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June 06, 2008
Insider Newsletter A weekly summary of the best in BusinessWeek and BusinessWeek.com

NEWS THIS WEEK'S TOP STORY

Tales
from the Pump

High gas prices are keenly felt in Connecticut, where drivers fill up on some of the nation's
most expensive fuel
and share stories
of how they cope

Editor's Memo

This week the BusinessWeek Insider takes you to Bridgeport, Conn., where drivers are facing some of the nations highest gas prices. In "Tales from the Pump," read and hear what beleaguered residents are doing to get by. Maybe a new old car would help. Our Lifestyle story by Jim Henry takes you back to the future in a Geo Metro. It gets better mileage than most new cars, but is it safe?

Stacy Perman has a ringside seat at the battle of the Wolfgangs, as celebrity chef Puck tries to defend his name against a rival at his doorstep. And are eBay auctions going the way of the Fuller Brush man? It turns out most customers would rather just pay the price than fight over it. Where's the drama in that? And for another less than dramatic result, the BusinessWeek magazine cover story takes a look at revolving credit cards in "Banks vs. Consumers (Guess Who Wins)."

Be sure to check out our Luxury Leaders video with real estate maven Pam Liebman, who explains why New York, Palm Beach, and the Hamptons seem to be exempt from the current crises.
-- Katherine Davis

FROM THIS WEEK'S ISSUE OF BUSINESSWEEK

COVER STORY
Banks vs. Consumers (Guess Who Wins)
The business of revolving credit-card disputes is booming. But critics say the dominant firm favors creditors that are trying to collect from unsophisticated debtors

VENTURE CAPITAL
Disney: When You Wish Upon a Startup
Its media-oriented VC fund, Steamboat Ventures, is quietly nurturing entrepreneurs

IN DEPTH
Russia's Raiders
Companies are paying public officials to raid the offices of business rivals and subject them to criminal investigations

FROM BW.COM'S TECHNOLOGY CHANNEL

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
Verizon, Alltel Make a Connection
With a Verizon-Alltel deal, the wireless industry is poised for a new round of mergers—and declining competition

TECHNOLOGY
Hanging Up on Early-Exit Fees
Regulators and courts are taking aim at early-cancellation penalties charged by carriers such as AT&T, Verizon, and DirecTV

FROM BW.COM'S SMALLBIZ CHANNEL

NEWS ANALYSIS
Auctions on eBay: A Dying Breed
As consumers opt for fixed-price purchases, what happens to the company that perfected the art of online bidding—and the scores of e-auctioneers?

SMART ANSWERS
When a Business Partnership Goes Wrong
If the business is failing and your working relationship sours, there are steps you can take to either mend fences with your partners or dissolve the partnership

SALES & MARKETING
Wolfgang Puck vs. Wolfgang Zwiener
Two restaurant chains with similar names are about to square off in a trademark-infringement showdown

FROM BW.COM'S ASIA & EUROPE CHANNELS

TECHNOLOGY
Apple's Japan iPhone Strategy
Softbank, the No. 3 mobile operator, will sell the coveted cell phone in Japan. But its deal with Apple probably won't be exclusive

TRANSPORTATION
Urban Eco-Transport to Hit the Street
Stuttgart has signed Britain's Ultra Motor to make eco-friendly scooters known as "light electric vehicles" available for rent throughout the German city

FROM BW.COM'S LIFESTYLE CHANNEL

LIFESTYLE
Refocusing on Digital Cameras
Digital cameras are increasingly easy to use. They've gotten a lot cheaper, too—a boon to consumers, but not to camera companies

NEWS & FEATURES
The Geo Metro Rides Again, Sort Of
Drivers desperate for high gas mileage are snapping up the poky, discontinued Geo Metro because it offers around 44 mpg

FROM BW.COM'S INNOVATION & DESIGN CHANNEL

DESIGN
Fixing Fishman
How a routine packaging redesign at the high-end music equipment maker kick-started a companywide turnaround

DESIGN • From I.D. Magazine
Yves and Mitch's Excellent Venture
Mitch Pergola, the business strategist behind Fuseproject, talks about how design firms can take a page from the venture capital playbook

FROM BW.COM'S INVESTING CHANNEL

INVESTING
Stashing Cash at Higher Rates
Though rates have dropped dramatically, some online banks are offering as much as 3.5% for savings accounts. It pays to look around

STOCK SCREENS • From S&P
The Cream of the Mid-Cap Crop
Mid-cap stocks are sitting pretty compared with their larger counterparts. S&P's latest screen identifies 22 attractive names in the group

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Chrysler reported a 25% sales decline for May despite having arguably the best-known and best-timed incentive in the market—gas guaranteed at $2.99 per gallon for the next three years.

Date:

From:

BusinessWeek Insider

Subject:

Tales from the Pump

June 06, 2008

Insider Newsletter

Tales
from the Pump

High gas prices are keenly felt in Connecticut, where drivers fill up on some of the nation's
most expensive fuel
and share stories
of how they cope

Buy a link now!

The Best Digital Camera for the Buck

Japan Keeps Consumers on the Phone

Collaborators wanted! Help BusinessWeek build a special issue of the magazine that will address your most pressing problems at work

Reader Amber Lowery Writes:

"We live in a rural area and operate a Web business from home. Sadly, our inability to compete based solely on limited and spotty Internet access has hurt our business tremendously."

Read the story and tell us what you think. >

Chrysler reported a 25% sales decline for May despite having arguably the best-known and best-timed incentive in the market—gas guaranteed at $2.99 per gallon for the next three years.

David Kiley

READ MORE >

Date:

From:

Subject:

Tales from the Pump

June 06, 2008

Insider Newsletter

Talesfrom the Pump

High gas prices are keenly felt in Connecticut, where drivers fill up on some of the nation'smost expensive fueland share storiesof how they cope

"We live in a rural area and operate a Web business from home. Sadly, our inability to compete based solely on limited and spotty Internet access has hurt our business tremendously."

Chrysler reported a 25% sales decline for May despite having arguably the best-known and best-timed incentive in the market—gas guaranteed at $2.99 per gallon for the next three years.

David Kiley

Tales
from the Pump

High gas prices are keenly felt in Connecticut, where drivers fill up on some of the nation's
most expensive fuel
and share stories
of how they cope