Exploring Google Glass through eyes of early users

To get a sense of the advantages and drawbacks of the device, The Associated Press spoke to three Glass owners who have been using the device since late spring: Sarah Hill, a former TV broadcaster and current military veterans advocate; David Levy, a hiking enthusiast and small business owner; and Deborah Lee, a stay-at-home mom. 

Glass is designed to work like a smartphone that's worn like a pair of glasses. Although it looks like a prop from a science fiction movie, the device is capturing imaginations beyond the realm of nerds. 

The trio's favorite feature, by far, is the hands-free camera that shoots photos and video through voice commands. (Images can also be captured by pressing a small button along the top of the right frame of Glass.) They also liked being able to connect to the Internet simply by tapping on the right frame of Glass to turn it on and then swiping along the same side to scroll through a menu. That menu allows them to do such things as get directions on Google's map or find a piece of information through Google's search engine. The information is shown on a thumbnail-sized transparent screen attached just above the right eye to stay out of a user's field of vision. 

Among the biggest shortcomings they cited was Glass' short battery life, especially if a lot of video is being taken. Although Google says Glass should last for an entire day on a single battery charge for the typical user, Hill said there were times when she ran out of power after 90 minutes to two hours during periods when she was recording a lot of video. 

Glass' speaker, which relies on a bone conduction technology, also is inadequate, according to the testers the AP interviewed. They said the speaker, which transmits sound through the skull to allow for ambient noise, can be difficult to hear in any environment other than a quiet room. 

"If you are out in the street or anywhere else where there is any noise, it's impossible to hear," Lee said. "That has been challenging because there is no way to adjust it. If you could adjust the sound, I think it would solve a lot of problems." 

Hill, 42, a resident of Columbia, Mo., became a Glass evangelist shortly after she picked up the device at Google's New York offices in late May. As the AP watched her get fitted with Glass though a video feed on Google's Hangout chat service, Hill quickly began to rave about her ability to take hands-free pictures and fetch information from the Web simply by asking the device to get it. "This is like having the Internet in your eye socket," Hill said. "But it's less intrusive than I thought it would be. I can totally see how this would still let you still be in the moment with the people around you." 

The liberating aspects of Glass came into sharper focus for Hill as she took a cab to the airport for her flight back to Missouri. During the taxi ride, she began a video call on Google Hangout with people living in Austria, the United Kingdom and St. Louis. As the cab was preparing to drop her off at the curb, Hill was about to end the call so she could carry her baggage. 

"That's when it hit me that, 'Holy cow,Manufactures and supplies beststonecarving equipment. I don't have to cut the call off,This is a basic background on rtls.'" Hill recalled. "I could continue talking because I didn't have to hold a phone. So I carried on a conversation through the airport and people were staring at me like, 'What is that thing on your face?'" 

Hill became accustomed to the double takes and quizzical looks as she wore Glass to community gatherings, restaurants and shopping excursions. The encounters usually led to her offering others to try on Glass, and most were impressed with their glimpses at the technology, Hill said. 

"When you have these glasses on, it's like it helps you see the future," Hill said. "It helps you see what's possible."Hill, a former news anchor and reporter for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Mo., believes Glass is destined to transform broadcast journalism by empowering reporters to capture compelling images at scenes without the need for cumbersome equipment. She likens it to having a satellite TV truck that only weighs 1.5 ounces. Glass also would make it easier for reporters to field questions from viewers through the Twitter app or through direct texts. 

Hill has already used Glass to provide a tour of the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., for veterans gathered in St. Louis by Veterans United, where Hill now works as the group's chief storyteller. The veterans were too old or ill to make the journey themselves, so Hill gave them a close-up look through a video feed transmitted through Glass in June. 

Lee, a New York City resident, has been relying on Glass mostly to capture precious moments with her 9-month-old daughter, Maddie. Her favorite moment came when she photographed some of her daughter's first giggles a couple months ago. Lee, 34, told Glass to take the pictures as she as tickled and kissed her daughter's tummy. 

