rodjenkins

Mortgages that were packed up into investments did not always perform well. For investors, there turned into a bad deal. A few lines in contracts mean something important, though. The poor home loans might really be the responsibility of the banks. A term written into many of the investments could imply banks have to spend $60 billion to re-buy mortgages gone terribly. Countless numbers have lost their homes while others struggled through payday loan after pay day loan just to remain on top of their mortgages.

Home loan securities having problems with a clause

Billions were made by banking institutions that packaged, sold and re-packaged home loan investments. Many of these home loan investments were more than just poor credit loans, however. A term was put in the investments that said the financial institution would re-purchase loans if the loans did not go well. The home loan bubble seemed to be doing really well. That means it didn’t matter much. Banking institutions are not happy about the buybacks being forced with all the properties in foreclosure.

Sixty billion dollars legal responsibility to keep control over

The home loan backed investments buyback was triggered by values dropping. Credit ratings dropping didn’t help either. Agencies about credit rating have estimated that about $60 billion in buyback legal responsibility is owned. The six largest banking institutions face this. The legal responsibility isn’t all on the banks though. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae own another half of it. Bank of America paid Fannie and Freddie in January to purchase back several home loans. About $2.5 billion was paid for this. States like NV have high foreclosures although the mortgages are spread throughout the country.

Having a ton of buybacks happening

Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase have to do lots of buybacks. They have the “highest exposure” to it. Banks not buying mortgages back are getting sued by private investors, mortgage finance corporations and insurers. Some of the loans may be repurchased by the banks. They surely won’t all be bought back though. Investors could have bad loans their contracts say should not be there while banking institutions might have years of poor loans and lawsuits to package with.

Information from

New York Times

dealbook.nytimes.com/2011/02/09/banks-could-face-60-billion-tab-on-bad-loans/

Marijuana use and psychological illness has been connected in a new study. A review in excess of 80 studies found that pot use was linked to mental condition for instance schizophrenia or other psychosis creating faster in patients prone to mental illnesses. It’s “Reefer Madness” all over again.

Psychological illness for Cannabis users

There is new research being done currently putting a connection among marijuana and psychological illnesses coming faster. WebMD explains that those predisposed to creating mental condition will experience this. The study could be published in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, a psychiatric science journal. The study was compiled by a team of researchers led by Dr. Matthew Large from the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney, Australia. There were over 8,000 individuals that got reviewed in the 83 studies done. It was discovered that psychological illnesses, especially schizophrenia, are more likely to come earlier with pot use.

Marijuana and other narcotic use

In the study, there’s a connection clearly shown with cannabis use. It shows that psychological illnesses like schizophrenia show symptoms quicker when marijuana is being utilizes assuming the person is already at risk for the disease. Those who used marijuana had symptoms 2.7 years earlier than those who didn’t. This was with schizophrenia. People who used multiple substances, including cannabis, cocaine and other drugs, developed symptoms of psychological condition two years earlier than those who did not use narcotics. The Time reports that alcohol would not accelerate symptoms as long as it was the only thing used. Tobacco use is noted in the study as not having enough evidence to discover any affect on psychological illness.

Study warns those at risk of psychological illness should not use narcotics

It has been suggested several times that people at risk for psychological condition should not use psychoactive substances. There has been more than one research suggesting a link among schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis and cannabis use. There’s a quicker onset of symptoms for mental illnesses due to cannabis. There hasn’t been any evidence to suggest schizophrenia is brought on by weed though.

Citations

Web MD

webmd.com/schizophrenia/news/20110207/earlier-onset-of-schizophrenia-linked-to-pot

Health Land

healthland.time.com/2011/02/07/marijuana-linked-with-earlier-onset-of-schizophrenia-in-research-review/

Archives of General Psychiatry

archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/archgenpsychiatry.2011.5v1

The health care law has been ruled unconstitutional by a Florida judge. Vinson, a U.S. district court judge, is the second judge so far to rule against the medical care law. He agreed with the position outlined in a lawsuit filed by 26 state attorneys general. The specific mandate of the medical care law is the point of contention, which will require most Americans to acquire medical care coverage. This could require many American’s to take out pay day loans just to cover this further costs in their life.

