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These days, everyone knows about influencers. They have become ubiquitous, popping up on screens all over the world to advocate or ‘influence’ viewers to embrace specific trends or products. Yet, amidst this widespread phenomenon lies a lesser-known trend – deinfluencers.
Deinfluencing is an emerging social trend discouraging viewers from trying out certain fads or products, often recounting personal experiences to dissuade consumers.
Marketing and Social Media
The surge of social media in the last decade has not only increased its influence but has also given rise to a unique form of online marketing.
What has become known as an ‘influencer’ uses their social media platform to target and sway their audience into trying out certain products or trends. Particularly on platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, influencers establish credibility and trust by building a large audience, giving charismatic descriptions and using flashy editing to effectively market a diverse range of products.
In the realm of online advertising, influencers have become hugely important. According to a recent study from Facebook IQ, 87% of viewers who saw a product advertised on social media went on to survey the brand, visit its website, or even go on to make a purchase.
What Are Deinfluencers?
As influencers all over the world launch their favourable opinions and marketing campaigns, deinfluencers are on a different mission altogether.
Deinfluencers aim to dissuade viewers from what they perceive to be outdated, materialistic, overpriced, or, quite simply, not worth the trouble and money.
This is demonstrated by offering straightforward and easy-to-follow explanations on what consumers should veer away from and why. This may be achieved by delving into personal experiences, discussing the environmental and sustainable impact associated with certain products or industries, displaying manufacturing faults, or simply suggesting the more cost-effective alternatives available elsewhere.
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The Answer to Overconsumption?
Influencers undoubtedly contribute significantly to industry marketing, yet it would be unfair to conclude that their influence is an entirely negative one.
The products influencers advertise may be valuable and useful, this way of marketing offers an accessible solution to companies with low budgets, and the influencers that promote these products may be prominent role models and thought leaders in respectable fields.
Influencers also offer a human touch to advertising and provide consumers with valuable insights into personal experiences and opinions, citing how best to use products or what to do if a product is broken.
Unsurprisingly, such a personal way of marketing has become a hugely successful way of getting through to consumers. But the approach has also led to a surge in influencers and, consequently, overconsumption.
Deinfluencers emerge as a potential counterforce to overconsumption, promoting minimalism in an online space saturated with products. By encouraging viewers to reevaluate their ‘needs’ or ‘must have’ sentiments, deinfluencers prompt us to question: “Is it really worth it?”
This is a refreshing perspective and one that conveys the far healthier message that happiness and self-worth are not tied to material possessions. Particularly for young, impressionable or inexperienced social media users, it is more important now than ever to counter narratives that may be damaging to mental health and well-being.
The Dark Side of Social Media
The question arises – is deinfluencing a solution to social media’s materialistic tendencies and over-consumerism?
Kris Ruby, a social media analyst and president of Ruby Media Group, presented a view to CNN that deinfluencing is really just influencing by another name.
“Rather than saying buy this, they are saying – don’t buy this. Both are forms of influencing. It is no different than saying, ‘Vote for this candidate,’ versus ‘Here’s why you shouldn’t vote for this candidate,’” says Ruby.
After all, for all the good intentions of deinfluencing, it’s still someone popping up on your screen telling you what you should or shouldn’t do or buy.
As such, not everyone feels sold on the new deinfluencing trend. For some, this is still part of the dark side of social media where users are sucked in and their consumer choices dictated and controlled by bias and unhealthy influence.
Wouldn’t it be better if people were left to their own opinions on what are good or bad products, fads, or trends? And shouldn’t this be the message that deinfluencers spread?
After all, unequivocally calling something good or bad can be an unhelpful point of view. Often, rival perspectives are just a difference of opinion.
It’s also important to note that deinfluencers may not have the right information, underscoring the importance of viewers approaching their advice with caution.
Despite these debates, it’s difficult to deny that the trend of deinfluencing promotes more open and honest conversations online. It encourages individuals to express their opinions online, challenge harmful industries, and hold unacceptable narratives or behaviour to account.
Ultimately, viewers should be encouraged not to define their online experience as being influenced or deinfluenced by anything. One must always approach online content with a discerning eye and keep that well-known phrase at the forefront of their mind: “Don’t believe everything you see online!”


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Financial Performance for the Quarter ended 30 June 2020
Volumes were impacted during the second quarter of 2020 as a result of COVID-19 lockdown. Cement sales volume declined by 29% during this quarter as compared to the same period of the previous year. Net Sales during the quarter were at Rs. 2 145 Crore compared to Rs. 2 912 Crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
Cost delivery for the quarter was pivoted around raw material, power and fuel, logistics costs and other fixed costs. Network optimisation gained momentum due to acceleration of the Master Supply Agreement (MSA) with ACC.
As a result, operating EBITDA witnessed a margin expansion of 380 bps in April – June, 2020. Absolute operating EBITDA for the quarter registered a decline of 15% to Rs. 595 Crore as compared to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.
Profit after tax was up by 10% for the quarter from Rs. 412 Crore in 2019 to Rs. 453 Crore in 2020 on account of dividend income. The company generated additional cash and cash equivalent of Rs. 714 Crore during January – June 2020.
The greenfield project at Marwar Mundwa, Rajasthan, is also progressing.
COVID-19: update on actions
“We are determined that health of our employees and partners is accorded the highest priority. The country is working to surmount Covid-19 related challenges and Ambuja is a proud partner in these collective efforts. Our Ambuja Cement Foundation has been a flag bearer in delivering support to our stakeholders.
Ambuja has recorded yet another quarter of very strong results with operating EBITDA margin of 28%. In spite of complete lockdown in April, volume decline of 29% was more than offset by lower costs, which fell by 31%. Our sharp focus on cost reductions across value chain and cash management has helped to further strengthen our strong balance sheet. Ambuja has remained resolutely focused on Health, Productivity and Cost along with working closely with the community,” said Mr. Neeraj Akhoury, Managing Director & CEO.
The company resumed operations in a phased manner post 20 April 2020 after assessing the local situation. Ambuja’s Business Resilience Team ensure that the company’s employees, customers, suppliers and communities remain safe under new operating conditions. Ambuja Cement has a long history of reaching out to communities and people in need. During Covid-19 situation, the company stepped up its CSR efforts to assist thousands of impacted people – daily-wagers, slumdwellers and migrant labourers. The company’s model of engaging with community stakeholders through the Ambuja Cement Foundation (ACF) enabled it to reach out to nearly 700 000 people in 2000 villages across the country. The company also partnered with three reputed NGOs to support migrants of Mumbai and Delhi with food packets and rations.
Ventilators were donated to government hospitals in Maharashtra, and hundreds of PPE kits and masks were distributed to healthcare workers.
Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/asia-pacific-rim/27072020/ambuja-cement-shares-q2-results/
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The company's operating result has risen to a record level – group revenue is at €21.2 billion (+4%), with the result from current operations (RCO) at €3.0 billion (+29%).

