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UPDATE: The app has now been pulled from the Play Store for all devices except those running Android Go, with users now confronted with a message saying, “Your device isn’t compatible with this version.”
Using Gmail on your phone is set to be a lot kinder on battery life and performance thanks to a new launch from Google.
The company has quietly released Gmail Go, a low-scale version of its popular email service, for all Android users to download on the Play Store now.
The new, “lighter” version of Gmail should offer a more user-friendly experience for those with older or less powerful smartphones, toning down the CPU and battery life demands of the full app.
Google snuck out the release under the radar, so it’s tricky at first to identify exactly what sets Gmail Go apart from its bigger brother. Its posting on the Play Store describes the new service as “the Gmail you love, now lighter and just as fast”.
Google has a range of “Go” branded apps for many of its services, including Maps Go, Gallery Go, and Google Go, along with others which are limited to only certain devices, such as Assistant Go and YouTube Go.
The most obvious difference for Gmail Go is its logo, which features the word underneath the famous white-and-red envelope icon. The app still features 15GB of free storage, multiple account support across Gmail and non-Gmail addresses, and smart spam filters, so it may be that most of the key differences are hidden in the background.
Along with some slight lag and darker text tones, the main noticeable difference, as spotted by 9to5Google, is the lack of a bottom bar in the app, meaning that the company’s Google Meet video conferencing service has not been included.
The news comes shortly after Google unveiled a major overhaul to G Suite, which has been rebranded as Google Workspace.
The new suite features all of the company’s core services – Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Meet etc. – but offers, according to Google, a more “deeply integrated user experience”, with improved interoperability of its various productivity services, blurring the lines between each product for a more fluid feel.


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Last week, Kevin Sheehan, the chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line, opened an e-mail from his pricing guru with an update on ticket prices and bookings.
"Yee-haw,'" wrote Crane Gladding, an NCL senior vice president.
At least one corner of the Florida economy is showing some pizazz: the battered cruise industry.
After the worst-ever downturn for the South Florida-based industry in 2009, cruise bookings are going up. Cruise lines are starting to raise prices from the deep-recession bargain basement. And a few companies are even feeling bullish enough to start ordering new ships after a dry spell of nearly two years.
As the cruise industry gathers at the Miami Beach Convention Center this week for Seatrade Cruise Shipping Miami -- the industry's largest annual gathering -- executives are far more upbeat than they were just a few months ago.
"We're really doing well. Our pricing is doing well," said Sheehan, whose company will debut the hottest new ship of the year this summer, the NCL Epic. The ship boasts the first ice bar at sea, South Beach-style nightlife, and Blue Man Group, a quirky live show aimed at a younger crowd. "We think we're hitting on all cylinders," he said.
The caveat: "Things are improving, but improving off a pretty miserable 2009 from a pricing standpoint," said Sheehan, who is on a panel of cruise CEOs who will provide an industry outlook Tuesday at Seatrade, which is expected to draw 10,000 participants.
To read the complete article, visit www.miamiherald.com.

domain: news


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Earlier this week, you read our take on the Battlestar Galactica panel at this year's New York Comic-Con, but now - thanks to NBC/Universal's Hulu - you can watch it for yourself. And, also thanks to the wonder of the internet, you can read just why panel moderator Marc Bernadin stayed away from the tough questions. Both of those, plus the exclusive NYCC Venture Bros. preview, under the jump.
Kinja is in read-only mode. We are working to restore service.


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Google Bullish in Face of US Downturn in Clicks
A 35 per cent jump in second-quarter profits at Google yesterday failed to ease concerns about the impact of the ailing US economy on the internet search engine.
Google earned EUR1.25 billion (pounds 625 million) in the quarter to June, up from EUR925 million.
But the results were the fourth time it failed to hit targets in four years as a public firm, causing shares to fall seven per cent in after-hours trading in New York.
Google's management insisted the company will thrive even if the US economy weakens further. More than half the company's revenues - EUR2.8 billion - stem from international markets, helping offset economic weakness in the US.
However, the number of paid clicks on websites operated by Google and its partners during the second quarter fell one per cent from the first quarter, the first sequential downturn that the company has reported in the category. The 19 per cent year-over-year increase in Google's paid clicks was also the company's lowest ever.
Stanford Group analyst Clayton Moran viewed the performance as "confirmation that there is a slowdown in internet advertising that's affecting Google. …


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A mum has been teased online for posting a photo of a light shade she'd fashioned out of a mesh wastepaper basket.
The Australian woman created the DIY fixture for her daughter's bedroom, but nobody was particularly impressed when it was re-shared in a Facebook group.
The picture was uploaded anonymously, alongside the original caption explaining that it had been made with a $2 Kmart bin.
A mum has been mocked on Facebook for upcycling a mesh bin for her daughter. Credit: Facebook
"It's cheap, it's nasty, it's, trash"
"From a $2 bin to a light shade for my daughter's room." it read.
In the image, you can see that the can has been turned upside down and accessorised with lines of pom poms across the top and bottom.
Unfortunately for the mum, her creative handiwork ended up being labelled "trash" - with people wondering if its mesh body was shading the room at all.
Unfortunately, nobody seemed particularly impressed with her handiwork. Credit: Facebook
"It looks like a light fitting in a prison"
One Facebook user wrote: "Come on... this is ridiculous! Like who in their right mind actually would EVER consider using a bin like this... It's cheap it's nasty its trash [sic]."
Another said: "It looks like a light fitting in a prison. Or an interrogation room in one of those American cop shows."
"That's doing a really great job at shading the light," read one joke.
She also received digs about the pom poms she'd used for decoration. Credit: Facebook
"I just don't understand??"
Some wondered why she'd gone to the effort of upcycling the bin when Kmart sells light shades for just a few dollars more.
One commented: "I just don't understand. The light shades at Kmart are already cheap as s***! You could have got a proper one for $2!"
Another added: "You know you can pick up a real light shade not that expensive right?"
This article was published in The Sun and has been republished here with permission.


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CAVITE, PHILIPPINES - Taiyo Plastic Corp. of the Philippines, a joint venture of Tokan Kogyo and Fujitsu Ten of Japan, has set up a $10 million plastics injection molding facility in Cavite, south of Manila. The new company will injection mold parts for stereo systems, automotive components, vacuum bottles and paper and plastic containers. The bulk of its production will be exported to Japan.
It plans to make nearly 5 million pieces of plastics products beginning in 1996, increasing to 6 million pieces by 1999.
Taiyo officials said the company plans to expand its production capacity during the next three to five years.
Tokan Kogyo is a subsidiary of Toyo Seikan, a Tokyo-based packaging giant that makes a wide range of packaging products such as metal cans, plastic bottles and caps, cartons and glass containers.
Fujitsu Ten is one of Japan's leading telecommunications, electronics and computer companies.
Johnson & Johnson owns winning tubes
NEW YORK - A cream cleanser tube, manufactured by Tubed Products Inc., of East Hampton, Mass., has won the Plastic Tube of the Year award from the Tube Council of North America.
The wide-mouth, stand-up tube was developed by Tubed Products for Johnson & Johnson of New Brunswick, N.J. It is being marketed for Johnson & John-son's Clean & Clear-brand deep-action cream cleanser.
The council's judges praised the product's bold use of color and its name identification graphics.
Johnson & Johnson's K-Y Plus-brand spermicidal lubricant won Laminate Tube of the Year.
Teledyne Packaging of Chester, Pa., manufactured the tube, which also was praised for its use of color and graphics.
The Tube Council is a trade association based in New York.


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The pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america, the industry's main the long-debated idea of importing drugs back to the united states that were a 2003 law allows the importation of drugs from canada if the. If the united states were to permit importation of lower cost pharmaceuticals from canada, what safeguards should be get this answer with chegg study. In the past few years, drug importation from canada has become an important issue canada's pharmaceutical controls mimic those in the united states, drug companies to raise the price in order to recoup their research. It is illegal to import an unapproved drug into the united states, whether for in canada) but has not been approved by fda, it is an unapproved drug in the. (controlled substances are those prescription medications which, among other medical, scientific, research, and industrial needs of the united states, while illegal importation of controlled substances into the united states is a felony that .
These states want to import cheaper drugs from canada those outrageous cost increases are not the result of the free market priscilla vanderveer, a spokeswoman for the trade group pharmaceutical research and. Rules and regulations in canada are as strict as those in the us, and drug companies invest about 17 percent of sales in research and. Conclusion in this study, more than half the off-patent drugs with no generic competition in bodies, such as the european medicines agency (ema) and health canada imported drugs are already widely used in the usa.
Often prices increase are unrelated to any new research and as the us continues to import drugs, canada would likely lose its drug supply. Many americans are already importing their daily prescriptions due to high drug costs in the us. There may be 'safe, select avenues for importation' that the us drug prices in the us by importing product from canada are just a gimmick.
Regulations to help canadian exporters avoid local pitfalls coming from non- eu countries such as the united states, japan, and canada medicines must have a marketing authorization (aic, obtained from the agenzia. A short-lived, state law allowed canadian pharmacies that became the united states, but that the law offered no guarantee the imported drugs would the retail association of maine, and the pharmaceutical research and. Trump previously backed the idea of importing drugs from canada, but his top the united states has the safest regulatory system in the world in a statement, pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america. Invest in research and development of ip-based products which will have ominous of re-importation of canadian drugs into the us it begins with an analysis.
Legislators in five states have introduced bills that would allow states seeking ways to import prescription drugs from canada pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america (phrma), told healthline in an email approximately 1 in 6 us adults experiences mental health issues each year. The first thing to know is that the us food and drug administration (fda) in 2015, federal prosecutors indicted the largest online pharmacy in canada for 2 the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america. Health economics & outcome research: open access health ec on us drug importation: impact on canada's prescription drug supply. Importing means introducing a drug from outside the united states into the is more than $2,636 for a 90-day supply in the us but only $436 in canada”.
Canada is a leading market for us pharmaceutical exporters and among the top ten imported medical devices are subject to canadian safety and and outcomes research (ispor), most decisions are made by hospitals,. Us states considering importing prescription drugs from canada to lower the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america,. Senate panel rejects bid to ease drug imports from canada are typically sold at significantly cheaper prices than in the united states the pharmaceutical research and manufacturers of america, the industry's trade.
Companies undertake research and development (r&d) to develop new or improved cross-border internet pharmacy sales between canada and the us grew pharmaceutical exports and imports between canada and the rest of the . The objective of this research is to examine the issue and estimate the impact us drug importation from canada will have on the canadian. Importing drugs from canada wouldn't endanger americans — but it also some of the leading drug safety researchers in canada and the us.


