Wednesday, September 22, 2010

foreclosure agents


The third wave of programming for the sixth edition of Fantastic Fest, happening September 23rd-30th in Austin, Texas, has been announced with the highlights being the US premiere of the hyper-stylized action film Bunraku, a sneak preview of Darren Bousman’s terrifying new horror-thriller Mother’s Day, and the world premiere of Agnosia, the latest film from Fantastic Fest 2005 alumnus Eugenio Mira.


A total of 20 films have been added in this latest wave, and we're including them all here, even if a few aren't strictly horror, just to give you an idea of how truly diverse Fantastic Fest is. For the other films screening that week, click here for all our Fantastic Fest 2010 coverage.



PREMIERE SCREENINGS


Agnosia (2010)

Director: Eugenio Mira, Spain, World Premiere

The producers of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Orphanage present a truly unique romantic thriller from Fantastic Fest veteran Eugenio Mira (The Birthday). “I’ve read few screenplays in my life that have impressed me as much as Agnosia,” said director Guillermo del Toro. Director Eugenio Mira will be live in person.



Bunraku (2010)

Director: Guy Moshe, USA, US Premiere

In a world with no guns, a mysterious drifter (Josh Hartnett), a young samurai and a bartender (Woody Harrelson) plot revenge against a ruthless leader (Ron Perlman) and his army of thugs, headed by nine diverse and deadly assassins. This visually stunning film is filled with uniquely choreographed action sequences of a new style that melds east with west and old school with new. Director Guy Moshe will be live in person.



Mother’s Day (2010)

Director Darren Bousman, USA, Sneak Preview

After a botched robbery, three brothers, one severely injured, burst into their mother’s house, only to find that she lost it months earlier in a foreclosure. The new owners (Jaime King and Frank Grillo) and their guests, gathered for an ill-timed birthday party, become the brothers' unwitting hostages. With the situation quickly devolving, the brothers have only one choice: call Mother (Rebecca De Mornay) to mastermind their escape. Director Darren Bousman, Rebecca DeMornay & Jaime King will be live in person.



RED (2010)

Director: Robert Schwentke, USA, Sneak Preview

Based on the cult D.C. Comics graphic novels RED is an explosive action-comedy starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren. Frank, Joe, Marvin and Victoria used to be the CIA’s top agents – but the secrets they know just made them the Agency’s top targets. Now framed for assassination, they must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive. To stop the operation, the team embarks on an impossible, cross-country mission to break into the top-secret CIA headquarters, where they will uncover one of the biggest conspiracies and cover-ups in government history. Karl Urban (Star Trek, Lord of the Rings) will be live in person.



SPECIAL EVENT SCREENINGS


Class of 1984

Special screening to celebrate the debut of new book “DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film” edited by Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly. More info on the book here.


The year is 1984. A rabid pack of rampaging punk teens run our schools, our drugs and our prostitutes. Brutality and decadence are everywhere. Enter first-year teacher Andrew Norris (Perry King), who’s forced to violently turn the tables on the bloodthirsty gang before their trashwave swallows the town alive. Writer/director Mark L. Lester’s reckless masterpiece debuted at Cannes Film Festival to severely divided reviews.


What detractors and many thrill-seeking fans both sadly overlooked was the fact that the movie had been done exactly right. Each actor turns in a memorable, convincing performance amid knifings and punk slam pits. Beloved ham Roddy McDowall pulls off what may have been his best scene of the decade. The film moves constantly forward at full speed, with humor and intelligent dialogue balancing out the horrors perpetrated by the vicious teens. Class of 1984 is a perfect exploitation film. It’s relentlessly seedy, overflowing with assault, suicide, racism, drug use and crime crime crime, all of which is perpetrated by minors! The tension of victimization and vengeance create some of the most stirring scenes of violent retribution on record. But beyond all this, there’s a bitterly absorbing air of human helplessness and leather-clad heartlessness that makes this movie the flat-out best in its genre.



Master Pancake Theater – Independence Day

During Fantastic Fest 6, the boys of Master pancake will be skewering the It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World of sci-fi disaster flicks. Featuring a massive cast of pretty good A-listers (Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum) and awesome B-listers (Judd Hirsch, Harry Connick Jr., and Brent "Data" Spiner) in the fight of their lives against a horde of invading aliens. Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle called ID4: "A gasping, bloated roller-coaster ride that veers from scenes of truly awesome destruction to stretches of numbingly bad melodrama and back again." The president himself, Bill Pullman, will be joining the Pancake team to mock the hell out of this bloated rollercoaster.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


Spaceballs Quote-Along

Mel Brooks' Star Wars parody is soooo much more than just a parody film, bursting with the sorts of jokes that the writers of all the recently-made and vastly inferior "spoof films" only wish they could dream up. If your Schwartz is as big as mine, you're probably uncomfortably excited with just the prospect of this show happening. Somewhere in space, Dot Matrix's virgin alarm is ringing loudly. For this special voyage of the Eagle V, Lone Star himself (Bill Pullman) will be live in person to kick off the fun.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


The Intergalactic Nemesis

The year is 1933. Pulitzer-winner Molly Sloan and her assistant Timmy Mendez are on the trail of a story so big, it's impossible to believe. The Intergalactic Nemesis is a truly unique live show. Imagine a modern spin on the radio serial that combines projections of 1250 hand-drawn comic illustrations, 3 voice actors performing a wide array of characters, a foley artist performing 100s of sound effects and an award winning pianist performing a riveting live score. You've never experienced anything like it!



ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILM OFFICIAL SELECTIONS


14 Blades (2010)

Director Daniel Lee, Hong Kong, Regional Premiere

Betrayed by his fellow Imperial bodyguard soldiers, Qinglong (Donny Yen) must seek out and rally the loyalists to rise and restore the Emperor to power. In his way are the deadliest assassins in the land, his former brethren, the Jinyiwei.



Bibliotheque Pascal (2010)

Director Szabolcs Hajdu, Hungary/France, Regional Premiere

In order to regain custody of her daughter, Mona sets off on a surreal journey that will take her to the shadowy world of sexual slavery in Bibliotheque Pascal, the strangest brothel you could ever conceive.



Cold Fish (2010)

Director: Sion Sono, Japan, Regional Premiere

Equal parts black humor and bloody dementia in this true crime portrait of a Japanese tropical fish dealer responsible for over forty murders.



A Horrible Way To Die (2010)

Director: Adam Wingard, USA, US Premiere

When a serial killer escapes from prison, the dangerous past of a young woman dealing with alcoholic rehab quickly begins to catch up with her. Director Adam Wingard will be live in person.



In the Attic (2009)

Director: Jiri Barta, Czech Republic, Regional Premiere

Courageous toys from an old suitcase undertake a dangerous journey through a forsaken attic to rescue their friend, Buttercup a beautiful doll who finds herself in the clutches of the all-powerful plaster Head, ruler of the Empire of Evil.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


The Last Circus (Balada Triste) (2010)

Director: Álex de la Iglesia, Spain, US Premiere

Álex de la Iglesia's genius for dark humor is at its most eloquent in his latest parody about the Spanish Civil War. Two clowns attack and disfigure one another in jealous rages over a beautiful dancer. In the name of love, they destroy the very object of their affection. Director Álex de la Iglesia will be live in person.



Mutant Girl Squad (2010)

Directors: Tak Sakaguchi, Noburu Iguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Japan, Regional Premiere

In 2009, Tak Sakaguchi (Be A Man! Samurai School), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Noboru Iguchi (Robogeisha), got drunk and vowed to make a movie together. One year later, here it is. This splatter-ific, fetishy, hyperactive take on the X-Men is going to shock, horrify and delight you. Director Yoshihiro Nishimura live in person.



Naan Kadavul (2009)

Director: Bala, India, North American Premiere

Naan Kadavul is like an Alejandro Jodorowsky version of a Bollywood movie. A long haired Vedic ubermensch burns corpses, lives in graveyards, smokes dope, beats up people, and proclaims himself to be God before he eventually become the savior to a collective of severely deformed beggars. Do not miss this film.



Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

Director: Jalmari Helander, Finland, US Premiere

Santa Claus is somewhat less than jolly - in fact, he's the stuff nightmares are made of - in Jalmari Helander's Rare Exports, an atmospheric and witty re-working of a cherished folk tale. Co-writer and co-creator Juuso Helander will be live in person.



Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission (2010)

Director: Mike Woolf, USA, Encore screening

Last year Richard Garriott became the first son of an astronaut to go to space, but this is no millionaire’s joy ride, he pioneered private space travel to make his dream come true: from his training in Russia to his launch in Kazahkstan to the dramatic, never before seen footage inside the capsule during fiery re-entry, this is a historic moment in human space travel. Richard Garriott live in person.



Summer Wars (2009)

Director: Mamoru Hosoda, Japan, Austin Premiere

When an online social networking community gets attacked by a piece of sentient malware that threatens to deliver a denial of service attack to the entire world, one girl and her massive extended family unites to restore peace to cyberspace. Gorgeously animated with tons of heart and soul to boot, Summer Wars is one of our favorite anime titles in recent years.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


Transfer (2010)

Director: Damir Lukacevic, France, North American Premiere

Herman and Anna, a wealthy aging couple decides to extend their lives by leasing the bodies of two young Africans. For one million euros, the Africans signed away their lives for 20 hours a day, but in the 4 hours a day they have back in their own bodies, they begin to regret the arrangement.



Fantastic Fest is the film festival with the boring parts cut out. Miss this one, and your regrets will agonize you for years to come. You have been warned.


For more info visit the official 2010 Fantastic Fest website.


- Uncle Creepy


VISIT THE EVILSHOP @ AMAZON!

Got news? Click here to submit it!

Be fantastic in the comments section below!





What's not to like about the Summer of Recovery? Like, dude, the recession ended eons ago.

By an 8 point margin, independents who voted for Obama oppose his tax hikes


The [Center for Data Analysis] found that the Obama tax hikes would:

• Destroy an average of 693,000 jobs every year through 2020.

• Drain $726 billion from disposable income, $38 billion from personal savings, and $33 billion from business investments.

• Raise taxes on the 55% of all joint filers earning more than $250,000 who run small businesses that employ others.

• Cost the average non-farm small-business owner $3,500 more in taxes.

• Cost the 49% of all seniors with income below $250,000 $525 in additional dividend taxes.

• Cost the 25% all seniors with income below $250,000 $742 in higher taxes.

Now that's the kind of change you can feel in your nether regions!

Certainly, America's business leaders are feeling more comfortable with the Obama administration as...

Insider Selling Outpaces Buying By Over 290-To-1 In Past Week


...for the week ended September 17, corporate insiders bought $1.4MM in shares in a whopping 7 different companies. This was just marginally offset by sales of $441MM in 98 different companies, a ratio of 290 to 1 of stock notional sold to bought. But wait: this is GREAT NEWS: last week the ratio was 650 to 1! So this is a huge improvement and certainly yet another reason for today's rally... for those wondering just who is orchestrating today's move higher, please let us know if you find out.

And last but not least:

It would appear that certain foreclosures by major, major institutions may have been fraudulent... and, thus, invalid, which could really, really screw things up


Ally Financial Inc.’s GMAC Mortgage unit told brokers and agents to halt evictions tied to foreclosures on homeowners in 23 states including Florida, Connecticut and New York...

...At least one (and perhaps more) "inside officers" in various law firms filed thousands (and maybe tens of thousands) of affidavits they did not read and thus could not have attested to.

...This practice appears to not be limited to one law firm. In fact, it may be basically the entire "foreclosure industry" that was involved in this.

...This is likely to derail many foreclosures - at least from a standpoint of time. It may also void some of them and force them to be re-litigated. This will have a SEVERE impact on loss severities - at minimum....

...If the time has passed to be able to make reasonable corrections to these so-called "ministerial errors" (and it probably has) then the impact on MBS holders who happen to have the "hot potato" in non-agency securitizations could be catastrophic...

In plain English, some reports indicate that thousands of foreclosures could have been performed without the appropriate documentation. Which could make them, ehm, invalid.

Which would make some of the investment vehicles derived thereof (like mortgage-backed securities or MBS), ehm, difficult to value.

SELL!!!!!!!!!



Enslaved DLC detailed <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our news of Enslaved DLC detailed. ... Enslaved developer diary #3 Monday. Enslaved - first 15 minutes 15 September, 2010. Latest News. Move demos flood PS Store . Enslaved UK pre-order deals detailed ...

More People Watched Fox <b>News</b> Monday Than Obama Town Hall <b>...</b>

In fact, far more people watched the Fox News Channel's "Happening Now" with Jon Scott and Jenna Lee airing at the same time than tuned in to see what the President had to say. Potentially even more embarrassing, when you add in those ...

Google reports 19 acquisitions in 2010 - and more planned | <b>News</b>

Google has confirmed 19 acquisitions since the start of this year, making 2010 its biggest ever in terms of buy-outs. 28...


robert shumake

Enslaved DLC detailed <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our news of Enslaved DLC detailed. ... Enslaved developer diary #3 Monday. Enslaved - first 15 minutes 15 September, 2010. Latest News. Move demos flood PS Store . Enslaved UK pre-order deals detailed ...

More People Watched Fox <b>News</b> Monday Than Obama Town Hall <b>...</b>

In fact, far more people watched the Fox News Channel's "Happening Now" with Jon Scott and Jenna Lee airing at the same time than tuned in to see what the President had to say. Potentially even more embarrassing, when you add in those ...

Google reports 19 acquisitions in 2010 - and more planned | <b>News</b>

Google has confirmed 19 acquisitions since the start of this year, making 2010 its biggest ever in terms of buy-outs. 28...



The third wave of programming for the sixth edition of Fantastic Fest, happening September 23rd-30th in Austin, Texas, has been announced with the highlights being the US premiere of the hyper-stylized action film Bunraku, a sneak preview of Darren Bousman’s terrifying new horror-thriller Mother’s Day, and the world premiere of Agnosia, the latest film from Fantastic Fest 2005 alumnus Eugenio Mira.


A total of 20 films have been added in this latest wave, and we're including them all here, even if a few aren't strictly horror, just to give you an idea of how truly diverse Fantastic Fest is. For the other films screening that week, click here for all our Fantastic Fest 2010 coverage.



PREMIERE SCREENINGS


Agnosia (2010)

Director: Eugenio Mira, Spain, World Premiere

The producers of Pan’s Labyrinth and The Orphanage present a truly unique romantic thriller from Fantastic Fest veteran Eugenio Mira (The Birthday). “I’ve read few screenplays in my life that have impressed me as much as Agnosia,” said director Guillermo del Toro. Director Eugenio Mira will be live in person.



Bunraku (2010)

Director: Guy Moshe, USA, US Premiere

In a world with no guns, a mysterious drifter (Josh Hartnett), a young samurai and a bartender (Woody Harrelson) plot revenge against a ruthless leader (Ron Perlman) and his army of thugs, headed by nine diverse and deadly assassins. This visually stunning film is filled with uniquely choreographed action sequences of a new style that melds east with west and old school with new. Director Guy Moshe will be live in person.



Mother’s Day (2010)

Director Darren Bousman, USA, Sneak Preview

After a botched robbery, three brothers, one severely injured, burst into their mother’s house, only to find that she lost it months earlier in a foreclosure. The new owners (Jaime King and Frank Grillo) and their guests, gathered for an ill-timed birthday party, become the brothers' unwitting hostages. With the situation quickly devolving, the brothers have only one choice: call Mother (Rebecca De Mornay) to mastermind their escape. Director Darren Bousman, Rebecca DeMornay & Jaime King will be live in person.



