text:
A new website promoting itself as the “first of its kind” crowdfunding platform to help medical marijuana patients was launched Monday, although to date no campaigns have been created on the site.
But, as with many other medical marijuana related websites coming on to the scene these days, a word of caution — I’m not entirely sure if the website’s intentions are to help or to take advantage of desperate medical marijuana patients in need, or if such a single-issue crowdfunding website is even needed (or practical).
According to a paid press release distributed Monday, “CBDcrowdfunding.com allows CBD and medical marijuana patients to create their own fundraising campaign … to ask for charitable financial donations to help them afford the medicinal help they need in the form of CBD or [cannabis] medicine, doctor visits, travel arrangements, lodging or anything else their individual needs dictate.”
The website was created by Steven Bloome (not to be confused with CelebStoner.com‘s Steve Bloom), founder of the Illinois Medical Marijuana Network.
“What started as a simple idea to help families of epileptic children afford to travel to a state where they could get the CBD treatments such as CBD oil or tinctures to help control their child’s constant seizures, seemed to expand very quickly,” says Bloome.
Like other crowdfunding websites, CBDcrowdfunding.com charges a 5% service fee in addition to credit card processing fees, which run 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction (each donation).
So is CBDcrowdfunding.com a solution without a problem? Not according to their website, which claims:
But a quick search on GoFundMe.com for “CBD” found 41 current campaigns for parents looking to raise money to help their children access CBD medicine. A second search for “medical marijuana” found over 70,000 results.
As for the claim of other crowdfunding websites charging “as much as 10%,” a pricing comparison chart on crowdfunding.com shows that only indiegogo.com charges more than 5% — Indiegogo charges a 9% fee, but 5% of that fee is refunded if your campaign goals are met.
Upon first look, CBDcrowdfunding.com looks to be just another amateurishly customized website built using a budget web host’s built in “free” web designer tools, which brings into question where the 5% fee is actually going — it’s certainly not paying for professional web design or support.
While the 5% fee charged by CBDcrowdfunding.com is on par with fees charged by similar crowdfunding websites, the fee charged by CBDcrowdfunding.com has some in the medical marijuana community skeptical as to who the website is really helping. According to CBDcrowdfunding.com’s website, the additional 5% fee “helps ensure we can keep this website up and maintained,” but some are skeptical the website was created to generate personal profits for the website’s founder under the guise of helping patients.
Using an example on CBDcrowdfunding.com’s pricing page, let’s take a look at the fees generated from just one campaign:
Your Campaign Raised…………………$3,000.00
Using the example above, if just one campaign raised $3,000, then CBDcrowdfunding.com will earn $150 on that campaign. Comparatively, building and hosting a basic website can cost about $100 per year or less (or less service fees than just one successful campaign).
One other important thing to note is that on the other crowdfunding websites, while users raising funds pay a similar service charge, they are provided with a benefit that CBDcrowdfunding.com simply can not — traffic. While crowdfunding websites will easily help you to raise money from friends and family, the additional web traffic on the larger sites simply means more possible donations from strangers, meaning you’re getting more for your 5%.
Just how much traffic? According to Alexa.com, who ranks the popularity of websites world wide based on traffic, CBDcrowdfunding.com ranks only 3,200,935 — or roughly a small handful of daily visitors worldwide.
In comparison, gofundme.com has a global rank of 1,376, making it one of the most trafficked websites in the world (with the Alexa.com rankings, the lower the number the better).
In short, a campaign on gofundme.com has a much higher chance of successfully raising donations for the same exact fees.
Posted from : http://www.thedailychronic.net/2014/37012/medical-marijuana-crowdfunding-website-cbdcrowdfunding-com-launches/


text:
According to World Street Journal, Best Buy will be trimming off its workforce due to the on-going economic breakdown and a sharp decline in sales. However, the Minneapolis-based electronic retailer has not disclosed the exact number of layoffs yet but has announced how many staff have already been furloughed.
Keegan Shoutz, the spokesperson from Best Buy said that the company never comments on personal matters. Keegan Shoutz who also plays the role of Public Relations for Best Buy also replied that “There has been a massive change in the shopping behavior of the customers. Our customers are now more dependent on digital platforms and less on physical stores”.
The company has furloughed nearly 51,000 employees working on hourly wages as well as part-time staff who were appointed in different stores across the USA. The furloughing took place during the pandemic in 2020 when the country went into lockdown.
From August 2020 Best Buy started bringing back staff from furlough and increased their minimum wage to $15 per hour in many US states.
In a recent statement given by Corie Barry, CEO of Best Buy, he claimed the company achieved 23% growth in sales during 2020 as it adopted different operational models. These included flexible store operation, expansion of supply chain and shifting to a digital platform amongst other things. This approach lead to acceptance from their customers and increased the demand for goods. The CEO added that the company paid a bonus to the employees working on the field during the pandemic and gave generous incentives. Also, the company resumed work with all employees across every location. A spokesperson from Best Buy in a statement acknowledged the importance of technology in people’s life and business’.

domain: news


text:
During the first 10 months of this year, 1.2 million tablet computers were sold in the US and none of them were iPads.
Microsoft has begun talking about Windows 8 in general terms, reprising a blog-based strategy that it used in the year-long run-up to Windows 7.
Apple's iPad hasn't materially affected consumer PC sales, as some have claimed, a research firm said today.
At the risk of offending Apple fans far and wide, I can't for the life of me see what there is to be excited about in Apple's new iPad.
By the time that Apple CEO Steve Jobs wrapped up today's launch of a revamped iPad, analysts were already calling it "incremental" and pointing out that it the new tablet delivers "no surprises."
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Sony Xperia Z3 review: The no-frills flagship
- 2 Samsung's Galaxy Alpha review: A peek into the Galaxy S6
- 3 Samsung Galaxy Note 4 review: The busiest, biggest and best Samsung phablet
- 4 Aldi's $279 Bauhn Sphere review: Disappointing
- 5 Nokia Lumia 735 review: Perfectly ordinary
Best Deals on GoodGearGuide
Latest News Articles
- Google's Gmail appears to have been blocked by China at IP level
- 'The Interview' already Sony Pictures' top online film ever
- Sony: PlayStation Network is back online now, really
- Reports: North Korea's Internet access, mobile networks down
- PlayStation Network recovering after outage
GGG Evaluation Team
First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.


