By: Michael Bamberger November 19, 2020

Tiger Woods resolve on Masters Sunday was something to behold.

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This Thursday morning, on the one-week anniversary of Tiger Woods opening 68 at the Masters, I find myself thinking about his closing six holes, on Sunday. He made that 10 on the par-3 12th. (A moose, old golf hands were calling it by Sunday night, hands above the ears, fingers spread out.)

And then theres what he did from 13 to the house.

Two-putt birdie on the par-5 13th.

Two-putt par on the par-4 14th, after nearly holing his first putt, from 35 feet.

Up-and-down birdie on the par-5 15th: driver, 3-wood, chip, putt.

One-putt birdie on the par-3 16th, after stuffing a tee shot to the uncustomary back-right Sunday pin.

One-putt birdie on the par-4 17th, making a six-footer.

And then to the par-4 18th, where at last years Masters he made a leaking-oil bogey to win on Masters Sunday. This year, on Masters Sunday, he made a one-putt birdie on that hole, after an uphill take-that 315-yard drive and a holed putt from 5 feet.

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As youve read a hundred times by now: After making 10 on 12, Woods played the final six holes in five under par.

No two-hour period in his golfing life ever revealed more about the man.

The pride!

The athletic pride. The pride of the man. The ultimate secret to his success.

Tigers natural gifts are obvious to anyone who has been watching him over the past quarter-century. (Woods is 44, with a smooth face and scarred body.) But his fierce pride, his obsessive desire to make virtually every shot count, makes him one of the best grinders to ever play the game. It is why you can never count him out. Hell make the cut. Hes come back from physical injury and personal humiliation. He has been down but he has never been out.

Woods made that moose and you know what he had to be thinking to himself: thats not me. He got, to use a phrase of his fathers first game (baseball), the red ass. As he has his whole career, Tiger turned anger into focus and focus into superb golf.

Yes, it takes immense skill to do what he did on those final six holes. But if he had let that 10 settle in him, if he had let it define him even for the day, we would have seen him sleep-walk through those final six holes. He played like a man on fire, a man contending.

The whole thing brought to mind a famous Joe DiMaggio quote. A reporter asked the great Yankee centerfielder why he played so hard. Because theres always some kid who may be seeing me for the first time, DiMaggio said. I owe him my best. Thats Tiger, even if his gaze is more inward than to the rope lines. Tiger is going to show himself. Its not by coincidence that Tiger raises Bernhard Langers name on a regular basis these days. He sees himself in Bernhard. Bernhard has no quit.

At the Memorial Tournament this year, Woods had a solid first-round 71. He looked good. As is often the case these days, his body is day-to-day. In the second round it seemed like he might not break 80. He finished with two birdies and a par for 76 and made the cut on the number.

When he came in, he was in a grumpy mood but took questions from reporters anyhow. I happened to be last in line (there was a line) and asked him to define grinder.

Anyone who fights all day, Woods said. Guys that dont ever want to make bogeys.

Thats about perfect.

Thats why Woods made 142 consecutive cuts, a PGA Tour record, from 1998 to 2005. Grinding, grinding, grinding. The pride. The pride. The pride.

His pride helped him return to golfs pinnacle after he endured the humiliation of his private life being turned inside-out in 2009 and 2010.

His pride helped him win again at East Lake, at the Tour Championship, in September 2018 after yet another back surgery and the humiliation of a DUI arrest. His pride is his secret weapon. Its why hes always prepared. He always has a plan.

Have you noticed, over the years, every time you see him he looks like Tiger Woods? The pressed pants. The tucked shirt. The erect carriage.

The pride of the man.

Over the years, Tiger has had some random pairings on weekends, with players trying to make it in the game. More than once, these players have asked him for advice. He always says some variant of the same thing.

Stay with it.

Keep working.

Dont give up.

Michael Bamberger welcomes your comments at Michael_Bamberger@Golf.com.

Michael Bamberger writes for GOLF Magazine and contributes to GOLF.com. He also participates in podcasts, primarily in tandem with Alan Shipnuck. Earlier in his career, he was a senior writer for Sports Illustrated for 23 years and a reporter on The Philadelphia Inquirer for nine years before that. He has written a half-dozen books about golf and other subjects. His magazine work has been featured in multiple editions of The Best American Sports Writing. He holds a U.S. patent on a utility golf club called the E-Club. In 2016, he was given the Donald Ross Award by the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the organizations highest honor.

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Issued on: 16/11/2020 - 12:49

This week, we speak to Isabelle Rabier, the founder and CEO of Jolimoi, a French start-up that's revolutionising how women get beauty advice thanks to a powerful algorithm that tells consumers which product is their best match.

The current global pandemic has changed consumer expectations in a big way. As lockdowns were imposed across the world, personal safety and hygiene became top concerns. And in that context, one area in particular has seen unprecedented growth: online sales.

All industries are concerned by this transformation, including the beauty sector. One success storyis Jolimoi. This Paris-based French startuphas harnessed artificial intelligence to assist women in finding the right beauty products online. It hosts 40 beauty brands and has more than1,000 beauty ambassadors in France and Belgium and is set to expand tothe rest of the world.We speak to the founder and CEO of Jolimoi, Isabelle Rabier.

Our tech editorPeter O'Brien also gives us his insightinto the type of competition the French startup is facing.

But first, all eyes have been on Covid-19 this year, but other diseases continue to kill hundreds of thousands of people across the globe. Malaria is one of them. We tell you more about aUK government-fundedproject which uses satellites and drones to help counter the disease.

Finally, we test BOB by Daan Tech. It's without a doubt the world's smallest dishwasher!

Read more here:
Tech 24 - Jolimoi: The success story of a French beauty startup - FRANCE 24

November 20, 2020 12:50 ET | Source: Hemp, Inc.

Las Vegas, NV, Nov. 20, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire--Hemp, Inc.(OTC PINK: HEMP) a global leader in the industrial hemp industry with bi-coastal processing centers, announced today it expects to roll-out its Midnight Express-Find Your Freedom pre-roll brand in honor of Billy Hayes who made the name famous in the 1978 movie Midnight Express that chronicles his five years behind bars and eventual escape from a Turkish prison for trying to smuggle hashish out of Turkey. The company expects to aggressively ship out the line to stores across the country over the next 30-60 days. To date, theKing of Hempproduct line consists of Bubba Kush hemp;CBD Pre-rolls, Fortified CBD Pre-rolls, CBD and CBG Caviar/Moon Rocks; and Diamonds (which are 96%-98.7% CBD, the only product like this in the marketplace today).

Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP), says, Its an honor to launch theMidnight Express-Find Your Freedompre-roll line. This is the second brand. There will be a total of 50 which includes theDaring and Dashing Smith Brothers (the legendary and infamous smugglers from South Florida); the Doc Master; The Barron of Barges; The Duke of Dope; Carol the Courier; Al the Good Bad Guy; The Golden Dragon Lady; Randy the Racer; Boston Billy; Dopey Don the Genius; and, more. They are the smugglers of yesteryear and will each have their own special strains, blends and flavors.

Hayes, who is an American writer, actor, and film director, is best known for his autobiographical bookMidnight Expresswhich chronicles his experiences in and escape from a Turkish prison, after being convicted of smugglinghashish. He was one of hundreds of US citizens in foreign jails serving drug charge sentences, following a drug-smuggling crackdown by foreign governments.His book was later adapted into the 1978 film of the same name starring Brad Davis as Hayes. The film was directed by Alan Parker, with a screenplay by Oliver Stone. Hayes has since written the sequelsMidnight Return (Escaping Midnight Express)andThe Midnight Express Letters - from a Turkish Prison, 1970-1975, which is a collection of the original letters written home to family and friends during his imprisonment.Midnight Express Epilogue: The Train Keeps Rollingwill be published in 2021.

According to Perlowin, Natural Blum Farms, in the Applegate of Southern Oregons Rogue Valley, had a successful CBG (non-detectible THC) grow this year. We plan to use 500 pounds of it to package the Billy Hayes line. Natural Blum Farms has been very resilient despite unpredictable weather. They believe having a drying facility on site really made a difference as they raced to complete this years harvest. The size of the colas was huge. Most have already been bucked and trimmed and some will be trimmed at our facility in Las Vegas... from field straight to the consumer!

Its a very busy time for Hemp, Inc. with the Company revving up to launch one of its most aggressive marketing campaigns to date. Its goal has always been to produce top-of-the-line CBD and CBG smokable products and CBD consumption options that fit consumer lifestyles and deliver unparalleled results.

The other King of Hempproducts already in the market are itsDiamondsandCrumbles(smaller Diamond pieces) are dabbable CBD products, derived from a golden-hued high CBD, THC-free distillate taken directly from the hemp plant that includes blends of valuable terpenes. Diamonds and Crumbles promise to deliver the strongest, most potent effects of any other product from the line containing between 96% and 98.7% pure CBD.

