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| | The May Report: 3/10/2010: Bulletin: Groupon finds coupons have hidden fees -- and for some news: a competitor of Groupon's, YouSwoop, settles a class action case with Edelson McGuire, the same law firm that is suing Groupon
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| | March 10, 2010
The May Report: 3/10/2010: Bulletin: Groupon finds coupons have hidden fees -- and for some news: a competitor of Groupon's, YouSwoop, settles a class action case with Edelson McGuire, the same law firm that is suing Groupon
Editor and publisher: ron@themayreport.com, ronaldmay@aol.com, www.themayreport.com, 773-525-3944.
If you missed an article, go here: http://www.tmronline.com/A55951/tmrarticles.nsf/vwFullNewsletter
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MIT EF Chicago Mar. 16 Event
Bootstrappers and Investors Faceoff
Hear from two companies, currently building their businesses with
revenue, as they engage in a bare-knuckles dialogue with seasoned
investors. We'll discuss how both early-stage and mature companies spark
investor interest, the best approach to finding and acquiring outside
funding, and the potential trade-offs to consider when seeking outside
investment.
Bootstrappers
Chris Hill, Founder and CEO of PerkSpot and creator of Coupon Tweet
Jeff Judge, Co-founder of Interactive Mediums
Investors
Jeff Carter, Co-founder of Hyde Park Angels
Laurence Hayward, Founder and Managing Partner of VentureLab
Moderator
Linda Darragh, Director of Entrepreneurship Programs and Adjunct
Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Chicago's
Booth School of Business
Our "bootstrappers" lead off the session, each giving his company's
pitch on why their respective firms would be solid investment
opportunities. Following the pitches, our investors will kick-off a
dynamic discussion, offering their candid feedback as well as a
no-nonsense perspective on the merits of outside funding.
When
Tuesday March 16
5:00-6:15 pm Networking
6:30-8:00 pm Program
Where
At our new host sponsor
Ungaretti & Harris LLP
70 W. Madison St.
4th Floor Conference Center
Chicago
Cost
Free to members; $30 advance payment for non-members/guest
REGISTER at http://bit.ly/9SBTYg
NOTE A NEW NETWORKING AND MEETING LOCATION!
WELCOME OUR NEW SPONSOR, UNGARETTI & HARRIS!
It may be the same address and the same time, but you'll have an
opportunity to meet new people with our new sponsor, the law firm of
Ungaretti & Harris LLP.
70 W. Madison St., Chicago
4th Floor Conference Center
REGISTER at
http://bit.ly/9SBTYg
********************************************************
______________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Scoop section:
-- Waiting for Art Zard to make up his mind about advertising -- meanwhile people want to know about TEDxNaperville
-- Editor's note, by Ron May
-- Nesch LLC, a tech firm located at the Purdue Technology Center in Crown Point, Indiana, scanner to hit market
-- Mike Samson of crowdSPRING: Meet-up at SXSW
-- Friday, March 12: Take Command of Your Data Seminar: Business + Enterprise Intelligence FREE seminar
-- Marty Glotzer
-- Darrell Dvorak: "Krugman Got it Wrong"
-- Synopsis of New Yorker article on Mayor Daley
-- Tuesday, March 16: ACG Chicago - Buying into China as a Market
-- ExactTarget Acquires CoTweet
-- LowryS Taylor: Membership, Now
-- Thermo-Calc and QuesTek to Develop New Precipitation Modeling Software
-- Jeff Meredith: The Onion mocks John Boehner -- This is perfect ...
-- A trivia fact that may be of interest, by Ron May
___________________________________________
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Guys Night Out for the Kids
Benefitting the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center
Friday, May 7, 2010 5pm-9pm
Carmichaels Chicago Steak House, 1052 W. Monroe
About Guys Night Out
Don't miss the chance to hang with "the guys" on Friday, May 7 at Carmichael's for the 3rd Annual Guys Night Out for the Kids presented by US Cellular. The event kicks-off with an outdoor Happy Hour in the courtyard followed by an indoor barbeque, games, golf pros, hand-rolled cigars and celebrity athlete appearances. There will be a live auction featuring unique items such as a VIP package to a White Sox game including batting practice on the field or a suite to a 2010 Bears game.
The evening is being hosted by Mully and Hanley from 670AM The Score, and all proceeds benefit the Chicago Children's Advocacy Center (CCAC) for abused children. Founded by Mayor Daley, the CCAC has served over 19,000 abused children and their families since opening its doors in August 2001.
Details
Date: Friday, May 7, 2010
Where: Carmichael's Steak House, 1052 W. Monroe
Time: 5pm-6pm Outdoor Happy Hour in the Courtyard
6pm-9pm - Party inside!
Tickets In Advance: $100 5pm-9pm (includes Happy Hour); $75 6pm-9pm
To Purchase Tickets: www.guysnightoutforthekids.org
Current Sponsors:
U.S. Cellular, CA, Continental Resources, Huen Electric, Labor Management Cooperation Committee of Chicago/IBEW, Northern Trust Corporation, ComEd, Sidley Austin LLP/Partners of Sidley Austin, Johnson & Krol, LLC, Loop Capital, Bombardier
For More Information: www.chicagocac.org; 312.492.3720 Melissa Siemasz
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_________________________________
The Scoop section:
________________________
Waiting for Art Zard to make up his mind about advertising -- meanwhile people want to know about TEDxNaperville
From: David Metcalfe dmetcalfe@xnet.com
Subject: TEDxNaperville
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 12:27:29 -0600
To: ron@themayreport.com
Hi Ron,
Arthur Zards, Curator of TEDxNaperville, was wondering how much it would be to advertise the event in your next report.
Thanks,
David Metcalfe
TEDxNaperville - Connector
www.tedxnaperville.com
630.983.6064
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Editor's note, by Ron May
* Don't forget MidVentures Thursday night on the 12th floor of the 200 S. Wacker building. That is not Tech Nexus which is on the 15th floor.
www.midventures.com
I notice that they doubled the prize money from $7,500 to $15,000. Twenty five firms are competing for prize money.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The top 5 startups will have a chance to pitch to an audience of entrepreneurs, VCs, angels, bloggers, media and Chicago's tech community. A panel of expert advisors will ask the tough questions - ultimately choosing one company to win over $15,000 in cash, prizes, and services from our partners.
