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I don’t have to tell you how stressful things can during the holidays. It’s the very reason people get so annoyed when Christmas commercials appear before Thanksgiving.
Things can get especially overwhelming if you’re down on your luck, money is tight, and you don’t know how you’re going to make the holidays happen for your kiddos.
Thankfully, the holidays also happe…
Caplugs, a North Buffalo maker of plastic components, is expanding into Europe through an acquisition.
Caplugs bought LoVen Special Products, a vinyl dip molder based in the Netherlands, with 17 employees. Terms were not disclosed.
Caplugs has 343 employees in Buffalo among 1,647 at its operations worldwide. The company makes plastic components for a variety of indus…
Roberts-Gordon, which has a plant on William Street in Buffalo, was sold to Madison Industries as part of a broader deal.
The Sterling Group sold Specified Air Solutions, which includes Roberts-Gordon, to Madison for an undisclosed amount. The Sterling Group, a private equity firm based in Houston, Texas, formed the Specified Air Solutions platform when it acquired Robe…
No-frills Aldi grocery stores have added a major frill.
The chain now offers home delivery in the Buffalo Niagara market via third-party company Instacart.
Customers can place orders and pay using the Instacart app or online at Instacart.com/aldi, then have the groceries delivered to their doors.
First-time Instacart users in the Buffalo market will receive $10 of…
The City of Buffalo will begin accepting formal offers for the former police headquarters at 74 Franklin St. on Nov. 26, officials announced Friday.
The initial asking price for the four-story building located downtown at Franklin and Church streets will be $3,050,000, officials said at a news conference.
Both the police and fire departments recently moved each of th…
Thermal Kinetics, an Amherst-based engineering firm, has agreed to be acquired by RCM Technologies, a publicly traded company based in New Jersey.
The deal was valued at $1.77 million, according to a regulatory filing. Thermal Kinetics, founded in 1999, provides process equipment supply, engineering, development and design services for construction and industrial custom…
David's Bridal has confirmed it will soon file for bankruptcy.
The bridal gown retail chain has two stores in Western New York, in Tonawanda and Hamburg.
The company said it will continue to operate during its bankruptcy and that sales, orders and store operations will not be affected.
The company has already reached agreements with its lenders to reduce its heavy…
Ecology & Environment is getting a makeover.
After being tightly controlled by its founders for more than four decades – and surviving a nasty split in that partnership five years ago – the Lancaster-based environmental services firm has new leadership in place amid growing influence from a Connecticut-based investment firm that had criticized the company's manageme…
If you're waiting for the holiday shopping season to start, you're late.
It's already in full swing.
Sure, Best Buy, Walmart and Amazon offered Black Friday sales in July, but sales and consumer foot traffic began their annual increase in earnest last weekend, well before Black Friday's symbolic kickoff.
Despite reports of brick-and-mortar retail's steady drop-off…
Tesla Inc. this week pulled back the curtain on its solar products factory in South Buffalo, and revealed that the plant's employment has grown to 800 people.
Tesla invited members of the local media for a tour of the RiverBend gigafactory, which makes solar roofing tiles. The 1.2 million-square-foot plant was a highly publicized economic development project, part of Go…
Architect-turned-developer Hormoz Mansouri is hoping to bowl over city planners with a new proposal for a five-story mixed-use project on land just east of Main Street and the Metro Rail line.
Mansouri, president of EI Team, wants to tear down a vacant old bowling alley near the former Central Park Plaza, and replace it with a U-shaped building, with a combination of ap…
July 7, 1928 – Nov. 13, 2018
James J. Laux of East Amherst was fitted to the sporting goods business like a hand in glove.
Laux was practically born into sporting goods, before he spent a lifetime guiding the expansion of the family business into a local retail chain. He nurtured and stayed with it until failing health forced him into retirement 18 months ago.
A fire Thursday at a Main Street business in Akron caused an estimated $150,000 in damage, according to Amherst Fire Control.
Fire Control received a call shortly before 8 a.m. about smoke coming from the roof and front door of Nickel City Frets at 83 Main St.
Upon the arrival of crews from the Akron Fire Department, smoke was visible pouring from the eaves of the bu…
Planning your Black Friday shopping trips for next week?
Buffalo Niagara shopping malls have released their Black Friday hours.
Just two of them are open on Thanksgiving this year, but they will make up for it with early openings Friday morning.
Open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday
Eastern Hills Mall


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Multiple Stores and Shulls were vandalized Monday overnight, In Boro Park.
A suspect went on a vandalism spree in Boro Park where he vandalized several stores and Shulls including the Sarvash Shull located on 15th Avenue and 53rd Street where the suspect threw rocks on the store and Shull leaving the windows shattered.
Tuesday early morning, a vigilant man walking on the street realized the suspect vandalizing a store on 18th Avenue, the man right away called Shomrim. Shomrim quickly arrived to the scene and kept an eye on the suspect where police arrived and placed him under arrest on Ocean Parkway and Avenue H.
Meanwhile, the Shomrim hotline started ringing with complaints that their property was vandalized overnight. After a small investigation, Shomrim was able to connect all incidents to the arrested perpetrator where additional charges were added.

domain: news


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Americans now say they approve of free trade by 64%-27%, a margin of better than two to one. That's up from 57%-37% early in Trump's presidency, and 51%-41% near the end of...Politicsread more
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note briefly fell below the 2-year rate on Wednesday, a phenomenon in the bond market known as yield curve inversion, which is...Marketsread more
The MacBook Pro recall and its subsequent ban from flights underscores the increasing brand risk from problems with lithium-ion batteries.Technologyread more
Experts say the timing of Amazon executives' contributions to Rep. David Cicilline likely reflect the company's heightened urgency over growing regulatory scrutiny.Technologyread more
CNBC combed through Wall Street research to see which stocks are still a buy after their earnings reports.Marketsread more
Despite aggressive strides, Waymo needs one thing before their self-driving cars become a seriously useful transportation system: people. We talked to the ones closest to it.Technologyread more
Coinbase security chief Philip Martin explains, "Possession of a key is possession of your currency. What that means is that you can't revoke a cryptocurrency key, if that key...Technologyread more
Fraud investigator Harry Markopolos' accusations extended beyond GE's management to actuaries, auditors and analysts who he claims overlooked billions in liabilities.Marketsread more
The Supreme Court could strike down the constitutionality of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency Elizabeth Warren has likened to her child and which Justice...2020 Electionsread more
Bianco Research's James Bianco suggests Wall Street is desperately looking for a signal that a 50 basis point cut is coming next month.Trading Nationread more
The company's S-1 lays the groundwork for what is widely expected to be one of the largest initial public offerings of the year, second only to Uber's IPO in May. It's also...Technologyread more
A non-psychoactive cannabis compound more commonly known as CBD is "poised to flourish" thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, signed into law by President Donald Trump.
That's according to analysts at Canaccord Genuity who have published a list of their favorite stocks as the cannabis industry takes off.
The 2018 Farm Bill has removed all cannabis fibre products with less than a 0.3 percent concentration of the psychoactive element tetrahydrocannabinol ( "THC") from the Controlled Substances Act.
That means it is now legal to manufacture, distribute and sell hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) anywhere in the United States. CBD is viewed by many to have medical benefits, providing relief from everything from pain to depression and anxiety.
In a note Wednesday, Canaccord Genuity identified these stocks as plays for investors looking to take advantage of firms that market hemp-derived CBD products.
• Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. (CWEB-CSE | BUY; C$21.00 PT)
• Canopy Growth Corporation (WEED-TSE | SPECULATIVE BUY; C$50.00 PT)
• Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CURA-CSE | SPECULATIVE BUY; C$13.00 PT)
• Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (LHS-CSE | SPECULATIVE BUY, C$2.00 PT)
• 1933 Industries, Inc. (TGIF-CSE | SPECULATIVE BUY, C$0.70 PT)
• DionyMed Brands, Inc. (DYME-CSE | SPECULATIVE BUY, C$5.50 PT)
• KushCo. Holdings, Inc. (KSHB-OTC | SPECULATIVE BUY, US$7.50 PT)
• MJardin Group, Inc. (MJAR-CSE | SPECULATIVE BUY, C$9.00 PT)
Despite the passing of the Farm Bill, legal ambiguities have remained as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has maintained its stance that it is unlawful to sell CBD as a dietary supplement.
Canaccord's North American equity research team said despite this confusion it had noted products already being sold through Safeway in some U.S. states and that other retailers would likely follow this year.
"While the FDA's stance has added some initial caution by retailers looking to enter the CBD space, we believe this to be transient, and expect many mass market retailers to begin distributing CBD products over the course of 2019," the note read.
Hemp comes from the same cannabis plant that produces marijuana. But while marijuana has both cannabidiol (CBD and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)), hemp, is produced with nearly 100 percent non-psychoactive CBD.
Canaccord say cultivation of hemp in the United States began in the early 1600s when English settlers grew the plant to produce rope, sails and clothes.
By the 1700s many American colonies legally required settlers to produce hemp as a raw material to build warships and trading vessels.
A number of restrictions were placed on Marijuana products throughout the first half of the twentieth century and in 1970, hemp became illegal as President Richard Nixon labelled it a Schedule 1 drug on the Controlled Substances Act.
CNBC 's Jim Cramer also expects to see cannabidiol related stocks grow in 2019, describing it as a "massive opportunity."
"That's going to give the CBD market a major boost," Cramer said noting that after the farm bill passed Canadian firm, Canopy Growth, announced it would be entering the United States market.
NOW WATCH: Cramer's top 5 pot predictions for 2019


