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Saturday, November 29, 2014

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.

Friday, November 28, 2014

Black Friday 2014: Thanksgiving Day shopping at Old Navy in DeWitt (video)

DeWitt, N.Y. Old Navy lures shoppers two ways on Thanksgiving.

The retailer offers deals, of course, but it also gives away a million dollars. The first 100 customers through the doors of each Old Navy in the country are entered into a drawing for the cash.

The stores opened at 4 p.m.

The contest and the chain's sales were certainly on the minds of shoppers at the Old Navy on Erie Boulevard.

Check out the video above for more.

Related: Heading to Destiny USA for your holiday shopping? Check out our guide to the mall with store hours, parking tips, dining info and more.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112

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Source: http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/11/thanksgiving_shopping_2014_old_navy.html

Best Buy's Website Down on Black Friday

Best Buy's website was down on Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year.

The message posted on the site read:"We're Sorry, BestBuy.com is currently unavailable. Checl back soon."

On Thanksgiving morning the website was experiencing issues at around 9 a.m. as well, CNBCreported.

Best Buy attempted to one-up retail competitors this year by opening stores at 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving day, providing tickets up to two hours before the doors open. Special sales in-stores included a 50-inch Panasonic TV for only $199.99. Other deals, online and in-store, included discounted GoPros, Dell Laptops, and Samsung UHD TVs.

The company has not acknowledged the website being down on its social media accounts. NBC reached out for comment Friday morning but has not heard back.

Best Buys Black Friday slogan coined the term door busters for customers taking advantage of these deals when the stores opened, but it looks like website busters may be more appropriate.

Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/NATL-Best-Buy-Black-Friday-Deals-Website-Down284145611.html

Local Thanksgiving Day shoppers line up for a run at bargains

For many retailers, Black Friday started on Thanksgiving this year, with the earliest storeopenings yet, and judging from packed parking lots and long lines across central Ohio, the earlierhours encouraged shoppers who were looking for bargains.

While some had criticized the Thanksgiving Day openings as a needless infringement on atraditional family event, shoppers who stood in line on Thursday seemed unfazed.

I actually almost prefer this, said Mike Garvey of Delaware, 40, who was wrapped in a blanketto ward off the late-afternoon chill as he stood at the head of the line outside the Target onSawmill Road, which was opening at 6 p.m.

Last year, I was first, too, Garvey said. My rule of thumb is to get here about 12 hoursahead of time. So I got here about 6 a.m.

When it opened at midnight, it got colder longer, he said of past years. This way wont benearly as cold. And, based on years past, the line is not as long. I think people had to make adecision do I do Thanksgiving dinner or do I stand in line?

This years main reason for venturing out to Target: The big thing Im going to buy is the XboxOne, Garvey said. Its for my son. Hes 10, and hes at home with his mom and grandparents.

Many, like Adeel Hamid of Dublin, said they ate their Thanksgiving dinner earlier in the day,then ventured off to wait in line for the Old Navy on Sawmill to open at 4 p.m.

Yeah, we just finished dinner, Hamid said. My wife and kids are back home. I got here about20 minutes ago. Im going to buy something, then go to Kohls, then to Tuttle mall, the Gapprobably, and Toys R Us. I have to get something for my 4-year-old twins.

Hamid was first in line at Old Navy. He, along with a dozen people behind him, said they wereinclined to go to the store not only because prices on everything were 50 percent off, but also because were going to win $1 million! said one woman standing behind him.

Old Navy had heavily promoted the sweepstakes event, telling shoppers that they had to be one ofthe first 100 people in line at an Old Navy on Thanksgiving to qualify for a chance at the money inthe national contest.

Many retailers, eager to beat their rivals in attracting the first big wave of the holidayshopping season, took the unprecedented step of opening in late afternoon or early evening.

This is all about competing for that early dollar, said Marshal Cohen, the chief industryanalyst for the market research firm NPD Group.

That thinking was much in evidence at Kohls on Sawmill, as employees gathered at the front ofthe store a few minutes before the 6 p.m. opening.

We really think this will make the initial crowd larger, said Jason McAtee, vice president andregional manager at Kohls. The line is a little shorter than last year, but we think the shoppingwill go longer. The kids dont have to be in bed yet, so parents can bring the kids with them andmake it a family event.

We got that feedback last year, when we opened at 8 rather than later, McAtee said. Peopleappreciated it being a little earlier. We want to be family friendly, so its important.

