What Caught My Eye This Week - Magazine Edition

Business Week

Top ranked companies based on customer service:
1. USAA (Insurance)
2. Four Seasons Hotels (Hotel)
3. Cadillac (Auto)
4. Nordstrom (Retail)
5. Wegmans Food Markets (Supermarkets)

So if you, like me, have never heard of USAA, here's the scoop. USAA provides auto and home insurance for members of the military and their families.

Celebrity Product Endorsement and Appearance Fees. Here's a sampling of rates charged by celebrities:
Derek Jeter: $100 to $150K to play baseball at a company event; $400 to $600K for a 30 second commercial.
Snoop Dogg: $100 to $200K for a private concert; $200 to $500K for a 30 second commercial.
Jessica Simpson: $400 to $800K for a private concert; $700K to $1 million for a 30 second commercial.
Julia Roberts: $1 million for an unidentified TV commercial voiceover.

Newsweek

Depression - Depression, often unrecognized in men, has a wide range of symptoms. At least one of the first two listed below must me present for a diagnosis:
- Feeling depressed, irritable or angry almost everyday (like every workday)
- Lossing interest in pleasurable activities or hobbies (I'm guessing they mean sex)
- Talking of death or suicide (for me or someone I hate?)
- Talking very negatively or being excessively critical (of myself or everyone else?)
- Acting recklessly or without concern for others (like teenagers?)
- Abusing alcohol or drugs (like professional athletes?)
- Behaving violently and picking fights (like NBA stars?)
- Withdrawing from family and friends (aren't most of us guilty of this?)
- Losing interest in work or school (they can't be serious)
- Talking suddenly about separation or divorce (does that mean 51% of us are depressed?)
- Losing the ability to concentrate (on what?)
- Eating or sleeping too much or too little (that doesn't leave much else)

Needless to say, I'm a bit skeptical.

Male Support - It wasn't too long ago that guys had only two choices in the morning: boxers or briefs. Now there is a wide variety of sexy skivvies that have become hot new fashion accessories. Here's a sampling:
- The Fabric: 2ist's soy briefs feel like 'cashmere' according to the designer.
- The Waist: Diesel has Modal, a soft material used in women's nighties
- The Pouch: C-In2 offers features like the 'sling' and the Trophy Shelf...sort of a WonderBra effect.

I may be going out on a limb here, but maybe the Pouch could put a dent in some of that depression that apparently afflicts anyone with a pulse.

The Week

Spam - No, not the funky meat product. I'm talking about junk email. Last year, more than 180 billion spam messages were sent a day. That's more thant 70% of all email traffic. Now there is a new strain of junk e-mail called "Spam 2.0," specifically designed to sidestep previously successful anti-span methods. Here's my plan. We all 'fess up' to the fact that we're already buying Viagra on a regular basis. Based on the spam in my Inbox, that would eliminate most of ones that I get.

Entertainment Weekly

Indy Lives - Paramount Pictures announced that the long-delayed and highly anticipated Indiana Jones 4, starring Harrison Ford, with hit the big screen in May 2008. Wasn't Sean Connery (Indy's dad in the third installment) younger than Harrison Ford will be in this flick? Give the makeup artist an Oscar nomination for that miracle.

Oscars - Speaking of the Oscars, here's the experts picks for some of the bigger prizes (along with my picks:
- Best Supporting Actor: Eddie Murphy (Dreamgirls) / Go Eddie
- Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) / I can't go against a former Idol contestant
- Best Actor: Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland) / Peter O'Toole, please.
- Best Actress: Helen Mirren (The Queen) / Streep was priceless, but I have to go with royalty
- Best Director: Martin Scorsese (The Departed) / This guy is so overdue.
- Best Picture: The Departed / Me too (it's the only nominated flick that I saw).