OAKLAND – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced a $15.5 million settlement against Rent-A-Center, one of the nation’s largest rent-to-own companies, for violations of state consumer protection laws relating to unlawful leasing practices and deceptive marketing. An investigation into Rent-A-Center’s “kiosk” business that operates out of traditional retail stores found that the company used an inflated “cash price” for products that was 15% higher than the retail price, potentially costing consumers hundreds of extra dollars, among other violations. As part of the stipulated judgment resolving the Attorney General’s investigation, Rent-A-Center will be required to comply with significant injunctive terms to deter future misconduct, pay $13.5 million in restitution to California consumers, and pay $2 million in civil penalties
Today’s judgment will substantially reform Rent-A-Center’s Preferred Lease business model and deter future misconduct with extensive injunctive terms, including:
Cash Price Markup: Rent-A-Center is prohibited from charging a cash-price markup. The cash price must match the price advertised to the customer by the retailer;
Returns: Rent-A-Center is prohibited from preventing or limiting customer returns in any way;
Marketing: Rent-A-Center must clearly and conspicuously disclose that its Preferred Lease program is a rental-purchase transaction. Rent-A-Center must also provide each customer with a “Know Your Rights” document informing consumers about various key terms of their rental-purchase agreement;
Employee Training: Rent-A-Center must train employees regarding the Karnette Act generally as well as the specific injunctive terms in the settlement;
Monitoring and Reporting: Rent-A-Center will be required to prepare annual reports for the Attorney General describing its efforts to comply with the settlement for three years; and
$15.5 Million Payment: Rent-A-Center must provide $13.5 million in restitution to the tens of thousands of Californians who entered into contracts containing the 15% upcharge. Rent-A-Center must also pay $2 million in civil penalties.
Customers who rented merchandise from Rent-A-Center through its “kiosk” business located inside traditional retailers are eligible for restitution. Eligible individuals will receive a notice at their last known mailing address
Bactrim Ordering refers to access information for Bactrim, the combination antibiotic sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, used in selected bacterial infections such as some urinary tract, respiratory, and skin infections. It is a prescription medicine whose suitability depends on the infection being treated, the patient’s medical history, and the likelihood that the bacteria involved will respond to it.
Review current Bactrim offer details and ordering requirements in one place.
Check product information, prescription handling, and listed price before checkout.
Because antibiotics need diagnosis and appropriate selection, Bactrim online ordering should be approached as a medication review process rather than a simple retail purchase. Product labeling, prescriber guidance, and pharmacy checkout requirements matter, especially when allergies, kidney issues, drug interactions, or prior antibiotic reactions are part of the picture.
What Bactrim is and when it may be used
Bactrim combines two antibacterial agents, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, to block bacterial growth through complementary mechanisms. That combination has made it a long-standing option in clinical practice for specific bacterial infections when the organism is expected to be susceptible.
It may be used in certain urinary tract infections, some respiratory tract infections, selected skin and soft tissue infections, and other prescriber-directed indications. Even though it has broad antibacterial activity, it is not appropriate for every infection, and it does not treat viral illnesses such as colds or flu.
Active ingredients: sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim
Drug class: sulfonamide-containing antibiotic combination
Common dosage forms: tablets and oral suspension
Practical use points before starting treatment
The main value of Bactrim depends on correct matching of the drug to the infection. For uncomplicated use, patients are typically expected to follow the exact directions on the prescription label, keep the dosing schedule consistent, and finish the full course unless a clinician tells them to stop.
Hydration can matter during treatment, and any new or worsening symptoms should be reviewed rather than assumed to be part of the infection. If symptoms fail to improve, return quickly, or become more severe, reassessment may be needed because the cause may be resistant bacteria or a different condition entirely.
Take only as directed on the label or by the prescriber
Complete the full course unless instructed otherwise
Do not use leftover antibiotics for a new illness
Seek reassessment if symptoms worsen or do not improve
Safety issues that matter with Bactrim
Bactrim should be reviewed carefully in anyone with a history of sulfonamide allergy, significant kidney disease, certain blood disorders, or prior severe drug reactions. It also deserves extra caution in older adults and in people taking other medicines that can affect potassium, kidney function, or blood counts.
