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Martin Lewis advises on insurance after holiday cancellations
Holidays may be back on to many parts of the world for UK nationals, but plenty of would-be travellers are still at home waiting for refunds for their ruined plans amid the coronavirus lockdown. Loveholidays is one firm which has seen a number of customer complaints regarding long waiting times, with some Twitter users saying they are having difficulty getting in contact with the holiday provider.
In light of this, Martin Lewis and the Money Saving Expert team have shared new advice for Britons on how to get in touch with the firm and hopefully reunite with their refund sooner.
According to the MSE team, just four percent of Loveholidays customers who responded to the survey conducted by the financial website said they had been refunded for their cancelled holiday.
Loveholidays disputed this, though said it had only reimbursed 25 percent of affected customers by the beginning of July.
Many travellers have also continued to take to Twitter venting their frustrating at a lack of refund or difficulties communicating with the travel operator.
Martin Lewis: The Money Saving Expert team shared advice for Loveholidays customers
On July 17, one Twitter user wrote: “Has anyone had a refund from @loveholidays???? My holiday was cancelled in March and they are just ignoring me?”
However, the travel operator is unable to take calls right now.
According to the MSE team: “When we dialled the usual Loveholidays customer service number, we were played an automated message saying that customer service functions had been moved to live chat due to the coronavirus crisis.
“This means live chat is the only way to get in touch, but every time we've tried to use it we've been shown a message saying that ‘all of our live chat agents are currently busy’.
“Loveholidays says the live chat function goes offline when there are no agents available, and admitted that ‘chat lines are frequently at capacity at the moment’ due to the levels of queries from customers.”
Spain holidays: Murcia town forced into lockdown after COVID-19 surge [UPDATE]
Holidays abroad MAPPED: Where can Brits go on holiday now? [GRAPHIC]
Flights: Pilot shares vital airport tip [INSIDER]
A Loveholidays spokesperson told Express.co.uk: "“We have made a clear commitment to our customers – none of them will lose money on their package holiday bookings due to cancellations as a result of COVID-19.
"To help deliver this commitment, we have invested additional resources in our customer service capabilities and have made significant progress in accelerating hotel and transfer refunds. By the end of this week we expect to have refunded more than 80,000 customers, and by next week we expect to have refunded over 100,000 customers who were due to travel by July 31 who have requested refunds and whose credit and debit card information is still valid.”
While Loveholidays provides a combination of flights and hotels, according to ABTA they are responsible for reimbursing customers.
An ABTA spokesperson spoke to the MSE team, saying “as a tour operator and subject to the refund requirements of the Package Travel Regulations. These require refunds to be made within 14 days."
So what should Loveholidays customers do to speed up the process?
1. Accept a credit note, as long as you are happy to do so
The Government has recently announced that all credit notes offered in exchange for a cancelled holiday will be covered by them.
This means that customers will get a cash refund should the travel provider go bust before they get a chance to utilise the voucher.
However, this only applies to ATOL-protected holidays, for example, package holidays.
“With many travel firms struggling, as a rule, we always say it's worth considering whether you're in a position to show forbearance in a tough time, though we understand that after a lot of hassle you may not feel that way,” adds an MSE expert.
2) Request a cash refund online
Customers who want to register a cash refund can do so via the "Manage my Booking" portal on Loveholiday’s website.
However, there may still be a wait time associated.
According to MSE: “Loveholidays says it's working through refund requests in departure date order and prioritising vulnerable customers, who will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.”
3) Make an official complaint
Under current regulations, refunds should be issued within 14-days, though given the current situation this has been largely impossible for almost all travel providers.
If customers have been waiting an exceptionally long time and are unsatisfied with their service, MSE recommends making an official complaint to the company.
You can do so using the Manage My Booking portal.
Should this not work, you can also file a complaint with the travel trade body ABTA, though MSE adds: “You'll need to give Loveholidays 28 days to respond to any correspondence before you complain to ABTA, so it's not a quick fix to get your money back."
Customers who file complaints may be asked to submit evidence of their correspondence.
4) Request a chargeback or Section 75 claim with your card provider
Holidaymakers who are still waiting on a refund can utilise the chargeback or Section 75 card scheme which work for debit and credit cards.
A chargeback will see a debit or credit card provider attempting to get the money back directly from the travel operator.
Martin previously explained: “It tends to be the quickest way of getting your money back – effectively you're disputing the transaction as you've paid for something you've not received.”
However, MSE warns that it has heard reports of Loveholidays denying chargeback claims. Loveholidays told the MSE team it's "reviewing the appropriate response to chargebacks" and will only dispute chargeback claims "where there are valid grounds to do so".
Should this happen, customers can take it up with the Financial Ombudsman Service which will adjudicate the case.
A second option is to make a Section 75 claim, valid on credit card transactions over £100.
“With Section 75 you get the stronger legal protection that the card company is jointly liable – though Section 75 is only for credit card payments over £100,” added Martin.
However, this option is less favourable to the card provider as it sees them paying out for the refund.
The MSE team add that in a worst-case scenario, the fight for a refund could be taken to court, though they add that it is “unlikely to be worth the hassle”.


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KOREA – VIETNAM SMEs & STARTUPs SUMMIT
On March 21 ~ 23, the Small and Medium Enterprise Summit was organized by the Korean Small and Medium Enterprise Startup Support Center KOSME in Hanoi, to support Korean businesses entering the Vietnamese market, At the same time, strengthen the cooperation system with the Vietnamese government as well as relevant departments.
The event will be attended by a number of representatives of agencies and departments such as: Mr. Hoang Minh – Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of Vietnam; Mr. Kang Seok Jin – Director of the Korean small and medium enterprise and startup support center KOSME; Mr. Choi Young Sam – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam and Mr. Hong Sun – Chairman of Korcham Hanoi.
Vietnam has always been an ideal destination for Korean businesses to do business and invest. The organizers hope that the Summit will help further strengthen the cooperative relationship between the two countries in the field of startup support.
The event includes 02 activities:
(1) March 21: The Summit aims to promote business opportunities between small and medium-sized enterprises and startups while nurturing cooperative relationships between the two countries
(2) March 22: B2B trade connection with 15 businesses from Korea Image of list of Korean companies
42 INTERNATIONAL is honored to participate in the event as the event coordinator. Our mission is to provide on-site staff and interpreters, target potential buyers and arrange B2B meetings.
42 INTERNATIONAL is honored to become a trusted partner of Korean organizers for trade promotion events (B2B Matching, MOUs, Exhibitions, etc.)
42 INTERNATIONAL is confident about our PROFESSIONAL – DEDICATED – QUALITY – PRESTIGIOUS services and will always be for both parties as our core vision.

domain: news


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Kenya: Coffee Annual
Kenya’s MY2022/23 coffee production is forecast to decrease by 10 percent to 700,000 bags due to lower yields caused by reduced fertilizer application. MY 2022/23 area planted is anticipated to remain flat at 105,000 hectares as new plantings are curtailed by a shortage of coffee seeds. Post estimates MY 2022/23 exports will decline to 670,000 bags from 750,000 bags due to lower production. MY 2022/23 domestic consumption is expected to increase slightly as demand growth driven by the hospitality sector is curtailed by lower consumer purchasing power due to high inflation.


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Caribou Coffee Adding Over 300 New Franchise Locations
MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- Caribou Coffee is planning to add over 300 new franchise locations across the country.
The company has announced the signing of several multi-unit development agreements.
The agreements include 60 new locations in the Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio areas., 35 locations in the cities of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, Florida, 24 locations throughout Missouri including St. Louis, Springfield, and Kansas City, 60 locations in Gainesville, Tampa, and Naples, Florida, and 100 locations in the northern half of Ohio and into western Pennsylvania.
Caribou Coffee expanded its franchise program in October 2021, marking the first time interested candidates had an opportunity to own and operate franchise locations in the United States.
Caribou Coffee was founded in 1992 and has grown to about 765 coffeehouses worldwide - as of March 28th, 2023.
Caribou Coffee is now part of a portfolio that also includes the brands Panera Bread and Bagel Brands.


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The Galaxy Watch went official in August this alongside the Galaxy Note 9, bringing Samsung’s smartwatch lineup under the Galaxy umbrella. That makes the Gear Sport the last Gear-branded smartwatch, and Samsung is now working on the Gear Sport’s successor. We have obtained information on a new watch with model number SM-R500 and codename Pulse. Development on the watch started this month, with R500XXE0ARL5 the initial software version.
Could be called Galaxy Sport
We aren’t sure of the official name, but this new watch will possibly be called Galaxy Sport. However, the Gear Sport came with model number SM-R600, so it remains to be seen if the SM-R500 will be a proper upgrade. Samsung may have gone backwards on the model number simply because it has now changed branding for its watches, but that can’t be said for certain since the the company followed usual tradition for the Galaxy Watch (which carries model number SM-R8xx while the Gear S3 was SM-R7xx).
In terms of specs, we know the Galaxy Sport has 4GB of internal storage and runs Tizen, like previous Samsung smartwatches. Being a Gear Sport successor, this one should be all about fitness, which makes a variant with LTE connectivity unlikely. One can hope Samsung will offer it in different sizes, though. The Gear Sport came in only one size (1.2 inches), which considerably limited its appeal.
Will bring Bixby Reminder support
The Galaxy Sport will come with Bixby on-board, and we have learned that it will have support for Bixby Reminder. That is missing on the Galaxy Watch, but those Bixby notifications you see on your phone will also show up on the new watch. A software update should bring this to the Galaxy Watch later down the line, although it remains to be seen if Samsung will do that before or after the Galaxy Sport is announced.
But when will the new watch go official? We can’t say for sure, but a launch alongside the Galaxy S10 is possible. We will do our best to get more information on this watch in the coming weeks to get a clearer picture of Samsung’s next smartwatch.


