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US Fidelis Inc., once the nation’s largest provider of after-market auto warranties but now embroiled in bankruptcy, is challenging the Maryland Attorney General’s order that it pay more than $25 million in restitution and penalties.
The attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division found that the Missouri-based firm cheated nearly 17,000 Marylanders, in part by selling them “bumper-to-bumper” warranties that failed to cover many auto parts commonly found between the bumpers.
US Fidelis filed a petition for judicial review in Baltimore City Circuit Court, saying the order was “aggrieving and/or materially affecting” the company’s rights.
Philip Ziperman, deputy chief of the division, said the state’s law enforcement actions are exempt from the protection against civil litigation afforded to those in bankruptcy. However, he said the state would not be able to collect on its restitution claim until after the completion of the bankruptcy proceedings, which began in March 2010.
“We pursued our case despite the bankruptcy because we thought the violations were serious in nature and we wanted to obtain relief for Maryland consumers,” Ziperman said.
US Fidelis attorney Kenneth E. Chase, from the Washington, D.C., office of Lathrop & Gage LLP, said he could not comment on the petition for judicial review, which was filed Aug. 25.
Ziperman said Maryland is one of more than 40 states that have filed claims against US Fidelis and its embattled owners, Darain and Cory Atkinson, who were indicted for fraud in June in Missouri.
Scott Eisenberg, the chief restructuring officer appointed by a federal bankruptcy court to liquidate and redistribute US Fidelis’ assets, said the petition for judicial review was essentially a formality. He said Marylanders would likely get a piece of US Fidelis’ assets, but probably not $25 million because the company simply didn’t have that kind of money.
“Based on the assets on hand, I don’t think that will be the [amount],” Eisenberg said. “If you’ve got 40 states asking for $25 million a state — just to use a number — that’s $2 billion.”
Ziperman agreed that “Marylanders are unfortunately unlikely to be fully compensated” because of the bankruptcy.
The indictment against the Atkinson brothers alleges that US Fidelis exaggerated the coverage its warranties provide, falsely suggested it had relationships with car dealers, overcharged customers and kept refunds owed to customers who canceled their coverage.
The Consumer Protection Division’s order, filed Aug. 1, demands that US Fidelis pay back the 16,972 Marylanders the Attorney General’s office identified as buyers of US Fidelis warranties between 2005 and 2010.
Added to the $23,527,411 in restitution for those customers is nearly $1.7 million in penalties — $100 for each customer.
Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler released a statement shortly after the consumer protection order was filed.
“US Fidelis misled thousands of Marylanders by promising warranties that it could not offer,” Gansler’s statement read. “Businesses that sell vehicle service contracts need to be truthful and upfront about the coverage they are offering so consumers can make informed decisions whether to purchase the policies.”
US Fidelis stopped selling warranties in December 2009, three months before filing bankruptcy. The consumer protection order also demands that the company change its business practices if it tries to sell warranties in Maryland again.
“We have an injunction that says going forward, if you’re going to sell these things, you can’t mislead consumers,” Ziperman said. “You have to provide the coverage you’re promising. ‘Bumper-to-bumper’ can’t exclude several things between the bumpers.”


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Judge Lucy Koh, left, looks on as Samsung Attorney Charlie Verhoeven cross-examines Susan Kare, designer of the original Macintosh icons.
During opening statements on July 31, 2012, Samsung attorney Charles Verhoeven presents a document titled "Rectangular Portable Devices with rounded Corners."
Apple Attorney Harold McElhinny holds an iPhone during opening statements in the Apple v. Samsung trial on July 31, 2012.
Charles McElhinny questions Apple's Phil Schiller on August 3, 2012.
Judge Lucy Koh, left, looks on as one of the lawyers representing Apple, Harold McElhinny, questions Apple's Scott Forestall in court.
Apple attorney Bill Lee questions prospective jurors on July 30, 2012.
Judge Lucy Koh delivers instructions to the jury on July 30, 2012.
Attorney Kevin Johnson cross-examines Apple's Scott Forestall on August 3, 2012.
Samsung Attorney Bill Price cross-examines Apple's Phil Schiller on August 3, 2012.

domain: news


text: Not quite... Instead, we wanted to give people around the world a very tangible demonstration of the British creativity that has gone into the saga. Therefore, we persuaded De La Rue, who design and produce 2/3 of the world's currencies including British sterling, that they should undertake the first brand partnership in their history and help us make a commemorative Star Wars note. We then persuaded Lucasfilm to trust us with the world's most iconic film brand and to hand over confidential artwork, motifs and portraits months ahead of release. A major press launch was held at the home of UK film at the BFI's Southbank venue and from December 7th 2017 fans and collectors around the world had the chance to bid for these limited edition notes. The notes sold out in just 15 minutes, 750,000 people visited the eBay auction hub, we raised £186,000+ for UK charity Together for Short Lives and press coverage of the project reached one billion people worldwide.


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Splendor Cruise Ship At San DiegoBy Arnab Ghosh, Gaea News Network
Friday, November 12, 2010
SAN DIEGO (GaeaTimes.com)- The disabled cruise ship Carnival Splendor which caught fire on Monday morning and subsequently became immobile near the coast of Mexico has been brought to San Diego port, says the latest update. The passengers finally breathed a sigh of relief after staying without many facilities for three days at a stretch. The machine room of the luxury cruise liner had caught fire and it stalled its movement and also jeopardized power supply. The crew of the ship worked on war footing to restore essential services. The passengers had to cut down on food and had to stay without air conditioning for the time. When the fire broke out on Monday the ship was almost 200 km away from the San Diego port.
The engine could not be put back into normalcy in Carnival Splendor. Therefore six tugboats fetched the cruise ship to San Diego and during the rescue a number of coast guard vessels accompanied the huge ship. USS Ronald Reagan supervised the supply of food to the ship. The carnival Cruise officials handled the situation carefully and they tried to ensure that the passengers remain safe. The Cruise line said that it will pay refund to the passengers. They also said that the ship’s passengers will be given a gift voucher so that they can avail an alternate tour later.
The passengers of the stranded Carnival Splendor cruise ship which was rescued by Tug boats said that they did not face any major problems but had to put up with limited food. However, they said the trip was not very bad.


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If Michigan voters elect to legalize marijuana in November, the state can expect to collect hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue over the next five years, according to a new report from the non-partisan Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency.
In fact, the new estimates are even higher than those projected by the group sponsoring the legalization ballot measure.
While that group, Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol In Michigan, predicted that the state would collect about $520 million in cannabis sales and excise tax revenue in the five years after implementation, the government estimate is closer to $730 million over the same time span.
Via Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency.
The initiative, Proposition 1, would impose a 10 percent excise tax on non-medical cannabis sales in addition to the state’s six percent sales tax. It would also eliminate a three percent tax on medical cannabis “provisioning centers,” which was accounted for in the fiscal report.
Where would all that money go?
The 10 percent excise tax revenue would be distributed for transportation infrastructure (35 percent), schools (35 percent) and local jurisdictions that permit adult-use marijuana businesses to operate in their municipalities and counties (15 percent each).
Based on the government report, that means that by the 2022-23 fiscal year, out of of $252 million in total marijuana tax revenue, about $126 million will go toward road construction and K-12 education funds on an annual basis from the excise tax alone. On top of that, schools would receive an additional $77 million a year due to marijuana commerce, allocated from the state’s six percent sales tax.
Then, of course, there’s the cost savings of simply ending marijuana arrests and related prosecutions and incarcerations, as the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency noted. The proposition “could have a positive fiscal impact on State and local government,” according to the report.
“Fewer felony arrests and convictions could decrease resource demands on court systems, community supervision, jails, and correctional facilities. In 2016, 199 people were sentenced to prison for a marijuana-related felony conviction, and 3,620 were sentenced to jail, probation, or a combination of both.”
The chances that Michigan ends up legalizing marijuana for adult-use seem fairly strong. A September 2018 poll from The Detroit News and WDIV-TV found that 56 percent of likely Michigan voters favor fully legalizing cannabis, compared to just 38 percent who said the opposed ending prohibition.
See the original article published on Marijuana Moment below:
Michigan Officials: Legal Marijuana Will Create Even More Revenue Than Activists Predicted
The 25 percent sales-tax break enjoyed by Oregon’s recreational cannabis consumers effectively ends Monday January 4, marking a new era in the state’s approach to marijuana.
The temporary, tax-free sale of recreational marijuana began in the Beaver State on Oct. 1 at the state’s medical marijuana dispensaries, which number over 250.
The tax is tied to preparations by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission — the state agency tasked with recreational marijuana regulations — to open stores throughout the state. Upon the opening of the recreational retail outlets licensed by the commission in late 2016, a permanent 17 percent sales tax will be imposed in the place of the 25 percent.
There are plans to make the year’s extra funds count. According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, the funds are to be allocated towards such initiatives as employee security training, increased use of security cameras, and new ventures dubbed “cash handling locations,” that would be prepared to accept large cash payments to the state. Most of the state’s transactions involving medical marijuana take place in cash, since the federal ban on recreational pot has led to many traditional banks steering clear of the state’s sanctioned retailers and growers.
According to Don Morse, owner of the Human Collective in Southwest Portland, the tax hike is unlikely to seriously affect most recreational consumers, or to have led to consumers stocking up on cheaper products ahead of the tax’s institution. This is because, unlike medical marijuana consumers, those purchasing recreational cannabis rarely buy it in large quantities.
“Every time you go to a liquor store, you don’t buy a whole case of something,”
Said Morse. “You buy a bottle.”
Morse does not believe consumers will be discouraged. In fact, he may run into a different problem, as the change will force him to keep large amounts of money on hand. “That is a lot of extra month to keep on hand,” he said.
In Denver, with the recent legalization of marijuana, it seems as if dispensary owners would be rejoicing. Instead, many of them are complaining and throwing up their hands in frustration because of outdated tax laws that eat deeply into their profits.
Many marijuana businesses are paying up to 70 percent of their profits to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Because of an old law that was put in place to keep criminal drug dealers from reducing their tax liability to profit off the government, many pot shop owners are unable to deduct regular business expenses. Normal business expenses like rent, utilities, payroll salaries and business supplies are among the deductions that cannabis business owners are unable to take advantage of because of the convoluted and somewhat discriminatory laws and stereotypes about marijuana.
Part of the problem lies in a law that was passed in 1982 by Congress. This law was created after a convicted drug dealer filed a claim in tax court that he should be able to write off many of his operational expenses, such as his phone, travel, and packaging. The IRS, still to this day, prohibits credits and deductions to businesses that illegally traffic in drugs. Unfortunately, this includes legal marijuana businesses.
Rachel Gillette, executive director of the Colorado chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) said,
“There’s no reason that they should be taxed out of existence by the federal government.”
Gillette recently represented a business owner who was levied an $866,000 tax bill, which was more than half of the business owner’s profits for the prior year. She and the business owner are still in negotiations with tax officials.
In the 23 states that allow the sale and use of medical and recreational marijuana, there are some laws where possession is still considered a federal crime. As a result, many dispensary owners cannot even open bank accounts with any funds that come from their businesses. When it is time to file taxes, owners can either pay what the IRS says they owe or try to get around the laws and risk getting audited. Of course, marijuana shop owners can take their chances and attempt to fight the IRS in court, however, very few have been successful.
Colorado and several other states have made recent changes at the state level to allow marijuana business owners to deduct their expenses on their state tax returns. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to create federal legislation to rectify the discrepancies in federal tax law that pertain to marijuana dispensaries.
There is still a lot of criticism and opposition to the legalization and sale of marijuana. That opposition is delaying crucial progress that would keep hard working business owners operational. In the meantime, some dispensary shop owners are being taxed out of business.


