Aeropostale Earnings Preview: Expect The Struggle To Continue - Trefis

Quick Take

• As Aeropostale releases its Q3 fiscal 2013 results on December 4, we expect its struggle to continue
• The company’s basic as well as fashion products have not resonated well with its customers, which is likely to continue in the third quarter
• The prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry will further add to Aeropostale’s problems
• If the company continues to report terrible results in the third quarter, chances of a buyout might increase
• We will keep an eye on the company’s store consolidation strategy, its direct-to-consumer growth and P.S. from Aeropostale performance, as they hold enough potential to drive the company in the long-term

Teen apparel retailer Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO), a retailer that has been struggling in the U.S. for the past couple of years, is scheduled to report its Q3 fiscal 2013 earnings on December 4th. We expect the retailer to report another weak quarter, as its underlying problems persist.  We suspect there was poor customer response to its present product offerings, which likely added to the impact of the prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry. During the second quarter of fiscal 2013, Aeropostale’s comparable store sales declined by almost 15% due to heavy promotional activities and low store traffic. The third quarter will likely be weak as well.

Aeropostale’s basic product offerings continue to struggle and its fashion offerings have not been well received. We expect this factor to weigh on the retailer’s third quarter results. The U.S. apparel industry itself is going through a rough phase due to low consumer spending on apparel. We believe that this factor is strong enough to undermine initiatives Aeropostale has made to revive its business. Still, with a look towards the future, we will monitor the retailer’s store consolidation strategy, direct-to-consumer growth, and the performance of its P.S. from Aeropostale brand. Though these efforts are likely to have little noticeable impact on the upcoming results, progress on these fronts will be closely monitored by investors and analysts, as they provide some hope for the company’s long-term growth.

Lately some investment firms have started investing in Aeropostale and there have also been talks of a complete buyout. If the retailer continues to report dismal results in the third quarter, it might strengthen the chances of the company going private.

See our complete analysis for Aeropostale

Poor Customer Response To Product Offerings Will Continue

Prior to the second quarter, Aeropostale was struggling to hold onto its customers due to the lack of fashion content. As U.S. buyers have shown low brand loyalty, they have been readily shifting to brands that provide latest fashion products at affordable prices. This trend has fueled the success of some of the fast fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Forever 21, Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS), Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) etc. On the other hand, it has troubled retailers such as Aeroposatle, American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO) and Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF).

However, to re-position its brand as more fashionable, Aeropostale took some determined steps in Q2 fiscal 2013. The company attempted a complete product overhaul, with a head-to-toe approach as it extended its fashion offerings and added certain new product categories such as footwear. ^[] It started offering trendy products like lacy ruffled tunics, studded combat boots, floral anorak jackets etc., with hopes of attracting customers. Aeroposatle also launched some marketing campaigns to portray the brand as more fashionable, and reduced its lead times to increase the speed to market. ^[]

Despite these efforts, customer response remained cold as these products did not complement Aeropostale’s brand perception. The brand is known to offer basic products such as t-shirts, jeans and hoodies at affordable prices. While the retailer’s idea was to integrate more fashion content in its offerings, it ended up making changes that were too drastic. ^[] Moreover, the pricing of these products did not resonate well with the customers as they were relatively expensive. We do not expect the company to recover from this in a single quarter. Its basic products were already struggling and its fashion content failed to garner sufficient customer attention.

Industry Wide Weak Apparel Sales Will Add To The Retailer’s Miseries

Pressurized by slow job growth, increased taxes, higher healthcare costs and gasoline prices, U.S. buyers have scaled back their discretionary spending this year. Moreover, a percentage of consumers have started diverting their spending to cars and houses to take advantage of the low interest rates. Subsequently, they are holding back on other products such as apparel and accessories. As a result, consumer spending on apparel products has been sluggish so far in the year.

In response to this weakness, several U.S. retailers have ushered heavy promotions to win back customers and Aeroposatle is not an exception. Due to heavy markdowns, players such as American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch have reported a decline of 5% and 14% respectively in their Q3 comparable store sales. Even the growth of some of the stronger performers such as Gap Inc and Urban Outfitters has slowed down. Therefore, we believe that this factor will add to Aeropostale’s existing problems, resulting in another weak quarter for the company.

These Factors Will Be In Focus

As the top-line growth is not looking good for Aeropostale, it is planning to reduce its operating expenses by closing down underperforming stores. At the start of fiscal 2013, the company had planned to close about 15-20 stores by the year end. Half way through the year, it increased this figure to 30-40. Although closing underperforming stores will weigh on Aeropostale’s revenue growth initially, it should have a positive impact on revenue per square feet and EBITDA margins over the longer run. This is essential for the retailer given that its revenue per square feet has been declining and its EBITDA margins are quite low as compared to its peers.

Aeropostale’s direct-to-consumer business has been growing at a healthy pace for some time now and its relatively new brand P.S. from Aeropostale has seen some success. We will keep an eye out for progress on these fronts as they are quite important for the company from long-term perspective. Over the longer-run, they will decide whether or not Aeropostale can generate good returns for its shareholders.

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No. 5 Missouri wins SEC East - CBSSports.com

Nov. 30, 2013

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Henry Josey watched helplessly from the sideline last fall, rehabbing from a serious knee injury, while Missouri was getting pushed around in its first SEC season.

The senior running back's legs produced the go-ahead score in a win that put the fifth-ranked Tigers in the SEC championship game.

"Those guys were 5 yards away from me before I could even get close to them," Josey said of his breakaway 57-yard run that helped Missouri wrap up the SEC East with a 28-21 victory over No. 19 Texas A&M on Saturday night. "A big hole opened up and I took it."

More SEC News, scores and more from the SEC

Missouri (11-1, 7-1 SEC) advances to the conference championship game against Auburn -- a matchup of schools very lightly regarded before the season. Missouri has made a six-win improvement from its initial SEC season and fourth-ranked Auburn (11-1, 7-1) has topped last year's total by eight after stunning No. 1 Alabama.

"This tells everybody in the whole United States that Mizzou's the real deal," said wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. "Last year was just last year.

"It's not about that, it's just about what we're capable of doing and what we're going to do and how we did it."

Missouri beat its fourth ranked opponent and reached 11 wins for the third time in school history, twice under Pinkel. Another win matches the school record set in 2007.

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel was held in check for the second straight week, throwing one touchdown pass and rushing for 21 yards on 11 carries. He was 24 for 35 for 195 yards.

"In the second half, we all calmed down and we communicated," linebacker Kentrell Brothers said. "We were all on the same page and got it done."

Coach Kevin Sumlin didn't make Manziel available for the post-game. Reports have indicated Manziel, a redshirt sophomore, is close to making a decision whether to enter the NFL draft next April.

"He's had better performances, he's had worse performances," Sumlin said. "There's pressure on him to perform at a high level all the time."

Sumlin discounted a report Manziel, also held to one TD pass last week in a loss at LSU, has been hampered by a thumb injury

"If he wasn't healthy enough to play, he wouldn't have played," Sumlin said.

