Brilliant... or Not: Week of July 21, 2008

InBev buys Anheuser-Busch for a cool $52 billion... in cash.
While everyone's fixated on China and the Middle East, the Dutch have been quietly putting euros in their piggy bank waiting for the right deal to come along. And boy did they find one in Anheuser-Busch! It's such a good deal... it's almost too good. If I were a head honcho in the Federal Reserve, I'd make sure that this whole sub-prime thing wasn't caused by some crafty people in the Netherlands (just kidding Holland).

Let's give St. Louis-ians (sp?) ? some time to mourn... ok, moving on. Listen, Budweiser is the #1 beer in the world. It will still be brewed by the same people in the same breweries. It will still be available anywhere in the world where beer is sold (if not more places) and it will still be judged mediocre by beer aficionados. Think of it this way, there are far more important things to be worried about, like oil prices and the new President.

The Abu Dhabi Chrysler Building?
The Chrysler Building holds a special place in our heart as a beautiful example of Art Deco. Now, it's just a beautiful example of Art Deco architecture that belongs to someone else...

While Abu Dhabi Investment Council now owns 90% of the building (for $800 million), German-owned Tishman Speyer owns the remaining 10% of the space AND the land that the building is built upon. So before anyone goes crazy about the UAE owning an American icon, remember that it's really just the Europeans who own it. We like to think of it more as an art investment (and a good one at that), than a takeover.

Google loves you, will keep you anonymous... so keep posting videos on YouTube.
Posting copyright protected videos online is illegal, ok? And to help weed out those lawbreakers, Google will be providing names. But fear not all you do-gooders - they've figured out a way to keep it anonymous. Unless of course you are a lawbreaker, which means you're screwed.

Google's ingenuity never ever really ceases to amaze. Just when you think, "Oh man, that's gonna leave a mark," they duck right out of the way like an expertly trained ninja and turn it right back on you. Google's promise to users and advertisers alike is to provide relevant applications and content that utilizes the personal information they provide, making privacy a critical issue for Google. So, it comes as no surprise they were quick to remedy the situation.

EBay not responsible for letting other people scam you.
It's not your fault for buying fakes (but it kinda is). In a landmark ruling, venerable online marketplace eBay was not to be held liable for counterfeit goods (in this case it was Tiffany's) being sold, just as long as they aren't knowingly doing so...and, well, why would they know?

It most certainly is an interesting case, and one that will be tried over and over again (an EU court ruled against eBay in a similar case involving Louis Vuitton....but that's the French). For now, though, eBay is in the clear and is seeking ways to stay ahead of the curve by focusing on a more recession-proof business model.

The Tour de France Just. Can't. Catch. A. Break.
After falling from the brand's high point during the Lance Armstrong years to its low point the past two years with high-profile riders testing positive and many notable brands pulling their sponsorships, the cycling world seemed to be getting back on track. Unfortunately, three riders and one team have already been banned or pulled from this year's Tour due to doping.

Le Tour has taken a beating the past few years and interest in it is waning. While the Tour has made valiant efforts to fix its problems, many riders are still trying to find ways to cheat. They won't have anything to ride in if they keep undermining the value of professional cycling's brand and its sponsors continue to drop out. The bright spot is Team Slipstream (aka Garmin-Chipotle), an American team whose mission is to restore the luster of cycling through true accountability, transparency and commitment.