5:00pm - 6:00pm Registration / Open-Floor Expo
6:00pm - 7:30pm Welcome / Open-Floor Expo
7:30pm - 7:35pm Welcoming Remarks
7:35pm - 8:15pm Top 5 Startup Pitches (3 minutes each)
8:30pm - 9:00pm Judge's Results / Awards
9:00pm - 10:00pm Networking
The focus of midVentures25 is to show the national technology and investment community that the Midwest has an abundance of early-stage innovators within the technology, consumer, and sustainability space. You can expect to engage thought leaders in education, art, media, business, science, and technology during the conference. Dress is Web Casual.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
* This in from Frank Gruber:
fjgruber5: hey ron
fjgruber5: hope you are doing well
fjgruber5: thought you would get a kick out of this: http://sxsw.techcocktail.com
RONALDMAY: good deal man. i'll be following on twitter.
fjgruber5: :-)
* I learned of the class action suit against Groupon for the first time last night watching Andrew Mason on Chicago Tonight with Phil Ponce. Andrew did a good job overall and pointed out that they had 15,000 people use Groupon for the Auto Show in February. Here is the clip, but you have to have Adobe Flash to watch it. http://video.wttw.com/video/1436350454/
Andrew also mentioned the Groupon Challenge which is a fascinating contest with a $100K prize for the winner. They have seven people now who are agreeing to give up just about everything in their lives, apartments included, to live on nothing but Groupon. Even the lawyer suing them, Jay Edelson, told me it is a cute idea. Sounds to me like it would be hard to do. I can't find info. on the Challenge on the site and some of the site writing is hard to read with the black background. But as of today, they have Total dollars saved
at $111,134,739 and Total Groupons bought, 2,386,661.
Here is the info. on the Challenge.
http://www.liveoffgroupon.com/
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
We will choose one person to attempt to survive for one year with nothing but a laptop, cellphone, and an unlimited supply of Groupons. If successful, that person will receive
$100,000!
* Home
* Live Off Groupon Finalists
* FAQ
Nearly all human survival needs are covered by Groupon. You can get your daily nutritional content with a restaurant Groupon, and then immediately have a Groupon-accepting dentist floss that meal's remains from your teeth. You can fortify your aortas with a Pilates deal, and protect yourself against rampaging hamburglars with a self-defense class.
In fact, the only barrier inhibiting Groupon staff from living exclusively off of Groupons is that our landlord won't accept Groupons as rent for our mandatory, hyperbaric, on-site sleeping pods. For those of you who can survive without those, doesn't the idea of living exclusively off of Groupons sound exhilarating?
The Details
First, say goodbye to your routine, your apartment, and your signed photo of Elvis punching Nixon. You'll end your lease and put your stuff in storage. You'll close your bank account, cut up your credit cards, and put your money in escrow. You'll have nothing but a stack of Groupons and a suit of clothes made from Groupons.
We'll give you a camera, phone, GPS, and computer to document your experience. We'll expect you to blog most days. We'll also give you unlimited Groupons in any of our 30 cities, including Groupons for lodging and transportation and special Groupons for cities that don't exist yet.
If you last a year without breaking the rules, we'll give you $100,000.
Who Should Apply
Who shouldn't apply!? Probably everyone shouldn't apply. We want to be honest from the beginning: this will be a catastrophic disruption to your life. You'll be living out of hotels, eating a lot of sushi, and taking enough yoga classes to kill a small fox (which you may also have to do).
You're going to have to be resourceful. For example, how will you use a Groupon if you need cash to cover tax and tip? We'll give you access to the entire Groupon community so you can find dining partners who can cover the cash portion of a bill-so you better be comfortable around and legally permitted to meet strangers.
Also, we're looking for someone who will be entertaining to watch succeed/suffer through this. Candidates need to be funny, social, and resourceful, so please indicate your scores in each of those categories on your resume.
It might sound hard, but remember the good stuff. You will have zero expenses for a year. You'll get to travel across the country trying all the cool stuff we feature on Groupon. And you might get $100,000...in money.
The Ways We Are Cheating
We're trying be as purist about this as possible, but even the most orthodox sects have a few loopholes (ask a Mennonite about DDR Night). These are the few compromises we are willing to make:
* You can have healthcare
* You get some basic equipment.
* We'll work out a few special Groupon deals for you with businesses we've featured in the past (such as hotels) to help make this challenge remotely feasible.
Questions? Email us at liveoffgroupon@groupon.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
May again. As I started to look into the case and after I read the articles below, I did realize that the big question is this: What under Illinois law is a gift certificate vs. what is a discount or coupon?
Here's the deal, according to Jay Edelson of the law firm suing Groupon. The purpose of the Illinois law is to prevent abuse by merchants. Groupon customers pay up-front for the so-called coupon. That money goes to the merchant whether the customer uses it or not.
Edelson's point is that if you wanted to get around the law, all you would have to do is pay $98 for a $100 gift certificate and you could call it a coupon. You could even charge $2 for a $100 gift certificate and it would not be considered a gift certificate with that maneuver.
I am not a lawyer of course and don't know the ins and outs of the law on this, but it would seem to me that a coupon is a discount on a purchase that has not taken place yet. When the Groupon customer buys a coupon from the merchant, and pays in advance, it would seem that the law might apply to that situation. Now, if Groupon wants to fight the law in Illinois, they have every right to challenge it.
And we have no idea how the courts will rule on this.
But merchants taking customer money and not giving value in return is precisely the kind of abuse the law is intended to prevent, Jay Edelson told me.
I now have a somewhat better understanding of this case. The law firm Edelson McGuire met with Groupon before the lawsuit and they met with their lawyers. In fact, Jay Edelson said, they had several meetings. BTW, Groupon uses Winston & Strawn as their law firm. That's at least $600 an hour.
On the other end of the spectrum, he told me that they met with YouSwoop, a Chicago based firm in the same biz, and they settled. I have the press release on that below. In the settlement, YouSwoop will give $1K to charity and Edelson McGuire will match it and YouSwoop agrees to follow the law in Illinois.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Re: Jay, I think I have your example confused a bit. See below. Is this right
Date: 3/10/2010 1:08:44 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jedelson@kamberedelson.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com, jedelson@edelson.com
That's right. Also, I saw Mason's clip. Obviously we disagree with his claims about his refund policy.
-------------------------------------------------
From: RONALDMAY@aol.com
To: jedelson@edelson.com
Sent: Wed Mar 10 13:04:07 2010
Subject: Jay, I think I have your example confused a bit. See below. Is this right?
Edelson's point is that if you wanted to get around the law, all you would have to do as a merchant is pay out $98 for a $100 gift certificate and you could call it a coupon.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All they want, Jay Edelson told me, is for these firms to agree to follow the law.
So, if it is a Valentine's Day spa treatment, and the time has "expired," the merchant can apply a discount of equivalent value over the period of five years. It could be applied to something else.
I have no idea how much Groupon's merchants make from unredeemed coupons. But that would be an interesting fact to know.
If I were Andrew or Brad Keywell, who also went to Michigan Law, I would not be so dismissive of Jay Edelson, also a Michigan Law grad. Did you see that Frank Balantine, and Bruce Zivian?
http://edelsonmcguire.com/lawyers/#page_1
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jay is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School and Brandeis University. Jay was born in New York, grew up in Boston, and currently lives with his wife and two kids in Chicago, Illinois.
Representative Cases:
* Settled a $30 million class action involving lead-infused Thomas the Tank Engine children's toys
* Settled nationwide class actions worth as much as $100 million involving claims of unauthorized charges on cell phones.
