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Nissan intros Titan, Titan XD King Cab with rear seat delete option
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Almighty® is a Los Angeles-based skate shop owned by Courtney Elijah.
A clothing designer by trade, Elijah opened the skate shop after noticing that there were no shops in his neighborhood that sold skateboards and related products
"I wanted to provide something for the local community, so [people] didn't have to go to the other side of the city to get their skateboards," said Elijah. "We also have a culture where we draw a lot of artists, photographers, a lot of different people who are into skating, streetwear, and art, in general."
Elijah also made sure that the community was always at the core of the Almighty® business.
"Everybody that worked for us are kids that are local to downtown LA, whether it's East LA, actually living in downtown or Mid-City, South Central area. I try to give an opportunity for the locals to have somewhere to go, get away from their surroundings, learn about fashion, learn about retail, and also give them an opportunity to learn about money," said Elijah.
Unfortunately, the 2020 racial justice protests took a heavy toll on Almighty®.
"The first night of the [Black Lives Matter] protests, my store was probably one of the first hit. They broke our front window and pretty much took the majority of the products that we had in the front of the store," Elijah recalled. "We were left with about 25 percent of what we actually had. That was difficult. We had already been out of business for about two and a half months at that point."
With making building repairs, replacing stolen merchandise and the difficulty of keeping the business going, Elijah said the BeyGOOD grant he received has been very beneficial. The BeyGOOD grant was part of a fund created by Beyonce's foundation, BeyGOOD, and the NAACP to support struggling Black-owned small business owners negatively affected by the 2020 pandemic and social unrest that occurred across the United States.
"This is just going to help me push more of the goals and the vision that we have to keep building for the community and keep making this shop something that people are proud to be a part of and come to shop at," Elijah added.

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The creator of a GTA AI mod has had their mod shutdown entirely by Take-Two.
Earlier this week we reported on the Sentient Streets mods for GTA 5 created by Bloc, which uses AI to generate free conversations with NPCs.
Now, the mod’s NexusMods listing and a YouTube video showcasing its gameplay have both been made unavailable due to copyright claims by publisher Take-Two. Sentient Streets is no longer available to download.
Bloc issued a statement on YouTube, shared with Eurogamer, detailing how initially the YouTube video and the installation guide on Netlify were removed without warning by Take-Two. This was followed by the mod’s removal on NexusMods due to a DMCA takedown from Take-Two.
“No one from Take-Two Interactive contacted and asked me anything prior to this, they just took down the video out of nowhere,” said Bloc, who believes this was a deliberate manual DCMA takedown request and not automated.
“I must say, as a person who grew up with the Grand Theft Auto series and enjoyed all the games throughout the years, this hostile attitude towards me and the mod is very disheartening.”
Bloc explains they would be happy to discuss the situation with Take-Two, however instead the publisher “chose a non-communicative approach”.
“If the real reason of this takedown is really me using GTA 5 in the video, then one might ask, if using GTA 5 in the video is a copyright strike reason, how is it possible that there are millions of YouTube videos on here at this very moment that showcases or simply does lets-play videos for over a decade without any problems? Unfortunately, this seems to look like an excuse to attack and take a stance against the mod.”
Bloc notes that the mod was available for free download and was open-source, it didn’t utilise voices from GTA 5 or distribute anything untoward.
“I am a single modder who does this in my free time for fun, so I don’t have the resources to legally defend myself in this situation. Frankly, I also don’t want to spend time on this,” said Bloc.
“Knowing that large corporations can issue strikes based on arbitrary reasons, which can cause your work to go in vain in moments, is also discouraging to say the least.”
Bloc ends their statement by quoting Rockstar from a post on Roleplay servers: “Rockstar Games has always believed in reasonable fan creativity and wants creators to showcase their passion for our games.”
Rockstar does allow mods for its single-player games, but not online multiplayer – though this is rarely enforced. However, just last week the company announced a group of roleplaying modders previously banned from the game are now official partners with Rockstar.
Eurogamer has contacted Rockstar for comment.


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As found in the Doncaster Free Press:
Don Valley MP Nick Fletcher said an “exciting future” lay ahead for the UK, as the country’s post-Brexit trade arrangements moved through Parliament in the form of the Trade Bill.
The Trade Bill looks to create a framework for an independent trade policy and a system for embedding new trade agreements into law, and passed its first hurdle in the Commons last week.
Mr Fletcher said: “In this new chapter that we now embark on, we have the opportunity to choose which countries we have Free Trade Agreements with, which in turn will lead to many new businesses and entrepreneurs emerging.
“The new stars of this future business community are not yet known, and due to this pandemic, they may have just missed their GCSEs or A levels exams or be handing in their dissertation.”
While recognising the impact coronavirus is having on the economy, he said: “Yet the end of a pandemic can serve as a spark which can begin a fire. As we know sparks will only cause fires if heat, fuel and oxygen are also present. If we take this analogy to the business world, I would argue that the changes this pandemic will serve as a spark in the creation of new businesses and increased innovation.”
But he said this could only happen in certain circumstances, and he added: “We can view the products that the UK can sell as being the fuel. The oxygen as the entrepreneurial spirit, and the heat being the trade deals which will allow British companies to operate globally.”
He also dismissed fears that all post-coronavirus opportunities would be technology-based, and said the issues seen with accessing PPE had proved the case for bringing manufacturing back to Britain,
“During these times, it wouldn’t be surprising if some even asked if we are going to be running global operations from our bedrooms,” he said.
“I don’t think this will be the case, although I am sure flexible working will become more common.
“I would like to stress that we have already learned one thing, although trading with other countries generates wealth around the world, being able to manufacture goods at home is as equally important.
“The PPE issue alone ought to highlight the necessity of being able to manufacture certain products that a country may need in a crisis.”
He said it was also key not to have a trading deficit, so schools and the health service could receive adequate funding.
He said: “In my view, we will only enable British exports to really take off if we sign Free Trade Agreements, as this will allow countries to buy many of our superior products at lower prices.”
And he added: “For this new fire to grow, we need to provide the fuel that allows us to create great products and facilitate it with the heat of free trade and finally breathe the oxygen into this, which is the great British entrepreneurial spirit.”


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[Test Drive] BMW 5 Series makes more powerful, elegant comeback
简介BMW’s 5 Series, one of the bestselling premium sedans in Korea, has returned with full-change upgrad ...
BMW’s 5 Series, one of the bestselling premium sedans in Korea, has returned with full-change upgrades in design and driving performance, making its global debut in the country in six years.
The 5 Series has sold over 8 million units worldwide since its launch of the first generation model in 1972. Korea, in particular, has shown great enthusiasm for the high-end sedan, taking approximately 20 percent of total sales last year, according to the German carmaker.
“We know how important the 5 Series is for our customers in Korea,” said Adrian Van Hooydonk, BMW Group’s design director, during a press conference in Incheon on Thursday, adding that the new lineup has grown in size with more interior space, catering to the needs of the company’s sedan lovers here.
Stressing that the eighth-generation 5 Series boasts a sporty and elegant exterior and driver-oriented interior, Van Hooydonk said the 5 Series takes after the family design of the BMW, however, offers strong individual characters like longer driving range.
이준석 전 국민의힘 대표가 16일 서울 강서구청장 보궐선거 참패와 관련해 윤석열 대통령과 여당에 변화와 쇄신을 촉구하며 눈물을 흘렸다.이 전 대표는 이날 국회 소통관에서 기자회견을 ...
South Korean stocks got off to a strong start Tuesday tracking overnight gains on Wall Street.The be ...
Hyundai Rotem, a defense solutions and railway vehicles maker affiliated with Hyundai Motor Group, s ...
- Yoon lauds rapid growth of Korean defense industry
- MBK chairman makes donation to promote Korean art at New York's Met
- One Store attracts W20b from Krafton
- 김성원 여의도연구원장 "공천장사 지라시, 허위사실 유포로 고소"
- Reeling from election loss, ruling party picks new leader posts
- S. Korean diplomat discusses NK human rights with US envoy
- SK chief discusses ICT partnerships with Estonia, Carribean Community
- Doosan Robotics to supply chicken
- S. Korea, UAE strike bilateral free trade agreement
- HD Korea Shipbuilding to build world's first ammonia
- Japan thanks S. Korea for Israel rescue effort
- LG Innotek wins patents for EV charging technology
- Korea extends fuel tax cut scheme until year's end
- BOK expected to stand pat this week over growth risks: experts
- Enhypen announces Nov. 17 comeback with 'Orange Blood'
- "당 망치는 응석받이"…안철수, 이준석 제명 서명운동 시작
- NewJeans hits 1 bln streams mark on Spotify with debut album
- Jungkook of BTS sweeps iTunes’ Top Songs charts in 100 different regions
- Seoul launches annual pet festival
- NK leader sends congratulatory message to Xi on Chinese founding anniversary
- N. Korea stipulates nuclear force
- Lotte increases efforts to give back to society
- Tving streams 2023 MTV VMAs
- Exhibition 'Hanbok, Revisited' offers modern tastes on traditional Korean clothing
- Yoon hosts luncheon meeting with Korean atomic bomb victims in Hiroshima on Chuseok
- S. Korea to extend $5 mil worth of fertilizer aid to Ukraine via U.S. agency


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The biggest and most obvious risk of all is the one associated with Lehman's own debt, which is now trading at less than 35 cents on the dollar. That's a big loss for the institutions holding it--but it also means an unknowably huge loss for anybody who wrote credit protection on Lehman Brothers at any point over the past five years. Those sellers of credit protection are staring down the barrel of billions of dollars in claims, and they're going to have to raise that money quick, by selling anything they can get their hands on--and that might well include stocks.
So you think that we've dodged a bullet with the Dow still above 11,000? Just wait. This thing ain't over yet. In fact, it's barely begun.
Sign up to receive Upstart Business Journal’s free daily email newsletter, weekend edition and breaking news alerts.