The specific mandate isn’t okay in accordance with the Commerce Clause

The health care law is unconstitutional in accordance with United States District Court Judge Vinson who was appointed by Reagan as a Republican judge. He suggested the Affordable Care Act be thrown out in its entirety. The individual mandate is something Vinson believes needs to be taken out of there. He thinks that under the Commerce Clause in the United States Constitution, Congress overstepped boundaries. The Commerce Clause was cited by a judge in Virginia last month that made a similar ruling. However, Vinson takes it a step further by insisting that the whole medical care law be voided. He made comments on why this is supposed to occur. The specific mandate and the rest of the law are “inextricably bound together in purpose and must stand or fall as a single unit.”

The way the Republicans plan to repeal

Uninsured medical care expenses are pretty pricey. About $43 billion a year is paid for it. Because the government is stuck with the bill, the Obama administration contends the specific mandate is legitimate regulation. Many opponents of the law focus on the specific mandate which will make the health care reform possible. The Commerce Clause suit had several who helped initiate it. This included 1 democrat and 12 republicans making up 13 attorneys general. There have been 13 more Republican attorneys general that have joined up since then.

How the constitution changes the medical care reform debate

If you were to ask the Center for American Progress, it would say the medical care law is constitutional. This is a liberal think tank for Washington. Over 125 legal scholars signed a statement released on Jan 18 that states the law is constitutional as the specific mandate is a tax provision. Then there is the opponent opinion. It’s considered a fine by opponents. But in accordance with the CAP, because the specific mandate needs Americans to either purchase health insurance or pay a penalty, it’s a tax. For 200 years, the Supreme Court has allowed Congress to tax in order to help general welfare.

Citations

Bloomberg

bloomberg.com/news/2011-01-31/obama-health-care-reform-act-unconstitutional-judge-says-in-26-state-suit.html

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2011/01/18/2022545_p2/more-states-join-florida-lawsuit.html

ABC News

blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/01/unconstitutional-federal-judge-rules-against-health-reform-invalidates-law-over-individual-mandate.html

Chrysler is preparing to issue by the hour and salaried employees bonuses, reports the Detroit Free Press. In a business e-mail, CEO Sergio Marchionne proclaimed the good work staffs on the industrial side have done to make it feasible for 16 new or revamped automobiles to hit the sector in 2010 made the bonuses necessary. Bonuses could be delivered on Feb. 11, according to Chrysler spokesman Mike Palese.

Reward for by the hour and salary Chrysler staff

Each of Chrysler’s 22,000 U.S. and 7,600 Canadian by the hour employees with receive $750 in recognition for their achievements, said Palese. You will find 10,000 within the United States and 750 Canadian salaried staff that will get a number not revealed by Palese.

Many are confused as to why Chrysler is paying all the bonuses. The business reported altered operating profit of $198 million for the fourth quarter of 2010 although the whole year reported a $652 million loss. In the Chrysler altered operating revenue, interest on loans wasn’t included. This included interest the government got on the TARP loans.

Profitability suggested

The amount that Chrysler has accomplished is something Sergio Marchionne is proud of.

“It is a performance payment in recognition of what I consider to be extraordinary performance. … The way this house has responded to the introduction of 16 cars has been extraordinary,” Marchionne explained. This was to analysts in a conference call.

All the taxpayers who footed the bill for the auto bailout are upset that Chrysler is sending out perks before doing more work even though Marchionne is bound to score points with the staff by rewarded employees for hard work rather than working on “bottom line profitability”.

Profits forecasted in 2011

Revenue between $200 million and $500 million are what Chrysler expects to make in 2011. This could be after the expected $55 billion in revenue. Hopefully, the business can actually do this to improve from the $652 million net loss this year. The automaker said the TARP loan interest is what brought on the loss. There were higher car launch costs and increased advertising that did not help much. The lower volume was also an issue.

The practice of portraying fourth quarter profits in “modified” form was a way of decorating a financial pie that might have only been half-baked, experts believe. A recorded “profit” for instance this meant that the company could report good news. It was the first quarter since bankruptcy that profit was recorded.

