NEWS HIGHLIGHTS:
Jury acquits R. Kelly after child pornography trial
Jury deliberated less than a day
Sex tape went back into jury
Singer denied it was him on tape; girl, now 23, denied it was her
This is an outrage to our justice system, this man is a pisser and should be prosecuted to the upmost degree of the law. I can hear the mixtape coming...
Friday, June 13, 2008
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Ubuntu Magic: The Return of Jesus
Celtics 3 Lakers 1
As I sent my pregame prediction to CBeans, it simply stated "Celtics by 7" at 6pm, 2 hours before the game started, I felt that Boston would not be as piss poor as they were 2 days before. Little did I know, 8 minutes after tip off that it would be early blow-out. I made a few calls to my Laker friends saying that it wasn't good to have a blowout in the first half. It was too much time and too much that could happen over the course of the game. Their response was very valid, "Kobe only had 3 points." Wait...how in the hell are they up by 20 points and Kobe only has 3 points? The Lakers were being lead by Odom, who was 7-7 for 15pts, that sure wouldn't last. Kobe was doing a great job facilitating and making the right passes but I was too sure that he would find his stroke, or the foul line.
The turning point. It was in the third quarter when the Celtics realized that Kevin Garnett is actually better off on the block versus at the top of the key playing horse with himself. Sure the insertion of E-House and Posey to spread the floor helped, but he needs to have the plays called for him on the block regardless of who is running the team. Then there is the House 3 pointer from the corner followed by PJ Brown's Expiring Contract got a easy dunk to end the third and cut a once 24pt deficit to 2 points. Throw in that Paul Pierce almost injured himself but couldn't risk "faking" another injury in the 4th quarter so he pushed threw and made some crucial free throws down the stretch.
The MVP(s). How clutch was Ray Allen? Jesus Shuttlesworth has landed. Not only has he been the most consistent Celtic in the series, but how about the defense he has been playing on Kobe and the fact he pulled down 9 rebounds last night while playing 48 minutes. The first dagger late in the fourth quarter, Ray say he was guarded by the European Blender Vujacic (1-9 fgs) and waved off the screen. Vujacic's knees buckled as Ray flew past him for the left handed layup. Vujacic looked like Adam Morrison in the Final Four after that basket.
Then there is James Posey. A Bruce-Bowenesque Corner 3 pointer that stretched the lead back to 5 points was as close to a Steve Kerr from Jordan kickout moment there will be in the Finals this year.
What now? I had originally said the Lakers would win in 6. I underestimated the fact of team basketball. The Lakers seem to have every matchup advantage, the potent bench, and the best individual player in the game. But Boston has three star veterans that want this more than anything. Lakers win game 5 simply because Boston really has nothing to lose. This is a trap game. The Lakers have to win to keep the series alive. Boston can rest and come out loose knowing that they get to rest a few more days and get to cash in the championship in "Titletown, USA."
Best NBA Finals MVP Performances
According to ESPN.com, the rankings for the top performances in NBA Finals history. Only repeat performers in the top 10 include somebody named Jordan and the Diesel.
1. Dwayne Wade, Miami, 2006
Did Dallas choke or was DWade too much for them? I was in Jamaica for the last 2 games and people down there actually were watching and talking about this game over the World Cup. Amazing...but tops Jordan?
2. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1998
Speaking of this Jordan guy, how do you silence the whole state of Utah within 45 seconds (See pic above)?
3. Tim Duncan, Spurs, 2004
Big Fundamental vs a 2nd time back Nets team that was demoralized by the Lakers the previous year (#9 on the list). Key stat - Averaged 5.3 blocks per game. Yes - per game. This was also Manu's coming out party.
4. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1997
Jordan and Pippen should have won Oscars for best Actor and Supporting Actor in a sports epic for his game 5 performance in which he had to be carried to the huddle in between plays and to the locker room after dropping 38 on the fluke of the MVP Mailman and the Jazz while suffering from the flu and dehydration. I think I shed a couple of man-tears after that game.
5. Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston, 1994
Ever see the Dream shake? Patrick Ewing did. This should have an asterisk next to it since Jordan was on a hiatus and the Knicks cheated Scottie Pippen out of one of the best statistical seasons in history. Nevertheless, The Dream was putting the Knicks through the spin cycle and the OJ chase. NBA...where drama happens? (Wouldn't that have been great if TNT had this and like 4 different Law and Order's had OJ type spinoffs? Before there time.)
6. Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers, 1987
Nearly averaged a quadruple double in the series: 26ppg, 13assists, 8 reb, and 9 asses smacked for the series. IFFF Magic got HIV, it might have happened around this time. He was on fire.
7. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1991
The coming out party. After all of those years trying to get pass those Pistons and Knicks, Jordan leads his team to the promise land in 5 games. Doing so, he makes probably the most incredible shot of the decade, almost to the extent of the birth of the alley-oop. After the shot, Jordan finished game 2 with these numbers: 33pts on 15-18 fgs, 13assists, 7reb. Not to mention he hit 13 fgs in a row with number #13 being "the shot" (above).
8. Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers, 2000
Shaq averaged 38 pts despite shooting 38% from the charity stripe. Talking about domination, no one could stop him on the Pacers. This was also the coming out party for Kobe after Shaq fouled out in game 4 and Kobe carried the team down the stretch and in OT.
9. Shaquille O'Neal, L.A. Lakers, 2002
The sweep of the Nets was not even the story of the playoffs. The true story now more than ever is the alledged throwing game 6 in the Western Conference Finals vs the Kings. In that game, the Lakers shot 27 free throws in the 4th quarter. Another asterisk.
10. Michael Jordan, Chicago, 1992
Three peat. This one was over before the Blazers got off the bus. Jordan dropped 35pts in the first half of game 1 with an onslaught of 3 pointers. This was remarkable because Jordan shot 27% from behind the arc that year. Talking about your game plan going out the window. That is like stepping in the ring and fighting a young Mike Tyson. Sure you trained for the bout and possibly thought you could win. Then you get hit.
Jerry Jones aims to make all Cowboys' fans blind by 2010
Link
As I'm sure you know, Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys are building a big, shiny new stadium stadium to accommodate all the new fans that Pacman Jones is sure to attract. And inside this new stadium (via the Dallas Morning News) will be the world's biggest HDTV.
A horse-racing track in Tokyo built what they claimed was the world's biggest HDTV back in 2006. It was 218' x 37', totaling over 8,000 square feet.
Weak. That's the TV Jerry Jones has in his guest bedroom.
Jerry's monstrosity is 160' x 70', putting that bad-boy at over 11,000 square feet. For a little bit of perspective, if you've got a mammoth TV at home, say a 63-inch plasma job, you could fit over 750 of your televisions inside Jerry's one. The $35 million price tag is higher than than the entire price of building Texas Stadium in 1971.
iPhone 3g: From A-Z
From: Engadget
URL: http://www.engadget.com/2008/06/12/iphone-3g-everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-but-were-afraid-t/
iPhone 3G: everything you ever wanted to know (but were afraid to ask)
06-12-2008
If you're anything like us, just about everyone in your family has called you up this week to ask if you think they should get the iPhone 3G; it really doesn't help matters that there's just an absurd amount of (mis)information floating around about it right now, too. So this one's for you and your fam -- we're dishing out the straight dope on iPhone 3G, a to z, so feel free to pass it on.So, what's with the new iPhone 3G?
Well, it's pretty much the same iPhone as before -- except now it's down to $200, and has way faster 3G data, A-GPS (which is even better than regular GPS), as well as a flush headphone jack (which is great for anyone who doesn't want to use Apple's bundled headphones). Oh, and it's also a little thinner around the edges, and a little thicker at the center. If you want to know what it was like to try out, check out our iPhone 3G hands-on.
How'd they get the price so low? The iPhone used to b! e crazy expensive.
Actually, depending on how you do the math it's not actually cheaper. Now, in some countries the iPhone is free when you sign up for service, and in the US you'll pay $200 for the 8GB model -- half what it was a month ago -- so you're definitely paying less up front. But the data plans cost more now, so you might wind up spending more money over the long run.
Um, ok.
Look, gadgets only get cheaper as time goes on, and Apple's sold enough iPhones to continue to lower their cost to manufacture each unit. But more importantly, Apple's re-arranged its business deals to get carrier subsidies. Basically, what that means for Apple is they've decided to stop asking their carrier-partners for a cut of your monthly service fees. In exchange, the carriers have agreed to pay a significant chunk of the cost of your new iPhone 3G in order to get you to sign up.
So everybody supposedly wins: Apple sells more devices and still makes good money, AT&T gets more subscribers, and you get a cheaper iPhone. But there is a financial toll to this: AT&T estimates that helping you pay for your new iPhone will actually cost them $600 million through 2010. But clearly the numbers indicate that the short term cost will be worth it for them the long run.
Does that mean Apple doesn't make as much money per phone?
For all we know Apple might actually be making more money per phone now. With the original iPhone 3G, you paid "full price" for an iPhone -- $600 at its high point. Now you'll be paying no more than $200 (and as little as nothing in some countries) for the 8GB model, so we don't really know exactly how much of Apple's price the carriers are knocking off. We think it's fair to assume it'd still be in the $400-450 retail range, though, if it wasn't subsidied. Which it is.
Well, Apple will be in 70 countries (and counting) this year, so you'll get different plans from region to region. But in the US, users will have to sign up for a minute plan that includes an extra $30 rate for 3G data access (and has no bundled text messages). This is $10 more than the original iPhone's rate plan, which was $20 for data and 200 included SMSs. Matching voice plans start at $40 per month, so you'll basically be able to get started at $70 per month. (We've also got a bit more on AT&T's new plans here.)
