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Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is facing the possibility of jail time for selling raw milk produced on his farm to consumers in his private food club. The Wisconsin Department of Agricultural Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) charged Hershberger with selling raw milk and other products from his farm to a private buying group and with running a food establishment without a license. If convicted, he could face a three-year jail sentence.
Hershberger established a food club in Baraboo, Wis. with a membership of 200 people who pay annual dues; since he sells his raw milk and farm products solely within this club, he claims that it is not a retail operation and that he does not need to have a license to sell his products. He believes that he is innocent of the charges brought forth against him.
Raw milk is unpasteurized, unlike the Grade A milk that is widely sold in U.S. supermarkets. The health benefits of raw milk are somewhat controversial. Advocates for the product insist that pasteurization, a form of food processing, kills beneficial bacteria, enzymes and nutrients in the milk, such as lipase and immunoglobulins, which they believe cannot survive the heat generated by the pasteurization process. Food scientists, however, disagree with this claim.
Opponents of raw milk believe that the amount of bacteria present in raw milk is harmful and is a health hazard, whereas raw milk supporters believe that the amount of bacteria in the milk is too small to harm humans. The government and food regulation authorities believe that raw milk is unsafe for consumption, and that the alleged health benefits of raw milk are not substantiated by scientific evidence.
The debate remains as to whether the amounts of these bacteria found in raw milk are high enough to cause these diseases. Some people believe that, when produced from an organic farm that practices the strictest sanitary procedures, ensuring that the level of contamination from bacteria is as low as possible, raw milk can be safe to drink. A group that supports Hershberger as well as raw milk production, Raw Milk Freedom Riders, says that their goal is for raw milk to be sold in retail stores with a label warning consumers that the raw product may contain health risks, similar to the warning labels on raw fish and meat.
People with weak immune systems, including children and elderly people, are the most susceptible to potential pathogens in raw milk. These bacteria, including E. coli, salmonella and tuberculosis, can cause a variety of diseases, such as miscarriage and fetal damage in pregnant women and kidney failure.
Commonly consumed by farming families, raw milk has experienced an increase in demand and interest in recent years, likely due to a growing population of Americans who have shifted their diets to include more natural and organic foods. Ten states prohibit the sale of raw milk in retail stores, while ten other states allow it. The remainder of the states have varying rules on raw milk sale and production, with some allowing it to be sold as pet food and other permitting its sale on farms only (a map of states that allow raw milk production can be found here).
Hershberger’s case is among recent farm raids conducted across the United States by the FBI, which have forced farms to close and have left customers without access to products. The community of Baraboo, Wis. is rallying in support of Hershberger and his values of freedom of choice and freedom to produce food. Supporters of Hershberger and raw milk production are invited to attend a food rights workshop on March 1, as well as a rally on March 2 outside of the Sauk County Circuit Court in Baraboo, hosted by Raw Milk Freedom Riders and the Farm Food Freedom Coalition.
Photo credit: flickr.com/photos/kthread/4052975818


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Salesforce.com (NYSE:CRM) has been playing an interesting accounting game for the past 2 years. Despite the non-stop exuberance on the company's conference calls, Salesforce has been struggling by most traditional financial metrics.
1. The Numbers
This chart from Google Finance pretty accurately depicts the Salesforce short thesis.
Although revenue has been growing at a healthy pace since 2009, profits and margins have been diving.
Here is a table outlining Salesforce's key profitability metrics from FY10-FY14.
|YoY Revenue Growth||32.6%||26.9%||36.8%||34.5%||27%|
|Operating Margin (Loss)||8.8%||5.9%||(1.5%)||(3.6%)||(4.6%)|
|Operating Income $M (Loss)||115.27||97.5||(35.09)||(110.71)||
*Projected numbers based on management's guidance & annualized Q1 numbers for GM.
2. Q1 FY14: Operating Loss Doubles
After 2 full years of operating losses, investors must be eagerly awaiting some sort of reversal in profitability. Salesforce stock has climbed over 400% since the beginning of 2009, even with declining profitability. Apparently revenue growth north of 30% has sustained the share price, which has clearly been fueled by a consistent P/S multiple of around 8-10.
Salesforce's rapidly declining operating income is showing no signs of slowing down. Q1 FY13 was a particularly brutal quarter in which the company lost $22.25M (operating income). Besides Q3, that was the biggest operating loss Salesforce reported in FY13.
Q1 FY14 confirmed that Salesforce's losses will continue to expand for a 3rd year in a row. Salesforce reported an operating loss of $44.54M in the quarter. In other words, Salesforce is losing twice as much money as it was this time a year ago.
3. Consistently Missing GAAP Profitability Projections
No one seems to notice or care that Salesforce has been consistently, and horrifically, botching its own GAAP earnings estimates.
|Initial GAAP EPS Guidance ($) (Loss)||0.145-0.15||0.02-0.0275||(0.1375-0.1275)||(0.305-0.295)|
|Final GAAP EPS (Loss) ($)||0.1175||(0.025)||(0.48)||??|
|EPS Surprise/(Miss) ($)||(0.03)||(0.04875)||(0.3475)||??|
*GAAP EPS numbers/guidance are divided by 4 to adjust for Salesforce's recent stock split.
Salesforce has reported lower GAAP earnings for the past 3 years. Not only are Salesforce's GAAP earnings declining (and negative since FY12) but it's been at an accelerating pace. In FY13 Salesforce guided to lose between $0.55-$0.51 per share, and ended up reporting a loss of $1.92 (unadjusted for the recent split). For some reason Salesforce guided to lose less in FY14, and report a GAAP loss of $1.22-$1.18 (still unadjusted). Q1 guidance was for a GAAP loss of $0.44-$0.42 per share. Guess what? Salesforce missed those numbers and reported a GAAP loss of $0.48 per share.
Salesforce has already missed Q1 EPS, but luckily provided very safe guidance for Q2. Salesforce has guided to lose between $0.06-$0.07 (or $0.24-$0.28 adjusted) for the quarter, which would be more than triple the GAAP loss of $0.07 it reported in Q2 FY13.
Let's recap. Salesforce missed GAAP guidance in Q1 and doubled its losses from the prior year. For Q2 Salesforce is guiding to triple its losses from the previous year on a GAAP basis. Either management has finally come to its senses about GAAP guidance and is showing real projections for Q2, or the company is sandbagging another, much bigger loss than we are expecting. We'll just have to wait and see.
4. Bad Acquisitions and Mounting Goodwill
Salesforce's recent growth strategy has been acquisitions. This by itself isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it has become a weak point for Salesforce.
It's no secret cloud computing companies are fetching sky-high valuations across the public and private markets. Who's paying these nosebleed prices for companies with negligible revenue and exponentially growing customers/losses? Salesforce.
Let's take the recent purchase of Buddy Media as a recent example. Salesforce bought the company for about $730M, at 12-15X sales. Buddy Media isn't profitable, and Salesforce guided that the acquisition would add between $20-$25M in revenue in FY13.
So, how much additional revenue did Buddy Media end up adding to Salesforce's topline in FY13? $19.646M. Salesforce also recorded over $700M in Goodwill and Intangibles for the purchase. Does this mean that $700M listed as an asset on Salesforce's balance sheet is already impaired?
Any hypergrowth tech company missing revenue estimates by 10% (from midpoint of guidance) in the first 6 months is in trouble. What does this say about Salesforce's ability to make smart acquisitions? This is of particular importance considering the company just raised $1B in debt to fund even more purchases like the one of Buddy Media.
5. Dilution and Insider Selling
Saleforce has persistently been diluting its stock for the past 5 years. Even after adjusting for the recent split, Salesforce's OS (Outstanding Shares) has quintupled since 2003. This dilution has actually been accelerating and is showing no signs of stopping in FY14 or beyond.
This dilution is mainly a byproduct of Salesforce's non-GAAP accounting game, which allows it to pay employees in stock. This compensation isn't an expense according to Salesforce (I have no idea why). This is the main reason for such a huge divergence between Salesforce's GAAP and non-GAAP earnings. Either way, as a result of paying employees in stock, current shareholders are being continually diluted.
Insiders have been selling relentlessly for the past several years. In May 2013 insiders have already sold over 55,000 shares, amounting to around $2.5M. At this point Salesforce has become notorious for the amount of insider selling that goes on. In retrospect, after a major share price correction, the market may finally catch on to what this insinuates.
Each quarter that passes where Salesforce increases its losses year over year, dilutes its shareholders and insiders sell, is a confirmation of the Salesforce bear case. Q1 FY14 was a strong indicator that we have at least another year of these headwinds.
For the first time in many quarters, the stock actually fell after reporting earnings. Could this be the start of a much overdue reversal for Salesforce?
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