Consumption methods include, but are not limited to, utilizing a dab rig or a wax vaporizer for the fastest, strongest results. (While Hemp, Inc. does not cultivate, manufacture or produce any type of THC product, consumers of the Companys CBD product Diamonds report that mixing Diamonds with a THC concentrate helps to mellow THCs effects).

The Diamonds and Crumbles are the perfect way for its customers to get a pure, clean CBD dabbing experience with instant results that last. Hemp, Inc.sCaviar, similar to Moon Rocks, is a highly potent and rich tasting smokable product with less than 0.3% THC. It is made from Hemp, Inc.s high-quality Southern Oregon-grown Bubba Kush hemp flower, which is covered with a THC-Free distillate (with and without added terpenes), and then rolled in CBG-rich kief. The product contains over 45% CBD and over 10% CBG.

Many people prefer to smoke their hemp products due to the speed and effectiveness of the delivery system. By entering the body through the respiratory system, there is a dramatic increase in bioavailability as compared to oral consumption. It is the fastest way to receive CBD and CBGs potential calming and pain-relieving benefits.

Consumption methods include but are not limited to vaporizing Caviar in an all-ceramic or stainless steel vaporizer to capture the full terpene profile and cannabinoid effects; or using a glass water pipe. While Caviar is not a cannabis product, smoking it the way hash is smoked is recommended to achieve the best results.

Caviar exemplifies the variety of ways consumers can enjoy CBD and CBG and reflects our brand vision of providing a superior, royal experience, said Perlowin.

King of Hemppre-rolls use A and B hemp colas which are derived from Pre-98 OG Bubba Kush hemp, one of the top selling cultivars on the market. The strain, rich soil and climate lend themselves to these colas being among the highest quality buds, positioning them to be some of the best tasting for consumption.

The Companys website for its King of Hempline (www.kingofhempusa.com) also hasCBD oil tincturesavailable for purchase. The tinctures are available in two flavors, Natural and Peppermint, and contain full-spectrum hemp oil extracted from the flowers and leaves of hemp plants sustainably sourced from Colorado. They are also compliant with the regulations created by the Colorado Department of Agriculture in regards to industrial hemp. The tinctures contain 0.3% or less THC and are compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill.

To learn more, go to the King of Hempwebsite,here.

According to Nielsen, market researchers project 2020 sales in the current smokable-hemp market to reach $70 million to $80 million. This category includes loose CBD flower, hemp-CBD pre-rolls, cigars and other inhalables.

To see one-minute videos of Hemp, Inc.s current activities, visit Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook fan page, where he shares posts of Hemp, Inc.s activities around the country. Additionally, follow Hemp, Inc. on Instagramhereand on Twitterhere.

Those interested in King of Hemppre-rolls; hemp-derived CBDtinctures; Caviar; Diamonds; should visitwww.kingofhempusa.comor email sales@kingofhempusa.com.

To view the webinar featuring Hemp, Inc.s CEO, Bruce Perlowin, clickhere.

WHAT IS HEMP, INC.?

What is Hemp, Inc.?With a deep-rooted social and environmental mission at its core,Hemp, Inc.seeks to build a business constituency for the American smallhemp farmer, the American veteran, and other groups experiencing the ever-increasing disparity between tapering income and soaring expenses. The Company is on a mission to be a powerful engine for social change and economic revival, worldwide, by providing hemp products that are eco-friendly, sustainable and healthy. Hemp, Inc. executives believe there can be tangible benefits reaped from adhering to a corporate social responsibility plan.

HEMP, INC.S TEN DIVISIONS

It has been Hemp, Inc.s intent to continually invest in building its hemp infrastructure, especially since none existed previously. In fact, the Company has instinctively been following the same path as Amazon reinvesting profits and operating capital back into building the infrastructure. This is a business strategy that has been proven and works well.

All the years leading up to this point were building and finishing the largest hemp infrastructure in America and now the Company is focusing 90% of its efforts on marketing and generating revenues. The result, so far, has been almost crossing the million dollar mark in revenue in just 10 weeks.

Hemp, Inc.s ten divisions are as follows:

Division One The Industrial Hemp Infrastructure

Division Two The Hemp Farming Infrastructure

Division Three The Hemp Extraction & Pre-Roll Blending Infrastructure

Division FourThe Hemp Educational Infrastructure

Division Five The Hemp Marketing Infrastructure

Division Six Accessories, Products and Services

Division Seven Research and Development

Division EightIndustrial Hemp Investments and Joint Ventures

Division NineIndustrial Hemp Consulting

Division Ten Educational Entertainment

Division OneThe Industrial Hemp Infrastructure

The Industrial Hemp Infrastructure(Division One)currently consists of two hemp processing facilities across the country, with two more under development, which will include an in-house third party testing laboratory. The largest of the two is its multi-purposeindustrial hempprocessing facility and milling operation inSpring Hope, North Carolina. Its the largest industrial hemp processing center in the western hemisphere and has grown to become one of the pre-eminent centers of the industrial hemp industry. The 85,000 square foot facility sits on 9-acres.It is environmentally sustainable and was built from the ground up in hopes of Making America Hemp Again." With a patent pending manufacturing process, the North Carolina facility is operating full time to process millions of pounds of the Companys unique kenaf-hemp blend, to manufacture all-greennatural loss circulation material (LCMs), calledDrillWall . The DrillWall is to be sold to the oil and gas drilling industry, along with an all-green natural oil spill absorbent, a second industrial kenaf-hemp product calledSpill-Be-Gone.

"We currently have 769,794 pounds of raw kenaf bales, 363,225 pounds of DrillWall; and, 453,000 pounds of Spill-B-Gone. Thats a total of 1,586,019 pounds of product which translates into finished product that will be sold for $1 - $4 per pound," said Perlowin.

In addition to the companysindustrial hemp processing facility in Spring Hope, North Carolina, Hemp, Inc. also rents one of the most sophisticated local processing centers (LPC) in White City, Oregon which focuses on hemp harvesting, drying, curing, trimming, bagging, storing, and in some cases selling high CBD hemp for local farmers and the Companys own hemp grows in that area, and post processing for the CBD industry. The Companys main focus is the King of Hemppre-rolls and high CBD smokable buds a new phenomenon of smoking hemp which has caught the marketplace by storm.

Hemp, Inc. and their associates also have 4,500 acres of land in Golden Valley, Arizona(100 miles from Las Vegas, 20 miles north of Kingman, AZ). Out of the 4,500 acres of land, 500 acres are designated for the Veterans Village Kins Community (VVKC) for Arizona. Hemp, Inc. is preparing 80+ acres, of the 500 acres, for hemp cultivation. The company aims to boost the economies of these towns by offering affordable hemp processing services, which incentivizes local growers to add hemp to their crop rotation. The company is continuing to scout new locations for local processing centers in Florida, Kentucky, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, North Carolina and several other states.

Thus far, Hemp, Inc.s Local Processing Center (LPC) in Oregon has employed over 200 employees during its 2018 harvest season and over 300 employees during its 2019 harvest season. As of first quarter 2020, the Company has employed close to 50 employees who are bucking, trimming, sorting, bagging and shipping the Companys high quality premium Pre-98 OG Bubba Kush hemp.

Division One Products:

DrillWall (a loss circulation material)

Spill-Be-Gone (an oil spill cleanup product)

Hemp bioplastics

As of first quarter 2020, Hemp, Inc. is fulfilling a $1 million dollar sales agreement, through its subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing (IHM), for itsDrillWall. According to CEO,Bruce Perlowin, the Company has executed a sales agreement to sell $1 million worth of DrillWall over the course of one year. IHM received its first $30,000 payment and shipped the first batch of DrillWall out in December, 2019 and another $60,000 payment was received for the second batch of DrillWall in February, 2020 and a $30,000 payment in March, 2020. We expect the remaining balance from the $1,000,000 over the next few months, said Perlowin. IHM is based in Spring Hope, North Carolina, and is the production facility forDrillWall, along with other industrialhemp products.

Division TwoThe Hemp Farming Infrastructure

The Hemp Farming Infrastructure(Division Two)consists of hundreds of acres of hemp and kenaf growing in multiple locations, farm equipment, cloning rooms, clones and seeds, grow rooms, greenhouses, hemp drying facilities and a huge amount of peripheral farming tools and equipment. The progress Hemp, Inc. has made in its agricultural endeavors, over the course of four years, has been amazing. This year marks the fifth year that Hemp, Inc. has been growing hemp.(To see Hemp, Inc.s agricultural progress from2016through May, 2020, visit Bruce Perlowins personal Facebook page athttps://www.facebook.com/kingofpotand scroll through posts from2016to the present. Visithttps://www.hempincpresents.com/to see the videos of Hemp, Inc.s grows in multiple locations.)

