A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week

AS WE WRAP UP THE HOLIDAY SEASON, HAPPY 2009 TO ALL!

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Tomorrow The Euro Turns Ten

When the clock strikes midnight, not only will we be ushering in a new year, it will also be the ten year anniversary of the Euro.

In celebration of the emergence of the Euro a decade ago, 84,000,000 commemorative Euro coins will be released in "euroland countries."

According to the overseas news source, "The Independent,"The total value of all euro notes in circulation in the world now exceeds those of dollar bills."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The case involving contaminated milk that caused 6 deaths and kidney illness in over 300,000 children in China, has come to trial in that country.

According to The New York Times, "[Tian Wenhua], the former chairwoman of one of China's biggest dairy producers pleaded guilty on Wednesday to selling tainted powdered baby formula."

Wenhua allegedly admitted that she knew the milk her company was selling was toxic as early as May 2008. However, she failed to report that information until August 2008.

For knowingly selling the contaminated milk, Tian Wenhua could receive a death sentence or life imprisonment.

Quote Of The Day

"A book lying idle on a shelf is wasted ammunition. Like money, books must be kept in constant circulation. Lend and borrow to the maximum- of both books and money! But especially books, for books represent infinitely more than money. A book is not only a friend, it makes friends for you. When you have possessed a book with mind and spirit, you are enriched. But when you pass it on you are enriched threefold." -Henry Miller

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: As The Year Closes Stocks Rise

Reports of the decline of the stock market may have attracted buyers seeking a discount.

Stocks have rallied. According to CNN, "The Dow Jones industrial average rose 2.2%. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 2.4% and the Nasdaq composite rose 2.7%."

Financial analysts are predicting that buyers will continued to purchase stocks into the new year.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

Yesterday, New York's former Police Commissioner, Bernard Kerik plead not guilty to falsifying his income tax records.

According to The Gothamist, Kerik was "previously indicted on 16 other charges, including: Conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud, tax fraud and making false statements to the Department of Homeland Security last year."

Quote Of The Day

"The universe is transformation; our life is what our thoughts make it." -Marcus Aurelius

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Agflation Defined

According to Investopedia, agflation is: "An increase in the price of food that occurs as a result of increased demand from human consumption and use as an alternative energy resource.

While the competitive nature of retail supermarkets allows some of the effects of agflation to be absorbed, the price increases that agflation causes are largely passed on to the end consumer. 

The term is derived from a combination of the words 'agriculture' and 'inflation.'

Interest in alternative energies contributes to agflation. In order to produce biofuel (such as biodiesel and ethanol), manufacturers need to use food products such soybeans and corn. This creates more demand for these products, which causes their prices to increase. Unfortunately, these price increases spread to other non-fuel related grains (such as rice and wheat) as consumers switch to less expensive substitutes for consumption.

Furthermore, agflation will also affect non-vegetative foods (eggs, meat and dairy) as the price increases for grain will make livestock feed more expensive as well."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

According to Nolo.com: "In 1998, Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. (18 U.S.C. § 1028).

The Act makes the use of another person's identification with the intent to commit any unlawful activity a federal felony. Federal agencies- including the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service- investigate suspected violations of the Act. The U.S. Department of Justice handles prosecutions.

Federal law enforcement agencies usually do not investigate individual cases unless the dollar amount is high, or the victim is one of many people victimized by the same perpetrator or fraud ring. Additionally, many states have passed or are considering laws related to identity theft."

Quote Of The Day

"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power." -Alan Cohen

Sunday's Op-Ed

I venture to think that poverty could be eliminated in the world if the world's resources were properly managed. On a smaller scale, I always wondered why a country as rich as America would have such abject poverty. America actually pays its farmers not to grow crops in a federal program called, "Soil Bank."

Why would the government want to decrease the availability of food in a country where hunger and starvation exists? The Soil Bank Program is one of the indications that poverty is purposely being planned. Deprivation is profitable to some; and life-altering and potentially deadly to the people who are subjected to it.

The fact that the "powers that be" would encourage suffering and lack among certain factions of people is unconscionable.

Poverty is used as a very powerful weapon of control. If a person's basic needs aren't being met, human nature dictates what the obvious results will be. Poverty encourages crime. Most reasonably deducting people know this. The messed up part is that "the system" knows this better than all, and uses this premise to what they think is their advantage.

By creating poverty, the world's administrators create crime. They then turn around and use taxpayers' money to "fight crime," which they inherently created.

This cycle feeds on itself. It is also one of the oldest and best mouse traps built- so to speak. The challenge of those who weren't born with silver spoons in their mouths, is how to create an effective strategy to evade this tricky cycle. This is something most of us must continue to ponder into the new year.