This medicine should be used only under appropriate medical supervision. Self-treatment with antibiotics can delay proper diagnosis and contributes to antimicrobial resistance, which makes later infections harder to treat.
Review allergy history before use
Tell the prescriber about kidney problems or blood disorders
Provide a full medication list to check for interactions
Use antibiotics only for confirmed or strongly suspected bacterial infection
Interaction and suitability checks before online ordering
Before Bactrim online ordering, the most useful step is to confirm that the order process includes medication screening or prescription handling consistent with local rules. This is especially important if the patient takes medicines that can interact with Bactrim or has conditions that require dose adjustment or monitoring.
The medication guide, product labeling, and pharmacy information page should be reviewed for contraindications, warnings, and administration instructions. If a listed service appears to bypass clinical review for a prescription antibiotic, that is a reason to pause and verify legitimacy before checkout.
Check whether a valid prescription is required
Review pharmacy licensing and contact information
Read the product labeling and patient information leaflet
Confirm how suitability, allergies, and current medicines are screened
Common side effects and when to get help
Common side effects can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, reduced appetite, and mild rash or itching. Many people tolerate treatment reasonably well, but any side effect that is persistent, severe, or worsening should be discussed promptly.
Urgent medical evaluation is needed for signs of a serious allergic reaction, extensive rash, breathing difficulty, severe skin symptoms, unusual bruising or bleeding, marked weakness, or other unexpected reactions. Because rare but important adverse effects can occur, patients should not ignore significant changes during treatment.
Common: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
Possible mild reactions: rash or itching
Get urgent help for severe rash, trouble breathing, or major allergic symptoms
Contact a clinician for unusual bruising, bleeding, or pronounced weakness
What to look for on a Bactrim ordering page
A useful ordering page should make the strength, dosage form, prescription status, and fulfillment terms easy to review before purchase. It should also explain what information is needed at checkout, how prescriptions are handled, and where patients can find the official medication details.
Price can be one factor, but it should not be the only one. The better comparison points are whether the pharmacy provides clear product information, transparent checkout requirements, and a credible process for prescription verification and patient support.
Compare dosage form and strength carefully
Review listed price together with prescription handling
Check delivery terms and pharmacy support details
Avoid offers that promise antibiotic access without appropriate review
Common questions about Bactrim Ordering
Can Bactrim be used for every urinary or respiratory infection?
No. Bactrim is useful only for certain bacterial infections and only when the likely organism is susceptible. Proper diagnosis and local resistance patterns matter.
Is Bactrim online ordering the same as safe self-treatment?
No. Ordering access does not replace diagnosis, prescribing review, or pharmacy screening. Antibiotics should be selected and used under appropriate medical supervision.
What should I read before taking Bactrim?
Review the prescription label, patient information leaflet, and any product labeling provided by the pharmacy, and discuss questions about dosing, allergies, interactions, or side effects with a clinician or pharmacist.
Ciprofloxacin on this page refers to the topical eye and ear drop form commonly known as Ciloxan, not the oral tablet products that use different strengths and indications. It is an antibacterial fluoroquinolone used for certain bacterial eye infections, corneal ulcers, and selected ear infections when the infecting organisms are susceptible.
Review the current offer for ciprofloxacin eye and ear drops and confirm the product details before checkout.
Check listed price, delivery terms, and any suitability or prescription requirements on the order page.
The product contains ciprofloxacin hydrochloride and is supplied as an ophthalmic and otic solution. Because suitability depends on the infection site, patient age, allergy history, and the need for medical review in some ear conditions, the safest way to buy ciprofloxacin online is to match the order to the labeled topical use rather than assume all ciprofloxacin products are interchangeable.
