DailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comDailyFinance.comhttp://o.aolcdn.com/os/df/2013/img/2-dailyfinance_logo_m.pngDailyFinance.comhttp://www.dailyfinance.comen-usCopyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Pepsi Says It Will Stick With Penn State Sponsorshiphttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/16/pepsi-says-it-will-stick-with-penn-state/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/16/pepsi-says-it-will-stick-with-penn-state/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/16/pepsi-says-it-will-stick-with-penn-state/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pepsi Says It Will Stick With Penn State Penn State's profile is growing more radioactive, but the university can at least rest easy that it still has a soda to call its own.

Pepsi on Wednesday said it will remain a sponsor of the school and its football team. "We are very concerned about the current allegations surrounding certain individuals at Penn State University, but will continue to honor our longstanding relationship," a company spokesman wrote in an email to a DailyFinance reporter.

Pepsi has been one of the university's largest corporate partners, and is ubiquitous on Penn State's main State College campus and 20 satellites. In its original deal with the school in 1992, Pepsico (PEP) paid Penn State $14 million over 10 years for exclusive vending and advertising rights. Details of the renewal were not available, but the soda maker's commitment is apparent. Pepsi vending machines are spread throughout the campus. Soft drinks are served in Pepsi cups on game day. And the signage is anchored by a permanent Pepsi logo on the scoreboard of the 106,537-seat football stadium.

The cola manufacturer's disclosure that it's still on Penn State's team should come as refreshing news to the school: Its endorsement portfolio faces a potentially massive exodus in the wake of the scandal. Cars.com pulled advertising from an ESPN telecast of Penn State's loss to Nebraska last Saturday, and Sherwin-Williams, the paint company, removed its logo from the banner that hangs during Penn State press conferences.

The status of other advertisers remains uncertain. A spokesperson for the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn., told DailyFinance on Wednesday that the casino's deal with Penn State football "technically" ended for the year, but said they would call back with an update. DailyFinance did not hear back. DailyFinance also contacted Penn State sponsors AT&T (T), Berks Hot Dogs and Chesapeake Energy (CHK), and did not receive any response as of deadline.

Other high-profile sponsors such as Chevrolet, PNC Financial, John Deere, State Farm Insurance and the American Red Cross are staying put for now, ABC News already reported, as is the team's outfitter, Nike. (The latter is being pressured to rename its Joe Paterno Child Development Center on its Beaverton, Ore., campus, Forbes.com wrote.)

A spokesman for Weis Markets told DailyFinance that the chain will continue its sponsorship, and that it hoped the school's "top priority will be addressing the needs of the victims."

None of the above, however, is now listed as a sponsor on Penn State's athletics website. The page reads "Penn State Athletics would like to thank its Corporate Partners for their support" but is otherwise blank. One company spokeswoman said she believed the university removed the names on its own. A Penn State spokesman said that Associate Athletic Director Greg Myford would comment later.

Penn State football generates $53 million in revenue annually, CNN reported, and the entire athletic program receives an additional $24 million in sponsorships and merchandising deals. Pepsi's contribution is significant for a school that is looking to gain any victories it can as dark clouds descend on it for unprecedented systemic failures of oversight -- if the accusations are true. Former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky is charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse involving eight boys, including the rape of a 10-year-old in the locker room shower. Another assistant witnessed the act and told Coach Joe Paterno, who informed school officials. No school administrator -- including Paterno and President Graham Spanier -- told the police. Both lost their jobs. Two other administrators, Athletic Director Tim Curley and school Vice President Gary Schultz, face perjury charges of lying to a grand jury about their knowledge of the incidents.



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]]>AT&TChesapeake Energy CorpChild sexual abuseChildSexualAbusecoverupGraham Spanierjerry sanduskyJerrySanduskyJoe PaternoJoePaternoMohegan Sun ArenaPenn State Nittany LionsPenn State Nittany Lions footballPennsylvania State UniversityPepsiscandalRon DickerWed, 16 Nov 2011 16:25:00 ESTNBA Lockout Will Be an Economic Air Ball for Other Sportshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/16/nba-lockout-will-be-an-economic-air-ball-for-other-sports/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/16/nba-lockout-will-be-an-economic-air-ball-for-other-sports/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/16/nba-lockout-will-be-an-economic-air-ball-for-other-sports/#commentsFiled under:

NBA Lockout Will Be an Economic Air Ball for Other Sports Nobody wins -- except maybe basketball fans' savings accounts. Those fans and the money that the now-shuttered NBA stands to lose will not migrate to another sport.

Hundreds of millions of dollars will remain on the sidelines. Spectators will take a long timeout.

Sure, there are alternatives but ...

College basketball? Rah rah, sis boom nah.

Hockey? The thought leaves Andrew Zimbalist cold.

Zimbalist, a noted sports economist at Smith College, says other games might see small bumps in attendance and TV ratings, but not enough to make a difference. Many fans already pressed by the ailing economy will simply sit out the lost season.

"Given the economic circumstance, people might say this is a blessing, telling themselves 'I can't afford it anyway,'" Zimbalist said.

The fate of the entire NBA season plunged into doubt Monday when players rejected the owners' latest bargaining proposal and announced they were suing the league. Hundreds of games have already been cancelled due to the lockout, and hope is fading for a resolution.

No New Ice Age

The National Hockey League is by far the smallest of the major U.S. sports leagues, so any chance to expand its brand is usually welcomed.

Without the popular Lakers and their star, Kobe Bryant, hogging all the attention in L.A., the NHL's Los Angeles Kings are enjoying a monopoly as the lone tenant of the Staples Center, the arena they normally share with the Lakers and Clippers.

Chris McGowan, the Kings' chief operating officer, said he disliked using the term 'opportunity' to describe the potential to capitalize on another sport's problems, because the NHL will face its own contract confrontation after the season. "The best thing we can do to grab new fans is to provide an entertaining and contending team combined with quality customer service," he said.

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The NHL was the last major league to lose a season to labor strife, in 2004-05. The impact then on NBA attendance was minimal, according to reports. In fact, fans' overall disgust with pro sports at the time might have decreased interest in basketball. In hockey-crazy Toronto, the NBA's Raptors did not have the NHL's Maple Leafs to contend with during the lockout, but they drew fewer fans than in the previous year, according to the Denver Post. Even the 2004-05 Lakers, coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals, experienced an attendance drop without the hockey Kings in action.

Hockey's power play on the major winter-sport dollar probably won't lead to greater popularity this time around, Zimbalist said, because of the demographic divide between NBA and NHL fans. Besides, hockey's no bargain, with an average ticket price of more than $51, compared to the NBA's $48, according to the Team Marketing Report.

A few hoops fans might turn to tennis, golf or European soccer on television, he added, or perhaps spend the savings on consumer goods such as iPhones. "It's possible that the money could be widely diffused among other entertainment options," he said.

Back to School Sales

College basketball fits the bill as a cheaper sport alternative. It's also a more natural outlet for NBA fans -- it is, after all, the same game.

St. John's University often plays in the same building as the NBA's New York Knicks -- the newly renovated Madison Square Garden. The school took a step toward returning to prominence by making the NCAA tournament last season, and it has a charismatic coach in Steve Lavin. Tickets are reasonably priced, too. Seats for St. John's Thursday game against 16th-ranked Arizona at the Garden were going for $15 on StubHub early Tuesday, compared to the Knicks' average of $89.

DailyFinance asked the school if it had a plan to win over some of those left out in the cold by the NBA. "We would certainly welcome NBA and all New York sports fans to come to Madison Square Garden ... to experience St. John's basketball games," replied Chris Monasch, St. John's athletics director. "St. Johns is collaborating with the Garden staff to promote ticket sales."

But the NBA-to-college transition is a tough one for many hardcore pro hoops aficionados. In Los Angeles, Gary Romanik, a Lakers season ticket holder, has access to UCLA and USC college basketball, but they might as well be playing in another state. Romanik is ready to take the season off. "It is a great opportunity to reduce my entertainment expenses while I attempt to start or buy a business," he said.

Any sport courting a broader audience in the face of the NBA shutdown will require a subtle strategy, sports economist Zimbalist advised. That means raising positive awareness by promoting its own brand, not referring to the lockout. "That shows weakness," he said. "Fans can figure it out for themselves."

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]]>Andrew ZimbalistbasketballCollege Basketballcollege basketballCollegeBasketballhockeylabor disputeLaborDisputeLos Angeles ClippersLos Angeles KingsNBA Lockout 2011NbaLockout2011New York KnicksnhlSportsSports ticketsSportsTicketsstrikeRon DickerWed, 16 Nov 2011 09:40:00 ESTWhat a Deal: Poker Champ Pays No Taxes on $8.7 Millionhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/what-a-deal-poker-champ-pays-no-taxes-on-8-7-million/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/what-a-deal-poker-champ-pays-no-taxes-on-8-7-million/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/15/what-a-deal-poker-champ-pays-no-taxes-on-8-7-million/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Poker Champ Pius Heinz Pays No Taxes on $8.7 Million There's Herman Cain's 9-9-9 Plan. There's the Buffett Rule.

