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Water works: HYT co-founder Vincent Perriard (with an H2 watch in the background) is expanding the business to include lower-priced timepieces with increased production
Water is a watch’s mortal enemy, but five years ago, Swiss entrepreneur Patrick Berdoz saw an astonishing concept he thought was visionary: Using liquid to indicate time. There have, of course, been water clocks for thousands of years, but no one had figured out how to create one that was wrist-size. So, along with three partners—including nuclear engineer Lucien Vouillamoz, who developed the innovative fluid system—Berdoz launched HYT, a watch brand whose raison d’être is producing hydromechanical timepieces.
The principle behind HYT’s groundbreaking watches is two immiscible liquids that flow from bellows, through a capillary powered by a mechanical movement to indicate the time on the watch dial. The complex, revolutionary system would not have been possible without the help of sister brand Preciflex, which makes liquid indication devices for the medical, design and automotive fields. Both companies were chaired by Berdoz—who has bought and sold a number of medical and real estate businesses—and HYT watches began production in 2012.
Starting with $30 million (including funds from Berdoz and private evergreen investor SVC, or Swiss Venture Club) to develop technology that did not exist in the industry before, Berdoz brought in watch veteran Vincent Perriard, who had successfully headed up TechnoMarine and Concord, to serve as CEO of HYT.
What the three men devised for HYT are watches that are complex not only in their technology but also in their design. The futuristic fluid system is set in cases that are atypical for the watch world. And collectors—particularly in Asian markets—can’t get enough of these timepieces, which sell for upwards of $50,000. In 2013, the first full year of sales and production, HYT made about 150 watches. Last year, it turned out 400. Revenue has grown accordingly: Berdoz claims sales of $4.6 million in 2013 with growth of about 40 percent in 2014 and another 20 percent in 2015. Berdoz says he expects 20 percent growth in 2016 as well. And he is being conservative. Just after Baselworld 2016 in March—the world’s largest watch exhibition—orders for HYT watches were up by 30 percent over the same period in 2015.
Bold face: HYT’s $120,000 Skull Maori indicates hours, but not minutes
According to Berdoz, this year’s growth is coming not from volume (production will remain at around 400 pieces) but rather from the introduction of more expensive timepieces. Currently, HYT’s base model, the H1 watch, retails for $50,000 to $70,000 (depending on material), and the average price of all models was $65,000 in 2015. The average this year is projected to be $80,000, thanks to collections with higher price points (the H2, H4 Alinghi and Skull collections, for instance, range from $90,000 to $180,000) and also to one particular ultra-high-end model, the H3, that goes for $285,000.
But it’s the new investment money that came pouring in that has HYT set to take its growth to a whole new level. In February, the brand received another $23 million in capital—including funds from Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe—for expansion into new markets and new fields.
“This liquid technology is so promising that there is so much room for growth,” Berdoz says. “That is why we raised the $23 million—to address the needs of the market, to be able to animate the brand in new ways moving forward.”
The new capital will also allow HYT to reduce the prices of a soon-to-be-released line of watches with an all-new movement. Referred to in-house as X Series, the new movement is smaller and a lot more affordable. With it, HYT can unveil watches that are slimmer and have a more approachable price range of $25,000 to $35,000. Additionally, Berdoz expects the new line (slated to be unveiled in 2018) will be produced in “thousands of pieces per year”.
“HYT has a DNA as a luxury brand, so we will never be priced lower than the mid-20s, and we will always be hydro and mechanical,” Vincent Perriard explains. “But with this new movement, we can accelerate growth by offering this smaller, thinner size, and by adding functions and complications. It opens a new frontier for us.”
The new investment has also led to another development for the two companies. This one, code-named Aqua Quantum, is a line of liquid-display watches and jewellery in the fashion realm, with an entry price of $300. There will also be a collection of smartwatches because the liquid can be used to display different functions. In addition, Preciflex is exploring new fluid-driven medical devices, and HYT is poised to open a US subsidiary that offers an after-sale programme with fluid specialists to service customers’ watches.
“These new products will not be made under the HYT brand name, and because of the price and design concept, they will not compete with our business. It is a hybrid,” adds Perriard. With prototypes already in hand, Preciflex is exploring production options that involve either establishing a separate company to produce and market the fashion line or working with a watch brand that is capable of mass production. In other words, the floodgates are open.


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Bitcoin fell more than 7% on Friday, with tweets by Tesla boss Elon Musk that appeared to lament a breakup with the cryptocurrency again moving markets. Tesla’s big position in bitcoin and Musk’s large personal following set crypto markets on edge whenever he tweets, and the price fell after he posted “#Bitcoin”, a broken-heart emoji. Musk followed up by posting a breakup comic strip and replying “nice” to an illustration of rival crypto dogecoin posted by crypto exchange Coinbase. It was unclear what, if anything, any of the tweets meant. Musk has previously said Tesla would not sell its bitcoin, but his tweets were enough to unsettle markets still fragile following May’s crash. “When Elon Musk tweets any crypto-related content, the market...expects a reaction,” said Nick Spanos, co-founder of ZAP Protocol, a crypto project in Switzerland. Bitcoin’s fall pushed it below its 20-day moving average to as low as $36,263, and took some of the edge off its week-to-date gains. It is up 2% so far this week.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2021.