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O2 has revealed that it won’t be forced into the quad play arena following announcements from a number of its rivals.
At a media gathering last night [19/11/2014] the network’s CEO Ronan Dunne told journalists that a lot of the noise surrounding quad play had been ‘me too-ing’ and that O2’s focus was on looking at ‘new ways to add value to its proposition’.
Dunne did acknowledge that that there was a degree of value in the bundling of services which the brand had recognised with its recent deal with Talk Talk.
The O2 CEO also pointed to other markets where quad play had proved successful explaining that it often the case that there was a lack of market penetration or price competition, neither of which were an issue in the UK market.
Following the company’s recent results which showed steady levels of growth the network also discussed its strategy. The network’s CFO Mark Evans emphasising the importance of three differentiators: the ‘Refresh’ tariff, the O2 ‘Priority’ loyalty scheme and the O2 technical support ‘Gurus’.
Explaining the importance of these differentiators Dunne said that these services ‘gave a reason for customers to promote the brand to others’ and the three services were in themselves a ‘brand marketing tool’.


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Shoppers on the hunt for last-minute gifts are packing St. Louis area stores and malls, but some of them are finding ways to avoid long lines and save time. Taking advantage of a service more retailers are offering this season, customers are ordering merchandise online, then picking it up near store entrances.
Since Tuesday, Kohl’s stores have been open around-the-clock — and they won’t close their doors until 6 p.m. Saturday. That’s 107 hours of uninterrupted selling this week.
Other stores are also offering extended shopping hours to accommodate last-minute holiday shoppers. Most Macy’s stores are open until 11 p.m. or midnight Friday and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Over the last year, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers made greater investments in their online and mobile offerings to better meet consumer needs and attract spending, said Brian Field, senior director of advisory services at ShopperTrak, a Chicago-based retail analytics firm. “This holiday, a significant number of consumers shopped both online and via their mobile device, and retailers were particularly successful in capturing such sales.”
Two of the busiest shopping days this year are expected to be Friday, when procrastinators get in on the act, and Monday, the day after Christmas when people make returns and spend gift cards they received, according to ShopperTrak.
Read more: St. Louis Post-Dispatch


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BidaskClub downgraded shares of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report issued on Tuesday morning.
HRL has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Hormel Foods Corporation from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Monday, May 1st. Jefferies Group LLC reiterated a hold rating and set a $34.00 price objective on shares of Hormel Foods Corporation in a research note on Monday, June 12th. Mizuho started coverage on Hormel Foods Corporation in a research note on Wednesday, June 7th. They set a neutral rating and a $35.00 price objective for the company. Credit Suisse Group lowered their price objective on Hormel Foods Corporation from $41.00 to $39.00 and set a buy rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 26th. Finally, Stephens reiterated an overweight rating and set a $50.00 price objective on shares of Hormel Foods Corporation in a research note on Friday, June 16th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Hold and an average price target of $40.27.
Shares of Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) traded up 1.04% during trading on Tuesday, reaching $34.01. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,250,009 shares. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $33.65 and its 200-day moving average price is $34.66. Hormel Foods Corporation has a 52-week low of $32.26 and a 52-week high of $40.00. The stock has a market cap of $17.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.74 and a beta of 0.56.
Hormel Foods Corporation (NYSE:HRL) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 25th. The company reported $0.39 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.40 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $2.19 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.22 billion. Hormel Foods Corporation had a net margin of 9.42% and a return on equity of 19.57%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 4.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.40 EPS. Equities analysts anticipate that Hormel Foods Corporation will post $1.66 EPS for the current year.
COPYRIGHT VIOLATION WARNING: “Hormel Foods Corporation (HRL) Cut to Sell at BidaskClub” was published by StockNewsTimes and is owned by of StockNewsTimes. If you are reading this report on another publication, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of U.S. & international trademark and copyright law. The correct version of this report can be read at https://stocknewstimes.com/2017/08/12/hormel-foods-corporation-hrl-cut-to-sell-at-bidaskclub.html.
The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, August 15th. Investors of record on Monday, July 17th will be issued a $0.17 dividend. This represents a $0.68 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.00%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 13th. Hormel Foods Corporation’s payout ratio is currently 41.46%.
In related news, insider Thomas R. Day sold 11,139 shares of Hormel Foods Corporation stock in a transaction on Thursday, July 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $33.43, for a total value of $372,376.77. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 24,838 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $830,334.34. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Luis G. Marconi sold 1,300 shares of Hormel Foods Corporation stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $34.81, for a total value of $45,253.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 22,532 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $784,338.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 3.54% of the company’s stock.
Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of HRL. Acrospire Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in Hormel Foods Corporation during the second quarter valued at about $111,000. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board raised its stake in Hormel Foods Corporation by 230.1% in the first quarter. Canada Pension Plan Investment Board now owns 3,822 shares of the company’s stock valued at $132,000 after buying an additional 2,664 shares in the last quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. raised its stake in Hormel Foods Corporation by 20.1% in the first quarter. SRS Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 4,299 shares of the company’s stock valued at $148,000 after buying an additional 718 shares in the last quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp raised its stake in Hormel Foods Corporation by 7.2% in the first quarter. Van ECK Associates Corp now owns 4,387 shares of the company’s stock valued at $152,000 after buying an additional 295 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. raised its stake in Hormel Foods Corporation by 0.4% in the second quarter. Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. now owns 4,766 shares of the company’s stock valued at $163,000 after buying an additional 19 shares in the last quarter. 38.35% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
Hormel Foods Corporation Company Profile
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Photo by Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images
Starting next week, T-Mobile will move subscribers of some of its older unlimited plans to new (and, in some cases, more expensive) options, the carrier has confirmed to CNET.
The plan will apply to users on the One, Simple Choice, Magenta, and Magenta 55 Plus plans, according to documentation posted on Reddit. Impacted users will be informed by “an SMS and email,” and the new plans will take impact beginning with the November billing cycle. The price increases customers see will vary depending on their plan, but most can expect a bump of $5 or $10 per line.
T-Mobile clarified to CNET that those impacted can opt out of the move and stay on their old plans. In order to do so, you’ll need to call T-Mobile’s Customer Care support line.


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Microsoft has rolled out another preview build of Windows 11 that adds a couple of new features, including a new widget for enterprise users.
Microsoft will let users install Windows 11 on older PCs, even if they're not officially supported by using an ISO, reports say.
Microsoft is expanding the Windows 11 CPU compatibility list to include select 7th Gen Intel Core processors.
Microsoft Chief Product Officer Satya Nadella, head of Windows and Surface, is now part of the Senior Leadership Team that advises CEO Satya Nadella
Microsoft makes it difficult to switch away from Edge, but with a few simple steps you can make Chrome, Firefox or any other browser your new default.
Microsoft today announced the latest Windows 11 Insider Preview Build, with many features and bug fixes. The build now includes the first set of updates to Windows 11 apps like Calculator and Mail.
ThisIsWin11, a new custom optimization app for Windows 11, allows you to remove bloatware, change settings, and get a quick tutorial of Windows 11 all from one application.
Microsoft teased a new Snipping Tool that's set to arrive with Windows 11 and Word's long-overdue dark mode on Twitter.
Microsoft's Windows 365 is now generally available, putting Windows 10 or 11 on almost any device from the cloud, starting at $20.
The PAGE FAULT IN NONPAGED AREA stop code can have many causes, including driver, update or memory issues.
Microsoft brings Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100 to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel, bringing more stability for testers.
Microsoft's policies indicated that Win32 apps distributed via the Microsoft Store will have to offer in-app updates.
Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22000.100 tweaked the Taskbar, Microsoft Store and other user interface elements.
The Windows 11 File Explorer has no ribbon and worse context menus. Fortunately, you can get the Windows 10 version back.
Intel driver updates offered the latest hint that Microsoft plans to release Windows 11 sometime in October.
Get your Windows 11 PC back to a factory fresh state with all the default settings in place and your apps removed.


