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- Category: Lawsuit News Alerts
Laxative Side Effects Lawsuit
FDA Warns of Fatal Laxative Side Effects Following Death Reports
Laxatives commonly used to treat constipation may result in fatal side effects, according to the Food and Drug Safety Administration. A public health alert posted by the U.S. health regulator on its website on January 2014 says that over-the-counter laxatives “are potentially dangerous if dosing instructions or warnings on the Drug Facts label are not properly followed or when there are certain coexisting health conditions.” There are reports of at least 13 deaths and dozens of severe side effects caused by the constipation drug overdose registered through the MedWatch adverse reporting system.
Laxatives are available in various forms, each containing different ingredients. The most reported of these constipation medications to the FDA for fatal side effects include saline laxatives that contain sodium phosphate and are available in enema form or as generic phospho-soda. Other types of laxatives available with glycerin suppositories, mineral oil, soluble psyllium fiber, and plant fiber methylcellulose also pose health risks, which are considered to be of a lower level.
According to the FDA, sodium phosphate laxatives sold under "Fleet" brand name or as generic products or store brands have been reported for causing fatalities and serious side effects. Consumers have experienced severe dehydration following use of these constipation medications. There have also been reports of electrolyte anomalies leading to potential kidney damage and other fatal consequences.
Fleet withdrew its oral non-prescription laxatives containing higher doses in 2008 after the FDA issued warnings citing potential side effects. However, the company continued with the enemas claiming it as safe product.
Laxative Side Effects for Adult, Children, Preexisting Health Conditions
The FDA wants consumers to pay attention to drug label instructions mentioned on the over-the-counter laxatives prior to using them to overcome constipation. For example, a sodium phosphate laxative, as mentioned on its label, must be limited to a dose per day and should not be used continuously for more than three days at a stretch. “Equally important, consumers who do not have a bowel movement after taking an oral or rectal dose should not take another dose of the product,” the FDA warning reads.
New regulatory instructions on Laxatives advise that adults above 55 and children should avoid using the constipation medication unless prescribed by health care professionals, as they are at an increased risk of side effects. Those already facing dehydration may face fatal consequences as laxatives draw water from various body parts increasing the dehydration level. The onset of dry mouth and light headedness along with thirst are common symptoms when laxative side effects cause acute dehydration.
The federal regulator has cautioned that people with the following preexisting conditions are at a greater risk of harmful laxative side effects.
Drowsiness and renal disorder
Leg and feet swelling
Delayed bowel emptying
High blood pressure
Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Treated with diuretics or fluid medicines
Having colon inflammation
- Category: Lawsuit News Alerts
Hip Replacement Recall Lawsuit Settlement
Hip Implant Lawsuit: Johnson & Johnson Reportedly Offers $4 Billion Payment
On November 13, a report on Bloomberg claimed that Johnson & Johnson has struck a deal of $4 billion to settle thousands of DePuy hip implant lawsuits. It roughly translates into about $350,000 payment per litigant. Though there is no official word from the company or its subsidiary DePuy Orthopaedics, settlement details are likely to be announced next week, according to two lawyers privy to the settlement.
The settlement, according to sources, will cover 7,000 to 8,000 litigants who had to undergo revision or replacement surgeries following the failure of DePuy ASR hip implants. The tentative deal is expected to leave those litigants who are yet to replace the DePuy systems despite suffering from adverse effects. Johnson & Johnson faces over 12,000 hip implant lawsuits filed over ASR and Pinnacle brand hip replacement devices. This is going to create space for future litigations and the manufacturer will be forced to pay those removing DePuy’s implanted hip devices.
Though each litigant, on an average, is expected to be awarded $350,000, the final settled amount may vary depending on medical condition of plaintiffs. The foremost contention put forward by clients is that the design defects in these hip implants allow friction between the metal parts that corrode the implant causing it to fail prematurely and release metal debris into blood, putting users at the risk of metal poisoning and tissue death.
DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuits: Background
DePuy Orthopaedics, owned by Johnson & Johnson, faces over 12,000 hip implant lawsuits following failures and subsequent recall of its ASR and Pinnacle hip replacement systems. The Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip replacement system was introduced in 2001. In 2005, DePuy came up with ASR hip implants and the FDA allowed it “fast track” approval under the 510k process without trial following claims of similarity with Pinnacle hip implants.
DePuy issued a global recall of 93,000 ASR implants in August 2010 following numerous complaints to the FDA. Between 2006 and 2009, more than 600 failure and adverse event complaints were registered on MedWatch reporting system. Patients implanted with ASR and Pinnacle systems experienced early failure, metal toxicity, loss of sensory and cognitive capabilities, pain, immobility, long-term osteolysis, inflammation due to design defects and underwent revision surgeries leading to financial and health problems. One in every eight that had ASR hip systems implanted, according to experts, experienced device failure within a year of the surgery. Similarly, there were over 1,000 Pinnacle hip implant complaints on the MedWatch program.
DePuy Hip Implant Lawsuit Update
About 7,800 DePuy ASR hip lawsuits have been filed in various U.S. courts while 4,200 DePuy Pinnacle hip lawsuits are pending for trial. In October 2013, Johnson & Johnson settled two DePuy hip implant lawsuits just days before their set trial schedule. The first one filed in a San Francisco Superior Court was set for a late October hearing while the second one was awaiting trial in a New Jersey state court.
In March 2013, the first state trial of DePuy hip implant lawsuit led to a plaintiff from California being awarded $8.3 million in damages. The federal trial of DePuy hip implant lawsuit consolidated at an Ohio court is expected to begin in January 2014. There are reports that a Johnson & Johnson offer of $200,000 in damages were rejected by plaintiffs and that the company is considering to offer about $300,000 per lawsuit to settle.
Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuit: Settlement Amount To Exceed $1 Billion
Stryker Corporation also expects to dole out around $1 billion to settle thousands of hip implant lawsuits filed in the United States seeking product liability following recalls of its Rejuvenate and ABG II systems. According to the latest estimates disclosed by the Michigan-based medical technologies firm in its third quarter earning and the October financial report, the final settlement of hip replacement system lawsuits may lead to compensation payments between $700 million and $1.13 billion. The latest figures are almost double of $400 to $660 million estimates made by the company in July 2013. The expected settlement is likely to exceed the previous record of $1 billion compensation paid by Sulzer in 2001 for its defective hip implants.
Stryker Hip Implant Lawsuit: Background
- Category: Lawsuit News Alerts
Linkedin Lawsuit Over Email Privacy
LinkedIn Privacy Violation Lawsuit
Four LinkedIn users have initiated a privacy violation lawsuit claiming that the business professional networking website accessed their email accounts illegally to mine out contact details and send spam mails. The LinkedIn lawsuit filed in a San Jose federal court on September 17 alleges that Linkedln downloaded addresses from user email accounts without their express consent and sent "endorsement emails" to their friends mentioning the name and likeness of users.
First of such explosive claims against the 238-million user business social network, the LinkedIn lawsuit accuses the website of “breaking into” Gmail, Yahoo, and other user e-mail accounts without permission and sending endorsement emails from them, pretending to be the real user. Such practice of “hacking,” according to the complaint, is motivated by marketing practices to gain commercial benefits and extend its reach.
Spread over 46 pages, the detailed complaint highlights several instances where users made complaints to LinkedIn against sending unqualified and illegal endorsement messages to email accounts of clients, friends, spouses, forgotten girlfriends or boyfriends, business partners and even opposing counsels without their consent. The plaintiffs have also alleged that the social networking site’s Terms of Services did not have satisfactory details indicating such data-gathering and LinkedIn "provides no functional way to stop multiple subsequent advertising emails from being sent."
- Category: Recall Lawsuit
Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Replacement Implant Recall Lawsuit
Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant Lawsuits
On January 25, a Stryker Rejuvenate class action lawsuit was filed in a south Florida federal court seeking free treatment and medical monitoring for people implanted with the recalled metal hip replacement devices. Michigan-based Stryker Orthopedics recalled its metal Rejuvenate Modular hip implants in June 2012 following widespread reports of metal poisoning, local tissue reactions, pain, premature device failure, and early modular-neck junction corrosion attributed to its design defects. The FDA received as many as 60 complaints on the hip implant failure, metallosis, infection, and bone necrosis in the four months preceding the recall.
An estimate released by Stryker Orthopedics in January 2013 puts the total costs the manufacture has to pay for personal injury lawsuits filed following the hip system recall at $390 million. The number of Stryker Rejuvenate hip lawsuits is expected to rise in the months ahead as more patients are coming forward seeking compensation for injury, pain, side effects, suffering caused by the device and reimbursement for medical and implant costs. In January 2013, the Supreme Court of New Jersey ordered for consolidated proceeding of all Stryker hip product liabilities filed in the state courts.
Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant: The System and Drawbacks
Stryker Rejuvenate hip implants were introduced in the United States in February 2010 following authorization through the FDA’s controversial 510(k) approval process. The procedure, which is being subject to strong criticism, permits introduction of new drugs or medical devices “substantially equivalent” to similar products already approved by the FDA for marketing and consumer use. Stryker introduced the Rejuvenate hip implants claiming that the system was similar to Profemur hip implants produced by Wright Medical Technology in design and offered superior intraoperative efficiency and flexibility.
The Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant system consists of the following three components
- A chromium-cobalt stem
- A non-metallic ball
- A titanium neck
The design of Stryker Rejuvenate hip implant system has been found defective and causes rubbing of metal components of the system against each other that discharges metal particles into the blood stream, putting users at the increased risk of metal poisoning. Many patients using these metal artificial hips have been diagnosed with high blood chromium and blood cobalt levels. Continuous and unusual fretting disables the metal parts early, and the devices last less than a quarter of the 15-year life span claimed by the manufacturer. Metal particles released from the artificial hip implants also cause infection, bone necrosis, and scar tissue and pseudotumor formation in and around the hip area.
The Wring Profemur hip implants with which Stryker Rejuvenate systems share design similarity have been subject to many lawsuits for their early failure, loosening of implants, consistent hip pain, and problem in walking or standing.
Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant: Major Side Effects
- Metallosis and toxicity
- Thyroid disorders
- Cardiovascular problems
- Hip area inflammation
- Metal poisoning leading to nervous system, gastrointestinal, cognitive disorders, vision and hearing problems, skin rashes, myocardiopathy, hypothyroidism, and death
- Sharp rise in cobalt and chromium ions in blood
- Peripheral soft tissue damage
- Nerve palsy and other side effects impacting normal nervous system functioning
- Device dislocation and chronic pain
- Premature device failure leading to secondary or revision surgery
- Bone necrosis and fractures
Stryker Rejuvenate Hip Implant Warnings
More than 17,000 complaints have been made through the FDA adverse reporting system, highlighting side effects and failure of metal hip implants in the last one decade. In May 2011, the FDA asked all metal artificial hip implant manufacturers, including Stryker, to conduct comprehensive safety assessment of its products fully reflecting safety concerns of consumers raised through complaints to the regulator.
- Category: Side Effects Lawsuit
Acetaminophen Tylenol Side Effects Lawsuit Attorney
According to a study done by Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, long-term use of painkiller acetaminophen puts users at risk of developing blood cancers. The survey based on a six-year study of 65,000 people above 50 years found that several of chronic acetaminophen users developed blood cancer after taking the drug over a long period of time. Those who took acetaminophen four times or more in a week for four years became twice prone to developing blood malignancies than those who did not use the Tylenol drug.
Acetaminophen, popularly known as Tylenol, is the most commonly used pain killer and anti-inflammatory over-the-counter and prescription drug. It is a component of more than 100 medicines. An overdose of the drug is linked to several health concerns, including liver failure. In recent years, the FDA has issued warnings to drug manufacturers in the United States to use the lowest possible doses of acetaminophen in their products. The federal regulator is concerned over the incidence of its use for variety of medications.
In 2009, the FDA added nonprescription and prescription requirements to provide information regarding hepatotoxicity caused by acetaminophen . It even held a meeting in June 2009 on addressing the problem of liver injury linked to the use of acetaminophen. It is considering the possibility of removing the drug from popular analgesic combination products or lowering its doses. Recently, the drug


