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Employees involved about their wages and advantages, work surroundings, staffing, and the care of animals contained in the shops of Phoenix-based PetSmart are growing their stress for change.
United for Respect, a nationwide nonprofit employee advocacy group, is predicted to unveil a brand new billboard as quickly as Tuesday on Interstate 17 close to Union Hills Drive, near the corporate’s headquarters. The billboard incorporates a dachshund urging company executives to make a tricky resolution: “Wall Avenue Greed or PetSmart Associates?”
Organizers of the marketing campaign wish to pressure the corporate to satisfy with employees to deal with their considerations. Retailer workers are in search of a $15 hourly minimal wage, a safer work surroundings, healthcare advantages for all workers, elevated coaching, gear upgrades, job protections, and employee illustration on the board of administrators.
Final Wednesday, greater than 400 workers and supporters signed a letter to Joanne Dwyer, PetSmart’s vice chairman of company social duty and sustainability, who joined the company within the newly created position in Might.
“Our shops are in disaster,” employees wrote within the letter. They requested Dwyer to take a position extra in PetSmart’s employees and reclassify the enterprise as a stay animal care middle, not a retailer. The letter additionally famous that final month PetSmart confronted a class-action lawsuit after groomers in California alleged they had been deceived and trapped in debt after finishing the corporate’s coaching program. That lawsuit is pending.
“We have been pushing PetSmart to place pet care over revenue for greater than two years, however we have not seen significant modifications whilst our paychecks get stretched thinner,” the letter continued.
The requires change on the firm, which employs about 56,000 folks throughout greater than 1,600 shops within the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, could possibly be a prelude to unionization efforts.
Phoenix New Occasions just lately hung out speaking to union leaders and rank-and-file employees concerning the unprecedented wave of union efforts in Arizona, championed by fed-up workers in a broad spectrum of industries — from cannabis and coffee to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
‘There’s A Lot of Demise’
Oscar Cordaro has at all times cherished animals. Naturally, he was fairly excited when he bought a day job at a PetSmart retailer in metro Phoenix. It didn’t take lengthy for that pleasure to dwindle.
The environment was zoolike on a latest Sunday on the retailer in Casa Grande. Cordaro mentioned he was caught working alone, grappling with the urge to succumb to burnout. That’s when three tropical birds dropped lifeless of their cages on the gross sales ground.
“The animals don’t get the meals and water that they want as a result of I’ve to assist clients,” Cordaro, 25, instructed New Occasions. “It’s exhausting.” When Cordaro is behind the money register, he cannot are inclined to the tons of of animals inside the shop.
Moments later, it was a pair of hamsters. The animals had been wholesome once they arrived on the retailer days earlier than. Then, out of the blue, they had been lifeless, he mentioned.
Cordaro mentioned he has to ring up clients and “do the roles of three different folks” on these frenzied and lonely Sundays. He must drive practically an hour every option to Phoenix to get rid of the lifeless animals, however there’s no time for that within the day.
Consequently, coolers — which additionally include meals for stay animals — overflow with corpses.
“There’s a number of demise,” Cordaro mentioned. “PetSmart doesn’t schedule sufficient folks per shift, so points get missed.”
In response to the corporate’s “deceased store-owned pet coverage,” which Cordaro shared with New Occasions, deceased animals are to be wrapped in paper, then in plastic, sealed with rubber bands, and packed right into a fridge or freezer.
“Deceased pets mustn’t ever be left within the fridge for greater than 24 hours,” in keeping with the coverage.
Due to staffing points, these mandates are too usually ignored, employees claimed.
A spokesperson for PetSmart mentioned the allegations “don’t characterize our 1,660 shops” and don’t replicate the “associates who give a lot of themselves to take care of all pets as in the event that they had been their very own.”
“That is simply the newest in a collection of deceptive assertions that United for Respect has made towards us and different retailers,” Christina Grant-Backus, PetSmart’s company repute supervisor, instructed New Occasions. “Our associates have a number of avenues to attach with us and ask questions or voice their opinions.”
These assets embrace entry to retailer leaders and human assets, in addition to an nameless CareSmart hotline, which is operated by an unbiased third get together, Grant-Backus added.
Report: Canine Deaths Rising at PetSmart
Canines are dying in better numbers yearly at PetSmart shops, according to a 2021 report from United for Respect. The report detailed PetSmart’s troubles navigating the coronavirus pandemic, sustaining first rate working situations, and countering the rise in pet deaths.
Nationwide, canine deaths at PetSmart shops have greater than doubled since BC Companions, a London-based non-public fairness agency, acquired the corporate in 2015. At the very least 36 canines have died since 2015 whereas receiving care at PetSmart or shortly thereafter. Between 2008 and 2014, solely 15 canines died whereas in PetSmart’s care, in keeping with the report.
A further 5 canines died just lately whereas in PetSmart custody or instantly after, together with a poodle that allegedly was strangled throughout a grooming session in Pennsylvania and a bulldog that was crushed beneath a grooming desk in Las Vegas, in keeping with the report.
“Employees are discouraged from taking sick animals to the vet to allow them to preserve prices down,” Bianca Agustin, United for Respect’s director of company accountability, instructed New Occasions. “They [PetSmart executives] simply need them to die, after which they put them in these freezers.”
In North Carolina, 20 PetSmart shops had been just lately ordered to “enhance situations for animals with a purpose to adjust to the state’s Animal Welfare Act,” in keeping with Individuals for the Moral Remedy of Animals.
In response to another report from NJ Advance Media, a New Jersey-based media and knowledge firm, some PetSmart workers “felt both ignored or retaliated towards once they spoke up about security considerations or wrongdoing by colleagues.”
Feeling stress to not bail on his job, Cordaro stays on PetSmart’s payroll. “I like my coworkers, and I have to work,” he mentioned. He mentioned he hopes situations will enhance quickly and needs it to be “rather less traumatic for the remainder of us.”
“Workers are discouraged from taking sick animals to the vet … They just want them to die.” — Bianca Agustin, Director for Corporate Accountability, United for Respect
There’s additionally “a definite effort” to unionize amongst stricken employees, Agustin mentioned. “We wholeheartedly assist everybody’s proper to arrange,” she added.
Formal conversations about unionization have but to happen as employees proceed to see if latest efforts make a distinction. In June, Agustin and two associates flew to the New York Metropolis workplaces of BC Companions.
“We left that assembly feeling hopeful,” Agustin mentioned. “We actually wished to present the corporate the advantage of the doubt so issues would get higher. Sadly, that didn’t occur.”
Now, Arizona PetSmart employees are escalating their marketing campaign to tackle the corporate proper in its personal yard.
“The corporate management relies in Phoenix, they usually in the end have a duty to deal with these considerations,” Agustin mentioned. “We wish to give them that chance to try this in their very own yard. It’s time to deliver some company duty to PetSmart.”
In her assertion to New Occasions, Grant-Backus mentioned the corporate is listening.
“We’re dedicated to asking questions, listening, and taking motion to make sure PetSmart continues to be a spot the place associates are valued and pets obtain the best requirements of care in our trade,” she mentioned.


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Posted 2 years ago
By Post Staff
That’s a 4.2% increase from last year and the highest Labor Day total since 2008. Triple A credits the increase to a positive economic outlook and improving consumer confidence.
85% of those heading out for the weekend…29.2-million…will be traveling by car, while 8% will fly. The remaining 7% will travel by rail, bus, or boat. 46% will leave tomorrow and 43% will be coming back on Monday.
Nebraskans staying closer to home will find numerous ideas on how to celebrate the last summer holiday at www.visitnebraska.com The events section lists dozens of community celebrations and activities appropriate for the entire family…including the Nebraska State Fair in Grand Island, which concludes Monday.
Outdoor enthusiasts should visit www.outdoornebraska.org, the website of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, for information on events and activities at State Parks and State Recreation Areas.

