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According to the BLS’s monthly inflation report, consumer prices climbed 0.3% in June, down slightly from 0.4% in May. However, with seasonal adjustments, inflation was 0.2% in both May and June. For the year ending in June, inflation was 1%, in-line with the year ending in May. Expectations had been for marginally higher numbers in June. Overall, inflation appears steady but sluggish and remains stubbornly below the Fed’s 2% target.
Much of the volatility in the CPI reflects volatility in the price of gas. The positive trend in the core index over the past 18 months is driven by steady growth in the price of housing and cost of services. The special aggregate index for services encompasses about 63% of the items in the all-items index and was up 2.8% year-over-year in June. The remainder of the items in the CPI are categorized as commodities. The special aggregate index for commodities declined 2.0% over that period.
The core or all-items index excluding food and energy (two sectors with volatile prices that may not reflect true underlying economic strength) climbed 0.2% in June for the third month in a row. This measure of core inflation points to some underlying price pressure and is a positive sign for the US economy. Year-over-year, core prices were up 2.3%, significantly higher than the 10-year annual average core rate of 1.9% and above the 2% target.
Much of the inflation in June can be attributed to a 4.4% (non-seasonally adjusted) monthly rise in gasoline prices. Shelter and transportation prices also pushed higher. Shelter prices were up 0.3%, with both the rent index and the owners equivalent of rent index up by that same amount. The transportation services index was up 0.3% in June because of a 3.2% spike in rental car prices. In May the rental car index was up 4.8%.
Overall food prices were down 0.1% with seasonal adjustments in June. The index for food at home fell 0.3% while food away from home climbed 0.2%. Declines in the index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs and the index for dairy and dairy related products, down 0.7% and 0.3% respectively, impacted prices at the grocery store.
Seasonally Adjusted Monthly % Change in CPI-U by Category (2016)
|Fuel Oil (non seasonally adjusted)||-6.5||-2.9||1.7||1.9||6.2||3.7||-1.5|
|Utilities (piped gas service)||-0.6||1.0||-0.7||0.6||1.7||-0.4||3.1|
|All Items Less Food and Energy||0.3||0.3||0.1||0.2||0.2||0.2||0.1|
|Services Less Energy Services||0.3||0.3||0.2||0.3||0.4||0.3||0.2|
|Medical Care Services||0.5||0.5||0.1||0.3||0.5||0.2||0.5|
Apparel prices dropped a seasonally adjusted 0.4% in June after jumping 0.8% in May. The index for used cars and trucks, which accounts for over 2% of the all items index, declined by 1.1% in June, adding to May’s 1.3% decline.
The annual 1% inflation rate for the year ending in June was largely due to growing prices for shelter and medical care. The shelter index increased 3.5% year-over-year as the price of moving, storage and freight climbed 12.1%. Rent of shelter, which accounts for nearly a third of the all-items index, was a major contributor to inflation for the year ending in June. The rent index was up 3.8% year-over-year, while the index for owner’s equivalent of rent was up a similar 3.2%.
Medical care service prices increased 3.8% over 12-months and were bolstered by higher prices for health insurance and hospital services. The indexes for food and apparel were also marginally higher for the year, gaining 0.3% and 0.4% respectively. Within the food index, prices for food at home declined an annual 1.3%, with declines in four of the six grocery store indexes. The price of meat, fish, poultry and eggs fell 5.0% over the year ending in June. Meanwhile, the index for food away from home gained an annual 2.6%
Over the same period, the energy index declined 9.4%, including drops of 15.3% in energy commodity prices and 2.5% in energy service prices. The 15.4% decline in gas prices, which represents around 3.3% of the CPI and close to half of the energy index, was a major factor impacting inflation over the year.
Inflation By Region
June inflation was higher in western cities at 0.6% compared to the national average of 0.3%. Year-over-year, inflation was concentrated in larger western cities. The index for western urban centres with populations over 1.5 million was twice the national average at 2%. In San Francisco, consumer prices climbed 2.7% over the year.
|over 1.5 million||1.3%||0.1%|
|50,000 to 1.5 million||0.7%||0.1%|
Outlook for the Economy
The US economy appears to be strengthening, especially when compared to much of the world where volatility is high. The US dollar is rallying in anticipation of a rate hike before the end of the year. According to the CME Group’s FedWatch tool, the markets are pricing in a probability of about 50% that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates before year-end.
Given today’s economic climate of low but stabelizing commodity prices; slow global growth with high levels of uncertainty; and a strengthening currency deflating the price of imports, near term inflation will probably not accelerate quickly, if at all. It will have to come from growth in employment. This will stimulate housing prices and increase consumer demand while higher wages will be passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices.


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CANBERRA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Australian dairy giant a2 Milk has upgraded its yearly revenue forecast on the back of strong sales in China.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the company said it forecast revenues of 394 million U.S. dollars for the financial year ending in June, up 49 percent from 265 million U.S. dollars in the financial year ending in 2016.
The company generated sales of 291 million U.S. dollars in nine months up to March 31 with third quarter infant formula sales exceeding expectations.
"Demand has been particularly strong in Australia, but also through the cross- border e-commerce channel into China," managing director Geoff Babidge told News Limited on Wednesday.
"On the assumption of continuing strong demand for a2 Platinum infant formula and production deliveries achieved consistent with the revised production schedule, the company is now expecting infant formula sales for the second half (of 2017) to exceed sales achieved in first half."
The news has been well received by investors who drove the company's share price up by 6 percent on Wednesday morning.
The stock price of the company has climbed 81 percent in the last 12 months to 2.2 U.S. dollars per share.
The company confirmed on Wednesday that it would work closely with manufacturing partner Synlait Milk to increase supply for the last quarter of the financial year to "uplift the production schedule for the remainder of financial year 2017."

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The Chinese University of Hong Kong broke the Guinness World Record for collecting the most glass bottles in an hour on Sunday.
550 alumni of Shaw College, current students and members of the public took part in the Follow the Green Brick Road: Glass Bottle Recycling Challenge event for the university’s 30th anniversary, collecting 1.1 tonnes of glass bottles.
The bottles will get a second lease of life as eco-friendly bricks, which will be used to pave the university’s Alumni Trail.
“Hong Kong sends 9,000 tonnes of rubbish to the landfill every day,” said secretary for environment Wong Kam-sing who attended the event. Around two percent are glass bottles.
Wong said the government will begin to prioritise recycling glass bottles, reported the Oriental Daily. The administration had in the past come under fire for the lack of glass recycling infrastructure in the city.
Hong Kong faces two major difficulties when it comes to recycling glass bottles – the city’s lack of a glass recycling factory and the fact that few glass bottles can be used to make eco-friendly blocks, said Wong. However, he added that many major infrastructure projects were now using glass as a drainage layer or filler material.
The government is currently proposing a new producer responsibility scheme, where businesses that import or distribute beverages in glass bottles will pay a recycling fee. It hopes to pass the proposal in the current legislative session.


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Btc Markets Monero
Australia's premier secure cryptocurrency & Bitcoin exchange. The darknet marketplace administrators detailed that there was an issue with a payment processor blocking Tor exit nodes, but the full transition to monero was always planned. This was a development seen across all of the world’s altcoins, once again demonstrating the heavy impact of BTC on the market. Why Dark Net Marketplaces Prefer Monero Over Other Cryptocurrencies. DOGE jumped within a fixed channel and was likely to stay above $0.0054 in the next sessions. DOGE jumped within a fixed channel and was likely to stay above $0.0054 in the next sessions. Top cryptocurrency prices and charts, bitcoin auto trader malta listed by market capitalization. Recently, however, cryptocurrencies entered the mainstream media once again and the most active ones chose Monero so let’s read more in today’s Monero news For the first time on the darknet, the most active market does not accept Bitcoin. Monero XMR $226.6364276101927-11.94%-0.22% Huobi Token HT $21.56817645187383-16.32% 77.33% Bitcoin SV BSV. White House Market uses Monero, a cryptocurrency designed to safeguard the privacy of its previous owners, like cash. Bitcoin Cash [BCH] Source: BCH/USD, TradingView On […]. It’s reached the upper and lower limits a few times btc markets monero now, but it hasn’t. For the first time on the darknet, the most active market does not accept ledgerx review Bitcoin.