* Successfully prosecuted several text message spam cases, including a $7 million settlement involving the Timberland Co.
* Obtained an injunction preventing an insurance company from cancelling the health insurance of thousands of self-employed individuals, later reaching settlement guaranteeing them insurance for the future.
* Part of mediation team in $24 million U.S. and Canadian class action settlement involving the 2008 contaminated pet food recalls.
* Successfully prosecuted a case against Riverboat Casino on behalf of employees suffering from second hand smoke.
* Settled cases involving claims of privacy breaches or intrusive behavior against companies such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Sears.
Media and Public Appearances:
* Appeared on dozens of local, national, and international television and radio programs, including ABC World News, CNN, Your World With Neil Cavuto, Big Story with John Gibson, CBS Radio and NPR.
* Appeared in hundreds of newspapers, magazines, and other publications.
* Nicknamed the "Spam Slammer" in Chicago Sun-Times' front- page cover article after reaching the first ever class action settlement for text message spam.
* Served as panelist on national symposium on tort reform.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All I'm saying is that if the guy suing Groupon settled a $30 million class action involving lead-infused Thomas the Tank Engine children's toys, I would not be so quick to dismiss it as a nuisance suit.
Here is the release on the settlement with YouSwoop.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From: Jay Edelson jedelson@edelson.com
Subject: YouSwoop
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:30:56 -0600
To: ron@themayreport.com
Settlement With YouSwoop, Chicago Charity Wins
Stay connected: Bookmark and Share Share "$$anmarticleid$$"Buzz up!press release distribution rss feed RSS Feed tweetmeme_style = 'compact';
(PRNewsChannel) / March 08, 2010 / Chicago, Ill. / A potential class action lawsuit against YouSwoop by Chicago resident Matt Parsons reached an amicable agreement today. YouSwoop sells certificates redeemable at a variety of merchants by sending an e-mail advertisement to a list of subscribers offering big savings through purchasing the certificates that it sells. Rather than wait for a lawsuit to be filed, YouSwoop?s own CEO, Alexander Lurie, agreed to sit down with Mr. Parsons? attorneys, Jay Edelson and Bill Gray of Edelson McGuire, LLC to discuss the potential lawsuit.
Following the meeting, Lurie explained: ?We want every single one of our subscribers to be happy and we don?t want anyone to think that we are not in full compliance with the law.? Although admitting it is unconventional to sit down with a group leading a potential class action lawsuit, Lurie explained that the advantage of creating a new business is that he doesn?t always have to follow conventional thinking. ?I wanted to demonstrate that we stand behind our product and was taking it on faith that Mr. Parsons and his lawyers were well-intentioned; they certainly were.?
Jay Edelson, the managing partner of Edelson McGuire, LLC similarly commended YouSwoop and Lurie. ?A lot of companies try to stand behind $1,000 an hour lawyers and technical legal arguments. YouSwoop decided, instead, to stand behind its customers.?
Under the terms of the settlement, YouSwoop will ensure that its model allows that consumers will obtain value from its certificates for five years from the purchase date. Additionally, for those limited subscribers whose certificates may have expired, YouSwoop agreed to make sure those subscribers get value from the same for a period of five (5) years past the issue date, or even to provide credits or refunds to those few consumers if requested. YouSwoop will also be making a charitable contribution to CARA, a non-profit organization that helps homeless people develop job skills. Edelson McGuire will be making a matching contribution to a non-profit charity that runs a child-care center for low-income Chicagoans.
Both Mr. Parsons and Edelson McGuire agreed to waive any compensation for themselves. ?YouSwoop demonstrated to us that they are committed to consumer protection ideals. Given the transparency and integrity they displayed, as well as their willingness to immediately fix the problems we identified, we were pleased to waive any fees to which we might have been entitled,? explained Bill Gray.
About Edelson McGuire: Edelson McGuire, LLC (http://www.edelson.com) formerly known as KamberEdelson LLC, is a commercial litigation and legal and political consulting firm with attorneys in Illinois, New York, California, and Florida. The firm?s attorneys have been recognized as leaders in these fields by state and federal legislatures, national and international media groups, the courts and their peers. They have testified before the United States Senate on class action issues and have repeatedly been asked to work on federal and state legislation and policy issues involving banking, cellular telephony and consumer privacy. Their attorneys have appeared on hundreds of national and international television and radio programs to discuss their cases and class action and consumer protection issues more generally. Their class settlements are collectively worth over one billion dollars and have changed the consumer protection policies of numerous industries.
Media Contacts:
Glenn Selig
PR Firm: The Publicity Agency
Phone: (813) 708-1220 x7777 or cell: (813) 300-5454
Email: glenn@thepublicityagency.com (BlackBerry)
Justin Herndon
The Publicity Agency
Phone: (813) 708-1220 x7778 or cell: (813) 528-6815
Email: justin@thepublicityagency.com (BlackBerry)
Source: edelson.com
This press release was sent by the press release distribution service PRNewsChannel. Follow on Twitter, Friend on Facebook, Connect on Linkedin.
Jay Edelson | Edelson McGuire LLC
350 N. La Salle; Suite 1300
Chicago, IL 60654
1.312.589.6375 (direct) | 1.312.589.6370 (firm) | 1.312.589.6378 (fax)
jedelson@edelson.com | www.edelson.com
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Well, how about that? A piece of real news and not just a re-hash of what the Chicago Tribune and Channel 11 has already said.
Reading the comments and also hearing the scuttlebutt on the street, it appears that Groupon is trying to position itself as the new new thing and most of all, "cool." Andrew used that word several times last night on Channel 11. Groupon seems to have a cult following. Jay Edelson suggested to me that some of the comments from readers directed at him and his firm seemed as though they have been written by Groupon employees writing under aliases. He is not saying he has any proof of that though.
____________________________________________
Nesch LLC, a tech firm located at the Purdue Technology Center in Crown Point, Indiana, scanner to hit market
http://nwitimes.com/app/inbusiness/?p=3681
Local tech company's scanner to hit market
By Louisa Murzyn
Published Mar 8th, 2010
New device can detect objects inside, outside body cavities quickly
Ben Reinhart of Nesch LLC, works on a prototype of a patented technology called Diffraction Enhanced X-ray Imaging (DEXI) that detects objects, explosives, narcotics and other contraband in human body cavities, as well as outside, in 30 to 90 seconds.
(Photograph by John J. Watkins/The Times.)
While a suicide bomber passed through two scanners and then went on to injure a Saudi prince last year by detonating explosives inserted in his rectum, a local business was creating a scanner that would have detected the hidden bomb.
Nesch LLC, a firm located at the Purdue Technology Center in Crown Point, has developed a technology called Diffraction-Enhanced X-ray Imaging, called DEXI, which can detect contraband both inside and outside human body cavities in 30 to 90 seconds.
