe when the unthinkable
happens: the dishwasher breaks down. Or the pipes need to be replaced.
Or the handyman measured the blinds wrong and now they need to be fixed.
Just when you feel as if you have everything under control, there
always seems to be a wrench thrown into the mix.
For everyday stressors — from the expected to the unexpected — CBD oil
can step in as your relaxation agent. Clearing your mind, settling your
heart rate and giving you a tool to regain focus and control, it can
help you get back on track. Much of life is unpredictable and we can’t
always have someone to step in and manage the details for us. Luckily, a
trusted CBD oil can make the journey smoother.
CBD Benefit #3: Help reduce inflammation after a workout
You grew up being active or playing
sports — and running around outside until your mother finally made you
come in as the sun went down. Or maybe you fell in love with running —
or spinning or yoga — as an adult. And now, in an effort to maintain
your health, strength and longevity, you somehow make it to a class or
to the gym a few times a week. For those who want to live a balanced,
energy-filled life, frequent, consistent fitness is non-negotiable.
Even though you know how important it
is to get your heart rate going, there are plenty of hurdles that
create a barrier to working out. From late nights in the office to
hitting snooze on your morning alarm (whoops) — scheduling is sometimes,
well, impossible. However, one of the most common reasons folks skip
out on their visit is soreness from the day (or days) before. While this
is a normal part of the recovery process, aching muscles can be painful
to push through, especially when finding the motivation to prioritise
fitness.
CBD oil can work wonders here since
it fights against workout-induced inflammation. What’s this mean? When
we are active and challenge our bodies, we put strain on our muscles,
creating tiny cuts in the tissue. This isn’t dangerous, and rather,
helps to build our strength — but that doesn’t mean it’s comfortable.
Following an intensive, strenuous routine, CBD oil or our CBD gummies for recovery can speed up the recovery process so you can continue to meet your fitness goals.
CBD oil benefit #4: Help you to sleep better
Think of those Saturday mornings. You
know the ones: nothing on your agenda until the afternoon, breezy,
comfortable just-right temperature outside. No kiddos or pets — or the
garbage pick-up or your neighbours — to disrupt your slumber. Your chest
heavy, your breathing relaxed, you zonked out for a solid eight hours
and waking up ready to conquer the world. Or at the very least — brunch!
More than any other routine we keep up, including working out and smart
food choices, our health and energy levels are directly tied to how
much time we spend in dreamland. But it’s not just quantity, it’s the
quality of sleep that matters as well. You may lay in bed for the
recommended hours for our age group — but if you aren’t sleeping
soundly, you won’t actually reap the benefits of a good night rest.
How do you know if you are sleeping
effectively? Consider these questions — and answer honestly! — to
determine how high you rank on slumber hygiene. How long does it take
you to drift away? How many times do you wake up in the middle of the
night? How do you feel when you wake up — rested or exhausted? Do you go
to bed at the same time — and rise like clockwork? If you struggle with
most of these, know that CBD oil helps support healthy sleep cycles. An alternative to our CBD oil or capsules is our CBD gummy and melatonin designed specifically with your sleep needs in mind.
CBD oil benefit #5: Help you fight against dry skin
In the winter, as the temperature
falls outside, the dry heat skyrockets inside to keep you warm. Then
spring rolls around, and all of those beautiful blooms have your nose
feeling itchy. Summer may cause your skin to break out thanks to
sunscreen and sweat — but for some folks, dry patches are still an
issue, year-round. No matter what season gives your body’s largest organ
— skin! — the most trouble, maintaining moisture is essential. Dry skin
is uncomfortable and makes it more difficult to apply various products
that keep us healthy and glowing. T
hough many people turn to body
butters, lotions or other hydrating gems, sometimes, it’s not enough to
reach the moisture level our pores are thirsty for. To the rescue could
be CBD oil or CBD cream—
since one of the benefits of this powerful topical is how it helps our
skin to maintain optimal skin moisturisation. As with any new skincare
product, you will want to start slow and watch how your pores react. It
may take time to start seeing results — so be patient. And when in
doubt, talk to a dermatologist about an ideal regimen for your unique
chemical makeup.
CBD oil benefit #6: Help your pet feel relaxed
Though Fido has historically been
referenced as man’s best friend — we would like to think our beloved
pets are the whole family’s pal. From the moment you took him or her
from the animal shelter as a pup (or as an older dog!) — they stole your
heart, filled up your iPhone with countless photos and of course, most
of your bed. That’s why so many pet owners go above and beyond for their
pets by feeding them wholesome meals, taking them to training schools
and scheduling regular visits to the vet.
This means you are hyper-aware of any
shifts in your pet’s personality. If you notice your pet is skittish,
anxious or overall, not like themselves, it is normal to worry. Much
like humans, dogs will experience various ebbs and flows in their mood —
all causes by a variety of factors. During the winter, they may not get
as much time outside running around, causing them to have extra energy
indoors. Or in the summer, when it’s scorching under the sun, they could
overheat and have to retreat back to the couch.
Perhaps they are ageing and
experiencing joint pain or tenderness, that while normal, is difficult
to manage. Though you should definitely seek veterinary attention if you
feel something extraordinary is happening under their fur, one of the
benefits of CBD oil extends to your pets. In fact, it’s been shown to
calm their nerves and anxiety when used regularly. Test a small drop
first — and then see how your four-legged friend responds.