domain: news


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With growing confidence in their own subscriber acquisition strategies, European publishers are making retention a higher priority this year while satisfaction with platform support has declined, according to a report from German media house Axel Springer.
The Guardian, Financial Times, Le Figaro, Schibsted, Axel Springer’s Bild and Business Insider, along with U.S. titles including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The New York Times, were among the 34 publishers taking part in the survey about their paid content strategies. The findings were taken during Axel Springer’s sixth annual Paid Content Summit in Germany this month, so naturally, the attendees were publishers with paid content offerings.
“With the paid subscription business becoming more mature and advanced over the last year, retention is a key strategic element for all publishers in the market,” said Stefan Betzold, managing director Axel Springer News Media National Digital. Both Bild Plus and Welt Plus operate freemium models, last October together they reached the 500,000 digital subscribers, with over 400,000 coming from Bild.
Betzold was unwilling to share Bild’s retention rate partly because publishers measure it in different ways, a complaint made by others, but he did say Bild has a subscriber lifetime of about 12 months if they come from its desktop or mobile site, this increases when people subscribe via its app.
Last year, publishers scored churn prevention the fourth most important factor for the year ahead, this year the second most important.
The mood around asking readers to pay for premium content is more buoyant: The report found that 79 percent believe the willingness to pay for digital content is increasing, up from 70 percent last year. Over half of respondents said that subscriber revenue will be their most important revenue line in 2019, ahead of native and display advertising.
The highest conversion rates happen on owned-and-operated platforms where readers have sought out the publisher or are already familiar with the title, readers visiting platforms are often there for multiple reasons. French news publisher Le Figaro and Norwegian publisher Amedia reiterate this point, the latter saying that 90 percent of conversions are done on its own digital editions.
Le Figaro has over 110,000 digital subscribers with a homepage conversion of less than 1 percent: Le Figaro had 23 million unique users in December, according to Bertrand Gié, deputy director of the Le Figaro news division. Publishers are less satisfied with support from platforms compared to last year, according to the report.
“Unfortunately, there’s not much recruitment through platforms; it’s a very small percentage,” said Gié. He noted the caveate that the publisher doesn’t use either Subscribe with Google (although it is in ongoing conversations with the platform) or Facebook’s subscription product through Instant Articles. “That may be our fault, maybe don’t have the right data or the right subscription offer, but we have to admit it’s not really working.”
Publishers scored Google, Facebook, Apple, YouTube and Amazon on how supportive and important they each were to publishers paid content strategy. Mostly, platforms score lower on both counts than last year (publishers weren’t asked about YouTube in 2018, and Apple scored marginally higher in importance for 2019).
In addition to its own properties, Le Figaro is generating new subscribers through Apple App Store (Apple News isn’t yet available in France). Other publishers have also claimed this, although Apple still holds the data.
“I’ve heard of no example of a publisher who is happy with Instant Articles for subscription,” said Gié, who has been a hold-out on the Facebook faster-loading feature. He added that one publisher has generated less fewer than 10,000 subscribers through Instant Articles since the product launched in late 2017.
When asked to comment on this piece, Facebook points to data form April 2018 showing that Facebook’s alpha test yielded a 17 percent average lift in subscriptions. Publishers have previously had mixed results from the subscription products Facebook and Google launched, the two platforms who have gone the furthest in working with publishers on subscriptions.
Although Betzold countered it’s appreciative of initiatives from Google and Facebook, but they need to go further than offering a sign-up product feature.
“The key lever for freemium subscriptions via the U.S. platforms is not only an optimized conversion funnel but even more improved visibility for paid content in search or the news feed,” he said. “Currently, paid content, especially for freemium models, are pretty discriminated against other free content in their visibility.”
Publishers have learned the hard way not to rely on platforms to drive their business goals, whether they ever should have is questionable. But they’re getting more realistic about how platforms can play a part in driving their subscriptions business, which usually comes from marketing spend. For Norwegian publisher Amedia, which publishes roughly 2,000 articles daily, Facebook’s community element is useful for speaking with readers and for surfacing relevant pieces readers might have missed.
“The key element for us is utilizing Facebook for retention purposes, which doesn’t undermine our brands and the value our readers perceive from their subscriptions,” said Pål Nedregotten, evp at Amedia. “That perceived value is key. If we lose that, then we would have every reason to worry about our future prospects.”
Future plc’s Jason Webby says U.K. publisher wants to be a dominant player in the U.S.
While the bulk of Future plc’s buys have been purchases of publications, the strategies behind them have not solely been about adding like inventory and like audiences, Webby said in the latest Digiday Podcast episode.
Podcasters are pitching longer, more lucrative ads, but ad buyers prefer shorter, cheaper spots
While podcast production companies and creative studios pitch custom, longer-form podcast ads, buyers prefer ads under a minute long due to budgets, reach and audience attention.
Media Buying Briefing: Four takeaways on Upfront Week from a buyer’s perspective
Beyond a general optimism to be back in person for Upfront Week, buyers shared their thoughts on what worked and what still needs to happen.
SponsoredHow marketers and retailers are unlocking the true value of retail media
Ben Kneen, senior director of product management, Xandr It’s a challenging time for retailers in the advertising industry. As they cope with supply chain woes and inflation-related pressures, they seek high-margin revenue streams amid evolving privacy regulations and massive shifts in identity solutions — including IDFA, the deprecation of third-party cookies and more. In light […]
How publishers are future proofing their commerce offerings for post-pandemic consumers
Four publishers gathered at Digiday Media's Commerce for Publishers Forum to talk about their affiliate programs and strategies.
Member ExclusiveMedia Briefing: Publishers and media unions are still haggling over office-return plans heading into the summer
In this week's Media Briefing, senior media reporter Sara Guaglione reports on how unions at some major media companies are pushing back against publishers' return to office mandates, with The New York Times Guild seemingly netting a victory on Wednesday.


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It was over a year ago that a plan was hatched to close down the Gold Coast's Hunt Club nightclub and replace it with a three story retail and restaurant complex. However, earlier this year, the developers were hit with a lawsuit for monies owed on the purchase of an adjacent building, and then shortly after, a billboard company sued the condo association at 6-8 W. Maple for removing one of its signs. All of the legal SNAFUs appear to be resolved at this point as the city has issued a permit to developer Jim Lasky to begin construction of the new complex in the Viagra Triangle. Anchor tenants are expected to include a restaurant dubbed Maple & Ash, and an Urban Outfitters store. A rendering for the new development was spotted last December, however, the render shows a four story complex. A more recent render on Ald. Brendan Reilly's website is likely to be the final design of the complex. According to the permits issued, the estimated cost to construct the new three story complex is roughly $16 million.
·Viagra Triangle's Hunt Club May Give Way to This Retail Box [Curbed Chicago]


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This week some of the most powerful executives, actors and creatives in Hollywood will descend on Manhattan to make their annual programming pitch to advertisers: a boozy extravaganza with $20bn at stake.
The “upfronts” are a vestige of an entertainment world once dominated by analogue television, lavish commercials and fresh seasons of hit shows released each autumn. The rise of Netflix, which was staunchly against running advertisements, broke that model.
But Netflix’s abrupt change of heart on advertising just a few weeks ago may turn that around.
Over the past few years, the excitement surrounding upfronts week waned as television companies set their sights on streaming services — and star-studded parties were replaced with virtual presentations due to the pandemic. Even though television advertising still makes more than $60bn a year, dwarfing the size of trendier mediums such as podcasts, it was a format that appeared set to decay in the long term alongside cable television.
But advertising is back in vogue. In the past few months, as Netflix stumbled, inflation soared and the stock market tanked, the streamer, along with the other giant of the business, Disney, announced that they would launch cheaper, advertising-supported versions of their services.
“It is scary if the only way to reinvigorate growth is offering cheaper products that worsen the consumer experience, essentially making it more like the dying linear TV experience,” said Rich Greenfield, an analyst at Lightshed partners.
Accepting advertising is a step that Netflix’s co-founder Reed Hastings had resisted for years. As recently as March 8, the company’s chief financial officer told a conference that Netflix would “never say never, but it’s not in our plan”, adding that “for now it doesn’t make sense for us”.
Hastings reversed this just six weeks later after revealing that Netflix would lose 2mn subscribers in the current quarter. Company officials have given scant information publicly about when or how it would roll out an ad-supported version of the service.
Despite Netflix’s lack of details, advertisers attending the upfronts this week are excited about the possibility of finally being able to reach its binge-watching audiences. Having seen traditional TV audiences decline sharply over the past decade due to “cord cutting”, a successful ad-supported streaming service from Netflix or Disney Plus could give a boost to advertisers.
Advertisers see “a great untapped audience” of Netflix viewers who are currently walled off from them, says Brian Wieser, president of business intelligence at GroupM, the WPP-owned agency.
“Advertisers are very keen to find a new source of inventory, and especially the opportunity to reach [streaming] audiences that have otherwise been hard to reach,” Wieser said.
Netflix and Disney have the same objective: to add more subscribers offering a cheaper service. The trick is to ensure that the ad-supported service does not drain away too many full-price customers, while also reaching enough people to attract quality advertisers. “These are the trade-offs they have to contemplate,” Wieser cautions.
Bob Chapek, Disney’s chief executive, said last week that the ad-supported service will help Disney Plus, which has roughly 137mn subscribers, gain a broader audience when it rolls out later this year. It could also be essential to his goal of reaching 230mn to 260mn subscribers by 2024, a metric investors are watching closely.
“We believe it’s good for the consumer because it’s going to give us another entry price point”, he said. Disney has a head start over Netflix, since it also controls the Hulu streaming service, which has an ad-supported tier, and experience of selling ads through its traditional TV services, such as ABC.
“There’s nothing that we need to go acquire or, frankly, even in any significant way develop anything new. This is something that’s well-greased”, Chapek said.
Other streaming services in the US and around the world already have ad-supported streaming, including Warner’s HBO Max, NBCUniversal’s Peacock, and Paramount Plus.
It is less certain how Netflix plans to go about selling advertising. It could use an outside company or develop a sales force in-house, which would probably require significant hiring. It could also choose to acquire an advertising company. But it is still unclear how committed Netflix is to the business. Hastings told investors he could outsource the work to “other people [who would] do all of the fancy ad-matching”.
“It’s not likely that advertising will become a core part of Netflix’ business,” Wieser predicts.
Netflix is not participating in the upfronts this year, having only weeks ago decided to embrace advertising. But Disney, NBCUniversal, Warner Bros Discovery and others will trot out their stars to woo the people in charge of marketing budgets and lock down billions of dollars in spending commitments. Advertisers committed about $20bn upfront for the 2021-22 television season, rising 8 per cent over the previous year, which was constrained by the pandemic.
Jason Kilar, the former chief executive of Warner who introduced HBO Max’s ad-supported product, recently told Puck News: “[We] couldn’t start [advertising] soon enough because we recognise that these things are all about people’s household economics, and we want to make this service as affordable as possible to as many people on the planet.”


