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It’s time for your Daily Hit of cannabis financial news for September 18, 2018.
On The Site
KushCo Holdings, Inc. (KSHB) formerly known as Kush Bottles said that it is expecting to report a 171% increase in annual revenue to over $51 million for the fiscal year ended August 31st, 2018. The stock popped over 8% to lately trade at $5.23 on the news.
The news wasn’t all good. KushCo gave the market a heads up on a balance sheet hit. The company said that it expects to take a $1.8 million inventory adjustment charge resulting largely from opening multiple new distribution centers and its lack of a global warehouse management system. KushCo said that the situation would be addressed with software solutions being evaluated for implementation in the first half of the 2019 fiscal year.
The company experienced significant growth and blamed the problems on “growing pains.” KushCo opened several new distribution centers including Worcester, Massachusetts and Las Vegas, Nevada.
The news that soda giant Coca-Cola (KO) could be considering an investment or partnership with Aurora Cannabis (ACBFF) rocked the cannabis industry. First, because Coke is the king of beverages and secondly because cannabis is been so taboo in the consumer products industry.
“Consumer research shows Coca-Cola’s interest in marijuana is well-founded,” said Jeff Stein, Vice President at Consumer Research Around Cannabis (CRAC), a U.S. consumer company that specializes in researching the general consumer market and more recently, targeting cannabis consumers. “Soft drink users are more inclined to cannabis use than the general market according to our ongoing studies,” he said. CRAC said that the more a person drinks soda, the more likely they are to purchase cannabis.
In Other News
Tilray Inc. (TLRY) announced that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has granted the company approval to import a cannabinoid study drug into the United States from Canada for a clinical trial at the University of California San Diego Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research examining its safety, tolerability, and efficacy for Essential Tremor.
Tilray is providing a cannabinoid formulation for the trial in capsule form, which will allow researchers to test an investigational drug product containing two active ingredients extracted from the cannabis plant, cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Sunniva Inc (SNNVF) entered into an agreement with Beacon Securities Limited and Canaccord Genuity Corp. to purchase, on a bought deal basis, 1,900,000 units in the capital of the Company at a price of $5.27 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $10,013,000. (All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated). Each Unit shall consist of one common share in the capital of the Company and one-half (1/2) of one common share purchase warrant of the Company. Each whole Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price per Common Share of $6.85 for a period of 24 months from the Closing Date on or about October 10, 2018.
Elixinol Global Limited
Elixinol Global Limited, known as EXL, (ELLXF) commenced trading on the “OTCQX Best Market” in the United States under the symbol “ELLXF,” as of September 18, 2018. The OTCQX listing will operate in parallel to the Company’s ASX listing where Elixinol Global trades under ticker code EXL.
EXL’s half-yearly report issued in August 2018, the company posted strong revenue growth and a maiden profit for the group, driven considerably by Colorado-based industrial hemp division, Elixinol. Elixinol’s increased sales were lead by cannabidiol (CBD) private label sales with e-commerce, mid-market and bulk sales also showing a strong performance. EXL was the only ASX-listed company in this sector to post a profit.
Emblem Corp. (EMMBF) along with Canntab Therapeutics Limited announced that they have achieved a milestone with regards to the development of a patent-pending oral extended release formulation for cannabinoids. Dissolution testing conducted by Emblem and Canntab’s research and development teams indicated that the Extended Release Tablets released cannabinoids consistently over a 12-hour period. Given these positive test results, Canntab will now begin manufacturing pivotal batches of the Product at Emblem’s Paris, Ontario facility, and tablets from these batches will proceed to clinical testing.
NUGL Inc. (NUGL) announced its joint venture marketing agreement with Nichols Publishing Company, the publishers of Garden & Greenhouse and Professional Marijuana Grower magazines that will expand the reach of NUGL’s user-friendly cannabis and indoor gardening search app as it becomes the industry’s go-to-app for unbiased client reviews, retail shop and dispensary listings, locations of favorite cannabis brands and in-depth company profiles.
Green Hygienics Holdings Inc.
Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (GRYN) announced its strategic acquisition of the Canna Brands Portfolio. Cannagram, which will be rebranded Cannagram Services, is a flagship platform that establishes the company as a trusted partner while extending brand awareness and cross-portfolio resources. Myijuana is a destination portal comprised of news, reviews, e-commerce and dynamic content curation. The CoursePro Academy was originally created to enable a variety of subject matter experts to create, publish, manage and sell their courses on one system.


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The Toro Co. said Friday it has bought Astec Underground Inc.'s plow, trencher and horizontal directional drills business.
Terms of the deal were not released.
Bloomington-based Toro (NYSE: TTC) said in a news release that the products are typically used by telecommunications companies, utilities, and landscape and irrigation contractors.
The purchase does not include Astec's Trencor product line.
"The underground utilities space represents a market in which we don’t compete today, but one we believe provides great opportunity to drive global share growth in these new categories," Rick Rodier, general manager of Toro's Sitework Systems Business, said in a statement.
Astec Underground is owned by Astec Industries Inc. (Nasdaq: ASTE) and is based in Chattanooga, Tenn. The products Toro is buying are made in Loudon, Tenn.
Astec also makes specialized equipment for asphalt road building and wood processing.
>Click here to read the company's news release.

domain: news


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Up until now marijuana stocks have been thought risky. But a tide change has occurred, evident in the 1,000 attendees at Marijuana Investor Summit in Denver last April.
Homepage will have the complete information about the gummies and the cannabis products. The learning about the products is essential to have the desired experience. The picking of the correct gummies is through the skills and intelligence of the people.
Startups used to have to beg for money and approach hundreds of investors to capitalize their operation. But entrepreneurs with the right background and a solid business plan say they were approached at the summit unsolicited with donors looking to get in on what is increasingly becoming a wise investment. Lots of ancillary businesses too made their presence known offering a variety of services such as security, consulting, accounting and recruiting.
The development of an entire new industry comes in three phases. First the product itself is developed. Then ancillary businesses rise up around the product and finally infrastructure offering other important services arrives on the scene. Industry insiders say marijuana is quickly growing up and is now moving on to the third and final stage.
Almost half the states in the nation have legalized medical marijuana. Four states and D.C. currently have recreational marijuana and about six more will consider legalization over the next election cycle. What’s more, there are bipartisan bills snaking their way through Congress that aim at restricting the federal government’s ability to intercede in states where medical marijuana is legal.
The ArchView Group is a cannabis-based data and investment firm out of San Francisco. According to their CEO Troy Dayton, legal marijuana spells a massive market that is only expected to grow bigger and more rapidly. ArchView claims 470 investors onboard and 54 companies in their portfolio. 300 cannabis-based publicly traded companies exist today. To be fair not all are legitimate. Four or five has been listed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as pump-and-dump operations. But tech guru and billionaire Peter Thiel legitimized marijuana investment earlier this year by launching Founder’s Fund, his own cannabis investment firm.
Since then institutional investors have started to warm up to pot stocks. Getting a company started isn’t easy. But it’s becoming more and more so. That and the maturing of the industry spell good news for investors.


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Google Photos has got some major updates to enhance the user experience. The changes in terms of appearance and features are simple yet significant and will be rolled out for iOS and Android in next week. The 5-year-old app has introduced a Map View so that users can explore the photos & videos that have been taken by location. Other updates Google Photos has brought in is the redesign to let users explore their photos more easily. The updated app icon and a new carousel of memories for users to reminisce old times.
In terms of appearance, Google Photos have three major components and work in a three-tab structure that will have larger thumbnails, auto-playing videos, and less white space between photos. The Search bar has become more prominent in the new design since its placement has been made up, front & centre. Users can access libraries and their components like archives, favourites, trash and albums.
David Lieb, product lead for Google Photos in a Google blog said, “A lot of people really love the product and the reason they love it is a little bit different than what we initially designed it for. The thing they really love it for is this idea of nostalgia, and reminiscing, and looking back on your photos. So in this redesign, we decided to really lean into that. We think in the long run, that is the unique, durable value of Google Photos.”
Map view: Google Photos will let users view photos on interactive maps according to the location in which they were taken. Interactive maps have been the most requested feature, according to Google and now it is rolling out. “You can pinch and zoom around the globe to explore photos of your travels, see where you’ve taken the most photos around your hometown, or find that one photo from somewhere on your road trip across the country,” Lieb noted. Users must note that for the map view to work, the device camera and Location History have to be enabled. Users can also manually add locations and disable location in the settings in case they do not want Google Photos to keep track of their location history.
Memories: The updated version of Google Photos will open a tab of memories or old photos much like the stories on Instagram but exclusively for the user. The feature was introduced last year and has more than 120 million monthly users according to Google. The redesign has added more types of Memories. Google Photos will highlight the best pictures of friends and family over the years, trips, and even just the highlights from the past week. Google Photos has also moved collages, animations, stylized photos, and more–from the “For you” tab into memories. Users can hide memories they do not want to revisit or hide.
New icon: Google originally had a pinwheel icon which was designed the way it is to remind users of their childhood nostalgia. The icon has now been updated and gone a little blunt around the edges keeping a similar design


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Brazil: JBS sells business in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay
JBS SA, the world’s largest meat producer, has announced the agreement to sell its meat operations in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to Brazilian competitor Minerva SA for $300 million.
According to Minerva, $280 million will be paid in cash at the closing of the transaction, which is expected to be in July, whilst the remaining amount will be paid after the conclusion of due diligence.
Minerva acquired five plants from JBS in Argentina, four of which were closed due to a revenue drop and issues with the export quotas that were imposed, those plants will remain closed until the market sees an improvement, according to Minerva.
After the announcement of the transaction, Minerva increased its net revenue in R$ 1,4 billion ($0.4 billion). With this transaction, Minerva’s common shares rose nearly 5% and JBS rose 8%.