But of all the tax plans we've heard lately, Pius Heinz's All for Me deal is our favorite.

Heinz is the German ace who recently won the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas, earning $8,715,636 -- tax-free.

Under the U.S.-Germany Tax Treaty, Germans' gambling income earned on U.S. soil isn't taxed by the IRS, reports Taxabletalk.com. Back in Germany, gambling winnings are also tax-exempt. So Heinz won't have to ante up one penny to any government, while most of his competition is paying a full house or more.

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"All power to him," Taxable Talk author Russell Fox told DailyFinance.

Second-place finisher Martin Stazko of the Czech Republic doesn't owe anything to Uncle Sam for his $5,433,086 in winnings, but back home, he'll cough up $814,963.

Third-place finisher Ben Lamb of Tulsa, Okla., won $4,021,038 in the Texas Hold 'Em tournament, but he won't hold 'em all once the IRS is done with him. Fox estimated he'll fork over $1,524,011 in taxes.

Fourth-place finisher Mark Gianetti of Las Vegas will surrender $1,048,642, or 35%, of $3,012,700.

The biggest winner/loser of them all is Eoghan O'Dea of Dublin, Ireland. The sixth-place finisher will have to fold on 40% of his $1,720,331. Amateur Irish gamblers get to keep all their winnings, but O'Dea is a professional, so Ireland's Office of Revenue Commissioners gets a $695,018 share of his green.

But he got off easy compared to 2008 poker champ Peter Eastgate. As a citizen of Denmark, Eastgate was flushed out 73% of his $9,152,416. Comparatively, "U.S. tax law looks very friendly," Fox said.

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]]>Czech RepublicDenmarkEntertainmentgamblinggermanyHerman CainIrelandLas Vegas, NevadaPeter EastgatePius HeinzPiusHeinztax-freeTexas hold 'emUncle SamWorld Series of PokerWSOPRon DickerTue, 15 Nov 2011 17:03:00 ESTThe Veterans Benefit That Far Too Many Vets Overlookhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/11/the-veterans-benefit-that-far-too-many-vets-overlook/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/11/the-veterans-benefit-that-far-too-many-vets-overlook/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/11/the-veterans-benefit-that-far-too-many-vets-overlook/#commentsFiled under: ,

Eugene Bishop served in the Army in World War II, earning the Combat Infantryman Badge for confronting enemy fire. In 1991, Bishop (not pictured) suffered a stroke, and recently, the 85-year-old took a bad fall that left him needing a walker. But the widower still has fight left in him. He and his daughter, Linda Schaffer, made repeated attempts to apply for the veterans' Aid and Attendance benefit -- and like good soldiers, they refused to give up.

Aid and Attendance provides nearly $2,000 a month for a qualified veteran or surviving spouse who needs help with everyday activities. But just one-third of elderly veterans are receiving their full health care benefits, according to the government. Aid and Attendance is among the most overlooked benefits offered, in part because the required disability does not necessarily have to be tied to combat injuries.

It's apparently one of the toughest supplements to secure as well.

"We'd send in sets of forms 10 pages long, then they'd send me back another set," Schaffer told DailyFinance. "I had to do that three or four times."

A frustrated Schaffer eventually contacted the office of Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) Presto, the Aid and Attendance benefit was finally approved, eight months after Bishop first applied. Prior to that, he was earning $2,700 a month in pension but was paying $3,000 a month to live at the Sunrise of Frederick (Md.) assisted living center. "It's really helped because I was going in the hole every month," he said.

Well Worth the Hassle

Former servicemen or their spouses who think they qualify will need a shoebox full of documentation: discharge/separation papers, a Social Security award letter, verification of net worth (which is not supposed to exceed $80,000, excluding home and car), and proof of income. Click here for details of the eligibility standards.

Gathering all that paperwork is worth the hassle. But first veterans have to know that Aid and Attendance even exists. As more World War II, Korean War and even Vietnam veterans age to the point where they can no longer pursue the Aid and Attendance benefit on their own, retirement facilities are spearheading awareness-raising campaigns. Sunrise Senior Living has 5,000 veterans spread through its more than 300 communities.

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"Since the Aid and Attendance benefit is so significant, families we work with are almost always grateful in the end," said Kelly Myers, the senior vice president for sales at Sunrise.

The Department of Veterans Affairs told DailyFinance it had no estimate for how many veterans are eligible for Aid and Attendance, but it did encourage candidates -- or their caregivers -- to be thorough when applying. And if it takes a plea to an elected official to hurry things up, go right ahead.

"While Congressional inquiries may help to resolve difficult situations, our experience is that many delays can be avoided by filing a complete claim or by seeking the assistance of a VA-accredited representative in preparing the claim," a Veterans Affairs spokesperson wrote in an email.

But VeteranAid.org, a veterans advocacy website that promotes Aid and Attendance while trying to simplify the process, warns applicants that some VA employees might give the wrong information, so choose carefully.

To get the ball rolling, veterans can download this application. Surviving spouses should download this one. The forms will most likely go to the local VA branch.

Patience paid off for Bishop. He now receives $1,600 a month in Aid and Attendance, and has someone help him bathe and put on his socks. The financial reinforcements left him with one less battle to worry about.

"It really helps," he said.

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]]>Aid and AttendanceAidAndAttendanceBarbara MikulskiCombat Infantryman BadgeHealthKorean WarLocalMarylandSunriseSunrise Senior Living IncU.S.United States District Court for the District of MarylandVeteranAid.orgVeterans benefitsveterans dayVeteransAffairsVeteransBenefitsVeteransDayVirginiaWorld War IIRon DickerFri, 11 Nov 2011 13:15:00 EST14 Veterans Day Freebies for Those Who Servedhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/10/14-veterans-day-freebies-for-those-who-served/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/10/14-veterans-day-freebies-for-those-who-served/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/10/14-veterans-day-freebies-for-those-who-served/#commentsFiled under: ,

As a salute to those who have served our country, on Friday, many restaurants and other businesses are offering freebies to active military and veterans for Veterans Day.

You'll need military ID or proof of service in many cases, and it's recommended you call first to make sure the particular franchise you're visiting is participating. Some offers, as indicated below, might also apply to civilians as well and might be happening on a different date.

Dig in and enjoy. That's an order!

The following are among the best deals for 11-11-11 compiled by Coupon Sherpa, plus a few we added on our own.

1. Chili's
Free meal for active duty military personnel and veterans. Choice of one of six meals on a dine-in-only basis. Beverages and gratuity not included. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2. Denny's
Free Grand Slam breakfast for active duty military personnel and veterans. Geographically limited.

3. Subway
Free six-inch sub for veterans.

4. Macy's
Use promo code VET15 and receive 10% to 15% off through Nov. 13. Nonmilitary customers can also get the discount.

5. Spaghetti Warehouse
A 11-cent meal with a coupon for both military and civilians. "Like" the Spaghetti Warehouse on Facebook and get a serving of lasagna, spaghetti and meatballs, or any original recipe spaghetti entree for 11 cents.

6. Texas Roadhouse
Free lunch 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for active duty military personnel and veterans. Dine-in only.

7. McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants
Free lunch or dinner entrée on Nov. 13 for veterans as part of restaurant's 13th annual Veterans Appreciation Event.

8. Grace For Vets
Free car wash for active duty military personnel and veterans.

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9. Hy-Vee
Free breakfast buffet from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. for active duty military and veterans at its Midwestern stores.

10. Applebees
Free entree for active duty military personnel and veterans. Menu includes house sirloin and fiesta lime chicken. Basic sides come with the deal, but not dessert or tip. Dine-in only.

11. Hooters
 10-piece wing order with the purchase of a drink. Active duty military personnel and veterans must bring proof of military service.

12. Olive Garden
 Special free menu for all active-duty and retired service men and women.

13. Krispy Kreme
 Active-duty military, retirees and veterans get a free doughnut.

14. Golden Corral
Active-duty or retired military personnel dine free Nov. 14 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. No proof required.

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]]>active dutyActiveDutybreakfastcouponsdealsdinnersfreefreebiesmilitaryVeterans DayRon DickerThu, 10 Nov 2011 13:35:00 ESTGot Hitched Too Fast Like Kim and Kris? Say 'I Do' to a DIY Divorcehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/10/got-hitched-too-fast-like-kim-and-kris-say-i-do-to-a-diy-divo/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/10/got-hitched-too-fast-like-kim-and-kris-say-i-do-to-a-diy-divo/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/10/got-hitched-too-fast-like-kim-and-kris-say-i-do-to-a-diy-divo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You wed on a whim, on a bender, or whatever it was that compelled you to commit to love, honor and cherish. Now you want it over. Sound familiar?

