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BENTONVILLE, Ark. – July 21, 2011– Today, Sam’s Club announced the launch of SNAP!office furniture through Samsclub.com. This is the first time a retailer has offered access to customized, commercial-grade office furniture to the public through an online source. SNAP!office offers freestanding desks, cubicles, credenzas, cabinets and bookcases utilizing the latest technology to provide customized solutions to Sam’s Club members simply and quickly, including installation. Pre-configured solutions are also available.
“At Sam’s Club we are committed to offering our Members complete office furniture solutions, that will save them time & money,” said Jesse Floyd, Sam’s Club. “With this solution, we see Sam’s Club becoming a presence in the commercial office furniture market servicing small to mid-sized businesses through our Business Members.”
Not only can Members pick their furniture online, they can also work with a representative to design it utilizing 3D graphic technology. As the design is refined, cost and installation information are updated in real time, providing an optimized solution that fits the member’s budget. Most projects can be designed in less than a half hour. The completed design is then available for checkout on SamsClub.com, with all the order information transmitted directly into the manufacturer’s business system.
SNAP!office products are manufactured to the member’s specifications via a high speed assembly operation and delivered to a member of SNAP!office’s nationwide, uniformed installation service, who will deliver, install and remove all packaging materials.
After ordering, Members will receive their new furniture in three weeks from the time of checkout. Total cost will be 20 – 40 percent less expensive than through traditional dealers because of the strategic, direct relationship with the manufacturer, the level of technology involved and the build-to-order capability.
The SNAP!office furniture line is designer inspired, offering coordinated finishes, fabrics, laminates and trim colors. To learn more about SNAP!office, visit samsclub.com/snapoffice
About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is the nation’s eighth largest retailer and a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products and services to more than 47 million members in clubs across the U.S., as well as in Brazil, China and Mexico. Members save an average of 30 percent over grocery and specialty retailers. To learn more about Savings Made SimpleSM, visit SamsClub.com, and look for Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.


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NEW HAVEN (Project Syndicate) — During his campaign, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump used foreign trade as a lightning rod in his supposed defense of the beleaguered American middle class.
This is not an uncommon tactic for candidates at either end of the political spectrum. What is unusual is that Trump has not moderated his antitrade tone since winning. Instead, he has upped the ante and fired a series of early warning shots in what could turn into a full-blown global trade war, with disastrous consequences for the United States and the rest of the world.
Consider Trump’s key personnel decisions. Industrialist Wilbur Ross, the Commerce Secretary-designate, has been vocal in his desire to abrogate America’s “dumb” trade deals. Peter Navarro, an economics professor at the University of California at Irvine, will be the director of the National Trade Council — a new White House policy shop to be set up on a par with the National Security Council and the National Economic Council. Navarro is one of America’s most extreme China hawks. The titles of his two most recent books — “Death by China” (2011) and“Crouching Tiger: What China’s Militarism Means for the World” (2015) — speak volumes about his tabloid-level biases.
Ross and Navarro were also co-authors of an economic-policy position paper published on the Trump campaign website that stretched any semblance of credibility. Now they will get the opportunity to put their ideas into practice. And, in fact, the process has already begun.
Trump has made it clear that he will immediately withdraw the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, in keeping with Ross’s criticism of America’s trade deals. And his brazen willingness to challenge the 40-year-old “One China” policy by speaking directly with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen — to say nothing of his subsequent anti-China tweets — leaves little doubt that his administration will follow Navarro’s prescription and take dead aim at America’s largest and most powerful trading partner.
Of course, Trump, a self-proclaimed master deal maker, may simply be talking tough, in order to put China and the world on notice that the U.S. is now prepared to operate from a position of strength in the foreign-trade arena. A bold opening gambit, the argument goes, softens the adversary for a more palatable endgame.
But while such tough talk undoubtedly played well with voters, it fails a key reality check: America’s large trade deficit — a visible manifestation of its low saving — calls into question the very notion of economic strength. A significant domestic saving deficit, such as that which afflicts the U.S., accounts for America’s insatiable appetite for surplus saving from abroad, which in turn spawns its chronic current-account deficit and a massive trade deficit.
Dealmakers who try to address this macroeconomic problem one country at a time cannot possibly succeed: the U.S. ran trade deficits with 101 countries in 2015. There can be no bilateral fix for a multilateral problem. It is like the proverbial Dutch boy sticking his finger in a leaky dike. Unless the source of the problem — a saving shortfall that is likely to worsen in the face of Trump’s inevitable widening of federal budget deficits — is addressed, America’s current-account and trade deficits will only widen. Squeezing China would merely shift the trade imbalance to other countries — most likely to higher-cost producers, which would effectively raise the prices of foreign goods sold to hard-pressed American families.
“The Trump administration is playing with live ammunition, implying profound, global repercussions.”
But the story doesn’t end there. The Trump administration is playing with live ammunition, implying profound, global repercussions. Nowhere is this more evident than in the likely Chinese response to America’s new muscle-flexing. The Trump team is dismissive of China’s reaction to its threats, believing that the U.S. has nothing to lose and everything to gain.
Alas, that may not be the case. Like it or not, America and China are locked in a co-dependent economic relationship. Yes, China depends on U.S. demand for its exports, but the U.S. also depends on China: the Chinese own over $1.5 trillion in U.S. Treasury securities and other U.S. dollar-based assets. Moreover, China is America’s third-largest export market (after Canada and Mexico) and the one that is expanding most rapidly — hardly inconsequential for a growth-starved U.S. economy. It is foolish to think that America holds all the cards in this bilateral economic relationship.
Co-dependency is a very reactive connection. If one partner changes the terms of engagement, the other is likely to respond in kind. If the U.S. goes after China — as Trump, Navarro, and Ross have long advocated and now seem to be doing — it must also face the consequences. On the economic front, that spells the possibility of reciprocal tariffs on U.S. exports to China as well as potential ramifications for Chinese purchases of Treasurys. And other countries, tightly linked to China through global supply chains, may well impose countervailing tariffs of their own.
Global trade wars are rare. But, like military conflicts, they often start with accidental skirmishes or misunderstandings. More than 85 years ago, U.S. Senator Reed Smoot and Representative Willis Hawley fired the first shot in sponsoring the Tariff Act of 1930. That led to a catastrophic global trade war, which many believe turned a serious recession into the Great Depression.
It is the height of folly to ignore the lessons of history. For today’s saving-short, deficit-prone U.S. economy, it will take far more than China-bashing to make America great again. Turning trade into a weapon of mass economic destruction could be a policy blunder of epic proportions.
Stephen S. Roach, a faculty member at Yale University and former chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia, is the author of “Unbalanced: The Codependency of America and China.” This article has been published with the permission of Project Syndicate — Trump’s Gathering Trade War

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People who live in or around Manhattan in New York will soon find it much easier to get a parking space where they can also charge their electric car that happens to be a Tesla. The company is going to partner up with two dozen garages around Manhattan to provide high-speed 240 volt chargers for people who own Tesla vehicles. This is going to be a welcome move on the company’s part by people who live in Manhattan, many of which live in apartments where parking spots with charging stations aren’t exactly easy to come by.
This will be a major initiative by Tesla to improve access to charging stations in cities, the company already has a wide network of superchargers along major highways to ensure that its cars can travel long distances, such as a coast-to-coast trip in the U.S.
However Tesla has never teamed up with urban parking garages before so this is a first for the company, a spokesman for the company tells The New York Times that Manhattan was “naturally” the place to try this for the first time.
Tesla plans to offer car owners the choice to park in partner garages by the hour, day, week or even a month. Locations will include garages located from Wall Street up to 94th Street. The company also plans to sign up with more locations in the city in the coming months.


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- Get Involved
Oregon Bag Ban
We encourage you to contact your legistlators and tell them to ban the bag. Most effective, is to call or visit your representatives directly or if you prefer, take just a few moments to automatically send a pre-writen message through the Oregon Conservation Network by clicking here:
About the Bag Ban
Oregonians use an estimated 1.7 billion plastic checkout bags every year. Plastic pollution has become a critical problem in our oceans, with as much as 100 million tons now polluting the North Pacific alone. Plastic never biodegrades; it only photo-degrades into smaller and smaller bits, strangling, suffocating and poisoning sea life, including whales, fish and birds. SB 536 would ban single use plastic checkout bags at all retail outlets in Oregon.
In addition, plastic bags cost municipalities around the state millions of taxpayer dollars in sewer maintenance and recycling facility repair. Plastic bags are also a nuisance in rural communities as they entangle farm equipment and get caught up in fencing. Cities, counties, and countries around the world are implementing bag fees and bans to address this problem. Oregon grocers and environmental groups are already lining up to support the proposed statewide ban on single-use plastic checkout bags.
The proposed ban would take effect by November 2011 and require at least a nickel charge on recycled paper checkout bags. The charge is designed to let stores recover the cost of the paper bags and encourage shoppers to switch to reusable bags. The bill is supported by the Northwest Grocery Association, retailer Fred Meyer, environmental groups, and others. The Oregonian reports that if the proposal clears the Legislature this year, Oregon would likely be the first state to adopt a statewide ban. The proposal would exempt pharmacies, restaurants, and other shops whose main business is preparing food and drink.