RED (2010)

Director: Robert Schwentke, USA, Sneak Preview

Based on the cult D.C. Comics graphic novels RED is an explosive action-comedy starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren. Frank, Joe, Marvin and Victoria used to be the CIA’s top agents – but the secrets they know just made them the Agency’s top targets. Now framed for assassination, they must use all of their collective cunning, experience and teamwork to stay one step ahead of their deadly pursuers and stay alive. To stop the operation, the team embarks on an impossible, cross-country mission to break into the top-secret CIA headquarters, where they will uncover one of the biggest conspiracies and cover-ups in government history. Karl Urban (Star Trek, Lord of the Rings) will be live in person.



SPECIAL EVENT SCREENINGS


Class of 1984

Special screening to celebrate the debut of new book “DESTROY ALL MOVIES!!! The Complete Guide to Punks on Film” edited by Zack Carlson & Bryan Connolly. More info on the book here.


The year is 1984. A rabid pack of rampaging punk teens run our schools, our drugs and our prostitutes. Brutality and decadence are everywhere. Enter first-year teacher Andrew Norris (Perry King), who’s forced to violently turn the tables on the bloodthirsty gang before their trashwave swallows the town alive. Writer/director Mark L. Lester’s reckless masterpiece debuted at Cannes Film Festival to severely divided reviews.


What detractors and many thrill-seeking fans both sadly overlooked was the fact that the movie had been done exactly right. Each actor turns in a memorable, convincing performance amid knifings and punk slam pits. Beloved ham Roddy McDowall pulls off what may have been his best scene of the decade. The film moves constantly forward at full speed, with humor and intelligent dialogue balancing out the horrors perpetrated by the vicious teens. Class of 1984 is a perfect exploitation film. It’s relentlessly seedy, overflowing with assault, suicide, racism, drug use and crime crime crime, all of which is perpetrated by minors! The tension of victimization and vengeance create some of the most stirring scenes of violent retribution on record. But beyond all this, there’s a bitterly absorbing air of human helplessness and leather-clad heartlessness that makes this movie the flat-out best in its genre.



Master Pancake Theater – Independence Day

During Fantastic Fest 6, the boys of Master pancake will be skewering the It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World of sci-fi disaster flicks. Featuring a massive cast of pretty good A-listers (Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum) and awesome B-listers (Judd Hirsch, Harry Connick Jr., and Brent "Data" Spiner) in the fight of their lives against a horde of invading aliens. Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle called ID4: "A gasping, bloated roller-coaster ride that veers from scenes of truly awesome destruction to stretches of numbingly bad melodrama and back again." The president himself, Bill Pullman, will be joining the Pancake team to mock the hell out of this bloated rollercoaster.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


Spaceballs Quote-Along

Mel Brooks' Star Wars parody is soooo much more than just a parody film, bursting with the sorts of jokes that the writers of all the recently-made and vastly inferior "spoof films" only wish they could dream up. If your Schwartz is as big as mine, you're probably uncomfortably excited with just the prospect of this show happening. Somewhere in space, Dot Matrix's virgin alarm is ringing loudly. For this special voyage of the Eagle V, Lone Star himself (Bill Pullman) will be live in person to kick off the fun.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


The Intergalactic Nemesis

The year is 1933. Pulitzer-winner Molly Sloan and her assistant Timmy Mendez are on the trail of a story so big, it's impossible to believe. The Intergalactic Nemesis is a truly unique live show. Imagine a modern spin on the radio serial that combines projections of 1250 hand-drawn comic illustrations, 3 voice actors performing a wide array of characters, a foley artist performing 100s of sound effects and an award winning pianist performing a riveting live score. You've never experienced anything like it!



ADDITIONAL FEATURE FILM OFFICIAL SELECTIONS


14 Blades (2010)

Director Daniel Lee, Hong Kong, Regional Premiere

Betrayed by his fellow Imperial bodyguard soldiers, Qinglong (Donny Yen) must seek out and rally the loyalists to rise and restore the Emperor to power. In his way are the deadliest assassins in the land, his former brethren, the Jinyiwei.



Bibliotheque Pascal (2010)

Director Szabolcs Hajdu, Hungary/France, Regional Premiere

In order to regain custody of her daughter, Mona sets off on a surreal journey that will take her to the shadowy world of sexual slavery in Bibliotheque Pascal, the strangest brothel you could ever conceive.



Cold Fish (2010)

Director: Sion Sono, Japan, Regional Premiere

Equal parts black humor and bloody dementia in this true crime portrait of a Japanese tropical fish dealer responsible for over forty murders.



A Horrible Way To Die (2010)

Director: Adam Wingard, USA, US Premiere

When a serial killer escapes from prison, the dangerous past of a young woman dealing with alcoholic rehab quickly begins to catch up with her. Director Adam Wingard will be live in person.



In the Attic (2009)

Director: Jiri Barta, Czech Republic, Regional Premiere

Courageous toys from an old suitcase undertake a dangerous journey through a forsaken attic to rescue their friend, Buttercup a beautiful doll who finds herself in the clutches of the all-powerful plaster Head, ruler of the Empire of Evil.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


The Last Circus (Balada Triste) (2010)

Director: Álex de la Iglesia, Spain, US Premiere

Álex de la Iglesia's genius for dark humor is at its most eloquent in his latest parody about the Spanish Civil War. Two clowns attack and disfigure one another in jealous rages over a beautiful dancer. In the name of love, they destroy the very object of their affection. Director Álex de la Iglesia will be live in person.



Mutant Girl Squad (2010)

Directors: Tak Sakaguchi, Noburu Iguchi, Yoshihiro Nishimura, Japan, Regional Premiere

In 2009, Tak Sakaguchi (Be A Man! Samurai School), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police) and Noboru Iguchi (Robogeisha), got drunk and vowed to make a movie together. One year later, here it is. This splatter-ific, fetishy, hyperactive take on the X-Men is going to shock, horrify and delight you. Director Yoshihiro Nishimura live in person.



Naan Kadavul (2009)

Director: Bala, India, North American Premiere

Naan Kadavul is like an Alejandro Jodorowsky version of a Bollywood movie. A long haired Vedic ubermensch burns corpses, lives in graveyards, smokes dope, beats up people, and proclaims himself to be God before he eventually become the savior to a collective of severely deformed beggars. Do not miss this film.



Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

Director: Jalmari Helander, Finland, US Premiere

Santa Claus is somewhat less than jolly - in fact, he's the stuff nightmares are made of - in Jalmari Helander's Rare Exports, an atmospheric and witty re-working of a cherished folk tale. Co-writer and co-creator Juuso Helander will be live in person.



Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission (2010)

Director: Mike Woolf, USA, Encore screening

Last year Richard Garriott became the first son of an astronaut to go to space, but this is no millionaire’s joy ride, he pioneered private space travel to make his dream come true: from his training in Russia to his launch in Kazahkstan to the dramatic, never before seen footage inside the capsule during fiery re-entry, this is a historic moment in human space travel. Richard Garriott live in person.



Summer Wars (2009)

Director: Mamoru Hosoda, Japan, Austin Premiere

When an online social networking community gets attacked by a piece of sentient malware that threatens to deliver a denial of service attack to the entire world, one girl and her massive extended family unites to restore peace to cyberspace. Gorgeously animated with tons of heart and soul to boot, Summer Wars is one of our favorite anime titles in recent years.


[NO PHOTO AVAILABLE]


Transfer (2010)

Director: Damir Lukacevic, France, North American Premiere

Herman and Anna, a wealthy aging couple decides to extend their lives by leasing the bodies of two young Africans. For one million euros, the Africans signed away their lives for 20 hours a day, but in the 4 hours a day they have back in their own bodies, they begin to regret the arrangement.



Fantastic Fest is the film festival with the boring parts cut out. Miss this one, and your regrets will agonize you for years to come. You have been warned.


