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Commerce World

2008-03-18T07:51:00.000-07:00

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Home » Business Travel
Business Travel
Helping you find air travel, hotel accommodations travel agencies and more
Booking business travel is a process fraught with rapid change and pitfalls for the unwary. Business owners often look to the Web for convenient ways to compare options and book quickly at the best rates. But there are many categories to consider – including air travel, ground transportation, limousines and shuttles, train travel and others – so you'll want solutions geared to business in general and your business in particular.
"Some of the business travel solutions you'll find here include extended stay and corporate housing, train travel and charter buses for your business."Need travel arrangements fast, on a budget? The Business Travel Channel can help you:
Find places to quickly book your own travel 24/7, or professional travel agencies who will do it for you. Many business owners are discovering that it's more efficient to use a travel professional. A good business travel agency can search for low fares and offer travel concierge services.
Navigate the maze of business travel choices, whether you need bus transportation, rental cars or frequent flyer program details.
Control your costs with travel expense management software, credit cards, online services and other tools you need to track your money and keep costs in line. Bottom line: Targeted business travel resources, contacts and solutions can help you save money and get more out of your business travel dollars.
Business Travel Topics
Air Travel Bus Transportation Charter Buses Commercial Airlines Concierge Services Extended Stay Ground Transportation Hotel Furniture Hotels Limousines and Shuttles Train Travel Travel Expense Management Travel Insurance
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E-Commerce245

2008-03-18T07:49:00.000-07:00

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Understanding E-Commerce
Introduction To E-Commerce
Commerce has a long tradition of profiting from innovative systems and tools. As technologies emerge, successful businesses are quick to identify developing opportunities and expand their commercial capabilities. Conducting commerce electronically is no different. For many businesses, new technologies that digitally exchange text and monetary information are effective tools to serve traditional business goals of streamlining services, developing new markets, and creating innovative business opportunities. In addition, they offer the potential to develop types of services that are so innovative and distinct from tradition that they define a new type of commerce. Appropriately named, electronic commerce (E-Commerce) is the synthesis of traditional business practices with computer, information and communication technologies.
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E-Commerce is not an entirely new type of commerce. It first emerged in the 1960's on private networks, as typically large organizations developed electronic data interchange (EDI) installations and banks implemented electronic funds transfer (EFT). Today, however, E-Commerce is no longer the exclusive domain of large organizations or private networks. The open network Internet and particularly the World Wide Web not only present new commercial potential for large organizations, but also provide a viable entry point for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) into E-Commerce opportunities.
Even though E-Commerce has existed for over thirty years, it has just recently sustained significant growth. In the past 5 years the Internet has transformed from an auxiliary communication medium for academics and large organizations into an entrenched communication medium that spans across nearly all parts of mainstream society. E-Commerce growth is tied directly to these socio-technological changes. The more entrenched the medium becomes, the more users are drawn to it. An increase in users increases markets. As markets expand, more businesses are attracted, which in turn drives the development of better, more stable and secure technology to facilitate E-Commerce. A stable, secure environment for exchanging mission-critical and monetary information only draws more businesses and consumers to the Internet and ensures the growth pattern continues. All these related factors contribute to a burgeoning E-Commerce marketplace that should continue to grow well into the new millennium.
Only now is it becoming apparent how large the potential for E-Commerce will be in the next few years. With E-Commerce prospects continuing to improve, most large corporations have already developed preliminary E-Commerce strategies. Although many SMEs are not following this trend of large corporations, others have found that a modest investment in a simple Web site can develop into a commitment to E-Commerce as a major component of the business plan. At this stage of development, E-Commerce is not an essential operation for every type of SME, but in the near future it may become standard for many.

Definition
There does not exist a simple definition of E-Commerce that adequately describes the coverage of its operations, functions and underlying technologies. One common view is:
E-Commerce is online shopping via the Internet.
Although this is correct, online shopping is only one of many types of E-Commerce activities. In broader terms:
E-Commerce is any commercial activity conducted electronically, particularly via private or open networks, such as the Internet.
The key point of this definition is that E-Commerce is a confluence of business operations with electronic and network technologies. Telephony and non-networked technologies such as CD-ROM media may integrate into operations, but the core of E-Commerce is network technologies and especially open networks such as the Internet.

E-Commerce Business Operations
By virtue of its similarities, the scope of operations for E-Commerce is nearly as broad as traditional commerce. E-Commerce includes both traditional activities (e.g. providing product information) and new activities (e.g. conducting online retail in virtual malls, publishing digital information). Some of the common operations that define E-Commerce are specific business-to-business and business-to-customer interactions, such as:
Information exchange
Goods or services trading
Sales promotion and advertising
Online digital content delivery
Electronic funds transfers and transaction processing
Electronic share trading
Electronic bills of lading processing
Collaborative work interaction
Manufacturing management
Accounts settlement
Online sourcing
Public procurement
Direct consumer marketing
Inventory management
Post-sales service
Commercial auctions.
Although every E-Commerce implementation will differ, most SMEs focus operations on:
Product promotion via online catalogues
Transaction processing (exchanging digitized monetary information)
Customer Support.
E-Commerce conducted over the Internet differs from typical commercial activity in that it is influenced by the unique characteristics of the medium itself. In contrast to print media, E-Commerce is dynamic, allowing users to interact with the commercial site, send comments, and even define the scope of a document. Unlike person-to-person commerce, E-Commerce allows for a controlled interaction between vendorand potential purchaser, where the vendor may strategically direct the customer through a series of options and processes. E-Commerce also differs from traditional commerce by its boundless relation to time and space. Interaction is not restricted to normal working hours or geopolitical borders. There is potential to conduct business with other merchants and consumers around the world in different time zones, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.

Benefits
In the short-term, entry into E-Commerce may offer a competitive advantage over slower to act competitors. The market for E-Commerce is growing, as more consumers and businesses gain Internet access and transaction processing technologies improve security. Companies that establish an operation today, still in the early stages of Internet based E-Commerce, will have a fuller understanding of the issues and be better prepared to capitalize on emerging technologies when E-Commerce markets open up in the next few years.
The benefits of E-Commerce to a small business may include capabilities to:
Extend the range of sales territory
Streamline communication to suppliers and clients
Expand reach to new clients
Improve service to existing clients
Reduce paperwork and time spent on correspondence
Track customer satisfaction
Expedite billing
Improve collaboration on work projects
Expand markets beyond geographical, national boundaries
Leverage legacy data
Improve inventory control, order processing
Establish position in emerging E-Commerce marketplace
Lower costs of overhead
Realize economies of scale by increasing sales volume to new markets
Monitor competition and industry trends
Improve or expand product lines - locate new suppliers, products that could be included in catalogue.

Management of expectations
How does it integrate with traditional services?
As E-Commerce matures and more traditional businesses enter the electronic marketplace, it will become difficult to distinguish the E-Commerce merchant from traditional merchant. Although some firms operate exclusively as E-Commerce merchants, it appears that the greatest opportunities are for established firms that venture into E-Commerce as a means to refine existing business processes and gain new customers.
E-Commerce may complement or replace traditional commercial activities, depending upon the industry and the functions. Because it is both a threat and an opportunity for various industries, it is worthwhile to:
Study how E-Commerce can integrate into operations. Determine needs and capabilities. E-Commerce operations may shadow traditional operations to provide redundant services such as product information distribution.
Develop an E-Commerce strategy into the business and marketing plans. Understanding how an E-Commerce system will strategically fit with the firm's existing operations will help to allocate the management and financial resources necessary for it to be a success. In the long-run, there have to be resources to set-up and sustain a system, making it work best for the type of operation that will be managed.
Monitor competitors, suppliers, and customers' movements into E-Commerce. Special attention to their capabilities will help determine areas of E-Commerce that need development.
Establish a consistent operations review process. E-Commerce technology and operations are constantly evolving. Changes in technology frequently introduce opportunities to refine or create new services.

