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Category: Business

December 21, 2017 Business / Technology

In Bitcoin We Trust?

IN GOD WE TRUST was first used on U.S. paper money in 1957, when it appeared on the one-dollar silver

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September 1, 2017 Business / Politics / Pop Culture

Why Can’t We Stop Talking About Donald Trump?

No time in recent American history has one president been regularly talked about online, in the press or at the

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January 6, 2017 Business / Media

Is LinkedIn the New Facebook?

LinkedIn these days seems to be less about posting “business” content and more around publishing selfies, memes and math puzzles.

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March 22, 2015 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Starbucks’ ‘Race Together’ Campaign Puts Brand in Jeopardy, For the Time Being    

A visit to Starbucks’ website makes clear that the company is all in regarding its “Race Together” campaign, which basically gives its baristas the option to engage patrons about conversations on racism in America.

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February 25, 2015 Business / Entertainment / Media / Pop Culture

Tweet TV: How Social Media is Making Television Fun Again

Nearly 37 million people watched the 87th Annual Academy Awards on Sunday, down from 44 million last year. Many reasons may have contributed to the viewership drop, everything ranging from the show’s host performance, to the celebrity of the actors themselves, to the types of films that were nominated.

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gates-ice-bucket-challenge
August 19, 2014 Business / Education / Entertainment / Health / Pop Culture / Sports

ALS’ Ice Bucket Challenge Is Raising Awareness, Money Too. But Is It Enough?

Many people have seen videos of family and friends taking the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which helps raise awareness of

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August 5, 2014 Business / Media

Take $tock in Mama Mancini’s Meatballs

You may have heard the radio commercials with Dan Mancini touting his homemade meatballs.  But did you hear the one

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July 19, 2014 Business / Entertainment / Media

‘House of Cards’ Stacked Deck for Netflix

Frank Underwood was probably right when he said, “There’s no better way to overpower a trickle of doubt than with

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July 5, 2014 Business / Media

Reader Beware: More Online News Stories Dubbed as Ads

The line between editorial and advertising has become increasingly blurred, as sorely needed revenues are forcing struggling news organizations to

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deblasio
June 23, 2014 Business / Entertainment / Media / Politics

LA’s Mayor Goes From Crude to Rude All in One Day

Millions of Americans last Monday night got to hear New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio sing “I Love L.A.”

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Phil Mickelson
June 9, 2014 Business / Media / Sports

The Good and Bad of Phil Mickelson’s Insider Trading Scandal 

Phil Mickelson’s squeaky clean image has come under scrutiny as the golf hall of famer is confronted with accusations of

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May 27, 2014 Business / Politics / Pop Culture / Sports

IndyCar to Drive Fan Interest

Sunday marked the 98th running of the Indianapolis 500, an event billed as the “greatest spectacle in racing.”  One can

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May 7, 2014 Business / Pop Culture / Sports

NBA’s Strong Arm in Black and White

Just as the dust began to settle last week after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald

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google-glasses-video
April 21, 2014 Business / Pop Culture / Technology

Google Sees Future with Glasses

Google’s one-day sale of its long-awaited Glass, Internet-connected spectacles “for whatever you do, wherever you go, and whoever you are,” was

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April 5, 2014 Business / Entertainment

Why Candy Lost its ‘Crush’

Nearly 100 million people each day play Candy Crush Saga, the highly addictive online game where players match candies in

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March 25, 2014 Aviation / Business / Media

Crisis in a Text: Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak yesterday let the world know that its government has to assume Malaysia Airlines flight MH370

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February 20, 2014 Business / Politics / Pop Culture / Sports

Putin’s $50B Ad Campaign

It’s just a few days until the XXII Olympic Winter Games will come to an end and the world will

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January 20, 2014 Business / Media / Pop Culture

2014: Year of the Woman? Well, Sort of …

The proverbial corporate glass ceiling may soon be officially shattered, at least according to new data from the Pew Research

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December 31, 2013 Business / Health / Politics / Pop Culture

Dollars and Sense: It’s going to be a ‘Vaping’ New Year

It’s hard to deny the disruption taking place in the tobacco industry as more smokers are switching to electronic cigarettes. 

