44th International Consumer Electronics Show 2012

January 20th, 2012

The International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) that took place in Las Vegas on January 10th – 13th opened with a record breaking number of exhibitors and proved to be yet another successful demonstration of innovation in the electronics industry. CES took up 1.861 million net square feet of exhibit space, more than 35 football fields according to host Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). The show is also known for its large number of attendees estimated at over 140,000 which is three times the number of slot machines on the Las Vegas Strip.

The show also brought with it a number of celebrities from professional sports, movies/television, and the music industry some were featured while others were interested attendees. Utah Channel 3 was able to meet some featured stars such as 50 Cent and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi but unfortunately missed such celebrities as Justin Bieber, Dennis Rodman, LL Cool J, and Wayne Brady. Some of our staff was able to grab a photo with Seth Green and see Nickelback perform at the AT&T Developer Summit in between events.

On the evening of Jan. 08, 2012, we attended CES Unveiled held at the Venetian to catch a glimpse of products being released in the show to come. There were many exhibitors with noteworthy products being released some of the honorable mentions are Fujitsu Limited, Parrot, and House of Marley. Fujitsu, which is based in Japan, does have some of its products reaching the United States such as computing products, hardware, and software. One product by Fujitsu which has high hopes of reaching the U.S. is their new line of water resistant mobile devices and tablets that can stay under water for half an hour in as deep as 1.5 meters of water without water damage. Fujitsu told us that since water damage is the number one cause of phone replacement they wanted to make a product that could meet this challenge. Ethan Mandel representative of Fujitsu stated that the company is “very unique in our technology” and are planning to launch their water resistant devices in the U.S. and are currently discussing this possibility with all of the top carriers.

Parrot released the AR Drone 2.0 at CES Unveiled that is a wirelessly controlled flying device that can be controlled through it’s built in Wi-Fi System and can link to various devices such as the iPhone, iPad and recently the Android. The flying device can also be controlled through its AR.Drone Navigation software by a joystick or from a Linux PC. The AR Drone can do several maneuvers including back flips and serves as a pricey high tech toy at the retail price of $299.00.

The House of Marley offers eco-friendly music products and is inspired after the late great music legend Bob Marley. Some of the products the company offers are in-ear, on-ear, and over-ear head phones as well as other audio products. Every bit of each product that can be made from recycled materials is made eco-friendly as part of their movement in honor of Bob Marley. The company’s “musical endeavors move and inspire the world for positive change” said International Vice President, Paul Harrison. As a partner with the 1 love organization the House of Marley strives to follow the mission to “do good in honor of Bob Marley’s vision of hope and unity” (1love.org). Not only is the message of the House of Marley and its eco-friendly products unmatched, their products are also anticipated to be at the same level of quality as many other similar products on the market today. UtahChannel3 hopes to test out some of their products soon.

Outside of CES Unveiled there were other noteworthy innovations that were showcased at CES 2012 like the Ngconnect Program, Green Onions Supply’s Oleophobic Screen Protector, Kopin’s Golden-i, Maker Bot Industries 3-D Printer, and much more. Ngconnect is a program that brings together an alliance of companies considered to be both the pioneering and global leaders of the next generation of ideas to form ground-breaking service concepts. Green Onions Supply has developed a Oleophobic Screen Protector that actually blocks oil from your face from smudging or leaving smear marks on the screen of your mobile device. This screen protector was tested by UtahChannel3 and it yielded amazing results.

Koplin has developed the first hands-free mobile computing headset called Golden-i that uses speech recognition to access any information on web in real-time high definition through Verizon Wireless 4G Network. Maker Bot Industries, founded in 2009, displayed their upgraded MakerBot StepStruder® MK7 which is able to print in 3-D an object the size of a loaf of bread. One of their demonstrations was of a MakerBot Moonbase Playset that included a rocket ship and many different 3-D printed toy astronauts. The MakerBot StepStruder® MK7 is currently out of stock but sells for a retail price of $1,099.00 on their online store.

