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Amazon is tightening its grip on the total US retail market with its shoppers now so loyal that they're less inclined to make purchases from competitors at all, according to a report from Feedvisor.
This trend is likely to continue as Amazon adds perks to its Prime membership program, which could encourage more existing Amazon shoppers to join, thereby intensifying their loyalty even further.
US Amazon shoppers are much less likely to consider outside options.
- Amazon customers stay close to home: In fact,95% of US Amazon customers had made a purchase from the marketplace in the last year as of summer 2016, according to the report. Most notably, this encompasses Amazon's general customer base including Prime and non-Prime members, heightening the threat that the e-commerce giant poses to traditional retailers.
They shop other retailers, but less often: Indeed, 61% of Amazon customers have purchased something from a brand or retailer's website like Walmart or Gap in the past year. This isn't likely enough to make much difference to these retailers, which still rely heavily on brick-and-mortars for revenue. And as Amazon continually pulls shoppers out of stores, it's likely the e-commerce giant will further drag sales from these websites.
- Other online marketplaces are far behind: When it comes to online-only marketplaces, Amazon far outstrips competitors. Just 33% of Amazon shoppers had made a purchase on eBay within the past year, and only 3% on Jet.com.
Amazon should be leveraging its Prime program to boost loyalty even further. Amazon Prime members are fiercely loyal to the company, accounting for nearly 60% of its total GMV in 2015, according to Deutsche Bank, cited by Business Insider. Given the loyalty shown by non-Prime members, marketing the membership program's numerous perks could help Amazon create an entire e-commerce ecosystem that minimizes the need for shoppers to look at other merchants.
Amazon is continually making Prime more attractive.Most recently, Amazon rolled out its Seller Fulfilled Prime program, which allows third-party merchants to make inventory eligible for Prime two-day shipping without using Fulfillment by Amazon, letting vetted sellers ship items on their own via another carrier (i.e. FedEx, USPS).
This program will greatly increase the number of Prime-eligible items for sale, as well as overall Prime sales, especially as Amazon reports that 50% of all sold units come from third-party merchants. As Amazon widens its addressable consumer audience via merchant adoption, we expect to see more customers sign up for Prime and join Amazon's user base, helping the e-commerce giant to increasingly eat away at competitors' market share.
The parcel delivery industry — a segment of the shipping sector that deals with the transportation of packages to consumers — is booming thanks to e-commerce growth, and players outside the industry want a piece of the pie.
BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service, has compiled a detailed report on the future of shipping that looks at efforts by Amazon, Alibaba, and Walmart to handle more of their own shipping and concludes that big retailers are well positioned to disrupt the parcel industry.
Here are some of the key points from the report:
- Transportation and logistics could be the next billion dollar opportunity for e-commerce companies. The global shipping market, including ocean, air, and truck freight, is a $2.1 trillion market, according to World Bank, Boeing, and Golden Valley Co.
- There is much at stake for legacy shipping companies, which have seen a boom in parcel delivery as e-commerce spending has risen. Twenty different partners currently share the duties of shipping Amazon's 600 million packages a year, with FedEx, USPS, and UPS moving the most.
- Amazon, Alibaba, and Walmart have so far focused on building out their last-mile delivery and logistics services but are increasingly going after the middle- and first-mile of the shipping chain.
- Amazon has already made major moves across each stage of the shipping journey. It launched same-day delivery service, which it handles through its own fleet of carriers, cutting out any third-party shippers. The company also recently began establishing shipping routes between China and North America.
- Walmart's interest in expanding its transportation and logistics operations is almost purely related to cost-savings. It's begun leasing shipping containers to transport manufactured goods from China and is making greater use of lockers and in-store pickup options to cut down on delivery costs.
- Alibaba has begun leasing containers on ships, similar to Amazon's Dragon Boat initiative. This means that Alibaba Logistics can now facilitate first-mile shipping for third-party merchants on its marketplace.
In full, the report:
- Sizes the market for the shipping industry.
- Explains how the industry operates in broad terms.
- Suggests why major e-commerce retailers should disrupt the space.
- Outlines the shipping initiatives of Amazon, Walmart, and Alibaba.
- Concludes how these moves might impact traditional carriers.
Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:
- Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. » START A MEMBERSHIP
- Purchase & download the full report from our research store. » BUY THE REPORT
The choice is yours. But however you decide to acquire this report, you've given yourself a powerful advantage in your understanding of the future of shipping.


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Thu July 19, 2012
Man allegedly DWI on a Wal-Mart scooter
Houma police say a 24-year-old man is accused of driving a shopping scooter while drunk.
Police say Thomas J. Phillip's breath tested at more than double the amount considered legal proof of intoxication under Louisiana law when he was pulled over Sunday.
Police say they got a call about a motorized scooter pulling a wheelchair, and found Phillip on the scooter and a friend of his in the wheelchair. They say Phillip was arrested after allegedly telling police he'd been at a Wal-Mart store and decided to take the scooter for a joyride.
Police say he was booked with operating a vehicle while intoxicated and with theft. Phillip could not be reached for comment because no phone listing was available for him.
Police say the wheelchair occupant was not cited.

domain: news


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Australian assembler and distributor, TodayTech, has gone into voluntary administration three months after losing a direct supplier relationship with key vendor partner, Intel.
Rob Whitton of William Buck Chartered Accountants was appointed administrator by TodayTech’s directors on October 7. He said the business was likely to close in the next week.
“It is early days but the reality is the business will close down,” he said.
All stock would be sold off, and it was hoped a buyer could also be found for TodayTech’s logistics facilities, Whitton said.
Headquartered in Sydney, TodayTech also maintains offices across Australia and has about 30 employees.
Whitton estimated TodayTech had up to 60 unsecured creditors along with one secured creditor. He was unable to verify how much was owed given creditors were paid in both Australian and US dollars.
Whitton attributed TodayTech’s demise to the changing nature of the whitebox industry. The company also suffered a major hit when it lost its 11-year direct supplier relationship with Intel in July. At the time, TodayTech managing director, Jack Zhong, told <i>ARN</i> it would endeavour to soldier on by sourcing a broader range of finished goods.
“The industry has changed dramatically – there’s no doubt the company was impacted by the global financial crises, but also longer term,” he said. “Once upon a time, you would buy a PC box made by a whitebox company like TodayTech. Today it’s all Dell and the bigger brands, which have taken away from the whitebox market.
“The business has been in a slow decline for a number of years.”
Whitton said TodayTech’s directors were very sad to be forced to exit the business after nearly 20 years operating in Australia.
The first creditors meeting is scheduled for October 19.


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PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Lincoln D. Chafee, Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation and the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (Commerce RI) today that Rhode Island has been awarded a $1.575-million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) to develop a model for expanding the state’s defense manufacturing base.
Tag Archives: manufacturing
Manufacturing to give economy a fresh push into 2014
By Ruth Mantell, MarketWatch WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Manufacturers likely ended 2013 by posting a seventh month of growth, which probably will help fuel a pickup in the broad economy and hiring in the new year, economists say. Story: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/manufacturing-to-finish-2013-on-strong-note-2013-12-29?siteid=bulletrss&utm_source=PBN+Master+List+-+All+Subscribers&utm_campaign=b953cc75fd-2013_1230_call12_29_2013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0e86591c9b-b953cc75fd-40334485.
National Manufacturing Day Oct. 4th
National Manufacturing Day Oct. 4th Manufacturing is not dead even here in RI…support your local businesses!


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Barreiro Vs. Walter: Farm Bureau Hosts Feb. 9 ‘Checkout Challenge’ Benefit
Let’s get ready to rumble — supermarket sweep-style — for a good cause.
At 10:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 9, the Kane County Farm Bureau will host its 17th Annual Food Check-Out “Challenge” — a shopping spree to benefit local food pantries, at the Batavia Jewel-Osco on Randall Road at Main Street.
The shopping spree runs in tandem with Food Check-Out Week, which teaches Americans how to stretch their grocery dollars with healthy, nutritious food.
The two celebrity “combatants” this year are Kane County Board member Theresa Barreiro, shopping on behalf of the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry in Aurora, and Elburn Village President Jeffrey Walter, spreeing on behalf of the Elburn Food Pantry.
The public is invited to come watch the public officials race to collect food to help restock the shelves of the two above-mentioned food pantries. All of the groceries collected during the 5-plus minute spree are then purchased by the Farm Bureau and donated to respective pantries.
The Kane County Farm Bureau says the average American household spends less than 10 percent on of their disposable income on food, which is the lowest of any country. And the Food Check-Out Challenge is one way to recognize the achievements of farmers in Kane County and throughout the nation.
“The foundation of our well-being as a society depends upon the domestic production of food,” the Farm Bureau said in a news release announcing the event. “And 2018 is a time to celebrate the abundance of fresh and nutritious food available to consumers at affordable prices.”
Through this and other recent hunger relief efforts, including Harvest for ALL and related Million Meal Challenge, KCFB members have donated the equivalent of more than 1.75 million meals to area food pantries.
About the Kane County Farm Bureau
Kane County Farm Bureau is a not-for-profit membership association serving members, local agricultural producers and Kane County communities since 1912. With 16,000 member families, Farm Bureau membership is open to all in Kane County who support a stable, profitable and permanent agricultural sector as a vital part of a strong economy in a free society. For more information, visit the Farm Bureau’s website and Facebook page.
SOURCE: Kane County Farm Bureau news release