The Aggies (8-4, 4-4) have lost consecutive games for the first time under coach Kevin Sumlin, who the school said earlier in the day agreed in principle on a new six-year contract that could keep him on the job through 2019. He's 19-6.

Thousands of fans among a sellout crowd of 62,197 -- nearly all of them clad in black, stormed the field after the game ended. The field wasn't cleared for at least 20 minutes.

Missouri had been 11-44 under Pinkel when trailing at the half. Pinkel has 101 wins in 13 seasons at Missouri, tied for Don Faurot for most in school history.

Texas A&M has one of the worst defenses against the run in the nation, allowing 221 yards per game. Missouri totaled 225 yards with a 5.1-yard average, but until Josey's breakaway run, the Aggies had done a nice job

Starting from its 34, Missouri's decisive string began innocently with a 4-yard carry by Josey and a 5-yard carry by quarterback James Franklin. Josey busted free up the middle on third-and-1.

"What a great play," coach Gary Pinkel said. "What a great kid."

Texas A&M never threatened the rest of the game and has lost four of the last five in the series. The exception was a showcase for Manziel, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for two scores in a 59-29 rout last year that was a 35-point rout by halftime.

Tra Carson broke two tackles on a 31-yard scoring run that was also the first touchdown allowed by Missouri in the first quarter in six games. Derel Walker's 32-yard reception made it 14-7 late in the half.

Walker's score came just 1:10 after Franklin's 38-yard touchdown pass to L'Damian Washington. Manziel rolled out to buy time and Michael Sam tackled him a beat too late.

Early in the second quarter, Missouri failed to capitalize on a lost fumble by punt returner De'Vante Harris at the A&M 36. Backup Maty Mauk got his usual early series at quarterback and Missouri lost a yard on three plays before punting.

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Grandson: Televangelist Paul Crouch dies at 79 - USA TODAY

AP 9:30 p.m. EST November 30, 2013

This undated file image provided by Brittany Koper shows Paul Crouch Sr. at a family event in California.(Photo: Handout via AP)

Story Highlights

• Crouch founded Trinity Broadcast Network in 1973
• He died of heart disease at age 79
• 'He was an incredible businessman,' grandson tells AP

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COSTA MESA, California (AP) — Paul Crouch, the televangelist who built what's been called the world's largest Christian broadcasting network, has died. He was 79.

Crouch died at his home in California, on Saturday after a decade-long fight with degenerative heart disease, his grandson Brandon Crouch told the Associated Press.

"He was an incredible businessman, entrepreneur, visionary; he built something that impacted the world," he said.

Trinity Broadcast Network had reported that Crouch fell ill and was taken to a hospital in October while visiting the network's facility in Colleyville, Texas. He later returned to California for continued treatment of "heart and related health issues."

"We mourn Paul's passing and he will be greatly missed. But we know, as the old hymn reminds us, soon enough we will see him again in that great 'meeting in the air,'" the network said in a statement Saturday.

Crouch began his broadcasting career while studying theology at Central Bible Institute and Seminary in his native Missouri by helping build the campus' radio station. He moved to California in the early 1960s to manage the movie and television unit of the Assemblies of God before founding Trinity Broadcast Network in 1973 with his wife, Jan.

They grew the network into an international Christian empire that beams prosperity gospel programming to every continent but Antarctica around the clock. The programming promises that if the faithful sacrifice for their belief, God will reward them with material wealth.

Based in California, the network says it has 84 satellite channels and more than 18,000 television and cable affiliates as well as a Christian amusement park in Orlando, Florida.

The Crouches faced criticism for what critics say was their extravagant lifestyle. Ministry watchdogs have long questioned how TBN spends the hundreds of millions of tax-exempt donations they receive from viewers.

Last year, their granddaughter and her husband's uncle filed lawsuits alleging $50 million in financial improprieties at the network and detailed opulent spending on private jets and 13 mansions and homes around the U.S. for the Crouch family's use.

The Crouches dismissed the allegations, and their attorney said the network's spending was in line with its mission to spread the gospel throughout the world.

He was survived by his wife and their two sons, Matthew and Paul Jr.

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Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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No. 5 Missouri wins SEC East - CBSSports.com

Nov. 30, 2013

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Henry Josey watched helplessly from the sideline last fall, rehabbing from a serious knee injury, while Missouri was getting pushed around in its first SEC season.

The senior running back's legs produced the go-ahead score in a win that put the fifth-ranked Tigers in the SEC championship game.

"Those guys were 5 yards away from me before I could even get close to them," Josey said of his breakaway 57-yard run that helped Missouri wrap up the SEC East with a 28-21 victory over No. 19 Texas A&M on Saturday night. "A big hole opened up and I took it."

More SEC News, scores and more from the SEC

Missouri (11-1, 7-1 SEC) advances to the conference championship game against Auburn -- a matchup of schools very lightly regarded before the season. Missouri has made a six-win improvement from its initial SEC season and fourth-ranked Auburn (11-1, 7-1) has topped last year's total by eight after stunning No. 1 Alabama.

"This tells everybody in the whole United States that Mizzou's the real deal," said wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. "Last year was just last year.

"It's not about that, it's just about what we're capable of doing and what we're going to do and how we did it."

Missouri beat its fourth ranked opponent and reached 11 wins for the third time in school history, twice under Pinkel. Another win matches the school record set in 2007.

Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel was held in check for the second straight week, throwing one touchdown pass and rushing for 21 yards on 11 carries. He was 24 for 35 for 195 yards.

"In the second half, we all calmed down and we communicated," linebacker Kentrell Brothers said. "We were all on the same page and got it done."

Coach Kevin Sumlin didn't make Manziel available for the post-game. Reports have indicated Manziel, a redshirt sophomore, is close to making a decision whether to enter the NFL draft next April.

"He's had better performances, he's had worse performances," Sumlin said. "There's pressure on him to perform at a high level all the time."

Sumlin discounted a report Manziel, also held to one TD pass last week in a loss at LSU, has been hampered by a thumb injury

"If he wasn't healthy enough to play, he wouldn't have played," Sumlin said.

The Aggies (8-4, 4-4) have lost consecutive games for the first time under coach Kevin Sumlin, who the school said earlier in the day agreed in principle on a new six-year contract that could keep him on the job through 2019. He's 19-6.

Thousands of fans among a sellout crowd of 62,197 -- nearly all of them clad in black, stormed the field after the game ended. The field wasn't cleared for at least 20 minutes.

Missouri had been 11-44 under Pinkel when trailing at the half. Pinkel has 101 wins in 13 seasons at Missouri, tied for Don Faurot for most in school history.

Texas A&M has one of the worst defenses against the run in the nation, allowing 221 yards per game. Missouri totaled 225 yards with a 5.1-yard average, but until Josey's breakaway run, the Aggies had done a nice job

Starting from its 34, Missouri's decisive string began innocently with a 4-yard carry by Josey and a 5-yard carry by quarterback James Franklin. Josey busted free up the middle on third-and-1.

