Miami hostage scenario at Coral Gables Bank - Explosive device stays

There were hostages taken near Miami today. The situation was in the Coral Gables, Florida Financial institution of America. There’s an investigation into the kidnapping that preceded this hostage situation. At approximately 11:42 this morning, Coral Gables police confirmed that the last person was out of the bank and the Miami hostage situation was over.

Coral Gables Bank of America location of the hostage situation
Thurs evening, there was a kidnapping linked to the Coral Gables Bank of America heist. The person who was kidnapped had to strap themselves to a bomb. Allegedly, the individual entered the bank before it opened. By eight within the morning, police, FBI, and SWAT teams were on the scene of the Coral Gables bank. Schools in the area were locked down during the Miami hostage situation. Transportation around the financial institution was also shut down.

Thurs evening kidnapping associated with Coral Gables Bank robbery

The Coral Gables Bank robbery started on Thurs evening, with a home attack at the Nob Hill apartments. All all-points bulletin has been issued for a red Mustang automobile with two passengers that might be linked to this kidnapping and home attack. It is not yet clear if the financial institution robbers / kidnappers were with the kidnapped employee who was possibly strapped to the explosive device when he or she was forced to enter the bank. There is not yet a word on if the Coral Gables Bank hostage was really a robbery, or if there was some other motivation for the crimes.

Miami hostage scenario over, bomb remains

There is full confirmation from Coral Gables Bank and the FBI that hostages were held within the bank during the morning. The last hostage left Coral Gables Bank relatively easily. By 11:20 a.m., everybody had exited the building. However, FBI and police confirm the bomb squad is still on the scene. The bomb, which was originally reported as strapped to the kidnapped employee, may nevertheless be inside the Coral Gables bank. The preventative and protective closures at schools and for transportation stayed in placed until every little thing was declared clear.

Further reading

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2010/09/24/1840420/police-hostage-situation-at-coral.html

CBS

cbs4.com/local/bank.robbery.coral.2.1929612.html

Acquire free Budweiser beer on September 29 at National Happy Hour

Americans have really liked Busch’s Budweiser “Bohemian-style” pale lager. This was introduced in 1876. Based on a 2008 report the St. Louis Business Journal, beers by the Busch family corporation Anheuser-Busch held a 50.9 percent share of the market for all beers sold in the United States. Anheuser-Busch sold most of its stock later that year. It was bought by InBev, the Belgian-Brazilian beer magnate. American sales went down then. This is since the “King of Beers” grew to become “de Koning van Bieren” after selling off. Anheuser-Busch InBev plans to give away totally free beer on Sept 29 during National Happy Hour as Budweiser, accounts St. Louis Today.

Budweiser is free with the marketing

Participating bars and restaurants will be offering about 500,000 totally free Budweiser beer samples. These will come, depending on local and state rules, in 6- and 12-ounce sample sizes. The advertising campaign “Grab some Buds” will run September 25 via Oct. 3 in a massive effort to raise Budweiser United States of America share of the market, which had dropped to 9.3 percent after a high of 26 percent in 1988. Drinkers in their mid-20s can be the biggest target of this campaign. This is mostly due to the study that shows de Koning van Bieren hasn’t even been touched by drinkers ages 21 to 27.

St. Louis Today reports a conversation with President Dave Peacock of Anheuser-Busch InBev. He says, “We want to close that gap.”

Texas sells the deep fried beer

Mark Zable is the one to find in case you are ever drinking at the 2010 Texas State Fair. He’ll be preparing ravioli-sized deep-fried beer, which could (in moderation) make a fine complement to de Koning van Bieren or your beer of choice. After filling pretzel dough with beer, he dunks for 20 seconds the dough into 375-degree oil. It is the perfect amount to keep the alcoholic content in there when also cooking the dough all the way. Zable is hoping he can patent the cooking process as, accounts the London Telegraph, the public loves the treat.

Mark Zable uses Guinness in them though. That means no Koning van Bieren.

More on this topic

London Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/7973944/Deep-fried-beer-invented-in-Texas.html

St. Louis Business Journal

bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/04/21/daily42.html

St. Louis Today

stltoday.com/business/article_a7801e6d-16b3-5ad7-ba55-08475f94a313.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budweiser_(Anheuser-Busch)

What’s up with free beer?

youtube.com/watch?v=B1PaVo00U3c

More people interested in subprime second-hand automobile lending options

The music “Crossfire” by Vaughan explains “Money’s tight; nothing’s free”. This is true with regards to the car-buying public of America that is within the recession with falling credit ratings. The quantity of subprime lending options being taken out has remained the very same when much more Americans buy used cars showing that lending in The United States is evolving, reports Wards Auto.

Non-prime and subprime loans a positive sign for credit liquidity

Credit is going to flow, even if it is by subprime. This helps the automotive market that needs to sell automobiles to recover. There isn’t an in-house financing option target coming from dealers. That doesn’t mean that Americans aren’t naturally leaning towards that kind of lending. But product availability remains an issue. Wards interviewed a second-hand car manager for the Al Serra Auto Plaza of Grand Blanc, Mich. His name is Ed Rykulski, and he said, “We employ 18 salespersons in the sales center and buy seriously at the auctions to keep sales at 2009 levels, when we sold 3,212 second-hand units.”

Targeting subprime female buyers with saleswoman

Saleswoman Nancy Koehrman of Taylor Used Vehicle Center near Toledo, Ohio, pointed to a growing trend within the current second-hand automobile sales market: employing much more women as salespeople.

“Women customers prefer women to be handling the vehicle selling and also the finance and insurance side, too, particularly if they’ve been classified as subprime,” Koehrman told Wards.

Of course, women aren’t the only ones interested in loans. Men like subprime used vehicle loans too. 43 million people, or one quarter of U.S. adult consumers, have, reports Fair, Isacc and Co. Inc., a FICO score lower than 599. Lots of the market can be hit here. Those with FICOs from 650-699 are not getting standard automobile loans anymore. This is why the subprime pool is getting larger.

Inventory built up with off-lease stock

Rykulski indicated to Wards the Serra group obtains much of its used stock from off-lease vehicles. The company’s Grand Blanc used automobile center is one of the largest of any Ward’s 500 member (dealerships that receive the highest marks from the publication for reliability and a host of other factors). Unfortunately, as used vehicles are at the moment common besides non-subprime customers, it is still difficult to keep enough inventory on hand.