I heard you can't activate the iPhone at home anymore, is that true?
This is still a little fuzzy. Here's the deal: with the first iPhone, Apple used to let you buy it in the store and take it home to activate. This process is unlike almost every other phone on the market, but since it's Apple, and because you were paying full price for the device, if you never activated it with AT&T or just unlocked it and sent it to your friend in China or whatever, it wasn't a big deal. Apple made their money on the device, and AT&T didn't lose anything.
But since now AT&T is basically picking up a huge portion of the cost of your iPhone 3G, they want to make damn sure you aren't going to unlock it or send it to a friend. From what we've heard, you'll likely have to start the activation process in-store (so Apple and AT&T knows exactly who's buying the device), and then you might be able to finish it off at home. It's definitely not ideal, but it's the only way they can prevent people from basically walking away with a few hundred dollars of AT&T's money. And at the end of the day, it probably won't be WORSE than buying any other kind of phone though -- anyone who's b! ought a phone from a US carrier in the last 10 years will be well acquainted with the process.
I heard you have to turn over your iPhone when you upgrade, is that true?
Naw, you bought it, it's yours to hang on to. But if you bought one within Apple's grace period, they'll let you upgrade it free. (More on that below.) But if you bought an original iPhone early on -- which means half of your two year contract is about up -- know that when you buy an iPhone 3G you'll be re-upping that two year contract from date of purchase. So if you buy an iPhone 3G on day one, your new contract will expire on July 11th, 2010.
So if I bought an original iPhone, I can trade it in for an iPhone 3G?
Yes, but only if you bought it AFTER May 27th, 2008. Anyone who bought theirs before that has to live with their purchase -- not that anyone can stop you from showing up to your local Apple store and raising a ruckus.
Can I continue using my original iPhone? Will they still update it?
Yes, and yes! Although the first gen iPhone is officially no longer being made, not even Apple would be so bold as to deactivate the 6m iPhones already out there. They intend to release their big 2.0 software release for iPhones and iPods touch on or around July 11th, which will be the same software running on the iPhone 3G.
What if I decide I don't like the iPhone 3G?
Apple and AT&T offer a 30-day money back guarantee (just in case you don't get coverage in the places you most often frequent). After that you pay a $175 early termination fee (ETF), which goes down each month over the course of your 24 month contract.
Is faster 802.11n WiFi supported?
Nope, it's still just 802.11b/g. Seriously though, you're a fringe case if you need more than 54Mbps to your cellphone.
Can I use voice and data at the same time?
Yes! and no: unlike the original iPhone -- which did not support EDGE class A, and sent calls to voicemail while you were browsing the web -- the UMTS / HSDPA-based iPhone 3G should be able to handle data and calls at the same time when in 3G mode. So that means if you get coverage, you'll be fine. But if you're in a spot where there's only EDGE service, you likely won't be able to do voice and calls at the same time.
I heard rumors that this thing can get up to 40Mbps over 3G, is that true?
Right now AT&T's HSDPA network is supposedly capped out at 1.4Mbps for phones, but we hear the iPhone is rated for HSDPA 3.6 (3.6Mbps), and AT&T claims its network speeds will go even faster than that by next year.
What did they mean by "greatly improved" audio quality?
Well, we heard about it two ways: Apple claims they've both improved the audio circuitry and quality of the signal to your headphones, but also cleaned up the in-call sound quality. We haven't tested this at length though, so we'll let you know if that's the case once it launches.
Can I use the iPhone on any carrier?
It's not unlocked, so no, you can't. While we're sure that iPhone hackers will figure out a way to unlock it for the betterment of all mankind, you're pretty much expected to use it with your designated domestic carrier, and pay the usual exorbitant roaming fees when you leave the country.
I hear that even though it has GPS I can't use it as a nav unit, what's up with that?
According to the SDK agreement, it looks like Apple doesn't want you using your iPhone to replace your Garmin. But it should still technically be feasible, and they demoed their Google Maps app doing geo-caching, so it's really a matter of intended use. Apple, apparently, doesn't want th! e device to be used that way -- but at the end of the day it may just be a contract mishap. We'll know soon!
Why doesn't it do video / MMS / A2DP / scrub my callouses / pick up my dry cleaning?
Clearly Apple has the technological prowess to make (most of) that stuff happen, but for whatever reason they've chosen not to support it. Maybe it's because of battery life issues, maybe it's because Steve just didn't see the need. Either way, it's a philosophical decision for them, so they may never change it. Bummer, right?
So what the hell do I do with my old iPhone?
The funny thing about a $200 3G iPhone is that it makes it pretty difficult to sell your original iPhone. Unless you know someone who doesn't need the 3G, we'd suggest keeping it as a backup, or even jailbreaking and unlocking for use when traveling overseas (in places have GSM networks).
If you do try to sell or give away your old phone, do yourself a favor and read about how you can completely erase it. Just hitting the format iPhone button won't actually remove all your data, and you really don't want your private conversations and passwords to be recovered by someone else, do you?