As the world changes and evolves, it is my hope that the new paradigm will allow for the right resources to be in the right hands. Playwright Thornton Wilder wrote in his tome, "The Matchmaker": "Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow." This should be the thought that is implanted in our minds. Our politicians should especially abide by this as they disburse their budget. They should be double- and triple-checked to make sure that they concur with Thornton's statement.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Gas Prices At Its Lowest Since 2004

Gas prices are at a national average of $1.63. According to CNN, the last time gas prices were this low in the United States was on February 18, 2004.

The record high American national average for gas occurred on July 17, 2008; when gas was on average $4.14 a gallon.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

This year, the Country of Origin Labeling Law, which was passed in 2002, was finally enacted.

This law requires grocery retailers to place a label on the packaging of: Meats, fish, poultry, nuts, fruits, and vegetables indicating where the product originated from.

Butcher shops, fish markets, and stores that did not purchase at least $230,000 worth of produce in a year are exempt from this law. However, other supermarkets and grocery stores have until the end of March 2009 to comply.

Quote Of The Day

"Nothing is so strong as gentleness. Nothing is so gentle as real strength." -Frances de Sales

The Fly Or Die Commerce Report: New Credit Card Regulations To Take Effect In 2010

The Federal Reserve Board, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Office of Thrift Supervision recently passed new regulations for credit card companies.

According to the Federal Reserve Chairman, the new regulations will provide credit card users with fairer terms.

The regulations, which will go into effect on July 1, 2010, will: End double-cycle billing; Prohibit credit card companies from increasing the interest rate on pre-existing balances unless a payment is over 30 days late; Require credit card statements to clearly list payments' due date, and any account changes; and Require that payments be applied to higher-rate balances first.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The Anticybersquatting Consumer Protection Act was passed in 1999. According to Wikipedia, it is a federal law that "makes people who register domain names that are either trademarks or individual's names with the sole intent of selling the rights of the domain name to the trademark holder or individual for a profit liable to civil action."

Recently Verizon won $33.2 million in a lawsuit against a California company that purposely registered domain names that were similar to the communication corporation's trademark.

Quote Of The Day

"My mother said to me, 'If you become a soldier, you'll be a general; if you become a monk, you'll end up as the Pope.' Instead, I became a painter and wound up as Picasso." -Pablo Picasso

Book Excerpt Of The Week: Part 2- "Empower The People" By: Tony Brown

"Investors are rational people, and they are not fooled by the government's printing-press scam. They simply do not want to be paid back with weaker dollars. Therefore, they only have confidence in the U.S. economy when unemployment is high enough to offset the debasing effects on the currency of the circulation of more dollar notes of debt.

In my opinion, this policy has placed our country on an unsustainable path because it ignores the mandate to invest in the future. Officially, the government strives for a sluggish 2 percent annual growth.

Why is the government deliberately stunting the growth of the American economy? 'Because we're in a growth tunnel,' says economist Lester Thurow. And the ceiling and the floor of this growth tunnel are bound by federal debt. For example, if output continued to grow at 4.8 percent annually, the hidden structural flaw in our economy would become apparent to the public. The process of inflationary printing would be exposed, as would maintaining enough joblessness among the poor to protect investments of the wealthy. Also, if the output of the rest of the world is growing about 2 percent, the United States would suck in so many imports that our trade deficit would soar. Professor Thurow says that with that kind of trade deficit problem, at some point 'the dollar falls out of bed' and causes hyperinflation of American assets. Therefore, our debt limits us with a growth ceiling.

The floor is made up of another kind of debt problem, Thurow says. For example, if our overdue recession occurs in 1998, Latin American, which sells most of its exports to the United States, will not earn enough to pay the interest on its debt. Latin America would default and, as a result, the ten largest banks in the United States would be technically bankrupt.

America's dilemma: Both the ceiling debt problem and the floor debt problem in our economy's growth tunnel lead to hyperinflation and ultimately a national disaster.

We lost 28 percent of our standard of living during the Great Depression of 1929. The loss I am describing will be four times as big as the biggest recession since World War II. Poor and marginal families will be hit even harder. To put it mildly, it will be an industrial-size mess. And that means is being intentionally created in the name of fighting inflation." -"Empower The People" By: Tony Brown

Book Excerpt Of The Week: Part 1- "Empower The People" By: Tony Brown

"The prediction that the United States economy will collapse in 1998 may be off by a few months or even years, but a total collapse is inevitable. It is just a matter of time. Facts, such we have seen, do not lie and cannot be legislated out of existence.

Out of what will be a horrible period for the world will come great opportunities for the accumulation of wealth and for spiritual growth. Wealth will not disappear; it will just change hands." -"Empower The People" By: Tony Brown

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: China's Huge Investment In The U.S.

America's ethos of consumerism has led to deficits in their bottom line. Foreign entities that are better savers have become America's lenders.