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It was announced on Wednesday morning that due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Royal Melbourne Show would be cancelled.
It’s such a shame that the iconic event will be put on pause for the year, but it is in the best interests of public health.
One of the things that will be dearly missed is the showbag stands that are draped at every corner. We may not get the feeling of taking something home from the event this year, but you can actually bring the showbags to you!
Showbags.com.au has all the bags that we would’ve seen at the Royal Melbourne Show and they can be shipped right to your doorstep. Whether you usually aim for toys, lollies, chocolate or bags related to fave TV shows or sporting teams, the website has the lot.
Oh, and they’ve even got Afterpay. TICK!


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Hackers have publicly released new attack code that exploits a critical bug in the Windows operating system, putting pressure on Microsoft to fix the flaw before it leads to a worm outbreak
More than 2 billion applications have been downloaded from Apple Inc.'s App Store, with more than 85,000 apps available to 50 million-plus iPhone and iPod Touch owners worldwide
University researchers have used nanomaterials to develop a microchip they say has enough sensitivity to detect early stage cancer when it is most treatable.
Java developers can more easily link Microsoft .Net-based data through an interoperability bridge offered by France-based Noelios, Microsoft and Noelios said on Monday.
Lenovo Group Ltd. is staking an early claim to potentially key turf in the Windows 7 gold-rush: the PC vendor boasting the fastest boot-up and shutdown times.
Apple Monday said it has passed 2 billion applications downloaded from its App Store, a number that promises to balloon further as the iPhone likely makes its way onto networks beyond AT&T's in the United States.
Telstra has landed a $15 million contract from the Federal Government to create new telephony-based warning system that will alert residents and communities of bushfires using SMS and recorded voice messages.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's annual privacy report card revealed more details on the agency's controversial policy involving searches of electronic devices at U.S. borders.
The TomTom Car Kit for the iPhone 3G or 3GS is now available for sale in the UK through the Apple Store for £99.99.
The Laptop Hunters be darned, Apple is not just a brand for the rich and trendy.
Nintendo will cut the price of its popular Wii gaming console to $199.99 in the US this weekend, the company said, escalating a price war with rival consoles in a weak video game market.
Panasonic has unveiled a prototype 50-inch television and companion glasses that together give the viewer the illusion of three dimensions. The TV is being unveiled less than a month after Panasonic said it plans to commercialize 3D home entertainmen...
An alleged Sega document from a meeting with Sony Computer Entertainment America is turning heads after it apparently divulged confidential details of upcoming Sony PlayStation 3 marketing and motion controller plans. The document was downloaded dire...
Intel is set to start production of its next-generation Xeon quad-core chips for workstations and servers ahead of schedule, which could then appear in systems as early as the first quarter of next year, a company official said on Tuesday.
Gentlemen, start your incredibly lazy engines: Honda has a new answer for those of us too tired to get off our keisters. Meet the U3-X "personal mobility device," a unicycle-like ride that makes heading into the kitchen for pie as easy as -- well, pi...
Whether it’s consumer or enterprise security there is one bottom line: there is no point in cutting corners when it comes to security.
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text:
Good morning everyone – thanks so much for being here.
And thanks, also, to the Consumer Action Law Centre for putting on this event.
You know, since I became Small Business Minister in July, I’ve seen a lot.
I’ve travelled — from Geraldton in WA to Gympie in Queensland. I’ve met some great people. And I’ve been inspired by the spark, the ‘can-do’ attitude, of so many of Australia’s small business owners.
That’s something I’ve spoken about many times. And rightly so.
But my brief is broader than that. It’s quite large, in fact. And today I want to talk about one my other responsibilities — consumer affairs — and the small amount credit contracts, or SACCs, which I have just taken over responsibility from Minister O’Dwyer.
It’s an important issue. It’s one I know you all have strong opinions about. After all, it’s about protecting financially vulnerable consumers from a spiral of debt.
And things are moving on this front.
Now, as most of you know, back in 2015 an independent review of the laws surrounding SACCs was established. And what made it particularly notable was that it was also an opportunity to look at consumer leases.
This made sense. The customer base for both products is, after all, very similar.
For instance, these customers tend to have low or irregular incomes, poor credit history, and face difficulties accessing mainstream credit.
What’s more, we know that both SACCs and consumer leases cost a lot more than mainstream credit.
This was all made clear when the review panel reported to the Government in March last year.
The report flagged the high levels of repeat borrowing in Australia, noting that the average SACC customer takes out 3.64 loans each year — and some have more than one at a time.
And when it comes to consumer leases, the charges are comparable to interest rates of up to 884 per cent.
That’s incredible! It’s why the review made a series of recommendations, and it’s why the Government has committed to implementing the vast majority of them.
Now, I should point out that the review stressed the importance of striking a balance — the right balance — between protecting consumers and still allowing access to these products.
That’s worth underlining.
Of course we must protect consumers. You’ll hear no arguments from me about that — or from my colleagues in Government.
But that said, we also need to keep in mind that over-regulation is deeply damaging.
It costs profits.
It costs investment.
It costs jobs.
However, if regulation is done well it can make things easier — and better.
So it was pleasing to see the review panel put forward recommendations that, as I said, strike a balance. And before accepting the measures, the Government consulted with industry and consumers so everyone had a ‘say and a stake’.
With that in mind, let me briefly run you through some of the key measures we’re proposing.
Retaining existing price caps
Firstly, we’ll keep the existing monthly price caps on SACCs — which are currently a 20 per cent establishment fee and a 4 per cent monthly fee maximum.
However, we also want to extend the protected earning regulation so it covers SACCs provided to all customers.
To break that down, at the moment people who receive 50 per cent or more of their income from Centrelink have a cap of 20 per cent of their total income being used on SACCs.
But under our proposal, this’ll be lowered to 10 percent. And it’ll apply to everyone.
It means consumers across the board will be protected from getting into SACCs they simply can’t afford.
It also strikes a good balance.
Average weekly earners, for instance, can still access up to five $500 SACCs in a 12-month period.
And we’ll be helping SACC providers to comply with these rules with a safe harbour arrangement whereby they can rely on a consumer’s bank statement to determine the 10 per cent amount.
Cap on the cost of consumer leases
Another measure will be putting a cap on the costs of consumer leases on household goods.
As most of you know, right now there’s no limit. Providers are free to charge what they like.
So we’re proposing a 4 per cent cap on the total amount of the monthly payments made under a consumer lease.
This, we believe, will prevent financial harm to vulnerable consumers; it will give them a fair go.
Protected earning amount requirement
Now, another problem area flagged in the review was that responsible lending provisions, as they stand, are insufficient to prevent harm from consumer leases.
So to address this, the Government is planning to adopt a protected earnings requirement for consumer lease providers of household goods.
In practice, this amount will be set at a rate so no more than 10 per cent of a consumer’s net income can go towards lease payments.
That said, I’m well aware that it’s pretty unusual to regulate how much a consumer can put towards a particular type of finance.
But we also know that a similar requirement for SACCs has done the job in protecting vulnerable consumers.
I should also add that people on very low incomes will still be able to lease essential goods. Whether it’s a fridge, or a washing machine, or a microwave, they’ll be free to lease these – at the same time, or separately.
So those are key measures, or headline-grabbers.
We’re expecting to progress them later this year — everything going well — and they’ll take effect 12 months after the legislation passes Parliament.
And because the reforms are so wide-ranging, we’ll have another review of SACCs and consumer leases after the legislation’s been in place for three years.
Australian Consumer Law Review
Now, before I finish I want to quickly mention one more thing: the Australian Consumer Law Review.
As you’d be aware, consumer affairs ministers — including me — will receive the final report from this year-long review in a couple of days.
I’m very much looking forward to it.
The review has taken a broad and comprehensive look at the consumer law. And I think we’ll see some good ideas come out of it — ideas I’ll be discussing with my fellow ministers when we meet later this year.
I also know that the Consumer Action Law Centre met with the Review secretariat three times, and made three submissions to the review.
Let me thank everyone involved for those thoughtful contributions. And thank you, also, for your ongoing advocacy for consumers.
So with all of that said, it’s clearly a big year for consumer policy in Australia.
There’s a lot on; a lot happening. And I think we’ll see some good outcomes — or at least the beginnings of them.
As I said at the start, striking the right balance is important when it comes to consumers.
I want to see them protected. But as Small Business Minister, I don’t want to strangle business owners in red tape.
That doesn’t help anyone. It’s a lose–lose situation.
However, as our proposed changes to SACCs and consumer leases show, the right balance is possible. And that’s what I’ll be working towards as we charge deeper into 2017.
Thank you, everyone, for having me.


