text:
Vaginal mesh lawsuits claim device malfunction left thousands of women with severe pain and potentially permanent physical and emotional side effects. More than 104,000 vaginal mesh lawsuits have been filed against multiple manufacturers to date, many of which settled for a combined total of $319 million.
Why Women Are Filing TVM Lawsuits
Thousands of lawsuits have been filed against the pharmaceutical companies responsible for manufacturing and distributing transvaginal mesh (TVM) devices, with some ending in multimillion-dollar settlements. Of those that have progressed to trial verdicts, juries have frequently found in favor of plaintiffs and awarded compensation for serious complications and associated pain and suffering. Many such verdicts have been contested by the pharmaceutical companies in question, with some decisions later reversed in higher courts.
FDA Actions on TVM Devices
Surgical mesh has been used since at least the 1950s, initially for the hernia repair and other reconstructive surgeries. In the 1970s, some gynecologists began to use surgical mesh to treat pelvic organ prolapse (POP) – a condition in which tissues in the pelvic floor weakened or stretched, often in response to pregnancy and childbirth – as well as stress urinary incontinence (SUI). As time went on, the use of gynecological mesh increased, with thousands of women receiving vaginal mesh implants, sometimes called bladder slings.
In 1976, the amended Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate medical devices; however, devices that were already on the market at the time of the amended act were subject to a different classification process than new medical devices developed after the passage of the act. As such, surgical mesh became a Class II medical device, which did not require premarket approval. By allowing mesh products to skip premarket approval, the FDA may have missed an earlier opportunity to recognize and prevent many serious complications now named in multiple lawsuits.
As women began to report problems they had with their gynecological mesh, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) looked closer at the adverse event records. After studying the thousands of reports that came in between 2005 and 2010, the FDA eventually issued a notice changing the classification of vaginal mesh from a Class II to a Class III medical device, requiring premarket approval for surgical mesh devices going forward.
FDA Timeline of Urogynecological Mesh Actions
- October 2008: Public health notification about more than 1,000 reports during the preceding three years related to gynecological mesh
- July 2011: FDA safety communication update on serious transvaginal mesh complications, with more than 2,800 additional reports submitted between January 2008 and December 2010
- May 2014: FDA published a proposed order requiring premarket approval for surgical mesh used in transvaginal pelvic organ prolapse repair
- January 2017: The proposed premarket approval requirement went into effect, with updated rules published in the Federal Register
- September 2017: Another FDA safety communication related specifically to synthetic materials used to make Boston Scientific's composite mesh
- April 2018: The FDA issued a market withdrawal of all surgical mesh for transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse, effectively banning new TVM sales
Current Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuits
Transvaginal mesh products are made by a number of different medical device manufacturers, including Ethicon (a division of Johnson & Johnson), Boston Scientific and C. R. Bard, as well as several foreign companies. While many of the claims against these manufacturers are similar, Ethicon mesh lawsuits have been more prevalent than those against some of the other medical device makers.
Lawsuits Against Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson)
Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson, is the subject of more than 40,759 vaginal mesh lawsuits as of May 2019. Many women have named the company's Gynecare TVT Abbrevo product as responsible for their injuries, which continues to be sold. Other transvaginal mesh recalls have since been issued by Ethicon, although the manufacturer has not admitted that safety concerns were behind this decision.
Transvaginal mesh lawsuits list a variety of claims, depending mostly on the complications experienced by the women filing the suits. In many cases, women who experience any of these severe side effects have limited treatment options, which may include additional surgeries to remove the pelvic mesh and repair damaged tissue.
In addition to individual lawsuits, several states have filed suit against Johnson and Johnson claiming they marketed their pelvic mesh devices deceptively. Washington, California, Kentucky and Mississippi claim the surgeries associated with these devices ruined people's lives.
Transvaginal Mesh Lawsuit Side Effect Claims
- Infection, pain, discomfort, allergic reaction, or irritation near the surgery site
- Difficulty urinating, incontinence and involuntary urination
- Pain during everyday activities, including urination and sexual intercourse (dyspareunia)
- Organ perforation or mesh erosion into nearby organs and tissue (e.g., bowel, bladder or vaginal epithelium)
- Recurrent pelvic organ prolapse
Important: If you experience these or any other symptoms after your transvaginal mesh surgery, talk to your doctor or healthcare provider right away to understand your treatment options.
Due to the volume of lawsuits against Ethicon, these cases have been consolidated into multidistrict litigation overseen by U.S. District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Collectively, they are known as MDL No. 2327. Approximately 1,500 cases in this MDL are still pending. Ethicon has set aside an undisclosed amount of money to cover their litigation expenses, as well as settlements and court decisions.
Some of the composite mesh products (or similar brands like Atrium C-QUR mesh, Ethicon Physiomesh, and Composix Kugel Mesh) at the center of these legal claims are also the subject of hernia mesh lawsuits.
Boston Scientific Mesh Lawsuits
According to the company's February 2019 financial filings, there are currently more than 53,000 lawsuits in federal and state courts against Boston Scientific due to its synthetic mesh implants. While Boston Scientific has settled some of the lawsuits against it – such as a $119 million settlement in 2015 that resolved approximately 3,000 claims – there are still thousands of outstanding cases pending against the company.
C. R. Bard Mesh Lawsuits
As of Septmeber 2019, C. R. Bard had more than 190 outstanding pelvic mesh lawsuits still pending in federal court. The company has paid more than $200 million in vaginal mesh settlements to date related to its Avaulta brand and other products.
Foreign Mesh Lawsuits
These cases are not limited to the United States alone. A civil case was brought by 450 Australian women against Johnson & Johnson, and another 300 women have filed a class action lawsuit against American Medical Systems. In the United Kingdom, transvaginal mesh manufacturers and the National Health Service are being sued by more than 800 women. Thousands more class action and civil lawsuits are in progress or are expected to be filed around the world, with the global cost of transvaginal mesh legal action already reaching billions of dollars.
In the United Kingdom, transvaginal mesh manufacturers and the National Health Service (NHS) are being sued by more than 800 women, but regulators have recently taken steps to limit the use of these implants. The NHS announced in July 2018 that it would suspend use of any type of mesh implant for the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse or stress urinary incontinence.
If other devices are any indication, the U.S. FDA will be slow to follow, that is if they ban mesh devices for pelvic organ prolapse or SUI at all. In the meantime, thousands more class action and civil lawsuits are in progress or expected to be filed around the world, with the global cost of transvaginal mesh legal action already reaching billions of dollars.
Federal Pelvic Mesh Lawsuit MDLs
|MDL No.
|Lawsuits Filed
|Source: MDL Statistics Report – Distribution of Pending MDL Dockets by District, January 15, 2020
|Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson)
|Boston Scientific
|American Medical
|CR Bard (BD)
Transvaginal Mesh Settlements and Verdicts
Some transvaginal mesh lawsuits have resulted in settlement or verdicts in favor of the plaintiffs, resulting in significant compensation amounts.
Suzanne Emmett – $41 million (Philadelphia, PA)
After receiving an Ethicon vaginal mesh implant in 2007, Suzanne Emmett was forced to undergo multiple revision surgeries to stop the pain and discomfort caused by the device. However, those additional medical procedures could not completely reverse the irreparable harm done by the device. Emmett and her husband sued Ethicon, and in January 2019 the case went to trial, resulting in a $41 million award for the plaintiffs. The compensation broke down into $15 million in compensatory damages, $25 million in punitive damages, and $1 million for loss of consortium.
Ella Ebaugh – $57.1 million (Philadelphia, PA)
Diagnosed with urinary incontinence in 2005, Ebaugh received a TVT-Secure pelvic mesh implant in 2007, with another implanted about two months when the first one did not resolve her medical problems. Over the next several years, Ebaugh required three additional surgeries to repair her implants, which she claims caused her pain when both sitting and standing. In 2013, Ebaugh sued Ethicon, and in September 2017, the jury awarded her $57.1 million, $50 million of which was punitive damages. It is the highest jury award given in a Pennsylvania transvaginal mesh case to date.
Linda Gross – $11 million (South Dakota)
In February 2013, a jury awarded $11 million in compensatory and punitive damages to a South Dakota couple. Linda Gross required 18 surgeries (including nine to remove the mesh implant) after Ethicon's Gynecare Prolift device caused her to experience chronic pain. In March 2015, this verdict was affirmed in the Appellate Division. Ethicon petitioned for this affirmation to be reviewed, but their request was denied by the New Jersey Supreme Court in December 2015.
Huskey v. Ethicon
In September 2014, $3.27 million was awarded to a woman injured by Ethicon's TVT-O vaginal mesh. The West Virginia federal jury concluded Ethicon's device was faulty, and sufficient warnings about the risks of the mesh had not been provided.
Bellew v. Ethicon
In March 2015, Ethicon settled a case relating to its Gynecare Prolift mesh device on the fifth day of the trial. Ethicon has not disclosed details of the settlement.
Cavness v. Kowalczyk et al
In October 2015, a Texas jury ruled in favor of Ethicon in the first of many lawsuits blaming its Gynecare Prosima device for pain and suffering. The jury decided a design defect was not to blame for the plaintiff's pain, despite the product having being pulled from the market by its manufacturer.
Engleman v. Ethicon
In April 2017, a Philadelphia jury awarded a New Jersey woman $2.5 million in damages. They also hit Ethicon with punitive damages of $17.5 million. The plaintiff experienced severe pain after being fitted with Gynecare TVT-Secur mesh for incontinence and required multiple surgeries to have it removed.
In its first large transvaginal mesh settlement, Ethicon paid $120 million dollars in January 2016 to resolve as many as 3,000 cases. Judge Goodwin has allegedly advised Ethicon to settle more cases in MDL No. 2317.
McGinnis v. C. R. Bard
Mary McGinnis received Avaulta and Align mesh implants, both manufactured by C. R. Bard. She claimed the implants shrank after implantation, leaving her with nerve damage, pelvic pain and virtually no sex life. When surgery failed to resolve the problems caused by her implants, McGinnis filed a lawsuit.
In April 2018, a New Jersey jury awarded Mary and her husband $33 million in compensatory damages and $35 million in punitive damages, bringing the total judgment to $68 million. C.R. Bard representatives indicated that they would appeal the decision, but no appeal proceedings were pending as of February 2019.
Transvaginal Mesh FAQs
Am I Eligible to File a TVM Lawsuit?
Both women and their spouses have sought compensation for the negative impact the mesh has had on their lives, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of consortium (loss of marital relations)
- Medical expenses, including surgery to remove the devices
- Loss of wages
- Lower quality of life
The statute of limitations for filing a transvaginal mesh lawsuit varies significantly between states. Plaintiffs have 1 – 10 years from the time they become aware of their injuries to file a claim, depending on product liability laws in their state.
What Compensation Can TVM Victims Receive?
Compensation in cases like these tends to vary significantly based on a number of different factors. These include:
- How long the woman suffered severe side effects of the mesh implant
- The severity of the adverse effects she experienced
- Medical costs of treatment to resolve or manage those side effects
- Any money lost because she could not work as a result of medical problems related to the device
- The state where she lives
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a TVM Lawyer?
You will not have to pay anything to file a lawsuit through a contingency agreement. This type of agreement only requires you to pay legal expenses if you win compensation for your case through a favorable verdict or settlement.