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Aug 21- Home Depot Inc named retail industry veteran Craig Menear as its chief executive, four months after he was appointed as head of the home improvement chain's U.S. retail business. Menear, 56, joined Home Depot in 1997 as a merchandising manager.» Read More
The rising labor costs for companies that supply Chinese goods to the West may result in higher consumer prices. The NYT reports.
Coach, the U.S. accessories brand, is planning to shift up to half of its manufacturing out of China to escape rising labour costs at the same time as it moves aggressively to expand its sales in the country. The FT reports.
A look at the numbers and the stocks that could benefit, with Michael Sansoterra, Ridgeworth Large Cap Growth Stock Fund and CNBC's Steve Liesman.


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Architect Chosen to Design the New Four Seasons Restaurant
The Four Seasons restaurant, one of New York’s most iconic gastronomic spaces, closed last week, with the new space to be taken over by Major Food Group, the Carbone and Torrisi team.But the Four Seasons brand will not be going away: The restaurant will instead be moving to a new space a few blocks away at 280 Park Avenue, and will open next summer.
A designer of the space has just been chosen, Brazilian architect Isay Weinfeld — a controversial decision that has critics worried. After all, the Four Seasons dining rooms, complete with a pool flanked by four seasonally changing trees, are one of the most recognizable restaurant interiors in the city — the work of famed architect Philip Johnson and designer William Pahlmann, inside the landmark International Style building by Mies van der Rohe. Weinfeld, by contrast, is known for his minimalist approach, according to Dezeen. He has mostly designed cavernous, blocky buildings that evoke a much colder aesthetic than that of the original Four Seasons restaurant.
"It's an honor to design a space like that," the architect told The Telegraph. "I don't know if it's possible to be at the same level as van der Rohe and Johnson, and also the expectations in a city like New York of such an iconic place are very strong, but I've had my practice for 43 years now and I feel secure that it's come at the right moment in my professional life."


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3 min read.Updated: 16 Aug 2017, 03:26 AM ISTLivemint
The current structure of the goods and services tax (GST) is seriously flawed, the result of messy political bargaining
Here is a delicious titbit for all connoisseurs of complicated tax rules. The government has clarified this week that food takeaways from air-conditioned restaurants will be taxed at 18% even when the customer is handed over the food in an area that does not have air-conditioning. Who is going to impose this rule? What if a restaurant owner registers the takeaway business as a separate entity? The mind boggles.


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Nessel Takes Action Against Online Retailer As COVID-19 Price-gouging Complaints Rise
March 18, 2020
LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel took her first action against an individual selling high-priced products online through eBay as her department amps up efforts to pursue price-gougers. Meanwhile, the number of price-gouging complaints related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) submitted to the Michigan Department of Attorney General continues to grow.
Nessel’s office had received 572 price-gouging complaints as of 11 p.m. Tuesday. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection team has been gathering the complaints online and through its phonelines at 877-765-8388. Nessel personally staffed the hotline Tuesday night along with other intake workers.
The phonelines are usually open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours were extended earlier this week to keep up with demand and will be extended again from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The number of price-gouging complaints received since Friday afternoon (75) has increased by 662 percent.
“Our primary focus is consumer protection and ensuring that Michiganders have access to the goods they need at reasonable prices,” Nessel said. “We are not looking to shut down companies or financially jeopardize any business owner with fines, but when proprietors are not following the laws, we will take swift legal action to protect the pocketbooks of residents in this state. I can assure you that anyone trying to illegally profit off this public health emergency will be held accountable.”
The Attorney General’s office issued a Notice of Intended Action (NIA) letter today asking an individual in Hillsdale to cease and desist reported price-gouging practices of selling face masks online for high prices. This action is the first taken by the Attorney General’s office against an online seller.
Additional action the Attorney General’s office has taken so far includes:
- Issued an NIA letter to Menards directing the company to cease and desist price-gouging practices;
- Sent an NIA letter to A.M. Cleaning and Supplies directing the store to cease and desist price-gouging practices;
- Contacted several business owners seeking more information if they wished to avoid further investigation or legal action by the Attorney General’s office.
Under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, a business found to be price-gouging could face legal action, and be required to pay damages to consumers and civil penalties of up to $25,000 for knowing and persistent violations – if the store fails to comply with the Attorney General’s cease and desist order.
In addition, Gov. Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-08 makes specified price-gouging behaviors criminal misdemeanors, which can be prosecuted on top of civil action under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.
While an injunction to shut down a store is possible under the Consumer Protection Act, that is not the focus of the Attorney General’s office. The focus is to ensure consumers have access to goods at prices that make sense, and not prices rooted in an effort to exploit during a public emergency. However, the Attorney General’s office will seek injunctions when individuals are attempting to run their own stores by purchasing products from another retailer and selling them out of the trunks of their cars, for example.
Some of the products mentioned in the complaints include toilet paper, bottled water, meat, milk and cleaning products like hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, rubber gloves, bleach, etc.
More recent complaints have included reports of businesses breaking up bulk packages of products and selling items individually, and stores selling products they don’t generally offer – all at reportedly high prices. Some products that were allegedly being resold at marked-up prices still had sticker tags or labels from the business where it was originally offered.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive order Sunday to specifically address price-gouging related to COVID-19. That order, in part, states no business or person can sell products grossly in excess of the purchase price at which they bought the product. It also says products cannot be sold or offered at a price that’s more than 20 percent higher than what it was listed as of March 9, 2020 – unless the seller can justify the higher price due to an increase in the cost of bringing the product to market.
Meanwhile, legislation introduced in the Michigan Senate would create additional tools for investigators to rein in price-gouging. The bipartisan bills would add price-gouging protections during an emergency declaration or market disruption. Nessel recently stated her support for the legislation.
Retailers may be in violation of the Michigan Consumer Protection Act if they are:
- Charging the consumer a price that is grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold; and
- Causing coercion and duress as the result of the time and nature of a sales presentation.
Michigan residents are urged to report any violation of the Consumer Protection Act online or by calling 877-765-8388.
Information around the COVID-19 outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest public health information is available online at a state website focused on the issue, and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


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A senior client partner at Korn Ferry on Wednesday warned toilet paper shortages are set to “hit homes” as they did in 2020.
“Early indications are that the same sorts of toilet paper shortages that hit homes in 2020 could also plague office restrooms once workers return in volume,” Bloomberg reported Elise Freedman’s projections. Freedman is responsible for helping businesses succeed as they return to work after the pandemic.
Freedman also told the publication toilet paper may not be the only household commodity that will become in short supply. Additional items may include desks and refrigerators. Other media reports already indicate backorders exist for car parts, Christmas toys, microchips, and food like beef and poultry.
The shortage of items has increased consumer prices. For instance, food costs have dramatically increased since 2020 with meats, poultry, fish and eggs increasing by 10.5 percent.
The crisis is also having an impact on local school districts, where the supply chain crisis is compelling the rationing of forks and spoons at schools. “We have the cashiers giving out one per student,” stated Lauren Weyand, Craven County nutrition director in North Carolina.
WITN NBC reported the school system “assures” every student they do not have to eat with their hands due to Biden’s supply chain crisis.
Meanwhile, the New Haven Register in North Carolina reported the “food supply-chain shortage could affect thousands of meals served daily by one of the state’s largest school districts.”
“The hamburger vendor is Tyson Foods, K12 Division, according to Justin Harmon, the district spokesman,” the Register continued. “District officials say the company is not going to produce the hamburgers ordered.”
President Biden’s supply chain crisis is reportedly due to the trucking industry being short 80,000 truck drivers. President and CEO of the American Trucking Association told CNN the trucking industry is 30 percent short of what the supply chain is demanding in order to deliver products on time.
Drivers are reportedly in short supply due to far-left policies at the state and federal levels of paying workers not to work via large unemployment benefits.


