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If you're completely relying on a particular ecosystem of products, you'd expect them to have easy connectivity options, at least among each other. While Apple has among the best in-sync mechanisms on the software end using iCloud and AirDrop, the company has some serious issues with hardware.
Anand Mahindra, CEO of Mahindra Group, bought himself an iPad Pro and realised a normal iPhone lightning connector no longer works with it. To charge the new tablet, a USB-C connection has been provided and you need to carry a separate connector for the device. This fact annoyed the Indian billionaire and he expressed his disappointment on Twitter.
In a tweet, Mahindra said that he will have to buy a new charger as well as earphone which will add to the list of accessories he needs to carry while travelling. The business tycoon added that this is why most people are sticking to the existing model of their device.
When Apple released the lightning connector in 2012, it was supposed to be the de facto option for devices like mobiles and tablets. Don't get us wrong, USB-C is equally advanced and in many cases even better thanks to compatibility with non-Apple devices. But, Apple has been pushing the new port very selectively, coercing users to carry two cables at a given point, one for the iPhone and one for the iPad.
Got a new iPad & found that the lightning connector's been https://t.co/UmJpsLysGo need a new charger which doesn't work with my iPhone&new earphones too.More junk when I travel. Great strategy to boost accessory sales, but not surprised more folks are sticking to existing models— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) January 18, 2019
If Apple is serious about pushing USB-C in all its devices, it should also upgrade the port on iPhone's. Over the years, Apple has been as frustrating as it is innovative, especially when it comes to changing chargers on its devices.
Apple also removed the MagSafe port from the Mac line-up and added a USB-C instead. This led to even more problems for the end user since the laptop completely eliminated USB-A, forcing users to depend on multiple dongles for SD cards, HDMI, and more.
Buying a new cable for an Apple device is also significantly expensive, leaving users with no option but to spend or perish. He also expressed unhappiness over the matter that the accessories like earphone for iPhone is also not compatible with iPad Pro.
When Apple removed the headphone jack from iPhones, it provided small lightning to 3.5mm dongle in the box. With the latest iPhones, even the dongle isn't available out of the box.
© The Verge
The point is, Apple is a premium brand should stop ignoring basic user requirements. While these actions are getting them some more cash in the short term, pissing off buyers is never a good idea in the longer run.


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This article was first published on Insights – Ripple
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us one thing about payments, it’s that speed, reliability and on-demand access to money is critically important in a world powered by digital interaction. Our world may be forever changed, but with that change comes the potential to optimize better ways of doing day-to-day life tasks—payments included.
Given the current economic landscape, we recently posited that real-time, instantaneous payments are now more important than ever. And there’s a logical extension to this view, centered around the growing necessity and demand for affordable and immediate cross-border payments.
Solving for the glaring deficiencies of the current cross-border payment ecosystem is a challenge that must be overcome. Currently stymied by antiquated systems and a lack of universal protocols and regulations, cross-border payments are way more burdensome for the end-user than they should be.
Luckily, that tide seems to be shifting. Powerful new technologies built on blockchain and empowered with digital assets are catalyzing a sea-change in how money is moved around the world, with the potential to unlock enormous benefits for both individuals and businesses as societies worldwide continue to digitize.
A Snapshot of the Cross-Border Payment Landscape Today
If you’ve ever had to send money abroad, then you’re well aware of how frustrating the process can be. To say that the current infrastructure for cross-border payments is broken would be an understatement. It’s a very slow, expensive process—and you often don’t know if or when your money will even arrive. This sits in stark contrast to the digital services we now not only expect, but rely on more than ever.
Sending global, cross-border payments should be easy, seamless, immediate and cost-effective. However, the underlying systems, protocols and liquidity management models underpinning cross-border payments are complex, restrictive and fragmented. This means costly delays and high ...
To keep reading, please go to the original article at:
Insights – Ripple

domain: news


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Several Colorado beermakers took home some of the 248 medals awarded at the 2011 Great American Beer Festival in Denver.
The three-day event, which ended Saturday at the Colorado Convention Center, was presented by the Boulder-based Brewers Association, which calls the Denver festival the largest commercial beer competition in the world. Some 49,000 attended.
The festival judged 3,930 beers -- up from 3,523 last year -- entered by 526 breweries from 48 states plus Puerto Rico. Eighty-three beer categories were assessed by 167 judges from nine countries, who awarded gold, silver and bronze medals.
In the festival's "Pro-Am" competition, pairing amateur brewers with professionals in making homebrew recipes, brewmaster Dennis O'Harrow of Westminster-based C.B. & Potts Restaurant & Brewery and homebrewer Tom Gardner won gold. And brewers at Dry Dock Brewing of Aurora and homebrewer Ted Manahan took bronze.
The most competitive beer-style category was American-Style India Pale Ale, with 176 entries. Deviant Dale's, by Oskar Blues Brewery of Longmont, took silver in that category.
Indianapolis-based Sun King Brewing Co. led the awards pack with eight medals, including four golds, the most at that level.
In the key brewery and brewer of the year category, Pabst Brewing Co. of Woodridge, Ill., was named top large brewing company, while Firestone Walker Brewing Co. of Paso Robles, Calif., took mid-sized honors in the category and Chuckanut Brewery of Bellingham, Wash., was named top small brewer.
Last year, Golden's Blue Moon Brewing Co. was named large brewer of the year.
Mark Harden directs print and digital news content for the Denver Business Journal and compiles the daily "Afternoon Edition" email newsletter. Email: email@example.com. Phone: 303-803-9227.


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Although not quite an example of “Model Mad“, this culinary entrepreneurial activism sends a message to both consumers and food industry colleagues alike.
Karen Leibowitz and Anthony Myint opened the Perennial in San Francisco last year with a clear mission in mind: Run an environmentally friendly restaurant with a minimal carbon footprint, and inspire other restaurateurs to do the same.
As [the current administration] has questioned the existence of climate change, Ms. Leibowitz and Mr. Myint have emerged as activists, at the forefront of a growing movement of chefs who not only recognize and measure the impact of their industry on the planet, but also look for new ways to undo the damage.
Mr. Myint and Ms. Leibowitz, who are married, have been immersed for the last few years in the research that directs every decision at the restaurant, like choosing the kitchen’s energy-efficient equipment and its raw ingredients, many of which are grown in ways that can regenerate the soil.
In addition to the Perennial, Ms. Leibowitz and Mr. Myint founded the Perennial Farming Initiative, a nonprofit organization that aims to share their research in creative ways, and use food to fight climate change.
The Apocalypse Burger is one of Mr. Myint’s many memorable, darkly funny creations, and a look at how a chef’s politics might shape the food on his plate in unexpected ways. The burger, which Mr. Myint developed for the menu at In Situ, a restaurant inside the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, looks unfamiliar at first, and out of proportion.
The bite-size patty, covered in American cheese, is concealed in a black shell that resembles a charcoal briquette.
Mr. Myint says he will reconfigure the Apocalypse Burger for the Perennial’s new menu, making it bigger and serving it on a squid-ink bun. And he will use other visual puns to make new food that’s playful, communicating his ideas deliciously, without scolding anyone….
…At the Drawdown Getdown, an event focused on climate education in San Francisco on Sept. 24, Ms. Leibowitz and Mr. Myint plan to join the author Paul Hawken to discuss how food choices can make a positive impact on the environment. They will install interactive exhibits, like a large scale with weighted cubes that represent ingredients and their relative carbon footprints, and a compost exhibit squirming with worms.
Read the entire article here.


