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MOSCOW, November 8 (Itar-Tass) —— On the eve of the elections in Russia the authorities have announced an increase in the wages and salaries of certain categories of citizens. However, the average wage remains low and it is enough only to pay the utility bills and buy food and clothes. A majority of Russians are pessimistically-minded.
As of January 1, 2012 the military’s cash allowances will be increased 2.5 - 3 times, and military pensions, 1.5 - 1.7 times, as follows from a bill President Dmitry Medvedev signed into law on Monday.
The monthly earning of a rank-and-file contractor in the Armed Forces will be 25 thousand rubles (surpluses and bonuses included), the remuneration of sergeants on contract, about 34 thousand rubles, of lieutenants, about 50 thousand rubles, and of colonels, over 60 thousand. ($ 1 = 30 rubles).
Meanwhile, according to the statistics service Rosstat, in September the average monthly salary of Russians amounted to 23.6 thousand rubles, and incomes per capita, to 20.1 thousand. According to sociologists, more than half of Russia's population (53%) have enough money only for food, clothing and utilities. Then one has to choose: leisure and entertainment or something more or less substantial. For both people will have to save for a long time. Really expensive purchases, which include housing in the first place, are affordable to less than 1% of Russians.
For daily needs (food, utilities, transportation and other expenses, which are simply impossible to avoid), Russians spend about 70% of their revenues, says Novyie Izvestia. It is believed that the share of food expenditures in the family budget is the clearest indicator of its prosperity. The richer the person, the less the share of spending on food, and the other way round. In developed countries families spend on food by about 25% of the monthly income. The situation in Russia is different.
The Levada-Center says that to buy food 23% of Russians spend two-thirds of income, another 20% spend a little less than half, and 10% have to spend all their money on food.
According to Novyie Izvestia estimates, the minimum monthly set of foods for one Russian costs 7 thousand rubles. Clearly, such costs include no delicacies. Then there follow the house rent and the utilities, travel expenses, purchases of medicines, repairs, dry cleaning, and the hair dresser. Domestic pets take away about one thousand rubles a month.
Even if one does not buy any clothing or household items, very little will be left for culture and leisure. In the provinces the price of theater tickets ranges from 250 rubles to 350 rubles. Ticket prices at Moscow’s theaters start at 600 rubles. The average bill in a Moscow cafe per person is 500-600 rubles, and in the regions, from 150 rubles to 250 rubles. The average price of one book - 300-350 rubles.
The remaining money can be spent on the purchase of household appliances. But in this case a new small TV set will have to be saved for no less than six months.
The incomes as they are, it is clear: despite the fact that the "iron curtain" fell long ago, most Russians have never been abroad and will never have a chance to go there, the newspaper says. The prices of a week-long tour to Europe without excursions range from 35 thousand rubles to 45 thousand.
Buying an apartment with one’s own money in a major city is still an unattainable goal for most Russians. To purchase a standard one-room apartment the people with an average wage will have to forget about all expenses, including meals, for decades. For the purchase of one-room apartment in the capital an employed Muscovite will have to save 100% of the earnings for about 12 years, says Nezavisimaya Gazeta with reference to the realtors.
In order to buy a one-bedroom apartment on the secondary market in a large Russian city the average earner who has only one’s own wage to rely on would have to save money for at least six years, or at the most, for 40 years. The newspaper says if the researchers took into account the fact that Russians can afford to set aside only a half or one-third of their salary, then the result would be even more disappointing.
But the real luxury for the average Russian is not an apartment or a car, but children. The average family spends on one child 15-17 thousand rubles a month. And what if there are two children, and the mother has to rear them alone? This is precisely the case of 29-year-old Yulia Sergeyeva. "I have two children, one is seven and the other, five,” she told Noviye Izvestia. ”On each I spend 14-15 thousand a month."
Irina Vlasova spends on her five-year-daughter a little more.
"I have to spend roughly 15-20 thousand rubles a month," she said.
"An income of 20 thousand rubles is only enough to make ends meet,” said a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Leonty Byzov. “Of course, one cannot say that the money is enough to survive, it would be an exaggeration. After all many Russians go on living and still manage to somehow rear children. But that's pretty tight. You cannot save anything, you have to abandon pay education and medicine, and quite often, rest and leisure." The scientist says that over the past two decades Russia has seen a radical change in the structure of expenditures, however, citizens' opportunities have remained at the same level, and for some categories they have significantly narrowed.
The last opinion poll by VTSIOM showed that 16% of the population fear that next year they will live a worse life than they do now.
The network agency Amitel has conducted a survey of readers by asking them one question: "Do you think that next year you (your family) will live a better life or a worse life than now?" Of the 611 respondents 246 people believe that their life will be slightly or significantly worse.
140 respondents think that the situation will not change. Optimists, who think that their life will be much or somewhat better numbered 119.


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Ford is planning to launch the next generation Fiesta sedan (code named B299) in India. Interestingly, the company may likely re-badge the current Fiesta sold in India as Ford ‘Fiesta Classic’ when the new model is launched.
Updated 14 April 2011: The new Ford Fiesta is now here! Read 2011 Ford Fiesta unveiled at New Delhi. The Fiesta is directly positioned against the Honda City and the Volkswagen Vento – and we think there is a good chance that it could happen. Click on link above for a photo gallery!
Update 22/2/2011: Ford has confirmed that the 2011 Fiesta is coming to India this year.
New Fiesta sedan Looks
The B299, which bears the new Ford’s global kinetic design theme, is based on the Mazda 2 model. We have reported earlier that the test mules of this car has been seen testing near Chennai. Based on the spy pictures, we can conclude that the new Fiesta model is the one that is sold in China. It appears to be bigger than the current Fiesta sold in India. The China-bound Ford Fiesta was designed in Europe and tailor-made for the Chinese market. Expect the new Fiesta to have athletic profile with ascending shoulder lines and brand-new image. On the interiors, the car will come with funky dashboard, two-tone with attractive color options. (Also read new Ford Fiesta seen testing in India.)
New Fiesta engines
The upcoming Fiesta will have peppy engines than the current models’. A 1.6 litre petrol engine producing 118 bhp and a 1.6 litre diesel motor producing 90 bhp will perform its duty in the new Fiesta. Currently, Fiesta is powered by a 1.6 litre petrol engine producing 100 bhp and a 1.4 litre diesel motor producing 68 bhp. Ford may mate the engines to an automatic transmission besides the standard 5-speed manual gear box.
New Fiesta launch and price
Ford will be launching the new Fiesta in the second-half of 2011 and is expected to be priced in the range of Rs. 6.80 lakh – Rs. 7.7 lakh. Currently, Fiesta prices range from Rs. 6.46 – Rs. 8.51 (ex-showroom, Delhi). That will make the new Ford Fiesta an extremely compelling option to cars such as Hyundai Verna, Fiat Linea, Volkswagen Vento, Maruti SX4 and even the segment leader Honda City.
Source: Autocar India

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Chainalysis research paper on ‘The 2021 Geography of Cryptocurrency Report,’ released in October 2021 shows that Nigeria is ranked 6th in the global crypto adoption index with an index score of 0.26. Meanwhile, it is important to point out that Nigeria was once the leading nation in Africa in terms of cryptocurrency adoption.
In spite of the increasing interest of Nigerians in the crypto space, the Central Bank of Nigeria has continued to frown at companies that associate with cryptocurrency transactions. Recently, a publication by Nairametrics reveals how the apex bank recently fined banks for failing to comply with regulations prohibiting customers from transacting in cryptocurrencies.
In lieu of this, Payercoins, a fintech startup said it is filling the void by helping businesses in Africa to accept crypto payment on its platform from anywhere in the world without any limitation whilst also allowing the companies to get their money back in their local currency; dealing in stable cryptocurrency that are pegged to the dollar.
Speaking during Nairametrics Business Half Hour (BHH), Payercoins CEO, Victor Adeleye said that the startup is helping businesses in Africa by facilitating the acceptance of payment from anywhere in the world, hence helping them secure a space in the global market.
Explaining how the company operates especially navigating the murky water with CBN policy in Nigeria, he said, “Because of the issue with the Nigerian government around the policy of not accepted crypto, What we do is that, when you accept payment in crypto, we do your settlement also in crypto and there is a peer to peer platform where you can easily convert your money back to your currency.
“This means that we work with already licensed platforms that are trusted to help convert your money back to naira. So once you accept your currency, you can easily convert it back to your local currency. But for other countries, we were able to automate that process and it is not the same in Nigeria because in Nigeria, there is no way you can automate payout in naira due to strict policies.
Commenting on the business terrain for startups dealing in crypto, he pointed to education as a major tool that should be devised to subdue the fear around cryptocurrency. He said, “It has been a bit challenging considering the fact that a couple of Nigerian laws do not support what we do and this actually put a bit of fear in citizens and they feel like they are not yet used to giving customers the chance to play with crypto. People still have little fear in them because of the stuff coming out of the space and there is less education.
“Our population is too big that we don’t yet have a lot of people equipped with that knowledge of crypto and how it works. I think we still need to do more by educating the people on how it works and how it can help solve problems.”
On how the company is able to keep transactions in check, he explained that the startup has a very strong KYC that enables it to verify users’ accounts after creating the account even before they withdraw money to avoid fraud.
“After registering we tell us whether you are a business or individual. As a business, you upload your documents, CAC certifications, before we verify your account. Once this is done, you use either our API that allows third-party companies to use our API to accept payment on our platform,” Adeleye said.