According to The New York Times, over the last 10 years, China has invested $1 trillion in America's economy. They have mainly purchased American government-backed mortgage debt, and U.S. government bonds.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

After 8 years of litigation, Wal-Mart has settled a class action lawsuit filed by their employees. The employees claimed that the giant retailer did not pay them for overtime, or allow them to take breaks.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Wal-Mart will pay the plaintiffs and their attorneys between $352 million and $640 million for the settlement. The huge payout will reduce the company's fourth-quarter profits.

TODAY IS...

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface

Quote Of The Day

"If a man walks in the woods for love of them half of each day, he is in danger of being regarded as a loafer. But if he spends his days as a speculator, shearing off those woods and making the earth bald before her time, he is deemed an industrious and enterprising citizen." -Henry David Thoreau

R.I.P. Eartha Kitt

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: The New York Times May Sell Off Their Share Of The Boston Red Sox

In an effort to stave off debt, The New York Times newspaper corporation is allegedly considering selling off its holdings in New England Sports Ventures (NESV). According to The Wall Street Journal, The Times owns 17.5% of NESV- which itself owns the Boston Red Sox, most of the cable network on which the Red Sox's games are aired, and Feinway Park. Financial analysts are saying that the struggling periodical could get as much as $200 million for their stake in the Boston sports empire.

If readership and ad revenue continues to decline, the prestigious company may also seek to sell off their other assets. The Times also owns The Boston Globe and About.com.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

Nolo's website says the following about an artist's right to assign their work versus an artist licensing their work: "In a contract for the production or sale of your artwork, you can do one of two things: license your artwork or assign your work. An assignment is like selling your home- you usually give up all ownership rights to your art. A license is akin to renting your home- you temporarily transfer your rights but you retain ownership of the art.

If you get the rights back to your artwork, you are most likely dealing with a license. This return of ownership is usually referred to as a 'reversion' or 'reversionary rights' and is found in most license agreements."

Quote Of The Day

"The Roots of Violence:
Wealth without work,
Pleasure without conscience,
Knowledge without character,
Commerce without morality,
Science without humanity,
Worship without sacrifice,
Politics without principles." -Mohandas K. Gandhi

Video Of The Week: Part 2

How did we end up in a remixed-version of this war in the 21st century?...


Come 2009, the new President must stop this!

Video Of The Week: Part 1

The Humble Living Legend explains the blueprint for life...

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Notebooks Out Pace Desktops

For the first time in the third quarter, shipments of notebook computers have exceeded that of desktop computers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, "Worldwide shipments of notebook computers rose nearly 40% from last year to 38.6 million units, as desktop shipments fell 1.3% to 38.5 million units."

The growth of the demand for notebook computers has been attributed to consumers' desires for cheaper, more compact machines. People are proving to be willing to trade CPU power for affordability and portability.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

In addition to being: A scholar, a political activist, an entertainer- who mastered various genres of art, a professional athlete, and a man who mastered many languages- among other things; Paul Robeson was also an attorney.

He attended Columbia University Law School in New York, and graduated in 1923. He took a job at a law firm. However, despite his brilliance, Paul Robeson had difficulty maneuvering in the law profession due to the racism he was subjected to.

In "Paul Robeson: A Biography," author Martin Duberman reveals: "...The offer came from Louis William Stotesbury, a Rutgers alumnus (class of 1890) and trustee and, at one point in his career, adjutant general for the state of New York, who had frequently lent a helping hand to the schools graduating athletes. Still, the offer to Robeson was special: he would be the only Black in the Stotesbury and Miner law office, secretarial staff included- and in a country where even the handful of Afro-American banks and insurance companies were loath to hire lawyers of their own race. The firm specialized in estates and was currently involved in litigation over Jay Gould's will; Stotesbury assigned Robeson the job of preparing a brief for it.

He worked away diligently (indeed, when the Gould case came to trial, his brief was used) but not comfortably. His color (along with his prepossessing physique) made him a conspicuous presence in the office, and it was commented on, in unfriendly asides, from the first. After a few weeks, the covert mistreatment blossomed into open ugliness: when Robeson buzzed for a stenographer to take down a memorandum of law, she refused- 'I never take dictation from a ni**er,' she purportedly said, and walked out.

Robeson took the matter to Stotesbury, who genuinely commiserated. The two men discussed the situation frankly and fully. Stotesbury expressed admiration for Robeson's abilities but told him straight out that his prospects for a career in law were limited: the firm's wealthy White clients were unlikely ever to agree to let him try a case before a judge, for his race would prove a detriment. Stotesbury said he might be willing to consider opening a Harlem branch of the office and put Robeson in charge of it, but Paul decided instead to resign...

A decade later, after more reflection, Robeson concluded he could never have entered 'any profession where the highest prizes were from the start denied to me.' He never took the bar exam, never again practiced as a lawyer."

[SIDEBAR: Paul Robeson was an active advocate for freedom throughout his whole life. Although the law profession wasn't particularly his calling, other brilliant attorneys picked up and carried the baton. African-American lawyers, and lawyers of other ethnicities as well, who are willing to legally fight in favor of the interest of "the people" are still very much needed. Hypothetical question: Is that your calling? If so, then God speed. May we all fulfill our life's callings.]