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Great news for Warhammer fans today, as Sega has announced a “Multi-game deal” between British developers The Creative Assembly, and Games Workshop.
Eurogamer published the story earlier on today after an interview with Sega UK. The publisher said they will be looking at developing for the “Warhammer universe of fantasy battles”. They have also confirmed that THQ still holds the licence for the Warhammer 40K, so it looks like Creative Assembly will be only looking at Warhammer Fantasy titles, which by no means will be a bad thing.
“With this year being our 25th anniversary it seems fitting for us to embark on such a dream project with such a well-established partner,” Tim Heaton, studio director at Creative Assembly said of the deal. “The incredibly rich and detailed Warhammer world is something we grew up with, and has left an indelible imprint on us as both designers and gamers.
“We’ll be doing the Warhammer universe justice in a way that has never been attempted before,” Said Tim Heaton, Studio Director at Creative Assembly. “We’re bringing those 25 years of experience and expertise in extremely high-scoring games to bear, delivering a Warhammer experience that videogamers will absolutely love.”
This news is huge, and is absolutely amazing news for Warhammer fans. Games Workshop would’ve really struggled to find a more suitable developer; Creative Assembly already has years of experience developing the widely acclaimed Total War series, so if anyone knows how to field huge, epic battles between Orcs, Men, Elves and everything in between, it’s them. They know what they’re doing, and this partnership certainly has lots of potential for them.
It’s pretty likely we can expect a strategy game, possibly an RTS like Warhammer; Dark Omen could be on the cards, but I’d love to see a grand strategy game, a Warhammer version of Medieval; Total War as well.
Unfortunately; it looks like we may have quite a wait before we can get stuck into anything, as Sega UK said the first title won’t be ready for a while yet; with “beyond 2012” as the only guide for now.


text:
Samsung announces 'Made in India' Galaxy Note 10+ at Rs 89,999; device will not support 5G
The pre-booking for Galaxy Note10 will remain open till August 22.
Sensex, Nifty start on cautious note tracking Asian markets
As many as 16 stocks in the Sensex pack were trading in the green.
Samsung takes productivity & creativity to a new level, unveils Galaxy Note10, Note 10+ with enhanced S Pen experience
The Note10+ has a larg...
Supreme Court notice on plea to deposit Rs 1.17 crore banned notes
The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Centre on a plea by a Tamil Nadu-based businessman who failed to deposit Rs 1.17 crore in scrapped currency notes within the stipulated time frame in December 2016.
Fast charging, triple camera, symmetric shape: Samsung to unveil Galaxy Note 10, Note10 Plus on Wednesday
Both the devices are likely to carry one front-facing camera in the middle.
New designs of Rs 500 and Rs 2000 notes getting prone to counterfeits: RBI data
Counterfeit notes in the new design of Rs.500 which was introduced in 2016, increased by 121.0 per cent, while for Rs.2000, it increased by 21.9 per cent during 2018-19 as against the previous fiscal, as per data sourced from RBI’s annual report of 2018-19.
CCI approves Ctrip acquisition of 42.5% stake in MakeMytrip
The transaction values MMT at over $2.57 billion based on Ctrip share price early on Tuesday.
Sebi brings in stricter norms on disclosure lapses
The exchanges would issue notice to the non-compliant listed entity to pay fine within 15 days from the date of the notice.
Srei Equipment Finance offers up to 10.65% coupon on retail bonds
Existing bond holders of the company will get an additional incentive of 0.25% over the card rate.
National Awardees Vicky Kaushal, Ayushmann Khurrana overwhelmed with Bachchans' personalised notes
The actors took to social media to thank the veteran stars Amitabh Bachchan and wife Jaya.
ONGC to borrow $2 billion through unique overseas debt programme
ONGC had a borrowing of about Rs 15,000 cr while another Rs 42,000 cr debt was on OVL books.
Samsung Galaxy M30s with 48MP triple rear camera set for India debut, likely to be priced at Rs 15-20K
Galaxy M30s will be powered by the new Exynos processor.
Cipla shareholders approve raising up to Rs 3,000 crore
In a regulatory filing, Cipla said 99.68 per cent shareholders polled in favour of the resolution to raise funds.
Noto 2 review: Convert your email inbox into a reminder
Emails are easy to identify thanks to the subject prefix.
CCD confirms founder Siddhartha's signature in note
In a related development, the BSE sought clarification from the company on the I-T Department's claim that Siddhartha's last note was doubtful.
Copyright © 2019 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service


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The Clothing Cottage has launched its 40th year in a new locale.
Dedicated to caring for the needs of children in Lake County, the gently used clothing retail shop run by the Christ Child Society of the Western Reserve recently opened at 9324 Mentor Ave. in Mentor.
The move from its nearby smaller location to an approximately 2,500-square-foot building that formerly housed Britash Boutique provides the non-profit group with needed room for sales as well as processing and storage.
Among the group’s founding members are Lake County residents Kay Leonard and Kay Redmond who initiated the local chapter of the Christ Child national society in 1983. Currently, approximately 200 people, the majority of whom maintain an active status, comprise membership numbers. All in-store work plus the group’s extra projects and activities are accomplished entirely on a volunteer basis.
Cindy Namestnik, of Concord Township, manages Clothing Cottage along with Jeanne Eiswerth, of Mentor, whose mother Lucille Andrews served as one of the group’s charter members.
Finding stylish, well-maintained items at low prices has led many people to shop at the store regularly. Most pieces of gently worn clothing are priced under $10 and a large array of jewelry items are frequently sold for $5 or less.
If an item hasn’t sold by the second month on the floor the price is cut in half. If it’s still in stock at the beginning of a third month, buyers can snag it for $1.
“I want people to come here to get nice clothes for a good price, tell their friends and then come back,” Namestnik said.
When price changes are announced on the organization’s Facebook page people often line up, waiting for the store to open.
Namestnik noted that donations from the community are commonly brought in with original tags attached and many carry labels from Chico’s, Eddie Bauer, Liz Claiborne and other well-known fashion lines.
“We have a reputation that we have high-end, good quality clothes,” Eiswerth said.
Successful sales at the Clothing Cottage make up only a portion of the budget. Fundraisers and monetary donations play another part in boosting coffers.
This year’s annual Red Wagon luncheon benefit is set for April 26 at Regovich Catering (formerly The Patrician) in Eastlake. WEWS-TV meteorologist Mark Johnson is the scheduled guest speaker and cost of a ticket is $55.
A Daisy Golf Outing will tee off on July 10 at Pine Ridge Country Club in Wickliffe and on Sept. 9 the fifth annual Harbor Hogs and Hot Rods, a car and motorcycle show, willroll in to Fairport Harbor.
Adhering to the motto “Nothing is ever too much to do for a child,” a vast range of philanthropic endeavors include literacy projects, clothing for children in need, eye screenings at local schools, camperships, Christmas gifts, support for area Parish Schools of Religion, Project Hope for the Homeless, scholarships and new layettes for babies.
Jocelyn Mariano, a nurse in the Obstetrics Department at UH Tripoint Medical Center in Concord Township, has witnessed firsthand what the layettes have meant to mothers and babies in need.
“It’s wonderful to be able to give brand new clothing to moms who don’t have anything for their baby to wear when they’re ready to leave,” she said. “The layette is packaged and organized so beautifully.”
Referrals for aid sometimes originate from United Way of Lake County’s 211 helpline as well as other sources. An ability to help people in their own hometown is one of the reasons many choose to volunteer with the organization.
“I love knowing this is going to serve the community I grew up in,” Eiswerth said. “I believe all these kids should have the same opportunities. What we do for Lake County is so important because people don’t realize there is really a need.”
The considerable extent of the organization’s good work is explained on its website, which states the following:
“Last year, working with over 30 social agencies, healthcare facilities, and schools in Lake County, the Christ Child Society of the Western Reserve touched the lives of over 2,500 children and their families through our 10 programs. The generous support of our donors and over 10,000 volunteer hours from our 200 members made this possible.”
Clothing donations in good condition are accepted during the store hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays at the Clothing Cottage.
For more information, visit www.christchildofthewesternreserve.org.


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ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) -- A new video released Tuesday features several St. Louis County restaurants explaining what will happen to their business if the new restrictions are extended beyond four weeks.
The restrictions, which took effect Tuesday, ban indoor dining at restaurants.
"If our restaurants are shut down for more than four weeks, our restaurant community will never bounce back," is one of the quotes from a restaurant owner in the video.
The restaurants are asking to be included in an advisory board with St. Louis County Executive Sam Page for future decisions regarding restrictions.
“Maybe you know after this four week shutdown he has someone to rely on in the restaurant industry who he can kinda bounce things off of and we can come up with a plan to not extend the four week shutdown," said Ande Pietoso, Cafe Napoli's co-owner.
Pietoso is featured in the new, roughly two-minute video.
He's already laid off 30 of his employees between both the Clayton and Town and County locations because of these new restrictions that took effect Tuesday.
“St. Louis City, a mile and a half down the street, is open. St. Charles County is open, so why do you want to come sit on my patio when its 30 degrees under a heater when you can go sit in their dining room," said Pietoso.
The restrictions mean the inside of Pietoso's restaurant is empty of diners. The masks and sanitation stations are still scattered throughout and the plexiglass partitions he bought to keep customers safe are not needed.
“Even if it was 15% occupancy, if we could come in and have the guests wear a mask every time the waiter approached the table," said Pietoso.
The video featuring restaurant owners came out just hours after nearly 40 restaurants and the Missouri Restaurant Association sued to block the county's indoor dining restrictions.
Pietoso said sales are down about 80%. He doesn't expect to make money right now, just break even to pay what staff he can hang on to during these restrictions.
“The idea is not to change Dr. Page’s mind, we’re not trying to do that. We just want to have a conversation on what potentially we do to make the dining rooms safer than we already have. There’s gotta be a solution," said Pietoso.


