Nation Builders – Welcome to 21st Century Realities
Nation Builders – Welcome to 21st Century Realities
– Momentum Public Relations –
Energy East proponents and old-style politicians take note. It is not business as usual. Gone are the days when a small group of corporations, lobbyists, and elected politicians can stack the approval process for big projects and then let the inevitable unfold.
Investors should also take note when evaluating their options. Companies that have failed to understand the changing landscape could be a sub-optimal investment. There is a premium on listening and crafting a coherent message that connects with real people. Failure to realize the emerging power of small groups who are passionate about an issue can derail a project and compromise an investment.
When it comes to big projects, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not invent the concept of “social license”. He is merely among the first to acknowledge that there is an entirely new way of operating. Any organization or politician that advocates for significant change to the status quo needs to take note.
The ongoing, and increasingly rancorous, Energy East pipeline project debate continued this past week. A meeting was held this week in Montreal between the Prime Minister and the Mayor of Montreal. Edgy tweets were exchanged between various municipal and provincial politicians, each with their agenda.
One group of people, comprised mostly of politicians and corporate entities that advocate for the pipeline proposal, are asking Canadians to think like “nation builders.” Images and comparisons abound that call to mind the nineteenth-century pioneer visionaries who are alleged to have had the foresight and determination to forge a country by building the Canadian railroad. The problem is that this is a different century, and the Energy East pipeline project has precious little in common with the early days of the Canadian Pacific Railway, other than a healthy dose of hubris and the odor of corporate entitlement.
The second group of people, a somewhat diverse cohort, are generating some increasingly active opposition to the proposed pipeline project. They include mayors, provincial politicians, and environmental advocacy groups. Their concerns center around two primary issues. The first is that a valid assessment of environmental impact ought to be completed. The second is more bread and butter. There are a variety of questions about the project’s economic benefit to specific communities in places like Ontario and Quebec.
Pro-pipeline politicians and pundits suggest that tough choices must be made to cater to the greater good. Canadians are being advised that we can’t allow a collection of individual communities to dictate the pace of progress. Progress, as defined by the pro-pipeline folks, is all about a hollow pipe that carries oil from one part of the country to the other. Ironically, most agree that the oil in question is a temporary energy solution that must eventually be met by other technology because it is a finite resource that has the potential to have a significant impact on the environment in the medium term.
A great deal of horror has been expressed about the fact that a handful of small town mayors in Quebec can stand in the way of a major investment in infrastructure. Welcome to the 21st Century! This is how it done now. Real people do matter. An individual’s influence is no longer tied to their pedigree or to the office they hold. It is tied to their ideas, their ability to communicate, and their grasp of 21st-century communication tools and platforms. Companies should take note. The tone deaf way TransCanada has handled this issue should become an MBA case study for how to bungle a communications strategy.
It should be quite clear that we’ve undergone an “era-shift”. This is far more profound than a generational change. In an era shift, the many of the foundational structures of society change. This is particularly true in matters of politics. Hierarchy is not dead, but it is increasingly irrelevant. This is the era of everyone communicating with anyone they want on Facebook, Twitter, and the ubiquitous instant message. When Taylor Swift posts a photo on Instagram, a million people know all about it. Lilly Singh can put something on YouTube, and her 7.7 million subscribers lap it up. Malala Yousafzai, a girl from rural Pakistan, can win a Nobel peace prize advocating for education for young girls and millions more tune in. It doesn’t matter who you are; you can be heard. One passionate person can truly make change happen.
Sure, Canada does have some choices to make. They are choices that require leadership. The challenge is that they need a whole different kind of leadership because we are in a completely different era. Old-style leaders “declare”. Old-style leaders were trusted because they seemed smarter than us, or they simply knew more than we did. New-style leaders listen. They understand the reality that engagement and conversation work more effectively than grandstanding or lecturing. They also know how to use social media effectively.
Gone are the days of carefully crafted campaigns to influence a finite and measurable group of influential decision-makers. Welcome to a new era. It is the era of individual power. Anyone with an opinion and a cell phone can have a voice. Jenny McCarthy can claim to understand the science of vaccinations and, strangely, people believe her. Individual citizens are capable of being tsunami-like disruptors of traditional political processes; particularly if it is all about a pipe carrying oil that is slated to run past their backyard.