domain: news


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TrueSAN Networks, developer of storage infrastructure software, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the Storewidth conference in Laguna Niguel, CA. The four-day conference, hosted by George Gilder, brings together industry leaders to discuss the impact that the influx of digital information and increasing Internet traffic have on the Storewidth industry. The event begins March 24, 2002 and is held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
Gene Anaya writes: \"I received e-mail confirmation that my new 10GB iPod (with no engraving) shipped today.\" This is the second confirmed 10GB iPod shipment today. Other MacNN readers note that 10GB iPods are already available at Apple retail locations.
The ATI Radeon 8500 Mac Edition officially begun shipping this week, according to Inside Mac Games. The Radeon 8500 retail for Mac features a core clock speed of 250 MHz and a memory clock speed of 275 MHz; also included is 64MB of on-board DDR memory.
Apple today announced that it will attend the National School Boards Associationís Annual Conference -- a meeting of top educators and company executives. The conference offers the latest in education technology; Apple is expected to demonstrate Mac OS X, Remote Desktop and AirPort technology. The three-day conference is scheduled for April 6-9, 2002 in New Orleans, LA; Apple will offer demos at booth 2013. Update: Apple is also scheduled to attend NAB2002, an annual gathering of media technology leaders. The company will hold booth L14400 during the April 8-11, 2002 exhibit.
IOXperts has released a public beta of USB Still Camera Driver -- a free Mac OS X driver that supports over sixty different low-end USB digital cameras. Using USB Still Camera Driver v1.0b6, users can import pictures from the supported cameras directly into iPhoto or the Image Capture application.
eLister v1.3, an auction listing utility for use with eBay -- an online auction service -- is now available for download. Version 1.3 includes eight new templates, fixes a cosmetic problem that caused the store category menu to be drawn randomly and fixes Instant Palm Desktop extension conflicts. A full feature list is available on the developer\'s Web site. An eLister single-user license is priced at $40 and is available for both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. [Classic, Carbon]
Harpoon3 v3.4.4 is a maintenance update to the $40 Mac OS X game from SpearSoft. This release fixes a bug that affected scenario and saved games that crossed the International Date Line. Added are three new options that relate to Point Defense Messages: ShowPointDefense.opt prints out basic information; ExtraShortPointDefense.opt provides extra information like \"Zap!\" and \"Buzz!;\" ExtraVerbosePointDefense.opt offers extensive info.
To The Point Software today announced The Fontz v3.4 for Mac OS 9/X. The Fontz now sports a revamped interface, the ability to run a slideshow, usability enhancements and smoother scrolling. The Fontz is a versatile font utility that allows the user to browse existing fonts, see what they look like at different sizes, and categorize them in a WYSIWYG format. [Classic, Carbon]
An Apple representative informed MacNN Reader Ben Everson that his 10GB iPod -- introduced only one day ago -- is ready for shipment. Everson called to upgrade his shipping option for faster delivery, but the woman he spoke to informed him that the unit was already being processed. \"I was pleasantly surprised by this, and by the sound of her voice she was also surprised that it had already shipped.\" No email notification has been received yet; no laser-engraving was selected.
Marathon Computer today introduced a new rackmount option, Verizontal VH Bars, which allows the installation of any Mac tower case in a standard 19\" equipment rack, retaining the tower\'s vertical orientation. Two G3 or G4 tower cases can fit side-by-side in just 11 rack units of vertical space. The $32 (per pair) accessory can be used to retrofit existing G*Rack installations or can be used to mount any standard rack device vertically. Special bundle pricing is available with horizontal G*Rack mounting kits.
Zonic has released SwapTop 1.5, an update to its $15 shareware Desktop Picture management utility, which allows Mac users to set up a schedule to automatically select a random desktop picture, to download new pictures from the Webshots network each day, and to search online for new images. Version 1.5 adds support for multiple monitors on OS X, supports HFS+ long file names on Mac OS 9 or X, and can now Import any image format supported by QuickTime.
Apple is having problems building Power Macs with GeForce4 Titanium cards, according to a note sent to a MacNN reader about his recent order, noting that the nVidia card is still delayed. The Apple Store is offering users the option to receive a Power Mac G4 with a GeForce4 MX graphics card now and receive a nVidia GeForce4 Titanium when it becomes available at a later date (allowing users to keep the GeForce4 MX at no extra cost).
ThemePark 1.0b2 is an application for creating themes (aka \"skins\") on OS X, offering the ability to edit several resource types, including clr#, clut, ppat, and pxm#. Version 1.0b2 adds the ability to resize theme elements, improves the user interface, and supports many more image formats. The beta of the $15 shareware expires April 15th.
MacNN reader Steve Wolf notes that Apple\'s Discussion support site has been down since March 18th due to server maintenance, according to a message posted at the Website: \"...This past weekend we upraded the server softare that runs Apple Discussions. Doing so will enable to us to improve Apple Discussions even more...There may be some slight interruptions as we finish the move to the new server software.\" Apple has not provided an update the server status nor an expected time for the site\'s return. [MacNN\'s discussions forum is another place for users to search and ask for support]
The 2D animation software Anim 2000 is now available on SourceForge. The professional pre-production stages application includes functions for story-boarding, layout & posing, according to MacNN reader Fabrice Gaillard: \"The project as been abandoned, the developer team as gone to over projects, and the code is left without any support of any kind. It is now left to the open source community, to give it a second life.\"
RedLightRunner.com has added 30 new \"rare\" items to its collection of Apple-branded items, including late \'80\'s Beach Towel, vintage Apple jackets, and vintage Apple pens.
iMsafe 1.6 adds synchronization features to the $13 backup utility for OS X. Other features of the Cocoa application include incremental backups, scheduling options, automatic connection to a remote server, and preservation of file modification dates and permissions.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs again took home $1 in salary last year, and was also granted 7.5 million stock options last October, according to documents filed Thursday with the SEC. His options carry an exercise price of $18.30 with 25 percent of the options immediately exercisable and the remainder to be vested over the next three years, according to c|net.
Now AAPL Stock: 93.74 ( -1.09 )
Views from the 6 iTunes, Apple Music exclusive
Drake's new album "Views From the 6" has debuted on iTunes and Apple Music as an exclusive in the first week of its release. The singles Once Dance and Pop Style, however, are available elsewhere in the interim. Securing exclusives from leading artists has been a key strategy Apple has adopted in trying to attract users to its services. Most notably, Taylor Swift's hugely popular 1989"remains unavailable to users of competing services like Spotify or Tidal. http://apple.co/1NLwsSH
TSMC chip sales to Apple jump $2B in 2015
Apple A9 and A9X chip supplier TSMC saw sales to Apple jump $2 billion in 2015. TSMC's fabrication partnership with Apple on the A-series processor helped drive its revenue to $26.4 billion, up 6 percent over the previous year, although its dependence on Apple's chip orders meant that without its business, TSMC's revenue would have actually declined by 2 percent. The Taiwan-based chip maker is currently sharing Apple's A9-series chip supplies with Samsung, although is rumored to be gaining all Apple's orders for the next-generation Apple A10 chips. http://bit.ly/24tCE6e
Fiat Chrysler adding Siri Eyes Free
On Friday, automaker Fiat Chrysler issued a software update for selected 2013-2015 model cars to allow Siri Eyes Free, the precursor to the more fully-featured CarPlay, to be compatible with the vehicles' infotainment systems, including steering wheel control. The 2013 through 2015 model Ram 1500/2500/3500, the 2013-2015 Dodge Viper, the 2014-2015 Dodge Durango, the 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, and the 2015 models of Dodge Challenger and Charger, Jeep Renegade, and Chrysler 200 and 300 can be upgraded through the Unconnect touchscreen, visiting the Uconnect site and entering their 17-digit Vehicle ID, then downloading the update to a USB drive. Installation can take up to 45 minutes, and can only be done while the vehicle is in park. http://bit.ly/23f0sby
Tor Myhren starts as VP of Communications
After an initial announcement in December, Apple on Friday added former Grey Group chief creative officer Tor Myhren to its leadership roster as VP of Marketing Communications, placing the well-known ad exec in charge of Apple's advertising and Internet marketing efforts, as well as having a hand in packaging design. He will report directly to CEO Tim Cook, and is replacing the retired Hiroki Asai, who left Apple after 18 years with the company. Myhren is expected to continue Apple recent push into more "lifestyle" marketing rather than product-centric ads, such as the well-remembered "I'm a Mac" campaign from last decade. http://apple.co/1Wwf0Dd
Marseilles Apple Store to open May 14
Apple has officially announced its newest retail store in France, which is to open in the southern port city of Marseilles in the Les Terrasses du Port shopping center on May 14 at 10AM local time. It will be the 19th full retail store Apple has opened in the country, or 20th if one includes the Apple Watch-only boutique at Galeries Lafayette in Paris. Apple is said to be planning a new showcase Paris store to be located on the Champs-√Člys√©es. http://apple.co/1pP77vO
Maps adds Flyover, Suggestions locations
Apple has updated Maps to include Spotlight Suggestions for Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, allowing users to search both internally and across the web on both Mac and iOS devices for data in Spotlight. In addition, the company has added Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and Akron, Ohio to the 3D Flyover feature, offering computer-enhanced aerial views of the two areas -- and has activated real-time traffic information for Thailand, which will augment services like reminders to incorporate estimated travel times for appointments, as an example. The company recently added Nearby searches to five countries, and rolled out transit directions for Montreal in Canada and Portland, Oregon. http://apple.co/1Lh1Zel
Verizon gives last offer, issues workers ultimatum
Verizon has offered striking workers its "last, best and final offer" following 10 months of protracted negotiations with union leaders. The latest offer comes on the back of 36,000 Verizon employees taking strike action two weeks ago. The proposal includes a 7.5 percent wage rise, better benefits and voluntary retirement incentive offers. The striking workers, mainly on from its fixed line operations, have claimed that Verizon has outsourced 5,000 jobs to workers overseas and that it has been deliberately hiring low-wage, non-union contractors. Verizon recently posted revenue of $32.2 billion for the March quarter. http://cnnmon.ie/26AmwSv


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SAN ANTONIO – Southwest Research Institute has revealed that 8 of 11 different brands of counterfeit KN95 masks tested by the organization were manufactured in China, according to Dr. Imad Khalek, the program’s senior program manager.
Khalek said KN95 is the Chinese version of the American-made N95 masks that are now hard to find.
He said 73% of the counterfeit masks failed and were only 63% efficient, instead of 95% or higher that you get with real N95 masks.
“They did not perform as expected,” Khalek said.
Khalek said the fake masks did not meet U.S. standards set by the National Institute of Occupational Health Safety, the certifying arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Khalek said NIOSH certifies only N95 masks.
Soon after the COVID-19 pandemic began, SwRI switched from testing engine emissions to testing emission of particles through masks.
Khalek said it was vital to protect front line healthcare workers.
“Maybe hundreds of millions of dollars are spent by various healthcare systems in hospitals on counterfeit KN95 masks,” Khalek said.
He said that is why SwRI is offering to test samples submitted by the healthcare industry and organizations for $600 to $1,000.
"We can check those and provide you with the information," he said.
Khalek said there is a three-day turnaround for the results.


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Pets at Home is to repay in full the £28.9m of business rates relief received during the covid-19 pandemic.
The group says the decision reflects its ‘guiding principle of treating all stakeholders fairly’ and is supported by the continuing strong performance of the business.
Peter Pritchard, group CEO, said yesterday: “I continue to be immensely proud of the tireless efforts of my colleagues across the business and the work they are doing to meet the needs of our nation’s pets week after week in the pandemic.
“We were very grateful for the rates relief provided back in March during a time of significant uncertainty, which helped us to take the decision to keep our stores, online operations and veterinary practices open. Recent positive news around the launch of vaccinations for covid-19 has led us to reassess the level of uncertainty ahead.
“Pets at Home is a robust business, both operationally and financially, with amazing colleagues, great operations, good liquidity and a strong balance sheet. Our decision today demonstrates our clear commitment to acting responsibly and treating all of our stakeholders fairly.”
The aggregate result of covid-specific costs and restrictions means that the financial impact of the pandemic on Pets at Home this year – currently estimated at more than £35m – will no longer be offset by the rates relief received.
In a statement yesterday, the group said: “Nevertheless, 10 months into this unprecedented and challenging environment, our adaptability and recent sustained performance across the business means that we are now, more than ever, confident in the strength and longevity of our pet care platform and proud to be repaying the business rates relief in full from this position of strength.”
Pets at Home’s decision to return the rates relief follows similar moves by the UK’s biggest supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Asda, which have pledged to pay back more than £1.8bn, citing strong sales during the pandemic.
Some retailers, whose sales have boomed during the crisis, have been criticised for taking government help while paying dividends to shareholders.
Pets at Home’s sales between April and October rose by 5.1% to £574.4m while pre-tax profit grew by more than 14% to £38.9m.
The group CEO said at the time that pet ownership had surged during covid as people spent more time at home and devoted extra time to their dogs and cats.
According to a BBC report today, Pets at Home said in November that it had lost £17m from implementing new safety measures across its grooming salons and restricting its veterinary services to emergency treatments only.
The retailer will also be shutting its stores on Boxing Day, costing an estimated £3m in sales, to give its staff ‘a rest’.
Pets at Home has not placed any employees on furlough, the BBC reports, and expects full-year profits to be in line with last year’s underlying figures of £93m.


