Stewart Mandel: Ohio State outlasts Michigan in surprise rivalry shootout - SI.com

Braxton Miller (5) accounted for five touchdowns in Ohio State's last-second 42-41 victory at Michigan.

Jason Mowry/Icon SMI

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The letters "BCS" or the words "national championship" barely entered the air during Ohio State's postgame press conference on Saturday. The Iron Bowl might as well have been taking place on another planet. All that mattered was that the Buckeyes had just defeated Michigan 42-41 in one of the most thrilling contests in the 110-year history of their rivalry. Even the fact that Urban Meyer's team just earned its 24th consecutive victory took a back seat to The Game itself.

Three hours later, Ohio State coaches and players were on buses about 10 miles north of Delaware, Ohio, when Auburn's Chris Davis returned a missed Alabama field goal 109 yards for a touchdown as time expired to knock off the top-ranked Crimson Tide. The Tigers' 34-28 victory likely lifted the Buckeyes to the No. 2 spot in Sunday's BCS standings. Now is it time to talk about the BCS?

"Nothing to say at this time," Meyer texted SI.com from the bus.

Ohio State needed its own last-second drama on Saturday to even remain in the national championship conversation, as an anticipated blowout turned into a high-scoring thriller. Buckeyes redshirt freshman nickelback Tyvis Powell sealed the victory when he intercepted Wolverines quarterback Devin Gardner's potential game-winning two-point conversion attempt with 32 seconds remaining.

"We were in there taking a shower ... that's when it really hit me," Powell said. "That was our season on the line -- 12-0, gold pants, chance at the national championship. Wow, I really kind of just saved our season."

Most assumed this game would be an uneventful prelude to the third-ranked Buckeyes' meeting with Michigan State in next Saturday's Big Ten title game. After all, it seemed a mismatch given how inept Michigan (7-5) had been on offense for much of the last month. But rivalry games have a way of producing wholly unexpected events -- be it the second-quarter brawl that resulted in three players' ejections (Ohio State running back/kick returner Dontre Wilson and offensive lineman Marcus Hall; Wolverines linebacker Royce Jenkins-Stone) or Michigan's unexpected offensive outburst.

VIDEO: Ohio State and Michigan players get into fight; three ejected from game

"We could have easily rolled over and died against the number three team in the country," said Wolverines tackle Taylor Lewan "We kept going, kept fighting, kept moving every time."

In a transcendent performance unlike any he'd recently delivered, Gardner thoroughly flummoxed the Buckeyes' defense. He completed 32-of-45 passes for 451 yards and four touchdowns. Michigan needed every bit of it to keep pace with Ohio State's powerful rushing attack, led by running back Carlos Hyde (27 carries, 226 yards, one touchdown) and quarterback Braxton Miller (16 carries, 153 yards, three touchdowns). The turnover-prone Gardner even managed to avoid an interception -- until his final throw.

After Hyde's one-yard touchdown run put the Buckeyes up 42-35 with 2:20 remaining, Gardner marched the Wolverines toward the end zone and threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Devin Funchess with 32 seconds left. Michigan coach Brady Hoke, facing the prospect of overtime without his regular kicker (Brendan Gibbons was injured in practice this week), and with an opportunity to ruin his rival's perfect season, sent his offense back on the field.

"We weren't doing a good job slowing them down," said Hoke. "We wanted to go win the football game."

When he saw that the Wolverines were going for two, Meyer called timeout. "We were blown out on defense," he said. "I wanted to give them a breath." According to Powell, sometime during the break Buckeyes cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs predicted the exact play Michigan would run -- a curl route by receiver Drew Dileo from the back of a triple-stack formation on the right side. The Wolverines ran it, and Powell promptly jumped it.

"It was such a crazy ending, everyone's head's still spinning," said Ohio State tight end Jeff Heuerman, who caught a 22-yard touchdown in the third quarter. "A win's a win. We'll take it any way we can get it."

Still, even hours after the game had ended, it was hard to comprehend exactly how these teams wound up in a 42-41 shootout -- especially given the state of Michigan's offense coming into Saturday. In the Wolverines' previous four games -- losses to Michigan State (29-6) and Nebraska (17-13), an overtime win at Northwestern (27-19) and a loss to Iowa (24-21) -- they had scored five offensive touchdowns. Gardner, repeatedly battered by opposing defenses exploiting Michigan's inexperienced offensive line, looked like a shell of his former self.

ELLIS: Ohio State escapes Michigan to remain perfect; early Snap Judgments

A week ago, the Wolverines gained just 158 total yards against the Hawkeyes. Yet against the Buckeyes, Michigan eclipsed that total in the first quarter (208). Offensive coordinator Al Borges, who has recently become a punching bag for Wolverines fans, went deep into his playbook, calling reverses, flip passes and more. Michigan jumped out to a surprising 21-14 second-quarter lead. Ohio State seemingly restored order by roaring back to take a 35-21 advantage in the third. But Gardner led the Wolverines on an 11-play, 83-yard touchdown drive to cut the Buckeyes' lead to 35-28. And then he cashed in on Hyde's lone mistake of the night, a fumble at his own 41-yard line early in the fourth quarter, to tie the game up.

At that point, Michigan's attack was no longer fueled by trickery, save for repeated throwback passes -- with Gardner rolling right and throwing back to his left -- including a two-yard touchdown toss to tight end Jake Butt (five catches, 85 yards) on third-and-goal in the fourth quarter. Gardner stood tall amid pressure and threw darts to his receivers, most notably Jeremy Gallon (nine catches, 175 yards, one touchdown). The Wolverines finished with a rivalry-record 603 total yards.

"They kind of looked like a different team," said Ohio State All-America linebacker Ryan Shazier. "But we kind of expected that."

Offensively, the Buckeyes looked like the same juggernaut they have all season. Hyde, who would be a surefire Heisman finalist if not for a three-game suspension at the beginning of the year, made mincemeat of a defense that came into the day ranked 13th nationally against the run. He broke Beanie Wells' Ohio State record for rushing yards against Michigan. While Miller did not turn in his finest aerial performance (6-of-15 for 133 yards, with an interception), he threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Devin Smith, and broke scoring runs of 53 and 21 yards, respectively.

But the Buckeyes' Achilles heel -- and the reason they will continue to be seen as inferior to Florida State -- is their pass defense, which came into the game ranked 52nd nationally (in efficiency rating) and will sag further now.

"We didn't get the normal pressure we usually have, and Gardner is an excellent thrower," said Meyer. "We've got to fix some things."

They'll need to get things fixed quickly, because a tougher test looms next week in Indianapolis. Even with a school-record 24-game winning streak to begin the Meyer era -- consecutive 12-0 marks, a staggering accomplishment no matter the conference -- Ohio State doesn't yet have a trophy to show for it. That opportunity will finally come against the 11-1 Spartans, a team that already figured to be the Buckeyes' toughest opponent in two years. Now, after Saturday's escape against the Wolverines, the threat feels even greater.

If Ohio State wins its 25th straight game, there will be no shortage of fury from Buckeye Nation in the event Meyer's team is still excluded from the BCS title game at the expense of a one-loss SEC champion. In reality, the defense that facilitated Gardner's career day on Saturday might be better off accepting the Jan. 1 undercard in Pasadena rather than dealing with the likes of the Seminoles' Jameis Winston.

But that's hardly on anyone's mind in Columbus. Much like Saturday's surprise shootout victory, the Buckeyes will take a trip to the title game any way they can get it.

Gap

Mizzou football

Kmart

Aeropostale

Cabelas

Evelyn Lozada expecting a baby, not Chad Johnson's - New York Daily News

AKM-GSI

‘Basketball Wives’’ Evelyn Lozada is reportedly pregnant, but not with ex’s Chad Ochocinco’s baby.