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(by John D. Stoll, Matthew Dolan, Jeffrey McCracken and Josh Mitchell, WallStreetJournal.com) – Detroit’s Big Three auto makers presented turnaround plans to Congress on Tuesday that indicate both General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC could collapse by the end of the month unless they get billions of dollars in emergency government loans.
As part of a renewed bid for a bailout, GM said it needs an immediate injection of $4 billion to stay afloat until the end of the year, a fact it hadn’t before disclosed. In total, the company said it needs $18 billion in loans — $6 billion more than it said it would need just two weeks ago.
Chrysler’s 14-page summary of its presentation to Congress requests $7 billion, and it said it needs the funds by Dec. 31. Chrysler also wants $6 billion from a Department of Energy program aimed at promoting fuel-efficient vehicles.
Ford Motor Co. seeks a $9 billion line of credit from the government, though it adds it may not need to tap it. In addition, Ford wants $5 billion from the Energy Department program.
All three makers said they will consolidate operations and accelerate production of higher-mileage vehicles. In addition, GM and Ford plan to trim their brands.
The urgent call for help comes as lawmakers have begun reaching out to Wall Street experts to explore how the government could help the companies prepare bankruptcy filings that would take them in and out of Chapter 11 protection quickly, with much of the financing and other restructuring measures worked out with creditors in advance, people familiar with the matter said.
In the past several days, congressional representatives have met with bankers and bankruptcy experts to discuss the possibility of a so-called prearranged bankruptcy for either GM or Chrysler, these people said.
One idea that emerged from the talks would have the U.S. government put up as much as $40 billion to fund reorganizations under bankruptcy for GM and Chrysler, these people said.
Both companies have said they don’t see bankruptcy as a viable option for any auto maker. They believe customers would stop buying cars and the company would be forced to liquidate.
But bankers and other financial experts are telling lawmakers that bankruptcy is the best option for creating smaller but viable U.S. car companies.
“I think GM is eminently re-organizable,” said Durc Savini, managing director at Miller Buckfire & Co., a New York investment banking firm that advised on the bankruptcies at auto suppliers Dana Corp. and Dura Automotive Inc. He said he recently talked with staff members for three House and Senate members to discuss a bankruptcy at one or all of the Detroit makers.
Mr. Savini said he told the staffers a bankruptcy could work, but would likely require government money and concessions from workers, vendors, management and debtholders.
In a conference call with reporters, GM President Frederick “Fritz” Henderson said bankruptcy is not a viable option and the company is focusing solely on securing help from Washington. “There is not a Plan B,” he said.
The United Auto Workers union is expressing a different view. At a meeting Tuesday in Detroit, top UAW officials told worker representatives that GM could be forced into a Chapter 11 filing before Christmas if the company fails to get government funding in coming days, people familiar with the matter said.
The three companies presented their requests for help as they were hit by another batch of bad news. U.S. new-vehicle sales fell 37% in November to 746,789, according to Autodata Inc. It was the first time in decades that monthly sales fell below 800,000. The closely watched seasonally adjusted annualized sales rate was 10.18 million vehicles, a worse-than-expected drop from October’s 10.8 million
GM’s sales fell 41%, Ford’s 30% and Chrysler’s 47%. Foreign auto makers were hit hard, too. Toyota Motor Corp.’s U.S. sales fell 34% and Honda Motor Co.’s 31%.
The Big Three last month appealed to Congress for $25 billion in low-cost loans to carry them through the downturn in the economy and one of the worst auto sales slumps in decades. But lawmakers were unconvinced that the three had clear restructuring plans to return to profitability and told them to come back by Dec. 2 with more details on how they would use taxpayer funds to “become viable.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said Tuesday she hoped to help the industry, but suggested much will depend on the assessments made of the industry plans. “We want to see a commitment to the future,” she said. “We want to see a restructuring of their approach, that they have a new business model, a new business plan.”
In what could be a boost to Detroit’s hopes, Ms. Pelosi said bankruptcy isn’t an option for the companies because such reorganization would take too long. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) said that if Democrats decided to proceed with a bailout, legislation could come as soon as Monday.
In its 33-page presentation, Ford said it doesn’t need federal funds immediately but asked for the $9 billion credit line in case the recession is longer and deeper than expected. It estimated it will break even or return to profitability by 2011 and added it would accelerate the development of hybrid and battery-powered vehicles, cut the number of dealers selling its products, and retool plants to make small cars in the U.S. it can sell profitably.
In a phone interview while riding in a Ford Escape hybrid to Washington, where the chief executives of the Big Three will testify starting Thursday, Ford CEO Alan Mulally suggested the UAW may have to make concessions to help the companies recover and persuade Congress to approve aid. “All of the elements” of the UAW labor contract should be re-examined to keep the U.S. auto industry competitive, he said.
Ford appears to be in better shape than GM and Chrysler, in large part because it mortgaged almost all of its assets in 2006 to raise $24.5 billion.
In the document it submitted to Congress, Chrysler, controlled by private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP, said it is on track to end the year with just $2.5 billion in cash, and that it is due to pay out $11.6 billion for parts, wages, and other costs between Jan. 1 and March 31. It seeks a “bridge loan” of $7 billion to “ensure the long-term viability of the company.”
In a concession to receive the loan, Cerberus will tell Congress it is willing to convert its debt in Chrysler to equity, said an executive familiar with its thinking.
In his testimony this week, Chrysler CEO Robert Nardelli plans to call on the auto makers and federal government to create “an independent joint venture” to develop improved energy technology, such as batteries for electric and hybrid vehicles, a Chrysler executive said.
In GM’s conference call Tuesday, Mr. Henderson said GM is seeking $12 billion in loans and an additional credit line of $6 billion.
In return, GM would be open to giving taxpayers warrants for company stock, a senior position among its creditors, and a promise to pay the money back around 2012. Mr. Henderson said GM believes its North American operations can break even by that year.
GM plans to begin discussions this week with bondholders and the UAW in an attempt to cut its debt by $30 billion, or by about half. It will ask investors to swap debt for equity, and aim to restructure GM’s obligations to a UAW health-care trust set to begin paying retiree benefits in 2010.
GM told Congress it is considering selling its Saab and Saturn divisions, and may trim its lineup to about 40 models from 60.
-Monica Langley contributed to this article.
Write to John D. Stoll at firstname.lastname@example.org, Matthew Dolan at email@example.com, Jeffrey McCracken at firstname.lastname@example.org and Josh Mitchell at email@example.com.
Copyright 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights
Reserved. Reprinted here for educational purposes only. Visit the
website at wsj.com.
1. Who are the “Big Three?”
2. a) What are the Big Three asking Congress for this week?
b) What do they say will happen if Congress does not help?
3. How much does each company say they need?
4. What do the automakers say they will do in exchange for the taxpayer bailout?
5. Why have congressional representatives met with bankers and bankruptcy experts over the past several days?
6. What do GM and Chrysler think of the idea of bankruptcy?
7. When the Big Three asked Congress for $25 billion last month, why did Congress tell them to come back this month?
8. Why does Ford appear to be in better shape than GM and Chrysler?
9. This is a challenging article but it is important to have a general understanding of the issue. Do an internet search for “Oppose Big Three Bailout” and “Support Big Three Bailout” to gain a better understanding of why people have differing opinions on this issue. What do you think? Should Congress give the Big Three a bailout? Explain your answer.
Daily “Answers” emails are provided for Daily News Articles, Tuesday’s World Events and Friday’s News Quiz.


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Dell is seriously considering the modular laptop concept and sees it as a way to speed up repair and upgrade processes.
The company recently showcased the latest updates to its “Luna” concept laptop and demonstrated how it operates in practice.
According to iFixit, a website that specializes in technical information related to fixing electronic devices, there are several Dell laptops that scored 10 out of 10 possible points for their ‘repairability’, or convenience for repairs. One such model is Latitude E5270.
The new concept Luna laptop was unveiled last December. It aims to go even further with a design that features just four body screws and uses a minimal amount of adhesives and solder to hold internal components in place.
Why would we need such a design?
From the side of the end-user, the hardware would operate the same way as in all other laptops. But for specialists who work fixing things, this design would allow them to greatly simplify and speed up their work.
For example, in order to open the chassis, they would need just to insert a screwdriver-like tool into the side of the device to open it. Then, they could remove all main modules: keyboard, monitor, fans, battery, motherboard, and speakers – all by hand with no special tools. Or, the same work could be done by a robot.
The latest design update now also includes a telemetry system add-on. This system is designed to monitor the health state of individual components.
In the long term, Dell aims to create a system that solves the problem of maintaining computers in a fully automated way. It could detect the wear of individual modules or hardware components at different stages of their life.
For example, it could detect a failure in a motherboard, while other components such as the keyboard and display are still in good condition. Dell says this system would work in a similar way when we take our cars to a car repair shop. This potentially could increase the useful service life of the device, and minimize the amount of electronic waste.
Furthermore, Dell also envisions an industrial disassembler robot that has two arms and is designed for taking out and sorting computer parts.
What is the current state of the Luna modular laptop concept?
The system prototype is already in the working stage, where its performance can be demonstrated in real life. Dell representatives say the robot was able to disassemble the laptop in a minute.
Dell’s Luna device is still a concept – and therefore cannot be purchased, but only for now.


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2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 05:39
Federal Environment Minister Hendricks has sharply criticized the carmaker. Apparently there are grievances in management here and there, said the SPD politician. Meanwhile, VW announced that it would retrofit four million diesels
Shortly before the German government's diesel summit on August 2, Volkswagen announced that it would improve the exhaust emissions of additional cars. The group will offer to retrofit a total of four million vehicles and thus significantly reduce emissions, said CEO Matthias Müller on Thursday after a conversation with Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks (SPD) in Wolfsburg.
According to the company, this is 1.5 million additional vehicles. Volkswagen has already had to convert around 2.5 million cars after the scandal over manipulated emissions.
Review from Hendricks
Hendricks was unusually sharp about the auto industry and the relationship between politics and manufacturers. "It is probably the case that in the past the state has too often failed to distance itself from the automotive industry." This made the industry feel “too safe”. The latest allegations of cartel agreements by corporations have destroyed further trust. There are “apparently here or there maladministration”.
Hendricks called for an additional control authority to be set up outside the Federal Ministry of Transport, for example at the Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection. Müller emphasized: "We are aware of our responsibility for the environment and for our jobs." VW wants to make a contribution to the success of the summit to which Hendricks and Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) invited. "I think it's good to talk to each other and not talk about each other," said the VW boss. He hoped that the summit "will be a serious matter - not a staging, not a campaign topic." Part of the truth is "that we will also need clean and efficient internal combustion engines in the future in a transition phase to electromobility." (AG / dpa)
The German premium manufacturers Daimler and BMW also had to accept weak demand in October. The losses are particularly evident in Western Europe
The Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Industry (ZDK) reacted to the high discounts on new cars with criticism. Internet exchanges, in particular, would provide “this
Domestic business is not going particularly well for Japanese automakers either. On the other hand, they are reporting double-digit growth rates for exports
BMW announces its quarterly figures on Wednesday. After Daimler and Audi, Munich also has record numbers on offer
The Auto Club Europa has denounced the negligent handling of parents when it comes to child safety in the car. Mostly it is the convenience that leads to the risk


