June 10, 2011 nº 1,052 - Vol. 9
"When a man opens the car door for his wife, it's either a new car or a new wife."
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
In today's Law Firm Marketing, 7 elements of a powerful printed newsletter.
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Read Migalhas LatinoAmérica in Spanish every Tuesday and Thursday. Visit the website at www.migalhas.com/latinoamerica
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Nominations due for IMF top job
Nominations close later for the post of head of the IMF - International Monetary Fund, with French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde tipped for the job. Mexico's Central Bank Governor Agustin Carstens and his Kazakhstan counterpart Grigory Marchenko are also in the running. The final selection is expected to be announced by 30 June. The post became vacant when Dominique Strauss-Kahn quit last month over sexual assault charges in New York.
Can cloud computing stop pirating?
Corporate innovation is often more effective than law enforcement or other rules, which are sometimes applied inappropriately. The last thing we should think about doing is messing up the Internet with inappropriate regulation. In order for the Internet to be as productive and compelling as possible, we need to have active engagement from companies that interact with and benefit from Internet commerce. Amazon, Google and Apple have announced music and other services that are downloadable from the 'cloud' -- a form of computing where data and software are stored on servers, which users can access with smartphones or PCs via the Internet. Such innovations give those companies an advantage in developing more secure systems. "If it is possible to construct it so that it cannot be compromised, it may have the effect of reducing piracy by giving value to consumers -- the ability to own forever and access almost anywhere -- that cannot be obtained with illegal copies. The flexibility of the cloud may help spur the development of compelling legal alternatives." US regulators are already working closely with major corporations to develop more security for online pharmacies, and holding meetings with Google, GoDaddy, Microsoft, MasterCard, Yahoo!, American Express, eNom, PayPal, Discover and Visa. They also with European Commission officials to exchange views on intellectual property rights. Last month, the European Union executive set out proposals to overhaul the legal framework for intellectual property rights in the 27-country bloc. These will need approval from the European Parliament and EU countries.
US banks lose Senate vote on capping card fees
The Senate has narrowly voted against a move to delay capping the fees banks charge retailers for using debit cards. The legislation - part of a larger financial oversight law - will allow the Federal Reserve to cap the fees. Banks currently charge an average 44 cents per transaction, but the Fed has proposed slashing this to 12 cents. Banks had hoped to delay the change for a year, but after the Senate vote it will now come into force on 21 July. The Fed's ability to cap the fees, which are levied by banks for processing retailers' card payments, was introduced as part of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial oversight law.
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International commercial practice
The legal profession has felt the effects of globalization, as even common commercial transactions routinely require knowledge of multiple languages and familiarity with foreign legal jurisdictions. Aspiring attorneys can no longer rely solely on expertise in a single legal system. Georgetown Law CLE, in conjunction with Lex Mercator International Education, offer to attend a free demo lecture. Please click here to discover.
1 - Spain asked the European court to annul the record fine on Telefonica - click here.
2 - Delta Airlines boosts military free checked bags - click here.
3 - Brazil announces new border plan to fight organized crime - click here.
4 - Italian ex-militant Battisti freed from Brazil jail - click here.
5 - How to practice law from Tahiti ... or other remote locations - click here.
6 - Youths playing with firecrackers can be charged with arson, court rules - click here.
7 - Contortionist who hid in a suitcase to steal from tourists arrested - click here.
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China and Chile signs banking and mining deals
China and Chile have signed pacts to increase cooperation during a visit to Chile by vice president Xi Jinping, as part of a tour of Latin America. A mining deal was made between Chile's state-owned copper firm Codelco and China's Minmetals. China, a top commodity importer, is one of Chile's main buyers of forestry and mining product. Chile is the world's biggest copper producer. A number of banking agreements were also signed.
Vietnam-China sea spat escalates
Vietnam has accused China of attacking one of its survey ships in an escalating row over disputed waters in the South China Sea.