Quote Of The Day

"The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority." -Ralph W. Sockman

Will Obama Pass A Law That Will Help To Bolster The Profits Of The Biggest Tobacco Manufacturer?

While he was a Senator, President-Elect Barack Obama helped to co-sponsor a bill that financial pundits are declaring favorable to Altria.

Altria, whose subsidiary is Philip Morris USA, controls about half of the tobacco market in the United States. This profitable company also endorsed the aforementioned Obama-sponsored legislation. The bill, which the President-Elect is likely to sign into law once he takes office, would subject tobacco products to regulation by The Food and Drug Administration.

The question is, "Why would a tobacco giant want to implement a law that would make tobacco-makers and cigarette manufacturers subject to FDA scrutiny?"

Here's the answer: According to CNN, "The proposed legislation might as well be dubbed the Altria Earnings Protection Act. For starters, the bill prevents the FDA from ever banning cigarettes. Just as important, the wording makes it extremely unlikely that the FDA will ever approve a new cigarette product, because the new entrant would have to be deemed 'appropriate for the protection of the public health.' The bill also restores states' ability to restrict tobacco advertising. Yet another part of the measure would require the FDA to crack down on sales of counterfeit cigarettes, which have been a drain on Altria earnings for some time. All of these provisions would be beneficial to Altria, as they would help it 'lock in its already dominant market share,' says Dan Clifton, a political analyst at Strategas Research Partners."

Pretty slick, huh? The old-hat strategy of a giant corporation using government officials to annihilate their competition. All of these slick maneuverings has prompted CNN to place Altria on its list of the best stocks for 2009. With this type of support, Altria's "vice stock" will likely rise in value even during this "recession."

[SIDEBAR: If you are still a smoker, are you ready to give it up in 2009? It's resolution time for a lot of people :)]

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week

Joan Higginbotham: Engineer and former NASA astronaut. She flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-116 as a mission specialist.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Bonus Day On Wall Street

Today is bonus day on Wall Street. In the midst of billions of dollars of bailouts to financial institutions with taxpayers' money, it will be interesting to see how bank executives make out in terms of company perks this year.

Last year, despite the predictions of a deep economic downturn on the horizon, the 600 highest paid bank executives received approximately $1.6 billion in salaries, bonuses, and other benefits. According to the New York Daily News, this amount of money would have been enough to cover the bailout fund given to 53 of the 116 banks that have shared bailout packages thus far.

New York's Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, is in favor of Wall Street executives receiving bonuses, despite recently depleting the American economy by receiving over eleven-figures in federal aid. Mayor Bloomberg stated on a radio show last month, "It’s a populist thing to say I don’t want to give any bonuses...It’s just unrealistic to say that the employees for these companies, who work hard, shouldn’t get compensated at the rate in that industry." The Mayor should note that a lot of people who aren't receiving bonuses, and who have even been layed-off this year, "work hard." Also, most of those people have not been complicit in mismanaging the city's funds. Not showing adequate respect to ALL of the hard working citizens of this city, will hopefully spell that this is Bloomberg's last term in office. The question is who will be the best person to replace him?

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The Federal Food Donation Act of 2008, recently became Public Law 1109-247. The purpose of this law is to, "encourage federal buildings to arrange to have their excess food feed the hungry in the cities where the buildings are located."

Quote Of The Day

"When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

America & Saddam Hussein: A Friendship Gone Wrong (Part 2)

In an excerpt from, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman the author explains the relationship that America had with Saddam Hussein.

"At the end of the Gulf War in 1991, President George H. W. Bush signed an order directing the CIA to foment an overthrow of Saddam Hussein by his own military. According to one estimate, $100 million was set aside for the project. Not having enough operatives in place to make that happen, the CIA hired the Rendon Group, a public relations company, to set up radio and television operations to produce anti-Hussein propaganda...

The destabilize-Iraq account was so large that Rendon had trouble spending the money fast enough. As one employee put it, 'We tried to burn through $40 million in a year. It was a very nice job.' The Rendon propaganda machine would churn out phony stories about Saddam in the British press and watch how each would be picked up and embellished by the American press. In its first year on the Iraq account, Rendon claims not only to have formed the Iraqi National Congress (INC) but also to have given the organization its name. The INC, a coalition of Iraqi and Kurdish groups dedicated to the overthrow of Saddam, became the vehicle for the CIA's propaganda efforts...