text:
NCUR—National Conference on Undergraduate Research
Submitting your Abstract to NCUR You will need to create an account before you can upload your abstract.
Have the following information available when submitting your abstract:
Pacific's co-ordinator of undergraduate research (URC) Dr. Lydia Fox. Her contact info:Lydia K. Fox, Ph.D.
Director of Undergraduate Research
Chair, Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
University of the Pacific
3601 Pacific Avenue
Stockton, CA 95212
My contact information:
S. Brett DeBoer
To submit your abstract to NCUR:
Submitting the abstract to the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) is for the purpose of having it accepted for your presentation at the national conference and for possible publication in their annual proceedings. You will first need to open an account with NCUR to complete this process. (free)
Note: The title and author(s) of your abstract will appear EXACTLY as you enter them in the abstract submission form. Please double-check punctuation and spelling before submitting.
- Go to the NCUR link for Abstract guidelines
read through all information and formatting guidelines there
- Create a new student account from the "here" link found within the paragraph of information.
- Fill in your account information
- Select Communications, or a subject area which is related to your topic under Choose Subject. This will be the group that you present with.
- Select Oral as the presentation Type (not poster, not visual arts)
Over holiday break you will hear back from NCUR via email whether or not your proposal was accepted. If so, you then have the choice of presenting your project at the conference. This step is purely your choice and not mandatory for this assignment or for attending and presenting at the conference, it is simply an opportunity for you to get published if you take advantage of it. I strongly urge you to do this if accepted.
An additional opportunity for you, if your abstract is accepted, is to write up the project as a formal paper for publication. This is in addition to your presentation. See below for information on writing the paper.
The NCUR national conference is held annually each spring at a different college campus. For you, this typically means presenting your project in PowerPoint or Keynote that describes your research process, the final design and your conclusions.
On our campus, just for Pacific students is PURCC (Pacific Undergraduate Research Conference). All of our projects will be presented here at the Pacific Conference on Undergraduate Research (PURCC) which occurs annually each spring and typically coincides with the senior show in the Reynolds Gallery.
Writing the Paper (optional)
The paper is submitted separately from the oral presentation to NCUR Proceedings. The NCUR Proceedings formatting guidelines can be found here.
Here is the NCUR Guidelines checklist.
Abstracts should:
Other formatting guidelines:
These are the criteria that are used to review your paper from NCUR. Use them as a checklist to aid your writing style and organization.
- Does the paper title adequately describe the project?
- Is the paper in the proper format?
- Single Spaced?
- Not more than 10 pages?
- Is the paper full justified?
- Bold type used for title and paragraph headings only?
- Are figures and tables in correct format?
- Is the first page header in correct font (new times roman) and point size (9).
- Paragraphs and subparagraph in prescribed format?
- Does the abstract describe the project? (No personal Pronouns)
- Are the references adequate and in the prescribed format?
- Is the paper logical and coherent?
- Is the hypothesis or research question or purpose of the project stated clearly?
- Is the methodology clearly presented and adequate?
- Is the author's conclusion fully supported by the data's analysis?
- Does the student demonstrate an awareness of other research relevant to the topic?
- Does the conclusion genuinely follow from that argument?
- Is the conclusion the result of genuine, relevant, and sufficient evidence, intelligent and analyzed and fairly employed?
- Does this paper demonstrate the maturity and thoroughness that distinguish genuine undergraduate research from a traditional research paper performed as a course assignment, even a clever one?
Some of the Pacific GD students who have presented at NCUR in the past:
Praji Prasana—2018, Project Prototype