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Tourism NI has teamed up with online restaurant reservations provider OpenTable to encourage more local and global diners and restaurants onto the platform in support of all island food and drink initiative "Taste the Island".
This is OpenTable's first collaboration in Northern Ireland and the company will be highlighting a selection of restaurants that are taking part in the "Taste the Island" initiative through their blog and social channels during the campaign.
In a statement on Tourism NI's website, Tourism NI business support and events director Aine Kearney said, "This exciting collaboration with OpenTable provides local and international visitors with an opportunity to dine out in style, try new venues and support our local food scene. OpenTable is an excellent addition to the tourism offering here as it allows visitors to explore the best restaurants Northern Ireland has to offer, especially during the 'Taste the Island' celebration. Diners can quickly and simply reserve their restaurant table online in advance to avoid disappointment on arrival.
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"It is admirable to see the industry fully embrace the 'Taste the Island' initiative and we look forward to working with OpenTable as we continue to encourage the industry to get involved in this new opportunity for them to increase their bookings and grow business."
Meanwhile, David Hamilton, director of restaurant sales and services for the UK and Ireland at OpenTable, commented, "OpenTable is incredibly excited to be supporting the 'Taste the Island' campaign. It is great for us to be able to showcase the fantastic Northern Irish restaurants we work with, and the best in Irish cuisine and ingredients to our local diners and those visiting Northern Ireland from further afield."
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.


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As the Christmas holiday approaches, Apple Store shipping estimates for both the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus from all carriers in all colors and in 16 and 64GB capacities have now improved to just 1 business day in the United States, bringing the co…
Earlier this week, BBC One announced plans to air a documentary called Apple’s Broken Promises, detailing the factory conditions of the overseas workers who are creating components and assembling the company’s iPhones. Apple’s Broken Promises is set …
Apple today seeded the third beta of iOS 8.2 to developers, just over a week after seeding the second beta and one month after releasing the first iOS 8.2 beta. The beta, Build 12D5452a, is available immediately to registered developers as an over-th…
While there are several apps designed to turn the iPad or iPhone into a secondary display for a Mac, the most popular options use Wi-Fi, which can render them all but unusable at times due to unavoidable lag. A new app from developer and former Apple Engineer Rahul Dewan aims to solve these lag problems with a tethered solution that turns an iOS device into a more reliable secondary display.
Duet Display, which is launching today, is the one of the first apps that transforms the iPad and the iPhone into an extra display for the Mac using a Lightning or 30-pin cable. By sending data over a cable instead of Wi-Fi, Duet Display is able to greatly improve on the lag is typically present when an iOS device is used as a secondary display.
Duet Display offers both a Retina mode and a non-Retina mode, along with options for 30 or 60 frames per second, and it’s easy to install and setup, requiring just the Mac app, the iOS app, and a cable to connect the two devices.
The Duet Display app is inarguably an improvement over other options today, but it is not a perfect solution. As detailed in the video walkthrough of the app below, MacRumors experienced some issues when testing the app. On a 2012 Retina MacBook Pro, Duet Display’s Retina mode caused a significant amount of cursor lag, rendering the app nearly unusable, and the CPU usage climbed to well over 200 percent.
Non-Retina mode (which is enabled in the app by default) offered a more lag free experience, but the trade off caused the secondary iPad Air 2 display to look fuzzy — a disappointment given the inherent clarity of the screen on Apple’s newest tablet. Non-Retina mode in Duet Display degrades the quality of all Retina displays to a noticeable degree.
According to the developer, performance is better on Macs released in 2013 or later, and users who only want to view one static window may not have any problems. Furthermore, many users may find the utility of a secondary iPad or iPhone display to be enough to outweigh the lack of a Retina experience.
Though the iPad Air 2 and other Retina devices don’t look good in non-Retina mode, Duet Display is a great solution for older iPads that people might have little use for. An original iPad or iPad 2 does not have a Retina screen, and will work well with older Macs as secondary displays.
Along with the Retina issue, potential buyers should be aware of some other small issues that we ran into. Even in non-Retina mode, on a 2012 Retina MacBook Pro, there was some slight cursor lag, and we also had problems with visual artifacts on some apps. When watching YouTube videos, for example, there were some occasional performance blips.
The developer assures us that he is working on improving Duet Display, and he plans to release iterative updates in the months to come to clear up lingering problems. As he suggests, it’s better to have an app that works most of the time with just a few problems rather than one of the existing Wi-Fi solutions that can be almost non-functional.
The Duet website claims that all Macs using OS X 10.9 or later work with the app, as well as all iPads and iPhones, but MacRumors was unable to get the software to work with a 2010 MacBook Air running OS X 10.10.2. According to the developer, the issue was due to the beta software, which does not work with the app. Along with a Mac running 10.9 or later, the app will also work with all iPads or iPhones running iOS 5.1.1 or later.
Duet Display may not provide the perfect secondary display experience, but in our testing, we found that it was more reliable than current Wi-Fi options, and we believe it’s a fantastic way to make good use of older iOS devices.
Duet Display for the Mac can be downloaded from the Duet website for free. The accompanying iOS app can purchased from the App Store for $9.99 for 24 hours, and then the price will go up to $14.99. [Direct Link]
Hyundai today confirmed that it will showcase its new CarPlay-enabled Display Audio system next month at CES 2015. Display Audio is a dash-installed color touchscreen display that supports the latest in-car handsfree technology.
Hyundai’s Display Audio forgoes built-in navigation and CD player features, instead including support for Apple’s CarPlay and Android Auto to allow drivers to make phone calls, listen to music, send messages, and get directions using the car’s in-dash display. The system also integrates with the voice command button on the steering wheel, providing drivers with an easy way to launch Siri Eyes Free commands.
“Hyundai will offer more technology than ever before inside affordable Hyundai models, allowing owners not only to text message through voice commands and stream their favorite music apps, but also to make calls in a safer way, and navigate using phone-based, off-board navigation through the car’s screen and controls,” said Cason Grover, senior group manager, cross-carline planning, Hyundai Motor America. “As affordable car buyers are often younger, Hyundai aims to provide what they want most in their car – all the latest smartphone-enabled technologies at a lower price.”
Hyundai plans to roll out the Display Audio system with CarPlay support in select 2016 Hyundai models, which debut later in 2015. The system then will become the default head unit across the company’s automobile lineup.
Hyundai was among five brands of automobile manufacturers featured by Apple during its CarPlay announcement earlier this year. Following the CarPlay launch, Hyundai confirmed it would integrate CarPlay in its 2015 Sonata line, although the feature has yet to made available in those vehicles.
For this year’s World AIDS Day campaign, Apple ran several (Product) RED promotions, providing a (RED) section in the App Store and donating a portion of all retail and online sales from Friday, November 28 and Monday, December 1.
According to an email Apple CEO Tim Cook sent out to Apple employees (via Re/code), the campaign was a huge success, earning more than $20 million for the (Product) RED charity, which uses its funds to fight AIDS in Africa.
“I’m thrilled to announce that our total donation for this quarter will be more than $20 million — our biggest ever — bringing the total amount Apple has raised for (PRODUCT) RED to over $100 million,” Cook wrote. “The money we’ve raised is saving lives and bringing hope to people in need. It’s a cause we can all be proud to support.”
During the campaign, Apple partnered with 25 app developers to offer a variety of (RED) themed apps in the App Store, with purchase proceeds going towards the charity. Apple’s annual Black Friday event was also (RED) themed, and customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or qualifying Apple accessory received a (RED) iTunes gift card.
According to Cook, Apple’s $20 million quarterly donation to the charity is its biggest ever, but over the course of the company’s long partnership with Product (RED), it has contributed more than $95 million. As of June, Apple had contributed $75 million to the charity, which is joined by this quarter’s $20 million.
Throughout its partnership with (RED), Apple has released a number of (RED) devices including iPod nanos and shuffles, iPad Smart Covers, iPhone Bumpers, and iPhone cases. With every (RED) product bought, Apple continues to donate a portion of the purchase price to the Global Fund to fight AIDs.
Apple’s newly introduced payment initiative Apple Pay is currently only available in the United States, but the company has said that it is “working hard” to bring the feature to additional countries. A new job listing for an Apple Pay Intern via iCl…
The Steve Jobs deposition video that played a key role in the iPod antitrust trial Apple faced in court last week will not see a public release, ruled by District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
In a filing released today (via AppleInsider), the judge denied a request issued by several major news outlets last week, including CNN, Bloomberg, and the Associated Press. The news agencies had filed a motion to have the deposition video, which was filmed just six months before Steve Jobs’ death, released to the public.
Citing past precedent of a decision made by the Eighth Circuit court in a case involving a video deposition of former President Bill Clinton, the court decided the Jobs video was not a judicial record and should be treated as any live testimony.
Here, the Court agrees with the Eighth Circuit and concludes that the Jobs Deposition is not a judicial record. It was not admitted into evidence as an exhibit. Instead, the Jobs Deposition was merely presented in lieu of live testimony due to the witness’s unavailability, and was and should be treated in the same manner as any other live testimony offered at trial. As is typical of all live testimony, it is properly made available to the public through its initial courtroom presentation and, subsequently, via the official court transcript, the latter of which is the judicial record of such testimony.
Part of the reason the court decided not to publicly release the video was due to Apple’s strong objection to the motion. Had there been no objection, Judge Rogers’ filing says the ruling “might be different.”
In the video in question, Steve Jobs explained that Apple’s airtight Digital Rights Management (DRM) policies were the result of “black and white” contracts with record labels. Preventing the iPod from playing music from competing services was merely “collateral damage,” he said.
Jobs was said to be evasive in his testimony, answering questions with “I don’t remember,” “I don’t know,” or “I don’t recall” more than 74 times. He also had a “snarky” attitude, according to CNN, asking “Do they still exist?” when questioned about RealNetworks.
Apple’s iPod trial ended yesterday, with a ruling in its favor. After deliberating for just three hours, the jury decided that Apple had not harmed consumers with anticompetitive practices. Had Apple lost the case, it could have been on the hook for up to $1 billion in damages.


