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New Device Could Eliminate Texting While Driving
Updated: Thursday, November 21 2013, 07:26 PM EST
One in four teens admits to checking his or her phone while driving at least once a week. Now a new device may remove the temptation to text behind the wheel.
The device, part charger, part lock, is called ORIGOSafe. It costs $279 and only allows a driver to start their car after a cell phone is placed in the holder.
If the phone is undocked, the car won't start – until a parent or guardian provides a one-time-use code to get the car started again.
The device works with multiple family phones and needs to be installed by a professional. Installation will cost around $125.
The dock cannot be used for phones with custom phone cases and a driver cannot use maps, but instead needs to follow voice directions via Bluetooth.


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Visit Panama City Beach is pleased to announce the launch of its new summer savings program, PCB Perks, which features exclusive discounts on accommodations, attractions and dining through summer 2023 and beyond. With incredible deals offered throughout the destination, Panama City Beach welcomes visitors and residents to stay, play and save along its 27 miles of beautiful beaches – where fun in the sun doesn’t have to cost more.
“We are thrilled to welcome visitors and residents to enjoy a well-deserved getaway while taking advantage of spectacular savings offerings through PCB Perks,” says Visit Panama City Beach President and CEO Dan Rowe. “From deals on top vacation rentals and hotels to family-friendly attractions, there are endless ways to save at the Real.Fun.Beach. this summer and beyond.”
PCB Perks offers a range of accommodation and attraction deals, including visitor discounts at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! Odditorium and hundreds of dollars of savings from shopping favorites like Ron Jon Surf Shop, Sunglass Hut and Crocs at Pier Park, Panama City Beach’s premier shopping and entertainment destination.
Those looking for a relaxing coastal escape can enjoy exclusive savings at beachfront accommodations just steps from Panama City Beach’s emerald-green waters. Accommodation offerings include discounts at Seahaven Beach Hotel and The Reef at Seahaven Beach Resorts, where guests can indulge in a beachfront stay and save by booking direct.
For all the ways to save on an unforgettable summer escape in Panama City Beach, check out a full list of PCB Perks offerings at PCBPerks.com.

domain: news


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YouTube has lost an important team member, even as the company struggles to bring its subscription service to the world later this year.
Shiva Rajaraman, the exec who is in charge of YouTube’s consumer products, has decided to leave the Google-owned company for Spotify.
The departure is notable for several reasons. The first and most obvious one is the fact that YouTube has been delaying the launch of the music subscription service for what feels like forever, and his decision to quit may not help things move along any faster.
The second one is that he has chosen to leave YouTube for Spotify, the biggest rival of the service YouTube wants to launch this year.
“Shiva has done so much to help grow YouTube into what it is today. We wish him all the best, and know that the team he has put in place will continue to serve all our creators and viewers exceptionally well,” one YouTube spokesperson told Re/Code.
Rajaraman has been with YouTube since 2006, when Google bought the site, and has been there for most of these years, with the exception of a short visit to Twitter in 2010.
Let’s hope that his departure won’t actually delay the new YouTube music service too much, because the entire world is curious to see what it will look like. Considering the userbase of YouTube, it is quite likely that it will be a success, even against competitors such as Spotify.


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Marketing is essential for any business, particularly a city that relies on tourism to be successful. In New Jersey, Atlantic City is a prime destination for weekend travelers and vacationers to the East Coast. For years, the city has used “Meet AC” as its marketing campaign to bring visitors to the region to enjoy casino gaming, attend conferences, enjoy dining, shopping, and other entertainment. Now, that marketing campaign has changed.
The Atlantic City Convention and Visitors Bureau announced this week that its promotional sector will now be known as “Visit Atlantic City.” Officials say that the new tagline better reflects the goal of attracting leisure travelers and business meetings. The goal is to bring more people into the area with a fresh approach.


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Wednesday, July 23, was an eventful day for The Legend of Korra. The last five episodes of the season were pulled, but will appear online, and one creator confirmed a fourth season.
Jul 24 2014, 3:01am CDT
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Production to kick off later this summer
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Qplay offers automated video playlists that stream to the TV
Feb 26 2014, 12:53pm CST
Major music stars perform at first annual YouTube Music Awards
Nov 5 2013, 10:36am CST
In the footsteps of Amazon and Netflix, Rakuten is ready for some serious expansion. It plans to extend its Wuaki TV streaming service across Europe. The first destination is the UK where it launched beta services at half price of £2.99/month.
Jul 12 2013, 8:21am CDT


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The Biden administration on Tuesday issued an updated advisory to companies about the "heightened risks" of doing business in Xinjiang, China, due to human rights abuses in the region, warning that businesses that do not cease ventures there "run a high risk of violating U.S. law."
The State Department, Treasury Department, Department of Commerce, Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Labor on Tuesday issued an updated "Xinjiang Supply Chain Business Advisory" in response to the People’s Republic of China’s "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and the growing evidence of its use of forced labor there."
The updated advisory highlights the heightened risks for businesses with supply chain and investment links to Xinjiang "given the entities complicit in forced labor and other human rights abuses there and throughout China."
"The updated advisory stresses that businesses and individuals doing business in Xinjiang do not currently have the capacity to engage in adequate due diligence, given the limitations imposed by the Chinese government," the Labor Department said Tuesday.
"Therefore, those that do not exit supply chains, ventures and/or investments connected to Xinjiang run a high risk of violating U.S. law," the Labor Department added.
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh also slammed the human rights abuses against Uyghurs and other minorities in the region as "egregious, systematic and ongoing."
"Any company doing business in this region should take heed: these are reprehensible and illegal practices, and the goods produced under these conditions have no place in the U.S. economy," Walsh said in a statement.
The Department of Labor said China’s crimes against humanity include "imprisonment, torture, rape, forced sterilization and persecution, including through forced labor and the imposition of draconian restrictions on freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression and freedom of movement."
In June, the U.S. Department of Labor added polysilicon produced with forced labor in China to its "List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor."
The ninth edition of the department’s list, published in September 2020, contained other products from China that have links to forced labor in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region or by Uyghur workers transferred to other parts of China: cotton, garments, footwear, electronics, gloves, hair products, textiles, thread/yarn and tomato products.
The Trump administration also issued similar warnings to businesses last year.


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Google Photos will soon make it easier to manage and edit screenshots
Google is giving the Library and Sharing tabs in Google Photos a UI overhaul. Today, the company revealed that it will roll out an updated Library tab to Google Photos over the next few weeks, which will make it easier for users to manage their photos and videos in the app. In addition, the Sharing tab will get a minor design refresh this week, which will introduce dedicated sections for share albums, partner sharing, and conversations for ease of access. On top of that, Google will also introduce a couple of new features in Google Photos that will make managing and editing screenshots a whole lot easier.
If you want to access your screenshots in the current build of Google Photos, you either have to navigate to the Search tab and select the Screenshots category to look up on-device screenshots, or you have to head over to the Library tab to access the screenshots album. The second method only works if you take a backup of your screenshots folder, making looking up on-device screenshots even more inconvenient. To resolve this issue, Google will soon roll out an update to Google Photos to add a new screenshots shortcut to the main photo grid.
As you can see in the attached screenshot, the new option will appear right underneath your Memories whenever you take a new screenshot. Tapping on it will take you straight to the on-device screenshots folder. Android users will also see a carousel of contextual suggestions when viewing screenshots, which will help them copy text, crop, search using Google Lens, and do more with the screenshot.
The new screenshots shortcut and contextual suggestions are currently not available in Google Photos on any of my devices. While Google has shared a definite release timeline for the Library and Sharing tab changes, the company hasn’t specified when the new screenshot features will start showing up for users. We’ll let you know as soon as the new Google Photos screenshot features become available widely.


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Pioneer aiming to launch Blu-ray Disc drives next month
Sony and Toshiba heads the two rival groups developing their own formats for the next generation DVD based storage. Sony is developing the Blu-Ray format while Toshiba is working on the HD DVD format. Both the groups believe that their format is the better option to be made the next generation storage format but it is still not clear what the consumer would prefer when these drives and discs would arrive in the retail market.
Toshiba was supposed to launch their format based discs and drives this year itself. However, they had to delay the launch and now Blu-Ray format developers are working hard on catching up with the release of the HD DVD drives. Pioneer has announced that they plan to unveil its first Blu-ray Disc format optical disc drive for personal computers at the upcoming International Consumer Electronics Show (CES).
More interesting news is in store for us as they would be making available these drives and discs in the Japanese market by the end of next month. The BDR-101A drive from the company would be compatible with non-cartridge single-layer recordable BD-R and rewritable BD-RW discs. It would also support the single and dual-layer read-only BD-ROM discs. Other than that, the drive would also support a wide range of DVD-based media and would be able to write DVD-R and DVD-RW discs.
Pioneer would be initially offering it to the Japanese PC makers for inclusion in their desktop computers and systems. And they would be following it with launch in the other markets of the world.