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Modi’s ‘Honeymoon Is Very Much Over’ as Hindu-First Agenda Faces Backlash
Demonstrations present first significant pushback to Hindu-nationalist policies of prime minister’s party
NEW DELHI—Protests across India amount to the first real popular resistance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s implementation this year of a Hindu-nationalist agenda his party has long espoused, according to analysts and participants in the demonstrations.
Mr. Modi has moved aggressively since winning a second term with his party’s landslide victory in May elections. Within months of the victory, the government banned a form of divorce allowed under Islamic law and removed the measure of autonomy enjoyed by the country’s only Muslim-majority state, Jammu and Kashmir.
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Chicken Salad for Lunch?
This is Revolting! I would rather have Jobs created to police chicken producers from Outside their system, already often foul in my opinion, than to create jobs by allowing Honeywell Corp. set up a factory to make all components for nuclear Bombs, except for the fissionable materials. But the President okayed this one too!
Please help us All to eat Safer food.
A new USDA regulation means that
our chicken will come doused with feces and bleach --
and poultry companies will get to police themselves for health and safety
The only person who can stop this terrible rule is the president. Tell him to do
the right thing.
sign the petition
The USDA is about to slash regulations for poultry plants,
saving big corporations millions at the expense of public health and workers’ safety.
Instead of trained USDA inspectors,
companies will police themselves
. Meanwhile, plants will be allowed to speed up production dramatically. Chickens
will spend more time soaking in contaminants (including pus and feces!), and poultry
plants are compensating by washing them in with chlorine. Independent experts like
Food and Water Watch have shown that
the new system is likely to miss serious contamination, including diseases like salmonella
Now the only person who can reverse these regulations is President Obama. We need
to send a clear message that these disgusting rules are unacceptable before the USDA
tries to expand them to the pork and beef industries.
Sign our petition to President Obama: we demand real regulation of the poultry industry.
It isn’t just consumers who’ll suffer from these new regulations. Poultry workers
who have to perform repetitive motions with sharp knives already risk serious cuts
or losing fingers every day, and many suffer muscular, joint, and back problems after
years on the job. Speeding up production will
increase the injury rates
. Meanwhile, the new chemical wash that will treat feces-stained chickens could cause
skin and breathing problems.
Why is the USDA pushing regulations that are bad for workers and consumers? The answer
corporate welfare, with a side of austerity
. The federal government will save money by laying off factory inspectors, but the
big poultry companies like Tyson and Purdue will be able to push out more chickens
with less oversight. The USDA estimates that
the poultry industry stands to make more than $250 million a year
from the new rules.
The USDA thinks it’s just fine for workers to get hurt and consumers to be fed chicken
poop so poultry companies can increase their profits. We beg to differ.
Click here to tell the President to reverse the USDA’s disgusting poultry regulations.
Thanks for all you do,
Claiborne, Rob, and the team at SumOfUs.org
SumOfUs is a world-wide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations
accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy.
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to add yourself to SumOfUs.


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Rockstar release second RDR2 trailer
Posted Oct 02, 2017 by DarthHazard
Fans were made to wait a long while after Rockstar announced that they would show more of the game this summer. And now Rockstar has finally decided to show off a bit more of the game for us, releasing a trailer that focuses on the story of Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar described the game as "the story of outlaw Arthur Morgan and the Van der Linde gang as they rob, fight and steal their way across the vast and rugged heart of America in order to survive."
The game was originally meant to be launched this Autumn but is now set for a release in the spring of 2018 and will be available for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 users.


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The Co-operative Group is preparing to make its first move into the stock market with a bid for Alldays, the cash-strapped convenience store operator.
The mutually owned Co-op could find itself fighting against other stores groups such as Tesco and Sainsbury's which are considering whether they should make a move.
Alldays is expected to make a statement to the London stock market this morning about sales talks which have come after other survival routes, such as a rights issue, have been rejected by its management.
Shares in Alldays have collapsed from 600p four years ago to a Friday close of 5.5p which gave it a value of £2.5m.
Alldays lost £4.6m on sales of £251.3m in the six months to April 2002 and has huge debts as well as stores in valuable town centre locations. A takeover might allow the new owner to cut head office costs.
It is not the first time the company has been up for sale. Alldays was touted around the market two years ago and attracted the interest of Tesco but Alldays rejected a deal because it regarded the price as too low. Since then, Alldays' situation has deteriorated and the management is said to have become more realistic about what can be achieved.
The Co-op has been in talks with Alldays' financiers, Royal Bank of Scotland, about restructuring the target operator's debts. If agreement can be reached with RBS on the bank wiping out some of Alldays' £190m debt, the Co-op will make a bid which could be worth £150m-£200m.
The Co-op would take Alldays and its network of 600 stores private rather than turning its back on its history by using the stock market listing to bring in outside shareholders.
The group refused to talk about specific plans but a Co-op spokesman said last night: "We are interested in acquiring businesses that fit with our strategy [of retail expansion]."
The Co-op has been quietly buying up smaller retailers such as JT Smith in the Midlands in order to build up its network of neighbourhood stores.
Two years ago it undertook a review of retail strategy and concluded that it should concentrate on smaller supermarkets and convenience stores rather than the large out-of-town branches where competition from the big groups such as Tesco has driven down margins.
Its biggest deal has been the "in-house" merger between Co-operative Retail Services and Co-operative Wholesale Society two years ago.
In its heyday the Co-op movement had manufacturing plants around the British empire, tea estates in India and a hotel chain in Sri Lanka. More recently the CIS, the insurance and investment side of the business, has been at the forefront of moves to encourage corporate social responsibility.


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Finnish company HMD Global, which sells the iconic Nokia brand of phones, on Thursday launched Nokia 3.1 smartphone in India for Rs 10,499.
In the annual general meeting of Reliance Industries, Ambani had announced that the scheme will begin from July 21.
Mobile operators will be forced to shut down Apple iPhones on their networks if the American giant fails to install a pesky call app on its phones within the next six months. The company has steadfastly refused to install any such app so far, despite telecom regulator Trai’s displeasure over its refusal.
Upping the ante when it comes to innovation, Chinese smartphone maker Vivo on Thursday launched its Indian-made NEX smartphone with pop-up selfie shooter at Rs 44,990 in India.
Samsung had a 30.2% market share, while Xiaomi had a 30.4% share in India's smartphone market in the quarter, according to data released by Canalys.
According to CyberMedia Research (CMR), it is more of a failure on the part of HTC to judge the competition as well as grasp the market realities.
Huawei is aggressively pushing Artificial Intelligence in India as the company is customizing its AI capabilities for the Indian users.
MediaTek and Qualcomm said that they are working closely with Indian handset makers to help them make a comeback in the market where they have lost significant market share to Chinese brands
The Samsung announcement is good news, but it must be seen as a one-off at present, experts said.
Almost one year after its launch, JioPhone has also got some significant feature updates. The feature phone has a voice assistant now.
Compared to the US, India is a "mobile first" market and, hence, most of the digital services are designed around smartphones which makes them central to the users' lives.
Apple's Head of Search Vipul Ved Prakash and Tom Gruber, Head of Siri's Advanced Development Group, have quit the company which is currently reshuffling its Siri team.
HTC India’s top management, including country head Faisal Siddiqui, sales head Vijay Balachandran and product head R Nayyar, have put in their papers, three senior executives told ET.
Data regulation: Xiaomi, Vivo say they'll comply with any regulation; Indian vendors oppose Trai's recommendations
The divergent views come at a time when Indian handset vendors have lost considerable market share to Chinese vendors in the last few years due to lack of focus on R&D and offline and online marketing.
When contacted Siddiqui confirmed the development, saying "it is due to personal reasons". He, however, did not share any further details.
Yaantra said that it is now allowing users to sell their old mobile phones online through its latest service, called BuyBack
The range includes over 25 TV models with screen size between 32-inch to 77-inch.