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The 3 am Call
No. This is not Hillary Clinton calling you from New York for a booty call. This is the call that many businesses and professionals need in today's society. The answer is here.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
10 best excuses for coming to work late
STOP COMING TO WORK LATE
32% of workers attribute their late arrivals to traffic gridlock
17% claim a lack of sleep is the reason
7% have trouble arriving on time because they need to get their children ready for school or day care.
Other issues, like forgetting something at home or not feeling well, are also popular. Fortunately for late arrivers, 43 percent of hiring managers won't count tardiness against you as long as you meet deadlines and turn in good work.
Here are the top 10 according to careerbuilder.com
1. While rowing across the river to work, I got lost in the fog.
2. Someone stole all my daffodils.
3. I had to go audition for American Idol.
4. My ex-husband stole my car so I couldn't drive to work.
5. My route to work was shut down by a Presidential motorcade.
6. I have transient amnesia and couldn't remember my job.
7. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning.
8. The line was too long at Starbucks.
9. I was trying to get my gun back from the police.
10. I didn't have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.
32% of workers attribute their late arrivals to traffic gridlock
17% claim a lack of sleep is the reason
7% have trouble arriving on time because they need to get their children ready for school or day care.
Other issues, like forgetting something at home or not feeling well, are also popular. Fortunately for late arrivers, 43 percent of hiring managers won't count tardiness against you as long as you meet deadlines and turn in good work.
Here are the top 10 according to careerbuilder.com
1. While rowing across the river to work, I got lost in the fog.
2. Someone stole all my daffodils.
3. I had to go audition for American Idol.
4. My ex-husband stole my car so I couldn't drive to work.
5. My route to work was shut down by a Presidential motorcade.
6. I have transient amnesia and couldn't remember my job.
7. I was indicted for securities fraud this morning.
8. The line was too long at Starbucks.
9. I was trying to get my gun back from the police.
10. I didn't have money for gas because all of the pawn shops were closed.
Sleeping at work -- more of us are doing it
Story Highlights
Survey: One-third of workers reported falling asleep on the job
Some companies offer workers a nap room or free fruit
Tired workers cost $100 billion in lost productivity, health care costs, absenteeism
To sleep better, have before-bed routine, cool bedroom, avoid caffeine after lunch
My take: I know that I have caught a z or two at work, but not the mouth-open-snoring-almost fall out the chair somebody save me-type sleep in the picture. At a previous job, a co-worker and I would alternate (lunch breaks) naps in the lobby. Then there was the occasional car nap with the cell phone alarm. All else fails, go outside (hot or cold) and let the weather wake you up.
Store Closings = Big Sales???
A notice of store closures due to underperforming revenues. Could be a sign of the times or shift in the purchasing power of web users.
Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide. A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be closed. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month
Eddie Bauer to close more stores Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.
Cache closing stores Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year.
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherine's closing 150 stores nationwide.
The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherine's Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.
Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release.
Gap Inc. closing 85 stores. In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.
Foot Locker to close 140 stores In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the future store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment Wickes is going out of business Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
Goodbye Levitz
The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon, PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay.
Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it announced that it is closing another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.
Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores. The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.
Home Depot store closings ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc. announced Thursday that it is shutting 15 of them amid a slumping. U.S. economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S. stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months.
CompUSA clarifies details on store closings Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rainchecks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners.
Macy's - 9 stores
Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy. The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental chain closed last fall.
Pacific Sunwear - 153 Demo stores
Pep Boys - 33 stores
Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations
New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.
J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back
Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.
Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores
Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May.
Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close.
KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information.
Dillard's to Close More Stores
Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year.
Ann Taylor closing 117 stores nationwide. A company spokeswoman said the company hasn't revealed which stores will be closed. It will let the stores that will close this fiscal year know over the next month
Eddie Bauer to close more stores Eddie Bauer has already closed 27 shops in the first quarter and plans to close up to two more outlet stores by the end of the year.
Cache closing stores Women's retailer Cache announced that it is closing 20 to 23 stores this year.
Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug, Catherine's closing 150 stores nationwide.
The owner of retailers Lane Bryant , Fashion Bug , Catherine's Plus Sizes will close about 150 underperforming stores this year. The company hasn't provided a list of specific store closures and can't say when it will offer that info, spokeswoman Brooke Perry said today.
Talbots, J. Jill closing stores. About a month ago, Talbots announced that it will be shuttering all 78 of its kids and men's stores. Now the company says it will close another 22 underperforming stores. The 22 stores will be a mix of Talbots women's and J. Jill , another chain it owns. The closures will occur this fiscal year, according to a company press release.
Gap Inc. closing 85 stores. In addition to its namesake chain, Gap also owns Old Navy and Banana Republic . The company said the closures - all planned for fiscal 2008 - will be weighted toward the Gap brand.
