text: LINDA A. JOHNSONHealth care giant Johnson & Johnson, struggling with tough market conditions, ongoing manufacturing problems and other issues, lowered its profit forecast for the year after posting second-quarter net income that dropped by half due to a slew of litigation and acquisition-related charges. The maker of Band-Aids, medical devices and prescription drugs, its iconic image tarnished by legal and manufacturing lapses, on Tuesday noted some positive signs. They include small increases in hospital admissions and surgical procedures in the U.S. Despite that, revenue dipped by 0.7 percent due to lower sales in the U.S. and for consumer health products worldwide. The results beat analysts' expectations for adjusted profit by a penny, but fell short of the revenue forecast by nearly $250 million. Many J&J nonprescription products remain off the market due to about three dozen recalls since September 2009. The company said Tuesday that they won't all be back in stores until sometime next year. Two of its consumer health product factories are operating at reduced capacity due to increased government scrutiny and the third is being rebuilt from the ground up. J&J noted remediation costs this year have been higher than expected. "We remain committed to and optimistic about the future of our (over-the-counter) business," new CEO Alex Gorsky told analysts on a conference call Tuesday, adding that there's strong consumer demand for products that are back in stores, such as some versions of Tylenol. Gorsky gave what amounted to a long pep talk about the company's great opportunities, despite continuing pressure from government and other health plans to reduce prices. His priorities include resolving the manufacturing problems, building on recent approvals and other success in the prescription drug business, and integrating Swiss orthopedics device maker Synthes. The company bought Synthes in June for $19.7 billion, its largest acquisition ever, and Synthes product sales in the quarter's last couple of weeks boosted revenue by 1.2 percent.


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Equifax hack raises stakes for watching bank, credit activity
September 24, 2017 at 12:02 am
The threat of identity theft continues to make headlines in the aftermath of the giant Equifax breac ...
Discover offering new security service to its cardholders
September 10, 2017 at 12:02 am
Scam of the Week: Fake charities aim at those who help hurricane victims
September 3, 2017 at 12:02 am
Better Business Bureau warns that it is seeing crowdfunding appeals "of a dubious nature."
Online shoppers should hoard credit, debit card data
August 27, 2017 at 12:02 am
If you love the convenience of shopping online, then it's likely you have your credit- or debit-card ...
IRS, tax preparers’ teamwork reduces cases of I.D. theft
August 20, 2017 at 12:02 am
The Internal Revenue Service says it has seen a big drop in the number of identity theft victims nat ...
Scam of the Week: Legit company falsely used as bait for mortgage fraud
August 12, 2017 at 11:45 pm
Be very wary about a new mortgage modification scam that's targeting New Mexico homeowners. ...
Beware the power-shutoff swindlers
August 5, 2017 at 11:45 pm
An unusually convincing utility scam is popping up across the country, causing people to lose thousa ...
New post office program fights ID theft
July 29, 2017 at 11:35 pm
There's a new way to help battle identity theft, and it's free.The U.S. Postal Service ...
Fake emails target client info obtained by tax preparers
July 23, 2017 at 4:54 pm

domain: news


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Newly-Relocated Company Reports Loss
Determine Inc. (Nasdaq: DTRM) is reporting a net loss of $14 million for fiscal year 2016, compared to a net loss of $13.8 million the previous year. The earnings report comes just days after the company announced it is relocating its headquarters from California to Carmel.
The company is also reporting a fiscal fourth quarter net loss of $4.8 million, compared to a net loss of $4.3 million during the same period the previous year. Chief Executive Officer Patrick Stakenas said despite the dip, he was pleased with the company’s performance on multiple levels.
"In the fourth quarter, we took the necessary actions to materially reduce expenses, which will solidly position the business for financial success in the coming quarters," said Stakenas. "I’m very excited as our team transforms the company with the launch of our new disruptive suite of technology, in combination with embracing the necessary financial discipline, we are well poised for great things to come in fiscal 2017."
On Monday, Determine said it would invest more than $700,000 to lease and equip a facility in Carmel, which will officially become the company’s global headquarters later this month. The company, which currently employs more than 160 people, expects to add 24 high-wage jobs by 2019.


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Images of what appears to be a new 007-branded Kevlar case for HMD’s Nokia 6.2 phone have leaked online, and it almost makes the midrange handset look bulletproof. The images were posted to Twitter by WinFuture’s Roland Quandt, and they show what’s almost certainly a result of the brand partnership HMD announced last week, which will also see its first 5G phone appear in the upcoming James Bond film No Time to Die. The case previously leaked in a retailer listing spotted earlier this month by NPU.
The switch to Nokia is a big move for Bond, who’s always been more of a Sony man in the past. Pierce Brosnan famously used a Sony Ericsson JB988 to control a car in Tomorrow Never Dies, for example, while Daniel Craig has used Sony Ericsson M600i, C902, and K800i handsets (identified thanks to T3’s sleuthing). However, the partnership was strained on one occasion when Daniel Craig refused to pose with a Sony Xperia Z4. “The thinking, subjectively/objectively is that James Bond only uses the ‘best,’ and in their minds, the Sony phone is not the ‘best’,” a subsequently leaked email read.
Now, we wouldn’t go as far as to say HMD’s phones are the best around, either, but if Bond is looking for a solid midrange handset, he could do a lot worse. A previous leak suggested that the cases will retail for €25, will be available later this month, and there’ll also be a version available for the Nokia 7.2 as well as the 6.2. There’s no word on whether the cases are actually bulletproof, though, but we’re guessing not.


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Motorola Mobility on Wednesday said it has resolved the issue of some non-working Moto G smartphones which was discovered over the last couple of days.
Motorola handset unit has announced it will close its Texas factory, barely a year after it opened as the first smartphone factory in the US.
Apple and cos that make phones using Android have filed dozens of such lawsuits against each other around the world to protect their technology.
Apple and Google have agreed to dismiss all the current lawsuits that exist directly between the two companies and agreed work together.
The January announcement for the acquisition came nearly a decade after Lenovo bought IBM's money-losing ThinkPad business for $1.75 billion,.
Google told regulators in a letter that "it is reasonable to forecast" that it needs from $20 billion to $30 billion of its foreign earnings to pay.
The launch is planned in time for Diwali (October) when Sundar Pichai, the senior V-P at Google is expected to visit India.
Flipkart says it will resume shipping Moto E within a week to 10 days after the online retailer ran out of stock soon after started taking orders for the Rs 6,999 smartphone from Motorola Mobility.


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Private equity backer Cinven Partners is selling a portion of the shareholding that is held by a number of its funds, alongside management shareholders.
Partnership has said it will augment these exits with the issuance of new ordinary shares to place around 25 per cent of its shares, which it says will raise approximately £120m. The proceeds will go towards paying external debt and shareholder loan notes, and other general corporate purposes.
Steve Groves, chief executive officer at Partnership, said: “The drivers behind our growth are sustainable: The shift from defined benefit to defined contribution pensions, ageing demographics, increasing regulatory and consumer awareness of the benefits of shopping around for an annuity, and providing the right product for our customers.
“For us, this is underpinned by the insight sourced from our proprietary IP and extensive distribution. With penetration of these better value products currently at only about half their potential, there is a clear opportunity for further strong growth in the years ahead.”
Partnership chairman Chris Gibson-Smith added: “The IPO is a natural step for Partnership, and the profile generated in the public markets will support its continued growth as the population ages and the potential demand for secure retirement income grows substantially.”


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Promoting Los Cabos in Mexico and abroad
Three campaigns have been launched: Los Cabos sí o sí, Set yourself apart and Visit Los Cabos.
For the upcoming vacation season, the Los Cabos Tourism Trust (FITURCA) has launched three important campaigns aimed at attracting national and foreign tourists to visit this attractive beach resort.
In this regard, Rodrigo Esponda Cascajares, General Director of the Los Cabos Tourism Trust, commented that three attractive campaigns will be launched, one in Mexico that continues to be "Los Cabos si o si", which has the best indicators in history, "that is to say per click and the numbers have grown in double digits, through which we seek to increase the number of visitors, which as always leaves a double-digit growth distributed in the different business segments of the municipality".
He also pointed out that the "Set yourself apart¨ campaign continues in the United States, which is a programmatic campaign that has been carried out in primary and secondary markets with commercial partners and directly with the consumer, attracting pages through ¨visit Los Cabos¨, where there are specific offers that the hotels themselves have been placing, as well as the tourist service providers.
He added that just like the campaign that is being carried out in Canada, taking advantage of the fact that this market is looking for offers to travel, since this tourism has not traveled for two years, due to the pandemic, and this beach resort is attractive to them since it offers one of the best options in activities such as sport fishing and golf, as well as the coarse gastronomy with which even the most demanding palate is won over.
"For the summer we also have campaigns that we are doing in Spain to take advantage of the flight that will be arriving on June 20th, they are waiting for Easter week to end and that is when they launch the strong campaigns to the consumer" Rodrigo Esponda pointed out.
He emphasized that many educational campaigns have been carried out for the European sales force, "a few days ago we just had a seminar on the destination's attractions, in the case of the United States we are going to evaluate whether we can continue with this trend for the summer, which has been very proactive, so we want to continue with this trend and continue to take advantage of the opportunities we have for differentiation", concluded the director of FITURCA Los Cabos.