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Esko Suite10 Bitmap Viewer 10 build 1020
The Esko Bitmap Viewer will replace ScreenView in Grapholas for CDI and in PlatePrep. The use of the common viewer is an advantage for customers that work with several of Esko's solutions.
The Esko Bitmap Viewer comes with all Flexo specific functionality that was available in ScreenView, and more:
* automatically check the horizontal and vertical seamless connection of the repetition
* display overprint areas between selected separations, in a user selectable color
* display the resolution and the screening angles of a selected area
* check the dot percentage of a selected area, taking all active separations into account
* check the ruling, angle, dot gain compensation, distortion, dot shape, etc. in the XMP metadata that is included in the header of the Bitmap, when the Bitmap was produced by FlexRip
just tested on XP. latest version. the best/fastest 1-bit-tiff viewer?
Download link: free full Torrent download, Hotfile Rapidshare Megaupload FileServe FileSonic.
Only the registered members can see the download links/content. please Register to gain full access.


text:
What's the Difference?
What is CBD?
Lately, we are seeing more and more research and stories in the news about what CBD can do to benefit health, lifestyle, and illness. But it is still a product that is often shrouded in mystery and misconceptions. This confusion can be mostly attributed to the fact that CBD can be harvested from the hemp or cannabis plant.
CBD is short for Cannabidiol, and it is one of more than 100 compounds found in these plants. It acts on the body's Endocannabinoid system, creating physical changes in the body, which can be beneficial in many ways. In recent times, it has become increasingly understood that taking CBD oil, a product made from CBD, can have a positive influence on many aspects of life and health.
We are going to look at the argument for Hemp CBD vs Cannabis CBD. We'll investigate the differences between the two plants and how this produces differences in the CBD oil produced—and, importantly, how these differences in CBD oil will affect those who take it.
Differences Between Hemp and Cannabis
First, let's look at the differences between the plants that make CBD oil. To start with, the two plants look physically different, yet are both part of the 1 family of plants i.e Cannabis. This is due to the different reasons that both of them are grown. Cannabis, grown for its flowering buds for reasons of smoking or Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) extraction, are generally short and wide. Hemp, on the other hand, is tall and narrow as it is not grown for its buds. Hemp is low in THC and is often grown for a variety of purposes including the manufacture of materials.
Hemp, or industrial hemp (from Old English hænep),[1] typically found in the northern hemisphere, is a variety of the Cannabis sativa plant species that is grown specifically for the industrial uses of its derived products.[2] It is one of the fastest growing plants[3] and was one of the first plants to be spun into usable fiber 10,000 years ago.[4] It can be refined into a variety of commercial items including paper, textiles, clothing, biodegradable plastics, paint, insulation, biofuel, food, and animal feed.[5]
Although cannabis as a drug and industrial hemp both derive from the species Cannabis sativa and contain the psychoactive component tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), they are distinct strains with unique phytochemical compositions and uses.[6] Hemp has lower concentrations of THC and higher concentrations of cannabidiol (CBD), which decreases or eliminates its psychoactive effects.[6] The legality of industrial hemp varies widely between countries. Some governments regulate the concentration of THC and permit only hemp that is bred with an especially low THC content.[7][8]
As mentioned above, Cannabis and Hemp differ in the levels of naturally occurring THC that they contain. THC is a cannabinoid-like CBD. However, its properties are very different and often antagonistic to the effects of CBD. Hemp is naturally high in CBD and low in THC; the reverse is true of cannabis. In fact, hemp contains only about 0% – 1.5% THC, while cannabis contains about 5% – 10% or more THC.
This means that the levels of THC and CBD are different in the CBD oil produced from the two plants. But what does this mean for those taking CBD oil? First, we need to look at the differences between CBD and THC and why you might want a product with more of one or the other.
THC and CBD
Let's start by looking at THC. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the compound found in cannabis with psychotropic properties. Medical marijuana companies breed their plants to have the highest concentrations of this compound. It is associated with the feeling of being high that marijuana smokers experience. Effects include feelings of euphoria, pain relief and sometimes increased anxiety and paranoia.
On the other hand, CBD can be associated with many of the opposing effects of THC. CBD has been linked with the ability to reduce nausea and anxiety, anti-inflammatory and anti-psychotic properties, and even tumour fighting properties and the ability to lower levels of depression.
Research has shown that CBD can be used as an anti-anxiety remedy. And support is gathering for CBD's role as an alternative remedy for illnesses such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, depression and much more.
THC works on the endocannabinoid system in a different way from CBD, so although it is a similar compound, it does not have these benefits. However, research has shown that THC can have a positive influence over pain relief, PTSD, poor appetite and more.
Hemp CBD vs Cannabis CBD: Which one?
So, as discussed, the main difference when thinking of hemp CBD vs cannabis CBD are the differences in levels of CBD and THC the oil contains. Hemp has high levels of CBD and negligible levels of THC and vice versa for cannabis.
CBD has positive implications in a vast number of illnesses and has been shown to boost general health, hair and skin. Research isn't conclusive here, although it is strong, and in the coming years, we are expecting to see more and more evidence. THC, on the other hand, can benefit other disorders but comes with drawbacks, such as the feelings of being high and possible induction of feelings of anxiety and paranoia and more.
Further to this, CBD is legal whereas THC is not. To use medical marijuana, it has to be legal in the state that you live in plus you need a doctor to prescribe it. Hemp CBD is much more accessible and can be bought from many outlets.
Hemp CBD has also been shown to be safe to use by all, children, pregnant or nursing women, and those who cannot take pharmaceutical medicines who may want to use it as an alternative remedy.
What does this mean for consumers?
Should we start searching for CBD oil obtained from marijuana, or stick with the CBD oil from hemp plants?
The short answer would be that when choosing between marijuana and hemp for CBD oil production, hemp seems to be the best option because the final product is rich in CBD and contains no THC. It's more logical to choose the source that provides high amounts of CBD and negligible levels of THC than to opt for the plant that contains both these compounds in high amounts and then search for solutions to separate the two active principles so as to obtain a CBD oil that is non- psychoactive and without unwanted effects.
It would seem that the strong research supporting the hemp oil benefits, its safety and ease of use and purchase puts it in front of cannabis CBD when comparing the two. Whilst cannabis CBD does have its benefits, its drawbacks seem to outweigh these, and given the positives of hemp CBD and its lack of drawbacks, hemp CBD seems a clear winner.
When choosing between Hemp and Cannabis, the Hemp CBD seems to be the best most versatile option, depending on what challenges or results each individual is looking for. Each product has a beneficial role to play in our health, neither have the "magic pill to fix all". Sometimes in certain treatments, its advisable to use both to obtain The Enterouge Effect to help with certain conditions.
Its advised, at all times, to seek qualified research and advice from health professionals you can trust for the best personal choice.
Get 10 % Off Using Discount Code: NHW10OFF
|300mg Hemp CBD Oil
|1500mg Hemp CBD Oil


