By Anna Gorman Kaiser Health News
Source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2015/12/27/your-health/dental-woes-can-lead-to-issues-for-seniors.html
According to the American Dental Association, one-fifth of people age 75 or older haven’t seen a dentist in the past five years.
Many older patients are resistant because of fear or years of neglect — or they have impaired cognitive skills and don’t understand the need. Others are not mobile enough to get to a dental office.
“There are layers upon layers that can make it very difficult,” said Susan Hyde, division chairwoman of oral epidemiology and dental public health at the University of California-San Francisco School of Dentistry.
Older patients also might have arthritis or a history of strokes. “They can’t take care of their own teeth and are prone to tooth decay and subject to pain,” Hyde said.
Even for patients eager for care, paying for it can be a challenge.
Medicare, which covers medical care for people 65 or older, doesn’t include routine dental care, and many seniors lose coverage through other insurance plans when they retire. Medicaid, the insurance program for low-income Americans, doesn’t require states to provide dental care to adults.
Nursing homes are required to do a dental screening and help residents with oral hygiene, but dentists say that doesn’t always happen.
“You have people who have maintained their oral health their entire lives, only to see it go down the tubes in six to eight months,” said Judith Jones, a professor at Boston University’s dental school and elder-care spokeswoman for the American Dental Association.
Poor oral hygiene and care can lead to infection, the inability to eat and a loss of dignity, Jones said. And the bacteria that cause gum disease can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, aneurysms and other health problems, research shows.
Efforts are underway to ensure that all elderly patients get access to high-quality dental care, though dentists say it won’t be easy. The Senate has proposed including oral health screenings in its reauthorization of the Older Americans Act, which helps pay for nutrition and social services for low-income seniors.
And two bills were introduced in Congress in the spring that would expand coverage to adults without dental insurance.
More Dental News: dental milling services from Aurident.
Monday, January 4, 2016
FAQs About How Dental Implants Can Restore Your Smile
Source: http://www.thespec.com/shopping-story/5959798-faqs-about-how-dental-implants-can-restore-your-smile/
If you suffer from the embarrassment and discomfort of missing or severely decayed teeth, Eastgate Dental Centre in Hamilton can provide you with dental implants to restore your smile and bring your teeth back to a healthier level of comfort and function.
Are implants right for you? Dental implants are typically used to replace teeth that are missing, severely fractured, or decayed to the point of requiring extraction. Implants are best suited for cases that involve only one or two teeth.
What exactly are implants? An implant is essentially a strong titanium post that is installed directly into the jawbone. It takes the place of a missing root and serves as an anchor over which an artificial tooth, crown or dental cap is secured.
How do implanted teeth look and feel? Teeth implants are customized to match the colour and contour of surrounding teeth, making them virtually indistinguishable in appearance. When done correctly, no one will be able to tell that you have an implant. They are aligned with and function in the same way as all of your other natural teeth, allowing you to engage normally in daily activities such as eating, talking and sports.
What are the benefits of having a dental implant? Due to their stability and natural function, implanted replacement teeth work as conveniently as real teeth do. Unlike a removable denture, you won’t need to exercise any more special caution when eating hard, sticky or chewy foods. Due to their eventual fusing with your jaw, the implant won’t move around or cause clicking noises or discomfort to the gums.
Do implants require special maintenance? Since implants function as natural teeth, they are never removed and don’t need any special care beyond normal brushing and flossing. With a regular, daily program of oral hygiene, dental implants are designed to last a lifetime.
For more information on oral care and dental implants in Hamilton, visit Eastgate Dental Centre at www.eastgatedentalcentre.com. Call 905-560-2714, email management@eastgatedentalcentre.com.
More Dental News: dental scrap refining
If you suffer from the embarrassment and discomfort of missing or severely decayed teeth, Eastgate Dental Centre in Hamilton can provide you with dental implants to restore your smile and bring your teeth back to a healthier level of comfort and function.
Are implants right for you? Dental implants are typically used to replace teeth that are missing, severely fractured, or decayed to the point of requiring extraction. Implants are best suited for cases that involve only one or two teeth.
What exactly are implants? An implant is essentially a strong titanium post that is installed directly into the jawbone. It takes the place of a missing root and serves as an anchor over which an artificial tooth, crown or dental cap is secured.
How do implanted teeth look and feel? Teeth implants are customized to match the colour and contour of surrounding teeth, making them virtually indistinguishable in appearance. When done correctly, no one will be able to tell that you have an implant. They are aligned with and function in the same way as all of your other natural teeth, allowing you to engage normally in daily activities such as eating, talking and sports.
What are the benefits of having a dental implant? Due to their stability and natural function, implanted replacement teeth work as conveniently as real teeth do. Unlike a removable denture, you won’t need to exercise any more special caution when eating hard, sticky or chewy foods. Due to their eventual fusing with your jaw, the implant won’t move around or cause clicking noises or discomfort to the gums.
Do implants require special maintenance? Since implants function as natural teeth, they are never removed and don’t need any special care beyond normal brushing and flossing. With a regular, daily program of oral hygiene, dental implants are designed to last a lifetime.
For more information on oral care and dental implants in Hamilton, visit Eastgate Dental Centre at www.eastgatedentalcentre.com. Call 905-560-2714, email management@eastgatedentalcentre.com.
More Dental News: dental scrap refining
Bill Cosby Headlines The Top Ten Celebrity Legal Battles Of 2015
What better way to say goodbye to 2015 and welcome in the new year than by counting down Trial & Heirs Top Ten Celebrity Legal Battles of 2015, complete with lessons?
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/trialandheirs/2015/12/31/bill-cosby-headlines-the-top-ten-celebrity-legal-battles-of-2015/
1. Bill Cosby vs. his many accusers - Andrea Constad is one of dozens of women who have sued Cosby for defamation, accusing the comedian and actor of lying when he denied sexually abusing them years ago. In Constad’s civil lawsuit, Cosby’s deposition was unsealed, revealing that he admitted giving women quaaludes and having intercourse with them. He says both the drug use and sex were consensual. Recently, a Pennsylvania district attorney brought charges against Cosby for sexual assault based on the 2004 encounter with Constad.
Lesson: When victims of assault or other injuries wait too long, they lose the right to sue under the statute of limitations. The specific length of time varies based on what state the events happened in and what type of claim is brought. That’s why most of the accusers are suing Cosby for defamation, rather than sexual assault. Even criminal cases have a time limitation on when cases can be brought. This new criminal case against Cosby was brought not long before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. Anyone who feels they have a claim to sue, for assault or any other reason, should act promptly and not wait until it is too late.
