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During the 2008 campaign, President-elect Obama committed to working across the aisle for REAL CHANGE on affordable health care and long-term financial security. Remind President-elect Obama about his campaign promise and ask him to take action in his first 100 days.
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Many women wear cardy ugg boots with jeans--another look suitable for cold weather. Choose skinny pants that can be tucked into the Uggs without creating fabric bulges right above the boot. Add a little pizazz to this look by wearing the boots with jeans or long pants in a contrasting color. For instance, pair cream-colored Cardys with black pants or wear grey boots with white denim. This combination works particularly well when worn under a pea coat or medium length trench coat. You can dress it up with jewelry or add a casual touch by throwing on a pageboy cap or a beret.
Wear your boots with shorts or skirts that end at or above the knee. Keep in mind that wearing Cardy Uggs fully buttoned up, which will result in the boot ending at the calf, with garments that extend below the knee can visually shorten your legs. Tall women can wear ugg classic tall.
The row of buttons on Cardy Uggs allow you to adjust the height of the boot, creating a customized look. For casual looks, undo one or two of the buttons to create a slouchy look, or partially fold down the upper part of the boot. For a more polished look, wear the boot all the way up with the buttons closed. However you choose to wear your Cardys, keep in mind that these boots are not waterproof and, ideally, should be worn in dry weather.
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Partly reshipped from: blog.micsourcing.com
Author: izzy from Micsourcing.com
Thinking about adding electronic processing capabilities?
There's a lot you should know.
There are countless reasons why a business should add credit card and electronic payment processing capabilities transactional speed, convenience, increased customer satisfaction, improved cash flow, views into sales data and more. But perhaps the most important consideration is the sheer volume of consumers who use non-cash methods as their primary form of payment.
In 2005, credit card and electronic transactions accounted for an overwhelming $3.4 trillion of total U.S. payments, according to The Nilson Report. That's 50 percent of all transactions nationwide for that year. More recently, Visa USA estimated that nearly 60 percent of U.S. consumers aged 18 to 25 use cards as their primary payment method.
So while the reasons for adding payment processing are clear, understanding all your options and which are right for your business is far more complex. This article will give you the information you need to get started in setting up payment capabilities for your business, and it will provide some of the essential details you need to consider when selecting a provider.
How Payment Processing Works
Some form of the modern credit card has been in use since the late 19th century, mostly as department store charge cards representing lines of credit. Things have changed and today, the step a merchant needs to take in order to accept credit card payments is to establish a merchant account with a bank or third-party payment provider. Once your account is live, the transaction process generally works as follows:
1. A customer presents a credit card for payment.
2. By swiping the credit card through an electronic point-of-sale (POS) transaction terminal, typically provided by the bank or payment provider, an electronic request is submitted to the processing network for authorization.
3. The processing network receives your electronic request and determines if the cardholder's account is valid and if the funds are available. If so, a response called an "authorization code" is transmitted, guaranteeing your access to the funds.
4. A receipt is then printed for the customer using the POS terminal or your computer. The customer then signs the receipt and, for their part, the transaction is complete.
5. At the end of the business day, a merchant will electronically submit a final request to the processing network to "capture the funds" for all authorized transactions in a given day. This process is referred to as settlement. Once approved, a response is generated to your electronic terminal or computer.
6. From there, the funds associated with the batch you settled are deposited electronically into your business bank account, usually within 48 to 72 hours. Typically, the rate and any fees paid to your merchant account provider are deducted from your account at the end of the month.
7. At the end of the month, your merchant account provider will send a statement to you, detailing the credit card activity for the month and the associated fees you've been charged.
This process describes what happens in a traditional retail, or "bricks and mortar" sales environment. For Internet and e-commerce merchants, the set-up process requires a few additional steps.
Retail Terminals vs. e-Commerce Processing
Because they do not have access to the purchaser's physical card, Internet and e-commerce merchants rely on specialized software that allows them to capture and process credit card information on their Web sites instead of through a POS terminal. There are two basic software programs needed to enable online commerce:
- Shopping Cart: A secure series of scripts (or coding) that keep track of items a visitor chooses to buy from a site until they proceed to checkout. On the checkout screen, the shopping cart collects the credit card number, billing address, authorization number and expiration date.
- Payment Gateway: When the online shopper is ready to finalize the transaction, the information collected in the shopping cart is transferred to a payment gateway for authorization. It is the equivalent of a physical POS terminal used in a retail setting.
Another situation where a purchaser's card is not physically present happens with MOTO or Mail Order and Telephone Order. Here, touch-tone processing or an automated response unit (ARU) allows for credit card authorization and processing over the telephone. This type of processing does not require a shopping cart or payment gateway.
Pricing Basics
Now that you know how processing works and what the available options are, you're probably wondering how much all this will cost. While service fees and rates vary from provider to provider, "bundled" pricing is the most common type of agreement used in determining which per-transaction rate applies to which type of merchant. In the simplest terms, pricing is based on risk: the higher the risk involved in the transaction, the higher the rate the merchant will have to pay:
- Qualified Rate applies primarily to card-present or traditional card-swipe (not key-entered) transactions. This is the lowest possible rate a merchant will incur when accepting a credit card. Telephone and e-commerce transactions cannot receive the qualified rate because they are unable to swipe a customer's card.
- Mid-Qualified, or partially qualified rate, is the percentage a merchant will be charged if they accept a credit card that does not qualify for the lowest rate. This may happen if a consumer credit card is keyed into a credit card terminal, virtual terminal (online) or via a shopping cart. This is the best rate that a telephone or e-commerce business can receive.
- Non-Qualified is the highest percentage rate a merchant can be charged and applies to those transactions posing the greatest amount of risk. This rate would apply if a special kind of credit card is used like a rewards card or business card or if address verification is not performed, or a merchant does not settle its daily batch within the allotted time.
- Again, these rates are used to determine the cost to the merchant on a per-transaction basis. There are additional costs associated with payment processing, including start- up fees, equipment costs, chargeback fees and more. Stay tuned for the next e-newsletter installment for additional processing tips and useful information for merchants and business owners.
e-onlinedata (EOD) is the nation's fastest-growing, most trusted provider of online payment solutions. Thousands of Internet, mail order, auction sellers and retail businesses - from start-ups to billion-dollar companies - are choosing EOD every month for affordable, reliable, and easy-to-use credit card processing and Authorize.Net payment gateway solutions. For more information on e-onlinedata or to apply for a merchant account, please visit https://www.e-onlinedata.com/occhosting
Merchant Processing 101 is a production of e-onlinedata, reprinted with permission from e-onlinedata. Content is intended to provide merchants and small business owners with practical information and insight into the world of payment processing.
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How to Hire Celebrity Talent for your Special Event
47
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By ckentertainment
Celebrity Entertainment
Celebrity Entertainment
Celebrity Entertainment
Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole
Earth Wind & Fire
Earth Wind & Fire
How to Hire Celibrity Entertainment For Your Special Event
Assuming you have the budget to fund a private gig, what are you getting yourself into? Well, if you're not sure, you might as well not even bother to inquire. "No agent is going to sell an act to a client that doesn't know how to produce a show," cautions Ben Bernstein, a personal appearance agent at the William Morris Agency in Beverly Hills who specializes in private gigs. "Ninety-nine percent of end clients don't have production experience, and the last thing we want to do is get a band into a situation where they can't perform."
In such circumstances, Bernstein typically recommends potential clients a production company, such as CK Entertainment.. Such firms can handle everything from negotiating a reasonable price from a booking agent to acting as a liaison between artist and client, to actually producing the show. "Often private clients have no idea what they're responsible for," notes Carey Kleiman with CK Entertainment who oversees some 40 private gigs a year. "They hear a price and they say, 'Great!' But when they find out what goes into mounting a show, they're dumbfounded."
For starters, every performance contract has a production rider, which spells out the nuts and bolts required: staging, lights, sound equipment and the rest. For "one-off" private gigs that are not coordinated within a tour schedule, bands typically prefer to rent sound equipment rather than transport their own, requiring the production company to cut deals with local sources. Every band needs a green room in which to cool out before the show and dressing rooms as well--and chances are your master bedroom won't cut it. Then there are the catering necessities pre- and post-show for both band and their crew. And don't forget about adequate parking for all the semis and catering trucks it's going to take to haul everything to the performance site.
Then there's insurance coverage in all its maddening detail. John Roskopf, senior director of Tave Risk Management in Northbrook, Ill., recommends clients conduct a thorough examination of liability exposures.
In the end, are private gigs worth it? For the true fan, there could only be one answer--of course they are! Be advised, that your true fan status doesn't count for squat in the cut-throat music business. Indeed, it may actually be a detriment. "The true fan is the thing that scares performers the most, because you'll be all over them," says Carey Kleiman, managing partner of CK Productions, which has booked acts ranging from rap to country to Christian for private and corporate clients around the country. "Whether it's a $30,000 act or a $1.5 million act, you need to make it a professional production form start to finish."
