Propeller.com Stories submitted by friends of BrianAlvey

The teddy bear with diamond eyes and a 24-carat gold nose

Deidre — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:22:44 EDT

With the country in the grip of the credit crisis, it hardly seems an ideal time to launch a Ã;â;;Ã;Â£43,000 teddy bear with eyes made of emerald and diamonds and a nose of solid 24-carat gold.

Channel: Shopping Tags: teddy bear selfridges london

In Defense of Christian Bale

Deidre — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:17:54 EDT

Bale's performance in the film isn't as interesting as Heath Ledger's or Aaron Eckhardt's but he's "a placid Bruce Wayne" because Bruce Wayne is a placid guy, a character invented to disguise the identity of Batman.

Channel: Movies Tags: christian bale batman the dark knight

Pope meets abuse victims in Australia

Deidre — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:06:58 EDT

Pope Benedict XVI met privately on Monday with Australians who were sexually abused as children by priests, ending a pilgrimage to the country with a gesture of contrition and concern over a scandal that has rocked the Roman Catholic church.

Channel: News Tags: pope benedict australia

Man, 32, dies during New York City triathlon

Deidre — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:34:25 EDT

A 32-year-old man died during the New York City triathlon Sunday, the first death in the eight-year history of the event.

Channel: Sports Tags: triathlon new york city

Tropical Storm Dolly approaches Mexico

Deidre — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:32:18 EDT

Tropical Storm Dolly headed toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula on Sunday evening while Tropical Storm Cristobal faded near the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Channel: News Tags: hurricane dolly storm weather

Colombians march for hostages release

Deidre — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 19:06:26 EDT

Well over a million Colombians, clad in white and cheering "No more kidnapping," marked their independence day on Sunday with marches and concerts demanding freedom for hostages still held by leftist rebels.

Channel: News Tags: colombia protest hostages

Paulson warns more hard months are ahead

Deidre — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:14:17 EDT

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson sought to reassure an anxious public Sunday that the banking system is sound, while also bracing people for more troubled times ahead.

Channel: Money Tags: henry paulson banking economy

Gore touts bold energy plan

Deidre — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 15:23:37 EDT

Former Vice President Al Gore returned to Meet the Press for the first time in eight years, brandishing a bold environmental plan with the ultimate goal of weaning the United States off costly fossil fuels.

Channel: News Tags: gore energy

Paintings By Andy Warhol And Roy Lichtenstein Stolen From Stockholm

Deidre — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 22:28:58 EDT

Works by pop artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein have been stolen from an art gallery in Sweden, officials have said.

Channel: Art & Design Tags: andy warhol roy lichtenstein art theft

Kidnappers say British hostage commits suicide

Deidre — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 20:57:50 EDT

One of five British hostages captured in Iraq last year has committed suicide, the kidnappers said in a videotape obtained by The Sunday Times.

Channel: News Tags: hostage england iraq

Giuliani Firm Plans Real Estate Investment Fund

Deidre — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 19:53:09 EDT

Entering the real estate market at a time of profound turmoil, Rudolph W. Giuliani's company is planning an investment fund based on commercial and residential properties in New York and Washington, members of the venture said last week.

Channel: Real Estate Tags: rudy giuliani real estate investing

Pressure at pump curbs spending

Deidre — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:51:02 EDT

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. consumers (63 percent) are reducing their spending due to rising gas prices, up 18 points since June 2007 and up 14 points in the last six months alone, according to new research from The Nielsen Co.

Channel: Money Tags: spending finances frugality

Hotels splurge on pools to make a bigger splash with guests

Deidre — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:28:41 EDT

Hotel pools are going off the deep end when it comes to luxury, novelty and entertainment.

Channel: Travel Tags: pools hotels summer vacation resort

The plan to revive the Sahara casino

Deidre — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:00:50 EDT

Sam Nazarian put Hollywood's club scene back on the map. Now he wants to make over an aging casino to bring the party to Vegas.

Channel: Travel Tags: sahara casino las vegas

Why do some hotels charge for wifi?

Deidre — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:23:41 EDT

Solving the mystery of why some hotels provide free internet access, while others hit you with major fees.

Channel: Travel Tags: wifi hotels traveling

Prim and proper for fall fashion

Deidre — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:42:54 EDT

One glance at the autumn catwalks and the message is clear - the cleavage is dead. Clare Coulson looks for the inspiration behind the high neckline's renaissance

Channel: Women Tags: fashion style trends

Ron Riccio of Russ & Daughters Is Immune to Fish Stink

Deidre — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:29:36 EDT

As we reported earlier, Russ & Daughters, Marco Pierre White's favorite place for smoked salmon is finally entering the blogosphere. Ron Riccio has worked the counter there for thirteen years. We asked him how tastes have evolved over the years and how, exactly, he smells after a day of cutting lox.

Channel: Food Tags: bagels lox new york

eBay sees difficult times ahead

Deidre — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:20:26 EDT

Online auction site eBay has warned that sales will be lower than expected in the current quarter as it struggles against a weakening global economy.

Channel: Money Tags: ebay stocks auction economy

Will smoke taint wines?

Deidre — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:53:06 EDT

Now that the smoke has begun to clear from North Coast vineyards, questions are swirling about whether it will linger in the 2008 vintage.

Channel: Food Tags: smoke wine california

Washington State Grapples With Water

Deidre — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:35:16 EDT

A recent transfer of water rights from 80 acres in Okanogan County to Benton County on Washington's southern border with Oregon highlights the lengths to which some growers are willing to go to secure the ever-more-scarce commodity.