For more info visit the official 2010 Fantastic Fest website.


- Uncle Creepy


VISIT THE EVILSHOP @ AMAZON!

Got news? Click here to submit it!

Be fantastic in the comments section below!





What's not to like about the Summer of Recovery? Like, dude, the recession ended eons ago.

By an 8 point margin, independents who voted for Obama oppose his tax hikes


The [Center for Data Analysis] found that the Obama tax hikes would:

• Destroy an average of 693,000 jobs every year through 2020.

• Drain $726 billion from disposable income, $38 billion from personal savings, and $33 billion from business investments.

• Raise taxes on the 55% of all joint filers earning more than $250,000 who run small businesses that employ others.

• Cost the average non-farm small-business owner $3,500 more in taxes.

• Cost the 49% of all seniors with income below $250,000 $525 in additional dividend taxes.

• Cost the 25% all seniors with income below $250,000 $742 in higher taxes.

Now that's the kind of change you can feel in your nether regions!

Certainly, America's business leaders are feeling more comfortable with the Obama administration as...

Insider Selling Outpaces Buying By Over 290-To-1 In Past Week


...for the week ended September 17, corporate insiders bought $1.4MM in shares in a whopping 7 different companies. This was just marginally offset by sales of $441MM in 98 different companies, a ratio of 290 to 1 of stock notional sold to bought. But wait: this is GREAT NEWS: last week the ratio was 650 to 1! So this is a huge improvement and certainly yet another reason for today's rally... for those wondering just who is orchestrating today's move higher, please let us know if you find out.

And last but not least:

It would appear that certain foreclosures by major, major institutions may have been fraudulent... and, thus, invalid, which could really, really screw things up


Ally Financial Inc.’s GMAC Mortgage unit told brokers and agents to halt evictions tied to foreclosures on homeowners in 23 states including Florida, Connecticut and New York...

...At least one (and perhaps more) "inside officers" in various law firms filed thousands (and maybe tens of thousands) of affidavits they did not read and thus could not have attested to.

...This practice appears to not be limited to one law firm. In fact, it may be basically the entire "foreclosure industry" that was involved in this.

...This is likely to derail many foreclosures - at least from a standpoint of time. It may also void some of them and force them to be re-litigated. This will have a SEVERE impact on loss severities - at minimum....

...If the time has passed to be able to make reasonable corrections to these so-called "ministerial errors" (and it probably has) then the impact on MBS holders who happen to have the "hot potato" in non-agency securitizations could be catastrophic...

In plain English, some reports indicate that thousands of foreclosures could have been performed without the appropriate documentation. Which could make them, ehm, invalid.

Which would make some of the investment vehicles derived thereof (like mortgage-backed securities or MBS), ehm, difficult to value.

SELL!!!!!!!!!




miami Realty Condos Foreclosures For Sale by FrankieRayfuse993


robert shumake

Enslaved DLC detailed <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our news of Enslaved DLC detailed. ... Enslaved developer diary #3 Monday. Enslaved - first 15 minutes 15 September, 2010. Latest News. Move demos flood PS Store . Enslaved UK pre-order deals detailed ...

More People Watched Fox <b>News</b> Monday Than Obama Town Hall <b>...</b>

In fact, far more people watched the Fox News Channel's "Happening Now" with Jon Scott and Jenna Lee airing at the same time than tuned in to see what the President had to say. Potentially even more embarrassing, when you add in those ...

Google reports 19 acquisitions in 2010 - and more planned | <b>News</b>

Google has confirmed 19 acquisitions since the start of this year, making 2010 its biggest ever in terms of buy-outs. 28...


robert shumake

Enslaved DLC detailed <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our news of Enslaved DLC detailed. ... Enslaved developer diary #3 Monday. Enslaved - first 15 minutes 15 September, 2010. Latest News. Move demos flood PS Store . Enslaved UK pre-order deals detailed ...

More People Watched Fox <b>News</b> Monday Than Obama Town Hall <b>...</b>

In fact, far more people watched the Fox News Channel's "Happening Now" with Jon Scott and Jenna Lee airing at the same time than tuned in to see what the President had to say. Potentially even more embarrassing, when you add in those ...

Google reports 19 acquisitions in 2010 - and more planned | <b>News</b>

Google has confirmed 19 acquisitions since the start of this year, making 2010 its biggest ever in terms of buy-outs. 28...

















Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Kids Making Money


I feel we need to support films that send powerful messages to kids about courage, values, and being true to yourself.



If we don't get behind them and support them Hollywood won't make them.



Last summer I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of Rob Reiner's new film, Flipped. It's a story about two 13-year-olds in the early 1960s -- Bryce and Juli -- who live across the street from each other and how they find themselves and each other through the trials of love and friendship.



The story "flips" between the viewpoints of these young characters and, as they grow, their perceptions of each other "flip" as well.



I play Juli's mom in the film, alongside a fantastic ensemble of actors: Madeleine Carol & Callan McAuliffe (the kids), Aidan Quinn, John Mahoney, Rebecca De Mornay, and Anthony Edwards.



Flipped is not just about first love, but about how a young girl teaches a young boy about what's important in life. It's a movie about courage, character, and standing up for what you believe in.



Juli comes from a warm, tight-knit family that's low on money but rich on love while Bryce's family is wealthy but repressed. Bryce learns over time from Juli that life is not about where you come from but what you do and the choices that you make define who you are. Bryce really starts to grow into a young man of character because of Juli and her family.



Based on the beautiful novel of the same title by Wendelin Van Draanen, the film stays true to the story, humor, morals, and life lessons that made the book such a huge hit with adolescents. While the book takes place in present day, Rob chose to set the movie in the early 60's to capture that pre-Vietnam, pre-Twitter/Facebook time of innocence. It makes the film a very nostalgic experience for those who grew up in that period, as Rob did, remembering your first love and how it changed your life. It's also relatable to kids today who are experiencing that now.



Flipped was a real passion project for Rob and he was the perfect man to bring this story to the screen. He tells stories about human beings. You won't find explosions, aliens, or vampires in this movie.



From my experience working with him and counting him as a friend, Rob is a man that really appreciates and respects women and values the immense impact they have on men's lives.



I wanted to reach out through HuffPost's amazing network to all the mothers and grandmothers who want to take their children and grandchildren to see a movie this summer with a message that will surely inspire.



And if you love it, tweet about it!





Flipped is playing now in Los Angeles, Austin and Sacramento. On August 27th it will open in New York, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, and San Francisco. And then, hopefully, in theaters across the country.



This post originally appeared at The Women's Conference.










At what age should you begin giving your child an allowance? How much should you give them (or spend on a present) for their 16th birthday? When should they get their first credit card? Finally, if you could go back 10 years and give your younger self a lesson about money — what would it be?


We recently featured the children and money topic on Mint Answers – and similar questions haven’t stopped pouring in ever since. So this week, we are rounding up Part 2, with the questions above and some of the suggestions shared by Mint’s experts and community members.


To read more answers or to chime in with your response, click on the links below.


How much should I give my daughter for her birthday?


I have no idea what my daughter wants for her birthday, so I want to give her cash.  She is turning 16 next month and I need to know what would be an appropriate amount to give her on this occasion. I earn about $30,000 a year.


Answers:


1. The goal here is to create a balance. If you give too much then they may expect it every time or not value it as time goes on. Too little and it may seem like you’re cheap. We all know this to not be true as you are a mint user.


I would give her an amount equal to a gift she would normally receive. For example, iPod shuffle=$50. A dinner=$25. Etc.


More answers to this question>>


Too young for a credit card?


My daughter is turning 18 in two months. She wants to start building her credit. Should she get a traditional credit card or a student credit card?


Answers:


1. Well, she can’t get a credit card thanks to the CARD Act unless she has a job or a co-signer.  Can I suggest you add her as an authorized user to a card you already have?  That’s still a viable alternative. 


