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Signs of Car Insurance Fraud You Need to Know
An oncoming driver waves at you to make your left turn, but as you do that oncoming driver collides with your vehicle. You get out of the car, ready to discuss what happened, but the once-friendly driver is now irate exclaiming they never made any waving motion, you just made an improper left turn, and now his car is damaged, his neck hurts, and he's calling the police, his insurance agent, and a tow truck right away.
Bad luck or are you just a new victim of auto insurance fraud?
Auto insurance fraud is a $2 billion per year problem, and Canadian drivers pay an average of $125 extra annually on their premiums to cover those costs. To combat this, you need to know the signs of car insurance fraud and how to protect yourself against some common crimes.
Before the Accident: Buying Bad Auto Insurance
There are many ways to buy insurance. First, check that the insurance company is licensed. Every province has its own governing regulatory body you can use to find out the legitimacy of an insurance company. If you're looking for an Ontario car insurance quote, you'll want to use the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO). In Alberta, you'll use the Alberta Treasury Board and Finance. The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has a full list of all the regulating provincial bodies.
Of course, you can compare several legitimate auto insurance quotes from brokers and agents online. But if you'd prefer going directly to the source a broker can give you quotes from the auto insurance companies they represent. Or you can buy your insurance directly from an agent who represents a particular insurance company.
Here's Where Things Can Go Wrong
A fraudster could impersonate an insurance broker. They will start by offering to find you a better rate for a fee, then call an insurer and lie about detrimental details on your driving record (the reason your rates are high in the first place) to get you a better price on your insurance premium.
The problem is this price is based on fraud and after an accident, the insurer denies your claim because the phony broker provided false information. You're left holding the bag.
As for insurance agents, criminals are advertising cheap auto insurance in community newspapers and flyers, according to the FSCO. In reality, you just gave the agent money for nothing more than a fake pink slip of coverage. If you're pulled over for driving without insurance, that's a serious offence, despite you thinking you had insurance.
So how can you protect yourself?
- Know that Insurance brokers are paid by the commission from your insurer.
- Don't pay by e-transfer or money wiring services.
- Never sign a blank document.
The Accident: How Fraudsters Stage an Accident
The introductory paragraph is known as "The Left Turn" – where an innocent driver is waved forward to make a left turn. The oncoming car drives into the car it had waved through mid-turn, and the driver denies ever having signaled it was OK to merge.
According to IBC.ca, there's also the "Swoop and Squat" – where two different criminals on the same team conspire against you. The first driver is in the lane beside you, while the other lines up in front of you. The primary driver then cuts in front of the co-conspirator who slams on their brakes. They hope that you haven't given yourself enough space and time to avoid crashing into the car in front of you.
The "Drive Down" is when you're waved to come out of a parking spot. A driver seems to want the space. As you pull out of the spot, they crash into you. Later they deny ever having waved at you in the first place.
After the Accident: How Fraud is Amplified
In the aftermath of a crash, it's hard to tell if its been staged or not. Your heart is racing, your shaken up and trying to make sure you do everything by the book so you're protected.
A tow truck company comes and picks up the damaged vehicle. If the tow is in on the scam, they charge the insurance company an excessive amount.
The damaged vehicle is taken to an auto body shop, also in on the scam, that could damage the car further to increase the size of the claim.
The fraudsters themselves have admitted themselves to a fake medical clinic where they are given a false and exaggerated diagnosis claiming they can't go back to work and need income replacement or even care giving.
The End of Fraud
Knowing how to spot fraud is one of the best defences. If you believe yourself to be a victim, you can report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. In truth, many Canadians may accidentally commit fraud without knowing it. Registering a vehicle to an outside family member address because of lower rates is fraudulent activity. Listing your partner as the primary driver, even when they're not, to get a better price is also fraud. Be honest, follow the rules, and shop around for auto insurance to find your best legitimate pricing.


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Greatwood Gold Cup Preview – Saturday 2nd March
Last updated: February 27, 2019 by Leon Marshal
The most valuable race on the card at Newbury on Saturday is the £50,000 Greatwood Gold Cup over two and a half miles. Trainer Paul Nicholls has dominated this race since the inaugural running in 2004. He has won eight of the fourteen runnings since Cornish Sett dead-heated with Martin Pipe's Horus in 2006. His other winners were Natal (2008), New Little Bric (2009), Big Fella Thanks (2010), Aerial (2012), Pacha Du Polder (2013), Sound Investment (2015) and Sametegal (2016).
Strong entry for Nicholls at Newbury
The Ditcheat stable is in flying form at present and has another strong entry this year. They are headed by top weight Dolos, a six-year-old son of Kapgarde. He gained his second win over fences when beating Gino Trail by four lengths at Sandown at the start of February. Dolos had loomed up menacingly at Ascot on his previous start but found nothing in the closing stages behind Kildisart. That was over an extended two and a half miles and he appeared to appreciate the drop back to two miles last time. A 5lbs rise in the handicap leaves him set to carry 11st 12lbs.
San Benedeto has been a regular competitor in Grade 1 chases in recent seasons. He has gradually slipped down the handicap but he ran poorly last time at Ascot over this distance. Warriors Tale won well at Aintree in December but was pulled up in the Skybet Chase at Doncaster next time. That clearly was not his true form and he cannot be discounted with the yard now firing on all cylinders.
He was beaten a long way behind War Sound at Aintree in November and is only marginally better off at the weights. War Sound has struggled in valuable handicaps at Cheltenham since but the return to a flatter track may be in his favour. There was significant market support for the gelding on his latest start but he never featured behind Siruh Du Lac.
Happy Diva escapes penalty for Huntingdon win
Happy Diva remains on the same handicap mark as when beating Magic Of Light at Huntingdon in January. That victory was well-deserved after game efforts behind Mister Whitaker, Aso and Cyrname. The mare was runner-up here behind Ms Parfois as a novice in 2017.
Mercian Prince faces a 10lbs hike in the weights after running his three rivals ragged at Kempton in January. That was his second race back since wind surgery in November and the son of Midnight Legend looked better than ever. The form is difficult to assess but the son of Midnight Legend will enjoy the good ground at Newbury.
Azzuri was beaten a distance behind Dolos at Sandown and offered little encouragement last time at Wincanton. Stable companion Value At Risk won narrowly at Market Rasen in January and will be aided by the 10lbs claim of his rider. Dustin Des Mottes was a close second to Azzerti at Ascot in December but looks held on Cheltenham form by Happy Diva. Master Dee is another horse returning after wind surgery and he may need a race or two before he reaches his peak.
Betting Tips
Dolos @9-1 Unibet
Mercian Prince@12-1
Happy Diva @13-2
Each-way ¼ odds, 1,2,3,4
The Greatwood Gold Cup is due off at 2.40 at Newbury on Saturday 2nd March and will be televised live on ITV.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Pencil Problems
Conversations on getting started, and finishing.
We found 3 episodes of Pencil Problems with the tag "marketing".
Episode 37: Starting an e-commerce store. Deep dive + Tips & Tricks.
August 21st, 2018 | 1 hr 44 mins
dropshipping, e-commerce, facebook ads, google ads, marketing, revenue, shopify, side hustle
Kent got into the Mission this week, and Nick has some questions. Most of the episode centers around the article Kent wrote about how to start an e-commerce store that doesn't dropship. It goes into the weeds around starting a business, finding and pricing products, Google vs. Facebook marketing and more. Nick also confronts Kent on the question of whether this was all an elaborate piece of content marketing
Episode 28: Let's Jam | A Social Podcasting App
May 8th, 2018 | 1 hr 33 mins
apps, conversation, ideas, marketing, product, tech
Kent and Nick chat about a product idea: A social podcasting app. Really interesting idea and lots of different directions it can go. Let's jam!
Episode 27: Product vs. Marketing
April 30th, 2018 | 1 hr 51 mins
marketing, product, side projects
Nick and Kent give their perspective on the age old debate between product and marketing. Where does product end and marketing begin, what should product people know about marketing? What should good marketers know about the product? How can you apply all of this to your side projects?
This is our most edited episode, please forgive the audio at points.


text:
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United States District Court, D. Connecticut
March 26, 2018
DAVID A. ABRAMS, No. 241224, a/k/a ABRAHAMS, Plaintiff,v.CORRECTIONS OFFICER WATERS AND CAPT. NUNEZ, sued in their individual capacities; CORRECTIONS OFFICER PHILLIPS; DISCIPLINARY REPORT INVESTIGATOR KELLY; CAPT. JOHN WATSON; WARDEN SCOTT ERFE; MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR JOHN DOE; and MAILROOM HANDLER CORRECTIONS OFFICER RAMIREZ, sued in their individual and official capacity, Defendants.
before the Court is a preliminary injunction motion by
Plaintiff [Doc. 6], which the Court will analyze and resolve
in this Ruling. The condensed procedural and factual history
of the case is as follows.