OtterBox is known for the quality protection it provides for our electronic devices and this year at CES they brought with them their latest protective case series. However, a new special edition case is being released shortly bearing the LIVESTRONG Trademark of Lance Armstrong in an effort to raise money for RadioShack’s $6 million commitment to support LIVESTRONG and the fight against cancer. EX3D Eyewear allowed for UtahChannel3 to test out some of their 3-D Glasses and not only were they stylish but also very comfortable. Their patented [M] 3D curved lenses technology improves visual clarity without creating distortion of haze on their scratch-resistant lenses. The Wear-Overs Collection was particularly nice because it allowed for me to slide the glasses over my everyday glasses and fit very comfortably. So if you are sick of wearing movie theatre 3D glasses or want to play 3D games at home EX3D Eyewear is the way to go.

Agloves Touch Screen Gloves work on all touch screen devices, are warm and breathable, and work for all ten fingers with its real silver threading. This product was extremely accurate even when compared to other similar brands like Totes Isotoner which only allows the user to use their touch screen device with one or two fingers. It was a surprise at first to see one of the leading board game companies Days of Wonder at CES. Days of Wonder is especially known for such board games as Ticket to Ride, Memoir 44, and Small Word. They just recently released Ticket to Ride: India and the expansion board game Small World: Tunnels. Days of Wonder is currently working on increasing their already popular online gaming to various devices where lovers of their classic board games can now access them online.

Skunk Juice FG is the maker of the magnetic ear buds that allow up to 4 friends to connect and listen to one device. But their newest development is a head set that can perform multiple functions such as gaming, blue tooth, iPod, listening to music, working in a television or radio studio  instead of having to buy multiple head sets. This new head set will use the same magnetic technology and style as that of their ear buds and is said to be released as early as June 2012. There was much to see and we hope to present to you with more innovations in the world of consumer electronics when we attend the show next year.

By, James Thorne, Reporter II / Editor

Links to check out for yourself:

http://www.cesweb.org/

http://www.ce.org/

http://www.fujitsu.com

http://ardrone.parrot.com/parrot-ar-drone/usa/

http://www.thehouseofmarley.com/

http://www.1love.org/

http://www.ngconnect.org/

http://www.greenonionssupply.com/

http://www.mygoldeni.com/

http://www.makerbot.com/

http://www.otterbox.com/livestrong/livestrong,default,pg.html

http://ex3d.com/

http://www.agloves.com/

http://www.daysofwonder.com/en/

http://skunkjuiceearbuds.com/

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Golden-i by Koplin

January 19th, 2012

Koplin has developed the first hands-free mobile computing headset called Golden-i that uses speech recognition to access any information on web in real-time high definition. It can also control multiple networks and devices to collect and record information, images, and video. The headset has a built in display screen for streaming video and seeing images.

Verizon Wireless gave a demonstration at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to illustrate the practical application for golden-i in the public safety field using the Verizon Wireless network.  With Verizon’s network supporting the device the headset will have 4G connectivity and will allow for rapid communication with emergency first responders. For example, in the demonstration an Amber Alert was issued which immediately showed up on the headset display screen with a map of the location where the alert was issued so that information could be immediately given to the proper authorities.

A representative of Koplin Stephen Pombo, said it acts as a “hands free smart phone with a larger display”. Other applications for Golden-i include the field of logistics, the medical industry, private security, and in just about any other industry that is in need of information snatching. Currently there are about 200 Golden-i headsets being used and tested in the field using Verizon’s network and an increase in numbers is expected.

By, James Thorne, Reporter II / Editor

Links to check out for yourself:

http://www.mygoldeni.com/

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NG Connect Program

January 19th, 2012

Ngconnect is a program that brings together an alliance of companies considered to be both the pioneering and global leaders of the next generation of ideas. Once these inventive companies are brought together the Ngconnect Program then combines their technology and expertise to overcome potential hurdles and form ground-breaking service concepts that these companies can share.