Car Deal Expert can help you with used car loans

Additional reading

Wards Auto

wardsauto.com/home/subprime_used_cars_100920/

Iran aimed military-grade cyber tool Stuxnet, claims specialists

Stuxnet is new and being described by numerous. The most sophisticated malware ever is one of the most common description. It is something computer security specialists in the world are amazed by. They have decided sabotage is the primary goal of the Stuxnet called a search and destroy weapon. The Stuxnet is said by cybersecurity specialists to be so complex that it could only are made by a nation-state. This means that no rogue hackers could recreate the technology. Information hacked typically is data on factories, power plants and water systems as Stuxnet travels. It also does not travel via the internet as it is spread through thumb drives and printer spoolers instead. Iran seems to have seen this one of the most leading numerous to believe the Bushehr nuclear power plant was the target of the Stuxnet.

Is the Bushehr reactor going to be sabotaged by Stuxnet?

June was the first time Stuxnet was detected. The Christian Science Monitor explains that the encryption of the program is extremely complex. In fact, computer security specialists are extremely confused by it. Stuxnet is the only software known that steals software for chemical plants, factories, power plants and electric grids within the world that has been found. Cybersecurity researcher Ralph Langler told the Monitor that Stuxnet is a precision, military-grade cyber missile deployed to seek and destroy one high value target. Langer suggests that target has already been hit: Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant. Bushehr’s scheduled startup in August has been delayed for unknown reasons.

How Stuxnet seeks and destroys

Stuxnet has already infected around 45,000 computer systems throughout the world. Computer systems not connected to the web for security purposes are what the worm targeted, as outlined by the Daily Mail. USB thumb drives spread the virus to PCs running Microsoft Windows. No clicking or keying is needed for Stuxnet to hijack a PC. Once embedded, Stuxnet seeks out software developed by Siemens that runs industrial control systems. After discovering the software, it reprograms it. The software gets dangerous instructions that are new. Experts say Stuxnet is capable of taking control of key processes to set off a sequence that makes an entire system self-destruct.

Stuxnet starts cyber warfare

Because of the variety of techniques in its package and its code, Stuxnet has set off some alarms. BBC News explained that Liam O’Murchu of Symantec, discovering the worm and tracking it down, says that Stuxnet works by spreading with new techniques never seen. The worm works with vulnerabilities in Windows. These weren’t known before this. O’Murchu said Stuxnet was a very big, well-planned, well-funded project. Langer explains that Stuxnet has lots of insider knowledge. It was needed to create a sabotage attack like this. ”This isn’t some hacker sitting in the basement of his parents’ house,” he said. It had to be more. “To me, it seems the resources needed to stage this attack point to a nation state.”

Find more info on this subject

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0921/Stuxnet-malware-is-weapon-out-to-destroy-Iran-s-Bushehr-nuclear-plant

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1314580/Stuxnet-worm-targeted-Iranian-nuclear-power-station-sophisticated-virus-attack-ever.html?ITO=1490

BBC News

bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11388018

Affleck states Joaquin Phoenix meltdown in I'm Still Here is a hoax

”I’m Still Here” is all a lie. There was mainly a performance done shown within the “documentary” about Joaquin Phoenix’s downward spiral. There was so much talk by film critics about the film. Really soon, though, director of “I’m Still Here,” Casey Affleck, couldn’t keep it in anymore. The movie had anything in it staged. Even the appearance on David Letterman and the rap performances Phoenix gave on drugs were staged. Affleck things that “I’m Still Here” shows how good Phoenix is in her career. Phoenix may just have ruined his career though. Affleck can jump on that bandwagon too. Article source – Affleck says Joaquin Phoenix meltdown in I’m Still Here is a hoax by Personal Money Store.

Calling it the Phoenix mockumentary

The New York Times showed an interview with Casey Affleck and Michael Cieply Thursday talking regarding the contrived “I’m Still Here”. The movie allegedly documented the deterioration of the mind, body and spirit of Joaquin Phoenix after he received an Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Johnny Cash in “I Walk the Line.”. Phoenix performed for two years for this. He grew a scraggly beard. He gained weight. Even the TV host on David Letterman was completely fooled by his character in a 2009 appearance. Affleck told the Times that he had to speak out following the extreme negative response to the film by critics and also the public. The Letterman Show has invited Phoenix back to talk to. This can be happening September 22.

Media works for making it more known

A choice motive may be in Affleck’s mind as he admit that Joaquin Phoenix was in “I’m Still Here” as a mockumentary. He may just be trying to get more viewers. Washington Post bloggers Jen Chaney and Liz Kelly said Phoenix and Affleck are letting everyone in on the joke now hoping for making individuals more likely to determine the film and understand correctly what they were trying to achieve. The movie doing well does not really matter, they say. What is significant is that society sees that any person can become self destructive in public, even Academy Award nominee.

Deception triggers Hollywood backlash

There aren’t that numerous people interested within the objectives of the filmmaker. Patrick Goldstein, a Hollywood reporter for the Los Angeles Times, said the “I’m Still Here” ruse will backfire on Affleck and Phoenix. Goldstein shows the opinion of show-biz insiders. They feel the movie is “self-important, exercise in foolishness, concocted by two knuckleheads who seemed peeved either because they did not have successful A-list careers or because they thought the industry was too dull and mindless to allow them to take the kind of bold risks that real artists take.” Goldstein had a source say in response to Phoenix’s appearance on Letterman here soon, “Boy, if Letterman was not in on the joke, he is really going to take that poor guy to the cleaners.”

Additional reading

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/17/movies/17affleck.html?_r=2

Washington Post

voices.washingtonpost.com/celebritology/2010/09/joaquin_phoenix_yes_it_was_a_h.html

Los Angeles times

latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/09/will-casey-affleck-end-up-in-movie-jail-after-admitting-im-not-here-was-a-hoax.html

Even with denials, Facebook phone rumors abound

Sunday on the Internet, there were a ton of Facebook cell phone gossips. Facebook says it isn’t true. With all the craze over Smartphone’s right now, it would just make good sense to rival Apple’s iPhone and Android phones for Facebook t hat has 500,000 members to support it. The Nexus One didn’t go very far, besides Google’s control. Worse things happened for Microsoft with its Kin. Nevertheless, although Facebook declines it is building a phone, the business has investigated the feasibility of a Facebook phone. Some think the Facebook cell phone would die off fairly quickly since it would not be needed by numerous. Others say that before Facebook tries to create its own development platform, it needs to make its Facebook app work better on existing Smartphone platforms.

Expecting a Facebook phone

TechCrunch is where we saw the Facebook phone story first. Like Apple with the iPhone, Facebook is working with a third party manufacturer in secret to build phone software, claims Michael Arrington. A developer in June left the Google Chrome project, and nobody knew why. Arrington thinks he was more interested in the Facebook phone project. He speculates that a Facebook phone would be affordable and fully integrated to Facebook to the point where a user could call a friend’s name, rather than a phone number.