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With Apple’s big autumn event just two days away, iPhone speculation has reached peak turgidity. And so far, there’s a lot of info that’s trickled down via rumours and leaks that seem like a lock for September 13, including Apple’s plan to introduce three new iPhones, with the new iPhone Xs serving as the successor to last year’s iPhone X.
Tagged With iphone x
Over the last 24 hours, owners of iOS devices across the globe have been compelled to take their expensive gadgets, wrap them in Glad Wrap and stick them inside their refrigerator. What on Earth would make anyone do that, short of a mental break? Well, it is because of a break of sorts — a jailbreak.
About a month ago, rumours leaked that Apple was testing green and purple paint jobs for the next batch of iPhones, and while it seemed like a stretch, new info from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now added a bit more credibility to the idea that a bunch of brightly coloured iPhones might be available later this spring.
The public beta version of Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 12, is now out in the wild, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it to find out whether Apple had really fixed the most annoying thing about using the iPhone X - screenshots - as we expected it would when the developer beta became available last month.
The iPhone X is easily the best phone I've ever owned. And in almost every way, it performs exactly as I would like it to. There is just one problem, a thing that might seem so minor as to not be an issue at all but is the one thing that regularly makes me contemplate chucking my $1600 gadget against a brick wall.
While we're not expecting any major phone news to come out of WWDC (aside from the possible appearance of the iPhone SE 2), all sorts of iPhone rumours are hitting the street as Apple's annual developer conference nears. The rumours range from some plausible changes and upgrades to some very silly-looking new colours.
While we're still waiting to see if predictions about Apple launching three new phones in 2018 are true, another iPhone rumour has cropped up foretelling a small change that could have a pretty big impact.
Russian phone accessory maker Caviar has begun sales of a $US4,500 ( that's $5,968 Aussie dollars) "iPhone X Tesla" with an attached solar panel, if for some reason you happened to have thousands of dollars lying around you don't need, and also feel like leaving your pricey electronics sitting around baking in the sun.
Move over commemorative plates and spoons, this luxury gift company needs you to hold its beer while it releases the most garish royal wedding memorabilia that I have ever seen.
For the low price of a $6475, you can treat yourself to a 24K iPhone X case where the apple is made up of diamonds. Humanity has taken things too far this time.
Your brand new iPhone X ain't that brand new anymore, and as it passes the six-month marker of its existence, one has to wonder "What's next?" No doubt a new fleet of iPhones is coming from Apple, but even that presumption presents yet another question posed by philosophers across the internet: "What's the next iPhone gonna be called?" What, indeed, you great thinker.
It's easy to look back on the original iPhone 2G with reverence. It revolutionised the mobile phone industry, and paved the way for our lives to be taken over by mobile apps. And for the three of you who yearn for a modern smartphone wrapped in 2007 design aesthetics, Spigen's created an iPhone X case that will make your device look like Apple's original game changer.
It's been six months since the iPhone X release, and one thing holds true: It's still expensive. However, as much as I hated myself for buying a $1,500 phone, and as much as I hated myself for loving it, spending half a year with the iPhone X has revealed some new truths. One, Jony Ive is right when he says Face ID is important than it seems. Two, Apple's grasp on excellent quality control is slipping. Three, once you've fallen in love with the iPhone X, there's no turning back.
Let's face it, when you shell out upwards of $1000 for a flagship phone, a huge chunk of that money is going towards its camera. Some people might say that's nuts, but for others, who don't don't want the hassle or added expense of owning a real camera, it's really not that ridiculous. However, even for fancy handsets with double or even triple camera setups, phones still lack the flexibility of interchangeable lenses.
In advance of the next batch of iPhones, noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has already shed some light on the three new iPhone models he expects to see this spring. But recently, new details have emerged from Kuo on Chinese website Feng about the upcoming 6.1-inch iPhone, and its apparent lack of 3D Touch.
Last spring, Apple broke tradition by launching three iPhones instead of its usual two. But even more than that, Apple's bold $1579 handset had a weird name and new facial recognition tech that no one had really seen before. Now, reports from CNBC and others are saying the iPhone X is going to get killed off later this year, and people seem to be panicking.
After last year's delayed iPhone X release, Apple is trying to snag a few extra screens for its 2018 batch of iPhones. Unfortunately, the company is apparently running into trouble with its OLED display manufacturing partners, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Big news for lovers of the iPhone SE, a franken-gadget made of old Apple parts and billed as a more affordable iOS device: It appears that the budget iPhone lineup is finally going to get its first refresh two years after the original model hit the market. The announcement could come as early as WWDC in June. In fact, Apple might be announcing several new iPhones.
iPhone X owners who still use Snapchat are in for a pleasant surprise today. The camera company, famously annihilated by Rihanna after it approved an ad mocking domestic violence victims, is finally releasing its previously-announced lenses designed for the iPhone X. The feature was teased nearly seven months ago, so it's about time.


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Sarees in the Philippines are small neighborhood stores that are often run on a pen and paper ledger. Inspired by motorcycle travel, packworks is on a mission to change that with a mobile enterprise resource planning platform (ERP), which has raised $2 million led by logistics group Fast Group and CVC Capital Partners, with participation from ADB Ventures, Arise, TechStars and the IdeaSpace Foundation.
The startup will use its new funding to develop its super app called The Pack, expanding its platform’s offerings, including optimizing store operations, including funding access for businesses and order management across the entire supply chain. . It also plans to create a division that engages saree stores and provides additional services with partners, as well as an open platform for financial institutions and brands to connect directly with saree owners. works out.
The company says PackWorks bootstrapped it before working its way up to working with 150,000 sari-sari stores. It was established in 2018 with an initial customer base of five saree-sari store partners. PackWorks has now added 150,000 stores and wants to have 220,000 stores by the end of 2022 and 500,000 by the end of 2023.
Pack Superstore App enables Saree-Saree owners to process their business inventory, bookkeeping and data collection. It provides access to financial products and ordered supplies at an affordable cost. The app is designed to use less bandwidth, as store owners often pay higher interest rates and overpay for consumer goods. It wants to reduce the interest cost and manage money through its e-payment facilities.
Packwork began after founders Hubert Yap, Bing Tan and Ibba Bernando took motorcycle tours to rural communities. During that time, she came up with the idea of working with saris after taking a motorcycle trip to bring solar panels to different communities. He said he noticed how difficult it is for sari-saris to track inventory and obtain supplies for their stores, especially in the provinces of the Philippines.
PackWorks chief marketing officer Bernando told Meczyki.Net that he and his two co-founders are motorcycle riders and “while pursuing our hobby, we also start advocacy activities like bringing solar panels to different communities.” During their travels, they usually stop at sari-sari shops in rural areas to eat or rest. “We noticed that these stores have a difficult time tracking their inventory and getting supplies for their stores, especially in the provinces.” That’s when the trio thought of making a one-stop app. He said, “Given the challenges of limited access to saree owners, especially in remote locations, we promised to share our technical knowledge and motivate them to switch from analog processes to technology. ,” They said.
The company originally started as a solution for multinationals to connect with neighborhood stores. By 2019, it had rolled out 220 stores nationwide and with a valuation of $400,000. After a year, that number increased to 27,828 stores with a valuation of $30 million, and as of the previous year, it reached 130,000 stores with a valuation of $139 million.
He says there isn’t just one one-of-a-kind saree shop, so PackWorks created a suite of different types of apps. For the more successful ones, it produced a full suite of business tools. For the new sari-sari store, it created a beginner-friendly app that guides and connects them to the mentor store. “They can order from our platform,” he said. “Not only that, but they are really micro-support groups that help each other.”
Pack: The Superstore app gives Saree-Saree owners access to financial products and supplies at affordable prices. Bernando says it aims to reduce interest costs and handle money through access to e-payments.
“There are not just one or two types of saree stores,” he said. “One of them is Rainbow. We are currently working with people who move consumer packaged goods and fast-moving consumer goods, but also Carinderia type, or sidewalk restaurants, Agritype and Rice, among others. Sellers are also working with type. It’s not about size but about selection of merchandise. We now have over 150,000 users with an estimate of 9,000 SKUs and we’re looking at 220,000 by the end of the year and 2023 We aim to store up to 550,000.
Asked what stage the revenue packwork is in, Bernando said, “This year is important for us. We’re working with our partners to generate revenue from project billing to performance billing, leveraging the transaction value of our 150,000 store network.” Will expand the model.
In a prepared statement, Bryce Q, Philippines Senior Managing Director and Country Head and Board Member of the FAST Group for CVC Capital, said, “At FAST, we are constantly exploring ways to improve our country’s supply chain. The over one million sari-siyar stores in the Philippines are a significant component of this chain, and we believe there exists a huge opportunity to create a digital layer connecting these stores with customers and suppliers. Laying PackWorks’ digital fabric and leveraging its emerging data to build supply chain efficiencies has exciting prospects, especially when combined with experience and FAST’s national scale.”