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Are Electronic Cigarettes Here to Stay?
As the electronic cigarette craze continues to sweep the nation, the question about its longevity will inevitably come to mind. Simply put: Are these electronic devices, which are designed to mimic the effects of a traditional cigarette, here to stay? Or are they just a passing fad? Destined to go the same route as the mullet, eight track player, or bellbottoms?
The Electronic Cigarette Smoking Experience
The biggest thing that electronic cigarettes have going for them is the fact that they are not trying to reinvent the smoking experience. No, instead, e-cigarettes are attempting to create an experience that is nearly identical to a traditional cigarette. With similar taste, feel and drag, many smokers who make the switch to an electronic cigarette report little difference in actual pleasure and satisfaction.
Of course, there are a number of differences between the two: Mainly e-cigarettes do not produce odor, smoke, ash or tar. That’s right – electronic cigarette users can enjoy true smoking experience, just without many of those nasty drawbacks.
Electronic cigarettes gain in popularity
The truth is that more and more Americans are realizing the advantages of making the switch to electronic cigarettes. As states and localities continue to pass laws and statutes banning cigarette smoking from public buildings and forums, the e-cigarette is becoming the go-to alternative.
Because they do not produce that offensive second hand smoke, just an odorless form of water vapor, the e-cig has become accepted in malls, office buildings and even movie theatres. From young professional out for a night on the town to business executives suffering through a transatlantic flight, these innovative electronic devices are proving to be more than just a smoking supplement – they are becoming a lifestyle.
Hollywood and the e-cigarette
Of course, for a cultural trend to truly take effect, the mainstream media has to embrace it. This is another area where the electronic cigarette appears to be prevailing. In recent news famous A-list celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, Katherine Heigl, Lindsay Lohan as well as Immortals star Stephen Dorff have been seen puffing on electronic cigarettes. With such seemingly strong endorsements, it would appear that the e-cig is truly immersing itself in our culture.


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However, it's not as simple as you may think.
Russian oil under sanction
The world looks much different now than it did at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Many employees have resumed their long commutes and Russian oil is under sanction due to the country’s recent invasion of Ukraine.
“Global sanctions on Russian industry have put enormous pressure on the petroleum market, pushing up prices everywhere,”
Though the U.S. only gets a tiny chunk of its oil and gas from Russia, the national average price for gas reached $4.33 per gallon on Monday. And if you live in
California, you’ve seen the price per gallon spike into the $7 range. That one hurts.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has also affected other parts of the automotive industry. “Russia is a major producer of nickel—a key component of electric vehicle batteries that is set to become even more important as automakers seek to extend high-end vehicles’ ranges between charges,” Wired notes.
The electric vehicle industry is trying to catch up
While many Americans are now ready to live their best electric vehicle life, the industry isn’t quite ready for them.
And according to
WSBT News, “40 percent of people looking to buy a new car have researched electric or hybrid options in the last month.”
Unfortunately, it’s the worst time to buy an electric car. According to Wired, “Pandemic supply chain woes, production crunches, and congressional waffling about the future of electric subsidies have crashed into new challenges tied to the economic sanctions of Russia.”
The sudden insane demand for electric vehicles is unprecedented, as supply chains struggle to find enough chips to make their cars go. The shortage, which is also tied to inflation, has cost the U.S. auto industry 2 million dollars in lost sales this year.
Ramping up computer chip production is predicted to take a number of years. According to environmental economist Mark Paul of the New College of Florida, “We don't have enough batteries and auto manufacturing capacity to meet the demand for electric vehicles today, which is missing a prime opportunity,” Wired notes.
Though the U.S. is still in a transitional phase, the
Bidenadministration’s goal is for at least 40% of cars sold in 2030 to be electric.
Concerns about electric vehicles
Some consumers are worried about coordinating charge times and the availability of chargers in general. According to
WCPO News, “In February, the federal government announced new money for states to build a network of EV chargers, especially along highways.”
In the next five years, about $5 billion dollars will be available for states to complete the project. For drivers who don’t have access to chargers at home, having them available in public spaces is a game changer.
Conscious consumers may not jump at the chance to own an EV because of the steep price tag. According to WCPO News, “In October, Kelley Blue Book found the average cost of an EV was more than $10,000 higher than the cost of the average new car.”
However, even if shoppers are willing to pay a higher price, current inventory is low and not guaranteed. You could be waiting up to a year due to high demand. Luckily, heavy hitters like GM, Chrysler, and Ford have invested some serious cash into EV development.
Some EV owners are even renting out their cars for extra money—a great short-term and affordable solution for those who are renting.
Also, many shoppers just don’t know much about electric cars, or that a $7,500
EV federal tax creditexists. And though the newest Build Back Better Bill is stuck in the Senate, it’s possible that drivers could receive up to a $12,500 tax credit in the near future.


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Economist: May 2020 will see Bitcoin become the main competitor of world currencies
In recent decades, Central Banks such as the Federal Reserve have failed to keep inflation rates stable. Bitcoin can benefit from this trend. After the next halving of the cryptocurrency, after which the currency will have “economically indisputable reasons” to become a legitimately competitive reserve of value against other world currencies.
Connection between Halving and inflation
May 2020, Bitcoin will see its next halving, where today’s 12.5 Bitcoin reward will fall to 6.25.
This halving, the third in the history of cryptocurrencies, is particularly important, says economist Peter C. Earle of the American Institute for Economic Research.
Keep in mind that the current annual “inflation” rate for Bitcoin is between 3.7 percent and 3.8 percent (on an average of 144 blocks drawn per day at 12.5 BTC each, producing about 1,800 new BTCs per day).
For the context: describing the increase in the number of Bitcoin available as “inflation” here is comparable to the extraction of new gold, compared to the existing gold stock on the ground.
After halving, with Bitcoin inflating at a rate of approximately 1.8 percent per year (half of its current rate), the currency will theoretically inflate at a rate lower than that of the Federal Reserve that aims at 2 percent per year .
Failure of the Central Banks
When considering monetary policy worldwide, the next halving comes at an interesting time.
Despite the efforts made in the last 10 years, the Federal Reserve, and other Central Banks, have tried and failed to design an inflation rate; and as Earle points out, even a passing review of history shows that “inflation is the second cause after the war, where the forces that destroy civilizations are considered.”
Despite this failure, the Central Banks have not changed course. In fact, they have doubled, adopting policies such as quantitative easing to inject liquidity directly into the economy.
On the other hand, the limited offer of Bitcoin has always been an attraction for investors and traders who know the effects of inflation on purchasing power.
The conclusion is as follows: with the Bitcoin production rate, through mining, which takes place at a lower rate than the target rate established by the Federal Reserve, in May 2020, Bitcoin seems to have “economically indisputable reasons” to become a legitimately competitive reserve of value against other world currencies.
Bitcoin: quantitative adjustment
With Bitcoin, by limiting the maximum number of currencies that will exist, and by making its origin adhere to a predictable and transparent protocol, the currency closely approximates a monetary policy known as quantitative adjustment. This being the opposite of the quantitative easing campaign of the Central Banks.
With inflation rates lower than nominal and real inflation rates, the Bitcoin use case begins to seem less and less speculative; Earle also reports the following “Without a doubt, this will add to the increase in the currency and will probably increase its value deposit characteristics, which could cause an upward trend in the price”.
Disclaimer: This press release is for informational purposes information does not constitute investment advice or an offer to invest. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of infocoin, and should not be attributed to, Infocoin.


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Cablevision (CVC) rose modestly early Tuesday after posting solid numbers and offering a firm outlook.
The Bethpage, N.Y., cable operator posted a second-quarter adjusted net loss of $18 million, or 6 cents a share, on sales of $1.2 billion. Those numbers, which reflect income from continuing operations, compare with a loss of $155.7 million, or 54 cents a share, on $1.16 billion in revenue in the year-ago period. Analysts were looking for a loss of 12 cents on $1.26 billion in sales.
Including discontinued operations, Cablevision swung to a profit of $222 million, or 77 cents a share, on sales of $1.2 billion. That is a significant improvement from the year-ago loss of $187.1 million, or 65 cents a share, on $1.16 billion in revenue.
The company added 20,000 new TV customers and sold a total of 332,000 new services such as video, Net access and calling plans.
"For the second quarter, ongoing consumer demand for Cablevision's products continued to drive industry-leading penetration rates across all of our consumer services," CEO Jim Dolan said in a press release Tuesday.
Looking ahead, the company reaffirmed guidance, saying it expects basic subscriber growth for the year to be somewhere between 1.5% and 2% and total sales growth to be in the midteens percentagewise.
In June, a group led by the founding Dolan family said it would pay $7.9 billion to take the company private. A buyout committee with three independent directors was formed to review the proposal.
Shares of the nation's No. 6 cable company rose 27 cents to $31.70 in premarket trading Tuesday.


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This Microsoft Flight Simulator video highlights 40 years of PC gaming changes
Microsoft kicked off its virtual Ignite conference today with a look back at how Microsoft Flight Simulator has changed since its introduction in 1982. The nearly 40-year history shows just how much PC gaming has changed, to the point where Microsoft Flight Simulator can now accurately (most of the time!) map out the real world into a virtual one.
Microsoft’s video begins with Microsoft Flight Simulator 1.0, which was originally released in 1982 for IBM-compatible PCs. It allowed players to fly a Cessna 182 across New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The beginning of the video also demonstrates just how much PC sound cards have changed over the years.
Microsoft went on to release Flight Simulator 2.0 two years later in 1984,…


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Betradar and Coral announced today that they have entered a new partnership together, where Betradar will provide their Live Channel service to Coral's betting shops in the UK. Coral has integrated the service in a little over 100 of their shops already and have the option to do it in more than 1,000 more over the next 12 months.
The Live Channel product from Betradar was launched last summer and was the first product to combine live odds, live statistics and live pictures from sports events around the globe in the same screen. The streaming service is very easy to implement and offers a wide range of different sports from all over the world, including Ligue 1, Major League Soccer, HBL, German and Spanish Basketball and the biggest tennis tournaments.
“Coral is one of the key players in the UK market and a trusted client since several years. I am delighted that Coral have realised the great opportunity and potential of the Live Channel for their business.We have, within a remarkably short time, integrated the streaming channel via satellite distribution and adapted it to Coral’s corporate identity." Tom Edwards, Responsible Director for Sales at Betradar said in a press release.
“We’re delighted to be adding the Betradar Live channel to the Coral proposition as part of this offering. We’re always looking at ways of giving our customers more choice and we believe that the breadth and depth of additional content that Betradar’s Live Channel brings will add some genuine value to our product mix” Said Olly Raeburn, Marketing Director of Coral.
Betradar's Live Channel has been integrated in more than 1,000 different betting shops around Europe and Betradar recently expanded into the African market as well. Live Channel provides live sports coverage around 12 hours a day, which allows the shops to expand their live betting offers for more hours.


