Compiled by Laura Slattery
Quote of the Week 1 . . .
"If oil hits $90 a barrel, we will have no fuel surcharge. If oil hits $300 a barrel, we will still have no fuel surcharge. We will be the only airline in the world flying at that stage, and I guarantee that the 99 cent offers will be more limited, but we will have no fuel surcharge."
- A world where Ryanair is the only airline? Michael O'Leary manages to find a previously unexplored angle to the post-oil nightmare.
The Numbers
$633Price of a Google share on New York's Nasdaq exchange, up from $85 per share when it floated three years ago, and 21 per cent higher than last month.
49The price/earnings ratio for a Google share, making the internet firm's shares twice as expensive as those of Microsoft, Intel and Hewlett-Packard.
Good Week . . .
Foxy BusinessThe army of cosmetically perfect (and highly experienced) newscasters on Rupert Murdoch's new Fox Business Network saw the US channel swiftly dubbed "Foxy Business" in the blogosphere. The station aims to "demystify" business news and challenge the "Money Honeys" at rival CNBC.
Whitehaven, CumbriaThe lucky town witnessed "the dawn of the digital TV" first-hand as the BBC2 analogue signal was switched off, prompting its population of 25,000 to rush out to buy satellite dishes or set-top boxes so they could still catch the snooker.
Bad Week . . .
ToyotaThe Japanese car maker's image was dented after it recalled 470,000 cars, with consumer magazines saying its reputation for reliability could no longer be taken as standard. Fuel pumps, fuel controls and the (reasonably vital) steering function on several models were found to have defects.
The BBCNorthern Rock's attempt to blame its near-collapse on a panic-inducing report on BBC News may not have washed with British MPs, but the broadcaster's plans to make 1,800 people redundant and slash budgets for news and factual shows will be harder to make go away.
Quote of the Week 2 . . .
"I can't believe I drive around in a three-litre car. It's a '99 Mercedes that I bought in January, before I started working on this End of the Oil Age programme, and now I'm stuck with it for at least another year."
- RTÉ's economics editor George Lee discovers the perils of being environmentally aware.