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If you’ve got an incredible turnaround jump shot, the National Basketball Association (NBA) wants to see it up on YouTube. The online video hub and the NBA have partnered to create a new NBA Channel on YouTube.
As part of the channel’s launch, viewers are being asked to post videos showing their best basketball moves for a “Post Up the NBA” challenge. The top 10 videos will be collected and featured as part of the channel every week throughout the rest of the 2006-2007 season, according to the companies.
Under the partnership, the NBA is also working with YouTube parent Google to test the distribution of syndicated NBA video content across Google’s AdSense network. The test will allow publishers to receive syndicated clips of NBA games and other content, paired with advertising and served by Google. Such syndicated video content is a growing part of the search giant’s strategy. The company yesterday entered a relationship with Condé Nast and Dow Jones and Company’s WSJ.com, among other publishers.
The NBA will take advantage of YouTube’s “Claim Your Content” program to allow the NBA to identify its copyrighted content and have it removed or share in the advertising revenue generated, according to the companies.
While the NBA may eventually see revenue streams from the AdSense network, and hopes to keep its copyrighted material from being shared illegally through its YouTube partnership, those aren’t its primary goals.
“Our key thing for doing this deal is it’s a great opportunity to provide our fans the ability to share in their passion for the game with their best moves on YouTube,” an NBA spokesperson said. “It’s a unique way to reach our fans. This kind of arrangement will help promote our national telecasts and further help to drive traffic to our Web site, NBA.com.”
Separately, the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team has launched its own social networking destination for its fans called Iamatrailblazersfan. The site was created partnership with non-profit volunteer organization Hands On Greater Portland and social network provider Affinity Circles. On the Iamatrailblazersfan site, fans can create profiles, join groups, share photos, and post comments, according to the team.
A class action lawsuit against an internet-connected pleasure device highlights the potential pitfalls a growing number of companies will face as they embrace ... read more
Google sparked a small firestorm last week as reports surfaced that its intelligent assistant device Google Home delivered an unsolicited advertisement to unsuspecting owners.
According to Internet Retailer's newly released The Best Digital Marketers in E-Commerce report, Target is the most effective marketer in online retail. So why is it struggling overall?
The rise of YouTube and digital video generally has a lot to do with the rise of the internet and the abundance of digital video content. But YouTube's ascendency is also the result of Google's savvy use of algorithms.


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14 March 2017
14 March 2017
Aliancys will increase the price of its complete unsaturated polyester and vinyl ester resins portfolio sold in europe, middle east and india by €100 per ton.
Isophthalic based resins will be increased with an additional €100 per ton. The price increase will take effect for all new deliveries after 15 march 2017.
This new price increase is an addition to the multiple price increases already announced by aliancys in previous months.
“The pricing of our key raw materials continues to sharply increase across the board. This unprecedented escalation has left us no choice but to raise the prices of our products as a result. In addition, the market of some key raw materials is very short,” explains Fons Harbers, Marketing & Sales Director.
NetComposites Enterprise is pleased to announce the next INC 2017 (Industrial Nanocomposites Conference), an international conference taking place 10th – 11th October at the Maritim Hotel, Stuttgart, Germany, and abstracts are now being sought from potential speakers.
Water Jet Sweden's new T-model is a multi-purpose waterjet cutting machine designed for in-house production, part manufacturing, and design, engineering and prototype workshops. It can cut composites, metals, plastic, glass, stone and many other materials, up to 200 mm thick, with the same cutting tool.
Altair’s product development services division Altair ProductDesign has been awarded a 2016 Boeing Performance Excellence Award. Boeing issues the award annually to recognise suppliers which have achieved superior performance.


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Chicago-based third-party logistics provider Redwood Logistics has been sold by private equity firm CI Capital Partners to AEA Investors. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
AEA Investors is an investment firm with over $15 billion in assets under management and a 50-plus-year history of partnering with middle market companies to accelerate growth.
For the past four years, Redwood has been a portfolio company of CI Capital.
MARK YEAGER, CEO, Redwood Logistics: “We are extremely enthusiastic to be joining the AEA family. This additional investment accelerates our organization’s strategic growth plan, all while retaining and underscoring our core values, unique Redwood culture and winning team. Our customers, carriers, vendors and employees will benefit greatly from this partnership as it enables us to accelerate the kind of aggressive innovation that led us to the development and launch of our Logistics Platform as a Service operating model.”
JUSTIN de LA CHAPPELLE, partner, AEA: “Redwood’s management team has built an exceptional business, performing at the top of the freight industry and innovating ahead of the competition. We are very excited about Redwood’s future, and we look forward to partnering with the Redwood team to help further expand its offerings and drive ongoing technology innovation.”
JOOST THESSELING, managing director, CI Capital: “CI Capital is proud to have collaborated with Mark Yeager and the entire Redwood team to support the company’s exceptional growth during a period of immense technological change in the logistics industry. Redwood’s exceptional management team, scale across multiple service offerings and unique suite of technology tools position the company well for continued growth in this dynamic market. We look forward to following Redwood’s progress and accomplishments in the future.”
FreightTech 25: Redwood Logistics
Redwood Logistics ranked No. 22 in the FreightWaves FreightTech 25 for 2022 that was revealed last month.
The FreightTech awards celebrate innovation and disruption within the freight industry.
“It’s an incredible honor to be featured alongside our freight technology peers and partners in the FreightTech 25,” said Yeager. “This year’s launch of LPaaS enabled us to reveal our current and future vision for Redwood as we grow our ecosystem of supply chain technologies and logistics services.”
Earlier this year, Redwood launched its Logistics Platform as a Service, bridging the gap between logistics and technology through an interconnected and open platform that allows for effortless scaling and logistics network design.


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The customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority has revoked the operating licenses of 20 freight forwarders for falsifying the port of loading documents from India to other countries.
They also under-declared the values presented to customs for duty and tax purposes.
Out of the 20 freight forwarders being sanctioned, 13 are said to have diverted transit goods while seven are being punished for falsifying the port of loading documents from India.
In a public notice issued by the GRA, the Customs Division noted that efforts are underway to retrieve all the revenue under-declared.
The Ghana Revenue Authority however advice importers, freight forwarders and the trading public to desist from falsifying their import documents submitted to the GRA.
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Caren Martin (Interior Design) has received the Interior Design Educators Council Presidential Award "in appreciation for significant contributions to the interior design profession." The award was presented at the council's international conference in Montreal on March 8, 2008. Martin's Rebuttal to the Institute for Justice's "Designing Cartels: How Industry Insiders Cut Out Competition" was cited and has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Interior Design, for May 2008 (Vol. 33, Issue 3).
design college of design tom fisher architecture award awards announcement cdes sustainable students video university of minnesota 2014 goldstein museum of design aia landscape architecture exhibition alumni lecture lucy dunne research museum competition art fashion minneapolis barry kudrowitz community event project events from the dean goldstein study abroad conference fashion show haiti international sustainability awards magazine public interest design conferences graphic design metropolitan design center minnesota schedule star tribune sustainabiliy apparel design


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Specsavers launches new store in Leyland, creating a charity partnership with Galloway's
An opticians has celebrated the opening of its new store in Leyland, representing aÂ Â£400,000 investmentÂ in community optical and audiology care.
For related stories click here /gallowheels-appeal-lancashire-post-and-galloway-s-1-8868871 and /specsavers-chorley-has-great-vision-with-an-industry-win-1-8389710
To mark the opening of the new Specsavers store in Hough Lane, the team welcomed representatives and service users from its 2018 chosen charity Galloway’s Society for the Blind, to help cut the ribbon.
All donations from repairs and spectacle MOTs over the weekend were donated to Galloway’s.
The new store, boasts two state-of-the-art test rooms and a specialist audiology centre – the first service of its kind in the town. It is headed by directors, Paul Slater and Rizwan Iqbal and store manager Beth Roberts.
Paul says: "Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate this amazing milestone for us. We’re delighted to have the new store open and the response has been fantastic.
"A special thank you must go to our friends from Galloway’s Society for the Blind for joining us. The cause is very close to our hearts, as optical care specialists, and we hope to raise as much as possible for them in 2018."
Roya Armstrong, community fund-raiser at Galloway’s, comments: "As a sight loss charity, we were absolutely delighted to be involved in the official opening of the new Leyland Specsavers Store.
"A huge part of the work we do is to promote the importance of regular eye tests to prevent avoidable sight loss, so to work so closely with such a well-known opticians is an opportunity we are very grateful for.
"Galloway’s have to raise over Â£1m each year to continue providing a wide range of services to blind and partially sighted people in the local area. Quite simply, we’d be unable to do this without fundraising and awareness opportunities such as this."
Galloways provides invaluable care to more than 7,000 blind and partially sighted people across Lancashire. For more information visit http://www.galloways.org.uk.


