Mega ratings for ESPN's college football playoffs make cable TV history

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

On Thursday, 28.2 million viewers watched Oregon blow out Florida State 59 to 20 in the Rose Bowl. Later in the night, 28.3 million tuned in as Ohio State upset top-seed Alabama 42 to 35 in the Sugar Bowl.

These numbers make the semifinal games the two most-watched broadcasts in cable TV history.

"These record setting numbers illustrate the enormous fan interest in college football and the wide ranging appeal of the new College Football Playoff format," John Wildhack, ESPN's executive VP of programming, said in a statement.

This year marked the first time that the college football champion will be decided by playoffs.

The Oregon Ducks beat the Florida State Seminoles 59 to 20 in Thursday night's Rose Bowl.

In prior years, computer rankings and coaching polls were used to determine which teams would compete for the crown.

ESPN now holds the largest 18 audiences in cable TV history.

While the network's ratings are huge, they pale in comparison to the 111 million viewers that tuned in for the Super Bowl on network TV last year.

Related: TV contracts keep sports programming steady for next decade.

The ratings are welcome news for ESPN, which reportedly paid $7.3 billion for the rights to the playoff through 2025.

The coverage did have a bumpy start. The network's online TV and mobile app, WatchESPN, went down during the Rose Bowl.

Yet, the games themselves were widely praised by fans watching on social media.

"So that college football playoff was worth waiting for," tweeted the sports media blog Awful Announcing.

Thursday night's games also drew huge live crowds: Attendance at Pasadena's Rose Bowl was 91,322, while the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans was attended by more than 70,000 fans.

The Oregon Ducks and Ohio State Buckeyes will now meet for the national championship, which will be played on January 12 in Arlington, Texas.

First Published: January 2, 2015: 4:57 PM ET

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A year in super-cool cars

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Huayra, a gorgeous and ultra-rare Italian supercar, was one of two huge highlights in a year that was filled with cars that would have been tough to top in any ordinary year.

The other highpoint took me back in time, to shortly before the actual day I was born. The jet-powered 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car was unveiled at New York World's Fair. Of the 55 that were originally built, only three remain running. Getting to drive this car, even at parking lot speeds, was incredible.

The Turbine Car was, in its day, forward thinking technology that would, despite decades of research and development, ultimately yield absolutely zero in terms of a car customers could buy.

Many of the cars I drove in 2014 are very rare and very expensive. And they, too, show the way to the future.

Chrysler Turbine Car

The $845,000 Porsche 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid, for instance, might be more than you or I can afford but its technology is already making its way into more affordable models, relatively speaking, like the Porsche Panamera plug-in.

Porsche 918

And the beautiful BMW i8 plug-in hybrid, with its three-cylinder engine, is a relative bargain at $136,000. Plus, it's seriously a blast to drive, as a BMW should be.

BMW i8

For those with an eye for the classics, but still wanting to jump on the electric car wave, let me tell you about the Zelectric Bug. A small shop near San Diego takes the noisy gasoline engines out of classic Volkswagen Beetles and replaces them with electric motors. In the process, they hugely improve the little car's performance.

Zelectric Bug

Toyota let me take a spin in its Toyota Mirai hydrogen fuel cell car. It'll be available for sale or lease soon in a handful of states.

Toyota Mirai

Not everyone is looking to save on gas, of course. The economy's improving and gas prices are low so Ferrari is doing quite well selling cars like the Ferrari 458 Speciale, a performance monster that ranks as of the most fun cars I drove last year.

Lamborghini Especiale

Lamborghini, meanwhile, is hitting sales records thanks, in large part, to the new Lamborghini Huracán. I called it the best Lamborghini I'd ever driven and apparently a lot of people agree.

Lamborghini Huracan

Britain's Aston Martin, meanwhile, is still creating new versions of its cars. Last year I drove two versions of the Aston Martin Vantage. First there was the top-dollar V12 Vantage S, Aston Martin's high-powered answer to the muscle car craze. Then there was the bargain-priced -- well, relatively speaking -- Aston Martin GT with a V8 engine, a manual transmission and a price tag starting ever so slightly under $100,000. I ended up thinking that the original Aston Martin V8 Vantage still had the best balance of beauty, luxury and performance.