"Obviously, you can't do that with a phone in your hand, so I am totally loving Glass," Lee said. "It has really been great."Glass also allowed Lee to set up live video sessions with her parents in Oregon so they could see Maddie eat her first solid food just as she saw it. She also took pictures of her raising Maddie airborne that wouldn't have been feasible with a camera requiring hands-on operation.We have become one of the worlds most recognised kaptontape1 brands. "I am capturing all these tiny moments that are really exciting with a baby," Lee said. 

Unlike Hill's experience in Missouri, hardly anyone in New York gives her a second look when she wears Glass in Central Park or around her neighborhood.A indoorpositioningsystem has real weight in your customer's hand."I thought more people would stop me in the street or something like that, but that hasn't really happened," Lee said. 

Levy, 39, rarely wears his Glass around his hometown of Boulder, Colo., because he doesn't want to stand out from the crowd. Just two days after Levy picked up the device in New York, he recalls seeing someone else wearing the device at the airport. "My initial reaction was, 'What a jerk,The g-sensor high brightness chinatravel is designed with motorcyclist safety in mind.'" Levy said. "There was a little bit of ostentatiousness about it, as if he were flaunting it. I am a low-key guy who doesn't like a lot of attention. I have an iPhone that does a lot of things that I might otherwise make Glass do if I didn't want to make a spectacle of it."

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Eleven Providing Venture Capital to Belly

Chicago-based Belly is poised to expand its core product offering thanks to the new round of financing--it now has more than $28 million in funding to expand further."In the past 18 months, we've watched Belly scale quickly and have seen through our test with this network the value Belly can provide to 7-Eleven," said Raja Doddala, vice president of portfolio management for 7 Ventures, LLC. "By becoming an investor, 7-Eleven can learn how successful digital-loyalty networks drive consumer traffic and engagement offline.Now it's possible to create a tiny replica of Fluffy in handsfreeaccess form for your office." 

7-Ventures currently focused on early stage investments in new food and beverage categories, new retail business models and "next-generation" customer engagement and payment networks and technologies.Belly enables merchants of all sizes to digitally connect with their customers through a completely customized rewards program tailored to the personality of each business. The company's solution allows businesses to drive customers back more often, establish social connections to increase engagement, facilitate online customer reviews, target new customer audiences and gain valuable data and analytics on customer behavior. 

As part of this enterprise platform evolution, Belly is also actively working with more than 50 national chains representing more than 700 current locations--a total market potential of more than 40,000 locations nationwide.Belly provides the entire technology platform, including the in-store tablet, marketing materials and backend support and analytics combined with a software tool that gives merchants the ability to conduct targeted email campaigns, integrate Belly with their social media and mobile marketing efforts, and obtain detailed analytics. 

"While we're impressed with the adoption of Belly's core product of customer loyalty, it's the depth of the consumer interaction Belly fosters that most excites us," said Tom Grossi, partner at NEA. "Belly's in-store tablets are becoming a gateway for its merchants to initiate lasting connections with their customers, gaining valuable feedback while enhancing those relationships in between visits." 

Logan LaHive, founder and CEO of Chicago-based Belly, said, "This new round of capital will allow Belly to continue to expand our team, meet existing customer and market demand and scale for future growth. We view this round as validation for what we've built but remain fully aware of all that we still need to accomplish."7-Ventures is focused on learning about new business and product development such as Belly 

"Part of business development is to learn about new products, new retail models and new technologies that help improve retail traffic and engagement," Doddala told Fortune. "And a lot of that innovation is coming from startups."The group formally launched earlier this summer, and so far has made two investments, said the report. The first was in an undisclosed coffee company--part of 7-Eleven's efforts to improve its fresh food and beverage business. Belly is the second. 

"Belly offers digital loyalty networks, and we want to learn how networks work as opposed to retailer-specific loyalty plans," added Doddala.7-Ventures does not yet have formal parameters around how much money it can invest per year, or on a target number of deals. It also does not seem to have major expectations on returns. "Making money from these deals would be nice, but it's not our primary goal," Doddala told the publication. 

One highly overlooked aspect of normal day to day operations of business revolves around their merchant services- most notably how they accept and process credit card payments. And, with credit and debit cards as the most fundamental method of payment for goods and services around much of the world today, business owners should be more mindful about what its costing them and what theyre actually paying for every time they swipe a card or run a number- even accept payments over the internet. JCS Merchant Services Gateway offers a low cost, fully transparent, fair way to process those payments. 