Nearby, manager Matt Poskocil stood on top of a checkout counter, giving a pep talk to about 100employees gathered below, some wearing Santa caps and other holiday clothing.

The shelves are filled, packed and ready to shop, Poskocil said to the workers. Youve donean outstanding job!

Another early opening, at 4 p.m., was Toys R Us. The first person in line at the Sawmill Roadstore was Kayla of Grove City, who didnt want her last name used.

I got here about 1:30, but I sat in my car until they got here, she said, gesturing towardthree other women who were, like her, sitting in folding chairs and swathed in blankets.

We didnt celebrate Thanksgiving today, so it didnt bother me. We did it yesterday, shesaid.

Like most people in line, she said she was waiting to buy Skylanders video-game merchandise.

I usually go out shopping early like this, she said. Its a little uncomfortable, but I lookforward to it. Ill probably go to Tuttle next hopefully, Ill just be there for an hour. Then Imight go to Target.

For some, the shopping day actually began before dawn.

Exactly a minute before the Big Lots on Morse Road opened at 7 a.m., three women walked brisklyfrom their cars as an employee began unlocking the front door of the store.

Were here for the George Foreman Grill, selling for $19, one said before ducking inside.

tferan@dispatch.com

Source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/11/27/Local-Thanksgiving-Day-shoppers-line-up-for-a-run-at-bargains.html

Thursday, November 27, 2014

2 tips add up for best sweet potato pie

Much as I love a classic pumpkin pie, I have to be honest: My heart belongs to sweet potato pie.

The only trouble with sweet potato pie is that it can be a bit more trouble to make. So I set out to make a 1-2-3-easy sweet potato pie that tastes every bit as good as the most complicated versions I've ever made.

The key to a great sweet potato pie is fresh roasted sweet potatoes. Canned sweet potatoes do not work; boiling produces a watery, diluted pie filling.

Once the potatoes are baked, they need to be processed to produce a silky texture. In the past, I peeled the hot sweet potatoes and ran them through a food mill. But I thought that it was a pity to remove the nutrient-rich fiber.

So I tried the food processor, and I loved it. Not only was the pie filling made in no time, the fiber was intact, but pured so that you didn't notice it. Better yet, the food processor created an ethereal fluffy texture, and it was the best sweet potato pie I'd ever eaten or made!

Fluffy Sweet Potato-Bourbon Pie With Gingered Whipped Cream and Toasted Pecans

Start to finish: 2 hours (30 minutes active); Servings: 10

2 or 3 large sweet potatoes (1 to 2 pounds)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 large eggs

cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons bourbon

1 generous teaspoon vanilla extract

cup granulated sugar

cup packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

teaspoon kosher salt

teaspoon grated nutmeg

teaspoon ground dry ginger

Pinch ground cloves

10-inch graham-cracker pie crust, homemade or store-bought

For the topping:

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

teaspoon ground dry

ginger

Toasted pecans, to garnish

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the sweet potatoes and pierce on top with a fork. Set them on a baking sheet and roast until soft, about 1 hour, or until juices bubble from the piercings. Let cool.

Peel and roughly chop the potatoes. Measure a generous 2 cups of the flesh, then transfer to a food processor. Process for 2 minutes, or until very smooth. With the processor running, add the melted butter, eggs, cream, bourbon and vanilla. The mixture should begin to look light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the sugars, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Process again to combine.

Place the pie crust on a baking sheet, then transfer the sweet potato mixture into it. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the filling jiggles just slightly at the center. Let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the cream, sugar and ginger. Whip until stiff peaks form, but stop before you make butter. Mound over the cooled pie, then sprinkle with toasted pecans.

Source: http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/nov/25/2-tips-add-up-for-best-sweet-potato-pie/

Richard Sherman and Doug Baldwin mock the NFL's media policies

Seattle Seahawks star Marshawn Lynch has come under fire recently for his unwillingness to speak to the media.

The league has fined the running back for it, as it requires all players to be available to the press.

Wednesday, Lynch's teammates, Richard Sherman and Doug Baldwin, held a mock press conference to...um...mock the NFL and its policies.

Blasting the league on topics ranging from fines to forcing teams to play on Thursday even though player safety has been a major topic of conversation, the players clearly seemed to enjoy the setting.

And why not? As we all know, Sherman has never been one to shy away from the media, or any kind of attention.