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After countless trade shows and many sourcing trips, Benita Singh knew there had to be a better way for designers to get their hands on quality materials that represent quality, transparency & sustainability.
Meanwhile, the founding team's research showed that designers can spend up to 80% of their time sourcing - valuable time spent away from designing, marketing, and growing their businesses.
Six years and countless photoshoots, product iterations, and supplier additions later, the Le Souk platform serves over 21,000 active buyers - connecting them to the best mills & tanneries in 19 countries.
And we are just getting started.
"The company, led by Benita Singh, was the first to remove one of the biggest pain points for designers, sourcing materials. Le Souk’s virtual trade show, available 365-days a year, is an alternative to the time-consuming, in-person, 2x/year traditional trade show visits that often conflict with fashion week.
It would stretch the travel budget of any designer to hit the world’s finest textile mills in a search for that perfect fabric. Singh is offering a different solution. Her company, Le Souk, brings far-flung mills and tanneries online for the first time.
- LinkedIn Next Wave
Le Souk offers a platform to search and sample quality materials direct from the source — providing much-needed transparency and year-round access in an industry traditionally reliant on the trade show calendar.


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The diapers are coming off.
For the second year in a row, Chilliwack moms will be partaking in the Great Cloth Diaper Change on April 21.
Instead of wrapping their babes up in disposable diapers, they’ll be swaddling them in cloth diapers in an effort to raise awareness around the mounds of disposable diapers stacking up in landfills.
“Each year billions of disposable diapers enter landfills where it takes hundreds of years for them to decompose,” said Heather McNamara, executive director of the Real Diaper Exchange, a non-profit association that started the international event last year.
The average baby goes through a conservative 3,000 diapers a year, times that by three years, and just one baby alone is contributing to at least 9,000 disposable diapers ending up in the landfills.
According to Environment Canada, more than four million disposable diapers are discarded per day in Canada; that’s approximately 1.7 billion a year that will sit in landfills for hundreds of years before breaking down.
The Great Cloth Diaper Change is hoping to change that.
“We hope to show the entire world that cloth diapers are a real option for today’s modern families, particularly catching the eye of expecting and new parents who may be seeking more planet-friendly and affordable alternatives to disposable diapers,” said McNamara.
Last year The Great Cloth Diaper Change had 6,363 total participants from 203 sites in 10 countries. This year, it’s hoping for more.
In Chilliwack, the event will take place at the Mathieson Centre, located at 45195 Wells Road, at 9 a.m. on April 21.
To date, more than 50 mom and baby pairs are registered.
For more information, contact Pam McCaughan at 604-846-5115 or by email at email@example.com, or visit the website at www.greatclothdiaperchange.com.


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Braskem SA, Latin America’s largest petrochemicals maker, slumped the most in a month after the Brazilian government was said to allow the expiration of an import tax that has helped to protect the domestic resin market.
The tax suspension, which would also apply to raw materials such as steel, will be announced today to help Brazil to fight inflation, a government official with knowledge of the decision told Bloomberg News yesterday, asking not to be named because the plan wasn’t public yet.
“If confirmed, the measure will mean Braskem will face more competition in the domestic market, with negative effects on the company’s sales and prices” Felipe Rocha, an analyst at brokerage Omar Camargo, said by phone from Sao Paulo.
Consumer inflation in Brazil rose to 6.7 percent in June, according to the national bureau of statistics.
Braskem has gained 34 percent this year, as the Ibovespa slumped 20 percent.
To contact the reporter on this story: Denyse Godoy in Sao Paulo at email@example.com


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The typical teenager spends at the very least six hours per day checking out a monitor, with a lot of it from employing a smartphone.
Quite a few mother and father, The natural way, have wondered if a great deal time expended in front of a screen is safe.
New analysis indicates it’s not. Teens who expend 5 or maybe more hours a day on Digital gadgets are seventy one p.c more more likely to Have got a hazard aspect for suicide than those who invest less than one hour every day on a device. Electronic media use is linked with extra despair and less happiness, with experiments, purely natural experiments and longitudinal experiments all displaying that digital media use results in unhappiness as an alternative to one other way all around.
Steve Work may need been onto a little something when he advised a stunned reporter in 2010 that he didn’t Permit his Young ones use iPads and he usually limited their display time.
Certainly, there’s an increasing consensus that the technologies corporations who have led us in to the electronic age Have a very duty to construct some safeguards. That’s why I aided draft a letter from Apple shareholders spearheaded by Jana Associates and the California Point out Teachers’ Retirement Method that asks the company to just take actions to protect their youngest individuals. Not just is it the ideal matter to accomplish, however it could also Increase the firm’s base line.
Limitation, not elimination
Based on the exploration, the challenge isn’t teenagers proudly owning smartphones. In truth, teenagers who don’t use smartphones in the slightest degree are actually a little less content than people who make use of them a minimal total.
It’s only when use goes beyond two hrs every day that issues start out to appear, such as fewer slumber and a greater risk of suicide-relevant results like depression and generating suicide strategies.
The answer, then, appears uncomplicated: Restrict the length of time the gadget can be used And the way it may be used. This operates out fairly properly for Apple; most in their earnings is locked in as soon as another person buys an iPhone or iPad, irrespective of the amount of the operator uses it.
The challenge is that the majority teenagers that are handed a smartphone aren’t intending to use it for just an hour or two per day. Study implies that electronic media stimulates a similar Mind chemicals and areas as other addictive solutions. Although some teens are able to limit their use, a substantial number end up spending many their leisure time with their equipment, which – as pointed out before – could lead to mental health problems.
Some have identified that folks can use 3rd-occasion apps which include Kidslox or Norton Household Premier to Restrict time put in around the cell phone or on social media web pages. While some mom and dad might locate these apps helpful, Other folks may be overwhelmed by the setup process or locate the obtain fees far too expensive. Intelligent teenagers might also come across means about these applications.
But Let’s say Apple have been to incorporate a chance to Restrict monitor time inside the apple iphone’s functioning system?
One example is, when registering and organising the cellular phone, Apple could contain an choice to pick out the age of your user. When you say the cellular phone is for the twelve-year-previous, it could give mothers and fathers the choice to limit the applications utilised, shut down the mobile phone during the night time, limit the quantity of several hours it can be used and permit communication that has a preapproved listing of cellular phone figures. As the child grows more mature, these limits may very well be adjusted or lifted. Earning this Portion of the iOS would seamlessly integrate security for kids and teenagers into your iPhone – and seamless integration has generally been Apple’s calling card.
Much better phones for happier Young children
This has One more profit for Apple: Moms and dads could possibly be a lot more prepared to buy their kids smartphones whenever they were being much easier to manage. Beyond shopping for an aged-faculty flip cellular phone – which are significantly difficult to locate – there’s at the moment no effortless way to provide a kid a cellphone with no opening up the world of unlimited internet access, regular social media and endless evenings used arguing above Placing the mobile phone absent at supper.
Since the father or mother of an eleven-year-outdated, I would be a lot more comfortable offering my daughter a smartphone if I knew she wouldn’t be bullied on it, see factors she shouldn’t see or stare at it for six hours on a daily basis.
Social media marketing corporations like Fb even have anything to reply for in this article – and so they know it. Specified backlinks in between promoting income and time invested on the positioning, balancing income and safety are going to be a harder task for them.
But for Apple, it’s arguably a get-earn: The safer their item is for teenagers, the greater they might offer. So Why don’t you ensure it is safer by offering mother and father more tools and possibilities?


