http://www.tradekey.com/buyoffer_view/id/505371.htm
Inquiry about good-nike trade co., ltd
[USA]
Posted Date: December 28, 2008 Expiry Date: June 28, 2009
Free Member
Description
Looking for a supplier for handbags , apparel and shoes in a 30, 000 sg ft store.
We are looking best quality cheapest price will buy containers.
Rick
Managing Partner
Value City for Less
Happy 4th of July 2010 !!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
GRAND OPENING!! Value City for Less. :)
GRAND OPENING!! Value City for Less. Designer clothing, shoes, handbags & purses, fragrances, gift items & much more! 6525 Tara Boulevard, Jonesboro. 678-479-1800
Ohio Joblessness Soars To 20-Year High
Ohio Joblessness Soars To 20-Year High
http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/state_regional/article/ohio_joblessness_soars_to_20-year_high/12146/
http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/state_regional/article/ohio_joblessness_soars_to_20-year_high/12146/
Associated Press
Published: January 24, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Steep losses in the manufacturing sector pushed Ohio’s unemployment rate to 7.8 percent last month, the highest jobless rate in more than 20 years, a spokesman for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said.
The state released figures on Friday that showed December’s unemployment rate was up from 5.8 percent a year ago and 7.3 percent in November. It also tops the national rate of 7.2 percent.
Ohio hasn’t seen such a high jobless rate since it hit 7.9 percent in 1986, department spokesman Brian Harter said. Unemployment hit an all-time high of 13.8 percent in December 1982 and January 1983, he said.
The government began tracking unemployment figures in 1970.
The number of unemployed Ohio workers in December was 465,000, up from 435,000 in November. That number has increased by 118,000 in the past 12 months.
Job and Family Services reported that job losses worsened in the goods-producing and service-providing industries.
“We lost almost 16,000 jobs in manufacturing alone back in December,“ Harter said. “That continues to be the largest area of concern, not only for Ohio, but for this region of the Midwest.“
Illinois logged the same unemployment rate as Ohio, and Michigan - the only state more connected than Ohio to the struggling auto industry - had a rate of 9.6 percent, he said.
Nearly 100,000 people work in assembly plants and parts plants around Ohio, which has lost 50,000 auto manufacturing jobs since 2001.
Stay with NBC 4 and refresh nbc4i.com for the latest news and information.
To submit a story idea or news tip, e-mail .
Check out Top 5 Ways to Avoid an Audit - WalletPop
Check out Top 5 Ways to Avoid an Audit - WalletPop
CLICK BELOW TO SEE ALL 5!!!
http://www.walletpop.com/top5/ways-to-avoid-an-audit?icid=200100397x1217566907x1201189362
By AnnaMaria Andriotis,
Reporter, SmartMoney.com
IF YOU THINK you have to be caught stowing away cash in an offshore bank account to trigger an audit, think again. One tiny error on your tax return can have the IRS knocking on your door.
In addition to keeping track of receipts and bank statements, taxpayers need to look into their investment gains and losses for 2008 and make sure they report them as accurately as possible.
There’s good reason to be meticulous this year: According to the most recent data, in 2007 the IRS audited approximately 1.4 million returns, a 7% increase from 2006 and the highest number on record since 1998. And this year, it's unlikely that number will fall, says Mark Luscombe, a principal analyst at CCH Tax and Accounting.
So what will make the IRS question your return? Here are five common audit red flags that the IRS will be on the lookout for this tax season:
CLICK BELOW TO SEE ALL 5!!!
http://www.walletpop.com/top5/ways-to-avoid-an-audit?icid=200100397x1217566907x1201189362
By AnnaMaria Andriotis,
Reporter, SmartMoney.com
IF YOU THINK you have to be caught stowing away cash in an offshore bank account to trigger an audit, think again. One tiny error on your tax return can have the IRS knocking on your door.
In addition to keeping track of receipts and bank statements, taxpayers need to look into their investment gains and losses for 2008 and make sure they report them as accurately as possible.
There’s good reason to be meticulous this year: According to the most recent data, in 2007 the IRS audited approximately 1.4 million returns, a 7% increase from 2006 and the highest number on record since 1998. And this year, it's unlikely that number will fall, says Mark Luscombe, a principal analyst at CCH Tax and Accounting.
So what will make the IRS question your return? Here are five common audit red flags that the IRS will be on the lookout for this tax season:
Friday, January 23, 2009
Tax help after a layoff
http://www.bankrate.com/cld/itax/news/20020308a.asp?caret=6c
Good Info!
http://www.bankrate.com/cld/itax/news/20020308a.asp?caret=6c
Tax help after a layoff
By Pat Curry • Bankrate.com
Talk about adding insult to injury. As if it weren't bad enough to be laid off from a job, workers who apply for unemployment compensation might be shocked to learn that they have to pay federal income tax on those benefits.
"It's a wage payment; you have to pay taxes on wages," says Barbara Moore, an attorney and unemployment law analyst with CCH Inc., an information provider on taxes and other business issues.
