Marketplace

Want profits? Put some women in the boardroom

Females are a factor when it comes to big profits. A new study shows companies with the greatest number of women board members usually have significantly better financial performance. The report is being released today by Catalyst, a nonprofit group that promotes women in executive roles. Catalyst looked at financial results, such as return on equity, at the 500 largest U.S. corporations. Those with at least three women directors had notably stronger results on average. The correlation was found throughout a variety of industries.

Jobs

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What's Radiohead worth to you?

Radiohead's known for creating innovative music. But this time, the band's drumming up buzz about what will be lacking when the album "In Rainbows" comes out on the 10th. There's no record label and there's no retail price. You'll only be able to buy "In Rainbows" as a digital download through the band's website. And when you start the on-line purchase process a question mark will pop up where you'd normally see a price. Instead, the words "it's up to you" will show up. Really: If you don't want to pay anything at all, "it's up to you."

Entertainment International Internet Retail

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Not letting Apple off easy

A lot of iPhone owners were pretty ticked off when Apple slashed the price of its super gadget by 200 bucks just two months after its debut. A woman in New York is so peeved about the whole thing she wants a million dollars in damages. She claims in a federal court lawsuit Apple violated price discrimination laws. But Apple not only cut the price on the eight-gigabyte iPhone, it also stopped selling the four-gigabyte model. That's the one the woman bought. She alleges owners of the four-gig phone were given less-favorable terms than those that bought the other one at the premium price.

Retail

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Who says eBayers can get away with anything?

eBay has a warning for sellers posting items that have been recalled: Stop doing it or we'll kick you off our site. eBay's also providing links to the government's database of recalled goods and asking shoppers to be more careful about what they're bidding on. A random check of the site today shows more than a hundred listings for a product recalled late last month for excessive levels of lead. eBay's call for more diligence comes after several high-profile recalls over recent months involving at least 21 million toys.

Innovation

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Verizon: iCopy that

It's not an iPhone, but it's cheaper and it might fool some of your friends. The Voyager is Verizon's new phone. It sure looks a little like the iPhone. It's got the large touch sensitive screen, the camera, the media player. It's a little thicker though, but that's because it opens up to show a keyboard and a second screen. It can also shoot video and Verizon's wireless network is faster than ATT's. You've got a couple of months to decide before the holidays.

Retail

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Republicans purple over free trade

The dividing line between red and blue may be more like purple haze when it comes to free trade. A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News Poll shows 6 in 10 Republicans believe free trade has been bad for the U.S. It's a shift in opinion that sounds a lot like the Democratic point of view on globalization. The top GOP presidential candidates are still pushing free trade, but the poll shows most Republicans would agree with a candidate that backed tougher regulations on foreign imports.

Politics

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If only it got rid of morning breath, too.

If you've ever slept in the same room with someone who snores, you know there's only so many times you can gently tap the person to stop. Now, there's a pillow that can do the work for you. A German scientist has invented a computerized pillow that shifts the head's sleeping position until the noise stops. There's a computer about the size of a book that's attached to the pillow. It senses snores, then changes nasal airflow by reducing or enlarging air compartments within the pillow. Several U.S. companies are said to be interested in manufacturing it. The ergonomic pillow also has another use: neck massages.

Innovation

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Give me a home where the buffalo . . . are snacks

If you need a mid-day snack, why not some bison and berries? Put them together and you've got the latest energy bar on the market -- the Tanka Bar. The jerky-like offering comes from an American Indian-owned company and is made with South Dakota bison and Wisconsin cranberries. One of the owners of the bar's manufacturer says the new product signals getting back to a healthy lifestyle with the help of the buffalo that had provided meat, utensils, and clothing for thousands of years. Bison and cranberry trail mix will also be available soon.

Retail

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Some GE employees looking into dim future

As more energy-efficient lightbulbs switch on across the globe, General Electric will switch off facilities making old-fashioned bulbs. The Wall Street Journal reports GE will shutter 7 of 54 plants and warehouses that deal with the company's 128-year-old incandescent bulb business. The closings are expected to happen by November of next year and will mean about 1,500 layoffs. GE previously laid off 3,000 employees in the incandescent unit.

Jobs

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Tech market has double the Crackberries

We know e-mail can be monitored too, especially at work. The must-have gadget for mobile e-mailing is the Blackberry. It's been dubbed the "Crackberry" because of its addictive nature. Seems the addiction is spreading. Last night, Research in Motion, the Canadian maker of the Blackberry, reported sales and profit in the latest quarter more than doubled from last year. There's been strong demand for the Blackberry Curve. It's got a music and video player, and a camera of similar quality to the iPhone.

