Watch clear-as-day net videos on your HDTV using the new Kodak Theatre HD Player. (Image from Kodak.com)

When I first heard about the new Kodak Theatre HD Player, my first thought was, “Oh boy, here we go again with another new device claiming to have the ability to do something it can’t.” However, after reading up on several blogs, the Kodak Theatre HD Player appears to have a decent, promising position in the market. Hopefully it won’t cost too much to the point where quick loans are needed.

The Kodak Theatre HD Player

The main purpose of the Kodak Theatre HD Player is to combine the two most favorite household screens: the PC and TV. Contents on your PC can be transferred directly to your television via ethernet or Wi-Fi. Any digital content on your PC, such as videos, pictures, podcasts and music, can be easily transmitted to your television set with the Kodak Theatre HD Player (Price: $199.95).

There are a few other things, however, that might not work well with the new device. For instance, the Kodak Theatre HD Player often has trouble transferring files with DRM. But overall, the new Kodak player seems capable of performing all these tasks. “…everything actually looks exceedingly good once it arrived at our HDTV. Displayed in all their high-res, 16:9 glory, our library of digital photos popped off the screen,” writes Bryan Gardiner of Wired.com.

Some Features of the Kodak Theatre HD Player

The Kodak Theatre HD Player comes with a banana-shaped motion-sensing remote. With a simple wave of your hands, you can easily navigate on-screen using this handy RF wireless remote. Another great feature of the Kodak Theatre HD Player is its clean user interface that’s specifically designed for an HDTV. It makes each on-screen search a no hassle mission, much like the no hassle quick loans you get from online payday lenders.

And.. wait for it… YouTube on HDTV!

For all you YouTube junkies, you are going to love the sound of this. Ever wanted to watch your favorite YouTube videos on HDTV? Well now you can! The Kodak Theatre HD Player gives you the ability to do just about everything you can do on your PC.

According to the web site, you can “search videos by keyword, author, most popular, featured, top rated, and related.” You can also log into your YouTube account, keep up with friends and subscribers, save favorites and rate videos – right from the family room!

Lt. Dan Choi has been an active and outspoken gay-rights activist. Image from Flickr.

Just outside the White House today, openly gay Iraq veteran Lt. Dan Choi and others were arrested while marching to the White House after a Human Rights Campaign rally. No word yet if group members will be getting quick loans to bail out Lt. Dan Choi or the other arrested individuals. The group was marching on the White House in support of repealing the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy that discharges openly gay men and women from the military.

Lt. Dan Choi arrested

Lt. Dan Choi was arrested earlier today by the United States Park Police, and he and Jim Pietrangelo were charged with failure to obey a lawful order. Both Lt. Choi and Pietrangelo are scheduled to appear in the D.C. Superior court tomorrow. Both Lt. Dan Choi and Jim Pietrangelo are openly gay. Pietrangelo has been discharged from the military under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell; Lt. Choi’s discharge is “pending.”

Lt. Dan Choi has been outspoken against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Lt. Dan Choi originally revealed his sexual orientation on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” Soon after that show, he received a discharge letter from the U.S. Military. His open letter to the President and Congress made international headlines. Since then, Lt. Dan Choi was one of the founding members of Knights Out, an organization of West Point alumni who support LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) members of the military being able to serve openly. Lt. Choi has also spoken at numerous gay rights events.

The history of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

The policy that Lt. Dan Choi and other protesters were marching against today is referred to as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Officially federal law Pub.L. 103-160, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell prevents any openly gay person from serving in the U.S. military while allowing closeted LGBT individuals to continue serving.

The current military loans several hundred gay servicemen and servicewomen time to complete their service, as long as they do not reveal their sexual orientation. As the New York Times reported earlier this month, a bill has been presented in Congress that would repeal this policy and allow openly gay members of the military to continue serving their country. The U.S. Military is currently conducting a review in conjunction with congressional hearings on the issue.

Lt. Dan Choi’s arrest started at a Human Rights Campaign rally

The march that Lt. Dan Choi led to the White House today was not pre-planned. According to The Advocate, Choi reportedly crashed a Human Rights Campaign rally and asked attendees to march with him to the White House. The president of the Human Rights Campaign, Joe Solmonese, did not join in the march. The HRC did release a statement about Lt. Dan Choi’s arrest:

“Today more than 1,000 people showed up at a rally — 500 of which signed up to become more involved in the fight to repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Joe Solmonese along with (gay Iraq war veteran) Eric Alva and others felt it was important to stay and engage those at the rally in ways they can continue building the pressure needed for repeal. This does nothing to diminish the actions taken by Lt. Choi and others. This is the nature of social change and everyone has a role to play.”

See video of the protest where Lt. Dan Choi was arrested

These people clearly take seeing an NCAA bracket blank much too seriously. (Photo: accsec.blogspot.com)

A great deal of “expert science” is poured into almost every NCAA bracket 2010 prediction that you hear about on TV, the Web or in print. But if your NCAA bracket is blank, you aren’t alone. Even a casual fan of basketball knows that simply following along with the top seeds in each division is a proven path to success. In general, “Cinderella stories” don’t happen; upsets are called upsets for a reason. They are not the norm and they are not something to wager serious consumer financial products like quick loans over. If your NCAA bracket is blank, playing it safe isn’t a bad way to go, although the single-game elimination format of the NCAA Tournament still lends itself to unpredictability.

Thus, your NCAA bracket being blank is just fine

Sounds like a toss-up, doesn’t it? Even though going with top seeds is generally a safe path, it is still exceedingly rare that two number one seeds actually meet in the NCAA Tournament championship game. What is a confused NCAA Tournament fan to do, asks the New York Times. Go for any emptybracketitis theory that flies for you, apparently.

Pills to purge NCAA bracket blanks

• Try a logic regression/Markov chain! That’s what some Georgia Tech professors came up with LRMC, and according to the Times, it’s picked the last two national champions. They say Kansas will beat Duke, which is no regression of logic.
• Throwing basketball logic out the window, you may fill your NCAA bracket blanks with graduates who command the highest average salaries. That’s Duke, but no, that’s not an NCAA bracket 2010 prediction worth following. Sorry, Cameron crazies, but you aren’t quite good enough.
• Experts at CBSSports.com, Foxsports.com, The Daily News and WSJ.com have lots to say. Sift through the stats, hype and hoopla and see how you feel.
• Want to know who to pick for the Women’s NCAA bracket? Take the Connecticut Huskies. Case closed. They are dominant.
• If you’d like to whine about the whole NCAA Tournament selection process as Andy Staples of SI.com or Joe Sheehan of Basketball Prospectus do, go ahead. It’s such an exact science that we deserve results!

Calm down, make your picks and enjoy

Every single major sporting event in America is overhyped. The fury over an NCAA bracket blank and NCAA bracket 2010 predictions is a tempest in a teapot. Enjoy the games. Watch them on TV or on March Madness on Demand. There’s even an iPhone app for that for $5, which helps you avoid instant loans territory. Whatever you do, don’t take emptybracketitis and your picks too seriously.

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Until cable, all TV was broadcast for free. Image from Flickr.

Cablevision, one of the largest providers of cable TV in New York New Jersey, and Connecticut, almost didn’t have the Oscars on last night. A disagreement with the Disney corporation left 3.1 million customers without ABC TV for several hours. The signal was turned back on 13 minutes into the broadcast, though many customers had probably already used quick loans to get digital broadcast TV receivers.

Cablevision’s disagreement with Disney

The disagreement that led to Cablevision customers being without ABC this weekend started over two years ago. Disney Corporation, which owns ABC broadcast television, was asking Cablevision to pay $1 per customer that receives the ABC tv signal. Cablevision currently charges $18 a month for basic broadcast signals – the channels that are broadcast for free over the air. Even though Cablevision charges customers for this service, they were not paying Disney corporation any of that fee.

Cablevision’s problems echo Time Warner’s

The disagreement between Cablevision and Disney is very similar to the standoff last year that News Corp, the owner of FOX TV, and Time Warner Cable had. In that disagreement, News Corp was demanding that Time Warner pay a per-customer fee for their broadcast signal. Eventually, Time Warner and News Corp came to agreement without an interruption in channel service.

How cable television works

The current way cable providers such as Cablevision work is a fee-for-channel service. Cable channel providers have contracts with cable TV services. Each channel charges the cable service a particular fee to receive their broadcast. The cable service then packages the channels into the various bundles they offer. Premium channels, such as HBO or Showtime, instead charge an individual, higher fee for subscribers. Until recently, the major free broadcast signals – the ones you get for free with an antenna – were provided for free to the cable service.

Where Cablevision got stuck

Recently, with ad revenues dropping, TV channel producers have been trying to find ways to help prop up the ever-expanding cost of producing these “free” channels. Disney, which owns ABC, was asking Cablevision to pay a fee per subscriber to get their broadcast channel. However, Cablevision was refusing. Cablevision’s argument was that if every broadcast channel required the same sort of deal, it would cost Cablevision subscribers several extra dollars per month. They argued these extra fees would lead to losing subscribers that would need a loan to pay these extra charges.

Cablevision isn’t the only provider on the ropes

The ongoing drama of the availability of television does not end with Cablevision. Many other cable service providers and cable tv companies are looking into changing or adding to their fee structures. While you can still get broadcast channels for free, it looks like most customers are going to end up paying more for even the most basic of cable tv service in the very near future.

"Please don't hurt me, Mr. Son of the devil's spawn!"

Politics make for tough sledding, boys and girls. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel recognizes this, and reports indicate that he sharpens the runners before going to work. That’s why it doesn’t surprise me at all that people like Rep. Eric Massa refer to him as “the son of the devil’s spawn,” a classic phrase if ever there was one about political bedfellows. In the case of Eric Massa and Rahm Emanuel, however, their sparring matches extended into the shower. You can’t hide from the long arm of the Rahm, people.

Eric Massa won’t run for another term, claims Rahm forced him out

That’s one way of looking at it. Another might be Mr. Massa’s recent sexual harassment scrape, as well as thoughts about health care that run contrary to constituents in his district (see the video below). Some might argue that Eric Massa calling out Rahm Emanuel as “son of the devil’s spawn” has less bite than it could have, if Massa had a better public reputation. But there is little doubt that Rahm Emanuel isn’t tossing softballs when he’s hunting for Obama-centric votes. Emanuel isn’t above calling liberal activists who don’t fall in line “retarded,” and he has no qualms about living rent-free if it serves his political ends. But what stands out is that Rahm Emanuel is simply mean. Whether he gets his quick loans from Mephistopheles is uncertain.

The honorable Mr. Massa of New York shall elucidate

According to the Huffington Post, Eric Mass said that Rahm Emanuel is “an individual who would sell his mother to get a vote. He would strap his children to the front end of a steam locomotive.”

But is he mindful of the game, you ask? It appears that way, according to Massa, whose vote on health care reform was a vital piece. “You think that somehow they didn’t come after me to get rid of me because my vote is the deciding vote in the health care bill?” he asked.

