A local bankruptcy attorney can help you understand the differences between Chapter 7 bankruptcy and Chapter 13 bankruptcy, so that you can make an educated decision about the best next step for you. Fill out the form to the right for a free bankruptcy case evaluation by a local attorney.

Not sure whether bankruptcy is the right option for you? A Local Bankruptcy Attorney can answer your questions and explain the bankruptcy process to you. Schedule your Free, no-obligation consultation call for your free phone consultation from A Local Bankruptcy Attorney right now By filling the form to the right,

or Call CuraDebt Inc. Toll Free 24 hr. Hot Line

A legal plan service or membership program, is a concept that has been around for a number of years. Legal plans became popular in Europe in the 1930′s, and they remain popular and well-known there today. In America, legal plans have also become increasingly popular, as more companies have offered different plans, and individuals and business have seen their value. Legal plans work by providing basic coverage and attorney services for a membership, or a prepaid fee, that is usually paid monthly or yearly. By paying the membership fee, you have access to an attorney and their services, where without the plan you would have to pay, in some cases, a substantial fee. Having a legal plan service can make good sense, but it won’t solve all your legal issues.

Most of these plans focus on preventative legal care, so you can get legal assistance and advice before you start having legal difficulties. They also cover some basic issues that many individuals or businesses need legal assistance with. You will be able to have a free consultation with an attorney at no additional cost, often initially by phone. You can usually call the attorney on as many different legal issues as you want, you will receive a free consultation for each question or issue. This can be a powerful tool, as you can often get many of your legal questions or issues handled this way.

Other services are also included in legal plans. Normally a free will will be included, with yearly updates. Many plans will also write a letter or a make a call on your behalf. This is a valuable service if you are having a dispute, as an awareness of attorney representation can clear up many issues with a 3rd party. In addition, you will also have coverage for contract or document review, where your attorney will review documents, such as agreements or sales contracts, and answer any of your questions. If you need more legal assistance, such as an appearance in court, or extra legal help, you will get a discount on the attorney’s hourly fee.

There are a variety of legal plans available. The most basic plan is the individual or family plan, but many legal service plans also offer business coverage, where they provide basic legal services tailored for a business. There are even more specialized legal plans available, such as one designed just for truck drivers. A great way to join is to see if you workplace offers a plan as an employee benefit package, many do. In many cases, you can join for free or reduced cost.

There are some limitations. Prepaid legal services are not designed to solve preexisting or ongoing legal issues. There focus is on preventative care and access to an attorney for a consultation. If you have a major legal issue, such as a law suit, a divorce, or bankruptcy, a legal plan will be of limited assistance, although you will probably get a discount of the hourly rate you would normally pay an attorney. A legal plan service is a way for middle class Americans to have the access to attorneys that used to be the province of the wealthy. Having a plan is a great way to help keep yourself out of legal trouble with preventative assistance, but it won’t solve all of your legal problems.

Amy Wells
http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/should-you-join-a-prepaid-legal-plan-service-134665.html

Many business leaders are good at starting a business or maintaining one that has already been well established. However, they are not good at fixing a seriously sick business. Avoid bankruptcy by hiring the turnaround experts.

They often do not have the experience, skills, temperament or willingness to do a proper turnaround. Sometimes, the business leader himself is the hindrance and obstacle to the entire turnaround process because of past encumbrances and prejudices. An outsider is quite often required to execute the turnaround.

Most of the time, a troubled company cannot be fixed solely from the within. The management may harbour too much prejudices, vested interests and baggage. If the medicine is too bitter, management may not have the guts to swallow it. The company needs somebody from the outside who is able to say “no” firmly when necessary. If the internal management is the cause of the internal woes, then the use of internal management for the turnaround is like using leeches to cure leukaemia. The condition of the patient will not improve and may deteriorate as time passes by.

An outsider brings some unfair advantages to the turnaround game. You have no emotional baggage tied to a new dream or a historically interesting but economically irrelevant service. Nor are you beholden to the big bosses. You can ask dump questions without looking dumb. One or two of those dumb questions will turn out to be brilliant ones.