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Back in January, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration listed crash test ratings for the 2018 Mazda 6 in two distinctive flavors: the front-wheel model and the… all-wheel-drive variant? Wait a minute, Mazda isn’t making an AWD drive version of the sedan. Right?While there’s been plenty of confirmation for the Mazda’s new 2.5-liter turbocharged engine, we hadn’t heard anything about all-wheel drive. When questioned, the automaker said it couldn’t say anything about it one way or the other. However, Mazda North America CEO Masahiro Moro has admitted there could be a layout issue that would make pairing the new engine with all-wheel drive exceedingly difficult. It may have become too troublesome to even pursue the effort, as all mentions of the AWD Mazda 6 appear to have vanished from the NHTSA’s website. Moro said he still wants all-wheel action to play a part in Mazda’s future.“I think we … [Read more...] about All-wheel-drive Mazda 6 Prospects Looking Very Iffy
Our previous entry into Buy/Drive/Burn asked which brougham personal luxury coupe you’d choose from the Big Three for the 1980 model year. Today we’ve got a different Big Three — two Germans and a Swede. (Read ground rules here.)All of them offered luxury wagons with all-wheel drive around the turn of the century, and we hone in on 2004 today. Which one will you drive up to the Alps and then set on fire?Audi A6 AllroadBefore the CUV craze started, Audi applied some cladding to its A6 Avant, jacked up the suspension, and increased the price to create the A6 Allroad for 1999. Available with either a 2.7-liter biturbo engine or the full-fat 4.2-liter V8 (an excellent engine), the Allroad sold in relatively low numbers in North America until it was cancelled after the 2005 model year. Volvo XC70Much like the Audi, Volvo added cladding and ride height to the all-wheel drive potion to create the rough and ready XC70. First available for 1998, the V70 XC (or Cross Country), … [Read more...] about Buy/Drive/Burn: A Luxury All-Wheel Drive Wagon Awaits
Since former CEO Mark Fields announced Ford would bring the Bronco and Ranger back to the United States, the Blue Oval rumor mill has focused mainly on those vehicles. With the 2019 Ford Ranger now out of the bag, car enthusiasts everywhere will now hone their attention on the 2020 Ford Bronco. However, the Bronco is not the most important new Ford in 2020. That honor goes to the next-generation 2020 Ford Explorer, a vehicle that diverges from the current model in significant ways. Even though the Explorer’s underpinnings are a decade old, 2017 was its best sales year in the United States since 2004. Last year saw the Explorer flex its muscles and freestyle its way to 271,000 U.S. units sold. The last time Explorer volume dipped under 200,000 units was 2013. It’s a sales powerhouse that, along with F-Series trucks and the Ford Edge, has significantly increased Ford Motor Company’s average vehicle transaction price. America’s insatiable lust for crossovers … [Read more...] about 2020 Ford Explorer Goes Rear-Wheel Drive, Steals Lincoln Engine
BMW X2 hit the bright lights at the Detroit Auto Show this month, and will hit U.S. dealerships in March. The front-wheel drive BMW X2 will arrive a couple of months afterward, opening up another, less expensive entry point for the substantial number of conquest buyers BMW expects the mini crossover to capture. One letter will be the difference between the two vehicles, the AWD version called the xDrive28i, the FWD version known as the sDrive28i.Otherwise, when it comes to the outside of the X2, expect less of what you get with the X1. Pitched as a sporty lifestyle proposition, the X2 is the smallest crossover in the lineup, 3.2 inches shorter than the X1, with a roofline that stands 2.8 inches lower. Inside, the X2 copies the X1's cabin in practically all aspects save the steering wheel. The only engine we'll get is the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, shifting through an eight-speed transmission. That peppy, elastic unit also … [Read more...] about Front-wheel drive BMW X2 crossover coming this spring
Mazda is studying the potential of offering all-wheel-drive sedans eventually. But such a product may come sooner than expected, if this website from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is any indication. While searching for 2018 Mazda6 crash test ratings on the site, we found results for both front- and all-wheel-drive versions. Both cars receive an overall five-star rating.Recently, Mazda’s North America CEO Masahiro Moro opened up to CarAdvice on this subject. He indicated there’s a layout issue that would prevent combining the new 2.5-liter turbocharged engine in the Mazda6 with all-wheel drive.However, he also noted there is plenty of demand for all-wheel drive cars in the U.S. “Four-wheel drive becomes a premium cue for U.S. consumers, and obviously, I have asked our R&D department to think about how we can accommodate four-wheel drive capability in the future,” he said.The 2018 Mazda6 goes on sale this spring, but will it … [Read more...] about Will the 2018 Mazda6 Offer All-Wheel Drive in the U.S.?


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Legal obstacles force Pacific to drop Ocean Gold acquisition
Major U.S. seafood supplier Pacific Seafood Group has abandoned plans to acquire Washington-based Ocean Gold Seafoods due to ongoing legal issues brought on by allegations of antitrust violations.
The acquisition was derailed late last week after a group of commercial fishermen successfully blocked the maneuver in federal court, earning a temporary restraining order. They claimed Pacific would gain a monopoly in the West Coast groundfish, whiting and coldwater shrimp markets and could suppress prices paid to fishermen. A federal judge had set a hearing for Feb. 9.
But according to numerous reports, Pacific has opted to drop its plans, after the company’s general counsel Daniel Occhipinti had called the lawsuit a “frivolous retread” of an earlier complaint.
“It will be of significant benefit to the competitive health of the West Coast fishing industry if [Ocean Gold] can be an independent competitor rather than under the control of Pacific Seafood through either an exclusive marketing agreement or by Pacific Seafood Group acquiring it,” Michael Haglund, a Portland attorney representing the fishermen, told the Daily Astorian (Ore.).
On 2 April 2012, Pacific settled a class action lawsuit filed by two Brookings, Ore., fishermen regarding allegations dating back to 2010 that Pacific was violating antitrust laws by paying West Coast fishermen below-market prices for whiting, groundfish, shrimp and Dungeness crab. Lloyd and Todd Whaley alleged that Pacific illegally conspired with Ocean Gold to suppress whiting prices.
The suit was settled and terms were not disclosed but according to the Whaleys' attorney, Mike Haglund, the result included a five-year agreement with multiple pro-competitive features: A 10-year exclusive agreement between the two companies would not be renewed in 2016 to potentially create a large new processing competitor; the two companies would report average wholesale prices to a seafood market reporting service to build transparency; conflicts of interest involving fishermen’s cooperatives would be eliminated; and the two companies would accept fish scrap from new processors that enter the market.
Pacific, based in Clackamas, Ore., is one of North America’s largest seafood suppliers with annual sales estimated at well more than USD 1 billion, employing more than 2,500 people at processing plants and distribution facilities throughout the western United States.


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London Fashion Week gets under way
Friday 17 September 2010
British designers were stepping out to prove their worth at the start of London Fashion Week on Friday, after a report put the value of the UK fashion industry at 37 billion pounds.
Fashion icons Vivienne Westwood, Burberry Prorsum, Pringle of Scotland and Matthew Williamson will feature at this year's event, alongside London's emerging talent, hot on the heels of New York Fashion Week.
While the London show may not reap the riches of its rivals in New York, Milan and Paris, the "Value of the UK Fashion Industry" report released Thursday showed that fashion in Britain remains big business.
The UK fashion industry has a direct value to the country's economy of nearly 21 billion pounds and its influence on other industries, ranging from IT to tourism, is worth more than 16 billion pounds, according to research commissioned by the British Fashion Council (BFC).
That makes it the equivalent of 44 billion euros or 58 billion dollars.
BFC chairman Harold Tillman described fashion as "a great British success story" but said a "national action plan" was needed to support its development.
Top designers driving the sector's growth will be staging shows at the grandiose neo-classical Somerset House in central London from Thursday to Wednesday and taking orders for their spring/summer 2011 collections.
The event usually generates orders in the region of 100 million pounds, as well as directly contributing 20 million pounds to the London economy, according to BFC.
Kicking off the programme on Friday is menswear designer Paul Costelloe, who says his spring/summer collection is inspired by French fashion designer Madeleine Vionnet and styles of the 1920s and 1930s, "reinterpreted with a rock'n'roll attitude".
Also on the opening day, the BFC is to host its first "sustainable fashion show", aiming to prove that fashion need not cost the earth.
The display will showcase the work of designers committed to eco-friendly creations, including Stella McCartney, People Tree and Vivienne Westwood.
British supermodel Erin O'Connor, set to feature in the show, said: "Merging style and conscience has never been so important and valued at London Fashion Week."
Life & Style blogs
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- 1 BBC told new political editor must be 'impartial' with Nick Robinson reportedly stepping down
- 2 Humans of New York image of crying gay teen receives best response yet from Ellen DeGeneres
- 3 Number of young homeless people in Britain is 'more than three times the official figures'
- 4 Motorists taunt suicidal woman on bridge and tell her to 'get on with it'
- 5 The map showing the most dangerous tourist destinations in Europe, according to the Foreign Office
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General Mills announced in a press release on Monday that Trix is bringing back the (somewhat) classic fruit shaped-cereal enjoyed by a generation of children who grew up in the early to mid-1990s.
In 2017, after color-loving fans weighed in, Trix brought back the cereal's bright, artificial colors after a two-year absence. Turns out, true Trix fans didn't want to eat little cereal balls colored with turmeric, radishes and purple carrots. This fall, fans of the cereal can enjoy the return of fruit shapes (in their original, brighter colors) like "Raspberry red, Lemony Lemon, Orangey orange, Wildberry blue, Grapity purple and watermelon," according to the release.
The change back to fruit shapes, which originally debuted in 1991 and lasted until 2006, comes after a huge demand by Trix lovers for a return that included "more than 20,000 requests,'' according to the company. When the cereal first debuted in 1950s, it actually came in ball shapes (not fruit shapes) so the change isn't actually a full reversion to its original form.


