Deal Seeking Mom Blogsite

Looking for a deal at your favorite local stores?  Well check out the Deal Seeking Mom Blogsite started by Tara Kucykowski a busy mom of 5 and otherwise known on the web as @DealSeekingMom on Twitter or directly on her site at http://www.dealseekingmom.com/

Joe Jonas Wears Leotard, Heels for 'Ladies'

Watch out Beyonce we have another one to add to the fray. Joe Jonas has strapped on a black leotard and high heels to spoof the 'Single Ladies' video. Because of his endearing personality and flailing, unscripted dance moves, this video may rival Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg's version from 'SNL.'

Struggling Soaps Seek New Niche

Nets Work to Maintain Audiences, Ratings and Quality

Soap operas may be borrowing from one of their favorite plot lines--patient is in a coma, on life support, hanging on by a thread--but they aren't dead yet, and networks and studios are working to find ways to keep the genre viable.

Most recently, the cancellation of "Guiding Light" on CBS renewed fears that daytime TV dramas are fated to be written out of television's scheduling script.

"I think daytime soap operas as we know them--the regular five-day-a-week, long-running serialized stories--are going to be a quaint vestige of yesteryear," said television historian Tim Brooks, co-author of "The Complete Directory to Prime Time and Cable TV Shows." "I don't think they have a future in that form."

Even though daytime audiences have dwindled, advertisers still covet those highly engaged and loyal audiences that are still watching. The question is whether the genre can overcome the social changes that have led to soaps' difficulties, particularly the migration of female audiences away from the TV during the day.

So how can the soap genre be brought back to life?  Some of the experts in the field  have zeroed in on the top ways networks and studios have been exploring to keep the genre alive, and what to look for before another long-standing title is cut.

1. Explore online video as a delivery method and marketing tool.

Taking a nod from prime-time content delivery online, ABC ("All My Children," "General Hospital," "One Life to Live"), CBS ("The Bold and the Beautiful," "Guiding Light," "The Young and the Restless,") and NBC ("Days of Our Lives") all offer online access to their daytime staples, whether as clips or full episodes. Offering content online ensures that dedicated fans can stay up to date with the shows and remain loyal to the series, while the network and its site reap the benefits of those viewer numbers.

"It's never been easier to watch a television show, with all the digital technology available," noted Ed Martin, a TV critic for JackMyers.com and blogger for the Huffington Post who covers daytime dramas. "I'm not sure overall the situation is as dire as people thinks it is, it's just that people are watching shows in crazy ways that aren't being measured."

Online access to content can also help increase title awareness through the viral explosion of a particular clip or storyline, such as the Luke and Noah storyline on "As the World Turns." The fan channel LukeVanFan on YouTube, dedicated to providing updates on the gay characters' love story, has drawn over 3 million channel views, with its most popular clip nearing 2 million viewers to date.

2. Increase audience reach through cable network distribution.

Disney-ABC Television Group's SoapNet airs ABC's "AMC," "GH" and "OLTL" in addition to NBC's "Days" and CBS' "YATR" and some of the other networks' daytime dramas throughout the day, including prime time. That allows access for viewers who aren't watching during traditional daytime hours.

According to Brian Frons, Disney-ABC TV Group president of daytime, viewership on SoapNet accounts for about 25% of those titles' total impressions.

Using cable as a means to maintain or possibly increase viewership, however, may not be the solution for those titles that are struggling more than others.

"I think that if you took a successful soap to the right [cable] network that had broad distribution, high CPMs and a high subscriber fee, it certainly could work," said Mr. Frons. "I think if you have weak show, and it's weak on broadcast, then it'll be weak on cable."

Mr. Frons said Disney-ABC has no plans to move any of its soap operas exclusively to cable.

3. Keep story quality as priority No. 1.

While exploring different delivery methods and production models is important, it is vital that the writing quality doesn't decline, alienating viewers.

"It's all about the writing," said Jonathan Reiner, Emmy-winning writer for "Starting Over" and former editor at TV Guide Online and Soap Opera Weekly. "One of the reasons 'Guiding Light's' revamp failed is because the writing was too weak to overcome the amateurish production values. It really is all about the writing--the characters, the emotions, the relationships and the payoffs."