Contrary to expectations, you will find you are accorded loyalty from employees. Other executives have to work hard to earn this devotion. These employees understand that you represent their last chance, and that you did not create the problem. They knew that the business was wobbling off course before the board or owners understood it. With the right demeanour and without rudeness, the employees will guide you immediately toward the major problems. Few will hold back if you listen hard. They know that if you really quiz them and they will lose their jobs anyway, it is less painful for them, since both of you have tried to salvage the situation.

Turnaround specialists coming from your specific industry are usually quite good. Their names are familiar in the industry and you can check on the reputation of these specialists. They also probably already know something about your company.

These specialists can make objective decisions that the ailing company’s management cannot. Some take on full-time positions within the company as the Chief Executive. Others may be engaged as consultants with full authority and access to the company’s accounts. They are there to cover the wound, conduct surgery or resuscitation. Once the job is done, they move on as these guys may not be the types suited to running a healthy company. Majority of executives are not suited for a turnaround as this unique situation demands extraordinary leadership. When these turnaround specialists take over the helm of the management, they swiftly proceed do the things that the Chief Executive ought to be doing before the company gets into trouble – restructuring.

When you are afflicted by cancer, see an oncologist and do not rely on your family doctor.

Mike Teng
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/do-not-depend-solely-on-the-doctor-in-the-house-to-do-the-surgery-97195.html

Establishing a budget, keeping on track with it and keeping record of all of your expenses is the real solution for rebuilding and repairing your credit once it has been damaged. Don’t be tempted to file for bankruptcy; you will only ruin your chances for the future. Even the solution of a debt consolidation loan will only add more and continued debt burden. You have to pay interest on the loan, and you will just be worried about making it until it is finally paid off. The best solution is to save your way out of debt. It is a much better idea to keep track of your expenses so you know what you are spending your money on and then you can eliminate unnecessary expenses and start to save.

A small first investment you might want to make is a software program that will assist you in budgeting and saving. By making it easier to keep track of things, this small expenditure will save you a lot in the long run. The first thing you need to do is establish a budget. A software program will ask you all the questions you need to establish a budget. By answering the questions, the program will put all of your income and expenses in the correct categories and show you what you have left over. You can also do this on your own, by using a form where you write all of your income on one side and all of your expenses on the other. Each week write down what you spend on each item, how much you put in your savings account or retirement fund, taxes, etc. Record your earnings and track how much you have left. If you see that each week you have nothing left to pay an essential bill, you will have to change your payment system. Each week as you pay your bills, try to make as large a payment as you can on each of your necessary bills, such as rent or mortgage, electric, water, phone, etc. Then you have to survive on what is left by cutting back on non-essentials. You may have to stop going to the movies for a while and just rent inexpensive ones from the library. You may have to cut back eating out. Next, examine all of your essential bills to see how you can save money there. If you start to limit the phone calls your family makes, if you make sure to turn off lights and stop wasting water, you can probably save a lot of money. Making these cutbacks and sacrifices will pay off big if you can catch up on all of your bills. You will not even remember which movies you missed while you were putting money away to pay off all of your bills.

Another way to handle this problem is to make a survival budget. What is the absolute minimum you and your family need to survive on? Cut every expense down to its lowest, like budget meals every night, no entertainment except whatever is free, basic water, basic T.V. cable, basic telephone. Follow this survival budget for a few months and you will be shocked at how much extra you will have to pay off your bills and debts. Certain items are important to keep up, such as health insurance and your rent or mortgage, so you don’t end up with no roof over your head or medical bills you can’t pay. But everywhere you can cut back, you should. Any savings can be applied to catch up on bills or debt.

The other side of the equation to look at is your income side. Can you ask for a raise, or can you find a better paying job, or perhaps you can find a second job? Find any way you can (any honest way, that is!) to increase your income while you cut down on your expenses, and you will repair your credit before you know it.

Peter J. Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/finance-articles/good-money-management-is-the-only-way-out-of-debt-98274.html

Effective lead generation begins with an exchange: you offer something of value in exchange for your prospect’s contact information. Essentially, it’s an enticement or “ethical bribe” meant to draw your prospects out of the woodwork.

The best kind of enticement is free, relevant information in the form of a “special report” your prospects will find valuable. There are several reasons why this is a great way to generate leads, but the best one is that it simply works. If done properly, it not only positions you as an expert, but pre-sells your products and services.