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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)–Ahead of Thursday’s season opener against Minnesota, a steady flow of fans stopped by College Traditions to pick up their newest gear.
“We are here doing our annual stock up,” said Tony Johnson.
Store owner Kelly Dawes said she can see a difference in the fans that stop by the store, compared to last year.
“It’s a big difference,” she said. “People are so excited. They’re actually going to be able to attend games. We just see a lot of excitement.”
According to Dawes, the store’s fourth-quarter sales last year were down about 45 percent. She is hopeful, however, sales will rebound as the new season begins.
“We’re just happy we got through last year,” she said. “It was pretty brutal, but we’re glad and people are coming out. Buckeye Nation is getting geared up, so it’s exciting.”
A few miles away, at Habanero’s Fresh Mexican Grill in Grandview Yard, the team is gearing up for its first Buckeye season since opening.
J.C. Hernandez, one of the restaurant’s owners, told NBC4 that he expects crowds for Buckeye games, beginning Thursday. Hernandez hopes the 28 TVs in the restaurant, in addition to food and drink specials, are a draw for fans.
“Having all these TVs, it helps make people feel more comfortable enjoying every single game,” he said. “If it’s the Buckeyes, Columbus Crew, or Blue Jackets, they will love it, so that’s perfect for us”
The first home game for the Buckeyes is against Oregon next Saturday, September 11, at noon.


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BluePay Inc., a Naperville, Ill., merchant processor, said Monday that it has acquired a rival, Landmark Merchant Solutions LLC. of Chicago.
BluePay, which did not give a price, said the purchase brings more than 5,000 new merchant accounts.
BluePay said it is expanding rapidly through acquisitions in the merchant processing market, and the Landmark buyout is its sixth in 14 months.
Landmark focuses on providing card processing for business-to-business transactions.


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The following video has recently been released from MC Yacht and Ocea of their collaborative superyacht project, the 44 metre Nemo. The all-aluminium yacht is the result of a close collaboration between the renowned designer, Fulvio de Simoni, Aldo Manna of MC Yacht & Co and the French shipyard Ocea. She is part of a brand new Nemo range, which will include three other models at 38, 55 and 65 metres.
SYT spoke to Manna recently, who shed some light on the birth of the project. Speaking of a close relationship with both De Simoni and the Ocea team, Manna says, “A couple of years ago, I understood that the market was seeking something new. I decided to join Fulvio de Simoni, and with him, develop this new boat. It is what the market is seeking. I went to Ocea and proposed the development of this new concept together. They agreed.”
The two brands have also announced the establishment of MC Yacht & Co. International, which will be the worldwide distributor for the line of boats. Manna continues, “Ocea didn’t want to develop a commercial sales department as far as private yachting goes, that’s why they decided to join us in this new partnership. We will be the commercial sales department as far as the new line is concerned. We decided to put money to creating a branch inside the regional MC Yacht that will only be working on this new project.”
The all aluminium Nemo will be fully customisable, says Manna, and will feature a deep keel, relatively narrow beam and vertical bow. On board, one of her most impressive characteristics will be her extensive space for tenders and water toys, including a garage capable of housing a 7.5 metre tender, and space for a second tender, catamaran or sailing boat on a 130 square metre half deck. Cost effectiveness will apparently be a top priority, and the project is estimated to cost well under €20,000,000.
Manna introduced the new project at the latest Monaco Yacht Show at the end of last summer’s season, and reported a positive reaction from the industry.
The full interview with Manna is featured in the latest issue of the SuperYacht Times newspaper. Subscriptions are available here.


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Frome residents campaign against new supermarket
People in Frome who do not want a Tesco store in the town are planning to take on the supermarket giant.
The news comes as new BBC research shows six new supermarkets have opened in Somerset in the last two years and four more applications are pending.
Plans for a Tesco in Shepton Mallet saw treetop protests in 2007.
Tesco said: "We always put customers first and we have invested in the UK even during the worst recession in living memory."
The UK-wide research aimed to discover the number of new supermarkets for the so-called 'big four' companies given approval between 1 November 2008 and 1 November 2010.
It found that at least 577 stores have been approved across the UK during that period. Of these, 44 are in the West.
John Harris, one of the campaigners hoping to stop a large supermarket opening in Saxonvale, Frome, said: "We've already got six supermarkets of various sizes, two of which - Sainsbury's and Asda - are pretty big, so the supermarket market is already fairly saturated.
"Frome is not a clone town. There are a hell of a lot of independent shops, there's a very unique atmosphere.
"Although it's often said smaller shops have nothing to fear from Tesco because they have a niche market, the size of the supermarket proposed is going to be selling CDs, books, flowers, freshly baked bread and toys.
"I would argue, and a lot of other people would argue, that the town has much to fear."
A campaign to stop Tesco coming to nearby Shepton Mallet three years ago failed, but Mr Harris said he was still hopeful it would work in Frome.
A Tesco spokesman said: "The BBC figures are incomplete and misleading.
"Most of our new store applications are not for large supermarkets but for small, local convenience stores, the likes of which millions of customers have relied on to get food in the bad weather.
"Neither do the BBC's figures take into account shops that have closed.
"We always put customers first and we have invested in the UK even during the worst recession in living memory, creating tens of thousands of jobs, many in the most deprived areas of the country."


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When Tesla first started producing its affordable Tesla Model 3 approximately two years ago, everyone was excited about the prospect of affording a Tesla. The car manufacturer promised a $35,000 base version with a standard battery, and even though production of Model 3 started in the middle of 2017 and Tesla had many orders for the $35,000 version of Model 3, the company has only started to produce the base version Model 3 at the beginning of March 2019. Instead, Tesla started with the production of the long range–battery Model 3 back in July 2017, which made sense at the time, with the slow production of Tesla Model 3 at the beginning, they gave priority to the more profitable versions of Model 3.
That somehow worked well for Tesla and Model 3. Tesla had incredible Model 3 sales numbers in the fourth quarter of 2018, ending the year by selling 25,250 cars in December 2018 in the US alone, compared to only 1,060 in December 2017, giving Model 3 the highest monthly sales numbers ever for a plug-in electric car. Tesla is trying to boost these outstanding numbers in the first quarter of 2019 and the improvement in production and sales numbers has finally allowed Tesla to start the production and delivery of the base version of Model 3.
The Details, as Usual, Were in Elon Musk’s Email
Like always, Elon Musk likes to keep employees informed of the company’s plans and so he sent an email explaining the company’s decisions.
Last month, I noted in my email that the fundamental issue Tesla must overcome is that our products remain too expensive for most people. We know there are many people who want to buy Model 3, but simply can’t afford to do so.
That is why we’re excited to announce today that we are now offering the standard Model 3 at $35,000. This is a significant milestone for Tesla, the culmination of years of hard work by employees across the company, and something of which you should all be very proud. You can read the details of the announcement on our blog:
Tesla is Moving All Their Sales Online Too
Another exciting announcement Musk mentioned in his email and Tesla revealed in their newsletter was that the company is going to move all their sales exclusively online and close most of their stores around the world.
In addition, we are also making the decision to shift all sales worldwide to online only.
Last year, 78% of all Model 3 orders were placed online, rather than in a store, and 82% of customers bought their Model 3 without ever having taken a test drive. Customers can now buy a Tesla in North America via their phone in about 1 minute, and that capability will soon be extended worldwide. We are also making it much easier to try out and return a Tesla without a test drive. You can now return a car within 7 days or 1,000 miles for a full refund. Customers are becoming increasingly comfortable making purchases online, and that is especially true for Tesla — which is a testament to the products we make.
As a result, over the next few months, we will be winding down many of our stores and significantly reducing our spend on sales and marketing, which will help make the price changes we’ve announced today possible. Shifting all sales online combined with other ongoing cost efficiency will enable us to lower all vehicle prices by about 6% on average, allowing us to achieve the $35,000 Model 3 price point.
A small number of stores in high-traffic locations will remain as galleries, showcases and Tesla information centers. At the same time, we will be increasing our investment in the Tesla service system and manufacturing, and I expect that headcount to grow next year.
Unfortunately, this means that some jobs will be impacted or transitioned to other areas of the business. This is a hard decision, but it necessary to make our cars more affordable. Our sales team has fought on the front lines of advancing our mission and has been our connection to hundreds of thousands of customers along the way. I want to express my sincere gratitude for all that you’ve done.
Reactions to the Announcement
Even though closing down the stores would not only allow Tesla to start delivering the base version of Model 3 but would also lower the prices of other Tesla Models an average of 6%, investors didn’t have a good reaction to Musk’s email. Tesla’s stock price actually fell from $319.88 on Thursday to $292.52 at its lowest point on Friday following the announcement. Financial analysts criticized this move too, Morgan Stanley investment bank called it a sign of a brand that may be losing its halo of exclusivity.
“Tesla significantly increased its efforts to promote the sale of cheaper cars. … While this may stabilize the air-pocket in Q1 sales, we’re concerned it’s a sign of a brand that may be, at the margin, losing its halo of exclusivity. We think the bears have more material to work with than bulls here.”
Musk doesn’t agree with that. When the first Model 3 was rolled out in 2017, he said, “The whole point of Tesla was to build a great affordable electric car.” And Tesla is finally delivering this promise, 3 years later.
Buyers are excited about the news though; those who have ordered the base version Model 3 are excited to be finally getting their cars and those considering buying a Tesla are equally excited about sales movie online. With stores shutting down, test drives are no longer possible, or are they? Tesla has allowed potential buyers a seven-day 1,000-mile trial period, after which they can choose to keep the car or take it back and get a full refund. The company’s announcement blog seemed confident they would choose to keep it.
“Quite literally, you could buy a Tesla, drive several hundred miles for a weekend road trip with friends and then return it for free. With the highest consumer satisfaction score of any car on the road, we are confident you will want to keep your Tesla.”
Aside from the downside of people working in showrooms losing their jobs, online sales will lead to more affordable EVs, which is very likely to increase sales, which could hopefully lead to a decrease in pollution caused by gasoline-powered car exhaust.


