Category Archives: Bidness

Meet Molson Coors Brewing. Adolph Coors Co. agreed Thursday to inherit a Canadian cousin and take a back seat in naming rights under the proposed Molson Coors Brewing Co. In what company officials described as a merger of equals, Pete … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I largely agree with the logic and conclusions in this story about why not all outsourcing of technology tasks to India has been successful. I have some experience in this kind of matter (which I will not talk about in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s another consolidated media catfight. DISH Network owner EchoStar says it will do “whatever it takes” to soon resolve a fee dispute with Viacom that has darkened several channels for its as many as 9 million satellite TV customers in … Continue reading → Continue reading →

This is sad news. Southwest Recreational Industries Inc., the Leander-based maker of legendary sports field surface AstroTurf, has filed for bankruptcy protection and soon will be out of business. The bankruptcy leaves projects in limbo at athletic facilities across the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I swear, this isn’t going to turn into a DaddyBlog, but given that I announced my impending fatherhood today, I figured I could note this story. Mark Tatara is his company’s “First Dad,” a title he earned in October when … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Ezra Klein and Kevin Thurman both print the following quote, which in my mind is the Best Reason Ever to avoid WalMart and Sam’s Club. Wal-Mart is “the unstoppable, insatiable force” in retailing, “rul[ing] the commercial strip the way Julius … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Recently, a Dell spokesman announced that in response to customer complaints, they would stop routing corporate support calls to India. Tech support for Optiplex desktop and Latitude notebook computers will be handled from call centers in Texas, Idaho and Tennessee, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The “high tech industry” lost half a million jobs last year and will be down another 300,000 before things start to get better. About 12 percent of the nation’s high-tech jobs have evaporated during the past two years, but the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Here’s a little fuel for the free-trade fires. As the North American Free Trade Agreement nears its 10th anniversary, a study from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace concludes that the pact failed to generate substantial job growth in Mexico, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Normally, I consider business bankruptcies to be a Bad Thing, but every once in a while there’s one that makes you reconsider. SEATTLE – X10 Wireless Technology, known for ubiquitous Internet ads showing scantily clad women as seen from miniature … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Our only Governor is up in New York talking up the Texas business climate. Perry, addressing the Governor’s Summit on Economic Development and Tourism, said the trip is part of an “aggressive” new $5 million marketing campaign called Texas One … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I knew Ginger would have something to say about this article about L-1 visas and tech workers suffering the indignity of having to train the cheaper foreign workers who will eventually replace them, even if it was just a pointer … Continue reading → Continue reading →

We’re #1…in jobs lost for the month of July. U.S. employers announced 85,117 job cuts in July, a 43 percent jump from 59,715 in June, according to Chicago-based outplacement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas, which publishes monthly tallies of job-cut … Continue reading → Continue reading →

A Senate committee has voted to revoke many of FCC Chairman Michael Powell’s rules that would have allowed for more media consolidation. Sing Hallelujah! The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee adopted a bill sponsored by Sens. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Yesterday I noted a WaPo story about House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R, Missouri), who tried at the last minute to slip a provision that limited the sale of tobacco products over the Internet into the bill that created the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

It’s nice to know that in these tough economic times that there are still growth industries. One of them is the beat-the-drug-test business, as a simple Google search would seem to indicate. This article is about the continuous arms race … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Here’s a potential cost of invading Iraq that you probably hadn’t given any thought to: Airlines are lobbying for another handout to help them recoup losses that they expect to face as a result of a war. As the threat … Continue reading → Continue reading →

K-Mart is closing all of its stores in Houston as part of its reorganization efforts. This ends a 40-year relationship between K-Mart and our fair city. You won’t find a K-Mart in a 100 mile radius of Houston. Nationwide, over … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Rockets center and budding cultural phenomenon Yao Ming has done a TV commercial for Apple Computers: The ad, first shown Tuesday at the semi-annual Macworld trade show, features Yao and Verne Troyer, the actor who plays Mini-Me in the Austin … Continue reading → Continue reading →

They say that the adult entertainment industry is essentially recession-proof. They say that adult-oriented web sites are the only ones making money. Well, tell it to Rick’s Cabaret International, which is posting a $2.3 million loss for the year after … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The owner of the Hooters restaurant chain has finally succeeded in his quest to buy an airline. In a news release, [Hooters of America Chairman Robert H.] Brooks said he plans to establish a charter air service called Hooters Air … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’m shocked, shocked to report that Southwestern Bell is being accused of stifling competition: Ten companies are accusing SBC Southwestern Bell of putting up roadblocks to thwart competition. In a complaint filed with the Texas Public Utility Commission, they claim … Continue reading → Continue reading →

The long running granddaddy-of-them-all technology show Comdex is on the skids after a couple of bad years: But at the 23rd annual show, which starts Monday, the crowds will be smaller, the exhibit area more compact and the mood subdued. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

If you buy your gas at a Texaco station, better do it quick: Most Texaco stations will be going away: Shell Oil Co. plans to transform about 370 Houston-area Texaco stations into Shells by the middle of next year. The … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I present to you an accounting of Jack Welch’s monthly income and expenses. Life sure is sweet, isn’t it? What does the world’s most famous retired CEO spend in an average month for food and beverages, including wine? Answer: $8,982. … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Disgruntled Marble Slab Creamery franchisees are suing the company over claims of misleading business plans. I wouldn’t have bothered blogging this except for the following quote: But [Hal] Cook and other former Marble Slab franchisees said the often-crowded stores come … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Dynegy, which once considered buying out Enron before the full extent of the fraud was known, is getting out of energy trading and preparing layoffs. With their stock at 81 cents, though, the question may just be when to call … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Kevin points to this KTRK story of how Reliant Energy had to restate its earnings yesterday. Seems they somehow managed to overstate them by, uh, $7.8 billion. I guarantee, if I were CEO, I wouldn’t lose that much money. One … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Chicago Boy Jonathan Gewirtz quotes Robert L. Bartley in Monday’s Wall Street Journal: When the government fails in its most basic functions — say, protecting our citizens from foreign enemies — no one at the FBI or CIA loses his … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Now Reliant Energy has admitted that they, too, used controversial Enron trading tactics in California last year during that state’s electricity crisis. They claim it wasn’t very much, but their stock price got pummeled anyway. This will surely give California … Continue reading → Continue reading →

More Than Zero responds to my previous post about COLIs. We were arguing about different things, which he makes clear. There’s some good stuff in the comments as well, so check it out. One thing I mentioned in the comments … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Fritz Schranck writes about taxation terminology, and points to this article at More Than Zero about “dead peasant” insurance, also known as Corporate Owned Life Insurance, or COLIs. He talks about their tax benefits for corporations, then tackles the “insurable … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Houston energy trader Dynegy saw its stock plummet and its bond ratings lowered when lower earnings and an SEC review of a natural gas deal. They’re also taking a $300 million charge related to their communications business. Reading the story, … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Would it surprise you to learn that the Enron subsidy Portland General bought life insurance policies on its employees and that 75% of the payouts were used as long-term compensation for managers, directors, and top officials? I didn’t think so. … Continue reading → Continue reading →