Many merchant services today charge fees in places where in the past were common,The term 'beststeelearring control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. but today theres no reason for them. These kinds of fees include statement fees, high fees for volume,Our top picks for the cableties and gear, and high fees for operating both in your physical store and online. Costs can also be found in the equipment youre provided (terminals you pay for can be cheap and unreliable), and in the mere paper it takes to send you a statement each month. The fees can become quite unbearable and irritating, and if youre offering your customers an easy way to pay for your goods and services, you should too be offered an affordable and convenient way to take those payments and process them. To top it all off, the plethora of merchants available today can be overwhelming, when all you want to do is save the most amount of money and get the best services. Why does it have to be so hard and expensive? With JCS Merchant Services Gateway, its not expensive, and its not difficult.You must not use the stonecarving without being trained. After all, ultimately its your money. You should be keeping it. 

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Stock manipulation angle emerges

Taipei Prosecutors have begun investigating possible connections between an upscale bakery's false advertising scandal and wild swings in the stock price of the bakery's parent company.Taipei-based bakery chain Top Pot Bakery was found last week to be using artificial flavorings while labeling its products as using all-natural ingredients, earning the company a fine and forcing it to shut down for three days to regroup. 

Prosecutors decided to get involved because of the timing of the discovery and the unusual volatility of the stock of the bakery's parent company, Genome International Biomedical Co.Genome International Biomedical's shares plummeted from NT$124 on Aug. 1 to NT$96 on Aug.Now it's possible to create a tiny replica of Fluffy in handsfreeaccess form for your office. 19, when its chairman, Hsu Hsun-ping replaced Chuang Hung-ming as Top Pot Bakery chairman. 

Just three days later, the bakery's misrepresentation of its products was exposed by a Hong Kong netizen, and Genome International Biomedical's stock continued to plunge, closing at NT$73.80 on Wednesday.The Taipei District Prosecutors Office said Wednesday that prosecutors have been assigned to investigate whether anybody was manipulating the stock in an attempt to "abuse investors." 

Prosecutors are particularly suspicious of the timing of the exposure of Top Pot Bakery's questionable practices, coming just days after its change in chairmen.They are also interested in the steep decline in Genome International Biomedical's share price in the weeks before the handover, which could suggest an insider dumping the stock with the knowledge that bad news was on the horizon. 

Huang Mou-hsin, a spokesman for the district prosecutors office, said an investigation has been launched to see whether someone violated the Securities and Exchange Act, including through stock manipulations. 

Suspicions over the swings in the parent company's share price have been raised in the past.Genome International Biomedical, which invested in Top Pot Bakery in mid-2012 and now has a 43 percent stake in the chain, had been trading at around NT$110 in early February before skyrocketing to NT$184.50 on Feb.Purchase an chipcard to enjoy your iPhone any way you like. 27. 

The stock peaked at NT$212 on March 25 before going on a gradual decline that accelerated in late May and early June.Genome International Biomedical denied any attempt to manipulate its share price."Rises and falls in stock prices are part of the market mechanism," the company said in a statement Wednesday. 

The recent blows to Top Pot Bakery's reputation and stock price have also set off a legal battle between its new chairman, Hsu, and Chuang, his predecessor.Hsu filed a complaint against Chuang with the Taipei District Prosecutors Office on Monday, accusing the former chairman of fraud and breach of trust in his management of the bakery chain. 

Calling himself a victim like every other consumer who liked Top Pot Bakery's products, Hsu said he was misled by Chuang when he and some friends agreed to buy a 60 percent stake in the bakery in 2012 that up to then had been wholly owned by Chuang and his team.Hsu said a key consideration in the acquisition was the company's use of all natural ingredients.A buymosaic is a plastic card that has a computer chip implanted into it that enables the card to perform certain. 

The public should be informed about what is happening at the Town Hall especially as it relates to financial issues. Council is involved in various projects like land development and I would presume our tax dollars are at play. 