"What a great play," coach Gary Pinkel said. "What a great kid."

Texas A&M never threatened the rest of the game and has lost four of the last five in the series. The exception was a showcase for Manziel, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for two scores in a 59-29 rout last year that was a 35-point rout by halftime.

Tra Carson broke two tackles on a 31-yard scoring run that was also the first touchdown allowed by Missouri in the first quarter in six games. Derel Walker's 32-yard reception made it 14-7 late in the half.

Walker's score came just 1:10 after Franklin's 38-yard touchdown pass to L'Damian Washington. Manziel rolled out to buy time and Michael Sam tackled him a beat too late.

Early in the second quarter, Missouri failed to capitalize on a lost fumble by punt returner De'Vante Harris at the A&M 36. Backup Maty Mauk got his usual early series at quarterback and Missouri lost a yard on three plays before punting.

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Black Friday: Kmart opens at 6 am Thanksgiving morning - WJLA

(WJLA) - Most Thanksgiving turkeys aren't even out of the oven yet, but some holiday shoppers are already getting Black Friday deals a day early.

Continue reading

Kmart customers got the jump on holiday shopping at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning when the big-box retailer opened its doors. With retailers relying on ever-expanding hours to draw customers, Kmart will remain open for 41 consecutive hours, the longest hours of any of the major stores.

Electronics, often one of the most deeply-discounted items during the sales that surround Thanksgiving, were especially popular at Kmart Thursday morning.

The Hyattsville Kmart sold out of its discounted Android tablets within 15 minutes of opening its doors.

This is what has brought people out on this cold Thanksgiving Day: sales. At 40, 50, and 80-percent off, stores are providing an early chance to get big deals even before the even bigger sales Thursday night and Friday.

We found Andrea Dickson at the Walmart in Bowie, starting her Christmas shopping early.

"It's Thanksgiving, but if you work 40 hours a week and have a young baby, you don't have time -- so you take time whenever you can," she explains.

Others shopping for those last second items for their Thanksgiving dinners had grocery store aisles filled on Thursday.

Ginger Reaves has 20 people coming over for dinner, but she came out to pick up a few things for another big Thanksgiving day tradition: football watching.

"My brother and his kids and my other brother and his kids and their extended family," she says about who's coming.

A big dinner, some football, and eating some more. As she says, it’s the American way.

Meanwhile in Fairfax, neither snow nor rain nor dark of night was able to stop the faithful observers of 'Brown Thursday.'

"We've been here for like 18 hours, since 6 p.m.," says Mostafa Ali from Falls Church.

Outside the Best Buy at both Potomac Yards and Bailey’s Crossroads, 'Brown Thursday' is not for the faint of heart – some early shoppers were already sleeping on the sidewalk.

The Target in Falls Church is offering a deal on the 50-inch Element LED television for $229.

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Garth Brooks gushes about life with Trisha Yearwood - Fox News

Garth Brooks may have been married to Trisha Yearwood for almost 13 years but he still sounds like a gushing newlywed when discussing her. In an interview for the Friday, November 29, episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Friday, November 29, the country superstar talked at length about their relationship.

The “Wrapped Up In You” singer explained that they met through songwriter Kent Blazy who thought the pair would get along. Brooks confessed that there was an immediate attraction.

"When she left, he goes, 'What did you think?' I said, 'Well, it's strange, because I felt that feeling like when you just meet your wife, but I've been married for 13 months,’” he explained. At the time the singer was wed to college sweetheart Sandy Mahl.

"Being married, it's got to be right. This is who you went to college with, and you were married in front of God and your family and everything," he told DeGeneres. "So you keep hacking, and you work and you work and you work. And then comes that time where you're looking at the rest of your life going, 'How do you want to live it?'"

They went onto to have three daughters before divorcing in 2000. Yearwood who had two failed marriages behind her was also single and the pair began dating before marrying in December 2005.

"This was somebody I always enjoyed being around. And we had a lot more in common than I ever dreamed we did. And so we started seeing each other after the divorce," he recalled. "We'd known each other music-wise, but we got to see each other as people. And I've got to tell you, if you like her and don't know her, you'll love her. If you love her and don't know her, you'll worship her. She's the real deal."

And it seems that Brooks is just as besotted with his missus as the first time he ever met her.

"I've got to tell you, I never knew it could be like this," the 51-year-old singer told DeGeneres of life with Yearwood. "I never knew that everyday you could wake up and feel like this. And I have God and I have Ms. Yearwood to thank for this."

He also bragged about her many side ventures like a Food Network cooking show and three cookbooks.

"I'm part of the working wives club," he joked. "I lay out at the pool with the other husbands."

"She's the bomb, man. She does it all," he said proudly. But the one thing that Yearwood does the best? (according to her hubby).

"Make no mistake -- Ms. Yearwood was born to sing. That's just what she does...I'll put her in the top five female voices of all time. She's that good,” Brooks declared.

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Sears Takes Crash Course in Surfing - Wall Street Journal

Nov. 28, 2013 5:42 p.m. ET

It is becoming less clear whether Sears Holdings will ultimately be left holding anything other than the bag.

Beyond the rundown of just how much money the company had lost, its latest quarterly results included a statement from Chief Executive Edward Lampert on where he sees Sears heading.

"We are proactively transforming our business to a member-centric integrated retailer," said Mr. Lampert, who controls the...

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Black Friday: Kmart opens at 6 am Thanksgiving morning - WJLA

(WJLA) - Most Thanksgiving turkeys aren't even out of the oven yet, but some holiday shoppers are already getting Black Friday deals a day early.

Continue reading

Kmart customers got the jump on holiday shopping at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning when the big-box retailer opened its doors. With retailers relying on ever-expanding hours to draw customers, Kmart will remain open for 41 consecutive hours, the longest hours of any of the major stores.

Electronics, often one of the most deeply-discounted items during the sales that surround Thanksgiving, were especially popular at Kmart Thursday morning.

The Hyattsville Kmart sold out of its discounted Android tablets within 15 minutes of opening its doors.

This is what has brought people out on this cold Thanksgiving Day: sales. At 40, 50, and 80-percent off, stores are providing an early chance to get big deals even before the even bigger sales Thursday night and Friday.

We found Andrea Dickson at the Walmart in Bowie, starting her Christmas shopping early.

"It's Thanksgiving, but if you work 40 hours a week and have a young baby, you don't have time -- so you take time whenever you can," she explains.

Others shopping for those last second items for their Thanksgiving dinners had grocery store aisles filled on Thursday.

Ginger Reaves has 20 people coming over for dinner, but she came out to pick up a few things for another big Thanksgiving day tradition: football watching.

"My brother and his kids and my other brother and his kids and their extended family," she says about who's coming.

A big dinner, some football, and eating some more. As she says, it’s the American way.

Meanwhile in Fairfax, neither snow nor rain nor dark of night was able to stop the faithful observers of 'Brown Thursday.'

"We've been here for like 18 hours, since 6 p.m.," says Mostafa Ali from Falls Church.