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Dr. Dre Hit With $100Million Lawsuit…And There’s A Chance He May Lose Big
Another day, another lawsuit for former NWA legend/producer-turned-almost-millionaire Beats by Dre mogul. Dr. Dre and his business partner, Interscope Records music mogul, Jimmy Iovine are have just been hit with a huge lawsuit by their former business associate and he may have a chance at winning this thing.
Why They’re Being Sued For $100M’s
Nearly 10 years after Beats by Dre hit the market, an entrepreneur named, Steven Lamar, says Dre and Jimmy are trying to stick him for his paper. Therefore, he’s suing them for a whopping $100million! In court docs, Lamar claims to have presented Dre and Jimmy with the idea for their highly successful Apple Music Beats by Dre headphones. Lamar says they’re now trying to cut him out of the agreement they arranged, by allegedly finding a loophole to go forgo paying him.
Via Billboard: Lamar is suing Andre “Dr. Dre” Young, Jimmy Iovine, and Beats Electronics. Lamar alleges being the one back in 2006 to propose to Dre and Iovine a line of celebrity-endorsed headphones based on a design by Robert Brunner, a renowned industrial designer.
But the parties had a falling out in the early years, and Dre and Iovine sued Lamar for breaching contract. This prior lawsuit then led to a settlement where Lamar relinquished rights in exchange for a four percent royalty on every headphone sold by Monster and its affiliates. After the settlement, Beats released new headphone models and began paying a two percent royalty to Brunner until sometime in 2014 when Beats bought out Brunner’s interest. Dre and Iovine would later sell Beats to Apple for $3 billion.
The big question in the case is whether Lamar is due royalties for the later derivative versions of Beats headphones or whether the defendants fulfilled its obligations by merely paying him for the first headphone model.
Prior to now, a judge had tossed Lamar’s case because he/she felt there was not evidence enough to go to trial. In Sept. 2016 though, an appeals court judge deemed that the wording of the agreement between Lamar, Dre, and Iovine was too “ambiguous” to fully exclude Lamar from any profits from altered versions of the original Beats by Dre headphones. Therefore, the three parties are now in a jury trial, pleading their sides of the case in a California court.
They Were Clueless?
According to Billboard, Dre and Jimmy Iovine claim they were clueless of how successful the headphones would be at the time of the agreement and therefore had no way of predicting there would be a follow up version of the headphones to hit the market. However, Lamar came to the trial ready…dude presented a Power Point presentation documenting his, Jimmy’s and Dr. Dre’s early days together, in which Lamar raised the possibility of future different models of the headphones, as well as their future collaboration on a “line of headphones”…not just one version.
Unless Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine can prove otherwise, it looks like their gonna be diggin’ into those collective billion dollar pockets to pull out a spare $100M’s. On a side note, Dre is probably hoping to have better luck than he did on his other recent case, when he lost to a gynecologist named…wait for it…’Dr. Drai’ (pronounced ‘Dr. Dre’). Like we said, another day, another lawsuit…it’s like Dr. Dre’s “been there, done that”…LOL…I couldn’t resist that one.


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German car maker Audi turned out 1,648,030 engines at its base in Hungary in 2010, 19% more than in the previous year, Audi Hungaria Motor said.
The plant in Győr assembled 38,541 cars in 2010, 18.2% more than a year earlier.
Audi Hungaria turned out 1,284,967 four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, about 16% more than a year earlier. The number of five-cylinder petrol engines climbed 10% to 1,461. It made 328,138 six-cylinder engines, 31% more than in 2009. The number of eight-cylinder engines increased 80% to 27,406. The number of ten-cylinder engines rose 20% to 5,773, but the number of twelve-cylinder engines dropped 40% to 419.
About 20,400 Audi TT Coupe's rolled off the assembly line in 2010, 13% more than in the previous year. The number of TT Roadsters rose 21% to 5,804 and the number of A3 Cabriolet's climbed 26% to 12,309. Audi made 15 RS3 models, which it added to the plant's product palette last year.
Last year Audi Hungaria added 16 new engine variants to production at the plant and it opened an engine research center. In November, the plant marked the assembly of half a million cars. In September, Audi Hungaria announced a €900 million investment at the plant which will boost the number of cars it makes to 125,000 from 2013.
Audi Hungaria started making body parts for the Audi RS 5 model in 2010, bringing the number of models for which it makes body parts to six.
Audi Hungaria had 6,139 employees at the end of 2010, up from 5,624 twelve months earlier. (MTI – Econews)


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One of the 4 themes that should guide brands’ marketing and communication strategies is ‘online video’. IAB (UK) reports that online video spend has overtaken banner advertising for the first time. In UK, there has been a 46% y-o-y growth in online video spends in the first half of 2017 compared to just 2% for banner ads. This growth is driven by the increase in time spent ‘watching online videos’ by consumers across all demographics. Easier access and cost advantages in delivering engaging content to consumers online as compared to traditional TV has attracted marketers of all sizes and budgets. Added to this is the inherent targeting capabilities offered by the online video platforms. However, marketers are advised to take measures to reduce the incidence of ad-blocking. Stricter control on quality of creative and avoiding intrusive tactics like pre/mid–roll ads or auto-play with audio can improve user experience. Ad experience can be enhanced by using insights to develop truly relevant content for the intended audience.
YouTube still dominates this space but below are some recent developments from other social networks around their video offerings
Video website cards: This allows advertisers to have a ‘muted’ auto-play video with a custom headline that opens to a larger video with a website preview. Clicking on this, the viewer is directed to the advertiser’s website. Advertisers who have used this feature have reported greater website traffic.
‘Watch’ is launched to all users in US: After testing this feature among a controlled group, Facebook has opened ‘Watch’ to all users in US. They can access original pieces of content produced exclusively for Facebook. Digiday reports (based on a survey by Delmondo) that the average viewing time of videos on ‘Watch’ is 23seconds which is greater than the average video viewing time on the regular ‘news feed’ of 16.7seconds. However, without a definite plan for global roll-out of this feature, it will be a while before the full potential of this feature can be evaluated.
Auto-play video ads: LinkedIn posts that contain videos are being shared at a much higher rate (reportedly 20times more). This has encouraged LinkedIn to start selling ‘muted’ auto-play video ads. It appears as a stand-alone post with a ‘Promoted’ label. This feature is currently available to only select brands but will be made available to all brands by first half of 2018.
Multi-snap feature: Users can post longer videos with the ‘multi-snap’ feature – a continuous 60sec video format in a 6x10sec module. This was introduced in July – but only for iOS users. It’s now rolled out to Android users as well, bringing more scale. This along with their full-screen ‘Snap Ads’ provide advertisers with ‘fun’ ways to engage the audience.
Multiple updates: Instagram’s recent updates include a ‘superzoom’ feature for the videos where you can select one object within the video and add music for extra effect; two-person live video that was announced in August is now available to all users; stop-motion is a feature that lets users stitch series of still photos into a single video (still in beta).


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Rising expenditure follows Vietnam’s growing market of internet users. The country ranked 14th in the world in its number of smartphone users at 43.7 million last year, a rate of 44.9 percent. … [Read more...] about Retail, e-commerce biggest marketers in Vietnam
Sapa lao cai vietnam
BANGKOK -- Thailand’s largest retailer, Central Retail Corporation Pcl (CRC), plans to expand domestic online sales as well as its business in Vietnam, as the coronavirus outbreak slows economic growth at home, its top executive said on Thursday. … [Read more...] about Thailand’s Central Retail eyes growth in Vietnam after trouble at home
Most-favored-nation treatment (MFN) is the basic principle in WTO’s international trade, whereby a member country must be given the same treatment as all other WTO members, regardless of developed countries or developing countries. However, he affirmed that the change won’t have impact on Vietnam in reality. … [Read more...] about What if the US no longer considers Vietnam a ‘developing country’?
A person holds a stack of Vietnamese banknotes. The country’s two largest cities, HCMC and Hanoi, are still seeing a large number of customers using cash for food payments - PHOTO: THANH HOA HCMC - The country’s two largest cities, HCMC and Hanoi, are still seeing a large number of customers using cash for food payments, with over 80% of customers making cash payments at restaurants and for takeaway food. … [Read more...] about Cash payments for food remain high in Vietnam’s two largest cities
The Ministry of Industry and Trade is focusing on increasing the industrial sector’s added value. Specifically, the ministry is working with other ministries and sectors on policies and solutions for developing such potential prioritized industries as automobile, textile and garment, leather and footwear, electronics, minerals, and supporting industries. “Small and medium enterprises need to be supported by the state until they are able to compete in the global market and become reliable manufacturing partners of the global production chain, including assistance in innovation, production management, and access to preferential credit, new technology and high quality human resources,” Industry Agency Director Truong Thanh Hoai said. … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s industrial development, exports dogged by low added value


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The online payments market is dominated by credit card providers and eBay-owned PayPal.
Consultants forecast the $30 billion sector will grow by 12 per cent by 2013.
The acquisition price of Paymate was not disclosed, but the company described its as immaterial and said it would be funded from FlexiGroup’s cash reserves and deferred equity consideration.
FlexiGroup chief executive
Mr DeLano said Paymate had been under-resourced, having grown to just $20 million in annual payment volumes since it launched in 2000 versus more than $2 billion in volumes annually for PayPal.
Former managing director of PayPal Australia, Andrew Pipolo, was hired by FlexiGroup three months ago to lead its push into online payments and help develop Paymate.
Mr Pipolo said Paymate lacked visibility on key online transaction sites such as eBay and needed stronger promotion.
He said there were several key reasons why consumers may choose Paymate above other payment options once FlexiGroup invested in the product.
First, it offers greater online security as consumers can enter their credit card details into Paymate’s site for a transaction rather than directly into a merchant’s website.
Second, unlike PayPal, consumers do not need to set up an account.
Finally, Mr Pipolo said FlexiGroup was planning to launch a suite of online payment products through the Paymate platform – with a deferred payment option to be offered from mid next year.
Mr DeLano said merchants should also feel incentivised to offer Paymate, given it had faster processing times than payment methods such as credit cards.
Paymate has relationships with 3500 online retailers but it estimated its market share on eBay – a key online merchant – is less than 0.5 per cent.
“Being only one of three payment options, we think we can really ramp up penetration on that site," Mr Pipolo said.
FlexiGroup processes about 11 million transactions annually and offers point of sale leasing finance through retailers such as Harvey Norman.
Mr DeLano reiterated FlexiGroup’s fiscal 2012 net profit guidance of 12 to 15 per cent growth on $52.9 million this year.
He said Paymate was expected to make a positive profit contribution by 2013.
The Australian Financial Review


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Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, a leading conglomerate, through it’s cocoa sourcing company, Fludor Ghana Limited, has joined forces with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) to address the pressing issue of child labour and forced labour within Africa’s cocoa supply chain.
This significant collaboration underlines TGI Group’s unwavering commitment to ethical and responsible business practices, particularly in the realm of human rights and child protection.
TGI Group, via its subsidiaries Fludor Ghana, WACOT Limited (Nigeria) and Vink Corporation (UAE), aligns with the ICI’s mission to create a better future for children and eradicate child labour from cocoa-growing communities.
Speaking on the collaboration, Dennis Sampong, Country Head of Fludor Ghana, emphasized, “Embracing membership in ICI is both timely and fitting for Fludor. Our commitment to tackling human rights and child labor concerns within our supply chain perfectly aligns with ICI’s vision for a cocoa supply chain devoid of child labor and forced labor. Achieving a sustainable cocoa supply chain is impossible if the young minds shaping the future of cocoa production remain uninformed and human rights violations persist.”
ICI Executive Director, Matthias Lange highlighted the impact of the collaboration, stating, “As a Ghana-based licensed buyer with an extensive farmer network and cocoa operations, this partnership with Fludor brings us one step closer to achieving our target to reach all children at risk of child labor. We look forward to supporting their efforts to tackle child labor and learning from their experiences.”