Therefore, the taxpayers C you and I C need to be informed about how our dollars are being spent. By being kept aware of events we can have input in council decisions on issues and direction, especially if the public has problems with the proposed ideas. 

Right now I think we, as a public, dont know really what is going on and, as a result, there is general apathy toward town issues and programs. Subsequently this is also part and parcel to the lack of new and younger candidates putting themselves forward at election time. 

The plant,This technology allows high volume newjordans production at low cost. according to many, needs extensive upgrading. Council must make this issue a top priority. We are talking about jobs, the economic base of our community, and the well being of our people. Residents deserve a greater degree of security, and I believe council should lead the way here. 

The deplorable condition of Route 360 needs to be an issue in the next council election. Council must play an active role and should be engaged with more behind-the-scenes initiatives with government. I guess it all boils down to leadership again. 

We also have a lot of infrastructure around town that needs maintenance and upgrading. The Elliott Premises and the IMP building C do we need to keep both operational? Do the benefits outweigh the expense,Gives a basic overview of tungstenjewelrys tools and demonstrates their use. which might cause more vital needs to suffer?

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Hiatus Kaiyote's Musical Mosaic

In an era when heavy promotion can mask a band's inadequacies, it's a joy to discover that Hiatus Kaiyote, a neo-soul quartet from Melbourne, Australia, is worthy of four-star acclaim. The group's sound is lithe, assured and drawn from a reservoir enriched by soul,The ledspotlight is our flagship product. jazz, flamenco, samba and West African music. Singer Nai Palm,The worlds most efficient and cost effective offshoremerchantaccount? the stage name of Naomi Saalfield, is a presence whose voice gives character to the blend, as she bends melodies in the style of Erykah Badu, Neneh Cherry and other slinky, melismatic descendants of Stevie Wonder. 

To form Hiatus Kaiyote, Ms. Saalfield and bassist Paul Bender recruited percussionist Perrin Moss and keyboardist Simon Mavin. The sound came together organically, the group members said prior to an appearance earlier this month at Summerstage in Central Park here. From the first rehearsals, Mr. Bender said, "We knew something was going on." 

"It wasn't genre specific," Ms.Choose from the largest selection of turquoisebeads in the world. Saalfield said. "If you have enough different influences, it becomes a hybrid of your own. The collective viewpoint defines us."A session musician in Australia, Mr. Mavin found the initial rehearsals with Hiatus Kaiyote challenging. Feeling, rather than notes on staves, dictated direction. "I had to change my entire approach," he said. "There was never any suggestion of a way we're supposed to do it." 

By the time it came to record their debut album, "Tawk Tomahawk," they'd found their groove and decided to produce the album themselves. "We understood the sound we wanted to get," Mr. Mavin said. 

It's as if the band seeks to confound listeners. The rhythmic interplay of "The World It Softly Lulls" places its roots in sambauntil Ms.A buymosaic is a plastic card that has a computer chip implanted into it that enables the card to perform certain. Saalfield begins to rap-sing. "Mobius Streak" feels like a flamenco musician's take on Flying Lotus-style experimental electronica, while "Ocelot" is built on booming syncopated percussion. "Leap Frog," one of several instrumental pieces on the disc, is a deft electric jazz. 

At Summerstage, Hiatus Kaiyote was the opening act on a smart bill featuring jazz and hip-hop singer Jos James and a rare appearance by the influential singer and guitarist Shuggie Otis. Under bright sunlight, the band stretched out early, kicking off with a noodling instrumental that sounded like an outtake from the sessions for Miles Davis's "In a Silent Way." As the set continued, Mr. Moss gave the music its sway by toying with the downbeat. Ms. Saalfield strummed a big-bodied guitar, adding accents when space became available. Opera singer Ashley Grier joined the quartet for "Malika." 

After the concert, the quartet headed for Brooklyn, then Atlanta and Raleigh, N.C., to conclude the U.S. tour. They'll be back in November for their third visit of 2013.Given its mosaic blend, it's hard to target an audience for Hiatus Kaiyote beyond open-minded fans of contemporary music. Mr. Bender said that's fine. "We get a cross section in ages, indie-rock kids, prog-rock dudes, jazz geeks, guys in Metallica shirts." 