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Kenyan bitcoin market
In July 2013 a project began in Kenya linking bitcoin with M-Pesa,.There is an old joke to the effect that you will always know a Kenyan in a foreign city because the first thing.Only requests for donations to large, recognized charities are allowed, and only if there is good reason to believe that the person accepting bitcoins on behalf of the charity is trustworthy.
What is driving Kenya’s Bitcoin demand? : Bitcoin - Reddit
A Kenyan company called BitPesa, representing a BitCoin remittance startup, recently lost Joseph Joe Mucheru, one of the most important members of its board. Mucheru.Detailed explanation of split key addresses (Coin Dance Vanity).
Currency Converter: Bitcoin Cash - Kenyan Shilling
Home Bitcoin News Bitcoin Filling Payment System Gaps in Kenya. of the many currencies they market make.
Bitcoin uses peer-to-peer technology to operate with no central authority or banks.Malaysian bitcoin technology provider Belfrics Global is launching a bitcoin exchange in Kenya, with plans to expand to.
Bitcoin Momentum Grows in Emerging Markets - Forbes
If you like the content we provide, definitely consider supporting us on Patreon or directly via Bitcoin.Coin Dance - LocalBitcoins Volume (Kenya). definitely consider supporting us on Patreon or directly via Bitcoin. Added currency colouring to market cap table.Submissions that are mostly about some other cryptocurrency belong elsewhere.Barclays Africa Supply Chain Challenge Highlights Bitcoin Technology L. Barclays Africa Supply Chain Challenge Highlights.
Kenyan Bitcoin Startup Receives Gates Foundation Funding
Bitcoin In Kenya Bitcoin is a world of international finance that is encrypted. we get our own onto the market and it is taken.On LocalBitcoins you can buy bitcoin quickly, easily and efficiently.
Promotion of client software which attempts to alter the Bitcoin protocol without overwhelming consensus is not permitted.I found the recent warning published by the Kenyan CB to be quite draconian.Bitcoin and Other Cryptos have a Bright Future in Kenya. Adam.
How superb rally in bitcoin and stocks is fuelled by
Bitcoin in Africa: KENYA - bitcoin-lawyer.org
How bitcoin is moving money in Africa. operates in Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa,. managed to open up informal economies to broader markets.
John C. - Bitcoin Kenya (Nairobi) | Meetup
Unlike traditional currencies such as dollars, bitcoins are issued and managed without any central authority whatsoever: there is no government, company, or bank in charge of Bitcoin.Nowhere is this clearer than in Kenya, where 93 percent of households now own.
Bitcoin: too digital for Kenya. that it has very serious designs on the Kenyan market. why there is a compelling business case for bitcoin in Kenya.
Bitcoin In Kenya – Documentary
The Western Myth of Bitcoin in Kenya. photo of a hip blue neon-lit bar we saw on a Kenyan bitcoin. to pry open the market for greater bitcoin adoption.
And volumes are scaling exponentially, up like 1,900% in the past year.
Central Bank of Kenya Warns Users Of Bitcoin — Best
Kenya Archives - Bitcoin XYZ
Bitcoin in Kenya [video]
There have been plenty of headlines published about Bitcoin adoption in Kenya in.
Blockchain Accelerator BitHub Africa Launches
At one point the bitcoin network went from 1 user to 20 users and it was significant, and the trend continues.
Can Kenya be the new big arrival to the Bitcoin universe?
BitPesa is a remittance service based in Kenya that allows users to exchange Bitcoin for Kenyan. the market exchange rate for Kenyan.


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Children's Food Campaign and Food Active have launched a new survey with parents to find out how being in lockdown during Covid-19 has affected children's eating habits, preferences and interest in food.
The Coronavirus emergency has thrown up all sorts of new challenges for feeding our children whilst in lockdown.
Children's Food Campaign, in partnership with Food Active, has launched a new Parents' Jury survey on Children's Food Preferences and Intake during Covid-19 to find out how children's eating habits and preferences have changed over recent months.
Recent research by the Obesity Health Alliance confirmed that for adults, many have increased the amount of home cooking and the amount of fruit and veg they are eating. However it also showed many adults have been eating more takeaways, savoury snacks, biscuits, cakes and sweets.
So what about our children? That's what Children's Food Campaign and Food Active are now setting out to understand by asking parents themselves.
Our 10 minute survey gives parents and carers an opportunity to share:
Any parent or carer of children under the age of 18 is welcome to take part in the Parents' Jury survey. It only takes around 10 minutes and will remain open until Friday 17 July. Just click this link to get started.
Parents' views on the future for school meals
On 16 June, following a huge public campaign including the Premier League footballer Marcus Rashford, the Government announced a £120 million Covid Summer Food Fund for 1.3 million children eligible for free school meals in England, and this is now replicated for both Scotland and Northern Ireland. Wales had already committed to a £33 million summer holiday provision of £19.50 per child per week until end of August. However, during lockdown, many more households are experiencing financial dififculties and food insecurity. The Food Foundation has revealed that an estimated 200,000 children have had to skip meals because their family could not access food. In England, Universal Infant Free School Meals were withdrawn for any children being homeschooled, whilst the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme has been suspended for the rest of the 2019-20 academic year. The survey therefore also asks parents their views on what should happen in relation to free school meals when schools eventually reopen to all pupils for the new academic year. Should Free School Meals be extended to more children? What about future school holidays?
Beyond Free School Meals, we also ask parents for views and ideas on what will make a healthier school food environment for their children, and what action they'd like to see schools, local authorities and the Government take.
A healthier food environment for children. What do parents want the Government to prioritise?
The current crisis means that work to implement the Government Childhood Obesity Plans have also stalled. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has launched a new review into what needs to happen to reduce prevalence of obesity. Meanwhile, as Children's Food Campaign has documented, food companies have used all sorts of creative marketing tactics to get junk food products and brands in front of families during lockdown. Our survey also asks parents which issues that are already in the Childhood Obesity Plan they would now like to see Government prioritise for action, from a 9pm watershed on advertising, , to removal of cartoon characters from unhealthy food packaging, or local authority management of planning permissions for takeaways.
For more information:
Take part in the Parents' Jury survey on Children's Food Preferences and Intake during Covid19. It is open for responses until Friday 17 July.
Find out about being a full member of the Parents' Jury, where you can take part in future surveys, and receive reports on findings.
If your organisation would like to support and promote the Parents' Jury survey to your own members or supporters, get in touch with email@example.com. We can offer a link to preview the full survey, provide a unique URL for you to share, plus a report of the findings from your own survey respondents.
Children's Food Campaign
Children's Food Campaign: Better food and food teaching for children in schools, and protection of children from junk food marketing are the aims of Sustain's high-profile Children's Food Campaign. We also want clear food labelling that can be understood by everyone, including children.
1.4 million children (18%) reported experiences of food insecurity over the summer holidays. ACAS /...
Sustain launches a new video making the case for Government investment in children's health, as...
Tonight, an opposition motion to extend free meal support over school holidays until Easter 2021,...
New report charts the progress from a collaboration of public health bodies, charities, academics,...
Leading local and national figures on food and health are calling on the Government to invest in...
Your donation will help us champion children’s rights, parent power and government action to improve the food environment children grow up in.
Your food standards are at risk because the government won't protect them in law. ...
A recent survey by Brighton and Hove Food Partnership finds 76% of respondents (or members of their...
In an email to Sustain member the Organic Trade Board, the Department of Environment, Farming...
Find out about how good food social enterprises are building jobs and skills in the captial at a...
The Real Bread Campaign has renewed its lobbying for better protection for Britain’s loaf...
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Sustain advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, promote equity and enrich society and culture.


