2008 November Reality Matters

Department of Commerce Protects U.S. Thermal Paper Suppliers

Thermal paper makers in the United States have been under assault from Chinese suppliers who have been unfairly dumping light-weight thermal paper in the US at prices far below fair market value. Lightweight thermal paper is the sort used in devices such as credit card machines, ATM machines, cash registers and gas pumps. In October, the US International Trade Commission, acknowledged the damaging practice and moved strongly to restore the balance.

The Commerce Department has imposed anti-dumping tariffs ranging from 19.77% to 115.29 percent on lightweight thermal paper imported by the offending exporters and manufacturers in China. On top of those penalties, the Department of Commerce has also announced that it will impose additional tariffs to offset industry subsidies paid to Chinese manufacturers by the Chinese government. Combined total tariffs will range from 32.94% to 253.54%. Additionally, the Department found that some German suppliers were also guilty of dumping lightweight thermal paper in the US and imposed a 6.5% penalty tariff on the same items from certain German suppliers.

The Commerce Department’s move defends US thermal paper suppliers from foreign suppliers who have been selling these products in the US at prices either below the regular price in the originating country or in some cases at prices below the cost of production. This practice undermines the ability of domestic suppliers to compete fairly since they cannot match these ruinous prices. Mark Richards, the Chief Executive Officer of Appleton, a Wisconsin- based manufacturer of thermal paper, said in a statement that the Commerce Department had “restored a level playing field on which we can compete in this market.” For the 2400 employees of Appleton, that’s good news indeed.

It’s also good news for Jim Jones, the owner of thermal paper supplier Buyrolls.com. Jones said he was gratified to see the problem get sorted out correctly, even though it took a year to do it. The original complaint was filed with the US Department of Commerce and the US International Trade Commission was filed in September of 2007 by Appleton. Jones said that his business had certainly felt the effects of the dumping and he was glad to be back on track.

Testimony on behalf of the anti-dumping complaint was offered by a number of government officials from states with affected paper mills. Governor Jim Doyle, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, Congressmen Steve Kagen and Tom Petri of Wisconsin, Governor Ted Strickland, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Congressmen Michael R. Turner of Ohio; and U.S. Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania.

Although the debate between protectionist policies like the anti-dumping provisions and open market free trade will continue, in the case of this ruling on thermal paper, it looks like the Department of Commerce’s action has saved a number of American jobs and helped preserved many small businesses like Buyrolls.com as well.

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Top Three Risks of Buying Toys and How to Avoid Them

Buying toys for children is often as fun for the parent as for the child. However, not all toys are as safe as they can be. Here are the biggest toy-buying risks and how to make sure you and your child don’t fall prey to them.

Toxic Toys
Toys manufactured and sold by reputable toy companies are thoroughly tested to ensure that they are safe for children in the age range specified on the box. However, there is a perpetually rising tide of toys on the market that contain either toxic ingredients like lead, or parts that can easily break and hurt children. In the UK, the British Toy & Hobby Association (BTHA) is a voluntary organization for British toy manufacturers that encompasses approximately 95% of all toys sold in the UK. The BTHA requires that its members maintain rigorous safety standards and monitors toy safety throughout the country. Toys manufactured by BTHA members carry the “Lion Mark”- a yellow triangular symbol with a lion’s head inside.

The best way to ensure that you are buying safe toys is to purchase from well-known and trusted toy manufacturers. You can often find information on recalled toys on these manufacturers’ websites. Also, watch your young children at play with a new toy to see how they are using it (Are they putting it in their mouth? Are they pulling at small parts that may snap off?) and discuss any concerns with the BTHA or the toy company.
Toys Under Recall
Once toys have been officially recalled by the manufacturer or ordered recalled by standards authorities, they are required to be immediately pulled from store shelves and no longer offered for sale. Each manufacturer will have its own procedures for toy purchasers to return the product for refund, usually by returning it to the retail store where they purchased it or by shipping it back to the manufacturer.

However, not all recalled toys get withdrawn from being sold. Small toy retailers may not get the recall notices on a timely basis or may not understand the importance of removing unsafe toys from the shelves. On the darker side, some toy sellers, both online and with bricks and mortar stores, may knowingly continue to sell toys under recall that they have picked up in bulk after the recall. There will always be those to whom making a quick buck is more important than safeguarding children.