In January of 1992, the Rendon Group set up the Iraqi Broadcasting Corporation as well as Radio Hurriah, which began beaming bunk from a U.S.-controlled transmitter in Kuwait. Months later, it convened a meeting in Vienna of major Iraqi opposition groups and named the umbrella organization the Iraqi National Congress." -From, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

Book Review Of The Month: “Prince of Darkness” By: Alan Weisman

Richard Perle has been called the “architect” of the current trillion dollar war that we are now engaged in. He has also bore the moniker, the “Prince of Darkness.” The biographical tome, entitled with his nickname is more than just a biography. It is a book that depicts the inner workings of the United States’ government, especially as it relates to foreign policy. Perle, a man who has had a strong hand in international policies for several administrations, is just a conduit for the author to reveal how warmongering and foreign policy is really implemented.

In “Prince of Darkness,” Alan Weisman describes a world where “public officials” manipulate their positions of power to rake in public dollars, and boost their global influence. This is also a book that explains plots and counterplots, such as how Saddam Hussein’s alliance with America turned into a rivalry, and how negotiations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union unfolded during the Reagan administration. Most importantly, this book leaves readers with the message of the smoke and mirrors that are used to inform the public of how the nation is being run.

The importance of the President’s advisers is highlighted in this book. While the Commander-in-Chief is seen as a powerful decision maker by some, “Prince of Darkness” creates the impression that it is easy for a President to be misinformed and manipulated by his cabinet and other advisers who have his ear. This book emphasizes the notion that the choice of the President’s advisers is extremely important to the efficient and proper running of this country. Anyone who is interested in politics, and the future conditions of this country, should peruse this book.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Mortgage Applications On The Rise

In the midst of rock bottom interest rates, homeowners seeking mortgages are rising. People are anxious to borrow money with a less than 1% interest rate attached to the principal.

According to the Wall Street Journal, "A large percentage of the applications are for refinancings rather than purchases."

How this new economic phenomenon of the combination of miniscule interest rates and a mortgage surge will play out in this tenuous market has yet to be seen. Even analysts are reluctant to make a prediction.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

According to "Legal Research" (By: Elias & Levinkind), the difference between a trial and a summary judgment is: "Trials are held to determine the facts when they are [in] dispute...Summary judgment is premised on the fact that there are no factual disputes, and therefore no need for a trial. The judge can go ahead and apply the relevant law to the undisputed facts."

Quote Of The Day

"Remember, if you’re headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns!" -Allison Gappa Bottke

The Legal Eagles Legal Brief: The Case Of Barbie v. Bratz

A federal court has ruled in favor of Barbie manufacturer, Mattel, and ordered MGA Entertainment Inc. to cease to produce their Bratz dolls. According to The Chicago Tribune, "The jury awarded Mattel up to $100 million in damages," after they found "that the Bratz creator developed the idea [for the popular doll] while working at Mattel." A lot of companies have iron-clad non-compete clauses inserted into their employment contracts that prevent employees from branching out into the industry on their own.

In addition to monetary damages, the verdict also requires that Bratz recalls their dolls after the holiday season.

Bratz's manufacturer is not taking the verdict lying down. The Chicago Tribune states that MGA plans to appeal on the notion that, "The Bratz empire was founded on four dolls- Jade, Sasha, Yasmin and Cloe...which [they] no longer make...The other dolls [do] not violate the law and they should be able to sell them."

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Wal Mart Seeks To Expand Into Chile

Wal Mart is in negotiations to purchase a majority share in D&S, Chile's largest grocery store chain. D&S is a highly profitable retailer. According to the Wall Street Journal, the retailer "posted a $106 million profit in its last fiscal year, a 23.7% increase from the year before." In addition to having 140 stores, D&S assets also include a credit card business.

Wal Mart has also reportedly successfully purchased established retailers in China, Brazil, and Japan.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The Fruit Of Poisonous Tree Doctrine is defined by Black's Law Dictionary as: "Evidence which is spawned by or directly derived from an illegal search or illegal interrogation is generally inadmissible against the defendant because of its original taint, through knowledge of facts gained independently of the original and tainted search is admissible. This doctrine is to the effect that an unlawful search taints not only evidence obtained at the search, but facts discovered by process initiated by the unlawful search. This doctrine is generally applied to cases involving searches in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution right against unlawful searches and seizures, but it can be applied to searches in violation of a statutory right."

Quote Of The Day

"Young African Americans are a posse sent ahead to scout uncharted social and psychological domains. The posse may be killed, maimed, or wounded so that the rest of the society can occupy the social terrain that has been scouted with relative personal safety." -Timothy M. Simone

America & Saddam Hussein: A Friendship Gone Wrong (Part 1)

In an excerpt from, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman the author explains the relationship that America used to have with Saddam Hussein.

"Evidently, the choice was easier between Iran and Iraq during their savage war in the 1980s. Although the United States was officially neutral, it provided Saddam Hussein with everything from intelligence officers to training for Iraqi nuclear weapons scientists and a long list of chemical and biological agents whose export was officially banned, but which, with a wink and a nod, were listed as 'dual use.' Not only was the United States aware that Iraq was using chemical weapons against the Iranians, it was helping their efforts. Iraq employed U.S. military intelligence to 'calibrate attacks with mustard gas on Iranian ground troops,' and used some sixty U.S. officers of the Defense Intelligence Agency to help plan battles and airstrikes and to assess bomb damage. Washington also gave Saddam intelligence gathered by Saudi-owned AWACS aircraft operated by U.S. personnel, plus huge loans from the Export-Import Bank.