7 elements of a powerful printed newsletter
by Trey Ryder
1. Right and wrong ways to use type.
Limit the number of type styles. Don't use more than two fonts in your alert. (When you use three or more, the type's appearance often distracts readers, who then may stop reading.) Still, you can use each type face in various sizes and forms, such as bold and italic. These different forms still count as just one basic font.
Choose a font with serifs. Serifs are the little feet and extensions you see on individual letters. Serifs tie words together and help the eye move from word to word, making paragraphs easier to read. Sans-serif type styles (without serifs) are fine for headlines and other applications when you use few words and where the letters are usually large. Don't use sans-serif type for paragraphs because it is hard to read.
Make sure the type is easy to read. This sounds like common sense, but some newsletter publishers waste a great deal of money creating newsletters that are hard to read. Have you ever looked at a newsletter that you knew was expensive to produce only to discover that you couldn't read the words? Don't let artists get carried away with their concept of style. Your message is worthless if no one can read it. And the easier it is to read, the more appealing it will be to your prospects, and the more likely they are to read it.
Use reverse type sparingly. Reverse type, or type that is said to be reversed out, is type that is surrounded by a colored block of ink, often black. The actual color of the letters is the color of the paper showing through. Reverse type is sometimes OK for limited applications, with two caveats: First, never use reverse type for paragraphs because it's very hard on the eyes. Second, be careful when you use reverse type because it can easily create a cheap, schlocky appearance. (Just look through the lawyer ads in the yellow pages.)
In summary, if you use reverse type, use it sparingly, use it in limited applications, and get feedback from friends (before you send out your newsletter) to see if they think it cheapens your image.
2. Masthead. This is the area at the top of the first page that identifies what the reader is holding in his hands. Design your masthead to seize your reader's attention so he can't put it down The format I like contains a descriptive title, a more descriptive subtitle, topics in this issue, your name and phone number, your reason for publishing it, the issue number, date and copyright notice. Here's a sample masthead format:
Subject #1 * Subject #2 * Subject #3 (bold type but smaller than title)
Alert's Descriptive Title (the biggest and boldest type on the page)
More Descriptive Subtitle (smaller)
Reason for publishing
Type of attorney, your name, phone number and e-mail address
Issue Number and Date
© Copyright 2010 by your name. All rights reserved. (small type)
Here's a sample masthead for a business lawyer:
(I prefer the subjects listed horizontally across the page. I've listed them here vertically for convenience.)
* New Sexual Harassment Rules
* Reduce Employee Lawsuits
* Decrease Payroll Taxes
in this issue of
Tom Spencer's
BUSINESS LAW ALERT
Your complete source for information that affects how you run your business
Provided as an educational service for friends and clients by Business Lawyer Tom Spencer, who welcomes your questions and comments at 123-456-7890 or by e-mail at [email protected].
Issue #(xxx), (Date)
© Copyright 2010 by Tom Spencer, P.C. All rights reserved.
3. Articles. These can be short, like news items -- or more lengthy. You're better off choosing at least three subjects for each issue of your alert. If you limit your alert to one subject, you risk that some readers won't be interested in that subject and your alert will end up in the round file. When you include more than one subject, you're more likely to have something that interests everybody. This ensures that they will find immediate value in what you send, rather than risking that they might toss it and conclude that this issue was a waste.
Select topics that directly relate to the services you provide for prospects and clients. Always keep in mind the connection from the article to services offered. Make clear in the article that you can provide services that prevent, minimize or solve this problem.
4. Question/answer section. Include a commonly asked question with your answer. One question and answer are enough. If you have room, include more. Also, tell readers how they can ask a question that you will answer in a future issue.
5. Seminar notice. Include the titles, times, dates and places for upcoming programs. Include teaser titles outlining your seminars' content. For example, teaser titles usually include:
5 Secrets of (whatever)
8 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When (whatever)
7 Simple Steps to (achieve whatever you want)
Teasers dramatically increase attendance, so include as many as you can. These should be the same teasers that you use on the flier promoting your seminar.