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Windows 11 may be soaking up most of the spotlight right now, but hundreds of millions of us are still running Windows 10 — and many have been encountering serious issues for months when trying to play games on Windows 10.
This week Microsoft has rolled out an optional Windows 10 update (branded KB5004296) which includes a number of fixes for the low framerates, performance issues, and and other problems users have experienced while trying to play games, both within Windows 10's Game Mode and without.
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How significant this is depends on what (if any) issues you've experienced lately while trying to play games on Windows 10. In the wake of Microsoft's big April update for Windows 10 many users began reporting problems (low framerates, stuttering, etc.) while playing games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla (pictured above) or Call of Duty: Warzone on a variety of hardware configurations, including PCs with both AMD and Nvidia components.
Microsoft quickly fixed a number of Windows 10 game-killing bugs with an emergency rollback, but a number of known issues (including performance problems while using Windows 10's Game Mode, designed to improve performance) have persisted.
The optional Windows 10 update Microsoft just rolled out includes a number of fixes for those issues — you can check out Microsoft's patch notes for the full list of changes. If you'd rather jump right in and see what it does for yourself, here's a quick guide on how to install it.
How to install the latest Windows 10 update
Luckily, Microsoft has made it remarkably easy to install updates on Windows 10. Check out how straightforward these step-by-step instructions are:
1. Open the Windows Update section of your Windows 10 Settings menu. The fastest way to get there is to hit the Start button and start typing "Windows Update settings", then select that option when you see it appear.
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2. Since this is an optional update you'll want to look for the "Optional quality update available" heading; beneath that you should see a listing for the patch in question, KB5004296.
3. And voila, the patch should begin downloading! Once it's finished it should automatically install, and hopefully your experience playing games on Windows 10 should get a bit smoother.
Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. A lifelong PC builder, he currently serves as a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice.


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PPG recently announced that it has acquired certain assets of the Shenzhen-based automotive refinish coatings company Futian Xinshi. With approximate sales of $15 million in 2016, Futian reportedly distributes its products in China through a network of more than 200 distributors. PPG will acquire Futian’s trademarks, product technology and customer list.
“The acquisition of Futian will further enhance PPG’s position in the growing Chinese automotive refinish coatings market,” said John Outcalt, vice president of global automotive refinish. “Futian has a proven track record of growth and profitability by leveraging well-positioned brands, mature technology, low-cost operations and a solid-performing distribution base.”
For more information, visit www.ppg.com.


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When it comes to e-commerce, 75% of US consumers have recently purchased from Amazon, compared to 43% who made purchases from Walmart.com in the third quarter of this year. More than half (63%) of consumers begin their search for a product online on Amazon rather than Walmart.com (43%), with Amazon’s favorite categories including electronics, books and Clothes.
Additionally, more consumers in the survey had Amazon Prime subscriptions (57%) than Walmart Plus subscriptions (31%). Despite Amazon’s e-commerce dominance, Walmart’s online sales are up 11.98% from last year, while Amazon’s sales are down 4.61%. Jungle Scout reports that Amazon has 2.5 billion average monthly visitors, while Walmart sees 429 million average monthly visitors.
With inflation continuing to impact consumers, Walmart remains a go-to retailer for groceries and other necessities, such as medications and cleaning supplies. More than half (56%) of consumers turn to Walmart for their groceries, compared to 15% who prefer buying from Amazon. 43% of consumers say product prices are the main reason they buy from Walmart rather than Amazon, followed by product familiarity. A large majority (71%) of consumers are more likely to make small purchases ($0-99) on Walmart.com, compared to 66% on Amazon.
The full Jungle Scout report can be found here.


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This weekend's PC game deals include a whole lot of publisher promotions celebrating the Chinese New Year, special discounts just for RPG genre fans, a couple of brand-new freebies, and more.
Windows 11 widget monitors CPU, GPU, RAM, and more, here's how to enable
windows 11 performance
Windows 11 Beta Channel adds WPA3 support to Phone Link hotspot
windows 11 insider preview
Windows 11 Release Preview adds more live caption languages
windows 11 insider preview promo
Steam lunar new year sale RSS
This weekend's PC game deals include a mech fighting freebie from the Epic Games Store, a free event for starfighter combat fans, plus hordes of specials celebrating the Lunar New Year.
Steam is having another major sale event this week, with Valve today kicking off the Lunar New Year sale celebrating the approaching Year of the Tiger. The sales will last through February 3.
This weekend's PC game deals include a strategy game giveaway from Epic, an Assassin's Creed spin-off freebie from Ubisoft, a bundle full of trains, quite a lot of Lunar New Year sales, and more.
The Steam Lunar New Year Sale has arrived, discounting thousands of games from classics to new releases. There are also new Steam Point Shop items, a free sticker to grab every day, and more.
The Lunar New Year Sale has returned to Steam this year with a shorter promotion, but there are still thousands of games on sale. In addition, the token points and store setup has returned.
Celebrating the new Chinese New Year, Valve has kicked off the Steam Lunar New Year Sale. In addition to a massive amount of discounted games, the store also has a rewards booth promotion going.
This weekend's PC game deals include massive sales from Steam, Fanatical, and GOG stores celebrating the Chinese New Year, Dead Space and Dungeons 2 for free, FPS filled free weekends, and more.
Thousands of PC games are being discounted until February 19 on Steam as part of the Lunar New Year Sale. The major sale arrives alongside a revamp for the store's Wishlist feature.


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Amazon Viola Davis-Allison Janney Sundance Kid Pic ‘Troop Zero’ Heading To Prime Streaming Service
Exclusive: Amazon’s original feature Troop Zero, which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival back in January, will be released worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on Jan.
17, 2020.Pic is the first feature title being announced for the Amazon Prime streaming 2020 film slate.
Previously reported exclusively by Deadline, Amazon opted to release its Scott Z.
Burns directed Adam Driver feature The Report, which they picked up at Sundance for an estimated $14M, via their truncated theatrical-streaming model with the pic opening this Friday and streaming on Nov.
Likewise, the Felicity Jones-Eddie Redmayne period air-balloon meteorologist movie, The Aeronauts, which made its world premiere at Telluride, is hitting theaters on Dec.
6 followed by a Prime streaming release on Dec.
20.Troop Zero, directed by London, UK duo filmmakers Bert & Bertie follows a misfit girl in 1977 rural Georgia who dreams of making contact with outer space.
When a national
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Is organic food always better? Wild birds don't seem to think so. Given a choice between conventionally-grown and organically-grown wheat, both wild birds and lab-dwelling canaries opted for the conventionally-grown grain about 60% of the time, according to research published today in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. The 3-year study is the first to show animal preference for conventional over organic food; earlier studies with rats and hens have all indicated a taste for the organic option. The researchers attribute the birds' choice to the higher protein content of the conventionally-grown wheat—a by-product of the nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers conventional growers apply to their crops. The results cast doubt on claims that all organic food is nutritionally superior, the authors say, but they don't take into account the long-term health or environmental impacts of conventional farming's chemical fertilizer and pesticide use.
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Although Volkswagen seemed to resist the hybrid movement at first, it has finally come around. Can you really blame it for its reluctance? After all, it’s staked its reputation on clean diesel TDI technology.
Speaking recently at the Vienna Motor Symposium, Volkswagen chairman Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn indicated that German brand is eager to pursue 10-speed dual-clutch transmissions, plug-in hybrid models, and perhaps even natural gas options.
At the heart of his speech, Winterkorn stated VW’s intention “to bring the carbon dioxide emissions of its European fleet down to as low as 95 g/km by 2020,” according to a Green Car Reports report.
The first vehicles under the VW family of brands to follow this objective will be the Audi e-tron and the Porsche Panamer plug-in hybrid. After that, the VW Golf, Passat, Audi A6, and the Porsche Cayenne will follow suit.
Future VW plug-ins will achieve a 30-mile range on its initial charge and will utilize electric turbochargers, 10-speed DSG transmissions, and other cutting-edge technology to further diminish emissions.
If Audi’s R18 e-tron racecars are any indication, VW would love to see plug-in diesel hybrids take hold as the global powertrain technology. The cost of both diesel and plug-in hybrid components must drop significantly before that goal can be achieved. Right now, each technology adds a $3,000 premium to the price tag over that of a conventional gasoline-powered car. Combining the two, presently, would price the vehicles out of the market.


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When THQ released UFC Undisputed 2009 a few years ago, MMA fans rejoiced. Fans finally had a videogame of their favourite sport. Following a successful return in 2010, THQ took a year-long break from the series, and this past February, came back with the award-winning UFC Undisputed 3 which was hailed for its simpler controls and approachable experience for gamers new to the developing franchise.
However, things are about to change.
During the EA Press Conference earlier today, EA revealed that they have picked up the official UFC License and will take over the series from here on out. This means that the Undisputed and EA Sports MMA series are now dead and buried. Part of EA's agreement will allow them to have EA sponsoring in the videogames, much like FIFA and MADDEN have done in recent years.
This is a big move from EA, and fans of UFC videogames will have mixed feelings. No doubt many will be very upset, especially after the huge success THQ had with their latest and what would turn out to be their last entry in the UFC series, with the official license anyway. This could turn out to be a great move for EA, but it could also become a nightmare, especially if the games made by EA don't match up to the successes of THQ.