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Welcome to the latest of our Google+ Hangout interviews with small-business owners and experts from across Canada.
Put the kettle on: In this video, Report on Small Business editor Katherine Scarrow spoke with Jule Gilchrist, the owner of Cuppa T, a specialty tea shop located in Regina's trendy Cathedral neighbourhood.
Ms. Gilchrist explained why she left her job as a social worker to run a tea store and why she believes specialty teas have finally caught on in the marketplace. They also talked about some of the unique opportunities, as well as challenges, she faces running a business in Saskatchewan - a province where optimism runs high among small business owners, at least according the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses.
Watch the discussion in the video player box below.


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In the second quarter of 2018 alone, $2.3 million have been collected through phishing: these are the figures published in Kaspersky’s latest study “Spam and phishing in Q2 2018“.
The report highlights all the new cases of online scams, scams that no longer occur only via email but also through social networks and even on websites with security certification.
In 2018 scams have been adapting to new financial activities, mainly those who invest in cryptocurrencies have been targeted.
The scheme is always the same: the presentation of fake ICOs of new startups and the consequent collection of funds for the development of their respective platforms.
The victims, often inexperienced and looking for great opportunities, believing they are investing in a new ICO and in projects with great potential, end up offering their funds to real fraudsters.
And it is Ethereum itself that seems to be the currency preferred by scammers. ETH scam estimated by Kaspersky, based on data received from over a thousand ETH wallets used by fraudsters sees, during the second quarter of 2018, a total of $ 2,329,317 (exchange rate at the end of July 2018) stolen through cyber phishing. This figure excludes the proceeds of classical phishing.
Scam websites look more legit than certified ones
As confirmed by Kaspersky, the paradox occurs when phishing websites (the fake ones) are sponsored and disseminated to the general public before the official ones.
A classic example is that of Experty: some hackers have managed to steal the information of potential investors who, after receiving a fake email containing a pirated link, sent their money to the scammers’ website.
Result? The loss of tens of thousands of dollars.
The Telegram case was even more famous: the parent company of one of the most popular instant messaging services announced at the beginning of the year its project to launch the Gram token. Immediately after the announcement, a dozen fake websites started popping up.
So far Kaspersky has been able to monitor the various scams, blocking around 58,000 phishing attempts that disguised as the most famous projects in the crypto world
HTTPS: is it really safe?
Apparently no one is safe anymore.
In 2017 alone, the number of recorded phishing attacks exceeded two thousand, as confirmed by Alexander Gostev, Kaspersky’s chief antivirus expert.
The problem, however, is particularly extensive and complex. The HTTPS certification, the HyperText Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer (HTTPS, also known as HTTP over TLS, HTTP over SSL and HTTP Secure) which is the protocol considered universally safe and that certifies the protected connection, could also be at risk.
Well, according to the conclusions of the research, it is possible to find hacked pages even on protected areas, an alarm that had already been sounded in 2017.
As most websites migrate to the HTTPS certificate, more and more phishing pages are now available on certified domains.
The reaction of those directly concerned was immediate: from September 2018 Chrome will stop labelling HTTPS websites as protected in the address bar. Instead, as of October 2018, Chrome 69 will begin to display the “Not Secure” label when users enter data on unencrypted websites.


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Illegal Credit Repair Schemes – Prime Credit & Prime Law Experts
Illegal Credit Repair Schemes – Prime Credit & Prime Law Experts
Created On July 5, 2019
CFPB TAKES ACTION AGAINST CREDIT REPAIR COMPANIES FOR CHARGING ILLEGAL FEES AND MISLEADING CONSUMERS Companies and Individuals to Pay More Than $2 Million in Penalties and Relinquished Funds
6/27/17 – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed two complaints and proposed final judgments in federal court against four California-based credit repair companies and three individuals for misleading consumers and charging illegal fees. The Bureau alleges that the companies not only charged illegal advance fees for credit repair services, but also misrepresented their ability to repair consumers’ credit scores. Under a proposed final judgment, Prime Credit, LLC, IMC Capital, LLC, Commercial Credit Consultants, Blake Johnson, and Eric Schlegel would pay a civil money penalty of more than $1.5 million. Under a second proposed final judgment, Park View Law, known formerly as Prime Law Experts, Inc., and its owner Arthur Barens would pay $500,000 in relinquished funds to the U.S. Treasury.
“Today, the Bureau is taking action against companies that charged illegal fees and misled consumers about their ability to fix their credit,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “We will remain vigilant about protecting consumers from companies that mislead them to turn a dishonest profit.”
Commercial Credit Consultants is a Wyoming corporation with a principal place of business in Los Angeles, Calif., that has also operated under the name Accurise. It offered and sold credit repair services to consumers from the summer of 2009 until the summer of 2012. Prime Credit, also known as Prime Marketing, LLC and Prime Credit Consultants, is a Los Angeles-based company that offered similar credit repair services from the summer of 2012 through the fall of 2014. IMC Capital is a Los Angeles-based company that provided credit repair services in 2012. Johnson was the founder and majority owner of Commercial Credit Consultants, Prime Credit, and IMC Capital, while Schlegel was the president and a minority shareholder of Commercial Credit Consultants and Prime Credit.
Arthur Barens owned Prime Credit’s business partner, Park View Law, based in Los Angeles. From March 2013 through September 2014, Prime Credit marketed and sold credit repair services to consumers using Park View Law’s name, and provided credit repair services to consumers who entered into contracts with Park View Law. Park View Law continued to offer and provide credit repair services through a similar arrangement until as late as June 2015.
In complaints filed with the proposed final judgments, the CFPB alleges that the defendants made misleading, unsubstantiated claims that they could remove virtually any negative information from consumers’ credit reports and could boost consumers’ credit scores by significant amounts. The companies attracted thousands of customers through sales calls and their websites, at times targeting consumers who had recently sought to obtain a mortgage, loan, refinancing, or other extension of credit. The CFPB alleges that the companies charged these consumers millions of dollars in illegal advance fees for their services. The Bureau alleges that these practices violated the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the Telemarketing Sales Rule. Specifically, the CFPB alleges that the defendants:
Charged illegal advance fees: Federal law bars telemarketers and certain companies from requesting or collecting fees for credit repair services until certain conditions are met about the delivery of those services. The companies charged a variety of fees for their services before demonstrating that the promised results had been achieved as required by law. Specifically, the companies charged consumers fees for an initial consultation to review a consumer’s credit report. The company also charged set-up fees totaling hundreds of dollars and monthly fees that often equaled $89.99 per month.
Failed to disclose limits on “money-back guarantees”: The companies offered a money-back guarantee for certain services. However, they failed to disclose that the guarantee had significant limits, including that the consumer must pay for at least six months of the service to be eligible for the guarantee.
Misled consumers about the benefits of their services: The companies misrepresented that their credit repair services would result in the removal of negative entries on consumers’ credit reports. The companies also misrepresented to customers that their credit repair services would, or likely would, result in a substantial increase to consumers’ credit scores. The companies lacked a reasonable basis for making these claims.
In addition to paying the amounts contained in the proposed final judgments, all defendants would be prohibited from doing business within the credit repair industry for five years and permanently prohibited from violating the Dodd-Frank Act or the Telemarketing Sales Rule. They have been filed with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and they are only effective if approved by the presiding judge.
In September 2016, the CFPB filed a lawsuit alleging similar violations of federal law against Prime Marketing Holdings, a credit repair company that partnered with Park View Law from September 2014 to June 2015. That litigation is ongoing.
The Bureau also issued a consumer advisory in September 2016 to alert consumers about companies that engage in potentially misleading credit repair services.
People are very trusting. They believe the lies of these credit “repair” companies because they believe there is no other option. Are there alternatives – of course!! I refer folks to the National Foundation of Consumer Credit Counselors, a true non-profit that has been around for more than 40 years. Their business is to help people pay off credit cards over a period of time, at (perhaps) a reduced interest. There is also bankruptcy, which I know that sounds scary, but it is a great idea to educate yourself about both of the these options. NEVER use a credit repair company.
Diane is a well respected Arizona bankruptcy and foreclosure attorney. As a retired law professor, she believes in offering everyone, not just her clients, advice about bankruptcy and Arizona foreclosure laws. Diane is also a mentor to hundreds of Arizona attorneys.
*Important Note from Diane: Everything on this web site is offered for educational purposes only and not intended to provide legal advice, nor create an attorney client relationship between you, me, or the author of any article. Information in this web site should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from an attorney familiar with your personal circumstances and licensed to practice law in your state. Make sure to check out their reviews.*
IMPORTANT PROGRESS FOR STUDENT LOAN BORROWERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN REPAYMENT TWO DECADES OR MORE Posting from the National Consumer Law Center Important Progress for Student Loan Borrowers Reposting from NCLC, July [...]
DOD to Help Military and Their Families SIX New Measures to Enhance Well-Being Release from US Department of Defense, March 22, 2023 Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III unveiled a comprehensive plan [...]
Want to avoid dishonest debt collectors? Watch this video from FTC’s Consumer Advice By Joseph Ferrari,July 22, 2022 (reprint from FTC, Consumer Alerts) During Military Consumer Month 2022, the FTC is highlighting resources [...]
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More and more men are developing a “beauty regime” according to a new survey.
SPA Future Thinking carried out a survey of 1,000 men aged between 18 and 64, reports Marketing Week.
They found that 53% of men said grooming was expected of them, while 34% said having a beauty routine would improve their love lives and 25% thought it would enhance their careers.
SPA Future Thinking research director Will Ullstein told Marketing Week: “The survey shows there is a latent demand for products and new ways for men to be marketed to.
“Men want to shop and do take pride in their appearance. Manufacturers and retailers should meet that need. Some are doing a great job but others need to raise their game.”
Simon Duffy, from natural men’s beauty business Bulldog, told Marketing Week that products aimed specifically at men are becoming more popular.
“Before we started this business, there was nothing created by men for men,” he said. “We set out to be masculine. We don’t do female products and never will.
“There are too many products in some ranges and I don’t think it needs to be that complicated. It’s very important for things to be straightforward. This is how Bulldog tries to separate itself from women’s brands.”