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Global smartphone sales will drop to their lowest level in a decade. Will the falling tide scuttle all companies in the business? Given Apple’s share of this market, investors ought to be concerned. (Customers are abandoning these 25 brands.)
Highly regarded research firm Counterpoint recently released a paper titled “2023 Global Smartphone Shipments to Hit Decade Low As Apple Inches Closer to Top Spot.” But will that top spot allow Apple iPhone sales to jump as it releases the iPhone 15?
The study shows global smartphone shipments will decline 6% from last year to 1.15 billion. Asia and North American activity are the culprits, as are “economic headwinds.” For these reasons, “consumers are hesitant to upgrade their devices, pushing replacement rates for the US and globally to record highs.” The iPhone 15 is the next upgrade in Apple’s annual cycle of iPhone releases.
The iPhone 15 should make sales of the smartphone surge, as has been true every year for a decade. The iPhone has turned Apple into a behemoth with the most cash-rich balance sheet in the world and a market cap of about $3 trillion, which is also the largest.
iPhone sales struggled in Apple’s most recently reported quarter. Revenue from iPhone sales dropped to $39.7 billion from $40.7 billion in the same quarter a year ago. Apple’s overall revenue dropped from $83.0 billion to $81.8 billion. The reason the numbers were not worse was Apple’s surging Services revenue. This rose to $21.2 billion from $19.0 billion.
The worry about Apple’s upgrade cycle is whether a new iPhone is enough of an improvement over the current one to bring in buyers. Apple will know that in a month or so.
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Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.


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Thursday 14th August 2014
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New Zealand retail sales rose more than expected in the second quarter, as vehicle sales increased at the fastest pace in two years.
The volume of retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 1.2 percent in the three months through June, from an upwardly revised 0.8 percent in the first quarter, according to Statistics New Zealand. That’s more than the 1 percent expected in a Reuters poll of economists. Actual sales were up 3.8 percent in value from the same quarter a year earlier, better than the 3.4 percent estimate in the Reuters survey.
Retail sales are increasing amid upbeat consumer confidence in an expanding economy. The Reserve Bank last month said the economy is expected to grow at an annual average rate of 3.7 percent this year, from a 2.9 percent pace in 2013. The New Zealand dollar climbed to 84.85 US cents from 84.62 cents immediately before the numbers were released.
“The motor vehicle and parts retailing industry has driven this quarter’s increase in both sales volumes and values, recording their largest increases in two years,” Statistics New Zealand business indicators manager Neil Kelly said.
Eleven of the 15 industries had higher sales volumes in the second quarter. Motor vehicle and parts retailing recorded the largest volume increase, up 3.6 percent, as the sales value gained 2.9 percent and prices fell 0.7 percent, the agency said.
Other industries which posted large volume gains in the quarter included accommodation, up 6 percent, electrical and electronic goods retailing up 2.9 percent and food and beverage sales up 2.7 percent, Statistics NZ said.
The industries with the largest falls in the quarter were fuel, down 3.3 percent, and clothing, footwear and accessories retailing, down 2.2 percent, the agency said.
Excluding fuel and vehicle related spending, core retail sale volumes in the second quarter rose a seasonally adjusted 1.2 percent, following a 1 percent rise in the first quarter.
Sales of motor vehicles, parts and fuel aren’t currently seasonally adjusted although the statistics agency said it may provide figures on this basis from the third quarter.
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After years of clear decline in music sales, there seems to be new hope for record companies in the form of streaming services such as Pandora, Spotify and iTunes Radio. Preferred formats for recorded music have changed throughout the years from records, to CDs, and then digital downloads. However, in recent history many people, including most Americans, have ceased paying for music altogether, causing an unprecedented decline in revenue for the music industry.
Now, for the first time since the decline began in the early 2000s, there seems to be a glimmer of hope in the form of subscription streaming services. Both online radio versions, such as Pandora and iTunes Radio and services such as Spotify and Deezer pay record labels a fraction of a penny each time a song is chosen.
A close look at music labels’ worldwide revenues show that streaming services are beginning to show profits for labels in regions that had been showing steady declines. Perhaps more exciting, these streaming services are beginning to show profits in sectors that had rarely seen any before. The Economist sites a Swedish record label that has begun showing profits from its music streamed in Brazil and many indie labels that are having far more sales than would have been possible with physical media.
And record execs are not the only ones to take notice. As upgrades in cell phone service, cloud storage and other technological advancements have begun to popularize paid streaming, investments in these services of more than $1 billion have begun to pour in. Currently 4-5% of US music consumers are using paid streaming services. If this grows to only 10%, we can expect game changing profits for record companies once again.


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By Susan Lulgjuraj | Beckett Sports Card Monthly Editor
If the first story of the Martian invasion wasn’t enough, fans of Mars Attacks should get ready for another.
Topps is producing a new set of trading cards Mars Attacks: Invasion, due out in October, the company announced on Monday.
This new set comes on the heels of the successful launch of last year’s remake of the original Mars Attacks, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the iconic card set.
“Last year’s Heritage re-issue was a smash hit with fans,” said Topps’ Adam Levine, who has overseen the recent resurgence of Mars Attacks, “and this brand-new series is what we’ve been building to. It will be a fresh re-imagining of the original series and will stay faithful to Mars Attacks pulpy, classic sci-fi roots. This means all-new, traditionally hand-painted cards illustrated by a group of artists carefully selected to carry forward creator Norm Saunders’ legacy.”
The 63-card story will be divided into themed subsets where different artists such as Earl Norem, Joe Jusko, Ed Repka, Glen Orbik and Gregory Staples will depict the harrowing tale.
While Topps hasn’t given specific details of the set, it did announce collectors would get a chance to find original cards from 1962 set inserted randomly into packs.
Stay tuned to Beckett.com as more information becomes available on Mars Attacks: Invasion.


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Yet another wireless carrier in the United States started to deliver the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich software update to its Galaxy S II users, namely AT&T.
Users are already receiving the update on their Samsung devices, but they are enjoying only the Android 4.0.3 flavor
of the new OS, and not the Android 4.0.4, as expected.
As usual, the update is being pushed to Galaxy S II owners through the Samsung Kies software, which means that people will have to connect the handset to a desktop computer to receive it.
The software will automatically find and download the new OS as soon as the phone is plugged in, and the process will take about 10 minutes, a post
on Android Central forums reads.
Galaxy S II users on T-Mobile’s network also received Ice Cream Sandwich, which leaves Sprint the only carrier that hasn’t delivered it to its Epic 4G Touch.


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The best time to see Milan is in the summer. The roads are clear, the autostrada leading from the Swiss Border Chiasso to Milan is a sheer delight, most of the wild lorry drivers seem to be on holiday, the brutal traffic jams at the intersections are gone, parking in Milan is no longer a problem, hotels are affordable, and most important, Milan is – and feels – safe.
With summer sales starting on August 1, 2020, Milan will be a metropolis witnessing record low summer sales. Saldis (sales) are offering discounts of up to 80%, and shoppers will get the best bargains seen in decades, insiders are saying.
With the total closure of shops hitting the spring and summer sales and leaving designers in limbo, Milan is counting on an uplift of business in August.
Shop until you drop
The Four Seasons Hotel, which was a former convent and has a beautiful garden – a real luxury – is located right in the heart of the Milan’s designer district and it re-opened its doors to guests on July 1. It was on one of the first hotels to reopen in Milan. General Manager, Andrea Obertello, is delighted that after many months of closure the hotel is running at 20% occupancy, which is more than what Rome is currently experiencing.
It was quite the drama starting right in the middle of Milan’s moda and the most glamorous fashion shows on February 23 when hotel occupancy suddenly plummeted from 90% to zero in one only day. The hotel lobby was full of trunks, countless suitcases, and luggage while taxis were queueing outside on very narrow Via Jesu to bring fleeing designers, buyers, fashion guests, and fashion gurus to the airport, GM Andrea Obertello recalls. This was all taking place only 2 days after the first COVID-19 case had emerged in Province of Lodi, 60 m south of Milan.
Italy was the first European nation to be engulfed by the coronavirus. But as the prospect of another lockdown looms, the country has managed to avoid a resurgence of infections. This is thanks to good surveillance and contact tracing, as well as most of the population diligently following safety rules with many people wearing face masks outside even though it is not mandatory.
On May 4, when Italy began easing lockdown restrictions, more than 1,200 new cases were reported in a single day. Since July 1, the daily increase has been relatively static, reaching a high of 306 on July 23 and falling to 181 on July 28. Some coronavirus clusters that have emerged across the country have mostly been due to infections imported from abroad.
The situation beyond Italy’s borders was one of the reasons why Italy’s Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, on Tuesday extended the country’s state of emergency until October 15 despite a significant fall in the infection rate.
What does it mean?
The 3-month extension of the state of emergency until October 15 was inevitable said Conte on Tuesday, because the virus is still circulating. The Senate has given the okay to a key measure for the executive given the many issues that the government intends to address with special powers. These include using ships to quarantine foreigners, prolonging smart working for public and private employees, reopening of schools, the purchase of protective equipment and materials to ensure reopening, organization of local elections and referendums, and new rules for the return of fans in stadiums and fans to concerts.
Also included is the blockade of flights from countries considered to be at high risk of the contagion with an obligation to quarantine – including Italians – for those arriving from states deemed at risk.
Italy has banned arrivals from 16 countries deemed high-risk, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Kuwait, and since last week has required people returning from Romania and Bulgaria to quarantine for 14 days. The quarantine rule is already in place for non-EU and non-Schengen countries.
This all could change with numbers spiking in Germany and Spain, as Italian newspapers are reporting, assuming this could mean that both EU countries could be the next “focolaio” (hotspot).
This copyright material, including photos, may not be used without written permission from the author and from eTN.