October 10, 2017, pro se plaintiff David A. Abrams,
an inmate currently incarcerated at the Corrigan-Radgowski
Correctional Institution ("Corrigan") in
Uncasville, Connecticut, brought a civil rights action under
42 U.S.C. § 1983 against various prison officials at
Cheshire Correctional Institution ("Cheshire
C.I."), where he was previously housed. Doc. 1
("Complaint"). On February 2, 2018, upon performing
its initial screening duties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §
1915A, this Court dismissed Abrams's claims against all
but three defendants: Corrections Officer Phillips,
Corrections Captain Nunez, and Corrections Captain John
Watson. Doc. 17 ("Initial Review Order"). The
remaining three Eighth Amendment "cruel and unusual
punishment" claims in this action include: (1)
"excessive force" against Phillips regarding his
conduct in subduing Abrams after his cellmate, Kashawn Brown,
attacked him on August 4, 2017; (2) "failure to
protect" against Nunez for placing Brown, "a high
security" risk inmate, in Abrams's cell, despite
Brown's history of attacking cellmates; and (3) exposure
to "hazardous conditions of confinement" against
Watson for placing Abrams in a segregation cell with black
mold on the vent and not remediating said mold upon receiving
notice of the problem. Id., at 12-19.
addition, the Court decided to permit Abrams's state law
claims of assault, battery, and intentional infliction of
emotional distress to proceed against Phillips in conjunction
with his Eighth Amendment "excessive force" claim.
Id., at 35. The Court has supplemental jurisdiction
over these state law claims, which derive from a common
nucleus of operative fact with the federal claim against
Phillips. As of this date, defendants Phillips, Nunez, and
Watson have not yet responded to the Complaint.
October 27, 2017, shortly after filing his Complaint, Abrams
moved for a preliminary injunction against the Defendants,
requesting the Court to grant him an injunction
"directing the defendant [Waters, and the named prison
officials at Corrigan] to assign [him] single-cell status as
a result of [Waters's] failure to protect the plaintiff
after the plaintiff was assaulted on two different occasions
by his cellmates." Doc. 6-1 ("Memorandum in Support
of Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction"),
at 1. In so moving, Plaintiff asserts that he has twice been
assaulted by cellmates at other facilities, and consequently,
suffers from sleeplessness, "receiv[ing] less than 3
hours [of] sleep nightly because [he is] always on guard
anticipating another attack." Doc. 6 ("Motion for
Preliminary Injunction"), ¶ 17. He also claims that
he has been evaluated by "a mental health doctor who
stated that it['s] normal for [him] to be on alert and
paranoid due to the trauma [he] suffered." Id.,
¶ 18. As a result, the doctor allegedly recommended that
[he] obtain single cell status." Id., ¶
filed a memorandum in opposition to Abrams's preliminary
injunction motion. Doc. 13. In that opposition, Defendants
argue that (1) Abrams's transfer from Cheshire C.I. to
Corrigan moots any claim for injunctive relief, (2) Abrams
has failed to show that he will suffer irreparable harm in
the absence of the requested relief, and (3) Abrams has not
demonstrated a likelihood of success on the merits of his
claims. Id., at 3-8. In support of their memorandum,
Defendants attached an affidavit of Dr. Craig Burns, a
psychiatrist who provides mental health services for
Connecticut prison inmates.[1] Doc. 13-1 ("Burns Affidavit,
" dated December 4, 2017).
November 22, 2017, Burns reviewed Abrams's Department of
Correction ("DOC") medical files "to evaluate
his mental health, to determine the treatment most suitable
to address any mental health needs and to assess whether
there was any mental health related reason to support his
request for a single cell." Id., ¶ 8. In
reviewing Abrams's prior psychiatric records, Burns noted
that during his seventeen years of confinement, Abrams
"has been a well-adjusted inmate." Id.,
¶ 9. Moreover, when assessed by a prior clinician on
October 23, 2017, that doctor found no indication that Abrams
"was in any way psychiatrically impaired" or that
he "needed the accommodation of a single
cell."[2] Id., ¶ 10. In addition, upon
speaking with the Corrigan custody staff, Burns found that
Abrams had no "issues that would indicate a possible
need for a single cell." Id., ¶ 11.
repeated attempts to interview Abrams - with Abrams at first
declining to be interviewed - Burns set up an interview date
of December 5, 2017. Id., ¶¶ 12-14. In
anticipation of the interview, Burns reviewed his research on
Abrams's history at Corrigan. He noted that Abrams
appears to be a "relatively well-adjusted inmate at
Corrigan, " classified as "Mental Health 2, "
an inmate with "a history of mental health disorder that
is not currently active or needing treatment, " or one
who "has a current mild mental health disorder, not
requiring treatment by a mental health professional."
Id., ¶ 16. Moreover, for the majority of his
incarceration, Abrams was a "Mental Health 1"
inmate, one who was "emotionally stable, " with
"no mental health history or current need" for
treatment. Id., ¶ 17.[3] As of December 4, 2017,
Burns found there was no "sufficient evidence to suggest
in any way that there [was] a mental health or any other
related reason to recommend that [Plaintiff] requires the
accommodation of a single cell." Id., ¶
18. Burns expressed his intention to update his findings
following his scheduled interview with Abrams. Id.,
¶ 19.
response to Defendants' opposition, Abrams filed a reply,
disagreeing with Burns's conclusions regarding his mental
health and arguing that he is in "actual danger" of
future harm from another inmate. Doc. 15, at 3-6. Abrams
reiterated that he has twice been assaulted by other inmates
and, therefore, does not trust the staff at Corrigan to
protect him from future harm. Id., at 4-5.
replied, updating their submission in opposition to the
motion by filing the "Supplemental Affidavit of Dr.
Craig Burns" [Doc. 16], describing Burns's findings
after interviewing Abrams on December 5, 2017. In that
affidavit, Burns stated that after "a nearly two and a
half hour evaluation and a review of my previous evaluation
of Mr. Abram's issues[, ] to a reasonable degree of
medical certainty, it is my opinion that there is
not a psychiatric reason to provide Mr. Abrams with
'single cell' status at this time."
Id., ¶ 11 (emphasis in original). He perceived
Abrams as "well-nourished, " "well groomed,
" and "articulate." Id., ¶ 12.
Abrams "neither reported nor appeared to be experiencing
any physical or obvious emotional distress."
Id. Overall, Abrams appeared "to be a high
functioning, intelligent, educated, articulate, [and]
motivated individual, " who did not meet the criteria
for any emotional or stress-related disorder. Id.
Furthermore, he demonstrated "intellectual
adroitness" that would not be expected in one with
cognitive impairment. Id., ¶ 14.
Abrams self-reported "mood related" symptoms, such
as sleeplessness and decreased frustration tolerance, he
"did not meet criteria for a Mood Disorder, " such
as depression. Id., ¶ 13. For example, rather
than exhibiting signs of hopelessness, Abrams was noted to be
working diligently to "us[e] the courts to seek a
reduction in his sentence that might result in a discharge
from DOC far in advance of his current sentence."
addition, although Abrams self-reported traumatic experiences
in his life, he "ha[d] not met criteria for the trauma
and stress related diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder."[4] Id., ¶ 15. Rather, he
"remains highly functional" with the capability of
engaging in "appropriate[ ] levels of
self-reflection" and "reality testing."
Id., ¶ 16.
reiterated that Abrams was a Mental Health 1 prisoner for 17
years before becoming a Mental Health 2 in October of 2017,
id., ¶ 20, following his transfer from Cheshire
to Corrigan (which occurred in August 2017). "Neither of
these classifications [1 or 2] require the individual, so
designated, to have contact with a mental health
professional." Id., ¶ 21. Nonetheless,
having observed that Abrams is experiencing some level of
distress due to the "tragic death of his son and the two
assaults that he experienced in DOC, " Burns recommended
that the optimal approach to managing Abrams's current
issues would be to raise his Mental Health score to a Mental
Health 3 . . . and to place him on the case load of one of
the therapists at Corrigan." Id., ¶¶
22, 25. Such treatment would be far superior to "placing
him in a single cell, " which "might provide
temporary relief from having to worry about a cell mate
assaulting him, " but "would not resolve his
underlying issues." Id., ¶ 25.
In sum,
Burns concluded:
Remaining at Corrigan with his cellmate, with regular contact
with a therapist, dealing with his issues instead of
by-passing them, in my opinion would provide an affirmative
way to impact the very self-efficacy and adaptive functioning
that would be most helpful to Mr. Abrams. The door remains
open for the potential reassessment for a single cell, if,
after a period of therapy, it was thought to be clinically
indicated. However, at the present time, to a reasonable
degree of medical certainty, with all of the supports
available to Mr. Abrams at Corrigan, it is my opinion that
there is not a psychiatric reason to provide Mr.
Abrams with "single cell" status at this time.
Id., ¶ 29 (emphasis in original).
Standard for Preliminary Injunction
injunctive relief is "one of the most drastic tools in
the arsenal of judicial remedies." Hanson Trust PLC
v. SCM Corp., 774 F.2d 47, 60 (2d Cir. 1985). As the
United States Supreme Court has stated, "a preliminary
injunction is an extraordinary and drastic remedy, one that
should not be granted unless the movant, by a clear showing,
carries the burden of persuasion." Mazurek v.
Armstrong, 520 U.S. 968, 972 (1997) (per
curiam) (quoting 11A Charles A. Wright et al.,
Federal Practice and Procedure § 2948, at 130
(2d ed. 1995)) (emphasis omitted). "The purpose of a
preliminary injunction is to preserve the status quo until a
trial on the merits." Lopez v. McEwan, No.