Just make sure to always properly manage that card so your daughter’s score doesn’t suffer


2. Adding your child to your credit card can be risky if they have a tendency to be irresponsible. I would make them hold off until they have a job. Without income it would be hard to pay it off unless you’re the one doing it for her.


To answer the original question though… a traditional card is what I started with and it’s worked out great. In case you were wondering, it was a Citibank card. I have switched to AMEX since then, but I will always remember that $500 credit limit.


More answers to this question>>


Say you could go back in time ten years and give your younger self a lesson about money.


What would it be?


Answers:


1. 1) Before making a purchase, ask yourself, is this more than I need? Living with what you need instead of always trying to fulfill your wants will leave you more satisfied (and wealthier) in the long run. 2) Start investing now. Don’t wait a minute longer.


2. I’d tell myself to get a job and start a Roth IRA. I can’t go back and invest money at low tax rates for all those years I missed.


3. Definitely would’ve invested more (Google stock baby) and just taken more risks.  Oh, and just to be more secretive with your money: when people know you have money, they always want a piece of the pie and try to take advantage of you.


More answers to this question>


At what age should I begin giving my child an allowance?


At what age should I begin giving my child an allowance? How much should I give them? I have a five year old and a seven year old. I have heard to start at about 5 years of age and give $1. Then give $1 more at each birthday after that. What do you think is appropriate?


1. The New York Times did a good column on this subject a couple years ago. An excerpt:


“A good rule of thumb, they say, is either: 1) $1 for each year of the child’s age — so a 7-year-old would get $7 weekly and a 15-year-old would get $15 or; 2) Half of that.”


These are kind of New Yorky numbers, perhaps. Our six-year-old still gets $1.


2. Never.  You shouldn’t ever just give your kids an allowance.  What message are you teaching them?  That it’s ok to mooch?  My 3 yr old (yes 3) gets one dollar when he helps to pick up his toys.  Why $1?  Because he can’t swallow it like he can swallow change.  Then we put it in his piggy bank and when he gets a few bucks I’ll take some out and re-use them. 


More answers to this question>>


Do you have a money question that you feel has no black-or-white answer? Go to Mint Answers and ask away! While you’re there, feel free to answer questions from other community members. Come back often, as we introduce new enhancements to this feature.





Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 9/21 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning Chiefs fans! Another serving of Kansas City Chiefs news waits below. I have mixed thoughts after watching most of last night's game. The 49ers looked good, but shot themselves in the foot a few times. I'm hoping Arrowhead ...

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robert shumake

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 9/21 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning Chiefs fans! Another serving of Kansas City Chiefs news waits below. I have mixed thoughts after watching most of last night's game. The 49ers looked good, but shot themselves in the foot a few times. I'm hoping Arrowhead ...

Olympus develops compact camera with Zuiko lens: Digital <b>...</b>

Olympus develops compact camera with Zuiko lens: Olympus has announced it is developing an enthusiasts' compact camera that, for the first time, will have a Zuiko-branded lens. In addition to using the Zuiko name, long used to denote ...

ChampMan media scandals &quot;would be fun&quot; <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

Read our news of ChampMan media scandals. ... Latest News. "Rebuilt" iPhone ChampMan soon . Developer Beautiful Game Studios; Publisher Square Enix; Release Date Autumn 2010; More on Championship Manager 11 → ...



I feel we need to support films that send powerful messages to kids about courage, values, and being true to yourself.



If we don't get behind them and support them Hollywood won't make them.



Last summer I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of Rob Reiner's new film, Flipped. It's a story about two 13-year-olds in the early 1960s -- Bryce and Juli -- who live across the street from each other and how they find themselves and each other through the trials of love and friendship.



The story "flips" between the viewpoints of these young characters and, as they grow, their perceptions of each other "flip" as well.



I play Juli's mom in the film, alongside a fantastic ensemble of actors: Madeleine Carol & Callan McAuliffe (the kids), Aidan Quinn, John Mahoney, Rebecca De Mornay, and Anthony Edwards.



Flipped is not just about first love, but about how a young girl teaches a young boy about what's important in life. It's a movie about courage, character, and standing up for what you believe in.



Juli comes from a warm, tight-knit family that's low on money but rich on love while Bryce's family is wealthy but repressed. Bryce learns over time from Juli that life is not about where you come from but what you do and the choices that you make define who you are. Bryce really starts to grow into a young man of character because of Juli and her family.



Based on the beautiful novel of the same title by Wendelin Van Draanen, the film stays true to the story, humor, morals, and life lessons that made the book such a huge hit with adolescents. While the book takes place in present day, Rob chose to set the movie in the early 60's to capture that pre-Vietnam, pre-Twitter/Facebook time of innocence. It makes the film a very nostalgic experience for those who grew up in that period, as Rob did, remembering your first love and how it changed your life. It's also relatable to kids today who are experiencing that now.



Flipped was a real passion project for Rob and he was the perfect man to bring this story to the screen. He tells stories about human beings. You won't find explosions, aliens, or vampires in this movie.



From my experience working with him and counting him as a friend, Rob is a man that really appreciates and respects women and values the immense impact they have on men's lives.



I wanted to reach out through HuffPost's amazing network to all the mothers and grandmothers who want to take their children and grandchildren to see a movie this summer with a message that will surely inspire.



And if you love it, tweet about it!





Flipped is playing now in Los Angeles, Austin and Sacramento. On August 27th it will open in New York, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, and San Francisco. And then, hopefully, in theaters across the country.



This post originally appeared at The Women's Conference.










At what age should you begin giving your child an allowance? How much should you give them (or spend on a present) for their 16th birthday? When should they get their first credit card? Finally, if you could go back 10 years and give your younger self a lesson about money — what would it be?


We recently featured the children and money topic on Mint Answers – and similar questions haven’t stopped pouring in ever since. So this week, we are rounding up Part 2, with the questions above and some of the suggestions shared by Mint’s experts and community members.


To read more answers or to chime in with your response, click on the links below.


How much should I give my daughter for her birthday?


I have no idea what my daughter wants for her birthday, so I want to give her cash.  She is turning 16 next month and I need to know what would be an appropriate amount to give her on this occasion. I earn about $30,000 a year.


Answers:


1. The goal here is to create a balance. If you give too much then they may expect it every time or not value it as time goes on. Too little and it may seem like you’re cheap. We all know this to not be true as you are a mint user.


I would give her an amount equal to a gift she would normally receive. For example, iPod shuffle=$50. A dinner=$25. Etc.


More answers to this question>>


Too young for a credit card?


My daughter is turning 18 in two months. She wants to start building her credit. Should she get a traditional credit card or a student credit card?


Answers:


1. Well, she can’t get a credit card thanks to the CARD Act unless she has a job or a co-signer.  Can I suggest you add her as an authorized user to a card you already have?  That’s still a viable alternative. 


Just make sure to always properly manage that card so your daughter’s score doesn’t suffer


2. Adding your child to your credit card can be risky if they have a tendency to be irresponsible. I would make them hold off until they have a job. Without income it would be hard to pay it off unless you’re the one doing it for her.


To answer the original question though… a traditional card is what I started with and it’s worked out great. In case you were wondering, it was a Citibank card. I have switched to AMEX since then, but I will always remember that $500 credit limit.


More answers to this question>>


Say you could go back in time ten years and give your younger self a lesson about money.


What would it be?


Answers:


1. 1) Before making a purchase, ask yourself, is this more than I need? Living with what you need instead of always trying to fulfill your wants will leave you more satisfied (and wealthier) in the long run. 2) Start investing now. Don’t wait a minute longer.


2. I’d tell myself to get a job and start a Roth IRA. I can’t go back and invest money at low tax rates for all those years I missed.


3. Definitely would’ve invested more (Google stock baby) and just taken more risks.  Oh, and just to be more secretive with your money: when people know you have money, they always want a piece of the pie and try to take advantage of you.