It’s a great relationship-building tool that can be a valuable marketing asset to any business. Here are 5 strategies for implementing this system in your business…

1. The Whistle Blower Strategy. This strategy is most effective in industries known for bad practices. You have the opportunity to build trust by revealing what those bad practices are and how your prospect can avoid them. It perfectly positions you as the “honest” alternative without you overtly having to say you’re honest. Here’s an example: “The Top 10 Kitchen Remodeling Rip-Offs, Scams, & Bad Practices… And How To Avoid Them”

2. The Knight In Shining Armor Strategy. Here’s where you solve a dire problem your prospect is having. This communicates you’re a problem-solver and, if done properly, that you care about their problem. Ex., “7 Emergency Measures Small Business Owners Can Easily Implement To Survive The Recession In Style.”

3. The Teacher Strategy. Quite simply, you explain how to do something. “How To” information will never go out of style. Offering a detailed “how to” communicates you are competent enough to teach others about your specialty. Ex., “How To Use Self-Hypnosis to Easily & Effortlessly Lose Weight & Keep It Off.”

4. The Informant Strategy. This one can be a lot of fun. It’s when you reveal something few people know about. This communicates exclusivity and access to “inside information.” Ex., “The Internet Marketing Conspiracy: What The Gurus Won’t Tell You About Where The REAL Money Is Made Online.”

5. The Answer-Man Strategy. In this strategy, you simply answer commonly asked questions. This communicates you’re the one with the answers. Ex., “What You Need To Know Before Declaring Bankruptcy: 9 Common Questions Answered.”

Consider how each of these approaches could work for your business. Brainstorm various ideas on how you could not only create an effective information enticement, but position yourself exactly the way you would like your prospects to perceive you.

If done properly, you’ll find it an effective way to generate leads, build a database, and establish a positive relationship with your market.

Joshua Aaron Stanley
http://www.articlesbase.com/internet-articles/5-quotspecial-reportquot-strategies-for-online-lead-generation-718059.html

America where are the patriots?

BY MICHAEL WEBSTER: INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER Oct  1, 2008 at 3:00 PM PDT

We Americans have cowards and self centered fools as our politicians in Washington D.C. because they were aware of the ultimate outcome of such a runaway economy long before it became apparent to the average citizen. The politicians and the mainstream media did a pretty good job of keeping it from us.

According to writer Tony Elliott the bailout is part of the overall scheme by those in power who are directing events for an outcome of their choosing. It is the handful of individuals who some refer to as “The Illuminati.” This elite group of powerful people has been creating and directing events in America and world Society ever since Colonial Days and in modern times as well. They have been responsible for the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln, John Fitzgerald Kennedy and a number of world leaders. This group is also responsible for 9-11 and a host of terrorist acts around the world.

Unfortunately, for the most part mainstream America’s wishes has been shunned. Even though there is a mounting patriotic interest as exemplified by the Ron Paul campaign, Ralph Nader and other independents. But there is still a lot of misunderstanding on the part of mainstream Americans regarding the economy and ultimately our money if not the whole  Illuminati controlled monetary/political system.

None of the created events they have manifested has been in the favor of our citizens. One really big thing they created was the Federal Reserve Bank. A so called federal bank that controls all of our money since 1913 when legislation was passed giving the sometimes called “fed” all the power they needed to control the capital of America.

Other serious questions remain on all of the events the Illuminati have had a hand in such events as the J.F.K assassination and the 911 attack where more questions were raised than were ever answered as to who did it, why and how it was done.

Elliott writes that these created events would not have any unanswered doubts at all if they were legitimate because the proof would be clear-cut. As it is, we are presented with lies that cannot be clearly sorted out because in hiding the true perpetrators and cause they have muddied the water to the point that even the most ill informed and mind busy with day to day living could see through the thin veil of deception.

Again, we have been duped into believing that this Government intervention of the entire financial market was necessary to avoid an outright depression. The actual act of the Federal Government bailing out Wall Street really is necessary to avoid a total catastrophe of bankruptcy of the free financial market, however its plan is again flawed as all its schemes in the past were because we can clearly see the finagling that was going on behind the scenes over the past 8 years that brought us to this situation we now face.

