вторник, 29 март 2011 г.
Iowa Man Indicted on Child Pornography Charge
ND0328114
DENVER ? For the first time, the full Colorado House will debate a bill that will let convenience and grocery stores sell full-strength beer, the Denver Post reports. On Thursday, the House Economic and Business Development Committee approved the measure, sending it to the House floor.
?Now, we'll at least be able to have a debate that we've never had before,? said Rep. Larry Liston, who sponsored the bill. He said that there was ?a lot of work? still to be done to get the 33 votes necessary for the measure to pass the House.
To court the favor of liquor store owners, the bill contains amendments that would let them stock certain foods and to own more than one location. Prior bills that would allow convenience and grocery stores to offer full-strength beer all died in committee.
This year, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 has been supportive of the bill, saying that it would create more jobs. If approved, the changes would not start until July 1, 2012.
ND0328112
FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- At the Fort Wayne, Ind., Marathon gasoline station, consumers who recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles can do more than help the environment?they earn points, which can be translated into gifts or coupons, WANE-TV reports.
For each bottle or can recycled at its new recycling center sponsored by Waste Management and PepsiCo, the consumer earns a point on his account card, which can be redeemed online. ?[Customers are] going to empty their trash, but the valuable trash they can get a credit for,? said station manager Koutaiba Braish. ?It can?t be any easier. I never touch a computer unless I have to and I know how to get the points.?
The retailer has only had the unit for a few days and already customers are using it. ?People who come inside the store said what a great idea it is,? said Braish.
Several customers told WANE-TV that they don?t mind taking the recyclables to a bin next to the store. ?I hate to see the bottles go in the dumpster and not be recycled,? said customer Julia Hurley.
For each recycled bottle or can, PepsiCo will donate funds to help disabled veterans begin their own businesses. ?I hope many people use it because it really will save our landfill,? said Braish. ?We're all here for the community and here for each other. That's the least we can do.?
Only three other U.S. Marathon stations have the program: two in Ohio and one in North Carolina.
ND0321112
TRENTON, N.J. ? The New Jersey Assembly is considering a bill that would ban the sale of so-called ?bath salts,? Patch.com reports. Assemblywoman Linda Stender?s proposal would prohibit the sale of Methylenedioxypyrovalerone, or MDVP, which is the major drug in bath salts.
The synthetic compound, which resembles therapeutic salts designed for home bathtubs and spas, is available in smoke shops and convenience stores across the state. ?It is a stimulant drug with very erratic and intense impact,? said Stender, who introduced the bill along with Assemblyman John McKeon.
So far, 10 cases have bath-salt usage have been reported in New Jersey, according to Steven Marcus, medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center. The American Association of Poison Control Centers found just over 1,400 cases of reported bath salt overdoses in the United States since late 2010.
Marcus said that several years ago, use of MDVP in Europe triggered a ban of the drug in the United Kingdom. The drug?s growing popularity in the United States may be because of tighter restrictions on over-the-counter cold medications in pharmacies and drugstores.
Louisiana became the first state to ban MDVP when its governor signed an executive order in January. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal introduced a measure to ensure the ban would become a permanent part of state law last week.
In Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) sponsored a bill that would federally ban the substance.
ND0325114
NEW YORK ? Rejoice, hot dog lovers! Your favorite food may actually be better for you than rotisserie chicken, MSNBC reports.
Sounds odd, but hot dogs, as well as pepperoni and deli meats, are relatively free of carcinogenic compounds, according to Kansas State University researchers, who has been studying such ready-to-eat meat products to determine their levels of heterocyclic amines, or HCAs ? carcinogenic compounds found in meat that is fried, grilled or cooked at high temperatures.
The news source notes that studies have shown that folks who consume large amounts of HCAs in meat products have increased risk of stomach, colon and breast cancers.
KSU?s study focused on eight types of ready-to-eat meat products: beef hot dogs, beef-pork-turkey hot dogs, deli roast beef, deli ham, deli turkey, fully cooked bacon, pepperoni and rotisserie chicken. Pepperoni had the least HCA content, followed by hot dogs and deli meat.
?Hot dogs and deli meat may have low HCA levels because they are manufactured at low temperatures,? J. Scott Smith, professor of food chemistry, told the news source. "The low HCA levels may also be from ingredients that are added to the meat and prevent HCAs from forming while the meat is cooking."
понеделник, 28 март 2011 г.
ND0328114
DENVER ? For the first time, the full Colorado House will debate a bill that will let convenience and grocery stores sell full-strength beer, the Denver Post reports. On Thursday, the House Economic and Business Development Committee approved the measure, sending it to the House floor.