Adding to the problem, unless the worker requests it, states don't have to take out withholding from unemployment checks. And when a person is trying to figure out how to pay next month's mortgage or rent, paying the taxes on those benefits tends to drop down the priority list.
But workers who receive long-term benefits -- most states permit workers to collect benefits from 26 to 30 weeks and often grant extensions -- could be looking at having a large tax payment due on next year's return.
"The thought process is, 'Give me all I can get right now, and I'll worry about my taxes later,'" says Michael Eisenberg, a CPA and personal financial specialist in California.
Depending on the tax bracket, that could mean owing the IRS a few thousand dollars.
According to Moore, if individuals don't opt to have the state take out withholding, they're responsible for figuring it out on their own and making quarterly payments, just as if they were self-employed.
Speaking of self-employed, that's another surprise many people encounter after they're laid off, Moore says. They use that event as an opportunity to go into business for themselves or do some short-term consulting while they're looking for another job. But what they don't realize is that now they're responsible for paying self-employment tax, which means they have to pay both the employee's and employer's portion of FICA.
Benefits and tax issues
That's not all. There are several tax and benefit-related issues that workers need to address when they lose their jobs. Perhaps the most important is what to do with their retirement account. If they like how the money is invested, they may consider leaving the account where it is, but Eisenberg says he doesn't recommend it. With today's mobility, it can be easy for a plan to lose track of a worker's current address.
The easiest option is to roll the funds over into an individual retirement account, or IRA, with a bank or a brokerage firm. It's a simple matter to transfer the funds directly from the existing account into the new one. That's a far better option than getting a check for the lump sum. If that happens, the worker has 60 days to deposit it in a new IRA or face taxes and early withdrawal penalties, and there's a lot of temptation to live off that money instead of using it for its intended purpose.
"You don't want to touch the money," says David Sommer, associate professor of risk management and insurance at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business. "Once you have the money, it's hard to have the discipline to roll it over. Have it directly transferred." In other words, make sure it's a trustee-to-trustee transfer. Another important thing to remember is if a person takes out a loan against a 401(k), it normally has to be paid off before leaving the company to avoid paying taxes and penalties.
Tax help after a layoff
Page | 1 | 2 |
If a person has been fortunate enough to receive a severance package that includes several months' worth of salary, that's also considered taxable income. The decision to make at that point would be whether to take the money in a lump sum or a payout over time.
Annual inflation adjustments of the tax brackets could provide some tax relief if you decide to take an extended payout, assuming the company will be around that long. The other issue that comes into play is a person's own spending habits. Some people would take a lump sum payment of six months' worth of salary and blow it in a week; others would have no problem making it stretch for a year.
Meanwhile, there are some tax benefits that workers can take advantage of while they're out of work and looking for a new job. Job-search services, such as resume preparation or travel expenses to an interview, may be deductible for people who file itemized returns.
Any educational expenses related to a person's line of work also are deductible.
That means that if a person takes some classes to keep his skills up to date, that's deductible. If they use a layoff as a springboard to launch a new career, courses related to the new field can't be written off. Once a person gets a new job, if it involves moving, those expenses could be deductible, too.
Don't forget about health benefits
While laid-off workers are setting aside money to pay their taxes, they also need to keep one other payment current -- their medical insurance.
"Insurance is something people don't think about," Moore says. "If it lapses, it's a huge problem."
It can be particularly harmful if a family member has a pre-existing condition.
For that reason, the experts recommend biting the bullet and taking the coverage offered by their former employer through COBRA. It's expensive because the individual is paying what the coverage previously cost both them and their former employer, plus 2 percent. But it provides the necessary continuity to maintain a person's eligibility for medical insurance when they get a new job.
Workers have 60 days to decide whether or not to accept COBRA coverage, Sommer says. They can even wait until they actually have a claim to decide to take it. "You don't have to decide the day you lose your job," he says. "If you need it and decide you want it, you can get it." With the 60-day window, Moore says that a lot of people only wind up paying one COBRA premium before they have a new job with benefits. For the peace of mind it offers and the potential problems it heads off, she says, it's worth the expense. Or, if a worker is young and healthy, Sommer says, he also might look into getting an individual policy or coverage through a professional or trade association. One way or another, though, it's critical not to let the coverage lapse.
Finally, come tax time, it will be important for workers to hang on to their last pay stubs. If the company goes under, it might be tough to get a W-2. With or without it, the income still has to be reported. Moore recommends attaching a copy of the pay stub to the return, with a note stating that a W-2 wasn't received and that the tax obligation has been based on the information from the pay stub.
That's usually enough to get the IRS to pay a call on their former employer
Good Info!
http://www.bankrate.com/cld/itax/news/20020308a.asp?caret=6c
Tax help after a layoff
By Pat Curry • Bankrate.com
Talk about adding insult to injury. As if it weren't bad enough to be laid off from a job, workers who apply for unemployment compensation might be shocked to learn that they have to pay federal income tax on those benefits.