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Assuming the Dow Jones Industrial Average represents the biggest, most influential companies in America, Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL) easily qualifies.
With its massive market cap, trend-setting products, and global brand recognition, it is easy to argue Apple belongs as much or more than any of the current tech companies in the index.
In fact, Apple has superseded all of them, particularly Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) and Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT).
Yet the Dow Jones has ignored Apple while letting far weaker companies like, Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC)and Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) remain.
So what gives?…
In a nutshell, Apple stock is too rich for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.
Because the Dow Jones is price-weighted, Apple’s current $565 share price would simply overwhelm the index.
If included, Apple stock would account for about 25% of the Dow Jones. That’s more than double the 11.5% of current leader International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM).
“It wouldn’t be the Dow Jones Industrial Average,” Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group told the Associated Press. “It would be the Apple Plus Some Other Stuff Index.”
In this case, a price move of just 5% in Apple stock could push the DJIA up – or down – about 200 points.
Looking at it another way, had Apple been added to the Dow Jones in 2009 instead of Cisco Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CSCO), the Dow would now be over 15,000.
That’s well above the Oct. 2007 record of 14,164 and 2,500 points higher than where it stands today.
With that kind of heft, it’s no wonder the Dow has shunned Apple.
How the Dow Jones Industrial Average Works
But it’s not just Apple. Other Dow candidates trade high in the triple digits as well.
To continue reading, please click here…


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Outthink Hidden: IBM Offers New Augmented Reality Experience
IBM (NYSE: IBM) and The New York Times Company’s (NYSE: NYT) T Brand Studio announced Thursday the launch of “Outthink Hidden,” an augmented reality (AR) experience that brings unsung heroes of innovation to life.
It is inspired by the 20th Century Fox film, “Hidden Figures,” and launches inside the new T Brand Studio AR app.
The movie, which will be in theaters today (January 6), recounts the true story of three female African American mathematicians as the heroes at NASA during the 1960s Space Race. Their calculations for spaceship trajectories, which helped put John Glenn in orbit, involved programming a first-of its-kind IBM mainframe.
“Outthink Hidden” explores the stories of heroes featured in “Hidden Figures” as part of 10 innovators in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Similar to a virtual museum, people can explore an array of 3D computer graphics renderings, written histories and audio and video narratives.
It is available via the T Brand Studio AR app for free download on iTunes and Google Play. The AR content can be activated on a mobile device, through select print editions of The New York Times, or at physical plinths at CES in Las Vegas, January 5-8. In addition, the content can be activated at one of 150 “geofenced” locations across the U.S.
Unlike virtual reality (VR) apps, where immersive content is experienced via a headset, AR enables people to view a physical space through a different medium (in this case, a mobile device screen). It uses sensors to activate a digital layer that augments the space using visuals such as 3D images, descriptive text, video and audio.
“Outthink Hidden” is the first experience within T Brand Studio AR and it is the first project produced by integrated experience design agency Fake Love since it was acquired by The New York Times Company in August 2016. “Outthink Hidden” was co-created with IBM and its agency partner, Ogilvy & Mather.


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Non-medical items may soon disappear from chemist shops
Baby food, soaps and health supplements could soon disappear from your friendly neighbourhood chemist’s shelves if the government decides to turn this proposal into a regulation.india Updated: Aug 28, 2015 01:29 IST
Baby food, soaps and health supplements could soon disappear from your friendly neighbourhood chemist’s shelves if the government decides to turn this proposal into a regulation. According to minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, “Companies buy consumer trust by selling products at pharmacies. Products like Nestle Cerelac and Johnson & Johnson’s baby soaps, or health supplements are not meant for sale at medical stores.”
“We are considering a proposal to restrict pharmacies from selling categories apart from drugs and medical devices, where over 7 lakh pharmacies would only sell approved products,” Ahir told HT.
And there’s a Maggi element in this plan. The recent controversy over instant noodles made by Nestle India had also featured the company’s baby food supplement, Nan Pro, coming under the safety scanner. The noodle row saw the government expanding its vision to think of banning the sale of baby food, cosmetics, health supplements and similar other non-medical products at pharmacies.
“These products are not medicines and people should not buy them under the impression that they are safe, effective and good for health because medical stores sell them,” Ahir said.
Consumer activists and chemists’ organisations don’t agree. “We strongly oppose the move. It would impact the volume of sales at medical stores and drastically impact the availability of non-medical products across the country,” said JS Shinde, president, All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists.
There is no clause at present under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 to regulate the list of products that can be sold at pharmacies.
One is allowed to open a medical store after seeking a licence from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Bejon Misra, a consumer activist, trashed the move. “The government should encourage more competition and choice. If consumers would not get a product from a medical store, they would buy it from some other shop but after facing inconvenience.”
Control of pharmacies comes under state governments, and that means a central proposal can be rejected. “Medical stores get licence under the D&C Act which is governed by the central government but implemented by state governments and state drug controllers,” Shinde said. Mails sent to companies that are likely to be affected by such regulation did not get any response till late on Thursday.
First Published: Aug 28, 2015 01:27 IST


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© 2020 MJH Life Sciences and Drug Topics. All rights reserved.
© 2020 MJH Life Sciences™ and Drug Topics. All rights reserved.
September 22, 2020
Perrigo has issued a voluntary recall of all unexpired albuterol sulfate inhalation aerosol to the retail level.
Two lots of the thyroid tablets are being recalled after testing found the lots to be subpotent.
September 21, 2020
Community pharmacy owner/manager respondents reported that patients’ prescriptions were transferred without permission.
Teva’s 2 digital inhalers for patients with asthma provide insight into objective inhaler use data.
September 18, 2020
The Trump administration released its COVID-19 vaccine strategy, with pharmacies among the list of suggested providers for distribution.
Pharmacy technicians work alongside pharmacists to meet unprecedented demands during these times. They are not expendable.
September 17, 2020
Labs and drug stores are making at-home coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tests more accessible.
Eric Levin, CEO of Scripta Insights, discusses how "positive disruption" from private companies are positioned to confront challenges within the pharmaceutical industry.
September 16, 2020
The annual event, which convenes thousands of independent community pharmacies, moves to an immersive virtual environment on AmerisourceBergenLive.com
September 15, 2020
AmerisourceBergen and Good Neighbor Pharmacy (GNP) kicked off the first virtual ThoughtSpot, GNP’s annual independent community pharmacy conference and trade show.


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Following the collapse of THQ, it was rumored that Take-Two Interactive had picked up the rights to the WWE game license, and that is indeed what happened. The five-year agreement will see its first title, WWE 2K14, later this fall according to ESPN.
"As we look at the next-gen systems coming out, whether that’s this holiday or next holiday, we want to make sure we align our property with who we thought would be a leader going forward on these next-gen systems," said WWE VP of consumer products Casey Collins. Development of this first game will be handled by Yuke's (you knew this was coming) and Take-Two's Visual Concepts.
“What we're going to do moving forward is meld Yukes with the team at Visual Concepts, so we can have the best of both worlds," explained Collins. "Having Yukes' experience and then getting the Visual Concepts guys on board with them, we think this is going to be a dynamic duo. The THQ Fight Team is also being brought over, and they'll report directly to Visual Concepts. Their experience in the marketing, their experience in the development, their experience with our franchise for years ... we thought that it was very valuable to keep that continuity."
|5:45 PM on 05.13.2013|
Take-Two schedules WWE 2K14 for late October
Last we heard, Take-Two Interactive had signed an exclusive multi-year agreement to publish games based on the license in the wake of THQ, starting with WWE 2K14. This PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title was given a release date...more
|8:00 PM on 01.11.2013|
Review: Fire Pro Wrestling
The original Fire Pro Wrestling was a game specifically for the hardcore fans of pro wrestling. I'm not talking about the male soap-opera that is WWE, but a more brutal version such as some of the Japanese wrestling circuits ...more
|7:00 AM on 12.21.2012|
Pro Wrestling X: Uprising makes a surprise release
Pro Wrestling X has been a distant dream for Dave Wishnowski, the independent game developer who wanted more out of his wrestling videogame experience than what the big-budget titles were offering. Inspired by games like AKI'...more
|9:00 AM on 11.03.2012|
Review: WWE '13
Ah, annual sports iterations. Many of us await them with open arms year after year, and the rest yawn in disapproval. After the massive overhaul with the Predator Technology engine in WWE '12, fans were asking, "What's next?"...more


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A Manchester based shop worker and care worker are among the final four in a competition to find Britain’s Ultimate Unsung Hero of the pandemic.
Shop worker John Wozniak, 25, and elderly care worker Paula Cortés Roig, 25, both from Altrincham, could win £2,000 when the winner is announced at the end of October.
Mr Wozniak, who generously guided elderly customers around supermarkets during the height of the pandemic, said: “I’m still surprised that I was nominated to be honest. Who could have guessed?
“These months have been like a rollercoaster and having a job where I can still help others and be part of my community has been great.
“I can’t wait to do better and, hopefully, win the competition. That way I could treat myself and my girl for the hard work we’ve done!”
Ms Roig, a fifth-year medical student and care worker, said: “I am really excited for this nomination!
“I think it’s good that people working for and against this situation receive some recognition.
“I have had ups and downs during this period but I’m ready to carry on and do everything I can to the best of my ability, and of course, keep learning from it.”
The competition, organised by toiletries giant Right Guard, comes as research by them reveals attitudes towards key workers, such as binmen and delivery drivers, have changed dramatically.
A survey of more than 2,000 adults found that two-thirds of people now have more appreciation for essential shop workers and delivery drivers, while more than half feel the same for postmen and bin men.
The competition was launched to highlight and support those who worked tirelessly during these unforeseen circumstances.
Oliver Ramirez, Brand Manager at Right Guard, said: “We wanted to find and celebrate everyday kinds of heroes, who just have no idea how much they are appreciated by those around them; those who have truly gone above and beyond to make life easier for others.
“This peer-nomination campaign was about showing and inspiring kindness.
“We’re really excited to show our appreciation to Right Guard and Britain’s Ultimate Unsung Hero!”