What is being accomplished by the current debate? The revamped approval process that the Liberal government in Ottawa announced this week bought some time for TransCanada Pipelines to fine-tune their proposal and their communication strategy. The company needs to invest in engaging all potential stakeholders. They need to recognize the changing perceptions of the public and the shift that is happening in the political landscape.
Can big projects still move forward? Is nation building still possible? Can a national consensus be achieved for Energy East? To a large extent, this all hinges on the recognition by companies and politicians that things have changed in a big way in the 21st century.
- Published in Blog, Energy, Oil and Gas
The Big Short: The true story investors can learn from
What We Can All Learn from Watching The Big Short
– Momentum Public Relations –
In 2010, author Michael Lewis published The Big Short. This New York Times best-seller focused on the build-up of the US credit and housing bubble. At the end of 2015, a film with the same title was released. Starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt, the film takes the topic of finance and turns it into a story that’s entertaining, informative and true. The film has already won ten awards and has been nominated for over a dozen more.
Key Characters and Plot Points from The Big Short
Most people know about the 2008 financial crisis. The main reason is people from all walks of life were directly impacted by this event. Whether it was losing their job, going upside down in their mortgage or having their retirement savings wiped out, 2008 is considered the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.
While countless people in the United States and the rest of the world were impacted by this event, the majority of the population doesn’t really know what caused this massive financial meltdown. That’s the story The Big Short tells in such a compelling way. The film starts by focusing on Bale’s character, Michael Burry. Burry is a hedge fund manager with a reputation for being quite eccentric.
In 2005, Burry came to the realization that subprime loans were eroding the stability of the US housing market. Based on the data he was analyzing, he believed that the market would collapse in the 2nd quarter of 2007. Burry made the decision to bet over a billion dollars against the housing market in the form of credit default swaps.
As Burry began shopping his deal around, Gosling’s character Jared Vennett caught wind of the deal. He accidentally got in touch with Carell’s character Steve Baum, and they ended up deciding to move forward with placing their own bet. During their research, Vennett and Baum discovered that the housing market was becoming even more volatile as a result of collateralized debt obligations (CDOs).
This information continued to trickle down the financial food chain and caught the attention of two very young traders. Although these traders had already made millions through their two-man operation, they were considered cockroaches by the financial industry. That’s why they had to seek assistance from retired industry veteran Ben Rickert, who’s played by Brad Pitt.
Although the movie is over two hours long and dives into some very complex topics, its pace and excellent acting will keep you on the edge of your seat as you wonder whether these guys are going to pull off the trades of their lifetimes or end up losing every cent to their names.
Is the Economy Heading Towards Another Crisis?
The 2008 financial crisis resulted in trillions of US dollars being wiped out. What’s truly scary is despite the fact that this event took place less than a decade ago, it seems many people are already forgetting the key lessons of the crash. According to financial experts like billionaire George Soros, recent signs in the market indicate that the global financial markets may once again be seized by a crisis.
As explained by Soros, turmoil in the Chinese economy is the lead indicator of potential distress. While China has been viewed as a massive success over the last three decades, numerous analysts are losing favor with this country’s economy.
Part of this stems from actions taken by Chinese market regulators. Even though the regulators’ actions have been taken in an attempt to stabilize the market, plenty of experts outside the country believe that those actions are shortsighted and will only contribute to the turmoil within the Chinese economy.
Dundee Sustainable Technologies Completes its Arsenic Stabilization Plant
Dundee Sustainable Technologies Completes its Arsenic Stabilization Plant
– Momentum Public Relations – Jan. 28, 2016
Dundee Sustainable Technologies Inc. (“DST” or the “Corporation”) (DST:CSE) is proud to announce that it has successfully achieved, as part of the commissioning of its newly constructed arsenic stabilization pilot plant, its first casting of arsenical glass, using DST’s proprietary technology. This technology is designed for the sequestration of arsenic in a stable glass form.
In December 2015, arsenical glass was smoothly casted from a stabilization trial run. The produced glass was submitted to the United States environmental protection agency’s (EPA) toxicity characterization leaching procedure (TCLP, Method 1311) and the non-toxicity of the arsenical glass was confirmed well below the norm.