It gets steamy in the shower

Massa claims that Rahm Emanuel once stalked him into a shower stall at the Congressional gym. As he puts it,

“I’m sitting there showering, naked as a jaybird and here comes Rahm Emanuel not even with a towel wrapped around his tush, poking his finger in my chest, yelling at me because I wasn’t going to vote for the president’s budget. Do you know how awkward it is to have a political argument with a naked man?”

Eric Massa resigns; Rahm Emanuel continues to grind his gears

Yes, Massa claims he was set up during that whole sexual harassment thing. He also insists that Rahm Emanuel set him up. Are you sure you don’t mean Larry Craig set you up, Mr. Massa? That’s instant money, if you’re talking comedy. Ha.

(Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/neeta_lind/ / CC BY 2.0) and http://www.advanceusa.org/

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The recent 8.8-magnitude Chile earthquake has caused massive devastation in the South American nation. Recovery efforts are already underway amidst turmoil and looting that required military intervention, but here’s something interesting that has nothing to do with money and property. According to media outlets like CNN, NASA scientists are speculating that the massive Chile earthquake has altered Earth’s axis. It’s currently a theory and not instant money, but think about what this could mean.

Chile earthquake 2010 brings shorter days

We aren’t talking about a minor trembler here. Magnitude 8.8 is a massive earthquake. If NASA is correct and the Earth’s axis has shifted, then the planet’s rotation could be permanently affected by the redistribution of mass. Scientists believe this means shorter days, but only slightly: 1.26 microseconds shorter, they estimate. One microsecond is one-millionth of a second, which is not enough time to mess with your beauty sleep or make you late for work. But the global impact is still amazing to contemplate.

This is NOT a scientific demonstration

Earth’s rotation determines the length of our days

Earth's rotation speed on its axis determines the length of our days. (Photo: Wikipedia)

How fast does the Earth rotate? NASA provides the following basics: Earth rotates on its axis at just over 1,000 miles per hour. Its rotation around the sun (which affects seasonal changes in climate) occurs at about 67,000 miles per hour. Now you know.

Benjamin Fong Chao of NASA said in 2005 that “Any worldly event that involves the movement of mass affects the Earth’s rotation.” A popular analogy NASA uses is a figure skater. When she pulls her arms close to her body, she spins faster. The redistribution of mass is similar to what scientists believe happened after the Chile earthquake. The Earth’s axis has changed because of the mass shift. Richard Gross of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California speculated to the media that the axis could have shifted about three inches.

The Chile earthquake 2010 isn’t unique in its effect

Back in 2004 when a 9.1-magnitude earthquake made a gigantic tsunami in the Indian Ocean, our days shortened by 6.8 microseconds. But the converse of shortened days would be if a mass shift slowed the Earth’s rotation on its axis. CNN gives an example of the Three Gorges reservoir in China. If it were to be filled in by 10 trillion gallons of water, that mass would change the rotation to the point where our days would be .06 microseconds longer. An impossible-to-discern quick loan to our days, but scientists would know based on the math involved.

So when you think of the Chile earthquake and the Earth’s axis, think of the human impact – and how many fractions of a microsecond less per day they may have to reconstruct their lives before the cataclysm.

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Hook 'em horns, the sign for the University of Texas Longhorns. Image from Flickr.

Today is Texas Independence Day, when Texans celebrate the day the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. The declaration marked the end of the Texas Revolution, Texas’ freedom from Mexico and the establishment of the Republic of Texas. I asked my friend who lives in Texas how to celebrate Texas Independence Day, and here are 10 suggestions:

1. Drink Texan spirits

What better way to celebrate Texas than a toast with Texas-made spirits? Grab a Shiner Bock, a beer made in Shiner, Texas. If you’re in the mood for something a tad stronger, try to get your hands on a bottle of Republic Tequila. You’ll recognize it because the bottle is shaped like Texas.

2. Adopt a Texas twang

No need for quick loans to properly honor Texas Independence Day; talking like a Texan is free! My friend suggests calling people darlin’ and trying to work “y’all” into every third sentence. Also, use the phrase “fixin’ to,” and refer to things that are far away as being “out in BFE.”

3. Texas barbecue

My Texan friend suggests you “eat a large quantity of dead animals, preferably barbecued,” to honor Texas Independence Day. So fire up the grill and slather your favorite meat with Texan barbecue sauce.

4. Shoot something

Texans love to shoot things — at least that’s what they tell me. There is no need to go killing or wounding anything, mind you. Target practice on bottles or fence posts is a perfectly worthy tribute to Texas Independence Day.

5. Learn Texan sign language

Texans use hand symbols to show support for their favorite college football teams. The photo above shows how to properly display Hook ‘em Horns, the official hand symbol for the University of Texas Longhorns. Check for images online to learn the symbols for the Baylor Bears, Texas Christian Horned Frogs and A&M Aggies.

6. Rent a Wes Anderson movie

Quirky film director Wes Anderson, who has a cult-like following, is from Texas. Today is a great day to honor Texas by watching “The Royal Tenenbaums” or “Darjeeling Limited.” I highly recommend going old-school with  “Bottle Rocket.”

7. Fry something creative

My Texan friend says “every year at the state fair they fry crazy things like butter.” Try deep-frying your favorite candy bar, cookie, a Twinkie, marshmallows or any other equally unhealthy thing to celebrate in true Texas fashion.

8. Git yer hair did

Look to the TV show “Dallas” for examples of how to properly Texify your hair. There will be lots of teasing and hairspray involved. If you don’t have access to “Dallas” for examples, just remember: Texans like things big.

9. Rent a rig

Sure, you’re probably still paying off car loans on your environmentally friendly vehicle, but if you want to ride like a true Texan, you gotta drive a truck. My friend recommends you “rent a ridiculously large pickup truck and drive it around all day, but don’t haul anything with it.”

10. Practice good, old-fashioned Southern Chivalry

I hear word from Texas that chivalry is not dead in the great U.S. of A’s second-largest state. Open a door for a lady on Texas Independence Day, and the state will thank ya kindly.

According to my research on Google Images, Bill, Tom, Adam, Rich, and Dan are hot. (Photo by flickr.com)

Adam Rich is a hot topic today, although like so many hot topics, he may not seem very hot at first glance.  When I say that Adam Rich is hot, all I mean is that at this very moment, according to Google Trends, he’s hotter than car loans, hotter than short term loans, and hotter, even, than debt consolidation.

I just read an informative article on the Review St Louis website, which is why I now know that long, long ago Adam Rich was a child actor on a TV show called “Eight is Enought.” Review St Louis may need an editor — take a look for yourself — but at least the article includes a photo of the TV family, which is more than I can say for my own article.

The same things that make every child actor hot

The photo shown here is what came up when I Googled images for “Adam Rich.”  From left to right we have Bill, Tom, Adam, Rich, and Dan.  These guys are all pretty hot — although that seems to beg the question of why a former child actor named Adam Rich is so much hotter than, say, quick loans.   

In the happy family portrait on Review St Louis, Adam Rich appears to be about six years old. He’s a small boy with a big smile and a huge mop of thick, straight hair cut in the shape of a Russian fox-fur hat with the ear flaps extended. Judging from the order of the names listed in the Review St Louis article, Adam Rich played the youngest of eight children on the show.

An ill-advised hairdo is irrelevant to a child star’s hotness

The fact that the show aired from 1977 to 1981 may explain the bowl cut, but once again it doesn’t explain why Adam Rich is so hot today. Getting directly to the point now, my independent online research revealed four possible explanations for Adam Rich’s hotness.  In ascending, descending, or random order of importance — depending on your point of view — they are:

1. He failed to appear on the Today Show this morning
2. He has a history of substance abuse
3. He has a criminal history
4. He is the author of a daily email blast targeted at young men

According to the Review St Louis, the “entire cast” of Eight is Enought appeared on the Today Show this morning, but Adam Rich did not.  It seems incongruous to me, but I suppose it’s possible that a TV family could be entire without one of its members if that member has been busy abusing substances and committing crimes, if he targets young men with email blasts, or if he fails to appear on an American morning news and talk show.

Age is irrelevant to a child star’s hotness

According to an online Wall Street Journal article published three days ago, Adam Rich is now 29 years old, which means that he was about zero years old when Eight is Enought went off the air in 1981. This may explain why the entire cast appeared on the Today Show without its youngest member. Wikipedia, on the other hand, says Adam Rich was born in 1968, which would make him 41 years old now. If this is true, Adam Rich was about 13 and much too old for a bowl cut when the show ended in 1981.  Of course, it’s possible that the family photo was taken in 1977 when Adam Rich was only eight or nine years old.  Still, even in the late seventies, a zero-year-old would have been too old for a haircut like that.

Regardless of his current age, Adam Rich’s history of substance abuse and criminal activity is long enough that it can safely be said he is now an adult. As an adult he is qualified, if not uniquely so, to counsel young men about marriage and relationships. Not surprisingly, therefore, the 29-year-old Adam Rich writes a daily email blast called Thrillist where, according to the Wall Street Journal, he writes things like this: “This whole set of cliché indicators—call a girl to ask her out for drinks, then later a dinner date—are becoming less the dating norm. What if he Facebook messages her to meet at a wine bar where they share small plates? Where does that put them on the roadmap to the altar?” I grant that this 29-year-old Adam Rich may a sage adult; my point is simply that he needs an editor.

It’s possible that there are two Adam Riches, both of whom are hot

Of course, it’s possible that the 29-year-old writer Adam Rich may not be the same person as the 41-year-old former actor Adam Rich who sported the over-sized bowl cut sometime between 1977 and 1981.  Who can say, then, whether the cast appearing on the Today Show was entire without Adam Rich?  A TV family might very well be entire without a 41-year-old substance-abusing criminal, but it might not be entire without a 29-year-old writer whose only transgressions have been the publication of awkwardly worded email blasts featuring such minor grammatical blunders as noun-verb disagreements. Having glanced at two boring articles and one short Wikipedia entry, I am met with the ineluctable conclusion that there may or may not be two Adam Riches out there, both of whom are very hot today.

Chile's Valparaiso Beach is likely empty of sunbathers now as the people pick up the pieces.

I used to live in a state that is known for its earthquakes, and while I experienced quite a few of them, I never felt an 8.8 magnitude like the Chile quake 2010, tsunamis and all. That’s a staggering seismic event, and much like the recent Haiti earthquake, there have been significant casualties. Various media sources claim anywhere from 122 to as many as 700 deaths directly related to the earthquake, and many buildings, bridges and highways have been destroyed. Quick loans to rebuild are needed.

Chile quake 2010 not as bad as Haiti? Think economically

According to NPR, the devastation level in Haiti was somewhat greater because Haiti is much less prosperous financially (80 percent of people in poverty versus 18 percent in Chile). However, we should not take away from the tragedy the people of Chile are now facing. Lives has been lost, lives have been upended and the people in need of relief. Tsunamis from the 8.8-magnitude Chile earthquake have hit as far away as Hawaii and French Polynesia, so these island nations must brace for the onslaught and prepare for recovery.

Speaking of economics – and game show contestants

A Reuters report indicates that the price of copper has dropped dramatically. This comes as a direct result of the Chile quake 2010. Tsunami of a different kind has hit this market, as Chile is one of the world’s primary copper producers. That isn’t exactly why former “American Idol” contestant Elliott Yamin was in Chile – he was there for a music festival in Vina del Mar – but the economic impact in disrupted copper mining and hastily ended music festivals certainly won’t help Chile.

