Springs girl, kin win lifetime Disney passes
How much would you pay to go to “the happiest place on Earth” every year for the rest of your life? If you’re Emmalee Mason of Colorado Springs, it won’t cost a penny. The 12-year-old became the honorary 2 billionth visitor to a Disney theme park when she crossed the Disneyland gates in Anaheim, Calif., on May 2.
In true Disney fashion, Mason was greeted by a parade of Disney characters, received a giant gold key and was named the grand marshal of Disneyland’s 50th-anniversary parade.
In addition to all the Disney fanfare, Mason and her large family – mom, dad, brother and five sisters, with another sibling on the way – received lifetime passes to all 11 Disney parks around the world, including Disneyland Paris, according to a Disney press release.
A one-day pass to Disneyland costs $59 for visitors ages 10 and up. The same one-day pass to Walt Disney World in Orlando costs $63, according to the company’s website.
If Mason visited Disneyland at least once a year until she was 80 years old – for 68 years – she would save $4,012, based on today’s prices. If she ventured to Disney World, she would save $4,284. That’s small cheese for Disney, which reported second- quarter earnings of $733 million in April, enough for 11,634,920 trips to Disney World, or 12,423,728 trips to Disneyland.
Market genies assist with Janus CEO’s wish
During Janus Capital Group’s annual shareholder meeting April 25, chief executive Gary Black lauded the company for its ongoing plans to buy back $1 billion of its own stock.
He then quipped, however, that he wished the Denver- based mutual-fund giant could still buy shares at $14 apiece, essentially where Janus shares were trading at when the company initiated the buyback program in 2004. The remark provoked laughter from assembled shareholders.
Black soon had his wish partially granted.
Janus shares fell two days later by 12 percent to $20.57 after the company reported first-quarter financial results. Investors were concerned about higher expenses and persistent outflows of money from the company’s core business.
Black, who is also the company’s chief investment officer, purchased $1.48 million of Janus stock at $19.75 a share, according to a filing last week with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Bush makes example out of Denver exec
Gregg Ten Eyck, a principal of Denver-based Leonard Rice Engineers Inc., racked up 15 minutes of fame May 3 in Washington, D.C., when President Bush used him as an example during a talk to the American Council of Engineering Cos.
The president was discussing cutting taxes on small businesses.
“If most new jobs are created by small businesses in the United States, and a primary objective is to help people find work, it then makes sense to leave more money in Gregg’s hands so he can spend it to expand his business,” Bush said. “Do you want Gregg making the decisions, or do you want somebody in the halls of Congress?
“This administration thinks the money is better left in Gregg’s hands.”
Net phone company offers free calls to Mom
Phone companies say they handle more phone calls on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year.
So this year, California Internet phone company Jajah.com wants to give you 100 minutes of free calling time for Mother’s Day in a marketing campaign to get more customers.
To make Internet-based calls with Jajah.com, you need an Internet connection and a land line or cellular phone.
Go to www.Jajah.com, and the site will prompt you for your phone number and your mother’s number. Jajah first calls your phone and asks you to hold before connecting you to Mom for more than an hour of free chatter.
The phone call is a rudimentary example of how Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, works. Most major VoIP services, such as Vonage, don’t require you to log on to a website.
Jajah.com connects you to your loved one through a local telephone number, virtually free if you are using a land-line phone. If using a cellphone, minutes and fees accrue according to your individual plan.
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