2. Madonna vs. Guy Ritchie – The Material Girl isn’t happy that their 15-year old son, Rocco Ritchie, wants to move to London to live with Dad, instead of continuing to go on tour with her. The New York judge presiding over the court case ordered Rocco to return to New York for a custody hearing, so that the issue can be addressed in court before school resumes. The judge also appointed an attorney to represent Rocco’s interests.
Lesson: When an older child has a preference about whom he or she wants to live with, the child’s wishes carry a lot of weight, but the judge ultimately will decide the issue based on the best interests of the child. Parents in custody battles should take older children’s wishes into account when trying to resolve these issues out of court.
3. Charlie Sheen vs. Brett Rossi – Rossi, who says she was Sheen’s fiancee, became the first to sue Sheen alleging that he had intercourse with her without disclosing that he was HIV positive. She says that she and Sheen reached a settlement at one point, but Sheen allegedly backed out of the deal, instead going public about his diagnosis. Rossi is expected to be followed by many other sex partners filing claims against Sheen related to his condition.
Lesson: The legal waters for a lawsuit by someone based on an unwilling HIV exposure are murky when the person exposed has not tested positive for HIV. Sheen’s attorneys will argue there should be no compensation based on a risk of possible HIV development without actual HIV. With Sheen’s celebrity status, wealth, and reportedly-active sexual lifestyle, many women will be watching Rossi’s lawsuit, hoping to follow her lead.
4. Sofia Vergara vs. Nick Loeb – The Modern Family star was sued by her ex-fiancee, who claims that she abused and forced him to sign a form allowing for frozen embryos to be destroyed if the couple chose not to implant them. Loeb, recently joined in the case by right-to-life groups, says that the embryos should be treated as people and given the right to live. Vergara wants to live her life without being attached to Loeb and feels that it would be irresponsible to bring the embryos to term because they are no longer together as a couple. Her lawyers tried to dismiss the lawsuit early on, but their efforts failed — setting up a potentially emotional and politically-charged trial for sometime in 2016.
Lesson: No one should ever sign a form without reading and understanding it. Because potential lives were involved, Loeb should not have signed the form if he did not fully agree to it. His claim of being forced into by Vergara is a long-shot.
5. Robin Williams’ widow vs. his children - The battle over Robin Williams’ Trust was settled after mediation, months of negotiations, and many shots fired back and forth in the media. Williams’ widow, Susan Williams, said she was forced to start a court proceeding when the trustees would not allow her to receive the personal property that Robin wanted her to have. She also asked for a court ruling to force the trustees to set aside a certain sum of money for her future living expenses. Williams’ children and trustees contended that they followed the terms of the Trust and the lawsuit was not necessary.
Lesson: Williams’ Trust was detailed and well-thought out, which resulted in a less extensive (and expensive) court battle than would have happened if his estate planning wasn’t so thoughtful. The best chances to minimize an estate battle is with proper estate planning. While no one can guarantee their heirs won’t fight, they certainly can help their loved ones by carefully documenting their final wishes.
6. Donald Sterling vs. Shelly Sterling, V. Stiviano, and the NBA (among others) - Angered by his wife’s efforts to have Donald Sterling declared incompetent, allowing her to sell his beloved Clippers, Sterling fought back with lawsuits against her, the NBA, TMZ, and the woman who started the storm by tape-recording him, V. Stiviano. The lawsuit for invasion of privacy against TMZ and Stivsano was recently dropped, but Sterling’s suit continues against his wife, two doctors, and the NBA for conspiring against him to force the sale of the team. Interestingly, his wife’s lawsuit against the former girlfriend was more successful, resulting in a court judgment against Stiviano for the $2.6 million in gifts that Sterling gave away without his wife’s consent.
Lesson: It’s never easy taking action against someone elderly who you feel is no longer mentally competent. Family battles, including lawsuits, are not uncommon. It’s important to work with an experienced elder law attorney if faced with having to take similar action as Donald Sterling’s wife.
More Legal News: Top Celebrity Attorney Donald Etra.
Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/trialandheirs/2015/12/31/bill-cosby-headlines-the-top-ten-celebrity-legal-battles-of-2015/
1. Bill Cosby vs. his many accusers - Andrea Constad is one of dozens of women who have sued Cosby for defamation, accusing the comedian and actor of lying when he denied sexually abusing them years ago. In Constad’s civil lawsuit, Cosby’s deposition was unsealed, revealing that he admitted giving women quaaludes and having intercourse with them. He says both the drug use and sex were consensual. Recently, a Pennsylvania district attorney brought charges against Cosby for sexual assault based on the 2004 encounter with Constad.
Lesson: When victims of assault or other injuries wait too long, they lose the right to sue under the statute of limitations. The specific length of time varies based on what state the events happened in and what type of claim is brought. That’s why most of the accusers are suing Cosby for defamation, rather than sexual assault. Even criminal cases have a time limitation on when cases can be brought. This new criminal case against Cosby was brought not long before the 12-year statute of limitations expired. Anyone who feels they have a claim to sue, for assault or any other reason, should act promptly and not wait until it is too late.
2. Madonna vs. Guy Ritchie – The Material Girl isn’t happy that their 15-year old son, Rocco Ritchie, wants to move to London to live with Dad, instead of continuing to go on tour with her. The New York judge presiding over the court case ordered Rocco to return to New York for a custody hearing, so that the issue can be addressed in court before school resumes. The judge also appointed an attorney to represent Rocco’s interests.
Lesson: When an older child has a preference about whom he or she wants to live with, the child’s wishes carry a lot of weight, but the judge ultimately will decide the issue based on the best interests of the child. Parents in custody battles should take older children’s wishes into account when trying to resolve these issues out of court.
3. Charlie Sheen vs. Brett Rossi – Rossi, who says she was Sheen’s fiancee, became the first to sue Sheen alleging that he had intercourse with her without disclosing that he was HIV positive. She says that she and Sheen reached a settlement at one point, but Sheen allegedly backed out of the deal, instead going public about his diagnosis. Rossi is expected to be followed by many other sex partners filing claims against Sheen related to his condition.