How to Hire a Band
Some things you should know before booking live entertainment
Booking a live band for your special event is
always a solidly great choice. Live music
adds atmosphere to any gathering, and is
capable of turning any party into an event that
will be remembered for a long time. Try this
test: Ask yourself how many office parties
you've been to where there was nothing special
going on other than the same people you see
every day at work: everyone puts in an
appearance, socializes for a while, then goes
home. Now ask yourself how many live
concerts or shows you've been to? Think about
the excitement in the air at a concert. Think
about the audience: everyone cheering, dancing,
and having a great time. It's a good bet that
some of these concertgoers even save their ticket
stubs to put in a scrapbook when they get home.
Wouldn't it be great to have a similar level of
excitement at your event? A live band can help
you give your guests an evening to remember!
However, hiring a band for a special event is
sometimes intimidating for those who have never
done so before, and it does involve additional
planning and expense that should be taken into
consideration well in advance in order to
minimize any last-minute "surprises" that
otherwise might come up. It helps to be as
informed as possible when negotiating a price
with the agent or bandleader, and it is especially
important to communicate your expectations to
the bandleader so that the musical portion of
your event goes off without a hitch. Bandleaders
may also have some expectations of their own; it
is a two-way street, and like any business
transaction the objective is to create a win-win
scenario whereby you, the band, and your guests
can all call the evening a success.
This article will focus on how best to achieve
that win-win scenario, so as to make your event a
memorable one that will achieve its desired
goals. The first section will provide some ways
to help you plan your event to include live music
as a centerpiece, the second section will provide
some information that everyone should know
before starting to negotiate a fee with the
bandleader, and the third will focus on the actual
day of the event. The information in this article
will help make your event a Dream Come True
and not a Nightmare!
The Planning Process:
Plan your event: The first thing on anyone's todo
list should be to come up with an overall plan
for how you want your event to flow, and where
you want the band to fit in to this equation. Will
there be dancing? Will there be quiet dinner
with background music? Will there be a cocktail
hour? The answers to these questions will
determine what type and size of band will suit
your needs. (fig.1) Having a 17-piece Big Band
for your dinner hour would be too loud for your
guests to hold a conversation, but having an
acoustic jazz trio for a crowd of dancers is also a
mismatch. Assess your needs realistically, and
hire a band that meets those needs. Be sure to
communicate those needs to the bandleader too;
he/she needs to know what you're expecting.
B
Fig. 1: Some successful musical matches:
Cocktail/Dinner music: .....................................Small, acoustic Jazz trio or quartet
Wedding Ceremony: ...................Pianist, organist, Classical Duo/Trio, Brass Quintet
Swing Dancing:..................................Large band with a drummer and lots of horns
Disco Dancing:........................................................Variety band with a vocalist
Many bandleaders will be able to work with you to accomplish all of your goals. For
example: it's not uncommon for a large swing band to divide up into a smaller jazz unit to
play during dinner and then have the full band assemble in force for dancing after dinner.
Consider the logistics of your venue: Along
these same lines, it's important to make sure that
your location fits your needs. If you're hiring a
large band, make sure the stage area is large
enough to hold them all comfortably. (it doesn't
even need to be an elevated stage, just an area
where the band can set up and hold court). If the
event is to be held outdoors, the stage area
should be covered in case of inclement weather,
as should the sound system. If it's going to be an
evening event or after dark, make sure there is
adequate power for lighting on stage. It is
helpful to provide as much of this information to
the bandleader beforehand as possible too.
Consider the visual impact of your event, and
choose music that's right for that theme. A good
band will always entertain your guests, but a
good band in a well-decorated room will
transform your guests and bring them into an
entirely new world for a night.
Hire Professionals: Sure, you might be able to
save some money by getting so-and-so's brotherin-
law who played in a band in college to come
jam with his friends at your party, but ask
yourself: isn't your event important enough to
give your guests the best? Professional
musicians do this for a living! They will take
your event seriously, work hard to entertain your
guests, and will work with you to suit your
event's needs instead of just hanging around
playing their instruments for their own
gratification.
Budget Accordingly: Remember that most
professional musicians have a great deal of time
and money invested in their abilities and their
equipment. A Journeyman-level musician
typically has had as many years of schooling and
practice on their instrument as a doctor, lawyer,
or dentist. Many professional musicians have
degrees in music, Bachelor's, Master's, and
sometimes even Doctorate degrees in the
Musical Arts. Many are also music educators in
public schools or privately. Musicians who
teach privately usually earn anywhere from
between $30 to $80 per hour teaching, and often
they are giving up some or part of that income to
work in bands. Musicians usually work as
independent contractors, which means they're
responsible for their own health insurance, selfemployment
taxes, retirement plans, and other
expenses that the rest of the working world gets
through their employer.
What's more, the physical effort of playing an
instrument is very demanding. Medical studies
have shown that a concert violinist burns as
many calories during a typical day of practice (4
to 6 hours) as an athlete training to run a
marathon. Most working musicians carry their
own gear to and from the job site, ranging from
at least two or three brass instruments to a full
set of drums. Musicians are prone to RSI's
(Repetitive Stress Injuries) and other job-related
maladies. All of this contributes to added
medical costs and higher insurance premiums for
which the musician must bear the cost.
And let's not overlook transportation costs!
These days, fuel expenses are significant,
especially for the larger-sized vehicles most
musicians must drive in order to transport their
equipment.
All of the above factors contribute to the band's
Cost of Doing Business. (fig.2) You should
expect to pay these musicians fairly for their
time while they're performing at your event.
That being said, you don't have to break the
bank to get the band you want. Come up with a
realistic budget for live music based on the size
of the band you want (number of musicians) and
the appropriate costs involved for each musician.
total musician wages)
Agent Fee Additional percentage taken by booking agents for the work they do in booking the
band. (typically add 15% to total musician wages)
)
Cartage: Bonus paid to musicians who carry large instruments or equipment, such as drum
sets, keyboards, amplifiers, etc., to and from the job site. ($45 per large instrument)
Doubling: Bonus paid to musicians who must learn and maintain skills on more than one
instrument in order to perform an engagement with the band ($25 per add'l
instrument)
Mileage: Bonus paid to musicians to cover fuel costs to travel to and from the job site (45
cents per mile for engagements outside Metro area)
Travel Time Premium: Bonus paid to musicians who are required to travel more than 30
miles to perform an engagement. (usually $12.50 for each 50 mile increment)
Sound System: Covers the cost of professional sound reinforcement, including the use,
cartage, and maintenance of sound equipment and a professional sound engineer to
operate it. ($200 to $800 depending on needs and size of room)
Stage Lighting: Covers the cost of use, operation, and maintenance of professional stage
lighting. ($50 to $150 depending on stage needs)
Payroll/Employment Tax: Covers all Federal, State, County, and Municipal taxes and fees
associated with Contractor wages as reported on IRS Form 1099-MISC (add 20% to
musician wages)
Insurance: Covers musical instruments and equipment against loss, damage, theft, or other
unforeseen circumstances (cost varies depending on individual rates and policies)
The bandleader will have considered his/her cost of doing business when providing a price quote. If they
haven't, they either don't care whether or not their business loses money, or they are too inexperienced to
consider all of the factors involved and will be looking for ways to earn additional money later on. Either
way, you should expect to budget accordingly for the band you plan to hire. The table above will give you
a ballpark idea of the costs involved when budgeting for a band.
The Booking/Negotiation Process
You're now ready to begin negotiating. Having
planned your event's overall flow, being
informed about what the bandleader is likely to
charge, and having budgeted and planned
accordingly, you're now ready to bring the band
into the equation. Arrange a meeting with the
bandleader or agent. Meeting in person is best,
but taking care of business over email is
acceptable too. Email is often better because it
leaves a written record of all of your
correspondence, which makes it easier to look
back and find out what's already been discussed.
Watch out for extra fees: An ethical bandleader
will not try to add in additional costs, but once in
a while you'll get a leader who tries to charge a
more than realistic amount. Although some
leaders may not be willing to share information
on how they pay their musicians, fortunately you
can use the above table to figure out if you think
they're charging an unreasonable amount for
their services. As always, though, the
cornerstone in this business is communication: If
you feel you're being charged an unreasonable
amount, you can always ask the bandleader to
explain why he is charging so much. If he gives
you a reasonable explanation for his fee, then it's
probably legitimate.
Get a contract. A written contract is more than
just your assurance that the band will perform
their duties in a professional and timely manner.
It is also the band's assurance that they will be
paid at the end of the night. Having a legally
binding document outlining terms of service is a
sensible and recommended part of any business
dealing, and dealing with a band is no exception.