?Now, we'll at least be able to have a debate that we've never had before,? said Rep. Larry Liston, who sponsored the bill. He said that there was ?a lot of work? still to be done to get the 33 votes necessary for the measure to pass the House.
To court the favor of liquor store owners, the bill contains amendments that would let them stock certain foods and to own more than one location. Prior bills that would allow convenience and grocery stores to offer full-strength beer all died in committee.
This year, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 has been supportive of the bill, saying that it would create more jobs. If approved, the changes would not start until July 1, 2012.
FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending March 25, 2011
Michigan Man Arrested on Charges in Connection with Explosive Components at Federal Building
McLaren in contention at Melbourne practice
ND0324118
TRENTON, NJ ? New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said earlier this week during a radio show that he opposes legislation for self-service gasoline stations because most residents don?t want it, the Associated Press reports.
While campaigning for governor in 2009, Christie had proposed allowing self-serve gas. However, he later dropped the proposal after receiving sharp pushback from residents.
Christie said New Jersey?s gas prices are among the lowest in the country. New Jersey is one of only two states ? Oregon is the other ? that doesn?t allow drivers to pump their own gas.�
Seven Plead Guilty in New York in $2 Million Lottery Telemarketing Fraud Scheme
Member of Aryan Brotherhood Sentenced to Prison on Racketeering Charges
Indiana Inmates and Their Visitors Sentenced on Drug Charges
неделя, 27 март 2011 г.
Disbarred Illinois Lawyer Guilty in Federal Mortgage Fraud Case
Lake Orion Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice a Minor for Sex
Formula One 2011 season preview
Five Sentenced in Iowa on Drug Distribution Charges
Gates: Gadhafi placing bodies at sites of coalition attacks
ND0321114
AUSTIN, Texas ? Brick-and-mortar retailers are offering consumers another way to support the environment while they shop with paperless receipts, the Boston Herald reports. By providing an email address, customers can opt to have their store receipts e-mailed to them.
?It?s all about finding ways to be more environmentally friendly and making it more convenient for shoppers,? said Liz Burkhhart, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods. The grocery story chain is testing paperless receipts in the mid-Atlantic area before considering implementation nationwide.
Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, Anthropologie and Apple already have paperless receipt options. Best Buy and the Container Store also are running a pilot program with Intuit.
?It?s the next big thing in retail,? said Richard Mader, executive director of the Association for Retail Technology Standards. ?In five years, up to 60 percent of retailers will go paperless.?
In March, Nordstrom went paperless in all locations. ?Customers told us that a digital receipt would be an additional convenience to the transaction,? said spokesman Colin Johnson. ?Shoppers are using mobile devices much more and we?re trying to evolve with them. This is just one way to improve service and better reflect the store experience that customers expect.?
Apple embraced paperless receipts first, offering the option starting in 2005, but it?s taken a while for the idea to grow past one retailer. One of the reasons more retailers are investigating paperless receipts is the increasing interest in paying by smartphones. ?Consumers won?t want to go cardless, but get back a paper receipt,? said Mader.
ND0324114
NEW BRUNSWICK ? In an effort to raise much-needed provincial revenue, the New Brunswick government earlier this week trimmed spending and eliminated a tax rate cut for high-income earners, and increased taxes on cigarettes and gas, The Canadian Press reports.
Finance Minister Blaine Higgs introduced an $8-billion budget that includes a nearly $449-million deficit, though the figure is less than half the $1 billion deficit that the government projected last November.
Last year, New Brunswick officials ordered departments to reduce spending by one percent in the current fiscal year and two percent in each of the next three years, cuts that have resulted in more than $200 million in savings for 2011-12.
?I want to make it clear that we are very serious about spending restraint,? Higgs said.
As of yesterday, New Brunswick?s cigarette tax increased $1.31 a pack, a spike that is expected to generate an extra $25 million in annual revenue.
Additionally, motorists have begun paying 2.9 cents per liter ($0.11 per gallon) more in gasoline tax and 2.3 cents per liter more� ($0.089 per gallon) on diesel, increases that are expected to raise $44 million more in annual revenue and cost the average New Brunswicker an extra $85 a year per vehicle.
Higgs said those changes will help the government balance the budget by 2014-15.
?This budget is only the beginning,? he said. ?Together we are partners for change in the way New Brunswick, both as a government and as a province, will operate in the future.?
Andrea Bourgeois, spokesperson for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, worries about the increases.
?Other tax increases ? such as the gas tax ? will take some of the competitive advantage away,? she said.