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NETHERLANDS – The supervisory board of Royal FrieslandCampina has appointed Jaska de Bakker the new Chief Financial Officer of the Dutch dairy co-operative, as the company continues its restructuring processes to meet new market needs.
Bakker will succeed Hein Schumacher, who was recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Both will begin their roles on January 1, 2018.
According to the company, Bakker has worked at FrieslandCampina since January 2017 as Director Finance of the business group Consumer Products Asia in Singapore.
Previously, she was the CFO of Royal HaskoningDHV and fulfilled various business development and financial positions at LEAF/CSM.
She was also a strategy consultant at The Boston Consulting Group.
Bakker’s appointment comes as the company is in the process of simplifying its management structure “to respond quicker to changes in consumer demand, customer needs and social developments,” according to the CEO, Roelof Joosten.
The company will seek to deliver on its route2020 strategy “by granting the business groups more independence and accelerating the decision-making process.
With the simplification of the organisation and targeted innovations we invest in further strengthening our brands in the areas of speciality food, milk and other dairy-based beverages, yoghurt, quark, cheese and ingredients.”
It has reduced the number of its Executive Board to two, with the Executive Board of the company consisting of the incoming CEO Hein Schumacher and the CFO, Jaska de Bakker.
An Executive Leadership Team will also be set up comprising the Executive Board, the Presidents of the four business groups (Consumer Dairy, Specialised Nutrition, Ingredients and Basic Dairy), FrieslandCampina China and a number of corporate functions.
Hein Schumacher, appointed by the Board in September, will become CEO on 1 January 2018.
He will succeed Roelof Joosten, who will resign as Chief Executive Officer.


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San Fransico based payment provider, Stripe has just announced that their users can choose to accept Bitcoin payments starting from January, 2015. Stripe had already launched beta testing of Bitcoin payments back in March, 2014.
Stripe allows online businesses to receive credit card payments through the internet. The company supports payments throughout more than 14 countries and is utilized by many major online businesses including Shopify, Lyft and Task Rabbit to process payments.
Stripe announced that users currently using their API can easily accept Bitcoin payments. Coders can turn on Bitcoin payments in either “live mode” (real Bitcoin transactions and addresses) or “test mode” which involves receiving 3 fake Bitcoins from Stripe to test the service. The consumer interface is expected to look similar to other online Bitcoin paying mechanisms.
In response to this move, Stripe is expected to evolve into a major player in the world of Bitcoin payment processors. Braintree, a Paypal subsidiary and one of Stripe’s competitors, has partnered with Coinbase to implement Bitcoin payments in September, 2014.
Stripe is considered a Bitcoin friendly business and is continuously working to increase payment options available to its users. Greg Brockman, the CEO of Stripe, has pointed out in a number of his public speeches the potential of Bitcoin and how it could unbundle the present financial system into interconnected layers ruled by independent companies. He also believes that simplifying transactions is pivotal when it comes to popularizing cryptocurrencies, especially Bitcoin.


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Businesses reopen in Ipswich Mall
AN Ipswich couple will officially reopen their two businesses and charity next month after their former premises were devastated by last month’s floods.
Tala and Todd Schultz had only just moved Sound and Safe Roller Shutters, AusFresco, and charity Xsport from Brisbane to Turley Street on January 10 – the day before the floods hit.
Despite suffering from significant damage, they have refused to let that setback stop them from finding three new sites in the Ipswich Mall and opening once again.
Mrs Schultz said they were keen to start working in Ipswich and were ready to work hard to recover from their flood losses.
“There’s no regrets – even after the flood, people have said to us ‘I bet you’re mad you moved here’, but we have no regrets,” she said.
“We still think it’s the right move and were excited about being here in Ipswich.
“We need to trade, we need to trade out of it. We believe we can trade out of it.”
Mr Schultz is the director of Sound and Safe Roller Shutters and AusFresco, a specialist outdoor blinds company.
Both businesses have helped their charity Xsport start up. Xsport identifies athletes who have fallen through the cracks of representative and professional sports teams and helps them get back on track.
They have been doing this for seven years now, starting in America.
To celebrate the opening of the businesses, they will hold a launch on March 1 as a thank-you to those who helped them after the floods.
“We’ve just collaborated and said let’s just have one launch to let people know we’re here and to thank people,” Mrs Schultz said.
“So many people popped in out of the blue, people who have never met us before, to help clean up.”
Entertainment is by The CrackUp Sisters, a stockwhip duo and Polytoxic dance ensemble, at their stores in the Ipswich City Square building outside the Harvey Norman entrance.


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McDonald’s accused of leaking 2.2 million users’ data; assures it does not store personal information
Sunday, 19 March 2017 Fastfood major McDonald’s today assured its customers that its website and app do not store the financial data after an independent blog claimed that the company is leaking personal data of more than 2.2 million users. “We would like to inform our users that our website and app do not store any sensitive financial data of the users like credit card details, wallets passwords or bank account information,” an official spokesperson of McDonald’s India (West & South) said in a statement. The quick service restaurant’s statement came after a post on independent blogpost hackernoon claimed that McDonald’s India is leaking data of 2.2 million users. ALSO READ: One billion Yahoo accounts still on sale, despite hacking indictments “The McDonald’s India app,
Sex toys have become more sophisticated with the advancement of technology. Recently the manufacturer of ‘We-Vibe Vibraters’ was sued for $3.75 million, because they were gathering data and information about users of their product without their permission. That information includes vibration...
Jeff Bezos, the chief executive of Amazon, has often struck a defiant tone when asked about the company’s dominance of the book industry. [...] Amazon is... SFGate - BusinessAlso reported by •Rediff.com
A trove of personal data stolen from Indian restaurant startup firm Zomato was being auctioned on the dark web for around $1,000 (£770) by a hacker until... MailOnline - ScienceAlso reported by •SFGate •BGR India •Rediff.com •WorldNews •CNNMoney
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Netsuite, the online business software group, grew by 62% as revenues climbed
to $108.5m (£55.2m) for the year ended 31 December 2007.
The results, the first released by the online vendor since its New York
listing last year, also showed 13% growth in the fourth quarter to hit $31.7m.
‘We head into 2008 with tremendous market, customer and product momentum, not
just in the U.S. but around the world,’ said Netsuite chief executive Zach
The group is predicting similar growth rates in 2008. First quarter revenues
are forecast to be around $33m and the group hopes to end 2008 with annual
revenues in the $153m to $156m range.
A new head of solutions, Aidan Brennan, has been appointed at KPMG UK
The Practitioner discusses their timesheet militancy, and reaction to someone playing it fast and loose with the details...
Making Tax Digital will impose significant additional tax compliance costs on small businesses for little or no medium term benefit, tax and small business experts told MPs
The drive towards a fully digital tax regime is an admirable one, but mandation is simply wrong, according to one of the UK's most senior tax technology practitioners - Paul Aplin


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MUMBAI:Boom times back in the job market? Recruiters think so. Hiring data for the July-September quarter shows a two-year high and more than half a dozen recruiters reckon levels last seen during the 2007 boom will return in the next few months. Times of India, 1 month ago
Cos foresee 2007-like boom for talent at all levels - Economic Times, 1 month ago
Significant expansion likely in jobs market soon - Economic Times, 1 month ago
The talent battle in eCommerce is growing fierce as a bundle of huge business houses like Reliance Industries, Tata, Birla, Aditya, Future Group and Arvind Retail are now backing the early movers like Snapdeal, Flipkart and Jabong for hiring scarce ...ITvoir.com, 1 month ago
MUMBAI: The war for talent in the e-commerce space is turning fierce as a bunch of large business houses including Reliance Industries, Aditya Birla, Tata, Future Group and Arvind Retail are now clashing with early movers like Flipkart, Snapdeal and ...Economic Times, 1 month ago Talent war hots up in E-commerce space; big business houses clash to hire senior leaders Economic Times, 1 month ago
BANGALORE: Infosys has increased the salaries up to Rs 6 Crore for its executives, including executive vice-presidents and a few vice-presidents reports rediff.com. A rise in their pay packages includes some of the recent recruits from German ...Silicon India, 2 months ago Top Infosys executives' salaries raised to Rs 6 crore Rediff.com, 2 months ago Top Infy executives' salaries might create new benchmark Business Standard India, 2 months ago
BANGALORE: Keep learning new skills. IBM is sending out that message rather sternly. It has cut salaries by 10% of US employees who have not kept pace with emerging technologies and changing client requirements. Indian employees seem unaffected as ...Economic Times, 2 months ago IBM cuts 10% salaries of skill laggard employees in US Economic Times, 2 months ago
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text: Australian Indigenous fashion is gaining recognition on the global stage – and Natalie Cunningham, founder and designer of luxury swim and resort wear label Emu Designs, is making history this week as the first Australian Indigenous designer to be invited to showcase at the prestigious New York Fashion Week, running 10th to 17th September. Natalie is winging her way to the US to present her Spring/Summer 2016 line of flowing kaftans, flattering one-pieces and structured two-pieces featuring Indigenous prints, embellishments and the vibrant colours of the Australian landscape – alongside other up-and-coming Aussie labels such as Sabo Skirt and Tatiana Light. They’ll be featured as part of the annual Fashion Palette show taking place this Thursday night, which is dedicated to showcasing and celebrating Australian fashion on an international platform. This invitation builds on the strong success of Emu Designs, which has been steadily gaining industry attention since its launch in 2009; Natalie was named Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Fashion Designer of the Year in 2013 and her creations also featured on the Australian Indigenous Fashion Week runway in 2014. On being the first Indigenous designer to be a part of New York Fashion Week, Natalie says, “I am excited that I was chosen to showcase our Indigenous garments to the 36 countries that go to NYFW. Our Emu Designs prints are so unique to Australia as they are Dreamtime Stories. Australia has kept them to ourselves for so many years and it’s about time we shared our gorgeous Indigenous fashion with the world.” We couldn’t agree more!