Facebook declines what happened

Facebook getting a cell phone is just one rumor. There are many more hitting the business lately. Facebook said to CNET that it is more interested in integrating with Smartphone’s instead of making their own. CNN explains that Facebook has its idea leaked often. It also will just get rid of any leaked ideas. In 2008 rumors arose about a Facebook music service to compete with MySpace Music, however no such service has yet emerged. “Facebook Wallet,” a proprietary e-commerce product to challenge PayPal, never materialized. Instead, Facebook announced earlier this year that it would partner with eBay’s PayPal to offer a transaction service called Facebook Credits.

No competition from Facebook

John C. Abell at Wired thinks there would be no purpose for a Facebook cell phone. Abell calls the thought of a Facebook phone “the tail wagging the dog.”. He writes that Smartphone users won’t pass on the power and versatility of an iPhone or Android handset for the purpose of Facebook immersion with a branded handset. Robert Scobe at Business Insider writes that Facebook’s priority should be to develop what is missing from its Facebook apps. He talks about all the deficiencies the cell phone would have. He also talked about Facebook’s platform. He talked about how the platform needs fixing first. Even after the company’s explosive growth, the only advantage the Facebook platform has over others is 500,000 users.

More on this topic

Tech Crunch

techcrunch.com/2010/09/19/facebook-is-secretly-building-a-phone/

CNN

cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/20/facebook.phone/

Wired

wired.com/epicenter/2010/09/is-facebook-planning-a-phone-who-knows-should-they-no/

In 2011, the Ranger will cease being made

There will never be another American produced Ford Ranger following 2011 The light pickup made by Ford has remained essentially unchanged for years. There was good reason not to mess with it as well much, as it was the best selling light pickup for a while. In 2011, the Ranger as it is known may have its swan song and definitely won’t be produced anymore. The company is deciding to focus instead on the Ecoboost equipped F-150 as the option for a fuel efficient pickup.

The Ranger

Throughout the 1990s, the Ford Ranger was wildly popular. It was actually the best selling light pickup in North The United States. There was a reason for that. It was everything a person could want in a truck. The Ranger was priced less than a full size truck and got about 20 miles to the gallon. Equal to any off road or on road task, the Ranger was known for durability and reliability. Other light truck makers, like Toyota, upgraded light pickups to contain crew cabs and more seating, which started to seal the fate of the Ranger. The peak came in 1999, according to Wikipedia. That year, Ford sold over 348,000 Rangers. Sales were only 55,000 only 10 years later.

End of an era

The clear choice for Ford was either redesign it or make something new. But Ford went with another choice. There could be a redesigned model, according to USA Today. That said, it’s not going to be made or sold within the U.S. Instead, Ford is going to be pushing the new Ecoboost V-6 equipped F-150. Considering that the F150 is more expensive than the Ranger, and the Ecoboost turbo V-6 comes with an additional premium. Fleet sales have been the bulk of Ranger sales for the last few years running.

Oh, plus a plant is shutting down

A formerly well-liked truck is no longer getting made. The plant it has been made at is getting shut down too. The Ranger is made at the plant in St. Paul, Minn., and since the automobile is in the firing line, the plant is as well. Ford attempted to revive the model with a crew cab however found it sold better under a different name. The Ranger technically lives on, but the new name it was given is the Explorer Sport Trac.

More on this topic

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Ranger#Yearly_American_sales

USA Today

content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2010/09/ford-ranger-small-pickup-older-than-sand-dead-in-us-redesigned-for-rest-of-planet/1

Growth recession occurring while Great Recession ending a year ago

Recession is a technical term that technically doesn’t apply to what the United States is presently going through. Monday, the government announced that June 2009 was when the economic downturn officially finished, although the economy is nevertheless terrible. In December 2007, the economy began to go down and lasted for about 19 months making it the longest slide that has happened since World War II. Before the economy’s hard times ended, it officially became called the “Great Recession”. The panel said that although the economy resumed growth, it is far from returning to normal capacity. The unemployment rate may never be taken care of if the economy does not increase faster. This “growth recession” is precisely what the Federal Reserve is attempting to prevent. Article source – Great Recession ended last summer, but growth recession continues by Personal Money Store.

Recession runner up to Depression

The longest recession since the Good Depression finished when the economy resumed expansion last summer, as outlined by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The Los Angeles Times lets us know the recession is totally over. This means it would be a new recession if a double dip were to occur. The 18-month Recession is the official runner up to the 43-month Great Depression that lasted from 1929 to 1933. The most recent economic collapse eclipsed 16-month recessions in 1973-75 and 1981-82. There were over 8 million individuals with job losses. The recovery of the labor market may be too slow. The most damage in the economic downturn originated from productivity growth, states the NBER. This was because job expansion ceased and let output be sustained.

Recession may look over, however obviously isn’t

The expansion that is being seen may not be enough to do anything, says NBER. The Washington Post tells us what a recession is defined as. This is defined by NEBR as “a period of falling economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, normally visible in real gross domestic product (GDP), real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales.” GDP and industrial production has bottomed out. This has just happened since June 2009. Employment, nevertheless, did not start expanding until December 2009. The NEBR said that by declaring a specific date for the end of the economic recession it was not saying that economic conditions have been favorable since then.

Anatomy of a growth recession

The economy appears to be getting better in an expansion economic downturn. During this whole time, the unemployment rate proceeds to go up. As outlined by Bloomberg, In the first quarter, there was a 3.7 percent expansion even though it dropped in 2010’s second quarter to a 1.6 percent annual rate for economic growth. Numerous were excited when they heard the fourth quarter of 2009 showed a 5 percent rate of growth. An unemployment rate stuck at 9.5 percent and above is stifling the consumer spending the economy needs to grow. Fed chairman Ben Bernake says the economy may be healed. This would take tools the agency has. The interest rates are very low right now. That is why so numerous individuals are interested in government debt and treasuries being bought by the Fed. Oth! er people have the idea that giving jobs to American’s would benefit them the most.

Further reading

Los Angeles times

latimes.com/business/la-fi-recession-20100920,,4014811.story

Washington Post

voices.washingtonpost.com/political-economy/2010/09/its_official_the_great_recessi.html

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-19/escaping-double-dip-to-growth-recession-means-no-unemployment-relief-seen.html

Former DIA officer can damage Government with tell-all book

Authors wanting to write bestsellers can only hope their book gets censored. “Operation Dark Heart” is the latest title to benefit from the press involved. The Pentagon is the benefactor on this occasion. Military intelligence officials said “Operation Dark Heart,” the memoir by a former intelligence officer in Afghanistan, reveals classified info damaging to national security. Drawing from its endless stream of government funding, the Government aims to corner the market on the publication for the purpose of burning each and every last copy.

