| Dark clouds have silver lining for agri info operation
CLIMATE change, drought and pollution may seem to indicate a bleak future, but for Canberra information management firm Agrecon these problems mean big business here and overseas. Agrecon, formed in 1992 and split from the University of Canberra three years ago, has tapped into booming demand for environmental data driven by the agriculture sector. The company has collected reams of information from satellite imagery to the Bureau of Meteorology's daily climatic output. The sheer volume of data collected has forced Agrecon to strengthen its technology infrastructure as it gears up for further international expansion and what it expects to be several years of strong growth. "In Australia the prospects for natural resource management and agricultural production, as well as the pressures on water, the environment and land, mean essentially that the next five years are our best years," Agrecon managing director Dr Brian Button says.
Meat processors assure stable prices during the holidays
The local meat processing industry is assuring the public of stable prices of ham, bacon, hotdogs and other processed meat products this Christmas season.
The Philippine Association of Meat Processors Inc. (PAMPI) which include big corporate players like San Miguel Foods, Purefoods and RFM-Swift, said prices of hams, bacons, corned beef, and hotdogs have not moved by wide swings over the last four years and this year will not be any different.
According to PAMPI executive director Francisco Buencamino, the cheapest ham product in the market is the pear-shaped ham selling under P200 per piece of about a kilo.
“This was the same price level of a year ago, and the year before that," Buen-camino added.
PAMPI is prepared to sell its products in consumer-friendly barangay food terminals (BFTs) set up by the Department of Agriculture across Metro Manila so consumers can avail themselves of processed meat items at prices lower than those sold in regular retail outlets.
MARKET SNAPSHOT: U.S. Stocks Pare Gains; On Track For Weekly Gains ...
U.S. Stocks Pare Gains; On Track For Weekly Gains, Monthly LossesZaterdag 01 December 2007 03:37 By Kate Gibson U.S. stocks ended November with weekly gains and monthly losses, with the Dow scoring its third-largest weekly jump so far this year, as technology bellwether Dell Inc.'s shaky forecast weighed on the Nasdaq, offsetting the market's warm response to Federal Reserve talk suggesting further interest-rate cuts ahead. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke 'hinted as much by placing significant emphasis on the recent deterioration in consumer spending and on signs of softening in labor market conditions, as well as financial conditions, which appear to have sealed the deal on a rate cut and raised the possibility of 50-basis point cut,' said Tony Crescenzi, chief bond market strategist for Miller Tabak & Co.
Australia's Oceanlinx to list in London
Australian-based renewable energy company Oceanlinx Ltd is planning to list on London's AIM market to raise nearly STG35 million ($A79.22 million) for an ocean wave energy extracting scheme. The company said it had developed technology for extracting energy from ocean waves and converting it into electricity or energy to provide industrial and portable water from seawater. "Oceanlinx intends to deploy this technology, capitalising on its 'early mover advantage' to become a leading supplier of electricity and clean water through a build, own and operate business model," the company said. Oceanlinx said its technology would allow it to produce electricity on a larger scale, at lower cost and at higher levels of reliability than that currently achieved by other wave power devices.
Home Depot and Lowe’s grow their online presence
The big chains of home improvement stores continue to play a bigger role online. Home Depot and Lowes increased their unique visitors by 12% and 17% in January over January a year ago, while eBay Inc.s Home section experienced a 14% decline in unique visitors, reports Nielsen Online. EBay Home continued, however, to be the No. 1 home and garden web site, Nielsen reports. The top 10 home and garden sites in January by unique visitors, in millions, with unique visitors in January 2007 and growth, according to Nielsen Online, were: eBay Home, 10.94, 12.70, -14% The Home Depot, 10.72, 9.60, 12% Lowe`s, 8.34, 7.10, 17% eBay Crafts, 4.50, 4.01, 12% Home Shopping Network, 3.99, 3.63, 10% Pottery Barn, 3.28, 1.99, 64% Jo-Ann.com, 2.50, 1.89, 32% IKEA, 2.45, 2.51, -2% Linens `n Things, 2,43, 1.69, 44% Northern Tool + Equipment, 1.87, 1.26, 48% Internet Retailer of the top e-commerce sites in this category based on Nielsen Online data.
Palestinian Aide Suggests Kosovo a Model
If this doesn't happen, we have another option," he said, noting Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia earlier this week. "Kosovo is not better than Palestine," he added. "If the whole world, the United States, the European Union, the majority of its states, have embraced the independence of Kosovo, why shouldn't this happen with Palestine as well?" Abed Rabbo said the Palestinian leadership is discussing the proposal. However, Abbas reacted coolly to the idea, saying in a statement that he remained committed to reaching a negotiated peace agreement this year. "If we are unable to do that ... we will return to our Arab (brothers) to take the appropriate decision," he said. The chief Palestinian negotiator, Ahmed Qureia, quickly quashed the idea of a unilateral decision and said such a proposal was never discussed by the Palestinian leadership.
Oilsands Producers Get Failing Grade on Environment
A new report card has given a failing grade to nine of 10 Alberta oilsands producers on their environmental performance. The study by the Pembina Institute and the World Wildlife Fund ranked 10 operating and proposed oilsands mines on 20 different environmental indicators, including environmental management, land impacts, air pollution, water use and management of greenhouse gases. The report said seven of the 10 producers participated in the study and only one was given a passing grade. While Albian's Muskeg mine ranked highest with a 56 per cent grade, Syncrude and Syneco ranked last, with only 18 per cent. The average score among all oilsands projects surveyed was only 33 per cent. "We found that oilsands companies are making weak efforts to manage their environmental impacts," Dan Woynillowicz of the Pembina Institute said in a statement.
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