6. Biography and photo. Include a photo with direct eye contact and a warm, engaging smile. Usually I put this at the left margin, with a detailed biography to its right. Include an itemized list of your services, either as part of your bio or separately If you include only a general description of services, your description won't be specific enough to be persuasive. Prospects want to know that you will do precisely what they need to have done (or what they think they need to have done). List as many specific services as possible
7. Offers. Offer your free educational packet and tell prospects how to get it. Offer to talk with prospects on the telephone without charge. Offer to add names of friends and colleagues to your mailing list. Offer to answer prospects' questions in your alert's question and answer column. Offer your web site address where prospects can get more information.
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© Trey Ryder
FREE LAWYER MARKETING ALERT: If you'd like to receive Trey Ryder's weekly Lawyer Marketing Alert, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Write "Subscribe LMA" in the subject line and write your name and e-mail address in the body of the message.
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Tell your friends and colleagues you've read it in Migalhas International
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GM
La empresa General Motors Ómnibus BB dio inicio a su proyecto de ampliación de la planta industrial, en el norte de Quito, Ecuador, la cual representará una inversión de US$ 29 mlls.
Inversión
HSBC Seguros Brasil invertirá US$ 10,7 mlls. en proyectos para la protección del ecosistema y la prevención de riesgos derivados del cambio climático. El programa tendrá una duración de 5 años en asociación con la WWF y con la Sociedad de Investigación en Vida Salvaje y Educación Ambiental y busca preservar más de 4.000 hectáreas de selvas nativas hasta 2015. HSBC Seguros Brasil es subsidiaria de HSBC Bank Brasil. Se enfoca en seguros de vida, accidentes personales, capitalización y planes de pensiones.
Negocios
La japonesa Rakuten adquirió el 75% de la brasileña Ikeda, proveedor de servicios de e-commerce para los principales minoristas del país sudamericano. La firma asiática dijo que la compra no sólo le permitirá aprovechar "el excitante mercado del e-commerce de Brasil, sino también expandir su alcance en el mundo". De acuerdo a un estudio de Forrester Research, las ventas on-line en Brasil subirán a una tasa de 18% anual con ventas totales de aproximadamente US$ 22.000 mlls., en 2016.
Supreme Court finds fleeing in vehicle is violent felony
The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled 6-3 in Sykes v. United States that fleeing after being ordered to stop is a violent felony within the meaning of the ACCA - Armed Career Criminal Act [18 USC § 924(e)]. Delivering the opinion for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy analyzed the case by comparing the violence in running to the violence in burglaries: "Burglary is dangerous because it can end in confrontation leading to violence. The same is true of vehicle flight, but to an even greater degree. The attempt to elude capture is a direct challenge to an officer's authority. It is a provocative and dangerous act that dares, and in a typical case requires, the officer to give chase. The felon's conduct gives the officer reason to believe that the defendant has something more serious than a traffic violation to hide."
Schengen delay for new EU states
EU interior ministers are meeting in Luxembourg to review the Schengen zone rules. Only minimal border checks are carried out within Schengen, though the treaty requires the member states to apply uniform controls on the EU's external borders. France and Italy demanded a clarification of the rules after an influx of illegal migrants from North Africa led to a dispute over which country should handle them. The Netherlands plans to delay until next year any decision on whether to let Bulgaria and Romania join Europe's passport-free Schengen zone. Dutch Immigration Minister Gerd Leers spoke of the delay just a day after the European Parliament had voted to let the two Balkan countries into Schengen. German politicians have criticised Denmark's decision to reinstate control booths on its borders. The Danish government says it is necessary to counter organised crime and people-trafficking. Last year the Greece-Turkey land border became a migration hotspot, fuelling EU concern about border security in neighboring Bulgaria and Romania. Most EU states are in Schengen, as are three non-EU countries: Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. Schengen allows for the temporary reimposition of border controls in special cases to ensure public order. The European Commission says such measures should be "an absolute last resort".