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Konstantin has always been at the forefront of the global virtual currency scene since first discovering cryptocurrencies the same year that Satoshi Nakomoto created bitcoin in 2009. Konstantin is the owner of a number of small businesses in trucking and mobile development, and co-founded CoinSpeaker in 2014. He graduated from Belarusian State University in 2009 with a degree in Mathematics and Mechanics. You can contact Konstantin via [email protected]
The Russian central bank said it’s ready to legalize the bitcoin and digital currencies.
After the first discussions by the Bank of Russia on bitcoin and digital currency when the bank warned about the potential treatment under the law, the country may consider legalising popular cryptocurrency bitcoin, as the central bank is softening its earlier tone on crypto-currencies adding they may be “the future.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, the country’s central bank has already started gathering information about bitcoin and digital currencies.
Georgy Luntovsky, Bank of Russia deputy chairman, has announced that while there has been evidence that bitcoin is being used to pay for drugs and weapons in Russia, it will not seek to take harsh measures against its use.
“We advocate a careful approach to bitcoin and are monitoring the situation along with the Bank for International Settlements,” said Georgy Luntovsky, the Bank of Russia’s deputy chairman, during his speech at the annual International Banking Congress in St Petersburg.
Moreover Mr. Luntovsky explained:
“At this stage, we need to watch how the situation develops with these kinds of currencies. These instruments should not be rejected.”
Earlier this year, the central bank of Russia issued a warning stating that the use of any “money substitutes” including bitcoin is illegal in the country, that announcement caused a big fear in the world as it was seen that Russia was planning to ban the use of bitcoin. Russsia s not the only country with such jurisdiction, until recently California had a similar law.
Mr. Luntovsky pointed out that his company is now undertaking a “wait-and-see” approach to bitcoin regulation.
German Gref, who previously worked as a government minister from 2000 to 2007, currently heads Sberbank. Sberbank is the third-largest bank in Europe. He has mentioned that in his opinion a ban of bitcoin would be a “colossal mistake”, and before any decision is made, bitcoin should be regulated.
This march Russian regulators said they were ready to discuss digital currencies and that the main goal is not to ban bit coin in the future.


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There have been a lot of bird clones flapping about lately, but you can now put an end to their feathered tyranny in Angry Birds Star Wars 2. Rovio has announced a new update for the game, titled "Rise of the Clones," which adds 40 new levels across the planets of Coruscant and Kamino....
Posted on Oct 20th 2014 3:30PM
Posted on Oct 20th 2014 12:49PM
Posted on Oct 18th 2014 1:30PM


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County Commission adopts resolution aimed at reducing youth smoking
The County Commission on Tuesday took a step to extinguish youth smoking.
The board unanimously adopted a resolution calling on local vendors to stop marketing and selling fruit- and candy-flavored tobacco products to minors. The document also called attention to the threat posed by electronic cigarettes.
T.J. Harrington, policy director for the Quit Doc Research and Education Foundation, described the resolution as a “symbolic gesture” that indicates Marion County “wants to take a stand on these products.”
But the motive behind the proposal was not so symbolic, anti-smoking advocates added.
More and more, commissioners were told, young people are tapping into non-traditional, sweetly flavored tobacco products, increasing the long-range risk to their health.
Manette Cheshareck is facilitator of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Marion County, a coalition of local leaders that promotes preventative measures against tobacco use, which she called the “No. 1 health issue in our country.”
Marion County has higher-than-average tobacco use for both adults and minors, relative to the statewide rate, Cheshareck said.
One problem that the resolution seeks to address, she said, was “youth-centric type of advertising,” meaning that retailers display the products at eye level for most children.
“If we prevent youth from starting tobacco use, it’s a much easier issue than helping people who become addicted to quit, because it is a chronic disease,” Cheshareck said. “It’s not something that ever goes away once they’re addicted.”
The County Commission in March 2001 enacted an ordinance that banned retailers from placing tobacco products in locations in their stores where the public could obtain them without an employee’s help.
While the local law applies to “any tobacco products,” Cheshareck pointed out that the Food and Drug Administration has been slow to regulate sales of e-cigarettes and that many retailers are simply ignoring the law and selling the products in question to minors.
“It’s an easy thing to get away with, essentially, unless someone is standing there watching the transaction,” she said.
Despite its aims and support by the County Commission, the resolution did not win universal backing.
Patty Alford, a Belleview resident who attended the session to speak on a different topic, said she buys e-cigarettes and had been told by three doctors that they were better health-wise than traditional smokes.
“I’ve found that you can’t legislate morality,” she countered. “If you don’t want your kids to do something, I think that’s pretty much up to the parents.”
Contact Bill Thompson at 352-867-4117 or email@example.com.


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There has been a lot of talk so far about what we will see in the next series of iPhones. Within the analyzes and leaks in this regard, it has been mentioned that the cell phones will come with a larger screen, with improved cameras, which will be released with the next iOS 16, including that they will be equipped with the A16 Bionic chip.
Now, this last omen has a new version. According to a TrendForce report, we will see the A16 Bionic chip in the next Apple cell phones, but not all will have it. According to these analyzes, only the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max will receive the new chip, that is, the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will be equipped with the A15 Bionic chip.
But this is not the first time that this information has come to light. A few months ago Ming-Chi Kuo, a famous Apple analyst and his news, made the same prediction. Chi Kuo mentioned that only older siblings will receive the expected chip; At the same time, the analyst was the one who leaked the arrival of the iPhone 14 Max to replace the iPhone 14 Mini.
It may interest you: According to reports iPhone 14 would come with a screen always on
Now TrendForce reinforces Kuo’s analyst report, in addition to providing us with new information. According to the firm, the iPhone 14 and 14 Max will have the A15 Bionic chip that we already know, but its RAM memory will be larger. In the iPhone 13 we saw a 4GB RAM, now, we would see a 6GB. As for the chip, it would have the same power as its younger brothers, the iPhone 13.
Regarding this decision, several analysts consider that it was made by the company due to the shortage of chips that continues to hit the entire technology industry head-on. However, keep in mind that this information is just leaks, rumors and analysis, but Apple has not confirmed or denied this. To know if this information is real or not, we will have to wait for the launch of the phones.