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WealthEngine Hosts Channel Partners at First Annual Partner Summit
Technology partners, developers, and consultants gather to discuss role of big data in the channel ecosystem
WealthEngine, the leading provider of wealth intelligence, prospecting solutions, and marketing services for higher education, healthcare, luxury, and financial services, hosts its inaugural WE Partner Summit 2014.
The Summit brings together a strong community of platform, technology and consulting partners, all focused on ushering in a new era of data-driven marketing and fundraising.
“We’ve been building this community for many years but this is the first year we are doing an annual summit event,” said Tony Glowacki, CEO of WealthEngine. “We felt the time was right for this kind of gathering of cross-industry professionals in a single venue. There is an unprecedented opportunity for WealthEngine and its partners to help marketers and fundraisers get much deeper insight into their customers and prospects.”
WealthEngine and its community of partners are at the forefront of a sea-change in the way marketers and fundraisers manage their audience outreach, as they look for greater precision and higher level of connectedness with an audience that they know is aligned to their cause or product. With its FindWealth8 platform and associated services, WealthEngine can help these groups find, understand and connect with wealthy audiences that have the ability and affinity to engage.
The WealthEngine Partner Summit 2014 Highlights:
- Product Roadmap for 2015 and beyond: As a SaaS company, WealthEngine continues to evolve its big data solution offerings and will be announcing its exciting new direction to benefit partners and clients.
- 2014/15 Partner Strategy: WealthEngine is investing heavily in its partner channels and creating more opportunities than ever for partners and clients to drive business.
- New Salesforce.com platform: WealthEngine will be sharing some exciting insight into a completely new Salesforce offering before its official release at Dreamforce ‘14.
- Newest release of FindWealth 8: FindWealth8 database (flagship online platform) will be released during the Summit, with information on how the new and improved system will benefit organizations across all industries.
- Unveiling of WealthEngine’s new branding: For the first time outside of the company, WealthEngine will be unveiling a completely new brand direction for the company, to be unveiled to the general public in October this year
The event, themed “WE²: The Power of Two,” is being held September 18-19, 2014, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, D.C. For more information, visit WealthEngine Partner Summit 2014.
WealthEngine™, Inc. is a leading provider of audience intelligence solutions to customers targeting HNW clients in the healthcare, education, financial services and luxury markets. The company’s unique data-driven approach to analytics, prospecting, and marketing has transformed the sales, marketing and fundraising processes of more than four thousand clients. Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, WealthEngine serves both the United States and the United Kingdom. For more information, click www.wealthengine.com.
Maggie Fairs / Claire Shutt Peppercomm for WealthEngine
email@example.com | +1.212.931.6156 | +1.212.931.6148


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Ree-back. Reebok is officially back in a big way as they open their newest store
ICYMI, Reebok is officially back. Or as I would like to put it, they’re Ree-back.
Ok, enough with the corny ass humor, but after a few years in hibernation, Reebok launched their flagship store under its new distributor at the 3rd level of the SM Megamall Mega Fashion Hall. We were fortunate to be invited to the official launch last October 25, and it’s truly great to see the brand back in action. To really stake their claim in the local sneaker wars, Reebok is well represented with their roster of athletes and personalities – from radio personality Gino Quillamor, fitness trainer/model Sam Ajdani, sports personality Migs Bustos, and athletes Deanna Wong, Ernestine Tiamzon, Fran Yu and Ice Blanco-Hontiveros.
“We are thrilled to have these brand ambassadors onboard for Reebok. We are inspired by their unrelenting drive in pursuit of their passion, their individuality and active participation in the community. Truly embodying – Life Is Not A Spectator Sport” said Jocelle Pe, Marketing Lead Reebok Philippine Distributor. “And with the opening of the Reebok Store, a hub for our Filipino movement makers to inspire and ignite their passion for sports, fitness and lifestyle.” Christopher Ong, Marketing Manager.
The new store is definitely worth checking out, offering footwear for hoops, running, training and everyday wear. Reeboks’ been pushing their “Life Is Not A Spectator Sport” campaign which aims to empower individuals in whatever moves them. Reebok continues to encourage everyone to pursue their passions, celebrate individuality and be involved in the world around them.
While we have been promoting some of their products the last few months (Reebok x Looney Tunes and Jursassic World just to name a few), Reebok stands tall with their iconic silhouette, the Classic Leather. Since 1983, the shoe’s been a hallmark for the brand and continues to be a Classic to this day. Reebok had a neat display of the various Classic Leather silhouettes available, as well as a “Glambot” for people to strut their wares rocking the Reebok Classic Leather.
If you’re in the area, definitely check the new Reebok store out. Definitely tons to choose from, whether you need a shoe for work or play. Reebok is also launching their e-commerce store (reebok.ph) this November. Keep it locked here for more news surrounding Reebok and their upcoming releases.


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Now that the PlayStation Network’s back, Sony’s trotting out something it's calling a "PlayStation Network and Qriocity Customer Appreciation Program," prompting cries of "too much" or "too little" in certain press channels.
Dell has teased its upcoming XPS 15z ultra-thin laptop on Facebook, posting photos and a video to pique consumer interest. The 15.6-inch laptop sports a slim and streamlined design and, like the late Dell Adamo, is meant to take on the MacBook Air.
Some gamers were left unsatisfied by Sony's offerings for its Welcome Back program. Sony has attempted to justify some of its decisions.
Nokia may be floundering in the high-end smartphone wars (and will soon be switching to the Windows Phone 7 platform for its N-Series devices), but its newest MeeGo powered N9 smartphone has just been shown off in a teaser video.
Amazon plans to release two new Android tablets before the end of 2011, including one with NVIDIA's forthcoming mobile quad-core chip, according to online rumors. Amazon is purportedly planning an entry-level tablet, codenamed "Coyote," with a dual-c...
The next time a website says to download new software to view a movie or fix a problem, think twice. There's a pretty good chance that the program is malicious.
An Australian startup called Bizz Buzz has launched its group buying site aimed at small businesses, guaranteeing buyers a minimum 40 per cent saving on the business services and deals it offers. The site is in indirect competition with the recently ...
While much of the innovation these days seems to be happening in smartphones and tablets, Intel says big improvements lie ahead for the trusty PC.
Microsoft has unveiled a deeper conglomerate of Bing and Facebook that harvests the power of the social Web, one year after forming a partnership to take "social search" to the next level.
Apple could be planning to mark the 10th anniversary of the first Apple Stores opening in Virginia and California with a major product launch, according to reports.
Gearbox has announced that the demo for the long-awaited Duke Nukem Forever will be available for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 from June 3... but only for First Access Club members.
"Multiplayer gaming" before the advent of online play -- and even computer gaming -- meant gathering a group of friends around a table, fiddling with lots of cardboard chits and plastic figures and immersing yourself in a fantasy world represented by...
The PlayStation Network is back up for most gamers around the world, but Sony has yet to give an explanation as to why and how the attack brought down the service for over a month.
Out of nowhere, Apple is rumored to reveal a new product over the weekend, sending Apple Stores into lockdown mode on Saturday night to prepare.
Intel on Tuesday showed a prototype smartphone based on its low-power Medfield processor and said Intel-based phones from "major players" would be in the market next year.
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First impression on unpacking the Q702 test unit was the solid feel and clean, minimalist styling.
For work use, Microsoft Word and Excel programs pre-installed on the device are adequate for preparing short documents.
The Fujitsu LifeBook UH574 allowed for great mobility without being obnoxiously heavy or clunky. Its twelve hours of battery life did not disappoint.
The screen was particularly good. It is bright and visible from most angles, however heat is an issue, particularly around the Windows button on the front, and on the back where the battery housing is located.
My first impression after unboxing the Q702 is that it is a nice looking unit. Styling is somewhat minimalist but very effective. The tablet part, once detached, has a nice weight, and no buttons or switches are located in awkward or intrusive positions.


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New regulations requiring gas stations to implement EMV compliant pumps that go into effect in April 2021, have been understandably causing massive stress, especially among independent station owners, due to the exorbitant cost of upgrading, replacing or retrofitting their pumps, not to mention lost business due to shutdown of the pumps as the work takes place.
The perhaps one silver lining is that EMV compliance means pumps will be able to accept credit card chips, contactless payment, and payment applications such as Apple Pay and Google Wallet rather than relying on swiping magnetic strips. There’s also no longer the need for the customer to give up their zip codes or sign credit card statements.
The new payment methods are significantly safer than swiping and greatly protect customers against the risk of fraud, drained bank accounts and identify theft. The reputational damage brought about by identity theft and fraud can take years to recover from, for both consumers and your business. Through Gas Pump EMV compliance, potential loyal customers who may be avoiding your gas station for fear of fraud will now be able fill their vehicles with confidence.
The question now becomes what company to choose to bring your station into EMV compliance before the looming April 2021 deadline. The NRS Petro program is the stress-free, approachable solution to ensure that independent gas station owners and their customers alike will rest easy. For gas station owners, NRS Petro realizes tremendous savings. Unlike competitors, NRS Petro provides EMV compliance software and hardware upgrades at a very reasonable cost whether they are years or decades old, installation can be phased in pump by pump and takes just hours, not days or weeks, keeping business continuity flowing without interruption.
Furthermore, the NRS Petro program presents a distinct advantage over other companies in protecting consumers’ personal information and boosting customer confidence. Transactions are conducted at the register and at the pump. If tampered with, a unique, built-in trigger alert system in the NRS EMV EZ PUMP device at the pump will automatically disable the card-processing terminal. The extra layer goes a long way toward instilling trust in today’s ever-knowledgeable consumer.
Consumer confidence in gas station anti-fraud measures cannot be underestimated. The statistics regarding gas service station fraud is absolutely staggering. Using card reader skimmers and other methods in places like gas station pumps and ATM machines across the country, criminals have obtained customer’s sensitive personal information in droves. According to the Conexxus, the industry organization dedicated to standards, technologies innovation and advocacy for the convenience store and petroleum market, fraud at fuel pumps is expected to total $451 million by the end of 2020. One skimmer scheme alone in Florida recently defrauded consumers of more than $100 million.
By choosing NRS Petro, gas station owners needn’t worry about the costly ramifications of fraud at the pump. Learn more about NRS Petro and don’t let your service station become a fraud statistic that literally drives customers, and their business, away.