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A 55-year-old man who purchased a rare drawing for $30 later discovered it was worth much more than what he bought it for, the New York Post reported Wednesday.
Clifford Schorer bought “The Virgin and Child with a Flower on a Grassy Bank,” engraved by artist Albrecht Dürer, for $30 from an anonymous buyer, and it might be worth $50 million, according to the New York Post. He discovered the piece after picking up a gift for his co-worker’s retirement party at a rare book dealer, the outlet reported.
Schorer said the drawing “looked like a typical print of Madonna and child” but when he viewed a “higher resolution image,” he was “dumbfounded,” according to the outlet. (RELATED: Bowl Purchased For $35 At Connecticut Yard Sale Could Be Worth Up To $500,000)
After reviewing the drawing at a friend’s residence, Schorer remarked that it was “either a masterpiece or the greatest fraud in the world,” according to the New York Post. Schorer told the outlet he “believes it will be worth a record price” that is worth “at least $50 million.”
Schorer said he plans to sell the Dürer drawing, the New York Post reported.
“If you hope to sell it in a certain year, you will be out of luck. This is the find of my life,” he continued. “Wherever it ends up, I would want to visit it.”


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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- Local residents had plenty of produce to pick from Friday at the New Rochelle Farmers Market's North Avenue location.
Also available in addition to fruits and vegetables is soup, chocolate, meat and poultry, fresh cheese and fresh pasta as well as baked goods.
The Farmers Market is open Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. through Nov. 21.
Magda Durante, a White Plains resident, is the market manager for the New Rochelle Down to Earth Market. She stated that what makes the Down to Earth Farmer’s Market different than some other farmers markets is that they provide direct farmer-to-customer produce and goods.
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By Franklin Alli and PROVIDENCE OBUH
Over 100 stakeholders in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector of the economy, weekend, called on Federal Government to initiate policy that will restrict multinational Companies from infiltrating into indigenous businesses especially those operated by small businesses.
Meanwhile, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Dr. Olusegun Aganga has bagged a Lifetime Achievement Award for his commitment to enterprise development in Nigeria; other awardees include: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, DG ITF, Mrs. Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, Special Adviser on Media, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo and Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Ayoola Foods Ltd, Engr. Segun Emmanuel Olaye.
Speaking during 4th edition of Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAM) Workshop and Gala Nite/Award 2014, with the Theme: “The Prospects and Challenges of SMEs in Nigeria,” the operators lamented the incursion of multinational Companies into small businesses where indigenous Companies have competences and comparative advantages.
Director General, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Mr. Muda Yusuf, who spoke at the event, cited the taking over of small businesses by multinationals such as Table Water, Chin-Chin, Herbal Drinks, among other products.
According to him “A Situation whereby big companies are competing and taking over the businesses of small companies is not good for the economy.”
The DG, argued that, the indigenous companies have more development value to the money than foreign companies who takes the money they make out of the country while the indigenous one’s reinvest in the economy.
Also, the Director General Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) Alhaji Bature Masari, in his Presentation noted that SMEs are the bedrock of any economy, but in Nigeria SMEs experience challenges that affect their over all well being as entrepreneurs.
He told operators in the sector that beyond having a good business plan and accessing funds from government institutions like Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture, especially under the National Enterprise Development Programme, they should upgrade themselves access to information, networking and capacity building programmes put in place by SMEFDAN, saying, “information, training and access to market are key to business survival.”


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Topline: Cathie Wood, founder and chief of asset management firm Ark Invest, recently declared that software providers will be the next ones to benefit from booming interest in artificial intelligence. Investors want to ride the enthusiasm that propelled chipmaker Nvidia into the rarified group of companies with a $1 trillion valuation.
Ark Invest’s Emphasis on Software Providers
The Enthusiasm on Wall Street Driven by AI Advancements
Wood, in an interview with Bloomberg TV, expressed that Ark Invest is searching for software providers as the next big beneficiaries of the wave of enthusiasm on Wall Street driven by advances in AI after Nvidia temporarily became one of the six public companies in the world valued at over $1 trillion. While Nvidia makes high-powered computer chips essential to building the kinds of generative AI systems that have exploded in popularity in recent months, analysts believe that it is best positioned to benefit from the AI boom. Until January 2021, Wood’s Ark Innovation Fund held a sizable position in Nvidia. Wood said Nvidia is likely to do well over time but voiced concern over its valuation. Thus, Ark Invest is now considering other options with Wood predicting that software companies offering “software as a service” will generate eight dollars in revenue for each dollar of hardware Nvidia sells.
The Next Big Thing in the Industry
Software Providers Will Benefit from the AI Boom
Wood pointed to communication firm Twilio, virtual healthcare company Teladoc Health, and automation company UiPath as three software companies that she thinks will one day swell to the size of Nvidia. All three are currently a long way off their respective highs by around 80% to 90%. Software providers will be the next ones to benefit from booming interest in artificial intelligence, as investors capitalize on the enthusiasm that propelled chipmaker Nvidia into the rarified cadre of companies with a $1 trillion valuation. According to Wood, AI will propel Tesla’s stock price to $2,000 in 2027 from around $200 now. Driverless taxis will drive this change, Wood said, predicting that autonomous taxi platforms “will deliver $10 trillion in revenue from almost zero” by 2038 globally.
The Rise of Nvidia
Nvidia was originally known for making computer chips to process graphics, particularly for computer games. Later, it was discovered that these chips were also useful for the kinds of processors needed to build many AI systems, and Nvidia pivoted to serve this growing need. It eventually came to dominate the market. Hence, its rapid successes this year, particularly in the AI sector, shocked many on Wall Street, as it was incredibly well-positioned to capitalize on the booming interest in AI applications as the leading producer of the hardware needed to make it happen. While the company has competitors, they are unlikely to pose a major threat anytime soon. Nvidia’s stratospheric gains led to sector-wide rally, particularly for related chip firms.
Wood said, “We don’t, we think it’s much more than that,” regarding Elon Musk’s Tesla as an auto stock. Tesla is actually the biggest artificial intelligence play around.
For more information on the topic, you can read these resources:
Cathie Wood Says Software Stocks Are Next AI Bet After Nvidia (Bloomberg)
This Tech Stock Joins Nvidia As Analyst’s Favorite After CEO Predicts AI Revenues Will ‘At Least Double’ (Forbes)


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Summary: Samsung delivers phones that are based on Linux, but Samsung also engages in a Novell-like deal with Microsoft
SEVERAL misinformed people have decided to mock us for saying the truth about Samsung’s LiMo phones, which we labeled “encumbered by Microsoft’s Linux racket” [1, 2, 3]. I have promoted LiMo a lot since its inception, yet there is no choice when it comes to Samsung’s two models of phones but to boycott them. This is motivated by the same reason as the boycott against Novell. Buying these products helps Microsoft against GNU/Linux.
Not much has been heard about LiMo, their Linux Mobile OS, and all the phones coming out featuring said OS, basically Google Android and everything else has overshadowed LiMo to a point of no real return in my honest opinion.
Samsung is on the verge of releasing two spanking brand new LiMo handsets later in the year, these handsets are called the Samsung H1 and Samsung M1, both feature LiMo OS R2 (Release 2) which is expected to boots recognition of the OS and its hardwares.


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US-based licensed sports merchandise company Fanatics has appointed experienced retail executive Steve Davis as the president of its international business.
Davis, whose career in retail and e-commerce spans more than two decades, joins Fanatics having most recently served as chief executive of fast-fashion retailer Rue La La.
In his new role, Davis will report directly to Fanatics' global chief executive Doug Mack and will be tasked with leading the expansion of the company’s international division.
Davis will work to build out Fanatics’ worldwide manufacturing and distribution infrastructure to support the company’s vertical merchandise model, which is designed to help clients get licensed products to market quickly and cost-effectively through a faster, more agile supply chain.
Speaking exclusively to SportsPro on Tuesday, Davis specifically identified China and Germany as markets for expansion in the next six months. He added that his ultimate target is to help Fanatics grow from a business with US$2 billion in annual sales, 90 per cent of which is currently generated in North America, to one with US$10 billion in annual sales, "approaching" half of which will come from outside of its domestic market.
“We’re at the very early stages of putting the building blocks [in place] to make that happen, and that’s what I’ll be focused on,” said Davis, who previously oversaw global operations for GSI Commerce, the e-commerce company from which Fanatics was spun off as part of GSI's sale to eBay in 2011.
Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, Fanatics is already a household name in North America sport. The company operates more than 300 online and offline stores, running e-commerce operations for all of the region's major sports leagues as well as a host of other professional and collegiate properties.
Fanatics’ international business provides online, retail and on-site merchandising solutions to properties across multiple sports. Last year, the company acquired UK-based online retailer Kitbag, which runs retail operations for several top European soccer clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Davis’ appointment follows Fanatics’ recent closing of a US$1 billion investment from SoftBank, whose US$100 billion ‘Vision Fund’ is focused on disruptive companies across a range of industries.
A Fanatics statement said SoftBank’s ‘deep ties throughout Asia-Pacific’ will help grow the company’s footprint in the region, where it currently operates an office in Tokyo.
“Steve brings a broad range of commerce and brand-building expertise to Fanatics with a deep understanding of the global retail landscape,” Mack said in a statement.
“His leadership will significantly advance our global footprint and expand the multichannel, merchandising and manufacturing capabilities that we provide to all our partners worldwide."