The contract can contain anything you both agree
to, but it does need to have a few key items: at
minimum, your contract should contain: Your
name and address; the name and address of the
signatory musician; the location and time of the
performance, and the amount of compensation
agreed to. Beyond that, there are some terms the
bandleader will probably insist on, such as the
fact that no commercial recordings will be made
of the performance without written release, etc.
There are usually also some legitimate concerns
bandleaders have about the band's working
conditions while onstage. (fig. 3)
The bandleader most likely already has a
standard contract boilerplate that he/she usually
uses; this is normally very straightforward and
shouldn't pose any problems. Any aspect of the
contract can be discussed and worked out to your
mutual satisfaction; it's just a matter of sitting
down and talking about it.
Communicate your needs to the Bandleader, up
front. If you're going to need the band to play
Calypso music for half of the night and then
Polka music for the other half, communicate that
at the time of negotiation, not later on. If you
have a favorite song for the Bride/Groom dance
and would like the band to play it, the bandleader
needs to know early on so he/she can prepare and
arrange the music, and rehearse it if it's not
already in the band's repertoire.
Allow the Bandleader to communicate his/her
needs to you. Remember that these musicians
are accustomed to being treated professionally
while on the job. This doesn't necessarily mean
you need to lay rose petals at their feet or
separate all of the green M&M's out of the bowl
in their dressing room, but you should treat them
like respected business colleagues. As with any
business negotiation, it is a two-way process.
Remember that the musicians are performing
their job in a different location each time they
perform, and as such they will be very conscious
of their work environment and working
conditions being up to certain standards.
Fig. 3: Working Conditions for Working
Bands: Here are some of the things that a
bandleader may ask for as part of the band's
jobsite or working conditions:
Safety: Make sure the area where your
engagement is to take place conforms to
building codes and is safe for occupancy.
Breaks - the band will not be able to
maintain their energy level if they are
required to play solidly for 3 hours straight.
Most bands divide the time up in 1-hour sets
with 15 minutes of break-time in between,
although this is usually flexible based on
your event's needs.
Setup: the band will need some time, ahead
of time, to set up their equipment on stage.
It is best to allow at least 3 hours prior to the
arrival of guests, so that the heavy
equipment can be loaded in without being in
anybody's way,
Refreshments: The bandleader may request
that water pitchers or bottles be available to
musicians while onstage. Even if they don't
specifically request this, it's a good idea to
offer it.
Food: The band usually needs to eat
something - and it's usually quite disruptive
if they have to send out for pizza during
their break - so it's common practice to
provide meals for them. They don't have to
eat at the same time as your guests,
especially if they're contracted to play
during dinner, but they do need to eat
sometime during the evening.
Sound System: if the band's price includes
the sound system, make sure the bandleader
and/or his sound engineer has a chance
ahead of time to get to know the acoustic
properties of the room. If the sound system
is being contracted separately from the band,
make sure the sound company has a chance
to check out the room ahead of time. This
small amount of preparation will make all
the difference in the world.
Whenever possible, make sure working
conditions are discussed and put in writing in the
contract. This will protect you from potential
liability later on if any accidents happen.
Deposits: A bandleader will usually ask for a
deposit to reserve the date. The amount varies
from one individual to another, and will usually
range from as small as $100 to as large as 50%
of the total engagement fee. The bandleader
usually holds the deposit in a special bank
account until the date of the engagement.
On The Day of the Event:
You've planned the event. You've hired the
band, paid the deposit and signed the contract.
Here are some things to keep in mind on the day
of the event:
Have the business items prepared in advance.
Make the check out ahead of time so you can
hand it to the bandleader smoothly. If you're
planning on reporting the event as a business
expense, make sure you have the bandleader's
social security number or Tax ID number for
your 1099-MISC,
Have a liaison or contact-person available at
the venue location early enough to let the band in
so they can start setting up. Allow the musicians
plenty of time to get the heavy lifting out of the
way so they can take a few moments to relax
before having to be at the top of their game when
the music starts.
Give your bandleader the cell phone number and
contact information for your contact-person so
they can call if they have any questions or
problems. Having the means available to solve
minor issues before they turn into major ones
will make all the difference!
Don't micromanage: Chances are, you've got
enough to worry about the day of the event
without worrying about the band. Fortunately,
you've hired professionals! Let the bandleader
do the job you're paying him to do. He will
make sure the musicians under his employ will
conform to whatever conditions you have
discussed with him ahead of time. If you have a
favorite song, it's acceptable to make a request,
but there's no need to dictate the band's entire
song list to them - let them do their job!
Expect the Unexpected. Live music is unique in
that it takes place in the moment. No two live
performances are ever exactly alike. Each
musician is constantly striving to make every
performance unique and wonderful. Don't
expect your band to sound exactly like the
recording - expect them to sound better! Expect
them to interact with the audience a little bit, let
them "work the room" and personalize their
show for you.
Enjoy the music! Remember that live music is
the best way to turn an ordinary party into an
Event (with a capital E).
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"The Lord of the Rings OL" she ushered in the official operator in the United States serving the first anniversary, it is precisely in such a special day, "The Lord of the Rings OL" production company's technical staff Turbine official Optical stationed in the "Lord of the Rings Online Power Leveling" in mainland China to provide technical support operations. "The Lord of the Rings OL" is based on the original authorization JRRTolkien online games, the game used to play massively multiplayer online role-model (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, MMORPG), Lord of the Rings Online PowerLeveling by the United States pay top online entertainment project development, publishing and operators Turbine, Inc. company developed multiplayer online role-playing online games, is the first based on Tolkien's literary works to create MMO.
In the game, players will stay in China and Turkey during the war the earth, and darkness of the evil lord Sarong Hill struggle, through their own heroic established reputation and access to special weapons, in the exciting adventure upgrade become heroes to experience the fantasy world created by Tolkien with the LOTRO Power Leveling.
EXCLUSIVE! Sharath Sury Explains The Alpha to Finance Enthusiasts Online at Everything-Finance.net.
[/caption]
For the easiest example, take the basic checked shirt that has dominated our wardrobes for the past couple of years (and more than ever this season) and do up all the buttons – to the top now lads – and you have totally reinvented a shirt for this season. And not a penny spent. Do up all five buttons on one of their basic grandad or y-neck T-shirts to create a totally new look.
Shirts
Obviously you can button up any item right to the top. Works with formalwear, casual check shirts, denim, unusual collars and hooded varieties. You do not have to wear a tie or bow tie with a formal shirt buttoned to the top, on it’s own it is a smart enough look already and it can be matched with braces or geek specs for a great chic look. Shirts with detailing incorporated into the actual shirt are also great ways to add some flair whilst still keeping a simple buttoned up style.
[caption id="attachment_590" align="aligncenter" width="217" caption="Buttoned Up Shirt"]
[/caption]
T-shirts
As the article mentioned, grandad t-shirts and y-neck t-shirts can be worn like regular tees with every button done up. It gives off a slightly smarter look and feel than a basic crew neck, whilst still remaining firmly casual in appearance.
[caption id="attachment_591" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Buttoned Up T-Shirt"]
[/caption]
Polo Shirts
Work just as well as shirts buttoned up to the top for a smarter look. Again you can add braces, geek specs and even skinny ties with them to add some flair.
[caption id="attachment_592" align="aligncenter" width="230" caption="Buttoned Up Lacoste Polo"]
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Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
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As previously mentioned I think these do give off a very rugged and manly aura when you throw them on, especially the thicker versions and lumberjack over shirts you can get your hands on these days. I particularly like oversizing them and throwing them on over vests, t-shirts, and even lightweight knitwear to give your outfits some unusual and creative layering options. One of my favourite looks right now is to button it up to the top but leave the bottom half open with a graphic tee on underneath. Something slightly unusual when it comes to layering, but also an idea that will set you apart from the crowd.
[caption id="attachment_565" align="aligncenter" width="356" caption="check shirts casual wear"]
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When picking a checked shirt don’t be afraid to go bold – I mean strong reds, blues and greens that really catch the eye. You can pull these colours off easily by just toning down the bottom half of your outfit and keeping it really simple. Think nice dark slim jeans and a simple pair of high tops. For those that want to go all out I would recommend a great thick pair of leather military boots in order to really nail down that strong “worker” vibe. A military jacket or a nice thick piece of chunky knitwear (plain colours) layered on top of the check shirt would also look great and really play on a couple of the biggest trends present this year.I think you should get involved early before the new season even kicks in.
[caption id="attachment_566" align="aligncenter" width="200" caption="check shirts with tee"]
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Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
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However, I don’t think the 23-year-old British actor’s hair was the only thing bringing him into the public eye. Just look at the images above, He has hit a lot of the major trends we saw last year on the head with everything from worker boots, chino’s, checked shirts/overshirts and even quilting. I think he has definitely become a role model to the younger generation who want an edgy and bang on trend style, which has been described as ‘emo and ’90’s grunge’ by many different magazines, he dresses his age when in casual situations but can also look very sharp when it comes to public appearances and premieres.