For more insights on the Canadian retail market, register today for the NACS Global Forum in Vancouver.
Alaska Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges
събота, 26 март 2011 г.
Connersville Woman Sentenced for Medicaid Fraud
Connecticut Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Laundromat Arson
Two Indicted in Arizona for Embezzling from Tribal Organization
ND0321113
ST. PAUL ? Two Minnesota senators are proposing that mini-cigars should be taxed as cigarettes, the Associated Press reports. Currently, the state defines little cigars as tobacco products, which have a lower tax rate than cigarettes.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue predicts that reclassifying mini-cigars as cigarettes would bring in around $6 million for the 2012-13 fiscal year. Regular-sized cigars would keep the lower tax rate.
State Sens. Julie Rosen and Carla Nelson sponsored the bill. Rosen said it wasn?t for increased tax revenue but because the wrappings could appeal to youths.
Tobacco makers and wholesalers oppose the bill, pointing to studies that show a mere 1 percent to 2 percent of young smokers pick mini-cigars. In addition, wholesalers would have difficulty in affixing the state?s cigarette tax stamps to little cigar packaging using their current machinery. The Minnesota Wholesale Marketers Association said the job would have to be done by hand because of the differing sizes of little cigar packages.
Currently, a dozen states and the District of Columbia treat mini-cigars like cigarettes for taxing purposes.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery of Liquor Store
Repeat Offender Sentenced in Pennsylvania for Bank Robbery
Alaska Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges
Webber hoping to cash in on home comforts
петък, 25 март 2011 г.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Bank Robbery
Alaska Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charges
14 Charged with Tax Violations Involving First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Fraud
ICE Attorney Sentenced for Taking Bribes from Immigrants Seeking Status in U.S.
Report: Dozens killed in Myanmar earthquake
Over 10,000 dead in Japan disaster
Two Bank Execs Indicted in Georgia in Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud Conspiracy
ND0323114
CHICAGO ? Consumer product manufacturers and retailers who create and maintain a diverse workforce are more likely to increase innovation and meet consumer needs than those who don't, according to a new report by the Network of Executive Women.
As the buying power of diverse consumer segments ? including women, Hispanics, African Americans, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community ? continues to grow, these segments represent a marketplace opportunity too big for retailers and consumer product manufacturers to ignore, according to ?The Changing Consumer and the Workforce Imperative.?
?This report focuses on how the retail and consumer products industry can unleash our multicultural workforces to achieve results that benefit our employees, our communities and our companies," said Network Chair Michelle Gloeckler, senior vice president for merchandising execution at Walmart Stores. ?Research for this project began at last year's NEW Multicultural Workforce Conference and the results were previewed at this year's conference in March. The Network believes that diversity and inclusion is critical to the future of our business.?
The report, based in part on one-on-one interviews with more than two-dozen leading U.S. consumer goods and retail executives, explores the correlation between workforce diversity and the ability of the consumer goods and retail industries to engage the changing U.S. consumer.
?Cultural connections are critical to understanding what drives purchasing decisions and brand loyalty across different market segments,? said Alison Paul, immediate past president of the Network of Executive Women, and vice chairman and U.S. retail sector leader, Deloitte LLP. ?Making these connections rely on retailers' and manufacturers' ability to not only become more culturally aware-which are increasingly table stakes--but harness and value diverse perspectives as a source of innovation.?
Consumer insights most often come from those who share a consumer's cultural experience, the report concludes. As such, recruiting, retaining and advancing a diverse workforce are integral to creating a brand/consumer connection, as consumers feel most comfortable doing business with companies whose employees mirror their communities.
According to the report, consumer product manufacturers and retailers may be able to achieve an inclusive culture by first understanding the bottom-line business opportunity, then making a commitment to diversity that touches all company departments. Top management should view workforce diversity not as a stand-alone program, but as an essential element for business survival. Achieving cultural competency involves leadership commitment and communication, employee accountability, strong talent recruiting and retention programs, progressive succession planning and diverse supplier relationships.
Also, the Network of Executive Women, Consumer Products and Retail, is accepting applications for its annual merit scholarships awarded to outstanding women students in food, retail and consumer products-related studies in the United States. Qualified female graduate and undergraduate students interested in a career in food, retailing or consumer products management may download the application at newonline.org/scholarships. The deadline is May 1, 2011.
?The generous scholarships NEW awards to deserving students have been instrumental in attracting the best and brightest women into the CPG and food retail industry,? said NEW Scholarship Chair Joy Nicholas, national account executive for WorldPay. ?The scholarship recipients are introduced to the industry at the annual NEW Leadership Summit and are great ambassadors for the Network when they return to their universities.?