What this ciprofloxacin product is used for
This formulation is intended for topical use in the eyes or ears. In ophthalmic use, it is indicated for corneal ulcers and superficial infections of the eye and its adnexa caused by bacteria susceptible to ciprofloxacin. In otic use, it is used for acute otitis externa and for acute otitis media with drainage through a tympanostomy tube when the causative bacteria are susceptible.
Ciprofloxacin works by inhibiting bacterial DNA gyrase, an enzyme needed for bacterial DNA synthesis. That mechanism gives it activity against many gram-negative organisms, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and against selected gram-positive organisms such as staphylococci and streptococci.
The page brief also notes that oral ciprofloxacin tablets exist under separate brand names and strengths, but those are different products. Buyers should not substitute tablets for eye or ear drops or assume the same dosing instructions apply across formulations.
How to use ciprofloxacin eye or ear drops correctly
For bacterial superficial eye infections in adults, adolescents, and older patients, the standard ophthalmic dose described in the brief is 1 to 2 drops into the affected eye or eyes 4 times daily. In severe eye infections, dosing may be increased to 1 to 2 drops every 2 hours during the daytime for the first 2 days, followed by the prescribed course. Typical treatment duration is 7 to 14 days.
If more than one topical eye medicine is being used, leave an interval between applications. The brief supports at least 5 minutes between topical ocular medicines, and 10 to 15 minutes is specified for concomitant ophthalmic therapy in the dosing directions. Avoid touching the bottle tip to the eye, eyelids, ear, fingers, or nearby surfaces to reduce contamination.
For eye infections, contact lenses should not be worn during treatment. The solution contains benzalkonium chloride, which can irritate the eye and discolor soft contact lenses. If temporary blurred vision happens after instillation, wait until vision clears before driving or operating machinery.
Use only the topical route intended for the product you receive.
Do not touch the dropper tip to the eye, ear, skin, or any surface.
Leave spacing between multiple eye medications.
Do not wear contact lenses while treating an active eye infection.
Who should avoid it and what to watch during treatment
This product should not be used in patients with hypersensitivity to ciprofloxacin, other quinolones, or any component of the formulation. Serious hypersensitivity reactions have been reported with quinolone therapy, so treatment should be stopped at the first sign of rash or another allergic reaction and urgent medical care sought if symptoms are severe.
Prolonged antibacterial use may allow overgrowth of non-susceptible bacteria or fungi. If symptoms worsen, fail to improve, or new irritation appears, reassessment is appropriate. The brief also notes that tendon inflammation and rupture are associated with systemic fluoroquinolones; for topical Ciloxan, treatment should be discontinued at the first sign of tendon inflammation.
Use in infants under 1 year is limited for eye drops and not established for ear drops. In newborns with gonococcal or chlamydial ophthalmia neonatorum, this product is not recommended as routine treatment. Pregnancy data are limited, and the brief advises avoiding use during pregnancy when possible; breastfeeding requires caution because ciprofloxacin is known to appear in breast milk after oral administration.
Do not use if you have a known ciprofloxacin or quinolone allergy.
Stop use and seek advice if rash, swelling, breathing difficulty, or severe irritation occurs.
Seek review if symptoms persist, recur, or suggest fungal or resistant infection.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding should be discussed with a clinician before use.
Possible side effects and interaction considerations
Reported adverse effects in the brief include stye, rhinitis, dysgeusia, headache, dizziness, corneal deposits, eye discomfort, ocular hyperemia, photophobia, itching, increased lacrimation, and eye discharge. Not every patient experiences side effects, but persistent discomfort or worsening symptoms should be evaluated rather than treated as routine irritation.
Because systemic absorption is low after topical ocular or otic use, clinically significant drug interactions are considered unlikely. The practical exception is concurrent use of other topical eye medicines, where spacing doses helps avoid washout and supports proper administration.
Overdose is not expected to produce toxic effects when the drops are used externally as directed, and accidental ingestion of a single bottle is not expected to cause the kind of exposure seen with systemic ciprofloxacin. Even so, misuse, repeated overapplication, or use in the wrong site should prompt professional advice.