"It's a wage payment; you have to pay taxes on wages," says Barbara Moore, an attorney and unemployment law analyst with CCH Inc., an information provider on taxes and other business issues.
Adding to the problem, unless the worker requests it, states don't have to take out withholding from unemployment checks. And when a person is trying to figure out how to pay next month's mortgage or rent, paying the taxes on those benefits tends to drop down the priority list.
But workers who receive long-term benefits -- most states permit workers to collect benefits from 26 to 30 weeks and often grant extensions -- could be looking at having a large tax payment due on next year's return.
"The thought process is, 'Give me all I can get right now, and I'll worry about my taxes later,'" says Michael Eisenberg, a CPA and personal financial specialist in California.
Depending on the tax bracket, that could mean owing the IRS a few thousand dollars.
According to Moore, if individuals don't opt to have the state take out withholding, they're responsible for figuring it out on their own and making quarterly payments, just as if they were self-employed.
Speaking of self-employed, that's another surprise many people encounter after they're laid off, Moore says. They use that event as an opportunity to go into business for themselves or do some short-term consulting while they're looking for another job. But what they don't realize is that now they're responsible for paying self-employment tax, which means they have to pay both the employee's and employer's portion of FICA.
Benefits and tax issues
That's not all. There are several tax and benefit-related issues that workers need to address when they lose their jobs. Perhaps the most important is what to do with their retirement account. If they like how the money is invested, they may consider leaving the account where it is, but Eisenberg says he doesn't recommend it. With today's mobility, it can be easy for a plan to lose track of a worker's current address.
The easiest option is to roll the funds over into an individual retirement account, or IRA, with a bank or a brokerage firm. It's a simple matter to transfer the funds directly from the existing account into the new one. That's a far better option than getting a check for the lump sum. If that happens, the worker has 60 days to deposit it in a new IRA or face taxes and early withdrawal penalties, and there's a lot of temptation to live off that money instead of using it for its intended purpose.
"You don't want to touch the money," says David Sommer, associate professor of risk management and insurance at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business. "Once you have the money, it's hard to have the discipline to roll it over. Have it directly transferred." In other words, make sure it's a trustee-to-trustee transfer. Another important thing to remember is if a person takes out a loan against a 401(k), it normally has to be paid off before leaving the company to avoid paying taxes and penalties.
Tax help after a layoff
Page | 1 | 2 |
If a person has been fortunate enough to receive a severance package that includes several months' worth of salary, that's also considered taxable income. The decision to make at that point would be whether to take the money in a lump sum or a payout over time.
Annual inflation adjustments of the tax brackets could provide some tax relief if you decide to take an extended payout, assuming the company will be around that long. The other issue that comes into play is a person's own spending habits. Some people would take a lump sum payment of six months' worth of salary and blow it in a week; others would have no problem making it stretch for a year.
Meanwhile, there are some tax benefits that workers can take advantage of while they're out of work and looking for a new job. Job-search services, such as resume preparation or travel expenses to an interview, may be deductible for people who file itemized returns.
Any educational expenses related to a person's line of work also are deductible.
That means that if a person takes some classes to keep his skills up to date, that's deductible. If they use a layoff as a springboard to launch a new career, courses related to the new field can't be written off. Once a person gets a new job, if it involves moving, those expenses could be deductible, too.
Don't forget about health benefits
While laid-off workers are setting aside money to pay their taxes, they also need to keep one other payment current -- their medical insurance.
"Insurance is something people don't think about," Moore says. "If it lapses, it's a huge problem."
It can be particularly harmful if a family member has a pre-existing condition.
For that reason, the experts recommend biting the bullet and taking the coverage offered by their former employer through COBRA. It's expensive because the individual is paying what the coverage previously cost both them and their former employer, plus 2 percent. But it provides the necessary continuity to maintain a person's eligibility for medical insurance when they get a new job.
Workers have 60 days to decide whether or not to accept COBRA coverage, Sommer says. They can even wait until they actually have a claim to decide to take it. "You don't have to decide the day you lose your job," he says. "If you need it and decide you want it, you can get it." With the 60-day window, Moore says that a lot of people only wind up paying one COBRA premium before they have a new job with benefits. For the peace of mind it offers and the potential problems it heads off, she says, it's worth the expense. Or, if a worker is young and healthy, Sommer says, he also might look into getting an individual policy or coverage through a professional or trade association. One way or another, though, it's critical not to let the coverage lapse.
Finally, come tax time, it will be important for workers to hang on to their last pay stubs. If the company goes under, it might be tough to get a W-2. With or without it, the income still has to be reported. Moore recommends attaching a copy of the pay stub to the return, with a note stating that a W-2 wasn't received and that the tax obligation has been based on the information from the pay stub.