Aston Martin Vantage GT

From McLaren, another British carmaker that's maybe less familiar than Aston Martin, came the replacement for what had been one of my favorite sports cars. The McLacen 650S is, essentially, a significantly updated version of the McLaren 12C. The 650S felt quicker, more natural and even more pleasant to drive at any speed.

McLaren 650S

I also spent some in time in a couple of Bentley's newest models, both featuring the luxury brand's new turbocharged V8. The Bentley Continental V8 S offered only slightly better performance than the non-turbo V8 but, in the Flying Spur sedan -- which is otherwise only available with a V12 -- it made the car feel more spirited, nimble and surprisingly fun.

Bentley Continental V8 S

Jaguar brought itself back to the sports car world with the F-type. I used to think this car, with its $65,000 base price, was just too expensive. That was before I actually drove it. Between the V6 and V8 versions, I liked the V8 better. Loads of power and, otherwise, just crazy fun to drive. Plus, whatever's under the hood, it is flat out gorgeous.

Jaguar F-type

For the more practical-minded, may I show you something in a station wagon? Check out the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG with its 577 horsepower turbocharged V8. I thought it was the perfect mix of outrageousness and cargo space.

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG

For the less practical minded, there was also the Alfa Romeo 4C. I couldn't really decide whether I loved it or hated it. On smooth curvy roads it was magnificent. With no power steering, hard suspension and a noisy four-cylinder engine, it felt wonderfully connected and "real." But, let's face it... All those things are also a recipe for a really killer headache when you're not out on a perfect country road.

Alfa Romeo 4C

For those on really tight budgets, Elio Motors is promising a price of just $6,800 for a three-wheeled two-seater that, they say, will get 84 miles per gallon. Like the Alfa Rome 4C, the Elio prototype I drove was noisy and had a brutal ride. But this was just a prototype. Elio promises the production car will be considerably more pleasant.

Elio

We'll see when they actually start building it, something that's supposed to happen later this year.

First Published: January 2, 2015: 5:20 PM ET

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Oprah suffers Twitter backlash for comments about protestors

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

In a recent interview, Winfrey explained what she would like to see emerge from the recent spate of protests against police killings, but what her comment sparked instead was a swift social media backlash.

Winfrey said she thought it was "wonderful" to see so many demonstrators take to the streets after recent grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri and New York City to clear police officers involved in the deaths of unarmed black men.

But the billionaire media mogul also qualified her praise.

"What I'm looking for is some kind of leadership to come out of this to say, 'This is what we want. This is what has to change, and these are the steps that we need to take to make these changes, and this is what we're willing to do to get it,'" Winfrey told People magazine.

The comment sparked considerable push-back on Twitter after People published the interview online on Thursday evening. For much of Friday, Winfrey, who boasts more than 26 million followers on the social media site, was inundated with messages from individuals who took umbrage to her characterization of the movement.

"So MY question, @oprah, is are YOU the leader that many thought you were and that you purported yourself to be?!" asked Charles Wade, an activist who's been involved in the Ferguson protests.

He asserted that "this is about ticket sales," since Winfrey was being interviewed about "Selma," a new movie about the 1960s civil rights movement that she produced and appeared in.

DeRay Mckesson, another Ferguson activist, told Winfrey to "ask before you assume."

"I thought you taught us that -- the radical power of the question," Mckesson said. "Stand with us. There are many 'leading.'"

Jamilah Lemieux, a senior editor at Ebony.com, offered to introduce Winfrey to leaders involved in the protests aimed at countering police brutality and other excesses by law enforcement.

Shaun King, who blogs at the Daily Kos, said that Winfrey's wish was superfluous.

"Everything she says should happen already has," King said.

"Selma" has been met with widespread critical acclaim, and many commentators have noted that its story may resonate with moviegoers today.

David Oyelowo, who portrays Martin Luther King, Jr. in the movie, told Variety in November that the movie "feels very timely and very necessary."

And Winfrey told People that the movie contains a valuable lesson.

"I think what can be gleaned from our film is to take note of the strategic, peaceful intention required when you want real change," Winfrey said.

She did not reply to any of the protesters' comments on Twitter on Friday.

First Published: January 2, 2015: 7:46 PM ET

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New Year's is the best day to apply for financial aid

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

January 1 is the first day students can submit the nationwide financial aid application (known as FAFSA) for the upcoming school year. Applying early is hands down the best way to maximize the amount of money a student gets to put toward college.

Here are five things you need to know about the process.