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Better Collective has revised its financial targets for 2023, raising its revenue expectations from €305m – €315m ($332.8m – $343.7m) to €315m – €325m.
The upgrade in its revenue expectations indicates that the company expects to see 17%-35% annual growth. Meanwhile, its EBITDA before special items is also expected to increase from an expected €95m – €105m to €105 – €115m.
Finally, Better Collective also stated that it does not expect its net debt to EBITDA before special items to change.
The fiscal update comes as Better Collective continues to dominate the affiliate market – recently acquiring a greater than 5% stake in main rival Catena Media.
Highlighting its figures, Better Collective stated: ‘Q1 proved to be a record-breaking quarter for Better Collective driven by the Americas as well as strong underlying performance across the group. Revenue came in at €88m, growing 30% year-on-year and EBITDA before special items at €33m, growing 44% year-on-year. In the Q1 report, a trading update on April indicated growth of 40% heading into Q2.
‘In May, Better Collective maintained the strong underlying growth across the group while highlighting the Americas, media partnerships and the sports win margin all being above expectations.’
Better Collective posted total revenue growth of 52% for 2022, amounting to €269m. In the report, the company also announced its long-term financial targets, up to 2027. These include a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20% and an EBITDA margin excluding special items of 30-40%.
Source: Read Full Article


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Major economic war averted as U.S., Mexico strike deal
Mexico has agreed to U.S. demands that it tighten its borders to stop the flow of illegal Central American immigrants from coming into the U.S. through Mexico. The deal spares Mexico from having to pay steep tariffs that were to go into effect next week. Those tariffs raised fears that they could cripple some U.S. businesses and raise prices for American consumers on everything from cars to produce. Weijia Jiang reports from the White House.


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Thinking of installing rooftop solar? Deadline is fast approaching before state’s new rules kick in
Less generous net energy metering rules go into effect in mid-April.
Stellar Solar has been in the rooftop solar business for more than 20 years, but company co-founder Michael Powers has never seen his Oceanside-based operation so busy.
“We’re running as fast we can right now,” Powers said, “trying to handle all the incoming requests for information and people wanting to move forward to try to get something done before the rules change.”
The new rules, passed in December by the California Public Utilities Commission, overhauled the financial incentives to install new solar systems on the roofs of homes and businesses across the Golden State.
But the updated regulations don’t go into effect for another three weeks. In many cases, that’s led solar installers to cope with a surge of potential customers, looking to beat the deadline and get their systems grandfathered into older, more generous, financial terms.
A survey of 34 installers in California reported consumer demand is up an average of 64 percent compared to last year, according to EnergySage, a company that helps customers find reputable solar companies and installers.
“There has been nothing like this; this is unprecedented,” said EnergySage CEO Vikram Aggarwal. “Installers are working 18-hour days, seven days a week.”
In December, the Public Utilities Commission updated the regulations for net energy metering, which determines the size of the credits that California’s 1.6 million rooftop solar customers receive on their utility bills when their solar systems generate more energy than they consume.
One of the key provisions of what’s called NEM 3.0 alters the way rooftop solar owners are compensated for the excess electricity their systems send back to the grid.
Instead of being credited at the retail rate of electricity, customers will get paid at the “actual avoided cost,” which is lower during the daylight hours when the sun is out and solar energy is abundant and cheap. Solar industry advocates have estimated the new rules will reduce the average compensation rate by 75 percent.
But the NEM 3.0 rules don’t go into effect until midnight April 14.
A solar system does not have to be installed by April 14 to qualify under the old rules but new customers need to have two important documents in hand:
First, a valid sales contract between the customer and a solar installer. Second, an interconnection agreement with the utility in the customer’s area — for San Diego area customers, that means filing with San Diego Gas & Electric.
Powers said the interconnection submission includes numerous specifics, such as the customer’s meter number, what kind of solar panels will be used, where they will go and even “an architectural-type drawing.”
“We really want to be able to turn those applications in as quickly as possible and have them be correct — have the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed,” Powers said.
Stellar Solar has hired 25 percent more employees since last fall to handle the rush.
“Time is of the essence,” Powers said. “We’re trying to focus on helping (customers) get across the deadline as quickly as possible.”
Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar & Storage Association, said some of her group’s members have set an unofficial deadline of April 1 to make sure all the paperwork gets done in time.
With the clock ticking, the California Solar & Storage Association compiled a list of suggestions for potential solar customers to follow, including getting three bids from a licensed solar contractor.
“I know when you feel rushed, you may not want to do that, but it is one of the best ways to protect yourself on any major home improvement,” Del Chiaro said.
Other tips include:
- Any contract you sign should include the system size (measured in kilowatts, kW), the final installed cost and warranty information. The contract should also include the license numbers of the contractor and the sales agent who sold you the solar system. The contract should be in the same language as the sales conversation. Do not sign a contract that is missing these important pieces of information.
- Pay as you go. Don’t make more than a $1,000 down payment upon signing a contract. There are also a lot of options for financing your solar system or signing up for a power purchase agreement that don’t require large upfront investments.
- Be aware of the federal Solar Investment Tax Credit, known as the ITC. The credit is worth 30 percent of the final cost of the solar system, which is an incentive that will be around for the next 10 years. If your solar system costs $30,000, you may be eligible to deduct $9,000 off of what you owe in federal taxes. However, the credit can only benefit you if you owe federal income taxes.
“We really want to make sure consumers take a deep breath, protect themselves by just being smart and calm-headed,” Del Chiaro said.
But if potential customers aren’t quite ready to pull the trigger, Aggarwal of EnergySage said they shouldn’t freak out.
“While NEM 3.0 may be less economically beneficial for consumers, there is still a lot of good savings out there,” Aggarwal said, pointing to the time it takes for a solar installation to pay for itself through accumulated savings from monthly utility bills.
“Typically for consumers, today their average payback period was about six years. Now it will be likely about nine years,” he said. “So it’s still a very good payback. The utilities, as we know, will continue to raise prices and raise them aggressively, so solar will continue to protect consumers from those rising prices.”
The provisions of NEM 3.0 include $900 million in upfront incentives for customers to pair solar with battery storage systems, with $630 million set aside for low-income customers. Combining batteries with rooftop installations will allow customers to store solar during the day and then discharge those electrons at night.
Powers said about 30 percent of Stellar Solar’s customers are adding battery storage to their solar installations.
“Under NEM 3.0, it makes sense to fill (the battery) up with sunlight during the daytime and then from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. when (electricity is) expensive, run your house off of the battery,” Powers said.
The new rules also increase the allowable size of rooftop solar systems to cover 150 percent of a customer’s electricity usage to accommodate future electrification of appliances and vehicles.
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Ferrari is either getting strategic or careless. The company usually keeps details about its upcoming models hush-hush until the vehicle is ready to make its debut, but lately Maranello seems to have more leaks than a pasta strainer. The latest is a screen-cap that seems to confirm the speculated 430 Scuderia Spider.
Based on the fixed-roof 430 Scuderia, the roadster version has been speculatively rendered and anticipated to debut at the company's upcoming mega-event at Mugello, the same place where they took the wraps off the FXX Evoluzione last year. The additional weight of an open-top version of the lightweight supercar is expected to be offset by the implementation of the company's new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The image above, which seems to confirm the model's imminence, comes from a video of the new Ferrari California that was just unveiled in Maranello and Los Angeles ahead of its debut at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. In the background of the video behind a Ferrari spokesman is a studio photograph of the rumored 430 Scuderia drop-top. We'll just have to wait until November 5 when the Ferrari Challenge heads to Mugello to know for sure.
[Source: World Car Fans]


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Clinical trial disruption concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic topped across various geographies as the outbreak delayed or led to the suspension of enrolment for such trial programmes across the globe.
GlobalData conducted a poll to identify primary business concerns related to coronavirus outbreak in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW).
Primary Business Concerns Related to the Covid-19 Outbreak by Geography
Clinical trial disruption was the primary business concern according to a majority 28% of the respondents in Europe. The same opinion was shared by 26% of the respondents in North America, 26% in RoW and 20% in Asia Pacific.
Around 21% of the companies in North America noted that the safety of the patients recruited in the trials is their biggest concern. The figure stood at 20% in Europe, 16% in Asia Pacific and 14% in RoW.
Employee safety emerged as a major concern in Asia Pacific and RoW, according to 20% of the respondents each who expressed their apprehension about the well-being of their staff amid the pandemic. In Europe and North America, the figure stood at 16%.
The survey also found that concerns related to contract research organisations (CRO) disruptions are higher in Europe (14%) and North America (12%) than in Asia Pacific (7%) and RoW (6%).
Furthermore, the percentage of respondents who felt that the impact on supply chains is of the highest concern stood at 17% in RoW, 16% in Asia Pacific, 11% in North America and 8% in Europe.
Approximately 14% of the respondents in Asia Pacific opined that business development is the main concern, followed by 10% in North America, 8% in Europe and 6% in RoW.
Capital raising concerns were highest among respondents from the RoW (11%), followed by Asia Pacific (7%), North America (4%) and Europe (3%).
The analysis is based on responses received for Coronavirus Survey – COVID-19 and Decentralised Clinical Trials conducted by GlobalData between 04 June and 22 June 2020.


