You may have heard about AOL’s ridiculous screw-up in releasing 3 months of around 650,000 of their users search histories earlier this week. Since the file was leaked, dozens of online, searchable databases have sprung up. While most of the blogoshpere has been focusing on finding creepy users with disturbing search histories, I’m positive...

-like. How do you turn your site into a porch? Change content regularly Put items up exclusively ... are more than willing to trade up for what they want regardless of how frugal they may seem when ... . It is our first chance to make a case to these folks why they should take the time to trade up for our...

... of Cadillac, Michigan is considered “Up North” and I was in the Northwest portion of the state that has Traverse City as its hub; it’s definitely “Up North” and an easy eight + hour drive from ... that are ongoing. The other interesting aspect of our trip up north was the local flavor and history ... --facing an up uphill battle to win against challenger, Dick DeVos. The Michigan economy...

Most people think Grappa, the high-alcohol Italian digestif made from the by-products of grapes, tastes like gasoline. With North American summer gasoline prices at record levels, their approximation may not be too far from the truth and actually productive for...

Consumer trading up in the U.S. hit $720 billion in 2006, up from $670 billion in 2005, according to The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In all, trading up accounted for 21% of the $3.5 trillion Americans spent in 2006. Trading down also posted an improvement, accounting for 33% of spending ... % in 2005 and 51% in 2004. The top ten trading up retailers include Coach, Nordstrom, Limited Brands...

AS REPORTED BY WINE & SPIRITS DAILY - "THE TRADING UP PHENOMENON REVEALED. One trend we're seeing time and time again - can you guess? - is trading up. It affects every avenue of the alcohol ... ? What are consumers looking for when they trade up in wine and/or spirits? Will the trading up trend ... the most in our survey, but here's a closer look at what you had to say: "Trading up is The American...

One trend we’re seeing time and time again – can you guess? – is trading up. It affects every ... ? Will the trading up trend last? Understanding this phenomenon is key. Terms like “quality ... , but they do not spend millions on advertising.” “Trading up will continue to grow as more and more ... ).” “Consumers are trading up in the on premise locations due to societal pressures. The same person ordering...

... that consumers are still trading up. Dollar sales of the $20+ wine category rose 14.2% and volume grew 10 ... %, while volume was up 2.4%. Dollar sales of imports, meanwhile, rose 1.7%, while volumes declined ... % and white wine value growing 6.3%. Volumes of red wine grew 2.6%, while white wines were up 2.5 ... volumes grew 5.9%, according to IRI. Chardonnay sales, meanwhile, rose 4.7% and volumes were up 3.2...

Last week I did a New World cartoon about the pending release of Natalie Maclean’s book—Red, White, and Drunk All Over. It was with some surprise that Natalie sent me an email indicating she saw and enjoyed the cartoon—ah, the...

You'd like for all of your business dinners to have fabulous wine, but, alas, sometimes common sense and a budget prevails. I'm on the road this week and two work dinners encompassed the following wines--and, it should be noted that...