text: News 03 Dec 2020 Updated 08 Dec 2020 As economies rebuild for a more sustainable future, opportunities abound The Business Times Share: Mr Hoe: There are many opportunities for firms here to internationalise, as well as to speed up the pace of their digitalisation efforts. PHOTO: ENTERPRISE SINGAPORE WITH the Covid-19 pandemic still raging on around the world, companies in Singapore - both the big boys and the smaller players - are feeling the effects of the vast disruption caused to their businesses and industries. Still, there are many opportunities for firms here to internationalise, as well as to speed up the pace of their digitalisation efforts. Clarence Hoe, global market director (Americas and Western Europe) at Enterprise Singapore (ESG), gives his take on why companies should go global even in an economic downturn, and how they can take advantage of the European Union-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (EUSFTA) to penetrate the lucrative European market. Q: What is the importance of internationalisation amid the Covid-19 pandemic? Should companies still pursue internationalisation? Covid-19 has become the crisis of our generation, and brought about unprecedented disruptions to the way we work, live and play. The global economy is undergoing fundamental shifts and presents internationalisation opportunities which Singapore companies should seize to stay relevant and ride the eventual recovery. First, governments and companies around the world are intent on developing resilient operating models to mitigate against future disruptions. Singapore companies with customers in Europe could consider setting up regional distribution centres in European Union (EU) countries with well-developed transport, logistics and distribution ecosystems, such as the Netherlands or Poland. Second, accelerating the pace of digital transformation is another area where opportunities abound in an increasingly inter-connected world. To support the participation of Singapore trade associations and companies in virtual trade shows, ESG has expanded the scope of its Market Readiness Assistance and Local Enterprise and Association Development programmes. Finally, as economies around the world rebuild for a more sustainable future, this opens up new opportunities. For instance, the European Commission will be pursuing a European Green Deal to make Europe the world's first carbon-neutral continent by 2050. Singapore companies supplying to European companies will need to better understand their carbon footprint, while those developing sustainable products will find a growing market in the EU. Q: How can Singapore companies better position themselves to capture opportunities in the EU? Singapore companies are recognised for their reliability and quality, especially in products such as medical devices, automation and digitalisation solutions, and advanced materials. In recent years, Singapore startups have also built up a track record of collaborating with European corporates on open innovation projects. Singapore companies keen to capture opportunities in the EU should consider these three approaches: Leverage the EUSFTA The EU is the world's largest single market with GDP of 13.9 trillion euros (S$22.4 trillion) in 2019, and is Singapore's fourth largest trading partner for goods. Under the EUSFTA, Singapore companies will benefit from greater access to the EU single market, increased government procurement opportunities, and the progressive elimination of tariffs on exports of made-in-Singapore products. Leverage ESG's initiatives Even while Covid-19 has halted international travel, ESG has not let up on helping companies make the necessary connections. We organised webinars, virtual missions and pitching sessions, promoted flagship events and multilateral innovation collaboration platforms, and continued to assist companies one-to-one. Germany, the largest economy in the EU, is a focus market for our virtual outreach efforts. On Oct 21 this year, ESG and the Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) held the inaugural Germany Singapore Business Forum (GSBF) Connect during the Industrial Transformation Asia-Pacific show, attracting over 2,400 registrants. We also worked with eight supporting partners to facilitate close to 300 business matches. ESG and the APA will also be organising the next edition of GSBF Connect during the Singapore Week of Innovation and Technology on Dec 9. Leverage in-market partnerships Finding a reliable partner is often the most effective way of entering a new overseas market. Companies can leverage in-market partnerships to build awareness and tap the strengths of particular markets or regions in the EU to build a stronger value proposition. For example, the Central and Eastern European (CEE) markets have highly innovative ICT ecosystems, with a well-trained IT workforce and globally-exposed software development companies. Singapore companies in the ICT and financial technology sectors can consider finding CEE partners to boost product development for their home markets, or as a stepping stone to penetrate the rest of Europe. The CEE is also home to innovative startups such as Transferwise and Skype, presenting opportunities for Singapore companies and investors to add financial and technology value to their existing portfolios through partnerships and investments. Within Western Europe, the potential areas for co-innovation are in medical devices, mobility solutions, sustainability and digitalisation of services (healthcare, retail, finance, logistics, trade, and so on). The pandemic has accelerated the demand for innovative and digital solutions across many countries. There are various ways - through distributorships, joint trials or product development - for Singapore companies to enter the markets. ESG has a longstanding presence in Europe, with four overseas centres in Frankfurt, Istanbul, London and Moscow. We actively facilitate partnerships between Singapore and European enterprises, and run co-innovation programmes with in-market partners to foster R&D partnerships. An example is the Eureka GlobalStars programme, which attracted 273 participants from 15 countries in the second programme call held recently. Singapore has also set up Global Innovation Alliance nodes in two EU countries - France and Germany - to connect Singapore startups and SMEs to business and technology communities in these markets. Q: How can Singapore companies leverage the EUSFTA in their market entry into the EU? The EUSFTA will provide for liberal and flexible rules of origin (ROOs) for the EU's and Singapore's key exports to each other's markets, including automobiles, chemicals, clothing and textiles, electronics, machinery, pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals. It is also the first bilateral FTA in which Singapore incorporated enhanced market access for Asian food products made in Singapore, such as har gow (prawn dumplings) and sambal ikan bilis (spicy crispy anchovies). These Asian food products can enter the EU tariff-free under flexible ROOs, up to a combined quota of 1,250 tonnes annually, if the Singapore food manufacturers are certified to meet the EU's sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards for food imports. Q: How can Singapore look to the EU as new source markets for products, and what role does Singapore play as a hub for trade in South-east Asia? Singapore's good transport connectivity to Europe, transparency of processes, and vibrant trade and logistics ecosystems make Singapore the first destination for European producers wanting to penetrate the wider Asian region. Conversely, Europe is a prime candidate when Singapore needs to consider source diversification options. European companies have proven to be reliable partners in keeping supply chains functioning especially in times of crisis. An example is food producers from Poland, who recognise that Singapore companies have extensive trade networks within South-east Asia which will help them capture the much larger regional market. Additionally, entry into Singapore, known for its high standards of food safety, provides good validation of the quality of the products. Separately, the reduced tariffs under the EUSFTA will benefit imports of alcohol from the EU into Singapore. This has generated interest in Singapore as an alcoholic beverage distribution hub, as we received new enquires from wine and spirits producers from Europe. Source: The Business Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.


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Didi will offer booking services from other providers within its app
Posted On July 17, 2019
Following Meituan’s consolidation of various car-hailing competitors within its app, Didi will soon open its platform to other state-backed automakers which includes FAW, GAC, and Dongfeng Motors. A growing number are making efforts to enter the sharing economy market and get listed on rides booking platforms signaling a slow-down of the automobile industry development amid a nationwide stagnating economy. It is hoped the new business model will help them deal with inventory pressure.


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With National Breast Cancer Awareness Month under way, the New York Attorney General’s Office is reviewing commercial marketing campaigns that promise to benefit breast cancer charities with the sale of certain products and services.
The office’s Charities Bureau has begun sending questionnaires to more than 124 companies and about 40 charities engaged in breast cancer “cause marketing,” requesting details within 20 days about advertising, promised donations, campaign duration and donation limits.
Letters began going out Thursday.
Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says consumers deserve to know their purchases are doing the good that’s promised.
A spokeswoman says all the charities are registered in New York. Some of the companies are not based here.
More breaking news
- Binder & Binder files for bankruptcy
- FAA, industry launch drone safety campaign
- NLRB: McDonald’s violates worker rights
- Putting ‘their money where their mouth is,’ environmentally
- State court upholds Brookhaven sign law
- Reliance purchases Hauppauge building
- US home sales drop sharply
- NY requires Ocwen reforms, $150M homeowner help
- Island Swimming leases Yaphank space
- Gas prices plummet ahead of holidays


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Seeking to overcome an economic crisis that has sent the peso to historic lows, the Argentinian government says it will reduce the number of ministries by half and to apply new taxes on exports, including on raw commodities.
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Two-thirds of food-can linings contain BPA
Two-thirds of food cans tested have linings containing BPA, US study shows
Brussels, 31 March 2016 – A report released today following the testing of nearly 200 food cans for the toxic chemical, Bisphenol A (BPA) found that two out of three cans have the chemical in the lining. (1)
The report, Buyer Beware: Toxic BPA & Regrettable Substitutes in the Linings of Canned Food, by six North American non-profit organizations (2) includes findings from tests on the linings of 192 cans of vegetables, fruit, soups, sauces, milk and beans from big brands such as Campbell’s, Del Monte, General Mills, Nestle and more.
BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical that negatively impacts our hormonal systems. Evidence suggests it may contribute to a host of harmful health effects including breast and prostate cancer, infertility, type-2 diabetes, obesity, asthma and attention deficit disorder. More recent studies indicate that it can lead to the development of food allergies and weaken resistance to infections. Bisphenol A, when used in epoxy can linings, migrates into the food which is one of the main sources of people’s exposure to this chemical.
The report’s alarming findings include:
100 percent of Campbell’s products sampled (15 cans) contained BPA-based epoxy, while the company claims they are making significant progress in a transition away from BPA.
71 percent of 10 Del Monte cans tested positive for BPA.
50 percent of 12 General Mills cans tested positive for BPA.
Although fewer cans were tested for the large Europe-based company, Nestle, all 3 cans of Nestlé Carnation (milks and creams) tested contained BPA.
What about the alternatives?
For the first time ever, this report also identified the replacement materials for BPA in can linings, and to what extent – if any — their safety has been studied.
It found that aside from BPA, four major coating types were identified among the 192 cans tested: acrylic resins, oleoresin, polyester resins, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) copolymers. Multiple formulations of these compounds were found but it was not possible to determine the specific chemicals used or how they are produced. The authors say that manufacturers should disclose which chemicals are used in these formulations. They recommended more research to determine the safety of these compounds and to show what toxics may be migrating from the “alternative” can linings into food.
The report recommends that companies and retailers eliminate (and safely substitute) BPA from all food packaging and label all chemicals used in can liners. They say consumers should choose fresh or frozen food or look for food packaged in other materials, such as glass. The authors have also launched a video about BPA in food can linings and an online campaign. (2)
Reaction in Europe
Lisette van Vliet, Senior Policy Advisor for the Health and Environment Alliance says:
“This report shows that the food packaging industries are barely moving when it comes to eliminating BPA from food cans in the USA. Here, meanwhile, the European Commission plans to set a limit on BPA in food contact materials which the industries anticipate will mean “business as usual”. HEAL wants European and national authorities to do better in protecting our health. We call for swift action to get BPA out of food packaging and make sure the alternatives used are safer. A recent report from the Dutch public health institute also concludes that stronger measures should be taken to reduce people’s exposures (3).”
Some EU and national regulation of BPA in food packaging already exists in Europe. For example, BPA cannot be used in baby bottles in the EU. Sweden, Denmark and Belgium have banned BPA in the food contact materials (including packaging, plates, cups and cutlery) intended for children under three years old. France has banned the use of BPA in all food contact materials. (4)
An opinion published by the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) in January 2015 concluded that current levels of exposure to BPA from various sources, such as food contact materials, cash receipts (thermal paper), cosmetics and toys for example, would not pose a risk to health. This has provoked criticism from some national bodies and scientists, who consider the safety level set by EFSA as too high. When the European Commission asked for reactions to its proposed “road map” on BPA, HEAL took the opportunity to say that it believes that relying on EFSA’s risk assessment of BPA represented “a poor policy choice”. (5)
BPA has recently become officially classified in the European System as ‘toxic to reproduction’ (6).
Lisette van Vliet, Senior Policy Advisor, HEAL, firstname.lastname@example.org Tel: +32 2 234 36 45. Mobile: +32 484 614 528
Diana Smith, HEAL Communications and Media Adviser, Diana@env-health.org, mobile: +33 6 33 04 2943
Notes for Journalists
1. Press release: http://www.toxicfoodcans.org/press-...
2. Report: Buyer Beware: Toxic BPA & Regrettable Substitutes in the Linings of Canned Food (#BPA #ToxicFoodCans) was conceived and authored by the Breast Cancer Fund; Campaign for Healthier Solutions; Clean Production Action; Ecology Center; Environmental Defence (Canada); and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families’ Mind the Store campaign. The full report, video and link to campaign call are all available here http://www.toxicfoodcans.org/
3. Dutch public health institute (RIVM) advises Dutch government to reduce exposure to BPA, March 2016, http://www.env-health.org/resources...
4. HEAL’s policy briefing, Food contact materials and chemical contamination, 15 January 2016, http://www.env-health.org/resources...
5. EFSA’s conclusions on BPA, 12 February 2015, http://www.env-health.org/news/late...
6. The EU Commission member state REACH committee recently classified BPA as category 1 B, “a presumed reproductive toxicant”. This means BPA is now recognised as a substance which can adversely affect the human reproductive system.
Originally posted on 31 March 2016
- 30032016 - HEAL PR US BPA in cans (PDF – 294.8 kb)