1. It's a single application for three different kinds of aid.

This form is super important because it determines the amount of aid a student will get from the three main sources available: the federal government, state governments and schools. Funding can include loans as well as money that students don't have to pay back, like scholarships, grants and work-study gigs.

2. The sooner you file, the more money you can get.

Some states and colleges have a finite amount of money to dole out and it's allocated on a first-come, first-serve basis each year, according to Sallie Mae spokeswoman Martha Holler. So it's always best to be at the front of the line.

Don't wait for your W-2 to come in or to get your tax returns. The application can always be updated later with exact numbers, Holler said.

Related: My college degree is worthless

3. Don't assume your family is too wealthy.

The amount of aid granted to students is largely based on income. The value of the home a family lives in and any retirement savings aren't taken into consideration.

And keep in mind that a family with more than one student in college is actually eligible for more help. A family with two kids in school could see its expected contribution to tuition cut in half, Holler said.

Related: More and more food banks are for college students

4. Watch out for different deadlines.

There can be early deadlines to get state aid. The first one is in Connecticut, where families must submit the form by February 15 to be eligible for state aid.

5. There might be another form

Some states and schools require more information than this application calls for. Once the standard form is submitted, links to supplemental forms can be found on the confirmation page -- but not on the confirmation email, so be careful!

The form is free to file and can be found here. Holler says it should take about 30 minutes to complete.

"A little time could translate into a lot of money," she said.

Related: 10 most expensive colleges

Related: Colleges with the highest paid graduates

First Published: January 1, 2015: 6:01 AM ET

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What to do with your leftover Champagne

Add some Champagne to that bubble bath to glow like Marilyn Monroe.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

If the New Year's Eve celebration got a little out of hand, and you have some opened bottles that lasted longer than your guests, fear not: There are still plenty of delicious ways to keep the party going.

Take a bath

Channel Marilyn Monroe, who was rumored to bathe in 350 bottles of bubbly, taking advantage of the grape's naturally-occurring antioxidants.

But if you don't have a few hundred bottles to spare, use a sip's worth for a natural toner. Michelle Phan, makeup artist and YouTube star, promises it will be "light, cool and refreshing."

She wrote on her website, "Champagne is a favorite toner of mine for its detoxifying properties and its ability to fight free radicals."

According to Phan, the acid also helps to even out skin tone. She suggests putting a small amount on a cotton pad and wiping it across the face.

Make shoes sparkle

Parisian shoemaker Olga Berluti has said she finishes a shoe shine with Champagne, and directs her well-heeled customers to do the same. It's said to cut the fat in the polish, allowing the natural color of the leather to really shine.

Though this may seem like an obnoxious practice of the 1%, there is some historical precedent.

It dates back to the 1800s and a guy named Beau Brummell, who led the tailored-suit trend and liked his shoes with a bit of shine.

According to a book by Carlo Maria Franzero, a young man once asked Brummell how he got his boots so buffed. He said he didn't use anything except the "froth of Champagne."

Brummell was also the kind of guy who wore three fresh shirts a day and had them washed in the country to get a fresh smell. For that, I say just spray some Febreze. It's 2015.

Get cooking

One of the best things about a big night out is brunch the day after. Flat sparkling wine can be added to scrambled eggs instead of milk for extra fluffiness, or you can use it like a white wine and add to sauces, salad dressings or desserts, according to David DiSalvo, a chef in New York City.

"It'll make your food so much better," he said. "There's nothing wrong with cooking with it."

Have a lot of opened bottles?

He suggested making a beurre blanc, which is basically a butter sauce. Just put chopped shallots in a saucepan and add in the Champagne. Reduce it down by about a third and add a little cream.

"Then add a little butter and whisk it until it becomes a creamy sauce that can go with anything," DiSalvo said. "It's beautiful with fish."

His other recommendation is a French gelée, which is just a fancy way of saying "Jell-O shot."

He shared his recipe below:

First Published: January 1, 2015: 6:22 AM ET

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Thomas Piketty turns down France's top honor

'I don't think it's up to a government to say who is honorable,' French economist Thomas Piketty said.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

"I don't think it's up to a government to say who is honorable," Piketty told AFP after he learned that he made the list of honorees this week.

Piketty is famous for his research on income inequality, which he argues is worsening.

His 700-page book "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" was a bestseller last year. It sold out on Amazon and spent 22 weeks on the New York Times list.