Citibank confirms hacking attack
Hackers have stolen data from thousands of Citibank customers in the US, the bank has confirmed. The breach exposed the names of customers, account numbers and contact information. But other key data, such as date of birth and card security codes were not compromised, the bank said in a statement. Citigroup is the latest in a string of high profile companies to be targeted by cyber criminals. It has been criticized for not telling customers about the breach when it happened in May.
Iraq 'to request' US troops stay
Iraq will ask the US to keep troops in the country beyond an end-of-2011 pullout deadline, says the man nominated to be US defense secretary.
Brazil high court rejects extradition of Italy fugitive
Italy says it will go to the International Court of Justice in The Hague to contest Brazil's decision not to extradite an Italian fugitive. Berlusconi expressed "great regret" at Brazil's Supreme Court ruling over Cesare Battisti. Battisti was released from prison in Brazil following the court's decision. The former left-wing rebel escaped from an Italian jail in 1981, while awaiting trial for four murders in the 1970s. He has always denied the charges. He was convicted of murder in absentia in 1990, but the 56-year-old insists he is the victim of political persecution in Italy.
France 'tougher over citizenship'
An Algerian man living in France has been denied French citizenship because of his "degrading" attitude towards women. An inquiry showed the man did not respect the principle of equality between the sexes. The unprecedented decision signals tough new requirement for obtaining nationality.
Government pushes for digital health records
PricewaterhouseCoopers stated that by 2019, healthcare costs would constitute almost 20% of the economy. A large portion of the money is being spent on converting medical records to digital files. The US government wants more than half of all healthcare facilities to go digital by 2014.
US-Mexico border corruption rises
Mexican drug cartels are increasingly targeting US border guards and customs agents with bribes and sexual favours, a US security official says.
France Muslim couple to challenge burqa ban in ECHR, Spain court upholds city ban
A French Muslim couple living in the UK filed a challenge Thursday in the ECHR - European Court of Human Rights over a French ban on full face coverings, while a Spanish court upheld a city ban on veils in municipal buildings for identification and security purposes. A French husband and wife, who have chosen to remain anonymous, argue that the ban restricts their right to free movement across the EU. They are seeking £ 10,000 (US$16,400) for the claimed human rights breach, The couple is being represented by Robina Shah of the Immigration Advisory Service in Birmingham and claim they were forced to leave France because of the ban. The controversial French law bans the wearing of full Muslim veils, including burqas, nigabs and other facial coverings in public. Also on Thursday, a Spanish court overturned a lower court ruling and upheld a ban on the Muslim face coverings for identification and security purposes. The city of Lleida, in Catalonia, was the first Spanish city to impose such a ban, but only about 3 percent of its population is Muslim.
Germany court rejects Spain Demjanjuk extradition request
A Munich court on Thursday denied Spain's request to extradite retired US autoworker and convicted Nazi guard John Demjanjuk to stand trial in Madrid. The Spanish National Court in January sought Demjanjuk's extradition so he could stand trial on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity relating to his alleged involvement with the Flossenburg concentration camp where 60 Spanish citizens were killed during World War II. The German court said Spanish authorities failed to provide requested information about whether Demjanjuk was involved in the alleged crimes. The German court also indicated that Spain likely did not have jurisdiction over the case because the alleged crimes took place in Germany and Germany's statute of limitations had expired.
Microsoft loses Supreme Court case on patent
The US Supreme Court has denied an appeal by Microsoft against a $290m verdict for infringing a small Canadian company's patent. The company, i4i, sued Microsoft in 2007, saying it owned the technology behind a text manipulation tool used in Microsoft's Word application.
ACLU: Utah law restricting Internet speech unconstitutional
The ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union of Utah on Wednesday asked a federal judge to permanently block a Utah law that restricts Internet speech. Utah Code §§ 76-10-1206 and 76-10-1233 regulate Internet material, including artwork, photography and graphic novels that might be "harmful to minors." In its memorandum supporting the motion for summary judgment, the ACLU argues that the statutes violate the First Amendment and the Commerce Clause [Cornell LII backgrounder] and are unconstitutionally vague. The ACLU contends that the burdens of the Utah statutes outweigh the benefits.