9-11 was a hit to the financial world as The Twin Towers were places where the nucleuses of the world’s financial markets were housed. The 9-11 attacks were the beginning of a series of events that has brought us to the financial crisis we are now facing. This government within the government has painted us with a picture presenting us with an image of being saved by Uncle Sam from disaster, but the reality is the Federal Government will actually own all there is in our existence making us slaves to its whelms whenever it chooses. The Feds influenced the markets out come to what it is now through fear of terrorism on crude oil facilities around the world, embargoes of oil supplies by terrorist supporting countries and a volatile market operating on fears of massive deficits from the unnecessary wars stemming from the 9-11 attacks.

The Apocalypse of the world economy
 

Former president Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  The coming economic collapse is something to prepare for, if not fear, for it will be the worst event in our lives with or without the bailout. It will be much worse than the Great Depression and may last much longer.

Bernard von NotHaus known as the Monetary Architect reports that while you hear the word “collapse” often today, rarely is there any real definition as to what happens in a collapse. Well, to paraphrase my presentation at the Silver Summit, the coming Economic Collapse will be a global monetary apocalypse that will mirror the Fall of Rome and include the following:

National currency controls… Nationalization of major industries… layoffs… strikes… domestic strife… food shortages… … massive unemployment… bankruptcies… greatly reduced standard of living… road blocks… marshal law… military troops at major intersections… passport and travel restrictions… a total lockdown of the country… until the masses cry out… “Give me anybody… Anybody who will bring sanity back to the monetary system…” rise of a dictator… and a totalitarian government.

Just look at these historical experiences: France and the rise of Napoleon in the1800′s, Germany and the rise of Hitler in the 1930′s and China and the rise of Mao in the 1940′s. We are all going to be millionaires… in the same soup line during the coming hyperinflationary depression.

Think this is impossible? Think marshal law and military troops is too extreme? Google, The September 24, 2008, article on Prison Planet By Paul Joseph Watson:

U.S. troops returning from duty in Iraq will be carrying out homeland patrols in America from October 1st in complete violation of Posse Comitatus for the purposes of helping with “civil unrest and crowd control” – which could include dealing with unruly Americans after a complete economic collapse.

This shocking admission was calmly reported on September 8th on the Army Times website that from the beginning of next month the 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team “Will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist attacks.”

The unit would also be deployed to deal with hostile crowds of Americans in the aftermath of a massive economic depression, potential food riots and race riots, if one defines the term “crowd control” to match its reasonably applicable scenarios.

The open admission that U.S. troops will be involved in law enforcement operations as well as potentially using non-lethal weapons against American citizens is a complete violation of the Posse Comitatus Act and the Insurrection Act, which substantially limit the powers of the federal government to use the military for law enforcement unless under precise and extreme circumstances.

Please click HERE for the complete article.

Financial Bailout is not the answer. It is the problem. It is the government’s way to gain more control. Google an article by Chris Powell on Thursday, September 25, 2008, for the Journal Inquirer in Manchester, Connecticut:

The bad-debt bailout would be the biggest government patronage program in history and would amount to declaring martial law over the U.S. financial system and economy. Even if such martial law is necessary, its implementation should be put in democratic hands — a non-partisan agency with full transparency, statutory standards for its purchases, and close accountability to Congress.

Chris Powell is managing editor of the Journal Inquirer and the Secretary/Treasurer of
Gold Anti-Trust Action (GATA) Committee Inc.

Now I am not usually a doom-and-gloom guy. I developed the Liberty Dollar to bring a real solution to the currency situation that I realized in 1974… some 34 years ago! And for all these years I have strived to bring about a proven, positive, peaceful and profitable solution to our country’s controlled fiat monetary system.

And while I greatly appreciated your support (ala the Choir), at almost every turn there has been an invisible force that has thwarted the Liberty Dollar development and larger use. At first you may think, I mean the government. That is not the case. The government had been amazingly supportive up until the raid. The most disturbing “invisible force” is bunch of traitors who confess to have the very ideals that you think they endorse. Unfortunately, most of the time I found our supposed “leaders” to be vain little men, who were much more interested in maintaining their position than saving the country.

Who are these traitors who have steadfastfully blocked or secretly worked to undermine the world economy.
 

But as America is still addicted to fiat money and big government, there is much to be done. We still need to Change the money to Change the country.