One example of the Ngconnect program was Avatrainer which was created by bringing together the next-generation cloud-based service concepts from Alcatel-Lucent. The Avatrainer service uses Zephyr, [TC] 2, Kinect, and Ecast to create real time communication to the consumer and its avatar. This live, real time, avatar allows for the consumer to do various exercises and routines that are all recorded and stored along with the individuals vitals.

The Avatrainer can also be used anywhere the consumer has access to their cloud. Like the Avatrainer there are various products and services being developed by Ngconnect that are already available to market. The Avatrainer specifically is being considered for such markets as hotels, health care facilities, gyms, and other fitness arenas and made available to be pre-scanned by the consumer with something as simple as a room key or mobile device.

By, James Thorne, Reporter II / Editor

Links to check out for yourself:

www.ngconnect.org

www.alcatel-lucent.com

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Adult Entertainment Expo, New Time, New Place for 2012

December 12th, 2011

Yes it is that time again, and the 2012 Adult Entertainment Expo is just around the corner and your Channel 3 team will once again be starting the countdown to the Expo beginning with the Dec 12th Tech Talk hosted by Scott Kraft.  We will be showcasing our “Not Ready for Prime Time” photo review featuring prior year photos and highlight some of the teams funniest moments from the past.As we all rush to finish 2011 business and do all the last minute things we have been putting off all year, we have ONE BIG THING to look forward to.

AEE has long been the show to see and be seen. Industry greats gather to show off their newest and hottest stars, reveal their upcoming releases and celebrate their biggest achievements at the AVN Awards.

If you have not signed up to attend, do so now by visting http://show.adultentertainmentexpo.com/ and clear your calendars.

See you there!

Scott Kraft

Technology Producer, Host Tech Talk

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Information on SR14 Repairs and Winter Operations

October 20th, 2011

Information provided by Steven Robinson

This morning I spoke with UDOT District Engineer Jim McConnell about plans for snow removal and other winter operations on SR 14 while the highway remains impassable at milepost 8 due to the landslide.  UDOT authorities met on the snow removal question this a.m., and here is what Jim relayed to me:

1.  Restored access across the slide area is not anticipated until June 1, 2012.  UDOT is fast-tracking their contracting process to try and get a qualified contractor to begin work as soon as possible, but work probably will not begin until near the end of this year.

2.  IF, and this is a big IF, they can build a temporary road with a graveled surface across the slide area, and only if the contractor can continue to work on repairs as traffic moves across the slide area, they MAY open a temporary route sometime before June 1.  But the short answer remains – they do not anticipate having a new or repaired route open to the public until June 1.

3.  Snow removal will continue on SR 148 through Cedar Breaks for as long as possible, and the road will probably be open for longer then usual.  However, once winter really sets in and the continual big storms make the road impassable, it will remain closed for the rest of the winter.

4.  SR 14 will be plowed from Hwy 89 west as far as Webster Flat Rd for as long as possible to provide cabin owners and livestock owners access to Webster Flat.  However, once the big storms hit and it’s no longer feasible to keep it open, S.R. 14 will be closed WEST of NAVAJO LAKE ROAD.

5.  Snow removal will continue from Duck Creek to Navajo Lake Road, and a large turn-around will be plowed at the Navajo Lake Junction.  Parking for winter recreation will be kept open on the Navajo Lake Road up to the gate, near where the dumpsters are now.  Skiers/snowshoers wanting access to Deer Valley will have to trek up from the Navajo turnoff.

6.  Utah State Parks will groom S.R. 148 through Cedar Breaks down to S.R. 14, then they will groom to the east over the unplowed Highway 14 to Navajo.

7.  UDOT will make every effort to keep S.R. 143, between Brian Head and Mammoth Creek, open through the winter.  As usual, it will be daylight plowing, only, and if big storms and winds keep drifting it shut, it may be closed temporarily at times.  However, they won’t wait a week or two to get it opened up as they have in the past.  They’ll try to keep it open to a safe standard, except during and immediately after big snow storms.