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According to a report from Autocar UK, Renault and Mercedes are teaming up to design a new, modular small car platform that will form the basis for a new Smart Car, a new Renault City car and the upcoming Renault Twizy EV. In addition, the two companies are jointly developing new engine platforms to power these vehicles—well, the gas versions anyway.
Reportedly the platform is designed for a rear-engined, rear-drive set up and is already under development. The first car to see it put into use will be the 2013 Smart ForTwo and it will be extended to the Smart ForFour in 2014.
For the new engines, Mercedes will initially provide Renault with both gas and diesel stop-start 3-bangers, but the two companies will eventually jointly design and build a new line of fuel-efficient small car engines for future models based on the new platform.
Apparently both companies are planning on introducing both hybrid and fully electric versions of their new platform, including the Renault Twizy.
Image Credit: Renault


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INNSCOR Africa Limited, the country’ s leading fast food company, has been dragged to court for allegedly selling expired food stuffs at its Chicken Inn Exor complex branch in Masvingo.
Innscor are owners of Chicken Inn, Pizza Inn, Creamy Inn and Bakers Inn outlets dotted around the country.
The company is being represented by Emmanuel Katsvamutima, a marketing manager of Bakers Inn which is responsible for Bakers Inn pies Masvingo region.
He denied the food outlet contravened cited sections of the Public Health Act when he appeared before a Masvingo magistrate Langton Ndokera Tuesday.
Katsvamutima was remanded out of custody to 21 July for trial.
Prosecutor Fidelis Nyamukondiwa told court that sometime in March this year, Patrick Timothy a health inspector with the Masvingo City Council received a complaint from the consuming public that a Bakers Inn branch in the city was selling unwholesome pies.
Court heard that working upon the complaint, Timothy went on to investigate the matter at Chicken Inn exor complex.
The court was told after completing his investigations, Timothy found 20 boxes of ready to bake pies stored in the cold room.
Each box contained 30 pies.
Court heard that upon examining the pies, it was discovered that all pies had no date of minimum durability in terms of the Health Act.
The pies were seized and taken to the government analyst laboratory, were results showed they were nolonger fit for human consumption. – NewZim


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The Reforms China Needs
Under pressure from Donald Trump’s tariffs, China might be tempted to try to stimulate aggregate demand using short-term measures, much as it did after the 2008 global economic crisis. A better strategy, however, would be to focus on structural reforms.
NEW YORK – This year marks a decade since the global financial crisis erupted. For the United States, 2018 is very different from 2008. The economy has gone from the brink of collapse to the brink of overheating, thanks to a massive tax cut enacted when growth was already robust. The attitude toward China has also changed dramatically. Recognition that cooperation with China was necessary to manage global demand has given way to protectionism and hostility.
Yet, for China, 2018 feels similar to 2008 in an important way: negative shocks originating in the United States pose a significant threat to its economic growth. In 2008, the shock was a decline in demand for its exports, owing to the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the ensuing global financial crisis. Today, it is the trade war initiated by US President Donald Trump’s administration.
The risks China faces are not entirely outside its control. The situation could be made worse if the country repeats the policy responses of 2008 – namely, relying exclusively on massive fiscal and monetary stimulus to prop up demand.
To continue reading, register now.
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As Tesla releases more softwares for Autopilot, it will become more complex and have more capabilities. According to CEO Elon Musk, Autopilot will eventually be able to avoid potholes on the road (via Twitter).
Recently, Tesla released a new ‘more seamless’ Navigate on Autopilot feature enabling autonomous driving on the highway without inputs from the driver. Before you start jumping, it’s worth mentioning that it still requires constant monitoring of the system.
There are many more features to come, including Enhanced Summon. Through this special feature, you have the option to choose between ‘FIND ME’, prompting the car to find your location based on your phone’s GPS, or a GPS pin will drop at the location of your car. The feature only works within 150 feet of the car.
Releasing a feature to avoid potholes on the road would be a big deal for Tesla and its drivers. It would solidify Tesla’s stand on a solid vision-based autonomous driving system.
Potholes can be very dangerous, especially in places where temperates change rapidly. For example, in the northeast, where the snow can fall quickly. Having a Autopilot feature that enables drivers to avoid potholes can prolong the life of tires and the vehicles overall.


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Studio Wildcard drops a new major content update for ARK: Survival Evolved, adding in four new creatures, cosmetic customizations, and a plethora of in-game technologies.
Studio Wildcard, the developer of the open-world title ARK: Survival Evolved, announces a sponsor program that will offer game modders a hefty stipend for their work.
Jeremy Stieglitz, co-founder of Studio Wildcard, reveals that ARK: Survival Evolved has sold over 1 million copies on PS4 since the game released for the system.
The developer Studio Wildcard’s action-adventure title ARK: Survival Evolved gets a mod that allows players to hunt various types of Pokemon within the game.
Studio Wildcard co-founder and ARK: Survival Evolved developer Jeremy Stieglitz discusses the potential of Project Scorpio, suggesting the console will have VR support.
Thousands of PC games are on tap during 2016’s Winter Sale and we’ve rounded up the best 10 deals you should check out, including Doom, GTA V, and Rocket League.
Following accusations of manipulating Steam awards, prehistoric action game ARK: Survival Evolved will have sheep wandering among dinosaurs after next major update.
Dinosaur fans will be able to get up close and personal with the massive reptiles in Ark Park, a VR exploration game set in the world of ARK: Survival Evolved.
Studio Wildcard announces the ARK: Survival Evolved PS4 release date, after claiming Sony would not allow the in-development game to be released on the console.
Developer Studio Wildcard releases Fear Evolved 2, a Halloween-themed update for ARK: Survival Evolved on PC that features plenty of zombie dodos and skeletal dinosaurs
Studio Wildcard has announced that the free-to-play version of Ark: Survival Evolved’s arena-based spinoff Survival of the Fittest is being discontinued.
Studio Wildcard announces that ARK: Survival of the Fittest, a Hunger Games-like arena title, has been delayed on PS4 as the studio works on ARK: Survival Evolved.
Studio Wildcard releases the latest patch for ARK: Survival Evolved, which introduces a gigantic map called The Central, along with new dinosaurs, bosses, weapons, and more!
Due to the addition of numerous features and dinosaurs, Studio Wildcard states that the upcoming ARK: Survival Evolved will be delayed into the 2016 holiday season.
Studio Wildcard makes the surprising announcement that the ARK: Survival Evolved spin-off game ARK: Survival of the Fittest will be console exclusive to the PS4.
Studio Wildcard, the studio behind the popular ARK: Survival Evolved, settles its ongoing lawsuit with Trendy Entertainment for a reported $40 million.
Despite ongoing legal troubles, Studio Wildcard releases a patch for the Xbox One version of ARK: Survival Evolved that improves frame rate and adds more dinosaurs.


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Gizmodo claims the 16GB Zune HD will be priced at $219.99 while the 32GB model will carry a $289.99 price tag. It's unknown whether there will be more versions, but it looks pretty cheap compared to what Apple charges for its iPods. You can expect the Zune HD on September 8.
Additionally, a couple of handson photos of the Zune HD can be seen at CNET.
Microsoft Zune HD to start at $219.99?
Posted on Tuesday, Aug 11 2009 @ 17:16 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck


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We live in a digital age where everyone has access to the internet and social media at their fingertips. The same goes for children as well. Social media has pros and cons, so there are certain dangers like Cyberbullying and privacy invasion that kids and teens may face when using the internet or social media. This article sheds some insight into internet safety measures and how kids can use social media wisely.
According to ExpressVPN’s survey, it was found that 29% of children in the US and 21% in the UK between ages 4-13 are allowed to use social media by their parents. But, the question that arises here is if the parents are aware of what their kids are doing online, are they even safe from the threats? Well, if you would like to know more, then read the full article below.
Dangers of the internet for children
Kids these days have become tech-savvy and use the internet for almost everything. Not being aware of the dangers makes them vulnerable to many online threats. The internet can be a wonderful place for learning new things and getting creative, but there are some dangers lurking underneath. Some of these threats are discussed below.
Cyberbullying is a threat that can be very commonly seen on social media. Teens are the ones most harassed online in the form of Cyberbullying. This online danger has been responsible for depression and loneliness among many kids and teens and even leads to suicide in some cases.
The internet is where one can get exposed to various threats, and cyber predators are among the deadliest. It happens mainly in the form of sexual harassment and abuse. These predators gain the trust of the children they are talking with and make them indulge in illicit activities. Kids are mostly unaware that they are being harassed and sharing personal information.
Malware is a program that can be very harmful to your computer. It comprises viruses and spyware that can breach the firewall’s security and damage social media accounts and internal data. This includes collecting or deleting sensitive data, hijacking the functions of the device that you are using, and even monitoring your or your kid’s activity.
Internet safety measures that children can use to prevent these dangers
Talking to your kids about these threats on social media is necessary, and here are some guidelines you can talk about to help them stay safe.
- By keeping things private and choosing only to share them with your friends.
- Don’t add or talk to strangers even if it’s tempting enough for you, and never share personal information or photos with them.
- Create strong passwords and usernames using numbers, special characters, and uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Use parental controls to ensure your child is using social media networks and device safety.
- Set a specific time limit, monitor their online activity, and be open to communicating with them about these things and the dangers of the internet.
Protecting your kids from these internet and social media threats can be difficult, but with open communication and using certain guidelines, it can be done. Limited access and supervision are key to online safety if you are dealing with teenagers, as they value privacy and are secretive. Parents can also invest in some protection tools to track activities and stop viruses and malware from entering the system.
As a parent, you have to know that just like the internet is accessible at the fingertips, the safety of online threats also lies in your own hands.