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Mail Rail — the venue for the grand finale of The Spectator's Economic Disruptor Awards, sponsored by Julius Baer — is the former terminus of the driverless underground London Post Office Railway that shuttled mail between London's major sorting offices from 1927 until 2003. A fine example of the disruptive technology of its era, it had a Doctor Who ambience that made it the perfect setting to celebrate the entrepreneurial creativity showcased in this first year of our Disruptor Awards.
The range of innovative business ideas presented to us from all over the country was dazzling: everything short of a better model of sonic screwdriver for the Doctor, you might say. That made for a fascinating six-month project, but a very tough final choice for the judges. We defined a 'disruptor' as a venture that is radically changing its marketplace in terms of price, choice, accessibility or distinctive technology; we were also looking for entries that are financially robust and in a position to scale up, nationally and internationally; and for those that have the potential to make a positive contribution to society and human wellbeing.
Our judges, who included a distinguished panel of entrepreneurs and venture-capital investors, found themselves having to make comparisons between businesses in widely different sectors, from the more familiar territory of consumer services, fintech, social media and healthcare to the outer frontiers of bioscience and big data. If it was relatively easy to pick 22 finalists (ten in London and the South which accounted for a large proportion of overall entries, three each in the Midlands, the North West and Wales, the North East, and Scotland and Northern Ireland) out of a total of almost 100 from across the country, it was almost impossible to choose between those finalists. But all were excellent, and we were genuinely in awe of the originality, passion and perfectionism on display
So congratulations to all of you: we hope you enjoyed engaging with us, and with each other, in this year's Awards process, and we're already looking forward to the 2019 Awards, which will open for entries in March. But enough of this preamble: our readers want to know who has won…
The Judges
Andrew Neil, Chairman, The Spectator
Fraser Nelson, Editor, The Spectator
Martin Vander Weyer, Business Editor, The Spectator
David Durlacher, UK CEO, Julius Baer
Calum Brewster, Managing Director Head of UK Regional Offices, Julius Baer Tracey Reddings, Head of Front Office UK, Julius Baer
Rory Sutherland, Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy
Gordon Black, former Chairman of Peter Black Holdings
Hugh Campbell, Founder and Managing Partner, GP Bullhound
Ian Ritchie, Chairman, Tern plc John Caudwell, Founder, The Caudwell Group
Cindy Yu, Broadcast Editor, The Spectator
Overall Winner
London & the South, Regional Winner:
The judges were delighted to name Pockit as the first Spectator Economic Disruptor of the Year. Pockit is a low-cost, easy-access online banking app that stood out as a true disruptor among the many fintech entries we received. Pockit markets itself as 'a bank for the financially excluded', its target market being those millions of Britons who might otherwise be turned away by larger banks and thereby unable to shop online, secure a credit line or a credit rating, or send money to family abroad without extortionate fees. Founder Virraj Jatania told us that Pockit has 500,000 customers so far and is acquiring new ones at the rate of 20,000 per month — through word of mouth, social media and partnerships with recruitment firms which encourage new employees to open accounts for their wages. It has a target of up to three million UK customers within four to five years, and ambitions to expand across Europe. We believe Pockit is capable of radically disrupting the retail banking marketplace which so badly needs shaking up, and at the same time fulfilling an important social purpose. That makes it a very worthy winner of our Award.
North West and Wales Regional Winner:
Cardiff-based Amplyfi has ambitions to be the first unicorn — that's a tech start-up which grows to be worth a billion dollars — in South Wales. Its product is Data-Voyant, which claims to be 'the most advanced business intelligence and research tool in the world', making use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to mine the internet's deep web, which is said to be 500 times richer in data than the publicly available surface web. The aim of the product is to inform and streamline business decision making like never before, whether for major corporations, government departments or smaller businesses looking to gain advantage over more entrenched competitors. Amplyfi stood out for our judges as an ambitious venture at the frontier of internet technology.
London and the South Regional Runner-up:
With so many entries from London and the South, we felt it was only fair to pick a regional runner-up as well as a winner — and we were unanimous in choosing Touchlight, based at Hampton in Middlesex, which works at the cutting edge of bioscience, using enzymes to manufacture DNA for a range of genetic medical purposes. Touchlight has just signed a major research and collaboration agreement with Janssen Biotech, part of the giant Johnson & Johnson healthcare group, and has other partnerships in the pipeline that are rapidly taking it to the next level of commercialisation. Chief executive Jonny Ohlson told us that, in simple terms, his business has the capability of making DNA products 'ten times cheaper, ten times faster and in one tenth of the space' compared to earlier methodologies. Touchlight's story is a reminder that UK laboratories are global leaders in the genetic science that is transforming the possibilities of 21st-century
healthcare, and we look forward to seeing this company's name in lights in future years.
Midlands Regional Winner:
Warwick Music Group
It would be fair to say that the judges loved what Warwick Music Group has to offer, which is the opportunity for children worldwide to engage in music making. Warwick makes a low-cost plastic starter trombone that costs a fraction of the price of a traditional brass instrument and is now widely used in primary schools and junior brass bands. Using durable and largely recycled plastic, and technology adapted from the automotive industry, Warwick has made and sold 250,000 instruments to date; it is gaining new orders in cities across the US, and has even succeeded in winning a patent protection case in China. At a time when music education is severely under threat in the UK's state school system, not least because of the cost of instruments, Warwick founder Steven Greenall talks about giving musical opportunities to a million children in a way that might not otherwise have been accessible to them. We see that as truly disruptive.
North East Regional Winner:
Entries from Yorkshire, Humberside and the North East ranged from low-cost fitness clubs to advanced medical diagnostics. But as our regional winner we chose a venture that is disrupting a sector most businesses — as well as journalists — recognise as being very much in need of disruption, namely legal services. Of course, we respect solicitors and barristers for their expertise but we also know the pain of paying their fees, which can often be exorbitant for smaller businesses. Rradar, founded in Hull by Gary Gallen, has set out to make legal advice available through online resources, on a more accessible, low-cost basis. Rradar says it has dragged the legal profession into the 21st century to the benefit of businesses everywhere, and again we recognise a true disruptor.
Scotland and Northern Ireland Regional Winner:
Again, the entries represented a variety of sectors, from agriculture to business services — but our chosen winner offers what we felt was a beautifully simple use of digital and data technology. See.Sense, based at Newtownards in County Down and an early product of the Northern Ireland Science Park, has changed the world of urban cycling by creating a bike light that reacts to the cyclist's surroundings. It flashes brighter when necessary — when going round corners, for example — and, more impressively, the data collected by its sensor can be put to use by city planners. Each light monitors road surface quality (even showing potholes before they develop) and can work out which routes are more dangerous or more viable for cyclists. See.Sense has already collaborated with Dublin and Manchester's city planners and attracted more than 30,000 users worldwide. It has great potential for scaling up and at just £45 per light, we see it as a truly cost-effective disruptor.
Next year
The Economic Disruptor of the Year Awards 2019 will open on 1 March. spectator.co.uk/disruptor


text:
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This event is open for all professionals interested or currently working in Starups in Hanoi, or supply chai professionals in Hanoi, or who are interested in looking for business collaboration for U.S. market through meeting with a delegation of Baylor University (U.S.), Executive Master Program.
Founded in 2009, Au Chau Fashion and Cosmetic Company (ACFC) - a division of Imex Pan Pacific (IPP) Group, is the seat of some of the world's premium and most admired fashion brands. ACFC is the leader in brand management and distribution company specializing in international brands in Vietnam, a driving force of retail and distribution networks and provides full-service retail management in the country. Some our brands are Nike, Tommy Hilfiger, Diesel, Tumi, Gap, Calvin Klein, Banana Republic, Mango....
Abbott believes in the power of health. With better health, people and communities can live better and achieve more.
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Our company is a rapidly growing company based in The US and Vietnam. We are evolving into an international sourcing business with a focus on Hygiene products. Our clients are mostly US focused and conglomerates.
Not so fast: critics question Vietnam road project, World Bank
2013-11-15 11:54:21
For a firm short on capital with a background in textiles, property and bottling water, Bitexco wasn't the obvious choice to build a $757 million highway backed by the World Bank in Vietnam's first-ever public-private partnership.
There was no tender or bidding for the project, even though the communist government had committed to a level playing field in public-private projects. Investors say the no-bid contract - and the World Bank's support for it - has set a bad precedent for a country trying to shake off a reputation for entrenched graft, bureaucracy and vested interests.
The support was however described by World Bank officials as part of the push by Jim Yong Kim, the bank's president, to embrace private sector participation in development, especially in middle income countries like Vietnam, while ensuring safeguards remain in place.
Announcing the strategy last month, Kim said it would be impossible to eliminate poverty and meet the infrastructure needs of developing countries with public money alone.
The bank officials said the government chose Bitexco to build a 100-km (62-mile) stretch of a highway from Ho Chi Minh City to the coastal city of Phan Thiet after the company conducted a feasibility study. The World Bank's social and environmental safeguards will be met, and competitive pricing will be ensured, when bidding is held for a second partner, they said.
"This innovative approach will enable us to help Vietnam build the expressway faster, bringing economic development benefits to people sooner," said Victoria Kwakwa, Vietnam Country Director for the World Bank.