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What’s holding up the blockchain?
It’s not technology or regulation holding back the blockchain – software that stores and transfers value or data across the internet – we just haven’t figured out the next big use-case. Two reports released this week by the CSIRO’s Data61 not only inject some well-researched gravitas into the conversation, they also provide insight into why some of the major blockchain projects have stalled.
Since 2015, banks, regulators, tech giants and startups all over the world have raised billions of dollars to explore the blockchain.
But the only really successful, scaleable use of the blockchain remains cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Bitcoins currently trade at almost AU$4,000, with a total market equivalent to thirty times the GDP of Australia.
Think of the blockchain as a type of transparent spreadsheet or “public ledger”. When someone transfers a Bitcoin, for example, the transaction is verified by “miners”, encrypted and a “block” is added to the spreadsheet. Mining takes a lot of computing power, and so miners are incentivised to participate in the system with a reward of bitcoin.
It’s finding a way to put all these pieces together for purposes other than cryptocurrencies that has yet to be figured out.
Because of all the computing power required to verify and encrypt new blocks, running a blockchain network is expensive and consumes a lot of electricity. For this reason, a blockchain should only be used if it solves particular problems. For example, a blockchain could allow users to see each other’s ledgers and transactions, negating the need for a trusted third party to manage risk. The blockchain itself, through sophisticated cryptography, would provide privacy and trust.
Conversely, if there is already a central third party managing trust between users and verifying transactions (something banks already do for consumers), then a blockchain is probably not needed at all. Failing that, a sophisticated database or expert system would be a cheaper and simpler alternative.
To read more, please click on the link below…
Source: What’s holding up the blockchain? – The Conversation


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Many consumers are skeptical about Amazon Go — first-day lines aside (AMZN)
Amazon Go could be model for future retail stores. The new convenience store concept from e-commerce giant Amazon relies on cameras and sensors to detect when you enter and leave and what items you grab from shelves. Instead of checking out, you get automatically billed for items as you pass through a special turnstile when you exit the store. Thanks to those features, Amazon is promising that customers will be able to get in and out much more quickly than at a traditional outlet.
The folks who lined up outside the first Amazon Go store on Monday in Seattle were obviously excited to take a step into the future of shopping. But consumers as a whole were much more skeptical about the whole idea not too long ago, as we can see in this chart from Statista, which is based on survey data from YouGov. Something that Amazon may want to keep an eye on: Few consumers were willing to pay more for the convenience Amazon Go promises.
Samantha Lee/Business Insider
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Razer has announced that the Razer Edge, its Windows 8 gaming PC tablet previously known as Project Fiona, will go on sale in the first quarter of 2013 starting at $999.
Our review of the Smartron S805 Android TV box, the device that got TV navigation right
A week of Apple riches, Microsoft's future, and low-end Lumia love
NFL Super Bowl XLIX will be live streamed for free
NFL Super Bowl
NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad Review
NewerTech Wireless Aluminum Keypad
Hands on with HoloLens


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Black Calder Brewing Co. to Release Black IPA at Broad Leaf Local Beer
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., November 17, 2020 – Black Calder Brewing Company, Michigan’s first black-owned brewery, will celebrate their launch with the release of Black IPA on “The Blackest Friday,” scheduled for November 27, the day after Thanksgiving. Black Calder is owned by Terry Rostic and Jamaal Ewing. Self-described “Craft Beer Heads,” Rostic and Ewing will offer Black IPA exclusively for sale at Broad Leaf Local Beer in Kentwood, the first in a series of Black Calder beers. Black Calder plans to collaborate with other Michigan breweries in the next several months.
Michigan-born Rostic and Ewing have spent over a decade supporting local breweries, while developing their craft brewing skills. “Black Calder Brewing Company was established to make great beer and provide a platform for innovation, art, culture, and inclusion in the craft beer industry,” said Rostic. “We appreciate the significance of being recognized as Michigan’s first black-owned brewery. It’s something Michigan and the craft beer industry has been longing for, but it’s not the only thing we want to be known for. Our motto is simple: Make dope beer for dope people.”
Rostic and Ewing are proud to be part of the movement of diversity and inclusion in the Michigan craft beer scene and are excited to add their flare and flavor to the industry. “The craft beer industry was full of flavor, community, and creativity,” shares Ewing. “The passion that brewers, owners, and staff put into creating a unique experience was refreshing. What we didn’t see was diversity and themes that spoke to the culture that we represent. As we grow, we will also explore distilling and crafting wine for our non-beer drinking fans.”
Black Calder Brewing Company will offer a variety of beer styles focusing on imperial stouts, barrel and wood-aged beers, fruited ale, kettle sours, IPA’s, lagers and craft ciders. Their first 16-oz can release, Black Calder Black IPA (7% ABV), is dry-hopped with Mosaic and Idaho 7. It is a dark beer with a light tan head that shows moderate to high hop aromas, citrusy notes and light caramel. The smooth, medium-bodied mouthfeel echoes caramel and toffee all the way through with a bittersweet and citrusy finish.
Consumers aged 21-and-over are invited to pre-order Black Calder Black IPA and merchandising as of Friday, November 20. Pre-orders of Black Calder Black IPA are available here while supplies last. All orders will be delivered through safe, curbside pick-up after 3:00 PM on “The Blackest Friday,” November 27, at Broad Leaf Local Beer, located at 2885 Lake Eastbrook Blvd Kentwood, MI 49512. Interested in upcoming new releases? Follow Black Calder on social media @blackcalderbrewing (Facebook/Instagram) for updates.
About Black Calder Brewing Company
We founded Black Calder Brewing Company in 2020 to make great beer and provide a platform for innovation, art, culture, and inclusion through collaborations in the craft beer industry. Our motto is simple: Make dope beer for dope people and always do it for the culture. Black Calder is contracting with Broad Leaf Local Beer and Brewery Vivant to produce and sell beer for this initial start-up phase with long term plans of opening a physical location in Grand Rapids in 2021. Follow Black Calder on social media @blackcalderbrewing (Facebook/Instagram)


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Apple’s latest Macbooks have Intel Haswell processors which aren’t only faster than last-generation chips, but also more efficient. And that means you get longer battery life. The latest 13 inch MacBook Air offers up to 12 hours of battery life.
But Apple says they can do even better — and with the new OS X Mavericks operating system, the company says software improvements alone could add up to 90 minutes of additional run time.
The company says the new software will also improve memory usage, making a laptop or desktop with 4GB of RAM act like it has as much as 6GB.
The new memory management feature is called Compressed Memory, and basically a computer running Mavericks will compress data while it’s in use almost instantly, letting you store more data without physically increasing the amount of RAM in your device.
As for battery life improvements, Apple says that with a 13 inch MacBook Air you should get up to an hour of extra battery life while web browsing, or 90 minutes while watching iTunes videos.
Apple says OS X Mavericks is available as a free update for pretty much any Mac released in 2007 or later. It’s available starting today.


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Bathroom fittings major Roca Bathroom Products has become a case study in crisis management. ‘Leadership – Roca Parryware Navigates the Pandemic’ shows how the company’s leadership navigated the crisis with grit and eventually rebounded. Surviving the Pandemic When the Indian government announced a nationwide lockdown on March 23, 2020, the Roca India management was ready.
Superb move by the Government to stimulate corporate savings which will get channelised into investments, better pay, promotions ..which will directly stimulate demand. Corporate taxes have been on a high side for some time now, and this move is the right one. Hope this decision is not just for 1 year but continues forever. I
Roca India managing director KE Ranganathan was in New Delhi a couple of days back to launch the artistically designed bathroom collection Artitude (Art+Attitude). In an exclusive interaction with Sourcing Hardware, he shared his advisory to channel partners for achieving retail excellence Renovation Timely renovation of retail outlets is extremely important. Take the example of
KE Ranganathan, managing director, Roca Bathroom Products, feels that the budget proposals are bound to generate sufficient demand for sanitaryware industry It is overall a good budget which is well thought out and addresses most of the areas that need focus to ensure long-term, sustainable and equitable growth of the Indian economy. It focuses on
Seeking to expand its footprint, bathroom products manufacturer Roca Bathroom Products Pvt Ltd is looking at south India. To this end, Roca launched its first Roca and Parryware Display Studio in Kochi. The display studio was recently inaugurated by managing director K E Ranganathan in the presence of renowned architects, developers and trade associates. Spread