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Businesses are facing higher costs for everything from fuel and freight hauling to aluminum and labor, but thus far, consumers are resisting price increases.
“Inflation is beginning to poke its head into our economy as prices for goods and materials rise on everything from oil and steel to trucking, labor and aluminum,” National Marine Manufacturers Association president Thom Dammrich told Trade Only Today. “As a result, marine manufacturers could see pressure on margins with rising costs ranging from 10 to 15 percent.”
Labor Department data released earlier this month showed input price increases have outstripped consumer price increases since late 2016, with some pipeline costs rising at two or three times the rate of consumer inflation, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Freight costs have shot up as a result of driver shortages, enforcing licensing mandates and the strong economy fueling truck shortages.
Lack of construction workers is holding back housing starts, said National Association of Manufacturers chief economist Chad Moutray at American Boating Congress.
“I see inflationary pressures picking up, certainly,” Moutray said. Companies have been buying steel and aluminum prior to tariffs being imposed, which is driving up the price.
“The last thing you want is for inflation to get out of control,” he said. “We’ve heard from smaller manufacturers who haven’t been able to take on work” due to labor shortages.
Makers of products including household appliances, tools and construction equipment say they are passing on price increases, The Wall Street Journal said.
Whirlpool Corp., the Michigan-based appliance giant, launched “cost-based price increases” on washers and dryers sold in the U.S. in April. A person familiar with the matter said the increases ranged from 5 percent to 7 percent. Whirlpool said the increases weren’t due to tariffs on imported washers imposed by the Trump administration earlier this year.
Advertised retail prices at retailers Lowe’s Cos. and Home Depot Inc. stores increased 15 percent for Whirlpool washers, and 7 percent for the company’s Maytag brand in April, according to Thinknum, a firm that culls data from the Internet, on a sampling of those brands’ top-selling washers.
Home Depot and Lowe’s declined to comment on Thinknum’s findings. A Lowe’s spokeswoman told the newspaper: “Lowe’s is committed to offering the best value, innovation and quality in the marketplace.”


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Apple rolled out its Emergency SOS via 24 Globalstar satellites on Tuesday in the US and Canada, allowing iPhone 14 all models users to send text messages in the event of an emergency while outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The new service requires no additional software or protocols to enable communications. The messages are sent in about 15 seconds if the user has a direct view of the sky and horizon. Pricing for the service has yet to be revealed as it will be free to users for two years. Emergency SOS will be available in France, Germany, Ireland, and the United Kingdom in December.
“Some of the most popular places to travel are off the beaten path and simply lack cellular coverage. With Emergency SOS via satellite, the iPhone 14 lineup provides an indispensable tool that can get users the help they need while they are off the grid,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. The feature includes a demo mode, so users can familiarize with how it works. Using the built-in Emergency SOS via satellite demo, users can test satellite connectivity on their iPhone by connecting to a real satellite in range without calling emergency services.


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Netflix today released a new interactive spinoff of its popular original series Black Mirror. Titled Bandersnatch, the new movie is causing some controversy in terms of how a user views the content.
The post How to check if your device supports Black Mirror: Bandersnatch appeared first on 9to5Mac.
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Amorepacific expands to Australian marketAmorepacific, a major Korean cosmetics maker, has entered the Australian market with one of its most popular brands as the company accelerates its overseas push in the face of dwindling tourism from China.
Products from Amorepacific’s mid-range brand Laneige are now available at Sephora stores in Australia and online, the company said Wednesday.
The size of Australia’s cosmetics market is estimated to reach 7 trillion won ($6.5 billion), with an average annual growth rate of 5 percent, the company said, citing a 2016 report from market research firm Euromonitor.
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FAYETTEVILLE -- Northwest Arkansas-based startup companies that hope to eliminate the need for loose change, make solar energy more accessible or offer other services won thousands of dollars in cash and services at a pitch competition Thursday evening.
The leaders of five budding businesses delivered two-minute pitches in front of a panel of local business figures for about $12,000 in prizes during Arkansas' first Cox Business Get Started NW Arkansas event at the Walton Arts Center. Cox has held dozens of similar events around the country to showcase and support promising entrepreneurs.
Francis Hwang, an information technology scientist who recently moved to the area from California, won the grand prize of $11,500 for the company he co-founded, Bucket Technologies. Its computer program will allow shoppers at participating restaurants and stores to send the pennies and dimes they'd receive in change to their bank accounts electronically instead.
Sofi Overton, a Bentonville 12-year-old, snagged the runner-up spot along with an Apple Watch and $100 for Wise Pocket Products, which will sell children's socks and leggings that include pockets big enough for smartphones, inhalers and other important belongings.
"Tonight, it's all about the vibrant startup community and the innovation they bring," Mark Tucker, sales and operations vice president at Cox, told an audience of more than 100.
Supporting small business has become a regional priority, with a growing array of events and organizations that offer to help local residents kick off or expand their commercial ideas. Fayetteville is home to Startup Junkie Consulting and centers at the University of Arkansas, for example, that provide mentoring at no charge. Other cities have similar groups, and Rogers on Monday is hosting the Arkansas Maker Summit to focus on small manufacturers.
The panel of four judges included Jeff Charlson, co-founder of Bike Rack Brewing Co. in Bentonville, and Lauren Stokes, owner of the local clothing company Lauren James.
About two dozen startups applied for Thursday's competition, Tucker said. The finalists set up shop in a variety of industries, mostly by using digital technology.
Steven Zapata, who works as internal communications manager at Sam's Club, is also launching a smartphone app called FanSpotz that will make it easier to find open parking spots on a game day. Property owners with space to spare input their price and number of spots, allowing users to find and reserve parking. The free app is already in use, and Zapata said he hopes to roll it out to 128 universities with Division I football teams by next season.
Bailey Mendenhall, who often works as a club disc jockey, introduced the SwoopJobs app, which can connect employers at restaurants who need to fill a temporary job with potential workers. He said it'd be useful when a dishwasher or bartender doesn't show up when expected, for instance.
The fifth finalist was Tom Waggoner, director of Community Solar Partners. The business plans to build small solar farms in Elkins and elsewhere to form a kind of renewable energy cooperative that residents who can't afford to build their own solar panels can join to reduce their power bills.
"Everybody needs power, and everybody needs to save money," Waggoner said during his pitch.
Hwang, with Bucket Technologies, pointed out enormous amounts of energy and pollution go into the mining and forging of coins that are often lost or thrown away, adding up to millions of lost dollars across the country. He said the software to solve that problem will be available for free to retailers by early next year.
The finalists said even if they lost the prize, the event brought a chance for valuable exposure and networking. The panel also offered advice for any would-be entrepreneurs, emphasizing the need to be bolder than what feels comfortable and to learn failure's lessons.
"In business, you only have to be right once," said John James, founder of Hayseed Ventures in Fayetteville.
NW News on 10/13/2017
Print Headline: Startups win thousands in competition


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Last Updated Sep 2, 2009 12:54 PM EDT
As carbonated sodas fall out of favor, soft drink companies are looking to expand their offerings and focus more on things like teas, sports drinks, energy drinks and vitamin waters.
Coconut water is a popular option in many Asian and Latin American countries, and it's slowly gaining attention in the U.S. It's found within young, green coconuts and is different from coconut milk, which is squeezed from the meat of the fruit. Complete with electrolytes and carbs, coconut water has been hailed as a natural sports drink.
If the coconut water trend takes off here, however, both companies will be ready to take advantage.


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Elite Signs for the Poole Harbour Boat Show
Elite Signs, leading signage manufacturer based in Poole, returns as a sponsor of the Poole Harbour Boat Show, in association with Sunseeker, which runs from 19th - 21st May. Organised by Poole Harbour Commissioners (PHC), the south coast’s free-to-enter event is expected to attract around 20,000 visitors.
Russell Hamilton, proprietor of Elite Signs, pictured with Brian Murphy, Harbour Master, said: “We love getting involved with the Poole Harbour Boat Show and are excited to be a part of this special year which includes European Maritime Day. It’s going to be a great weekend.”
Providing signage solutions and consultation services, Elite Signs design and install their products for Dorset businesses. With an in-house design and signage team, Elite Signs will supply on-site signage for the event.
Commenting on this exciting sponsorship deal, Jim Stewart, Chief Executive of Poole Harbour Commissioners added: “We are happy to welcome back Elite Signs as a sponsor and thank them for their fantastic work. Sponsorship plays an important role in delivering this event and we are grateful for all the support.”
Other companies which have pledged their support for the event this year are Marshall BMW, Sibbett Gregory, Bournemouth Colour Press, Bates Wharf Marine Sales, Greenslade Pleasure Boats, Mazars and Conker Spirit.


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Manak Solicitors had an ‘out of this world’ presence at the Orpington Christmas Lights event this year- literally! We decided to do something special for the town and provided residents with the opportunity to experience the best virtual reality (VR) available today. A team of experts set up two HTC Vive headsets for people to use free of charge throughout the night. The demand was constant, if not overwhelming, and seeing the faces of those taking off their headset after having a snowball fight in a utopian winter street was brilliant.
There were two experiences available during the evening. We had our featured game, Merry Snowballs, which was chosen for it’s Christmas theme and fun gameplay. Then we had Audioshield, chosen to really show off what VR is capable of. They both went down very well with the public.
Our attraction caught the attention of people of all ages which was great to see. Younger ones were particularly keen, but parents were often just as eager to have a go. We have some great images and footage of the event and will be posting a video montage in the coming days on our brand new YouTube channel, so look out for that.
We also ran a competition to win an M&S Christmas hamper. We had almost 100 entries which was fantastic. The winner of this will be announced very shortly- good luck to all!
Overall, the night was a big success and we would like to extend our thanks to Orpington 1st for improving this showcase event year after year. We are already looking forward to 2018 and thinking up ways of enhancing our offering!


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A new online marketplace is promising to legitimise used game sales by giving publishers 10 per cent of revenues from their games.
PostalGamer is the brainchild of Mike Kennedy, who founded the game auction website GameGavel in 2007, and his business partner Steve Sawyer.
US customers will post used games to the company in pre-paid envelopes, and their value will be turned into credit for its online marketplace. Shipping for games purchased on the marketplace is also paid for by the company.
PostalGamer is promising to pay 30 per cent more for used games than "the corner retail store". In addition, it will pay the publisher 10 per cent of the revenue generated by their games.
"While used games have historically been a 'negative' to publishers, our model turns them into a 'positive'," a statement on the PostalGamer website reads.
"We want to see physical game media continue to thrive, but the current state of used game retail is seriously doing its part to re-route publishers into new digital dimensions to curtail and abolish used game sales as we know it."
The company projects that the publishing community could receive as much as $500 million in payments over the next 4-5 years.
PostalGamer will also share sales data with publishers, allowing them to get a clearer picture of, "a game's popularity after it leaves the retail shelves."
Talks with "several publishers" are already in progress, with each participant receiving a seat on an "Advisory Board" that allows them to supervise the development of the service.The US used game market generated $19.3 billion last year, and remains a vital revenue stream for retail businesses despite consistent and widespread complaints from publishers and developers.