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Google’s marketing managers shares how her and her team created the app Primer, using the principles of user-centric design to create a useful mobile application.
When we are creating a piece of technology — whether that be a travel application or a portal for a health care provider, there’s one place where we have to start: solving a problem for the user. We can create slick designs that get a lot of initial downloads, but if users, however, do not find the app useful and an essential part of their daily life, we did not do our job.
In a new Think With Google article, entitled “Mobile App Development: How to Create a Useful App,” Bethany Poole, Google’s marketing manager, outlines how her team created the app Primer, which teaches the user a marketing tenet in less than five minutes, by prioritizing user user-centric design.
When we talk about ‘user-centric design,’ we are talking about the process of internalizing the needs, desires, and limitations of the intended users. It is more than just creating personas; it is about being able to empathize with a particular problem a group has and working towards providing a solution to improve someone’s life.
The team’s first task was to find out why a vast majority of professionals did not spend any time with self-development. “At first, we received the obvious answers about the lack of time and frustration with learning options,” says the article. “We kept digging until we landed on a deeper user insight: People viewed education as something so far removed from their everyday lives that they found it difficult to get into a learning mindset.”
As a result, the research told the creators that the users would use the app when they were open to learning something new, which would be during downtime. When working on the application, the team had these four principles in mind when working on the app.
“Think like the user, then design the user experience.”
As the team started to create the feature list for Primer, they came up with three different types of users. These user groups include users who needed specific lessons, users who wanted to learn about marketing but didn’t know what they specifically wanted to learn, and users who just wanted to browse.
With these three users in mind, they were able to add functionality that met each user’s needs. The team came up with a search feature that allowed users to find information quickly, generalized content for those who wanted to learn but didn’t know exactly what, and then a “featured” section for those who are just browsing.
“Remember that users are people, not demographics.”
At the heart of Primer is a tool any business professional could use to gain information on marketing. Meaning, the team needed to create the app, using business-centric demographics. Their initial thought was to focus on the startup community.
After launching the MVP, however, the team saw more people outside the startup community utilizing the app. As a result, the team then had to revamp the content on the screen to include lessons and features that would benefit all entrepreneurs — both inside and outside the startup world.
“When promoting an app, consider all the situations in which it could be useful.”
App creators cannot account for all the ways an app might be used at the start of the project. When Facebook was first launched, Mark Zuckerberg saw the platform as a college directory, where students could get to know people in their classes. Now, the platform has grown into a much larger entity. People from all over the world can connect in one place, share information, see what people are talking about, allow loved ones to know they are safe in natural disasters, and more.
When the team at Google started working on Primer, the basic understanding of the app’s value was providing a way a professional brush up on their marketing skills on a regular basis. However, the app proved to be something else too: “we realized that many users viewed Primer as a way to pass the time without wasting time.” While that may sound like a bit of a silly marketing angle, it worked. The team soon looked for free moments the users had free time and wanted a great distraction.
“Keep working on the utility of the app even after launch.”
One thing you can forget when you initiate an app is the sheer fact that you can never stop building and improving your creation. Like in all aspects of software development, it is an iterative process. This strategy includes improving the user experience by continuing to refine the app and making sure it is “increasing[ly] useful and relevant to our audience.”


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Although we said we’d seen the last of the mystery men, Design Week came across a photograph so classic we couldn’t resist an encore. Quite clearly of its time, the photograph captures our young hero working up initial concepts for the now-ubiquitous Yuletide mainstay – the common Christmas tree. Since then he has risen to become creative director of a highly respected consultancy, enjoying a close union with another of similar standing. If you recognise the man in question, fax us on 0171-970 4165.
Children’s book illustration student Viola Wang has scooped this year’s top prize, beating over 80 other entrants.
As the production designer works on last-minute preparations for the Brits, we speak to her about creating sets for the likes of Coldplay and One Direction, mastering the skill of
New research has found that while 30,000 students graduated from design courses between 2012-2013 and 2015-2016, only a quarter ended up going into “highly skilled” design jobs.
We Launch has redesigned the branding to “change the stigma” associated with the sports, which have now been brought together under one organisation.


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Brick-Force Enters the Space Age
The new season of Brick-Force is coming this month, and Infernum has provided new details about the upcoming changes to the game. New extra-terrestrial levels allow players to adjust gravity, and place new, interactive blocks. Additional outfits with a futuristic flair, and new space weapons will be available, giving creative minds whole new opportunities to create a brand new world.
Interactive blocks such as launch pads are being introduced, along with several space themed decorations will be added during the month, so expect to see a whole lot of new maps soon!
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- It's been several months since Black Desert Online released in North America and Europe. In that time the game has had some major updates...


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Photo Gallery: Bracken Bird Farm
REDLANDS – Bracken Bird Farm has been providing Redlands with a one-stop shop for all things avian since 1973.
From starter kits to wild bird food, the 5-acre farm is open for business seven days a week.
Founded by Joe Bracken, a 50-year Redlands resident who moved recently to Palm Springs, it opened its doors in August 1973.
Birding started out as a hobby for Bracken years ago when someone gave him pigeons as a gift when he first lived on Alvarado Street. Later, he got zebra finches.
“And I got hooked,” he said.
Bracken opened the farm on New Jersey Street on a former ranch.
Bracken is still passionate about what he does – traveling from Palm Springs to Redlands twice a week to see how business is doing and to interact with customers.
He said the interaction with customers is what keeps people coming back.
“I’ve had friends who keep coming back after 30 years,” he said, smiling. “A lot of people start (birding) because they are helping a wild bird who has been hurt and are looking to see what to feed it. So they come here.”
Wild bird watching, Bracken continues, has a large following.
“And there are people who will provide tours and take people everywhere. And you get hooked on it,” he said. “In Palm Springs, I found 29 different types of birds in my backyard. You can find 27 here (in Redlands) without even trying.”
Birds have territories, they pair up, they know where the seed is, and they know who is going to feed him, he said.
“And they are fun to watch,” Bracken said.
Winter months are usually designated for those looking for feed or getting into the hobby. But the summer months is when the store is flooded with birds and other animals.
The hometown feel is what keeps customers coming back, he believes.
“It embarrasses me when somebody will come in and say, well, and this happened last week, `My mom and dad used to bring me here when I was 7, 6 or 8. And here’s an ol’ girl age 40,”‘ he said.
Bracken has long sold bird-related items to its customers, but the addition of wild bird seed is new, he said.
“Twenty years ago, I wouldn’t have carried wild bird seed, and now it’s one of my bigger sellers,” he said.
“I didn’t know – for 25 years – there were yellow birds in this area that were wild. They are called yellow finches. And now, in my backyard in Palm Springs on a good day, you’ll see 15 to 20.
Bracken Bird Farm employs eight who work both part- and full-time hours, many of whom have been with the company for several years, including manager Jan Goff.
In her 20-year career with the store, Goff has seen it all, and she comes back for more every day.
“We’re very knowledgeable of our public, and I think at some of the bigger stores, customers don’t get that,” she said. “We have a lot of very devoted customers … who help keep this business up and running.”
Bracken Bird Farm. open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., is at 10797 New Jersey St.
To learn more, visit brackenbird.com or call 909-792-5735.


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Conrail E33 4601 sits on display at IRM.
A recent addition to the establishment's collection, ex. Conrail 4601 basks in the late morning sun at the Illinois Railway Museum.
Its hard to believe everything in this photo of Potomac Yard--terminal, yard and humps are gone-replaced by big box stores and town homes. Almost nothing remains of what once was one of the busies... (more)
The Speed Witch with the ex-Virginian Electromotives staying true to the name of the train.