Silver: The marketplace is NOT out of silver. Technically, there is not even a shortage of silver. There IS a shortage of fabricated silver, especially one ounce rounds (coins) for the retail market. While some young talking heads would have you believe the sky is falling, silver is plentiful in 1000 oz bars, but nobody wants that; everybody wants one ounce Eagles or generic rounds. Besides love and the world of intangibles, silver still remains the single best item to hold. Period. Inflation is coming and we will see phenomenally higher prices for silver. Just remember in Germany on January 1, 1919, one ounce of silver cost 12 German marks, very much like one ounce cost 12 US dollars not long ago. Four years later, November of 1923, just before Hitler came to power, the same one ounce of silver cost 543 billion marks! Hold on, the world is about to go through hell as it finds it way back to value. “Revaluation” is the word to remember!

And in case you missed Bernard’s First Law of Money: When the people own the money, they control the government. When the government owns the money, it controls the people. We choose, therefore we are free.

Every day we see a lot more control of the monetary system. The “news” is confusing and will get increasingly confusing. Don’t get confused. Stay with the truth. We are witnessing a global revaluation of money and everything denominated by it. Remember the three stages of truth: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. 

Just as I wrap up this bittersweet Aloha Alert and return to Hawaii… comes news from Reuters: “Private banks rethinking gold, seen next big buyers.” Please read this excellent article that validates my 34 year opinion that we are witnessing a global revaluation of the monetary system. I guarantee – anybody who bought silver at $5 per ounce is happy! I guarantee – if you buy and hold gold and silver right now – you will be happy as you watch your net worth double and double and double many times as the world struggles to redefine value and replace the damn good-for-almost-nothing fiat government crap money into real value. Please click HERE for Private banks rethinking gold, seen next big buyers by Jonathan Leff for Reuters, Monday September 29, 2008.

Elliott went on to say this Government Deception was orchestrated and fine-tuned to the point that it made the average American feel great to acquire the massively overinflated housing loans that could never be paid.

Thus, we are in a conundrum now of having the choice of going into a depression or letting the Federal Government own every aspect of our existence.

The long tentacles of this vile creature of deception have not forgotten the rest of the world either. Its influence over all that is financial thus all that is has its sights on world domination and will achieve its goal without opposition unless all free thinking citizens of the world recognize the situation for what is and take a stand and become a true American patriot.

For related articles go to:

  www.lagunajournal.com

michael Webster
http://www.articlesbase.com/causes-and-organizations-articles/america-where-are-the-patriots-586179.html

Gambling problems arises when one tends to crave for more money by excessive gambling. Gambling when overdone leads to bankruptcy and dysfunction of relationships with your loved ones.

Gambling is very addictive and hence unless you are determined to risk it, you might end up in misery. Winning and losing is a part of gambling and it all depends on how much the individual is mentally stable to take the defeats in gambling.

Acknowledging the game of gambling is the first step to solve gambling problems. Gamblers Anonymous has posted the following questions to test you.

1. Did you ever avoid school or work for gambling?

2. Has gambling made your life at home unhappy?

3. Has your reputation been affected by gambling?

4. Has your life been remorse after a game of gambling?

5. Did you choose to gamble and pay your debts?

6. Has gambling brought your ambition and aspirations down?

7. Did you ever wanted to win back all the money you had lost in gambling?

8. Did you have the urge to win more after you tasted some success?

9. Have you ever gambled and emptied your pocket?

10. Did you borrow money and gambled any day?

11. Did you go to the extent of selling things just to gamble?

12. Were you hesitating to use “gambling money” for your daily expenses?

13. Has gambling made you careless person?

14. Did you want to gamble for more hours than you wanted?

15. Have you ever resorted to gambling to forget your worries?

16. Did you want to commit an illegal act to finance gambling?

17. Have you lost on sleep because of gambling?

18. Does disappointment or argument spur you on to gamble more?

19. Did you want to celebrate success for a few hours after gambling?

20. Have you ever attempted suicide after failure?

A person having gambling problems would say a “yes” to at least seven questions posted above.