You can help Chile after quake 2010

If you have the financial ability to contribute to what will surely be another massive recovery effort following this Chile quake 2010 (with tsunamis), NPR suggests a few outlets that can put your instant money and goods to good use.

• Save The Children — You can contribute to their Children’s Emergency Fund
• World Vision — If you can contribute needed supplies to Chile, World Vision can help
• AmeriCares — Medical supplies and other humanitarian aid can be given to their Chilean earthquake fund
• Habitat for Humanity — Homes will need to be rebuilt, which is their specialty
• International Medical Corps — Immediate medical care is the primary responsibility of the IMC’s emergency response fund
• ShelterBox — They’ll be sending aid directly to Concepcion, Chile’s second-largest city and the one that saw the most damage from the Child quake 2010

Help the people pick up the pieces after Chile quake 2010. A tsunami is just an after-effect, albeit a devastating one. The epicenter of destruction is filled with people in need of aid.

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Some of us move in and out of relationships with supernal ease. When the final curtain falls and the arc lights fade, what’s left but to remove the grease paint and start pressing the flesh en route to the next gig? For others, however, finding a path out of the blast crater is a bit more challenging.

If you’re looking for quick loans, apply here. Of course, if you’re looking for my advice rather than money, try this: tell the story of when your relationship died at “It Was Over When.” The cathartic release will do you some good. Of course, quick cash for those annoying bill collectors can be cathartic, too.

Laugh that loser right out of your life

Stories tend to come from either side of the relationship cold war. There are escapees with horror stories of dating atrocities. Then there are ceremoniously dumped who know they have baggage that includes a sense of humor. Clueless individuals need not apply, as they probably don’t see how a site like “It Was Over When” could be important – or that anything they do could possibly end up there.

The exact moment when the relationship ended

The tipping point as documented on “It Was Over When” is akin to William Burroughs’ “naked lunch: a frozen moment when everyone sees what is on the end of every fork.” It could come after two dates, two years or (what seems like) two lifetimes. Whether it’s funny, sad or patently unbelievable, sharing the moment can be good for the survivor. As founder Robert Elder puts it, “It Was Over When” aims to “provide a bit of comfort, humor and, hopefully, healing identification.” For those who want to read of when love began, Elder also has “It Was Love When.” It all amounts to quick loans of sanity during an insane time, perhaps.

For our enjoyment, broken down by category

“It Was Over When” organizes the experiences of others into helpful categories. Here they are, along with my notes on personal favorites.

Chemistry

“Kim’s” story of the late date cracks me up:

“We met online and, after a few months, set up a date. He was supposed to arrive @ 7 p.m. He didn’t show until 11:30 p.m. Kept getting lost and calling me from various “lost” locations. I’m sorry, only an idiot would get this lost. Nonetheless, I kept the date and let Lost Boy into my home. At 12:30am, I yawned. He shot up from his chair and barked at me: “Sorry if I’m keeping you up or anything” and ran out the door.”

Sex

Here we have great stuff I cannot relate to you in this forum.

Quirks

“Nicole’s” relationship ended once she realized that her man preferred to play with her online avatar rather than be with her in person. He could “never really love me,” she writes.

Clashes

Manners

It’s interesting how more than one of the front page stories for this category has to do with money. Do I smell commentary on our society here?

Secrets!

Weird

And finally, Best of

Life is too short to cater to crazy. That’s why “Mark” left his relationship. His girlfriend was keeping a list of all his friends that she “hated for taking attention away from her.” Thankfully, as Mark relates, these friends are all still alive.

Your quick loans blogger enjoys “It Was Over When” and will contribute his own story soon

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Zachary Levi image from Flickr.

Sometime celebrity breakups are good just because the individuals in the couple were poisonous for each other. However, some can have upsides of a different sort. Take, for instance, Caitlin Crosby and Zachary Levi, who plays Chuck on “Chuck.” They broke up over the weekend. News of the breakup spread quickly, and now everyone wants to know who Caitlin Crosby is.

Turns out, she’s a singer and actress who hasn’t gotten a whole lot of recognition as of yet. She has had bit parts on a few TV shows, and she has released one album, “Flawz.” She should probably get some quick loans to make more CDs because I think demand for that album is about to jump. Her single “Still Have My Heart” is pretty easy to find on the Internet, and the video is really cute, although a little bittersweet because it features Levi. Check it out below.

Bad breakup, good publicity

Either way, breakups after that much time are not fun or easy. However, a whole lot of people who had never heard of Caitlin Crosby before will likely become fans when they hear her voice. I’m sure Caitlin Crosby is devastated over getting dumped, but at least there is a silver lining. You can buy Caitlin Crosby’s album or download mp3s of her songs on Amazon or iTunes.

My hours at work were scaled back right before my rent was due and I feared I would soon be homeless. That was when I decided to look into getting a payday loan. I have always been a self sufficient person and I never imagined that I would qualify for a short term loan. So when my pay check was a couple hundred dollars short, I went online to Personal Money Store and found out that I could get an instant loan that required no faxing for up to $1500. I was so relieved when I found out how easy it was to get the quick loan that I needed to keep my home.

Personal Money Store Can Help You Avoid Many Stressful Situations

A couple months later I found myself in another situation. I went outside one morning to go start my car and I noticed I had a flat tire. I looked a little closer and saw a piece of sharp metal poking out of the rubber. I was totally freaked out because I could not be late to work again. What was I going to do? Then I remembered how I could go online and get a no fax payday loan. I was so impressed from my previous experience with Personal Money Store that I didn’t hesitate to press the apply button. I got the short term loan I needed at just the right time.

Online Military Payday Loans Even Helped My Friend

A friend of mine who is in the army, used to go to one of his towns local money stores, but he always felt like he was treated like a second class citizen. The fees were way too high and the process was long and redundant. That’s when I told him about Personal Money Store and that they have instant loans even for the military. Military payday loans are unheard of these days, but my friend sure appreciated the fact that he could get an online loan in as little as two hours and wouldn’t be turned down just because he serves his country.

Personal Money Store Is The Only Store For Me

All because of Personal Money Store, I was able to save my home, get new tires, and help my friend get the quick loan that we needed. This is the best company I’ve ever dealt with when it comes to getting emergency no fax cash advances and I will continue to use Personal Money Store whenever I am in cash crunch.

Apply Now For Your No Fax Payday Loan!

Sure, Mom, no problem. You'll love my new place.

Everything was going along just fine until the phone rang. Payday is only three days away, the bills are paid, and there’s food in the fridge. Normally it wouldn’t matter that you spent your last fifty bucks out with your friends last night. But that was your mother on the phone, and she’s flying in tonight. You have six hours to get the place in shape. Better get started right now by checking for quick loans online.

Save time and avoid hassles with Quick Loans

No credit check

Nothing to fax

Short, easy application

Large network of payday lenders

Fast, hassle-free, secure loan process

Money deposited directly to your bank account

Funds ready for you to use in as little as two hours

Move onto better things with Quick Loans

The sooner you get money worries behind you with some instant cash, the sooner you can move on to better things. It doesn’t have to be that your mother is coming to town when your place is a wreck and you’re fresh out of cash until payday. It might be that you’ve paid more bills than usual or that you need to make an emergency trip out of town. It might be that you finally have the time to complete a project around the house and need money now to do it. No matter what kind of situation you’re in, there’s a lot to be said for quick loans, because everyone has better things to do than worry about money.

Avoid over-spending with Quick Loans

Really. It’s important never to let Mom know just how low your standards of decency can get before payday. It’s only natural that you should try to impress her. But when you use credit cards to do something like that, it’s easy to over-spend and expensive to pay it back. With quick loans until payday, on the other hand, you know exactly how much money you can spend, how much the credit is going to cost you, and exactly how soon you’ll be debt-free (and on your way to the next big project).

Apply here for Quick Loans

How fast do you need quick loans? This fast? (Photo: flickr.com)

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the only solution available to you is raising cash immediately? It could be that time of the month when your finances are running low. Worse, you could be facing a medical emergency of some kind. You need the money fast and need it immediately, irrespective of the cost. You are willing to go through anything to lay your hands on the money. That’s how quick you need it. But is it available at the speed at which you are looking for?

Yes, Quick Loans are That Quick

Fierce competition and a growing demand have pushed lenders to get into the act and start working at the speed at which the consumer wants the money. Gone are the days when you had to wait a few days before your application even came up for review. Technology has been combined with the demand to make quick loans available to you in a matter of hours. Lenders have realized that your requirement for immediate cash is as important as their requirement for new consumers. They are willing to overlook certain aspects that traditional institutions routinely demand as mandatory. They are willing to let you have the money within the timeframe that you, the consumer, need it.

A Change for the Better

The need for money is almost always quick. A quick loan vendor is just another business person who is looking to add to his/her ever growing clientele. Under these conditions it was necessary for the lenders to compromise on certain things. Making a start with relaxing some of the rules just wasn’t enough to let in more people. In trying to stay ahead, they also had to compromise on the time factor. They had to come up with ideas to make the money accessible to the consumer in “double quick” time. How could they do that?

Online Quick Loans for the Masses

Some clever thinking and intelligent marketing opened the doors of online marketing to the lenders. They were able to reach a large audience who had access to the facilities and could work with online applications. Lenders had to cut down on verification procedures as well. They therefore did away with one of the most cumbersome procedures of all: credit checks. Consumers with low credit scores were welcome to apply for and get a quick loan. All that the lender wanted was proof that the consumer could make a repayment on the given date.

Encouraging Results

It is currently estimated that millions of Americans have at some time approached these lenders for a quick loan. The fact that the numbers are high proves that they have been able to carve a niche for themselves within the market. While there have been some who have criticized these lenders for a number of reasons, others have stood by them for the timely manner in which quick loans are approved and disbursed. Critics are quick to point that these lenders charge a high rate of interest leading consumers into a debt trap. It would perhaps help if banks and institutions came up with something similar at a lower cost in “double quick” time, if only to create greater competition and price controls.

Apply for Quick Loans HERE!

Most payday advance loan options are not only confidential, they’re highly convenient. Consider the following scenario: it is entirely possible you may take approximately three to four minutes to fill out the payday advance loan application online.

After filling out your personal particulars, it can take all of 90 seconds for you to receive a clear and definite reply wherein your loan is subsequently approved. Afterward, your payday advance loan amount may be waiting within your checking account in a couple of hours. What could be more effortless?

Basic requirements in order to secure a payday advance loan

All that is necessary for you to attain a payday advance loan from the vast majority of payday lenders is a bank account and current employment.

In addition, reliable online lending sources that grant payday advance loans generally offer customer support so all your payday advance loan inquiries may be answered.

Laws governing the payday advance loan industry

State governments are responsible for the regulation of the payday advance loan industry. Although opposition exists to short term lending solutions in the way of the payday advance loan, in order to counteract the detracting viewpoints, lobbyists continually work on behalf of the payday advance loan industry.