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Here's another sign Big Pharma doesn't give a hoot about you – just your wallet.
At a time when nearly every industry is slashing prices to remain competitive in a shrinking economy, prescription drug prices are on the rise.
You heard that right.
It feels like most of us have less money than ever. And it's worse for seniors. Even out here in Montana, many retired folks are being forced to return to work because they can no longer live off their shrinking investments.
They're also more dependent than the rest of us on prescription drugs – even in cases when they shouldn't be – and yet, at a time when they can least afford to pay more, the prices are rising.
AARP recently looked at what it called the 219 most common brand-name prescription drugs. It found that the price for those meds rose by 8.7 percent in 2008 — more than double the rate of the "official" reported inflation, which was 3.8 percent.
Generic drug manufacturers are following the more traditional business model for lean times: Those prices are on the decline.
One big reason for the big difference can be found at the other end of your remote control. All those drug commercials have a price, and Big Pharma expects you to pay it.
So if you've been thinking of making a switch from pricey brand-name meds to generic drugs, now might be the time to do it. But let's take this one step further, because this is a great time to reconsider all drugs, no matter how much or how little they cost, and explore your non-drug alternatives.
Not only will it be easier on your wallet in these tough times, but it'll be better for your body in the long run.
So pull your doctor aside and tell him you're concerned about not only the rising price of drugs, but what they might be doing to you. Ask about safer – and cheaper – options, such as natural cures, alternative treatments and lifestyle changes.
There's no better time than now to free yourself – and your wallet – from Big Pharma's big grip.


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Venice-based Omega3 Innovations, purveyor of fresh fish oil, has just released a new product: Omega Cure Extra Strength Vials. It joins the company's Omega Cure Fish Oil, which Omega3 Innovations has been selling at the downtown Sarasota Farmers Market for years. The vials are either flavorless or a citrus blend with rosemary, and can be mixed into coffee, poured into oatmeal, blended into smoothies or even taken as a shot.
Drs. Bo Martinsen and Anne-Marie Chalmers are the cofounders of Omega3 Innovations. According to them, it's the freshness of the company's materials that contributes to the product's effectiveness.
Omega-3 fatty acids are important for the body's metabolism, and can be linked to lower risks of inflammation and improved mental health. The three most common forms of omega-3 fatty acids are a-linolenic acid, found in plant oils, and eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, both found in marine oils. Humans, like other mammals, cannot synthesize omega-3 fatty acids on our own; we get them through our diet. Omega-3s are naturally found in walnuts, seeds, hemp oil, fish and eggs. However, some studies suggest that, with age, our ability to obtain omega-3 fatty acids through our diet may be impaired.
Omega3 Innovations' fish oil comes from wild cod, sustainably caught off the northwest coast of Norway. From there, their livers are extracted and individually inspected before processing. The oil is then shipped to Omega3 Innovations' lab in Venice. Although there are a few stores in New York that are also selling the product, the vast majority of Omega3 Innovations' products are sold in Sarasota through the company's website, or the stand at the downtown market.
The jury is still out on whether nutritional supplements are equivalent to getting omega-3s through diet. Claims that these supplements can aid in cardiovascular health are still disputed, while the overall effectiveness of nutritional supplements, compared to a balanced diet, are still being evaluated.
But Chalmers and Martinensen are convinced of the uniqueness of their product.
"Many of our farmers market customers have been with us for many, many years," says Martinsen. "They know that this is one-of-a-kind fish oil. Sarasota's is the most outstanding."


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photos by Robin Kemp
The Little Lions Produce Stand in Forest Park celebrated its grand reopening April 21. The stand takes the lessons the kids at Little Ones Learning Center learn in the Jazmine Green Memorial Garden and shares them with adults who shop there. By supporting local farmers who grow organic produce through its partnership with Wholesome Wave, the stand gives community residents access to healthier food options. By offering 2-for-1 on EBT (food stamp) cards, the stand also makes higher-quality food available to people living on a tight budget. Little Lions is at 993 Forest Avenue and is open the first and third Wednesday of each month. Produce selections vary according to season.


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CHICO, Calif. -- As Coronavirus cases rise, local gas stations are taking a hit. They say people are scared to come to their station.
Owners of the Shell station on Esplanade say bankruptcy is a real possibility. It says they are selling 1,100 fewer gallons a day and about $700 less in goods a day. They aren’t the only ones.
“It was very slow, especially on the weekends,” said Stephanee Stone of 76. “That’s when our business went very down, but as of now it’s slowly getting better, but we could do better.”
According to Triple-A the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gas in California is $2.80. The price is expected to drop.
“It helps us a lot because we are usually $4.00 a gallon and we’re one of the first gas stations into town so they can see the price and say, ‘oh, that’s cheap,” said Stone.
Employees at the 76 on Esplanade say they are staying afloat selling the essential items.
“People are not wanting to go to bigger stores because [we’re] quick and easy, there’s not as many people and they get what they need and go,” said Stone.
Although some gas station are managing, refineries are not. The Marathon Petroleum Company is temporarily shutting down its massive Martinez Refinery in the Bay Area.
The company said it is seeing a 60% drop in demand.
"There's just way too much gasoline being produced, and the refineries have no place to put it,” said Severin Borenstein of UC Berkeley. “There's a limited amount of storage and so somebody was going to have to stop producing.”
Borenstein of UC Berkeley's Hass School of Business studies the oil industry and called the Marathon a major California producer.
He says other refineries in the state are likely to shut down or drastically reduce production, too.
Local gas stations say the same, but are hopeful things will turn around for them due to this drop in price.
“We’re ready for it to go back to normal, so we’re trying to get it going,” said Stone.
Most gas stations in Chico are below California’s average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gas. The 76 on Esplanade starts at $2.69.


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Mark Field, Conservative member for Cities of London and Westminster, accused Chancellor Alistair Darling of seeking to "plunder" businesses and treating them like "cash cows".
In a Commons debate, Mr Field highlighted the impact of three tax moves:
* The five per cent increase in business rates this year.
* The business rate revaluation, which will come into effect in April next year.
* The levy being imposed to raise £3.5 billion for Crossrail.
Mr Field told MPs today: "Many firms will have to absorb a triple whammy of taxation. Companies in my constituency are being plundered to such a degree that I fear their success is being taken for granted. With trading conditions so tough, such a level of taxation could scupper the city's fragile economy."
He said that with a revaluation of last year's property rental values, the average business rates bill in Westminster is expected to soar by 38 per cent next year. The move would rake in an extra £456 million for the Treasury.
While the revaluation aimed to be fiscally neutral, many firms in the capital would lose out because of the high rental values before the recession. Mr Field said a very big Oxford Street store would face an estimated £3 million rise in business rates for 2010/11. For a small firm in Soho the figure would be £1,500.
Meanwhile, companies with a rateable value of more than £50,000 have to pay the Crossrail levy.
Mr Field said increased valuations would also push about 3,500 more Westminster companies above that threshold. One Soho trader, Richard Piercy, 47, who owns Zest Pharmacy in Broadwick Street, said: "My shop has been here since 1950 so is a real part of the community. I love working in Soho but I'm very worried by these huge business rate increases.
"It's unfair that we shoulder the burden for the rest of the country.
"It's a ruinous formula. Along with any rent review that will bring us into line with ludicrous rates paid in the boom years, many businesses will face a very uncertain future."
Ministers say London is getting transitional relief to lessen the impact of the rates shake-up. The capital will get £935million out of £2billion of transitional funding available, the Department for Communities said.
In outer London, just over half of firms would pay lower rates as a result of the reforms, by an average of £950.
A spokesman added that companies are also being allowed to delay paying 60 per cent of this year's business rate increase. Firms will be able to spread the payment over the next two years.
We're being used as short-term cash cow'
Tim Bryars, 35 Antique map and book seller, Cecil Court, off Charing Cross Road
Mr Bryars said his business rates bill of £4,325 had risen to £7,696 for this year, and would rise a further 30 per cent in April.
"Instead of supporting small businesses, government is using them as a short-term cash cow. And it is very short-term, because soon those businesses will be gone." He said two map shops had already shut and "I'm worried we won't be able to survive"
Holly Andrew, 36, Pall Mall Printers and Stationers, Royal Opera Parade, Covent Garden
Miss Andrew said her business rates were £6,500 per year — almost half her rent — and could rise by up to 38 per cent. "It worries me because my rent is already very high and the rates make it higher. I do old-fashioned printing, which has demand here. A shop like this needs to be here. If all the little shops were sent out of London it would make it a very empty town."Reuse content


