Group-buying specialist BuyWithMe has a new national promotion, in which $24 buys four Silver Experience tickets—good for a regular movie showing, with 3-D, IMAX, and other premium services costing extra—at AMC Theatres around the country. Tickets must be purchased by May 31, there’s a limit of one four-pack per customer, and …
You’ve Heard of Throwback Jerseys and Retro Clothing. But Old-School Cereal and Vintage Laundry Detergent?
A nostalgic “back to basics” movement has taken root in the world of product marketing, and the result is that everything from soda to fabric softener and Doritos to Ding Dongs now come in vintage-looking packaging with …
Will a Global “Happiness” Index Ever Beat Out GDP?
For several decades, economists have been dancing around the idea that economic growth doesn’t equal happiness. And yet, politicians and the media are constantly using growth rates as the way to assess whether a country is really getting ahead. Why? Because GDP is one of the few economic indicators that everybody measures and …
How Oprah Winfrey Implicitly Endorses Consumerism and Materialism
“For her, transformation is about self-esteem and about buying stuff.”
Bailout Bonus: Chrysler Pays Its Tab to Uncle Sam
There must be a sweet taste of revenge in Motor City these days, what with Chrysler having successfully raised $7.5 billion by selling bonds to Wall Street. Sure, the Fiat-run American automaker had to pay a stiff interest rate, but it did manage to raise money from the same folks who balked at taking a haircut when Chrysler was …
Will China have an Arab Spring?
I just arrived in Cairo, perhaps the country changed most so far by the “Arab spring” pro-democracy movements sweeping across the Middle East, and it got me thinking about the future of authoritarian regimes back home in Asia – and most of all, China. There has been much talk about whether or not China is vulnerable to the sort of …
Mini Meals: Paying a Premium for Less Product
Chains like Dairy Queen and Starbucks have come up with new treats that appeal to health-conscious customers because they have fewer calories. Actually, “new” isn’t the right word—because these items already exist on the menu, …
It’s a Deal: 50% Off Everything at Snapfish.com
Use the coupon code 50ALLCART (thanks Bargainist) to get half off all prints, photo books, mugs, calendars, and other photo products at Snapfish. The code is valid for discounts on purchases made by May 30.
Is the ECB Making the Eurozone Crisis Worse?
We are back in the throws of the eurozone crisis. Greece’s debt has been downgraded again, Italy is facing new scrutiny about its growth prospects, and poor results for the ruling Socialist party in Spain’s local elections are adding to market jitters.
The torrent of events sound about the same as they did a year ago. So why are …
Oh, the Humanities! College Grads with ‘Fluffy’ Majors Make Way Less Money
A new study indicates that—shocker!—college students majoring in subjects such as social work, visual and performing arts, and theology can expect to make far less money than workers who majored in engineering, computer …
Is “Too Big to Fail” Too Light on Blame?
“Too Big to Fail,” the HBO film based on Andrew Ross Sorkin’s book that premiers tonight, has its moments. For a story that’s already been hashed out in countless books, magazines, and documentaries, HBO’s rendition of the Wall Street meltdown still manages to feel fresh, entertaining, and even educational. But does it get to the …
Greenwashing: Nearly All Products’ Eco-Friendly Claims Are Bogus or Misleading
More and more “green” products are entering the marketplace. And more and more, the labels claiming that a product is green, eco-friendly, or otherwise good for the environment are fairly meaningless.