DST’s process uses lower cost chemicals to economically produce a more stable product than current industrial practices. This process to stabilize arsenic is becoming an attractive technique to segregate the arsenic and is therefore opening new opportunities for remediation sites and for deposits or concentrates considered to contain too much arsenic to be exploited using conventional approaches.
The production of this glass is a major achievement in DST’s efforts to demonstrate the technical and economic viability of the arsenic stabilization technology on an industrial scale. DST will advance with strategic partners towards developing the technical and economic feasibility criteria for the implementation, on a commercial scale, of the DST process.
About Dundee Sustainable Technologies, a company controlled by Dundee Corporation
The Corporation is engaged in the development of environment-friendly technologies for the treatment of materials in the mining industry. Through the development of patented, proprietary processes, DST extracts precious and base metals from ores, concentrates and tailing, while stabilizing contaminants such as arsenic, which could not otherwise be extracted or stabilized with conventional processes because of metallurgical issues or environmental considerations.
At present, DST most advanced proprietary processes are associated to the extraction of precious metals using a chlorination process which provides a cyanide-free alternative for the exploitation of gold deposits. The primary benefits of the innovative technology are shorter processing times, a closed-loop operation eliminating the need for costly tailings pond, and a reduced environmental footprint related to the inert and stable characteristics of the cyanide free tailings.
The chlorination process developed by DST is a recognized “green technology” for which it was awarded a $5.7 million grant for the construction and operation of a demonstration plant. The plant will serve as a demonstration platform for the chlorination process on an industrial scale and under continuous operating conditions.
In addition to this chlorination process, DST completed the construction of a pilot plant designed to demonstrate its arsenic stabilization process which is designed for the sequestration of arsenic in a stable glass form. This process is becoming an attractive technique to segregate the arsenic and is therefore opening opportunities for materials considered to contain too much of this toxic material to be exploited or stabilized using conventional approaches.
- Published in Dundee Sustainable Technologies, Green Technology, Mining, News Home, Technology
Sirona Biochem: The Leader in Carbohydrate Stabilization Technology
Sirona Biochem: The Global Leader in Carbohydrate Stabilization Technology
– Momentum Public Relations –
Sirona Biochem (SBM:tsxv) is a proactive development and discovery stage based biotech firm with an R&D lab situated in Paris, France. The biotechnology enterprise is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada, and is world renowned for its state of the art fluorination chemistry technology. Their cutting edge platform is currently used to create cosmetic products that are both safe and effective for human use and consumption, as well as a plethora of pharmaceutical drugs.
Moreover, their leading edge compounds are either acquired by or licensed by multinational conglomerates in return for royalties, milestone payments, and/or marked upfront payments. It should also be noted that their platform focuses on the molecular stabilization of carbohydrates; which is noteworthy because carbohydrate based drugs are one of the most commonly prescribed drug families in the United States. De facto, some of the most commonly prescribed carbohydrate based drugs in the United States include Abbott’s Biaxin, Pfizer’s Zithromax, and GlaxoSmithKline’s Lanoxin.
In addition, Sirona Biochem currently has two licensing agreements with two multibillion dollar companies; namely Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (VRX:tsx) and Wanbang Biopharma. Valeant was founded in 1960 in Laval, Quebec, Canada and generated revenues of 2.73 billion U.S. in Q2 of 2015. What’s more, Valeant recently licensed a safe and innovative skin lightener, with Sirona Biochem to reap several millions in royalties in the near future from the licensing deal.
As for Wanbang Biopharma, the company was founded in China in 1998 and is a part of Fosun International (9.4 billion in U.S. revenue). The corporation focuses on the development of pharmaceutical drugs used to treat diabetes and associated cardiovascular diseases. Wanbang Biopharma also recently acquired the exclusive rights to sell the SGLT2 inhibitor that Sirona Biochem developed to treat type 2 diabetes. With the exclusive rights, Wanbang Biopharma will be able to sell the inhibitor in the People’s Republic of China, with $9.5 million in U.S. payments being awarded to Sirona Biochem in the form of milestone and upfront payments; with a percentage of total sales also being awarded to the pharmaceutical company in the form of perpetual royalties.
