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Sunday, November 30, 2014

JC Penney randomly sweetened the deal

Betty Henderson, center, high fives Pat Phillips, left, at JCPenney at Stonebriar Centre on Thanksgiving Day Nov. 27, 2014 in Frisco. Both women were winners of the $100 off coupon. (Kirsten Kearse/The Dallas Morning News)

Its fun watching people win prizes. These two strangers bonded over their discoveries that they both had won $100 coupons at J.C. Penney on Thanksgiving Day.

Even with her instant windfall, Betty Henderson of Prosper, said she was sticking to her plan to buy her grandchildren pajamas and jackets.The $100 coupon would help her budget, rather than extend it, she said.

Henderson, who said shes been a Black Friday shopper since 2005, was wearing a t-shirt that read shop or get out of the way.The rest of her uniform including running shoes and black track pants with white stripes down the legs.

At least 500 shoppers were in line at its store in Frisco at Stonebriar Centre waiting to get it at 5 p.m. Plano-based Penney gives away miniature Disney snow globes and $10 coupons.

Henderson is typical of shoppers who head out on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. They have deliberate plans. These shoppers say theyve been watching prices and know what theyre willing to pay for gifts.

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Source: http://bizbeatblog.dallasnews.com/2014/11/j-c-penney-randomly-sweetened-the-deal.html/

Chiefs wear shirts in support of Eric Berry

Several Kansas City Chiefs players decided to wear T-shirts honoring teammate Eric Berry for the teams game against the Denver Broncos on Sunday night.

Berry was found last week to have a mass in his chest that the teams medical staff believes is lymphoma. He wanted to play in the Week 13 game, but the team would not allow it for obvious reasons.

Chiefs players made sure Berry was in their thoughts Sunday night by wearing T-shirts that said, Be Bold Be Brave Be Berry, on them.

Here you can see long snapper Thomas Gafford in one of the shirts:

And here is quarterback Chase Daniel:

The team also went with their red on red look because of Berry:

Source: http://larrybrownsports.com/football/chiefs-eric-berry-shirts/248875

Cyber Monday 2014 explained: retail frenzy continues

With just four weeks until Christmas, Cyber Monday is traditionally the day when consumers rush online to do their festive shopping, said Simon Black, Sage Pay CEO.

According to the data, noon will be the busiest time for online retailers on Cyber Monday, as it has been for the past two years.

Since 2009, the total amount spent on Cyber Monday has increased by over 250m. The volume of transactions has increased by an average of 11.25pc over the last four years.

However, the rate of Cyber Monday sales growth is accelerating, up by 15pc year-on-year in 2013.

Between 2009-2013 there has been an increase of almost 200,000 transactions, Sage Pay said.

Amazon recently reported that Black Friday was the busiest day ever on its UK website, with more than 5.5 million items ordered at a rate of 64 items a second.

However, the online giant said that it expects Cyber Monday sales to smash this record, and will be offering new deals every 10 minutes throughout the day.

Last year, Amazon's Cyber Monday sales outstripped Black Friday by almost 3pc.

Police were called to supermarkets across the UK on Black Friday as shoppers fought for discounted products

There are fears that UK retailers will be unable to cope with the increased online activity on Cyber Monday.

On Friday, John Lewis said that between midnight and 6am traffic to its site was up 307pc compared to last year, while Currys PC World said it attracted five times more visitors than in 2013.

Tesco, John Lewis, and Argos all suffered website crashes this week, while customers were told they had to wait for up to one hour to access Currys, which is owned by Dixons Carphone.

Gadget retailer Appliances Direct has predicted that 32pc more shoppers will be turning to the internet on Cyber Monday compared with last year.

Darren Williams, founder of online discounting site PromotionalCodes.org.uk, said "Stores have been telling us that theyll be discounting heavily. We're expecting a 200pc increase in the number of searches on our site over the Cyber Monday period.

"British shoppers have become incredibly smart with their money over recent years and are prepared to hang on to get the best deals."