8.  Garfield County will continue to remove snow from the Mammoth Creek Highway, from 143 to 14 at Duck Creek.

9.  To make up for the loss of the snowmobile trailer parking area at Midway, UDOT will plow more room for trailer parking at the Rattlesnake Creek trailhead area, and at the Meadow Lakes parking area on S.R. 143 east of Cedar Breaks where the dumpsters are now located.

10.  Parking for skiers and snowshoers will be provided at the North View Overlook parking lot within Cedar Breaks, and at the S.R. 143/148 junction about 1/2-mile south of there.  UDOT will plow a little further in past the 148 gate to accommodate more skier parking, but trailers will not be allowed at the 148 junction.  Snowmobile trailers may be allowed at the North View Overlook parking, but only if the NPS agrees to that.

So, it looks like the Deer Valley Non-Motorized Winter Recreation Area will be left out in the cold this winter.  Veronica, Sherryl, Jess, and I will talk about options for grooming those trails, and strategically locating equipment.  However, it is doubtful that the public will go to the effort required to get there, so probably not worth it.  We may also consider grooming some ski trails on another more accessible part of the District for this winter.  Stay tuned for a decision on that.  Sherryl – Please forward this message to the grooming volunteers from the Cedar Mtn Nordic Ski Club.

Other operators affected by the lack of winter access to Midway include UDOT, FAA, State Parks, and NPS.  All are making arrangements to move their equipment out of Midway and store it elsewhere for the winter.

Channel 3 will keep our viewers updated as more information comes in.

 

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Fibermesh Concrete Solutions by Propex

May 4th, 2011

Fibermesh Concrete Solutions by Propex

March 30, 2011

On Thursday, March 24, 2011, at ConExpo in Las Vegas, selected members of the press were given the opportunity to learn about an advancement in pervious concrete called PERC. This innovative product is an infiltration fabric that acts as a divider between the soil level and pervious concrete.

By placing this product down before laying pervious concrete you would be increasing the amount of water flow into the ground reducing clogged pores and runoff specifically in areas with soils that infiltrate less than a half inch per hour. The material is made from 100% recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) from soda bottles and is green in appearance.

This ready to use product will be sold directly to suppliers and available for purchase at 300 linear feet per roll. The developers of PERC also wanted to address that they do in fact “consider Canada to be a part of North America”.

By, James Thorne, Reporter II / Editor

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CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 Review

May 1st, 2011

CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 Review

March 30, 2011

The CONEXPO that took place in Las Vegas on March 22nd – 26th was a success for many in the worldwide construction market. With over 2,000 exhibitors showcasing the latest equipment, products, services, and technology, nearly all of the Hilton Hotel’s convention halls and parking lots were packed. With a convention so large there was a lot to see and here are some of our highlights.

A press conference was held for the innovative product PERC, which is an infiltration fabric for pervious concrete. The fabric acts as a divider between the soil level and the pervious concrete and reduces clogging into the pores of the concrete when in place. This allows for better water flow into the ground rather than forcing the water into runoff. The product will be available by suppliers soon (See more in our article on Fibermesh Concrete Solutions by Propex).

On the evening of Wednesday, March 23 Infotech Enterprises held an invite only networking reception in the Hilton’s North Hall VIP Lounge that included private cocktails, open bar, and appetizers. The who’s who of major engineering and construction organizations worldwide were on the guest list and also invited to enjoy a complimentary breakfast and lunch throughout the week. Some of the services that Infotech provides to their clients are engineering solutions, product development, lifestyle support, and specialized engineers to boost operational efficiency or capitalize on investment return.

Technicon Acoustics sound science which specializes in customized noise and vibration reduction was there introducing a variety of different applications. One application was for ambulances in reducing the noise of the siren inside the vehicle allowing communication between Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and patient to be less hindered. They had a demonstration of a sound proof box with their materials that completely drowned out the noise of a radio placed in the box.