Hemp, Inc. also has two Small Family Hemp Farm models. The Small Family Hemp Farm in North Carolina is situated on 12 acres and consists of a cloning room, a greenhouse, and enough land to grow 2,000-3,000 high CBD or CBG hemp plants.(This model farm can be seen onBruce Perlowin's Facebook page, in the Aug. 22nd - 26th, 2018 posts.)The model shows farmers how to grow high CBD and CBG hemp plants, operate a greenhouse and turn a barn into a cloning room to earn up to $100,000+ a year. This shows an example of how the Small Family Hemp Farm can be duplicated and reappear on the American landscape. After all, the original small family farms in America were able to survive economically by growing hemp as their main cash crop and the first five presidents of the United States were allhemp farmers.

A model Small Family Hemp Farm is located Dolan Springs, Arizona. This Small Family Hemp Farm is referred to as The Orchard since it has a sizable organic orchard. There are 2 acres on which hemp will be grown; a cloning room; cold storage; and a greenhouse that is planned to be installed. This year mostly CBG hemp will be grown.

This year, according to Perlowin, the company is consulting on a 55-acre grow in Oregon, partnering with Tractor Richard for 40 acres of CBG hemp and 100 acres of kenaf in Mohave Valley, Arizona.(See Bruce PerlowinsFacebookpage post for May 19, 2020.)The 10 40 acres in Golden Valley, Arizona for the Veteran Village Kins Community is based on how many people will sign up for the Hempathon(1 acre joint venture grows with Hemp, Inc.), hundreds of acres in North Carolina(a combination of hemp and kenaf), and an undetermined amount in other states.

It should be noted that the number of acreage and the amount to be grown has fluctuated due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Perlowin says collective sales from all of these grows will be extremely significant in terms of pre-rolls, high CBD and CBG buds, distillate, isolate, biomass and many other products. This year is about sales and marketing for us. Right now, I believe we have the largest footprint of bio-diverse hemp products with vertical integration in the hemp industry in America today. We are always looking for joint ventures where we have or can expand our footprint, commented Perlowin.

Moreover, A to Z services for the farmers are available - from harvesting to drying, curing, bucking, machine trimming, hand trimming, bagging, storing, nitrogen sparging, and selling creating a one stop shop for the small to large family farms.

Division Two Products include:

Thesuper-premiumKing of Hemppre-rollsare in full production and use Hemp, Inc.s A and B hemp colas. The A and B hemp colas are derived from Oregon-grown Pre-98 OG Bubba Kush, one of the top selling cultivars on the market. The strain, rich soil and climate lend themselves to these colas being among the highest quality buds, positioning them to be some of the best tasting for consumption.

Advocates say Oregon has a uniquely suited climate, politically and agriculturally, to dominate the fast-growing industry. Given that Oregon farmers have demonstrated the ability to grow world-renowned products, it makes sense that they would be able to produce some of the best hemp buds in the world. Hemp Inc.s grow operation in Oregon is among the best in the state and has yielded some of the highest quality hemp colas on the market. The company believes that they will hit the 20% mark of their grade A buds and the rest of the Companys high-quality colas will be used for their new line of pre-rolls.

TheKing of Hemp pre-roll line offers high-end products that are an effective and flavorful, smokable alternative to cigarettes and other hemp consumption methods. The remaining A and B colas used in the newly launchedKing of Hemppre-rolls are compliant with the 2018 Farm Bill, federal regulations, and regulations in the markets where they are available for purchase. TheKing of Hemppre-rolls can be purchased individually or in packs of 6. Each pre-roll is 1 gram and does not exceed 0.3% THC.

As of the first quarter, sales from the pre-rolls total $3,435. The packaging (boxes) for the pre-rolls were delayed for two months due to COVID-19 but executives say everything is back on track and they have 100,000 boxes in inventory as well as 100,000 tubes for the pre-rolls in inventory. With everything back on track, pre-roll sales are expected to explode with massive revenues to be generated next quarter.

Consumers can also shop on the newly redesigned websitewww.kingofhempusa.comfor theKing of Hemppre-rollsandhemp tinctures. Each pre-roll contains a smooth, nearly odorless natural hemp smoke. They are tightly rolled into a filtered cigarette rice paper for the ultimate discreet smoke. Many users have said theKing of Hemppre-rolls present a calming experience, perfect for alleviating feelings of anxiousness and gaining mental clarity.

TheKing of Hemptinctures also hit the market with steady sales. While there was a slight interruption in sales due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sales are now back on track. The tinctures available onwww.kingofhempusa.comare fast-acting CBD oil tinctures that contain the full spectrum of hemp oil extracted from the flowers and leaves of hemp plants grown by the Company. It contains .3% or less THC so its federally legal nationwide.

Within the next 30 days, the Company expects to roll-out the second product in theKing of Hemp(KOH) product line Midnight Express in honor of Billy Hayes who made the name famous in the 1978 movie Midnight Express chronicling his suffering at the hands of Turkish authorities for trying to smuggle hash shish out of Turkey.

Hemp, Inc. is also hosting the Hempathon at theVeteran Village Kins Communityin Arizona. Contestants are growing 1 acre of hemp in a contest with other growers from around the country. Hemp, Inc. is providing land, water, security, and live streaming video coverage for participants. The Hempathon entry fee is $5,000 and a 50/50 revenue split. Winners of the Hempathon will share in several awards and prizes of up to $50,000.

The Veteran Village Kins Community in Arizona has 6 domes and the overnight RV camping sites(seeBruce Perlowins Facebook page post on 5/16/20)are being set up so people can stay on the land during the Hempathon grow. Live streaming video cameras are also ready, so the world can watch the The Great American Hempathon in real time.

Also, as part of the Hempathon, Hemp, Inc.s Hemp Academy (Arizona) will offer classes in one of its geodesic domes during the Hempathon, which will include hemp experts, product developers, field trips to the grow area, and more. This hands-on, interactive, educational experience is the chance of a lifetime for people to learn about this new emerging multi-billion dollar industry from hemp industry experts.

A 44-ft geodesic dome will be set up to show movies, documentaries and courses on everything from bio-dynamic farming, permaculture, organic farming practices to bees, predator pest control, soil amendments, cloning, grafting and other peripheral agricultural course materials.

Knowledge is power and by sharing knowledge, we all grow together, says CEO Perlowin.

Those interested in signing up for the Hempathon should contact Chris Tinney ctinney@hempinc.com.

Division ThreeThe Hemp Extraction & Pre-Roll Blending Infrastructure

The Hemp CBD Oil Extraction & Pre-Roll Blending Infrastructure(Division Three)originally consisted of a Supercritical C02 Extractor. After operating for over a year it has been determined that Hemp, Inc. will not be involved in the extraction industry and has changed its direction to focus primarily on theKing of Hemppre-rolls and TheKing of Hemphigh CBDsmokable flower. The CBD oil that was extracted from the 2018 hemp grows in North Carolina has been made into pure crystalline CBD isolate which was added to the Companys King of Hemp branded line of pre-rolls that are now in the marketplace across all 50 states.

In lieu of building its own extraction laboratories, Hemp, Inc. plans to utilize the facilities of other labs in the industry to manufacture its own line of CBD oil products while they continue to build and expand the infrastructure for pre-rolls and high CBD smokable buds. The Company will hire or joint venture with other, already existing, labs to manufacture CBD, CBG, CBC, CBN, and other products in its future cannabinoid line. With 150 different cannabinoids, over 300 terpenes, and more of each being discovered almost monthly, the product range and possibilities in this area are endless.

Division FourThe Hemp Educational Infrastructure

The Hemp Educational Infrastructure(Division Four)includes Hemp, Inc.'sHemp Universitywhich focuses on educating and empoweringHemp farmers and entrepreneurswith knowledge, processing, infrastructure and support. Theeducational seminars, through the Hemp University, are held periodically (as needed). These seminars teach farmers and landowners how to create a profitable income stream by maximizing the per-acre crop revenue. Through this division,Hemp, Inc.has trained well over 500 farmers in its first two years by doing a total of nine Hemp University seminars in North Carolina and Oregon, which included:

The New Leaf Symposium and Golden Grow Awards Gala- January 26, 2020 (Jacksonville, Oregon)

The New Leaf Symposiumsfocus was Regeneration" to celebrate optimism and resilience in the industry, the power of the plant, and faith in the hemp-producing community. The event sold out with over 180 attendees. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly possible and the speakers were hailed as the best yet. The educational symposium concluded with the Golden Grow Awards Gala. The Golden Grow Awards Gala honored Oregon's top cultivars and put Oregons best farmers head-to-head for some of the most prestigious hemp-industry accolades.There were four categories judged in the awards: Top CBD, Top Terpenes, Judges Favorite, and Peoples Choice.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 1/28/20for a short video on this symposium.)