Fortunately, there is currently a vast array of centers wherein payday advance loan funding is available. The expansive growth within the payday lending industry is due in part to the availability of loans over the Internet. Visits to payday advance loan sites have been quite significant: in fact there were well over 1 million visits to such sites this year.

The Payday Advance Loan site is always available

Payday advance loan sites naturally operate 24 hours, seven days per week. This level of convenience is highly advantageous to the borrower as applications may be submitted from the comfort of one’s own home environment and in accord with a person’s time.

Additionally, the payday loan advance is the short-term money solution as long as it is used correctly. The payday loan advance is most ideal in a situation where you need funds in order to address financial necessities from one payday to the next.

Easy application process

The ease of the application process is possibly the best attribute of the payday advance loan outside of immediate funding to your bank account. The application form is certainly not lengthy or “fussy,” and credit checks  are not necessary. Also, with short-term funding there is no longer any need to worry as to how you are going to financially survive from one paycheck to the next.

In other words, simply provide your information on the short application, and within an hour’s time your current short-term financial concerns may be over. Why not investigate how a payday advance loan will fit into areas where short-term financial considerations are preventing you from progressing within your daily life?

The way, therefore, to think of the payday advance loan and keep out of financial hot water is as a terrific temporary financial solution with regard to short-term financial emergencies. Emergency circumstances may include:

1. Automotive repairs
2. Medical-related situations
3. Gifts for anniversaries or birthdays
4. Unexpected financial losses, among other categories

You’ll not have the headache of filling out a lengthy application (as may be the case with some of the more traditional financial venues) and you’ll be able to secure the needed cash confidently and securely.

Additionally, if you are seeking a short-term loan by confidential means, nothing could be more ideal than the resource of the Internet. Many lenders who provide the payday advance loan as a solution for a borrower’s short-term financial obligations are standing by, willing and ready to serve you, 24 hours per day; seven days per week.

APPLY HERE for a Payday Advance Loan

Image from TC Project.

Southern California’s hot, dry climate is a perfect support system for fires, so it is understandable that the state spares no expense when it comes to fighting them. Today when it was reported that several small brush fires were started along a highway in Diamond Bar, the Los Angeles County Fire Department sent out more than 250 firefighters, and dispatched trucks as well as aircraft to battle the blazes.

A member of the L.A. County Fire Department reports that there were eight brush fires, and about 50 acres were consumed. Firefighters worked swiftly and aggressively, as the fires threatened to spread to homes if they weren’t contained.

How the Diamond Bar fire started

The driver and passenger of a pickup truck might want to think of getting some quick loans so they can get a lawyer. Police are reporting that the fires were caused when a fire started in the bed of a pickup truck and the occupants didn’t realize it.

Reports say flames and sparks flew out of the pickup truck bed as the vehicle traveled on the freeway. The police have detained the driver and passenger from the vehicle, but no other information is available about the suspects right now.

More details on Diamond Bar fire

Not only did the fire department spend a lot of money putting out these fires, classes were evacuated at Diamond Ranch High School. The students stayed in the gym and waited for word on whether they had to evacuate the premises, but the flames never got close enough to the school to warrant concern.

Final word is that several small brush fires were put out using water drops from helicopters and the aid of 23 fire trucks. The people who were in the truck that is suspected of starting the fires are being questioned. So far, no property has been reported damaged besides government-owned land covered in brush.

Here's the Brammo Enertia. But will it be street legal? (Photo: theelectricbliss.wordpress.com)

If I had $12,000 to spare, I’d jump at the chance to buy a Brammo Enertia electric motorcycle. Sure, I’d need quick loans to help pay (will Best Buy finance autos and accept down payments?), but considering that there’s a Best Buy only a couple of miles from my home, I wouldn’t be able to resist.

But Could I Legally Drive it Home?

That’s just one of the questions these days: whether the Brammo Enertia will be street legal. The initial claim made is yes, but I’d check with local police before buying. Yet that won’t stop the consumer electronics giant from selling the vehicles from the Ashland, Oregon startup by May 2010. Best Buy CEO Craig Bramscher sees the Brammo Enertia being sold across the U.S., Europe and China at Best Buy retail locations.

Computers, Vacuums, Motorcycles…

It might sound odd, but that’s the direction in which Best Buy is headed. Since the stores already have garage bays for installing car stereo equipment that Bramscher claims are “underutilized,” it seems like the Brammo Enertia could be a good fit. Plus, when you realize that Brammo is considering features like a built-in Web server and cameras to capture images and video for travel blogs, the Brammo Enertia should perhaps be considered more of a mobile consumer appliance than strictly a motorcycle.

Not Alone in the Electric Two-Wheeler Market

Vectrix and Zero Motorcycles have similar consumer models available, while Mission Motors is taken an even higher-end approach. But the high-visibility approach Brammo is taking by allying itself with Best Buy is something the competition has not done as yet. To give you an idea of how much selling out of Best Buy could help Brammo, consider that about seven million people go to motorcycle distributors in the U.S. each year. A single Best Buy store can see that many people over the same span of time. Bramscher says the chain has already taken $3 million in pre orders for the Brammo Enertia, and that’s only the beginning.

Will the Geek Squad Fix Your Ride?

Apparently they will. Geek Squad types will be trained to make basic Brammo Enertia repairs to brakes, tires and electronics. If you get into a wreck, however, you’ll have to go to a Brammo distribution center for those fixes. Unfortunately, the company is still working on obtaining funding for those. Quick loans, anyone?

What’s Under the Hood?

The Brammo Enertia will have a 45-mile range. Powered by a lithium-ion-phosphate battery that takes around three hours for a complete charge from a standard household outlet, the maximum speed of the Brammo Enertia should be around 53 miles per hour.

All things considered, this should be OK for those of us who need to perform light errands or commuting. If you want to do more and travel faster, a 100-mile ranged model that can hit 75 miles per hour will come out later in 2010. You’ll probably need multiple quick loans for that one. But then again, if you’re seriously considering buying a Brammo Enertia, you probably have enough petty cash to cover.

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If you think fast loans and quick loans are stigmatized, you don’t know the meaning of the word. Mental illness is truly stigmatized by society. It’s understood that the afflicted is ill in some way, but the general level of discomfort on the part of others, as well as their tendency to write the person off as “crazy,” proves that the level of acceptance of the mentally ill is still extremely low in America.

Sometimes even those suffering from a mental illness are unaware of exactly what’s going on. They may think their behavior is normal, but the excesses – the highs and/or lows – may push them to the margins of their society. Or they may know something is wrong, but either not want to seek treatment and lose their spark behind a medicine haze or not know that treatment is available for their condition. Overall, I’m sure it’s a difficult place to be.

According to his MySpace blog, stand-up comedian and actor Michael “Chicken” Roof believed he had a mental illness. Now he is dead, and the family of stand-up comedy will miss him dearly.

Enter the Chicken

In its tribute to the man, The Comic’s Comic blog writes that Michael Roof (aka “Chicken”), 32, co-starred in the two Vin Diesel “XXX” movies, “Black Hawk Down” and “The Dukes of Hazzard” movie. According to “two knowledgeable sources,” Comic’s Comic learned that Roof may have taken his own life. Not long after, friends of Roof began to offer their condolences and and good memories on the departed’s MySpace page. Funeral services are being planned in Roof’s hometown of Dunnellon, Florida this upcoming weekend. Comic’s Comic even encourages those who know more details about what happened to contact him at thecomicscomic (AT) gmail.com.

Here’s what Comic’s Comic knows about Michael Roof. He was married and had three children. The nickname “Chicken” came from his college days, and it stuck when he began his stand-up comedy career in Atlanta, Georgia. After success at the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, he got his break in TV with the WB sketch show “Hype.” However, it was as a dramatic actor that he received the most popular attention. He drew roles in movies like “Black Hawk Down,” two of the “XXX” franchise and “The Dukes of Hazzard.”

Then, as fame so often does, Roof took a detour into reality television. However, “Raising the Roofs” (which ran on Spike in 2006) did occasionally manage to serve as a platform for Chicken’s brand of comedy.

Stalled since then

Comedy clubs were still booking him, but the big time seemed to elude Michael Roof. His blog posts on MySpace began to indicate that something was definitely wrong. Here’s an entry from April 14, 2009 that Comic’s Comic picks up on. It could easily be interpreted as a warning sign, one that more people in this society should pay attention to. If nothing else, it seems likely that Roof would want people to know that these things shouldn’t be taken lightly when a life can be saved:

Ok I am sitting here trying to piece together exactly what is going through my mind and what is a thought that i have forced into my mind. what popped in there on its own and what did I force there? I think i have a social disorder and several mental disorders that i need o realize that are real and just not a word given to you because of symptoms. I guess symptoms point to one word or another but aren’t all people different. hmmmmmmm
practicing medicine is just that, practicing medicine…even with psychiatry. what combination of pills will ultimately keep us all from jumping. I went on the road in march and have had an experience now on the road. I truly don’t know if I like it. that s***s. I can do it…..but i don’t truly know if I want to do it. what else will i do if i do not do this? shit I don’t know. i am mean, moody and unpredictable right now and I guess that is supposed to be a comedian…..f*** that. I have turned bitter towards it because i am not young and naive like I was when i started. I know where it leads and I know what comes from the work you put in. More roadwork, more money, films and television. sounds cool huh? the movie part is cool….that’s about it. Even that blows the sausage some time. but ok I don’t think I could ever get tired of films. but(f*** capitalization and form right now. not so easy to get films. especially when everyone that works for you thinks you are unpredictable and will disappear for years at a time. (I do though) there has got to be something else interesting on this earth for me to do….something…sh**. I have to find it. anyone have any career ideas or options for me. I am taking advice from all as long as they are serious about it. oh well, know one will read this anyway. I am a flake

Worried about a friend? Check up on them.

Here’s what Comic’s Comic reader Jaime said about Michael Roof:

Michael had been working every now and again in recent months at my club, The Punchline, in Atlanta. He was just as dynamic on stage as ever and we are all terribly saddened by his death.

I guess it is a good reminder for all of us that we are only sometimes seeing a snippet of a person’s life as we see them at the club or pass by on the road. If you suspect someone is in trouble, maybe it’s worth a moment to ask if they really are. I wish I had.

Michael Roof thought he was a flake, but he clearly could have used some help. If you need help, please don’t hesitate. Consult with a mental health professional. At the very least, if such help is generally out of your price, find a counselor who works at a clinic that works on a sliding scale. Fast loans and quick loans are also an option with something as important as your life.

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The 2009 NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone, which means that the 2009 NBA Draft is not far behind. For basketball fans, this is akin to fantasy land. Nobody knows exactly how the best college, high school and foreign players are going to perform in the National Basketball League, but it’s still fun to dream of what might be.

For teams in need of improvement, could that new player be the piece that completes the puzzle? Die hard fans will take out payday loans to see teams like that. For established teams that are looking for young blood off the bench, the 2009 NBA Draft is filled with quick loans. I say “loans” because the player will eventually be eligible for free agency, of course. But until that happens, the 2009 NBA Draft order is the stuff dreams are made of.