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Docklands inventor seeks crowd-source funding for portable lock
PUBLISHED: 07:00 11 July 2014 | UPDATED: 11:30 11 July 2014
A new portable lock to keep people safe when they are on the move has been invented by a local entrepreneur, who is looking to crowd-source funding for his business.
Bob Fitzjohn, 66, from the Docklands, hopes TheEasyLock will empower people when they travel or who want extra protection for their goods.
This week he launched a funding appeal on the crowd-sourcing website Indiegogo to help get the project off the ground.
The new lock can be used from the inside of a door, which Bob says makes it especially useful for young women when travelling abroad.
“A lot of hotels have key cards but many have the standard locks,” he said. “Even with cards, there’s a way thieves can over-ride those locks.
“If you live in rented accommodation, the residents who lived there before may still have a key.”
Bob says the inspiration for the mobile lock hit him while on a plane.
“I was on a flight and I started doing some drawings,” he said. “I have to admit that my first one or two ideas were failures.
“But now I have got the idea that I think is really strong. I’d like to get it on sale at a reasonable price for people who need it.”
For more information visit the-easy-lock.com.
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the East London Advertiser. Click the link in the orange box above for details.

domain: news


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Law provides free credit scores, but not yet
Want one of those free credit reports you've
heard about? Well, you'll have to wait.
The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act, signed into law
on Dec. 4, 2003, gives every American the right to a free credit
report every year from each of the three major credit bureaus --
Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
But most major provisions in the sprawling new law, which carves
national credit reporting standards into stone and beefs up consumer
protections against identity theft, won't take effect for quite
And that includes those much sought-after freebie credit reports.
Under the law, the Federal Trade Commission has six months to write
the regulations for distributing free credit reports and credit
bureaus have another six months to comply with the new rules.
If all goes well, by the end of 2004, you'll be able to get those
free credit reports.
Until then, unless you live in the handful of states that offer
free credit reports, you'll need to pay as much as $9 to take a
gander at your credit record.
For more on credit reports and a chart listing states that offer
free credit reports, check out this
article from Bankrate.com.
There's a lot more to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions
Act than free credit
reports. Regulators have proposed an effective date of Dec.
1, 2004, for several sections of the new law. The actual effective
dates for these sections must be finalized by Feb. 4, 2004.
Here's a quick summary of other key provisions and consumer protections
in the new law.
Uniform credit standards
In 1996, Congress set uniform national standards on credit
reporting. These standards set clear rules on what credit agencies
could include in consumer credit reports. The new law made these
To help ward off identity theft, retailers must hide credit card
and debit card information on customer receipts. Only the last five
digits of a card number will be listed.
As of Jan. 1, 2005, all new cash registers and point-of-sale terminals
must print these safeguarded receipts. Merchants have until Dec.
4, 2006, to phase out any existing registers or terminals that print
full account numbers on receipts.


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Belgrade might still need a lot to catch up with Milan, London or NYC when it comes to high fashion, but did you know that Serbian capital is quickly becoming leading international fashion player?
For the launch of her new fall-winter 2020/21 collection symbolically called “O2xygen”, Serbian most famous haute couture fashion designer Verica Rakočević, in accordance with the limitations of current moment and circumstances.
The very first hybrid runway show in the Balkans took place out on the open, in the beautiful gardens of the Metropol Palace 5* Hotel. The show was inspired by and dedicated to medical staff throughout the world who are fighting Covid-19 and for the occasion three nurses were invited to walk the runway for the Grand Opening of the event as guest of honor – modern heroines and true role models of today.
Due to strict epidemiological measures only around fifty VIP guests and journalists were able to attend the event onsite, while over 3 000 invitees watched the live stream through the screens of their smartphones. According to Rakocevic, something like this has happened for the first time in the Balkans.
DHC Vekol envisioned, designed and executed the event from scratch. With the hybrid project O2xygen –never before seen in fashion industry – we aimed to pay the tribute to the medical workers from all over the world who are quite literally fighting for oxygen, that is, fighting pandemics. All necessary permissions were beforehand acquired from the highest city authorities and promotional campaign lasted for three weeks in domestic and foreign media.
Hybrid project O2xygen – never before seen in fashion industry – aimed to pay the tribute to the medical workers fighting pandemics. Over 3 000 invitees watched the live broadcast of the fashion show
Verica Rakočević is the Big Mama of high fashion and an iconic celebrity in Serbia. For western audiences Verica is a proven veteran – she staged fashion shows in Paris, Moscow, Monte Carlo, Dubai, Cuba & LA and styled countless red carpets and editorials. Dressed Kate Middleton and Melania Trump among other A-listers and celebrities. Named “Fashion Designer To Know About” for 2017 by Vogue Italy.


