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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jul 8, 2013
July 8, 2013
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Auto World /Gas Guzzlin' Update:
Some of the cars that are most "American" are now under Japanese brands. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Toyota Avalon is the most American sedan and Honda's Crosstour the most American hatchback. Edmunds.com says Honda and Toyota have 50 percent of their products built in the US, and breaks it down further:
The Honda Crosstour is 75 percent North American; the Toyota Avalon is 80 percent North American; the Toyota Tundra (Toyota has a Tundra plant in Texas) and Ford F-150 tie at 75 percent Canada and U.S.; Chrysler 200 is 74 percent North American made; the Camaro is 71 percent home grown and the Toyota Venza and Caddie CTS Wagon tie at 65 percent.
Marketing Daily adds that virtually all Camrys sold in the U.S. are produced in the U.S., plus Nissan is going to start making its Rogue crossover here and is hiring 900 people to staff production. The company also opened a battery plant for its Leaf electric car. Kia makes its Sorento SUV in Georgia. Volkswagen has a plant in Chattanooga, TN. BMW builds in Spartanburg, SC. (Kaye)Money Talks:
You may pay a price for that hangover, but it's also costing your employer money.
A new CDC study reveals that hangovers cost the U-S economy a whopping $220 billion per year. That's about a $1.90 per drink.
Since 72 percent of that is in lost workplace productivity, hangovers account for $160 billion of the costs ($1.37 per drink). For a bit of context, $160 billion is also the amount natural catastrophes cost us last year. (Maiman)Fashion Emergency:
LADY GAGA loves her boyfriend so much she bought him a backpack that costs more than a car. People magazine says Gaga bought her main squeeze TYLER KINNEY a special edition, $55-thousand dollar bag designed by The Row. That's MARY-KATE and ASHLEY OLSEN's luxury label. They created the bags as part of a collaboration with famed artist DAMIEN HIRST. (Bartha)
Chic Sh*t:
Fans of the Edwardian era and/or British TV show, "Downton Abbey," take note: British company Marks & Spencer is releasing a line of Downton Abbey-themed beauty products.
That includes a scented candle, several soaps, a creme bath, lip glosses, and nail polishes all packaged to look like they've been shipped straight out of the early 1920s. Each features a quote from the show and the Downton coat of arms. Unfortunately, unless you know someone in Britain, you're out of luck for purchasing them. They're only available at 250 Marks & Spencer stores in Great Britain. (AB)Trolling for IQ points:
Tourists in California's Death Valley have been asked to stop frying eggs on the sidewalks.
Death Valley has been experiencing a heat wave recently, with temps hitting 120-degrees and higher. And, visitors have been testing the myth that it's "hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk". Local officials say tourists have been leaving behind a mess of runny eggs, cartons, and broken shells. A post on Death Valley's official Facebook page reads: "This is your national park, please put trash in the garbage or recycle bins provided and don't crack eggs on the sidewalks." But, officials say, if you ignore their warning and do it anyway --please clean up your mess. (Still)Cycling:
LANCE ARMSTRONG is getting back on his bike.
Lance announced that he'll be riding in the Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa, which begins Jul 21. The seven-day ride is the oldest, largest and longest bicycle touring event in the world (the month-long Tour de France is a race, not a touring event). It averages 468 miles and was begun in 1973.
Lance told the Register "It's just me wanting to go ride my bike with what in the past has been a friendly group of people that share the same interests." It'll be the fifth time he's ridden in the event; he'll be spearheading a team of cyclists from his Austin, TX, bicycle shop, Mellow Johnny's. -
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