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L.A. Lakers Partner Wish Jumps to No. 1 in Earned Social Media Value Among NBA Jersey Patch Sponsors
Gumgum Sports’ Latest Computer Vision Analysis Also Found That Playoff Run Generated $10 Million for Jersey Patch Sponsors of Finals Teams and That Still Images Produce Higher-Quality Jersey Patches Exposures Than Videos
GumGum Sports released its much-anticipated social media valuation insights for the 2018-19 NBA season, finding that Los Angeles Lakers jersey patch sponsor Wish generated the highest sponsor media value across team owned-and-operated team accounts. The computer vision-powered sponsorship valuation analysis found that Wish’s jersey sponsorship earned $9.3 million, nearly doubling the $4.9 million it generated in the previous season. Wish swapped places with Goodyear, whose Cleveland Cavaliers jersey patch sponsorship dropped from No. 1 in 2017-2018 to No. 4 this year. GumGum Sports did analyze one non owned-and-operated account — LeBron James’ Instagram — and found that the basketball megastar’s personal posts generated 15 percent more value for Wish than all of the Lakers’ accounts combined.
“It’s worth noting that due to the variety of factors we use to calculate value – clarity, prominence, visibility, size, placement and share of voice – still images actually generated 86 percent of the overall social media value compared to 14 percent for video”
GumGum Sports also conducted social media valuation for jersey patches in the postseason. The NBA Playoffs produced an additional $29 million in total sponsorship media value, including $10 million for the two teams competing in the Finals (Golden State Warriors/Rakuten at $5.5 million and Raptors/Sun Life Financial at $4.6 million as of May 31). As expected, the four teams in the Conference Finals had the top four social media jersey patch values, with the Portland Trailblazers/Biofreeze totaling $3.3 million and Milwaukee Bucks/Harley Davidson adding $2.8 million.
“Next to Nike’s apparel sponsorship, the jersey patch is the biggest sponsor location in-arena on social media,” said GumGum Sports GM, Brian Kim, underlining why the results were an end-of-season highlight for the league as well as for playoff teams and their brand sponsors. “It’s worth noting that due to the variety of factors we use to calculate value – clarity, prominence, visibility, size, placement and share of voice – still images actually generated 86 percent of the overall social media value compared to 14 percent for video,” added Kim.
Marketing Technology News: Calabrio Acquires Teleopti to Create the Global Standard for Customer Experience Intelligence
GumGum Sports’ analysis found that over the entire NBA season jersey patches received 121,000 total exposures, 42 billion total impressions and 3.2 billion total engagements on social media.
Marketing Technology News: CloudSense and Ad-Juster Work Together to Maximize End-to-End Ad Campaign Efficiency and Profitability


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Chinese firm Dalian Wanda Group, led by billionaire chairman Wang Jianlin, has initiated talks with Indian multiplex owners to acquire assets as it... ...http://www.vccircle.com/news/general/2016/05/05/news-roundup-dalian-wanda-eyes-indian-multiplexes-and-other-stories
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Wang Weiwei Vera Wang wedding prices
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Victoria Centre taken over by new management Article
New lease of life for one of the UK’s busiest shopping and leisure destinations Global Mutual appointed Asset Manager; Savills becomes new Property Manager
19 October 2020
Intu SGS, the property company composed of four of the UK’s leading shopping and leisure destinations, announces another of its centres has successfully transferred to new management.
Effective from today, Victoria Centre, a prime retail and leisure centre situated in the heart of Nottingham, one of the UK’s most popular city centres, has left the portfolio of intu properties plc. Following intu’s administration in June, the centre, which hosts 24 million visitors a year will now operate under new management.
Global Mutual has formally taken on the role of Asset Manager with Savills appointed as Property Manager. Global Mutual is a highly experienced asset manager in the UK, US and Europe, currently managing £5 billion of assets in primary sectors including retail, office and alternatives. International real estate advisor Savills is a leading provider of shopping centre management services across the UK with a strong track record in managing prime, high-profile retail destinations.
While intu properties plc and several group companies entered administration on 26 June 2020, administrator KPMG was not appointed over any of the property companies (PropCos) that own the individual shopping centres, all of which have continued to trade as normal with a range of Covid safe measures in place.
Intu SGS is the largest PropCo comprising four of the UK’s leading shopping centre destinations visited by tens of millions of people every year: intu Watford, intu Lakeside (Essex), intu Victoria Centre (Nottingham) and intu Braehead (Glasgow). Following the successful transfer of intu Watford on 15 October 2020, the remaining two centres will also migrate to Global Mutual, with Savills appointed as property managers, in the coming weeks.
Despite uncertainty caused by the administration of intu properties plc and the Covid-19 crisis, intu Victoria Centre has continued to perform well. All of the centre’s 120 stores are open and trading, including well-known brands such as John Lewis & Partners and Next, together with numerous independent retailers and a range of food and drink outlets. The popular Nottingham Street Food Club re-opened its doors to diners at the end of September, for example, rotating the best of local traders each week.
The centre has also continued to see a good level of interest in its space – from both existing and prospective tenants – and continues to add new names and services. In August, it welcomed car valet provider Inter Car Cleaning (ICC), for example, a completely new offering for the location.
The existing centre name and branding will remain in place for an interim period.
Steve Gray, Head of European Retail Asset Management at Global Mutual, commented:
“The resilience of intu Victoria Centre despite the challenges presented by Covid highlights the enduring attractiveness of flagship retail and leisure destinations to both tenants and visitors. Supported by intu, our team on site has done a fantastic job, particularly over the past few months in keeping everyone safe. This performance, combined with the financial stability we now have, gives us great confidence in the centre’s future prospects.”
Martin Wallace, Property Management Director at Savills, commented:
“Offering contemporary retail and restaurant space, intu Victoria Centre is an important part of Nottingham’s city centre. It plays a major role in the local economy and is the go-to destination for the city’s residents and the wider catchment area. We are hugely excited to be working with Global Mutual and the centre team to ensure the continuing success of this centre.”
Nigel Wheatley, Centre Director for intu Victoria Centre, said:
“Our centre plays a vital role in Nottingham for both city residents and visitors from the surrounding areas. It continues to be a key location for brands wanting outlets in a hugely popular, high footfall destination. I am very much looking forward to working with the Savills and Global Mutual teams as we enter this new and exciting chapter.”
Jim Tucker, partner at KPMG and joint administrator of intu properties plc, said:
“To date, we have transitioned nine intu centres successfully to new management. I would like to thank everyone involved in intu Victoria Centre’s migration for their hard work and dedication which has ensured a smooth and orderly process. We wish the intu Victoria Centre team all the very best for the future.”
For further information, please contact:
Justin Griffiths, Victoria Heslop or Courtney Sanford
+44 20 7250 1446


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PIERRE, S.D.(WNAX)- This could be another challenging holiday season for businesses and consumers.
Nathan Sanderson, Executive Director of the South Dakota Retailers Association, says their members are facing some real fourth quarter problems.
Sanderson says you may already be seeing some of the supply chain issues.
Sanderson says some specific items could be in very short supply.
For some retailers, the holiday season can generate up to thirty percent or more of their total sales for the year.


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The last time Mercedes-Benz rolled out an all-new Sprinter, George W. Bush was in the White House and Saddam Hussein was still alive. The space shuttle was flying, a diesel had just won the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time, and a solvent General Motors was churning out Pontiacs, Saturns, and Hummers. In other words, the arrival of a new Sprinter is hardly what you might call a common event. It has only ever happened twice before: in 1995 and 2006. But after almost 12 years with the current model, Mercedes is gearing up to introduce the next one.
We’re still a couple of months away from seeing the finished product unveiled in February. But in preparation for the big reveal, the automaker staged an event in its hometown of Stuttgart, Germany, to give us an advance look at some of the innovations it’s integrating into its forthcoming new workhorse.
A plethora of configurations is the hallmark of full-size vans, but with the next-generation Sprinter, Mercedes is taking things even further. Not only will customers be able to choose among the usual array of body styles, wheelbases, roof heights, and powertrains, but there are also specific levels of interior equipment, dashboard configurations, storage options, and more. All told, the new Sprinter will offer more than 1000 configurations to help buyers get exactly the van they need—nothing more, nothing less.
Among those options will be the availability for the first time of a battery-powered eSprinter, sharing its electric powertrain with the smaller eVito (based on the model sold here as the Metris) just introduced in Europe. We’ve yet to receive details on prospective availability in the United States, but Mercedes-Benz Vans chief Volker Mornhinweg told Car and Driver that the eVito will likely arrive in North America (as the eMetris) before the eSprinter.
Mercedes isn’t content, however, simply to sell electric vans and let its customers and operators sort out how to manage them. It’s also offering services to set up charging infrastructure, optimize charging times to minimize grid load, finance the entire investment, and help fleet operators determine whether the switch from internal combustion to battery power will be worthwhile for their specific applications.
With the integration of Mercedes Pro Connect, fleets of new Sprinters promise to be easier and more efficient to manage. Pro Connect, the business counterpart to the consumer-oriented Mercedes Me Connect suite, allows fleet managers and dispatchers to communicate with the drivers they supervise, track the locations of their vehicles, restrict their movement within geofenced boundaries, remotely monitor parameters such as fuel levels and service status, log and categorize trips, and monitor the cargo on board. The system was rolled out as a retrofit for existing Sprinters this past September but is being fully integrated into the new model.
Beyond developing the vehicle itself, Mercedes has been innovating solutions specific to the various ways in which its vans are used. Tradesmen and service technicians, for example, will be able to receive deliveries straight into their vans instead of driving around town picking up and dropping off equipment and supplies. Couriers will be able to deliver packages more efficiently thanks to integrated logistics chains. Supermarkets will (at some future point) be able to deliver food at exactly the right storage temperatures. Passengers will appreciate more comfortable reclining seats, deployable cupholders, smartphone cradles, USB chargers, and onboard WiFi. And in the future, parents will be able to receive notifications when their kids get on and off the Sprinter-based school bus. All the while, the new Sprinter promises to put less strain on drivers thanks to lower load floors, better ergonomics, and the availability of modern infotainment features.
As ride sharing becomes more commonplace, Mercedes is partnering with Via to deploy the new Sprinter as the backbone of on-demand shuttle services in the United States and overseas. Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Mobility Services recently invested $50 million in a joint venture with Via, leveraging the New York-based ride-sharing startup’s algorithm, which has already enabled more than 20 million rides at a rate of more than a million served each month—providing convenience for passengers while reducing congestion on city streets. In the future, smart Sprinters will use seat sensors to track vacancies, deploy weather sensors to predict usage patterns, and project displays on the interior windows to show passengers points of interest and route information in real time.
- Diesel Cargo Vans Compared: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Ram ProMaster
- We’d Gladly Live Down by the River in One of These Mercedes-Benz Vans
- Research Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Reviews, Specifications, Prices, Photos, and More
In short, the new Sprinter promises to represent not just an improvement on the current model but an altogether more useful tool as Daimler aims to shift from simply manufacturing vehicles to providing comprehensive transport and mobility solutions.