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By Joelle Diderich, Associated Press Writer
PARIS As retail stocks plunged on Monday, Paris designers came up with antidotes to the economic blues plaguing the luxury industry.
British designer John Galliano tapped tribal influences in his ready-to-wear show for Christian Dior. Yohji Yamamoto created a haven for Zen contemplation, while Vivienne Westwood had simple advice for fashion addicts hit by the downturn: do it yourself!
French fashion label Cacharel celebrated its 50th anniversary as the Dow Jones index lost nearly 800 points.
Galliano went tribal for his Dior collection -- tribal chic, that is.
The rebel designer used studs, staples, shells and python leather to toughen up thigh-grazing summer dresses and translucent evening gowns in his spring-summer collection, shown in a tent in the Tuileries gardens in front of guests including actresses Emma Watson, Marion Cotillard and Eva Green.
Models with hair crimped and teased into conical bobs strutted down the catwalk in fierce platform sandals, some featuring intricately carved heels that resembled fertility statues.
It was a far cry from the demurely elegant outfits that have made Dior the label of choice of France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, but the see-through skirts will likely be lined once they hit the shop floor, if only to cater to Dior's large Middle Eastern clientele.
That will leave Bruni-Sarkozy free to pick from red carpet stunners including a striped black silk dress with a jet bead embroidered bodice.
Yamamoto found a perfect recipe for meditation: ghostly models ambling along an illuminated catwalk, a monochrome color scheme and a soothing live piano soundtrack.
The Japanese master of minimalism appeared to have distilled fashion to its purest essence, all the while indulging his penchant for surrealist exercises like attaching strips of fabric to the elbow of a perfectly tailored black jacket, or blowing up a white shirt to oversized proportions.
In the latest of a series of collaborations with other brands, he unveiled a line of 1950s-style cat eye sunglasses developed with Linda Farrow Vintage.
Yamamoto, who turns 65 this week, is also about to fulfill a lifelong dream with the imminent opening of a Paris flagship store on the exclusive rue Cambon -- a few doors down from the former apartment of his style mentor, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel.
Cacharel, which helped to revolutionize women's fashion in the 1960s with its flirty, feminine creations, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a catwalk show that looked both to the past and the future.
The first half of the display showcased the creations of Mark Eley and Wakako Kishimoto, the design duo better known as Eley Kishimoto, who were hired last year to give the brand a facelift.
Models paraded in easy, breezy summer dresses and pajama-style slacks in upbeat shades of mustard, turquoise and purple, some featuring printed or crocheted motifs of migrating birds for a retro tinge.
Then, in a surprise finale, dozens of models emerged in the label's vintage Liberty floral print cotton dresses, before taking a bow with 76-year-old founder Jean Bousquet.
Westwood earned the nickname of Queen of Punk by cobbling together outfits for the Sex Pistols with safety pins. Now she wants you to do the same.
"In these hard times -- dress up," she said in a handwritten statement handed out to guests. "There is status in wearing your favorites over and over until they grow old (patina) or fall apart."
One model stepped down the catwalk wrapped in reams of lush pink taffeta straight off the roll and gladiator sandals with natural leather straps that extended all the way up the thigh.
Ever the political campaigner, the flame-haired British designer took her bow wearing a green T-shirt emblazoned with "$30 billion" -- the sum she said was needed per year to save the rainforest.
It was not the first time Westwood has criticized the futility of the fashion industry, but it was hard not to feel like she was shooting herself in the foot. After all, if anyone can do it, why pay big bucks for designer duds?
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Onset of an 'economic winter'?
The Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council has now pegged the 2011-12 growth to 8.5%, lower than the 9% projected in the Budget earlier this year.
Indeed, India will probably struggle to achieve even a 6-6 .5% annual growth in the next few years — so strong are the headwinds against it. Hence, the message for the industry and especially for those in the consumer products and services industries is to be prepared for a steady deterioration of consumer confidence, erosion of discretionary purchasing power and a very different kind of buying behaviour than what has been seen in the last few years. Of the various separate currents which are converging to create this strong headwind against India’s growth, the most disturbing one is the rapid increase in the momentum against the current government .
The various omissions and commissions of UPA-I and UPA-II are surfacing almost on a weekly basis, creating paralysing even the most basic policy and decision-making . While many believe the government may be able to fight and survive these battles, there is also a (currently minority) view that India may see general elections sometime in the next 12-15 months itself with the likely trigger being some yet-to-surface mega scam or scandal searing the Congress party itself and engulfing some of its so far holier-thanthou senior functionaries. Beyond scams and scandals, the second most potent challenge is that of the runaway inflation .
Many have now started to acknowledge that India’s inflation is almost entirely self-inflicted and is mostly on account of supply-side bottlenecks . However, the government (and the extra-constitutional National Advisory Council) still continues to, on one hand, use very classic macro-economic policy tools such as curbing money-supply and raising interest rates to stifle demand and on the other , further stoke inflationary fires by handing out even more largesse through myriad populist schemes that do nothing more than hand out alms to the very poor. The hundreds of thousands of crores of rupees that have been disbursed in recent years through schemes such as NREGS have merely created additional demand for basic goods and services while taking away a very large pool of unskilled labour from labour-intensive activity such as farming, construction and even manufacturing, leading to steady wage inflation.
Had this money been deployed in creating additional supply or in physical and social sector infrastructure development including investment in mass low-cost housing; education, especially vocational; healthcare , especially primary and upgraded secondary; land acquisition , not only for builders and SEZs but also for industrial estates; urban development; public transport, including modernisation of railway; and modernisation of farming , including expansion of irrigation , etc, not only some of the supply-side constraints would have been alleviated but tens of millions of productive and sustainable new jobs would have also been created. The third ominous undercurrent against India’s growth story is the likelihood of a rapid slowdown in the formation of fresh capital . While the government still continues to take a muddled view on attracting foreign capital in just about every major capital intensive sector, with totally irrelevant policy enforced caps on foreign shareholding (the obsession with 26%/ 49%/ 51%/ 74% foreign ownership caps is totally bewildering), the interest of the domestic retail investor is declining precipitously . If the government plugs the commonly-known but not yet officially acknowledged round-tripping of Indian money from dubious overseas destinations, there will be further decline in capital availability in the coming years.
Some of the major growth sectors such as real estate and private (and public-private ) infrastructure development may even see a spectacular collapse if such access of capital chokes. Finally, it will also not help if some of the most iconic Indian business tycoons find their own (and of Indian business itself) reputations tarred beyond easy salvage. If this scenario does unfold, there is no reason to despair too much. Yes, India needs very high growth for decades to come if it desires to take hundreds of millions out of abject poverty and then offer to several hundred other millions a better quality of life and a higher standard of living . However, a return to a moderate economic growth rate for some years to come, in the backdrop of a much-needed major political catharsis, could give India the opportunity to refocus, recalibrate and rebalance both the government and private business policy, which can lay the foundation for a high growth for decades to come.
(The author is chairman of Technopak Advisors)


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Islamic clerics in Pakistan have acted to ban women from shopping alone, because the practice spreads "vulgarity".
Local television channels reported that a committee of clerics in Karak district had voted to introduce restrictions during a meeting at Tehsil mosque.
The meeting, led by former Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Hafiz Abne Amin, concluded that lone women walking through markets spread "vulgarity" in society, and need to be stopped.
"Most unaccompanied women are becoming a source of spreading vulgarity, especially in the holy month of Ramzan. They are often seen to be involved in thefts and robberies. Hence, we have decided not to allow such women in Karak markets," Mir Zaqeem, head of the Khattak Ittehad, told local media according to an NDTV report.
The clerics asked shopkeepers in Karak, in Pakistan's restive northwest, to refuse to serve women shopping alone. They said that a woman shopping alone should not even be allowed on market premises.
They also ordered local residents not to send female members of their families shopping alone.
"We have already issued a directive asking shop-owners not to sell anything to women shopping alone in markets," Zaqeem added.
Zaqeem further said that when a woman shops alone, she is not only breaching religious norms, but also flouting accepted behaviour in Pashtun culture.
The clerics went to the extent of meeting Deputy Commissioner of Karak, Aqal Bad Shah to suggest a ban on women shopping alone.
Officially, the request was denied, although the clerics have been assured by the district administration that the ban would be unofficially imposed.


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The CEO of LocalBitcoins, Sebastian Sonntag, talked with the financial site LearnBonds.com about the whole cryptocurrency industry and which are the plans the company has for the next few years.
Moreover, he discussed how they always believed in Bitcoin as a viable and legitimate financial system and how LocalBitcoins could expand to new markets such as the United States.
LocalBitcoins CEO Talks About Cryptocurrencies
During the interview, Mr. Sonntag said LocalBitcoins has always believed in promoting Bitcoin as a viable and legitimate financial system. In order to do so, he claims that it is very important to have a firm stance against criminal usages of cryptocurrencies.
The Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority, FIN-FSA, has recently registered LocalBitcoins as an official virtual currency provider. The CEO of LocalBitcoins considers that this provides high-quality controls and helps protect clients.
A few months ago, LocalBitcoins decided to add KYC procedures for users on the platform. Regarding this situation, the CEO explained the number of new registrations remained stable. Currently, the platform is registering around 135,000 new users per month.
Sonntag has also shared with LearnBonds.com that they are searching for legal advice on how to offer services to U.S. clients considering this is a very troublesome market to enter for cryptocurrency companies.
On the matter, Sebastian Sonntag commented:
“LocalBitcoins is currently seeking legal advice on what is the best alternative for our platform and how should it be executed.”
Finally, he considers that education is going to be a key challenge for the industry in the years to come. Considering the market has expanded at very fast rates in the last few years, individuals will have to learn about cryptocurrency basics and other cybersecurity matters.
The full interview can be read here:


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Golfsmith International Holdings Inc. filed for bankruptcy, hoping to reorganize or attract a buyer who can save the golf equipment retailer as the sport’s popularity fades in North America.
Golfsmith listed debt and assets of as much as $500 million each in Delaware court on Wednesday, and said it would try to sell part of the chain as a going concern while shutting some stores. If that fails, the Austin, Texas-based company will liquidate, according to a resolution by Golfsmith directors included in the Chapter 11 filing.
The company blamed an aggressive plan that began in 2011 to open bigger stores that cost much more to operate just as golf began to lose popularity.
“Unfortunately, the rippling effect of these market factors coincided with GSI’s company-wide expansion efforts, leaving Golfsmith with an oversized store footprint,” Brain E. Cejka, the chief restructuring officer, said in court papers filed in Wilmington.
A join venture of Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. and CI Investments Inc. offered to buy the company’s Canadian business, which operated under the GolfTown brand. A separate bankruptcy case in that country will oversee the proposed sale, Golfsmith said. Fairfax, the Toronto-based insurer controlled by Prem Watsa, and CI, a Toronto investment management firm, hold about 40 percent of the company’s senior notes.
Fairfax and CI have also signed a restructuring support agreement to help recapitalize and reorganize the U.S. business, Cejka said. Golfsmith will solicit new bids for the company, and if no better offer comes in, the U.S. business will be taken over by the senior noteholders, according to a company statement. The U.S. business will try to restructure its operations by closing weak stores and refinancing debt. The company said Antares Capital LP will provide a $135 million bankruptcy loan if the court approves.
Golfsmith, which merged with Canada’s GolfTown in 2012 to become one of the largest specialty golf retailers in the world, is owned by OMERC Private Equity Inc., part of the Ontario municipal employees’ pension fund. The company operates 109 Golfsmith stores in the U.S. and 55 GolfTown stores in Canada.
The company owes $100 million on an asset-backed loan and C$125 million ($95 million) in second-lien notes that come due in 2018.
The golf industry hasn’t recovered the popularity it enjoyed, when Tiger Woods dominated the sport and attracted hordes of new fans. Millennials in particular haven’t embraced golf’s slow pace and hours-long time commitment. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of U.S. players declined from 25.7 million in 2011 to 24.1 million this year.
Nike Inc. also made the decision to halt production and sales of equipment for the sport, while Adidas AG is trying to divest most of its golf brands.Sports Authority Inc. filed for bankruptcy in March with a plan to survive by closing unprofitable stores and wound up in liquidation.
Golfsmith started out in 1967 and owned by Carl and Barbara Paul out of their home in Edison, New Jersey. The couple provided custom-made clubs and eventually offered their first retail store in Austin in 1972. Until the 1990s, the company primarily operated as a catalog business, according to court documents.
The first round of expansion began in 1995. Seven years later, First Atlantic Capital, a private-equity firm, bough a majority stake. Eventually Golfsmith merged with GolfTown and was taken over by OMERS.