text:
All About the Neighbors
Want to See Swansons Nursery? Join the GCA Summer Tour!
The Garden Centers of America (GCA) Summer Tour has announced a full roster of 15 host garden centers, including Swansons Nursery, in and around Seattle for the 15th annual event, taking place June 24-27, 2018.
Indie garden center retailers from all over the country will gather to network and get energized with new ideas from the tour’s featured destinations, from trendy urban garden boutiques to established fourth- generation independents and a nursery/winery combo with a view of Mount Rainier.
Bring along your battery packs and portable chargers because your cameras are going to be busy capturing new revelations in merchandising, signage and selling to take back to your store. In addition to your devices, bring your toughest questions to ask the retailer sitting next to you: The GCA Summer Tour is as much about the conversations you’ll have on the bus as the retail gems you’ll discover at each stop.
If you hop on the bus, here’s what you’ll be seeing:
Monday, June 25
• West Seattle Nursery & Garden Center, Seattle • Watson’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Puyallup
• Windmill Gardens, Sumner
• Rainier View Winery & Nursery, Graham
• Branches Garden Center, Auburn
Tuesday, June 26
• Wells Medina Nursery, Medina
• Ravenna Gardens, Seattle
• Magnolia Garden Center, Seattle • Pike Place Market, Seattle
• Swansons Nursery, Seattle
Wednesday, June 27
- Molbak’s Garden + Home, Woodinville
- Sunnyside Nursery, Marysville
- McAuliffe’s Valley Nursery, Snohomish
- Flower World Inc., Snohomish
- Li’l Sprout Nursery & Garden Center, Mill Creek
- Sky Nursery, Shoreline
GCA Summer Tour Seattle is not restricted to GCA members and is open to all independent garden center retailers. For more information or to register, visit www.gardencentersofamerica.com.
Swansons Nursery has a long history in the Crown Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, opening at its current location more than 90 years ago. A lot has changed from the Roaring ‘20s to today, but the mission of helping their neighbors love growing as much as they do has remained the same.
Lawn & Garden Retailer spoke with Brian Damron, president of Swansons Nursery, who has been with the business for 12 years.
L&GR: What makes Swansons Nursery unique?
Brian Damron: What sets Swansons apart is our focus on the customer experience, and that’s a broad answer, but this isn’t a strategy that we’ve adopted to remain competitive in today’s retail market; it’s been a core philosophy with varying levels of implementation over the years.
That’s not just customer service although a lot of people think that. Customer service is a major part of that, but it’s everything between that and how full your tables are on Monday morning versus Friday afternoon and the experience the customers get when they show up on a Monday morning and how you look to them as opposed to how you look on Saturday morning.
Our team is the foundation of our business. We have a group of very talented people here that work very hard and care deeply about our business. They make it all happen.
Each year I have meetings with staff in small groups, and I make it very clear that our marketing platform is based around one thing, that we try to get the bodies here in the store so you can hook them for life and make sure they have a good time when they’re here.
We do that day in and day out. As a group, our staff is what makes this company as strong as it is, and that’s every single member.
L&GR: How do you get new customers?
Damron: We’re not selective in who we market to as much as what kind of business we want to be.
One of those things revolves around people who want to learn more about gardening and horticulture, particularly who are newer to it.
The center of our workshop program is really tailored for kind of taking the edge off and trying to break down some of those barriers that newer customers have to a garden center.
We also have the kid’s club stuff that is really about our kids being a family-oriented business. We have a lot of people in our area here who are younger and have families who are at that age.
Part of that is driven by me being in that phase of my life. I have two kids — one is 10 and one is about to turn 7. Seeing how parents respond to businesses who include their children is an important thing to me.
Most of the events are free walk-ins, and you don’t necessarily need to register. We’ll take a section of one of the buildings and set up and try to prepare for as many people as may come.
It’s more of a “we’re just set up here and you’re welcome to bring your kids.” We don’t charge anything for some of them, and for others there may be a small fee or we ask for a small donation at the end. We want to be a good host to family in our areas.
We’re located in a neighborhood — we’re not out on a busy thoroughfare — so being a place where our neighbors can bring their children for an afternoon or a weekend event is important to us.
Almost every year I sit down with all employees in groups of five and we talk about the promise to be partners to our neighbors and what it means to me and what it means to the community.
L&GR: You launched a new marketing campaign in 2014. Can you explain what it is and if it’s still going strong?
Damron: Around 2011, 2012, 2013, we were seeing a lot of stagnation in the industry and then with our own store we were kind of seeing some flat revenues and not a lot of enthusiasm about what we wanted to do in the future.
This was also the time I was taking over as president, so I was having a lot of thoughts about that and engaged with an outside partner to come up with a marketing campaign, since we didn’t have the marketing capabilities internally.
We wanted to have new customers in our store and younger customers, older customers; it didn’t really matter what age they were as much as we wanted new customers and in particular new homeowner customers. We wanted the ones that go to Home Depot to buy a lamp that they’ll see they have plants and they could be our customer.
We really wanted to show the community that we were No. 1 the experts in the area but that we actually give a darn and the prices that you pay at our store are because of other additional stuff you get behind it.
I put this idea out to the agency, and they came back with this Grow With Us campaign that had a lot of stuff we had to change internally. The thing that got the most attention was the #heyswansons social media portion of it, since it was one of the most externally facing things that not only got a lot of attention from customers but also from industry people even outside our industry. We won a national advertising award and a lot of other things.
With #heyswansons we engage with our customers continually, and that’s still up and running. The whole point of this and the whole growth of this campaign was built on one word: partner.
When you come and buy plants here with us, or even if you don’t and you want to know about gardening, we’re the partner who’s going to help you with that. The entire social media presence is based about that.
Another part of this was I didn’t want to create something that became so burdensome like it being something we just have to do. We’ve settled into a really nice rhythm where we can handle it internally without adding staff, and there are peaks and valleys depending on the time of year, but there’s a very consistent group of customers and level of activity.
It gives us a window into people’s yards, which I love to see what they’re working on and what they’re doing.
L&GR: You have a building dedicated to indoor houseplants, the gift shop and a café. What are customers looking for when it comes to houseplants?
Damron: Going back five years ago, I started to look a lot at the demographic changes that happened after the 2010 census in our immediate area. We were seeing how housing density was changing and all those other things and realizing that things were becoming denser and smaller spaces.
I looked at our houseplant representation and talking with the houseplant buyer we realized that a lot of things that are in demand are not what we’re reading about in magazines. It’s not the succulents and small 4- and 6-inch product, but what our customers were asking for and what would sell when we had them were the large houseplants.
We’re talking about the $200 to $300 fiddle-leaf figs and the accompanying containers, which can be up to $200 each and really started to change our merchandise set to match that.
To be honest, that started about five years ago and we still just can’t keep up.
It’s gotten to the point where I’ve dedicated our main central building almost half the year now where over half of it is houseplants and indoor pottery.
I think the demand has been there for quite some time. It’s just that no one has really stepped in to fill it in a lot of markets. It’s a part of interior design I’m learning just like buying new furniture.
I don’t think it’s going to be a trend that goes away anytime soon. A lot of people don’t necessarily have a large yard outside, or that could be overwhelming, but they can get started with houseplants that tend to be a gateway into more gardening.
L&GR: You had a fire in August 2016. Is everything back up and running?
Damron: We are finally all rebuilt; it took a full year to do. It’s kind of interesting because we had just changed our POS software, which everyone in the industry knows that that’s a big deal, so literally a week after implementing a new POS software we had that fire occur.
At the time it destroyed our public restrooms and a whole corner of the conservatory building, which houses the cafe and the gift shop, so we were scrambling from that point forward. We rented this expensive batch of trailers called Royal Restrooms because preserving the customer experience is very important to us. Our buildings are also Deforche so components fabricated in Europe and shipped over here meaning they have very, very healthy lag time. It wasn’t until September of 2017 that we reopened the restrooms to the public.
I was very, very proud of our team because even though in 2016, when that happened, we lost all of our houseplant and gift shop inventory from smoke damage and this was right before starting to set up for fourth quarter, and we still pulled off a 12 percent sales gain from that point until to the end of the year. Then 2017 was one of our biggest growth years that we’ve had. It was all a blur, but we sure didn’t let it negatively affect us.
In 2017 we also lost all of seminar rooms, so we weren’t able to have a single seminar all winter, and that negatively impacted that quarter, but we were able to push past that. This year we were able to fully re-implement our seminar program.
That was a nice little A/B test where we got to do one year with and one year without seminars and see those effects, and they truly are different. We feel that seminars have a positive impact especially when there’s negative weather in the beginning of the year.
If anything, the fire took everyone’s mind off the annoying changes with software and showed how much the team is the foundation of our business.


text:
Genius Monkey finds the human element in digital advertising
Video contribution from Austin Paetow
Drilling an audience down to their likes, dislikes, and preferences is something advertising firms constantly strive to achieve.
Tempe-based digital advertising firm Genius Monkey is setting themselves apart from others in the industry by seeking the human side of advertising and using behavioral intelligence to identify patterns of engagement.
Senior vice president and director of solutions for Genius Monkey Jeremy Hudgens explains that the company buys ads from all the networks that are available, not just Google, and then pulls impressions and behavioral data to figure out a client’s target audience. Their software analyzes the ROI to determines how a company can optimize their advertising spending.
The firm has been in the programmatic space for around six years. “We have a great advantage and understanding of what programmatic advertising can do and how to best leverage it for our clients,” Hudgens said.
But there’s more to Genius Monkey than algorithms. “There’s one thing those algorithms will never have and that’s the human element. And that human element is so critical in us being able to fully optimize,” Hudgens said.
The company, founded in 2009, recently released a case study with Utah Honda Dealer Association, which showed that the company saw an increase in website traffic.
“They reallocated their resources after using Genius Monkey for a couple of years and saw the success,” Hudgens said. “They went from 12 percent of their marketing budget to 21 percent of their marketing budget with Genius Monkey, and they saw 142 percent increase in traffic to their website and a great effect on their sales.”
In March 2015, Genius Monkey raised $2 million in capital investments from Texas-based Cypress Growth Capital.
The money will be used for building out the intelligence behind the software and the brand itself. “[Cypress is] a fantastic partner,” Hudgens said. “It’s been a great move for us.”
Eighty percent of the company’s business comes from agencies and the other 20 percent comes from direct clientele.
The firm currently has 35 staff members. They are currently hiring both developers and support staff, according to Hudgens.
Genius Monkey is looking to continue to optimize their entire system as they approach the fourth quarter, according to Hudgens.
“There really is absolutely no limit. And the more we understand our clients and develop that relationship with them, the more we discover new ways to help them have a competitive advantage,” Hudgens said.
Read more of our coverage on startups here.


text:
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Readers have asked--and our sources have confirmed--that there is a shortage of ten-speed parts in the US. We have reports of riders looking for 10s cassettes being unable to find them from US suppliers (although Branford Bike, a Campy Only sponsor, has a supply on hand due to their decision to stock up earlier this year). If you're looking for 10s cassettes and find one ... buy it!
Posted by CampyOnlyGuy


text:
- Subscribe NowNewsletters & Alerts
AOL, Vibe Media in video-sharing deal
- Staff New York Business Journal
AOL Inc. and Vibe Media | Access Network struck a deal for content, syndication, advertising sales and technology.
The partnership includes giving the video platform, The AOL On Network, launched in April, access to Vibe Media's catalogue of more than 1,800 videos, according to a press release. In return Vibe Media, the parent company of Vibe magazine, relevant selections of AOL's library of more than 380,000 short-form videos.
"Video is a new territory for many publishers who have built their business on print and don’t yet have this new medium baked into their DNA," Ran Harnevo, senior vice president of The AOL On Network, said in a statement.
In addition, AOL On (NYSE: AOL) will power the back-end technology for Vibe Media’s video player and content management system, and will power the advertising sales for all of its video content.
Content from Vibe Media will be programmed into AOL On’s 14 channels and shared across the entire AOL On Network, the company said.
- Most popular
- Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer co-hosts NYC’s biggest fashion gala
- Yahoo to launch DJ competition show with Simon Cowell
- How Selerity rocked the markets by breaking Twitter's own news
- Donna Karan hires Public School duo for DKNY, plucks Apple exec
- Out on a very shaky limb: Gay business figures lash out at hotel duo
- Saleforces for Startups launches in New York City
- Taxi financier springs for Nicki Minaj at bar mitzvah
- From Israel to New York: Startups pitch to investors
- Starwood Hotels explores new strategies, including possible sale
- What Birchbox and other e-commerce startups can teach old-school
Advertising Consultant Buffalo Business First | Buffalo, NY
Interim County Auditor County of Kaua'i | Lihue, HI
Deputy Commissioner for Taxes and Fees City of Philadelphia, Department of Revenue | Philadelphia, PA
Retail Shift Manager – Retail Shift Lead – Retail Assistant Manager Pilot Flying J | Bloomsbury, NJ
Outreach & Engagement Case Manager Youth Continuum, Inc. | New Haven, CT