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NEW DELHI: Oppo India’s vice president of product and marketing, Sumit Walia, has resigned from the post after completing a year with the Chinese handset maker.
At Oppo India, Walia was responsible for building and growing the brand in the highly-competitive mobile handset space in the country. Before joining Oppo, he worked with multiple leading brands managing diverse portfolios for Samsung, Huawei, LG Electronics, and Videocon.
"Sumit Walia has decided to take the next step in his professional career and part ways with OPPO. We thank Sumit for his relentless service and leadership at OPPO India and wish him all the best for his future endeavours," Oppo India said in a statement.
Oppo was the fifth-largest brand in the January-March quarter of 2020 with 12% market share. The brand’s shipments grew 83% in Q1 2020, due to demand for its budget segment devices.
ET recently reported that amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, Chinese smartphone makers were putting their immediate manufacturing-related investments on hold, given the uncertain business environment.
The Indian government has currently banned 59 Chinese apps in the country owing to their activities which are “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”
Oppo, which makes phones for Realme and OnePlus, has been facing issues in the market since the lockdown, and it had to shut the factory after employees tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. Oppo had to resort to imports of some smartphone models into India as its local plants struggle to get back to production levels needed to meet demand.
Oppo and Vivo are yet to register for India’s ambitious production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for manufacturing, even though the likes of Apple phone makers Foxconn and Wistron, besides local manufacturers such as Dixon, Lava and Karbonn have done so.
Vi Business under the ‘Vi Secure’ portfolio has launched new security solutions namely Web Security and Email Security and Maximum Device Security Solutions in partnership with FirstWave Cloud Technology and Trend Micro. It also comes equipped with other key solutions such as Cloud Firewall, Managed Security Services, Secure Device Manager and Managed DDoS solutions through partnerships with Fortinet, IBM and Netscout Arbor.
An official in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said BSNL, with some 111 million wireless subscribers, will aim to launch 4G services by December or January, and gradually roll out the network across the country.


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(THE BLAZE) As California faces a major homeless crisis, skyrocketing taxes, and serious affordable housing issues, a California state legislator is focused on issues that truly matter: gender-neutral toy aisles.
According to KRON-TV in San Francisco, a new California law would require retailers to have gender-neutral sections inside of their stores.
Proposed by Assemblyman Evan Low (D), Assembly Bill 2826 would apply to retail department stores with over 500 employees. If passed, the law would eliminate boys and girls aisles, and require that children's toys be offered in one, gender-neutral section inside the store.
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Confidence in the underlying strength of the tech sector as a whole appears to be solid despite some dispiriting news on the hardware front.
CIOs at midmarket and large companies in Europe and the U.S. will spend 4.5 percent more on IT products and services this year than in 2013 as they focus their budget priorities on cloud computing, ERP and analytics software.
ARM Holdings has done well under CEO Warren East and there was no obvious reason for him to step aside. But by July 1, the new CEO, fellow ARM veteran Simon Segars, will be the new chief executive.
Apple is busy cooking up a "killer app" that will be ready to launch with iOS 7 this summer, an analyst has said following a meeting with Apple management.
Apple's next generation iPhone, dubbed iPhone 5S or iPhone 6, will have a 'killer feature' to trump Samsung's new Galaxy S4 smartphone, an analyst has said.
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Apple has officially released their latest iOS 10 adoption numbers, revealing that 60% of the OS compatible iPhones/iPads are running on the latest OS. Almost the entire rise in adoption of the operating system has come from iOS 9 users who now form 32 percent of the total iOS users, compared with 38 percent in earlier report.
The company claims around 8 percent of active iOS devices are presently on operating system versions before iOS 9. Apple even compared their great adoption rate of the latest OS to that of Android, stating that 19% of Android users were still using Android 6, and 80% running even older versions of the operating system. While, the users with the latest Android v7 Nougat accounted to only a 1%.
Apple meant to highlight how iOS updates are perceived as more reliable by Apple device users, while users with a phone that runs on Android are less eager to update their software.


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Aurora, Colo.—It was 18 months in the making, but the first in-person gathering of CCA Global flooring retailers was well worth the wait. To say the three-day CCA Global convention here at the Gaylord Rockies was a welcomed respite from the day-to-day grind of retailing would be a gross understatement. Business is booming for the group, and the mood here reflected that. In fact, Rick Bennet, CCA’s co-CEO, called the current conditions “the best business” in 20-25 years for the co-op.
Things didn’t look so promising in March 2020, Bennet noted. At that time, as the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, the co-op was contemplating a 50% drop in business and 15% attrition rate. Fast forward to July 2021 and not one store among the 1,000+ closed, and aggregate sales are solidly up double digits.
“We are not Amazon, but we are not Princess Cruises either,” Bennet said, predicting that the business surge for flooring dealers would last at least through the calendar year, perhaps longer.
Members basked in the good times that was shared in the Rockies. “I have never been to any convention that resonated with such positive energy,” said Kevin Frazier, president of Frazier’s Carpet One Floor & Home in Knoxville, Tenn. “All three days absolutely hummed with enthusiasm, optimism and hope.”
Rob Elder, co-owner of Hiller’s Flooring America, Rochester, Minn., echoed that sentiment. “Speaking for myself, I thoroughly enjoyed the show. There was lots of excitement, tons of action and innovation.”
Rather than splitting the convention into two parts—Flooring America/Canada, Floor Trader and IDG, followed by Carpet One Floor & Home—CCA Global presented its first truly integrated convention in at least 15 years (not counting last year’s virtual conference).
The integration is likely the template for future shows, and especially programs for members. Keith Spano, president of Flooring America/Canada, Floor Trader and IDG, said that historically CCA “worked in silo divisions. In this uber-competitive world, we need to work collaboratively. Our members deserve the best of both sides of the house.”
John Gilbert, president of Carpet One Floor & Home, said the purpose of the co-op is to create scale, which is exactly what this integration can do for the respective retail members who are not just competing with other independents, but with major chains like Floor & Décor.
Members seemed to embrace the synergy. “There is so much power behind the integration of Flooring America and Carpet One, not just in terms of convention but in terms of coordinated leadership on a daily basis,” said Casey Dillabaugh, president of Dillabaugh’s Flooring America, Boise, Idaho. “I believe Flooring America sees the benefits that size and scale can bring from Carpet One, and I believe Carpet One sees the benefits of innovation and growth that Flooring America brings. In most aspects, this is a win/win proposition.”
Bobby Merideth, president of Flooring America OKC in Oklahoma City, added that the integration between the various brands was well done. “Associating with fellow Carpet One members as a friend rather than a foe while simultaneously being able to retain our own individual brand identities was key to pulling it off.”
During the conference, CCA Global executives touted the forthcoming Retail 2.0 initiative, which officials view as one of the most significant in CCA history as it entails new merchandising, digital tools and other ways to enhance the in-store experience.
Select members from Flooring America and Carpet One are testing Retail 2.0 in their stores. A more robust rollout is planned for the January convention, with perhaps 150 members taking it on. How fast it gets fully implemented is largely dependent on member buy-in. Spano told FCNews that the feedback at convention was “overwhelmingly positive,” adding, “I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t step on the gas a little bit on this [roll out]. One member came up to me and said, ‘Why are you slowing down on this? We need it now.’”
The Vertical Connection Carpet One Floor & Home, Columbia, Md., is one of the beta testers. “Retail 2.0 is an important initiative,” said Adam Joss, president. “We all recognize that the world has changed, and consumers have changed—we have to change, too. I believe the best retailers are always refining their approach to connect with consumers. I’m glad to see CCA taking the lead here.”
Other members also said they are excited about Retail 2.0’s potential. “Without question, Retail 2.0 is the most comprehensive program yet,” Flooring America’s Merideth said. “It will enable the flooring industry to put its fashion foot forward rather than simply being a utilitarian component of the building industry.”
CCA Global retailers were similarly impressed with availability of digital price tags, which, they said, will help them re-price inventory in a fraction of the time compared to the old way. And, in an environment of periodic price hikes, the program is coming at just the right time.
Combining the retail groups at convention was enthusiastically greeted by suppliers who said the single trade show for Flooring America/Carpet One members was a seamless and more efficient way to conduct business. Kelly Oberschlake, senior director of national accounts for Mohawk Industries, called the integration “fantastic,” adding: “the energy level is high and the turnout has been great. Just the simplification of not having to switch out the displays from Flooring America to Carpet One is so efficient.”
The integration generated significant foot traffic at the booths, and vendors were often swamped with retailer inquiries. “I didn’t know what to expect, but people came to buy,” said Don Karlin, director of broadloom sales for Nourison. “Turnout has been great. I have a pocket full of orders; great for ROI.”
- Two years ago, CCA Global had deemphasized the laminate category to where it was barely relevant. Today, laminate sales among group members have doubled. “The laminate category never died off, it just shifted from independent dealers to home centers,” said Dan Natkin, vice president of hardwood and laminate for Mannington. “Now, it has shifted back again to the independents. I just wish we could keep up with demand.”
- LVT now represents the largest category at CCA, surpassing residential carpet for the first time.
- Still the resurgence in carpet is real, Bennet said. “We are holding onto that business while our competitors are moving to hard surface. Carpet is our sweet spot.”
- CCA is looking to reduce the number of private label brands it offers members. Its research found that consumers are not enamored of private label names as much as they are product aesthetics. Gilbert cited the Kirkland brand at Costco as an example of a one-brand approach that resonates with customers. The Kirkland brand carries everything from food to clothes and is practically synonymous with the warehouse store.
- As to whether the integration of programs will create competition between Flooring America and Carpet One members who have locations in the same market, Gilbert said he wasn’t worried. “We polled our members and while the competitive overlap exists it is not enough to overcome [the benefits of the integration]. CCA is all about scale, and what the integration does is gives us scale.”