text:
The African pygmy goose (Nettapus auritus) is the smallest of the perching ducks with a body-weight of about 285 g in males and 260 g in females.
Males have a white face with green ear patches and metallic green on their back; females are rather greyish, with dark eye patches. The African pygmy goose nests usually in tree cavities, but occasionally also on ground, in cliff holes, termite mounds, thatched roofs etc. 6 to 12 creamy-white eggs are laid, which are incubated for 23-26 days.
- Where to see them: Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar
- Length: 30 inches
- Weight: 285 grams
- Habitat: Ponds, sluggish rivers and bays
- Diet: Seeds and other plant parts and water lilies
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
It is either A-I-D-A or I-E-E-O
Just imagine your advertising message being read by your target audience, and having them so interested that they respond without delay. Your phone would ring off the hook for days following your ad placement. Your doors swinging open with new customers visiting to take you up on your offer. Your website visits growing to massive levels as word spreads quickly about your unique position in the marketplace.
That's precisely what I want to share with you today.
When crafting your advertisement or marketing message, whether it is in a flyer, in a poster, on a website or in a letter, you need to keep AIDA in mind:
A – Grab their Attention with a compelling Headline. Something that will make them stop and take notice.
I – Get their Interest with a sub-heading or introductory paragraph that compels them to read further.
D – Create Desire for your product or service by clearly sharing your unique value proposition.
A – Give your reader a clear and easy way to take Action.
If AIDA doesn't "light you up", then use IEEO instead:
I – Interrupt your reader's normal activity with a jolting headline – be bold here.
E – Engage your reader with words that let them see themselves in your message.
E – Educate your prospective customer with genuine value-added information they can use right away.
O – Make an Offer that is too good to pass up. Make it clear and easy – nothing complicated or intrusive.
There you have it. Two proven formulas for success – AIDA or IEEO – you choose which is right for you.
Now, to help you become a master at writing brilliant copy that works, I'll make you this offer: Use AIDA or IEEO to put together your next advertisement or marketing piece for your business, send your draft copy to me and I'll give you a free review, critique and edit. No strings attached. Just to show you how powerful this approach can be.
I assure you that if you practice using this simple formula, your return on investment for your marketing efforts will increase significantly!
Good Luck and have fun with this!


text:
Yesterday on Tom Duggan's "Paying Attention" radio program Methuen Democrat Diana DiZoglio, and Andover Republican Jim Lyons debated, for an hour, DiZoglio's vote to overturn Governor Patrick's veto of the Transportation Finance Bill and it's higher taxes. DiZoglio is trying out the line of the twelve House Members who changed their vote from against the taxes to supporting them, by voting with the Speaker.
The spin from these 12 Democrats is that if they didn't vote to overturn the veto the Governor would have raised taxes further. Of course this belies the fact that only 33 representatives, all Republicans and three conservative Democrats voted to uphold the Governors veto, and hold the line against taxes. Simple arithmetic tells you that 33 + 12 = 45. This is nine votes short of the 54 needed to not overturn the veto, and have the bill die. They chose to give cover to the raising of taxes. It is plain and simple.
Here is the audio of the rumble.


text:
Horror hit Hollywood in a big way this week, as two scary movies made their way into the running for the Oscars. Get Out and The Shape of Water have been nominated for more than 13 awards, with both films… Continue Reading →
2017 was an outstanding year in film. Sure, the year ended on a disappointment — I'm looking at you, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. But think of all the wonderful movies, like Wonder Woman, this year has given us. Fans of… Continue Reading →
Hollywood is running out of ideas. Seriously, just look at weekend releases for most of the year and try to find two in a row without a franchise movie release. So far, we have gotten a new or debut installment… Continue Reading →
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (T2) is arguably two improbable things: the best sequel of all time, and / or the best action movie of all time. Like Jurassic Park, another early '90s masterpiece, T2 is a film that seems to transcend space… Continue Reading →
Growing pains are especially difficult when the undead are attacking… such is the case in Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse.
© 2020 Zombies in My Blog — Powered by WordPress
Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑


text:
If your business is considering its first website or update of or your existing company website then you may find yourself among the many who set off on the venture just not knowing what is involved with building a new website.
So many of our first meetings with businesses often center around some fundamental basics about getting the project up and running and it's equally important for those heading up the project to have an understanding of what it involved from start to finish. Hence this simple guide!
Planning your new website
It is true what they say that the more you plan the better the result, but when you start examining it there's a whole lot to plan too. Most important and most obvious is the aim of the website. You may be opening a new online shop, selling subscription services, you may want to sell holidays or simply create a new brochure site that promotes your business. Be absolutely clear about what you want the site to do, what you don't want it to do and be realistic in your expectations. Chat this through with your teams and get your results down on paper, it will help sharpen your idea and provide invaluable material for your chosen web design agency.
Start thinking about your content
So soon? I thought this all came at the end? – The sooner you start planning and writing your content the smoother the process will be throughout. Content is key to long term success and no matter how good your site looks your visitors will soon want to scratch under the surface and see what you have to say if they are really interested in passing business your way. If you're not a writer it will be a worthwhile investment in getting your content properly copy-written from the start, have a chat with your agency. Good web design agencies should be able to advise you on this. When you start planning your content you may find that your thoughts on flow through the website may change which can have a big impact on elements of the site such as navigation, SEO (search engine optimisation) and even the number of physical pages.
SEO – That's what we call sorting stuff out for Google
SEO or search engine optimisation will matter to you. Once your site is launched you want to have it visible as soon as possible and getting found by your customers. As an agency ourselves we put strong focus on this element and narrowing your search phrases, terms and competition early on can save a lot of heartache down the line. SEO should be built into the site from the ground up unfortunately nowadays it's not just adding a few key-phrases here or there.
The website sitemap
Once we have analysed the brief and looked at the structure of your content we can then draft up a sitemap, this should include all of the main pages that will be in the website from the start, it will form the basis for the design of key areas such as your navigation menu, home page and blog. Sitemaps can take various forms from a spreadsheet, flow chart or something much more elaborate. Either way this should be agreed by both agency and client before any design work starts.
Allow time to plan for your new website – no doubt your new company website will become central to your marketing and business operations. The more detailed a brief the smoother a journey through development which can save valuable time and money down the line.
Website Wireframes
For certain types of website or where there may be some complexities that need ironing out before the design, some agencies may recommend producing wireframes. These are simple sketches as such which enable client and agency to better understand certain functions of the website or play with various layouts in order to build a strong basis from which to design from.
Website Design Concepts
It's taken a long while but finally we get to the bit that everyone looks forward to, when we start to see the project come to life. Usually we start with the home page design. You should expect a couple of different concepts if your web design isn't based on a theme. Some agencies will stipulate a certain amount of changes, others will be more flexible, but ultimately it's important that you are delighted with the result. Once the home page is agreed the concept is extended to sub pages, mobile views and particular design elements that may exist within the new website.
Website Development – The website build
Once the designs are signed off and your confident that all basis are covered, the agency will typically write the code for the website. This is a complicated and often time consuming process however in simple terms though it is the process of deconstructing the design and converting it into HTML code that will be read back through your visitors browser, mobile or tablet. Done right by professionals the final build of the site should look pretty much exactly like the design you agreed to although there will always be some subtle discrepancies between design and code. Good agencies will ensure the site is tested across the multitude of internet browsers and adhere to those all important SEO fundamentals throughout.
Inserting content into your website
Once the build is done, we'll be ready for your content, hence the importance of not leaving it until the end as this can cause long delays for the launch of the website. If your website is built on a CMS (content management system) it may be an idea to get involved with this yourself, especially if you're planning to update your own site ongoing. You'll understand what's involved, how long it will take you and what you can and cannot do so you can hit the ground running as soon as the website is online.
Test, test and test again
We always deploy new websites onto a staging environment before it is launched. This enables you to interact fully with your website, review performance and content and make sure everything is working great before the big switch over.
D-day – Getting your website live!
So we have reached launch at last and the moment all of your efforts are made live to the world, you'll probably want to hit your social channels or get the publicity machine whirring as soon as it is online – so that's it yes? Sorry there's still a few more things that need to be done, and it is all equally as important!
In reality getting your new website live is just the start, the hard work really starts now when you consider promotion, driving traffic, referrals and delivering consistent quality content to your audience – you may find our guide to blogging basics for small businesses a useful read also.
Telling Google you've arrived!
So you need to let Google know that you're online and ready for business. Agencies should submit sitemaps, feeds and site submissions and if you're replacing an old site ensure that everything is correctly redirected from old to new.
Analysing the early days
It's important that the website is doing what you expected following launch. We study analytics of the website to ensure your visitors are interacting as expected, that your enquiry forms are coming through and that elements like payments are arriving safe and sound! It's difficult to mimic everyone's browsing habits, so speak to your customers and get their feedback on the new site, you'll find it invaluable and may highlight something that just might have been missed!
And finally that's it, you're online and underway to what should be a strong professional grounding to your online venture. We could go on and talk about how you can maintain and grow your site for the future but that's a whole other story. Rest assured follow these fundamentals and hire a professional agency and you'll be well on the road to success.