[caption id="attachment_539" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="mens shirt"]
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I would say that this is the type of guy who probably doesn’t have a stylist on a daily basis which makes his look even better in my eyes. He definitely seems to have effortless cool and a unconcern attitude which I think works in his own personal look. He knows and follows fashion a little more than he let’s on, but this is a prime example of dressing for YOU and pulling it off. He is never immaculately groomed and his outfits are never precise and carefully thought out, which makes them work. That is exactly why I put him on my top list. He feels comfortable and confident in his clothes and I would assume about himself as well. He might be the perfect example of the man making the clothes and not the other way around.
Author: izzy from Micsourcing.com
Partly reshipped from: blog.micsourcing.com
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Polo shirts can be worn on a casual and a semi-formal basis and have you looking good for either occasion. Here are some ways that you can dress up your polo shirts:
• Jeans: No matter what kind of jeans you like, a polo shirt will compliment them. If you are going for a more casual look then you will want to leave you polo shirt untucked and you can even wear a pair of flip-flops to really state your casualness. If however you want to be a bit on the dressier side then tuck in your polo shirt, wear a belt, and wear a nice casual pair of shoes but not sneakers.
[caption id="attachment_490" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="polo & jeans"]
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• Khakis: Khaki pants and a tucked in polo shirt are the perfect combination for your office ’s casual Friday. The fact that the polo shirt is collared still lends to the fact that it is somewhat formal, but at the same time it is short sleeved and therefore casual. It is a true win, win. Finish off the look with your regular dress shoes and you will be set for a casual day at the office or anywhere else you decide to go.
[caption id="attachment_491" align="aligncenter" width="235" caption="Khaki-pants-and-polo-shirts"]
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• Shorts: Guys can be seen all over these days wearing cargo shorts and an untucked polo shirt. This look is usually finished off with a pair of flip-flops or sandals and because it is such a big casual statement it is the perfect opportunity to wear a baseball cap as well. The only time that you will want to tuck in your polo shirt with shorts on is if you are at the golf course, in which case you will be wearing a fancier golf style pair of shorts.
[caption id="attachment_492" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="shorts & polo shirts"]
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Polo shirts are great and chances are that you have one or two right now hanging in your closet. By mixing and matching them with other garment you already own, you can go out and about in complete comfort and style.
Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
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To wear polo and carry it off, you definitely have to have some swag and be very confident in yourself. It’s a very metro sexual look and so if you are too much of a pretty boy then I would consider staying away, as you might give off the wrong impression. I think this look works very well on males who give off a very strong sexuality and those who have very manly features. If you pull of this properly, not only will you look on trend, but you will have women flocking and this is a personal guarantee. It oozes confidence in yourself and your style.
[caption id="attachment_457" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Polo"]
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I would make the recommendation that you don’t go over the top with it. If you are going to rock the shirt and pull it off properly, wear muted trousers and shoes. You don’t need a jacket or anything else within your outfit to scream “look at me!”, because you will already be subtly different to 99% of the male population.
[caption id="attachment_458" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Ralph Lauren Polo"]
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Ralph Lauren have REALLY got behind the trend right away with many of their shirts available already. As you know, they are great shirt designers and make quality garments, so these are perfect for this season as formal or casual wear. Remember you can rock this in the office on sunny days!
Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
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There are 4 main types of rolling/folding a shirt for a fashion look. I would recommended you check out the figures and descriptions below and prolong the lifetime of your shirts from today. Don’t throw money away, it can be better spent on another item for your wardrobe than replacing items you already own.
Figure 1
With a long sleeve it’s better to fold than roll, stopping just below the angle of your elbow. It looks sharper and won’t crush your shirts fibres.
[caption id="attachment_430" align="aligncenter" width="169" caption="CHECK SHIRT ROLL SLEEVES"]
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Figure 2
With short sleeves, rolling adds a classic bit of rock to your look. A couple of small turns will do – you don’t want to look like a sleeveless wonder after all.
[caption id="attachment_431" align="aligncenter" width="293" caption="roll sleeve"]
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Figure 3
Under a blouson jacket is one of the coolest ways to fold your sleeves. With the cuff done up, push up the sleeves on the jacket to just below the elbow and then fold the sleeve until it covers the ribbing.
[caption id="attachment_432" align="aligncenter" width="221" caption="shirt roll sleeves"]
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Figure 4
If that sounds like a lot of effort, then All Saints and a few other designers have started making pre-folded shirts which are normally held in place by a popper or small button.
[caption id="attachment_433" align="aligncenter" width="235" caption="shirt roll sleeve"]
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By rolling or stuffing your shirt sleeves up – whether your just hot in the office or for a fashion look, you are damaging all the carefully crafted fibres in your shirt sleeves which gives your shirt it’s shape, colour and fit. Do this too many times and the fabric where you have rolled the shirt will become worn and thin (maybe producing holes or just a lousy fit) and you will have to replace it that much sooner.
Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
Partly reshipped from: blog.micsourcing.com
I bet you are reluctant to admit it is T-Shirt. You doubt about your fashion tast when you wear nothing but T-Shirt, which seems to be a symbol of casual and informal. Well, it doesn’t mean that you have poor style. If you know how to wear t-shirts well, can keep them in good condition and will get rid of your older, more worn t-shirts, you can have great style for far less than many other types of clothing would cost.
1. If you only wear t-shirts, it’s important to keep them in good condition. With a worn, old t-shirt, it’s easy to look sloppy and far too casual for many situations. Keep your t-shirts in good condition by washing them only as often as you need to and using pre-treating stain removers to get out the worst stains.
2. Keep white t-shirts looking great by occasionally washing them with bleach. This will keep them looking bright white instead of getting dingy over time. Using some baking soda in the wash can also help them to look their best and whitest. If you sweat a lot, consider wearing a t-shirt under your white t-shirt to keep the underarm’s from looking yellowed and stiff.
3. Most t-shirts will last a long time and through many washes. By taking good care for t-shirt, it can last 50, 60 washes or more. However, there comes a time when a t-shirt should be discarded and replaced with a brand-new one. If your entire wardrobe is t-shirts, it’s a good idea to occasionally look through your shirts and make sure that they are all in good, wearable condition. If they have holes in them that are noticeable, it’s best to get rid of the shirt. If you have t-shirts that are stained and you’ve tried in vain to get the stains out with no success, it’s best to get rid of those shirts as well.
4. Just because you wear t-shirts only, it doesn’t mean that you always look casual. It’s easy to dress up t-shirts with a fitted blazer and a nice pair of pants. A t-shirt, slacks and a pair of high heels or dress shoes look dressy as well as being comfortable. Make sure to coordinate the color of your t-shirt, pants, jacket and shoes. Even if the shirt is in good shape, it will not look its best if it is worn with clashing colors. Stick with an overall group of colors in your outfit. For instance, an outfit can have an earth-tone theme with a green t-shirt, brown pants and dark brown shoes. Or, you can have a citrus theme with a yellow t-shirt, an orange skirt and yellow flats.
If you take some care with the way you look and you take good care of your t-shirts, you can have impeccable style while wearing nothing but t-shirts every day. You can be the envy of your friends because you always look so well put together without having spent a fortune and heaps of time on your wardrobe. With a little work, your style can easily rate a 10.
Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
Partly reshipped from: blog.micsourcing.com
Personally when wearing a casual check shirt I would look to fold the sleeves up to give you that rugged manly look. Use a two fold technique where you fold the cuff back once and then fold the sleeve once more on top of that. If your shirt fits correctly, the sleeves should then stay folded just lower than your elbow. For those that like it just above the elbow (or sleeves are still not tight enough) PUSH the sleeve from the bottom of the fold to just above the elbow joint. Try not to fold again as it can damage the fibres within the shirt and cause it to become worn out too quickly. The same goes with rolling shirt sleeves up as well, as these small rolls cause tension and can make your sleeves fit incorrectly in the future.
Remember you can dress the shirt up or down with the right accessories. If going for a casual look then layer up by adding a basic plain v-neck t-shirt underneath and wearing some comfort jeans with a pair of worker boots. This will give you that manly “manual worker effect” but also be very comfortable for day wear. When dressing up for a night out you might layer slightly differently with a plain chunky cardigan over the top or a nice leather jacket which should frame the shirt and contrast well with the bold pattern of the shirt underneath. Add a great pair of shoes and some slim fit jeans and you are good to go all night.
What I love best about the check shirt is that it is a fashion statement all on it’s own. If you pick a bright colour combination and pattern then you do not need anything else for it to make people look at you. Take a look at some of my favourites from the current season below.
I have done some interview with my close male friends, most of which are basketball players. According to them, every small advantage is needed beyond fierce competitors in sports. Nike did a very good job offer first class quality and athletic footwear product design. The problem with this approach is that the price of shoes. The rockets began After all, manufacturers have to withdraw cost shoe development, production and sales. A pair of running shoes can easily cost hundreds of dollars or more. For the rich, the price tag. Unfortunately, most of the consumers, especially young teens no income, it is difficult to afford such products.