text:
Consumers can look forward to a far wider choice of digital music and video content over the coming year, in addition to a proliferation of devices on which to play the media, experts have predicted today.
According to Deloitte's Technology, Media and Telecoms (TMT) industry group, 2005 will be characterised by the public's growing desire for more content, more media and more choice, leading to a larger and more diverse market.
Tony Kern, deputy managing partner at Deloitte TMT, said: "2005 will see the steady disappearance of the 'mass' market, replaced by an ever growing number of 'micro' markets that cater to the needs of specific groups or individuals.
"New devices and media will flourish, along with new forms of advertising, including embedded advertisements in video games, software and even mobile phones."
Kern added that convergence will give consumers more options, leading to rapid growth in legal music downloads and jointly developed movies and games.
The report predicts that digital consumers will spend billions of dollars personalising mobile phones with ring-tones, screensavers and wallpaper. Meanwhile, the number of sources for content are expected to explode.
"Digital TV will bring terrestrial broadcasters back into the game, giving consumers one more source for TV programming," said Kern.
"An ever increasing number of print publications and niche journals will be available in electronic format over the internet, and more and more people will express their opinions to the world through blogs and wikis."
Deloitte TMT also predicted that 2005 will see rapid growth in music downloads over the internet. Although it expects illegal downloading to still dominate, legal sites will "significantly increase their share".
This will be fuelled by the growing quality of online music stores, a sharp increase in the installed base of digital music players, both portable and for the home, and the high quality of legal downloads.
The study expects the global music industry to finally recognise and embrace the financial benefits of the internet distribution channel for singles and albums, as well as other forms of content such as ring-tones, remixes, live recordings and concert videos.
This trend will slow down illegal downloading, with occasional but high-profile litigation scaring off many casual pirates.
But the analyst group warned that illegal downloads will continue to cost the music industry billions of dollars in lost revenue.
Another key trend for 2005 will be the rapid expansion of advertising in the form of text hyperlinks or software toolbar buttons embedded in video games, software (particularly freeware), web browsers and even active desktops on mobile phones.
It is expected that these ads will be very precisely targeted as advertisers learn more about each group of consumers.
They will be dynamic, updated via an internet connection based on time of day and user activity, and will need to be far more subtle and sophisticated and less intrusive than the banner ads and pop-ups that currently plague the internet.
Deloitte TMT also noted that there will be two billion mobile phones worldwide by 2005, and that the commercial opportunity for content producers and resellers will become increasingly tantalising.
Faster networks, better processors and brighter screens will make content over mobile phones more appealing, but many experiments will fail due to a lack of understanding of the way mobile phones are used, the study warned.
Cotton seedling freezes to death as Chang'e-4 shuts down for the Moon's 14-day lunar night
Fortnite easily out-earns PUBG, Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Red Dead Redemption 2 in 2018
Meteor showers as a service will be visible for about 100 kilometres in all directions
Saturn's rings only formed in the past 100 million years, suggests analysis of Cassini space probe data
New findings contradict conventional belief that Saturn's rings were formed along with the planet about 4.5 billion years ago


text:
Stellantis is gearing up to reveal its financial results for the year 2023. The company, led by CEO Carlos Tavares, has scheduled the disclosure for Thursday, February 15, 2024.
The presentation is set to take place via a live audio webcast and conference call starting at 14:00 CET / 8:00 EST on the same day. For those keen to get the first look at the numbers, the press release and submission materials will be accessible in the Investors section of Stellantis’ website (www.stellantis.com) at 8:00 CET / 2:00 a.m. EST, approximately on the same day.
Stellantis has been focused on its ‘Dare Forward 2030’ strategic plan to become a leading player in the car sector. The company is placing a strong emphasis on its 14 brands and the electrification of its vehicles, especially in 2024. It will be interesting to see the results, considering how 2022 was a record year for the company.
For those eager to tune in to the live session, instructions for accessing the audio webcast and conference call can be found in the Investors section of www.stellantis.com. In case you miss the live broadcast, a replay will be made available on the company’s website.
Looking ahead, 2024 promises a slew of exciting developments from Stellantis, including the launch of the new Lancia Ypsilon, Alfa Romeo Milano, and the latest iteration of the Fiat Panda in Europe. The North American market will also see key vehicle launches like the Jeep® Recon, Jeep Wagoneer S, Ram 1500 REV, Ram 1500 Ramcharger, and the all-new Dodge Charger Daytona.
The outcome of Stellantis’ endeavors will be closely watched to see if they align with the company’s vision for the future.


text:
Fans of the Resident Evil series have been anxiously waiting for more news on its upcoming chapter Resident Evil: Village. Looks like Cacpom has definitely heard the plea, and will be hosting a showcase that features brand new gameplay as well as news on the future of the franchise.
Resident Evil: Village takes place after the events of 7, with Ethan and Mia having escaped the horrors of the Baker family. However, things take a dark turn when Chris Redfield once again enters their life, turning their world upside down.
As series first, Village will introduce brand new monster archetypes, including vampires and werewolves, putting a fresh spin on the classic survival horror series. Whilst the game will release around April this year, the showcase should hopefully set a date in stone.


text:
October 5, 2017
Jumping into virtual reality for the first time with the Oculus Rift? We’ve rounded up our picks for best Oculus Rift games — whether you’re into platforming, puzzles, or virtual dogfights — available through the Oculus Store.
The post From horror fests to shoot-’em-ups, here are the 20 best Oculus Rift games appeared first on Digital Trends.
Source: Digital Trends VR