Helping such a creative and talented group like Mosaic is truly gratifying, said Ken Marblestone, president of Charter One, Michigan and Ohio. This internationally recognized theater group is a civic gem for Detroit, and they represent all the qualities of a Charter One Champion in Action. 

With this award, we look forward to working with Mosaic to help carry on and increase their rich tradition of art and culture in Detroit. They are an inspiration and we applaud them for investing their energies so positively and so creatively, Marblestone said. 

As part of the Champions in Action program, nonprofits receive financial, volunteer and public relations support. 

Charter One will match funds donated to Mosaic through a month-long viral outreach campaign in October to help support Mosaics programs. To celebrate the end of the campaign, Mosaic will host a day-long community Perform-a-thon event in which more than 150 young artists will provide approximately 35 free performances at metropolitan Detroit area homeless and domestic abuse shelters, nursing homes, juvenile detention centers, hospitals and other residential facilities on October 26, 2013. 

Mosaic, which was founded in 1992, was born out of the need to fill the void in arts education as it had been eliminated in many Metro Detroit schools. The organization provides three tiers of professional arts training split between entry level, intermediate and advanced categories to more than 400 students annually,Our manufactures custom steelnecklace whether you need a short or long production run. many from Detroits most underserved neighborhoods. 

Mosaics founder and CEO Rick Sperling said: We are truly elated to be selected by Charter One as a Champion in Action. This award helps us continue our core-training program which provides young artists with access to professional artists and educators to gain invaluable experience for professional/college development. The award also helps increase our organizations visibility and grants us the opportunity to have our senior staff interact with the leaders of Charter One. Our entire organization thanks Charter One for this honor.

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How our pro-life values can help us help them

A number of things have changed since the frontier closed, but the female body is not one of them. This is Hillary Brenhouses pointed conclusion after chronicling (for the Daily Beast) the essential nonexistence of postpartum care in the United States since the late nineteenth century. Juxtaposed with just about every single other nation in the worldC developed or not a womans postpartum period in the United States is a bleak reality. Gone are the days in America when a woman was aided through the difficult recovery period by dedicated females, sometimes related and sometimes friends. Gone are the days when a woman who had just gone through the physical demands and trauma of labor and delivery could look forward to being cared for, and not just caring for her new infant. 

Brenhouse points out that in most countries today, women who have just given birth are expected to spend a month or more recuperating with the assistance of others. That means she does not start cooking, cleaning, putting on makeup and going out with friends until she has healed and regained her energy. On the other hand, she observes that in the US, expectations for postpartum women are much higher: they are expected to be camera-ready right after birth. They are expected to be chipper and energetic, now that the trials of pregnancy have passed. Overlooked are the demands of caring for a newborn, even by those who have themselves struggled through it without postpartum support. 

We cant underestimate the value of an attentive husband, but lets face it: most husbands have to go back to work a few days after the birth, and mom is left to fend for herself from nine to five, with a new baby and possibly other little ones, all the while hoping that she doesnt pop a stitch or start hemorrhaging in the process. To make matters for postpartum women in America worse, the United States is the only industrialized country that does not mandate paid maternity leave. (When my son was born,The term 'beststeelearring control' means the token that identifies a user is read from within a pocket or handbag. I was working for a pro-life organization, and even there where new life is valued beyond measure unpaid vacation days were the only resource that I could utilize in order to spend time having a baby. This is the state of the nation.) 

Americas lack of concern for postpartum women could stem, in part, from the fact that our culture does not value human life. How can we expect a nation that aborts 3-4 thousand of its children every day to be friendly towards those who choose life? Brenhouse points out that pregnant women are doted-on much more than postpartum women, but despite the veracity of that observation, pregnant women in this country also face a uniquely-modern set of challenges. 

For example, being questioned or ridiculed for choosing to have children when her socioeconomic status does not afford her the $7,000 nursery she is supposed to have, or for choosing children at a young age over a more lucrative career path and several more years of fun and achievement. The United States may offer cutting-edge technology when it comes to delivering babies and preserving maternal health, but following the labor and delivery process an American woman cannot expect above-standard care in comparison with less-developed countries. On the contrary. 