Barriers to Business and Consumer Target Markets
Business-to-business E-Commerce presently represents the bulk of commercial volume over the Internet, although business-to-consumer traffic is growing and has the potential to become an even larger market. The primary reason why business-to-consumer E-Commerce has not kept pace is that the Internet is still not as established in the home as it is in the office. Many businesses have invested in Internet access technologies, are online and ready to expand their commercial capabilities into this emerging marketplace. Consumers should come online as the costs of Internet access decrease, data throughput increases and Internet connectivity becomes as simple to initiate and commonplace in the home as television and telephones.
Low confidence in security technologies has also restricted growth of E-Commerce activity. Business-to-consumer E-Commerce in particular has suffered from poor consumer confidence in secure monetary and personal data transactions. Business confidence in secure transactions is higher and continues to increase as electronic payment and encryption technologies are widely employed. It is important to note that this issue is strictly about confidence. Secure technology exists today. This indicates that business is either more informed or willing to take risks than consumers are. In either case, business-to-business E-Commerce is vibrant and demonstrates a confidence in the supportive technologies that should continue to transfer to consumers.
A third barrier to growth is the concern of legal issues, mostly the uncertainty of litigious boundaries. Since the Internet crosses political boundaries, legal jurisdiction is in question. Although the Internet improves access to foreign markets, national export/import laws still apply to all E-Commerce transactions.

Implementation
An E-Commerce operation is an integration of Internet technologies, systems, applications and practices. It may use any technology, such as e-mail clients, mailing lists, newsgroups, videoconferencing, IRC chat, web servers, web channels, telephony, CD-ROM media, and Internet fax, etc. It may use any information system, such as web sites, intranets, extranets, groupware, and document management systems. It may incorporate any Internet application or practice, such as communication, research, publishing, and marketing. There is no standard configuration to build an E-Commerce operation. Each one is unique and designed specifically for each business.
The configuration of an E-Commerce operation is determined by two dynamic factors:
The company's business goals
The capabilities of the supportive technology
Whereas business goals are relatively stable, E-Commerce technology is continually evolving. For this reason business goals should drive the design of the E-Commerce operation. Like traditional commerce, successful E-Commerce operations are fluid and adaptable to technological change. E-Commerce operations will modify and define new applications as the technology advances, but successful E-Commerce operations harness only the functionality of technology that support specific business needs or help achieve predetermined goals. It is ill-advised to design business services and goals strictly around the capabilities of the technology because it may:
Confound the purpose of the business
Distract the business from its primary goals
Lead the business from a position of strength, effectively executing the business it knows, to one of weakness, pioneering new services which may require an extended learning curve to understand and operate efficiently.
For this reason, an important guideline for designing an E-Commerce operation is:
The technology should support the services. Select tools and technologies that serve business goals. Do not define services according to the features and functionality of the technologies.

Choosing the tools, planning the environment
Since there is no standard model or configuration of technologies upon which to build an E-Commerce operation, the underlying configuration of technologies will differ for each business. Perhaps the most important consideration for selecting tools is that for most operations there are many technologies to choose from that provide overlapping functionality. The challenge is to select the correct technologies that address the purpose of the operation, needs of the audience, and cost to implement. The best way to design an E-Commerce model is to define goals and target audiences then select tools to support each function.
For example,
The goal is to provide clients continuous updated information regarding product upgrades, known defects, recalls and warranty data. The current practice is to notify clients by postal mail.
The target audience is mostly small business operations. Most have dialup access with average speed modems and use the Internet sparingly for e-mail. Some have fax machines.
The solution is to choose technologies that push information to the target audience and support their limited technological capabilities.
A web site is an excellent way to publish information but it requires the user to initiate contact or pull the information from the site. Sophisticated channel technology can be used on the web site to push information to clients and still maintain the improved graphical user interface and multimedia composition of web pages. This corrects the push problem but it does not address the target audience's technological capabilities. To run effectively, channels typically require high-bandwidth connections. They also will not run on older web browsers. The target audience does not have fast connections or channel-capable browsers. Consequently, the best technologies that support the business goals yet address the target audience's needs are e-mail and/or Internet fax.
The technological configuration is a combination of e-mail, Internet fax service and WWW technologies. Through e-mail there are two ways to notify the audience: via a standard e-mail application that sends to a mailing group of e-mail addresses; or a mailing list package that publishes the message to the list of subscribers. For the standard e-mail application e-mail, addresses are collected at the point of sale electronically, by telephone, postal mail, or retroactively on the web site using online form registration. For the mailing list, users must subscribe to the group in order to receive e-mail. As an additional delivery means, those who request can receive notification through an Internet fax service. The web site is used to integrate the other technologies. It is used to collect e-mail addresses for the group mailing, register subscribers for the mailing list, request fax service and provide more detailed, graphical presentations of the notifications in HTML format.
This example illustrates how a typical E-Commerce operation integrates several technologies to perform specific, complementary functions. At the center is the web site, functioning as the forum to meet clients, collect client data, and serve product information. On the periphery are technologies such as e-mail and fax to deliver focused services. Between the parts there is overlap of services. This demonstrates that successful E-Commerce operations provide multiple mechanisms to deliver services and reach target markets. This example also suggests how the technological configuration may change as the target audience's technological capabilities expand. It shows how for this audience push technology is not yet appropriate. In the future, as the technology matures and bandwidth improves, the E-Commerce operation may integrate a push channel version into its notification system.
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E-Commerce23

2008-03-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

Define e-commerce!
e-commerce: Conducting business online. Selling goods, in the traditional sense, is possible to do electronically because of certain software programs that run the main functions of an e-commerce Web site, including product display, online ordering, and inventory management. The software resides on a commerce server and works in conjunction with online payment systems to process payments. Since these servers and data lines make up the backbone of the Internet, in a broad sense, e-commerce means doing business over interconnected networks.
The definition of e-commerce includes business activities that are business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C), extended enterprise computing (also known as "newly emerging value chains"), d-commerce, and m-commerce. E-commerce is a major factor in the U.S. economy because it assists companies with many levels of current business transactions, as well as creating new online business opportunities that are global in nature. Here are a few examples of e-commerce:
accepting credit cards for commercial online sales
generating online advertising revenue
trading stock in an online brokerage account
driving information through a company via its intranet
driving manufacturing and distribution through a value chain with partners on an extranet
selling to consumers on a pay-per-download basis, through a Web site
(see www.netlingo.com)
Shopping Cart:Software used to make a site's product catalogue available for online ordering, whereby visitors may select, view, add/delete, and purchase merchandise.
(see www.netlingo.com)
Payment Gateway (or Gateway):an application that is resident on a merchant's server (or a server located at the merchant's isp or csp) that accepts payment information, encrypts it and routes it across the internet to a [payment services provider].
(see www.netlingo.com)
Some Fine Points in the Visa/MC RegulationsVisa/MasterCard has published their definition of an electronic commerce transaction to include "...a transaction conducted over the Internet or other network using a cardholder access device, such as a personal computer or terminal,"
When a cardholder enters credit card information into a form or shopping cart at a merchant's website, this is an electronic transaction. The cardholder initiated the transaction by entering card data and transmitting it to the merchant over the Internet.
If the cardholder sends an order request and the credit card information to the merchant in an eMail, this too, is considered an electronic commerce transaction, as the cardholder initiated the transaction by entering card data and transmitting it to the merchant over an electronic network.
If a cardholder visits a merchant's website for product information, and does not transmit an order over the Internet, but instead sends the order to the merchant by fax [or telephone or mail] this is considered a mail/telephone transaction because the cardholder did not use a PC or transmit the information over the Internet.
An electronic commerce merchant receives an order via phone or fax. The merchant enters the transaction information into its system to obtain authorization and to process the transaction. This is a mail/telephone order transaction. The cardholder initiated the transaction via phone or fax.
dichotomy:Pronunciation: dI-'kä-t&-mE also d&-Function: nounInflected Form(s): plural -miesEtymology: Greek dichotomia, from dichotomosDate: 16101 : a division or the process of dividing into two especially mutually exclusive or contradictory groups or entities
(Merriam-Webster dictionary on-line)
The Rules of the Road:
Since transactions usually contain confidential information, they can not be "read" by non-participants in the transaction. Hence they must be transmitted using some secure form of encryption
Since transactions usually contain information that is of a critical nature to the parties to the transaction, they must be precise. Hence, when decrypted into clear text form, they must strictly conform to some form of "document type definition."
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E-Commerce