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New guidelines limit snacks schools can sell to students
ASSOCIATED PRESS / MAY 2006
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A student purchases a brown sugar Pop-Tart from a vending machine at a school in Wichita, Kan.
Photos: Garden Party: Ruth Edgar, Oct. 19
Photos: Effects of Hurricane Ana, Oct. 19
Photos: Island Images: October 2014
More Photo Galleries »


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Neiman Marcus CFO Resigns; Joins Sally Beauty Holdings
Neiman Marcus Chief Financial Officer Donald T. Grimes resigned from the Dallas-based luxury retailer effective today, and has joined Sally Beauty Holdings as the retail and wholesale beauty company's senior vice president, chief financial officer and chief operations officer, effective Dec. 12. Grimes joined Neiman Marcus in June 2015, where he was also executive vice president and chief operating officer. The company said Grimes’ resignation "was not the result of any disagreement regarding any matter" related to its "operations, policies or practices."
Total Retail's Take: The news of Grimes leaving wasn't a shock to many in the retail industry as there has been a shuffle among the executive ranks at Neiman Marcus in the past year-and-a-half. Last month, for example, Chief Information Officer Michael Kingston left to pursue a career in consulting. Neiman Marcus also reported a loss for its fiscal year that ended in July, and stores have experienced lower traffic.
Melissa Campanelli is Editor-in-Chief of Total Retail. She is an industry veteran, having covered all aspects of retail, tech, digital, e-commerce, and marketing over the past 20 years. Melissa is also the co-founder of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle.


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The 2025 KTM 390 Adventure Tourer has been redesigned with spoke wheels, projector LED lighting, new front facia, better overall looks, and many other features.
The spy pictures of the upcoming bike KTM 390 Adventure were taken during testing last month. A test mule for the new 390 Adventure has now been spotted directly outside Bajaj’s Chakan plant, which is responsible for the production of KTM Bikes. These spy photos reveal additional details on new features of the 2025 KTM 390 Adventure.
2025 KTM 390 Adventure: Design
The design of the motorcycle features sharp lines, a sculpted appearance, and a small profile. The front fascia is completely new, with an LED lamp mounted below for the high beam and an LED projector headlamp mounted vertically for the low beam. Horseshoe-shaped LED DRL strips surround the unit.
An extended, straight windscreen is mounted in front of the headlamp with a vent at the top to direct air towards the rider. The bike also has a tapered tail section and single-piece seat like the Dakar Rally bike. Along with a new swingarm, the bike has also been given a new subframe and trellis frame.
2025 KTM 390 Adventure: Hardware and Features
When it comes to mechanical components, fully adjustable WP USD units hold together the test mule at the front and a mono-shock at the rear. The test bike had wire-spoke wheels measuring 19 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear with block-pattern tyres. An international test mule with wire-spoke wheels, measuring 21 inches at the front and 19 inches at the rear, was spotted in December.
Expect new features, including smartphone connectivity, ABS mode, riding mode, launch control, and a better functioning quick-shifter, in addition to upgraded versions of all the existing rider aids on the current 390 Adventure. Last but not least, the new 390 Adventure will get an underseat exhaust and wider grab-rail.
2025 KTM 390 Adventure: Engine and Specs
The 399cc engine from the latest 390 Duke will power the upcoming 390 Adventure. The liquid-cooled single-cylinder pot can produce 39 Nm of peak torque and 44.25 horsepower. The motor is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with the help of a bi-directional quick-shifter and slipper clutch. Expect the gearing to be better adjusted to suit the characteristics of the motorcycle.
2025 KTM 390 Adventure: Launch date and Price
The production-ready motorcycle is expected to be unveiled during the 2024 EICMA and launched in the first quarter of 2025, although it is now undergoing road testing. The next-gen 390 Adventure will be produced in India and distributed worldwide. KTM now sells the top-spec 390 Adventure for Rs 3.6 lakh ex-showroom. The price of the 2025 model is expected to increase when it is formally introduced in India, as the brand did with the new 390 Duke.


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The Samsung Galaxy J3 arrived in Virgin Mobile USA's stores and will be available on Boost Mobile on January 18 and online on January 19 for $179.99.
Samsung announced the mass production of chips that use the company's next-generation 14nm Low-Power Plus process technology.
The Intel RealSense/Project Tango prototype smartphone is done -- as a dev kit -- and is available for preorder now for $399.
Once again, the Tom's Hardware team was out in force at the annual consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. Here are our top picks for CES 2016.
Today at CES, Huawei marked the global launch of the 6-inch Mate 8 phablet (which Huawei is optimistically dubbing the “ultimate high-end smartphone”), including North America.
Yezz, a company we know well for its Project Ara modules, announced a smartphone packing a 360-degree camera.
Acer officially announced its Windows 10-based Liquid Jade Primo smartphone -- without any of the promised bundled peripherals.
Microsoft announced the first firmware update for the recently released Lumia 950 and 950 XL Windows 10-based smartphones.
Circular Devices announced a pilot program for the modular PuzzlePhone in 2016, targets business and professional applications.
IDC's forecasts predict that smartphone sales growth will fall to single digits this year, while Windows Phone market share will continue to decline in 2015 and 2016.
Yezz introduced a water-resistant line of smartphones, using a special coating feature dubbed 'Yezz Splash.'
OnePlus' latest flagship no longer requires an invitation, starting on December 5. The OnePlus X is also available without an invite from December 5-7.


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Evan Gold, Planalytics, discusses the economic impact of the blizzard in the Northeast., including the retail winners and losers.» Read More
Swedish fashion chain Hennes & Mauritz said on Monday its sales rose 14 percent in November year-on-year, lower than expected by analysts, but aided by a collection from Italian designer Roberto Cavalli.
As we enter the final stretch of 2007, the stock market may temporarily lose some of its violent mood swings and secure gains for the month and the year.
If I hear or read another headline that calls November's retail sales results "surprising," I may scream. I am also hereby banning use of the word 'cautious.' Today the Commerce Department reconfirmed what retailers told us all last week. November sales were sweeter than expected. The consumer is still buying cold weather apparel and Christmas presents.
Holiday 2007 hasn't even happened yet but buyers and retailers are beginning to stock the shelves and clothing racks for 2008. With that in mind, I put together a list of some of the biggest questions that the retail industry is mulling over right now that will affect 2008.
Consumer inflation data is big on Friday's agenda after Thursday's producer prices showed wholesale level inflation surging at the fastest rate in 34 years.
Except for car buying, the consumer didn't show signs of holding back in November even with a big pickup in energy prices that is beginning to hit at the wholesale level. That is what today's data shows with a 1.2 percent pickup in retail sales for November, double expectations, and a big 3.2 percent in jump in producer prices, the biggest increase in that number since 1973.
It's that time of year again. That time of year to tell you what's going to happen next year in the sports business.
LIBOR rates are down today, admittedly only slightly; but it's a start. Asian markets closed down about 2 percent; Europe also down about 2 percent. Retail sales and jobless claims good, but Producer Price Index indicates wholesale inflation stronger than expected.
Lehman Bros.' fourth-quarter earnings report, producer price inflation data and November retail sales will be factors setting direction for Thursday's markets.
At this time of year, it's predictions, predictions, predictions. So as part of CNBC's Outlook for '08, here are mine for the media world and all that's in it--with a personal look as well! (see number 7). Here I go!!
Spain's Inditex, the world's No. 2 clothing retailer, reported lower-than-expected nine-month sales on Wednesday, dragging its shares lower despite net profit coming in above analysts' forecasts.
Come tomorrow, we get the next salvo fired in the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray saga when Universal Studios Home Entertainment lets loose the last leg of the Jason Bourne trilogy, "The Bourne Ultimatum" on HD DVD. We'll also get the new boxed Jason Bourne Collection.
So the good news is that I'm not alone. I have only made one Christmas gift purchase so far this season. Yes, budgeting is always a big factor in when purchases are made but honestly, I can't say that I'm waiting to get a better deal. My new retail shopping theory involves a demographic argument: unless you have a kid or tons of little young nieces, nephews, cousins, godchildren, etc., shopping early isn't such a high priority.
Despite evidence that shoppers are cutting back this holiday season, retailers are expected to report strong improvement in November sales after a weak fall.
Head on over to West 14th and 9th Ave. in New York's meat-packing district, and you'll see something big and bright from the fruits and veggies set: A 3-story retail bonanza courtesy of Apple Inc. It's the company's second largest store in the nation, behind its flagship store here in nearby San Francisco.
The slightly better-than-expected increase in November non-farm jobs gave some support to stock prices, but has done little to change the debate about what the Fed will do when it meets on Tuesday. The Street has been in hot debate about whether the Fed will trim the target 4.50 percent Fed funds rate target by a quarter or a half point.
The big three automakers plan to curtail production of full-size pickups for several weeks as economic worries hit sales of their most profitable products, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Stocks closed sharply higher on hopes that a government plan to stem home foreclosures would help ease the housing slump's drag on the economy and underpin profit growth.
Shoppers in November turned out in droves for big bargains on Black Friday, helping retailers to post improved sales growth, but by the end of the month, some retailers, especially those at the mall, saw a slowdown in consumer traffic.
Are bonds about to lose their flight-to-quality premium? The Fed, the executive branch, the legislative branch, and now even the Bank of England (which cut its key rate a quarter point to 5.5 percent) are working to resolve credit problems. The 10-year is looking toppy here.