Outside the Best Buy at both Potomac Yards and Bailey’s Crossroads, 'Brown Thursday' is not for the faint of heart – some early shoppers were already sleeping on the sidewalk.

The Target in Falls Church is offering a deal on the 50-inch Element LED television for $229.

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Sears Takes Crash Course in Surfing - Wall Street Journal

Nov. 28, 2013 5:42 p.m. ET

It is becoming less clear whether Sears Holdings will ultimately be left holding anything other than the bag.

Beyond the rundown of just how much money the company had lost, its latest quarterly results included a statement from Chief Executive Edward Lampert on where he sees Sears heading.

"We are proactively transforming our business to a member-centric integrated retailer," said Mr. Lampert, who controls the...

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Black Friday: Kmart opens at 6 am Thanksgiving morning - WJLA

(WJLA) - Most Thanksgiving turkeys aren't even out of the oven yet, but some holiday shoppers are already getting Black Friday deals a day early.

Continue reading

Kmart customers got the jump on holiday shopping at 6 a.m. Thanksgiving morning when the big-box retailer opened its doors. With retailers relying on ever-expanding hours to draw customers, Kmart will remain open for 41 consecutive hours, the longest hours of any of the major stores.

Electronics, often one of the most deeply-discounted items during the sales that surround Thanksgiving, were especially popular at Kmart Thursday morning.

The Hyattsville Kmart sold out of its discounted Android tablets within 15 minutes of opening its doors.

This is what has brought people out on this cold Thanksgiving Day: sales. At 40, 50, and 80-percent off, stores are providing an early chance to get big deals even before the even bigger sales Thursday night and Friday.

We found Andrea Dickson at the Walmart in Bowie, starting her Christmas shopping early.

"It's Thanksgiving, but if you work 40 hours a week and have a young baby, you don't have time -- so you take time whenever you can," she explains.

Others shopping for those last second items for their Thanksgiving dinners had grocery store aisles filled on Thursday.

Ginger Reaves has 20 people coming over for dinner, but she came out to pick up a few things for another big Thanksgiving day tradition: football watching.

"My brother and his kids and my other brother and his kids and their extended family," she says about who's coming.

A big dinner, some football, and eating some more. As she says, it’s the American way.

Meanwhile in Fairfax, neither snow nor rain nor dark of night was able to stop the faithful observers of 'Brown Thursday.'

"We've been here for like 18 hours, since 6 p.m.," says Mostafa Ali from Falls Church.

Outside the Best Buy at both Potomac Yards and Bailey’s Crossroads, 'Brown Thursday' is not for the faint of heart – some early shoppers were already sleeping on the sidewalk.

The Target in Falls Church is offering a deal on the 50-inch Element LED television for $229.

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Sears Takes Crash Course in Surfing - Wall Street Journal

Nov. 28, 2013 5:42 p.m. ET

It is becoming less clear whether Sears Holdings will ultimately be left holding anything other than the bag.

Beyond the rundown of just how much money the company had lost, its latest quarterly results included a statement from Chief Executive Edward Lampert on where he sees Sears heading.

"We are proactively transforming our business to a member-centric integrated retailer," said Mr. Lampert, who controls the...

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Cabela's draws a crowd for Black Friday deals - Columbus Dispatch

By  Tim Feran

The Columbus Dispatch Friday November 29, 2013 2:21 PM

An estimated 2,000 people waited patiently in the predawn dark and cold for the first Black Friday at Cabela’s Columbus. The outdoor retailer is one of the stores that decided not to jump the gun on the traditional start of the holiday shopping season.

What did they want? “Camo, ammo, guns — oh, and gift bags,” said Jake Starr of Dublin.

The gift bags were an inducement to arrive early, and the retailer handed out almost $10,000 worth of items in those packs.

The 5 a.m. opening had a party atmosphere despite the cold, as Cabela’s employees rolled out hot drinks and played music — including a festive Duck Dynasty CD, “Duck the Halls.”

Glenn Gomberg, from the West Side of Columbus, was one of the first in line.

“We got here at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, although I came at 9 in the morning to make sure no one had beat us to the front,” Gomberg said.

“I’m going to get a shotgun and a refrigerator. I’m saving like $300 on both.”

The line stretched almost completely around the store and the parking lot was filled to capacity.

So long was the line that Cabela’s opened a few minutes earlier than planned — 4:55 a.m. Unlike some other stores that let a limited number of shoppers in at a time, Cabela’s allowed the vast line to file in, assuming that the size of the store and fast pace of the shopping would keep everything even.

In fact, it was only a few minutes after the doors opened — at 4:58 a.m. — that the first shoppers walked in to the check-out lines, said Derrek Shively, retail marketing manager.

While many in line had stayed up all night, they weren’t planning to shop and go home.

“I got to go to Walmart,” Gomberg said. “I’ve still got to shop for my 3-year-old niece.”

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Aeropostale Earnings Preview: Expect The Struggle To Continue - Trefis

Quick Take

• As Aeropostale releases its Q3 fiscal 2013 results on December 4, we expect its struggle to continue
• The company’s basic as well as fashion products have not resonated well with its customers, which is likely to continue in the third quarter
• The prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry will further add to Aeropostale’s problems
• If the company continues to report terrible results in the third quarter, chances of a buyout might increase
• We will keep an eye on the company’s store consolidation strategy, its direct-to-consumer growth and P.S. from Aeropostale performance, as they hold enough potential to drive the company in the long-term

Teen apparel retailer Aeropostale (NYSE:ARO), a retailer that has been struggling in the U.S. for the past couple of years, is scheduled to report its Q3 fiscal 2013 earnings on December 4th. We expect the retailer to report another weak quarter, as its underlying problems persist.  We suspect there was poor customer response to its present product offerings, which likely added to the impact of the prevailing weakness in the U.S. apparel industry. During the second quarter of fiscal 2013, Aeropostale’s comparable store sales declined by almost 15% due to heavy promotional activities and low store traffic. The third quarter will likely be weak as well.

Aeropostale’s basic product offerings continue to struggle and its fashion offerings have not been well received. We expect this factor to weigh on the retailer’s third quarter results. The U.S. apparel industry itself is going through a rough phase due to low consumer spending on apparel. We believe that this factor is strong enough to undermine initiatives Aeropostale has made to revive its business. Still, with a look towards the future, we will monitor the retailer’s store consolidation strategy, direct-to-consumer growth, and the performance of its P.S. from Aeropostale brand. Though these efforts are likely to have little noticeable impact on the upcoming results, progress on these fronts will be closely monitored by investors and analysts, as they provide some hope for the company’s long-term growth.

Lately some investment firms have started investing in Aeropostale and there have also been talks of a complete buyout. If the retailer continues to report dismal results in the third quarter, it might strengthen the chances of the company going private.

