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November 2007 Archives
No more ad space in the Super Bowl
The World Series is over. It'll be months before we know which teams face off for the Super Bowl. But if you were thinking you might get thirty-seconds of advertising during the game, think again. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that ad space for the highly lucrative event has already almost sold out. The buying craze is many yards ahead of previous years. Advertisers are hoping to get a piece of the big television events as many viewers turn to TiVo and away from commercials. Oh, and by the way: Just in case you were in the market for a 30-second spot, it'll run you $2.7 million.
I love Mom . . . and Dunlop
A new set of tires usually cost a couple hundred bucks. But how about a free set? The only trade off is that you will have to become a permanent billboard. Dunlop Tire is giving away a free set of tires if you are willing to be tattooed with the company logo or tire tread. The promotion started on Halloween. No word as to how many people were willing to give their bicep to the cause.
As if traveling wasn't expensive enough
The new U.S. passport laws have been a headache for many Americans hoping to travel to Mexico or Canada. Now, a congressional inquiry reveals all those shiny new passports may have been sprinkled with a little price gouging. Americans may have been overcharged by as much as $100 million a year. Each passport may have cost $14 more than it costs to produce. And now a couple of senators are calling for the government to account for those charges.
11/02/07 03:25 AM PT Posted on November 2, 2007 3:25 AM PTFat fears slim cereal profits
That cereal you're eating for breakfast may get crunched by a deal. The Wall Street Journal says St. Louis based Ralcorp Holdings is interested in acquiring Post Cereals from Kraft Foods. Pricetag would be $2.8 billion. That's a lot of flakes. Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran and Grape Nuts are among the brands.
11/05/07 03:03 AM PT Posted on November 5, 2007 3:03 AM PTNew air travel report says we're not exactly soaring
It's better, but it's still pretty bad. That pretty much sums up a new government report about U.S. air travel. Overall, flight delays improved in September. That's in part thanks to nicer weather.
But when you look at the year as a whole so far, on-time performance remained the worst in 13 years. For your best chance of being on time, go with Aloha Airlines -- the carrier had the highest on-time arrival rate in the Department of Transportation report at 95 percent.
Bitter beer war brewing?
Return of the beer wars? Maybe. Just look in today's and yesterday's editions of USA Today.
A new TV ad by Miller Brewing spoofs an old Anheuser-Busch campaign. It features a dalmatian riding on a wagon led by Clydesdales. The dog jumps off the wagon when he sees a truck proclaiming Miller Lite has half the carbs of Bud Light. So Tuesday, Anheuser-Busch decided to put a full-page ad in USA Today, with a picture of a dalmation, telling Miller to "keep up the bad work." Today, Miller responded with its own full-page ad ... something about carbs again.
Posted on November 7, 2007 5:40 AM PT
I'd like 3 gallons of Google
Nevermind stopping at a gas station and asking the clerk for directions -- go to the pump instead.
A new partnership is being unveiled today between Google and gas-pump maker Gilbarco Veeder-Root. It will allow Google to dispense driving directions at thousands of gasoline pumps across the U.S. starting early next month. After a driver selects a destination, the pump will print out the route. The Internet-equipped pumps will also suggest local landmarks, hotels and restaurants picked by the gas station's owner.
Murdoch brings an aria to the boardroom
A 27-year old opera singer named Natalie will be the Bancroft representative serving on Rupert Murdoch's News Corp board. The Bancrofts controlled Dow Jones before agreeing to sell the company to Murdoch for $5 billion. The Wall Street Journal reports there was so much bickering among the Bancroft family when it came to nominating its own candidate to the News Corp board, Murdoch ended up having the final say. The Journal reports Bancroft acknowledges she's a neophyte to the worlds of journalism and commerce. She still needs to be approved by the other, all-male News Corp directors.
11/07/07 06:40 AM PT Posted on November 7, 2007 6:40 AM PTFree beer! For business-types
Don't rush to the gate if you're flying Southwest and hope to nab a good seat. Starting today, the airline is no longer offering its first-come, first-served approach to boarding. Instead, business travelers will get first dibs, because they pay the highest fares. Increased competition is leading to the new focus on business types. Southwest will also include some other perks: additional frequent-flier credits and a free beer, or other alcoholic beverage.
11/08/07 06:58 AM PT Posted on November 8, 2007 6:58 AM PTLife in Wal-Mart's check-out lane
The Eagles are flying and they have Wal-Mart to thank. The rock band is selling its new album exclusively through the retail giant. Billboard put the Eagles at the top of the sales chart this week.