"Placing our security machines at airports and security gates will ensure dangerous materials are taken out of the control of terrorists who seek to inflict grave harm on the general public," said President and Chief Executive Officer Ivan Nesch.
Terrorists are increasingly turning to age-old tactics once the main purview of drug smugglers.
The DEXI scanner also would have revealed the cache of explosives attached to the underwear of a Nigerian man who attempted to blow up a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas day.
Since then, the mad dash for full-body scans at airports seems unstoppable.
Nesch LLC
Type of business: X-ray imaging technology
When opened: 2003
Address: 9800 Connecticut Drive, Crown Point
Phone: 219.644.3505
Owner: Ivan Nesch
Number of Employees: 10
Email: contactus@neschllc.com
Website: neschllc.com
There are 40 in use at 19 U.S. airports, and that number is expected to skyrocket, according to the Transportation Security Administration. O'Hare International Airport has its first full-body scanner. Approximately 150 machines, paid for with $25 million of 2009 federal stimulus funds, are to be installed in airports by the end of June.
The DEXI technology, which is noninvasive, initially was developed for medical use. But the large-scale machinery evolved, and testing now is done with a desktop-sized device, project manager Daniel Fogarty said.
The prototype is about 10-by-7-by-4-feet and has 50 times less radiation than conventional X-rays. "More information and less radiation-a gain on both sides," Nesch said. The current scan time is expected to improve, Fogarty said.
Eventually, the scanner will analyze material so users may determine, for example, if a substance is carbon-based. "On the spot, we would know if it's dangerous," Nesch said.
The security procedure could be similar to today's current process for carry-on luggage where the object goes through, and a security official in close proximity views a monitor.
Scanners on the market today see through clothing and produce ghostly images of passengers. DEXI reveals internals but doesn't expose or recreate contours of the body or face.
The company is finalizing a larger production model and was to begin taking orders in March. The cost is expected to be $600,000 to $1 million. For now, up to 15 machines could be produced per year, but the market potential is significant.
When it comes time to expand, the Purdue Research Foundation said it will accommodate the company on its premises. Nesch has no plans to leave the Hoosier state, and the company one day could easily employ hundreds.
"Indiana has a decent workforce and high-tech companies are good for this region," he said. "We are capable of retaining our own and attracting people from other states."
Indiana's 21st Century Research and Technology Fund focuses on ventures that have demonstrated a market potential to commercialize innovative technologies. It helps companies leap from research to product development.
The fund awarded the high-tech company a $2 million grant. Funding from all sources, which includes the Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health, totals $4 million.
Fogarty said the company is poised to take advantage of the current market potential.
There is already global interest in places such as Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Israel.
"It's very encouraging," he said. "The technology is proven. It's a matter of securing funds to grow the company and grabbing a customer base and going from there. It's a very exciting time for us as a young company."
Tagged as: Louisa Murzyn, Safety
One Response »
BusINess » Business » This week's BusINess newsletter out now! on March 9th, 2010 at 8:06 am:
[...] • Local tech company's scanner to hit market A local business is creating a full-body scanner that would have detected the "Christmas Day bomber's" hidden explosives. Crown Point's Nesch LLC, which has developed a technology that can detect contraband both inside and outside human body cavities in 30 to 90 seconds, is set to capitalize on the mad dash for full-body scans at airports. nwi.com/inbusiness [...]
_______________________________________
Mike Samson of crowdSPRING: Meet-up at SXSW
From: "Mike Samson" mike@crowdspring.com
Subject: meet up at SXSW?
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:30:04 +1100
To: "ron@themayreport.com" ron@themayreport.com
crowdSPRING
Hi guys,
I just wanted to reach out and let you know that we'll be hosting a Core Conversation at SXSW next week that I think you might be interested in. Here's how SXSW describes it:
Third Coast: How to Be a Startup Outside of Silicon Valley
It is difficult to establish a startup no matter where you are in the world, but there are great companies and events that began life outside of Silicon Valley. Threadless, 37Signals, FeedBurner, BIG Omaha conference, and SXSW itself are proof that technology life exists away from the coasts. These less-than-obvious locales (more)...
As entrepreneurs and startup founders, we find ourselves both challenged and rewarded to have chosen Chicago as our base of operations. I imagine that you may have some thoughts on this topic as well, and would love to have you there to share these with the group.
The talk will take place this Saturday, March 13 at 12:30pm at the Convention Center in Courtyard Rio Grande B. Join us?
Thanks, and looking forward to seeing you in Austin!
Mike & Ross
Mike Samson & Ross Kimbarovsky
co-Founders
www.crowdspring.com
________________________________________________
Friday, March 12: Take Command of Your Data Seminar: Business + Enterprise Intelligence FREE seminar
Subject: Take Command of Your Data Seminar: Business + Enterprise Intelligence FREE s
Date: 3/8/2010 3:15:20 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jwillinger@rightpoint.com
To: RONALDMAY@aol.com
I'm hosting an exciting half day Business Intelligence seminar with Microsoft on how to take command of your data. Please review the details at the following link:
http://www.rightpoint.com/bievent/
When
March 12, 2010
8:30am - 12:00pm CST
Where
Microsoft Offices
AON Center
200 East Randolph
Agenda
8:30 - 9:00:
Breakfast and Networking
9:00 - 9:30:
Setting My Enterprise Intelligence Strategy
Dennis Waldron, Rightpoint
9:30 - 10:15:
Panel on Business Intelligence In Practice: How Companies Are Making Better Decisions with Microsoft's Business Intelligence Tools
- Pat Anderson, CTO Apartments.com
- Connie Dmochowsky, Manager of Programming Dept., Guarantee Trust Life Insurance Company-
- Natalee Green, Director, Information Technology, North American Medical Management - Illinois, Inc.
10:15 - 10:30:
Break
10:30 - 11:15:
Live Demonstration of PerformancePoint, PowerPivot and SharePoint 2010 (Microsoft & Rightpoint)
Dan Vandercar, BI Solution Professional, Microsoft
11:15 - 11:30:
Summary & Close
For more information, please contact Jeff Willinger 312-920-8390
________________________________________
Marty Glotzer
From: MGlotz@aol.com
Subject: Re: The May Report: 3/8/2010: A very full report: Did The Next Big Sound move...
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 17:58:25 EST
To: ron@themayreport.com
T. Patterson Law Firm 1 n. La Salle Chicago met on the May Report good working group takes interest in matters Martin Glotzer
In a message dated 3/8/2010 3:14:21 P.M. Central Standard Time, ron@themayreport.com writes:
____________________________________________
Darrell Dvorak: "Krugman Got it Wrong"
From: Darrell Dvorak d5547k@yahoo.com
Subject: "Krugman Got it Wrong"
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 17:00:22 -0800 (PST)
To: Ron May <ron@themayreport.com>
since I don't stoop to read your blog anymore, I don't know if you're still in thrall to your fiend, the Krugman acolyte. If you are and still post his inantities, you owe it to your readers to direct them to this post from a U of C luminary:
http://www.forbes.com/2010/03/08/paul-krugman-republicans-politics-opinions-columnists-richard-a-epstein.html?boxes=opinionschannellighttop
___________________________________________
Synopsis of New Yorker article on Mayor Daley
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/03/08/100308fa_fact_osnos
Evan Osnos, Letter from Chicago, "The Daley Show," The New Yorker, March 8, 2010, p. 38
Read the full text of this article in the digital edition. (Subscription required.)