See our complete analysis for Aeropostale

Poor Customer Response To Product Offerings Will Continue

Prior to the second quarter, Aeropostale was struggling to hold onto its customers due to the lack of fashion content. As U.S. buyers have shown low brand loyalty, they have been readily shifting to brands that provide latest fashion products at affordable prices. This trend has fueled the success of some of the fast fashion brands such as Zara, H&M, Forever 21, Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS), Urban Outfitters (NASDAQ:URBN) etc. On the other hand, it has troubled retailers such as Aeroposatle, American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO) and Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF).

However, to re-position its brand as more fashionable, Aeropostale took some determined steps in Q2 fiscal 2013. The company attempted a complete product overhaul, with a head-to-toe approach as it extended its fashion offerings and added certain new product categories such as footwear. ^[] It started offering trendy products like lacy ruffled tunics, studded combat boots, floral anorak jackets etc., with hopes of attracting customers. Aeroposatle also launched some marketing campaigns to portray the brand as more fashionable, and reduced its lead times to increase the speed to market. ^[]

Despite these efforts, customer response remained cold as these products did not complement Aeropostale’s brand perception. The brand is known to offer basic products such as t-shirts, jeans and hoodies at affordable prices. While the retailer’s idea was to integrate more fashion content in its offerings, it ended up making changes that were too drastic. ^[] Moreover, the pricing of these products did not resonate well with the customers as they were relatively expensive. We do not expect the company to recover from this in a single quarter. Its basic products were already struggling and its fashion content failed to garner sufficient customer attention.

Industry Wide Weak Apparel Sales Will Add To The Retailer’s Miseries

Pressurized by slow job growth, increased taxes, higher healthcare costs and gasoline prices, U.S. buyers have scaled back their discretionary spending this year. Moreover, a percentage of consumers have started diverting their spending to cars and houses to take advantage of the low interest rates. Subsequently, they are holding back on other products such as apparel and accessories. As a result, consumer spending on apparel products has been sluggish so far in the year.

In response to this weakness, several U.S. retailers have ushered heavy promotions to win back customers and Aeroposatle is not an exception. Due to heavy markdowns, players such as American Eagle Outfitters and Abercrombie & Fitch have reported a decline of 5% and 14% respectively in their Q3 comparable store sales. Even the growth of some of the stronger performers such as Gap Inc and Urban Outfitters has slowed down. Therefore, we believe that this factor will add to Aeropostale’s existing problems, resulting in another weak quarter for the company.

These Factors Will Be In Focus

As the top-line growth is not looking good for Aeropostale, it is planning to reduce its operating expenses by closing down underperforming stores. At the start of fiscal 2013, the company had planned to close about 15-20 stores by the year end. Half way through the year, it increased this figure to 30-40. Although closing underperforming stores will weigh on Aeropostale’s revenue growth initially, it should have a positive impact on revenue per square feet and EBITDA margins over the longer run. This is essential for the retailer given that its revenue per square feet has been declining and its EBITDA margins are quite low as compared to its peers.

Aeropostale’s direct-to-consumer business has been growing at a healthy pace for some time now and its relatively new brand P.S. from Aeropostale has seen some success. We will keep an eye out for progress on these fronts as they are quite important for the company from long-term perspective. Over the longer-run, they will decide whether or not Aeropostale can generate good returns for its shareholders.

Understand How a Company’s Products Impact its Stock Price at Trefis

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Burke, Lembo to run Foot Locker regionals - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Jim Castor 11:16 p.m. EST November 29, 2013

Been there, done that, figures Rush-Henrietta All-American Mickey Burke.

So this week, with his senior season creeping to a close, he’s taking the other fork in the road that is the great divide in postseason high school cross country.

Saturday Burke will join Penfield senior Katie Lembo at the Foot Locker regionals in the Bronx to try and qualify for an expenses-paid trip to Foot Locker’s 45th national championship in San Diego. He needs a top-10 finish, and as of mid-week, he was top-seeded.

A year ago Burke was second at the Nike Cross regionals in Poughkeepsie and a Section V all-time best 13th at the ninth Nike nationals in Portland, Ore.

Both events’ qualifiers for participants from the Northeast have been on the same day since Nike qualifiers began in 2007, so hard choices must be made for top runners.

“The history of Foot Locker is something I’ve thought about a lot,” Burke said. “Most all of the great runners have done it, and no R-H (boys) runner has ever made the finals.” R-H’s Anita Kelly was 14th at nationals in 1980.

Lembo, like Burke the All-Greater Rochester Runner of the Year as a junior, was third at Foot Locker regionals and 21st at nationals last fall.

“She really never considered switching to Nike,” said her coach, Dave Hennessey. “The whole San Diego experience is first class in every way, and to do that (qualify in Poughkeepsie for Nike) it would mean leaving her teammates this week.”

Hennessey and the Penfield cross country booster club have booked a Thanksgiving weekend trip to Foot Locker regionals, along with a shopping excursion into Manhattan, every year since the mid-1980s. This year they’re taking about 35 runners — freshmen to seniors.

“We’re loyal to Foot Locker,” Hennessey said, “and they’ve been really good to us.”

The Nike regionals, on the other hand, attract most everyone with a top team or top individuals, since both can qualify for Portland. Among Section V entries Saturday (running as clubs or individuals since school-name entries are not sanctioned) are Rush-Henrietta’s boys and girls, with Federations runner-up Alex Cooper and Nike nationals participant in 2012 Siobhan Quinn (59th); both Webster Thomas boys and girls teams; Victor’s boys team and Hilton’s girls.

Jim Castor, retired assistant sports editor of the Democrat and Chronicle, has covered cross country and road racing in the Rochester area for more than four decades. He can be reached at jcastor@jimcastor.com.

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Ruth Ann's chef shares family gravy recipe - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer

Last year, Ruth Ann's Restaurant owner Mary Heisey got a call from a Fort Benning official begging her to open the eatery on Thanksgiving Day.

Three classes at Fort Benning were graduating on Wednesday and the soldiers were only getting two days off. That was not enough time for most of them to get home for Thanksgiving, which meant their families were coming to Columbus.

Heisey said her staff was enthusiastic about opening and the restaurant, a favorite of military personnel, was busy for the four hours it opened.

Then something funny happened while they were open.

The phone kept ringing.

"People were calling, asking how to make gravy and asking turkey questions," she said.

Her sister, Lisa Kean, the restaurant's head chef, laughed and said maybe they should open a Thanksgiving Day hotline.

Of course, Heisey couldn't give the recipe over the phone repeatedly. She finally told people to come to the restaurant and she would sell them the gravy.

This year, the restaurant will be closed, but Kean is sharing her family's turkey gravy recipe.

It's the one her mother, Ruth Ann, cooked for the family and continues to make. Kean has been making it in the restaurant for almost 18 years.

Heisey has been making the gravy since she was a child.

"I hope people make good gravy for their family this year," Kean said. "It's very simple."

Ruth Ann's Turkey Gravy

• 1 cup celery, diced

• 1 cup onion, diced

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes

• 4 sticks of butter (or margarine), melted

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour

• 48 ounces of chicken stock

• 48 ounces of turkey stock

• Melt the butter, making sure it's not scorched.