How can you make sure that the toys in your children’s toy box and the new ones you buy them are not under recall? There are several lists available that contain pictures and descriptions of recalled toys, including one at parents.com. You can also perform an internet search on the name of the toy. The best way to ensure that the toys you buy are safe is to buy from trusted manufacturers and trusted retailers. This way, you can be assured that the recall will be widely broadcast and that the toys will immediately be withdrawn from sale.
Buying Used Toys
Most parents are interested in saving money any way they can and one way to do that is to buy children’s toys used. Although it can certainly save money, there are dangers with buying used toys that parents should not overlook. This is especially true with used baby toys as babies tend to explore their world with their mouths. Several long-lasting bacteria and viruses can stay on plastic or fabric toy surfaces for an extended period of time. To combat this, all used toys should be cleaned with bleach or other anti-bacterial cleaner prior to use. Another common hazard is breakage. It is impossible to know how the toy was cared for or used before you bought it. To make sure that there are no loose or damaged parts that could break off or become a danger, thoroughly test the toy before giving it to your child. If in doubt, call the manufacturer for assistance.

Children’s toys should be fun and safe, and, with some common sense and safety considerations, they can be.

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Cash for Relocation May Not Be Your Best Option

As a highly qualified professional in your field, chances are you have been approached by a recruiter, a former colleague, or someone else offering you the chance for a job in a region far from your current home. Often, a part of the incentive for taking such a job, is some form of assistance with moving to the new area. This relocation package can take many forms. Fortunately, relocation packages are often one of the most negotiable benefits that a company offers to new employees. Of course, the amount you can ask for depends greatly upon your specific value to the company.

If you own a home and plan to buy a new one, this is one of the biggest sources of expense you will face during your move. Sometimes, a company will offer a guarantee to buy your house at a certain price if it doesn’t sell within a specified period. In today’s real estate market, this is becoming much rarer as this can be a very real and costly option as home values are on the decline and sales are slow. Instead, you may be better off asking for temporary living expenses in your new location in the event that your house doesn’t sell. Two months is commonly offered, but if you express your concerns about selling your house in today’s market, you may be able to get this extended considerably.

Often, a company will offer you a set cash amount for relocation. How you allocate it is up to you (within the allowed expenses). This means you may be responsible for finding and arranging your own temporary lodging during the relocation process. Since you’re looking for short term accommodations and want to rent only on a month to month basis, your options may be severely limited. Using an extended stay hotel can burn through your allowance quickly. Not only will the rates be high, but you’ll often need to eat out every meal, every day. Instead many larger companies will contract with a firm that provides fully furnished corporate apartments. these short-term corporate housing companies provide full working kitchens, so you can buy groceries and cook your own meals.

If you can, negotiate for the company to provide cash for moving expenses such as transportation, packing, and so forth, and have them provide your temporary housing under a separate provision. Instead of a cash allowance, ask for a furnished temporary corporate apartment for a specified period. Estimate how long you think it will take to sell your house for its fair market value, and then add a safety buffer. Larger companies are more likely to take on the effort of locating and providing corporate housing than smaller companies.

Smaller companies may be more inclined to offer cash only. In either case, come to the discussion prepared with a list of relocation expenses. Have estimates for movers, housing, transportation, meals, and everything else you can think of including the real estate commissions that you’ll have to pay. Estimate generously for housing and offer an alternative that allows the company to provide your housing. You can use additional points of leverage by pointing out that you’ll need some additional time off to look for a temporary apartment, especially since you are new to the area and don’t know which neighborhoods might be suitable. Whichever choice the company makes, you’ll have all the bases covered.

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Travel Scams that can Turn Your Dream Getaway Into a Nightmare

There are conmen who prey on vulnerable individuals in every industry, and the travel industry is no exception. While you shouldn’t let this prevent you from going away and enjoying yourself, you should be aware that there are unscrupulous people out there who will take advantage of unsuspecting people. Whether it’s outright fraud or marketing practices that are somewhat deceiving, it’s important to know what to watch out for during your next vacation.