Evelyn Lozada has apparently moved on from Chad Johnson in a big way.

The reality TV star was spotted with a huge baby bump walking on a beach in Hawaii with her 20-year-old daughter, Shaniece. 

She is reportedly six months pregnant and the baby is not her ex's, reports TMZ.

PHOTOS: CELEBRITY BABY BUMPS

According to sources close to Lozada, 37, she has been in a romance with a new man for nearly a year and they have become serious.

Additionally, the "Basketball Wives" star's news that she's expecting was apparently planned as she and her new beau supposedly wanted to have a child together.

Lozada split from Johnson in September 2012 after claims he physically abused her.

RELATED: PHOTOS: EVELYN LOZADA'S BLOODY HEAD GASH FROM CHAD JOHNSON FIGHT

In June, TMZ released photos of her with a bloody gash on her forehead, which were reportedly the result of Johnson head-butting her just two months into their marriage.

The incident was said to have happened after the couple got into an argument on Aug. 11, 2012. Lozada filed for divorce three days after their altercation.

The 35-year-old athlete was arrested and sentenced to 12 months' probation and domestic violence classes. He was later put in jail for 30 days after slapping his lawyer's backside during a probation hearing.

Now, it looks like Lozada has put the past behind her and is looking forward to becoming a mother again after giving birth to her first daughter at the age of 17.

The sources add that until now, only a few of her family members knew she was with child.

Ohio State football

Cabelas

Kmart

Cards Against Humanity

Newegg

Defacing of Gap Ad Reveals Sikhs Continue to be Misunderstood in US - NBC Bay Area

A Gap ad set to celebrate diversity triggered conversations about racism – not for the ad itself, but for what happened to it in a New York subway.

The poster featuring Waris Ahluwalia, a fashion designer and actor, alongside artist Quentin Jones, is part of Gap’s “Make Love” campaign, but someone defaced the ad writing “make bombs” and “please stop driving taxis.”

The image was snapped by a New York City-based photographer who then posted it on social media, before it was shared by Arsalan Iftikhar, who is a senior editor for Islamic Monthly. Iftikhar, whose Twitter handle is “TheMuslimGuy,” has 40,000 followers. The picture spread across social media platforms.

Gap used Twitter to contact Iftikhar, tracking down the ad and replacing it with a brand new poster featuring the same models. The San Francisco-based company also changed its Twitter background to the same ad.

Mandeep Dhillon, a Sikh-American entrepreneur in the Bay Area, said he was satisfied in Gap’s response, but said his community has had to deal countless times with misconceptions of what Sikhism is.

“It was there we go again,” said Dhillon, who lives in San Jose. “There are two aspects to it. One is frustration and the other is a look for safety. Post-9/11 our primary concern was about safety because our community was under attack. The first people killed were Sikhs, who had nothing to do with anything.”

For Avtar Singh, it was his reaction that spoke to a sadder reality.

“I wasn’t greatly disheartened because I’ve seen things like this happen to us since 9/11,” said the 20-year-old.

In fact, Singh said even in Fremont he experienced racism at school, especially when 9/11 hit while he was in the third grade.

"Third, fourth, fifth grades – those three years were really tough growing up as a kid with the only turban in school. People used to pull it off,” he said.

Understanding of Sikhism, which is its own religion that started in India in the 15th century, still seems to have a long way to go in the U.S. That’s according to a study released in September by Stanford University and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) titled “Turban Myths.”

The study found that 70-percent of respondents could not identify the Sikh man in a picture, and most of them, 49-percent, thought the man in a turban was Muslim.

“It’s a reminder that even as a society over the last decade, we haven’t come very far,” Dhillon said.

For him and other Sikhs, he said, it’s not about putting distance between his religion and Islam, but educating people about what Sikhism is. So after 9/11, Dhillon produced a documentary titled “The Sikh Next Door,” to try and foster more understanding about his religion. He said that piece and the fact that Gap decided to produce an ad featuring a model with a turban, show there is progress, however slow, in spreading awareness about what it means to be a Sikh-American.

“I was very proud,” Dhillon said. “That a large U.S. corporation began to understand that we are part of the American fabric, that we are just as American as anybody else and actually not that bad-looking either.”

Dhillon added the turban is regarded as a sign of equality in Sikhism, as well as a symbol of a Sikh’s code of conduct which includes helping those who are defenseless. He is hoping that one day soon, the turban will reclaim the same symbolism and meaning in America.

“When you see someone with a turban, you should feel safe,” he said.

Cards Against Humanity

Ohio State football

Kmart

Aeropostale

Aeropostale

Aeropostale Earnings Preview: Expect The Struggle To Continue - Trefis

Quick Take

• As Aeropostale releases its Q3 fiscal 2013 results on December 4, we expect its struggle to continue
• The company’s basic as well as fashion products have not resonated well with its customers, which is likely to continue in the third quarter
• The prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry will further add to Aeropostale’s problems
• If the company continues to report terrible results in the third quarter, chances of a buyout might increase
• We will keep an eye on the company’s store consolidation strategy, its direct-to-consumer growth and P.S. from Aeropostale performance, as they hold enough potential to drive the company in the long-term

Teen apparel retailer Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO), a retailer that has been struggling in the U.S. for the past couple of years, is scheduled to report its Q3 fiscal 2013 earnings on December 4th. We expect the retailer to report another weak quarter, as its underlying problems persist.  We suspect there was poor customer response to its present product offerings, which likely added to the impact of the prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry. During the second quarter of fiscal 2013, Aeropostale’s comparable store sales declined by almost 15% due to heavy promotional activities and low store traffic. The third quarter will likely be weak as well.

Aeropostale’s basic product offerings continue to struggle and its fashion offerings have not been well received. We expect this factor to weigh on the retailer’s third quarter results. The U.S. apparel industry itself is going through a rough phase due to low consumer spending on apparel. We believe that this factor is strong enough to undermine initiatives Aeropostale has made to revive its business. Still, with a look towards the future, we will monitor the retailer’s store consolidation strategy, direct-to-consumer growth, and the performance of its P.S. from Aeropostale brand. Though these efforts are likely to have little noticeable impact on the upcoming results, progress on these fronts will be closely monitored by investors and analysts, as they provide some hope for the company’s long-term growth.

Lately some investment firms have started investing in Aeropostale and there have also been talks of a complete buyout. If the retailer continues to report dismal results in the third quarter, it might strengthen the chances of the company going private.

See our complete analysis for Aeropostale

Poor Customer Response To Product Offerings Will Continue

Prior to the second quarter, Aeropostale was struggling to hold onto its customers due to the lack of fashion content. As U.S. buyers have shown low brand loyalty, they have been readily shifting to brands that provide latest fashion products at affordable prices. This trend has fueled the success of some of the fast fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Forever 21, Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS), Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) etc. On the other hand, it has troubled retailers such as Aeroposatle, American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO) and Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF).

However, to re-position its brand as more fashionable, Aeropostale took some determined steps in Q2 fiscal 2013. The company attempted a complete product overhaul, with a head-to-toe approach as it extended its fashion offerings and added certain new product categories such as footwear. ^[] It started offering trendy products like lacy ruffled tunics, studded combat boots, floral anorak jackets etc., with hopes of attracting customers. Aeroposatle also launched some marketing campaigns to portray the brand as more fashionable, and reduced its lead times to increase the speed to market. ^[]

Despite these efforts, customer response remained cold as these products did not complement Aeropostale’s brand perception. The brand is known to offer basic products such as t-shirts, jeans and hoodies at affordable prices. While the retailer’s idea was to integrate more fashion content in its offerings, it ended up making changes that were too drastic. ^[] Moreover, the pricing of these products did not resonate well with the customers as they were relatively expensive. We do not expect the company to recover from this in a single quarter. Its basic products were already struggling and its fashion content failed to garner sufficient customer attention.