The World Bank has offered the government a grant and low-interest loans for the road project, the value of which are yet to be determined.
Several NGOs and other groups have cautioned that Kim's new strategy to partner with the private sector carries risks of poor governance if not implemented properly.
"In the strategy, the real emphasis is on partnering with the private sector and taking larger risks, with the hope of getting payoffs," said Jessica Evans, a senior advocate with Human Rights Watch in Washington.
"The bank's desire is in the right place. But unfortunately we just don't have the stringent mechanisms in place to ensure that there is the level of due diligence that is required, particularly for human rights."
In Vietnam, the lack of competitive bidding in the road project was criticized.
"I'm very disappointed," said a Japanese investor whose firm was interested in the project, speaking on condition of anonymity. "I expected the government would open this up with a fair chance for all private companies."
World Bank officials said the lender had insisted that Bitexco bid out for a partner to help in the project.
"Bitexco only has some construction experience, that's why we will have a bidding process to select the second investor who will bring not only the additional money but also must be the one with considerable experience and a high standard," said Mark Moseley, the World Bank representative overseeing the project.
Bitexco, best known for building an iconic skyscraper in Ho Chi Minh City, has held roadshows in several countries to seek partners for the road project.
Pre-qualification documents are to be submitted by Nov 29, with bidding likely to be take place next year.
It's not the first investment by Bitexco that has enjoyed the support of the government. It has been involved in construction of 10 hydropower plants with a total investment of $820 million, mostly from bank loans guaranteed by the government, which for a private firm is rare in Vietnam.
"Bitexco is one of the many companies in Vietnam with political color but due to many factors, including involvement of multilaterals, the governance will be monitored by a lot of people which provides us comfort," said Rodrigo Franco, the president of Manila North Tollways, a company in the Philippines that has evinced interest in the project.
"We have heard reports about Bitexco's political connections but we think we are dealing with the government of Vietnam and its private sector and that is the important thing for us."
Manila North is a unit of Philippine conglomerate Metro Pacific Investments Corp (MPI.PS), which in turn is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co (0142.HK).
Other investors have mixed feelings about the inaugural PPP deal. On one hand, it's a liberal leap from preferential treatment for state-owned enterprises (SOEs) that have stifled competition. The flip side, they say, is the PPPs could instead foster a culture of crony capitalism that foreign firms cannot compete with.
The government, however, says the inaugural PPP was fair and square, even though Bitexco was selected without competition.
"This is a pilot project," Vice Minister of Construction Nguyen Ngoc Dong told Reuters. "That's why it has its own special factors. We didn't break any regulations."
The PPP plan came into effect in January 2011 and is part of an economic "masterplan" launched by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to revive a once a promising Tiger economy that lost its bite due to heavy debt and spiraling inflation, with weak retail and credit growth plunging at least 120,000 firms into bankruptcy since 2012.
The plan states foreign and domestic tenders would be held for PPPs and bidding procedures must be "in line with international practice and ensure competition, fairness, transparency and economic efficiency." It made no mention of any pre-selection of firms.
The aim of PPPs is to ease the financial burden for infrastructure on the state in a country where public debt, including that of the cash-sapping SOEs, is equivalent to 95 percent of gross domestic product, according to a report commissioned by parliament's economic committee.
Bitexco's chairman Vu Quang Hoi said his firm would contribute 60 percent, or $90 million, towards the $150 million private investment in the highway.
The remaining $607 million, Hoi said, would come from the government. The World Bank said it would provide financial support for the project both directly and indirectly, through a grant to the government for its contribution to the project and through a low-interest loan, which the government would use to provide credit to Bitexco.
Hoi said Bitexco clinched the deal because of the groundwork it had put in beforehand and it had turned down more profitable projects to take the highway contract, because Vietnam "needs a pioneer" capable of delivering.
"We have a lot of experience building infrastructure for hydropower projects," Hoi told Reuters in an interview. "That's much more difficult than building an expressway."
However, the deal has left some foreign investors unimpressed at a critical time for Vietnam, which faces increased competition from other regional markets, some offering attractive incentives for international businesses.
"The Vietnamese government is ruining its last chance to gain the trust of foreign investors," said the head of a foreign business chamber in Ho Chi Minh City, who asked not to be identified. "To me, this look more like a donor-crony partnership than a public-private partnership."
Source: Reuters


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From 4 million km (2.5 million miles) away, New Horizons' LORRI instrument photos Io's Tvashtar volcano erupting. Jupiter's tidal interaction with Io heats it up and causes it to be volcanically active. The bright photo shows Tvashtar erupting a huge dust plume at the 11 o'clock position. The bumps at the 2 o'clock position are tall mountains. The darker photo shows surface features of Io.
This is the best image of a large volcanic plume on Io since the Voyager flybys in 1979.


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M25 shut clockwise near Potters Bar due to serious collision
- The M25 has reopened following a serious collision.
- The clockwise carriageway has been closed for around seven hours for a police investigation to take place.
- Emergency services were first called to the carriageway near j25 for Enfield shortly after 1.30pm.
- This included an air ambulance and a hazardous response unit.
- Traffic was held on the anticlockwise carriageway to allow the helicopter to land.
- The Met Police has confirmed that one person was taken to hospital in a potentially life threatening condition.
- Police and traffic officers took the decision to close the M25 at j23 for the A1 causing chaos on the traffic network.
- Thousands of drivers were stuck in the closure and on routes around Hertfordshire and north London.
- The worst affected roads were the A406, A10, roads via Potters Bar, and the A414 between St Albans and Hatfield.
- The M25 reopened completely shortly before 10pm.
- See how today's breaking incident unfolded in the live blog below.
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Fall is the time when you're most likely to see a bear in the wild. That's particularly true this year, when drought has all but eliminated the berry crop.
By this time of year, bears are feeding heavily to put on the weight that will get them through the long winter. They can gain as much as 30 pounds a week, feasting on carbohydrate-rich foods like nuts as well as greens, berries, fruits, roots… just about anything they can get, in fact. In Muskoka in late August, berries are usually an important part of that mix, but this year the blackberry and raspberry canes are all but empty. And while many apple trees seem to have a heavy crop of fruit (perhaps as trees tried to make up for last year, when a late frost killed off a lot of the blossoms), the drought has also kept the fruits on the small side.
Bears aren't in any danger of starving – they are omnivorous, so they can almost always find something to eat. But the loss of one predictable food source just means that they may have to roam farther in search of something else to eat. That means they're more likely to show up at back yard vegetable gardens, or sniffing around the garage where the garbage is kept. One of our team has had a composter at the edge of his wooded property for years, and this is the first time he's ever had a bear visit it.
Bears are marvelous creatures, but they can be a bit frightening. No matter how much we know that they are frightened of us, we still don't want to get in their way.
The only bears in Muskoka are black bears, which is great news. Black bears are big cowards, and most want nothing more than to be left alone. That's one of the reasons it's so unusual to see one at all – they hear or smell us coming long before we know they're around, and they hightail it out of there.
That's a behaviour to encourage. When you're walking in the woods, make a bit of noise. Sing or talk out loud from time to time. Crunch loudly on branches, or bang your water bottle on a tree or rock from time to time to let the bears know that you're around.
If you do come across a bear unexpectedly, you need to ensure it can escape. Stand up tall, speak to it firmly and calmly, and back away. It's all about communicating that you're not a threat, and allowing the situation to deescalate.
To prevent a surprise encounter, this is a good time to check your property for food sources that might attract bears. Ensure your garbage is kept secure (it's amazing how many people put bags at the end of the driveway when they leave on Sunday night, and are surprised that this free buffet then becomes a bear attractant!). If you have a bird feeder, consider emptying it, or at least empty it when you leave the cottage.
Our team member with the composter made some noise to scare the bear away. Then he put a layer of soil over the compost to mask the smell. He stopped adding fresh material for a week or so, until he was certain the bear wouldn't be returning.
So far, it's worked – he's back to composting, and the bear is presumably happily munching away on acorns and wild apples, and getting ready for a long winter's sleep.


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Archive for March, 2008
New Industrial Parks for Columbia?Posted by: | Comments
March 29, 2008
By TIM FLACH –
Lexington County needs to set aside new areas for industrial parks to attract jobs, a consultant is recommending.
Six existing industrial parks — the largest of which is 175 acres — is inadequate, Strategic Development Group president Mark Williams told County Council members this week.
His plan comes after a recent report said steady growth has sent the county's industrial vacancy rate to less than 1 percent.
Making several sites available would make the county a magnet by giving developers choices on location, he said.
"You really need this pipeline of sites," Williams said.
The expansion would be largely speculative but most of the sites would fill gradually, he predicted.
Larger sites than those available now will be attractive for data collection centers as well as traditional manufacturers and warehouses, he said.
It is becoming difficult to find suitable sites ready to build on quickly, said Chuck Salley, a partner in commercial real estate company Colliers Keenan.
A selection of sites is "a great thing to have in your quiver," he said.
Key suggestions from Williams include:
• Open one or two new parks between 500 acres and 1,200 acres along with an undetermined number of small ones.
• Concentrate new areas near I-20 and I-26.
• Make the 12th Street Extension corridor near Cayce a home for corporate headquarters.
No price tag was put on the plan.
