August 2008
24 posts
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QQs: The Democratic National Convention
How much did it cost to attend the DNC? Free for everyday adults. Some special seats cost at least $1,000.
How many seats does the Mile High Stadium (aka Invesco field) hold? Aboout 76125
How old is Biden’s “drop dead gorgeous” wife? 57
What is her PhD that he says is “a problem”? She received her PhD in education from the University of Delaware.
How old is...
The Most (un)American Icons
Have you seen the recent Budweiser “Great American Lager” commercials? You know, the ones that are oozing with everything American – football, tailgating, the Statue of Liberty, riding motorcycles, playing in a garage band, and, of course, a fat slice of apple pie. They’re trying to remind me that their All American beer is still All American. But is it? I’m pretty sure by now we all know the...
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Recap of the Olympic Hiccups
Well that went smoothly - no significant environmental problems, no catastrophic protests, and no terrorist attacks, as many had predicted. However, there were some hiccups at the Beijing Olympics. I kept a running count of them:
Opening Ceremony: fireworks were digitally enhanced.
Opening Ceremony: Child singer was lip syncing because the real singer was not “very cute”
Opening...
Obama spends over $1M to send ineffective VP... →
Quippy closing sentence: That million dollar effort to establish a personal connection with Americans, ensure McCain remains the “off-line American,” and, of course, add you to his database, is nothing compared to the $335.5M he’s spent to date.
Too bad the stunt was spoiled by the media, who announced the decision last night. (via cho)
McDonald’s Unveils The Big Freddie Mac →
If you know a bit about what’s going on in the economy or read this post, you may enjoy this story from Capitalist Banter.
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Women spend 136 days of their lives "getting...
That’s 3,276 hours spent primping and preening for a night out - enough time for an astronaut to fly to the moon and back 22 times. This is per a recent poll of 1,000 women between the ages of 18 and 60, conducted by Skinbliss, a women’s beauty brand.
The Business of Being a Phelps
“Michael Phelps is leaving Beijing as a global sports icon. He’s now with the likes of the Michael Jordans, Tiger Woods and Roger Federers and he’s earned every bit to be in that elite company,” says the head of global sponsorship at Visa, one of Michael Phelps’ sponsors.
The brands seem to agree and are clamoring for a piece of Phelps, Inc. He’s endorsed by...
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The Endangered Endangered Species Act
It may soon be time to say goodbye to the gray whale, the gray wolf, the wild yak, and the iconic bald eagle (and 1234 others), and the laws that protect them. That’s because in his 11th hour, Bush is trying to overhaul the Endangered Species Act.
The ESA was created in 1973 when Nixon decided current conservation acts were inadequate and called upon Congress to pass more comprehensive...
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Enquirer: The Real Life "Boy Who Cried Wolf?"
Poor National Enquirer. Nobody believed you when, in October 2007, you cried “Edwards Cheating Scandal.” Wikipedia didn’t even heed your call.
While you were digging into the Edwards scandal - publishing stories about his affair with filmmaker Rielle Hunter, his illegitimiate child, how he paid his aid Andrew Young (who is married with children) to go live with Hunter under the guise that he was...
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how are swimmers smashing so many world records?
Have you noticed that every Olympic swim event is also a record smasher? It seems like every swimmer (and not just Phelps) is seconds ahead of the daunting green world record line, smashing it to smithereens. So how is all this record breaking possible?
Tech Doping – The new Speedo LZR RACER suit, which was developed by scientists from NASA, “feels like a rocket coming off the...
The 17 Most Recognizable Trademarked Sounds
potato-potato-potato! Do you know what that sound is? Maybe you don’t recognize the onomatopoeia, but you must certainly know the actual sound. It’s the Hog Call! The rev of a Harley Davidson - one of the most recognized sounds from one of the most recognized brands in the US.
So what’s “potato-potato-potato?” It’s the sound that Harley tried to trademark back...
He Wants You to Know First
First the Pope, now Obama!? Obama will announce his VP via text message to YOU. Text VP to 62262 to receive the update on your mobile phone. Or fill out this form. (from matt)
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Oprah Gives Obama an Extra Million
Votes, that is. A new study suggests that Oprah’s endorsement was responsible for approximately 1,000,000 additional votes for Obama.
A plug from Oprah can turn a book into a best seller (Anna Karenina & Love in the Time of Cholera increased 100% immediately after their selection into Oprah’s Book Club) and any movie into a blockbuster, but can it decide the presidency?
The study suggests yes...
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"windfall" profits by industry →
What Is a “Windfall” Profit? A recent WSJ op-ed concludes, “It is in the eye of the political beholder, who is usually looking to soak some unpopular business.”
Obama announced an “Emergency Economic Plan” that would give stimulus checks in $500 and $1,000 chunks to Americans. This plan would be funded by taking “a reasonable share” of...
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14 Ways Starbucks Has Tried to Revitalize its...
“We’re not this young, beloved, entrepreneurial enterprise anymore… We have to do business in a different way.” – Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz
And that’s exactly what he’s doing – business in a different way. And then in a different way. And then in a way that’s different from that. In early January, Schultz reclaimed the CEO torch he passed on back in 2000 and has...
Thin is (Still) In
A recent study shows that ads featuring thin models make women feel worse about themselves, but better about the brands featured. A sample of 194 college students, ages 18-24, expressed more negative feelings about themselves when shown thin models than when shown “regular-sized” models. However, the thin models give them a “higher evaluation of the brands,” per Jeremy...
It’s Too Hot for Dog on the Menu →
“Those who hope to taste dog meat when they visit Beijing for this summer’s Olympics may be disappointed. The Beijing Catering Trade Association has ordered all 112 designated Olympic restaurants to take dog off the menu, and has strongly advised other establishments to stop serving it until September.” tip from foodstuff
I Wanted to See All of the News From Today →
Aggregating - daily - the front pages of all printed national newspapers from around the world into one place.
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Is Your Money Safe?
There are between 90 and 150 banks on the FDIC Bank Watch List. Is yours on it? Mine is.
I bank at WAMU, so I’ve been keeping watch of the headlines about the state of uncertainty that the bank is in - “Wamu credit concerns grow,” “Wamu Falls Third Day as Investors Focus on Funding,” “Will the Fed Have to Rescue Wamu?”
So what happens if my bank goes...