Deals of the Hour

Trying to find out what's the deal with the world, tracking what's on sale and who's talking about it on Twitter. Update hourly.

Deals of the Hour / August 12, 2010, 4:40 am

Saudi to test giant clock in Mecca during Ramadan

Saudi Arabia will test what it is billing as the world's largest clock in the holy city of Mecca during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the official news agency reported Tuesday. The four-faced clock will be part of ... (Source: AP - msnbc.com 2010-08-10T17:10:58Z)

Chemtura Plans Sale in Year's Busiest Week for Junk Bonds: New Issue Alert

Chemtura Corp ., the bankrupt plastic-additives maker, plans to sell high-yield, high-risk debt as junk issuance is poised for its busiest week this year. Chemtura plans to sell $450 million of senior ... (Source: Bloomberg 2010-08-12T10:34:53Z)

Canadian ordered to stay away from Leonardo DiCaprio

A Canadian woman accused of hitting Inception star Leonardo DiCaprio in the face with a beer bottle in 2005 was ordered on Wednesday to stay at least 500 yards away from the actor. DiCaprio was at a private Hollywood ... (Source: Toronto Star 2010-08-05T00:27:34Z)

Tonight is a good one for watching Perseid meteor shower

Enjoying the Perseid meteor shower tonight will be easy, thanks to the absence of a bright moon, coupled with clear skies and plenty of meteors. If you can travel to a dark site, you might see as many as 50 ... (Source: Bellingham Herald 2010-08-12T09:08:59Z)

Searing summer heat adds hardship to Ramadan fasting for Muslims in Middle East

Gaza City, Gaza Strip: Hundreds of millions of Muslims across the Middle East are sweating their way through the start of Ramadan, beginning a month-long daylight fast in sweltering summer heat. With ... (Source: NDTV 2010-08-12T06:02:52Z)

Venus, Saturn, Mars and a crescent Moon followed by the Perseid meteor shower

"You know it's a good night when a beautiful alignment of planets is the second best thing that's going to happen. Thursday, August 12th, is such a night. The show begins at sundown when Venus, Saturn, Mars and the ... (Source: Examiner 2010-08-12T11:03:31Z)

Restraining Order for Accused DiCaprio Bottle Attacker

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Canadian woman accused of attacking "Inception" star Leonardo DiCaprio in the face with a beer bottle in 2005 was ordered on Wednesday to stay at least 500 yards away from the actor. DiCaprio ... (Source: ABC News 2010-08-04T22:11:34Z)

Muslims in Mideast begin Ramadan in heat of summer

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Over a billion Muslims in the Middle East and around the world have begun observing the holy month of Ramadan — a period devoted to prayer and dawn-to-dusk fasting. This year's ... (Source: msnbc.com 2010-08-12T06:52:59Z)

Rangers Sale Almost a Done Deal

The sale of the Texas Rangers to a group headed by Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan and sports lawyer Chuck Greenberg has cleared the first two hurdles and will go to a final vote Thursday. The Major League Baseball ownership ... (Source: NBC Dallas-Fort Worth 2010-08-11T22:39:03Z)

Iowa Restaurant Ticketed For Toad-licking Chef

(AP) DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) - An Iowa restaurant owner said he'll pay a fine after his head chef was videotaped kissing and licking toads in the kitchen. The Scott County Health Department reviewed the video ... (Source: CBS News 2010-08-12T04:01:11Z)

Zimbabwe gem sale stirs 'blood diamond' fears

JOHANNESBURG — Zimbabwe auctioned 900,000 carats of rough gems Wednesday from a diamond field where human rights groups say soldiers killed 200 people, raped women and enslaved children. It was the first public sale of ... (Source: San Mateo Daily Journal 2010-08-12T10:56:21Z)

4 police officers charged over UK attack

Approaching tropical depression halts drilling of relief well at Gulf spill site for 2-3 days. 9/11 museum taking shape in NYC offers visitors a raw experience, impression of vast scale. Plane crashes in Alaska, kills ... (Source: WIS-TV 2010-08-12T10:42:02Z)

Saudi Arabia builds giant clock for 'Mecca Time'

The partially built Mecca Clock Royal Tower hotel is pictured on June 16. The building is topped by the biggest clock in the world with a 45-meter diameter, which overlooks the Grand Mosque in the holy Muslim Saudi city ... (Source: China Post 2010-08-12T09:01:49Z)

Pakistan: Flood relief efforts scale up as Ramadan begins

As the scale of the crisis in Pakistan continues to grow, World Vision is stepping up efforts to meet the needs of families affected by the flood and who now face a month of fasting during Ramadan*. On Wednesday World ... (Source: Reliefweb.int 2010-08-12T08:18:52Z)

