He’s still our favorite: LSU’s Mike the Tiger fell short in his quest to be named Capitol One’s National Mascot of the Year. Mike finished 9th out of 12 mascots in the first round of online balloting; the top eight advanced to the playoffs. Capital One says more than 3 million votes were cast in the first round; Texas Christian University’s Superfrog was the leading vote-getter. The winning mascot will be announced at halftime of the Capital One Bowl, which will be played on New Year’s Day.
No Scrooges here: A survey says 66% of companies are keeping their holiday party budgets the same as last year or increasing them. GigMasters.com, an Internet-based entertainment booking service, says companies are cutting back on decorations and the cost of renting out space, preferring to use items from previous years and hold parties at the office or in private homes. Food is still the key to company parties; the survey says 58% of the budget is being spent on eats, with dinner buffets and hors d’oeuvres and desserts the most popular offerings.