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Trek Industries, the developers behind Orion, an independent science fiction dinosaur shooting game on Steam, has written a post on the Steam forums saying that Valve has removed its game from Steam due to a violation of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. Searching for Orion on Google currently yields a link that returns to the front page of the Steam store.
It's a confusing takedown, happening at what may be the worst time for the Orion developers: during Steam's summer sale.
According to the DMCA complaint, the request was made by a representative of Activision, publisher of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.
The complaint accuses the Orion developers of copying the models of 3 Black Ops 3 guns: the M8A7 rifle, the Haymaker rifle, and the Bal-27 rifle.
David James, Orion's lead developer, tells Gamasutra that Valve never gave him any advance warning or any screenshots or other information to help explain why the guns would be in violation. "In theory we could do the same thing back to [Activision] for the same reasons," James says. "Its very broken."
(James has created a set of comparative images between the game's guns for others to review.)
After reviewing his game's guns some more, James thinks there might be a visual similarity between his game's auto-shotgun and Black Ops 3's M8A7, but alleges both guns take inspiration from the modern-day M1 Garand, and says that wouldn't be defendable under copyright.
He offered Gamasutra no explanation as to why the designs of other two Black Ops 3 guns mentioned in the complaint might be seen to be infringed upon by Orion.
James is also frustrated because the DMCA request means Orion won't be on Steam during the summer sale, and the 10 business-day period Orion will be offline will dramatically affect their revenue (which James says will effectively be 11 business days with the July 4th holiday.)
We've reached out to representatives from Valve and Activision for comment, and will update this story with any notable replies.
Update: Some sleuthing by Reddit users gathered up evidence to support the legitimacy of Activision's DMCA claim.
Update: James has posted an update on the Steam forums with an Activision's DMCA request. In short, he puts the blame of the misused assets on one of his game's artists, and credits Activision with supplying more information on which assets it said had been lifted from Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.
James also states that several other in-game assets (which take liberal inspiration from other intellectual properties) will be removed from the game, and that Orion will return to the Steam Marketplace in short order.


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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) works with manufacturers to assess risk and recall defective products. When products have been shown to pose a safety risk to consumers, steps must be taken to stop use. So far, it has been a very busy year for inspectors, especially related to products designed for children.
So far in 2019, there have been dozens of products recalled, 13 children’s products stand out.
13 Defective Products that Endangered Children
The recalled products listed below have caused serious injuries, infant deaths, house fires, and significant financial losses. Consequently, if you have one of these items in your home, stop using it immediately.
Bullseye’s Playground Wooden Toy Vehicles
In April 2019, Target announced a recall of 500,000 Bullseye’s Playground wooden toys. The toys were sold in stores between October and November 2018. The recall was initiated after several customers reported wheels detaching from the toys, which poses a serious choking hazard for children.
The recall notice urges parents to take these toys away from children immediately. At this time no injuries have been reported
Go Couture Children’s Loungewear
Go Couture children’s sleepwear sets were recalled in April 2019 after the products failed flammability standards. The sleepwear sets were sold at Uname it, Pajama Mama, Blew Boutique, and in children stores online. The sets were sold from August 2016 through November 2018.
Children’s clothing marketed as sleepwear must pass a federal flammability standards. These sets of clothing failed the standard, putting children at risk of injury. The long-sleeve top and pants are made of 47 percent polyester, 47 percent rayon and six percent spandex. The garments were either pink or blue. They were available for purchase in sizes 12 months to 12 years.
The CPSC strongly recommends returning or discarding these garments.
Fisher-Price Rock ‘n Play Sleepers
In April 2019, Fisher-Price recalled almost five million of their Rock ‘n Play sleepers amid reports that the defective products were associated with more than 30 infant deaths. Many of the infants who died rolled over in the sleeper and suffocated. The inclined design of the sleeper may also have contributed to some SIDS- related deaths.
The sleeper has been on the market since 2009. The recall applies to all models of the sleeper ever sold. The recall led to intense scrutiny over this type of sleeper.
Universal Rechargeable Power Banks
Manufacturer Daniel M. Friedman & Associates announced a recall of around 170,000 defective products in March 2019. The universal rechargeable power banks were manufactured for use with smartphones. They were sold in several kid-friendly colors and shapes including a unicorn, a penguin, a narwhal, and a cat. The power banks were sold at Burlington Coat Factory, Kohl’s, and Ross stores.
The recall followed several consumer complaints that the power banks can overheat. One family reported a house fire that caused $150,000 in damage.
DG Naturals Baby Cough Syrup + Mucus
Sold in Dollar General stores, and manufactured by Kingston Pharma, this children’s medicine was the subject of a recall in March 2019. The recall was initiated after harmful levels of bacteria were found in the medicine. The Bacillus cereus and Bacillus circulans bacterias found can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
About 10 percent of bottles tested positive for low levels of Bacillus cereus, while about 20 percent of bottles tested positive for levels of Bacillus circulans. The defective products were 2 fl. oz. bottles, with lot number KL180157 and an expiration date of November 2020.
WIC Nutrition Plates
The federal nutrition assistance program WIC provides nutrition plates featuring dividers and colorful pictures intended to teach children about a healthy, balanced diet. However many of the WIC nutrition plates given to WIC participants are labeled as microwave safe, and yet contain aluminum. The metal in the plate poses a significant fire hazard when exposed to microwaves.
The recalled WIC plate has a manufacturer logo on the back, identified as Brush Art. It has a date code of July 2018. The CPSC has received two reports of these plates catching fire in the microwave. The WIC program and the CPSC both strongly encourage consumers to replace the nutrition plates with ones that do not contain aluminum. Families can pick up a free replacement plate by stopping by a WIC clinic.
WIC plates engraved with a stamp reading ISP219 are not part of this recall.
Cat & Jack Unicorn “Chiara” Boots
Target announced a recall of their cat and Jack brand Unicorn “Chiara” boots after consumers complained the unicorn horn detaches easily. As a result, the detached part posed a choking hazard to the toddlers for whom the boots are intended. The recall applies to 33,000 pairs of Cat & Jack boots in shoe size 1 and sizes 5-13.
Consumers purchased these defective products both in Target stores and online. Target is offering a full refund to consumers who return the product.
Power Wheels Barbie Dream Campers
Fisher-Price voluntarily recalled more than 40,000 child-sized Barbie Dream Campers in February 2019. The hot pink toy is big enough for young children to sit in and drive. It was recalled after discovery of a safety hazard where the camper can apparently keep running even after the foot pedal is released.
Fisher-Price received 17 complaints of runaway Barbie Dream Campers, but thankfully, no injuries have been reported that this time. Fisher-Price sold the battery-operated car at Wal-Mart. The CPSC suggests consumers take the camper away from children until a repair can be completed, which is free if consumers contact Fisher-Price.
Hot Mom Portable Bed Rails
Amazon seller, Hot Mom, sold these portable bed safety rails until safety concerns led to a recall in January 2019. These defective products reportedly failed to meet safety standards for sleeping products for children, posing risks of suffocation and entrapment to small children.
The manufacturer sold the bed rails only through Amazon and has been contacting all affected customers directly regarding the recall.
Baby Rattle Socks
Distributor Midwest-CBK, issued a recall for more than 20,000 pairs of themed baby rattle socks. The recalled socks have rattle ornaments attached to the toe, which could detach from the sock easily, therefore posing a choking hazard to infants. The defective products were available for purchase in boutiques and retailers nationwide from October 2017 through December 2018.
The socks were available for purchase in sizes 0-12 months and featured an animal or character, some of which were holiday-themed, such as a snowman or reindeer. Other designs of the sock included in the recall featured a whale, a flamingo, a tiger, and a shark.
The detachable rattle poses an immediate and serious choking risk to infants and caregivers should take the socks away from babies as soon as possible
Liquid ibuprofen packaged under the labels Wal-Mart, CVS Pharmacy, and Family Dollar brands were recalled in January 2019. The recall followed discovery that the products could contain higher concentrations of the active ingredient than shown on the label. The recalled medicine was specifically “Infant’s Ibuprofen Concentrated Oral Suspension” in 50 mg of ibuprofen per 1.25 mL concentrations.
Prolonged exposure to too much ibuprofen can lead to a permanent kidney injury in an infant. Less serious but certainly concerning side effects from consuming too much ibuprofen include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea.
The recalled lot numbers included:
- 00717009A, 00717015A, 00717024A, 00717005A sold at Wal-Mart under the brand “Equate”.
- 4718, 00717024A, 00717006A, sold at CVS under the brand “CVS Health”.
- 00717024A, sold at Family Dollar under the brand “Family Wellness”.
Cat & Jack Slap Bracelets
Target announced a recall of Cat & Jack slap bracelets due to reports that the interior metal wristband could pierce the fabric covering and expose a sharp edge. The exposed metal posed a risk of cuts to children wearing the product. These defective products injured five children prior to the recall, which was announced in October 2018. The recall applied to about 22,000 bracelets
Due to the risk of exposing a sharp edge, consumers should stop using the bracelets right away. The manufacturer, Fantasia Accessories offered consumers a replacement at no cost.
Eddie Bauer First Adventure Infant Carrier
Gold, Inc. recalled 22,000 Eddie Bauer First Adventure baby carriers in October 2018. The infant carriers posed a fall risk to babies when the buckles on the carrier broke and children fell out. At least eight caregivers reported broken buckles on the infant carrier before the recall was initiated.
Consumers were advised that they could recognize the recalled carriers by the markings “First Adventure” and “Eddie Bauer” in silver lettering on the products. The defective products were available for purchase between December 2017 and August 2018.
Has Your Child Been Injured by Defective Products?
It’s hard to say whether the deluge of recalls in the last year is comforting or not. On one hand, these dangerous products are no longer on the market, and consumers are more aware of the risks. That offers some degree of peace of mind.
On the other hand, many of these defective products were available for purchase for a year or more before the manufacturer or distributor decided to pull them from stores. During the time these items were available for sale, millions of children were at risk. Some of these defective products caused serious injury or death.
If one of your children sustained an injury while using one of these defective products, or any other product, contact Birth Injury Guide. Tell our birth injury lawyer about your experience, and find out if you are eligible for compensation. Fill out our online contact form or call us toll free at 1-877-415-6603.