The two-disc set, "Long Road Out of Eden," is the second-biggest debut of the year -- behind Kanye West's "Graduation" -- with more than 710,000 copies sold last week. Perhaps the bigger deal is Billboard reversed its policy of albums being sold through one retailer as ineligible for published charts.
Hollywood looking for a few good aliens
Who says you have to be beautiful to make it in Hollywood? If you have say, a long neck, large head, or bug eyes, this could be your big break. Paramount Pictures is holding an open casting call tomorrow in Burbank, California for background actors to appear in the new "Star Trek" film. Casting directors are looking for people with unique and interesting facial features.
11/09/07 06:04 AM PT Posted on November 9, 2007 6:04 AM PTFDA approves cholestrol drug
The FDA has given drugmaker AstraZeneca a stamp of approval for its popular cholesterol drug.
Crestor is used to treat the clogging of arteries. The approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will likely boost sales of the blockbuster drug. Crestor sales in the first nine months of 2007 are at $2 billion worldwide.
Looks like the news is gonna be reruns, too
TV and radio news writers at CBS could soon be walking the picket line with other writers.
About 500 unionized news writers are expected to approve a strike authorization tomorrow.
The CBS News employees are represented by Writers Guild of America East. They've been working under an expired contract since April 2005. Drama and comedy writers are entering the second week of the entertainment industry strike that's shaken network and cable television.
They should just ask for two months' salary...
A trademark suit against e-Bay is set to open today in New York. Jeweler Tiffany & Co sued e-Bay for letting counterfeit items be sold on its site. The center of the lawsuit questions who should be responsible for policing the site for fakes. If Tiffany wins the suit, it would force e-Bay to change the way luxury products are auctioned off. If e-Bay is the winner, no change.
11/13/07 03:54 AM PT Posted on November 13, 2007 3:54 AM PTCalling all androids
Google announced recently with great fanfare the development of its "Android" cell phone operating system. One of the perks of this system is that anyone will be able to design software to run on it.
And now, Google is encouraging people to do so by offering $10 million in prizes for the best program designs. All options are accepted, from simple improvements to the look of the system to more complicated social networking software. The top prizes will be 10 awards of $100,000 and another 10 of $275,000.
Clothing may not actually have seaweed
A popular yoga clothing retailer may be stretching the truth. Lululemon is a high-end shop with workout gear made of unusual materials like soybeans, bamboo and silver. But the New York Times reports today at least one of the funky ingredients may not be present. The Times commissioned a lab test on a fabric Lululemon says is made with seaweed. The mineral levels of the tested shirt were the same as a cotton t-shirt. Lululemon's been a Wall Street darling since it went public this summer.
11/14/07 04:38 AM PT Posted on November 14, 2007 4:38 AM PTA phone tower that reaches the Gods
China state media reported Wednesday that the nation had successfully tested a mobile phone station atop Mt. Everest ahead of Olympics. It was "incredibly difficult" to build as oxygen levels at the site were only 38 percent of those at sea level, the carrier's general manager Wang Jianzhou was quoted by Xinhua as saying. State media says the station at 21,450 feet was built to help climbers as well as facilitate communications for the bearers of the Olympic torch, which Beijing 2008 Games organizers plan to carry to Everest's summit. The station, the world's highest cell phone base, is run by China Mobile, the country's largest mobile phone service provider. The station's key equipment was immediately packed away after the test for the harsh Tibetan winter and will be reassembled in time for the torch visit expected in May next year, Xinhua news agency reported.
11/14/07 04:39 AM PT Posted on November 14, 2007 4:39 AM PTThe Internet can be a royal pain
Apparently pop music start Prince doesn't like the Internet so much anymore. He was the first major artist to distribute an album exclusively online. But the piracy thing is getting to him.
Within the next few days, Prince is expected to start a legal campaign against the website The Pirate Bay. The site is based in Sweden and is best known for helping users find copies of music and movies -- illegal copies, of course. The funny thing is that Prince just gave away two million free copies of his latest album in the U.K. -- with the newspaper.
James Madison is cool
That's what the U.S. Mint wants you to think as it comes out today with its fourth presidential coin.
The Mint's director, Ed Moy, says he hopes the father of the Constitution is more popular than previous coins. The past two $1 coins are considered big flops -- that would be Sacagawea and Susan B Anthony. The new presidential designs are trying to tap into the success of the 50-state quarter program.
Don't mess with taxes of super-rich
Warren Buffet doesn't want lawmakers to tampering with the inheritance tax. The billionaire told a Senate Finance Committee yesterday the super rich are having no problem getting richer and if anybody needs a tax break, it's those bringing in $20,000 a year or less. Buffet, America's second-richest person, has been outspoken about the mostly Republican efforts to repeal or reduce the federal estate tax. Critics, including Democrats, say a repeal would be a huge windfall for the country's wealthiest families.