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Instagram flap a teachable moment for Dublin startup VenueSeen
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VenueSeen helps consumer product-makers, restaurants, sports teams and others find and gather photos tagged with their brand and interact with those customers, such by running contests.
“We definitely take this as another signal to businesses,” VenueSeen CEO Brian Zuercher told me when I called to discuss the brouhaha. “You do need to be really sensitive when working with consumers and consumer content.”
What Instagram is actually trying to do, he said, is look at the data surrounding photos – hashtags, locations – and use them to create possible advertising relationships. The service is not trying to repeat the legal battle when Australia’s Virgin Mobile lifted a Flickr photo for a poster that put an unwitting teen in an unflattering light.
“That’s a big faux pas,” Zuercher said. “Instagram is not a stock-photo service, and they’re not going to be. They’re a social network.”
The way VenueSeen is set up, a company pulling a user’s photo would have to work really hard to strip credit from it, he said. The whole point is to re-share the pic with a shout-out to the fan.
The company is up to six employees and could double or triple that next year, he said. New capabilities on product research and integrating with other online platforms are soon to come.
Carrie Ghose covers health care, startups and technology for Columbus Business First.
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Since releasing his third album, The Colour In Anything, James Blake has lent his ghostly vocals to tracks from the likes of Travis Scott and former band Mount Kimbie, as well as opening up about suicidal thoughts on tour and the problematic “sad boy” label he’s acquired. But now – almost three years on – it seems like we might be getting the follow up to the 2016 record.
The Fader has previously pointed out a French Amazon pre-order page (now removed) that gave details of the album, apparently called Assume Form, and gave a release date of January 25.
A website bearing the same name has also cropped up, looping some James Blake-esque chords that – according to Shazam – are taken from a track called “Lullaby For My Insomniac”. If that wasn’t enough of a teaser, though, the Assume Form logo has also been projected, along with images of Blake’s face, on a wall in Shoreditch and a billboard in Times Square.


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Photo editing software developer Macphun—in case the name isn’t enough of a hint—has been Apple-only since it first arrived on the scene in 2008. But not anymore. This Fall, the company is going to be releasing its best-selling photo editing software on PC.
The news just dropped a few minutes ago, and if you’re a Windows user who has never given Macphun apps a try, this is exciting. The company made its name by creating easy-to-use one or two-function apps like Snapheal and the recently-updated Aurora HDR. Then, earlier this year, they made a big splash when they released a flagship, full-featured photo editor dubbed Luminar.
And now, nearly a decade after the company’s creation, Macphun has decided it’s no longer fair to keep these apps isolated to the Apple community.
“We have been delivering award-winning products to Mac users for almost a decade, and now are very excited to bring Windows users products they have frankly been missing in the PC market,” said Macphun VP Kevin La Rue. “Combining power and simplicity, Luminar and Aurora HDR give users a new way to express themselves through striking images they can create within minutes.”
Here’s a look at these apps as they’re going to look on Windows:
The plan is to release Luminar and Aurora HDR to Windows users this Fall, but for those of you who want a taste of Macphun’s easy-to-use ethos earlier, you’ll be able to download a PC beta of Luminar starting in July.
To stay in the loop and sign up for the public beta as soon as it’s available, click here and enter your email.


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South Jordan, Utah, Oct. 12, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — InXpress, the global business-to-business shipping and logistics franchise, was named in Franchise Business Review‘s first-annual “Culture100,” award-winners. InXpress was recognized for its unmatched company culture and included within The Top 100 Franchises, which received the highest ratings for leadership, mission, community, and overall franchisee satisfaction.
Company culture is one of the most important factors that contribute to ultimate franchisee satisfaction. It not only encourages improvement on system-wide performance, but inspires dedication and drives profits for franchisees. Franchise Business Review surveyed InXpress franchisees on 37 benchmark questions about leadership, franchise community, training and support, core values, franchise system, financial opportunity and self-evaluation to share their experience within the network. According to more than 70 percent of franchisees who participated, InXpress consistently offers a supportive community and positively innovates its procedures for the future.
“InXpress creates a collaborative environment that truly allows


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[Patch 1.9] 12 new champions!
Plarium announced 12 new champions released the 26th of July.
What should we think of it?
By releasing 12 new champions, Plarium is trying to generate more ways of playing this game, and new tools to create strategies. While this is a very good point and a very good decision in terms of game architecture, it is a bit blunt due to the amount of “Attack” typed champions.
One champion we are looking forward to is Occult Brawler, with his enormous poison gameplay! His A1 applies 5% Poison, and he has a passive that can apply 2 poison debuffs as well!
[Patch 1.7] 10 May 2019 – 13 champions
Following the release of patch 1.7, 13 new champions have been introduced in the game on May, 10th. Read our quick analysis.Read
9 new Dwarves!
9 dwarves were released by Plarium the 6th of September. With 1 legendary of 2 epics champions, there's a good chance this addition to the pool of champions will enhance our game mechanics!Read


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With much riding on the new version of its marquee software, Microsoft opts for caution and says the Windows 10 rollout will come "in waves, slowly."
Technically Incorrect: Australian police decide that their Twitter feed is the place to amuse followers after a house search.
Polarr opted not to build an app specifically for Apple's iOS software, instead going the less-traveled route of using more-universal Web technologies. That decision is now paying off with droves of downloads.
Key sections of online community Reddit, including one of the site's most popular drawcards, "Ask Me Anything", are being pulled from public view in protest of the alleged firing of one its key administrators.
Minecraft: Windows 10 Beta Edition adds more controls and GameDVR support, and won't cost a dime for existing Minecraft PC owners.
Here's how you can avoid being charged for Apple Music after the trial expires.
Those of you running Windows 7 or 8.1 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 Home or Pro for free come July 25. But exactly which of two new editions will land on your PC?
CNET highlights eight impressive smartphones that showed outstanding battery life in our labs' performance tests.
The latest update for iTunes brings it in line with iOS 8.4, adding Apple Music and Beats radio to Apple's media app.


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China becomes the global no.1 consumer for Global Blue
International shopping and consumption expert Global Blue, announced on March 15, 2013 that the amount of tax free shopping from Chinese consumers reached a record 3 billion euros (about 24.4 billion yuan) in 2012, an increase of 58% compared to that of 2011 .
Arjen Kruger, executive vice president of Global Blue said: “in the past six years, Global Blue witness the rise of Chinese shoppers. 2012 is the second year in a row in which China is the no.1 sourcing country of our global shoppers, spending up to € 3,000,000,000. Global Blue is committed to helping Chinese tourists travelling abroad to enjoy cheaper shopping. We not only provide shopping discounts to consumers before departure but also will also update the local latest shopping secret after their reaching the destination. “