Nike air force one shoes to solve this problem. The price of this product lines, nearly half of all other brand sports shoes. Moreover, the design to actie adolescents. These products are wearing comfortable, pleasing to the eye. As expected, the bright Nike logo of all the shoes. In many different colors and patterns, cut. For those who want to play a game of basketball after school, they can choose it as their best friend.
Therefore, tuition, comfortable, simple design is the key. Nike shoes have all three characteristics of air force one. Because this line provides a huge comfort, teenage children can wear it almost anything. In the teens, this Nike air force one is surely their best friends.
Author: izzy from micsourcing.com
Partly reshipped from: blog.micsourcing.com
Sharath Sury quoted In Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal:
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Stem cells are regulated today as Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-based Products (HCT/Ps). §§ 21 CFR 1271 et seq, 42 USC 462 et seq, 42 USC 274 et seq. Regulation as drugs under §§ 21 USC 321, 355 require a nexus to interstate commerce that the FDA has interpreted as not being required based on a 1977 case involving contaminated turtles. Louisiana v. Mathews, 427 F. Supp. 174, 176 (E.D. La. 1977). While there is a "presumed" nexus to interstate commerce under the FDCA statutes, presumptions can and should be overcome.
The potential exemption of physicians who would provide stem cell transplants without the introduction of the cells into interstate commerce should be protected under 42 USC 360(g) and 21 USC 396 that state that the practice of medicine has never been intended by congress to be regulated by the FDA, but by the individual and several States. The FDA has recognized that it is not authorized by congress to interfere with medical practice. 37 Fed. Reg. 16503 (1972); 40 Fed. Reg. 15393-94 (1975)(regarding off-label use of new drugs); 44 Fed. Reg. 37435-36 (1979)(Good medical practice and patient welfare require that physicians remain free to use drugs according to their best knowledge and judgment; 48 Fed. Reg. 2673 (June 9, 1983).
During Notice and Comment for the addition of stem cells into the regulations for HCT/Ps, questions were raised as to the regulation of the practice of medicine and questionable constitutionality. These are set forth in the Federal Register Notice of 2001 concerning the final rule-making on biologics that was to go into effect in a tiered approach beginning from 75 days, two years, and four years from the rule. 66 FR 5447. Careful review of this Federal Register Notice reveals that it was an attempt to regulate neural stem cells specifically regardless of the nexus to interstate commerce required by §§ 21 USC 321, 355 and over the objections of several comments that the proposed regulations would regulate the practice of medicine. The FDA is known to legal commentators in other cases to have tread illegally on the States' sole power to regulate the practice of medicine. Folkes, S., Kessler's Legacy to the FDA, 5(5) Smart Drug News (1998).1
Comment 10) We received several comments on our proposed regulation of hematopoietic stem cells. One comment supported the proposal that all establishments involved with hematopoietic stem cell therapy register with FDA. Two comments asserted that the proposed regulation would jeopardize patient treatment, impede the development of new therapies, and increase the costs of treatment. One comment asserted that we lack the legal authority to regulate intrastate hematopoietic stem cell transplants. Another comment argued that clinical research involving the use of blood or bone marrow transplantation for treatment of human diseases, but not involving an investigational drug or device, should not require an investigational new drug application or investigational device exemption. This comment further requested the development of simplified procedures for evaluating those investigational devices or cellular biologic products that are more than minimally manipulated. Two comments argued that there is no need for FDA regulation as industry standards suffice and FDA requirements would be duplicative.
We believe that it is necessary to bring the regulation of hematopoietic stem cells in line with the regulation of other HCT/P's, and that we possess the legal authority to take this action. Like other HCT/P's, hematopoietic stem cells may transmit communicable diseases; thus, the basic communicable disease prevention requirements that will be contained in part 1271, including these registration and listing requirements, are as relevant to these cells as to any other HCT/P's. Intrastate activities involving hematopoietic stem cells, as well as other HCT/P's, can be regulated to prevent the interstate spread of communicable diseases under section 361 of the PHS Act. (See Louisiana v. Mathews, 427 F. Supp. 174, 176 (E.D. La. 1977).) The GAO has cited the lack of regulation of hematopoietic stem cells as a significant gap in our oversight, and urged us to proceed with implementing new regulations that would cover hematopoietic stem cells. We are now closing that gap.
66 FR 5452 [emphasis added]. The FDA disagreed that the expansion of mesenchymal cells in culture or the use of growth factors to expand umbilical cord blood stem cells are minimal manipulation. 66 FR 5457, January 20, 2001. [emphasis added]; 66 FR 5459-60 (neuronal tissue raises clinical safety and effectiveness); 66 FR 5456 (sporadic, isolated "distribution" between health care facilities does not make one a distributor required to comply with the regulations).
However, there is no published Federal case today in which these onerous regulations were subjected to challenge. The only case even mentioning 21 CFR 1271 et seq is a whistleblower case in which an employee informed the FDA of possible violations of the statute. Kozloski, et al, v. American Tissue Services Foundation 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 72303 (USDC Minn 2007).
The regulations require only that a facility register with the FDA under the Public Health Service Act, Sec. 361 if all of a long list of criteria are met.2 PHS 361 is codified as 42 USCS § 264 and relates to the control of communicable diseases, the legitimate government function that the Food and Drug Administration utilized to gain control of this promising research, and save the big profits for the big drug companies. A facilities are also exempt is "an establishment that does not recover, screen, test, process, label, package, or distribute, but only receives or stores HCT/P's solely for implantation, transplantation, infusion, or transfer within your facility." 21 CFR 1271.15(d). These facially less restrictive regulations also contain detailed requirements for labeling, 21 CFR 1271.370, and a distinct identifier code, 21 CFR 1271.290(c).
If the criteria set for in 21 CFR 1271.10 or 1271.15(d) are not met, the HCT/P products are regulated effectively as "new biologics," which subjects to the same Investigational New Drug and New Drug Approval process as new drugs. The costs of these studies is nearly a billion dollars, preventing any small or even medium sized company from entering this market.
These statements, however, are not part of the finally enacted Rule, 21 CFR 1271 et seq and are the sort of expansion of legislative authority by interpretive regulations by an agency that do not require Chevron deference by the US District Court. California Dental Association, Petitioner V. Federal Trade Commission, 526 U.S. 756, 765 (1999). Moreover, an agency cannot expand the interpretation of its jurisdiction that was legislated by congress. In this case, a presumption of interstate congress has been enacted, 21 USC 379a, but that presumption can be overcome where lack of interstate commerce is apparent and there is no finding by congress that plainly intrastate transactions are to be regulated as the FDA claims in 66 FR 5447.
A regulation, promulgated by an agency, cannot control the interpretation of a statute. Although we may give deference to an agency's construction of a statute, it is the court, and not the agency, that has ultimate responsibility to construe Congress's language
These regulations appear to be open to challenge by a licensed physician who had a patient in need of stem cell treatment and a source within the same state. He would be exempt from requirement of FDA approval on his practice of medicine, 21 USC 360(g) and that the applications of that the presumption of interstate commerce was overcome under these facts. The FDA claimed that did not intend to regulate the practice of medicine when it added stem cells to the list of biologics in 2001, 66 FR 1542, January 20, 2001; 21 CFR 1271.3 (2002) did not include stem cells in the listing of biologics; 21 CFR 1271.3 (2004) included stem cells but mandates only licensing of the manufacturing facility and its products, but 21 CFR 1271.440 (November 2005) allows the FDA to take possession of and/or destroy the a HCT/P that is produced or marketed in violation of the rules.
As an analogy, in 2005, congress enacted 42 USCS § 274l that created a therapeutic outcomes database. The Secretary would not need to establish and maintain a scientific database if stem cell transplanting physicians were to submit IND's on their work. There was never, and is still no requirement that the organizer of the shipment of a human fetus, a vascularized human organ, to a licensed facility for the harvesting and transplantation of stem cells is required to obtain IND approval from the FDA.
The FDA does not have the legislative authority to regulate even a new drug unless it is introduced into commerce. §§ 21 USC 331 (a); 21 USC 355 (a). No approval of a new drug application, for which an IND is a preliminary, is required unless a "drug" is to be introduced into interstate commerce. Id. Even where a miscarried fetus were to move in interstate commerce, it is more akin to a vascularized organ for transplantation and no more regulated by the FDA than a human liver or kidney. Were fetal sources of stem cells, or the cells themselves, regulated as organs, it would be illegal to sell them.
(a) Prohibition. It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly acquire,
receive, or otherwise transfer any human organ for valuable consideration for
use in human transplantation if the transfer affects interstate commerce. The
preceding sentence does not apply with respect to human organ paired donation.