Industry Wide Weak Apparel Sales Will Add To The Retailer’s Miseries

Pressurized by slow job growth, increased taxes, higher healthcare costs and gasoline prices, U.S. buyers have scaled back their discretionary spending this year. Moreover, a percentage of consumers have started diverting their spending to cars and houses to take advantage of the low interest rates. Subsequently, they are holding back on other products such as apparel and accessories. As a result, consumer spending on apparel products has been sluggish so far in the year.

In response to this weakness, several U.S. retailers have ushered heavy promotions to win back customers and Aeroposatle is not an exception. Due to heavy markdowns, players such as American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch have reported a decline of 5% and 14% respectively in their Q3 comparable store sales. Even the growth of some of the stronger performers such as Gap Inc and Urban Outfitters has slowed down. Therefore, we believe that this factor will add to Aeropostale’s existing problems, resulting in another weak quarter for the company.

These Factors Will Be In Focus

As the top-line growth is not looking good for Aeropostale, it is planning to reduce its operating expenses by closing down underperforming stores. At the start of fiscal 2013, the company had planned to close about 15-20 stores by the year end. Half way through the year, it increased this figure to 30-40. Although closing underperforming stores will weigh on Aeropostale’s revenue growth initially, it should have a positive impact on revenue per square feet and EBITDA margins over the longer run. This is essential for the retailer given that its revenue per square feet has been declining and its EBITDA margins are quite low as compared to its peers.

Aeropostale’s direct-to-consumer business has been growing at a healthy pace for some time now and its relatively new brand P.S. from Aeropostale has seen some success. We will keep an eye out for progress on these fronts as they are quite important for the company from long-term perspective. Over the longer-run, they will decide whether or not Aeropostale can generate good returns for its shareholders.

Understand How a Company’s Products Impact its Stock Price at Trefis

Cabelas

Kmart

Paul Crouch

Target Black Friday 2013

Kmart

Black Friday 2013 deals shoppers scramble at Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Macy's ... - ABC7Chicago.com

Black Friday 2013 deals shoppers scramble at Target, Best Buy, Walmart, Macy's ... ABC7Chicago.com For nearly a decade, Black Friday had been the official start of the shopping season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It was originally named Black Friday because it was when retailers turned a profit, or moved out of the red and into the black ... Black Friday is big, but online shopping is even bigger USA TODAY Live Black Friday: Macy's mobbed, long lines creepCNBC.com Black Friday slowed by Thursday openings; protests, arrests at Roseville WalmartSacramento Bee Washington Post -The Guardian -Ct Post all 3,496 news articles »

Abercrombie

Evelyn Lozada

Paul Crouch

Target Black Friday 2013

Yvette Prieto

Defacing of Gap Ad Reveals Sikhs Continue to be Misunderstood in US - NBC Bay Area

A Gap ad set to celebrate diversity triggered conversations about racism – not for the ad itself, but for what happened to it in a New York subway.

The poster featuring Waris Ahluwalia, a fashion designer and actor, alongside artist Quentin Jones, is part of Gap’s “Make Love” campaign, but someone defaced the ad writing “make bombs” and “please stop driving taxis.”

The image was snapped by a New York City-based photographer who then posted it on social media, before it was shared by Arsalan Iftikhar, who is a senior editor for Islamic Monthly. Iftikhar, whose Twitter handle is “TheMuslimGuy,” has 40,000 followers. The picture spread across social media platforms.

Gap used Twitter to contact Iftikhar, tracking down the ad and replacing it with a brand new poster featuring the same models. The San Francisco-based company also changed its Twitter background to the same ad.

Mandeep Dhillon, a Sikh-American entrepreneur in the Bay Area, said he was satisfied in Gap’s response, but said his community has had to deal countless times with misconceptions of what Sikhism is.

“It was there we go again,” said Dhillon, who lives in San Jose. “There are two aspects to it. One is frustration and the other is a look for safety. Post-9/11 our primary concern was about safety because our community was under attack. The first people killed were Sikhs, who had nothing to do with anything.”

For Avtar Singh, it was his reaction that spoke to a sadder reality.

“I wasn’t greatly disheartened because I’ve seen things like this happen to us since 9/11,” said the 20-year-old.

In fact, Singh said even in Fremont he experienced racism at school, especially when 9/11 hit while he was in the third grade.

"Third, fourth, fifth grades – those three years were really tough growing up as a kid with the only turban in school. People used to pull it off,” he said.

Understanding of Sikhism, which is its own religion that started in India in the 15th century, still seems to have a long way to go in the U.S. That’s according to a study released in September by Stanford University and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) titled “Turban Myths.”

The study found that 70-percent of respondents could not identify the Sikh man in a picture, and most of them, 49-percent, thought the man in a turban was Muslim.

“It’s a reminder that even as a society over the last decade, we haven’t come very far,” Dhillon said.

For him and other Sikhs, he said, it’s not about putting distance between his religion and Islam, but educating people about what Sikhism is. So after 9/11, Dhillon produced a documentary titled “The Sikh Next Door,” to try and foster more understanding about his religion. He said that piece and the fact that Gap decided to produce an ad featuring a model with a turban, show there is progress, however slow, in spreading awareness about what it means to be a Sikh-American.

“I was very proud,” Dhillon said. “That a large U.S. corporation began to understand that we are part of the American fabric, that we are just as American as anybody else and actually not that bad-looking either.”

Dhillon added the turban is regarded as a sign of equality in Sikhism, as well as a symbol of a Sikh’s code of conduct which includes helping those who are defenseless. He is hoping that one day soon, the turban will reclaim the same symbolism and meaning in America.

“When you see someone with a turban, you should feel safe,” he said.

College Football Rankings

E News

Small Business Saturday

Sears

Ohio State football

Garth Brooks gushes about life with Trisha Yearwood - Fox News

Garth Brooks may have been married to Trisha Yearwood for almost 13 years but he still sounds like a gushing newlywed when discussing her. In an interview for the Friday, November 29, episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Friday, November 29, the country superstar talked at length about their relationship.

The “Wrapped Up In You” singer explained that they met through songwriter Kent Blazy who thought the pair would get along. Brooks confessed that there was an immediate attraction.

"When she left, he goes, 'What did you think?' I said, 'Well, it's strange, because I felt that feeling like when you just meet your wife, but I've been married for 13 months,’” he explained. At the time the singer was wed to college sweetheart Sandy Mahl.

"Being married, it's got to be right. This is who you went to college with, and you were married in front of God and your family and everything," he told DeGeneres. "So you keep hacking, and you work and you work and you work. And then comes that time where you're looking at the rest of your life going, 'How do you want to live it?'"

They went onto to have three daughters before divorcing in 2000. Yearwood who had two failed marriages behind her was also single and the pair began dating before marrying in December 2005.

"This was somebody I always enjoyed being around. And we had a lot more in common than I ever dreamed we did. And so we started seeing each other after the divorce," he recalled. "We'd known each other music-wise, but we got to see each other as people. And I've got to tell you, if you like her and don't know her, you'll love her. If you love her and don't know her, you'll worship her. She's the real deal."

And it seems that Brooks is just as besotted with his missus as the first time he ever met her.

"I've got to tell you, I never knew it could be like this," the 51-year-old singer told DeGeneres of life with Yearwood. "I never knew that everyday you could wake up and feel like this. And I have God and I have Ms. Yearwood to thank for this."