Some other exhibitors worth mentioning were Clear Span Fabric Structures which does custom engineered temporary storage structures that are high quality and built to last. Also EarthCam was there after teaming up with Verizon Wireless to offer 24-7 surveillance on construction sites using Verizon’s network. There was much to see and we hope to give you more feedback when we attend the next CONEXPO that is said to be held in 2014.

By, James Thorne, Reporter II / Editor

Links to check out for yourself:

Fibermesh Concrete Solutions by Propex: www.fibermesh.com

InfoTech Enterprises: www.infotech-enterprises.com

Technicon Acoustics: www.techniconacoustics.com

Clear Span Fabric International: www.clearspan.com

Earth Cam: www.earthcam.net

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A Perfect Solution: A MyEdge Jacket and e-Luminator Touch Booklight Review

April 22nd, 2011

While perusing the endless aisles of CES this year I was more than excited when I happened upon the MyEdge booth displaying jacketMy Edges galore for the likes of the Nook, IPad 1 & 2, Kindle and other e-readers. After a quick talk with the Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations, Devon Mish, I knew this was a product that our viewers would love. Like many of our followers, I am a Nook user and have been since November of last year, and while I loved my Nook I was growing increasingly tired of the fact that the only jackets I could find to protect it were either expensive, cheaply made, or had horrible designs.

While my Nook is definitely a staple in my purse and daily excursions, I was growing increasingly tired of not being able to adequately protect its screen from the dangers of my purse and its population of pens, hairpins, etc. In fact, the weekend before CES I ventured into our local Barnes & Noble only to find that the only covers they had were poorly designed and cheaply made for a frustrating cost of between $40 and $50. I was so bummed that after spending a reasonable chunk of money on the product they were then going to charge me that much to protect it. I reluctantly gave up the search… until I happened upon the MyEdge Booth.

The MyEdge Jacket is a jacket for Nooks, Ipads, Kindles and other e-readers that come in a variety of colors, designs, fabrics, and heck, on some you can even design your own cover with homemade designs or your own pictures(!). For this review I chose the MyEdge Build Your Own Jacket and found that while the company and website has a few quirks to work out, it was definitely the answer to what I had been looking for.
Pros:

  • The MyEdge Design Your Own Jacket is extremely well made; the cotton exterior is extremely sturdy, as is the entire jacket and the stitching is flawless.
  • The inside fabric of the cover is extremely high quality for the price.
  • The MyEdge Design Your Own Jacket looks better than any other cover you could buy for the same amount.
  • Designing your own Nook or e-Reader jacket, even with the limitations mentioned below , is fun, unique and a huge bonus especially when compared with oMy Edge Design Own Nookther covers that are more expensive.
  • The price point is very reasonable, about $40.00 considering the high quality of the cover and that each cover is uniquely made with the design of your choosing.
  • The website offers a variety of pre-made patterns but you can also upload your own patterns or pictures and choose a pattern for the front and picture on the back or visa versa. Furthermore you can write whatever phrase you wish on your cover and choose from a variety of fonts and sizes to display it in. You can even choose between brown and black for your spine color.
  • The website is very user-friendly, easy to understand and effective.
  • The website’s preview of what your custom MyEdge jacket will look like is spot on.
  • Pictures put on the cover come out clear and crisp.
  • This MyEdge Jacket not only protects your Nook while in a purse or backpack but it will also protect your Nook or e-Reader if you happen to drop it on the ground with its amazing and lightweight padding.
  • Although a con is its weight, the MyEdge Jacket is still completely portable and personally, I’d rather have more protection for my Nook, with a little bit more weight than carry it around unprotected and have it be lighter.
  • My Nook hasn’t gotten another scratch on it since I began using this cover, so it more than does its job.