"They would do better to focus on reviving growth in France and Europe." Piketty, a professor at the Paris School of Economics, said when he declined the award. Europe is on the verge of a recession.

One of Piketty's key findings is that wealth is being passed down from generation to generation. He believes the United States and other countries need more progressive tax systems.

His work has been controversial. Bill Gates, among others, said it has "flaws." Piketty will face some of his critics in a debate this weekend at the American Economic Association's annual meeting.

Jean Tirole, a Nobel prize winner in economics for his insights on business regulation, also made France's Legion award list this year.

Related: Piketty's inequality book has 'flaws'

Related: We need to know more about inequality

First Published: January 1, 2015: 2:40 PM ET

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Three media predictions for 2015

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

There were glaring mistakes at big publications and mergers of major companies.

However, the shake-ups in 2014 could be the beginning of large shifts for the industry in 2015.

As we wrap up 2014, here are three media predictions for the new year:

1. 2015 will be the biggest box office year... ever: Much has been written about the dismal state of the U.S. box office in 2014.

While there were some successes, the U.S. box office heads into the new year down roughly 5% from the year before.

Yet, Hollywood's slump shouldn't last for long.

2015 is shaping up to be a record year for Hollywood with upcoming films like "Fifty Shades of Grey," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" all having the potential to be big blockbusters.

This means the North American box office should have the biggest year in history, breaking the $11 billion revenue barrier for the first time ever.

Taylor Swift was one of the first major artists to spurn streaming music, she may not be the last.

2. Stand alone HBO GO will be the tipping point for cord cutters: If you wanted to watch HBO in 2014, you would have either needed a cable subscription or an HBO GO password.

That won't be the case in 2015.

Back in October, HBO announced that it would start selling subscriptions via the internet sometime in 2015 thus opening the network to a potentially new audience.

Will a stand alone HBO GO kill cable in 2015? Doubtful (thanks sports programming!), but it is without a doubt a major victory for viewers looking to cut the cable cord.

And while we're talking about streaming...

3. Streaming music is the future, whether Taylor Swift likes it or not: Much was made about the spat between Taylor Swift and Spotify after the pop star pulled her music from the service in November.

While other artists have avoided streaming in the past, Swift was one of the first major artists to spurn streaming music in such a big way.

As we head into 2015, she may not be the last to do so.

However, with the Billboard 200 now counting streams, YouTube creating its own music service, and only one album achieving platinum status in 2014, the music industry is clearly moving towards a streaming future.

Artists like Swift may not like that, but as media showed us in 2014 it can't stop, won't stop moving forward.

First Published: December 31, 2014: 4:50 PM ET

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Sony's 'The Interview' expands to 55 million pay TV homes

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Sony Pictures said Wednesday that it's reached deals with several major cable and satellite providers to release its controversial comedy, "The Interview," via video-on-demand and pay TV services.

"We have always sought the widest possible distribution for 'The Interview,' and want to thank our new partners for helping us make that happen," Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said in a statement.

Starting Wednesday, providers such as Comcast (CCV), Time Warner Cable (TWC), DirecTV (DTV), and Verizon (VZ, Tech30) FiOS will all offer the film to subscribers for a $5.99 rental fee.

The film will also be available on Sony's PlayStation Network starting Thursday.

"The Interview" was first distributed online last week through streaming services like YouTube and Google (GOOG)Play. By expanding to cable and satellite audiences, Sony (SNE) will bring the movie to more homes, including those that aren't online.

Comcast alone has 22.4 million cable TV subscribers.

The movie was originally released on Christmas Eve, and was rented or purchased online more than 2 million times in the first four days, earning $15 million in that time period.

Apple (AAPL, Tech30) made the film available via its iTunes Store on Sunday

Sony also said Wednesday that "The Interview" will be released more widely in theaters, showing in over 580 theaters starting January 2.

Related: 'The Interview': $15 million, 2 million streams

First Published: December 31, 2014: 3:47 PM ET

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The bull market lives: Stocks rise 11.4% in 2014

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

The Dow shed 160 points on the last day of the year as investors worried about falling oil prices and what that might mean for profits of the energy sector.

But here's the really good news: If you put your money in stocks in 2014, you were a savvy investor. The Dow finished the year up 7.5%, the S&P 500 rose 11.4%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq soared 13.4%.

This was the third straight year that the popular S&P 500 Index scored double-digit gains. We haven't seen that kind of a winning streak since the late 1990s.