• In a six-quart pot, saute the celery and onion in a little butter until translucent. Add the pepper and dried parsley flakes and mix well. Take off the stove.

• In a medium-sized bowl, add the melted butter and flour and mix very well, until the consistency is stiff. This will be the roux.

• Add the chicken and turkey stocks to the pot with the vegetables. (Make the turkey stock using the liquid in the pan after roasting the turkey. Scrape the bottom of the pan and add water and simmer for an hour or so.)

• Bring it to a hard, roiling boil.

• Start adding the roux. Let it continue to boil to the consistency you want, adding more roux for a thicker gravy.

This recipe makes about two quarts.

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Did comet ISON flame out on its trip around the sun? - USA TODAY

In this composition image obtained from NASA, Comet ISON, at the bottom, moves toward the sun.(Photo: AFP/Getty Images via ESA/NASA/SOHO/SDO)

Story Highlights

• Comet came from the farthest reaches of the solar system
• Scientists were hoping to see comet come around sun, but haven't seen evidence as of yet
• Comet was discovered in 2012 by pair of amateur astronomers in Russia

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Like Icarus, comet ISON appears to have flown too close to the sun and broken up in its corona.

Scientists had hoped that the comet from the farthest reaches of the solar system would be able to slingshot around the sun Thursday and emerge streaming a tail visible to the naked eye next month.

But after NASA telescopes tracked the comet plunging into the sun's corona, no evidence of it emerged on the other side. Scientists said they would continue to analyze imagery from the telescopes for signs of the comet or debris from it breaking up.

"At this point, I do suspect that the comet has broken up and died," says Karl Battams, a comet scientist for the Naval Research Laboratory, who joined a NASA and Google+ chat from Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona. "Let's at least give it a couple of more hours before we start writing the obituary."

Even if the comet broke up, it offered a very rare opportunity to see how one of the oldest objects in the solar system interacted with the sun's magnetic field.

The comet originated in the Oort Cloud, a region halfway from the sun to the next closest star. Scientists say comet ISON would have been nudged by gravity from other stars into its 5-million-year plunge toward the sun.

Although scientists have tracked other comets from the Oort Cloud, Battams said this one was the first in recorded astronomy from so far away that passed so close to the sun, passing the sun at a distance of about 1 million miles.

"This is a spectacularly rare event," Battams said. "We have no idea when we're going to see something this amazing again."

The reason scientists study comets is to find out what they contain because they were born along with the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. When comets pass close enough to the sun, their ice melts away and dust gives off signals that describe its composition.

Even if comet ISON evaporated and broke apart near the sun, its behavior in the sun's magnetic field will help scientists understand more about both comets and the sun.

"This gives us an opportunity to see and study these magnetic fields in a way we normally couldn't do," said Alex Young, a solar physicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Nature is giving us this unique opportunity to study these magnetic fields."

ISON (pronounced ICE-on) stands for International Scientific Optical Network. It was discovered in September 2012 by a pair of amateur astronomers in Russia.

Two NASA telescopes that tracked the comet's approach to the sun were called SOHO, for Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, and SDO, the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

SOHO has a metal coin that blocks out the sun's direct light, so that the corona of fountains of magnetic field can be seen splashing off the sun. Comet ISON was visible in SOHO's red-and-blue images as it approached the sun with a long tail.

But as it approached its closest point to the sun at 1:48 p.m. ET, the half-mile point of the comet faded and the tail thousands of miles across became fuzzier. That suggested it might have broken up.

"We're not really seeing the head of the comet," Phil Plait, an astronomer and author who writes for Slate's Bad Astronomy blog, said of a SOHO image taken at 12:24 p.m. "That to me looks like the nucleus broke up."

SDO, which showed the sun in ultraviolet light as a smoldering yellow marble, glimpsed comet ISON racing toward the sun. But as SDO shifted to watch the comet reappear on the other side, ISON never showed.

This was puzzling because Dean Pesnell, a solar physicist and project scientist for SDO, said even if the comet broke up, its remains should have been visible in the magnetic field for 45 minutes.

"I'd like to know what happened to our half-mile of material that was going around the sun," Pesnell said of the comet. "We should be able to see something."

Scientists said they would continue to review images from 11 telescopes worldwide that tracked the comet, to learn what became of it and learn more about the sun.

"I'm not very hopeful at this point," Plait said of comet ISON.

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Steam Autumn Sale 2013 starts now - GameSpot

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Walmart's Black Friday Going About As Badly As You'd Expect - Huffington Post

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The above video was taken at a Walmart in Johnson City, Tenn., according to Instagram user jcooper770. Such instances weren't limited to a single Walmart store, according to various Internet users:

Walmart spokesperson Brooke Buchanan told The Huffington Post such incidents don't accurately depict what she describes as a successful Black Friday for the retailer.

"We've got great feedback from customers and associates across the country," Buchanan told The Huffington Post. "A few tweets aren't representative of what's actually happening at 4,600 stores."

Also on HuffPost:

Related News On Huffington Post:

Filed by Maxwell Strachan  | 

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Did comet ISON flame out on its trip around the sun? - USA TODAY

In this composition image obtained from NASA, Comet ISON, at the bottom, moves toward the sun.(Photo: AFP/Getty Images via ESA/NASA/SOHO/SDO)

Story Highlights

• Comet came from the farthest reaches of the solar system
• Scientists were hoping to see comet come around sun, but haven't seen evidence as of yet
• Comet was discovered in 2012 by pair of amateur astronomers in Russia

SHARE 2155 CONNECT EMAILMORE

Like Icarus, comet ISON appears to have flown too close to the sun and broken up in its corona.

Scientists had hoped that the comet from the farthest reaches of the solar system would be able to slingshot around the sun Thursday and emerge streaming a tail visible to the naked eye next month.

But after NASA telescopes tracked the comet plunging into the sun's corona, no evidence of it emerged on the other side. Scientists said they would continue to analyze imagery from the telescopes for signs of the comet or debris from it breaking up.

"At this point, I do suspect that the comet has broken up and died," says Karl Battams, a comet scientist for the Naval Research Laboratory, who joined a NASA and Google+ chat from Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona. "Let's at least give it a couple of more hours before we start writing the obituary."

Even if the comet broke up, it offered a very rare opportunity to see how one of the oldest objects in the solar system interacted with the sun's magnetic field.

The comet originated in the Oort Cloud, a region halfway from the sun to the next closest star. Scientists say comet ISON would have been nudged by gravity from other stars into its 5-million-year plunge toward the sun.

Although scientists have tracked other comets from the Oort Cloud, Battams said this one was the first in recorded astronomy from so far away that passed so close to the sun, passing the sun at a distance of about 1 million miles.

"This is a spectacularly rare event," Battams said. "We have no idea when we're going to see something this amazing again."

The reason scientists study comets is to find out what they contain because they were born along with the solar system 4.5 billion years ago. When comets pass close enough to the sun, their ice melts away and dust gives off signals that describe its composition.