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Outraged crowds force Cigar City’s Redner to kill popular Hunahpu event
It looks like Cigar City Brewing’s fifth Hunahpu Day will be its last. CCB Owner Joey Redner told brewing blog site TheFullPint.com that this year’s event was too big of a mess and the brewery will not try it again.
Hunahpu Day is a release party the brewery hosted annually as part of Tampa Bay Beer Week for a special brew. CCB changed the format this year to a ticketed event to avoid the crowds that showed up last year and blocked entrance to neighboring businesses.
“I have always tried with these releases to balance fairness with the reality that some people will always try to get around your best efforts at fairness because they personally deserve more,” Redner told TheFullPint. “This year they got WAY around my pitiful efforts. I am acknowledging defeat. That was the last Hunahpu Day. The beer will go into distribution next year and hopefully spread out among many accounts it will get to consumers more fairly.”
More than 9,000 people showed up for the event in 2013 and people were expected to travel to Tampa Bay for this year’s release party. Tickets for the 2014 event sold for $50 and it sold out.
Saturday’s event did not go as planned, though. CCB had to reimburse some event-goers who were not able to get access to the beer they came to buy.
“As we figure out how to make up for the nightmare that happened today, we’d like to start with this mea culpa: all draft beer in the tasting room tomorrow will be FREE,” the company put on its Facebook page on Saturday night.
Angry customers took to social media to express their outrage at the mess.
“Really curious how you’re going to make this right for the folks like myself that drove 18 hrs for this event,” one beer fan wrote.
Chris Wilkerson is Deputy Editor of the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
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Company taps seasoned senior Coca-Cola executive to lead next chapter of company growth
Hearthside Food Solutions, a leading food contract manufacturer, announces the appointment of Darlene Nicosia as its new Chief Executive Officer. She succeeds Chuck Metzger, who is leaving the post after nearly five years as part of a long-term succession plan.
Most recently, Ms. Nicosia served as President of Coca-Cola’s Canada & Northeast US Zone. She brings over three decades of food industry experience with roles at The Coca-Cola Company, Kraft, and PepsiCo. A seasoned supply chain and operations executive, she previously held leadership roles at The Coca-Cola Company that spanned 29 years and included running the Company’s global Commercial Product Supply organization and serving as its Chief Procurement Officer.
Hearthside is a portfolio company of private investment firm Charlesbank Capital Partners and Partners Group, a leading global private markets firm, acting on behalf of its clients.
Nicosia’s appointment comes at a crucial time in Hearthside’s growth. The company expanded during the Covid crisis and also added six additional bakeries in the past year. The demand for high-quality outsourced manufacturing has continued to grow, as have the exacting requirements of world-class brands. Hearthside believes that future growth belongs to firms that can form preferred partner relationships with leading brands, delivering superior performance and value.
“For me, it’s all about teams learning and growing together, achieving ever-greater levels of performance, deepening commitment to our customers and striving to be their preferred partner. With three decades at one of the world’s great consumer brands, I have seen what is possible when people, process, and purpose unite,” said Darlene Nicosia. “Hearthside’s organization and culture are poised for transformational performance and growth, and I look forward to leading the company on that valuable mission.”
Leading Hearthside will be a homecoming for Ms. Nicosia, who grew up in the Chicago area. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business and holds an MSM from Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business.
Charlesbank Managing Director John Flannery said, “We sought a senior executive with proven abilities to foster and deliver transformational change across an enterprise and are delighted to have found Darlene Nicosia to lead this organization. Her strong operational credentials, deep industry relationships and experience managing complex businesses in the food category will immediately benefit the business.”
Chris Russell, a Managing Director at Partners Group, said, “The Board is grateful to Chuck Metzger for his tremendous dedication and valuable contributions over the last several years. Under his leadership, Hearthside has made significant market and product accomplishments that will serve the company well in its next phase of growth.”


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Zadig Rocks Fashion Week
A star studded evening. Z&V hosted the Daily Front Row Awards, where our Artistic Director Cecilia Bonstrom was honored as the Fashion Innovator of the year. Paris Jackson, model & daughter of Michael Jackson, presented the award while donning Zadig. Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross also came to honor Cecilia and celebrate at the after party. It was a night to remember!


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2019 Ford Bronco Spy Photos - Spied: 2019 ford ranger 2020 ford bronco mule, Spy photographers in arizona spotted the 2019 ford ranger and 2020 ford bronco mule, two of the most anticipated vehicles in the company’s recent history. the pickup was spied in wildtrak and. 2019 ford explorer , price, release date, spy photos, 2019 ford explorer – the explorer is the original crossover and it was once the best selling one in the world. however, times changed and the car is no longer at the top of the charts. however, it still is one of the better offerings on the market which has a really nice blend of performance, space, and affordability.. Confirmed: ford ranger coming 2019, bronco 2020, It's official: ford will bring back two iconic models from a bygone era. the ford ranger is set to return to north america in 2019, while the bronco will arrive in markets a year later. ford will. Spied! mule 2020 ford bronco caught testing , When ford announced earlier this year that it would bring back both the bronco and the ranger, we were stoked. not only would there be a new midsize competitor for trucks like the chevrolet. 2019 jeep scrambler pickup spy photos debut 2018, 2019 jeep 'scrambler' pickup spotted testing wrangler-based pickup seen in the wild ahead of official debut later this year. april 19, 2018. 2019 ford ranger specs, release date, price, diesel, usa, Unlike the competition, 2019 ford ranger comes to the market with only one powertrain in its lineup. the unit in question is a 2.3-liter ecoboost 4-cylinder which can be found in performance versions of focus rs, and in mustang gt.. New cars 2018 & 2019 - car reviews, prices, Ford is bringing back the beloved 4x4 suv. here's what to expect.. 2018 ford bronco – coming ! actual information , 2018 ford bronco – is coming back! actual information on changes and release date. 2018 ford bronco price, release date, specs, msrp, interior, Like we talked below in the article, new 2018 ford bronco is going to be built in ford’s factory in wayne, michigan. the development is being done by ford australia, which is also something that we mentioned earlier..
Spied 2019 ford ranger and 2020 ford bronco mule → 2019 ford explorer changes, price, release date, spy photos → Confirmed ford ranger coming in 2019, bronco in 2020 → Spied! mule for 2020 ford bronco caught testing in → 2019 jeep scrambler pickup spy photos ahead of debut in 2018 → 2019 ford ranger specs, release date, price, diesel, usa → New cars for 2018 & 2019 best new car reviews, prices → 2018 ford bronco – is coming back! actual information on → 2018 ford bronco price, release date, specs, msrp, interior →


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Introducing the newest fighting game mashup between your favorite Shonen Jump anime characters — Jump Force.
Jump Force was announced through a Trailer released in Microsoft’s E3 2018 Conference. There is no information available yet regarding the release date on PC and Nintendo Switch platforms but it has been confirmed to be released on consoles like the PlayStation and Xbox.
The trailer featured Naruto, Goku from Dragon Ball Z and Luffy from One Piece fighting Frieza from the Dragon Ball universe.
The setting for the trailer looks to be in America as there was a flag shown in some scenes. Near the end of the trailer, Ryuk, the Shinigami from the anime Death Note was shown hovering near another character presumed to be Light Yagami.
We all know that this isn’t the first mashup fighting game released by Bandai Namco with past titles like J-Stars etc. But what separates Jump Force from the former games is its look. Based from the trailer, the game’s texture looks more realistic compared to the past games where it looks animated or anime-ish.
Let’s hope the complete roster of playable characters gets released soon. We’re personally hoping to see Ichigo from Bleach and Yugi from Yu-Gi-Oh! to make an appearance.
Jump Force is expected to be released in 2019.


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Poshmark is still trying to find the path to profitability.
Despite net revenue increasing 9 percent to $89.1 million in the 2022 second quarter, the peer-to-peer fashion resale marketplace incurred net losses of $22.9 million.
In a Nutshell: Chief financial officer Rodrigo Brumana said the company is now focusing on reviewing its cost structure to implement “cost savings where appropriate” in the current third quarter. Brumana said the company has slowed hiring.
For the third quarter, Poshmark expects revenues of $85 million to $87 million, resulting in potential growth of 7 percent to 9 percent. The company also expects an adjusted EBITDA loss between $9 million and $11 million as investments in product innovation, marketing and infrastructure remain.
Poshmark founder, chairman and CEO Manish Chandra said luggage and travel bags sale were up 50 percent year over year as more consumers took trips, while blazers and suit jackets soared 61 percent.
“The evolution of business casual into business comfort is driving a huge spike in sales for comfort sneaker brands like On Running and Hoka, while orders for Birkenstock sandals and flip flops were up 30 percent year over year during the quarter,” Chandra said.
Zara flare jeans and Abercrombie straight leg jeans were up 97 percent and 64 percent year over year in May, respectively, demonstrating the shift in fashion to elastic waist, relaxed fits and flared bottoms. Tie sales jumped 45 percent.
Fashion-related categories, including apparel, shoes and accessories, drive more than 90 percent of the company’s gross merchandise volume (GMV). For the quarter, GMV was $483.5 million, an 8 percent year-over-year jump from $449.6 million in the second quarter of 2021. Quarterly GMV has increased year-over-year for the past 18 quarters.
Higher contribution from premium-priced product continues to be one of the factors that drove year-over-year average order value (AOV) growth during the second quarter.
For the trailing 12 months, active buyers reached a record 8 million, a 14 percent year-over-year increase from approximately 7 million in the second quarter of 2021.
User engagement on Poshmark’s marketplace increased 70 percent year over year to a record 57.5 billion social interactions over the past year, including likes, comments and impressions.
Adjusted gross margin was 83.2 percent of revenues in the second quarter, down from 84.4 percent from the year-ago quarter due to higher platform hosting costs and the lapping of a nonrecurring credit in transaction payment processing fees.
The marketplace expects upcoming third-quarter adjusted gross margin to be down slightly on a sequential basis.
Chandra said Poshmark intends to expand its authentication services to merchandise priced below $500 by the end of the year. He said the company has started testing various applications of the technology from its Suede One acquisition to drive innovation in its current authentication processes.
“The strategy we want to take is to really empower the buyers and sellers to participate in it. And we haven’t ruled out the possibility of maybe pricing it slightly for lower price points,” Chandra said. “We launched it so that they can use it based on their needs and not just based on what we provide today.”
Poshmark also updated its proprietary CRM platform, My Shoppers, which enables sellers to communicate with consumers who have engaged with their listings and make offers to groups of potential buyers. The new version has seen higher adoption by sellers and resulted in an increase in seller offers, Chandra said.
The CEO also pointed to other tech wins in the quarter, such as introducing Closet QR Codes that enable users to scan a QR code to share, view and engage with sellers’ closets, and integrating with e-commerce platform ChannelAdvisor. With the integration, Poshmark sellers can synchronize product, inventory, and order information from the marketplace within other e-commerce platforms.
Cash and cash equivalents were $581.2 million as of June 30, with no long-term debt.
Net Revenues: Net revenue was $89.1 million, a 9 percent increase year-over-year from $81.6 million in the second quarter of 2021.
Net Earnings: Net losses at Poshmark totaled $22.9 million, widening from the $2.4 million loss incurred in the second quarter of 2021. Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders was 29 cents, compared to 3 cents in the year-ago period.
Operating losses (excluding stock-based compensation) were $10.8 million, compared to $5.7 million in the prior-year quarter.
Adjusted EBITDA came in at a $9.8 million loss, widening from the $6.5 million loss in the 2021 quarter.
CEO’s Take: Chandra said “seller engagement is definitely higher” going into the third quarter.
“We’re starting to see the sellers starting to come back,” Chandra said. “I think it’s driven by two things. Certainly, the inflation and people’s desire to make money. But I think it is also when you think about what people are facing is that they actually have to rotate their closets. They have to sort of start to refresh that wardrobe. And in so many ways, people are realizing that when they are thinking about the various dimensions of how they engage with fashion, the answer comes back to their closet.”