He also bragged about her many side ventures like a Food Network cooking show and three cookbooks.

"I'm part of the working wives club," he joked. "I lay out at the pool with the other husbands."

"She's t he bomb, man. She does it all," he said proudly. But the one thing that Yearwood does the best? (according to her hubby).

"Make no mistake -- Ms. Yearwood was born to sing. That's just what she does...I'll put her in the top five female voices of all time. She's that good,” Brooks declared.

Kmart

Aeropostale

E News

Small Business Saturday

College Football Rankings

Garth Brooks gushes about life with Trisha Yearwood - Fox News

Garth Brooks may have been married to Trisha Yearwood for almost 13 years but he still sounds like a gushing newlywed when discussing her. In an interview for the Friday, November 29, episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Friday, November 29, the country superstar talked at length about their relationship.

The “Wrapped Up In You” singer explained that they met through songwriter Kent Blazy who thought the pair would get along. Brooks confessed that there was an immediate attraction.

"When she left, he goes, 'What did you think?' I said, 'Well, it's strange, because I felt that feeling like when you just meet your wife, but I've been married for 13 months,’” he explained. At the time the singer was wed to college sweetheart Sandy Mahl.

"Being married, it's got to be right. This is who you went to college with, and you were married in front of God and your family and everything," he told DeGeneres. "So you keep hacking, and you work and you work and you work. And then comes that time where you're looking at the rest of your life going, 'How do you want to live it?'"

They went onto to have three daughters before divorcing in 2000. Yearwood who had two failed marriages behind her was also single and the pair began dating before marrying in December 2005.

"This was somebody I always enjoyed being around. And we had a lot more in common than I ever dreamed we did. And so we started seeing each other after the divorce," he recalled. "We'd known each other music-wise, but we got to see each other as people. And I've got to tell you, if you like her and don't know her, you'll love her. If you love her and don't know her, you'll worship her. She's the real deal."

And it seems that Brooks is just as besotted with his missus as the first time he ever met her.

"I've got to tell you, I never knew it could be like this," the 51-year-old singer told DeGeneres of life with Yearwood. "I never knew that everyday you could wake up and feel like this. And I have God and I have Ms. Yearwood to thank for this."

He also bragged about her many side ventures like a Food Network cooking show and three cookbooks.

"I'm part of the working wives club," he joked. "I lay out at the pool with the other husbands."

"She's t he bomb, man. She does it all," he said proudly. But the one thing that Yearwood does the best? (according to her hubby).

"Make no mistake -- Ms. Yearwood was born to sing. That's just what she does...I'll put her in the top five female voices of all time. She's that good,” Brooks declared.

Paul Crouch

College Football Rankings

Paul Crouch

Target Black Friday 2013

College Football Rankings

Aeropostale Earnings Preview: Expect The Struggle To Continue - Trefis

Quick Take

• As Aeropostale releases its Q3 fiscal 2013 results on December 4, we expect its struggle to continue
• The company’s basic as well as fashion products have not resonated well with its customers, which is likely to continue in the third quarter
• The prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry will further add to Aeropostale’s problems
• If the company continues to report terrible results in the third quarter, chances of a buyout might increase
• We will keep an eye on the company’s store consolidation strategy, its direct-to-consumer growth and P.S. from Aeropostale performance, as they hold enough potential to drive the company in the long-term

Teen apparel retailer Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO), a retailer that has been struggling in the U.S. for the past couple of years, is scheduled to report its Q3 fiscal 2013 earnings on December 4th. We expect the retailer to report another weak quarter, as its underlying problems persist.  We suspect there was poor customer response to its present product offerings, which likely added to the impact of the prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry. During the second quarter of fiscal 2013, Aeropostale’s comparable store sales declined by almost 15% due to heavy promotional activities and low store traffic. The third quarter will likely be weak as well.

Aeropostale’s basic product offerings continue to struggle and its fashion offerings have not been well received. We expect this factor to weigh on the retailer’s third quarter results. The U.S. apparel industry itself is going through a rough phase due to low consumer spending on apparel. We believe that this factor is strong enough to undermine initiatives Aeropostale has made to revive its business. Still, with a look towards the future, we will monitor the retailer’s store consolidation strategy, direct-to-consumer growth, and the performance of its P.S. from Aeropostale brand. Though these efforts are likely to have little noticeable impact on the upcoming results, progress on these fronts will be closely monitored by investors and analysts, as they provide some hope for the company’s long-term growth.

Lately some investment firms have started investing in Aeropostale and there have also been talks of a complete buyout. If the retailer continues to report dismal results in the third quarter, it might strengthen the chances of the company going private.

See our complete analysis for Aeropostale

Poor Customer Response To Product Offerings Will Continue

Prior to the second quarter, Aeropostale was struggling to hold onto its customers due to the lack of fashion content. As U.S. buyers have shown low brand loyalty, they have been readily shifting to brands that provide latest fashion products at affordable prices. This trend has fueled the success of some of the fast fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Forever 21, Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS), Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) etc. On the other hand, it has troubled retailers such as Aeroposatle, American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO) and Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF).

However, to re-position its brand as more fashionable, Aeropostale took some determined steps in Q2 fiscal 2013. The company attempted a complete product overhaul, with a head-to-toe approach as it extended its fashion offerings and added certain new product categories such as footwear. ^[] It started offering trendy products like lacy ruffled tunics, studded combat boots, floral anorak jackets etc., with hopes of attracting customers. Aeroposatle also launched some marketing campaigns to portray the brand as more fashionable, and reduced its lead times to increase the speed to market. ^[]

Despite these efforts, customer response remained cold as these products did not complement Aeropostale’s brand perception. The brand is known to offer basic products such as t-shirts, jeans and hoodies at affordable prices. While the retailer’s idea was to integrate more fashion content in its offerings, it ended up making changes that were too drastic. ^[] Moreover, the pricing of these products did not resonate well with the customers as they were relatively expensive. We do not expect the company to recover from this in a single quarter. Its basic products were already struggling and its fashion content failed to garner sufficient customer attention.

Industry Wide Weak Apparel Sales Will Add To The Retailer’s Miseries

Pressurized by slow job growth, increased taxes, higher healthcare costs and gasoline prices, U.S. buyers have scaled back their discretionary spending this year. Moreover, a percentage of consumers have started diverting their spending to cars and houses to take advantage of the low interest rates. Subsequently, they are holding back on other products such as apparel and accessories. As a result, consumer spending on apparel products has been sluggish so far in the year.

In response to this weakness, several U.S. retailers have ushered heavy promotions to win back customers and Aeroposatle is not an exception. Due to heavy markdowns, players such as American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch have reported a decline of 5% and 14% respectively in their Q3 comparable store sales. Even the growth of some of the stronger performers such as Gap Inc and Urban Outfitters has slowed down. Therefore, we believe that this factor will add to Aeropostale’s existing problems, resulting in another weak quarter for the company.

These Factors Will Be In Focus

As the top-line growth is not looking good for Aeropostale, it is planning to reduce its operating expenses by closing down underperforming stores. At the start of fiscal 2013, the company had planned to close about 15-20 stores by the year end. Half way through the year, it increased this figure to 30-40. Although closing underperforming stores will weigh on Aeropostale’s revenue growth initially, it should have a positive impact on revenue per square feet and EBITDA margins over the longer run. This is essential for the retailer given that its revenue per square feet has been declining and its EBITDA margins are quite low as compared to its peers.

