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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - May 10, 2012
May 10, 2012
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Those @$#%* Foreigners:
China got the go ahead yesterday to take over a U-S bank. The Federal Reserve approved an application from the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China --"ICBC"-- to buy a majority stake in the American subsidiary of Bank of East Asia.
That deal will allow ICBC to become the first-ever state-controlled bank to acquire retail branches in the U-S. ICBC currently has total assets of roughly $2.5-trillion-dollars.
ICBC has plans to buy about 80-percent of the U-S unit of the Bank of East Asia --based in Hong Kong-- which operates 13 branches in New York and California.
Editor's Note: ICBC's first promotion is their new "No MSG checking account." (Pacelli)Mother's Day:
The Media Post blog, Engage:Moms asked more than 13-hundred moms for their thoughts on taking a night off and Mother's Day in general. Some findings:
--82 percent believe they deserve a night off; however, the greatest challenges are money and finding childcare.
--When mothers do take a night off, they worry most about their spouse not putting the kids to bed on time. Some even report a fear of Dad falling asleep on the job.
--The majority reports having a night out with friends only twice a year while their spouse or partner averages one night a month.
--Over half would elect to have dinner and drinks at their favorite restaurant on a night off followed by going to a chick flick.
--Overwhelmingly, moms wear black when they go out for a mom's night out; however, they elect jeans over a dress and heels; 76 percent of moms prefer to take their hair out of the ponytail and wear it down.
--39 percent would be willing to give up their favorite snack for one year in order to have a night out with friends once a week. Another 28 percent would give up television.
--29 percent feel guilty while they are out, while 37 percent feel relaxed, and 13 percent even feel victorious in managing to take a night off.
--The service moms most like to receive to escape from the daily routine is a massage (47 percent) followed by a manicure and pedicure (38 percent).
--The celebrity guy they'd most like to accompany Mom and her GFs on a night out? Top picks were, RYAN GOSLING and RYAN REYNOLDS. (Kaye)On, off and way-off Broadway:
Gotta love this. Since "Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark" was basically snubbed by the Tony Awards, the producers of the show have decided to do something very cool. A special matinee performance of the musical will be held on Sunday, June 10th, and anyone named Tony, Anthony, Antoinette, Toni, Antonio or Antonia will be eligible to get free tickets. The idea is to have more Tonys than any other show on Broadway that day. If you qualify, show up at the Foxwoods Theater box office on Monday, June 4th at 10am. The first 100 Tonys on line will get a pair of free tickets to that special matinee. (Marino)
Fashion Emergency:
The transformation of NICOLE "SNOOKI" POLIZZI from drunken meatball to respectable mom-to-be is now complete. Snooki is featured in a new and very classy-looking pictorial in the fashion magazine V. The tightly-cropped black-and-white art portraits show a demure Snooki. An understated Snooki. A --dare we say it-- more modest Snooki.
The "Jersey Shore" star talks about her upcoming spinoff show with J-WOWW, and her growing fashion empire: Slippers, tanning lotion (of course), sunglasses. And she says she's coming out with nail polish, eyelashes and handbags. There's even the possibility of a line of Snooki-branded baby products. Because, as she says, "Who wouldn't want a leopard-print rattle or a cheetah-print bib?" (Bartha)Trolling for IQ points:
Today's Stat of the Day: Nearly 40 percent of NYC 911 calls are "butt dials."
According to a new report, out of 10.4 million calls to 911 in 2010, two-fifths were butt dials, while police were sent to about 3.5 million emergencies. That's notable since the number of butt dials was higher than that, at almost four million --or an average of 10,700 butt dials per day.
Editor's note: Boy, somebody needs to butt crack down on this.
--This will continue until the NYPD finally does something about the scourge that is the Chipotle Burrito.
--Meanwhile, in Alabama, 40 percent of 911 calls are due to McDonald's running out of chicken nuggets.
--Booty Call. Heh heh.
--My phone never does this because it has a rotary dial. It also has a very long phone cord to keep it plugged into the house. It's hell reeling it in when you go back home, though. (Maiman) -
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