There's a new meaning to 'the wearing of the green' at Bear Stearns on this St. Patrick's Day and the betting is that the Microsoft takeover of Yahoo is next. That's what the overwhelming majority of financial analysts just told a Reuters poll. Yahoo will be in much better shape than Bear Stearns which settled for $2 a share from former rival JPMorgan - 1% of what the investment bank was worth just 2 weeks ago. The original proposal to Yahoo by Microsoft was $44.6 billion, rejected by Yahoo...
Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer would give his left, you-know-what, to gain market share against Google in online advertising and Web searching and the betting is despite the fierce opposition by Google and Yahoo, he will get it - the purchase of Yahoo, that is. Meanwhile the Webs are struggling about getting Internet ads to look like TV ads without turning off viewers like TV does...
Here's the problem with Web advertising, according to Geoffrey Coco, an ad executive with Microsoft, "users love free content and advertisers love to fill up every minute and pixel with the messaging, and publishers do have to find that balance." ...
With spending on online ads representing less than 4% of all Internet advertising and just 1% of the amount spent on TV, growth is imminent over the next few years as viewers watch full-length TV episodes and other online video vehicles containing ads. But they better be creative and entertaining enough not to turn off Web viewers like TV does...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 461] 'Happy Trails': St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland dies from unknown causes. Honoring the good saint with music by The Chieftains and Corrs: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Vtp4adNTP0Y&feature=related ...1993] Legendary actress Helen Hayes dies of congestive heart failure at 92...
- 1756] Happy Times: New York City's first St. Patrick's Day celebration is held at the Crown and Thistle Tavern. Red Sox stopper Jonathan Papelbon dances a jig: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ST2Z-mqYTDo ...
- 1776] Redcoats don't wear green: British forces evacuate the city of Boston during the Revolutionary War. On St. Patrick's Day? Now they're really asking for it. John McCormack soldiers on by singing "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling": http://youtube.com/watch?v=_EgmZl4qWVU ...
- 1897] Falling: Bob Fitzsimmons, a 167-pound middleweight KOs Gentleman Jim Corbett in the 14th round to claim the world title. After the fight, Fitzsimmons says of the 183-pound Corbett: "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Here's what it looked like: http://youtube.com/watch?v=BOFdL5VkcQM ...
- 1905] Wedding Bells: Franklin D. Roosevelt marries his distant cousin, Eleanor Roosevelt in New York City. President Theodore Roosevelt, FDR's 5th cousin, gives his niece away. Quite conveniently Eleanor doesn't have to change her last name but how distant a cousin was she???
- 1910] Happy campers: The 'Camp Fire Girls Organization' is founded by Luther and Charlotte Gulick. Two years later they begin operation...
- 1959] Get out of town: The Dalai Lama a.k.a. Lhama Dhondrub Tenzin Gyatso flees Tibet for India. The Chinese took over Tibet in 1950 and opposition to their regime by Tibet's Monks is causing all hell to break loose in Tibet now...2003] President George W. Bush gives Saddam Hussein 48 hours to leave Iraq. He rejects the ultimatum. Tick...tick...tick...
- 1969] This I swear: Golda Meir is sworn in as the 4th Premier of Israel...
- 1973] The 'L' word: The Philadelphia 76ers set an NBA record for futility, losing their 68th game of the season. They will finish the season 9-73 and remain the only NBA team in history not to reach double figures in wins...
- 2005] I smell a rat: Rafael Palmeiro, who rats out teammate Miguel Tejada, and Sammy Sosa (who forgets how to speak English) testify before Congress saying they never used steroids. Mark McGwire, also testifying, turns into a sphinx: http://youtube.com/watch?v=4PRi-Xsnxh8 ...
Music Memories:
- 1958] Recorded on this date: "Yakety Yak" - Coasters...1967] "Come Back When You Grow Up" - Bobby Vee: http://youtube.com/watch?v=7oFLp3lHaGU ...
- 1962] Debuted on this date: Ray Charles starts his own (Tangerine) label...
- 1997] Gold Standard: The RIAA announces that the Eagles' "Greatest Hits" LP has tied Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as the all-time best-selling album...
Commentary:
You don't have to be Irish to celebrate "St. Patrick's Day". Here's what last year's parade up 5th Avenue looked like: http://youtube.com/watch?v=D9V2FPmLbnI ...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Caroline Corr (35), Mia Hamm Garciaparra (36) (Nomah!!!), Rob Lowe (44), Gary Sinise (53), Lesley-Anne Down (54), Kurt Russell (57), John Sebastian (64): http://youtube.com/watch?v=7d2XN7dv7hQ , Patti Boyd (64), Paul Kantner (67), Gene Scurti (70) and Adam Wade (71)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until the first day of spring, 6 days until Easter Sunday, 8 days until opening day and 33 days until Passover...