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Zekelman Industries Inc. of Chicago, which filed for an initial public offering earlier in September, has postponed its debut on capital markets.
Zekelman had planned to go public to expand its market share and pay down debt, but the filing had come at a time of great uncertainty about steel tariffs and trade wars.
The steel pipe and tube maker US:ZEK, which traces its origins to the 19th century and was named JMC Steel Group until 2016, had planned to sell 41.75 million shares at $17 to $19 apiece to raise about $752 million at the midpoint, according to an amended filing.
Zekelman had planned to trade its stock both on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ZEK. Goldman Sachs and BofA Merrill Lynch were scheduled to be joint lead bookrunners. The company planned to offer class A and Class B shares with different voting rights.
It was not clear when Zekelman would thaw its IPO, but here are five things to know about the company, according to its prospectus:
Company traces origins to the 19th century
Zekelman traces its origins to a Philadelphia company founded in 1877 and bills itself as the largest independent steel pipe and tube manufacturer in North America. Structural tubing and electrical conduit are among its best sellers, and most of its products are used in infrastructure and nonresidential construction projects, according to its prospectus.
Zekelman’s products are made in 13 plants spread across the U.S. and Canada under brands that include Atlas, Wheatland, Sharon Tube, and Western Tube & Conduit. Atlas is the largest business, founded by the Zekelman family in 1984.
The industrial steel pipe and tubing industry is fragmented, but major competitors include Nucor Corp.
Zekelman brands use a host of raw materials, the most significant being hot-rolled coil steel, which Zekelman gets mostly from North American producers. Prices for hot-rolled coil have increased in recent years, and are key for the company’s financial health.
It has been on a buying spree
Zekelman has been on a bit of a buying spree, completing six acquisitions in 12 years, the most recent being Western Tube and the operating assets (and some liabilities) of American Tube Manufacturing, Inc. in February of last year.
“Our acquisitions have enabled us to scale our business by offering a more comprehensive range of industrial steel pipe and tube products and broadened our geographic footprint,” the company said in its prospectus.
The deals “also substantially increased our manufacturing scale and consolidated our raw material consumption, which has allowed us to obtain more favorable terms with suppliers,” it said.
“We intend to continue to expand our leading market positions and scale through a variety of growth initiatives, and to respond to and capitalize on strong demand for our products,” the company said in the filing.
It’s profitable, but debt looms large
That buying spree has meant taking on more debt, and the company says it will pay some off with the proceeds of the IPO.
The company earned $100 million in the fiscal third quarter, compared with $48 million in the year-ago period. Net income rose to $161 million last year from $68 million in 2016.
Net sales rose 39% to $783 million in the quarter, from $564 million in the year-ago period, due to a 23% increase in the average selling price of the company’s products and a 12% increase in tons sold, the company said.
Total debt stood at $1.3 billion as of end June, excluding about $10 million in letters of credit, and total liabilities totaled around $1.8 billion.
It’s in the thick of tariff and trade-war worries
Imported products competing with Zekelman’s have to be shipped over long distances, at high costs via ocean freight, and at risk of damage, which leads Zekelman to believe that its U.S.-made standard pipe and energy tubular products, which face the most competition from imports, “will remain competitive with imported products,” the company said in the prospectus.
“More specifically, while we face competition from foreign manufacturers, we believe that recent developments, particularly the implementation of trade sanctions against unfairly traded steel” will “meaningfully” give Zekelman’s products an edge.
The company’s structural tubing and electrical conduit markets face less competition from imports, it said.
The recently enacted steel and aluminum tariffs have pushed hot-rolled coil prices higher. HRC prices rose to $651 per ton on January 1, from $386/ton on January 1, 2016. Since then, prices have increased to $917/ton as of June 30. Zekelman passes HRC price increases on to customers, as it sells its products on a spot basis. That has allowed the company to limit its exposure to rising prices.
Risks include a global slowdown, increased competition, a flood of cheaper imports, and, since most of Zekelman’s products are manufactured from steel, a Goldilocks scenario for steel prices: a drop in steel prices cuts down on gross profit as prices of Zekelman’s products also decline; if steel prices rise too much, the company could find itself unable to pass along cost increases to customers.
Perhaps the biggest risk of all, however, is “unintended consequences” from trade wars, tariffs, and trade quotas, Zekelman said.
“There is no assurance that the ongoing implementation of trade sanctions against unfairly traded steel in connection with Section 232 or other duties on imports of certain steel products will be continued in the future or that they will not have unintended consequences,” the company said in the filing.
“If these sanctions and other duties are delayed, reduced or rescinded, or significant exemptions are granted, imports of steel products may continue to increase or remain at high levels and continue to create competitive and pricing challenges for our business,” it said.
There’s potential for retaliation from the countries affected by the tariffs and future trade actions, it said. Moreover, “there is uncertainty about certain bilateral or multilateral trade agreements and treaties upon which we rely,” particularly Nafta, it said.
“Despite recent negotiations, it remains unclear whether significant changes will be made to Nafta, it will be replaced or even terminated. If Nafta is revised or replaced in a manner that restricts trade between the United States and Canada, or is terminated entirely, our business could be adversely affected,” it said.
It would remain under the Zekelman family’s thumb
Then there are risks related to the share structure that the company envisions, which will concentrate voting control with the members of the Zekelman family. A Class B stock has 10 votes per share, while a Class A stock has one vote per share.
Entities controlled by members of the Zekelman family, including Chief Executive Barry Zekelman and directors Alan Zekelman and Clayton Zekelman, will hold about 97% of the voting power after the IPO, the prospectus says. In addition, family members will have director-nomination rights.
“Therefore, members of the Zekelman family will have significant influence over our management and affairs and over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including election of directors and significant corporate transactions, for the foreseeable future,” the company said.
In case you missed it:IPO boom has opened the window for some scary companies


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“Greening” the fulfillment process through sustainable packaging and shipping initiatives is the next step in corporate sustainability. There are six trends shaping the landscape today.
BCE has seen increasing evidence across sectors that consumer are seeking out products with credible and meaningful stories to tell around sustainability. Sustainability in corporate decision-making will continue to increase in 2021. So what does “sustainability” mean today, and how should companies be thinking about the role of sustainability in their business going forward?


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Feminism | Posted by Sophie Kreitzberg on 07/27/2016
SHE-E-O: THINX Founder & CEO Miki Agrawal On Feminism, Entrepreneurship, & The Future
You may have seen or heard about the subway ads for the period panties THINX, featuring a super-yonic-looking grapefruit — or maybe you just followed the ridiculous controversy about those ads. Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to try the revolutionary underwear that keeps you leak-free and worry-free while you’re on your period. Either way, it’s clear the period revolution is here, and a woman is leading it. Her name is Miki Agrawal, and she’s the badass She-E-O and co-founder of the aforementioned company that’s disrupting the $15 billion feminine hygiene industry: THINX.
After Miki Agrawal graduated from Cornell, she went into the finance industry and worked for Deutsche Bank. On the morning of September 11, 2001, she slept through her alarm and didn’t make …
Feminism | Posted by Julie Z on 06/30/2012
Saturday Vids: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon on Women Entrepreneurs
Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
“Gayle Tzemach Lemmon never set out to write about women entrepreneurs. She was simply looking for a great—and underreported—economics story after leaving ABC News for MBA study at Harvard to pursue her interest in economic development.
What she found was women entrepreneurs in some of the toughest business environments creating jobs against daunting obstacles. Since then her writing on entrepreneurship has appeared in publications including the International Herald Tribune and Financial Times along with the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation.
While working in finance at the global investment firm PIMCO, Lemmon went on to write a book about a young Afghan teacher-turned-entrepreneur whose dressmaking business supported women around her neighborhood under the Taliban. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana became a New York Times bestseller and …
Feminism | Posted by April D on 04/18/2012
Women as $ocially Aware Entrepreneurs
Karen Peetz: the most powerful woman in banking
There are a couple of recent studies that may not be causal factors of one another, but their relationship is hard to ignore: women are more satisfied than men with the success of businesses that they start, and women tend to start businesses for social and environmental change, rather than money being the ultimate goal.
91% of women who owned small businesses felt their ventures were currently successful, as opposed to 80% of men – despite women being less confident about the state of the American economy. Business is all about enriching the flow of economy, and exchanging goods, services, and capital – but it’s undeniable that our physical world and its people are suffering. Being an entrepreneur doesn’t have to mean …


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Every day, Wall Street analysts upgrade some stocks, downgrade others, and "initiate coverage" on a few more. But do these analysts even know what they're talking about? Today, we're taking one high-profile Wall Street pick and putting it under the microscope...
Computer peripherals maker Logitech (LOGI 0.72%) -- long a favorite among PC users for its high-quality and low-priced keyboards, computer mice, webcams, and similar wares -- had a great Q2 this year. (In fact, it's had a pretty great last five years, with its stock up 500%.) But could it be time for shareholders to cash in their chips and sell the stock?
One analyst thinks so. Yesterday, Maxim Group announced it was initiating coverage of Logitech stock with a sell rating. Although the analyst admits that Logitech has benefited from "better acquisitions, better engineering, and better morale" since CEO Bracken Darrell took over in 2013, it warns that there's a hidden flaw in Logitech's business that could stunt its sales growth -- and lead to an earnings miss in the not-too-distant future.
Here's what you need to know.
An earnings beat
Logitech's fiscal Q2 2019 earnings last month beat Wall Street's estimates as the company transformed modest 9% sales growth into 15% improvement in profits. Darrell noted that the $691 million in sales Logitech brought in during the quarter were its "highest ever sales for a second quarter." Powering this performance was "solid growth in our PC Peripherals categories" and "double-digit growth in both Gaming and Video Collaboration."
And yet, as business analysts noted at the time, despite beating earnings in Q2, Logitech declined to raise guidance for the rest of the year, only reiterating its prior guidance of "9 to 11 percent sales growth" for the year.
This was surprising because, all else being equal, you'd expect that greater-than-expected sales in one quarter, when added to expected sales for other quarters, would necessarily imply greater sales for the year as a whole. In not raising full-year guidance, therefore, the thinking was that Logitech was implicitly lowering sales guidance for the second half of the year.
Why might that be?
The trouble with Logitech
Maxim Group thinks it knows the answer to this question. Initiating coverage of Logitech stock with a sell rating and a $31 price target, the analyst warned (in a note covered on TheFly.com) that only about a third of Logitech's sales are coming from "secular growth markets." Rather, the majority of Logitech's sales are "tied to flattish-to-declining installed bases," which will tend to offset growth in Logitech's better markets.
Maxim Group views the possibility of slowing sales growth (a risk Logitech seemed to confirm when it didn't adjust full-year guidance upwards to account for Q2 outperformance) as a potential risk, too, to Logitech earning the $2 per share (pro forma) that the company hopes to make in fiscal 2020.
In short: Maxim is predicting an earnings miss as early as next year.
How big is the risk?
With Logitech shares up barely 5% over the past year, you might think this risk was already accounted for in the stock's price. But remember -- Logitech has risen 500% or so over the past five years. Thanks to this run-up, the stock currently sells for more than 25 times trailing earnings.
That's a rather high multiple for what is, in effect, a commodity producer of computer peripherals -- and one that most analysts on Wall Street expect to grow earnings at no better than 10% annually over the next five years. Fact is, even if Logitech is able to do better than that -- say, if it were to continue growing earnings at the 15% rate it achieved in Q2's record-breaking quarter -- I'd argue that 25 times earnings is still too much to pay for 15% earnings growth.
Even with Logitech shares basically flat over the past year, I see quite a bit of risk left in the stock today. Maxim Group is right to be cautious about this one.


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The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has advised members of the public that are trading in counterfeit FAZ branded products to stop the practice or face arrest.
The sale of counterfeit replica jerseys bearing the FAZ logo has increased on the local market contrary to c/Section 6(1) (a) of the Merchandise Act Cap. 405 of the laws of Zambia.
FAZ Deputy General Secretary Joseph Chimpampwe says FAZ is working closely with the law enforcement agencies to curb the sale of goods bearing forged trademarks.
“We would like to strongly warn the people dealing in counterfeit FAZ replicas that we will continue clamping down on them. A recent operation salvaged some replicas that bear the FAZ logo that were being sold illegally with the culprits brought to book,” said Mr Chimpampwe.
Mr Chimpampwe said this in a statement made available to ZANIS by FAZ Communications Officer Sydney Mungala.
“The FAZ logo is a property of the Football Association of Zambia and registered as a trademark. We also wish to put it on record that sale of goods bearing forged trademarks is an offence c/Sec 6(1) (a) of the Merchandise Act Cap. 405 of the laws of Zambia,” he added.
Mr Chimpampwe further added that FAZ has authorized dealers in their merchandise with global telecommunication giant MTN among the institutions that sell authentic jerseys.
He noted that in February, 2018 the Lusaka Magistrate Court sentenced a Chinese national Huang Bing to nine months imprisonment with hard labour for selling fake national team replica jerseys.
He further noted that Bing was charged for sale of goods bearing false description in accordance with CAP 405 of the Merchandise Marks Act.
Mr Chimpampwe said FAZ will conduct random operations across the country to deal with culprits.
He has since urged football lovers to buy authentic FAZ merchandise available at designated dealers and also at Football House.
Mr Chimpampwe said that FAZ replica jerseys are being sold in MTN Shops across the country at K350.
This was according to a statement made available to ZANIS by FAZ Communications Officer Sydney Mungala.