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Everything you need for a proper Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner right here in China.
by That's, 22 November 2019
Here’s what you need to know about China’s popular summer fruit.
by That's Shanghai, 15 June 2020
China’s growing appetite for animal flesh has triggered alarm bells. Could plant-based ‘meats’ be the key to ensuring the country’s food security?
by Matthew Bossons, 09 May 2020
Tap into the future of shopping.
by Bailey Hu, 10 February 2020
We tried the traditional Dragon Boat Festival snack from three popular chains. But which one was the best?
by Emersyn Lyon and María Manrique, 27 May 2017
We give you a quick guide to one of China’s ‘Big Two’ in the food delivery world.
by Ryan Gandolfo, 11 February 2020


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People essential to successful digital journey
Leaders of retailers face a bleak future unless they accept the idea that digital will account for a significant proportion of their future revenues and that they therefore have to adapt their businesses, and re-structure their employees capabilities, around this new thinking. By Glynn Davis in Madrid
This was the warning given by Manel Jadraque, former CEO of fashion chain Desigual, when speaking to delegates at The Everywhere Store Conference, hosted by Tlantic in Spain: "We're now going through a revolution with retail becoming 50% physical and 50% digital in the future. Retailers need to have their heads and mindsets on this concept and think through this."
He stated that as little as 5% of CEO's time is currently dedicated to this and that it is no surprise therefore that many merchants are stuck with their online revenues at merely 5% of their total sales.
"There needs to be a rethink of whole organisations, which involves breaking down the silos," says Jadraque, adding that there also needs to be a building of teams that have skills across the channels because at present he suggests only 10% of companies have so far made the decision to do this cross-channel talent creation.
Recognising that people - both employees and customers - are an essential component in the way retailers successfully make the journey to become more digitally-focused is vitally important, according to Paulo Magalhaes, CEO of Tlantic, who says much of the hype around the 1990s was around technology and not people.
"Technology was seen as being the business and lots was invested in it. But technology is not the business [it's people]. Retailers need to recognise that the business model is changing and that customers need to be connected to this," he says.
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It's here. The new Google Maps for iPhone has officially landed in the App Store just in time to save Christmas and maybe even all of Australia along with it.
The fully revamped iOS 6 Maps app comes fully loaded with features like voice guided, turn-by-turn navigation and 360-degree Street View panoramas that opens up an iPhone window into places around the globe through visual teleportation.
Back in late September, Google's Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt denied the Maps rumors saying that “Apple would have to approve it. It’s their choice,”. Apparently approving the app was a no-brainer for Apple after their own Maps app launch disaster left so many iPhone faithful losing their minds over constant direction errors.
You'll find the newly retooled Google Maps Version 1.0 is fast and fluid — with a side tab along the bottom for instantly accessing Traffic, Public Transit, a high resolution Satellite view and a far less useful App Store link to Google Earth.
“At the heart of this app is our constantly improving map of the world that includes detailed information for more than 80 million businesses and points of interest.” Google wrote on their company blog.
“An expandable info sheet at the bottom shows the address, opening hours, ratings and reviews, images, directions and other information.”
I've been one of the stubborn holdouts unwilling to upgrade to iOS 6 until I was certain there was a Google Maps option coming out before the end of 2012 — as earlier rumors pointed to.
If you're also one of those holdouts, you'll find iOS 6 Maps to be a welcomed relief. Although the newly streamlined interface and navigation changes will still bring a wicked learning curve along with it.
The new Google Maps app is available for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch (4th gen) iOS 5.1 and higher, in more than 40 countries and 29 languages, including Chinese, Korean, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.
Google has admitted that their new iPhone app is “even better than Google Maps for Android phones, which has accommodated its evolving feature set mainly by piling on menus.” David Pogue writes for the NYT.
With Twitter and Instagram locked in a private sissy fight over camera filters — it's so good to see Apple and Google working together to create an experience we all want or at least giving us the ability to choose what we want.
I must say — it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Download Google Maps


text: Online Advertising Spending have displayed insolent growth over the last 10 years and analysts expect this trend to continue But a large discrepancy persists between Internet time allocation in total “media time” & online advertising revenues. Online advertising growth has been historically led by performance-based marketing. We believe that tapping into the huge reservoir of “branding-oriented” marketing spend will be key in closing the media discrepancy. This will be done by further blurring the lines between branding & performance marketing through the use of innovative formats, measuring technologies and improved targeting. We have selected a list of European ad tech companies that will be contenders in the coming battles. Question is: who will emerge as winners and leverage the vast inefficiencies of today’s online advertisement market?


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PPG Industries’ new facility is a replacement for the company’s another facility located in North York close to Toronto, where the company has operated for the past six decades.
Frank Caporiccio, who serves as General Manager of PPG Industries’ Flat Glass Trade Products in Canada, stated that the Barrie plant will improve the accessibility to the company’s customers and allow the company to operate in a more efficient way. The company is always findings ways to improve the value of its offerings to its customers, he added.
The Barrie facility will use a portion of the former Bemis production facility measuring 300,000 sq ft at 200 Fairview Road in Barrie. As per Caporiccio, installation of the machinery will start in November 2011 and the facility will commence operations next year January.
PPG Industries runs similar glass facilities in Calgary, Alberta, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. The company also operates a warehouse center in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The company offers products to customers operating in the fields, including aftermarkets, construction markets, consumer products, transportation and industrial.


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It has been a few years since Razer first announced its gaming laptop, the Razer Blade. It quickly became a success and spawned two models, the Razer Blade 14 and the Razer Blade Pro, which uses a 17 inch screen. However, the laptop had been difficult to get in the EU until now. Razer today announced that it would be bringing the Blade to Europe for the first time.
Often touted as the ‘world's best gaming laptop', the current Razer Blade features a QHD display, a 256GB or 512GB SSD, a Core i7 processor and a GTX 970M. We reviewed one earlier this year, giving it our MUST HAVE award.
For now, it is just the Razer Blade 14 landing on European shores and pricing has yet to be revealed. We do know that there is a 2016 release window pencilled in though, so if you're thinking about upgrading your laptop in the new year, this may be an excellent option to keep an eye out for.
There will be two versions of the Razer Blade available, one with a QHD touch-screen display and another with a 1080p display, which will allow the GTX 970M to run games better at native resolution.
KitGuru Says: The Razer Blade is known to be a great laptop, though availability outside of the US has been a problem for a while now. Do any of you use Razer products? What do you think of their laptop range?


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Dairy Haus opens for 2023
Here’s an annual sign that spring is right around the corner. A local ice cream shop is opening Sunday.
Dairy Haus in Saratoga Springs was planning on being open for the season Saturday, but the snowstorm forced a 24-hour delay.
Dairy Haus on Maple Ave will be open from noon until 8 Sunday.


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(Fox News) – Walmart has found itself on the receiving end of a torrent of outrage after it was discovered Monday that the superstore was selling anti-Trump “Impeach 45” apparel on its website.
The outcry sparked a #BoycottWalmart trend on Twitter as users expressed their distaste for the chain promoting the impeachment of President Trump, echoing some Congressional Democrats.
Ryan Fournier, chairman of the group Students for Trump, was one of the first to discover Walmart was selling the clothing item, according to the International Business Times. He asked the company in a tweet, “What kind of message are you trying to send?”
One user accused Walmart of joining the “far left.”
“I didn’t want to believe it. So I searched myself,” another user wrote. “This is despicable. All American Walmart? Im (sic) out!!!”
Old Glory is the company that sells the “Impeach 45” apparel and it’s not the only one. A quick search on Walmart.com revealed three other companies selling Trump impeachment merchandise.
“These items were sold by third party sellers on our open marketplace, and were not offered directly by Walmart. We’re removing these types of items pending review of our marketplace policies,” a Walmart spokesperson said.
A search for “Make America Great Again” apparel yielded plenty of hats, T-shirts and coffee mugs as well.
It’s not the first time Walmart has caused a stir.
The store came under fire in November after a shirt design that read “Rope. Tree. Journalist. SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED” was listed on its website through an outside company.
Teespring had their shirts pulled off the Walmart website days later.