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Johnson Yachts, innovative producer of striking yachts and superyachts ranging from 70 to 125 feet, is pleased to announce Dream Nautical has joined the company’s sales network that already includes partners in the USA, Germany, UK, Cyprus, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The new dealer will be representing Johnson’s yacht collection in Southeast Asia.
Dream Nautical (formerly Boatjungle) has quickly become one of the most trusted powerboat resources in SE Asia. Jon Dante is the Managing Director in Dream Nautical, and office is based in Singapore.“We proudly and exclusively represent some of the most prestigious naval architects and shipyards in the industry and we are happy that Johnson Yachts has joined us”, said Jon Dante.
The first big exhibition for Johnson Yachts with the new dealer is the Ocean Marina Pattaya Boat Show 2018, from November 29 – December 2, 2018. Johnson Yachts places a premium on excellent performance and handling, good engineering and construction are established, giving the yard the flexibility to encourage all owners to suggest semi-custom modifications.


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Mother Nature takes no days off, especially during a global pandemic.
Essential farmers around the Sammamish Valley are working above and beyond to distribute and sell products amid the COVID-19 crisis. The team at 21 Acres in Woodinville is continuing to reduce its carbon footprint while staying home and healthy.
“Supporting our local farmers is our number one priority these days, whether folks stop by a road-side stand, purchase a CSA subscription or shop in a farm market,” said Brenda Vanderloop, public relations consultant for 21 Acres.
Co-director Robin Crowder compiled a list of resources to support local farmer, as well as efforts to continue the distribution of produce during the pandemic. With restaurants still temporarily closed, she said people are wanting fresh food, which creates a more direct supply chain between farm and market.
“In these unprecedented times, you can certainly make a difference as farmers have been hit hard,” Crowder said in a blog post.
Small growers and meat producers have been negatively impacted by the closure of restaurants and food service programs that bought their products, she said.
Crowder urges customers to buy products from nearby farms or grow food at home, thereby reducing the need to ship produce and ingredients worldwide. She said cooking with locally sourced ingredients will also reduce pollution from refrigerants, transportation and packaging.
In honor of Earth Day, the staff at 21 Acres released a virtual learning feature on its website. The site includes online videos, resources, how-to guides, and field trips for adults and kids to learn about sustainability from a distance.
21 Acres took to Instagram with tons of ideas and inspiration for families to celebrate the earth while social distancing during the month of April. One post outlined the importance of trees in a healthy ecosystem and encouraged viewers to plant one. Another focused on reducing the use of electricity by unplugging from non-essential lights and electronics.
Co-director Liesl McWhorter is celebrating the Earth by hosting mason bees on the farm and at home to help pollinate early spring flowering plants, such as cherries, almonds, apples and blueberries.
As the future of the state’s stay-at-home order remains uncertain, Vanderloop urges local residents to support farms and businesses by visiting markets or donating to a relief fund.
“We've had to cancel the Sammamish Valley Alliance Spring Celebration, the first weekend in May,” Vanderloop said. “My plan is to help promote the farms and businesses digitally, in lieu of a public event.”


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BHS launches campaign to get support
RETAIL giant BHS has launched a campaign for support after going into administration.
The firm, which has branches in Portsmouth and Fareham, will be projecting #SaveBHS on to multiple landmarks around the UK.
As previously reported in The News, the BHS shops in Cascades Shopping Centre, at Commercial Road, Fareham Shopping Centre, off West Street, and Chichester are under threat.
Dozens of staff members in the area could lose their jobs unless a buyer is found.
Now, the 11,000 staff at BHS are keen to rally the backing of the nation to prevent it from disappearing from the high street.
The 100ft image could be seen on Monday night projected on to Blackfriars Bridge, Marble Arch and Wellington Arch in London as well as the Marylebone Road, London head office.
Tony Holdway, marketing and creative director of BHS, said: ‘The #SaveBHS campaign speaks on behalf of the 11,000 staff at risk. We have received overwhelming support from staff, customers and suppliers, since the announcement.’


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Total sales at John Lewis & Partners were down 2.3% last week (to Saturday November 9) on the same week last year – but customers enjoyed shopping promotions across lighting, fashion and beauty, according to the department store group’s shop trade director Maggie Porteous.
She said: “Fashion sales were up 2.4% and Beauty, Wellbeing & Leisure sales were up 11.6% as we price-matched competitor promotions across these categories. Last week saw the launch of our ‘12 days of Christmas Dresses’ which was our best-performing category in womenswear, with the Hush dress proving particularly popular with customers.
“Home sales were down 3.1%. However, lighting sales were up 21% as customers prepared their homes for winter evenings and shopped promotions in this area.
“Electrical and Home Technology sales were down 7% as we annualised new product launches. But small electrical sales were driven by a rise in demand for floorcare products, with sales up 30% on the same week last year.”


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Halfords Autocentres has hired a business development director to drive fleet and business to business trade as the retailer invests in the growing division.
Former Virgin Atlantic Airways European general manager Andrew Huntly has been appointed to the newly created role.
Huntly, who will be responsible for growing business to business sales across 260 Autocentres, has much experience across the transport sector, having previously headed up Virgin’s Heathrow airport operations and held senior development roles with RAC and AA.
Halfords Autocentres chief executive Bill Duffy said: “Fleet currently represents about a quarter of Halfords Autocentres revenue and we are aiming to grow this in line with our overall business growth targets.
“With Andrew’s appointment we are investing to ensure that we have the right capabilities and resources to develop attractive propositions for our customers. Andrew’s extensive experience in driving business opportunities will be key to ensuring our ambitious targets are met.”
Duffy added the retailer is expanding its B2B team to support the growth.


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Consultations on trade policy from today ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce has initiated consultations with the private sector and other stakeholders to effectively implement the Strategic Trade Policy Framework (STPF) 2015-18.
The ministry is holding a seminar today in Karachi in this regard to create awareness among the private sector and other stakeholders on the initiatives provided in the framework for their optimum use by the private sector.
Seminars in Lahore, Sialkot and Faisalabad will be held on Aug 22, 24 and 26, respectively.
During the consultative workshops, the private sector would be educated on procedural requirements, eligibility criteria and other formalities to avail incentives provided in the framework.
According to a statement issued by the commerce ministry on Wednesday, these workshops would help get feedback from the private sector for course corrections in the current STPF and implementation monitoring of the trade policies. Besides, they would help in developing partnerships with the private sector for the implementation of the framework.
The consultations would also help identify areas and issues for further research and analysis which may assist the Ministry of Commerce in designing the future frameworks.
The statement said that for successful formulation and implementation of government policies, constructive collaboration and partnership was necessary among public and private sectors and academia.
The ministry announced the policy framework with the major targets of increasing annual exports from $23.66 billion in 2014-15 to $35bn in 2017-18, by improving exports competitiveness, transition from factor-driven economy to innovation-driven economy and increasing the share of Pakistan’s exports in regional markets.


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even amidst these tough financial times for technology companies, apple was able to post a respectable profit of us$38 million, or $.11 per diluted share. this is a positive note, and wall street responded accordingly. apple is poised to do well in the first quarter of 2002. if it can ramp up the production of the new imacs and hopefully offer something for those “power users” who are waiting for faster speeds and g5s to become reality, i think the company will do extremely well. the adoption of mac os x is gaining momentum with third-party companies coming out with software, and drivers for the new os and the release of iphoto is catching people's attention. ipod sales, over 125,000 in two months, are helping to contribute to the bottom line, and the release of xplay, which will allow windows owners to use the cool little mp3 player, should help sell additional units. the apple stores are attracting users of other operating systems. according to apple, 40% of those who visited the stores were new to the mac platform. there is great momentum building for 2002, and if apple sticks to its strategy and executes it well, it will be a fun and profitable year. also, check out the roundup of apple and other earnings in our main item.
user comments 23 comment(s)
|good! now… (6:29pm est fri jan 18 2002)
just bring out the new power macs and keep profits coming in…
:p – by pismeov
|that's right! (5:13am est tue jan 22 2002)
man, i've got to get me one of these things! the new macs are awesome (at least i hope they are, i've never owned a mac before)! – by william foster


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Australian Natural Therapeutics Group (ANTG) will ship locally cultivated and dried medicinal cannabis flower to New Zealand under a partnership agreement with NZ medicinal cannabis distributor NUBU Pharmaceutical.
ANTG CEO Matthew Cantelo said the deal positioned the company to become the first to legally sell flower in New Zealand. According to him, ANTG will supply the product in the second half of the year, with oils to follow.
“This landmark deal means ANTG will be the first Australian flower imported into New Zealand, and potentially, the first company to legally sell flower in New Zealand,” Mr Cantelo said.
Two medicinal marijuana companies have fast-tracked plans to build a […]
ANTG APPOINTS JUSTIN SINCLAIR AS CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER Australian Natural […]
Australia is poised to become a leader in medicinal cannabis […]
We are focused on research and development, partnering with leading scientists and medical institutions to develop cannabinoid medicines that offer safe and effective therapeutic benefits.LEARN ABOUT ANTG HERE >