text:
Apple filed its annual 10-K report with the SEC on Wednesday, and the numbers include a significant increase in research and development expenses, growing $952 million—now $3.38 billion from $2.43 billion last year, an increase of roughly 40%. The company now has 72,800 full-time employees, and 390 retail stores averaging $51.5 million in annual revenue. It expects to open 30 to 35 new stores in 2013, “with approximately three-quarters located outside of the U.S.”
The report also reveals that Peter Oppenheimer was appointed Principal Accounting Officer of Apple. Former Senior VP of iOS Scott Forstall’s new position is officially titled Special Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, similar to a title Tony Fadell was given before he transitioned out of Apple to start Nest.
Shots of the device and its packaging are included — in addition to photos comparing the iPad mini’s packaging to the full-sized iPad and its packaging. The Lightning cable can be seen as well, though there are notably no pictures of the power adapter, which has remained somewhat ambiguous since the device’s announcement.
iPhone 5 is closer to launching in China, as two models have been approved for use on Chinese mobile networks by State Radio Management, Chinese blog Sina Tech reports. The A1429 model can support the networks of China Unicom and China Mobile, while the A1442 model supports China Telecom’s network. There’s long been speculation that Apple could finally reach a deal with China Mobile — China’s largest mobile carrier. Once the iPhone 5 secures a network-access license, it can be sold in China. No launch date has been announced as of yet. [via CNET]
Apple’s major announcement late Monday that Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall and retail chief John Browett were leaving the company has already led to early reports and speculation on what prompted the departures. A report from Fortune suggests that Forstall’s fate was sealed by his refusal to sign Apple’s apology letter for the launch of Maps, an iOS 6 feature that was met with worldwide ridicule after its launch. Ultimately, the letter to customers was only signed by Apple CEO Tim Cook.
It’s also said that Forstall didn’t get along with Apple Senior Vice President of Industrial Design Jonathan Ive, as well as other Apple employees. The New York Times reports that Forstall and Ive wouldn’t sit in the same meeting room together, and that Forstall would insert himself into product development beyond his role at Apple. Ive is now listed as chief of human interface at Apple — initial speculation suggests that Apple will move away from skeuomorphic design, which Forstall supported.
As Forstall transitions out of the company, he will remain an advisor to Cook until “next year.” As the Times noted, the mood at Apple was apparently positive regarding Forstall’s departure. GigaOM reports that “Forstall’s firing was met with a sense of quiet jubilation, especially among people who worked in the engineering groups.” It’s also noted that Forstall’s exit was “fairly last minute and not something he initiated.” Browett’s exit from Apple was not nearly as unexpected, given well-publicized issues with his leadership of the retail division, and the company searches for a new head of retail to take his place.
In a stunning and unexpected press release at the end of the business day, Apple has announced that Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall and retail chief John Browett are leaving Apple, apparently as the result of issues that have been widely publicized over the past year.
A long-time Apple employee whose work with former CEO Steve Jobs dated back to their time at NeXT, Forstall was previously referred to as Apple’s “CEO in waiting,” in reference to his close relationship with Jobs, somewhat similar temperament, and focus on minute details of human interface design. Loosely attributed reports in business publications claimed that Forstall was difficult to work with, and suggested that a number of key Apple employees had departed the company following disputes with him. Additional reports noted that a battle was brewing inside Apple regarding the company’s modern, clean-lined hardware, and skeuomorphic software interfaces that were thought by some to be visually distracting or busy. Complaints regarding the reliability of Siri and Maps, two marquee features introduced by Forstall for iOS 5 and iOS 6, respectively, have also been widespread.
Browett was hired by Apple to lead the retail division following the departure of Ron Johnson, who left to become CEO of J.C. Penney’s. A veteran of British retail, Browett’s brief term was marked by complaints from retail workers regarding poor morale and short-sighted cost-cutting efforts that compromised the Apple Store experience.
According to Apple, Jonathan Ive will take on leadership and direction for human interface design across the company, adding former Forstall software “look and feel” responsibilities to his role as Apple’s industrial design chief. Eddy Cue will become responsible for Siri and Maps, apparently taking over those online services from Scott Forstall. Craig Federighi will become responsible for iOS and OS X, and Bob Mansfield will lead a new Technologies group, leading all of Apple’s wireless and semiconductor teams. Apple is now searching for a “new head of Retail,” and in the interim, the Retail team will report to CEO Tim Cook. The full Apple press release is reposted after the break.
As the East Coast of the United States prepares for Hurricane Sandy, Apple stores are attempting to limit possible damage from the storm. Stores in five states and Washington DC have been closed, according to ifoAppleStore.com, and roughly 50 Apple stores are within or near Sandy’s landfall precaution zone. Notably, New York City’s below-ground Fifth Avenue storefront has been lined with sandbags, and inside, the display table products have been wrapped in plastic. Some other stores in the landfall zone are being similarly protected.
Our best wishes go out to all the people who have already been impacted by the hurricane, as well as those who are currently in its path.
A Facebook post questioning AT&T’s restrictions on FaceTime over Cellular has gone viral, racking up more than 690,000 “likes” and more than 51,000 comments as of this writing. In a Facebook post directed at AT&T, a customer named Wynter Farmer notes her disappointment with AT&T forcing customers to switch to a more expensive, limited data plan in order to use FaceTime over Cellular on the iPhone 5. “In order for FaceTime to be used without WiFi a Family Share Plan is required. That plan has limited data. It took me a second to wrap my head around that,” Farmer wrote, noting that she currently has an unlimited data plan.
The post ends with Farmer writing, “If AT&T doesn’t delete this post please like it to show them you also think it is an underhanded, unfair and despicable way to treat their loyal customers.” The post was written on Oct. 14 and is still racking up comments and likes by the minute, illustrating that user anger over AT&T’s restrictions has not subsided.
Apple has increased the prices of apps sold in Europe due to exchange rates, ComputerWorld notes. The minimum price for an app purchased in the Euro zone is now €0.89 —about $1.15 — up from €0.79. Apple takes about 39 percent of each sale, while developers get roughly 61 percent. “From time to time Apple adjusts prices of products in countries due to changes in exchange rates,” Apple spokesman Alan Hely said in an email.
Also, more app buyers can now make purchases in their local currencies instead of U.S. dollars. Local currencies supported in the App Store now include Russian rubles, Turkish lira, Indian rupees, Indonesian rupiah, Israeli shekels, Saudi Arabian riyals, South African rand, United Arab Emirates dirhams, and Danish kroner.
Apple’s white and silver iPad mini is currently listed as available to ship in two weeks, according to Apple’s website. MacRumors noted that the white and silver mini’s shipping date changed to two weeks within the first 17 minutes of its release. The black and slate iPad mini is still listed for delivery on Nov. 2 as of this writing, at least within the United States.
Some customers of iPad minis with Wi-Fi and Cellular have seen a delivery date of Nov. 23 via standard shipping, according to 9to5Mac, while others report a delivery date of Nov. 21 with expedited shipping. Apple’s web site only lists the LTE models as shipping in mid-November, and the company originally noted that it expected to ship them a couple of weeks after the Wi-Fi versions; it’s possible that the Nov. 21 and 23 dates come from second shipments.
Updated Oct. 29: The black and slate Wi-Fi iPad mini is also listed as available to ship in two weeks on Apple’s website after its first shipment sold out over the weekend. Both the black and white Wi-Fi versions of the new fourth-generation iPad are currently listed as available to ship in one week. The Wi-Fi and Cellular versions of the two new tablets still show shipping availability as “mid-November.”
Although Apple was ordered by a U.K. court to publicize a finding that Samsung’s Galaxy had not infringed the iPad’s design, Apple used the opportunity to take a few jabs at its rival, as well as to undermine the international value of the court’s findings. The company posted a page quoting the judge’s original ruling, noting that the iPad “is a cool design” while the Samsung Galaxy tablets “are not as cool.” Added to the end of the court-required disclosures are Apple’s court victories over Samsung in Germany and the U.S., concluding, “So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple’s far more popular iPad.” Posted as a link at the bottom of Apple’s U.K. website, the entire statement can be read here.
During Apple’s fourth quarter 2012 financial results conference call, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer made a number of comments related to Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod businesses.
Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO, noted that the iPod touch continued to account for over 50% of iPods sold, and continues to account for 70% of market share, according to NPD. This is despite declines in overall iPod sales.
Oppenheimer also noted that the demand for the iPhone 5 continues to outstrip supply and the company continues to work as hard as it can to get an iPhone into the hands of every customer who wants one.
Additional details are available by clicking on the title of this article.
Reporting its fourth quarter 2012 financial results today, Apple said it sold 26.9 million iPhones in the quarter, a 58 percent increase year-over-year, up somewhat from 26 million units in the prior quarter. Apple sold 14 million iPads during the quarter, up 26 percent from the year-ago quarter but down from 17 million units in the third quarter of 2012. Finally, the company said it sold 5.3 million iPods during the quarter — a 19 percent decrease compared to the same quarter last year. Unit sales of iPhones, iPads, and iPods bring the cumulative totals for the three device categories to 271 million, 98.08 million, and 356.38 million, respectively, though Apple did note at a media event several days ago that iPad sales have since surpassed the 100 million mark.
Apple posted revenue of $35.97 billion and net quarterly profit of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per diluted share, compared with revenue of $28.27 billion and net quarterly profit of $6.62 billion, or $7.05 per diluted share in Q4 2011. Revenue from Other Music Related Products and Services, which includes revenue from the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore in addition to sales of iPod services and Apple-branded and third-party iPod accessories, was 2.29 billion for the quarter, up 43 percent year-over-year and 29 percent from the prior quarter. Apple’s Board of Directors also declared a cash dividend of $2.65 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on November 15, 2012, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 12, 2012.
“We’re very proud to end a fantastic fiscal year with record September quarter results,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re entering this holiday season with the best iPhone, iPad, Mac and iPod products ever, and we remain very confident in our new product pipeline.”
“We’re pleased to have generated over $41 billion in net income and over $50 billion in operating cash flow in fiscal 2012,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “Looking ahead to the first fiscal quarter of 2013, we expect revenue of about $52 billion and diluted earnings per share of about $11.75.”
Bloomberg reports that Apple is currently negotiating with major record labels to launch an ad-supported Internet radio service within the first three months of 2013. Previously rumored, the service is said to be similar to those offered by Pandora and others, although it will allow users more flexibility as to what they hear. According to the report, advertising revenues have weighed heavily in the negotiations, as the labels are seeking a percentage of ad sales, while Apple wants to grow its iAd platform.
All but lost in the shuffle of major new Apple product releases this week was the new 12W USB Power Adapter, which as noted in our earlier story is designed to work with iPads and a number of other recent iPod and iPhone models. The 12W Adapter is an updated version of the 10W USB Power Adapter shipped with all previous iPads, and will be bundled with the fourth-generation iPad and iPad mini, as well as purchased separately for $19. According to 9to5Mac, Apple has confirmed that the adapter will charge previous iPads faster than the older 10W adapter, stating that “[w]e don’t have an exact percentage of how much faster it would charge but you should see an increase in speed.”
Calculations run by iLounge suggest that the 12W Adapter could shave off up to two hours of charging time for the third-generation iPad, which notably took 7 or more hours to refuel. It’s unclear how much of an improvement will be seen by older iPads, as well as the iPad mini, which has roughly one-third the battery capacity of current full-sized models.
Samsung infringed four Apple patents, according to a ruling by U.S. International Trade Commission Judge Thomas Pender, Bloomberg reports. Among the infringements are a design patent for the front face of the iPhone, and another for touchscreen technology co-invented by Steve Jobs. The findings are subject to review by the trade commission, which should finish its investigation by Feb. 25. An import ban of certain Samsung products is a possibility.
The other two infringements from the ruling include a patent involving translucent images for applications displayed on a screen, and a patent that detects when a headset is plugged in. Wednesday’s patent news saw mixed results for Samsung, as the company won a Dutch court dispute, but was revealed to be the subject of an antitrust law investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. As Bloomberg notes, Samsung has been more successful against Apple outside of the U.S. In the U.K., Apple must run ads stating that Samsung has not copied the design of its iPad due to a recent appeal ruling.
Apple has posted detailed official dimensional drawings for the iPad mini — Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular versions — on its website, and has done the same for the fourth-generation iPad (Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular).
All of the documents are available through Apple’s developer portal. Although they don’t reveal any new information, the measurements enable accessory designers to proceed with their new products, particularly cases that depend upon precise measurements. Apple released drawings for the iPhone 5, new iPod touch, and new iPod nano in September.
In response to early criticisms of the iPad mini’s $329 starting price tag, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller told Reuters that consumers will see the iPad mini as a premium product worthy of its price when compared to similar $199 products like Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire HD. “The iPad is far and away the most successful product in its category. The most affordable product we’ve made so far was $399 and people were choosing that over those devices,” Schiller said. “…And now you can get a device that’s even more affordable at $329 in this great new form, and I think a lot of customers are going to be very excited about that.”
Multiple sources are reporting that some Apple retail stores are offering recent third-generation iPad customers the opportunity to exchange their device for the new fourth-generation iPad. CNET reports that some stores are allowing the exchange for customers who purchased their third-generation iPad within the past 30 days, and ZDNet reports the same thing is happening in the U.K. Both reports claim that the exchanges are being offered selectively on a store-by-store basis, so readers are encouraged to check if their local Apple stores have made the same decision. The usual return policy is 14 days.
The release of the new iPad prompted immediate concerns from customers on the matter, considering it has completely replaced the third-generation iPad, which was only released about seven months ago. Apple’s iPad support forums are full of users wondering if they can make the exchange. There has been no official word from Apple.
Apple and Samsung’s ongoing patent war has taken another two turns, as Samsung won a Dutch court decision, but is now being investigated by the Department of Justice in the U.S. Reuters reports that a Dutch court has ruled Samsung does not infringe on an Apple patent involving multi-touch: using two fingers at a time on the touch screens of some Samsung smartphones and tablets does not constitute an infringement, according to the court.
Back in the U.S., however, the Department of Justice is investigating whether Samsung violated antitrust law through possible misuse of essential wireless patents, Dow Jones reports, a detail revealed by Apple in a legal document. Although the DOJ has not commented on the investigation, a source notes the probe has been ongoing for several months. Apple maintains that some of Samsung’s standard-essential patents are being offered on unfair terms. [via CNET]
Apple announced a major new upgrade to iBooks for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch during today’s special event. The new version features an optional continuous scrolling mode for reading, sharing of information via e-mail, Facebook and Twitter and support for over 40 languages, including Korean, Chinese and Japanese, including appropriate font styles and page turning directions. iCloud integration has also been improved, effectively providing users with easier access to their iBookstore purchases in iCloud directly on their virtual bookshelf. The iBooks update is expected to be available on the App Store later today as a free download.
Updated: iBooks 3 has been released.


text:
EverQuest Next is an upcoming fantasy MMORPG currently in development by Sony Online Entertainment. As development moves along, the developers have released several videos showcasing Landmarks. Recently some new videos were released to the public by SOE.
One of the videos includes senior producer Terry Michaels who talks about early access and the several tiers on offer. To find out more about EverQuest Next, visit the game page.


