Ben Affleck movie motivates very real robberies

Last Sunday afternoon 2 geared up burglars dressed as nuns jumped a teller countertop and made off with an undisclosed quantity of money. The burglary was surprisingly reminiscent of last year’s critically applauded Ben Affleck movie, “The Town.”

Shots not fired during escape

The TCF bank in Palos Heights, Ill., was probably the most recent “The Town” burglary. The two robbers, one male and one female, wore rubber masks and traditional nuns’ habits. Handguns were on both of them. They stuffed a duffel bag with cash while at the bank and before leaving. There was a Chevrolet with tinted windows that they left in. No shots were fired and nobody was hurt.

Director Ben Affleck’s movie eerily comparable

In Affleck’s “The Town,” a man comes from a neighborhood in Boston where lots of geared up robbers come from. Affleck plays the man that seems conflicted about it although he does what he is supposed to. The film’s set-piece burglary involves nun masks and habits, very similar to the one in Illinois. There has yet to be any confirmation yet, but it seems the film was an inspiration. It is apparently the reason for the robbery.

Not the first burglary inspired by ‘The Town’

This isn’t the first robbery that imitates the Affleck movie. There were three men wearing Halloween masks in Financial institution of The United States in Delray Beach, Fla., robbing the financial institution on Jan 4, including 29 year old Lee Lubin, 27 year old Eddie Solomon, and 28 year old Kay Daughin. The customers in the bank were told that they had to lie on their backs at gunpoint. The men took $67,000 in cash from the financial institution. They fled in a waiting Cadillac, followed by law enforcement and news helicopters. There was a ton of coverage. Local TV stations were all over it. It didn’t take long to catch them. The three men were easily caught.

Lubin even said that watching “The Town” gave the men the idea for the robbery.

Articles cited

Pop Eater

popeater.com/2011/06/02/ben-affleck-the-town-chicago-bank-robbery/

Mail OnlineM

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1344758/Three-men-dress-Halloween-masks-rob-bank-Florida-inspired-Ben-Affleck-film-The-Town.html

WPBF

wpbf.com/news/26381238/detail.html

‘The Town’ trailer

youtube.com/watch?v=QQ7wcayQQLQ

No bullets shot from Guerena before loss of life

Earlier this month, the loss of life of a 26 year old Marine Corps veteran occurred at the hands of police. Jose Guerena who is from Arizona was shot to death by a SWAT raid while being watched by his wife and kids. Guerena didn’t fire on law enforcement officers, and was a veteran of two tours. The incident is raising lots of questions over police conduct.v

Shooting of Marine veteran done by SWAT team

Jose Guerena had some unwanted visitors on May 5 from the Pima County Sheriff’s office. The SWAT officers had a search warrant they were using. When the officers entered the house, according to CNN, they found him holding an AR-15 rifle and they opened fire. The number of times he was hit is being disputed; CNN states he was shot 22 times, but other sources such as ABC is reporting he was shot 60 times. Guerena hadn’t fired a shot and the safety on his rifle was on. Vanessa Guerena, his wife, called paramedics, but the law enforcement prevented them from entering the home until after he had died.

Nothing in the home merited arrest

The law enforcement obtained a warrant for entering the Guerenas’ house on the suspicion that Guerena had been part of a narcotic smuggling and robbery ring. Supposedly, he had assault weapons and paramilitary clothing on while doing some house invasions. Guns, body armor and a “piece of law enforcement-style clothing” were found in the home, according to the Arizona Daily Star. KGUN Tucson reports that SWAT team officers’ lawyer Mike Storie was quoted saying that Guerena had nothing to warrant arrest in his home. Since the press asked questions about the shooting and its legality, the Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik has been upset. Dupnik said that Guerena fired at officers, but later admitted the truth that he hadn’t, right after the shooting.

Detained paramedics

Within two minutes of the shooting of Jose Guerena, paramedics arrived on the scene. However, the officers at the scene prevented emergency medical personnel from entering the house and observing Guerena for more than an hour, long after he was dead. The house also had a portrait of Jesus Malverde, considered a “patron saint” of drug runners. Wikipedia states that Malverde may not really be real. He is still considered a hero to some just like Jesse James and Billy the Kid were known in the Wild West. Whether or not there were narcotics in the house is unknown. The first search did not find any. Guerena had two kids, who were ages 6 and 4, and worked for the Asarco copper mine.