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WeedLife News Network
Oregon dispensaries sell close to $60 million in recreational pot over first five months this year – Cannabis News
Nearly $60 million worth of recreational marijuana was sold in Oregon during the first five months of taxed sales, according to estimated figures released Wednesday by the state.
The sales estimate is based on the amount of recreational marijuana tax that retailers paid the state for the period of Jan. 1 through May 30.
The Oregon Department of Revenue received $14.9 million in recreational tax payments as of May 30, the agency announced.
Medical marijuana dispensaries began collecting a 25 percent sales tax in January.
Click here to read the complete article
Dylan Darling ~ The Register-Guard ~
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Fish and chips still a British favourite in 'bucket list' of food experiences to try before you die
- Takeaway staple is a must-try cuisine experience
- Food experts have put together a list of foods diners must try
The humble British staple of fish and chips has been included on a list of culinary experiences to try before you die.
The popular takeaway food rubs shoulders with Beluga caviar, dining at Simon Rogan’s L'enclume in the Lake District and partaking in street food in Kuala Lumpur as must-do food experiences.
The list was compiled by a panel of renowned expert foodies including TV chef Simon Rimmer, critic Giles Coren and writer William Sitwell, as well as food aficionados; Miranda Gore Browne, Richard Bertinet and Danny Kingston on behalf of kitchen goods manufacturer Kenwood.
The humble fish and chips rubs shoulders with Beluga caviar, dining at Simon Rogan's L'enclume in the Lake District and partaking in street food in Kuala Lumpur as must-do food experiences
The entry for the fish supper states: 'What could be more British than fish and chips wrapped in paper and smothered in salt and vinegar, enjoyed whilst sat on a harbour wall?'
Other culinary experiences to be sought out are bread and butter pudding ('a delicious classic dessert that simply shouts Britishness with every crispy, gooey bite'), catching and cooking a mackerel on a beach, growing your own vegetables, strawberry picking, cooking a perfectly timed Sunday roast and sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo.
A Kenwood spokesperson said: 'We also
know that we’re not alone – the Great British public is constantly
discussing food matters - from the latest shenanigans on The Great
British Bake Off or MasterChef, to the pride they took in baking a cake
or trying something new in their kitchen.
'In fact, for us Brits, food has become a subject that’s almost as popular as the weather.'
Beluga caviar is another more high-end culinary must-do on the list
According to the Federation of Fish Fryers, there are currently in the region of 10,500 specialist fish and chip shops in the UK, dwarfing other fast food outlets - McDonalds has only 1,200 outlets and Kentucky Fried Chicken just 840.
British consumers eat some 382 million portions of fish and chips every year. That's six servings for every man, woman and child.
Annual spend on fish and chips in the UK is in the region of a staggering £1.2 billion, while 80 per cent of people visit fish and chip shops at least once a year.
THE 50 FOOD EXPERIENCES WHICH
Takeaways with posh plonk
Afternoon tea at Bettys (Harrogate)
Fresh British asparagus
Marinated BBQ'd lamb
Bread and butter pudding
Breakfast at The Wolseley
Catching and cooking a mackerel on a beach
Dining at Chez Panisse (California)
Chocolate fondant pudding
Eating a hotdog at a baseball game
Coffee and croissants in a Parisian café
Collecting and cooking fresh eggs
Cooking curry from scratch
Cornish clotted cream
Curing raw fish at home (gravlax)
Dining at L'enclume (Lake District)
Dining at Racine (London)
Fresh seafood by the sea
Woodland glade picnic
Set lunch menu at Le Gavroche (London)
EVERYONE SHOULD TRY ONCE
Growing your own vegetables
Baking your own bread
Making your own soup
Visiting Jemaa el Fna square (Marrakech)
Learning to joint a chicken
Lunch at The Walnut Tree (Abergavenny)
Making homemade ice cream
Making your own marmalade
Early morning breakfast at Carnegie Deli (NY)
Cooking a perfectly timed Sunday roast
British ale with a Scotch egg
Guinness at The Stag's Head (Dublin)
Dawn fry-up at Smithfield market (London)
Street food in Asia (Kuala Lumpur)
Sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market (Tokyo)
Takeaway fish 'n' chips
Tapas in San Miguel Market (Madrid)
Dining at The Seahorse (Dartmouth)
Toasting a haggis with Scotch whisky
Wild British strawberries
International wine trail
Baking chocolate cake with your children
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The behemoth that is Google, has announced it’s first acquisition for the year, it’s buying Nest, a smart thermostat maker set up by former Apple genius and iPod visionary, Tony Fadell, in a deal said to be worth $US3.2 billion/$AU3.5 billion.
This latest big-ticket buy continues a move by the California-based search giant into consumer electronics hardware, adding smartphone-synced thermostats to its Motorola Mobility smartphones, Nexus mobile devices, Chromecast, and the promised release of Google Glass some time this year.
Nest Labs makes internet connected smoke detectors and thermostats. The company set about reinventing simple, but essential household devices in 2011 with the launch of it’s Nest Learning Thermostat and follow up product, Protect, a smoke alarm controlled by mobile devices :: Read the full article »»»»
I’ve just finished watching Michael Douglas play Liberace in Behind The Candelabra, smartest looking man in a toupée. As a rule a hairpiece doesn’t sit well, they’re always obvious, rarely believable. Michael Douglas is a a rarity – NO MAN SHOULD EVER WEAR A WIG!
All that said, someplace in the galaxy YOU KNOW someone’s been trying to fit tech-stuff inside a wig, hide technology under not-real hair, it’s such an obvious fit, right?
Apparently someone at Sony, the genius’ behind Blueray, Walkman, Playstation and Plasma, thinks this idea might fly.
According to Bloomberg, Sony has filed for a US patent on a device called “Smartwig.” Clearly Sony has disobeyed the first rule of wig-wearing, “Never admit it’s a piece.”
The new Gizmo apparently has mobile connectivity – tablet + phone – it’s also kitted with built-in navigation, a health checker, camera and slide show viewer, seriously: refer to rule 1, never admit…
Sony – holding onto the little wisdom it has left – has admitted it’s unsure if it intends to actually commercialise the device, but we still can’t get the image of a coke-bottle goggle wearing Japanese boffin dashing about the lab wearing his supershiny black Smartwig :: Read the full article »»»»
Blogger and ABC contributor Peter Ryan has a superneat post on a new report confirming what most of us already knew: Australians are addicted to their smartphones. The survey of smartphone users by tech behemoth Cisco reveals that the daily ritual for Gen Y Aussies kicks off with a quick txt.
Many of the survey participants admitted that they checked for messages, emails and updates at least twice an hour, many becoming anxious when their phone goes astray.
Kevin Bloch isn’t alone, our favourite news agency – Reuters – has an ubercool post on our latest addiction, Social Media.
Social media is now apparently a recognised addiction, a study undertaken last year by the University of Chicago found that Liking and Tweeting can be even more addictive than cigarettes or alcohol. The research showed that social networking sites gave users a burst of the addictive neurotransmitter dopamine :: Read the full article »»»»
That mobile device manufacturing behemoth that is Nokia has been teasing punters with what looks like a pretty spectacular new offering, the Nokia Lumia 920. Specs are pretty standout, Windows 8, 1.5GHZ Dual Core, 32 GB Storage, 1GB Ram, 41 Megapixel Camera, 4.5 inch Screen, all the usual connectivity tools housed in Nokia's - we love - traditional, uncluttered casing... oooh, and wireless charging :: Read the full article »»»»