Your 2009 NBA Draft Lottery results

Chad Ford blogs for ESPN.com that the first pick in the NBA Draft will be a selection by the Los Angeles Clippers. The 2009 NBA Draft order as represented here is definite. The players selected could change, but in Ford’s opinion, what follows is the direction each team will go with their first round pick. In Ford’s estimation, this rendition of the NBA Draft, now in its 25th year, is the Blake Griffin sweepstakes. He appears to be the best player available and a likely number one pick, even if the Clippers trade the number one pick for more players (which they are unlikely to do).

Keep in mind that this is an educated guess on Ford’s part. All teams will be performing their own evaluations of the players available from college, high school and other countries. Depending upon what they find, the 2009 NBA Draft projections can change. They can also change if complications arise which change teams’ personnel needs. Remember, injuries can set back a team, as can players with legal difficulties. Players can go from a sure thing to working a steady 9 to 5 and needing payday loans and quick loans now and then. It’s hard to predict how the 2009 NBA Draft order will translate.

The 2009 NBA Draft order, plus player analysis

Blake Griffin

You’ll have to wait until June to see exactly how the 2009 NBA Draft will play out, but Chris Ford has some sagacious insight into all 30 of the first round selections. Without further ado, let’s get started. I’ve included my own commentary on each to boot.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the abbreviations for positions on the basketball court, they are as follows:

PF = power forward
SF = small forward
C = center
PG = point guard
SG = scoring guard

1. L.A. Clippers – Blake Griffin, Oklahoma. Position: PF, Height: 6-foot-10, Weight: 245 pounds, Age: 20. Any team would be happy to take the explosive, mobile big man in the draft. He is a relentless worker who puts in an honest night’s work on the boards and will nail the turnaround jumper with regularity. Griffin can even handle the ball. If the Clippers can sort out their big contract issues with current power forward Zack Randolph (who isn’t as good as Griffin), this will be a shoo-in. As to whether Griffin will want to stay with the B-team in L.A. is another matter.
2. Memphis  Grizzlies – Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut. Position: C, Height: 7-3, Weight: 265, Age: 22. Going all the way back to their first draft selection as an expansion team in Vancouver (when they took Bryant “Big Country” Reeves), the Grizzlies have been looking for an effective center.  They’re still looking. Marc Gasol is an up-and-comer, but Hasheem Thabeet could be the defense-minded stopper on the front line that Memphis wants. It remains to be seen how his offensive skill will translate to the NBA.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder – Ricky Rubio, Spain. Position: PG, Height: 6-4, Weight: 180, Age: 18. Selecting foreign players has traditionally come with additional risk, although not so much as selecting players out of high school. European players may be more emotionally mature due to the extra years of experience, but they generally do not play in systems that approximate the NBA game. In general, foreign leagues are less physical and not quite as fast-paced. Oklahoma sees Rubio as the best point available, which boggles my mind, as I saw North Carolina’s Ty Lawson in the 2009 NCAA Tournament. Considering that Rubio is not projected as a great shooter, his leadership, passing and defensive skills would have to be extraordinary to justify this pick.
4. Sacramento Kings – Jordan Hill, Arizona. Position: PF, Height: 6-9, Weight: 235, Age: 21. What a blow for the hapless Kings. They could have really used Blake Griffin in the middle, but such was the bounce of the 2009 NBA Draft ping pong balls. Hill would bring toughness and a needed spark to this listless team, put their biggest need has been point guard ever since Mike Bibby left for the Atlanta Hawks. Ford predicts that if the Kings for a point guard, Jrue Holiday will go here.
5. Washington Wizards – James Harden, Arizona State. Position: SG, Height: 6-4, Weight: 215, Age: 19. Harden is considered to be “one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft.” Considering how much Washington loves to run with Gilbert Arenas, this active body who can make teams pay for doubling the high-scoring Arenas.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves – DeMar DeRozan, USC. Position: SG, Height: 6-6, Weight: 200, Age: 19. Due to injury, the jury’s still out on whether Corey Brewer will be the TWolves’ small forward answer. DeRozan has lots of upside and can swing between the frontcourt and the backcourt. DeRozan can run and jump like nobody’s business. Minnesota fans will appreciate his in high gear.
7. Golden State Warriors – Brandon Jennings, Italy. Position: PG, Height: 6-2, Weight: 165, Age: 19. Here’s a guard with all the tools, but he’s still a bit raw. This is a risky proposition for Golden State. I have to wonder why they wouldn’t consider Lawson, among others on the board.
8. New York Knicks – Stephen Curry, Davidson. Position: PG, Height: 6-3, Weight: 185, Age: 21. Run-and-gun is the way the Knicks like to play it, and they haven’t had a player with this kind of a pure jump shot since Allan Houston, who was one of the best ever. I love to watch a player who can shoot the ball from distance like silk.
9. Toronto Raptors – Tyreke Evans, Memphis. Position: SG, Height: 6-6, Weight: 220, Age: 19. Memphis has made their mark in the NCAA lately with a horde of highly athletic players. Evans is no exception. He can get to the hole and finish strong. Considering that Toronto could lose depth in the backcourt due to free agency, this could be a great pick for them.
10. Milwaukee Bucks – Jrue Holiday, UCLA. Position: PG, Height: 6-4, Weight: 200, Age: 18. Do the Bucks go with a power forward or fill the point with the defense-minded Holiday? Ford thinks Holiday and his upside will carry this pick.
11. New Jersey Nets – James Johnson, Wake Forest. Position: PF, Height: 6-9, Weight: 245, Age: 22. The Nets lack wide bodies in the paint, and Johnson would do nicely at 11. DeJuan Blair is another possibility, but Johnson gets the nod because his athleticism enables him to do more on the floor.
12. Charlotte Bobcats – Gerald Henderson, Duke. Position: SG, Height: 6-4, Weight: 215, Age: 21. A strong defender with a streaky offensive game that is frequently lights-out, Henderson would fill a definite need at two-guard in Charlotte.
13. Indiana Pacers – Jonny Flynn, Syracuse. Position: PG, Height: 6-0, Weight: 175, Age: 20. While Indiana could use an athletic big man, it’s unlikely a top-tier one will be available at this point, so they’ll go with plan B. They could lose Jarrett Jack to free agency, so a hole would open at the point that Flynn could fill. He has the confident attitude you look for in a team leader, plus he is explosive. If he improves his jumper, he could be a great one.
14. Phoenix Suns – Earl Clark, Louisville. Position: SF, Height: 6-9,Weight: 200, Age: 21. While some scouts question his desire, nobody questions Clark’s athleticism. This young man and jump out of the gym and is improving his mid-range game.
15. Detroit Pistons – Austin Daye, Gonzaga. Position: SF, Height: 6-10, Weight: 190, Age: 20. Daye could be the most talented player left on the board at this point, but after having seen him play tenative when it counted for most of his Gonzaga career, I don’t get it. He has height, long arms, quickness and a decent touch on the outside shot, but he will be pounded into submission in the NBA game. Pound the protein shakes, young man!
    

    Austin Daye

16. Chicago Bulls – DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh. Position: PF, Height: 6-7, Weight: 250, Age: 20. Chicago already has athletic, long and spunky on their front line. This man would bring the bulk to enforce their will in the lane. I hope his arms are long enough, though, or we could have another Clarence Weatherspoon on our hands.
17. Philadelphia 76ers – Eric Maynor, VCU. Position: PG, Height: 6-3, Weight: 175, Age: 21. Ford thinks Maynor would be the total package for Philly at point guard, which they’ll need when Andre Miller leaves. I haven’t seen him play, but once again… where is Ty Lawson?
18. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Miami Heat) – B.J. Mullens, Ohio State. Position: C, Height: 7-1, Weight: 260, Age: 20. Big men are frequently considered “projects,” because coordination, stamina and a big frame don’t always walk hand-in-hand. ESPN has love for Mullens, though, so this one could pay off.
19. Atlanta Hawks – Jeff Teague, Wake Forest. Position: PG, Height: 6-2, Weight: 180, Age: 20. Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo have both escaped in previous years. Now the Hawks need to nail their point guard pick, as Doc Rivers is not giving up his job as Celtics head coach to return to the court. He’s too old. Teague is waterbug-quick and has a nose for finding the hole.
20. Utah Jazz – Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina. Position: PF, Height: 6-9, Weight: 250, Age: 23. Hansbrough is a warrior who battles for every point and rebound. He has the size and the quickness to make defenses pay. Furthermore, having remained at North Carolina another year for that championship season won’t hurt in the experience/maturity department. Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is the definition of “hard-nosed,” and I think Hansbrough is his kind of guy.
21. New Orleans Hornets – Terrence Williams, Louisville. Position: SG, Height: 6-6, Weight: 220, Age: 21. Size, athleticism and mad skills and there, but Williams has been inconsistent in putting it all together. New Orleans sees him as a risk worth taking, and he could even back up CP3 (Chris Paul) at the point on occasion.
22. Dallas Mavericks – Ty Lawson, North Carolina. Position: PG, Height: 5-11, Weight: 195, Age: 21. Here’s a classic point guard with great speed, a sparking outside touch and championship pressure experience. What’s not to like? I’m baffled that Ford thinks he’ll fall this far.
23. Sacramento Kings (via Houston Rockets) – Nick Calathes, Florida. Position: PG, Height: 6-5, Weight: 185, Age: 20. The Kings need lots of help at every position, and Calathes could bring quickness and a developing offensive game to their backcourt.
24. Portland Trailblazers – Darren Collison, UCLA. Position: PG, Height: 6-1, Weight: 165, Age: 21. Portland hasn’t had a good point guard since Terry Porter. That was a long time ago. Collison could bring them everything Porter offered, except perhaps the consistency from behind the arc. And that kind of thing can come with practice, so we’ll see.
25. Oklahoma City Thunder (via San Antonio Spurs) – Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech. Position: PF, Height: 6-9, Weight: 220, Age: 19. No more good, true centers left at this point, so Oklahoma will go for the athletic talent and board-banging of Lawal.
26. Chicago Bulls (via Denver Nuggets) – Toney Douglas, Florida State. Position: SG, Height: 6-2, Weight: 205, Age: 23. This could be the poor man’s version of Ben Gordon, but not that poor. As Gordon will likely leave via free agency, Douglas will help out with his explosiveness and solid jump shot.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (via Orlando Magic) – Chase Budinger, Arizona. Position: SG, Height: 6-7, Weight: 205, Age: 21. Remember Mike Miller? He did well for the Grizzlies, and Budinger could be a similar type player who can move and spread the floor with his passes and outside shot. Is he tough enough for the NBA. That’s what Ford wants to know.
    

    Chase Budinger

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Boston Celtics) – Patrick Mills, St. Mary’s (CA). Position: PG, Height: 5-11, Weight: 175, Age: 20.  A quick point who sees the floor well, Mills will need some seasoning before he’s ready to take over.
29. L.A. Lakers – DaJuan Summers, Georgetown. Position: SF, Height: 6-8, Weight: 225, Age: 21. An NBA-ready athlete who can score, Summers will be needed to fill the holes left by the inevitable departures of players like Lamar Odom.
30. Cleveland Cavaliers – Sam Young, Pittsburgh. Position: SF, Height: 6-6, Weight: 215, Age: 24. Scoring and defense are both parts of Young’s game, and he starred at Pittsburgh. Playing alongside the great LeBron James, this young man could benefit from lots of open looks that the established superstar will create with his magic on the floor.