Lesson: The legal waters for a lawsuit by someone based on an unwilling HIV exposure are murky when the person exposed has not tested positive for HIV. Sheen’s attorneys will argue there should be no compensation based on a risk of possible HIV development without actual HIV. With Sheen’s celebrity status, wealth, and reportedly-active sexual lifestyle, many women will be watching Rossi’s lawsuit, hoping to follow her lead.
4. Sofia Vergara vs. Nick Loeb – The Modern Family star was sued by her ex-fiancee, who claims that she abused and forced him to sign a form allowing for frozen embryos to be destroyed if the couple chose not to implant them. Loeb, recently joined in the case by right-to-life groups, says that the embryos should be treated as people and given the right to live. Vergara wants to live her life without being attached to Loeb and feels that it would be irresponsible to bring the embryos to term because they are no longer together as a couple. Her lawyers tried to dismiss the lawsuit early on, but their efforts failed — setting up a potentially emotional and politically-charged trial for sometime in 2016.
Lesson: No one should ever sign a form without reading and understanding it. Because potential lives were involved, Loeb should not have signed the form if he did not fully agree to it. His claim of being forced into by Vergara is a long-shot.
5. Robin Williams’ widow vs. his children - The battle over Robin Williams’ Trust was settled after mediation, months of negotiations, and many shots fired back and forth in the media. Williams’ widow, Susan Williams, said she was forced to start a court proceeding when the trustees would not allow her to receive the personal property that Robin wanted her to have. She also asked for a court ruling to force the trustees to set aside a certain sum of money for her future living expenses. Williams’ children and trustees contended that they followed the terms of the Trust and the lawsuit was not necessary.
Lesson: Williams’ Trust was detailed and well-thought out, which resulted in a less extensive (and expensive) court battle than would have happened if his estate planning wasn’t so thoughtful. The best chances to minimize an estate battle is with proper estate planning. While no one can guarantee their heirs won’t fight, they certainly can help their loved ones by carefully documenting their final wishes.
6. Donald Sterling vs. Shelly Sterling, V. Stiviano, and the NBA (among others) - Angered by his wife’s efforts to have Donald Sterling declared incompetent, allowing her to sell his beloved Clippers, Sterling fought back with lawsuits against her, the NBA, TMZ, and the woman who started the storm by tape-recording him, V. Stiviano. The lawsuit for invasion of privacy against TMZ and Stivsano was recently dropped, but Sterling’s suit continues against his wife, two doctors, and the NBA for conspiring against him to force the sale of the team. Interestingly, his wife’s lawsuit against the former girlfriend was more successful, resulting in a court judgment against Stiviano for the $2.6 million in gifts that Sterling gave away without his wife’s consent.
Lesson: It’s never easy taking action against someone elderly who you feel is no longer mentally competent. Family battles, including lawsuits, are not uncommon. It’s important to work with an experienced elder law attorney if faced with having to take similar action as Donald Sterling’s wife.
More Legal News: Top Celebrity Attorney Donald Etra.
Country Doctor Ready For ‘Serious’ Work Of Helping Smiles With 2016 Start Of Dental Clinic Construction
by Ari Cetron
Source: http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2016/01/country-doctor-ready-for-serious-work-of-helping-smiles-with-2016-start-of-dental-clinic-construction/
Patients at Capitol Hill’s Country Doctor are in need of dental care, and the clinic has a plan to give it to them, said Linda McVeigh, the clinic’s executive director. In 2016, they’re going to tear down their old office space north of the 19th Ave E clinic building and put up a new structure with space for a dental clinic.
Country Doctor, a nonprofit serving lower-income people, is located at 19th Ave. E. and East Republican Street. The main clinic offers health care where clients pay on a sliding scale. But McVeigh said the clinic’s board has recognized a desperate need for dental care for the people it serves. Dental insurance is not included in most health plans, including those purchased on the state exchange (Obamacare). The clinic is the only one in King County which does not offer a dental service, McVeigh said.
Beyond that, existing dental centers are overwhelmed. Patients can wait on a four-month waiting list, McVeigh said, or get up very, very early and go to one of the clinics, hoping to get a walk-in spot. Similar to going to an emergency room, staffers triage the people who show up that morning. Those with the most acute problems get to go first, while others might wait for hours and not be seen at all.
“The lack of dental care is an incredibly serious problem,” she said.
Busy corner
The clinic’s neighboring building has also been busy. Four different health practices opened under one roof over the summer at 19th and E Republican, expanding on the neighborhood-based healing already happening at the Country Doctor next door.
After 17 years of serving Capitol Hill’s acupuncture needs from co-practices and healing centers, Eric Hartmann opened his own five-element acupuncture practice after purchasing the house-turned-office earlier this year. Down the hall, Hartman’s husband, Jeremy Steward runs JStewardBodywork which focuses on deep tissue and relaxation massage. Hypnotherapist Kris Weaver and psychologist Glenn Maarse have also opened independent practices inside the newly created clinic space.
“I see the Hill as a nice blend of things, and I think we’ll be a wonderful addition to that blend,” Hartmann said.
Renovation of the house included dividing up the first floor into four treatment room and space for the two other practices.
Hartmann, who had been running his acupuncture practice from the Sacred Garden Healing Center at 10th Ave and E Boston, said he was happy to return to central Capitol Hill and closer to home.
“My focus is getting results for my patients. I would like people to recognize that it’s a neighborhood clinic,” he said.
2016 construction
Meanwhile, Country Doctor also owns the two-story Betty Lee building, just to the north of the clinic itself, which will not be altered. The Betty Lee houses a WIC program and HIV support center on the first floor. WIC is a federal program providing basic food needs to women who are pregnant or with young children. In addition to the money for food distributed on what looks like a bank card, there are components such as meeting with a nutritionist to help the recipients make better food choices.
“It doesn’t just include handing people these little cards,” she said.
Country Doctor has secured $1 million from the federal government, and was applying for more funds from the state and city. A bank loan, guaranteed by the rent from the apartments planned in the project, could also be part of the plan. The City Council even helped clear the way for the expansion with a small bit of legislation. Country Doctor hopes to start construction later this year and the project should take about 18 months.
For more information about Country Doctor, or to donate, visit countrydoctor.org.
More Dental News: dental refining from Aurident.
Source: http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2016/01/country-doctor-ready-for-serious-work-of-helping-smiles-with-2016-start-of-dental-clinic-construction/
Patients at Capitol Hill’s Country Doctor are in need of dental care, and the clinic has a plan to give it to them, said Linda McVeigh, the clinic’s executive director. In 2016, they’re going to tear down their old office space north of the 19th Ave E clinic building and put up a new structure with space for a dental clinic.