These tips given below should help you out off gambling problems, if any:

1. It is advisable to take just the money needed to gamble than taking credit cards and ATM cards along.
2. Do not gamble for a long time.
3. There are always more chances of losing than winning in a game of gambling.
4. Make sure you don’t use the money you won again.
5. When you do not have any more money to gamble, drop the idea without borrowing.
6. Take help of people who are not addicted to the game and seek proper advice.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/online-gambling-articles/gambling-problems-6-tips-to-overcome-them-702707.html

Believe it or not, before being accepted into your current or previous job, you were most probably subjected to a pre employment background screening. If you are presently looking for a job then it is best you make yourself aware of this screening method. Learning about this background screening process can give you an idea about what to expect. The chances of you getting a particular job can be increased if you are prepared for the screening.

It goes without saying that you should be prepared for interviews too. Your potential employer can always ask you certain questions regarding your credit report. You should be ready to answer these questions. There are certain people who completely forgotten about their credit report. You need to ensure that you are not a victim of any potential identity theft. If you make a check on your credit report prior to the interview, you will not be taken aback when any such question is posed. This will also give you enough time to correct any dispute present in your credit report. Knowing these facts before hand will help you explain such things.

Many people question the requirement of a pre-employment screening by companies. First of all, not all companies really require this. They just check on the previous employee records, character referencing and educational records. There are also companies, which, on the other hand, hire a third company to do a complete pre employment screening.

Due to the nature of the job, there are some jobs that necessitate the process of a pre employment background screening. For instance, if your job is related to children, the company you apply to will do a pre employment screening on you. Due to the increase in the incidents of child abduction, terrorism and negligent hiring lawsuits, now companies are starting to exercise caution on the people they hire. It is only natural for them to subject their applicants to a pre employment screening in order to ensure that only the right candidates are hired.

There are many privacy laws that have been enacted for the applicants benefit in order to offer them protection from any misuse of the pre employment screening process. Remember that the pre employment screening process can only access information that is public and is government created. Such information includes employment credit report, bankruptcy history, court records, personal references, previous employers, character references, neighbor interviews and medical records. There are certain companies that look at your profile in many social networking sites like Friendster, Myspace and Facebook.

If you find out that you are going to be screened before your employment, what you should do is check on all your records. Obtain copies of your credit report, driving records and previous court cases if applicable. Your company can always think that you are being dishonest and this can strongly affect their decision to hire you.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/pre-employment-background-screening-know-what-you-have-to-check-703155.html

Dear Money Morning Reader:

The end of another year approaches, giving us the opportunity to thank you for your continued interest and support and to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday.

We truly appreciate your loyalty, attention to detail and feedback, which is why a few months ago we made it possible for you to post your comments directly to our Web site. Below are some of the comments we’ve received, as well as responses to your questions and insights.

We’ll continue to respond to your comments and questions going forward, and we encourage you to let us know what stories and features you’ve liked, and what you’d like to see more of.

Again, we wish you all a happy, warm and safe holiday season.

Respectfully yours;

The Editors
Money Morning

The One Global Market Where There are Gains Behind the Gloom

Comment by P. Denaco on 21 November 2008:

“Shows good thought in a general sense, but lacks content as to what you would recommend to do with that information. I was in China this past year, including the major cities of Beijing, Xian, and Shanghai. It is a powerhouse of labor potential, with over 200 million of that labor force being itinerants. They need to make “stuff” and to be able to sell it as well as to assure that, as a nation they have exposure to the raw materials and commodities it takes for them to continue. What say you as to actions to take re: China?”

Great question – thank you! As you know from personal experience having been there, Chinese companies active in the provision of water, electricity, filtration, travel and pollution control figure prominently in Beijing’s plans (and ours), which is why we’re focused on them right now. The same can be said for the international companies tied up with them. Obviously there are other trends to consider in China but there’s nothing else even remotely on the radar screen with this kind of potential and state funding.

Keith Fitz-Gerald
Investment Director
Money Morning

Five Ways to Profit From China’s $585 Billion Stimulus Plan

Comment by Robert on 11 November 2008:

“I would like some clarification on these ADRs.

As I understand it, the shares are actually held by an American bank (American Depository Receipts), and [are] not registered in the purchaser’s name.

Is there any risk to the purchaser should the bank hit the wall? In other words, I’m more concerned about the American situation than the Chinese.