text:
News and opinion on local businesses and economics.
The least expensive gas in Santee can be found at Costco at 101 Town Center Parkway for $3.85 per gallon of regular, according to gasbuddy.com
The latest employment opportunities around Santee.
The least expensive gas in Santee can be found at the Costco at 101 Town Center Parkway.
Have you seen gas prices falling in your neighborhood?
A Toyota tops the search list for Santee residents.
The local unemployment rate has ranged between 6.4 percent and 7 percent for the past seven months.
The least expensive gallon of regular gasoline can be found at the 7-Eleven at 9613 Carlton Hills Blvd. in Santee for $3.95, according to GasBuddy.
There's a Harley-Davidson dealership in East County at 621 El Cajon Blvd. in El Cajon.
The average price is 6.3 cents higher than one week ago, 14.3 cents more than one month ago and 6.8 cents above what it was one year ago.
There is a Lowe's store in Santee at 9416 Mission Gorge Road.
Looking for a place to eat this weekend? Here's how Santee's restaurants were ranked on Yelp.
The latest employment opportunities in Santee.
The latest career opportunities around Santee.
Federal prosecutors alleged the company misled consumers after the crash about safety issues involving Toyota and Lexus vehicles.
There is a Sally Beauty Supply in Santee at 9625 Mission Gorge Rd.
A post-holidays drop of 8,700 retail positions fueled the jobless spike in San Diego County, the EDD said.
For the third year in a row, the County-operated Edgemoor Skilled Nursing Facility in Santee is rated among the best nursing homes in the nation in an annual survey by U.S. News & World Repo
A "few dozen" of U-T TV's 45 or so employees will remain with the operation to produce online videos, the newspaper reported.


text:
The New York Times published an article on World Diabetes Day about Dr. Esperanza Cerón, a Colombian physician who has become the subject of threats and is being stalked by guys in cars taking her photo. She was even chased by a motorcycle gang. It is all because she messed with a powerful, multibillion-dollar sector that promotes a product which doctors warn can be deadly. It is not drugs, but rather, soda.
Dr. Cerón leads a group that seeks a 20 percent tax on soda in Colombia. The group's graphic advertisements make sure everyone knows the dangers that sugary drinks pose.
Why should we care? One in three Americans has pre-diabetes. One soda each day is enough to increase your heart attack risk by 20 percent. Dr. Cerón isn't the first to face strangely-aggressive opposition for messing with soda.
Chicago recently put a tax on soda. People are literally crossing state lines to buy the drinks elsewhere in protest. When billionaire Michael Bloomberg was Mayor of New York City, he tried to ban large sodas and made it illegal for most places to sell sugary drinks in sizes greater than 16 ounces. A court 'canned' the policy at the last minute because the soda sector is a powerful one with lobbyists to match who knows how to protect its. Almost every time a city has tried to ban or tax soda, the companies that produce it rally everyone who makes money off soft drinks, such as delivery drivers, convenience store owners and pizza shop operators, and tells lawmakers not to do it.
In Philadelphia, business owners claim their soda tax is cutting overall sales by 10 percent, but the soda lobby know how to manipulate data. That's what lobbyists do. Politicians and businesses aside, the thing that really scares soda manufacturers is Americans. The population has been drinking less soda each year for the past decade, which has sent soda companies scrambling to run hit campaigns and pull viral stunts like sending a young girl a Dr. Pepper fountain, after she tweeted that she wanted one. It's the sector's desperate attempt to stay popular in a time where people are wising up to what's good for them.


text:
Sweet Potatoes Saving Lives In Africa
This is Maria Isabel Andrade from the International Potato Center in Africa. She drives a bright orange Toyota Land Cruiser with pictures of sweet potatoes painted on the side. She is working with the African government on a big marketing campaign to get farmers to grow orange-fleshed sweet potatoes instead of white for their high quanitites of beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.
In Africa, women and children suffer greatly from vitamin A deficiencies. Check out the infographic that explains why vitamin A is so important and how the sweet potato can help. Just one scoop of cooked sweet potato fulfills a child’s daily need for vitamin A. The sweet potato campaign has distributed vitamin A-rich orange sweet potatoes to 24,000 farming household in Uganda and Mozambique.
Recently, scientists gathered evidence from Mozambique and Uganda that these vegetables are, in fact, improving people’s lives. Children who are eating them do have more vitamin A in their blood. Based on other studies of the effects of vitamin A, nutritionists are confident that the boost is big enough to improve the health of those children.
Read the whole NPR story here and find out how the initiative came to be.


text:
Multi Channel Network (MCN) has announced four key executive appointments to lead its new, transformed organisational structure.
Nick Young, MCN’s national sales director, has been promoted to chief sales officer, responsible for sales and revenue growth for all MCN divisions (TV, digital, mobile, sport and digital out of home).
MCN’s chief commercial and corporate development officer, Suzie Blinman, will refocus her role to chief customer and commercial officer to help create more shared value between channel partners and advertisers.
National digital sales director Nev Hasan has been appointed to director of MCN’s new advanced advertising team dedicated to help advertisers win in the attention economy.
Finally, longtime business leader Naomi Edney is director of the new centralised trading group established to provide a fast and efficient transactional sales service for all MCN assets.
All four roles are based in Sydney and will report directly to MCN chief executive Mark Frain.
The company has also unveiled its new brand, revealing a completely new people-centric visual identity and philosophy, which was driven by MCN’s new head of marketing and communications, Sarah Tucker.
MCN has also promoted Lauren Winters to director of people and culture, and Sammy Lo has been appointed to director, technology, product and operations, heading up the converged tech and product teams across TV and digital.
Chief technology officer Angela Goodsir will be departing MCN at the end of the calendar year, as will Shae Bonney (national director for direct and independent agencies), Paul MacGregor (national director for multiply, marketing and client solutions) and Melina Augoustakis (Melbourne sales director).
Frain said: “MCN has always been known for pioneering technology platforms and generating powerful ideas.
“Our new organisational structure, led by these four exceptional media executives and the broader MCN executive team including Ben Sumpter running MCN Melbourne and Kevin Hearn in Brisbane, will ensure we continue to deliver premium advertising experiences.
“Nick, Suzie, Nev and Naomi’s passion and dedication has helped shape MCN into the leading business it is today and their expertise will help us re-shape the business to ensure improved efficiency and service to our advertisers and partners.
“I’m thrilled to have them as part of MCN’s key leadership team as we look to further disrupt the status quo and reset our business.”
MCN’s rebrand, steered by MCN’s new head of marketing and communications, Sarah Tucker, in partnership with creative agency JOY, sees the business redefine its behaviours, positioning and visual identity to express a new, people-centric philosophy.
“As we look to the future, we’ve made the decision to put people – whether that be our team, partners or clients – at the heart of MCN. We’ve kicked off our transformation with a customer-centric organisational model and I’m thrilled to now share the next stage of our evolution – a people-focused brand position.
“From the way we look, to the way we talk and service our clients, MCN will be focused on putting people at the centre – so much so, we’ve put the silhouette of a person in our new logo. We’re focused on doing things differently, and we look forward to taking our community along on the journey. Welcome to the new MCN.”
Allied Global Marketing (Allied), a full-service integrated marketing agency working with entertainment, consumer and lifestyle brands, has announced the appointment of seasoned executive Nicola Gold as business director APAC, brand experience, effective immediately. Gold assumes a pivotal role in building the Brand Experience offering as part of Allied’s strategy to develop a truly integrated full-service […]
Patrick Radden Keefe (pictured), author of global bestseller, Empire of Pain, talked to B&T‘s Nancy Hromin at the Samsung Jaipur Literary Festival about reputation laundering, aggressive marketing strategies and the privilege of still being able to practice pure journalism and be paid for it. Keefe’s in-depth reporting in publications such as The New Yorker and […]


text:
The French Agriculture Minister has added his voice to increasing concerns over a controversial proposal to lift a ban on US poultry imports.
The decision to ban poultry imports from the USA into the EU was put in place 10 years ago due to health concerns about antimicrobial agents used by American processors.
France has been vocal in its absolute opposition to lifting the ban and has shown no signs of altering its view. Speaking to Reuters, French Agriculture Minister Michel Barnier said: “The position has not changed. The Americans can do what they like but we will do what we want. There’s no aim to export the American model to Europe.”
“A vast majority of member states have already given their views on this,” he said during an informal meeting of EU farm ministers in Slovenia.
It follows DEFRA junior minister Jeff Rooker’s admission at the Recent British Poultry Fair that “I would not touch chlorinated chicken with a barge pole.”
Back in early April, a body representing farmers and co-operatives in the EU warned that allowing US poultry imports will undermine the efforts of EU businesses producing high quality chicken. Pekka Pesonen, secretary general of COPA-COGECA, explained that in the EU, poultry producers comply with highly demanding and costly rules to control salmonella on the farm.
The Commission should be consistent and support the European way of producing poultry meat instead of permitting production methods that go against its own philosophy,” concluded the secretary general.