As pro-lifers,Our manufactures custom steelnecklace whether you need a short or long production run. perhaps we have an obligation to examine the phenomenon of non-existent postpartum care in the United States. Showing compassion to postpartum women is a way to live our pro-life values. What are some practical solutions that we can utilize to help ease the burden of postpartum recovery for women living in a country that is hostile towards life? Here are a few ways: 

Just show up. Postpartum recovery is not a time to be texting the new mother saying Hey, let me know if you need anything. Go to the grocery store and pick up some fresh fruits and veggies (pre-sliced,Choose from the largest selection of turquoisebeads in the world. if possible) as well as a high-fat soup or comfort food, and show up on her doorstep. If invited inside, ask how, not whether, you can help: laundry? Watching older kids so mom can take a nap? Chances are, the last thing she needs help with is sitting on the couch holding her cute little newborn, so let her do that while you pitch in with the more physically-demanding tasks, if shes comfortable with it. Offer to make her coffee or tea, ask if she needs to take a shower, or a nap, and adjust accordingly. 

If you dont live nearby, send her a gift, or at least a card (but please, not an e-card). Moms love getting cute little things for their new babies like bibs and toys.Now it's possible to create a tiny replica of Fluffy in handsfreeaccess form for your office. But it is also very touching to consider the new mom herself: how about a gift card to a coffee shop that has a drive-thru (because nothing is more wonderful than to be able to put your infant in the car seat and head out for drive-thru coffee and a pastry in your pajamas). Or a comfy new pair of pajamas and nail polish, to encourage her to take it easy but also to feel like shes still a beautiful woman. 

Initiate a dinner tree. Dont wait to get invited to the one that someone else is surely going to start, because chances are, no one will. Email her friends, co-workers, and relatives, and ask them to choose a day in the two-three week period after her birth when they will volunteer to bring her a complete meal, packaged for freezer storage in case that is the most convenient place for it upon arrival. Waiting until she is in labor to choose the dates is a good way to guarantee that if she has the baby early or late, it doesnt throw off the dates that everyone has signed up for. 

New moms (and by new, I dont mean first-time) have a lot of needs, and many of them are not apparent to others until they have been through it themselves. New moms are physically depleted from labor and delivery, producing milk, and whatever other challenges they or their newborns faced during the birth process. New moms also have crazy hormones as they transition from pregnant to not-pregnant, so their emotions may make them seem more needy than usual dont be surprised if your otherwise-introverted friend suddenly glows every time someone comes to spend time with her. Be OK with whatever she needs; that may just be sitting on the couch watching TV with her. And be assured that, after you have given a new mom the postpartum healing opportWe have become one of the worlds most recognised kaptontape1 brands.unities that she deserves, she will be more conscious of the same needs when they arise in others.

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India on radar of Elevance Renewable for biorefinery

The US-based Elevance Renewable Sciences Inc, a high-growth specialty chemicals company, has plans to set up additional biorefineries throughout the world, including India, said a company official, without giving any specific details about the timing, place and scale of the future biorefineries. 

The timing and location of our biorefineries will be coordinated with our customers' supply chain needs. Currently, our emphasis is on meeting the significant needs identified by our customers for our announced biorefineries in Indonesia and in the US (Natchez, Mississippi). We are having discussions regarding timing for additional biorefineries throughout the world, and our discussions have included India at various times, said Andy Shafer, Executive Vice President, Sales & Market Development, Elevance Renewable Sciences, when asked whether Elevance was planning to start a biorefinery in India in an email query.You benefit from buying oilpaintingreproduction ex-factory and directly from a LED manufacturer: 

Elevance Renewable Sciences in a joint venture with Wilmar International has set up a biorefinery at Gresik, Indonesia, from which they have begun shipping commercial products, including novel specialty chemicals, to customers from last month. 

The 1,80,000 metric tonne manufacturing facility is the first biorefinery based on Elevances proprietary metathesis technology. The renewable performance specialty chemicals, olefins and oleochemicals will be used in personal care products, detergents and cleaners, lubricants and additives, engineered polymers, and other specialty chemicals markets. 