The Surprise Hotel Bill

You’ve booked a hotel you’re absolutely delighted with. It’s in the center of all the action, there’s an on-site spa and fitness center, and the price is right. You should be aware, however, that many hotels have a sneaky practice of adding tons of surprise charges to their bills. When you go to checkout, you may find you’ve been charged for everything from newspaper delivery to picking up your phone. The best way to protect yourself against this scam is to ask about extra charges before you go ahead and book your room.

The Airline’s Fine Print

Wow! A flight to Montreal for only $79. You’ll see these outrageously low airline prices advertised in newspapers and in the windows of many travel agencies. Most times, however, the advertised price is not what you’ll actually pay. With fuel surcharges, charges for luggage, taxes, and other miscellaneous fees, you can expect to pay a lot more. Always look for the fine print, and ask for a total cost that includes all those extra fees upfront.

The "Free" Offer

It’s often been said that there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and this certainly applies to the "free" offers you may be presented with before or during your vacation. You may be offered a dinner, tickets to attractions, or even a free trip, but you’ll typically have to do something in return, whether it’s sitting through a lengthy sales presentation, purchasing a product, or paying a membership to join a travel club. Remember, there’s almost always a catch.

The Bait and Switch

This tactic is used by travel agencies, hotels, and restaurants. It usually goes something like this: you’re offered a great deal that you feel is too good to be true. Let’s say a travel agency sells you a five-night, all-inclusive trip to Cuba for $1,000. You are understandably delighted. Once you get there, however, you’re pressured to upgrade your hotel room. Perhaps you may even find out that the type of room you booked is no longer available. If you purchased a basic meal package, the waiters will try to convince you to opt for the gourmet package instead. This will continue throughout your vacation, and in the end you may end up spending a lot more than you bargained for.

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The NICEIC Electricial Standards

The NICEIC Electricial Standards Anyone searching for an electrician should take into consideration a few things, such as do the company offer free estimates, do they charge call-out fees, are there any hidden charges and what type of skills does the electrical contractor / company actually have.

You should always be sure to know the differences between an estimate and a quote. The differences between the two will make a huge difference to how you decide on which company to go for. An estimate is simply a estimation of the costs for the customer, however a quote is the actual price you would pay for the work – as you can imagine getting this crucial information wrong can lead to a larger sum of money being paid to which you had already imagined.

If you are looking for an electrician in dartford that is highly practical, skilled and professional you should always look out to see if they are NICEIC registered as it brings with it many benefits and gives customers less reason to be wary when looking for electricians.

What is NECEIC?

It’s an organisation that was set up to regulate and offer a new standard of quality delivery to customers by ensuring electricians registered with NICEIC hold the skills and reputability to be carrying out the work in question. To be a part of this organisation, you need to possess a high standard of workmanship and you need to adhere to specially set regulations and procedures, ensuring only the best are given NICEIC certification.

To give you more of a perspective on how important it is to be NICEIC certified, it is believed that around ninety percent of all work carried out by various local councils around the country are NICEIC registered, which alone proves a point, that only the best will do.

The Essex based company Electrician4hire possess these exact skills, workmanship, professionalism and highly-acclaimed skills. Having being founded in 2006 by its current director Les Grayson, the company has moved on in an upward direction, perfecting the art of customer service and customer satisfaction.

Electrician4hire is run by the family so when you’re dealing with them you’re sure to get a much more personalised service than you would off any other company in the Essex area. As part of their customer satisfaction belief, they offer to do work on a half-hourly basis, so if you were to only need an electrician for 5 minutes, you’d pay for 30 as opposed to a whole hours work.

Their skills are of such high standard, they were asked by ITV’s producers of “60 Minute Makeover” to do an episode of the highly-acclaimed show. After their show the ITV’s producers were so delighted with their work that they were requested to come back and finish off the series.

Here is what the producers had to say;

“Hi Les, we really enjoyed working with you, we use many & various local tradesman with varying degrees of success. It is so nice to meet two total professionals, like yourself, who will work above the call of duty to finish the job.”

Electrician4hire offers services in the county of Essex, services include Electrician Thurrock, Rayleigh Electrician and Chafford Hundred areas. Whether you need an electrician by day or night, someone will be with you at a time convenient to you and services offered will be of utmost professionalism and by a highly-trained NICEIC certified electrician.

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