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A rather surprising acknowledgement from Billboard:
The back story of Fiona Apple’s first new
album in six years, "Extraordinary Machine" — which comes out October
4 — is truly, well, extraordinary. Earlier this year, 11 of Apple’s tracks leaked on the Internet, making the rounds on peer-to-peer networks.
Although the tactic is often part of a label strategy to build
excitement for a project, the leaks devastated the singer. The songs
"weren’t done at all, and these weren’t the versions I wanted to put
out on an album," she says of the Jon Brion-produced tracks.
Fascinating admission by the mainstream media.
In the past, any mention of the legitimate promotional uses of P2P — i.e., U2, Eminem, Revenge of the Sith — was more or less looked at askance. But given what we know about Radio’s wounded business model and the impact of Radio consolidation on CD sales, we really shouldn’t be surprised at all.
Welcome to Fiona Apple’s ‘Machine’
Billboard, Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:06 PM ET


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Vivo has rolled out a new update for the premium Vivo Xplay6 smartphone. With software version 1.19.2, the highlight of the feature is the ability to provide support for 8X digital zoom. Moreover, the update also includes improvements and bug fixes related to Android security.
The addition of the 8X digital zoom in Vivo Xplay 6 update will improve the quality of the images of not only the dual 12MP and 5MP rear camera but also 16MP front-facing snapper. You will also find fixes to few bugs.
Vivo has pushed the update via OTA. Hence, it will take few days for the notification to appear on your screen. If your phone is eligible, you will receive the notification depending upon the market. If you are not willing to wait, you can manually check for the existence of the update by tapping Settings menu.
In terms of specifications, the Vivo Xplay 6 features a 5.46-inch Super AMOLED QHD curved display, Snapdragon 820 processor, Adreno 530 graphics, 6GB RAM, 128GB internal storage, dual 12MP and 5MP rear camera sensor, 16MP front-facing snapper, 4080mAh battery loaded with Android 6.0 Marshmallow. You can also expect Android Nougat update for the smartphone within the next few days.
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Joanne Neft, author of Placer County Real Food, visits Nugget Markets Roseville for an in-store cookbook signing and special hands-on recipe demos
Woodland CA - Nugget Markets Roseville located at 771 Pleasant Grove Blvd., hosts local Placer cookbook author Joanne Neft on April 7 and April 14, 11am to 3pm, for an in-store signing of her Placer County Real Food cookbook along with Neft’s special recipe demos.
An advocate of eating locally, Neft’s cookbook features photos and recipes, categorized by month, that utilize the best of Placer County’s local offerings. “For me, eating fresh, in-season, locally grown food is a way of life,” says Neft, “and that’s something I want to share with my community.”
Nugget Markets is committed to offering a wide range of local products throughout the store, providing quality items and supporting local producers at the same time. “We’re excited to be hosting Joanne’s cookbook signing,” says Jonathan Giannini, store director of Nugget Markets Roseville. “She’s devoted to supporting our local Placer farmers and their products and we’re delighted to provide her with a venue to share her recipes and expertise with our guests.”
The Sacramento Bee recently announced that Neft’s latest cookbook, with chef Laura Kenny, “The Art of Real Food: Seasonal Recipes for Every Week of the Year” is scheduled for release April 20.
Download Press Release PDFCook book signing store 7. 3.28.12(final).pdf
Download Multimedia Materialsmultimedia-materials.zip


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The women's basketball league gets some time on the court.
The end of an era.
Driven by the launch of several big games, such as Madden, NBA 2K, and of course, Spider-Man.
The Xbox One X deal is especially outstanding, and everyone needs to jump on it.
These tips and tricks will come in handy while you play WWE 2K19.
WWE 2K19 is not without its issues, but it's still the series' strongest entry in years.
However, the problems have still persisted for some players even after 2K's response.
Here's what you need to know about the upcoming wrestling game.
NBA 2K19 edges out NBA Live 19 but only by a bit.
Everything you need to know about WWE 2K19.
The best basketball franchise finds a way to be even better.
First week sales for Lara Croft's latest adventure were 25 percent higher than Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Let the debates surrounding the ratings commence!
No, no they are not, 2K.
The game's total size on the Switch comes up to 31.5 GB.
Plus there's a tantalizing tease at the end... possibly.
The new broadcast trailer offers a glimpse into the recording of the commentary.
Here's what's new in 2K Sports' latest basketball sim.
The story mode looks more grounded than last year this time.
Everything you need to know about NBA 2K19.


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Want to join the conversation?
Semiconductor company $TXN reported an increase in 2Q16 results driven by higher revenue and strong demand. Net income was $779MM or $0.76 per share in 2Q16 compared to $696MM or $0.65 per share in 2Q15. Revenue grew 1% to $3.27Bil from last year.
I haven’t seen a drop in banks like this in a long time. Looks like $WFC is still facing pressures from its sales practices scandal..!!
Helping President-elect's America first focus, $WMT set to create 10,000 retail jobs in the US in 2017.
Looks like Trump has his eyes on the $MON and Bayer merger next. He had a meeting with the CEOs and apparently got job promises from them.


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Source : coinquora.com
- Spells of Genesis celebrates its fifth anniversary.
- Its creators, EverdreamSoft, will launch an NFT History Museum.
- Hosted on CryptoVoxels, the museum will showcase SoG collections from 2017.
Spells of Genesis (SoG), one of the oldest play-to-earn games in the blockchain space, marks its fifth year in the gaming industry. To celebrate this milestone, the creators of SoG — EverdreamSoft, will unveil an NFT History Museum on CryptoVoxels.
Having been in development for a few months, the museum will exhibit several vintage SoG cards and famed NFT collections. In a nutshell, it will offer an immersive depiction of interconnected universes and experiences.
Furthermore, visitors can expect these collections, events, and projects, in the NFT Museum: Bitcoin (Genesis block mining), FDCard, Counterparty, Etheria, Quantum, Axie Infinity, Cryptopunks, RAREPEPE (Nakamotor card), Mooncats, and more.
Moreover, SoG cards serve as a vital tool in the completion of the showcase. In detail, there will be a new card showcase representing an asset from the Spells of Genesis 2017 collection every month. Held on the museum’s rooftop, the exhibit will allow visitors to rediscover bits of blockchain gaming history.
That said, Shaban Shaame, Spells of Genesis CEO, shares:
We’re very excited to celebrate the launch of an NFT History Museum which puts forward some of the most historical and iconic NFT projects in the industry. We are happy to announce that the community will also be able to see some of our vintage collectibles.
Meanwhile, the showcased card will pave the way for the SoG Showroom launching on CryptoVoxels scheduled on April 20. Participants can click on the card and will then be directly transported to the showroom. The team will also offer a special discounted price on the card of the month found on its online store.
In addition, by signing the NFT Museum’s Gold Book in April, one lucky winner will be awarded a Spells of Genesis card from 2017. What’s more, signees have exclusive access to the next-level SoG experience slated to take place towards the end of 2022.


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Commentary: Singapore's Digital Readiness Blueprint must also address ‘invisible illiteracies’
We must be cognisant of those among us who are on the wrong side of the digital skills divide, says one SUTD observer.
SINGAPORE: The launch of the Ministry of Communication and Information’s Digital Readiness Blueprint is both timely and welcome as Singapore makes definitive steps towards realising its vision to be a smart nation.
Another laudable aspect of the blueprint is its focus on inclusivity, to help ensure that no pocket of the population is left behind in our push towards digitalisation.
The blueprint covers various key dimensions including equipping everyone with a set of basic digital skills for performing everyday activities, and sharpening the focus on information and media literacy to develop resilience in the face of proliferating online disinformation.
It also factors in the crucial design dimension that seeks to leverage user-friendly and human-centric innovations that can help ramp up adoption of digital services.
WRONG SIDE OF DIGITAL SKILLS DIVIDE
The term “readiness” is itself a sound choice as it accommodates the fact that we will all venture into the digitalised world from different departure points.
Those who live and breathe technology will clearly need to be supported in rather more sophisticated ways than those whose foundational digital skills require concerted enhancement.
Hence the blueprint’s recommendation to provide one-on-one concierge-type services for addressing Singaporeans’ day-to-day digital queries is also commendable.
Indeed, even as we congratulate ourselves for being one of the most connected countries in the world, we must nevertheless be cognisant of those among us who are on the wrong side of the digital skills divide.
In exploratory research I conducted in 2015 and 2016 on underprivileged youths from low-income families residing in rental flats, I noted some interesting characteristics of their internet use.
Eschewing laptop and desktop computers in favour of smartphones, these young people’s internet use was largely confined to social media and communication apps such as WhatsApp, Snapchat and Instagram, as well as entertainment apps such as YouTube, Dubsmash and Musical.ly, with minimal exploration of the World Wide Web’s other rich offerings.
For all intents and purposes, even as statistical measures would classify these youths as internet users, their limited navigation and usage of the online space did not fully optimise the medium’s vast range of affordances.
For example, they may not be conscious of the avenues for curating an online presence that enables them to advertise their skills so that they can heighten their employability. Similarly, they may be less aware of opportunities to take online courses that could help them upgrade their skills.
Despite being internet users therefore, their limited repertoire of internet skills thus constitute a form of what I would term an “invisible illiteracy” that is not captured by conventional data on internet and technology use.
Furthermore, the app-centric and socially-oriented nature of their internet use meant that a great deal of the information they consumed emerged from within “walled gardens” and was largely mediated by their peer groups.
Given the customisable nature of internet use today, where algorithms within apps simply serve up more of the content that you already express an interest in, there is a diminished likelihood of encountering information outside the realm of your interest.
Similarly, if one’s information is mediated largely by one’s peers, the chances of being exposed to perspectives that diverge from those within your social circles are also reduced.
Without consciousness of these aspects of the digital infosphere, the average media consumer may find his or her media diet becoming less varied over time. This can obviously impede the benefits one can effectively reap from the digitalised world, and undermine one’s ability to participate more fully in it.
DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF INVISIBLE ILLITERACIES
How then do we address these invisible illiteracies and what other forms of such illiteracies may we be losing sight of? For instance, are the seemingly digitally savvy among us lacking an appreciation of the psychological biases that compromise our ability to consume information more critically?
Hence, we need a firmer grasp of internet usage trends in Singapore and how internet skills vary across different segments of the population.
Importantly, what percentage of our internet users are mobile-first (using a range of devices to access the internet but preferring mobile devices) and what percentage are mobile-only (accessing the internet exclusively using the mobile phone or tablets)?
Do different means of accessing the internet translate into different kinds of digital competencies but also challenges and if so, to what extent?
What kinds of design priorities must be borne in mind when catering to mobile-only versus mobile-first users?
How do variations in technology use and exposure influence people’s abilities to adapt to increasingly digitalised learning spaces and workplaces?
TARGETED RESEARCH NEEDED
Beyond the ground efforts at public education that the Digital Readiness Blueprint has spelt out therefore, it is critical that comprehensive yet targeted research efforts be supported and undertaken to strategically chart the transformations in our increasingly connected society.
Such research should also utilise a combination of quantitative and qualitative approaches so that nationally representative data is complemented by richly-contextualised and in-depth insights into Singaporean’s digital experiences in the key realms of their everyday lives.
With digital readiness as the goal, the blueprint to chart our directions, and robust research to illuminate the path, we can strive to boost digital competencies and to identify any invisible illiteracies that undermine Singaporeans' abilities to participate fully in the country’s digitalised future.
Dr Lim Sun Sun is Professor of Communication & Technology and Head of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Singapore University of Technology and Design.