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The continued deterioration of natural gas prices may result in the fulcrum moving to the unsecured bonds from the preferred shares.
Just in from Seeking Alpha at Google
Member since: Oct 27, 2015
Nothing but a Short with a new Alias ID in Sheep's clothing, not to mention a Numb Nuts.
October 20, 2015 Analyst News
Inuvo Inc Receives a Buy from Roth Capital
By George Macdonald
Roth Capital analyst William Gibson maintained a Buy rating on Inuvo Inc (NYSE MKT: INUV) today and set a price target of $4.50. The company’s shares opened today at $2.78.
Gibson noted, “earnings increase 50% per share to $0.03 from $0.02 on an estimated 31% improvement in revenue to $17 million from $13 million. We expect growth at the company’s own sites as well that the thousands of online publishers in its partner network, each accentuated by SearchLinks native-style, mobile-friendly advertisements that match content. Inuvo operates a scalable, end-to-end digital advertising platform delivering billions of ads monthly .”
Inuvo Inc has an analyst consensus of Moderate Buy.
Based on Inuvo Inc`s latest earnings report from June 30, the company posted quarterly revenue of $16.73M and quarterly net profit of $445k. In comparison, last year the company earned revenue of $13.03M and had a net profit of $402.9k.
Like Roth Capital`s latest rating, based on the recent corporate insider activity of 40 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is positive on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders buying their shares of INUV in relation to earlier this year. Last month, William Conner, a a Director at INUV bought 29,400 shares for a total of $74,382.
Gibson is ranked 0 out of 5 stars with an average return of -22.4% and a 7.1% success rate. Gibson covers the Services sector, focusing on stocks such as Marathon Patent Group, NTN Buzztime, and RMG Networks.
Inuvo Inc is an internet marketing and technology company. It delivers purchase-ready customers to advertisers through a network of websites and applications reaching both desktop and mobile devices.
What catches my attention is: Roche is counting on new products to offset generic competition to its aging cancer blockbusters.
I think that a buyout of the Exelixis by Roche is possible, considering the comments by the Roche CEO from yesterday. How stockholders will benefit remains to be seen, mostly with the timing of such an event and whether the stock has increased in price sufficiently to attain a premium. There are many who would prefer to see the company stand alone and make a run on its own at becoming a larger company.
The company could buy back most of its preferred shares at a premium to their current prices and at a considerable discount to par.
Hillary has been invested in a hedge fund that shorts biotechnology company stocks and that is a fact.
I am not sure why you are wasting time here considering that you should be writing scripts for television instead of continually spinning your preposterous yarns.
fillup_cheap, I appreciate your response and I thank you.
bwhitc2015 : Member since: Oct 12, 2015, being today.
You are seriously busted, new Alias ID Shortie.
The company seems to have a lot of subsidiaries and own a lot of land. Does MHR own Green Hunter Resources GRH with Gary who is the CEO?


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Estimates vary but it’s widely predicted that Britain is well on the way to becoming a cashless society, and could reach that state within ten to 15 years.
Has the public been consulted? No. Is the Government showing signs of concern about the millions of people who would struggle to cope with a cashless society? Not that I’ve noticed.
Most of us will have experienced how increasingly difficult it is even to get access to one’s own money.
First of all came the bank closures. A staggering 3,303 branches in the UK put up their shutters between January 2015 and August 2019 — equivalent to 34 per cent of all the banks in the country.
Last week, Money Mail carried a harrowing story of the disastrous effect of closures on local businesses in St Ives in Cornwall. The seaside town has lost seven banks since 2015, and the sole surviving one may be for the chop.
And as that process continues apace nationwide, the banks are decreasing their financial support for the network that administers cash machines. Between January 2018 and December 2019, the number of free-to-use machines fell from 54,500 to 45,000.
More and more ATMs charge up to £2 per transaction. As a result, fees paid by the public to withdraw their own cash have risen from £29 million to £104 million a year
More and more ATMs charge up to £2 per transaction. As a result, fees paid by the public to withdraw their own cash have risen from £29 million to £104 million a year.
In my bailiwick of Oxford — hardly the back of beyond — the four cash machines closest to my house have all closed in recent years, so that a car or bus journey is now obligatory in search of bank notes.
According to the consumer group Which?, the remaining network of free cash machines faces collapse within two years unless the Government forces banks to maintain the system.
Isn’t it clear that, whether we like it or not, the banks are deliberately pushing us towards a cashless society by making it so hard for us to use cash?
What’s in it for them are greater profits. They want us to use bank cards or smartphone apps such as Apple Pay wherever possible because it saves them the expense and time of counting and handling cash, and the cost of transporting the stuff.
Banks and companies such as Visa and Mastercard also make billions worldwide in fees — typically paid by the retailer — for processing electronic payments.
The big retailers also far prefer cards to cash. Whenever we use a piece of plastic, there is a record of our purchase. The data can be used by the shop, or sold on so that other retailers can target us with advertising for similar products.
As for the Government, it likes cards because, unlike cash, their usage is theoretically traceable. They are supposed to reduce crime, and cut tax evasion in the black economy. In fact, these benefits could well be outweighed by the explosion in online fraud.
This, then, is where we are — hurtling towards a cashless economy without any questions being asked. I don’t say it is all bad. Cards can obviously be more convenient. Like most people, I prefer to use them rather than cash for large payments.
I can also see that ‘contactless’ cards for purchases up to £30 can be handy if your wallet is empty. Introduced in 2007, they now account for a fifth of all payment transactions, according to government figures.
It is also true that some young people live most of their lives without ever using money, though I can’t help wondering whether their unfamiliarity with it may undermine their sense of what it is really worth.
So I’m no Luddite. Plastic is not always bad. But I’ve no doubt there are many millions of people like me who don’t want to be deprived of their cash by avaricious banks and sly retailers, aided and abetted by the Treasury.


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The appliance maker is earning more profit in North America than here pitching to consumers who will pay for good design.
Chief executive Brad Banducci says same-store food sales have returned to growth, raising hopes the whole group can do the same in 2017.
CEO Geoff Lloyd also announced a revamped to its executive bonus scheme.
Welcome to The Australian Financial Review reporting season blog for the financial 2016 ■ Woolworths ■ South32 ■ Flight Centre ■ Amcor
Shares in MYOB have sunk 6 per cent despite the company showing a swing back to the black with an interim net profit of $26 million.
The BHP-spin-off miner is paying a symbolic dividend but it has hoarded over $300m to buy distressed resources assets.
The owner of Donut King, Gloria Jean's Coffees and Brumby's Bakery buys food maker Hudson Pacific for $88m.
China's debt binge has not come through quantitative easing, but through direct lending by state-owned banks to local governments and compan...
The flipside of Australian companies' unrealistically high yield is a paucity of investment.
Retail Food Group has snapped up one-time initial public offering candidate Hudson Pacific.


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Nintendo has finally announced the release date for Yoshi’s New Island. The long-awaited sequel to the legendary Yoshi’s Island. Yoshi’s New Island will be available both in stores and on the 3DS eShop on March 14th.
After plenty of delays for 3DS games in PAL regions, it’s great to hear that this won’t be effected by this recent trend. Not too long now folks!