Innovation

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When the cookie is no longer sweet

The fortune cookie with its optimistic messages has become a staple of the Chinese restaurant. One fortune cookie maker has started to reform those trite little bits of wisdom, with new messages like, "Today is a disastrous day." The maker of the less-cryptic treats is America's largest fortune cookie maker: Wonton Food. The company churns out 4.5 million cookies a day. The company reportedly hopes the cookies will "be a little bit more value-added" with messages like: "It's over your head now. Time to get some professional help."

Entertainment

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I won it for . . . um . . . eBay science

Winning a Pulitzer prize is a rare and precious thing. So why could you buy one on eBay last week? New York's NewsDay would like to know. NewsDay was tipped off that three of their Pulitzer medals sold at auction for $15,000. Impossible, the newspaper said -- those medals are locked in a safe. But when the safe was opened -- indeed, the Pulitzers were missing. The FBI is investigating.

Crime - Law

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Stop a car thief in action

General Motors will soon be able to tell stolen cars to "freeze." Some 2009 models with the GM OnStar service will feature new technology that can bring a car to a halt. If a vehicle is stolen, OnStar's GPS system will be used to find it. That actually already happens up to 800 times a month with cars that have OnStar. But with the new version, if police see the stolen car moving and think it can be stopped safely, they can tell OnStar operators to slow it to a complete stop.

Auto Industry Innovation

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How do you say 'You're fired' in Malay?

The reality TV impresario Mark Burnett may soon be producing an Asian version of "The Apprentice." Burnett has formed a 50-50 joint venture with a gaming group in Singapore to produce game shows and reality TV in Asia. The partners plan to invest $20 million in the firm as part of a 10-year exclusive deal that covers all of Asia except Japan.

Asia Entertainment International

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Something's brewing in the beer industry

Nothing like a little beer in the morning -- or, news of a big beer merger. Brewski makers SABMiller and Molson Coors announced today they're bringing their U.S. operations together. The new company will be called "MillerCoors" with a projected revenue of nearly $7 billion, competing with beer leader Anheuser-Busch.

Wall Street

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How low can they go?

A new survey of economists out today chopped forecasts for 2008 economic growth for a third straight month. The Blue Chip Economic Indicators newsletter says the latest consensus is a 2.4 percent gain next year. That's down from a 2.6 projection from last month, and a 2.8 expansion in August. You get the idea. Economists blame the housing slump, saying it's going to be deeper and last longer than first expected.

The Economy

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Corn has its problems, too

All that corn that's being produced for ethanol is a mess. A report out today from the National Research Council finds water quality and availability are threatened by an increased production of corn. A goal in increase corn production for ethanol by six times would equal a lot more fertizilizers in pesticides released into rivers and oceans. It takes 2,000 gallons of water for every bushel of corn.

Sustainability

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There's truth to the saying

The phrase "the rich keep getting richer" seems to be tossed around a lot.
But today, the Wall Street Journal shows it's so very true. The paper analyzed new data from the IRS and found the richest 1 percent of Americans earned a postwar record of more than 21 percent of all income in 2005. The Internal Revenue Service didn't name the source of rising cash for the affluent, but said a boom on Wall Street probably had something to do with it.

The Economy

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I can't find my boarding pass. Will you text it to me?

Instead of fumbling through your bag to find your boarding pass at the airport, soon you may be able to just reach for your cell phone instead. The International Air Transport Association has announced a new bar code standard that would allow passengers to register their mobile numbers with an airline and receive a text message that would be scanned by check-in staff. Carriers like Continental and Southwest say they're interested in making the switch, but first feds handling airport security need to decide if it's OK.

Innovation Travel

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Fox News is in business

The new addition to Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp debuts this morning. The channel is attempting to capitalize on a growing market for business news. The channel is set to air some 30 million homes in the U.S. and is attempting to compete with CNBC. Murdoch drafted Roger Ailes, who formerly ran CNBC, to help develop programming at Fox.

Entertainment

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Singapore: Your Airbus has arrived

European planemaker Airbus turns over the keys of its long-awaited A380 jumbo jet today. Singapore Airlines is the first airliner to collect the jet -- 18 months behind schedule. Delays cost Airbus $8.5 billion. The company now says it is on track to to deliver 13 aircraft next year. Singapore Airlines says the plane will begin flights to Sydney later this month. The first A380 will have space for nearly 500 passengers and include 12 luxury suits for first class travelers.

Asia International Travel

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Cashing in on his fame

September 11 may have made Rudy Giuliani famous, but he's limiting those links when it comes to campaign contributions. The former mayor of New York has been receiving checks for $9.11 cents and even one for $911. According to political contributions reported this quarter, Giuliani has been returning the checks. The Republican candidate was criticized after supporters in California tried to hold a "$9.11 for Rudy" fundraiser. Apparently some considered it in poor taste.