Articles cited

Auto News

autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110131/OEM/110139998/1250

Detroit Free Press

freep.com/article/20110131/BUSINESS0103/110131007/1049/SPORTS01/Chrysler-narrows-4Q-net-loss-posts-operating-profit?odyssey=nav%7Chead

TARP committee warnings to Chrysler about bonuses

youtube.com/watch?v=DM-Zm7YNTvg

Raining jump shots that ignite Brigham Young University’s offense is apparently Jimmer Fredette’s raison d’être, according to the Twitter-sphere. On Jan. 26, Fredette and the ninth-ranked Brigham Young University Cougars stunned the fourth-ranked San Diego State University Aztecs 71-58 with so many long-range jumpers, Twitter had a meltdown. Twitter was overwhelmed by Jimmer Fredette love. The servers took a powder. Source for this article – Jimmer Fredette scores points – and tweets – in bunches by Newsytype.com.

News coverage of Fredette

Jimmer Fredette is concerned about not getting almost as much exposure as Duke or North Caroline players get even though the Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, has Brigham Young University in there filling it often. With 27.7 points per game, Fredette has the title of leading scorer within the nation. The local media have coined the phrase, “You’ve been Jimmered” to signify the opposition has been torched.

There is more talk about him though. Oklahoma Thunder National Basketball Association star Kevin Durant punctuated the torrent of Jimmer Fredette-themed tweets with the solitary proclamation that “Jimmer Fredette is the best scorer in the world!!” Washington Wizards rookie sensation John Wall tweeted that “Jimmer Fredette is cold! #respect.” Fredette is the focus of his team’s offense and opposition defenses, and he continues to put up NBA-draft-quality numbers.

The bane of the ‘Great White Hope’

Skeptical basketball fans wonder if Fredette, a 6-foot-2 white guard, is doing it all with smoke and mirrors. He does not dominate the opposition with athleticism however with what several scouts consider to be perfect form on the jump shot and above-average ball-handling skills that enable him to drive the ball into the teeth of the defense. The National Basketball Association draft is coming up. Is he good enough to get picked?

While the issue of race shouldn’t be a factor in assessing a basketball player’s ability, the fact is that talented white basketball players not named Larry Bird, will bear the “Great White Hope” tag unfairly at some point. Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison is a recent example. For each “Great White Hope” that succeeds within the NBA, you will find many others who fail. Jimmer Fredette will succeed within the NBA if he ignores the hype, bulks up physically and develops greater quickness. He does have an amazing jump shot.

Information from

ESPN

espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/6065178/jimmer-fredette-carry-byu-ncaas

NBA Soup

nbasoup.com/?p=361

New York Daily News

nydailynews.com/sports/college/2011/01/27/2011-01-27_byu_star_jimmer_fredette_draws_praise_from_kevin_durant_john_wall_more_after_43p.html

Rivals.com

rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/players/73082

FOX Sports shoots straight on Jimmer Fredette

youtube.com/watch?v=8XE3fFd6g4A

In 2 separate analyses published this week, sleep disorders has been connected to negative health outcomes. Children who do not have regular sleep have a higher risk of weight problems. Rest may also help memories build and be stronger.

The ways sleep and obesity connect together

Researchers studied the rest habits of 300 kids, ages 4 to 10 years old. The researchers found that, on average, kids who got irregular rest were more likely to be obese. The amount of sleep the kids got didn’t correlate. It was just the change in resting patterns from day to day. The results were explained by Dr. David Gozal who led the study saying, “We think that the direction of the arrow is you sleep less, you eat more, you exercise less because you’re tired, and therefore you gain more weight.”

The link between rest and memory

In the journal Nature Neuroscience today, a second sleep study was published. It was discovered by German scientists that about 25 percent more information was retained by subjects who took a nap right after studying than the others. One theory is that memories are “downloaded” during sleep to be put in the long-term part of the brain after being put within the short-term part at first. In short, rest helps cement memories.

Enough sleep a problem

It can be really hard to get enough sleep for those of almost any age. For school-aged kids and adolescents, nine hours or more per night is usually recommended. Adults are really only intended to get between 8 and 10 hours. This is considered “enough” by most. It isn’t that hard to determine what sufficient is for your body. You just have to rest until you wake up. The good news is, however, that “catching up” on rest appears to be helpful. Catching up on sleep over the weekend can help reduce risk of being overweight between 280 percent and 400 percent.