The Pre-Harvest Symposium September 8, 2019 (Oregon)

The Pre-Harvest Symposiumworkshop at Southern Oregon University was expertly designed for both farmers and entrepreneurs of all experience levels, focused on harvesting, processing and profit channels within the hemp industry.The third edition of the Southern Oregon Hemp University brought an abundance of insight into innovations within the realm of harvesting and processing to the forefront. Additionally, the symposium touched on traditional practices in agriculture.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 9/9/19for a short video on this symposium.)

Pre-Plant Support Workshop May 4, 2019 (Oregon)

The Pre-Plant Support Workshopwas an incredible success that filled the entire venue to capacity with attendees. In total, there were close to 200 attendees, including 20 vendors in attendance. The workshop was designed to help hemp farmers or those who are interested in the hemp industry learn the best pre-planting practices prior to the planting season.The Hemp University Pre-Planting Support Workshop was an interactive and informative workshop that covered the various details hemp farmers should know prior to planting in the 2019 season and beyond.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 5/9/19for a short video on this workshop.)

The Hemp University Educational Seminar- March 23, 2019 (Oregon)

This was the first Hemp University held on the West Coast. The seminar provided attendees with a full day of networking, education, and support.The seminar helped others in the area who were interested in the hemp industry learn more about the Industrial Hemp Revolution and how this movement can not only transform Southern Oregons economy, but also revive family farms and small businesses in the surrounding areas.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 3/28/19for a short video on this seminar.)

Growing Hemp for Profit March 10, 2018 (North Carolina)The Hemp Universitys first educationalsymposiumevent of 2018 entitledGrowing Hemp for Profittook place on Saturday, March 10, 2018. Attendees learned from the Universitys industrial hemp experts as they shared their lessons from their experiences in growing industrial hemp.Growing Hemp for Profit,which took place from 8:30am to 5 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn in Charlotte, North Carolina.(See Bruce Perlowinspersonal Facebook post on 3/17/18for a short video on this symposium.)

Hemp Money Event: Economics, Lessons & Planning for 2018 December 2, 2017 (North Carolina)

The fifth most vital and anticipated educational symposium of the year was Hemp Money Event: Economics, Lessons & Planning for 2018. This symposium was held on Saturday, December 2, 2017 from 8:30am to 5:00pm at the Shrine Club (320 Airport Rd, Rocky Mount, NC 27804). Attendees learned the economics of growing industrial hemp for fiber, seeds, and CBD; learned about other master POD growers experiences and lessons; and, learned how to prepare for the 2018 industrial hemp growing season with a well-defined blueprint for success.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 12/23/17for a short video on this symposium.)

The Hemp Oil Event: The Art and Science of CBD Oil September 30, 2017 (North Carolina)

The Hemp Oil Event (The Art & Science of CBD Oil) was The Hemp Universitys fourth symposium in North Carolina, held on Saturday, September 30, 2017 from 8:30am to 5:00pm at the Peachtree Hills Country Club, 3512 Peachtree Hills Road, Spring Hope, NC 27882.The symposium brought attendees up to speed on all business and scientific aspects of Industrial Hemp CBD cannabinoids by disseminating current, reliable information that continues to shape the revolutionary CBD market. Attendees also got a chance to go to Hemp, Inc.s, then, 70,000 square foot multipurpose industrial hemp decortication facility for the first live public demonstration of its Supercritical CO2 Extraction System using North Carolina-grown CBD industrial hemp. Representatives from NuAxon Bioscience were also on-site to allow those interested in purchasing their own CBD extraction system.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 9/30/17for a short video on this symposium.)

The Art and Science of CBD Greenhouse Growing June 24, 2017 (North Carolina)

The3rd Hemp Universityeducational symposium held on June 24, 2017 focused on The Art and Science of CBD Greenhouse Growing.The educational symposium was held at Louisburg College in Louisburg, North Carolina.A team of experts engaged attendees through the greenhouse and indoor growing process from cultivation to harvest and from processing to distribution. Dr. Robert Bruck, Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science at Louisburg College, was The Hemp Universitys special guest who lectured on soil microbiology during the symposium.Attendees were able to spend half of the course at Hemp, Inc.s, then, 70,000 square-foot Industrial Hemp Hub, in a 3,000 square-foot cloning room.There, attendees had the opportunity to experience a more hands-on learning approach.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 6/30/17for a short video on this symposium.)

Farming Hemp for Profit April 29, 2017(North Carolina)

Hemp, Inc.s second, sold out, educationalsymposium(Farming HEMP for Profit), through its Hemp University, was a phenomenal success. Thesymposiumtook place on Saturday, April 29, 2017, from 8:30am 5:00pm, at the Hampton Inn & Suites located at 3920 Arrow Drive, Raleigh, NC27612 and drew over 100 attendees. The one-day educational symposium and tour of Hemp, Inc.s, then, 70,000 square-foot multipurpose industrial hemp facility was an opportunity for landowners and farmers to learn how to apply real business building tactics with a specific step-by-step blueprint on how to grow, sell and profit from farming industrial hemp.This event accomplished its mission to help landowners and farmers add a new viable and profitable income stream by maximizing the per-acre crop revenue.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook post on 4/30/17for a short video on this symposium.)

Farming Hemp for Profit March 18, 2017 (North Carolina)

This was Hemp, Inc.s firstHemp University symposium. The symposium was a sold out event and was a huge success with 100 attendees who rated the quality of information presented as excellent.The symposium took place on Saturday, March 18, 2017, from 8:00am 5:00pm, at Hemp, Inc.s wholly owned subsidiary,Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC, located at 1436 Highway 581 North, Spring Hope, North Carolina, 27882.The one-day educational symposium was an opportunity for landowners and farmers to receive a specific step-by-step blueprint on how to grow, sell and profit from farming industrial hemp by using real business tactics and principles, presented by industry experts.(See Bruce Perlowins personalFacebook posts on 3/18-19 and 3/21-26, 2019 for a short videos on this symposium.)

To listen to past Hemp University workshops, please visithemp-university.teachable.com. Also visithttps://www.hempincpresents.comto see highlights from Hemp, Inc.s inaugural Hemp University held in North Carolina, which sold out in two weeks.

The Hemp Universitys twelveonline educational masterclassesare $10 each and each masterclass is under an hour in length. The online courses include lectures from industry leaders who have educated attendees at the Hemp University workshops in Oregon. These online masterclasses provide farmers who were either not able to attend the first Hemp University or who would like to revisit certain topics presented by the event speakers.

Those interested in Hemp, Inc.sonline courses, including experts in any aspect of the industrial hemp industry, should contact Chris Tinney on (855) 554-6834 or via email at (ctinney@hempinc.com).

Since The Hemp Universitys initial launch with the educational symposium, the number of attendees grew tremendously and was an overwhelming success, each time.The interactive, hands-on learning approach was invaluable. By learning inan interactive cohort format, students gained the necessary skills they needed to immediately implement them on their farm or in their organization. Its the perfect mix of quality instruction, relevant educational content and a high level of commitment, to ensure the educational success of each attendee, said Perlowin.

The Hemp University has helped transformthe livelihoods of North Carolina and Oregon farmers transitioning from tobacco and other crops to industrial hemp by providing them with the tools and support needed to gain a foothold in this burgeoning industry.

Division FiveThe Hemp Marketing Infrastructure

While marketing is a critical facet of any business operation for increasing revenues, Hemp, Inc. believes there must be a keen focus on the infrastructure. The demand for CBD, CBG and other hemp products is massive, some even say the demand is insatiable. In order to supply that type of volume/demand, there has to be a strong foundation or infrastructure in place. While Hemp, Inc. continues to grow a rock solid Hemp Marketing Infrastructure, CEO Perlowin reminds us that this infrastructure has to be able to support a meteoric industry growth.The cannabidiol (CBD) market is on track to grow to $23.7 billion through 2023, according to theBrightfield Group. The firm also estimated thesmokable hempmarket to be valued at $11.5 million in 2018, a growth of 250% from 2017. This is why we consistently focused on infrastructure for so long. Since we made that a priority, we are now positioned to go into an aggressive marketing mode, says Perlowin.

In late January, 2020 the firstKing of HempStore had a soft launch in Kingman, Arizona. This 5,000 square foot Wells Fargo bank building is in the heart of Old Town Kingman next to historic Route 66 and will showcase everything hemp, including the KOH pre-roll line, flower, tinctures, health and beauty products, and Hemp Blues hemp denim jeans (www.hempblue.com). The retrofitted, once Wells Fargo Bank building, will also retain the working vault.