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Americans are being evicted from their homes at record levels, and the evictees are disproportionately single mothers of color.
Writing in Slate, Cathy “Weapons of Math Destruction” O’Neill, a skeptical data-scientist, describes the ways that Big Data intersects with ethical considerations.
Years before the complaints from Flint’s citizenry about their water provoked action from the state, Governor Rick Snyder spent $440,000 to supply better water to the GM factory, where the new water supply was corroding the car parts on the assembly line.
It’s 2016 and we like our technology really small. Our phones fit in our pockets, our remotes are lighter than ever, and even our cars seem to be shrinking. So your new drone shouldn’t be an exception. This Axis VIDIUS Drone is 21% off right now and it’s so little, your biggest problem won’t be […]
You’ve heard the news: cyber security is the new and very scary frontier. Hackers are out there just waiting for you to relax for a second and let them in. But that’s not going to happen to you. With a lifetime premium subscription to ZenMate VPN, you’re completely protected from anyone out there who wants […]
Remember back to the time when people thought java was just a hip way to talk about coffee? Or you vaguely remembered from geography class that it’s an island in the South Pacific? We’ve come a long way since then and now that we’ve rocket blasted into the tech future, you’re going to need to […]


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Wassup, an on-demand laundry services app, has acquired the Mumbai-based laundry provider Chamak for an undisclosed amount, reports YourStory. With this acquisition, the Chennai-based Wassup, will be able to expand its services to Mumbai.
Note that Wassup had raised $2 million in a pre-series A round of funding in May, from Arun Chandra Mohan and Praveen Sinha, co-founders of Jabong. At the time, the startup mentioned that it would expand to over 100 cities in the next three years. Interestingly, the company mentions that it is also looking to enter the personal, car care, home care and handyman services, although it’s unclear if it will do this through further acquisitions.
Other than laundry and dry-cleaning services, the startup currently offers tailoring services like button fixing, stitching etc. It charges upwards of Rs 30 for these services with prices going as high as Rs 460 for dry cleaning a fancy sherwani. On placing a request, the startup sends a pickup person to pick up the garments and delivers them back once done. As of now, it operates in Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin and Pune and has 30 offline locations where customers can drop off laundry.
Chamak provides similar services, the 7 year old company primarily operates laundry kiosks and takes orders via its website, app and call centre. At the time of writing, the company’s website is still operational, however, we expect the services will eventually be merged. Wassup currently competes with Tooler, Pick My Laundry, Doormint and MyWash, however by adding other services it will start competing with services marketplaces like Zimmber, Housejoy and Taskbob etc.
The services vertical is pretty crowded. Some of the recent developments are listed below:
– Earlier this week, Taskbob, a Mumbai-based on-demand home and services startup, acquired Bangalore based Zepper, which offers services similar to Taskbob.
– Late last month, online classifieds site Quikr has launched QuikrServices, a vertical which would focus on the unorganised sector of service providers in the country, while Bangalore-based Lookup raised $2.5 million in funding.
– In September, online directory services platform JustDial launched the new version of its Search Plus app.
– In August, Services marketplace LocalOye launched 12 India-wide services under its ‘Pan India Online Service Category’. The company, which went mobile only in April, seemed to have changed its mind and was available on desktop again.
– In the same month, BookMeIn, an online marketplace which lets users book hyperlocal services, raised angel funding worth $377,000.
– In July, Zimmber, a hyperlocal home solutions company, raised pre Series A funding worth $2 million.
– In June, Mobile services marketplace UrbanClap raised $10 million in a round of funding, while in August, Timesaverz, a marketplace for on demand home services, raised Series A funding worth $2.2 million.
– In April, e-learning marketplace ThinkVidya.com rebranded to UrbanPro.com, and pivoted to become a services marketplace, while Mumbai based errand-running and same-day delivery service GetMyPeon expanded its operations to Thane and Vashi and started accepting orders via WhatsApp and Twitter. In December last year, Wirkle co-founder Sunil Goyal launched a services marketplace called Near.in.


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Fuck spending a million pounds of tax payer’s money to celebrate the Battle of Aignort, whatever that is. Fuck your insult to the 5.4 million single parent households with the bullshit marriage tax break. And fuck your measly penny off a pint.
Cheryl Cole has spoken out about how mansion tax will ‘f**k her over’ and how she is seriously considering her vote. I call bullshit on her claim.
I’ve had some arguments with my dad in the past but I’ve never hated him enough to buy him a Jeremy Clarkson book as a ‘present’.
One local company reaping the benefits of Liverpool’s economic boost is Downtown’s JCS Cleaning (NW) Ltd. The commercial cleaning company, who work with the likes of the NHS, Living Ventures and San Carlo, saw 2014 prove to be one of their most successful years yet; all thanks to the rejuvenation and development happening across the city.
The general election will take place on Thursday 7th May 2015, less than 100 days away, and shit loads of us (that’s an exact & official figure) haven’t yet bothered registering to vote.


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If you were out shopping this past Black Friday weekend, you probably noticed that the stores were packed.
The holiday shopping season, traditionally considered to be between Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a key time for retailers because they can generate up to 40 percent of annual sales.
How will retailers fare this season?
My prediction is that holiday sales should be up 4 percent, but it will be harder to generate those sales than last year.
This year there are four weekends to shop between Thanksgiving and Christmas compared with five weekends in 2012. And there are six fewer shopping days this year.
Presumably more weekends – and more days – in a holiday season give shoppers more opportunities to hunt down additional perfect gifts.
To help this year, a number of national chains opened on Thanksgiving evening for the first time.
The National Retail Federation predicts holiday sales will increase about 3.9 percent this year compared with the 2012 holiday season.
Based on a survey of 500 consumers, consulting firm Accenture found that shoppers intend to spend 11 percent more this year than during last year’s holiday season.
Of course, intentions do not always translate into actions.
A rule of thumb for predicting the outlook for holiday spending is to look at the back-to-school spending during the same year.
For instance, the back-to-school spending in 2012 increased 4.5 percent while holiday spending rose 4.3 percent. The retail spending figures excludes food and auto sales in August and September for back to school results and November and December for holiday sales.
The relationship between back-to-school and holiday sales is not perfect, and sometimes back-to-school sales are a bit higher than holiday sales (as what happened in 2012 and 2011) or a bit lower (as in 2010).
But back-to-school spending generally is a reliable gauge of holiday spending.
This year’s back-to-school sales rose 3.1 percent compared with 2012, which seems to support the retail group’s estimate of 3.9 percent sales growth this year.
Another predictor of holiday sales is seasonal hiring by retailers — an increase in hiring provides a gauge of how much additional business retailers anticipate during the holiday season.
Retailers created 159,500 seasonal jobs in October, a 6.8 percent increase from October 2012, according the most recent jobs report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This increase in seasonal hiring also generally supports the retail group’s holiday sales forecast this year.
In Virginia, sales figures are a bit more mixed and harder to interpret, primarily because retail sales data, excluding food and auto sales, are unavailable at the state level, so the definition of back-to-school spending reflects total retail sales.
In addition, the relationship is not as close as it is on the national level, but over the past decade holiday sales have increased or decreased in sync with back-to-school sales.
Across Virginia, back-to-school spending fell 1.2 percent in 2013 compared to 2012.
In the Richmond area, spending fell 3.1 percent. This suggests Richmond could fare worse than the state during the holiday season.
These figures do not take into account the government shutdown in October, which did not have much impact on the Richmond area.
It may actually help sales in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads where many federal workers live because the affected workers will have received their paychecks for the period when the government was shut down.
When historical data don’t give a clear answer, there is always anecdotal evidence.
Aside from the fact that malls were packed, did you see shoppers carrying bags or were they empty-handed?


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Oilfield services and products supplier $BHI's 3Q15 revenue was $3.8Bil, down 39% from 3Q14. 3Q15 GAAP net loss was $159MM or $0.36 per diluted share. "In the third quarter, we delivered increased operating profit sequentially, despite deteriorating market conditions and lower revenue," said Martin Craighead, CEO.
Seems like $AMD has hit the right wind. Its stock was up almost 9% to $9.45 on Tuesday following reports that it signed a licensing deal with Intel.
$SBUX launched its annual “Starbucks for Life” competition in the U.S. and Canada. The winner of the competition will receive a credit of one drink or food item per day for a duration of 30 years.
$T shares rose 1.8%, as a big boost for the S&P 500. The company said its new streaming television service DirectTV has so far exceeded expectations.
$TXMD flying high.. anyone here to catch..?