text:
Markoff Leinberger's Consumer Rights Blog
Consumer Rights Law Firm Serving Clients in Chicago, Illinois, and Nationwide
On June 2nd, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed new regulations to protect consumers against “debt traps” created by short-term lenders. Often simply called “payday” or “auto-title” loans, these high-interest loans typically have the largest impact on men and women who are already struggling financially. The way these loans are currently structured – with excessive fees and unreasonable interest rates – allow them to put consumers in a perpetual cycle of debt, never fully able to pay back the original...Read More
In May, the Obama administration signed into law a bill that extends overtime pay to more than 4.2 million Americans. Currently, if you make under $23,660 a year, you are automatically eligible for overtime pay. As of December 1, 2016, this benefit will be extended to salaried employees who make up to $47,476 a year and work over 40 hours a week. The White House estimates this change will provide approximately 35% of the salaried workforce with overtime benefits, up from the 7% currently covered.
With new rules come new chances for overtime violations, and some companies may be willing to get creative with calculating hours to prevent...Read More
A new law has opened the door to robocalls to cellphones from debt collectors acting on behalf of the federal government. With its passage, this law allows automated collection calls to the cellphones of people with student loans, back taxes, and government-backed mortgages. The FCC, however, is moving to restrict the number of text messages and robocalls that can be made through this new law without the express permission of the debtor.
Under the TCPA, collection calls and texts sent to cellphones require previous consent from the consumer. Congress has created this exception in regards to the collection of federal debt, though consumer advocates warn this could open the floodgates for all types of unsolicited and unwanted collection calls. To add to the problem, cellphone numbers change frequently and the FCC has received several complaints of repeated calls being made to numbers no longer owned by the intended recipient. Unfortunately, there is...Read More
Dark Patters is a term coined by British user-experience consultant Harry Brignull. It refers to any number of exploitative techniques that trick consumers into purchasing products and services they may not intend to buy. Even reputable companies may engage in this practice and, sadly, there are few legal protections against it. However, if you believe you have been tricked into purchasing a product or ended up with a service through means you find duplicitous, you may be entitled to compensation. The Chicago consumer protection attorneys at Markoff Leinberger are here to investigate your claim and help you determine if...Read More
If you’ve ever visited a gym to decide on whether to become a member, you’ve probably been a bit surprised at being asked to sign a long-term agreement. Not only is this annoying and expensive, it’s also potentially illegal.
Recent administrative actions filed in New Jersey by that state’s Division of Consumer Affairs alleges twenty health clubs locked their members into contracts longer than three months without first securing proper financial backup that helps assure members can be refunded their membership dues should the club go out of business. In addition, the New Jersey DCA found the health clubs:
- Failed to conspicuously post consumer rights’ notices
- Failed to register their business with the state (required if a business devotes more than 40% of its floor space to...
Last month, several consumer rights organizations and agencies joined forces to promote a week of education and public awareness aimed at protecting Americans from the scams that so often necessitate a lawyer. Through their website, www.ncpw.gov, organizers informed consumers of their rights with regards to the following areas:
- Health & Safety
- Credit/Credit Cards
As the annual American tax-filing deadline steadily approaches, our consumer rights lawyers want to warn people in Chicago and nationwide that tax-time presents a fresh opportunity for financial scammers.
According to the IRS, consumers need to know about these three tax-time frauds.
- Bad Tax Preparers: The government urges consumers to be...
The federal government is getting serious about locating and prosecuting food manufacturers who engage in the dangerous practice of adulterating or mislabeling products.
A prominent recent example arose in the wake of 2012 inspections of two cheese manufacturing sites run by the now-defunct company Castle Cheese in Slippery Rock, Penn. After the inspections, the...Read More
The consumer protection and fair credit reporting lawyers at Markoff Leinberger in Chicago are intrigued to learn that consumer complaints to the Federal Trade Commission increase by nearly 20 percent between 2014 and 2015.
According to a statement released by the FTC today, that agency received more than 3 million consumer complaints in 2015, which is up from about 2.5 million complaints in 2014.
The three most common reasons that consumers reached out the FTC with a complaint in 2015 were:
Our Chicago law firm’s class action and consumer rights lawyers predict that things are going to get worse before they get better in Flint, Mich., where multiple lawsuits have emerged in response to the city’s far-reaching water crisis.
It wasn’t even two years ago when the public first gained knowledge that residents of Flint, Mich., including somewhere between 6,000 and 12,000 children,...Read More


text:
Stella McCartney demands fashion industry to change its ways
Lets begin with the facts that the fashion industry are responsible for:
- less than 1% of material used to make clothing is recycled into new clothing;
- the estimated cost to the UK economy of landfilling clothing and household textiles each year is about £82m;
- a truckload of clothing is wasted every second across the world;
- the average number of times a garment is worn before it ceases to be used has decreased by 36% in 15 years;
- half a million tonnes of plastic microfibres are released per year from washed clothes – 16 times more than plastic micro-beads from cosmetics – contributing to ocean pollution.
Stella McCartney is standing up against the fashion industry and begging it to become more sustainable. The industry, which is close to consuming a quarter of the worlds annual carbon budget by 2050 must change. Clothes must be designed differently, worn for longer, and recycled better.
McCartney condemned her industry by saying its “Incredibly wasteful and harmful to the environment” and has joined forces with round-the-world sailor and environmental campaigner Dame Ellen MacArthur, calling for a systemic change to the way clothing is produced and used.
MacArthur acknowledged the scale of the challenge to turn around the $2.4tn industry by saying “Today’s textile industry is built on an outdated linear, take-make-dispose model and is hugely wasteful and polluting. We need a new textile economy in which clothes are designed differently, worn longer, and recycled and reused much more often.”
Currently there is enough clothing and textiles in the world to satisfy demand, the question is how to encourage to recycle properly.
Brad Davidson \\ OG


text:
At the beginning of this month, Xiaomi unveiled its new smartphone in India: the Redmi 5A. Dubbed as the ‘Desh ka Smartphone’ a.k.a India’s own smartphone, the Redmi 5A is the successor to the massively popular Redmi 4A from earlier this year.
After unveiling the OnePlus 5 earlier this year, OnePlus unveiled its ‘T’ successor last week: the OnePlus 5T. Similar to the OnePlus 5 in many aspects, the 5T does come with its own fair share of improvements that make it the smartphone to buy in $500.
Last week, Xiaomi today launched a new series of smartphones with the Redmi Y1 being the first handset to launch under it. The Redmi Y1 is essentially a rebranded Redmi Prime 5A which Xiaomi is launching under a new name in the country to address the selfie-centric market.
After launching a bunch of Redmi devices over the last one year in India and meeting ravishing success with them, Xiaomi is making a comeback in the upper mid-range premium smartphone market in the country with the release of the Mi Mix 2. The Mix 2 is the costliest handset to date from Xiaomi to be released in India.
Smitten by the Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL and plan on buying it? But have some questions surrounding the device first? Worry not as we are here to answer all your questions surrounding the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL.
Xiaomi’s first Android One handset, the Mi A1, went on sale in India today. The announcement of the handset took many by surprise since Xiaomi has always promoted its own MIUI skin. Even if you remove the Android One aspect, there is no denying the fact that the Mi A1 is an impressive device.
Less than a month after launching the Lenovo K8 Note in India, Lenovo has launched another handset in the country: the K8 Plus. The handset sits below the K8 Note but offers largely the same experience as the former.
After launching the Moto G5 Plus in India a couple of months ago, Lenovo-owned Moto has gone ahead and launched the Moto G5s Plus. The company calls this a special version of the G5 Plus which comes with its own set of improvements in some key areas. The Moto G5s Plus sure is an impressive device by all means and if you are planning on buying it, make sure to check out our FAQ surrounding the device below which should help clear any doubt you have about it.
Nokia’s much-anticipated mid-range smartphone, the Nokia 6, went on sale in India last week. The handset was initially launched in China in January this year, and the HMD-owned Nokia has taken its own sweet time to bring the handset to other parts of the world.
Samsung recently unveiled the Galaxy J7 Pro in India. The J7 series has always done well for the company in India, and this year, Samsung has tried to set the handset apart from the competition by introducing Samsung Pay support to it. Usually reserved for the company’s premium mid-range and high-end flagships, the inclusion of Samsung Pay on the Galaxy J7 means that you can use your smartphone to pay for your purchases across any PoS terminal.


text:
Last updated: 10/8/2012 7:53:45 AM
CLARKDALE − The public, friends and supporters of Yavapai College will enjoy a taste of the Verde countryside during Yavapai College Foundation - Greater Verde Valley Chapter’s Third Annual Art, Wine & Dine “French Flair in the Verde Countryside,” Thursday, October 25, 5:30 p.m. in the new outdoor pavilion at YC’s Verde Valley Campus, 601 Black Hills Drive in Clarkdale.
This year’s gala will begin with a Verde Valley wine tasting reception and a silent auction of fabulous artwork and exciting packages set to music of Arizona's premier wind quintet, Thunder Mountain Winds. Guests will experience an epicurean adventure featuring three courses created by Abbie’s Kitchen paired with wines presented by featured local vintners. Musical stylings by violinist Jonathan Levingston will set the tone for a special evening under the stars.
Proceeds of the event will benefit the creation of the Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College.
Reservations are required at $100 per person. Sponsorships are encouraged and begin at $2,000. Tables seat eight people. The event sells out every year, so guests are encouraged to make their reservations now at www.yc.edu/artwinedine.
For more information, call Kim Flores, YCF Development Coordinator at (928) 776-2025 or e-mail email@example.com.