четвъртък, 24 март 2011 г.
ND0318115
CHICAGO ? Visits to the leading fast-casual restaurant chains grew 17 percent over the last three years while the rest of the industry experienced its steepest traffic declines in decades, according to research by The NPD Group.
Fast casual restaurants, upscale quick-service restaurant concepts that offer more service and higher quality food, have a larger average check size than other fast food restaurants, according to NPD. For year ending December 2010, visits to the leading fast casual restaurant chains, like Chipotle, Five Guys, Noodles & Company and Panera, were up 6 percent versus a year ago.
"Fast casual restaurants have done an excellent job of satisfying their customers' needs for quality and service and have built strong customer loyalty as a result," said Bonnie Riggs, restaurant industry analyst at NPD. "The attributes that define the fast casual concept ? fresh, food quality, and service ? are the reasons why customers give them their highest satisfaction ratings."
Responding to growing consumer demand the major fast casual chains grew units by a double-digit rate over the last three years. Even with this unit growth, demand outpaced the rate of unit development, reflecting consumer satisfaction with the fast casual experience. Since 2007, fast casual unit availability expanded 12% and traffic has grown by 17%.
According to NPD's A Look into the Future of Foodservice, demand for fast casual restaurants will grow significantly over the next decade. Incremental traffic for fast casual will source to teens and young adults ? particularly those between the ages of 10 to 30 (Generation Z) ? and to a lesser extent, those 55 years old or more. By 2019, generation Z will be the single largest population group at 90 million strong.
"Fast casual concepts are in an excellent position for growth. We've seen other fast food customers trading up to fast casual and full service customers trading down to fast casual," said Riggs. "In addition, with imitation being the highest form of flattery, we're now seeing other segments of the industry duplicate what has made fast casual concepts so successful."
Funeral of alleged airstrike victims held
ND0321114
AUSTIN, Texas ? Brick-and-mortar retailers are offering consumers another way to support the environment while they shop with paperless receipts, the Boston Herald reports. By providing an email address, customers can opt to have their store receipts e-mailed to them.
?It?s all about finding ways to be more environmentally friendly and making it more convenient for shoppers,? said Liz Burkhhart, a spokeswoman for Whole Foods. The grocery story chain is testing paperless receipts in the mid-Atlantic area before considering implementation nationwide.
Urban Outfitters, Nordstrom, Anthropologie and Apple already have paperless receipt options. Best Buy and the Container Store also are running a pilot program with Intuit.
?It?s the next big thing in retail,? said Richard Mader, executive director of the Association for Retail Technology Standards. ?In five years, up to 60 percent of retailers will go paperless.?
In March, Nordstrom went paperless in all locations. ?Customers told us that a digital receipt would be an additional convenience to the transaction,? said spokesman Colin Johnson. ?Shoppers are using mobile devices much more and we?re trying to evolve with them. This is just one way to improve service and better reflect the store experience that customers expect.?
Apple embraced paperless receipts first, offering the option starting in 2005, but it?s taken a while for the idea to grow past one retailer. One of the reasons more retailers are investigating paperless receipts is the increasing interest in paying by smartphones. ?Consumers won?t want to go cardless, but get back a paper receipt,? said Mader.
Mexican Citizen Indicted in Texas for Carjacking
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ND0321111
CONCORD, N.H. ? Bucking a national trend to raise tobacco taxes, the New Hampshire House voted last week to lower the state?s cigarette tax by a dime, the Union Leader reports. The Senate will likely approve the measure shortly.
With a 236 to 93 vote in favor of the reduction, the House slashed the cigarette tax to $1.68 a pack. Republicans pushed for the tax cut as a way to bring in out-of-state visitors to border stores, which would trigger more sales of cigarettes, convenience store items, liquor and lottery tickets. Some Democrats opposed the bill, arguing that it would decrease annual state revenue by $16 million.
The Legislative Budget Assistant?s Office analysis found that a reduction in the tax at current sales levels would lower revenue by $15 million, but the agency also discovered the reduced rate would boost sales enough that the revenue shortfall would be cut in two by 2012.
In the Senate, Finance Chairman Chuck Morse thinks the measure will be approved. ?I believe reducing the tax will be a revenue producer,? he said.
Rep. Patrick Abrami pointed out that New Hampshire has had a stagnate tobacco tax revenue since cigarette taxes jumped from 80 cents to $1.78 in 2007. Neighboring state Maine had a $2 per pack tax, which is close to New Hampshire?s current rate.