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How Baby and Child Care Brands Can Win Online
This year, U.S. consumers will spend $12.3 billion on baby food and personal care products. By 2022, the category is forecast to grow 11.8% to $13.8 billion. This is a significant market that CPG firms are keen to address. However, like other segments, the market for baby products is being disrupted by the rise of digital – where the needs of busy parents are creating some unique shifts in how products are bought.
Here’s what big-name baby and child care companies such as Abbott Nutrition, P&G, Kimberly-Clark, Johnson & Johnson and Nestle need to know to win online.
The fast advance of online
When it comes to overall grocery, around 5.5% of sales are made online. However, for baby consumables, the online penetration rate is currently 17.2% – and it continues to increase at a rapid pace.
There are several reasons for this gap between grocery and baby. Foremost among them is the fact that many parents of young children are busy, which makes shopping for essentials inconvenient. It is also a hassle to take small kids into stores. For these harried consumers, buying online is a natural solution that saves time and makes the process of shopping more pleasant and convenient.
However, the dislike of shopping in stores is not the only factor at play. The penetration rate for general online grocery shopping among parents of infants is more elevated than for other segments of the population, but it is nowhere near the level of penetration for baby categories.
One of the other factors driving spend online is the habitual nature of buying baby consumables. Evidence suggests that parents are very careful in initially selecting baby brands and products; a lot of time is taken looking at things like ingredients and formulations. However, once a brand has been selected and there is confidence in it, switching is not particularly frequent. This makes the category particularly suited to online, where regularly-bought items can be quickly added to the cart and ordered.
Autopilot consumption in baby consumables
Frequent purchasing also makes the baby category suitable for autopilot consumption – the process by which consumers sign up for regular deliveries of items at scheduled intervals. This kind of service is particularly popular for regularly-used items like disposable diapers.
As is the case in other categories, the use of a subscription service discourages product switching. In effect, it locks consumers into the brand they are using, at least for a time. On average, those using a subscription service for baby consumables are 2.8 times less likely to switch brands than those who buy in a regular way from stores or online.
What’s different about the baby care category is that while switching is less likely, autopilot consumption does not create as much of a long-term hold on shoppers as it does in other categories. There are two reasons for this.
First, as babies grow, parents need to make changes to what they buy in terms of food types, diaper sizes, and personal care formulations. This necessitates a fresh round of research, in which new brands have an opportunity to displace the labels previously chosen.
Second, even when they are locked into a subscription, many parents – especially new ones – will actively look at baby products online out of interest and curiosity. This exploration is much stronger than for functional grocery categories like laundry detergent and trash bags. Again, this gives other brands a chance to displace those chosen for the subscription.
The fact that parents do a lot of online research on baby products means that brands need to ensure they are providing the information and detail of interest.
One of the things of most concern is ingredients and formulations. Here, parents like to know what is in the products they’re buying, as well as that they are free of harsh or unnatural chemicals. Product benefits and features are also popular areas of research, while a clear indication of the age ranges the product is suitable for is also vital. Indeed, when it comes to gripes about looking at baby products online, a lack of clear information about the age suitability of products tops the table.
Brands that do not have easy-to-use websites with clear detail on products are at a major disadvantage when it comes to converting shoppers. Brands must also ensure that the online retailers carrying their lines are conveying product details in an appropriate way.
The brand advantages
The good news for big CPG firms is that when it comes to baby consumables, major brands are more trusted to provide high-quality products than retailer-owned brands. However, the bad news is that some niche firms, like The Honest Company, have created powerful brands that are seen as authentic and wholesome – which represents an increasing challenge to the large CPG players.
Interestingly, The Honest Company started as an e-commerce venture, selling subscriptions for baby care products in the United States and Canada through its website, without a physical presence. Honest relied on Facebook for efficient advertising instead of big, expensive national campaigns. Recurring monthly deliveries now account for 60% of Honest’s digital sales. Honest is a perfect example of how to use digital to take advantage of the various trends and dynamics of the baby consumables market.
There are five lessons for CPG baby brands looking to compete in digital:
- Having a dedicated online presence is not negotiable; that’s where consumers are, and it’s where brands need to be too.
- Consumers are looking for a mix of information and convenient shopping options when online; brands need to provide both – or partner with retailers that can provide both – if they are to succeed.
- Product clarity is vital online; the digital space is crowded with options, so being able to quickly see key details like pack size and age suitability matters to consumers.
- Inspiration is a part of the mix; new parents are excited about their children and are interested to learn about the different products available. Brands need to communicate this in a way that matches this enthusiasm.
- Free online samples can be a great way to engage with parents and get them to try out new products before taking regular subscriptions.


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Ford will soon launch the 2016 EcoSport in India as it has teased the new EcoSport via its Social media platform. The teaser image flaunts...
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Not sure whether now is a good time to buy a home? Buying today is full of opportunity and more consumers are coming to realize this conclusion.
In a recent monthly survey, the mortgage company Fannie Mae found that nearly three-quarters of Americans thought it was a good time to buy a home due to their expectation that purchase prices will increase within the next year. Doug Duncan, a chief economist from Fannie Mae, stated in the Wall Street Journal, “Conditions are coming together to encourage people to want to buy homes”.
So why should you buy a home right now? We’ve listed the main reasons below:
Lower interest rates. Interest rates today are some of the lowest since 1971. “Homeownership is within reach of more households than it has been for nearly two decades,” said Bob Nielsen, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). No one is sure just how long these low rates with stick around.
Increasing rents. Rental prices have continued to climb while vacancy rates reach a low. According to Ryan Severino, a Reis senior economist, “…rents tend to spike as landlords perceive that tight market conditions afford them greater pricing power over tenants”.
Lower prices. Prices still have not returned to their 2006 levels.
Still not sure whether buying now is the best decision for you? Now is the time to find out! Whenever buying a home you need an experienced, reputable, and trustworthy agent at your side. Our agents at Alliance Homes are here for you. Contact your local experts today!
Apartment Rents Rise, Vacancies Plunge. ABC News. Web. 6 Jul 2012. http://news.yahoo.com/apartment-rents-rising-vacancies-10-low-140611799–abc-news-savings-and-investment.html
June 2012 Market Update. Keller Williams Realty. Web. 18 Jun 2012. http://images.kw.com/media/shared/tmre/tmire-jun12.html
Why Now is a Good Time to Buy a Home. MSN Money. 25 Jan. 2012. Web. 18 Jun 2012. http://money.msn.com/debt-management/article.aspx?post=88a39190-6e56-47e4-a1a7-4ec8a79edfc4
Why Buy a Home? Carla Hill. Realty Times. 25 Jan. 2012. Web. 18 Jun 2012. http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20120125_whybuy.htm