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Queen Elizabeth to name Britannia – Cruise News – Mar. 6, 2015
Queen Elizabeth to name Britannia
Cruise News – Mar. 6, 2015
P&O Cruises officials kept the name of the godmother of its newest and largest ship, the 3,611-passenger Britannia, a secret as long as they could. But word is out and it’s big: Queen Elizabeth II will do the christening honors, accompanied by Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The ceremony takes place at the Ocean Terminal in Southampton on Tuesday, March 10, and will streamed live, beginning at 6:30 a.m. ET. Here’s where to watch.
The debut of the ship represents a milestone in British maritime history, P&O officials noted. It’s the largest ship ever designed exclusively for Britain and is painted with the world’s largest version of the Union Jack.
“We are honored and proud that Her Majesty will name Britannia almost 20 years after she named the P&O Cruises ship Oriana,” said Carnival UK Chairman David Dingle. “Britannia, a ship for the nation, will be the embodiment of contemporary Britain, and with her Union Jack livery she will fly the flag for Britain across the globe.”
Britannia brings such notable features as restaurants, bars, and cafés created by British celebrity chefs, including Marco Pierre White, and a new Cookery Club cooking school, complete with two dozen cook stations and famous chefs giving lessons.
A new Epicurean restaurant is described as a “multisensory cooking experience with touches of molecular gastronomy to complement the more traditional dishes.” The ship will also have a supper club with contemporary entertainment and bar offerings that include, in the Crow’s Nest cocktail lounge, a Great British Gin Menu with 20 artisanal gins. Brodie’s pub will feature a Great British Beer Menu with a selection of 70 UK beers.
The ship also has the largest British spa at sea, a dramatic, expanded three-deck-high atrium, a state-of-the-art theater, four pools, and a more than 1.53-million-dollar art collection.
British sparkling wine will be used for the christening, for what is actually the third ship named Britannia in the history of the venerable cruise line — the first was launched in 1835, the second in 1887.
The Queen also served as godmother for Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2, and Queen Elizabeth.
Photo: P&O Cruises
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Ahmed Al-Dedy, a manager at Exova Company in Saudi Arabia, revealed in a whitepaper Monday (July 12th) that Saudi Arabia loses more than 41 billion riyals ($10.9 billion) as a result of commercial fraud.
In the first half of 2010, eight million counterfeit items were confiscated. Al-Dedy said thousands of traffic deaths each year are caused by counterfeit spare parts such as car tires and brakes which enter the country through customs.
Participants in the workshop, entitled 'Private Laboratories and Commercial Fraud and Counterfeiting', concluded that the kingdom needs to stop the flow of counterfeit products which are invading the marketplace. They stressed the importance of private sector support for the government's efforts in combating commercial fraud and counterfeiting.
GCC countries to spend $100 billion on oil projects
A report by MEED Projects published Saturday (July 10th) stated the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia will spend $60 billion on new projects for oil production and refining in the next five years. Kuwait and Qatar plan to spend $14 billion and $13 billion, respectively.
Gulf Cooperation Council countries will allocate more than $100 billion for the development of oil projects between 2010 and 2015. This amount represents one-third of the anticipated investments by OPEC member states to meet the rising demand for oil.
Retail trade in Qatar reaches $5.5 billion
In Doha, the Qatar Statistics Authority said the volume of retail trade reached $5.5 billion. The size of the retail workforce is 120,000, whose workers earn an average monthly income of $824.
A total of 250 major businesses are trying to revitalize retail by launching promotional campaigns with discounts of up to 75% below normal prices, amid an unprecedented increase in the country's population.
According to the Qatar Statistics Authority, the net added value to retail and wholesale sectors increased by approximately 3.5 times in six years, from 3.2 billion riyals in 2002 to 14.7 billion riyals in 2008.
The commercial, restaurant and hotels sector contributed 20.6 billion riyals ($5.7 billion) to the national economy in the past year, compared with 6.1 billion riyals in 2004.
Jordan says 1.3% of population below "absolute poverty line"
Dr. Haidar Fraihat, director-general of the Department of Statistics in Jordan, revealed Tuesday (July 13th) that 13.3% of Jordan's inhabitants fall below the "absolute poverty line," indicating that the general poverty line is 680 dinars ($962) per year, the amount necessary to cover expenses for food and services for one person.
The absolute or general poverty level represents the minimum income needed for an individual to buy food and other essential items such as housing, clothing, education, healthcare and transportation.
Fraihat pointed out that the severe poverty line for food is 292 dinars ($413), and 388 dinars ($549) for non-food expenses per person per year. He said that the absolute poverty line for a typical family (5.7 members) reached 3,876 dinars per year ($5,482), or 323 dinars ($457) per month.
Loans to companies in Kuwait investment sector reach $19.7 billion
In Kuwait, a report by Al-Juman Economic Consulting Centre indicated that the loans to companies listed in the investment sector in the Kuwaiti securities market during the first quarter, which include 51 companies, have reached around KWD5.7 billion ($19.7 billion).
Dar al-Istithmar ranked first among the most debt-ridden companies at 963 million dinars ($3.3 billion), followed by Kuwait Projects Company with 619 million dinars ($2.14 billion) worth of debt. Global Investment House recorded 588 million dinars ($2 billion) of debt.
The report said the least indebted companies were Damac Kuwaiti Holding Company with three million dinars ($10.3 million) in loans, followed by the Kuwait Syrian Holding Company and Manafea with five million dinars ($17.3) worth of debt each. Strategia Investment Company, Usul and Sukuk, had loans worth six million dinars ($20.7 million).
The report listed the indebted companies according to their debt-to-equity ratios. Kuwait Finance & Investment Company and Dar al-Istithmar topped the list with an 80% debt-to-equity ratio, followed by Iskan and Gulfinvest, with 77% and 78% debt-to-equity ratios, respectively.


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Car production still slumping... but rate of decline is slowing after scrappage scheme boost
Car production slumped again last month - but the fall was the smallest so far this year, it was announced today.
A total of 67,754 cars were made in the UK in May 2009 - a drop of 43 per cent compared to the same time last year.
The previous four month-on-month falls had each been more than 50 per cent and this was the least-steep reduction since November 2008, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
Honda workers are helping an increase in production after returning to work
However, commercial vehicle (CV) production in May 2009 was 73.5 per cent - a much worse figure than in any recent month.
Last month the UK joined other European countries in introducing a Government ‘cash for bangers’ car-scrappage scheme.
Earlier this week the Government said that more than 60,000 orders have been placed under the scheme since it was first announced in the Budget in April.
British production was bound to fall sharply this year, with companies cutting back on manufacturing to match the downturn in new car sales.
Honda shut down all production at its plant in Swindon in Wiltshire for four months, but restarted manufacturing there at the beginning of this month.
Today, SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: ‘Prompt action by manufacturers to realign supply with demand has been painful, but was necessary.
‘There is now a direct link between demand in the marketplace and production volumes.
‘The scrappage schemes in place across Europe are now beginning to have a positive impact, although the full benefits will take a little longer to flow down to companies at all levels in the supply chain.’
He went on: ‘CV production is severely affected by low business confidence and economic uncertainty.
‘Businesses across the economy are still holding back on new expenditure and will need to see better access to finance and stronger domestic demand.’
Car production for the year until last month is 54 per cent down compared with the first five months of 2008, while CV production has fallen 65.4 per cent.
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It was the fall of 2010, and Pony Ma (Chinese name: Ma Huateng) was trying to figure out what came next for Tencent, the company he had run since founding it in 1998 with four classmates from Shenzhen University. Thanks to its core product, the QQ instant messaging service, which had 650 million monthly active users, Tencent had become one of China’s most valuable Internet companies with revenues of nearly $2 billion, a market capitalization of over $33 billion, and more than ten thousand employees. However, QQ was now a mature desktop product based on late-1990s technology, and its user base had stopped growing. Its American counterpart, AOL Instant Messenger, was already in a swift decline.
Ma was convinced that Tencent had to develop a new breakthrough product for the emerging smartphone platform—or else. “Internet companies that can react will survive,” he said, “and those who can’t will die.”
The message Pony Ma read that night was from one of Tencent’s employees, Allen Zhang (Chinese name: Zhang Xiaolong), a fellow entrepreneur whose company, Foxmail, Tencent had acquired five years earlier. Zhang now ran the company’s Guangzhou R&D division, which was a two-hour drive from Tencent’s Shenzhen headquarters. He had been monitoring the rapid growth of a new social messaging product called Kik, which was especially popular among young people. He decided that Tencent needed to create its own social messenger for smartphones—and quickly.
Zhang’s proposal represented not only a huge opportunity but also a huge risk, with equally huge uncertainty about the outcome. While a new messenger service might appeal to young consumers, it was probably going to cannibalize QQ, which was, after all, Tencent’s core business. Furthermore, Tencent had partnered with leading mobile carriers like China Mobile to receive 40 percent of the SMS charges that QQ users racked up when they sent messages to mobile phones. A new service could hurt Tencent’s financial bottom line and at the same time risk its relationships with some of China’s most powerful companies.
It was the sort of decision that publicly traded, ten-thousand-person companies typically refer to a committee for further study. But Ma wasn’t a typical corporate executive. That very night, he gave Zhang the go-ahead to pursue the idea. Zhang put together a ten-person team, including seven engineers, to build and launch the new product.
In just two months, Zhang’s small team had built a mobile-first social messaging network with a clean, minimalistic design that was the polar opposite of QQ. Ma named the service Weixin, which means “micromessage” in Mandarin. Outside of China, the service became known as WeChat.
What came next was staggering. Just sixteen months after Zhang’s fateful late-night message to Ma, WeChat celebrated its one hundred millionth user. Six months after that, it had grown to two hundred million users. Four months after that, it had grown to three hundred million users.
Pony Ma’s late-night bet paid off handsomely. Tencent reported 2016 revenues of $22 billion, up 48 percent from the previous year, and up nearly 700 percent since 2010, the year before WeChat’s launch. By early 2018, Tencent reached a market capitalization of over $500 billion, making it one of the world’s most valuable companies, and WeChat was one of the most widely and intensively used services in the world.
Fast Company called WeChat “China’s app for everything,” and the Financial Times reported that more than half of its users spend over ninety minutes a day using the app. To put WeChat in an American context, it’s as if one single service combined the functions of Facebook, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Venmo, Grubhub, Amazon, Uber, Apple Pay, Gmail, and even Slack into a single megaservice. You can use WeChat to do run-of-the-mill things like texting and calling people, participating in social media, and reading articles, but you can also book a taxi, buy movie tickets, make doctors’ appointments, send money to friends, play games, pay your rent, order dinner for the night, plus so much more. All from a single app on your smartphone.
Ma himself recognized the importance of the decision he had made, saying in an interview, “Looking back, those two months were a matter of life and death.”
These stories of extreme growth, whether in California or halfway around the world in China, are perfect examples of why it’s valuable to study what Blitzscaling is and how it works.
This is a tidbit from the book Blitzscaling by Reid Hoffman


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No form of motorsport has played a bigger role in the development of the performance parts industry than drag racing. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that drag racing will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of newly-launched EPARTRADE.
Debuting in June, EPARTRADE is a global trade-only online parts-sourcing platform for the racing industry that works 24/7 to connect performance parts suppliers with buyers around the globe. Imagine a parts failure at the track on Sunday afternoon and the ability to use your phone and find an upgrade from suppliers around the world on Sunday night. Ease of use and the ability to source product in a fast and efficient manner is what EPARTRADE offers, with the platform complimentary to registered buyers.
“In a sport where one-thousandth of a second can be the difference between winning and losing, having immediate access to the latest parts and innovation is crucial,” explained EPARTRADE founder Francisque Savinien. “The original racing trade shows revolved around drag racing and EPARTRADE.com is the next step for the racing world.”
Through EPARTRADE, suppliers can list their products with an affordable platform to market their products, while offering teams, engine builders, fabricators and other racing professionals the ability to access new parts and information in a fast and efficient manner.
“There’s usually no such thing as ‘after hours’ during the racing season,” said Jim Oberhofer, crew chief for the Kalitta Motorsports Mac Tools Top Fuel Dragster. ”EPARTRADE will let us locate the parts we need, when we need them.”
Smaller teams and operations may benefit the most, though, as they will now have the ability to access the latest technology and information as soon as it becomes available.
“As a one-car team competing against numerous multi-car teams, it’s impossible to match their in-season development,” relayed Cruz Pedregon, owner of the NHRA Snap-on Funny Car. “EPARTRADE will provide us the opportunity to find the latest parts in mid-season and help level the playing field.”
EPARTRADE also features products and services designed for every form of racing.
For more information, visit https://www.epartrade.com.