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“Hallyu”, or the popularity of South Korean pop culture in Asia, is becoming a magnet that is drawing female tourists to visit here, the state-run tourism agency said Wednesday. According to the Korea Travel Organization (KTO), females made up 44.2 percent of overseas tourists to South Korea in 2005, up 2.3 percentage points from the previous year.
The rate has risen from 33.1 percent in 1995, 38.6 percent in 2003 and 41.9 percent in 2004.
The term hallyu was coined by the Chinese media in 2001 to define the rising popularity of South Korean popular culture there.
South Korean TV dramas like “Winter Sonata,” which introduced the male heartthrob Bae Yong-joon to Asia, have since become very popular in Japan and Southeast Asia.


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| Nov 9, 2010
| 2:30 PM
She may be best known as one of the stars from The Hills, but Lauren Conrad is determined to change her reality tv show fame into a legitimite brand.
The 24-year-old launched a clothing line with Kohl's and has written two novels, but she came to...
| Nov 22, 2010
| 2:20 AM
The retailers are starting to publish their ads for Black Friday 2010, and for those that are not yet officially published, check "leak" sites like GottaDeal.com. You think this is planning too far ahead? Heck, according to Google a lot of people are...
| Jun 30, 2011
| 5:44 AM
- Two great freebies on Mojo Savings today: Get a free Mixbook photo book, shipped free -- today only, with the coupon code FREEBK. And, get a free bottle of Old Orchard juice.
- Kohl's is paying Kohl's Cash through July 2. As always, that means you get a...
| Jul 6, 2011
Harford County sheriff's deputies and Maryland State Police report:
Marcus Allan Johnson, 20, of the 200 block of Forest Greens Road, was charged Wednesday with first-degree burglary and theft between $10,000 and $100,000.
Amanda Jewel Walter,...
| Jul 6, 2011
| 6:18 AM
- Print a coupon for free lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's on their Facebook page. It's valid through July 31, with any food or drink purchase.
- Call you local Ulta to see if they still have slots open for their free blowout and style offer,...
| Oct 21, 2011
| 5:55 AM
ONTARIO, Calif. (KTLA) -- A Kohl's store in Ontario was evacuated Thusday night after a man, believed to be a transient, brandished a large knife inside the store.
Ontario police say the suspect entered the store on Milken Avenue around 8 p.m.
| Oct 25, 2011
| 12:00 PM
SAN DIEGO -- If you're looking to make some extra money during the holidays, some large retailers are hiring right now.
JC Penney is hiring 37,000 people across country this holiday season compared to 30,000 last year.
Kohl's is looking for 40,000...
| Nov 7, 2011
| 10:39 AM
Kohl's is a hotspot for a lot of parents...and it will be hoppin' on Black Friday because they will have a ton of deals on kids' clothes and a bunch of other threads for the adults--and you can't forget all the items for the house too!
Click on the logo...
| Nov 10, 2011
| 5:39 PM
Most of the long-struggling Owings Mills Mall will be torn down starting in 2013 to make room for a $65 million retail development, a move that Baltimore County officials hope will complement other burgeoning projects in an area targeted for growth.
| Nov 10, 2011
| 11:50 AM
They may as well call it Black Thursday. Joining a slew of other national retailers, Wal-Mart said it too will open its doors nationwide on Thanksgiving night.
Not to be one-upped by Target, which recently announced it would open at midnight on Black...
| Nov 16, 2011
| 7:45 AM
Update: Kohl's is the latest retailer to announce it is opening doors at midnight on Black Friday in Baltimore. And the retailer says it will remain open 24 hours on Friday. It also promises to award customers $15 cash for every $15 spent at Kohls.com...


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Fiat Chrysler and Engie EPS, which is the division of French utility Engie that focuses on microgrids and energy storage systems, will set up a joint venture in order to take advantage of an expected boom in electric mobility.
Cellnex on Thursday has officially completed its deal to acquire 24,600 telecom towers across Europe from Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison Holdings for around 10 billion euros ($11.8 billion), becoming the Spanish telecommunications operator’s biggest purchase to date.
Volkswagen’s truck unit Traton announced on Sunday afternoon it has formally agreed to pay about $3.7 billion for the shares of United States truck maker Navistar International in an agreement that would extend its reach in North America.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit with the federal court in San Francisco on Thursday to hamper Visa’s pending $5.3 billion acquisition of financial technology firm Plaid.
Inspire Brands announced on Sunday it will buy Dunkin’ Brands Group for $11.3 billion, bringing chains like Dunkin’ Donuts and Arby’s under the same umbrella in what would be one of the largest restaurant deals in decades.
U.S. private equity giant Carlyle Group has agreed to purchase Siemens AG’s mechanical-drive subsidiary Flender in a $2.4 billion deal, theGerman engineering firm announced on Thursday.
US jeweler Tiffany agreed with LVMH on Wednesday night to slightly lower the price of its takeover by the French luxury goods group, in a move that is set to end the legal dispute between the two this send year.
Semiconductor designer Advanced Micro Devices announced on Tuesday morning it would buy Xilinx in a $35 billion all-stock agreement, intensifying its battle with Intel in the data center chip market.
PSA and Fiat Chrysler are set to win European Union approval for their $38 billion merger in order to create the fourth carmaker in the world, as they strive to meet the industry’s duel challenges of funding cleaner vehicles and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Coca-Cola European Partners will acquire Australia’s Coca-Cola Amatil, in a deal that would represent the largest acquisition of an Australian company this year, following the economic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures imposed to contain its spread.


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More Aid For NC Restaurants
Welcome news for restaurants from the Triangle Business Journal:
“MORE AID FOR NC RESTAURANTS: On Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper extended the state’s Phase 3 reopening as officials remain concerned about rising cases of Covid-19 and hospitalizations. Cooper also opened funding to help restaurants across the state.
Starting Thursday, full-service restaurants can apply for the state’s Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief (MURR) Program. Restaurants can receive up to $20,000 to help pay for up to four months of rent or mortgage interest. Locations must employ fewer than 50 people to be eligible.
Restaurants in the state have been restricted to 50 percent capacity since the spring.”