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The athletic apparel retailer also boosts site visits by 50% using customer analytics platform AgilOne.
Compaq is nearing the end of a test of 3-D views of merchandise at Compaq.com and getting ready to roll the merchandising technology out to 40 other products.
Compaq Computer Corp. is nearing the end of a test of 3-D views of merchandise at Compaq.com and getting ready to roll the merchandising technology out to other products, Compaq executives tell Internet Retailer.
“This is our entry point into developing a great user experience,” says Patrick Vogt, vice president for the e-business group of North America. “The customer can look at the product and get a much better understanding of it.”
The 3-D view is deep in the site now as Compaq tests the technology from Viewpoint Corp. But Vogt says Compaq expects to start highlighting the 3-D feature within two weeks. Forty products will support 3-D demos within a few months, he says.
Compaq’s web strategy is to support re-sellers and other partners so it plans to make the merchandising technology available to other sites that feature Compaq products, including alliance partners, portals with which Compaq has marketing agreements as well as corporate extranets that big customers use to buy Compaq products.


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Uber celebrates 10 years down under by recognising the people powering the platform
We are celebrating 10 years in Australia, what better way to do so than to take a moment and recognise the people who create the magic that is Uber – the legendary drivers, delivery people and restaurant partners!
Today at a special event in Sydney’s Centennial Park hosted by 2GB radio personality Ben Fordham, Uber handed out awards to some of the most dedicated earners who have been with us on our journey.
Twelve earners and merchants have been recognised across a range of categories – from highest rated to longest tenure with the platform – with many having flown into town for the celebration. Each award winner received a $5,000 honorarium in recognition of their achievements. Read on to learn more about each of our Uber Legends!
Uber – Rides
One Uber – Longest Tenure on the Platform
Winner: Faheem R. (NSW)
Faheem has been driving with Uber since our earliest days in Australia; he was hooked from the beginning! He was one of the very first drivers on our platform and has never looked back! Uber also runs in his family; his son is a delivery partner while he studies business commerce and law at uni.
Going the Distance – Most Completed Trips
Winner: Daryl M. (QLD)
Daryl has completed nearly 50,000 trips over the past seven years – that’s an average of 19 rides each day! Daryl loves the flexibility of driving for Uber and enjoys meeting people and having a chat as he gets them from A to B.
Trip Obsessed – Highest Ratings
Winners: Huss E. (NSW) and Catia F. (VIC)
Huss has completed more than 33,000 trips, and Catia more than 15,000 – and they’ve managed to keep a sterling 5-star rating throughout it all! Riders regularly share glowing reviews about Huss, including “the greatest of all time” (an Uber-GOAT!). In addition to providing her signature perfect service, Catia has started her own clothing label and serves as a mentor to other female drivers on the Uber platform. Where does she find the time!
Build with Heart – Community Hero
Winner: Ross Bridgman (QLD)
Ross was a pilot until he was unexpectedly made redundant during the pandemic. During this time, he started driving and made some amazing connections. By chatting to riders, he helped people find housing, job opportunities, and more. Since then, he started his own charity to help those facing homelessness and housing issues. Moreover, he donates the majority of his earnings to his charity and has helped many people in QLD find accommodation, get access to food, pay for housing deposits, groceries, just to name a few good deeds! He says Uber opened his eyes to what’s going on in the world and how fortunate he really is. We say, Ross, you’re an inspiration and a hero in your community!
One Uber – Longest Tenure
Winner: Yatinder R. (VIC)
From Melbourne, Yatinder has been delivering with Uber Eats since its very first day in Australia! Exploring the streets of the Victorian capital with hot deliveries in tow, Yatinder looks as though he has no plans of slowing down.
Six Stars – Highest Rated
Winners: Cameron T. (QLD) and Lina C. (NSW)
Cameron started driving with Uber the day after it launched in Hervey Bay – an arrival he played a part in making happen after lobbying the company to expand to his hometown. He also helped arrange local news coverage to make the case for Uber. Now, he delivers with Uber Eats when he’s not hosting his own show on Triple M each Saturday. Lina started delivering with Uber Eats when she heard how her friends loved the service. During the pandemic, it was a great way for her to earn consistently amid an uncertain time – and she continued to drive when she went back to uni. Both Cam and Lina maintain a 5-star rating having completed more than 13,000 and 6,500 deliveries, respectively. Now that’s impressive!
Michelin Mover – Most Completed Deliveries
Winner: Pintu P. (WA)
Pintu is a diamond-tier delivery partner and has completed more than 40,000 deliveries – now that’s a lot of food! He has been on-the-go across Perth since joining the platform in 2018, making sure people across the city never go hungry or wanting for their favourite eats, a real West Coast MVP.
Golden Spoon – Most Orders
Winner: The Italian Bowl (NSW)
Run by Jenny and Alex, this family-owned fan-favourite is a staple on the Newtown foodie scene. They were early adopters of Uber Eats for delivery and have been keeping the local community fed and happy since joining the platform in 2016. They’ve also won a number of awards, including “Best Australian Restaurant” at the Precedent Champion Awards 2022. It’s no wonder Sydneysiders cannot get enough of The Italian Bowl!
Restaurant Royale – Longest time on the Platform
Winner: Shizuku Ramen (VIC)
Shizuku Ramen has been on the Uber Eats platform from day one in 2016. The restaurant owner, David, loves online food delivery because it gives him the opportunity to reach all new customers thanks to the scale of the Uber Eats platform.
Hunger Hero – Most Frequently Ordered Item
Winner: Kebab Connection (VIC)
Nestled in northern Melbourne, Kebab Connection has made a name for itself as a local favourite, specifically for the fan-favourite Halal Snack Pack. The restaurant is loved by eaters for their authentic Turkish cuisine: gozleme, kebabes, pide – and of course Turkish cookies and mini brownies!
Huge congratulations to all of our Uber Legends! Thank you for all you’ve done over the past decade to make Uber such a success. Here’s to the next 10 years!


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This year, WLAN vendors have been heavily selling the idea of using their equipment for voice. It's an interesting idea, and has obvious paybacks. Workers away from their desk use expensive cellphone minutes, sometimes to talk to people in the same building. If the company had an in-building wireless LAN, these calls could be routed over "free" bandwidth, to their recipient, or onto the switched telephone network.
The drawbacks emerged pretty quickly:
- The bandwidth might be free but the handsets aren't, as they (effectively) are with cell services. It takes a lot of voice-call savings to offset the cost of buying a Wi-Fi SIP phone costing more than £250.
- Voice on Wi-Fi means a separate handset, which users will find an inconvenience.
- Wi-Fi handsets are as yet not very good. There appears to be only one significant player, Spectralink, and its products have a short talk-time and low battery life, and tend to be bulky.
- Quality of service is still sub-standard or non-standard at best on Wi-Fi networks, although the standards to support quality are evolving within the 802.11 family.
- Handoffs between different access points on a wireless LAN can be slow, so that voice calls will be interrupted.
Aruba promises security
"Voice over wireless LAN is becoming more important to the enterprise," said Keerti Melkote, vice president of product management of Aruba, launching an upgrade which attempts to push two Wi-Fi hot buttons at once - adding security to voice over WLAN.
Aruba has always emphasised security, and this upgrade is designed to make it more secure. The problem, as he sees it, is that Wi-Fi handsets from the likes of Spectralink have, along with their usability issues, problems of security, because they are simply not up-to-date with wireless security procedures.
"These handsets still use WEP and public ESSID," said Melkote. "They authenticate by MAC and that can be spoofed or stolen." What Aruba has done is allowed its switches to classify voice flows, which use SIP or Spectralink's SVP protocols. So, if a device claims to be a voice phone, it can be restricted to carrying voice traffic. This prevents laptops from spoofing their way into corporate data applications by pretending to be phones.
Other devices such as genuine corporate laptops, will have WPA authentication, and can be allowed to use the rest of the resources on the network, as well as voice, but even these will benefit from voice flow classification, he said, since it can prioritise different flows from a single client. This means that email or data applications won't cause delays to voice calls.
Aruba claims to offer a 10ms hand-off between access points on the same wireless switch, and a 25ms handoff between access points on different switches, which is good enough for voice calls roaming within a WLAN.
But all these features, he had to admit, are not getting much use yet. "There's been a lot of hype around voice on wi-Fi," said Melkote. Is anyone using it? "Enterprises want to see it on the roadmap," he said, which we translate to mean that people want to know it is possible, for the future, rather than needing it now.
Airespace pays "lip service"
This sentiment was echoed by Wi-Fi voice "veteran" Airespace: "Vendors have to pay lip service to voice on Wi-Fi," said Jeff Aaron, Airespace's senior marketing manager. The company has been doing more lipservice than most, selling Wi-Fi voice actively since at least the middle of 2003.
However, the company admits it has so far sold very few systems specifically for voice. The technology is so far let down by the poor handsets, the lack of integration with cellphones, the lack of quality of service standards and other factors, said Aaron. "Users are waiting for the second or third handset manufacturer," said Aaron.
So far, Airespace has sold systems with voice on Wi-Fi, but these have tended to be in the Us, and in specialised areas, paricularly healthcare. In hospitals, cellphones are banned, and there are a lot of highly valuable highly mobile staff, so it is worth while ironing out the problems for specific users. Many of the healthcare installations use active badges from Vocera, to replace pagers, instead of using Wi-Fi phones, said Aaron.
In Europe, IT managers are hopeful, apparently: "All the customers we are speaking to say Wi-Fi will be the replacement for DECT [the cordless digital voice standard]," said the European head of Airespace, Marcel Dridje. However, he admitted that Airespace's Wi-Fi deployments in Europe don't have voice, except as a future option. "It's on the planning horizon," he said.
Nortel shows just how immature Vo-Fi is
It fell to voice provider Nortel to expose the "immaturity" of Vo-Fi. "People choose a Wi-Fi infrastructure that is capable of supporting VoIP," said marketing leader Peter Finter, well known to Techworld as the man who explained how Nortel itself
saved $22 million on voice over Wi-Fi. But users aren't actually doing it yet, he admitted. "If something is possible it probably will happen. No-one wants to be caught out, and different technologies have different deployment times and investment cycles."
DECT is still going to be around for a long while, explained Finter. Nortel sold 40,000 DECT handsets in Europe last year, and demand remains strong. As Airespace's Dridje points out, DECT has quality of service.
"We think mobile handsets could be the deciding factor," said Finter, presenting an optimistic view of the state of the art for Wi-Fi SIP phones. In a moment of unintentional humour, he promised that Wi-Fi voice equipment was becoming more practical, and DECT-like.
Nortel itself is getting into the market for voice over Wi-Fi handsets, he said, as part of its deal with Airespace announced earlier this year. Showing a new Nortel Vo-Fi phone, he explained that it is a great improvement and almost DECT-like in its performance.
How DECT-like? Well, there's an executive version, he explained, which is the same size as a DECT phone (ie bigger than a normal cellphone). The battery life is improving, he explained. IT now has a battery life - and this is battery life, not talk time - of three hours.
So not only does voice over Wi-Fi still require a separate handset, it is one which has to be recharged several times a day. It is no wonder that IT managers are not rushing to implement this technology right away.
What do you think? How important is wireless roaming between GPRS and Wi-Fi. And what else do you need to do wireless voice? Join our Forum and tell us.