text:
BOGOTA, Colombia January 27, 2021
ProColombia, the government entity in charge of promoting international tourism, foreign direct investment, non-mining energy exports and the country brand, is hosting its first-ever Colombia USA Tourism Business Forum 2021, taking place from January 26th – 28th.
This event is open to tour operators, wholesalers, travel agencies and meeting planners interested in doing business with Colombia or that already have Colombia in their catalogues. The virtual conference will include academic forums with fascinating panel discussions and business meetings that seek to highlight Colombia’s tourism product.
• Flying to Colombia – A journey to the country – Focused on the importance of connectivity featuring Stephane Marcoux, Director of Marketing Aviation of OPAIN, Ricardo Garnica, Sales Manager for Colombia at Delta Air Lines; Sid Raghuraman, Senior Analyst - International Network Planning at American Airlines and Nick Bartolotta Director, Network Planning at Spirit Airlines.
• Global perspectives of the Meetings industry – Featuring Natasha Richards, Senior Advocacy & Industry Relations Manager, IMEX Group; Eduardo Chaillo, CEO of GMTS; Bruce MacMillan, Chief Marketing Officer at PCMA and Pádraic Gilligan, Chief Marketing Officer at SITE.
• The power of the Travel Industry to influence the consumer’s behavior – Moderated by Jim Brody, Managing Director of Destinations at Lonely Planet. Featuring: Bruce Poon Tip, CEO of G-Adventures; Terry Dale, President & CEO of USTOA and Lisa Lutoff Perlo, CEO of Celebrity Cruises.
Those interested in additional information and registering for the event can do so here: https://www.colombia-usatourismforum2021.com/
Colombia is a prime destination for international leisure travel and meetings, featuring unique natural wealth and ranked the second most biodiverse country in the world. The country boasts a rich and diverse culture, is a leader in sustainable tourism and offers a plethora of meeting and events venues including 27 convention centers and 455 hotels with rooms designed to hold events. Colombia also recently announced the development of Arena del Rio. Opening in 2024, the new entertainment complex is poised to be the most innovative and creative venue of its kind in the LATAM region, featuring three auditoriums, a club with 17 event salons, a semi Olympic pool, a five-star hotel, virtual reality park, 100 apartments, bars, restaurants, and a four-port marina.
As we look towards 2021, the country is already seeing a rebound in travel. Colombia closed the year with 75% of air frequencies reestablished, connecting the main gates of the US with 7 cities in Colombia through American Airlines, Avianca, Delta, JetBlue, Latam Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Viva Air and United Airlines, and a total of 533 international weekly air frequencies from 20 countries have already been reactivated.
And, audiences are taking notice. Colombia was recently listed as one of the “52 places to Love in 2021” by the New York Times, among other accolades, including:
• 2020 Top Destination (Colombia) – The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)
• 2021 Best in Travel list (Medellín) – Lonely Planet
• Top 20 Worldwide Destinations (Colombia) – Condé Nast Traveler
• South America's Leading Culinary Destination (Colombia) – World Travel Awards 2020, South America
• South America's Leading LGBT Destination (Colombia) – World Travel Awards 2020, South America
• South America's Leading Tourist Board (ProColombia) – World Travel Awards 2020, South America
• Best Tourism Website in the World (Colombia.travel) – Webby People's Choice Awards


text:
Downtown Marlinton – specifically on Main Street – has seen its fair share of destruction over the years. On January 2, 1968, the Alpine Hotel Building was destroyed by fire. On November 10, 2013, in the next block, three buildings, housing several businesses burned, as well. Those buildings included the Old Bank of Marlinton, the original DirtBean and Hudson’s Variety Store.
On October 6 through 8, Main Street saw something a bit different– the intentional demolition of the buildings across from Alfredo’s. Those included the H or Hunter Building as well as a large space that through the years housed Lang’s Dress Shoppe, The Treasure Chest and later, a music store, with apartments on the upper floors of each.
This step toward renewal followed the June demolition of French’s Diner.
The Flower Garden, at this time, is the sole business on the block.
The properties in transition are owned by business partners Bobby Safrit and Daniel McKee, who formed Revitalize Marlinton LLC, to make way for new businesses in the county seat.
Safrit also owns the former “Pat’s Beauty Shop” building – which now houses Greenbrier Bikes and Alison Pottery. He and his partner, Nick Ranson, also own the former Laundromat building beside it.
The revitalization began in May with the first two aforementioned, now opened businesses.
Safrit and partner Daniel McKee will continue the process with new construction next spring or summer on the now vacant lots on Main Street.
Safrit said he was inspired by the new growth of businesses and attractions in Marlinton and said now is the time to breathe new life into the town.
“With the Discovery Junction stage, I felt like that is a big stepping point,” he said. “That sort of got this whole thing rolling. My partner, Daniel McKee, spent most of last year up here with his family because of the pandemic, and I’ve been doing some work for him. We were bouncing some ideas around and we feel like the time is right to try and bring some amenities into the town.
“I’ve been reaching out to other West Virginia business owners to see if they would be interested in having businesses here,” he continued. “Everything we really want to do is something completely different than what we already have in town, so we’re not stepping on anyone’s toes.”
The plan begins with a building on the corner of Eighth Street and Third Avenue. At this time, ideas are still flowing as to what that will be. Safrit said he hopes it will be either a retail space or a dining option that the county doesn’t currently have.
“Sometimes people look at me like I’m crazy when I say some of the ideas I’ve got,” he said, laughing. “I like bouncing things off of people to see what the reaction is. We’d like to have a higher-end type restaurant, sort of like Elk River, to not compete with anybody else in town. I keep saying a wine bar. I’m from a little town in North Carolina and one of the most successful businesses that I can remember there was a wine bar.”
While the lot is large enough for two or possibly three buildings, Safrit said he isn’t looking to fill it up with just store fronts. He’d like to have some open space for outdoor dining or games for locals and visitors to enjoy.
“We’ve toyed around with a putt-putt course,” he said. “I’m in the landscaping business. That’s what I’ve done for the last twenty-five years, and I may sell some plants and trees in the spring or something. Just something so it’s not an empty lot.”
Because the lot is in the floodplain, Safrit said the building will be built to a certain level according to FEMA regulations, which will also give him peace of mind when the river rises.
With all the possibilities rolling around in his head, Safrit said he is ready to work with business owners and the town to create new opportunities in Marlinton.
“I’m all about trying to help people get a business started,” he said. “We want to do some outdoor amenities, as well. One of the things we talked about doing is rooftop dining. This town doesn’t seem to take advantage of that. The weather here is a lot better climate than everywhere south of here. So in the evenings you can sit outside – have dinner or have a drink.
“Hopefully, it’s another thing that will help showcase the community,” he added.
Safrit and McKee have yet to decide on an architectural style, but Safrit said they want to make sure the building is appealing and eye-catching since it will be front and center on a corner on Main Street.
Construction will begin in the spring or summer of 2022.


text:
Aphria Inc. (NYSE: APHA) (TSX: APHA) announced second quarter financial results ended November 30th, 2019. Aphria reported cannabis revenue of CAD 29 Million, an increase of 46% from the prior quarter. Net cannabis revenue reached CAD 33.7 Million in the second quarter, a 9% rise compared to the prior quarter. Net revenue amounted to CAD 120.6 Million, a 457% increase compared to a year ago and a 4% fall from the previous quarter.
“We are very pleased with our strong growth and execution in Canada demonstrated by our increase in adult-use cannabis revenue and positive adjusted EBITDA as a result of our compelling brands and market positioning,” stated Irwin D. Simon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “We are continuing to expand our capabilities internationally with solid progress during the quarter in Germany and South America and look to monetize non-core assets. We are confident in our market position and our ability to generate sustainable profit growth. I am honoured to continue to work closely with our tremendous team around the world to fuel growth and value for all of our stakeholders. Going forward, we believe our brands, cultivation expertise, cash position and balance sheet will continue to differentiate us in the cannabis industry, and we remain focused on the highest return opportunities for growth.”
Carl Merton, Aphria’s Chief Financial Officer commented, “We are updating our annual outlook with a little over four months left in our fiscal year to reflect certain market dynamics that have evolved relative to our initial expectations. We look forward to generating an acceleration in our revenue and profit growth in the second half of the fiscal year and continue to believe the Canadian and international cannabis industry outlook remains robust. Aphria is well positioned for long-term sustainable growth as we continue to manage the controllable aspects of our business.”
For FY 2020 the company announced that the opening of retail locations in Ontario will slow as recent ban of vape products in Alberta have forced the company to re-evaluate the impact of vape products, increased costs of third-party supplies due to the timing of the receipt of Aphria Diamond’s license. Net revenue is expected to range from CAD 575 Million to CAD 625 Million and an adjusted EBITDA of CAD 35 Million to CAD 42 Million.
Aphria is down over 5% on pre-market trading post announcement.


text:
Most Popular in:
The Changing Face of Food and Beverage Products for Children
Posted: August 4, 2008
page 3 of 3
Beyond adding fruits and vegetables to food and beverages, many parents are also seeking vitamin-fortified products with kid appeal. According to Mintel GNPD, from 2003 to 2007, new children’s products claiming to be vitamin/mineral fortified nearly doubled. Many of these products contain essential vitamins and minerals to support development and overall wellness, while a growing number of products are being fortified with ingredients touting specific functions, such as calcium for bone strength, fiber for digestive health and omega fatty acids for brain development.
In the United States, Bot Fortified Water is low in sugar and contains no artificial flavors, sweeteners or preservatives. Available in Grape, Berry, Orange and Lemon varieties, Bot waters are kosher certified and fortified with vitamins B3, B5, B6 and B12, which are essential nutrients for kids' well-being and growth.
In Taiwan, Beryl’s Chocolate & Confectionery recently introduced Audrey’s Dark Chocolate and Strawberry Bar. Enriched with omega-3s, this product turns a chocolate treat into a delivery system for a nutritional supplement. Audrey’s Dark Chocolate and Strawberry Bar sources its omega-3 from fish oil, and the company eliminates the fishy taste and smell by incorporating its proprietary “BrainyDHA,” which microencapsulates the fatty acid supplement for a tasteless, odor-free effect.
Functionality and added health benefits from food and beverages are a priority for many of today’s consumers. Food and beverages that once simply served the purposes of satisfying hunger and quenching thirst have been reformulated to provide health benefits and fulfill daily vitamin and mineral needs for children and adults alike. As this current generation of consumers is growing up as the most sophisticated and savvy yet, they will continue to demand products that incorporate new and exciting flavors while also providing strong nutritional content and benefits.Mintel Global New Products Database (GNPD) tracks new product launches, trends and innovations internationally. For more information, visit www.mintel.com or call 1-312-932-0600.


text:
Klarna Hopes to Avoid Fate of Fellow Swedish Success Stories
Sweden has come the second biggest unicorn factory per capita in the world behind Silicon Valley; previous unicorns are now almost all controlled from outside of Sweden and Klarna is hoping to avoid that same fate; companies are either operating in places like New York or Asia and some were sold to bigger companies in their markets; Co-Founder and CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski tells the FT, “The most important thing is, as Ingvar Kamprad [the founder of Ikea], said: most things are still not done. There is this massive industry — retail banking — that hasn’t put customers first. This is almost an unlimited addressable market.”; Klarna has built itself into one of the most trusted companies in Sweden, even more so than any of the banks; the company said they are as close to an IPO as they ever have been and believe that could be next on their list. Source.