Articles cited

AFP

google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ir9Aq3KpWK1wbwDG1A9sqQLxq0nQ?docId=CNG.3d70bb040bdfdd29691ee978be81fc1a.2e1

Fox News

foxnews.com/health/2011/01/24/study-sleep-extra-pounds-kids/

Google wanted Groupon, but Groupon did not think $6 billion was rich enough for their blood. Now Google is taking the booming internet coupon enterprise into its own hands, reports Mashable. Google Offers should give Groupon a run for its considerable cash. Hopefully Groupon does not get stuck taking out pay day loans just to stay in enterprise.

Google Offers a customer win

Up to 50 percent off of internet purchasing is something offered by groups like Groupon and Living Social. The customers who love this are sure to like another place doing the very same thing as Google Offers plans on doing. The business already has a huge reach of access. That means it should not be difficult to get enterprise promotion locally. Over $1 million a day is made by Living Social supposedly. At the very same time, Groupon is on its way to a possible $15 billion Initial Public Offering valuation while, in history, might be the largest ever. Google is sure to make a ton of cash with an internet coupon company.

Groupon imitated

Seeing as the Groupon layout has been very successful with consumers, it makes sense that Google Offers would have the exact same kind of Groupon layout, reports Mashable. However, powerful Google tools like Checkout, Analytics, ad networks and more should be more than enough to help Google Offers stand on its own. Google is a brand name too. That should help quite a bit. There is a lot of power in the “Google” name. Several notice it being very strong.

Pre-paid program from Google Offers

MSNBC accounts that a pre-paid system can be set up by Google Offers. That means that smaller businesses can get local promotion without paying too much. It’s really helpful for businesses not to have to pay unless customers actually use the internet coupon. This will help smaller businesses a lot. Mashable’s Ben Parr explains the Google Offers system this way:

“Google will pay out 80 percent of a business’ revenue share three days after its deal runs. Google will hold the remaining 20 percent for 60 days to cover refunds before sending the rest.”

Articles cited

Mashable

mashable.com/2011/01/21/google-offers-groupon/

MSNBC

technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/01/21/5891547-more-deal-duels-as-google-offers-takes-on-groupon

Financial News Network coverage of Google Offers

youtube.com/watch?v=gg4S5Qqo8No

The Stir reports that Westboro Baptist Church Pastor Fred Phelps has sounded off over the shootings in Tucson, AZ. Unfortunately, those feelings are that shooter Loughner is a “soldier hero” of God, while those who fell – including a 9-year-old girl – deserved God’s righteous fury that day in a Tucson Safeway supermarket. Where does Phelps get his money to travel and boycott all these funerals, someone has to be giving him a personal loan of some sort.

Fred Phelps finding out what the line between free speech and hate speech is

Loughner was said to have been doing the work of a higher power when gunning down Re. Gabrielle Giffords and others some say although human compassion is obviously not there to see it being done. There have been many who can’t figure out how to draw the line between free speech, which the U.S. Constitution permits, and hate speech. The Westboro Baptist Church and Fred Phelps have been accused of hate speech often.

Currently on the docket for the Supreme Court of the United States is a case in which Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are being accused of using hate speech during their protests at the funeral of an Iraq war veteran. Appeals court turned over the original ruling that gave the dead soldier’s father millions of dollars in damages in a Baltimore federal court.

'Thank God for the violent shooter,’ according to Phelps

The interpretation of the Bible for Fred Phelps led him to believe that Jared Lee Loughner was in the right at the Tucson, Arizona, Safeway being led by a higher power. A loaded and concealed Glock-19 was brought with him. Gabrielle Giffords, the five others that were killed and the 12 wounded were supposed to be with the will of God, according to Phelps. Phelps says the victims faced harsh justice for what he believes to be support for the homosexual community and divorce (points of fixation for the Westboro Baptist Church). He then went on to say more should probably have died. Even the 9-year old girl was wronging society.

As The Stir puts it, “neither common sense nor respect” are characteristics of Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.

Articles cited

Café Mom

thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/114798/arizona_shooting_victims_vs_fred

Phelps weighs in on tragedy in Tucson (WARNING: Contains speech/images some may find offensive)

YouTube

youtube.com/watch?v=Qpkxoql4xz0

The storm season is worsening around Australia, and the Brisbane floods are getting even worse. Floodwater has coated the Australian state of Queensland, as the rainy season has unleashed a torrent on the northeast corner of the nation. It is the worst flooding in living memory. There are going to be mass sum of installment loans taken out to try and repair these damages.