Country Doctor, a nonprofit serving lower-income people, is located at 19th Ave. E. and East Republican Street. The main clinic offers health care where clients pay on a sliding scale. But McVeigh said the clinic’s board has recognized a desperate need for dental care for the people it serves. Dental insurance is not included in most health plans, including those purchased on the state exchange (Obamacare). The clinic is the only one in King County which does not offer a dental service, McVeigh said.
Beyond that, existing dental centers are overwhelmed. Patients can wait on a four-month waiting list, McVeigh said, or get up very, very early and go to one of the clinics, hoping to get a walk-in spot. Similar to going to an emergency room, staffers triage the people who show up that morning. Those with the most acute problems get to go first, while others might wait for hours and not be seen at all.
“The lack of dental care is an incredibly serious problem,” she said.
Busy corner
The clinic’s neighboring building has also been busy. Four different health practices opened under one roof over the summer at 19th and E Republican, expanding on the neighborhood-based healing already happening at the Country Doctor next door.
After 17 years of serving Capitol Hill’s acupuncture needs from co-practices and healing centers, Eric Hartmann opened his own five-element acupuncture practice after purchasing the house-turned-office earlier this year. Down the hall, Hartman’s husband, Jeremy Steward runs JStewardBodywork which focuses on deep tissue and relaxation massage. Hypnotherapist Kris Weaver and psychologist Glenn Maarse have also opened independent practices inside the newly created clinic space.
“I see the Hill as a nice blend of things, and I think we’ll be a wonderful addition to that blend,” Hartmann said.
Renovation of the house included dividing up the first floor into four treatment room and space for the two other practices.
Hartmann, who had been running his acupuncture practice from the Sacred Garden Healing Center at 10th Ave and E Boston, said he was happy to return to central Capitol Hill and closer to home.
“My focus is getting results for my patients. I would like people to recognize that it’s a neighborhood clinic,” he said.
2016 construction
Meanwhile, Country Doctor also owns the two-story Betty Lee building, just to the north of the clinic itself, which will not be altered. The Betty Lee houses a WIC program and HIV support center on the first floor. WIC is a federal program providing basic food needs to women who are pregnant or with young children. In addition to the money for food distributed on what looks like a bank card, there are components such as meeting with a nutritionist to help the recipients make better food choices.
“It doesn’t just include handing people these little cards,” she said.
Country Doctor has secured $1 million from the federal government, and was applying for more funds from the state and city. A bank loan, guaranteed by the rent from the apartments planned in the project, could also be part of the plan. The City Council even helped clear the way for the expansion with a small bit of legislation. Country Doctor hopes to start construction later this year and the project should take about 18 months.
For more information about Country Doctor, or to donate, visit countrydoctor.org.
More Dental News: dental refining from Aurident.
Other News: Cops Getting Away With Murder: It’s A Warped Legal System and Law Enforcement Culture That Lets Them Do It
Without a larger reform of police culture, the drug war and militarization, abuse by law enforcement will endure
by Heather Digby Parton
Source: http://www.salon.com/2016/01/04/cops_getting_away_with_murder_its_a_warped_legal_system_and_law_enforcement_culture_that_lets_them_do_it/
It seems fitting that 2015 would end with yet another example of our justice system failing to hold police accountable for killing an unarmed African-American. The Tamir Rice case was especially poignant because the victim was only 12 years old. He was playing in the park with a toy gun — like millions of kids do all over the country. And the video that everyone saw with their own eyes showed that police rolled up and within seconds shot him dead. The prosecution and a grand jury decided they were justified in doing that for reasons that make little sense to rational people.
The story of fatal police shootings of unarmed African-Americans is a national shame. We don’t even know how many of them there are. But with every video and every family’s public pain and every astonishing decision to hold nobody accountable, the nation is shocked out of its complacency and police reforms are demanded by the people. It is long overdue.
The Obama administration released its reform recommendations from the Task Force on 21st Century Policing last spring. This article in the Nation by Alex S Vitale outlines the proposals for changes in police procedures:
Such procedural reforms focus on training officers to be more judicious and race-neutral in their use of force and how they interact with the public. The report encourages officers to work harder to explain to people why they are being stopped, questioned or arrested. Departments are advised to create consistent use of force policies and mechanisms for civilian oversight and transparency. The report implies that more training, diversity and communication will lead to enhanced police community relations, more effective crime control and greater police legitimacy.
There is no doubt that African-Americans are the hardest hit by the policies that allow police to operate in an atmosphere of impunity. Here’s an everyday example of how this can play out in everyday life:
Nicholson Gregoire, a 25-year-old biology student at Nassau Community College, was walking his puppy pit bull, Blue, around 5:00 pm on December 15 when he noticed police conducting “stop and frisk” searches, according to the New York Daily News. Police noticed the dog wasn’t restrained by a leash and asked Gregoire for ID. Gregoire reportedly was granted permission to go inside his Queens Village home to find the ID, but he closed the door, prompting two officers to repeatedly ring the doorbell. Gregoire’s 87-year-old grandfather, Roleme, came down the stairs to answer the door, but from there, the police and Gregoire tell different versions of subsequent events.
According to Gregoire’s lawyer, the police claim that his client “dragged them inside,” which is just bizarre. The arrest report alleged that Gregoire refused to hand over his ID, but a video shot by Gregoire’s girlfriend, showing police struggling with him on the stairs, has Gregoire holding up his hands showing the ID.
Whatever happened in the house, they had no reason to stop him or ask him for ID. He was walking his puppy on the street where he lives. The police created a dangerous situation where none had existed before. And this happens many times each day, all over the country. Gregoire was arrested and faces seven years in prison for resisting arrest, assaulting an officer, and strangulation. He’s been suspended from his job and missed his final exam. It reminds me of the old Bob and Ray routine “Squad Car 19″:
“The suspect apprehended in that case at Rossmore and LaBrea was convicted on three counts of being apprehended and one count of being a suspect. Apprehended suspects are punished under state law by a term of not less than five years in the correctional institution at Soledad.”
As Vitale wrote in his Nation piece, these changes in procedures are a good start but the problem goes much deeper:
What is not discussed in the report is dialing back in any meaningful way the war on drugs, police militarization or the widespread use of “broken windows” policing that has led to the unnecessary criminalization of millions of mostly black and brown people. Well-trained police, following proper procedure, are still going to be engaged in the process of arresting people for mostly low-level offenses, and the burden of that will continue to fall primarily on communities of color, because that is how the system is designed to operate—not because of the bias or misunderstandings of officers. A more respectful and legally justified arrest for marijuana possession is still an arrest that could result in unemployment, loss of federal benefits and the stigma of a drug arrest.