While we hate to bring up Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' union gone bad in a hurry, for the non-famous, there's a way to end a marriage on the cheap. It's relatively fast, and couples can part with their dignity intact.

Reverse your walk down the aisle with a do-it-yourself, uncontested, no-fault divorce. In many states you can simply download the forms, submit them for between $200 and $400, and wait two to six months for the court to grant the divorce.

"It's certainly the quickest and cheapest way to get it," explains Steven Goldfeder, a New York matrimonial lawyer at Blank Rome LLP, which handled the divorces of Donald Trump and Howard Stern.

Here's the catch: An uncontested "pro se" (lawyerese for DIY) divorce is a good way to go only if you have neither children nor considerable assets to protect, Goldfeder says. Custody, alimony and property issues can get tricky without professionals involved.

"If both sides have very little money, it doesn't pay to retain lawyers," he explains. Goldfeder draws the DIY line at around $50,000 in the bank and home ownership.

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But Ed Sherman, a California attorney who authored Make Any Divorce Better!, recommends avoiding lawyers at all costs. "Getting lawyers involved is a very good way to have high conflict," he says. "The legal system is adversarial. Lawyers are trained to fight."

As many of you know, splitting couples can fight without any training at all. Resist the urge. You and your short-term sweetie will have to collaborate on your divorce. You will have to agree that it's the right thing to do, and that everybody moves on with what they had before the marriage. The law means what it says in stipulating "uncontested."

We don't know of many divorce-related arguments that end with "Gee, honey, you're absolutely right" -- but do your best. "It's much less expensive if people are going to cooperate regardless of how the divorce is done," says psychotherapist and divorce coach Micki McWade.

The moment either of you lawyers up, you can kiss your discount divorce goodbye. "Sometimes, the only way that you can reach someone is through the wallet," McWade says. "People don't want to spend more than they have to. But there are some who are just too angry and don't care how much it costs. That often ends when someone starts writing retainer checks for a lawyer, when they realize it's tens of thousand of dollars."

Sometimes, the parties have to overcome the shame of making such a big mistake before they can reach an accord, the psychologist adds.

At least the blame doesn't have to swatted back and forth like a tennis ball. Every state is now "no-fault," meaning couples no longer have to cite specific problems such as infidelity or cruelty. For states that offer DIY, you wait the state-prescribed amount of time to file (usually a month to a year) and express that the marriage is irretrievably broken. Residency rules also apply.

One party will often play the role of petitioner, who will file the papers, and the other the respondent, who will be served with the papers. A joint Appearance, Consent & Waiver can assure the judge that both parties concur, cutting the chances of a court appearance, according to Help Abolish Legal Tyranny, a 20,000-member nonprofit devoted to legal reform. In short marriages with no kids or property involved, a hearing is often not required. The court merely signs off and you get the notice by mail.

Some state courts also offer DIY forms for annulment, which wipes the marriage from the record. In those cases, you have to prove your grievance. It's usually fraud, such as a spouse confessing he or she never really wanted children and just said so to induce marriage. Sometimes it can be incapacity, such as "I had eight vodka gimlets on the Vegas Strip before we entered the chapel." Some states, like New York, do not post annulment forms online, and direct visitors to consult with attorneys. Annulments can be more difficult, our experts say.

As long as you can be nice through the process, a DIY divorce will work for the impetuously hitched. It took Kardashian and Humphries a whole 72 days to figure out they weren't right for each other. Following through on their breakup in Hollywood fashion will require an army of lawyers and a whole lot of reality-show money.

You, on the other hand, will get to live happily after with your finances and sanity intact, and no tabloid attention whatsoever.

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]]>annulmentBlank Rome LLPdivorceDIYdo it yourselfDoItYourselfEntertainmentkardashian divorceKardashianDivorceKim KardashianKris HumphriesKrisHumphriesper sePerSeuncontestedRon DickerThu, 10 Nov 2011 06:30:00 ESTBlockbuster Express Price Hike Hits Home for DVD Rentershttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/07/blockbuster-express-price-hike-hits-home-for-dvd-renters/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/07/blockbuster-express-price-hike-hits-home-for-dvd-renters/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/07/blockbuster-express-price-hike-hits-home-for-dvd-renters/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Blockbuster Express Rental Price Increase Hits Home for DVD RentersRecession-weary Americans trying to save on home entertainment just took another punch in their DVD slots. Blockbuster Express (NCR) became the third major distributor to increase its prices recently, joining Redbox (CSTR) and Netflix (NFLX). Blockbuster Express is doubling the cost of its semi-new releases to $2 as of Election Tuesday, Bloomberg reported. (Good thing Blockbuster Express isn't running for office.) The increase covers all films released to the company's 10,000 nationwide kiosks within 29 to 90 days.

NCR Executive Vice President John Bruno told shareholders last week that the company was exploring "profit-enhancing initiatives," Deadline.com reported.

Justin Hotard, the entertainment general manager of NCR Corp., Blockbuster Express's parent company, said in the Bloomberg story that content-providing movie studios will get a bigger cut from the increase. Studios have been whining for years about sinking DVD sales, to the point that Universal announced it would allow families in certain markets to watch the newly released comedy thriller Tower Heist on-demand at home for $60 three weeks after its theatrical debut. An outcry from cineplex operators stopped the experiment.

The new Blockbuster Express fee compensates for higher operating costs and puts the price of the content more in line with its value, Hotard said. It probably didn't hurt that Redbox and Netflix paved the way, the former increasing its price from $1 to $1.20 and the latter causing shockwaves in the industry by ratcheting up monthly charges 60% to $16 for customers who combine streaming and mail-order.

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The majority of Blockbuster Express movies still will cost $1. Releases that have been available four weeks or less will cost $3, with a $1 a day late penalty. Blu-ray costs an extra buck in all categories. The additional fees will allow Blockbuster Express to avoid the 28-day embargo imposed on new movies from Warner Brothers (TWX), Universal, and Fox (NWS), Deadline.com said.

NCR is looking to unload its Blockbuster Express DVD business while fighting in court against Dish Network (DISH), the owner of regular Blockbuster, to keep the Blockbuster name. Seems a little complicated, but it's likely that all the public will notice are the higher prices.

The increases of DVD rental fees could accelerate home viewers' shift to streaming. That would leave digital providers such as Amazon (AMZN) Instant Video ($79 a year, including free shipping on Amazon purchases) and HuluPlus ($7.99) an opening to swipe a bigger share of the market. Dish-owned Blockbuster has a streaming arm, charging $3.99 for every new release. Blockbuster does have one advantage: It's featuring the Starz, Sony (SNE) and Disney (DIS) content that Netflix will lose in February, thanks to its recent contract dispute with Starz.





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]]>blockbuster expressBlockbusterExpressDish NetworkDVD RentalsDvdRentalsFinancemoviesNCR CorpNetflix IncRedboxSci/TechStarzstreaming videoStreamingVideovideoRon DickerMon, 07 Nov 2011 12:50:00 ESTIPO's Over: So Now Should You Invest in Groupon?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/04/ipos-over-so-now-should-you-invest-in-groupon/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/04/ipos-over-so-now-should-you-invest-in-groupon/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/04/ipos-over-so-now-should-you-invest-in-groupon/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

IPO's Over: So Now Should You Invest in Groupon? Rake the leaves. Watch No. 1-ranked LSU play No. 2 Alabama in college football. Do anything this weekend to catch your breath from Groupon's IPO release on Thursday and its first day of trading Friday.

Then think. Think if you really want to take the plunge on Groupon (GRPN) when the market opens on Monday. Think if you can stomach buying shares in a Wall Street rookie that has lost hundreds of millions of dollars over the last three years.

It was easy to get caught up in the Groupon hoopla this week. Many did. The deal-packager sold 35 million shares at $20 a pop to amass $700 million in Thursday's IPO. Shares climbed in regular trading Friday to $31.14, before settling at a still-impressive $26.11 at the closing bell.

As you take your hard-earned 48 hours to decompress, DailyFinance offers a few expert opinions on whether to place your hard-earned money in Groupon. Think them over. Think it over.

One prominent broker who asked not to be identified told us Friday he wouldn't touch the stock with a 10-foot pole. "There's way too much volatility in this market right now to be playing with a social media IPO," he said. "Let it calm down for the next few days. It's not Facebook. It's just not there."

The broker predicted the stock would sink back to its $20 IPO price within 90 days -- perhaps something to think about over several weekends.

In a swipe at Groupon boss Andrew Mason, the broker added, "There's a lot of other cheaper stocks. There's plenty of names not run by CEOs who have gone from handling 50 people to 10,000 people."

Going Down

Groupon is catching its breath too, apparently. "Today's a significant step in Groupon's journey, but it's not the finish line," a spokesman told DailyFinance on Friday. "It's great to pause and recognize what we've accomplished, but we're focused on building a long-term business that really changes people's expectations of local commerce."