More answers to this question>


At what age should I begin giving my child an allowance?


At what age should I begin giving my child an allowance? How much should I give them? I have a five year old and a seven year old. I have heard to start at about 5 years of age and give $1. Then give $1 more at each birthday after that. What do you think is appropriate?


1. The New York Times did a good column on this subject a couple years ago. An excerpt:


“A good rule of thumb, they say, is either: 1) $1 for each year of the child’s age — so a 7-year-old would get $7 weekly and a 15-year-old would get $15 or; 2) Half of that.”


These are kind of New Yorky numbers, perhaps. Our six-year-old still gets $1.


2. Never.  You shouldn’t ever just give your kids an allowance.  What message are you teaching them?  That it’s ok to mooch?  My 3 yr old (yes 3) gets one dollar when he helps to pick up his toys.  Why $1?  Because he can’t swallow it like he can swallow change.  Then we put it in his piggy bank and when he gets a few bucks I’ll take some out and re-use them. 


More answers to this question>>


Do you have a money question that you feel has no black-or-white answer? Go to Mint Answers and ask away! While you’re there, feel free to answer questions from other community members. Come back often, as we introduce new enhancements to this feature.






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robert shumake

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 9/21 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning Chiefs fans! Another serving of Kansas City Chiefs news waits below. I have mixed thoughts after watching most of last night's game. The 49ers looked good, but shot themselves in the foot a few times. I'm hoping Arrowhead ...

Olympus develops compact camera with Zuiko lens: Digital <b>...</b>

Olympus develops compact camera with Zuiko lens: Olympus has announced it is developing an enthusiasts' compact camera that, for the first time, will have a Zuiko-branded lens. In addition to using the Zuiko name, long used to denote ...

ChampMan media scandals &quot;would be fun&quot; <b>News</b> - Page 1 | Eurogamer.net

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robert shumake

Arrowheadlines: Chiefs <b>News</b> 9/21 - Arrowhead Pride

Good morning Chiefs fans! Another serving of Kansas City Chiefs news waits below. I have mixed thoughts after watching most of last night's game. The 49ers looked good, but shot themselves in the foot a few times. I'm hoping Arrowhead ...

Olympus develops compact camera with Zuiko lens: Digital <b>...</b>

Olympus develops compact camera with Zuiko lens: Olympus has announced it is developing an enthusiasts' compact camera that, for the first time, will have a Zuiko-branded lens. In addition to using the Zuiko name, long used to denote ...

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Read our news of ChampMan media scandals. ... Latest News. "Rebuilt" iPhone ChampMan soon . Developer Beautiful Game Studios; Publisher Square Enix; Release Date Autumn 2010; More on Championship Manager 11 → ...

















Saturday, September 18, 2010

personal finance





Another significant departure from Yahoo: Steve Schultz (pictured here), who was GM of its important and powerful Yahoo Finance unit, has left the company to become COO of Pageonce, an online personal-finance “assistant.”


Yesterday, the editor-in-chief of Yahoo’s Shine women’s site, Brandon Holley, left Yahoo to run Lucky magazine for Condé Nast.


Also recently gone from Yahoo (YHOO): Social platforms head Neal Sample to eBay (EBAY) and Jason Titus, who ran its communications products unit and whose next job is unknown.


Schultz, though, is landing at a Palo Alto, Calif., start-up that has raised $8 million in venture funding. Pageonce collects online financial information and displays it on a unified and personalized page.


Schultz, who has been at Yahoo five years, was, according to his company bio, “responsible for business and content strategy and oversees business development, partnerships, marketing and sales. Prior to this role, Steve led product efforts in Yahoo!’s personalization products group, where he launched Yahoo!’s unified user profiling platform and managed personalization strategy and implementation efforts for Yahoo.com and My Yahoo!”


In the interests of fairness, BoomTown lobbed an email into PR at Yahoo tonight for the name of the person taking over for Schultz and also a list of major execs the Silicon Valley Internet giant is hiring.


Yahoo said no one has been named yet to replace Schultz.


Here is the press release on his new job:


Pageonce Names Steve Schultz New Chief Operating Officer


Company Strengthens Executive Team with Recognized Leader in Consumer Finance


Palo Alto, Calif.–September 9, 2010–Pageonce, the award-winning personal finance assistant, today announced that the company has named Steve Schultz, as its new chief operating officer. Schultz is a demonstrated leader in the consumer finance category, and brings a wealth of experience in product development, strategic partnerships, and business strategy.


In this role, Schultz will lead Pageonce’s business and sales strategy, distribution partnerships, business development and help guide the company’s strategic development into mobile personal finance. Schultz joins Pageonce from Yahoo! where he was the head of Yahoo! Finance, the #1 financial news website, and Yahoo! Real Estate businesses.


“Steve’s leadership and experience will be an invaluable asset to Pageonce as we continue to develop products and increase market share within the personal finance category,” said Guy Goldstein, Pageonce CEO and Founder.


During his tenure at Yahoo!, Yahoo! Finance doubled its market share attracting more than 40 million unique visitors according to Comscore. He led its business and content strategy, business development and strategic partnerships which included relationships with Intuit, Fidelity Investments, Dow Jones, ScottTrade, Bankrate and Bloomberg.com. He was also responsible for Yahoo! Finance’s original content strategy, oversaw the site’s push into mobile applications, and entered partnerships with dozens of new content providers. With Yahoo! Real Estate, Schultz helped lead the site from the #10 to the #2 real estate destination on the Web, was named one of the 100 most influential leaders in the real estate industry by Inman News in 2009, and architected a strategic partnership with Zillow.com in 2010.


“Pageonce shares my focus on developing and delivering forward-thinking personal finance products that fit the needs of today’s on-the-go consumers. Today that means focusing first on mobile,” said Schultz. “We have a very promising future and I’m looking forward to being a part of it.”






Card 2.0 is the next logical step in personal banking. Half credit card, half futuristic gadget, the cards are as versatile as they are secure. You can tie multiple accounts to the same card or completely hide certain digits of your card number at the push of a button — buttons which are embedded in the card and are as thin as the card itself.

Our editors were hardly surprised to learn yesterday that Dynamics, the startup that makes the cards, won both the first prize and the people’s choice award at DEMO, the startup-centric conference held in Silicon Valley. We saw the company’s founders showing off their creations in the DEMO Pavilion, and we quickly pegged the product as one of the most interesting in this year’s DEMO startup crop.

Winning a startup competition is only a piece of the puzzle; we were more interested to know whether Dynamics and Card 2.0 were likely to be viable as a business and a product.

Cool gadgets are but novelties without widespread distribution. We asked for more information on the business side of things, and CEO Jeff Mullen was able to tell us that Dynamics has been working with several major banks to stealth-test the cards; bank-branded cards will be launching “soon.” Mullen couldn’t disclose exact dates. Still, it’s good to know that forward-looking financial institutions (Bank of America, perhaps?) are already working with Card 2.0 prototypes.

Check out the demo video below, and let us know what you think of Card 2.0.

For more Tech coverage:

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

budgeting personal finances




Use Prepaid Travel Cards to Budget Travel Expenses





Vacation is a time to let loose and have a little fun. It's all too easy, however, to let having a little fun turn into spending way too much. Use prepaid travel cards to keep spending contained, secure, and in budget.

Photo by eliazar.


Finance and frugality blog WiseBread shares a set of tips on using prepaid travel cards for safe, secure, and budget-friendly travel spending.



A prepaid travel card is generally usable in the place of a debit or credit card. You can withdraw cash at an ATM, pay for purchases, and make travel reservations. And as the name suggests, you prepay these expenses by loading money onto the card.


It is just as secure as a debit or credit card, since the prepaid travel card is protected by a PIN and/or signature. In fact, some would say that prepaid travel cards are even more secure, since the money is not linked to your bank account and has a limited balance (which limits your exposure).