That's usually enough to get the IRS to pay a call on their former employer
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Columbus is headquarters for five of the biggest retail brands
Columbus is headquarters for five of the biggest retail brands
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 3:18 AM
By Margaret Harding
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
16. Victoria's Secret
27. Abercrombie & Fitch
35. Bath & Body Works
40. Hollister
FILE PHOTOS
43. Big Lots
Brand power
Central Ohio's top retail brands are among the 50 biggest in the United States, according to a ranking by Interbrand Design Forum, a Dayton consulting firm.
Top 5 nationally
1. Walmart
2. Best Buy
3. Home Depot
4. Target
5. CVS
Top 5 Central Ohio
16. Victoria's Secret
27. Abercrombie & Fitch
35. Bath & Body Works
40. Hollister
43. Big Lots
Source: Interbrand Design Forum
Columbus is home to five of the 50 most valuable retail brands in the U.S., and it is the only city of its size in the country to be able to say so, according to a new study.
Local officials and experts said the rankings speak well for the area, which has become a hub for retail activity nationally.
"There are a lot of retailers in America," said Greg Silverman, an official with Dayton-based Interbrand Design Forum, which recently rated the top 50 American retail brands for the first time.
"To get into the top 50, you had to do a lot of things right for quite a long period of time," Silverman said.
Limited Brands' Victoria's Secret had the highest ranking of Columbus-based brands, at 16th. Abercrombie & Fitch was next-highest at 27th. Limited's Bath & Body Works ranked 35th, while Abercrombie-owned Hollister was 40th on the list. Big Lots, the closeout retailer, came in at 43rd.
There weren't other cities similar in size and population to Columbus with the same kind of concentration of successful retail brands, Silverman said.
"Columbus has always been known as a very strong, significant leader in retail," he said.
This reputation is helped along because the city is home to a lot of workers with backgrounds in many of the creative skills required by the retail industry, said Susan Merryman, a spokeswoman for the Columbus Chamber.
"If you work for retail, whether it be the merchandising or the fashion or the marketing, Columbus is known for having a large creative work force, and I think part of that is driven by the presence of those companies that are here," she said.
Rankings such as this help people outside Ohio see what kind of business community Columbus has, Merryman said.
"Any time that companies that have a major presence here or are headquartered here, any time they're recognized -- that's a great marketing tool for our community," she said.
The ranking looks at factors such as a brand's financial strength, importance in driving consumer selection and the likelihood of ongoing branded revenue.
"It's a reflection of good management -- the recognition that brand is an asset, just like inventory or trucks or plants, which is often overlooked because it's an intangible," Silverman said.
Even so, a brand might not be worth as much as it was in the past, said Britt Beemer, chairman and founder of America's Research Group, a consumer-behavior research company.
"Over the years, if somebody went into a store, looked at a brand they know and looked at a store brand, the store brand would have to be 30 to 40 percent lower," Beemer said. "Store brands have raised in quality, so now they can be 25 percent lower and still be purchased."
Brands are still valuable -- about 38 percent of consumers will buy only branded products, Beemer said. But the reluctance to buy a store brand is dwindling.
"People have tried store brands and found them to be acceptable quality," Beemer said.
The top-ranked brand was Walmart, followed by Best Buy, Home Depot, Target and CVS.
Rob Claxton, Big Lots senior vice president of marketing, said he wasn't surprised the company was on the list because it understands the importance of its brand and what it means to customers.
"Forty-third, in my mind, is a little disappointing, but being in the top 50 is good," Claxton said.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 3:18 AM
By Margaret Harding
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
16. Victoria's Secret
27. Abercrombie & Fitch
35. Bath & Body Works
40. Hollister
FILE PHOTOS
43. Big Lots
Brand power
Central Ohio's top retail brands are among the 50 biggest in the United States, according to a ranking by Interbrand Design Forum, a Dayton consulting firm.
Top 5 nationally
1. Walmart
2. Best Buy
3. Home Depot
4. Target
5. CVS
Top 5 Central Ohio
16. Victoria's Secret
27. Abercrombie & Fitch
35. Bath & Body Works
40. Hollister
43. Big Lots
Source: Interbrand Design Forum
Columbus is home to five of the 50 most valuable retail brands in the U.S., and it is the only city of its size in the country to be able to say so, according to a new study.
Local officials and experts said the rankings speak well for the area, which has become a hub for retail activity nationally.
"There are a lot of retailers in America," said Greg Silverman, an official with Dayton-based Interbrand Design Forum, which recently rated the top 50 American retail brands for the first time.
"To get into the top 50, you had to do a lot of things right for quite a long period of time," Silverman said.
Limited Brands' Victoria's Secret had the highest ranking of Columbus-based brands, at 16th. Abercrombie & Fitch was next-highest at 27th. Limited's Bath & Body Works ranked 35th, while Abercrombie-owned Hollister was 40th on the list. Big Lots, the closeout retailer, came in at 43rd.
There weren't other cities similar in size and population to Columbus with the same kind of concentration of successful retail brands, Silverman said.
"Columbus has always been known as a very strong, significant leader in retail," he said.