Observers all over stock nation paid careful attention to Groupon's market debut, in part because it could pave the way for other Internet biggies like Facebook to follow suit.

Earlier Friday, Business Insider CEO and Huffington Post blogger Henry Blodget tweeted, "Enjoy The Ride, Groupon Investors, I'm Outta Here!!"

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Blodget once foresaw the skyrocketing value of a little stock called Amazon. He isn't seeing the same future for Groupon. Other than institutional investors who snatched up shares at $20 and flipped them in the surge, he recommended we sit tight. "There is NO WAY I would own Groupon's stock for the next few quarters at this price, given the business transition Groupon is currently undergoing," he wrote in his column.

A Merrill Lynch star analyst before he fell from grace when the SEC ordered him to pay $2 million in fines and $2 million in restitution for securities fraud, Blodget refashioned himself as a journalist who calls them as he sees them. What he sees for Groupon are a few rough quarters ahead. Groupon's valuation peaked at around $20 billion Friday, but could "easily" sink to $8 billion, he wrote.

Then again, he expressed what anyone considering buying this stock is probably thinking. What if? What if shares just kept soaring on a graph line that looks like a walkway to the nearest cloud? It's happened before. "Doesn't seem likely," he said.

CNBC's Mad Money host Jim Cramer urged viewers to stay the heck away, unless they were able to convert a quick profit in the flush of the first few days. Cramer said the company had yet to turn a profit and faced increased competition. He was also turned off by Groupon's wild fluctuations in value, from $30 billion to $10 billion before its IPO road show.

Cramer asked Groupon CFO Jason Sand what Groupon was doing to inspire investor confidence. Sand replied that the company was expanding into electronics sales and was refining its demographic targeting to avoid problems such as offering male shoppers mani/pedi discounts.

Because Groupon offers a service that is easy to relate to for many of us bargain hunters, there's a temptation to invest in what we know. But getting half off a facial is a lot different than plunking significant amounts down on a company that pundits keep punching in the nose.

Enjoy the weekend. And think.



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]]>couponsDeal of the dayDealOfTheDayFinanceGroup BuyingGroupBuyingGroupon IPOGrouponIpoHenry BlodgetInvesting adviceInvestingAdviceJim CramerStocks to buyStocksToBuyRon DickerFri, 04 Nov 2011 16:50:00 ESTSave Your Sole and Your Budget: Run Barefoothttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/04/save-your-sole-and-your-budget-run-barefoot/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/04/save-your-sole-and-your-budget-run-barefoot/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/04/save-your-sole-and-your-budget-run-barefoot/#commentsFiled under: ,

Save Your Sole and Your Budget: Run Barefoot Want to save $500 a year, be as fit as a lion, and stick it to big corporations? If you're a runner, it's easy. Give up running shoes and go barefoot. Your gait will improve, you'll suffer fewer injuries, and you'll be making great strides toward easing your budget, devotees insist.

Sneaker-wearing entrants in this weekend's New York City Marathon might have already felt run over by sticker shock. Major brands like Nike (NKE) and Adidas (ADDYY) cost north of $110 and manufacturers tell you to replace them every 300 to 500 miles, says Christopher McDougall, a prominent figure in the shoeless movement and author of the bestselling Born to Run.

If you're running 50 miles a week, you could be buying up to eight pairs a year. That puts you on track to becoming the Imelda Marcos of the sneaker set.

McDougall tells DailyFinance he has saved "thousands of dollars" going shoeless. "It's not so much about running barefoot," says McDougall, who has a feature about shoeless running in this Sunday's New York Times. "It's about not buying something you don't need."

McDougall once asked a major shoe executive why his company couldn't make a shoe for $20. "He looked at me like I was speaking Lithuanian," McDougall says.

If pocketing miles worth of moolah doesn't make your tootsies tingle, then how about this? The guru for the unshod says the savings from eliminating visits to the orthopedist are also significant, as is swearing off other activities we pay for. "You don't need massage therapy, you don't need a gym membership, you don't need yoga, you don't need stretching balls," he says. "As animals we are hardwired to enjoy running. Everything else we created. Running was the one thing that came to us as a gift."

Have No Fear for Your Feet

Barefoot running has tiptoed away from the fringe into a boomlet in recent years. The Barefoot Runners Society increased from 680 founding members in 2009 to 1,345 a year later, according to The New York Times. Sunday's marathon, now the nation's biggest, will feature tens of dozens of barefooters among the 47,000 entrants pounding pavement for 26.2 miles.

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Competing shoeless is not new in modern sport. Abebe Bikila of Ethiopia won the 1960 Olympic marathon gold medal with his feet au naturel. Zola Budd of Great Britain ran barefoot at the 1984 Olympics, colliding famously with Mary Decker in the 3,000-meter race.

But among rank and file joggers, the trend has accelerated in the last five years. It didn't take long for the shoe companies to co-opt the movement, producing "minimalist" footwear with maximal price tags. The Vibram Five Fingers has a five-toed design to imitate the contours of your dogs for $90. The Nike Free is anything but free at up to $125. Barefoot advocates say cheap moccasins or even ballet slippers can provide protection.

Shoe companies are heels, McDougall says. They took over running in the 1970s and haven't loosened their grip. "The best marketing tool of all time is fear. 'If you don't have all this stuff, you're gonna get hurt.' People listened to that, and the truth is the exact opposite. You buy that stuff and you will get hurt."

Doctors Have a Foot in Both Camps

Thomas Hollowell, author of the The Complete Idiot's Guide to Barefoot Running, calculated that he saved $482 on shoes in the last year. Hollowell switches between shoeless and minimalist, saying that even a pricy minimalist model will last long because there's no concern about decreasing support. Either way, he says, "Many runners are happy to save. This might give them more money to travel or join other races, or enjoy spending their money on other pursuits."

Arch enemies of the movement say it's dangerous. Aficionados swear that the ball-first ground strike promoted by barefoot running allows the cushiest part of your foot to naturally absorb shock, whereas the traditional shod heel-first impact jars the entire body. The American Podiatric Medical Association explains in a statement that the evidence on both sides is inconclusive. It warns barefoot practitioners about possible lower-extremity injuries and puncture wounds from ground debris.

For an exercise to learn proper barefoot running form, check out McDougall's video (in sandals this time) for the New York Times Sunday Magazine.

Those who want to try barefoot should start slowly, experts urge. Walk even. Increase your distance by yards each time, not miles. In a while, your feet won't be the delicate dogs you may think they are. Hollowell runs shoeless on asphalt and in winter, saying his feet warm up quickly. But on unfamiliar or snowy terrain, he uses minimalist slip-ons. Common sense should dictate your choices.

As you stride off down the path to big savings, run shoeless -- not clueless.



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]]>Abebe BikilamarathonNew York City MarathonRank Hovis McDougallrun barefootRunBarefootRunning barefootrunning shoesRunningBarefootRunningShoessave moneySaveMoneyshoesThe New York TimesThe New York Times MagazineZola BuddRon DickerFri, 04 Nov 2011 06:00:00 ESTRabbit Ears Redux: Antennas for Free Broadcast TV Make a Comebackhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/02/rabbit-ears-redux-antennas-for-free-broadcast-tv-make-a-comebac/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/02/rabbit-ears-redux-antennas-for-free-broadcast-tv-make-a-comebac/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/02/rabbit-ears-redux-antennas-for-free-broadcast-tv-make-a-comebac/#commentsFiled under: ,

antennas for free broadcast tv make a comebackTV lovers hit by the weak economy and fat cable bills are going old-school. More and more people are using antennas to get free programming. That's right: The pair of rabbit ears that your grandmother jiggled to tune in I Love Lucy can still receive dozens of digital channels on HDTVs and other flat screens. The picture is better, many swear, and there are plenty of updated options to harness those gratis airwaves, starting at around $10.

Unplugging wouldn't put you in a freakish minority. The number of Americans relying solely on over-the-air TV has risen from 42 million to 46 million in the last year, according to Dennis Wharton of the National Association of Broadcasters, a trade group and union for the over-the-air TV and radio industries. "The recession has prompted people to review whether pay-TV services are affordable in a down economic time," he told DailyFinance.

Antennas Direct, a St. Louis manufacturer, recently staged a 45-city tour to give away its most popular antenna -- the $99 Clearstream 2 -- to unemployed people who could no longer afford cable or satellite TV services. More than 3,000 lined up at a Toyota dealership in Dothan, Ala., last week to get one. "You would think we were giving away cars, these people were so grateful," Antennas Direct President Richard Schneider said. "But paying $1,200 a year for cable is a lot if you're struggling."

Antenna TV has become a default for many. A recent New York Times report said that cable and satellite providers, while holding their own against online streaming platforms such as Netflix (NFLX) and Hulu (AMZN), are losing tens of thousands of customers to poverty. Time-Warner Cable (TWC), one of the nation's largest carriers, reportedly lost 128,000 accounts last quarter.