2008-03-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

E-commerce
E-commerce (electronic-commerce) refers to business over the Internet. Web sites such as Amazon.com, Buy.com, and eBay are all e-commerce sites. The two major forms of e-commerce are Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). While companies like Amazon.com cater mostly to consumers, other companies provide goods and services exclusively to other businesses. The terms "e-business" and "e-tailing" are often used synonymously with e-commerce. They refer to the same idea; they are just used to confuse people trying to learn computer terms.
DVR E-mail All "E" Terms and Definitions Back to the Sharpened Computer Glossary
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2008-03-10T06:01:00.000-07:00

Home > Nation > Top Stories
Battle for 'truth' on ZTE rages in newspaper ads; Assumption joins fray
03/05/2008 02:45 PM
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MANILA, Philippines - President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's former schoolmates at the Assumption College joined Wednesday the "cry for truth and accountability" from the government on various cases of graft under Arroyo's watch.The Assumption alumnae, by making their stand known in a full-page newspaper ad also stepped into a raging "newspaper ad war" involving pro- and anti-Arroyo groups in the process.At least six groups placed full-page ads in Metro Manila newspapers Wednesday, either joining the "call for truth," or declaring support for President Arroyo."We members of the Assumption Family to which the President belongs join the cry of our people for truth and accountability. We have been taught by our beloved Alma Mater to live the Assumption values of truth, integrity, love of God and country, and fidelity to duty. We are therefore compelled to break our silence," they said in their ad, signed by several alumnae and placed in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.They asked Mrs Arroyo to answer a list of "disturbing questions," including what the government finds so threatening about "simple but credible and courageous" ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada Jr.In their statement, they questioned the "intimidation, abduction and threats" to Lozada and his family, like the threats to other concerned citizens who dare speak out against government.Also, they questioned the disappearances of witnesses, whistleblowers and journalists who courageously speak the painful truth."Why does the administration hide behind the skirt of EO 464, preventing the Cabinet and high government officials from appearing when summoned by Congress? ... Why are the military and police forces being used to subvert the truth when their mandate is to protect all citizens?" they asked.The alumnae added the ZTE network deal is just one in a pattern of massive corruption and abuse of power that included the "Hello Garci" scam, the P728-million fertilizer scam, the overprice in the Macapagal Boulevard, the P1.3-billion election machines, and extrajudicial killings.They demanded the immediate cancellation of EO 464, and a halt to military and police activities such as illegal surveillance, wiretapping, cell phone bugging and other forms of intimidation.Also, they called for the timely release of pertinent documents and other evidence to the Senate and other appropriate investigating authorities to allow a thorough review of all government projects.Likewise, they sought immediate accountability of all government officials and parties who have participated, enabled or profited from graft and corruption starting with the ZTE NBN scandal."We can make a stand and proudly add our voiced to the millions of ordinary Filipinos who clamor for truth, accountability and reform. We ask the Assumption family to combine prayer with critical discernment and principled action," they said.Other adsBut the Assumption alumnae's ad was just one of several full-page ads placed in newspapers Wednesday.House Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr led congressmen, governors, city mayors, town mayors, and even village officials in signing a statement of support for Arroyo.In their ad, they claimed "28 quarters of economic growth" should not be stopped, and those who want to effect change should "wait for the 2010 elections.""Let due process take its course with regard to their allegations ... Work with government to ensure that the Filipino masses reap the benefits of our country's economic turnaround," they said."Enough of dark politics! Let's keep the momentum going," they added.A third full-page ad placed by former senior government officials called on government to "serve the truth."The senior officials held a press conference Tuesday calling on Arroyo to undertake five concrete steps towards the truth in seven days."The president must do these or the people will make their judgment and act on the basis of their conviction," they said.A fourth group, the "Mahal Ko Bayan Ko Foundation," placed newspaper ads making an "appeal for sobriety" and calling for "truth not rage.""Let us unite to bring out the best in the Filipino. Let us renounce violence and rage. Let us seek the truth in peace, love and wisdom," it said.The Mahal Ko, Bayan Ko Foundation reportedly has one Evelyn Kilayko as its leader. Kilayko reportedly was behind a series of pro-Arroyo ads at the height of Arroyo's impeachment in 2005.At the time, the pro-Arroyo ads claimed "We prefer GMA to chaos," and were signed by "600 top women in civil society."The fifth group, the League of municipalities of the Philippines Mindanao Island cluster, placed a full-page ad in the Philippine Star declaring full support for Arroyo.A sixth group, the Philippine Integrated Industries Labor Union, made a similar full-page ad declaring "labor sector support for the present administation."Signing it was Jose Suan, national president of the group and vice president of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines.The group claims to have the "largest organized labor groups in Western Mindanao." - GMANews.TV

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2008-03-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

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CEBU CITY, February 12, 2008—Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal

come to think with phantom.....

2008-03-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

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IMDb > The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

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The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
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Overview
Director:Joel Schumacher
Writers (WGA):Gaston Leroux (novel)Andrew Lloyd Webber (stage musical)more
Release Date:9 February 2005 (Philippines) more
Genre:Drama / Musical / Romance / Thriller more
Tagline:Her voice became his passion. Her love became his obsession. Her refusal became his rage..... more
Plot Outline:A disfigured musical genius, hidden away in the Paris Opera House, terrorizes the opera company for the unwitting benefit of a young protege whom he trains and loves. more
Plot Synopsis:View full synopsis. (warning! may contain spoilers)
Plot Keywords:Gothic / Invitations / Box Office Flop / Concert Interruption / Period Piece more
Awards:Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 26 nominations more
User Comments:Absolutely fantastic! more
Cast (Cast overview, first billed only)

Gerard Butler
...
The Phantom

Emmy Rossum
...
Christine

Patrick Wilson
...
Raoul

Miranda Richardson
...
Madame Giry

Minnie Driver
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Carlotta

Ciarán Hinds
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Firmin

Simon Callow
...
Andre

Victor McGuire
...
Piangi

Jennifer Ellison
...
Meg Giry

Murray Melvin
...
Reyer

Kevin McNally
...
Buquet (as Kevin R. McNally)

