| Gear Junkie: Form-fitting neoprene gloves keep hands dry
The year was 1982. The place, Pyramid Lake in northern Nevada, where a cold plane of electric blue water hid the lake's famous cutthroat trout. It was there that Dick Swan, future founder of the yet-to-be-formed Glacier Glove company, had an epiphany about how to keep his hands warm while they were wet.His idea was to design a glove made of the same insulating and water-tolerating material used in wetsuits. Namely, Swan sketched out the first iteration of a neoprene glove, a stretchy, spongy, hand-molding cover that could get wet and still provide warmth and enough dexterity for spinning a fishing reel.It's now been 25 years, and Glacier Glove ({M7www.glacierglove.com) of Reno, Nev., sells a line of neoprene handwear for sports including fishing, paddling, skiing, climbing, and cold-weather cycling.I've seen these gloves around for years, as some models were popular with ice climber friends of mine as far back as the mid 1990s.
Wife who skipped religious pyramid scheme sentencing back in court
Cynthia Setser, who was in hiding for a year after skipping out on a sentencing hearing before a Dallas federal judge in a multimillion-dollar securities fraud case, pleaded not guilty this week to a charge of failure to appear. The FBI located and arrested Ms. Setser, 50, at a home in Florida on Dec. 6 after she missed a Jan. 16, 2007, sentencing hearing in Dallas. Ms. Setser was to be sentenced for her role in a multimillion-dollar pyramid scheme spearheaded by her husband, Gregory Setser. The scheme, aimed largely at Christian investors including televangelist Benny Hinn, bilked hundreds of people from Texas and California out of more than $170 million before the FBI shut down the Setsers' sham import company, IPIC Investments, in 2003. Mr. Setser received 40 years in prison.
JoAnne Worley Gets Wicked Beginning Jan. 9
The Los Angeles company of Wicked at the Pantages Theatre welcomes a new Madame Morrible Jan. 9 when JoAnne Worley recently seen on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone succeeds original L.A. Morrible actress Carol Kane. Veteran stage and screen star Worley joins a cast that currently includes Megan Hilty as Glinda, Caissie Levy as Elphaba, John Rubinstein as The Wizard, Kristoffer Cusick as Fiyero, Marcie Dodd as Nessarose, Michael Drolet as Boq and Timothy Britten Parker as Doctor Dillamond. JoAnne Worley has appeared on Broadway in The Drowsy Chaperone; The Billy Barnes People; Hello, Dolly!; Prince of Central Park; and Grease! Among her numerous screen credits are "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In," "Hot Dog," "The Feminist and the Fuzz," "What's a Nice Girl Like You?," "The Shaggy D.A.," "The Mouseketeers at Walt Disney World," "The Gift of the Magi," "Nutcracker Fantasy," "Don't Miss the Boat," "Through the Magic Pyramid," "Love Boat" and "The Wuzzles." She has also toured in numerous musicals throughout the country.
X marks this iffy new gizmo
High-energy salespeople are hawking a device called Xpower at pumped-up meetings in Stockton banquet rooms, claiming it slashes home power bills. "Area directors" for Forum Technologies also are recruiting people into Forum's sales force, a multilevel marketing organization, or MLM, that the company's CEO says is not a pyramid scheme. The MLM half of the sales pitch, in other words, is not about buying an energy-saving gizmo but getting rich through multilevel marketing of Xpower and other Forum products. Concerned readers contacted me, saying scores of people eager for easy money are being recruited. I could not personally attend meetings, being held every few days at area restaurants, fearing that I'd be recognized. Instead, a trusted associate attended. My associate attended Sunday night's meeting at the West March Lane Carrows Family Restaurant.
Thousands to get refunds for gas pills
Soon 5,850 consumers in 49 states will receive checks of $500 to $1,000 each as restitution for buying a "top-secret gas pill" from a Texas company that advertised the product as a way to boost gasoline mileage. Another 4,983 consumers also are likely to receive refunds when Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott verifies the amount each person says he is owed. All told, 10,833 people are likely to receive a combined $6.4 million in restitution, assistant attorney general John Owens told 73rd District Court Judge Andy Mireles in a hearing Thursday. The money will come from the seized assets of BioPerformance Inc. of Irving. The attorney general sued the company in May 2006, alleging its owners were operating a pyramid scheme and that the gasoline additives it sold didn't boost mileage.
Pyramid Saimira acquires UK-based Aurona Technologies
Mumbai, Jan 24 Entertainment firm Pyramid Saimira Theatre today said it has acquired UK-based Aurona Technologies for an undisclosed amount.
The company said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange that it has acquired a majority stake in the video games and interactive entertainment software company and the new entity would be known as Pyramid Saimira Production Services Ltd.
"We are extremely happy to announce this strategic acquisition of Aurona Technologies Ltd. This marks the entry of Pyramid Saimira in the high-growth, high-margin animation and gaming industry," Pyramid Saimira Group Managing Director P S Saminathan said.
The group has access to a huge content library and would be able to cross-exploit the content properties. The acquisition brings not only the existing knowledge and customer base, but also high quality management bandwidth, with international exposure, he added.
Pyramid Saimira acquires UK game developer
HYDERABAD: The Pyramid Saimira group has acquired close to 100% of UK-based animation and console game developer Aurona Technologies for an undisclosed amount. PS Saminathan, managing director, Pyramid Saimira said: We are set to emerge the worlds largest theatre chain company soon and look forward to gaming consoles at our theatres as a major revenue earner. Aurona, which has its development centre in Hyderabad, provides product development solutions and develops games for console, PC, handheld and online games for clients on the outsourced model. While this marks the companys entry into the fast-growing gaming business, including a future intention to focus on
mobile gaming content with 10-15 native games, the main objective is to utilise the extra space at our 800- odd theatres by setting up the gaming arcades, Saminathan said.
Halla Bol takes to streets
Rajkumar Santoshi's Halla Bol has used an interactive marketing strategy. Since the film is vocal about man's inner conscious, Halla Bol is reaching the common man through street plays. Spokesperson from Pyramid Saimira comments, "Regular modes of marketing have been used over and again. Reaching the real viewer through street theatre will be direct interactive marketing. We are targeting on local issues, which will make people aware of it. We are taking these plays to eight cities and in each city one artiste will accompany the theatre group." One of the artistes from Ajay Devgan, Vidya Balan, or Pankaj Kapur will be representing the film during the street play in each city.
The street plays are organized and conducted by senior theatre personality, Om Katare and his artistes.
Chinese protest at squashed ant investments
Pensioners and workers have been staging protests outside a company which offered shares in giant ants in the latest example of the effects of China's lopsided economic growth on ordinary people. The protesters had invested savings in a scheme that was intended to make an aphrodisiac tonic out of the ants. Some also paid to become ''ant farmers'', being given equipment selling on the ants as they grew. In common with a raft of similar schemes which have grown up in the last two decades of economic reform, several based on pyramid-selling techniques, investors were promised their money would grow dramatically in value. Such offers are tempting, particularly to small investors. .
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