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December 15, 2013 Business / Media / Politics / Pop Culture / Religion

Santa Claus Visits Fox News for the Holidays

Fox News Channel’s host Megyn Kelly made national headlines this week when she confirmed that Santa Claus is white, addressing

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December 1, 2013 Business / Pop Culture / Religion

The Christmas Holiday Push

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” so goes the 1963 hit Christmas song made popular by the late

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November 20, 2013 Business / Entertainment / Media / Pop Culture

When Social Goes Bad

Martha Stewart can run a successful company, make a mouth-watering meal and redecorate any living room with just the right

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November 5, 2013 Business / Media / Politics / Pop Culture / Sports

The Power of the Media and the NFL’s ‘Skins’ Game

Sunday’s overtime win against the San Diego Chargers gave the Washington Redskins a reason to celebrate, at least temporarily, as

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October 21, 2013 Business / Media / Politics

Republicans Can Win This Thing

The country breathed a sigh of relief late Wednesday evening last week when Congress struck a debt-ceiling deal, reopening the

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September 16, 2013 Business / Media / Politics

The Tango of Politics and Journalism

It came to no surprise among media pundits that Time Magazine’s Managing Editor Richard Stengelwill be taking a job as

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August 23, 2013 Business / Politics

The Problem with Pakistan

This blogger’s trip to Pakistan was put on hold because of a recent U.S. State Department advisory warning Americans not

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August 12, 2013 Business / Entertainment / Media / Pop Culture / Sports

The Rise of the Cyber Athlete

Video gaming isn’t always easy for the average player.  Quick hand-eye coordinated skills are needed to properly slay an extraterritorial

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July 29, 2013 Business / Sports

Golf Picks Up the Pace

The talk of this year’s U.S. Open, one of four coveted annual tournaments including last week’s Open Championship held in

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July 19, 2013 Business / Media / Politics

Will Hedge Fund Advertising Affect Brand Cache?

Just recently, the SEC lifted its ban on alternative investment vehicles advertising to the general public as amendmentsto Rule 506

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June 18, 2013 Business / Entertainment / Media / Pop Culture

What the %^$#%* is going on with network TV?

The late George Carlin may have said it best during his infamous 1970s monologue, “seven words you can never say

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April 16, 2013 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Funny Ads Still A Hoot

The “Today” Show was amped last week when it reported on a new Kmart commercial titled, “Ship my pants,” which

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March 26, 2013 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Girls, Spark Plugs and Product Placement

Think “Charlie’s Angels” meets “Motor Week.”   That’s what watching an episode of “All Girls Garage” on Velocity is like.  Every

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March 10, 2013 Business / Media

The Downside of Social Media

While social media usage continues to grow here in the U.S. and globally, so do opportunities to reach key audiences

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February 27, 2013 Business / Media / Politics / Pop Culture / Sports

The President’s Push Fore Daytime TV

President Obama Playing Golf President Obama and Tiger Woods are a lot alike.  Both are worldwide icons who have seen

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February 10, 2013 Business / Entertainment / Media / Politics / Pop Culture

CBS: No cleavage, no way

Viewers watching tonight’s Grammy Awards will be waiting to see how CBS plans to enforce its “wardrobe advisory” against scantily

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January 21, 2013 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Social Media’s Global Growth

The stats on social media’s global growth are staggering. A graphic recently posted in Mashable.com illustrates how the world consumes

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January 13, 2013 Business / Entertainment / Politics / Pop Culture

NRA’s Chance to Fire

Vice President Joe Biden concluded meetings this week with organizations ranging from the NRA to electronic game makers to help

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November 11, 2012 Business / Media

Video: The Next New Thing in Earnings

Communications professionals can’t stress enough the importance of video and its pervasive use in today’s media landscape. Aside from the sharing

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October 21, 2012 Business / Media

Brand Perception is Vital to Newspaper Success in Today’s Online Media Landscape

The Seattle Times may have comprised its integrity by running ads supporting GOP gubernatorial candidate Rob McKenna and a statewide

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September 7, 2012 Business / Media / Politics

AP’s Right ‘Frame’ of Mind

Soon, reporters at the Associated Press will be equipped with smart phones enabling them to simultaneously report news across all

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August 2, 2012 Business / Politics / Pop Culture

The Chicken and the Presidency

It’s really not about the chicken.  The media firestorm surrounding Chick-fil-A president Dan Cathy’s comments against same-sex marriage continues to

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July 13, 2012 Business / Politics

Bankruptcy’s Impact on Brand Perception

San Bernardino this week became the third California city in the last month to seek bankruptcy protection because it could

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May 22, 2012 Auto / Business / Media / Pop Culture

It’s a Ford, or is it?

