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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Recession Rescued By Bad Credit Loans

Bad Credit Loans to the Recession Rescue

Fears of an official recession have government officials wringing their hands with worry, reports Andy Hygate from www.loansbadcredit.org.uk.

Edinburgh, UK  - April 1 -- Fears of an official recession have government officials wringing their hands with worry, reports Andy Hygate from www.loansbadcredit.org.uk. But for the average consumer it doesn't really matter what the economists and market pundits predict or declare. Most of the UK population is already experiencing a recession on a personal or household level, and no amount of number crunching or financial juggling will do anything to change that stark reality.

One thing that could help, however, is a so-called "bad credit" loan. These are special loans extended to those with poor credit, and during recessionary times like these, they represent one of the last lines of defense and one of the best ways to access a line of credit to help weather the storm. Bad credit loans can provide emergency funds to help get back on solid financial footing, or they can be used on a longer-term basis for mortgages and other major but necessary expenditures.

Such loans may be a lifesaver if the situation persists. Roger Bootle, managing director of Capital Economics, was quoted by the Telegraph as saying that the growing financial crisis has increased the chances of recession in the UK as families struggle with their finances.

•    The government may need to raise taxes even more and scale back benefits to offset the nation's economic problems, which would only put more pressure on the average consumer.

•    Petrol prices are going up with no end in sight, and the cost of transporting all sorts of consumer goods is going up as a result. Those increases are being quickly passed along to retail buyers, so that the average UK consumer is bearing the biggest burden of all.

•    For example, the Bank of England has been forced to lower its interest rates twice in an effort to jumpstart the slumping economy. But mortgage lenders, credit card companies, and others who sell their financial services and are experiencing difficult time have not passed those price cuts along to their customers.

Meanwhile the news from across the puddle indicates a growing sea of debt that will soon wash ashore in the UK and likely prove that the turmoil in the USA is contagious - especially for economies that are so closely connected to it as is that of the UK.

"The underlying trends are horrible, with worse to come," reported the Guardian, citing prominent economist Ian Shepherdson of High Frequency Economics in New York.

With the unprecedented fall of Northern Rock - the first run on a UK bank in 100 years - and a rescue effort to save it that will eventually cost taxpayers about £25 billion - the economy signaled a severe crisis of staggering proportions. The bailout of the failed bank was mirrored on Wall Street, where one of America's legendary investment banks - Bear Stearns - fell apart within a matter of days. Stock in that company traded for around $160 per share last year, and hit $2 in mid-March.

The Telegraph reported that millions of British households will feel the aftermath of these events as mortgages become harder to get and monthly debt rises. One sign of recession is rising unemployment, and when Bear Stearns fell, fears rose that the company's 1,500 London-based employees might find their jobs or salaries in jeopardy - like so many others in the UK have already experienced.

However those companies that intentionally specialise in providing loans for bad credit are welcoming distressed Brits with open arms - and open purse strings. If you find yourself faced with the dilemma confronting most of us during these turbulent times, you may want to explore the option of a bad credit loan as a financially prudent alternative.

Press Contact: Andy Hygate
Company Name:
Phone: 077960436789
Website:
www.loansbadcredit.org.uk

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Bus Tours Crestron

CEA Showcases Crestron on National Bus Tour

Crestron Represents American Innovation and Ingenuity on CEA National Tour
America Wins with Trade

ROCKLEIGH, N.J.-- July 23, 2008 --The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) launched the "America Wins with Trade" bus tour, which will visit 28 states in seven weeks, with scheduled stops at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. A primary mission of the tour is to highlight CE companies that operate domestically and drive the nation's economy. As the global leader of residential and commercial control and automation systems, Crestron Electronics, Inc., exemplifies American business and innovation by designing, manufacturing, and shipping worldwide from northern New Jersey.

Crestron invited CEA executives, local and federal government officials to an exclusive inside look at the company's state-of-the-art operations. Esteemed guests were treated to a rare view of the 100,000 square foot Research Center where future technology is developed; product testing and quality control techniques used for more than 1000 products; and efficient manufacturing processes.

"Crestron was built from the ground up here in New Jersey. While others move manufacturing off-shore, we remain loyal to our roots. It's because of our talented and dedicated people that we continue to flourish," said Randy Klein, Crestron Executive Vice President. "We take exceptional steps to ensure the quality of our products and support, and make considerable investment in our community, employees and partners."