Demand for antennas has been so intense that electronics giant J&R has run out of many models, a spokesman said.

A Surprising Number of Broadcast Options

Martin Brockmann of Sacramento, Calif., joined the antenna set in March. He dropped his $85-a-month DirecTV (DTV) contract for a one-time investment of $75 in a roof antenna that fit right into the brackets where his satellite dish had been mounted. He now receives 25 channels, including the networks. The picture is as clear as what he had, he says. Augmented by an $8-a-month Hulu subscription, he now pays $96 a year for viewing entertainment, a huge savings over the $1,020 he had paid annually for satellite.

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"I wasn't mad at DirectTV or anything," he explains. "It's the money. You've got an abundance of channels you can get with a good antenna and there's so much content online. Basically I could get all the stuff I was already using and ditch the rest."

Analog television broadcasts may have died two years ago, but free broadcast TV is alive and kicking ... and expanding. The digital spectrum allows the transmission of three or four programs at the same time on what was once a single channel, creating subchannels that multiply viewers' choices. Many of the new offerings are foreign-language shows that cater to Hispanic and Chinese audiences, which make up a large fraction of the over-the-air viewing audience, according to Wharton. One in four Hispanic families and one in three Chinese households uses an antenna. Among the nation's major urban centers, Los Angeles offers up to 90 free channels and New York City 70. (St. Louis has among the most limited choices at 20 channels.) Local network affiliates, public stations and UHF are usually available in most markets.

Here are a few tips to tune into the antenna TV movement.

Old could be new again: Search for any old antenna you might have lying around -- it might work. Rabbit ears were invented in 1953, but the technology hasn't changed radically. If the conditions are right, you'll get reception. "You can potentially get HDTV with a coat hanger," Schneider says.

Location, location, location. To get reception with an indoor antenna, you'll probably have to be within 35 to 40 miles of a transmitter. For an outdoor setup on the roof, you'll get reception up to 70 miles away. That means most of us are covered, unless we're living in a remote desert canyon somewhere. Visit antennapoint.com and enter your zip or address to see the nearest transmitters, plus the programming menu. Cable companies often say that digital broadcasts are more sensitive than analog, but Wharton disputes that. However, topography and building materials (metals are a buzz-kill for digital signals) still play a role in reception.

Room with a view: As common sense would dictate, placing an indoor antenna near a window works best.

To the vectors go the spoils: Some things never change. You will have to experiment with positioning the antenna to get the best reception. Again, antennapoint.com can help you align your antenna in the direction of the most powerful signal.

Set on "antenna": When you attach the cable from the antenna to the television input, make sure you slip it in the "Antenna" terminal. You'd be surprised how many people forget to do that.

Stay within your budget: If you're switching to broadcast TV because the financial crisis has hit you hard, don't squander what you have. Consumersearch.com's top three antennas are all low-priced: RadioShack Budget TV Antenna ($13), Terk HDTVa ($45) and Antennas Direct DB2 ($35).

Like an old pair of rabbit ears, cheap is always in style.




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]]>Antenna TVbroadcastcable billCableBilldigital TVDigitalTvDirecTVfreehdtvHuluNetflixrabbit earsRabbitEarssatellite tvSatelliteTvsave moneySaveMoneySci/TechtelevisionTime Warner Cable IncUHFRon DickerWed, 02 Nov 2011 12:00:00 ESTYour Pet's Food May Be Making You Sick: FDA Investigateshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/02/your-pet-food-may-be-making-you-sick-fda-investigates/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/02/your-pet-food-may-be-making-you-sick-fda-investigates/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/11/02/your-pet-food-may-be-making-you-sick-fda-investigates/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

FDA investigates human salmonella risk in pet foodCareful with the kibble. The FDA has been rounding up pet food samples nationwide to test for salmonella that pet owners could accidentally ingest through casual contact.

A recent run of people sickened by pet food prompted the investigation, the FDA said.

The feed, treats and supplements in question are eaten by common domestic pets, from cats and dogs to fish, rodents and reptiles. But canine owners should note that canned dog food is not being eyed as a source.

Major distributors such as PetSmart (PETM), PetCo, WalMart (WMT), Costco (COST), Sam's Club, and Target (TGT) contributed samples in the October investigation, the FDA said in its announcement, posted last week.

Salmonella can be absorbed by consumers touching pet food and then unintentionally putting hands to their mouth.

Anyone who handles pet food should wash their hands carefully and keep children away from feeding areas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises.

Salmonella is a bacteria that causes fever, cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, and is especially dangerous for the frail and elderly. Symptoms usually appear 12 to 72 hours after contamination and illness lasts four to seven days, according to the CDC.

The FDA cited recent cases that sparked its aggressive action, one of which was a 2007 outbreak in which 70 pet owners were sickened by salmonella transmitted through dry dog food.



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]]>pet foodpet food recallpet food scarePetFoodPetFoodRecallPetFoodScaresalmonellaRon DickerWed, 02 Nov 2011 10:30:00 ESTCommercial-Watching Sites Reward Viewers One 'Airline Mile' at a Timehttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/31/commercial-watching-sites-reward-viewers-one-airline-mile-at-a/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/31/commercial-watching-sites-reward-viewers-one-airline-mile-at-a/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/31/commercial-watching-sites-reward-viewers-one-airline-mile-at-a/#comments For two hours a day, Diane Davis watches commercials. On purpose. No regular programming necessary. Just keep the spots coming. Wine. Exercise equipment. Vacations. Even public service announcements.

Davis isn't a Madison Avenue executive. She's a member of e-Miles, which pays her five air miles for every ad she watches and answers questions about. The company has maintained a low profile in its five years, despite doling out more than 1 billion miles among its 2.5 million members, by its own count. E-Miles, like Vindale, Pine Cone Research and other reward sites, baits visitors into becoming virtual focus groups. Its air currency provides a quick fix for what travel strategist Steven Frischling of Flying with Fish calls "mileage junkies." Some redeem the points to offset baggage fees and other add-ons.

"To go after frequent flyer miles five miles at a time takes a special breed of junkie," Frischling says.

The average e-Miles customer earns between 500 and 1,000 miles a year, CEO and President Mark Drusch estimates. A round-trip domestic flight generally requires 25,000 miles -- that would be 5,000 five-point e-Miles surveys. To make the climb even steeper, carriers are getting stingier about when travelers can redeem the rewards and are also charging twice the miles on occasion, according to one report.

Davis, a 64-year-old retired teacher from Dallas, remains undaunted. She figures she has racked up about 20,000 miles since joining e-Miles in 2007. She has never paid for an entire flight with e-Miles, but as a supplement, she says, it'll fly. She travels annually to New York City and she's saving points for a Thanksgiving time-share in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, plus repeat trips to Chicago, where her daughter, son-in-law and grandson are moving.

"I used to be addicted to Facebook," she tells DailyFinance. "Now I'm more addicted to this."

Davis goes to the site as soon as her morning coffee is ready, spending at least 45 minutes there. Then she pulls another shift at the end of the day. "It gives me the benefit of earning extra miles while I'm not traveling," she says. Her husband benefits from the points as well, but isn't about to break out the popcorn to stare at hours of commercials with her. In fact, she says, he complains that she devotes too much time to the ads. "I pretty much watch them for the both of us."

The site tends to attract those with time, expendable income or jobs where they can furtively watch commercials in their cubicles, says Frischling, the industry blogger. He signed up for e-Miles a year ago at the suggestion of a friend. After examining the site, he calculated the hours he would need to log the 1,000 miles required for a promotion on his airline miles program. He took a connecting flight instead on his next trip to get the job done. "I've got three kids," he says. "I don't have time."

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To join e-Miles, you visit the site and check off your interests on a questionnaire. The site then funnels targeted content to your personal page. You click to watch the still ad or TV commercial of your choice and click further to the survey. The company buys miles in bulk from carriers, and makes its money by providing advertisers and marketing wonks the demographic goods. (Critics like Frischling wonder how useful the research can be if users randomly answer so they can move on to the next ad more quickly.)

I signed up and received five Delta miles for answering four multiple-choice questions about the impact of a Zales (ZLC) jewelry commercial in which a man zip-lines an engagement ring to his girlfriend. The survey took about two minutes. Then I did another. And another. The process can be a bit like eating potato chips, one after the other without thinking. I stopped though, after my total reached 215 miles (you get 200 for registering).

The site's alliance with airlines and hotels translates into a greater demand for travel and destination ads, says Drusch, the e-Miles honcho. Companies such as Continental (CAL), Delta (DAL), US Airways (LCC), Frontier (RJET) and Hilton Hotel (BX) points are available for rewards, along with Disney (DIS) and Nordstrom (JWN).

Members can also gain points by making charitable pledges or buying the products they see promoted. But e-Miles' stock in trade is compensation to watch on the computer what you might be watching on TV anyway if you didn't have the energy to click to another channel.

Drusch says he would like to expand the gift possibilities and build the site to where content is always available for hungry users with specific tastes.

"At five miles, you're not going to jump through hoops to watch ads you don't care about," he says. "Five miles is really a thank-you."

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]]>airline milesAirlineMilesCabo San LucascommercialsDelta Air Lines IncDiane Davise-milesPlane ticketsPlaneTicketsrewardstelevisionWalt Disney CoRon DickerMon, 31 Oct 2011 07:00:00 ESTChristmas Music at McDonald's Already: Are You Lovin' It?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/27/christmas-music-at-mcdonalds-already-are-you-lovin-it/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/27/christmas-music-at-mcdonalds-already-are-you-lovin-it/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/27/christmas-music-at-mcdonalds-already-are-you-lovin-it/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Christmas music playing early at McDonald'sOn a 60-degree October morning at a McDonald's in Manhattan, I wolfed down my Sausage McMuffin to the strains of Brenda Lee's Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree.

My ears didn't deceive me. This McDonald's (MCD) has been been pumping out holiday music since Oct. 15, the day it received the CD from corporate, store manager Luis Tapia said. And when corporate sends its monthly CD, Tapia explained, you play it. "They make research," he told DailyFinance, noting that the jolly soundtrack perhaps takes peoples' minds off war and recession.

But isn't a tad early? Like "I haven't even bought a last-second Halloween costume for my third-grader" early?

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It's not a mistake, according to McDonald's HQ in Oak Brook, Ill. If stores received the Yuletide anthology, they can play it at their discretion. So some of the nation's 14,000 McDonald's -- 85% of which are independently owned -- are already decking the halls with sounds of Christmas cheer.

"Some restaurants kind of get into the holiday spirit earlier than others," McDonald's spokeswoman Danya Proud said. "As it relates, we do have a holiday theme that has already begun on some of our packaging. That may have prompted the holiday spirit a little."

Proud said if it makes the customers happy, McDonald's is behind it. "I certainly don't think it's a bad thing," she said.

DailyFinance returned to the same McDonald's to see if the early-lunch crowd was, as the ad goes, lovin' it. "It's early but it's funny," said Sara Dia, a display host at a nearby Whole Foods Market.

James Michael Hicks, who works at a funeral parlor in Queens, listened for a moment to Winter Wonderland. "It's not the proper time to play the music," he said.

Any suggestions? "Rock 'n' roll," Hicks replied. "Or how about a little Halloween music?"

But Tapia said his outlet getting its Santa on makes "everybody happy" and he hasn't heard any complaints.

Enrique Gomez, a student waiting for his food at the counter, agreed. "It's calming music," he said.

For some fast foodies like myself, however, sweating out the Nov. 14 deadline for McRib availability is stressful enough. Now we have to worry about Jack Frost nipping at our nose, too.



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]]>Brenda Leechristmas musicChristmas treeChristmasMusicearlyEntertainmentHalloween costumeHoliday seasonHolidaySeasonmcdonaldsMcRibMichael HicksRon DickerThu, 27 Oct 2011 14:55:00 ESTIn Money Matters, 'Mentalist' Simon Baker Keeps His Headhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/27/in-money-matters-mentalist-simon-baker-keeps-his-head/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/27/in-money-matters-mentalist-simon-baker-keeps-his-head/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/27/in-money-matters-mentalist-simon-baker-keeps-his-head/#commentsFiled under:

Simon Baker Margin Call interviewSimon Baker plays a not-quite-psychic sleuth on the CBS series The Mentalist, but he says it doesn't take a mind-reader to manage money. "One thing I've learned is that with success comes opportunity," he tells The Price of Fame. "Some opportunity is the wrong opportunity."

Baker, 42, has a pivotal role in the new movie Margin Call, an indie drama about the suits who put America in the financial dumpster. He plays a barracuda brokerage boss who will do anything to keep his high-rollers solvent. "If you're investing money, I don't think he's the one to fear," Baker says. "But as far as empathy, I don't think he has a lot."

Margin Call

You wouldn't catch the real-life Baker near any kind of market play. "I don't like buying stuff that I can't feel, or hold or sit underneath," he says. He despises credit, too, but realizes no one is renting cars with a prepaid handshake. "I'm very old-fashioned and very practical in that sense."

Baker landed The Mentalist as the economy soured in 2008. He now makes a reported $435,000 per episode, the highest salary of any actor in a dramatic series. Risk-aversion and his hefty paycheck have "protected" him in the downturn, he says.

Wealth is a relatively new reality for The Devil Wears Prada star. He grew up in a working-class household, first in Tasmania, Australia, and then in Sydney. His father was a school groundskeeper. His stepfather -- the man he knew as his biological father until later in life -- worked as a butcher. His mother patrolled a store as a security guard for a time, according to one biography. Nobody was doling out financial advice, he recalls. "My parents didn't have a pot to piss in, so it was like, 'You work hard, you get paid.'"

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Not that this philosophy was ever verbalized. "Money was never good conversation in my house because there was always a lack of it," he continues. "So any conversation about money was an embarrassing conversation for them. So they never had one. I didn't even realize I had to file a tax return after I left home."

Baker learned about personal finance on the job trail, working as a bartender, time-share salesman, ceiling-fan installer and props man on movie crews. In the late '80s, the dashing lad started to get work in front of the camera on music videos, which led to a prime role on an Aussie soap called E Street. His growing popularity Down Under fueled his desire to make it in Hollywood, so he moved to Los Angeles in 1995.

He became known to American film audiences with two other Aussies -- Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce -- in the 1997 noir L.A. Confidential. He earned his TV stripes with a three-season run as a hotshot druggie lawyer turned child protector on CBS's The Guardian (2001-2004).

As his career took off, he found one of the few investments he was willing put money into: real estate. The father of three owns two homes in Australia. One is near exclusive Byron Bay, where he can surf.

Meanwhile, The Mentalist has invested heavily in him. Baker's revamped contract reportedly provides a generous back-end -- a cut of the show's profits -- plus a producer's share and a bigger slice of syndication returns. The program currently is watched by 13 million Americans in its Thursday 10 p.m. time slot, according to the Nielsen ratings.

It's safe to say Baker's within budget when he indulges his main splurge -- gourmet food. But the luxury of choice isn't always something the A-list can afford, according to Baker. He offers the old saw that money can be a great servant but a wicked master. "And if you let it get the better of you and you have a lot of it," he says, "then you're really enslaved to it still."

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]]>AussieAustraliaByron Bay, New South WalesCBS CorpEntertainmentGuy PearceinvestingMargin Callreal estateRealEstateRussell CroweSimon BakerThe Devil Wears PradaThe Mentalistthe-price-of-fameRon DickerThu, 27 Oct 2011 14:00:00 ESTThe Most Expensive Groupon? The One You Forget to Redeemhttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/22/the-most-expensive-groupon-the-one-you-forget-to-redeem/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/22/the-most-expensive-groupon-the-one-you-forget-to-redeem/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/22/the-most-expensive-groupon-the-one-you-forget-to-redeem/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As Groupon prepares its initial public offering, DailyFinance wanted to offer the company's original public investors -- the bargain buyers -- a gentle reminder:

REDEEM YOUR GROUPONS!

DailyDealMedia, which tracks online group discount sources, reported that the percentage of those not cashing in on Groupons they'd purchased rose from 18% to 22% between July and September. The sampling involved just 100 Groupon clients surveyed six weeks apart -- but the results still underscore a problem in the digital bargain world. Many users aren't getting what they pay for.

"That's pure profit for the company," says Boyan Josic, CEO of DailyDealMedia.

While Groupon could not give numbers because of the pending IPO, spokeswoman Julie Mossner likens the Groupon redemption rate to that of gift cards. That means about 7% of Groupons dissolve into the cyber-ether without services rendered, if we go by one gift card study. Industry types call the unused value "breakage."

Whatever the percentage, Mossner says, "We structure deals and train merchants to anticipate 100% redemption so that they're prepared to handle the traffic."

Groupon's IPO is expected to reap $540 million at $16 to $18 a share, according to reports Friday. While Wall Street pundits debate the company's value, we can say with certainty that Groupon's customers will lose money if they don't redeem their offers.

Too Easy to Ignore

You'd think David Erickson would know better than to let Groupons expire. He's the director of e-strategy for a market research outfit called Tunheim in Minneapolis. But just a few days ago, Erickson realized he had forgotten another Groupon -- $10 for $20 worth of dry cleaning. He also let two Groupon theater tickets lapse.

"My attitude is sort of 'Well, that's on me,' " he tells DailyFinance. "I had plenty of time to get it done. I had plenty of time to redeem it."

Erickson is sure the rate of unused coupons is going up. Growing competition among deal-aggregating platforms is stuffing our email with temptation, he says. People are too busy to take action. And once a deal gets tucked under several screen-fulls of email in your in-box, it's even easier to ignore.

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The social media specialist is juggling about 10 other deals for personal use from Groupon and similar sites, and has begun using Google's calendar function to remind him when they're due. Groupon also offers its own expiration alarm for those who sign up.

But sometimes, that is not enough. Whether we are deal-diving on the Internet or clipping old-school paper coupons, we are complex creatures who don't always follow through, says Lars Perner, a University of Southern California marketing professor. He recalled an experiment where shoppers could take a coupon right next to a product in a supermarket aisle. Less than half of the shoppers who bought the product bothered to bring the coupon to the checkout line.

Even those who spend money on an electronic coupon sometimes need a kick in the rear to redeem it. Perner believes the perceived open-endedness of cyber-deal due dates (often six months on Groupon) keeps procrastinators from cashing in. "Some of the coupons are given as gifts and people don't get around to scheduling them," he says. "It's also a matter that these are things that require days off. People just don't get their act together."

No, I Don't Need It, but the Deal Is So Good

Groupon's Mossner says the redemption rates fluctuate according to the type of offer. For instance, a skydiving introduction that requires a specific appointment forces the issue far more than a flexible restaurant discount.

Perner and other experts recommend that Groupon buyers target a day to take advantage of the discount and circle it on their virtual calendars. That way they feel more obligated. On the business side, Perner wonders if Groupon-style sites might increase their redemption rate if they further limited the window to use the coupons.

The forces that govern cut-rate e-commerce are powerful enough as it is to squash a couponer's initiative, according to the professor. We are suckers for what he calls transaction utility economics. When we see deep discounts on items we don't normally buy, we rationalize that they'll come in handy at some point. Perner once found a deal on computer discs so compelling that he ordered them in absurd amounts. They wound up stacked in his office, and he begged colleagues to take them.

There is also a competitive impulse to Grouponing, he adds. Some gain pride in finding deals that others can't, creating a false need.

"When some people shop, the adrenaline starts racing and it has a mindless grabbing quality to it," says Joan Ingber, a New York City psychologist.

Erickson, the social media strategist, has pledged to redeem himself by redeeming more Groupons. Now he often includes friends in the deals as a backup measure. "Then we have each other to remind ourselves about the deal," he says.

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]]>couponsDaily dealDailyDealDailyDealMediaDeal of the dayDealOfTheDaydiscountsFinanceGroup BuyingGroupBuyinggrouponinitial public offeringInitialPublicOfferingIPOredeemSci/TechRon DickerSat, 22 Oct 2011 06:30:00 ESTTotal Recall: Target Children's Frog Mask, More Listeria, Unlabeled Peanutshttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/21/total-recall-target-childrens-frog-mask-more-listeria-unlabe/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/21/total-recall-target-childrens-frog-mask-more-listeria-unlabe/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/21/total-recall-target-childrens-frog-mask-more-listeria-unlabe/#commentsFiled under: ,

Target Frog Mask Breathing Problem

Ten days before Halloween, Target (TGT) on Friday recalled thousands of frog-themed masks for children, citing a suffocation risk.

No incidents have been reported, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The 3,400 plush masks, made in China, were sold nationwide between August and September, retailing for $1. The UPC code is 06626491474.

Consumers are asked to return the product to any Target for a refund.

Another Listeria Scare -- Blue Cheese

After blue cheese samples tested positive for listeria, Indiana-based Fair Oaks Royal Blue Cheese issued a recall for products purchased on or after Sept. 25. The blue cheese is labeled "Fair Oaks Royal Blue Cheese" and comes in 1/3-pound and 1/2-pound packages. The packages were sold in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, involving less than 20 pounds of cheese.

The announcement earlier this week comes on the heels of a cantaloupe-transmitted listeria outbreak that has killed 25.

No illnesses have been reported to date. The incubation period for listeria infection can last as long as 70 days. Contact Fair Oaks General Manager Julie Basich at 219-394-2025, ext. 314, for more information.

Peanut Possibility Unmarked in Fiber One Bars

General Mills has recalled a batch of Chocolate flavor Fiber One 90-Calorie Chewy Bars because their labels did not indicate the possible presence of sensitive ingredients, including peanuts. No allergic reactions have been reported so far, the FDA wrote on its website Thursday.

All of the affected bars come from 5-count boxes with the "Better if Used By" engraving of 19MAY2012BV. Consumers requesting a replacement or refund should contact General Mills at 1-800-231-0308.

Mini S'Mores Switched With Peanut Clusters

Nassau Candy Distributors has recalled some Nancy Adams Classics Mini S'Mores because peanut clusters had been inadvertently included in the packaging and not labeled. The product was sold nationwide in 5.5-ounce boxes with a manufacturing code of I1119 or I1120 under UPC 6 18645 21923 9.

The FDA said Thursday it has received no word of allergic reactions to the peanuts. Concerned consumers are asked to call Nassau Candy at 1-516-433-7100, ext. 7297 or 7287, during business hours.

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]]>blue cheeseBlueCheesefiber one barFiberOneBarfrog maskFrogMaskGeneral Mills InchalloweenHealthlisteriapeanutsrecallssmoressuffocationU.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionRon DickerFri, 21 Oct 2011 17:30:00 ESTCantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Blamed on Unsanitary Packing Planthttp://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/19/cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-blamed-on-unsanitary-packing-plant/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/19/cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-blamed-on-unsanitary-packing-plant/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/19/cantaloupe-listeria-outbreak-blamed-on-unsanitary-packing-plant/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday outlined a chain of causes for the cantaloupe-generated listeria outbreak, saying that traces of the bacteria in the growing fields probably spread by truck to an unsanitary packing plant.

Contaminated water that pooled on the plant floor, hard-to-clean drying equipment, and no apparent pre-cooling of the fruit before it was cold-stored probably fueled a wider distribution of the bacteria, the FDA's report concluded.

All of the contaminated melons, which reportedly have killed 25 and sickened 123 in 22 states, were traced to Jensen Farms in Colorado. The farm is still being investigated, but the FDA said it was hopeful that the outbreak, the nation's most fatal food-borne epidemic since 1985, will subside because the shelf life of the cantaloupes expired weeks ago.

The farm recalled the cantaloupes on Sept. 14.

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]]>cantaloupe recallCantaloupeRecallcontaminated melonsContaminatedMelonsFDAfood and drug administrationFoodAndDrugAdministrationHealthlisteria outbreakListeriaOutbreakmelonspacking plantPackingPlantRon DickerWed, 19 Oct 2011 16:15:00 ESTPenn Badgley of 'Gossip Girl': Investing Is 'Greek to Me'http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/19/penn-badgley-of-gossip-girl-investing-is-greek-to-me/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/19/penn-badgley-of-gossip-girl-investing-is-greek-to-me/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/19/penn-badgley-of-gossip-girl-investing-is-greek-to-me/#commentsFiled under: ,

Penn Badgley of Gossip Girl on investingPenn Badgley, who plays a stock analyst in the new film Margin Call, worries about the market. He just doesn't put money into it.

"I don't really believe in investing," the Gossip Girl star tells The Price of Fame. "Whether it's ignorant or naive or clever, who knows? But I think I was vindicated a little bit with the crash."

Art seems to contradict life for Badgley when it comes to Margin Call, opening Friday. After a colleague (Zachary Quinto) spots a fatal equity trend, Badgley's money-grubbing Seth searches for his conscience on the eve of the 2007 collapse. Meanwhile, his morally bankrupt superiors (Kevin Spacey, Demi Moore and Jeremy Irons) maneuver to protect their assets.

Offscreen, Badgley is publicly fighting the good fight against institutional greed. He joined other celebrities such as Kanye West, Mark Ruffalo and Alec Baldwin at Occupy Wall Street demonstrations. The A-list has absorbed criticism by some for co-opting a protest that targets the privileged.

"Everybody's a critic and they're welcome to do that," Badgley says. "What's beautiful about the movement is that it invites a vast range of people and opinions."

He concedes that making big bucks on a hit TV show may not endear him to the so-called 99% crowd. "People might roll their eyes," he says in our interview at the Waldorf-Astoria in Manhattan.

He knows the objections. He's never had a non-acting job. He's 24 and already wealthy. "It's irrelevant for me because it's more of a human issue," he explains. "It's not just a financial crisis at hand. It's a human crisis."



Earning His Own Money Since Childhood

Asked if his parents imparted a philosophy about money to him, the actor laughs and says no. He was born in Baltimore and developed his acting chops as a youth in a Seattle musical theater company. He then moved to Los Angeles and got an agent. By age 15, he had secured his first prominent role in a short-lived series.

In 2007, he found a TV show that stuck, landing the Gossip Girl role of Brooklyn boy Dan Humphrey, who joins the Upper East Side in-crowd. A high-camp ensemble of the young, gorgeous and spoiled, the show thrived as banks and portfolios wilted. Badgley discovered there's nothing like starring in prime-time to keep you from feeling the pain of a recession. "For the most part, I felt like I was watching it instead of participating in it," he says.

Badgley was about to become a waiter and join the real world before Gossip Girl. Now, armed with a steady paycheck, his main concern is that a cash-depleted Hollywood might be less willing to take a chance on him in the movies. He's done a few pictures, including Easy A and The Stepfather. And he's about to play rocker Jeff Buckley in a biopic.

If the month-old Occupy Wall Street movement were sending out invitations to join a session of populist outrage, we suspect Badgley would not be at the top of the list. But that's OK with him. "I certainly did not grow up with any money," he says. "I'm not an affluent blue blood. I've been working professionally since 12 and paying my own bills since 14."

Even so, success hasn't tempted him to gamble a chunk of his earnings in the stock market. He refuses to drop one dime into a system that he confesses is "like Greek to to me."

"It doesn't need to be understood by everyone, but that is a problem because everyone participates in that world," he says. "If you spend money, buy a home, or if you are an American citizen, we did participate. There is a lot of anger. We didn't realize what we were taking part in."

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]]>EntertainmentGossip GirlGreat RecessionGreatRecessionGreekHousing BubbleHousingBubbleMargin CallMarginCallmortgage backed securitiesMortgageBackedSecuritiesOccupy Wall StreetOccupyWallStreetPenn Badgleythe-price-of-fameRon DickerWed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 ESTInvesting in Comic Books for Fun and Profit: Super, Man!http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/18/investing-in-comic-books-for-fun-and-profit-super-man/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/18/investing-in-comic-books-for-fun-and-profit-super-man/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/18/investing-in-comic-books-for-fun-and-profit-super-man/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Investing in Comic Books for Fun and Profit: Super, Man!Why not let a superhero save you from the evil economy? Investing in comic books can be a recession-proof path to steady returns, according to experts at last weekend's New York Comic Con. Just don't let ignorance be your kryptonite. Do your research, focus on the must-haves and be prepared to fight -- BAM! ZAP! POW! -- for vintage editions you can acquire at relative bargain prices.

As a middle-aged man wearing a Chicago Blackhawks jersey and hat, Jamie Graham fit right into the nerdosphere at Comic Con, the East Coast's pop culture extravaganza. But as owner of Graham Crackers Comics, with nine stores in Illinois, he's dead serious about making money. Graham told DailyFinance he recently reinvested $2 million into so-called Golden Age comics (printed in the 1930s and 1940s) and $500,000 into Silver Age comics (1955 to 1970). He expects at least a 10% return on investment.

"It's a good place to park your dough, 'cause it doesn't have the ups and downs of stocks," he says.

Comics are a lot more fun, too. When was the last time your mutual fund picked up a nuclear reactor and hurled it into space? Gemma Adel, customer service supervisor for the authentication firm CGC, which grades the condition of comic books, says stocks are often politically influenced, "but the comic book industry is passion-driven."

This color-splashed slice of Americana has held its own through the last century. An original Action Comics #1, the 1938 issue in which Superman first appeared, sold for $1.5 million in 2010. Disney (DIS) gobbled up Marvel Comics in 2009 for $4 billion. It doesn't take Dick Tracy to detect that comics could be a new haven for market-stung capitalists.

While we hate to be the bad guy, please note that investing in comics does carry risk. One retailer likened it to day-trading. Here are tips from dealers, auctioneers and graders on how to turn your Clark Kent-modest savings into super-wealth.

Focus on the biggies: A relatively small set of classics consistently appreciates, Graham says. Post-1970 boils down to a handful, including Amazing Spider-Man 129 with the Punisher (1974) and The Incredible Hulk 181 (1974), in which Wolverine made his debut. The latter was being offered on eBay (EBAY) for $19,000 as of this writing. Pre-1970 presents more options -- and often costs more. After Action Comics #1, the aforementioned holy grail of the comics world, comes Amazing Fantasy #15 (1962), which spun the first tale that included Spider-Man. A near-pristine copy sold for $1.1 million. Next is the Batman debut in Detective Comics #27 (1938, $1.07 million). Several more fetch six figures in excellent condition. Try this list for starters.

Downgrade to your budget: If you're wondering how you can afford any of the above, look for less well-preserved copies. The dog-eared, torn or loose-stapled cost a lot less, and they still increase in value. You might not get rich, but what asset on the NYSE put you on Easy Street? Some coveted issues can be had for $400 to $600 in fair (or worse) condition. For instance, an unrated original of Marvel's Silver Age Daredevil #1 can be had for as low as $449, but a 9.2 graded one just fetched $12,100 on eBay. You'll need a minimum of $1,000 to start, advises Dave Reynolds, owner of Dave's American Comics. Focus on just one or two comics. Avoid the temptation to burn up your capital by buying a bunch of old comics at swap meets or garage sales. That's just collecting.

Move the moderns: As a rule of thumb, investors tend to resell their newer comics faster for profit while holding on longer to the Golden Age comics to give them time to appreciate, Graham says.

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Buy only the officially graded: Your great-uncle Nate boasting he has a 9.6 1942 Archie Comics #1 when Jughead's crown has been painted black is a little suspicious. All high-end collectibles need to be validated by certifying bodies such as CGC, the industry leader. They come sealed in plastic, with a bar code and a holographic verification. DO NOT OPEN the case. No reading. No touching. Exposing your investment to air or your hands could lower the grade and wipe out your profit.

Check for restoration. CGC's Adel says her firm runs across a lot more botched attempts at hiding flaws -- a no-no -- than complete fakes. Make sure your acquisition is free of any kind of touch-up. No repainting, no nothing.

Cruise the auction sites: Heritage Auctions and Mile High Comics are among several venues that can give you an instant read on what the hot comics are. EBay is a good bet, too. Pay more attention to what bidders actually spent than what consigners asked for.

Speculate by nostalgia: For those on a tight budget, Barry Sandoval, the director of operations at Heritage, recommends forecasting what today's youth will be nostalgic for when they turn 40. Case in point for this generation of 40-somethings: A near-mint 1984-hatched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1 fetched $22,752 at an auction in June.

Be wary of movie hype: Every time Hollywood releases a comic book adaptation, the inexperienced assume the publicity will spike the value of the source material. Not always. Remember The Green Lantern last summer?




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]]>Amazing FantasyAmerican comic bookArchie ComicscollectiblesComic-ConDave S.Detective ComicseBay IncEntertainmentGolden Age of Comic BooksHeritage Auctionsinvesting in comic booksInvestingInComicBooksMarvel ComicsMile High ComicsNew York Comic ConPunisherreturn on investmentReturnOnInvestmentSilver Age of Comic BooksSpider-ManThe Amazing Spider-Manthe-price-of-fameRon DickerTue, 18 Oct 2011 14:00:00 ESTGroupon's Manhattan Helicopter Deal: Too Soon After Tragedy?http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/14/groupon-manhattan-helicopter-deal-too-soon-after-tragedy/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/14/groupon-manhattan-helicopter-deal-too-soon-after-tragedy/http://www.dailyfinance.com/2011/10/14/groupon-manhattan-helicopter-deal-too-soon-after-tragedy/#commentsFiled under: ,

Did Groupon's deal Friday for a Manhattan helicopter tour spin into bad taste? The email offer to New Yorkers comes just 10 days after a helicopter carrying tourists plunged into the city's East River, killing two. One Australia resident drowned after impact, and the other, her life partner, passed away on Oct. 11, just three days ago.

The online discount packager is known for its irreverent copy, but some might think this entire bargain should have never left the helipad. The cover email read, "Up to $165 Off Manhattan Helicopter Tours: Getting an overhead view of the city is an excellent way for people to appreciate its true scope and figure out where exactly they dropped their contact lenses."

A link in the email revealed that as of 11 a.m., 39 people had already accepted the terms, which Groupon forged with a company called Manhattan Helicopters. The accompanying copy chirps, "The Deal is On!"

Although the fatal flight was private and did not involve Manhattan Helicopters, the idea that Groupon and Manhattan Helicopters would offer an excursion discount so publicly so soon might not fly with some.

Groupon had already taken political incorrectness to a worldwide television audience during the last Super Bowl, appalling viewers with its commercial contrasting the troubles faced by the people of Tibet at the hands of occupying China with the joy of finding a good deal at a Tibetan restaurant.

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DailyFinance contacted Manhattan Helicopters and asked a marketing person identified as Anna if the company was concerned about advertising so soon after the crash. She answered no, because Groupon purchasers had up to six months to redeem the coupon. When asked if the company was concerned about perception because one of the victims of the crash had died just three days ago, the line went dead.

We also attempted to contact Groupon on deadline. We'll keep you posted if we hear back.

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]]>Deal of the dayDealOfTheDayGroup BuyingGroupBuyinggroupongroupon helicopeter dealGrouponHelicopeterDealhelicopter crashHelicopterCrashmanhattan helicopterManhattanHelicopteronline couponsOnlineCouponsRon DickerFri, 14 Oct 2011 12:30:00 EST