This reputation is helped along because the city is home to a lot of workers with backgrounds in many of the creative skills required by the retail industry, said Susan Merryman, a spokeswoman for the Columbus Chamber.
"If you work for retail, whether it be the merchandising or the fashion or the marketing, Columbus is known for having a large creative work force, and I think part of that is driven by the presence of those companies that are here," she said.
Rankings such as this help people outside Ohio see what kind of business community Columbus has, Merryman said.
"Any time that companies that have a major presence here or are headquartered here, any time they're recognized -- that's a great marketing tool for our community," she said.
The ranking looks at factors such as a brand's financial strength, importance in driving consumer selection and the likelihood of ongoing branded revenue.
"It's a reflection of good management -- the recognition that brand is an asset, just like inventory or trucks or plants, which is often overlooked because it's an intangible," Silverman said.
Even so, a brand might not be worth as much as it was in the past, said Britt Beemer, chairman and founder of America's Research Group, a consumer-behavior research company.
"Over the years, if somebody went into a store, looked at a brand they know and looked at a store brand, the store brand would have to be 30 to 40 percent lower," Beemer said. "Store brands have raised in quality, so now they can be 25 percent lower and still be purchased."
Brands are still valuable -- about 38 percent of consumers will buy only branded products, Beemer said. But the reluctance to buy a store brand is dwindling.
"People have tried store brands and found them to be acceptable quality," Beemer said.
The top-ranked brand was Walmart, followed by Best Buy, Home Depot, Target and CVS.
Rob Claxton, Big Lots senior vice president of marketing, said he wasn't surprised the company was on the list because it understands the importance of its brand and what it means to customers.
"Forty-third, in my mind, is a little disappointing, but being in the top 50 is good," Claxton said.
Aluminum van trailers to be sold at auction
BUSINESS NEWS
Aluminum van trailers to be sold at auction
Staff Report
Thursday, January 15, 2009
CINCINNATI — The remaining assets of the now defunct Value City Department Stores will be sold at auction Saturday, Jan. 24.
Value City, which had a department store on Kemper Road in Tri-County near the Tri-County Mall, is auctioning 250 aluminum van trailers that are in compliance with delivery truck requirements. The sale is part of a court-ordered bankruptcy liquidation and will take place at 10 a.m. in the Value City lot at 3487 Westerville Road in Columbus.
A preview is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 so potential buyers may inspect the trailers. For more information regarding the trailer sale, call (260) 433-5111 or go online to www.stanleyandson.com.
Value City Furniture Company is not affiliated with Value City Department Stores and remains in operation next door to the now-vacant department store on Kemper Road.
Aluminum van trailers to be sold at auction
Staff Report
Thursday, January 15, 2009
CINCINNATI — The remaining assets of the now defunct Value City Department Stores will be sold at auction Saturday, Jan. 24.
Value City, which had a department store on Kemper Road in Tri-County near the Tri-County Mall, is auctioning 250 aluminum van trailers that are in compliance with delivery truck requirements. The sale is part of a court-ordered bankruptcy liquidation and will take place at 10 a.m. in the Value City lot at 3487 Westerville Road in Columbus.
A preview is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23 so potential buyers may inspect the trailers. For more information regarding the trailer sale, call (260) 433-5111 or go online to www.stanleyandson.com.
Value City Furniture Company is not affiliated with Value City Department Stores and remains in operation next door to the now-vacant department store on Kemper Road.
Daily Funny - Indisputable Mathematical Logic.
|
|
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Daily Funny !
IDIOT SIGHTINGS:
#1We had to have the garage door repaired. The Sears repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a 'large' enough motor on the opener. I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one Sears made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower. He shook his head and said, 'Lady, you need a 1/4 horsepower.' I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4. He said, 'NO, it's not.' Four is larger than two..' We haven't used Sears repair since.
#2
My daughter and I went through the McDonald's take-out window and I gave the clerk a $5 bill. Our total was $4.25,so I also handed her a quarter. She said, 'you gave me to much money.' I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar bill back.' She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me back the quarter, and said we're sorry but they could not do that kind of thing.' The clerk then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents in change. Do not confuse the clerks at McD's.
#3
I live in a semi rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call the local township dministrative office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING sign on our road. The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.' From Kingman , KS .
#4
My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and or dered a taco. She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.' He said he was sorry, but they only had iceburg lettuce. From Kansas City
#5
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, 'Has anyone put any thing in your baggage without your knowledge?' To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?' He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That' s why we ask. 'Happened in Birmingham , Ala.
#6
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red. Appalled, she responded 'What on earth are blind people doing driving?!' She was a probation officer in Wichita , KS
#7
At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear coworker. She was leaving the company due to 'downsizing.'Our manager commented cheerfully, 'This is fun.We should do this more often.' Not another word was spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights stare. This was a lunch at Texas Instruments.
#8
I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the sake of her life, couldn't understand why her system would not turn on. A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriffs office, no less.