March 8, 2010 Issue
ABSTRACT: LETTER FROM CHICAGO about Mayor Richard M. Daley. A Daley has ruled Chicago for forty-two of the past fifty-five years. The dynasty endures in part because many voters remember what the city was like without them: in the thirteen years between Richard J. Daley (the Old Man) and his son Richard M. Daley, Chicago churned through five mayors. In the city that Martin Luther King, Jr., once called the Birmingham of the North, Daley has presided during two decades in which race has receded, if not into the background, then into the din of city politics. He took office in 1989, at a moment when Chicago was paralyzed by infighting and mismanagement. In the years that followed, Detroit, Cleveland, and other former industrial powers continued to wither, but Chicago did not. It has grown in population, income, and diversity. Chicago is now a post-industrial capital of innovation for ideas ranging from house music to molecular gastronomy. Discusses the strong relationship between Chicago and Washington now that President Obama is in office. Obama is surrounded by people connected to Daley's City Hall: Valerie Jarrett, David Axelrod, and Rahm Emanuel. The deeper ranks of the Administration are as rife with Chicagoans as those of its predecessor were with Texans. Writer visits Daley in his office and tells about the friendly relationship between Daley and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Shortly before Christmas, Daley will surpass his father and become the longest-serving mayor in Chicago history. Daley is an unreconstructed old-school pol: rarely glimpsed without a suit jacket, fluent in the ancient political rituals. Tells about Daley's childhood and education. He attended his father's alma mater, De La Salle Institute, then Providence College and DePaul University. Describes his early political career. In 1979, he ran for Cook County State's attorney and won by two tenths of a per cent of the vote. Discusses the torture of prisoners in police custody during the nineteen seventies and eighties, and whether Daley had knowledge of the abuse. In 1983, Daley ran for mayor and lost to Harold Washington. After Washington's death, in 1987, Daley ran again, hiring David Axelrod to work on his campaign. Rahm Emanuel also worked on the campaign. Daley won and took office on his forty-seventh birthday. Daley enjoys extraordinarily little opposition from the City Council, in part because the law allows him to fill vacancies by appointment. Daley has never shown much interest in the niceties of checks and balances. He practices what might be called big-tent dictatorship. Discusses Daley's political success with the black community and tells about his reform of Chicago's public housing schools. Considers the persistence of corruption in Chicago politics.
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_________________________________________
Tuesday, March 16: ACG Chicago - Buying into China as a Market
From: networking@acgchicago.com
Sender: "Angie Hoffman" ahoffman@acgchicago.com
Subject: ACG Chicago - March 16 Buying into China as a Market
Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 15:54:45 -0600
ACG-Chicago-Mtg-Announcemen [Converted]
International Network presents
Buying into China
as a Market
Date: Tuesday, March 16
Place: The Standard Club
4th Floor - Living Room
320 S. Plymouth Ct.
Chicago
Time: 4:00 pm - 7:30 pm
2010 is appropriately the year of the golden tiger for China as it roars to re-establishing itself as a dominant world economic force. We explore the how and why of investing and working in this expansive country with diverse needs and growth patterns. Join us to explore M&A and market opportunities in the new Chinese world of global business - the critical areas of growth that you must know as you build your global presence.
Panelists
Martin S. A. Beck, Managing Director, MAT Capital
Stephen M. Chipman, CEO, Grant Thornton LLP
Michael J. Fieweger, Partner, Baker & McKenzie LLP
Harry D. Schulman, Former President, CEO, Chairman of Applica; Operating Partner, Baird Capital Partners
Registration/Networking
4:00 - 4:30 pm
Panel Presentation
4:30 - 6:00 pm
Networking/Cocktails
6:00 - 7:30 pm
Martin S. A. Beck is a Managing Director with Shandong Heavy Industry Group and MAT Capital. Shandong Heavy Industry Group was formed in 2009 to hold the equity positions of the province of Shandong, China in a number of industrial businesses including Weichai Power (HK:2338), one of the world's leading suppliers of diesel engines, transmissions and axles to the heavy duty truck sector, and Shantui (SZ:000680), one of China's largest producers of construction equipment. Martin is responsible for Shandong Heavy Industry Group's acquisitions outside of China.
MAT Capital is a private equity group that seeks to invest in companies that offer the opportunity to leverage the low cost sourcing and manufacturing, logistics and distribution and sales capabilities of its affiliate, MAT Holdings. MAT Holdings has 18 manufacturing facilities in China, India, Vietnam and Europe and 10 distribution centers in the U.S. which supply lawn and garden, power equipment and automotive products to a largely retail customer base in the U.S. and Europe.
Prior to joining Shandong Heavy Industry Group, Martin was a member of the M&A group at JPMorgan and worked in the Industrials group at Macquarie Capital. Martin received a B.A. in Economics from Princeton University, an M.B.A. from New York University and a J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.
Stephen M. Chipman was named CEO with Grant Thornton LLP effective January 1, 2010. Stephen was most recently CEO, Greater China Management Corporation, responsible for leading the development and growth of services for Grant Thornton in China. Under his leadership during the last two years, Grant Thornton's resources in China have expanded significantly to more than 1,600 people in six offices.
A member of Grant Thornton for 28 years, Stephen has held a number of key executive leadership positions. During the past six years as a member of the Grant Thornton LLP Senior Leadership Team, Stephen served as the inaugural chair of the Grant Thornton Experience Leadership Council, and as chair of both the Global and China initiatives. Stephen began his work on international affairs in Hong Kong in 1992 as the regional technical director for Asia Pacific, and started his career with Grant Thornton in 1986 in Plymouth, England.
A trusted expert on international business and foreign affairs, Stephen maintains an active schedule of speaking engagements. His commentary has been featured in The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and Forbes. Stephen was educated at Plymouth College and Plymouth Polytechnic in Devon, England, and is qualified as a British Chartered Accountant and an American Certified Public Accountant.
Michael J. Fieweger, Partner with Baker & McKenzie LLP advises on corporate and securities matters, and has significant experience helping companies address fund formation and securities issues. Michel has a background in corporate finance, having previously served as commercial lending officer with JP Morgan Chase in Chicago. Michael currently is a member of the firm's North America Private Equity Steering Committee.
Michael represents clients such as private equity and venture capital funds, institutions and hedge funds in their formation, global acquisition and investment activities. He has also lectured on syndicated issues related to the private offering of direct participation programs as well as corporate and securities issues effecting private equity and venture capital-backed companies.