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Real And Present Danger: Patent Litigation In China
In October 2008, Microsoft was sued by China E-Commerce Info-Tech Co. Ltd. for patent infringement at Xi’an Intermediate Court over Chinese invention patent ZL200510022721.3 relating to RSS information exchange. The parties are waiting for a trial.
In April 2007, Samsung was sued by Holley Communications Co. Ltd. for patent infringement at Hangzhou Intermediate Court over Chinese invention patent ZL02101734.4 relating to CDMA/GSM dual mode mobile communication...
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Several different US states have moved to remove their mandatory mask wearing restrictions over the past weeks. Despite being just a short way into the new year, the change in the approach to living with the virus has been felt around the world, with various countries across Europe removing their mask and other restrictions in recent weeks, with the number of states in the US making similar decisions growing on a weekly basis – moves that would have been hard to imagine this time last year.
With travelers now in the habit of packing masks like they pack any essentials, the change is bound to take some getting used to – and they shouldn’t forget that other restrictions may still apply. Here’s a look at which states have recently removed their mandatory mask policies, and why you may still want to pack a couple in your backpack.
More States Remove Mask Mandates
Love them or hate them, masks have become a fixture of travel since the pandemic first made headlines around two years ago. Needed on planes, in restaurants and more often than not in public, the face mask has become a ubiquitous symbol of pandemic travel – but its days may be numbered. A growing number of US states have moved to lift their mask mandates, with more on the way.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that his state’s indoor mask mandate was set to expire on February 15th – however, unvaccinated travelers would still be required to wear their masks when indoors. The Governor cited declining infection and hospitalization rates across the state as the reason why such a call was made – and California is far from the only state to do so.
New York’s indoor mask mandate expired on February 10th, meaning travelers to the Big Apple won’t have to scramble for their face masks when entering establishments, and Nevada lifted their universal mask mandate on the same day. A day later, Rhode Island also saw it’s mask or proof of vaccination requirements for some indoor public settings lifted, as did Delaware, creating more mask-free destinations for domestic travelers.
Whilst Washington’s universal outdoor mask mandate is set to expire next week on February 18th, their indoor mandate is set to remain for the time being. Connecticut is set to end its mask mandate on February 28th, with the fact that Omicron is less severe and case levels are low attributed as reasons why, with Illinois also opting to make the change on that day. Oregon too is holding off on making an immediate change, with their indoor mask mandate scheduled to expire on March 31st.
Whilst universal mask mandates may be set to fall, that doesn’t mean travelers should neglect to pack them. Masks are still widely required on public transport, and businesses may also choose to put into place their own mask requirements, regardless of the state’s proposed changes to requirements – not to mention that they can help to keep travelers safe in busy environments.
Despite the changes made by several US states, the CDC’s position on the wearing of masks remains the same – for now. The CDC states that people over the age of 2 should wear masks in public if they are:
- Not fully vaccinated
- Fully vaccinated and in an area with substantial or high transmission
- Fully vaccinated and with weakened immune systems
The CDC’s website also adds that, in general, masks do not need to be worn in outdoor settings.
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"Punky Brewster" and the kids from "Saved by the Bell" are returning to the small screen through digital comic books. So, too, are "Knight Rider," "Airwolf" and "Miami Vice."
Lion Forge Comics and NBC Universal said Tuesday they partnered to develop, write, illustrate and publish digital comics based on those shows from the 1980s and 1990s, bringing new stories for characters like Crocket and Tubbs as well as Kit and Screech.
The comics are set to be released later this year through iTunes, Amazon's Kindle Bookstore, Barnes & Nobles' Nook store and Kobo.
The NBC Universal-owned shows are the latest in a growing push that has seen other TV properties extend their stories in comics, most recently "The X-Files" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."
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Dentsu, Japan's largest ad agency, said it will team up with Nintendo to launch a video distribution service on the Wii.
The two companies plan to offer programs created specifically for the service, a Dentsu representative said Thursday. By contrast, most online channels tend to carry existing TV shows and movies. According to the Nikkei business daily, the programs will focus on cartoons and other entertainment.
Viewers will need to pay to see some of the programs, while others will be offered free of charge and accompanied by ads, the representative said.


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Pork giant Cranswick said in its fourth quarter trading statement yesterday that it expects full-year results for the year to March 31 2011 to show trading in line with expectations: with 2010/11 like-for-like sales up 4% (2009/10 turnover, £740m) and sales volumes up 6%.
Cranswick processes fresh pork, sausage, bacon, cooked meats, charcuterie and sandwiches for UK retailers, food service and food manufacturers.
Shore Capital analysts Darren Shirley and Clive Black noted Cranswick’s talented management team, well-invested infrastructure, robust volume growth, strong balance sheet and small net pension deficit (£5.3m in March 2010).
The analysts said that Cranswick’s “enviable network of operating plants… provides the platform for long-term growth”: the firm commissioned its new abattoir at the fresh pork facility in Preston (near Hull) last autumn and extended its ‘added-value’ sausage facility (Lazenby’s) in Hull (weekly capacity 700 tonnes); it said the development of its Sherburn air-dried bacon facility is now “substantially complete”.
Nonetheless, Shirley and Black said they felt cautious about the UK consumer environment, following a weak first quarter of 2011, and downgraded 2011/12 pre-tax profit estimates for Cranswick accordingly by around 6% to £47m.
Challenging times ahead
“With living standards falling and the consumer and retail volumes under pressure,” said Shirley and Black, “we believe it is sensible to assume Cranwick will face challenges as it attempts to recoup the widely anticipated rise in pig input costs,” which are expected in the second half of 2011/12.
But with capital expenditure now scaled-back due to recently completed major investment projects, the analysts said they expected Cranswick to grow its cash flow in 2011/12 and reduce debt further to £33m.
Investec Securities analyst Nicola Mallard said Cranswick sounded a “few notes of caution” in the trading statement, given a more challenging fourth quarter and some small volume losses, but said she expected 2011/12 top-line growth of around 2-4%; Investec has trimmed pre-tax profit predictions for the year from £48.3 to £47m.
She added: “We are also assuming a cautious view on margins. Typically, margins tend not to improve when there is any degree of re-tender activity and whilst this is not a major factor, it could be compounded by the possibility of higher pig meat prices.
“Farmers have been losing money for several months now and we should be prepared to see some upward move in pig prices, perhaps in the latter half of the financial year.”
Cranswick will release its full-year 2010/11 trading results on May 16 2011.


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A man faces years in jail after he admitted robbing an ice cream shop and convenience store in Plymouth.
Homeless Croatian Andreas Babic, aged 41, pleaded guilty to holding up the businesses on successive days amid a string of thefts and burglaries.
The heroin user robbed staff of cash at Valenti’s Gelato on the Barbican and LM Stores on North Road West.
Police said at the time that he used an imitation firearm to hold up the shops.
Babic appeared in custody at Plymouth Crown Court to plead guilty to robbing the ice cream shop on Thursday November 22 and the convenience store the next day.
Babic escaped with the whole till from LM Stores.
He has earlier admitted three burglaries of businesses including taking £450 from Cathy’s Flowers in Cornwall Street on November 13.
Babic also pleaded guilty to possession of heroin on the same day.
He has also asked for seven other offences to be taken into consideration.
- Theft at Richer Sounds on November 8
- Burglary at Streamers Card and Gift Shop on November 11
- Burglary at the Thistle Park Tavern on November 11
- Burglary at the Cider Press pub on November 17
- Burglary at the East End Cafe on November 18
- Burglary at the Devon Door and Lock Store on November 20.
Burglary at the Koffiehuis Cafe on November 22.
Ali Rafati, for Babic, admitted his client as facing a long prison term.
Judge Paul Darlow adjourned sentencing until a date to be fixed.
Babic, appearing via videolink from Exeter Prison, was remanded in custody.


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While Apple’s next iPhone might still be far from hitting shelves, an analyst has claimed that the Cupertino based company has finalised much of the design of its next iPhone, believed to be dubbed iPhone 6.
Apple Insider cites analyst Timothy Arcuri from Cowen and Company, who says that Apple has finalised a 4.8-inch display for its alleged iPhone 6, in an attempt to counter the phablet competition in the global market.
Further, Arcuri, citing Apple’s supply chain, has revealed that apple is also planning to bring ” key software innovations ” with the next major iOS platform release. Acuri has claimed that the alleged iPhone 6 will come with Wi-Fi (802.11ac), which will be an upgrade to the current 802.11n found on the iPhone 5s.
The analyst speculates that the Cupertino-based company will use features such as iBeacon, Touch ID and Passbook in the next alleged iPhone to push new services with mobile payments.
Acuri also expects that Apple, following its launch schedule for iPhone devices, will announce the alleged iPhone 6 in September.
Contradicting to the current report, DisplaySearch said it will measure 4.7 inches diagonally with a 1,600×900-pixel resolution while well-respected Apple analyst Peter Misek said it will measure 4.8 inches. According to the Chinese analyst, Apple would launch two iPhone models, much like the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s announced last year; and it is believed that they would be sporting different screen sizes.
Apple is widely expected to launch the iPhone 6 this fall, though one recent report claimed that it will debut this summer at Apple’s annual WWDC conference instead.
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UXC has partnered security firm Senetas in a bid to provide an 'Australian-developed' security solution for government and defence agencies, as well as businesses across Australia.
Telstra and Dimension Data have taken out a raft of awards at the Cisco Insight Awards night at Cisco Live in Melbourne.
In a bid to expand its ServiceNow Cloud capabilities, Australian business solutions company, UXC Limited, will purchase local reseller, Keystone Management Solutions, with consideration between $24 and $28 million, dependant on performance and earnings targets through the end of the 2015 financial year.
ASX-listed UXC (ASX:UXC) has purchased digital and ecommerce provider, White Labelled.
NEW ORLEANS - Linux kernel developer Sarah Sharp is searching for a solution to the problem posed by vampire mice, she said in a presentation at LinuxCon North America Wednesday afternoon.
Developing the Linux kernel, according to some of the community's leading lights, is a difficult, complicated process – but it's also one that's moving forward at some speed.
Everyone's bullish about the future of open-source software in the business world at this year's LinuxCon in New Orleans, as IBM announces a billion-dollar new investment and Linux business use continues to spread.
Many of the most important precepts for managing an open-source community, according to Puppet Labs community lead Dawn Foster, are contained within the pages of science-fiction and fantasy literature.
Managing director of Newport Capital, Lou Richard, has a wealth of financial advisory experience to distributors and resellers alike. He sat down with ARN to discuss some of the trends he sees in the market, and expectations for 2011.
- SQL injection flaw in Wall Street Journal database led to breach
- Zero-day flaws in Tails aren't for sale, vulnerability broker says
- Nigerian scammers move from gullible consumers to businesses
- Google details Knox-inspired enterprise ‘managed profiles’ for Android L
- Apple "inadvertently admitted" to iOS backdoor: forensics expert
- Australia's top digital marketers break away from the industry pack
- Carsales rolls out SAS's Intelligent Advertising technology
- Deloitte defines 5 attributes to cope with next wave of digital disruption
- CMOs and CIOs are getting along better, but increasingly frustrated with execution
- Pinterest peaks, Facebook falters in customer satisfaction survey of social sites