Low systemic absorption means interaction risk is lower than with oral ciprofloxacin.
Separate topical eye products by the advised interval.
Worsening pain, swelling, or discharge should not be ignored.
What to check before you buy ciprofloxacin online
When you buy ciprofloxacin online, confirm that the listing matches the topical eye and ear drop formulation rather than oral tablets. The useful checkpoints are the dosage form, the active ingredient strength, the labeled infection type, and any notes about age restrictions, pregnancy precautions, or clinician review for ear symptoms.
Commercial details can vary by seller, so use the offer page to verify the listed price, pack details, checkout requirements, and delivery terms before placing an order. If your symptoms involve significant pain, visual change, facial swelling, fever, trauma, or a suspected perforated eardrum without prior diagnosis, medical assessment is more important than speed of purchase.
For a responsible online purchase, keep the patient information leaflet and product labeling for reference during use. That is particularly important when more than one topical medicine is being used or when treatment is being given to a child.
Check that the product is eye/ear drops, not tablets.
Confirm the strength and intended indication on the listing.
Review checkout requirements and delivery information on the offer page.
Use product labeling and the patient leaflet during treatment.
Prescription and suitability notes
The source brief includes marketing language claiming over-the-counter purchase without a prescription, but availability rules depend on jurisdiction, pharmacy policy, and the exact product listing. That means buyers should not assume identical access in every market without checking the seller’s stated requirements.
Because antibacterial drops are used for defined bacterial conditions, a pharmacist or prescriber may still need to confirm suitability, especially for eye pain with reduced vision, recurrent infection, persistent ear drainage, very young children, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or a history of quinolone allergy. Where a prescription, questionnaire, or review step applies, it should be completed before ordering.
Common questions about ciprofloxacin
Is this the same as oral Cipro tablets?
No. This page is about topical ciprofloxacin eye and ear drops. Oral tablet products use different strengths, indications, and dosing.
Can I use the drops while wearing contact lenses?
No. Contact lenses should not be worn during treatment for an eye infection, and the formulation contains benzalkonium chloride, which may irritate the eye and discolor soft lenses.
Are drug interactions common with topical ciprofloxacin?
They are considered unlikely because systemic absorption is low, but multiple topical eye medicines should be spaced apart during administration.
As the state’s drought conditions continue to worsen, Californians have been asked to voluntarily reduce water use by 15%. If conservation efforts don’t improve this summer, the state could be forced to impose mandatory water restrictions throughout the state.
California is feeling the impacts of climate change like never before – cycles of extreme heat and weather variability, long periods of drought and low snowpack are putting California on the cusp of the worst drought in our state’s history. Today, more than 95% of the state is in “severe drought,” and we simply do not have enough water to meet the needs of California’s homes, businesses, farms and wildlife. Continue reading Save Water, Save California→
Winner 2012 artwork design by Sandy Gold of Grass Valley
The Nevada County Fairgrounds Board of Directors voted Tuesday evening to cancel the 2020 Nevada County Fair due to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The Board also voted to authorize an online junior livestock and ag mechanics auction.
The vote comes after delaying the decision two weeks ago following Governor Newsom’s same-day announcement that California was moving rapidly into the next reopening stage. Since that meeting, the Fairgrounds Board and staff discussed the feasibility of different options with various Fair partners, communicated with State and public health officials, and further reviewed the Governor’s executive orders and updated guidance regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and mass gatherings.
The sky may be infinite, and the oceans are vast. But land is finite, and there is a shortage of it to build homes on, accord to a recent NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index report.
The survey asked a panel of single-family builders to categorize the supply of lots in their market areas as “very high,” “high,” “normal,” “low,” or “very low,” as well as giving them an option to say they didn’t know or were not sure. NAHB’s Paul Emrath says, “In response, 58 percent of builders said the supply of lots was low (40 percent) or very low (18 percent). This is down somewhat from the all-time peak of 65 percent in September of 2018, but higher than it had been at any time before 2013 (NAHB has been asking the same lot supply questions on its HMI survey periodically since 1997).”