CBD oil benefit #7: Help your pet stay stronger for longer
Before you had a human baby — your
pet your first child. They taught you what unconditional love really
means — and how much joy a wagging tail can bring. Ask any pet owner and
they will be quick to admit that their pets are not just the guardian
of the herd — but part of the family. As they’ve watched you cascade
through various milestones, you have witnessed the years wearing on
them, too. Though they used to run for hours around your backyard,
they’re slower these days.
And while they used to serve as your
first alarm clock, now you have to wake them up for breakfast. Ageing is
hard to see — but you can make your pet more comfortable with the use
of CBD oil. Because it has been shown to support healthy hips and joints
for animals, a drop of CBD oil will have them moving easier. Even if
you — sadly — can’t make your dog live forever, you can keep them fresh
and happy by adding a bit of CBD oil to their routine.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:49 AM on Monday, July 29th, 2019
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——————
Blockchain is finally becoming the next-gen database of choice
Image Credit: TimeStopper/Getty
In short, a blockchain is a server that can’t crash and a database that can’t be corrupted — all in one easy to deploy package.
When I think of why we need a blockchain, I think of one guy. There was a dev we had hired to build a few important parts of our product for us. A few years previously, in another life, he had been hosting his own servers and one of them crashed. He was telling me this with tears in his eyes: The database, a massive mess full of customer data, point-of-sale info, and inventory information had gone up in smoke. The backups were hosed, as well. And there was no way to rewind the data.
He spent almost 24 hours in an air-conditioned server room, a monitor
attached to the rack and a keyboard on his knees, trying to resurrect
it. He was partially successful, but the real question was whether the
data was accurate. Whether the transactions all matched up, whether he
would keep his job in the morning.
Everything turned out fine and, since then, it has gotten a lot
easier to do his job. Cloud replaced servers while also being cheaper
and more reliable. His lingering fear never went away though. Things are
better, but he can’t be 100% sure things will never go sideways again.
He believes, though, that there’s a stronger safety net available now
than we’ve had before: blockchain.
Benefits like disaster recovery,
security, availability, and automation are all baked into blockchain.
The serverless architecture of public blockchains makes them powerful
proofs of how blockchain can deliver on enterprise-grade reliability for
business databases. The costs are also not much higher: Blockchain’s
ability to instantly replicate may even allow you to safely get away
with the same (or even less) redundancy compared to a traditional
database. Perhaps the biggest advantage? Smart contracts
will regulate changes, so a new hire can’t throw a wrench into
everything — the blockchain will protect you from changes that could
compromise data or stability.
In short, a blockchain is a server that can’t crash and a database that can’t be corrupted — all in one easy to deploy package.
To be clear, blockchain isn’t perfectly suited to solve certain data
problems, the same way that email isn’t suited for instant messaging.
Big data analytics is crazy expensive to replicate, and unless you are
directly monetizing the data (like selling ads), it is not worth the
cost to shoehorn blockchain into an analytical workload. Blockchains are
best for core business transactional data, like your account balance.
They are absolutely mission-critical when it comes to account data and
ownership records, the loss of which would be an existential threat to a
company. A company like Walmart can probably survive the loss of all
website traffic data, but it would be very much at risk if it lost its
inventory ledger.
Business continuity is a major concern for enterprise players as
customers demand nothing less than always-on availability. As businesses
grow though, the pains of migrating databases and updating systems can
lead to massive fumbles. According to Boston Computing Network’s
research, 60 percent of companies that lose their data will shut down
within six months of the disaster. There exists an entire industry of
SysOps, DevOps, and others who monitor code pushes and database
migrations, giving humans plenty of chances to foul up a launch.
So blockchain represents a big opportunity for businesses to move quickly while keeping their operations secure.
Today, it isn’t just about the speed of transactions, it’s also about
verifying and securing those transactions. That’s what has always been
missing in system management and is something that anyone from our
beleaguered dev to the teams that run databases for Twitter, Facebook,
and LinkedIn are learning.
Blockchain tech is the evolution of the database. Smart contracts
enforce business rules, while databases are backed up and verified
continuously. All of the infrastructure and computational needs are
calculated before deployment, and embedded rules ensure compliance from
day one onward.
In fact, it looks a lot like the next generation of what APIs look
like. You’re encapsulating processes, tying them together with requests
for data, and expecting results. Right now, the business logic is
processed on central servers of some kind. What’s innovative with
blockchain is that you can take that logic, wrapped as a smart contract,
and run it on your own. It still adheres to the rules set by the people
who created it, and it must interact as expected.
Now, imagine databases on blockchain using these same robust rules.
Robust databases that are unkillable. You don’t have to worry about your
main server going down. Replication is built-in. Immutable laws exist
that you can’t lose or change. If you’re on a public blockchain, this is
as robust as possible, and you don’t have to pay for any servers. With a
public blockchain, your data is stored cryptographically by the
blockchain’s miners all around the world. If you’re on a private
blockchain, you may run several replicated systems. Or, you can own all
the nodes. You can also use blockchain on cloud platforms like Amazon
Web Services and Microsoft Azure. The key is that blockchain is built to
be replicated, again and again. Traditional databases must be migrated
in specific, expensive ways under certain conditions to guard against
data loss.
Ultimately, this is where blockchain really proves its worth:
combining the basic elements of security, robustness, replication, and
business logic all in its “DNA.†Smart contracts are safe, distributed,
and secure. Your entire dataset is more secure this way, too. This is
why blockchain promises to be the next-generation database.