James Fleet
...
Lefevre

Imogen Bain
...
Carlotta's Maid

Miles Western
...
Carlotta's Wigmaker

Judith Paris
...
Carlotta's Seamstressmore
Create a character page for: FirminAndrePiangiReyerBuquetLefevreCarlotta's MaidCarlotta's WigmakerCarlotta's Seamstress-----------more...
Additional Details
Also Known As:Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera (USA) (promotional title) more
MPAA:Rated PG-13 for brief violent images.
Parents Guide:View content advisory for parents
Runtime:143 min
Country:USA / UK
Language:English / French / Italian / Spanish
Color:Black and White / Color
Aspect Ratio:2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:DTS / Dolby Digital / SDDS
Certification:Hungary:14 / Netherlands:6 / Iceland:10 / Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) / Malaysia:U / Portugal:M/12 / Taiwan:PG-12 / Philippines:PG-13 / Argentina:13 / Australia:PG / Brazil:14 / Canada:PG (Ontario) / Chile:14 / Czech Republic:12 / Finland:K-11 / Germany:6 / Ireland:12 / Norway:11 / Singapore:PG / Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) / Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) / Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) / UK:12A (original rating) / UK:12 (video rating) (2005) / USA:PG-13 / Greece:K / South Korea:12
Filming Locations:London, England, UK more
MOVIEmeter: 12% since last week why?
Company:Odyssey Entertainment more
Fun Stuff
Trivia:Andrew Lloyd Webber only insisted that the actors do their own singing, after Joel Schumacher requested that the cast would be relatively young. more
Goofs:Continuity: Christine's hair is wild while running up the staris in "Why have you brought me here..." and then on the roof her hair is pulled back. more
Quotes:[first lines] Auctioneer: Sold. Your number, sir? Thank you. Lot 663, then, ladies and gentlemen.more
Movie Connections:Featured in The Making of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (2005) (V) more
Soundtrack:Learn To Be Lonely more
FAQIs Phantom Meg Giry's father? What is the significance of the music box? Where can I see the stage production? more

User Comments (Comment on this title)
377 out of 493 people found the following comment useful:- Absolutely fantastic!, 14 December 2004
Author: emily_glenister from Emily Glenister
I dragged my long suffering boyfriend to see The Phantom of the Opera on Sunday, and was pleasantly surprised by it. Although I have never seen it on-stage, the film version - for me - was so enchanting that I now cannot wait to obtain tickets to it. The sets were absolutely beautiful. France is known for its beauty, and this adaption certainly paid homage to that. The theatre set itself was absolutely stunning; marble and velvet being the main materials within it. Emmy Rossum (Christine) was 17 when this was filmed and was absolutely outstanding. When she started to sing, my mouth literally dropped open. Minnie Driver (La Carlotta) was very funny in her Italian diva role. Her hand gestures added to the mannerisms of a typical diva. Her singing was overdone to add to the character (even though Ms. Driver did not do all the vocals herself). Patrick Wilson (Raoul), out of all of them, had the most captivating voice. Although Raoul seemed a bit wet and droopy, he was still gorgeous and made the GIRLS in the audience swoon. However, the star of the piece for me, was Gerard Butler (the Phantom). Although his vocal skills weren't entirely right for the part, he portrayed the Phantom as a lot of people see him; as a victim. I actually ended up warming to him, and when asked by my boyfriend who I would choose; Raoul or the Phantom, I said the Phantom. Something about the way Mr. Butler played him, was so sexy and he drew the WOMEN to him. Watching the Phantom and Raoul, certainly separated the boys from the men and the girls from the women. Another pleasant surprise is that Jennifer Ellison was actually rather good in her role as Meg, Christine's best friend. Miss Ellison has been trained in acting, singing and dancing and so was well equipped to the play the part, and carried it off very well. I wouldn't be surprised if more roles in Hollywood turned up for her. Overall, I rate this film a 5/5 and definitely recommend it. It sent shivers up my spine and gave me goosebumps. I urge those of you who haven't seen it, to become goosebump friendly by watching THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA!
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my wierd scandal

2008-03-06T20:21:00.000-08:00

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Plot: Two women, caught up in a drama of need and betrayal, are at the heart of the psychological thriller "Notes on a Scandal." The twists and turns of the story are noted in the acerbic diary of Barbara C...( read more )ovett, a domineering and solitary teacher who rules with an iron fist over her classroom at a decaying state-run secondary school in London. Save for her cat, Portia, Barbara lives alone, without friends or confidantes--but her world changes when she meets the school's new art teacher, Sheba Hart. Sheba appears to be the kindred spirit and loyal friend Barbara has always been seeking. But, when she discovers that Sheba is having an incendiary affair with one of her young students, their budding relationship takes an ominous turn. Now, as Barbara threatens to expose Sheba's terrible secret to both her husband and the world, Barbara's own secrets and dark obsessions come tumbling to the fore, exposing the deceptions at the core of each of the women's lives.
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farbud

MCT:
March 6, 2008
everything's flat. nothing memorable happens here. maybe just blanchett, a bit of dench and the score.
MichelleMarieL83

MCT:
March 5, 2008
Cate Blanchett rules. Holy Beautiful, holy good actress. I'm not sure this is, in fact, an OPINION because the woman's been nominated for several Academy Awards and is known for an incredible amount of range, but this is different. She plays the role of a woman who is boinking her 15 year-old student and even the coldest of heart's (me) sympathizes with her. I am now Cate?s (yes, we're on a first name basis) biggest fan. Really delves into the land of the lonely. Liked it much.
johngradycole

MCT:
March 3, 2008
Really what elevates this film above the standard Lifetime original movie is the performances of two great actresses. Blanchett and Dench are as superb as usual playing their characters, even when called upon to engage in the sometimes silly melodramatic moments peppered throughout the script. The topic is a serious one in these times of frequent improper relationships between female teachers and their underage male students. Sheba recognizes the wrong in her actions, and though she knows continuing the affair will destroy the life that she has, her better judgment is repeatedly kept in check by the thrill of living dangerously. Barbara similarly cannot extricate herself from the business of Sheba's life, and likewise places the career she has in jeopardy. Her compulsion to find a close female friend (lover?) leads her to do things that may result in her undoing. The movie isn't particularly memorable or suspenseful, even despite the laudable efforts of the two leads, but their performances do make this one worth checking out at least once.
bryanwells

MCT:
March 2, 2008
Judi Denchs performance was stunning.....Blanchett wasn't too shabby either. An intelligent and slightly disturbing movie.
frankjr19

MCT:
March 1, 2008
Mesdames et messieurs, l'année débute du bon pied. La première production de 2007 qu'il m'est donné de voir, et je lui mets un 4 sur 5. Et sincèrement, j'hésite même un tantinet à lui donner un 4.5/5.Sincèrement, le film est tout simplement incroyable. Je doute qu'il plaise au grand public autant qu'il m'a plus (je doute d'ailleurs qu'il lui plaise tout court), mais Notes on a scandal m'est trop apparu comme étant un alliage semi-parfait de The Squid and the Whale ainsi que Running with scissors. Un film pervers, mais moraliste, comme je les adore, qui se contente de dépeindre la réalité quotidienne plutôt que de tomber dans l'extravagance du surréalisme hollywoodien.J'ai rarement vu un film où les relations inter-personnages étaient si biens tissées entre elles, presque toutes interdépendantes l'une de l'autre malgré elles. Ces relations coupent sincèrement le souffle, et je doute qu'on ait pu choisir une meilleure trame sonore au film pour illustrer toute la profondeur de l'âme ressentie au cours de Richard Eyre. Blanchett et Dench sont vraiment... tout simplement incroyables.Mon Dieu que j'ai aimé ce film. Encore plus que les Children of men, Land of plenty, Land of the blind & cie. 47e dans mon top.
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BeXaLwAyS
I really didnt get this movie. It was quite...strange. I know it wasn't supposed to be one you enjoyed, but i just thought it was really weird! I really wanted to see it, but was very disappointed with the end result. It moved way too fast, and the boy was so blunt. I know, i know, he was only 15, but still!! And the whole Judi Dench bein a lesbian, soo weird. yuck! It also made me feel a tad sick, the age difference and everything. And the whole acting when the hubby found out. I was expecting him to go absolutely crazy, but he was just like 'He's 15, if your guna cheat on me make him be older' i was like huh?! i duno, just really didnt like it...
posted 248 days ago

xpureblood
i loved this movie. The perfect drama/thriller
posted 304 days ago

Digmovies
Somebody kindly explain to Jules how to use proper English grammar. If no one noticed, I'm alluding to his usage of, "omg" I'm assuming he can only mean, "Oh my God" as if Notes on a Scandal has anything to do with religion.
posted 323 days ago

maisam
Kill Me Now.. this movie sounds like a piece of an expired cake..
posted 356 days ago