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South Korea's financial authorities, led by the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (KoFIU), are planning to implement stringent measures targeting cryptocurrency exchanges. Exchanges failing to meet the stringent standards will face expulsion from the marketplace, according to a report by the KoreaTimes.
Authorities will expand the scope of evaluation to block the entry of unfit virtual business operators into the Korean cryptocurrency market. This proactive approach aims to maintain market integrity and protect investors.
Safeguarding the Cryptocurrency Industry
The Korean government is considering suspension of suspicious transactions, even at a pre-investigation stage. This move aligns with recommendations from the Financial Action Task Force, a global anti-money laundering organization.
KoFIU's annual work plan outlined key policy directions and measures aimed at safeguarding the cryptocurrency industry. Plans have been devised in consultation with industry experts and stakeholders. KoFIU will thoroughly examine cryptocurrency exchanges, focusing on anti-money laundering measures, operational capacity, and consumer protection. Exchanges facing scrutiny include those expecting to renew their licenses later in the year.
Stringent inspections align with the impending enactment of Korea's first protection law on virtual asset consumers, effective July. Commissioner Rhee Yun-su emphasized the importance of institutional improvements to ensure seamless industry operation.
South Korea's Virtual Asset Regulations
Recently, The South Korean Financial Services Commission (FSC) proposed changes to its reporting requirements for virtual asset service providers targeting the employment of executives. The proposed amendment mandates regulatory approval for executives joining crypto firms, giving the FSC authority over personnel changes. This step will facilitate effective regulation of the industry and affect the renewal of VASP licenses.
By requiring regulatory vetting for executives joining crypto firms, the FSC aims to ensure greater accountability and transparency in personnel appointments. The regulator has the authority to suspend licenses if any investigations into company personnel are ongoing.
Besides that, South Korea's financial authorities are taking proactive measures. The proposed regulations restrict transactionsinvolving crypto mixers by virtual asset business operators, mitigating the potential for illicit financial activities.
Last year, the FSC banned on using credit cards to purchase cryptocurrencies in South Korea. By restricting credit card paymentson overseas virtual asset exchanges, the Korean government aims to curb money laundering and speculative activities.This article was written by Jared Kirui at www.financemagnates.com.
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The average enterprise today uses about 90 different software packages, with between 30-40 of them touching customers directly or indirectly. The data that comes out of those systems can prove to be very useful — to help other systems and employees work more intelligently, to help companies make better business decisions — but only if it’s put in order: now, a startup called Tealium, which has built a system precisely to do just that and works with the likes of Facebook and IBM to help manage their customer data, has raised a big round of funding to continue building out the services it provides.
Today, it is announcing a $55 million round of funding — a Series F led by Silver Lake Waterman, the firm’s late-stage capital growth fund; with ABN AMRO, Bain Capital, Declaration Partners, Georgian Partners, Industry Ventures, Parkwood and Presidio Ventures also participating.
Jeff Lunsford, Tealium’s CEO, said the company is not disclosing valuation, but he did say that it was “substantially” higher than when the company was last priced three years ago. That valuation was $305 million in 2016, according to PitchBook — a figure Lunsford didn’t dispute when I spoke with him about it, and a source close to the company says it is “more than double” this last valuation, and actually around $850 million.
He added that the company is close to profitability and is projected to make $100 million in revenues this year, and that this is being considered the company’s “final round” — presumably a sign that it will either no longer need external funding and that if it does, the next step might be either getting acquired or going public.
This brings the total raised by Tealium to $160 million.
The company’s rise over the last eight years has dovetailed with the rapid growth of big data. The movement of services to digital platforms has resulted in a sea of information. Much of that largely sits untapped, but those who are able to bring it to order can reap the rewards by gaining better insights into their organizations.
Tealium had its beginnings in amassing and ordering tags from internet traffic to help optimise marketing and so on — a business where it competes with the likes of Google and Adobe.
Over time, it has expanded and capitalised to a much wider set of data sources that range well beyond web and commerce, and one use of the funding will be to continue expanding those data sources, and also how they are used, with an emphasis on using more AI, Lunsford said.
“There are new areas that touch customers like smart home and smart office hardware, and each requires a step up in integration for a company like us,” he said. “Then once you have it all centralised you could feed machine learning algorithms to have tighter predictions.”
That vast potential is one reason for the investor interest.
“Tealium enables enterprises to solve the customer data fragmentation problem by integrating and enriching data across sources, in real-time, to create audiences while providing data governance and fidelity,” said Shawn O’Neill, managing director of Silver Lake Waterman, in a statement. “Jeff and his team have built a great platform and we are excited to support the company’s continued growth and investment in innovation.”
The rapid growth of digital services has already seen the company getting a big boost in terms of the data that is passing through its cloud-based platform: it has had a 300% year-over-year increase in visitor profiles created, with current tech customers including the likes of Facebook, IBM, Visa and others from across a variety of sectors, such as healthcare, finance and more.
“You’d be surprised how many big tech companies use Tealium,” Lunsford said. “Even they have a limited amount of bandwidth when it comes to developing their internal platforms.”
People like to say that “data is the new oil,” but these days that expression has taken on perhaps an unintended meaning: just like the overconsumption of oil and fossil fuels in general is viewed as detrimental to the long-term health of our planet, the overconsumption of data has also become a very problematic spectre in our very pervasive world of tech.
Governments — the European Union being one notable example — are taking up the challenge of that latter issue with new regulations, specifically GDPR. Interestingly, Lunsford says this has been a good thing rather than a bad thing for his company, as it gives a much clearer directive to companies about what they can use, and how it can be used.
“They want to follow the law,” he said of their clients, “and we give them the data freedom and control to do that.” It’s not the only company tackling the business opportunity of being a big-data repository at a time when data misuse is being scrutinised more than ever: InCountry, which launched weeks ago, is also banking on this gap in the market.
I’d argue that this could potentially be one more reason why Tealium is keen on expanding to areas like IoT and other sources of customer information: just like the sea, the pool of data that’s there for the tapping is nearly limitless.


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Julian Jones examines what the record gains of big tech companies during the COVID-19 pandemic mean for the Marxist understanding of capitalism, monopolisation and crisis in 2020.
“Crises of every kind – economic crises most frequently, but not only these – in their turn increase the tendency towards concentration and towards monopoly”, wrote Lenin in 1916. More than a century later those words ring particularly true in the times of COVID-19, an era in which a medical crisis has precipitated an economic crisis of proportions unseen since the Great Depression.
Much like the historical crises which Lenin had been analysing, the coronavirus-triggered crisis we are living through can be characterised by a distillation in the wealth of the largest companies. This accrual of wealth by the richest can be seen most starkly in recent figures by UBS Bank showing that there are now more than 2,189 billionaires, with a record collective wealth of $10.2 trillion.
Among this layer of uber-wealth, the ‘big five’ tech giants have been the biggest winners. Microsoft and Amazon now have valuations of comfortably over $1 trillion, while Google (known as Alphabet) comes close to the trillion-dollar figure, and Facebook is valued in the region of $700 billion. Apple has now become the first company to reach a $2 trillion valuation.
The ‘big five’ tech companies now make up more than 20% of the collective value of the S&P500 index, which lists the 500 largest public companies, highlighting the wealth divide even at the very top. Even accounting for the gross overvaluations of these companies, the disparities between tech companies and other sectors are nonetheless huge.
This trend towards concentration of wealth even among the billionaire class exposes one of the inherent contradictions of capitalism – that the proliferation of wealth by an increasingly small set of interests sows the seeds of destruction for much of its own class. As finance and business becomes increasingly monopolistic, the notion of free competition, championed by neoliberal ideologues, is revealed as a sham.
While many other businesses are languishing in the face of market collapse across various sectors, billionaire tech gurus and financiers remain impermeable to the damages wrought by coronavirus.
But what, if any, are the major differences between Lenin’s day and our tech-dominated economy? At first glance the new dominant companies do not harvest energy or significant resource for the purposes of production, unlike the wealth derived from industrial exploitation in previous centuries.
To a great extent, the principal commodity for the dominant tech companies is now data, with the harvesting of this commodity now carried out by everyone for free, whether by scrolling through social media, browsing the internet, commanding voice-activated speakers, ordering a cab, or even by streaming our favourite songs.
The most immediate benefit of this big data is advertising revenue: individual or collective data such as our browsing habits, whereabouts and interests may be monetised by tech companies by selling advertising rights. But data sets and consumer trends may also be harvested internally for future use. For instance, data harvested by an app or a speaker may not be monetised in the present, but may be lawfully used in the design of a new product or feature. More illicitly, Amazon has been accused by US lawmakers of utilising information about its third party sellers to snuff out competition or come up with rival Amazon-made products.
But what is so worrying about this project of mass data collection? Aside from the incursion into every aspect of our lives, our willingness to surrender data leads to an ever greater competitive advantage by these companies, in turn leading to further monopolisation and higher inequality.
Not since the ‘dot-com’ bubble of the late 20th century has technology held such sway over the fortunes of the world economy. Coronavirus has exacerbated this dominance, as we spend hours at home surrounded by internet devices and turn our consumer habits towards online shopping.
No longer can we assume that oil companies or banks wield the most significant corporate power. Investors now hold ever increasing equities in technology firms, alongside the traditional investments in energy and resources.
At this point, we must recognise that technology is not only reliant on data. Big tech needs the raw materials that make up the hardware for our devices: minerals and materials for batteries, chips, circuit boards, casings. All of which are extracted and assembled by cheap labour in the developing world, very much a traditional method for profiteering.
Yet the fact that so many dominant tech companies shun these resource-intensive processes serves only to the highlight the parasitic nature of tech companies. The likes of Facebook, for instance, does not involve itself in the manufacture of physical devices they rely upon, instead feeding off the free data produced by the public. Some of the largest companies in the world now barely involve themselves in the production of material stuffs that, even in a digital age, make up the basics of human life.
Meanwhile Amazon holds the unusual position of being heavily reliant on the sale of physical items without any significant involvement in the production process. At its core, Amazon is a colossal distribution network powered by a digital platform, with profits propped up by a precarious and un-unionised workforce. While its profits are comparably small in relation to its valuation and the size of its operations, its business model means that it can hold a massive inventory of products and move into the distribution of almost any product imaginable, physical or digital.
For those new tech companies which do succeed despite the competitive climate, the most likely prospect is takeover by a rival. The takeovers of WhatsApp and Instagram by Facebook, or Skype and LinkedIn by Microsoft, have been among the most publicised in recent years. But there are countless examples of aggressive tech acquisitions. The democratic view of the internet as a democratic place for innovation, held by the libertarian right, is torn apart by the rapidity with which monopolies engulf competitors.
Meanwhile, rivals from outside the US sphere of influence are neutralised by political methods, as shown in the persecution of Chinese companies such as Huawei or TikTok.
Yet even the US neoliberal class has experienced tensions with cyber barons. As Democratic congressman David Cicilline put it: “The practices used by these companies have harmful economic effects. They discourage entrepreneurship, destroy jobs, hike costs, and degrade quality… they have too much power.”
The trend towards monopolisation should come as no surprise to anybody on the left, but the methods deployed by digital tech barons represent novel ways of cementing their monopolies. Lenin knew that markets are incapable of operating in a fair way, but the way in which tech barons often exert more economic and political influence than entire nation states is undoubtedly a sinister development.
Though the trends of capitalism remain largely the same as in Lenin’s day, the scale of power held by a handful of Silicon Valley executives is disturbing. The new ruling class does not inhabit the wealthy clubs of New York or London, but rather the more bohemian surroundings of San Francisco. But the imperatives to halt their power have never been more urgent.