But land acquisition and addition of roads and utility service make the expansion proposed a multi-million dollar effort, council members said.
Council members aren't committed to the plan yet.
But Councilman Smokey Davis of Lexington, who oversees economic development, likes many of its idea.
"Its a mix of ideas that a road map to accomplish and achieve many things we are interested in," he said.
ICSC Forum on Vacant Big Boxes Coming to GreenvillePosted by: | Comments
Shopping center group is promoting new uses for old retail buildings
March 30, 2008
By Angelia Davis
A forum in Greenville will help educate governmental employees, developers and retailers about state-sponsored incentives for reusing vacant big-box facilities and shopping centers.
"Greyfields to Goldfields: Reusing Empty 'Big Box' Stores," a program sponsored by the International Council of Shopping Centers, will be held April 15 at Larkin's on the River.
The forum will invite discussion on the Retail Facilities Revitalization Act, which state legislators approved in 2006 to "create a meaningful incentive for the renovation, improvements, and redevelopment of abandoned retail facility sites" in South Carolina.
The law offers the option of a 25 percent credit against real property taxes or a 10 percent state income tax credit.
"We want to talk about the legislation, we want to talk about the opportunity it presents, but we also want to hear from the audience about what maybe some of their challenges are in implementing the legislation," said Cynthia Stewart, director of community relations for the ICSC.
"Maybe we could help them find some solutions or perhaps it's something that needs to be revisited, but we want to have that conversation."
Howard Duvall, executive director of the S.C. Municipal Association, said big-box vacancies are a hot topic with cities in every state. "They want to know what to do with the old abandoned buildings, be it a strip mall or empty retail space."
Duvall said empty retail spaces become a nuisance problem particularly with growth. That can happen when a large retailer comes in, starts off small and then builds a larger facility nearby, leaving behind a space of perhaps 40,000 square feet, he said.
"Finding reuses for these is not easy," he said. The ICSC forum, offered in partnership with the state Municipal Association and the International Economic Development Council, should "give the people who attend a good idea on how they can use the new Retail Facilities Revitalization Act to get these big boxes rehabbed and occupied again," Duvall said.
Stewart said some cities have a vibrant retail environment and that makes it easier for them to get their spaces filled than some other communities.
Such may be the case for parts of the Upstate, which has seen a drop in big-box retail vacancy rates for single tenant and owner-occupied properties greater than 20,000 square feet.
The vacancy rate for the Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson and Easley area was at 6.5 percent in fourth quarter 2007, down from 7.9 percent in fourth quarter 2006 and 10.1 percent in 2005, according to Grubb & Ellis/The Furman Co.
"In the past few years, we've seen some of those big boxes we expected to have to be scrapped becoming viable options for potential tenants that are willing to work and be flexible with the site," said Brian Reed, research manager for The Furman Co.
Reed said retailers are not only moving into vacant big boxes, they're rebranding them and making them fit their own retail. Among some of the best examples of this, he said, are the reuse of Lowe's on Roper Mountain Road by the Jeff Lynch Appliance & TV Center and Peak Fitness' use of the former Best Buy on Laurens Road.
"That's a trend we may see going forward. Once it works in one location, they know that because of the consistent branding of the other location of that original retailer, they'll be able to make that work in another location without a lot of additional work," Reed said.
Retailers and developers occupying or filling empty spaces may be doing so without the benefit of the state's offering of tax credits.
North Charleston is among the areas in the state where the retail revitalization act has been utilized. The bill, which requires a local government's approval, has not yet been used by Greenville County, said Bob Mihalic, county spokesman.
Stewart said the legislation might not be widely known. And, she said, some public officials find the legislation's square footage limitation "somewhat challenging."
"You may have an empty grocery store that doesn't meet the threshold of the bill, but for a small community to have that empty box in their town is a big deal," she said.
South Carolina Property Tax UpdatePosted by: | Comments
The South Carolina Association of REALTORS has done an excellent job of monitoring the impact of the changes in the property tax laws that were effective January 1, 2007. The following is an excerpt from a recent e-mail newsletter.
Recent changes to the property tax assessment structure in South Carolina have had some negative consequences on the real estate market, particularly along the coast and in the commercial market. Point-of-sale assessment is an issue that must be addressed, as there are some very serious inequities created in the market by point-of-sale. SCR is working with Representative Bill Cotty, House Ways and Means Property Tax Subcommittee Chairman, on a bill that addresses point-of-sale assessment for property tax purposes. This bill will not affect the property tax relief provided to owner-occupied homes or make any changes to the way owner-occupied homes are classified under SC property tax laws.
The Ways and Means Committee, the committee that will consider the bill, has been occupied with writing the state budget since early January. The House gave approval to the budget the week before last. With that behind them, the committee can focus on other legislative issues. We will be meeting with Representative Cotty this week to finalize the language. As soon as that is done, we can begin the legislative process and have the bill considered by the subcommittee.
I agree wholeheartedly with the SCAR position of the property tax law. If I can answer any questions on the law, and it's consequences, please give me a call at 803-772-8282 ext 110.
New Apartments for Myrtle BeachPosted by: | Comments
March 29, 2008
More apartments are on the way for the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base.
Trammell Crow Residential, an Atlanta-based real estate firm, is building 288 apartments near the intersection of U.S. 17 Bypass and Farrow Parkway.
Crews are doing site work on the roughly 30-acre tract the firm bought from Withers Preserve developers RWO Acquisitions, said Robert Morgan, managing director for the Trammell Crow's S.C. division. Developers expect the roughly $30 million complex, called Alexan Withers Preserve, to be finished in 2009.
Myrtle Beach's growth and the urban village concept on the former base are what attracted Trammell Crow to the area.
"We're obviously extremely impressed with The Market Common," Morgan said. "We're very impressed with the work that RWO Acquisitions is doing and the type of community they're constructing – a walkable, neotraditional neighborhood."
Developers aim to make it an upscale community with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments ranging in size from 780 square feet to 1,260 square feet. Rent will average about 90 cents per square foot, Morgan said.
Amenities will include a clubhouse with a swimming pool, gym, billiards room, cyber cafe and garages.
Real estate investment firm Phoenix Capital Partners has teamed up with Trammell Crow on the project. RBC Centura is providing the construction financing.
Morgan said the new complex fits into the master plan for Withers Preserve, a 3,970-acre housing and retail development being built on the former base.
Few Sales in Charleston Real Estate AuctionPosted by: | Comments
Lots of real estate, but few buyers
March 29, 2008
By Katy Stech
The Post and Courier
Real estate broker and cable TV personality Richard C. Davis' much-promoted real estate auction at the Francis Marion Hotel started out on a high note.
For a mere $7,500, a buyer snatched up a lot on Daufuskie Island that sits on the 10th fairway of the Haig Point golf course.
But the owners of the following 48 properties weren't so lucky. Despite heavily discounted sale prices, none found buyers during the auction, dubbed the "Liquidation Sensation."
While the final results were not available late Friday, only five of the first 100 properties sold during the event.
No one bid on eight condominiums in the Sable on the Marsh subdivision near Folly Beach, even after the opening bid for the first unit was lowered steadily to $250,000 from $300,000. A stately Newberry home listed on the National Register of Historic Places failed to secure a low bid at $100,000. And a wet slip at Ripley Light Marina on the Ashley River got no takers at $25,000.
But despite the lack of bids, Davis said he was satisfied.
The auction sales didn't count what his real estate company, Trademark Properties, sold before the event, he said. And it doesn't include any deals his agents might work out in the next few days, as some sellers decide to lower their prices even more or as investors regret not bidding, he said.
"We're still putting the buyers and sellers together," he said. "We might not get a bid in 38 seconds, but you plant a seed in 38 seconds."
Real estate auctions are supposed to help move properties during a slow market because they link desperate sellers, who willingly discount their price below its current listing, with qualified buyers and investors, who know a good real estate opportunity when they see one.
Davis, host of "The Real Deal" on the TLC network, said his auction helped generate interest in South Carolina real estate and create some much-needed momentum.
Still, he likened the scene inside the hotel's ballroom to a school dance, where youngsters on either side of the room want to kick up their heels but no one is gutsy enough to make the first move.
The three dozen auction attendees sparsely filled the neat rows of tables, though more prospective buyers watched the event online. Each paid about $500 to attend.
Most of the properties up for auction in Charleston were unoccupied luxury homes on or near the water. Properties located inland ranged from industrial-zoned lots to highway convenience stores to modest starter homes.
The silence in the ballroom during the first batch of bids was palpable.
By Lot 25, the auctioneer tried offering every property at $5,000 and working his way up. The first few times that tactic produced bids, but the audience never escalated the price up to the minimum threshold, and most sales were called off.
The price for a two-story home near downtown Summerville, which was built by the property's listing agent, started at $210,000. With no bids forthcoming, bid caller John Davis, brother of Richard Davis, went to $200,000, then $195,000, then $185,000.
Organizers stopped the bidding to pull up a picture of the property.
"They really want to sell it, guys," John Davis said to the audience.
At $165,000, it didn't sell, and he moved on to the next property.
Randy Wallace, a Myrtle Beach investor, left two hours into the bidding after several of his properties failed to stir interest among the buyers. He and his partners had tried to sell their extra inventory — two wooded lots on Murrells Inlet, a custom-built home in Conway and 29 home sites in suburban Myrtle Beach — at an earlier auction, so he said he wasn't surprised by the results of the Trademark auction.