Woman denies attacking DiCaprio 

A woman accused of attacking Leonardo DiCaprio with a broken bottle at a Hollywood party in 2005 pleaded not guilty to assault with a deadly weapon. Aretha Wilson, 40, is expected to return to court August 23 for a ... (Source: ONE News 2010-08-12T02:06:39Z)

In Afghanistan, stillness among the chaos

Ramadan tradition goes high-tech; users can get prayer time reminders, find direction of Mecca. Tropical depression halts drilling at Gulf well Approaching tropical depression halts drilling of relief well at Gulf spill ... (Source: KLFY.com 2010-08-12T10:49:12Z)

Zimbabwe proceeds with certified diamonds sale

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, center, chats with Mines and Minerals Minister Orbert Mpofu, left, and Zanu PF Chairman Simon Khaya Moyo after the granting of a Kimberley Process certificate to ... (Source: Monterey County Herald 2010-08-12T08:47:30Z)

Zimbabwe gem sale stirs fears of 'blood diamonds'

JOHANNESBURG -- Zimbabwe auctioned 900,000 carats of rough gems Wednesday from a diamond field where human rights groups say soldiers killed 200 people, raped women and enslaved children. It was the first ... (Source: Delaware Online 2010-08-12T07:50:15Z)

Continued: Saudi to test giant clock under construction in Mecca during Muslim month ...

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia will test what it is billing as the world's largest clock in the holy city of Mecca during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the official news agency reported Tuesday. The four ... (Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune 2010-08-10T19:26:58Z)

Ramadan or not, hunger hits Pakistan flood victims

Pakistani flood survivors already short on food and water began the fasting month of Ramadan on Thursday, a normally festive, social time marked this year by misery and fears of an uncertain future. The U.S. announced a ... (Source: AP - msnbc.com 2010-08-12T09:59:05Z)

Pakistan Flood Victims Already Dying of Hunger As Ramadan Fasting Begins

Multan , Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani flood survivors already short on food and water began the fasting month of Ramadan on Thursday, a normally festive, social time marked this year by misery and fears of an uncertain ... (Source: CNS News 2010-08-12T09:30:27Z)

Restaurant toad-licker gets ticket from health department

DAVENPORT - A Davenport restaurant was ticketed today by the health department after its head chef was caught on tape kissing and licking live toads in the kitchen Sunday. The Scott County Health Department ... (Source: WQAD 2010-08-12T04:15:30Z)

Russia manages to reduce number of wildfires

Ramadan tradition goes high-tech; users can get prayer time reminders, find direction of Mecca. Tropical depression halts drilling at Gulf well Approaching tropical depression halts drilling of relief well at Gulf spill ... (Source: Mysuncoast.com 2010-08-12T08:18:52Z)

FDIC moves toward cutting use of ratings

WASHINGTON - Federal regulators have taken a first step toward eliminating the use of credit ratings in rules for banks, under a mandate of the new financial overhaul law. The board of the Federal Deposit ... (Source: Observer-Reporter 2010-08-12T07:57:24Z)

Texas Rangers sale clears 2 hurdles, 1 to go

Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan and sports lawyer Chuck Greenberg have had a long and difficult struggle to gain ownership of the Texas Rangers. It's almost over. The MLB ownership committee and executive council ... (Source: Seattle Times 2010-08-12T04:22:39Z)

Heat adds more hardship to Ramadan observance

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Hundreds of millions of Muslims across the Middle East sweated their way through the start of Ramadan on Wednesday, beginning a monthlong daylight fast in sweltering summer heat. With ... (Source: Philadelphia Daily News 2010-08-12T07:14:27Z)

Chemtura Plans Notes Amid Junk-Debt Surge: New Issue Alert

Aug. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Chemtura Corp., the bankrupt plastic-additives maker, plans to sell high-yield, high-risk debt as junk issuance is poised for its busiest week this year. Chemtura plans to sell $450 ... (Source: San Francisco Gate 2010-08-12T10:13:24Z)

After midnight, Perseid meteor shower may steal show

So named because the meteors fly out of the constellation Perseus, the light show occurs in August, when the Earth travels through debris from the Comet Swift-Tuttle for several weeks, NASA said. The comet ... (Source: Boston Globe 2010-08-12T08:26:02Z)

Rangers sale clears two hurdles; final approval likely Thursday

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan and sports lawyer Chuck Greenberg have had a long and difficult struggle to gain ownership of the Texas Rangers . It's almost over. The MLB ownership committee and ... (Source: USA Today 2010-08-12T00:40:45Z)

Toad-licking chef ticketed

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa restaurant owner says he'll pay a fine after his head chef was videotaped kissing and licking toads in the kitchen. The Scott County Health Department reviewed the video Wednesday and ... (Source: Omaha World-Herald 2010-08-12T08:40:21Z)

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