Housing starts, after averaging 1.5 million from 1960-2007 and hitting a peak of 2 million in 2005, has recovered only to about 1.2 million a year. If you compare the boom period in August of 2005, the share of builders characterizing lot supply as low or very low was 53 percent — 5 percentage points below the latest number.
According to Emrath’s article, in September of 2019, the lot shortages tended to be especially acute in the most desirable locations — not a surprise. That shortage tends to increase lot prices and reduce lot sizes. Visit any new subdivision in a desirable area, and the most affordable homes are increasingly on smaller lots. Census data show that the median size of new home lots remains near a record low, while the median price of new home lots is at a record high. All of this is a huge reason for the lack of affordable housing. And no one we know is creating more buildable land.
The real
estate tide is turning, according to Fortune Magazine’s Chris
Morris. What was once a seller’s market, complete with frenzied offers and
multiple bidding, is beginning to smooth a bit, becoming what Realtors refer to
as a “balanced market” where homes stay on the market a tad longer, and buyers
actually have a chance to negotiate.
The National
Association of Realtors says existing home sales in January dropped to their
lowest level in three years, with existing home sales down 1.2% to an
adjusted annual rate of 4.94 million units last month. That’s below analyst
expectations and an 8.5% drop from a year ago. According to their stats, only
the Northeast saw a rise in sales activity.
And while
home prices are still showing increases, they’re nowhere close to the rise
we saw in recent years. The median price of an existing house climbed
2.8% in January to $247,500, the smallest increase since February 2012.
According to the article, prices have increased for 83 consecutive months, but
experts are now saying that trend could be ending. All that means is that
buyers now have a chance to participate in the American Dream.
“The number
of homes on the market is starting to rise, too, meaning buyers have a
wider selection to choose from,” says Morris. “In January, there were 1.59
million previously owned homes on the market, compared to 1.53 million in
December. The average home stayed on the market 49 days, a week longer than
January 2018.” Forbes real estate also predicts the wave of
first-time home buyer demand will be met by somewhat higher inventory levels than
in 2018, according to a year-end article by Aly Yale.
Morris goes
on to cite the NAR’s chief economist, Lawrence Yun: “Moderating home prices
combined with gains in household income will boost housing affordability,
bringing more buyers to the market in the coming months.”
So if you’ve
got a house on the market, patience is a virtue, along with pricing it to sell.
And if you’re in the market to buy, prepare to have more to choose from.
Source: Fortune, Forbes, NAR, TBWS
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this website going
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As the baby boomer generation has aged, it has also stayed put. And for all the innovations builders and product manufacturers have come up with to help seniors “age in place.” they may have also made it difficult for would-be homebuyers, causing a lack of housing inventory.
According to a new report from Freddie Mac, 2019 will see a significant shortage of available homes here in the U.S., failing to meet needs by 2.5 million units. It doesn’t help that at the same time millennials are buying fewer homes at this point in their lives compared with previous generations at similar periods.
As seniors continue to prefer to stay where they are as the optimal way to live out their remaining years, housing inventory has tightened nationally. According to the report, for people between the ages of 67 and 87, homeownership rates dropped by 11.6 percent for previous generations but only 3.6 percent for the current (leading edge) generation of seniors, identified as having been born between 1931 and 1941.
New advances in information technology may be the culprit, as well as accessibility to better healthcare and education, with the report crediting those advancements as “boosting and extending” housing demand among seniors. The result? The current senior generation has become much slower in transitioning out of homeownership than prior generations.
The U.S. Census Bureau says lost units will need to be replenished at a rate of 350,000 homes per year in order to bring the market to a “well-functioning” status. “Vacant homes increase liquidity in the market, enable prospective buyers to find a match, and give prospective sellers confidence to list their home for sale,” the Freddie Mac report states. “Vacancy rates are an important indicator of housing market vitality. Too high a vacancy rate reflects a moribund market, while too low of a rate reduces the efficiency of the marketplace.”