Once again, the moral relativism of foreign policy makers allowed them to justify backing Iraq for the sale of oil, for the sake of the Arab-Israeli balance, and as payback to Iran for taking and holding American hostages...

Not only was the United States shipping out material and advisers to help Saddam Hussein, but it had dispatched special envoy Donald Rumsfeld, at the time CEO of the GD Searle pharmaceutical company, to obtain Saddam's approval for construction of a new pipeline that would run Iraqi oil through to Aquaba in Jordan, the Iranians and Syrians having cutt off the flow of Iraqi oil through its territories.

The now infamous photo of Rumsfeld and Saddam shaking hands at their meeting in Baghdad has since become an Internet icon, a symbol of the moral relativism of American foriegn policy. Saddam Hussein was every bit the murderous tyrant in 1983 that he was in 2003, but, according to an Iraqi intelligence officer present at the meetings, "All Rumsfeld wanted to talk about were business deals.' It is a testament to both Rumsfeld impudence and his ignorance that his secret plan was to run a tap off that pipeline into Israel, a scheme he hoped to sell to Jordan's King Hussein...King Hussein immediately rejected the idea." -From, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: The Automakers Bailout

Using the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), President Bush has granted General Motors and Chrysler $13.4 billion in federal loans. General Motors will get the bulk of the loan, receiving $9.4 billion.

The loans have a term of three years. However according to CNN, "The money will have to be repaid in full within 30 days if the firms do not show themselves to be viable by March 31."

President-Elect Barack Obama is in favor of Bush's decision to bailout the automakers, calling it a "necessary step."

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

According to Black's Law Dictionary, the Fugitive Slave Law is defined as: "Acts of Congress passed in 1793 and 1850 (prior to the abolition of slavery) providing for the surrender and deportation of slaves who escaped from their masters and fled into the territory of another state, generally a 'free' state."

Quote Of The Day

"Reading has changed forever the course of my life." -Malcolm X

Book Excerpt Of The Week: Part 2- "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

"Part of the Reagan legend was his 1979 visit to the NORAD missile warning facility in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. The trip had been arranged by a Hollywood screenwriter friend of Reagan's, and Reagan had invited another friend, economist Martin Anderson, to join him. Anderson, an unabashed Reagan worshiper, described the visit as an epiphany for the California governor. When their tour guide, air force general James Hill, explained to Reagan that because the facility had been designed in the 1960s, the current Soviet ICBMs could not be stopped if launched, 'a look of disbelief came over Reagan's face.' Apparently, this was the first time it had occurred to the president-to-be that there was no reliable defense for incoming missiles. Anderson then claims that it was his memorandum to candidate Reagan proposing development of a missile defense shield that set in Motion the Strategic Development Initiative, or Star Wars, program that became the centerpiece of Reagan's overall foreign policy. As author Frances Fitzgerald points out, why Reagan would listen to what an economist had to say about nuclear missile defense is a mystery, especially since his memo is filled with so many mistakes regarding terminology and plausible systems design that he was 'clearly talking through his hat.'

Nevertheless, the very idea of a missile shield guarding the 'shining city on a hill' had obvious appeal to Reagan; it was a simple idea he could sell. Aiding and abetting the exercise were former B-Teamers Edward Teller and Dan Graham, who were busy flooding the Defense Department with proposals for fantastic weapons that would require billions of dollars with very little chance of a meaningful return. Teller's rhetoric was especially preposterous; he warned Reagan in one memo that the Soviets were ready to deploy 'powerful directed energy weapons to militarily dominate both space and earth.' Despite Teller's fantasies, his opinions carried great weight in political circles. especially among those whose knowledge of science was minimal at best. Teller and his followers would be joined by Perle acolyte Frank Gaffney, from the old Scoop Jackson team, who became such a relentless advocate for the missile shield idea that even some of his friends and colleagues consider him 'out there.'

