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Business Diary: Used TV company under the hammer

Friday 15 July 2011 00:00 BST
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Given that it is only 48 hours since it was told off by a European court for not doing enough to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods on its site, eBay ought to take a look at a listing posted yesterday. "BSkyB – relisted due to time waster," it reads. The current bid is just shy of £1m, which looks pretty good value given the heady valuations this company has recently reached. But should you be interested, bear in mind that you'll have to share ownership with a rough crowd.

More discordant notes for BP

News Corporation isn't the only company with an image problem. Remember our friends BP, still trying to put the Deepwater Horizon disaster behind them? Not helping that effort is the fact the company has invested in tar sands resources in Canada, which is hugely controversial with environmentalists. And now BP's sponsorship of a series of screenings of operas in Trafalgar Square this summer has proved too good an opportunity for activists to ignore. The latest event was preceded by a protest that saw three protesting ballerinas stage their own version of Swan Lake in order to get their unhappiness with BP across – the dance culminated with a beautiful white swan being smeared with oil. Subtle.

Buffett showing his feminine side?

The folk at the Motley Fool have set out to provoke with their new book on the investment techniques of the sage of Omaha. It is entitled Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl, though the sub-heading And Why You Should, Too makes it clear the publishers are not meaning to be rude about women. In fact, as they point out, there is plenty of evidence to show that women often make better investment decisions than men.

Give cold callers a fair hearing

This week's unemployment figures provide some clues as to why this should be the case, but the Direct Selling Association reports it has seen a surge in the number of older people employed in the industry. In fact, its members now employ almost a third more over-50s than they did only a year ago. So next time you're about to be rude to the caller trying to flog you double glazing, just remember that it's polite to respect your elders.

businessdiary@independent.co.uk

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