In regards to the skin lightening market, it is currently focused in the Asian Pacific regions and Japan, with the booming market expected to generate over 20 billion U.S. in revenue by 2018; with an annual growth rate projected at 25{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce}. However, many of the skin lightening products currently being sold globally contain malevolent compounds; including DeoxyArbutin, Arbutin, and Hydroquinone. Due to the controversy and health concerns surrounding the aforementioned skin lightener compounds products containing these compounds are strictly regulated and even outright banned in certain countries.
Fortunately, Sirona Biochem has created a safe alternative compound known as TFC-1067 to resolve these issues. TFC-1067 is not only safe but also boasts 8 times the efficacy of DeoxyArbutin. Given the numerous benefits that TFC-1067 provides over its competitors, multinational cosmetic conglomerates like Proctor and Gamble, Allergan, L’Oreal, and Amore Pacific Corporation with marketed skin lighteners are interested in Sirona’s leading edge compound.
Industry analysts have predicted that the global anti-aging market is expected to reach nearly $300 billion by 2015. Interestingly, Sirona is developing unique regenerative compounds based on research conducted by Professor Arthur DeVrie in the late 1960s. Essentially, his research found that the reason why Antarctic fish were able to survive in harsh, subzero temperatures was due to blood serum glycoproteins. Inspired by Professor Arthur DeVrie’s monumental discovery, Sirona Biochem is currently producing a family of regenerative, anti-aging, and naturally occurring compounds that are based on the antifreeze and anti-aging glycoproteins
Furthermore, in vitro studies have shown that these glycoproteins have a protective effect in fibroblasts against a myriad of stresses caused by nutrient depravation, oxidation, and UV light; all of which contribute to the visible signs of aging.
As Sirona Biochem continues to work diligently to harness the full protective and restorative properties of these glycoproteins the company is currently looking to collaborate with several global multinationals to further characterize and develop these glycoproteins for a myriad of commercial applications. In addition, their early stage partnerships with many prominent entities will allow Sirona Biochem to provide added value to their shareholders by maximizing their ROI. Another benefit of their ongoing projects is that they have a very short time to approval; with FDA approvals not being required.
If you would like to learn more about the world leader in carbohydrate chemistry commercialization please visit here.
- Published in Blog, Life Sciences, Sirona Biochem
Trudeau’s Sunny Ways – Meet Tough Choices
Sunny Ways – Meet Tough Choices
– Momentum Public Relations –
Sunny Ways. Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau loves to communicate using language that fosters little disagreement. Who doesn’t want sunshine and happiness? In politics, at some point, there is a need to set aside the happy talk and make tough choices. Tough choices can include disappointing some people to do the right thing. Tough choices require being prepared to abandon small thinking so that bigger goals can be achieved. If a country wants to be a real country, then it can’t behave like a collection of small fiefdoms. Canada has some tough choices to make. These choices will identify if Canada wants to act for the benefit of the whole country or if it is content to behave like a big family where every child can get what they want the way they want it.
Energy East, the proposal by TransCanada Pipelines is precisely the sort of issue that provides Canada with an opportunity to make tough choices and behave like a country. It is a project that has an overall national economic benefit. It can be completed with little impact on the environment. It is far less risky than transporting trainloads of oil through the center of densely populated cities and towns. The proposed 4,600-kilometre pipeline will stretch from central Alberta to a terminal in New Brunswick and could carry slightly more than one million barrels of crude oil per day. The current proposal calls for an existing natural gas pipeline to be converted to allow for oil transportation, and it includes some new pipelines in a few areas to complete the route. It will provide Canada with the ability to supply western oil to eastern markets and, additionally, bring its oil to the world market.
Mr. Trudeau has argued that the role of the Canadian Prime Minister is to avoid the trap of becoming a “cheerleader for pipelines” but to ensure that an effective process for reviewing proposals is followed. This is easier said than done. Therefore, this file may prove to be the first serious test for the honeymoon period that the Mr. Trudeau is enjoying with Canadians.
On January 26, 2016, Mr. Trudeau held a meeting in Montreal with Mr. Denis Coderre, the mayor of Montreal. The stated purpose of the meeting was to have a discussion about the proposed pipeline. The underlying purpose, however, was to ensure that the mounting opposition in Quebec did not continue to grow and to ask the mayor of Montreal to moderate the tone of the comments that he had been making as the spokesman for 82 Quebec municipalities that oppose the pipeline proposal.