Government wants second opportunity at suppression

Anthony A. Schaffer, a lieutenant colonel in the Army reserve, penned “Operation Dark Heart” to tell the story of his adventures as a Defense Intelligence Agency officer in Afghanistan. It’s a first-person account of five months Shaffer spent in 2003 as a DIA officer based upon at Bagram Air Base near Kabul in Afghanistan. The New York Times reports that Army reviewers approved “Operation Dark Heart” in January. As prepared, publisher St. Martin’s Press proceeded with a release date of Aug. 31. However, “Operation Dark Heart” didn’t cross a DIA desk until July. Only then was it determined that classified information was revealed in its pages. By then, various dozen copies of the book had already been sent out to reviewers and online booksellers.

Book’s content material questioned

A DIA operation recounted within the publication dubbed “Able Danger,” carried out prior to the September 11 attacks, bothered Government censors. In his book, Shaffer claims the operation identified Mohammed Atta long before. A Fox News article said that DIA reviewers ordered that Shaffer’s claims to the 9/11 Commission that Able Danger ousted Atta in 2000 must be removed. Atta was considered to be the ringleader of the September 11 hijackers. He was at the controls of, American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the World Trade Center. Shaffer’s story lacked conclusive evidence, according to a Defense Department report written as the official response.

Burning fans flames for bestselling book

The Pentagon is negotiating with Shaffer’s publisher to purchase the entire initial printing of “Operation Dark Heart”. The Washington Post said the Pentagon would like to ensure the book does no damage by feeding all 10,000 copies to the fire. A 2nd printing is already in progress at St. Martin’s press-sans the sensitive passages. For the time being, the initial printing sits away from prying eyes in a warehouse, awaiting execution. “Operation Dark Heart” is presently #19 on Amazon’s bestseller list but listed as “temporarily out of stock”.

Further reading

New York Times

nytimes.com

Fox News

foxnews.com

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com

Much more skin within the game can be what the housing situation has to end

The foreclosure epidemic all began with the housing bubble that occurred with lending expectations creating the real estate crisis. But experts, including the chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), are saying the government has yet to learn the lesson. An amendment calling for adequate down payments for home loans was defeated throughout the financial reform debate. Federal real estate agencies have their own predictions. The prediction is that subprime lending is going to return again. And the crisis is being perpetuated by the Federal Reserve, with policies that prevent a natural correction that is the ultimate means to fix the problem.

Will skin in the game help more or loan performance?

Federal regulators should tighten lending rules for home mortgages within the United States of America, as outlined by Sheila Bair, chairman of the FDIC. CNBC showed Bair saying that borrowers have to be able to show they can repay a mortgage loan and make larger down payments on the home loans as part of “common sense” rules. She thinks “skin within the game” and loan performance will work well together. The more money down a borrower is needed to pay, the less likely they will be to walk from the house. There is one way to move forward from the housing situation, she said. It involves having higher specifications for ability to repay, more skin within the game and strict income documentation.

Wanting some subprime lending redux

Weak lending standards brought down the economy, but the federal government still does not get it, according to Edward Pinto at Bloomberg. The Obama administration and Congress certainly don’t want to fix the broken underwriting since last July the Dodd-Fran bill was signed into law, writes Pinto. An amendment to the financial reform bill that would have added a minimum down-payment requirement as well as consideration of credit history, along with definition of a “prudent underwriting” standard, was defeated. This made it possible for low income borrowers with low credit scores to have homes accessible to them. Following the new policies make for a risky move, says Pinto. He thinks it was a better move to use taxpayers to bail out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than it is to do this.

Fixing the issue

The Christian Science Monitor has Bill Bonner saying that the housing crisis will likely linger for a when with the reaction the government has taken. Bonner states that the government ignores the issue by just giving out money and credit too many who do not deserve it. The U.S. financial system is holding hundreds of billions in mortgage debt that definitely won’t be repaid. The Federal Reserve has its own opinions about the mortgage debt being held. It thinks that it is an “asset.” Bonner said the real solution is the market correction the government is attempting to stay away from. The government finances more mistakes, keeps paying for the old mistakes and pretends that everything will be fine–until it finally runs out of money.

Further reading

CNBC

cnbc.com/id/39074467

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-08/subprime-2–is-coming-soon-to-suburb-near-you-commentary-by-edward-pinto.html

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/The-Daily-Reckoning/2010/0909/Extend-and-pretend

Hikers held by Iran with the exception of Shourd

In July of 2009, 3 people were hiking via Kurdistan, a region composed of parts of Turkey, Iraq and Iran. The name came from the Kurds which is the majority of people who reside there. All of the hikers were accused of being spies and of espionage as they were taken in by the Iranian law enforcement. Authorities promised to release one and then recanted, and now have flip-flopped again and freed Sarah Shourd, one of the hikers. Iranian law enforcement tried to get the United States, who said no, to pay for her release with $500,000. The other hikers remain in custody, one of which is her fiancé.

Hiking with intent to spy

All three captured hikers, Sarah Shourd, Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, work in the Middle East. Bauer is also Shourd’s fiancé. They picked Kurdistan as a getaway site because it is mostly free of the sectarian conflicts within the southern parts of Iraq. While hiking outside of Zalem, a village in Iraqi Kurdistan, the hikers were detained by the Iranian national police, according to The Nation. It isn’t all that easy to figure out where the border really is. Locals, however, explain that it is common to determine Iranian forces in Iraq.

One hiker freed

The Iranian government said it would release Sarah Shourd to the U.S. government. Of course, this would require $500,000 bail. Days later, the Iranian government recanted. Then, it was announced that Sarah Shourd was being released, on bail, for health reasons, according to CNN. Ever since the 1979 the Swiss have been acting as liaison when Washington and Tehran have no relations. The bail was supposedly deposited into a bank account in Oman. Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal weren’t as lucky. They are still in Iranian custody.

Espionage isn’t likely to be proven

Numerous sources have reported the hikers never even crossed to the Iranian border. People from the area where they were captured have repeatedly said that Iranian police and intelligence operatives openly and notoriously cross the border and detain individuals. Any judge should be able to take 10 minutes to recognize a trespassing charge. Seems like like the only reason the government would keep the individuals detained would be for political reasons.

Discover more information on this subject

The Nation

thenation.com/article/36562/us-hikers-were-seized-iraq?page=,

CNN

cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/14/iran.detained.american/

Protective order keeps Sharpe from Michele Bundy

Former National Football League All-Pro tight end Shannon Sharpe has added an additional “former” to his list of credentials: former co-host of the Sunday CBS Sports program “NFL Today”. Bundy, a woman media sources insinuate is Shannon Sharpe’s girlfriend, was granted a short-term protective order in Fulton County Superior County of Atlanta to protect her against when reports indicate is “family violence” from Sharpe. No crime has been filed against Sharpe at the present time. Sharpe has stepped away from television work in order to deal with the accusation.