Ford Motor Co. recently rolled out its new “Go Further” advertising campaign, featuring slick TV spots of new models, purposely

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April 8, 2012 Business / Media / Pop Culture

When TV Anchors Attack (In the Court of Public Opinion)

It would be hard to miss the headlines these days about Keith Olberman, the former controversial MSNBC talk show host

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February 26, 2012 Business / Media / Pop Culture / Sports

‘Chink in the Armor’ Headline Catapults Linsanity to New Heights

New York Knick Jeremy Lin at a press conference. Photo: Courtesy of ESPN. There’s been a lot of media and

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January 16, 2012 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Big Banks Have an Uphill Battle

Consumer outrage at large banks has never been greater. “Bank fatigue” is causing customers at large financial institutions to move

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December 11, 2011 Business / Media

The Real Deal on Public Relations

New York Times advertising columnist Stuart Elliott may finally have given the public relations industry some needed street credit.   His

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November 27, 2011 Business / Media / Politics / Pop Culture / Sports

Basketball Comes a Little Late This Christmas

Basketball fans are relieved to know that this year’s NBA season will officially begin on December 25, 2011. Players and

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October 7, 2011 Business / Media / Politics / Pop Culture

Rock Star CEOs Can Put Brands at Risk

This week Apple, Inc. founder Steve P. Jobs passed away from pancreatic cancer.  He was 56. While Jobs’ death sparked

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September 5, 2011 Business / Politics / Pop Culture

Celebrating Labor Day with a Soured Economy

America this Monday will celebrate its 119th Labor Day, which according to the country’s Department of Labor, is dedicated to

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August 16, 2011 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Video’s Value Propostion

There is no doubt that video has become more pervasive within today’s new media landscape, as the Internet continues to

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May 23, 2011 Business / Media / Politics / Pop Culture

Bravo TV owns reality television, but will it last?

Bravo TV is reality television.  A look at today‘s schedule on Bravo shows every program is reality-based, ranging from “The

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April 10, 2011 Business / Entertainment / Media / Politics

Donald Trump, like Sarah Palin, Share Same Course to Presidency

A look at this morning’s interview on CNN’s “State of the Union with Candy Crowley,” one can get a glimpse

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April 4, 2011 Business / Media / Pop Culture

Local TV is right on when it comes to the weather, sort of

Ever watch the local weather report? Long gone are the quirky weathermen now being replaced by voluptuous bombshells. Not taking

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March 6, 2011 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

Charlie Sheen Makes News … and YouTube

  Conflict, controversy and human interest are three main drivers news. Charlie Sheen’s saga combines all of them. Media have

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February 28, 2011 Business / Entertainment

Too much brand power at the top is dangerous for Two and a Half Men

 Too much brand power at the top is dangerous.  Apple, Inc. is a good example.  The stock recently dropped after

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February 6, 2011 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture / Sports

Don’t use the word Super Bowl

More than 100 million viewers watched Super Bowl XLV, not to mention the snazzy,  eye-catching commercials.   No doubt the Super

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November 29, 2010 Business / Pop Culture

Starbucks Now ‘Barbucks’ as it Shifts Brand Strategy Offering Booze

It’s hard to imagine the brand that revolutionized the coffee industry will be forty next year.   Starbucks has become a

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November 24, 2010 Business / Entertainment / Politics / Pop Culture

Conflict and Controversy Still Main Drivers of News

Fox News is number one.  Well, at least in ratings.  Rupert Murdoch’s news channel continues to lead all time slots

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October 31, 2010 Business / Health / Pop Culture

Hiring people with disabilities makes good business sense

Ever see the TV commercial of the woman in the wheelchair who points out some of her colleagues’ shortcomings?  Like

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October 17, 2010 Business / Politics

Wall Street Gives Itself a Pay Raise with little Backlash

 Wall Street gave itself another raise this year to the tune of $144 billion in compensation and benefits, according to

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October 5, 2010 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

CNN Cans another reporter with an opinion, distinguishing itself from rival networks

CNN canned yet another reporter in less than 90 days.   This time it was Rick Sanchez for his remarks last

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September 27, 2010 Business / Pop Culture

Axe is a Guy’s Guy Brand, Leaving out Everything in Between

Axe got it.  At least with men ages 16 to 25.  The brand strategy for its deodorant, shower gel and

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September 13, 2010 Business / Pop Culture

Grandpa on Facebook, Hugh?

