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28 Oct 2011 12:57

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Biz: Et tu, Redbox? Netflix isn’t alone in raising its rental prices

  • $1.20 to rent a Redbox DVD — a 20¢ increase source
  • » And its stock is struggling, too: Coinstar, the parent company of the suddenly-hot DVD-rental kiosk brand, is struggling to keep prices at a level to compensate for operating expenses. Not exactly a good time for Redbox to do this, though — because, you know, Netflix is feeling the heat. And while 20 cents doesn’t sound like much, if you rent DVDs on the regular from the kiosks, that adds up quickly. On the other hand, it probably looks worse than it actually is due to the timing. So let’s look at the silver lining: Blu-ray will stay roughly the same price — $1.50 to $2.00.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Oct 2011 11:04

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Politics: Herman Cain aide Mark Block’s checkered past, abridged edition

  • rise Mark Block started his career in 1974, becoming, at age 18, the youngest elected official in Wisconsin’s history. He spent much of the 1980s coordinating Republican political campaigns in the state.
  • fall In 1997, Block was blocked from Wisconsin politics for a few years for allegedly doing some sketchy stuff with a special interest group. During this time, he worked at Target and his personal life unraveled.
  • recovery In 2005, Block got his mojo back by getting hired as Americans for Prosperity’s director in Wisconsin. He then met a young whippersnapper named Herman Cain, and the rest is chain-smoking history. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Oct 2011 09:00

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Biz, Tech: Hewlett-Packard’s Meg Whitman reverses her predecessor’s moves

  • The market was created by Apple. That doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a strong No. 2 player.
  • Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman • Reversing course entirely on two of former CEO Leo Apotheker’s key decisions as CEO — the departure of the tablet market (and the ensuing lulz) and the spinning off of the PC market. As for the latter, Whitman claims it would’ve been far too expensive — it would’ve cost billions and would’ve proven extremely inefficient. “If you try to hive a division off, it’s really hard because you almost have to recreate the whole thing,” she said. Will this be enough? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Oct 2011 08:35

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Biz: Not every financial outlet trying Bank of America’s debit card fees

  • cause Last month, Bank of America decided that it would start charging monthly for the use of debit cards. Some companies (including SunTrust and Regions) followed suit. Consumers freaked out and totally got up on arms.
  • reaction With some time and distance away from the original decision, a number of large banks have chosen not to follow suit — among them J.P. Morgan Chase, which tested them for months and found that they weren’t working. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

28 Oct 2011 08:04

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Biz, World: Thailand flooding has devastating effect on major industries

  • 4.1% the projected growth forecast in Thailand prior to the floods
  • 2.6% the projected growth forecast after the devastating floods source
  • » A harsh effect, a long reach: With the Thailand floods causing billions of dollars in damage and putting numerous people out of work, Among other industries, the auto industry and the computer industry could suffer significantly due to the Thai flooding. Hard drives could rise in price by up to 40 percent, and car manufacturing plants as far away as North America have had to shut down as a result of the floods — and it’s so bad, some companies are considering sending Thai workers to Japan to continue their work. Many expect the drop in Thailand’s growth forecast to be a sign that the country plans to enact measures to support the economy.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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