Rockleigh mayor Nicholas Langella, Peter Kortright, III, Bergen County Economic Development Corporation, and Michael Muldowney from U.S. Congressman Scott Garrett's office were among the respected visitors on the Crestron tour. All were impressed with the extensive Crestron testing and quality control technology, such as the high voltage testing lab (that exceeds UL and CE requirements) and the FCC RF-compliance testing chamber.

Additionally, each new product Crestron develops is subjected to stress, static electricity and lightning simulation tests, and every finished unit is inspected to ensure that it functions to design specifications.

"With 35% of sales of its US-made products going to overseas markets, Crestron is a great example of how trade is an engine of economic growth," added Gary Shapiro, CEA President and CEO.

Contacts

Crestron Electronics, Inc.
Jeff Singer, 800-237-2041
Fax: 201-767-1902
jsinger@crestron.com

Auction Rate Credit Linked Certificates Downgraded

Fitch Downgrades Capstan Master Trust Auction Rate Credit Linked Certificates Series 1-4

NEW YORK-- July 23, 2008 --Fitch Ratings has removed from Rating Watch Negative and downgraded the following series of Capstan Master Trust (collectively, Capstan). The following rating actions are effective immediately:

Capstan Master Trust Series 1

--$150,000,000 certificates due 2017 downgraded to 'A' from 'AAA'.

Capstan Master Trust Series 2

--$150,000,000 certificates due 2017 downgraded to 'A' from 'AAA'.

Capstan Master Trust Series 3

--$150,000,000 certificates due 2017 downgraded to 'A' from 'AAA'.

Capstan Master Trust Series 4

--$150,000,000 certificates due 2017 downgraded to 'A' from 'AAA'.

The actions reflect Fitch's view on the credit risk of the rated certificates following the release of Fitch's new Corporate CDO rating Criteria.

Capstan Series 1 through 4 are four series of auction rate credit-linked certificates, the proceeds from which were used to directly purchase $600,000,000 of credit linked certificates (the 'Underlying Collateral') referencing a static portfolio of primarily investment grade corporate assets, which was privately-rated by Fitch in July 2007. The Underlying Collateral is the sole asset of Capstan. Periodic interest payments on the auction rate credit-linked certificates are determined and paid according to an auction process, as described in the transactions' governing documents. In addition, Capstan has entered into a basis swap with Deutsche Bank AG (rated 'AA-/F1+'; Outlook Stable by Fitch), whereby income from the Underlying Collateral is transferred to Deutsche Bank AG in exchange for periodic interest payments due on the auction rate credit-linked certificates. The rating of Capstan is directly linked to the credit risk of the Underlying Collateral. Thus, the downgrades reflect Fitch's view on the credit risk of the Underlying Collateral for the deal, which was downgraded to 'A' from 'AAA' on July 23, 2008.

The key drivers of the downgrade on the Underlying Collateral include Fitch's updated corporate CDO rating criteria as well as the deterioration of the average portfolio quality from 'BBB/BBB+' on the closing date (July 2007) to 'BBB-' on July 16, 2008, representing an average downgrade of 2 notches across 51.2% of the portfolio. Currently, 18.4% of the portfolio carries a below investment grade rating, approximately 12.0% of the portfolio is on Rating Watch Negative and 17.6% is on Negative Outlook by Fitch. Moreover, 24.0% of the portfolio is concentrated in the banking & finance sector which is currently under stress.

Given Fitch's view of concentration and the current credit quality of the portfolio, the credit enhancement level of 9.8% is not sufficient to justify the current rating of the Underlying Collateral.

Fitch released updated criteria on April 30, 2008 for Corporate CDOs and, at that time, noted it would be reviewing its ratings accordingly to establish consistency for existing and new transactions. As part of this review, Fitch makes standard adjustments for any names on Rating Watch Negative or with a Negative Outlook, reducing such ratings for default analysis purposes by two and one notch, respectively. Fitch has previously noted that its review will be focused first on ratings most exposed to risks it has highlighted in its updated criteria. Consequently, the certificates were placed on Rating Watch Negative on May 15, 2008. As previously indicated, resolution of the Negative Watch status depends on any plans managers/arrangers may choose to modify either the structure or the portfolio. In this case, the arranger has confirmed that it does not intend to make any modifications.