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In the recent quarters, NIIT Technologies has been steadily gaining market share to become one of the leading mid-tier IT players today. Arvind Thakur, CEO, tells Beryl Menezes about the company’s success mantra. Excerpts from the interview:
Experts are split on whether 2008 or 2011 was a worst year for Indian IT firms. What’s your take?
2008 was a very bad year as the recession was quite sudden and unexpected. As a result, client spending stopped completely, except for run-the-business and there was no spending on transformational projects or discretionary spends. However, in 2011, we were better prepared and could plan ahead – so while companies stopped discretionary spends they continued with transformational projects and run-the-business.
But this year Nasscom is confident that the worst is over...
In recent times, there has been a fundamental shift in customer experience. So today, there is a value proposition attached to cost arbitrage, which means the prime driver today is business value, rather than just lower prices. This has led to a stable pricing environment, even with cautious spending outlook by companies.
What changes has NIIT made, keeping in mind the increased client emphasis on value-add?
In the case of NIIT, while earlier we would wait for customers to tell us exactly what they wanted, today we advise customers on what they can do to enhance their business value. An example of this would be the recent cargo ground handling solution that we developed for Changi airport in Singapore, and based on the success of this project we are in the process of implementing this solution in Bangalore airport, Hong Kong airport and Beijing airport. Basically, we have shifted from a commoditised model to a value-driven model, which means even changes in pricing by other players, doesn’t impact our business.
What are some of NIIT’s other technological investments, especially towards social networking, mobility, analytics and cloud (SMAC)?
We have also implemented new service lines and platforms and improved our IP-driven assets portfolio to enhance business value, in the last couple of years. About 22% of our total revenues now come from these new service lines. We also introduced a new cloud GIS platform. The cost to the company for introducing these new solutions is expensive, but most of it is absorbed by the client, as it becomes part of the total project cost.
Which verticals do you see growing, going forward?
We are focused on verticals like insurance and travel and specifically in Asia, we are focused on government projects, which contribute 6-7% to our revenues. Government projects always have good traction, even in a poor economic environment, and most of them are long-term, large projects.
Are you confident of meeting Nasscom’s growth forecast of 12-14% for the next fiscal?
We are expecting to grow above industry average on the back of good deal momentum, strong order book, the new value-added business model and good traction in segments like travel (42% of our revenues), BFSI (33%).
What are your views on increase in discretionary spends?
Discretionary spending is up due to commercialisation of IT, in terms of integration of devices and social media. This integration has led to companies loosening control over budgets, as they have no choice but to implement these new solutions to be competitive in the market.
Some analysts say near-shoring is higher due to more localised demand...
We opened a near-shore centre in US recently, seeing an opportunity to service customers better. Localised centres help especially in terms of time zones, which allow for faster completion of infrastructure projects, unique skill-sets as per local regulations and helps avert the language barrier. For example, 100% of our staff in our centre in Spain are Spanish, while in the US and UK about 45% of staff are locals. This also helps in being a net jobs market creator, and thus local hiring will continue to grow, going forward.


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Uncertainty in global trade ties is here to stay5 min read . Updated: 24 May 2017, 12:33 AM IST
A prolonged phase of uncertainty is here to stay, particularly in the multilateral trade relations, despite China's grand pronouncements
More cement and steel will certainly build walls and infrastructure projects. But will it mend fences and lead to a new era of harmony and trade? That remains moot. Indeed, developments in the international trade relations seem somewhat befuddling over the past fortnight. President Donald Trump has claimed his first major success for striking a “smart" trade deal: China will allow the US to sell beef and other major products in the ever expanding Chinese market. His administration also notified the Congress about renegotiating the North America Free Trade Agreement (Nafta).
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For Immediate Release: September 4, 2019
Contact: Aonya McCruiston, [email protected], 253-222-4283
REDONDO BEACH, Calif. — The Redondo Beach City Council voted Tuesday night to introduce new local legislation that would end the sale of flavored tobacco, including menthol, products at most tobacco retailers in the city.
President of the Southern California American Academy of Pediatrics and local pediatrician/researcher/advocate Alice Kuo, MD, FAAP issued the following statement on behalf of L.A. Families Fighting Flavored Tobacco after the vote:
“Redondo Beach is poised to be a regional leader in protecting public health by ending the sale of flavored tobacco products, including menthol. Candy flavors like mint, gummy bear and chocolate prevent youth from realizing how dangerous these products really are and put young people at risk for nicotine addiction. In fact, four out of five kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product. Both the CDC and FDA have issued warnings following over 250 reports of e-cigarette related lung illnesses across the country,” said Dr. Kuo.
“In the midst of a growing e-cigarette epidemic, cities like Redondo Beach are taking action to protect the next generation from Big Tobacco. We urge the City Council to pass this ordinance on September 24 and end the sale of all flavored tobacco including menthol in Redondo Beach for good.”
Annie Tegen of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said:
“The majority of other California cities passing similar policies have applied them to all tobacco retailers, Redondo Beach is proposing to carve out an exemption for “adult-only” retailers. According to a recent survey in LA County, 61% of youth who use these products, say they obtain them from these shops. The Redondo Beach ordinance is a strong step forward, but currently exempts certain retailers. If these products are for sale anywhere in Redondo Beach, kids will get them. The best way to completely protect youth is to end the sale of these products in Redondo Beach without exemptions.”


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Report highlights growth of mobile commerce
Mobile commerce is growing at an alarming rate and retailers are likely behind its boom. BI Intelligence recently released a report concerning this growth and how it is being affected by retailers. The report highlights the results that retailers have seen over the past few years of holiday shopping. During the 2013 holiday season, in particular, mobile sales and activity reached record highs for many retailers, further increasing their interest in the mobile sector.
Holiday shopping goes mobile
According to the report, on Black Friday of 2013 mobile sales accounted for 20% of all e-commerce spending in the U.S. Traffic from mobile devices accounted for 40% of online traffic during that day as well. The report notes that one of the biggest factors influencing mobile commerce growth has to do with higher mobile penetration. More consumers own mobile devices than ever in the past and retailers are engaging people on these platforms more aggressively.
Mobile coupons are popular with consumers
The report notes that, by the third quarter of 2013, 63% of U.S. consumers owned a smartphone, with 35% owning a tablet device. The report suggests that tablet users were more likely to engage in mobile commerce and spend more while shopping online. Notably, the number of mobile consumers making use of digital coupons, which are typically offered by retailer, jumped from 7.4 million in 2010 to nearly 30 million in 2012. By the end of 2014, this number is expected to reach 47.1 million.
Loyalty programs likely to continue gaining favor
Loyalty programs have proved particularly popular with mobile consumers. Retailers use these programs in order to reward people for their continued patronage. Mobile consumers have shown a great deal of interest in loyalty programs as these programs have become more mobile-centric. Retailers offering such programs are expected to find continue success as they work to engage the mobile audience.


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ArticleMay 8th, 2013
Popular Clothing Brands React to Bangladesh Tragedy
Representatives from 40 clothing retailers, including H&M, Nike and Gap, met with the Bangladesh garment association last week to address the labor issues highlighted by the deadly collapse of the Rana Plaza, a large multi-story complex that housed shops and garment factories. More than 650 people died in the April 24 disaster, and the number is still rising.
In Bangladesh, the families of the victims are demanding answers from garment industry executives, who were apparently aware of the plaza’s structural problems beforehand, but did nothing to rectify them.
Bangladesh is a center for the worldwide garment industry. Many American clothing companies have transferred their manufacturing operations from the U.S. to Bangladesh because of its low labor and material costs.
However, with these low costs come major problems, including worker exploitation and unsafe working conditions.
In an op-ed for CNN, Kalpona Akter, a former child laborer in Bangladesh’s garment industry, recalled, “I began working in Bangladesh’s garment industry at the age of 12, making just $3 a month. I went to work because my father had a stroke and the family needed money to cover basic living expenses. I worked 23 days in a row, sleeping on the shop floor, taking showers in the factory restroom, drinking unsafe water and being slapped by the supervisor.”
The latest tragedy is only the latest in a long series of garment factory disasters. Just last November, a fire at a factory that made clothing for several U.S. retailers killed 112 Bangladeshi workers.
Now, U.S. and European brands who rely on Bangladeshi manufacturing are weighing options for the future. Some have promised compensation to workers’ families, and say they are looking into ways to make the industry safer.
This week, PBS affiliate KQED is hosting an interactive chat about fast fashion and the garment industry. Should fashion companies like H&M and Zara be responsible for the manufacturing of their clothing even though they don’t own the factories? What should be their role? What is the role of the consumer? What is the role of government?
Here are a few responses to the discussion so far:
— Luis Cubas(@Ice_CubeBag) May 5, 2013
— Compiled by Allison McCartney for NewsHour Extra
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A Belgian company that first opened in Georgia a decade ago is investing $1 million and hiring 30 new employees in Gwinnett County.
Aluvision, which makes modular systems for exhibitions and trade-show displays, is set to nearly triple its production area by leasing new space next to its 1620 Satellite Boulevard location, which opened in 2016, three years after dipping a toe into the U.S. market with a sales office.
In addition to bringing on new staff in design, sales and production and upping its space from 29,000 to 83,000 square feet, the company is adding three more manufacturing lines that will double production capacity.
Aluvision’s systems use aluminum frames and stands that can be filled out with an array of panels, silicon-edge fabric or even LED tiles. The company has also introduced Flexbox, a self-contained room designed for outdoor events or for indoor displays requiring separate space for VIP lounges, temporary showrooms or pop-up shops. The company works with a variety of rental partners in the U.S. and Europe.
All panels can be assembled without tools and the frames can be powder coated in a variety of colors to match the exhibitor’s branding.
Beyond improving its manufacturing, the Gwinnett expansion is designed to give Aluvision more and better space in which to showcase its solutions and train current and potential clients.
“Witnessing a flourishing company and getting to know the people behind the scenes is the perfect starting point for long-term relationships,” said President Dirk Deleu, who co-founded the company with Ann Vancoillie 20 years ago, in a Gwinnett Chamber news release.
It’s not just in the U.S. that the company is expanding: Based in Deinze, the company is constructing a new headquarters in nearby Kortrijk, doubling down on the environmental stewardship that has become one of its hallmarks. Aluvision prides itself on using mostly recycled aluminum, which is about 95 percent less carbon intensive than using newly mined metal. All of its products are reusable and recyclable. The gleaming headquarters along the Leie river in Deinze features more than 10,000 square feet of rooftop solar panels.
That sensibility will carry over to a new headquarters and light production facility being built in the eco-conscious Evolis business park backed by the Flemish government in Kortrijk. The new Aluvision offices there will be powered by solar panels and wind turbines and will offer amenities including electric-vehicle chargers, an in-house bar, cinema, and fitness space, along with ample green space.
When the new 30 jobs are added in Gwinnett this year, the company will employ 71 people in Georgia.


