PHILADELPHIA – The venerable S.S. United States appears headed for the dreaded scrapper in Alang. Once the pride of Virginia (and the nation) the stately ship has no buyer, and NCL does not want to restore her. If you don’t think it can’t happen, just remember what happened to theMORE HERE
MARSEILLES – CMA CGM, the French shipping line, is seeking a fresh capital injection from groups like Louis Dreyfus and Butler Capital Partners, according to the Financial Times. The company is one of the more interesting in maritime circles, as it is led by Lebanese-born entrepreneur Jacques Saade and isMORE HERE
In December, US Mills, the former maker of Farina breakfast cereal, sold brands that included Erewhon, Uncle Sam, Skinner’s Raisin Bran (founded 1926) and New Morning to the company Attune Foods, makers of health food bars. (Farina was sold to Malt-O-Meal.) The best known of the brands is Uncle Sam, which isMORE HERE
BRADENTON – Pepsico CEO Indra K. Nooyi appeared on CNBC after Davos, talking about how the company was seeking healthier options for snack foods. Pepsico was going healthy. Really healthy, which would bring to mind new versions of Quaker Oats or some such. But when BrandlandUSA spotted these Tropicana tangerinesMORE HERE
A few bits of stuff we’ve seen in recent days: Tang: What’s the deal with “New” Tang. Granted, we haven’t purchased Tang in years, nor have we actually seen Tang sold. We would submit to our friends at Kraft that if you don’t advertise it, you can’t sell it. AndMORE HERE
Jack Tar Marine Finishes marine paint is an enduring enamel alkyd paint for marine, metal and pipes. It’s made by BLP Mobile Paints of Mobile, Alabama. Their main product is Jack Tar Yacht Deck Enamel. They also have an “olive drab” paint for skiffs. Their product sheets say that theMORE HERE
Pickup collecting is gaining favor as 1970s muscle car prices have gone too high for new collectors. The Wall Street Journal has profiled the top 25 collectible pickup trucks, though any older pickup is now hot, including, at right, the Chevrolet 3100. Brands include the early British Morris Minor pickups,MORE HERE
A few months ago, artist Tammy Trent talked about Sept. 11, 2001, which for her was also the day she found out her husband had died in a diving accident. She was in Kingston, Jamaica, and crying alone in her hotel room, praying for help. In walked a housekeeper, whoMORE HERE
We are indebted to the writer Abby Tayleure and music website NME for counting up the brands in Lady Gaga and Beyonce’s odd little “Telephone” video. That way, we didn’t have to watch it all. It’s a nasty, nasty video, filled with prison sex and four-letter words. So we wereMORE HERE
Some items from the headlines, and files: The Plymouth brand has been getting an “Old Fashioned” bit of exposure in the new Bacon & Blue ad for Wendy’s. The ad is getting some great airtime, pleasing Mopar fans to no end. It looks to be a 1969 Belvedere in theMORE HERE