It can also be a handy tool for budgeting, since you would load only the money you plan on spending for the trip onto the card, which helps you stick to your travel budget.



Check out the full article at the link below for additional tips and tricks including what to look for when shopping for a card like avoiding cards with a cash-out fee. Have your own tips for keeping your money secure and sticking to a budget while traveling? Let's hear about it in the comments.





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Finance by alancleaver_2000































Sunday, September 12, 2010

Money Making


I feel we need to support films that send powerful messages to kids about courage, values, and being true to yourself.



If we don't get behind them and support them Hollywood won't make them.



Last summer I had the incredible opportunity to be a part of Rob Reiner's new film, Flipped. It's a story about two 13-year-olds in the early 1960s -- Bryce and Juli -- who live across the street from each other and how they find themselves and each other through the trials of love and friendship.



The story "flips" between the viewpoints of these young characters and, as they grow, their perceptions of each other "flip" as well.



I play Juli's mom in the film, alongside a fantastic ensemble of actors: Madeleine Carol & Callan McAuliffe (the kids), Aidan Quinn, John Mahoney, Rebecca De Mornay, and Anthony Edwards.



Flipped is not just about first love, but about how a young girl teaches a young boy about what's important in life. It's a movie about courage, character, and standing up for what you believe in.



Juli comes from a warm, tight-knit family that's low on money but rich on love while Bryce's family is wealthy but repressed. Bryce learns over time from Juli that life is not about where you come from but what you do and the choices that you make define who you are. Bryce really starts to grow into a young man of character because of Juli and her family.



Based on the beautiful novel of the same title by Wendelin Van Draanen, the film stays true to the story, humor, morals, and life lessons that made the book such a huge hit with adolescents. While the book takes place in present day, Rob chose to set the movie in the early 60's to capture that pre-Vietnam, pre-Twitter/Facebook time of innocence. It makes the film a very nostalgic experience for those who grew up in that period, as Rob did, remembering your first love and how it changed your life. It's also relatable to kids today who are experiencing that now.



Flipped was a real passion project for Rob and he was the perfect man to bring this story to the screen. He tells stories about human beings. You won't find explosions, aliens, or vampires in this movie.



From my experience working with him and counting him as a friend, Rob is a man that really appreciates and respects women and values the immense impact they have on men's lives.



I wanted to reach out through HuffPost's amazing network to all the mothers and grandmothers who want to take their children and grandchildren to see a movie this summer with a message that will surely inspire.



And if you love it, tweet about it!





Flipped is playing now in Los Angeles, Austin and Sacramento. On August 27th it will open in New York, Chicago, Boston, Toronto, and San Francisco. And then, hopefully, in theaters across the country.



This post originally appeared at The Women's Conference.






09/10/10 North Weymouth, Massachusetts — Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is defaulting; Half Moon Bay, California, is disincorporating; and the City of Miami, Florida, declared a “state of fiscal urgency,” then broke contracts with workers. Yet, Pennsylvania, California, and Florida municipal bond funds managed by Blackrock are trading at or near 52-week highs.


Short sales look timely. Still, there are advantages to a buy side study. First, when the time comes, the opportunities will be broader. Second, the decision to buy will be more a case of negation than attraction. Ruling out unsavory bonds when selecting what to buy will often replicate the process of choosing what to short.


Looking through the wreckage of the 1930s and of the 1970s, there was probably more money lost by premature investments than made by those who waited. This was on the short and long side. New York City is a case in point. Its bust in the 1970s was expected. The stock market had tumbled, a commercial real estate binge of unparalleled excess had desecrated the skyline (new commercial space constructed between 1968 and 1970 exceeded 100% of the city’s commercial building between the World Wars), and – this is as predictable as night following day – from 1968 to 1970, 18 of the largest U.S. corporations left the city and 14 more announced their departure. These included American Can, PepsiCo, General Foods, U.S Tobacco and Shell Oil. Over 1.1 million New Yorkers emigrated from the city in the early and mid-1970s.


In other words, it was so obvious that New York City could not pay its bills that it was too obvious. Anecdotally, there were more investors who shorted New York City too early than those who waited and made money.


By the mid-1970s all New York City bonds were trading for approximately $25 ($100 being par). This was 1933 again, when all City of Miami bonds (yields ranged from 4-3/4% to 5-1/2%, maturities from 1935 to 1955) were quoted at $26. In both cases, the market sulked; yet, in both cases, there were bargains for those who were willing to read legal documents. One such case will be discussed below.


All finance is a reenactment. In his seminal study, Municipal Bonds: A Century of Experience (1936), A. M. Hillhouse wrote: “The major portion of over-bonding by municipalities arises out of real estate booms.” As precedent, Hillhouse quoted H. C. Adams, who wrote in 1890 (Public Debts): “he bonding of a town, and the expenditure of the money procured in showy works, is the occasion of gain to those who speculate in real estate….” Hillhouse, having quoted Adams’ observations of a previous property-boom, municipal-bond bust, should have known better than to write: “There will be no justification for a city [in the future to use] the excuse… that its tax revenues have dried up in times of falling property values.” So, if you miss this one, your children will have the same opportunity.


As for the current wasteland, revenue bonds are a choicer flock to choose from than general obligation bonds. The following distinction between the two is extracted from my seminal study (The Coming Collapse of the Municipal Bond Market): “Revenue bonds are repaid using the revenue generated by the specific project the bonds are issued to fund (fees from a public parking garage, for example).” General obligation bonds are thought to be safer, at least they are advertised as such, because “they are backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing municipality. This means that the municipality commits its full resources to paying bondholders, including general taxation and the ability to raise more funds through credit. The ability to back up bond payments with tax funds is what makes general obligation bonds distinct from revenue bonds.”


However, it is not possible to draw blood from a stone and we will soon see municipalities that can not meet their bond commitments unless they discover an oil field larger than BP’s folly. Half Moon Bay, California, may already meet this ignoble state. From recent reports, the budget and books are so unintelligible that the city is disincorporating and may become an appendage to San Mateo County. Half Moon Bay’s bonds and yawning deficit will presumably be the burden of San Mateo County.


As a side note, the depth of incompetence on display in this instance would not be tolerated in a grammar school Citizenship Day. Given the state of the country, there will be even more amazing feats of fiscal suicide. Another participant is Standard & Poor’s, which stamped a AA- rating on $18 million of Half Moon Bay debt issued in 2009. Bondholders note: do not expect logic to guide negotiated workouts.


As for the bondholder, there are several difficulties here. Disincorporation has few if any legal precedents in California. (“It’s an option that hasn’t been tried in the state since 1972, when the tiny city of Cabazon (about 2,000 people) disincorporated.” – San Mateo County Times, August 27, 2010) The Cabazon precedent is not one to take on faith. Half Moon Bay and San Mateo County may have competing interests. A judge may have different ideas yet about how Half Moon Bay should resolve an $18 million lawsuit that the city lost related to development rights on a 24-acre property.


Just where do present circumstances leave the debt holder? That is, the owners of Half Moon Bay’s $18 million issue of Judgment Obligation bonds. And what of the free-for-all that follows? Propzero.com, jumping into the Half Moon Bay debate, suggests that disincorporation “may be the answer for many California cities struggling with too many spending commitments and not enough money. Digging out of budget holes may be harder than simply shutting things down.”


As goes Half Moon Bay, so goes the country, or so it seems. If San Mateo County is stuck with the Judgment Obligation bonds, and a large annual deficit, it is a sure bet the county will appeal to the state; Governor Schwarznegger will appeal to President Obama; and the president will appeal – to Congress?


It was easier to bottom fish among CDOs that were trading at $15 (as a group) in 2008 than to wager on these contingencies. Revenue bonds are comparatively easy to understand. In a large-scale, municipal-bond swoon, revenue bonds will sell off. That will be true even if these are water bonds, supported by the revenue that customers pay for services; even if these revenues cannot be touched by the grasping Yoga Instructors’ Union. (Half Moon Bay residents are distraught at the loss of municipal yoga instruction – San Mateo County Times.)