Based on the post-meeting news conference, it would appear that rational thought, or good political skills, prevailed. Both politicians are reasonably astute at reading the public mood. Both understand the need avoid taking extreme positions. Neither man is inclined towards political suicide. Furthermore, the mayor of Montreal and the Prime Minister of Canada are political allies, so they probably agreed, behind closed doors, that it was unwise for either of them to paint the other one into a corner. Given that they are both staunch federalists, they also likely agreed that any public rancor between them plays directly into the hands of PQ leader Pierre Karl Peladeau and would provide the somewhat dormant separatist issue with a rallying cry. This is something that neither of them is keen to do, preferring to avoid giving Mr. Peladeau an issue that could allow him to claim that Quebec is being marginalized.
In their discussion on Tuesday, it is likely that Mr. Trudeau underlined his belief that business propositions, like pipelines, are subject to due process and a comprehensive environmental assessment. It is also likely that Mr. Coderre shared that Quebec municipalities are questioning some elements of the approval process. He also may have repeated comments made by Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard that, without a terminal in Quebec, there appears to be no way to assess the economic impact of the proposed project for the province. Furthermore, there was certainly some discussion of how to address some of the shrill concerns that are being raised by environmental groups, many of whom are opposed to anything that involves fossil fuel extraction, transportation or marketing.
What did this meeting accomplish? It may have bought some time for TransCanada Pipelines to fine-tune their proposal. The company may have underestimated the importance of engaging all potential stakeholders. They need to recognize the changing perceptions of the public and the shift that is happening in the political landscape. It may have also bought some time for Mr. Trudeau to make a few adjustments to the overall approval process. He has been stridently critical of the way these projects were reviewed in the past. Now he has the opportunity to do something about it. Finally, it bought some time for some behind the scenes discussions with a variety of municipal and provincial politicians that will allow the rhetoric to be dialed down and good sense to prevail.
Any project of this scope needs to be thoroughly assessed. A full understanding of the environmental impact must be considered. The business metrics must also be evaluated in the light of an understanding of the changing worldwide market for petroleum products. In the end, however, countries are built when the interests of the whole matter more than the preferences of regions or special interest groups.
What tough choices will Canada make? Let’s hope they are the right ones. If they are, we will likely continue to enjoy “Sunny Ways”.
- Published in Blog, Business, Energy, Oil and Gas
Energy East Pipeline: Trudeau Vs. Coderre?
The Latest Update on the Energy East Pipeline Conundrum
– Momentum Public Relations –
Prime Minster Justin Trudeau and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre met behind closed doors on January 26th, 2016 to discuss matters pertaining to the Energy East pipeline and several ongoing infrastructure projects. The Energy East pipeline, if implemented, would carry bitumen to refineries and ports in New Brunswick from Saskatchewan and Alberta. Given rising tensions between Western Canada and Quebec on such matters as of late it seemed fitting that the two leaders would get together to try to resolve their differences on the environmental and financial ramifications of the Energy East pipeline project.
For those unaware, Coderre was criticized by many due to his stance on the Energy East pipeline project. That is, Coderre and over 80 Montreal area communities were vehemently opposed to the construction of the pipeline, triggering a fervent backlash from the West.
Coderre felt that the possible environmental repercussions of the pipeline far outweighed the possible financial benefits that the province would reap from the project. That is, he felt that while the city of Montreal would earn roughly 2 million per year from the pipeline, an environmental disaster brought on by a monolithic oil spill could cost the city upwards of 10 billion dollars to cleanup.
Trudeau, on the other hand, plans to have various political, social, and environmental groups look at the pipeline’s possible social and environmental impact (i.e., greenhouse emissions), giving leaders from different respective groups, including Aboriginal people, a chance to have their voices heard before plans are undertaken.
Furthermore, Coderre spoke openly about finding a balance between sustainable and economical development. For instance, while he accepted the Line 9B pipeline reversal project because the organizers provided comprehensive environmental impact reports, Coderre claimed that there were no viable contingency plans for a global environmental disaster, and that caveats must be addressed before plans were allowed to go forward.