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The deal is meant to raise the suburb's profile as a premier industrial hub to help lure companies clamoring for warehouse and data center space.
Don Erickson, Frank Lloyd Wright protege and designer of modern homes, built this house on 10 acres. A buyer rehabbed it for a reported $5 million. It's for sale for a little less than $1 million.
It's been nearly that long since a home there sold for $2 million or more, as well. From 2005 through 2011, there was at least one $2 million sale a year, but since then, nothing. Until now.
The simple fact is that tariffs are nothing more than a tax levied on American families, consumers and job creators, including car dealers in suburban Chicago.
"We wanted to provide affordable housing," said the investor who bought distressed homes and filled them with tenants. Asking price: about $13.1 million for the portfolio.
A trust in the name of Charlie Mills, the fourth generation to head the family firm, paid more than $4.1 million for the home, on six-tenths of an acre.
Chicago has spawned plenty of innovation in the life sciences space—but the startups born of local R&D rarely stay in town. Here's why.
The doctor who wants to sell the Downers Grove home plans to put the proceeds toward building schools in India.
We found 31 towns where three important indicators have improved this year. It's a sign that the real estate recovery is vigorously spreading from the near north and near west suburbs.
A self-styled millionaire and music producer showed interest in buying North Shore homes. But was his real goal to squat until he was evicted?
Mayor Emanuel also announced the city is maintaining its leading role in foreign direct investment.
A retired engineer designed and built this Elmhurst home, which has a great room lined with beams salvaged from a 19th-century Wisconsin barn.
The massive distribution facility sold amid a booming Chicago-area industrial market, fueled by the strong economy and rise of e-commerce.
The vacancy rate was down or flat for the third straight quarter, but demand for space is still sluggish.
When Trump signed the tax bill in December, it was clear some of America's highest-earning college presidents would get whacked. Now it's clearer who that might be—including one from Illinois.
The long-vacant and extensively restored Evanston home went for more than $1 million less than its rehabbers' original asking price.
The candymaker is lining up a deal to move its headquarters from Oakbrook Terrace to a new office tower in the West Loop.
With a more conservative majority set to take control of the U.S. Supreme Court, it's time to look forward and consider how it may ultimately resolve Illinois' long-running fiscal crisis.
The fast-food chain, which recently moved its headquarters to the West Loop, is selling an office building near Oakbrook Center mall to Hines, which plans a multitower mixed-use project on the site.
Crescent Real Estate has hired a broker to sell 415 Premier, a 221-unit apartment building on the Evanston-Chicago border that it bought less than two years ago.
It's the first sale of a home in Lake Forest at $10 million or more since 2007.
David Nelms, head of the Riverwoods-based firm, and his wife sold the five-bedroom home for a little more than $1.77 million. They paid $2.34 million for it 20 years ago.
If it sells near its asking price, the century-old estate will be only the fifth residence in the North Shore town to sell for $10 million or more, and only the second since 2007.
The couple who two years ago bought the 1960s glass jewel box in Olympia Fields, designed by Harry "Deever" Rockwell and a visual peer to Mies' Farnsworth House, are putting it on the market.
In the first half of the year, sales of homes priced at $1 million or more were up 10 percent. But on average the prices of luxury homes are down.


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by Jim Rickards, Daily Reckoning:
The news last week was dominated by breathless headlines about the new trade war between the U.S. and China. But this trade war has been brewing for years and came as no surprise to readers of my newsletter, Project Prophesy. In fact, the new trade war is simply a continuation of the currency wars that began in 2010.
I’ve warned for over a year that President Trump’s threats of tariffs should be taken seriously, while most of Wall Street discounted Trump’s talk as mere bluster. Now the trade wars are here as we expected, and they will get much worse before they are resolved.
The most powerful analytic frame today for understanding political and macroeconomic developments is the sequence from currency wars to trade wars and then ultimately shooting wars.
Currency wars arise in a condition of too much debt and too little growth. Economic powers try to steal growth from their trading partners by devaluing their currencies to promote exports and import inflation.
This can work in the short run, but the benefits are strictly temporary because trading partners retaliate by devaluing their own currencies. The tit-for-tat devaluations leave everyone worse off because of the uncertainty and transaction costs imposed.
Once it becomes clear that currency wars are a failure, nations resort to trade wars. These begin with tariffs imposed by one nation on another to protect domestic industry and reduce trade deficits. As with currency wars, the problem is retaliation. Victims of tariffs impose their own tariffs and the world is worse off.
We’ve seen this pattern before in the 1920s and 1930s. It began with currency wars (1921–-1936), then trade wars (1930–-1939) and finally a shooting war in the Second World War that began in Asia in 1936, spread to Europe in 1939 and subsumed the U.S. in 1941.
The present currency war began in 2010. The new trade war began in 2018. Let’s hope a new shooting war or even a third world war does not follow in sequence.
Trump is like a five-star general in the currency and trade wars. It’s important to understand his weapons and tactics. Trump likes to threaten to get results but often does not follow through on his threats.
Recently he threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the World Trade Organization (WTO), the primary multilateral body for settling trade disputes and a successor to one of the original Bretton Woods institutions (along with the IMF and World Bank) established in 1944.
But Trump’s threat to withdraw from the WTO will not be carried out. It’s in the bluff category, strictly for show.
The fact is Trump is turning trade policy upside down without withdrawing from WTO by using other tools at his disposal.
There has always been an exemption from the application of WTO rules where national security is involved. It’s just that past presidents have never used the authority because they are globalists (Republicans and Democrats).
Trump’s method is to weaponize national security considerations in the context of trade disputes. The U.S. has always had ways to stop trade flows and restrict direct foreign investment based on national security considerations.
Trump’s three main “weapons,” mostly unknown to everyday Americans, are IEEPA, CFIUS and Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
IEEPA stands for the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Enacted in 1977, it allows the President to regulate commerce after declaring a national emergency. He can declare this emergency “to deal with any unusual and extraordinary threat, which has its source in whole or substantial part outside the United States, to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.”
CFIUS stands for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. It began under President Ford in 1975. CFIUS gives the Executive Branch power to monitor the impact of foreign investment in the United States, and determine if it jeopardizes national security. It can block acquisitions of U.S. firms by Chinese companies, for example.
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 is the “nuclear option” when it comes to trade wars. I don’t want to get too deeply in the weeds here, but Section 301 gives the president broad authority to impose sanctions and penalties. It gives the president a free hand to impose billions of dollars of damages if not more on China.
So Trump has the best of both worlds. He can threaten the WTO, but doesn’t actually have to withdraw because he can get everything he wants anyway using IEEPA, CFIUS and Section 301. The globalists are freaking out but can’t stop him.


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SpongeBob and his friends come together in an exciting space adventure.
The mysterious fortune-teller Cassandra gives SpongeBob and Patrick a bottle of magical soap bubbles… What could go wrong? They make too many wishes, and what seemed like harmless fun turns into a cosmic disaster! The universe itself could begin to burst at the seams, opening portals to the Worlds of Dreams.
With many of SpongeBob’s friends sucked into these strange places, your favorite hero must dress up in all sorts of space suits and travel to the Dream World to get his friends back and save Bikini Bottom. But be careful, Cassandra may not be the helping hand she claims to be…
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Cosmic Shake will be released on PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo Switch on January 31st. Pre-orders are already open.


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News and research before you hear about it on CNBC and others. Claim your 1-week free trial to StreetInsider Premium here.
Hex, a new project that will be launching on December 3rd, 2019, is the first high interest savings account launched on the Blockchain. Hex was created out of a need for a platform with trustless interest, and the main goal of the new project is to change the way its users think about investing, saving, and currency in general.
Since the project relies on trustless interest, its users can exchange currency directly with one another instead of depending on a company or bank to mediate the transaction. This means that transactions using this platform are completed more swiftly, have no hidden fees, and have stronger protections against incidents of fraud or corruption. After Hex launches and generates a large user base, the new project has the potential to completely eradicate middlemen payment companies such as PayPal and Venmo, as well as impact credit card companies like Visa and MasterCard.
Blockchain, cryptocurrency, and internet marketing expert, Richard Heart, excitedly anticipates the launch of Hex, his new project. As an entrepreneur who has developed various, highly successful internet startups, Heart identified a need for a service, and worked quickly to develop a platform that met those needs. What makes Hex unique and wholly different from Bitcoin is the fact that the new service uses an Ethereum-based token, not Bitcoin. The “Hex” brand refers to its open source, trustless, store of value, censorship resistant, permissionless, and immutable nature—six of the main characteristics of the project.
Bitcoin has already proved how useful cryptocurrencies can be with respect to investing. The currency is treated more as an investing tool than an actually currency only 10 years after its development. Despite how revolutionary and successful Bitcoin has been, the platform itself doesn’t have a way for its users to earn…


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Google has officially announced the sequel to last year’s Pixel smartphone.
Like the previous iteration, the Google Pixel 2 comes in two sizes. One sports a 5″ OLED display, while the 6″ version features a pOLED (plastic OLED) screen. The devices feature IP67 water and dust resistance, and can be charged for seven hours of use in just 15 minutes.
But despite Google’s growing focus on hardware with the company’s recent acquisition of a small chunk of HTC, it’s the software that is the real emphasis with the Pixel 2. Computational photography capabilities enable to device accurately blur backgrounds on detailed portrait photos, and smooth out shakes in video taken on the move. A smarter Google Assistant – activated just by squeezing the device at its edges, can control smart home devices, answer questions, play music, and so on.
And then there’s Google Lens, Google’s big new machine vision system. In short, it’s designed to identify what the camera sees, from a Miles Davis record to the Eiffel Tower; it can even take the contact information from a business card and add it into a user’s list of contacts.
This appears to reflect a growing emphasis on sophisticated software among the top prestige smartphone makers – perhaps because in some ways the hardware doesn’t have much further to go – with Samsung also having recently announced some significant investments into artificial intelligence research, and increasingly promoting its new Bixby AI assistant. Hardware is still important in the smartphone race, of course; the pixel 2’s single-camera photography system may be able to mimic depth of field, while the new iPhones‘ dual camera systems actually produce it. But with Google catching up with – and in some ways surpassing – its smartphone rivals on the software front, it’s making a pretty compelling case for its phones despite its relatively recent entry into the mobile field.
Source: The Keyword