Citations

CNN

cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/27/arizona.marine.death/index.html?hpt=T2

Arizona Daily Star

azstarnet.com/news/local/article_47d3b9b2-8345-11e0-a48d-001cc4c03286.html

KGUN Tuscon

kgun9.com/story/14682200/guerena-family-attorney-responds-to-swat-lawyer

ABC

abcnews.go.com/US/tucson-swat-team-defends-shooting-iraq-marine-veteran/story?id=13640112

A monthly program for Call of Duty is all anybody wants

The “Call of Duty” has appeared again for online multiplayer FPS supporters, but does that indicate they’ll pay much more for the “Elite” treatment? “Call of Duty: Elite” is ramping up for summer customer beta testing. By the end of 2011, Activision should offer “CoD: Elite” to gamers for $7.99 or for even less per month.

How excited Activision is for the ‘CoD: Elite’ moneymaker

It isn’t surprising that Activision has decided to work on the online multi-player FPS as a popular PC and console game considering how popular regular subscriptions are for “World of Warcraft” and other massively multi-player online role-playing games, or MMORPGs. Keeping gamers locked to the “Call of Duty” universe is very much in line with current market gaming strategy, argues Activision’s VP of Digital Business, Jamie Berger.

“In an always-on world, the competition for our players’ time has exploded,” he told Wired. “Online interactivity and community is critical for us to face that world. It’s what sets apart games with growing audiences from really great games struggling to find an audience.”

US citizens happy that ‘Black Ops’ will go ‘Elite’

Activision has already confirmed that “Call of Duty: Elite” will work with the game “Call of Duty: Black Ops,” which in Feb. became the best-selling video game in United States history, according to NPD research. Over 30 million individuals play one of the “Call of Duty” games online each year, spending over 170 hours each year doling out hot video lead.

”Call of Duty” enthusiasts don’t have to pay $60 for the game with “Elite” which makes it great, states Activision. ”Call of Duty: Elite” isn’t a game at all. It really is a social network that continues the “Call of Duty” saga in many chapters online. Analyst Bill Harris at the blog Dubious Quality explained that the game should get FPS online multi-player enthusiasts interested while being Activision’s “Holy Grail” they need.

The best parts of ‘Call of Duty: Elite’

GamePro points out that “CoD: Elite” will be much more than leader boards and player-versus-player matchmaking. Evidently there will be four categories for the “Elite.”

Career: Play map details and analysis of your play and weapons choice will occur here. You may be good at FPS but don’t know much about ‘Elite’ and the way it works. Try a different status in the future.

Connect: ”Call of Duty” fans can socialize here. Chat, join groups, share highlight reels and simply go crazy.

Compete: The way eHarmony match makes was copied for FPS matchmaking. Expect major firepower, not major halitosis.

Improve: Get tips for “Call of Duty” here.

Citations

Call of Duty: Elite

callofduty.com/elite

Dubious Quality

dubiousquality.blogspot.com/

GamePro

gamepro.com/article/previews/219778/call-of-duty-elite-full-details/

Wired

wired.com/gamelife/2011/05/call-of-duty-elite/

‘Call of Duty: Elite’ Legend of Karl trailer (Note: Contains video game violence)

youtube.com/watch?v=s3Ixz7pHXdg

Gri.pe concerning undesirable service by using a free application

Sometimes, people depend upon the Better Business Bureau when bad business strikes. But bureaucracy can slow the wheels of the BBB. That’s when Gri.pe, the new business that refers to itself as “a Better Business Bureau for the Twitter age,” becomes useful.

'Word of mouth is powerful’ allegedly

Consumers looking to lodge meaningful grievances against a business at the pace of Twitter need look no further than the free Gri.pe iPhone or Android application, reports the New York Times. According to the business, the “word of mouth is powerful.” This reminds customers that they can do something to fight companies that are terrible. Consumers are able to post to Facebook and Twitter their complaints to the company’s consumer service department with a simple user interface on Gri.pe. The business is then able to respond to the problem and fix it with Gri.pe. This is just hoe Yelp works.

Consumers are also able to use “cheers.” These are good notices. They can talk with their friend over it. This is all accessible on the Gri.pe network.

