Friday, July 27, 2012

British media hammer Romney on Olympic comments

(The Ticket)-LONDON—On day three of his overseas tour, Mitt Romney woke up to unfriendly headlines from the British media, who continue to trash him for telling NBC News that he found preparations for the Olympics here "disconcerting."

"Mitt the Twit," declared The Sun tabloid, condemning Romney as a "wannabe president."



The Independent headlined their take on Romney's trip, "Romneyshambles"—accusing him of not only committing a diplomatic gaffe but later "the cardinal sin of U.S. politics, flip-flopping" on his criticism.

The Daily Telegraph suggested Romney's "Olympic gaffe" had overshadowed his trip to London.
Meanwhile, the conservative Daily Mail slammed Romney as "devoid of charm, offensive and a wazzock."

Romney's comments led newscasts on both Sky News and the BBC on Thursday night and early Friday morning, just hours ahead of the Olympic opening ceremonies here.

"Is this guy really prepared to be president?" one Sky News reporter asked in his Thursday night report about Romney's day in London. The reporter trashed the GOP candidate's comments as "just daft."

Romney has repeatedly tried to dial back his criticism, first in a news conference Thursday outside 10 Downing Street, where he had met with British Prime Minister David Cameron, who had been publicly critical of Romney's remarks earlier in the day.

In an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan Thursday night, Romney again tried to contain the controversy, telling the CNN host he believes the London games will be successful.

"It's great. It's absolutely fabulous," Romney said of being in London for the games. "You know I'd never been to an Olympics before I was given the Olympic job. I mean I've done the same thing everybody else did. I watched the games on TV. But to actually be here and to experience not just the athletes but also the volunteers who are working hard and excited, and then the whole community comes together…
It's fabulous."

Citing the "enthusiasm" of the people in London, Romney added, "I think you are going to see terrific games that will be long time in our memories."



*Mitt the twit; read the headline!

Finally; media outlets are finally "going in" on what we've been saying for some time about Mitt Romney.  He is a twit and then some!

We here at Diva's Nation have certainly voiced our opinion about "Mitt the twit" numerous times! We stated how out of touch he is with Americans. Plus we've stated how he acts and how fidgety he seems to be when around certain groups of people.  It's obvious he's not ready for the job of President due to his "all over the place" behavior and comments.

Think about it fellow Americans; "To go and visit our cousins across the pond and say something as ridiculous as what he said, is a epic hot mess!" 

If he was President he would embarrass our country every chance he got, because he simply don't know how to act.  He's not only off in his actions, but he's definitely off in his mind. 

"Mitt the twit" has alot of work to do before he can run this country!*




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Saturday, July 21, 2012

GRACE JONES; Still Hot!



Entertaiment Veteran, and always so charasmatic Grace Jones performing her song "Slave To The Rhythm" at the Queens Diamond Jubilee.

You Go Grace!

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Friday, July 20, 2012

UPDATE; Defense postpones bond hearing for Kathleen teen accused of slaying sister

(Macon Telegraph-Perry)-A bond hearing for a Kathleen teen accused of killing her sister was postponed Thursday morning at the request of the defense.

Houston County Public Defender Nick White said the postponement was sought because he was unable to find a suitable place for Carmen Collins, 17, to stay if she’s granted bond. She is accused of shooting her 12-year-old sister, India Collins, multiple times July 3 in their home before setting a fire inside.

(Carmen Collins-17 yr old accused of killing sister)


She was arrested July 5 after fleeing in a family vehicle with the family dog to Columbus, where she was known to have friends.Collins is charged with murder and arson. She is being held without bond at the Houston County jail.White said he is attempting to find a place for Collins to stay that is not with a family member, is located outside the county and would meet the court’s approval.

He said he had to withdraw the request for bond after he was unsuccessful.

White said he will request a new bond hearing once he has found a suitable location for Collins.Parents John and Angela Collins were in the courtroom for the hearing along with other family members.

A victim’s advocate said the family did not wish to comment.

(Angela Collins-Mother of deceased daughter India Collins and accused Carmen Collins)
Carmen Collins’ mother, Angela Collins, watches the door that court bailiffs use to bring defendants into the courtroom. The 17-year-old Collins never appeared because the hearing was postponed Thursday morning at the request of the defense. WOODY MARSHALL — wmarshall@macon.com

White declined to elaborate on information he said he has that he believes will exonerate Collins.She says she is not guilty and denies shooting her sister, White said.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2012/07/19/2099961/defense-withdraws-bond-hearing.html#storylink=cpy
**********************************************************************************
UPDATE: Defense postpones bond hearing for Kathleen teen accused of slaying sister

( A bond hearing for a Kathleen teen accused of killing her sister was postponed Thursday morning at the request of the defense.

Houston County Public Defender Nick White said the postponement was sought because he was unable to find a suitable place for Carmen Collins, 17, to stay if she’s granted bond.

She is accused of shooting her 12-year-old sister, India Collins, multiple times July 3 in their home before setting a fire inside. She was arrested July 5 after fleeing in a family vehicle with the family dog to Columbus, where she was known to have friends.