While this does not bode well for home shoppers, it will boost spending on renovations, according to Chief Economist Sam Kater. “We believe the additional demand for homeownership from seniors aging in place will increase the relative price of owning versus renting, making renting more attractive to younger generations.” If that is true, however, those in a position to purchase the limited number of homes available may well see their property values increase more quickly than anticipated.
Two cats in Silicon Valley are the pampered renters and sole occupiers of a $1,500 per month studio.
The landlord says the cats haven’t made much
fuss, keep to themselves, lounge around in a cat tree most of the day, and
always pay their rent on time—the prrrrfect tenants, you might say.
“It’s quirky isn’t it?” landlord David
Callisch told CBS San Francisco (KPIX). “People love their pets, they’re part
of their family.”
The father of Victoria Amith, a freshman at
Azusa Pacific University in Southern California is paying for his daughter’s
cats to have their own pad because she couldn’t take the cats, Louise and Tina,
to her dorm with her when she started school. The man’s fiancé’s dog and
the cats weren’t getting along at his home in the Bay Area, so
he approached Callisch and offered to rent the studio, located behind a
single-family home in Willow Glen, Calif., for the pets.
Studios in Willow Glen typically rent for just
under $2,000 per month, KPIX reports, so the cats are getting a
bargain at $1,500. Callisch feeds the cats every day. Amith visits them on
breaks from school.
Amith emphasizes that the cats are using space in someone’s backyard and that the arrangement is temporary “There’s obviously a huge housing issue in the area, and I don’t want people to be like, ‘Oh, this is taking away the housing,’” Amith told KPIX.
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Real estate transactions in today’s world often involve the wiring or electronic funds transfer (EFT) of money to complete a deal. Previous consumer alerts have referenced or covered wire fraud in timeshare transactions and fraud against seniors.
Wire transfers and EFT’s in real estate purchase
transactions have become the targets of criminals who interject themselves into
a real estate transaction by posing as a party in the transaction. In these
cases, the criminal often takes on the identity of a title or escrow company or
real estate agent in the transaction and provides legitimate-looking
instructions directing the buyer where to wire or transfer funds. These
instructions result in the wiring or transfer of funds to the criminal’s bank
account, often overseas, and the immediate loss of thousands, or hundreds of
thousands, of dollars to the victim.
These are sophisticated, professional-looking attacks on your real estate
transactions, and you need to be on the lookout. Cyber criminals may convincingly
take on the identity of legitimate parties to your transaction, using authentic-looking
logos and personal details in communications, in order to make
you or your clients feel comfortable. It is best to be safe in how you respond, and to
assume that your transaction is being targeted. What can you and your clients do to avoid such
criminal activity?
1. Whenever possible, use alternatives to wire transfers
or EFT’s, such as cashier’s checks, and get a receipt. For smaller transactions,
make the payment in person by check or credit card and get a receipt, as these
payment sources provide you with proof of payment.
2. Obtain phone numbers and account numbers of real estate
agents and escrow-holders at the beginning of the real estate transaction, and
use those numbers throughout the transaction.
3. Even if it looks or sounds legitimate, do not act on a change of
wiring or EFT instructions that you receive electronically (via e-mail) or via
phone call. If your real estate transaction will utilize wiring or EFT of funds, and
you (or your client) receive an instruction change about wiring or EFT of funds, call
the real estate agent or escrow officer by phone at the known number you
obtained at the start of the transaction and verify new instructions before
sending money. Better yet, if there is a wiring or EFT instruction change,
instead make payment in person using cashier’s check!
4. Do not send personal information (bank account numbers,
credit card numbers, social security numbers, and financial details) by personal
e-mail or text. Take steps to use a secure, encrypted site to send personal
information, or provide this information in person.
If you (or your clients) are victimized, it is critical that you or your client contact your depository institution and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) immediately in order to have a chance at halting the criminal transfer. File a report with the FBI by calling a local FBI office or reporting online at FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. Their web site is: bec.ic3.gov
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