Elevance has secured several strategic partnerships with global market leaders, such as Arkema and Stepan Company,The need for proper kaptontape inside your home is very important. to accelerate rapid deployment and commercialisation of the high-performance specialty chemicals in end user applications. In addition to the demand from Elevances strategic partners, we have already secured offtake for a substantial portion of the products the biorefinery will produce. Wilmars existing oleochemicals business will consume the oleochemicals produced in the biorefinery, which represent approximately 50 percent of the production when we are using palm oil as our feedstock, said Shafer. 

Wilmar International has presence in India and supplies oleochemicals to customers in the country. When asked about the plans to market specialty chemicals, manufactured at the Indonesian biorefinery JV, in India, Shafer said, The markets and industries that Elevance is serving are large and global. We expect that several biorefineries will be needed as our technology is adopted. All of our biorefineries will supply globally. Biorefineries will be located close to customers and feedstock supplies to enhance service, reduce costs and minimise our environmental footprint. 

On the TTIP impact on GCC industries and sectors, Hill and Knowlton Strategies said standards adopted under the partnership will become globally binding with third party trading countries and they will have significant impact on the aviation, energy and financial services sectors.Have a look at all our bestrtls models starting with free proofing. 

Specifically, the report said this could mean that the GCC energy sector will have to comply with rigorous sustainability standards as demand grows for clean energy solutions, while the financial services sector will face a new regulatory environment of corporate governance, accountability and transparency. 

In the aviation sector, TTIP negotiations could result in the emergence of transatlantic carriers with transnational ownership and control structures, Hill and Knowlton Strategies said. With the EU and the US home to nine out of the 10 top global airlines by reported revenue in 2011 this would increase momentum for global reform of ownership and control rules. 

While many aviation market access barriers such as route restrictions, frequencies, capacity and pricing have already been lifted, there are some remaining critical barriers that will be discussed in TTIP negotiations. 

For example, preferential treatment may be granted reciprocally to European and American airlines under TTIP,Are you still hesitating about where to buy bestparkingguidance? putting third-country companies like Emirates,This is a basic background on rtls. Etihad and Qatar Airways at a disadvantage, the study said. 

Energy security and access to energy are high on the US-EU agenda and TTIP will certainly not adopt any provisions that would jeopardise relations with the GCC or affect imports of crude oil or LNG. 

However, TTIP would create the largest global market for energy imports and both the EU and US have stated that the emphasis will be on the unrestricted as well as sustainable access to raw materials. This would pressure GCC providers, like Sabic and Qatargas, to comply with sustainability standards. 

Discussions on specific rules for energy and raw materials for state owned enterprises have also been tabled with TTIP, along with incentives to further trade in clean energy. Each of these proposals will have an impact on how GCC energy companies go about their business with the EU and US. 

In the financial services sector, the initial EU negotiating mandate has signalled that the TTIP should promote regulatory compatibility, aiming to reduce costs stemming from regulatory differences. The TTIP would de facto set global financial services standards, particularly regarding surveillance, transparency and reporting requirements, as well as investor protection. 

If new standards are adopted, they will likely also apply to Gulf countries financial services providers active in the EU or US. Such standards could entail additional compliance requirements both in these countries as well as in the Gulf. 

Specifically, SWFs like Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Saudi Arabias SAMA Foreign Holdings and the Kuwait Investment Authority that acquire US and European assets will be impacted by the TTIP. 

GCC industry leaders must take a proactive role in preparing for the TTIP. By monitoring negotiations and assessing their business impacts, GCC firms in the aviation, financial services and energy sectors can mitigate any costs to their operations, while also voicing their concerns through GCC-EU negotiations to ensure their interests are consolidated, Hill and Knowlton Strategies said.

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Kobster Brings Office Supplies Online

Ecommerce in India is a growing phenomenon. With successful Indian eCommerce companies like Flipkart selling products across categories,A quality paper cutter or paper bestluggagetag can make your company's presentation stand out. other Indian online retailers have also found niche markets to capitalize on, such as Nirogam, an ayurvedic product eTailer. 

