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the economist is warning of another bubble blowing

Marty Finestone — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:13:22 +0000

The Economist is warning that while stocks prices are still off their past peaks, there is overvaluation in the marketplace. Combine that with low interest rates and, as the article argues, there is a bubble forming.

Aside from high asset valuations, the two classic symptoms of a bubble are rapid growth in private-sector credit and an outbreak of public enthusiasm for particular assets. There’s no sign of either of those. But the longer the world keeps its interest rates close to zero, the greater the danger that bubbles will appear—most likely in emerging markets, where growth keeps investors optimistic and currency pegs import loose monetary policy, and in commodities.

Agree that such a bubble is forming?

save our saab! saab owners rally in Detroit

Marty Finestone — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:10:47 +0000

Hardcore Saab owners gathered in Detroit yesterday to show their support for the brand and to urge GM to sell it rather than close it. Read more.

via autoblog

how is buisiness doing for gordon ramsay?

Marty Finestone — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 03:01:00 +0000

You may or may not have read reports earlier this year that Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant business was near bankruptcy. Bloomberg has a detailed article not only on the current status of this enterprise, but Ramsay’s other activities as well.

via popcandy

godzilla has some real tough lawyers

Marty Finestone — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 12:35:05 +0000

Wired has a greatly informative piece on the litigious and protective nature of Toho Co. Ltd., the rightsholder to Godzilla, and quick they are to protect their piece of IP.

Hurling hundreds of lawsuits and takedown notices like so many fireballs, Godzilla’s owner — Toho Co. Ltd — has roasted Hollywood studios, automakers, toy manufacturers, rock bands, book publishers, national food chains, record labels, bloggers, wineries and just about anybody seen as capitalizing on the monster’s unique features, name or theme music. When it comes to policing trademarks and enforcing copyrights in the United States, intellectual property attorneys say Tokyo-based Toho is easily a match for Walt Disney, Fox and Lucasfilm in terms of courthouse zeal.

“I think they have got litigation in their reptilian DNA,” says Jonathan Handel, a Hollywood IP lawyer. “They’re afraid that their intellectual property rights will suffer the same fate that Tokyo has in many Godzilla movies.”

gm drops tiger woods

Marty Finestone — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:38:58 +0000

GM has ended its marketing sponsorship deal with Tiger Woods a year early. Ah, spending cuts.

sneakers as an investment?

Marty Finestone — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:12:07 +0000

If the equity and commodities markets are not doing much for your portfolio these days, perhaps designer kicks just might be a worthwhile investment.

“I’ve made a lot of money on shoes,” Bennett says. Today, there are about 120 pairs in his collection. He had more, but he sold them on the Internet. Bennett is reluctant to reveal what his most valuable sneakers are worth, but he gives an example of a pair of sneakers that substantially increased in value overnight.

The Air Jordan XXIII came out in January, 2008. Five

hundred and twenty-nine pairs (the number is based on multiplying 23 by 23) were released in North America. There was even more hype than usual when these Jordans (named for basketball player Michael Jordan) came out. “Michael Jordan played college basketball at the University of North Carolina,” Bennett explains. “He was No. 23, and these shoes are white and baby blue – UNC’s colours.”

In Canada, the shoes sold for about $350. “Within 24 hours, they doubled in value,” Bennett says. “Within a week, they tripled.”

how to save an automaker, by neil young

Marty Finestone — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:01:22 +0000

Neil Young, yes the singer/songwriter, through the Huffington Post, has offered his wisdom on how Detroit can be saved one car company at a time.

now it’s bad, white truffle prices collapse

Marty Finestone — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 01:01:08 +0000

A true sign of these tricky economic times, Bloomberg reports on the collapse of the white truffle market.

october was a bad month for car sales

Marty Finestone — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 02:31:27 +0000

Oy, as everyone knew, October was a very hard month for automakers in North America. Follow this link to see how bad things were. Only 1 car brand, Mini, had a noted increase in sales, while everyone else tanked. Hummer saw its sales drop by 64.6%. Yikes!

mobile phones help sell wireless plans

Marty Finestone — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:15:50 +0000

In what may not be a surprise to most, a recent Google study found that mobile phones, their features and their brands (think iPhone and Blackberry) influence – I would say guide – which mobile providers consumers sign up with. This finding is not surprising given that we are in the age where mobile phones are sold by one provider on an exclusive basis in a territory. Like the phone, you’re stuck with the provider.

making money in the music business today

Marty Finestone — Tue, 20 May 2008 12:28:55 +0000

Interested in the dynamics of today’s music industry? Rolling Stone has a solid article for you. While this article is not exactly chock full of new pieces of information, it is thorough.

mattel may strike it rich from the bratz

Marty Finestone — Wed, 14 May 2008 13:46:25 +0000

Mattel Inc. is in the midst of its trial MGA Entertainment Inc. based on ownership of copyright in the girl’s toy franchise ‘Bratz’. The underlying claim is that the designer who conceived of the Bratz developed the toys while an employee of Mattel. If Mattel is successful in its claim, it will reap hundreds of millions in damages and hundreds of millions each year in licensing and other revenues.