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The program every two months through Apple Music’s editorial team will select one artist from Africa and amplify their music to its users in 167 countries across the world.
The Africa Rising initiative also includes an accompanying playlist featuring songs in different genres from some of the continent’s new and emerging artists.
“I have always used Apple Music, seeing my favorite artists on playlist covers and features but here I am looking pretty as Apple Music’s first Africa Rising artist. I am overwhelmed, dreams really do come true,”
Omah lay who said he started making music as a teenager, got his first big break in 2020, he released two songs that earned him air time on radio in Rivers State, Nigeria.


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LOS ANGELES — Countering a streaming slowdown that has hit Hollywood recently, Disney+ added 14.4 million subscribers in the most recent quarter, about 45 percent more than Wall Street expected and lifting Disney’s portfolio of streaming services. 221 million subscribers worldwide, on par with Netflix
Disney released the figures Wednesday as part of a blockbuster quarterly earnings report. The company also announced price increases for Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+, as well as details of a new version of Disney+ that will include advertising.
But it was strong demand for theme park vacations, despite economists’ concerns about an inflation-driven drop in consumer spending, that fueled a surge in Disney’s profitability. Revenue totaled $21.5 billion, an increase of 26 percent from the prior year. Operating profit rose 50 percent to $3.6 billion. Analysts had expected revenue of around $21 billion and profit of around $3.2 billion, according to FactSet.
Economists have long viewed Disney’s theme parks as informal barometers of consumer confidence. Historically, when budgets are tight, families cut back on trips to Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. That doesn’t seem to be happening: Disney Parks, Experiences and Products reported quarterly revenue of $7.4 billion, up from $4.3 billion a year earlier, and an operating profit of $2.2 billion, up from the $356 million.
A year ago, due to the coronavirus pandemic, most Disney theme parks were operating at reduced capacity and Disney Cruise Line was not operating at all. Since April, Disney’s national parks and cruise ships have generally been operating without coronavirus-related capacity restrictions, the company said. Disney parks have also started charging for queue-shortening privileges, opening up a colossal new revenue stream. New attractions have also debuted.
Disney’s traditional financial engine, cable television, has come under increasing pressure as consumers are canceling cable connections at a rapid rate. In the United States, about 7.5 percent of cable customers cut the cord in the most recent quarter, down from 4 percent a year earlier, according to estimates from research firm LightShed Partners. Cable channels have largely divested themselves of the best programming beyond live sports. That content is now funneled to streaming services.
However, a change in the schedule for this year’s National Basketball Association finals, football scheduling and the Academy Awards provided Disney’s traditional television business with an upbeat quarter. Revenue for the division, which includes ABC, ESPN, FX, Disney Channel and National Geographic, totaled $7 billion, up 3 percent from a year earlier, and a profit of $2.5 billion, an increase of 13 percent.
Streaming, on the other hand, continues to lose money as Disney aggressively spends on content, marketing and technology infrastructure. Losses from Disney’s streaming division topped $1 billion, compared to a loss of $300 million the year before. Streaming revenue rose 19 percent to $5.1 billion.
Starting December 8, the current ad-free version of Disney+ will cost $11 per month, up from $8. The ad-supported option will cost $8.
Prices for a bundle of all three Disney streaming services will range from $13 per month (with ads) to $20 per month (no ads on Disney+ or Hulu but with ads on ESPN+).
“We will offer greater consumer choice at a variety of price points to meet the diverse needs of our viewers and appeal to an even broader audience,” Kareem Daniel, president of Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, said in a statement.
Disney said Hulu had about 46.2 million subscribers, an 8 percent increase from a year earlier. About 23 million people paid for access to ESPN+, up 53 percent. Disney+ had 152.1 million subscribers, an increase of 31 percent.


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Pumpkin Patch Given Second Chance At Life
- Parents Only
By: Alex Harmon, ellaslist
We were devastated when we heard the news of kid’s clothing favourite Pumpkin Patch’s demise. But in a retail miracle, it has just been announced that Australian online retailer Catch Group have thrown the clothing company a life-raft and the clothing store will live another day!
Call It A Catch Of The Day
Catch Group, which operates CatchOfTheDay, Scoopon, GroceryRun and Mumgo, plans to relaunch Pumpkin Patch as an online business in Australia and New Zealand from 1st July 2017. Although their focus will be on the online market, Pumpkin Patch will gradually open a small number of retail stores.
What Went Wrong?
Last year when we reported on the news of Pumpkin Patch receivership, the company cited big department stores and discount retailers for the reason behind closing 27 Aussie stores. However Catch Group chief executive Nati Harpaz said one of the big reasons the company went down was its misguided focus on the teen market.
“One of their mistakes was to increase the range, from zero to eight, to zero to 14 when it wasn’t necessarily a place 13 and 14-year-olds wanted to walk into,” Mr Harpaz told AAP. “Pumpkin Patch is a great brand loved by many Australians and New Zealanders and it had a great following but at some point it lost its way.”
It has been reported that the company is now working on new apparel designs for infants to eight-year-olds — Pumpkin Patch’s traditional market before it expanded to include teenagers.
Any parent of a teenager knows that they wouldn’t be caught dead inside a Pumpkin Patch store, right?
We look forward to seeing what Pumpkin Patch does next, stay tuned!
See More On ellaslist
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Collette Dinnigan Is Back In Aldi
This Mum Shows Us How To Save $32,000 In A Year
Mar 25 2017
Yay, Pumpkin Patch revival.
Mar 25 2017
Mar 24 2017
Happy to have them back


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Coupon offers expired faster in 2011 and more of them required customers to buy multiple items, as consumer packaged goods companies tried to get the most pop out of their promotions.
U.S. shoppers still managed to redeem $4.6 billion worth of coupons, an increase of more than 12 percent from 2010 and almost 60 percent more than five years ago, according to Valassis, the Livionia, Mich., company whose RedPlum products distribute coupons online and in flyers.
The future of coupons is clearly in flux, as digital versions join traditional printed discounts and grocers experiment with daily deal type offers.
But as the economic recovery slowly picks up speed, consumers who rediscovered their inner couponer continue to clip, scan and otherwise search out ways to get a better price.
Inmar, a promotions consulting company in Winston-Salem, N.C., reported earlier this year that coupon redemption rose 6.1 percent in 2011.
-- wire report


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eBay recognized the importance of mobile shopping early on, but that hasn't stopped other mobile commerce platforms from springing up and finding success.
The Wall Street Journal ran an interesting piece
today, "Young Consumers Tap Online Market for Recycled Apparel" (note that a paid subscription is required to view WSJ content
). The newspaper talked to several teens about how they're able to fund their clothing purchases by buying and selling through Goodwill and online on sites like Poshmark - a mobile platform we've previously profiled, such as this 2012 article
Poshmark not only makes it very simple for people to sell using their mobile phone to snap photos and list - but it also allows users to flaunt their style and satisfy their creativity.
In speaking about a Las Vegas teenager who turned to online buying and selling to subsidize her clothing fund at age 13 - and now makes a profit at it 5 years later - the Wall Street Journal said:
"Ms. Quipotla's account history shows that she has shipped more than 300 items through Poshmark, an app for reselling clothes, since 2013 and collected nearly $4,000."
That's an average selling price of only $13 - presumably that's after Poshmark took its fees. But the Journal cited some figures that should have eBay sitting up and paying attention:
"The U.S. volume of apparel and other items sold on Vinted, ThredUP and other such reselling services has more than doubled since 2013 and the market is now slightly more than $2 billion, estimates PrivCo, which analyzed data from 15 reselling sites."
eBay used to have a dedicated mobile app for fashion that it closed and folded in to its one main app in 2015.
As buyers and sellers on eBay, let us know what you think of eBay as a selling platform for clothing and accessories - and about its mobile initiatives.
Should eBay develop or acquire platforms such as Poshmark?