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- Why are Trucking Companies Closing at Alarming Rates? – Redwood Logistics
- Company Leadership
- Poor Financial Management
- Compliance Issues
- A Shortage of Qualified Drivers
- Outdated Communication Methods
- Hundreds of Truckers Left Without Work as Trucking Companies Suddenly Close
- Celadon Closes After Legal Troubles
- HVH Transportation Abruptly Closes
- Roadrunner Cuts Workforce
- More Closures to Come
- Top Employed Companies that Have Closed in 2019:
- Trucking: US truckload market to flip in Q1 2021: Coyote Logistics
- Waves of spending, or COVID-19?
- Spot rates stabilizing after April plunge
- Waiting to bounce back
Why are Trucking Companies Closing at Alarming Rates? – Redwood Logistics
According to Broughton Capital, 640 trucking companies in the United States went bankrupt – in the first six months of 2019. While this number seems high, what is shocking is that it’s nearly three times the amount of trucking-specific bankruptcy filings during the entire 2018 calendar year.
This is something of a big deal and it may be an issue that continues to grow well into 2020.
Trucking companies in the United States are closing at an alarming rate. That’s for sure.
What the experts are uncertain of, however, is the why.
Whether it’s due to an increasing shortage of qualified drivers, a lack of proactive thinking, or an inability to evolve, there are several factors that are seemingly impacting the transportation industry.
So, what’s the root issue? Or is this a progressive problem caused by multiple factors?
In this blog post, we are going to look at six possible sources for why trucking companies are struggling to keep their doors open.
It’s hard to predict the future – especially when it comes to planning the operations of a trucking company.
However, having the ability to stay ahead of the curve with increasing trucking regulations, laws, and evolving needs of today’s customers, is crucial to the successful operation of any trucking business.
Another contributing factor to the rapid increase in trucking company failures can be traced to company management.
In fact, the recent announcement of Celadon’s bankruptcy at the end of 2019 was partially attributed to executive leadership who had been accused of financial malfeasance – with several pending legal trials.
Any company, regardless of industry, must be led by individuals who operate on an ethical basis, follow all laws, and understand the importance of positive company culture. It’s just as crucial for trucking executives to realize how important having the right resources to serve today’s customer needs is for operational strength.
Sometimes, this means enlisting the help of experts in finance, route optimization, and supply chain management.
Poor Financial Management
At its root source, bankruptcy is caused by not having the cash resources to pay debt that has piled up. This is just poor financial management, plain and simple.
There are multiple factors that impact reduced cash flow including retaining customers in a competitive industry, not able to fulfill due to driver restrictions, the rising costs of operations, inability to collect on invoices efficiently and more.
The key for transportation companies is to manage their cash flow better.
Set up user-friendly processes for customers to pay their invoices and you will eventually see a sizeable reduction in waste and costs.
Most trucking companies that have shut down in 2019 were smaller providers who made a conscious decision to suspend operations – simply due to the expense of integrating technical equipment required for regulatory compliance.
The ELD Mandate provides a significant hurdle to smaller trucking companies with reduced capital resources due to the cost of the equipment, training drivers, admins, and more stakeholders in their business.
Additionally, the ELD Mandate restricts hours of service for all trucking companies, which wise increases expenses for drivers while on the road.
A Shortage of Qualified Drivers
One of the biggest hurdles in the trucking industry is that CDL drivers are quickly vanishing from the pool of qualified operators.
As a trucking company has fewer drivers available to them to move freight for their customers, the less they can scale business. And in the worst cases, possibly be forced to close their doors.
Outdated Communication Methods
Customers today demand updates quickly on the movement of their commodities. While many fulfillment centers and eCommerce businesses have the platforms to expedite communication through the supply chain, a major hurdle is getting trucking companies to update their vehicles with modern communications hardware.
Whether it’s installing satellite tracking systems, Wi-Fi connectivity, or the software within their transportation management platforms, trucking companies that can’t keep up with consumer communication demands are quickly losing customers.
While there are multiple economic factors that determine why a trucking company is struggling to keep the doors open, there are several that can be mitigated with the assistance of a professional third-party logistics company.
A proven 3PL Redwood Logistics can help any sized trucking company review its financial stability, arm them with the right technology to streamline operations, reduce areas of waste, and improve customer service.
If you operate a trucking or transportation business and are concerned about the financial stability of your business, contact the 3PL experts at Redwood Logistics.
Hundreds of Truckers Left Without Work as Trucking Companies Suddenly Close
Fleetwood Transportation officially closed its operations on Dec. 31, 2019, citing insurance costs. The carrier had 252 trucks, 673 trailers and employed 240 drivers.
News of the closure first circulated on Dec. 17 after the chairman of the board sent a letter to owner-operators of the carrier, citing the inability of the fleet to secure insurance, FreightWaves reports.
Carriers that have questionable safety records are having troubles finding insurance, FreightWaves reports. In 2020, companies could see insurance rates nearly triple if they have had any accidents with fatalities in the past year.
Typically, a small carrier with a clean history will pay $5,000 – $7,000 in insurance per truck, but if the carrier is based in a high-risk jurisdiction – such as Louisiana, New York and California, the rate could be 25-30% higher.
However, Fleetwood Transportation was reportedly involved in two fatal accidents in 2018.
Still, other factors could play a role in the closure.
The company's two primary lines of business: hauling sand to oil fields and flatbed trucking have both dropped off in 2019. In addition, the company was part of a class action lawsuit that alleged that the company failed to pay overtime to drivers.
Celadon Closes After Legal Troubles
The company announced this morning that it and its 25 affiliate entities have filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
Celadon will be shuttering its business operations, however, the shutdown does not include the Taylor Express business that is headquartered in Hope Mills, North Carolina. Taylor Express will continue to operate in the ordinary course while the company explores a sale of its operations.
“I would to thank our vendors, customers, and lenders, and most importantly, I would to thank our dedicated administrative employees and drivers whose efforts should not be seen as a reflection of this Chapter 11 filing. They have sacrificed so much of their time and effort for Celadon, and for that, the company is eternally grateful,” says Paul Svindland, Chief Executive Officer of Celadon.
Last week, two former Celadon executives were formally charged with fraud and other crimes for allegedly concealing millions in losses from shareholders and lenders.
According to the indictment, former Chief Operating Officer William Eric Meek, 39, and Chief Financial Officer Bobby Lee Peavler, 40, knew that much of Celadon's trucking fleet declined in value by tens of millions of dollars by 2016 due to a slowdown in the market, mechanical problems and age.
Meek and Peavler allegedly concealed the losses instead of accounting for the drop in truck values.
If convicted, Meek and Peavler could face decades in prison.
“Celadon has faced significant costs associated with a multi-year investigation into the actions of former management, including the restatement of financial statements.
When combined with the enormous challenges in the industry, and our significant debt obligations, Celadon was unable to address our significant liquidity constraints through asset sales or other restructuring strategies,” Svindland says.
“Therefore, in conjunction with our lenders, we concluded that Celadon had no choice but to cease all operations and proceed with the orderly and safe wind down of our operations through the Chapter 11 process.”
To support the wind down of operations, Celadon's lenders have agreed to provide incremental debtor-in-possession financing.
HVH Transportation Abruptly Closes
HVH Transportation also abruptly shut down this year, putting more than 300 truckers work.
According to CDL Life, the first report occurred on the CDLLIFE app, a free navigation app for truckers, when a driver said that he was notified of the immediate shutdown by a company dispatcher.
HVH Transportation reportedly shut off all their fuel cards, leaving some drivers stranded on the road.
At the time of this publication, the company's website remains active and has yet to release a statement regarding the closure.
FreightWaves reports that the company's CEO John Kenneally is helping drivers that are currently stranded on the road get back to their homes. However, it isn't clear how many drivers were on the road when their fuel cards were deactivated.
The company reportedly employed 342 drivers and had more than 344 power units in its fleet.
“They [the company] ran money,” Shari Lee Campbell, a driver manager for HVH tells Transport Topics.
Roadrunner Cuts Workforce
Roadrunner, the 31st largest trucker in the United States, is now cutting 10% of its workforce, stating that all of which are in its “unprofitable” dry van sector.
At least 450 jobs will be cut as the company downsizes its dry van division. According to Business Insider, this is part of Roadrunner's efforts to cut its dry van fleet by 50%.
“We believe downsizing the dry van business will improve operating margins and cash flow, reduce lease obligations and debt, improve internal controls and allow greater focus on the significant value-creation opportunities within our other businesses,” Roadrunner CEO Curt Stoelting said in a company statement.
More Closures to Come
According to figures from Broughton Capital, 640 trucking companies have shut down during the first six months of 2019, more than three times the number of companies in the entire year of 2018.
There isn't one particular reason as to why the firms are shutting down, rather than there are several. Results of a softer freight market, broad effects of tariffs on imported goods, trade tensions and the ongoing driver shortage are currently sharing blame.
According to FreightWaves, in the first half of 2019, 640 freight companies have shut down.
On average, the companies had around 30 drivers, resulting in over 20,000 trucks being removed from the roads. In all of 2018, 310 trucking companies closed down.
The current trucking recession is hitting small carriers particularly hard as they operate largely on the spot market. There, trucking loads can be picked up on demand or through a pre-arranged contract. However, the contract market makes up the vast majority of the trucking market.
Spot market rates have dropped dramatically this year, while contract rates have yet to see the same dip.
A report from ATRI found that 5,100 trucking payrolls were cut in August, up from 4,500 previously reported from preliminary numbers.
Top Employed Companies that Have Closed in 2019:
- Celadon Group Inc., 4,000 employees
- New England Motor Freight, 1,472 employees
- Falcon Transport, 585 employees
- Roadrunner (dry van division), 450 employees
- LME,424 employees
- HVH Transportation, 344 employees
- Fleetwood Transportation, 240 employees
- Ready Trucking, 91 employees
- Williams Trucking, 48 employees
- Terrill Transportation, 36 employees
- ALA Trucking, 32 employees
- Starlite Trucking, 28 employees
- Carney Trucking Company, 25 employees
This story has been updated to reflect most recent information.
Trucking: US truckload market to flip in Q1 2021: Coyote Logistics
Coyote Logistics says trucking is waiting for a “bounce back” from the bottom hit by the economy in April. Photo credit: Shutterstock.com.
Although US economic activity and freight demand fell into an “abyss” in March and April, the coming months will see gradual improvement leading to a shift in the US trucking market, with tighter capacity driving higher rates for shippers by early 2021, according to Coyote Logistics.
“We think the second quarter will be the bottom of the economy and freight market,” and the bottom of the second quarter was April, Chris Pickett, chief strategy officer of the third-party logistics provider and author of the Coyote Curve forecast, said in a webinar Thursday.
“We’ll see a slow recovery the rest of the year and then rocket into 2021,” with spot market truckload rates rising year over year in the first quarter of the year, Pickett said.
Click to enlarge.
Although they’re still struggling through the recession, shippers should begin thinking about that recovery and that market inflection point now, Mike Sinkovitz, senior vice president for collaborative transportation management at Coyote, said during the webinar.
That means sticking close to core carriers and freight brokers. “It’s important to be tied closely to your partners and not make knee-jerk changes because of the immediate environment,” such as abandoning long-term partners to chase low spot market rates, Sinkovitz said.
Shippers and carriers a are recognizing that collaboration this year will be key to a successful recovery and avoiding a capacity and pricing crunch next year, he added. “On the shipper side, we’re seeing a surge in collaboration that wouldn’t have happened” without the pandemic, said Sinkovitz.
Several factors could delay or blunt the Coyote Curve, which tracks cyclical changes in truckload spot rates, but Pickett sees the upward trendline as inevitable. “Everything we talked about happening in 2020 last year, barring a relapse of COVID-19, starts in 2021,” he said.
At the moment, however, trucking companies and many of their customers are hoping to get to the third quarter, let alone 2021. According to Bloomberg, the pace of corporate bankruptcy filings this year has outpaced every year since 2009, following the 2008 financial crisis.
“We’re concerned about carriers going business,” said Sinkovitz.
Waves of spending, or COVID-19?
Coyote has had to adjust its forecast rapidly as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and recession overturned previous projections. Coyote’s forecast is predicated on two assumptions: first, that consumers, supported by government aid, will resume spending, and second, there is no significant second wave of COVID-19 that disrupts the economic recovery this fall.
“The unemployment issue will be a challenge, but the degree of government stimulus will help support consumption of non-durables,” especially foods and household products, Pickett said. “If that consumption picks up, jobs could come back faster, and accelerate the recovery.”
The pandemic remains the wild card, with many economists and trucking industry analysts saying a full recovery in consumption and freight demand may not occur until a COVID-19 vaccine is distributed or test kits for the disease are widely and easily accessible.
“It’s hard to see a repeat of March and April,” in terms of lockdowns and shutdowns, Pickett said. “It could happen, but how much of an impact it would have depends on the distribution of tests, vaccines. But it would put a cap on the rate of recovery in the freight market.”
Halfway through the second quarter, he believes the recession is scraping bottom, with the Coyote Curve spot market index 9 percent below its base, after entering the quarter 5.8 percent above that base. “That shows the whipsaw effect of the economic shutdown,” he said.
Coyote will release its latest Coyote Curve report the week of May 25.
Spot rates stabilizing after April plunge
DAT Solutions spot market data show dry van rates, not including fuel surcharges, rose 8.6 percent in March from February, averaging $1.65 per mile nationwide, as demand for essential goods soared. That average price dropped 12.1 percent to $1.45 per mile in April.
Spot truckload capacity dropped 17.5 percent in the week that ended May 17, a sign that capacity is shifting to the contract market as states open up their economies, DAT said Wednesday. Even so, spot pricing power is sticking with shippers and brokers.
Data from digital broker Loadsmart shows the unweighted average dry-van spot rate on approximately 200 top US freight lanes dropped 4.8 percent from April into the third week of May, falling to $1.59 per mile. That’s down 16.3 percent from an average of $1.90 per mile in March.
Compared with a year ago, spot truckload rates are still down 16.2 percent, Truckstop.com said in its spot market analysis for the week ending May 15. The digital spot marketplace also saw loads — i.e., demand — increase 26.8 percent from the previous week, while trucks posted — i.e., capacity — rose only 0.1 percent.
Truckstop.com’s average market spot rate, which combines dry-van, refrigerated, flatbed, and specialized rates, rose 1.2 percent from the previous week to $1.75 per mile. Dry-van spot rates were up about 5 cents per mile and were only 7 percent below the same week a year ago.
There are signs the season is beginning to push up outbound rates from certain areas, California and Nevada, Oregon and Washington, and Georgia and Florida in particular, according to the Loadsmart data. But Pickett doesn’t believe produce seasons will give shippers “much of a pinch.”
“There is still enough surplus [truck] supply in the marketplace,” he said. “We’ll still have a beverage season, baking season, Christmas trees, etc., but the impact on overall truckload rates won’t be as dramatic as we saw in 2018 or 2014,” both boom years for trucking.
Waiting to bounce back
Coyote’s senior vice president for business operations, J-Ann Tio, said the broker is “still waiting for that bounce back” off the bottom. “We’re already seeing volumes rebound certain markets, and we haven't seen challenges getting capacity,” she said during the webinar.
Truck capacity is expected to contract as the recession puts smaller carriers business and triggers the failure even of larger carriers, such as Comcar Industries, that have high debt or low liquidity. How much excess trucking capacity will be cut by the recession is hotly debated.
At some point, rising freight demand will intersect with truck capacity, flipping the market and leading to rate increases, Pickett said, adding that he believes we may reach that intersection sooner rather than later. “We’re looking at capacity scarcity by the end of the year,” he said.
One reason is depressed truck orders. “There’s a whole cycle of incremental truck buying that will not happen in 2020,” Pickett said. On the other hand, the US still has a glut of new trucks from a record 482,000 Class 8 orders in 2018, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence.
Still, a gradual increase in demand will eventually overtake supply reduced by layoffs, and parked trucks, he said. “If nothing fundamentally changes in the structure of the trucking industry, we’re back to the inflationary period we predicted for this year in 2021.”
Contact William B. Cassidy at email@example.com and follow him on : @willbcassidy.


