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18 Feb 2012 13:08

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Biz, Tech: Mike D gets respect, opportunity to vote on AT&T’s net neutrality policy

  • They didn’t say anything about cash or jewelry, but the SEC did side with three AT&T investors — including the Beastie Boys’ Michael “Mike D” Diamond — who believed that shareholders should have a vote in the company’s net neutrality policy, because it has become part of the national debate. AT&T argued that the vote would “directly interfere with its network management practices”, but ultimately the SEC ruled that wireless providers must now allow for shareholder votes on net neutrality proposals. Should such proposals pass, providers would be required to “operate a neutral network with neutral routing along the company’s wireless infrastructure.” source
Posted by Scott Craft • 0 Comments • Permalink

16 Feb 2012 18:39

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Biz: Still think Detroit’s going bankrupt? Check out GM’s killer numbers

  • $4.7 billion General Motors’ posted earnings for the 2010 fiscal year
  • $7.6 billion General Motors’ posted earnings for the 2011 fiscal year source
  • » What a record to break! One year removed from bankruptcy, American automaker General Motors posted record-setting earnings for the 2011 fiscal year. In recent weeks/months many investors worried that GM’s overseas operations would drag down the company’s year-end totals. GM lost a total of $747 million in European markets, with $562 million of the losses occurring in the fourth quarter alone. In South America, where the company reported $818 million in earnings for 2010, GM reported a net loss of $122 million. However, not only did the company defy global expectations, GM managed to break its former $6.7 billion earnings record, set in 1996.
Posted by Scott Craft • 0 Comments • Permalink

22 Feb 2011 13:26

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Politics: Ohio may be going the way of Wisconsin on deficit issues

  • State employees are not the cause of the economic problems we’re having, and for Senator Jones and other Republicans to point to them as the problem is absolutely unfair and untrue.
  • Ohio State Senator Joe Schiavoni • Speaking about the burgeoning labor face-off in Ohio. The Republican state legislature is considering a bill to tackle the state’s financial troubles, which presently amounts to an $8 billion deficit, that may sound rather familiar to those protesting in Wisconsin right now. Namely, it weakens or strips away long standing and hard fought collective bargaining rights for organized labor, a typically Democratic voting block. To be clear, fiscal responsibility does matter. But isn’t there a way to do this that’s all about being good with money, without the distracting attempt at anti-labor scapegoating that these bills reek of? source
Posted by Chris Tognotti • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Sep 2010 21:44

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Biz: Most businesses wouldn’t get nicked by Bush tax-cut reversal

  • 3% of all businesses would be affected by rescinding the high-end of the Bush tax cuts
  • 8% of non-hobby businesses would be affected, say conservative groups
  • 750k the real number of businesses that would roughly be affected by the cuts source
  • » And a possibly positive side-effect: Studies have shown that increases in tax rates at the top end can lead to more small businesses starting up because of the tax breaks offered, boosting overall growth anyway.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

11 Sep 2010 12:37

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Tech: Cashin’ in while they can: GoDaddy wants to SellDaddy

  • $750+ million GoDaddy’s revenues last year; no word on how much spokesperson Danica Patrick made
  • $1
    billion     could be made with the domain registar’s sale, according to some estimates source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

04 Aug 2010 09:55

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Biz: AOL has another big loss, caused by a “goodwill charge” this time

  • $1.06
    billion     the size of AOL’s quarterly loss, caused partly by declining advertising and partly due to a “goodwill charge”
  • $1.4
    billion     the size of that “goodwill charge,” partly due to selling Bebo for pennies on the dollar source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

01 Jul 2010 10:13

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Culture: Old Spice: From lamest brand ever to coolest brand ever?

  • Whoever thought up these ads is a genius. The second ad in this well-regarded series, a hit on YouTube and TV alike, presents Isaiah Mustafa as the most confident man ever, pretty much owning his surroundings. It’s been a slow climb, but the deodorant company has truly come into its own with its advertising. Here’s how they evolved:

  • Old Spice, circa 1957 As you can tell here, the brand was square in a way that sort of defined it since. In a way, its advertising paved the way for its current ironic manliness, with taglines like, “Never did a dollar bring you so much!”

  • old spice, circa 1990WHOA – did you see that captain pick up some other dude’s lady? This is the kind of clip we’re talking about – totally from a different era, one which didn’t feel hip even in 1990. (Here’s another example.)

  • Old spice, circa 2007This commercial paved the way for the Old Spice we know and love today. Bruce Campbell doesn’t even have to say the name of the product. We know exactly what he’s talking about. We think.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 

28 May 2010 10:57

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Biz: Did consumer spending go up in April, guys?

  • NO but it didn’t go down, either;
    it stayed flat source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

21 May 2010 22:50

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Biz: Burger King’s franchisees: A $1 double cheeseburger can ruin us!

  • action In an attempt to stay competitive, Burger King adds a $1 cheeseburger to its value menu, which is a low margin. Consumers rejoice.
  • reaction Believing that the fast food chain made the change knowing it’d hurt them, franchises sue. Now a court says the suit can go forward. soruce
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

03 May 2010 17:56

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Biz: How big is the combined United/Continental Airlines, anyway?

  • $29 billion in revenue per year
    for the combined airline
  • 370 number of destinations the combined airline will cover; it’ll have 10 hubs
  • 90,000 number of employees the airline will have after the merger source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
 
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