Channel: Food Tags: washington wine grapes

Akris outsells Chanel by selling to power women

Deidre — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:52:27 EDT

Akris designer Albert Kriemler last fall spent three days searching for crepe fabric at a Paris textile-industry trade show, with his cellphone shut down -- incommunicado.

Channel: Women Tags: akris chanel shopping

Flowers to decorate streets, hotels in Beijing for Olympics

Deidre — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 18:41:45 EDT

More than 2.56 million flowers will decorate the streets and areas around Olympic venues in Dongcheng District, Beijing's central business area, according to its Bureau of Parks and Woods.

Channel: Travel Tags: beijing olympics china

Billionaire's superyacht becomes floating gallery

Deidre — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:26:02 EDT

A Ã;Â£200 million superyacht became the world's most expensive courier when she sailed to Norway to collect three Monet paintings.

Channel: Art & Design Tags: yacht monet wealthy

House votes to punish ruling junta in Myanmar

Deidre — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:35:00 EDT

The House voted Tuesday to punish Myanmar's brutal ruling regime "where it hurts in the wallet," by freezing assets of political and military leaders there and banning the importation of rubies from that country into the U.S.

Channel: News Tags: burma myanmar rubies

Expensive being poor, charity warns

Deidre — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:30:24 EDT

Poorer families are forced to pay Ã;Â£1,000 more a year for energy bills and financial services because they cannot access the deals available to those on higher incomes, a charity said.

Channel: Money Tags: money poverty expenses england

Is David Beckham's shirt-tucking trick OCD

Deidre — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:44:14 EDT

David Beckham's admitted in the past his Compulsive Obsessive Disorder affects the way he organises his fridge, but does his condition dictate the way he dresses?

Channel: Celebrities Tags: david beckham compulsive dirsorder ocd

Valley home prices plunge, pricey homes now taking hit

Deidre — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:36:13 EDT

Home prices in the Valley are down 18 percent from a year ago and even the most expensive neighborhoods are now feeling the pinch, according to the Arizona State University Repeat Sales Index.

Channel: Real Estate Tags: arizona real estate home prices

Brooklyn Store Celebrates The Art Of Graffiti

Deidre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:44:34 EDT

"Who knows why people write on the wall, or where that instinct comes from," says Charlie Halsey, one of the founders of Alphabeta, a new Brooklyn-based community art space and event space that also sells graffiti art materials. "As far as I know, people have been writing graffiti since the dawn of mankind."

Channel: Art & Design Tags: art graffiti brooklyn

Red Bull exhibit combines sculpture with pop culture

Deidre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 23:37:34 EDT

Red Bull Art of Can exhibit combines sculpture with pop culture to the delight of artists and fans alike

Channel: Art & Design Tags: red bull art pop art

Wal-Mart launches responsibly mined jewelry

Deidre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:20:03 EDT

Retail giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has launched Love, Jewelry, a fine-jewelry collection composed of 100 percent traceable gold and silver that's been mined and manufactured according to top industry standards, the company announced today.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: walmart jewelry fair jewelry ethical jewelry

STLtoday - Area nonprofits got millions from A-B

Deidre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:54:49 EDT

Nonprofits, which rely heavily on Anheuser-Busch's history of giving, are now moving from the "what if" to "what now" question with the InBev buyout now official.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: anheuser busch beer inbev nonprofit charity

Charitable giving is on a roll

Deidre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:49:39 EDT

More firms are tying contributions to a relevant cause, which can boost profit. Such partnerships require research and management.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: philanthropy giving charities

Legislature approves bill banning trans fats

Deidre — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:13:48 EDT

California is poised to become the first state in the nation to ban restaurants and other food facilities from using trans fats, which are known to increase the risk of heart disease, under a bill approved by the state Legislature Monday and sent to the governor.

Channel: Food Tags: california trans fats

Drink Fresh? Subway Tests Out Coffee Concept

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:52:06 EDT

As Dunkin Donuts and McDonald's go after Starbucks, a Washington-area franchisee is testing a Subway cafe concept. While it's a relatively small step for the sandwich chain, the coffee push could pose a big threat if Subway ever decided on a rollout.

Channel: Food Tags: dunkin donuts mcdonalds starbucks coffee

6 Signs of a Crummy Real Estate Agent

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 20:24:00 EDT

U.S. News recently spoke with a handful of industry professionals and compiled a list of six distinct signs that may indicate that an agent is not 100 percent committed to the effort.

Channel: Real Estate Tags: real estate agents realtors

Real estate sales no cure for looming deficit

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:48:41 EDT

The Massachusetts Turnpike is facing a financial meltdown, but market conditions prevent it from tapping its most valuable asset - its real estate.

Channel: Real Estate Tags: massachusetts boston turnpike commerical real estate

How to Sell a House, When You Have to Sell It Now

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:43:56 EDT

Seven tips for homeowners who can't wait until the market turns around

Channel: Real Estate Tags: housing real estate housing sales houses

Bottom's Up: This Real-Estate Rout May Be Short-Lived

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:32:07 EDT

This real-estate rout has been more painful than prior ones, but it may be shorter-lived. Indeed, there are early signs of recovery.

Channel: Real Estate Tags: real estate housing slump

Pull the right levers for maximum effect

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 18:02:30 EDT

At a New York charity auction in May, the Robin Hood Foundation raised $56.5m for its mission of eradicating poverty in the city. This is an extraordinary amount to raise on a single evening. Last year, however, the total was a record $71m.

Channel: Do No Evil Tags: philanthropy giving charities

Ad campaign presses candidates on education

Deidre — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:55:04 EDT

An education-advocacy group will begin airing ads this week seeking to nudge Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama on ways to improve the standing of U.S. schools compared with other industrialized nations.

Channel: Family Tags: education mccain barack obama