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The sneaker market is white hot right now. Thanks to the rise of resale marketplaces like StockX and GOAT, millions of new collectors are entering sneaker culture. Pushing toward a casual cool fashion statement, collectable kicks and strategic sneaker collabs are rapidly expanding the industry footprint. From Virgil Abloh’s footwear lighting up the runway to PacSun’s kicks collection, there’s something for everyone.
The growth of sneaker culture has also led to a rapid rise in prices. Standout kicks that once retailed for $200, can cost $500 in a matter of months, due to massive demand and limited supply. A growing number of sneakerheads are now trading more to acquire collector level kicks for their collection.
Enter—Tradeblock, an app that officially launched in May 2021 after a solid beta run. Co-founded by three childhood friends and huge sneakerheads, Mbiyimoh Ghogomu, Darren Smith and Tony Malveaux, the new sneaker trading app is a growing online community that provides a safe and fun route to connecting with other sneakerheads and trading kicks.
“If you’re into sneakers, trading is just fun,” says Mbiyimoh Ghogomu, cofounder and CEO of Tradeblock, “but it also helps increase access for folks who may not be able to spend a rent check every time they want a new pair of shoes.”
The Tradeblock app invites sneakerheads to build a public profile that displays both their Closet and Wishlist. Members engage in barter-based trade negotiations, almost like trading players in fantasy sports. When a trade is mutually agreed to, shoes are sent off to Tradeblock’s authentication center and then sent to their new owners.
With tens of thousands of sneakerheads on the app already, Tradeblock has been busy facilitating some blockbuster trades. In one trade, a member bundled up three of the hottest shoes in the game today— the Off-White Jordan 1 UNC, the Travis Scott Jordan 1 High, and the Jordan 1 High Mocha — in order to secure a pair of Off-White Jordan 1 Euros, which were released exclusively in Europe in 2018. At the time, those Euros were worth about $4,300 in the resale market; the three-shoe bundle had a cumulative value of around $4,600, making the total value of the trade nearly $9,000.
A Ma Manière Jordan 3s, designed in collaboration with the world-renowned A Ma Manière boutique, are already being dubbed the sneaker of the year by many enthusiasts, and the Travis Scott Jordan British Khakis, part of Nike’s partnership with hip hop artist Travis Scott, have been highly sought after by Jordan aficionados since their release in April. Both of these sneakers have already been traded more than 100 times on Tradeblock.
The Tradeblock app is free to download and use — members only pay a fee when they successfully negotiate a trade. The cofounders are also hosting a number of in-person sneakerhead kick backs and small events across the country to help sneakerheads meet in real life. You can learn more about Tradeblock on www.tradeblock.us. The Tradeblock app is available for download on both iOS and Android.


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Pound below $1.50 on new debt warning
The Government's attempts to tackle its mounting national debt are taking place at a 'pedestrian pace' that is 'too slow', influential ratings agency Fitch warned today.
Shortfall: The UK's credit profile has 'deteriorated'
In a boost to the Tories, Fitch insisted that the shortfall in the country's finances must be reduced quickly because the nation's credit profile has 'deteriorated'.
Its head of global economics Brian Coulton warned: 'If we don't get an improvement in the medium-term outlook in the UK, there will be cause for concern.'
The declaration sparked fresh fears about the strength of the UK's economic recovery and prompted the pound to hit a week-long low of $1.49 against the dollar.
And there was further dire economic news as new figures showed that exports took their biggest plunge in more than three years in January.
Exports fell by £1.4bn to £19.5bn December in the biggest month-on-month fall since July 2006, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Fitch believes Britain should cut its deficit to 3% of GDP by March 2015 instead of the planned 4.4%. The shortfall is currently about 12%.
The Tories seized on the comments as further proof that their plan to start bringing down public debt this year, in contrast to Labour, is the right way forward.
The two parties are locked into a bitter battle over public spending, which is set to be a key battleground throughout the election campaign.
Shadow chancellor George Osbore said it is the 'clearest possible warning' that Labour's plan is not enough to protect Britain's coveted AAA credit rating.
'The red light is flashing over the British economy and we have a choice - action with the Conservatives to secure the recovery or more dither and delay with Gordon Brown that puts our economy at risk,' he said.
Experts said that the impact of the recent bad weather and heavy snow may have been to blame for the poor export figures.
JP Morgan economist Malcolm Barr said: 'It is plausible that the snow disruption was more of a constraint on the ability to get UK exports to airports and the dockside than it was on receiving imports.'
Exports to the US were the biggest casualty over the month, with a £500m slide.
The overall decline far outstripped a 1.6% decline in imports - leaving the UK's goods trade gap with the rest of the world widening from £7bn to £8bn in January.
This is the biggest trade gap since August 2008 and undermines hopes that a weaker pound will boost exports and help rebalance the economy.
Experts warned the poor trade figures would continue to act as a drag on recovery during the first quarter of 2010, having knocked off 0.2 percentage points from the UK's 0.3% growth in the final three months of 2009.
Vicky Redwood of Capital Economics said: 'There is clearly a big question mark over whether any improvement in net trade will come through quickly or strongly enough to offset the weakness in domestic demand.'
The British Chambers of Commerce also warned that the Government needed to do more to support trade after a survey of 250 exporting businesses which found that one in eight had experienced problems securing access to trade finance over the past year.
David Frost, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said: 'If the Government is serious about encouraging British exports as a driver of employment, economic growth and prosperity, it must resolve blockages in the finance that underpins UK global trade.
'Our exporters need to be able to compete more effectively with rivals on the continent and further afield, who are currently better supported during difficult economic environments or in riskier foreign markets.
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This is the first East Coast location for the California-based men’s wear brand.
The French brand will be produced by Modalis.
The gala will be held on Nov. 12 at Cipriani Wall Street.
Designer and Luxury
With third European flagship, Coach’s Parisian outpost is first to feature an updated luxury concept.
Culturata will bring its sportswear expertise to the company’s tailored clothing offering.
The new space will concentrate on the brand’s made-to-measure business.
Titled, “Always on the Run,” the ad features skater Boo Johnson wearing the Noiz.