'I'm not a rocket scientist,' Gaffney told me. 'I'm not an engineer or a physicist. I don't know the answer to the question of what exotic technologies might be brought to bear. But my sense of technology and the extraordinary capability of this country is that it will be.' Gaffney remains a believer despite more than two decades and $100 billion of research that has produced no significant results. Even with the benefit of hindsight, Gaffney refuses to concede that Reagan's infatuation with SDI was misguided or that the long list of skeptical scientists was correct after all." -From, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

Book Excerpt Of The Week: Part 1- "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

"The lure of a new, like minded administration began to play on Perle's ego and his imagination. He was recruited onto no less than three Reagan transition-team groups: State, Defense, and Export-Import bank. This was one of the opportunities that played to Perle's strength: his ability to place those who shared his views in positions that mattered. For more than a year, Perle had been part of a good-old-boy network that met every other Friday for lunch at the Madison Hotel. They were mostly top staff aides to conservative senators and congressman including John Tower, Strom Thurmond, Jake Garn, Gordon Humphrey, and Malcolm Wallop. Money for the lunches and trips for the group was provided by the benignly titled Institute for American Relations, a tax-exempt entity formed by John Carbaugh, and aide to Thurmond and Jesse Helms. The Madison Group, as it came to be known, would plot ingenious ways to thwart their dovish counterparts, and blue-sky about the potential of a Reagan administration.

'It wasn't a collaborative organizational structure,' Perle said. 'It was an occasional lunch. I gave my views on some things and listened to what people had to say.' Most of those in the group would end up on the Reagan transition team, and then as part of the administration. After Lehman was nominated as navy secretary, Perle pushed for Paul Wolfowitz, Elliot Abrams, and Mike Rashisi for major jobs in the dreaded State Department; Perle's friend and arms control mentor Fred Ikle was already ensconced at Defense, so the pieces were falling into place. While ideological opponents saw a dark conspiracy in this spreading network of like-minded bureaucrats, the fact is virtually everyone who lands a job of any import in Washington is part of some cadre- political, ideological, fraternal, or social." -From, "Prince Of Darkness: Richard Perle" By: Alan Weisman

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Japan Cuts Their Interest Rate

Following suit with America's drastic hack to the interest rate earlier this week, Japan has also cut their interest rate to an unprecedented rock-bottom level.

The Bank of Japan has reduced their interest rate to 0.1% in order to combat the recession that appears to be spreading across the globe like a virus.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The music industry decided to drop their collective lawsuit against free music downloaders. In 2003, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) started suing tens of thousands of online music fans for piracy when they freely downloaded music. Some of the defendants, who were just regular everyday people, were hit with unaffordable fines.

After finding that the lawsuits left the music industry with a black eye in the arena of public relations, and failed to be a deterrent for free online file sharing, the RIAA has announced that they are abandoning the "take 'em to court" approach.

TODAY IS...

PLEASE PASS THIS ON! (EACH ONE TEACH ONE OR TWO!) THIS IS PHASE ONE ON HOW WE CAN HELP TO STRENGTHEN & EMPOWER OUR COMMUNITY:The 2008 not guilty verdict in the Sean Bell case evoked outrage, emotion, and debate. It is not an anomaly that the police officers involved in the Sean Bell slaying were acquitted of all charges on all counts in State Supreme Court. I could run out of ink printing the names of people who have been victimized by the inaptly named justice system.

The American justice system has been especially terroristic towards the African American community. Many community members can cite historic and personal accounts to prove this. Therefore, it would be foolhardy (at the least) to turn to a system that has methodically oppressed us, and request that they free us. We can only free ourselves through extreme discipline and intelligent planning.

As a community we have been too compliant with leaders who organize ineffective, delayed reactions. The only strategy that can save us in this last hour is one that calls for a collective code of conduct that will be conducive to improving the conditions of our community, and shifting the paradigm of how we are treated by outside entities. The first step of this code of conduct should be based on economics.

The old adage of “money talks,” still reigns true in the new millennium. Any political scientist worth his or her library card will tell you that: “Economic powerlessness equals political powerlessness,” and conversely “economic power equals political power.” This means that if we continue to allow our wealth to be extracted from our community, we will remain impotent.

The power of the collective “Black Dollar” is often discussed. However, that power has been left unchanneled. Today is the day to change that. A one-time boycott is not going to bring long-term change and respect to our community. Our community has launched boycotts before. Our success and ascension will be based on what we consistently do. For this reason, we should initiate “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS.”

BUY BLACK FRIDAYS is a small step towards our community acquiring power via controlling our economics. Every Friday, people who acknowledge the injustice and oppression that the African American community has been consistently subjected to should do one of the following:

Option #1: Spend $0 on Friday
Option #2: Spend no more than $10 on Friday
Option #3: Only Shop at Black Businesses on Friday
[PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ABOVE OPTIONS CAN & SHOULD BE EXERCISED ON A DAILY BASIS. However, we can all at the very least focus on Fridays. This way we can take a collective stand and build our collective discipline. Please remember that this is only Phase 1!].

To the people who are tempted to label “BUY BLACK FRIDAYS” as racist, I say this: In the big scheme of things, this is about right & wrong, justice & injustice. The African American community is a strong, proud community that has endured the brunt of America’s iron fist. We must stop the pounding. I feel that any fair-minded individual will concur, and join in.

ANY business that is privileged to enjoy the support of the African American community MUST return that support.

I thank you in advance for your effort and dedication.