#9
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the drivers side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I
instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlock ed. 'Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'its open!' His reply , 'I know. I already got that side.' This was at the Ford dealership in Canton , Mississippi
STAY ALERT!
They walk among us.. they REPRODUCE
My daughter and I went through the McDonald's take-out window and I gave the clerk a $5 bill. Our total was $4.25,so I also handed her a quarter. She said, 'you gave me to much money.' I said, 'Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar bill back.' She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request. I did so, and he handed me back the quarter, and said we're sorry but they could not do that kind of thing.' The clerk then proceeded to give me back $1 and 75 cents in change. Do not confuse the clerks at McD's.
#3
I live in a semi rural area. We recently had a new neighbor call the local township dministrative office to request the removal of the DEER CROSSING sign on our road. The reason: 'Too many deer are being hit by cars out here! I don't think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.' From Kingman , KS .
#4
My daughter went to a local Taco Bell and or dered a taco. She asked the person behind the counter for 'minimal lettuce.' He said he was sorry, but they only had iceburg lettuce. From Kansas City
#5
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked, 'Has anyone put any thing in your baggage without your knowledge?' To which I replied, 'If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?' He smiled knowingly and nodded, 'That' s why we ask. 'Happened in Birmingham , Ala.
#6
The stoplight on the corner buzzes when it's safe to cross the street. I was crossing with an intellectually challenged coworker of mine. She asked if I knew what the buzzer was for. I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red. Appalled, she responded 'What on earth are blind people doing driving?!' She was a probation officer in Wichita , KS
#7
At a good-bye luncheon for an old and dear coworker. She was leaving the company due to 'downsizing.'Our manager commented cheerfully, 'This is fun.We should do this more often.' Not another word was spoken. We all just looked at each other with that deer-in-the-headlights stare. This was a lunch at Texas Instruments.
#8
I work with an individual who plugged her power strip back into itself and for the sake of her life, couldn't understand why her system would not turn on. A deputy with the Dallas County Sheriffs office, no less.
#9
When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it. We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the drivers side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I
instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlock ed. 'Hey,' I announced to the technician, 'its open!' His reply , 'I know. I already got that side.' This was at the Ford dealership in Canton , Mississippi
STAY ALERT!
They walk among us.. they REPRODUCE
Filene's Basement May Close 11 Stores
From AOL Money & Finance =
Filene's Basement May Close 11 Stores
BOSTON (Jan. 21) - Filene's Basement, the chain known for its bridal gown sale, reportedly is closing about a third of its 36 stores.
Filene's Basement May Close 11 Stores
BOSTON (Jan. 21) - Filene's Basement, the chain known for its bridal gown sale, reportedly is closing about a third of its 36 stores.
A spokeswoman for the chain's parent company tells The Boston Globe it has been unable to negotiate rent reductions for 11 locations and plans to close them by the end of February.
Julie Davis, general counsel of Retail Ventures Inc., told the Globe: "We're still hoping there are some landlord negotiations that might help us keep stores." Stores to be closed are in Framingham, Mass.; three in Maryland, two in Illinois, two in Pennsylvania, and one each in New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.
Davis declined to comment whether there would be cuts at the chain's headquarters.
A third of Filene's could close; neither in Ohio
From the Coumbus Dispatch =
A third of Filene's could close; neither in Ohio
A third of Filene's could close; neither in Ohio
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 6:31 PM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Discount retailer Filene's Basement plans to close about one-third of its 36 stores by the end of February if it is not able to get concessions from its landlords.
Two Ohio stores, one on the North Side of Columbus and the other in the Cleveland area, are not slated for closing.
Julia Davis, general counsel of Filene's Columbus-based parent company, Retail Ventures, said clearance sales began this week at 11 stores Filene's stores identified as "underperforming." She said the company hopes that not all the stores will close if lease concessions can be reached, but the plan otherwise is to close these stores by Feb. 28.
States with more than one store planned for closure include Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Retail Ventures bought Filene's Basement out of bankruptcy in 2000. For a time, it was considered a model for Retail Ventures as it tried to remake Value City Department Stores. Instead, the company unloaded Value City a year ago to a group of private equity investors. The Value City chain declared bankruptcy in October, and closed its last stores in Columbus last month.
Two Ohio stores, one on the North Side of Columbus and the other in the Cleveland area, are not slated for closing.
Julia Davis, general counsel of Filene's Columbus-based parent company, Retail Ventures, said clearance sales began this week at 11 stores Filene's stores identified as "underperforming." She said the company hopes that not all the stores will close if lease concessions can be reached, but the plan otherwise is to close these stores by Feb. 28.
States with more than one store planned for closure include Illinois, Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Retail Ventures bought Filene's Basement out of bankruptcy in 2000. For a time, it was considered a model for Retail Ventures as it tried to remake Value City Department Stores. Instead, the company unloaded Value City a year ago to a group of private equity investors. The Value City chain declared bankruptcy in October, and closed its last stores in Columbus last month.