In the late 1970s, the advent of the Luke and Laura rape-turns-romance story line on ABC's "General Hospital" changed the game for daytime soaps and the way the genre told its stories. The show became a phenomenon through its controversial storylines. Some 30 years later, however, audiences may view those as clichéd topics.

4. Find new ways to expand the creative talent pool.

Bringing new writing and creative talent to daytime dramas seems like a quick way to bring a fresh voice to any title, but it is very difficult due to the nature of these shows' production models.

It's difficult to find new talent that can begin contributing to stories if they don't already know the extensive and intricate backgrounds of many of the characters. To begin anew and disregard the past would be insulting to viewers and potentially drive away more of them. The five-day-a-week episode model is also difficult, and it takes a certain kind of writer that can successfully work under those constraints.

5. Cut costs of production without sacrificing quality.

While it is important to retain characters on any series for the sake of story continuity, it becomes expensive for soaps to keep some of their long-time personalities on the show.

Some soaps, however, are finding themselves letting go of on-screen talent left and right for the sake of cutting costs, in addition to scaling back on location shoots and using fewer sets.

There will be a point of diminishing returns, however, when cuts can no longer be made without damaging a program's quality.

"Guiding Light" changed its presentation model to a hand-held, grittier and more realistic feel--an experiment in budget reduction that failed--and "Light" paid for that choice with the ultimate cost.

6. Leave soap operas alone entirely.

As one industry insider noted, it may be that the only way to keep the genre alive is to leave all shows alone, especially when the reasons for all drops in viewers may be completely out of networks' and producers' control.

"For all the DVRs, and the taping, and the SoapNet--attempts to find ways to move them around--the problem is that women, the target audience, don't have the time to devote to [soaps]," said Mr. Brooks. "When something is in decline, it might be unrealistic to say you can restore it to its previous glory, but you can delay its decline--you can stabilize it sometimes. The underlying social changes would be very difficult to reverse."

Banned Jack in The Box commercial

I'm loving this Jack in The Box Commercial

Who's creepier: Jack in the Box or The King?

Both of these fast food mascots will haunt your dreams. The masks they wear, the way they don't talk much (if at all), the way they show up in unexpected ways. It's like getting Jason Vorhees to be the mascot for Dunkin' Donuts. Here are two recent commercials. Let us know which one gets the "creepier" nod.

GM Bankruptcy 101

What You Need To Know -

Below is some information on the GM Bankruptcy in case any readers were wondering what this means to you...

What does bankruptcy mean? Is GM out of business? No, GM is not out of business. Within the framework of the bankruptcy, a "new" GM will continue to function and take on the assets of the old one. The automaker, however, is expected to close 14 plants and restructure its operations while protected from some of its most costly contracts, creditor's demands for repayment, and other financial obligations. It will now try to shed many of its obligations permanently. Under current plans, it will not be publicly traded during the bankruptcy.

How long will the process last? GM intends to undergo a Chrysler-style "surgical" bankruptcy, but it will still take at least 60 to 90 days. The process is designed to make the automaker viable as quickly as possible while allowing it to maintain its value as a manufacturer and to become a more efficient competitor. But GM is a much larger and more complex company than Chrysler is, and, as a result, it could take longer to emerge.

Have any other car companies gone through bankruptcy and come out successfully?  Before this year, no major U.S. car company had ever gone through a bankruptcy. Once they are in mortal danger, automakers typically stop production or merge with a larger firm (as AMC did with Chrysler Corp. in 1987.) Ford Motor Co. was in dire straits after World War II, but it pulled out of its nose-dive with the help of a strong postwar market and a now-legendary, top-flight management team known as "the Whiz Kids." There hasn't been a bankruptcy since the early days of motoring due to fears that consumers won't buy cars from a bankrupt company.

What about other major non-automotive companies?  The record is mixed. United Airlines is one of the best-known U.S. firms to come out of bankruptcy. It filed in 2002 and emerged four years later, but not without drastic cuts. By contrast, Bethlehem Steel, once the second-largest U.S. steel producer, was dissolved in 2003 about two years after filing for bankruptcy. In one of the most famous cases in recent years, energy trader Enron went into bankruptcy in 2001 and then sold or spun off many of its assets, following years of accounting fraud. Now wrapping up its liquidation, it has basically ceased to exist.