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Portal Software shares drop 11% on Q4 results (5:21 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Portal Software PRSF fell 11 percent in late trading Tuesday after the company posted a first-quarter loss far wide than analysts had been expecting and declined to provide pro forma guidance for the second quarter. The software company said it lost $5.2 million, or 12 cents a share, vs. a loss of $9.8 million, or 27 cents a share, the year before. Sales edged lower, to $31.2 million from $32.1 million. On a pro forma basis, Portal reported a per-share loss of 19 cents compared with expectations of a 13-cent loss, according to analysts polled by Thomson First Call. Portal Software shares fell to $4.70 after the bell, down 60 cents.
Pentagon defers Boeing tanker contract (5:16 PM ET) WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- The Pentagon late Tuesday deferred a decision on whether to let Boeing lease the Air Force 100 aerial refueling tankers until more studies can be completed. The decision was based in part on recommendations made by a Pentagon advisory board. The task force found potential decisions regarding the matter would benefit from "a comprehensive look at other aerial refueling options." Boeing's contract is currently estimated to be worth $23.5 billion. Some U.S. lawmakers have crticized the plan as unnecessary and exorbitant.
SeaChange says video-on-demand boosts Q1 profit (4:55 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- SeaChange International SEAC, -0.69% late Tuesday reported first-quarter earnings of $3.2 million, or 11 cents a share, vs $562,000, or 2 cents a share, a year ago. The digital video system maker said revenue were $41.6 million vs.$34.8 million a year ago. SeaChange said the results for the quarter were higher this year thanks in part to more video-on-demand customers. SeaChange rose 66 cents to $13.23 ahead of the announcement.
Semtech Q1 earns 19c, sales $61.9 mln (4:42 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Semtech SMTC, -0.29% reported fiscal first-quarter net income of $14.8 million, or 19 cents a share, and sales of $61.9 million. During the same quarter last year, the chipmaker earned $8.3 million, or 11 cents a share, on sales of $44 million. Analysts expected earnings of 18 cents a share and sales of $60.6 million, on average, according to Thomson First Call.
Hughes Supply Q1 earnings jump 90 percent (4:41 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO(CBS.MW) -- Hughes Supply HUG, -0.46% on Tuesday reported a sharp rise in first-quarter earnings, citing recent acquisitions and increased commercial and public-sector construction activity. The seller of construction and maintainance products reported income of $29.8 million, or 97 cents a share, vs $11.8 million, or 51 cents a share, last year. Hughes' first-quarter sales were $992.8 million vs $782.8 million a year ago. The company expects second-quarter sales of $1.05 billion to $1.02 billion with earnings per share of 93 cents to 98 cents. Hughes also forecasts 2005 per-share profit of $3.15 to $3.30 and sales of $3.8 billion to $3.85 billion.
Sports Authority Q1 profit slips, 2004 outlook rises (4:21 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Sports Authority TSA, -2.65% late Tuesday reported first-quarter income of $4.1 million, or 15 cents a share, vs $4.2 million, or 34 cents a share, a year ago. Excluding merger integration costs, the sporting goods retailer earned 35 cents a share, vs 18 cents a year ago. Sports Authority said it sees an increase in 2004 profit to a range of $2.59 to $2.65. The company also said chief merchandising officer Elliot Kerbis has resigned. CEO Doug Morton will oversee Kerbis' former duties until the company finds a replacement.
Computer Associates improves to fourth-quarter profit (4:09 PM ET) LOS ANGELES (CBS.MW) - Computer Associates CA, -0.07% reported fourth-quarter net income of $89 million, or 15 cents a share, improving from a year-ago loss of $106 million, or 18 cents a share. Sales rose 10 percent to $850 million for the quarter. Excluding one-time items, earnings improved to 18 cents a share from 8 cents a year earlier. Earlier this month, the company delayed its earnings report and predicted net earnings of 17 cents to 18 cents a share before one-off items on sales of some $850 million for the latest three-month period. Analysts had, on average, anticipated fourth-quarter earnings excluding one-time items of 17 cents on sales of $862.8 million, according to a survey by Thomson First Call. Shares of the Islandia, NY-based corporate software maker closed unchanged at $25.70 ahead of the earnings release.
TiVo Q1 loss widens (4:04 PM ET) SAN FRANCISCO (CBS.MW) -- Tivo TIVO, -3.07%, a maker of software used in digital video recorders, said after the market closed Tuesday that its first-quarter loss was $9.1 million, or 11 cents a share, on revenue of $34.5 million, compared to a loss of $7.9 million, or 12 cents a share, on revenue of $28.5 million, in the year-ago period. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call were expecting to see a loss of 20 cents a share on revenue of $23.85 million, on average. The San Jose, Calif.-based company added 264,000 new subscribers in the period, vs. 79,000 in the same quarter last year. At the end of April, TiVo had more than 1.6 million subscribers, vs. 703,000 subscribers at the end of the same month last year.
Chevron to sell 13 fields for $800 million (3:28 PM ET) DALLAS (CBS.MW) -- ChevronTexaco CVX, +0.23% said it would record a significant gain in the second or third quarter to account for the $800 million sale of 13 producing fields in Western Canada to Acclaim Energy Trust and Enerplus Resources Fund. The sale is part of Chevron's goal to divest itself of fields that don't hold long-term value for the company. Shares were up $1.50 at $91.67.
AXT tumbles on weak Q1, management shake-up (2:53 PM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of AXT AXTI, -2.28% fell 6 percent to $2.04 in Tuesday afternoon action. The move comes after the Fremont, Calif., chip capital equipment maker late Monday reported a wider than anticipated first-quarter loss and disclosed a management shake-up following an investigation of its product testing practices. AXT lost $2.6 million, or 11 cents per share, 2 cents beyond the average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call. Revenue totaled $9.8 million for the March period, below Wall Street's consensus view of $10.2 million. Looking ahead, AXT forecast a loss of 10 to 11 cents per share in the June quarter, wider than the current analysts' view for a loss of 8 cents per share. The company said its investigation revealed "certain failures to comply with requirements for product testing and the provision of testing data and information relating to customer requirements." In light of the results of the probe, AXT named Donald Tatzin, its former chief financial officer, interim CEO. Tatzin replaces Morris Young, who was also chairman and president of AXT, in the position. Young will remain a director, and focus his efforts on the company's operations in China. AXT named Wilson Cheung chief financial officer, and Jesse Chen chairman.
Energen lifts FY05 earnings outlook to reflect hedges (12:46 PM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Energen EGN, -4.17% shares added almost 2 percent after the Birmingham, Ala., energy holding company lifted its outlook for 2005 to earnings of between $3.70 to $3.90 per share. The company said the boost of 10 cents per share follows recent additions to the oil and gas hedge position of its Energen Resources unit. The forecast includes a profit contribution of about 35 cents per share from assumed acquisitions in 2004 and 2005.
UAL proposes $145 million in medical cost savings (10:28 AM ET) WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- UAL, parent of United Airlines, aims to reduce annual expenses by $145.4 million under a proposal to slash retiree health benefits, according to a regulatory filing. The bankrupt Chicago-based airline UALAQ said cash savings would be $52 million in the first year and $57.1 million per year from 2004 through 2010. The proposal is being made after UAL failed to reach a deal with its flight attendants last week.
Shiloh reports strong Q2; stock gains 12 % (10:18 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Shiloh Industries SHLO, -1.23% rose 12 percent to $12.97 after the Cleveland, Ohio car and truck parts manufacturer reported second-quarter earnings of $8.4 million, or 53 cents per share, up from $1.8 million, or 12 cents per share, a year ago. The single analyst for the same period as polled by Thomson First Call forecast earnings of 16 cents per share. The company said sales rose 12.1 percent to $179.8 million, mostly because of strong truck and car demand and an improving heavy truck market. The company attributed the strong results to "increased production volumes and lower operating costs and interest expense."
Swift Transportation rises on Q2 view, stock buyback (9:53 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Shares of Swift Transportation SWFT soared 11.5 percent to $17.43 after the company offered a second quarter earnings outlook well ahead of analyst expectations. Swift said it is forecasting earnings in the range of 24 cents to 30 cents a share, compared with a Thomson First Call average estimate of 22 cents a share. The company said its outlook is the result of a strong first quarter performance when it posted adjusted earnings of 9 cents a shares on a 12.9 percent rise in sales to $622.4 million, a penny ahead of estimates. In addition, chief executive officer Jerry Moyes said it will continue its share repurchase program, saying the company's stock is "undervalued at prevailing prices."
Longview Fibre Q2 net handily beats Street estimates (8:55 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Longview Fibre Company LFB posted fiscal second quarter net income of $5.9 million, or 12 cents a share compared with $500,000 , or a penny a share in the year-ago quarter. Sales jumped 17.5 percent to $213.4 million from $181.6 million, boosted in large part by a sharp rise in timber sales as a result of favorable spring weather across the Northwest. The First Call mean estimate was for a loss of a penny a share on revenue of $204.9 million. Looking ahead to the remainder of the year, the company said it now expects to meet or exceed its original timber sales plan of around 252 million board feet, while continuing to benefit from a higher price environment. Shares of Longview Fibre climbed 3.9 percent to $10.93 at the close of trading Monday.
Toro raises outlook after strong Q2 (8:51 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Toro TTC, +0.27% raised its fiscal 2004 outlook, saying it expects earnings to rise 18 to 23 percent, up from its previous projection of a 14 to 18 percent increase. The Bloomington, Minn. lawn maintenance equipment manufacturer reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $52.2 million, or $2 per share, up from earnings of $42 million, or $1.61 per share, a year ago. The average analyst estimate for the same period as polled by Thomson First Call was for earnings of $1.83 per share. CEO Kendrick Melrose said Toro benefitted primarily from products introduced within the past two years and saw "sharp growth in walk power mower shipments." Melrose said earnings were also driven by strong growth in international shipments and "generally favorable weather, including above-average winter snowfalls, a better spring than last year and a stronger economy." Toro stock closed Monday up 38 cents to $58.03.
Engineered Support tops in Q2; lifts FY04 outlook (8:44 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Engineered Support Systems EASI, -0.13% reported second-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $18.3 million, or 66 cents per share, up from its yeart-ago equivalent profit of $8.5 million, or 33 cents per share. Revenue jumped 68 percent in the latest three months to $210.1 million from $125.1 million in the same period a year earlier. The St. Louis military electronics and logistics services provider attributed the revenue increase to the strength of recent acquisitions and exceptional organic growth. The average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call was for a profit of 64 cents per share on revenue of $197.7 million in the April quarter. Looking ahead, Engineered Support lifted its outlook for the full year to earnings from continuing operations of $2.65 to $2.70 per share on revenue of roughly $840 million. It had been looking for earnings to come in about 15 cents per share below this forecast on revenue of $780 million. The stock closed Monday at $49.36, up 1.6 percent, and it last changed hands on Instinet at $50.50.
