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16 Jun 2010 12:28

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Biz, U.S.: BP’s throwing lots of money aside for oil disaster claims

  • $20
    billion     the amount BP plans to put in an independent escrow account
  • $1
    billion     the amount the company has spent on the oil spill so far source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2010 10:19

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Biz: Manufacturers use low interest rates to ramp up production

  • 1.2% boost in May’s industrial production levels source
  • » Why this is important: If companies are building more stuff, that means more jobs. However, it’s contingent on people buying the new stuff in stores. Manufacturers will only be able to keep building supplies if demand continues to increase. However, the current low interest rates at least help encourage companies to create supply when they otherwise wouldn’t.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Jun 2010 09:46

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Biz: Fannie & Freddie’s stocks so crappy right now, they’re getting delisted

  • what Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two massive government-backed mortgage companies, are trading so lo that they’re about to be delisted.
  • when Expect both stocks to get removed from the New York Stock Exchange by July 8. They’ll trade in the the over-the-counter market instead. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Jun 2010 21:22

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Biz: Three reasons why Starbucks’ wi-fi plan could be big for newspapers

  • Smart synergy USA Today’s most brilliant move was brokering deals with hotels to give free copies of the paper to patrons. It helped them build their brand. Starbucks’ deal with the WSJ could be the modern equivalent of that, except more effective.
  • People do this already If you’ve ever been in a coffee shop, you know that copies of the newspaper are already sitting around for people to read if they so choose. This is the exact same thing without the paper waste. (Or the social elements, but alas.)
  • New business model If this works, it could effectively turn into a new revenue model for the newspaper industry, one that could be replicated in bookstores, restaurants and other public meeting places. Hope the WSJ is getting paid well for this.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

14 Jun 2010 21:02

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Biz: Starbucks says “screw it,” stops charging for wi-fi like losers

  • It had reached a point where it was affecting sales. For years, Starbucks was one of the few coffee-shop chains that didn’t have free wi-fi, instead charging high fees for usage. Then, they gave Starbucks Card holders two hours free. Now, they’re opening it up for everybody July 1st – and using their clout to sweeten the deal, big time. The details:
  • yesIt’ll be a simple process to log in – just hit a button and you’re on. You can stay as long as you want, bucking the independent coffee shop trend away from moochers.
  • noThat’s not all – they’ll offer free access to pay sites like The Wall Street Journal, and free music and movie previews. Holy crap. This could be big, everybody. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

12 Jun 2010 13:13

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Biz, U.S.: U.S. to BP: Please come up with a plan or we’ll kick your ass

  • 48 hours or the Gulf of Mexico gets it (oh wait, too late) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jun 2010 20:50

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Biz, U.S.: Fun oil spill fact: BP is just as much American as it is British

  • 40% the amount of the company owned by British shareholders; another 40 percent is owned by Americans
  • 7.3% the amount BP’s stock went up in the U.K. after the British government gave them a show of support today
  • 3.5% the amount the stock went up in the U.S. after the announcement; it’s been sucking in recent weeks source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

11 Jun 2010 20:42

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Biz: Own a home in the Gulf? To put it simply, you’re screwed. *sigh*

  • 10%
    decline     the amount the oil spill could depress home prices in the Gulf region
  • $4.3
    billion     the actual financial figure you could put on that total (holy crap) source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jun 2010 10:47

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Biz: Ah crap: After a solid streak of retail increases, sales go down

  • +0.6% the increase in retail sales in April; that’s pretty good
  • -1.2% the decrease in retail sales in May; that’s really bad
  • sevennumber of months of increases before May’s decrease source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Jun 2010 01:05

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Biz: “The Other White Meat” not doin’ it for pork anymore (Bonus: Pork porn!)

  • The above photo is linked to the “Media Photo Collections” page on TheOtherWhiteMeat.com, the pork industry’s site promoting their product of choice. There are literally hundreds of photos of pork – slathered, simmered, covered in marinade, begging to be eaten. It’s literally the most pornographic non-porn site we’ve ever run across. If only their slogan had the same effect. But at the National Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa (really), the industry is concerned that the slogan no longer has teeth, and it needs a new one. May we recommend “not recommended by PETA”? Seems like it’d be effective, right? source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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