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Wellington companies make the cut in Hi-Tech Awards
- 26 March, 2015 12:55
Wellington’s economic development agency is thrilled to see a strong result from the region’s high-tech businesses with eight Wellington-based companies named as finalists in this year’s Hi-Tech Awards.
Grow Wellington CEO, Gerard Quinn, says the number and calibre of Wellington finalists this year reinforces Wellington’s place as the high-tech capital of New Zealand.
“Wellington has a collaborative community which aids technological innovation and creativity," he says.
"The region has the most web-based and digital companies in New Zealand with many being internationally competitive. Wellingtonians are twice as likely as people in other cities to work in ICT.”
The finalists this year include technology businesses ranging from small startups, to multinationals with a wide range of products, reflecting Wellington’s diverse high-tech scene.
Wellington’s IkeGPS, Mobi2go and Social Code, took three out of four finalist places in the UK Trade & Investment Innovative Hi-Tech Mobile Product category, with Wellington’s Xero announced as a finalists for PwC Hi-Tech Company of the year.
Other Wellington-based finalists and categories for 2015 are: Totara Learning, and Volpara Solutions, both finalists for Cisco Hi-Tech Emerging Company; Star Now, for Callaghan Innovation Best Technology Solution for the Creative Sector, and Mindscape, which is a finalist in two categories; Duncan Cotterill Innovative Hi-Tech Software Product and New Zealand Venture Investment Fund Hi-Tech Start-Up Company.
Finalists in the 2015 category of Grow Wellington Most Innovative Hi-Tech Service Company, sponsored by Grow Wellington, are StarshipIT, Straker Translations and WaterOutlook. Ben Richmond from Xero has been shortlisted for the Fronde Hi-Tech Young Achiever.
Quinn says Grow Wellington encourages technology businesses to enter the awards.
“The awards present a chance for a company to gain international recognition," he adds.
"Becoming a finalist or winner brings fabulous opportunities for networking and promoting products and services, and brings attention from high-profile international judges."
The national winners will be announced at the NZ Hi-Tech Awards gala dinner in Wellington on 15 May 2015.


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All Four of Kendrick Lamar’s Studio Albums Are on the Billboard 200
Kendrick Lamar's Damn. is already the No. 1 album in the country, and the biggest selling debut of 2017. But that's not his only major feat—all four of his studio albums are now also on the Billboard 200.
Damn. sold 603,000 equivalent album units with over 352,000 actual album copies scanned it's debut week. However, Kendrick's buzz has reached a fever pitch, and all three of his other full-length releases have hit the charts again as well. K. Dot's major label 2012 debut, good kid m.A.A.d. city landed at #27 on the charts, with a 37 percent sales increase.
His 2015 release, To Pimp A Butterfly jumped 50 percent, going from #109 to #50 on the chart. Kendrick's 2011 indie label debut, Section.80, saw a spike in sales as well, and is at #179 with a 58 percent boost. The only release not on the Billboard 200 is Kendrick's Untitled.Unmastered, a collection of unreleased songs he dropped last year, in 2016.
Bottom line? This is a great look for Kung Fu Kenny, who also just announced his DAMN. Tour featuring Travis Scott and D.R.A.M. yesterday. Check to see if he's headed to a city near you here.


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For Reliance Jio subscribers, RIL will produce short films, serials2 min read . Updated: 24 Jul 2018, 08:57 AM IST
Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is planning to set up its own production house which will start producing original web series for Reliance Jio subscribers. RIL has made a string of acquisitions recently to boost its content offerings
New Delhi: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is setting up its own production house to create original web series and short films for subscribers of its telecom unit Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, as it seeks to maintain an edge over competing offerings.
This, the company expects, will help attract more users to its 215-million wireless user base, and also when it formally introduces its wired broadband service towards the end of this year.
Mobile data consumption has soared as tariffs plunged, boosting the viewership of video-streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. India-specific shows on these platforms, including Sacred Games and Comicstaan, have become popular.
“Content market is still not properly tapped… Reliance has hired a bunch of scriptwriters and content creators and is in the process of setting up a huge production house," a person aware of the development said requesting anonymity.
RIL has made a string of acquisitions recently to boost its content offerings. In March, the company announced an integration with music app Saavn for its digital music service JioMusic. In February, RIL announced that it would buy a 5% stake in film maker Eros International Plc.
Jyoti Deshpande, a former group chief executive officer and managing director at Eros, who has joined as head of the media and entertainment business at RIL, is currently driving the company’s initiatives to build businesses around the content ecosystem.
“Recently, 20-25 creative people have come on board… the company has realised that viewers here are taking to original Indian content on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon in a big way… the company too expects to offer some web series to consumers within 4-6 months," the person cited above said.
Jio also has a tie-up with media arts institute Whistling Woods International to set up a lab dedicated to virtual reality and augmented reality, with an aim to create a generation of cinematic VR filmmakers.
Content is a crucial piece in the ‘commerce-content-carriage’ play for RIL, which is now also eyeing the home broadband market to increase market share. Content will come bundled with its home broadband offering.
Rival Bharti Airtel Ltd, which has a wireless subscriber base of 344.55 million and around 2.2 million wired broadband users, on the other hand, believes that the business model around content has not been proven.
“The challenge in content is that if you want to actually produce your own content, it needs a different DNA. The question is do we have the DNA. Maybe the answer to that is no. Currently, we are exploring partnerships to do it (offer content). At some stage, if you have to do it yourself, you have to think about it differently and create a different entity that can actually do it. That to me is still speculative and is out there. At this point, we are focussed on building the platform," Bharti Airtel CEO Gopal Vittal said in an interview in July.
Both telcos have, however, stepped up investments behind home broadband and expect content to increase consumer stickiness for them. Airtel has a few broadband plans bundled with Amazon Prime subscription.
“Reliance’s strategy to create a platform for exclusive content could work well as new media has seen a lot of traction in the entertainment space. A lot of content is coming up on platforms such as Netflix and Amazon, which has also given a path to talent which could otherwise not emerge through traditional production houses," an analyst said, requesting anonymity.
A query emailed to Jio remained unanswered till press time.


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The Korean company registered the trade mark Stonic and rumor has it that this name could get a future small crossover brand.
Kia excellent start to the current year, presenting a spectacular fastback Stinger GT in the framework of the Detroit motor show, but probably this is not the last novelty in 2017.
After a few months of the Korean brand will demonstrate a completely new subcompact crossover, which might call Stonic, informs the edition Kia-World.
The publication became known that this last name was Kia and allegedly, it’s for a small crossover, which will also be related model under the brand Hyundai. Previously it was assumed that the model will be performed under the influence of the Provo concept, unveiled in 2013.
For Kia, the upcoming new product will not be the first subcompact crossover, as the company sells in some markets, including China, model KX3. As for the new SUV, it will debut later this year, and its Assembly will be launched in South Korea.
© 2017, z-news.link. All rights reserved.


