Secrets of the Car Repair Business: Motor Magazine's "How to sell $100 More Work."

Motor Magazine is a trade journal for auto repair technicians & shops. check out this article from November 2004 "How to Sell $100 More Work." Hmmm.




MOTOR Information Systems

S&P CUTS GENERAL MOTORS' AND FORD's CREDIT RATINGS TO JUNK

Combined with a Fed prime rate increase, GM & Ford received a double-whammy when their credit ratings were cut to junk status. Higher cost of borrowing reduces the operating margin on sales, and it makes their captive credit arms less competitive.

S&P cuts GM, Ford credit ratings to ?junk? - Stocks & Economy - MSNBC.com

Taurus Replacement - 2006 Ford Fusion - Build & price one

Ford has put official information up on its website, www.fordvehicles.com. From the pictures, you can see a family resemblance to the Mazda6 upon which it is based. The Fusion uses a stretched version of the Mazda6 platform.

I don't know if I like the silver bars across the grill, but I like the overall shape of the car. Ford is joining the 21st century with a 6 speed automatic. (Yeah, I know, you can get a 6-speed on the 500.)

You can build & price the Fusion on the Ford website.

I'm linking an article from the Kansas City Star that gives more detail on the Fusion.

Ford Vehicles: Fordvehicles: 2006 Fusion
href="http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/classifieds/automotive/test_drive/11042568.htm">

BAR/BRI, West and Kaplan sued for antitrust violations

"BAR/BRI agreed to close its Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) preparation course from the market in which Kaplan was the dominant competitor. Kaplan, in turn, agreed not to enter the full-service bar review business, in which BAR/BRI was the dominant competitor. The two companies then entered into an agreement to work together "strategically" to enhance Kaplan's share of the LSAT market and to increase BAR/BRI's control of the bar review market.

The complaint further alleges that at the time this agreement was entered into, Kaplan had entered into a letter of intent to acquire bar review materials and begin bar review courses across the country in competition with BAR/BRI. After Kaplan worked out its market division arrangement with BAR/BRI, it unilaterally terminated that agreement and abandoned all plans to compete against BAR/BRI. As a result, competition has been dramatically reduced, and law students and lawyers have overpaid substantially for their bar review courses ever since. "


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Bottom Feeders nibbling at GM - Kirk Kerkorian wants 9% of the Company

Kerkorian seeks 9% GM stake - 05/04/05

New York Times: Why can't Walmart Pay More?

Interesting article. A fulltime Walmart worker supporting a family of four would be under the poverty level.
More good stuff. (free registration required)

The New York Times > Business > Can't Wal-Mart, a Retail Behemoth, Pay More?

George Bush takes a lesson from Steve Martin.

This article suggests that the Bush administration's attitude toward studying global warming is the same as Steve Martin's advice on avoiding taxes.




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26 out of 27 E-mail Hyped Penny Stocks Lose Value

In this 2003 article on the Motley Fool website (www.motleyfool.com), Bill Mann created an imaginary portfolio of 27 stocks that were hyped in e-mail. Of these 27 stocks, only one went up during the time period studied.

Fool.com: Hype, Spam, and Penny Stocks [Commentary] August 6, 2003

Brickyard 400 to become the Allstate 400

The big Indianapolis NASCAR race, the Brickyard 400, changed its name to the Allstate 400. Now when the cars crash, no one will come to the rescue because of "speed competitions" are a policy exclusion.



Allstate to sponsor Brickyard 400