text:
Market report: Thursday close
BULLS gave three cheers today as share prices broke out of the narrow trading range in which they have been trapped since last autumn in the wake of the terrorist attacks on the US. The FTSE 100 index breached resistance at 5250 in style and ended up 36.6 points at 5282.1. Now all it has to do is stand up to the bears and consolidate.
Markets around the world have been setting a fast pace in recent days although profit-taking forced the Dow lower in early trading in New York this afternoon. Japan's Nikkei 225 has now risen almost 20% since hitting a low point last month. It has been helped by government proposals such as the banning of shortselling of equities.
The decision of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee today to peg interest rates at 4% came as no surprise to the market.
Financial Times publisher Pearson rose 37p to 885p after 5% shareholder Telefónica flatly denied it was about to sell its holding. A Telefónica spokesman described the rumour as 'totally false'. However, the Spanish telecoms group indicated last May that it was looking for a buyer for the 39m shares to help tidy up its lossmaking media division.
Telefónica bought the stake in 1999 when the Pearson share price was around 1200p, but a series of profit warnings has seen the value of that investment tumble by more than £200m to £336m in the past year alone.
Satellite broadcaster BSkyB rose 14p to 770p after broker UBS Warburg raised its recommendation on the shares from hold to buy and lifted its 12-month target price from 700p to 800p. Warburg is convinced BSkyB will substantially increase its share of digital customers when the time comes to switch off analogue services.
Imperial Tobacco was in smouldering form with a rise of 81p to 992p after announcing plans to acquire privately-owned German cigarette maker Reemtsma for £3.5bn and finance it with a heavily discounted rights issue. The terms are two-for-five at 480p to raise £1bn.
Canary Wharf jumped 18p to 470p after broker Cazenove snapped up 36.86m of the property giant's shares at 479p. The company has vowed to give back £1.5bn to shareholders over the next three years.
Mobile phone operator Orange gained 20p to 462p as US securities house Lehman Brothers repeated its buy recommendation and raised its earnings forecast for last year by 5%. Japanese investment house Nomura repeated its buy recommendation on rival mmO2, up 3 3/4p at 71 3/4p on turnover of 117m shares, saying it will benefit from a dispute between France Télécom and Mobilcom. Cosmetics and toiletries retailer Body Shop marked time at 94p after a line of 4.41m shares went through at 92p while a tranche of 2.45m in Laura Ashley went through at 22p.
BAA extended its lead with a rise of 22p to 669p following yesterday's proposals on pricing by the Civil Aviation Authority. Broker Merrill Lynch has added the shares to its 'highly recommended' list with a 750p target price, while Morgan Stanley has increased its target price from 715p to 775p.
Corus celebrated its return to the top 100 companies with a rise of 3 1/2p to 83 1/4p on turnover of 22m shares. It replaces Celltech, up 22p at 652p.
• Prices and indices in this section are supplied from various sources and calculated at different times and may not always match those listed on the site.
Today's winners and losers
World markets, updated every 15 minutes
Every share, updated every 15 minutes
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techMARK, updated every 15 minutes
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Minister non-commital on FTA
Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar says the two countries will consider a broader regional trade pact.india Updated: Nov 14, 2006 16:42 IST
India and China are yet to finalise a free trade agreement (FTA), but there is hope of a broader regional trade pact during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit later this month, an Indian minister said on Monday.
"I am unable to commit if FTA is possible. But we will definitely consider a broader regional trade agreement (RTA)," said Minister of State for Industry Ashwani Kumar while addressing a meet organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) to launch a study on trade potential between the two countries.
"We need greater India-China engagement to dispel some of the contentious issues."
Kumar shared the analysis of the CII that greater synergy between the two countries could help boost bilateral trade to reach $30 billion by 2009-10 and $50 billion by 2010-11 from current levels of over $17.5 billion.
Urging Indian companies to brace up to competition not only from global companies but also from Chinese companies, he said that during Hu's visit "the focus will be on economic cooperation, possible free trade agreement and regional trade agreement, global issues, increasing security concerns and UN reforms".
To a query on why investment proposals from Chinese companies are being stalled, the minister clarified that "there can be no discrimination against Chinese investments".
He said the same yardstick was being used for clearance given to foreign direct investment proposals, including those from Chinese companies.
Referring to the CII study, the minister said the basket of Indian exports to China needs to be diversified to include more value-added products, particularly in areas like textiles and leather.
Stating that the two countries need to accept each other as competitors, Kumar said on the lines of the Chinese policy of mutual respect and cordiality for economic consolidation that India too had realised that its economic strength gives it better negotiating strength with China.
"India has been able to achieve a high growth of 8.5 per cent at less than 50 per cent of China's gross capital built up, as the growth is driven by technology, manufacturing and services growth," Kumar said.
First Published: Nov 13, 2006 17:30 IST


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If you havent seen enough sneakers with straps yet let us introduce the Puma Key Quilt. The newly designed sneaker by Puma which includes a small strap across the laces is scheduled as a Fall 2009 release. At that time Puma will release four colorways of the Key Quilt, one of which will be produced in a low top design. This year is sure looking like a year in which straps are gonna be in heavy rotation.
Watch for the Puma Key Quilt to hit retailers later this year and hit the jump to check out the other color schemes.


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May 7, 2012
Tests confirm Salmonella outbreak strain in tempeh
Tests conducted at North Carolina's public health laboratory have confirmed that a Salmonella strain that prompted a recent tempeh recall matches a strain of Salmonella Paratyphi B that has so far sickened 46 people, according a May 4 statement from the Buncombe County Department of Health (BCDH). The BCDH said even though the food source has been identified, it is continuing to receive illness reports due to person-to-person transmission of the outbreak strain. It repeated its advice for the public to wash their hands before preparing food and to properly prepare food. Some of the patients have gotten sick by exposure to food items that were contaminated by uncooked tempeh. Lab tests have also revealed that the Salmonella Paratyphi B strain involved in the outbreak causes nontyphoidal Salmonella infection that can be severe, but not as severe as another strain that testing first indicated. So far seven hospitalizations have been reported, none of them fatal.
May 4 BCDH press release
Salmonella concerns spark recall of 11 more dog food brands
Diamond Pet Foods has recalled several more brands of dry dog food made at its Gaston, S.C., production facility where three other brands were made that have been linked to a multistate Salmonella Infantis outbreak. In a May 5 statement, the company said additional products subject to the recall have tested positive for Salmonella and that products are being pulled from store shelves as a precaution. The nine brands are Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul, Country Value, Diamond, Diamond Naturals, Premium Edge, Professional, 4Health, Taste of the Wild, and Kirkland Signature, according to the recall notice. The brands were manufactured between Dec 9, 2011, and Apr 7, 2012. Diamond Pet Foods has set up a Web site to share information with customers on the recalls, which also lists two additional recalled brands, Canidae and Apex. On May 3 the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that 14 people in nine states have been sickened from the outbreak strain, which was first identified in routine product sampling by Michigan officials.
May 5 FDA recall notice
Study: Healthcare-associated infections lead to higher readmission rates
Patients who contract healthcare-associated infections may be at a higher risk of readmission to the hospital, according to a study in Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, the journal of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). University of Maryland researchers analyzed data from 4,737 patients who had positive clinical cultures for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), or Clostridium difficile after more than 48 hours following hospital admission. They found that patients with these infections were 40% more likely than other patients to be readmitted to the hospital within a year (hazard ratio 1.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-1.46). The increased risk held after adjustment for variables such as age, sex, length of stay, and illness severity. "The potential to reduce readmissions along with other known benefits—lower patient morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs—may provide additional impetus to reduce healthcare-associated infections," lead researcher Jon Furuno, PhD, said in a SHEA new release.
June Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol study
May 4 SHEA news release


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GM China president says first EV will be rolled out within two years
General Motors will begin mass production of an electric car in China within two years, according to the president of its Chinese business, Matt Tsien. The US-headquartered automaker plans to roll out 10 electric and hybrid vehicles in China by 2020, Tsien told reporters at the Shanghai auto show.
Most notably, the Chevy Volt hybrid will be sold in China as the Buick Velite 5.
GM expects to sell 150,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in China by 2020 and perhaps as many as 500,000-plus by 2025. All of the vehicles sold there will be made in China.
China is easing the amount of automakers’ intellectual property that must be transferred to domestic partners to avoid import duties, even if the cars are made in China, but the government is easing that rule.
GM has built a plant for assembling batteries in Shanghai, which is expected to be ready to deliver batteries in 2018.


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Rumours about the Google Pixel 7a are doing the rounds online, painting a picture of a tempting mid-ranger with key upgrades over the popular Pixel 6a.
Rumoured upgrades include a display boost to 90Hz, fixing one of the biggest complaints about its predecessor, along with an upgraded Tensor processor. Plus, with real-world images appearing online, we might be seeing it much sooner than expected.
Here’s everything there is to know about the Google Pixel 7a right now, from release date rumours to pricing speculation and, of course, the latest leaks.
When will the Google Pixel 7a be released?
While some smartphone manufacturers (we’re looking at you, Apple) tend to stick to the same yearly release schedule, the same can’t quite be said for Google and its Pixel ‘a’ range.
While the Pixel 6a was announced in May 2022 with an eventual August release, the Pixel 5a and Pixel 4a were both released in July in their respective years – though with a caveat that the Pixel 4a was allegedly originally scheduled for a May 2020 reveal but, y’know, Covid put an end to that idea.
With that in mind, it’s possible that like with 2022’s Pixel 6a, we could see the Pixel 7a announced as early as May 2023 – likely at Google I/O 2023 – with a release to follow sometime in the summer, likely in July or August.
Whenever the phone is set for an official reveal, we now know that something is coming from Google via an FCC (Federal Communication Commission) listing, which generally happens within months of an anticipated announcement. Granted, the listing doesn’t mention the 7a specifically, but the serial numbers attached are similar to leaked numbers that have appeared elsewhere online.
How much will the Google Pixel 7a cost?
With the Pixel 7a yet to be officially revealed by Google, it’s should come as no surprise that we haven’t yet got official pricing for the mid-ranger – and there isn’t much in the way of rumours either.
Still, we can look back at previous releases to give us a good idea of what to expect, and it’s largely good news for Pixel fans. Like with the mainline Pixel 7 range that costs the same as the Pixel 6, Google tends to stick to its price points.
With that in mind, we expect the Google Pixel 7a to come in at around the same £399/$449 as the Pixel 6a, though we might see a slight rise in price in certain regions to reflect the wider market.
Latest Google Pixel 7a rumours
As with most other smartphones in Google’s collection, the Pixel 7a has been the subject of several huge leaks over the past few months that essentially provide us with basically everything we need to know about the design.
That started off with the appearance of renders via reliable leaker @OnLeaks and @SmartPrix, showcasing something that looks a lot like the Pixel 7 and, thus, the Pixel 6a. The renders didn’t just come with images either, with the leaker providing alleged dimensions of 152.4 x 72.9 x 9mm, rising to 10.1mm at the exaggerated camera bump.
Since that initial reveal, a few hands-on videos have surfaced online allegedly showcasing the phone in all its glory. Most recently, real-world images of the Pixel 7a have appeared on Twitter along with a few key specs – though more on those in a minute.
While that’s usually worth taking with a pinch of salt, the images look eerily similar to the render shared by @OnLeaks a few months ago, so there could be some truth to the leaked images.
A separate rumour claims that the Pixel 7a will be available in a new “Artic Blue” colourway, which would be quite a move from the current shades of Green and Orange. It’s not the first blue Pixel, though the appearance of the finish is sporadic in the history of the Pixel range.
As mentioned, @Gadgetsdata has shared not only real-world images of the upcoming mid-ranger on Twitter, but a handful of specs.
That includes basic display specs, claiming that the upcoming Pixel 7a will sport a 6.1-inch OLED panel with a FHD+ resolution and, crucially, a 90Hz refresh rate. Considering the 60Hz panel of the Google Pixel 6a is one of its biggest weaknesses compared to the competition, it sounds like a welcome upgrade.
Otherwise, that all sounds pretty on the money given that it’s the same size and resolution as the previous Pixel 6a, and the fact we’re not expecting much of a redesign this time around.
Processor and specs
The same leaker also shared an insight into the possible processor and, as suspected, it looks like Google will use the second-gen Tensor G2 chipset found in the mainline Google Pixel 7 range.
It’s a smart move for Google that differentiates itself from most of the mid-range competition, especially when most use distinctly mid-range chipsets that can’t quite deliver the flagship experience. The fact that the Tensor G2 is a flagship chip will be a huge selling point for the mid-ranger.
That’s allegedly paired with faster LPDDR5 RAM, though exactly how much is yet to be confirmed, and the leaker also claims that the phone will use the slightly older UFS 3.1 storage in place of the newer 4.0.
Fans of wireless charging will also be pleased with wireless charging support, though at just 5W, it’s not particularly rapid.
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Avenged Sevenfold will release their new album, Hail to the King, August 27.
In anticipation, the band is streaming the album in its entirety on iTunes right now.
CLICK HERE to check it out — and let us know what you think in the comments.
Avenged Sevenfold appear on the cover of the brand-new October 2013 issue of Guitar World, which is available at the Guitar World Online Store and on newsstands now.
Check out an excerpt of our cover story HERE — and, as a bonus, our review of the new Schecter USA Hellwin 100 guitar amp, a collaboration between amp guru James Brown and Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates.