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Entries in 'rentals' (5)
A number of Sega’s PC properties will soon be available on a ‘try before you buy’ basis.
Former PlayStation Europe boss Chris Deering last night fronted the official unveiling of a new games retail service at GDC.
The option to rent titles via PlayStation network has been spotted in the wild.
More services have been shut down by struggling retailer Blockbuster.
UK rental service Lovefilm has abandoned video games in order to reaffirm its focus on films and TV categories.


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But while we can always expect fun, flirty pieces from the new mom (who also recently launched a maternity line), there was a market she was missing: plus-size clothing. "My fans have been requesting.
Diana Sirokai is a Hungarian plus-size model who works in cities from London and Los Angeles to New York. She’s an advocate for body positivity and a fashion designer of her own curvy collection with.
Saks Fifth Avenue also only sells plus sizes for women online, but Macy’s and Nordstrom. That’s all the more reason to try on clothing in stores vs. online. J.C. Penney Boutique + lingerie. (J.C.
2016.Mariana Bazo / Reuters file Breaking News Emails SUBSCRIBE By Elisha Fieldstadt Clothing store Forever 21 is being accused of fat-shaming after it sent Atkins diet bars with its online orders,
A Twitter user posted a photo of an Atkins bar she says the store sent with the size 18 jeans she ordered online. The user, MissGG, tweeted the clothing company: “What are you trying to tell me? I’m.
Walmart just announced it’s buying a trendy plus-size retailer, but some shoppers aren’t too happy. Eloquii has gained a cult following by offering on-trend, fast-fashion clothing. On Tuesday, some.
The reason many designers stay away from crafting clothing for larger women is twofold: They’re afraid and they simply don’t know how to. "I would argue that why many non-plus-size designers don’t go.
Whether you love cashmere, wool, or even cotton, we found picks that are perfect for girls with curves, and they’re all available at Macy’s. These are the 12 sweaters worth adding. something extra.
That means the clothing industry is likely to treat 34 as the average, rendering anything above it "plus." "I think a plus-size guy at the every least is a 38- to 40-inch waist," Jamaal Carroll, the.
Dressing for work in Washington’s summer humidity is hard enough—but for some women who aren’t the size two commonly seen. What are your go-to stores for professional clothing for curvy women? My.


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Xiaomi, which offers up good phones at great prices, may be working on a tablet. Named (for now) the HM 1AC, Xiaomi’s new device might be a budget tablet to break the mold. According to a benchmark test, it’s got respectable specs, and that likely means an even better price.
The benchmarks reveal that the 9.2-inch screen may have a 1280 x 720 display, which is underwhelming — but likely not terrible. The tablet has Android 4.3, which is strange considering it’s timing and KitKat’s “low-end devices” aim. A Snapdragon 400 quad-core processor at 1.6GHz brings the power, and it’s backed by an Adreno 305 GPU. It’s got 1GB RAM, and 8GB Memory. There is a 7MP shooter on the back, and a 1.5MP camera up front. The rear camera can shoot HD video, but we all know you shouldn’t be doing that with a tablet. Ever.
Aside from the normal WiFi, some rumors put the new tablet (or at least a variant of it) with 3G connectivity. A device like this — with thse specs, in 2014 — could also come in under $200. For many of us, that brings a budget tablet to the 10-inch tablet category. We’re used to seeing some deent 7-inch tablets on the cheap, but a full-sized one? Not really.
The question about Xiaomi’s aim remains. Will they bring this to the world outside of China? Time will tell. We’d like to think that with the recent announcement of their Redmi devices, this could be one of them, and destined for the rest of us.


text: The Corvette Still Reigns Supreme... and a recent survey by Hagerty says just that. The Michigan insurance company asked its clients which American sports car they couldn't live without and the Corvette won hands down. The Corvette is synonymous with America's car culture and it continues its popularity in dealer showrooms, classic car shows, and in garages worldwide. Hagerty's survey only confirmed what we already knew, the Corvette is still the one. For those keeping score, number two was the Ford Mustang followed by the Dodge Challenger. Check out the complete list at hagerty.com/corvettenumber1.


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Consumers in China are taking to social media to express their support for Huawei as the U.S. government looks to ramp up pressure on the Chinese smartphone maker.Technologyread more
U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff increase — and Beijing's plans to counter them — are hitting U.S. companies in China, according to a joint survey this month by...China Economyread more
"We are also constantly watching whether the trade war will turn into a tech war," Ma said Tuesday, according to a CNBC translation of his Chinese remarks published by a locak...China Economyread more
Kohl's, J.C. Penney and Nordstrom release disappointing earnings news, putting a damper on their sector.Retailread more
Bezos's comments give a rare glimpse into his interest in the auto industry. Amazon recently invested in two self-driving start-ups.Technologyread more
While investing often seems like a contrarian game where going against the flow feels like the better bet, the reality is that investors who bought the most-favored stocks...Hedge Fundsread more
The economist thinks the Fed ought to pay more attention to financial markets when setting interest rates.The Fedread more
Talks between the world's two largest economies have stalled after each nation lobbied higher tariffs on the other's imports.Traderead more
"Pretty much the entire suite of apps that 'talk' over the internet could be vulnerable," said Tom Uren, a senior analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute's...Cybersecurityread more
A Chinese official in Hong Kong is urging the quick passage of legal measures to allow fugitives to be transferred to the mainland.China Politicsread more
GAC Motor said its delaying its launch in the U.S. but had no timeline when it could launch there.Autosread more
President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he trusts Chinese President Xi Jinping's word on commitments to trade reforms, amid confusion about what the two leaders actually agreed to as part of their weekend trade truce.
The world's two largest economies agreed to halt an escalating series of tariffs following a face to face meeting between Trump and Xi at the G-20 summit in Argentina on Saturday. But Trump's claims about what China conceded have muddled the start of a 90-day window for talks to reach an agreement. The leaders are trying to come to terms over what the Trump administration calls unfair trade practices. The mixed messages coming from the White House, including Trump's boast that he's a "Tariff Man," helped to sink U.S. stock markets on Tuesday.
In tweets Wednesday morning, Trump pushed back on reports that China may not swiftly address the White House's concerns. He said Beijing sent "very strong signals" about taking action on trade after a "long trip, including stops," home from Argentina.
"Not to sound naive or anything, but I believe President Xi meant every word of what he said at our long and hopefully historic meeting. ALL subjects discussed!" the president tweeted.
Trump, who often declares victory even in the absence of concrete progress, quickly touted major Chinese concessions following Saturday's meeting. He said Monday that China would "immediately" start purchasing more agricultural products and "reduce and remove tariffs" on auto imports — statements that White House officials and the Chinese government struggled to clarify in the ensuing days.
In his tweets Wednesday, Trump tried to show progress in the talks. He shared a Bloomberg report that said China has started to take steps toward purchasing more U.S. soybeans and liquefied natural gas. He also said Xi promised to label Fentanyl, an opioid produced heavily in China that has ravaged American communities, a "controlled substance." He called for the death penalty for "distributors and pushers" of the drug, saying it would yield "incredible" results.
His tweets follow a Washington Post report that said the U.S. and China had offered differing accounts of what the talks yielded. Trump's claims of specific concessions also confused Chinese officials, according to the newspaper.
Trump came into office promising to crack down on what he calls Chinese trade abuses. His administration says it wants to address forced technology transfers, access to Chinese markets, theft of intellectual property and tariffs and nontariff barriers.
The world's two largest economies have fired several shots this year in a trade war that has raised fears of economic damage and rattled investors. Trump has put tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese goods, and threatened to levy duties on an additional $267 billion in products. China has retaliated with tariffs on about $110 billion in American goods.
Some of those duties targeted agricultural products in red areas of the country that supported Trump in his 2016 presidential bid. Trump has focused on boosting Chinese purchases of crops, after promising farmers that any pain from tariffs is only temporary to force a better deal with China.
The president showed optimism Tuesday about reaching an agreement with China to address his grievances. Still, he called himself a "Tariff Man" and threatened to fire another shot in the trade war if talks crumble.
Concerns about the U.S. and China failing to strike an agreement contributed to major U.S. stock indexes falling more than 3 percent on Tuesday. Stock markets were closed Wednesday, the national day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush.