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Navistar International is about to announce its earnings — here's what Wall Street expects
- On June 4, Navistar International will report earnings from Q2.
- Analysts predict Navistar International will release earnings per share of $0.469.
- Go here to watch Navistar International stock price in real-time ahead of earnings.
On June 4, Navistar International reveals figures for Q2.
12 analysts estimate earnings of $0.469 per share as opposed to earnings of $1.06 per share in the same quarter of the previous year.
Analysts are expecting the company to report $2.43 billion, an decrease of 18.80% over the prior year quarter.
For the current fiscal year analysts expect a profit per share of $2.58, whereas in the previous year $4.25 had been reported. On the revenue side analysts estimate that the company will bring in $9.32 billion in the current fiscal year.
This story was written by Markets Insider's RoboEddy, which automatically writes these stories based on data provided by our partners.
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On December 30, 2016, the Government has issued Decision No. 2545/QD-TTg approving a scheme on development of non-cash payment for the period of 2016-2020 with an ambitous goal of slashing the ratio of cash to total payment instruments to below 10%.
Under the scheme, the Government targeted installment of more than 300,000 card readers at points of sales (POS) to process around 200 million transactions annually in the market by 2020.
Specifically, 100% of supermarkets, shopping centers and modern distribution facilities have card readers enabling consumers to make non-cash payments when purchasing goods.
It is expected that 70% of providers of electricity, water, telecom and communication services accept non-cash payment of bills from individuals and households.
As many as 50% of individuals and households in big cities use non-cash payment instruments in shopping and consumption activities.
However, the ratio of cash to total payment instruments was high (11.33%) as of December 31, 2019 as many people still use cash, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Strengthening implementation of the scheme
In an effort to foster non-cash payment, the Government chief urged ministries, agencies and localities to actively realize the goals rolled out in the aforesaid decision.
Accordingly, the State Bank of Viet Nam was asked to promptly review and complete legal framework for non-cash payment and e-payment and submit a draft Decree on non-cash payment to the Government before July 1, 2020 for approval
The central bank was tasked to develop Automated Clearing House (ACH) system for retail sale payments and put the system into operation prior to December 15, 2020.
It is also responsible for designing and applying Know-Your-Customer (KYC) solutions to promote the access and use of retail payment services while strengthening inspection and supervision of money laundering and terrorist financing to ensure effectiveness and security of non-cash payment and e-payment.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade must complete mechanisms and policies to facilitate retail sale establishments to accept and use e-payment devices.
The Ministry of Health shall direct hospitals to join hands with credit organizations and payment intermediary services to collect health service fees in form of non-cash payment methods.
The Ministry of Education and Training shall guide schools to coordinate with credit organizations and payment intermediary services to collect education fees in non-cash payment.
The Ministry of Transport shall promptly issue policies to encourage the development multi-purpose and non-physical cards for car purchase and toll collection./.


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Calling Facebook Customer Service? Beware of Fraudsters
A Google search for a Facebook customer support phone number may direct users to a number set up by fraudsters, according to NPR.
The fraudulent number, 844-735-4595, appeared not only as top result in a Google search, but also as a featured snippet — meaning Google highlighted it in a box at the top of its search results, NPR reported.
NPR engaged phone fraud specialist Pindrop to investigate.
A Pindrop researcher called the number, posing as a Facebook customer who had been locked out of his account. He was instructed to purchase an iTunes card from Walmart or Target, and then to call the number again and hand over the card number and security code. He then would receive a password to unlock his account.


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Some major players are going to follow the long-lost legacy of Oneplus in 2023
The term “flagship killer” caught fire with the first OnePlus phone in 2014. It was a $250 phone with the flagship Snapdragon chip of that era, a unique design, and premium build quality. That was when we saw big performance jumps in each iteration, and phones were unlocking new features every year. So, having a flagship chipset had its advantages.
Why OnePlus lost its Legacy?
Over time, the company has grown and gained more mainstream success; it has also started to raise its prices, moving closer to the prices of other flagship devices. Additionally, as the smartphone market becomes increasingly competitive, it may be harder for OnePlus to differentiate itself as a “flagship killer.” It’s also possible that the company’s focus on more affordable prices may have become less of a priority as they continue to grow; they may be more focused on making a profit rather than being a “flagship killer”.
You either die a Flagship Killer or you Live Long enough to become the Flagship
Why are Flagship Killers Important in 2023?
The mantle of the “flagship killer” has been carried forward by other notable companies like Xiaomi, Oppo, Realme, Honor and Vivo. These companies are expected to do wonders with this category in 2023, when the flagship killers are more crucial than ever, both for the consumers and the manufacturers.
First, the smartphone market is becoming increasingly competitive. As more and more companies enter the market, there is a greater need to stand out and offer something unique. For many companies, this means offering high-end features at more affordable prices than traditional flagship devices.
Second, technological advancements make it possible for companies to offer flagship-level specs at lower prices. For example, the cost of components such as processors and cameras is decreasing, making it more feasible for companies to include these high-end features in their devices without raising prices.
Third, there is a growing demand for more affordable smartphones. As the global economy continues to recover from the pandemic, many consumers are looking for ways to save money, and flagship killers offer a great way to get the latest features without breaking the bank.
In conclusion, we can expect more companies to enter the smartphone market and offer devices with high-end specs at more affordable prices. This trend will continue in 2023, making it a great year for consumers looking for a flagship-level device without the high price tag.
Let’s talk about some Flagship Killers that may steal the show this year.
Realme GT Neo 5: Gaming on Budget
The Realme GT Neo 3 took the gaming phone industry by storm last year. It provided a gaming-class high-performance chipset for $349. At this price, you will get the MediaTek Dimensity 8100, a 6.7″ 120Hz AMOLED display, and a 5000mAh battery with 80W wired charging.
Now, Realme is gearing up to launch its successor in the first quarter of 2023. The Realme GT 5 Neo is expected to come with a Dimensity 8200 chipset with up to 12 gigs of RAM. It is also expected to come with a 50-megapixel camera and record-breaking 150W wired charging. A special edition may also be launched with Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and 240W charging. (My Razer Blade 15 with RTX 2070 charges with a 230W adapter).
It will be a dream come true for budget gamers, and it will kill a lot of flagships.
Pixel 7a: Flagship Camera Killer
Pixel 6a has astonishingly topped the camera blind test carried out by MKBHD last year. That sets the Google Pixel A series phones as the camera champs even in the flagship category. At the $449 launching price, you cannot get a better photography experience than Pixel 6a. You can get it for $239.99, which is an incredible value.
Pixel 7a is expected to follow the suite and provide the best-in-class camera experience. Apart from a great camera, Pixel 7a will arrive with the Google Tensor G2 chipset (Same as Pixel 7 and 7 Pro) and a 90Hz 1080p+ display. It may not break any ground in raw performance, but you will get all the Pixel 7 Machine Learning advancements with the chipset.
Xiaomi Poco F5 GT: Budget Gaming Redefined
At $449 starting price, the Poco F4 GT delivered Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 phone and it became the one of the cheapest phones to do this. Its successor will most likely be the cheapest phone to house Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset which is expected in Q2 2023. It will arrive with 6.7″ 120Hz 1080p AMOLED display and a set of stereo speakers. With 64-megapixel camera, this gaming phone will not compromise on camera performance either. The expected price is $449
There is a slightest chance that Xiaomi shelves all the gaming phones for this year as they are claiming Xiaomi 13 series to have replaced the gaming phones.
It’s nearly impossible to talk about Flagship Killers without mentioning OnePlus. Though the company had a bad year and OnePlus 10 Pro was a dud! But, company is determined to overdo themselves to get things back on track. Oneplus 11R will be their flagship killer this year and it will likely house Dimensity 8200 chipset. It will feature 100W wired charging with a 5000mAh battery and a 50-megapixel camera. It will likely be announced with OnePlus 11 in Q2 2023 at a price point of $660.
Moto Edge 40 Pro
Moto Moniker is getting revived again and they stole the show with impressive Moto Edge 30 Pro last year. With a stunning design and impressive camera hardware, it managed to leave an impression in our minds. This year we are excited for an even more impressive Moto Edge 40 Pro. It is the most expensive phone in our list.
To begin with, the Motorola Edge 40 Pro will have a huge 6.75-inch FHD+ curved AMOLED display. The refresh rate is set at an amazing 165Hz, and there is also DC dimming, HDR, and 10-bit colour support. For the back cameras, Motorola will incorporate a 50MP main sensor, a 50MP ultra-wide angle sensor, and a 12MP telephoto camera. The selfie camera has a 60MP sensor. It is expected to arrive in Q1 with a price tag $699.
These are not the only flagship killers we are waiting for. Here are some honorable mentions
- Asus Zenfone 1
- Pixel 8
- Xiaomi Poco M5 Pro 5g
- Nubia Red Magic 9 Pro (Red Magic 8 pro was launched last month)
- ZTE Axon 50 Pro
- Vivo IQOO Neo 8


