Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Best Balsamic Vinegar Deal In Buffalo

BUFFALO, NY -- In my continued search to find the Best Deals to save you time and money, today we celebrate another frugal food Friday. Over the past several months I've collected many of your requests for Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar. Earlier this month, we found gourmet Olive Oil on a dime and today, huge bargains on the balsamic counterpart.

I've had several chefs, foodies and restaurateurs weigh in for today's Ways to Save and today's Balsamic bliss from Modena Italy is aged, packed with flavor, and small amount goes a long way.

Today you get four bottles for the price of two. The taste is AWESOME and this deal will sell-out. Benissimo is one of the most popular high-end brands on the market.

I'm pairing this offering with an 89% Off Bon Appetit Magazine Subscription that just dropped. Want more deals? Follow@MattGranite On Twitter.

We receive absolutely no financial compensation from any deal. The only purpose of this segment is to save you money!

$17 Off Benissimo Balsamic Vinegar Four Pack + Free Shipping
Was: $41.95
Now: $24.95

Includes FOUR 8.5 fl oz bottles of Barrel-Aged Balsamic Vinegar, Cherry Balsamic Vinegar, Fig Balsamic Vinegar and Pomegranate Balsamic Vinegar. FREE SHIPPING delivery will become visible at check-out after you enter your zip code.

89% Off Bon Appetit Magazine Subscription - Up to 3 Years
Was: $47.88
Now: $4.99

Thursday, January 23, 2014

Zakaria: Iran Deal A Train Wreck

In an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Iranian Prime Minister Hassan Rouhani forcefully asserted that Iran would not destroy its nuclear centrifuges "under any circumstances".

Rouhani's comments come just days after the U.S. and Iran began to implement a Amazon Sales which the White House claims will scale back Iran's nuclear program. The Obama administration claims the goal of the deal is to prevent a nuclear Iran, yet Rouhani's comments show Iran views the deal much differently.

Reacting to Rouhani's position, Zakaria told CNN that the Prime Minister's comments struck him as a "train wreck".

"This strikes me as a train wreck. This strikes me as a huge obstacle because the Iranian conception of what the deal is going to look like and the American conception now look like they are miles apart," Zakaria said.

Below is a full transcript of the exchange:

HASSAN ROUHANI: So in the context of nuclear technology, particularly of research and development and peaceful nuclear technology, we will not accept any limitations. And in accordance with the parliament's law, in the future, we're going to need 20,000 mega watts of nuclear produced electricity and we're determined to get it at the hands of our Iranian scientists.

FAREED ZAKARIA: So there would be no destruction of centrifuges?

ROUHANI: Not under any circumstances. Not under any circumstances.

CHRIS CUOMO: I mean, what is the deal? That's supposed to be the whole underpinning of moving forward from the United States perspective. How do you interpret what you just heard from the president?

ZAKARIA: well, I was as struck by it as you were. This strikes me as a train wreck. This strikes me as potentially a huge obstacle because the conception of what the deal is going to look like and the American conception now look like they are miles apart. The Iranian conception seems to be they produce as much nuclear energy as they want, but it is a civilian program. The American position is that they have to very substantially scale back the enrichment of uranium and the production of centrifuges. For the fist time you have the president of Iran unequivocally saying there will be no destruction of centrifuges. So this seems like - you know, this is still - I'm not even quite sure what they're going to talk about if these are the opening tion and it's very hard to walk back from as absolute is a profession as the president of Iran laid out.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Amazon to begin collecting sales tax in NC on Feb. 1

Amazon.com will begin collecting sales tax in North Carolina beginning Feb. 1, a company official confirmed Monday.

The move will make North Carolina the 20th state in which the online retailer collects sales tax.

Under the current system, North Carolina taxpayers are supposed to pay a "use tax" Price Compare online purchases and declare them on their state tax returns. Few do. One 2010 estimate said failure to pay the taxes costs the state, its cities and counties $190 million a year in lost revenue.

In 2010, the N.C. Department of Revenue tried to get Amazon to turn over customer names so that the state could charge those customers sales tax for their online purchases. But the ACLU, a nonprofit civil rights advocacy group, sued.

The organization argued that the request was illegal because it would have linked customers to items they purchased, revealing the names of books, DVDs and other products. A federal judge agreed and earlier this year, the state settled with the ACLU.

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Top 10 Best Online Deals on Samsung Galaxy Gear Smartwatch in India

Wearable gadgets has been the talk of the tech world these days. The International Consumers Electronics Show 2014 (CES) also saw a major advent of the wearable computing devices like LG's LifeBand, and many more.

Moreover, the portability and health devices have also found a great combination for each other. Thus forming the LG LifeBand and Intel's Smart Earbuds and more which we saw this year at the CES 2014 in Las Vegas.

Just a couple of days back, the South Korean Smartphone maker Samsung also cut down the price of its last year's smartwatch called Galaxy Gear by Rs 4,000. The device which was initially laucnhed at Rs. 22,990 will now sell at Rs. 18,999.