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Next-generation quantum computers need specialized control and readout electronics to translate back and forth between the human and quantum worlds. A new system has been developed by engineers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. It drastically improves quantum computer performance while cutting the cost of control equipment.
One promising technology for quantum computers uses superconducting circuits as qubits. Most control and readout systems for such computers use commercial equipment not specialized for the task. Fermilab’s new system is specialized, yet it is versatile enough to be compatible with many designs.
The Fermilab team’s radio frequency (RF) board contains more than 200 elements to tweak the frequencies of qubits. Integrating all the components into one board allows faster, more precise operation. The boards cost about ten times less to produce than conventional systems.
A Fermilab team has taken advantage of a new commercial FPGA chip to create a superconducting control and readout system. This summer, the design is ready for fabrication and assembly to have working RF boards. A single board could control up to 80 qubits, equivalent to multiple phone conversations.
Name of Author: Tracy Marc


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Cannabis remains illegal at the federal level but legal in a number of U.S. states. No wonder all seed banks use stealth shipping to avoid legal hassles and confiscation.
Quebec Cannabis Seeds was founded in 2013, but still claims to have 15 years of experience in marijuana seed retail.
Generally yes, it is safe to order seeds online from reputable seed banks.
Discretion is key when ordering marijuana seeds.
What’s the safest way to pay for weed seeds?
Still, with over 1,500 cannabis seed strains, variety is the company’s strong suit.
11. MaryJanesGarden – Easy Way to Order Cannabis Seeds Online
They call it Rocket Seeds for a reason – they have fast US shipping.
Based In: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Popular Strains: White Widow, Grandaddy Purple, Super Skunk, Gorilla Glue
Generally, autoflower marijuana seeds can grow with little to no supervision, making them ideal for new growers.
Best Marijuana Seeds Banks – FAQs
Popular Strains: Incredible Bulk, Dr. Grinspoon, Auto Duck, Northern Lights
Popular Strains: Acapulco, Kalimist, LA Confidential, Northern Lights
And you know… quality over quantity.
1. I Love Growing Marijuana (ILGM) – Best Seed Bank Online Overall
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Mr Emery, a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, said he had made $3m (£2.4m) a year before his arrest in 2005.
Richard Troberman, Mr Emery's attorney, told the Associated Press news agency that his client would plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana in exchange for an agreed sentence of five years in prison.
Mr Emery arrived in Seattle, Washington state, on Thursday and is expected to plead guilty on Monday.
His seeds were allegedly traced to illegal cannabis-growing operations in Indiana, Florida, Tennessee, Montana, Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey and North Dakota, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Marc Emery allegedly sold millions of marijuana seeds around the world by post.
He was ordered extradited by Canada's Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson on 10 May.
Canada's so-called "Prince of Pot" has been brought to the US where he is expected to plead guilty to selling marijuana seeds to US customers.


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OFFICE furniture venture Desk-Link has completed a £1.6m sale and lease back of its premises in Tredegar.
The deal, brokered by property agents Colliers CRE, came after the company, based on the Tafarnaubach Industrial Estate, went into administration earlier this year.
The buyer was an overseas investor. The 116,342 square foot warehouse is set on a self contained 13-acre site, with 4.6 acres available for expansion. As well as being a manufacturing facility it contains office accommodation, kitchen facilities and car parks. The sale price was the same that the building fetched when it was last sold ten years ago.
Colliers’ director of logistics and industrial, Tim Davies said: “Completing this deal quickly has enabled Desk-Link to continue after disposing of the property, which they now occupy as tenants.
“Going into receivership is extremely traumatic for any business and in the current climate it is a distinct possibility for many. “However, we hope now Desk-Link can begin to regain their footing and can come out the other end of the credit crunch.
“Being able to purchase the property at the price it sold 10 years ago made it a very attractive investment deal for the new owner.”


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WARREN, Ohio – The trend toward environmentally conscious packaging has brought a rapidly growing company in the United Kingdom to Warren, helping a business here weigh an expansion likely to create more jobs, principals say.
Vegware Ltd., based in Edinburgh, Scotland, announced Friday that it's secured a partnership with Berk Enterprises Inc., 1554 Thomas Road, to serve as the sole U.S. distributor of its full line of biodegradable products such as disposable cups, plates, flatware, soup containers, food cartons and carriers, bags, and napkins.
"We are so excited about the opportunities it gives to our company," says Robert Berk, president and owner of Berk Enterprises. "We've been importing plastic cutlery overseas, but we've found more and more of a niche for people that want environmentally friendly green products."
This is likely to spur additional hiring at Berk as well as an expansion of its distribution hub. "We wouldn't approach it if we didn’t feel there was a demand for it," Berk says. "It's something you can't find anywhere."
Vegware's initial business is expected to increase sales at Berk 10% to 15%, reports Frank Valley, its chief financial and chief operating officer. "They've been in the states for a number of years now, so there's an existing customer base."
Just how many new employees would be required to handle the Vegware business isn't clear, Berk added.
The founder of Vegware, Joe Frankel, says that Berk commands an impressive network of customers across the United States and fits perfectly with his company. And, he says, the use of biodegradable products in the United States is a rapidly growing market that the company wants to capture.
"It's the only way to create 'zero to landfill,'" in the food-services industry, Frankel reports. "You can't recycle food with plastic in it, and you can't recycle plastic with food in it."
All Vegware products are manufactured from plant-based substances that contain nutrients and calories that can be recaptured, Frankel says. "It creates value," he says, emphasizing that an entire industry related to recycling food products is having a positive effect across Scotland.
Over a five-year period, Vegware experienced 901% revenue growth, Frankel reports, and the 2013 Deloitte Fast 50 ranked the company the third-fastest growing firm in Scotland, the 30th fastest-growing in the UK, and the 160th fastest in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
"We plan to take America by storm," Frankel said at a news conference held at Berk Enterprises last Friday. "I think you can expect big things from Vegware and Berk."
"We've seen jobs created, we've seen value created, and we've been at the heart of that," he continued
The communications director at Vegware, Lucy Frankel, reports that many communities – most of them along the West Coast -- have enacted bans on the use of nonrecyclable materials such as polystyrene, or Styrofoam. That makes products such as those Vegware produces, more appealing to these regions.
"I'm particularly excited about the movement within the U.S.," she says. "We've seen that there are many, many communities that are banning Styrofoam and are mandating composting. The sort of solution that we are bringing has found a home in the U.S.A."
Copyright 2014 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
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Virgin Media to scrap the V+ charge?
# May 24, 12:55 PM by Gavin
Virgin Media have announced plans to review their V+ charging structure. This follows an announcement by Sky recently to scrap their Sky+ charge.
Virgin Media have recently announced in Broadcast magazine that they intend to review their V+ pricing structure. Chief Operating Office, Neil Birkett has said that a pricing change is imminent, but hasn’t clarified whether he intends on altering the charges, or scrapping them entirely in line with Sky.
V+ is a personal video recorder, and allows customers to digitally record and store programs. It also allows customers to pause live TV, and rewind to review live TV they have missed. The current charges are Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£10 or Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£15 depending on the TV package the customer has
Last week Sky announced that from July they would be scrapping their Sky+ charge to all Sky TV subscribers.
You can read further discussion on this below:


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Iced robot takes the cake
Ganesh Khedekar's futuristic cake may not look that appetising but the chocolate creation with skin-like icing won its creator gold in this year's New Zealand Culinary Fare.
Khedekar worked away "bit by bit" on the 45kg cyborg cake for 40 hours over three weeks.
The 26-year-old, who works at Browns Bay's Chocolate Earth specialty cake store, won silver last year but topped his result this year by using LED lights and going for the quirky factor.
The cyborg cake was a year in the making in collaboration with his boss Kevin Martin.
It is a "family show", Ganesh says, so the cake could not be "too scary".
The torso is a chocolate shell that can be removed so the cake inside can be eaten and put back together.
Co-worker Felicity Craft, 21, got a bronze for her pure black four-tiered cake with origami birds and a solid egg on top.
North Shore Times


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UBS announced a net profit of $1.4 billion for the second quarter of 2019.Earningsread more
Beijing says it can still meet its 2019 growth target of between 6% and 6.5% and continues to roll out stimulus measures to prop up activity. China set a 2019 industrial...China Economyread more
Japan and South Korea are part of a complex and tightly linked supply chain that produces electronic goods such as smartphones and laptops.Technologyread more
A different oil pricing dynamic has been evolving with new supply calculations based on the U.S. as the world's largest producer.Market Insiderread more
The Massachusetts senator's alarm-sounding on consumer debt neglects to measure it against the growth in the economy and the ability to pay.Economyread more
Stocks in Asia Pacific edged up on Tuesday afternoon, as investors await closely-watched central bank meetings in the coming days.Asia Marketsread more
More than half of Venezuela's 23 states lost power on Monday, according to Reuters witnesses and reports on social media, a blackout the government blamed on an...World Politicsread more
Equifax will give consumers a range of options for monitoring their credit or making claims of fraud or data misuse, part of a $425 million restitution fund.Technologyread more
The deal between the White House and Democrats was earlier expected to raise the debt ceiling for two years and permanently end the sequester.Politicsread more
Britain's Antstream is jumping into the cloud gaming battle with a streaming platform for retro titles. And Tencent just backed the company.Technologyread more
American comedian Hannibal Buress, who stars in "The Eric Andre Show," has made a recent transition into the world of business as an angel investor — but there's an important...How I Made Itread more
(Adds details, background, analyst comment)
BERLIN, June 24 (Reuters) - Shares in German wholesaler Metro jumped more than 4% on Monday after EP Global Commerce, an acquisition vehicle owned by Czech and Slovak investors, made a takeover offer that values the company at 5.8 billion euros ($6.6 billion).
EP Global Commerce, which already held a stake of nearly 11% in Metro, made the takeover offer late on Friday, with Metro's biggest shareholder - investment firm Haniel - already agreeing to sell its 15.2% stake and EP exercising a call option for a stake of 5.4% held by Ceconomy.
Metro said on Sunday that the unsolicited offer substantially undervalued it, noting that the offer price was only 3% above the closing share price on Friday, and advised shareholders to hold off on taking action until management comments further.
Metro shares were up 4.5% at 16.25 euros at a 18-month high.
Bernstein analyst Bruno Monteyne said EP was paying a "rather big premium for a declining business".
"Clearly management has to do its fiduciary duty to obtain maximum value but we can't see a higher bid coming along," Bernstein said, noting that EP already had a stake of more than 30% with the shares from Haniel and Ceconomy.
EP Global Commerce said on Friday that its offer price of 16 euros for each ordinary share and 13.80 euros for each preferred share represented a 34.5% premium to when EP Global Commerce first invested in Metro in August.
The firm, co-owned by Czech investor Daniel Kretinsky and Slovak partner Patrik Tkac, said the offer was "a compelling value and a unique opportunity" for shareholders given the difficult market and challenges facing Metro.
Once a sprawling retail conglomerate, Metro has in recent years been restructuring to focus on its core cash-and-carry business, selling off the Kaufhof department stores and then splitting from consumer electronics group Ceconomy.
It operates in 26 countries with 771 stores and 150,000 employees, and it is trying to offload its loss-making German hypermarkets chain Real, as well as its operations in China. (Reporting by Emma Thomasson Editing by Michelle Martin)