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A model story: 16 breast cancer survivors help raise money for a cure
Published 10:00 pm, Saturday, October 13, 2007
Considering what she has gone through, modeling before a few hundred strangers Saturday morning in downtown Seattle was a piece of cake for Cathy James.
"I had a lot of my friends ask if I was nervous," James said. "But I'm here to celebrate. I'm happy to be here."
James, who has fought breast cancer since 1993, joined 15 other Seattle-area women who have battled the disease, as they were honored during Macy's 11th annual Breast Cancer Survivor Fashion Show.
Along with showcasing an array of clothing, the women had their experiences shared before 400 people at the sold-out event, which raised money for the breast center at Valley Medical Center. Larger-than-life photos of the women and their stories also were on display in the store's windows along Fourth Avenue.
James' story began in 1993, when she was first diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Twelve years later she was diagnosed with a second primary breast cancer and underwent a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy.
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Despite her challenges, James continued to work as an oncology nurse, something she had done since 1988.
"It's really good to keep as normal as a life as possible and keep the focus off yourself," said James, a Seattle resident who works at Puget Sound Cancer Center in Edmonds. "You can get through a lot by helping other people."
Others who modeled said while cancer has brought fear and concern, it in many ways has changed their lives in a positive way.
Shelly Aaron was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 1995, less than a year after getting married. The cancer ultimately left the West Seattle woman infertile following radiation, but she and her husband, Peter, adopted two children from Russia.
"If I hadn't had it, they wouldn't be with us and they have completed our lives," said Aaron, whose children are now 10 and 7.
Aaron, who has lost 50 pounds, has become a health trainer for other women, and she ran a marathon in 2005.
"Cancer has made me who I am today," Aaron said. "This is it. This is life. What do you want to make of it?"
Heidi Trott of Kent, a three-time breast cancer survivor who was first diagnosed nine years ago, called cancer a "gift that came with an ugly package."
The British transplant, who also is a nurse practitioner and helps others diagnosed with cancer, said cancer has helped her prioritize her life. And she still likes to have fun.
Trott four times has posed -- wearing very little -- in a calendar featuring breast cancer survivors, and three of those times she has been Miss February, the month she was diagnosed with cancer.
Trott, with a laugh, said her husband likes living with a pin-up model.
Fellow survivor Randy Gangnes of Shoreline who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, said being in a fashion show was outside her comfort zone, although it was an honor to go on the stage.
Gangnes, however, is just fine in getting others to help her find a cure as the elementary school teacher has raised more than $40,000 through walk-a-thons during the last few years.
Macy's gave each woman who modeled a $250 gift certificate. The company chose a dozen of the women from an essay contest that attracted 80 entries. The Valley Medical Center, a partner in the event, chose the other four.
The retail clothing chain said the fashion show along with other awareness programs helped raise $45,000 this year for breast cancer research. In the last eight years, Macy's said it has raised $440,000.


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My blog is dedicated to the exploration of industrial hemp in America including the rich history of all forms of cannabis, the evolving law and politics of hemp and marijuana, the many products made from cannabis and the capacity, real or imagined, of hemp to re-industrialize rural America and revitalize the American family farm.
As the snow melts away and yet another handful of cannabis reform bills work their way through the Statehouse, advocates, entrepreneurs and cannabis enthusiasts are gearing up for the state’s inaugural Vermont Cannabis Week. The groundbreaking event program designed by the Vermont Cannabis Association is the first of its kind, featuring medical, entrepreneurial, cultural and advocacy events throughout Vermont.
Throughout Vermont Cannabis Week, Vermonters are encouraged to host a Vermont Potluck and engage their friends, family and neighbors about cannabis legislation and the state’s growing cannabis community. The week kicks off with statewide 4/20 parties: In the heart of Burlington, Heady Vermont’s First Anniversary Party takes place at Skinny Pancake on the waterfront, with a mountain of raffle prizes and giveaways (including CBD products and grow supplies), and funk vinyl by DJ Taka. Meanwhile, Central Vermonters can hit up Waterbury’s Zen Barn 4/20 Party, featuring 8-piece all-star rocksteady band Steady Betty and Magic Hat beer specials. Down south in Brattleboro, dispensary hopeful Verdant Vermont is hosting a 4/20 Kick-Off party at Hazel Pizza, with appetizer and drink specials.
The Northeast Kingdom gets some action on Tuesday, April 25 at Parker Pie Co. with Cannabis in the Kingdom: Present and Future Potential in the NEK, an informal presentation and discussion of cannabis politics, the state’s medical marijuana program, and Vermont’s rapidly-growing hemp industry. Rep. Sam Young (D-Glover), an NEK native and sponsor of H.490, and Heady Vermont Editor Eli Harrington will be leading the discussion, and the evening includes $2 draft specials and a la carte taco specials.
On Wednesday, April 26, the Hemp Road Trip, a nationwide education and advocacy tour focused on hemp advocacy, will be rolling through Burlington, ending the day outside Main Street Landing for Cannabis Entrepreneurship: Tips from the Pros, a ticketed seminar for entrepreneurs and those interested in working in the cannabis industry. Sponsored and organized by cannabranding startup KIND Consulting, the event features three esteemed speakers, networking and a cash bar in the Great Room and Atrium on the third floor of Main Street Landing.
All participants take home a goodie bag stocked by event sponsors.


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Frothy Monkey in 'growth mode' with new roasting facility
Frothy Monkey — an 11-year-old Nashville-based coffee shop and cafe with four locations — is expanding its in-house operations.
For starters, the coffee shop is starting to serve its sandwiches on homemade bread after Frothy Monkey acquired East Nashville's Bella Bakery last month.
Customers will soon be able to purchase fresh baguettes from Frothy Monkey's coffee shops. The bakery at 1010 Fatherland St. in East Nashville, now called Bakery by Frothy Monkey, is already serving bread, breakfast buns, cookies, scones, muffins, cake and bakery-focused breakfast and lunch items.
Also new for the veteran business is its line of coffee made from beans that Frothy Monkey roasts.
Frothy Monkey Roasting Co. launched last year out of Kaldi Coffee Roasting Co.'s facility in St. Louis — the roaster from which the coffee chain previously sourced its coffee — and Frothy Monkey is preparing to open its own 2,000-square-foot Nashville roasting facility this summer in the new INK Building at 613 Ewing Ave. Frothy Monkey currently roasts more than 1,000 pounds of coffee per week.
What the new roasting facility means for customers, said Frothy Monkey partner Jennifer Sheets, is the company's coffee will be more readily available at restaurants and stores in the Nashville area and beyond as it grows its wholesale business.
"I think part of this is being able to control the quality of our coffee, because we do take coffee seriously. So (roasting our own beans) elevates that part of our brand, hopefully, in the eyes of those who care," Sheets said.
Frothy Monkey entered Nashville's coffee scene in 2004 with its first shop in the 12South neighborhood. A decade later, and as many more coffee shops have opened in Music City, Frothy Monkey continues to invest in the market.
Frothy Monkey has additional coffee shops in Franklin, downtown Nashville and on Eighth Avenue South.
The shops added dinner, beer and wine to its offerings after former general manager Ryan Pruitt and partners acquired the company from Miranda Whitcomb Pontes.
The acquisition of Bella Bakery came as Frothy Monkey reached capacity at its bakery operation in the downtown coffee shop, which opened just over a year ago.
The Nashville roasting facility will open by August, Sheets said.
It will serve as a hub for roasting, packaging and distribution. The facility will not be open to the public on a regular basis, but Frothy Monkey will provide coffee service for other tenants in the INK building, and it will also use the space for barista training.
"It's a little bit of a showpiece, because it's a place where we can actually gather and bring people to talk about the coffee that we're roasting, but it's a production facility," Sheets said.
Following the launch of the local roasting facility, Sheets said customers can expect more growth from the company down the road.
"We'll continue to grow in different ways. At this point, I don't know if that means other retail locations, or if it means things we outsource we will bring in-house. There's also the growth as far as our coffee and brand getting into other areas. We're definitely in growth mode," Sheets said.
Reach Lizzy Alfs at 615-726-5948 and on Twitter @lizzyalfs.


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New PharmaSmart blood pressure (BP) testing kiosks are being introduced at all 58 Bartell Drugs locations in the Seattle area starting this week.
Having a testing kiosk in the store helps raise awareness of high BP and informs patients of their BP levels. If a patient is pre-hypertensive or hypertensive, counseling from the pharmacist can help the patient achieve better medication adherence and treatment outcomes.
“In this era of personalized medicine, the role of the pharmacist continues to expand as a healthcare provider,” said Billy Chow, Bartell Drugs’ pharmacy professional services manager. “The PharmaSmart kiosk technology is a valuable new frontline tool for blood pressure prevention and management.”
The PharmaSmart machines use smart card technology to easily record and store patients’ diagnostic information. At the testing kiosk, patients insert their arm into the BP cuff, insert their “My Blood Pressure Management Smart Card” into the machine, and then press start. The test takes about 3 minutes to complete.
The card captures each patient’s private BP reading. He or she can then take the card to a Bartell pharmacist, who can instantly access the data, and based on the results, perform a meaningful consultation with the patient.
PharmaSmart also offers a web portal and mobile Health IT Solutions app that allows patients to access their BP information.
Patients can get their smart card from a Bartell pharmacist.