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If there is anything that Michael Jordan ever wore on the basketball court – be sure it does have a lot of value and can be sold for a lot on an auction.
It was recently announced that Jordan’s shoes that he wore in the 1991 NBA Finals, will be up on auction.
Reportedly, the pair of “Black/Infrared” Air Jordan VIs, being auctioned off by Philip Weiss Auctions, were worn by Jordan during games one, two and three of Chicago’s five-game series against the Lakers.
Jordan’s Bulls defeated the LA Lakers in the finals, with MJ capturing the Finals MVP, with averages of 31.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 11.4 apg.
The mentioned sneakers come autographed and with a certificate of authenticity, according to the auction house. Sports Collectors Digest projects the pair to bring in around $20,000.
Weiss Auctions will begin the bidding for these shoes on Feb. 27.
Michael Jordan’s UNC Converse kicks sold for over $33,000
Jordan’s shoes made in China for $5, but sold to kids for $200
Michael Jordan’s “flu game” shoes sell for over $100,000
A six-time NBA champion, Jordan earned fame and fortune on the basketball court, as well as through endorsements and movies.
The Hall of Fame player won six National Basketball Association championships with the Chicago Bulls. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player award five times and was named an all-star 14 times.
His on-court success and commercial endorsements have made him one of the most recognizable and prosperous athletes in the United States. Jordan played in total 1072 NBA games (1039 started), averaging 30.1 ppg, 6.2 rpg in 38.3 minutes per contest.Follow @exnbadotcom
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Attention shoppers: With the holiday season fast approaching isn’t it time to give your child a doll or toy-train not made in a sweatshop?
That’s the message labor rights advocates are now trying to get across- that consumers fretting about unsafe toys should also be alarmed about unsafe toy-making conditions. And they are directing part of their energy toward supporting “The Decent Working Conditions and Fair Competition Act”, a bill with 13 Senate co-sponsors, including Hillary Clinton, that calls for a ban on importing all sweatshop-made products.
“If you move production to Chinese factories that cut every possible corner to lower costs,” said bill co-sponsor and North Dakota Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan at a Senate Commerce subcommittee hearing today, “You end up with young women worked to death in China and products that end up poisoning our kids here at home.”
But as The Nation pointed out in a recent editorial, the connection is still not being made between a lead-tained $29.99 Barbie and a worker paid 19 cents an hour to make that Barbie. Charles Kernaghan, Director of the National Labor Committee, said after the hearing that it’s “very difficult for parents whose child gets a toy with lead to think about workers 5,000 miles away.”
Kernaghan reported during the hearing on internal audits of Mattel, where the biggest toy company in the U.S. forced employees to work 80 to 90 hours a week. Kernaghan testifed that the Chinese Government gave Mattel a waiver that allowed them to disregard Chinese minimum wage and overtime rules. Mattel representatives declined an invitation to appear at the hearing.
China accounts for almost 90 percent of toys brought into the U.S. and 80 percent of all toys purchased in the country. So far American companies like Mattel have largely been able to seek the cheapest labor while preventing even the Chinese government from creating labor standards. “The United States Chamber of Commerce is telling the authoritarian Chinese government that they are giving workers too many worker rights,” railed Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders. “Can you believe that?”
What Sanders called the U.S.-China policy of “unfettered free trade” shows signs of gradual change. Fast-track authority expired this summer, which means Congress no longer will vote yes or no on trade agreements without being able to offer amendments on, for instance, labor standards. And proponents of the Senate bill argue that if Mattel et. al keeps staying in the news, discussion will eventually move beyond the “Toxic Toys” headlines.


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Concord, Mass. — TomTom has became the number two mobile navigation brand in the fourth quarter of 2005, according to data from NPD Techworld, Port Washington, N.Y.
NPD confirmed that unit share for the fourth quarter placed Garmin in the No. 1 slot for mobile navigation, followed sequentially by TomTom, Magellan, Pioneer and Cobra.
TomTom said it accounted for 25 percent of mobile navigation unit sales for the quarter, according to NPD, jumping from a share of only 7 percent in June 2005, when it first entered leading retailers with its TomTom Go 300 and 700. TomTom began selling in the United States in December 2002.
TomTom said NPD data showed portable navigation sales in the fourth quarter last year grew 192 percent compared to sales for the same quarter in 2004.
Sales of portable navigation are expected to grow by over 100 percent this year, according to several suppliers.


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Browse these free resources for learning how to use a computer, along with websites about the latest technology trends.
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Publishes news, reviews, and guides on issues such as computer hardware and software, science, technology policy, and video games.
American media website that publishes reviews, news, articles, blogs, podcasts, and videos on technology and consumer electronics globally.
A daily news website that follows everything Apple. Includes how-tos and honest reviews.
A multilingual technology blog network with daily coverage of gadgets and consumer electronics.
Design, technology, science and science fiction website.
Latest Technology news, comment and analysis from The Guardian.
A weblog about life hacks and software.
Your guide in modern tech. Learn how to make use of tech and gadgets around you and discover cool stuff on the Internet.
A global entertainment, culture, tech, science and social good digital media platform, and news website.
Leading and emerging technology news from the New York Times.
Offers tutorials and more for mainstream PCs, gaming PCs, WiFi routers, and more.
Enterprise technology news for IT decision-makers and professionals.
Reporting on the business of technology, startups, venture capital funding, and Silicon Valley.
Technology podcasts with Leo Laporte, that covers tech news with discussions on Apple, Google, Windows, Facebook, and more.
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Find the latest Wall Street Journal stories on tech companies, start-ups and personal technology, plus the latest reviews.
News and blogs from The Washington Post.
A monthly magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics.


