Nov

03

Anna Breslaw’s 600-Word Sprint: On New York, Facebook and the Superstorm

Label: Technology

affiliate marketing TakePart is happier than ever to present “Anna Breslaw’s 600-Word Sprint,” a weekly column of social justice insight, provocation and solution. Look for Anna’s Sprint every week on the homepage of TakePart.By the time the number of years you’ve lived in New York could make up (or surpass) the age of a toddler, you’re...

AP PHOTOS: Stars come out for Sandy victims’ show

Label: Lifestyle

affiliate marketing NEW YORK (AP) — For the victims of Superstorm Sandy, it was a sorely needed message delivered.From “Livin’ on a Prayer” to “The Living Proof,” every song Friday at NBC’s benefit concert became a message song. affiliate marketing New Jersey‘s Jon Bon Jovi gave extra...

How Computational Models Are Improving Medicine [Video]

Label: Health

affiliate marketing Click here to view the video High-resolution electromechanical model of a heart; courtesy of N. Trayanova affiliate marketing The more we learn about cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s, the more vexingly complex they seem–and the more elusive their cures. Even...

Syria army quits base on strategic Aleppo road

Label: World

affiliate marketing BEIRUT (Reuters) – The Syrian army abandoned its last base near the northern town of Saraqeb after a fierce assault by rebels, further isolating the strategically important second city Aleppo from the capital.But in a political setback to forces battling to topple President Bashar al-Assad, the United Nations said...

Worries over basic bank accounts

Label: Business

affiliate marketing 1 November 2012 Last updated at 20:01 ETA watchdog has claimed that “dark clouds” are gathering for the future of simple bank accounts designed for vulnerable and low-income customers. affiliate marketing Consumer Focus said that basic bank accounts – assisting...

Nov

02

10 Wooden iPhone Cases for the Geeky Lumberjack

Label: Technology

affiliate marketing 1. Grove CasesA mix of bamboo and plant fiber composite combine to create this classic Grove case. There are tons of achingly cool etched patterns to choose from on the site, or you can design your own. For: iPhone 4/4S, 5, Cost: From $ 79Click here to view this gallery. affiliate...

Suicide Silence singer Lucker dies in California motorcycle accident

Label: Lifestyle

affiliate marketing LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Mitch Lucker, the lead singer of extreme heavy metal band Suicide Silence, died on Thursday of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident in Huntington Beach, California, police said.The band from Southern California was given the Golden Gods award for best new talent by Revolver magazine in...

“Wage scar” threatens U.S. labor recovery: Manpower CEO

Label: Business

affiliate marketing NEW YORK (Reuters) – A “wage scar” caused by workers accepting lower pay could slow the pace of U.S. economic recovery for years to come, the chief executive of global staffing services company ManpowerGroup said on Fri day.Workers are accepting lower pay because a U.S. labor recovery, while encouraging, remains muted. affiliate...

Nov

01

Civility efforts seek better behavior on campus

Label: Technology

affiliate marketing COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Jewish students in the University of California system labeled terrorists for their support of Israel. Black high school students pelted by bananas on a Tennessee campus tour. A hostile student in Maryland challenging his professor to a fight after the teacher limited the use of cell phones and...

NBC to hold a benefit concert for Sandy victims

Label: Lifestyle

affiliate marketing NEW YORK (AP) — NBC will hold a benefit concert Friday for victims of Hurricane Sandy featuring some artists native to the areas hardest hit.Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi of New Jersey and Billy Joel of Long Island are scheduled to appear at the concert, hosted by “Today” show co-host Matt Lauer. affiliate...

Living at high altitude tied to developmental delay

Label: Health

affiliate marketing NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – South American babies and toddlers living at high altitude were more likely to score poorly on early tests of brain development, in a new study.Of all kids age three months to two years, one in five was at high risk of developmental delays, according to tests done at their pediatricians’...

Comet to go into administration

Label: Business

affiliate marketing 1 November 2012 Last updated at 12:26 ET affiliate marketing Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play....

Dan Wagner, Powa Technologies: “They failed to leverage their physical presence… ten years ago”

About 6,500 retail jobs are at risk after electrical chain Comet confirmed that it would be put into administration next week.

Private equity firm OpCapita, which owns the 240-store business, has lined up restructuring specialist Deloitte to act as administrator.

OpCapita bought Comet last year for £2, but the business has struggled from the downturn in consumer spending.

Comet’s demise is one of the biggest High Street casualties of recent years.

Two weeks ago, OpCapita said it was examining a number of potential bids for the retailer.

The administrator will run the business as a going concern while it assesses options for sales, closures and liquidation.

Comet said it was “urgently working” on plans to secure the company’s future. Customers with outstanding orders are being told it is “business as usual until further notice” and that the group intends to fulfil deliveries of products that have been paid for.

Comet’s customer care team is handling customer inquiries on 0844 8009595.

Continue reading the main story

Any customers with Comet vouchers or gift cards can use them in stores at present

Administrators would decide whether they would be honoured were the business to enter administration

Generally, gift card holders are fairly low on a list of creditors when a business folds

Extended warranties are overseen by a separate business. If it ceased trading, then a trust fund would be set up to meet obligations to customers who hold extended warranties

The Comet website is currently out of action

Customer enquiries are being answered by its customer card team on 0844 8009595

Shares of Comet’s rivals rose on news of the planned administration, with Dixons Retail, which owns PC World and Currys, jumping 15% as investors speculated that a major competitor could be removed from the market.