Sexual assault is Bundy’s claim against Sharpe

In Sharpe’s 10th case against him in Fulton County Superior Court records since 1994 (all involving previous partners), Michele Bundy claims the former Denver Broncos and Baltimore Ravens star confronted her life and forced her to submit to sexual intercourse. Neither Shannon Sharpe nor Columbia Broadcasting System have commented on the matter, besides Sharpe’s statement that he will step from “NFL Today” until “the matter is resolved”. In the meantime, he can also spend more time dealing with his ongoing child support struggle with a woman by the name of Melinda Wilson. In 2004, Erika Evans – the mother of one of Sharpe’s kids – filed a misdemeanor battery charge against him, however the court charge was dropped in favor of dispute mediation.

Not a shining example

As outlined by Bleacher Report, it remains to be seen whether the Bundy minefield will leave Shannon Sharpe’s Hall of Fame chances intact. Sharpe has put together an impressive resume on the field, and he has come close in his first two chances at election. Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs may have amassed stats more gaudy than Shannon Sharpe’s, but that shouldn’t keep him out of the Hall.

Morals term doesn’t factor in

Is it appropriate for the National Football League to institute a morals clause to apply to Hall of Fame selection? Current bylaws specifically state that only a player’s on-field accomplishments should be considered when the question of enshrinement is around the table. Bleacher Report rightly points out that former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999, and Taylor has had numerous ugly run-ins with the law based on drug, violence and a recent accusation of raping an underage girl. ”LT” may not are the most savory of characters, but on the field, he was a defensive “demon dog,” to quote one Thunder the Barbarian.

On Feb. 5, 2011, the next class of inductees can be voted into the National Football Hall of Fame. Will Shannon Sharpe be a shoo-in for that list, or will the Michele Bundy event push him toward borderline status?

Further reading

Bleacher Report

bleacherreport.com/articles/463238-shannon-sharpe-leaves-cbs-where-now

Sports by Brooks

sportsbybrooks.com/restraining-order-issued-against-shannon-sharpe-28968

U.S. authorities advise of risk in Koran fire

Pastor Terry Jones, of the Dove World Outreach Center Church of Gainesville, Fla., is courting scandal with the strategy for he and other church members to set fire to copies of the Koran. Government officials have asked the chapel call it off. Protests have already begun within the Muslim world. General David Petraeus himself called for a stop to the planned fire of the Koran. He has said it will do nothing besides put our service personnel and civilians in greater danger.

Dove World Outreach Center warned

The commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, according to the Christian Science Monitor, has asked the chapel to not partake in any Koran burning. The Taliban and Al Qaeda will be the sole beneficiaries, according to General Petraeus, as fire the Koran will only be a propaganda victory for the,. He also cautioned that as a result, it would make winning over Afghans and others worldwide that much more difficult and put American soldiers in greater danger. The Ground Zero Mosque controversy has currently been enough of a strain, and American-Islamic tensions are currently high as it is.

Church to dwell on the repercussions

The Dove World Outreach Center Chapel is weighing the decision to undergo with the burnings. The potential ramifications are on the mind of the members and Pastor Terry Jones, which is why, according to CNN, the members will think it over. Some pause was given to the members by the warning from Gen. David Petraeus, as the members intended to hold an “International Burn the Koran Day” on Sept. 11 of this year. The radical elements of Islam were the intended targets of the protest are the position the chapel has held all along.

Cui bono?

The pastor and his congregation can believe anything they wish, and protest whichever they wish as it is their right. However, Gen. Petraeus is right. This protest, should it be carried out, could be a propaganda victory for extremists.

Find more info on this subject

CS Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0907/Petraeus-Dove-World-Outreach-Center-s-Burn-a-Koran-Day-endangers-troops

CNN

cnn.com/2010/US/09/07/florida.quran.burning/?hpt=Sbin

Keep away from bad keyword density

Keyword density represents the percentage of the number of times a keyword or phrase is used within the text of your webpage compared to the total number of words used on the page. It plays a really essential role in an article because keywords, how and where they are used, decide the quality of the article and its rank in search engine search results.

An unethical practice of keyword use

Many SEO copywriters believe that including their targeted keyword or keyword phrase a ridiculous number of times will help them gain a better position on the Web. The truth, however, is that this type of method can seriously work against you. Almighty Google, for example, has a keyword density requirement. And in order to gain better rankings on the site, you should abide by its conditions.

How keyword stuffing affects you

Numerous new search engine optimizers may feel tempted to use the very same keyword over and over again in an try to rank first place for their target keyword. This shady technique is also known as “keyword flooding.” This is where the writer overloads the content and the Meta tags of the web page with any possible keyword or phrase that relates to the site in numerous ways. Obviously, the keyword density is far from balanced in this practice. Most likely any content generated via this practice can be classified as spam, from your readers to all the search engine algorithms. If and when the search engine crawler visits to examine your site, its algorithm can very easily discover out if a keyword or phrase is getting used an unusual amount of time, which raises red flags. The results of keyword flooding could involve a severe drop in web ranking and a complete removal of your website from the search engine index.

Know how much is too much

Say you wrote a 400-word article. Your target keyword should appear within the text no more than eight times in order to get the right keyword density. Do not use the keyword in every other sentence or within the very same paragraph. Search engine giant Google doesn’t allow more than two percent of a web page’s text to contain keywords or phrases. So if the article is 500 words long, you are able to consist of the keyword no more than 10 times. The allowed keyword density percentage varies with different search engines. For example, Yahoo and MSN may allow up to five percent. Go online and search for free tools for determining keyword density of web pages.

Switchflops- A high school artwork project turned large business

As summer reaches rest beneath the first wave of autumn leaves, most casual footwear enthusiasts abandon their old vanilla flip flops. But not based on 25-year-old Lindsay Phillips. Back when she was 16 and in high school in Tampa, Fla., Phillips intended sandals with interchangeable straps for fashionable flair as part of an art project. Just a few years later, Phillips’ Switchflops business was born. The Switchflops revenue projection for 2010 is a healthy $ 30 million.

Looking for a style change? Switch out your Switchflops

Switchflops are a more budget-savvy way for customers to increase their casual trend footwear possibilities. Lindsay Phillips’ creation gives customers several different style combinations from which to choose, thanks to a wide variety of available straps. You will find buttons, sequins, beads and so much more. The price is right, too: $ 35 for the sole with one strap, and $ 12 apiece for additional decorative straps. Each new strap makes for a fashionable, affordable new adventure. And Switchflops also offers other shoes like wedges and additional accessories. Over 4,000 stores around the globe give consumers the chance to know the Switchflops experience.

'Everyone wore flip-flops to school, all of the time’

Phillips saw the need and filled it, displaying a classic entrepreneurial sense. Phillips, who saw flip flops each and every day at her school, knew that her trend sense was needed. Not all individuals could afford to purchase a pair for each day of the week. Switchflops would be the fashion solution, meeting the fashion and affordability needs head-on. Phillips began the patenting process for her concept, and also the patent became official in 2004. By 2007, with the help of experienced CEO Jeffrey Davidson, Phillips got Switchflops off the ground. Now Phillips is planning to set up an overseas office for the company.

