Jul
9
Beijing renews Google China license
July 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Google said on Friday that Beijing has renewed the license it needs to continue operating a website in China, securing the search giant's foothold in the country's fast-growing Internet market despite some recent tensions over censorship. Google had closed its China search engine in March but wanted to keep a website that offers music and [...]
Jul
9
Lower electric bills as temperatures rise
July 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment
As temperatures are on the rise in the Northeast, try out some of these strategies. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs produce the same light, but use a fraction of the heat and energy. Another good tip is to avoid using your dishwasher, oven or clothes drier at peak heat times and [...]
Jul
2
Amazon buys deal-a-day site Woot
July 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Amazon is buying shopping site Woot, where gadget geeks can get some good deals. Woot announced the deal on Wednesday using a self-deprecating letter from chief executive Matt Rutledge and a video of a dancing and rapping plush monkey. Launched in 2004, the site initially featured just one electronics product a day, offered at a [...]
Jul
2
New 10% Tax on Indoor Tanning
July 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment
We've talked before about how the government thinks they can tax your bad habits. These things are bad for you, so please don't make a stink. Just pay us our tribute and we won't shake down your business. And enjoy $10 a pack cigarettes while you try to keep your business afloat while paying our [...]
Jun
24
$11-a-pack cigarettes
June 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment
It's not a good time to be a smoker. New York City smokers already pay the highest cigarette taxes in the nation, but a new state law will push those taxes even higher this summer. The state legislature approved a bill adding a state tax of $1.60 to every pack sold, effective July 1. The [...]
Jun
24
YouTube wins Viacom battle
June 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment
After a three year war, Google triumphed over Viacom on Wednesday as a federal court ruled that Google's YouTube subsidiary is not liable for its users' copyright infringements. A U.S. district court in New York ruled that YouTube is covered by a "safe harbor" clause in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which protects service providers [...]
Jun
18
Mexico invests in more U.S. brands
June 18, 2010 | Leave a Comment
Huge Mexican corporations are snapping up U.S. brand names, opening U.S. factories and investing millions north of the border. Everything from Thomas' English Muffins to Borden milk, even Saks Fifth Avenue department stores. Mexican investors are taking advantage of low interest rates and depressed prices during the economic downturn to expand their holdings in the [...]
Jun
13
Wendy's/Arby's shares rise on takeover inquiry
June 13, 2010 | Leave a Comment
The Wendy's/Arby's Group Chairman said he's reviewing an overture from an unnamed group interested in acquiring the fast-food company. The disclosure sent shares up 31 cents, or 7.1%, to $4.65 Friday. There are few details about the inquiry, but the deal could include his participation and he said that he would work with financial advisers [...]
Jun
11
BP stock: Buy or sell?
June 11, 2010 | Leave a Comment
BP's stock has been gushing like the well itself and with BP's stock down almost 50%, or almost $90 billion since the April 20 rig disaster, is it time to buy or sell? There are still many unknowable, unquantifiable facts surrounding BP and the oil spill, so one thought is that now isn't the time [...]
Jun
8
How to Afford Anything
June 8, 2010 | Leave a Comment
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/how-to-afford-anything.htm The point here is that you shouldn't skimp on the items you really want. In his cases nice cars and cameras, just so you can have a decent house and a new mid-size car. The difference is frugal vs cheap. I'm thinking about this as I contemplate a $2700 treadmill and $1000 TV for [...]