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Global investors have plenty of reasons to look forward to an exciting 2008. I have a few predictions up my sleeve that will shake up the global markets this year. Exciting mergers, historic IPOs, and record profit moments are just a few of opportunities ahead of us. Let's dive right in.
#1: Facebook.com Launches an IPO
Facebook.com is raking in the big bucks: estimates of $100 million in revenue to be exact. Ever since Microsoft invested $240 million in the startup, Facebook has hired a team of equity and stock specialists, hinting towards a potential IPO in the near future.
Facebook is valued at $15 billion, but who knows what obstacles or competitors Facebook will see in the future? Remember when Myspace and Yahoo! Were king? Social media is a lot of fun, but not if you're an investor. The rear window is clear, but the windshield is too foggy to see through.
Nonetheless, expect Facebook to launch an initial public offering during the 2nd half of 2008. If you missed out on Google, here's your 2nd chance!
#2: Tata Motors Buys Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford
Looking to expand their brand and enter the luxury car market, Indian car maker Tata Motors bid $2 billion to purchase Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford Motor company. Ford is in big financial trouble, and will likely sell their luxury brands to focus on reinvigorating the core business.
As a shareholder in Tata Motors, I dislike the decision in the short term because Tata should focus on providing India's growing middle class with affordable transportation, referring to Tata's new $2,500 car. But in the long term, Tata is seeking to extend their brand in the Western Hemisphere.
Buying an already established brand is the quickest and easiest way to create a viable footprint in a highly competitive marketplace. Just ask Google why they bought Youtube and neglected Google Video, or why Coca Cola purchased Vitamin Water instead of launching another competitor.
In the long run, Tata Motors is on to something special.
#3: Sirius/XM Merger Gets Approved by the FCC
The Sirius/XM merger debate is one of the most popular topics on this website, so let's explain why the merger is vital from a financial point of view. While the mainstream media and FCC worries about Sirius-XM creating a living, breathing monopoly, XM-Sirius investors worry about the instability of both companies' cash flows. Both companies are losing money, and piling on the debt.
Operating expenses and cost of revenues eat up all the profits that XMSR and SIRI generate. It makes no sense for XM and Sirius to compete with each other when satellite radio is in its infancy. It's just too damn expensive.
The FCC and the public should realize that both companies are losing tons of money because of the unnecessary competition. A synergy would benefit everyone, including satellite radio advocates, current and future customers, and Sirius shareholders.
To prevent a price hike, Sirius executives should sign an agreement to keep their services affordable.
Well, how much would you spend for satellite radio? I bought XM radio for World Cup 2006 in Germany and loved it! $12.99 a month or less is reasonable.
#4: International Real Estate Continues to Boom
Nightly Business Report featured an interesting story on the impact of the US real estate market on the economy. But one speaker noted that “International Real Estate is still booming.”
That's an understatement.
The opportunities in International real estate are endless because residential and commercial overseas development is a long term investment. While US real estate investors wait for the bottom of the US real estate market, we will see more money flock overseas in the meantime. International REITs are a simple way to invest in foreign real estate trusts, a trend that will continue to boom in 2008.
More mutual fund companies will release REITs and index funds to match the consumer demand. I recommend sticking with the older, more established mutual funds or choosing a simple index fund to invest in real estate trusts.
The Nightly Business Report recommended allocating 2% to 4% of your portfolio in these international REITs.
#5: 2008 Beijing Olympics Inflates Value of Chinese Based ADRs
If you thought 2007 was a good year for Chinese ADRs, just wait until the onset of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. 2008 Beijing Olympics commences on August 08, 2008, and brings tons of business and exposure to China based companies. Travel agencies, air and train transportation, and hotel accommodation companies should reach near record profits due to the heavy traffic within China.
The short term boost in earnings adds momentum to these Chinese ADRs, but most of the gains are only temporary. If you're looking to invest in China, stay away from these stocks during Summer 2008. You don't want to buy these securities at the top; They will be very expensive.
Now It's Your Turn…What's Your Biggest Prediction in 2008?
Ever been called the Nostradamus of Investing? Well, here's your chance. Leave your predictions in the comments to muse us.


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The end of the year is always a great time to think back and reflect on recent accomplishments. And for those who want to adopt some new resolutions, why not look into reducing one’s environmental impact? Thanks to new technologies and a growing range of options, committing to electrification can help reduce your carbon footprint and build a better future.
Tax breaks for electric cars and recycling will remain in place. However, a few green credits are either expiring or being reduced at the end of 2021.
The Investment Tax Credit is being reduced. This credit dropped from 30% to 26% for new projects that started in 2020 and dropped further to 22% for new construction that began in 2021. The exception is investments in microturbines, geothermal heat pumps, and combined heat and power systems that qualify for a 10% credit until the end of the year.
This 10% credit will expire along with the 22% rate for other projects at the end of 2021. However, homeowners will still qualify for a 10% permanent credit for solar and geothermal projects.
Note that the date on which construction begins determines the rate you qualify for, meaning that you can secure a 22% credit by starting construction before the year ends.
The residential energy-efficient property credit dropped from 30% to 26% for projects installed after January 1st, 2020. There are no changes in 2021, but you have until January 1st, 2023 to take advantage of this rate since it will drop further in 2023. This credit applies to solar electric systems, solar water heaters, fuel cells, small wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps.
Another credit that is expiring in 2021 is the five-year cost recovery period credit. You can still take advantage of this depreciation measure for some renewable energy equipment if construction starts before January 1st, 2022.
The good news is that there are two major projects to extend existing green credits and introduce new credits – the Clean Energy for America Act and the Build Back Better Act, which includes higher credits for EVs.
In 2021, many homeowners took steps to reduce their carbon footprint and adopt electrification in the following areas.
Solar panels are poised to become a $422 billion market globally by 2022. They accounted for 39% of the total electricity generation capacity of the US in 2021. Lower prices and performing technology in this area will continue to drive electrification.
Using electricity for space and water heating is a growing trend. Some municipalities like Berkeley, California are even adopting building codes that ban the installation of natural gas lines for new construction.
Electric heaters and heat pumps that draw energy from the ground or outside air are becoming more commonplace. Over the past five years, heat pump usage has increased by 10% a year on average.
A growing number of households are also opting for instantaneous electric water heaters. These tankless heaters warm water as you use it, which is more efficient than using a tank water heater. With 19% of a household’s energy consumption going toward heating water, installing an instantaneous tankless electric water heater can make a significant difference.
Electric and induction ranges are replacing gas-powered appliances. Electric cooktops can transfer energy more effectively to the food you’re cooking compared to gas ranges. Experts are predicting a CAGR of 4.2% between now and 2027 for the electric stove market as more people opt for cleaner appliances.
Electric clothes dryers are already popular, but the trend to replace old gas dryers with newer electric appliances will continue since electric clothes dryers can qualify for Energy Star rebates.
Recent innovations in battery technology are making battery-operated snow blowers a viable alternative to gas-powered devices. You can also find performing battery-powered leaf blowers to clear your driveway of leaves, debris and light snow.
The automotive sector has been struggling due to component shortages this year, but EV and hybrid sales are encouraging.
While conventional vehicle sales dropped in 2020, the number of consumers purchasing hybrid and all-electric vehicles went up. Electric vehicles had another strong year in 2021 with nearly 62,000 EV sales in California alone during Q2 2021.
Ford is releasing a new lineup with an electric version of its top-selling F-150 truck, and GM could take over the crossover market with the 2022 Chevy Bolt EUV and a redesigned version of the Bolt EV.
Electrification isn’t limited to cars. Ebikes are another popular trend that could become even more commonplace with a proposed 30% tax credit and monthly pre-tax benefit for those who bike to work as part of the Build Back Better Act.
The personal transportation market is seeing a lot of exciting new products, with electric motorcycles, hoverboards, skateboards, unicycles and more. There are more options than ever for those who want to rethink their commute.
Between tax credits, lower prices and more options, electrification is becoming more accessible. Are you ready to embrace this new trend? Qmerit can help you go electric with the installation of a Level-2 charging station to support @home charging for an EV. Plus, Chevrolet will cover the cost of a charging outlet installed by Qmerit if you buy or lease a 2022 Bolt EUV or Bolt EV.
Get in touch with us to learn more about getting an EV charging station installed in your home.


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Martin Wheatley, the former CEO of Hong Kong’s Securities and Futures Commission, and now the the CEO of the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority, has announced that the regulatory overhaul known as RDR (Retail Distribution Review) has been successful in stamping out consumer exploitation.
RDR banned commissions (secret kickbacks) and gave a legal definition to the term “Independent Financial Adviser”, thus preventing insurance salesmen from misleading consumers about the nature of the “services” they were providing.
According to Wheatley, “We have seen a reduction in product bias, with a very noticeable decline in the sales of those products that before RDR came with higher commission”.
The Financial Times reports that sales of unit-linked and with-profit “insurance” products have fallen, while sales of low-cost index funds—which have never paid commissions—have risen.
The Financial Times also states that:
“Increasing numbers of investors are adopting a do-it-yourself approach, according to several surveys, particularly those at the less affluent end of the market. Increasing price competition among direct-to-consumer platforms also means that consumers are able to get better deals when managing their own investments online, the watchdog found.”
It Works in the UK, and It Will Work in Hong Kong
Anyone who reads this blog knows that Hong Kong is very badly in need of its own RDR. Hong Kongers have been screwed far worse than consumers in the UK. The insurance industry here has never been regulated, and the legal system is designed to obstruct ripped off consumers from seeking justice through the legal system. Class action lawsuits and contingent legal fees are forbidden.
Thousands of Hong Kongers camped out in the streets for 75 consecutive days because they are hungry for a government that responds more to the needs of society at large and less to the desires of local tycoons and foreign corporations.
It is time for change.