Aeropostale’s direct-to-consumer business has been growing at a healthy pace for some time now and its relatively new brand P.S. from Aeropostale has seen some success. We will keep an eye out for progress on these fronts as they are quite important for the company from long-term perspective. Over the longer-run, they will decide whether or not Aeropostale can generate good returns for its shareholders.

Understand How a Company’s Products Impact its Stock Price at Trefis

Gap

Staples

Cards Against Humanity

Bass Pro

Hollister

'Basketball Wives' star Evelyn Lozada is pregnant - USA TODAY

Olivia Barker, USA TODAY 4:26 p.m. EST November 29, 2013

NFL football player Chad Johnson and reality television star Evelyn Lozada back in 2011.(Photo: Evan Agostini, AP)

SHARE 138 CONNECT EMAILMORE

Evelyn Lozada is finally getting some happiness.

A year after the Basketball Wives star's marriage to NFL Pro Bowler Chad Johnson abruptly imploded after only two months — she accused him of head-butting her, which led to his domestic battery arrest — Lozada is expecting a baby.

"I am so excited to announce a wonderful blessing — I'm pregnant!" the 37-year-old told People.

For now, she's not revealing who the dad is. "I'm excited about being a mommy all over again," Lozada added. (Daughter Shaniece, 20, is from a previous relationship.) "This is something I've been wanting for years, and I can't believe it's finally happening."

TMZ has shots of the VH1 reality star's ample (six-month) baby bump.

Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks

Cabelas

Garth Brooks

Evelyn Lozada

Black Friday: Kmart opens at 6 am Thanksgiving morning - WJLA

(WJLA) - Most Thanksgiving turkeys aren't even out of the oven yet, but some holiday shoppers are already getting Black Friday deals a day early.

Continue reading

Kmart customers got the jump on holiday shopping at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning when the big-box retailer opened its doors. With retailers relying on ever-expanding hours to draw customers, Kmart will remain open for 41 consecutive hours, the longest hours of any of the major stores.

Electronics, often one of the most deeply-discounted items during the sales that surround Thanksgiving, were especially popular at Kmart Thursday morning.

The Hyattsville Kmart sold out of its discounted Android tablets within 15 minutes of opening its doors.

This is what has brought people out on this cold Thanksgiving Day: sales. At 40, 50, and 80-percent off, stores are providing an early chance to get big deals even before the even bigger sales Thursday night and Friday.

We found Andrea Dickson at the Walmart in Bowie, starting her Christmas shopping early.

"It's Thanksgiving, but if you work 40 hours a week and have a young baby, you don't have time -- so you take time whenever you can," she explains.

Others shopping for those last second items for their Thanksgiving dinners had grocery store aisles filled on Thursday.

Ginger Reaves has 20 people coming over for dinner, but she came out to pick up a few things for another big Thanksgiving day tradition: football watching.

"My brother and his kids and my other brother and his kids and their extended family," she says about who's coming.

A big dinner, some football, and eating some more. As she says, it’s the American way.

Meanwhile in Fairfax, neither snow nor rain nor dark of night was able to stop the faithful observers of 'Brown Thursday.'

"We've been here for like 18 hours, since 6 p.m.," says Mostafa Ali from Falls Church.

Outside the Best Buy at both Potomac Yards and Bailey’s Crossroads, 'Brown Thursday' is not for the faint of heart – some early shoppers were already sleeping on the sidewalk.

The Target in Falls Church is offering a deal on the 50-inch Element LED television for $229.

Cards Against Humanity

Cards Against Humanity

finish line

finish line

finish line

Hollister Looks to Sublease Flagship Space at Gateway to Soho - Commercial Observer

Faced with declining sales, the once-trendy teen fashion retailer Hollister is marketing its Soho flagship for sublease.

The surf-themed Abercrombie & Fitch subsidiary signed a 20-year, 42,000-square-foot lease at 600 Broadway in 2007. It attracted gawking passersby with young male door greeters clad in little more than lifeguard trunks and zinc oxide sunscreen. They did not save the store from a massive bedbug infestation in the summer of 2010.

Guarding the door to Hollister’s Soho flagship.

Lois Weiss of The New York Post reported that Laura Pomerantz of Laura Pomerantz Real Estate is handling the assignment for the five-level space owned by Aurora Capital, Bobby Cayre and the Adjmi family . Joanne Podell of Cushman & Wakefield is handling retail leasing for the building. Ownership could find another tenant or buy out the lease currently backed by A&F’s credit.

Hollister opened in 2009, replacing a Pottery Barn and–to the chagrin of sentimentalists–the famed black and white DKNY mural of the pre-9/11 city skyline that monopolized its northern wall. That outdoor canvas–now adorned with the Hollister logo–will soon be mostly obscured by a new six-story mixed-use building being developed by Madison Capital at 606 Broadway.

In the latest quarter, sales at Hollister dropped 16 percent from year-ago levels.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Follow Billy Gray via RSS. bgray@observer.com

Cards Against Humanity

iPad Mini

Evelyn Lozada

finish line

Carters

Forever 21 Black Friday 2013 Sales Are Even More Affordable Than Usual - Huffington Post

The store: Forever 21

The time: Forever 21 is having a Pre-Black Friday Sale beginning Wednesday, November 20, featuring up to 50 percent off select items ($10 off boots!). On Black Friday, Forever 21 will launch its "yellow tag deals" with items starting out as low as $3.00.

The standout deals: According to Forever 21's Twitter, "Arrive early for a chance to receive a discount of 15 percent or 20 percent off your in-store purchase on 11/29."

What we love:

Start browsing: Forever21.com

Can't wait? Get started now...

• ASOS

  <a href="http://www.asos.com/?r=2" target="_hplink">ASOS.com</a>

• The Outnet

  <a href="http://www.theoutnet.com/">TheOutnet.com</a>

• NASTY GAL

  <a href="http://www.nastygal.com" target="_blank">Nasty Gal</a>

• Wildfox

  <a href="http://www.wildfoxcouture.com" target="_blank">Wildfox</a>

• Solestruck

  <a href="http://www.solestruck.com" target="_blank">Solestruck</a>

• Topshop

  <a href="us.topshop.com" target="_blank">Topshop</a>

• Motel Rocks

  <a href="http://www.motelrocks.com" target="_blank">Motel Rocks</a>

• Aldo

  <a href="http://www.aldoshoes.com" target="_blank">Aldo</a>

• J. Crew

  <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp">JCrew.com</a>

• MR PORTER

  <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/" target="_hplink">MrPorter.com</a>

• Zappos

  <a href="http://www.zappos.com/index1.zml" target="_hplink">Zappos.com</a>

• Sephora

  <a href="http://www.sephora.com/" target="_blank">Sephora</a>

• La Garçonne

  <a href="http://lagarconne.com/store/index.htm?">LaGarconne.com</a>

• Gilly Hicks

  <a href="http://www.gillyhicks.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreView?storeId=13607&langId=-1&catalogId=11555" target="_blank">Gilly Hicks</a>

• Singer22

  <a href="http://www.singer22.com/" target="_hplink">Singer22.com</a>

• Miss Selfridge

  <a href="www.missselfridge.com" target="_blank">Miss Selfridge</a>

• Otteny

  <a href="http://otteny.com/" target="_hplink">Otteny.com</a>

• Bona Drag

  <a href="http://bonadrag.com/">BonaDrag.com</a>

• Kiels

  <a href="www.kiels.com" target="_blank"></a>

• Mario Badescu

  <a href="http://www.mariobadescu.com/" target="_blank">Mario Badescu</a>

• Rent The Runway

  <a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/" target="_hplink">RenttheRunway.com</a>

• ModCloth

  <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/" target="_hplink">ModCloth.com</a>

• Pixie Market

  <a href="http://www.pixiemarket.com/">PixieMarket.com</a>

• Zara

  <a href="http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home/us/en/">Zara.com</a>

• Myntra

  <a href="http://www.fitiquette.com/" target="_blank">Myntra</a>

• Bloomingdale's

  <a href="http://www.bloomingdales.com/">Bloomingdales.com</a>

• Nordstrom

  <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/" target="_blank">Nordstrom</a>

• An Introduction to Online Shopping

  In part one of our 10-part video tutorial series offering online holiday shopping advice and perhaps more important, safe online holiday shopping advice, Molly McDonald offers an overview of how to find deals online, finding online coupons, keeping your personal information safe and secure when shopping online, comparing products and reading customer reviews as well as online shopping gotchas to keep an eye out for.