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Lithia Motors posts record earnings in Q3
Lithia Motors Inc. posted its highest-ever quarterly earnings per share in the third quarter.
The Medford-based car retailer (NYSE: LAD) reported a third-quarter profit of $23.3 million, or 90 cents per share, on $496 million in revenue.
Earnings were up 48 percent compared to one year ago, while revenue from continuing operations rose 24 percent.
Lithia raised its earnings projections to $3.2 billion to $3.3 billion for 2012, or $2.88 to $2.90 per diluted share.
“New vehicle sales volumes in the United States continue to recover. New safety and technology features, improved fuel economy and improving consumer credit markets, coupled with an aging fleet of vehicles, are all tailwinds for increasing sales levels through the remainder of 2012 and in 2013. Our new leadership team and a revitalized group of store managers is poised to continue this growth,” said Sid DeBoer, founder and executive chairman, in a press release.
- Same store sales increased 30 percent for new vehicles, 24 percent for used and 6 percent for service, body and parts.
- Lithia acquired Connell Chevrolet in Killeen, Tex., adding an estimated $60 million in annual revenue.
For the first nine months of the year, Lithia earned $60.5 million, or $2.31 per share, on $1.3 billion in sales.
Texas remains Lithia’s top market, accounting for 24.4 percent of its revenue. Oregon is second at 20.8 percent.
Lithia operates 87 stores in 11 states selling 29 brands of new vehicles and all brands of used.
Lithia shares closed down 2.67 percent to $33.36. Its 52-week range is $18.58 to $37.15.
Wendy Culverwell covers real estate, retail and hospitality.
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- Director of Preconstruction & Estimating Services GLY Construction | Bellevue, WA
- Marketing Communications Writer FLIR | Wilsonville, OR
- Senior Consultant, Sales - Orthopedic Sales Specialist – Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, Salt Lake City Cardinal Health | Portland, OR


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Swiss drug maker Roche will not be allowed to sell its anemia drug Mircera in the US until July 2014 under terms of a settlement with Amgen Inc., the companies reported. According to Amgen, "a US District Court in Boston ruled that Mircera infringes on five patents supporting Amgen's anemia drugs Aranesp and Epogen." Roche had acknowledged that the disputed patents are valid and enforceable. But, the settlement does not cover any payments between the companies. The disputed "patents cover critical steps in the production of" a "genetically engineered protein" called erythropoietin.
UK drug regulators back Yondelis after Zeltia agrees to cover some of the cost.
Zeltia SA's Yondelis [trabectedin] will be offered by the UK's National Health Service as a treatment for soft- tissue sarcoma after the company agreed to pay for any patient who needs more than five cycles of the drug." The UK's National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence "reversed an earlier recommendation rejecting the drug as too expensive. NICE has recommended its use where other treatments have failed or cannot be tolerated because of side effect."
Austria makes morning-after pill available without prescription.
Austria's health ministry says the contraceptive morning-after pill is now available in pharmacies without a prescription." The health ministry "said that women of all ages can now buy the pill...over the counter."
FDA begins hearings on Internet marketing of medical products.
The Food and Drug Administration "is hearing from dozens of drug and advertising executives at a two-day meeting on Internet marketing of medical products." After complaints from both web companies and the pharmaceutical industry that marketing guidelines were too restrictive for the medium, "the agency has agreed to consider developing rules for online ads." Yahoo "is testing a new type of ad that would contain an extra link to detailed drug information, including risks," while Google "is proposing a similar design that would list a short summary of drugs risks, followed by a link to full prescribing information."
Cephalon, Barr settle patent infringement suit.
Cephalon Inc. will give Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. a license to sell a generic version of the pain drug Fentora in 2018 as part of a patent lawsuit settlement, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. Under the deal, Cephalon "will give Barr a non-exclusive, royalty-free right to sell a generic version of Fentora in October of 2018," even though "the patent is not set to expire until 2019." But, "if another generic version of Fentora reaches the US market before October 2018, Barr is allowed to launch its version..
Cancer prevention drugs said to be widely ignored.
Some researchers state that "the few medicines proved to deter cancer are widely ignored," because "people are not enthusiastic about taking anticancer pills, or are worried about side effects or not really convinced the drugs work." As a result, drug makers say that "it makes little economic sense to spend decades developing drugs to prevent cancer," and instead, "the better business plan seems to be looking for drugs to treat cancer." Meanwhile, researchers say that many "measures that are often assumed -- and marketed -- as ways to prevent cancer may not make much difference." In fact, studies linking cancer to such measures typically "cannot assess cause and effect," while studies that do come up with these associations "are likely to be published, even though often the associations turn out to be spurious."
Canadian officials nix recommendation for second flu shot in children.
Federal health officials in Canada have determined that "all but the youngest children need only a single half-dose of H1N1 vaccine." The new recommendation will "free up vaccine and make more shots available to the general public sooner," and also "means many parents of healthy children who have already endured waits hours long to have them vaccinated will not have to line up again for a second shot."


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Winnipeg, Manitoba – Mitsubishi and Manitoba are partnering on a project to study electric vehicles (EVs) under a full range of weather conditions. The automaker signed a memorandum of understanding with the province last Friday, Earth Day, when Manitoba launched its Electric Vehicle Road Map to help it adopt electric and hybrid vehicles.
Under the memorandum, Mitsubishi will use Manitoba as a “proving ground” for its i-MiEV electric vehicles as it tests, demonstrates and publicizes its EVs.
“Manitoba is ideally positioned to take the first steps toward a fossil-free future,” said David Chomiak, Innovation, Energy and Mines Minister. “The road map outlines the opportunity to reduce Manitoba’s dependency on imported fossil fuel and helps showcase the significant economic opportunities available to the province as it pioneers the development, testing and use of all-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.”
Much of the necessary infrastructure is already in place, Chomiak said. Manitoba has more than 500,000 existing recharging outlets and clean, low-cost electricity. The province is also committed to establishing an advisory committee on electric transportation that will identify roadblocks to the accelerated introduction of EVs in Manitoba, such as insurance considerations, electric grid impact, electricity consumption, cold-weather performance, business opportunities and regulatory changes.
“Manitobans will gain much as early champions of adopting electrically-powered transportation,” said Conservation Minister Bill Blaikie. “It will not only put gas savings in our pockets and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but will also give us a head start in developing innovative, ‘green,’ high-tech industries that produce everything from electric buses to batteries and the products that support them.”


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Citing research that shows toxic chemicals in two dozen products sold at Albertsons and its Safeway subsidiary, the Mind the Store campaign, along with health advocates across the country, have launched a national “week of action” to urge the grocery chain to stop selling these products. The groups are demanding that Albertsons, the second largest grocery chain in the United States, stop selling products containing or packaged with toxic chemicals such as lead, formaldehyde, parabens and BPA.
The release from Mind the Store, a project of Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, said that last fall a report card rating retailer actions to eliminate toxic chemicals showed Albertsons received the third lowest grade of 11 retailers evaluated, with a letter grade of F and only 12.5 out of 130 possible points. The group claims that Albertsons has no public safer chemicals policy in place. “While the company has reported some progress in reducing the use of BPA in canned foods, it has not disclosed a timeframe or plan for completely eliminating and safely substituting BPA in canned foods,” said the group.
The group claims to have collected some 130,000 signatures from consumers calling on Albertsons to remove BPA from its canned food and develop a comprehensive chemicals policy. In May, the group co-released a new report that found toxic BPA in nearly 40% of food cans tested from the nation’s largest grocery stores and dollar store chains. “The campaign found that Albertsons continues to sell food cans lined with toxic BPA,” said the news release, “with 36% of Albertsons ‘private label’ food cans testing positive for this harmful chemical.”
I suppose it doesn’t matter that Albertsons, Safeway and other grocery chains do not process and package the food on their store shelves.
Once again, however, this group is throwing BPA out into the public arena with misleading and unproven, non-scientific information. BPA has been studied for more than two decades and has not been proven harmful to humans. Recently, PlasticsToday columnist Allan Griff and I had an online conversation about BPA, and he sent some hypothetical questions and answers.
All my food-grade plastics now say BPA free. What harm has all the BPA I’ve consumed over the past 40 years done to me?
Griff: You have consumed very, very little BPA. All those BPA-free packages never were packed in polycarbonate (PC)—the polymer that typically uses BPA—to begin with. The only exception is if you were a baby around 20 or 30 years ago and PC bottles were used to feed you and the bottles were heated long enough to decompose some of the plastic. But if you were to attempt to drink that, you would have burned the flesh off the inside of your mouth and your parents would have been arrested for child abuse. This doesn’t even get into the issue of whether it’s harmful to whom, which has been debated for years, and even if it is, how much is harmful? Which is why I invoke Renaissance physician Paracelsus who said, “The dose makes the poison.” Numbers matter, as taught to medical students to this day.
All of this doesn’t matter because people need to fear chemistry and science, in general, as it challenges the impossible. As plastics properties are changeable by humans and made by corporations, they are a very good object of anxiety.”
Besides BPA and BPS, what plastics are dangerous for our health but are still legally used for food storage, utensils, dinnerware and so forth in the United States?
Griff: “None of them, as none are toxic in amounts that we might ingest, and probably in any amount unless it was so much that it blocked the digestive system. I’d be interested in any reliable and numbers-based information on how polymers can adversely affect our health. I’m not including additives which are not plastics.
The world is full of products containing “acceptable” levels of lead, arsenic and other naturally occurring chemicals found in the soil, our drinking water and other products we consume. We can’t get away from any of these, so the EPA and other health agencies provide ratings of “acceptable” levels. That should be food for thought for Mind the Store.