Cons:

  • I assumed when I had first talked with MyEdge that the Design Your Own Jacket could come in a variety of orientations (for lack of a better word) with some flipping open with a stand or opening like a book. However, with the Design Your Own Jacket version of their jackets you can only choose the orientation that opens like a book.
  • Also, the Design Your Own Jacket can only be printed on a cotton cover fabric, which wasn’t a con for us at all, but may be for some of our followers.
  • The website to design your cover is it its early stages of development and running which means that it is a little bit slow at times. It also has a tendency to crash when uploading multiple images or photos of your own to test before choosing your final design, so when I designed my cover I needed to restart the process a few times before I picked the perfect design and everything went smoothly (although I have no doubt in my mind this is something MyEdge will correct once their website has had more experience and they fix all of its bugs).
  • You have to be careful what designs and images you can put on your cover since copyrighted images will not fly. While this is completely understandable, it does limit the designing process to either patterns MyEdge has created for your use, your own unique patterns or your own images or photos that do not have any issues with copyright.
  • While the MyEdge Cover is pretty lightweight itself, when combined with the Nook it does weigh about 1 lb 2 oz. Meaning that while it definitely is portable I find myself leaving it home if I know I won’t use it as opposed to carrying it around everywhere before just because it really wasn’t much of a bother, weight wise.
  • While the MyEdge Design Your Own Jacket does have a slot to hold the e-Luminator light, it sits outside of the Jacket and does not get full coverage from the jacket like your Nook or e-Reader would leaving it subject to injury by random things inside or outside of a backpack or purse.
  • Finally, while I have no problem with my MyEdge cover protecting my Nook and staying closed, it does not have a clasp on the Design Your Own version, meaning that while in my purse it is possible for items to slip in between the cover and the Nook and still do some harm (something I assume, also that they will fix in the future).

Despite its cons, which I admit were a bit nit-picky on my part, this Jacket was everything I had been looking for in a cover for my Nook, and more. I strongly recommend it to anyone looking for a cover for their Nook, Kindle, iPad, or e-Reader because it is by far the best product you will find on the market for covering and protecting your choice of e-Reader.

In addition to the MyEdge Design Your Own Jacket, we also reviewed and tested the e-Luminator Touch Booklight. One of my favorites about the Nook is the fact that it reads exactly like a book, meaning it’s not back-lit and won’t hurt your eyes after prolonged reading, however, this also means that you cannot read a Nook without light. The e-Luminator Touch Booklight is the perfect solution to this issue.

The Pros:

  • The e-Luminator Touch Booklight is extremely lightweight and does not add any additional weight when using it in conjunction with the MyEdge cover. In fact it only weighs about one ounce.
  • It has a plastic insert which makes it compatible with any of the MyEdge covers as well as regular books. The plastic insert is also very sturdy, meaning that it stays in its place once positioned.
  • It it extremely flexible and can provide light in practically 360 degrees making it easy to illuminate your Nook or other e-Reader without having to deal with a glare from the light.
  • It has three levels of light to choose from, all of which provide excellent illumination to your e-Reading device or book. I have even tried it in complete darkness and this light provides enough illumination to read your e-reader or book without hurting your eyes.
  • It is touch activated which makes it easy to choose between the three levels of light and turn on or off.
  • In the case it is activated accidentally, it does begin to flash within 20 or so minutes of use and will shut off automatically if you don’t tap it again.
  • Although it is extremely flexible, it is very sturdy and will very likely hold its own against any other items it might find in your purse or backpack.
  • It has very efficient battery life.
  • It takes a single AAA battery so once the battery dies it is easy and extremely affordable to get a replacement battery, chances are you already have one lone AAA around your house (I know I do!).
  • Even though it is a little pricey for a booklight (around $20.00), this is the only booklight you will ever need/want after you try it out. It is great for e-Readers or books and provides the perfect amount of light no matter which environment you happen to find yourself in.

The Cons:

  • Since it is a touch booklight (meaning it is turned on and off by the touch of your finger) and the MyEdge Design Your Own Jacket does not adequately cover it, there is a tendency for it to turn on while in your bag or purse (although it does not remain on for long as it has an automatic shut-off in case it was accidentally turned on).