What happens to my warranty? GM and its dealers are required to honor warranties, and the Obama administration is already backing up these programs up with a portion of its $50 billion aid package for the auto industry. So the automaker will be able to reimburse dealers for replacement parts and warranty work on your vehicle. And even if your dealership is one of the more than 2,000 closing by 2010, you can still go to another GM facility to have warranty work done. It would be good to safeguard your maintenance records, however. Your vehicle has to be maintained to company standards to be eligible for warranty repairs, and you might have a hard time proving that it was if your records are not available to you.

How much of GM is now owned by the government? The federal government is due to own about 60 percent of GM, the Canadian government 12.5, and the UAW union 17.5 percent. Bondholders are scheduled to take a 10 percent stake in the new GM, but their share could rise to 25 percent.

What incentives on GM vehicles can consumers expect during the bankruptcy? Expect higher cash rebates and/or more generous financing deals. Dealers will have to sweeten their offers to move new vehicles off their lots. During the first month of the Chrysler bankruptcy, the cash rebates on most models were up $500, to as much as $3,000 or $3,500. One example: The incentive on a Dodge Grand Caravan went from $1,500 to $2,000. "A 33 percent increase in rebates is significant," said Tom Libby, an independent auto analyst in Detroit. Some industry analysts even believe that as much as $5,000 to $10,000 could come off the price of some models. They suggest shopping at the dealerships that are closing to get some of the best deals.

How will the bankruptcy affect the resale value of my used GM vehicle? Resale value will decline substantially, if the track record for Chrysler's vehicles during its first month of bankruptcy is any indication. According to the Automotive Leasing Guide, the projected resale value of Chrysler vehicles after three years fell by an average of six percentage points after the automaker filed for bankruptcy. If a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu were to drop at that rate, it would be worth $6,568 instead of $7,864 in 2012. But resale values could rise again if GM's restructuring proves successful.

How will the bankruptcy affect the availability of replacement parts?  GM is obligated to make parts available to its dealers and customers. But the bankruptcy does put parts availability at risk, particularly if it lasts for months. Supplier bankruptcies and shutdowns are already rippling across the country. GM depends on contractors for most of its original and replacement parts. As the bankruptcy interrupts the flow of cash they need for their operations, they may shut production down. But the damage won't be limited to GM. Auto suppliers are highly interconnected, with each other and every automaker in the U.S.

Will the cost of insurance for GM vehicles rise? The American Insurance Association says it is hard to predict insurance rates for GM products, given the complexity of its bankruptcy. In general, however, shortages of replacement parts could push up their prices. Since vehicle components represent half the cost of repairs after an accident, this could in turn put pressure on insurance rates. Consumers may be better off if their insurer allows the use of non-manufacturer parts for repair work after a crash. A number already do, although sometimes just for older vehicles.

What model lines are likely to survive the GM downsizing? GM has already announced it will eliminate its Pontiac brand and plans to sell or shut down Saturn, Saab and Hummer. But GM is keeping its Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC lines and is likely to make product decisions based on sales, fuel economy and profit per vehicle. The new federal fuel economy standards may force GM to keep cars like the Chevrolet Aveo and Cobalt in its lineup. High-profit Cadillacs, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups are likely to survive, as are GM's contenders in hotly contested segments, such as midsize cars. For example, it would be difficult to imagine GM doing without a Chevrolet Malibu in that arena. Even some classic SUVs could survive due to their high profit margins, Libby said.

Is Britney Spears' Agent Jason Trawick Her New Man?

Has Britney Spears finally found the guy who can fill ex-husband Kevin Federline's flip-flops?

Spears and agent Jason Trawick have been spending more and more quality time together, according to celebrity photography site x17online.com.

Spears has a history of hooking up with her employees: K-Fed was her backup dancer before he became her lead partner.

With her career back in full swing, with her Circus tour and successful guest spots on "How I Met Your Mother," Trawick is obviously earning his 10 percent.