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Over half of UK millennials think brands can be a force for good, but 40% find them annoying on social media
Around 52 per cent of UK millennials think that brands have the potential to be a force for good, this despite 40 per cent having a negative attitude towards the way brands communicate with them, according to new research.
The study, conducted by Initiative (an Interpublic Group agency) surveyed almost 10,000 25-34 year olds around the globe about their lives, their mind set, how they use technology and how they feel about brands.
Globally, 30 per cent are cynical about the way brands market to them, with 58 per cent agreeing that they have the potential to be a force for good.
Over half of millennials said they would be more loyal to brands that helped improve societal or ecological issues (54 per cent), while 59 per cent feel brands should actively participate to improve causes.
Among UK millennials who shared content on social media, younger millennials (25-29) used social media more expressively to earn respect, (16 per cent) while older millennials (30-34) used it more collaboratively to share thought and appreciate others (44.5 per cent).
When it came to devices, 48 per cent of UK millennials admit to being addicted to using them, compared to 44 per cent globally. However only 11 per cent (16 per cent globally) feel that their smartphones are innovative.
Finally, the report also found that millennials were highly creative with globally 18 per cent being very likely to set up their own business and 19 per cent very likely to return to further education.


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Liverpool, a fast-growing tourist destination, is getting its first luxury branded hotel. IHG Hotels & Resorts is introducing its new brand Vignette Collection to the UK with the signing of The Halyard at Ropewalks.
The 133-key hotel will open later this year under a franchise agreement with Molo Hotels and will be operated by Lighthouse Hotel Management. It is set in the historic Ropewalks district in the centre of Liverpool, with a restaurant, a gym, conference facilities and a roof top terrace.
“Liverpool’s popularity continues to grow as a hub of culture and I’m confident the luxury offering of Vignette Collection will bring a new offering to the city”, said Willemijn Geels, VP Development, Europe, IHG Hotels & Resorts. “Vignette Collection gives strategic partners and owners, like Molo Hotels, the opportunity to retain their distinctive hotel identity, while benefitting from IHG’s global scale and luxury & lifestyle expertise”.
The brand has signed or opened 14 hotels across the world in its first year, including in Budapest and Porto, and plans to add more than 100 over the next ten years. Vignette Collection aims to “weave responsibility, community and locality together for stays that are as distinct as the hotels themselves” and has a commitment to more responsible travel.
Liverpool continues to grow as a destination for domestic and international travellers and the growing presence of international events, such as Eurovision 2023, alongside the growing demand for UK staycations following the pandemic, are increasing demand.
“Liverpool is a thriving market with growing demand”, said Ross Morrow, Managing Director, Molo Hotels. “We see a gap in the market to deliver luxury stays in Liverpool and we’re excited to partner with IHG Hotels & Resorts to deliver a one of a kind hotel that celebrates the history of such an important city”.


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AmericaвЂ™s farmers have actually borne the brunt of AsiaвЂ™s retaliation into the trade war that President Donald Trump established in 2018. China may be the biggest customer of several U.S. agricultural services and products, such as for instance soybeans, grain sorghum, cotton and cattle hides, which made the products an evident target for retaliatory tariffs.
Asia additionally hoped inflicting financial expenses on U.S. farmers вЂ“ who voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2016 вЂ“ would in turn pressure that is put the president to get rid of their trade war. Although farmers have forfeit huge amounts of bucks in exports, AsiaвЂ™s strategy hasnвЂ™t developed the effect that is intended.
Iowa State scientists Shuyang Qu, Wendong Zhang, Minghao Li, Lulu Rodriguez, Guang Han, Erin Cork, and James Gbeda carried out a study of soybean and corn farmers. It shows three reasons farmers support TrumpвЂ™s trade policies inspite of the costs.
Over 80% associated with the 693 Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota farmers surveyed from February filipino dating canada through June stated trade disruptions had a unfavorable impact on their web farm earnings in 2018. Nearly a 3rd stated that their earnings dropped by over 20%.
Nevertheless the Trump administrationвЂ™s efforts to help ease their discomfort have actually repaid. The management provided soybean, sorghum as well as other farmers $12 billion in support in 2018, that the great majority of your study participants discovered helpful. The study ended up being carried out before an extra $16 billion in re payments decided to go to farmers this present year, both to offset trade losings plus the outcomes of too much rainfall.
The study unearthed that farmers mostly see the trade interruption as short-term discomfort for long-lasting gain.
While just 14% think their farm operations should be best off financially a from now, more than half said they expected something good to ultimately come out of the trade war year. And about 44% stated they think the U.S. economy will be more powerful in 3 years. ChinaвЂ™s 2017 decision to permit imports of U.S. beefand its 2020 nationwide ethanol mandate additionally provide farmers a cure for brand brand new export possibilities.
To put it differently, many farmers will be ready to sacrifice earnings for a time in the belief theyвЂ™ll make up for this in the future. This sanguine view is understandable since agriculture is a highly cyclical industry.
This year rebounded a bit compared with a year ago, thanks to ChinaвЂ™s recent exemptions of tariffs on U.S. soybeans and pork products in fact, U.S. agricultural exports to China.
Finally, the study discovered an increasing frustration with ChinaвЂ™s erratic buying behavior.
For instance, Asia shut down U.S. beef for 14 years over a mad cow scare in 2003, keeping the ban a lot more than a ten years after other nations like Japan and Southern Korea lifted theirs.
Chinese purchase of items such as for example distillers grains or corn often simply disappear. These might have been offshoots of alterations Asia built to its corn help policy, but, through the viewpoint of U.S. farmers, Chinese need for particular U.S. agricultural commodities happens to be annoyingly inconsistent.
вЂњThe Chinese usually do not play by the rules,вЂќ one Illinois farmer stated. вЂњThey cancel delivery sales which are not within their benefit. They continue steadily to take our patents. Just President Trump has attempted to stop these trade that is unfair.вЂќ
Or being a farmer from Minnesota explained: вЂњChina imposed the tariffs and declined to purchase soybeans so that they can harm our farming and acquire us to show against an elected president they just do not wish. They are stealing technology and jobs for too much time and giving us back once again substandard items. Ahead of this, they manipulated our markets by purchasing then refusing or canceling deliveries of grain.вЂќ
The survey revealed that many farmers observe that they are going to carry on being the largest victims associated with the U.S.-China trade war and can lose markets вЂ“ likely some permanently вЂ“ as China diversifies far from US manufacturers.
As you Illinois farmer who was simply less supportive of tariffs place it, вЂњwe aren’t the only game in city.вЂќ U.S. agricultural exports will face competition that is growing Brazil on soybeans and from European countries and Australia on meat.
Yet 56% nevertheless said they supported imposing tariffs on Chinese services and products, while just 30% oppose them.


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Why Chinese Car Favor LiFePO4 Battery
Author: Source: Datetime: 2016-10-25 16:45:19
China's new energy vehicles, the development of lithium-ion battery has been the direction of controversy - lithium manganese, lithium triclosan, lithium iron phosphate dispute has not subsided. But why the current mainstream of new energy vehicles are basically the use of iron phosphate lithium iron batteries, careful analysis of the reasons there are three.
First, the development of new energy vehicles in China, must ensure the use of safe, reliable, stable performance and low cost power battery. Among them, the safety and reliability is the first, there is no security will not have the future of new energy automotive industry; Tesla lithium batteries used in the best Panasonic Panasonic batteries, but also can not avoid three times within five weeks of fire. Fortunately, Tesla advanced vehicle safety design did not lead to personal injury and death, and the Chinese new energy vehicles in the vehicle safety design, there are several to achieve the level of Tesla? The LiFePO4 battery has a congenital advantage in security.
Second, at present, the lithium manganese oxide and ternary lithium core technology, are in the hands of enterprises in Japan and South Korea. In particular, ternary lithium, whether it is technology, process or equipment, Japan and South Korea have reached a very mature industry leading stable phase.
If we insist on the new energy vehicles, three-cell power line, I am afraid we are still chasing the road, it has been stifled by the international giants, but no way to talk about what corner overtaking. Lithium iron phosphate battery is different.
Japan and South Korea did not get involved in basic business, the main international competitors from the United States. But China and the United States of America or less technical level, with the Wanxiang Group acquired A123, in fact, Chinese enterprises have mastered the world's most high-end lithium iron phosphate battery technology and technology. Besides, our solar powered portable generator also can use the lifepo4 batteries. As long as the increase in investment in curing the advantages of new energy vehicles in China is completely overturned on the possibility of overtaking.
Third, at present, the global nickel, cobalt resource constraints, ternary lithium material formula, whether it is nickel-cobalt manganese oxide lithium, or nickel cobalt lithium aluminate, are inseparable from the two precious metals.
Its large number of applications will lead to skyrocketing market prices, the two metals are scarce in China, more than 90% of China's cobalt use needs to be imported, these two precious metals have international futures trading, the price is not only high and volatile.
China's new energy vehicles to promote the policy did not meet the expected objectives of a large reason is that prices remain high. Among them, the most important reason is that the cost of new energy vehicles accounted for nearly 50% of the power lithium battery prices remain high. The lifepo4 batteries price is cheaper a lot, and it can be used in solar power generator.
The result of the triad route is that the price of new energy vehicles is higher and the government subsidy is required to be more, and it will never be able to achieve market promotion.TAG: Engie Amazon Bank World Battery-Storage Changsha Jolywood Nuon German Category Separate Telangana MW 10 Used
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According to LinkedIn, Cloud computing, analytical reasoning and artificial intelligence were the most in-demand skills last year. Blockchain will be the most demanded task in 2020.
Working network LinkedIn analyzed user’s profiles to find out what professions and skills are most preferred among employers. Blockchain was the most demanded hard skill on labor market. Blockchain turned out to be something that companies want more and more.” You don’t have to be financial market expert, but if you’re familiar with blockchain, you have an advantage in the market,” LinkedIn stated in their regular report.
High-profile global companies such as IBM, Oracle, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, Amazon or American Express seek for the ability the most. Majority of them reside in the US, the UK, France, Germany or Australia.
The importance of blockchain has been outlined earlier, when there was a demand for people with the ability to create blockchain in 2018. Furthermore, blockchain is not the only representative of cryptocurrencies among the most demanded skills. The amount of cryptocurrency-connected jobs searched for on LinkedIn grew in a quarter from 2018 to 2019.