Overall, the e-Luminator Touch Booklight and MyEdge Jacket is outstanding and we feel is priced competitively. The e-Luminator Touch Booklight makes a great addition to any MyEdge cover and even works great when used as regular book light.  The MyEdge Jacket is impressively durable and more than adequately offers protection while giving your nook a stylish personal touch.  In fact, we were so impressed with MyEdge products, we are excited to see what they will develop next for those of us looking to protect and equip our e-Reading devices!

With much satisfaction,

Sharon Sternberg, M.S.
General Assignment Editor
Utah Channel 3

For those who use e-reading devices other than Nook(Color & Regular), Kindle(DX, 1st, 2nd, & latest generation), or the i-Pad(1&2), you will be happy to know that MyEdge also carries a vast variety of covers and products for the following items: Kobo, Sonny Pocket, Sony Touch, Sony Daily, Sony PRS-700, and the IREX DR800. Check out their website and products at: http://www.medgestore.com

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NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO WEST

April 4th, 2011

NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO WEST

11-13 March 18, 2011

ANAHEIM CONVENTION CENTER

This was an awesome Expo that took us by surprise.  After reporting on more than 20 Conventions and Expos during our year in Las Vegas this was unusual.  The exhibit floor was huge and there was absolutely no way that we could cover the 3-4 exhibit floors on a one day visit.  We zeroed in on certain interest that we felt would have the most appeal to our particular audience of Seniors and women.

In recent years flour has been transformed from just picking up a 5 lb. bag of flour at Wal-Mart or other grocery stores and selecting the one with the lowest price to choosing special flours for special breads, rolls, cakes and so on.  There has been a resurgence of milling companies to bring back the flours used in ancient time.  One such product (and there are many others) is Kamut flour.  I have enjoyed experimenting with it replacing one to two cups of regular flour with the Kamut.  Other flours, such as Garbanzo, Rice, and Durum are just a small sampling one can bake with today.  Some of the major players in this field had booths at the show:  Heartland Mill, Central Milling, Montana Flour & Grain and, of course, King Arthur Flour.  A few are giving classes on their site for those interested in perfecting their skills.  The staff running these classes often has Master Bakers in charge.  That classification is harder to get, and takes longer, than a Master’s and PhD. Together.  The people manning the booths were quite willing to give a helping hand.  A true major player is Bob’s Red Mill with perhaps the broadest selection of flour, grains and related products and in sizes best suited for home bakers.  We even had the pleasure of meeting Bob.  He looks great at 82 and while the company is now employee owned he still keeps his hands in.

We had to be pried away from the Theo Chocolate booth.  Their broad range of chocolate ranging from 92% to “regular” chocolate was awesome.

As the first and only organic and Fair Trade chocolate factory in the country

This company has set the Gold Standard for production of chocolate.  We shall do our best to become much more familiar with their broad range of products.  It is well worth the time to visit their website:  www.theochocolate.com.  As the reader can tell, we are confirmed Chocoholics.  Another company where we loved sampling the product is  Kopali.  Their range of chocolate products – dark chocolate and fruit treats – offered many taste treats!

We are familiar with Pacific Natural Foods and their wonderful line of soups.  We learned even more about how this product is made.  It is quite impressive!  We have all read and heard about the advantages of Organic Sweeteners and the  www.organicsugars.biz provides a much broader range of flavors than we anticipated.  Of course, at a Natural Products show organic was the major word — along with green whenever appropriate.

Amy’s is a major player in the natural and organic food field and their big booth gave us a chance to see the broad range of products available from this company.  They provided an opportunity to taste many of the products and while we did not linger as long as at the chocolate booth we did avail ourselves of the offerings.

While our son was in the Air Force we sent quite a bit of Beef Jerky to him.  At that time we were unaware that this product was available as a natural food without the additions of artificial stuff.  Golden Valley Natural has a broad line of Jerky and we brought a few samples for our son to sample.