Politics

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A really FAT burrito

If you're looking for a nice, light breakfast, Hardees may not be the place to stop this morning. Hardees' new Country Breakfast Burrito has bacon, sausage, ham, cheese, hash browns and gravy in it. It's got over 900 calories and 60 grams of fat. Hardees is already taking flak for its Thickburgers. They're 1,400 calories. The Center for Science in the Public Interest calls them Food Porn. But Hardees makes no apologies. A spokesman says the Country Breakfast Burrito is really designed to fill you up.

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Old-school piracy is making a comeback

Piracy is up 14 percent this year. And this time, I don't mean DVDs or counterfeit purses. I don't think they wear eye patches anymore, but piracy is booming off the coast of Africa and the waters of Indonesia. Somalia has been a particular hot-spot this year. Political instability there has led to a big increase -- 37 attacks this year.

Crime - Law

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We don't recommend you try this

Ever tried to pull one of your own teeth? It hurts just to think about it. In Britain, a survey of more then 5,000 patients found that 6 percent of them have resorted at some point to self-treatment. One person took out 14 of his teeth with pliers. And others just decided to use a little super-glue on crowns after they popped off. Behind the scary tales -- there is a shortage of dentists in Britain's National Health Service. A good number of them have been leaving the system after the government introduced some reforms in 2006. And by now, 45 percent of dentists don't accept National Health Patients anymore.

Europe Health International

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Wii taking Sony's sales

It's pretty clear Sony is losing the battle against Nintendo's Wii. So, Sony's cutting the price of the Playstation 3 one more time. A $400 version goes on sale November 2. Is that something you might be interested in? Still, the Wii sells for $250. And the Xbox 360 goes for $300 to $400.

Entertainment Retail

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More problems for Countrywide

As if mortgage-lender Countrywide Financial didn't have enough trouble. The subprime crisis lopped half the value of Countrywide stock this year. And now the SEC is informally investigating stock sales by the company's CEO. Angelo Mozilo gained $132 million in pre-arranged sales months before Countrywide shares plummeted.

Wall Street

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Google is expensive

Google reported earnings yesterday. The company made a billion dollars in the third quarter, a 46 percent increase over the same period last year beating analysts' already high expectations. Google stock is up 39 percent so far in 2007. A single Google stock will cost you $639 these days.

Wall Street

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'It's so good . . . it SUX'

If you fly into Sioux City, Iowa, you fly into an airport with the identity code "SUX." Not exactly the most flattering name. City leaders had planned to scrap the code, but airport trustees turned down alternatives proposed by the FAA. So city leaders have come up with a new plan: embrace it. They've come up with a new marketing campaign. T-shirts, caps will sport a new slogan: "Fly SUX."

Marketing - Advertising Travel

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The new competition goes wireless-less

Here's one more way to get video from your computer to your TV. SanDisk is entering the competition today. But unlike Apple or TiVo, no wireless home networks involved here. SanDisk will offer an online video service and a USB flash drive that will do the trick. You plug the USB drive in your computer, drag the videos you want into it, and walk over to the TV. The drive connects to the TV through a small dock. Sort of like the way you may carry documents form work to home on a USB stick? The only little problem: for now, the SanDisk service only offers about 85 TV tittles.

Entertainment Innovation

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Sharing no longer against the Microsoft code

Microsoft's code for the Windows operating system is closely guarded. That's been a problem for so-called open-source software developers. They want the code. It would help them design programs to run more smoothly with Windows. The European Commission ruled against Microsoft in 2004 for being anti-competitive. But now, Microsoft made a major reversal in a deal with the E.C. They'll share the code with open-source developers.

Science - Technology

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Germany: Take down the auto wall

For nearly 50 years, Germany has shielded automaker Volkswagen from a takeover.
That protections may be over today. The European Union's highest court has ruled that Germany's shield law is illegal. This ruling has another German carmaker -- Porsche -- revving its engines. Porsche already owns about 31 percent of VW, but under Germany's law, its voting share had been limited to 20 percent. Porsche has been buying VW shares for at least two years and maintains a credit line as it looks to purchase the giant Volkswagen.

Europe International

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One last trolley-bell toll for thee

Rice-A-Roni was created in the late 1950's by Vincent DeDomenico, ason of Italian immigrants. Family members of DeDomenico confirmed yesterday that he died this past week. He was 92. DeDomenico turned an Armenian rice recipe into a dinner-table staple across America. His family sold the business in the 1980s for Quaker Oats as part of a deal worth $300 million.

Work and Family

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Sometimes, you just gotta go . . .