Provide them with choices and they’ll come

AOL Small company cites studies indicating that businesses that offer their customers the greatest customization options – whether those corporations are in retail or a different sector – are more well-liked than ever. It’s a zeitgeist Phillips has tapped into with Switchflops.

”Everyone wants to be a little unique, and while we might have the exact same bag, we do not want it to be exactly the same,” said Phillips.

Additional reading

AOL Small Business

smallbusiness.aol.com/2010/09/01/why-didnt-i-think-of-that-switchflops-the-30-million-school/

Machete slices through the illegally immigrating troubles

Satire appears to be a common weapon of choice when political rhetoric does not work out. The satire can be razor-sharp enough to cut through any subject. Immigration is one for example. Film reviews of “Machete” show an interesting Robert Rodriguez “Mexploitation” gore fest. Satire ripped apart immigrating along with every little thing else. Political ideas are shot via the movie “Machete” from start to end of the film.

Almost crossing the line in “Machete” reviews

Satire in “Machete” is what puts Rodriguez on such a thin line to walk. In 2007, “Grindhouse” was meant to be a send-up of 1970s midnight film genres, just as “Machete” is. It is about a Mexican federale (Danny Trejo) that wants to get revenge on some people. Agents of drug lord Torrez kill Machete’s family. Torrez is played by Steven Seagal like a form of parody to be himself. A drug mule network that is comparable to the United States of America Mexico drug trade in existence is part of what Machete destroys. He also kills many authorities as well as Robert De Niro playing a politician. Along the road are many others. These include Don Johnson, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan and Cheech Marin. But as the Denver Post asserts, “Machete” does not always walk on the sharp edge of biting satire. Sometimes, its clever gags appear to be more “too cool for school” than anything. Rodriguez may ! have to get on top of his game. Some sequels are coming.

Screenrant finds the immigration satire to be disturbing

A key scene in “Machete” that depicts an illegal border crossing may be counted as too far over the top, suggests Screenrant. A man and his really pregnant wife are stopped during their attempted crossing by a group of uniformed vigilantes (with Don Johnson and Robert De Niro at the head of the column). De Niro’s role here was to be the United States senator to shoot both the pregnant woman and man after saying, “Welcome to America” to them. Numerous didn’t like the effective satire that ended so bloody. Rodriguez was just having some fun.

Just bloody fun

The storyline and acting in “Machete” don’t really matter. It was really all there to give some blood. Screenrant explains that connecting segments of the story will really just leave you bored. According to Entertainment Weekly, the video does quite well with all the blood. Without it, the movie would be a schlock really.

Further reading

Denver Post

denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_15966734

Entertainment Weekly

ew.com/ew/article/,,20417721,00.html

Screenrant

screenrant.com/machete-movie-reviews-vic-76754/

No feelings about the increasing unemployment pace from the private sector employment increase

The United States of America unemployment rate crept upward in August to 9.6 percent from 9.5 percent in July. Employers actually finished up hiring more employees than were expected. The uptick in unemployment statistics is being attributed to the end of short-term United States of America Census careers, layoffs in state and local governments and an influx of people resuming their employment searches. But private sector hiring amplified for the eighth straight month. The Labor Department found out that more careers were made and less were lost than were first shown in reports for June and July. They redid the reports. Economists think there exists a possibility of avoiding a double dip recession with the positive additions to the careers report.

Unemployed workers making employment creation harder

It has been four months since there has been a raise within the United States of America joblessness rate. The Labor Department’s August careers report shown on Friday was the first one. MSNBC reports that although private employers added 67,000 jobs, the United States of America joblessness rate is skewed by the loss of 114,000 census jobs and 10,000 job cuts in state and local governments. More than 500,000 individuals began trying to find jobs again to further push up the jobless rate–the first time the work force has grown since April. Revised job creation figures also improved the employment outlook. Private sector job growth for July was revised upward to 107,000 from 71,000. June also was revised from an original 31,000 to 61,000.

Jobs are hard to just create

There has been a really big problem with the United States of America joblessness pace for a when. It is hard to fix. However, CNN Money reports that by historical standards, the labor market is recovering faster than it has during past recessions. But because so numerous jobs were lost, higher growth than normal is needed replace them. In 2008-09, 7 percent of jobs were lost. That is about 8.4 million jobs. Only 3.1 percent of all jobs were lost through the 2001 recession and the jobless recovery that followed. There was another recession in 1990-91. Then there were only 1.9 jobs lost. Sustained job growth returned six months following the current recession was declared over in June 2009. There was not a turnaround for 12 months after the first recession. This is the one from 1990-91. 22 months were needed following the 2001 recession.

Economic expansion can’t go as fast as population increase

Since employers began adding 200,000 workers a month, job creation has been going down. CNNMoney made a point of saying that was not enough careers. Three years would be needed just to replace the jobs lost in 2008-09. The Christian Science Monitor reports that if the public and private sectors created 100,000 jobs per month, the joblessness rate will not go down. More workers are looking with the population growth throwing them in the mix. Also, people who stopped looking have started looking for work again. Companies don’t want to hire additional employees. They have already worked fewer employees harder to get a higher output. However, one more Labor Department report showed productivity dropped within the second quarter. Growth needs to be sustained. Some people think the only way to do this could be to start hiring again.

Find more info on this subject

MSNBC

today.msnbc.msn.com/id/38988367/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy/

CNN Money

money.cnn.com/2010/09/02/news/economy/jobs_recovery/?npt=NP1

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/Business/2010/0903/Unemployment-rate-up-to-9.6-percent-but-private-sector-gains-jobs

There ought to be a 2011 Dodge Durango out very soon

The SUV market is still missing an auto. This would be the Dodge Durango. This SUV was not mid-size or full-size because it was between the two. Dodge said there were plans to remodel this very powerful car. The outside appears to the Dodge Durango weren’t the only thing that Chrysler changed. An SUV crossover is what they’re calling the Durango 2011. It could be a mix of the mid size Explorer and the huge Suburbans. Jeep’s cars are beginning to become unpopular although Chrysler wants to be a part of the craze with crossovers.

There is an additional Durango

Chrysler decided to remodel the three-quarter size SUV when stopping production of the Dodge Durango for over a year. The RamCharger is what the SUV replaced. The SUV was really popular then. It was large enough of an SUV to fit numerous people, or add a lot of cargo space, without being a huge as the SUVs like the Tahoe, Excursion, Expedition, Hummer or even the Suburban. Under the hood, it was all Dodge. It was the perfect automobile to take children to sports, school, or even on road trips.