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Tags For-profit privatization of the prison mail system
Tag: for-profit privatization of the prison mail system
“I am going to boycott the third-party correspondence system,” Bryant Arroyo, an activist and organizer currently detained at SCI Frackville in central Pennsylvania, told this Workers World reporter during an extended Sept. 23 interview. Arroyo urges all prisoners to immediately cease sending and accepting mail in response to the draconian new prison policies of current Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf.


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Traditionally, direct-dial international calling from a cellular phone has been cost prohibitive, and lower-cost alternatives such as calling cards are cumbersome for customers to use
Boston, MA (PRWEB) June 26, 2006
MobileSphere, a leading provider of global communications solutions, today announced that Consumer Cellular, one of the nation's leading mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), has selected MobileSphere to provide its customers with direct-dial, highly cost-effective international long distance calling. Consumer Cellular specializes in providing wireless services to individual consumers who use their cell phones primarily for convenience and safety reasons, all without a long-term commitment.
"We are very pleased to have been selected by Consumer Cellular to provide direct-dial wireless international long distance for their large and growing subscriber base,” commented Gavin Macomber, executive vice president of marketing for MobileSphere. “Consumer Cellular’s decision to use MobileSphere is yet another endorsement of our unique technology and our experience in providing international communications solutions to the MVNO market.”
Under the agreement, Consumer Cellular customers now have the convenience of simply dialing direct for all their international calling needs. Through MobileSphere’s unique call routing and switching technology, Consumer Cellular can now divert calls from the high cost cellular carrier networks to MobileSphere’s platform, where international calls will be provisioned, billed and terminated across MobileSphere’s Tier 1 network. The partnership will provide an affordable option for international calls, combined with the simplicity of direct dialing.
“Traditionally, direct-dial international calling from a cellular phone has been cost prohibitive, and lower-cost alternatives such as calling cards are cumbersome for customers to use,” said John Marick, CEO of Consumer Cellular. “Consumer Cellular is thrilled to be able to offer the simplicity and affordability of MobileSphere’s service to both our retail and wholesale customers. This will be yet another reason for individuals to select Consumer Cellular from the many choices available in the highly competitive wireless industry.”
In addition to traditional retail customers, Consumer Cellular also provides services to wholesale partners, many of whom target market segments with high international calling needs. The new service offered in conjunction with MobileSphere is a tremendous enhancement for these partners’ end users.
As callers are increasingly using cell phones as their primary or only phone, the need for international wireless calling is becoming progressively more important. MobileSphere’s solution continues to be selected and deployed by a growing number of MVNOs and wireless carriers looking to meet that demand.
About Consumer Cellular
Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Consumer Cellular is one of the nation's leading wireless resellers. The company was founded in 1995 by industry veterans whose experience dates back to the days of McCaw Communications, one of the original nationwide cellular carriers. Consumer Cellular built a successful retail business by meeting the needs of underserved market segments, both in terms of service plans and customer care. In early 2004 Consumer Cellular launched an innovative wholesale program designed to serve telecom firms and other companies seeking to offer their own private-label wireless service. The program utilizes the same extensive knowledge and operating efficiencies that are the foundation of the company's successful retail business. For more information, visit http://www.ConsumerCellular.com for retail service or visit http://www.wirelesswholesale.net for wholesale service.
Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, MobileSphere has been a leading provider of global wireless communications solutions since 2001. Utilizing its patent-pending softswitch technology, coupled with its global Tier 1 network, MobileSphere provides its customers with innovative, highly-competitive, market-proven solutions. Serving customers worldwide, the company uniquely focuses on the international long distance needs of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), wireless carriers, medium-to-large enterprises, universities and consumers. MobileSphere’s services include CarrierILD™ for MVNOs, CellularLD™ for consumers and small businesses and MobileU™ for universities and educational institutions. MobileSphere is a member of the Association for Communications Technology Professionals in Higher Education (ACUTA). For more information, visit http://www.mobile-sphere.com.
All trademarks are recognized.
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Gruene Hall welcomes Texas country music star Randy Rogers for an acoustic show October 30
click image Instagram / gruenehallLive music and large events may still be few and far between due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Gruene Hall in New Braunfels has announced an impressive lineup of shows to finish 2020 strong.In a Wednesday Facebook post , Gruene Hall announced that Texas country star Randy Rogers is going to perform an acoustic and "intimate" show at the indoor/outdoor venue on October 30. The indoor tables are entirely sold out, according to the venue’s website, but outdoor tables for up to six guests are still up for grabs.The remaining outdoor tables are priced at $285. "We know everyone is excited about live music, and we are too," the venue’s website says. "We can't wait to share a cold beer and live music with you once again at Texas' Oldest Dance Hall! "Rogers will be joined by band members Brady Black and Geoffrey Hill — who play fiddle and guitar, respectively — for the acoustic show.Doors will open at 7 p.m. for the October 30 show, and a to-be-determined opening act will begin at 8 p.m. Rogers, Black and Hill will begin at 9 p.m.Gruene Hall is located at 1281 Gruene Road in New Braunfels, and is a cash-only venue.sacurrent.com
Randy Rogers Band cancels Helotes show scheduled for Friday
SAN ANTONIO The Randy Rogers Band has canceled its first show back in front of a live audience due to Bexar Countys new health declaration that prohibits outdoor gatherings of 100 people or more, the band announced Wednesday. The show was scheduled for Friday night at the John T. Floore Country Store. The band made the cancellation announcement on its Instagram page. We were excited for this to have been our first show back, but we want to play by the rules, The bands statement read. We look forward to seeing you all again very soon.The band announced on their Instagram page that refunds are being made available through the customers original purchasing platform.
Whataburger Teams Up with Justin Boots to Remind Texans That They Still Love Us
The boots retail for about $249.99, and are available in men's and women's sizes. Burger lovers can purchase the boots via shop.whataburger.comWere keeping you informed...and its what we love to do. From local politics and culture to national news that hits close to home, San Antonio Current has been keeping San Antonio informed for years. Its never been more important to support local news sources. If quality journalism is important to you, please consider a donation to San Antonio Current.sacurrent.com