Many cities are studying “stop and frisk” reform (one of the most recent being Chicago) but without a larger reform of police culture, the drug war and militarization it’s unlikely to have the effect reformers hope.
And lest any of us nice comfortable white people get the idea that this is only a problem in the inner cities and nothing we need be concerned about because the majority of such cases affect African-Americans, this story should shake us out of any complacency. This one didn’t happen on the mean streets of Chicago or Baltimore. It happened in a nice Kansas suburb. Radley Balko of the Washington Post reported:
In April 2012, a Kansas SWAT team raided the home of Robert and Addie Harte, their 7-year-old daughter and their 13-year-old son. The couple, both former CIA analysts, awoke to pounding at the door. When Robert Harte answered, SWAT agents flooded the home. He was told to lie on the floor. When Addie Harte came out to see what was going on, she saw her husband on his stomach as SWAT cop stood over him with a gun. The family was then held at gunpoint for more than two hours while the police searched their home. Though they claimed to be looking for evidence of a major marijuana growing operation, they later stated that they knew within about 20 minutes that they wouldn’t find any such operation. So they switched to search for evidence of “personal use.” They found no evidence of any criminal activity.
One can only imagine what would have happened if Mr. Harte had made a wrong move. Or if he had been black.
This raid happened because seven months earlier Mr. Harte had gone to a gardening store that sells hydroponic equipment that marijuana growers sometimes use. He went with his son to buy some items for a school project and police conducting surveillance in the parking lot took down his license plate and then went through his garbage. They found some wet leafy material, conducted a rudimentary field test and it came up as marijuana.
Had they used a reliable lab test, they would have found that the wet leafy material was ordinary tea. (The fact that it was wet should have been a tip-off — who dunks pot in water?) But they didn’t. The test would have taken 10 days and they had a big PR stunt planned on April 20 (420 being slang for marijuana) and that would have taken too long. Instead they burst into the Harte home and terrorized the family based upon nothing more than the fact they had shopped in a garden store and used loose tea.
SWAT raids like this happen all the time, often based on little evidence and even sometimes in cases of mistaken identity. Unfortunately, the SWAT lobby (yes, there is such a thing) has mobilized to thwart reforms.
But as the Tamir Rice case shows us, the problem doesn’t end at the police station door. The legal system fails time and again to mete out justice in these cases. Prosecutors who work closely with the cops are often unwilling to press charges and where there is public attention some are using the grand jury as cover by presenting the case like police defense lawyers and passing the buck when they fail to bring an indictment.
But judges and politicians also factor into the problem. The Kansas SWAT raid resulted in a lawsuit brought by the victims after they had spent tens of thousands of dollars just trying to find out why they had been targeted. The police told them they had no obligation to tell them and refused to do so. Last week a judge dismissed their case. Balko writes:
Last week, U.S. District Court Judge John W. Lungstrum dismissed every one of the Hartes’s claims. Lungstrum found that sending a SWAT team into a home first thing in the morning based on no more than a positive field test and spotting a suspect at a gardening store was not a violation of the Fourth Amendment. He found that the police had probable cause for the search, and that the way the search was conducted did not constitute excessive force. He found that the Hartes had not been defamed by the raid or by the publicity surrounding it. He also ruled that the police were under no obligation to know that drug testing field kits are inaccurate, nor were they obligated to wait for the more accurate lab tests before conducting the SWAT raid. The only way they’d have a claim would be if they could show that the police lied about the results, deliberately manipulated the tests or showed a reckless disregard for the truth — and he ruled that the Hartes had failed to do so.
Keep in mind that this was a ruling for summary judgment. This was not a trial. To dismiss the suit at this stage, Lungstrum needed to view the facts in a light most favorable to the Hartes. And yet he still found that at no point did the police violate the family’s constitutional rights.
In other words, drinking tea and shopping at a gardening store are considered legitimate probable cause for a SWAT team to raid your home and search it from top to bottom.
Walking your puppy in front of your house is probable cause to stop you and then burst through the door of your house when you go in to get your ID to show them.
Twelve-year-olds playing with a toy gun in a public park are legally considered to be armed and dangerous and subject to summary execution.
Those are just three cases of police abuse in the newspaper in the last week of 2015. They represent many more examples of the various ways in which our legal system and police culture are failing to live up to American constitutional principles. There are many good people working on these problems, trying to find ways to change the processes, the culture and the law. But it’s going to take constant pressure from the public to make it happen.
More News: Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
by Heather Digby Parton
Source: http://www.salon.com/2016/01/04/cops_getting_away_with_murder_its_a_warped_legal_system_and_law_enforcement_culture_that_lets_them_do_it/
It seems fitting that 2015 would end with yet another example of our justice system failing to hold police accountable for killing an unarmed African-American. The Tamir Rice case was especially poignant because the victim was only 12 years old. He was playing in the park with a toy gun — like millions of kids do all over the country. And the video that everyone saw with their own eyes showed that police rolled up and within seconds shot him dead. The prosecution and a grand jury decided they were justified in doing that for reasons that make little sense to rational people.
The story of fatal police shootings of unarmed African-Americans is a national shame. We don’t even know how many of them there are. But with every video and every family’s public pain and every astonishing decision to hold nobody accountable, the nation is shocked out of its complacency and police reforms are demanded by the people. It is long overdue.
The Obama administration released its reform recommendations from the Task Force on 21st Century Policing last spring. This article in the Nation by Alex S Vitale outlines the proposals for changes in police procedures:
Such procedural reforms focus on training officers to be more judicious and race-neutral in their use of force and how they interact with the public. The report encourages officers to work harder to explain to people why they are being stopped, questioned or arrested. Departments are advised to create consistent use of force policies and mechanisms for civilian oversight and transparency. The report implies that more training, diversity and communication will lead to enhanced police community relations, more effective crime control and greater police legitimacy.
