SubscribeMonthly Archives: June 2009
ESPN’s WSOP Unforgettable Confrontations
ESPN doesn’t usually put their name on YouTube videos, but it looks like times are changing. This week ESPN submitted WSOP Unforgettable Confrontations as the 2009 WSOP winds down to the Main Event. I can’t embed the video because they disabled the code, but here is the link.
It’s a pretty entertaining video. Featured is the always memorable Sheik vs. Matusow match where Sheik makes an inappropriate gesture after the flop comes out (indicating he had a piece of the flop). … More »
Call for Writers: Motivation Interview
Staying motivated is one of the hardest parts of freelance writing, in my opinion. Writer’s block. Inspiration. The desire to work and do well. Some days, the sun is shining and the pool is calling my name…and I don’t really care how many articles are left unfinished on my plate.
So, I want to know how you guys and gals stay motivated. If you have five minutes of time, I’d love to hear your answers to a little motivation and writer’s… More »
Gannett Fires 1,000 Employees
Gannett, one of the largest newspaper publisher in the United States, is set to fire an additional 1,000 employees. The Wall Street Journal, who originally reported this news, says that the number could of Gannett employees fired could be raised to 2,000.
Prior to the firings, Gannett is estimated to have about 41,500 employees. But with the newspaper industry in turmoil, it’s not much of a surprise that Gannett is searching for ways to save money.
The newspaper industry has been hard… More »
Upbeat Winners: Please Email Me
If you were someone who won a copy of Rajesh Setty’s new book Upbeat, please send me a note at phil.gerbyshak @ b5media.com with your address. If you sent it already, I lost it. I tried to contact you, but I failed and it bounced back. Thanks again to Raj for sharing your book! Helen, who commented on Justin’s suggestion (in addition to another entry later in the contest): “It’s the GRATITUDE ATTITUDE… More »
American Express Reaches Settlement
American Express on Tuesday says they have reached a settlement with the Office of Thrift Supervision and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Those two agencies were upset with American Express regarding the company’s stance on convenience checks.
Numerous consumers reported that they were sent convenience checks but that the checks were ultimately declined. American Express says the checks were declined due to changes in the consumers’ credit limits or ratings.
In the settlement with the OTS and the FDIC, American Express has… More »
Marines Already Have Transformers – VIDEO
With Transformers:Revenge of the Fallen out in theaters, weapons of destruction are pretty cool to watch on the big screen. Wouldn’t it be nice if we already had some of that technology available to us for real? Perhaps we do. Check-out this video we uncovered of a the F-35B fighter jet that does a little bit of transforming of its own.
I finally watched the movie tonight at IMAX. Definitely the way to see it! Very good movie, but even less… More »
Do You Truly Listen to Your Customers?
Sometimes companies are so busy insisting that they are right that they forget to listen to their customers. And instead of providing stellar customer service and improving both customer relations and company good will, they alienate those valuable customers. Companies have got to stop ignoring customer feedback while trying to make it seem like they care. Drop the act. We know when you’re not really listening to us.
A few days ago, my son woke up crying. Usually some milk and… More »
Beyond the Crown: Borel Abandons Chip?
Calvin Borel abandoned Mine That Bird in favor of Rachel Alexandra in the Preakness. He was back aboard the Derby winner in the Belmont, but he may be jumping ship again.
He frequently rides for Ian Wilkes and may have a scheduling conflict if Warrior’s Reward fires a big shot in the Dwyer (G2) this weekend.
If everything goes according to plan, Warrior’s Reward is scheduled to run in the Jim Dandy (G2) on August 1st, the same day… More »
Great News for Anemia Sufferers, AMAG
All too often, big business wins out over the interests of the little guy or vice versa. However, the FDA approval of AMAG Pharmaceutical Inc’s Feraheme, an anemia medicine taking by injection, has proven to be beneficial to both parties. Shares of AMAG, a relatively small business, are up 5 percent, while anemia sufferers now have a new, more convenient drug available.
Feraheme has specifically been approved for adults as part of an iron replacement treatment for those afflicted with kidney… More »
Pentagon Gives $1.06 Billion Job to Oshkosh
Oshkosh Corp. has now become the object of envy from every major defense contractor in the United States, as it will sign a $1.06 billion dollar contract with the Pentagon to produce mine-resistant trucks for military use in Afghanistan. The contract is one of Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ plans to improve the military’s effectiveness in the fight against insurgents.
There may be little time to celebrate for Oshkosh, though, as Pentagon leaders encourage the company to hurry their production of the… More »
AIG on the Path to Recovery
Although it recently took $40 billion from the government in order to stay afloat, American International Group’s CEO Edward Liddy has expressed his confidence that AIG is on its way to quickly paying back its federal debt. AIG chalks this up to a sweeping decrease in risks in its derivatives business.
AIG has not released any sort of predictions regarding the value of its stock increasing or decreasing in the near future, much to its shareholders’ chagrin. However, Liddy has called… More »
Celebrate Good Times!
I like to celebrate with job seekers who get the job offer they have been waiting for. For me, just doing a jig or a respectable shout works for increasing endorphins. I love to celebrate great news! Have you recently received a job offer? If so, before you let out that shout, consider whether it is the right offer for you.
Here are some things to consider:
1. Get the offer in writing
2. Make sure you are clear on salary and benefits
3…. More »
Who Is Holding Your Stocks?
If securities in your account are held in street name, then the registered owner is your brokerage firm, not you.
There are two types of accounts you can open with a brokerage firm: cash and margin.
If you have a cash account, then you are the owner of the securities, because their purchase was funded entirely by you. However, if you have a margin account, your stocks will probably be held in street name.
Why would the broker want to own the stocks… More »
Training While Watching TV
Outside of my workout time, my days are mostly sedentary during this summer. I was thinking about this during my workout today and I decided to start getting in some light muscle work during some of my favorite tv shows – Simpsons, Seinfeld, Family Guy, and Operacion Depot. When you think about it, if you workout during the show or even just between commercials, you’re not going to miss anything and you’ve become a lot more efficient with your physical… More »
Why Can’t Easy Filters Catch Spam
I’m hitting a little bit of a theme with my posts. Can you tell it’s that time of the week when I go through my spam filters and check for false positives? That’s what I’m doing and I’m reminded of something that to me is extremely easy to identify. I’m not sure why messages fitting this scenario aren’t immediately flagged as spam and never seen by the user. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone… More »