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Marussia B2 SuperCar Sold Out
The Marussia B2 is the first super car to come out of Russia. The car will be assembled and engineered in Finland but they've already sold out the first run 0f 500 cars. The engine is Cosworth and the chassis monocoque carbon fiber. The looks of this car are stark and brutish but it looks as if Nikolai Fomenko, marussia's owner, has a hit on his hands.
Geneva Auto Show: Rolls Royce Wraith Breaks Cover
Today the long anticipated Rolls-Royce Wraith Gran Turismo was unveiled before the doors opened at the Geneva Auto Show. This two door masterpiece is a departure from the Rolls-Royce offerings of the last decade in that it's lines, connectivity and 645 horsepower move the famous British marque to a new level of performance and luxury.
NEW Subaru WRX Series: Surprise!
Subaru quietly introduced a concept car at the Tokyo Auto Show in 2011 called the Advanced Tourer Concept. The automotive world took it at face value. Now we discover this week that it's actually the new WRX line of Subaru's to be introduced in 2015, though it could surface before then. A beautiful evolution.
Maybach Cruisiero: World's Most Expensive Mercedes
Maybach and Xenatec, a German aftermarket tuner, have created a limited run coupe, the Xenatec Maybach Cruisiero. Just under one million gets you an incredible Mercedes. It's time to push the limits for this Mercedes brand. It needs it's own identity. http://www.thedrivechannel.com


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Weetabix and Bran Flakes, as well as Alpen cereal bars, are being scrapped from patients’ menus.
One of the NHS’s procurement arms, NHS Supply Chain, warned hospitals that following a price increase levied by the manufacturer, seven products would be unavailable once stocks ran down.
The statement warned: ‘Given normal buying patterns this is expected occur week commencing 8 April 2019 for the fast moving lines.’
Have you had YOUR Weetabix? Not if you’re in hospital you haven’t. The NHS procurement arm has scrapped its orders with the firm, for Weetabix (left) and Bran Flakes (right)
You can’t have YOUR Weetabix: the seven lines no longer available in the NHS
NHS Supply Chain said that following a price increase the following lines would no longer be available after existing stocks were depleted, which it anticipated would happen this week:
Alpen cereal bars from Weetabix have also been pulled by the NHS
- Cereal breakfast Weetabix (pack of 48)
- Cereal breakfast Weetabix individual (96 x 1) single biscuit
- Cereal breakfast Weetabix individual (48 x 2)
- Cereal breakfast Bran flakes 500g
- Cereal Bars Strawberry & Yoghurt Breakfast Bar [Alpen bar, made by Weetabix]
- Cereal Bars Fruit & Nut Chocolate Breakfast Bar [Alpen bar, made by Weetabix]
- Cereal Bars Fruit & Nut Breakfast Bar [Alpen bar, made by Weetabix]
The statement from the NHS went on: ‘Potential direct and indirect alternative products are available to order through our online catalogue or through wholesale suppliers.
‘Customers are advised to identify and purchase alternative lines.’
After having failed three times to get her Brexit deal through Parliament, Theresa May last night had to beg the EU to extend the UK’s departure date from the bloc.
Mrs May begged fellow European heads of government to postpone Britain’s departure until June 30 while she talks to Jeremy Corbyn – but this was rejected, leaving the PM in a precarious position having repeatedly said she could not ‘countenance’ Britain staying in the EU after that date.
This morning she accepted a flexible Brexit delay until October 31, meaning Britain will be able to leave before then if May passes her deal – but no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement including the backstop will be possible during that period.
She also agreed to take part the European elections next month, which will cost the taxpayer up to £108million unless she gets a deal through Parliament by May 22.
In early 2017, then-chief executive Giles Turrell said Weetabix could become another consumer brand to raise prices as a result of the pound’s slump since the Brexit vote.
The breakfast cereal manufacturer said if prices were to go up, the increases would probably be in the ‘low single digits’.
During a BBC interview, Giles Turrell, the Weetabix chief executive, said price rises would be a ‘last resort’.
Although the company harvests wheat in Northamptonshire, it is sold in US dollars on global markets, meaning the cost in pounds to buy wheat in the UK has gone up.
Like other packaged food makers, it has been squeezed by the plunging value of sterling, which has raised the cost of imported goods or globally traded commodities priced in US dollars.
NHS hospitals will continue to be able to purchase the discontinued products from NHS Supply Chain while stocks last, the procurement team said.
MailOnline has approached Weetabix, NHS Supply Chain and the Department of Health for comment.


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U.S.-China trade talks ended late Wednesday in Washington with the cancellation of a joint press conference amid speculation that the two sides are growing further apart on issues such as market access, tariff reductions and caps on foreign ownership of Chinese companies.
The annual event, known as the Comprehensive Economic Dialogue, was expected to close President Donald Trump's '100-Day' plan to forge closer ties between the world's two biggest economies and narrow a trade deficit that swelled to $25.4 billion, the highest since October 2015, last month.
China "acknowledged our shared objective to reduce the trade deficit which both sides will work cooperatively to achieve," the Treasury department said in a brief statement following the conclusion of the talks, a point that was reciprocated by China's U.S. embassy in Washington, which noted "significant progress" from the meetings.
Trump, however, was looking for a lot more after he hailed the "tremendous progress" gain from his two-day visit with China's President, Xi Jingping, in Mar-a-Largo earlier this year as the start of a new era in U.S.-Sino relations.
One central area of disagreement rests on the repeated accusation that China, by far the world's biggest steel maker, has been "dumping" its excess product in U.S. markets and depressing prices for U.S. manufacturers.
Trump said Wednesday that tariffs on imported steel "could happen" if his administration's 'section 232' review of the industry deemed them necessary for national security. The Commerce Department is expected to announce its findings on the review in the coming days.


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For just over a decade now the digital age has dramatically altered and accelerated the pace of technological growth, innovations, user adaptability and the way information is shared. The world has seen massive growth in new technologies and businesses that’s pushing the boundaries of normal competition. The speed with which new technologies are being adopted by users, and how user needs constantly shift has dramatically rocked and disrupted incumbents. In a very short period of time many industries have been caught off-guard by competition that weren’t on the incumbents’ radar. In fact, some of these disruptors didn’t even exist too long ago.
The exponential change the world has experienced in the recent years has been so rapid that most organizations haven’t been able to cope with it. In the list of Fortune 500 companies of 1955, only 12% exist today. And that massive decline isn’t slowing down either. Today, startups are fast gaining traction and gaining larger market share, higher share prices and total equity than companies that have existed for half a century or more. You could say, it’s the golden age of disruptors!
Where These Disruptors Roam
In the automobile industry, GM, Ford, Toyota and VW have enjoyed a global stronghold for close to a century now. And while they’re still major market players, disruptors like Uber and Tesla (startups that didn’t exist 14 years ago) have crept in to alter people’s perception and needs from the automobile industry. Sure, Uber doesn’t manufacture vehicles, but it has altered the way people commute. And even if Tesla is producing cars for a niche market, it’s only a matter of time till it expands and eats into the market share of automotive giants. Plus, Tesla has been a major disruptor in shaping consumers’ perceived needs of their vehicles. It truly has gotten major automobile manufacturers scratching their heads.
Similarly, disruptors have rocked the communication industry as well. In 2013, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam, stated “if you allow unlimited usage, you just run out of gas”. However, just last month Verizon, the largest wireless communications provider in USA, announced its unlimited data plan to fight off competitors and meet consumer demands. They had to give in. A decade ago, in 2007, Blackberry was at a high point with its mobile devices that offered cutting-edge messaging services, enjoying a peak share price of C$241.90. Today it’s trading at C$9.03! At the core of its decline was its inability to adapt and evolve quickly to changing consumer demands. During the same time that Blackberry was nosediving communication application WhatsApp was born (in 2009) and in a matter of just 5 years was valued at US$19.3 billion by its acquirer, Facebook. Let’s not forget, Facebook itself is just 13 years old with an equity of US$59.2 billion. Compare that to IBM, a pioneer in computing, a multi-technology giant and in existence for 106 years, that has an equity of US$18.2 billion.
There’s also been a huge shift in how users choose to be entertained. For the large part of the 90’s and up till the mid 2000’s, Blockbuster was USA’s larger provider of video rental. In 2010 it filed for bankruptcy, largely due to its rigid strategies that prevented it from adapting to consumer needs and embracing the digital age. Also, at play were disruptors like Redbox and Netflix (the latter which Blockbuster turned down to purchase for US$50 million in 2000 and is currently valued at US$2.7 billion!). Netflix itself has evolved from video streaming to producing its own content, and quite successfully.
Survival of the Agile
Consumers today, are driving the market like never before. It’s a highly competitive and ever changing world and organizations have to remain agile, flexible and innovative to continue their growth trajectory.
Among the several organizations that have brilliant strategies to embrace the future two stand out – Google and Amazon. And that’s mainly because of their ability to not only creep in, disrupt the market and rock the incumbent, but also to be agile, attentive and adaptive. They’ve constantly maintained a pulse on users, and not just on what they’re demanding. In fact, these two organizations have stayed ahead by observing cultural trends and how people behave and then reshaping behavior around their products and services. Embraced technology is just a small part of it. Expanding beyond your scope, your current competencies and abilities and having a stake in the full cycle of users’ lives is what’s empowered them. Basically, what drives organizations such as Google, Amazon and others like them is their Massive Transformative Purpose.
Here’s a perspective on the impact of disruptors in the current world. How is it that a bookseller was present at the Academy Awards a few weeks ago? In 1994, Jeff Bezos started Amazon.com selling books. It pushed incumbents like Barnes & Noble against the wall, but he didn’t stop there. Today, that same company has evolved from being an online retailer to innovations like Kindle ebooks, cloud computing, video and audio streaming, the entertainment industry and artificial intelligence (Echo). There’s a very slim chance Mr. Bezos will stop here!
Google has approached its expansion in a different way. It has absorbed technologies and companies to build upon its vast reach and strength allowing it to further strengthen its abilities. What started as a free search engine is today a giant that has an arsenal of over 200 acquired companies and valued at US$139.04 billion!
Disruptors have forced incumbents to rethink their strategies and business models. The main driving force behind these disruptors – technology and evolving consumer needs. Agility and adaptability are paramount for organizations otherwise they’ll see their rapid demise.