text:
Celery is a vegetable that is almost absent of calories, yet contains important vitamins and minerals. Celery is a little more difficult to grow than other common garden vegetables. Like leeks, celery requires a longer growing season and prefers cooler temperatures. The stalks can be very dry and stringy without correct care.
When To Plant
Celery is best started indoors. The seeds are very tiny, difficult to sow as well as thin. In addition, the longer growing season may necessitate an indoor start.
Start seeds in individual containers with as few as possible into each container. Once they start growing thin each conatiner down to oly one plant each. Transplant outdoors after the last date for frost in your planting zone.
Spacing & Depth
Choose a sunny location and space plants one foot apart, in rows 2 to 2 1/2 feet apart.
Celery is thirsty. Be sure to give celery plenty of water, too little water can cause the celery stalks to split and also be stringy and tough. Celery also likes fertilizer, compost, and mulch. The goal is to retain moisture around the plants and add nutrients.
Harvest when the stalks have grown to at least 12 inches. Plan on putting the outer stalks back in the compost bin because the inner ones will be sweeter and more tender.
Common Problems
You may find that insects enjoy celery as much as you do. Look for slugs, aphids, leafhoppers, and celery flies. In addition to the bugs, you may need to be on the lookout for leaf spot and blight. Celery can be treated with fungicides to help control these.


text:
Loading some great jobs for you...
We have a facility in Vermont that is seeking a board certified or board eligible anesthesiologist starting December 16th for a locum tenens assignment. Call is 1:4 and will be in-house with post call day off. The types of cases include general, ENT, ortho, neuro, GI, vascular, thoracic, urology, ob-gyn, basic peds and regionals. Candidates must be proficient with spinals and OB epidurals. Notes are taken via EMR.
Dates Needed: December 16th - ongoing
Hours Per Day: 8
Assignment Type: OR
Assignment Duration: Locums
Call Required: Yes
Board Certification Required: Negotiable
Prescriptive Authority Required: Yes
Government: No
Percentage Hands On: 50%
Staffing Model: Care Team Model
Additional Information:
Launch your career - Create your profile now!Create your Profile
Loading some great jobs for you...


text:
OK.. I must admit, I kind of did a real quickie here and because I did want to try this out, but my time for the last few weeks consist of doing things either late into the night or somewhat quick. So... this is somewhat quick, a bit simple, BUT I guess a little masculine. I think the key for making cards for men is truly the colors you tend to pick. I went with brown, red and black; "Manly" colors! LOL.. well, I guess. I stamped my tree and really didn't do another thing to it.. lazy? Then I matted it on the red and used my fancy corner punch and then stamped muzzy, colored him with mark-it markers and then cut him out placed him in front of the tree, glued him down added the chipboard frame (colored a roll of dots on that red) and added the mushroom, drew my little lady bug on that and stamped and matted the hello, added my ribbon and called this a quickie manly card!! I really wanted more of the tree trunk to show in the frame, but it did not work out that way, because I cut too much off one side and had to correct it ((ugh)) LOL... oh well... Thanks for taking a peek!
March 15, 2009
House Mouse Challenge #28 - One for the men
Posted by Nina at 6:06 PM
Labels: card making, cards, handmade cards, housemouse, housemouse stamps, stamping, stamps
5 comments:
- scrapperjulia said...
This is really cute! Great colors for a man card and love the tree!
- March 15, 2009 at 7:15 PM
- Curt in Indy said...
Such a cute card Nina! I love the layout, the black and red, and the ladybug and mushroom are an adorable touch! Super job! Best, Curt
- March 16, 2009 at 8:23 AM
- Emma said...
Awww, this is so cute. I love the colours and the frame you have used. Makes a perfect mans card. x
- March 16, 2009 at 4:53 PM
- Nancy said...
Oh, Nina, this is so CUTE! Love how the mouse is concentrating on the ladybug! Great card!
- March 17, 2009 at 6:09 PM
- Nilla said...
Such a beautiful card and I love the framed piece! from Nilla
- March 17, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
You are here
Singapore wireless wannabe MyRepublic eyes profit in three years
[SINGAPORE] MyRepublic Ltd, bidding to become Singapore's fourth mobile-phone carrier, says its lower costs mean it can start with a small subscriber base and still be profitable within three years of winning a license.
The Internet service provider expects to get at least 250,000 customers in its first year as a carrier, should it win a spectrum auction expected later this year, Chief Executive Officer Malcolm Rodrigues said in an interview on Monday. The company intends to build that to a 9 per cent market share, or more than 700,000 users, within five years, by offering unlimited data plans, he said.
While former monopoly Singapore Telecommunications Ltd has about half of the mobile service market to itself, MyRepublic expects to have a cost advantage as a new entrant in one of Asia's most expensive wireless markets for users. Rodrigues said MyRepublic will need about S$300 million, less than a third of the conventional infrastructure cost, to build a 4G network nationwide as the company will operate from facilities already used by its Internet business.
"We'll have a much faster network than the existing players because our network will be less dense," Rodrigues said. "We don't have legacy issues, so our operating costs will be lower." MyRepublic must first have the winning bid at a spectrum auction where competition is expected to include Consistel, a wireless software provider. Singapore's government is seeking to introduce new competition to a market where mobile-phone users can pay more than twice as much for data services than subscribers in Hong Kong, South Korea and Thailand and more than triple that for Australia, India and Indonesia.
Singtel Chief Executive Officer Chua Sock Koong said last month that the entry of a new operator would drive prices lower and hurt the industry. MyRepublic's Rodrigues said his company wouldn't start a price war.
"We've never been a price disrupter and we never will be," Rodrigues said. "We'll offer customers more for the same price they pay other operators and bring back unlimited data." MyRepublic, which currently has about 50,000 fixed-line broadband users in Singapore, will meet the telecom regulator's requirement to provide nationwide coverage by October 2018, Rodrigues said. He also said he expects the auction to happen in the third quarter of this year. The company has mandated Goldman Sachs Group Inc and DBS Group Holdings Ltd to help it raise S$250 million it needs for the network, he said.
BT is now on Telegram!
For daily updates on weekdays and specially selected content for the weekend. Subscribe to t.me/BizTimes