The company has also recently joint-ventured with the retail store Hemp Healthcare, in Dolan Springs, Arizona, to sell high-end cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp-based products. Hemp Healthcare is home to an array of renowned CBD and hemp products, including Hemp, Inc.s cosmetic and wellness line that includes shampoos, conditioners, lotions, candles and more. The retail storefront is conveniently located off Highway 93 in Arizona, in a highly trafficked tourist area. Specifically located on Pierce Ferry Road, Hemp Healthcare is next to Dolan Station a location that welcomes numerous tour buses daily with visitors from around the world that stop there on trips to the Grand Canyon. On some days, up to 40 tour buses stop at this location, filled to the brim with tourists on their way to the Sky Walk at the western realm of the Grand Canyon. The Company expects a very good return later this year. It should be noted that due to COVID-19, tour buses are not currently running but the store has become incredibly active due to COVID-19.

Read more here:
The Legend of Billy Hayes Lives on through Hemp, Inc.'s CBG Pre-Rolls - GlobeNewswire

Samantha Swann |Herald-Journal

Fundraising is usually a challenge for many organizationsand it has become even more difficult during the coronavirus pandemic.

Organizerssaid since the pandemic began in March, they have been struggling with raising money for their causes.

"Many organizations typically raise a large portion of their operating expenses through in-person fundraising events. With the onset of COVID-19, nonprofits have had to re-think how they fundraise and how effective virtual fundraising will be," saidAshley Whitt, senior program officer with The Spartanburg County Foundation.

For Kathryn Harvey, principal and founder at Neue South Collective, a local marketing company, 2020 has become a year of fundraising, with many of her clients making marketing a low priority as budgets shrink.

"I've been in a professional communication role in the nonprofit sector for 20 years and I have never seen a year where there's so much competing," Harvey said. From the pandemic to the election, the census to natural disaster relief, potential donors are receiving asks from all corners, making it that much more difficult for any individual organization to be heard."

Collaboration has been key, she said, withnonprofits applying for grantsor fundraising together. Partnering with matching donors can also help ensure success. Both will bekey parts of efforts for this year's Giving Tuesday on Dec. 1, said Harvey, whose company is creating a joint website for Spartanburg's nonprofits to use on the day.

Another challenge for many nonprofits was the canceling of annual in-person fundraisers. However, Harvey hasfound that nonprofits and organizations across Spartanburg are coming up with creative ways to replace them. For instance, Spartanburg Area Conservancy has replaced itsannual oyster dinner fundraiserwith a photoshoot fundraiser highlighting itsnewly renovated boardwalk. Participants can get 10-12 photos on the boardwalk for $175 through the end of the month.

Harvey also hashelped develop socially distanced fundraising events like Spartanburg Science Center's movie night in Barnet Park. And the science center has another creative fundraiser in the works a calendar featuring itsanimals as a holiday fundraiser.

"A lot of it is just thinking about what would be useful for folks right now or engaging and how can we turn that into something that brings awareness of the organization," Harvey said.

Groups and organizations outside of the nonprofit sector are also working hard to raise funds for their causes during a year of financial strain.

The fundraisers for the Alexina Atkins JenkinsPine Street School Scholarshipfound a way to make donating a personal experience. Their latest campaign for the scholarshipasks former Pine Street alumni to donate in honor of their favorite teacher. The scholarship will provide moneyfor college each year to a Spartanburg High School student who attended the elementary school.

Alumni can designatea teacher when they donate to the top donation tier through The Spartanburg County Foundation, Fund 02215, on the organization's website or by mail.

The Pine Street teachers honored by these donations will have their names put on a plaque to be displayed in the school. Six teachers have been honored.

More: Pine Street Elementary School alumni honor school, favorite teacher with new scholarship

Cecilia Hanna donated in honor ofher former teacher Mott Ryan Bramblett.

"Miss Ryan was simply my favorite teacher. I remember being so comfortable in her classroom to ask questions. I was a timid student, and she kind of brought me out of my shell," Hanna said.

Scholarshiporganizers said they are limited to email and phone calls for spreading the word about the scholarship and their fundraiser since large fundraising events are not possible for now. Donor Marshall Jordan, who nominated his sixth-grade teacher Nan Dempsey, said he thinks the personal aspect of the fundraiser will be a boost to the initiative.

"I think it will help bolster donations if there's a specific reason to do it. Inciting some sort of happy memory might help you make that decision," Jordan said.

Pine Street Elementary School also held its own fundraiser for its extracurricular activities earlier this semester.

Principal Dennis Regnier said the school has held two fundraisers to replace itsBoosterthon Fun Run: a Charleston Wraps sale and a Virtual Dance Party.

"This year, we were not able to host our typical 'Fun Run'event so we held a Virtual Dance Party. It lasted for about 30 minutes and our students were all able to log on to the website and participate.Our partners at Boosterthon were on-site for nearly two weeks to help our students and families get involved.They worked within every classroom and guided students through character lessons as well as different fitness challenges to get them ready for the Dance Party," Regnier said.

The students' families and friends could log onto thefundraiser website and donate while the students danced. Regnier said both of the fundraisers were able to be completed almost 100% online.

Harvey emphasized the need forclear messaging and smaller, focused campaigns given the demand for donors' attention. She also said groups need to becreative and tie in sometangible aspect to the donation or a concrete goal for donors to meet.

"If you can find a matching donor, somebody that's willing to give say $25,000 and you can match that in your community, it gives a goal that you're setting for folks to donate," Harvey said."You can incentivize them with a little something for donating, or you can position it against an actual tangible item that you're raising money for."

United Way of the Piedmont President and CEO Paige Stephensonsaid that all of the successful workplace fundraisers she's seen have had a strong, optimistic push from the business's leaders.

"Stay true to your mission, tell your story, be honest about the need but also highlight your resiliency as an organization. When a donor can connect with your organization on a personal level, I believe it will matter less if theyare in-person or not," Whitt said.

While donations are needed, it's also important to remember, particularly in a year that has hit many individuals as hard as it's hit organizations,thatsupporters can help in ways beyond donating.

"It's OKto ask your board and your friends and family to share (your fundraising information)," Harvey said."That ask might be great for someone who can't monetarily donate to your campaign, but can share it out to 20 more people."

Most nonprofits and other groups are also seeing a need for unrestricted donations or donations to the organization's general or operating funds, which can at times be harder to fundraise for than specific projects, Stephenson said.

"We want to make sure that people understand that giving those unrestricted dollars that can be invested in the general operations of the nonprofit for their survival, for their overall organizational health, are extremely key," Stephenson said."It's great to have those specific gifts, but those specific gifts aren't going to make a difference if the organizationthat is trying to provide (the service)is struggling," Stephenson said.

Read the original:
Spartanburg groups tackle raising money during the COVID-19 pandemic - Spartanburg Herald Journal

She was a billionaire CEO whose luxurious lifestyle rivaled that of any movie star.

CONSTELLATION BRANDS, INC.

Elizabeth Holmes employed personal assistants to run her luxury shopping sprees, traveled by private jet, stayed at exclusive hotels and drove an expensive SUV.

As the CEO of Theranos, she was constantly in the limelight. Now facing a slew of fraud charges and prison, her defense attorneys don't want her wealthy past to be played out in the courtroom saying it'll prejudice a jury.

"The amount of money Ms. Holmes earned in her position at Theranos, how she chose to spend that money, and the identities of people with whom she associated simply have no relevance to Ms. Holmes' guilt or innocence," her attorneys wrote in a motion filed late Friday night.

Prior to her downfall, Holmes was once named the world's youngest female self-made billionaire and Theranos was one of Silicon Valley's unicorn startups privately valued at $9 billion.

The government alleges that Holmes "had her Theranos-paid assistants run personal errands, perform personal tasks, and purchase luxury goods," according to the filing.

In the motion, defense attorneys claim that the prosecutors' motive argument is based on the assumption that Holmes' luxurious lifestyle may have motivated her to "commit fraud to acquire or maintain that lifestyle."

"Many CEOs live in luxurious housing, buy expensive vehicle and clothing, travel luxuriously and associate with famous people as the government claims Ms. Holmes did," they wrote.

During her jet-setting days Holmes wore her signature black turtle neck in numerous media appearances and appeared to hold the key to revolutionizing the high-cost health-care system.

Holmes promised Theranos could diagnose anything from diabetes to cancer with just a drop or two of blood. The company shut down in 2018 after a Wall Street Journal investigation exposed its unproven technology and dubious business practices.