Hugo Naturals has a broad line of natural products ranging from     lip balm to skin care.  Great Northern Maple line of products was impressive.  Even more impressive is their claim that most of the maple products come from Canada.  We had always assumed they came from Vermont.  The broad range of flavors was intriguing and we only wished there had been a way to sample them.

Unfortunately, we did not have time or energy to visit all of the booths.  We are certain that we missed out many great companies and for that we are sorry.  We owe a big vote of thanks to the staff that engineered this awesome show!  Our hat is off to them!

Perhaps next year we can cover a broader field.

John Lustig, Senior Reporter

Anne Leona, Reporter

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THE MISADVENTURES OF A VISA CREDIT CARD

April 1st, 2011

THE MISADVENTURES OF A VISA CREDIT CARD

I HAVE LEARNED THAT MANY PEOPLE DO NOT WISH TO READ THE WHOLE STORY SO HERE IS THE IMPORTANT PART:

The MORAL of this story is twofold:  Be very careful with charges on YOUR credit card and monitor often.  Check with one of the Credit Bureaus (other businesses aside from the Auto Club offer free service) monthly.  The other fold is to push legislation that would stop this abuse. A simple letter in March of 2010 to me from the card company would have cleared up this entire matter.

It all began with a fire in our condominium building on 14 January 2010.  The entire building was shut down for repair for one year!  We relocated to Las Vegas to a condo owned by the family.  One of our major duties before leaving was notifying our Post Office and Mailman of our change of address.

In early March 2010 Anne and I visited an outlet mall in Las Vegas and found, on sale, two jackets for our two year old granddaughter.  We brought them to check out and were told that if we applied for a Gap credit card we would receive a discount.  That sounded good — and we did.  Daughter and granddaughter liked the jackets.

A month passed and neither a credit card nor a bill for the purchase arrived.  I got on the internet and e-mailed The Gap to see what happened. A month later I did the same.  I never received a reply.  Then as other crises developed, that issue fell into the back of my memory bank.

As a member of the Auto Club of Southern California I receive updates from Experian every month.  On the last update there was an amount of $ 118.00 listed as being owed to GE Money Bank for purchases made at The Gap.  I immediately called HQ for the Gap and was advised, after two transfers that they could do nothing.  The Gap contracts with GE Money Bank to handle all their credit business.  I would have to call that company as The Gap has no access to any of that information.  Despite finding that hard (if not impossible) to believe, I called GE Money Bank.  At the end of almost three hours of explanation to three levels of management the following was explained:  they would issue a $35 credit if payment was made via telephone using my checking account information. I could have used Master Card or Visa debit but had neither of those cards. I declined that offer of providing checking account information as quickly as possible.

I then wrote a letter to the Chairman of The Gap.  Three days later I received a phone call from a representative of GE Money Bank.  This lady, (Kathy by name) offered to correct this matter by:

a)     Sending me a copy of the original bill of $23.77;

b)    A statement showing that amount of $23.77;

c)     A letter explaining what happened and clearing the whole matter up.

Since the letter would not arrive for a few days she explained:

The credit card was mailed to the condo in the building that had the fire.  They do not authorize the forwarding of credit cards to new addresses.  When the credit card came back to GE Money Bank they cancelled the sending out of bills.  Obviously, it must be to their advantage to have these credit card payments accrue interest at the well over 22% rate.  I never received a letter informing me what was going on.  A letter would have been forwarded.

This adventure, not over yet, took hours of time with The Gap and GE and a letter to the Chairman of Gap.

While awaiting this promised letter from Kathy, I received a notice from GE Money Bank that my bill would be sent to Collection within 30 days if the bill was not challenged or not replied to.  Of course, this caused another phone call to Kathy who said forget the whole thing; wires were crossed.  Of course, I now have no faith in that statement.  Trust has been lost completely!

Now, go to the top of the page and read the MORAL again!

John Lustig, Senior Reporter

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