text:
CELEBS are fuelling a rise in cot deaths by posting Instagram photos of babies sleeping in unsafe conditions, a charity fears.
Their pictures sometimes show babies sleeping in pods, nests or on soft surfaces, according to The Lullaby Trust.
The stars are “unintentionally promoting unsafe practices or products” to millions, the charity says.
The number of cot deaths in the UK among babies younger than 12 months rose from 216 in 2015 to 240 in 2016, official figures show.
The cause of sudden infant death syndrome is not known. But the charity, which educates parents on safe practices for sleeping children, warns babies should be laid on their back on a firm, flat mattress to stop them overheating.
There should be no cushioned or raised areas or anything that straps or holds them in position.
Pillows, cot bumpers and soft bulky bedding should be avoided.
Sleeping babies on soft surfaces can cause overheating, a risk factor for SIDS, or can obstruct their breathing if they roll.
Jenny Ward, acting chief executive of The Lullaby Trust, said: “In the age of social media, celebrities have more influence than ever over parents and consumers. It is important for them to keep in mind that their photos might be unintentionally promoting unsafe practices or products.”
Many products used by stars are sold on the high street but do not comply with evidence-based safer sleep advice.
CELEBS FEATURE PRODUCTS THAT AREN'T RECOMMENDED
Some celebrity baby photos feature products, such as pods or nests, that are not recommended.
Jenny added: “It is known that the products featured in celebrity photos tend to become popular with consumers.
“Parents are already faced with an overwhelming number of baby products and working out what to buy for a new baby can be difficult and confusing.
“Many people make the reasonable assumption that if an item is used by a celebrity and sold on the high street it is OK for their baby. However, we know that this is not always the case.
“It is vitally important that parents are aware of advice on how to sleep their baby safely. If all parents had access to this information many lives could be saved.
MOST READ IN HEALTH
“However, images depicting celebrities sleeping their babies unsafely give mixed messages to parents and make this task much more difficult.”
Amy’s spokeswoman said the guidelines were unclear and added: “Child safety is always at the forefront of her mind.”
A spokeswoman for Hilary did not wish to comment.
Representatives for Kim and Sophie failed to respond to calls and emails.
- GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL email@example.com


text:
December 3, 2007 Timothy Prickett Morgan
IT products distributor CDW hosted its Partner Summit in Las Vegas in early November, and at the summit the company did a straw poll of the IT executives in attendance to get a sense of what kinds of products or services they had on their wish lists for 2008; it also did an online straw poll among CDW customers, and in both cases also asked IT personnel about their budgetary expectations for the coming year. Last week, CDW released a report on the findings of the two straw polls.
First and foremost, let’s talk about budgets. In the poll at


text:
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance demo out next week in Japan, new video showcases vicious combosWritten by: / / No Comments
This month may be a slow one for new game releases but thankfully certain publishers are giving us a chance to sample some of next year’s hottest titles over the next few weeks.
Konami Japan recently announced that a demo for Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will be released on PS3 next Thursday, December 13th. The demo is the same one that was playable at the Tokyo Game Show and was also included as a bonus with the Zone of the Enders HD Collection. The sample features a VR mission that serves as a tutorial as well as a full level complete with a boss fight against a robotic dog known as Bladewolf.
Here’s some footage of Raiden performing a few fluid combos during the demo:
The demo has only been confirmed for Japan so far, but we’ll update you when we hear word of a Western release.
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will be released for PS3 and Xbox 360 on February 19th in the US and February 21st in European territories.
Head over here for El33tonline’s previous coverage of this stylish action title from Kojima Productions and Platinum Games.


text:
Trade Finance & Invoice Finance solutions for businesses in Germany to trade, import or export goods. Access 270 banks, funds & alternative lenders globally.
TFG’s Deepesh Patel spoke to ITFA’s Chairman, Sean Edwards, about the ITFA Structured Letters of Credit Working Group, and the emergence of Structured Letters of Credit as a variant of Traditional LCs.
TFG’s Joana Fabiao, had the opportunity to sit down with David Thambiratnam, CEO of Veridapt, a global force in commodity management for over 15 years.
TFG, today announced a media partnership with the International Trade and Forfaiting Association (ITFA), for the 47th Annual International Trade and Forfaiting Conference.
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Banking Commission recently announced a single Steering Committee for its work on trade, supply chain and export finance, comprising one Chair and 12 Vice-Chairs.
Surecomp®, the leading provider of global trade finance solutions for banks and corporates, today announced that automotive multinational TRATON SE has gone live with its trade finance processing solution COR-TF™… read more →
Paris, February 9, 2021 – In its County & Sector Risk Handbook, Coface, a leader in credit insurance has predicted an uneven recovery across countries, sectors of activity, and income… read more →
Deutsche Bank sees global trade finance volumes rebounding by more than 7 percent in 2021. Deutsche Bank’s Head of Trade Finance and Lending, forecasts that trade finance will be one… read more →


text:
Chevrolet has confirmed that it will release more details this fall about a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2. Fans are asking for every detail they can find about the new off-road version that is expected to be patterned after the already popular mid-size 2022 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 model. Off-roading is extremely popular right now and Chevrolet is under pressure to compete with the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor and the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX.
The new off-road ZR2 is reportedly being tested with huge 35” rugged terrain tires and new underbody upgraded skid plates. The additional underbody protection mirrors what is found on the Raptor and the TRX. While Chevrolet is not confirming the speculation about the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 model, it is important to note what special features are included on the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado truck.
Features I would Expect on the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2
According to a Chevrolet fact sheet, the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is designed to “offer exceptional performance from technical rock-crawling and tight two-track trails to high-speed desert running and daily driving”. You can expect similar design features for the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2. The Colorado ZR2 has a 2-inch higher suspension than the regular Colorado, to offer better ground clearance. The Colorado ZR2 has class-exclusive front and rear electronically locking differentials. The Colorado ZR2 also has segment-exclusive off-road application of Multimatic Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) damper technology. The Colorado ZR2 also has a standard Rear Vision Camera and standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control, trailer sway control and hill-start assist. I would bet the 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 would have all of those features or better.
2022 Chevrolet Silverado Update
The 2022 Chevrolet Silverado lineup is expected to be refreshed for the 2022 model. In fact, in the recent video that GM released about the new Super Cruise trailering and lane-changing features, the truck is camouflaged. It could even be the ZR2 featured in that video for all we know. I would expect that the ZR2 would have nearly all the bells and whistles that Chevrolet has to offer on a truck as it prepares to compete with the Ford Raptor and the Ram TRX. In Chevrolet’s teaser video, it says that we will find out more in fall of 2021. That is right around the corner.
Follow Mary Conway at @maryconwaymedia and send her car news tips for future stories.


text:
Caldeira Arrives in U.S.
December 18, 2006-- Home Textiles Today,
New York —The United Kingdom's leading decorative pillow and throw company is headed across the pond.
Caldeira Ltd. has incorporated in the United States as Caldeira USA Inc. and taken a showroom here at 261 Fifth Ave. The showroom will open in time for the next New York Home Fashions Market (formerly the New York Home Textiles Market). The market runs from Feb. 12-16.
Caldeira, which also manufactures ready-made curtains, operates factories in the U.K. and China. The company soon plans to announce hires for its U.S. staff. The New York office will target volume accounts in the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. staff of five —including four Americans — are expected to be on hand next month in Frankfurt when Caldeira shows at Heimtextil in Hall 4.0, Stand D71.


text:
First Apple, the Facebook, now Google. It seems like all the big players are doing it. No, not horrible things with your personal data (though that’s also happening). Nope, Google’s got designs on more money than it already has, with plans to open bank accounts from 2020.
Usually by this time of the year all the really major international tech news is done. But we keep seeing more product launches and they’re not making years any longer. That might explain why we may see a new Apple launch later today. Bloomberg reports that Apple may reveal its new 16in MacBook Pro as soon as this evening.
We know it’s unlikely but it’s not that unlikely. Apple’s devices tend to have long lifespans, far longer than most tech does. So it’s not out of the question that some of you are still using an Apple iPhone 5, even though the handset first launched in 2012. The question now is: do you want to keep using it?
Apple’s developed a bit of a tendency of late — everything seems to be going pro. First it was the Macbook, then it was the iPad, followed by the iPhone a few weeks ago. Next up? Apple’s AirPods, in the shape of the newly-announced AirPods Pro.
Back in June, Google discovered a range of security flaws in iPhone software that injected malicious code into phones. Here’s what happened.
Fortnite is gone, RTX is coming to classic games, you can now answer a call on your PC (if you dare), and you cannot answer calls on iOS 13.
We’re glad Apple kept the naming convention simpler this year. We got our hands on the iPhone 11 Pro in midnight green, and here’s what we think.
Welcome to the next round of the rumour mill. This time we’ve got details on the iPhone SE2, like when we’ll see it and what specs to expect.
So you’d like to see America’s trade war in action, would you? Here’s an example:…


text:
High rents didn't help.
Focus DIY collapse - too small or too poor?
Published: 31 May, 2011
CREWE: The collapse of Focus DIY has highlighted the role of private equity firms and their negative effect on companies.
An analysis by the Observer newspaper found that one private equity firm, Duke Street Capital, which made an initial investment of £68m in 1998, took £700m out of Focus after presiding over a series of capital and debt restructurings that turned the small Midlands-based chain into a DIY giant with sales of £1.5bn.
Apax, its investment partner, which put in £120m, pocketed £183m when the Wickes chain was sold in a £950m deal that ultimately left the remnants of the chain struggling.
Ernst & Young could not find a buyer for Focus which had estimated losses of £40m and liquidating the business is not expected to raise enough money to repay secured creditors in full.
The Observer quoted Janet Williamson, senior policy officer at the TUC, who said it was impossible to tell whether Focus could have survived under different financial structures. "It sounds a depressing, familiar scenario, where a company is bought by private equity firms and essentially loaded with debt. What too often follows is year after year of value extraction," she said.
Simon Allport, one of the administrators, said debt was one of "multiple factors", which included an onerous rent bill that contributed to Focus's downfall. "There was some over-leverage there and it was unable to service its debts," he said. "Unfortunately Focus was the fourth-largest chain in a competitive market – and size matters," he said.