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It really has to be seen to be believed this complaint about Amazon’s taxes:
Jon Nordmark, founder of consultancy Iterate.ai, said Jeff Bezos’s empire was different. Amazon last year, he said, put nearly $30bn (£22.8bn) into R&D — twice as much as Apple, and almost triple Facebook’s outlay. That investment — Amazon said the $29bn it puts into “technology and content” is far broader than R&D — has gobbled up virtually all its $28bn in earnings before interest and expenses, Nordmark said.
The upshot is that Amazon pays little to no tax. Fair Tax Mark, an independent NGO, labelled it last week as the worst offender in Big Tech, claiming it had paid only $3.4bn in taxes in the past decade. That equates to just 12% of its already whittled-down profits. Nordmark said: “They’re using that $30bn basically to bankrupt all the people that don’t do R&D spending and pay their taxes.”
Spending on R&D is now considered to be a bad idea. Business investment in that future is a bad idea. Because, instead, taxes should be paid so that government can do the Mazzucato thing of the research and development that corporates aren’t doing.
These people are mad.


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Nissan has confirmed production of a future generation of electric vehicle (EV) batteries at its flagship manufacturing base in Sunderland.
Representing a £26.5m investment in the UK, this commitment will safeguard 300 highly-skilled jobs in manufacturing, maintenance and engineering at Nissan's advanced lithium-ion battery plant, the largest of its type in Europe.
Since EV production began in Sunderland in 2013, a £420m investment, the Battery Plant and Nissan LEAF production have supported more than 2,000 jobs at Nissan and in its UK supply chain.
Paul Willcox, Chairman, Nissan Europe, said: "Today's announcement reflects Nissan's intention to remain EV leaders for many years to come, with our UK operations at the heart of our future innovations."
Paving the way for future generation batteries will be a new £19.4m project that will team Nissan with new academic and technology partners in the UK, supported with a £9.7m grant from the UK's Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC).
The other consortium members are Hyperdrive Innovation, Warwick Manufacturing Group, University of Warwick, Newcastle University and Zero Carbon Futures, who will work together on key areas of battery development covering pilot projects, product diversification and process improvement.
UK Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: "This investment from Nissan is a further vote of confidence in our thriving automotive sector. The UK is fast becoming a world leader in low carbon automotive technology and the government is backing the industry. We committed an extra £225million funding to the Advanced Propulsion Centre in the Autumn Statement. This Nissan project, which is benefiting from that funding, shows what can be achieved."
The UK battery plant is one of three Nissan battery production sites globally, also providing battery modules for the all-electric e-NV200 van, which is manufactured in Barcelona.


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Archives for 08/2011
A week of symfony #243 (22->28 August 2011)
– August 29, 2011
This week, the first maintenance version of Symfony2 was released, fixing some minor bugs. Besides the official Git repository, all the Symfony2 components can be downloaded as a package from the Symfony2 PEAR channel. Lastly, the first official Symfony2 English trainings were also announced.
Symfony 2.0.1 released
– August 26, 2011
Just a month after the Symfony 2.0 release, it's time for the first bug release.
A week of symfony #242 (15->21 August 2011)
– August 22, 2011
Symfony2 development activity focused this week on fixing some minor bugs. Meanwhile, Propel ORM announced a brand-new version for one of the most used symfony 1.x plugins.
A week of symfony #241 (8->14 August 2011)
– August 15, 2011
This week, we learned that Drupal project is considering the use of several Symfony2 components for its upcoming version. Therefore, Drupal could join other big PHP projects such as phpBB which already selected Symfony2 for developing its next versions.
A week of symfony #240 (1->7 August 2011)
– August 09, 2011
This week, the echoes of the big Symfony 2.0.0 launch still resonated strongly. However, now that 2.0 is out, the work has already begun for the next versions. Lastly, a new maintainance version of symfony 1.4.x branch was also published.
A week of symfony #239 (25->31 July 2011)
– August 02, 2011
Symfony 2.0.0 version was finally released this week, marking the end of a fascinating journey that began 18 months ago. This release also marks the beginning of a bright future for the symfony project and its expanding ecosystem.


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Costumes are encouraged, and will be rewarded with beer.
Showing 1-20 of 31 posts
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If it means good beer on the cheap, who cares if the holiday is legit?
There will be reduced prices on barbecue, cans of beer, and a huge-ass, cow-shaped cake.
Teams will square off to see who can hold on the longest.
New additions include smoked meat platters.
The tasting will be lead by "Mr. Four Roses" himself.
In addition to barbecue, the South Street spot now offers cans of beer to go.
Percy Street constructs an impressive, eight-foot Christmas tree.
Check out the photos of Percy Street's new sandwiches.
Percy Street gears up to open a second location in Center City.
Guapos Tacos rolls up on the Linc, and Dandelion serves an early breakfast for the Manchester City vs Everton game.
The annual celebration of smoked beers matches smoky brews with barbecue.
The duo plans to sell the restaurant to two friends who are expected to run it as is.
Pit Mistress Erin O'Shea is serving up her acclaimed ribs in limitless portions.
The bout, which pits two of Philly's premier chefs against each other, will surely go down in history as the 'Thrilla From Phila.'
McGinnis has Plenty to be thankful for.
Philly's New Year's revelry goes until the last Mummer is left mumming.
Local bars and restaurants are offering up all sorts of deals for the playoffs.
The Bon Appetit writer praises O'Shea for being one of few female pitmasters.


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WELCOME TO The POINT OF SALE REPORT
Feature market insights and perspectives from top C-Level executives, elite technology influencers and thought leaders from your company here. This signature initiative has garnered immense support...
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Innovative Ergonomic Solutions | June 07, 2022
Innovative Ergonomic Solutions (IES), a private equity-backed platform with a collection of inventive brands focused on increasing productivity wherever work happens through better ergonomics, has named Steven Bramson CEO, effective today. Bramson has served as IES President since joining the organization in August 2021. In this elevated role, he will be responsible for setting the company's vision, the strategies to accelerate growth and profitability, and to drive overall success for the o...
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New Delhi, December 21: German luxury carmaker BMW on Monday said it will increase prices of its entire model range in India by up to 2 per cent from next month. The automaker will introduce the revised pricing for all BMW and MINI models effective January 4, 2021, BMW Group India said in a statement.
Prices will increase by up to 2 per cent across the portfolio, it added.
"In an unprecedented year, the company has been focused on providing best-in-class products and unparalleled services to its esteemed clientele. From January 4, 2021, BMW Group India will introduce the new pricing for BMW and MINI portfolio, increasing the prices marginally by up to 2 per cent to offset the increasing input costs," BMW Group India President Vikram Pawah said.
This will ensure that customer satisfaction, dealer profitability and sustainable growth, which are fundamentals of a successful business, remain strong, he added.
The company sells a range of locally produced cars in India including the 2 Series Gran Coupe, 3 Series, 3 Series Gran Turismo, 5 Series, 6 Series Gran Turismo, 7 Series, X1, X3, X4, X5, X7 and MINI Countryman.
BMW also sells 8 Series Gran Coupe, X6, Z4, M2 Competition, M5 Competition, M8 Coupe, X3 M and X5 M which come as completely built-up units (CBUs).
Besides, the MINI dealerships also showcase the MINI 3-door, MINI 5-door, MINI Convertible, MINI Clubman and MINI John Cooper Works Hatch as CBUs. Rival Audi has already announced a price increase of up to 2 per cent across its entire model range, effective from January 1 next year.
Besides, mass market players like Maruti Suzuki India, Renault India, Honda Cars, Mahindra & Mahindra and Ford India have also planned to increase prices from next month. Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp has also announced that it will increase the price of its vehicles by up to Rs 1,500 from January 1, 2021, to offset the impact of rising input costs.