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A relatively new brand with deep roots in the coffee sustainability movement called Cocomiel (styled as “CocoMiel”) has announced its United States nationwide launch, offering single-origin, traceable Guatemalan green coffee alongside unfiltered honey.
Cocomiel is one of the numerous progressive undertakings in the career of Bill Fishbein, an original founder of Rhode Island’s Coffee Exchange, co-founder of the pioneering nonprofit Coffee Kids and later founder and current director of The Coffee Trust, a New Mexico and Guatemala-based nonprofit that helps improve agricultural practices and incomes among indigenous farmers.
Fishbein described Cocomiel as like a revenue-generating sister organization to The Coffee Trust, though with the critical distinction that the producers who supply raw materials are also earning revenue generated through its sales in the United States.
“In addition to providing revenue for Coffee Trust projects and added income for the producers, Cocomiel shares its gross profits equally and directly with the producers,” Fishbein recently told DCN. “Right now, that means gross profits earned by Cocomiel selling green coffee to roasters.”
The two products included in the Cocomiel nationwide launch both come from the indigenous Maya Community of San Gaspar, Chajul, in Guatemala’s Western Highlands.
The green coffees are grown by smallholder farmers from the fair trade, organic coffee association Asociación Chajulense. The importer describes the coffees of having notes of lemon, peach, vanilla and honey, with a dark chocolate finish. Unfiltered honey for the venture comes from the fair trade, organic honey cooperative CopiChajulense.
Within 2021, Cocomiel plans to build a supply line among indigenous producers for the import of textiles and cacao, with the continued profit-sharing model.
For coffee and other products, the group hopes to expand the profit equity to the retail level, all the way down to coffee drinks and chocolate bars.
“That will be challenging,” Fishbein said. “But, as Willy Sutton, one of the greatest bank robbers in the 20th century, said when asked why he robbed banks: ‘That’s where the money is.’ Cocomiel’s strategy is pointed toward the retail trade, because that’s where the money is.”
Cocomiel’s honey and green coffee beans are available for purchase to wholesale customers through the Cocomiel website. Honey is available in 3-ounce jars and 12-ounce jars, with wholesale prices ranging from $2.75 to $7.00 per jar, depending on quantities. Green coffee beans range from $3.30 to $3.50 per pound for full 152-pound bags, and from $4.00 to $8.00 per pound for partial bags, according to the company.
“It’s no secret that coffee producers have been excluded from earning a share of the profits that others earn selling their coffee in more economically advanced countries,” Fishbein said in an announcement of the Cocomiel launch. “It’s time for coffee producers to benefit from their skills, their hard work, and their continuous commitment to produce some of the world’s finest coffee.”
Nick Brown is the editor of Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. Feedback and story ideas are welcome at publisher (at) dailycoffeenews.com, or see the “About Us” page for contact information.


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Uber’s latest controversies: Australia, France and Tampa
Uber, the ride-hailing company, continues to make news around the world.
— Outrage over $100 fares during a hostage crisis in Sydney prompts Uber to offer free rides.
— The government in France announces plans to ban the service starting Jan. 1.
— The Washington Post runs an in-depth piece on how Uber is mobilizing riders and hiring a vast lobbying network.
— And BuzzFeed takes a close look at Uber and Lyft’s “Bitter Battle for Tampa.”


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Apple spends a lot of time talking and thinking about China, and the company is also pushing hard to make inroads into India.
There’s a very simple reason why: Apple’s main business is selling iPhones, and the vast majority of smartphone growth over the next few years will come from the Asia-Pacific region. This Statista chart, using data from an Ericsson Mobility study, shows that 1.7 billion new smartphone users will be added in Asia-Pacific over the next five years. That’s more than the rest of the world combined.
As far as North America and Europe goes, the revolution is mostly done — nearly everybody who wants a smartphone already has one. So most sales there will simply be replacements.
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Honda will gradually resume auto, engine and transmission production in the U.S. and Canada beginning Monday, ending a suspension of production that started March 23.
All of the company’s employees will return to work next week, a company spokesman said.
Honda said it will stagger the start-up at each plant, with most plants using the first day back to work to ensure that front-line leaders are trained on new procedures related to COVID-19 prevention.
Employees will first tackle safety measures and re-train on work processes, the automaker said.
HISTORIC: Honda lays off Ohio workers for the first time
With about 14,000 employees statewide, Honda is one of the Dayton and Springfield area’s largest employers.
While some employees will continue to work from home, Honda emphasized that it will take certain safety measures, including scanning the temperature of all employees, suppliers, contractors and visitors.
No one with a temperature of 100 or higher will be permitted in a Honda facility.
Workers will also use masks and face coverings inside all buildings except when eating or drinking. Honda said plants and offices will provide one new mask per day for every employee.
Honda will also require associates to wear face shields in certain areas of the manufacturing plants as an added precaution.
Shift starts will be staggered, as will lunch and break times, to cut down on crowding.
RELATED: Honda production suspension creates painful ripple effect
“Each plant is adjusting processes and workstations to achieve social distancing on the production line to the extent possible,” Honda also said in its announcement.


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The increases were widespread, and sales were still up 0.7 percent even when gasoline is removed from the calculation, according to the Commerce Department data.
The report showed an American consumer still eating out, buying furniture and cars even amid the fastest inflation in more than four decades.
That poses a challenge for the Federal Reserve which has been hoping to see signs that its aggressive interest rate hikes were starting to take the economy off the boil, and tamp down high prices.
Total sales dipped 0.1 percent in May, but recovered with a vengeance last month.
Record gas prices at the pump in June were a major factor, boosting sales 3.6 percent, following an eye-watering 49.1 percent surge from June 2021, the report said.
Auto sales rose 0.9 percent in June, after a 3.4 percent drop in May, while furniture stores and restaurants saw sales rise one percent or more, while online sales gained 2.2 percent.
Clothing and building and gardening stores were among the few categories posting declines, the data showed.


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Owens' backtracking might have made a dent in her integrity.
Kanye West announced that he would be taking a step back from politics after realizing he was being used to propagate ideas that weren't his and that didn't represent his actual beliefs. Candance Owens' politically-fuelled fashion apparel was tied to this announcement as Ye's name was attached to her project against his desires. After issuing an apology to both Kanye West and the Trump administration for the misrepresented information, Candace reportedly claims that her relationship with the rapper is still positive and that her "Blexit" efforts have garnered great results.
Owens claims that the movement she is promoting with the apparel is growing strong, encouraging Black Americans to leave the Democratic Party. Apparently, the "Blexit" sales have been on the incline ever since the line was launched. Its creator claims that no refunds have been requested after Kanye West called her out publicly. She also says that thousands of emails have been pouring out to her in support of the cause.
Her words might be received with skepticism by some considering the apparent lies she told before this moment. The first one being that Kanye West had designed the "Blexit" logo followed by her claim that she had never said that he created the logo.


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The American drug regulator has revoked Ranbaxy Laboratories' tentative approval for selling copycat low-cost versions of blockbuster heartburn drug Nexium and antiviral drug Valcyte in the world's largest drug market.
USFDA said it had made an error in granting approval given the compliance status of the plants which were to produce the generic versions of the blockbuster drugs.
The move takes out a big revenue earning potential for the Indian drugmaker, which was also seen as a critical part of the proposed deal with Sun Pharma.
Sun Pharma had announced plans to acquire Daiichi Sankyo-controlled Ranbaxy in an all stock deal worth $4 billion, including debt. The proposed transaction awaits regulatory clearances.
Both, Sun Pharma and Ranbaxy scrips opened in the red but bounced back and were trading in the positive zone in mid-day trades.
Meanwhile, Dr Reddy's scrip shot up almost 5 per cent as it was granted joint approval along with US-based Endo for one of the above mention drugs Valcyte. Valcyte is an antiviral medicine made by Roche.
Valcyte has a market size of around $500 million in the US and can add $30-40 million to the sales of Dr Reddy's.
Ranbaxy held an approval for the two drugs even though all its four manufacturing units in India are currently barred from making products for sale in the US.
The delay in launching low cost versions of the medicines was also affecting US consumers as they were forced to buy the original innovator drug at a higher price.
Ranbaxy, which would have been the first company allowed to make a generic version of AstraZeneca's Nexium, said in a market disclosure, “We are disappointed by the ruling and were actively evaluating all available options to preserve its rights.”
Ranbaxy has been under the scanner of USFDA over various issues which had led the US drug regulator to ban import of products made at all its Indian plants.
Earlier this year USFDA had prohibited Ranbaxy from producing and selling active pharmaceutical ingredients for American markets from its Toansa facility in Punjab, citing manufacturing violations. With this, all Indian plants of the company had been banned from shipping products for sale in the US.
Previously, USFDA had banned Ranbaxy from selling products made at its factories in Paonta Sahib, (Himachal Pradesh), Dewas (Madhya Pradesh) and Mohali (Punjab) over irregularities.
Ranbaxy managed to launch a generic version of Novartis’ blood-pressure drug Diovan in June after a long delay by moving production to a US-based facility, which has not attracted scrutiny from USFDA, which helped it post its first quarterly profit in over a year for the three months ended September 30.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)