Michael received a B.A. in Economics from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. from Northwestern University School of Law.
Harry Schulman is currently an Operating Partner with Baird Capital Partners with a focus on the consumer products area. His extensive Asian experience is derived from 20 years with Applica, Inc. culminating in his serving as Chairman and CEO in 2004 through 2007. During that period he led a corporate wide integration in Kaizen (continuous improvement) primarily in the supply chain and to manufacturing facilities. Included in an Asian strategy, sold Applica's long held China manufacturing operation and created a strategic sourcing relationship with a leading Chinese manufacturing company to increase margins by over 250 basis points in a year.
During his CEO tenure, Harry more than doubled shareholder value, led the acquisition and merger integration of Black & Decker, divested over $200MM business units, and led the strategy and execution of its sale to a PE for over 18 times EBITDA. Schulman's previous roles at the firm included 6 years as COO and 10 years in CFO roles.
Prior to his years at Applica, Mr. Schulman also served in senior executive roles at Medical Insurance Administrators, Inc., Baring Industries, Inc., and Societe Generale de Belgique - Sibeka Group. Harry received his B.A. in Business Administration from University of Dayton and his MBA University of Florida with an honors emphasis in International Business.
Registration Fees
Upcoming Events
Members: $38.00 registered by 3/12, $45 registered after 3/12
Non-Members: $48.00 registered by 3/12, $55 registered after 3/12
Register on line at www.ACGChicago.com
Cancellation Policy: All cancellations received in writing to networking@ACGChicago.com by 5pm, 3/12 will receive full credit.
Questions call 877-ACG-NETWORK (877-224-6389)
or email networking@ACGChicago.com
April 13, 2010
Health Care Conference - Finding Growth Opportunities in the Changing Landscape
June 7, 2010
Annual Golf Outing
October 19, 2010
Midwest ACG Capital Connection
_____________________________________________
ExactTarget Acquires CoTweet
Subject: ExactTarget Acquires CoTweet
Date: 3/2/2010 10:37:06 A.M. Central Standard Time
From: scott@exacttarget.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com
Dear ExactTarget Customer,
Today is a historic day for ExactTarget and our clients! We are taking an enormous step forward in helping you bring together all forms of interactive communications and drive deeper customer engagement by combining the power of email marketing and social media.
I am excited to announce ExactTarget has completed the acquisition of CoTweet , the enterprise leader in helping businesses connect with customers via Twitter. CoTweet is an amazing software company that powers the Twitter campaigns of big brands like Microsoft, McDonald's, Sprint, Ford, Dell, Pepsi, Whole Foods, Intuit, Salesforce.com, USA Today and Coca-Cola. CoTweet's Web-based collaboration platform provides a single dashboard that allows multiple users to track conversations, assign roles and create follow-up tasks through workflows and simple case management. As one of the earliest Twitter pioneers, CoTweet has developed one of the closest direct relationships with Twitter and has earned the trust and admiration of the social media world.
CoTweet brings tremendous social media capabilities to ExactTarget and will operate as a business unit of ExactTarget in San Francisco focused exclusively on social media product development. CoTweet Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jesse Engle will lead the team and report directly to me as we work to quickly invest additional resources to establish our Social Media Lab - where we'll develop new innovations to help you harness the collective power of CoTweet and ExactTarget to increase customer engagement. Learn how to leverage the power of ExactTarget and CoTweet together by visiting www.ExactTarget.com/Connected. Click here to start using the free beta version of CoTweet or visit CoTweet's enterprise innovator's page to learn how you can access richer analytics, conversation history and drive even higher levels of engagement with their enterprise edition.
Today's announcement is the realization of the continued evolution of interactive marketing. We look forward to working with the CoTweet team to deliver new innovations and help drive your business by bringing together the power of email marketing and social media. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me directly at Scott@ExactTarget.com. Thank you for your continued partnership.
Best,
Scott Dorsey
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer
ExactTarget
__________________________________________
Lowry S Taylor: Membership, Now
From: Lowry S Taylor lowrys.taylor@gmail.com
Subject: Membership, Now.
Date: Fri, 5 Mar 2010 10:40:20 -0600
To: lowrys.taylor@gmail.com
Hello,
Digital Development Corporation (DDC) consist of grass-root community organizations, businesses, educators, technology professionals and individuals that focus on four issues that are essential to closing the digital divide gap that exist. They are Access, Education, Diversity and Careers. DDC also specializes in providing Computer Repair and E-cycling services.
You may have never noticed or thought about this, but every month, major technology conferences take place in our country, there is usually only 5% or less of attendees/participants that are people of color. In fact, there is such disparity that it is common to observe one public school in a particular neighborhood having 500 computers and another school in another neighborhood having 125 (or less)--where is the fairness in tech funding for our schools? Or maybe you?ve expressed an interest in bridging the Digital Divide, purchased a refurbished computer, or attended a class or workshop.
Today is the start of the DDC Membership Drive, 2010. If you have expressed an interest in Membership, purchased a refurbished computer, attended a class or workshop. This is for you. Or you may possess a strong desire or curiosity, as to why major technology conferences take place in our country and you see 5% or less, of attendees and participants, that are people of color. Why one public school has 500 computers and another school has 125--where is the fairness in funding our schools?
Then you should "step up" and join the Digital Development Corporation (DDC).
We have re-located into the Lawndale Community, at 2177 S. Millard Avenue, to the community where we were founded.
The DDC exist to bridge the digital divide. We seek to put more people in the schools, the institutions of higher learning, that will study technology, work in the field of technology and use technology--from the community environment is where we start.
We need your help in doing so, which is why you are receiving this email. Now is "that time of the year" when we ask those who believe in us and our mission, to take out a membership, become a dues paying member or make a one-time donation, of your choice. Membership is, only, $60.00 per year, for an individual and $180.00 for an organization/company. This is a small price to pay to see "change". Sixteen pennies per day will allow you to have a voice and access to today?s' technology. The DDC exists to bridge the digital divide. We seek to increase the number and quantity and the quality of individuals who work in the field of technology and use technology in our schools. The DDC is where you can push for a change in ?policy?, if you should want to claim an issue and address it with passion. We are also your West Side hub for education, access to digital technology, and a technology-based community. We work on the prevalent issues that directly impact our communities-- (e.g.; minority contracts should be at 25%, in this City, but are more like 9%) -- We are a grassroots organization that believes in the power of Digital Literacy and Access, and we need your help.
Now is "that time of the year" when we ask those who believe in us and our mission, to take out a membership and become a dues-paying member. Or it may suit you better to make a one-time donation of your choice at any amount. Membership is only $60.00 per year. Many of us pay more than this for monthly services provided by big tech companies who care little for the growing digital divide in our neighborhoods. Only sixteen pennies per day will give you a voice and access to relevant education and technology.