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.

Aeropostale

Carters

Express

Newegg

Aeropostale

Forever 21 Black Friday 2013 Sales Are Even More Affordable Than Usual - Huffington Post

The store: Forever 21

The time: Forever 21 is having a Pre-Black Friday Sale beginning Wednesday, November 20, featuring up to 50 percent off select items ($10 off boots!). On Black Friday, Forever 21 will launch its "yellow tag deals" with items starting out as low as $3.00.

The standout deals: According to Forever 21's Twitter, "Arrive early for a chance to receive a discount of 15 percent or 20 percent off your in-store purchase on 11/29."

What we love:

Start browsing: Forever21.com

Can't wait? Get started now...

• ASOS

  <a href="http://www.asos.com/?r=2" target="_hplink">ASOS.com</a>

• The Outnet

  <a href="http://www.theoutnet.com/">TheOutnet.com</a>

• NASTY GAL

  <a href="http://www.nastygal.com" target="_blank">Nasty Gal</a>

• Wildfox

  <a href="http://www.wildfoxcouture.com" target="_blank">Wildfox</a>

• Solestruck

  <a href="http://www.solestruck.com" target="_blank">Solestruck</a>

• Topshop

  <a href="us.topshop.com" target="_blank">Topshop</a>

• Motel Rocks

  <a href="http://www.motelrocks.com" target="_blank">Motel Rocks</a>

• Aldo

  <a href="http://www.aldoshoes.com" target="_blank">Aldo</a>

• J. Crew

  <a href="http://www.jcrew.com/index.jsp">JCrew.com</a>

• MR PORTER

  <a href="http://www.mrporter.com/" target="_hplink">MrPorter.com</a>

• Zappos

  <a href="http://www.zappos.com/index1.zml" target="_hplink">Zappos.com</a>

• Sephora

  <a href="http://www.sephora.com/" target="_blank">Sephora</a>

• La Garçonne

  <a href="http://lagarconne.com/store/index.htm?">LaGarconne.com</a>

• Gilly Hicks

  <a href="http://www.gillyhicks.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/StoreView?storeId=13607&langId=-1&catalogId=11555" target="_blank">Gilly Hicks</a>

• Singer22

  <a href="http://www.singer22.com/" target="_hplink">Singer22.com</a>

• Miss Selfridge

  <a href="www.missselfridge.com" target="_blank">Miss Selfridge</a>

• Otteny

  <a href="http://otteny.com/" target="_hplink">Otteny.com</a>

• Bona Drag

  <a href="http://bonadrag.com/">BonaDrag.com</a>

• Kiels

  <a href="www.kiels.com" target="_blank"></a>

• Mario Badescu

  <a href="http://www.mariobadescu.com/" target="_blank">Mario Badescu</a>

• Rent The Runway

  <a href="http://www.renttherunway.com/" target="_hplink">RenttheRunway.com</a>

• ModCloth

  <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/" target="_hplink">ModCloth.com</a>

• Pixie Market

  <a href="http://www.pixiemarket.com/">PixieMarket.com</a>

• Zara

  <a href="http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/home/us/en/">Zara.com</a>

• Myntra

  <a href="http://www.fitiquette.com/" target="_blank">Myntra</a>

• Bloomingdale's

  <a href="http://www.bloomingdales.com/">Bloomingdales.com</a>

• Nordstrom

  <a href="http://shop.nordstrom.com/" target="_blank">Nordstrom</a>

• An Introduction to Online Shopping

  In part one of our 10-part video tutorial series offering online holiday shopping advice and perhaps more important, safe online holiday shopping advice, Molly McDonald offers an overview of how to find deals online, finding online coupons, keeping your personal information safe and secure when shopping online, comparing products and reading customer reviews as well as online shopping gotchas to keep an eye out for.

Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.

Academy

Cabelas

Sears

Gap

Academy

Foot Locker Up After 6.4% Sales Increase - Forbes

Log in with your social account:

---

Or, you can log in or sign up using Forbes.

• 
• New Posts +1 posts this hour
• Most Popular Black Friday Survival Guide
• Lists The Business Of Hockey
• Video One World Trade Center
• 

The ONE Stock to Buy in November

Help

|

Connect

|

Sign up

|

Log in

Hollister

Aeropostale

Newegg

Gap

Carters

Cabela's draws a crowd for Black Friday deals - Columbus Dispatch

By  Tim Feran

The Columbus Dispatch Friday November 29, 2013 2:21 PM

An estimated 2,000 people waited patiently in the predawn dark and cold for the first Black Friday at Cabela’s Columbus. The outdoor retailer is one of the stores that decided not to jump the gun on the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.

What did they want? “Camo, ammo, guns — oh, and gift bags,” said Jake Starr of Dublin.

The gift bags were an inducement to arrive early, and the retailer handed out almost $10,000 worth of items in those packs.

The 5 a.m. opening had a party atmosphere despite the cold, as Cabela’s employees rolled out hot drinks and played music — including a festive Duck Dynasty CD, “Duck the Halls.”

Glenn Gomberg, from the West Side of Columbus, was one of the first in line.

“We got here at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, although I came at 9 in the morning to make sure no one had beat us to the front,” Gomberg said.

“I’m going to get a shotgun and a refrigerator. I’m saving like $300 on both.”

The line stretched almost completely around the store and the parking lot was filled to capacity.

So long was the line that Cabela’s opened a few minutes earlier than planned — 4:55 a.m. Unlike some other stores that let a limited number of shoppers in at a time, Cabela’s allowed the vast line to file in, assuming that the size of the store and fast pace of the shopping would keep everything even.

In fact, it was only a few minutes after the doors opened — at 4:58 a.m. — that the first shoppers walked in to the check-out lines, said Derrek Shively, retail marketing manager.

While many in line had stayed up all night, they weren’t planning to shop and go home.

“I got to go to Walmart,” Gomberg said. “I’ve still got to shop for my 3-year-old niece.”

North Face

Forever 21

Cards Against Humanity

Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks

Hotels offer Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals - USA TODAY

The newly renovated Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia is offering its redesigned Business Class rooms for $19.26 on Cyber Monday. Business class rates normally start at $218.(Photo: Tom Crane)

Tags

SHARE 107 CONNECT EMAILMORE

Consumers can get much more than a discounted flat screen TV or tablet on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

In recent years, hotels have also gotten into the spirit of the shopping frenzy on the day and Monday after Thanksgiving.

This year, on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, tons of hotels throughout the country will be offering up to 50% off room rates, some with an amenity or two thrown in.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been lucrative for many hotels.

Alex Attia, general manager of The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., says a Cyber Monday deal generated more than $40,000 of revenue when the hotel first offered it in 2011. Revenue jumped 20% on Cyber Monday the following year.

"For us, the true success has been to really open up availability so guests can actually take advantage," he says. "With the savings and increased availability, we're finding families are booking more and more, taking advantage of our ice rink and other family-friendly winter activities."

