Eubie's notes

The December issue of Consumer Reports has a story about a bank’s maintenance fee of $2.50 a month on gift cards quickly erode the value in the cards. It’s surprising how much it costs to keep up with money.

Another radio station, this one in Birmingham, Ala., has switched to all Christmas music through the season. Clear Channel Station WLYT 102.9 in the Charlotte area began Christmas music Nov. 1. It’s not as surprising that there is an Internet radio stations playing all Christmas music.

Wal-Mart keeps its prices low by keeping pressure on its suppliers, according to this article in the December Fast Company. Productivity gains at Wal-Mart alone account for 12% of the overall economy’s productivity gains in the late 1990s. “Wal-Mart no longer has any real rivals. It does more business than Target, Sears, Kmart, J.C. Penney, Safeway, and Kroger combined.”

Rail guns were one weapon considered during the Reagan-era’s “Star Wars” defense. PowerLabs Electro Magnetic Weapons keeps up with the developments.

Daniel Bazac offers Search the Web More Efficiently: Tips, Techniques and Strategies.

Microsoft is beta testing its newsbot to compete against Google. Dan Gillmor enters the debate about whether the NY Times was correct on Microsoft wanting to buy Google. Gillmor goes for Gates’ denial over NY Times unnamed sources.

A group blog from those attending the Online News Association meeting this weekend in Chicago. Jeff Jarvis also has notes about the conference here.

Here are other blogs of the conference: Mary Hodder with bIPblogl and Staci Kramer guest blogging for paidcontent.org.

The speech Jack Fuller of the Chicago Tribune is getting the most attention because of statements that the Tribune has spent more than $600 million on its online efforts and the biggest mistake was not charging for content from the beginning. Here are other blogs: New York University’s Read Me, Online Journalism and Poynter in Convergence Chaser .

Pittsburgh Business Journal has a story about a company setting the premiums you pay for employee health insurance based on what you pay. Sacramento Business Journal reports The University of California will begin a similar premium plan next year.

Half of the 62 million dog owners in the United States take their pets with them when they travel, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Hotels are targeting this market, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle story by Jan R. Costello.

Using wind to generate electricity sounds like a good idea until you have to deal with realities such as rules prohibiting putting the wind turbines on the tops of mountains and bird fatalities. In California, 1,400 wind turbine permits were renewed but an environmental group plans to appeal the decision, according the Contra Costa Times.

Highlight: “Mike Boyd of Californians for Renewable Energy said he fears the sea of turbines along Interstate 580 will give wind power “a black eye nationwide” unless bird fatalities can be reduced.”