Jules1st
omg Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench in one movie!!!!!!! kill me i cant wait to watch it
posted 403 days ago

JeT0425
This movie looks great. I love Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett!
posted 473 days ago
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Cate Blanchett

Judi Dench

Bill Nighy

Andrew Simpson

Phil Davis
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Details
Rated: (R)
Directed by: Richard Eyre
Genres: Drama
Released: January 26, 2007
DVD Released: April 17, 2007
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The Truth of Lending Act

2008-03-06T20:19:00.000-08:00

Office of the Chairman
UNITED STATES OF AMERICAFEDERAL TRADE COMMISSIONWASHINGTON, D.C. 20580
January 6, 2000
Dolores S. Smith, DirectorDivision of Consumer and Community AffairsBoard of Governors of the Federal Reserve SystemWashington, D.C. 20551
Dear Ms. Smith:
This letter responds to your request for information regarding the enforcement activities of the Federal Trade Commission ("Commission" or "FTC") under the Truth in Lending, Consumer Leasing, Equal Credit Opportunity, and Electronic Fund Transfer Acts ("Acts") during the past year for use in preparing the Federal Reserve Board's ("Board") Annual Report to Congress. You have asked for information regarding the Commission's enforcement activities pursuant to those Acts, including methods of enforcement and significant enforcement actions and the extent to which compliance is achieved by entities subject to the Commission's enforcement authority. Also, you have asked whether the Commission recommends any changes to these laws or their implementing regulations or wishes to provide any other comments or observations.
I. A DESCRIPTION OF THE COMMISSION'S ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES UNDER THE ACTS DURING THE PAST YEAR
Truth in Lending Act and Consumer Leasing Act
Since January 1999 up to the present, the Commission obtained consent judgments against seven subprime mortgage lenders and their owners for alleged violations of the Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act ("HOEPA"),(1) the Truth in Lending Act ("TILA"), Regulation Z, and/or the Federal Trade Commission Act ("FTC Act"). The Commission also issued a final decision and order against a nationwide mortgage company (and its successor entities) in connection with the company's alleged deceptive cost information and deceptive practices, in violation of the TILA and Regulation Z and the FTC Act. Litigation is also continuing in federal district court regarding a complaint charging a Washington, D.C. mortgage lender and its owner, inter alia, with violating the Truth in Lending Act ("TILA") and Regulation Z and the FTC Act, in connection with alleged deceptive and unfair practices in home mortgage lending. The Commission also issued one consent decree against a vehicle manufacturer, and one consent decree against two related vehicle dealerships and their owner, providing for civil penalties and other relief for alleged lease and/or credit advertising violations of defendants' prior FTC orders settling charges that the entities failed to disclose and/or failed to disclose clearly and conspicuously required lease and/or credit advertising cost information, in violation of the Consumer Leasing Act ("CLA") and Regulation M and/or the TILA and Regulation Z and the FTC Act. The Commission also issued two final decisions and orders, and accepted for public comment consent agreements in five other cases, involving lease and/or credit advertising. These cases alleged deceptive lease and/or credit advertising claims in violation of the FTC Act and failure to disclose and/or failure to disclose clearly and conspicuously important lease and/or credit cost terms, in violation of the CLA and Regulation M and/or the TILA and Regulation Z, in computer leases or vehicle leases. These cases are discussed below. Other investigations of potential TILA and/or CLA violations are ongoing.
A. Mortgage Cases Alleging HOEPA Violations
In 1999, consent judgments were entered in seven cases against subprime mortgage lenders around the country for alleged violations of the HOEPA, TILA and Regulation Z, and the FTC Act:(2) Federal Trade Commission v. Cooper ("Cooper"),(3) Federal Trade Commission v. Capitol Mortgage Corp. ("Capitol Mortgage"),(4) Federal Trade Commission v. CLS Financial Services, Inc. ("CLS Financial"),(5) Federal Trade Commission v. Granite Mortgage, LLC ("Granite Mortgage"),(6) Federal Trade Commission v. Interstate Resource Corp. ("Interstate"),(7) Federal Trade Commission v. LAP Financial Servs., Inc. ("LAP Financial"),(8) and Federal Trade Commission v. Wasatch Credit Corp. ("Wasatch Credit").(9) These cases were part of the Commission's "Operation Home Inequity," a law enforcement and consumer education campaign seeking to enforce HOEPA and curb abusive practices in subprime mortgage lending. All seven cases involve injunctive relief under HOEPA, the TILA, Regulation Z, and the FTC Act. In six cases, the defendants agreed to pay consumer redress totaling $572,500; in two cases, the companies must obtain performance bonds before they offer or extend specified credit in the future; and, in one case, defendants are banned from any future involvement with high-cost loans secured by consumers' homes.
In Cooper, the complaint alleged that Barry Cooper dba Barry Cooper Properties violated HOEPA, Regulation Z, and the FTC Act by including a prohibited prepayment penalty in its mortgage loans and by engaging in asset-based lending practices. As part of the settlement, Cooper agreed to pay $25,000 in consumer redress. The consent judgment, inter alia, also prohibits Cooper from offering or making any HOEPA loan for five years, unless he first obtains a $150,000 performance bond, and requires Cooper to reform consumers' contracts by nullifying the prohibited provisions.
In Capitol Mortgage, the complaint alleged that the company and its principal violated HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by failing to give consumers the required HOEPA notice and disclosure of terms and by improperly depriving consumers of the three-day waiting period created by HOEPA. The complaint also alleged that defendants included prohibited balloon payments, increased interest rate provisions, and prepayment penalties in loan documents. The complaint further alleged that the company violated TILA and Regulation Z, inter alia, by failing to make required disclosures and by engaging in practices that deprived consumers of the three-day right to rescind the loan. The consent judgment, inter alia, bars defendants from participating in any activity related to certain high-cost loans secured by consumers' principal dwellings and requires defendants to reform existing contracts to nullify prohibited provisions.
In CLS Financial, the complaint charged the company and its main principal with violating HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by failing to provide required HOEPA notices and disclosures and by using prohibited balloon payment and interest rate increase provisions. The complaint also charged that the company made loans involving asset-based lending in violation of HOEPA and that defendants allegedly falsely labeled loans as "open-end" credit in an attempt to evade HOEPA, in violation of the FTC Act. The consent judgment, inter alia, requires defendants to pay $60,000 in consumer redress and to reform open loans to nullify prohibited provisions.
In Granite Mortgage, the complaint alleged that the company, two other entities, and two principals violated HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by failing to provide required HOEPA notices and disclosures. The complaint also alleged that defendants violated HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by using prohibited prepayment penalty provisions and engaging in asset-based lending. The complaint also charged the company and other entities with failing to provide required TILA disclosures. The consent judgment, inter alia, requires defendants to pay $132,500 in consumer redress and to reform open loans to nullify prohibited provisions.
In Interstate, the complaint alleged that the company and two principals violated HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by failing to provide material credit information as required by HOEPA. Under the consent judgment, defendants are required, inter alia, to pay $50,000 in consumer redress.
In LAP Financial, the complaint charged the company and its principal with numerous violations of HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act, including failure to provide required HOEPA notices and disclosures; asset-based lending; using prohibited prepayment penalties; and making direct payments to home improvement contractors. The complaint also alleged that the company violated TILA and Regulation Z by failing to provide required disclosures and engaging in rescission-related violations. The consent judgment, inter alia, requires defendants to pay $250,000 in consumer redress and to reform loans by nullifying prohibited provisions.