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Are we about to witness a ransomware unicorn? According to Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer of Finnish F-Secure, we are. But there's a caveat.
A unicorn is a startup business which has received the valuation of a US$ 1 billion dollars (£757 million) or more. Think AirBnB, Uber, or Spotify.
In an interview with SCMagazineUK.com, Hypponen explained: "Bitcoin is based on Blockchain, and Blockchain is a public ledger of transactions. So all Bitcoin transactions are public. Now, you don't know who is who. But we can see money moving around, and we can see the amounts."
Bitcoin has not only changed the economics of cyber-crime by providing crooks with an encrypted, nearly anonymous payment system autonomous from any central bank. It's also changed researchers' ability to track how much money criminals are making.
Hypponen detailed how F-Secure is tracking over 100 wallets, the biggest of which contains over 12,000 Bitcoins (over £5 million). And interestingly, Hypponen says there appears to be a lot of gangs who aren't cashing out.
Ransomware gangs have to continually imagine new ways to turn their Bitcoin into currency.
"They buy prepaid cards and then they sell these cards on Ebay and Craigslist," said Hypponen. "A lot of those gangs also use online casinos to launder the money."
But even that's not easy, even if the goal is to sit down at an online table and attempt to lose all your money to another member of your gang. Hypponen explains that: "If you lose large amounts of money you will get banned. So the gangs started using bots that played realistically and still lose – but not as obviously."
Law enforcement is well aware of the extremely alluring economics of this threat. In 2015, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received "2,453 complaints identified as Ransomware with losses of over US$ 1.6 million (£1.2 million)."
In 2016, hardly has a month gone by without a high-profile case such as Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center paying 40 Bitcoin, about US$ 17,000 (£13,000)at the time, to recover its files. And these are just the cases we're hearing about.
The scam is so effective that it seemed that the FBI was recommending that victims actually pay the ransom. But it turned out their answer was actually more nuanced.
"The official answer is the FBI does not advise on whether or not people should pay," Sean Sullivan, F-Secure security advisor, writes. "But if victims haven't taken precautions… then paying is the only remaining alternative to recover files."
Hypponen went on to explain the idea of a Bitcoin mixmaster, that's not a DJ, rather someone who assists with money laundering. It is an entity who takes money from lots of people and gives back the same amount. The idea is that if someone was attempting to track the money, it really couldn't be proven where it came from or where it went.
When asked if he could ever see if there will ever be an end to the blight of ransomware, Hypponen claimed that there unfortunately there, “currently isn't one.”
He doesn't point the finger at Bitcoin itself, as he says it is simply an algorithm, and not something which can be regulated.Instead Hypponen highlights the importance of having great backups in place so that when it does happen, you're well prepared.


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India and the European Union (EU) concluded their fourth round of talks for a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) in Brussels on March 18, tweeted Nidhi Mani Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce and India’s chief negotiator for the agreement. The next round of talks is planned for June 12-16.
India had started negotiations for a trade pact with the 27-nation bloc of EU in 2007, but the talks stalled in 2013 as both sides failed to reach an agreement on key issues, including customs duties on automobiles and spirits and the movement of professionals. The two sides resumed negotiations on June 17, 2022 after a gap of over eight years on the proposed agreements on trade, investments and Geographical Indications (GIs).
India’s merchandise exports to EU member countries stood at about USD 65 billion in 2021-22, while imports aggregated USD 51.4 billion.
A GI is primarily an agricultural, natural or manufactured product (handicrafts and industrial goods) originating from a definite geographical territory. Typically, such a name conveys an assurance of quality and distinctiveness, which is essentially attributable to the place of its origin.


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Power to the people: energy sector in crisisPUBLISHED: 03 Aug 2013 00:27:46 | UPDATED: 03 Aug 2013 02:39:03PUBLISHED: 03 Aug 2013 PRINT EDITION: 03 Aug 2013
A major shift is under way in Australia’s energy industry as consumers – fed up with price rises – embrace DIY solar technologies.
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Cyberpunk 2077 developer says disappointed players can ask for refunds
See the original posting on The Verge
Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red has acknowledged the performance issues plaguing the game on base last-gen consoles, and has apologized for not showing the game running on the original PS4 and Xbox One prior to its release. âWe should have paid more attention to making it play better on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One,â it said in a notice published on Twitter. The developer said it is hoping to fix the âmost prominent problemsâ with a series of patches to be released over the coming months, but added that anyone who doesnât want to wait will be able to return their copy of the game.
The statement follows numerous ports about how poorly the game runs on the older machines. Players have reported choppy frame rates, weird physics,…


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TAIWANESE PHONE MAKER HTC has started rolling out the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update to HTC One smartphones in the UK.
HTC announced the news via Twitter on Monday morning, advising its customers that Android 4.2 Jelly Bean can be downloaded now for the HTC One following the update's release across other parts of Europe.
The 4.2.2. update for the #HTCOne started rolling out in the UK from today. Download it now: Settings > About > Software Updates > Check now— HTC UK (@HTC_UK) July 15, 2013
Once the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean update has been installed, HTC One owners will notice a handful of changes on their smartphone. For example, users can now choose whether to display the Launcher Bar at the bottom of the HTC One's screen, which if switched off, enables Google Now to be accessed by swiping up from the Home button.
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean also provides the HTC One with a new quick settings panel under the notifications bar, allowing users to quickly toggle settings such as Bluetooth and WiFi.
Other changes include the ability to display the battery charge percentage, Android Daydream mode, an enhanced lockscreen with widget support, Instagram support in Blinkfeed and HTC Zoe improvements.
As well as updating its HTC One smartphone, HTC reportedly is planning to release a miniature version of the handset soon, called the HTC One Mini. If the rumours are correct, this will feature a 4.3in HD screen, a 4MP Ultrapixel camera and the same aluminium chassis design as its more expensive sibling, and chances are that it will come with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean preinstalled. µ
Next-gen devices enabled by integrating novel materials on silicon
Plus there's a new way to read comics in town
Find out which six games have most impressed us so far this year
Video shows off upcoming handset in Rose Gold compared to iPhone 6S predecessor


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Sunny Street Café launched a beverage pilot program earlier this year within Texas markets.
While not a widespread trend, concepts are dipping their toes in this unusual operating model.
Firebirds Wood Fired Grill has launched its new menu of seasonal cocktails and mocktails.
Iron Hill Brewery (Iron Hill) announces the release of Lemon Cerveza (5% ABV), a Mexican-style lager with a burst of fresh-squeezed lemon juice and lemon peel, now available in 12 oz. ...
McCormick unveiled the 22nd Edition of the Flavor Forecast, the brand’s yearly report on the latest trends influencing the way we cook,
Beginning yesterday, May 1st through Sunday, May 8th Dwayne ‘The Rock” Johnson and his ultra-premium, small batch tequila, Teremana, are bringing back “Guac on The Rock” - an initiative t ...
Sit-down concepts up the burger ante on quality—and often pair well with boozy beverages.
Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant is kicking off National Burger Month with the return of its annual Burger Month Celebration at all locations.
Chlorophyll Water is the first bottled water in the United States to pass the strict Clean Label Project certification requirements and rigorous lab testing to achieve Clean Label Project Certifica ...
Just in time for Mother’s Day, TGI Fridays is introducing new sweet treats and sips to help guests celebrate. Sweet Treats


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Honda Motor Co Ltd (NYSE:HMC) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eight ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, three have issued a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $42.00.
Several research firms recently commented on HMC. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Honda Motor from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 31st. Nomura downgraded shares of Honda Motor from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Monday, July 16th. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Honda Motor from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, June 1st.
A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in HMC. Advisors Asset Management Inc. raised its holdings in Honda Motor by 3,658.4% during the 2nd quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 1,127,068 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,067,000 after purchasing an additional 1,097,080 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC raised its holdings in Honda Motor by 2,933.6% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 710,196 shares of the company’s stock worth $24,665,000 after purchasing an additional 686,785 shares during the last quarter. Federated Investors Inc. PA raised its holdings in Honda Motor by 249,459.5% during the 2nd quarter. Federated Investors Inc. PA now owns 301,967 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,839,000 after purchasing an additional 301,846 shares during the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its holdings in Honda Motor by 26.8% during the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,285,036 shares of the company’s stock worth $37,613,000 after purchasing an additional 271,936 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aperio Group LLC raised its holdings in Honda Motor by 9.6% during the 2nd quarter. Aperio Group LLC now owns 1,430,465 shares of the company’s stock worth $41,870,000 after purchasing an additional 124,798 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 2.08% of the company’s stock.
HMC opened at $28.90 on Friday. Honda Motor has a 1-year low of $28.00 and a 1-year high of $37.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a current ratio of 1.23. The company has a market capitalization of $51.01 billion, a PE ratio of 7.98, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 1.05.
Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 31st. The company reported $1.18 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.99 by $0.19. Honda Motor had a net margin of 7.09% and a return on equity of 8.90%. The company had revenue of $4,024.10 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3,794.23 billion. During the same period last year, the company posted $115.04 EPS. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.4% compared to the same quarter last year. analysts expect that Honda Motor will post 3.53 earnings per share for the current year.
About Honda Motor
Honda Motor Co, Ltd. develops, manufactures, and distributes motorcycles, automobiles, power products, and other products worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Motorcycle Business, Automobile Business, Financial Services Business, and Power Product and Other Businesses. The Motorcycle Business segment produces sports models, including trial and moto-cross racing vehicles; business and commuter models; all-terrain vehicles; and side-by-side models.
Read More: Book Value Per Share – BVPS
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KION North America: Company Adds Reliable Forklift Sales to Dealer Network
Summerville, S.C. — Feb. 19, 2016 — KION North America Corp. announced the appointment of Reliable Forklift Sales to its dealer network.
Locally owned and operated, Reliable Forklift Sales is based in Phoenix. Founded in 2005 by Don and Mary Carlson, Reliable is a full-service equipment dealer offering new and used sales along with rental equipment and allied products.
Over the last decade the company has tripled in size, expanded into all forklift services, and been recognized as one of the top producers in the industry.
"As a former forklift manufacturer's representative, I was always amazed at the high regard sales people had for the Linde products," Don Carlson said. "We are thrilled to represent KION North America and provide its brands to the Arizona marketplace."
In line with its long-term business strategy, KION North America continues to grow its dealer network by adding reputable dealers in key regions.
"We were impressed with Reliable Forklift's reputation in the area for outstanding sales and customer service," said Brent Mendendall, regional sales manager, KION North America. "Now that they're settling into their new, larger facility, we're excited to continue growing along with them."
KION North America Corp. is a member of the KION GROUP AG, a major manufacturer of industrial trucks. Its brand companies — Linde, STILL, Baoli, and Egemin — serve the U.S., Canadian, and Mexican markets with a comprehensive product portfolio. Headquartered in Summerville, S.C., KION North America's production plant has an annual capacity of more than 10,000 trucks.
For more information, visit www.kion-na.com.