"I came here with no expectations," Wallace said.
Soccer at Greenville's White Horse Plaza?Posted by: | Comments
White Horse Plaza considers mixing soccer, shopping
About 15 teams express interest in indoor soccer hall, outdoor fields
March 29, 2008
By Angelia Davis
An indoor soccer hall and outdoor soccer fields are additions being considered for White Horse Plaza shopping center by its new California-based owners.
White Horse Plaza LLC of Newport Beach recently purchased the 170,950-square foot shopping center for $7 million, according to Greenville County real estate records.
Sam Ivey, a real estate advisor for Sperry Van Ness, one of the nation's largest commercial brokerage firms, said the new owners plan to improve the property, including remodeling the signage and repaving the asphalt.
They will also be "building out and hopefully leasing" the rear portion of the former Wal-Mart store, said Ivey, who assisted in the sale of White Horse Plaza.
"They're talking to multiple possible tenants about either doing a night club or a concert venue. We've even talked to a group that was talking about doing an indoor soccer league there because it's a pretty big space," he said.
The new owners are also looking at one or possibly two out parcels for the West Blue Ridge Drive side front of the property, Ivey said.
The property also includes 10 acres directly behind the shopping center that back up to a railroad. That area could potentially be cleared, graded, and leveled to accommodate soccer fields.
"With the heavy Latino population there, we've got literally 15 or 16 soccer teams that wanted to have access to such a place because apparently there are not any nearby county fields or parks for them to play on. So, it could be a good fit for them, as well as draw some traffic to the shopping center," Ivey said.
Located at 6119 White Horse Road, White Horse Plaza was built in 1988 and sits on 30.51 acres of land, according to Sperry Van Ness.
Years ago, Wal-Mart and a Winn-Dixie grocery store anchored the center. In 1999, Wal-Mart moved into the new White Horse Commons shopping center on the opposite site of the highway. Winn-Dixie and other businesses departed shortly thereafter.
White Horse Associates, a group of Atlanta investors, purchased the plaza in 2001. They redeveloped the shopping center and leased to new tenants.
The center is 96.45 percent occupied, according to Sperry Van Ness.
Fred's, New China Super Buffet, Citi Trends, and Dollar General are in portions of the former Wal-Mart store. But the rear of the store, more than 30,000 square feet has remained vacant since Wal-Mart left, Ivey said.
"When you look at it from the front, it looks like a full shopping center. But there is a suite between Fred's and JC Hair Land that actually provides access on the storefront side (of the old Wal-Mart) to the rear of the Wal-Mart space which is quite large," Ivey said.
"Its use really does lend itself to a concert venue, a nightclub venue, or indoor soccer," he said. "It's a big open hall back there."
Myrtle Beach's The Market Common Prepares to OpenPosted by: | Comments
March 28, 2008
By Jessica Foster
Empty floors and display windows in shops at The Market Common are quickly filling up this week as workers deliver inventory.
The roughly 40 stores and restaurants in the shopping center are getting ready to open next week: training staff, stocking shelves and making last-minute preparations.
The Market Common is an urban village on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base that combines shops and restaurants with housing.
It brings a mix of national chains – such as White House Black Market and Brooks Brothers – and local shops including Xtreme Surf & Skateboard Co. and Ultimate California Pizza.
As for housing in the development, residents will likely be able to move into apartments above the stores in June, said The Market Common's project manager, Buddy Styers.
New Retail Center Planned for SumterPosted by: | Comments
Hammond Development to Build South Carolina Retail Center
Spartanburg, S.C.-based Hammond Development is building Sumter Town Centre, a $3 million, 8,000-square-foot retail center in Sumter. Tenants include Firehouse Subs and Bruster's ice cream shop. The center is situated on 1.4 acres at 1293 Broad St. Construction began in March, and the project is scheduled to deliver in July.
New Stores at Greenville's Shops at GreenridgePosted by: | Comments
March 28, 2008
By Angelia Davis
The shopping options for jewelry and women's fashions will grow at The Shops at Greenridge with the opening of two new stores.
J. Jill, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Talbots Inc., and locally owned Diamonds Choice Inc. are set to become the newest tenants at The Shops on Woodruff Road.
White House/Black Market also will expand in the shopping center after it relocates into a larger, 3,501-square-foot space there in May, according to Crosland, developer of The Shops.
Megan Deblitz, leasing associate for Crosland, said, "These nationally recognized retailers further solidify the upscale lifestyle shopping offered at The Shops at Greenridge."
The Shops at Greenridge is the second largest retail center in Greenville County and the fourth largest in the Upstate.
A $64 million venture, The Shops opened in 2005 and is currently home to nearly 50 national and local retailers or service providers.
A 9,540-square-foot retail building was added in front of Lowe's last fall.
J. Jill and White House/Black Market will be the first tenants in that new addition, according to Beth Doughty, spokeswoman for Crosland.
Diamonds Choice will fill the space now occupied by White House/Black Market, she said.
Diamonds Choice will close at its Orchard Drive location when it moves to The Shops, said the store's co-owner, Robin Newton.
Also owned by Newton's wife, Margaret Newton, Diamonds Choice has been in Greenville for 10 years. The store is an "offshoot" of Phillips Jewelers, which operated in Greenville for 58 years and was owned by Mrs. Newton's parents, Newton said.
He describes the store's new and larger future home as "the best location in all of Greenville. It's a dream come true to be to out there and in the location where Greenridge is allowing us to locate."
The Shops will offer Dia´monds Choice greater visibility in an upscale setting, Newton said.
Diamonds Choice should open in The Shops in July.
J. Jill will make its debut in the Upstate when it opens in The Shops in June.
The store will occupy a 3,399-square-foot space.
J. Jill is based in Massachusetts. Its only other South Carolina store is at the Columbiana Centre in Columbia.
White House/Black Market is a fully-owned subsidiary of Chico's FAS Inc. in Fort Myers, Fla., according to its Web site.
The store features women's clothing, lingerie, accessories, jewelry, and gifts exclusively in shades of black and white.
Greenville Retail Market OverviewPosted by: | Comments
Greenville's retail market is expected to continue on the upswing as its stabilized housing market attracts residents, thus enticing developers to move forward with plans to build new retail centers. "Housing will continue to be priced realistically because the city has not seen the rampant speculation many other markets have experienced," says Brian Reed, a research manager at Greenville-based Grubb & Ellis The Furman Co. "Also, the growing Greenville MSA, which recently eclipsed 1 million, will pique the interests of national and high-end retailers." Last year, the city experienced more than $1 billion in retail sales. "Greenville is not one of the markets where you are going to see extreme highs and lows," says Paul Aiesi, chief investment officer of Greenville-based TIC Properties. "It's a stick market. A lot of [national] markets have seen 5 or 6 percent growth. We've seen 2 or 3 percent."
New to downtown Greenville, McBee Station is a 14-acre urban mixed-use development featuring 80,000 square feet of retail and residences. The project, which opened in the second quarter of last year, created an opportunity to lease high-end space on Main Street in Greenville's central business district and reintroduced national retailers to the downtown area. McBee Station's tenants include Publix, Staples, Urban Nirvana Spa & Salon and Great Clips.
Also in the downtown area, TIC Properties is planning a mixed-use development on 2 acres at the intersection of Main and Washington streets. "This project is on the last major site on Main Street in downtown Greenville," says Aiesi. "It's known as the 'Main on Main.' We have successfully assembled a property that is the best location in the city to build a first class mixed-use project." Currently in the preliminary planning phase, the project is projected to deliver in the fourth quarter of 2010.
Royal Palm Beach-based Menin Development acquired the Greenville Mall on Woodruff Rd., which had fallen out of favor due to consumer disinterest. A mixed-use lifestyle center, Magnolia Park Town Center, has been proposed in its place, which will include elements of retail, office and high-density residential development. The property's tenants include Costco, Sports Authority, Old Navy and a Regal Cinemas theatre.
In nearby Spartanburg, The Avenue Easton Market Center is being developed by Centennial American Properties near Hillcrest Mall. Construction is expected to start this year on 500,000 square feet of retail space, in addition to 308 apartments and 140 single-family homes. The project is expected to open in the second half of 2009.
West of Greenville, a joint venture by Easley Commons Retail Associates and Commercial Development Associates will build Easley Town Center, a 125-acre development in the northeast quadrant intersection of Calhoun Memorial Highway and Prince Perry Road in Easley. The project will feature more than 500,000 square feet of retail, inclusive of two unnamed anchors measuring 200,000 and 70,000 square feet, respectively. Two additional phases are being planned for future development. The project is located on the former site of the Saco Lowell Plant, and involves a public-private partnership that will bring approximately $14 million in improvements to the infrastructure of corridors surrounding the project. Construction is slated to begin in early March and deliver in the second quarter of 2009.
Along Clemson Blvd. in Anderson, Realtylink is planning Midtowne Park, a 175,000-square-foot center that began construction in February and is expected to complete in the fall. Signed tenants include a 90,000-square-foot Kohl's, Staples and a 50,000-square-foot sporting goods store.