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The growth of Indian IT Industry and government support to IT initiatives have been important factors. With many departments taking initiatives on e-governance, the notebook culture is set to grow even more. Several universities are asking students to buy notebooks to enable them to become more productive. Thus, students are taking notes on their notebooks and can modify these notes without having to rewrite, thus enhancing their productivity.
With an entire generation growing up in a mobility-driven environment, the culture is only going to spread further and become a norm in a few years from now.
Notebook culture is also a result and part of the trend of anytime-anywhere information. With everything available at the snap of a finger, no one wants to wait for information or keep it limited to a certain place. Now, people in India want everything instantly, be it receiving, sending or retrieving information. Wi-fi has been and will continue to be the key driver of the notebook trend. From hotel lobbies to offices to coffee shops, we see the notebook environment building up and further accelerating the growth of the notebook in India.
As India integrates in the World Economy, workers of all types are becoming more mobile. The urban markets are getting saturated. New markets are necessarily in the semi urban and rural areas. Along with mobile phones, a notebook can make a worker productive even when there is no power. As a matter of fact, with VoIP becoming prevalent, even a mobile phone is not required!
As India shines, technology booms and prices decline, luxuries will keep becoming basic must haves doing what mobile phones did to fixed lines! The new generation of Indians will see a computer only in the avatar of a mobile notebook and not a fixed line desktop.
The writer is chairman and managing director, Eastern Software Systems


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New Score Card shows big improvement in Michigan’s entrepreneurial climate
March 20, 2012
The Small Business Foundation of Michigan’s eighth annual Entrepreneurship Score Card finds that Michigan has dramatically improved in the measure called Entrepreneurial Climate, rising to 15th in the nation in 2011 compared to 45th in 2010. “We are especially pleased to see this improvement in Entrepreneurial Climate, because it’s a key measure of Michigan’s gains in the general business, capital access and technology/innovation qualities of our economy,” says Rob Fowler, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan. “This is a strong indicator of healthier conditions for future small business and entrepreneurial activity.”
Other Score Card measurements show little dramatic change but rather a slow continuation of positive economic trends. Notably, Michigan’s five-year business survival rate, which had been underperforming since 2003, is now at the U.S. average.
The Score Card finds that Michigan’s economic assets remain postsecondary education and a highly skilled workforce. Science, engineering and graduate program output remains healthy and technology competitiveness is an asset, giving the state above average performance in the Research & Innovation metric. On the downside, Michigan remains challenged by such trends as the cost of doing business and regulatory/legal measures (although there are select tax, fiscal and regulatory policies and outcomes upon which the state is now scoring higher.) Fortunately, these negatives are all areas where public policies are currently being focused (for example, business tax reform took effect on Jan. 1, 2012.)
“These public policy efforts are vitally needed to help overcome low performing trends like the fundamentals of K-12, infrastructure and quality of life,” says Fowler. “Michigan needs to continue its efforts to further accelerate entrepreneurial growth if we are to reach our goal of being counted among the top five friendliest states in the nation for small business and entrepreneurship.
The Score Card is available for download at www.sbam.org. Printed copies may be requested by calling (800) 362-5461.
The Entrepreneurship Score Card is a project of the Small Business Foundation of Michigan in partnership with the Small Business Association of Michigan, Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione, Consumers Energy, Dow Corning Corporation, DTE Foundation, Michigan Municipal League, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Crain’s Detroit Business and the Edward Lowe Foundation.
What do you think of the Score Card results? Leave a comment below!


text: Typical consumers today do not spend more than 50 euros per visit to a supermarket (unlike the more free-spending 1980s and 1990s), do not succumb to their spontaneous desires by planning their purchases in advance, and take advantage of the dozens of discounts to further reduce the cost of their visit, according to a survey by the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). This behavior concerns mainly low-income households and has affected the policy of most supermarket chains. Competition among them, combined with the strong pressures they are under from discount chains and the general financial situation have led them to offering more products at cheaper rates. Consequently, in the last few years the number of supermarkets’ own-brand products has soared, the price cuts follow one another and investment efforts continue. The AUEB survey shows that the majority of consumers (61 percent) are loyal to one chain. The remaining 39 percent buy from two or three chains at least, including 5 percent who buy from four or more chains. Consumers visit supermarkets once a week (55 percent) or twice a week (26 percent) and usually spend up to 50 euros per visit (57 percent). Some 29 percent spend between 51 and 100 euros and just 14 percent exceed 100 euros per visit. Customers of the big seven supermarket chains spend an average of 315 euros per month on their visits, against just 235 euros spent by those who prefer discount chains. It is particularly interesting that 94 percent of consumers say they have already decided what they will buy when they visit a supermarket, and that one in every two choose a brand inside the store, being open to on-the-spot promotion activity. «In our chain, people arrive with a specific shopping list for some years now,» notes the general director of Vassilopoulos supermarkets, Constantinos Maheras. «Previously, they would easily buy many products. Now they have rationalized their purchases, reducing them to what they definitely need each time and avoiding anything they might need later in the future,» he explains. Some other supermarket executives believe that this trend may be the reason for the rather low growth in sales in periods without a major crisis such as a food scare. The survey suggested that 72 percent of consumers consider prices as the most important criterion for choosing a chain, followed by quality, variety and service. Consumers also show a strong preference for the market’s big seven, while discount chains have earned a 7 percent market share. Despite the often negative publicity, 78.7 percent say that they are satisfied or very satisfied with supermarkets: «This finding reflects the positive impact of the sector’s modernization in domains such as technological infrastructure, product range organization, service, supply and the application of marketing principles and methods,» says Georgios Baltas, the AUEB professor who headed the survey. The rate of satisfaction with smaller chains, though, is much smaller than with the big seven, as smaller supermarkets cannot afford a wide variety of products, low prices or a better atmosphere, and rely instead on the proximity factor for their clientele. Customers of the big chains have a relatively high monthly income (about 2,170 euros), while those opting for smaller supermarkets have lower monthly incomes than those of discount chains (1,725 euros against 1,835 euros). In their effort to face or predict consumers’ desires in a tight and competitive environment, supermarket companies do everything they can to maintain and expand their market share. Investments by big groups in total range from between 150 and 200 million euros a year and are channeled toward the creation of new stores, the improvement of existing ones, the expansion of product range and the development of own-brand products along with more attractive prices through price cuts and offers. French chain Carrefour will invest an impressive 300 million euros in the next two years, while the annual sum spent by Vassilopoulos ranges between 30 and 35 million euros. Food retailing is one of the top sectors in investment. In 2001-2003, the 55 biggest companies in the sector invested more than 1 billion euros, while the eight biggest groups alone reached 849 million euros. All this is without including the investments of Lidl and Plus, which come to 600 million euros. This year there is not a single chain that has not entered the price and offers war or has not intensified its effort to supply more own-brand products. While in the past own-brand products, a market now exceeding 500 million euros in Greece, used to include mainly non-food categories (tissues, detergents, etc.), it has now even expanded to fresh dairy products, which until recently would have seemed very unlikely. For pasteurized milk, the lowest price on the market is now 0.69 euros per liter, according to Dodoni dairy company president, Manos Kassalias, with average prices ranging from 0.80 to 1.40 euros per liter. Own-brand products spearhead the promotion campaigns of discount chains (Dia Hellas, Lidl and Plus), whose combined store number exceeds 500, while their turnover is estimated at 800 million euros. The prospects of discount supermarkets appear positive, as according to a study by M+M Planet Retail research company, over the next three years their market share will reach 10 percent from an estimated 6.4 percent in 2005. In this context the restructuring of forces is certain, as not all supermarket chains can afford to maintain an aggressive policy for long. Market sources suggest that four or five small to medium-sized companies are interested in joining forces with bigger firms. The Veropoulos group has negotiated the acquisition of a smaller company, expected to be completed by the end of this year. Restructuring, of course, does not only concern small companies; Manolis Apostolou, the chairman of listed supermarket chain Atlantic, has forecast that no more than three or four groups will dominate the market.