Making a Facebook post requirement

While having Gri.pe post to sites like Facebook might seem like an expected add-on, Gri.pe CEO Farhad Mohit argues that there’s a good reason for doing so. Gri.pe utilizes both Facebook and Twitter to avoid frivolous posts on the site, or “social bullying,” rather than letting customers search for information that has just been a chorus of boos. It is easier to be a jerk when you don’t know who is reading it. You will only make accurate comments. Gri.pe is allowed to remove any offensive comments if the process does not work also as the company has prepared.

The best year Gri.pe could have asked for

Despite having been founded little more than a year ago, the six-person company has nothing to Gri.pe about when it comes to its user base. According to Mohit’s estimation, nearly 1.7 million individuals already use the service. “Online word-of-mouth power,” which Mohit refers to with the fun-sounding acronym “womp,” is simply that powerful. It must be since over 100 million local companies are wanting in on the action with Gri.pe.

Check out the griping concerning service on ‘The View’

Citations

Gri.pe

gri.pe/

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/05/29/technology/29digi.html

Customers in need of charge card help, pay attention

In 2009, customers in need of credit card help were endowed with the U.S. Credit Card Act. Part of the legislation is that credit card issuers and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling must work together to provide free credit counseling to delinquent consumers. In spite of this, credit-constrained customers simply aren’t using the resources, per NFCC reports.

Getting credit card counseling for free unlikely now

Only 150,000 U.S. consumers struggling with charge card debt have accessed the nonprofit help to which banks and the NFCC have access, said NFCC spokeswoman Gail Cunningham. You can call toll-free the contact number. It could be found on credit card statements that you get. As credit card debt still weighs heavily on the average, recession-weary American, the lack of initiative is troubling.

“I certainly think one of the reasons for the low response rate from consumers could be attributed to a lack of prominence,” said Cunningham. “Perhaps the number is buried somewhere.”

Within the recesses of public prejudice may be where that number is buried. Experts believe that many customers who see the toll-free Credit Card Act number on their credit card statement may think it’s yet another “service” from the large, bad charge card company to take their money. However, Cunningham has observed the number has been absent from some statements, which would be a violation of legislation.

In 2010, fewer individuals wanted charge card debt for things

U.S. customer credit card debt decreased an average of $7,404 per person, an 8 percent increase, from January to Dec., according to a Credit Karma report. As much as an 11 percent improvement was shown in eight states including CT, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Nevada, California and Colorado. The biggest change in credit card debt was shown in Wisconsin. It showed, from 2009 to 2010, a 31 percent improvement in credit card debt.

There was at least a 6 percent increase in credit card debt though in states for instance New Mexico, Delaware, Iowa, LA, Missouri and Nebraska. Mississippi was the biggest loser in the Credit Karma Survey, with 8 percent growth.

Credit cards help for everybody

Visit the National Foundation for Credit Counseling site at nfcc.org for the information on non-profits near you that can help. The Federal Reserve’s site also has a free calculator with which you can calculate how much you’ll owe if you only make the minimum monthly payment on your credit card. The Personal Financial Calculator is accessible at the Android Market if you want to put it on your phone. Or, should you be looking to compare overdraft APRs of personal financing and other consumer loan products, take a look at Personal Money Network’s “Loan Overdraft Calculator,” connected below.

Citations

Android Market

market.android.com/details?id=com.adworkz.pms.mobile.tools.calculators_2001.com

Bankrate

bankrate.com/financing/credit-cards/nfcc-credit-card-help-unused/

Federal Reserve

federalreserve.gov/creditcardcalculator/

Personal Money Store

tools.personalmoneystore.com/free-payday-loan-calculator/

National Foundation for Credit Counseling

nfcc.org/

Obama signed the Credit Card Act. Are you using its programs?

youtube.com/watch?v=OVFj2p8JeKo

Adolescent purchasing controlled by recession

The most youthful group of consumers is now noticing the crunch of the downturn. The 2011 Teens & Money Survey had just been published by Charles Schwab & Co. The study states that teen spending is down quite a bit.

Once large spenders feel the crunch

Traditionally, adolescents ignore economic trends and spend impulsively no matter the crunch on the purse strings at home. However, teenager spending is down 14 percent this spring. The impact is significant. As a group, adolescents spend an average of $125 billion in the U.S. each year.

