When I was buying counterfeit NFL jerseys at the Traders World flea market last summer, I never knew I was funding organized crime. I bought the jerseys because they cost hundreds less and fit my 6-foot-5 frame better than the authentic jerseys they sell at the mall. But after vendors at Traders World were raided and charged with felonies by police in January, I’ve decided I need to reconsider my penny pinching ways. During the four days leading up to the NBA All-Star game last month, U.S. Immigration... [Read more...]

It’s no secret that in America a few large companies own most of the business in any given industry.  It’s hard to imagine that a world with Disney, Sony, Clear Channel and Google can have anything relevant to offer in a local setting.  At least we’ve got our local news, right? Sort of. Dayton has a few options for citywide news like WDTN and WKEF or the Dayton Business Journal.  However, each of these companies is owned by a larger company that’s not even based in Ohio, let alone in Dayton. ... [Read more...]

Home to Orville and Wilbur Wright, Dayton might become the next gateway to a different type of aviation: The flying car. On Feb. 17, the Dayton Daily News and the Dayton Business Journal reported Terrafugia Inc. is showing interest in moving its production to Dayton. The articles said the company is considering a $4.4 million offer to move its business to the Gem City. The Dayton Business Journal reported that the company would decide its future in six to eight weeks. Founded in 2006, Terrafugia’s... [Read more...]

It’s a new decade.  Time for a new census and a new batch of controversy. This year there are concerns that the White House will be overseeing the census instead of the Commerce Department.  The mere mention of the census director working “closely with White House senior management” has many Republicans crying foul, going so far as to threaten legal action if the president proceeds with his plan. However, the GOP is at the center of its own census controversy.  A fundraising mailer from... [Read more...]

In the biggest advertising day of the year, businesses shell out huge lumps of cash to showcase their products during the largest television event of the year: the Super Bowl. Purchasing a 30-second ad during Super Bowl XLIV cost around $3 million, according to i4u.com. One business that has had a history of spending millions on Super Bowl advertising is Budweiser. I’m sure we all remember the Budweiser frogs and the “wassup” guys. While watching the Super Bowl with a few friends, we noticed... [Read more...]

As I looked out my bedroom window on Tuesday, Feb. 9, a feeling of joy overcame me when I saw my car and the roads covered in snow. After staying up until 3 a.m. the previous night studying for a crucial biology test I had the following day, I quickly confirmed the snowstorm a miracle since there was no doubt Sinclair Community College would be closed. Clearly, my assumption was a bit premature. More than 380 closings or delays were reported to Whiotv.com at 9 a.m. including local schools like Centerville,... [Read more...]