The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) released the spring circulation numbers for daily and Sunday newspapers yesterday and apparently things aren’t getting any better for paper and ink suppliers. Overall daily circulation is down 2.1 percent for the six-month period ending March 31, 2007 as compared to the same time a year ago and Sunday circulation dropped 3.1 percent.

Monsieur Soprano’s hometown journal, the Newark Star-Ledger saw its numbers drop 6 percent for its daily edition and 4.3 percent on Sunday. Is it mere coincidence that Tony isn’t picking up the paper in his bathrobe this season?
Things aren’t any better on the left coast. The San Jose Mercury News daily circulation is tumbled 4.9 percent and Sunday 4.4.
The good news in all these stats is that they don’t include online numbers. The Internets, or tubes if you prefer, will save us all! (Just maybe.)

Although widely regarded as "tacky," the UK-based Ratners chain of jewelry stores shops was nevertheless extremely popular with the British public. That was until Chairman Gerald Ratner’s now famous speech at the UK Institute of Directors in April 1991. During which, Gerry muttered this now-famous phrase:

“We also do cut-glass sherry decanters complete with six glasses on a silver-plated tray that your butler can serve you drinks on, all for £4.95.
People say, "How can you sell this for such a low price?"
I say, because it’s total crap."     

Not content with that remark, he went on to say that some of the earrings were "cheaper than an M&S prawn sandwich but probably wouldn’t last as long."

The speech was instantly seized upon by the media leading to an estimated loss of £500m ($1bn) being wiped from the value of the company.  Hardly surprisingly, Mr. Ratner, was given the boot some 18 months later, and in 1994 the Ratner name was expunged from the company, which has since been renamed Signet Group.

Even today, Ratner’s gaffe is still famous in the British Retail industry as an example on the value of branding and image over quality. Such gaffes are now sometimes called "Doing a Ratner," and Ratner himself has acquired the sobriquet "The Sultan of Bling."

Ratner has said in his defense that it was a private function which he did not expect to be reported, and his remarks were not made seriously.

Read more on Wikipedia. Thanks to NPR for bringing this to our attention.

Does domestic-arts maven Martha Stewart have the power to steam-up the DIY crafts industry?  With her high-profile media businesses feeling the strain of advertisers migrating to the Internet and declining audiences for daytime TV, Martha has launched a new line of more than 650 products for scrapbook enthusiasts. 

While bottles of glitter and colored markers may not bring the dowdy crafts industry the reportedly sexy makeover intended, perhaps she should focus more on breathing new life her icy on-air personality.  For now, she’s facing stiff competition from spunky spitfire Rachael Ray.  (We looked up the status of her current feud with Ray, and pulled up this old gem from TMZ.)