(b) Penalties. Any person who violates subsection (a) shall be fined not more
than $ 50,000 or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
42 USCS 274e. Prohibition of organ purchases
The prohibition on sales, should stem cells or their sources be regulated as organs would eliminate a potential windfall to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies and could drive the price of these treatments beyond what the typical American can afford. The organ data-base program is functioning effectively in spite of the difficult statistical chance of obtaining a "match" for a child in need, for instance, of a kidney.
In the case of neural stem cells, no match is required. It appears to be preferable that the cells be donated as are organs, and that the corporations and physicians who perform the transplants earn their income by charging for the time and skill in effectuating that, not for the cells themselves.
Footnote 1: If antineoplastons do work, then what is the "real" issue? The FDA does not approve of the fact that Dr. Burzynski is practicing medicine with antineoplastons. In other words, how dare Burzynski treat patients with antineoplastons before the FDA has given him permission to do so?! But what is the FDA to do? There are 200 years of Supreme Court precedent establishing that the individual states have the sole power to regulate the practice of medicine. The FDA regulates only through interstate-commerce provisions of the Constitution (see sidebar), and since interstate commerce is not involved in the practice of medicine, the FDA has no jurisdiction.
Footnote 2: 221 CFR 1271.10
1271.10 Are my HCT/P's regulated solely under section 361 of the PHS Act and
the regulations in this part, and if so what must I do?
(a) An HCT/P is regulated solely under section 361 of the PHS Act and the
regulations in this part if it meets all of the following criteria:
(1) The HCT/P is minimally manipulated;
(2) The HCT/P is intended for homologous use only, as reflected by the labeling, advertising, or other indications of the manufacturer's objective intent;
(3) The manufacture of the HCT/P does not involve the combination of the cells or tissues with another article, except for water, crystalloids, or a sterilizing, preserving, or storage
What will you be selling at the holidays? Worldwide Brands is giving away 7 free podcasts Dear Friend, that's OVER 2 hours of PREMIUM audio content for purchasing the Worldwide Brands Membership. This is a limited time offer that will only be available until October 31st. The 2 hours of audio content are segmented into 7 Expert Product Sourcing and eBiz Advice podcasts. Topics discussed are as follows: 1. Getting Legal to work with Wholesalers - Cliff Ennico 2. Choosing the Right Legal Structure for your Business, interviewing Cliff Ennico 3. Halloween Product Trends with Expert Lisa Suttora 4. Take advantage of everything this Holiday Selling Season - Lisa Suttora 5. Social Marketing Techniques you can apply immediately to your Business – Ted Janusz 6. Techniques for finding overseas Suppliers – Expert Peter Zapf 7. Dealing with the Rising Costs of Importing with Peter Zapf Remember, these bonus podcasts are only available till the end of this month. This material can be that little bit extra push that a potential customer needs; so go wild. In addition to the podcasts, we have a limited time discount of $100 on The Whole Sale package deal. That means that you get the Worldwide Brands Membership PLUS The Whole Sale at $397 instead of $497. Holidays Trends 2008 - This trending video will show you exactly what products and categories will be hot sellers this holiday. Your link is: http://adcurl.com/x98 • Trade Show Sourcing Video - In this video, we walk you through effective trade show sourcing for online retail. Your link is: http://adcurl.com/x99 • • Chris Malta, CEO for Worldwide Brands has created 20 Wholesale Tips video clips and this is now available. Your link is: http://adcurl.com/y00 • Also, don't forget about our ‘Beat the Recession with eCommerce’ video series – This is now even more prevalent than it was when we first launched this video series. http://adcurl.com/u20 • Happy watching Pierre Pienaar Wealth Building Website: http://adcurl.com/g42 Marketing Website: http://adcurl.com/t13 Xcellence Biz Creator Blog: http://adcurl.com/f19 - The Easiest Money You'll Ever Make! http://adcurl.com/t19 LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/xcelwealth Independent Consulting Goes Global - http://xcelbizmanagement.blogspot.com/ Plaxo Pulse: http://xcelbiz.myplaxo.com Newsletters: 1. FREE Product Sourcing Newsletter - Click now http://adcurl.com/t87 2. The Free Internet Million Dollar Newsletter, click now http://adcurl.com/s20 P.S. In the pipeline: • Amazon Video - We teamed up with Amazon specifically to create a video to help our customers achieve maximum selling success on the Amazon platform. • VP of UPS, Jordan Coletta flew into sunny Orlando especially to shoot in the Worldwide Brands studio. In these 11 videos Jordan answers many of the important shipping questions that any of our customers have been asking in the Whole Sale forum http://www.worldwidebrands.com/specialbonus/holiday-product-trends.asp?kbid=8273
By Don Bauder
Published Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008
'I don't think the American taxpayer needs to be stepping in," Treasury
Secretary Henry Paulson assured the citizenry on February 27 of this
year. Half a month later, the Federal Reserve bailed out Wall Street by
financing a shotgun marriage of Bear Stearns to a larger firm, JPMorgan
Chase. Nonetheless, on May 6, Paulson declared, "The worst is likely to
be behind us." Then on July 20, he exuded confidence: "It's a safe
banking system, a sound banking system," quoth he. "Our regulators are
on top of it." Then on September 18 - after the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac,
and American International Group rescues - Paulson begged for a $700
billion taxpayer bailout of Wall Street, warning that if the
banking-welfare package didn't pass, "Heaven help us all."
Paulson wasn't alone in his dead-wrong pronouncements. On March 11,
Christopher Cox, chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
declared, "We have a good deal of comfort about the capital cushions at
these [Wall Street] firms at the moment." His agency was making
"constant," sometimes daily reviews of financial institutions, declared
Cox. Three days later, Bear Stearns was saved via the shotgun.
Then there is Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, the
nation's central bank. Early in the current financial crisis, he had to
be educated about the quadrillion dollars of derivatives threatening to
send the world's banking system into a tailspin. During a recent
congressional hearing, Bernanke and Paulson were asked if Wall Street
owed Main Street an apology. Both waffled.
Get this: these three people will be key among those spearheading the
$700 billion bailout package. Paulson and aides will have
near-dictatorial powers. Cox and Bernanke will be on the Financial
Stability Oversight Board.
As Paulson said, "Heaven help us all." Now, as governments essentially
take over the world's banking system, guaranteeing deposits and lending
among banks, Paulson's quote is more apt than ever, although he hardly
meant it that way, having been a cheerleader for the nationalization of
formerly private banks.
I asked some prominent San Diego financial experts about this state of
affairs. "These guys [did not] understand the derivatives problem or,
more important, its magnitude," says retired banker Peter Q. Davis.
Derivatives with no regulation or oversight "took on a life of their
own. [They were] out-and-out gambles."
Says former Wall Street veteran Arthur Lipper III, "With someone as
intelligent and experienced as Paulson is, I find it hard to believe he
failed to understand" the explosive possibilities of a derivatives chain
reaction.
Maybe, like some on Wall Street, Paulson knew that an explosion could
take place, but he was making too much money to fret about it.
Derivatives came to dominate the financial world because the commissions
are so high for those peddling them. Wall Street is all about greed and
mendacity - two reasons its practitioners are unfit for government
positions.
In May of 2006, San Diegan Gary Aguirre warned the Senate Banking
Committee that Wall Street was re-creating 1929, piling up multiple
layers of financial leverage that could crash. After the Bear Stearns
collapse this year, he reminded the committee that the Securities and
Exchange Commission had failed to foresee this calamity and would
probably fail to foresee further disasters. Aguirre, brother of City
Attorney Mike Aguirre, was right on target.
Springfield, New Jersey-based economist A. Gary Shilling says, "Perhaps
the least credible of all the Washington players has been the SEC." In
2006, the agency's staff identified the risks of the subprime mortgage
crisis but didn't exert influence over Bear Stearns to plan for a
subprime meltdown. The agency permitted the firm to use its own
auditors, instead of independent ones, in assessing Bear Stearns'
risk-management policies. Then the SEC botched its attempt to shore up
financial shares. It banned new short selling on 1000 financial issues,
but it put nonfinancial stocks, such as IBM, GM, and Ford, on the list,
while ignoring authentic financial institutions.
"They [SEC staff] don't know what they are doing now," says Aguirre. "It
is panic over there."
"The SEC could require regulated firms to disclose on an ongoing basis
their current debt-to-capital ratio so those considering trading with
the firms could make a decision as to risk," says Lipper. Such
disclosure would have helped in the Bear Stearns disaster.
Playing politics trumps telling the truth these days. "Paulson allowed
the wish to become the parent of the thought in his quest to serve the
Bush administration," says Lipper. "It appears that he was part of the
decision-making which resulted in there being few, if any, independent
economists testifying before Congress in the bailout-plan deliberations.
"Of course, Bernanke, as chairman of the [Federal Reserve], also sought
and seeks to serve the Bush administration," says Lipper.