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Official figures released tomorrow are expected to show a fall in the rate of inflation to a six-month low.
The figures from the Office for National Statistics will come 24 hours before the Bank of England publishes a key report on the UK economy.
A fall in petrol prices is one of the key factors behind expectations for the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for October easing to around 2.5% from a rate of 2.7% the previous month.
The next day sees the publication of the Bank's closely-watched Inflation Report, which is designed to give an indication of the future path of interest rates, currently at an historic low of 0.5%.
Last month, policymakers revealed that unemployment was falling and the economy growing faster than predicted in its previous quarterly inflation report, so there is an expectation that these forecasts will be upgraded.
The ONS figures tomorrow will see inflation remain stubbornly above its 2% target - and continuing to squeeze incomes as the cost of living lags behind. However it is expected to carry on falling from a 2.9% high in June. The rate was 2.4% in April.
At the lower end, Scotiabank's Alan Clarke forecasts a drop to 2.4%, as slowing food inflation and a smaller contribution from university tuition fee hikes - which have impacted inflation figures since they were brought in last year - take effect.
However, the hike in energy tariffs by a number of gas and electricity suppliers looks likely to have an upward effect later in the year.
Analysts at Capital Economics also predict a sharp drop to 2.4% and CPI reaching its 2% target by the first half of next year.
Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight, predicting a 2.5% rate, also cites indications that high street retailers cut prices during October amid a bout of promotional activity and discounting.
The Bank of England's report on Wednesday will indicate its projections for inflation as well as the performance of the economy and unemployment.
Jobs data has become a key indicator of future monetary policy following the last quarterly inflation report when the Bank announced its new forward guidance policy.
The policy commits the Bank not to raise interest rates from their historic low of 0.5% before unemployment falls to 7%, as long as inflation remains under control.
Previous projections from Threadneedle Street have indicated this was unlikely to happen before at least the third quarter of 2016.
However, markets expect these conditions to be met sooner and have pencilled in an interest rate rise for at least a year earlier - though policymakers have been at pains to stress reaching the 7% threshold will not be an automatic trigger for a rates hike.
Nevertheless, new Bank forecasts that are more in line with those of markets will be seen as an indication of an earlier rise in interest rates.
Their release will be complicated by the fact the ONS jobs data is being published at the same time, with some economists predicting a drop in the unemployment rate from 7.7% to 7.6%.
Meanwhile, any fall in inflation predictions in the Bank's inflation report should ease fears that it will rise to a level where it would provide a so-called "knock-out" to the low interest rate policy.


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Man shot on Avenue J in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce police are investigating a shooting that occurred just after 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
Car hits home Friday morning
Friday morning, a car hit a home in the 200 block of Cape Cod Circle, according to Palm Beach County Fire Rescue.
Cops: Man and woman did drugs with baby in car
A man and a woman were arrested Thursday after officers caught them in the car with a baby while doing drugs, according to an arrest report.
Two people injured in 4 vehicle crash
Two people were sent to the hospital following a multi-vehicle crash at Pike Road and Southern Boulevard in suburban West Palm Beach Saturday…
Renters will lose foreclosure rights end of year
Questions are being raised about a candidate running for public office, because of what he's done in his personal life as a landlord.
Mazda & Toyota sued over melting dashboards
New lawsuits filed against car makers for failing to fix melting dashboards. In the latest suits, Consumer Watchdog Jenn Strathman's…
Locked, stolen iPhone can still be resold
Thieves are targeting smartphones. It's the item wanted in 30 to 40 percent of all robberies. A local woman has her iPhone stolen and…
Palm Beach restaurant among three closed
The Consumer Watchdog was shown the door at a popular chain seafood restaurant in the town of Palm Beach.


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Gannett appoints Gupta as chief marketing and strategy officer
Gannett Co., Inc. has announced that Mayur Gupta has joined the company as its new chief marketing and strategy officer.
In this role, Gupta will be driving the vision and strategy of the company as it transforms into a subscription-led content business while leading the marketing and growth functions, connecting data, technology and storytelling to deliver original content through apps, audio, video, live events and emerging technologies to an audience of nearly 175 million in the U.S. and UK.
While taking on his new role, Gupta has resigned as a member of the Gannett board.
Michael Reed, chairman and CEO of Gannett, said:
“We are very excited to have Mayur transition from his role as a board member to join our leadership team. Mayur has a strong track record as a growth and content marketer at big CPGs like Kimberly Clark as well as disruptive start-ups like Spotify and Freshly that have re-shaped their categories. Mayur has already played a key role on our board over the past year and we are excited to leverage his unique capabilities to continue to transform our business model and drive purpose-driven growth. His experience building content driven subscription models and his ability to execute on a vision and strategy with speed and agility align well with our goals for this role. In addition, given his board service he has intimate knowledge of the Company following our recent acquisition.”
Previously, Gupta was chief marketing officer at Freshly. Before that, he was the global VP for growth and marketing at Spotify, responsible for growing Spotify’s global user base alongside the growth of the brand.
He has also served as SVP, head of digital platforms; SVP, OmniChannel business and consumer marketing, and EVP, chief marketing officer at Healthgrades.
Gupta has also worked at Kimberly-Clark as global head, marketing technology and innovation and global head, Omni channel experiences and platforms. He has worked at SapientNitro for more than 10 years holding various posts.
He also served on the boards of the American Marketing Association, DentaQuest and IBM.
Gupta was recognized by Forbes as one of the Top 50 CMOs in the country. In 2014, he was recognized as one of the “40 under 40” leading marketers in the industry by Brand Innovators and also received the CMO Programmatic Award by the CMOClub.


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One in four consumers plan to buy an electric car in next five years according to Ofgem research
Ahead of Ofgem’s launch of its COP26 ‘green, fair future’ campaign, new research has found that almost one in four (24%) consumers plan to buy an electric vehicle or plug-in hybrid in the next five years.
The Climate Change Committee anticipates around 18 million battery and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will be on the road by the ban on the sale of new internal combustion vehicles being introduced in 2030.
Ofgem’s research showed that:
- Those who own electric vehicles are more open to embracing changes in how they use their energy.
- Electric vehicle owners are three times more likely to say they are on a time of use tariff than non-owners.
- Over half (60%) would consider smart charging of their vehicle to avoid times when electricity is most expensive.
Although many consumers intend on changing their car to an electric one, over a third (38%) said they were unlikely to get an electric vehicle in the next five years. This is due to perceived barriers like the price being too high (59%), a short battery life and/or short range (38%) and worries about having nowhere to charge their electric vehicle close to home (36%).
Three in four (74%) consumers identified electricity generation and transport, such as fossil fuel power stations and exhaust emissions, as activities that play a big part in contributing to climate change. But the research shows that fewer consumers (60%) identified domestic heating, like gas boilers, as playing a big part in contributing to climate change, although one in seven (14%) intend to install low carbon heating such as heat pumps.
This research outlines some of the challenges that will be covered at Ofgem’s conference today 24 May marking the start of its ‘green, fair future’ campaign, which seeks to work with international regulators to share and develop best practice to bring forward decarbonised energy systems in the run up to November’s COP26 climate change talks in Glasgow.
The virtual event will hear from representatives from global energy regulators about the common issues faced in enabling energy-related decarbonisation, including supporting the move to the electrification of transport.
Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem’s chief executive, recently said:
“As more consumers make the switch to electric vehicles in the next five years, Ofgem will be announcing millions of pounds of investment to create a more flexible energy system to support the electrification of vehicles, renewable generation and low carbon forms of heat.
“Securing the investment is only half of the answer. Climate change can only be tackled if consumers are engaged in the process. For this to happen the transition to a low carbon economy needs to be fair, inclusive and affordable.
“Energy regulators have a key role to play in delivering this transition and we will be seeking to work with regulators across the world in the run up to the COP26 climate change talks to develop proposals that benefit consumers and the planet.”
Latest News from
BLOG: Jonathan Brearley, CEO, Ofgem: Building stronger, financially stable energy suppliers that can weather the gas crisis24/06/2022 11:33:00
Blog posted by: Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem Chief Executive, 20 June 2022.
Ofgem announces tough new financial measures to ensure energy suppliers can withstand future shocks - including protection for customers’ credit balances20/06/2022 11:15:00
Energy regulator Ofgem is today announcing the next steps in their plans to prevent the kind of energy supplier failures we saw last year and to better protect consumers’ money if they do fail.
Ofgem publishes full report following six-month review into networks’ response to Storm Arwen09/06/2022 13:05:00
Storm Arwen saw nearly 1 million homes in Britain lose power in November 2021, with nearly 4,000 homes having to cope in appalling conditions without power for over a week.
UK Government orders network operators to improve storm responses09/06/2022 11:22:00
The UK Government has today set out a range of actions to improve the resilience of Great Britain’s electricity networks for future extreme weather events.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme Launch06/06/2022 12:33:00
Blog posted by: Philippa Pickford, Director (Delivery and Schemes), 30 May 2022.
Ofgem backs consumers with price cap update16/05/2022 16:38:00
Today (Monday 16 May) Ofgem will publish a ‘minded-to’ consultation to look at whether the energy price cap should be updated quarterly rather than every six months.
Time for suppliers to improve standards for energy consumers20/04/2022 13:15:00
Blog posted by: Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem Chief Executive, 14 April 2022.
Investing in a smarter, more flexible grid11/04/2022 13:25:00
Blog posted by: Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem Chief Executive, 6 April 2022.


