Ordering a pizza in Spanish has suddenly become a cultural hot button.Pizza Patrón, a 104-unit, carry-out pizza chain headquartered in Dallas, is raising eyebrows both inside and outside the Latino community with a planned promotion to give away thousands of large pepperoni pizzas on the evening of June 5 to folks who order in Spanish.It can be broken Spanish. It can be first-time Spanish. But it has to be Spanish.The move comes at a time immigration and immigration reform remain simmering election-year issues. One in every six people in the U.S. is Latino, says the U.S. Census Bureau. From 2000 to 2010, the U.S. Hispanic population expanded from 35.3 million to 50.5 million. Critics of the free pizza promo are lashing out — including some ... Continue reading →
Well, wasn't that a sad farewell.(And if you haven't watched yet, obviously, read no further.)Yes, the series finale of Hugh Laurie's eight-season-long Fox hit, House, did eventually get around to a semi-happy ending: a not-completely convincing solution where House fakes his own death to avoid jail and go on one last road trip with the dying Wilson. But goodness, it was a long, dramatic haul getting there, one that trapped House in a burning building while pulling out every subconscious-fueled, super-chatty, flashback fakeout trick in the show's repertoire.This is a series that always loved the big gesture — and it went out with that love on full display.The dilemma set up for House by the prior episodes was dire indeed: He was facing prison and ... Continue reading →
Motel 6 being sold to private group for $1.9 billion NEW YORK (AP) – Accor says it has agreed to sell Motel 6 and another North American economy hotel brand to an affiliate of The Blackstone Group for $1.9 billion.The French company says Motel 6 and Studio 6, an extended-stay economy chain, encompass 1,102 hotels in the U.S. and Canada.Accor SA says the deal, expected to close in October, will give it the resources it needs to boost growth in the Asia Pacific region, Latin America and Europe.The company will continue to own and operate luxury and upscale flagship hotels in the U.S. under the Sofitel and Novotel brands.Blackstone says it plans to invest significantly in Motel 6's properties and speed the expansion of its ... Continue reading →
Sales of previously occupied homes up in April By Martin Crutsinger, Associated Press Updated WASHINGTON – Americans bought more previously owned homes in April, a hopeful sign that the weak housing market is gradually improving.David Goldman, APA home for sale in Atlanta.David Goldman, APA home for sale in Atlanta.Sponsored LinksThe National Association of Realtors says home sales rose 3.4% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million.That still lags January and February's pace — which was the best for those months in five years. And it well below the nearly 6 million per year that economists equate with healthy markets.A mild winter encouraged some people to buy homes earlier. That drove up sales in January and February, while making March weaker.The median ... Continue reading →
Put a muzzle on your mutt, or your insurance premium might go up.Dog bites accounted for more than one-third of homeowners insurance liability claims paid in 2011, costing nearly $479 million in the U.S., according to the Insurance Information Institute.Property casualty insurers pay out far more in claims for property damage to homes. But when it comes to liability, the cost of dog bite claims has risen 48% since 2003, even though the number of dog bites has remained roughly flat, the organization said.State Farm, the largest writer of homeowners insurance in the U.S., paid more than $109 million on nearly 3,800 dog bite claims in 2011. The Insurance Information Institute's analysis of homeowners insurance data found that the average cost of dog bite claims ... Continue reading →
There are lots of ways to save money on your summer vacation. Go for one week instead of two. Drive instead of fly. Stay in a hotel with free breakfast and eat enough to last you until dinner.But there's another way to cut costs that won't require you to stuff muffins in your purse. Pour yourself a cup of strong coffee and read your credit card agreement. While most cardholders are aware of their card's airline miles and cash-back rewards, many are unaware that their credit card offers lots of other money-saving perks.•Rental car insurance. Optional collision coverage could add $15 a day or more to the cost of your rental car. There's a good chance, though, that your credit card will cover costs that ... Continue reading →