?We have reached the tipping point. We are hurting our merchants, and we are losing sales on our borders,? said Abrami.
The New Hampshire Retail Grocery Association supports the bill.
ND0321113
ST. PAUL ? Two Minnesota senators are proposing that mini-cigars should be taxed as cigarettes, the Associated Press reports. Currently, the state defines little cigars as tobacco products, which have a lower tax rate than cigarettes.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue predicts that reclassifying mini-cigars as cigarettes would bring in around $6 million for the 2012-13 fiscal year. Regular-sized cigars would keep the lower tax rate.
State Sens. Julie Rosen and Carla Nelson sponsored the bill. Rosen said it wasn?t for increased tax revenue but because the wrappings could appeal to youths.
Tobacco makers and wholesalers oppose the bill, pointing to studies that show a mere 1 percent to 2 percent of young smokers pick mini-cigars. In addition, wholesalers would have difficulty in affixing the state?s cigarette tax stamps to little cigar packaging using their current machinery. The Minnesota Wholesale Marketers Association said the job would have to be done by hand because of the differing sizes of little cigar packages.
Currently, a dozen states and the District of Columbia treat mini-cigars like cigarettes for taxing purposes.
сряда, 23 март 2011 г.
Minnesota Man Guilty of Mailing Letter Containing Threats to Co-Workers
Florida Man Guilty of Shining Laser at Law Enforcement Helicopter
New York Gang Member Sentenced on Drug Charges
ND0323112
WASHINGTON ? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Tobacco Products is hosting a new series of one-hour webinars on federal tobacco regulations. Designed to give retailers updated, relevant FDA compliance training information, the series features an interactive format with topics based on retailers? suggestions and live Q&A sessions during each webinar.
The 2011 Compliance Training for Tobacco Retailers Webinar Series will be held at 1 p.m. EST on March 29, April 26, May 18, June 28, July 26 and September 20. The webinars will be topic-based on retailer feedback and suggestions. The agency asks for retailers to send topic ideas to AskCTP@fda.hhs.gov.
Participants can listen via phone or a live webcast, with no registration required. Limited web connections and phone lines available on a first-come basis. Retailers can sign up for email updates on new topics added and get reminders about upcoming and archived webinars here. During the webinars, participants can submit questions through the Q&A box.
After each webinar ends, retailers can watch and get information by visiting here. Archived versions will be available soon after each webinar presentation. Downloadable PowerPoint presentations are posted one to two weeks before each scheduled webinar date.
Two Bank Execs Indicted in Georgia in Multi-Million-Dollar Fraud Conspiracy
Former Minnesota District Court Clerk Pleads Guilty to Fraud
вторник, 22 март 2011 г.
CNN correspondent rejects Fox report on human shields
California Man Sentenced in Maryland for Role in Scheme to Defraud Hospital
ND0317117
CHICAGO ? Walmart recently announced its continued expansion into Chicago, with the addition of two new locations on the South Side, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
One of the stores is expected to be a Neighborhood Market, with the other a smaller Walmart-branded convenience store, Walmart Express.
The proposals demonstrate the company?s commitment to begin a billion-dollar expansion in the Windy City as well as push to enter other urban markets. The retailer only recently reached a compromise with labor leaders over wage standards, clearing the way for entry into the city.
Mayor-elect Manuel said he would ask Walmart and other large retailers to present him with a four-year plan for building in Chicago?s food deserts, neighborhoods that lack grocery stores.
понеделник, 21 март 2011 г.
Convicted Alien Smuggler Re-Sentenced in Arizona to Life in Prison
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Former Elected Official Pleads Guilty in California to Lying to FBI Agents
Financial Services Company Executives Charged in $200 Million Fraud Scheme
Pennsylvania Bank Employee Sentenced in Identity Theft, Bank Fraud Scheme
Mississippi Men Indicted in Health Care Fraud Scheme
ND0318116
SAN DIEGO ? Jack in the Box will begin driving to its customers thanks to a new mobile food truck, Jack?s Munchie Mobile.
?The mobility of a food truck enables us to serve our guests, even if there?s not a restaurant around,? said Terri Funk Graham, senior vice president and CMO for Jack in the Box Inc.
Along with custom refrigeration and freezer units, the truck has the same equipment as a Jack in the Box kitchen, including a grill, fryer, toaster, fountain beverage dispenser and prep area for burgers, sandwiches and tacos. The truck also includes a 47-inch flat screen digital menu board and satellite radio to entertain guests.
As it rolls along the highways and byways of Southern California, the food truck will be hard to miss. The sides feature a custom design of Jack, with a spatula in hand, driving a chariot pulled by a tiger and polar bear in hot pursuit of a Thunderbird clutching a take-out bag.
