The New Improved Bob Ray Book

Gathers brief comedy routines about soap operas, sports interviews, lawyers, banks, consumer affairs, editorials, game shows, and financial advisors

Bob and Ray's whimsically ridiculous dialogues and subtly satirical glances at the world have regaled audiences for fifty years -- on local and network radio and television, in movies and commercials, on Broadway and at Carnegie Hall, and in three delightful books. In an exclusive performance of skits from their third book, these beloved humorists take you into their world of restrained craziness and of gentle and relentless satire.

BOB AND RAY KEENER THAN MOST PERSONS

The Concise Encyclopedia of American Radio is an essential single-volume reference guide to this vital and evolving medium. Comprised of more than 300 entries spanning the invention of radio to the Internet, this refernce work addresses personalities, music genres, regulations, technology, programming and stations, the "golden age" of radio and other topics relating to radio broadcasting throughout its history. The entries are updated throughout and the volume includes nine new entries on topics ranging from podcasting to the decline of radio.

Produced in association with the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, the Encyclopedia of Radio includes more than 600 entries covering major countries and regions of the world as well as specific programs and people, networks and organizations, regulation and policies, audience research, and radio's technology. This encyclopedic work will be the first broadly conceived reference source on a medium that is now nearly eighty years old, with essays that provide essential information on the subject as well as comment on the significance of the particular person, organization, or topic being examined.

The work includes many of Dr. Eckardt's own fanciful stories, essays, and verses as well as material derived from student malapropisms, from children, and from professional humorists and comedians. Appearing at a time of burgeoning scholarly and popular interest in the domain of humor, Sitting in the Earth and Laughing shows how humor and laughter lie within the realm of human mysteries--together with tragedy, suffering, and love--that can be comprehended and relished.

Trademarks are among the most intangible of assets, yet they can have enormous value for an enterprise. The pink color of Owens-Corning insulation, McDonald's golden arches, the unique shape of the classic Coke bottle, these words, symbols, and colors embody the goodwill of the companies and institutions they represent. Potent cultural icons, trademarks are associated with quality, security, and even a sense of belonging in the minds of consumers. But how, exactly, do you determine the value of your trademark? How do you know if you are getting the best return on investment from your trademark? And what are the potential advantages and disadvantages of licensing your trademark, or even selling it outright? The first guide devoted exclusively to an increasingly important area of intellectual property, Trademark Valuation provides answers to these and all your questions about how to value your trademark and to develop strategies for exploiting its full potential. Gordon V. Smith, a consultant with more than three decades of experience advising clients on the value of their intellectual property, dispels common myths and misconceptions about trademarks and replaces them with logical, down-to-earth, practical guidance. Employing his unique talent for translating complex legal and financial concepts into plain English, he acquaints you with all the key legal and financial concepts, terms, principles, and practices, and guides you step-by-step through the entire valuation process. And, perhaps most importantly, he shows you how to use the information derived from your valuation to develop surefire strategies for getting the most out of your trademark. With the help of dozens of case studies, Smith places the subject of trademark management in a contemporary, real-world context. He examines the role of crucial factors such as trademark longevity and offers guidelines for analyzing current and future market trends. He explores the implications of the emerging world marketplace. And he considers various worst-case scenarios, including infringement and piracy, bankruptcy, acts of consumer terrorism, and other potential crises that can have a disastrous effect on the value of a trademark. Trademark Valuation is required reading for valuation experts, trademark specialists, and licensing executives, as well as the accountants and attorneys who work with them. It is also a valuable reference for advertising executives, business appraisers, and institutional investors. "They can be nostalgic reminders of times past, examples of outstanding graphic design, or the symbols of powerful institutions that influence our lives. As pleasant as it might be to contemplate their nostalgic or artistic aspects . . . trademarks are business assets and must be viewed primarily in the context of commercial enterprise. Their task is to contribute to the profitability of the parent enterprise. Commerce is driven by return-on-investment principles, and trademarks are not exempted from that requirement. Even trademarks that are associated with nonprofit, governmental, or institutional organizations are used for a purpose and promoted with an objective in mind. They must be judged by how well they meet those objectives." - Gordon V. Smith Written by an expert with thirty-five years of experience in the field, this is the first and only guide devoted exclusively to this vital area of intellectual property. Trademark Valuation includes: * Methods to determine the real value of your trademark and exploit its full potential * Dozens of case studies that illustrate how to apply valuation methods and strategies to real-world situations * Complex legal and financial concepts, terms, principles, and practices translated into plain English * Discussions of GATT, NAFTA, emerging markets, piracy, and other international trademark considerations * An appendix with valuable benchmarking information on the roles trademarks play in the financial life of many diverse industries