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D&H Announces Expansion to Canada
D&H Distributing announced Monday that it has opened a distribution warehouse in Canada, marking the distributor’s first-ever foray outside the United States. The company hopes the new 38,000-square-foot warehouse in Mississauga, Ontario, will deliver them at least 1,000 new customers.
The move establishes a new Canadian division of the company called D&H Canada ULC, which will be headed by General Manager Greg Tobin. The company is already partnered with several Canadian brands, including Brother International, Creative Labs, Logitech, and ViewSonic.
D&H attributed the decision to move north to several factors, including demand Canadian resellers and manufacturers, and vendors who also sought to move their products north of the border. D&H is seeking a chunk of the $6.2 billion Canadian IT distribution market.


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Ryanair, Europe’s No. 1 airline, today (10 Mar) released its Plovdiv winter 2017 schedule on sale on the Ryanair.com website, allowing customers to book their low cost flights all the way out to March 2018.
Ryanair’s Plovdiv winter 2017 schedule includes:
- 2 new Plovdiv routes to Milan Bergamo (2 weekly) and Brussels Charleroi (2 weekly)
- 3 routes in total
- 9 weekly flights.
Ryanair customers can book their summer or winter 2017 holidays on even lower fares as Ryanair passes on lower fuel costs, and can look forward to an even better customer experience, as it continues to roll out its “Always Getting Better” improvements.
Ryanair’s Denis Barabas said:
“We are pleased to release our new Plovdiv winter 2017 schedule for sale on the Ryanair.com website, which includes new Plovdiv routes to Milan Bergamo and Brussels Charleroi, and 3 routes in total. Plovdiv customers and visitors can now book flights out as far as March 2018 and can look forward to even lower fares, so there’s never been a better time to book a low fare flight on Ryanair. We urge all customers who wish to book their holidays to do so now on the Ryanair.com website or mobile app, where they can avail of the lowest fare air travel to and from Plovdiv.
To celebrate the launch of our winter 2017 schedule we are releasing seats for sale across our European network from just €19.99, which are available for booking until midnight Monday (13 Mar). Since these amazing low prices will be snapped up quickly, customers should log onto www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out.”
For further information
Robin Kiely Olga Pawlonka
Ryanair DAC Ryanair DAC
Tel: +353-1-9451949 Tel: +353-1-945768


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Survey reveals increase in local agricultural food supplies
A nine per cent increase and the greater availability of local produce has led to a decline in average prices for May 2020.
This was revealed in a report on local market survey issued by the Samoa Bureau of Statistics (S.B.S.). The report is a monthly review of selected agricultural produce available at the local markets in Upolu and Savai'i based on the price data and volume index survey.
The key findings of the survey showcased an overall volume increase of 9 per cent while increased availability pushed average prices down by 9 per cent when compared to April 2020.
The significant increases in the supply of vegetable largely impacted the overall rise in the volume index and the 9 per cent decline in the price index.
However, the value of supplies rose 11 per cent to $52,800 from the previous month.
Furthermore, an average of 230 sellers trading at the local market was recorded in the month under review; 7 per cent higher than the previous month but 16 per cent lower when compared with the same month last year.
The volume of taro in May 2020 has declined by 32 per cent to 6,148 kilograms from April 2020; a level that was 13 per cent lower than the same month last year.
Limited taro in the Local Markets pushed its average price up 11 per cent to $2.52 per kilogram. When compared with May 2019 current price was 2 per cent lower.
The current supply of taro in the month under review contributed to a 9 per cent increase in volume when comparing to the twelve months ending May 2020 over the twelve month ending May 2019 while price fell by 5 per cent.
The supply of banana to the local markets in May 2020 rose 9 per cent to 1,243 kilograms from April 2020; a level that was 12 per cent higher than the same month a year ago. Strong domestic demand pushed its average price up 8 per cent to $1.28 per kilogram. The current price for banana revealed no change when compared with the same month last year.
When comparing the 12 months ending May 2020, over 12 months ending May 2019, banana supplies were 51 per cent higher while increased availability pushed its average price down 4 per cent.
At an average of 100 kilograms, ta’amu supplies in May 2020 was more than tripled while increased availability pushed its average price down 47 per cent (to $4.34 per kilogram). This is the highest volume recorded for ta’amu since December 2019. When compared with May 2019, current supply of ta’amu was 80 percent lower while its average price was 41 per cent lower.
Current supply of ta’amu in the month under review contributed to a 42 percent decrease in ta’amu volume when comparing the twelve months ending May 2020 over twelve months ending May 2019 while limited availability pushed its average price up 8 per cent.
The coconut supplies in May 2020 remained unchanged from the previous month while its average price increased by 7 per cent to $1.01 per kilogram.
However, at an average of 76 kilograms, breadfruit supply in May 2020 was more than doubled from April 2020. Increase demand to the markets pushed its average price up 13 per cent to $1.94 per kilogram.
The supply of yam in the month under review increased 37 per cent to 65 kilograms from the previous month while increased availability pushed its average price down 10 percent to $3.97 per kilogram.
A general overview of all vegetable produce to the local markets in May 2020 revealed significant gains in all vegetable supplies.
The head cabbage supplies registered the largest increase of fivefold to 456 kilograms from April 2020 followed by cucumber supplies increasing more than double to 976 kilograms while tomato supplies also rose 63 per cent to 80 kilograms when compared to the previous month. Chinese cabbage supplies increased 12 per cent to 102 kilograms while pumpkin supplies rose 31 per cent to 4,370 kilograms from April 2020.
Subsequent to the increase in the supply of all vegetable produce supplied to the local Markets average prices in the month under review decreased for all vegetable.
The average prices for cucumber fell 19 per cent to $4.85 per kilogram while Chinese cabbage prices declined 11 per cent to $6.35 per kilogram from the previous month.
And average prices for pumpkin fell 8 per cent to $4.44 per kilogram followed by tomato prices decreasing 7 per cent to $17.92 per kilogram while head cabbage prices declined 2 per cent to $9.90 per kilogram.
Despite the time restriction imposed by the State of Emergency for the closing of the local markets the number of sellers on the days surveyed in May 2020 increased 7 per cent to 230 sellers from the previous month and was 16 per cent lower when compared with the number of sellers in the same month a year ago.


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Note: This is the featured story from the latest issue of Card Player Magazine, now available online for free. Click here to read the entire issue.
The year was 1992, and there were signs that perhaps poker’s reputation was changing. Card Player Magazine, then in its fifth year of operation, decided to make note, devoting an entire issue to the subject of player sponsorships.
It was an incredibly novel concept. After all, what reputable business would want some seedy poker player to…
… Continue Reading at: www.cardplayer.com [source]


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Blackstone Group's Q4 loss widens to $415.2 million
Private equity firm Blackstone Group LP said on Friday it continued to lose money during the fourth-quarter as the ongoing credit crisis hurt the value of its investments.
Tatas to refinance funds raised for Corus takeover
Tata Steel, world's sixth largest steel firm, on Thursday said it has refinanced 3.62 billion pound (7.196 billion dollars) of debt taken to fund its 12.9 billion dollar acquisition of Anglo-Dutch ste...
Financial tips for single mothers
The biggest challenge single mothers face is financial security. Here are some important steps they should ...
US consumer borrowing increases in April
Americans relied a lot less on their credit cards in April with debt in that area rising at the slowest pace in nearly three years.
ArcelorMittal loan terms loosened
ArcelorMittal SA, the world's largest steel maker, said Friday that its loan terms have been loosened, with bankers agreeing not to increase borrowing costs as long as its debt-to-earnings ratio stays under a new, higher limit.
Tata Motors' consolidated debt jumps to Rs 47,149 cr in FY12
Tata Motors' consolidated debt during last financial year increased by nearly 44 per cent to a whopping Rs 47,149 crore on account of a series of long-term borrowings.
Why using a credit card makes sense
If you can keep temptations at bay, then you can master the art of using the credit card to your advantage.
Consumer borrowing plunges by $15.7 bn in April
Borrowing by consumers fell by $15.7 billion in April as U.S. households continued to trim spending and put away their credit cards amid a severe recession.
Struggling studio MGM says it's looking for buyer
Struggling movie studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc is looking for a buyer.
Tatas to finance Corus deal via debt, equity
Raising speculation that the Tatas are on an overdrive to raise funds to finance Tata Steel’s acquisition of Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus, Tata Sons has sold around 85 lakh shares of TCS at Rs 1,059 per share.
Cairn gets going, ropes in DSP Merrill as lead manager
The countdown to the initial public offering (IPO) of Cairn Energy, the Scottish oil major, has begun.
Maintain a good credit score to ensure easier access to loans
Since the growth of the credit information industry, the only implemented generic scoring model that has been introduced and is being used extensively by lenders in India is the Cibil TransUnion Score.
Mylan Labs to acquire 71.5% stake in Matrix
Indian drug maker Matrix Laboratories Ltd on Monday said US-based generic pharma firm Mylan Laboratories Inc will acquire upto 71.5 per cent stake in the company for around Rs 3,424 crore (736 million dollars).
ArcelorMittal gets leeway on $31 bn loans
Arcelormittal said its lenders had agreed to relax covenants on more than $31 bn of credit lines. MNCs expand tech R&D in India | Tips to deal with next recession blow
Why it is important to effectively manage your credit score
The increasing significance of credit reports to the loan seeker prompts questions like what a ‘credit report/ score’ is and how it affects them.
Copyright © 2019 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All rights reserved. For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service