There is no doubt that African-Americans are the hardest hit by the policies that allow police to operate in an atmosphere of impunity. Here’s an everyday example of how this can play out in everyday life:
Nicholson Gregoire, a 25-year-old biology student at Nassau Community College, was walking his puppy pit bull, Blue, around 5:00 pm on December 15 when he noticed police conducting “stop and frisk” searches, according to the New York Daily News. Police noticed the dog wasn’t restrained by a leash and asked Gregoire for ID. Gregoire reportedly was granted permission to go inside his Queens Village home to find the ID, but he closed the door, prompting two officers to repeatedly ring the doorbell. Gregoire’s 87-year-old grandfather, Roleme, came down the stairs to answer the door, but from there, the police and Gregoire tell different versions of subsequent events.
According to Gregoire’s lawyer, the police claim that his client “dragged them inside,” which is just bizarre. The arrest report alleged that Gregoire refused to hand over his ID, but a video shot by Gregoire’s girlfriend, showing police struggling with him on the stairs, has Gregoire holding up his hands showing the ID.
Whatever happened in the house, they had no reason to stop him or ask him for ID. He was walking his puppy on the street where he lives. The police created a dangerous situation where none had existed before. And this happens many times each day, all over the country. Gregoire was arrested and faces seven years in prison for resisting arrest, assaulting an officer, and strangulation. He’s been suspended from his job and missed his final exam. It reminds me of the old Bob and Ray routine “Squad Car 19″:
“The suspect apprehended in that case at Rossmore and LaBrea was convicted on three counts of being apprehended and one count of being a suspect. Apprehended suspects are punished under state law by a term of not less than five years in the correctional institution at Soledad.”
As Vitale wrote in his Nation piece, these changes in procedures are a good start but the problem goes much deeper:
What is not discussed in the report is dialing back in any meaningful way the war on drugs, police militarization or the widespread use of “broken windows” policing that has led to the unnecessary criminalization of millions of mostly black and brown people. Well-trained police, following proper procedure, are still going to be engaged in the process of arresting people for mostly low-level offenses, and the burden of that will continue to fall primarily on communities of color, because that is how the system is designed to operate—not because of the bias or misunderstandings of officers. A more respectful and legally justified arrest for marijuana possession is still an arrest that could result in unemployment, loss of federal benefits and the stigma of a drug arrest.
Many cities are studying “stop and frisk” reform (one of the most recent being Chicago) but without a larger reform of police culture, the drug war and militarization it’s unlikely to have the effect reformers hope.
And lest any of us nice comfortable white people get the idea that this is only a problem in the inner cities and nothing we need be concerned about because the majority of such cases affect African-Americans, this story should shake us out of any complacency. This one didn’t happen on the mean streets of Chicago or Baltimore. It happened in a nice Kansas suburb. Radley Balko of the Washington Post reported:
In April 2012, a Kansas SWAT team raided the home of Robert and Addie Harte, their 7-year-old daughter and their 13-year-old son. The couple, both former CIA analysts, awoke to pounding at the door. When Robert Harte answered, SWAT agents flooded the home. He was told to lie on the floor. When Addie Harte came out to see what was going on, she saw her husband on his stomach as SWAT cop stood over him with a gun. The family was then held at gunpoint for more than two hours while the police searched their home. Though they claimed to be looking for evidence of a major marijuana growing operation, they later stated that they knew within about 20 minutes that they wouldn’t find any such operation. So they switched to search for evidence of “personal use.” They found no evidence of any criminal activity.
One can only imagine what would have happened if Mr. Harte had made a wrong move. Or if he had been black.
This raid happened because seven months earlier Mr. Harte had gone to a gardening store that sells hydroponic equipment that marijuana growers sometimes use. He went with his son to buy some items for a school project and police conducting surveillance in the parking lot took down his license plate and then went through his garbage. They found some wet leafy material, conducted a rudimentary field test and it came up as marijuana.
Had they used a reliable lab test, they would have found that the wet leafy material was ordinary tea. (The fact that it was wet should have been a tip-off — who dunks pot in water?) But they didn’t. The test would have taken 10 days and they had a big PR stunt planned on April 20 (420 being slang for marijuana) and that would have taken too long. Instead they burst into the Harte home and terrorized the family based upon nothing more than the fact they had shopped in a garden store and used loose tea.
SWAT raids like this happen all the time, often based on little evidence and even sometimes in cases of mistaken identity. Unfortunately, the SWAT lobby (yes, there is such a thing) has mobilized to thwart reforms.
But as the Tamir Rice case shows us, the problem doesn’t end at the police station door. The legal system fails time and again to mete out justice in these cases. Prosecutors who work closely with the cops are often unwilling to press charges and where there is public attention some are using the grand jury as cover by presenting the case like police defense lawyers and passing the buck when they fail to bring an indictment.
But judges and politicians also factor into the problem. The Kansas SWAT raid resulted in a lawsuit brought by the victims after they had spent tens of thousands of dollars just trying to find out why they had been targeted. The police told them they had no obligation to tell them and refused to do so. Last week a judge dismissed their case. Balko writes:
Last week, U.S. District Court Judge John W. Lungstrum dismissed every one of the Hartes’s claims. Lungstrum found that sending a SWAT team into a home first thing in the morning based on no more than a positive field test and spotting a suspect at a gardening store was not a violation of the Fourth Amendment. He found that the police had probable cause for the search, and that the way the search was conducted did not constitute excessive force. He found that the Hartes had not been defamed by the raid or by the publicity surrounding it. He also ruled that the police were under no obligation to know that drug testing field kits are inaccurate, nor were they obligated to wait for the more accurate lab tests before conducting the SWAT raid. The only way they’d have a claim would be if they could show that the police lied about the results, deliberately manipulated the tests or showed a reckless disregard for the truth — and he ruled that the Hartes had failed to do so.
Keep in mind that this was a ruling for summary judgment. This was not a trial. To dismiss the suit at this stage, Lungstrum needed to view the facts in a light most favorable to the Hartes. And yet he still found that at no point did the police violate the family’s constitutional rights.
In other words, drinking tea and shopping at a gardening store are considered legitimate probable cause for a SWAT team to raid your home and search it from top to bottom.
Walking your puppy in front of your house is probable cause to stop you and then burst through the door of your house when you go in to get your ID to show them.
Twelve-year-olds playing with a toy gun in a public park are legally considered to be armed and dangerous and subject to summary execution.
Those are just three cases of police abuse in the newspaper in the last week of 2015. They represent many more examples of the various ways in which our legal system and police culture are failing to live up to American constitutional principles. There are many good people working on these problems, trying to find ways to change the processes, the culture and the law. But it’s going to take constant pressure from the public to make it happen.