Even if comet ISON evaporated and broke apart near the sun, its behavior in the sun's magnetic field will help scientists understand more about both comets and the sun.

"This gives us an opportunity to see and study these magnetic fields in a way we normally couldn't do," said Alex Young, a solar physicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Nature is giving us this unique opportunity to study these magnetic fields."

ISON (pronounced ICE-on) stands for International Scientific Optical Network. It was discovered in September 2012 by a pair of amateur astronomers in Russia.

Two NASA telescopes that tracked the comet's approach to the sun were called SOHO, for Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, and SDO, the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

SOHO has a metal coin that blocks out the sun's direct light, so that the corona of fountains of magnetic field can be seen splashing off the sun. Comet ISON was visible in SOHO's red-and-blue images as it approached the sun with a long tail.

But as it approached its closest point to the sun at 1:48 p.m. ET, the half-mile point of the comet faded and the tail thousands of miles across became fuzzier. That suggested it might have broken up.

"We're not really seeing the head of the comet," Phil Plait, an astronomer and author who writes for Slate's Bad Astronomy blog, said of a SOHO image taken at 12:24 p.m. "That to me looks like the nucleus broke up."

SDO, which showed the sun in ultraviolet light as a smoldering yellow marble, glimpsed comet ISON racing toward the sun. But as SDO shifted to watch the comet reappear on the other side, ISON never showed.

This was puzzling because Dean Pesnell, a solar physicist and project scientist for SDO, said even if the comet broke up, its remains should have been visible in the magnetic field for 45 minutes.

"I'd like to know what happened to our half-mile of material that was going around the sun," Pesnell said of the comet. "We should be able to see something."

Scientists said they would continue to review images from 11 telescopes worldwide that tracked the comet, to learn what became of it and learn more about the sun.

"I'm not very hopeful at this point," Plait said of comet ISON.

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Hotels offer Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals - USA TODAY

The newly renovated Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia is offering its redesigned Business Class rooms for $19.26 on Cyber Monday. Business class rates normally start at $218.(Photo: Tom Crane)

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Consumers can get much more than a discounted flat screen TV or tablet on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

In recent years, hotels have also gotten into the spirit of the shopping frenzy on the day and Monday after Thanksgiving.

This year, on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, tons of hotels throughout the country will be offering up to 50% off room rates, some with an amenity or two thrown in.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have been lucrative for many hotels.

Alex Attia, general manager of The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., says a Cyber Monday deal generated more than $40,000 of revenue when the hotel first offered it in 2011. Revenue jumped 20% on Cyber Monday the following year.

"For us, the true success has been to really open up availability so guests can actually take advantage," he says. "With the savings and increased availability, we're finding families are booking more and more, taking advantage of our ice rink and other family-friendly winter activities."

Here's a sampling of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals available at hotels throughout the country.

HOTEL TONIGHT

The last-minute hotel booking app is making some changes for the holiday. Typically, hotel deals appear daily on the app at noon. Now, deals are starting at 9 a.m. local time each day. To celebrate the change, HotelTonight is offering rooms for $99 nationwide on Black Friday in such markets as Manhattan, San Francisco, and Chicago.

TWITTER: Follow USA TODAY Travel's Nancy Trejos

MAJOR HOTEL CHAINS

On Cyber Monday, you'll be able to get 30% off room rates at more than 350 participating Marriott hotels across several brands, including JW Marriott and Renaissance Hotels. The hotels are located in a number of cities from New York to San Francisco. Stays must occur between Dec. 20 and March 31.To book, go to marriottcybermonday.com starting at 12:01 a.m. EST Dec. 2 and enter the promotional code 16C or call 888-703-9727 and quote the promotional code 16C. There's a limited supply, and a non-refundable advance purchase must be made by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 2. Comments? Share it on Twitter with #MarriottDeal.

Omni Hotels is launching a "Click Quick " Cyber Monday promotion at nearly all its 60 properties in North America. Guests who book starting at 1:01 a.m. EST on Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 will get 40% off nightly rates. Members of Omni's Select Guest loyalty program can get a head start with members-only early access to the deal beginning today. The offer applies to stays through Dec. 30. The Omni Berkshire Place in Manhattan will extend the stay to mid-January. The offer is subject to availability and cannot be combined with other offers. Guests can book at omnihotels.com or call 800-The-Omni.

Loews Hotels and Resorts are giving travelers four days to book discounted rates. From 12:01 a.m. EST Nov. 29 through 3 a.m. Dec. 3--Big Deal Cyber Weekend, as the hotel company is calling it –travelers can book rooms for up to 40% off the best available rate. Bookings apply for travel from Nov. 29 through April 3 and included free Internet access. To book, visit loewshotels.com.

Red Roof Inn, an economy hotel chain, is offering 30% off rooms at more than 350 properties nationwide through Feb. 28. Book on Cyber Monday at redroof.com/partners/cyber_monday/ using the code 616892. You can also call 800-RED-ROOF (800-733-7663). Blackout dates may apply. You cannot combine the deal with any other promotions.

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NEW YORK

The Jade, a Greenwich Village hotel with a Gatsby-like vibe, is offering a 1920's-themed Cyber Monday package. Book a standard room from midnight to 7:20 p.m. (or 19:20) on December 2, and you'll pay $192 a night in January and February plus taxes. You'll also get lunch at Grape & Vine for $19.20 in addition to two complimentary 1920's themed cocktails. A look at a weeknight stay in January shows rooms ranging from $255 to $380. Book at thejadenyc.com/?ibe=true&pc=CYBERMON.

Book a room at Triumph Hotels' six properties on Cyber Monday in New York for two or more nights through March and you'll get 30% off. From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST, you'll get 50% off premium rooms and suites also through March. Properties are located all over Manhattan, from the Upper West Side to Midtown, where the Iroquois New York is located. Book at triumphhotels.com.

THE OUT NYC, close to Broadway and Times Square, will shave 25% off room rates for Jan. 2 through March 20 if you book on Cyber Monday. Private rooms on a weeknight in January range from $199 to $359. You also get a $20 voucher for The Spa at THE OUT NYC, two complimentary tickets to the off-Broadway production "Hot Mess Drag Revue," and two welcome cocktails at KTCHN Restaurant. There are some blackout dates such as Super Bowl weekend. Reservations will also be charged at the time of booking and are non-refundable. Book at theoutnyc.com/specials/.

At the Z NYC Hotel in Long Island City , you can get 20% off regular room rates if you book between the hours of 2:20 a.m. and 2:20 p.m. on Cyber Monday. The offer includes two complimentary cocktails and is available for stays from Jan. 2 to March 31. Rates in January range from $129 to $215. Black-out dates include Jan. 1 and Jan. 30 to Feb. 5, around the SuperBowl. To book, dial 212-319-7000 and mention CYBER MONDAY or visit zhotelny.com and use the code CYBR.