Membership fuels and drives the DDC. We expect to receive and always act on input from our membership. Over the past 5 years we have ran our operations off the backs of our membership, with no government funds. This allows us to fulfill our mission effectively and expeditiously. Again, now is the time for you to join the effort.
The membership application is below & attached. Download the application or stop by the office (2177 S. Millard Ave.).
If you have questions, comments, or need assistance regarding the recycling of computers and electronics, to enroll in class, or to become a member or to contact us, call 773-782-6604?21777 S. Millard Avenue, Chicago, IL
We sincerely hope that you will consider the Digital Development Corporation by becoming a member of our force.
Lowry Taylor, Alex Lyons
Executive Director President
Marlone Finley
Lead Tech
Johnathan Jackson
Tech Instructor
Tyquan Baxter
Tech
Melvyn B. Lenton Edwina Howard
E-cycle Manager Administration
_____________________________________________
Thermo-Calc and QuesTek to Develop New Precipitation Modeling Software
From: Rich Kooy rkooy@questek.com
Subject: News Release - Thermo-Calc and QuesTek to Develop New Precipitation Modeling Software
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 2010 13:20:54 -0600
To: ron@themayreport.com
Hi Ron,
This news was released today by QuesTek Innovations LLC and Thermo-Calc Software AB, and may interest you or your readers.
Regards,
Rich
Rich Kooy, P.E.
Director of Sales and Marketing
QuesTek Innovations LLC
1820 Ridge Avenue, Evanston, IL USA 60201
Office Tel 847-425-8213 | Cell 847-528-5016
rkooy@questek.com | www.questek.com
* * *
THERMO-CALC SOFTWARE AB AND QUESTEK INNOVATIONS LLC AGREE TO
COOPERATIVELY DEVELOP NEW PRECIPITATION MODELING SOFTWARE
Development Agreement Teams Leading Global Firms in
Computational Software and Computational Materials Design
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN and EVANSTON, IL, USA, March 9, 2010 - Thermo-Calc Software AB and QuesTek Innovations LLC have entered into an agreement to cooperatively develop new precipitation modeling software. The goal of the cooperation is to jointly develop a new, sophisticated, powerful and user-friendly software tool for modeling precipitation in multi-component systems. The software tool developed from the collaboration will be released by Thermo-Calc Software.
The agreement teams two recognized global leaders in computational modeling, analysis and material design. The firms will utilize their experience in software development, fundamental understanding of computational thermodynamics and the practical application of computational materials design as a foundation to develop new robust software to model precipitation.
Thermo-Calc Software will leverage its more than 10 years of experience developing, improving and supporting its widely-used modeling and simulation software tools such as Thermo-Calc and DICTRA, as well as its extensive suite of related thermodynamic and mobility databases. Thermo-Calc Software will also leverage its global sales and distribution network, and its experience in licensing and distribution of software tools. The vast experience of practical use of Thermo-Calc and DICTRA will also be applied.
QuesTek will leverage its more than 10 years of experience developing, improving and supporting its PrecipiCalc® simulation software, as well as its experience applying PrecipiCalc and other modeling software in its Materials by Design® programs. QuesTek has licensed PrecipiCalc to leading global researchers and engineers, and will continue to support current and future licensees until a new precipitation modeling software tool is introduced and a orderly transition can be completed.
ABOUT THERMO-CALC SOFTWARE
Thermo-Calc Software AB (www.thermocalc.com) of Stockholm, Sweden is a global leader in computational thermodynamics software tools within the area of material science. Its flagship software tool Thermo-Calc has been in use for more than 25 years by leading industrial, governmental and academic researchers and engineers to create multi-component thermodynamic and phase diagram calculations in more than 60 countries around the world. Its diffusion simulation tool DICTRA, which uses Thermo-Calc as its engine, has been widely utilized since its introduction more than 15 years ago. Thermo-Calc Software was founded as an independent company in 1997 as an off-spring from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Department of Materials Science, in Stockholm, Sweden. For more information, contact Carl Lindqvist: info@thermocalc.se.
ABOUT QUESTEK
QuesTek Innovations LLC (www.questek.com) of Evanston, IL, USA is a global leader in computational materials design. QuesTek uses its proprietary Materials by Design technology and expertise to rapidly develop new materials that reduce capital, processing, operating or maintenance costs, or improve environmental protection, competitive supply or competitive advantage. QuesTek has been highlighted in many leading business and technical publications, and has more than 30 patents awarded or pending worldwide for new, computationally-designed materials. For more information, contact Rich Kooy at rkooy@questek.com.
____________________________________________
Jeff Meredith: The Onion mocks John Boehner -- This is perfect ...
Subject: The Onion mocks John Boehner -- This is perfect ...
Date: 3/10/2010 12:51:41 P.M. Central Standard Time
From: jeffmere@gmail.com
To: ronaldmay@aol.com, ron@themayreport.com
http://www.theonion.com/content/opinion/my_constituents_care_way_more
My Constituents Care Way More About Political Gamesmanship Than Jobs, Health Care, And The Economy
By House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH)
March 2, 2010
It is my responsibility as an elected official to look out for the people back home, the voters who sent me to Washington. So, after 20 years representing Ohio's 8th District, I know what the good citizens of Montgomery, Preble, and Butler counties really want: someone who engages in the kind of calculated political gamesmanship that increases his standing in the Republican party while simultaneously hindering our country's legislative process at every conceivable turn.
I assure you, the last thing my voters need is some well intended, do-all-I-possibly-can-to-help-the-little-guy congressman running around Washington, working across the aisle, and fighting tooth and nail for jobs, health care, and financial reform to ensure their tax dollars never end up in the hands of banks capable of holding our entire economy hostage.
No, sir. My constituents deserve better.
They deserve a leader willing to roll up his sleeves and play the types of twisted, greedy political games that, by their very nature, tear apart the fabric of our democracy for the sake of assuring reelection. They deserve someone on their side who will ask the tough questions, such as how will painting Democrats as radical ideologues play in, say, Arkansas? Can we vote "no" on the health care bill and still make it look like we give two craps about the welfare of ordinary Americans? How can we twist positive news about the GDP into a negative for the Obama administration?
Trust me: If you talk to an unemployed, uninsured mother of two in Greenville, she'll tell you that jobs and reliable medical coverage come a distant second to the crafting of meticulous talking points that deftly omit the facts and reduce what should be honest discourse about our country's future to a series of contrived, easy-to-digest sound bites designed to sway crucial independent voters.
Take the folks I represent in Dayton. They've seen unemployment skyrocket to 13.2 percent. Now, here is what I did for them: Even though the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts that the stimulus bill will ultimately save or create 2.5 million jobs, I came out and said that the dismal performance of the "stimulus" demonstrates the danger of letting Washington take more control of our economy.