Foot Locker to close 140 stores In the company press release and during its conference call with analysts today, it did not specify where the future store closures - all planned in fiscal 2008 - will be. The company could not be immediately reached for comment Wickes is going out of business Wickes Furniture is going out of business and closing all of its stores, Wickes, a 37-year-old retailer that targets middle-income customers, filed for bankruptcy protection last month.
Goodbye Levitz
The furniture retailer, which is going out of business. Levitz first announced it was going out of business and closing all 76 of its stores in December. The retailer dates back to 1910 when Richard Levitz opened his first furniture store in Lebanon, PA. In the 1960s, the warehouse/showroom concept brought Levitz to the forefront of the furniture industry. The local Levitz closures will follow the shutdown of Bombay.
Zales, Piercing Pagoda closing stores The owner of Zales and Piercing Pagoda previously said it plans to close 82 stores by July 31. Today, it announced that it is closing another 23 underperforming stores. The company said it's not providing a list of specific store closures. Of the 105 locations planned for closure, 50 are kiosks and 55 are stores.
Disney Store owner has the right to close 98 stores. The Walt Disney Company announced it acquired about 220 Disney Stores from subsidiaries of The Children's Place Retail Stores. The exact number of stores acquired will depend on negotiations with landlords. Those subsidiaries of Children's Place filed for bankruptcy protection in late March. Walt Disney in the news release said it has also obtained the right to close about 98 Disney Stores in the U.S. The press release didn't list those stores.
Home Depot store closings ATLANTA - Nearly 7+ months after its chief executive said there were no plans to cut the number of its core retail stores, The Home Depot Inc. announced Thursday that it is shutting 15 of them amid a slumping. U.S. economy and housing market. The move will affect 1,300 employees. It is the first time the world's largest home improvement store chain has ever closed a flagship store for performance reasons. Its shares rose almost 5 percent. The Atlanta-based company said the underperforming U.S. stores being closed represent less than 1 percent of its existing stores. They will be shuttered within the next two months.
CompUSA clarifies details on store closings Any extended warranties purchased for products through CompUSA will be honored by a third-party provider, Assurant Solutions. Gift cards, rainchecks, and rebates purchased prior to December 12 can be redeemed at any time during the final sale. For those who have a gadget currently in for service with CompUSA, the repair will be completed and the gadget will be returned to owners.
Macy's - 9 stores
Movie Gallery - 160 stores as part of reorganization plan to exit bankruptcy. The video rental company plans to close 400 of 3,500 Movie Gallery and Hollywood Video stores in addition to the 520 locations the video rental chain closed last fall.
Pacific Sunwear - 153 Demo stores
Pep Boys - 33 stores
Sprint Nextel - 125 retail locations
New Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse appears to have inherited a company bleeding subscribers by the thousands, and will now officially be dropping the ax on 4,000 employees and 125 retail locations. Amid the loss of 639,000 postpaid customers in the fourth quarter, Sprint will be cutting a total of 6.7% of its work force (following the 5,000 layoffs last year) and 8% of company-owned brick-and-mortar stores, while remaining mute on other rumors that it will consolidate its headquarters in Kansas . Sprint Nextel shares are down $2.89, or nearly 25%, at the time of this writing.
J. C. Penney, Lowe's and Office Depot are scaling back
Ethan Allen Interiors: The company announced plans to close 12 of 300+ stores in an effort to cut costs.
Wilsons the Leather Experts - 158 stores
Pacific Sunwear will close its 154 Demo stores after a review of strategic alternatives for the urban-apparel brand. Seventy-four underperforming Demo stores closed last May.
Sharper Image: The company recently filed for bankruptcy protection and announced that 90 of its 184 stores are closing. The retailer will still operate 94 stores to pay off debts, but 90 of these stores have performed poorly and also may close.
KB Toys posted a list of 356 stores that it is closing around the United States as part of its bankruptcy reorganization. To see the list of store closings, go to the KB Toys Information web site, and click on Press Information.
Dillard's to Close More Stores
Dillard's Inc. said it will continue to focus on closing underperforming stores, reducing expenses and improving its merchandise in 2008. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, CEO William Dillard II said the company will close another six underperforming stores this year.
Cheap Gas in Missouri
Explainer
Cheap Gas in Missouri
What keeps pump prices so low in certain states?
By Jacob Leibenluft
Posted Monday, June 9, 2008, at 6:43 PM ET
Article URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2193222/
Cheap Gas in Missouri
What keeps pump prices so low in certain states?
By Jacob Leibenluft
Posted Monday, June 9, 2008, at 6:43 PM ET
While the average gas price nationwide passed $4 last weekend, Missouri could boast of prices around $3.825, the cheapest in the country. How come the Show Me State has the lowest gas prices?