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Consumers are continually searching for products to protect themselves from the new coronavirus, and many businesses are struggling to keep these items in stock because of the surge in demand. Due to the rise in demand and decrease in supply, some businesses and third-party sellers have increased the prices of essential products.
However, when a formal emergency is declared (as was the case with Covid-19), state “price gouging” statutes prohibit such price increases. Price gouging occurs when prices relating to goods or services are “unconscionably” raised following a declaration of a state of emergency or local emergency.
To quickly address whether price gouging is occurring, government officials have asked the public to beware of (and report) gross disparities in pricing before and after a declared state of emergency.
Even though raising prices based on demand is usually lawful, in the current emergency climate sellers must avoid grossly or unconscionably exceeding pre-emergency prices unless those increased prices are due to documented increased costs.
State Specific Price Gouging Statutes
Although many states have price gouging statutes, these statutes vary in terminology and penalties. Under California law, after a state of emergency is declared, prices on goods or services must not be raised “more than 10 percent greater than the price charged … immediately prior to the proclamation or declaration of emergency.” Cal. Penal Code § 396(b) (2020). If a seller is charged with price gouging, the seller may be imprisoned for up to one year in jail or fined up to $10,000. Cal. Penal Code § 396(h) (2020).
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) prohibited the resale of a product at a price that is “grossly in excess of the purchase price.” Additionally, the executive order banned the sale or offer of sale of a product “at a price that is more than 20% higher” than the price charged for that product as of March 9. Price gouging is penalized under Michigan’s Consumer Protection Act, which allows civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation.
In contrast, other statutes do not include a specific percentage increase to determine whether price gouging has occurred. For example, Florida law prohibits charging “unconscionable” prices for commodities or services during an emergency. Whether a price is unconscionable is determined if it “represents a gross disparity” or “grossly exceeds” the average prices in the thirty-day period immediately preceding a declaration of a state of emergency.
Florida classifies price gouging as a second-degree misdemeanor that is punishable by imprisonment of up to sixty days and/or a fine of up to $1,000 for the first offense and $25,000 fines for subsequent violations within a 24-hour period.
Under a recently amended Massachusetts law, after a “declared statewide or national emergency,” businesses are prohibited from selling or offering to sell goods or services “necessary for the health, safety or welfare of the public” at an “unconscionably high price.” An unconscionably high price occurs if there is a “gross disparity” between the price charged and the price “immediately prior to the … declared statewide or national emergency” or the price at which the product is “readily obtainable from other businesses.” Price gouging is punishable by civil penalty of up to $5,000 per violation.
Under New York law, it is prohibited to sell goods or services at an “unconscionably excessive price” during a declared state of emergency. The New York statute reserves the right to the courts to determine whether a price is unconscionably excessive. Some of the factors the courts consider include the exercise of unfair leverage or unconscionable means and that the “amount of the excess in price is unconscionably extreme.”
Notwithstanding these restrictions, not all price increases are prohibited during a state of emergency. Florida’s price gouging statute, like California’s statute, carves out an exception for increase in pricing that is attributable to additional costs “incurred in connection with the rental or sale of the commodity.”
Consumers seeking to invoke the price gouging statutes within their jurisdiction must file a complaint, which is often found on the respective state’s attorney general office’s website. For the jurisdictions that lack an objective test, the outcome of a formal charge or complaint against a seller will rely on whether the enforcing government officer determines that a violation has occurred. For the most part, state price gouging statutes do not provide a private cause of action.
Recent Price Increases in Coronavirus-Related Products
As the coronavirus continues to spread, consumers seek to buy supplies that are necessary to protect themselves from the virus. Some of these products include hand sanitizer gel, disinfecting wipes, cleaning supplies, and surgical masks.
In the past few weeks, consumers have reported that the prices on these items have significantly increased. Because many stores are either low in supply or do not have these products in stock at all, consumers have resorted to purchasing online. However, third-party online sellers have used the increase in demand to their advantage by raising the prices on these highly-desired household products. Reports show that from January to March this year, the prices for items such as hand sanitizer and N95 face masks have doubled or tripled.
Both Amazon and eBay have received complaints due to the tremendously increased prices that third-party sellers are placing on products such as hand sanitizer and surgical masks. To respond to these complaints, Amazon has blocked and removed thousands of listings and suspended thousands of sellers’ accounts for price gouging. Following with stricter measures, eBay has banned the sale of hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and face masks on their website.
Additionally, the attorney general’s offices in several different states have warned sellers that the price gouging laws will be strictly enforced against those who unconscionably increase prices on necessary products. For example, Attorney General Ashley Moody (R) stated that her team will rapidly respond to allegations of price gouging occurring in Florida. Likewise, Attorney General Xavier Becerra (D) warned that price gougers may face criminal prosecution or civil fines in California.
Strategies for Compliance
To the extent companies utilize pricing policies or software which incorporates “surge pricing,” this may inadvertently lead to a price gouging violation. In general, “surge pricing” relates to automatic increases in prices of goods and services due to to consumer demand.
However, once the state price gouging statutes are triggered (via a declaration of emergency from the President of the U.S. or the state’s governor), those automatic price increases may need to stop. Unless the price increase is due to an increased cost of supply or doing business, demand-based price increases may be problematic. It is, therefore, important to retain all records and documentation that prove that the increased costs led to the price increase.
This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. or its owners.
Lawrence Silverman is a partner with Akerman LLP. Silverman has tried some of the largest cases in Florida. He has extensive experience in antitrust counseling, with an emphasis on distribution law issues such as MAP, resale and unilateral pricing policies, internet sales restrictions, and dealer agreements.
Carmen Ortega is a law clerk in Akerman’s Litigation Practice Group.


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McDonald's announced on Thursday that the fast-food giant plans to roll out table service at all locations across the US.
The fast-food giant has begun the process of implementing table service across all 14,000 American locations. With the new system, customers can place orders using a digital kiosk or at the counter, and then choose to either pick up their food to-go or have meals served to them at tables.
"For the best part of our 16 years, we've asked customers to work around our business model," CEO Steve Easterbrook said in a media event on Thursday. "But now, customers are more demanding, and we're looking to evolve our business."
Currently, McDonald's offers table service in more than 500 US locations in New York City, Florida, and Southern California. The company is rolling out table service in Washington DC, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle in early 2017.
Beyond that, McDonald's does not have a set timeline for the roll out, though McDonald's incoming US president Chris Kempczinski said the chain plans to move as "quickly as possible" after collecting data from test markets.
Globally, the fast-food chain offers the service in 2,600 locations, in countries including Canada, France, and China.
In test markets, McDonald's executives said that table service has been particularly popular with large groups and families.
"Taking your kids to McDonald's should be a fundamentally... fun experience,"Easterbrook said. "But, the initial stages of it can be quite stressful when you're trying to place the order, you're trying to get it right, you're trying to get the drinks, you're trying to search for a table, and your kids are running around."
McDonald's table service roll out is part of a wider effort to improve customer experience.
See awesome retro photos of McDonald's:
McDonald's is introducing mobile ordering next year, testing the service in the first half of 2017 and implementing it nationally in the second half of the year. Along with table service, the chain is also rolling out kiosk service to more locations.
While kiosks and mobile ordering are frequently associated with decreasing labor costs, McDonald's says that its investments in tech do not mean the chain will cut employees. In Canada, where McDonald's has nearly completed its national roll out of kiosks and table service, the company says locations' employee counts have remained roughly stable, with more employees serving food as fewer are needed to take orders.
McDonald's is also revamping its menu with an emphasis on higher-quality items like Signature Crafted burgers and redesigning locations to look more modern.
"This is not about being a different McDonald's, this is about being a better McDonald's," Easterbrook said.
According to executives, these changes represent a new "restless energy," and that the chain hopes to accelerate the implementation of new innovation in the future. In October, McDonald's reported a 1.3% growth in US same-store sales in the third quarter, the company's fifth consecutive quarter of growth in the US and globally.
"It's a totally different mindset to which we are adapting," said Easterbrook. "This is not one and done."


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Charlton will keep the current red strip as there home kit for the 2007/08 season.
The current black away kit will be demoted to third kit with a new design becoming next season`s away strip.
The e-mail is below:
The current away kit will continue into next season as a third kit.
We will launch a new design away kit in the summer which will be used at many of the away games where required, but the black kit will be used at certain games and where necessary. It will continue to be registered as current kit and will still be available in -store.
The home kit will remain the same for next season as part of our promise to keep the design for two years.
Hope this answers the question fully.
Head of Retail
Many thanks Michael and let's all hope that next seasons away kit will be used in The Premiership and not the fizzy pop league ;-)


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CNN reported Nov. 29 on the fallacies associated with Cyber Monday, the online shopping phenomenon that occurs the Monday after Thanksgiving. It is commonly known as THE day to shop via Internet. Many people enjoy scouring for savings while bored at work or shopping in their jammies.
Shop.org, the website that coined the term “Cyber Monday,” shared some impressive statistics about Cyber Monday’s popularity. They claim that nine in ten online stores will hold special Cyber Monday sales. Read a little further, though, and we find out that they only surveyed 51 stores. Of those, only 21 said their offers are specific to that day; the remainder are holding sales merely to get rid of what they didn’t sell over Black Friday weekend.
Recent studies further confirm that Cyber Monday isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. This day is never the largest “e-commerce” day of the year; it usually places seventh to ninth. The biggest day for online shopping usually happens on a mid-December Monday. Andrew Lipsman, director of industry analysis at comScore, a company that measures online traffic, told CNN he predicts the number-one day for e-commerce in 2010 will be December 13.
Besides procrastination, the increase in online retailer traffic in mid-December could be due to another Internet event: Free Shipping Day.
Friday, December 17 marks the third-annual day in which hundreds of online retailers agree to offer free shipping for 24 hours on all or most orders with guaranteed delivery by Christmas Eve. The stores involved in Free Shipping Day are listed on FSD’s website and more retailers are joining the event all the time, with an expected 1,000-plus by the seventeenth.
A year after the peak of the nation’s economic crisis, experts predict sales this December to increase 3.2% since December of 2009.