So there you have it. I think that Ford is mostly spot on with his 2009 NBA Draft order, save for his point guard order of selection.  If I could win payday loans and quick loans for each insight I get right here, I’ll share some of it with Mr. Ford. No, wait. I need the money more than he does…

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United Technologies Research Center

United Technologies Corp., maker of Otis elevators and Carrier air conditioners, says it will slash 11,600 jobs worldwide. The company is struggling with lower sales and profits.

Chief Executive Officer of United Technologies Louis Chenevert says the company had been expecting an economic recovery during the second part of this year. Now, Chenevert says that recovery “appears unlikely.”

Company is losing billions

United Technologies’ sales are down $2.7 billion from what it forecast in December. The company serves markets all over the world.With recessions going strong in Europe and other parts of the world, the company is preparing for more declines in profits and sales.

Restructuring begins

Chenevert says the job cuts and other changes the company is making are part of a restructuring. United Technologies is ultimately preparing for economic recovery, the CEO says.

“We’ll fundamentally reorganize United Technologies so when markets recover this cost structure will not come back,” Chenevert said, referring to the companies’ stocks losing value.

Economists doubt stimulus

In more bad news on the job front, economists released a report today saying they do not think the government’s economic stimulus package will create or save 4 million jobs over the next two years.

The report was created by four economists, including including Mark Zandi of Moody’s, who has been an adviser to both Democrats and Republicans. The group says the $787 billion stimulus package will save or create 2.5 million jobs in the next two years.

Word from the inside

Nancy Pelosi

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, says she believes that it will take a long time to recover from what she refers to as “the Bush economy.” She didn’t refute any of the claims in the economists’ report.

Other Democrats have hinted that even more quick loans might be needed before the economy is truly on its way to recovery.

Obama takes on yet another massive challenge.

President Barack Obama is heading up a major overhaul of the nation’s financial system and has also promised huge changes in the health care system. Now he is taking on another huge, nationwide system: education.

Obama says the nation’s education system needs a far-reaching overhaul and it can’t wait, despite the urgency of the financial crisis and other pressing issues, according to the Associated Press.

Obama backs merit-based pay

Among the other changes Obama is pushing for, he is encouraging that teachers receive merit-based pay. This statement will no doubt be very unpopular with a large faction within the Democratic Party: teachers unions.

Teachers unions have long been opposed to merit-based pay, instead encouraging equal pay for teachers based on number of years in the field. Obama says merit-based pay will improve education.

“Too many supporters of my party have resisted the idea of rewarding excellence in teaching with extra pay, even though we know it can make a difference in the classroom,” he said.

Early education

Obama also believes government money will be well spent if it is invested in early education. About $5 billion in the stimulus package is slated for growing Head Start, expanding access to child care and helping children with special needs. He insists quick loans should be given to these programs to improve them.

More goals

He also stressed the importance of adopting higher standards that are more on par with global standards. He says he will put forth efforts to reduce high school dropout rates. he reissued his call for every American to dedicate at least one year to higher education and to put the United States back in the top spot when it comes to number of residents with college degrees.

He also advocates that states remove caps on the number of charter schools allowed within their borders.

Unionized workers at Ford voted on changes to their contract, including cutting cost-of-living increases, reducing benefits and eliminating cash bonuses.

The company says the move will help it to stay competitive. According to the UAW, 59 percent of production workers and 58 percent of skilled-trades workers voted “yes,” and the new contract passed.

No government loans

General Motors and Chrysler have both asked the government for quick loans to help their companies stay  afloat. Ford says these changes will prevent the company from having to ask the government for money as well.

“By working together with our UAW partners, we identified solutions that will help Ford reach competitive parity with foreign-owned auto manufacturers and that are important to our efforts to operate through the current economic environment without accessing a bridge loan from the U.S. government,” said UAW President Ron Gettelfinger in a written statement.

More contract details

The ratified deal ended the jobs bank program, and it now allows Ford to make payments in stock to a retirement fund. The fund will extend health benefits to retired workers.

Now the UAW must attempt to reach a deal with both Chrysler and GM.

Making an example

The deal UAW reached with Ford will serve as a guideline for deals with GM and Chrysler. In the agreements reached with the government over more than $17 billion in loans, it specifies that the companies must work out new agreements with the union.

The companies are seeking more funding from the government. In order to get it, Chrysler and GM have to bring their labor costs in down to the same level as foreign auto companies’ plants in the U.S.

Under terms of their loan agreements, progress must be made by March 31. The companies are seeking an additional $21.6 billion in government aid.

Delta headquarters

As fuel prices fluctuate and demand for plane tickets decreases, Delta Air Lines is feeling the pinch of the recession. The company says it will eliminate 10 percent of its international flights to save money.

Delta says its Atlantic and Pacific networks have the weakest revenue, so the flights will be cut from there. Unlike the auto industry, the airline won’t be asking the government for quick loans.

Cuts on top of cuts

Because Delta has already made some cuts, its trans-Atlantic capacity this winter will be down 11 to 13 percent compared to winter 2008. Its trans-Pacific capacity will be down 12 to 14 percent.

Delta is the largest carrier in the world. It had previously said it would cut its capacity this year by 6 to 8 percent. The company’s CEO and its president released the memo to the staff  announcing the additional cuts today.

Company faces staff cuts

Because of the reduced flights, the company says it must “reassess its staffing needs.” The memo today said that Delta expects 2,100 to leave the company voluntarily over the next several months. However, it’s possible that won’t be enough.

One bright spot

The only increase the company expects to see over the next year is in the amount of flights to Latin America. Delta expects sales on those flights to be up slightly this winter.

Travel demand down

Other airlines have also struggled with the decreased demand for travel. U.S. Airways has started charging for pillows and blankets, although it threw out its policy of charging for in-flight beverages and snacks because of backlash from customers. One airline in the U.K., Ryanair, even contemplated charging passengers to use the bathroom on the plane.

U.S. Rep. Barney Frank on Monday said (see http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Economy/WireStory?id=7040710&page=2) Bank of America Corp. must provide more details on $6.9 billion in bonuses the company paid in 2008. Because the bank got quick loans from the government, officials say it must disclose who got what.

Bank of America accepted large amounts of bailout money, and Frank and others are saying taxpayers have a right to know the details of how the company is using its money.

Ordered to the court

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has headed the fight to reveal the details behind the bonuses. The case wound up in state court. A representative for Bank of America said to the judge that the company would suffer “grave harm” if it had to reveal bonus data.  Bank of America said it would be an invasion of privacy, and it was worried that competitors would attempt to poach its staff members.

No longer a company

Bank of America bought Merrill Lynch last year as the company faced bankruptcy. Of the bonuses now on Bank of America’s budget sheets, $3.6 billion was awarded to Merrill Lynch executives before Bank of America bought out the company.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Frank says the company must provide details on every bonus of $1 million or more. Bank of America has gotten $45 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Fund.

Transparency

Barney Frank

Cuomo has been charged with assuring that all institutions that accept bailout money disclose their finances and make all bonuses and salaries public.

Cuomo is even trying to find out whether B of A broke securities law regarding public disclosure of executive pay. A New York state judge will hold a hearing March 13 to determine whether the company must disclose the information.

Welcome to part three of our review of the Employment Policies Institute’s (EPI) report “Rotten ACORN: America’s Bad Seed.” Click here if you missed parts ONE or TWO.

ACORN is registered as a non-profit corporation out of Arkansas, a state that does not require public disclosure of corporate operating budgets. However, estimates of ACORN’s annual operating budget range from $30 million to $37.5 million, depending upon the source. The New York Times acknowledges that even these figures do not include the “vast resources of the ACORN-run unions or reflect election-year resources given to its ostensibly non-partisan get-out-the-vote efforts.”

Yet they stiff their employees

Here are just a few examples of where the money goes with ACORN, courtesy of EPI research. Note that in all cases, the money is kept in house. They could make quick loans outside the circle if they chose to, which they don’t. One organization pays the other under the ACORN umbrella, and it all comes back to Wade Rathke:

• SEIU Local 100’s Department of Labor financial disclosure for the year 2000 showed a $58,654 grant of union members’ money to another labor group called Hospitality, Hotel & Restaurant Organizing Council (HOTROC), which was also founded by Wade Rathke
• ACORN paid Citizens Consulting, Inc. (which is run by Dale Rathke) $520,000 for lobbying between 1998 and 2004
• Department of Labor financial disclosures show at least $623,829 in transactions between ACORN’s SEIU locals 100 and 880 and other Rathke/ACORN-run operations
• From 2000 through 2003, Project Vote paid more than $1.7 million to ACORN and Citizens Consulting
• Between 1997 and 2003, the Mutual Housing Association of New York paid more than $2.1 million in contractual fees to the New York ACORN Housing Association
• Mott Haven ACORN Housing Development Fund Corporation paid more than $233,360 in contractual fees to the New York ACORN Housing Company. At the same time, Mott Haven owed as much as $435,000 to the Mutual Housing Association of New York
• The Association for Rights of Citizens, which carries brother Wade and Cornelia Rathke on its board of directors, loaned tens of thousands of dollars to SEIU Local 100, ACORN’s Missouri Tax Justice Research Project, and ACORN, and has made grants totaling tens of thousands of dollars to ACORN
• ACORN’s Agape Broadcasting Foundation showed notes and loans receivable of more than $100,000 from other ACORN-affiliate entities. ACORN’s Affiliated Media Foundation Movement showed notes and loans receivable of nearly $250,000 from other ACORN entities, while also showing notes and loans payable of more than $1.1 million to ACORN and its Institute for Social Justice
• Tax forms show that since 1997, the ACORN Housing Corporation has paid more than $5,100,000 in fees or grants to other ACORN entities
• Since 1997, the American Institute for Social Justice has given grants in excess of $7 million to ACORN and its affiliates

The money is there

But ACORN employees don’t see much of it. CLICK HERE for part four of this series to see how ACORN treats the people who work for them.

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Disaster area?

A Florida county that has been particularly hard-hit by the housing crisis is seeking “disaster area” status.

In St. Lucie County, thousands of homes stand vacant or unfinished. A  county commissioner believes the crisis has reached disaster proportions. If the county is declared a disaster area, it could receive money from the government’s fund dedicated to providing relief in areas hit by hurricanes and tornadoes.

What constitutes disaster?

Instead of waiting for cash advances from the government, County Commissioner Doug Coward is pushing for the disaster area classification so his county can get some help.

“This is a man-made disaster,” County Commissioner Doug Coward acknowledged. But he said that is why “we’ve got to do something. Clearly, the economic crisis of the country far exceeds the ability of local governments to solve it, but we’re trying be a part of the solution.”

Why make declaration?

Doug Coward

In addition to being eligible for the disaster relief funds, the declaration would let the county sidestep the usual bidding process for construction projects. Then the jobs could go directly to local contractors.

Advocates are hoping that if more locals are put to work, they’ll be able to pay their mortgages and avoid even more foreclosures in the area.