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Interest grows in plant-based auto parts based on University of Guelph research
GUELPH — With many vehicle interior parts made of petroleum-based plastics, the search is on for viable alternatives from agricultural byproducts like certain grasses.
"The automotive industry is very, very interested to have bio-based materials," University of Guelph plant agriculture professor Amar Mohanty said Saturday. He's director of the campus's Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre, which scored another coup recently.
His team was recognized at the 2014 Auto21 conference two weeks ago for its research on hybrid composite materials for making vehicle interior parts.
This group, which included grad students and research associates Vidhya Nagarajan, Arturo Rodriguez and Kunyu Zhang, was honoured for a brief video of their work, as well as a research poster, a visual overview and summary.
They placed first for both the three-minute video and research poster in competitions among 50 teams at the national event.
Mohanty co-led the local Auto21 competition entry with a colleague at the University of Guelph, Mohini Sain.
Auto21 chief executive and scientific director Peter Frise said, following the May 28 conference in Niagara Falls, Canada must go beyond its basic manufacturing competence to develop innovative new products in order "to compete in the global marketplace." Auto21 is part of a network of centres of excellence in Canadian research.
Benefits of adding biological-based components, typically agricultural byproducts like switchgrass, to petroleum products is decreasing vehicle weight, improving parts integration, meeting fuel standards and reducing gasses contributing to global warming.
Mohanty said in a brief telephone interview a main goal is to create bio-based automotive parts that are competitive to conventional ones, but with advantages like their environmentally-friendly aspects, while maintaining the desirable characteristics of petroleum products.
The new, innovative ones also make good use of agricultural byproducts common to Ontario farms, like perennial grasses.
Creating such new products from basic farm materials adds value to those farm enterprises, taking Canadian operations beyond production of basic materials alone, Mohanty said.
Bio-based car parts were in the news last week as well.
Ford Motor Co. and the ketchup maker H.J. Heinz Co. announced they are teaming up on research to turn tomato skins into auto parts.
Scientists at both companies believe they can use tomato fibres to manufacture composite materials used for wiring brackets, or storage bins in cars instead of petroleum-based plastics.


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Max Schrems has filed a complaint against Google with his organization called None of your business in France. According to Schrems, there is unauthorized tracking code that is installed on Android phones without users’ consent.
These are unique ad codes, Android Advertising Identifiers, that are generated on Android phones. These are similar to Apple’s Identifier for Advertisers and allow Google and third parties to track users’ browsing activity. Schrems’ organization Noyb states that it is a “somewhat hidden ID” that allows Google and all apps on the phone to track the user.
These trackers require the user’s consent, but that obligation is ignored by Google, according to Noyb. Google would install the identifiers without permission and not give Android users an option to remove them. Noyb states that users can only reset the identifier, after which a new tracking ID is automatically created to replace it. This would not stop the tracking, nor would the collected data be deleted.
On this basis, the organization has filed a complaint with the French privacy watchdog. Noyb wants this French organization to take action and investigate Google’s tracking practices and force Google to comply with the applicable privacy rules. Noyb also wants fines to be imposed if it is found that the rules are actually being acted on. This mainly concerns Article 5 paragraph 3 of the e-Privacy Directive, which states that users must be informed and have the right to refuse permission.
According to Noyb, these Android Advertising Identifiers are created without the user’s knowledge and therefore being able to give permission for them. According to Schrems, this identifier can be regarded as a kind of registration number for cars. “Imagine you have colored powder on your hands and feet that marks every action: everything you touch within the mobile ecosystem. And you can’t remove it, you can only adjust the color. That’s where it comes in Android Advertising ID is about,” said Stefano Rossetti, a privacy lawyer for Noyb.
The French authority can take a decision immediately, without the need for agreement from other European authorities, as is the case in disputes about the GDPR. About 450 million mobile phones are in use in the EU, of which 306 million use Android. According to Noyb, almost all of them use Google’s tracker. The scope of these Android Advertising Identifiers is therefore enormous, says Noyb. The organization filed similar complaints against Apple a few months ago.


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Bayer recently announced that it will be pulling the Essure birth control device from the US market at the end of 2018.
As for why there is this arguable “Essure recall”, we will start with Bayer’s spin on the situation. From this July 20, 2018 Washington Post news report, “Sales of Essure birth control implant to be halted by Bayer; U.S. last to sell controversial device”:
The company said Essure’s removal from the market was “business decision” prompted by precipitous declines in sales in recent years. It said in a statement that it stands by the safety and effectiveness of the device, and added that women who currently have Essure in place can continue to “confidently” rely on it.
The United States is the last country where Essure is being sold. Last September, citing “commercial reasons,” Bayer announced it was ending sales outside the United States….
For some background and so as to put this Bayer action regarding Essure in perspective, we get this timeline from another item issued July 20, 2018, “Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on manufacturer announcement to halt Essure sales in the U.S.; agency’s continued commitment to postmarket review of Essure and keeping women informed”:
February 2018: FDA officials met with women implanted with Essure and patient advocates to listen to their concerns and experiences with the device.
March 2018: The FDA reported on a rise in new medical device reports submitted to the agency’s public database in 2017 with more than 90 percent of the reports involving potential device removal.
April 2018: In order to address concerns that not every patient was receiving adequate risk information, the FDA restricted the sale and distribution of the Essure device.
One last observation and nothing more: Thousands of Essure products liability lawsuits have been filed against Bayer in U.S. courts during the past few years.[View article at original source]


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Allison Transmission Japan, a designer and manufacturer of conventional and electrified vehicle propulsion solutions, has announced that Allison 3000 Series and 4000 Series transmissions have been selected for the FS, FY and the new FH and FR models of Hino Motors’ HINO 700 Series heavy-duty trucks for the Australian market.
Tag: automatic transmission systems
What’s in a word? Why it is essential to be fully informed about automatics
When deciding which vehicles to buy or lease, it is crucial to be fully confident you are making the best component choices. That you are fully up-to-speed on the differences in performance, usability and running costs, yet, there is one significant technology that not all truck fleet operators are fully aware of, comments Allison Transmission’s, Nathan Wilson.


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Agencies are calling the shots
By Kate Bulkley
For Broadcast April 23, 2015
Ad-funded content is increasingly sophisticated, says Kate Bulkley
Budding TV producers used to aspire to work on programmes with the biggest audiences for the most prestigious broadcasters. But don’t be surprised if the next generation are aiming in a slightly different direction.
Damien Marchi is perhaps a template for success. His career includes working on interactive extensions of iconic TV shows like The X Factor, Star Academy and Big Brother, produced by mega-indies like Fremantle Media and Endemol. But last month he was appointed global head of content for Havas Media Group.
Advertising agencies have woken up to the power of great content and are becoming more sophisticated, no longer simply buying 30-second TV spots or space in newspapers and magazines. There has been a rapid rise in native advertising (the new way to say advertiser-funded content) and the appointment of someone like Marchi to a senior role at Havas underlines that trend.
Havas is committing resources and knowhow to matching content with the distribution platform. To that end, it signed a deal earlier this year with content marketing and syndication software firm NewsCred that will put Havas’ clients’ content onto a wide variety of platforms. It also has a new partnership with Universal Music, which mines customer behaviour data to create new revenue streams for clients.
The best examples of ad-funded content do more than just sell product or increase awareness of the brand. Marchi cites a recent tie-up between Coca-Cola and Ubisoft. They created a branded song within video game Just Dance that was downloaded 10.7 million times via codes printed on the lids of Coke cans. It gave users not only ‘free’ content but a different affinity with the brand. “It’s about building an ecosystem to align the various platforms,” explained Marchi. “We stop trying to control the user, but control the experience on the platforms when they get there.”
Big brands are also adding in-house content specialists. Hotel chain Marriott International launched a ‘content studio’ last year and was named brand of the year at MipTV after releasing Two Bellman (pictured), which featured a Marriott hotel (unsurprisingly) and some well-known stunt guys from YouTube.
Independent producers are increasingly working with agencies and brands directly on creating content that is relevant and shareable. Lionsgate, for example, has just partnered with Comic-Con to launch a Netflix-like VoD service, hoping to attract all sorts of brands interested in the fan event’s younger-skewing demographic.
These online and digital content initiatives are for a variety of age groups, but are particularly being driven by younger demographics, including the so-called ‘Generation K’. The term was coined recently by UK professor Noreena Hertz (who is married to the BBC’s Danny Cohen), and includes girls aged 13 to 20 whose heroine is The Hunger Games’ Katniss Everdeen.
Just like in those books and movies, revolution is afoot in the content creation world – and kids like Katniss are leading it.