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By Myles Neligan
BBC News Online business reporter
Experienced shoppers know that for a stress-free visit to the local supermarket, it's best to avoid going on a Sunday.
More than three million people work in retail
Those who attempt to buy groceries on the traditional day of rest can expect thronged aisles and endless queues as millions of fellow consumers rush to stock up on household essentials to see them through the working week.
Britain's leading retailers say Sunday ranks as their second busiest day of the week, surpassed only by Saturday in terms of shopper numbers and sales.
But it's easy to forget that the Sunday supermarket stampede is a relatively recent phenomenon.
Until the 1994 Sunday Trading Act, which came into force 10 years ago this weekend, all but the smallest neighbourhood stores in England and Wales were legally obliged to close between Saturday evening and Monday morning.
The Act allowed big supermarket chains and department stores to open their doors for up to six hours on Sunday, fundamentally altering the texture of the weekend.
Unsurprisingly, the move was roundly condemned by Christian pressure groups, who saw it as an affront to Britain's religious and cultural traditions.
Trade unions also voiced concerns that the change would impose added pressure on the retail workforce.
But it was applauded by consumers, who welcomed it as a long-overdue attempt to accommodate their increasingly hectic and time-starved lifestyles.
It was also warmly welcomed by the supermarket groups themselves, who had long been pushing for a relaxation of the Sunday trading laws.
In fact, some stores had already been opening on Sunday in defiance of the law, secure in the knowledge that extra sales would amply exceed any fines the courts might impose on them.
Since 1994, the British retail sector has changed almost beyond recognition.
The major supermarkets have expanded far beyond their original role as simple food retailers, moving into clothes, medicines, petrol and even financial services.
Sainsbury, then the UK's biggest supermarket chain, has slipped into third place, caught on the hop by aggressive price competition from current leader Tesco and second-ranked Asda.
Safeway, formerly number four in the supermarket league, has disappeared altogether, snapped up last year by up-and-coming contender Morrison's.
And the sector has prospered thanks to a sustained consumer boom, with annual turnover soaring from £162.1bn ($291bn ; 243bn euros) in 1994 to a projected £262.2bn this year, according to retail consultants Verdict.
Experts say Sunday trading has played no small part in this surge in revenues.
"It certainly has boosted sales, although the precise effect is hard to quantify," says Nick Gladding, senior analyst at Verdict.
Sunday trading caters to busy lifestyles
"Retailers will only open on Sunday if it's in their interests to do so."
The retail sector itself prefers to play down the sales impact of Sunday trading, saying its main effect has been to displace shopping that previously took place during the week.
According to David Southwell of the British Retail Consortium, the big supermarket chains only began campaigning for a relaxation of the Sunday trading laws when it became apparent that that was what their customers wanted.
"The old legislation reflected the cultural values and lifestyles of an earlier period. We are a very time-poor society, and the traditional housewife, who could do the shopping during the week, is a complete anachronism," he says.
Mr Southwell also has little time for the protestations of religious groups.
"I find it difficult to imagine that there is anyone whose faith is so weak that they will go to the supermarket on Sunday instead of to church."
However, the retail sector's three million-strong workforce continues to have reservations about Sunday trading, and its objections are perhaps less easily dismissed.
The big supermarkets initially overcame their employees' resistance by offering them higher rates of pay on Sundays, but some have since begun to erode the differential.
"We're concerned that the big retailers are trying to normalise working on Sunday, the one day that is collectively recognised as a day of rest," says Kevin Hegarty of shopworkers' union USDAW.
"Retail is a very busy sector and staff are under a hell of a lot of pressure. We believe that if they work on a Sunday, they should be entitled to premium rates of pay."
An Asda spokesman confirmed that the company's most recent employment contracts did not include extra pay for Sunday shifts.
Shopworkers are also concerned that having gained the right to open for six hours on a Sunday, the supermarkets now want more.
They point to a growing tendency by the big chains, including Asda, to throw their doors open half an hour earlier than strictly permitted on Sunday mornings in order to give their customers extra "browsing time."
Asda said it is not currently pushing for an extension of Sunday trading hours, but Verdict's Nick Gladding says there is little doubt that that is precisely what the major supermarket chains want.
"Sunday is one of the retailers' most important trading days, and they would like to make more out of it," he said.
There is every chance that in another ten years, the era of genuine 24/7 shopping will have arrived.


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We found 5 items for the tag: turntable
May 11, 2012 8:32 pm
Turntable.fm app is now available for Android 2.2 devices and higher.
Dec 16, 2010 7:00 pm
New USB turntable makes vinyl into digital tracks
Oct 24, 2010 8:23 am
The DJ Hero franchise is back with a whopping new 85 tracks. Where the first game had a few obvious shortcomings, let's see if updates in the right areas make DJ'ing as a video game a ball.
Sep 16, 2010 6:02 pm
Portable turntable debuts


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Aseel Bashraheel Jeddah
Whether to reduce the risks of heart attacks, strokes and high blood pressure, or to get a jitter-free caffeine fix before breakfast, matcha tea is garnering interest in the Arab world.
Part of Japanese culture since the 12th century, it is made from ground green tea leaves that are refined and sheltered from the sun until harvest.
It is considered a healthy source of caffeine, and is rich in antioxidants and L-Theanine. Traditionally served via an elaborate tea ceremony, nowadays it is easily made at home, and is increasingly available on menus in the Arab world.
Rania Al-Ghamdi, a 27-year-old from Jeddah, said she first tried matcha tea three years ago at a Japanese event in the city. “I wanted to try it after seeing the tea ceremony so many times in anime,” she told Arab News.
Matcha’s grassy flavor is an acquired taste, but it has its benefits. “Even though it contains caffeine, I like that it doesn’t give me the jitters that usually come with coffee,” said Al-Ghamdi.
Local sellers usually import matcha powder, and it does not come cheap. “It would be awesome if matcha powder was sold at prices the middle class can afford,” Riyadh-based Lyal Ashry told Arab News.
She fell in love with matcha when she first tried it as a child, visiting the US, in the form of ice cream.
“I appreciate the nice earthy flavor. I’ve also found that it pairs well with unfiltered honey and almond milk or lactose-free milk,” Ashry said.
Nora Al-Rifai, a vegan from Jeddah, told Arab News: “I tried matcha latte and cake, having read about its health benefits. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste, and I’ve been enjoying it since.” But, she added, “the cake was quite pricey.”