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8:26 a.m. Today8:26 a.m. Jan. 23, 2017
- By Tonya Garcia
How Pete & Gerry’s cage-free eggs are a model for other small farmers New Hampshire-based company can show small farmers how to make it in the egg businessSpecialty eggs — a category that includes organic eggs — will account for 5.6% of this year’s product, according to industry estimates.
9:13 p.m. Jan. 18, 2017
Remy Cointreau sales top forecastsPARIS--Remy Cointreau SA's (RCO.FR) third-quarter revenue topped analysts' expectations, boosted by demand for cognac and other spirits in the U.S. and renewed growth in China. Revenue rose to 323.3 million euros ($343.98 million) in the three months to Dec. 31 from EUR298.4 million in the same period last year.
6:28 a.m. Jan. 18, 2017
Target issues profit warning on weak holiday salesTarget Corp. warned of weak profits and sales in the critical holiday period as the retail chain struggled to get shoppers to visit its stores and relied on discounting to compete with Amazon.com Inc. for online orders.
2:34 a.m. Jan. 11, 2017
- By Barbara Kollmeyer
Is this the year for stock pickers? Here are 20 picks from Citi Citi’s list includes global autos, banks, energy and information technology companiesCiti’s most-favored stock list includes global autos, banks, energy and information technology companies
9:51 a.m. Jan. 5, 2017
Constellation earnings bolstered by beer salesConstellation Brands Inc. on Thursday said beer sales continued to drive revenue and profit growth for the latest quarter, even as investors continue to be concerned about the impact of the incoming Donald Trump administration on the company that produces much of its beer in Mexico.
3:36 a.m. Jan. 5, 2017
Constellation earnings lifted by strong beer salesConstellation Brands Inc. on Thursday said strong beer sales continued to drive revenue and profit growth for the latest quarter, even as investors continue to be concerned about the impact of the incoming Donald Trump administration on the company that produces much of its beer in Mexico.
2:56 a.m. Dec. 20, 2016
General Mills profit falls below expectationsGeneral Mills Inc.'s second-quarter earnings fell 9%, missing analysts' expectations, and the processed-foods maker lowered its fiscal-year outlook as it struggles to turn around its yogurt business. The company, which makes Cheerios, Betty Crocker cake mix, Progresso soup and Yoplait yogurt, now expects organic net sales, a metric that excludes the impact of acquisitions and divestitures, to decline 3% to 4%.
2:27 a.m. Dec. 20, 2016
- By Tomi Kilgore
General Mills' stock falls after profit and sales miss expectationsGeneral Mills Inc.'s stock shed 3.3% in premarket trade Tuesday, after the consumer foods company missed profit and sales expectations. Earnings for the quarter to Nov. 27 fell to $481.8 million, or 80 cents a share, from $529.5 million, or 87 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings per share was 85 cents, below the FactSet consensus of 86 cents. Revenue fell 7% to $4.11 billion, missing the FactSet consensus of $4.22 billion, with its U.S. retail and convenience stores and foodservice sales falling short of expectations. For fiscal 2017, the company cut its sales guidance to a decline of 3% to 4% from a previous outlook of flat to down 2%, but its adjusted EPS growth outlook of 6% to 8% was above the growth implied by the FactSet consensus of 5.1%. "Our organic sales declines reflect the actions we've taken to optimize our spending and prioritize profitable volume, as well as weakening food-industry trends in the U.S.," said Chief Executive Ken Powell. The stock has climbed 9.4% year to date through Monday, while the S&P 500 has gained 10.7%.
2:37 p.m. Dec. 11, 2016
Healthier food not quite what Pepsi customers wantAny new, low-volume products can slow sales and thin profit margins. Normally, for a new product from a small company, $50 million in sales is a huge success. For a company the size of PepsiCo, with more than $60 billion in revenue, "it's a distraction," says Jeremy Cage, who was senior vice president of global snacks before leaving PepsiCo in 2012.
5:12 a.m. Dec. 9, 2016
- By Austen Hufford
Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent to step down Operating Chief James Quincey will become chief executive in May; Mr. Kent will remain chairmanCoca-Cola Chief Executive Muhtar Kent will step down from that role next year, but remain chairman.
2:25 a.m. Dec. 9, 2016
- By Tonya Garcia
Starbucks’ 5-year plan will drive the growth the company seeks, analysts say Starbucks aims to boost revenue by 10% and add 12,000 new storesStarbucks has unveiled a five-year plan for growth ahead of its investor day.
9:18 a.m. Dec. 8, 2016
- By Rachel Koning Beals
Nature and new beginnings inform Pantone’s 2017 color of the year: Greenery The tangy yellow-green is a nod to healthier lifestyles and a salve for political woundsGreenery, and its promise of rejuvenation in a raw political climate, has been declared Pantone’s 2017’s color of the year.
3:27 a.m. Dec. 7, 2016
- By Emma Court
Starbucks targets 10% revenue growth, 15-20% EPS growth and 12,000 new stores globally by 2021Starbucks Corp. announced its five-year strategic plan included goals of 10% revenue growth, 15-20% earnings-per-share growth and 12,000 new stores globally by 2021, along with mid-single digit same-store sales growth each year. "I have never been more energized or optimistic about the opportunities ahead," said chairman and chief executive officer Howard Schultz, who will become executive chairman in early April of 2017, with Kevin Johnson, president and chief operating officer, taking over as president and CEO. Starbucks plans to open Reserve Roastery retail locations - a new format of store formed in partnership with Italian foodmaker Princi - starting next year, with the first stores opening in Seattle and Chicago in the second half of 2017, and stores planned for Shanghai, Tokyo and New York City. A new beverage, the Cascara Latte -- made with the fruit of the coffee cherry -- will be introduced in January. New food offerings next year will include new breakfast offerings, more bistro box offerings and organic soups rolled out regionally, with plans to double food growth over the next five years. Starbucks plans to roll out a new Artificial Intelligence ordering system for its app starting in limited beta for iOS in early 2017. The company said it is on track to open more than 5,000 stores in China over the next five years, and said it expects the market to exceed the U.S.'s over time. The company also plans to grow at-home and ready-to-drink products, saying it expects an incremental $1 billion in revenue for the segment, a 75% growth in operating revenue and double the ready-to-drink business outside the U.S. Starbucks shares, which closed on Tuesday at $57.44, dropped 4.3% year-to-date, compared with a 9.1% rise in the S&P 500 .
3:43 a.m. Dec. 4, 2016
- By Kari Paul
Is organic food really healthier? The majority of Americans think organic food has more nutritional value, a new study found. The majority of Americans think organic food has more nutritional value, a new study found.
12:10 p.m. Dec. 2, 2016
- By Kari Paul
How to fix your slow home Wi-Fi and why you’re punishing your kids all wrong Friday's personal finance stories Friday's personal finance storiesFriday's personal finance stories
11:21 a.m. Dec. 1, 2016
- By MarketWatch
Why it’s so much cheaper to wire money overseas and 5 ways to improve your home’s WiFi Thursday's top personal finance stories Thursday's top personal finance storiesThursday's top personal finance stories
7:01 a.m. Nov. 30, 2016
- By Catey Hill
What not to buy at Target and WalmartYou may want to rethink what you buy at these discount superstores.
11:33 a.m. Nov. 22, 2016
- By Mike Esterl
Pepsi, Dr Pepper each buy lines of healthy beverages Deals for Bai Brands, KeVita show evidence of changing marketTwo of the big U.S. soda makers are scooping up fast-growing upstarts that market healthier beverages, as the industry struggles with falling demand for diet sodas as well as new taxes on sugary drinks.
3:37 a.m. Nov. 22, 2016
Campbell Soup still working on fresh food businessCampbell Soup Co. said Tuesday that its profit rose above expectations as it continues to work on fixing its struggling fresh food business. Campbell shares rose 3.8% in premarket trading. The company said that organic sales fell 1%, hurt by its Campbell Fresh unit. In October, the company swapped out the head of its fresh-food division following a rough patch for its Bolthouse Farms carrots and refrigerated juices.
2:54 a.m. Nov. 22, 2016
- By Ciara Linnane
Campbell Soup beats sales and profit estimatesCampbell Soup Co. said Tuesday it had net income of $292 million, or 94 cents a share, in its first fiscal quarter to Oct. 30, up from $194 million, or 62 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. Adjusted per-share earnings came to $1.00, ahead of the FactSet consensus of 95 cents. Sales edged down to $2.202 billion from $2.203 billion, but were also ahead of the FactSet consensus of $2.198 billion. "As expected, organic sales were down slightly compared to the prior year, due to the performance of Campbell Fresh," Chief Executive Denise Morrison said in a statement. "Campbell Fresh continues to rebuild capacity for Bolthouse Farms Protein PLUS drinks following a voluntary recall last quarter, and remains focused on working to regain lost carrot customers over time with improved quality." The company said it still expects full-year sales to be flat to up 1%, and adjusted per-share earnings to rise 2% to 5%. Shares were not yet active in premarket trade, but are up 4.7% in the year so far, while the S&P 500 has climbed 7.6%.
2:26 a.m. Nov. 22, 2016
Hormel's profit rises, provides upbeat outlookHormel Foods Corp. said profit climbed in the latest quarter thanks to solid performance from refrigerated foods products and higher demand for its Jennie-O Turkey Store brand. The maker of Spam canned pork and Skippy peanut butter anticipates earnings of $1.68 to $1.74 a share for its year ending in October 2017.
7:59 a.m. Nov. 21, 2016
- By The Wall Street Journal
The trouble with the U.S. food supply Most of the time we have no idea where our food comes fromThe food industry has become so globalized that much of the U.S. public doesn’t even know where its food comes from, much less whether it is safe.
4:09 a.m. Nov. 12, 2016
- By Rachel Koning Beals
Hemp is getting hotter, with help and harm from marijuana Whole Foods sells it and a new exchange will trade it, so when will U.S. hemp regulation catch up?Industrial hemp’s evolving story is simultaneously helped and hurt by its better-known and contentious cousin, marijuana. It’s a market that has financial-services and farmer backing, especially in states that once grew tobacco. But it’s an industry that’s still trying to work out the economics.
10:49 p.m. Nov. 8, 2016
Carlsberg revenue drops; but raises FY guidanceCarlsberg A/S (CARL-A.KO) on Wednesday posted a 4% drop in third-quarter revenue amid a continued tough foreign-exchange environment and as overall beer sales fell, but the Danish brewer lifted its full-year financial guidance after a good performance in Eastern Europe and as its efficiency programs began to yield benefits faster than expected.
11:59 p.m. Nov. 6, 2016
- By Annie Gasparro
The next hot trends in food You may not have heard of regenerative grazing yet, but you probably will soonNutrition science—and customers’ rapidly changing tastes—are forcing the food business to search ever farther afield for new edibles.
12:29 p.m. Nov. 2, 2016
John Mackey to be sole CEO of Whole Foods MarketWhole Foods Market Inc. said Wednesday it was eliminating its dual-CEO leadership structure at the end of the year, leaving co-founder John Mackey alone atop the struggling grocery chain. Mr. Mackey's co-CEO, Walter Robb, will step down from the position on Dec. 31 and remain on the board of directors and as a senior adviser to the company.
11:52 a.m. Nov. 2, 2016
- By Tonya Garcia
Whole Foods shares rise after earnings beat, dividend hikeWhole Foods Market Inc. shares climbed 4.5% in Wednesday after-hours trading after the organic and natural grocer reported an earnings beat in the fourth quarter. Net income totaled $88 million, or 28 cents per share, up from $56 million, or 16 cents per share, for the same period last year. The FactSet consensus was 24 cents per share. Sales for the quarter totaled $3.50 billion, up from $3.44 billion last year, but below sales of $3.51 billion. Same-store sales decreased 2.6% missing the 2% FactSet consensus. The company announced a dividend increase to 14 cents per share from 13.50 cents per share, paying on Jan. 24, 2017 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 13, 2017. Whole Foods sees fiscal-year 2017 sales growth of 2.5% to 4.5%, a same-store sales decrease of 2% to flat, and EPS of $1.42 or greater, excluding share repurchases. The full-year FactSet EPS consensus is $1.47. The operating margin is expected to decline 60 basis points for the year due to investments to drive traffic and sales, which will offset cost structure savings. Whole Foods shares are down nearly 15% for the year so far while the S&P 500 Index is up 2.6% for the same period.
7:47 a.m. Nov. 2, 2016
- By Tonya Garcia
Whole Foods earnings: What to watch Deflation, competition and price image could be hurdlesWhole Foods’ fourth-quarter earnings could be impacted by issues like food deflation and its high-priced reputation.
12:59 a.m. Nov. 1, 2016
- By Annie Gasparro
Discount grocery Aldi heads into wealthier areas German chain makes big push in suburban U.S. with no-frills storesAldi and other deep-discount chains are betting consumers are ready to give up the familiar grocery experience for the bare-bones stores.
8:48 a.m. Oct. 28, 2016
- By Tonya Garcia
Germany’s Lidl could shake up crowded U.S. grocery sector Experts can’t agree whether low-income or high-income shoppers will flock to LidlLidl, a German discount grocer, is entering a crowded U.S. grocery industry, and could pull customers from different income brackets.
8:44 p.m. Oct. 27, 2016
Anheuser-Busch InBev trims outlook as profit fallsBy Maarten van Tartwijk AMSTERDAM--Anheuser-Busch InBev NV (ABI.BT), in the midst of digesting its $100 billion-plus acquisition of SABMiller PLC, on Friday cut its growth guidance for the year as the world's largest brewer faces challenges in Brazil. The Belgium-based maker of Budweiser, Corona and Stella Artois, said it now expects group revenue growth per hectoliter to be in line with inflation after it previously forecast growth ahead of inflation.
4:22 a.m. Oct. 26, 2016
Coke's profit and revenue declineCoca-Cola Co. said profit and revenue fell less than expected in the latest quarter as developed markets buoyed the top line despite softness abroad. Overseas weakness and the stronger U.S. dollar have dragged results lately for the company, which generates about half its sales abroad but translates results into dollars.
3:33 a.m. Oct. 26, 2016
Mondelez earnings beat, raises outlookMondelez International Inc. said its adjusted per-share earnings beat expectations for the third quarter and the company raised its 2016 guidance. The latest results come after Mondelez ended its pursuit of Hershey Co. in August, as the famed chocolatier rebuffed the Oreo cookie maker's latest acquisition offer.
3:52 a.m. Oct. 21, 2016
BAT in $47 billion offer for the rest of ReynoldsLONDON-- British American Tobacco PLC made a $47 billion takeover offer for the roughly 58% of American peer Reynolds American Inc. that it doesn't already own--a move that would cement the two cigarette giants' longstanding trans-Atlantic ties and create the world's largest listed tobacco company by revenue and market value.
2:10 a.m. Oct. 21, 2016
BAT in $47 billion offer for rest of ReynoldsLONDON -- British American Tobacco PLC made a $47 billion takeover offer for the roughly 58% of American peer Reynolds American Inc. that it doesn't already own -- a move that would cement the two cigarette giants' longstanding trans-Atlantic ties and create the world's largest listed tobacco company by revenue and market value.
8:51 p.m. Oct. 19, 2016
Nestlé may miss its long-term sales target, againVEVEY, Switzerland-- Nestlé SA said Thursday that sales rose slightly in the first nine months of the year to 65.5 billion Swiss francs ($66.2 billion), and signaled that it will miss its long-term sales target for a fourth-straight year.
9:35 p.m. Oct. 17, 2016
Rémy Cointreau revenue lifted by U.S., ChinaPARIS-- Rémy Cointreau SA's second-quarter revenue topped analysts' expectations, boosted by demand for cognac and other spirits in the U.S. and renewed growth in China. Revenue rose to EUR294.8 million ($324.78 million) in the three months to Sept. 30 from EUR277.5 million in the same period last year.
9:34 p.m. Oct. 17, 2016
Danone revenue pressured by ChinaPARIS-- Danone, Europe's largest yogurt maker, reported third-quarter revenue that slightly missed analysts' estimates as difficulties in China weighed on sales. Sales fell 1.8% to EUR5.54 billion ($6.10 billion) in the three months to Sept. 30, the Paris-based company said Tuesday. Comparable sales, which strip out the effects of fluctuating exchange rates, rose 2.1%, slightly below analysts' expectations of a 2.2% rise.
10:15 p.m. Oct. 12, 2016
Unilever sales growth slows on personal-care hitLONDON-- Unilever PLC Thursday reported a slowdown in third-quarter revenue growth, as the world's second-largest consumer goods company struggled with fierce competition in its deodorants and hair-care business and difficult trading in Latin America.
9:21 a.m. Oct. 6, 2016
- By Jacob Bunge
Perdue eliminates antibiotics from chicken supply Purdue processes about 13 million chickens each weekPerdue Farms has eliminated all antibiotics from its chicken supply after years of trying to find alternatives.