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Pennsylvania Attorney General issues warning on computer repair phone scam
Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane today warned Commonwealth residents of a recent computer repair telephone scam that has been reported in Fayette County.
The scam starts with a call from a person with a heavy accent who claims the recipient of the call is in need of a computer update or repair. The caller instructs the person to wire money to pay for the work, but no update or repair work is actually needed. In one reported case, a senior citizen who did not even own a computer was a target of this scam.
The caller in some cases has stated he is calling from Los Angeles, according to information reported to the Office of Attorney General. Some of these scam calls also have reportedly originated from a phone with a 509 area code — which traces to the state of Washington — but it is possible the scammers are using the practice of "caller ID spoofing."
This allows callers to deliberately falsify the telephone number and/or name relayed on a person's caller ID, according to the Federal Communications Commission. In some cases, these calls may actually originate from out of the country.
Attorney General Kane offered the following tips to help prevent consumers from becoming victims of telephone scams:
-- Never give out personal information over the telephone.
-- Never give out billing information over the phone, especially if you receive an unsolicited telephone call from a stranger.
-- Never wire money or purchase green dot-type prepaid cash cards in response to a telephone appeal, whether it is from a stranger or someone who claims to know you.
-- Never let emotion or fear overcome your common sense. If you get a call for money from a friend or relative, slow down and verify everything. Don't let anyone rush you.
-- Never give out sensitive information to anyone on the phone unless you initiated the call to a company you are certain is legitimate.
-- Never forget that you are in control. You can always hang up, find a company's number and call it directly.
Consumers may file a complaint regarding the computer repair scam or other phone scams by calling the Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection's toll-free helpline number at 1-800-441-2555 or online at www.attorneygeneral.gov.


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Wells Fargos Chief Talks Up Diversity, Organic Growth
The retail financial services space can do itself a favor by making a few organic improvements, according to Danny Ludeman, chief executive officer at Wells Fargo Advisors.
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Explore Farbman Group’s latest commercial real estate blog, media mentions and events. You can also listen to our commercial real estate podcast.
By: Ron Goldstone
While the seismic economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and related shutdowns sent shockwaves through the economy this past spring, the true long-term effects of a sustained and ongoing slowdown remain to be seen. The good news is that retailers have adapted relatively quickly to these challenging
While the impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has been profound on brands and businesses around the world, the hospitality sector has been hit particularly hard.
As the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) revealed in a recent study, the scale and scope of the shutdown that began this
By: Huntington Construction
In uncertain times, an uneven construction industry continues to show signs of resilience
When the first coronavirus quarantines were announced, the economic impact on a range of industries wasn’t just enormous, it was historic. As states have slowly begun the two-steps-forward, one-step-back dance of slowly reopening, it’s
The social, economic and financial disruption caused by the global pandemic and subsequent quarantine has been profound. The degree of delays and disruption, however, has not been consistent. Some industries have proven to be more resilient than others, and some sectors within industries have gone through a full cycle


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As expected, Microsoft just announced something called SmartGlass at E3. Less expected? Just how awesome SmartGlass turned out to be. What could have been just an Apple AirPlay imitation, is something more ambitious. Something that could change television forever. But what is it, exactly? »6/04/12 2:40pm 6/04/12 2:40pm
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Posts Tagged with "Vogue UK"
Vogue UK has just launched its new sister magazine, Miss Vogue. The teen focused
When Jourdan Dunn let the world know she was pregnant in 2009, the fashion
Vogue UK‘s November spread featuring Joan Smalls is all about “Coming Clean.” Shot by French photographer Karim Sadli,
While Adele has been out of the limelight lately due to her exciting pregnancy,
StyleBlazer Certified: Solange’s Incredible Street Style Documented Daily on Vogue UK (What’s Your Fave Look?)
We all love street style pictures, but there’s something particularly voyeuristic about seeing how
So the inevitable has come. Rihanna has teamed up with Emporio Armani for her


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This IPL season Vodafone India is bringing back the ZooZoos; bets big on the 'fan factor'
The telecom brand is looking at setting up engaging initiatives during the league
Vodafone’s beloved brand icon ZooZoo is all set to make an appearance again in the upcoming season of Indian Premier League. The telecom company has been associating with the league since its inspection, and the ZooZoos have helped them create a huge fan base on social media.
This time around Vodafone is looking at creating various engagement activities through the course of IPL matches. With initiatives such as SuperFanKiSuperwish and SuperCheer, the brand is betting big on the ‘fan factor’ from a pure engagement perspective.
To participate in the SuperFanKiSuperwish initiative customers can use SMS or log on to Vodafone’s app. Winning participants can choose to dine with their favourite cricketer, join IPL stars at a net practice, participate in Extra Innings show on Sony, take a selfie with the IPL trophy, amongst others. A SuperFan can also watch the match from a Vodafone store, anywhere in the country, if he/she cannot be in the stadium.
After the success of the brand’s cheer ‘Hakke Bakke’ in IPL 2016, Vodafone brings another SuperCheer with the return of the ZooZoos. With a few digital spots, Vodafone will showcase the spirit of IPL with the little characters displaying their signature steps.
Of late telecom companies are focusing a lot to promote their data offers, Vodafone is making sure that it creates a high decibel campaign around it. The brand is featuring everyday life moments with its Data Strong Network, and will continue to bring in fresh stories on television in the next two months.
Siddharth Banerjee, EVP- marketing, Vodafone India, mentioned that the IPL campaign will have a lot of digital presence. He added, “Our spends on digital this financial year increased by 50%. We have also set up an in-house social listening room to understand the pulse of our fan base.”
Banerjee also mentioned that the ZooZoos may not be featured in a television spot but he and his team will keep their options open.
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Get ready for the highly anticipated launch event of the new smartphone, Pixel 8, as Google has officially announced that it will take place on October 4th.
According to earlier rumors, the Pixel 8 is expected to feature an upgraded main camera sensor, Samsung GN2, an upgraded ultra-wide camera, and a new feature called Audio Magic Eraser, which removes audio noise from videos. Additionally, the software updates for the Pixel 8 will provide longer support compared to iPhones. Excitingly, it is also speculated that the Pixel Watch 2 will be unveiled at the event.
In the latest leak, @madebygoogle shared a video clip of two smartphones talking to each other, hinting at a comparison between Pixel and iPhone. The Pixel side subtly mentioned that it will finally be able to charge via a USB-C port.


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Round-Up - Monster Beverage's H1 Results 2013
In early-August, Monster Beverage reported its results for the first six months of 2013. Here's a round-up of just-drinks' coverage of the numbers.
Monster Beverage has continued to feel the impact of defending the safety of its products after reporting a drop in first-half profits, despite rising sales.
The worst is over for Monster Beverage, which should post double-digit sales growth in the US over the next 12 months as it gains share from rival Red Bull, according to an analyst.
Monster Beverage has been delayed in getting approval to launch in India, but the group's CEO believes the country remains an “exciting” opportunity.
- What Brexit means for drinks industry? - Analysis
- Is there a future for the global beer brand?
- How soft drinks can win big with adult consumers
- Global director int'l brands, Heineken - Interview
- Non-Scotch Whisky Essentials, Part I
- The UK Referendum - just-drinks Live Blog
- Absolut rebound paints rosy picture for Pernod
- SABMiller confirms price paid for Meantime
- Aldi dealt alcohol sales blow in Australia
- Maxxium eyes US$1.4bn opportunity in UK spirits
- Adultifying Soft Drinks; Capitalizing on rising adult demand for non-alcoholic beverages
- Global RTD insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global Scotch whisky insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Spirits and Wine: Corporate Overview
- Global non-Scotch whiskies insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends


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Ace Hardware Corporation, the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world, announced that following the company’s annual shareholder meeting on May 17th, shareholders elected member director Kirsten Pellicer to her first term on the company’s Board of Directors.
“I am pleased to welcome Kirsten Pellicer to the Ace Hardware Board of Directors,” said Brett Stephenson, Chairman of the Board, Ace Hardware Corporation. “Kirsten’s deep knowledge of Ace and diverse business background in retail and marketing makes her an ideal addition to our Board. We are fortunate to obtain the experience of a candidate with years of board experience and knowledge of Ace.”
Kirsten Pellicer is a second-generation store owner of Ace Hardware in Longmont, CO. She has been involved in the family business in various roles since its inception, becoming Owner and President in 2017. During her career with Ace, she has been a member of both the Board and Advertising Committee of Rocky Mountain Ace Stores and has served on many Retail Input Teams with Ace Hardware Corporation. Ms. Pellicer has been a member of Twin Peaks Rotary since 1998 and has held various Board positions, including serving as its President in 2020. She also currently serves on the Board of the Longmont Downtown Development Authority and has also served with several local charitable organizations. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Adams State University and MBA from the University of Colorado.
“I am honored that my fellow retailers have trusted me to work on their behalf with this amazing group of Directors and talented Management Team,” said Pellicer. “I believe that joining Ace many years ago was my family’s best business decision and I am excited to work toward an even brighter future for our stores, employees, customers and communities.”
About Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with more than 5,500 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 70 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, IL, Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; Colon, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.