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SCOTTSDALE Ariz. Kona Grill Inc. said Friday that Mark L. Bartholomay had resigned as chief operating officer of the 24-unit chain “to pursue other business and personal interests.” From May until earlier this month, Bartholomay also had served as interim president and chief executive of the American grill-sushi chain since the resignation of Marcus Jundt. Kona’s board on Nov. 2 named Marc Buehler president and CEO. Buehler most recently had been ...
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text: The Tasmanian Tiger is classified as a limited common pet in Adopt Me! that was released along with the Fossil Egg on October 10, 2020. It hatches from the Fossil Egg, which costs 750. Players have a 25% chance of hatching a common pet from the Fossil Egg. The release of this pet was confirmed through the Fossil Isle Excavation Event.


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The newest location is coming soon to The Shoppes at Tanforan in San Bruno.
San Bruno, CA (Restaurant News Release) After months of unprecedented sales numbers, Uncle Sharkii Poke Bar® is making yet another splash in the California market, this time in a strategically located shopping center in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area.
The newest franchise location was signed for by Amy Liu and is set to open this February at The Shoppes at Tanforan. The shopping area is packed full of dining, retail shops, and other activities. The center hosts special events and has its own rewards program. This will be the first boba tea and poke QSR to hit the collection of businesses. The Shoppes at Tanforan also serve as a transit hub for millions of passengers commuting to and from downtown San Francisco and beyond via The Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART). “This is great! Uncle Sharkii will be able to serve not only mall patrons, but the many BART passengers on-the-go, on their way to work or on their way home,” pointed out Fen Reyes, Founder & CEO.
“We’re excited to share the tastes of Uncle Sharkii with the people of San Bruno, but most of all the region of the San Francisco Bay Area!” asserted Fen Reyes. “This grand opening means easier access to the delicious Uncle Sharkii menu. We will be the only brand focused on our Signature Hawaiian™ Poke Bowls in the center.”
Liu has been a long-time employee of the company and has served as the Executive Trainer and the Director of Operations. The newest Uncle Sharkii location in San Bruno will be Liu’s second unit to open in a series of five. “With the Shoppes at Tanforan being so close to not only the local community but also the region’s largest airport – San Francisco International Airport – putting Uncle Sharkii on the map,” asserted Raymond Reyes, Co-Founder & COO. “Additionally, this gives thousands of daytime and evening consumers from the San Francisco Peninsula somewhere to get some great Poke Bowls, Boba Tea, and Tropical Ice Cream at great price points.”
The company is continuing to expand through franchising. Uncle Sharkii’s website has a list of currently targeted franchise markets for those seeking ownership. “This is an amazing time for business owners and franchisees. Business ownership is attainable, and our sales numbers and success of our franchisees proves it,” stated Raymond Reyes. “We have seen such great reception since our initial sales launch back in the summer of 2019. The rapid growth is astounding.”
The brand currently has 26 territories signed and in development spanning five states: California, Utah, Hawaii, Texas, and Nevada; many more are in the hopper in the next few months. Along with all this franchise success, Uncle Sharkii has two corporate locations at upscale shopping centers at the Sunvalley Shopping Center in Concord, California and International Marketplace in Honolulu, Hawaii. Uncle Sharkii currently has plans to further expand its corporate locations to 10 in a short period of time. More information can be found at https://www.unclesharkii.com.
About Uncle Sharkii Poke Bar
Uncle Sharkii Poke Bar® is a QSR restaurant serving delicious poke fare, boba milk teas, and tropical ice cream. Headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, the company is actively expanding throughout the U.S. and internationally and welcomes interested individuals to visit their franchise page for more information: https://www.unclesharkii.com.


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Leer en Español
Inflation in the U.S. is at its 13-years high, according to the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In context, cumulative inflation over the last 12 months totals 5.4%, compared to June of last year, when prices were depressed by low demand due to mobility restrictions imposed to control the pandemic.
The Core Price Index, which excludes more volatile goods such as the cost of food or energy also pointed to an unusually high variation of 4.5 %. The price of food and energy, which accumulated a monthly increase of 0.9 %, has been felt in July’s measurements.
Thousands of retailers and supermarket chains have begun to accumulate larger inventories to shield themselves from the growing inflation that is already affecting suppliers and is beginning to be passed on via prices to consumers.
One factor has been congestion at China’s ports. With the closure of the Port of Yantian, trade between China and the United States has been partially paralyzed and the costs of shipping a container have nearly quintupled and for many importers are prohibitive.
Housing costs are also among the main drivers of rising inflation. Home prices have risen to record highs due to demand stimulated by low interest rates offered by commercial banks and a supply that cannot keep up. It is estimated that the United States currently has a housing shortage of 5.5 million units.
Car prices, both new and used, have had a significant impact on inflation in one year, increasing by 5.3% for new cars and up to 45.2% for used cars. The shortage of microchips in the world has hit the American automobile industry particularly hard and it has had to limit the number of units it will produce this year.
Among the main factors that are driving up prices is the rising cost of transportation. Transportation companies have been affected by the shortage of personnel that has not yet reached the number of positions that existed in February 2020. The transportation and warehousing sector in particular still has 90,000 vacancies to fill.
Yet many companies are having trouble filling their vacancies and millions remain unfilled, while thousands of Americans are still claiming unemployment benefits that are set to be lifted in September, the impact on hiring has caused 23 states to lift unemployment benefits.
Fed Chairman believes that inflation in the U.S. will remain high but just in the coming months
As consumer spending has picked up again with the opening, suppliers have struggled to keep up with rising demand. The Federal Reserve (Fed) argues that the inflation experienced by the U.S. economy is to some extent “desirable” and is a “sign” of robust demand growth, which will also encourage employers to hire more people.
In his hearing with the House Financial Services Committee, the Fed Chairman stated that “this year’s real Gross Domestic Product appears to be on track for its fastest increase in decades.”
From July 2020 to July 2021, U.S. GDP has grown by 6.4%. This growth is due, according to Powell, to the fact that “Demand remains very strong and overall business investment is increasing in a solid pace.”
Regarding the slow U.S. jobs recovery, Powell said that “Job gains should be strong in coming months as public health conditions continue to improve.”
For Powell, inflation will not go away soon and “will remain elevated in the coming months before it moderates.” However, the Fed expects this to be transitory as he clarified that “The FOMC seeks longer-term inflation expectations that are well anchored at 2 %.”
Economist, writer and liberal. With a focus on finance, the war on drugs, history, and geopolitics // Economista, escritor y liberal. Con enfoque en finanzas, guerra contra las drogas, historia y geopolítica


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October 09, 2019
Just as the honey industry here in the United States has been impacted by massive losses to honey bee hives, so has honey production throughout Europe. Honey producers all over Europe are reporting numbers that are at or near record lows. In some cases, honey production is only a small fraction of what it was decades ago.
The massive losses to hives hurt honey producers in several different ways. There is the obvious loss of honey bees, which can cost beekeepers tens of thousands of dollars to replace if they decide to purchase bees. If they choose to continue on with their supply of bees, honey production is dramatically reduced simply due to fewer bees working to produce the honey. Additionally, the beekeepers are less likely to fully harvest the honey produced in fear of not leaving their remaining bees enough food to survive the winter.
Climate Change Problems
In addition to the winter problems, European beekeepers are also complaining of problems as a result of climate change. According to the latest reports, due to the excessive heat from the summer, colonies have had the beeswax melted, resulting in losses of entire colonies of honey bees. One Italian beekeeper characterized this year as the “most difficult harvest” he has ever had. The Italian agricultural department seems to agree, stating that this year’s honey yield was only about half of what it was last year.
Asking for Help
Beekeepers in Europe have had to resort to some out-of-the-box thinking to keep their businesses alive, such as feeding bees fructose-based syrup just so they had enough nourishment to survive. That, however, will not help them get through this dire time. Some beekeepers have already approached the government to declare this a natural disaster, which would open up a variety of avenues of benefits and aid as well as offering beekeepers some additional grace on their outstanding business loans.
In addition to these problems, Europe is now also dealing with an influx of outside honey, providing them with even more competition even though they have fewer products to offer. Most of that competition is reportedly coming from China, which offers less regulation and is what we might consider being misleading or mislabeled. Regardless, because Europe is not currently regulating the industry as it should, these imports are being able to take over the market.
Lucky for you that you don’t live in Europe as well as the fact you don’t have to leave your house to enjoy the rich taste of Manuka honey. To learn more about our honey or to get an order started, click here. And, remember, order $150 or more and we will take care of the shipping!