More Brisbane flooding being seen now

The recent floods in Australia are set to worsen, as more incoming water is due to the city of Brisbane, according to The Telegraph. Brisbane is the largest city in the state of Queensland, which is in the northeast region of the continent of Australia. The state of Queensland has been experiencing terrible flooding for over a month, as heavy rains continued throughout December after a very wet spring. Brisbane, a city of over two million and the third largest city in Australia, has been paralyzed by recent flash flooding, which will continue throughout the week as the Brisbane river is still swelling with rainwater. Over 9,000 homes may end up awash with water, and power will be shut off in the city for safety. It is the worst flooding on record in over a century.

Hurricanes and La Nina make for bad news in Australia with weather

The Australian spring, which begins in September, saw heavy rains come with the La Nina weather system. In the beginning of December, flooding had already begun. Hurricane Tasha at Christmas just made it even worse. The tropical storm lashed Queensland with rain, swelling rivers and causing flash floods throughout the state in northeastern Australia. A state of emergency has been declared in one third of Queensland. The affected area is roughly the size of Texas.

Cost of Brisbane getting fixed

There is floodwater seen all over the Lockyer Valley region. This is where the location of Brisbane is. Swollen above its bank in the Brisbane river. There’s a good chance the high tides and rain will keep the flooding going for a while. Flooding is set to continue in the third largest city in Australia, and recovery efforts could cost as much as $10 billion.

Information from

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8252699/Brisbane-braces-itself-for-worst-floods-in-more-than-a-century.html

Timeline of Australia flooding on the Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8251906/Australian-floods-timeline.html

A recent assessment of fluoride levels in drinking water indicates that they should be reduced. Americans have gotten access to fluoride from more sources in recent times. However, the amount necessary in drinking water to prevent tooth decay today is less. An excessive amount of fluoride has become a concern, as more children have shown signs of fluoride over-exposure. This has left numerous parents looking for short term loans in order to pay the dentist bills for their children.

Levels of fluoride in water for drinking should change

Communities should back off on the amount of fluoride added to drinking water, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. About 0.7 to 1.2 milligrams per liter of fluoride in water has been recommended since 1962. Now, toothpaste, mouthwash, supplements and dental treatments all have more fluoride in them than before. This means that the maximum in drinking water should only be 0.7 milligrams per liter now. It can be bad to get too much fluoride. In fact, white spots or streaking on tooth enamel, or fluorosis, can occur when this happens. A new DHHS study found that two out of five teenagers in the U.S. have developed a mild form of fluorosis. The American Dental Association said the lower recommended fluoride level will both reduce tooth decay and prevent fluorosis.

Why a recommendation of fluoride is even there

In the 1940s, it became important to put fluoride in drinking water. In the last 65 years, dental health standards in the U.S. have increased dramatically. Most Americans have fluoridated public water. About 64 percent has this luxury. Fluoridated water supplies aren’t given to about 100 million Americans, the Centers for Disease Control explains. The CDC ranks fluoridated drinking water as a benefit to public health on par with vaccination, birth control and the recognition that smoking is hazardous to one’s health. Dental health is better for people who have had fluoridated water although tooth decay in children was the original purpose of the water.

Conspiracy on fluoride

There is a ton of scientific support for drinking water with fluoride in it. Still, many say it is a government plot that leads to conspiracy. It seemed that in the 50s and 60s, fluoride in drinking water wasn’t okay for many. It has to be a communist plot being played out. There were other conspiracy theories about the fluoride as well. These included the Illuminati trying to get world domination as well as a mass medication ploy that the government was enforcing. There was control from the Nazis of the German people. Many suggested it was because of fluoridation. The U.S. obesity problem was blamed on fluoride too. This is because the thyroid is interfered with when using fluoride.

Citations

CNN

cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/07/fluoride.recommendations/?hpt=T2

Los Angeles Times

latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-fluoridated-water-0107-2011,0,1282084.story

Business Week

businessweek.com/news/2011-01-07/fluoride-in-drinking-water-should-be-lower-hhs-says.html

mgoldmandds

mgoldmandds.com/fluoride%20conspiracy.htm

Conspiracy theories and hoaxes

conspiracy-theories-hoax.com/water-fluoridation-conspiracy-theories.html