In addition to a driver, five Jack in the Box employees have been handpicked to serve as the inaugural crew. Graham said a three-employee crew is optimum to operate the kitchen, given onboard space limitations. Beyond complying with state and federal regulatory requirements, Graham said all of the kitchen equipment as well as food handling and cooking protocols are consistent with the same rigorous scrutiny as the Jack in the Box restaurants.
Jack in the Box will leverag �the new food truck to support restaurant activities as well as community events. Jack?s Munchie Mobile is also available to cater public or private events throughout Southern California. Other than requiring a concrete or similarly hard surface and a minimum parking space of 55? x 20?, Jack?s Munchie Mobile is fueled up and ready to roll. Reservation information is available at facebook.com/MunchieMobile and Twitter at MunchieMobile.
Read more about the explosion of food trucks in the February NACS Magazine feature, ?On the Move.?
неделя, 20 март 2011 г.
Leader of Violent D.C. Drug Gang Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Term
ND0317112
WASHINGTON ? A forceful editorial earlier this week at QCSunonline.com shot down ?the ranting of pundits and politicos? who allege price gouging as fuel prices increase.
?[P]rice gougers do not exist,? the piece said, laying out a typical fuel pricing scenario:
?When new chaos erupts in the Middle East, fuel prices spike. Politicians trip over themselves trying to be the first to yell ?price gouging? and blame greedy oil executives ... They act as if prices are set unilaterally by sellers. The sellers, we must assume, are normally quite charitable. When the sellers are in a good mood, they sell gasoline to Americans at a bargain price of about $2.50 a gallon. When the sellers enter their greed phase, the price moves toward $4 a gallon and up. This is how the sellers gouge the buyers.?�
The piece notes the free market nature of oil, stating that it ?seeks its own price?:
?When the price is high, producers drill and deliver at a frenzied pace. That creates supplies that are abundant relative to demand. As a result, prices drop and oil producers have less incentive to drill and produce. Supplies become scarce relative to demand. This allows prices to rise, which pays for exploration and production that results in more oil and lower prices. As long as humans consume and trade, commodity prices will spike and retreat. No workable alternative has been discovered to ration and distribute this finite resource.?
The explanation is all the more frustrating, as politicians at the highest levels continue to ignore these free market basics. Indeed, President Obama earlier this week noted the following at a news conference:
?I?m asking the Attorney General and relevant agencies to work with state attorneys general to monitor for price gouging to make sure that nobody is taking advantage of working families at the pump,? Obama said.
However, as QCSunonline.com noted, ?A price is a valve that maintains the supply of any good, service or commodity. The valve is controlled by the decisions of billions of individual consumers ? decisions that compose market forces. Central planners and greed heads are just no match, even though they make for great conspiracy theories and fairy tales.?
Understanding these economic concepts should dispel much of the finger pointing that has developed as gasoline nears the $4 per gallon mark.
For a detailed explanation of how gasoline prices are established, see the NACS Fuels Report.
ND0318114
MINNEAPOLIS ? To help the many Americans who follow a gluten-free diet, General Mills is offering Chex cereal in five gluten-free varieties: Honey Nut, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Rice and Corn Chex.
?Families are looking for wholesome, nutritious solutions that are gluten free and convenient but still taste great,? said Keri Glassman, registered dietitian and author. ?Gluten free foods can fit into a busy lifestyle, without making mealtime sacrifices.?
According to a May 2010 NPD Group dietary report, 25 percent of consumers expressed interest in gluten free foods ? and that number continues to grow. Retail sales for gluten free products nearly tripled from 2004 to 2009 reaching almost $1.7 billion. Further, that number is estimated to top $2.6 billion in sales by the year 2012, according to Packaged Facts.
?We are thrilled to offer a wide variety of gluten free family-favorite cereals,? said Liz Mascolo, marketing manager for Chex cereals. ?For more than 50 years, Chex has been known and trusted for its great taste and wholesome crunch ? and now, we?re also a familiar gluten free choice.?
The five gluten-free Chex cereals are available for an approximate retail price of $2.99 to $3.29. To verify that the cereal is gluten free, consumers are strongly encouraged to look for ?Gluten Free? on Chex cereal packaging. The words ?Gluten Free? will appear near the ingredient declaration on the package side panel and on the front panel. It?s also important to note that Wheat Chex and Multi-Bran Chex are not gluten-free cereals.
For more on gluten-free products be on the lookout for an upcoming feature in NACS Magazine.