Here's a sampling of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals available at hotels throughout the country.

HOTEL TONIGHT

The last-minute hotel booking app is making some changes for the holiday. Typically, hotel deals appear daily on the app at noon. Now, deals are starting at 9 a.m. local time each day. To celebrate the change, HotelTonight is offering rooms for $99 nationwide on Black Friday in such markets as Manhattan, San Francisco, and Chicago.

TWITTER: Follow USA TODAY Travel's Nancy Trejos

MAJOR HOTEL CHAINS

On Cyber Monday, you'll be able to get 30% off room rates at more than 350 participating Marriott hotels across several brands, including JW Marriott and Renaissance Hotels. The hotels are located in a number of cities from New York to San Francisco. Stays must occur between Dec. 20 and March 31.To book, go to marriottcybermonday.com starting at 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 2 and enter the promotional code 16C or call 888-703-9727 and quote the promotional code 16C. There's a limited supply, and a non-refundable advance purchase must be made by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 2. Comments? Share it on Twitter with #MarriottDeal.

Omni Hotels is launching a "Click Quick " Cyber Monday promotion at nearly all its 60 properties in North America. Guests who book starting at 1:01 a.m. EST on Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 will get 40% off nightly rates. Members of Omni's Select Guest loyalty program can get a head start with members-only early access to the deal beginning today. The offer applies to stays through Dec. 30. The Omni Berkshire Place in Manhattan will extend the stay to mid-January. The offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with other offers. Guests can book at omnihotels.com or call 800-The-Omni.

Loews Hotels and Resorts are giving travelers four days to book discounted rates. From 12:01 a.m. EST Nov. 29 through 3 a.m. Dec. 3--Big Deal Cyber Weekend, as the hotel company is calling it –travelers can book rooms for up to 40% off the best available rate. Bookings apply for travel from Nov. 29 through April 3 and included free Internet access. To book, visit loewshotels.com.

Red Roof Inn, an economy hotel chain, is offering 30% off rooms at more than 350 properties nationwide through Feb. 28. Book on Cyber Monday at redroof.com/partners/cyber_monday/ using the code 616892. You can also call 800-RED-ROOF (800-733-7663). Blackout dates may apply. You cannot combine the deal with any other promotions.

READ MORE: Thanksgiving dinners with a twist in Vegas
ALSO ONLINE: Where to find the best outlet shopping

NEW YORK

The Jade, a Greenwich Village hotel with a Gatsby-like vibe, is offering a 1920's-themed Cyber Monday package. Book a standard room from midnight to 7:20 p.m. (or 19:20) on December 2, and you'll pay $192 a night in January and February plus taxes. You'll also get lunch at Grape & Vine for $19.20 in addition to two complimentary 1920's themed cocktails. A look at a weeknight stay in January shows rooms ranging from $255 to $380. Book at thejadenyc.com/?ibe=true&pc=CYBERMON.

Book a room at Triumph Hotels' six properties on Cyber Monday in New York for two or more nights through March and you'll get 30% off. From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST, you'll get 50% off premium rooms and suites also through March. Properties are located all over Manhattan, from the Upper West Side to Midtown, where the Iroquois New York is located. Book at triumphhotels.com.

THE OUT NYC, close to Broadway and Times Square, will shave 25% off room rates for Jan. 2 through March 20 if you book on Cyber Monday. Private rooms on a weeknight in January range from $199 to $359. You also get a $20 voucher for The Spa at THE OUT NYC, two complimentary tickets to the off-Broadway production "Hot Mess Drag Revue," and two welcome cocktails at KTCHN Restaurant. There are some blackout dates such as Super Bowl weekend. Reservations will also be charged at the time of booking and are non-refundable. Book at theoutnyc.com/specials/.

At the Z NYC Hotel in Long Island City , you can get 20% off regular room rates if you book between the hours of 2:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. on Cyber Monday. The offer includes two complimentary cocktails and is available for stays from Jan. 2 to March 31. Rates in January range from $129 to $215. Black-out dates include Jan. 1 and Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, around the SuperBowl. To book, dial 212-319-7000 and mention CYBER MONDAY or visit zhotelny.com and use the code CYBR.

PHILADELPHIA

The newly converted Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel, Philadelphia is offering its redesigned Business Class rooms for $19.26, a number chosen for the year the hotel opened. Rooms can be booked at 12 a.m. Cyber Monday for 24 hours or until sold out. Business class rates normally start at $218. The deal is limited to one reservation per person. A maximum of two nights is required for stays through Feb. 28. Blackout dates may apply. The room comes with early check-in privileges, Nespresso machines, upgraded bathroom amenities, turndown service, and access to the Lounge with complimentary breakfast and evening refreshments. To book, visit radissonblu.com/hotel-philadelphia/offers/steal.

CAMBRIDGE

Stat at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square for 20% off the best available rate if you book on Cyber Monday. For one hour, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST on Cyber Monday, you'll get 50% off room rates. The deal applies to stays from Dec. 2 to March 31. Blackout dates apply. Book at charleshotel.com.

CHICAGO

Starting Cyber Monday until Dec. 9, if you book two nights at the Thompson Chicago, you'll get a third night free for stays from Dec. 2 through Feb. 28. The offer applies to a Superior King Room for two. It includes a greeted arrival at the airport, complimentary private airport transportation to and from the hotel, and a special welcome amenity, for a total cost of $549 before taxes. For reservations, visit thompsonchicago.com and use the promo code CYBERM2013.

TUCSON

Reserve a room at the Tanque Verde Ranch for four or more nights and get 50% off the starting rate. The southwestern styled rooms come with three meals a day, a supervised children's program for ages 4 to 11, and on-property activities ranging from horseback riding to mountain biking through desert trails. This deal is valid for stays from Nov. 29 through March 10. Book at tanqueverderanch.com.

SAN FRANCISCO

At the Hotel Abri in Union Square, if you book on Black Friday from midnight through 11:59 p.m. PST, you'll get a room for $99. Starting rates are typically $154 a night. The rate is valid on stays from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31. The offer is valid on weekdays, and blackout days apply. Book at hotelabrisf.com.

SHARE 107 CONNECT EMAILMORE

Steam

Turkey Temperature

NFL

Detroit Lions

Turkey Gravy Recipe

NFL announces trio of dates of next year's London games - CBSSports.com

Wembley Stadium will play host to three NFL games next season. (USATSI)

With not one, not two, but three (!) NFL games to be played next season in London, the NFL has announced the dates those international contests will be played.

They are as follows:

Week 4 on Sept. 28: Raiders vs. the Dolphins

Week 8 on Oct. 26: Falcons vs. Lions

Week 10 on Nov. 9: Cowboys vs. the Jaguars

All games will be played at Wembley Stadium.

"Our fans in the UK continue to demonstrate their passion for more football," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement last month. “Next year for the first time we will play three regular-season games in London. We have scheduled three attractive games with four teams playing in their first International Series game. The growing enthusiasm for the NFL internationally is exciting and we look forward to continuing to respond to this interest in our game.”

Follow Josh Katzowitz on Google+

Steam

Butterball Turkey

Turkey Gravy Recipe

Detroit Lions

Butterball Turkey

Ruth Ann's chef shares family gravy recipe - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Last year, Ruth Ann's Restaurant owner Mary Heisey got a call from a Fort Benning official begging her to open the eatery on Thanksgiving Day.

Three classes at Fort Benning were graduating on Wednesday and the soldiers were only getting two days off. That was not enough time for most of them to get home for Thanksgiving, which meant their families were coming to Columbus.

Heisey said her staff was enthusiastic about opening and the restaurant, a favorite of military personnel, was busy for the four hours it opened.