Greenville also welcomed Costco to the area, with two new 150,000-square-foot stores on Woodruff Rd. in Greenville and the Westgate area of Spartanburg. Bi-Lo completed several renovations and opened two Super Bi-Lo concept grocery stores.
According to Reed, retailers will be closely monitoring national trends and consumer spending to determine the validity of long-term commitments in Greenville County, which is the most populous county in the state. Investor appetites are strong across the board, and many developers are betting on the city's amiable retail climate to support future projects.
— Jia Gayles
Greenville Office of Integra to MovePosted by: | Comments
Michael B. Dodds, MAI, CCIM, MRICS
Managing Partner
Integra Realty Resources – South Carolina
Columbia Retail Market OverviewPosted by: | Comments
South Carolina's capital city kept a steady course with the arrival of new big box and grocery-anchored centers and the first phase of Sandhill Station, the new expansion of wildly successful Village at Sandhill. The city is expected to maintain its moderate retail climate as the nation heads into a period of economic uncertainty. "Occupancies have held in the 93 to 94 percent range," says Rox Pollard, principal and manager of the retail services group for Colliers Keenan in Columbia. "We have not seen a downturn in retail on any level including strip variety or freestanding." The city reported more than $47 million in capital investments last year and an increase in population and job growth. Colliers Keenan reported 291,626 square feet of big box and big box-anchored spaces were absorbed in the first half of last year, and prime retail space ranged from $17 to $35 per square foot due to escalating land and construction costs in new developments.
The largest player on Columbia's retail stage is the Village at Sandhill by Columbia-based Kahn Development; the 300-acre behemoth has introduced more than 1 million square feet of retail to the city. The village/lifestyle concept has proven to be extremely popular, and was designated as a finalist for the 2007 International Council of Shopping Centers' Design and Development Award for "best mixed-use retail center above 500,000 square feet." The project is currently 70 percent complete, with the option to add approximately 300,000 square feet. "Vacancy rates have not been a problem," says Alan Kahn, president of Kahn Development. "We are continuing to lease up our existing centers and have enjoyed pretty good occupancy. We haven't seen any downturn yet. As far as rental rates, we are getting about the same as we have seen during the last two years."
Kahn recently completed the first phase of Sandhill Station, a 220,000 square foot retail center on the 30 acres adjacent to the Village at Sandhill. The initial phase is a 17,000-square-foot specialty retail center tenanted by Family Christian Bookstore, Sleep King and CiCi's Pizza. Kahn will also rehab an existing 50,000-square-foot building on the property in Phase 2. Sandhill Station will be completed in three or four phases in 2011.
In downtown Columbia, Charleston-based The Beach Company will introduce a new mixed-use development including commercial space and residences. CanalSide will be located at the intersection of Taylor and Williams St., and the project will feature 35,000 square feet of retail. Phase 1 of CanalSide will include 305,140 square feet of residential and 12,791 square feet of complementary commercial space. The project is expected to complete in December 2008.
Big box-anchored shadow centers sprouted up across the cityscape, including four Wal-Mart Supercenters located in northeast Columbia, northwest Columbia and two in Lexington County. Lexington Pavilion, a Target-anchored center, opened on Highway 378. Walgreens will open a location on Hopes Ferry Road and Interstate 78 in March, with more stores planned for the Columbia area, and Delhaize Group opened a new Food Lion. On the horizon, Costco and Trader Joe's are reportedly investigating the local retail market.
Restaurant driven retail also made a big impact on Columbia's retail market, "The small strip development has been very popular in the Midlands for several years," Pollard says, "It follows a trend that more retailers want to be out on the road versus an inline grocery anchored center." Restaurants that have headlined smaller centers include Salsarita's, Shane's Rib Shack, Moe's and Five Guys Famous Burger and Fries.
Columbia's retail market has maintained a positive status that's expected to continue into 2008. Though retail is tapering off from the extensive development of yesteryear, the capital city is expected to weather the change well. "Our area will be fairly steady," Kahn says. "…a steady increase, just not extraordinary."
— Jia Gayles
Charleston Retail Market OverviewPosted by: | Comments
Charleston's active port has laid a strong foundation for the city's future economic growth. "Charleston is becoming one of the premier ports on the Eastern Seaboard," says Mark Taylor, director of commercial real estate for Charleston-based The Beach Company. "In the next few years, port activity is expected to more than double." Charleston's port is known for its geology, which allows for larger ships to dock than many other well-known eastern ports, such as Jacksonville. The Goose Creek area, in particular, has benefited from the busy port with increased job growth, which impacts residential needs and inevitably the retail that follows. Colliers Keenan reported at mid-quarter approximately 500,000 square feet of retail space was proposed for Goose Creek and job growth was on track to make its highest gain in 7 years.
Several retailers have taken advantage of Goose Creek's burgeoning popularity. Lowe's opened a store on St. James Avenue during the first quarter of last year, and the approximately 400,000-square-foot Red Bank Shopping Center opened on Red Bank Rd. in the fourth quarter. Near downtown Goose Creek, the Carnes Crossroads master-planned community by The Daniel Island Company is proposing more than 300 acres of dedicated commercial and office space. "There is a lot of activity within the commercial brokerage marketplace," says Brian Aiken, a principal of Coldwell Banker Commercial in Charleston. "Most people have clients who are interested in the area."
As mentioned last year, Avtex's The Market at Oakland continues to make a big impact on the greater Charleston area. The property features 415,000 square feet of retail space, anchored by an 89,111-square-foot Kohl's and an 184,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter. Developers are flocking to the burgeoning corridor. "Within a 3 or 4 mile radius, the Mount Pleasant, Highway 17 corridor is the most active region," Taylor says. A new Mercedes-Benz dealership and a shopping center featuring Dick's Sporting Goods, Staples and Harris Teeter are planned for the area. Also in Mount Pleasant, Watermark, a mixed-use development by The Beach Company will feature 8,000 square feet of first floor retail and 10 acres of land on which the Mediterranean Shipping Company will build its headquarters. The project is located in the Bowman, Rifle Range corridor at the intersection of Watermark Boulevard and Appling Drive.
Fairfax, Va.-based Republic Land is planning Carolina Park, an ambitious master-planned mixed-use community located in the busy Mount Pleasant corridor. The development is situated on 1,708 acres, adjacent to the East Cooper Airport, and will feature 1.35 million square feet of regional and service-oriented retail surrounded by natural greenways and screened parking. The development will also include a new hospital set to break ground in July, a 3.4 million-square-foot business park and 977 acres of residential land. Negotiations are underway for a department store, home improvement store and pharmacy. The project is valued at $1 billion and scheduled for completion in 2025.
Near the Charleston historic district, Daniel Island has been under development for the past 10 years. Hill Partners is planning The Town Center at Daniel Island, a $200 million mixed-use, open-air lifestyle center geared toward the growing Charleston population and its multi-billion dollar tourism industry. Town Center will feature 420,000 square feet of destination, specialty and lifestyle retail, restaurants and cafes in a pedestrian-friendly setting. There will also be a 480-unit residential component and mid-level hotel. Currently in the predevelopment and leasing phase, the project is proposed for a spring 2010 open.
Centre Pointe Developers are building The Shoppes at Centre Pointe, which will be adjacent to their Tanger Factory Outlet in the mega-successful Centre Pointe development at the intersection of International Dr. and Tanger Outlet Blvd. Phase 1 includes 139,300 square feet of retail and restaurants, with Ashley Furniture and Staples as anchors. Chick-fil-A and IHOP are on freestanding parcels. Phase 2 is projected to have 160,000 square feet of retail with a 10,000-square-foot outparcel building under construction. Hardee's, First Federal Bank and Jim N' Nick's Bar-B-Q will be outparcel users. Currently, phase 2 is preleasing.
According to Mark Taylor, the future of Charleston retail will be greatly impacted by the looming subprime mortgage crisis, "I think [development] is going to slow down," he says, "and the primary reason is because the debt capital that is available for development is going to slow down." Charleston previously experienced an explosive amount of growth, and Taylor forecasts that economic growth will slow as real estate liquidity continues to tighten. Conversely, Aiken concedes that Charleston has been on an aggressive pace, but says, "Trends are fairly steady, but I do see developers trying to find a balance between the cost of land, the cost to construct and the rental rates that retailers are trying to absorb in the market. I think land costs will loosen up, which will be a welcome change."
Like its Carolina neighbors, Charleston has enjoyed unbridled economic growth as people are drawn to the temperate climate of the Carolinas, the quality of life and job availability. At present, most new developments are moving forward and the port continues to keep a steady flow of new business streaming into the city.
— Jia Gayles
N.Y. Lawsuit Could Lead to Appraisal ReformPosted by: | Comments
N.Y. lawsuit deal could lead to appraisal reform
March 15, 2008
By Kenneth Harney
Washington Post Writers Group
Property appraisers have been warning about it for a decade, and the real estate market is reaping the whirlwind.
The price declines under way around the country are partly the result of systemic, intentional over valuations on home appraisals, much at the behest of loan officers illegally influencing or threatening appraisers to "hit the number" needed to close the deal.
But if an extraordinary new legal settlement has its intended effect, that system will be changed radically in the coming months.
For instance:
— Most lenders won't be able to fund new mortgages without guaranteeing that the underlying property valuations are free of influence or pressure, and fully conform to a new national quality code for appraisals.