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download the plug-in here.
Tagged: Google TV
Microsoft announced they've partnered with tons of media and entertainment leaders all across the world to bring a better experience to TV's and Xbox Live. After reading through all of the announcements and providers they have come to terms with I quickly found myself wondering how this will effect Google TV -- with and without Honeycomb or Ice Cream Sandwich. If set-tops like the Revue weren't already facing an uphill fight, it just got even steeper.
Google TV in the recent past including a large update back in March. Yesterday @GoogleTV tweeted some exciting news for today, and for the future. A decently sized minor update is rolling out now and should be hitting Google TV devices over the next few days. Then they mention something major coming soon.
Honeycomb for the Logitech Revue. From watching the video leaked along with it you can clearly see things are moving along quite nicely and it appears much closer to release than the last. If this doesn't make you want to run out and buy one for $99 I don't know what will -- except for maybe Ice Cream Sandwich.
Revue price was cut to $99 to improve sales. I was excited about the thing when it was first announced with support for Hulu streaming and lots more. Once the Revue landed and I tried it out, I found it lacking and more than a little boring. I was disappointed for sure. Many have been waiting around for the next update to come to the Revue for the Android OS.
$299 at places like Best Buy so this is a pretty huge discount.
Geek's sources, less than 50 developers were invited to take an early glimpse at the platform, ahead of the Google TV 2.0 SDK being ready for primetime. Google apparently sends participants an Intel CE4100 reference platform - the same chipset as found inside the Logitech Revue and other first-gen Google TV hardware - running a copy of Android 3.1 heavily modified for Fishtank use. The OS is stripped down and has a new UI, partially familiar from Google TV as we've already seen it, with a clock app and a Live TV app that shows content from the HDMI input. Unfortunately, that Live TV functionality is already the source of arguments between Google and developers. According to the Fishtank program source, many of the developers involved gained invites based on their ideas for Live TV related apps, dressing up real-time content with information pulled from online. However, Google has decided that when Live TV doesn't hold the focus, developers won't be able to access it:
"We’re told many of the developers earned there way into the program with ideas that directly involved this feature–specifically, the ability to overlay data on top of Live TV or to place Live TV in a smaller window while information is displayed. So far, Google has stated that while they would consider the feature, there are no plans at this point to make it available at the API level, which has upset a number of the developers, forcing some to scrap their original project entirely." GeekStill, there's plenty of time for Google to change all that. The updated version of Google TV - running on Ice Cream Sandwich, we're led to believe - is expected to be released later in 2011. [gallery]
Amazon is tipped to have a "family of devices" using the Android OS in the pipeline for a holiday 2011 release, according to the latest leaks, potentially spanning not only various sizes of tablets but smartphones and/or set-top boxes (STB). According to Android and Me's sources, Amazon has been working closely with Google on the new range, potentially using Android Ice Cream Sandwich with a heavily customized interface developed by a specialist in embedded systems. Exact hardware specifications are unclear at this stage, including form-factors, processors and screen sizes/types. Amazon has been tipped to be looking at Pixel Qi and color E Ink panels, though CEO Jeff Bezos has recently said that he believes color E Ink to be "not ready for prime time." Instead, he thinks "it makes a lot of sense for there to be a low-power, reflective color display. I think that’s something you could build a fantastic product around." That could suggest Qualcomm's mirasol; the company recently showed a prototype ereader/tablet with a front-illuminated mirasol display, promising it would show up in hardware from fall 2011. WiFi and 3G options as with Kindle seem likely, along with competitive prices as Amazon pushes its "family" against other tablets and STBs it ranges. Bezos recently told press to "stay tuned" for more information on the infamous tablet plans. [via SlashGear]
User Experience Lead for Google TV, who would take responsibility for guiding third-party software onto the Android-based STBs. Based at Mountain View, the new employee would be "asked to pioneer new possibilities for web-based and Android application experiences on the platform and establish the patterns and standards used to develop great interactive experiences on Google TV." The absence of apps has been a thorn in Google TV's side since the first products were released, limiting functionality to the preloaded software and whatever could be accessed online. Back in March, a Logitech exec suggested that the Android Market would be arriving "soon" though Google itself has given no public timescale beyond sometime in 2011. Google is believed to be looking to integrate the Google TV codebase with the Gingerbread codebase for phones and the Honeycomb codebase for tablets, into a single AOSP that would allow them to be significantly more nimble with overall updates. That is expected to be the basis of Ice Cream, the next Android release. [via SlashGear]


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[UPDATE] Additional teasers added.
Hot on the heels of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi’s announcement about an ambitious electric roadmap with 35 models coming by 2030, one of the future EVs is already being previewed. On sale since 1982, the Micra supermini will not live to see a new generation with combustion engines. Instead, the small hatchback will morph into a purely electric car by switching to the alliance’s CMF-BEV platform.
It will share the underpinnings with the Renault 5 reboot and we already know the battery will have enough juice for more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) of range. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi touts 33% lower costs compared to the Renault Zoe, along with a reduction in power consumption of over 10%. Worth mentioning is the fact Renault has been tasked to build the new EV in France where it’s already making the Townstar light commercial van for Nissan.
It’s unclear when Nissan’s new EV will debut, but we do know the CMF-BEV architecture will be introduced in 2024. It might arrive first on the resurrected Renault 5 before the Micra’s replacement hits the market. Being a supermini, the current gasoline-fueled hatch is a subcompact model, but Nissan keeps referring to its replacement as a compact car. It likely means the new EV tailored to Europe will be larger.
Engineered by Renault, the zero-emission Nissan model appears to be teased in production guise already judging by the normal size of the mirrors. It has circular LED daytime running lights bisected by three-point rectangular clusters serving as the main headlights. It looks as though the corporate badge is illuminated and the vehicle might have a clamshell hood, although we’ll wait for further teasers to shed more design details.
CMF-BEV is just one of the five platforms Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi will use to launch a plethora of EVs until the end of the decade. To make that happen, the trio plans to invest €23 billion ($25.7 billion) until 2027. Approximately 90% of the new electric models will ride on the five architectures to spread out costs and boost development.


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It's about time — in more ways than one
There have been rumors all day of a release tomorrow during Google's Google Play even in New York (fueled by things like this) but about 45 minutes ago Plants vs. Zombies 2 has popped up in Google Play.
Having been released on iOS for a while, and with the speculation that Apple paid EA a large sum to keep it an exclusive for a while, there hasn't been much noise about the game being released on the most popular mobile platform in the world. But now that it's happened, that will change.
As it should — PvZ 2 is a fun game. It follows the footsteps of the original, with a bit of a storyline and an adventure game quest based twist. It's free, with plenty of in-app purchases to get you along, but it's very playable as-is and will be a success for Pop Cap.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 runs on Gingerbread devices and higher, checks in at about 170MB worth of downloaded files, and you can grab it from the Google Play link above.
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All-New Chevrolet Colorado
General Motor Indonesia launched All New Chevrolet Colorado as the midsize dynamic truck to Indonesia market. The event launch was held in Puri Begawan Bogor, West Java on Monday, 5th March 2012. For more info, articles and photos, please visit: http://stephenlangitan.com/archives/49563
F150 vs 2500HD, tug-of-war 2wd
can a quad make a F150 beats a chevy 2500HD??? yes, it can!!! jajajja, i need to give it to them, Chevy wins in this one.... look for the revenge!!!
chevy vs. ford
03 chevy avalanche v.s 06 f150 having fun at becker in b.c
Small pickup rollover protection
IIHS news release • February 4, 2010
First time Institute ratings small pickups for rollover protection; only one model rates good in test that assures strength of roof
ARLINGTON, VA — The Nissan Frontier has the strongest roof and the Chevrolet Colorado the weakest among 5 small pickup trucks, all 2010 models, that recently were tested for rollover protection by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Frontier, also sold as the Suzuki Equator, is the only pickup in the group to earn the highest rating of good. The Ford Ranger is rated acceptable while the Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, and Colorado (also sold as the GMC Canyon) earn the second lowest rating of marginal.
Full text of release at http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr020410.html


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Euromonitor International has identified 20 of the most influential megatrends to shape the world by 2030 with analysis on eight megatrends with the furthest-reaching impact on industries and consumers in the years to come. It has released ' Megatrend Analysis Putting the Consumer at the Heart of Business', by Sarah Boumphrey, director, Economies and Consumers, and Zandi Brehmer, head of Client Innovation, both Euromonitor International.Read whole article via www.foodnavigator-usa.com
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Wednesday, July 12, 2017 3:01:00 PM
Epwin Window Systems has just announced its latest product development: a universal two-part cill.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017 2:53:00 PM
Roto Frank AG aims to further secure the expansion course of its window and door technology division with its next corporate acquisition.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 2:27:00 PM
One of Burnley's biggest employers – VEKA Group – has become the official club sponsor of local football team Rosegrove FC, marking the occasion with a charity match to be held on Sunday 16th July.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 2:23:00 PM
Debuted at the FIT Show 2017, VEKA Group’s brand new Imagine Lift & Slide Patio Door is the latest addition to its luxurious, innovative and technically advanced Imagine suite of doors.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 2:19:00 PM
The brand new VEKA Vertical Slider was one of several innovative and exciting window and door systems debuted by VEKA Group at the FIT Show 2017, and it has all the hallmarks to become a modern classic.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 2:11:00 PM
Ayrshire glazing company and Independent Network member Andrew Wright Windows has put 18 fabricators through their Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs), in a year that also sees the company celebrate 80 years of trading.
Tuesday, July 11, 2017 2:08:00 PM
VEKA Group was thrilled to bring home the 'Employer of the Year' trophy from this year's Burnley Business Awards. The Farrington Road company also gained a further three nominations making it one of its best years yet.
Monday, July 10, 2017 2:34:00 PM
Homeowner favourite Swish has just announced that 10 of the most popular colours in its Impressions range will now be available from stock on a 10 day lead time.