RealNetworks sees Q2 loss before items of 1-2c per shr (7:54 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- RealNetworks RNWK, +1.19% said it expects a loss of 3 to 4 cents per share in the second quarter. Excluding a $3 million expense related to anti-trust litigation, the New York-based digital media firm forecast a loss of 1 to 2 cents per share on revenue of between $63 million and $65 million for the quarter. The current average estimate of analysts polled by Thomson First Call is for a loss of 3 cents per share in the June period on revenue of $64.1 million. RealNetworks added that it expects to achieve quarterly profitability before items by the end of 2004. The stock closed Monday at $6.01, up 1.5 percent.
Sanderson Farms reports Q2 earnings of $1.67 per share (7:48 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Sanderson Farms SAFM, -0.78% reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $33.4 million, or $1.67 per share, up from profits of $12.8 million, or 65 cents per share, a year ago. The single analyst polled by Thomson First Call for the same period forecast earnings of $1.11. The Laurel, Miss. poultry company said market prices for all poultry products rose 15 percent during the second quarter, though the prices for corn and soybean meal, Sanderson's primary feed ingredients, increased 21 percent and 56 percent, respectively, during the same period. The company expects that the feed ingredient prices will continue to trend higher for the remainder of fiscal 2004. However, Sanderson reaffirmed its estimated earnings for the fiscal year of $5.35 to $5.85 per share. The consensus of the single analyst is for earnings of $4.90 per share. Sanderson stock closed Monday up $2.26 at $40.29.
Williams-Sonoma beats Q1 target; on revenue jump (7:19 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Williams-Sonoma WSM, -2.84% reported first-quarter net income of $21.4 million, or 18 cents per share, compared with $13.4 million, or 11 cents per share in the year-ago period. The retailer beat the forecast of 16 cents per share in a survey of analysts by Thomson First Call. The San Francisco company said revenue rose 19 percent to $641 million. Williams-Sonoma said it expects second-quarter EPS of 18-20 cents vs. 19 cents expected by Wall Street. 2004 EPS are expected to be $1.53 to $1.57 vs. $1.56 expected by Wall Street. The company also OK'd a repurchase of up to 2.5 million shares of stock. Shares rose $1.08 to $31.35 on Monday.
H.J. Heinz posts in-line profit for Q4 (7:15 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- H.J. Heinz HNZ reported fourth-quarter earnings of $196.5 million, or 55 cents per share, up from its year-ago profit of $102.6 million, or 29 cents per share. Excluding items, the Pittsburgh-based food products firm earned 58 cents per share in the quarter, in line with the average estimate of 11 analysts polled by Thomson First Call. Sales rose to $2.33 billion in the latest three months from $2.19 billion in the same period a year earlier. The company attributed its earnings improvement to favorable foreign exchange rates, lower interest costs, and an ongoing reduction in its effective income tax rate. Looking ahead, Heinz forecast earnings of $2.32 to $2.42 per share for fiscal 2005 with net sales growth of 2 to 3 percent. Wall Street's current consensus estimate is for a profit of $2.38 per share in the upcoming year. The stock closed Monday at $37.06, up a nickel.
Whirlpool reiterates 2004 earns view (7:15 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Whirlpool WHR, -2.08% reiterated its 2004 earnings forecast of $6.20 to $6.35 a share, which surrounds the average analyst estimate compiled by Thomson First Call of $6.27 a share. The appliance maker also said at an investors meeting that it now expects free cash flow of about $400 million, up from prior projections of about $300 million. The stock closed Monday up 95 cents at $65.37.
Jos. A Bank Q1 earns more than double, top forecasts (7:10 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Jos. A. Bank Clothiers JOSB reported fiscal first-quarter net income of $5.3 million, or 47 cents a share, up from 20 cents a share in the same period a year ago, and above the average analyst estimate compiled by Thomson First Call of 40 cents a share. Sales rose 28 percent to $79.93 million, vs. analyst forecasts of $79.66 million, while same-store sales increased 14 percent. The said results were boosted by strong performance of new products, such as wrinkle-and-stain-resistant shirts and pants, and of its Signature products. The men's apparel retailer's stock closed Monday up 58 cents at $30.06.
Micron Tech. Q3 estimates raised by First Albany (7:00 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Analyst Auguste Richard at First Albany raised his third-quarter estimates for Micron Technology MU, -0.71%, citing expectations of better demand and pricing for dynamic random access memory (DRAM) for the second half of the year. He now expects earnings of 21 cents a share on revenue of $1.25 billion, up from earnings of 4 cents a share and revenue of $1.1 billion. Richard noted that existing DRAM capacity is "antiquated" and does not expect much capacity coming on line. He reiterated his "strong buy" rating and $22.50 price target. The stock closed Monday up 13 cents at $13.74.
SM&A Q2 revenue to drop 15% (6:45 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - SM&A WINS, -25.00% said it expects second-quarter revenue to drop 15 percent from year-earlier levels, due to a significant decline in competition management activity in April and May. The consulting firm said it has begun to see a rebound in activity in June, and believes that it will report record revenue in the third and fourth quarters. The stock closed Monday down 11 cents at $8.14.
Krispy Kreme matches lowered Q1 earns expectations (6:37 AM ET) NEW YORK (CBS.MW) - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts KKD reported a fiscal first-quarter net loss from continuing operations of $9.8 million, or 16 cents a share, down from $13.1 million in the same period a year ago. Excluding an asset impairment charger, earnings were 23 cents a share, in line with the average analyst estimate compiled by Thomson First Call. The forecasts were lowered on May 7 following the company's warning of a shortfall. Total revenue rose 24 percent to $184.4 million. Systemwide same-store sales increased 4 percent, while company store sales rose 5.2 percent. The doughnut seller expects to earn $1.04 to $1.06 a share in fiscal 2005, matching forecasts provided on May 7, and systemwide-same store sales percentage growth in the "low- to mid-single digits." The stock closed Monday up 22 cents at $19.85.
Bob Evans warns as sales decline, hog costs rise (6:37 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Restaurant group and sausage maker Bob Evans Farms BOBE warned it expects first quarter and full fiscal 2005 earnings will decline from year-ago levels. Sales in the first month of its 2005 fiscal July-ending first quarter "have been notably lower than expected," the group said. "In addition, raw material costs in the food products segment have risen sharply in recent weeks." Hog costs are higher, it said. Same-store sales in "core" restaurants in May are expected to decrease around 5 percent, it said. Earnings per share for fiscal 2005 are now expected in a range between $1.80 and $2.00, below its expected fiscal 2004 earnings of approximately $2.03 per share. "However, this range is based upon our assumptions that restaurant same-store sales will return to a positive trend and that hog costs will moderate later in the year," it said.
GUS to review all options for Experian, other divisions (2:56 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- U.K. retailer GUS(UK:GUS), which owns Argos and Homebase stores in the U.K. as well as the U.S. credit services agency Experian, said it plans to "actively review all strategic options over the next two years" for its holdings, but the group didn't specify whether the options include a demerger of the Experian business. GUS further announced a 200 million pound share buyback over the next twelve months. For the year to March, pre-tax profit rose to 692 million pounds from 409 million. Profit ahead of tax and exceptional items surged 29 percent to 827 million, at the high end of estimates to 830 million pounds, according to AFX News. Sales at Experian rose 14 percent, it said. Looking ahead, GUS expects the disposal of Home shopping and Reality in May 2003; further Burberry(UK:BRBY)share sale and disposal of property JV in November and a planned partial IPO of South African Retailing in calendar 2004.
Emap FY pre-tax rises 3%, shows French listings concern (2:53 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- U.K. media group Emap(UK:EMA)on Tuesday said fiscal year ending March 31 pre-tax profits rose 3 percent to 144 million pounds and sales improved 9 percent to 1.05 billion pounds. Of its divisions, operating profits on an underlying basis rose 6 percent at FMH magazine publisher Emap Consumer Media, 3 percent at business-to-business unit Emap Communications, 11 percent at consumer magazine publisher Emap France and were flat at radio and TV broadcaster Emap Performance. It said it expects "reasonable" progress in the next fiscal year, as increased competition in the French TV listings market and the weakening of the euro is impacting Emap France more than even two months ago, while it sees a continued strong performance from the U.K.
U.K. retailer M&S: Clothing, food recovery 'faltered' (2:45 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- British retailer Marks & Spencer Group(UK:MKS)said pre-tax profit rose to 763.2 million pounds to the end of March, up from 759.5 million a year ago. The results just topped the analyst forecasts. Sales rose 1.7 percent to 8.155 billion pounds. "Clearly we are not satisfied with our sales progress. The market share gains that we had hoped to achieve were not delivered," Chairman Luc Vandevelde said. "While we established new areas of growth in Money and Home this year, the initial surge in the recovery of our Clothing and Food business faltered, Chief Executive Roger Holmes said. "We are addressing these issues by taking action covering our products, supply chain, stores and ways of working." M&S said its final dividend per share was set at 7.1 pence, up 9.2 percent compared to last year, giving a full year dividend of 11.5 pence per share.
Interbroker dealer ICAP sees more acquistions (2:36 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- British interbroker dealer ICAP(UK:IAP)said it plans "a combination of acquisition and organic growth" to grow its share in the electronic and voice markets this year. It also expects to build a global futures broking business. "We have small existing futures activities in some centres but we now intend to build a global capability, especially focussing on North America and Europe," the group said. For the March-ending year, ICAP said profit before tax and other items rose 38 percent to 170.2 million pounds as turnover rose 21 percent to 801.4 million pounds. "Industry volumes have been robust during most of the financial year with derivatives and fixed income volumes both posting sharp increases," said Chief Executive Michael Spencer in a statement. "The threat of deflation that had been of some concern to us a year ago, threatening to lead to low and stable interest rates, has now completely receded. With increasing G7 deficits and higher economic growth, I remain optimistic that we have another year of reasonable volatility and rising volumes ahead of us."
Scottish Power sees U.K. 1.2 bln in fy 2005 investments (2:26 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Utility Scottish Power(UK:SPW), a FTSE 100 stock, said it expects to invest 1.2 billion pounds in the year to March 2005 "of which around half will be for organic growth." The utility said profit ahead of tax and goodwill rose to 269 million pounds in the March-ending fourth quarter from 247 million pounds a year ago. "We are well placed to exploit fully the good opportunities we see for profitable growth on both sides of the Atlantic. Increasing demand and the need for more reliable and sustainable energy present attractive opportunities for organic growth and higher returns," it said.
Vodafone FY figures meet forecasts, plans buybacks (2:24 AM ET) LONDON (CBS.MW) -- Mobile operator Vodafone VOD, -1.07% (UK:VOD)on Tuesday said fiscal year ending March 31 EBITDA before exceptional items rose 13 percent to 12.64 billion pounds, as revenue increased by 10 percent to 33.6 billion pounds, both in-line with analyst forecasts. After goodwill amortization, the highly-acquisitive Vodafone narrowed its loss to 9.01 billion pounds from 9.81 billion. Its final dividend per share rose 20 percent to 1.078p per share, and the group said it will spend 3 billion pounds in share buybacks over the next year. Average revenue per user rose 4 percent in Italy and 6 percent in the U.K., but fell 7 percent in Japan and 1 percent in Germany. Its customer base rose by 13.7 million net new proportionate mobile customers to 133.4 million, and revenues from data services increased 25 percent to 4.54 billion pounds.