text:
Robotics Competition Coming to Campus
Robotics Competition Combined Bioengineering, Military Drones and Sumo Wrestling
The Bourns College of Engineering hosted more than 500 middle and high school students Nov. 13
(November 15, 2010)
NEWS MEDIA CONTACTName: Sean Nealon
Tel: (951) 827-1287
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
A team of students at the MESA Robotics Invitational robotics hosted Nov. 13 at the UC Riverside Bourns College of Engineering. (Photographs taken by Andrew Ong.)
The Mathematics, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) School Programs at UCR, in conjunction with the San Bernardino Community College District and FIRST LEGO league hosted the third annual MESA Robotics Invitational from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bourns College of Engineering.
The event was the culmination of months of work for the students, who work in organized teams to accomplish the required tasks.
"These innovative and hands-on experiences truly inspire students to pursue a higher education, especially in science, technology, math and engineering," said Carlos Gonzalez, director of MESA School Programs.
The event included three challenges.
During the FIRST LEGO Challenge, robots the students built with LEGOs traversed a course that simulates medical and bioengineering challenges. For example, they positioned a pacemaker inside a heart or apply a stint to a simulated artery. The robots operated autonomously, using computer programs written by the students. Remote controls were not allowed. Winners of the competition qualified for the Southern California championship, held at LEGOLAND near San Diego.
In another challenge, middle school students used the robots they built out of LEGOs to engage in sumo tasks, including bouts between the robots.
During the final challenge, high school students used metallic robots they built that were meant to replicate military drones to destroy targets (balloons) throughout a course, and then in combat against other robots.
The competition included students from the Moreno Valley, Rialto, Jurupa, Riverside and Colton school districts.
MESA is a nationally award-winning program designed to inspire students who come from educationally and/or economically disadvantaged circumstances. It's open to all students in grades 6 to 12. UCR's MESA Schools Program serves more than 800 middle school and high school students from Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
FIRST was founded in 1989 to inspire young people's interest and participation in science and technology. Based in Manchester, N.H., the nonprofit designs accessible, innovative programs that motivate young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math, while building self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills.
The San Bernardino Community College District has made a concerted effort to institute and promote the mission of FIRST in San Bernardino County.
The University of California, Riverside (www.ucr.edu) is a doctoral research university, a living laboratory for groundbreaking exploration of issues critical to Inland Southern California, the state and communities around the world. Reflecting California's diverse culture, UCR's enrollment has exceeded 21,000 students. The campus opened a medical school in 2013 and has reached the heart of the Coachella Valley by way of the UCR Palm Desert Center. The campus has an annual statewide economic impact of more than $1 billion.
A broadcast studio with fiber cable to the AT&T Hollywood hub is available for live or taped interviews. UCR also has ISDN for radio interviews. To learn more, call (951) UCR-NEWS.


text:
In many composite technologies such as HP-RTM and Prepreg moulding, high productivity derives from the availability of near-net shape, dimensionally stable preforms feeding the presses. In giving the part an initial shape through preforming, the insertion of the reinforcement into the mould cavity (the bottleneck of the process) becomes less time consuming and permits to occupy for lower times the injection and/or curing station.
Furthermore, injecting through a dimensionally stable preform (instead of carbon fibre plies) will enhance the final part quality, facilitating the resin flow and lowering the fibre washout. Preforming is obtained by opportunely draping the reinforcement stack in a dedicated mould through a press. In order to "freeze" the obtained shape, a binder (previously deposed on the reinforcement) is used. The process is therefore accounting for a first phase of heating (necessary to activate the binder) followed by the draping and forming phases. Among the different preform trimming solutions, in order to obtain a near-net shape before the insertion into the mould, Cannon selects ultrasonic cutting for its extreme flexibility, ideal in case of frequent production changes, and punch pressing for its low cycle times, ideal for long production batches.
The key for a preforming process at the same time efficient and flexible, is the transfer system. Cannon Smart Grippers system, integrated in the preforming island, allows a quick transfer from the heating station and a proper draping of any near net-shape profile. Each gripper has independent position control and the combination between individual and collective movements gives an extremely high degree of freedom to the system. As a result, the system is able to effectively handle and drape any stack shape into 3D complex preforms.
Cannon fully automated solutions achieve lower than 60 seconds part-to-part cycle times.


text:
Millwall fan receives 5 year blanket ban from the club for defending himself and others at Euro2016
A Millwall fan who defended himself and the families around him against an attack by Russian hooligans in Marseille during the Euro2016 championships has been banned for five years by the club's management despite not being arrested, charged or prosecuted for his actions.
He hasn't stood trial or been accused to any criminal acts, nor is he wanted by the French police.
Joe Pizarro, known as Spanish to his friends, was enjoying a drink in Marseille outside the Havana Cafe on June 10th the evening before England's draw with Russia when he and other England fans were set upon by a group of Russian fans.
After a prolonged altercation Joe and others forced the Russian attackers back away from the bar while the French police stood by and looked on.
Joe said: "we saw the Russians coming towards us. There could have been a hundred of them, but honestly it was hard to tell because of all the chaos.
"There was a family sat near us, a mum and dad and a teenager and there were people unconscious. We decided we needed to keep them out and protect them."
On his return to the UK Joe was summoned to Uxbridge Magistrates' Court where he was issued with the ban at Millwall on the recommendation of the shady Met Police Football Unit.
He said: "I wasn't arrested and I haven't stood trial. This was a civil case, and I couldn't defend myself because there's no free legal aid in civil courts, so I would have to pay for a solicitor on my own.
"I just don't want other England fans who were attacked to have to go through the same thing as me."
The ban doesn't just cover Millwall games, but all club property including the club shop and Lions Centre, which means he is unable to take his family to social events as well as games.
Joe is a lifelong supporter with strong connections to the club having previously organised a Millwall supporters team to go to Belgium to play a friendly against Royal Antwerp to help raise funds to stop the club from going under.
It's understood he is appealing the decision and privately Millwall FC are unhappy with all the attention he is receiving for being the victim of a hooligan attack.
Drop the ban, Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/john-berylson-no-life-or-5-year-ban-for-spanish-fending-for-his-life-all-families-caught-up-in-france
Background to the story here: http://www.southwarknews.co.uk/news/russian-aggression-local-man-caught-euros-marseille-violence-says-police-nothing/


