by Kevin Burton In my alternate Motown universe there is a lot more Martha Reeves and a lot less Diana Ross. There is also at least a little more Mary Wells. It’s Wells we focus on today. Sixty years ago, Wells’ “My Guy” became the first Motown record to hit number one on …
Category Archives: business
Gerry Rafferty Was Born 77 Years Ago Today
by Kevin Burton The headline to an article in The Independent called Gerry Rafferty a “bipolar alcoholic industry misfit.” His biographers including his daughter Martha dispute none of that. The article was printed on the occasion of the 2021 release of “Rest In Blue” an album of Rafferty demos polished and completed by …
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Karaoke Machine Inventor Dies At Age 100
by Kevin Burton Shigeichi Negishi, the inventor of the world’s first commercially-available karaoke machine, has died in Japan at age 100, according to National Public Radio. Never knew the man, but boy has he filled up my Saturday nights. You take a character from Billy Joel’s Piano Man who is“sure that I …
“No Hard Feelings” By Eric Carmen Is A Gem
by Kevin Burton You remember Eric Carmen for “All By Myself” and for the Raspberries’ “Go All The Way.” But it’s one of his B-sides that resonates most with me. We got word last week that Carmen had died at age 74. The news sent my mind to several places, including to a …
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Wendy’s Serves Up A PR Blunderburger
by Kevin Burton In the face of a consumer backlash, Wendy’s is trying to talk its way around plans to implement surge pricing. Wendy’s is the second-largest burger chain in the US, with 6,000 restaurant locations. Last week it announced it would begin fluctuating prices for its food products next year, depending on …
The Colorful Military History Of M&Ms
by Kevin Burton Let’s all salute innovation and progress today and tomorrow by knocking down a couple of packs of M&Ms. Let’s do so under the heading, “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand, stays on your waistline.” M&Ms are 83 years old as of tomorrow. Forrest Mars secured a patent …
British Businesses Say No To The Blind
by Sophie Huskisson The Daily Mirror Twenty percent of businesses say they would not be willing to adapt their workplaces to employ a blind or partially sighted person, research has found. One in five companies said adjustments to make their firm more accessible would be too costly, with nearly half not knowing how …
Would Kroger Merger Hurt Consumers?
by Alina Selyukh National Public Radio Will America’s two largest grocery store chains get to become one? That’s the question before U.S. regulators, who are deciding whether to block Kroger’s $24.6 billion purchase of Albertsons. Several state attorneys general, too, have signaled they might sue to halt the deal. At stake is a shakeup …
NFL/NBC Greed Leaves A Bad Taste
by Kevin Burton The NFL has just invited me, and you, to not watch football on TV. You want to be careful doing a thing like that. It would appear that I can live without it. This is a working hypothesis. Forgive me for not having it all thought out and laid …
Canada: So Close, So Livable, Why Not?
by Kevin Burton Americans alarmed and disgusted by extreme left-wing and right-wing elements destroying their country bit by bit, can look north to a quite agreeable landing spot. We posted part of a BBC story, stating that Mexico is the favorite location for expatriates (“Survey Names Mexico best Location For Expats,” Sept. 16). …
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