PHILADELPHIA

The newly converted Radisson Blu Warwick Hotel, Philadelphia is offering its redesigned Business Class rooms for $19.26, a number chosen for the year the hotel opened. Rooms can be booked at 12 a.m. Cyber Monday for 24 hours or until sold out. Business class rates normally start at $218. The deal is limited to one reservation per person. A maximum of two nights is required for stays through Feb. 28. Blackout dates may apply. The room comes with early check-in privileges, Nespresso machines, upgraded bathroom amenities, turndown service, and access to the Lounge with complimentary breakfast and evening refreshments. To book, visit radissonblu.com/hotel-philadelphia/offers/steal.

CAMBRIDGE

Stat at the Charles Hotel in Harvard Square for 20% off the best available rate if you book on Cyber Monday. For one hour, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST on Cyber Monday, you'll get 50% off room rates. The deal applies to stays from Dec. 2 to March 31. Blackout dates apply. Book at charleshotel.com.

CHICAGO

Starting Cyber Monday until Dec. 9, if you book two nights at the Thompson Chicago, you'll get a third night free for stays from Dec. 2 through Feb. 28. The offer applies to a Superior King Room for two. It includes a greeted arrival at the airport, complimentary private airport transportation to and from the hotel, and a special welcome amenity, for a total cost of $549 before taxes. For reservations, visit thompsonchicago.com and use the promo code CYBERM2013.

TUCSON

Reserve a room at the Tanque Verde Ranch for four or more nights and get 50% off the starting rate. The southwestern styled rooms come with three meals a day, a supervised children's program for ages 4 to 11, and on-property activities ranging from horseback riding to mountain biking through desert trails. This deal is valid for stays from Nov. 29 through March 10. Book at tanqueverderanch.com.

SAN FRANCISCO

At the Hotel Abri in Union Square, if you book on Black Friday from midnight through 11:59 p.m. PST, you'll get a room for $99. Starting rates are typically $154 a night. The rate is valid on stays from Dec. 1 through Jan. 31. The offer is valid on weekdays, and blackout days apply. Book at hotelabrisf.com.

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Kevin Ogletree 20 Yd Pass From Matthew Stafford (David Akers Kick) - ESPN

Lions Earn Rare Thanksgiving Day Win

DETROIT -- Matthew Stafford and Reggie Bush did their part to keep the Aaron Rodgers-less Green Bay Packers in the game.

Stafford turned the ball over a few times and Bush did once.

More Lions-Packers Coverage

Josh Sitton's insults roused a monster Thursday, as Detroit's defensive line dominated the Packers, Michael Rothstein writes. Blog

---

The Packers' defense has been so bad that Aaron Rodgers' imminent return might not save the season, Rob Demovsky writes. Blog

• Stats: Keys to victory

Instead of crumbling and losing confidence, both players bounced back and helped the Detroit Lions put together a dominant performance after an awful start.

Stafford threw three touchdown passes, including one to Calvin Johnson, Bush had 182 yards of offense and scored, and Detroit scored 37 straight points to rout Green Bay 40-10 on Thursday.

"When we get out of our own way, we can be pretty special," Bush said.

Early on, it looked as if the Lions were going to find another way to waste chances to win a game and take control of the NFC North.

"It's easy when you lose a couple games in a row, particularly the fashion that we lost, for people to say, 'Here we go again,' " Detroit coach Jim Schwartz said. "I'm sure there were some people that were saying that, but they weren't on our sideline."

The Lions (7-5) had lost their last two games, five consecutive against Green Bay and a franchise-record nine straight in their annual showcase on Thanksgiving.

"It's a step in the right direction for us," Stafford said. "I'm sure the turkey will taste better."

The Packers (5-6-1) have a five-game winless streak for the first time since 2008.

"We're not used to anything like this -- not on this team," Green Bay linebacker A.J. Hawk said. "This is something that is going to make a lot of guys on this team think, and that's good. We need to find some answers because they just ran the ball down our throats."

Bush responded from fumbling deep in Green Bay territory to score a 1-yard TD run that gave Detroit a 17-10 lead late in the first half. He finished with 117 yards rushing and 65 yards receiving. Bush' backup, Joique Bell, ran for a career-high 94 yards and a score.

Lions Stuff Packers

The Lions' 30-point win Thursday was their largest on Thanksgiving since 1997 and their largest ever on Thanksgiving against the Packers.

Lions Largest Margin of Victory
on Thanksgiving Day

	Opp	Pts Diff
1983	Steelers	+42
1997	Bears	+35
1950	Yanks	+35
Thursday	Packers	+30*
1952	Packers	+24
*1st win on Thanksgiving since 2003

The Packers, painfully, are finding out how valuable Rodgers is for the franchise. Rodgers has missed four-plus games since fracturing his left collarbone. Green Bay has tied one and lost four without him.

"We're a wounded team that got drilled by a good football team," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said.

Matt Flynn became the fourth starting quarterback for Green Bay this year and was sacked seven times, once by Ndamukong Suh for a safety.

Flynn didn't fare as well as he did in his last start for Green Bay against the same opponent.

He was 10 of 20 for 139 yards with an interception and two fumbles. In the last game of the 2011 regular season, while Rodgers rested for the playoffs, Flynn threw for 480 yards and six TDs in a 45-41 win over Detroit.

"They might have a lot of the same guys, but I can say they're a different defense," Flynn said. "They're flying around, creating havoc."

The Packers have been leaning on rookie running back Eddie Lacy lately, but he was limited to 16 yards on 10 carries against one of the NFL's best defenses against the run.

Detroit was balanced on offense.

Johnson had six receptions for 101 yards and a 20-yard TD to put the Lions up 24-10 early in the third quarter. He has 4,944 yards receiving in two-plus seasons, breaking Jerry Rice's NFL record for yards receiving in a three-year stretch. Rice had 4,850 yards receiving from 1993 to 1995.

Stafford was 22 of 35 for 330 yards with two interceptions and a fumble that was returned by Morgan Burnett to put the Packers up 10-3 early in the second quarter.

After that, Detroit did whatever it wanted on both sides of the ball. And if the Lions didn't start the game so poorly, the score could've been even more lopsided.

Detroit gained 561 yards and gave up just 126.

Green Bay didn't have more than 100 yards of offense until Flynn threw a 56-yard pass to Jordy Nelson with a little more than a minute left. Flynn then fumbled in a fitting end for a game that he and his team would like to forget.

Packers guard Josh Sitton might've fired up the Lions, saying they were "dirtbags," a couple days before the game, but didn't seem to regret his choice of words.

"I don't take back anything I said," Sitton said. "But I don't want to stand here and discuss it again."

Game notes

Green Bay C Evan Dietrich-Smith, two years after he was stomped on by Suh, left the game with knee injury and didn't return. ... Packers TE Ryan Taylor was knocked out of the game and was evaluated for a concussion after a crunching hit by Detroit's DeAndre Levy, who made his NFL-leading sixth interception during the game. ... Lions CB Chris Houston was inactive with a foot injury and was replaced by rookie Darius Slay.

Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press

Austin Mahone

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Turkey Temperature

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