It should also be noted that, just hours prior to the meeting between Coderre and Trudeau, federal environment commissioner Julie Gelfand released an audit that found that the National Energy Board had fallen short of its promise to follow up on compliance issues as well as fail to implement pipeline approval protocols. That is, the National Energy Board had failed to ensure the proper operation of over 70,000 km of existing gas and oil pipelines; which were being maintained and operated by nearly 100 different enterprises.
Ms. Gelfand also stated that, “[She] found that the board’s tracking systems were outdated and inefficient”. In fact, of the 49 cases that were assessed in the audit nearly half (24) had vital documentation that were incomplete, inaccurate, or missing altogether.
As for Mr. Trudeau, he emerged from the meeting with the optimistic stance that Canadians across the map would come onboard of the proposed infrastructure project once the Liberal government had been given the opportunity to overhaul the anemic review process and demonstrate the viable economic growth that such a pipeline project would bring.
De facto, Ms. Gelfand’s report found that the pipelines that were regulated by the Federal government moved over 160 billion dollars worth of gas and oil to international and Canadian markets in 2014. The report also claimed that approving the proposed pipeline construction project, amongst others, would nearly double the existing pipeline capacity in the next 4 years while also investing nearly 25 billion dollars in project development initiatives.
In addition, the report stressed that the energy board would need to work harder to recruit and retain qualified experts; which would not be a daunting task due to the recent massive layoffs that have have hit the oil and gas industry in Canada due to plunging global oil prices.
In sum, while nothing has been finalized between Quebec and Western Canada regarding the proposed Energy East pipeline project, the Federal government has claimed that it will factor in the effects of greenhouse gas emissions to the project’s approval criteria. Moreover, many pundits- including National Resources Minister Jim Carr-have stressed that ongoing consultations must take place between board members and First Nations leaders in order for the public to get behind the impending pipeline projects. For more information on the ongoing debates involving the Energy East pipeline and associated projects please click here.
- Published in Blog, Business, Oil and Gas
Aurora Cannabis obtains $3-million loan
Aurora Cannabis obtains $3-million loan
– Momentum Public Relations – Jan. 27, 2016
Aurora Cannabis Inc. has closed a $3-million secured demand loan. The loan matures two years from the date of closing or on demand. The maturity date of the loan will be accelerated if the company raises new debt, equity or other forms of financing of a minimum of $7.5-million.
A fee of 3 per cent of the gross proceeds of the loan will be payable to the lender. In addition, the company will issue 300,000 share purchase warrants to the lender, exercisable into common shares at a price of 55 cents per share for a period of four years expiring Jan. 25, 2020. The expiry date of these warrants may be accelerated by the company if its shares reach an average closing price of at least $1.10 over a period of 30 days. If any of the warrants expire unexercised, the company shall settle the warrants in cash.
Aurora’s total debt, including the loan, will have a maximum blended interest rate of approximately 6.85 per cent. The net proceeds from the loan will be used for working capital.
The warrants and the common shares underlying the warrants will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws.
We seek Safe Harbor.
- Published in Aurora Cannabis, News Home
Medical Marijuana – 8 Uses of Cannabinoids
Medical Marijuana – 8 Uses of Cannabinoids
– Momentum Public Relations –
Canada has come a long way in regards to medical marijuana. It wasn’t that long ago that any mention of marijuana automatically conjured an image of a stereotypical stoner eating snacks on the couch. As the national conversation in Canada shifts towards the possibility of fully legalizing marijuana for adult users, many Canadians still have questions about medical marijuana and exactly what it is able to do. To answer those questions, we want to cover exactly what makes marijuana work as a form of medicine, as well as eight different medical use cases for marijuana:
Cannabinoids are the Key to Medical Marijuana
The reason marijuana can help people with different medical conditions is because it contains cannabinoids. The term cannabinoids refers to the active chemicals that are found in cannabis (marijuana). These chemicals are what causes the drug-like effects associated with marijuana usage. The two areas of the body that are most impacted by cannabinoids are the central nervous and immune systems.