text:
Repertory Member,
Coordinator Programs and Communication
Completed Diploma in Architecture Engineering, Diploma in Multimedia and Animation, from Jadavpur university, under Brainware.
Completed one year certificate in academic contemporary dance/ movement in art from Ballygunge Rhythmosaic School and Dance Institute, with distinction in Kathak under Pracheen Kala Kendra examination 2017 and pursuing his Diploma in Kathak from Pracheen kala Kendra, India.
A scholar from Rhythmosaic and OffJazz Dance Academy, France, 2018, he is presently a full time repertory member of rhythmosaic and performed in Russia, Algeria, China, Hong Kong, under the aegis of Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. Of India, Teamwork arts, The Hong Kong Academy For Performing Arts, and Beijing Dance/ LDTX with Rhythmosaic.
Kathika is a trained Contemporary, Classical Jazz and Kathak performer. She has studied performing arts in Ballygunge Rhythmosaic School and Dance Institute, and completed one year certificate in academic contemporary dance/ movement in art, pursuing his Diploma in Kathak from Pracheen kala Kendra, India. and presently then repertoire and facilitator/coordinator - education at Rhythmosaic. She has performed with Rhythmosaic both nationally and Internationally. She is teaching at various reputed institutes such as La Marteniere School For Girls, Future Hope Foundation, Busy Bee Academy.
She is also pursuing her diploma in Kathak dance from Pracheen Kala Kendra, India.
Contact Us:
Email- firstname.lastname@example.com
Call Us: +91 9831350670 (Whatsapp)
+91 9831224011 (Whatsapp)
UK branch - +44 7586137240
+44 7852386121
Adress- 48/3 Gariahat Road, Singhee Park Apartment, Flat N1A, Kolkata-700019 (India)
6, Whinbrook Crescent, LS175PN, Leeds,(UK)


text:
Cartel: K-Line Pleads Guilty in Australia
Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K-Line) has entered a guilty plea in the Australian Federal Court to criminal cartel conduct. The company is scheduled to be sentenced in November this year.
K-Line's plea follows an investigation by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) in relation to cartel conduct concerning the international shipping of cars, trucks and buses to Australia.
The charges against K-Line relate to shipping activity between 2009 and 2012, although the cartel operated from at least February 1997 and affected vehicles transported to Australia from locations in Asia, the U.S. and Europe on behalf of major car manufacturers including Nissan, Suzuki, Honda, Toyota and Mazda.
This is the second guilty plea in Australia in relation to the cartel with Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK) pleading guilty in July 2016. The company was convicted in August 2017 and fined A$25 million ($19.8 million).
In 2014, K-Line agreed to plead guilty and pay a $67.7 million criminal fine in the U.S. for its involvement in a conspiracy to fix prices, allocate customers and rig bids.
The ACCC's investigation into other alleged cartel participants is continuing.