What followed was a fall from grace for Holmes who duped billionaire investors, board members and Walgreens.

Holmes and her co-defendant Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani are charged with a dozen felony fraud charges. Their trial is expected to start in U.S. District Court in San Jose, CA on March 9.

"The jury should not be subjected to arguments regarding Ms. Holmes' alleged purchase of luxury travel, 'fine wine,' or 'food delivery to her home'," attorneys for Holmes said.

Holmes faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

More:
Elizabeth Holmes wants to block jurors from hearing about her luxurious lifestyle as Theranos CEO - MSN Money

LAKEWOOD, Ohio -- Making up for lost seating is the restaurant game in 2020 where COVID-19 safety protocols have reduced inside capacity by half.

In an effort to help local businesses, communities loosened regulations permitting additional outdoor seating on sidewalks, parking lots and even adjacent streets for parklets.

Then theres the Georgetown restaurant, which unknowingly started planning for a pandemic a few years ago when hoping to extend the outdoor patio season it added a handful of outdoor igloos to its courtyard located at 18515 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood.

My brother, Ryan, and I work hard to be the trendsetters in the area, said Jennifer Krivosh Pressnell about the family-owned business. We started igloos at Georgetown three years ago and theyve been a hit for all ages.

Its just the newest trend. People are looking for something different and something fun to do with their friends. We have little heaters that keep everybody warm. We decorate the igloos based on the holiday -- Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day and St. Patricks Day.

At a cost of $2,500 when you include furnishings, each igloo provides up to eight patrons with a warm, cozy and personal experience.

The igloos have been a great way to make up for the lost seating in the restaurant due to the COVID guidelines, Pressnell said. As a former registered respiratory therapist for the Cleveland Clinic, I knew we had to do whatever we could to keep our guests as safe as possible during the pandemic.

We decided to invest in an electrostatic sprayer. We sanitize the igloos between seatings and also spray the restaurant nightly. Were going above and beyond to keep our staff and guests safe.

While a bit costly with a two-hour $40 rental fee and minimum spending amount that ranges from $125 weekdays to $250 on the weekends, the Georgetown igloos are currently booked through February.

Prior to the pandemic, Georgetown had a capacity of roughly 120 people, which was reduced to 60 patrons due to COVID-19 safety protocols. Pressnell said due to the igloos and any customer overflow being moved into the contiguous Vosh nightclub, capacity is at roughly pre-pandemic levels.

Now the family is also adding another handful of circular shacks to its other nearby establishment Around The Corner, which is located across the street.

The new igloos require a two-hour $40 rental fee, which includes a minimum spending amount of $100 weekdays and $200 on the weekends.

Our igloos sold out so quickly at Georgetown, we decided to purchase more Around The Corner, Pressnell said. Its a great time just hanging out.

Read more news from the Sun Post Herald here.

Here is the original post:
Lakewoods Georgetown finds success with heated igloos; owners adding more outdoor amenities to Around The Co - cleveland.com

The chairman announced he plans to transition to another role within the party and stay involved. Wagoner will cast one of Ohio's 18 electoral votes for Pres. Trump.

LUCAS COUNTY, Ohio Lucas County Republican Party Executive Chairman Mark Wagoner has announced he will be stepping down from his position effective Jan. 1.

Wagoner was elected as chairman by the central committee of the Republican party on June 9, 2018. In May of 2020, he was re-elected for a four year term.

In letters sent on Nov. 16 and 17 to Ohio's central committee chairman Chris Joseph, Wagoner cites upcoming commitments beginning Jan. 1, 2021 as the cause for his decision.

In addition, Executive Director Barb Orange will step down on Nov. 23.

"We (and I especially) owe a debt of gratitude for the hard work that Barb Orange has put in over the last few years as our Executive Director. To enable the next Chairman to select their own Executive Director, Barb will also be stepping down as Executive Director effective November 23rd," writes Wagoner.

Wagoner serves as an Elector in Ohio's Electoral College and will remain in that position to cast one of Ohio's 18 electoral votes for President Trump.

According to bylaws of the Lucas County Republican Party, Joseph will assume the role of Interim Executive Chair while retaining his position as Central Committee Chairman.

The search for Wagoner's replacement will begin with an appointed committee no later than Jan. 31 to consider a candidate.

The following is the full text of both letters sent by Mark Wagoner to the central committee chairman:

Some bittersweet, but (hopefully) unsurprising news. I attach the following letter to begin the transition to a new role within the Lucas County Republican Party. As I mention in the letter, I will continue to serve as Executive Chairman through December 31st of this year, and I will also serve as an Elector in Ohios Electoral College on December 12th to cast one of Ohios 18 electoral votes for President Trump. Effective January 1, 2021, the Bylaws of the Lucas County Republican Party provide that you will assume the role of Interim Executive Chair and remain as Central Committee Chairman. Given that you received near unanimous support in your election as Central Committee Chair in May of this year, I know the party has full confidence in your leadership. The mechanics of the transition are detailed in my attached letter.

This is an opportune time to transition, with the recent conclusion of the Presidential election cycle and the next Lucas County central committee elections more than 3 years away. After January 1, 2021, I plan to stay actively involved in the Lucas County Republican Party, but in a different capacity perhaps as a Finance Chair should you want me to

I have notified Chairman Jane Timken of the Ohio Republican Party and other national and state party officials of the forthcoming transition. As local party officials, you are the first to know in Lucas County. I will be reaching out to numerous people over the next few weeks to ensure a smooth transition. I ask the you keep the letter confidential until the news is released to a broader audience.

Due to the hard work of so many, Im able to transition with the party much better than I found it. And I pledge to provide the next Chairman a full running start for success something I did not receive at the outset of my term. Its been a long four years first fighting to win control of the party, then working to rebuild it from the ground up, and to now watching it poised for future success. Restoring a foundation is unglamorous yet necessary work. Visible growth and progress will soon follow.

We should be justifiably proud of our accomplishments. Lucas County played an important role in our statewide Republican success in 2018 and delivering Ohio for President Trump in 2020, and we have made strides in our municipal elections. We have also laid the foundation for future Republican success in the City of Toledo and Lucas County.

We (and I especially) owe a debt of gratitude for the hard work that Barb Orange has put in over the last few years as our Executive Director. To enable the next Chairman to select their own Executive Director, Barb will also be stepping down as Executive Director effective November 23rd. At that point in time, we will be largely closing our headquarters until it reopens (fully reenergized!) on January 2nd of next year to kickstart our 2021 municipal races.

Finally, I owe a major thanks to each member of the Lucas County Republican Party Central Committee for your support and friendship. This is not any one persons party but our collective party. None of this would have happened without you. The Lucas County Republican Party has a proud history dating back to Congressman James Ashley, the sponsor of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, to Chief Justice Morrison Waite of the U.S. Supreme Court, to numerous members of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Cabinet, to our very own Donna Owens, the first woman mayor of Toledo. There are many more chapters left for the Lucas County Republican Party to write. I will be excited to read them.

And just as the Party has its next chapter to write, now so do I

With warmest personal regards,

The full text of the attached letter, mentioned above, is as follows:

As I have discussed with many Lucas County Republicans over the past six months, I write to confirm my intent to step down as Executive Chairman of the Lucas County Republican Party effective December 31, 2020. I have significant new commitments starting January 1, 2021 and, although I intend to remain involved with the Lucas County Republican Party, I believe it is important to have an Executive Chairman who can devote a majority of their time to handling the obligations of managing a major urban political party. At the request of many, I agreed to stay through this year to maintain stability during this recent Presidential re-election cycle, where we successfully delivered Ohio for President Trump.

The By-Laws of the Lucas County Republican Party provide that the Chairman of the Central Committee, Chris Joseph, will assume the role of Interim Executive Chair. A search committee to select a new Executive Chair needs to be appointed by you sometime before January 31, 2021 to conduct interviews and evaluate potential successors. Chris Joseph will remain as Interim Executive Committee Chair until that process is completed. The next elections for central committee members will be in March of 2024.

I leave as Executive Chairman with the Lucas County Republican Party much better than I found it. We have over $40,000 in our accounts, secured and furnished an outstanding headquarters, provided extensive training to precinct chairs, consolidated our information technology and websites, developed a strong social media presence with a Facebook account of over 3,850 followers and Twitter over 500 followers, reconstituted a functional Lucas County Board of Elections, developed a stable of new faces and candidates, and rebuilt relationships with our local Republican clubs. We have also re-established strong working relationships with the Ohio Republican Party and the Republican National Committee. I take particular pride that the Ohio Republican Party has recognized both the newly reconstituted Lucas County Young Republicans and the Lucas County Republican Womens Club as statewide chapters of the year in 2018. Much of this is the result of the hard work of so many and like any team -- these successes are a product of their collective effort, hardly mine alone.

I pledge to work with you and the committee to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. I offer a few suggestions during the selection process. The position of Executive Chairman is an unpaid, volunteer position that requires someone with a passion for selfless service, not someone who has an ulterior motive for personal gain. I hope the search committee will look for those traits in the next Executive Chairman.

I wish the Lucas County Republican Party success as we move forward.

Continue reading here:
Mark Wagoner to step down as executive chairman of Lucas County Republican Party at end of year - WTOL

A longtime tradition in my family is fully underway: chess by mail.

There's a chessboard on our dining room table. It's been there for months. This board mimics the one that's on the coffee table at my parent's house. These two separate chessboards are the same game, connected through mail.

It all started when my dad was telling stories of how his dad would play multiple games of chess this way. Recently, my wife and dad started a chess game via snail mail. My family really gets into picking the right postcard for the upcoming chess move. You jot your note, add your chess move like, "b8 to a6," slap a stamp on it, raise the flag on your mailbox, and wait for your opponent's return move to arrive in your mailbox. It's a fun way of keeping in touch while supporting our postal service.

1. Contact someone you want to start a chess game with.

2. Make sure you both have chessboards and all the pieces.

3. Study up on chess if need be and learn all the move notations. There's plenty of how-to's online to get you going.

4. Get some postcards and stamps. We love getting antique postcards from thrift shops.

Chess Viewing to Get You Going

The Queen's Gambit (streaming now on Netflix) Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993) Magnus (2016) Brooklyn Castle (2012) Queen of Katwe (2016)

View post:

Here's How to Play Chess by Mail, and What Movies to Watch to Get Your Game Going - Willamette Week

GM Wesley So defeated GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda in a Speed Chess Championship match that was tight in the beginning and tight in the end, but it was a tour de force by So in the middle. With the exception of World Champion Magnus Carlsen and GM Hikaru Nakamura, So is the most accomplished player in Speed Chess Championship history, and with this victory, he has advanced to the semifinals where he will face the winner of the match between Nakamura and GM Vladimir Fedoseev.

How to watch?The games of the Speed Chess Championship Main Event are played on the Chess.com live server. They are also available on our platform for watching live games at Chess.com/events and on our apps under "Watch." Expert commentary can be enjoyed at Chess.com/tv.

So and Duda had played one previous Speed Chess Championship match in 2018, and So won convincingly, 20-7. Two years later, Duda is a considerably more accomplished player and no longer a junior. Would his performance against the reigning U.S. champion be superior this time around?

In general, yes, Duda performed much better. The final score of 16-10 was certainly closer, and Duda even leaped out to an early lead of 2.5-0.5. He ultimately drew the 5|1 time control (4-4) and won the 1|1 time control 5-4, but in the 3|1 time control, So was simply untouchable. He won 7 games and drew only two for a point total of 8-1. After the match, commentator GM Robert Hess said that So was "the best player in the entire world in the 3|1 time control." Given that So has defeated both Carlsen and Nakamura in this time control, Hess has good supporting evidence for this bold claim.

The high-water mark in the match for Duda came after games two and three when Duda first won an excellent game two in a smooth and convincing fashion.

He then defended a dangerous attack in game three with accurate play.

So's first win came in game four when he won an instructive endgame thanks to his dominant knight. So has consistently shown himself to be one of the most accurate and unperturbable blitz chess players in the world. He's incredibly hard to tilt, and if his opponent starts tilting, things can quickly go downhill.

Duda scored the next full point in an opposite-colored bishops endgame where the outside passed pawn on the a-file gave him excellent chances. So then won game seven below in a remarkable time scramble before collecting a full point with a nice attack in game eight to close out the 5|1 time control in a 4-4 tie.

Amazingly, Duda was only able to draw the third and fourth games in the 3|1 time control. So won all other games, and his win in the fifth game was a real blitz chess masterpiece. He sacrificed a piece early and carried the pressure through to the endgame where his rook tied down Duda's forces. When Duda missed the chance to give the piece back and achieve balance in the rook endgame, So pushed his pawns forward on the kingside and Duda's extra knight could only spectate.

As the match advanced to 1|1, Duda was almost mathematically out of contention, but he did start well with a victory. After the two grandmasters exchanged a series of victories, Duda's consecutive wins in games five and six gave him the edge in the time control, and he ultimately won it 5-4. The most insane moment came when Duda hung his queen in the second game, but So missed the opportunity to take it!

In fact, the final game was declared a draw as after time ran out, the server temporarily went offline due to high traffic to play the newly released Beth Harmon bots. As this game did not affect the match outcome, the players agreed to adjudication of the game rather than wait for the match to be restored after a server restart.

All Games

The 2020 Speed Chess Championship Main Event is a knockout tournament among 16 of the best grandmasters in the world who will play for a $100,000 prize fund, double the amount of last year. The tournament will run November 1-December 13, 2020 on Chess.com. Each individual match will feature 90 minutes of 5+1 blitz, 60 minutes of 3+1 blitz, and 30 minutes of 1+1 bullet chess.

See also:

The rest is here:

So Defeats Duda With Incredible 3|1 Performance In Speed Chess - Chess.com

Last week Barry Martin, along with Patrick Hughes, one of the worlds top chess playing artists, asked me to identify the most significant happenings in the chess world over the past ten years. Barry and Patrick used to meet in the final of the Chelsea Arts Club Championship and Barry writes an excellent monthly column in Kensington, Westminster and Chelsea Today(KWC). The point of the question was to celebrate ten years ofKWCand ten years of Barrys column, many of which have been gathered together in the anthology,Chess, Problems, Play and Personalities(Filament Publishing).

Of those significant developments, which define the contemporary chess scene, I have already covered the phenomenon of the new Netflix chess-based TV series,Queens Gambit, in last weeks column. The combination of brilliance and beauty, exemplified in the persona of the chess champion heroine, Beth Harmon, has proved irresistible to record-breaking audiences around the world. Sales of chess sets alone, a key indicator of a new-found enthusiasm, have soared by 300 per cent since Beth first appeared on our screens.

A second vital element has been the creation of the AlphaZero chess-playing engine, with its amazing abilities, including an almost vertical learning curve, resulting in the strongest chess-playing entity the world has ever seen. The science has primarily been the work of Demis Hassabis, rewarded with the CBE for his efforts, and a $400 million sale to Google of his company, Deep Mind. The achievements of Demis, and the brilliantly paradoxical strategies and tactics of AlphaZero, were likewise already covered in my column Arise Sir Demis The games were contested against the most powerful available commercial chess programme, called Stockfish itself many times stronger than the IBM Deep Blue programme which defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997.

The 1993 World Title Challenger, the British Grandmaster Nigel Short,described the AlphaZero games as being of such beauty that he felt he was in the presence of God. Demis himself explained that his self-taught programme, which had already mastered the quasi-infinite complexities of the oriental games of Shogi (Japanese Chess) and Go, was the key to understanding intelligence.

This week I turn to the third most decisive development of the past ten years, the meteoric rise and lasting domination of the Norwegian World Chess Champion, Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen is the culmination of a line of champions which stretches back into the 18th century, yet he is also a uniquely talented representative of the modern era. Magnus has attained the highest ever chess rating ever recorded, outclassing even the mighty Garry Kasparov. Magnus wins virtually every competition which he enters, and has adapted seamlessly to the current coronavirus crisis, which has obliged chess to migrate online to a huge extent. Magnus has prudently avoided the damage to his reputation occasioned by suffering defeats against chess computers, a fate which overtook both Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik.Finally, Magnus has leveraged all the opportunities afforded by his title of World Chess Champion, adapting perfectly to the modern environment, even to the extent of floating his online chess company, Play Magnus, for $85 million dollars, while simultaneously earning a fortune as a trendy ambassador for the fashion line G-Star Raw, often appearing alongside Hollywood superstar, Liv Tyler.

The title of World Chess Champion dates to no later than 1886, when Wilhelm Steinitz defeated Johannes Zukertort in a gladiatorial contest, specifically designed to resolve the question of who was the strongest player in the world after Paul Morphys death in 1884, though Steinitz had claimed that status since 1866. Less clear is whether the great predecessors of Steinitz also merited that proud title. Part of the difficulty of authentication is lack of evidence of important contests and gaps in the record.

The story begins in the 18th century, when the French chess expertFranois-Andr Danican Philidorwon an important match in 1747 against the erudite Philip Stamma, translator of oriental languages to the court of King George II. Sadly, none of those games has survived. Following Philidor, who died in 1795, there comes a hiatus, until the brief flourishing of La Bourdonnais during the 1830s. After this, there is a further gap in the record until the 1840s, when French heir to the Philidor tradition, Saint-Amant, was overthrown in Paris, the epicentre of European chess life at that time, by the English champion Howard Staunton.