ND0311113
LONDON ? The British government said earlier this week that it plans to ban the display of tobacco products and may even introduce a plain packaging requirement, a concerted effort to curb smoking, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Under the country?s Tobacco Control Plan, restrictions banning the display of tobacco products in the majority of instances will take effect in large stores in April 2012 and in all stores in April 2015.
Proponents of the plan maintain that the display of tobacco products in stores can promote smoking by young people and that it undermines the efforts of those who are trying to quit.
Coinciding with the publication of the plan, the government also launched a formal consultation on ways to reduce the effect of tobacco packaging, including introducing plain packaging. The formal consultation process is a step forward from last year, when the government said it was considering plain packaging.
If England introduces plain packs, it would become the first European Union country to do so.
"It's good news that the government plans to take down tobacco displays in shops and is considering stripping the attractive packaging from cigarettes. These two moves would complement each other very well and together would help save lives,? said Cancer Research U.K. CEO Harpal Kumar, adding that the group is "very disappointed that there is going to be such a delay in the removal of tobacco displays in small shops."
The British American Tobacco (BAT) blasted the government?s announcement, saying that it will have economic consequences for small retailers.
"We are disappointed the government didn't properly consider the views of the tens of thousands of smaller retailers nationwide who are worried about costly shop refits, losing trade to big supermarkets and the black market, especially against a backdrop of tough economic times," a BAT spokesperson said.
The tobacco industry also maintains there is no evidence to support the claim that plain packaging would influence smoking rates, and it is fighting the proposal on the basis of intellectual property rights, international trade and European law.
Pennsylvania Bank Employee Sentenced in Identity Theft, Bank Fraud Scheme
Navajo Man Charged with Rape in New Mexico
Nez Perce Tribal Member Charged in Idaho with Felony Grand Theft
Obama makes first Latin American trip
събота, 19 март 2011 г.
Bahrain demolishes Pearl Monument
Goldman Sachs Computer Programmer Sentenced for Stealing Trade Secrets
ND0314116
The 1980s are back, at least in the marketing campaigns of several companies, USA Today reports. ?It?s a return to a simpler world,? said Shiv Singh, who leads PepsiCo?s digital division. ?There?s a massive teen trend around simplicity and authenticity.?
Earlier this year, Walt Disney remade the 1980s-era movie TRON, and candy makers have been trolling for inspiration in the past for years. But now snack food and beverages are finding it pays to be retro.
?You?d think it's a step back, but it's really a leap forward,? said Peter Madden, a branding consultant. He thinks the trend will continue, as consumers older than age 40 love to reminisce about their past and Generation Ys and tweens label retro hip.
Frito-Lay is betting consumers hungry for the past will gobble up its Doritos Taco Flavor Tortilla Chips in an eighties package design. A test run of the retro chips around the beginning of February sold out fast. The taco flavor will be hitting stores permanently in mid-April.
PepsiCo will make its Pepsi and Mountain Dew throwback versions a part of its permanent lineup. The versions are made with sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. Even the Pepsi can, with its red, white and blue colors, hearkens back to the 1980s.
Stoner fastest in Qatar as Rossi struggles
French jets streak over Benghazi
Egypt considers constitutional amendments
Ecclestone: Decision on Bahrain Grand Prix close
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CLEVELAND ? Ohio Governor John Kasich is looking into privatizing the management of the state lottery, the Lottery Post reports. Kasich is not directly commenting on the issue until after Thursday?s release of the state budget.
The Legislative Service Commission has a proposal to switch the managing of the lottery out of a state agency. Last year as a state auditor, Lt. Governor Mary Taylor wrote a report that the lottery could be improved if it was transitioned to private management.
She indicated that the lottery would be better able to market its games with ?modicum of exemption from the Ohio Administration Procedures Act.? The state would likely retain some role of oversight of the lottery.
In 2010, the lottery registered record sales of $2.48 billion, exceeding 2009 sales by close to $70 million. Illinois became the first state to allow a private company to run a state lottery, but the change set off court cases and fights among businesses bidding for the lottery management contract.
Meanwhile, the Arkansas Lottery Commission estimates that the state lottery will bring in less money during FY 2012, which starts July 1, the Lottery Post reports. Net profits for next year will be down $5 million.
The upcoming year?s budget used actual revenue numbers, said Ernie Passailaigue, lottery director. The commission approved a new $20 instant ticket game that will debut in May.
?This $20 ticket will be a very good thing and will help us expand our player base,? he said. The Arkansas Lottery began in September 2009.
The commission is still considering whether to join the state?s lottery with the multi-state regional game called Decades of Dollars.