11/15/07 03:00 AM PT Posted on November 15, 2007 3:00 AM PTCome for the pie, stay for the savings!
The holiday shopping rush is just a week away, and some retailers are cooking up extra ways to entice customers. For the second year in a row, Comp USA will serve slices of pumpkin pie to those waiting in line before the store opens. Sam's Club will give shoppers a free continental breakfast, complete with a hot egg and sausage sandwich, yogurt, fruit, coffee and juice. The warehouse store expects to have enough food to last until 9 a.m.
11/16/07 05:06 AM PT Posted by David Banks on November 16, 2007 5:06 AM PTAn assist from Buffet
It looks like one of the world's richest men, Warren Buffet, played a role in the return of Alex Rodriguez to the New York Yankees. The Wall Street Journal reports Buffet told A-Rod to go around his agent and approach the ball club directly after opting out of his record $252 million contract. After speaking with Buffet, Rodriguez got in touch with someone he knew at Goldman Sachs. That led to the $275 million, 10-year contract that's in the process of being finalized now.
Rodriguez and Buffet apparently became friends several years ago.
Don't mistake it for the real Vuitton
Britney a counterfeiter? Not quite her, but someone did counterfeit at Sony BMG. Luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton has won a lawsuit that accused a Britney Spears music video of violating counterfeiting laws. The video showcases a pink Vuitton "Cherry Blossoms" design on the dashboard of a pink Hummer (we're guessing it wasn't the authentic "Cherry Blossoms" Louis Vuitton dashboard). Both Sony BMG and MTV online have to pay a fine of $117,000. They could have bought a couple of Vuitton bags with that money...
11/20/07 04:34 AM PT Posted on November 20, 2007 4:34 AM PTRed Hot Chili Lawsuit
There's a new series on Showtime called "Californication." But that's also the name of a Red Hot Chili Peppers song and 1999 album.The Chili Peppers don't think that's cool. Yesterday, the band sued Showtime for using the name Californication. The show also features a character named "Dani California." That happens to be the title of a Chili Peppers song that came out last year.
11/20/07 05:00 AM PT Posted on November 20, 2007 5:00 AM PTReport: Mortgage crisis won't top out til 2010
The numbers on defaulted home mortgages this year have been staggering -- $46 billion worth through August. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told the Wall Street Journal next year's number will be significantly bigger. The firm Credit Suisse says the mortgage crisis won't top out until 2010, with about $270 billion in defaulted loans. Mayors from the cities hardest hit by home foreclosures will meet next week. They need strategies to keep falling properties values from dragging down the quality of life. Communities in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada and Ohio have been hit the hardest.
11/21/07 07:29 AM PT Posted on November 21, 2007 7:29 AM PTBreaking out the traditional Thanksgiving Tofurkey
Forget that Kosher organic free range bird you paid six bucks a pound for. The makers of an alternative turkey say business is up. Fourth quarter sales of Tofurky are up 36 percent over last year. That means around 227,000 homes in the U.S. will be sitting down to a flavored vegan tofu roast later today.
A better workout than shopping
And since you're probably going to pump in calories today, you might want to pump up tomorrow instead of shopping. Gold's Gym says anyone who wants to work out tomorrow can come to one of its 500 gyms around the country for free. That news comes from the desk of shamelessly opportunistic marketing ploys
11/22/07 07:00 AM PT Posted on November 22, 2007 7:00 AM PTSubprime says hello from Japan
In case you had any doubts of how the subprime crisis in the U.S. is affecting other countries, here's what Japan's financial regulator said today: Japan's large banks had about $11 billion invested in products related to the U.S. subprime mortgage market as of the end of September.
11/22/07 07:11 AM PT Posted on November 22, 2007 7:11 AM PTAirbus 'threatened' by dollar's decline
If there is a worst-case scenario for a company in these days of a really weak dollar, that would be Airbus' scenario. The European plane maker sells its jets in dollars, so their making less money these days. But their expenses are not lowering a bit -- they are in euros. So bad is the situation that yesterday, Airbus' chief executive said that the dollar rapid decline is life-threatening for the company.
11/23/07 05:06 AM PT Posted on November 23, 2007 5:06 AM PTLosing sleep over shopping? Then get started
Can't sleep? How about some early shopping? Wal-Mart Stores is opening at 5 a.m today.
J.C. Penney already opened at 4 a.m. Then again, you might be done already by now: CompUSA was opened at midnight.