Looking new

The Dodge Durango looks different. The newest York Times reports that it is prepared to be a crossover SUV. That does not mean that Dodge Motors is skimping on the horsepower, though. The 2011 Durango will come with a stock 290 horsepower 3.6 liter V6, or optional 360 hp 5.7 liter V8. If you choose the V8, you know it will shut down 4 of the 8 cylinders when not needed as part of the efficiency. Three 2011 Dodge Durangos could be on display at the Dodge Rock N Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon.

Chrysler making some changes

Dodge Motors and Jeep are the other two brands besides Chrysler. New Fiat models of these automobiles will be accessible shortly also thinking about the Chrysler-Fiat merger that happened recently. The Patriot and Compass are the models of jeep selling the most which is why there are more being made. The crossover market will likely enjoy the Chrysler also.

Discover more information on this subject

NY Times

wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/02/dodge-introduces-the-2011-durango/

Reactionary trading, inconsistent information lead to market volatility

A slight increase in the consumer confidence directory triggered a surge in the wall street Tuesday morning. A few hours later, when the Federal Reserve’s minutes were released, the stock marketplace dove. Wednesday markets shot up again on news of gains in U.S. and Chinese manufacturing. However once the Labor Department turns lose its jobs report on Friday, numerous expect the wall street to resume its slide. This recent wild ride brings the most dismal August the wall street has had since 2001 to a close. The Market Volatility Index, also known as the VIX, or “fear index,” jumped nearly 11 percent through the month for its biggest August jump since 2001.

How the concern index specifies unpredictability

The VIX closed Monday at 27.21. It fell Tuesday. When the markets closed it had dropped 4.2 percent to 24.55. It rebounded 4.8 percent Wednesday to 28.77. An investigation on the current state of the VIX by MarketWatch said that traders gauge investors’ worry with the metric since the number grows along with industry doubt. The rise of the concern directory matched the fall of the stock exchange as August progressed to its dismal end. To cause traders to run for the exits, the VIX, according to the Wall Street Journal, would have to skyrocket instead of just fluctuate wildly. Genuine concern was evident in 2008 when the fear directory went past 80 after Lehman Brothers imploded.During the stock market “flash crash” in May, it shot past 40.

Markets not behaving typically

When minutes from the last Federal Reserve meeting were released, they revealed that the Fed was uncertain about the U.S. economic outlook and what to do about it. On cue, the market fell yet again to cap probably the most lackluster August for stocks since 2001. The Associated Press reported that stocks were surging Wednesday after surprising reports of strong growth in United States of America and Chinese manufacturing calmed worries about the global financial recovery. Traders drove the marketplaces down via August by betting that an economy losing steam would in turn do the exact same for corporate earnings. On the flip side, expanding economies in foreign countries will benefit numerous major U.S. corporations that conduct business internationally.

The specialists are baffled

Analysts appeared to be in a rut following the stock market’s persistent August doldrums. The abrupt surge Wednesday caught numerous of them napping. Stephen J. Carl, an equity trader on Wall Street, told the Times that he was taking for of course the pre-Labor Day week would be uneventful. An Institute for Supply Management report that is a crucial economic indicator for American traders showed its manufacturing index unexpectedly rising to 56.3 in August from 55.5 in July. A less extraordinary figure of 53. was forecasted by Thomson Reuters in its survey of economists. The impact of those numbers confounded Carl. He told the Times he was “perplexed” that manufacturing directory of 56.3 would be bumping stocks. Yet data on the horizon portends a reality check. The latest joblessness figures come out Friday. Traders expect a rough ride. The Labor Department jobs report is expected to show the loss of one more 100,000 jobs. The unemployment rate is expect! ed to rise to 9.6 percent. Traders are looking for the VIX to rise along with it.

Additional reading

MarketWatch

marketwatch.com/story/vix-notches-biggest-august-rise-in-over-a-decade-2010-08-31?dist=afterbell

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100825-709386.html

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jmT59dgLTTziX4p9X9MRBRpWZGdQD9HV60602

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/02/business/02markets.html?partner=rss and emc=rss

Funding for mountaintop removal mining is a thing Big banks will not do

Banking companies do not like the thought of loaning cash to companies that are just hurting the environment. Mountaintop removal mining is a destructive business just like this. Banks used to end up with a great profit after funding these companies. Environmental groups and court decisions have worked together to make that change. Banking institutions are held to the funding they do for environment destruction businesses for instance this. Banking institutions choose to do every little thing they can to please and keep customers. This is why numerous financial institutions have decided to stop lending to any companies that have risk of environmental damage. Article resource – Big banks backing away from financing mountaintop removal mining by Personal Money Store.

Banks lend to environmental destruction

Getting cash is not that hard. Mountaintop removal mining businesses will discover a way to get it. Credit is a thing banking institutions are considering more seriously as to where it will go. This means that climate change and other environmental difficulties for instance water quality standards are making the lending decision for financial institutions harder, says the New York Times. Wells Fargo thinks that mountaintop removal mining has received “considerable attention and controversy” for the business. The banking behemoth said its financing for mountaintop mining companies was “limited and declining.” The decision by Wells Fargo emulates comparable policy shifts by Credit Suisse, Morgan Stanley, J.P. Morgan Chase, Financial in! stitution of America and Citibank. The majority of the banking institutions have decided to stop lending to mountaintop mining corporations. If they didn’t determine that, they decided to reconsider whether or not to lend.

Mountaintop removal mining is the only reason coal is nevertheless cheap

On Monday, environmentalists from the Appalachian region implored the Obama administration to outlaw mountaintop mining. On September 27, you can expect to determine a rally by the group where the president was invited, reports the Associated Press. Forests have to be cut before mountaintop removal can start. Then explosives blast apart the rock. Next you have to have a special machine to scoop up 800 feet of mountaintop, but the machine has to be 8 stories high. Coal will be shown then. The earth left behind is dumped to the valleys below, covering streams and wildlife habitat. Operators say it’s the cheapest way to reach coal for electric power plants and supports tens of thousands of jobs. September 15 you are able to expect to determine a rally in Washington from the Appalachian coal industry that does not choose to lost jobs.

Numerous banks excited to make the loans

2007 was when the Rainforest Action Network, or RAN, started its work. It wanted to stop banking institutions from giving any funding to mountaintop removal mining companies. Organicconsumers.org reports the group’s efforts have helped persuade the top four financial institutions within the country to back from Massey Energy, a leading mountaintop mining company based in West Virginia. Massey Energy was involved in a mine explosion in April. This was the, Upper Big Branch mine, explosion that killed 29 miners. But other banks are eager to fill the financing void left behind. Bloomberg data shows the lead financers of Mountaintop removal mining are PNC and UBS. PNC finances mining businesses responsible for almost half of all environments removal coal mined in the United States of America.