More people these days seem to be getting “younger” as they get older.   Seventy is the “new” sixty.  Sixty is

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August 26, 2010 Business / Entertainment / Politics / Pop Culture

CNBC’s Mark Haines Doesn’t like the “Blog” Word

Mark Haines doesn’t like the “blog” word.  For those in the know, Haines is co-host to CNBC’s “Squawk on the

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August 17, 2010 Aviation / Business / Pop Culture

JetBlue’s Blog about Attendant’s Emergency Chute Exit May Be Only Option for the Moment

JetBlue Airways always has been an airline of firsts.  The JFK-based company was the first airliner to offer 24 channels

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August 11, 2010 Business

HP Hits another PR Snag, So Does its Stock

This past weekend, HP’s head honcho Mark Hurd abruptly resigned as CEO of the world’s largest technology firm, amid a

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July 26, 2010 Auto / Business / Pop Culture

Hamsterdam Avenue may be Kia’s Own Demise

Call it marketing genius or branding suicide.  Kia Motors’ “hamster” campaign for its 2010 Soul certainly is getting lots of

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July 12, 2010 Business / Entertainment

New and Traditional Media Don’t Mix at CNN

The line between new and traditional media has tightened, at least for the moment.  CNN’s Octavia Nasr made headlines after

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June 27, 2010 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

The Trump Network: A McDonald’s Brand in the Making?

Donald Trump’s net worth as a billionaire always seemed to be in question.  Real estate mogul turned network TV star

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June 6, 2010 Business / Environment / Politics

BP is Right to Apologize, Obama is Wrong to Criticize

It’s no surprise that last week’s off-putting remarks by BP top gun Tony Hayward, who ‘wanted his life back,’ prompted

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May 13, 2010 Business / Environment / Politics

Big Oil Needs to Grow Up

It’s hard not to cringe when visuals of 3.5 million gallons of oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico are

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May 4, 2010 Business / Politics

Republicans May Finally Be Getting it Right, Thanks to Goldman

Last week the American public got a glimpse of how the other half lives.  Seven executives from Goldman Sachs including

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March 16, 2010 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

Milk-aholic Lindsay Needs to Let Go

More than 90 million people this year watching the Super Bowl saw an outrageously funny E-Trade commercial that featured a

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March 9, 2010 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

The Academy Awards? That’s Entertainment

Just imagine the drama setting upon the Academy Awards in 1939 when three great films were among the nominees for

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March 4, 2010 Aviation / Business

FAA Is Right to Chastise Controller, Albeit Better Late Than Never

It’s hard not to smile when listening to the audio of a 10-year-old boy radioing instructions to pilots at New

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February 27, 2010 Business / Entertainment

Shamu Brand Tainted, This Time for Good?

It’s hard not to be affected by the tragedy at SeaWorld Orlando this past week, when trainer Dawn Brancheau was

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February 9, 2010 Business

Pepsi’s Absence in Super Bowl No Big Deal

Pepsi’s Super Bowl streak came to end this year, after advertising in the last 24 big games. Instead, the Purchase,

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February 1, 2010 Auto / Business

Toyota Redux, Quality Issues Still Plague Company

Japanese products have come a long way over the past several decades, dramatically improving their reputation in the United States. 

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January 27, 2010 Auto / Business

General Motors, Good for America?