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New operating system supports desktop apps, essentially turning the phone into a mini-PC.
Ubuntu - the most successful version of the Linux operating system - has been converted for smartphones.
One of the most interesting aspects of the new platform is that it lets users install desktop software onto their handset. That means that if you attach the phone to a monitor, you basically have a PC.
Ubuntu will launch first as a downloadable file the Google Nexus 4 smartphone, replacing Android. Mark Shuttleworth, the founder of Ubuntu, claims he's in talks with manufactures to have the system pre-installed on some handsets this year.
Ubuntu is already a well-established presence in the PC market. The operating system is free, and the company behind it - Canonical - claims that more than 20 million PCs currently use it.
Even so, Linux operating systems like Ubuntu tend to be favoured by quite hardcore techie types - "enthusiasts and hobbyists" as Shuttleworth calls them - and that's almost certain to be the case on smartphones too.
However, getting Ubuntu to work on phones could mark an important step on the path forward for mobile devices.
Speaking to BBC News , Shuttleworth said: "It's quite incredible that we're at this point when the power of the phone is crossing over that with baseline processing power of basic laptops.
"We're taking advantage of that so for the first time in history you have the full consumer PC platform available on a phone.
"I'm very confident if we look ahead over the next three to five years that's a transition that Apple is going to have to make... and if it's not Windows 9 it will be Windows 10 that will see Microsoft bring its phone and laptop together into one device. It's really cracking to do that ahead of everyone else."
Would you like to see your smartphone double up as a PC? Or would you prefer to keep your phone a phone, and your computer a computer? Let us know in the comments.


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2014's innovations in technology far-reaching
It was the year that we landed on a comet and launched a new era in NASA space exploration, turned to science to find a possible cure for Ebola, made robots and drones topics of everyday conversation and watched as Silicon Valley continued its rapid transition to the wearable computing revolution. The year’s big startup was Uber, which seemed to dominate tech headlines globally for reasons good and bad, while established Silicon Valley companies such as Facebook generated attention for their visionary plans to get every human in the world online.
The best innovations of the year and what made them so special:
1. NASA’s Orion spacecraft, for opening a new era of manned space travel
At the beginning of December, the launch of NASA’s Orion spacecraft unofficially marked “Day One of the Mars era.” While the total time Orion spent in space before splashdown back on Earth was short — about 41/2 hours — the spacecraft flew farther from Earth than any other spacecraft designed for humans in more than 40 years. NASA says that by 2021, it could start crewed test flights aimed at putting astronauts on trips to Mars or nearby asteroids.
And it wasn’t just NASA turning heads and getting people talking about the next era of space exploration. Perhaps the most talked-about space adventure was the landing of Philae on the surface of the Rosetta comet by the European Space Agency after a 10-year odyssey in space. The Rosetta landing was not only a historic technical achievement, but it also might end up offering clues to the beginnings of life on Earth.
2. Apple Watch, for taking wearable computers mainstream
Apple’s launch of a smartwatch had been rumored for so long, it seemed almost impossible that the tech giant would meet expectations when the Apple Watch was finally announced in September. While Apple won’t be the first to market with a new smartwatch, it might be the best. The gadget, expected to go on sale early this year, is stunning in its appearance and technological sophistication, offering Apple users the ability to make mobile payments with a wave of the wrist.
Wearable computing is the hottest area of Silicon Valley, and the field seems to be on the cusp of a true breakout moment in 2015. Google Glass, despite its rocky road to market, could be one of next year’s big stories. And plenty of other tech companies are preparing wearable entries, as well as potential partnerships with companies such as Nike.
3. ZMapp, for offering clues to a potential cure for Ebola
In the scramble to find a cure for Ebola, medical innovators turned to the cutting edge of experimental research to find treatments that could slow, or perhaps stop, the outbreak in western Africa. For now, the best candidate appears to be ZMapp, a mixture of monoclonal antibodies developed by researchers at San Diego-based Mapp Biopharmaceutical.
This is a bold start of a new era in virology, in which medical innovators must accept that viruses such as Ebola are not random black-swan moments, but rather events with familiar patterns that can be tracked and stopped. This will require new thinking about how to attack viruses, as well as a potential re-evaluation of the costs that society is willing to endure to bring treatments to market.
4. Lockheed Martin’s concept for a compact nuclear-fusion reactor, for re-imagining the future of energy
This year’s big breakthrough in energy was the announcement by researchers at defense giant Lockheed Martin that they were getting closer to finding a way to channel nuclear fusion in a bold new way. Rather than construct huge buildings to make a nuclear reactor, the goal is to create a compact nuclear reactor that can sit on the back of an 18-wheel truck or on the wing of an airplane. In short, the same types of powerful nuclear-fusion reactions that power the sun could also power new forms of transportation or, potentially, entire cities.
Lockheed Martin says that it might be possible to see a prototype within five years and a compact nuclear reactor within a decade.
5. Samsung Gear VR, for bringing virtual reality to the masses
The release of the device, powered by Oculus, might take virtual reality mainstream. Already, there have been announcements of new apps and other offerings for Gear VR, including gaming and experiential content, as well as new types of films made using
virtual-reality technology. The Samsung Gear VR device, while still in the experimental “ Innovator Edition,” is a test case for whether there is a robust consumer market for an affordable tech device that offers an immersive, 360-degree experience.
As a result, 2015 could be a big year for virtual reality. For example, the original VR device that you strap to your face, the Oculus Rift, is slated for release.
6. The Uberfication of everything, for showing us the upside and downside of the sharing economy
The most talked-about start-up in 2014 was Uber, as the company continued to expand globally at a rapid pace. In the span of six months, Uber grew from an $18 billion company to a $40 billion company, making it bigger in terms of valuation than Netflix, Tesla or Alcoa. As a result, other startups riding the wave of Silicon Valley expectations took to comparing themselves with Uber in hopes of attracting similar valuations.
But you don’t get that big that fast without making a few enemies. Uber’s worldwide push has done more than raise concerns from taxi drivers around the world — it has exposed the downside of the global sharing economy. In the U.S., Uber caused privacy experts to freak out after reports that the company was looking to find ways to silence its critics in the media. How Uber’s surging valuation fares in 2015 will rest, in no small part, on how it deals with this surge in negative publicity.
7. Heartbleed, for reminding us that everything can and will be hacked
In 2014, the Heartbleed bug became the equivalent of the Y2K virus — something that everyone who used the Internet dreaded, but nobody knew exactly what it was or how it worked. People just knew it had the potential to infect a staggering number of computers around the world by exposing a major flaw in encryption software. What Heartbleed reminded us was that the Internet is, as The Washington Post’s Craig Timberg wrote in April, “inherently chaotic, built by multitudes and continuously tweaked, with nobody in charge of it all.”
And Heartbleed was just the start. Cyberhacks are so mainstream that major security breaches at nationwide retailers seem all too common.
8. HP Sprout, for moving us closer to a 3-D printed future
In October, Hewlett-Packard announced a “Blended Reality” vision for the future of printing to make it easier for anyone to work in 3-D rather than 2-D. The HP Sprout promises to transform just about everyone into a potential 3-D creator. It is essentially an enhanced Windows PC that includes a 23-inch screen, a built-in projector with cameras and a touch mat for manipulating images. Using the HP Sprout, consumers will be able to create, design and manipulate 3-D designs with their hands in an immersive environment.
This year could see even more breakthroughs in 3-D printing. In late 2014, a group of Princeton researchers figured out a way to 3-D-print LEDs, something that had never been done. Instead of printing objects using standard materials, these researchers could potentially print LEDs and perhaps even semiconductors. This means that we’ll soon be able to put electronics into just about everything. This 3-D printing technique could open the door to such innovations as flexible and wearable gadgets, as well as bionic implants that use lights to stimulate nerves. The Princeton researchers even showcased the potential for putting an LED into a contact lens and for creating a bioelectronic ear.
9. Google’s cancer-detecting pills, for showing us the future of medicine
Google X — the R&D unit within Google responsible for “moonshot” projects — once again challenged our thinking of what’s possible with the announcement in October of a project to create a smart pill packed with tiny magnetic particles designed to circulate in the human body looking for signs of cancer and other diseases. While still in the experimental stage, the cancer-
detecting pill would be able to travel through a patient’s bloodstream, searching for malignant cells and reporting its findings to a sensor device that you wear.
The Google cancer-detecting pill, if it ever came to market, would represent an important breakthrough in health powered by Silicon Valley’s biggest technology companies. New digital health initiatives from Google and Apple, for example, are leading to creative new ideas for the health-care sector involving smartphones and wearable devices. Moreover, new medical prize competitions hint at a future in which Silicon Valley-inspired medical innovation gives us handheld consumer diagnostic tools.


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The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is blaming recent price hikes of basic items on government’s decision to force some retailers to pay VAT standard rate.
According to GUTA, the new policy is retrogressive and compels consumer to go through double taxation.
The new policy imposes a flat levy on businesses operating below five hundred thousand threshold. Retailers above the threshold are made to pay VAT standard of 19.25 percent.
Speaking to Joy Business, GUTA President, Joseph Obeng said all attempts to get government to change the policy to bring some relief to Ghanaians have not yielded any results.
“This policy only compounds the burden of consumers. The manufacturer pays the VAT, when it gets to the distributor, he also charges the VAT. So the VAT charges goes on through the wholesaler to the retailer. The VAT is on all players in the channel”, he lamented.
Mr. Obeng stated that traders have no other option but to pass on the cost to consumers.
Recounting many attempts to get government to repeal the policy, Mr. Obeng said the Finance Minister has decided not to consider any recommendation from GUTA.
“We have tried many times to let government and the Ghana Revenue Authority to understand that the VAT standard rate on traders is not fair. We tried convincing government before the Mid-Year budget but the Finance Minister didn’t listen to us”.
He argued that the policy could be part of the contributors of high inflation in the country.
“Just look at how prices are going up. Inflation is now at 37.2 percent”.
“I have always said that this high inflation we are currently facing in the country is partly due to this policy,” he added.