Looking for a new accessory for your car? How about a toilet? A Japanese company just unveiled one. I mean, a car toilet. "Very handy during major disasters such as earthquakes or when you are caught in a traffic jam." That's what the company says. Not sure about earthquakes but… I can see how someone might get desperate in a traffic jam. The product is basically a cardboard toilet bowl, with a water-absorbent sheet inside. And a curtain. You can also take it with you if you wish, the thing fits inside a suitcase.

Asia Innovation International Travel

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BP's down, but not that down

The skyrocketing price of oil isn't helping gasoline prices. BP reported its third quarter profit slumped 29 percent -- its poorest performance in almost three years. The gasoline company has faced temporary shutdowns and high maintenance costs at its refineries. Don't cry for BP yet -- it still made off with $4.4 billion in the third quarter.

Wall Street

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Wii got money

Looks like Nintendo's plan to take over the video gaming market are working so far. It's first half of the year profits nearly tripled form a year earlier. The Japanese company is also revising its forecast for the year to about $3.7 billion. And of course, the Nintendo Wii is responsible for all these profits. The latest sign of the console's dominance came earlier this month when the developer of "Monster Hunter," one of those blockbuster games, said it's offering a Wii version. Before, you could only get it for the Sony Playstation.

Entertainment

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If you're out of excuses, just buy some more

Do you really want to go into work today? An Oklahoma company called the Excused Absence Network sells notes that just might get you out of that big presentation. For around $25, the company sells a fake jury summons, funeral service authentication or a note that appears to come from a doctor's office -- even an emergency room. Be careful how you use them though -- a New Jersey woman was arrested after using one of company's excuses to skip a traffic court hearing.

Innovation Work and Family

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Wildfires cooked California avocado crop

Get ready to pay more for your guacamole. One major casualty of the fires in Southern California may be the avocado trees that went up in smoke. Officials estimate 20,000, at least a third of California's avocado crop burned in the fires. California's avocado crop is usually worth more than a billion dollars each year. The state is responsible for a big portion of the nation's avocado production. That means the price of avocados could climb sky-high -- just in time for the Super Bowl.

Agriculture

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A greener France by 2020

France has been accused of not being as green as its European neighbors. But French President Nicolas Sarkozy seems to want get rid of that reputation. Yesterday, he promised a green revolution -- with Al Gore by his side, Sarkozy said that by 2020, all new buildings would be required to produce more energy than they consume. He talked about taxing trucks carrying freight across France, and he even played with the idea of imposing higher taxes on products from countries that did not sign the Kyoto Protocol.

Europe Innovation International Politics Sustainability

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This is why you shouldn't mix beer with politics

When you hear the name Samuel Adams, you might think of the Boston-based beer. Residents of Portland, Oregon know another Sam Adams -- he's running for mayor. Now the brewing company is battling the mayor for his name. At issue are two websites registered to include the candidate's name. The brewing company wrote a letter claiming it has held a trademark to the name since 1984. Trouble is, the mayor candidate says he's laid claim to the name since 1963 -- the year he was born.

Marketing - Advertising Politics

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Very expensive sewage

How'd you like to buy the rights to more than 800 million gallons of water? In the drought-ridden Southwest, that could be nothing short of miraculous. Unless that water was, well, in a rough state. A town in Arizona is auctioning off the rights to the water from its sewage plant today and tomorrow. Prescott Valley hopes to raise $53 million from the auction. The water will be filtered before it's pumped into anyone's homes. For now, three companies think that's no raw deal. And they've each made a $1 million deposit to show just how interested they are.

Sustainability

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Google comes calling

We knew Google had plans for a new cell phone. The Wall Street Journal reports it could be unveiled within the next two weeks. Google wants you do more with your cell phone when accessing the Internet. Maps, social networking and video sharing. Google phones are expected to hit the market next year. The company has already spoken to some handset makers. Google is also looking to partner with a wireless operator.

Internet

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When a lullaby just won't work...

What's the worst product you can think of? How about . . . sleeping pills targeting children? A watchdog called Consumers International just came out its list of the worst behavior by corporations. They put Takeda Pharmaceuticals at the top. Takeda makes a sleeping pill called Rozerum. The company advertised the drug by reminding people it was back to school season.
Mattel also made the list for making toys with too much lead in them. And Coca-Cola also got slammed for the way it markets Dansani bottled water. It comes from the same reservoirs as tap water.

Retail

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Looking for a home with a full rebate?

For the last year, a couple near Pittsburgh has been trying to sell their home: $400,000 for a four-bedroom. These days, it's been tough luck. So the couple, Bob and Ricki Husick, have come up with a deal: Buy the house now, and when Bob and Ricki pass away, get a full-cash back rebate. And if the buyer agrees to care for them in old age, inherit the couple's retirement home in Arizona.

Housing - Real Estate

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