More News: Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
Unique Colorado Program Puts Dental Care In Doctor’s Offices
By DAVID OLINGER The Denver Post
http://www.starherald.com/news/regional_statewide/unique-colorado-program-puts-dental-care-in-doctor-s-offices/article_6ee8f906-b011-11e5-98c3-bfab5d72d0e0.html
DENVER (AP) — Nathan Martinez is an unusual 9-year-old boy. He actually likes dental care. So he showed no fear at an appointment in December. He calmly walked into a hygienist’s office wearing a red shirt that declared, “You just be yourself and I’ll be awesome,” and plopped onto her reclining chair with a smile.
What was really unusual, though, was the location. Nathan came down the hall for dental treatment immediately after a physical checkup.
He is one of more than 4,000 patients seen this year in a program that the Delta Dental Foundation calls unique in scope.
It has committed $3.3 million over five years to open 16 dental offices in Colorado that team up with medical doctors to provide a broader range of health care in a single location. All have hygienists who can refer patients to a dentist. Some also have a dentist on site.
Nathan got his physical and a dental appointment at Doctors Care, a Littleton clinic that has been helping low-income families for 27 years.
Dental care has become the fourth prong among Doctors Care programs that also provide medical, mental health and social-work services.
“If you don’t have heat, it’s hard for me to talk about your diabetes,” said Bebe Kleinman, the clinic’s chief executive officer.
Delta Dental launched its Colorado medical-dental integration project with the knowledge that many preschool children never see a dentist and the hope that early intervention at medical clinics will reduce long-term pains and costs.
Across the state, dental-care shortages abound.
Eight of Colorado’s 64 counties have been classified as dental deserts, with no dentists or community-based dental clinics.
Poor families face an extra barrier. According to the Colorado Health Institute, only one-third of practicing dentists treated Medicaid patients in fiscal 2013-2014, and 5 percent of those dentists treated nearly half the clients.
Doctors Care doesn’t have a dentist. But it now employs Doreen Swatloski, a registered dental hygienist who cleans teeth and looks for problems.
“If we see dark spots, then we’ll go ahead and refer them to a dentist,” she said.
Nathan’s teeth look good. “I am happy to see that,” Swatloski said. “Do you brush them morning and night?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
Modern dental hygiene involves more than twice-a-year cleanings. During his visit, Nathan also got a sealant that will help protect his molars from cavities for 15 years.
As he lay in Swatloski’s chair, she placed rose-colored glasses over his eyes to protect them from a bright overhead light.
“I’m preparing the teeth for sealant right now,” she announced. “Roll your head to me a little bit and open your mouth big, like an alligator.”
He complied, sticking his tongue out only to fight off the sealant’s plastic taste.
Minutes later, his teeth wore a durable protective coat.
Swatloski pronounced him awesome. “No more plastic,” she said.
The first phase of Delta Dental’s grant program opened dental offices at health centers mostly in the Denver area. The second will spread dental integration to health care sites from La Junta to Grand Junction.
Allison Cusick, program officer for Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, said the response from people offered a new service at health clinics has been rewarding so far.
“This is so brand new,” she said. “We didn’t know what to expect.”
More Dental News: dental refining services from Aurident.
http://www.starherald.com/news/regional_statewide/unique-colorado-program-puts-dental-care-in-doctor-s-offices/article_6ee8f906-b011-11e5-98c3-bfab5d72d0e0.html
DENVER (AP) — Nathan Martinez is an unusual 9-year-old boy. He actually likes dental care. So he showed no fear at an appointment in December. He calmly walked into a hygienist’s office wearing a red shirt that declared, “You just be yourself and I’ll be awesome,” and plopped onto her reclining chair with a smile.
What was really unusual, though, was the location. Nathan came down the hall for dental treatment immediately after a physical checkup.
He is one of more than 4,000 patients seen this year in a program that the Delta Dental Foundation calls unique in scope.
It has committed $3.3 million over five years to open 16 dental offices in Colorado that team up with medical doctors to provide a broader range of health care in a single location. All have hygienists who can refer patients to a dentist. Some also have a dentist on site.
Nathan got his physical and a dental appointment at Doctors Care, a Littleton clinic that has been helping low-income families for 27 years.
Dental care has become the fourth prong among Doctors Care programs that also provide medical, mental health and social-work services.
“If you don’t have heat, it’s hard for me to talk about your diabetes,” said Bebe Kleinman, the clinic’s chief executive officer.
Delta Dental launched its Colorado medical-dental integration project with the knowledge that many preschool children never see a dentist and the hope that early intervention at medical clinics will reduce long-term pains and costs.
Across the state, dental-care shortages abound.
Eight of Colorado’s 64 counties have been classified as dental deserts, with no dentists or community-based dental clinics.
Poor families face an extra barrier. According to the Colorado Health Institute, only one-third of practicing dentists treated Medicaid patients in fiscal 2013-2014, and 5 percent of those dentists treated nearly half the clients.
Doctors Care doesn’t have a dentist. But it now employs Doreen Swatloski, a registered dental hygienist who cleans teeth and looks for problems.
“If we see dark spots, then we’ll go ahead and refer them to a dentist,” she said.
Nathan’s teeth look good. “I am happy to see that,” Swatloski said. “Do you brush them morning and night?”
“Yes,” he said without hesitation.
Modern dental hygiene involves more than twice-a-year cleanings. During his visit, Nathan also got a sealant that will help protect his molars from cavities for 15 years.
As he lay in Swatloski’s chair, she placed rose-colored glasses over his eyes to protect them from a bright overhead light.
“I’m preparing the teeth for sealant right now,” she announced. “Roll your head to me a little bit and open your mouth big, like an alligator.”
He complied, sticking his tongue out only to fight off the sealant’s plastic taste.
Minutes later, his teeth wore a durable protective coat.
Swatloski pronounced him awesome. “No more plastic,” she said.
The first phase of Delta Dental’s grant program opened dental offices at health centers mostly in the Denver area. The second will spread dental integration to health care sites from La Junta to Grand Junction.
Allison Cusick, program officer for Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation, said the response from people offered a new service at health clinics has been rewarding so far.
“This is so brand new,” she said. “We didn’t know what to expect.”
More Dental News: dental refining services from Aurident.
