A motel owner in New Zealand -- fed up with one too many incidents of rowdy behavior -- has banned an entire town from checking in as guests.
1. Pack your lunch: Instead of spending $10 on a sandwich that you don't really enjoy, bring your lunch from home -- you'll save money (which can then be spent, guilt-free, on martinis at the end of the week), you'll hopefully eat healthier, and you can use up leftovers instead of letting them rot away in your fridge.
Stocks rallied Tuesday as investors looked beyond the Federal Reserve's dour outlook on the economy and instead scooped up shares hit in last year's big selloff.
Now that we're safely into 2009, here are a few New Year's resolutions that some players, coaches, GMs, teams and the league might want to make. Repeat after me: "I/We ... vow that in 2009, I/we will ... "
Stock-market success stories have been few and far between this year, but here's one that would make Santa Claus himself proud: Toymaker Hasbro has beaten Wall Street's expectations in each of the past seven quarters, propelling the stock higher as most of the market was plummeting.
The man who police say dressed as Santa Claus and killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party may have also had plans to kill his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney, police said Monday night.
The man who, dressed as Santa Claus, killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party planned to flee to Canada the next day, but California police believe he decided to kill himself instead because of severe burn injuries.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke may eventually be hailed as an economic Santa Claus if the Fed's dramatic rate cut helps bring an end to this recession.
He's a huge, strangely dressed man who sneaks into people's homes at night, then yells, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" at the top of his lungs. Who wouldn't be afraid of Santa Claus?
The actress says her 17-month-old son is now old enough to really enjoy the holidays
A motel owner in New Zealand -- fed up with one too many incidents of rowdy behavior -- has banned an entire town from checking in as guests.
1. Pack your lunch: Instead of spending $10 on a sandwich that you don't really enjoy, bring your lunch from home -- you'll save money (which can then be spent, guilt-free, on martinis at the end of the week), you'll hopefully eat healthier, and you can use up leftovers instead of letting them rot away in your fridge.
Stocks rallied Tuesday as investors looked beyond the Federal Reserve's dour outlook on the economy and instead scooped up shares hit in last year's big selloff.
Now that we're safely into 2009, here are a few New Year's resolutions that some players, coaches, GMs, teams and the league might want to make. Repeat after me: "I/We ... vow that in 2009, I/we will ... "
Stock-market success stories have been few and far between this year, but here's one that would make Santa Claus himself proud: Toymaker Hasbro has beaten Wall Street's expectations in each of the past seven quarters, propelling the stock higher as most of the market was plummeting.
The man who police say dressed as Santa Claus and killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party may have also had plans to kill his mother and his former wife's divorce attorney, police said Monday night.
The man who, dressed as Santa Claus, killed nine people at a Christmas Eve party planned to flee to Canada the next day, but California police believe he decided to kill himself instead because of severe burn injuries.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke may eventually be hailed as an economic Santa Claus if the Fed's dramatic rate cut helps bring an end to this recession.
He's a huge, strangely dressed man who sneaks into people's homes at night, then yells, "Ho! Ho! Ho!" at the top of his lungs. Who wouldn't be afraid of Santa Claus?
The actress says her 17-month-old son is now old enough to really enjoy the holidays
'Tis the season to plan your holiday vacation or start thinking about next year's festive getaway.
With consumer confidence plummeting, the holiday shopping season could be the leanest in years
At times he seems a little too SoCal cool for the cruel city that once booed Santa Claus, but in Game 1 of the Brewers-Phillies National League Division Series, Cole Hamels, the super-laidback San Diego-native who's married to a reality TV star, showed why he is exactly what Philly needs to win its first World Series since 1980. Hamels was brilliant Wednesday afternoon at Citizens Bank Park, baffling Brewers hitters with his signature weapon, a devastating changeup that was, on this day, "as good as I've seen before," Brewers manager Dale Sveum said after his team's 3-1 loss.
Another index to keep an eye on in these economically turbulent times is the "anxiety index": It goes up when markets go down and people get upset and worried about their future.
Country singers including Underwood and Rimes will sing with the King on an upcoming Christmas album
A rare international alert seeking a man shown in dozens of raw child porn images quickly led to the arrest of a small-time actor who was known for portraying Santa Claus
On any given day here at "O, The Oprah Magazine," there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 69 very talented, extremely detail oriented, high-energy, hardworking women and men all doing their jobs and doing them well. I love a few of them, I like a lot of them, I despise one of them. She is the Magneto to my Wolverine, the Saruman to my Frodo, the Dr. Octopus to my Spiderman. I call her The Tinkler.
Eliot Peitso of Charlestown, Massachusetts, was desperate to get outside. Or so he said. "Out! Out!" he yelled. His mom, Jennifer Johnson, rushed to get ready. Diaper bag packed, house keys located, toys and snacks stuffed into the stroller, she opened the door and had just stepped out when, suddenly, 20-month-old Eliot burst into tears and demanded to stay inside. Did he change his mind? Not exactly. Crossing the threshold again, Eliot wailed louder: "Out! Out!"
With their baby due in January, Nicole Richie and Joel Madden got an early taste of parenthood by treating nearly 200 kids to an early holiday extravaganza.
The big fat jolly guy is coming to town. No, not Charles Barkley. We're talking about Santa Claus.
New mom Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon has a special request for Santa Claus two months after giving birth to twins: "Sleep," she laughs. "All I want for Christmas is sleep."
Santa Claus may leave a recession under the tree this year, as economists worry that tighter credit standards will put the brakes on consumer spending in the new year.
Sing it with us: "You needn't watch out. You might as well cry. You might as well pout I'm telling you why. Santa Claus ain't coming to town."
Vince Vaughn hopes to put the "ho ho ho" back into the holidays with his new movie Fred Claus – in which he plays the older, overlooked brother of the big man in the red suit (Paul Giamatti as Santa). It opens Nov. 9. At a press conference for the comedy, a very unScrooge-like Vaughn, 37, talked of Christmases past, present and future.
Returning home for the holidays is a long-standing tradition. But these days, that is being turned on its head, as even Christmas-at-home traditionalists travel to spend the holidays at far-flung vacation destinations around the world.
So there I was on a fall Sunday morning in 1978, a 7-year-old kid sitting in front of my TV tray watching the Smurfs, eating a bowl of Count Chocula cereal when my dad strolled into the living room of our Lincoln, Neb., home. Wearing his velour robe and his straw cowboy hat, my wonderfully eccentric old man asked me if this was the day that the lowly Cincinnati Bengals, my favorite team, were finally going to win a game.
Word comes from a psychologist at the University of Cardiff, which is to be found in Wales, I believe, that this time of the year is empirically proven to be the unhappiest.
Though it sounds like a luxury high-rise or an exhibit at a grammar school science fair, a Skyspace is essentially just an austere room painted in a neutral color, with a built-in bench around the perimeter and, more to the point, a large hole in the ceiling.
Stocks inched higher in early trading Wednesday as investors looked to extend the end-of-the-year buying spree.
Stocks rose Tuesday, in one of the last four trading sessions of the year, as falling oil prices helped offset a weak report on holiday retail sales.
Stocks rose Tuesday, in one of the last four trading sessions of the year, as falling oil prices helped offset a weak report on holiday retail sales.
Stocks added to gains in light trading Tuesday afternoon as a big drop in oil prices helped offset a weak report on holiday retail sales.
Stocks posted gains in light holiday-week trading Tuesday as a big drop in oil prices helped offset a weak report on holiday retail sales.
Stocks posted slim gains in thin trade Tuesday after a disappointing report on holiday retail sales.
Wall Street struggled Tuesday as stocks fought for gains after surging but ultimately disappointing sales over the Christmas weekend.
Stocks declined in pre-holiday trading Friday, raising concerns about whether Santa will bypass Wall Street this year.
Stocks slid Friday amid concerns about the health of the economy, although trading was light ahead of the holiday weekend.
Stocks fell in light trading Friday amid concerns about the health of the economy.
Santa showed few signs of making a visit to Wall Street on Friday as stocks fell in light trading on concerns about the health of the economy.
The stock rally that has lifted indexes to near record or multi-year highs looks poised to get back on track Friday ahead after a key reading on inflation showed zero increase and a measure of business spending rose more than expected.
Righteous indignation is exhausting in a movie -- maybe not for the indignant, but certainly for the unsuspecting moviegoing bystander in the path of all that onrushing rectitude.
December has been one of the best months on Wall Street since the 1950s, thanks to the Santa Claus rally and other seasonal factors.
The tale of a pair of cartoon rats and their adventures in the sewers of London wasn't enough to beat out Kris Kringle and a faux Kazakh journalist at the box office this past weekend.
What happened? The stock market was supposed to be all bad in the third quarter. Terribly bad for the bulls. Wonderfully bad for the bears.
It used to be that anyone with a hose and a Hefty bag could claim to operate a water slide. Not anymore.
Stocks slumped Friday, at the end of a tumultuous 2005, sending the Dow industrials into the red for the year for the first time in three years.
So much for a Santa Claus rally -- U.S. stock markets are poised for another sour session Friday, putting the Dow industrials at risk of a losing year in 2005's final session.
Stocks struggled to stay positive Thursday morning as investors welcomed lower oil prices, but played it cautious ahead of key reports on housing and manufacturing, due shortly.
Investors are watching Friday to see if key economic reports on the last trading day before Christmas will be enough to support the long-awaited "Santa Claus" rally.
Stocks will try to extend their recent gains as investors wait for the traditional year-end "Santa Claus" rally.
Stocks opened higher Wednesday as investors shrugged off a revision to economic growth and looked to break a four-session losing streak.
Stocks looked set for a strong start Wednesday after a four-day selloff following solid gains in overseas markets.
Q A business associate of my husband's recently gave us a large, decorative ceramic bowl as a gift. Since we don't happen to care for it, would there be anything wrong with giving it to some friend...
What is on your 2006 wish list when it comes to business travel?
Santa Claus arrived a bit early on Wall Street this week in the form of the Federal Reserve.
The best way to prepare for the holiday shopping onslaught: don't get swept up in the hype, despite the seasonal pressure to overspend.
A reader writes...A business associate of my husband's recently gave us a large, decorative ceramic bowl as a gift. Since we don't happen to care for it, would there be anything wrong with giving it to some friends for Christmas? The bowl is perfectly nice, just not to our taste.
After a solid third quarter, October has been one of the toughest months for hedge funds in recent memory, people in the business said Friday.
What's the strangest outfit or article of clothing you have ever seen anyone wear at work?
Hedge funds headed into the fourth quarter of last year with blah returns to date. But, thanks to a rally in the final three months, they finished 2004 up nearly 10 percent.
The New Year is still a few days away, but Wall Street already seems to have popped the champagne corks and pulled out the party hats.
Stocks climbed early Tuesday as strong quarterly earnings from two large Wall Street banks helped cheer investors looking for a traditional 'Santa Claus' rally.
Investors will be looking to see if there'll be a 'Santa Claus' rally after all this year with just four days left until Christmas, following the market's big run up since late October.
OK -- You've finished your holiday shopping before Halloween, you've repeatedly listened to Adam Sandler's "Chanukah Song" to the point it's not that funny anymore and you're starting to eat candy canes for dinner. There are only a few more weeks to indulge your thirst for holiday cheer. What do you do?
If your neighbor installs an 8-foot tall inflatable Santa in the front yard every December, look on the bright side: At least that plastic Mr. Claus isn't mooning anyone.
There was fanfare and fans. And the way the lines looked, you'd think something was being given out for free. But you'll be hard pressed to find anything free, or cheap for that matter, at FAO Schwarz.
'Tis the season for holiday movies. While many people consider the sentimental programming that appears on American televisions after Thanksgiving to be one of the worst manifestations of holiday cheer -- I welcome it.
This season's biggest holiday extravaganza, "The Polar Express," should be subtitled "The Night of the Living Dead." The characters are that frightening.
They've invaded Earth, tried to steal our air, and attacked Bugs Bunny. For Pete's sake, they've even kidnapped Santa Claus.
Scantily clad men shakin' it in boxer shorts. Sailors in U.S.S. Target uniforms. Buff soap opera actors heating up local malls. Nope, it's not your imagination--over-the-top holiday promotions were...
A few summers ago, I was driving around North Dakota with my girlfriend, researching a Lost in America article about that overlooked, underrated state. We focused primarily on historic and cultural...
The young sales droid steered me toward a wall of computer monitors, pointed to one that appeared to have been designed by Klingons, and oozed, "This is the one I would buy if I were you." Seeing t...
This time of year, Santa is everywhere--holding court in local malls, collecting change on street corners, and ho-ho-hawking used Cadillacs on TV. You'll forgive him if he's too busy to answer all ...
Monsanto CEO Bob Shapiro leans across his black marble desk in Creve Coeur, Missouri, and extols that ultimate hierarchy buster, E-mail. "I love it," he says. "I'm directly connected with 25,000 of...
Nobody believes in Santa Claus more than Virgil Marinelli, a rotund, ruddy- complexioned 41-year-old hospital electrician in Lima, Ohio. Each Christmas season for the past 17 years, Marinelli has g...
One of the trendiest magazines in Japan right now: Woody Life, a quarterly devoted to buying, decorating, adding to, and doing over log cabins, themselves one of the country's hottest fads. There a...
The 38th annual Cannes Film Festival opened with a distinctive American flavor: four of the 19 films shown officially were made in the U.S., compared with two last year. American filmmakers flocked...
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