"Bernanke loves to tell folks he is an expert on the Depression - thus,
I think he sees all roads leading to one," says Davis. "As the old
saying goes, 'When the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem
begins to look like a nail.' "
Paulson's " 'Trust me' three-page proposal and request that he not be
liable to judicial review or punishment was simply offensive and
probably a violation of federal law," says Davis.
What about the bailout plan? "What Paulson did was an ambush," says
Aguirre. "In March, after Bear Stearns collapsed, everyone should have
known that Bear was a sign of what was coming. Paulson should have
convened the Senate Banking Committee, conducted highly public hearings,
explained what was going on with Bear Stearns to garner public support."
Instead, Paulson kept insisting that all was well. After it was clear
the financial sector was on the brink, "The politicians were stampeded
by Paulson's warnings and passed a bill that is a complete disaster for
the public."
Among many things, the bill allows Paulson and his minions to purchase
toxic assets at whatever price they deem consistent with the purposes of
the act. They could pay above a reasonable price if they so desired -
supposedly as a way to pump liquidity into a bank. Doesn't Wall Street
proselytize "buy low and sell high"? Even Paulson, Cox, and Bernanke
should have learned that maxim. The bill permits Paulson's dragoons to
purchase credit default swaps and other derivatives that are at the root
of the problem. Such purchases would bail out Wall Street while screwing
Main Street.
The villains are institutional gambling with excessive debt and the
ideological insistence on nonregulation. And now officials who
encouraged such irresponsibility, or looked the other way while it
occurred, and never saw the possibility of a derivatives nuclear
reaction are in charge of steering the nation out of the crisis.
"Were there not institutional and public demand for ever-increasing
profits, the excesses would not have occurred," says Lipper. "As has
always been the case, leverage is dangerous, and without significant
minimum capital requirements it typically ends in disaster."
We may be at the edge of that disaster right now. The nationalizing
moves over the weekend will only lead to more inflation down the road,
says Lipper.
It might be tempting to hire the man or woman you are dating in times like these. Perhaps the gal answering the phone or the fellow making deliveries is just not working out, and the person you love just lost his or her job. You may be thinking, "Why not keep it in the family?"
Here is why not. If your relationship fails, it may not be legal to end the employment. This sounds horrific, that a "Mom and Pop" operation might be forced to keep going after Mom and Pop are no longer together, but in some states the one forced to leave the small operation could have a cause of action against its owner.
You would be better off in family court. Even in the often female biased family court, the rights of the breadwinner (in Family Law vernacular, "Payor Spouse") are better protected than those of the employer at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
So why the comparison? I make this comparison because, when, as it often does, love crosses socio-economic boundaries, the high income mate may be less reluctant to hire his or her sweetheart than to get married. This is not an objection to the crossing of socio-economic boundaries in affairs to the heart, but quite the contrary. A person finding himself or herself single in middle age is better advised to be "picky" as to sense of humor, chemistry, mutual interests, etc., instead of income. Just do not extend that to a job offer.
Under the laws of this country, you are better off getting married than giving your honey a job. Family Court, even in a rigid no-fault community property state like Nevada, takes into account such factors as the length of a marriage, how much the marital estate increased during that time and whether that increase was the result of active or passive efforts. Spousal support is not even considered for a union of less than five years, and when awarded is generally about half of the difference between incomes for half the length of the marriage. Yes, it is a big chunk of change but a manageable chunk, and a predictable chunk.
Under 42 USC 2000e et seq, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, commonly known as Title VII, it is unlawful to terminate a person's employment because a personal relationship has come to an end. It is considered sexual harassment, even if the relationship was consensual and even if it was the only reason the job was offered to begin with. This is why many companies have policies that will terminate a manager or supervisor for "fraternizing" with a lower level employee.
The amount of damages are endless, as he or she is entitled to the current salary up until the time of the judgment, and reinstatement. The emotional angst of having to work besides a person you had been intimate with, consensuality of no consequence, does not exempt your company from its duty not to make employment decisions on this basis. To legally terminate the employment of a person who can make a presumptive showing of a discriminatory reason, such as no longer dating the companies owner, the company must show a "non-pretextual" reason. In most circuits, even evidence discovered after the discharge, such as falsification of a resume, is not adequate grounds if the real reason for the discharge was illegal. The employee can also get attorneys' fees. The employee may not even need to interest a plaintiffs' attorney in taking the case on contingency, but can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which can then file suit under its own behalf.
Fortunately, Title VII only applies to companies with 15 or more employees, but the states have similar statutes that requires various, and often lower, numbers of employees requires for an employee to bring an action under this statute. Title VII makes clear that it does not exempt any person from liability under similar State statutes, 42 USC 2000e-7.
It would be particularly tough to find a "non-pretextual" reason for the discharge from a position that was pretextual to begin with, and this can happen for many reasons. Boss Arny met Receptionist Katy on a flight from Oregon to Austin, and they hit it off. She was going to visit a friend, he was returning from a sales convention. A year later, he'd like her to move to Austin but her joint custody order from the last marriage requires her to get Court permission to leave Oregon. All the Oregon Family Court is asking for is a reason other than avoiding visitation by the natural father. So rather than tell the judge that she'd like to go live with her boyfriend, could he just hire her, say, to do some data entry and answer the phones?
Arny may not realize it, but if things do not work out with Katy in Austin, he is looking at a much bigger judgment for the discharge than he would if they married and divorced. Katy may get back pay from whenever the case goes to judgment, even if the job only lasted a month.
This would never happen in Family Court.
If it was later learned that the old friend that Katy was visiting on that first flight was really her lesbian lover, and that she allowed Arny to seduce and hire her for the sole and specific purpose of pleasing that Oregon Family Law judge, it would not help Arny in defending a case brought by the EEOC. The "unclean hands" defense is inapplicable against the EEOC. Katy would bring her child to Austin, and get paid a lot more from Arny on the job than she would be entitled to as spousal support.
With the DOW plummeting and companies firing loyal employees because they simply can no longer pay them, it might be tempting to hire the person you are living with or dating. Hopefully this article will make a business owner think twice about that treacherous proposal.
Nancy Lord, MD
Attorney at Law
HedgeLender has benefited greatly from the financial meltdown on Wall Street. How could that possibly be? Are we not a company that depends on healthy stocks to guarantee our lending products? Yes, but a company that is otherwise healthy at the mercy of market behaving in an irrational manner is a perfectly good stock my our measure.
We are not a hedge fund, and are completely untied to the credit system. Your credit rating means nothing to us. Your stocks are your only qualifier for whether or not we can underwrite a stock HedgeLoan, and whether they have dropped 10% or 40% in the last month is not likely to make much difference. You'll still likely to get at least one nonrecourse, no-margin-call loan offer backed by your stocks from our company.
But lately it has been more than that. A lot more, it turns out.
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Borrowers come to us who never really considered a HedgeLoan before. "Not invented here" was the feeling, or "Why should I bother when I can draw on my line of credit." Having always thought their bank credit lines would be there, their real estate projects or company purchases, etc. were based on the assumption that credit would be plentiful. They often had stocks, but with their stocks falling dramatically in recent weeks, they couldn't bring themselves to sell at such a loss.
they've started to take a hard cold look at HedgeLoan now. Our loan programs gives them up to 85% - even 90% for strong stocks - of today's value in a loan that they can walk away from if they they need to default, owing nothing but the collateral stocks regardless of how low in price they may have fallen, and no negative credit reporting. These individuals get to remain beneficial owners of their securities while they enjoy the use of their cash during the loan term. They are making a bet that as the economy regains strength, their collateral stocks will rise in value too, allowing them to ask the lender to sell enough shares to pay off the loan and recoup the upside profits as stocks or cash.
When the news came over the airwaves that Lehman Brothers, the venerable, forever titan of Wall Street, was going bankrupt and was in the process being sold off, we at HedgeLender recognized that the financial landscape had changed far more rapidly than anyone could have dreamed. Coming on the heels of the surreal takeover of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the twin pillars of the American mortgage system, a new day was dawning, and with it was coming unforeseen new opportunties for private placement hedged portfolio stock loans such as those we offered.
Conventional credit markets had dried up. Our phones at HedgeLender lit up.
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Back in Washington, scapegoating had already begun. There couldn't be worse timing than to have a Wall Street correction held hostage by election-year politics, but that was precisely what was happening, and the candidates were simply fueling the fire, making matters worse as their goal of undermining their opponent superseded any desire to say the hard things the American people needed to hear. The first scapegoats, not surprisingly, were the easy pickings -- the "fat cats" as Barack Obama called them, and later McCain -- at places like Lehman and Freddie, those "detestable con men with the golden parachutes" who supposedly got us into this mess.
