Author: Chris
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WSJ: Wal-Mart Era Wanes
Maybe Americans’ bad taste can be reformed! Gary McWilliams reports: The Wal-Mart Era, the retailer’s time of overwhelming business and social influence in America, is drawing to a close. […] Rival retailers lured Americans away from Wal-Mart’s low-price promise by offering greater convenience, more selection, higher quality, or better service. Amid the country’s growing affluence,…
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WSJ on Billboard Advertising Battles
The Journal’s Cynthia Crossen gives an overview of political battles surrounding billboard advertising today. An interesting read, in part because billboard advertising lobbyists have been pretty shameless in their political advocacy. I remember that when I lived in Georgia, they wanted to lop off the tops of trees so that billboards could be better seen.…
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The Joys of the Wall Street Journal, Weekend Edition
Ah, the joys of reading the relatively new weekend edition of the Journal…There’s always news you can really use. For instance, if you happen to be in Atlanta and are hungry, the Journal will tell you exactly where you should sitting at Rathbun’s, depending on whether you are an A, an A+, or A++. Floorplan…
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HeadOn Works!
The ads work, that is. HeadOn, that homeopathic (and therefore completely ineffective) head rub for head pain isn’t effective. But it’s still selling, because advertising and propaganda often trumps evidence! Mya Frazier of AdAge reports: Those rapid-fire “HeadOn, apply directly to the forehead” spots are arguably among the worst commercials ever from a creative standpoint.…
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Credit Freeze: An Example of How Regulation Gives Consumers Choice Where the Market Wouldn’t
Brian Krebs reports good news: Trans Union, one of the three major consumer reporting agencies, will offer all consumers the option to freeze their credit files in order to prevent identity theft: A credit freeze directs the credit bureaus to block access to a consumer’s credit report and credit score. At present, at least 39…
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American Churches Offshore Homophobic Leadership
Apparently lacking sufficiently homophobic leadership in the US, some American churches are turning elsewhere for their fire and brimstone. The Journal’s Andrew Higgins reports: MBARARA, Uganda — The Rev. John Guernsey, rector of a church in a middle-class Virginia suburb, stood early this month before thousands of Africans here on a rickety, ribbon-bedecked podium. Clutching…
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The Right to Trial…By Elves
The Journal’s James Hookway informs us that a trial court judge in Manila, Judge Floro, has an interesting set of consultants: three elves, only visible to the judge himself! Belief in this trio has caused the country’s supreme court to intervene and fire the judge. …Mr. Floro, 54 years old, has become a media celebrity.…
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Verizon: It’s OUR Network
Mark is totally outperforming me on this blog for many reasons, but my newest excuse is that I went to Austin for the weekend to see the Austin City Limits Festival. W00t!!1! So, I’m going to be covering some divine articles that appeared over the weekend. First up: Verizon, it’s OUR network, baby! The Journal…
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Anyone Going to ACL?
The 2007 Austin City Limits Festival starts later this week. There’s a pretty amazing lineup of bands to hear for $80/day, including some of my favorites, Blonde Redhead, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and the Arcade Fire. My schedule of annoying indie bands is posted here.
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WSJ: Oppose CAFE! Ignore Reality! Why, Because I Know Econ 101!
In today’s Journal, Robert Crandall and Hal Singer argue that America shouldn’t drink the corporate average fuel economy standard (CAFE) Kool-Aid. Why? Well why do you think? Because the market is perfect and thus there is no problem! Bring on the Econ 101! …if there was [sic] fuel-saving technology out there that cost $1,000 but…