My constituents had to be proud. They must have loved the way I blatantly ignored the truth and put quotation marks around "stimulus" so as to delegitimize the whole project. And I bet they noticed that, with just one sentence, I slyly preyed on America's inherent distrust of big government. Pretty good, huh? It's all bullshit of course, but it's a great political play: slimy, deceitful, and downright irresponsible-the kind of no-nonsense, no-actual-help-for-anyone-but-myself strategy that the struggling voters in Butler and Mercer counties rely on.
The fact is, if I ever worked across the aisle to help thousands of uninsured Ohioans receive health care, I wouldn't be able to look them in the eye. How could I explain to them that I abandoned the idiotic yet politically fruitful claim that Barack Obama is a socialist bent on destroying the American way of life? How could I admit to them that deficit spending is the only way to get us out of an economic crisis perpetuated by my party's disastrous fiscal ideology? How could I tell them I stopped obsessing over scoring petty political points right before the midterm election?
How could I stop being the greedy, myopic scumbag they elected me to be?
More than anything, average, workaday Ohioans want me to play politics at the shrewdest, most despicable level, not to waste their time making surgery affordable or offering tax breaks to small businesses. And my constituents are so thankful that I took a nation that was actually hopeful at the beginning of 2009 and turned it into a paranoid, demoralized country unsure of whether it made the right choice in 2008.
But in the end, of course, I can't take full credit for the Republican Party's utterly undeserved yet all-too-depressingly-real resurgence. That would be unfair to my Democratic colleagues, who, in their unwillingness to act like grown adults with any kind of backbone and exercise the largest majority any party has seen in decades, have let us get away with all of it.
Thank you, you cowardly pieces of sh**.
_____________________________________________
A trivia fact that may be of interest, by Ron May
Trivia fact of interest: The movie The Hidden Fortress made in 1958 by the famed Japanese director Akira Kurosawa is said to have inspired the movie "Star Wars." It is a tale about a samurai's attempt to rescue a kidnapped princess. There is nothing new under the sun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Episode_IV:_A_New_Hope
"Frustrated after being told that his story was too difficult to understand,[19] Lucas started again on a completely new outline, this time borrowing heavily from Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress[20], so much so that he at one time considered buying the rights to the film.[21] He relied on a plot synopsis from Donald Richie's book The Films of Akira Kurosawa and wrote a 14-page draft that paralleled The Hidden Fortress, with names and settings reminiscent of the science fiction genre.[22]"
and this spells it out pretty clearly:
http://www.lovehkfilm.com/panasia/hidden_fortress.htm
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Literally: Three Bad Men in a Hidden Fortress
Year: 1958
Director: Akira Kurosawa
Producer: Sanezumi Fujimoto, Akira Kurosawa
Writer: Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni, Ryuzo Kikushima
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatari Fujiwara, Susumu Fijita, Misa Uehara
The Skinny: Ever hear of a little film called Star Wars? Well, here's where filmmaker George Lucas got his inspiration. Thankfully, there's not a hint of Jar Jar Binks in Kurosawa's fun-filled original.
Review by Calvin McMillin: If the idea of an epic tale told through the eyes of two bumbling characters sounds familiar, it should. For some, the names C-3P0 and R2-D2-the robotic supporting characters that anchor the Star Wars trilogy-will come to mind immediately. However, Star Wars creator George Lucas has admitted that an earlier Japanese film, Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, served as the inspiration for his own phenomenally successful space opera. But even so, there's certainly more to The Hidden Fortress than just being the answer to a Star Wars trivia question.
The Hidden Fortress relates the time-honored tale of ordinary people caught up in extraordinary circumstances. In this case, those people are Tahei (Minoru Chiaki) and Matakishi (Kamatari Fujiwara), two peasant farmers who went off to war looking for fame and fortune only to find themselves penniless, alone, and on the run behind enemy lines. Along the way, the farmers meet a disguised general, Rokuruta Makabe (Toshiro Mifune). Unbeknownst to our two bickering protagonists, the general hopes to smuggle the beautiful, but defiant Princess Yuki (Misa Uehara) across the border to a friendly clan, along with a stockpile of gold. Capitalizing on Tahei's and Matakishi's greed, Rokoruta tricks the two gold-diggers into carrying their precious cargo, cleverly hidden inside sticks of firewood.
The ragtag group encounters several seemingly impossible situations, and many life lessons are learned. The haughty, sheltered princess learns what the lives of her subjects are really like and vows to become a better ruler: "I have seen people as they really are, in all their beauty and their ugliness, with my own eyes. I thank you." Rokurata meets an old colleague who has sided with the enemy, and the two engage in a duel, the outcome of which figures heavily into the climax. But what about Tahei and Matakishi? Well, they squabble, complain, and try to outsmart the general, but ultimately, they don't learn a damn thing. But that's quite all right; they wouldn't be the born losers the audience comes to love if they actually progressed as human beings.
Though some might bristle at Ewok creator George Lucas "stealing" from an Asian filmmaker to fashion his own masterpiece, it's important to realize that Kurosawa himself was highly influenced by American films. The Hidden Fortress may very well be a rousing, highly entertaining jidai-geki picture, but it's also strongly reminiscent of American films, in particular some of John Ford's best Westerns. But no matter who influenced whom, the fact remains that The Hidden Fortress is a great film all on its own.
Though not meaning to belabor the films relationship with Star Wars (particularly after just putting it to rest), there is one scene that might provide ample fodder for such a discussion. At one point early in the film, Tahei and Matakishi go their separate ways (as C-3P0 and R2-D2 would do on Tatooine) only to find themselves captured by the enemy. The two meet by chance among a horde of prisoners, who soon turn against their captors in a scene of bloody revolt. What is remarkable about this sequence is that the hundreds of people fighting on the stronghold's staircase are real extras, not CGI-clones as we've grown accustomed to seeing in everything from Attack of the Clones to The Two Towers. Though such computer trickery is highly impressive and sometimes photo-realistic, there is nothing quite like seeing an armada of soldiers and prisoners engaged in mortal combat and KNOWING that those people are actually there duking it out.
But, while that sequence is a remarkable part of The Hidden Fortress, its importance to the film's success is quite small. It is not the massive battles or thrilling duels that win over the audience. Whether it is the comical antics of the farmers, the sardonic, self-assuredness of Toshiro Mifune's character, or the transformation of the Princess from spoiled brat to regal warrior, it is the The Hidden Fortress' ability to make you care about its characters that makes it a truly memorable film. Ultimately, it is the human element that matters most of all. Perhaps someone should have mentioned that to George Lucas before he started the prequels. (Calvin McMillin, 2003)
Notes: • Though the connection to Star Wars: A New Hope has been covered ad nauseum in critical treatises, The Hidden Fortress actually shares much more in common with the first Star Wars prequel, The Phantom Menace. To wit, the film is about a young, strong willed royal (Queen Amidala) who must sneak away with an older, experienced warrior (Qui-Gon Jinn) across unfriendly territory (Tatooine) using a royal decoy on more than one occasion.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hidden_Fortress
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