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KNIT PICKING: Pringle of Scotland is marking the year of the goat in a very particular way, with a new exhibition that tracks its history in knitwear, particularly fashion knitwear.
The brand, which is marking its 200th anniversary year, this week unveiled “Fully Fashioned: The Pringle of Scotland Story,” at the Serpentine Gallery in London, where it will remain for a few days before moving to Edinburgh.
An expanded version of the show will run from April 10 to Aug. 16 at the National Museum of Scotland.
The show shines the spotlight not only on Pringle’s way with knitwear, but also on how the company transformed itself – in the space of a just a few decades – from demure underwear manufacturer to purveyor of twinsets, glamour girl knits, and avant-garde creations such as screen-printed cashmere. Pringle has long been a marketing machine, taking Scottish beauties around the world to promote its wares, forging relationships with American department stores and working with artists and designers from places including the Glasgow School of Art.
The company proudly sent its knits to Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret, and the exhibition showcases a cream sweater from the monarch’s own closet, as well as effusive thank-you notes from both royals. In the Forties and Fifties, the company’s marketing director paid Scottish actresses to wear Pringle onscreen and off, and would often hand-pick pretty Pringle office girls, send them to etiquette school, and then taken them on tour to help advertise the merchandise.
That said, Pringle’s knitwear was a two-way street. The exhibition’s curator Alistair O’Neill, the fashion academic and author, said knitwear’s transition from underwear to outerwear coincided with women’s entry into modern life. “Women were able to use fashion to help create their space in the world.”
During a walk-through of the show, he pointed to black-and-white images of women donning men’s sweaters and cardigans during World War One, and adapting knitted male golf attire to their own golf wardrobes.
In addition to archive pieces from Scottish museums, private collections and the brand itself, the show also features three films created by Michael Clark Dance Company showing how knitwear moves with the body, and a new series of campaign images shot by Albert Watson shot on the Isle of Skye, with Scottish figures including Stella Tennant, David Shrigley and Luke Treadaway.


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Fender has filed a series of trademark applications to use its signature headstock shape on potential NFT products.
Trademark attorney Mike Kondoudis, who saw the guitar company’s application at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, tweeted, “Guitar maker Fender has filed 3 trademark applications for electric guitar headstock shapes, indicating plans for NFTs; crypto-collectibles; virtual goods; and multimedia. Fender filed similar applications for Stratocaster and Fender last year.”
Guitar maker Fender has filed 3 trademark applications for the shapes of electric guitar heads indicating plans for
🎸 Virtual goods and multimedia@Fender filed similar apps for Stratocaster and Fender last year#NFTs #Metaverse #Web3 #Fender pic.twitter.com/eW57JAMcT1
— Mike Kondoudis (@KondoudisLaw) May 5, 2022
Guitar World also confirmed Kondoudis’ observation. Guitarists are prone to collecting. So it’s easy to see why the guitar maker is making the necessary moves to get involved in the metaverse.
Fender is a world-renowned American manufacturer of guitars and amplifiers. With a rich history dating back to 1946, the company is known to professionals and hobbyists around the world as the go-to company for iconic products such as Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars and Precision and Jazz basses. The U.S. company also manufactures amplifiers, lap steel guitars, banjos, electric violins, pedals, etc.
Fender is not the first guitar company to dive into the metaverse. Rather, there are many musicians and guitar companies that have requested or launched NFTs and products. Matt Bellamy, Joe Satriani, Keith Richards and Joe Bonamassa have all participated in the NFT boom of 2021. Heavy metal band Megadeth has even launched its own cryptocurrency.
In addition, Fender’s competitor Gibson filed a similar application to Fender’s last year. So far, both companies have not announced their web3 plans to the public.


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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday left for his visit to Indonesia’s Jakarta to attend the 20th ASEAN-India Summit and 18th East Asia Summit on September 7.
Indonesia is hosting the summits in its capacity as the current Chair of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region, and India and several other countries including the US, China, Japan and Australia are its dialogue partners.
Shoring up India’s trade and security ties with the ASEAN is likely to be the focus of Modi’s engagement with leaders of the bloc.
Modi’s visit to Indonesia comes ahead of the G20 Summit to be held inNew Delhi on September 9-10 under India’s Presidency this year. Indonesia is part of the G20 ‘troika’ as it had the presidency of the grouping last year.


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For some traditional investors, it may be easy to dismiss the retail trading community on Reddit. One reason for this is that many Reddit investors use the trading app Robinhood (NASDAQ:), which is widely seen as a catalyst for the rise in “meme stocks” such as GameStop (NYSE:) and AMC Entertainment (NYSE:).
Yet, the top stock trading on Robinhood as of August 24, 2021, was Apple (NASDAQ:) – one of the well-known FAANG stocks and a stock that investors of all stripes carry in their portfolio.
Some investors might say this is an example of the broken clock being correct twice a day. But Apple isn’t the only “mainstream” stock that’s popular with the Reddit community. MarketBeat tracks the number of mentions a company receives on Reddit and provides a ranking over a certain period of time. This newly launched tool lets investors identify companies that may be poised for future growth, based on the number of mentions they’ve received on Reddit.
Here’s a list of ten stocks that the Reddit community is buzzing about in the last 30 days.
- GameStop (NYSE:) – GameStop is the original Reddit stock. However, don’t be so quick to dismiss the stock. It retains its share of true believers who are holding on to the stock because they believe in the company’s pivot to an e-commerce model. Analysts have a consensus sell rating on the stock so if GME stock is to go higher it will be due to the Reddit crowd. However, the company’s earnings report, scheduled for September 8, will likely be a catalyst for strong price movement.
- AMC Entertainment (NYSE:) – AMC Entertainment has garnered the attention of a loyal group of “apes” within the Reddit community. One reason for optimism was that AMC stock was a recovery play. But so far, the box office has not recovered as swiftly as expected. The company faces some fundamental issues with its existing business model. However, like GameStop, loyal investors hold out hope that the company can pivot to a more viable model. Analysts don’t hold out the same belief, and a recent downgrade is not helping the case for retail investors.
- Amazon (NASDAQ:) – It shouldn’t be surprising that the first of the “non-meme stocks” to crack this list is Amazon. The company became an essential destination for millions of Americans who were staying socially distant and in their homes. However, AMZN stock has been a roller-coaster stock this year. And until late August, it was down over the previous 12-month period. However, it now looks like Amazon is on the verge of a breakout which is also the consensus opinion of analysts who project the stock has a nearly 20% upside.
- Apple (NASDAQ:) – Apple is the number one purchased stock on Robinhood, and it’s the fourth most mentioned stock in the Reddit forum. The manufacturer of the iconic iPhone is enjoying another strong year and recent boosts in its price target suggest that AAPL stock has further to climb. One reason for this is that Apple has announced it is unlikely to be as affected by the global chip shortage as other companies. As one example of that, it’s new iPhone launch is expected to go off as planned.
- Alphabet (NASDAQ:) – Just as Amazon is a household name in e-commerce; Google (whose parent company is Alphabet) is a household name for many reasons, notably online search. The company is drawing the attention of regulators. But for now there doesn’t appear to be much that is going to slow down the stock. GOOGL stock is up 81% in the last 12 months. And although the consensus opinion of analysts is that the stock only has a small upside, recent opinions suggest the stock could have much larger upside.
- Alibaba (NYSE:) – It’s not easy to invest in Chinese stocks right now. That’s a lesson that investors in the “Amazon of China” have learned the hard way. BABA stock is down 39% in the last 12 months and 15% in the last 30 days ending September 3, 2021. Concern lingers over how much influence the Chinese government will have on the company’s profits. This got further traction as the company announced a $15.5 billion pledge to Beijing’s “common prosperity” vision.
- Pfizer (NYSE:) – It’s always best to leave your emotions out of your investment decisions. And that’s the case with Pfizer. No matter your personal feelings about the company’s Covid-19 vaccine, it’s likely to have an outsize effect on the company’s revenue and profits for the next several quarters. News that millions of Americans will likely be receiving a booster shot of the vaccine over the next several quarters should serve as a nice tailwind for PFE stock.
- Clover Health (NASDAQ:) – The short squeeze has become trendier than the expected investment strategy. And advocates of the strategy don’t necessarily believe in the fortunes of the underlying company, but they see an opportunity to turn a quick profit. That certainly seems to be the case for CLOV stock. Short interest is not high overall, but it’s jumped up nearly 20% in the last 30 days. The company is a play on Medicare insurance, but it lacks pricing power in what is a competitive sector.
- Microsoft (NASDAQ:) – It would be easy to look at Microsoft stock as a pandemic and post-pandemic winner. The stock is up 119% since the onset of the pandemic. However, MSFT stock was a solid performer for years prior to the pandemic. In the five-year period from February 2015 to February 2020, MSFT stock was up 321% – an average annual gain of 64%. When you add in the company’s dividend which it has grown by 31% in the last three years, there are many reasons for investors to be excited about owning Microsoft stock.
- NVIDIA(NASDAQ:) – In mid-August, NVDA stock broke through a line of support and has been on an upswing. The question for investors is how much of a run does the stock has left. On the one hand, the company stands to benefit as the global chip shortage will make demand stronger than supply for the next several quarters. The company last released earnings in mid-August. Since that point, ten analysts have increased their price target for NVDA stock.
Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.