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Daily deals site Groupon says that travel is its fastest growing business category, and today it is launching a new mobile app that it hopes will help it capitalize on that more. Getaways by Groupon, a free app for iOS and Android, bypasses Groupon’s wider focus on local merchant deals to focus only on travel packages and hotels (25,000 offers listed right now), similar to the Groupon site of the same name. Getaways squarely puts Groupon up against the likes of Hotel Tonight, Kayak, TripIt and others that help smartphone users plan trips.
Much like Mark Zuckerberg’s argument for why Facebook built a standalone Messenger app, there are extra features built into the Getaways app over time that you can’t get elsewhere. But for those who can’t face the idea of downloading yet another app, Groupon’ says they’ll still be able to see travel offers in the main Groupon app, too.
“Travel will still remain an integral part of the main Groupon app,” says Simon Goodall, VP/GM, Groupon Getaways.
All the same, Groupon’s trying to push more people to its Getaways app. Those who download it and book a trip through it can get a 20% discount until November 14 if they use the APP20 promotion code.
And it will have some extra features, too, including the ability to Browse by theme, perform map-based searches, a set to flash travel sales with up-to-60-percent-off discounts; and editorially selected “market picks” based on “quality and value” that give people Groupon Bucks to use for other Groupon purchases.
The Getaways mobile app, like many of Groupon’s newest products, will be available initially in North America only. In this case, though, Europe was actually an early mover for Groupon’s travel strategy: Getaways will sit alongside Blink, a European app that Groupon acquired last year when it purchased the Madrid, Spain startup of the same name.
“Like most of our launches, we’re making this available first in the United States and Canada,” says Goodall. “The plan [is] to expand it internationally, over time.”
As Groupon continues to build out its portfolio of services taking people beyond its original premise of email-delivered daily deals, it’s not surprising to see that its latest product is a mobile app, and one focused on travel.
Simon Goodall, VP/GM, Groupon Getaways, says that in the year between Q3 2013 and Q3 2014, Groupon had over $908 million in gross travel billings, just under 13% of all of Groupon’s total gross billings in that period. That represented growth of 69% between Q3 2014 and Q3 2014. He also notes that “hotel” is also one of the most popular search terms on Groupon.com and the Groupon mobile app.
At the same time there is room to improve how well travel is performing.
In that same period, the gross margins on travel purchases were 16.2%, versus margins of 20.4% across the whole Groupon’s business. Given the lukewarm response from Wall Street to Groupon’s quarterly earnings last week (which beat expectations), there still seems to be a feeling inside and outside that company that it should be doing better.
To that end, Groupon has been pushing hard on mobile services and mobile apps.
The company noted in its Q3 earnings that it’s passed the 100 million download mark for mobile apps, and that half of its sales come from these apps. Like other platform companies like Facebook, LinkedIn and Amazon, Groupon has been trying to tap into this by launching more, and more vertically-focused mobile apps to sit alongside its main Groupon app. Recent efforts include its new Snap coupon app, Ideel for flash fashion sales, and Breadcrumb for eating establishments to offer mobile payments.
One thing that is not getting wrapped into Getaways will be Groupon’s assets from SideTour, an activity app that connects consumers with bespoke events and other things to do.
But users will be able to get discounts on events when they do book travel-related deals on the platform. “The app is focused on hotels and travel packages,” Goodall says. “By creating a dedicated and focused experience around travel, we can help people find exactly what they’re looking for or inspire them to go somewhere. While traveling customers our customers are encouraged to use the Groupon App to find great things to do, places to eat and more. If they buy one of our thousands of market picks hotels they’ll be able to use their 5% back in Groupon Bucks through that app while on their trip.”


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Is it just us or is Drake in hot pursuit of global domination this year? First, he surprised and delighted us all by releasing a breezy dance album out into the world back in June, and now Drizzy has announced that he will be continuing his partnership with Nike on a new Nocta collection that is focused on basketball.
For those not familiar with the label, Nocta (named after Champagne Papi’s “nocturnal creative process”) was launched in 2020 in an unprecedented move from Nike. We’ve seen the mega sports brand partner up with fashion labels and rappers in the past, but it was the first time in the brand’s history that they gave a musician their own sub-label with its very own name. Of course for Drake, it was a huge honour: “I always felt like there was an opportunity for Nike to embrace an entertainer in the same way they had athletes” he penned on the Nike website on announcement day.
The clothing line nods to sport, but is rooted and inspired by city dwellers who are on the go and want functional, comfortable and elevated everyday essentials. Over the last two years there has been a golf-inspired collection and various shoe drops including the highly coveted Nocta Hot Air Step Terra, but this upcoming basketball line could outdo them all where hype is concerned..
After all, Drake is passionate about the sport – having been a die-hard Toronto Raptor fan since he was young and spending most of his down time hooping in his OVO-themed home gym. That genuine investment in it should produce a strong line-up of clothes. And even though it’s early days, we do know that the assemblage will feature performance-focused pieces such as hoodies, tees, shorts and socks. As expected, many of the items will feature Nocta text and Nike’s Swoosh logos, and feature a team-inspired phrase:“Sometimes You. Sometimes Me. Always Us”, in reference to the brand’s solidarity with collectives and creative communities, but also just the sort of lyric you’d expect to hear on one of the chart-topping artist's albums.
Even though we’re still waiting for a final release date, we can already predict that it’ll be a slam dunkin’ success. But in the meantime, what industry do we think he’ll try to crack next?


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The headlines of Auto Motor Buzz
The abc of MotoGP Hospitality
MotoGP Vip Village dress code, Pit walk lane and much more
Repsol Honda Team 2017 racing effort
Repsol Honda Team 2017 racing effort Jakarta (Indonesia), 3 February 2017 – Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa today unveiled the 2017 Repsol Honda Team racing effort to the...
Marquez Pedrosa ready for 2017 MotoGP Title
Seventy-four days after the Repsol Honda Team ended their successful 2016 campaign in Valencia, reigning MotoGP World Champion Marc Marquez and teammate Dani Pedrosa, Repsol...
CBR900RR Bits & Pieces
1997 Honda CBR900RR parts, but I'm buying too many online when I'd rather buy them locally. For someone who would rather support local business, I'm frustrated at the lack of...
HJC i10 Motorcycle Helmet First Look Preview
The new HJC i10 in Taze graphic. HJC has announced it will replace its long-popular CL-17 motorcycle helmet with the new i10. The i10 promises better ventilation thanks to...
FXR Meeting at Mosten MC Danmark
15 from my phone
2020 Suzuki C50, C50T, M109R B.O.S.S. First Look Preview
Suzuki's lineup of heavyweight cruisers returns for 2020 with three classic models, all with new color schemes. Suzuki returns its full-size cruiser favorites for 2020 with the...
Yoshimura 1135 R Katana by Quarter
Foto: H eritage & Legends
On the road
2020 Triumph Street Triple RS Review
2020 Triumph Street Triple RS Review: Street and Track Tested It has been a few short years since the 765cc inline-three made its debut to the public. Now, the 2020 Triumph...


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Donald Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night -- and while all eyes and ears were on him, FLOTUS stole everyone's attention in the fashion department.
Melania opted for a Michael Kors ensemble, pairing the designer's Floral-Embroidered Stretch Pebble-Crepe Dinner Jacket with the matching Floral-Embroidered Stretch Pebble-Crepe Slit Skirt. Both pieces -- if you get to them before they sell out -- would set you back a whopping $9,590.
Take a look at the outfit below:
As always, the Twitterverse had a lot to say about the first lady's style, with some saying her choice of sequins was "inappropriate" for Congress and others coming to her defense, calling her look "stunning" and "amazing."
As for first daughter Ivanka Trump, she also turned heads, in an off-the-shoulder red dress. She first debuted her look on Instagram before the address, posing with her husband, Jared Kushner.
A post shared by Ivanka Trump (@ivankatrump) on Feb 28, 2017 at 5:28pm PST