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Indy Moments: Snapshots of local life
Sarah Thompson (left) and friend Jessica Mullinix wave around signs as they try to draw in customers to Thompson's fireworks store at 5550 Madison Ave. in Indianapolis on Friday, July 3, 2015. Thompson, who is renting retail space for a month in a small strip of stores along busy Madison Avenue, says "Anyone in the fireworks business can tell you, it's basically a two-day business anymore." She said she saw sales start trickling about a week ago, but said she expects to make her profit on Friday and Saturday, the Fourth of July.
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April 19, 2013
Wines of Argentina's Cambalache event shows way ahead for consumer wine tastings
Wines of Argentina claims this week's sell out consumer event, Cambalache, which is bringing together Argentinian wine, food, dance, music and culture over two nights in Dalston, east London, could show the way for how consumer events are held in the future.
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Senate Passes Internet Sales Tax Legislation
The Senate has approved legislation requiring online retailers to collect sales taxes from Internet sales, even if they don’t have a physical presence in the state where the customer resides.
The Marketplace Fairness Act has attracted wide support from brick-and-mortar retailers who have seen shoppers coming to their stores to check out merchandise, only to order it online, sometimes while still in the store from their smartphones. Many revenue-starved state governments have also supported the bill. The legislation even garnered the support of e-commerce giant Amazon.com, which has traditionally fought against online sales taxation, but has been expanding its warehouse presence across the country.
Smaller Web retailers have opposed the legislation, however, arguing that it would be too difficult to calculate and collect sales taxes from every state and locality that requires them. They have been supported by eBay, which argued that the exemption level of $1 million in sales for small e-tailers is too low. The bill is also expected to face opposition from many lawmakers in the House, where the prospects for its passage are uncertain. The Senate had approved the bill in nonbinding votes in recent months and was widely expected to eventually pass the legislation (see Senate Democrats Pass Budget with Tax Increases).
The legislation, sponsored by Senators Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Richard Durbin, D-Ill., Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., passed the Senate by more than a two to one margin, with a vote of 69-27.
The bill authorizes each member state under the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement, the multistate agreement for the administration and collection of sales and use taxes adopted on Nov. 12, 2002, to require all sellers not qualifying for a small-seller exception (which is applicable to sellers with annual gross receipts in total U.S. remote sales not exceeding $1 million) to collect and remit sales and use taxes with respect to remote sales under provisions of the agreement, but only if the agreement includes minimum simplification requirements relating to the administration of the tax, audits, and streamlined filing.
The National Retail Federation hailed passage of the legislation. “We applaud Senators Enzi, Durbin, Alexander and Heitkamp and the entire U.S. Senate for standing with local retailers and America’s small business owners in a strong, bi-partisan vote for final passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act, despite a highly-funded misinformation campaign by the legislation’s opposition,” said NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay. “Today’s action in the Senate is a significant step for sales tax fairness and we look forward to a robust debate in the U.S. House of Representatives.”
“The retail industry—the largest private sector employer—is rapidly changing and evolving,” said NRF chairman Stephen I. Sadove. “Retailers compete for customers on many different levels, distribution channels and fronts, including service and selection, but they cannot compete on sales tax. Congress needs to address this sales tax disparity and allow retailers to compete freely and fairly. Retailers of all shapes, sizes and channels deserve a level playing field.”
Similar legislation has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Representatives Steve Womack, R-Ark., and Jackie Speier, D-Calif., and currently has over 60 House co-sponsors.
“This bill and its companion in the House will level the playing field for all retailers—both online and off—while safeguarding states’ rights,” said Shay. “And the bill does it all without raising taxes, new government mandates or adding to the deficit. NRF and our broad cross-section of members will work closely with our bipartisan sponsors in the House, Reps. Womack and Speier, and Chairman Goodlatte to ensure that efairness is debated honestly and on its merits. When brought to a vote, we believe the House will pass the bill and it will be signed into law.”
The Retail Industry Leaders Association also praised the bipartisan vote in the Senate to pass the Marketplace Fairness Act. “The Senate’s overwhelmingly bipartisan passage of this legislation foreshadows the end of the special treatment of big online businesses at the expense of retailers on Main Street,” said RILA senior vice president for government affairs Bill Hughes in a statement. “After such a resounding vote in the Senate, we look forward to a constructive debate in the House to level the playing field for all retailers this year. For too long the Main Street retailers that are an integral part of their communities have faced tax rules that put them at a disadvantage to their out of state, online-only competitors. The Senate has voted to ensure that the market, not government, determines winners and losers. We are confident the House will reach the same conclusion."
Former Small Business Administration administrator Hector Barreto also praised Senate passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act. “Senate passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act puts us one giant step closer to a level playing field for America’s Main Street retailers,” Barreto said in a statement. “This legislation ends the discriminatory practice of treating retailers differently just because one sells on Main Street and the other sells over the Internet. Small businesses across America are not asking for preferential treatment from the federal government, just an honest chance to compete fairly without their competition having an artificial advantage. I applaud the U.S. Senate for standing up for small businesses that create most new jobs in this country.”
The bill now heads to the House. The effort received a boost last week when former Vice Presidential candidate and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., spoke in favor of the concept of ending special tax treatment for online-only retailers.
“I am so relieved that the Senate has demonstrated a commitment to closing this tax loophole, particularly our own Senators Portman and Brown,” said Jayson Waits, owner of Bloomtastic Florists in Upper Arlington, Ohio. “Our state is known for its small towns and vibrant Main Streets, and the Marketplace Fairness Act will finally end special treatment for large online sellers to ensure that all of us compete fairly.”
Members of the Alliance for Main Street Fairness, a coalition of over 7,000 small business owners, played a critical role in the passage of this legislation. Over the past two weeks, many of these business owners have communicated with their home state senators to refute assertions by eBay that the legislation would hurt small business.
“Unequal tax treatment has been killing jobs in South Carolina for years,” said Mark Johnson, owner of Elite Framing in Columbia, S.C. “This is not only a victory for small businesses, but for the communities they support here in South Carolina and across the country.”
“I truly appreciate Senators Warner and Kaine supporting Main Street on this issue,” said Donnie Caffery, owner of Good Foods Grocery in Richmond, Va.. “Governor McDonnell has also shown he knows what a positive impact passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act would have in countless communities across the Commonwealth. Now it is time for our representatives in the House to follow their lead and close the sales tax loophole once and for all.”
However, a number of senators spoke out against the bill during floor debate Monday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, released a Web video and wrote an op ed stating his opposition to the bill. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., also voice her disappointment after the Senate vote.
"I was disappointed the Senate passed such a misguided piece of legislation this afternoon and did so without giving the bill the comprehensive review that it deserved,” she said in a statement. “This Internet sales tax bill would impose countless new burdens on small businesses and could stunt their ability to expand and create jobs. We shouldn’t be imposing new and unnecessary burdens on New Hampshire small businesses, especially when there is no benefit for our state. This bill creates a bureaucratic nightmare by forcing New Hampshire small businesses to comply with 46 different state laws. This could result in serious economic consequences including audits, lawsuits, and a countless number of hours lost in productivity. I will continue to fight this policy because small businesses deserve our support, not more bureaucracy and red tape that impedes their ability to grow.”
Shaheen argued that the bill would require online retailers to establish a costly and burdensome sales tax collection infrastructure and filed amendments to the legislation to exempt New Hampshire from the new regulations. However, her office said that Senate leadership refused to consider Shaheen’s amendments to the legislation and instead fast-tracked the bill. They were able to secure passage this evening after bypassing Senate Finance Committee consideration of the bill. Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., has expressed his opposition to the bill.


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Meritage Collection Partners with Clean the World to Save Lives
Soap can save lives. In fact, the World Health Organization reports that millions of young lives could be saved simply with access to bar soap and hygiene education. At the same time, more than 2 million bars of partially used hotel soaps are thrown out each day in the United States. These facts prompted the Meritage Collection to partner with Clean the World, a foundation with a mission to collect and recycle soap and hygiene products and distribute them to impoverished people.
“The partnership between Meritage Collection and Clean the World means countless lives can be saved with recycled soap and bottled hygiene amenities,” says Terri Reid, corporate director of marketing for Pacific Hospitality Group. “Not only do we want to offer great experiences for our customers at our hotels and resorts, but at the same time we wanted to be able to give back where we can and work towards creating a sustainable future and preserving the environment.
“Every bar of soap promotes a healthier lifestyle and wards off preventable diseases that often result in death for children and families that lack the necessary resources to stay clean and well,” Reid says.
The partnership was announced in the fall of 2015. In the first quarter of 2016 alone, Pacific Hospitality Group has already distributed 3,051 bars of soap and recycled 288 pounds of plastic to help create 768 hygiene kits.
The recycled products are distributed by Clean the World to domestic homeless shelters and in developing countries. Since its inception in 2009, Clean the World has distributed more than 22 million bars of soaps in 96 countries.
“Sustainability is a major focus for hotels,” says Shawn Seipler, CEO and co-founder of Clean the World. “We estimate the North American lodging industry throws away more than a million bars of soap each day. By recycling soap and bottled amenities, the Meritage Collection is having a positive effect from both an environmental and humanitarian perspective.”
To learn more, visit cleantheworld.com.


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The clothing line was created in partnership with musterbrand, and will be the first complete clothing collection for the franchise. The line hits stores in the U.S. and Canada this month.
"Our partnership will give fans the opportunity to 'suit up' for one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, specifically for Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker," said Careen Yapp, vice president of acquisitions and franchise development of Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. "The mass success and support for our latest Metal Gear Solid hit has allowed us to expand beyond what we've done in the past with the series, and we are very much looking forward to offering this new line to a global community of fans."
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The fate of nearly 70,000 California cultivators is in limbo. Unfortunately, the issues facing these growers (especially small, family-run farms) are so complex that there is no easy way to address them. The cover story on p. 52 shares the perspectives of those trying to work through many of the most significant hurdles as the state-like those that have forged through post-prohibition before it—is experiencing significant growing pains.
But California is unique in that it has had two thriving cannabis markets-a very loosely regulated medical market and a black market-for decades. Cannabis has supported tens of thousands of families and dozens of communities. And the harsh reality is that the state simply cannot sustain, in a legal market, the number of cultivators currently working.
The American craft beer and wine industries can give us some perspective. In 2016, there were 5,301 breweries in the U.S., according to the Brewers Association. Of those, 5,234 are craft breweries. The total beer market retail dollar value is $107.6 billion. (Craft’s dollar share is 21.9 percent.)
Just over 8,700 wineries existed in the U.S. in 2016, according to the Wine Institute. “Wine shipments to the U.S. from all production sources-California, other states and foreign producers” reached nearly $60 billion. Shipments of California wine throughout the U.S. “reached an estimated retail value of $34.1 billion in 2016,” an all-time high, the Institute reported.
Black market cannabis sales nationwide reached an estimated $46.4 billion in 2016, Inc. magazine reported, citing a report from Arcview Market Research. (Black market and legal sales combined for $53.3 billion.) Compare the market size of the alcohol and cannabis industries, then compare the number of licensed brewers and wine-makers to the estimated nearly 70,000 cannabis cultivators in California alone, and see the problem emerge.
California’s vast landscape of growers has been able to sustain itself through interstate (black market) sales. It stands to reason that unless the bulk of these growers continue to operate in the black market, there will not be enough in-state consumption to sustain them. But even if these cultivators were to remain in the black market, it is likely not sustainable in the long-term, as more states are legalizing adult-use and medical cannabis, chipping away at the illicit trade’s market potential.
The state market’s problem is compounded by the fact that 39 out of 58 California counties have banned cannabis businesses in one way or another. While municipalities within county lines can still pass their own legislation allowing cannabis business, they can also uphold the bans.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture had issued just 2,477 temporary cultivation licenses-less than 4 percent of the estimated number of growers in the state-by the time this issue was headed to press. And those 2,477 cultivators have just 300 (temporarily) licensed adult-use dispensaries through which to legally sell their products “right now,” a phrase which CBT writer Eric Sandy notes in the cover story is integral to examining the state’s cannabis outlook.Of course, more licenses will be given out; but really, what is the true potential? And what are the options?
As devastating as this may be, I think we all need to adjust our expectations. Consider the widely reported statistic that 80 percent of all new businesses, not just cannabis companies, do not survive their first year of operation. And, as USA Today reports, “Around half of all businesses no longer exist after five years,” and “only one-third make it past their 10th anniversary.” While these figures might be cause for concern, it is worth noting that many of those businesses that no longer exist (on their own) have been acquired by other businesses, and owners were able to recoup some or all of their investment, if not make a profit, on the sale.
Ultimately, the success or failure of your business is going to depend on you. And realizing that “business as usual” is no longer applicable is a big step in the right direction.