— Appraisers and consumers will have new complaint hotlines to report any of a long list of prohibited forms of appraisal interference by loan officers, realty agents and others.
— Lenders who have in-house appraisal staffs or who have financial interests in appraisal management companies won't be allowed to use valuations generated by those services if they want to sell loans into the secondary mortgage market.
— Mortgage brokers, who originate anywhere from an estimated 50 percent to 60 percent of all home loans, will be cut out of the appraiser selection process altogether.
— National oversight of home real estate appraisals will be turned over to a new Independent Valuation Protection Institute that will monitor the accuracy of home appraisals and automated valuations, receive and mediate complaints, or forward them to federal and state regulators.
These and other sweeping changes are contained in a settlement among the two congressionally chartered mortgage investors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the attorney general of New York and the federal agency that oversees Fannie and Freddie.
The settlement terms are still open to comment from the mortgage industry and general public, but the core quality standards for appraisals already are in effect for loans delivered to Fannie or Freddie. Next Jan. 1, the entire agreement is scheduled to take full effect.
Using a 1921 securities fraud law that is unique to his state, New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo brokered an agreement that transcends the normal reach of state governments, one that could eventually touch almost every home mortgage transaction nationwide.
Late last year, Cuomo began an investigation of potential appraisal fraud in the portfolios of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. With what he considered evidence of appraisal problems generated by a separate suit involving a major seller of loans to Fannie and Freddie, Washington Mutual Inc., Cuomo began negotiations with the two companies and their federal regulator, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight.
Cuomo never announced what, if anything, he found amiss inside Fannie and Freddie. In the settlement agreement, both companies denied any wrongdoing. First American Corp.'s eAppraiseIT subsidiary, accused by Cuomo of inflating appraisals under pressure from Washington Mutual, also denied wrongdoing, as has Washington Mutual.
Whatever the causes, Fannie and Freddie agreed to overhaul their appraisal standards and practices, signed on to a detailed home valuation code of conduct covering all their mortgage activities, and committed to pay $24 million over the next five years to create and staff the independent institute that will oversee appraisals nationwide.
Federal banking regulators are expected to adopt parallel reforms, effectively extending the agreement's reach far beyond Fannie and Freddie to banks, thrift institutions and credit unions.
Mortgage brokers are incensed at what they consider their unfair treatment in the settlement. Roy DeLoach, executive vice president of the 25,000-member National Association of Mortgage Brokers, said the group is exploring legal action because of the settlement.
In the meantime, a new era of independent, better appraisals just might be on the horizon.
While this post really isn't about South Carolina real estate in particular, it is about a topic that could affect real estate transactions nationally. It is also major news for my chosen profession – real estate valuation and consultation. I believe that all real estate professionals and lenders should be aware of this legal settlement.
New Town on East Edisto Tract?Posted by: | Comments
Massive East Edisto tract could one day be new town
March 26, 2008
By Katy Stech
The Post and Courier
MeadWestvaco Corp. unveiled a draft master plan Tuesday for its East Edisto property that calls for developing about one-quarter of the site, or 18,000 acres, including what eventually could be a new town.
The paper company said about 75 percent of the 72,000-acre tract along the Edisto River west of Charleston would remain as open space through a combination of conserved lands, parks, lakes and rural areas.
The initial construction phase, which could take two decades or longer to complete, is concentrated on the north end of the property, in Dorchester County. It would include a business park to provide area residents with jobs, possibly from an unidentified biotechnology firm. It also would have three residential and commercial "villages" that would be smaller than or similar in size to The Ponds, a 2,000-acre nearby development.
"This is very much a natural path of growth for the region," said John A. Luke Jr., MeadWestvaco's chairman and chief executive officer.
The company said the three proposed villages will be "more than places to live."
"The intention is for them to be places to work, play, worship and learn," MeadWestvaco said in a statement. "It calls for quality schools at all levels — elementary through high school, as well as adult education opportunities and institutions of higher learning."
Two to three decades from now, MeadWestvaco said, work could begin on what would essentially serve as a new town slightly larger than the nearby villages. The location would be closer to the center of the East Edisto tract and include more civic functions, such as an unidentified community college that has expressed interest in obtaining land for a campus.
A similar town center also was shown for the south end of the property, along Savannah Highway and west of Ravenel, but that could be 20 to 30 years away.
The huge expanse of land between the two proposed town sites would feature a network of roads and recreational trails for horses, hikers and bikers. An undisclosed number of homes would be allowed on property beyond the three villages, though they would have various restrictions, such as minimum lot sizes.
Ken Seeger, president of MeadWestvaco's community development and land-management group, said the company will not build homes or businesses directly along the Edisto River, largely at the request of residents.
MeadWestvaco did not release projections at Tuesday's public meeting on how many people could one day live in the East Edisto development. Seeger said construction will be based on regional growth patterns, not speculation.
"East Edisto will only grow in response to market demands," he said.
MeadWestvaco has organized a series of community meetings in April to gather more feedback about East Edisto. It hopes to finalize the master plan by this summer. The company thinks what it presented is "close" to what the finished product will look like, Seeger said.
By early next year, MeadWestvaco hopes to submit development plans to Dorchester County and Charleston County governments. It likely won't break ground for another three to five years, but Luke said the company will "lock down" specifically how the land can be developed before then.
He also said the various restrictions, such as the number of homes allowed per acre, will be difficult to reverse after the development deals are signed.
The magnitude of the East Edisto project has caused a sense of unease among some people who live near the rural timber tract. While most residents understand that MeadWestvaco has the right to develop its land, many said they are disappointed that their quality of life might change.
But the reception at the meeting was for the most part warm.
Wilbur Jones, who owns family land near the Edisto River north of Savannah Highway, said he was initially cautious of MeadWestvaco's announcement a year ago but said that what officials presented was reasonable.
"I try to live in a real world, and, at this point, I'm coming away with good feelings," he said.
Bob and Linda Baker live on 41 acres of forestland near Summerville that is entirely surrounded by MeadWestvaco acreage. Two years ago, they moved from one of Summerville's largest subdivisions to the rural area for a change of pace and the opportunity to build a modest farm.
But Bob Baker said the two own "enough land to disappear in," and that the proposed development would improve their property values and make their commute to shopping areas shorter. He also said he understands that the region needs to grow.
"If you don't grow, you die," he said.
MeadWestvaco said it will serve as the main developer for East Edisto, meaning it would install the roads and other infrastructure and oversee how the various phases are built out by other companies.


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WHERE: King's College, William G. McGowan School of Business, Burke Auditorium
WHEN: Monday, September 17, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
"The Scope and Limits of Presidential Power: A Nonpartisan Discussion," with Beth Admiraal, Professor of Political Science, King's College; Thomas Baldino, Professor of Political Science, Wilkes University; and Michael Moreland, University Professor of Law and...
WHERE: King's College, Room 115, Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center.
WHEN: 3:30 p.m., Sept. 12, 2018
Workshops are hour-long, informal writing classes. Workshops are themed, free, and open to the public. Free. INFO: (570) 208-5900, ext. 5487.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 5, 2018, 7:00 p.m.
Dr. Allen Dieterich-Ward, assistant professor of history, Shippensburg University, will deliver the 2018 Labor Day Lecture, titled "Pennsylvania's Working Landscapes: Rust, Revival, and the Future of Labor in Penn's Woods". Free. INFO: (570) at 208-5900, ext. 5689...
WHERE: King's College, Widmann Gallery, Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center.
WHEN: Aug. 27-Sept. 21., 2018
Coordinated by local artist Sue Hand, the sixteenth annual exhibition will include works by area high school students. Meet the Artist reception: Sept. 14, 6-8 p.m. Free. INFO: (570) 208-5900, ext. 5328.
WHERE: Widmann Gallery, Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center
WHEN: May 7-25th, 2018
The artistic vision and talents of mass communications students will be on display in the annual King's College Mass Communications Student Exhibit. Free. INFO: (570) 208-5900, ext. 5328.


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Fans Will Not Be Happy About This Male R&B Singer Calling Out Beyoncé, SZA And Cardi B
"Stop using that f**king pain to make it OK to say some bullsh** on your record and get nominated for a Grammy..."
It's been a long time coming, but more and more members of Hollywood are banding together and against disgraced R&B singer, producer and songwriter R. Kelly in light of the revelatory Surviving R. Kelly docu-series.
The six-part Lifetime documentary ran three nights as the world bore witness to the testaments of Kelly's closest friends, family members, victims and enablers of his decades-long sex crimes. Of Hollywood's biggest names, only R&B-soulster John Legend and talk show hostess Wendy Williams shared their voices in the documentary, where they spoke on his history with sexual crimes against minors and Hollywood's silence on the issues among other matters.
Though not everyone was invited in front of the camera for Surviving R. Kelly, the age of social media granted everyone else a worthy enough platform to speak their minds on the matter as well.
Here are some of the loudest voices we heard from the #MuteRKelly movement:
(Photos from left: Leon Bennett/Getty Images for BET, Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images, John Sciulli/Getty Images for Spotify)
"Stop using that f**king pain to make it OK to say some bullsh** on your record and get nominated for a Grammy..."
Here are all the artists who posted tributes to the late R&B singer.