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thenational.ae 02 Jan, 2017
Majid Al Futtaim (Maf) will use Dubai as a distribution epicentre for its Carrefour hypermarket chain as it looks to expand to meet rising demand across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. The new logistics facility will be opened at the National Industries Park (NIP), owned by DP World, covering more than 800,000 sq. ft, or nearly the size of London’s Buckingham Palace. The facility will have multi-temperature storage to help meet the varying needs for produce, meat and dry foods as well as warehousing for non-edible items. The distribution centre will have over 400 million units of storage capacity, which will help to manage more than 150,000 orders each day for both in-store and online sales.


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Pressekontakt:London, UK 29th June, 2016 - Paraphrasingwebsite.com has said that it has made changes in its pricing plan in order to accommodate cheap rates for both essay and research paper paraphrasing services over the coming months. The changes have already been implemented.
Paraphrasingwebsite.com has noted that academic paraphrasing has become very popular. There is a very huge number of people who are using these paraphrasing to ensure the good grades and since students don’t have a lot of money, it seems fair to have cheap rates. The paraphrase website has already started to implement this plan and there is hope that it will ensure low costs in the sector for the long term.
The total number of people who paraphrase online has gone up. However, Paraphrasingwebsite.com has said that the rate of growth among students has been huge. The paraphrasing site agrees that many students have always found it easy to write original and quality papers by paraphrasing exciting documents online. This is expected to continue even in years.
In that case, Paraphrasingwebsite.com sees a steady rise in demand especially for companies that have proven expertise in offering the quality needed paraphrasing from a website. The provider has added that it will take time before the whole sector can accommodate all students but so far, the effort in the entire sector looks really good.
The truth is experts in paraphrasing are not many so if you are looking for a paraphrasing website online, it may be hard to land the right provider. Well, Paraphrasingwebsite.com is the best and the company has a lot of impeccable staff members to help you. You can learn more about its help by simply going to its main website at http://www.paraphrasingwebsite.com/.


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Alpine sports car to launch in 2016
* Project on track despite Caterham split * New Alpine sports car developed by Renault * Will invoke spirit of classic Alpine 110 Berlinette...
The relaunch of the Alpine sports car brand remains on track for 2016, despite parent firm Renault’s split with Caterham over what was to be a jointly developed car.
Renault and Caterham ended their partnership, agreed in 2012, earlier this year. It had been agreed that the two would share resources and technology to develop two separate but similar sports cars. Although neither side has openly discussed the reasons for the split, it is widely believed that Caterham wanted to progress the project faster than Renault was willing to.
However, speaking at the Paris motor show, Renault boss Carlos Ghosn said: ‘While it would have been better to split the investment with a partner, it wasn’t possible to agree it. Now it is better that we go alone - and the project is continuing as planned."
Renault’s chief designer Laurens van den Acker confirmed that the project was continuing as planned, adding that it had become a simpler project as a sole-developed car. Renault has previously described the car as being a reinterpretation of the classic Alpine A110 Berlinette, launched in the 1960s.
‘Caterham brought a lot of experience to the team, especially in its knowledge of rapid prototyping and setting up a sports car, so it was a shame to lose them,’ said van den Acker. ‘But on the positive side the commitment to the project has never waivered, and now we are in sole charge of our destiny we have made some good progress.’
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In 2017, Criptalia was born from the idea of moving traditional financial products to blockchain in order to obtain time and economic advantages in its management. The products considered all belong to different asset classes, they can be equity, credit or bonds, but are all, however, managed and transmitted on the blockchain.
For this particular Fintech, 2018 was the year of development. CEO and Founder Diego Dal Cero explains that in recent months his team has been involved in carrying out all the operations necessary to comply with various regulations and also so as to be able to operate in the market with all the safety requirements for the consumer and for companies that use these products.
In 2019 Criptalia will go for the first time on the market, in both Italy and Spain at the same time, and then also in other European countries within the year. “We do not exclude emerging markets like that of Latin America” adds Dal Cero, who says he is satisfied and honoured to have joined the Fintech District community: “It is entering a truly unique ecosystem not only in Italy but also at a European level; it is something that unites our passions, technologies and the future of the fintech sector. We will try to be an active part of this important community “.
If you wish to stay updated about news, events and initiatives of the Fintech District, subscribe to our newsletter HERE


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LookBook is the go-to directory for top marketers, agencies, media companies and ad-tech firms in the advertising industry. As a product of Advertising Age and Creativity, LookBook ensures your company’s valuable information doesn’t exist in a silo, but is instead embedded within the content brand executives already read each day. LookBook is the first tool in the industry to integrate a directory product into top premium content sites.
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- On the Eve of a New Broadcast Season, Emmys Ratings Drop to a Record LowAnother ratings stumble for TV's annual valentine to itself.
- The Media Chart for July 29: America's Got Talent -- and Election FeverLast week saw blockbuster ratings for Fox News Channel's RNC coverage -- but it fell just short of 'America's Got Talent.'
- 200 Leading National Advertisers, 2016 edition200 Leading National Advertisers, 2016 edition, ranked by total U.S. advertising spending in 2015.
- Biggest Brands, 2016 edition200 biggest brands from Ad Age's 200 Leading National Advertisers report, 2016 edition. Ranking based on U.S. measured-media ad spending.


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Is a business responsible for the actions of its chief officers?
The CEO of Lumber Liquidators, Robert Lynch, abruptly resigned last week after three years on the job amidst a Justice Department investigation. Lynch also served as the company’s president and director.
The company recently announced the Justice Department is seeking criminal charges against it after an investigation over flooring products it imported from China. The laminate flooring reportedly contained a high level of formaldehyde. The company recently suspended sale of its entire laminate flooring inventory made in China pending a review of its sourcing compliance program by a board committee.
After discovering the chemical issue in the laminate flooring, Lumber Liquidators sent out free air testing kits for consumers who installed the flooring. More than 97% of those customers who used the kits reported the level of formaldehyde concentration in the air was within the World Health Organization Guidelines. The company also stopped buying Chinese laminate flooring and is purchasing the product from Europe and North America. In the wake of Lynch’s departure, the company stated that its founder, Thomas Sullivan would take over as CEO until a replacement is found. Lumber Liquidators refused to comment on the resignation.
Certain officers and board members of companies have a fiduciary duty to the company’s shareholders. This means the officer is required in some situations to disclose particular information and knowledge to shareholders. It is important for companies to have clear policies for its fiduciaries for disclosing information and to research the officers’ and board members past employment and potential conflicts of interest to avoid potential lawsuits.
If you own a business, avoid a lawsuit for the actions of an officer by contacting an attorney to review business policies and disclosure requirements. The law firm of Willcox, Buyck & Williams has been in business for over 120 years and its business and corporate law attorneys have extensive experience in preparing corporate papers, managing fiduciary requirements, and representing clients in business disputes. They have offices in Florence (843) 536-8050 and Myrtle Beach (843) 461-3020. Contact them today for a consultation.


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Monthly Archives: October 2017
Naturally, the consequences of the virus will for a long time be generalized at different levels. However, the first victim of this virus brought his computer to the EPOS service center at 9 a.m. By lunchtime, 28 “hard drives” were waiting in line at the service center, and the new BIOS was flashed like on a factory conveyor. Continue reading
In April, the biggest problem of the month related to computers can rightly be considered the epidemic of the Win95.CIH virus – Chernobyl.
Everyone is used to the presence of computer viruses. Periodically they appear on the computer. Sometimes they manage to be detected on time. Sometimes something goes bad, but, as a rule, special tragedies do not occur. Last year, a new, very dangerous Win95.CIH virus was released. Continue reading


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Stagecoach explains why drivers don't have to wear face coverings despite new rules
Stagecoach has explained why some of its drivers may opt against wearing face coverings.
Since Monday it has been mandatory for passengers using public transport to wear a face mask or covering to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
The Government eased lockdown measures in a bid to boost the economy and protect jobs.
But some passengers may have seen bus or tram drivers in Sheffield opting against a face covering.
The company has explained why in a bid to ease confusion around the issue.
Because drivers already sit behind a protective screen, an additional face covering is not deemed necessary.
Chris Child, a marketing manager for Stagecoach, said: “Our drivers already have a protective screen that provides a safe barrier. As a result, the government advice is that face coverings are not necessary for bus drivers.
“However, should the driver need to leave their cab to assist a customer, they will wear a face covering.”
He also explained that some passengers are exempt from wearing face coverings.
Mr Child added: “The government has now published a list of people who are exempt from wearing face coverings.
“Our free journey assistance card is available at stagecoachbus.com and customers can use this as an easy way of showing they are exempt from wearing a face covering.
“Our experience is that the vast majority of passengers adapt very well and look to do the right thing.
“However, we know that it will take some time for passengers to adapt to this new requirement.
“As with any change in any part of life there may be instances where people forget or aren't aware and we are helping our passengers to understand the new guidance.
“We have detailed information on our buses and across our website and social media channels, and we will continue to remind people of the importance of following the new rules to help themselves and their fellow passengers.
“We will continue to work with our passengers to help them have all the information they need to plan their journeys.”