We return to New York City to note the lack of perceptiveness in a time of chaos. In April 1975, the city  defaulted on a short-term note. It missed an interest payment (maybe more than one, it isn’t clear). The coupon was eventually paid, but the “New York City default” was highly publicized.


The Municipal Assistance Corporation (MAC) was formed. In The Bond Book, Annette Thau explained that MAC bonds were not obligations of New York City: “The revenues to pay debt service were backed, not by the taxing power of the city, but by the state of New York, and by a special lien on the city’s sales tax and… on a stock transfer tax.” These were revenue bonds that initially yielded “10% as compared to 8% for securities with comparable rating and maturity.”


Thau went on to tell her readers that the winning team does its homework: “This episode demonstrates why it pays, literally, to be very precise about exactly which revenue streams back debt service. In this instance, MAC bonds were tarred by the woes of the city, even though they were not obligations of the city….”


Revenues used to pay MAC bondholders could not flow to the city until the coupons were already met. This is true of services in different municipalities today. Utilities often fall in this category. Advanced critical reading skills are a prerequisite to distinguish a $25 from a $75 bond.


What of critical services in municipalities without predictable sources of revenue? In July, Indianapolis, Indiana, decided to sell its water and sewer utilities. In August, San Jose, California, discussed privatizing its water utility. There are many other such discussions. The media reported both the Indianapolis and San Jose decisions as sales. From precedent, the transactions may be more complicated than that.


It would be unusual for a local government to relinquish all control. There are many different possible arrangements with investors. At one end, there have been attempts to issue corporate stock in the municipality. This was proposed in Coral Gables, Florida, during the 1930s. It did not work but investment bankers are more inventive today. (Or, maybe not. Assets to be pledged by Coral Gables included “the municipal golf course and club house, the Venetian pool, the Coliseum….” Maybe not the one in Rome, but investment bankers are inventive.)


Probably the most likely arrangements are Public-Private Partnerships. In such partnerships, the investor, a “concessionaire,” steps in after bonds stand no chance of repayment. These might be for a vital service such as a water system, airport, or toll road. Concessionaires pay off all or a portion of the debt in exchange for the right to operate the asset for a negotiated return. Internal rates of return generally fall between 13% – 20%. This is a very simplified description.


There are many other investment approaches that haven’t been mentioned. Those mentioned are merely outlined. If it is not obvious, it must be emphasized how preliminary this discussion has been before making an investment. The most important advice here, on the short or long side, is to be patient, to understand the documents of the security, the laws and covenants that bind related parties, and to know the history of municipal bond defaults. This will open the investor’s imagination to the most improbable scenarios.


Regards,


Frederick Sheehan,

for The Daily Reckoning


[For more of Frederick Sheehan's perspective you can visit his blogs here and at www.AuContrarian.com. You can also purchase his book, Panderer to Power: The Untold Story of How Alan Greenspan Enriched Wall Street and Left a Legacy of Recession (McGraw-Hill, 2009), here.]




eric seiger

iPhone <b>news</b> &amp; tidbits « UGNN

iPad week roundup . . . news about the iPad This week's iPhone column looks at * Apple Game Center snubs iPhone 3G, first iPod Touch * Antennagate took big bite from iPhone sales, analysts say * Fox News Launches New iPhone Political ...

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Saturday, September 11, 2010

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Thursday, September 9, 2010

foreclosure help

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero said on Thursday that he would pull all state funds from those banks that do not cooperate with the state’s programs to help residents avoid foreclosure. The Detroit News reports:


If Virg Bernero is elected governor, Michigan will pull its money out of Wall Street banks that won’t work with the state’s businesses and residents, the Democratic nominee announced today.


“We’re not going to invest in Wall Street if they’re not going to invest in us,” Bernero told about a dozen citizens at a Lansing coffee shop. “We’re going to take our money out of Wall Street and create the ‘Main Street Bank.’


“This is the fight: Main Street vs. Wall Street — it’s not just a slogan. We’re going to get banks to work with people instead of taking their homes from them.”


Bernero is also proposing to open a state bank to lend money to businesses that can’t get credit in the usual markets. The mayor has long been active on the foreclosure issue. In April 2009 he intervened on behalf of a Lansing woman after a Michigan Messenger investigation revealed problems with her foreclosure and saved her home.



We all understand the impact the foreclosure crisis has had on homeowners. But the crisis has hurt communities, too. Foreclosed and vacant homes have a debilitating effect on neighborhoods and often lead to blight, neighborhood decay and reduced property values.


That’s why the Administration is announcing today another $1 billion to help communities struggling with foreclosures.  Already, HUD has provided $6 billion in two rounds of Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding.  These funds help communities buy and redevelop foreclosed and abandoned homes and residential properties – putting Americans back to work, creating more affordable rental housing and helping the neighborhoods that need it most. 


Today, the $4 billion first round of Neighborhood Stabilization funding is in communities, buying up and renovating homes, and creating jobs.  The $2 billion included as part of President Obama’s Recovery Act is making a difference as well.  This second round of funding differed from the first in that it was competitively awarded – to encourage innovative local partnerships, reward the best ideas for tackling the housing crisis and grow local economies in impactful ways.


You only need look at a city like Minneapolis to understand the impact Neighborhood Stabilization is having. With $5.6 million of Neighborhood Stabilization funds, Minneapolis was able to leverage an additional $30 million in resources from the Twin Cities Community Land Bank and the partnership of for-profit developers.  Already, they’ve bought up nearly 250 properties in targeted neighborhoods, which they are rehabilitating to green standards and selling to responsible homeowners through a local down payment program.


Now, in the most heavily foreclosure impacted neighborhoods in North Minneapolis, home prices are gaining and local experts believe private market recovery is underway. It was that success that led the Administration to award the city another $20 million in the second round of NSP.


And more help is on the way to communities across the country.  The additional $1 billion we announced today was included as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform legislation ,


Building on the first two rounds, we expect the Neighborhood Stabilization Program will impact nearly 100,000 properties in the nation’s hardest-hit markets.  Because this makes up 20 percent of vacant and abandoned homes over the last 18 months in NSP-targeted areas, addressing these properties will have ripple effects that could have a profound impact on our local, regional and national housing markets alike.


Still, the Obama Administration believes government can’t solve this problem alone.  As Minneapolis showed, stabilizing neighborhoods requires private investment and other partners to step up. 


Last week, I announced an important Neighborhood Stabilization innovation that helps make that possible called “First Look.” A historic partnership with the National Community Stabilization Trust and the nation’s leading financial institutions, First Look will gives every grantee an exclusive 12-14 day window to evaluate and bid on properties before others can do so.  First Look will cut the time it takes to sell these properties in half, which is particularly important given that vacant and abandoned homes are more than three times as destructive to home prices as homes that have only begun the foreclosure process.  It will also give grantees access to state of the art mapping and management tools, so they know what properties are available and who owns them. 


Communities struggling with foreclosures and budget cuts rarely have the time or funds to establish individual relationships with financial institutions and negotiate the best price one house at a time.  With the potent combination of Neighborhood Stabilization funds and First Look, they’ll have the resources and partners they need to buy target foreclosed homes strategically – and act quickly.


Obviously, these remain difficult times for every American.  Neighborhood Stabilization is only one tool in our toolbox. And it won’t help every block wracked by foreclosures. 


But with game-changing, market-oriented and cost-effective strategies like these—that bring more stakeholders to the table with a greater sense of shared responsibility—President Obama and I believe we can tackle tough challenges like foreclosures and blight.  We can put Americans back to work.  And we can help our communities recover. 


Shaun Donovan is Secretary of Housing and Urban Development












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The <b>News</b> Corp. Coverup : CJR

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BREAKING <b>NEWS</b>: &quot;No.&quot; - Big Cat Country

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