OpCapita bought Comet last February from Kesa Electricals, which had itself struggled to turn around the business. Comet is thought to have had operational losses of about £35m last year.

‘Market failure’

The economic downturn and pressure on consumer spending has led many people to put off purchases of big-ticket items such as TVs and large appliances. But sales of such items have also moved increasingly online.

Dan Wagner, a technology entrepreneur who has backed several internet businesses, told the BBC that Comet “was an accident waiting to happen” because successive managements had failed to understand the online world.

Retailers must now offer multi-channel options – shops, a website, purchases via mobile phones – to be successful, he said. “Comet failed to understand the importance of this for driving business.”

Jon Copestake, retail analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, also felt that Comet’s problems “come as little surprise”.

He said: “Not only has Comet faced deflationary pressures thanks to stiff competition and cheaper production costs, but core audio visual products are being undermined by combined platforms on smartphones and tablet computers.”

Comet is one of the biggest retail casualties since the demise of Woolworths in 2008. Other recent High Street collapses have included JJB Sports, Clinton Cards, Blacks Leisure, Game, and Peacocks.

America’s Best Buy recently pulled the plug on 11 giant electrical stores after failing to make inroads into the UK market.

Comet was founded in 1933 as a business charging batteries for wireless sets. It opened its first store in 1968, in Hull, and was bought by Kingfisher in 1984, which expanded the Comet brand into one of the most familiar names on the High Street.

BBC News – Business

Oct

31

U.S. seeks patriotic computer geeks for help in cyber crisis

Label: Technology

affiliate marketing BOSTON (Reuters) – The Department of Homeland Security is considering setting up a “Cyber Reserve” of computer security experts who could be called upon in the event of a crippling cyber attack.The idea came from a task force the agency set up to address what has long been a weak spot – recruiting and retaining skilled...

Brad Pitt donates $100K for gay marriage effort

Label: Lifestyle

affiliate marketing WASHINGTON (AP) — Brad Pitt has agreed to donate $ 100,000 to help the Human Rights Campaign raise money for its efforts to support same-sex marriage initiatives in several states.The nation’s largest gay rights group announced Wednesday that Pitt agreed to match contributions from the group’s members up to $ 100,000. affiliate...

Firm linked to U.S. meningitis outbreak recalls all drugs

Label: Health

affiliate marketing BOSTON (Reuters) – Ameridose, the sister company to the U.S. pharmacy linked to a national outbreak of meningitis that has killed 28 people, on Wednesday announced it was recalling all its products, in a move to cooperate with U.S. and state regulators.The Westborough, Massachusetts-based company said the U.S. Food...

Barclays in new regulatory probes

Label: Business

affiliate marketing 31 October 2012 Last updated at 13:29 ETUK bank Barclays has announced that it is the subject of two new regulatory probes, soon after a series of scandals that have dented its reputation. affiliate marketing US authorities are looking at whether the way that Barclays...

Oct

30

Russia’s Mail.Ru to launch global expansion with online games

Label: Technology

affiliate marketing MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian email-to-social networking group Mail.Ru is targeting online gamers as it prepares to launch services in foreign markets under the ‘my.com’ name.“Games is what we can begin to enter new markets with,” Dmitry Grishin, the chief executive officer of Mail.Ru Group, told reporters on Tuesday. affiliate...

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood engaged to marry

Label: Lifestyle

affiliate marketing LONDON (Reuters) – Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood is engaged to be married to a 34-year-old theatre producer named Sally Humphreys, his spokesperson said on Tuesday.The twice-married, 65-year-old musician and artist separated from his second wife Jo Wood in 2008 and had a public disagreement with her over the...

Should schools close during bad flu outbreaks?

Label: Health

affiliate marketing NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A new U.S. government study suggests that during a serious flu epidemic, closing schools can keep people – especially kids – out of the ER.Now, researchers say, the big questions include, When is it best to close schools? And what are the downsides? affiliate...

Global shares see modest rise as U.S. storm impact assessed

Label: Business

affiliate marketing LONDON (Reuters) – World shares rose modestly in subdued trading on Tuesday as investors waited to see the full impact of a massive storm that wrought destruction across the eastern United States.The monster storm, code-named Sandy, was responsible for at least 15 deaths, left millions without power, and has closed...

Oct

29

Labrinth, Taylor Swift top UK music charts

Label: Lifestyle

affiliate marketing LONDON (Reuters) – Singer-producer Labrinth topped the British singles charts this week with the ballad “Beneath Your Beautiful” featuring Emeli Sande.It was the first No. 1 as a solo artist for the British singer. affiliate marketing Boy band JLS was new in at...

Mass. shuts down another compounding pharmacy

Label: Health

affiliate marketing BOSTON (AP) — Massachusetts shut down another compounding pharmacy over sterility concerns after a surprise inspection prompted by the nationwide meningitis outbreak linked to a different company, state officials have said.Dr. Madeleine Biondolillo of the state Department of Public Health said inspectors went to the...

More than ever, Barca more than club for Catalans

Label: World

affiliate marketing BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Nearly 20 minutes into the latest clash between Spain’s most popular football teams, Barcelona‘s 98,000-seat Camp Nou stadium erupted into a deafening roar. Tens of thousands of Catalans in the city at the heart of their separatist movement chanted in unison: “Independence!”More than ever,...

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