That’s what self-appointed CEO Edward Whitacre Jr. is saying about the automotive giant, as it emerges from bankruptcy and looks

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January 12, 2010 Auto / Business / Pop Culture

GEICO Still Gets It 10 Years Later

Ever wonder how a gecko became synonymous with car insurance? It actually happened by accident. GEICO introduced the popular little

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December 4, 2009 Auto / Business

Audi’s Spending Approach is Right for Success

Most automobile manufacturers have taken big financial hits as The Great Recession continues to curtail consumer spending worldwide.  Two of

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November 23, 2009 Business / Politics / Pop Culture

Sarah Palin has Gone Rogue

“Going Rogue” has gone gangbusters. Sales of former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s new book surpassed 300,000 copies on its

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November 13, 2009 Business / Entertainment / Politics / Pop Culture

Hugh Hefner May Need to Hang Up the PJs

  Hugh Hefner still has it at 83-years old.  Well, he still controls 70% of Playboy Enterprises Inc. (NYSE: PLA),

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November 4, 2009 Business / Pop Culture

Starbucks Can Suffer in an Instant

A few weeks have passed since Starbucks VIA™Ready Brew, the company’s new instant coffee, made its North American debut. Starbucks

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October 27, 2009 Business / Entertainment / Politics / Pop Culture

TV Cable News Is All Theater

It’s no surprise to anyone that CNN is the least watched station among cable networks during prime time. Most viewers

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October 23, 2009 Business / Politics

Wall Street Repays the Taxpayer with Layoffs and Record Bonuses

There’s little doubt in anyone’s mind that the American taxpayer saved Wall Street.  Only several months ago the Dow Jones

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October 20, 2009 Auto / Business

Toyota Floor Mat Recall Gets Shagged

Toyota Motors is in trouble.  Safety experts are taking a closer look at the company’s claims that faulty carpet caused

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October 14, 2009 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

David Letterman’s Sexual Conduct Gets Late Night Laughs

Mystery still surrounds the extortion case of David Letterman by veteran CBS producer Robert Halderman, who allegedly tried to blackmail

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September 25, 2009 Business / Sports

Tiger Alone Cannot Save Golf, PGA Must Find Personalities

Tiger Woods brings the drama.  No question the world’s best golfer positively impacts the game. Television ratings increase as more people

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September 16, 2009 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

Movies for a Buck: Good for Consumers, Bad for Hollywood?

Hollywood is up in arms. Kiosk chain Redbox is threatening DVD sales by offering movie rentals for $1. Even though

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September 14, 2009 Business / Politics

Obama’s Speech on Financial Reform hit its Mark, Albeit Grudgingly

President Obama today delivered sort of a lecture on financial reform to a mixed Wall Street crowd of fund managers,

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September 4, 2009 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

Hulk and Spiderman Lose Their Powers

The Incredible Hulk meets Mickey Mouse coming to a theater near you? Not likely. While Disney’s purchase of Marvel Entertainment

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August 25, 2009 Business / Education / Pop Culture / Sports

Budweiser’s New College Color Campaign Gets Canned for Back to School

 Budweiser’s new marketing campaign of painting Bud Light cans with college-team colors has come under intense scrutiny not only by the

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August 13, 2009 Business / Health / Pop Culture

Steve Jobs Back at Work and so is Apple Stock

Apple Inc’s (APPL: NYSE) stock has been on a tear recently up 100% since March. Despite a slow economic recovery,

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August 7, 2009 Auto / Business

New Ford Taurus Hopes to Sell Like a Hot Potato

Few probably thought Ford Motor Company (F: NYSE) would be trading at $8 a share so soon after the auto

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August 2, 2009 Business / Sports

NFL Star Michael Vick Gets the Slip

Former Atlanta Falcon quarterback Michael Vick was reinstated last week by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell after serving a 23-month sentence

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July 16, 2009 Business / Politics / Pop Culture

Is Budweiser now un-American?

Anheuser-Busch this week finally accepted a sweetened $52 billion takeover offer by InBev since it was first approached by the

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July 9, 2009 Business / Entertainment / Pop Culture

Michael Jackson May Be Worth More Dead than Alive

Michael Jackson The reality is that Michael Jackson’s untimely death has reignited interest in his music and art as the

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July 1, 2009 Business / Sports

More Rivalries are Just What the NBA Needs

Everyone likes a good rivalry.  Coke vs. Pepsi.  Chevy vs. Ford.  Ali vs. Frazier.  It creates excitement within a particular

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June 8, 2009 Business / Politics

Greed Can Be a Dirty Word for GM Bond Holders

Much can be said from Gordon Gekko’s signature line in the 1987 film Wall Street, “Greed, for lack of a

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