Back in Business!
Thanks to everyone for being so patient. I think I have the PC running to the best it can. Sure do hate it when it crashes, this was the 2nd time in a couple months. I have heard from a few others that they are having or had issues too.
I recent got a new virus program, Panda Internet Security which is great for when you are on the net 24/7 like I am. I am going to start posting information directly into the Blog and stay away from links for you to click on just in case this is what is creating issues. Unless it is the news or paper site, I will post the information on a new post.
I recent got a new virus program, Panda Internet Security which is great for when you are on the net 24/7 like I am. I am going to start posting information directly into the Blog and stay away from links for you to click on just in case this is what is creating issues. Unless it is the news or paper site, I will post the information on a new post.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Dark days for retail
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/business/stories/2009/01/18/malls_econ.ART_ART_01-18-09_D1_0LCIHJU.html?sid=101
Dark days for retail
Pain of '08 will flow into '09; malls, chains and warehouses are bracing
Sunday, January 18, 2009 3:38 AM
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Retailers at risk . . .
Of closing
• Claire's Stores (young-women's accessories )
• Finlay Enterprises (operates Bailey Banks & Biddle jewelry stores)
• Loehmann's (discount apparel and home furnishings)
Of cutting back
Some chains might close less-profitable stores this year:
• Office Depot
• Select Comfort (mattresses)
• Tween Brands to eliminate Limited Too stores in favor of Justice stores
• Williams-Sonoma
Sources: Standard & Poor's, company filings, bankruptcy experts
On Glimcher Realty Trust's income statement for 2009, a new financial measure has been inserted: They're calling it "planned surprises."
It's a sign of the times, reflecting the likelihood that the Columbus-based mall developer will lose income when retail tenants close stores this year.
Some experts say that the number of store closings in 2009 will be the most in 35 years, affecting every sector from apparel to electronics.
"You know someone's not going to be around as a retailer," said Glimcher Realty Chairman and Chief Executive Michael P. Glimcher. "We don't know exactly who it is. Someone's going to surprise us negatively."
This year promises to be full of surprises for nearly everyone associated with the retail industry, from the chains themselves and warehouse operators, to shopping-center owners and real-estate brokers. And shoppers who are still willing to spend in this listless economy might see several of their favorite stores go under.
In the past six months, chains including Circuit City, Value City Department Stores, Goody's Clothing and KB Toys have declared bankruptcy. On Friday, Circuit City became the latest to announce liquidation plans after it failed to find a buyer or arrange needed financing.
Several department-store anchors, including Sears, are on analysts' watch list. Further, the credit crunch has made it much more difficult for ailing companies to raise the money needed to reorganize and emerge from bankruptcy, experts say.
Store closings most likely will affect central Ohio shopping centers, said Columbus retail analyst Chris Boring of Boulevard Strategies. Boring expects store vacancies locally to exceed the high of 12 percent recorded in 2002.
They're already pretty close. Retail vacancies in the Columbus market reached 11.9 percent at the end of September, said Grubb & Ellis, a commercial real-estate services firm.
"The good news is that we're finally not overbuilding," Boring said. "I don't understand how an economy based on buying things that we don't really need is sustainable."
Store closings outpaced store openings for the first time since statistics started being kept in 1980, Boring said. The tough times are already trickling down to shopping-center and warehouse owners.
Retail landlords are bracing for an onslaught of tenants seeking lower rents until sales recover, a nod to tough circumstances that Nationwide Realty Investors offered its Arena District tenants during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. During that period, rents were cut in half.
"A lot of retailers, bankrupt or not, are calling us and asking for rent reductions," said Don M. Casto III, a partner in the Casto development company. "You deal with that in any downturn in the economy, but it's worse now than it has been in my business career."
Richard Schuen, president of the Columbus office of Grubb & Ellis, described the concession environment as "brutal." It could have an effect on landlords' ability to make their mortgage payments.
"Many of these developers and owners are getting these form letters just like a 'Dear John' letter," Schuen said. "Some have hundreds if not thousands of locations, and they're pounding away on landlords asking for concessions.
"You've got debt service to pay every month, and it's having a negative impact on that ability to refinance and recapitalize the asset in some manner, or sell the asset."
Local companies Big Lots and DSW say they expect to pay lower rents on new and existing locations. Many national retailers have reported that landlord concessions have allowed them the financial breathing room needed to open stores, or retain ones that otherwise would probably not have survived.
Central Ohio-based chains are not projecting significant store closings, although their sales figures and share prices are down across the board. A number of them are clamping down on growth, though, delaying store openings or, like Abercrombie & Fitch, going to virtually zero-growth mode in the U.S.
Others are in worse shape and could close stores. Casto said some of his company's clothier tenants, such as Talbots, Coldwater Creek and Jos. A. Bank, "are hunkering down as best they can."
"The biggest weakness we're facing is fashion retailers," he said. "They're in a state of complete collapse. I don't know how long that's going to last."
