Monthly Archives: May 2009

Consumers dump the stock market and embrace savings

May 29, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING We know consumers are in emergency savings mode during the Great Recession. So where are they putting their money for long term returns? Forget the stock market. According to a new poll from Gallup, Americans’ confidence in stock and bonds is down a whopping 50% since 2007 (Gallup.com 5.8.09). Not […]

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Meat market: Beef industry rolls out new cuts

May 28, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Nina Elder WHAT’S HAPPENING Consumers will soon be seeing some new names in the butcher case (NYTimes.com 4.29.09). The beef industry spent five years and $1.5 million studying the chuck roll, the area under the shoulder blade that’s normally turned into moderately priced steaks and chuck roast — and came up with five new […]

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Please Visit Me, and here’s how much it will cost

May 27, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Sarah Barker WHAT’S HAPPENING PleaseVisitMe.com is a free travel-based e-vite service that comes with a handy logistical perk — finding the least expensive airfare between the distanced friends (KillerStartups.com 3.24.09). The invitor enters their name, email and nearest airport as well as that of their friend. PleaseVisitMe checks for the lowest airfare and includes […]

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BILINGUAL BEGINNINGS

May 26, 2009 – 2:10 pm

By Abelardo de la Peña Jr. There’s a baby laughing. In a minute, she may be crying, squealing, grunting or whining. Nine-month-old Jewel, along with her mom (my daughter, Ana) is staying with us for a while, and her unpredictability is, well, predictable. One sure thing: Every morning, she quiets to the familiar voices of […]

By Iconoculture | Posted in Consumer Trend, Entertainment, Latino, Moms, Parents, Television | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

Harley-Davidson revs it up online for Latino riders

May 25, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. WHAT’S HAPPENING What’s a Harlista? A Harley-Davidson-riding Latino who’s proud of being both. The motorcycle company is celebrating the dedication of its Latino riders by launching a section on its website telling true stories of Harlistas. The interactive, English-language section features photos and personal accounts of Latino Harley riders. […]

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Debit cards leave credit cards in the rearview mirror

May 22, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Hans Eisenbeis WHAT’S HAPPENING For the first time in the history of the company, Visa says use of its debit cards exceeded use of credit cards in the fourth quarter of 2008 in terms of total volume (PaymentsNews.com 5.4.09). Cardholders spent $206 billion of their own money through debit, versus $203 billion on credit. […]

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The skies get fur-endlier with Pet Airways

May 21, 2009 – 6:00 am

by Stefania Revelli WHAT’S HAPPENING When pigs fly, it will probably be on Pet Airways. On the much later hoofs of 2004’s Companion Air, which invited Fido and Fluffy to ride in-cabin alongside their parents, comes Pet Airways, a Florida-based airline dedicated exclusively to pets (Gadling.com 4.21.09). Set to take off mid-July 2009, the airline will […]

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Future home designers get a head start with playhouses

May 20, 2009 – 6:00 am

by  Nissa Hanna WHAT’S HAPPENING Netherlands-based company QB Playhouses lets little artists personalize the look of their playhouses from the start of the ordering process. First, kids pick a model: original, city or tree; they can either keep it as a blank canvas or select colors from QB’s happy hued palate to cover the trim […]

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PART MEATLESS AND BREEZY

May 19, 2009 – 1:54 pm

By Charlotte Beal, Lead Editor News flash: The dinner-party template is no longer a roast, two elaborate sides and dessert. For one thing, meat is undergoing a bout of bad publicity (too costly by two). For another, who has the time? It seems the world is going partly meatless. It has nothing to do with […]

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Latino blogger shares his seduction strategies

May 18, 2009 – 8:35 am

by Abelardo de la Peña Jr. WHAT’S HAPPENING A Latino blogger is keeping track of his attempts to seduce women as a pick-up artist, giving viewers a glimpse of his exploits via postings and videos at Latino Gentlemen. Going by the moniker of “Ozziesaurus Mex,” the L.A.-based Chicano subscribes to the principals of the ABCs […]

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Doomers do dinner parties with what’s already in the fridge

May 15, 2009 – 6:08 am

by Sarah Fazio WHAT’S HAPPENING For most dinner party hosts, the evening requires a trip (or three) to the grocery store. But for Doomer Dinner Parties there’s no shopping required — actually, it’s forbidden. The entire meal must be prepared from what’s on hand in the host’s fridge, pantry or garden. Doomers (a.k.a. peakniks) say […]

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The Boobox ain’t no regular snack box, it vends free samples

May 14, 2009 – 6:23 am

by Nissa Hanna WHAT’S HAPPENING The Boobox vending machine doesn’t want your money; instead, to score its free samples, customers get an activation code by sending a special SMS from their mobiles. Fosfor, the Belgian marketing and design agency behind the savvy sample machine, designed the Boobox to be easily modified to dispense different trial-sized […]

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Podcast: Crushing green shoots under the heels of our boots

May 13, 2009 – 9:54 am

Derek Stubbs and Hans Eisenbeis discuss how much worse the economy could get, and companies that are nevertheless thriving. Download this week’s economic podcast here: Crushing green shoots under the heels of our boots: Bottoms Up Week 23 27 min., 36 sec.

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Teachers Shmoop to conquer dull school lessons

May 13, 2009 – 7:51 am

by Paul Katz WHAT’S HAPPENING While Shmoop may sound like the title of a ’60s doo-wop song, it’s actually a wry interactive study-aid website to help high school and elementary students learn. The website — designed by Ph.D and masters students at universities like Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard and Yale — provides a snarky take on […]

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SCRATCHIES, TAKE ME AWAY!

May 12, 2009 – 12:44 pm

by Becky Sun Scratchies aren’t characters from The Simpsons. They’re what Aussies call scratch-off lottery tickets, and they are just one of the 21st-century equivalents of the lipstick that Depression-era women bought to brighten their lives. Global View has been tracking numerous examples in this vein. It’s not only lipstick that’s enjoying a sales boost; […]

By Iconoculture | Posted in Beauty, Consumer Trend, Economy, Food/Beverage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off
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