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In the Headlines
Typical of the recent index correlation, European stocks were down sharply Wednesday morning, which meant Wall Street futures pointed to a significantly lower open.
S&P 500 futures were down more than 2%.
Despite the planned resignation of Italy's prime minister, that nation's 10-year bond yield rose beyond 7% on new uncertainty about Italy's fiscal and political situation.
Analysts say another factor behind the rising yield was a clearing house's move to raise margins on Italian bond trade -- in other words, requiring extra insurance against losses.
There was some good economic news from China, where the consumer price index showed inflation slowing last month. Asian stocks closed mostly higher Wednesday.
Before this morning's open, the Mortgage Bankers Association said mortgage applications jumped 10.3% last week on lower interest rates and better demand for refinancings.
Inventories and Commodities
Today's government reports include September wholesale inventories figures from the Commerce Department, due out at 10 a.m. EST. Economists expect an increase of 0.5% for September.
At 10:30 a.m., the Energy Department is set to issue its weekly tally of crude oil reserves. The department's Energy Information Agency released a report, forecasting a per-barrel cost of crude at $100 later this year and into next year.
Many industry analysts have pointed out that the price has been trending higher along with the possibility of further quantitative easing. Crude was trading $1.23 lower, to $95.57 per barrel.
Meanwhile, gold was declining, shedding $5.10, to $1,794.10 per ounce.
Today's earnings reports include third-quarter results from General Motors (GM). The auto maker earned $1.03 per share on revenue of $36.7 billion. Wall Street had been eyeing income of $0.96 a share on revenue of $36.66 billion.
In today's conference call, analysts will listen for effects of increased costs on the company's margins, and for discussion of the European business climate.
GM shares slumped $0.45, 1.80%, to $24.59 following the results.
Also before the open is Ralph Lauren (RL). It's expected to report income of $2.24 per share on revenue of $1.84 billion. The clothing maker and retailer is among consumer discretionary names that have performed well in recent months. The stock pulled back from last week's all-time high, and is holding above key moving averages.
The retail sector makes another appearance this morning when Macy's (M) reports its third quarter. Wall Street expects earnings of $0.16 a share and revenue of $5.88 billion. On Tuesday, the stock rallied to a four-year intraday high.
A couple of after-the-bell reports should get some attention. DJIA component Cisco (CSCO) releases fiscal first-quarter results.
Revenue growth at the network gear maker slowed in the past four quarters, and earnings have been flat or slowing in the past three quarters. The company has been taking steps to address slowing growth, so analysts will be attentive to specifics about sales into global regions, as well as government and business sectors.
For the quarter, Wall Street expects profit of $0.39 per share and revenue of $11.02 billion. That would mark a year-over-year decrease in earnings but an increase in revenue.
Coffee pods will also be in focus later today, as Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) brews up its fourth-quarter report. Analysts expect per-share income of $0.48 per share and sales of $760.48 million.
The stock skidded 30% last month, and is hovering below its 40-week moving average. Hedge fund manager David Einhorn made some negative remarks about the company's potential a few weeks ago, so analysts and investors will be eager to hear details that would confirm or refute those views.
Price movers ahead of today's open included Yahoo! (YHOO), advancing $0.33, 2.07%, to $16.30. The company has joined forces with Microsoft (MSFT) and AOL (AOL) to form an advertising alliance. The companies will now be selling each other's unsold premium ad inventories.
On the downside, graphics software maker Adobe (ADBE) plunged $3.07, 10.09%, to $27.35 in early trade. The company is expected to announce this week that it has halted development on its Flash products for mobile devices. Apple (AAPL) had refused to support Flash in its mobile version of Safari, saying it was a slow, bad experience for users. Adobe already said it would lay off 750 workers.
At SunTrust, Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy. SunTrust's analyst cited slower third-quarter sales and same-store results.
It's one of those downgrades that comes somewhat late; last week, Abercrombie's stock gapped down nearly 20% as the company reported weak overseas growth.


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Illumination adds convenience, customizable features Trying to change the hot tub cover is challenging. Jerry Greer, CEO at Core Covers, says it’s difficul t to sell a higher-priced cover to consumers, even if it is lighter, safer or stronger. “There are a lot of things on a hot tub cover
Keep your customers excited after the sale By Robert Stuart Portable spas have been sold for more than 40 years, and there are thousands in homes all over North America. And yet, the industry seems to be more focused on the next big thing rather then capitalizing on existing spas.
The top-selling products, and tips to sell them The No. 1 mistake hot tub retailers make when it comes to selling spa-side accessories, some dealers say, is not displaying them at all. “In my experience, a customer needs to see the accessory and visualize it as part of their
Upsell, make money and great margins on accessories sales. By Michelle L. Cramer When you go to buy a car, do you ask if the tires are included? Likely not, because you expect them to come standard on the car, along with automatic windows, locks and a stereo system. But


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Broadband users wishing to sign up to use the high-speed fibre-optic network planned by BT could be asked to fork out a little extra, according to new reports.
Last month BT outlined plans for a £1.5 billion next generation network which it is hoped will reach ten million homes by 2010.
When quizzed about the pricing scheme which will be attached to contracts for the faster broadband, BT admitted to ISPreview that customers could be asked to pay more.
The broadband provider commented: "FTTC [Fibre To The Premises] is being positioned as a premium product and it is expected to be purchased by consumers who are willing to pay a little more for the increased speed available.
"This is in line with the pricing principles outlined for FTPP in New sites."
FTTP is expected to offer speeds of up to 100Mb and Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTC), also planned for use in the new network, could reach speeds of 60Mb.


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Why is Netflix worried about Disney
Corona time winner : How Netflix depended on Disney during the crisis
They also exist in times of Corona, the crisis winners. While many US companies shut down shops or factories and take leave or lay off employees, the standstill plays into the cards of others. Netflix is such a case - the online video service benefits like few other companies from the fact that many people around the world stay at home. The market leader also landed a major viral hit with the documentary series “Tiger King”.
The group, founded in 1997, is on one of the greatest waves of success in its history. On the stock exchange, the share has already gained over 36 percent this year and recently cracked new record highs. With an enterprise value of just under $ 195 billion, even the US entertainment giant Walt Disney, which was worth twice as much in winter, was overtaken.
On Tuesday after the US market closes, Netflix wants to present its results for the first quarter. The pandemic should make for strong numbers. Netflix is already the undisputed king of streaming: Even before the global shutdown, the service had 167 million subscribers. From the beginning of January to the end of March, Netflix wanted to gain seven million more customers.
Experts expect Netflix to easily exceed its goals. The “stay at home” era caused by the virus should ensure that Netflix continues to expand its lead in the market, says Credit Suisse. The competition is not global enough to benefit to the same extent.
The new rival Disney + is also booming - just the week before last it announced that it already had 50 million paying subscribers just five months after its launch. Disney attracts with promotional prices and popular productions such as the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian”, but the gap to Netflix remains large for the time being. Because while the market leader has been in business for over ten years and is represented in over 190 countries worldwide, the international expansion of Disney + has only just begun.
Unlike Disney, Netflix has no other lines of business like theme parks or cruises that are suffering from the crisis. Even after the pandemic is over, Netflix will continue to benefit. Many of the new customers are likely to keep the service afterwards. (dpa)
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Qualcomm is bringing a new option for entry-level phones such as phones that run on Android Go, hence the company is creating a chipset called QM215 which will not be involved in the Snapdragon series.
However, GSMArena did mention that the QM215 will be slightly similar to the Snapdragon 410 and 425 chipsets as it will comes with a quad-core CPU that is expected to be the Cortex-A53 cores. In addition, its CPU and GPU are expected to be clocked at 1.3GHz and 650MHz respectively.
Qualcomm is also reported to be testing phones with 1/2GB of LPDDR3 RAM and 8/16GB storage which is typically most of the entry-level phones or phones that runs on Android Go to see how the chipset performs. HUAWEI appears to be involved in these tests and the companies are trying out the chipset with phones that have HD+ displays and fingerprint readers.
We might not know which phone will be the first to equip this chipset, but it’s quite possible that we will be seeing this chipset within this year itself.


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Some of us can never think of earning billions. But Kevin David Lehmann from Germany was destined to own that kind of money at the mere age of 18! The teen boasts a net worth of $3.3 billion and is currently the youngest billionaire in the world.
Lehmann accumulated his wealth in inheritance from his father, Guenther Lehmann. It comes from his stakes in leading German drugstore chain dm-drogerie markt. Founded in the year 1974, it boasts over 41,000 employees across more than 2,000 stores throughout the country at present.
According to Forbes, Lehmann and his father are barely involved in the company’s affairs, and little is known about them. The teen is said to have received the shares through a trusteeship when he was just 14 while officially inheriting the amount at the age of 18.
In addition to Lehmann, 24-year-old Wang Zelong of China is the world’s second-youngest billionaire ( with a net worth of $1.5 billion), while Norwegian sisters Alexandra Andresen (24) and Katharina Andresen (25) hold 3rd and 4th spot on the list with a net worth of $1.4 billion each.
Early last year, Forbes declared Kylie Jenner as the youngest self-made billionaire in the world. However, her title was soon taken away on the basis of forged tax documents. Despite that, Jenner went on to buy a $36.5 million home in LA in 2020 (in addition to her four pre-existing mansions) and is currently recognized as one of the wealthiest personalities across the globe!
Looks like it’s raining billions – at least for some!


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The 2017 Porsche Panamera might just be the worst-kept secret in the automotive world right now. We've already seen leaked images, watched test mules lapping the Nürburgring, and we know all about its new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. The updated Panamera makes its official debut on June 28, but some apparently leaked photos hit the internet today, giving us the best look yet at Porsche's new four-door.
We're not entirely sure where these images come from, but they were first published to Motor1 Thursday afternoon. One was watermarked with social media handle @Cars01. Searches for that handle on all of the major social media platforms haven't turned up any results, but various Instagram users have re-posted the images to their own accounts.
The car pictured appears to be a Panamera Turbo and as such, it borrows styling cues from the new 991.2-generation 911 Turbo. Porsche retained the old Panamera's silhouette, but gave the car more 911-like taillights and rear graphics. This new shape also leaves room for the Panamera wagon that's set to arrive next year with a larger cargo area.
Unfortunately, there are no wide shots of the interior, but one picture reveals that the traditional Porsche gauges have been replaced by two digital screens flanking the trademark center-mounted analog tachometer. The image shows virtual gauges on the screen that mimic the five analog dials that have become a Porsche tradition.
So far, we like what we see, and if its as quick as Porsche says it will be, we may have a new sports sedan king. We'll find out all the details on the 2017 Panamera next week.


