PR Newswire Broadcast Minute for Wednesday February 2, 2005

PR Newswire Broadcast Minute for Wednesday February 2, 2005

One-in-Five Workers Plan to Bet on Super Bowl Pools at the Office Twenty-two percent of U-S workers say they plan to join in Super Bowl office pools this year, according to a new survey by CareerBuilder.com, the nation's largest online job network. While 39 percent of workers expect the payout for the Super Bowl winner at their office will be one hundred dollars or less, 61 percent expect to potentially win more than one hundred dollars and 15 percent anticipate the prize will exceed five hundred dollars. More than one-third of workers report they have entered a Super Bowl office pool in the past. Men were more likely to take part with 45 percent placing bets, compared to 31 percent of women.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2864846

$14 Million Lottery Jackpot Expires

A full year after the initial drawing on January 31, 2004, the largest unclaimed jackpot in Illinois Lottery history officially expired Monday night at 12 midnight. While many people attempted to claim the prize, the winning ticket was never presented for validation and the prize money will become part of the Lottery's contribution to the State Common School Fund which supports K-12 public education in Illinois. According to Lottery rules, players have one year from the date of the drawing to claim their prize and must submit a claim form and the original winning ticket for verification before receiving their money.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2866187

Valentine's Day Tips - Top Ten Most Outrageously Expensive Valentine's Gifts

With U-S consumer debt surpassing a staggering 1 point 7 trillion dollars, America is gearing up for another expensive Valentine's Day, according to financial author and former Price Waterhouse C-P-A, Jim Trippon. The National Retail Federation says Americans will spend nearly one hundred dollars on average for Valentine's Day this year. Given credit card rates often at 24 percent, and assuming minimum payments, Trippon says this year's day of love will cost the average American Cupid closer to 13-hundred dollars when interest and finance charges are included. Here is this year's top 10 list of the outrageously expensive Valentine's Gifts from Trippon's website: www.stayrichforever.com:

1. Diamond encrusted Millennium Bra by Victoria's Secret $10 million
2. Custom Stuart Weitzman Designer Shoes $1,594,505 Harrods of London
3. Gianni Vive Sulman Watch $520,000
4. Perpetua Watch Winder $3,295 (for the $520,000 watch)
5. Jill Dyball crystal and diamond bridal bouquet $350,000
6. Wilson Audio Modular Monitor Music Speakers $225,000
7. Designer Cell Phone from David Morris International, of London
$104,050
8. Gianni Vive Sulman Parfum VI -- Perfume $88,698
9. One night in the Imperial Suite at President Wilson Hotel in Geneva,
Switzerland $33,000
10. Golden Opulence Ice Cream Sundae -- Serendipity Restaurant, New York,
$1,000



Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2865565

Johnny Carson Death, One of Most-Searched Celebrity Passings; Tsunami Continues to Drive Search Activity, as One of Top News Stories in Recent Years

Lycos reports the death of late night talk show giant Johnny Carson has generated more search activity with web users than any other celebrity death over the past several months. Searches on Lycos for Carson soared more than eight hundred percent in the first 24 hours following news of his death, and although search activity has dipped slightly, overall searches for Carson during this past week make him one of the most-searched celebrity passings since the death of former President Ronald Regan in June 2004. Prior to President Regan's death, singer Maurice Gibb's death spurred more search activity than any rock and roll passing tracked by The Lycos 50, with the exception of George Harrison. It is very rare for a celebrity death to spend two weeks on The Lycos 50, and only a few big names have held America's interest long enough -- Lisa Lopes, Aaliyah, George Harrison, porn star Linda Lovelace, Wendy's Restaurant founder Dave Thomas, John Ritter, and Johnny Cash. But the one celebrity death which continues to hold the record for stirring the most online interest is Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has generated more search activity than any other celebrity death in the history of The Lycos 50.

Full story at: http://media.prnewswire.com/en/jsp/main.jsp?resourceid=2865712

The PR Newswire Broadcast Minute is available by email at no charge to members of the media who sign up for PR Newswire for Journalists ( http://www.prnewswire.com/media ). For more information, contact Rob Fisher at 408-365-8793 or email rob.fisher@prnewswire.com .

PRNewswire -- Feb. 2


Source: PR Newswire


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