According to the Department of Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), many UK small businesses are not prepared for the Cyber Monday spending spree.

Its figures show that as many as 2m sole traders and small companies are missing out on an estimated 164bn in sales because they have no online presence.

Business and Enterprise Minister Matthew Hancock said, Thousands of potential customers are searching online for local small businesses and without an online profile businesses will lose out.

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/11262761/Cyber-Monday-2014-explained-retail-frenzy-continues.html

Calls to fire GOP staffer Elizabeth Lauten after attacks on Malia and Sasha Obama

Elizabeth Lauten, a Republican communications director, lashed out at Malia, 16, and Sasha, 13, for 'classless' clothes and sullen attitude
Her Facebook post on Thanksgiving sparked outrage on social media
Lauten 'prayed for hours' then issued an apology
Hundreds called for her to lose job under #FireElizabethLauten hashtag

ByMia De Graaf for MailOnlineand Kieran Corcoran for MailOnline

Published: 12:17 EST, 29 November 2014 | Updated: 01:39 EST, 30 November 2014

A GOP staffer who accused First Daughters Malia and Sasha Obama of being classless teenagers with no good role models is facing an online backlash - and demands that she lose her job.

Elizabeth Lauten, a once-prominent media director for the Republican National Committee, wrote a scathing Facebook post attacking the outfits the girls - 16 and 13 - appeared in for the President's annual Thanksgiving address.

The ill-tempered post, which criticized the girls for 'making faces' on national television and looking like they were after 'a spot at a bar', prompted a tide of online anger.

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Twitter abuse: Sasha, 13, (left) and Malia, 16, (right) were branded 'classless' by a GOP staffer for their attire

Open letter: Elizabeth Lauten, communications director for Rep Stephen Fincher, wrote this to the girls

By Saturday evening hundreds of people had demanded that Lauten lose her job as communications director for Rep. Stephen Fincher (R-Tenn.) under the #FireElizabethLauten Twitter hashtag.

Lauten had apologized for her post, writing that 'judgmental feelings truly have no place in my heart', saying that 'hours of prayer' had shown the error of her ways.

'Dear Sasha and Malia,' she wrote in the post, recorded by The Root reporter Yesha Callahan, 'I get you're both in those awful teen years, but you're a part of the First Family, try showing a little class.'

Lauten, communications director for Rep Stephen Fincher of Tennessee, added: 'Act like being in the White House matters to you.

'Dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar.

'And certainly don't make faces during televised public events.'

Reaction: They prompted soft criticism for sullenly scowling at their father, the President, on Thanksgiving

Twitter users rushed to defend the girls who Lauten said 'deserve a spot at a bar' rather than the White House

Sasha, 13, was dressed in a short maroon dress with a long cream cardigan that matched her thick cream socks, worn over bare legs.

Her sister Malia, 16, wore black tights under a mini kilt with a grey and cream jumper.

After the President had pardoned the designated bird, a four-month-old 49-pounder called Cheese, he asked Malia if she wanted to pet the turkey.

'Nah', she replied, in a rare departure from her usual, gracious disposition, which prompted a flurry of remarks from viewers.

Unimpressed: The First Daughters looked bored and unimpressed by their father's jokes about turkey

Clothing: Sasha wore a maroon dress and cardigan while Malia wore a mini kilt with black tights and boots

'Awful teenage years': The cyber-bullying post addressed to the young girls said they are at an 'awful' stage

Star Jones, a lawyer and television personality, was among those unimpressed. 'Ive seen tacky peoplebut rarely seen someone as tacky as #ElizabethLauten for slamming the children of the #POTUS' she tweeted.

One commenter, whose username is Eclectic John, wrote: '@RepFincherTN08 There is nothing that excuses what #ElizabethLauten posted re the children of our President. That's off limits. Fire her now.'

The incident was not Lauten's first social media slip-up.

In August, she posted a tweet from her boss's verified Twitter account about 's******g'.