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U.S.-based travel management company Direct Travel, Inc. has announced an agreement to merge with Vision Travel, Inc., the largest independent travel management company in Canada.
Direct Travel said that the move is the first step towards a shared strategy to build a global company. Direct Travel's executive team will remain in place, and will gain the additions of Brian Robertson as president, Vision Travel, Ontario West Region, and Joel Ostrov as president, Quebec East Region.
In a written release announcing the agreement Ed Adams, CEO of Direct Travel, said that the opportunity to move business into Canada was a natural progression for the company.
The combined companies said that the move will enhance services by extending their global reach, allowing them to fulfill the unique needs of their local markets through stronger relationships and more buying power across one organization. Together, Direct Travel and Vision said that the agreement will provide customers with more choice, while allowing them to continue to work with their established and trusted providers.
Adams said that the move was a growth opportunity for both companies.
With close to 2,000 employees across North America, Direct Travel and Vision Travel represent over $3 billion in sales, and the expanded organization will have offices in over 60 locations. Direct Travel has been providing travel management services for over 40 years, working with clients to develop customized travel programs. The company is a member of the Virtuoso luxury travel network.
The agreement is scheduled to be finalized by April 30, 2017.


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NEWS IN BRIEF
Posted: November 3, 2012 at 3:52 a.m.
Suit settlement plan bills Tyson $950,000 COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Tyson Foods Inc. would pay $950,000 under the proposed settlement of a class-action lawsuit covering roughly 1,200 workers at a Council Bluffs, Iowa, meat-processing plant who claimed wage violations, but most of the money would go to their lawyers.
This story is only available from our archives.
Business, Pages 29 on 11/03/2012


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ADD:NO.654 Beishan Road, Jinzhou District, Dalian, Lining, ChinaTEL: +86-411-87833266E-MAIL: email@example.com
The Second China International Import Expo was hold in Shanghai on 5th Nov, 2019。 President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech：“We will continue to promote reform, promote development, and promote innovation through openness, and continue to promote a higher level of opening up。” Exhibitors have expressed their hope that China will bring more new opportunities for world economic growth。 I believe that this participation in the Expo will be able to “get on the road and be satisfied”。
CIIE aims to firmly support trade liberalization and economic globalization and actively open the market to the world. More than 1,000 companies attracting 58 countries along the “Belt and Road” will be another important support for the “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
DLDT is very honor to attend this expo, a wide range of exhibits, crowds of people, colorful displays, eye-catching technology. From cars to daily necessities, from agricultural products to medical health equipment, the rich products in the Expo are to the growing needs of Chinese consumers. The feast of consumption held at the door of the house may allow more consumers to go through the sea in order to experience better foreign products, and not to purchase, Haitao has to go through all the hard work. Entering the Expo will allow the world's quality products to be at your fingertips, reflecting China's opening the door and embracing the open mind of the world.
Participating in this event, DLDT aims to seek business opportunities, find partners, mutual benefit and win-win in the future.


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This SA coffee chain is beating Starbucks at its own game - here's how they manage it
- One of South Africa’s largest coffee houses, Seattle Coffee Company, credits its existence to competitor Starbucks.
- This year Seattle is opening its 210th store – while Starbucks has halted South African expansion plans.
- Seattle says it successfully replicated Starbucks’ recipe before the multinational entered the market.
Seattle Coffee Company, one of South Africa’s largest coffee houses, owes its existence to Starbucks, cofounder Peter Howie said.
He said Seattle has successfully been able to take elements inspired by Starbucks and localise it for the South African market.
Seattle will this year open its 210th South African store, while Starbucks South Africa has suspended expansion plans after opening just 12 stores.
“They [Starbucks] largely account for our success,” Howie told Business Insider South Africa.
“The coffee industry worldwide owes a massive debt of gratitude to Starbucks for creating the platform that has launched a worldwide café culture.”
Husband and wife Scott and Ally Svenson launched Seattle in London in 1993 after they longed for the cafe culture in their hometown of Seattle, United States, where Starbucks was founded in 1971.
“The [first Seattle] was a hybrid of [Scott and Ally’s] own ideas and the same elements that were responsible for the explosive success of Starbucks in Seattle and the greater USA,” Howie said.
Within three years they opened 19 stores, when Howie joined them as a novice barista.
He had the idea to take the concept to South Africa, where he partnered with a school friend, Barry Parker, who was rolling a Nando’s expansion in Canada.
Howie, then aged 23, was then approached by Fred Withers, managing director of Exclusive Books, to open Seattle stores across South Africa.
They opened their first store in Cavendish Square, Cape Town, eight months later.
“Within days, based on the customer response, we knew we were onto something good,” Howie said.
“We were the first counter-service coffee shop in SA serving coffee in paper cups and offering a large array of components customers could add to their coffee.”
Three months after their first store, Seattle was bought out by Starbucks in the United Kingdom. Howie and Parker acquired the Southern Africa naming rights.
“We were the only Seattle left and that remains the case to this day.”
From there, Seattle partnered with Caltex garages to open coffee kiosks, and later with the Fresh Stop garage stores owned by Food Lover's Market.
“We’re [currently] looking at forming alliances with [additional] businesses that, like ourselves, have an artisanal mindset," Howie said.
Howie attributes Seattle's success to pursuing a vision that has significance beyond just making money.
He said when Starbucks arrived in South Africa in 2016, it was met with Seattle, which was a well-established business.
“We honestly didn’t view Starbucks entry into the market as something to be survived.”
“For Starbucks to eat into the [South African] consumer base with such a critical mass behind it would simply take too long and require too much short-term resource to realistically achieve it.”
For more, go to Business Insider South Africa.
Receive a single WhatsApp every morning with all our latest news: click here.
Also from Business Insider South Africa:
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CONSUMER SAFEGUARDS covering the sale of financial services by telephone or via the internet will be harmonised across the European Union, following a vote in the European Parliament last month. The decision, which approved a single set of rules across the EU, averts the marketing chaos that would have followed if hardline lobbyists had won the day. The hardliners argued that individual states should retain the right to impose even stricter controls on top of the EU legislation but Parliament rejected their amendment. The harmonised standards will allow financial service providers to apply the same rules in whichever EU state they choose to market their products. Up to now, providers allege, certain member states have used consumer protection legislation to ring-fence their domestic market from incursions by competitors from other EU states. However, direct sellers may be less thrilled with one key amendment to the bill: MEPs increased from fourteen to thirty days the cooling-off period during which consumers can withdraw from a fi-nancial contract.
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Michelle Pfeiffer Goes Business Casual For Vogue’s Fashion Forces – Footwear News
Tackling an ever-changing fashion and beauty landscape, Michelle Pfeiffer and sustainable fashion designer Stella McCartney discussed how to make luxury beauty less toxic and more sustainable at Vogue’s Forces of Fashion Summit held yesterday in New York.
Pfeiffer, who wore black and white, spoke about bringing her perfume brand Henry Rose to life and the importance of transparency when discussing sustainable practices.
The ‘Scarface’ actress wore a crisp, simple white button tucked into a high-waisted black maxi skirt with a small front slit. Over it, Pfeiffer donned an oversized black blazer and carried a shiny black leather shoulder bag.
For footwear, the Golden Globe Award winner opted for a fall staple, donning black patent leather knee high boots with pointed toes and chunky three to four inch heels. The chunky heels gave Pfeiffer a few extra inches, while the shiny all-black silhouette further streamlined her look.
Popularized in the go-go era of the 60s, knee-high boots leave the wearer’s knee exposed, but cover the calves. Often worn with skirts, the style is a smart choice in fall and winter to protect the leg from the elements while still allowing the wearer to show off some leg.
During their Forces of Fashion conversation, Pfeiffer and McCartney also discussed the obstacles to challenging the status quo of luxury beauty, while acknowledging the progress being made, from groundbreaking ingredients to groundbreaking biotech advancements. Not to mention that consumers are more educated and socially aware than ever. “People have gotten smarter, people have gotten more educated, people vote with their wallets,” Pfeiffer said. “When big companies see there’s consumer demand and profitability, that’s when you really see the needle move.”
vogue held the annual Fashion Force Summit at Spring Studios in New York City on October 14. The exclusive event brought together editors, designers, influencers and executives from Vogue to vogues audience in a series of panels, discussions and networking sessions.
PICTURES: Discover all the looks from Stella McCartney’s Fall 2021 Ready-to-Wear collection.


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A BEST-SELLING children's author visited Huddersfield to promote her new book.
Francesca Simon met some of her fans at Huddersfield Children's Bookshop on Lidget Street, Lindley.
She signed copies of the book, Horrid Henry's Underpants, for a group of eager readers.
But she spent most of her visit at Lindley Infant School, talking to youngsters and their parents about her books, her inspiration and her writing.
It was her first visit to Huddersfield.
Francesca was born in the USA and was a freelance journalist for 10 years.
She began getting ideas for children's books in 1989, after her son, Josh, was born.
Her first book was But What Does the Hippopotamus Say? in 1994.
She now lives in north London, writes full-time and has written many books for children.
Her visit was organised by the Kirklees and Calderdale Children's Book Group, which meets at the Lidget Street shop.
It is part of the National Federation of Children's Book Groups, which promotes children's books and reading.
Cheryl Leach, a member of the Kirklees and Calderdale group, said it was the first children's event they had held for a long time.
She said: "It went fantastically well. We were very pleased. The children asked masses of questions and Francesca was happy to answer them all."


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LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Girl Scout cookies are coming back on Feb. 1. And this year you can buy them online.
A new cookie called the 'Toast-Yay' will also be available. It's a French toast inspired cookie dipped in icing.
The Girl Scouts have also joined forces with Grubhub to provide contact-free pickup and delivery.