Recommended: The Review Wearable Gadgets Launched AT CES 2014

Thus GizBot has today come up with a number of online deals pertaining to the same wearable device. However before going ahead with the deals, take a look at the specs of the device:

The Galaxy Gear comes with a 1.63-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels. There is an 800MHz processor backed by 512MB of RAM and internal memory. The device is compatible with select Galaxy handsets (running above Android 4.3 Jelly Bean).

Recommended: Hot Deals: Galaxy Grand 2 and 10 Latest Samsung Smartphone to Buy in India

In case if you are wondering whether the device is compatible with the iOS devices, no the Galaxy Gear won't support the iOS powered devices.

The Galaxy Gear's camera can take pictures as well as record videos in 720p HD format. You can receive notifications, SMS, messages, receive/dial calls and much more.

Click Here For The New Samsung Galaxy Gear SmartWatch Photo Gallery

Take a look at the sliders below for best online deals:

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Amazon Starts Collecting NV Sales Tax

RENO, NV - If you shop on Super Sale, no doubt you enjoy the cost-savings of not paying any sales tax on your order. But that all came to an end this month, as the company announced it would start collecting sales tax for orders delivered in Nevada. The move not only happened here, but also in Tennessee and Indiana. While you may not like it as a consumer, some local businesses applaud the change.

Bobo's Mogul Mouse has been a fixture in Reno for years.

The shop offers just about anything on the skier's list.

But about eight years ago, employees started noticing a phenomenon called "show rooming."

"So they have a place to come to where they are getting expert advice, they are getting measured and then they are going out and buying it on the internet," says manager Pat Parraguirre.

A 7% sales tax automatically was added to the bill at Bobo's and any other local brick and mortar store.

It was virtually absent from a sale at Amazon.

"When they buy something on line and they weren't being charged sales tax they are supposed to go and fill out a form and send it into the department of taxation. And I'll let you guess how many people actually did that," says Tray Abney with the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce.

Which put local stores like Bobo's at a distinct disadvantage, and from Parraguirre's perspective--punitively so.

"You and I have to pay taxes; every business in town has to pay taxes. All that money generated in sales tax is going to the general fund. We can fund education, fund police, fund fire, teachers' salaries, all that is going back into the general fund. They are contributing absolutely nothing to ah the infastructure of the state and county," says Parraguirre.

But that will all change this year as Amazon has agreed to collect the sales tax in Nevada.

The decision was made in part because Amazon has a presence in the state with a distribution center in Fernley.

The state estimates the tax gathered by Amazon could result in $16,000,000 dollars annually.

Collecting state sales taxes for Nevada and all other states through internet sales could be practice in the future.

But it means the "Marketplace Fairness Act" or something like it must pass congress and be signed into law.

While the legislation has passed the Senate, the House has not voted on the measure.

Opponents of the bill say it would force internet companies to configure a way to collect tax in 9,000 different jurisdictions.
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Sunday, January 12, 2014

Santa Fund cycle concludes with record-breaking total

The fund relies on local retailers to help provide for children in need through one-time vouchers, usually in the amount of $50.

"It's really amazing and it was wonderful to have that $25,000 gift from an anonymous person and that really put us over," said Kim Connolly, United Way-Thomas Jefferson Area spokeswoman. "The majority of donations come from people who give $10 to $100, and every dollar made a difference."

The Santa Fund provides vouchers to help pay for medicine, clothing and other necessities to area schoolchildren. Sponsored by The Daily Progress and WINA radio and administered by the local United Way, it provides assistance year-round.

The fundraising drive began Thanksgiving Day and ended Thursday. Donations are accepted all year, but those coming in after Thursday afternoon will be counted in next year's drive.

"The success of this year's Santa Fund speaks volumes about the incredible generosity of our community, which came together this year like never before to meet the needs of deserving schoolchildren throughout our region," said Lawrence L. McConnell, publisher of The Progress. "But this year's effort - as in years past - was really due to the dimes and dollars given by hundreds and hundreds of people."

The charity's goal was $120,000, the same as last year's mark. The fund raised $124, 215 in 2012.

"We kept it level because we didn't know what the impacts of the economy would be," said Lisa Frazier, the local United Way vice president and finance director. "There are a lot of mixed messages about the economy right now."

"There are a lot of working families who are a car-breakdown away from being financially stressed," Connolly said. "The economy is reportedly improving, but working families are most often the ones utilizing the food banks and other programs. The Santa Fund helps those families with support from retailers with vouchers."

The retailers come from the ranks of big-box stores, including Kmart, Marshalls, Roses and TJ Maxx. Smaller retailers such as Family Dollar, CVS and Super Dollar in Scottsville also help out, as do Shoe Show and Terry's Place in Orange.

LensCrafters, sears optical, Drs. Nelson and Clauss Optometrist and The Spectacle Shop, all of Charlottesville, provide eyewear for those in need.

School officials refer children to the program, which serves students in Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Madison, Nelson and Orange counties, as well as the city of Charlottesville. Program administrators look into the needs and can provide a voucher for whatever is necessary.

"The Santa Fund couldn't exist without their help," Connolly said.

Today's contributors

" Anonymous employees of Hantzmon Wiebel, $75

" In loving memory of Terry Brownfield, $50

Today's total: $125

Final total: $141,923.78

Goal: $120,000

Over goal by: $21,923.78