text:
In The Headlines
Ace Hardware – the $4.7 Billion Corner Store Co-op
When Jeremy Melnick's grandfather opened his first Ace Hardware store along Chicago's ritzy Gold Coast in 1950, there was not a whole lot of competition. Wal-Mart was an Arkansas five-and-dime. Lowe's was two stores in North Carolina. Home Depot was still 29 years away from opening its first location. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos was 14 years shy of being born.
The Melnicks—Jeremy, 43, and dad Les, 67—own six of the 4,794 Ace Hardware stores that make up the country's largest retail cooperative outside of the grocery sector. As they have expanded their family business-within-a-business into a local chain, some 20 Home Depots have cropped up along greater Chicago's highways and strip malls in the past two decades, each 100,000 square feet (versus the Melnicks' 8,000-square-foot corner stores). "They surround us," Jeremy says.
Despite the competition, his business is good—surprisingly good. And so is Ace Hardware's bottom line. The Oak Brook, IL co-op expects a year-on-year revenue increase of 13% to about $4.7 billion, and a profit boost of 35% when it releases its 2014 annual report in April, following eight consecutive quarters of record sales. The reason for success, explains Ace CEO John Venhuizen, a charismatic 44-year-old who speaks with the fervor of a preacher, is store owners like the Melnicks. Entrepreneurs with a deep knowledge of their local market, inventory fine-tuned to a neighborhood's demographic, and the sort of exacting customer service a typical big-box store with low pay and high employee turnover just cannot match.
Jeremy knows the make and model of bathroom faucets installed in every condo complex and apartment building within a short drive of all his Chicago stores, a boon in attracting fellow small business owners, like local plumbers, to Ace. "It's a big deal," says Venhuizen, a 22-year company veteran. "It's a differentiator. And I'll tell you, it's exceedingly hard." Jeremy knows his stores' strengths. He does not sell lumber. For that you can go to Home Depot or Lowe's. He does sell what seems like every kind of lightbulb in production. When a bulb blows he knows you would rather grab a new one from your local Ace than navigate the labyrinthine aisles of a big box or wait in the dark for an Amazon delivery. "If you want to remodel your house, you'll go to them," he says. "We're making our money $20, $25 at a time."
The company's co-op business model means its store owners are its only shareholders. It is the opposite of a franchise system. Thousands of entrepreneurs like the Melnicks band together to boost their collective buying power and reduce costs. The corporate structure, with Venhuizen at the helm since 2013, exists only to do their bidding, overseeing 14 regional distribution centers that supply each store with the right mix of $800 Weber grills and $15 hammers.
When an Ace store opens (or an existing hardware outlet converts to Ace), the owner buys $5,000 in shares. He or she can purchase any of the 80,000-odd products from the co-op's warehouses, make use of the well-known red-and-white logo and branding ("The helpful place," its motto promises) and receive dividends based on purchases rather than equity. Each store kicks in for activities that benefit the whole co-op, like advertising and marketing (Ace's annual ad budget is $100 million). In the past 18 months Ace has seen some 144 stores jump ship from competitors, including a handful from its two fellow hardware co-ops, True Value and Do It Best. During that same time,just 49 Ace stores have left the fold. In order to increase your market share, you have to go out and steal stores from someone else," says Jim Robisch, senior partner in retail at the Farnsworth Group, a home improvement industry consultancy.
Next up, Ace is tackling same-day delivery, one of the hottest trends in retail. Tests in 33 stores across six states started on Jan. 26. It's a pretty obvious move, says Venhuizen, since 70% of U.S. households are within a 15-minute drive of an Ace store. "I don't know if you can deliver a grill with a drone, but our trucks will get it there," he says with a grin. Besides, 60% of Ace's stores already provide delivery to customers, albeit in a haphazard way–more like a favor to a friend who does not have a car than part of a business model. Jeremy Melnick has delivered plungers. He's screwed in lightbulbs. "They do this already," says Venhuizen. "Doesn't everybody?"
Next Up for Apple – the iCar?
Apple, Inc. is working on an electric vehicle, according to people familiar with the matter, showing the consumer-electronics giant is open to stepping outside its lucrative focus on mobile devices. Apple has put a few hundred employees to work on the secretive project and Steve Zadesky, vice president of iPhone product design, is leading the effort. The project is code-named Titan and the vehicle design resembles a minivan, the Wall Street Journal reported recently. Some Apple executives have flown to Austria to meet with contract manufacturers of high-end cars, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Apple ultimately could decide not to proceed with a car. In addition, many technologies used in an electric car, such as advanced batteries and in-car electronics could be useful to other Apple products.
Apple often investigates technologies and potential products, going as far as building multiple prototypes for some things that it won't ever sell. Any car would take several years to complete and obtain safety certifications. Building cars is capital intensive, costing hundreds of millions of dollars for design, tools and production, and certifications. Auto makers also must help ramp up a supply network for the thousands of components that go into a vehicle. But the size of the project team and the senior people involved indicate that the company is serious.
Apple already has technology that may lend itself to an electric car and expertise managing a vast supply chain. The company has long researched battery technology for use in its iPhones, iPads, and Macs. The mapping system it debuted in 2012 can be used for navigation. And last year, Apple also introduced CarPlay, a software system that integrates iTunes, mapping, messaging, and other applications for use by automakers.
Apple has batted around the idea of developing a car for years. Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of marketing, said in 2012 court testimony that executives discussed building a car even before it released the iPhone in 2007. Mickey Drexler, an Apple board member and head of J Crew Group Inc., also said in 2012 that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had wanted to build a car. The Financial Times reported that Apple is hiring auto experts to work at a new research lab.
Other Silicon Valley companies are also creating cars. Google, Inc. is working on a self-driving vehicle. Tesla Motors, Inc., makes electric cars and has hired at least 150 former Apple employees, more than from any other company, even carmakers. "From a design philosophy, Apple is relatively closely aligned," Elon Musk, Tesla's co-founder and chief executive officer, said recently in an interview. Musk also said Apple has been trying to poach employees from his Palo Alto, California-based company, offering $250,000 signing bonuses and 60 percent salary increases. "Apple tries very hard to recruit from Tesla," he said. "But so far they've actually recruited very few people."
Apple has hired from the auto industry over the years. Zadesky joined Apple 16 years ago from Ford Motor Co., where he was an engineer for three years. Apple's chief financial officer, Luca Maestri, has worked at General Motors Co. Over the past two years, Apple hired Haran Arasaratnam from Ford to work as a battery engineer, and Apple also brought on Robert Gough in January to work on special projects. He had spent the past four years at auto supplier Autoliv working in the company's radar division and developing active safety sensor technology.
The expense of getting into the auto business is a barrier to entry to many potential competitors, but would be less of a hurdle for Apple, which reported holding $178 billion in cash as of the end of 2014. Also, while auto makers tend to operate their own factories, Apple has relied on contract manufacturers to build its products. That has helped Apple keep a lean supply chain and reduce inventory exposure.
1. http://onforb.es/1A8OgwT – Forbes
2. http://bloom.bg/1BdlFJG – BusinessWeek
3. http://on.wsj.com/1zBD9sL – Wall Street Journal
The Good News Is . . .
• Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 2.6% in the fourth quarter of 2014, according to the advance estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. For the full year 2014, real GDP rose 2.4% after rising 2.2% in 2013. The increase in GDP in the fourth quarter reflected an increase in consumer spending of 4.3%, as well as increased investment in inventories by wholesalers and manufacturers, and rising exports of goods and services.
• Cisco, Inc., the leading manufacturer of networking equipment and software, reported earnings of $0.53 per share, an increase of 12.8% over year-ago earnings of $0.47. The firm's earnings topped the consensus estimate of analysts by $0.02. The company reported revenues of $11.9 billion, an increase of 7.0%. Management attributed the company's results to solid performances across all of its product lines, and the successful transition to providing cloud-based and mobile services to customers.
• The online travel booking company Expedia announced its second acquisition in two months, agreeing to buy Orbitz Worldwide for $1.3 billion in cash to add yet another well-known brand to its ranks. Under the terms of the deal, Expedia will pay $12 a share in cash for each Orbitz share. Over all, Expedia said that it expected the acquisition to contribute about $75 million in cost savings. The transaction further solidifies the American market for online travel booking to two companies, Expedia and the much bigger Priceline Group.
1. http://1.usa.gov/1zfk4xp – Bureau of Economic Analysis
2. http://www.cnbc.com/id/18080780/ – CNBC
3. http://bit.ly/1uWYZLJ – Cisco Inc.
4. http://nyti.ms/1Afy3Jo – NY Times Dealbook
Planning Tips
Guidelines for Investing in Emerging Markets
If you have been following the business news over the past 10 years, chances are you have heard someone say the "emerging markets" are a good investment bet. And that is largely true, with some caveats. Like any asset class, you should not overdo it. It is important to consider the risks and consult with your financial advisor before making any investment decisions.
What is an emerging market? – An "emerging" market is generally understood to be a high-growth developing country. What these countries have in common is high growth rates, often driven by export economies and consumption. Many have young populations, so the shift to urban consumer lifestyles results in greatly increased imports and, in time, greater domestic manufacturing.
How do you invest in emerging markets? – Because many U.S. investors lack familiarity with emerging-markets companies, choosing quality mutual funds and ETFs led by capable managers is as essential here as in any area of the market. A good fund will have an experienced and knowledgeable research team with a deep understanding of the companies and markets in which they operate. Emerging-markets index funds are also available and provide emerging-markets exposure for investors who prefer passive management. Investors may also choose to obtain emerging-markets exposure via a broadly diversified foreign-stock fund.
Whichever approach you prefer, the point is to go with investment vehicles run by professionals who know how to navigate this very tricky segment of the market.
What are some of the risks? – Below are some of the additional risks you are likely to encounter when investing in emerging markets:
• Growth can be uneven – Emerging markets have more volatility. It is nearly impossible to predict which years will provide excess returns and those when investors flee for safer shores. Once you decide how much exposure to volatility you can handle, keep within those limits.
• Risks are difficult to measure – Emerging market companies report results, but the interplay of regulation, market forces and competition are much harder to grasp from thousands of miles away.
• Currency comes into play – Currency shifts will affect your return, and predicting those outcomes is very difficult.
• Political risk is greater – A single election can change the fortunes of companies in emerging markets overnight. Incoming governments can hike taxes and change policies dramatically. Domestic monetary policy is a factor as well and broadly unknowable until it is too late to act.
Focus on the companies rather than the countries – Research has shown that, even in emerging markets, company earnings growth, PE multiples and valuations are more important than general economic data as predictors of longterm investment performance.
Alternatives to emerging market stocks – Emerging markets offer a variety of sovereign, municipal, corporate and structured debt just as developed markets do. Offerings are divided into domestic and external, with the former being local currency issues and the latter denominated in U.S. dollars or another developed currency. Emerging markets debt is a readily accessible asset class through mutual funds. Well-known fund managers offer funds that access a variety of countries and product types.
1. http://bit.ly/1DaJLWi – Morningstar
2. http://bit.ly/1ATqAQc – Institutional Investor
3. http://onforb.es/1cUKic8 – Forbes
4. http://bit.ly/1A8ONPl – Investopedia
5. http://on.wsj.com/1A8OPXx – Wall Street Journal


text:
Jewel Day is celebrated on March 13, 2020. The day is your chance to give or receive jewelry, as well as to recognize jewelers. If you own some jewelry by yourself, go ahead and wear it.
We have placed a detailed description of this event on this page: Jewel Day 2021. For further information please stop by there!
More dates: