By Caitlin Buckley at Emmanuel College

The literary world has entered the social network stream. Marketers have 140 characters to catch your interest.

Lexie Winslow has social media down pat. Every day, she is the queen of clever hash-tags and witty status updates. She needs to get the most comments and “likes.”

“Learning to write concisely and persuasively has been invaluable in the business world, especially in marketing,” she said . “Social media marketing is all about making an impression in a finite amount of characters!”

Photo Cred: AIS Media

In Boston’s Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade and Reference Division, 24 year old Winslow is the Web Content Administrator. She uses Twitter and Facebook to blog new book titles.

She appreciates the desire to discuss favorite books and the next big hits. Her updates relate to the reader– what sparks their interest, what they want to talk about most. In one line, she invests in the reader as much as she promotes the book.

“I find social media a very forgiving platform, so it’s a good place to try things out and see how the fans react. I put myself in their shoes as a reader, to think of what would entice me to learn more about a book,” Winslow said.

It’s a world in which people want to voice their own opinions. If Winslow does it right, social media provides an organized and exciting forum, friendly to both discussion and marketing. Every day is a little different, so the fresh and stimulating new ideas need to keep coming.

“I think social media is a blessing for the publishing industry,” she said. “Twitter and Facebook especially are so text-based that literary people gravitate to them.”

But there are limits to her expression.

Winslow feels the pressure to make each and every status update interesting. She can’t be too offensive, but she can be a little controversial. There is a balance somewhere in between that keeps readers returning and increasing in numbers.

When she feels lacking in followers and friends, she wins them over by giving them something for their effort.

“Free books usually go over the best,” she said. “Whenever I want to drive up follower numbers, I put together a giveaway.”

Living in the digital age, creativity is important. Marketing has become Winslow’s playground.

For the promotional websites, she creates designs that are easy to follow and visually appealing. She features the newest and most intriguing books on the homepage of the company’s website. Each tweet and status update has a purpose.

There is a sense of accomplishment that comes from clicking that tweet into the web-universe.

“I can feel proud of the products that I share with the world,” she said.

Winslow credits her English degree from Holy Cross for helping her succeed in the professional world. She had a passion for literature in college, and followed that instinct when looking for jobs in book-related fields.

Publishing was the perfect fit.

After graduation, she interned at a smaller publishing house, The History Press. When she received another internship at Houghton Mifflin, she was at a crossroads: internship or graduate school? She chose the internship for experience, over observation in a classroom.

Experience paid off and she was given a job at the company—one that relies on a quick mind and a youthful spark—the essence of social media.

“It’s casual, sometimes silly, and all about instant gratification,” she said, “and I’ve become very comfortable with it.”

MARLBOROUGH — The Better Business Bureau issued an urgent SCAM alert cautioning businesses and consumers about an email that looks like it is from BBB, with the subject line “Complaint from your customers.”

This e-mail is fraudulent. BBB warns you to ignore its contents and delete it immediately. If you have already clicked on a link in the e-mail, run a full virus scan of your computer.

The e-mails have return addresses that BBB does not use (one example is riskmanager@bbb.org) and it is signed with the address of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, the national office of the BBB system. The e-mail contains a link to a non-BBB web site. Do NOT click on the link.

BBB is working with law enforcement to determine its source and stop the fraudulent campaign.  http://www.bbb.org/us/article/ALERT-Malicious-Complaint-Email-Claiming-Its-From-BBB-30916

Woody Tasch, socially conscious investing pioneer, founder of the Slow Money movement, and author of the book, Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered. (Media credit/Tammy Green via Flickr)

“Slow Money” is the name for a movement started by socially conscious investing pioneer and author, Woody Tasch, who essentially borrowed the conceptual framework of “Slow Food”—whereby participants eschew convenience-oriented “fast” foods, instead filling up their plates with traditional, unprocessed and, ideally, locally produced foods—and applied it to personal finance and investing. As such, Slow Money is dedicated to connecting investors to their local economies by marshaling financial resources to invest in small food enterprises and local food systems.

Tasch’s vision for Slow Money, now not just a concept but also a non-profit organization, seeks nothing less than a complete overhaul of the way we think about and spend our money, channeling much more of it into producing healthy local food, strengthening local communities instead of multinational corporations, and restoring our flagging economy in the process. Instead of venture capital bankrolling far flung high tech start-ups, Tasch hopes to see “nurture capital” funding local merchants and producers who, in turn, plug half of their profits back into their communities, ensuring one small local virtuous circle that values soil fertility, carrying capacity, a sense of place, care of the commons, diversity, nonviolence, and cultural, ecological and economic health as much as financial return. Tasch hopes to get there by persuading a million Americans to invest at least one percent of their assets in local food systems by 2020.

Tasch started Slow Money in November 2008 after the publication of his book, Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered. Hitting the road to promote the book and the nascent movement in 2009, he was able to attract 450 intrigued investors, farmers and other entrepreneurs to Santa Fe, New Mexico to trade ideas at a three-day gathering. “We just wanted to see who would show up, but four of the small food enterprises that presented raised an aggregate of $260,000,” says Tasch. Tasch then organized another event for some 600 attendees the following June in Shelburne, Vermont. Investors there poured $4.2 million into 12 more producers, and that’s when Tasch knew he was really on to something. More than 1,000 people converged in San Francisco for the third event in October 2011, and Tasch expects untold amounts of “slow capital” to be changing hands for the better as a result.

Whether or not you have money to invest in Slow Money’s virtuous circles, you can show your support by visiting the group’s website and electronically signing the organization’s Principles, a list of six core beliefs shared by the Slow Money community. Or if you have just $25, you could park it with the organization’s Soil Trust, which will seed small food enterprises that promote soil fertility in locales from coast to coast. Tasch sees the Soil Trust as key to opening up the Slow Money concept to all of us and achieving the group’s goal of getting a million Americans involved in the movement over the next decade.

Another key to achieving Tasch’s goal is growth of leadership at the local level. To that end, a dozen autonomous local chapters have sprung up nationwide, with more sure to come as word gets out. The local groups have already gifted or lent hundreds of thousands of dollars to entities working to improve their own community “foodsheds.” Now we all have a way to truly put our money where our mouths are.

CONTACTS: Slow Money, www.slowmoney.org.

Power Balance, the embattled sports performance jewelry company retorted a TMZ report today that claimed the company was paying out a $57 million settlement and ceasing operations, calling it “way off the mark.”

The company has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but will stay in business, said Chris Thonis, a publicist speaking for Power Balance.

“There are false rumors about Power Balance swirling around the internet today and I want to provide some direct insight into the moves the company is making to position it for growth going forward,” Thonis said. “For PB an independent distributor (in Australia) and counterfeiters using the PB brand illegally (around the world) made claims unsupported by the company that have sparked a wave of lawsuits. While PB finds the lawsuits baseless and stands by the popular wristbands and its performance technology products, the legal actions are coming at a high cost to the organization leaving the company no other option that to seek voluntary protection under Chapter 11-bankruptcy law while it restructures. (Not going out of business!)”

The company will remain in business and honor all warranties and commitments to retailers.

“To be clear, the rumors started by TMZ are of course, way off the mark. PB is not going out of business,” Thonis said. “PB is actually in the process of launching a new product, dubbed performance mouth gear in markets over the next few weeks (more below) The lawsuits were not in the amount of $57.4 million; there was actually a recent settlement for $1 million.”

Power Balance has used Drew Brees and Shaq in endorsements in the past.

Amazingly, this story actually has legs. Our reporting of TMZ’s blog post this morning is the #1 story on the site today.

I’m not a sports journalist. I’m just a blood and guts cops reporter with public relations experience. As my fourth or fifth job, I’m teaching a public relations course at Newbury College this semester, and the concepts I’m lecturing on made me think of what the Red Sox should do to improve their image.

The Red Sox need an empowered public relations pro. I know they have a good PR team already, but the PR people need to be given more power. One of the biggest challenges PR pros face is in convincing management of its benefits — and encouraging management to empower public relations people AND spend money on the cause. Fixing the Red Sox will need both, not just a likely-planned guerrilla radio appearance.

But John Henry’s appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub was interesting, because he called the team’s crisis largely “external,” and he blamed the media for a lot of the team’s image problems. This is also common in the corporate world. The fact is, even if the team got along perfectly in the clubhouse and worked their asses off on the field, the public did not see either. That is a public relations crisis.

Of course, it’s pretty clear that some players did not get along, and a lot of players did not work their asses off. That is a second PR crisis.

The key to managing PR is in managing personnel. It’s the same as any corporation. The employees are the face of the company, and they have to sell a positive image in their words and — as importantly — their actions. If you believe the news reports, then this year the employees failed to do their part to cultivate a positive image for the company. At the same time, job performance suffered, the company lost money (playoffs = cash) and now people have lost their jobs.

Professional sports are a challenge, because such a high percentage of employees are constantly in the spotlight. There a lot of things they can do to mess up. Even well-intentioned actions or airing of inside jokes can hurt image since inside jokes are, by their nature, not meant for others to understand.

In the end, image is related to performance. The team would do better if it looked better and if its employees were on the same page.

This year, teammates did not seem to get along, forming cliques and sometimes flat-out disagreeing with each other in the public eye. You don’t always hear the term “team building” in sports at the professional level, but it’s surprisingly common. It’s something that teams like the Red Sox and New York Yankees need to invest a lot of money into, since they have a lot of star players with high paychecks and big egos. Whether it’s ropes courses, trust games or ballroom dancing, the final Red Sox roster needs to get away for a few days, privately, and have some professional team builders come in to work with them. These guys need to remove the “I” in team and learn to move as a unit.

PR pros have good ideas. Sometimes they are controversial ideas. Sometimes they are ideas that are expensive but that may have long-term financial benefits that are hard for management to understand.

Right now, the team needs two sweeping and broad new rules, and those rules need to be enforceable by fines, suspensions, etc. But the key to these rules is that if they work, fines and suspensions would not ever be needed.

Sweeping and Broad Rule No. 1: All healthy players will be in uniform during games and will sit in the dugout or bullpen.

The previous game’s starter can be in a box or away following their first day rituals. No players, including starting pitchers, inactive players, and injured players, are allowed in the clubhouse during games unless it is at direction of the coaching or training staff. No alcohol may be consumed during games.

Players on the Disabled List may be absent during games, may sit in the dugout with the rest of the team, or may watch the game from a team box.

Sweeping and Broad Rule No. 2: Players will adhere to a strict physical fitness policy. Conditioning staff will have the power to levy fines and suspensions for failure to work to the policy.

–

And now a player-by-player PR breakdown: (No stats here, just image)

Alfredo Aceves: Two words: Endorsement deal. Get this guy on television. How’s this for a Dunkin Donuts commercial — Alfredo’s alarm clock goes off at 4 a.m. and he rises, saying “Time to make the donuts.” A fan recognizes him at their local Dunkin and says “Whoa, Alfredo Aceves, you really are the hardest working guy in baseball.” “I just do my part,” he replies. “Here, try a pumpkin-spiced latte.”

Matt Albers, Scott Atchison, Daniel Bard: Maybe start a bullpen band like Timlin did in 2007? I loved that, and it showed friendship in the bullpen, which performed amazingly in 2007.

Josh Beckett: Keep him. He can turn his image around. Not through endorsements, but through community service. Beckett has to work to get the fans to support him again. Beckett took this year. He took beer, and chicken, and probably took wins away from the team in the process. Now he has to give back.

Erik Bedard: Gone.

Clay Buchholz: He needs to work hard this off-season. Injured for much of the second half of the season, Buchholz was actually spared much of the negative imagery thrown at the rest of the starting pitchers. If he comes back strong, healthy and in-shape and puts up the numbers, Clay can be a huge part of a resurgent 2012 team.

John Lackey: Lackey’s image can not be repaired in Boston. There is almost always a way to manage a crisis, but in this case, Lackey just has to go. Some employees are toxic to image.

This is where good public relations practice can cost a lot of money in the short-term but have a lasting positive impact. Even if the team needs to eat most of his contract, Lackey needs to be traded or released. He cannot contribute to the team’s image.

Jon Lester: Lester is in the Beckett division. He has to show that his lazy, chicken-eating, beer-drinking ways were a one-year digression. He needs to lose a few pounds and come back and win his first few starts. Starting hot next year (which he has struggled with in the past) will result in cheers and help galvanize the rest of the team.

It may be crass and controversial to think along these lines, but Lester’s cancer battle is a story that touches a lot of people. I didn’t hear about cancer one time this year with Lester.

Jonathan Papelbon: Re-sign him. If the Yankees gave up on Mariano Rivera after 2004, they would have missed out on more than six amazing years. Beyond that, Rivera has a reputation as a worker who puts the team first and always takes them on his shoulders when the game is on the line. People love that. Sound like anyone we know?

Tim Wakefield: He needs a sit down. Wake is one of the nicest guys in baseball history, and he does arguably more community service and charity work than anyone else in the game today. His comments at the end of the season about the fans “deserving” to see him chase the team’s all-time wins record instantly black-marked his tenure.

Also, the nine tries, over two months, to score his 200th win didn’t help his image much. Wake’s time may be up in Boston, but if can still pitch and can prove he’s still a team player, there may still be room for him.

Jason Varitek: It’s time to end this. Varitek’s alleged partake in the chicken and beer scandal tarnished his reputation as the captain who led the team to two World Series titles. He never should have been on the team this year, and it showed, badly, for him and the team.

This year, he earned a reputation as a lazy, broken down Old Yeller of a catcher who can’t throw to second and can’t hit. He is a symbol of what went wrong this year.

But beyond Varitek, something else has to go. The captain title is not required in baseball. It did nothing for a team comprised of individuals and egos this year. So next year, there should be no captain. As much as Dustin Pedroia might have earned it, 2012 has to be all about teamwork and less about titles, records, stats, and names. No Varitek in 2012. No captain in 2012.

Ryan Lavarnway and Jarrod Saltalamacchia: These are your catchers next year. Lavarnway is a good story. The smart Yale grad who stepped up when it mattered story goes far with fans. He’s not proven to be an everyday player yet, but Lavarnway has shown he can play at this level. Salty is the main catcher.

Internal public relations rules say that we need to make sure these guys get along with each other. They should make up a secret handshake. Seriously, where has that gone in baseball?

It’s a little thing, but people notice this: If one of them hits a home run, the other should be the first one out of the dugout to congratulate him.

Adrian Gonzalez: Gonzo doesn’t need any more endorsements. He needs footage of him coming in six hours before the game to work out and practice.

Jed Lowrie: Lowrie is partially a victim here. As the other half of Jacoby Ellsbury’s two-man clique, he has to go. Ellsbury needs to make friends with the rest of the team, and a good way to start is by getting rid of his sidekick. Plus, Lowrie’s reputation is falling. He’s unproven and injury-prone.

Dustin Pedroia: While there should be no captain, the team needs to build a brand around Pedroia, including using him more in advertising. He has emerged as a clubhouse leader, and he will receive more respect on a properly trained and team-built team.

Marco Scutaro: Scutaro worked hard this year, and he performed well when most of the rest of the team sucked it up. He earned a lot of respect for that, so the team should keep him.

Carl Crawford: Talk about someone who needs a public relations overhaul. Even the owner said he was against signing Crawford. Couple that with an abysmal year, and Crawford has a PR crisis of Lackeyian proportions. The difference is that Crawford is likely to stay. The team needs to take a stand with him. Do not shop him around. Either pull the trigger on a trade or keep him and stand by him. If he feels unwanted, he will not perform.

J.D. Drew: Done. Happy trails. Fresh start in 2012. Getting someone like a Michael Cuddyer from the Twins would improve this position’s reputation.

Jacoby Ellsbury: Ellsbury will be here for two more years, then it is likely that he will be gone. If Ellsbury is going to be a super star, then celebrate his stardom for as long as you have him. Don’t treat Jacoby like the speedy kid who can hit a little too. Treat him like Ken Griffey Jr.

Josh Reddick: He can’t field or throw. Be cautious if you’re going to have him replace Drew. Fans have a short fuse in right field.

David Ortiz: It might be time to part ways with Papi. Even if Ortiz goes to the Yankees, it will be on him, not the team. Complaining about a scorer taking away an RBI and interrupting his manager’s press conference are not the kinds of actions the team needs going into next year.

Kevin Youkilis: Kevin should be moved to DH. He is a worker, who tried to play through serious injury — something unique to the 2011 team. But now we know that he is injury prone, having lost much of the last two seasons. Convert him to DH, and know that he can play the corners if needed. National League park problem = solved.

Also, play up the friendship between him and Pedroia.

And Finally…

Daisuke Matsuzaka: Sometimes Tommy John surgery works and has amazing effects on a pitcher’s performance. If anyone can make a giant PR leap next year, it’s Daisuke. All he needs to do is win a few games early in the year, and he can be a shining beacon of change in Boston. Staff should monitor him closely. He has a bad reputation right now, but he was not part of the September collapse, the laziness, the beer, or the fried chicken. Imagine that? Daisuke is a breath of fresh air.

A diverse crowd of protestors gathered Friday afternoon on Boston Common and marched to the Bank of America building at 100 Federal Street, across from South Station. Right to the City (RTTC), a group organized in 2007 as a response to the gentrification of low-income urban neighborhoods, seems to have been the primary organizer of the gathering although several other groups were represented, most notably Occupy Boston, a local protest group in the mode of the demonstrators getting attention in Manhattan this week. Rude Mechanical Orchestra, a New York-based marching band in Greater Boston for this weekend’s HONK! Festival in Cambridge and Somerville, brought horns and drums into the equation.

Opposing corporate greed was the general theme of the 2000-3000 person gathering, but specific protests differed. Many signs – especially those held by people middle-aged and up – called for a halt to foreclosures. Others demanded an end to the Bush tax cuts, or just generally appealed to the government to “tax the rich.” One sign simply impugned the integrity of FOX News, and at least one guy passed out leaflets advocating that money itself should be abolished.

“The problem is, they’re all over the map….so no one gets what they’re protesting,” said a 30-plus-year veteran of the Boston Police Department who, because of department policy about talking to the media, declined to give his name. He added with a smile, “But what they’re doing here? It doesn’t bother us…(but) a few people barged into the bank and were trying to get arrested. So we helped ‘em out.”

At least 24 people were taken into custody.

When asked if the BPD had gotten any special warnings in the wake of the widely-criticized use of pepper spray by New York City police officer Anthony Bologna at the Wall Street protests a few days ago, the Boston officer said they had been briefly re-trained in the use of holds that cause minimal pain to the person being restrained. He added that Mayor Menino sent word that the tents being erected on Dewey Square should be left undisturbed despite the lack of the requisite permits. “It getting cold,” he said, “it might rain. We don’t want to make it hard on them.”

Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis confirmed that some participants were taken into custody after entering the Bank of America building. According to a police spokesman Officer Eddy Chrispin, they were charged with trespassing.

Bank of America spokesperson T.J. Crawford called the protest “aggressive public-relations stunts” and asserted that “Bank of America has a lot to be proud of in Massachusetts.”

Bank of America, based in North Carolina, has more assets than any other lender in the United States.

At one point, several sub-groups left the area of South Station and marched to Beacon Hill for continued protest in front of the Massachusetts State House. Several hundred people remained around Dewey Square, however, as some individuals and groups planned to rendezvous there again later in the night. When the protest would draw to a close was uncertain, but one person was overheard saying to a fellow protestor, “This is ‘Occupy Boston’…not ‘Visit Boston!’”

Borders, a 40-year-old book seller, is seeking approval to liquidate after it could not get any bids to keep it in business.

The chain, with 399 stores in total, including 15 in Massachusetts, could start liquidation as soon as Friday if the judge approves their bid in court on Thursday.

Borders will ask the Bankruptcy Court of the Southern District of New York to allow it to be sold to liquidators, including Hilco Merchant Resources and Gordon Brothers Group of Boston. The company could go out of business as soon as September.

Liquidators will dissolve the lease agreements Borders had with its landlords and auction them off in two rounds, scheduled for August and September, according to DJM Realty, a unit of Gordon Brothers.

“We are in the middle of a having a lot of conversations with retailers, and some landlords wanted their spaces back,” said DJM copresident Andrew Graiser, according to the Boston Globe. “It’s early, but there’s certainly some good interest in a number of these locations.”

Several locations in Massachusetts, including the stores at Downtown Crossings, CambridgeSide Galleria, Legacy Place in Dedham, Mansfield Crossing, Marlborough, Methuen, North Attleborough and Kingston are expected to be auctioned.

Borders attempted to stay in business with a $215 million “white knight” bid by Najafi Cos., but the bid dissolved when creditors and lenders objected to the deal, arguing that the chain would be worth more if it liquidated immediately.

‘‘We were all working hard toward a different outcome, but the headwinds we have been facing for quite some time, including the rapidly changing book industry, e-reader revolution, and turbulent economy, have brought us to where we are now,’’ Borders Group president Mike Edwards said in a statement.

Borders currently employs 10,700 people, all of whom will soon be out of a job if liquidation occurs.

As part of an ongoing investigation of private transportation companies, The United States Justice Department and the Inter-city Bus Company, Megabus, announced a settlement in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which will make all Megabus vehicles more handicap accessible, and make it easier for disabled people to book a handicapped spot on the bus online.

Megabus USA L.L.C. of Chicago and Megabus Northeast L.L.C. of Elizabeth, N.J., will retrain its employees and contractors on the terms of the ADA, design a comprehensive reservation system on megabus.com and work with its vehicle manufacturers to enhance handicap accessibility.

The investigation came after Megabus did not allow a disabled person to use the ramp on a passenger bus and forced him to transfer out of his wheelchair, rather than secure him in the chair, as federal regulations mandate.  For this incident, Megabus will pay $55,000 to the United States and another $12,500 in damages to the disabled man.

“Commercial passenger buses are an affordable and growing sector of the transportation industry, and making sure that they are fully accessible to individuals with disabilities is a necessary part of integrating individuals with disabilities into all aspects of American life,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.

Title III of the ADA states that private transportation providers must provide equal services to all people, including making it easy for disabled people to access their vehicles and other services. The United States acknowledges Megabus’ cooperation and willingness to reform their handicap accessibility to meet these requirements.

“We are pleased to take further steps to provide enhanced accessibility in transportation to our passengers with disabilities, as expected from an industry leader,” said Dale Moser, president and CEO of Megabus. “I am hopeful that this cooperative agreement will serve as a positive example to others in the industry as the DOJ continues its efforts to examine and review accessibility compliance throughout the industry.”

Megabus, a subsidiary of Coach USA, is a low-cost, city-to-city express bus service that provides service to more than 50 cities in North America.  The company, launched in 2006, offers fares as low as $1.

An annual report released by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) yesterday revealed that consumers filed 1.1 million complaints against North American businesses in 2010, a 10 percent increase from the number of complaints filed in 2009. Additionally, consumers used the BBB’s website to research North American businesses more than 87 million times last year, up 37 percent from 2009.

“The complaints filed with BBB are not only a barometer of customer satisfaction, but the rise in complaints also shows that consumers are increasingly relying on BBB for assistance in resolving disputes with businesses,” said Stephen A. Cox, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, in a statement.

The BBB offers consumers 3 million Business Reviews, which report businesses’ accreditation status, letter grade and complaint history. Roofing contractors, general contractors and mortgage brokers were the most frequently researched industries in 2010. Out of 4,483 industries represented, the largest number of complaints were directed to the cable and satellite TV industry, with 30,985 complaints in 2010, down five percent from 2009. Complaints filed in this industry were resolved 98.6 percent of the time last year, a slight increase from the year before. The cable and satellite TV industry’s resolution rate is above the overall average resolution rate across all industries, which was 78 percent in 2010.

The second highest complained-about industry in 2010 was the cell phone industry with 27,293 complaints, a 29.6 percent decrease from 2009. Ranking third on the list are new car auto dealers with 24,698 complaints last year, an 8.1 percent decrease from the year before. These two industries, like the cable and satellite TV industry, also beat the average number of resolved complaints, with the cell phone industry resolving 92.1 percent of complaints and  new car auto dealers resolving 87.4 percent of complaints.

“Industries that do a large volume of business are naturally going to have a larger number of complaints,” said Cox. “This is why it’s important to look at how a company responded when BBB approached them with consumer complaints, and not just the sheer number of complaints.”

The free services and tools offered on the BBB website are especially valuable for consumers in this tough economy, said Cox, adding, “Given the current economic climate, consumers need to be more cautious on where and how they spend their money and a fast, easy way to do this is to ensure businesses are accredited by BBB and have a good BBB rating before doing business with them.”

By 2015, there will be approximately 804 million smartphones worldwide. Lucky for football fans, the NFL and  mobile advertising agency Adzookie.com are already looking to the future, promising that by 2015 the Super Bowl will be streamed live via an iPhone.

Romeo Mendoza, CEO of the Orange, Calif.-based company that plans to handle the advertising, Adzookie.com, said in a statement that “Streaming the Super Bowl on a phone just makes sense. Cell phones already outnumber television sets 5-to-1.”

Given that the 2010 Super Bowl brought in 106 million viewers and earned over $300 million in network advertising sales — that’s $2.8 to $3 million per 30-second advertisement — streaming the Super Bowl on smartphones is a smart business decision. Further, through cell phones, advertisers can run multiple ads at the same time, catering to individual viewers based on age, gender, income and location, something that television ads cannot do.

“Companies prefer to promote their business via mobile ads than other forms of advertising,” Mendoza said.

Because of the increasing popularity of smartphone use and the edge that mobile advertising has over television advertising, viewers can expect to eventually watch all of their favorite shows via cell phones, said Mendoza.

“The Super Bowl is just the beginning,” he continued. “Eventually all programming will be mobile. We plan on being there when it happens.”

The Publisher of The National Enquirer said Monday it plans to file for bankruptcy protection in about two weeks

The Boca Raton, Fla.-based company also publishes Men’s Fitness and Star magazines and said its publishing operations will continue.

The company has a prepackaged plan for Chapter 11 and hopes to emerge within 60 days.

American Media will offer its bondholders partial ownership in the company in exchange for debt forgiveness.

No layoffs were announced.

Rhode Island Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse announced Tuesday that Rhode Island would receive a $150,000 federal grant to establish a phone number to help residents get “clear and accurate information” about health care.

The grant comes from the health insurance reform law recently passed by congress.

The grant also helps the state establish a new website and print educational[ materials. Two jobs are also created under the Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation for staffers to help educate patients on health insurance options, how to enroll in health insurance, and how to appeal insurer denials.

The employees will be Spanish/English speakers and will hold seminars to raise awareness of health care options.

“This initiative will help Rhode Islanders get the information they need to make well-informed decisions about their health insurance,” Reed said. “It will help consumers understand their options and provide assistance if they run into trouble. ”

“Health insurance reform will benefit hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders in the years to come, but it remains a complex piece of legislation,” Whitehouse added. “By helping our state implement reform and answer questions about the law, and helping dispel the falsehoods that have been propagated, this funding will help Rhode Islanders get the most out of this landmark bill.”

The grant is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Verizon released a list of cities it says will have a new, ultra-fast 4G mobile phone and data network by the end of the year.

The list is fantastic news for Blast readers. If you’re in one of our bureau cities, you’re probably getting 4G service. In fact, Boston, New York, Miami-Dade, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Dallas are all on the list. The only Blast city not covered is Phoenix. Sorry, guys.

The full list: (Blast cities bolded)

Akron, Ohio

Athens, Ga.

Atlanta

Baltimore

Boston

Charlotte, N.C.

Chicago

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus, Ohio

Dallas-Fort Worth

Denver

Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Houston

Jacksonville, Fla.

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

Miami

Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minn.

Nashville, Tenn.

New Orleans

New York

Oakland, Calif.

Oklahoma City

Orlando, Fla.

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Pittsburgh

Rochester, N.Y.

San Antonio, Texas

San Diego

San Francisco

Seattle-Tacoma

St. Louis

Tampa, Fla.

Washington

West Palm Beach, Fla.

ROME — The Istituto per le Opere Religiose, commonly known as the Vatican Bank, is under investigation by Italian authorities for money laundering.

In particular, bank Chairman Ettore Gotti Tedeschi and Director-General Paolo Cipriani are under investigation for alleged failure to observe Italy’s money laundering laws.

Law enforcement officials have also seized $30 million (23 million Euros) in bank assets as part of their investigation into claims that the two senior officials had violated anti-money laundering laws by failing to disclose information about the bank’s financial transactions.

“The Holy See is perplexed and astonished by the initiatives of the Rome prosecutors, considering the data necessary is already available at the Bank of Italy,” the Vatican said in a statement.

The Vatican also backed he two officials under investigation.

“The Holy See wants to express the maximum confidence in the president and in the chief executive of the IOR,” it said.

Gotti Tedeschi has been in charge of the bank for about a year.

It is the first time such action has been taken against the IOR, which is considered a non-European Union bank and does not fall under the jurisdiction of EU banking laws.

The Vatican is an entirely sovereign state, so it is unclear exactly how much the Italians can do.

The probe was started by Rome to determine whether a 2007 Italian law on transparency in regard to the identity of account holders was violated.

The Vatican Bank is one of the most secret banks in the world, and judicial sources said the probe was centered on clarifying the “opaque screen” which hid the identity of the organizations that had actual control over the IOR accounts.

The investigation is focused on two wire transfers the Vatican Bank had asked a small Italian bank called Credito Artigianato to carry out, including the transfer of 20 million euros to JP Morgan in Frankfurt and 3 million euros to another Italian bank, Banca del Fucino. Authorities say the IOR did not disclose enough information about these transactions.

"I wish to express my personal solidarity to the President of the IOR, Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, which I know the seriousness and professional integrity,” said Roman Mayor Gianni Alemanno. “I hope that this story will be clarified as soon as possible.”

The Vatican Bank last faced legal scrutiny in 1982 when its governor, the American Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, was implicated in a scandal that led to the murders of two of its top executives, one of whom was found hanging from Blackfriars Bridge in London. Upon the election of Pope John Paul II, Marcinkus was promoted within the Vatican bank and remained in office for several years before the scandal widened, when the body of Calvi, whose Banco Ambrosiano had dealt with Marcinkus, was found hanging over the bridge in June 1982.

It was a scene that was loosely mirrored in “The Godfather Part III.”

This article is courtesy of our friends at the Better Business Bureau in Boston.

On July 1, new rules went into effect concerning overdrafts on your debit or ATM cards. You now get to choose in advance what happens when you make a charge on your debit or ATM card and don’t have enough money in your account to pay for it.

Let’s say you buy something with your debit or ATM card but haven’t been keeping track of how much you have in your account. It turns out you don’t have enough money in there, which means the withdrawal will lead to an overdraft. According to the Federal Reserve Board Webhttp://www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo/wyntk_overdraft.htm there are usually two ways that banks deal with an overdraft:

• Standard overdraft practices. Your bank will cover your transaction for a flat fee of about $20-$35 each time you overdraw your account. For example, if you make a purchase with your debit card for $150 but only have $100 in your account, your account will be overdrawn by $50 and your bank will charge you a fee. If you then make an ATM withdrawal for $50, your account will be overdrawn by $100 and you will be charged another fee. In this example, if the fee your bank charges for its standard overdraft practices is $30, you will pay a total of $60 in fees on $100 in overdrafts.
• Overdraft protection plans. Your bank may offer a line of credit or a link to your savings account to cover transactions when you overdraw your account. Banks typically charge a fee each time you overdraw your account, but these overdraft protection plans may be less expensive than their standard overdraft practices.

So what’s different under the new rules? Basically, your bank has to give you the option to choose how the bank will deal with an overdraft from you. In the past, some banks automatically enrolled you in a standard overdraft program when you opened an account with them. Now, the bank has to ask your permission and you have to opt in. If you don’t opt in, beginning August 15th, 2010, your bank’s standard overdraft practices won’t kick in when you charge too much. Instead, the transaction will typically be declined when you don’t have enough in your account to cover it. You won’t be charged an overdraft fee, but you also won’t be able to complete the purchase or withdrawal, either.

If you have an existing account that was opened any time before July 1st, you are supposed to get a notice from your bank about their standard overdraft practices, asking if you want them to continue or not. If you opened an account after July 1, you will be asked if you want to opt in or out when you fill out the initial paperwork. Whichever way you decide, you can change your mind at any time.

Warning: If you write checks or set up automatic bill payment from your checking account, the new rules do not cover checks or automatic bill payments. Your bank can still automatically enroll you in their standard overdraft practices for those types of transactions. If you don’t want that to happen, contact your bank, but you may find that you don’t have the option to cancel.

As always, it pays to shop around when you open a checking account. Banks could lose significant revenue if a majority of customers now opt out of overdraft protection, so down the road certain banks may decide to charge their customers new fees to make up for that loss of revenue. Always be aware of the terms of service of your account, and that includes reading those updates that come in the mail! If you don’t like your bank’s terms, you may want to shop for a bank whose fee structure you like better.

On a recent Friday at the Back Bay Events Center, the First Annual Boston SuperMeet showcased the future of film post-production.

Hosted by the Final Cut Pro Users Group (FCPUG), the event was sponsored by some high profile brands in the filmmaking industry and showed off a wide array of impressive new technology. This was the first FCPUG event of its kind in Boston, but organizers hope to establish it as an annual event as they have done with similar events in other cities around the world.

Like trends in other tech industries, the new technology seen at the Boston SuperMeet indicates post-production is getting smaller and faster. Before the evening’s keynote speakers were introduced, a video played in the background, depicting someone in a country field with Edvard Grieg’s "Morning Mood" as a soundtrack. The video appeared to be professionally shot until the end when it was revealed that it was all done on the new iPhone 4 and revealed, joked the head of the FCPUG immediately afterward, "We’re all out of a job."

The event attracted some high profile speakers in film editing including crowd favorite Rodney Charters, the director of photography on “24.” He discussed shooting some his work on the series including high speed chases and making Los Angeles look like New York City through digital editing. Marc-Andr© Ferguson, a founder of the Final Cut Montreal User Group and Director of Technology at Montreal based production company Trio Orange, presented, Autodesk’s editing software, Smoke, along with Marc Hamaker from Autodesk. Their demonstration elicited gasps of amazement from the crowd of film students and professionals. Special effects that once took hours to process were done in seconds. While the cost of this program makes it impractical for personal use, Autodesk envisions it as something that will allow editors to immediately produce effects for overseeing directors and producers rather than waiting hours for them to render.

Boinx Software, a German based company, promoted BoinxTV, which they used to broadcast the event live on the Internet. The software allows one to make professional looking presentations with live footage in real time using its preset templates and transitions. As Boinx describes it, it "turns your Mac into a TV studio."

AV3 was showcasing its brand new plug-in for Non-Linear Editing systems, such as Final Cut or Avid, which search the hard drive phonetically for key audio rather than text. Because the program looks for phonetic sounds, the spelling does not have to be correct and it can find the exact location in video clips where the searched word or phrase was uttered. It could save time for filmmakers looking through hours of footage for specific scenes or takes, or at least for interns at “The Daily Show” and “Colbert Report.”

Also evident at the event was the growing demand for 3D productions in the film industry. Both Autodesk’s Smoke and EditShare’s Lightworks supported 3D video editing. While some products seemed to be marketed towards production companies (one was priced at over $15,000), most of the software and plug-ins were geared towards the growing DIY nature of film production. Editors have the tools to turn out professional quality work with a decent laptop and the new technology on display at the SuperMeet — or as the case may be not too long from now, with a smart phone.

Dunkin’ Donuts, the Canton-based doughnut and coffee empire, will return to Russia after an 11-year absence, Boston.com reports.

Owning company Dunkin’ Brands told Boston.com it sees potential in a fast-developing Russian consumer economy and a populace that loves tea.

The company plans to open the first of 20 stores soon.

The chain closed its two stores in Russia in 1999 due to poor sales and conflicts with franchises that were selling booze and meat pies instead of just doughnuts, muffins, bagels, and those weird waffle sandwiches.

Google is spending a ton of money in Washington.

According to public records, Google spent $800,000 during Q1 2009 on lobbying and about $4 million during all of 2009. But for Q1 2010, Google has already spent about $1.4 million.

“They’re now one of the highest rollers in Washington,” said John M. Simpson, a consumer advocate with the non-profit Consumer Watchdog group.

“Despite what Google claimed, it’s not about consumers at all,” said Simpson. “Google is seeking laws that let the company do whatever it wants in its quest for record profits. If that means record sums on influence-peddling, so be it.”

Google did not return requests for comment.

The Great Recession has had many repercussions, but the biggest may have been unemployment. Luckily, Waltham-based ZoomInfo’s FreshContacts is the next big tool to help those looking for a job the best chance to not only find a job, but stick there.

The deficiency of many employment tools like Monster is that only about 20 percent of jobs are found through online postings. The other 80 percent of jobs are found through networking, personal introductions, and referrals. FreshContacts is the answer to this fundamental problem for the 15 million jobseekers who have currently been unemployed for over a year. The tool is not one for posting but rather a substitute for knowing the right people and getting lucky, allowing more qualified job candidates to be placed in open jobs.

FreshContacts is in essence the job market’s first effective social networking tool, especially for unemployed executives. A plug-in for Microsoft Outlook, it connects users with 45 million executives for 5 million companies, with in-depth reports on each company so potential employees can connect with the correct executive for the job, and bypass the HR gatekeepers for a company. Users can also target specific companies in their area of expertise, track past colleagues that have recently been hired (the referral process in a more automated, though solicitous form), and prepare for interviews, because the job hunt isn’t over when until you’ve aced the interview.

FreshContacts takes the quality of the information they present to both job hunters and those looking to hire, as well. The software immediately disregards any consumer email addresses like Yahoo and Gmail to ensure that any information in their database is pertinent to the job search. Though it sounds a little sketchy, anyone who contributes information about contacts remain anonymous, so you don’t have to worry about getting caught for writing about how your boss favors certain qualities in a candidate more than others. Anyone not willing to be included in FreshContact’s database can opt-out at any time, thanks to our handy CAN-Spam laws.

ZoomInfo uses web crawl technology to gather publicly available information on businesses so you don’t have to, and does so at a prolific rate, adding about 20,000 company profiles a month.

ZoomInfo says that FreshContacts is used by sales and marketing professionals to find leads. This may be a huge problem in the future, as it may cause businesses to opt-out of the service if it means being constantly contacted by salesmen who use FreshContacts to aggregate information about possible leads. Use of FreshContacts in this way could be a major problem in the future, and something to watch for new users.

However, FreshContacts will certainly make the job market a more efficient place to be, as it compiles information in a way that could drastically cut down on the research phase of the job hunt and place executive-level professionals in better jobs, faster.

Buying a home can be one of the biggest purchases you will ever make.

But first-time buyers looking to take advantage of the low-interest loans and the federal tax credit of up to $8,000 this year should consider that there are more costs beyond the purchase price of a home.

Real estate agents and mortgage brokers say one of the biggest mistakes first-time buyers can make is not budgeting adequately for their new homes.

Jonathan White, president of Blue Door Mortgage in Wellesley, said a preapproval letter from a bank or other mortgage lender will give you a guideline of exactly how much you can pay. He cautions that buyers should get this prequalification before making a legally binding offer.

"Get preapproved so you know exactly what you’re dealing with,” White said.

Scott McNeill, managing partner at East Coast Realty in Boston, said a lot of buyers receive cash gifts from family members to go toward their down payments, which sometimes lead them to underestimate the monthly cost of owning a home.

Generally, McNeill said, the mortgage payment should be about one-third of your monthly income. Having a mortgage payment in this range will leave room in for other expenses, including utilities, insurance, and homeowner’s association or condo fees — all big costs McNeil said first-timers should consider before they sign.

"Make sure you budget carefully,” McNeil said. "Bigger homes have bigger utility bills, and condos with larger square footage will have higher condo fees.”

Thinking about buying? Here are some costs first-time home buyers should consider:

APPRAISAL AND HOME INSPECTION

Why you need it: You don’t want to buy a money pit. If a house has flaws, damage, or general issues, you need to know before they become your problems.

What it costs: An appraisal typically costs about $350. Then you’re looking at about $400 for a home inspection.

CLOSING COSTS

What they are: These are the costs involved in making the purchase and sale of property. In Massachusetts, as in several other states, an attorney is required.

What they cost: Can be a few thousand dollars depending on the price of the house when you close on it . But if you’re negotiating, put the closing costs on the table for your seller to pay. Factor in about $200 for a title exam, $700 for attorney’s fees, and about $300 for deed- and mortgage-recording fees. Also allot money for title insurance — how much depends on the purchase price. "Most listing agents will recommend to a seller to accept an offer that pays some or all closing costs. At the end of the day, it’s really just the net sales amount that should matter to a seller, and if it helps put a deal together, then everyone should be happy,” said East Coast Realty’s Scott McNeill.

PRIVATE MORTGAGE INSURANCE

What it is: You need PMI if you buy a home with a government-subsidized mortgage or on most mortgages on which the down payment is less than 20 percent of the purchase price. With federal FHA loans, you can get away with a down payment of just 3.5 percent, but the insurance becomes necessary if you’re paying so little up front.

What it costs: It’s about $80 a month on a $200,000 loan. You can also pay it off in advance, but if you have that much cash, you should see about putting more money down to see if PMI won’t be necessary. White said that you don’t need to pay PMI after you’ve paid off 20 percent of your mortgage, but he added that you need to call to ask the lender to take it off your bill.

ONGOING FEES AND UTILITIES

What it is: For a house you have water, sewer, insurance, heat, electricity, and television/Internet service. If you buy a condo, most (or in rare cases all) of these will be included in a monthly condo fee. Normal fees can range from $150-$400 depending on your building’s amenities. And if you’re buying a condo, you should also budget a few hundred dollars per year for homeowners’ insurance. The insurance in your condo fee only covers the building, not your stuff.

What it costs: Several hundred per month.

Months after losing its Major League Baseball, and only weeks after settling a lawsuit by MLB for allegedly illegally using its trademarks anyway, news has broken that the National Football League will not renew Upper Deck’s licensing agreement.

This means no more (official) baseball or football cards from UD.

Upper Deck released the following statement:

"Over the past year, Upper Deck has attempted to negotiate a new licensing deal with NFL Properties. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we were not able to reach agreeable terms, and therefore will not be issuing any NFL Properties-licensed trading cards for the 2010 season. Upper Deck will continue to focus on its exclusive license agreement with the Collegiate Licensing Company and co-exclusive agreements with NHL Enterprises and the NHL Players’ Association, as well as its multiple entertainment licenses.”

After 20 years printing and binding in Boston — especially for students — Gnomon Copy Boston no longer exists.

“We are sad to announce that Gnomon has closed its doors for good,” the company said in a statement. “The print industry and current economic climate have made it too tough for the purple signed store to thrive.”

Printing groups have some together to form Bluisma, which hopes to combine the city’s struggling print needs with digital services like Web design, consulting, logos, graphics, and even event planning.

Check out Bluisma.com for more info.

The New Jersey Casino Control Commission approved the acquisition of the state’s Tropicana Casino & Resort by an entity owned 46 percent by affiliates of Carl C. Icahn, according to a statement released this week.

According to the Icahn group, this move clears the way for the embattled Tropicana organization to emerge from bankruptcy, in a transaction that is expected to be completed early next week.

Icahn said, in the statement, that “he was extremely pleased that the Casino Control Commission’s approval had been granted and that he wished to thank the New Jersey Casino Control Commission, as well as the Division of Gaming Enforcement, for working so assiduously.”

“There will undoubtedly be tough sledding ahead for Atlantic City, especially in light of the increasing competition from neighboring states,” Icahn said. “However, I believe that Atlantic City, with its beautiful beaches, can again become a premier destination resort. For this to come to fruition, casino hotels must invest capital not only in their own resorts but also in ‘major events’ that will draw gamblers away from competing states.”

Tropicana will emerge from bankruptcy, having erased most of its debts.

One of the most prolific American financiers, Icahn owns more than 11 percent of video game maker Take-Two Interactive. In 2008, he sold American Casino & Entertainment Properties to a Goldman Sachs-backed group for $1.3 billion. Last month, he purchased Fontainebleau Las Vegas, LLC for $150 million.

Trouble for one of the younger companies in the teetering sports card industry.

Management at the Upper Deck Company today settled a copyright infringement lawsuit brought against them by Major League Baseball in February. MLB granted Topps an exclusive licensing deal over the summer, but Upper Deck started producing cards with MLB teams and logos anyway.

Topps had sought more than $2 million from the Carlsbad, Calif.-based memorabilia company, but under the settlement, Upper Deck promises to cease producing trading cards with MLB trademarks on them.

Upper Deck can and will continue to sell its last three recently released baseball products currently on store shelves: 2009 Signature Stars, 2009 Ultimate Collection and 2010 Upper Deck Series One.

"As a company, we are changing the direction of Upper Deck’s baseball products going forward. We are looking forward to creating fresh and innovative set content that will continue to get collectors excited,” said Jason Masherah, Upper Deck’s director of Sports Brands.

It’s been a bad go of it for Upper Deck since its failed bid last year to acquire Topps, its biggest rival. In January, the company agreed to pay millions to video game giant Konami after a dispute over counterfeit Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards.

The New York Times reports that Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company, announced Wednesday what had been expected for months: that Lucian Grainge, the head of the company’s international division, will become chief executive.

It will be almost a year before Lucian Grange will take office. In July, he will move to New York from London to share the job with Doug Morris, the current chief executive. On January 1, 2011, Mr. Grainge will become the chief of Universal. Mr. Morris, who became chairman and chief executive in 1995, will remain chairman at least through 2013, when his current contract expires. Mr. Morris said: "The time has come for Lucian to step up to the CEO. role. I am very happy with the new organization, as I have been grooming him to succeed me for quite a while now."

Grainge has spent the last five years running operations in 50 countries outside of North America and is credited with expanding Universal Music’s reach through digital distribution as well as moving into new businesses, such as merchandise sales, live event production and artist services, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Grainge will be taking head of Universal at a time when music piracy rules over the sale of music. He will have numerous challenges facing how to make music profitable again. The LA Times reports that Universal Music, home to Eminem, the Black Eyed Peas and recent Grammy Award winners Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift, had a sales decline of 5.2 percent for the first nine months last year. Digital sales have increased but the sales of CD’s have steadily declined. The label has attempted to find sources of revenue through avenues such as its new ad-supported Vevo online music video service, developed with the help of Google Inc.’s YouTube.

Google is scheduled to release its social network feature called “Buzz” over the next few days, according to PC Mag. Google describes Buzz as an ambitious attempt to combine the Gmail Web interface with status updates and media-sharing technology, making Google a more complete experience.

Google’s Buzz includes many appealing features, according to CNET. Users can post text, links and photos and can link their Twitter, Flickr, Picasa and Google Reader accounts to their Buzz streams to see information produced by friends on those networks. Buzz also includes a customizable algorithm that allows the user to pick and choose what sort of information and updates are displayed from their friend’s posts.

According to PC Mag, one the greatest strengths of this social network is its ability to separate public posts from private posts. Buzz users will be able to post updates publicly for their followers, like Twitter, but they can also post updates privately, like Facebook, for their friend’s eyes only. Since Buzz is a Google invention, users have access to Buzz using Google Maps via their mobile device. Users get the option of posting their exact locations on Buzz, as well as showing nearby restaurants, stores and other places of interest.

PC Mag states that Google will be gradually releasing Buzz to its users by displaying an icon beneath the Inbox icon on the left panel. Alternatively, users may get a full welcome page when they log in, touting the new feature. There will be an option to either try it out or ignore it and go to the regular Gmail inbox. Although Buzz has several minor advantages over Facebook, only time will reveal whether or not people will be inclined to switch from one social network to another.

I knew “Pizzeria Uno” was a better name than “Uno Chicago Grill.”

The Boston Globe reports today that Uno Restaurant Holdings Corp., a Boston-based company with about 30 restaurants in Massachusetts and 179 nationwide, is filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

That’s right, they’re not based in Chicago.

The company closed six of its locations but vows that the bankruptcy protection is only a minor setback and that customers won’t notice any differences in their restaurants, the Globe reported.

In a statement released today, the company called its Chapter 11 filing “pre-arranged” to help the company restructure debt.

“The steps we’ve taken represent the culmination of many months of work on the part of the Company, its current owners and the Noteholder Group (“the Noteholder Group”) made up of members comprising a majority of the Company’s outstanding Notes,” said Frank Guidara, President and CEO of Uno, in the statement. “The Uno brand is strong; it’s the balance sheet that needs fixing.”

Live Nation’s shareholders, at their annual meeting yesterday, voted to approve a merger with Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc.

More than 99 percent of shareholders voted in favor of the merger, Live Nation said in a statement.

Shareholders also approved a proposal to change the company’s name to Live Nation Entertainment, Inc., following completion of the merger with Ticketmaster, which is still subject to regulatory approval.

You may think that having attractive girls pose for pictures is a pretty clich© thing to do to make money, but not when it’s a part of a large entrepreneurial networking project. Jesse Barack, 21, and Daniel Forberg, 26 teamed up and created the Zoomass calendar for their company, Popular Campus entertainment, a student run talent agency and production company. Their first project, the calendar, became much more than an opportunity to photograph girls.

"I was trying to think of interesting ideas to work with a lot of different people," said Barack. "I thought, why not do a calendar and sell it."

This young entrepreneurial pair from The University of Massachusetts Amherst held a photo competition for the 12 models featured in their calendar. They sent out ads in Facebook and MySpace to get contestants. They also had some other, more traditional methods.

"I got a flier under my door," said cover model Erica Cohen, "I went online and checked it out and it looked really interesting. Then I got paid. It was definitely a plus."

To pay for the models, Barack persuaded sponsors to buy ad space on the monthly pages. And some companies could buy the photograph itself — Barack put product placement plugs inside the purchased photos. One model did a yoga pose for a yoga studio’s ad in a photo that also featured the studio’s logo.

"If there is a logo, it’s up in every dorm room and it’s entered the customer’s living space," said Barack. "And that month completely revolves around the business."

The calendar has been flying off the shelves with the help of the models showing up at events to help hawk them. They’ve had to order more.

"We are printing in bulk because now we selling our calendars wholesale to businesses to sell themselves," Barack said.

Popular Campus Entertainment made a mark with their Zoomass calendar, but now these young entrepreneurs are using what they learned to go to the next level with a new film production company called Films Royale. During this period of uncertainty in the job market, Barack and Forberg decided to go off on their own and launch a business.

"For me, it was an opportunity to make money," said Forberg, "but networking was high on the list."

"This has become more than a fun project," added Barack. "It began as a networking opportunity and it evolved a lot more than I thought. The most important part about this whole thing was learning so much about running a business, about advertising, money managing and accounting, costumer relations, and working with real employees."

So be sure to get your 2010 Zoomass calendar available now. And stick around for the 2011 men’s calendar.

"Our new business will help students enhance themselves," said Barack. "We would help them get (talent) auditions and get bands a place to play. We would help them through the steps to get real representation and market themselves. Its going to launch in the summer of 2010."

You can't afford to live in the Archstone, so don't ask.

We’re not exactly sure of the methodology here, because most of the Blast staffers are also renters. But the fact is, a survey done by ApartmentRatings.com shows that Boston is one of the top 10 cities in the country for renter satisfaction.

Remember that when it’s 50 degrees in your apartment — you’re satisfied, remember?

Fort Wayne, Ind. was rated the best city for renters, and that makes sense because published media reports show that the cost of living is low. You get a lot more bang for your buck in Fort Wayne than on Beacon Hill.

The list:

1. Fort Wayne
2. Madison, Wis.
3. Arlington, Va.
4. Washington
5. Chandler, Ariz.
6. Bakersfield , Calif.
7. Durham, N.C.
8. Lincoln, Neb.
9. Boston
10. Chicago

Boston came in at No. 9 from scores tabulated from thousands of users filling out surveys this year. Factors counted included noise, safety and maintenance.

In case you’re wondering, the worst cities in the country to rent include Las Vegas, Anaheim, Calif., Norfolk, Va., Memphis and Aurora, Colo. Aurora, a Denver suburb, was the worst.

Comcast Corp., the country’s largest cable provider, and General Electric have come to an agreement on ownership of NBC Universal.

Comcast will obtain 51 percent ownership in NBCU, and GE will retail the remaining 49 percent after the company bought back a 20 percent stake owned by Vivendi valued at almost $6 billion.

For its stake, Comcast will pay $6.5 billion in cash and $7.5 billion in assets including Comcast-owned cable networks.

The deal could take over a year to finalize.

NBC Universal, which includes the broadcast and cable networks, Universal Studios, the theme parks and several local affiliates, is valued at more than $30 billion.

Walgreen Co. announced yesterday that the company would purchase the 12 Eaton Apothecary pharmacies in the Boston Area for $19 million.

The deal, reached with D.A.W. Inc, a subsidiary of Florida-based Nyer Medical Group,

Shares of the penny Nyer stock were up some 200 percent in after hours trading.

Eaton has stores in Dorchester, Brockton, Danvers, Peabody, Salem, Sherborn, Framingham, Southborough, Gloucester, Wellesley, Lynn, Westwood, Weston, Marblehead, Woburn and Newton.

Walgreens promised to keep on most of the Eaton employees.

“Today is a very special day for our Boston market” said Dave White, Walgreens market vice president for Boston, in a statement yesterday. “Not only are we keeping most of the pharmacies open, but we also intend for eligible employees at all 12 locations to join our team.”

White said Eaton’s long-time customers will see the same familiar faces and level of service with the expanded Walgreens umbrella of products and services.

“We look forward to continuing Eaton’s 100-plus year tradition of quality pharmacy service in communities around the Boston area,” White said.

“I am confident that the best choice for our customers and employees is Walgreens,” said Mark Dumouchel, President of D.A.W and Nyer Medical Group

The acquisition is subject to certain terms and conditions, and is expected to close within the next 90 days, Walgreens said.

Walgreens is the nation’s largest drugstore chain, operating some 7,000 stories in all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The company did $63 billion in sales in fiscal year 2009.

Exercise is one of the top preventative actions one can take to decrease chances of developing breast cancer. Commonwealth Sports Club (1079 Commonwealth Ave.) couldn’t think of a better way to get involved than to hold our own Zumba and Spinathon to raise money for breast cancer research.

Instructors are donating their time to hold a 3 hour spinathon and a 2 hour zumbathon, with a suggested donation of $5 per hour per participant for charity.

Zumba is a high energy, latin dance class that can easily be adapted for people with a limited range of motion, and spinning burns the most calories of all our group fitness classes, at an average of 500 calories per class.

Commonwealth Sports Club is also holding a raffle to help raise money for the cause. The staff at CSC and Joint Ventures Physical Therapy have donated their time to offer raffle prizes such as an acupuncture session, personal training packages, pilates packages, and massages. Other prizes include CSC gear, $25 Visa Gift Cards, and a $100 gift certificate to The Kells Bar and Grill, Blast’s perennial party spot, donated by restaurant owner and sports club member Jerry Quinn.

There will also be inspirational artwork sold with part of the proceeds going to breast cancer research.

Be there from 6-9 p.m. tonight, and make your workout for a good cause.

(ARA) — You’ve made your holiday list and checked it twice, but what happens when the salesperson helping you is naughty, not nice? Crowded stores, long lines, low inventory and cranky shoppers rushing to find that perfect holiday gift can often lead to a “perfect storm” of bad service.

That’s why many retailers are ensuring that they have service quality systems in place to avoid the typical holiday mishaps between shoppers and service staff, according to the American Society for Quality, which provides service quality training for many industries, including retail.

“The top four causes of customer dissatisfaction are out of stock items, discontinued items, returns and shipping charges,” says John Goodman, an ASQ customer service expert. “These are issues that are easily resolvable if sales staff have the right tools and training.”

Bigger stories like Bath & Body Works, for example, provide staff with training to handle these kinds of complaints. Its sales staff takes steps such as maintaining eye contact with customers during every step of the sale. They are also trained in how to detect and respond to unspoken needs and are told to “treat a return like a sale” because a properly handled return will often move the customer to buy something else.

Best Buy is ranked highest in customer satisfaction among national and multi-regional major appliance retailers, according to a new report by J.D. Power and Associates. One key reason is that they make customer service training a priority.

In addition to a rigorous certification process, employees are well-educated on complicated products and solutions, enabling them to better help customers, says Mike Fisher, senior director of Lean Six Sigma for Best Buy’s corporate campus in Richfield, Minn..

The store’s TRUST model ensures that employees thank consumers for coming into the store, respect their opinions, understand their needs, solve challenges together and thank and support the ongoing consumer relationship.

“Our goal is to put more sales staff or ‘blue shirts’ on the sales floor instead of handling paper work and other duties,” Fisher said. “That way they are immediately available to assist consumers with their questions and needs.”

While many retailers will make an extra effort to ensure excellent customer service this holiday season, Goodman suggests that customers take these steps to help ensure a positive sales experience:

• Get to know the sales clerks at your favorite stores. This ensures that you will be in the loop regarding stores sales and events. A salesperson who knows you may also be more apt to help if a problem does arise.
• Research store policies before you buy. Being aware of policies regarding cash refunds or sale merchandise returns can help you avoid problems later on.

So what happens when you run into a problem? Goodman offers these tips for successfully handling service complaints.

• Take three deep breaths — when you are upset you may not think clearly and therefore often don’t present your case logically.
• Tell the company rep that you know that the problem is not their fault – this reduces their defensiveness.
• After outlining the facts, state exactly what you want the rep to do for you – if you don’t they might go off in the wrong direction in developing a response.
• Don’t ask for cash compensation for your time — companies can almost never do that, but they can give you credit toward your bill.
• Never use profanity — most reps are authorized to hang up on you if you do.
• If you have been a long-term customer, point that out but don’t exaggerate — employees can often access your actual purchase history.

The simplest and most important thing you can do is to recognize good service when you receive it by remembering to say thank you.

Courtesy of ARA Content

An example of accelerator pedal interference caused by out-of-position all-weather floor mat. (Media credit/Courtesy of NHTSA)

“This is an urgent matter” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “For everyone’s sake, we strongly urge owners of these vehicles to remove mats or other obstacles that could lead to unintended acceleration.”

According to NHTSA, the problem is with the clearance of the actual foot pedal.

Toyota and Lexus vehicles affected by this consumer alert are:

• 2007-2010 Camry
• 2005-2010 Avalon
• 2004-2009 Prius
• 2005-2010 Tacoma
• 2007-2010 Tundra
• 2007-2010 ES 350
• 2006-2010 IS 250 and IS350

According to NHTSA, in September 2007, Toyota recalled another all-weather floor mat sold for use in some 2007 and 2008 model year Lexus ES 350 and Toyota Camry vehicles because of similar problems.

For more information, call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s hotline at 888-327-4236 or the Toyota Experience Center at 800-331-4331 or the Lexus Customer Assistance Center at 800-255-3987.

And so we flip open another chapter in the debacle between Apple and Google. As reported by the Washington Post, Google has just let loose a game changer by releasing part of their previously redacted letter to the FCC. You guessed it: the content pretty much completely contradicts Apple’s. Someone must be lying.

Apple maintains, at least since yesterday, that they are working with Google on the Google Voice App for iPhone.

Apparently Google is saving its best for last. It has in its possession an image of the rejection letter. So Apple will most likely approve the Google Voice App to save face, and we’ll probably see it in a few days as the Post speculated.

The questions remains, if Apple did lie to a federal regulatory agency, what will come of that?

If you need further proof that things like “blue laws” and typical Generation Y parental protectionism and the stereotypical Massachusetts pilgrim-like attitude toward, well, everything, are all alive and well, you need do little more than study the recent doings of State Representative Martin J. Walsh.

Walsh, (D-Boston) who covers a district that includes Boston College, is sponsoring legislation that would ban any alcohol-related advertising on state-owned property. The crazies in the anti-alcohol (and even the anti-advertising) lobby have joined, and they are calling on the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (The T) to join in and ban alcohol ads on buses, trains and stations.

No other state in the US has such an advertising ban, which would eliminate things like billboards and limit advertisements for locally-owned wine and spirits shops, which is simply a bad idea in this economy.

“It is unfathomable that in the midst of an epidemic of underage drinking in Massachusetts, a government agency would allow alcohol advertising on public property,” said Amy Helburn of the collaborative, “Supporting an Alcohol Advertisement Free Environment,” in a statement supporting Walsh’s legislation.

The bill also has the support of a group called “Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.”

Because that’s possible.

Ok. You’ve heard the facts and seen what’s proposed.

This is never going to happen.

It’s a perennial bad idea like many that come up each year from a relatively new and a creepy alliance of teetotalers and helicopter parents.

Blast is the only media outlet that’s entirely run by Generation Y, so let me be as frank with you as possible: The ads aren’t screwing up your kids. Teens don’t start drinking because a whimsical frog says so.

Young people don’t start drinking because of commercials or billboards. Young people start drinking for two reasons. First, they start drinking because it’s (perhaps only in the US) considered a rebellious taboo. And second, the vast and overwhelming majority of American adults drink.

But that alone is a pretty poor argument against liquor legislation. The fact is alcohol is dangerous. It kills people and can lead people to do things that can hurt them or others. Like all vices, it’s users, especially young people, are not taught moderation. In fact, the only people telling us to “drink responsibly” are the liquor companies in their commercials!

I’ve seen lives ruined by alcohol, but I’ve also seen lives ruined by overbearing colleges that take away scholarships, throw students out of residence halls, charge fines and publicly embarrass students for a first time alcohol offense. I’ve seen college newspapers report the names of students that got caught with a beer in their hands. I’ve seen them come into my office when I was in the Northeastern University student government in tears when they got turned away from internships and jobs because of it. I’d need a drink, too, if my school just ruined my life.

HEY, OLD PEOPLE: Listen up.

Your precious little honor student is going to drink when he or she gets to college. (They’re also going to have sex, a lot, and they might even try pot!) More than 90 percent of college students drink. You wanna help them? Teach them responsibility. Teach them to know their own limits. Give them cash for a cab. Teach them the warning signs of alcohol poisoning so they don’t leave some kid in a bathroom to die.

Commercials aren’t the problem. There is a much deeper issue here. Alcohol, sex, smoking, marijuana, etc. etc. etc. The more you tell someone “no” without an explanation, the more curious they become. If Massachusetts is such a liberal bastion, they should do something really radical: teach kids safe sex and drinking in moderation.

Let’s start small: Colleges could give students the phone number of a cab service instead of a pamphlet of vague threats.

Just don’t waste my time trying to convince me that it’s all the commercials’ fault.

John S. Barry, an executive largely responsible for the surge in popularity of WD-40, the lubricant so multipurpose it has at least 2,000 uses, died July 3 after battling pulmonary fibrosis, the NY Times reports. He was 84.

Barry became a part of Rocket Chemical Company after they were commissioned by aerospace companies to develop several degreasers and rust-prevention liquids. Their main project, a water displacement formula, took 40 attempts to perfect, and thus, the most famous lubricant in America was born. WD-40 “" “water displacement, formulation successful on 40^th attempt.”

Soon after its invention the lubricant made a huge splash among aerospace companies, so large that employees stole cans from work to use in their own homes. The inventor of the lubricant, Norm Larsen, then had the idea to sell the miracle lubricant to the general public.

Barry became president and chief executive of Rocket Chemical in 1969, 10 years after the product first hit shelves in San Diego. Sales were consistently increasing, with new uses often being discovered by users in their own homes, however it was Barry who made WD-40 synonymous with lubricant.

Barry decided to change the name of Rocket Chemical to the WD-40 Company, dispelling all rumors that the company produced rockets. He works tirelessly to protect the formula, choosing not to patent it in order to keep it secret. He protected the company’s trademarks and the infamous yellow and blue can as signatures of WD-40.

Barry perfected the look and marketing of the product during his tenure as executive, and in a fantastic marketing move, sent 10,000 samples a month to soldiers during the Vietnam War to help keep their weapons dry. The company was seen as not only the manufacturer of a great product, but also one that values its country’s soldiers.

In less than 15 years, Barry helped to increase sales to wholesalers by almost 1,200 percent. In his first year as president, Rocket Chemical was selling to 1,200 wholesalers. By the early 80′s, the WD-40 Company was selling to more than 14,000.

Barry pushed to get the solvent into supermarkets and foreign markets. WD-40 Company’s annual sales shot up to $91 million by 1990, compared to just $2 million in 1970.‚  In it’s most recent fiscal year, they reported sales of $317 million in 160 countries.

“We may appear to be a manufacturing company, but in fact we are a marketing company” Barry once said to Forbes Magazine.

Barry leaves a lasting legacy not only in the success of WD-40 Company, but in his family as well. He is survived by Marian, his wife of 56 years; his two sons, Randy and Steve; his daughter, Deborah and his four grandchildren.

Television pitchman and reality show star Billy Mays was found dead in his Tampa, Fla. home.

Mr. Mays’ wife found him unresponsive Sunday morning.

“My dad didn’t wake up this morning.. I’m sure you’ll all hear about it. It hasn’t yet hit me but it’s about to,” said his son, Billy Mays III via his Twitter account. “He’s gone. I’m gonna be strong for him. Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers everyone.”

Mr. Mays is the famous television product spokesman who became so well-known that Discovery Channel created a reality series around his work.

His death is under investigation, but authorities have said it does not appear to be suspicious. An autopsy is scheduled for this week.

According to Tampa’s Bay News 9, Mr. Mays was on US Airways Flight 1241 from Philadelphia to Tampa on Saturday when the flight took a hard landing after the front landing gear blew. No one was reported injured in the flight, but Mays did tell the station that he hit his head.

Mays’ wife, Deborah, said the family was not going to make a public statement and asked everyone to respect their privacy.

The television salesman-turned-star is the latest household-name death to hit the news after the deaths of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson in the past two weeks. Mr. Mays was less renowned than the previous three, but he was as well known as many famous entertainers for his bevy of television commercials and the reality show.

The Internet is a great business tool. It allows retailers of all shapes and sizes — from Target to Grandma Betty who sells her homemade jams — to sell to the entire (Internet accessible) world. While Grandma and her jellies will likely be ok, a Supreme Court decision could threaten retailers who sell other manufacturers’ products by allowing the companies to more strongly enforce minimum retail prices on their products.

If you’ve ever had to add a product to your cart on a website in order to see the price, you’ve experienced minimum retail price enforcement in action. Apple is a company well known for such enforcement. This is why an iPod almost always costs the same at the online Apple store or at Amazon.com Similarly, your iPhone cost the same at Best Buy or the AT&T store.

However, some online stores can offer better prices on some of these products, mostly because the overhead costs are so much lower with online retail. Costs for hosting and being able to stock product limited only on the size of your warehouse for an online store will always be less than paying a lease and utility bills on a physical store in which shelf space is limited.

Now, some online retailers are arguing that online stores have an unfair advantage. An oft-cited example of these unfair practices is how consumers will visit a brick and mortar store, play with product displays, use the employees’ time to ask questions, and then go home and order the product cheaper online because it’s cheaper. The physical store has lost time and money, the online store gets a sale.

In Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. PSKS, the Supreme Court decided (and I’m paraphrasing here with my decidedly non-legal background) to allow for a new standard of stricter enforcement of minimum retail prices to which both online stores and individual people — eBay sellers included — will be held. In fact, some retailers use tools that comb through eBay listings to find products going for below the minimum retail price and then threaten legal action on these sellers. For the most part, individuals selling on eBay don’t have the legal clout to challenge the suit either.

Of course, these anti-trust challenges have to move through the court system, so it will take time for the decision to filter through the market; indeed time will tell what effect this will have on the prices the consumer will pay, but the days of getting a good deal online could very well be numbered.