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PKN’s May-June issue, sporting a stunning cover that showcases embossing and foiling at its finest, is a bumper edition demonstrating how the packaging industry is stepping up sustainability action in innovation and design, food packaging, and pack and label printing.
Hot off the press, the PKN Packaging News May-June 2021 issue is on its way to you in the mail, and available online in digital format for your convenience.
Starting with the Cover Story on page 32, PKN speaks to Stephen Pratt, managing director at Kurz Australia, about how to design packaging with impact using embossing. He says that whether a product is successful in the market often has much to do with its packaging design, and embossed packaging, which appeals to the sense of touch, is currently in vogue in the industry.
In the realm of sustainability, we unpack the inside story on Australia’s first recycled soft plastic food wrapper prototype developed for Nestle’s KitKat range (page 16); hear about how Labelmakers, in partnership with EnviroFlex, is creating a local circular solution for liners harnessing RecuLiner tech (page 18), as well as learn about Heritage Brands adoption of rPET packaging for its Oil Garden range (page 21). We also hear from APCO CEO Brooke Donnelly (page 20) how the National Plastics Plan is providing positive growth and strategic direction for Australian businesses.
In our food packaging feature, we kick off by talking to Tetra Pak Oceania managing director Andrew Pooch about how the company is shaping the future of food and beverage as it marks its 60-year milestone (page 40); we speak to KM Packaging’s business unit director John Shipley who highlights significant challenges for the space in the next century and beyond (page 42); report on Nestle’s switch to recyclable paper packaging (page 44), Result Group’s FreshTag time temperature indicator labels (page 45), and Riccardo the Pizza Artisan’s freezer thaw back method and recyclable packaging (page 46). We also highlight the recent virtual site tour from Zipform Packaging (page 48), as well as speak to Heat and Control’s business team member of packaging Robert Marguccio about all things weighing (page 50).
We also cover the latest in pack and label printing, first on how hybrid and digital flexo is opening new opportunities for flexible packaging production (page 52), followed by HP’s recent launch of its new presses supplied by Currie Group (page 54), Epson installing Australia’s first high-productivity SurePress (page 56), Arlo + Coop’s major investment in Zund flatbed cutting units and robots supplied by Starleaton (page 57), and Jet Technologies adding to its labelling solutions portfolio (page 58).
And in other packaging news, Jamestrong celebrates 30 years in operation with a 2.7bn can production milestone (page 22), and we look at Integrated Packaging Group’s latest installation of a 7-layer co-extrusion line for flexibles (page 23).
Finally, a special addition for this issue, we release our annually published Industry Directory resource, which will help B2B connection across the packaging supply chain. With almost 600 companies listed across an extensive number of categories, you can be sure to find what you are looking for from businesses large and small nationwide.
BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE…
Rounding out the issue are our regular sections: Industry Insight, where Innova Market Research and PackagingInsights highlight the top packaging trends in the post-Covid world; The Bottom Line, where Paul Allen examines what can produce a ‘monster moment’ in margin recovery; and People in Packaging, where PKN speaks to Emma Townsend, who was recently appointed CEO of AGITO Group.
Also, in for this issue’s Tech Speak, we announce exactly who made the cut for this year’s Australasian PIDA Awards.
AND THE CHERRY ON TOP…
Our regular Machinery Matters supplement, brought to you in partnership with APPMA, keeps you updated on the latest trends, technology and company news from the packaging and processing machinery sector. Member companies featured include Schmalz, Foodmach, Thermo Fisher, SMC, Krones, Nupac, Fromm, and Australis.
Enjoy the read.


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NEW YORK — When Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week disclosed its plan to swap dates with London to accommodate the Jewish holidays and the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, designers were faced with a bevy of scheduling conflicts. One was...
NEW YORK — When Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week disclosed its plan to swap dates with London to accommodate the Jewish holidays and the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, designers were faced with a bevy of scheduling conflicts. One was how they were going to produce a fashion show and get to Première Vision in the same few days.
With the 7th on Sixth date change, the new show week directly overlaps Première Vision, which is scheduled for Sept. 19 to Sept. 21 in Paris.
If designers plan to attend PV, it means they have to show their collection by Friday at the latest — leaving only one day to cover the fabric show, whereas most designers use the entire three days.
Furthermore, most vendors stick around and sell their collections during the market week after the collections.
Designer Yeohlee, known for her fabric selection, development and research, said Première Vision is extremely important to attend. She was one of the few to travel to Paris after Sept. 11 last year.
This year, Yeohlee’s fashion show is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sept. 18. Just hours later, at 5 p.m., she will board an overnight flight to Paris.
"Première Vision is integral for me," Yeohlee said. "I see my regulars and I always reserve time to explore new mills."
Diane Von Furstenberg said the situation is frustrating, but ultimately said she had no choice but to schedule around the fabric show.
"It’s very frustrating," Von Furstenberg said. "I was forced to show prior to fashion week and that [was a hard decision to make]. But Première Vision is important and of course I’m going."
PV organizer Laurence Teinturier said when the dates of the New York Fashion Week were postponed, she spoke frequently with Fern Mallis, the executive director of 7th on Sixth.
"Première Vision is taking place in Paris in Villepinte, [one of the few places] where an event of this magnitude could take place," Teinturier said. "There was nothing we could do to move the dates because of the location constraint."Daniel Faure, president of PV, said he was concerned about the timing since U.S. designers are key customers of the European weavers who exhibit.
But some designers are looking to the positive side of the overlapping show dates. Henri Lim, designer of Los Angeles-based contemporary line Development said being out of the loop can be a good thing.
"It’s hard to work out schedules since the market is falling at the same time as PV," Lim said. "But it’s kind of good because you’re not being influenced by what you see during fashion week. It helps you stay focused on yourself."
As a small company, Lim said attending PV is a good way to get the fabrics he wants before larger companies with more clout buy them up.
"To get ahead, I have to go there and see it first," Lim said. "I don’t have the luxury of waiting. If a big company books [a fabric], I’m out of luck. We’re like a little minnow swimming with big fish and we have to use everything to our advantage, so that’s why it’s so important to go."
@tradesy is turning the concept of a showroom upside down with its new space in Santa Monica. Here, the company plans to hold events, art exhibits and a showcase rare fashion pieces like this Louis Vuitton boxing set. Get all the details on Tradesy’s first showroom on WWD.com. #wwdnews
Spotted last night at the @erdem x @hm launch event: Kate Bosworth, Rashida Jones, Kirsten Dunst and Selma Blair. The party, which took place in LA, also marked the opening of their pop-up shop. “I was interested in creating a collection that wasn’t in any way disposable. It was about pieces you’d create and keep forever, things that have a permanence to it,” designer Erdem Moralioglu said. #wwdeye (📷: Katie Jones)
Renee Zellweger in yellow in 2001 and again in 2017. Chosen as one of the 12 @pantone Leading Spring Colors (and dubbed “Meadowlark”), it only makes sense that the bright hue stands the test of time and is making a resurgence this season, seen already on stars like @blakelively and @gigihadid. (📷: Donato Sardello & @rexfeatures) #wwdfashion #tbt
Dior’s 70th anniversary celebration continues with a new exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. “Christian Dior,” which is scheduled to run through March 18, takes a look at the founders tenure from 1947 to 1057 and feature 40 designs. Pictured here is an evening gown from the Ailée, fall 1948-49 haute couture collection. #wwdfashion (📷: Brian Boyle)
As one of the most recognizable models in the world, Christy Turlington Burns has an insider’s view of the fashion industry and the allegations of sexual harassment swirling around it. “I can say that harassment and mistreatment have always been widely known and tolerated in the industry. The industry is surrounded by predators who thrive on the constant rejection and loneliness so many of us have experiences at some point in our careers,” Turlington told WWD, along with her suggestions for how the modeling world should protect younger women and men. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. (📷: Tony Palmieri) #wwdnews
@asics America has tapped a new brand ambassador: famed DJ/record producer @steveaoki. This initiative is intended to set the tone for the new brand identity and philosophy and will include partnerships with influencers and in-store and off-line activations that will continue into next year. This is Asics’ most significant marketing effort in two decades, and is expected to attract younger consumers to the brand. #wwdfashion
24-year-old Jean Prounis is redefining the rules of jewelry. Formerly a studio assistant to Jemima Kirke and a design apprentice at Ghuran, she focuses on handcrafted subtleties and ancient goldsmithing techniques. “There was a really sterile feel in the environment and I wanted to have jewelry with character that shapes how you wear it everyday,” Prounis said. Each piece is hand made in New York, either by Prounis or three other jewelers in the district. #wwdfashion
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews


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US: Stocks little changed on mixed jobs report
[NEW YORK] The Nasdaq edged up while the Dow dipped early Friday after the December US employment report showed somewhat slower job growth but an uptick in wages.
The US economy added a solid 156,000 jobs in December, slightly below analyst expectations. However, the Labor Department report also upgraded the job estimate for November and said average hourly earnings rose to US$26.00, up 10 US cents from the prior month.
"The key takeaway from the report is that job growth is slowing while wages are rising, which are offshoots of a labour market running near full employment," Briefing.com analyst Patrick O'Hare said.
About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 19,853.45, down 0.2 per cent.
The broad-based S&P 500 shed 0.1 per cent to 2,266.33, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.1 per cent to 5,494.52.
Gap shot up 3.1 per cent as it bucked a trend of disappointing holiday sales by retailers and said comparable sales rose two per cent in the key November and December period.
JC Penney lost 2.5 per cent as it logged a 0.8 per cent decline in comparable store sales over the holidays, with women's apparel an especially weak area.
Amgen gained 4.2 per cent after a US judge on Thursday blocked sale of the rival cholesterol drug Praluent by French pharmaceutical company Sanofi due to a patent dispute over Amgen's Repatha drug. US shares of Sanofi lost 3.1 per cent.


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Cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) company Acumatica has rolled out its Acumatica Advanced Expense Management and Electronic Bank Feeds for its Acumatica Cloud ERP solution, which will increase automation and electronic banking, according to a press release.
There will be new electronic banking feeds for corporate cards and automated receipt generation to help streamline back-office accounting processes.
Other highlights for the Expense Management feature will include mobile notifications for unreported card activities, proof of expense receipts captured with intelligent machine learning (ML)-enabled image recognition and expense categorization, advanced automated approval processes, streamlined reimbursements and automated reconciliations for corporate cards, the release stated.
For the Electronic Banking feature, Acumatica will offer secure connections with more than 11,000 financial institutions with multiple authentication methods and tokenization technology, according to the release. There will be real-time activity downloads available with automated smart-matching to existing transactions, and intelligent creation of expenses and disbursements. And anomaly detection and streamlined bank reconciliation will be available.
Ali Jani, chief product officer with Acumatica, touted the ML capabilities as particularly enticing for users.
“One of the most exciting features within Acumatica Advanced Expense Management is its ability to detect corporate card use activities and remind the user to capture images of physical receipts for auditing and compliance purposes,” she said, according to the release. “Combined with its Intelligent Machine Learning-enabled receipt recognition, expenses are intelligently categorized to streamline the approval and back-office reconciliation processes.”
Expense management has been an issue for American businesses, particularly as the pandemic crunched their finances this year. Many companies only pay for purchases after the fact, giving them very little insight into on how much is being spent — or none at all. Digital spend management tools could offset some of the damage.


text: Amid the glossy rails of Harvey Nichols, the ornate hallways of Harrods and the DJ-filled corridors of Selfridges in London lurks an entirely new type of customer. Rich retirees, European tourists and local fashion lovers still throng London’s department stores, but alongside them are young Chinese students spending their hefty allowances. The boutiques of the British capital are not their only target. On Los Angeles’ most expensive shopping streets, Chinese students from the University of California Los Angeles, University of Southern California, and California State University shop elbow to elbow with Hollywood stars. Over on the US east coast, Parsons and Columbia students in New York are renting apartments on Fifth Avenue and buying from the department stores below their feet. It is a similar story in Melbourne, Paris and Vancouver, where rents have increased in areas favoured by the young Chinese. Unlike domestic students in these cities, most of whom have a paltry allowance that sees them head to Primark rather than Prada, Chinese youngsters studying abroad often have a disposable income of which most adults can only dream. Annabel Yao – a 22-year-old Harvard computer science student and ballerina who has lived in Britain, Hong Kong and Shanghai – is the daughter of Huawei founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei, and her social media accounts depict her jetting around the world wearing Dior, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent. Then there’s Wang Sicong, the son of one of China’s richest men, Wang Jianlin. He studied philosophy at UCL in London, where he is known for having bought an Apple Watch for his dog and paying £80 million (US$105 million) for a student pied-à-terre in the upscale Kensington neighbourhood. “These are seriously desirable customers we’re talking about,” says Melody Yeh, co-founder and operations director of Emerging Communications, a London-based intelligence firm specialising in Chinese retail. “They have big spending power – international fees cost a lot, so to be able to come to the UK to study, they need wealthy families. “We’ve calculated that the annual disposable income of Chinese students in the UK is £28,236 [around US$37,000],” Yeh adds. “We’re not talking about accommodation or fees or bills here, just personal spending on goods. On top of this, each student will have about three people annually come and visit them from China, and no doubt go shopping with them. So yes, brands want to catch their attention.” These students are taking over campuses in the West. Young Chinese citizens accounted for more than 40 per cent of all international students in the UK last year and about 33 per cent in the US and Canada. Having their children study abroad has become one of the main aims of both China’s ultra-high-net-worth individuals and the country’s affluent, upwardly mobile middle class. A recent survey by Kai Tak Education found that 83 per cent of Chinese millionaires want their children to study overseas – mostly in the West. Considering an estimate by Swiss bank Credit Suisse that there are more than 100 million Chinese in the top 10 per cent of world’s richest people, there are a lot of well-off Chinese students out there. The influx of Chinese students into European and American cities has created an industry aimed at marketing goods and services to them. Websites including Red Scarf are produced entirely in Mandarin and advise Chinese students abroad where to shop. Tao Liang launched Mr Bags in 2012 when he was a student in New York and has since seen phenomenal growth, with over 3.5 million followers on Weibo and more than 850,000 on WeChat. In June last year, in just six minutes, Liang helped Tod’s sell 3.24 million yuan’s worth of handbags (around US$460,000 at the time); the year before, in 12 minutes, he sold Givenchy handbags with a total value of 1.2 million yuan. “The best way to attract these Chinese students is to target Chinese KOLs [key opinion leaders] who are living in the US or UK, as students will follow them to get advice on how to survive in their new home,” Yeh says. “Fans are very loyal, the KOLs produce good content, and they’re a lot cheaper than their equivalents in China. “Another important thing to do is promote your goods on Weibo, WeChat and Little Red Book, as studies show that students usually stick to Chinese social media platforms rather than migrating to Instagram or Twitter.” Chinese students can also be invaluable in promoting European and American brands in China through their social media channels. Yeh cites the case of Aspinal of London, a British leather-goods brand that never had much of a presence in China. The brand started targeting Chinese students in the UK through Weibo and WeChat, and before long realised that sales were increasing in China as well, simply through word of mouth. Yeh also suggests making content as localised as possible for a Chinese audience, targeting Chinese New Year, Singles Day and the Golden Week holidays. “They might live in the UK or US, but they still celebrate, and content like this will resonate with them,” she says. Shopper for Hong Kong multibillionaires on their taste in watches and fashion The same is true for brands that embrace British heritage, or the heritage of whichever country the student is living in and trying to adapt to. Equally popular are labels that allow students to express an aspect of their personality and individuality as they forge a new life in a new city. Brands that allow for in-house personalisation, in particular, sell well. “Young Chinese consumers view ownership and affiliation with designer brands as a form of social capital,” says the McKinsey Luxury China Report 2019. “[They are] not just something to wear, but a lifestyle choice that marks them as part of a distinct and exclusive community. Most these young consumers are fresh to market, presenting both a tantalising opportunity and an implicit imperative for brands to stay current, or risk losing out to more digitally savvy rivals.” These students have enough spending power to shape entire Western luxury markets. Britain’s designer brands have been struggling since the country voted to leave the European Union in 2016. The United States, meanwhile, has always been the top choice for Chinese students looking to study abroad, but the trade war started by US President Donald Trump has caused a substantial increase in the number of Chinese students choosing to study in the UK instead. This could prove an unexpected salve for the local fashion industry. “Trump’s comments about China have been all over the news, and he’s making it more difficult for Chinese people to get a visa to study in the US,” Yeh says. “As a result, Chinese students have said for the first time ever that the UK is their first choice as a destination to study in. This is very important for the local fashion industry.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Annabel Yao (@annabelballerina) on Nov 2, 2019 at 6:15pm PDT But what about the threat posed by Brexit, and the unwelcoming environment that anti-immigration rhetoric is causing? “Brexit is creating uncertainty, for sure,” Yeh says. “But I don’t think students pay much attention to the tabloids, and it’s making the pound cheaper, which means London is now more affordable than it ever was before. Additionally, Britain has just relaxed its working visas for Chinese students, meaning anyone who obtains a postgraduate degree in the UK will be allowed to work for two years afterwards. That’s pretty enticing.” While the political situation in the UK is making locals more cautious than ever about spending money on luxury goods, the opposite is true of the Chinese students who are making London their home. Carry on like this, and British designer brands hoping to weather the Brexit storm might end up showing their collections during freshers’ week.