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Finally! After spending more than a decade searching for the right location, Nordstrom has just announced plans to open up its first flagship store--not a Rack or "concept shop"--but a real Nordstrom right here in NYC.
The store will be located in a 285,000 square-foot space on the ground level of a not-yet-built skyscraper at 225 West 57th Street near Columbus Circle. The only downside? The store isn't expected to open until 2018.
The announcement has been a long time coming. Nordstrom's setback hasn't been due to a lack of interest, but difficulty finding a suitable location. They've considered and come close to deals at several other locations including the Time Warner Center and the Hudson Yards. As a Seattle native who missed Nordstrom more than my parents when I moved here, I can attest that the retailer has high standards (unparalleled, in my opinion, when it comes to service) and a very specific aesthetic, so it's not surprising that they wouldn't want to settle. They've also tested the retail waters with a Nordstrom Rack at Union Square and charity concept shop Treasure & Bond in Soho, which Anna Wintour was involved with.
Now that they've set a location and an opening...year, I almost want to cry I'm so excited. However, some retail analysts WWD spoke to advise against doing that just yet, as Nordstrom could still experience some setbacks, such as certain brands who have relationships with other NYC department stores not being able to sell to them; and the distance from other retail, which is primarily on the east side. On the other hand, this could mean a revitalization of the UES in terms of retail--The Shops at Columbus Circle and Century 21 have made it work. Why couldn't Nordstrom?
Are you as excited as we are?


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Um, Pizza Hut, what’s going on here? More than 6,000 U.S. locations of the American restaurant chain are adding 25 percent MORE cheese to their pizzas, as part of an industry-wide dairy checkoff program with Dairy Management Inc (DMI). T
We are just devasted! Sudan, the world’s last male Northern White Rhino, has passed away after suffering from poor health for the last few months. Ol Pejeta Conservancy where he was living shared on Facebook.


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China’s Aug exports growth unexpectedly picks up speed in boost to economy
- August exports solidly up from July, beat f’casts
- August imports also grows at strong pace
- Data provides some relief to stuttering economic recovery
- Authorities expected to add to stimulus measures
BEIJING, Sept 7 (Reuters) – China’s exports unexpectedly grew at a faster pace in August, as solid global demand offset some of the pressure on the world’s second-biggest economy from a resurgence of domestic COVID-19 cases and supply bottlenecks.
China staged an impressive recovery from a coronavirus-battered slump, but economic momentum has weakened recently due to the Delta variant-driven COVID-19 outbreaks, high raw material prices, slowing exports, tighter measures to tame hot property prices and a campaign to reduce carbon emissions.
Shipments from the world’s biggest exporter in August…


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UNCASVILLE, CT (September 12, 2023) – For the sixth consecutive year, Mohegan Sun has been voted “Best Casino Hotel” as a part of the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. With this distinction, Mohegan Sun has officially won the “Best Casino Hotel” category more than any other nominee since the award program’s inception in 2013. Momentum, Mohegan Sun’s rewards program, was also ranked #2 in the “Best Players Club” category. Nominees for all categories in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards are chosen by a panel of relevant experts, which include a combination of editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, relevant expert contributors, and sources for both these media and other Gannett properties. Voting took place over a four-week period this summer through 10Best.com, which averages 5 million visitors per month.
“We are honored to be voted ‘Best Casino Hotel’ for the sixth year in a row,” said Jeff Hamilton, President & General Manager of Mohegan Sun. “Our dedication to providing unparalleled hospitality, world-class amenities, and uniquely elevated guest experiences is something we take a lot of pride in. We’re also excited to see Momentum be recognized as one of the best players clubs in the nation, right as we’re preparing to celebrate our loyalty program’s 10th anniversary.”
Mohegan Sun’s Sky Tower and Earth Tower combined boast nearly 1,600 spacious and elegantly appointed guest rooms and more than 200 suites. All guests who partake in a stay at Mohegan Sun have access to two fitness centers, room service, pool relaxation, an outdoor terrace with seasonal cabana rentals, sweeping views of the Thames River and Mandara Spa, Mohegan Sun’s signature spa & salon that has locations in both towers.
Momentum is Mohegan’s free rewards program that awards Momentum Dollars to spend on world-class dining, premium brand shopping, hotel stays, spa treatments, partner benefits and more. Guests can join Momentum at any Player’s Club booth on property. Momentum’s milestone 10th anniversary will be celebrated in October 2023 with exclusive discounts, giveaways and more. For more information, visit the Mohegan Sun website.
ABOUT USA TODAY 10BEST READERS’ CHOICE
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. The core of the site’s uniqueness is its team of local travel experts: a well-traveled and well-educated group who are not only experts in their fields – and their cities – but discriminating in their tastes. These local experts live in the city they write about so the content is constantly updated. 10Best.com averages 5 million visitors per month. It was acquired by USA TODAY in January of 2013.
USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY’s mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social and video platforms. An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation — today, tomorrow and for decades to follow. USA TODAY, the nation’s number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.6 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.6 million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 16 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).
ABOUT MOHEGAN SUN
Owned by Mohegan, Mohegan Sun is one of the largest, most spectacular entertainment, gaming, dining and shopping destinations in the United States. Situated on 185 acres along the Thames River in scenic Southeastern Connecticut, Mohegan Sun is home to two unique casinos, 1,600 deluxe hotel rooms, two world-class spas, a golf course, over 70 shops, restaurants and bars as well as three award-winning entertainment venues including a 10,000-seat Arena. Mohegan Sun is within easy access of New York, Boston, Hartford and Providence and located 15 minutes from the museums, antique shops and waterfront of Mystic Country. More information is available by calling 1.888.226.7711 or visiting mohegansun.com. Connect with us on Facebook, follow us on X and Instagram @mohegansun, view us on YouTube and find us on Snapchat at username MoheganSun.
# # #


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Telecom Italia reported that its profit in the latest quarter grew 3.5%, beating analysts' expectations, and confirmed it was evaluating the sale of its Brazilian mobile operations, an Associated Press report said.
The Associated Press report said Italy's largest telecommunication company said it received a 'very recent, unsolicited' acquisition proposal for Tim Participacoes.
Telecom Italia said it has mandated senior management to negotiate a possible sale, but it did not say who made the approach.
In a statement, Telecom Italia said an eventual sale of Tim Brasil would ensure the financial stability needed by Telecom Italia to pursue its strategy and upgrade its network.
On a conference call with analysts, Telecom Italia CEO Riccardo Ruggiero declined to say who the bidder was or how much had been offered for Tim Brasil.
The Rome-based telephone company said it earned 880 million euros ($1.12 billion) on revenue of 7.77 billion euros ($9.99 billion) in the third quarter.
Revenue in the latest quarter was mainly driven by its European broadband and Brazilian mobile businesses, the company said.
The company said its debt narrowed to 39.5 billion euros ($50.25 billion) in the quarter, a decrease of about 1.8 billion euros from 41.3 billion euros as of June 30.The decline in debt was mainly due to cash generation in the third quarter.


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Welcome to our latest news page. Here we'll be discussing what's new in the classic car industry.
NEW ARRIVAL - MG RV8
ONE OWNER & ONLY 34,000 KMS (21K miles) FROM NEW!
This stunning MGR V8 was purchased new by the English owner who was working for
Hyatt Hotels in Fukouka, Japan in November 1994 as a wedding present for his wife and
is one of only 259 cars worldwide that were finished in the best and most desirable colour
scheme of Pearlescent Oxford Blue with Stone Beige Leather trim and matching carpets
and a Blue Mohair Soft Top.
This really is a great car for the money and a good investment! Full details here:
BUY THIS, NOT THAT: FIAT 500 v FIAT 500
The Fiat 500 is everywhere these days. The new one, that is, although we use the term loosely because
it’s been around since 2007.
Its cute looks, peppy engines and endless options list have made it a huge hit in the UK –
in fact, at the last count it was the nation’s tenth best-selling car.
However, its popularity is also the reason why it’s lost its original pose factor – the shape we fell in love with
when the original 2004 Tripiuno concept car is now in every supermarket car park from Perth to Penzance.
Driving a Fiat 500 is no longer the fashion statement it once was.
Nope, to make a real impact you have to drive the proper Fiat 500 – Dante Giacosa’s Nuova, introduced in 1957.
Drop £2965 off the price off the cheapest brand new 500 and you can have this beautifully maintained 1971 car.
It’s left-hand-drive, but think of it as added pedestrian wow factor rather than a problem – the Nuova’s dinky dimensions
make it a doddle to drive, no matter which side the wheel’s on.
Its cutesy styling, petite proportions and the throb of its two-cylinder rear-mounted engine mean it runs rings
around the new car in the look-at-me stakes.
‘Ahhhh!’, we hear you cry. ‘The new Fiat 500 has free road tax!’
Don’t worry. The 1971 car is classed as an historic vehicle by the DVLA, so it does too. Tempted by the cool original? We are.
Have a look here for more information and photo's:
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- July 2014 (2)