In Wasatch Credit, the complaint charged Wasatch Credit, related entities, and two principals with violating HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by failing to provide HOEPA notices and disclosures and/or by improperly depriving consumers of the three-day HOEPA waiting period. The complaint also alleged that defendants used prohibited balloon payment and increased interest rate provisions and engaged in asset-based lending, in violation of HOEPA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act. It further alleged that defendants violated TILA, Regulation Z, and/or the FTC Act by failing to provide required disclosures and engaging in practices that deprived consumers of their right to rescind the loan. It also alleged that, in violation of the FTC Act, defendants directed borrowers to falsely characterize consumer loans as business loans (in an apparent attempt to evade HOEPA and the TILA) and that one entity falsely represented to consumers that the credit offered and extended was open-end when, in fact, it was closed-end. Under the consent judgment, defendants are required, inter alia, to pay $55,000 in consumer redress and to reform existing contracts to nullify prohibited provisions. Defendants are also prohibited from offering or extending consumer credit, unless they first obtain a $250,000 performance bond that would remain in effect for five years.
B. Other Mortgage Cases
In Fleet Finance, Inc. and Home Equity U.S.A., Inc. ("Fleet Finance"),(10) the Commission issued a final decision and order settling charges that Fleet Finance violated the TILA and Regulation Z, and engaged in deceptive practices in violation of the FTC Act, by failing to provide accurate, timely disclosures of the costs and terms of home equity loans (and other consumer credit transactions) to consumers and by failing to provide or accurately provide consumers with information about their home equity rescission rights. More specifically, the complaint charged that Fleet Finance extended consumer credit transactions or purchased consumer credit transactions, in which Fleet Finance acquired or retained a security interest in the consumers' principal dwellings, and failed to provide the consumers with the right to rescind the credit transactions by, inter alia: 1) failing to provide consumers with notices of the right to rescind; and 2) waiving consumers' right to rescind, and disbursing funds, pursuant to oral and other insufficient waivers. The complaint also alleged that Fleet Finance in extending consumer credit transactions: 1) failed to provide consumers with all TILA-required disclosures of the costs and terms of credit and/or provide these disclosures prior to consummation of credit transactions; 2) failed to provide or accurately provide certain TILA disclosures, including the annual percentage rate. The complaint also alleged that Fleet Finance purchased consumer credit transactions that failed to provide or accurately provide required TILA disclosures. The complaint also alleged that Fleet Finance failed to retain, inter alia, TILA disclosures and rescission notices for two years, in violation of Regulation Z.
The order requires Fleet Finance and its successor companies, Home Equity U.S.A. (incorporated in Rhode Island and Delaware), to pay $1.3 million for consumer redress and administrative costs. The redress program applies to certain consumers whose mortgage loans were originated or purchased by Fleet Finance or a predecessor company (also named "Fleet Finance") between January 1, 1990 and December 31, 1993. The program covers certain consumers whose mortgage loans, inter alia, were paid off to or written off by Fleet Finance, the predecessor, or Fleet Financial Group, Inc., a parent corporation. The program also covers certain consumers who contact an 800-number set up under the proposed order and provide information showing they are eligible for consumer redress under the terms of the order. The order also prohibits Fleet Finance and its successor companies, inter alia, from future violations of the TILA and Regulation Z and from various misrepresentations of credit costs and terms.
In Federal Trade Commission v. Capital City Mortgage Corp. ("Capital City Mortgage"),(11) litigation continued against a Washington, D.C.-area mortgage company and its owner in this case alleging numerous violations of federal laws, inter alia, the TILA and Regulation Z and the FTC Act.(12) The complaint alleges, inter alia, that defendants violated the TILA and Regulation, and engaged in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of the FTC Act, by, inter alia: 1) understating the annual percentage rate and finance charge; 2) failing to disclose or accurately disclose the payment schedule (including failing to disclose a balloon payment); and 3) failing to provide disclosures that accurately reflect the legal obligation. The complaint also alleges that defendants engaged in other deceptive or unfair practices in offering and extending credit and throughout the loans, in violation of the FTC Act, with the result that a number of borrowers were overcharged on their loans, were defaulted, and had title to their homes or other property impaired or completely lost (along with the equity). The complaint asks the court to award, inter alia, the amount necessary to prevent unjust enrichment and consumer redress (including refunds of monies paid, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, and rescission of contracts) and to permanently restrain defendants from future law violations. The discovery phase in the case ended on December 20, 1999; a trial date has not yet been set.(13)
C. Lease and Credit Advertising Cases
In United States v. Mazda Motor of America, Inc. ("Mazda"),(14) a consent decree was entered against a vehicle manufacturer settling charges that it violated a 1997 FTC order ("FTC order")(15) and various state orders in connection with its televised lease advertisements. Under the FTC order, Mazda was required, inter alia, to disclose important lease terms in advertisements clearly and conspicuously and as required by the CLA and Regulation M. According to the complaint, following issuance of the FTC order, Mazda ran important lease terms in televised advertisements in small and unreadable print, offset by distracting images or sounds, or that appeared on the screen for too short a time. Under the consent decree, Mazda is required to pay $5.25 million -- the largest civil penalty ever in a FTC consumer protection matter: $4.05 million in civil penalties for alleged violations of the FTC order and $1.2 million in fines and costs to 24 states as part of the settlement. Mazda is also required to provide its dealers with consumer education brochures on vehicle leasing for distribution to consumers for one year and to distribute, inter alia, copies of lease and credit regulations to its dealers. Under the consent decree, Mazda is also prohibited from violating the CLA and Regulation M.
In United States v. Suntrup Buick-Pontiac-GMC Truck, Inc., Suntrup Ford, and Thomas Suntrup ("Suntrup"),(16) a consent decree was entered against two St. Louis vehicle dealerships and their chief executive officer ("CEO") settling charges that defendants violated a 1998 FTC order ("FTC order")(17) in connection with their lease and credit advertisements. Under the FTC order, Suntrup was required to disclose important financial information in lease and credit advertisements "clearly and conspicuously" and as required by the CLA and Regulation M and the TILA and Regulation Z. According to the complaint, following issuance of the FTC order, Suntrup's vehicle leasing advertisements stated the amount of any payment or that any or no initial payment was required at lease inception but failed to disclose clearly and conspicuously required financial information, including the total amount due prior to lease inception, by, inter alia, using small type, short durations or distracting sounds or images, and also omitted certain required lease terms. In addition, the complaint alleged that Suntrup's vehicle credit advertisements offered just "$1 down" without disclosing required credit terms. Under the consent decree, Suntrup is required to pay a $40,000 civil penalty - the first ever collected by the Commission for such an order violation by a vehicle dealership or its CEO. Suntrup is also required for two years to make the brochure, "Keys to Vehicle Leasing,"(18) available to consumers who visit the dealerships.