Then something funny happened while they were open.

The phone kept ringing.

"People were calling, asking how to make gravy and asking turkey questions," she said.

Her sister, Lisa Kean, the restaurant's head chef, laughed and said maybe they should open a Thanksgiving Day hotline.

Of course, Heisey couldn't give the recipe over the phone repeatedly. She finally told people to come to the restaurant and she would sell them the gravy.

This year, the restaurant will be closed, but Kean is sharing her family's turkey gravy recipe.

It's the one her mother, Ruth Ann, cooked for the family and continues to make. Kean has been making it in the restaurant for almost 18 years.

Heisey has been making the gravy since she was a child.

"I hope people make good gravy for their family this year," Kean said. "It's very simple."

Ruth Ann's Turkey Gravy

• 1 cup celery, diced

• 1 cup onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

• 4 sticks of butter (or margarine), melted

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour

• 48 ounces of chicken stock

• 48 ounces of turkey stock

• Melt the butter, making sure it's not scorched.

• In a six-quart pot, saute the celery and onion in a little butter until translucent. Add the pepper and dried parsley flakes and mix well. Take off the stove.

• In a medium-sized bowl, add the melted butter and flour and mix very well, until the consistency is stiff. This will be the roux.

• Add the chicken and turkey stocks to the pot with the vegetables. (Make the turkey stock using the liquid in the pan after roasting the turkey. Scrape the bottom of the pan and add water and simmer for an hour or so.)

• Bring it to a hard, roiling boil.

• Start adding the roux. Let it continue to boil to the consistency you want, adding more roux for a thicker gravy.

This recipe makes about two quarts.

Thanksgiving football

apple pie

Best Black Friday Deals 2013

How To Carve A Turkey

Walmart Black Friday

Walmart's Black Friday Going About As Badly As You'd Expect - Huffington Post

Get Business Newsletters:

The above video was taken at a Walmart in Johnson City, Tenn., according to Instagram user jcooper770. Such instances weren't limited to a single Walmart store, according to various Internet users:

Walmart spokesperson Brooke Buchanan told The Huffington Post such incidents don't accurately depict what she describes as a successful Black Friday for the retailer.

"We've got great feedback from customers and associates across the country," Buchanan told The Huffington Post. "A few tweets aren't representative of what's actually happening at 4,600 stores."

Also on HuffPost:

Related News On Huffington Post:

Filed by Maxwell Strachan  | 

Detroit Lions

Thanksgiving football

comet ISON

Calvin Johnson

Butterball Turkey

Detroit Lions bash Green Bay Packers for division lead - NFL.com

There are blowouts, there are embarrassments and then there's what the Detroit Lions did to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving at Ford Field.

This was complete and utter destruction at a nearly historic level. The Lions wiped out their division rivals, 40-10, and even that score feels misleading in terms of how one-sided this was.

It's a game that re-establishes the Lions as a contender in the NFC, while throwing into question the entire makeup of a Packers team that has cratered without Aaron Rodgers.

When Kevin Ogletree pulled in a one-handed touchdown catch to complete the scoring with less than five minutes to play, the Lions held a 563-56 edge in total yards. 563-56! Reminder: This was a real game between two actual NFL franchises competing for victory.

The final breakdown was 561-126, a difference of 435 yards that represented the greatest yardage discrepancy in eight years, just beating out the 432-yard advantage the New Orleans Saints held over the Dallas Cowboys in their Week 10 laugher.

It had been nine years since the Lions had won on Thanksgiving. They broke that nasty losing streak while giving a national audience a nice picture of what they're all about.

They had a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard receiver, a 100-yard rusher (and nearly a second). They sacked Matt Flynn seven times and forced three turnovers. But the Lions also turned the ball over four times themselves, missed a chip-shot field goal and sent two kickoffs out of bounds.

Explosive play. Head-scratching mistakes. It's all there with the Lions. They're a tough team to figure out. Just ask the Packers.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

Frys

Cyber Monday

Frys

Frys

Austin Mahone

250GB Xbox 360, PS3 bundles for $187 at Fry's on Black Friday - GameSpot

American electronics retailer Fry's has announced its Black Friday gaming deals, revealing significant markdowns for console bundles and numerous new releases.

Check out a breakdown of the deals below and be sure to look at our comprehensive Black Friday gaming deals roundup feature for information on the best deals available this Friday.

All deals are good in-store only. Fry's does not have as large a footprint as other big-box retailers, only operating stores in nine states across the United States. Head to the Fry's website to find the store closest to you.

Hardware:

250GB PlayStation 3 bundle with The Last of Us and Batman: Arkham Origins for $187.

250GB Xbox 360 bundle with Tomb Raider and Halo 4 for $187.

PlayStation Vita for $167.

Nintendo 3DS Luigi's Mansion bundle for $139.

NVIDIA Shield 16GB system for $250.

Wii U 8GB Basic bundle with Nintendo Land and Skylanders Swap Force Starter Pack for $300.

Camouflage Xbox 360 wireless controller for $35.

DualShock 3 controller for $35.

Subscriptions:

One-year PlayStation Plus subscription for $28.

Three-month Xbox Live Gold subscription for $15.

Games:

Choice of Call of Duty: Ghosts, NBA 2K14, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, WWE 2K14, Diablo III, or The Elder Scrolls Collection for $40.

Choice of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, Saints Row IV, The Last of Us, Batman: Arkham Origins, or The Bureau: XCOM Declassified for $30.

Choice of The Walking Dead Season One (PS Vita), Dishonored Game of the Year Edition, Killzone: Mercenary, Dragon's Crown, or Shin Megami Tensei IV (3DS) for $25.

Choice of Dead Island: Riptide, BioShock Infinite, Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, or StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty for $20.

Choice of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Call of Duty: Black Ops, Tomb Raider, Sleeping Dogs, or The Hitman Collection for $15.

Check out the full Fry's Black Friday ad for more information.

Filed under:

Xbox 360

PlayStation 3

Cooking Turkey

Butterball Turkey

How To Carve A Turkey

Turkey Temperature

Steam

Detroit Lions bash Green Bay Packers for division lead - NFL.com

There are blowouts, there are embarrassments and then there's what the Detroit Lions did to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving at Ford Field.

This was complete and utter destruction at a nearly historic level. The Lions wiped out their division rivals, 40-10, and even that score feels misleading in terms of how one-sided this was.

It's a game that re-establishes the Lions as a contender in the NFC, while throwing into question the entire makeup of a Packers team that has cratered without Aaron Rodgers.

When Kevin Ogletree pulled in a one-handed touchdown catch to complete the scoring with less than five minutes to play, the Lions held a 563-56 edge in total yards. 563-56! Reminder: This was a real game between two actual NFL franchises competing for victory.

The final breakdown was 561-126, a difference of 435 yards that represented the greatest yardage discrepancy in eight years, just beating out the 432-yard advantage the New Orleans Saints held over the Dallas Cowboys in their Week 10 laugher.

It had been nine years since the Lions had won on Thanksgiving. They broke that nasty losing streak while giving a national audience a nice picture of what they're all about.

They had a 300-yard passer, a 100-yard receiver, a 100-yard rusher (and nearly a second). They sacked Matt Flynn seven times and forced three turnovers. But the Lions also turned the ball over four times themselves, missed a chip-shot field goal and sent two kickoffs out of bounds.

Explosive play. Head-scratching mistakes. It's all there with the Lions. They're a tough team to figure out. Just ask the Packers.

The "Around The League Podcast" is now available on iTunes! Click here to listen and subscribe.

Microsoft Store

Best Black Friday Deals 2013

Best Buy Black Friday

apple pie

Frys