Taxes, pipelines, and ethanol. State gas taxes—which are assessed on top of the federal rate of 18.4 cents per gallon—tend to get the most attention in comparisons of fuel prices across states. At 17.6 cents per gallon, Missouri's gas taxes are low, but they aren't quite as low as some other states'. New Jersey, for example, takes just 14.5 cents per gallon, but its prices remain more expensive than Missouri's. (The Garden State's ban on self-service pumps adds an estimated nickel or so per gallon to the retail price.)
In Missouri, geography helps keep prices low. The state doesn't have any oil refineries, and its share of U.S. crude oil production is so small that the Department of Energy reports it as 0 percent. But because of its proximity to Texas, Oklahoma, and the Gulf Coast states, Missouri is crisscrossed by some of the nation's larger pipelines. Oil barges also pass through the state on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Proximity to producers reduces transportation costs a little, but it also makes Missouri less susceptible to price spikes when individual refineries run into problems.
The distribution of gas stations within a state can also make a difference. In Missouri, many pumps are at big-box stores or stations attached to convenience stores—which take in significant income from secondary sales. At these locations, retail gas prices tend to be closer to wholesale prices. (You can find a similar effect on gas prices in Kansas, parts of Pennsylvania, and the upper Great Lakes region.)
Retail gas prices can vary depending on state and local environmental requirements. Urban areas with particularly dirty air are required by federal law to sell "reformulated gas" for all or part of the year, and because the cleaner-burning fuel is refined through a special process, it tends to be a little more expensive than regular gas. Within Missouri, for example, St. Louis and Kansas City have higher prices compared with the rest of the state because of mandates for cleaner gas. California uses a unique blend of gas due to environmental regulations and is generally cut off from supplies east of the Rockies; there, prices can spike to more than 40 cents above the national average.
Yet one piece of legislation designed to help the environment may have had the unusual effect of reducing gas prices in Missouri—at least in the short term. At the beginning of this year, the state implemented a new law requiring that all gasoline include 10 percent ethanol. With the price of crude oil rising much faster than that of ethanol, the new formulation may save consumers about 10 cents per gallon (PDF) relative to regular gas. But with ethanol production being blamed for rising food prices, Missouri lawmakers are debating rolling back the law—a change that might allow South Carolina or New Jersey to reclaim the title of the nation's cheapest gas.
Bonus Explainer: How come diesel fuel*—in Missouri and elsewhere—costs so much more than the regular stuff? Global demand. Historically, diesel has often been cheaper than regular gas. But with the rest of the world—including fast-growing China and India—so reliant on diesel, U.S. refiners have increased their exports abroad. While European refiners export gasoline to the United States, some tankers return with diesel to fulfill high demand across the Atlantic. Reduced supplies in the United States mean diesel is, on average, about 65 cents per gallon more expensive than gasoline.
While diesel and gasoline both use the same basic raw ingredient—crude oil—they require a different refining process. Given diesel's higher price, refiners almost certainly would produce more if they could, but it may take them years to build that additional capacity.
Got a question about today's news? Ask the Explainer.
Explainer thanks Severin Borenstein of the University of California Energy Institute, Hayley Chouinard of Washington State University, Michael Davis of the Missouri University of Science and Technology, Tom Kloza of the Oil Price Information Service, Matthew Lewis of Ohio State University, Erich Muehlegger of Harvard University, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Energy Center.
Correction, June 10, 2008: Due to an error introduced during editing, diesel fuel was incorrectly described as a kind of gasoline. (Return to the corrected sentence.)
Jacob Leibenluft is a writer from Washington, D.C.Article URL: http://www.slate.com/id/2193222/
Monday, June 9, 2008
"LEON"
All you need to know about game two of the NBA Finals is that Leon Powe went Teen Wolf and scored virtually every time he touched the ball. Leon (I propose he go to one name like Beyonce or Madonna) scored 21 pts on 6-7 fgs, 9-13 fts, which at one point was more points than Kobe had until about 6 minutes left in the 4th while Powe was on the bench with 4 fouls. Speakin of, why does Leon sit for the remainder of the 4th quarter even though he was the biggest spark of the night with 4 fouls? He is not the star so why not play him until he keels over? Leon had a magical run of unorthodox hooks and runners and basically dunks the rest of the time. It was like they didn't expect him to score so he was running free. Throw that in with Rondo trying to do his best Kevin Johnson immitation, especially now that he has tried to posterize Jason Maxiell, Radmanovic, and Odom in the playoffs. Amazingly, Rondo had 16 assists and 2 turnovers. Throw in Jesus Shuttlesworth getting his groove back against his nemesis and foe Kobe Bryant, this series sure looks interesting heading to LA for 3 games.
Even more interesting than the Paul Pierce injury, is the fact that the Lakers appear to wait until the last few minutes of the game to actually take it serious. They get out of the gates pretty good but never have consistency in the middle quarters. Multiply that with some pretty significant hometown calls, some serious defense, and Boston's bench playing lights out, this series is still not over. The Lakers play 3 games at home, where their bench is supposed to be one of the best in the business. You have to imagine that the whistle will be screaming purple and gold Tuesday night and you can expect at least one 45 pt outburst by Kobe in the next 3 games. But is that enough to save the series?