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Directors cash in on companies’ rising share prices
Directors at West Midlands businesses Purplebricks and eg Solutions cashed in a sizable chunk of shares, for £4.8m and £480,000 respectively.
Nick Discombe, senior non-executive director of online estate agents Purplebricks, sold 1.6m shares at £3.00 each.
The £4.8m sale represented one-quarter of his holdings, and he now holds 1.78% of the company.
Purplebricks raised £50m in February, as it bids to crack America.
Its share price reached an all-time high of 368p last month - more than three times its value in Decembe... For the full story register now for free or login below...


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The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and HYBE July 11 announced a global content collaboration that will see both companies working to showcase content from South Korea’s music and entertainment industry globally. The agreement includes worldwide distribution of five titles from HYBE, including two exclusive series featuring pop stars BTS that will launch on Disney’s streaming services.
The K-Pop group last month announced it was taking a hiatus from performing. The group subsequently said it would not be taking a break.
“This collaboration represents our creative ambition — to work with content creators and top stars in Asia Pacific,” Jessica Kam-Engle, APAC Head of Content, The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement. “We believe these new titles will captivate consumers worldwide and look forward to introducing more music content on our service.”
Three of HYBE’s projects coming to Disney’s streaming service include:
BTS: Permission to Dance Onstage — LA: This 4K concert film features BTS’s live performance in Los Angeles’ Sofi Stadium in November 2021. Performing songs “Butter” and “Permission to Dance,” this was the first time in two years since the pandemic that the band met fans in person.
“In the Soop: Friendcation”: An original travel reality show with a star-studded cast including V of BTS, Itaewon Class’ Seo-jun Park, Parasite star Woo-shik Choi, Hyung-sik Park, and Peakboy. The program features the five friends venturing on a surprise trip and enjoying a variety of leisure and fun activities.


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Next Nintendo Console Could be Powered by an AMD Chip
Ashley Allen / 3 years ago
Nintendo looks set to follow the lead of both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in adopting an AMD chip to power its next console.
Although sales have improved over the last 18 months, the Wii U has failed to make the desired impact, and Nintendo visionary Shigeru Miyamoto has confirmed the company is working on its next console. The announcement coincided with AMD boasting about a big collaborative coup.
The CFO of AMD, Devinder Kumar, revealed some intriguing details at a recent conference, saying, “I will say that one is x86 and the other is ARM, and at least one will be beyond gaming, right […] They [the customers] are going to announce it and then […] you will find out that it is AMD’s APU that is being used in those products.”
Shigeru Miyamoto told the Associated Press, “While we’re busy working on software for the Wii U, we have production lines that are working on ideas for what the next system might be.”
Nintendo have hinted over the last six months that it has been working on a new console, thought to be a cheaper model aimed at emerging markets, like India and China. It is not yet clear if this cheaper console and the new system Miyamoto spoke of are one and the same.
Source: Extreme Tech


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Is Samsung trying to create its own Facebook? Different news outlets are stating this to be the case, but Samsung has no such plans and is
putting the rumors to rest. In February 2012, they came out with Family Story which captures families’ memorable moments, and they are currently working on updating it with enhanced features. Read More.
Microsoft plans to acquire the social network, Yammer. They may pay upwards of $1 billion to own the social network that is geared toward businesses. This acquisition would allow Microsoft to add social networking to its repertoire of solutions for corporate clients. Yammer is already used by 200,000 companies, including Ford Motor Company. Read More.
Nokia is set to lay off 10,000 workers in Finland so they can focus on Smartphone R&D efforts. This announcement comes shortly after they announced that they were cutting 4,000 jobs globally to shift device assembly to Asia. They have also laid off several high-level executives and sold off its luxury brand Vertu. Read More.
Will you have to pay for YouTube soon? The company has been backed by Google to set up premium video channels that you will have to pay for if you want to view them. YouTube feels that this is the only way to become a major entertainment player. Read More.


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Solar cells by SunPower – who Australian Ethical invest in – have been used on the wings and horizontal tail of a solar powered aeroplane that just completed an historic crossing from west to east of the United States last month.
More solar cells will be added to the aeroplane before it attempts a zero-fuel flight around the world in 2015. On its latest mission, the plane flew for 26 consecutive hours, 10 minutes and 19 seconds. Excess energy was stored in lithium batteries so the aeroplane could fly at night.
SunPower have generated over 7,000,000 MWh of solar energy with their solar panel technology in the U.S. and worldwide.
The company designs, manufactures and delivers solar panels and systems to residential, business, government and utility customers.
SunPower performing ethically and financially
Headquartered in Silicon Valley since 1985, SunPower is the largest U.S. maker of silicon-based solar panels, with over 100,000 residential systems installed.
Australian Ethical has been investing in SunPower since January 2010 because of its industry-leading cell efficiency.
SunPower is a good choice for investors looking for exposure to solar energy for both financial and ethical reasons.
Its manufacturing facilities are located outside of China and thus have avoided the negative sentiment and trade action directed at Chinese solar panel manufacturers.
Since February 2013, when Australian Ethical re-established a position, SunPower’s share price has risen 235%
SunPower also supports our ethical charter as it develops products that enable clean energy production, thereby reducing wasteful and polluting practices.
SunPower’s solar panels generate up to 50% more power than conventional panels, making them highly efficient by producing more energy per square metre. The solar panel products allow residential and business customers to protect themselves against increasing electricity costs and reduce their carbon footprint.
Last year, the company announced an industry first 25 year warranty because of their confidence in the long-term durability of their products.
Image credit: Solar Impulse


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In a nutshell: Huami, the Chinese wearables manufacturer behind the Amazfit line of smartwatches, trackers, and clothing, has partnered with fitness startup Studio for a smart treadmill. Called the Amazfit HomeStudio, it offers users a studio experience from the comfort of their own homes, thanks to the connected screen.
Unlike regular treadmills, the one that comes with the Amazfit HomeStudio lacks a front section; it's all controlled by your smartphone, which fits into the holder at the side. It also comes with JBL surround-sound speakers and a 43-inch HD screen called the Glass that resembles a giant phone.
There are two versions of the treadmill available: one that measures 20 inches wide and 53 inches long, uses a slat belt, and can reach 12mph; and another called the AirRun, which is foldable and tops out at 9mph.
The Glass includes a 3D time-of-flight camera with computer vision detection that analyses your technique. It also comes with a slide cover for those worried about privacy.
When connected to Studio's content, the screen can display over 1,000 classes. And they're not limited to treadmill workouts---users can also take sculpt, stretching, and yoga classes.
There are other connected treadmills available, most notably is the Peloton Tread, which starts at $4,295 and comes with a content subscription fee of $34.99 per month. No word on pricing or availability for the Amazfit HomeStudio, but Huami says the cost "will delight US customers."
"We've spent the past several years perfecting content, community, and software across millions of workouts," said Jason L. Baptiste, co-founder and CEO of Studio. "Partnering with Huami, we can now deliver our content on a device that allows for a highly personal and immersive experience unlike anything else out there on the market."


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Vetr lowered shares of Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Thursday morning. They currently have $54.70 price target on the chip maker’s stock.
A number of other research firms have also recently commented on INTC. Macquarie reiterated a buy rating and set a $58.00 target price on shares of Intel in a research note on Thursday. ValuEngine upgraded Intel from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 27th. Wells Fargo lifted their target price on Intel from $55.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, March 22nd. Bank of America reiterated a buy rating and set a $61.00 target price (up from $52.00) on shares of Intel in a research note on Thursday, March 8th. Finally, DZ Bank reiterated a hold rating and set a $53.00 target price on shares of Intel in a research note on Wednesday, March 28th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating, twenty-six have issued a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $50.87.
NASDAQ INTC opened at $51.86 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $246,640.88, a PE ratio of 14.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.77 and a beta of 0.95. Intel has a one year low of $33.23 and a one year high of $53.78. The company has a current ratio of 1.69, a quick ratio of 1.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.36.
Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) last released its earnings results on Thursday, January 25th. The chip maker reported $1.08 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.86 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $17.05 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $16.34 billion. Intel had a return on equity of 24.33% and a net margin of 15.30%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.79 EPS. sell-side analysts forecast that Intel will post 3.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.
The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 1st. Stockholders of record on Monday, May 7th will be issued a dividend of $0.30 per share. This represents a $1.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.31%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 4th. Intel’s payout ratio is 34.68%.
In other news, CEO Brian M. Krzanich sold 5,873 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.58, for a total transaction of $267,691.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 259,082 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,808,957.56. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, EVP Navin Shenoy sold 2,155 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, January 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.63, for a total value of $98,332.65. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 20,933 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $955,172.79. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 123,914 shares of company stock valued at $6,011,490 in the last three months. 0.08% of the stock is owned by insiders.
Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of INTC. Goodman Financial Corp purchased a new stake in Intel in the fourth quarter worth approximately $102,000. Virtue Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Intel in the fourth quarter worth approximately $109,000. Financial Engines Advisors L.L.C. purchased a new stake in Intel in the third quarter worth approximately $119,000. Acrospire Investment Management LLC boosted its stake in Intel by 111.8% in the second quarter. Acrospire Investment Management LLC now owns 3,600 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $121,000 after buying an additional 1,900 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Delphi Private Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Intel by 286.1% in the fourth quarter. Delphi Private Advisors LLC now owns 2,911 shares of the chip maker’s stock worth $134,000 after buying an additional 2,157 shares in the last quarter. 69.16% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.
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Intel Corporation is engaged in designing and manufacturing products and technologies, such as the cloud. The Company’s segments are Client Computing Group (CCG), Data Center Group (DCG), Internet of Things Group (IOTG), Non-Volatile Memory Solutions Group (NSG), Intel Security Group (ISecG), Programmable Solutions Group (PSG), All Other and New Technology Group (NTG).
To view Vetr’s full report, visit Vetr’s official website.
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OnePlus 9RT officially launching in India on January 14 alongside Buds Z2. Today, earlier in the day, OnePlus started to announce the approaching of its 9RT in India, and the corporate has lastly determined to tell us know when the launch will happen. The occasion will happen on January 14 at 5 pm native time.
This cellphone goes to be adopted by its OnePlus Buds Z2. OnePlus Buds Z2. The OnePlus 9RT was initially unveiled to the Chinese market in October. This would be the first time it’s been seen in one other area. We hope that India is just step one on its international journey, however we’ll must look ahead to it.
OnePlus 9RT officially launching in India on January 14 alongside Buds Z2
The OnePlus 9RT sports activities a 6.62″ 10-inch 1080×2400 AMOLED show, and the Snapdragon 808 chipset 8/12GB of RAM 128/256 GB storage and three rear cameras (50 MP fundamental digicam with OIS, 16MP ultrawide, 2MP macro) in addition to a 16MP selfie digicam and a 4500 mAh battery that may deal with 65W of quick cost.
This OnePlus Buds Z2 obtained introduced in the center of December to each the US and Europe. They’re now heading to India as properly, offering ANC in a cheaper bundle than its predecessor, the OnePlus Buds Pro.