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The first floppy disk storage device, released in 1971, featured a storage capacity of just 79.75kb. By 1999, floppy disk storage capacity had risen to around 200MB on 3 ½ inch drives. Then, the CD came out, with 700MB of storage space, before making way for the DVD, with 4.7GB of storage space, and finally the Blu Ray, with between 25GB and 50GB of storage space.
Well, it looks like the storage capacity industry is about to make its biggest leap ever. In a little over a year, Sony and Panasonic have plans to release an optical disc with an amazing 300GB storage capacity.
Now, before you get too excited, you need to remember than there are flash drives with 1TB of storage space, and cloud storage services basically offer an unlimited amount of online storage. Optical discs, for that reason, have fallen out of favor. Today, users download their games and software online (both legally and illegally) and many laptops don’t even need to include optical drives.
However, Sony and Panasonic – two of the largest optical drive manufacturers in the world – clearly see a future for the beleaguered optical disc. Optical discs come with the following advantages:
-Resistant to environmental factors, like moisture, dust, high/low temperatures, and humidity
-Secure, physical storage space as opposed to the security risks of virtual cloud storage
And by 2015, you can add ‘300GB storage space’ to that list of advantages. Prepare to store every family photo you’ve ever taken in your life on a single disc. That’s what the future looks like.


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The big news is that September sales on TRREB, at just over 11,000 units, was a record for the month. It was also 42% higher than for September 2019. As we previously reported, these numbers represent a strong Spring market (usually April, May, June). The reality is that year-to- date sales in 2020 are now equal to those of 2019. That’s a good thing when we look back at how we performed in April.
But this market continues to go in two opposite directions. The low-rise market is hot, and the farther out of Toronto you go, the hotter it becomes (because prices are lower). The condo market is cold. It started with rentals and a lack of demand from tenants. International students stayed away, corporate transfers disappeared, and then young people moved back home. We first pointed out the problem in April. Then, for investors who could not afford to carry their units with no or negative rents each month, they then resorted to the resale market. It started in August, but we forecast that trend back in June. It’s surprising how many people are late to the party.
Why are condos out of favour? People don’t have to be close to work, there is no entertainment or sports, and now you cannot even eat indoors as the winter approaches. Condo prices are off by at least 5% – heading to 10%. I can tell you that there are lots of buyers – investors and end users, waiting for the shake out and our best guess, is that these buyers will enter the market, starting in January. People don’t change their lifestyle over night, and when downtown living returns to some form of normalcy, they will return too. Here are the numbers:
SEPTEMBER CONDO SALES AND NEW LISTINGS
With condos, there is also a buyer preference for cheaper prices over location with COVID-19. *Downtown includes Humber Bay Shores
source: Toronto Real Estate Board
Historically, October has usually been a bigger sales month than September. In 2019, the increase from September was 8% on TRREB. This year, we are already seeing a slow down in sales and we forecast sales in October to be 9,000 units – up 7% from 2019 but down 20% from September of 2020.
The hardest hit market continues to be downtown condos. While sales for September were up 11% over September of last year (vs. 42% for TRREB), we expect that sales for October will also be down by 20%. At the same time ‘active’ listings are up another 6% from the end of September which will further weaken prices.
The market downturn can be explained primarily by the fact that the last three months were really a late spring of April, May, and June sale numbers. The second factor is that a second wave of COVID-19 cases is making some people more hesitant to venture outside.
This chart compares the market from September 2019 to September this year. Despite the global pandemic, numbers this year for both TRREB and Downtown Condos have gone up. However, it is forecasted that the numbers for October 2020 will be lower.
source: Toronto Real Estate Board
Yes, there are still people living Downtown and they appear to be renters. In September of this year, 2,320 condos were leased. That was 75% HIGHER than a year ago. With COVID-19 driving down rents, it was apparent that tenants were shopping for cheaper properties and they found them! We have prepared a table that shows average/median rents by condo type, and with and without parking.
DOWNTOWN CONDO RENTS IN SEPTEMBER 2020


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Insomniac and Marvel has revealed Miles Morales’ very own Advance Tech suit coming in the latest update for the game Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales on the Playstation 4 and Playstation 5
Spider-Man: No Way Home film crew ahowoff set shirts given to them featuring Andrew Garfield’s from Amazing Spider-Man
The Infinity Stones return in series called Infinite Destinies with Black Cat getting pushed as important character
The Infinity Stones are set to return after years of absence in the Marvel Comics universe starting with the Infinite Destinies crossover!
Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios has released the official title for Spider-Man 3 – Spider-Man: No Way Home
Marvel has officially announced Miles Morales: Spider-Man Clone Saga coming April 2021 which sounds like a terrible idea honestly
Here’s a fun collaboration between Marvel, Funko and the Mexican wrestling promotion AAA, a wave of Marvel Lucha Libre Funko Pops!
Here’s a look at the upcoming Classic Suit Spider-Man from Hot Toys based on the game Marvel’s Spider-Man on the PS5 and PS4
Silk returns next year in an ongoing series starting with Silk # 1 by Maurene Goo and Takeshi Miyazawa. Drops in stores March 2021


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Ascension DPW employees sent home to stay healthy for now, parish-wide unemployment filings reach 2,000
GONZALES - Ascension Parish DPW employees were sent home to isolate until plans can be put in place for them to work a safe distance away from one another. Council Chairwoman Teri Casso said the plan was implemented in case there’s an emergency that requires their response.
An example of such an emergency would be a heavy rainfall threat. Parish leaders estimate there’s a billion dollars' worth of flood mitigation equipment that must be manned by DPW personnel during emergencies. Making sure those employees are healthy is part of the reason why they were sent home temporarily.
“It was important because when we get two months down the road, three months into hurricane season, we have people who are well and healthy,” Casso said. “So, we implemented a plan where in the past all those guys went out five to a truck. We couldn’t do that anymore and have to minimize their exposure to each other.”
The plan for them to return will likely be implemented next week.
Wednesday, the Louisiana Workforce Commission reported nearly 2,000 people applied for unemployment in Ascension Parish. It’s a telling sign of the conditions facing the parish with numerous retail shops now closed.
“We know that this economic recovery is going to be different,” Casso said. “There are no washers, dryers, dishwashers to go purchase. Our economy is not just going to take off to go and buy things. So, we are having to consider what that global impact is going to mean in our community.”
Some items up for discussion that are not yet approved are possible property tax abatements to help businesses get back on their feet.
Meanwhile, while coronavirus concerns still loom in the city limits of Gonzales, workers at a popular drug store began marking their sidewalks with chalk for social distancing. The store hopes it will keep people a safe distance from one another as they pick up items and medicine.


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ADT Security Services faces another lawsuit over the brazen privacy-invading actions of a former installation technician who for years was able to spy on consumers’ most intimate moments.
A proposed class action filed this week claims defendants Carrier Global Corporation and Walter Kidde Portable Equipment, Inc. have sold millions of fire extinguishers plagued by a defect that prevents them from activating during a fire emergency.
A proposed class action filed this week claims General Mills Inc. has failed to disclose to consumers that several of its popular Annie’s macaroni and cheese products contain “dangerous and harmful chemicals” known as phthalates.
A proposed class action aims to hold Ring, LLC responsible for what one consumer alleges to be the company’s “egregious” failure to safeguard the privacy of its motion-activated cameras and the personally identifiable information of its customers.
FanDuel has provided to online bettors “materially false and misleading” information about how much time remains in live sporting events, a proposed class action alleges.
The DualSense wireless controllers for the Sony PlayStation 5 are plagued by a defect that causes characters or on-screen action to move—or drift—without user input or operation of the joystick, a proposed class action says.
A proposed class action alleges Google has greatly exaggerated the streaming quality and display resolution of its Stadia cloud gaming service in order to juice subscription numbers prior to the platform’s release.
At least three proposed class actions have been filed against the makers of popular baby food products after a congressional report released Thursday found high levels of heavy metals.
A proposed class action lawsuit filed this week seeks to take Flo Health, Inc. to task over its apparent disclosure of Flo app users’ private health information to advertisers.
With the Super Bowl just days away, the National Football League finds itself as the defendant in a proposed class action over allegedly widespread streaming issues that plagued last year’s big game.


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Earlier today Sony announced a press event for September 2 during IFA. It is there where the next flagship Xperia smartphone is expected to be unveiled. This is probably going to be called Xperia Z5, and it could be the first in the line to come with a fingerprint scanner.
The leaked image you can see below is purportedly depicting the Xperia Z5 to the right of an iPhone 5s, while the Z5 Compact is said to be to the left of Apple's handset.
As there's no way to confirm this picture's authenticity, a healthy dose of salt is required for this one. If it is the real deal, however, then we're looking at the first two Xperias with fingerprint sensors.
These will be embedded in the power buttons of Sony's new phones, which will be located on the right side of each handset - a placement which hasn't changed in years. This would also be the first time a company puts a fingerprint sensor on the side of a device. We've seen a lot of designs that embed it in the Home button below the screen, and others which go for a rear-placed sensor under the camera. And now this.
The Xperia Z5 seems to also have a dedicated camera shutter button, and the volume buttons are under the power button, all on the same right side. Additionally, the leaker of this image says the Z5 line will not feature the USB Type-C port.
I own a Z1C, and I don't see whats wrong with it. Surely my next phone will be a Sony ;-)
I hope the new z5 compact isn't much bigger...I luv my z3 compact
I disagree. XDA developer forums which is mostly an smartphone developer website has advised the z3 compact is one of the worst at drop tests because of manufacturing faults .. They even ran surveys to see how much the phone dropped, was it in a case...