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Instability in the global prices of oil is forcing many people to reconsider energy-saving options to stretch the shrinking peso.
Imagine cooking a meal or boiling a pot of water with just a piece of twisted newspaper or a piece of coconut shell. That’s how an unusual “superkalan” or stove can do.
Filipino inventor Narciso Mosuela, a former automotive worker introduced superkalan in La Union in 1978 that he developed into a business with startup capital of P70,000 and a burning determination to succeed.
Superkalan was hard to sell in early years and people would laugh at the invention. But this did not deter Mosuela from producing the sturdy stoves. “When oil prices go up, people will resort to cheap and traditional way of cooking,” was Mosuela’s cold business forecast.
Now his superkalan is being snapped like hotcakes and he has to produce 70 units of “superkalan” per week to meet soaring demand.
The stove can save households up to 70% in cooking fuel expenses and could last up to 20 years with normal use. It runs on plain newspaper, charcoal, sawdust, corncobs, carabao dung, and wooden sticks. Its cylindrical body is made of aluminum alloy that can withstand extreme heat.
The smoke that superkalan emits is unnoticeable since it purportedly converts it into heat through its chimney, which absorbs air and smoke before flushing these to its air regulator at the bottom section to regulate air flow and desired heat.
According to Armando Manzano, the superkalan he is using burn up about three sacks of coconut shell monthly. He gets the coconut shell at P20 per. “It is as efficient as LPG stove. The only difference is that it costs me far less in fuel expenses.”
Superkalan was on display at the Philippine Business SET-UP Expo at SM Megamall last September 17 to 21 sponsored by Department of Science and Technology’s Technology Resource Center.
The event featured 131 exhibitors displaying hundreds of products from all over the country,...
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This news can be found in our Value-Added News Analysis, that keeps you up to date on the curated, most important development of Asia & MENA’s gaming scene, delivered right to your inbox.
The Steam version of Overwatch 2 launched on August 10, marking the start of Blizzard’s move to bring its PC titles to platforms other than Battle.net for the first time. The release, which comes almost a year after the title launched on Battle.net and consoles, has racked up 100,000 reviews in its first three days. The big takeaway being reported in gaming media outlets is that 91% of the reviews on Steam are negative, a ratio that has made it the worst rated game on Steam. One detail that has slipped through the cracks of every media outlet is that nearly two-thirds of the reviews (63,000 as of August 13) are written in Simplified Chinese, with an overwhelming 97% of them being negative.
Let’s dig in to understand why this is!
The global negative review backlash
Over 80% of reviews from users in other languages are negative too, indicating that the negative review backlash on Steam is being echoed globally. On the surface, the Chinese reviews align with many of the same sentiments being expressed by the international player base. Reviews in all languages cite frustration with Blizzard over the lack of promised PvE content, criticism over expensive IAPs, and perceived downgrades compared to Overwatch 1 (2016).
Server shutdown: A player’s laments their heavy investment in the game and losing their account data
Why Chinese gamers are leading the charge
The heart of the issue for Chinese gamers lies with how the dissolution of the partnership between Blizzard and NetEase impacted them. The shut down of Overwatch at the beginning of the year (January 23) led to Chinese gamers losing their game accounts, game data, and ability to play on Chinese servers. This has led to uncertainty around whether gamers will be able to play on Chinese servers with their game data again, and while Blizzard has said they plan to bring it back, there has been no announcement so far. The launch on Steam is the first time that gamers can vent about this on an open and international platform, with many taking the opportunity to do so.
Criticizing Blizzard’s poor game balance, lack of new heroes in Overwatch, split from NetEase, and inability to use existing game account
What are Chinese gamers saying?
While the debut on Steam will technically allow Chinese gamers to play Overwatch again, thanks to the international version of Steam being accessible without a VPN in China and the game shipping with a Simplified Chinese localization, it hasn’t led to much positive sentiment.
Here are the key complaints:
• Blizzard’s development and live ops decisions
• No access to Chinese server and existing game data
• Slow log in times and poor online connections
• The Blizzard and NetEase split negatively impacting gaming communities
This player says the broken promises for in game content have negatively impacted the Overwatch community and their desire to play
What do Chinese gamers want?
We delved deeper into the sentiments of the Chinese player base with a survey in March 2023. We found that World of Warcraft and Overwatch were the most played Blizzard PC titles prior to the shutdowns at the beginning of the year.
The survey also showed that post-shutdown of all the Blizzard titles, Overwatch players were most likely to switch to a similar title from another publisher. However, over 40% said they would start playing on the global server using a VPN or game accelerator, indicating high interest in continuing to play the title. Players of Blizzard PC games also reported incredible loyalty with the majority of the user base for each individual title indicating they would return to the Chinese version if the game officially relaunched with local servers and existing game data.
Another more positive aspect is that Overwatch 2 achieved 75,000 global concurrent players on Steam at launch. It was also the 10th highest grossing title on the international version of Steam in China for the week ending August 15, indicating that Chinese PC gamers were still jumping back into the Steam version despite the complaints. Our China Games & Streaming Tracker, which looks at the top games live streamed on Huya, DouYu and Bilibili, found that Overwatch was still the #23 most viewed PC game on these platforms for the period between January 24 and August 15, 2023, despite the shut down.
It’s undeniable that the Overwatch IP still resonates strongly with the Chinese gaming community. But at the same time, it’s clear that frustrations over the lack of an official relaunch have been building for a while, culminating in the high number of negative reviews on Steam. For a comprehensive understanding and deeper insights into the Chinese PC gaming landscape, including full survey results, please check out our China PC Games Market Report.


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Artificial intelligence is being required more and more on mobile devices specially designed for monitoring the body while doing sports.
Such a technological application has been implemented by a company specialized in information technology, in collaboration with a sports equipment company, dedicated to boxing, with the purpose of helping fighters to lead a better real-time analysis for reaching the optimum body form, wrote digitaltrends.com.
By using the PIQ Robot, boxers can have real-time access to a database that brings together information about thousands of athletes and millions of movements specific to this sport. The algorithm measures and tracks every movement of every user, constantly updating his optimal form, making the device ideal for use especially during training to improve technique and fitness shape.
Athletes from other sports have already used digital information to train intelligently for years, said Chris Zoller, director of marketing and design for Everlast sports equipment company. We are glad to work with people at PIQ to introduce the mobile technology body in boxing.
PIQ platform has the ability to provide a form of workout measured accurately, which we believe will greatly help the boxers, said Zoller.
The benefits are even greater when the boxers connect these ROBOT PIQ devices to their smartphones, because they can see data on the strength and speed of impact and establish their power strokes. These factors can then be used to enhance the athlete’s performance.
The device can be securely attached to a wrist bracelet and the boxer can even wear the attachment just under his glove. The device is used with dedicated mobile applications that are working both on Android and iOS systems.


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Mayer: Apple the Gold Standard in Design, Tech
Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer discusses Apple being the gold standard for design and technology and the value of technology being lost in the product. She speaks from the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Most Recent Videos
Creating a One-Stop Shop for A.I. Integration
03:31 - Businesses of all stripes are doing their best to integrate big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning into their workflows. Optix Solutions is trying to take the stress out of the transition. Globalive Chairman Anthony Lacavera asks Spencer Fung, founder and CEO of Optix Solutions, about the objective behind the company. (Source: Bloomberg)


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Kentucky accuses CVS Health of fueling crisis in new suit
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) is accusing CVS Health of “fueling” the opioid crisis in the state in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday.
Cameron sued the health care company in Franklin Circuit Court, alleging that its “unlawful business practices” and failure to “guard against the diversion of opioids” contributed to Kentucky’s epidemic.
“As both distributor and pharmacy, CVS was in a unique position to monitor and stop the peddling of these highly-addictive drugs from their stores, yet they ignored their own safeguard systems,” Cameron said.
By the numbers: The lawsuit said CVS pharmacies in Kentucky bought more than 151 million dosage units of oxycodone and hydrocodone from its own distribution centers and third-party distributors between 2006 and 2014. That amounts to almost 6.1 percent of the dosage units in the state at the time.
Cameron specifically highlighted two CVS stores in Perry County and Crittenden County that each bought enough dosage units to supply every county resident with 26 pills and 34 pills every year, respectively.
CVS response: CVS Health told The Hill in a statement that it’s ready to defend against the lawsuit’s allegations and that it invested in fighting opioid misuse and abuse.
“Opioids are made and marketed by drug manufacturers, not pharmacies,” the statement said. “Pharmacists dispense opioid prescriptions written by licensed physicians for a legitimate medical need. Pharmacists do not — and cannot — write prescriptions.”


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The House of Representatives voted 325-91 yesterday to pass the Innovation Act, which will limit the activities of non-practicing entities (NPEs) that stockpile patents for process details and then file frivolous lawsuits looking for settlements from users. The direct mail and marketing tech industries have been frequent victims of NPEs.
Highlights of the Innovation Act, which was introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA):
- The act requires NPEs to file specific claims against patent violations. Until now, complainants could file bare-bones suits without naming individual plaintiffs, a form of legal blackmail that enabled them to scoop up multiple settlements.
- The winner of any patent infringement suit now must pay all legal fees. Trolls scoop up easy settlements from companies looking to avoid legal fees that would be much higher. The Innovation Act gives plaintiffs incentive to fight the suits.
- One of the fixed costs for fighting suits had been discovery phase legal fees before a trial ever began. The new law delays most areas of discovery until after the court has interpreted the patent claims.
Industry groups applauded the House vote. “Many of our members have received frivolous demand letters claiming patent infringement on the use of off-the-shelf software, QR codes, and scanners,” said Peggy Hudson, SVP for government affairs at the Direct Marketing Association. “These demand letters amount to pure extortion. [Goodlatte] and all the co-sponsors of the bill should be commended.”
In an earlier interview with Direct Marketing News, Cameron Bellamy, CEO of Grayhair Software, described the extent of damage inflicted by patent trolls on both suppliers and their clients. “They patent very simple concepts–for instance, one-button electronic payment–and then single out specific users of the concept and demand that they pay a patent fee,” Bellamy said. “They tend to be lawyers who don’t practice law, but form shell companies that exist to store up patents and write letters.”
Goodlatte sees the law as a boon to fair play and economic growth. “Everyone from inventors to start-ups to midsize and large businesses face this constant threat. The enactment of the Innovation Act is something I consider central to U.S. competitiveness,” Goodlatte said after the vote, adding that the law addresses “abusive practices that have damaged our patent system.”