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Last week, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry & Security (“BIS”) informed some U.S. semiconductor manufacturers via a confidential letter that they would require export licenses before exporting certain products to China’s largest semiconductor manufacturer, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (“SMIC”). Although the letter is not available for public view, a September 28, 2020 Wall Street Journal article that broke the story said that the Commerce Department was concerned about high risks of diversion to a military end use. This additional export license requirement is part of a broader pattern of increased export restrictions, particularly to China.
On June 24, 2019, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) provided the public with an exclusion process for items included subjected to Section 301 Tariffs. Specifically, the exclusions related to products included on List 3, which went into effect on September 24, 2018.
Originally, List 3 imposed 10 percent ad valorem duties on 5,757 full and partial subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) and had an annual trade value of $200 Billion. Months later, in May 2019, the 10 percent ad valorem duties were increased to 25 percent. […]
On June 26, July 17, and August 11, 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) requested the public to submit comments regarding potential product exclusion extensions for items subject to Section 301 Tariffs. This comment period specifically applied to products that were included on List 4.
When the list was announced on August 20, 2019, it imposed a 10 percent ad valorem on 3,805 full and partial subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS), with an annual trade value of approximately $300 billion. Then, on August 30, 2019, USTR increased the rate of the additional duty announced in the August 20 notice from 10 to 15 percent. Finally, on January 22, 2020, USTR determined to reduce the rate from 15 to 7.5 percent. […]
Diaz Trade Law Now Filing List 4A Complaints – Join Section 301 Refund Lawsuit Now to Demand Refunds
301 Lawsuit Background
In mid-September, a coalition of importers filed a Court challenge to the USTR’s imposition of Section 301 duties on certain imports from China under Lists 3 and 4. These duties were imposed as part of a process purportedly intended to address intellectual property abuses by China. Specifically, this coalition has claimed that these duties were imposed contrary to law and ignored the statutory deadlines in Section 301. Further, the coalition has argued that these duties were not imposed in response to the intellectual property violations alleged in the initiation notice, but rather were filed in response to the retaliatory tariffs enacted by China. Accordingly, the coalition argues, such tariffs were void from the initial imposition.
The maritime industry has been rocked by a string of cyber-attacks in recent weeks. Two of the most severe incidents involved the United Nation’s shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization (“IMO”), and the French shipping company CMA GCM S.A. (“CMA GCM”). These attacks remind the shipping industry about the dangers of such attacks and the importance of cybersecurity compliance. From a trade and customs perspective, such incidents trigger post incident analysis and other measures as part of the U.S. Customs & Border Protection’s (“CBP”) Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism Minimum Security Criteria. We will discuss two of the most severe cyber-attack incidents in recent weeks below and then discuss the trade and customs implications of such attacks.
On October 5, 2020, Brazil’s Assistant Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade and International Affairs, Yana Dumaresq, stated during an Atlantic Council online panel discussion that a U.S.-Brazil trade agreement that covers trade facilitation, good regulatory practices, and anti-corruption is in legal scrub and the text should be finalized by mid-October. “We hope to have them signed this month,” Dumaresq said. The U.S. Commerce Department’s lead negotiator on this agreement, Joseph Semsar, said that “this is a unique opportunity to get things done that seemed unattainable.” These latest developments are a result of months of negotiations between the two major economies. Trade facilitation Back in April 2020, the U.S. Trade Representative (“USTR”) released a statement describing meetings between Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and President Donald Trump and ambitious plans to strengthen trade and economies ties.
Forced Labor is the third most lucrative illicit trade, behind only drugs and weapons, and has an annual trade value of roughly $150 Billion. Right now, over 40 million people around the world are victims of some type of forced labor, including modern slavery, human trafficking, etc.
Thankfully, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been working to curb this inhumane practice.
The Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (“CBTPA”) is an Act of U.S. legislation which expired on October 1, 2020. The CBTPA sought to strengthen Caribbean basin economies by extending preferential trade and tariff treatment and increase U.S. export opportunities in those countries. Upon the expiration of the CBTPA at midnight on October 1, 2020, importers may not file otherwise CBTPA-eligible without the payment of duties and other fees set at normal trade relation duty rates.
On June 25, 2020, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), requested the public to submit comments regarding potential product exclusion extensions for items subject to Section 301 Tariffs. This comment period specifically applied to products that were included on List 2, which went into effect on August 23, 2018.
List 2 imposed 25 percent additional duties on 279 eight-digit subheadings of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS) and had an annual trade value of $16 Billion.
On September 18, 2018, USTR provided the public with an exclusion process; then September 2019, USTR granted a number of exclusions that were set to expire on September 20, 2020. In the June 25th Notice, commenters were asked a variety of questions relating to their supply chains, such as…
whether the particular product and/or a comparable product is available from sources in the United States and/or in third countries; any changes in the global supply chain since August 2018 with respect to the particular product, or any other relevant industry developments; and efforts, if any, importers or U.S. purchasers have undertaken since August 2018 to source the product from the United States or third countries.
The June 25th announcement was made via federal register notice and stated that requests for exclusion extensions were to be submitted no later than July 30, 2020. Less than three months later, on September 22, 2020, USTR announced its determination to extend certain exclusions through the end of the year. Although USTR […]


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A legendary rock band has announced a long-awaited comeback tour, which will kick off later this year. Ticket sales are expected to be high due to the band’s lasting impact on the music world and the tour will travel to major cities across the US. Joining the band on tour will be a variety of special guests, and the band will debut new music during the tour, their first release in several years. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets as soon as possible as they are expected to sell out quickly.
Legendary Rock Band Announces Long-Awaited Comeback Tour
Rock and roll fans couldn’t be more excited as a legendary rock band has announced their long-awaited comeback tour. After years of anticipation, this iconic group will once again hit the road, bringing their electrifying music to legions of devoted fans.
There’s no denying the lasting impact this band has had on the music world. They’ve delivered countless unforgettable hits, earning them a place among the all-time greats. From their hard-hitting riffs and soulful ballads to their powerful onstage presence, this band has become synonymous with rock and roll.
So, what can fans expect from this highly anticipated tour? Here’s everything you need to know.
Tour Dates and Locations
The band has announced a select number of tour dates and locations, kicking off their tour later this year. Fans will have the chance to see them perform in major cities across the country, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
Tickets for the tour are expected to sell out quickly, so fans are encouraged to purchase them as soon as possible. They will be available through various online ticket vendors, or you can visit the band’s official website for more information.
Joining the band on tour will be a variety of special guests, adding even more excitement to the already buzzing atmosphere. These special guests will bring their own unique styles to the stage, creating an unforgettable concert experience.
Fans of this legendary band will also be thrilled to learn that they’ve been working on new music, which they plan to debut during the tour. This will be the band’s first release in several years, and their loyal followers are eagerly anticipating what they have in store.
Q: Who is this legendary rock band?
A: We cannot disclose the name of the mentioned legendary rock band, but as soon as the band announces the tour, the name will be revealed.
Q: How can I purchase tickets for the tour?
A: Tickets for the tour will be available on various online ticketing websites. Fans can also purchase tickets from the official website of the band.
Q: When will the tour kick off?
A: The band’s tour is scheduled to kick off later this year.
Q: Will the band be performing in my city?
A: The band has announced select tour dates and locations, including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. For more information on specific locations and dates, visit the band’s official website.
Q: Will the band be performing any of their classic hits?
A: Yes, the band will certainly be performing several of their classic hits, as well as some new music they’ve been working on.
In conclusion, rock and roll fans couldn’t be more excited for the upcoming tour of this legendary band. With electrifying music, special guests, and new tunes on the horizon, this tour promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Get your tickets now and get ready to rock out like never before!


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Google took another step towards becoming a phone company Wednesday with a relaunch of its mobile phone service under a new Google Fi branding. Previously known as Project Fi, the service is now officially available on iPhones as well as the majority of Android phones.
The service offers consumers a simplified pricing model: Unlimited talk and text cost just $20 a month. Google charges $10 for every GB of data used, but caps data charges at $60. This means that consumers never pay more than $80 per month, and potentially a lot less if they don’t use much data.
Google first launched Project Fi in 2015 as a phone service for its own Pixel line of phones. The service technically worked with other phones in the past as well, but often required some manual tweaking.
Now, the company is making using Fi with third-party phones a lot easier: On Thursday, it released an iOS app that can be used to monitor data usage, billing and more.
However, iPhone users still won’t have access to all of the service’s features. Most notably, they may not be able to get the same network coverage as someone who uses a Google-made Pixel phone. Google doesn’t operate its own cell tower infrastructure for Fi, but instead rents it from other operators, including T-Mobile and Verizon.
Pixel phones, and a select number of other Android phones, can dynamically switch between these networks, and use whichever cell tower has the strongest signal. iPhones, and Android phones not optimized for Fi, rely on T-Mobile’s network by default.


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Argentine fertilizer producer names Marcos Sabelli to run the company Argentine fertilizer maker Profertil said Friday that its board of directors has named Marcos Sabelli as CEO, taking over a company that made its debut in the local bond market last year.The joint venture of Canadian fertilizer producer Nutrien and Argentina's state-backed energy company YPF said Sabelli will take over for Horacio Veller, who resigned from the post.An oil engineer, Sabelli comes to the post from being vice president of strategy and business development at YPF, where he worked Already have an account?
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