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Decline in hardwood plywood imports from tropical
US imports of hardwood plywood declined 4% in 2016
from the previous year. In 2015 plywood imports
increased 12%. A total of 3.14 million cu.m. of hardwood
plywood were imported in 2016, valued US$1.82 billion.
The value of imports was down 1% from 2015.
The decline was mainly in imports from tropical country
producers, while imports from China, Russia and Canada
China exported 1.83 million cu.m. of plywood to the US in
2016, up 2% from 2015. China¡¯s share in total US
hardwood plywood imports grew from 55% in 2015 to
58% in 2016.
Russia surpassed Indonesia in 2016 to become the secondlargest
source of US plywood imports. Imports from
Indonesia fell 35% to 321,812 cu.m., although the value of
imports decreased only 14%.
Plywood imports from Malaysia were 65,110 cu.m. in
2016, down 17% from 2015.
Imports from other countries were slightly down in 2016,
although Italy and Cambodia expanded shipments to the
US in 2016. Italy¡¯s exports were up 42%, while imports
from Cambodia increased 35% to 19,459 cu.m.
Tropical veneer imports up 14% in 2016
Tropical hardwood veneer imports were worth US$233.7
million in 2016, up 14% from the previous year. Imports
from many leading suppliers doubled from 2015,
including from Italy, India, Ghana and Cameroon.
Italy was the largest supplier of tropical veneer in 2016 at
US$15.9 million, followed by China (US$9.6 million).
India, Cote d¡¯Ivoire and Ghana each shipped over US$6
million worth of tropical veneer to the US in 2016. Veneer
imports from Cameroon doubled from 2015 to US$2.6
Higher moulding imports from Malaysia in 2016
The value of hardwood moulding imports into the US
declined for the second consecutive year. Imports were
worth US$184.8 million in 2016, down 5% from 2015.
The largest drop was in moulding imports from China,
which decreased 12% to US$57.5 million in 2016. Imports
from Brazil declined 5% to US$46.1 million.
Malaysia and Canada increased hardwood moulding
shipments from 2015. Imports from Malaysia were up 7%
and valued at US$14.4 million.
Strong growth in engineered wood flooring imports
US imports of hardwood wood flooring decreased in 2016,
while assembled flooring panel (engineered flooring)
imports were up.
Hardwood flooring imports fell 15% to US$40.5 million in
2016. The largest drop was in imports from Malaysia,
which were down almost 40% from 2015.
Imports from Malaysia were worth US$6.3 million in
2016, compared to US$9.1 million from Indonesia and
US$9.7 million from China.
Imports from Indonesia were also lower than in 2015,
while China¡¯s shipments grew 11%.
Engineered flooring imports were worth US$164.6 million
in 2016, up 21% from 2015. Imports from China were up
25%, and China accounted for 46% of US assembled
Most other suppliers also benefited from higher US
imports in this wood flooring category. Assembled
flooring imports from Indonesia increased 21% to US$8.1
million in 2016.
Record high 2016 wooden furniture imports but
exports from Malaysia and Indonesia slip
US wood furniture imports reached a new record high in
2016. Wooden furniture imports were worth US$16.71
billion, up 3% from 2015.
Imports from all major suppliers increased except
Malaysia and Indonesia. Furniture imports from Malaysia
grew strongly in 2015, but declined 5% in 2016 to
US$673.3 million. Imports from Indonesia were down 9%
China¡¯s share in total imports decreased again this year to
46.8%, while Vietnam¡¯s share grew to 19.1%. Malaysia¡¯s
share in total imports was with 3.8% the same as two years
Wooden furniture imports from China increased 2% to
US$7.82 billion in 2016.
Imports from Vietnam were worth US$3.19 billion (+6%),
but strongest year-over-year growth was in imports from
Canada, Mexico and India. Furniture imports from India
amounted to US$232.4 million in 2016.
Furniture and wood product manufacturing activity
down in January
Real GDP increased at an annual rate of 1.9% in the fourth
quarter of 2016, according to the first estimate released by
the US Department of Commerce. In the third quarter, the
GDP increased 3.5%. Stronger residential and nonresidential
construction contributed to GDP growth in the
The unemployment rate was almost unchanged in January
at 4.8%, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Employment in construction rose in January, following
little change in December.
Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in
January and the overall economy grew for the 92nd
consecutive month, according to the Institute of Supply
Management. Furniture and related products
manufacturing shrank for a second consecutive month in
January. Wood product manufacturers also reported lower
activity than in December.
Consumer confidence retreated in February but remained
positive on average, according to the University of
Michigan consumer confidence index. There is a risk of a
consumer spending decline because almost one third of the
households surveyed held very unfavourable views of
economic policies under the Trump administration.
In related news department store chain JCPenney said it
will close 130 to 140 stores and sever distribution
operations at two facilities to better align its store and
online operations and better compete with online players.
In addition to the stores, JCPenney will close its Lakeland,
Fla., distribution center in early June and is selling its
supply chain facility in Buena Park, Calif.
Housing market strong at start of 2017
Residential home construction declined almost 3% in
January to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.246
million units, according to the US Department of Housing
and Urban Development and the Commerce Department.
Single-family starts were up 2%, while multi-family
declined after an unusually high level in December.
Builders¡¯ confidence in the market for new single-family
homes decreased in February, but builders remained
The main challenges for home builders remain the same as
last year, labour availability and a shortage of building lots
according to the National Home Builder Association.
The association expects continued growth in home
construction this year due to strong demand.
The number of building permits issues, which indicates
future building activity, increased 5% in January from the
previous month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate.
Single-family permits declined.
Sales of existing homes sales increased in January to the
fastest pace in almost a decade, according to the National
Association of Realtors. January¡¯s sales were 4% higher
than a year ago despite rising interest rates. However,
affordability is deteriorating with the median home price
over 7% higher than a year ago.


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Hey guys, wow have these times have been pretty strange. They are about to get a lot weirder.
Looks like Telecoms want Apple and Google to pay them for the data we’re using. They say that it’s their fault for making phones that are data-intensive.
This is the biggest load of garbage that I’ve heard in a long time. Telecoms make billions of dollars every quarter and only use a small amount to upgrade their networks.
They should be happy that we love these new “super smartphones” (quoted by Steve Jobs) and are going on their networks at such a huge rate.
Be assured that if they get their way, prices of phones will skyrocket and we STILL won’t get unlimited plans, AND ON TOP OF THAT, we will have to pay the same per month.
Here’s what Bloomberg had to say:
As mobile and Web companies add videos, music and games, operators including France Telecom SA, Telecom Italia SpA and Vodafone Group Plc want a new deal that would require content providers like Apple and Google to pay fees linked to usage.
“Service providers are flooding networks with no incentive” to cut costs, France Telecom Chief Executive Officer Stephane Richard said last month. “It’s necessary to put in place a system of payments by service providers as a function of their use.”
Then apple and google may not give them the iPhone and g1 then lol


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Following the success of his book, Born A Crime, Trevor Noah has now released a children’s version of the book.
Born A Crime was an instant hit following its release in 2016, making it onto the New York Times bestsellers list.
Trevor announced the exciting news on Instagram.
“Excited to announce that @randomhousekids have adapted my book for younger readers!” he wrote.
He went on to say that the book is available for order online.
“IT’S TREVOR NOAH: BORN A CRIME, is out TODAY! You can order it online.”


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There have been a number of bugs and crashes plaguing No Man’s Sky since it launched, and now Hello Games has provided an official update on how they are actively working to fix reported issues. Hello Games studio head Sean Murray posted an update on the No Man’s Sky website in which he directly addressed the various issues that have been reported by players and what the studio is doing to fix them.
Starting next week, a new ticket-based support system will be implemented, and Hello Games has also hired an additional QA team which is being added onto the current Sony-provided QA team that the studio already has. Within the post, Murray also provides some workarounds players can try in the meantime while Hello Games works on more permanent fixes.
One such workaround is for the infamous pre-order ship bug which recently popped up, a bug that can inexplicably strand players if they redeem their pre-order bonus ship too early and thus miss out on acquiring the blueprint to craft hyperdrive upgrades.
Source: No Man's Sky
For more on the latest Indie Obscura coverage, be sure to read our guide on how to fix Pokemon GO’s recent No Pokestops glitch, learn more about the No Man’s Sky pre-order bug and what pre-order players should do while Hello Games works on a solution. If you’re looking for fun new games to play, check out the new teaser trailer for Tarsier Studio’s indie survival horror game Little Monsters.