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Ever since the McDonald's Happy Meal was launched in 1979, children across the world have devoured fast food meals while receiving a small, plastic toy in tow.
However, according to sisters Ella and Caitlin McEwan, it's time to put the practice to a stop.
On Monday 24 June, the nine-year-old and seven-year-old are due to appear on the BBC One programme War on Plastic with Hugh and Anita to discuss an online petition that they launched against McDonald's and Burger King.
First created eight months ago, the sisters wrote in the Change.org petition that they want the fast food chains to "think of the environment" and cease providing children with plastic toys at the fast food chains.
"We like to go to eat at Burger King and McDonald’s, but children only play with the plastic toys they give us for a few minutes before they get thrown away and harm animals and pollute the sea," they wrote on the petition.
"We want anything they give to us to be sustainable so we can protect the planet for us and for future generations."
Ella and Caitlin explained that they'd been learning about plastic pollution in school, and how the improper throwing away of plastic causes damage to the environment.
The sisters stated that rather than making plastic toys that can be recycled, companies should invest in toys manufactured from materials other than plastic.
The schoolgirls' petition has amassed more than 168,000 signatures, more than three quarters of the 200,000-signature target.
The environmental campaigners said it was "scary" appearing on the BBC One programme.
However, they hope their appearances on the show will help their petition garner more signatures and encourage McDonald's and Burger King to "make some lasting changes".
Three months ago, the sisters shared a response they received from Burger King with regards to their campaign.
The response stated that their comments had been passed onto the company's management team with the hope that they can "make some changes in the future".
The schoolgirls said that they received an automated response from McDonald's.
McDonald's recently announced plans to remove plastic lids from its McFlurry ice creams and single-use plastic from its salad bowls in the UK in an effort to become more environmentally friendly.
"It's the latest step in our sustainability journey," said Beth Hart, supply chain director of McDonald's UK and Ireland.
"We are committed to listening to our customers and finding solutions with our suppliers that work for them. This is the latest example of that – but by no means the end."
Single-use plastic is being removed from McDonald's salad bowls from this week, while the removal of plastic lids from McFlurry ice creams will come into effect from September.
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10 July 2017
Originally published by The Conservative.
In the course of the last year, the UK has been accused of “threatening” to go for the so-called Singapore option in case the European Union is inflexible during the Brexit negotiations. In particular, the Chancellor Philip Hammond has suggested that the country may cut taxes in retaliation for the EU complicating Brexit.
First of all, we should ask what would be so threatening for the EU if Britain does this. A stronger UK economy – the result of relaxing the tax burden on those who are creating wealth – would also benefit the economies of mainland Europe, as they trade extensively with the UK. The German car manufacturer would be able to sell even more cars to the British. It would also put pressure on European governments to lower their own corporate tax rates.
Second, the UK was already lowering its corporate tax rate before the Brexit vote, in response to international competition. There are similar corporate tax cuts (or plans for tax cuts) in Finland, the United States, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Japan and Italy. Even the German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble has promised to cut corporate tax, oddly enough not long after warning Britain not to do so in the context of Brexit.
The UK may or may not lower its corporate tax rate after Brexit. But what may indeed lead it down the Singapore route is trade policy. Britain will be able to decide its own tariffs and conclude trade deals on its own, as this power will be transferred to it after it leaves the customs union, which may happen only some time after Brexit, given that Britain needs to adapt its own customs bureaucracy first.
One of the main features of Singapore is its policy of unilateral free trade, to a great extent at least, something it has in common with Hong Kong and South Korea. While there are many things that could be improved in Singapore, starting with its lack of free speech even when it comes to the city-state’s economic policy, its trade openness is clearly the core factor in its enormous economic growth over the past 50 years.
So why are so many people against unilateral free trade?
Many commentators feel it is unfair to allow market access to businesses from countries that do not offer the same kind of market access in reciprocity. China, for example, obviously does not practise free trade. Instead, it has a corrupt protectionist state-driven economic model. That model is, however, already a massive improvement on China before it opened up to the world in 1978. If the West had kept its doors shut until Beijing somehow magically converted to Western liberalism, none of the 700 million Chinese would have been lifted out of poverty and no cheap products would have been enjoyed by Western consumers, helping them to cope with ever-expanding tax and regulatory burdens.
European and American protectionist populists may argue that China has eroded the West’s manufacturing base, hurting the middle classes badly. That is an incorrect assessment. The problem is not so much that businesses have moved to countries where people are still willing to do the hard work needed to produce basic materials, and that this has destroyed jobs. The real problem is that, thanks to the burdensome tax and regulatory policy choices of the West – including America, where the corporate tax rate has risen to 35 per cent – not enough new jobs have been created. While China has been experimenting with elements of capitalism, the West has been lured into adopting elements of socialism, despite the massive failure of this model of development in Russia and many other countries.
Insisting on reciprocity means, in practice, closing your markets. Which countries in the world have done the most to restrict trade and promote self-sufficiency? Zimbabwe and North Korea.
Surely, some middle way should be found, some may say. In order for companies to grow into world players, they need some state protection first; when they have grown up it’s fine to stop protecting them. Here’s how to deal with this argument: while it is true that some companies do benefit from protectionism, one should look at the total cost to the economy.
First, protectionism faces consumers with either less choice or higher prices of products and services. Second, companies that do import bear the brunt – and these days it’s getting harder to distinguish between importers and exporters, given the ever more complex cross-border supply chains in many industries. Protectionism distorts market processes, reducing prosperity. To deal with the restrictions, companies need to find second-rate service providers or pay more for goods than they would have otherwise. In orthodox economics, one needs to look at the interests of the consumer, as the French nineteenth century economist Frederic Bastiat so eloquently pointed out. Why? Everyone is a consumer, plain and simple.
Some may object that unilateral free trade is mainly good for the strong in society. This has also been refuted by evidence. Open Europe’s very first research paper back in 2005 concluded that EU protectionism mainly hurts society’s poorest members, given that they spend the highest percentage of their income on food and clothing compared to wealthier income groups. Food and clothing are precisely the kind of items made more expensive as a result of the EU’s protectionism.
If food is so important, shouldn’t the European Union – or Britain after Brexit – shield its agricultural markets and shower them with subsidies? We wouldn’t want to have our food supply shut off by Russia, would we? Again the facts reveal the obvious. When New Zealand opened up its agricultural sector at the beginning of the 1990s, food production tripled. In contrast, while its counterparts in New Zealand are thriving, Europe’s dairy sector has become ever less competitive. That’s no surprise, given that it’s forced to operate in the context of the EU’s economic model for agriculture. Protectionism is precisely what undermines the vibrancy of our agricultural sector.
Opening up trade unilaterally isn’t only about slashing tariffs on imports to zero. It’s about allowing goods to be imported easily, making the process of inspecting them at the border as smooth as possible. It’s about allowing services and goods providers from other countries to offer their services in a convenient way, getting rid of the unnecessary bureaucracy required to buy a car in another country or to buy insurance from abroad. It’s about a predictable, open and smooth process for immigration. While the differences in levels of wealth in today’s world may still be too big to allow completely unrestricted migration, there is no reason why people who apply for a work visa shouldn’t get a quick answer or why the process shouldn’t be fluid for businesses.
At Open Europe, we’ve pointed out that the UK has massive opportunities to boost its trade after Brexit, suggesting that it should prioritise China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Israel and Nigeria. These opportunities are just as great for the EU27. The EU should stop trying to overload trade agreements with all kinds of technical standards and understand that countries won’t be lining up to trade with Europe if it insists that they need to abide by Brussels regulations. Also, the UK or the EU should try to convince protectionist countries like China, which will not accept a complete opening of markets, to at least open certain sectors of its economy or adapt its regulations for a specific sector in order to allow foreign companies to provide services. Also, If EU-US trade talks are revived, why link the opening of agricultural markets – a thorny issue everywhere in the world – to the opening of other, less controversial, markets?
With regard to freeing up internal trade, there is much the European Union can still do. It should learn from Brexit and realise that a member of the club is leaving because the club hasn’t been focusing on its core job: to scrap barriers to trade between countries. Buying a car in another EU member state or using the services of foreign airline or telecom operator should not be difficult. Every time the EU has faced opposition, it’s because it is organising fiscal transfers, imposing conditions linked to these fiscal transfers or sticking its nose into most sensitive topic in every country in the world: immigration.
If only the EU would become what it was sold to the British as in the 1970s – a mere free trade arrangement – it could be popular again. The EU’s insurance market hasn’t been opened up. Its attempt to boost the free flow of services got stuck more than 10 years ago. Why not allow a limited number of European countries to open up their services markets for each other, bypassing approval by the likes of Germany? And if Brussels keeps failing to close large-scale trade deals, why not let single member states try their luck? Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein are part of the EU’s single market but can already close their own trade deals.
In conclusion: a new push is needed to reinvigorate Europe’s sclerotic welfare states, and more trade openness is the way to get this going. While multilateral trade deals and grand bilateral trade agreements have proved hard to close, unilateral free trade hasn’t been properly tried in Europe. With Brexit, the UK has the chance to do so and the countries of the EU can be inspired by its success.
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$668.65 Million in Sales Expected for DSW Inc. (NYSE:DSW) This Quarter
Wall Street analysts expect DSW Inc. (NYSE:DSW) to post $668.65 million in sales for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Six analysts have made estimates for DSW’s earnings, with the lowest sales estimate coming in at $659.54 million and the highest estimate coming in at $683.84 million. DSW reported sales of $658.94 million in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year over year growth rate of 1.5%. The firm is expected to report its next earnings results before the market opens on Tuesday, August 29th.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that DSW will report full year sales of $668.65 million for the current year, with estimates ranging from $2.77 billion to $2.86 billion. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the firm will post sales of $2.89 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $2.78 billion to $3.10 billion. Zacks Investment Research’s sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that that provide coverage for DSW.
DSW (NYSE:DSW) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 23rd. The company reported $0.32 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $691.10 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $684.34 million. DSW had a return on equity of 12.06% and a net margin of 4.32%. The company’s revenue was up 1.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the business posted $0.40 EPS.
A number of equities research analysts recently weighed in on DSW shares. Zacks Investment Research upgraded DSW from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 9th. Buckingham Research cut DSW from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $20.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday, May 8th. Canaccord Genuity restated a “hold” rating and issued a $19.00 price target on shares of DSW in a research note on Tuesday, May 16th. Wedbush upgraded DSW from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $22.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Finally, CL King upgraded DSW from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 23rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have given a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. DSW presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $21.53.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: “$668.65 Million in Sales Expected for DSW Inc. (NYSE:DSW) This Quarter” was originally published by Daily Political and is the sole property of of Daily Political. If you are accessing this story on another publication, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of U.S. & international copyright and trademark legislation. The original version of this story can be viewed at https://www.dailypolitical.com/2017/08/09/668-65-million-in-sales-expected-for-dsw-inc-nysedsw-this-quarter.html.
Shares of DSW (NYSE DSW) opened at 18.96 on Wednesday. DSW has a 52 week low of $15.98 and a 52 week high of $26.22. The firm has a market cap of $1.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.16 and a beta of 0.83. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $17.45 and a 200 day moving average of $19.24.
In other news, Director Joanne Zaiac sold 4,219 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.82, for a total transaction of $75,182.58. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 4,313 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $76,857.66. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Harvey L. Sonnenberg sold 8,439 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, June 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $18.00, for a total value of $151,902.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 12,242 shares in the company, valued at $220,356. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Corporate insiders own 20.40% of the company’s stock.
Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in DSW. Bbva Compass Bancshares Inc. raised its stake in DSW by 2.4% in the first quarter. Bbva Compass Bancshares Inc. now owns 14,375 shares of the company’s stock valued at $297,000 after buying an additional 332 shares during the period. Swiss National Bank raised its stake in DSW by 2.0% in the first quarter. Swiss National Bank now owns 116,700 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,413,000 after buying an additional 2,300 shares during the period. Laurion Capital Management LP bought a new stake in DSW during the first quarter valued at about $281,000. Thrivent Financial For Lutherans raised its stake in DSW by 26.0% in the first quarter. Thrivent Financial For Lutherans now owns 257,410 shares of the company’s stock valued at $5,323,000 after buying an additional 53,190 shares during the period. Finally, Karp Capital Management Corp bought a new stake in DSW during the first quarter valued at about $493,000. 88.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
DSW Inc is a footwear retailer. The Company offers an assortment of brand name dress, casual and athletic footwear and accessories for women, men and kids. The Company operates through two segments: the DSW segment (DSW), which includes DSW stores and dsw.com, and the Affiliated Business Group (ABG) segment.
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The Boston Globe reported that more Massachusetts communities are finding elevated levels of toxic PFAS in their drinking water. Of the public water sources that have tested for PFAS under new state regulations, one in five reported contamination above the state’s strict new standards. In October the state implemented one of the nation’s most stringent limits on six of the more common PFAS detected in water: 20 parts per trillion for combined PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFNA, PFHpA and PFDA.
Tests by the Ecology Center of Michigan and the Sierra Club of nine home fertilizers made of sewage sludge found PFAS in all of them. The ‘’forever chemicals’’ were detected in every fertilizer and, in eight products, at levels that exceeded screening guidelines set by Maine, the state with the strictest limits for toxic PFAS in sludge. PFAS in fertilizers could expose home gardeners to the chemicals.
EWG analysts determined that after five years, PFAS cleanup plans under the Superfund law are “under development” by the Department of Defense at only nine of 50 Air Force or Navy bases with some of the highest levels of PFAS contamination. Not a single cleanup plan has been finalized for those nine bases, and little actual cleanup has begun, according to the most recent documents made public by the Defense Department.
More PFAS news
- Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced legislation to prohibit the Defense Department from buying or selling cookware, food packaging, floor waxes, carpeting, curtains, upholstered furniture, cosmetics, dental floss, toothpaste, sunscreen, umbrellas, luggage, ski wax, cleaning products, shoes and clothing if these items contain PFAS.
- Mamavation tested 17 pairs of period underwear from 14 brands and found 11 of the products tested had detectable levels of fluorine present in either the outer or inner layer of the crotch. Underwear from three of the brands had levels of fluorine over 100 parts per million, with one as high as 940 parts per million.
- A study of disposable food packaging and tableware showed the widespread use of PFAS across Europe. Alternatives to PFAS treatments exist, and even more importantly, safe, durable and reusable options for food containers and tableware are widely available. Where bans have been enacted, as in Denmark, companies have moved away from using PFAS compounds to coat materials that come into direct contact with food.
- The Center for Environmental Health also released a toolkit to help K-12 schools transition from single-use foodware to healthier, more sustainable alternatives. The toolkit emphasizes a switch to reusable food containers and utensils that eliminate exposure to toxic chemicals such as PFAS and styrene.
- The Natural Resources Defense Council published a review of PFAS as a chemical class in the textile sector.
- And Sonya Lunder of the Sierra Club rightly argued in Ms. Magazine that “We can no longer position worried moms as the front line of defense between their child’s health and the chemical industry. We need a government that regulates chemicals.”