Fitch's rating definitions and the terms of use of such ratings are available on the agency's site, www.fitchratings.com. Published ratings, criteria and methodologies are available from this site, at all times. Fitch's code of conduct, confidentiality, conflicts of interest, affiliate firewall, compliance and other relevant policies and procedures are also available from the 'Code of Conduct' section of this site.

Contacts


Fitch Ratings
Derek Miller, +1-312-368-2076 (Chicago)
Kevin Kendra, +1-212-908-0760 (New York)
Media Relations:
Julian Dennison, +44 020 7682 7480 (London)
Sandro Scenga, +1-212-908-0278 (New York)

EPA Required To Regulate Invasive Species Pollution

Stanford Environmental Law Clinic Announces Ninth Circuit Upholds Case Requiring U.S. EPA to Regulate Invasive Species Pollution

STANFORD, Calif.-- July 23, 2008 --The Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School today announced that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of environmental organizations seeking to force the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate ship discharges under the Clean Water Act. Dealing a setback to the shipping industry, the decision follows a 2005 lower court ruling that the EPA had illegally exempted ship discharges from Clean Water Act requirements. That decision gave the agency until September 2008 to end the regulatory exemption and issue permits to ships, an order that the EPA appealed to the Ninth Circuit.

"The EPA spent nearly ten years fighting against using the nation's only comprehensive law to combat an environmental plague that is costing the U.S. economy billions of dollars," said Deborah Sivas, Director of the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School, which represented the three plaintiff groups. "We are gratified that the Appeals Court has held the EPA accountable so that this country can begin to control the dangerous tide of invasive species."

The court's ruling today upholds the lower court's order directing the EPA to take specific action to ensure that shipping companies comply with the Clean Water Act and restrict the discharge of invasive species in ballast water. In mid-June, the EPA issued a draft permit to regulate all vessel discharges. The draft permit requires treatment of a wide range of pollutants contained in ballast water and many other types of ship discharges.

Nina Bell, Executive Director of the Portland, Ore.-based Northwest Environmental Advocates, said the court's decision will properly shift some of the burden of invasive species from taxpayers to shippers. "The Ninth Circuit's decision is very important for the taxpayers who have been paying the huge price of the EPA's continuing refusal to implement the Clean Water Act," said Bell. "If the EPA had used its Congressional mandate thirty years ago, this country would have been using the Clean Water Act to effectively control ship discharges for all that time," she added.

The plaintiff groups cautioned that the shipping industry has already shifted its fight from the courts to lobbying Congress. "As soon as we won the district court case in 2005, the shipping industry immediately turned to Congress for a special exemption from the Clean Water Act, to preserve their ability to pollute at the nation's expense," Bell said.

Live species from other countries are carried to U.S. waters in ballast water that ships use for stabilization. The ballast water is discharged into bays, estuaries, and the Great Lakes as ships approach port and when cargo for export is loaded. Over 21 billion gallons of ballast water from international ports is discharged into U.S. waters each year. The cost of damage caused by invasive species to the U.S. economy is estimated in the billions of dollars annually.

"The San Francisco Bay and Delta have been completely invaded by non-native species introduced by commercial ships coming to our ports. Species such as the Asian clam and Chinese mitten crab are clogging the intake pipes of drinking water facilities and power plants, harming the commercial fishing industry, and destroying native species habitat," said Sejal Choksi, San Francisco Baykeeper.

The absence of effective federal action, combined with the high cost of invasive species to the environment, industries, and drinking water sources, has led numerous states to pass their own pollution control laws. Michigan and Minnesota require shippers to have discharge permits. California has the strictest controls on the discharge of ballast-borne invasive species in the world. Six Great Lakes states?New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin?joined the environmental groups' lawsuit to persuade the court to require a federal regulatory program.

The challenge was brought by Northwest Environmental Advocates, San Francisco Baykeeper and The Ocean Conservancy, three of the signers of a petition filed with EPA in January 1999. EPA denied the petition in 2003, triggering the lawsuit. The Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School and Pacific Environmental Advocacy Center (PEAC) at Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Ore., represent the three organizations.

About Northwest Environmental Advocates

Northwest Environmental Advocates, based in Portland, Ore., works through advocacy and education to protect and restore water and air quality, wetlands, and wildlife habitat.