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By Sara Sjolin, MarketWatch
European stocks closed higher on Monday, boosted by a round of well-received earnings reports and an advance for heavyweight Nestlé after the consumer goods giant announced a deal to sell Starbucks products world-wide.
A weaker euro after disappointing German data also helped give a lift to the region’s exporters.
French stocks, however, underperformed the wider markets as Air-France-KLM shares tumbled after the group’s chief executive resigned over the weekend amid a dispute over staff salaries.
What are markets doing?
The Stoxx Europe 600 index /zigman2/quotes/210599654/delayed XX:SXXP -0.02% rose 0.6% to end at 389.50, closing at its highest level since Feb. 1, according to FactSet data. On Friday the pan-European index scored a sixth straight weekly gain, its longest run of winning weeks since March 2015.
Germany’s DAX 30 index /zigman2/quotes/210597999/delayed DX:DAX +0.01% added 1% to 12,948.14, while France’s CAC 40 index /zigman2/quotes/210597958/delayed FR:PX1 +0.08% rose 0.3% to 5,531.42, weighed by Air France-KLM /zigman2/quotes/205396176/delayed FR:AF +1.13% .
U.K. markets /zigman2/quotes/210598409/delayed UK:UKX +0.27% were closed for a bank holiday.
The euro /zigman2/quotes/210561242/realtime/sampled EURUSD -0.1248% dropped to $1.1919 from $1.1963 late Friday in New York. A weaker euro tends to give European markets a boost as many of the region’s companies make the bulk of their revenue overseas.
What are driving markets?
With U.K. markets closed for a holiday, trading was light across the European markets. There were no major economic releases on deck, so traders instead focused on corporate news from some of the region’s biggest companies.
Nestlé SA /zigman2/quotes/208115528/delayed CH:NESN -0.11% /zigman2/quotes/210131093/composite NSRGY -0.0084% rose 1.6% after news the Swiss food giant is joining forces with Starbucks Corp. /zigman2/quotes/207508890/composite SBUX +0.04% and entered into a deal to market the coffee chain’s products globally in supermarkets, restaurants and catering operations.
On a more downbeat note, shares of Air France-KLM /zigman2/quotes/205396176/delayed FR:AF +1.13% plunged 9.8% as a conflict over workers’ pay escalated. CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac resigned over the weekend after staff on Friday rejected a pay deal, raising concerns over the future of the often strike-hit airline. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said in a Sunday interview that Air France-KLM is at risk of “disappearing” if it doesn’t make the efforts needed to compete.
What are strategists saying?
“Unions rejecting his pay deal means Jean-Marc Janaillac has failed to get the job done on soothing labor relations. And as he promised he has stepped aside to give somebody else a shot. We are not hopeful his successor will have much more luck,” said Jasper Lawler, head of research at London Capital Group, in a note.
“The choice is binary for the airline’s next boss; pay higher wages or face more revenue-destroying strikes and flight cancellations,” he added.
What’s new in economics?
German manufacturing orders unexpectedly dropped in March, falling by 0.9% month-on-month. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had forecast an increase of 0.5%.
Which other stocks are in focus?
Shares of Ambu A/S /zigman2/quotes/207854110/delayed DK:AMBU.B -0.48% rallied 18% after the Danish health-care equipment maker raised its full-year outlook for organic growth.
Aker BP ASA climbed 8.7% after the Norwegian oil company released earnings that beat forecasts.
Nokia Corp. /zigman2/quotes/203672305/delayed FI:NOKIA +0.20% /zigman2/quotes/207421390/composite NOK +0.63% gained 2.8% after the Finnish company said it has acquired SpaceTime Insight to “its Internet of Things (IoT) portfolio.”


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THE World Cup is almost underway and excitement is building for Nigeria’s sixth appearance at the tournament.
Nigerians can’t wait to watch their team after they hammered Argentina in a warm-up friendly in November, and the whole world is desperate to get its hands on the Super Eagles’ incredible retro kit.
When does the Nigeria World Cup kit go on sale?
The Nigeria kit release date has been shrouded in secrecy but the company has said it will be on sale in early June.
It is not yet known whether fans will be able to buy the kit before the Super Eagles’ friendly against England at Wembley on Saturday.
But such is the excitement that the country’s football federation say they have already received three million pre-orders for the shirt.
The delay in releasing the kit is deliberate with the NFF looking to avoid the spread of fake replicas throughout the country.
How much does the Nigeria World Cup kit cost?
The World Cup shirt will cost $85 (N31,000).
Following a meeting with Nike, NFF 2nd Vice President/LMC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko said: “The meeting was at the instance of Nike.
“The company’s representatives at the meeting expressed delight with the performances of the various National Teams since they came on board and we both agreed that it was time for a much bigger contract.
“That would be actualised very soon.
“The new Super Eagles’ jerseys will be released into the global market, including several NIKE shops across Nigeria, on 29th May 2018, just before the Eagles fly out to London for the friendly match against England.
“The cost would be $85 for one.”
How do I pre-order the Nigeria World Cup shirt?
Nike does not have a process for UK customers to pre-order the Nigeria shirt.
But you can register on the waiting list here to be entered into the draw, with winners being able to purchase the shirt this Friday, June 1, by attending NikeTown London.
If you are successful, you will be notified via the Nike app.


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RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:Jiama/ copper production is expected to reach 176,000,000pds
China to invest $1 trillion in Africa through 2025 ... "Africa for the next 20 years will be the single-most important business destination ... outlook for sub-Saharan Africa is positive and projected its GDP growth to be 4.9 percentBy 2025, urban consumers will inject around $20 trillion a year in additional spending into the world economy. Catering to the burgeoning urban consumer classes will also require a boom in the construction of buildings and infrastructure. We estimate that cities will need annual physical capital investment to more than double from nearly $10 trillion today to more than $20 trillion by 2025, the majority of which will be in the emerging world.
Mundoro Merger needs to happen with CGG heading to over 600 million in rev on CSH/Jiama Mines this yr thern over a Billion next yr... it is time to make it happen for shareholders here! Canadian based, dual listed, profitable and growing gold and copper producer with two operating
mines in China and a portfolio of potential acquisition projects worldwide


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The USA Pro Cycling Challenge brings to Aspen not just professional cyclists, but visitors, vendors and infrastructure. To put on the event that spans two days, the City of Aspen relies heavily on volunteers. Aspen Public Radio’s Marci Krivonen reports.
Volunteers trickle into headquarters in downtown Aspen early Wednesday. At the registration table, they grab lanyards and get directions.
"It’s slow and steady right now, but everyone’s excited and it’s good," says Beth Hansen.


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Australian consumer spending figures, when adjusted seasonally, declined 1.9% for the month of December 2012.
Data published by the Commonwealth Bank‘s (CBA) business sales indicator shows that the fall comes after the 2.4% increase seen in November and continues the long erratic pattern in the country.
Sales for services providers (down 3.6%), hotels (down 1%) and automobile rentals (down 0.9%) were the chief contributors to the downfall seen in the month.
CBA general manager for local business banking and operations Lex Thornton remarked that the ongoing inconsistencies are indicative of the currently prevailing conservative consumer mood.
"Although the overall economic picture showed signs of improvement in the latter half of 2012, consumers are still proceeding with trepidation," said Thornton.
The BSI tracks the value of credit and debit card transactions processed through Commonwealth Bank point-of-sale terminals and provided positive returns for retail store sales that surged 7.4% for the month.
Contracted service sales were also on the ascendancy with a 4.9% jump.
In geographical terms, the Australian Capital Teritory and Victoria reported positive sales of 0.5% for the month while the Northern Territory and South Australia were down 0.3% each.
Annually adjusted figures, however, reveal that South Australia was the best performing state at 10.1% increase while Western Australia brought up the rear at a 4.1% increase.
Looking ahead to 2012, Thornton sounded cautious and said, "For 2013 it is important that businesses make sure they have solid processes and plans in place to navigate future volatility."


text: ASDA Southport Tickled Pink Pedal Push 2013 June 17th, 2013 admin Latest News Shares Comments ASDA has been doing a massive Tickled Pink Pedal Push this weekend 132 ASDA Stores over 7 Regions are taking part. Our Target is 140k North Wales to Liverpool are covering 250 miles over 3 days. Notts-Derby-Staffordshire Lancashire-Manchester North East North Yorkshire-South Yorkshire We started on 5th june to 11th July finishing at ASDA House in Leeds. Thank you to all the riders and everyone that has sponsored us weve got just over £800 in the last 3 weeks just from the ASDA Southport store. Our riders on Sunday went to ASDA Skem. Submit News Contact us with your community, business or sport news. Phone 07930717137 Email [email protected] Twitter www.twitter.com/onthespot_news Breaking local news as it happens, searchable archives with photographs, the ability to instantly comment on news articles – there are so many advantages to OTS (Onthespot) News. If you want your news read locally online then send it to [email protected] – relying only on the newspaper is to restrict yourself to an ever reducing audience. Onthespot – your online reporter www.onthespotnews.co.uk Do you have a story to tell? Call OTS www.callots.co.uk Please text or phone 07930717137 or email [email protected] Follow OTS (Onthespot) on Twitter www.twitter.com/onthespot_news Related Comments comments!