Appreciate your insight.”

The ADRs are held mostly by JP Morgan Chase & Co. or Bank of New York Mellon Corp., which are among the most solid banks out there. The underlying shares are fiduciary assets, so can’t be touched in a bankruptcy. If they’ve got Madoff running the fiduciary operation, you’d have to worry, but even then, the banks have insurance.

Martin Hutchinson
Contributing Editor
Money Morning

The Big Three Need a Shakeout, Not a Bailout

Comment by Rob Shippy on 9 December 2008:

Keith,

I agree with most of your sentiment, but the one place you are off base is the employees. Those companies will not absorb our workers, because the demand they fill will largely be produced overseas, where they are able to keep their costs LOW. Therein lies the problem, because now those wages are being spent in a foreign country, and the profits are going to a foreign country. And while in principle, theory, and soapbox I agree with you, my livelihood is in Detroit, and I need those workers to have jobs to have money to spend in my business… solve that.

Thanks for the kind words, Rob. Unfortunately, I’m not in charge. And, neither are the guys in Washington despite what they’d like to believe. The markets are. As long as consumers prefer Hondas and Toyotas, no amount of bailout funding is going to do anything other than perpetuate the inevitable. Which is why a Big Three shakeout that may kill Detroit could ultimately be good for the Carolinas, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi where VW, Toyota, and KIA are all in the process of completing new factories right now despite the downturn thanks to more than $1 billion in Southern legislative incentives. Incentives, I might add, that Michigan could pass if it wanted to more directly help businesses like yours, like Southern representatives are helping their constituents.

Keith Fitz-Gerald
Investment Director
Money Morning

Auto Bailout Could Have Strings Attached: Ousting CEOs, Appointing Car Czar

Comment by Bobbie on 9 December 2008:

Why do you keep calling the “Loans” for the big 3 a “bailout”. The financial world was given a “bailout”, the auto industry is asking for loans that they will re-pay … not a handout like we gave to select banks.”

We call it a bailout because there is virtually no possibility that these companies – given the state of their balance sheets and business models – would be able to secure $34 billion in loans on the commercially. The government is bailing them out buy offering taxpayer money. Also, there’s no guarantee that these loans will be paid back. General Motors, for instance, is burning through cash at such an exorbitant rate that it could easily fail even if it does get a “loan.”

Jason Simpkins
Associate Editor
Money Morning

Read More

Investment News

Money Morning
http://www.articlesbase.com/investing-articles/happy-holidays-money-morning-readers-weigh-in-696814.html

You finally decided to go for credit card debt settlement instead of filing for bankruptcy with the credit card bills keep building up. Now you face a new dilemma. How do you choose the right debt settlement company with so many in the market?

Here are 5 questions to help you make the choice.

1. What’s the reputation of the company?

The track records of a credit card debt settlement company can speak volume. With the convenience of the internet, it’s easy to search for and review the feedback and comments on a company. You can also consult any relevant consumer and government publications. Better Business Bureau is a good place to start your research.

2. Is the company Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited?

BBB accredited companies must meet certain standards to qualify for accredited business status and to remain an accredited business. The standards are a comprehensive set of best practices for how businesses should treat the public in a fair and honest manner. So a BBB accredited status is an indicator of business integrity.

3. Is the company a member of The Association of Settlement Companies (TASC)?

TASC promotes good practice in the debt settlement industry and protects the interests of consumer debtors. Being a TASC member gives you an assurance that the company meets certain standards of service quality.

4. Are the employees International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA) certified?

An IAPDA member has completed the required training in debt arbitration and knows the legislative rules and regulations of credit card debt settlement. They are the experts in debt settlement and qualified to help you in this area.

5. Does the company make realistic promises and guarantee?

Look out for money back guarantee should the company fail to reach a credit card debt settlement on your behalf. But when the company starts making promises like wiping off your debt overnight or settlement not hampering your credit at all, it’s time you look for another company.

Finding a legitimate credit card debt settlement company can sometimes be difficult. The checklist of 5 questions will help you choose one that suits you. And with their help, you will be on your way to becoming debt free soon.

Troy Todd
http://www.articlesbase.com/credit-articles/credit-card-debt-settlement-5-tips-to-a-legitimate-debt-settlement-company-689610.html