In Dell Computer Corp. ("Dell")(19) and Micron Electronics, Inc. ("Micron"),(20) the Commission issued final decisions and orders against two computer leasing companies resolving charges that they violated the CLA and Regulation M and the FTC Act, by disseminating misleading advertisements for consumer leases primarily in Internet promotions. The complaints in these cases charged, inter alia, that the companies disseminated deceptive lease advertisements that offered low monthly payment amounts and placed material cost information in unreadable fine print or an inconspicuous location or omitted such information altogether -- including, inter alia, that the monthly payments are components of lease offers, whether or not a security deposit is required, and/or the number and timing of scheduled payments. Under the orders in these cases, respondents must, inter alia, provide all the disclosures required by the CLA and Regulation M for lease advertisements "clearly and conspicuously," that is, in a clear, readable (or audible), and understandable manner. The orders also prohibit the companies from running advertisements that highlight low monthly payments, unless the promotions also state, inter alia, clearly and conspicuously, that: 1) the transaction is a lease; 2) the total amount due at lease signing; 3) whether or not a security deposit is required; and 4) the number, amount, and timing of scheduled payments. The orders also prohibit the companies from making any reference to a charge that is part of the total amount due at lease signing or that no such amount is due, unless the promotion also states with equal prominence the total amount due at lease inception. In addition, the orders require respondents to comply with all requirements of the CLA and Regulation M.
The Commission also issued for public comment consent agreements with six Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-area vehicle dealerships and their CEOs for violations of the CLA and/or TILA and FTC Act pertaining to deceptive lease and/or credit advertisements:(21) Northeast Auto Outlet, Inc. ("Northeast"),(22) Norristown Automobile Co. ("Norristown"),(23) Dunphy Nissan, Inc. ("Dunphy"),(24) Marty Sussman Organization, Inc. ("Marty Sussman"),(25) Pacifico Ford, Inc. ("Pacifico Ford"),(26) and Pacifico Ardmore, Inc. ("Pacifico Ardmore").(27) These cases involve actions for omitting or burying in fine print key cost information in advertised lease and/or credit deals.
In all six cases, the complaints alleged deceptive vehicle lease advertisements, in violation of the FTC Act, either by failing to disclose and/or failing to disclose adequately essential lease information. The six dealerships and their CEOs were charged with hiding many costs associated with the lease in fine-print disclosures located far from the more prominent claims of low monthly payments or with omitting these costs. The complaints also alleged, inter alia: 1) that Dunphy misrepresented the amount due at lease inception by promoting low down payments or "$0 down," when additional fees were due at lease signing; 2) that Dunphy and Northeast represented that consumers could buy the advertised vehicle for a low monthly charge, while the offer was for a lease; 3) that Northeast misrepresented that the dealer's "double your down payment"offer was available for the advertised vehicles when it was not. In all six cases, the complaints also alleged that the lease advertisements used triggering terms under the CLA and Regulation M, but failed to disclose or failed to disclose clearly and conspicuously other required information, such as the total amount due at leasing signing, and that the promotions stated a downpayment amount more prominently than the disclosure of the total amount due at lease signing.
In addition, the complaints charged that Dunphy, Norristown, Northeast and Pacifico Ardmore ran deceptive credit promotions in violation of the FTC Act, by failing to disclose and/or failing to disclose adequately critical credit terms, by omitting required terms or placing this information in fine-print disclosures located far from the more prominent low downpayment claims. The complaints against these four dealers also alleged that the credit advertisements used triggering under the TILA and Regulation Z, yet omitted or failed to disclose clearly and conspicuously required information. All six complaints also allege that the dealers' credit advertisements stated a rate of finance charge without stating that rate as an "APR," in violation of the TILA and Regulation Z.
The consent agreements in these six cases would require these dealerships and their CEOs, inter alia, to make clear and accurate cost disclosures in their lease and/or credit advertisements. In all six cases, the proposed orders would prohibit these entities from placing advertisements that state the amount of any payment due at lease inception (excluding the monthly payment) or the fact that any or no inception payment is due, without also disclosing with "equal prominence" the total amount due at lease inception. The proposed orders would also prohibit respondents from disseminating lease promotions that state the amount of any payment, or that any or no initial payment is required at lease inception, unless the advertisements also clearly and conspicuously disclose other required lease information, such as the total amount due at lease inception and whether or not the consumer must pay a security deposit. All respondents would also be required to comply with all provisions of the CLA and Regulation M. In addition: 1) Dunphy would be prohibited from misrepresenting the costs of leasing, including the amount due at lease inception; 2) Dunphy and Northeast would be prohibited from representing that the advertised terms apply to a cash or credit offer when, in fact, they apply only to lease a particular vehicle; and 3) Northeast would be prohibited from misrepresenting the availability of any advertised offer. All respondents would also be required to comply with all provisions of the TILA and Regulation Z.
D. Consumer and Business Education
The Commission continues to view consumer and business education efforts as important to its enforcement activities. In 1999, in connection with continuing concerns about possible home equity fraud, the Commission issued a consumer publication to provide information to consumers considering home equity loans, "Need a Loan? Think Twice About Using Your Home as Collateral." In addition, the federal Interagency Task Force on Fair Lending, of which the Commission is a member, issued a consumer brochure to facilitate shopping and negotiating for a home mortgage, "Looking for the Best Mortgage: Shop, Compare, Negotiate."(28) The Commission staff also continued to participate in the Board-sponsored "Lease Education Program Team," involving the Board, Commission staff, and a coalition of entities (including consumer groups, state attorneys general and industry representatives), which developed various online educational materials and a computer program to enhance awareness and understanding of leasing. The Commission's above consumer protection materials were also made available to the public through the Commission's website at "www.ftc.gov."(29)
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
In 1999, the Commission obtained consent decrees against two vehicle finance companies for violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act ("ECOA") and its implementing Regulation B. Litigation continues in a case involving a subprime mortgage lender. Those three cases are discussed below. Other enforcement efforts continue.
In United States v. Franklin Acceptance Corporation ("Franklin"),(30) a consent decree was entered settling allegations that a vehicle finance company discriminated against applicants on the basis of sex, marital status and the fact that an applicant's income derived from public assistance sources, and when taking adverse action on an application, failed to provide notice as required under the ECOA and the Fair Credit Reporting Act ("FCRA"). The complaint alleged that Franklin discriminated against applicants on the basis of sex and marital status by discounting or excluding from consideration the income of an applicant who received payments of child support. The complaint alleged that Franklin discriminated against applicants on the basis of marital status by failing to aggregate the incomes of unmarried co-applicants while aggregating the income of married co-applicants. The complaint alleged that Franklin discriminated against applicants who derived their income from public assistance by discounting or refusing to consider such income. In addition, the complaint alleged that, when taking adverse action on an application, Franklin failed to provide the applicant with written notification of the action taken, failed to disclose the specific reasons for the action taken or to disclose the applicant's right to request such reasons, and, when adverse action was based on a report from a consumer reporting agency, failed to provide notice as required under the FCRA. Under the consent decree, defendants agreed to pay a civil penalty of $800,000 and to the entry of a permanent injunction.
In United States v. Ford Motor Credit Co.,(31) a consent decree was entered resolving allegations that this vehicle finance company discriminated in the pricing of its credit products against applicants on the basis of marital status. The complaint alleged that the company failed to aggregate the incomes of unmarried co-applicants while aggregating the income of married co-applicants with the result that unmarried co-applicants often paid more for credit. Under the consent decree, defendants agreed to pay $650,000 to a consumer redress program and to the entry of a permanent injunction.