Of the various cannabinoids found in marijuana, one of the most active and notable is delta-9-THC. More commonly identified simply as THC, this is the cannabinoid that’s responsible for the “high” associated with smoking marijuana. The other cannabinoid that’s important to note is cannabidiol (CBD). When isolated, CBD can lower inflammation or relieve pain without creating any of the effects associated with THC.
8 Medical Uses of Cannabinoids
The reason that Canadian companies like InMed Pharmaceuticals (IN:CSE) are investing so much R&D into drug discovery and development around cannabinoids is there are already numerous examples of their medical uses. Those uses include:
- Pain Management: Cannabinoids can be used to manage many different types of chronic pain. They are especially effective at managing pain that results from nerve damage. Cannabinoids make it possible for chronic pain sufferers to improve their quality of life without the risk of addiction and fatal overdose that opiates carry.
- Multiple Sclerosis: One of the effects of this condition is it causes painful muscle spasms. Individuals who have MS can use cannabinoids to help treat spasms and lessen their severity.
- Nausea: Individuals with AIDS and cancer patients are two examples of groups that struggle with significant nausea. Cannabinoids are very effective at lessening or completely stopping nausea in those types of people.
- Appetite Stimulant: In addition to significantly helping with nausea, cannabinoids are also an effective way to boost appetite. While lots of snacking is commonly portrayed in stereotypes of stoners, plenty of people with legitimate eating problems greatly benefit from this use of cannabinoids
- Epilepsy: Cannabinoids have been shown to dramatically reduce seizures in many people with epilepsy. For children with epilepsy and other patients, a cannabis oil that’s high in CBD and low in THC makes it possible to manage epilepsy without the typical side effects of feeling stoned.
- Crohn’s Disease: This disease causes bowel inflammation and commonly irritates the small intestine. Cannabinoids can lessen the need for someone with Crohn’s to take other types of medication. It can also reduce the likelihood of a person with Crohn’s Disease needing surgery.
- Cancer Treatment: Not only can cannabinoids help cancer patients manage their pain, but both THC and CBD have been shown to slow or even halt the growth of cancer cells.
- Parkinson’s Disease: Although studies have found that cannabinoids don’t help with the motor symptoms of this disease, cannabinoids have been shown to help reduce the tremors and stiffness associated with Parkinson’s.
While only time will tell whether or not marijuana will be legalized for all recreational users in Canada, there’s no doubt that significant progress will continue to be made within the realm of medical marijuana and using cannabinoids for therapeutic purposes.
- Published in Blog, InMed Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences, Medical Marijuana
The Digital Couponing Revolution
The Digital Couponing Revolution
Momentum Public Relations
Digital couponing is rapidly gaining popularity with the rise of the digital age. Social media, email, and face-to-face online chat are the primary means of communication. Gone are the days of coupons being only for the destitute desperately seeking the next deal in the Sunday paper. It’s no longer necessary to stalk the papers and magazines for useful paper coupons (although this is still a legitimate couponing method).
Right now, there are three major methods of digital couponing available with a fourth emerging as possibly the most convenient of all.
Printable Coupons
Many coupons and quality deals can be found online. Some of these coupons are printable. They require you to have a printer and often sign up for the website’s email list. Using this type of digital coupon can yield a lot of valuable in-store deals. There are even some that can be combined with other offers for maximum savings.
eCoupons
eCoupons can be used one of two ways. First, they can be used as codes to make online purchases. There are certain websites that offer coupon codes or cash back for making purchases through their websites. Other times, you can use eCoupons that load directly to your store loyalty card. When you use your loyalty card at checkout, your coupon is automatically applied to your total.
Mobile Coupons
Mobile coupons are growing in popularity and can be used in several different ways. Some coupons can be downloaded to a smartphone and used in store by scanning the barcode. Others can be used by downloading applications that provide coupons for specific brands or general products and snapping a picture of the receipt or scanning the product barcode after purchase. Using several apps for a single grocery trip can sometimes yield half-price or even free products.
Real Time Mobile Coupons
In addition to these couponing methods, a new way to coupon is emerging and promises to be even easier. A leading innovator in this method is Mobi724. They offer digital couponing that is personalized to the user and directed to the customer’s bank or credit card. The customer simply needs to accept the coupon on the Mobi724 app and make the in-store purchase with his or her respective bank or credit card. The coupon rate is then deducted from the bank or credit card statement for instant savings.