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An afternoon spent cleaning the closet led to something good for the women doing the work - and women who want to go to work.
Two of the women are in IT. The third is in real estate.
They all share an interest in travel and a desire to empower women.
The latest news from around North Texas.
Their donations of gently used clothing will help women heading back to the workplace have stylish clothing so they can feel more confident and self-assured.


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This weekend the New York Times published an article about the stagnant economic situation in Japan. (You can read the entire article here.) Over and over, the assumption of the writer is that there is nothing more important in life than having lots of money. And it is a mainstream view. Someday this era is going to be regarded as one of the most deeply deluded in human history.
The Japanese “enjoyed a level of affluence two decades ago that was the envy of the world.”
A Japanese man is quoted as saying “Japan used to be so flashy and upbeat, but now everyone must live in a dark and subdued way.”
Japan has been “shriveling from an economic Godzilla to little more than an afterthought in the global economy.”
Japan is currently seen by many economists as “a dark vision of the future.”
Fortunately, Americans have a “greater tolerance for capitalism’s creative destruction.”
Indeed, “In America, the bet is still that we will somehow find ways to get people spending and investing again.” That is, unless we fall into “the same deflationary trap of collapsed demand that occurs when consumers refuse to consume…”
Just two decades ago, Japan was a “vibrant nation filled with energy and ambition, proud to the point of arrogance and eager to create a new economic order…” But “Japanese consumers, who once flew by the planeload on flashy shopping trips to Manhattan and Paris, stay home more often now, saving their money…”
Young Japanese men are “widely derided as ‘herbivores’ for lacking their elders’ willingness to toil for endless hours at the office…”
“Consumers see it as irrational or even foolish to buy or borrow.”
“Bartenders say that the clientele these days is too cost-conscious to show the studied disregard for money that was long considered the height of refinement.”
The head of a consumer marketing research institute has a name for Japanese in their 20s. He calls them “consumption-haters.” “Their habits of frugality will have cost the Japanese economy $420 billion in lost consumption.” “‘There is no other generation like this in the world…These guys think it’s stupid to spend.’”
While this is all about the Japanese, the American writer is entirely sympathetic with those who despair over the young not being willing to chase after wealth or to be “consumers.” I think the point of view reflected in this article is way off the rails.


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Vendors at a flea market in East New York are scrambling to find ways to stay in business as they face eviction next weekend.
Some of the vendors at the AquaDuck Flea Market say they have paid their rent on time for the years they have been there.
However, they received eviction notices from the city's Sheriff's Office saying eviction procedures will start Sept. 1.
"It's over 300, 400 vendors and we all pay over $1,100 a month. This is not fair for us, we need to get some kind of support," says vendor Imtaz Muhammed.
Muhammed says he's gathered some of the vendors and hired a lawyer to hopefully stop the eviction.


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The e-commerce industry continues to evolve and experience high growth in both developed and developing markets. The traditional brick and mortar stores are experiencing slowdown as consumer shift their buying preference online.
The coronavirus pandemic has seemingly forced a plethora of rich wholesale retailers and large-scale offline sources to upscale their existing mode of operations and services. They are steadily revamping their efforts in an attempt to engage consumers online and creating an Omni-channel module to cater to the surging demand for essential and indispensable items such as medicines, groceries and other essential goods to their consumers
The most popular trends of the e-commerce realm with respect to the current situation are as follows:
• AI and Machine Learning
• Mobile Payments and mobile shopping
• Virtual Reality
• Rise of Omni Channel Platform
Mobile Commerce is easily outspreading the shopping experience across mobile devices and smartphones. Smartphone penetration is growing. With social media more prevalent, there is a seamless availability of digital experience and to grab it, is critical for business.
Some of the challenges faced by E-commerce industry are:
- Cut throat competition : High competition makes it difficult for e-commerce businesses to make a profit from popular product niches. To be more specific, the need to select the right products to sell on an e-commerce website.
- Generating the Targeted Traffic : The customers those who want to buy exactly the products one sell need to visit a particular site. Some random social media or referral traffic may not increase sales like organic traffic from Google or other search engines. One need to invest.
- Stock fluctuation and consumer demand : Being fearful of the supply shortage, customers add multiple items to their cart at different stores or even place orders but then cancel them. This leads to the uncertain stock demand, which puts the stock condition influctuation and also out of control.
- Supply Chain and Shipping Interruptions : Shipping, fulfillment, and returns can also be a major roadblock for many retailers making the transition from brick-and-mortar to online, or trying to keep pace with the influx of online sales.
Many retailers changed their way of execution of their business and included technology. Regardless of category, one can expect the COVID-19 outbreak to effect major transformative changes in the retail macro environment
Since April 2020, ecommerce shopping has been unfailingly above the shopping levels seen during the 2019 holiday season. In June 2020, $73.2 billion was spent online, up 76.2% Y/Y. As per the Shopping Index report released by Salesforce, which examines the activity of more than 500 million shoppers worldwide, the mobile, social media and AI are main drivers of ecommerce growth
Demographically, Millennials and Gen X are the biggest online shoppers, with 67% of millennials and 56% of Gen X preferring to shop online versus brick-and-mortar store. Reason being, these two segments of the population spending more money online because they spend more time shopping online. Millennials and Gen Xers spend 50% more time shopping online than their older counterparts: 6 hours versus 4 hours.
For details on current trend and global outlook please feel free to refer to the following E-commerce Industry report from CrispIdea:


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On Friday, a bipartisan group of 13 U.S. senators sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representatives Office (USTR) pleading to remove the tariffs currently impacting certain European foods, wines, and spirits.
Announced by the USTR on Oct. 2, 2019, the 25 percent tariffs were enacted in retaliation to E.U. subsidies paid to airplane manufacturer Airbus, also known as the “Large Civil Aircraft Dispute.” The tariffs hit a range of E.U. goods, including wines from France, Germany, Spain, and Britain, as well as single malt Scotch.
According to Reuters, which has seen a copy of the letter sent by the seven Republican and six Democratic senators, American retailers, restaurants, distributors, and importers are facing “severe economic hardship” due to the increased cost of goods and a decline in demand.
Last month, the U.S. Distilled Spirits Council also urged the USTR to end the tariffs. The council argued that businesses both within the U.S. and E.U. are suffering, noting that U.S. imports of Scotch dropped 33-percent between October 2019 (when the tariff was imposed) and May 2020. The drop amounts to a $378 million decline compared to the same period last year.
At the time of publishing, the USTR has not responded publicly to the letter. However, it began a period of considering additional tariffs on E.U. goods, including wine, beers, and spirits, at the end of June.
For more information on the potential ramifications of tariff hikes, see VinePair’s in-depth coverage here.


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Along with an update about her new album.
Last year, Susanna released her collaborative album with Jenny Hval, Meshes Of Voices, which we liked enough to highlight in our 50 Best Albums of 2014. Now she has issued a deluxe vinyl version of that album along with some other releases including her 2006 album with Magical Orchestra, Melody Mountain, and an exclusive collection of “best of” tapes that will be released in three limited runs of 200.
As for new music, Susanna has said she is currently at work on a new album. To tide you over in the meantime she has announced a new EP titled Songs Revisited which includes covers of Leonard Cohen, Tina Turner, and Phoenix. Head to her label Susanna Sonata for more info and revisit her rendition of AC/DC’s ‘Long Way To The Top’ below.