The Thermal Paper Market in 10 Years: 3 Predictions
By Frank Ouyang, CEO of Panda Paper Roll
Source: http://pointofsale.com/201511118251/Point-of-Sale-News/The-Thermal-Paper-Market-in-10-Years-3-Predictions.html
The following are three predictions for the thermal paper market for the next ten years, based on my seven years of experience as the CEO of Panda Paper Roll Company, which is the largest paper roll manufacturer and supplier in China.
1. The thermal paper market will shrink
The concept of paperless, electronic receipts - “e-receipts” - becomes more feasible as increasingly massive amounts of retail merchandising and business transactions take place online, as well as the growing use of electronic handheld devices and bank cards for everyday purchases in brick-and-mortar establishments. It is inevitable that e-receipts will gradually take the place of thermal paper receipts as the standard document for verifying all kinds of transactions.
For the time being, however, the overwhelming majority of people on both sides of the checkout counter prefer paper receipts. There is simply no substitute for something concrete that you can hold in your hand. Even the e-receipts currently in use invariably have a “print this receipt” button somewhere. A paper receipt can be signed, copied, put in a file, taken to court, used for refunds, or any other function where unequivocal proof of contract is desired.
Widespread conversion to e-receipts is clearly inevitable, but it will happen slowly, not overnight. Not only do e-receipts have to meet these legal and logistical challenges, but they must be made universally acceptable and technically available. For this reason, regardless of any glowing predictions, e-receipts are still in the fetal stage in their evolution as a business instrument.
2. Printed paper market share will increase
With the advent of near-universal internet access and portable electronic devices, advertising has become ubiquitous. An increasingly popular venue for reaching customers with advertising messages is by printing on a thermal paper receipt.
It is also extremely cost-effective. A single, one-time magazine or television ad can run tens of thousands of dollars, whereas the ad printed on the back of a receipt costs only a few dollars more than a plain unprinted batch, and reaches every single customer of the business, often repeatedly.
Printed receipt ads also accommodate a high degree of customization, allowing the use of company logos, forms,attractive font designs, or virtually anything that can be generated as a graphic image.
Custom printed thermal paper receipts can have an impressive range of purposes: sale announcements, promotions (30% off of your next purchase!), coupons, contests, warranty documentation, rebates, forms, and so on.
3. The global market will be dominated by a few big companies
The global thermal paper business is fiercely competitive. Profit margins are dangerously tight. Individual paper rolls may sell for only a few cents apiece; business survival thus depends on consistently selling them in huge quantities, preferably to repeat customers. Wholesalers and manufacturers of thermal paper products who can not do this will gradually wither and die.
In the thermal paper industry, being able to buy materials and move product in large quantities is a basic, fundamental requirement for survival. Thermal paper companies must be able to take advantage of volume discounts that will allow their products to be competitively priced. At the same time, they must be cautious not to over- or under-stock their inventory, as either mistake can wipe out an already fragile cash flow position. It is a given that only large, muscular companies that can absorb these risks will enjoy long term survival in the thermal paper industry. My prediction is that in 10 years, there will be less than 15 major thermal paper suppliers in the world.
As a result of the fierce competiton, the paper roll price will be lower and lower. Take an example, for the popular 80mm x 80mm thermal roll size, the unit price was around $0.60/roll in 2010, while now it is $0.50/roll in 2015. That is about a 20% price decrease.
More news: thermal paper rolls maryland
Source: http://pointofsale.com/201511118251/Point-of-Sale-News/The-Thermal-Paper-Market-in-10-Years-3-Predictions.html
The following are three predictions for the thermal paper market for the next ten years, based on my seven years of experience as the CEO of Panda Paper Roll Company, which is the largest paper roll manufacturer and supplier in China.
1. The thermal paper market will shrink
The concept of paperless, electronic receipts - “e-receipts” - becomes more feasible as increasingly massive amounts of retail merchandising and business transactions take place online, as well as the growing use of electronic handheld devices and bank cards for everyday purchases in brick-and-mortar establishments. It is inevitable that e-receipts will gradually take the place of thermal paper receipts as the standard document for verifying all kinds of transactions.
For the time being, however, the overwhelming majority of people on both sides of the checkout counter prefer paper receipts. There is simply no substitute for something concrete that you can hold in your hand. Even the e-receipts currently in use invariably have a “print this receipt” button somewhere. A paper receipt can be signed, copied, put in a file, taken to court, used for refunds, or any other function where unequivocal proof of contract is desired.
Widespread conversion to e-receipts is clearly inevitable, but it will happen slowly, not overnight. Not only do e-receipts have to meet these legal and logistical challenges, but they must be made universally acceptable and technically available. For this reason, regardless of any glowing predictions, e-receipts are still in the fetal stage in their evolution as a business instrument.
2. Printed paper market share will increase
With the advent of near-universal internet access and portable electronic devices, advertising has become ubiquitous. An increasingly popular venue for reaching customers with advertising messages is by printing on a thermal paper receipt.
It is also extremely cost-effective. A single, one-time magazine or television ad can run tens of thousands of dollars, whereas the ad printed on the back of a receipt costs only a few dollars more than a plain unprinted batch, and reaches every single customer of the business, often repeatedly.
Printed receipt ads also accommodate a high degree of customization, allowing the use of company logos, forms,attractive font designs, or virtually anything that can be generated as a graphic image.
Custom printed thermal paper receipts can have an impressive range of purposes: sale announcements, promotions (30% off of your next purchase!), coupons, contests, warranty documentation, rebates, forms, and so on.
3. The global market will be dominated by a few big companies
The global thermal paper business is fiercely competitive. Profit margins are dangerously tight. Individual paper rolls may sell for only a few cents apiece; business survival thus depends on consistently selling them in huge quantities, preferably to repeat customers. Wholesalers and manufacturers of thermal paper products who can not do this will gradually wither and die.
In the thermal paper industry, being able to buy materials and move product in large quantities is a basic, fundamental requirement for survival. Thermal paper companies must be able to take advantage of volume discounts that will allow their products to be competitively priced. At the same time, they must be cautious not to over- or under-stock their inventory, as either mistake can wipe out an already fragile cash flow position. It is a given that only large, muscular companies that can absorb these risks will enjoy long term survival in the thermal paper industry. My prediction is that in 10 years, there will be less than 15 major thermal paper suppliers in the world.
As a result of the fierce competiton, the paper roll price will be lower and lower. Take an example, for the popular 80mm x 80mm thermal roll size, the unit price was around $0.60/roll in 2010, while now it is $0.50/roll in 2015. That is about a 20% price decrease.
More news: thermal paper rolls maryland
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