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Employees of Bell’s Brewery are lacing up to Run Hoppy; for the first time, Bell’s beer fans are invited to join in!
Bell’s Run Hoppy 5K & Stroll, originally a Bell’s employee wellness event held annually at its Comstock Brewery, has gone virtual.
This year’s race is open to the public (those 21 and up). Participants can run (or walk) their 5K the week of Sept. 28, 2020. Registration is now open.
For this year’s Run Hoppy 5K & Stroll, a portion of proceeds will go to support To Write Love on Her Arms, a non-profit dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.
“Giving back to the communities we sell our beer in is an important aspect of all of our partnered events. It is one of our guiding principles,” Larry Bell, Bell’s President and Founder said.
The virtual race follows in the footsteps of this year’s Oberun 5K. That annual race also went virtual this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s Oberun helped raised money for Karen’s Trail and the construction of a 70 mile trail system in Michigan with race partner Running Fit Events.
Registration for Run Hoppy opened Aug. 28 with two pricing options for those who want to participate. For $35, racers will receive a finisher’s medal and race shirt. There will be no cost to those who do not wish to receive either piece of swag and just want to run or walk.
All racers will receive access to an exclusive Facebook community and content, a custom bib to print out at home to use for their run or walk, a digital finisher certificate and a one-time online discount code for 15% off all branded wearables and glassware at Bell’s General Store. Race week challenges are also planned to help keep participants motivated and have fun.
“Run Hoppy has been an incredible event for us in the past and going virtual allows us to continue offering this benefit,” Sara Burhans, Bell’s Wellness Coordinator said. “Being able to open this up to a wider audience of Bell’s fans and enthusiasts takes this event to another level.”
“We hope this virtual race will help people stay inspired and feel part of a larger group with a common goal,” she added.
Physical, emotional, social and financial wellness are all cornerstones of how Bell’s approaches its employee benefits program. Bell’s was a winner in this year’s Governor’s Fitness Awards presented by the Michigan Fitness Foundation and Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports.
Key dates for Bell’s Run Hoppy 5K & Stroll 2020:
- Aug. 28: Registration opens
- Sept. 18: Last day to register and receive t-shirt and medal
- Sept. 28: Run Hoppy Race Week begins
- Oct. 2: Last day to register.
- Oct. 3: Final day to run and submit finish time (required to receive swag).
ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY
Bell’s Brewery, Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. Since then, we’ve grown into a regional craft brewery that distributes to 41 states (Oklahoma distribution will begin soon), in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington DC. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with us today. We currently brew over 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at our pub in Kalamazoo, the Eccentric Cafe. Our ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically. 100% family-owned and independent, we strive to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all of our customers through our unique ales and lagers. For more information, please visit bellsbeer.com.


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Saturday's share tips
Daily Mail BUYS
Geest: Credit Suisse First Boston says buy at 491p (now 494p). Can justify a significant valuation premium to the domestic UK food sector.
Just Group: Teather & Greenwood says buy at 9 1/2p (now 9p). Fair valuation is 20p. Attractive.
Silk Industries: Brewin Dolphin says buy at 22p (now 21 1/2p). Value is underpinned at current levels without reflecting the scope for further re-profiling.
Luminar: CCF Charterhouse says buy at 760p (now 745p). Excellent long-term value.
Sanctuary: Investec Henderson Crosthwaite says buy at 58p (now 63p). Undervalued.
Cedar Group: Merrill Lynch says buy at 747p (now 740p). Recent account wins indicate its products are 'best of breed' and well placed to take market share.
Carclo: BrokerLink says buy at 148 1/2p (now 148 1/2p). The low rating and attractive dividend yield provide scope for a rerating.
Safeway: Merrill Lynch says sell at 280p (now 274p). First-quarter like-for-like sales growth has slowed from last year's second half.
Woolwich: Credit Lyonnais Securities says sell at 262p (now 250p). Has failed to capitalise on first mover advantage on the Internet. There is long-term upside but short-term news may be negative.
Daily Telegraph BUYS
Selfridges: Teather & Greenwood says buy at 285p (now 284 1/2p). Company continues to outperform peer group.
Smith & Nephew: Schroders Salomon Smith Barney says buy now. The company's acquisition of minority interest in eTrauma is good news.
Marks & Spencer: Teather & Greenwood says buy at 232p (220 1/2p). Management says data points to more stability.
WH Smith: Charterhouse says buy at 395p (380p). Core categories like books have performed well and the business is solid.
Eliza Tinsley: Teather & Greenwood says buy at 80p (90p). The company has an increasingly strong position within the industry.
First Choice: Charterhouse says buy now at 121p. The UK market should be resilient during the summer months.
Unilever: Charterhouse says sell at 410p on the back of dissapointment with the company's existing business.
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FIFA 13 Ultimate Team's web app went offline today following a wave of exploit claims from angry fans. The service is back online and offended players have been spanked with perma-bans, EA has revealed.
Players were taking advantage of an exploit that saw them receiving top-tier players from restricted packs with ease. Offenders were then selling their top players back into the economy, which has negative effects on its balance.
EA's official FIFA twitter feed was updated to announce that FIFA 13 Ultimate Team's web app was up and running again, "The FIFA Ultimate Team Web App is back up and running! Thanks for your patience"
"Yesterday, a very small number of users attempted to gain an unfair advantage on the FUT Web App."
"Web App had to be taken offline to be stabilized and ensure a level playing field for all FUT users."
The feed also saw a post that confirmed perma-bans for offenders, "Permanent bans for FIFA 13 FUT have been served to all users who attempted to gain an unfair advantage."
Were you affected by these exploits? Let us know below.


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The merger, announced in 2022, sought to combine the fifth and tenth largest retailers in the country. The companies own dozens of chains, including Safeway, Vons, Harris Teeter and Fred Meyer.
But the proposed merger came as food prices have skyrocketed. Americans are spending 26% more on groceries since 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the highest portion of their income on food than any point over the past 30 years.
The FTC, in a statement, said the merger would eliminate competition in the grocery industry, which could drive costs even higher.
Kroger (KR) and Albertsons, which both employ mostly unionized workforces, said they wanted to merge to be more competitive against non-union giants such as Walmart, Amazon and Costco. The grocers are also facing increased pressure from Aldi, the fast-growing German discount supermarket chain.
The merger would accelerate “our position as a more compelling alternative to larger and non-union competitors,” Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen said when the deal was announced.
But the FTC in its lawsuit was skeptical of the claim.
“This supermarket mega merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years. Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, said Henry Liu, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition.
Unions, small grocers and a coalition of Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, including Democrat Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Republican Mike Lee of Utah, also strongly opposed the merger from the start.
Kroger and Albertsons criticized the FTC’s decision.
The FTC’s suit “only strengthens larger, non-unionized retailers like Walmart, Costco and Amazon by allowing them to further increase their overwhelming and growing dominance of the grocery industry,” the spokesperson said.
Kroger said it will appeal the FTC’s decision.
FTC Chair Khan skeptical of divestitures
To address antitrust concerns that the merger would stifle competition in local markets where their stores overlap, Kroger and Albertsons agreed to sell roughly 400 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers, the owner of Piggly Wiggly and other brands.
C&S has also provisionally agreed to purchase more than 200 additional stores if the proposed deal received regulatory pusback.
But the FTC said the divestiture proposal was a “hodgepodge of unconnected stores, banners, brands, and other assets that Kroger’s antitrust lawyers have cobbled together” and would not be a “successful competitor against a combined Kroger and Albertsons.”
Albertsons’ $9 billion tie-up with Safeway in 2014 loomed over regulators, including FTC chair Lina Khan.
To win approval for that deal from antitrust regulators, Albertsons and Safeway agreed to sell 168 of their stores to buyers approved by the FTC.
With the FTC’s blessing, Haggen, a small supermarket chain in the Northwest with just 18 locations, bought 146 of the former Albertsons and Safeway stores.
But Haggen struggled to manage the stores. Less than a year later, Haggen filed for bankruptcy and closed some locations.
Khan has been skeptical of divestitures as an effective tool to promote competition. She criticized the FTC’s handling of Albertsons’ deal with Safeway, pointing to it as a prime example of the limitations of divestitures.
In a 2017 law review article she wrote prior to helming the FTC, Khan said the agency’s approval of the divestiture to Haggen was “[hard] to fathom” and a “spectacular” failure.
“Even a casual observer could have predicted that Haggen would have great difficulty expanding its storefronts,” Khan said. “The skeptics have been proven right.”
Under Khan, the FTC has also launched landmark antitrust suits against Amazon and other tech giants.