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Written by Navarone Farrell, Geelong Advertiser
With mum-and-dad investors on the rise, commercial rather than residential real estate investments are becoming popular, and some of the most profitable are fast-food franchises.
Fast food is hot property in Geelong, with several opportunities for commercial investors to sink their teeth into.
The freehold at 1/63 Bellarine Highway, Newcomb, which contains a Pizza Hut outlet, will go under the hammer through Burgess Rawson at the end of the month, with an estimated price range of $450,000-$500,000.
The bricks and mortar of the 20-year-old business is a solid investment, according to selling agent Scott Meighan. “This offering has been in the family for a number of years and it’s about time for them to get out — it’s a pretty good time considering the commercial moment,” he said.
“People are taking their money out of the banks and putting it into bricks and mortar because it’s a better investment.”
Mr Meighan believes the rise of home delivery-style takeaways will continue, and the low-maintenance freehold, offering little in the way of upkeep, will be a solid investment for the right investor.
Investors could watch their dough rise with an estimated 7.5 to 8 per cent yield, Mr Meighan said. “It’s right on the corner of that development so you’ve got that exposure to the Bellarine Highway and according to VicRoads that’s about 22,000 cars that drive past every day,” he said.
“You’re among a mini food precinct there. There’s a few fresh-food outlets, the Subway adjacent, and it’s right on the corner of Coppards Road, where you have McDonald’s, KFC and 7-Eleven across the road — they’re all complementary tenants.”
The building is leased to the Pizza Hut franchise for $36,265 per annum with the tenants paying outgoings on the 96 sqm premises, with very few ongoing maintenance costs. Mr Meighan is tipping small-time investors for the property when it goes under the hammer, though he would not be surprised if a bigger concern snapped it up.
“I’m probably going to tip a self-managed super fund, or mum-and-dad investors — are they going to be Geelong locals? Maybe,” he said. The property goes under the hammer on June 29 at 11am in the River Room at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.
Meanwhile, Nichols Crowder’s expressions of interest campaign on the five-in-one fast-food investment at 138 Colac Rd, Highton, pictured below left, has been completed, affixing the 4545 sqm property with a $3.1 million price tag. The shops are tenanted by Subway, Tasty Rooster, Bubba Pizza, 24 Hour Kebabs and Deccan Indian Kitchen.
The complex nets $208,127 per annum, with the five shops to be sold as one with varying lease terms and options providing flexibility. The block has a 71m frontage in a prime position, according to Nichols Crowder agent Matt Nichols.
“This specific location in Waurn Ponds is where everyone stops. Whether the consumer is looking for takeaway food, petrol, a car wash, supermarket, medical needs and full shopping facilities, this is the ideal retail location,” he said.


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Particulars about the top of the line 10-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 Plus have just been released including two new tablets soon to be launched in the near future: a 7-inch affordable one and an 8-inch model.
The AnTuTu benchmark has listed it with a 1.7GHz dual-core Samsung Exynos 5 chip (based on Cortex A15) showcasing the most recent Android platform, 4.2 Jelly Bean.
The Galaxy Tab 3 Plus specifications resemble that of the Nexus 10 and has a general score of 13,377. A UAP profile leak confirmed a similar resolution of an enormous 2,560 x 1,600 pixels.
Availability and cost are yet to be disclosed though it is likely to be launched at MWC towards the end of February.
Looks like Samsung Galaxy S IV will be the "2013 Smartphone of the Year" with its Exynos Octa CPU and a 544MP PowerVR SGX GPU. These were unwittingly or purposefully revealed by someone who performed benchmarking through Antutu. All other fantastic specifications include 2GB memory, almost 5 inches Full HD display with a resolution of 1920x1080 and running on Android 4.2 JB.
Furthemore, the Samsung Galaxy S IV supports all kinds of networks including LTE, which means that the company will only have one variant of this powerhouse device, since LTE connectivity is already included among the supported networks.
The Galaxy S IV will be officially launched on March 14th and this "leak" definitely tops them all. Please don't let this be a hoax! Also, is it safe to say that we've already seen the best kept secrets of the S IV or are they just starting yet?
Today is Samsung Galaxy S 4's big day and the rumors just keep getting more creative. Photos of another AnTuTu benchmark result for the Galaxy S 4 has surfaced a few hours before the smartphone' launch. If anything, it only made things a lot more confusing, adding ambiguity with regards to the processor/s used on the S 4. Earlier Antutu benchmark photos showed that the S 4 will run purely on Exynos. This new benchmark shows that there are actually two chips on the S 4. Talk about creating a stir.
Also, from previous reports that it will have eight cores, the new AnTuTu benchmark shows that the S 4 will only have a quad-core ARMv7. Even the GPU for this one is different from what was previously reported. Thankfully, it'll just be a few hours left before all these surmising and assuming get confirmed or scrapped. Also, believe the benchmark at your own risk.
As you probably already know, Samsung has scheduled its "Unpacked" press event on Feb 24th in Barcelona, the day when the event will kick off. And, if you can't recall, Samsung usually launches its flagship devices on the Unpacked events, and this time it could be the highly rumored Samsung Galaxy S5.
As the expected launch date gets closer, we get to see more information about the purported Samsung Galaxy S5. Recently, a device was spotted on AnTuTu benchmarks that is rumored to be the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S5,
Samsung Galaxy S5 posts a score of 35666 on Antutu test, higher than the scores set by other top-end smartphones like Galaxy Note 3, Sony Xperia Z Ultra, LG G2 etc.
The data shows that the Galaxy S5 will have a full HD screen, with no mention of the screen size; earlier reports have said that the handset will feature a 5.25-inch display. It was rumoured that Samsung will introduce its first 2K resolution display panel with the Galaxy S5. Instead, the data shows that it will continue to use the full HD screen in top phones this year as well.
Antutu's data also shows that Galaxy S5 will use the quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset, clocked at 2.5GHz. The same processor is used in smartphones like Galaxy Note 3, Nexus 5, Sony Xperia Z1 and LG G2.
Check out the screenshots below
We are all excited about the Galaxy S5 release in about 15 days or so. Here's are some more information regarding to the specs of the two Galaxy S5 variants, SM-G900H and SM-G900R4, showed up on Antutu's database with very different specifications, they literally have nothing in common in-terms of specifications except the camera sensors.
The premium variant (SM-G900R4) of the Galaxy S5. According to the benchmark result, the device is equipped with a Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974AC) SoC with a clock speed of 2.5GHz, Adreno 330 GPU, 3GB RAM, 32GB of internal storage, QHD (2560×1400) resolution display, 16-megapixel main camera sensor, 2.1-megapixel front facing camera and is running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.
However, the standard variant (SM-G900H) of the Galaxy S5. Benchmark reveals an Octa-core Samsung Exynos 5422 SoC with a clock speed of 1.5GHz, ARM Mali-T628 GPU, 2GB RAM, 16GB of internal storage, Full HD (1920×1080) resolution display, 16-megapixel main camera sensor, 2.1-megapixel front facing camera and this unit is also running Android 4.4.2 KitKat.


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Proof of the recession-resistant market is PetSmart , whose stocks from the beginning of 2009 have risen 21%.
PetSmart beat expectations by controlling expenses and driving traffic to its stores through sales and other promotions, according to analyst Mike Baker, in addition to the need-based nature of petfood.
"We are executing well despite the economic climate and continue to define the pet specialty customer experience," chairman and chief executive Philip Francis told analysts in the article.
By Greg Aldrich, Ph.D.
The options for plant-based proteins in pet food are expanding all the time.
By Debbie Phillips-Donaldson
Despite the pandemic and economic turmoil, pet food saw healthy sales increases in 2020, as did market leaders.


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The central thrust of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s economic package to tackle the Covid-induced economic downturn is “self-reliance”. To this end, his government has announced measures such as reserving government tenders up to Rs 200 crores to only Indian bidders and vigorously promoting indigenisation of defence manufacturing. All these policies are underpinned by an aggressive liquidity push within the debt markets for small- and medium-scale businesses.
Such moves are in line with the steadily protectionist instinct of the Modi government that has been evident over the past few years. There has been the periodic raising of tariffs in critical sectors to promote domestic manufacturing, and the foregoing of free trade deals such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Yet after every such announcement, the nation’s financial media is predictably dismayed at this “protectionist turn”, claiming that the country’s willingness to stand by its manufacturers will cost India.
This outlook is severely mistaken. Considering the nature of the world order today, the Modi government’s instinct to look out for India’s industrial base and supply chains hits the right notes. In fact, Modi’s fault lies in not pursuing this path comprehensively enough.
A world order coming apart
We live in a world of momentous change. China, by some metrics, is already the biggest economy in the world. Its chief rival, the West – more specifically the United States and Western Europe – are too internally divided, too indebted and, by the looks of their coronavirus response, too incompetent to be able to block or temper its rise.
Covid-19, by inducing the steepest decline in the West’s output since the Great Depression of the 1930s, has accelerated the advent of the new world order that has been at least two decades in the making. This portends to the drastic reshuffle of power dynamics – whereby the West’s relative power viz. the world, and especially East Asia, will dramatically decline.
But, China, the challenger, is no democracy or lover of constitutional freedoms. The Chinese Communist Party, which rules China, considers its writ to be subject to no higher laws. It has ruthlessly cheated on international trade. It routinely kidnaps billionaires who dare to defy it, viciously censors news and social media, eradicates ethnic identity hood through mass incarceration and is now doing away with Hong Kong’s freedom.
Every man to himself
In such a multipolar world where there is no arbiter, the playbook for any major power necessarily is every man to himself. Far-flung supply chains or excessive foreign ownership become potential liabilities for any major economy.
In the Indian context, this is doubly troubling if the dependency extends itself to countries that are politically and socially incompatible with Indian values and could use economic power as leverage for political gain.
For instance, China today exports to India five times as much as it imports from India. China also owns tremendous portions of India’s tech ecosystem. If China tomorrow needs political leverage over India, does one really think it would not use its presence in India’s electronics market or its vast ownership of Indian tech as leverage?
Such lessons are being learnt in two other major powers of the world today – the United States and Russia. Last fortnight, the United States Senate passed a bill banning Chinese companies from listing on American stock exchange. This follows at least two years of relentless trade war and corporate skirmishes between China and the US. With bipartisan support for humbling China in Washington, this likely marks the beginning of America and China decoupling their economies. China will attempt to rely less on the US market, and US will attempt to re-orient many supply chains back home.
Similarly, Russia, through import-substitution over the past six years, has become the top wheat exporter in the world. Russia’s import-substitution strategy was a direct response to the Western sanctions following the Ukrainian crisis. And it is a perfect illustration of how a strategy that prioritises building a industrial base can succeed.
Don’t be dogmatic
Free trade cannot be a dogma. It increases prosperity between countries where industrial bases are at par with one another (such as China and Japan), but exacerbates inequalities where there are fundamental economic and political differences – such as China and India.
The amount of evidence against unfettered free trade – especially between countries that are different stages of industrial development – is so large and now well documented that it is surprising that our leading editorial pages still have slavish attachment to the idea.
The central fear of free trade proponents is that any industry support through tariffs or subsidies will leave our industrialists too coddled. That fear is correct but relevant only in instances where the industrial development is mature – for instance the Indian pharmaceutical industry. When it comes to fledgling industries such as the Indian solar-panel manufacturing, free trade – especially with industrial giants in East Asia – is likely to kill the goose before it starts laying any eggs.
Modi, therefore, is fundamentally right in his attempts to prioritise domestic industry. Through trade protection and government support, his intention to ensure at least substantial presence of Indian manufacturers in critical home markets is clear. This support is necessary both for India’s manufacturers to stand on their feet and for India’s national security in a world which increasingly recognises economics as a tool of politics.
A sound foundation
It will also provide an industrial foundation for export promotion – something that has sorely been lacking in India’s economic history.
India’s biggest imports – apart from oil and gold – are electronics, solar equipment and high-end capital and defence machinery. Here, there have been vigorous steps taken by Modi to at least begin the assembly of some of these categories through judicious use of tariffs on end-products, and reduction of tariffs of key inputs.
Such initiatives should, however, be considered as the first step to a steadily increasing backward integration whereby manufacturers are compelled to shift more and more of the supply chain to India. Today the smartphones are being assembled in India; tomorrow some of its components must also be domestically manufactured.
Beyond this, the Modi government should learn from the best. Look at how the Chinese, German or Korean industrial planning mechanisms work. Understand the sophisticated industrial policies that nurture complex ecosystems. And adjust such methods to Indian context.
That is not too much to ask for.
Akshat Khandelwal is a writer and entrepreneur based out of New Delhi. His Twitter handle is @akshat_khan.