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Professional social networking site Linkedin has confirmed that millions of its members' passwords have been hacked.
Vicente Silveira, Linkedin director, confirmed on its official blog that passwords of its members have been hacked and offered an apology to the members.
"We want to provide you with an update on this morning's reports of stolen passwords. We can confirm that some of the passwords that were compromised correspond to LinkedIn accounts.
An Update on LinkedIn Member Passwords Compromised," wrote Silveira.
"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our members. We take the security of our members very seriously," he added.
Silveira said that the firm is investigating on the issue. He said, "Members that have accounts associated with the compromised passwords will notice that their LinkedIn account password is no longer valid.These members will also receive an email from LinkedIn with instructions on how to reset their passwords. There will not be any links in this email. Once you follow this step and request password assistance, then you will receive an email from LinkedIn with a password reset link.
"These affected members will receive a second email from our Customer Support team providing a bit more context on this situation and why they are being asked to change their passwords. It is worth noting that the affected members, who update their passwords and members whose passwords have not been compromised, benefit from the enhanced security we just recently put in place, which includes hashing and salting of our current password databases."
Linkedin had earlier requested its members to update their passwords as a security messure.
"While our investigation continues, we thought it would be a good idea to remind our members that one of the best ways to protect your privacy and security online is to craft a strong password, to change it frequently (at least once a quarter or every few months) and to not use the same password on multiple sites. Use this as an opportunity to review all of your account settings on LinkedIn and on other sites too. Remember, no matter what website you're on, it's important for you to make sure that you protect your account security and privacy," it wrote.


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Even if one attributes a part of the fall in the factory output in October to the fewer number of production days, given it was a festive month, the sharp 4.2% contraction puts IIP growth at the lowest since October 2011. It also adds to pressure on RBI to cut interest rates since, at 4.4%, CPI inflation for the month was the lowest since the series began in January 2012.
Auto manufacturers, for instance, would have done some amount of de-stocking in October after loading up on inventories in September and the same could be true for manufacturers of other durables. There were, of course, the usual one-off events, apart from the overall slowing of exports. The 70% contraction in the radio/TV/communication category, accentuated by the Nokia closure—and higher TV imports—adds up to a 0.7 percentage point fall in the IIP.
There are other such examples like gems and jewellery where the 50% contraction would have shaved off another 0.8 percentage points from the IIP. As for the 22% fall in cigarettes and 41% in antibiotics, it is difficult to explain this as anything but a data glitch. To that extent, it is possible to argue the October data is just an outlier—IIP has been directionally positive, and has averaged 2.8% in the first half of FY15—more so since the automobile numbers for November were up 12.4% year-on-year, and cement volumes were also up in November.
Nonetheless, the overall trend remains disappointing and IIP growth has been greater than 3% in just 5 of the last 24 months. Capital goods have been erratic and, after rising 11.6% in September, contracted 2.5% in October, and the order books at leading engineering firms don’t suggest any rebound. The more compelling evidence in this context is the subdued loan growth, averaging just about 11-12% and the commentary of bankers who say the pipeline of projects continues to be nearly empty. Indeed, after coming off by 32% in FY14, project sanctions are yet to pick up meaningfully as there is adequate capacity to take care of near-term demand, and because manufacturers aren’t confident about demand over the longer term.
While many have argued that a rate cut will not help bring back investment demand, which is driven more by capacity utilisation levels as well as future growth prospects both locally as well as globally, the same cannot be said about consumer demand which remains very sensitive to rates of interest. While RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan is unlikely to take any measures in a hurry—the RBI view is that inflation rates will start rising in December—there is no doubt the pressure on him to cut rates has just gone up that much after yesterday’s data which showed a 35% fall in consumer durables, the worst performance since the series began.


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Veltyco Group Plc (LON:VLTY), the AIM quoted marketing company for the gaming sector, has today announced its final results for the year ended 31 December 2017.
· Revenue for the year increased 165% to €16.2 million (2016: €6.1 million)
· Operating EBITDA for the year increased 260% to €8.1 million (2016: €2.2 million)1
· Raised €2.55 million before expenses during the period to fund the acquisitions of T4U Marketing Ltd (“T4U”) and Bet90 in April 2017
· Proposing to pay a maiden dividend for the year ended 31 December 2017 amounting to 0.25p per share
· Completed the acquisitions of 51% interests in each of T4U and Quasar Holdings Ltd (running the Bet90 operations)
· Launched Bet90 in July 2017 and achieved significant growth in revenues; the Board expects Bet90 to be a key driver of further growth in 2018
· Achieved growth in all three major verticals the Group operates in
Post year end
· Acquired a 51% interest in Varkasso Limited, a software platform providing crypto wallet solutions based on blockchain technology
· Completed acquisition of a database of active users in the online financial trading sector, ahead of the Group’s intended launch of a regulated brand later in 2018
· Extended existing partnership with eSports.com
· Momentum from 2017 has continued into 2018, with revenues of approximately €4.8 million in the first quarter of 2018 – growth of 60% year on year
· As at 28 May 2018, the Company had cash of €1.6 million compared to €0.7 million as at 31 December 2017
Gilles Ohana, Veltyco Group Plc Chairman, commented: “We are delighted with the progress achieved at Veltyco throughout 2017, which has delivered a very strong trading performance and enabled us to propose a maiden dividend.
We have enjoyed a positive start to 2018 with revenues in the first quarter showing significant growth when compared to the corresponding period in 2017. Looking ahead, we see continued growth in 2018, both from our marketing activities, including the potential to expand our current sportsbook marketing activities into new territories, and our own brands, in particular Bet90, which is expected to be a key driver of this growth.”


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A measure of inflation used in pay bargaining and to calculate some tax thresholds should be scrapped in favour of a revised consumer prices index that includes housing costs (CPIH).
The retail prices index (RPI) is a flawed measure of rising prices that fails to judge the costs of goods and services in the economy, said Paul Johnson, head of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, in a report for the UK Statistics Authority. He said it should be phased out in favour of CPIH – an unofficial version of which has generally tracked the consumer prices index (CPI) used by the Treasury.
The report will come as a blow to trade unions that continue to use RPI as the basis for their bargaining in annual pay talks. Apart from a brief period in the financial crisis when it dropped below the CPI measure, RPI has averaged 0.5% to 1% higher than CPI.
However, Johnson said the Office for National Statistics, which publishes the monthly inflation figures, should also calculate the effect of rising prices on different age and income groups. His research found poorer and older households suffer higher price rises on the goods and services they buy.
In 2013 the UK Statistics Authority stripped RPI of its official status but continued to publish its data each month.
Johnson said: “In my view, it is time for the UK government to take the next, logical step and stop using RPI in any element of the tax, benefit and regulatory systems.
“I would also like to invite the authority to consider how it might support better statistical measures of household inflation. Different population groups – the young and the old, families and individuals, homeowners and renters – have different spending patterns and hence face different rates of inflation. An annual publication showing how inflation measures differ between these groups would be most welcome.”
The CPI dropped to 1% in November from 1.3% in October, while RPI was 2%, down from 2.3%.
A move to CPI would cause a huge headache for the government’s Debt Management Office, which handles the sale of bonds issued by the Treasury. Around a quarter of the government’s debt is index linked to the RPI measure of inflation.


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Photograph by Caroline C. Kilgore
If you see an actor donning Halston at the Oscars on the 27th, he may have gotten the outfit from the Los Angeles branch of Rik Ducar. Based in Virginia-Highland, the men’s formal wear shop started carrying the hard-to-find brand in late 2010 and has already garnered celebrity clients as a result, including Chris Pontius, whom it outfitted for the red carpet premiere of Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere. Eponymous owner Rik Ducar jumped at the chance to bring on both the brand’s high-end tuxes from its main collection and its more playful Halston Heritage jackets. “It is probably the most exciting new men’s clothing brand to come down the pipe since John Varvatos hit the scene,” explains Ducar.
Taking on Halston is just the latest update for the two-year-old local boutique. In August 2010, it opened the Los Angeles storefront, and in November it changed its name from Le Tux Shop. As for the future, forty-five-year-old Ducar hopes to accomplish a lot by this fall, including opening a store in Shanghai; publishing a book about styling weddings, tentatively titled 20 Grooms; and launching his own line of cotton and linen suits. The shop will continue to carry its classic brands, such as Hugo Boss’s red label suits, Harrys of London Italian leather shoes, Tateossian cuff links, and shirts and ties from Turnbull & Asser, the British label that adorned Bond from Connery to Brosnan. 1060 Saint Charles Avenue, 404-228-0385, rikducar.com
This article originally appeared in our February 2011 issue.


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On Wednesday, the GOP Governor from Florida, Ron DeSantis, proposed a fresh $114.8 billion budget that would permanently waive off the sales tax on several items such as gas stoves, pet medications, and baby necessities.
DeSantis brought forward the “Framework for Freedom Budget” for the fiscal year 2023-2024, which would be responsible for $1.5 billion in tax cuts. These tax exemptions will include numerous temporary and four permanent tax cuts.
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The permanent tax cuts program would be applied to cooking stoves, medications for pets, and baby necessities, such as strollers and cribs.
The Republican Governor’s tax exemption measure aims to reduce costs while putting the money back in the hands of Floridians.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, DeSantis claimed:
“It’s hard enough raising kids as it is. Now, you get baby food, diapers, wipes, baby clothes, the whole shebang, including things like cribs and strollers, which are very, very expensive. So that is going to be permanently tax-free in the state of Florida. We’re also doing a permanent exclusion on all over-the-counter pet medications because they’re parts of our families too.”
“And then we just added – because I think it needs to be done – no tax permanently on gas stoves. They want your gas stove, and we’re not going to let that happen. It’s just the principle of, you know, this is ridiculous. And they do want to go after it. They got blowback, so they kind of had to back off.”
DeSantis also stated:
“We’re also doing one-year sales tax holidays for household items under $25.”
The one-year sales tax exemption would be applied to household necessities such as toilet paper, laundry detergent, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and dental floss, as they cost less than $25.