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Q4 GDP Revised Down to +2.2%
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 27th, 2015 at 9:30 am
CWS Market Review – February 27, 2015
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 27th, 2015 at 7:08 am
“A person who has not made peace with his losses is likely to accept gambles
that would be unacceptable to him otherwise.” – Daniel Kahneman
The author and investor James O’Shaughnessy tells the story of a study done by Fidelity Investments. The company wanted to find out what group of its clients did the best. As it turns out, the most successful group of Fidelity investors wasn’t men or women. It wasn’t young or old. It wasn’t big portfolios or small investors. No. It was people who had forgotten they had Fidelity accounts.
That’s even lazier than buy-and-hold! It’s buy-and-forget-you-ever-bought. I can’t say I’m surprised. The reason is simple. To be a good investor, you have to counter many of your natural inclinations like getting rattled in a bear market or finding comfort in following the crowd. I’m sure the people who watched their accounts every day were far more inclined to buy and sell at the wrong times, while the blissfully ignorant stayed wisely quiet.
We’re coming up on the sixth anniversary of this bull market, and it’s interesting to see how wrong people have been. Consider this headline from the day the bear market ended:
There may have been a case for Dow 5,000, but it was fantastically wrong. The Dow closed that day at 6,547.05. A year later, the Dow had climbed more than 4,000 points to reach 10,564.38. Was that enough to silence the doubters? Not at all. Check out this headline from the Wall Street Journal exactly one year later:
I’m sure people were worried, but as they say, the market climbs a wall of worry. The bull market wasn’t even close to its peak in 2010. On Wednesday of this week, the Dow closed at an all-time high of 18,224.57. That’s more than 72% higher than when people were “worried.” As well as the Dow has done, the S&P 500 has done even better, and our Buy List has done better than both. But I envy those folks at Fidelity. They don’t know what they don’t know they’re missing.
Ross Stores Creams Earnings and Raises Dividend
I was reminded of the Fidelity study when Ross Stores (ROST) released a blow-out earnings report on Thursday. For their fiscal Q4, Ross earned $1.20 per share, which beat estimates by nine cents per share. Previously, the company had given us guidance of $1.05 to $1.09 per share, so they’re crushing their own forecasts. Going into this earnings report, I was actually a bit worried that Ross had gotten ahead of itself. No need to worry. In the after-hours session, the shares jumped more than 4% to $103 per share. What surprises me most isn’t that optimistic reaction to Ross now, but how down everyone was on Ross last summer.
In May, Ross projected fiscal-year earnings between $4.09 and $4.21 per share. I kept saying I liked the stock (here’s one example), but it kept falling. By July, the stock dropped below $62 per share. That was cheap even if Ross’s guidance was accurate, and I knew they were low-balling us. Now here we are seven months later. The fiscal year is over, and Ross made $4.42 per share. The stock is up to $103 per share. And that’s not all. Ross just increased their quarterly dividend by 18% to 23.5 cents per share.
Last week, I asked for some feedback on the newsletter. The responses I got were great. A number of you wanted to see more details on why I decide to like a particular stock. So this week, let’s dig a little bit into the numbers at Ross, and I’ll show you why this is such a strong company. For the quarter, net sales rose by 11%. With retailers, the key metric to watch is same-store sales. For Q4, Ross’s same-store sales rose by 6%. That’s a very strong number, and it’s doubtful they’ll be able to maintain that pace. Lower gas prices probably helped. For the entire year, same-store sales were up 3%.
CEO Barbara Rentler said, “We are pleased with our fourth-quarter sales and earnings, both of which were well ahead of our expectations, as our value offering on a wide assortment of name-brand bargains and gifts resonated well with our customers. Our 2014 fourth-quarter operating margin grew 45 basis points to 13.1%, benefiting from slightly higher merchandise gross margin and leverage on expenses from our robust comparable-sales gain.”
She added, “For the 2014 fiscal year, our earnings per share rose a solid 14% on top of strong multi-year increases. In addition, our fiscal 2014 operating margin increased 35 basis points to 13.5%.”
For newer investors, it’s always good to see an increase in a company’s operating margin. That means that the company is being more efficient in running its business. It also suggests that the company is holding a stronger position in their market. You have to understand that margins are very tight in retail. It’s all about cost control and managing your inventory. Last year, Walmart’s (WMT) net profit margin was just 3.3%. Most people don’t realize how small it is. With economics like that, you have to watch every penny, and things can get even tighter at the at the deep-discount end where Ross lives. Their customers are very price conscious. They’re looking for a deal, and if they don’t find it at Ross, they’ll go somewhere else. It’s just that simple.
Last year, Ross’s net profit margin was 8.4%. That’s up from 8.2% in 2013. That may sound small, but it was enough to turn a 7.9% increase in sales into a 10.4% increase in net earnings. On top of that, the number of shares declined by 3.1%, so earnings-per-share rose by 13.9%. These are the factors that separate the outstanding companies from the also-rans.
Ross also said their board has approved a program to buy back $1.4 billion worth of stock over the next two years. At the current price, that’s about 7% of the outstanding shares. I’m not a big fan of share buybacks; I’d much rather have the cash as a dividend, but this shows you how profitable Ross is. This is a 27% increase over the previous repurchase program. I also like that Ross actually reduces share count where many other companies use share buybacks to mask their executive compensation.
For the new fiscal year, which ends in January 2016, Ross sees same-store sales rising by 1% to 2%. That’s a modest forecast, but it’s safe to be conservative. Ross sees full-year EPS ranging between $4.60 and $4.80. That’s up from $4.42 per share last year. For Q1, which ends on May 2, Ross sees same-store sales rising by 2% to 3% and earnings-per-share coming in between $1.21 and $1.26. That’s up from $1.15 for last year’s Q1. This week, I’m raising my Buy Below on Ross Stores by $11 to $107 per share.
Express Scripts Is a Buy up to $89 per Share
On Monday, Express Scripts (ESRX) reported Q4 earnings of $1.39 per share. That was one penny more than estimates. The pharmacy-benefits manager had given guidance of $1.36 to $1.40 per share. For the year, ESRX earned $4.88 per share. That wraps up another solid year for them.
For the year, they had net cash flow of $4.5 billion. Investors tend to fixate on earnings. While that’s important, you should also pay attention to a company’s operating cash flow. That’s the lifeblood of any enterprise.
CEO George Paz said, “We believe our growth- and focused-acquisition approach has positioned us uniquely in the healthcare services landscape to improve health outcomes and lower cost in an aligned model that keeps our clients and patients first, but also returns exceptional results to our shareholders.”
What’s always impressed me about Express Scripts is how they’ve been able to consistently grow their earnings. Since 2008, their EPS have been $1.55, $1.79, $2.50, $2.97, $3.74, and $4.33 to $4.88. As an investor, that’s exactly what I like to see: consistent increases. This is another reason why I like consumer staples stocks and healthcare stocks. Even the best cyclical stocks will see some ups and downs to their earnings trend. After all, that’s why they’re called cyclicals.
In last week’s issue, I told you I was expecting Express Scripts to give 2015 earnings guidance of $5.35 per share, give or take. They were a little more optimistic. For 2015, ESRX said they expect earnings to range between $5.35 and $5.49 per share. That’s a 10% to 13% increase over last year’s earnings.
On Tuesday, the shares gapped up to $88.83, which is a new all-time high. But the shares pulled back later this week to close at $84.54 on Thursday. That means the shares are going for less than 16 times forward earnings. That’s a good deal. This week, I’m bumping up my Buy Below on Express Scripts to $89 per share.
The Market Wants Patience and They Want It Right Now
The earnings outlook has gotten much more subdued this year. The Q4 earnings season is just about over; 90% of the earnings reports are in. The S&P 500 grew its earnings by 4.3% last quarter. This quarter, however, analysts expect earnings to fall by 4.5%. A major reason for the earnings dip is the strong dollar, and we’ve seen that reflected in several of our earnings reports. Wall Street now expects 2015 earnings of $118.32 for the S&P 500. That’s less than a 5% increase over 2014’s earnings. Only five months ago, Wall Street was expecting 2015 earnings of $136.07.
This week, Janet Yellen testified on Capitol Hill about the Federal Reserve’s outlook for monetary policy. The Fed had already sent a reassuring message to investors, saying that the Fed will be “patient” in moving to raise interest rates. I think that helped spark the latest rally, as the S&P 500 just made another all-time high. The Nasdaq Composite rallied for 10-straight days, and it’s closing in on its all-time high from 15 years ago.
Yellen reaffirmed the Fed’s policy this week. In short, the markets want patience, and they want it right now. In my eyes, it’s hard for anyone to be worried about the Fed’s sparking inflation. Prices are falling. The latest CPI report showed that prices fell 0.7% in January. In the last three months, the seasonally-adjusted CPI is down 1.3%.
Sure, a lot of that is energy, but the “core rate,” which excludes food and energy prices, rose by just 0.2% last month. As low as that was, it was higher than expectations of a 0.1% increase.
Despite the Fed’s rhetoric, I don’t see them raising rates soon. Even if they do raise rates, they’ll need to do it several times before it has an impact on the investing climate. The current low-rate climate is a boon for investors.
The Turnaround at Cognizant
Before I go, I want to raise my Buy Below for Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH). The story here is very similar to what we’ve seen at Ross Stores. A few months ago, Wall Street hated Cognizant. The shares got nailed for a 12.6% loss on August 6.
What was their crime? It wasn’t earnings. Those were actually quite good. Nor was it their earnings guidance. Instead, Wall Street didn’t like Cognizant’s sales guidance. Some people you just can’t reach. In the CWS Market Review from August 8, I stuck by CTSH and told folks not to panic. In the seven months since the plunge, CTSH is up 44%. In fact, it’s up more than 25% since the day before the plunge.
Cognizant is now our top performer this year. This week, I’m raising my Buy Below to $66 per share.
That’s all for now. Next week is the first trading week of March, and we’ll get those important turn-of-the-month econ reports. ISM and personal income come out on Monday. Tuesday is auto sales. Look for good numbers from Ford. Wednesday is the Fed’s Beige Book and the ADP jobs reports. Thursday is factory orders, and that leads us up to the big day, which is Jobs Day on Friday. The government will report on the labor market on Friday morning. Be sure to keep checking the blog for daily updates. I’ll have more market analysis for you in the next issue of CWS Market Review!
Morning News: February 27, 2015
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 27th, 2015 at 7:03 am
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RIP: Irving Kahn
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 26th, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Irving Kahn has died at the age of 109. He was a student of Benjamin Graham and later, chairman emeritus of Kahn Brothers Group Inc. He started working on Wall Street in 1928.
The crash of 1929, Mr. Kahn told an interviewer in 2012, taught him that “the gambling nature of Wall Street has little or no interest in the serious, underlying nature of businesses.” He described rapid trading, then and now, as “crazy competition that had no connection to the real facts.”
His central goal as an investor, he said, was always “to know much more about the stock I’m buying than the man who’s selling does.”
For Mr. Kahn, the most important quality an investor could possess was patience. “You gain much more by slow investing and concentrating on what you know,” he said in 2012, “than on fast investing, which is nothing more than gambling.”
In an article in the Financial Analysts Journal in 1977, Mr. Kahn set out seven “guidelines for intelligent investing.” Among them: “Don’t depend on recent or current figures to forecast future prices….Capital is always at risk unless you buy better than average values….Don’t trust quarterly earnings….Look beyond the one or two largest companies in a given industry.”
He concluded, “The analyst must both practice, and to his client preach, patience.”
Kahn’s sister also lived to 109. His brother died at 101 and another sister lived to 103.
Asked on Thursday if he had any thoughts on Mr. Kahn, Warren Buffett —who also studied under Mr. Graham—joked, “I’d rather have Irving’s thoughts on longevity.”
Q4 Earnings Calendar
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 26th, 2015 at 4:13 pm
Here’s the list of our stocks and their reports for this earnings cycle.
Stock Symbol Date Estimate Result Wells Fargo WFC 14-Jan $1.02 $1.02 eBay EBAY 21-Jan $0.89 $0.90 Signature Bank SBNY 22-Jan $1.56 $1.60 Microsoft MSFT 26-Jan $0.71 $0.71 Stryker SYK 27-Jan $1.45 $1.44 Qualcomm QCOM 28-Jan $1.25 $1.34 CR Bard BCR 29-Jan $2.24 $2.29 Ford Motor F 29-Jan $0.23 $0.26 Moog MOG-A 30-Jan $0.87 $0.86 AFLAC AFL 3-Feb $1.29 $1.29 Fiserv FISV 3-Feb $0.89 $0.89 Cognizant Technology CTSH 4-Feb $0.65 $0.67 Ball Corp. BLL 5-Feb $0.85 $0.84 Snap-on SNA 5-Feb $1.81 $1.97 Wabtec WAB 18-Feb $0.94 $0.95 Hormel Foods HRL 19-Feb $0.64 $0.69 Express Scripts ESRX 23-Feb $1.38 $1.39 Ross Stores ROST 26-Feb $1.11 $1.20
Hormel Foods and Ross Stores have quarters that end in January.
Not Seasonally-Adjusted CPI
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 26th, 2015 at 11:14 am
It’s hard to explain how dramatic the price plunge has been. This chart helps:
With deflation, here’s the change in real AHE. Workers got their biggest real increase in wages in years.
Inflation Falls 0.7% in January
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 26th, 2015 at 9:49 am
Still more deflation in the U.S. The latest CPI report showed that consumer prices fell 0.7% in January. Of course much of that is due to the collapse in oil prices. The “core” CPI, which excludes food and energy, rose 0.2%.
Thanks to the lower prices, the real or inflation-adjusted increase in wages was very good. We got the average hourly earnings report a few weeks ago, but now we see that the “real” increase was 1.2% for January. In other words, American workers got their biggest raise in years.
There was also a big jump in initial jobless claims this morning. Jobless claims rose 31,000 to 313,000. That’s huge but I’ll warn you that this series can bounce around a lot. Just a few weeks ago, we had some of our lowest reports in decades. So before anyone worries about weakness in the job market, I want to see if this trend is confirmed by more data.
Morning News: February 26, 2015
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 26th, 2015 at 7:03 am
Be sure to follow me on Twitter.
The Nasdaq Divided by the S&P 500
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 26th, 2015 at 12:25 am
With the Nasdaq Composite closing in on a record, I thought it would be a good time to look at how the Nasdaq has performed relative to the S&P 500. The graph below is the Nasdaq divided by the S&P 500.
What catches my attention is how absurd the Nasdaq was in 2000. That line is a complete outlier. While the Nasdaq has outpaced the S&P 500 over the last few years, it’s nothing like it was 15 years ago.
The Nasdaq Finally Falls
Posted by Eddy Elfenbein on February 25th, 2015 at 8:42 pm
After 10-straight up days, the Nasdaq finally fell today. The index lost a grand total of 0.98 points today which is -0.01973%. I hope we’re able recover from this setback.
Before the 10-day streak, the index had rallied 10 times in 16 sessions. The Nasdaq Composite closed today at 4,967.14. The all-time close was 5,048.62 on March 10, 2000.
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Вы можете подобрать другие интересные события в нашем календаре, или воспользоваться поиском:
Стамбул, Турция 31 октября – 2 ноября / 2012
Получите билет на выставку. Выберите необходимое количество билетов, заполните короткую форму и получите билеты на e-mail.
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К сожалению, билеты закончились, но у нас есть другие выставки, которые вы можете посетить.
Это мероприятие уже закончилось.
In three days, the fair registered 14,370 professional visits of which 2800 from international visitors who came to Turkey to discover the offer presented by the 150 exhibitors.
Texbridge has become a textile bridge between European and Middele East's countries. For the first time, Repsresentatives of the French Premiere Vizyon, German Munich Fabric Start, Italian Milano Unica and Messe Frankfurt Texworld visited the fair and contributed to the fair’s excitement and good business climate.
Organized for the second time by the Istanbul Trade Shows Inc., in collaboration with the Uludağ Textile Exporters’ Union, Texbridge received more international attending companies compared to last year including Mango, Zara, Maxmara, Adidas and Gap. Important buyers from North Africa, the Middle East and Iraq had face-to-face interviews with attending companies and signed important business contracts that can pave the way for big investments in future. Pale colours dominate fabric and accessories
The Texbridge Fair hosted the leading trend forecasters in Trend Area. One of the famous trend forecasters Niek De Prest and Michel Minne indicated that pale colours will dominate 2013 spring/summer in fabrics and accessories besides hair and cosmetics will be inspired by the natural colours.
Unisex color for women and men
Pantone, the color forecaster company which addresses multiple disciplines globally, presented guiding colour palettes for women and men clothing, sports clothing, cosmetics, life style, industrial and graphic design in Texbridge Fair. Pantone indicated, the key approach should be to animate on-line shops for 2013 spring/summer season. Pantone noted that:
“The new trend in fashion is becoming androgenous and being purified. People will have more natural look in 2013 and will have straight hair.’’ Pantone set colour of 2012 as the orange coolour and emphasized that this colour will dominate accessories and interior designs. There is no longer a separate colour for men and women. Moreover, The combination of yellow and white with grey will dominate 2013.”
“High waist pants coming back”
Famous Italian designers Umberto Brocchetto and Massimo Munari, which created Denim Trends at Texbridge noted that Turkey becomes a key role for the denim industry in recent years and added: “In today, impossible to find a textile company all around the world which has not done business with Turkey's major sector of textile..”
Massimo Munari gave clues about denim trends of 2013 and said that the high waist pants will be back for women and skirts will get longer. “Women look more attractive with high waist in 2013. We will put on men trousers model to women next summer and light fabrics made of denim and linen mixture will be used in these models.”