Iphone 3g (Engadget)
eBay, TypePad, others showcase iPhone apps at WWDC
Iphone 3g for $199 beginning in July.
- eBay. Pretty much everything you'd need to do from a desktop browser can be done through eBay's iPhone app: bidding, searching for items, My eBay (so you can see how the sale of your old iPhone's going), watching items, and the like. It's free, but since you're giving eBay money every time you make a transaction, we'd expect it to be.
- Loopt. Already a staple on a couple carriers, Loopt's location-based services allow friends to keep tabs on one another. It'll be free at the launch of the App Store.
- TypePad. Following some of Six Apart's other moblogging efforts, the iPhone version of its TypePad client will allow realtime uploading of photos taken with the iPhone's cam. It'll also be free.
- Associated Press. It seems the AP wants to turn us all into unpaid correspondents, offering an app that will allow users to upload footage.
- Band. A collection of virtual instruments for creating music from scratch right on the iPhone. Probably not the most effective platform for creating songs if we had to guess, but hey, cool nonetheless! Available in a "few weeks' time."
- MLB.com. Video baseball highlights, real-times stats and scores.
Bottom of barrel! Missouri last in gas prices.
This STLtoday.com article -- "Bottom of barrel! Missouri last in gas
prices"--
prices"--
Bottom of barrel! Missouri last in gas prices at $3.802/gallon.
Below is the link to the story.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/nation/story/DA7CB242B2D8D1BD862574630012E450?OpenDocument
_____________________________________________________________________
Sunday, June 8, 2008
6 Ways You're Wasting Gas
It's not easy to break bad driving habits, but if you don't, the money you lose on gas could wind up breaking your bank.
By Peter Valdes-Dapena provided by: NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com)
With all the worry over fuel prices, you'd think drivers would do whatever they can not to waste gas. But look around and you'll see lots of them tooling around as if they owned their own tanker fleet. One of them might be you.
Here are six ways drivers typically waste gas on every trip:
1. When the light turns green, you don't have to take off as quickly as possible. That pedal under your right foot is called the "gas pedal" for a good reason. The more you press down on it, the more gas you're pumping into the engine.
Press lightly on the gas pedal, and you'll still accelerate, and you'll still get where you're going. You might be surprised at how little pressure it takes to get your car up to speed in a reasonable time.
2. Racing up to red lights
When you're driving down the street, and you see a light red light or stop sign up ahead, you should lay off the gas sooner rather than later.
There's no point in keeping your foot on the gas until just before you reach the intersection. Let off the pedal sooner and give your engine a rest as you coast to the stop while braking gently. As an added benefit, your brake pads will last longer, too.
By themselves, these first two tips can improve your fuel economy around town by as much as 35 percent, according to tests conducted by automotive information Web site Edmunds.com.
3. Confusing the highway with a speedway
Even if it doesn't involve hard acceleration, speeding wastes gas. The faster you go, the more air your vehicle has to push out of the way. It's like moving your hand through water. The faster you try to move your hand, the harder the water pushes back.
In tests by Consumer Reports, driving at 75 miles per hour instead of 65 miles per hour reduced fuel economy by between 3 and 5 miles per gallon, depending on the vehicle.
4. Bumper-buzzing
Tailgating is a bad move for many reasons. First of all, it's unsafe. You reduce your ability to react if the car in front of you slows or stops. It also means you have to pay ultra-close attention to that car which reduces your ability to scan for other hazards ahead of you and to the sides.
And tailgating wastes gas. Every time the driver ahead taps his brakes, you have to slow down even more than he did. (That's because you can't react immediately so you have to slow even more because you're slowing down later.) Then you accelerate again to get back up to speed and resume your bumper-buzzing routine.
Hang back and you'll be safer - plus you'll be able to drive more smoothly and use less fuel. A good rule of thumb is to allow two seconds of space between your car and the one ahead. You can figure that out by counting off two seconds after the car in front of you passes an obvious landmark like an overpass.
5. Driving standing still
You've probably heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. Maybe that used to be true, but it isn't anymore. With modern fuel-injection engines, it takes very little extra gas to restart a car once it's warmed up.
Idling, meanwhile, burns about a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the California Energy Commission. That's why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines whenever they stop, even for a moment.
Now you don't want to shut your engine down for every little stop in your regular, non-hybrid car - it's not designed for that - but if you're waiting for someone to run in and out of a convenience store, turn off the engine.
And don't go through the drive-through at fast food restaurants. You're already paying enough for the oil in those chicken nuggets.
Bonus tip: Don't idle your engine to let it warm up before driving. It does your engine no good and it wastes gas. Instead, start driving right away, but drive gently until the engine is warm.
6. Short hops
For really short trips, take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Try walking to the store instead of driving. You can save gas and burn a few calories instead.
