Brand Behind Steve Jobs' Iconic Turtleneck Sees Sales Boost

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Justin Sullivan / Getty Images

Did Steve Jobs' passing inspire fans to nab his famed wardrobe?

The Apple founder was infamous for wearing a black mock turtleneck, jeans and sneakers to every keynote presentation. And one company claims sales have skyrocketed because of it.

A representative for St. Croix, which makes Jobs' turtlenecks, told TMZ that the shirts have flown off shelves since the news of Jobs' death. On Thursday, the brand saw an "almost 100% increase in sales," the rep said. TMZ also reported that St. Croix is working on a plan to pay tribute to their most famous customer.

Overall, Jobs' uniform is quite easy to replicate, if you've got Steve Jobs-type money. The St. Croix mock turtleneck in black retails for $175 at stcroixshop.com. Not all is pricey, though; a pair of Levi's 501 jeans in Medium Stonewash is currently marked down to $44 on levi.com, and a pair of gray New Balance 991 sneakers are on sale for $89 on Amazon. But you'll have to fork over major cash for the glasses — Jobs' specs, Lunor's Classic Round style, go for $495.

NewsFeed suspects the sales spike is from those seeking Halloween inspiration. But we suggest you stay away from this particular costume; don't blame us if everyone you encounter yells "too soon" as you walk by.

LIST: The World Reacts to Steve Jobs' Death

LIST: Steve Jobs, from TIME's Archives

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Bake sale's racial pricing rocks UC Berkeley campus

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By Emmett Berg

SAN FRANCISCO | Mon Sep 26, 2011 11:43pm EDT

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Student Republicans at the University of California at Berkeley have stirred up the famously left-wing campus with plans for a sale of baked goods priced according to the race and gender of buyers.

A Facebook promotion of the event, set for Tuesday, has drawn cries of racism and misogyny on the social networking site, and student body president Vishalli Loomba called what the Berkeley College Republicans were doing offensive.

The school's chancellor, Robert Birgeneau, weighed in on Monday night with an open letter condemning the planned bake sale as contrary to campus "Principles of Community" that call for debate to be conducted in a respectful manner.

Organizers say their "Increase Diversity Bake Sale" is meant as satiric political commentary on newly passed legislation that would allow California's public universities to once again consider the race, gender, ethnicity and national origin of admissions applicants.

The sale is slated to take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. near the location of a campus phone bank set up by supporters of the bill, SB 185, to lobby for Governor Jerry Brown to sign the measure into law.

The original Facebook post for the event said pastries sold at the event would be priced at $2 each for white customers, $1.50 for buyers of Asian descent, $1 for Latinos, 75 cents for black customers and 25 cents for Native Americans. All women would get a 25 cent discount.

The post said the pricing structure was designed to "ensure the equitable distribution of BAKED GOODS to our DIVERSE! student body."

Loomba said Berkeley "students are talking about this everywhere I go."

"They've been able to get a lot of publicity, but at what cost? They are creating an environment of divisiveness," she told Reuters. "You can't justify doing something this offensive and making students of this school feel uncomfortable."

BALLOT MEASURE

While enactment of SB 185 does not require university admissions officers to give preferential treatment to applicants on the basis of race or gender, it would allow them to consider such factors.

A statewide ballot measure approved by California voters in 1996 banned the use of race and gender preferences in state university admissions, hiring and contracting. The California Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality last August.

SB 185 was presented to Brown on September 9 and becomes law in 30 days even without his signature, unless he vetoes it.

Berkeley's student government passed a resolution in support of SB 185 last week, and organized the telephone lobbying effort on its behalf, prompting the Berkeley College Republicans to plan their bake sale.

On Sunday, the student government unanimously passed a resolution decrying the College Republicans' move.

In his letter Monday night, the chancellor said the issue was not the group's opinions, but how they were expressed.

"The issue is not whether one thinks an action is satirical or inoffensive, the issue is whether community members will be intentionally -- or unintentionally -- hurt or demeaned by that action," Birgeneau wrote, adding, "intelligent debate is based on mutual respect."

Leaders of the student Republicans were not immediately available for comment. But the group's president, Shawn Lewis, said in a statement posted on its website that "physical threats" were made against organizers of the bake sale, including suggestions that cupcakes would be purchased and then hurled back in protest.

"Threatening and political intimidation should not be part of the (campus) community," Lewis said. "What I have seen and heard in response to the Berkeley College Republicans' 'Increase Diversity Bake Sale' has been far from healthy disagreement or challenging of ideas."

In addition to the phone bank, a free giveaway of baked goods, called Conscious Cupcakes, was planned as a riposte to the College Republicans' sale. Conscious Cupcakes' Facebook page indicated "641 attending."

(Additional reporting by Greg Lucas in Sacramento, Editing by Steve Gorman and Cynthia Johnston)

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August sales of McDonald's Miss; Japan drags

A u.s. flags fluttering in the wind in front of a sign for the McDonald's restaurant in Los Angeles, April 4, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Mario AnzuoniBy Martinne Geller and Brad Dorfman

NEW YORK/CHICAGO | Fri 09/09/2011 11:28 EST

New York/CHICAGO (Reuters)-McDonald's Corp. (MCD.N) reported an increase of less than expected in August worldwide sales in restaurants established on a sharp fall in Japan and a lull in releases of new products in the United States.

The world's largest hamburger chain, whose shares fell 4.4 percent on Friday, said that sales at restaurants open at least 13 months rose 3.5% globally. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters sought an increase of 4.3%.

Sales of the same restaurant rose 3.9% in the United States, the analysts ' expectation of 4.0%. In Europe-the biggest market of McDonald 's-the company missing an increase of 2.7%, analysts ' estimate of an increase of 4.7%.

To help increase sales, McDonald's was based on new products like oatmeal for breakfast and a review of drinks which included the introduction of fruit smoothies and other drinks.

In August 2010, demand smoothies helped drive sales of the same u.s. restaurant by 4.6%.

This year, "new product launches are really weighted toward the front half of the summer," Morningstar analyst R.J. Hottovy said.

But he noted that the company was still doing better than its competitors in terms of sales of the same restaurant.

"He is still positive comping while a lot of its competitors are still square in negative territory," said Hottovy.

Sales and profits by months of McDonald's were the envy of the global fast-food industry, which means that the company is punished when meet or Miss expectations of results.

The company has been outpacing rivals such as Wendy Co (WEN.N), Burger King Corp. BKCBK.UL and Yum Brands Inc. (YUM.N) KFC, attracting a broader range of Diners than typical young adult males fast-food.

WEAK JAPAN WEIGHS

McDonald's reported a decline of 0.3% in Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, while Wall Street had forecast an increase of 3.5 percent.

Asia was dragged down by a sharp decline in comparable sales in Japan, where consumers are still adjusting to the aftermath of the March earthquake and tsunami.

Janna Sampson, investment Director, said that sein Oakbrook investments the weak results in Japan were worrying, given how many months have passed since the earthquake and tsunami struck in March.

Sampson said that "I would have thought that has already been priced in expectations,". "But one month does not make for a pattern of ... If we continue in September, it becomes more problematic. "

Earlier this week, Red Lobster and Olive Garden father Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI.N) warned that the hurricane Irene had dented its quarterly earnings by 2 cents per share.

But Irene had minimal impact on sales of McDonald 's, said a spokesman for the company.

Actions based in Oak Brook, Illinois McDonald fell 4.4 percent to $ 84.71 in trade in the New York Stock Exchange.

(Additional reporting Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Edited by Lisa Von Ahn, Dave Zimmerman)

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