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The most luxurious McLaren ever to have been built - McLaren 570GT
The new McLaren 570GT is the most luxurious McLaren supercar ever to have been built, being one of the most expensive as well.
The new exclusive McLaren 570GT is the first car the automaker has ever with vanity mirrors, a glovebox and twice the number of windscreen wipers than ever before.
McLaren have taken the sublime 570S and added elements of luxury, comfort and usability. Probably the most obvious change is the new roofline and rear window that have had a dramatic impact on how the car looks from the profile and rear view. The car is much smoother and elegant to look at than the more aggressive and sporty 570S.
In typical McLaren style, it is not just a car of form with no function. The party trick of the 570GT is its new “kerbside loading” access window allowing access to a beautifully finished rear “Touring Deck” that can store ample luggage – 220 liters. The leather and fabrics on offer are of the highest quality. McLaren have created five special trim options that are expected to have a 60% uptake from customers.
The changes really have been thought over and McLaren really are hoping to appeal to a new audience.
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TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NEO is proud to welcome Trees Corporation (“Trees” or the “Company”), a premier Canadian cannabis retailer, as they list today on the NEO Exchange. Trees is now available for trading on NEO under the symbol TREE.
Deeply rooted in the cannabis community, and serving as a respected voice of advocacy for cannabis legalization, there are ten Trees branded storefronts in Canada, including six stores owned and operated in Ontario by Trees, and four additional stores operated by 1015712 B.C. Ltd (“101”) in British Columbia.
Through its trusted reputation, history, and passion for the ‘plant,’ Trees has set out to provide a differentiated and authentic consumer experience, unlike any other.
“We expect 2022 to be an exciting year, beginning with this public listing milestone and followed by a growth strategy aimed at securing Trees as a leading national cannabis retailer with a highly differentiated approach to serving the needs of cannabis consumers across the user profile spectrum,” stated Jon Conquergood, CEO of Trees.
“We are excited to be partnered with the NEO Exchange and we believe through its innovative and respected exchange platform, we will gain wider exposure to the investor community in both Canada and the U.S.,” added Jeff Holmgren, CFO. “Investors in this segment have become increasingly discerning and we believe Trees will demonstrate – through sound execution and prudent management – an ability to grow and achieve scale by capitalizing on the extensive and accretive growth opportunities prevalent in the market today.”
Today, Trees becomes the first company to make its public markets debut on the NEO Exchange in 2022, and joins NEO’s growing list of cannabis issuers. Investors can trade shares of Trees (NEO:TREE) through their usual investment channels, including discount brokerage platforms and full-service dealers.
“It’s a happy coincidence that our very first launch of the new year is for a cannabis company,” commented Jos Schmitt, President and CEO of NEO. “It’s an industry that was foundational to NEO’s success from the early days of our corporate listings business, along with fintech and biotech, and one which continues to grow as we expand across all verticals of the Innovation Economy including strategic minerals, cleantech, DeFi, and more. We are thrilled to welcome Trees to our roster of quality issuers and look forward to delivering tangible results and serving as a catalyst for their continued success.”
The NEO Exchange is home to almost 200 unique listings, including some of the most innovative Canadian and international growth companies, and ETFs from Canada’s largest ETF issuers. NEO consistently facilitates close to 15% of all Canadian trading volume. Click here for a complete view of all NEO-listed securities.
About the NEO Exchange
The NEO Exchange is Canada’s Tier 1 stock exchange for the innovation economy, bringing together investors and capital raisers within a fair, liquid, efficient, and service-oriented environment. Fully operational since June 2015, NEO puts investors first and provides access to trading across all Canadian-listed securities on a level playing field. NEO lists companies and investment products seeking an internationally recognized stock exchange that enables investor trust, quality liquidity, and broad awareness including unfettered access to market data.
About Trees Corporation
Trees is an independent retail cannabis operator that is deeply rooted in the cannabis community and has been a respected voice of advocacy for cannabis legalization. Through its trusted reputation, history and passion for the ‘plant’, Trees delivers a unique and authentic consumer experience with 10 Trees branded storefronts in Canada, including six stores owned and operated in Ontario by Trees and four additional stores operated by 1015712 B.C. Ltd. (“101”) in British Columbia. Trees has agreed to purchase the assets of 101 pursuant to the terms of the second amended and restated asset purchase agreement (the “101 Purchase Agreement”) entered into between Trees and 101. The closing of the transactions contemplated by the 101 Purchase Agreement is subject to certain conditions precedent, including the receipt of certain licensing approvals and related regulatory consents.


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The heartwarming scene at the Enchanted Village on Sunday was fit for a holiday movie: children singing holiday songs and squealing when it began to snow, grandparents lighting up from the iconic Christmas display, and families posing for photos following a trip on the Polar Express. It wasn’t happening on a Hollywood set; it was happening in the Jordan’s Furniture warehouse in Avon.
The heartwarming scene at the Enchanted Village on Sunday was fit for a holiday movie: children singing holiday songs and squealing when it began to snow, grandparents lighting up from the iconic Christmas display, and families posing for photos following a trip on the Polar Express.
It wasn’t happening on a Hollywood set; it was happening in a furniture store warehouse.
Eliot Tatelman, president and CEO of Jordan’s Furniture, fondly remembers visiting the Enchanted Village display in Boston’s Downtown Crossing when he was growing up in the 1960s. When the display was put up for auction in 2009, he jumped at the opportunity to feature the New England staple at the Jordan’s store in Avon.
“When we bought the Enchanted Village, we refurbished all of the displays, and it was all Jordan’s employees that did it,” Tatelman said. “It was really a labor of love, and I’m very proud.”
Upon entering the Enchanted Village at Jordan’s Furniture, families pass through the original Victorian-era display, complete with singing animated figures in yuletide scenes.
Manmade snow periodically showers guests. It’s made of a secret Jordan’s Furniture concoction.
“We see generations of families coming in together – children, parents, grandparents,” Heather Copelas of Jordan’s Furniture said. “Each generation gets to enjoy and share the experience together.”
The Enchanted Village is in its fifth year at Jordan’s Furniture. Jordan’s has added a 4,000-square-foot, room-temperature indoor ice skating rink, complete with theatrical lighting and holiday music.
Families can go on the Polar Express 4-D ride, which features 3-D images of the film accompanied by weather effects, and view “LITE,” a laser and music show including holiday songs and characters.
Guests can also pose for a photo with Santa Claus and enjoy a variety of refreshments, including the famous Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins.
The Enchanted Village will be open through Jan. 5. The hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Admission to the Enchanted Village is free.
Tickets for the Polar Express 4-D ride are $6, “LITE” show tickets cost $5, and Enchanted Ice skating tickets cost $5 and include skate rentals.
“It’s become a holiday tradition for families,” Tatelman said. “It’s not just an enchanted village, it’s an enchanted experience.”
Mary Pavlu may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org.
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BL Research Bureau
When the RBI doled out as many as 11 payments bank licenses four years ago, it intended to widen financial inclusion and ride on low-cost digital payment systems to chip away at the physical cash transactions. But with only 6 out of the originally 11 intended players operational currently — few had dropped off within months of being granted licenses — the initial hype around RBI’s payments bank licenses has quickly fizzled out.
Airtel Payments Bank, Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank, Fino Payments Bank, India Post Payments Bank, Jio Payments Bank, NSDL Payments Bank and Paytm Payments Bank — were the seven players operational until recently. With Aditya Birla Payments Bank, announcing its decision to shut operations in July, the tally is down to six.
Of these, only three have seen active transactions going by RBI’s statistics on mobile and NEFT transactions — Airtel Payments Bank, Fino Payments Bank and Paytm Payments Bank. India Post Payments Bank is also evaluating options on how to convert to a small finance bank (SFB).
Why have the Indian payments banks failed to live up to the initial expectations?
It appears that limited revenue streams, challenging business model and small margins have made it difficult for payments banks to carry on viable operations.
According to the RBI’s report on ‘Trend and progress of banking in India 2017-18’, payments banks continued to incur losses in 2017-18 (after a weak performance in 2016-17). From a net loss of ₹242 crore in FY17, losses climbed to ₹516 crore in FY18. High operating expenses and weak revenues led to the losses.
Also, other liabilities (such as unspent balances in prepaid payment instruments) of the payments banks in operation then accounted for more than half of their balance sheets. The share of deposits, while inching higher, was still low at 9 per cent (of total balance sheet) in 2017-18.
The aggregated numbers for FY19 are not yet disclosed.
But the still weak performance of Airtel Payments Bank — as disclosed in the Bharti Airtel’s subsidiary statements — suggest that pain still continues for these players.
In 2018-19, Airtel Payments Bank has incurred a loss of ₹338 crore, as against a loss of ₹272 crore in 2017-18. The payments bank had earned an income of ₹254 crore in 2018-19, but bore expenses to the tune of ₹593 crore, which led to losses. Deposits have fallen to ₹270 crore in 2018-19, from ₹290 crore in the previous year.
Paytm Payments Bank, however, managed to report a ₹19 crore profit for the fiscal 2018-19, the first payments bank in India to make a profit.
To be fair, payments banks are challenged by their underlying business model. Unlike traditional banks that lend money raised from deposits, payments banks have little scope to earn good margins.
For starters, payments banks cannot engage in any lending activity. Their income comprises mostly of interest from investments in safe government securities and fee income, that they can earn by distributing simple financial products such as mutual funds and insurance.
Such niche banks can provide payment and remittance services through various channels and can issue debit cards. But these banks cannot lend money.
As per the RBI guidelines, payments banks are allowed to take deposits only up to ₹1 lakh per account. They also need to invest 75 per cent of their deposits in government securities with maturity up to one year and the balance 25 per cent can be parked with commercial banks.
In the recent 3-4 years, the yield on one-year G-Sec has been in the 7-8 per cent range. But in the past few months, the yield on one-year G Sec has fallen sharply, and is at 5.6 per cent currently. This will only squeeze payments banks’ wafer-thin margins further.
To compete with traditional banks, payments banks will have to offer attractive interest rates on deposits. Most banks offer 3.5 per cent for their low-value savings deposits (for deposits up to ₹25-50 lakh). But, few private banks such as YES Bank, Kotak and IndusInd Bank offer 4-5 per cent for deposits up to ₹1 lakh and a higher 5.5-6 per cent for higher value deposits (up to ₹1 crore).
Some of the small finance banks also vying for the deposits pie have been offering higher rates of 5-6 per cent.
Hence payments banks have to offer aggressive rates to woo customers. But given the yield on G-Sec, offering higher rates on deposits may lead to margin erosion.
Many players have thus not been able to offer more than 4 per cent interest on deposits. About three years ago, Airtel Payments set the rate on its savings deposits at 7.25 per cent. This had meant the bank incurring a loss on each deposit, which it could not absorb for long. The interest rate the bank offers now is 4 per cent.
Paytm Payments Bank also offers 4 per cent.
To address the issue of cap on the amount of deposits, Fino Payments has tied up with Suryoday Small Finance Bank, offering a sweep facility. The excess over ₹1 lakh deposit is transferred into Suryoday account.
Here, Fino Payments also offers a higher rate on deposits, 6.25 per cent up to ₹1 lakh and 7.25 per cent above that.
Coming up with such innovative offers and tie-ups can help these banks. Pushing third-party products — such as offering credit, insurance and investment products — can also become alternate sources of revenue.
However, with traditional banks investing heavily on digital initiatives and offering mobile banking services and technology such as unified payments system enabling cheaper transactions, customer acquisition will remain a big challenge for payments banks. The underlying weak business model only makes it more challenging for these players to compete with traditional banks.