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Lehigh Valley Beer Week festivities brewing
Beer lovers will appreciate that the first ever Lehigh Valley Beer Week, Feb. 11-17, encompasses Valentine’s Day. Is there a better way to express abiding affection for craft brews than enjoying a special beer dinner on Feb. 14 at Allentown or Bethlehem Brew Works or Sagra Bistro in Hellertown?
By Lenora Dannelke
January 30, 2013


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Call of Duty: WWII Was Supposed to Be Advanced Warfare 2
Sledgehammer Games wanted to continue their futuristic take on the Call of Duty franchise.
Activision has revealed that Sledgehammer Games originally intended to develop a sequel to Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare instead of Call of Duty: WWII.
“Sledgehammer wanted to make Advanced Warfare 2“, said Activision CEO Eric Hirshberg during an interview with Newsweek. While they seemed rather committed to that plan, some within Activision recognized that there was a rather large portion of the franchise’s fanbase that deeply wished the publisher would push the game back towards its World War II roots.
Once they realized that they’d like to go that direction, Hirshberg stated that those at Activision had little doubt that Sledgehammer could handle the change of plans.
“We knew they would become historians, that they would tackle it with authenticity, give it tremendous care and we also knew they would capture the unspeakable scale of World War II.”
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Of course, the team at Sledgehammer couldn’t do it alone. When it came to actually delivering an authentic WWII experience, Activision wanted to ensure that the developers had all the resources they would need. They even brought in an actual WWII historian named Martin K.A. Morgan who took the developers to key locations of World War II in the hopes that they would later be able to accurately render them and understand their full significance.
Activision also contacted WWII veterans and had them talk to the team.
“We think it’s daunting to show our games to our fans, and here we were showing it to people who actually stormed the beaches of Normandy, who actually fought through the Hürtgen Forest and we’re showing them those levels from the game,” said Hirshberg. “It was an incredibly gratifying experience. After the lights came up, these gentlemen looked at us and said ‘yup, you got it right!’ It was one of those human moments where something you’re making for entertainment purposes intersects with real life in a pretty impactful way.”
As for whether or not Sledgehammer will ever expand the Infinite Warfare line as they originally intended to do, that’s a matter that remains up for debate. However, considering that Call of Duty: WWII is selling quite well, you probably shouldn’t expect any sci-fi adventures in the near future.


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Job search Web site Monster.com helped parent company TMP Worldwide (Nasdaq: TMPW) beat analyst estimates in the secondquarter, as a weak economy resulted in more job changes, TMP Worldwide said Tuesday.
The New York City-based staffing and advertising company reported income adjusted for special items of US$36.1 million, or 32 cents per share, up from $24.3 million, or 22 cents, in the year-earlier quarter and ahead of the 30 cents expected by analysts.
TMP Worldwide chairman and chief executive officer Andrew J. McKelvey said the resultswere driven largely by Monster and were achieved despite “the difficulteconomic environment.”
“As with any other U.S. company looking ahead, the economic climate remainsour biggest near-term challenge,” McKelvey said. “However, we also believethat this market is providing a unique opportunity for us to continue toinvest in TMP Worldwide, and further differentiate our company from ourcompetitors.”
Commissions and fees rose 11 percent from a year earlier to $383.61 million,boosted by revenue at the Monster unit. TMP Worldwide chief operating officer JimTreacy said the growth “is indicative of the market’s increasing demand foronline recruiting products and services.”
Treacy said that as as companies seek to recruit skilled workers and cut costs in a slow economy, Monster’s service “becomes increasingly attractive” relative totraditional help-wanted ads.
“We believe that this fundamental disparity will continue to fuel the industry’s secular shift from traditional to online recruitment advertising,” Treacy said.
Treacy added that TMP will continue to cut costs and “streamline” operationsthis year.
“While we were very satisfied with our results this quarter, we are clearly feeling the impact of the weak U.S. economy, particularly in our traditional lines of business,” he said.
At Monster itself, commissions and fees rose 64 percent from a year earlierto $142.2 million. The division saw an operating profit, adjusted forspecial items, of $36.1 million, up from $15.8 million.
Monster saw more than 6.5 million unique visitors during June, reaching 7.3 percent of Internet users, according to audience measurement firm Media Metrix.
“Despite our tactical decision to reduce marketing and promotional spendingin order to redirect a portion of this spending towards new productdevelopment and the continued build-out of our European sales staff,Monster’s consumer awareness and loyalty has grown to record levels,” saidMonster chief executive officer Jeff Taylor.
In May, Monster acquired FlipDog.com, another career site, giving it access to that site’s job postings from more than 50,000 employers seeking more than 600,000 workers.
Monster completed two other acquisitions — CollegeLink and FastWeb — in June, giving it the capability to offer information about colleges and scholarships. In addition, TMP bought Jobline International, an online recruiter based in Europe, in July.
Monster is also wrapping up the planned acquisition of HotJobs (Nasdaq:HOTJ), a rival online recruiter. The $460 million deal unites the two topInternet job-search sites.
In morning trading Wednesday, TMP Worldwide stock was up nearly 8 percent, improving $3.91 to $53.32.


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At its annual press conference, Skoda announced that the next-gen Octavia will be showcased to the world by the end of 2019. Global sales for the next-gen Octavia are expected to commence in 2020, with India sales expected to begin at the same time.
Likely to be based on the recently launched Scala, the new Octavia will be underpinned by VW group’s revised MQB (Modular Transverse Matrix) platform.
The Skoda Octavia will get a brand new face with split headlamps being replaced by triangular units from the Scala. The tail lamps are also expected to be shared between both the cars.
Skoda has showcased its future interior design approach with the Scala. It’s equipped with a floating centre console and digital dials. Expect the Octavia to take the same approach as well.
As far as engine options are concerned, the Octavia is expected to get the VW group’s brand new 1.5-litre TSi EVO engine. This engine will replace the group’s tried and tested 1.4-litre TSi. The Octavia is also expected to carry forward the 2.0-litre diesel engine with upgraded hardware to support the BSVI norms. There is no news regarding the vRS variant, but expect Skoda to treat vRS fanboys with a souped up version of the Octavia this time around too. The Skoda Octavia is also likely to get a CNG variant with a 1.5-litre TSi EVO engine.
The VW group also unveiled its 2.0-litre TDI EVO with 48V mild-hybrid tech at the 2018 Vienna Motor Symposium. This engine produces a staggering 204PS of power. Expect this engine to be plonked in the Octy at a later stage since this motor will be initially available in Audi vehicles only.
The current-gen Octavia rivals the likes of the Toyota Corolla, Hyundai Elantra and the recently launched Honda Civic in India, with prices ranging from Rs 15.49 lakh for the base petrol model to the Rs 25.99 lakh (both ex-showroom Pune) for the top-spec L&K diesel. When launched, expect the new Octavia to be priced marginally higher than the outgoing version.


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Kate Spade was found dead on Tuesday of an apparent suicide, and law enforcement officials say she left a note at the scene.
CBS News reports that famous fashion designer Spade, 55, was found hanging by housekeeping staff at around 10:20 a.m. in her New York City apartment on Park Avenue. She was found with a red scarf around her neck attached to a doorknob, and it is unclear how long she had been dead.
Officials did not know what the note said and were not authorized to give details relating to an ongoing investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The NYPD's chief of detectives, Dermot Shea, said that the state of Spade's apartment and the note indicate "a tragic suicide."
Along with her husband, Andy Spade, Kate leaves behind daughter Frances, who was born in 2005.
The designer was born Katherine Brosnahan, meeting her husband at Arizona State University. The two went into business together, starting the Kate Spade company in the early '90s.
Kate became a hit in the fashion world in the '90s with her minimalist handbag line, which has since continued to grow to include clothing, shoes, accessories andhomegoods. The brand was known for its sleek designs and bright colors, with the designer perfectly encapsulating her brand's aesthetic with her colorful clothes and perma-bouffant.
The 55-year-old left her the Kate Spade brand in 2007 one year after it was purchased from the Neiman Marcus Group for $125 million by the company then known as Liz Claiborne Inc. In 2016, Kate launched a new brand, Frances Valentine, with her partners.
Kate Spade New York was purchased in 2017 by Coach for $2.4 billion, and the brand has over 140 retail shops and outlet stores across the country and is sold in more than 450 stores worldwide.
Photo Credit: Everett Collection / Shutterstock.com
If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).


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Yellowknife hopes for million-dollar boost as #ShopYK launches
Yellowknife’s #ShopYK local shopping drive is back, with a chance to win $3,000 to spend just ahead of Christmas.
Cabin Radio’s Thanksgiving Special: Listen all day Monday!
Trivia, pie, family arguments… Cabin Radio’s Thanksgiving Special is as authentic as it gets.
Deztro Show brings metal – and Inuvik – to Cabin Radio
Kick off the weekend right – and a day early – with some heavy metal and rock music to crank any event from a gathering to a full-blown rager.