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Updated July 18, 2019
If you are a Club user, you may be scared. Personal data for millions of truck users
It was known that illegal products were sold online, and part of the network was sold on the dark network.
Personal data, as well as information such as phone numbers, according to a Times study
Some users and email addresses, like others, may be sold on private websites and other sites.
fabric. While personal information of international mobile app users is available up to 25,000 euros,
About 2000 U.S. personal data are sold, accounting for 60-70% of mobile apps for 140 million users
Interruption of Swedish cybersecurity first
It was confirmed that user data was copied without permission.
Research has shown that this information can be marketed
There is also information about the condition and condition of the people
people working with an unidentified mobile phone.
The case has long been investigated by a Swedish company
They also received information that was not theirs
The real problem.
However, Truecaller rejects all reports
In the event of bankruptcy, Truecaller is required to protect and secure the personal information of all users
Does not contain confidential information about users
Most of the revenue from the store. Gain knowledge
In addition to the Holiday Reseller Worldwide Contact Book
Payment options through Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in India.
I would like to emphasize that what is stored on our servers is very secure and our storage is not up-to-date. We will
Customer privacy and operational integrity are at risk. We always use it when we study
The new protocol to prevent future testing, a Truecaller spokesman said in a statement.


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More than 90 percent of Maine towns and cities still don’t allow recreational cannabis stores, even as sales in the industry have steadily grown since they started nearly a year ago.
While Brewer and Orono are both on track to allow recreational cannabis stores sometime soon, they’ll join only three other Penobscot County communities that allow such shops — Bangor, Medway, and tiny Stacyville with just 380 residents. Etna allows growing operations but not retail stores.
Across the state, only 47 of Maine’s approximately 500 towns, cities, and plantations have opted in to allow recreational cannabis retailers. Fewer than a third of Maine residents, just 29 percent, live in those communities, though many more live near them, according to data from the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy and the 2020 U.S. Census.
The small number of towns allowing sales presents one hurdle to further growth for the industry, which has only been able to sell recreational weed since last October and posted its highest sales figure yet, $10.2 million, in August. A cannabis industry group acknowledged the slow growth in towns signing onto allowing retail shops.
Read more at bangordailynews.com


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BY LEE VAN DER VOO
A racially charged holiday greeting is fanning the flames of a trade dispute in the solar industry, one that already has business leaders and others feeling touchy.
Sent to overseas associates, the card features a wish-list of top priorities for SolarWorld, with hopes like “job creation” and “safe warranties” dashed by a shrugging Chinese man in a Santa suit.
The image of the toothy Chinese man with a somewhat Grinch-like palor prompted Ocean Yuan, founder of Eugene-based Grape Solar, to express outrage.
In a Jan. 17 letter to Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, Yuan urged the duo to cut ties with SolarWorld. He said the Oregon Democrats should be “embarrassed and outraged by this blatantly racist card and disgraceful caricature attack on the Chinese” because both supported SolarWorld’s trade petition to the Department of Commerce.
SolarWorld’s Ben Santarris, in a statement on the company’s website, said the card was distributed by SolarWorld AG, the German parent company of SolarWorld Industries America Inc., which is based in Hillsboro.
“SolarWorld Industries America Inc. wishes to express its sincere apology to anyone who received an inappropriate and insensitive holiday card,” he said, indicating business contacts in Europe predominantly received an entirely different card sent by the American subsidiary.
The apology hasn’t been made personally to Yuan, who said he received the card after it was forwarded by a supplier. “I was shocked to see that,” he said. “It’s crazy.”
He has plans to circulate the image around Asian-American communities in major cities and the Congressional Asian Pacific Caucus Wednesday, barring response from Merkley or Wyden.
Grape Solar and SolarWorld are on opposite sides of a debate about Chinese subsidies in the solar market. SolarWorld is leading a coalition asking for tariffs on Chinese imports, arguing China’s subsidies to its solar manufacturers are allowing the companies to dump solar cells on the U.S. market for less than the price of making them. Grape Solar is a major distributor of solar panels and among those that argue Chinese components are essential to keeping solar costs low and encouraging adoption of solar technology.
Wyden and Merkley have issued this joint statement:
“We absolutely condemn the card SolarWorld AG sent to its European clients. There can be no debate that it is inappropriate and offensive and SolarWorld AG is right to apologize. The trade complaint filed by SolarWorld USA – which had no part in creating and distributing this card — should be judged on its merits. To do otherwise would be unfair to the American workers losing their jobs because of unfair trade practices.”
Lee van der Voo is a contributing writer for Oregon Business.


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Chinese vice president Wang Qishan said on Tuesday that Beijing was ready to have both discussions with the US on issues of mutual concern and work towards an acceptable trade solution.
Speaking at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore, he called for a proper settlement of international issues based on rules and consensus, as well as a firm stance against unilateralism and trade protectionism.
"As a staunch supporter of the multilateral trading regime, China will implement trade and investment, liberalisation and facilitation policies of high standards," said Wang.
Wang said China would remain committed to its policy of opening up and create more development opportunities for the world. "Guided by the principle of consultation, cooperation and benefits for all, China will work to promote the Belt and Road Initiative for the benefit of the people along the route."
Trade and economic cooperation remain the anchor and propeller for China-US relations
Wang said the world today faced many problems that require close cooperation between China and the United States, and trade and economic cooperation remain the anchor and propeller of a steady and healthy China-US relationship.
"China and the US will both gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. The relationship will have a direct impact on global stability and development," said the vice president.
"The Chinese side is ready to have discussions with the US on issues of mutual concern and work for a solution on trade acceptable to both sides," Wnag concluded.


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Want to join the conversation?
$ZBH recently announced the strategic acquisition of Clinical Graphics, B.V., a novel imaging company specializing in 3D range-of-motion simulation technology to inform treatment decisions for common hip conditions requiring early intervention. The company plans to integrate the new imaging platform to enhance its hip preservation portfolio.
The latest earnings report by $VZ shows how it is losing customers despite offering the unlimited data plans, a record for the company.
$BEBE is closing down all its stores by the end of May.
$WFC agreed to hike its payout in a class-action settlement over unauthorized accounts by $32 million to $142 million for its retail sales practices. The settlement will now include customers who were impacted as early as May 2002.


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Elizabeth Patton: Essential business designation arbitrary
In March and April, as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic became apparent, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management responded to Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order by summarily ordering select businesses to shut down.
Any business that did not meet the agency’s definition of “essential” had to close its doors. Violation was considered a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in county jail and a fine of up to $2,500.
For example, the department decided that golf courses were essential and allowed them to remain open if they followed such reasonable safeguards as 6 feet of social distancing. But other businesses that could also operate outdoors with reasonable safeguards, such as photographers and personal trainers, were closed by the state. The state’s FAQ page for these decisions includes no details or justification for the disparate treatment.
My organization, Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Kansas, launched an investigation into how the state determined which businesses were essential and could remain open. And we have joined the Trust Kansas Coalition to continue to bring transparency and information about this issue to Kansans.
Documents produced in response to our Kansas Open Records Request and published in our investigative report revealed that businesses considered essential and allowed to remain open included liquor stores, vape and smoke shops, home renovators, pool cleaners, bait shops, and scrap gold and silver shops.
Businesses considered nonessential and thus closed, regardless of their ability to operate safely, included retail companies seeking to fulfill online orders without customer contact, photographers, dog groomers and personal trainers.
The confusion, bewilderment and harm to these businesses was evident in their requests to the state to allow them to operate.
For example, one small business owner in Salina wrote to the Division of Emergency Management pleading for permission to have one employee work alone in the warehouse to ship orders and save the jobs of 100 employees: “We are in favor of measures to protect our state’s citizens and our company’s employees. We wish to comply. This one small measure would make a massive difference for the lives of a great many people.”
A Wichita business owner who wanted to operate with one employee fulfilling online orders wrote, “If allowed to do this we would be able to have some semblance of business income and provide our store managers with some form of income until we are able to resume normal business operations.”
The state made no argument that the operations posed a health and safety risk. The industries were simply categorized as nonessential, so the requests were denied.
But there was one type of retailer considered essential that could continue operating to fulfill online orders: golf retailers.
We’re not picking on golf courses or golf retailers. But the favoritism showed by the state is a stark example of how this system failed the citizens of Kansas.
Our sister organizations, Americans for Prosperity, joined an open letter in March warning that “[t]he choice between ‘business as usual’ and ‘close all businesses’ is a false choice … businesses should not operate in a manner that risks public health and neither should businesses close down if they can operate in a manner that protects public health.”
Kansas failed to achieve the right balance because the framework effectively picked winners and losers by industry instead of prioritizing the ability to operate safely. The framework needs to be rebuilt.
Otherwise, small business owners could again be unnecessarily harmed if Kansas is faced with another stay-at-home order to fight COVID-19.
Elizabeth Patton is state director of Americans for Prosperity Foundation-Kansas.


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The iPad mini is now nearly nine months old, and therefore speculation is rapidly building up around its likely replacement, the iPad Mini 2. We investigate the rumors, expected release date and the likely price
The first and most likely addition to the Mini will be a retina display. Compared to the new wave of smaller screened tablets that are hitting the market, led by the Google Nexus 7 2nd gen (we compared the original iPad mini to the Nexus 7 gen 2 here), the original mini iPad is now looking dated in the screen department. In many ways the original mini still stands up well against the newly released tablet, but the resolution in the screens is one big point of difference. Expect Apple to fix this when the Mini 2 comes out later this year. Accordingly to the Wall Street Journal, the most likely screen for the new Apple device will be the Samsung manufactured Retina, which is due for release in Q4 2013.
Online polls suggest that a considerable number of people held off buying the first gen Mini in order to get the anticipated higher resolution second gen. This is symbiotic of the wider problem caused by annual upgrade cycles – many consumers are now savvy enough to know that the big companies are holding technology back for the next release. With new models being worked on for up to two years prior to release, it is often quite forseeable to second guess what will feature in the next iteration.
Much like the iPod touch, it is also heavily rumored that the iPad Mini 2 will feature a wider set of back pane colours. Typically Apple have kept to white and black with their flagship products, but there are strong indications that this is set to change with the next Mini.
Other rumors point to the next-gen not having a retina display, but instead carrying a radically upgraded processor. This is a harder rumor to imagine coming to fruition, bit it is possible that Apple will release a couple of versions of the Mini, at different price points. With a ‘lite’ iPhone expected in September, possibly alongside a bigger ‘phablet’ iPhone 6, Apple are showing an increased readiness to offer different versions of their flagship devices.
In terms of a release date, there is growing traction around the idea of an October 2013 release. Originally believed to be penned in for 2014, Apple are said to have changed their plans. Their CEO, Tim Cook, recently spoke about a ‘big final quarter’ of Apple releases this year. With the new iPhone a certainty, most likely alongside a new Mac pro, it also seems increasingly feasible that the new iPad Mini 2 will also feature.
Apple rumors are always likely to change, be amended and even be proved outright wrong. We’ll keep this article updated with the latest though as we move towards the expected iPad Mini 2 release date.