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Members of Onverse can now travel to a new game area within Onverse called the Tangerine Coast with their cars to play a new style of game called Point Party. The Tangerine Coast is a seaside metropolis that extends out through countryside farms, old growth forests and snowcapped mountains. Cars smash through targets in an endless game of gathering points to go shopping with.
“We have the best virtual world community out there and we’re here to make sure they have fun,” said Steve Pierce, Founder and CEO of Onverse, when asked why the cars were free. “Marketing always has to be considered as well. When you’re looking for investments in marketing, you need to be able to show you know how to get new customers.”
The free cars aren’t just for current members; everyone who signs up gets their own free car as well. With close to 300,000 free cars given out in one day, Onverse is now offering something that some of their competitors simply can’t do. “Unless they have an open, 3D world, they can’t offer this kind of experience,” said Pierce. “Many are focused on small chat rooms with limited or no movement. Cars combined with our large, open world give us a stark contrast to that. I think many people are looking for something deeper and more immersive in social virtual worlds.”
Onverse, LLC provides a merging of social networks, virtual worlds, and massively multiplayer online gaming in a 3D world focused on shopping, chatting, home building, exploration, customization, vehicles and games-within-games. Onverse is free to play and can be found at http://www.onverse.com.
Contact via Email
Click here to read the full story: Virtual World of Onverse – Sign Up and Get a Free Car


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Jul 20, 2011 Online auctions aren't just for Beanie Babies anymore. Today, the online auction site Artnet said that it has sold what might be the most expens...
YouTube grants continued fame to Warhol's off-handed statement about the impossibility of continued fame.
Sep 14, 2010 Joke's on you, Andy! Because now that YouTube has extended the maximum length of videos to 15 minutes, we get New York Times headline writers who...


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TORONTO — Multitasking punk icon Henry Rollins is attached to star in a miniseries spinoff of the recently completed indie horror-comedy feature “He Never Died.”
Toronto-based 108 Media began shopping the miniseries earlier this month at Mipcom and will bring it to the American Film Market in Santa Monica next month. The company also repped “He Never Died” at last year’s AFM.
The TV project will see Rollins sink his teeth deeper into the role of Jack, the immortal, bloodthirsty outcast at the center of the feature, which was lensed in Toronto.
“He Never Died” writer-director Jason Krawczyk, producer Zach Hagen of Alternate Ending Studio and producers David Miller and Adrienne Stern are also attached to the series.
“We couldn’t be more excited to bring the unique and bloody horror to Rollins’ cult following through this miniseries,” said 108 founder Abhi Rastogi. “The subject matter is unlike any other, giving audiences the chance to explore a whole new fictional world.”


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KUALA LUMPUR (Nov 21): Property developer Iconic Worldwide Bhd has “the ambitious target of becoming one of the world’s top five rubber glove manufacturers” even though there are “doubters and sceptics”.
“We understand that some people may have doubts or remain sceptical about our business diversification into the PPE (personal protective equipment) industry.
“Some investors also have concerns about whether there will be too many new players and glove wannabes, which may lead to overcapacity in the market. But frankly, we are not worried at all,” group managing director and major shareholder Datuk Lucky Tan Kean Tet (pictured) told The Edge Malaysia via a video interview.
He revealed that Iconic Worldwide will spend RM155 million to build the PPE manufacturing facilities on a 5.53-acre land parcel in Batu Kawan, Penang, with plans to produce 3.1 billion to 3.5 billion pieces of gloves and 220 million pieces of face masks every year.
“Although our planned 12 production lines have yet to be completed, the orders that we have received (from Europe and the US) are already more than what we are capable of producing, which is why we plan to further increase our production capacity,” he said.
Tan said Iconic Worldwide’s “ultimate target” is to become the fifth largest glove maker in the world, producing 15 billion to 16 billion pieces of gloves by 2025.
“That’s about five times bigger than our upcoming capacity of 3.1 billion to 3.5 billion pieces. If we could achieve 15 billion to 16 billion pieces, I am pretty sure that we could command a global market share of about 5%.
“I know there are many people out there who may think we are overly optimistic, but to put things into perspective, the global demand is 330 billion pieces of gloves per annum, of which 67% will be produced by Malaysian glove makers.
“Global demand is expected to increase by 10% every year, and with the pandemic factor, we think it could increase by 20% every year,” he explained.
According to The Edge’s report, Iconic Group is “one of the leading property firms in the north of Peninsular Malaysia”. Tan founded and is chairman of the group (privately-owned)
Iconic Group has completed projects with a gross development value (GDV) of about RM600 million, while its ongoing projects have a total GDV of around RM400 million. Some of the projects done by it include Icon City, Iconic Hotel, Iconic Skies and Iconic Vue.
Iconic Point is a 65:35 joint venture between Iconic Worldwide and Iconic Group.


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Thai artist Mueanfan Sapanake’s signature Black Hood cat has charmed collectors with its mesmerizing eyes, mystical magic, and eponymous cloak. After several resin art toy releases (mini and regular), the hooded one makes the jump to soft vinyl with a new series from Unbox Industries.
The series debuted at this past weekend’s Summer Soul event with the BADMeaw figure in the OG pink and black. The enchanting figure sports the black hood and cute yellow shoes. Interestingly, Unbox also released a Summer Soul Exclusive The Wrong Shoe edition featuring a mismatched pair of shoes, one yellow and one black 🙂 Speaking of other editions, the BADmeaw – The Nun—also released at Summer Soul—features a mummy-style design with GID face.
In addition to the previous Summer Soul drop, the BADmeaw vinyl art toy (4″) will be available on Saturday (6.24) at 8 AM PDT from Unbox Industries for $55.


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Martha Day
Brand Better and You’ll Do Better – in Good Times and Bad
MONTCLAIR, NJ, Jan 29, 2008 – “The influence that brand perception has over the choices of consumers, employees, investors and referrers is so strong that it can dramatically impact the economic value of the entity that owns it,” claims branding expert, Allan Gorman, CEO of Brandspa LLC in his newest white paper, available for free download through www.advertisingagencybrandspa.com. “Investing in your brand,” says Gorman, “is integral to increasing the market value of your company. Brand building is not an expense. It’s an investment.”
The paper, entitled “It’s not as much about perfecting your tag line as it is about enhancing your bottom line.” presents compelling evidence showing how the elusive intangible asset know as “brand”, can account for more than a third of shareholder value. Citing the 2002 study by Interbrand® and JP Morgan, Gorman shows that CEO’s who invest in their brand renewal and brand maintenance can significantly outperform the market, even in tough economic times.
“Brand related activities are not just a marketing function”, asserts Gorman. “Enterprise-wide brand integration is absolutely essential to healthy operations, happy customers, and financial performance. CEO’s who realize that their brand equity is their most valuable asset understand that when they invest in their brand, they are investing in shareholder value.”
Gorman runs the Montclair, NJ-based brand marketing company, Brandspa, LLC. His firm specializes in bringing mid-sized companies the sophisticated brand and market-building expertise usually available only to large multinationals. Claiming to help “cultivate market-leadership from the inside out,” Brandspa facilitates senior management in identifying the drivers of connectivity that can make their products and service offerings unique, and then aligning their vision, actions, deliverables and messages in order to build a healthier, more attractive and more competitive brand. “It’s good business,” says Gorman. “Well-branded companies are not only more attractive, they’re also worth more.”
Mr. Gorman is also author of the acclaimed book, Briefs for Building Better Brands — Tips, Parables and Insights for Market Leaders (2004), and his online essays and whitepapers about creating and maintaining more successful brands are distributed worldwide to a list of more than 3,000 subscribers. (Available free at http://www.advertisingagencybrandspa.com ).
Gorman is available for limited speaking engagements and expert comment.