The great thing about this couponing method is the level of convenience that it offers customers. It’s simple and can be used on any mobile device worldwide. The method uses analytics based on the professed interests of the customer. When you download the application, you will be asked to provide a list of your interests, and coupons are chosen for you based on those interests. When you receive an alert for one that you want to use, go to the store, make your purchase with your bank or credit card, and you’re done.
There is no clipping coupons, no searching multiple applications for the best deals, no snapping pictures of receipts, and no scouring websites for the coupons that you need. This couponing method does the work for you. All you have to do is shop like you normally would, and your savings is automatically applied to your account.
In today’s busy world, we are always looking for ways to make life just a little easier. It’s easy to get buried in the clutter of multiple paper coupons and couponing apps. It’s hard to keep track of couponing on top of all of our other responsibilities. It’s great to have a method available that takes away the extra steps or can be used in addition to those steps for maximum savings.
Whatever couponing method you choose, there is no doubt that the digital age has revolutionized couponing and made it even easier for people from all walks of life to save on their everyday purchases.
- Published in Blog, Financial Technology, Mobi724 Global Solutions, Mobile Technology, Technology
What to Expect from FinTech this Year
What to Expect from FinTech in 2016
– Momentum Public Relations –
Financial technology is an area that moves quickly. Since this type of technology directly impacts commerce around the globe, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there are a lot of incentives for companies to move this industry forward. While there’s been a lot of exciting advancements in this space over the last few years, 2016 is already shaping up to be an even bigger year for the industry.
To help shine some light on what you can expect from FinTech over the next twelve months, we’ve put together a list of seven trends and forecasts that are likely to stand out the most:
Making Compliance as Easy as Possible
The banking industry has plenty of indiscretions on its record. As a result, the industry is now facing even more regulation issues. These increased regulations are targeted at transactions both online and offline. Because compliance creates a lot of additional work for financial institutions, these requirements present a significant opportunity for companies that can develop FinTech solutions specifically designed around streamlining compliance issues.
Helping Consumers Become Smarter with Their Finances
It’s no secret that plenty of financial institutions have engaged in consumer practices that were misleading or even predatory. However, that doesn’t mean the entire industry is looking for opportunities to exploit consumers. On the contrary, there are a lot of startups and other companies throughout the FinTech space that are working hard to help consumers become even smarter and more empowered with their finances. Many of these efforts are focused at younger consumers dealing with issues like student loan debt or older consumers who have concerns about their retirement planning being adequate enough.
Providing a Wider Range of Payment Options
More businesses than ever before are engaging with consumers and other businesses across the globe. The globalized nature of commerce means that both individuals and organizations are looking for ways to facilitate transactions without long delays or expensive processing fees. In addition to all of the efforts being built around Bitcoin, there are many other financial technologies exploring various ways to make and receive payments on a global scale.
Creating New Channels for Loans
Although it’s possible to start many types of businesses with very little upfront investment, most businesses still need at least some capital to get off the ground or grow. That’s why a very interesting area within the FinTech space is companies that are allowing small businesses to bypass traditional lending institutions and secure the types of loans they need at very appealing rates. There’s also a lot happening around giving individuals more control in regards to obtaining and managing loans.
Improving the Online Shopping Experience
While online shopping has come a long way over the last few years, it’s still not as seamless as most consumers and merchants would like. This is especially true for mobile transactions. Not only are financial technology companies focused on smartphone online shopping, but plenty of companies within this space are looking at how more basic phones in developing parts of the world can be used to facilitate commerce.
Cutting Down How Long It Takes to Get Paid
Both small and large businesses spend a lot of time and resources on activities like collecting invoices and collections. Since those types of inefficiencies can cause cash flow crunches and other headaches, there’s a lot of incentive for FinTech providers to come up with solutions that streamline and speed up the process of collecting payments.
Taking a Stand Against Fraud
As the breaches of several very large companies have shown, financial information and assets still aren’t as secure as they should be. Although standards like EMV are already helping to reduce credit card fraud among in-person payments, the industry still has a long way to go to truly curb the amount of fraud that occurs in relation to both consumer and business finances.
- Published in Blog, Financial Technology, Mobile Technology, Technology