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Majority of German industry plans with 5G in mind
The German industry sees great opportunities in the upcoming mobile standard 5G. For example, half of industrial companies with more than 50 employees in Germany (49%) already state that the future availability of 5G is important to them. For large corporations with more than 2,000 employees, it is even two-thirds (66%).
Basically, the industry is very positive about the mobile standard of the future. More than eight out of ten (84%) agree with the statement that 5G will massively boost the productivity of German companies, 70% see 5G as one of the most important future technologies.
However, currently only two out of five industrial companies are planning or discussing a 5G supply, of which a good third (36%) are planning 5G supply by a mobile network operator. Only 6 percent are concerned with 5G over locally usable frequencies. This is the result of a representative survey of more than 500 industrial companies in Germany on behalf of the digital association Bitkom (in German only).
From Bitkom’s point of view, policymakers should look at how mobile sites can be promoted competitively neutral to provide for remaining white spots. “If we want to close deadlocks while building the networks of the future, it will take simpler, standardized application and approval procedures.
For example, all path-law licensing processes for fixed and mobile networks must be able to be handled digitally”, says Mr. Berg. In addition, Mr Berg mentioned, rent-free use of public infrastructure would support a fast 5G deployment. Telecom Consultants and specialists from SEVOCOMM say also that such ideas from Mr. Berg (Bitkom) are welcome to boost the network density for 5G.


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Eczema cream was recalled when high levels of lead were present
Story at a glance
- A popular eczema cream sold on Facebook has been pulled after two children were found to have elevated blood lead levels.
- The FDA said the recall includes 10-gram tubes of Diep Bao cream sold by Shop Me Ca.
- During product testing, OHA said it discovered one tube contained 9,670 ppm lead while the other sample contained 7,370 ppm.
HERNDON, VA (WXIN) — A popular eczema cream sold on Facebook has been pulled after two children were found to have elevated blood lead levels.
The FDA said the recall includes 10-gram tubes of Diep Bao cream sold by Shop Me Ca. The cream was sold across the country through the company’s Facebook page and Vietnamese Moms Facebook groups not associated with the company.
The recall was initiated because the cream could potentially be contaminated with lead. The problem was discovered after the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) found high levels of lead in two samples of the product.
The organization launched its investigation after two children from Portland, Oregon, were found to have elevated blood lead levels. The parents of both children reported using the product.
The FDA said one case was identified after an initial posting on a Vietnamese mothers’ Facebook group page in December 2022 alerting customers about the product. The second case was reported by the Oregon Health Authority in January 2023.
The company initially selling the product posted on its Facebook page in December 2022 that the products had tested positive for lead.
During product testing, OHA said it discovered one tube contained 9,670 ppm lead while the other sample contained 7,370 ppm.
While there is no FDA limit for lead in medicines, for cosmetics it is 10 ppm. This means the creams contain nearly 1,000 times the maximum allowable amount of lead in cosmetics, the organization said.
“If we think about the federal definition for lead paint, it’s 5,000 parts per million, which is really something we all know is very dangerous,” said Ryan Parker, coordinator of the Childhood Poisoning Prevention Program at OHA. “This product contains twice that amount of lead, so even a small amount, even a small amount that can be put on a child’s face can cause a high blood lead level.”
Parker said a child could be exposed to lead if he touches his face and then puts his hands in his mouth.
The Food and Drug Administration said people with high levels of lead in the blood may not have symptoms, but the condition can cause damage to the nervous system and internal organs. Acute lead poisoning may cause a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Stomach ache
- muscle weakness
- Weight loss
- Hematoma or decreased urinary output.
The Food and Drug Administration said children are at particular risk of lead poisoning. If a child is exposed to enough lead over a long period of time, permanent damage to the central nervous system can occur. This can lead to learning disorders, developmental defects, and other long-term health problems.
“If your child has a skin condition such as eczema, consult your healthcare provider about prevention and treatment options,” said Christina Bowman, MD, the Washington County Health Director. If you use this Deep Paw Karim, please speak to your provider about having your child tested for blood lead.”
The product is packaged in a white cardboard outer box with a white plastic tube of 10 grams inside. All posters are in Vietnamese. Carton box bottom side panel is marked NSX 05/01/2021 HSD 05/07/2023.
Anyone who has the recalled product must stop using it and dispose of it. Anyone with questions can contact the company at [email protected] Monday through Friday 9am-5pm EST.
Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program either online, by postal mail, or by fax.
- Complete and submit the report online
- Postal mail or fax: Download the form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request the reporting form, complete the address and return it to the pre-addressed form, or fax it to 1-800-FDA-0178


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Spotlight on: ELITE Association of Logistic Networks
The logistics industry's only recognised group of quality-focused, independently-owned logistics and freight forwarder networks, ELITE Association of Logistic Networks, has made significant progress since its foundation less than 12 months ago.
Now gearing up to celebrate its one year anniversary with 10 of the world’s leading freight forwarder networks already having joined the association, ELITE has made significant steps in providing the industry with a clear pathway for logistics companies and shippers to locate and utilise networks that meet quality standards and strict financial, service and benefit criteria. The association has also lobbied industry associations and bodies on a range of issues that directly affect the independent freight forwarding community.
It has put in place a number of ground-breaking association wide programmes that will let members of all ELITE networks compete more effectively and drive new cost-savings and efficiencies in their businesses.
President of Global Logistics Network and ELITE co-founder, Roy Stapleton, said: “With over a combined membership of over 3,450 logistics companies in 7,000 offices around the world, ELITE members have a combined annual turnover of over US$60 billion – bigger than the largest multinational companies.
"This strength has allowed us to not only raise the concerns and interests of the independent freight forwarding community with major global industry bodies and participate in industry-wide initiatives, but also create this range of programmes that will equip each member company with the tools to compete even more effectively.
"Thanks to the global reach and influence of ELITE member networks, the independent freight forwarding sector is gaining market share in every region of the world and these new programmes will allow member companies to further build on this momentum.”
ELITE Association of Logistic Networks is the industry's only recognised group of quality-focused independently owned and operated logistics and freight forwarder networks. It was formed in December 2012 to provide the industry with a recognised seal of quality for freight forwarding networks and to promote and protect the interests of the independent freight forwarding community with major industry governing bodies and associations. All member networks of ELITE have passed strict quality and business practice criteria.
ELITE currently includes ten global networks whose membership combined includes more than 3,450 companies with annual revenues of more than US $60 Billion and 140,000 staff operating from 7,000 offices in 195 countries worldwide.