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WITH its proximity to the huge markets of India, China and Japan, South-east Asia is well positioned to benefit from global trade flows. The region itself had a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of more than S$3 trillion in 2013 - the third largest combined GDP in Asia. This has been projected to grow by more than 5 per cent annually from 2014 to 2018.
Meanwhile, South-east Asia is urbanising at a rapid pace, in line with the rest of Asia. Today, just over one-third of the Asean population lives in cities. However, more than 90 million people are expected to move to urban areas by 2030.
Thus, the region provides plenty of opportunities for Singapore-based urban solutions providers such as Ascendas-Singbridge and Surbana Jurong. Both groups, which were created earlier this year as a result of mergers, are looking to grab a larger share of the global infrastructure development market.
"South-east Asia is a market with growing potential and importance to Singapore companies such as Ascendas. We are continually on the lookout for opportunities in the key growth cities in South-east Asia, particularly in Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam," said William Tay, CEO of South-east Asia at Ascendas-Singbridge.
He noted that Malaysia, and in particular, the Iskandar Malaysia region in Johor, offers the "best of both worlds" - investors and businesses will benefit from its close proximity to Singapore as well as access to Malaysia's vast natural resources and growth potential.
The proximity of Singapore and Iskandar also provides the opportunity for companies to locate their business and manufacturing functions across both locations, and drive the development of complementary industries.
These include companies in industries such as electronics, precision engineering, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food processing, and fast moving consumer goods - supported by efficient logistics & warehousing services.
Meanwhile, Surbana Jurong is eyeing opportunities in Indonesia and Myanmar, where optimism about its economic prospects have risen following the conclusion of successful elections.
"We see Indonesia as a key growth market in South-east Asia," said Wong Heang Fine, group CEO at Surbana Jurong, "with high growth potential to develop the regions of Java and Sulawesi; particularly in areas such as affordable housing, infrastructure developments and large-scale urban developments. We also see good future growth in Myanmar after the elections."
An economic powerhouse
Singapore players are also hoping to benefit from the recent formation of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) to promote free flow of goods, services, labour and investments across the region. The initiative aims to integrate the diverse economies of South-east Asia into a single market to create a highly competitive economy.
Analysts expect that Asean as a single economy could become the fourth largest economy in the world by 2030, behind only the United States and China.
"With lower barriers to trade and investment, the initiative opens up new business opportunities for companies and investors to participate in this growing market," said Mr Tay. "Details on the implementation of the regional integration remain to be seen, and businesses should continue to monitor and undertake detailed studies, identify their unique market proposition that will give them a competitive edge in this region."
However, there are challenges for companies operating in Asean. In addition to wide differences in language, culture and people, markets in South-east Asia are at different stages of development and urbanisation.
Yet, this diversity also presents many opportunities in development, infrastructure and services. To capitalise on this phenomenon, Surbana Jurong plans to open an office in Jakarta next year to capture new business as well as serve its existing clients better. "As an Asian-based consultancy for urbanisation and infrastructure developments, we are keen to continue expanding our base across the region," said Mr Wong.
Mr Tay noted that operating in such diverse markets requires an in-depth understanding of the differing needs of each location that Ascendas-Singbridge operates in.
He said: "We align our interests with the development objectives of our host locations, while ensuring that we deliver total business space solutions that are competitive, sustainable and contribute to profitability."


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In the wake of China’s ICO boycott, what occurs for the universe of cryptographic forms of money?
The greatest occasion in the digital money world as of late was the revelation of the Chinese specialists to close down the trades on which cryptographic forms of money are exchanged. Accordingly, BTCChina, one of the biggest bitcoin trades in China, said that it would stop exchanging exercises before the part of the arrangement. This news catalyzed a sharp auction that left bitcoin (and different monetary forms, for example, Etherium) plunging roughly 30% underneath the record highs that were arrived at recently.
Along these lines, the digital money rollercoaster proceeds. With bitcoin having expands that outperform quadrupled values from December 2016 to September 2017, a few experts anticipate that it would cryptocurrencies be able to can recoup from the ongoing falls. Josh Mahoney, a market expert at IG remarks that digital currencies’ “past experience discloses to us that [they] will probably forget about these most recent difficulties”.
Nonetheless, these estimations don’t come without resistance. Mr Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, commented that bitcoin “isn’t getting down to business” and that it “is a cheat… more terrible than tulip bulbs (in reference to the Dutch ‘tulip craziness’ of the seventeenth century, perceived as the world’s first theoretical bubble)… that will explode”. He goes to the degree of saying that he would terminate representatives who were dumb enough to exchange bitcoin.
Theory aside, what is really going on? Since China’s ICO boycott, other world-driving economies are investigating how the digital money world should/can be controlled in their districts. Instead of forbidding ICOs, different nations still perceive the innovative advantages of crypto-innovation, and are investigating controlling the market without totally smothering the development of the monetary forms. The enormous issue for these economies is to make sense of how to do this, as the elective idea of the digital currencies don’t enable them to be characterized under the approaches of conventional venture resources.
A portion of these nations incorporate Japan, Singapore and the US. These economies look to set up bookkeeping guidelines for cryptographic forms of money, mostly so as to deal with tax evasion and extortion, which have been rendered increasingly slippery due to the crypto-innovation. However, most controllers do perceive that there is by all accounts no genuine advantage to totally forbidding digital forms of money because of the monetary streams that they convey along. Additionally, presumably in light of the fact that it is for all intents and purposes difficult to close down the crypto-world for whatever length of time that the web exists. Controllers can just concentrate on zones where they might have the option to practice some control, Cryptocurrency which is by all accounts where cryptographic forms of money meet fiat monetary standards (for example the cryptographic money trades).
While digital forms of money appear to go under more investigation as time advances, such occasions do profit a few nations like Hong Kong. Since the Chinese ICO boycott, numerous organizers of digital currency activities have been driven from the terrain to the city. Aurelian Menant, CEO of Gatecoin, said that the organization got “a high number of request from blockchain task authors situated in the territory” and that there has been a discernible flood in the quantity of Chinese customers enlisting on the stage.


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This was the scene at a local Costco store in Leeds on Monday night, following hours of torrential rain in the city.
The huge downpour was apparently too much for the roof of Costco in Hunslet, as a video shows what has been described as a "waterfall" of rain pouring into the warehouse.
Shopper Lucy Fawcett, who captured the video, said: "You could just hear the rain start to get really heavy, then the next moment I could feel something dripping above me. Then it just starting pouring with rain.
"I looked next to me and it was like a waterfall running in a straight line through the store. It was soaking all the books so the staff starting rushing to move them out of the way, but some of the staff just gave up because it was pouring in that much."
Staff at the Leathley Road warehouse can be seen frantically trying to move merchandise out of the way of the deluge in the video above, after water quickly flooded the floor.
The torrent of water broke through the ceiling at around 7.30pm on Monday, August 17 and Lucy said that she was in the "wrong place at the wrong time".
She said: "Staff started shouting for people to go to the tills because the amount of water on the floor was becoming dangerous.
"Unfortunately I was in the wrong place at the wrong time when it started, ending up with very wet feet!"
One member of staff appears to have accepted their fate, as they can be seen in the video walking back and forth through the shower in dripping wet clothes.
With so much water pouring onto the concrete floor, it is no surprise that the volume in the warehouse was very loud - with some people seen holding their fingers to their ears to drown out the din.
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Lucy said that the store had to close early due to the indoor weather event. She said: "Some of the staff at the front of the store where oblivious as to what had happened.
"As I was leaving they had closed the doors and were turning people away. But the lady on the till told me this wasn't the first time it has happened."
The heavy rain continued into this morning and the Met Office says that the wet weather will start to ease off around midday.
LeedsLive has attempted to contact Costco to find out if the store has since reopened.


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LIVE FROM MWC KIGALI 2023: GSMA director general Mats Granryd highlighted the need for all stakeholders across the digital ecosystem to help invest in building connectivity in Africa, with operators requiring significant increases in capex to drive the continent’s digital transformation.
Granryd noted mobile data traffic in the region is forecast to quadruple in the next five years: “We need to be prepared. We need a fair and proportionate contribution towards the costs of network infrastructure.”
He cited data estimating operations in the region need $75 billion to build out their 4G and 5G networks over the next seven years to keep up with customer demands.
Africa has nearly 490 million mobile subscribers, representing just 43 per cent of the population.
The low percentage is mainly due to the usage gap, people covered by mobile internet but not yet using it, which is the highest in the world, he stated. Some 680 million people in Africa are not using mobile internet for a variety of reasons, such as device affordability, digital literacy and relevant content in local languages.
“The good news is in Sub-Saharan Africa the coverage gap narrowed to 15 per cent,” Granryd added, reflecting the fact mobile network coverage is available to the vast majority of the region’s population.
Granryd noted the digital transformation story in Africa “is only just beginning and is one to watch”, given it has the world’s youngest population.
“In Africa we have seen time and again the exponential growth that can happen when technology takes off.”
He cited the example of mobile money, which was introduced in Africa 16 years ago. Today the continent has more than 760 million registered accounts, generating some $830 billion in transactions per year.
While African had a late start to 5G, rollouts are growing quickly, the GSMA chief said. By September, almost 30 operators in 16 markets launched commercial 5G services.
Another key element to addressing the usage gap is spectrum, Granryd said, which makes it critical for the World Radiocommunication Conference in Dubai to deliver low-band frequencies, 3.5GHz harmonisation to drive affordability and the 6GHz band for the expansion of 5G.