About Baykeeper

Founded in 1989, Baykeeper works to reverse the environmental degradation of the past and promote new strategies and policies to protect the water quality of the San Francisco Bay. For nearly two decades, Baykeeper and its Deltakeeper project have been the premier watchdogs of the water quality of the vast San Francisco Bay-Delta watershed.

About the Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford

The Environmental Law Clinic at Stanford Law School (
http://www.law.stanford.edu/program/clinics/environmental) enables students to provide legal assistance to nonprofit organizations on a variety of environmental issues, focusing primarily on natural resource conservation. The clinic's clients include large national environmental organizations and a variety of regional and local grassroots groups. Working under clinic attorneys, students routinely investigate cases, assist clients in developing legal strategies, draft comment letters, court pleadings, and briefs, present testimony before administrative agencies, and argue cases in state and federal courts. Clinic students also provide policy advice and work on regulatory and legislative reform in the environmental field.

About Stanford Law School

Stanford Law School (www.law.stanford.edu) is one of the nation's leading institutions for legal scholarship and education. Its alumni are among the most influential decision makers in law, politics, business, and high technology. Faculty members argue before the Supreme Court, testify before Congress, and write books and articles for academic audiences, as well as the popular press. Along with offering traditional law school classes, the school has embraced new subjects and new ways of teaching.

Contacts

Media:
Stanford Law School
Amy Poftak, 650-725-7516
Assistant Director of Communications
poftak@law.stanford.edu
or
Comment:
Stanford Law
Deborah Sivas, 650-723-0325
dsivas@stanford.edu
or
NWEA
Nina Bell, 503-295-0490
nbell(at)advocates-nwea.org
or
Baykeeper
Sejal Choksi, 925-330-7757
sejal@baykeeper.org

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Foreclosed and Lender-Owned Property Search Declared Possible

Searches for Foreclosed and Lender-Owned Properties Now Possible

EDINA, Minn.-- July 22, 2008 --Foreclosed properties are in high demand and in today's market, many such properties are available. To simplify searching for foreclosed and lender-owned properties, Edina Realty now offers consumers a new search option on its Web site, www.edinarealty.com.

Consumers simply click on the home page link, "Search Foreclosures" to pull up information and a link to all "In Foreclosure/Lender-Owned Properties." Like all properties on the Edina Realty Web site, searches can be conducted using an interactive map, or by area, city or school district. All properties that are in foreclosure or lender-owned - Edina Realty's listings and those of other brokers - will appear.

Currently, over 3,000 foreclosed or lender-owned properties are listed in Minnesota and W. Wisconsin, ranging in price from $8,000 to over $5 million. The Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®, which tracks closed sales of lender-mediated homes, reports that these sales made up 27.6 percent of the total market in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 9.3 percent of the market in the first quarter of last year.

"The increase in foreclosures is another opportunity for consumers to take advantage of the current real estate market," said Barb Jandric, Edina Realty general manager. "But when entering into this type of real estate transaction, it's critical to work with an agent with experience in these types of listings who can help navigate a complex process and protect the buyer's interests."

Jandric said that buying a foreclosed or lender-owned property can be more complicated because the lender is involved in the transaction, either acting with approval powers or as the owner/seller.

A property in foreclosure means that the owner has been served a legal foreclosure notice. Once the foreclosure process is complete, the property becomes lender-owned. "Each situation is unique and understanding the process and the market is important," Jandric said. "For example, because these properties may be previously owned by people experiencing financial difficulties, they may need updating and repairs. There may be liens or back taxes due on the property.

"Knowledge is power in this market," Jandric said. "Researching market conditions and thoroughly understanding the 'ins and outs' of the foreclosure process are crucial."

Edina Realty, a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, is one of the nation's largest real estate companies with 80 real estate offices throughout Minnesota, North Dakota and Western Wisconsin and more than 2,800 REALTORS®. Edina Realty's family of companies includes Edina Realty, Edina Realty Title, Edina Realty Mortgage and Edina Realty Relocation. Edina Realty handled more than 26,300 transactions and $7.0 billion in sales volume in 2007. For more information, visit www.edinarealty.com.
Contacts

Edina Realty
Gena Henrich, 952-928-5069
genahenrich@edinarealty.com
or
Verve P.R.
Maria Verven, 612-990-7328
mverven@gmail.com