Apology: Hours later she removed the original outburst, issued an apology and set her page to private

Firing: Many Twitter users directed messages to Lauten's boss, Stephen Fincher

Stephen Fincher's followers were baffled when he tweeted: 'G*d I love this song. And beach music. AND s******g #pandora,' in reference to an Embers playlist on Pandora radio.

Lauten later deleted the post and apologized for the 'accident' - but insisted 's******g' is a dance term rather than a sexual reference.

'It had nothing to do with Stephen Fincher. I dont think he knows what Pandora is; he certainly doesnt have it,' she said, according to Politico.

Following mass outrage to her post on Thursday, Lauten deleted it, set her profile to private, and issued an apology: 'I reacted to an article and quickly judged the two young ladies in a way that I would never have wanted to be judged myself as a teenager.

Other accusations: Lauten also took aim at Barack and Michelle Obama, saying they 'don't respect their roles'

Her critique was in response to a national broadcast of the annual White House turkey pardon

The national Thanksgiving turkey Cheese is seen in front of Barack Obama and his two daughters

'After many hours of prayer, talking to my parents and re-reading my words online, I can see more clearly how hurtful my words were.

'Please know that these judgmental feelings truly have no pace in my heart.

'Furthermore, I'd like to apologize to all of those who I have hurt and offended with my words, and pledge to learn and grow (and I assure you I have) from this experience.'

This year, Malia and Sasha were declared by TIME as two of its 25 Most Influential Teens of 2014.

In an interview earlier this year with Today, Michelle Obama told Jenna Bush Hager their family emphasizes health over appearance: 'We dont talk about weight. We don't talk about physical appearance.

'We talk about health. We talk about what's on the inside. We spend so much more time talking to our girls about being kind and treating others well, and being passionate and respectful.'

Reaction: Twitter users were outraged by Lauten's attack on the young girls on the national holiday

Book shopping: Unscathed by the controversy, Obama, Sasha and Malia visited a Washington, D.C., book store Saturday

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Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2854226/Dress-like-deserve-respect-not-spot-bar-GOP-staffer-calls-Malia-Sasha-Obama-classless-outrageous-cyber-bullying-Facebook-post.html

Saturday, November 29, 2014

East Bay luxury home sales soar 46% in October

The East Bay's luxury housing market remained red hot in October, with sales soaring more than 46% from a year ago and the median sale price jumping more than 13%.

The figures, reported by report by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, are based on Multiple Listing Service data of all homes sold for more than $1 million in October in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

A total of 301 luxury homes changed hands in October, up 46.1% from October 2013. Million-dollar sales were also up sharply from the 264 transactions recorded in September 2014.

Once again, the upper end of the luxury market was especially strong last month with 24 sales over $2 million, double the number a year ago and also up from the 18 multi-million-dollar sales in September.

Meanwhile, the median sale price of a luxury home in October rose 13.4% from a year ago to $1,394,918. It was also up from September's median sale price of $1,261,000.

"The luxury housing market here in the East Bay is showing no signs of slowing down as we move through the fall home-buying season," said Mike James, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. "Demand for well-appointed, fairly priced high-end homes continues to outstrip supply."

"There are just aren't enough properties to meet the strong demand, including many buyers who have crossed the Bay Bridge in search of more affordable prices compared to San Francisco and Silicon Valley," he added.

Some key findings from November's Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage luxury report:

The most expensive sale in the East Bay in October was a five-bedroom, six-bath approximately 5,500 square foot home in Danville that sold for $3,395,000;

Danville also boasted the most luxury sales with 35, followed by Fremont with 33, Oakland and Berkeley with 28, Lafayette with 23, San Ramon with 22, Orinda with 20 and Pleasanton with 18.

Homes sold in an average of 29.8 days on the market, up from 27 days a year ago and 29.2 days the previous month.

Sellers received an average of 106% of their asking price, up from 105.3% a year ago and 104% the previous month.

The East Bay Luxury Housing Market Report is a monthly report by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, a specialist in high-end real estate sales.

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has nine East Bay offices, including one in Pleasanton.