Litigation continued in Capital City Mortgage,(32) alleging that the company and its owner violated the ECOA and Regulation B by: failing to take written applications for mortgage loans; failing to collect required information about the race or national origin, sex, marital status, and age of applicants; failed to provide rejected applicants with written notice of adverse action; and, when providing notice of adverse action, failed to provide applicants with the correct principal reason for the action taken or the correct name and address of the Commission, the federal agency that administers compliance with the ECOA with respect to defendants. The complaint seeks civil penalties and injunctive relief for the alleged violations of the ECOA and Regulation B.
In November 1999, the Commission and other federal agencies submitted a joint comment to the Board about Regulation B.(33) The comment was submitted in response to the Board's notice of proposed rulemaking with respect to Regulation B. In their comment, the agencies urged the Board to amend Regulation B to allow lenders voluntarily to collect information about the race and gender of applicants for non-mortgage credit. According to the comment, the current prohibition of collecting such information "inhibits the ability of financial service providers to learn about and respond to market opportunities to provide credit to underserved communities. The prohibition makes it difficult for institutions to know whether products intended to expand access to credit, including to minorities, reach their intended customer base." The comment also urged the board to clarify that creditors may not discriminate on a prohibited basis in their preapplication marketing practices and to clarify how creditors may determine the need for special purpose credit programs.(34)
The Commission continued its consumer and business education efforts. The staff worked with other governmental agencies and with creditor and consumer organizations to increase awareness of and compliance with the ECOA. The Commission also continued its active participation in the Interagency Task Force on Fair Lending.
Electronic Fund Transfer Act
In 1999, the Commission continued its consumer and business education efforts in this area. The Commission issued a brochure, "Guide to Online Payments," providing information to consumers about different types of online payment systems and security features.(35)
II. AN ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH COMPLIANCE IS BEING ACHIEVED BY ENTITIES SUBJECT TO THE COMMISSION'S ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY(36)
Truth in Lending Act and Consumer Leasing Act
This year, the Commission received, inter alia, numerous inquiries concerning home equity lending, including concerning consumer rights under HOEPA. Many mortgage brokers, and some online mortgage entities, requested materials regarding the requirements of Regulation Z. Many credit and lease advertisers requested information regarding Regulations Z and M. Some consumers requested information regarding their TILA rights concerning unauthorized transactions and error resolution, including for online transactions.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act
The Commission received various inquiries about fair lending and predatory lending issues. The Commission also received requests for information about ECOA from mortgage brokers.
Electronic Fund Transfer Act
The Commission received some requests from consumers for information about EFTA protections pertaining to point-of-sale debit transactions, including for unauthorized use and error resolution. The Commission continues to receive a small number of inquiries about these requirements in comparison to those under the credit and lease area.
III. ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR CHANGES IN THE ACTS OR THEIR IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS
The Commission supports the Board's regulatory review of Regulation B. The Commission understands that the Board may undertake a review of Regulation Z, following conclusion of its Regulation B review. In view of the diverse transactions and issues affected by Regulation Z, the Commission would also support any such effort in the future to update and clarify Regulation Z as well.
The Commission hopes that the information contained in this letter responds to your inquiry and will assist in preparation of the Board's Annual Report to Congress. If any other information would be useful or if you request additional assistance, please contact David Medine, Associate Director, Division of Financial Practices, at (202) 326-3025.
By direction of the Commission.
Robert PitofskyChairman
Endnotes:
1. In this report, HOEPA, which amends the TILA and is implemented by Regulation Z, is referenced separately. HOEPA provides special protections for consumers who obtain high-rate or high-fee loans secured by their principal dwellings by requiring creditors to provide certain material information at least three days before the loan is consummated, prohibiting the use of certain loan terms, and barring specified practices.
2. The Commission voted 4-0 to approve the settlements, with Commissioner Swindle concurring in part and dissenting in part.
3. No. CV 99-07782 WDK (C.D.Cal. Aug. 2, 1999).
4. No. 2-99-CV580G (D. Utah Aug. 23, 1999).
5. No. C99-1215 Z (W.D. Wash. Jul. 30, 1999).
6. No. 99-289 (E.D. Ky. Aug. 12, 1999).
7. No. 99 Civ. 5988 (S.D. N.Y. Jul. 30, 1999).
8. No. 3:99 CV-496-H (W.D. Ky. Aug. 5, 1999).
9. No. 2-99CV579G (D. Utah Aug. 23, 1999).
10. FTC Docket No. C-3899 (Oct. 5, 1999).
11. No. 98CV00237 (D.D.C. filed Jan. 29, 1998).
12. The complaint in this matter also alleges, inter alia, violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. See infra p.11.
13. The case is joined, for purposes of discovery, with a private lawsuit, Hargraves v. Capital City Mortgage Corp., No. 98CV1021 (D.D.C. filed Apr. 24, 1998).
14. No. SACV-99-1213 AHS (C.D. Cal. Oct. 7, 1999).
15. FTC Docket No. C-3714 (Feb. 6, 1997).
16. No. 4:99CV01746CEJ (E.D. Mo. Nov. 22, 1999).
17. FTC Docket No. C-3779 (Jan. 5, 1998).
18. This brochure was previously jointly developed by the FTC staff, Federal Reserve Board staff, and various industry representatives and consumer groups and explains, in simple terms, vehicle leasing transactions and costs.
19. FTC Docket No. C-3888 (July 28, 1999).
20. FTC Docket No. C-3887 (July 28, 1999).
21. The consent agreements were placed on the public record for public comment for sixty days, after which the Commission will decide whether to make them final. See 64 Fed. Reg. 68687 (Dec. 8, 1999).
22. FTC File No. 992 3080 (Dec. 2, 1999).
23. FTC File No. 992 3081 (Dec. 2, 1999).
24. FTC File No. 992 3082 (Dec. 2, 1999).
25. FTC File No. 992 3078 (Dec. 2, 1999).
26. FTC File No. 992 3079 (Dec. 2, 1999).
27. FTC File No. 992 3116 (Dec. 2, 1999).
28. The members of the Interagency Task Force include the: Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice, Department of the Treasury, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Housing Finance Board, Federal Reserve Board, Federal Trade Commission, National Credit Union Administration, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and Office of Thrift Supervision.
29. Information concerning the Commission's enforcement actions and other activities discussed in this report are also available at this website.
30. No. 99-CV-2435 (E.D. Penn. May 14, 1999).
31. No. 99-75887 GEW (E.D. Mich. filed Dec. 9, 1999).
32. See supra note 11.
33. Letter from Commission, Department of Treasury, Department of Justice, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Office of Thrift Supervision, Small Business Administration, and Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight to Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System dated November 15, 1999.
34. The Commission voted 3-1 to file this comment with the Board, with Commissioner Swindle dissenting and issuing a separate statement.
35. This brochure was jointly developed by the Commission and America Online, Inc. ("AOL"). AOL was required to develop consumer education materials regarding online payment systems, pursuant to a final decision and order issued by the Commission (previously reported). See FTC Docket No. C-3787 (Mar. 24, 1998).
36. Among other things, the Commission is charged with enforcement of the FTC Act and various federal consumer financial laws and regulations, including the TILA, ECOA, and EFTA, with respect to most nonbank entities in the nation. It does not have data regarding the extent of compliance by these numerous entities with these requirements. In lieu thereof, the Commission is providing information regarding certain issues raised by consumers and/or business entities pertaining to these mandates.

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