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STAAR testing is starting tomorrow and to help students prepare, McDonald’s restaurants of North Texas will continue its STAAR Free Breakfast program. McDonalds will be offering free breakfast to 3rd – 8th grade students and teachers on Tuesday, April 9 from 5:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Students can choose from an Egg White Delight McMuffin Sandwich or Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, Apple Slices, and their choice of one percent low-fat milk or Honest Kids organic apple juice. Teachers aren’t left out! They can receive this free breakfast offer too with a valid school identification card. In 2018, over 20,700 breakfasts were given to students and teachers as a result of the STAAR Free Breakfast program, averaging 63 per restaurant.
In addition, May 6-10 is the Lunch Bunch/Teacher Appreciation Week. To celebrate, McDonald’s of North Texas will partner with Dallas, Fort Worth and East Texas City Moms blogs to host a special Lunch Bunch event at restaurants in Dallas, Fort Worth and Tyler, Texas. Local teachers, faculty members, and parents are invited to attend and mix and mingle with one another in a casual setting. Additionally, guests will be encouraged to bring school supplies that will be donated to local schools.


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The mortagage rate in U.S. Fell for the thrid week in a row according to Freddie Mac who release the date on Thursday. The rate for a 30-year fixed mortagage has stayed around 4.3 percent for the past four of the last five weeks.
The average dropped for a 15-year fixed rate to its lowest level in six months, dropping to 3.29%. Hybrid type adjustable mortagages showed little to no change. The average for a one year ARM was unchanged from a week ago at 2.43%.
“Mortgage rates were little changed amid a week of light economic reports,” Frank E. Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist, said in a statement.“These lower than expected rates are welcome news with the spring home buying season underway and may even provide those who haven’t already refinanced possibly a reason to take another look. Of the few releases, advanced retail sales rose 0.1 percent in April, but below the market forecast consensus of a 0.4 percent increase. Also, the Producer Price Index for final demand rose 0.6 percent in April which followed a 0.5 percent boost from the prior month.”
If your intereste in buying or selling your house now is the time! Log on to www.askcathy.com and find out what your home or search for your next home today!
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Fans of beloved ’80s media franchises and/or pop culture crossovers have a lot to look forward to this summer, as both Transformers and Ghostbusters celebrate their 35th anniversaries. The Autobots and Ghostbusters will team up later this summer in a limited series from IDW Comics, with a new Ghostbusting transformer called (of course) Ectotron.
Earlier this year Hasbro announced an Ectotron toy, due out in July, but obviously the leader of the Autobots is going to get in on the action too. Polygon has an exclusive first look at Hasbro’s newest Ghostbusters x Transformers set, which features Optimus Prime himself strapping on a Proton Pack and will only be available at San Diego Comic-Con.
The set includes a 9.5-inch-tall Optimus Prime, who of course transforms into his iconic semi truck. Only in this version, dubbed the Ecto-35, he’s sporting the Ghostbusters logo and motto on the side, with a splash of green slime for good measure. The trailer converts into a ghost-busting base when Optimus is in his robot form, and comes complete with maintenance supplies and a ghost trap. You can even wear the packaging itself like a proton pack, if you need help with some last-minute cosplay.
Crossovers are nothing new for either of these franchises. Plenty of Star Wars and Marvel characters have gotten the Transformers toy treatment, and the Ghostbusters teamed up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in a previous IDW run. However, this is the first time that the Autobots have teamed up with Venkman and company.
The MP-10G Optimus Prime Ecto-35 Edition will be available exclusively at San Diego Comic-Con International 2019 (July 18-21) and costs $149.99. You can check out some more images of the toy below.


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Sony has announced the availability of an updated version of the Playstation 3 console, the CECH-3000B, which weighs less than the current model at 2.6Kg and consumes 30W less power at 170W while fitting in the same chassis.
It willl come with a 320GB hard disk drive and will cost the same as the current model; Japanese buyers will unsurprisingly receive the console first later this month and hopefully other territories will follow shortly.
The new console will also be shipped with an HDD recorder pack which will turn the device into a PVR. A 15 per cent drop in power consumption combined with a significant cut in weight could mean two things:
Firstly, that Sony has managed to get a more efficient power supply unit which consumes less power and weighs less than its predecessor.
Secondly, it may well be that the new Cell processors are significantly smaller and run at a much lower temperature than the previous generation (smaller geometry maybe?). This would allow for a smaller heatsink and a dramatic reduction in weight.
In the meantime, the price of 320GB PS3 console is gradually inching towards the £200 and can be had for around £230 at the moment. In comparison, the Xbox 360 250GB costs less than £155 and the Nintendo Wii is available for just under £100.