Source: http://arizonasports.com/164/1786310/Richard-Sherman-and-Doug-Baldwin-mock-the-NFLs-media-policies

Michael Brown's mother: 'This could be your child'

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: Michael Brown Sr. calls the officer who killed his son a "murderer"
NEW: "He was intending to kill someone. That's how I look at it," he says
NEW: Neither of Brown's parents believes the officer's version of events
Legal analysts debate whether there should have been a special prosecutor

Watch CNN's interview with Michael Brown's parents at 8 p.m. ET on "Anderson Cooper 360."

(CNN) -- Michael Brown's mother says hearing that a grand jury had decided not to indict the officer who killed her son felt like getting shot.

"We heard this and it was just like, like I had been shot. Like you shoot me now -- just no respect, no sympathy, nothing," Lesley McSpadden told CNN's Sunny Hostin on Wednesday. "This could be your child. This could be anybody's child."

A New York Times video captured the moments after McSpadden heard about the decision not to indict Darren Wilson, the white officer who killed her son, Michael Brown, a black teen. She stood with protesters outside the Ferguson police department, sobbing uncontrollably.

McSpadden's husband, her son's stepfather, wrapped her in his arms before turning to the crowd, screaming: "Burn this b***h down."

"He just spoke out of anger. It's one thing to speak and it's a different thing to act. He did not act. He just spoke out of anger," McSpadden said about her husband, Louis Head.

"When you're that hurt and the system has did you this wrong, you may say some things as well. We've all spoke out of anger before," she told CNN.

Both McSpadden and Brown's father, Michael Brown Sr., sat down with Hostin. Neither believes Wilson's version of events, saying their son would never have taunted the officer, nor reached for his weapon.

They remembered their son as humble, silly and soft spoken. He could fix almost anything and loved animals, his siblings and being a grandson.

"He was different, but he still was like any other teenager -- wanted to explore different things, do different things, be around different people," McSpadden said. "He's young. He's growing up. He's finding himself."

'He's a murderer'

Brown's father didn't mince words when he spoke about Wilson: "He's a murderer."

"He understood his actions. He understood exactly what he was doing. You know, he didn't have a second thought, a pushback thought, or nothing. He was intending to kill someone. That's how I look at it," Brown said. "He was going to kill someone at that point."

Earlier, he'd said the grand jury's decision changed his view of America.

"I was upset. I didn't understand," Brown said in a conversation with the Rev. Al Sharpton on Tuesday on MSNBC. "It just let me know that where we live is not what we thought, or what I thought. It's what people have been saying all the time, for a nice little minute: that this was a racist state."

Sharpton accused Prosecutor Robert McCulloch of trying to disparage Michael Brown Jr. He asked Michael Brown Sr. how he felt about the prosecutor attacking "the character of the victim."

"They crucified his character," Brown said.

In a news conference Monday night announcing the grand jury's decision, McCulloch extended his "deepest sympathies" to the Brown family and referred to the "tragic death."

He said the grand jury's decision was based on evidence and facts, some of which contradicted people who said they witnessed Officer Darren Wilson shooting Michael Brown Jr.

McCulloch had long promised a fair and complete presentation.

"We will be presenting absolutely everything to this grand jury," he told a radio program in August. "Every statement that a witness made, every witness, every photograph, every piece of physical evidence. Absolutely nothing will be left out."

Transcript of prosecutor's news conference

Documents released by the prosecutor's office show that witnesses gave differing accounts.

Should a special prosecutor have been appointed?

Experts disagree over whether McCulloch should have stepped aside and let a special prosecutor handle the case.

His father, a police officer, was killed on the job by an African-American man in 1964, when McCulloch was 12.

HLN legal analyst Joey Jackson said Wednesday that while there can be discussions about the possibility of bias as a result of his father's death, there is a more fundamental reason he should not have taken the case: the close relationship prosecutors often have with their local police.

"You rely upon the police every day" as a prosecutor, Jackson said on CNN's "New Day."

"You give them your support, your resources. They give those resources back to you."

CNN legal analyst Paul Callan disagreed with the reasoning. A prosecutor should not be disqualified "because he's worked with the cops closely in the past. I would say, 'You know something? He's a guy with integrity, I'll trust his investigation.'"

"I think the grand jury reached the right result on the facts of this case," Callan said. Still, "you have to have public confidence in the result." If the public did not have faith in McCulloch because of his father's killing, then "maybe because of the level of public distrust, we should have had a special prosecutor," Callan said.