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Helm’s Deep Expansion is on sale now through April 17th for 50% off! If you haven’t picked this expansion it is available for 2148 Turbine Points.
Tag Archives: Sale
January 2, 2014
The new store exclusive steed of January is the Snow Beast Steed. This steed will be available until February 2nd.
December 20, 2013
Right now you can purchase Helm’s Deep for 50% off it’s full price until December 29th!
November 27, 2013
LOTRO is having a black friday special of 50% off all expansion packs except for the latest expansion, Helm’s Deep that just recently released. Sales are good until December 2, 2013.
September 16, 2013
The LOTRO Market currently has the Expansion Quad Pack 50% off it’s normal $39.99 price tag and on sale for $19.99 right now!
September 5, 2013
Rift is having a sale on their multi-month patron subscription packages. Let’s break down what they got to offer.
July 3, 2013
Update 7/8/13: This sale has been extended until July 11th. Right now the LOTRO Market has a sale on Riders of Rohan for 50% off which is great news for those of you looking for a sale
June 25, 2013
Update: It appears this deal is over. The price on the web site has gone up to $19.99.


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Wang Rongjiang / SHINE
The newly opened extension of the Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall.
The Nanjing Road Pedestrian Mall is seeking global designs for the commercial street’s logo and mascot.
The campaign aims to further tap the commercial and cultural value of the popular business area, while creating a unified symbol with global influence, according to the organizer.
The winning designs will be incorporated into the design elements for the new image of the street and both individuals and groups are encouraged to participate.
“The designers should further dig into the history, humanity, commercial and tourism features of the street to showcase its global charm, vitality, creativity and fashion influence,” said Yang Dongsheng, deputy director of Huangpu.
“Nanjing Road is not merely a commercial street, but a symbol of the culture, people and image of Shanghai,” Yang said at the campaign launch at Century Plaza on Friday.
An art installation was unveiled at the landmark plaza in the middle of the street on Friday night to mark the beginning of the search for designs. The 6-meter-tall installation is composed of numerous bubbles to symbolize the creative gene of the street.
Participants can apply through the street’s WeChat account (gh_fccd722bb50d). Details in both English and Chinese are available to download. Designs should be sent to firstname.lastname@example.org by December 28.
The winners will be selected by an expert panel and online voting. The top prize is 30,000 yuan (US$4,488).
An art installation is unveiled at the landmark plaza in the middle of the Nanjing Road E. on Friday to mark the beginning of the logo and mascot soliciting campaign.
Editor: Cai Wenjun


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Rumor Milling: Prime Fish, Gigi's for sale, Jeff McInnis back?
New year, new rumors
Cutting right to the chase, Myles Chefetz's latest seafood themed Prime installment, Prime Fish, is slated to open very soon in the space formerly, long ago known as Chefetz's Miami firstborn, Nemo.
Next up on the rumor docket, something's going down at Gigi's. Following an alleged bounced check, a Gigi staffer has allegedly applied for a new job in a different kitchen. Word is the place may be up for sale.
Finally, ex Yardbird chef Jeff McInnis has been said to be sniffing around South Beach, trying to open a new restaurant while waiting for his NYC restaurant to open.
- DB Bistro Moderne Miami goes casual for the summer
- Sugar Factory American Brasserie to celebrate its Miami opening in June with Kylie Jenner
- Amy Kalinowski is the new pastry chef at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink
- PBS Chef Irie's May 7 Hidden Kitchen collaboration
- The Local Craft Food & Drink launches new menu at open-to-public party tonight
- Morimoto South Beach launches $65 'Greatest Hits' menu
- Vikram Katoch appointed new executive chef at Bianca
- Restaurant-season slowdown hits Miami
- Caviar launches Miami delivery service from Blue Collar, Miami Smokers and more
- BBQ night at Harry's Pizzeria


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A Top Stock in Telecom
We think this company is well-positioned to increase market share.
The pandemic has materially affected the businesses of Canada's wireless carriers. Not only do we believe the industry in general is poised for dramatic business improvement when the pandemic ends, but we think BCE's business in particular is best positioned among its peers: We think it's favorably positioned in both wireless and wireline.
Over much of its wireline footprint, we think BCE is now a strong alternative to other cable companies, including Rogers, its primary competitor. Historically, BCE's copper-based network has offered less quality than cable competitors for television and broadband service. However, over the last several years, BCE has been building out fiber to the home, which now passes about 5.5 million homes and businesses. With its anticipated fiber-to-the-home build-out now nearly 60% complete, we believe it is substantial enough to impact results in the near term, and we think the runway extends for several years, as it continues increasing the number of homes it passes. The company eventually intends to pass 9 million to 12 million homes and business. It is also looking to upgrade service to more rural locations with its fixed wireless offering, which is now available in over 400,000 locations.
Morningstar does not own shares in any of the securities mentioned above. Find out about Morningstar’s editorial policies.


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As reported last week, Apple has begun shipping preorders of Wi-Fi + Cellular models of the fourth-generation iPad to its U.S. customers.
MacRumors has received word from over half a dozen readers indicating that their orders are now en route via FedEx with delivery scheduled for this Friday, November 16.
It was reported that some customers who were initially seeing delivery estimates of next week were receiving free upgrades to November 16 delivery if they requested it. Now it looks like most early preorder customers will be seeing their new iPads delivered this Friday, even with out a special request.
There has yet to be any word on any Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad mini preorders being headed out the door for shipments, so we’ll have to wait and see if any make the same delivery window.


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In the era of Covid-19, sustainability isn’t the only concern in packaging. Safety has also led shoppers to consume a greater number of single-use and packaged items. So how do shoppers feel about sustainability as the second wave approaches? The Grocer surveyed over 1,000 UK adults in partnership with Harris Interactive to find out the latest attitudes.
1. Environmentally-friendly packaging remains a priority
The majority of shoppers say sustainable packaging remains a key issue for them. In fact, only 23% said it was not that important, or not important at all. The issue took on an even greater level of importance among certain demographics. A sizeable 36% of 18 to 34-year-olds said sustainable packaging was very important to them, for example, compared to 26% of those in the 55-plus age groups. In terms of regions, the capital emerged as the most eco-friendly – with 38% of those in Greater London describing sustainable packaging as very important to them. That figure rose even further to 40% in inner London.
2. Sustainability concerns have increased since the pandemic
Covid-19 may have prompted greater use of single-use packaging, but that doesn’t mean shoppers have abandoned all hope of sustainability. The majority of respondents to our survey said there had been no change in importance, while over a third said environmentally-friendly packaging had actually become more important to them since the pandemic hit. That rose to half of respondents among the 18 to 34-year-old age group. Only 10% of respondents said sustainable packaging had become less important to them in the wake of Covid-19.
3. Unrecyclable packaging is the biggest concern
It’s a close call, but being unrecyclable just about trumps excess material when it comes to packaging concerns. However, both were seen as far more concerning than single-use shopping bags. Recyclability has been a key priority for manufacturers, too. Most of the fmcg giants have signed up to the UK Plastics Pact, which includes a commitment to ensure 100% of their packaging is reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
4. Packaging is seen as safer than no packaging
Despite environmental concerns over excess packaging, there is a safety element at play here. Just shy of 50% of respondents to our survey thought some form of packaging – whether plastic, paper or aluminium – was safer than no packaging. Only 12% thought no packaging was the safest of all. However, an encouraging 38% said they saw no difference in safety, suggesting they would still be open to buying unpackaged goods.
5. There are fears over loose fruit and veg
The topline stat is a positive one: six in 10 shoppers are just as comfortable buying loose groceries as they were before Covid-19. But that still leaves three in 10 who are less comfortable. That effect has been seen in shopping habits – sales of loose fruit and veg have fallen since lockdown began. Younger shoppers were particularly likely to have these concerns. Among 18 to 34-year-olds, 33% said they were less comfortable buying loose groceries. That fell to 25% of the 55-plus age group.
6. And paper bags are more popular in home deliveries
Prior to the pandemic, bagless delivery was the most prevalent option in online grocery shopping. But Covid has put that sustainable option to the test. When the pandemic first hit, many of the supermarkets started delivering online groceries in bags for hygiene reasons. Although many operations have since reverted to bagless deliveries, it appears many customers still don’t feel entirely comfortable with that option. While 42% of respondents to our survey said they favoured bagless deliveries, a far more substantial 64% would prefer paper bags. That’s despite bags of any form – paper or plastic – incurring a greater environmental cost than forgoing bags altogether.
This feature is part of The Grocer’s Green Issue. To read the digital edition click here
This research was conducted in partnership with Harris Interactive. Harris Interactive simplifies complex decisions with critical consumer intelligence using our technology to underpin every step of your research. Find out more.


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UK ice cream manufacturer Richmond Foods has reported underlying profit for the year to 29 September of £8.2m (US$12.7m), up 63% from £5m in the previous year.
The rise in profit reflects the impact of Richmond’s acquisition of Nestlé’s UK ice cream business. Richmond is planning to launch new products including Rolo ice cream on a stick and small tubs of Smarties ice cream using the brands it acquired in the Nestlé deal.
Apart from branded ice creams, Richmond also makes own-brand ice creams for some UK supermarkets.
Pre-tax profit was £6.9m, impacted by exceptional costs of £980,000 relating to the Nestlé acquisition together with a £376,000 charge for the company’s long term incentive plan, reported the Financial Times.