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TEMECULA ---- The holder of a winning Mega Millions lotteryticket sold at a Jefferson Avenue business two months ago has yetto come forward and claim the $167,371 prize, California Lotteryofficials said Monday.
Sold for the April 27, 2010, drawing, the ticket owner ---- or owners ---- has 180 days from the date of that drawing to claim the winnings.
The ticket was sold at Jefferson Chevron & Deli, officials said. The ticket matched five numbers ---- 50, 41, 37, 23, 55, but missed the Mega number of 6.
The California Lottery reminds winners to sign the back of their ticket, keep the ticket in a safe place and contact Lottery officials or visit their local Lottery District Office as soon as possible.
The nearest California Lottery District Office is at 5656 RuffinRoad in San Diego. The phone number is 858-492-1700. The Web siteis www.calottery.com .


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While some winter sports have not been possible this winter due to the COVID-19 pandemic, others have become more popular. Locally, interest in cross-country skiing has grown significantly.
Ski-Vent-Clic maintains 17 kilometres of cross-country ski trails that form a circuit with various loops around Vankleek Hill. All the trails are maintained by volunteers and the trails are almost entirely on private land that property owners have given permission to the club to use.
“People have suddenly woken up to the fact that cross-country skiing is the perfect COVID-compatible activity,” said Ross Gourlay, one of Ski-Vent-Clic’s directors.
Cross-country skiers can say hello to others they pass on the trail, and they can chat from a distance if they stop along the way.
“We can have social interactions, we can have conversations,” Gourlay said.
Cross-country skiing not only allows physical fitness and safe socializing in a time where both are not always easy, but Gourlay noted it is also good for peoples’ mental health because they can get outside and get exercise. He said that the popularity of the sport this year has led to a shortage of cross-country skis and related products in stores.
“Everything’s sold out!”
Gourlay also noted that cross-country skiing is one of the least expensive winter sports.
Ski-Vent-Clic encourages trail users to purchase yearly memberships for $50.00. They used to issue buttons and tags for members to wear as proof of membership, but this year, the organization decided that skiers pay by using their cellular phones by scanning a QR code using PayPal that is printed on selected signs along the trails. Ski-Vent-Clic decided to switch to the new system to save money. The old system of issuing buttons and tags was costing up to $500 for the organization each season. Skiers may also pay for their yearly membership at Depanneur Lalonde in Vankleek Hill, Dr. Dominique Charbonneau’s chiropractic office in Hawkesbury, or at Sports Experts in Hawkesbury. Skiers who want to just use the trails for a day are encouraged to donate using their phones via PayPal by scanning the QR code on the signage.
“It’s an honour system,” said Director Glen Bates.
This season, 75 families and 95 individuals purchased Ski-Vent-Clic memberships. There have also been 35 day users. Last year, 21 families and 100 individuals purchased memberships.
All financial support for Ski-Vent-Clic comes from donations, grants from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and small contributions from Champlain Township.
Ski-Vent-Clic has existed for more than 50 years. Each fall, volunteers go out and clear brush to get trail routes ready for winter.
Snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles are not permitted on the trails. Gourlay and Bates said that the Ski-Vent-Clic trails are a success because of cooperation from landowners and the organization is thankful for their support.


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Gamescom 2018 in Cologne, Germany is in full swing, and Ubisoft just dropped some bombshell announcements for its roster of upcoming titles. Ubisoft revealed the latest title in the ANNO series, gave more exciting details for Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, and announced the released dates of its other titles.
In case you missed it, here’s a handy list of Ubisoft’s major reveals at Gamescom:
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
The Ubisoft game that we’re most excited for is Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, mostly thanks to its awesome Ancient Greek setting. During Gamescom 2018, Ubisoft showcased more of the game world and the story. Players will take control of either Alexios or Kassandra, as they fight in the midst of the Peloponnesian War between Sparta and Athens.
Odyssey will not only feature exciting battles against warriors and mercenaries, it will also have Legendary Creatures of Greek Mythology such as the Nemean Lion, the Lykaon Wolf, and even Medusa herself.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey will release worldwide this October 5, 2018 on the Xbox One, PS4, and Windows PC.
Among Ubisoft’s big announcements at Gamescom 2018 is the release date of Anno 1800, the seventh installment in the city-building RTS Anno series. The game will be released on February 26 next year, and will let players build an empire in the 19th century Industrial Age.
Anno 1800 combines features from the past Anno titles, all while introducing new mechanics such as Expeditions. In Expeditions, player will be able to send crews of specialists across the globe, and even settle South America.
Anno 1800 will be released on Windows PC this February 26, 2019. The game will also have a Digital Deluxe Edition which contains DLCs, an artbook, and more.
The Division 2
The Division 2 is one of the most hyped games of next year, and Ubisoft announced that the game is now available for pre-order! Players who pre-order any edition will gain access to the Private Beta, as well as the Capitol Defender Pack which incldues two in-game items: an exotic SPAS-12 Shotgun named “The Lullaby,” and the Hazmat 2.0 Outfit.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 will be released on March 15, 2019 for the PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. You can pre-order the game now here.
Another game that got a confirmed release date is Trial Rising, the latest installment in Ubisoft’s Trials motorcycle platform series. The game will be released worldwide on February 12, 2019 for the PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC.
Trials Rising features over a hundred tracks set in various locations all over the world. The game will also have various levels of difficulty, as well as exciting multiplayer features.
The Crew 2 “Gator Rush
Finally, Ubisoft revealed the launch date for “Gator Rush,” the first major update for The Crew 2. The update will feature Hovercrafts in the new tracks based on America’s southern bayous. Gator Rush will also include Ace Mode, a new difficulty level for the game.
Gator Rush will be available for The Crew 2 on September 26 for the PS4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. The update is free for every player with a copy of the base game!


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NCC has started deactivating over 2.24 million sims card registered improperly
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has started the deactivation of over 2.24million improperly registered Sim cards after given 9days grace to re-registered the sims cards.
It was earlier reported that the minister of Communications, Dr. Ibrahim Pantami on September, 16 ordered the deactivation of improperly registered SIM cards in use around the country.
“We want to make sure that by 25th of September 2019, we don’t have a single incomplete registration of SIM in Nigeria,” Pantami said.
The minister described the development as a security risk to the nation, saying that the Commission having rectified 6.775m out of the original 9.2m improperly registered sim cards, should proceed to cut off the remaining number.
He noted that sim cards are usually involved in most of the crimes committed in the country.
A Nigerian man who has been affected by the recent development took to popular micro-blogging platform, Twitter to confirm that the NCC has started its planned deactivation of improperly registered SIM cards.
“It seems @DrIsaPantami have started oooo me just got this on my phone” he wrote.
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For Class Today - Great Discussion on using Video in Social from MediaPost
I tried to be stoic. I tried to be jaded. I was sure I wouldn’t shed a single tear.
But P&G won. I cried when I finally watched this P&G “Best Job in the World” spot for the Olympic Games. I’m not the only one; the ad has racked up more than 12 million views across video sites, according to social video platform Unruly Media. P&G is also the top Olympics brand so far in terms of social video reach, the company said.


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- Articles tagged "sharp"
At IFA 2012 in Berlin, Sharp is showcasing the latest progress of its IGZO and ICC-LED 4K TV endeavors. Check out this article if you're interested to know what Sharp has been up to these days in the field of display technology.
Sharp is finally ready to ramp up their 4-Color AQUOS Quattron series to the 3D stage. The new 3D AQUOS LE925 will carry an X-Gen LCD panel with side-mounted LED scanning backlights. Apart from the typical active-shutter formula, Sharp has also engineered a unique feature not commonly found with other manufacturers. Read on to find out!
Sharp's Quattron LED televisions has nothing to do with quantum physics or Tron. Rather, they are a new generation of LCD panels woven with four primary colors in each pixel. Join us as we check out these slim and sexy Full-HD beauties at the launch.
- ASUS announces NVMe support for all X99 and Z97 motherboards
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- Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10052 for Windows Phone now available
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