Related: 2014 was a helluva good year for stocks

There's no other way to say it. It's a Raging Bull market.

Despite some worrisome news this year -- from Russia invading Ukraine, Ebola, ISIS, oil and some Federal Reserve missteps --stocks always rebounded. In fact, the best market days of the year occurred in December.

The bottom line is that stocks moved higher because the U.S. economy just kept getting stronger, and corporate profits grew with it.

This was the best job year for job gains since 1999. Unemployment started the year just below 7%. It's now at 5.8%.

Economic growth is accelerating in the United States, and inflation is not a concern.

Related: U.S. economy grows incredible 5%

Utilities were the best performing sector in the S&P 500, followed closely by health care and technology. Companies have tremendous amounts of cash on hand that they used to buy up other businesses and invest in new technology and products.

"The story of the U.S. stock market since 2011 has been one of steady profit growth augmented by a 60% P/E multiple expansion," wrote Goldman Sachs in a recent report.

There were certainly some concerns, and U.S. government bonds -- often the safe haven investment -- had an unexpectedly good year. But gold, another proxy for investor fear, ended the year flat.

Related: How low will oil go? $30 a barrel is possible

What will happen in 2015? Experts predict the New Year will be another positive one for stocks. CNNMoney's survey of investment strategists predicts a 5.5% rise for the S&P 500 next year from its current level.

"Our research indicates we are in the midcycle phase of the business cycle," says Chris Hyzy, Chief Investment Officer at U.S. Trust.

But the headwinds will also pick up.

Just how low oil falls and how long it stays in the $50 a barrel range (or lower) is clearly a concern. Europe is fighting off another recession, and China is slowing down. In an interconnected world, those countries could begin to drag the U.S. down at some point.

Related: The next Russia: Geopolitical risks in 2015

The Federal Reserve holds the keys to interest rates, and stock market players are watching it closely.

America's central bank has heavily signaled that it believes the economy is doing well enough for it to raise interest rates off of the historic lows at some point in 2015.

Timing that first interest increase correctly could be the make-or-break moment for stocks and the economy.

First Published: December 31, 2014: 4:13 PM ET

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Millions of homeowners could refinance and save big

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)

Nearly one in five homeowners who are behind on their mortgage payments have loans with interest rates of 8% and higher -- nearly double today's rates of around 4%, according to nonprofit community development group NeighborWorks America.

The government recently launched a campaign to convince those most at risk to take the leap. According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency, nearly 770,000 homeowners are eligible for cheaper loans through its Home Affordable Refinance Program. Refinancing through that program could save homeowners an average of $200 a month, or $2,400 a year, the agency said.

Even homeowners who aren't struggling to make payments could benefit. Overall, there are 7.4 million mortgage borrowers in the U.S. with rates of 4.5% or higher who could qualify for -- and benefit from -- refinancing their mortgages, according to Black Knight Financial Services, a mortgage analytics company.

Quiz: How much do you know about mortgages?

So why haven't homeowners acted?

It's a combination of procrastination and fear, according to study from the University of Chicago and Brigham Young University.

"Deciding to refinance is a complex decision," said University of Chicago professor Benjamin Keys, one of the authors of the study.

Related: 10 hottest housing markets for 2025

Many borrowers have heard horror stories from friends and neighbors who refinanced in the past, sometimes into predatory loans, he said.

Some borrowers who tried to refinance found the process "time consuming and confusing," said Jeanne Fekade-Sellassie, a senior vice president for NeighborWorks. "Others don't believe they qualify."

For borrowers who manage to make their payments, status quo seems to be working, so why risk change?

And then there are distressed borrowers who have been in and out of default for years, meeting with harried foreclosure counselors, dealing with unsympathetic lenders, compiling paperwork over and over. All of this to save homes that may be worth a lot less than the amount the borrowers owe.

Related: Best cities for millennial home buyers

Still, no matter how difficult the process, the savings can be worth the headache.

At 4%, borrowers who have a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a $200,000 balance would save more than $300 a month, compared with someone who has the same loan at a 6.5% rate. For those who are currently paying 8%, the savings comes to more than $500 a month.

Keys said the huge savings from refinancing may sound too good to be true to some. But the savings are real.

"It's a real shame if people miss out on the opportunity," he said.

First Published: December 30, 2014: 5:26 PM ET

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