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NYDSW: rAVe Attends Leyard/Planar Open House at New York Digital Signage Week
Last week we attended the New York Digital Signage Week, which included a number of events throughout the city that focused on the fast-growing digital signage market. rAVe [Publications] attended a number of events and, in order to bring to you the latest news, shot videos in some of the open houses and showcases that were being held.
Leyard/Planar held their open house at the Gilmore’s Sound Advice office, where they showcased a number of the latest Leyard and Planar products. As you are probably familiar with, Leyard bought Planar in August of last year, and with the two companies fully integrated this year they started the 2016 Video Wallapalooza Tour — a nine-city a open house road tour. And since NYC wasn’t technically part of the Video Wallapalooza, this was a great time for Leyard/Planar to showcase their products in the Big Apple.
I had the chance to catch up and interview Jennifer Davis, Leyard’s CMO, where we talked about the event as well as the merger. Jennifer also took the time to introduce each and every product at their open house in short videos. Watch the interview and all of the Leyard/Planar videos below!
Planar demonstrates its CLF CarbonLight floor displays:
Planar shows the Leyard CarbonLight Series:
Planar features its Mosaic Architectural displays:
Planar shows the Leyard TWA Seamless LED video walls:
Planar exhibits the DirectLight LED video wall system:
Planar brings its flagship Clarity Matrix LCD video wall system to New York Digital Signage Week:
Planar demos its amazing LookThru transparent OLE display:
Planar features the new Leyard TWA in various pitches, including that as low as 0.9mm:
Planar shows off its EP Series of 4K displays in an interactive touch application:


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The football broadcast landscape in Kenya is changing. More competition is joining the football space. This translates to quality programming for the diehard football fans. Not only that but also viewers ..
Hello Bundesliga lovers, the wait is over – Bundesliga is back after a one month’s break. As you are well aware, nine months ago StarTimes acquired the exclusive rights to air the German Football ..
For some reason Kenyans are obsessed with the English Premier league yet it is widely acknowledged that games such as La Liga and the Italian Series A league are way better when quality of football is considered. ..
Tennis is one sport that everybody would like to be associated with despite the fact that it’s not a universal choice of sport like soccer. If you are familiar with Hopman Cup, then you should probably ..
Wananchi Group’s home entertainment brand Zuku has reconfigured its Classic and Premium packages on Direct to Home Satellite Television to enrich its customers’ entertainment experience at no extra ..
Soccer lovers in Kenya can now catch up on the latest action during this year’s FIFA U-20 World Cup tournament which kicked off last weekend in New Zealand live and exclusively on StarTimes. This follows ..
Digital migration war has now elevated to jostling for content among key players to secure content that appeal to consumers with an emphasis on affordability. In the new twist, StarTimes has moved to woo more ..
In a bid to accommodate more people in the digital television space, StarTimes has rolled out two sets of Pay Tv decoders to the local market in a move aimed at enhancing the quality of services for its pay TV subscribers. ..
Amid Digital migration debates, StarTimes Media has today effected a 17.5% price drop on the cost of acquiring its type approved DVB T2 Free To Air set top box with the move aimed at making it increasingly ..
Suit after suit, appeal after appeal is the new song Kenya is singing to the digital migration. Not so long ago, viewers were treated to a good serving of infomercials against StarTimes and GOtv by media ..
Following an advertisement that has been running on three major television channels asking Kenyans to boycott GOtv’s and StarTimes set top boxes and wait for theirs, the Nairobi High Court has stopped ..
Dear Kenyans, BEWARE Startimes and GoTV are distributing NTV’s, QTV’s, KTN’s and Citizen’s content without consent. The three media houses from Africa Digital Network consortium have been running ..
Get your decorder at only 199ksh. Ahead of the grand analogue switch off that begins December 31st, Startimes media has announced an immense drop in the cost of acquiring its approved DVB T2 set top boxes ..
This is a continuation from last week’s evaluation of customer care services provided by companies we depend on for services. We agreed on well established customer care and efficient contact systems ..
StarTimes media has announced plans to establish the Group’s Africa headquarters and Dubbing Center for Film and Broadcast Television in Kenya by the end of 2015. The company intends to spend up to ksh6.9 ..
With Worldcup’s buzz spread all over, Television channels and other media platforms want to be the first to let you know. The football proceedings need first news fast and media houses are up on their ..
Telecommunications solution provider, Rapid Communications Ltd, has launched vooka online that will stream live startimes TV channels along with other TV content from bollywood and Usalama watch TV via mobile ..
StarTimes has announced major expansion plans targeting rural Kenya that will see the company’s digital television service being accessed by 80% of the Kenyan population by the end of 2014. Subscribers ..
Due to failure to deliver content from three local free-to air channels, Digital TV signal distributors GOtv and StarTimes will have to face court after The Kenya Consumer Protection Advisory Committee ..
Pay Television Company StarTimes subscribers will now enjoy a 25% saving on top premium television bouquet with access to over 76 local and international channels to just Ksh1,499 per month from Ksh1,999. ..
As Digital Migration deadline draws nigh, a number of consumers with Pay TV seem confused on whether they should buy new Set Top Boxes (STBs) or not. Here at Kachwanya we have offered our advice on Available ..
Latest confirmation is that the deadline for Digital Migration is still on December 13th despite media owners’ reservations about the date.If you are interested on details of Digital broadcast works ..
StarTimes Media today announced a drop in the price of its DVB T2 digital decoders to Ksh 1,999 up from Ksh 2,999. Yeah it is Christmas time in case you are wondering. The offer will run from 1st of November ..
Good news for the residents of Nakuru, Nyeri, Eldoret, Webuye and Kakamega. StarTimes Media Kenya has announced the availability of its Digital Pay Television service in five more towns across Kenya ..


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DETROIT, MI - General Motors released a statement Tuesday throwing its support behind HB 5606, proposed Michigan legislation now on Gov. Rick Snyder's desk that California electric car maker Tesla Motors calls "anti-Tesla."
"We believe that House Bill 5606 will help ensure that all automotive manufacturers follow the same rules to operate in the State of Michigan; therefore, we encourage Governor Snyder to sign it," reads GM's one-sentence statement, posted to its media webpage.
HB 5606, which primarily deals with fees auto dealerships charge for preparing documents, had language added in a substitute from the Senate floor that alters one word of state law, essentially reinforcing a ban on selling cars directly to consumers in Michigan. According to a lawyer for Palo Alto-based Tesla, the proposed legislation also goes further and prohibits them from displaying their cars to potential customers.
"These changes were put in at the last minute with nobody vetting them," said Todd Maron, Tesla's general counsel adding, "It looks like what they were trying to do is completely shut us out of Michigan."
Terry Burns, executive vice president of Auto Dealers of Michigan, told MLive last week after the proposed law easily passed through both state chambers that Michigan law already prohibits direct-to-consumer car sales, while Rep. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, one of the bill's sponsors, said the amended legislation has nothing to do with Tesla.
Tesla, which sells its cars in at least 22 states, typically out of shopping mall storefronts, has already run into what some see as dealership-backed laws preventing its direct-to-consumer sales in places such as Texas, Arizona, New Jersey, and to some degree, Maryland, according to Maron. In those instances, he said dealerships have been trying to protect their traditional sales structure against Tesla's unique model.
Snyder is expected to make a decision on the bill this afternoon.


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Sony has stopped sales of its latest Android tablet, the Xperia Tablet S after question marks over the device’s water resistant claims because of gaps in the screen, just a month after its launch.
A Scottish company has develop a miniature antenna which it claims could improve phone signal endlessly. Here’s what you need to know about the technology.
Motorola’s ‘edge to edge’ smartphone, the RAZR i, is finally hitting shelves in the UK this week but can it compete against other Android devices from the likes of Samsung and HTC?
Just a day after launch of Resident Evil 6 for PS3 and Xbox 360, reviewers have been quick to dub the latest title in the end-of-world epic an instant flop. Here’s what we know so far…
The Galaxy Note 2 from Samsung and the One X+ from HTC have both been launched recently adding to the growing popularity of phablets but how do these two new Android devices compare?
Speculation is rife that Samsung will launch the Galaxy S3 Mini on 11 October. But what do we know about this device so far?
Research has found that Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS is finally making waves in the smartphone market, buoyed by the success of Windows Phone devices from Nokia.
Speculation is rife that Apple will now showcase the iPad Mini at an event on October 17th, with the tablet expected to hit shelves just two weeks later. But will it be a hit or a miss for the Californian tech giant?
Samsung has released the follow-up to its hugely successful Galaxy Note smartphone, the Galaxy Note 2, in the UK. But is this new Samsung phablet any good? Here’s what you need to know.