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Net profit rose to Rs2,384.67 crore in the June quarter from Rs2,166.09 crore a year earlier; higher taxes, bigger pictoral warnings on cigarette packs hurt sales
Kolkata: ITC Ltd, India’s largest tobacco firm, on Thursday posted a first-quarter profit increase of 10.1%, missing analyst estimates, as higher taxes and measures such as bigger graphic warnings on cigarette packets hurt sales.
Net profit rose to ₹ 2,384.67 crore in the three months ended 30 June from ₹ 2,166.09 crore a year earlier, the Kolkata-based firm said on Thursday. ITC had been expected to report a profit of ₹ 2,485.3 crore, based on a Bloomberg poll of 23 analysts. Revenue, net of excise duty, rose 9.76% to ₹ 10,054.04 crore from ₹ 9,160.2 crore.
The government raised taxes on tobacco in its February budget. It asked cigarette makers to carry bigger graphic warnings on packets to discourage smoking, which is linked to the deaths of a million Indians every year. The measures have contributed to lower cigarette sales by volume.
Though ITC’s revenue and operating profit growth was slightly lower than expectations, investors should take heart from the widening of the operating margin in the cigarette business, said an analyst at Cholamandalam Securities Ltd, requesting anonymity.
ITC said gross revenue from cigarettes rose 6.42% from a year earlier to ₹ 8,230.6 crore. Sales were impacted, it claimed, because of a continuing decline in the sale of legally manufactured (as opposed to smuggled) cigarettes in India. Pre-tax profit grew at a disappointing 8% from a year earlier to ₹ 3,004.58 crore.
Still, ITC managed to expand its operating margin from the segment to 36.5% from 35.96% a year ago. Its pre-tax profit from cigarettes represents 81.74% of ITC’s total June quarter pre-tax profit of ₹ 3,675.4 crore.
Despite “sluggish demand", ITC’s gross revenue from the non-tobacco consumer goods segment rose 9.5% from a year ago to ₹ 2,385.15 crore and pre-tax loss narrowed to ₹ 4.52 crore from ₹ 7.97 crore a year ago.
The analyst cited above said he had expected the operating result of this segment to be positive in the quarter. ITC said the segment did not break even because it had spent more during the quarter this year on brand building and promotions.
“In the coming quarters, cigarette volume is expected to remain flat but FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) performance will improve in line with the market," said Sachin Bobade, an analyst at HDFC Securities.
Revenue from its hotels business remained flat at ₹ 287.36 crore, but it managed to post a pre-tax profit of ₹ 1.22 crore compared with a loss of ₹ 7.97 crore a year ago. It said the business was hurt by weak demand because of “excessive" room inventory in key markets. Still, the firm remains committed to building more hotels.
Revenue and pre-tax profit for the paper and paperboards business fell marginally to ₹ 1,322.9 crore and ₹ 247.69 crore, respectively. The segment suffered from weak demand and cheap imports from China, ITC said.
While revenue from the farm commodity business jumped 16.8% from a year earlier to ₹ 2,794.08 crore, pre-tax profit from the segment remained little changed at ₹ 237.31 crore.
Sounak Mitra in Delhi contributed to this report.
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The tepid international demand of electronics and the intensifying trade war between China and the United States, continue to hurt Taiwan’s producer since its export orders fell for the tenth consecutive month in August, according to a Reuters poll.
The median prediction obtained from surveying 13 economists suggested a drop in exports by 2.3% from the previous year. However, forecasts included a fall of 4%, along with a minor rise of 0.7%.
Export orders for the month of July lessened fewer than their predicted value. August exports, however, surprisingly grew. This rise may indicate increased demand for electronics as we near the busiest shopping season of the year, in its last few months.
The export orders for Taiwan are a chief pointer to how the demand for Asian exports and electronic gadgets. These orders characteristically, by 2-3 months, headed actual exports.


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BT and Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid have introduced that they are continuing their digital partnership. For soccer followers, it could value a small fortune to watch the English Premier League on tv. One video game set on the streets of Lahore has confirmed a success with locals. Claudia Goldin has gained the 2023 Nobel prize in Economics for advancing understanding of ladies’s labor market outcomes. Pakistan’s government needs to denationalise its debt ridden nationwide provider. Investments in Brazil’s oil hub Itaborai are unwelcome, local weather activists say.
For More Information You can visit: Business Blog News
Think twice about utilizing GPS records to show misconduct Misuse of GPS knowledge and refusing a face-to-face dismissal meeting amongst errors made by employer in current case before Employment Court. Overall, producers noted falling gross sales, election uncertainty, in addition to rising costs as key negatives in September. The key sub-index measures had been all weak, with manufacturing, new orders, employment, and deliveries in contraction. However, some economists have said Business News the central bank might must hike again, as early as November. Unnamed bidder offers undervalued Sky a serious sniff Offshore personal fairness participant appears most likely, Sky-watchers counsel, as firm stabilises its performance.
Businessman Warned He Faces Jail Over Delay In Repaying €15m Owed To Revenue
The latest inflation rate knowledge just came out for the South American nation. Prices have gone up 12.7% in September and the annual determine is now 138%. You might recall the ABC did this story earlier this month about Argentina, where the inflation fee on the time was running at more than one hundred per cent. “You’re seeing central banks buying metals. You’ll see it with the introductions of a brand new savings tool in China within the retail market.”
Pakistan Fails To Realise Cpec Potential
Here is a bit by our business reporter Nassim Khadem to get you started this morning. And then on Thursday, we have jobs data coming out from the ABS, which is able to give us an indication of how the economy and workers are tracking broadly. Commonwealth’s Gareth Aird was the newest to weigh into this debate this week, with the economist saying a fee hike is “live” for either November or December, albeit nonetheless at a low likelihood. Milei is seeking to close the central bank and dollarize the economy to tame inflation. The worsening surging costs have sapped wages and savings and pushed two out of each five people in Argentina below the poverty line. In response, their central financial institution has hiked charges once more from 118% to 133%.
Small business house owners ought to all consider subscribing to this wonderful publication. Business plans help run your corporation and secure the fund wanted to begin the operations. The former is filled with details like the company’s summary, plan for success, product info, gross sales projections, and so on. The latter one is not that detailed but has needed info like particulars of the partnership, cost construction, revenue stream, and more. One should conduct market research first and then develop a marketing strategy.


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From today, TSB will be the only bank in the UK to offer customers five per cent cashback on Apple Pay purchases, just in time for Christmas.
Customers with a TSB MasterCard and TSB Amex credit card will be able to add their cards to Apple Pay and earn five per cent cashback per card on the first £100 of purchases made through Apple Pay each month, until 31 December 2016.
Additionally, customers with a TSB Classic Plus account will also be able to add their debit card to Apple Pay and earn cashback. Classic Plus account customers will be able to choose between using their contactless debit card or Apple Pay to make purchases and earn five per cent cashback on the first £100 of purchases made through Apple Pay or their contactless debit card each month until
31 December 2016.
Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you add a credit or debit card to Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device, nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your device. Each transaction is authorised with a one-time unique dynamic security code.
In addition to the Classic Plus debit cards, TSB MasterCard and TSB Amex credit card Apple Pay will work with a range of TSB debit cards.
Since launching its 555 Classic Plus account offer, TSB has received great feedback from customers who love the cashback they earn on everyday purchases such as their morning coffee, bread, milk and even whilst travelling on the bus or the tube in London.
On average, TSB processes more than 89,000 contactless purchases a day, with customers frequently using the payment method at supermarkets, coffee shops, food outlets and Transport for London.
Jatin Patel, TSB’s Product Director, says: “We know that our customers have enjoyed the added plusness they receive through our 555 Classic Plus account offer and now they can enjoy five per cent cashback on purchases with their Classic Plus account, TSB MasterCard and Amex credit card with Apple Pay.”
“I know that our customers will enjoy the cashback they will earn through using Apple Pay with TSB - the biggest Apple Pay cashback offer available on the high street.
“Apple Pay is a secure and convenient way for TSB customers to make purchases. TSB has invested in more than 600 iPads in our branches, so TSB Partners can show customers how to use Apple Pay.”
Apple Pay is easy to set up and users will continue to receive all of the rewards and beneﬁts offered by credit and debit cards. Apple Pay works with iPhone 6 and later and Apple Watch.


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Guilford PZC holds forum on outdoor markets?
GUILFORD -- Some residents are challenging a proposed amendment allowing outdoor markets on Route 1, while business owners claim it will increase commerce.
The Planning and Zoning Commission is holding a public hearing at 7:30 tonight at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center and possibly will vote on the amendment, which would allow businesses to apply for special permits to hold outdoor markets.
The amendment only applies to the commercial zone on the Boston Post Road, which extends from the Shoreline Plaza to the Madison line.
Since owners of the former Mannix Family Motors recently asked the commission to have an open-air market, and no regulations address such a request, commissioners crafted the amendment, Town Planner George Kral said.
The Mannix family recently received approval to sell antiques in the former car dealership's building at 301 Boston Post Road and is interested in also having an outdoor market on the property to sell antiques, collectibles, local produce and crafts.
"We're right off (Interstate) 95 and Route 1, and our thinking is it would allow local businesses and local artisans to showcase their goods, and it would bring them (customers) from small booths at the open-air market to their (vendors') stores and the Green," Charlie Mannix Jr. said.
He added that his family's new business will allow vendors selling high-end antiques to rent space on a monthly basis inside the dealership's building.
If vendors don't have enough to showcase for an entire month, they can set up outside during an outdoor market, Mannix said.
Town Economic Development Specialist Jacklyn Simonetti said the amendment will benefit many establishments and town commerce.
But some say the amendment should have stricter regulations and doesn't address traffic and noise concerns.
Howard Brown, a member of the Guilford Preservation Alliance, said the regulations are "very vague," adding, "I don't want to argue against it ... but I know this has major implications and there needs to be a thorough and complete open public process, including some studies."
Harry Haskell, president of the alliance, explained that the commission has not received input about the economic and environmental impacts and how traffic may increase if open-air markets pop up along Route 1.
He added that the amendment has no limitations placed on the number of vendors or structures at a potential outdoor market, and that the amendment was drawn up "perhaps overly hastily."
If the amendment is approved, businesses will have to apply for special permits, possibly provide a traffic study, specify hours of operation and products sold, and hold a public hearing, Kral said.
If food is sold, it must be approved by the health director.
The commission also plans to prohibit cars, construction equipment, firearms and fireworks from being sold at the markets.
Contact Susan Misur at 203-789-5742.