Rise and fall

Port St. Lucie was the fastest growing large city in the United States just five years ago. However, the rapid growth led to a rapid decline.

Affordable housing, open space and a laid-back lifestyle drew residents to Port St. Lucie by the busload. But despite the seemingly low home prices, many people soon realized they couldn’t really afford their homes. They found themselves swept up in the nationwide mortgage crisis.

Hard facts

In St. Lucie County, 10,000 homes were foreclosed last year — more than double the amount of the year before. Unemployment is 10.5 percent, significantly higher than the nation’s 7.9 percent.

Time to lead into absurdity… but only if you’ve read parts ONE and TWO first…

An essential part of the plan permits distressed homeowners to seek loan modifications in bankruptcy court, an option now permitted on other types of loans that are far less important to families and the economy. This provision will provide a new avenue for reducing hundreds of thousands of foreclosures without requiring any tax dollars.

How will it not require any tax dollars? I hear too many promises from politicians and those who wish to appease the public without saying anything at all. New programs require money. Taxation is the key way to generate this money. However, what shall we tax? The average person is breaking under the weight of their financial obligations. It’s no wonder people resort to quick loans on occasion.

One thing I think would be great to institute would be a lobbying tax. Lobbying is right and should be allowed on a level playing field. One of the ways to achieve that is through a luxury tax-style lobbying tax, I think. I’m sure it’s not an original idea. Since the Center For Responsible Lending (Eakes’ organization) is documented as having spent more than $1.7 million lobbying for bankruptcy and finance laws between 2004 and 2007, AND even more than that in 2008 alone ($280,000 in Q3 2008, per the Associated Press), they’d be paying some of that luxury tax to fund these programs!

Huh?

What’s happening here?

Equally important, it will provide stronger incentives for loan servicers to offer effective loan modifications outside of court. Allowing homeowners access to the courts means that voluntary private efforts to prevent foreclosures will work better — and, in doing so, will benefit the entire economy. And paired with the comprehensive and well-thought-out modification plan, many fewer families will need to take this course.

I’m confused here. Loan companies will have the incentive to modify unworkable mortgages outside of court, but allowing homeowners access to courts in this matter will aid the foreclosure prevention process? How are both of these true… how do they work together? Please. I welcome your explanation, Mr. Eakes. Or anyone else… please comment below.

Turnabout should NOT be consequence-free

He’s no Oz, he’s Martin Eakes!

We urge Congress to recognize the urgency of the foreclosure epidemic and to act immediately to implement the legislative parts of this plan without watering them down. Fast action is essential. While debate goes on, a new foreclosure occurs every 13 seconds.

“Act immediately, Congress. But pay no attention to the man behind the curtain…”

It is outrageous that Martin Eakes and his organizations (Self-Help, Inc. and the Center For Responsible Lending) are given a free ride on their involvement in the subprime mortgage disaster. That’s what lobbying clout will do for you… now we need the lobbying luxury tax to level the field so the other side can expose how false their “sounds good” rhetoric truly is.

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Crime is taking a bite out of state budgets.

A report from the Pew Center on the States says there are twice as many adults in the corrections system now than there were 25 years ago.

That amounts to a big chunk of state budgets. The report says changing sentencing laws and probation programs would lower incarceration rates and save states money.

Changing the rules

Adam Gelb, director of the Center’s Public Safety Performance Project, agrees that keeping certain criminals locked up might not be worth it. As states are relying on quick loans from the government to get by, they should consider changing corrections tactics.

“Violent and career criminals need to be locked up, and for a long time. But our research shows that prisons are housing too many people who can be managed safely and held accountable in the community at far lower cost,” he said.

The U.S. Department of Justice reports that The United States has the highest incarceration rate and the biggest prison population of any country.

A costly punishment

State spending on criminal justice has gone up 300 percent in the last 20 years. It’s the fastest-growing area of spending after Medicaid. Gelb says states that spend more than others do so because of policies rather than crime rates.

“The huge differences between states are mostly due not to crime trends, or social and economic forces. The rates are different mostly because of choices that the states have made about how they respond to crime,” he said.

Best bang for your buck

Georgia has the highest percentage of incarcerated residents.

Gelb says that when it comes to spending on corrections, “community supervision strategies and technologies need to be strengthened” rather than scaled back.

He makes the argument that states can use ankle bracelets, Global Positioning Systems and other programs to track those on probation. The cost per criminal when compared to housing an inmate is significantly less.

Does the EPA need quick loans of some good, common sense, I ask you? Sometimes, cleaning and disinfecting can go too far. It can go so far that immediate action is required to cleanup the cleanup. Such is the case with germ-killing nano-silver.

The Center For Food Safety’s True Food Network Web site urges concerned Americans to lobby their elected officials and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) about this potentially dangerous substance that is found in scores of household products. Nano-silver appears in over 300 products currently, from appliances, clothing and cutlery to toys, product packaging and more. In total, many of the current products containing nano-silver are marketed toward children. Quick thinking loans itself to the theory that children are even being targeted by such products, simply because of the germ-killing potential. But it is simply too much of a risk, potentially.

According to True Food Network, studies have shown that “nano-silver can harm fish and aquatic ecosystems, potentially interfere with beneficial bacteria in our bodies and the environment, encourage the development of more virulent harmful bacteria, and directly interact with our genes, interfering with DNA replication.” Yet there has been no official safety testing done by the agency that is charged with protecting the health of American citizens!

What is nano-silver?

Nanoparticle silver (“nano-silver”) is advertised as having germ killing abilities. It’s a product of micro-sized nanotechnology, a technology powerful where matter can be reconstructed on the atomic and molecular levels. While vaguely related to regular silver, scientists tend to agree that nano-silver is rather different and it, like other nanoparticles, should be safety tested before humans are exposed to products that contain it. Despite little or no testing, nanotechnology continues to make advances in the consumer market. Now, nano-silver is the most common commercialized nano-material – and the full health and environmental impacts of the substance are unknown!

It is known that silver itself is an environmental hazard, and nano-silver may release silver into the environment. However, much more informative study is needed.

The EPA has authority over all substances intended to kill pests such as germs, and because of this, nano-silver has been brought to their attention as a possible problem. Yet the EPA has done little, and the nano-silver market continues to grow.

It isn’t even labeled clearly

Since so little is known about nano-silver, there are no requirements about labeling products that contain the substance. Groups like the Center For Food Safety are currently petitioning the EPA to not only label such products accurately, but more importantly to begin testing to determine whether it is safe. During this testing phase, they call for all products containing nano-silver to be pulled from shelves.

For the sake of every consumer, particularly our children, the Environmental Protection Agency must act now. It is my sincere hope that nobody has to take their child to the ER in the middle of the night. Toxic shock or any other type of impairment is a great expense in life first, dollars second. Quick loans can help with the second, but even they will only go so far.

Benjamin Weiser of the New York Times proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that even large organizations fall for those fly-by-night Internet scams and need quick loans to dig their way out. But, come on, seriously? You were taken in by a Nigerian con artist, Citibank?

That’s right. A con artist by the name of Paul Gabriel Amos worked with a team to create documents that fooled Citibank into wiring them money in transactions totaling about $27 million. The money came from a Citibank account in New York held by the National Bank of Ethiopia. The con artists posed as Ethiopian bank officials and approved the transactions. They could quickly get loans from the bamboozled financial megalith that never required them to repay.

Not-as-famous Amos has been arrested

He was charged with conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. If the Nigerian scammer is convicted, he could spend 30 years in prison.

According to Weiser, the prosecutors traced the scheme back to September of 2008, when Citibank received documents instructing them to accept instructions by fax from the Ethiopian bank. Included was a list of officials who would confirm the requested transactions (each of them a member of the con team, of course). The signatures of the officials on these documents even appeared to match those in Citibank’s records, so it was all accepted.

In October, Citibank received the faxed requests for money to be wired, and it transferred $27 million to accounts in Japan, South Korea, Australia, China, Cyprus and the United States. After the ruse was discovered, Citibank credited all lost funds. However, the damage to the bank’s already teetering credibility had long since been done. Now, with banks like Citibank nationwide crying to the government for quick loans to help them remain solvent, it makes you wonder why President Obama and his team continue to put up with bank leadership that fall for schemes like this. If it’s because the verification process itself is flawed, then FIX IT!

Related articles

• Citibank Sends Nigerian Scammer $27 Million [Whoops] (consumerist.com)
• DOJ: Nigerian Scammed Citibank Out of $27 Million (gothamist.com)
• 419 scammer impersonates the nation of Ethiopia, takes $27 million from Citibank (boingboing.net)

Obama held a formal dinner with the nation's governors at the White House on Sunday. (Photo: acinablog.wordpress.com

Now that the economic stimulus package has passed, President Barack Obama is wasting no time sending quick loans to states to cover Medicaid.

Medicaid supplements medical costs for poor people who don’t get health insurance through their employers.

Wasting no time

Obama is very specific about when states will get their quick loans: Wednesday. Obama will release $15 billion that day to states that have shortfalls in their Medicaid coverage.

Obama says this money will help 20 million Americans keep their health coverage.

Oversight and transparency

Obama has called on Vice President Joe Biden to monitor how states are using the stimulus money. He is charged with ensuring that no money is wasted.

In effort to stay true to his promises of transparency, Obama created the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board. He appointed Chairman Earl Devaney, inspector general at the Interior Department.

Good examples

Some states have taken their own steps to ensure residents know how the stimulus money is being spent. Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts had a web site created that allows everyone to view how much stimulus money his state is getting and how it is being spent.

A few other states have launched similar web sites, and the White House has a web site with the same concept. Obama encouraged more states to follow suit.

Dinner table talk

At a formal dinner at the White House on Sunday night, Obama made some of his priorities clear in a speech.

The bottom line is, you still have to make sure that schools are open, that children are learning, that people who are falling on hard times are getting help, Obama said.

Spending and saving

(Photo: NY Daily News)

Even as Obama is sending out stimulus money, he is making public his plans to shrink the national debt. Obama plans to speak at a “fiscal responsibility summit” today, where 130 officials will discuss the long-term plans for dealing with the nation’s deficit.

States can expect their quick loans for Medicaid this week, but they can also expect cost-saving changes to come their way.

After he handed out billions of dollars in quick loans to banks, auto retailers and the nation as a whole, President Barack Obama’s next goal may surprise you.  He plans to cut the annual deficit by two-thirds in the next four years.

Big plans

At the beginning of Obama’s presidency, the national debt was $1.2 trillion. That amount will rise to $1.5 trillion after initial spending from the quick loans and other programs in the economic stimulus package. However, Obama’s economic projections say that by the end of 2013, the deficit will be down to $533 billion.

How to slash a deficit

The major components of Obama’s plan are Iraq troop withdrawal and higher taxes on the wealthy. Obama says he’ll release his budget outline Thursday. This outline will also make clear how he intends to deliver campaign promises on health care and energy policy, according to the New York Times.

Funding the Iraq war has accounted for a huge percentage of the nation’s spending, and Obama says his troop withdrawal plan will save about $90 billion.

