Compiled by Laura Slattery.
Quote of the Week. . .
"I wonder a little bit where the resistance comes from, particularly from our British and Irish friends, who are normally very much in favour of cutting red tape and making it easier for business to do international trade."
- European Commission member Günter Verheugen professes to be mystified by the Government's opposition to EU plans to harmonise the corporate tax base.
The numbers. . .
21The percentage increase, adjusted for inflation, in the amount of average household spending between 1999-2000 and 2004-2005.
53The percentage increase in disposable income over that period.
35,000The number of jobs that will be lost in the housing sector between now and the end of 2008, according to Davy stockbrokers.
14,000The number of Irish patients taking Tysabri, Elan's multiple sclerosis drug, a year after it returned to the market. The drug was taken off the market in 2005 after being linked with several cases of a potentially deadly brain disease.
Good Week. . .
Domino's PizzaThe long-running sponsor of The Simpsonshas seen its sales rise 15 per cent, as consumers kept their barbecues in their sheds and devoured its Simpsons-themed pizza instead. Known as the Ay Carumba Fajita pizza, it is a Mexican-style thin-crust pizza with toppings of spicy chicken, cheese, green peppers, onions and tomatoes, and is ideally served with Duff beer.
The National LotteryOptimists queued up in even bigger droves than usual to buy tickets for the biggest Lotto jackpot yet on Wednesday, only for it to be rolled over for the 11th time to an estimated sum of €16 million for tomorrow's draw.
Employees of Vodafone, Oracle and Bank of IrelandAccording to the judges of the Yakult Healthy Workplace Awards, these three companies "work to make the employee happy rather than the other way round", encouraging them to "reclaim the weekend" and providing such workplace delights as on-site massage, yoga and soft lighting.
Bad Week. . .
L'OréalFalse eyelashes worn by actor Penelope Cruz in an ad campaign for mascara left the cosmetics company red-faced, as the UK Advertising Standards Authority said L'Oréal had misled the public about its Telescopic mascara's supposed power to make eyelashes "up to 60 per cent longer".
MySpaceThe social networking website has reported a four-fold increase in the number of convicted sex offenders using its service, finding and removing the profiles of more than 29,000 people who have been convicted of sex offences in the US.
Walkers crispsA TV advertisement featuring Gary Lineker joking at a muddy farm about how rainy weather creates ideal growing conditions for potatoes has been shelved by brand owner PepsiCo, following catastrophic flooding in the UK and the worst potato blight in years.