Warehouse owners also are feeling the pinch. Value City recently closed a 430,000-square-foot store and distribution center in Westerville. There could be a glut of warehouse space on the market if retailers fail.
"Nobody's immune from this," Schuen said.
The weakened retail performance could cause dramatic shifts in store locations.
Retail tenants nationally are gravitating toward the newest and best-maintained malls, said Adam Flatto, president of Easton co-developer Georgetown Co. That's partly because millions of square feet of retail space have been added in central Ohio in the past decade, draining older shopping centers of tenants.
"There's a flight to quality in terms of real estate," Flatto said.
Local real-estate vacancy numbers include those for properties such as Columbus City Center, which sits virtually empty as the city tries to come up with a plan for it, and the once-vibrant Worthington Square Mall. Both lost numerous tenants to newer shopping venues.
"Retail is a game of musical chairs. The music is always stopping and starting, and older malls suffer," Boring said.
Even shiny new outdoor "lifestyle centers" aren't immune. The Shoppes at River Ridge, which opened on the Northwest Side in August 2007, has many vacant storefronts. Glimcher's new lifestyle center at Polaris Fashion Place, meanwhile, has had no problem filling its space.
The three newest local malls -- the Mall at Tuttle Crossing, Polaris Fashion Place and Easton Town Center -- all report vacancy rates of less than 2 percent.
Easton has lost tenants such as the Bombay Company and the Discovery Channel Store because those chains have cut stores nationally, but Easton has moved quickly to fill the vacancies from a waiting list. Tuttle and Polaris have an empty storefront or two, and both will be losing a KB Toys, but their management representatives say they're in good shape.
Things are tougher for many strip centers that have lost a major tenant such as a supermarket or "big-box" discount store such as Kmart. All around the Columbus area are gap-toothed centers that have lost big tenants in recent years.
"The biggest challenge in retail is what to do with an empty big-box," Boring said. One small area of opportunity Boring sees is a newfound willingness on the part of landlords to work with local single-store startups to help replace the chain stores that are cutting back. But opening a new store or keeping an existing boutique going will remain very tough, given the credit crunch.
Meanwhile, experts say chains that are stable and have exercised fiscal discipline will continue to face tough conditions but can take advantage of the current situation in commercial real estate.
Big Lots, for example, has closed more stores than it has opened in the past three years. That may change this year, said Tim Johnson, vice president of investor relations.
"The challenges in the market have allowed us to improve the quality of our locations," Johnson said. "We're able to be more selective today than we were a couple of years ago about things such as the type of property and our position in the center."
New Big Lots stores, like those of several other chains, including Walmart, are likely to be pared down. A trend toward smaller store prototypes is also expected to contribute to a strong downturn in the amount of new retail real estate coming online in the next year or two.
Daily Funny!
A Blonde's Year in Review
January
Took new scarf back to store because it was too tight.
February
Fired from pharmacy job for failing to print labels..... Helllloooo!!!......
bottles won't fit in printer!!!
March
Got really excited......finished jigsaw puzzle in 6 months.....
Box said '2-4 years!'
April
Trapped on escalator for hours ....
Power went out!!!
May
Tried to make Kool-Aid.....wrong instructions....8 cups of
Water won't fit into those little packets!!!
June
Tried to go water skiing........couldn't find a lake with a slope.
July
Lost breast stroke swimming competition.....learned later,
The other swimmers cheated, they used their arms!!!
August
Got locked out of my car in rain storm.....
Car swamped because soft-top was open.
September
The capital of California is 'C'.....isn't it???
October
Hate M & M's.....they are so hard to peel.
November
Baked turkey for 4 1/2 days ...
Instructions said 1 hour per pound and I weigh 108!!
December
Couldn't call 911. 'duh'.....there's no 'eleven' button on the stupid phone!!!
THE BEST BLONDE JOKE OF THE YEAR - SO FAR....
A man was in his front yard mowing grass when his attractive blonde female neighbor came out of the house and went straight to the mailbox.
She opened it then slammed it shut and
Stormed back in the house.
A little later she came out of her house again went to
The mail box and again, opened it, slammed it shut again.
Angrily, back into the house she went.
As the man was getting ready to edge the lawn, here she came out again, marched to the mail box, opened it and then slammed it closed harder than ever.
Puzzled by her actions the man asked her,
Is something wrong?'
To which she replied, 'There certainly is!'
'My stupid computer keeps saying ...
'YOU'VE GOT MAIL!'
COFFEE FILTERS: Not just for making coffee...
Coffee filters ..who knew! And you can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Tree for almost nothing. Except maybe a dollar!
COFFEE FILTERS: Not just for making coffee....
1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.
2. Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they'll leave windows sparkling.
3. Protect China . Separate your good dishes by putting a coffee filter between each dish.
4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.
5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.
6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.
7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.
8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.
9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.
10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to
prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.
11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter.
12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters.
13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. Soaks out all the grease.
Thanks to Trudi for the information!
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