For more information, call (925) 771.5285.

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Source: http://www.pleasantonweekly.com/news/2014/11/28/east-bay-luxury-home-sales-soar-46-in-october

Western Kentucky ends Marshall's unbeaten season in epic 67-66 shootout

Western Kentucky ended Marshalls bid for an undefeated regular season in a 67-66 overtime shootout.

Brandon Doughty hit Willie McNeal for the game-winning two-point conversion in overtime. Marshall (11-1) missed out on its chance to become the third Conference-USA team to finish the regular season with an unbeaten record.

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This shootout featured some epic statistics.

Doughty (34-of-50, 490 yards, 8 TDs, 2 INTs) and Marshall quarterback Rakeem Cato (29-of-46, 417 yards, 7 TDs, 4 INts) combined for a single-game FBS record with 15 touchdown passes. The Hilltoppers scored touchdowns after all four of Cato's interceptions.

The teams combined for 840 total yards in the first half and finished with 1,446 total yards. The FBS record still stands at 1,640 in a game played between Nevada and San Jose State in 2001.

Marshall rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game and took a 66-59 lead in overtime on Cato'25-yard TD to Hyleck Foster. Doughty answered with a TD pass to Jared Dangerfield before hitting McNeal for the game-winning two-point conversion. That led to a wave and bonus throat slash.

Source: http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-football/story/2014-11-28/western-kentucky-beats-marshall-67-66-fbs-record-td-passes-single-game

Foot Locker Kicks Off Holiday Season With Its 'Week Of Greatness'

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE: FL), the New York-based specialty athletic retailer, is bringing the greatness back, unveiling four new, humorous commercials in support of the brand's third annual "Week of Greatness." The 30-second spots star boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, WWE Superstar John CenaandNBA Stars James Harden, Tim Duncanand Derrick Rose. Foot Locker's "Week of Greatness" eventa week of the most anticipated sneaker and gear releaseskicks off at Foot Locker stores nationwide on Saturday, November 22.

"Last year's 'Week of Greatness' was such a hit with our customers, we decided to go even bigger with our campaign this year," said Stacy Cunningham, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Foot Locker. "We're excited to introduce four new commercials featuring these outstanding athletes as we begin an incredible week dedicated to showcasing brand new premium sneakers, apparel, and gear. We enjoyed working with each of these athletes to showcase their unique personalities in the newest iteration of our 'Week of Greatness.'"

The spots highlight a much-publicized and notable characteristic of each of the athletes that is well-known by their fans. In "It's Happening," boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao riffs on the ongoing attempts to schedule an oft-rumored mega fight. In another spot, James Harden pokes fun at being "Defensive." In "It's Real," WWE Superstar John Cena shares his admiration for suspension of disbelief. The commercial featuring Derrick Rose and Tim Duncan, aptly titled "Excited," embraces their reputation as stoic individuals. All four commercials debut tonight, November 19, on ESPN.

The spots were created by worldwide agency BBDO.

The "Week of Greatness" features premium releases from top brands such as Nike, Jordan, adidas, Under Armour, PUMA, Timberland and more.

For "Week of Greatness" product information, release details and more, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About Foot Locker:

Foot Locker is part of Foot Locker, Inc., a specialty athletic retailer that operates approximately 3,500 stores in 23 countries in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Through its Foot Locker, Footaction, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, SIX:02, Runners Point, and Sidestep retail stores, as well as its direct-to-customer channel, including footlocker.com, Eastbay.com, SIX02.com, the Company is a leading provider of athletic footwear and apparel.

Additional information may be found at footlocker.com | Twitter: @footlocker #Approved | YouTube: youtube.com/footlocker | Blog: unlocked.footlocker.com | Facebook: facebook.com/footlocker

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wS8WJ6Lz1AU&index=1&list=PLEs0-edzYFq5oKW-5gc0cJpM6jFqgUylx&spfreload=10Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130806/NY59635LOGO

SOURCE Foot Locker, Inc.