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We have seen promotional material for an emerging proposal for an “urban warehouse” on Brixton Hill where the current ATS Euromaster garages are (between the prison and the Tesco Express). The PR from the developers says that their proposals will create a smaller and more localised distribution hub for home deliveries that will use e-cargo bikes and electric vans to deliver goods to local homes.
Whilst we would support the creation of local jobs and the retention of industrial space in the local area (at a time when private developers are converting more and more business premises into luxury flats) – we do have concerns about how the developers will balance their claims about sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint of home deliveries with the increase in larger vehicles used to get items to this “urban warehouse”.
We recently formally objected to the creation of a scrap metal yard in West Norwood that would divert HGVs along Brixton Hill, Tulse Hill and the South Circular. At a time when the focus is on reducing the number of vehicle trips on local roads it seems these proposals may also have the opposite effect to that desired. You can provide your feedback direct to the developer here.


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(Saint-Hyacinthe) Canadians eligible for the goods and services tax (GST) credit should receive a special payment this Wednesday to help them deal with the rising cost of groceries.
The payment was promised in last spring’s federal budget amid food inflation.
Passing through a public market in Saint-Hyacinthe, Montérégie, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau argued that “inflation is coming down, but the cost of groceries is still very expensive.”
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) says about 11 million Canadians will receive the extra money on top of the regular GST credit payment. Couples with two children can expect to receive up to $467 more, single Canadians without children can expect up to $234 more, while seniors can receive an average of $225 more.
“It’s hundreds of dollars that will help families who need it to get through these difficult times because we find that a government must be there to support people to get through difficult times”, argued the prime minister.
Justin Trudeau said he believed that this decision to help those most in need clearly illustrated the opposition between the political philosophy of the Liberals and that of the Conservative Party of Canada. “I disagree with Conservative politicians who first say everything is broken and then preach austerity. We are in a moment where we have to be there for each other. »
The Government of Canada also provided a similar payment last fall in what it said was an effort to lessen the effect of high inflation on low- and modest-income families.
Canada’s inflation rate slowed to 3.4% in May, but food prices continued to rise rapidly, according to Statistics Canada, up 9% from a year earlier.


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PAN reward dealers
PAN Nigeria Limited, assemblers of Peugeot brand of vehicles, has splashed gifts and awards on its dealers for their outstanding performances and quality service delivery, which was ranked among the finest in the Nigeria’s automobile industry.
The event, tagged, “ Dealers and Stakeholders Convention,” was held at Syde Resort in Kaduna on last week.
It was an evening of entertainment, reward, and celebration culminating with the private screening of The CEO, a movie directed and produced by award winning movie director, Kunle Afolayan who was present with some of the casts.
The managing director of PAN, Mr, Ibrahim Boyi, reiterated the company’s commitment to the development of the economy and support of the creative art industry among other sectors of the Nigerain economy.
He said PAN will not deviate from its main business of building great vehicles, the result of which is the recognition of Peugeot 301 as the Car OF The Year (COTY) by the Nigerian Auto Journalists Association, attributing it to PAN “heritage of quality motoring experience”.
Boyi pledged that PAN would continue with its business strategy of “creating an exceptional business ownership experience through dealership network development” and commended the dealers for “building new, modern sales and service facilities providing sustainable skills and youth employment.”
Major-General Adeniyi Oyebade, General Officer Commanding 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, a guest at the event, described Peugeot as the most reliable brand of vehicle peculiar to the country’s terrain.
The biggest award, Dealer of the Year, was clinched by ASD Motors as winner of 2015 while 2016 went to KAURA Motors.PAN Nigeria Limited has been assembling vehicles since 1975.


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It’ll be quite a splashdown.
Millions of people will be nursing sore fingers Thursday when the latest edition of the hit game for mobile devices, “Angry Birds Space,” is launched.
The game’s debut is part of a massive multimedia assault, with toys, books, candy and even a short cartoon debuting on Nickelodeon the same day.
With theme-park rides and even “Angry Birds” playgrounds in the works, “We’re looking at this as the launching of an entire entertainment franchise,” said Andrew Stalbow, the general manager of gamemaker Rovio’s North American arm.
He said the Helsinki-based company’s approach — oodles of products based on popular animated characters — is an attempt to mimic the success of Disney.
“They are definitely an inspiration,” he said.
As with the original “Angry Birds’’ game — which has sold more than 700 million copies since 2010 — players try to control the trajectory of a family of angry birds bent on killing a group of evil pigs who have stolen the birds’ precious eggs.
Using a slingshot controlled by a playing device’s touch screen, participants launch the birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, hoping to collapse the structures and crush all the pigs on the playing field.
As players advance through the game, new birds appear, some with special abilities that can be activated by the player.
In the new version, the action is set in orbit near heavenly bodies that have varying degrees of gravity to affect the birds’ flight path.
“It’s a whole new take on game play,” Stalbow said.
“Players will have to deal with different kinds of gravity, and it takes the game to a whole new level.”
He declined to say how much the new app will cost, but the original version sells for less than a dollar.
To perfect the physics behind the micro-gravity effects, programmers turned to real NASA scientists for help.
The collaboration was so successful that NASA has even joined in to help promote the game.
The agency filmed a YouTube video in which astronaut Don Pettit sets up a slingshot in the International Space Station and hurtles a stuffed Angry Bird toy at different angles while he explains how zero-gravity can affect the path of an object.
“Don’t ask how I got eggs on the space station,” he jokes as two hard-boiled eggs he uses as props hover weightlessly in front of his face.
But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how feverish the demand for the new game will be.
Last year, it took less than a week for Rovio to sell more than 200 million copies of an edition of “Angry Birds” that was tied into the animated movie “Rio.”
“We believe we will beat that this time around,” Stalbow said.


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Current Non-Compete Clauses Hurt Franchisees While Only Benefiting the Bottom Line of Franchisors
Palm Desert, CA (February 17, 2023) – The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers, a national trade association advocating for franchisees and independent dealers, led by chief executive officer and chairman, Robert Purvin, and Keith Miller, Director of Public Affairs and Engagement, addressed the Federal Trade Commission via a virtual forum in representation of franchisees to support the ban of non-compete clauses which hurt owners of franchised small businesses by forcing franchisees to accept unfair renewal agreements with their franchisor or no longer be able to earn a living in the occupation for which they have experience and training.
Noncompete agreements are used by franchisors to force unfair business practices on existing franchisees upon renewal, as new agreements often have new onerous terms included and if a franchisee refuses to sign, they risk losing their business, or their ability to earn a living. In seeking comments regarding its proposed new Rule, the FTC specifically requested commentary regarding whether the new rule should be applied in franchising.
“Except in exceptional circumstances, non-competition clauses are generally disfavored in many states as an undue restraint on an individual’s ‘right to work’ in his or her chosen profession,” said Purvin. “While an employee would be protected from enforcement of a non-competition agreement, the franchisee counterpart will often be barred from competition as a purported independent contract.”
Franchises support the national GDP through billions of dollars in products and services, payroll, and the creation of American jobs. Franchisees need to be protected as they are the ones investing, hiring, and supporting the local communities.
“They (franchisees) definitely did not understand the long-term implications of how the noncompete would be used to solidify the power imbalance in their relationship (with the franchisor,)” said Miller at the FTC testimony session.
In recent years, the Federal Trade Commission has started reviewing policies to protect franchisees from this power imbalance. Currently, Federal Trade Commission is reviewing the Franchise Rule. In addition, the Government Accountability Office will soon be releasing a report looking at franchise issues.
Media interested in interviews with Mr. Purvin and/or Mr. Miller, please contact Lucila Garcia.


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Published on June 15th, 2012 | by Alisdair0
Game Stock Car 2012 – Mini Revealed & 2012 Cars Gallery
Reiza Studios recently hinted on their official Facebook page that the upcoming Game Stock Car 2012 update would feature something new.
In a new batch of screenshots released today showing off the vehicle family that will be present in the upcoming 2012 update a Mini is showing blacked out, thus confirming that the Mini will be the new feature that was hinted a few days ago.
Will we see the Mini in the upcoming 2012 update which is said to be released in the month of June or will it become a DLC like many of the other cars now present in the game were.