Strike talks resume on several stages
Striking TV and movie writers are set to resume talks with studios and networks today. The Writers Guild of America went on strike November 5 over payment for work that airs on the Internet. Writers want more money when movies and shows are sold to sites like Apple's iTunes. Talks for another showbiz strike are already underway. Broadway stagehands resumed negotiations with theater owners and producers yesterday -- 26 theaters have been dark for more than two weeks. It's estimated the Broadway strike has cost New York City $2 million a day.
11/26/07 04:29 AM PT Posted on November 26, 2007 4:29 AM PTThe real money Monday
Cyber Monday -- ha! The first Monday after Thanksgiving's been dubbed the busiest online shopping day of the year, but many web retailers think that's just silly. Apparently it's the second week of December that's the cash cow. E-bay says that week is so lucrative they have their own moniker to kick it off: Green Monday. Business Week reports last year, Wednesday, December 13 was the day that brought in the most online dough: $667 million in sales.
11/27/07 03:42 AM PT Posted on November 27, 2007 3:42 AM PTA more flexible Yuan
At a summit with European leaders today, China's Premier says the country will keep improving its exchange rate regime by letting market forces play a greater role. E.U. officials are dismayed by the yuan's steady slide against the euro, which they say is exacerbating global imbalances and fuelling protectionism in Europe.
11/28/07 04:16 AM PT Posted on November 28, 2007 4:16 AM PTStart spreading the news: Broadway's back
Theaters are racing to reopen for business today after stagehands and producers reached a tentative agreement to end a 19-day strike. The settlement came last night after three days of marathon bargaining sessions. The strike has cost producers and New York City millions of dollars.
11/29/07 03:01 AM PT Posted on November 29, 2007 3:01 AM PTNothing soothes angry drivers like . . . coupons
Almost a million people that drive Explorers sued Ford after the big tire recall in 2000. The lawsuits claimed the SUV lost resale value because of perceived danger. Nothing a $500 coupon can't help!
That's how Ford is settling the class-action suit. The company will offer customers 500 bucks toward a new Explorer, or $300 toward other Ford vehicles. The agreement could cost the automaker as much as $500 million if everyone eligible takes a voucher.
Don't know how Jerry Lewis would handle this one
Chile's largest charity received an unexpected gesture during a televised fundraiser. A prostitute has become an overnight celebrity in the country after auctioning off 27 hours of sex to help raise money for a donation. Adult prostitution is legal in Chile. Maria Carolina says she's raised about $4,000 for the organization that provides money to poor, disabled children. Carolina says one client has already paid up. She says it seemed like a good deed to him
11/30/07 04:05 AM PT Posted on November 30, 2007 4:05 AM PTGoogle attempting to go wireless
Today could be the day Google makes its plans clear about wanting a piece of the wireless pie.
The Wall Street Journal reports Google will announce today it'll apply to bid for wireless spectrum in next month's FCC auction. The FCC has a December 3 deadline for speaking up about wanting to bid. No comment from Google, but the company has previously said it would probably go for a chunk of the airwaves that can be used for mobile phone services and internet.
Did he mean to say rate cut?
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke talked to a group of business people in Charlotte, North Carolina last night. He said the central bank needs to be "exceptionally alert and flexible" given the credit crunch, housing slump, and rising energy prices. Investors are counting on that translating into another rate cut at the Fed's final meeting of the year on December 11.
11/30/07 07:02 AM PT Posted on November 30, 2007 7:02 AM PTLatest Posts
- Did he mean to say rate cut?
- Google attempting to go wireless
- Don't know how Jerry Lewis would handle this one
- Nothing soothes angry drivers like . . . coupons
- Start spreading the news: Broadway's back
- A more flexible Yuan
- The real money Monday
- Strike talks resume on several stages
- Losing sleep over shopping? Then get started
- Airbus 'threatened' by dollar's decline
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Latest Comments
- Did he mean to say rate cut? (1)
- Michael Lofrano wrote: Oh boy, another rate cut. Just what we need to keep the Gre... [read]
- Report: Mortgage crisis won't top out til 2010 (1)
- Peter Bradley wrote: Won't SOMEBODY explain to me why individual cities or other ... [read]
- Red Hot Chili Lawsuit (1)
- Jennifer C. wrote: Absolutely! The Chili Peppers have every right. Where else... [read]
- Don't mess with taxes of super-rich (1)
- Pradip Maheshwari wrote: Warren Buffet is modern day saint. Very talented saint!. His... [read]
Marketplace Confessional
I've just listened to Mr. Stein's concern for the poor working man. No doubt he drove his Bronco to the station to make his plea for the common man. Honestly, Ben Stein weeping for the common man's fate? After my sides stopped hurting from laughing ...
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