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$5,000 still available for ace cracker
Two days into the competition, and no-one has yet cracked into VIAs StrongBox and claimed the $5,000 prize on offer in Malaysia. A £5,000 prize was still up for grabs on Thursday afternoon, after no-one managed to crack into VIA Technologies' new StrongBox system. But all could change by the weekend.
VIA has offered the prize to anyone who can successfully break into a system using VIA StrongBox software and PadLock hardware which is meant to protect against identity theft and the physical loss of data. - $5,000 still available for ace cracker - ZDNet UK News
Back to: PC Security, privacy news


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Americans for Tax Fairness has released a new report that sheds light on Walmart’s placement of at least $76 billion in assets into an elaborate, undisclosed web of 78 subsidiaries and branches in 15 offshore tax havens, which may be used to minimize foreign taxes where it has retail operations and avoid U.S. taxes on those foreign earnings.
The report, titled The Walmart Web: How the World’s Biggest Corporation Secretly Uses Tax Havens to Dodge Taxes, shows that the retail giant has made tax havens central to its growing International division, which now accounts for one-third of the company’s profits. Walmart’s network of 78 undisclosed overseas subsidiaries in tax havens have no retail operations and few, if any, employees. Twenty-two of these paper companies are in Luxembourg alone, a country that plays a central role in the company’s tax haven network.
The retail giant has avoided scrutiny of its international tax dodging in the past by declining to disclose its tax haven subsidiaries on Exhibit 21 (“Subsidiaries”) of the company’s annual 10-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Companies use tax havens to dodge taxes. It appears that’s the secret game Walmart is playing,”said Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness. “We are calling on Congress, federal agencies and international organizations to determine if Walmart is skirting the law when it comes to reporting its use of tax havens, using various schemes to dodge taxes, and getting a sweetheart deal from Luxembourg that is the equivalent of illegal state aid. Average Americans and small businesses have to make up the difference when Walmart doesn’t pay its fair share of taxes.”
Please tell Walmart to pay its fair share today:
- Post the graphic with Nancy to social media using the #WalmartTaxHavens and #TaxJustice hashtags.
- If you’re feeling more ambitious – print out one of the signs available here, take a photo of yourself with it, and post it to the Global Week of Action for Tax Justice online photo petition.
- Tweet and post to Facebook. Use the suggestions below or make up your own.
— New report exposes secret network of #WalmartTaxHavens to avoid paying fair share of taxes. #TaxJustice http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/walmart-tax-havens/
— #Walmart has 22 secret companies in Luxembourg and ZERO stores. #WalmartTaxHavens http://www.americansfortaxfairness.org/walmart-tax-havens/ [insert shareable graphic]
— $8 million/day isn’t enough for Walmart owners. They exploit #WalmartTaxHavens to avoid U.S. taxes.#TaxJustice [insert shareable sign]


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A new community farmer’s market is opening in Moberly.
The Moberly Depot Park Market will open on May 1, and will be located in the old Wabash Station in downtown Moberly.
The market will operate from 3:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursdays, in rain or shine. Market Co-Manager Kim Ridgway said Thursdays were chosen to avoid scheduling conflicts with other farmer’s markets around the area.
Ridgway said that along with providing healthy food options, the market will also be helpful to downtown businesses.
“We’ll definitely benefit some of the small businesses that are downtown, and bring traffic to the downtown, and since some of the businesses have moved out of the downtown area, they are very excited about that,” she said.
While the main purpose of the market is to offer a vast variety of locally grown food, there will also be other events going on simultaneously. The market will offer local entertainment, family activities and product demonstrations that will be open to the general public.
This is not the first time that the city of Moberly has attempted to create a community farmer’s market, but up until this point, none of them still exists.
Janet Murray is the Market Liaison for the Randolph County Health Department. She said this new market will do better than past markets because of how well informed people are now.
“We’ve got a very, very enthusiastic marketing person now, and she has gone out of her way to speak to a number of different people and encourage them to come to the market,” Murray said, referring to Diane Richardson, the Executive Director of Main Street Moberly. This group is a non-profit whose goal is to further the appeal of downtown Moberly, and Richardson has been very involved with getting the farmer’s market more exposure.
“She has done 99% of the leg work on this,” Ridgway said. “If it weren’t for her, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Currently, 50 vendors have shown interest and Ridgway said that she expects to see around 22 in attendance on opening day.


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A new study finds the Horizon Foundation’s multifaceted campaign that included policy change and community education through Howard County Unsweetened has led to notable drops in sugary drink sales. Between 2012 (the start of the campaign) and 2015, soda sales decreased 20 percent while remaining stable in comparison stories. Sales of fruit-flavored beverages with added sugars as well as 100% juice drinks each dropped 15 percent. This analysis was based on objective retail sales data.
The study was presented at the American Heart Association 2016 Scientific Sessions by Marlene Schwartz from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut.
View news coverage on the study:
U.S. News & World Report – Public health campaign cut consumption of sugary drinks
WBAL Radio – Study: Soda, Juice Sales Down In Howard County


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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Indian business leaders on Thursday hailed the passage of a landmark tax reform bill that paves the way for a new national sales tax and the creation of a common market across the country for the first time.
Lawmakers voted late Wednesday in favour of introducing the long-awaited Goods and Services Tax (GST), which will replace a patchwork of central and state levies on goods and services and marks India’s most significant economic reform in decades.
The chairman of Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s biggest conglomerates, said it would help boost the country’s economic growth by up to two percentage points.
“The transformational legislation will not just significantly improve ease of doing business in a vast and complex federal set-up like ours by creating a single market, but will help prop up our GDP growth rate,” Sunil Bharti Mittal told the Press Trust of India news agency.
India’s GDP expanded 7.6 percent in 2015-16, making it the fastest-growing major economy in the world.
But Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party has faced criticism over the slow pace of the reforms it promised ahead of the last election in 2014.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said just ahead of the vote late on Wednesday that the passing of the GST bill would give industry “a lot of hope on progress of reforms in the country.”
The battle to introduce the GST has been one of the fiercest of Modi’s premiership, with Congress repeatedly blocking the bill for more than a year, before finally agreeing to an amended version.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said at a press conference on Thursday that public opinion had been strongly in favour of the reform.
“Once GST is rolled out, doing business in India will be easier,” he said.
“In the long run tax rates will come down, and if this happens, the prices of various items can go down.”
It will be some time before GST is introduced because at least half of India’s 29 states have to ratify the move before it can be enshrined in law.
It could cause India’s biggest manufacturing states to lose the revenues they currently get from selling goods across states, although they will be compensated for any losses for five years.
But political experts saw the vote in the upper house of parliament as the key hurdle to ensuring the introduction of the GST.
Jaitley has said he hopes it will be in place by April 2017, although many experts believe this is optimistic.
The main rate of the GST is still a topic for debate, with experts suggesting it is likely to end up at around 18 percent.
While the GST may increase inflation in the short term because the price of some goods will rise, economists say it will boost business activity and deter tax evasion.
“Prior to GST, companies in India faced multiple level tax structures, which made it difficult for them to conduct business competitively,” Arun Singh, lead economist at Dun & Bradstreet India told AFP.
“A single tax structure improves the ease of doing business and creates a level playing field for local companies in export markets,” he said.
About 150 countries worldwide have some form of GST or VAT (Value Added Tax), according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“The political maturity demonstrated by both the government and the opposition in forging a consensus for this landmark event is commendable,” said Harishanker Subramaniam, national leader for indirect tax at EY India.


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The Bouqs Company Inks $12M
VENICE, CA, The Bouqs Company, the only cut-to-order, farm-to-table flower retailer delivering straight from farms on a volcano in South America (seriously!), today announced a $12 million Series B funding round.
The round includes existing investors Quest Venture Partners, Azure Capital Partners and KEC Ventures, along with Enspire Capital and Draper Associates, among others. The financing will be used to further invest in the company's proprietary supply chain technology, expand its farm and florist networks, grow the team and launch a new native app.
Bouqs.com delivers the world's best flowers, straight from an eco-friendly network of farms in the US, Ecuador, Colombia and Costa Rica to consumers, florists, brides and businesses nationwide. This means the freshest flowers possible at industry-leading prices. The traditional model -- a $15 billion industry that hasn't changed in 100 years -- uses a supply chain that holds inventory in expensive warehouses for up to three weeks, resulting in higher prices, decreased quality, and up to 50 percent waste. With Bouqs.com there is almost no waste and farms and florists have more control and higher margins.
'We are changing flower-buying behavior across the country by delivering on our promise to provide consumers the best possible experience at game-changing prices, while helping our partner farms and florists thrive,' said John Tabis, Founder and CEO of The Bouqs Company. 'Our proprietary 1.5 billion stem supply chain, our curated artisan florist network, and the tech that enables them, combines to form a deep moat around the business. This new funding enables us to execute on critical technology and operational expansion to further our mission.'
Having established an extremely loyal base of customers through its signature cut-to-order bouquets, the company launched same-day delivery this past summer through its local artisan florist network to meet the on-demand consumer's needs. The service delivers high-end, custom-designed floral arrangements in as little as two hours. Florists give the service rave reviews because of transparent economics with no fees, and fulfillment flexibility that empowers creative designers to focus on their passion: designing beautiful arrangements. As a result, the network has grown to more than 130 markets nationwide in under six months.
The artisan florist network innovation complements the company's subscription services for monthly deliveries, special occasions, or the random Just Because. Individuals and businesses can pre-set their schedule and save with discounts up to 25 percent off the company's all-in, transparent prices.
'Bouqs.com is a kickass company and true industry disruptor growing revenue 600% year over year since launch because they have a real focus on building the world's greatest flower brand,' said Deborah Benton, former president & COO of Nasty Gal who previously served as executive vice president of operations at Teleflora, and currently sits on The Bouqs Company Board. 'As sustainable pioneers, they have transformed the supply chain and customer experience while rapidly expanding a hyper-efficient model that holds no inventory, has very low fixed costs, and at scale creates strong operational leverage. I look forward to seeing what they unleash on the industry with a significant funding round backing the stellar management team they've assembled.'
Mr. Tabis and his college classmate Juan Pablo Montufar co-founded The Bouqs Company in late 2012 and have since raised just under $20 million in funding, grown the team from three employees to nearly 40, and expanded operations to Ecuador, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In the last year, the company also made key hires including COO Carter Gaffney, who joined from LegalZoom, and CMO Jarred Goldberg, who transitioned to Bouqs.com from Revolve Clothing.
About The Bouqs Company:
Bouqs.com connects the world's best flowers to the people who deserve them and eliminates waste along the way. Our flowers are cut-to-order and shipped directly from eco-friendly farms so they last. And our high-end artisan florist network helps you celebrate important moments with beautiful, on-demand, custom-designed bouquets. (We call them Bouqs!) We're modernizing the industry with on-trend design, quality craftsmanship at accessible prices, superior service, and exceptional products. Check us out on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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