-Elsie Law AKA Starface

Quote Of The Day

"If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities." -Maya Angelou

This Might Be The Reason For The Unstable Weather We've Been Having

A team of international scientists have stated that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is at a dangerous level. The level is reportedly high enough to cause perilous changes to the climate. According to CNN, other negative side effects of the high concentration of CO2 are: "Expanding desertification, food shortages, increased storm intensities, loss of coral reefs and the disappearance of mountain glaciers that supply water to hundreds of millions of people."

Scientists are urging that we reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, or suffer the consequences. Some are suggesting reforestation, and the use of natural fertilizers to reduce the high levels.

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: Panasonic Is Set To Buy Sanyo

According to The Wall Street Journal, after weeks of negotiations, Panasonic is ready to purchase a majority stake in Sanyo Electronics.

Bu buying into the Japanese Corporation, which is reportedly worth more than $9 billion, Panasonic will be primed to compete with Hitachi- Japan's biggest electronics manufacturer. However, the deal has yet to be completed. Some final details are allegedly still being worked out.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

The Illinois Supreme Court has refused to remove Governor Rod Blagojevich from office.

The Illinois Governor was arrested last week on charges that he tried to auction-off President Elect Obama's vacant Senate seat. After this occurrence, the state's Attorney General questioned Governor Blagojevich's "fitness to serve," and urged the state's Supreme Court to impeach him.

Although the Court has declined to unseat the government official, the Illinois House has put together a committee that will serve as an impeachment panel. As for now, Governor Blagojevich is still in office. He refuses to resign amidst the scandal.

How this quagmire will proceed is up in the air. According to the New York Daily News, the Governor's attorney is arguing that, "neither the law nor the Constitution spell out the standard for impeachment or what evidence should be considered."

Quote Of The Day

"Rob a people of their sense of history and you take away hope." -Wyatt T. Walker

Shouldn't Somebody Be Getting Indicted For This?

According to a revealing New York Daily News article, there is proof- via e-mails, that Mayor Bloomberg's aides covertly "pressured city tax assessors to inflate [the] value" of land under which the new Yankee Stadium sits.

The mayor's aides allegedly did this so that the New York Yankee's team owners could qualify for nearly $1 billion in tax-free bonds. The Daily News states: "In March 2006, the city's chief tax assessor put the market value for the stadium site at $27 million, far lower than the Yankees wanted. A Finance Department official ordered him to redo the report. Within hours he jacked it up to $204 million."

Despite the incriminating evidence, Bloomberg's aides are adamant that they did nothing wrong. What do you say? I say, "Shouldn't Somebody Be Getting Indicted For This?" (Or, at the bottom-of-the-barrel least, investigated?)

[SOURCE]

[SIDEBAR: See what I mean about this fake "recession." How could the city not be financially sinking with unethical (and, probably criminal) maneuvers like this from "City Officials"?...All of this from the administration of a mayor who wants a third term?!]

[CLICK HERE for a past post on the building of the new Yankee Stadium, entitled, "It's A Recession, Yet This Is How New York's Officials Choose To Spend Taxpayers' Money..."

Video Of The Week: Part 2

David Robinson, the son of Jackie Robinson, speaks on his father's legacy and the struggle.

Video Of The Week: Part 1

One man's tribute to Jackie Robinson...

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: The Interest Rate Hits Rock Button

The Federal Reserve cut the interest rate to the unprecedented range of 0%-.25%. The Fed did this in an effort to combat the recession. The maneuver helped to rally the sale of stocks and treasury bonds on Wall Street. However, consumer and housing spending is still on the decline, and is expected to continue to fall in the new year.

Elsie Law's Daily Dose Of The Law

New York's Attorney General and the federal Consumer Product Safety Commission, settled a lawsuit that requires about a handful of dollar stores to recall children's jewelry that has been proven to contain lead paint.

The dollar stores found liable in this suit are mostly located in New York. The stores, and the wholesalers/manufacturers that sold the discount stores the toxic accessories, were required to pay monetary penalties ranging from $500 to $10,000- in addition to the required recall.

Quote Of The Day

"One of the most effective ways to keep a people enslaved, in a scientific and technical state which is dependent upon a relatively high rate of literacy, is to create in that people a disrespect and fear of the written and spoken word." -Haki Madhubuti

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words Pic Of The Week

A. G. Gaston. (Google him).

Today's Fly Or Die Commerce Report: AT&T and T-Mobile Hit With Light Fines

AT&T and T-Mobile were recently required to pay fines for having advertising that overstates the security of their voicemail systems.

A Los Angeles court found that the mobile phone companies' voicemails aren't "safe from hackers" like their promotions suggests.

The fines were a light slap on the wrists. AT&T agreed to pay $59,300. T-Mobile is to pay $25,000. However, neither company has admitted to any wrongdoing. According to Information Week, "Both companies said they are committed to user security, and are encouraging subscribers to set up advanced passwords for more protection."