Which was untrue, a cheap shot. Though bad decisions may have been made, there never was even circumstantial evidence of fraud. Blaming the titans of Wall Street is like blaming the guy who bought your Rolex watch from the yard sale your kid put together. It is facetious to say the least. These "despicable fat cats", after all, were the ones who trusted Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and helped keep the loans to low income minorities flowing - loans that were part of a policy pushed firmly by a Democrat-majority Congress and accepted passively to by the Republican administration (all unwilling to be accused of "insensitivity" to those less fortunate in an election year). When the very Congress that encouraged lending to unqualified homeowners held hearings to tar-and-feather financial executives who were instrumental in making those policies possible, the irony is inescapable.
This is not to say there have been no excesses on Wall Street and of course no one is defending golden parachutes or obscene salaries for execs who failed to see the shakiness of this system of subprime-mortgage-backed securities. But they are not the true guilty parties. They guilt begins on a much broader scale with the wrongful assumption that if you simply extend a loan to an individual to buy a home, they will create better neighborhoods and have more of a stake in their families and communities and therefore leapfrog to a more optimistic and better life. It may have worked that way with the tiny minority who did pay their subprime loans on time. It did not for the majority.
No one can quibble with the goals, however. No one can deny what a source of hope it was when hard-working lower-income/class people who deserved a break got a home of their own. The goal, the desire to do this, is not the issue here. It was a good goal. It still is.
It is the means that were at fault. Our society, through the representatives we elected, encouraged what most see quasi-governmental organizations like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to back these loans. Our Congressional leaders pushed, then blessed the practice -- particularly Democrats. Barney Frank, the Democrat Senator now leading the charge against supposed excess on Wall Street was instrumental in letting the two mortgage giants off the hook when they had the chance to review the crumbling subprime loan situation over a year before they were taken over. He declared them fundamentally sound. He ahd his colleagues with the help of a few Republicans did nothing when they had the chance and the first evidence of shakiness was coming in. Despite the fact that Congress had by their neglect in effect put a "stamp of approval" on the practice, we let them divert blame and place it on the Lehman Brothers and the Merrill Lynch's of the world who had bought up the securities created from the grouped mortgages Mr. Frank and his colleagues had said was so essential to keeping the programs moving.
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The crisis will work itself out, there can be no doubt. It would have been resolved painfully but naturally by the free-market economy had there been no intervention. if we had been more patient, if our tolerance of pain had been greater, with the exception of some targeted assistance for renegotiation of mortgage, added insurance, and better regulation, it would have resolved itself on its own. Resolution will move along more speedily now with the new government infusions, but there will be some entities allowed to survive that do not deserve to, which will be drags on the economy, artificial life support for no good economic reason.
But overall, even with the infusion, it will be a stronger, sounder world financial system at the end of the day and a more vigorous America.
In the meantime, business couldn't be better at HedgeLender, and should the powers-that-be find it impossible to make the right decisions and avoid excessive fiddling with the economy, we'll be happy to remain a great cash liquidity alternative.
Contact us here for further discussion/information
Call 1-877-345-0008 X1
By Don Bauder | Published Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The United States is behaving like a drug addict groping for another fix or an alcoholic reaching shakily for a hair of the dog. Our central bank, the Federal Reserve, keeps lowering interest rates and pumping liquidity into the financial system to fight the credit squeeze. The Fed will even take smelly mortgage-backed bonds off the banks’ hands and replace them with gilt-edged Treasury bonds. Last Friday, the Fed arranged a bailout of a gambling-crazed Wall Street house and Sunday financed a takeover of the firm, Bear Stearns, at a discount of 99 percent. The federal government, too, is advancing plans to bail out certain mortgage losers, including banks.
To accommodate such actions, the Fed has to create money out of thin air. Bingo: inflation rises. And the dollar keeps sinking to new lows. The buck has plunged more than 42 percent against key currencies since 2002.
The Fed and the federal government “are advocating and facilitating actions which will inevitably weaken the U.S. dollar for a long time to come,” says Arthur Lipper III of Del Mar, chairman of British Far East Holdings Ltd. and a veteran of Wall Street and international finance. The U.S. is letting the dollar slide “to save financial institutions which abandoned sound policy for the sake of competitive gain.” That’s a polite way of saying the bankers went bonkers and now want a bailout. Since last summer, the government and central bank have thrown more than $1 trillion at the credit crisis, which continues to get worse. When there’s a bailout, the stock market rejoices for a day or two, then falls again.
Perhaps investors are aware of a looming calamity. We are slowly losing our role as dominant international currency, and that plunge may well accelerate. What country wants to hold a currency that has lost more than 42 percent of its value? “International transactions are increasingly going to be settled in currency baskets,” says Lipper. (For example, a weighted average of currencies such as the euro, U.S. dollar, and Japanese yen could be used instead of the dollar alone.) “The world is tired of America borrowing to live the good life, and the unpopularity of the present administration and its policies increases the tendency to find alternatives to traditional reliance on the U.S. dollar as the world’s currency.”
The buck is a very special currency. Since the end of World War II, the dollar has been the center of the world’s financial system. Most international transactions take place in the dollar. Being the center of the financial universe gives us unique advantages: after selling their products, countries wind up with dollars. There is a natural tendency to invest those dollars back in the U.S. as a way to protect against currency risk. If those dollars are invested in our bonds, our interest rates may be lower than they otherwise would have been. If they go into our stocks, our citizens enjoy more paper prosperity. With the dollar as the world’s currency, our traders and financial institutions have an easier time: they can deal in their own currency rather than foreign ones. All these factors give us a big financial advantage.
Because of these many advantages we have, other countries complain of “dollar hegemony.” They argue that international trade is a game in which the U.S. cranks out dollars and the world makes things that dollars can buy. Also, their countries are forced to hold more dollar reserves than they would ordinarily, partly because of the need to defend against attacks on their currencies by global speculators, the modern equivalent of pirates.
Unfortunately for us, the dollar’s role in the world has been receding. In 2002, the U.S. dollar accounted for about 70 percent of the money used for financial transactions (and also used as reserves to fight pirates). Now that’s below 64 percent. This year, with the Fed aggressively dropping interest rates into the teeth of 4 to 5 percent inflation, the dollar will decline more swiftly in value. And its use as the international currency will no doubt also decline.
In days past, our currency was dominant because we were “economically competitive and politically stable,” says Lipper. “At the present time, we are no longer economically competitive in manufacturing, and our banking system is suspect. [Remember, it was Arab nations that bailed out Wall Street’s big firms not long ago.] The U.S. dollar will be less attractive to those having alternatives to using our currency as a safe haven.”
Our inflationary fixes are hastening the world’s move to other currencies. But there is one way we may try to keep our hegemony: through warfare. Many people, myself included, believe that one reason we attacked Iraq was that in the year 2000, Saddam Hussein decreed that Iraqi oil would be sold in euros, not dollars. We sent in troops to warn other oil-exporting nations not to do the same. Lipper doesn’t agree or disagree with that supposition: “I can accept the possible validity of a range of theories,” he hedges. In any case, it’s quite possible that oil will be denominated in something other than the dollar — perhaps a basket of currencies. “The oil-producing countries have their own self-interest, and we are presently dependent on their oil,” says Lipper.
Some folks think the only people immediately hurt by a weak dollar are those traveling or living abroad. ’Taint so. The price of oil zooms as the dollar plunges. Says Lipper, “My guess is that we are looking at over $5 and probably $6 per gallon gasoline, and only then will we, as a people, get serious about conservation and alternative energy sources.”
In the financial realm, American citizens have lost their ethical compass. For consumers, “bankruptcy is becoming destigmatized,” says Lipper. “The morality of the American credit consumer is changing, and not for the better.”
Ditto for the financial institutions. There is a scary $513 trillion of complex derivatives floating around the world. The risk “is far greater than presently recognized,” he says. In the financial industry, many of these instruments are off–balance sheet. Hence, banks and insurance companies have fewer reserves than prudent business requires. “The architects and marketers of these transactions earned enormous fees, and the executives and attorneys for the participants didn’t see reason for reflecting the liabilities on the books of the parent organizations,” says Lipper. “If it all becomes unwound, it would be nice to think that some of those who could have blown a whistle will be recognized and dealt with appropriately.”
Today, optimists acknowledge that the U.S. economy is slowing sharply, but they insist that if there is a recession, it will last only a couple of quarters, and then we will come roaring back. They concede that the dollar is weak and inflation is high, but the Fed will be able to raise interest rates, boosting the dollar and squashing inflation, once the economy recovers, say the Little Mary Sunshines.
But the optimists don’t see the global picture. “I believe it is perfectly possible and perhaps probable that we will suffer a depression or prolonged recession,” says Lipper. (A recession is an economic contraction lasting from half a year to a year or more. A depression is a massive decrease in economic activity spread over a longer period, accompanied by deflation.) Borrowers will remain more tight-fisted; companies and entrepreneurs will have a difficult time getting credit. “We are in for some tough times.”
Arthur Lipper
14911 Caminito Ladera
Del Mar, CA 92014
858 793 7100 - Cell: 858 353 7100
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