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When many drug companies decided to cut their sales forces in the early 1990's because of the push into managed health care, William C. Steere Jr., then the new chairman of Pfizer Inc., hired more sales representatives.
That strategy has paid off. By pouring money into sales and advertising, Mr. Steere has transformed Pfizer from a company that could not make the industry's top 10 list when he took over in 1992 to a company that is on course to become the world's largest drug company.
Early yesterday, as expected, Pfizer announced that it would buy the Warner-Lambert Company for $90.27 billion in stock. The combined company, which will be called Pfizer, becomes the second-largest drug company in the world. But because Pfizer also becomes the fastest-growing pharmaceutical company, it is expected to swiftly overtake Glaxo-SmithKline, the British giant being created by Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham, which announced merger plans last month.
After trying for three months to ward off Pfizer's hostile takeover bid, the board of Warner-Lambert approved the deal just before 1 a.m. Monday. And, immediately the two companies began acting like longtime friends, with Warner-Lambert's chairman, Lodewijk J. R. de Vink -- who has decided to step down when the companies combine -- joining Mr. Steere and other Pfizer executives to praise the deal.
''Pfizer and Warner-Lambert represent a new competitive standard for our industry,'' Mr. Steere said. ''By combining two world-class organizations to create the fastest-growing major pharmaceutical company in the world, we are positioned for global leadership.''Continue reading the main story
With the addition of Warner-Lambert, Pfizer will add 2,500 sales representatives to its 5,000 workers now selling drugs in the United States. The combined Pfizer and Warner-Lambert will also have a research staff of 12,000 -- the largest in the world. The need to spend more on research is one reason that many drug companies are now searching for merger partners.
The decoding of the human genome, which is expected to be complete by the end of the year, promises to give drug companies millions of targets to look at when trying to find new drugs.
''In the old days, you only had a few targets to aim at,'' said C. Louis Clemente, executive vice president at Pfizer. ''Now we have many, many targets. It's getting a bit overwhelming to sort out.''
But the growing number of drug mergers is raising concerns in Washington. Yesterday, two ranking senators on the subcommittee that reviews antitrust matters sent a letter to the Federal Trade Commission, urging regulators to scrutinize all three drug mergers that have recently been announced. In December, Pharmacia & Upjohn announced it planned to merge with Monsanto.
''Maintaining strong competition in the pharmaceutical industry is of crucial importance to controlling health care costs and to ensuring that innovation continues to take place,'' Mike DeWine, a Republican from Ohio, and Herbert Kohl, a Democrat from Ohio, wrote to the F.T.C.
An aide on the subcommittee said that hearings may be held on the issue.
Yesterday, Pfizer executives said that they were not concerned about any antitrust issues.
Mr. Steere will remain Pfizer's chairman and chief executive. The 63-year-old executive worked in marketing and sales at Pfizer before becoming a top executive.
And, with Mr. Steere in charge, selling drugs at Pfizer has become more like selling toothpaste.
''Bill Steere sees drugs as a consumer product,'' said Sergio Traversa, an analyst at Mehta Partners, a firm that invests in drug stocks. ''He understands marketing and that you can sell drugs like any other product.''
Besides increasing Pfizer's sales force, Mr. Steere has also invested heavily in advertising drugs directly to consumers. For example, Viagra, one of Pfizer's top-selling drugs, is one of the most heavily advertised products in the industry.
Mr. Steere has also increased the revenue from each sales representative by having them sell drugs made by other companies under joint agreements. Last year, the fastest-growing portion of Pfizer's revenue came from sales of Lipitor, a cholesterol-lowering drug made by Warner-Lambert, and from Celebrex, an arthritis drug made by Monsanto.
Pfizer's agreement with Warner on Lipitor is the reason Pfizer made the hostile bid for Warner.
Under the Lipitor agreement, Pfizer gets about half the profits of the drug, which is expected to have revenues of $5 billion this year. But when Warner-Lambert announced on Nov. 4 that it would buy the American Home Products Corporation, analysts say that Pfizer began to fear that it might lose its agreement on Lipitor.
Hours after Mr. de Vink shook hands with John R. Stafford, the chairman of American Home, Pfizer began an $82.4 billion hostile offer for Warner. After months of bickering and fighting each other in court, the two companies agreed last week to a merger.
Many Warner-Lambert executives were not offered top management positions at the combined company -- a reason Warner-Lambert tried so hard to fend off Pfizer's attack.
Warner-Lambert also has a large consumer products division, selling products ranging from Listerine to Bubblicious chewing gum, that Pfizer is not keen about.
But Pfizer executives said yesterday they had no plans to try to sell the consumer products division. And, while Pfizer's headquarters will remain in New York City, the consumer products business will be managed from Warner-Lambert's headquarters in Morris Plains, N.J.
Pfizer says that it plans to save $1.6 billion by 2001, and that some jobs will be cut, mostly in management and administrative postions. Analysts said yesterday that Pfizer must cut thousands of jobs to reach that goal. The two companies have a total of 87,000 workers, with 12,000 employees in the New York City area.
Mr. de Vink said yesterday that he was not sure what he would do. Pfizer has offered to pay him as a consultant for his advice after the companies combine their operations, which is expected sometime this summer. Mr. de Vink, 54, said that he did not want to be an executive at Pfizer because he feared his ideas would clash with those of Mr. Steere. ''There must be clarity of command,'' he said, ''clarity of vision.''
''Now,'' he said, ''I have a golden opportunity to redefine my life.''
The merger leaves American Home Products, the spurned suitor of Warner-Lambert, alone again for the third time in two years. Two other proposed marriages -- one with SmithKline Beecham, another with Monsanto -- fell apart in 1998.
But this time American Home walks away with $1.8 billion -- the largest fee that any company has received when a proposed merger ended.
Pfizer had agreed to exchange 2.75 of a share of its stock for each share of Warner-Lambert. Based on Pfizer's closing share price of $35.75 on Friday, that puts the value of the deal for Warner-Lambert's 918.2 million fully diluted shares at $90.27 billion. The deal is subject to approval of the shareholders of both companies.
Shares of Warner-Lambert rose $2.75 yesterday, to $97.3125, a new 52-week high, while shares of Pfizer climbed $1.25, to $37.Continue reading the main story


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Apple stores are busy trying to offload iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S units to make way for the iPhone 5 which is expected to debut in a few weeks. They’re selling the current-gen iPhones at crazy-low prices that may just make some people forget that a new iPhone is coming out shortly. But what about people who don’t want an iOS device? Does the fast-approaching iPhone 5 release date have any benefits for them?
The answer is yes.
It looks like Apple’s competition may be a little worried as well that the upcoming iPhone 5 release date will be hogging all the attention and we’re seeing all sorts of awesome deals for other cool phones in the market. And one of the best deals we’ve seen is for Motorola’s Droid Razr.
This sexy Android phone comes with a 4.3 inch screen and is already LTE-enabled, features that make it comparable to the upcoming iPhone 5. What’s even better is that it’s going to cost way less than Apple’s next-gen device. How much less? What if we told you that you can buy it for just a penny?
That’s right, $0.01 can make you the proud owner of a Motorola Droid Razr over at Amazon Wireless. In fact, for some people, the shipping charges may cost more than the actual unit itself.
The Motorola Droid Razr still packs a pretty heavy punch — aside from the LTE features and the 4.3 inch screen, it’s got a decent 1.2 GHZ processor with 1 GB of RAM. The 960×540 Super AMOLED display is nothing to scoff at either. And for those who enjoy taking pictures of their lunches and posting it on Instagram, you can’t go wrong with its 8 MP rear-facing shooter.
While the iPhone 5 release date may just be around the corner, the Motorola Droid Razr at this unbeatable price may be a better option for people on a budget. Its got decent specs and a sleek design that make this a good choice for people who are looking for a new handheld but don’t necessarily have to have the latest piece of technology out there.