More on this topic

New York Times

nytimes.com/2010/08/31/business/energy-environment/31coal.html?_r=1 and dbk

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iRFjIvp7yDpMnistp_aolQIRAj_QD9HTVS4O0

Organic Consumers

organicconsumers.org/articles/article_21396.cfm

Raise in Consumer Confidence Index a ray of sunshine within the bleak economy we live in

In August, the consumer confidence index metric gauge went up a few bumps for the Conference Board’s monthly report. This is the reason the stock market went up Tuesday.

More of a consumer confidence that expected

August reports show consumer confidence levels increasing. This was not expected. Bloomberg reports that the increase within the consumer confidence report to 53.5 from a five-month low of 51 in July could be a sign the biggest part of the economic system may stay away from a further slide that could effectively end a stalled financial recovery. But even with the increase, an economist told Bloomberg that the August consumer confidence figure is at a “stunningly low level.”. Even so, higher confidence brings a ray of hope that consumer spending — 70 percent of the United States economy — will recover. Corporations should start hiring more soon. Yet according to the Labor Department, companies created an average of 51,000 jobs from May through July — down from 200,000 the previous two months.

Consumer confidence report info

The consumer confidence index wasn’t the only thing the conference Board report gave. There were also lots of other details given. MarketWatch reports that more consumers are pessimistic about the present situation of the economy, yet optimistic that conditions will improve. The present-situation index is the Conference Board’s way of measuring attitudes toward job opportunities and the business climate. It has dropped from 26.4 in July to 24.9 in August. There is also the expectations index showing where the community expects the business climate and job creation to go which went up from 67.5 in July to 72.5 in August. 1.9 percent to 2 percent was how the consumers preparing to buy a home moved. People planning to purchase a vehicle rose to 5 percent from 4.7 percent. An economist told MarketWatch that despite the August gains, consumer confidence is at “incredibly depressed levels,” in contrast to previous financial recoveries.

Increase in index doesn’t mean consumer spending

To know your economic system is healthy, you should have a consumer confidence over 90. This was explained by the Associated Press. Tuesday morning, there was still a change in the stock exchange because of the August bump. About two stocks rose for each one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. This likely will not last for long. Most economic reports show economic growth is slowing, and the slight uptick in consumer confidence doesn’t guarantee a rise in consumer spending. Personal finance shows that it is good that unemployment is moving more people to conserve and reduce debt. The United States of America overall economy might end up in a double-dip recession if more people do not get jobs and start spending again.

More on this topic

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-31/consumer-confidence-in-u-s-rose-more-than-economists-forecast-in-august.html

MarketWatch

marketwatch.com/story/august-consumer-confidence-rises-to-535-2010-08-31-102600

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jmT59dgLTTziX4p9X9MRBRpWZGdQD9HUH2I80

Housing market receives a reprieve as home values marginally increase

United States of America real estate doesn’t get a lot of good news these days. However, there is a scant glimmer of hope amid the doom and gloom. Believe it or not, the costs of homes are rising. They are for the last few months. There was a rise in prices over June 2010, and home prices are monitored by the Case Shiller Price Index. It is great to hear even just a little great news about real estate, thinking about what market conditions have been. Source of article – Housing market gets a reprieve as home prices slightly improve by Personal Money Store.

Minor climb in house rates

Real estate activity is tracked by lots of different organizations. Nevertheless, Standard and Poor’s Case Shiller price index is one of the best authorities for the cost of homes across 20 cities. Home prices increased by 4.4 percent, according to the New York Times, over second quarter of 2010. Last quarter, prices had a 2.8 percent drop. Also, home prices for second quarter of 2010 are 3.6 percent higher than for second quarter of 2009. For July, home prices rose 1 percent over June.

That is not the whole picture however

There is a hitch, of course. Home prices may have risen, but sales are down. The homebuyer tax credit helped to spur home sales, but once the credit expired sales started to drop off. Home prices are likely to fall soon, as well. Economist Karl Case (for whom the index is named) said that when some of the data was optimistic, a stabilization of financial markets had not occurred yet, according to Bloomberg. Case thinks it could be an additional year or so before a more stable market emerges, and begins to grow again.

It could possibly be a whole lot worse

The homebuyer tax credit was only a finger within the dam. It provided an artificial and only momentary boost to home sales and home values. True activity in real estate cannot resume until there isn’t really anything keeping activity up or down. There is some consolation in that things are better than last year.

Find more information on this subject

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-31/karl-case-sees-a-lot-of-positive-stuff-in-housing-price-data-tom-keene.html

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/01/business/economy/01econ.html?partner=rss and emc=rss

Facebook trade marking "face"

TechCrunch brings us just a little bit more news about Facebook. It is in court once again. It doesn’t have to do with them getting sued by TeachBook or PlaceBook by using “book” in its name. Facebook wants “face” to be a trademarked name, where the U.K. company in 2008 called CIS Internet Limited left off. {Facebook has purchased CIS’s trademark application and is moving forward|Facebook wants to move forward with the CIS’s trademark application it bought|Facebook bought an application that was trademarked by CIS and now wants to move on|Facebook hopes to move forward with things. It already bought CIS’s trademark application. Source for this article – Facebook wants to get a trademark

Facebook wants to trademark “face.” It is not news to many. Occasionally it is essential for corporate branding to make certain you trademark. In this case, it may be just a little out of hand. The word “ganja” was once in a court case for trade marking. The website Fark.com once attempted to trademark “NSFW.”. And then there’s Snooki from “The Jersey Shore,” who tried to trademark her nickname so that nobody else could cash in on that train wreck of a brand. None of those individuals got their trademark. It is likely that Facebook will lose face also.

There is not an approval from Aaron Greenspan

Aaron Greenspan, who claimed to have made Facebook with Mark Zuckerberg, doesn’t think the business “face” trademark move is a good one. Greenspan would end up having to pay Facebook if Facebook gets its “face” trademark because of the mobile payment app called FaceCash that Greenspan’s company, Think Computer, created. So would Apple, whose Facetime video calling app seems on the iPhone 4. Products use the word “face” in them all the time. Greenberg, and others, hope to be able to use this name nevertheless without paying.

Move on Facebook from this

Considering how aggressive Facebook has been in defending its trademarks in the past, there’s little doubt that it will pursue unlicensed “face” users with atomic fury. Any person that uses “face” may have to be careful, including those who don’t even want to run a business, or Zuckerberg might get them. Consider the movie “Face/Off” staring Nicholas Cage and John Travolta, or even consider the novel “Face of Another” by Kobo Abe. See what difference face will make? There wouldn’t even be mercy for the Tleilaxu face dancer from the “Dune” books.

Further reading

FACE

tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial and amp;entry=78980756

TechCrunch

techcrunch.com/2010/08/26/trademark-face/

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trademark