S.E.C. issues warning about reverse-merger stocks
Questions about disclosures and accounting have dogged a number of companies that have used reverse mergers — including some China-based companies.
Alabama governor signs immigration bill into law
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley on Thursday signed into law an immigration bill expanding restrictions on undocumented immigrants. The bill, passed by the Alabama legislature last week, includes measures comparable to those passed in Arizona last year. The bill permits police officers to detain a person stopped for a traffic violation if the officer has "reasonable suspicion" the person is in the country illegally.
Madoff's French victims' fate tied to Luxembourg case
The investors have accused UBS of "tricking" them by sponsoring a Luxembourg-registered fund, Luxalpha, which fed assets directly to convicted swindler Bernard Madoff without saying so in its prospectus.
Syrian army starts crackdown in northern town
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
Increase in infiltration feared amid Yemen chaos
Arab News, Pro-government, Jidda, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Human Rights Commission calls on Friday sermons to support woman's rights
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Turkey prepares for pre-election Anonymous e-attack
Egyptian Gazette, English-language, Cairo, Egypt
Syria TV: Army begins operations in town near Turkey border
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
Russia, China Shield Syria from possible U.N. sanctions
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Syrian army pushes into border town, state TV says
JPost, Conservative, Jerusalem, Israel
Hamas leader dies in Gaza City
Ma'an News Agency, Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories
Yemen president escapes assassination
Yemen Observer, Sana'a, Republic of Yemen
Parts of UK officially in drought
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Hillary Clinton interested in World Bank job?
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland
NATO official: Gadhafi a target
CNN International, London, England
Children killed in Pakistan crash
Daily Express, Conservative tabloid, London, England
Homes evacuated as fierce blaze sweeps Dorset heathlands... and is yet to be stopped
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
UN investigates fresh abuse in Ivory Coast
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France
SYRIA - UN: UN atomic body to report Syria for secret nuclear site
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
Syrian army 'moves on Jisr al-Shughour'
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
Clinton 'in talks on World Bank post'
Independent The, London, England
Ryan Giggs' GBP 250k blood money
Sun The, London, England
Six dead as storm exits Philippines
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
CPT eyes 'reconciliation PM' post
Bangkok Post, Independent, Bangkok, Thailand
Hon Hai to split into small firms to be competitive
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Yemen braces for rival demos today
Daily Jang, Left-wing daily, Karachi, Pakistan
Hamid Karzai arrives in Pakistan
Dawn, English-language daily, Karachi, Pakistan
'One in six Oz female students are raped'
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
Black money: 18 Indians on Liechtenstein List
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India
Youth arrested for sending lewd texts to colleague
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
NZ campaign inspires UN's AIDS action
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Bagram airbase comes under rocket strike
Pajhwok Afghan News, (Independent news agency), Kabul, Afghanistan
Petrobras announces major oil discoveries in Gulf of Mexico
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
South Korea: Bank of Korea hikes interest rate to 3.25 percent
Taiwan News, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Trichet warns of weak growth for slow reformers
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India
We will appeal, there was error in trial: Rana's attorneys
Times of India, Conservative, New Delhi, India
Outcome of airline corruption trial reveale
Caribbean360, Online news portal, St. Michael, Barbados
Prosecutors file evidence against key Figueroa case defendant
Dominican Today, Independent daily, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
No stopping carbon tax; Opposition tries other tactic
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S
Wall Street bounce fails to impress the skeptics
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S
Syria army pushes into border town - report
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S
Exclusive: Mystery cop ID'd in G20 assault
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
Central Bank claims misuse of Clico $$
Trinidad Guardian, Independent daily, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Lindsay Lohan wins restraining order against man
Vancouver Sun The, Conservative, Vancouver, Canada
Allies boost aid to Libya rebels
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Akosa pushes for single health service
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Post-Gaddafi Libya plotted
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Sudanese official heads to Doha to finalize peace pact with Darfur rebels
Sudan Tribune, Khartoum, Sudan
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