If you can't hoof it, save up your errands. A lot of short hops that let the engine cool down at home between trips can use twice as much gas as starting the car once and making a big sweep to all your stops, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Go to your farthest destination first so your engine has a chance to reach its optimal operating temperature. Then make your other stops on the way back. With the engine warmed up, the car will restart easily and run efficiently all the way home.
If these tips don't work, here are some alternatives from your boy.
1. Call off work - don't work, don't drive.
2. Only make necessary trips. No more driving to see people, that's what email is for.
3. Trade in your SUV. Oooopps. Too late. They are no longer taking SUV's as trade bait. You are better off trading in a salvaged vehicle.
4. If all else fails, catch the bus. In some instances, this is a bigger hassle than help (Like St. Louis and the wack Metro link). But it will only be a matter of time before they go up on prices also.
By Peter Valdes-Dapena provided by: NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com)
With all the worry over fuel prices, you'd think drivers would do whatever they can not to waste gas. But look around and you'll see lots of them tooling around as if they owned their own tanker fleet. One of them might be you.
Here are six ways drivers typically waste gas on every trip:
1. When the light turns green, you don't have to take off as quickly as possible. That pedal under your right foot is called the "gas pedal" for a good reason. The more you press down on it, the more gas you're pumping into the engine.
Press lightly on the gas pedal, and you'll still accelerate, and you'll still get where you're going. You might be surprised at how little pressure it takes to get your car up to speed in a reasonable time.
2. Racing up to red lights
When you're driving down the street, and you see a light red light or stop sign up ahead, you should lay off the gas sooner rather than later.
There's no point in keeping your foot on the gas until just before you reach the intersection. Let off the pedal sooner and give your engine a rest as you coast to the stop while braking gently. As an added benefit, your brake pads will last longer, too.
By themselves, these first two tips can improve your fuel economy around town by as much as 35 percent, according to tests conducted by automotive information Web site Edmunds.com.
3. Confusing the highway with a speedway
Even if it doesn't involve hard acceleration, speeding wastes gas. The faster you go, the more air your vehicle has to push out of the way. It's like moving your hand through water. The faster you try to move your hand, the harder the water pushes back.
In tests by Consumer Reports, driving at 75 miles per hour instead of 65 miles per hour reduced fuel economy by between 3 and 5 miles per gallon, depending on the vehicle.
4. Bumper-buzzing
Tailgating is a bad move for many reasons. First of all, it's unsafe. You reduce your ability to react if the car in front of you slows or stops. It also means you have to pay ultra-close attention to that car which reduces your ability to scan for other hazards ahead of you and to the sides.
And tailgating wastes gas. Every time the driver ahead taps his brakes, you have to slow down even more than he did. (That's because you can't react immediately so you have to slow even more because you're slowing down later.) Then you accelerate again to get back up to speed and resume your bumper-buzzing routine.
Hang back and you'll be safer - plus you'll be able to drive more smoothly and use less fuel. A good rule of thumb is to allow two seconds of space between your car and the one ahead. You can figure that out by counting off two seconds after the car in front of you passes an obvious landmark like an overpass.
5. Driving standing still
You've probably heard that it takes more gas to restart a car than to let it run. Maybe that used to be true, but it isn't anymore. With modern fuel-injection engines, it takes very little extra gas to restart a car once it's warmed up.
Idling, meanwhile, burns about a half-mile worth of gas every minute, according to the California Energy Commission. That's why hybrid cars shut down their gasoline engines whenever they stop, even for a moment.
Now you don't want to shut your engine down for every little stop in your regular, non-hybrid car - it's not designed for that - but if you're waiting for someone to run in and out of a convenience store, turn off the engine.
And don't go through the drive-through at fast food restaurants. You're already paying enough for the oil in those chicken nuggets.
Bonus tip: Don't idle your engine to let it warm up before driving. It does your engine no good and it wastes gas. Instead, start driving right away, but drive gently until the engine is warm.
6. Short hops
For really short trips, take advantage of the opportunity to get some exercise. Try walking to the store instead of driving. You can save gas and burn a few calories instead.
If you can't hoof it, save up your errands. A lot of short hops that let the engine cool down at home between trips can use twice as much gas as starting the car once and making a big sweep to all your stops, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Go to your farthest destination first so your engine has a chance to reach its optimal operating temperature. Then make your other stops on the way back. With the engine warmed up, the car will restart easily and run efficiently all the way home.
If these tips don't work, here are some alternatives from your boy.
1. Call off work - don't work, don't drive.
2. Only make necessary trips. No more driving to see people, that's what email is for.
3. Trade in your SUV. Oooopps. Too late. They are no longer taking SUV's as trade bait. You are better off trading in a salvaged vehicle.
4. If all else fails, catch the bus. In some instances, this is a bigger hassle than help (Like St. Louis and the wack Metro link). But it will only be a matter of time before they go up on prices also.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)