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FARMINGTON — Cannabis dispensaries in Farmington sold just over $695,136 in medical and recreational products during the month of June, the Cannabis Control Division of the Regulation and Licensing Department announced this month.
The sales figures positioned Farmington’s dispensaries as having the 13th-highest sales numbers in the state. Of those sales, just over $223,288 came from medical cannabis sales, and just over $471,848 was from adult-use sales.
The city’s sales figures were well behind four major metro areas and some cities near the border with Texas, where adult use marijuana is not legal, although the medical use of use of low-THC cannabis products is regulated by the state through a compassionate use program.
Aztec was 44th of 48 municipalities listed on the sales figure roster, registering $13,929 in sales – just over $1,189 from medical sales and the balance in recreational sales.
Sales statewide in June by licensed retailers totaled $38 million in both adult-use and medical cannabis products, the Cannabis Control Division said in a news release.
“One year ago, on June 29th, Governor Lujan Grisham signed legislation that created the Cannabis Regulation Act,” Acting Director Carolina Barrera said in the July 7 news release. “As


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The rise in awareness regarding environment and other major driving factors is expected to favor the rise in the global electric cargo bike market
Reports and Insights has published a new report titled, “Electric Cargo Bike Market: Opportunity Analysis and Future Assessment 2022-2030”
Global Electric Cargo Bike Market, By Product Type (Two Wheeled, Three Wheeled, Four Wheeled), By Battery Type (Lead Based, Nickel Based, Lithium Ion), By End Use (Courier & Parcel Service Provider, Large Retail Supplier, Personal Transportation, Service Delivery, Waste, Municipal Services) and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, & Africa) is expected to grow at a significant CAGR for the period between 2022 and 2030.
Electric cargo bikes are the absolute kind of bicycles designed to convey cargo, or every so often, people. Electric cargo bikes enable the rider to transport massive heavy items, which would be complicated to transport without electric power complimenting the human power input. For that reason, in order to play down the harmful social, ecological, and economic effects, a mode-switch from the conventional combustion engine vehicles to electric cargo bikes has been recommended.
The electric cargo bike with lightweight structure and a slick design makes it an tremendously stable and smooth experience. In addition to that, along with the addition of an electric motor and a battery, an electric cargo bike is much simpler to operate. Also, it is significant to note that the electric cargo bikes (E-cargo cycles) have the capacity to cut back the negative repercussions of transportation systems, when utilized for the appropriate application.
There is an expanding literature appertaining to them, specifically for commercial transport. Owing to which, the electric cargo bikes are rapidly gaining traction all across the global markets, which is primarily projected to offer a major breakthrough to the growth of the global electric cargo bike market in the following years.
Moreover, the rising demand for sustainable solutions from the commercial organizations including service delivery and courier service providers as well as from individuals for personal usage is also expected to play a significant role in accelerating the growth of the global electric cargo bike market in the forthcoming future.
More importantly, governments, all across the world, have been consistently putting efforts over the past few years to deal with a range of transportation-associated issues and their environmental impact. There are several groups, worldwide, who are promoting the use of electric cargo bikes as an environmentally favorable urban logistics transportation alternative. Owing to such factors, the global electric cargo bike market is anticipated to witness considerable growth in the coming years.
Reports and Insights Study identifies some of the key participating players in the electric cargo bike market globally are Rad Power Bikes LLC, Jiangsu Xinri E-Vehicle Co., Ltd., Cero Electric Cargo Bikes, Yuba Electric Cargo Bikes, Kocass Technology Co. Ltd., Douze Factory SAS and Xtracycle, Worksman Cycles, Riese & Müller GmbH, and Butchers & Bicycles. among others.
About Reports and Insights
Reports and Insights is one of the leading market research companies which offers syndicate and consulting research around the globe. At Reports and Insights we adhere to the client needs and regularly ponder to bring out more valuable and real outcomes for our customers. We are equipped with a strategically enhanced group of researchers and analysts that redefines and stabilizes the business polarity in different categorical dimensions of the market.
Reports and Insights
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- McCaffrey’s Market will host a grand opening Friday of its newly remodeled store on South Eagle Road in Newtown Township. The store, a former Genuardi’s, opened under the McCaffrey’s banner in July and has undergone extensive renovations. To prepare for the reopening, the store will close at 5 p.m. Thursday and reopen at 9 a.m. Friday, following a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:30 a.m. McCaffrey’s also will raffle prizes, including gift cards, deli trays and fully prepared Thanksgiving dinners. The first 100 customers through the doors will receive a free bag of groceries.
- A Newtown resident recently launched www.whadaUpay.com, a website that allows users to find local service providers and fact-based information such as price and years used. Services listed on the site include lawn care, swimming pool maintenance, fuel oil delivery, dry cleaning and manicures. Usage of the site for the first three months is free; it’s $4.95 per year after that. www.whadaUpay.com
- he Doylestown Bike Works on Sunday will host Cranksgiving — a bike race benefiting the Bucks County Housing Group’s food banks. There’s no entry fee for the race; instead, riders are asked to get a list of items from different grocery stores on the race route. The food will be donated to the food pantries, and the first rider at the finish line will receive prizes. The race starts at 11 a.m. at Central Bucks West High School. www.DoylestownBikeWorks.com
- Cadence Hearing Services of Middletown is now offering CaptionCall phones to hearing-impaired customers. The phones allow users to read phone conversations. Phones and installation are available free through reimbursements from the Federal Communications Commission. For a demonstration, or to schedule an installation, call Cadence Hearing at 215-860-3154.
- The Alliance Adjustment Group in Doylestown is collecting gently used coats for men, women and children. Donations can be dropped off from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at the office, 263 N. Main St. Coats will be distributed by Gilda’s Club and the Bucks County Housing Group. 267-880-3000
- Former Lower Bucks County Chamber of Commerce president Clark Shuster has embarked on a new career: helping people find elder care services for aging family members. Shuster and his wife, Jane, have opened Assisted Transition of Bucks County in Newtown. The elder care referral service offers free, personalized guidance to community members. www.assistedtransition.com
- Father-son team Mike Paparone and Michael D. Paparone ha
- ve purchased the Servpro franchises of Langhorne/Bensalem and Fox Chase/Torresdale. Servpro provides smoke, fire, water and mold restoration services, as well as vent and duct cleaning to residential and commercial customers. www.servpro.com
- The Candlewyck Beer Store is now open at Routes 413 and 202 in Buckingham. The new store has more than 1,000 varieties of beer, including craft brews and imports. 215-794-8233
- The Great Harvest Bread Co. has reopened at 2838 S. Eagle Road in Newtown Township under new ownership. Local residents Jessica and Darron Smith took over from previous owners and renovated the bakery. www.greatharvest.com
- The Willow Grove Park Mall recently welcomed two new frozen dessert eateries. Haagen Dazs is now open in a 535-square-foot location in the mall. And frozen yogurt store Yogurtland opened a 656-square-foot store.
Crissa Shoemaker DeBree: 215-345-3186; email, email@example.com; Twitter: @bucksmontbiz


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December 22nd, 2009 | by Aykut D.
Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a three pack of songs from Weezer, as well as singles from Limp Bizkit, Yellowcard and The Offspring will be added this week to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and Wii
November 26th, 2009 | by Remy Cuesta
While we're only now sticking our forks into that oversized turkey for thanksgiving, now is the time to start giving something back to yourself or a friend. Check out these pretty sweet deals coming from Activision. from the staff at LVLONE, have a Happy Thanksgiving.
November 25th, 2009 | by Aykut D.
For those of you who don't keep track of the Japanese Video Game marketplace the DSi LL or DSi XL as it's dubbed in North America went on sale to a surprisingly enthusiastic Japan. The portable gaming device sold a little over 100,000 units, much higher than many thought the oversized machine would sell
November 24th, 2009 | by Aykut D.
As the Virtual Console hits it's 3rd birthday one of the biggest titles has been released for the online service. Super Mario Kart which was originally well over 15 years ago is now avaliable for download at 800 Wii points. For those who want to relive the past of the SNES glory days, you can't do better than this title, Super Mario Kart was the original kart racer and literally created the sub-genre of racing games
October 26th, 2009 | by Jonathan Lane
Ubisoft's Rabbids are back once again and this time, They are getting home sick.
October 19th, 2009 | by Remy Cuesta
EA announced today that Need for Speed NITRO has gone gold and will be in stores on November 3rd in North America and on November 6th in Europe.
October 14th, 2009 | by Remy Cuesta
While we need to still wait a couple of months before the US rendition of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom is released, and believe us we're still surprised that it is making a US debut at all. Today it was announced by IGN that the final two members in the roster is none other then Mega Man's Zero from the Mega Man X series and Joe from old 1972 anime series Gatchaman.
September 28th, 2009 | by Remy Cuesta
With the release of the highly-anticipated prequel, Dead Space Extraction, hitting store shelves Tomorrow. The developers, Visceral Games will host a live webcast for fans in honor of launch on September 29th at 12p.m. PST. The one-hour webcast will feature demonstrations of the exciting gameplay of Dead Space Extraction. Fans will also be invited to participate in a Q&A session with the Visceral team
September 24th, 2009 | by Remy Cuesta
Today at the Tokyo Game Show, Tatsunoko VS Capcom Ultimate All-Stars producer Ryota Niitsuma has announced Dead Rising’s Frank West as a playable character in Tv
September 16th, 2009 | by Remy Cuesta
Unscripted, Unedited, Unrehearsed. The LVLONE crew discusses the madden curse, new game releases from 9/9/09, games getting pushed back to 2010 and our recommendation for the week