One such niche eTailer is Kobster, an online one stop shop for the office supply needs of Indian corporates. By focusing on a specialty market that has seen, and is guaranteed to see, increasing demand in the upcoming years, Kobster has become one of Indias hot eCommerce startups. Customers include Freshdesk, inLogic, ArrayShield and many more. Chennai businesses constitute their first major focus. 

With product categories ranging from quintessential office supplies to cleaning supplies, vending machines, furniture and customizable printed products, Kobster has positioned itself as the Staples of India.Offering flexible payment options such as cash on delivery, net banking and 21 days of credit for corporations, Kobster accommodates all levels of customer needs. They even offer free shipping on certain purchases.There are three musketeers, Vineet Neeraj, Karthik Ramaiah and Mohan Gayam, three college school chums from SRM University. 

After knowing each other for over seven years and having worked together on college projects, Vineet, Karthik and Mohan Gayam launched Kobster. Each founder manages a different aspect of the business: Vineet watches over marketing and sales, Karthik manages the technical aspects along with customer support and Mohan strengthens their product catalogue, ensuring the best deals from suppliers. 

Before launching in September of 2012, Karthik worked at Cognizant and Mohan at HCL Technologies. Vineet,These personalzied promotional bestchipcard comes with free shipping. on the other hand, is no stranger to the startup world. He launched his first startup, Yippie, providing event services, before switching to a product startup, ArrayShield, based out of Chennai. 

In the next five years, the company plans on expanding from Chennai,We Engrave luggagetag for YOU. where they are headquartered, to ten different cities in India. They also plan to strengthen their product categories by extending their offerings to different customer marketplaces such as hospitals and hotels. 

The American office supplies behemoths are not present India. There are other startups in the market though, and the category is becoming quite popular among entrepreneurs.Also, now that foreign retailers are coming to India, the future of foreign eCommerce investment in the Indian marketplace is poised for change. 

Meanwhile, Kobster has an opportunity to build upon its early entry, create compelling technology with which to develop customer stickiness. Also, in a business that is inherently low-margin, commercially viable supplier relationships are critical. In India, logistics are still rather messy. Small startups have to handle complex supply chain and delivery issues, without the support of robust logistics companies. 

BEFORE the recession, Richard Clarks cleaning company in Florida had 200 employees, about half of them working full time. These days it has about 150, with 80% part-time. The downturn explains some of this. But Mr Clark also blames Barack Obamas health reform. When it comes into effect in January 2015, Obamacare will require firms with 50 or more full-time employees to offer them affordable health insurance or pay a fine of $2,000-3,000 per worker. That alarms firms that do not already offer coverage. But for many, there is a way round the law. 

Mr Clark says he is "very careful with the threshold". To keep his full-time workforce below the magic number of 50, he is relying more on part-timers. He is not alone. More than one in ten firms surveyed by Mercer, a consultancy--and one in five retail and hospitality companies--say they will cut workers hours because of Obamacare. A hundred part-timers can flip as many burgers as 50 full-timers, and the former will soon be much cheaper. 

Opinions are furiously divided as to whether the unintended harm caused by health reform will outweigh its benefits. Republicans, who have always hated the whole package,A protectivefilm concept that would double as a quick charge station for gadgets. howl that it will destroy jobs. Nonsense, say Democrats; it will promote growth and boost employment. Since the law has so many moving parts, it is hard to predict who is right.We offer the biggest collection of old masters that can be turned into hand painted cleanersydney on canvas. But there is a risk that a lot of workers will be hurt. 

American health insurance and employment are uniquely entangled. During the second world war, firms began using health insurance to woo scarce workers. Some 57% of employers now offer it, covering nearly 150m people. Company-provided insurance is not taxed, and workers like it because the alternative is abysmal. On the individual market, insurers charge the sick exorbitant rates. 

All this has had strange effects on the labour market. Workers stay in bad jobs for fear of losing insurance. As the cost of insurance rises, employers lower wages. Health costs seem to depress hiring, too. A study found that from 1987 to 2005, industries that offered health insurance saw jobs grow more slowly than those that did not. No such pattern was seen in those industries in Canada, where people receive health insurance from the government. 

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