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The Netherlands gambling regulator Kansspelautoriteit and Media Authority have started to work together to ensure that the advertising of the games of chance is carried out according to all the rules.
Changes to the advertising regulations have been already discussed in the news about the legislation sector. They came into force after the adoption of the Remote Gambling Act.
The main directions for the regulatory bodies’ control
Games of chance are the focus of the KSA and Media Authority. Both regulatory bodies want to make advertising secure and protect minors and those who have the signs of problem gambling. The Kansspelautoriteit and Media Authority will communicate constantly to discuss the major tendencies as well as process complaints. The cooperation will help to share information about the promotion of casino sites.
Less than in two weeks, operators will be allowed to offer games of chance and advertise them, as the market will be launched officially. Due to this, advertising guidelines have been revamped to ensure that gambling ads won’t be exposed to vulnerable groups of people. One of the rules is the prohibition of broadcasting such adverts between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. on TV and radio. In addition to timing rules, the regulators will monitor the ads content and check whether it complies with the requirements. Adverts shouldn’t be misleading or stimulate immoderate gambling. Strict rules will also be applied to each casino marketing app. In addition to this, the guidelines have specific requirements concerning the involvement of celebrities in the advertising of games of chance.
Read more: Things to know about the Netherlands gambling legislation
Read more: Basics of Snapchat advertising


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Fifty billion. That's how many apps have
been downloaded from Apple's App stores, according to the iconic
Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, announced the milestone in a press release Thursday in which he said that an Ohio man who downloaded the 50 billionth app had won a 10,000-dollar gift card for the App Store.
"The App Store completely transformed how people use their mobile devices and created a thriving app ecosystem that has paid out over 9 billion dollars to developers," Cue said.
Customers download over 800 apps per second from the App Store at a rate of two billion apps per month.
The App Store opened in July 2008 with 500 apps and now offers over 850,000 apps for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
The milestone keeps Apple just ahead of rival Google, which announced on Wednesday that it had reached 48 billion app downloads for its Android operating system. Google is likely to take the lead soon as Android controls 74 per cent of the world's smartphone market compared with 18 per cent for Apple.
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GRASPING firms who stitch up loyal customers will be pummelled with on-the-spot mega-fines, ministers are to announce today.
The dodgy practices will be targeted by watchdogs using new powers to dispense instant justice without the need to go to court.
It is intended to clamp down on misleading claims, unfair terms and conditions, and hard-to-exit contracts.
It will help curb banks, insurance companies, broadband and mobile providers which overcharge customers who stay loyal to them.
Prime Minister Theresa May said: “For far too long, many big companies have been getting away with harmful trading practices which lead to poor services and confusion among customers who have parted with their hard-earned cash.
“The system as it stands lets consumers down. It is high time this came to an end.”
The new powers, to be unveiled today, will allow the Competition and Markets Authority to decide when consumer law has been broken.
Other regulators, such as Ofcom and the Financial Conduct Authority, will be given powers to stop loyalty rip-offs.
Staying with a company can add £1,440 a year to household bills, campaigners say.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
Mobile phone companies who charge customers the same rate once they have paid the cost of a handset also face curbs.
Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “Consumer loyalty should not be exploited, nor should consumers have to work so hard to get a fair deal.”
The Government’s plan will go out to consultation before a white paper is published.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL firstname.lastname@example.org


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BASF, the world’s largest chemical firm by sales, saw increased profits in 2014 but doesn’t expect the same in 2015.
The Germany-based company reported that its net profit in 2014 grew by 7.6 per cent to 5.1 billion euros (US$5.8 billion) in line with its earnings targets for the year. Operating profit was up 6.5 per cent at 7.6 billion euros, while sales edged 0.5 per cent higher to 74.3 billion euros.
“We grew profitably,” said BASF Chief Executive Kurt Bock. “We further strengthened our chemicals business and in turn improved our margins.” In the fourth quarter, Bock added, the result was significantly boosted by the sale of its half of the Styrolution joint venture. Its partner, UK-based Ineos, bought out BASF with 1.1 billion euros.
But BASF expects operating profit to stagnate this year due to lower oil prices and the cost of launching an unusually high number of production sites.
The company, whose products include car coatings, foam chemicals, catalytic converters and mining chemicals, said the prospects of somewhat stronger global economic growth this year were nevertheless uncertain.
“Oil and raw material prices are volatile, as are currencies. The emerging markets are growing more slowly and the global economy is being dampened by geopolitical conflict,” BASF said in a statement after releasing fourth-quarter results.


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Mas Melons & Grapes redesigns website
Mas Melons & Grapes LLC, Rio Rico, Ariz., recently launched a new website design.
The site, www.masmelons.com, is more interactive and has added features that help users, including increased performance, responsiveness and security, according to a news release.
Features include better smartphone and table accessibility, pictures and contact information of staff and grower partners, product availability, videos, and information on growing regions and seasons.
“Mas Melons & Grapes’ new website will be updated on a continual basis with product launches and recipes, new growing areas, videos, news and customer and consumer-oriented information” Mikee Suarez, sales staff and website coordinator, said in the release.


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Activision and Beenox games announced recently that as an incentive for getting their new game The Amazing Spider-Man, if you pre-order it, you get to play as Spider-Man co-creator and king of Marvel movie cameos Stan Lee in a whole new adventure, which sees Stan Lee trying to recover pages for his new script.
A new trailer featuring the man himself, which you can see below, was released yesterday showcasing Stan’s abilities, which just so happen to be almost identical to those of his created character, Spider-Man while also managing to take a light-hearted dig at Alfred Hitchcock.
The mission itself sees Stan trying to recover lost pages of his new script and is also said to include a special surprise at the end.
The Amazing Spider-Man is due for release on June 29th. This pre-order incentive is available to those players who pre-order The Amazing Spider-Man from GAME.


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Ever since iPhone 4 was launched, we have seen quite a few tear-down pictures and videos of the latest iDevice.
Now, electronics market research firm, iSuppli, has published results from a tear-down study where the company has looked into the costs incurred by Apple in manufacturing the latest iPhone. iSuppli has revealed that a 16GB iPhone 4 carries a Bill of Materials (BOM) cost of $187.51.
This is not the first time iSuppli has conducted such a study. The company has published their BOM estimates for several popular gadgets including iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPad in the past. BOM estimates play an important part in studying the impact of a product launch on the company's revenues. Apple has traditionally maintained low component costs on the iPhone which has helped Cupertino enjoy higher profit margins. However, the component costs seem to have marginally risen with iPhone 4. You may note that the BOM estimate for the lower end iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS were estimated to be $174.33 and $178.96 respectively.
The rise in costs could be attributed to newer features incorporated on iPhone 4. Here is a brief on the major components used.
The latest iPhone model contains a display screen with 960×480 resolution. Steve Jobs claims the retina display on iPhone 4 to be the best among the current crop of smartphones. The display is believed to be sourced from LG at a per-unit cost of $28.50
In addition to the accelerometer, the iPhone 4 now includes a gyroscope chip to detect 3-dimensional movement even better. This is expected to offer a better gaming experience to users. The gyroscope chips are noted to have been procured from ST Microelectronics at a price of $2.60.
As we have noted in the past, the new iPhone is run on Apple's A4 processor chip, which is also used in iPad. This chip has been manufactured by Samsung Electronics and is estimated to have cost $10.75. It is interesting to note that the price is a significant drop from the $17.00 that iSuppli had posted in its iPad teardown analysis. While the cause for the price drop has not been stated, we believe that the higher volumes could be a primary factor.
The latest iPhone comes with a 5-Megapixel camera along with a front-facing VGA module. The improved technology has definitely resulted in a marginal rise in prices. The two cameras have been pegged at $9.75 and $1.00 respectively. For a perspective, the 3-Megapixel camera on iPhone 3GS was estimated to have cost $9.55.
Here is a comprehensive breakdown of the component costs:
Do note that iSuppli's BOM estimates do not include costs rising from labor, shipping, advertising, software development or patent licensing and so the overall costs are expected to be much higher. Nevertheless, the teardown analysis provides an interesting perspective on the estimated profit margins that Apple stands to make from the sale of iPhone 4. What are your thoughts?