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05 Feb 2009 10:32

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U.S.: How many jobs were lost in January? A lot.

  • 540,000 says the gov’t. Yikes. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 10:29

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U.S.: Oof! Initial jobless claims hit a 26-year high

  • 626,000 number of initial jobless claims made in the week ending January 31 source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 10:23

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Tech: What you were waiting for: Pop-up ads are making a comeback!

New DTML-based technology has made new pop-ups that no blocker can currently kill. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 10:12

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Music: Live Nation and Ticketmaster want to merge? The Boss isn’t a fan.

  • The proposal Ticketmaster, which handles ticket sales at venues across the country, and Live Nation, a spin-off of Clear Channel that promotes and produces live shows and has recently gotten into the artist management business, want to merge, sources say. As both businesses cover much of the live music industry, the merger would face antitrust scrutiny. source
  • The proposal Ticketmaster, which handles ticket sales at venues across the country, and Live Nation, a spin-off of Clear Channel that promotes and produces live shows and has recently gotten into the artist management business, want to merge, sources say. As both businesses cover much of the live music industry, the merger would face antitrust scrutiny.
  • The concern Fans are not very happy about this idea, largely due to Ticketmaster’s history of shady practices and overcharging. Ticketmaster convenience fees can significantly increase the price of a concert ticket. If Live Nation, which has recently gotten into the ticket-distribution business itself, remained a competitor, they could help lower prices by increasing competition. source
  • The proposal Ticketmaster, which handles ticket sales at venues across the country, and Live Nation, a spin-off of Clear Channel that promotes and produces live shows and has recently gotten into the artist management business, want to merge, sources say. As both businesses cover much of the live music industry, the merger would face antitrust scrutiny.
  • The concern Fans are not very happy about this idea, largely due to Ticketmaster’s history of shady practices and overcharging. Ticketmaster convenience fees can significantly increase the price of a concert ticket. If Live Nation, which has recently gotten into the ticket-distribution business itself, remained a competitor, they could help lower prices by increasing competition.
  • Bruce weighs in Bruce Springsteen, who has a long history of railing against corporate greed, weighed in with a note on his Web site. In it, he stated that “the one thing that would make the current ticket situation even worse for the fan than it is now would be Ticketmaster and Live Nation coming up with a single system.” source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 08:01

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Offbeat, U.S.: Animal rights group: We’ll give you the 411 on Sarah Palin

  • Sarah Palin isn’t fading into the background, so neither are we. Given her known political aspirations, the American public deserves to know what she’s doing in Alaska, and about her extreme anti-conservation policies.
  • Rodger Schlickeisen • Defenders Action Fund President, regarding her support of a predator-control program in Alaska that allows for aerial hunting, which involves – we’re not making this up – shooting wolves from helicopters. Defenders recently launched a site attacking and giving updates on the former Veep candidate and current Alaska governor. Palin says their campaign “perverts” the issue. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 07:53

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U.S.: Got analog TV still? You have more time to convert.

  • Congress increased the time until June 12. That move, which President Obama supported, will give four extra months to the 6.5 million people who have yet to convert their analog TVs to digital. (The original date was Feb. 17, a.k.a. a week from Tuesday.) Many House Republicans did not support the passage of the bill, but it got enough votes for a two-thirds majority. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

05 Feb 2009 07:46

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Offbeat, U.S.: Caught in ice: This Kentucky horse survived a scary fate

40 firefighters worked their butts off to make sure this horse got out safe. source
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04 Feb 2009 22:26

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Music: Coldplay is trying something weird, says their roadie

  • Chris has been banned from the studio for these first two weeks. Now, before the rumour mill cranks its way excitedly into life, this does not indicate any kind of split in the camp.
  • “Roadie #42” • An anonymous informant, on Coldplay’s latest period in the studio with producer/musical God/guy who created ambient music Brian Eno. Eno is separating Chris Martin from the rest of the band, in an attempt to get them to create wildly different compositions. Martin’s keeping busy by producing another artist. • source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Feb 2009 22:18

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Sports: Barry Bonds is in “the clear,” but not the good kind

  • Unsealed docs say he used steroids in ’03. The documents claim he used a type of steroid called “the clear” (also known as THG), along with a female fertility drug designed to help him beat steroid tests. Bonds, the all-time home run leader, is on trial for perjury and obstruction of justice for lying about his steroid usage. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Feb 2009 21:55

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U.S.: Authorities prescribe new leads in Tylenol murders

  • What happened? In 1982, a number of bottles of Tylenol were laced with cyanide, killing seven people in Chicago and causing a nationwide recall of the product. The crime was never solved, but its maker, Johnson & Johnson, was able to survive a PR disaster by aggressively recalling the product and creating safer, more secure packaging. (It’s an oft-used example of how to survive a crisis.) source
  • What happened? In 1982, a number of bottles of Tylenol were laced with cyanide, killing seven people in Chicago and causing a nationwide recall of the product. The crime was never solved, but its maker, Johnson & Johnson, was able to survive a PR disaster by aggressively recalling the product and creating safer, more secure packaging. (It’s an oft-used example of how to survive a crisis.)
  • Recent developments The FBI searched the Cambridge, Mass. home of James W. Lewis, who sent an extortion letter to the company and was sent to prison. He was never charged in the killings but was always considered a prime suspect. Due to renewed attention after its 25th anniversary, a number of tips led authorities to a major break in the case. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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