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With the growing popularity of online shopping in India, more and more investors are keen to invest in ecommerce firms and marketplaces with potential growth. With the recent influx of capital into marketplaces like Flipkart and Snapdeal, the scene can only get better with existing players getting bigger and better, and more players entering the Indian Ecommerce market.
Currently, online shopping is most popular among the middle class youth who have more disposable income as compared to a few years back. However, in the next five years, people from smaller cities are also expected to contribute significantly, if not higher than the metros, to online sales. The sales from tier 2 and 3 Indian cities are already at a rise with higher disposable incomes and growing exposure to internet and mobile internet.
Investors, both Indian and foreign, have different reasons for valuing India as a potential market and eyeing the business opportunities:
- Large population
- Good talent in the engineering sector
- NRIs returning to India after having gained experience with giants like Amazon and Google
In 2013, investors pumped in $602 million into the ecommerce space. This year has already had $288 million (Rs 1,785 crore) in the space. Snapdeal raised $133.7 million from existing investors which includes eBay Inc.
According to a 2009 report by Internet And Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and KPMG, Indian ecommerce market was growing at the average rate of 34% annually and was expected to touch $13 billion by end of 2013. The report established a direct relationship between the value of ecommerce, the number of internet users, the number of online buyers and the openness to FDI.
Apart from the stringent government regulations on FDI even now, the other factors have witnessed substantial growth since then. Significant internet penetrations due to growing access and availability of broadband connections have increased the exposure of internet users and buyers. Smartphones and tablets are also more affordable and available in all budgets now due to which people have access to internet even on the move.
The above factors coupled with the convenience and ease of online shopping prompt more and more people to turn to online shopping. There is no doubt that the Indian ecommerce market is growing and everyone wants a piece of it.
How can sellers benefit from marketplace investors
Investors believe that they have only scratched the surface of the Indian ecommerce market and there is a lot of potential growth in store for the Indian ecommerce market. With rising dependence on mobile smartphones, hence more internet penetration, buyers are turning to their mobile devices for online shopping as purchases can be made instantly without waiting to log on to a computer or go to a physical store.
Investors pump money into the top marketplaces which enables them to perform better and offer satisfactory services and deals to sellers they tie up with. As marketplaces grow, their customer base and reach grows which will benefit the sellers selling through them.


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School doors may have barely slammed shut for summer break but Footwear News is already thinking of the shoe trends that will dominate when students make their way back into the classroom in September.
Industry insiders say there are no major trend surprises popping up yet but many of the usual players are set to do big numbers.
Key brands to watch include Vans, Converse, Skechers and Steve Madden, with canvas and fashion-athletic styles, in particular, expected to outperform.
“I think Skechers will be a key winner—especially with adult takedown styles attracting an older child,” said Wunderlich Securities Inc. analyst Danielle McCoy.
B. Riley & Co. LLC analyst Jeff Van Sinderen is equally bullish on the brand.
“Skechers is on fire,” said Van Sinderen. “I think the brand will do well [because they have] a strong assortment of accessibly-priced, on-trend product in kids and plenty of casual/comfort product that appeals to a wide range of older (high school, college and up) age groups.”
CL King & Associates analyst Steven Marotta said he’s placing his bet on Steve Madden which “from a share perspective, is poised to perform well.”
“Steve Madden has a little wind to its back and I think a lot of the styles that are doing well for them in the spring will translate into the fall for back to school—in the fashionable sneaker category in particular,” said Marotta.
Van Sinderen also noted that Nike’s offerings in the basketball category will continue to perform well among kids, teens and young adults.
Retailers forecasted to have the prime share of must-have shoe items include Famous Footwear—Caleres’ standout performer in the family space—and Genesco Inc.’s Journeys.
“Famous Footwear’s offerings are trend-right and in-stock,” said Marotta. “They invested heavily in canvas which has done well in the spring and we think it will do well in the fall.”
McCoy and Sterne Agee CRT analyst Sam Poser also called out Famous Footwear—which reported a 27 percent increase in canvas sales in the first quarter—as a retail chain to watch for back-to-school.
“Famous Footwear is well-positioned with its new marketing,” said McCoy. “They have been working with a third party to enhance consumer engagement and I think the back-to-school campaigns will reflect the work they’ve done.”
McCoy also noted that the retailer’s assortment mix features key back-to-school favorites that include Keds, Sperry, Skechers and Madden Girl.
Journeys, the chain that continues to boost Genesco against pressure from its underperforming chain Lids, capitalized on the strength of strong boots and canvas trends in Q1. Market watchers expect that canvas will remain the driver for the firm’s sales in the back-to-school shopping season.
“Management continues to feel confident in the business with strong visibility into back-to-school in addition to traffic and conversion driving initiatives such as increased catalogue spend…” wrote Susquehanna Financial LLLP analyst Christopher Svezia in a note on May 29.
Regarding new shoe trends, the market will just have to wait to see if something emerges.
“Outside of the usual brands and retailers, there’s nothing else showing signs of strength right now,” said Marotta.


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In a Business Insider article written 2/9/2017, A Nordstrom representative was quoted saying the following “Each year we cut about 10% [of brands carried] and refresh our assortment with about the same amount.”
This statement provokes my interest. Mainly because I bear in mind one of Nordstrom Racks most recent brand cuts…none other then a fashion line titled Ivanka Trump. Donald Trump took to Twitter tweeting the following yesterday morning:
There seems to be a clear clash of heads here between the Trumps and Nordstrom. What is particularly interesting to me is that while the company may cut 10% of brands carried a year, the decision to drop this particular fashion line occurred during a time when their consumers were so called boycotting retailers who carried Trump products. Additionally, a spokesperson from Ivanka Trump’s fashion line stated that sales, especially at Nordstrom Rack, have only been on the up and up. Since Nordstrom Rack’s decision, other big named retailers have dropped Trump products. One such retailer includes Neiman Marcus.
I found out about this whole to do after reading an article from Business Insider. I think this event is very much worthy of discussion as the conflict occurring here has a lot to do with some of the fundamental issues we have been examining in this class. One of the inherent responsibilities of a corporation is to balance and serve the interests and demands of its stakeholders. This is one of the central reasons why businesses need to exist in the first place. Nordstrom Rack pulled Ivanka Trump’s fashion line after discovering that a huge portion of its stakeholders (costumers) were being effected negatively by the choices of the company. It then makes sense to cut the line not only to meet the interests and demands of its stakeholders, but also to remain a self interested entity that looks to maximize its future profits. Leaving Ivanka’s line on the racks at Nordstrom therefor may of challenged future profits.
While I do agree in doing what’s best for the company, their has to be a line drawn between satisfying stakeholders while remaining a self interested company, and being fair as well as ethical. Business is business, and I get that Ivanka Trump’s name may of jeopardized future business. However, dropping a fashion line that is generating profits for a retail company, and doing so after an inauguration where a fair number of people were generally dissatisfied reeks of an agenda. If there was indeed an agenda, I believe such a company may be negatively impacted by the Iron Law of Responsibility. Such a law states that in the long run, those who don’t use power in the eyes society considers responsible will lose it. What is your take?
Peterson, Hayley. “Trump Slams Nordstrom for Dropping Ivanka’s Fashion Line.” Business Insider. Business Insider, 08 Feb. 2017. Web. 09 Feb. 2017


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Watch Out for This Elaborate Credit Card Scheme — It May Cost You Hundreds
A new credit card scam could cost you hundreds of dollars, and your bank’s fraud department may never notice the suspicious charges — without your help.
An Ohio woman recently became a victim of this scam. Her husband, identified only as D.H. from Pepper Pike, Ohio, shared their story with Cleveland.com. It’s an example of the length scammers are willing to go to steal your money and, in the process, make it tougher for you to get your cash back.
Here’s How the Credit Card Scam Played Out
The scammer stole her credit card information and used it to buy a Lenovo Ideapad from Best Buy for $572.39. Thankfully, the victim and her husband signed up for email alerts with their bank and immediately saw the charge, even though it didn’t set off any fraud alerts.
The victims called PNC Bank, reversed the charge and canceled the card right away. But a few days later, UPS brought the Ideapad to their doorstep.
According to Cleveland.com, that’s a part of the scam too. The scammers send the pricy product to your home to avoid scrutiny.
“This transaction was not flagged as suspicious by PNC,” the Cleveland.com article said. “That’s not a slap against PNC. It was a $600 computer being shipped to the card holder’s home. People buy computers.”
If fact, shipping the laptop to the victim’s home is likely what made PNC and Best Buy look the other way.
The scammer’s plan is that the victims don’t notice the charges until the laptop arrives. Then the scammer hopes the victims become so preoccupied with getting the charge off of their credit card and the laptop back to the store that they don’t notice what happens next.
The day after the Ideapad arrived, the scammer presumably processed a return through FedEx. The only problem was the address on the FedEx return label was not to a Best Buy location. It was to a house in Philadelphia.
According to Cleveland.com, the scammer anticipates that the preoccupied victim will not notice the address and will instead send the ill-gotten laptop right to them.
In a convoluted plot already full of twists and turns, there’s a reason why the scammers aren’t afraid to put their addresses on the return labels — the scammers aren’t shipping the electronics directly to themselves.
Instead, the scammers find people to serve as middlemen to intercept the products, then ship them to the actual scammer. They find these middlemen by posting what seem like legitimate work-from-home gigs online and recruiting innocent people to send the stolen goods their way.
The Ohio couple, clearly the luckiest people ever, didn’t fall for that part of the scheme either. Instead, they had already returned the laptop to a Best Buy near their home by the time the FedEx employee showed up at their door.
Although the scammers didn’t get their hands on this laptop, they didn’t lose anything because they used their victim’s money.
What to Do if This Happens to You
This Ohio couple did everything right and still had a tough time explaining this scam to skeptical Best Buy employees.
To protect yourself, be sure to sign up for free alerts from your bank or credit card company so you know early when someone makes a large purchase.
If something you didn’t buy ends up on your doorstep, don’t return it through any shipping service. Instead, go to the nearest store and return it in person and explain what’s going on.
If that’s impossible, call the store’s customer service line to report what happened. Be sure to insist on getting a case number to document the incident and double-check the address on any return label you receive before shipping anything off.
If you accidently return the item to the scammer instead of the store, you could be on the hook to pay for the product, even if your bank initially refunds your money.
Of course, those who get their credit cards stolen aren’t the only victims here: the work-from-home middlemen also get the short end.
If you want to work from home without ending up in the middle of a criminal mastermind’s schemes, read up on how to find legitimate work-from-home jobs with companies you can trust.
Your Turn: Seriously, have you ever heard of a scam with more steps than this one? Tell us about it.
Desiree Stennett (@desi_stennett) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She thinks if these scammers are willing to work THIS hard, they should just get normal jobs.