Fortunately, from Staunton onwards, there is a relatively unbroken line of succession, with each champion being dethroned by the next in line. The exceptions are the trinity of Morphy, Fischer (who simply downed tools), and Alekhine who died in office, thus permanently preserving their hallowed nimbus of invincibility.

Also worthy of mention are various champions who have won the FID title (FID is the International Chess Federation, the governing body of chess competitions), without gaining universal recognition from the global chess community. These include Max Euwe, Efim Bogolyubov, Vesselin Topalov and Viswanathan Anand. A common outcome is that such FID champions have gone on to contest matches against the universally recognised laureate, and in two such cases (Euwe and Anand) have emerged victorious to become undisputed champions themselves.

The most recent world championship match, staged in London 2018, was run entirely under the auspices of FID, the authority of which is now universally accepted under the reliable new Presidency of Russian Arkady Dvorkovich, and his English Vice President, Nigel Short.

The first great player who could be considered a World Champion was Philidor, whodominatedthe chess scene of his day. The term World Champion was not used when describing him, with commentators preferring to employ such metaphors as wielding the sceptre. There is also the problem that very few of Philidors games on level terms have survived, his reputation largely being constructed on his blindfold simultaneous displays, which so electrified London chess enthusiasts. Philidor was able to conduct three games blindfold at once, a feat that led to a letter of admonishment from the French encyclopaedist, Denis Diderot, warning Philidor that such exploits might lead to brain damage.

It is interesting to note that Philidor was the first great apostle of pawn power in chess. According to Philidor, pawns determined the structure of the game, they were in fact the soul of chess not mere cannon fodder, whose sole task was to make way for the power of the pieces. In this respect his chess teachings paralleled the rise of the masses embodied in the French Revolution of 1789.

France was the dominant chess nation at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries, and the next player after Philidorwho couldbe considered an early world champion was the 19th-century French master Louis-Charles Mah de La Bourdonnais. La Bourdonnais claim to fame rests primarily on his mammoth series of matches against Alexander McDonnell, contested in London in 1834. This represented the finest corpus of games ever created up to that time and numerous generations of chess devotees learned their basic chess strategies and tactics from these ingenious and well contested battles. Both protagonists appear to have become mentally exhausted by their efforts and died shortly after their epic series.

In the panoply of proto-champions, Howard Staunton, the Victorian polymath, Shakespearean scholar, and assiduous chronicler of the English schools system, is the only English player who could legitimately be considered as world champion. In a series of matches between 1843 and 1846, Staunton defeated the French master Pierre Charles Fournier de Saint-Amant, followed closely by victories against the German master Bernhard Horwitz and Daniel Harrwitz, originally from Poland. Stauntons match against Saint-Amant was the first contest at the highest level that closely resembled the template for modern World Championship competitions. The chess pieces in regular use for important competitions, including the2018 Londoncontest between Carlsen and his challenger, Fabiano Caruana, are named the Staunton pattern, after Howard Staunton.

The German master Adolf Anderssen seized the sceptre from Howard Staunton when he decisively defeated the English champion in the very first international tournament in London 1851. Anderssen was one of that select group, which includes Mikhail Botvinnik and Viswanathan Anand, who initially assumed the accolade of supreme chess master from a tournament rather than a match. The London event was in fact put together by Staunton, who thereby created a perfect pretext for losing out to Anderssen in their knockout match, it being notoriously difficult to compete in an event, whilst simultaneously organising it.

Anderssen can claim to be one of the supreme tacticians of all time. Three of his wins are of imperishable beauty. On their own they would justify anyones devotion to chess. They are his Immortal Game against Kieseritsky (played at Simpsons-in-the-Strand, not the tournament) of London, 1851; his Evergreen game against the pseudonymous Dufresne (in reality the German player E. S. Freund) of Berlin 1856, and his majestic sacrificial masterpiece against Zukertort of Breslau 1869.

Paul Morphy was the American meteor who took the world by storm over thetwo momentous, whirlwind years of 1857 and 1858. His grand tour of Europe culminated in a match victory against Adolf Anderssen, after which Morphy was universally acknowledged as the worlds greatest player. Thereafter Morphy issued a challenge to anyone in the world to take him on at odds (Morphy starting the game with a pawn handicap) but no one accepted. At this point the meteor had burnt itself out and Morphy, tragically, retired from chess, a curious forerunner of Bobby Fischers behaviour following his famous 1972 World Championship victory against Boris Spassky.

Morphy understood the principles of chess better than anyone who came before him. Anderssens tactical brilliance sprang like Athene from the head of Zeus, without necessarily having grown from regular organic pre-conditions. Morphy, on the other hand, constructed his positions along sound strategic and positional lines, before unleashing his devastating arsenal of tactical weaponry.On Morphys retirement, Anderssen resumed the position of world leadership which had belonged so fleetingly to the first great genius of American chess. Anderssen lost a match in 1866 toWilhelm Steinitz, the first player who could definitively be describedas an official World Champion. The previous wielders of the sceptre, Philidor, La Bourdonnais, Staunton, Anderssen and Morphy, were all, at the time, acknowledged as the leading chess practitioner of their day, but it is less clear that the title world champion had been universally accepted. Steinitz, on the other hand, insisted on this description and he himself dated his tenure from his 1866 match victory, also in London, against Anderssen. Steinitzs pre-eminence wasconfirmed 20 years later when he demolished Johannes Zukertort in their 1886 match in the US, which was specifically described as a World Championship contest.

Thus far I have described the early years of the World Championship and now I return to Magnus Carlsens defence of his title, which he has held since 2013. The 2018 Championship match in London was fought out between the Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, the highest ever rated chess grandmaster, and the previously unexpected challenger, Fabiano Caruana, who had been considered somewhat vulnerable and fragile.

Caruana originated from Italy but became an American citizen. With energy and vigour, he decimated his rivals amongthe top ten Grandmasters. In order toqualify,the winner had to exhibit strength, agility, power, alertness, incredible persistence, stamina, and the power of the will to win.From this shark pool, Fabiano became the number one contender, and number two ranked player in the world. Throughout all the complications of selecting the challenger to the World Chess Champion, the pairing was ideal: a battle between the two best in the world fighting for the world title.

The implication is thatchess at this exalted level is a sport, both mentalandphysical an appropriately termed Mind Sport. As the Championship was in process a wonderful flash of confirmatory news emerged from the media: Magnus Carlsen was nominated, in Norway, to win the Sports Personality of the Year. This Championship had emerged as a realBattle of the Titans. Magnus had now won four world title bouts, twice versus Anand and once each against Karjakin and Caruana. The latter two ended with the tie-breaks, at which Magnus excels. On this occasion, Magnus praised Fabiano, as being his most difficult opponent of the three.

Magnus has secured his tenure as World Champion until at least 2021. He will then have held the title for 8 years thus moves into an equal category of championship longevity with such greats as Capablanca, Petrosian, Kramnik and Anand, ahead of Euwe, Smyslov, Tal, Spassky and Fischer. Only Steinitz, Lasker, Alekhine, Botvinnik, Karpov and Kasparov held the title for significantly longer periods. In the modern world, where everything has speeded up, can Carlsen go on to outperform all these titans?

If his ambition had seemed to wane during the classical phase of the London contest, it certainly flared up, as Carlsens predator instincts flashed on for the tiebreak.Like the Terminator, Magnus would be back.In every boxing match and in every tennis set, each minute encapsulates a real battle. Every move in chess is the same. The draws were magnificent mini-battles in every one of the often 65+ moves over the duration of as much as six hours of non-stop sport. And then it came down to speed.Only in the speed play-off did Carlsen finally overcome the onslaught of Caruana, with the World Champion taking the accelerated shoot out by three wins to zero.

I have tried to distil the quintessential elements of Magnus success. Remember that, in Latin Magnus was a title meaning Great, as in Alexander Magnus (Alexander the Great), or Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great), Julius Caesars senatorial rival, as noted in ShakespearesJulius Caesar, Act I, Scene One:

You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things!

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome.

Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft

Have you climbd up to walks and battlements,

To towrs and windows, yea, to chimney tops,

Your infants in your arms, and there have sat

The live long day, with patient expectation.

To see Great Pompey pass the streets of Rome.

I have reduced the formula to seven memorable M principles for Magnus:

Motivation

Mobilisation

Momentum

Material

Masquerade

Massacre

Mate

And this weeks game exemplifies these key ingredients of a Magnus triumph. The game was the decisive win which clinched Magnus World Title defence against the former World Champion, The Tiger of Madras: Viswanathan Anand.

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Excerpt from:

The art of chess: a brief history of the World Championship - TheArticle