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The country is about to witness dramatic changes in food norms, impacting the industry significantly, if initiatives being taken by the Food Safety & Standards Authority are a yardstick.
Formulation of food recall procedures in case of unsafe or hazardous products, mandatory compliance with good agricultural practices for big retailers, labelling changes for packaged food items, organic food certification, setting water quality standards and verification of claims by food supplement companies are among the major reforms being planned by the sector regulator and the government.
FSSAI is currently in the process of consulting with industry stakeholders on food recall procedures.
Speaking to Business Standard, FSSAI chairman P I Suvrathan said food recall was a rather complex process and the Authority would be able to come out with related norms early next year.
The provision of recall exists in the new integrated food safety law, expected to come into effect this August, but 'we have not developed a recall procedure yet', said Suvrathan.
According to him, many countries do not have a recall procedure.
The draft food recall rules state the objective of the procedure as 'guiding food business operators on how to carry out a food recall through an efficient, rapid identification, as well as removal of unsafe food and food that violate the Act and Rules & Regulations.. . '
Informing consumers about the food hazard, establishing a written recall plan, and having a follow-up action plan are also part of the draft.
The authority is also set to look at good agricultural practice as an effective way of assuring food safety. FSSAI will now start putting GAP-certification as a mandatory condition for large retail companies in India.
"GAP is important because a major part of all food products originate from agriculture," the FSSAI chairman said. If we
Organic food is another area of focus for the Authority. What can be called organic and what is near-organic are some of the things that FSSAI will look at.
"We have plans of taking up organic food certification," said Suvrathan. Many agencies and ministries are working in this area and FSSAI is consulting with all of them on the issue.
Another priority area are new guidelines on labelling and claims by manufacturers of food products and health supplements.
If a food product or supplement manufacturer claims something, it will have to establish it. The Authority has developed the first part of the regulation and the new norms should be in place by the end of this year.
"We are updating the current labeling provisions. Scientific backing for claims will be necessary. What study have you done, what is the evidence -- you have to prove your claims.
"These are the questions we will ask," said Suvrathan.
As for contents on the cover/packaging, the print size and logo, everything will be vetted.
"Often companies say that they have to make the print very small because they need to put in so many things as part of labelling."
Now, they have been told that only relevant information like expiry date and ingredients should be there. Take away all that is irrelevant."
Setting standards for quality of water used in food products is also on the to-do list of the Food Safety Authority.
"Water is dealt with by 15 agencies, including several ministries in India," said Suvrathan. The Authority will come out with a standard for potable water within six months.


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“Music video budgets are getting less and less, so you rarely have the opportunity to really try something,” says music video director Ben Dickinson at the opening of the above making-of video. Dickinson is referring to the fact that Cartier put up the cash for the video for Air’s “Painted Love” as part of its “How far would you go for Love?” campaign.
The song — in characteristic Air style — is a dark yet breathy ode to obsessive passion, and the accompanying video (which premiered today on Cartier’s Facebook Page) depicts the myth of
Pygmalion and Galatea: the meeting between artist and muse. It was directed by Waverly (LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, Deathcab for Cutie, TV on the Radio) and takes place in New York City — where tortured artists come home to roost.
At its heart, the whole deal is basically an advertisement for Cartier — you have to “Like” the page to unlock the video — and is the first such social media-driven endeavor that the brand has executed. Cartier has asked other artists to answer the query “How far would you go for love?” since 2007, though. The brand linked up with director Olivier Dahan to create a series of Love films, and produced the concept album l’oeuvre XXX.
And Cartier isn’t alone in its sponsorship of the arts — after splitting for EMI, OK Go teamed up with State Farm to create their epic Rube Goldberg machine video for “This Too Shall Pass,” and brands like Ray-Bans have been tapping artists like crazy to create original music (see: Raw Sounds Project) lately.
What do you think of brands teaming up with artists to create new tunes? Let us know in the comments below.
By Brenna Ehrlich


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FC Barcelona, the worlds second-most vital soccer club, is joining the hurry to matter non-fungible tokens once a mean to give NFTs based going a propose for photos and videos from the clubs 122-year history.
The NFTs will be offered for auction through Owned, a marketplace following mention to the Ethereum blockchain.
The credited commencement takes place Nov. 24, according to a countdown timer about the Owned website.
Bara, as the team is known, is second in value without help to Spanish opponent Real Madrid, according to a ranking by Brand Finance, which says the team might slip the length of the ladder after Lionel Messi who has his own NFT amassing left the club for Paris St. Germain in a submission that plus included NFTs.
Creating these NFTs is a unique opportunity to continue growing and consolidating the Bara brand by bringing unique moments that have made Bara fans goal and FC Barcelona a competently-known club on the order of every one level, Joan LaPorte, the clubs president, said in a publication.
Sports teams worldwide have been exploring NFTs as a showing off of generating income and raising fanatic work. In September, Spain’s La Liga became the first of Europe’s peak soccer leagues to have enough child support NFTs of every single one its players through French digital soccer collectibles platform Solare. European rivals including Atletico Madrid, Porto, AS Roma and England’s Liverpool have already announced NFT deals.
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Monday Apr 14
Kristin AndersonKristin AndersonChannel 3 News ReporterChannel 3 News Reporter
Kristin Anderson rejoined the WKYC news team in October of 2013 and reports for the 6 & 7 PM newscasts.
Trending on the Topix Network
Thu Apr 10, 2014
Virginia Farm Bureau
Egg prices up, but supply is ample for spring holidays
Though retail egg prices are historically high at $1.98 per dozen, consumers will find an adequate supply for Passover meals and Easter baskets.
Panhandle Watermelon Announces 2014 Lineup
On the heels of last year's record breaking festival attendance, the Panhandle Watermelon Festival has once again lined up a group of performers to ensure this year's festival will continue to offer thousands a jam packed two day music and family experience like no other locally.
Tue Apr 08, 2014
Hillsborough victims remembered: John Anderson, devoted dad who loved ...
John Anderson, 62, went to the FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield with his son Brian, who had to identify his body in a gymnasium after the disaster.
Mon Apr 07, 2014
Farm Bureau Releases Semi-Annual Marketbasket Food Price Index
ANNUAL MARKETBASKET FOOD PRICE INDEX Apr. 7, 2014 Source: American Farm Bureau Federation news release Higher retail prices for several food items used to prepare breakfast, including bacon, eggs and bread, among other foods, resulted in a slight increase in the American Farm Bureau Federation's latest Semi-Annual Marketbasket Survey.
Mon Mar 31, 2014
Old Jews Telling Jokes Runs 4/23-5/25 at Lyceum Theatre
The off-Broadway hit show OLD JEWS TELLING JOKES comes to San Diego for a five week run at the Lyceum Theatre downtown and is sure to make audiences laugh 'til they plotz.
"Give this hero the send-off he deserves" - Legion asks...
And yet the Burma veteran could be buried with no friends or family attending his funeral; no ceremony.
Mon Mar 24, 2014
The Northern Echo
Last chance for Darlington businesses to sign up for town centre conference
SIGNING UP: John Anderson, assistant director for economic initiative at DBC, with John Coxon of clothing store Leggs, the latest business to sign up to the conference, and Les Fry, representing the Darlington Business Improvement District BUSINESSES in Darlington have been urged to sign up for a conference to discuss the future of the town centre.
Fri Mar 21, 2014
Bizarre bond between Nozolino, Anderson raises concern
In 2002 when news hit that the Beltway Sniper was picking off people in suburbs of Washington, D.C., El Paso County Sheriff John Anderson called the FBI to alert them to a possible suspect: Bruce Nozolino.


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When I read about the recently passed "Wal Mart health care bill" in the Post, I merely smirked with that infuriating smile I get when liberal politicians cock a pistol aimed at their own feet. Mostly I was thinking "congratulations, Maryland, your legislature just handed you an 8% price hike!" But, as with all policies created by weak minds with good intent, that's just the start:
If Wal-Mart is forced to increase the share of compensation that comes in the form of health benefits, then it will have to decrease take-home pay. If it cannot decrease take-home pay, then it will have to reduce its reliance on low-skilled labor or cut back on operations altogether.
The law requires Wal-Mart to spend 8 percent of its payroll on health care, whether or not this is enough to keep its workers from needing to rely on Medicaid. If Wal-Mart came up with a way to provide outstanding health care to its workers for 6 percent of its payroll, it would be in violation of the law unless it found a way to waste the other 2 percent on unnecessary health care. Conversely, if Wal-Mart offers a really lousy health plan, it would be in compliance with the law as long as it spent 8 percent.
According to an April 17, 2004 article in The New York Times (of all places), it's estimated sales at Wal Mart stores helped lower the national inflation rate by as much as 1 percent per year in the previous decade. Stick that in your "Wal Mart's the next great corporate satan" pipe and smoke it.