Increase in adolescent spending on home entertainment

Adolescent spending has dropped in almost all the markets which they traditionally impact probably the most: apparel, beauty products and entertainment activities like restaurants, concerts and movies. The only place teens seemed unwilling to cut corners is in home entertainment. Video games, music and DVDs are now 8 percent of adolescent purchasing. They were 7 percent previously.

Paying attention to what is going on

About 90 percent of surveyed teenagers said the recession affected them in some way, as shown in the Schwab study. Schwab concludes that they have a heightened knowledge of financial issues than they did four years ago. Most said they were more appreciative of the things they have and are less likely to spend impulsively.

The ‘Recession Generation’ was the name used

Senior vice president of Schwab Community Services is Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz. She said, “It seems clear that the great recession has changed the mindset of teens. It has given these ‘Recession Generation’ youth(s) a deeper appreciation for what they have and how hard their parents work. This may be the silver lining to the economic downturn.”

Changing in the home first

”To help quench their thirst for material goods, teens appear to have opened up to the idea that learning about money management is a potential solution to the problem,” according to Kids Money Management founder Bryan Sommer. “To help quench their thirst for material goods, teens appear to have opened up to the idea that learning about money management is a potential solution to the problem,” Bryan Sommer said. Sommer is the kids Money Management Founder.

Most teens said that they learned about finances and money from their parents. Eighty-two percent of surveyed teens say their parents have taught them the fundamentals of financial management. With finances, 77 percent said their parents were even role models. That’s also great news.

All because of joblessness in homes

Unemployment accounts for some of this trend in teen spending. About 22 percent is the teen joblessness rate. That’s the lowest it has been in 10 years.

Information from

Newser

newser.com/story/57269/recession-wary-teens-cut-back-on-spending.html

Commoncensus

commoncensus.blogs.nuwireinvestor.com/2008/04/recession-forces-teens-to-curb-spending.html

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/2011/05/31/recession-sobers-americas-once-free-spending-teens/

Rare cars sold for millions

RM Auctions carried out its first auction this last weekend in Cernobbio, Italy. The sale was held at the Villa d’Este concourse. The event boasted a catalog to make antique automobile lovers drool. There were a cadre of rare and historically essential automobiles on sale. Many of the automobiles earned millions of dollars apiece.

Event exciting for several people

Collectors and car aficionados were very looking forward to the auction. Automobile correspondent Paul Lienert, said before the event, “The first-ever Villa d’Este sale will feature the crème de la crème of classic European hardware.”

Rare Ford roadster prized

On May 21, a lot of people at the auction were anxious about one automobile. The rare 1965 Ford GT40 Works prototype roadster was on everyone’s mind. In the 1965 Targa Florio, the car was a works entrant. The vehicle had two pilots. This incorporated Bob Bondurant and Sir John Whitmore. Although it was among the top sellers, by the time the dust settled it had not topped the sales at the much-anticipated event.

Buying one of the top sellers would cost millions

Millions of dollars were paid for the top sellers. Among them were the 1955 Ferrari 375 MM, which sold for $4.8 million. A 1938 art-deco Talbot-Lago T150-C SS was sold for more than $4 million. There was a four-cylinder Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa for sale too. It cost about $4 million to purchase. The 1959 Ferrari 250 California sold too. It was at $3.6 million. The 1947 Bugatti Type 57sc Atlante earned just less than $3 million, as did the above-mentioned 1965 Ford GT40 roadster prototype.

The 1953 250 MM Ferrari was built specifically for Mexican collector Efrain Ruiz Echeverria and sold for $3 million. He drove it in the 1953 Carrera Panamericana.

These went over a million

About $2.1 million was paid for the 1967 Lamborghini Marzal and $1 million for the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero.

Some go for under a million

Two Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeos from the 1960s sold for around $900,000 and $370,000 apiece. All totaled, the auction brought in about $32 million.

Information from

Autoblog

autoblog.com/2011/05/24/rare-classics-sell-for-millions-at-villa-deste-auction/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+weblogsinc%2Fautoblog+%28Autoblog%29

Top Gear

topgear.com/uk/photos/rm-auctions-villa-d-este-2011-05-17

Edmunds Inside Line

insideline.com/ford/gt/ford-gt40-prototype-headlines-villa-d-este-auction.html