A few new taxes

Obama proposes taxing income from investments in hedge funds and private equity partners at ordinary income tax rates. Right now those types of income are taxed like capital gains, at the rate of 15 percent. His policy would consider those funds income, and thus they could be taxed up to 35 percent, which is what the most wealthy pay in income tax.

Fewer tax cuts

During Obama’s campaign, he said he would immediately get rid of  the Bush tax cuts on income, dividends and capital gains. However, because of the economy crisis, he plans to instead let them lapse, as scheduled, after 2010 for individuals who make more than $250,000 a year.

Spending cuts

Obama’s proposal will also include spending cuts. One program he proposes spending less money on is Medicare Advantage, which subsidizes insurance companies that cover seniors who could acquire health coverage directly from the government.

He plans to scale back spending on on private contractors. This type of spending went up considerably during the Bush administration. Many of the cuts Obama proposes include cutting spending on private contractors used for defense purposes.

Campaign promises

During his campaign Obama said he would double the United States’ spending on foreign aid. However, given the stimulus package and the economic hardship the nation faces, Obama concedes he will have to scale back that promise.

Healthy promises

However, Obama will not scale back his promise to make sure the 46 million Americans who don’t have health insurance will be covered. He says he can achieve this promise without adding to the deficit thanks to cost-saving changes to health care and by raising revenues.

Energetic promises

Obama says his energy policy will create new revenue by 2012. He plans to charge companies for permits for greenhouse gas emissions, which would be the main revenue generator.  Obama assumes that companies will pass the cost of the permits on to customers, so he says the government will use most of the revenue to offset higher utility bills and related expenses. The remaining revenues would go toward developing alternative energy.

Closing arguments

Obama says is strategy is ”investing in what we need, cutting what we don’t, and restoring fiscal discipline.”

“We can’t generate sustained growth without getting our deficits under control,” he added.

After all the quick loans being handed out, it’s nice to see some debt management kicking in.

If automakers in the U.S. want more easy loans from the government, they may face some big changes. As General Motors seeks to separate itself from European brand Saab, some government officials are considering uniting GM with another company: Chrysler.

As one might imagine, the automakers are not crazy about holding hands with their competition.

Why merge?

The most compelling argument for merging the two companies is to retain jobs. Chrysler is struggling even more than GM, and facing a lot more layoffs on top of the ones already made. Officials think that uniting the two companies could possibly save Chrysler, and thus save lots of jobs.

Why not merge?

The government already issued bailout money to both auto companies in December. At that time, the idea of merging the companies was brought up. The reason they didn’t follow through with this idea before was cost. It will cost billions of bucks to close extra factories and dealerships and combine operations.

Kimberly Rodriguez, head of the global auto practice at Grant Thornton Advisory Services, said she thinks the government will at least consider whether it would be better to loan them even more money so they can combine and emerge as a stronger company down the road, according to CNNMoney.com

More money and still more problems

The U.S. Treasury  gave Chrysler and GM a combined $17.4 billion in easy loans last year. And still, the U.S. auto industry is clamoring for more money. The two companies have asked for up to $21.6 billion more. Both companies were required to draw up viability plans, and they submitted those plans, funding requests in place, to the government last week.

Chrysler’s viability plan

In the viability plan Chrysler submitted last week, the company mentioned the possibility of a merger. However, this was only a minor footnote, not a main component of its plan for survival.

Chrysler did quote one analyst, saying combining its company with GM could produce between $40 billion and $58 billion in extra profit by 2016.

GM’s viability

It seems a tad risky to say that GM is in the position to save anyone. Right now, GM is getting rid of partner companies, not gaining them. GM has already cut loose its Swedish auto brand Saab. Rumors are circulating that it is considering unloading its German unit, Opel.

GM also says in its plan that it is not pursuing any kind of combination with Chrysler. It also seemed more dismissive of the idea than Chrysler, according to CNNMoney.com.

GM spokesman Tom Wilkinson still says he wants to hear suggestions from the federal auto task force on what would best for the company.

More layoffs on the horizon

Both companies are making cuts as the economy, the auto industry and sales outlooks continue to grow weaker.

Chrysler says it plans to cut about 3,000 more U.S. workers. GM said it is planning to lay off about 20,000 U.S. workers this year. GM also says it will close five more plants by 2012. It previously named 12 other plants it expects to shut down. David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research thinks that as the companies get smaller, it will only get easier to merge the two.

If the companies can save more jobs with their easy loans by merging, do you think it’s worth it? Leave your comments.

Friday, Arnold Schwarzenegger signed California’s much-debated budget, which includes quick loans, hefty tax increases and deep spending cuts. So what’s next?

The tax man cometh

New income taxes, sales taxes and vehicle license tax will kick in on April 1, according to the Los Angeles Times. The dependent tax credit will be reduced, which will apply when Californians do their 2009 tax returns.

Switcheroo

Strangely, about seven weeks after the tax increases go into effect, California voters will get a chance to approve or deny them.  Voters must agree pay the tax increases for the next two years. Well, the next one year and 10 months or so.

Banking on the lottery

On May 19, the same day they vote on the tax increases, voters will weigh in on all ballot measures related to the budget. This is where the quick loans come in.

In addition to the tax increases, Californians will vote on whether to borrow $5 million against future lottery proceedings. That way the state can spend future lottery purchases now.

How much?
Sales tax will go up by 1 cent on the dollar. Obviously, how much this tax costs individuals depends on how much money they spend. The vehicle license fee will double, bringing the total fee to 1.15 percent of the car’s value.

Income tax will go up 0.25 percent. For those on the lower end of the income scale, this will cost about $53 per year. For those making $1 million or more who have two dependents, it will cost about $2,250. The dependent tax credit will be reduced by $210 for everyone.

“According to a legislative analysis of those four tax increases, an average family of four with an annual income of $75,000 would pay $963 more a year in taxes.”

More budget ballot

There will be a few more items for Californians to vote on come ballot time. The budget proposes reducing spending on mental health programs by $226. It also takes $608 million from programs aimed at children younger than 5 years old. Voters will have to approve these measures for them to go into effect.

Another ballot measure would put a cap on future state spending — if the voters say the tax hikes can stay in place four years instead of two.

No free lunch for legislators

State leaders’ salaries could take a hit, too.

A constitutional amendment on the ballot would “eliminate salary increases for state officers, including the governor and Legislature, in years with a projected budget deficit.”

Vote heard around the world

Budget negotiations in California were not pretty this year. California requires that two-thirds of legislators approve the budget. After two weeks of debates and battles, they were still coming up one vote short.

Democrats gave some last-minute concessions and won the vote of Republican Sen. Abel Maldonado. According to Central Coast News, Maldonado became “an instant celebrity.”

What happens?

If Californians vote down the tax increases and spending cuts, it will be up to the legislature to figure out how to fix the hole in its spending plans. The legislature may need to try to find more ways to get quick loans in order to avoid another deficit next year.

A new program will help small businesses that are strapped for cash.

Thanks to one of the programs set up through the economic stimulus package, small businesses that are struggling will be able to get quick loans of up to $35,000 through the Small Business Association.

SBA prepares for quick loans

Congress has given the SBA only 15 days to issue guidelines for the brand new program, called the Business Stabilization Program.

The initiative is aimed at keeping more businesses from having to shut down. The economic stimulus package dedicates $255 million to quick, emergency loans for small businesses who are struggling with debt and bills.

A loan for a loan?

The new emergency loans will only be available to businesses that already have  business loans. In fact, the loans can only be used to pay down interest and principal on other loans.

Timing is everything

These quick loans are designed to work somewhat like payday loans. They will help stabilize businesses in the short term by paying for balances that are due now and buying them more time.

Businesses don’t have to start paying back their emergency loans for a year, so it will help with bills that are due in the next six months. The full loan won’t need to be paid back for five years.

Special money

The interest on these loans will be subsidized by the SBA, although the loans won’t be given directly through the SBA.  However, for the first time ever the SBA will offer banks that make the loans a 100 percent guarantee. So if businesses default on their quick loans, the SBA will pay back the banks for them.

No doubt Japan could use some quick loans to turn around its economy. However, with the global recession hitting everyone hard, the country may have nowhere to turn.

Rapid recession

Japan’s economy is shrinking fast. In fact, it is shrinking at the fastest rate in 35 years. Japan’s GDP fell at an astounding annual rate of 12.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008. It’s the worst slide Japan’s economy has seen since the oil shock in 1974.

Employees of such giants as Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Corp. might want to consider quick loans, too. The companies have already made big cuts, but they project they will have to lay off more workers.

No more ordering out

The hardest hit to Japan’s economy has been a hefty decrease in exporting. The United States and European countries are experiencing their own recessions. As countries have decreased spending on imports, Japan’s export industry has taken a major hit.

“There is no question that this is the worst economic crisis since the end of World War II,” said Economy Minister Kaoru Yosano. “The outcome clearly shows that Japan’s export-dependent economy has been severely hit.”

Japan’s bailout

Japan is forming legislation similar to the economic stimulus package in the United States, which President Barack Obama is expected to sign into law tomorrow.

Japan’s economy is collapsing at about three times the speed that the U.S. economy is shrinking. But Japan’s rescue package costs a tiny fraction of the U.S.’s. Officials are urging lawmakers to approve a $52.2 billion “extra budget” that includes sending cash to taxpayers.

Still falling

Japan’s GDP has fallen for three straight quarters. Economists believe the country will definitely experience another quarter of recession. Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura called the economic downturn a once-in-a-century calamity.

With nowhere to go for quick loans, Japan is probably headed for several more months of recession.

Lawmakers had a tough weekend.

Looks like California could use some quick loans right about now. The state with the world’s eighth-largest economy can’t seem to get its budget on track. Even after lawmakers worked through the weekend, the state must continue budget negotiations.

Rough rules

California has a couple of things working against it. First, the state requires that two-thirds of the legislature approves the budget. The last word on the $40 billion proposed bill was that it was one vote short of passing. But a vote is a vote.

Secondly, the state’s constitution forbids running at a deficit. So unless California can get some quick loans for more than $40 billion, it needs to make cuts and raise cash.

Cold cuts

Cutting is exactly what the state will do. The California government has cut down on the cost of employee salaries by forcing some state employees to take unpaid leave. The state is also planning an additional $15.1 billion in spending cuts.

New taxes

The budget now contains higher sales tax, income and gasoline taxes and higher vehicle licensing fees. Some of these measures will be put up for a vote in May. So, even if California lawmakers do reach an agreement and sign the budget, they could face more challenges later.

Still doesn’t add up

Even with $15.1 billion in spending cuts and $14.4 billion in new taxes, it still doesn’t make up for the $42 billion budget gap the state is facing. California is hoping some federal funding is coming its way and planning to borrow some quick loans to the tune of about $11.4 billion.

Related articles

• States Looking To Cut Services, Raise Taxes As Revenue Declines, Budget Deficits Mount (medicalnewstoday.com)
• Big Government, Schwarzenegger-Style (usnews.com)
• California Residents Hit With Sales, Personal Income Increases (shoppingblog.com)

10,000 California state workers could lose jobs if new budget is not passed says Governor Schwarzenegger (telegraph.co.uk)