петък, 18 март 2011 г.
Slovakia Man Indicted in Pennsylvania on Terrorism-Related Charges
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WASHINGTON ? A forceful editorial earlier this week at QCSunonline.com shot down ?the ranting of pundits and politicos? who allege price gouging as fuel prices increase.
?[P]rice gougers do not exist,? the piece said, laying out a typical fuel pricing scenario:
?When new chaos erupts in the Middle East, fuel prices spike. Politicians trip over themselves trying to be the first to yell ?price gouging? and blame greedy oil executives ... They act as if prices are set unilaterally by sellers. The sellers, we must assume, are normally quite charitable. When the sellers are in a good mood, they sell gasoline to Americans at a bargain price of about $2.50 a gallon. When the sellers enter their greed phase, the price moves toward $4 a gallon and up. This is how the sellers gouge the buyers.?�
The piece notes the free market nature of oil, stating that it ?seeks its own price?:
?When the price is high, producers drill and deliver at a frenzied pace. That creates supplies that are abundant relative to demand. As a result, prices drop and oil producers have less incentive to drill and produce. Supplies become scarce relative to demand. This allows prices to rise, which pays for exploration and production that results in more oil and lower prices. As long as humans consume and trade, commodity prices will spike and retreat. No workable alternative has been discovered to ration and distribute this finite resource.?
The explanation is all the more frustrating, as politicians at the highest levels continue to ignore these free market basics. Indeed, President Obama earlier this week noted the following at a news conference:
?I?m asking the Attorney General and relevant agencies to work with state attorneys general to monitor for price gouging to make sure that nobody is taking advantage of working families at the pump,? Obama said.
However, as QCSunonline.com noted, ?A price is a valve that maintains the supply of any good, service or commodity. The valve is controlled by the decisions of billions of individual consumers ? decisions that compose market forces. Central planners and greed heads are just no match, even though they make for great conspiracy theories and fairy tales.?
Understanding these economic concepts should dispel much of the finger pointing that has developed as gasoline nears the $4 per gallon mark.
For a detailed explanation of how gasoline prices are established, see the NACS Fuels Report.
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GLASTONBURY, CT and WESTMINSTER, MD ? L.E. Belcher stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts decked their walls, windows, counters and any other available space in November and December with holiday-themed stocking mobiles purchased by their customers, raising more than $22,000 in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).�
The amount raised this past winter is more than three times the amount generated in 2009. Nathan Deyo, the company?s director of retail operations, credits L.E. Belcher?s frontline employees for the sizeable increase.
?The team at L.E. Belcher Inc. is proud of the outstanding effort our dedicated frontline team members demonstrated in achieving this goal.� This year, we more than tripled the money raised over last year?s holiday drive. We are thankful of their efforts, and most importantly, the support of our customers and their extreme generosity.?
L.E. Belcher was recognized for its achievement at a recent gathering of CITGO marketers.�Deyo and the company?s manager of retail operations, Paul Morrissey, were presented with a Silver Award from a representative of the local MDA chapter as a token of appreciation for their efforts.�
L.E. Belcher also participates in MDA?s well-known Shamrocks Against Dystrophy campaign, selling mobiles in the shape of shamrocks that customers purchase and sign.�The shamrocks are then displayed throughout the store during the St. Patrick?s Day season.�In 2010, the company?s MDA Shamrocks program raised $14,984.�L.E. Belcher has just completed its 2011 Shamrocks campaign.�The program results are not yet available; however, the company is striving to beat last year?s total.
Meanwhile, in Maryland, Jiffy Mart stores in Carroll County helped raise money to support the St. Jude?s Children?s Research Hospital during the month of February. The stores sold enough ?boots? to raise nearly $4,900, which exceeded last years total.
?We really enjoy getting out and working to help those in need in the communities we serve. We pride ourselves in being the hometown convenience store in the county,? said Tom Moser, general manager of Jiffy Mart.
The effort was successful because of the teamwork among store teams and the Jiffy Mart office staff.� The store teams asked each customer if they would like to buy a boot to ?Boot out Cancer.?
Dwayne Cover, Jiffy Mart?s business manager said, ?Our associates really got into it this year. They had a good time while helping such a great cause.?
Jiffy Mart is a division of Tevis Oil and operates convenience stores exclusively in Carroll County including Westminster, Finksburg and Hampstead.
L.E. Belcher is a family-owned, full-service energy provider of wholesale petroleum products, including heating oil, branded and unbranded gasoline, as well as convenience offerings through their retail chain of convenience stores.�The company originated in western Massachusetts 80 years ago and has expanded to Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