Collins is charged with murder and arson. She is being held without bond at the Houston County jail.White said he is attempting to find a place for Collins to stay that is not with a family member, is located outside the county and would meet the court’s approval.

He said he had to withdraw the request for bond after he was unsuccessful.

White said he will request a new bond hearing once he has found a suitable location for Collins.Parents John and Angela Collins were in the courtroom for the hearing along with other family members. A victim’s advocate said the family did not wish to comment.

White declined to elaborate on information he said he has that he believes will exonerate Collins.

She says she is not guilty and denies shooting her sister, White said).





*Damn! This story is so sad!

 17 year old Carmen Collins who is a homosexual killed her sister by shooting her at close range in the head four times. 

Most recently Collins changed her story saying she didn't kill her sister and her attorney thinks she will be exonerated!

"NOT!

As the story goes she was apparently jealous of 12 year old India Collins.  Apparently the parents took a liking to India a more than Carmen.  Carmen has struggled with her homosexuality for quite some time and according to sources her parents wasn't happy about having a gay daugher.

Nonetheless, it's still no reason to kill your sibling due to parents having favorites.* 



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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Lay’s offering $1 million via Facebook to the best new potato chip recipe

(Today In Tech)-Lay's is offering a cash prize to the person who creates the best new idea for a potato chip with its "Do Us a Flavor" contest. Three finalists will see their inventions realized, then the public will decide on the best one by a vote on Facebook. The grand prize? Either $1 million or 1% of the new flavor's net sales in 2013; the winner gets to choose.

According to Ram Krishnan, vice president of marketing for Frito-Lay, the Facebook contest is the biggest promotion the company has run in its entire history. It's also the first time the food brand has taken crowd-sourced marketing to a U.S. audience. It ran the flavor contest in other nations, which led to new chips that tasted like Caesar salads, shrimp, sausage, and pickled cucumber.

The food industry has been joining the crowd-sourcing bandwagon with more and more high-profile brands. Samuel Adams, Arizona Iced Tea, and McDonald's have recently launched promotions that let customers create new tastes. It's a more corporate, incentive-based approach to crowd sourcing than the immensely popular platform Kickstarter, which has helped many independent thinkers and artists bring their dreams into reality.
*********************************************************************


*Oh Yea, Frito Lay is kicking it up a knotch with your chip contest!

For all you creative cooks who are desperate to make a name for yourselves, this is a sure way to do it. 

So get off up your behinds and get on your cooking grind and crank out the best chip recipe America and Frito Lay has ever seen.*

www.facebook.com/lays
http://www.fritolay.com/



Diva's Nation
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Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Burger King Employee Stands on Lettuce: Busted by Internet

(Yahoo Shine-Sarah Weir)-Ever feel like nothing is secret any more because of the Internet? You may be right. It took 4Chan users only 15 minutes to track down and bust the Cleveland-area Burger King employee who stood on top of two containers of shredded lettuce and then posted a picture of the gross act. 4Chan is a bulletin board-type website where members post images and comments.

Dude, get your feet off my greens

"This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King," wrote the unnamed employee on the evening of July 16. Guess he thought that was funny. Other users weren't laughing: according to Hypervocal.com, Anonymous, the notorious vigilante hacking group, used GPS data embedded in the photo to locate the fast food restaurant's address and reportedly contacted the franchise and FoxNews8. "Whoever this is is getting fired," a morning shift manager named Andrea, told the Cleveland Scene.

Bryson W. Thornton, Director of Burger King's Global Communications, wrote in a statement to Yahoo! Shine:

"Burger King Corp. has recently been made aware of a photo that shows a BURGER KING® restaurant employee violating the company's stringent food handling procedures. Food safety is a top priority at all BURGER KING® restaurants and the company maintains a zero-tolerance policy against any violations such as the one in question. The restaurant where this photo was taken is independently-owned and operated by a BURGER KING® franchisee. The franchisee has taken swift action to investigate this matter and terminated the three employees involved in the incident."

Still, make mine a burger, but hold the lettuce.



*LOOK AT THIS!!!


Is this fool crazy?


This BK worker out of Cleveland, stands on the lettuce, then snaps a picture of his dumb ass doing it! If this ain't some "you know what!"


We believe this individual did this for the "wow" factor!  Apparently he wanted to make a big statement in a big way by abusing the BK lettuce.  Which is gross!


It's sad we as people have to worry about idioc individuals acting a straight fool and doing gross things to the potential food we may purchase. 


To some degree this is to be expected, because of the age we live in...the internet age.  Many individuals do things just to get attention because they feel like it's going to make them famous, and some just can't help themselves because they are attention whores.  Someone should of told this idiot that putting a pic of himself online would come back and bite him in the ass!

Sick!


Welcome to the age of the intenet where everything goes.*





Diva's Nation
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Thursday, July 12, 2012

New questions about when Romney officially left Bain Capital

(The Ticket-Yahoo)-Government filings say Mitt Romney may have worked at Bain Capital longer than he's publicly suggested.

Romney has repeatedly said he left Bain in 1999 to lead the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. But according to the Boston Globe, Bain's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission say Romney remained the firm's "sole stockholder, chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and president" until 2002.

The Globe also reports Romney's financial disclosure forms filed in Massachusetts list him as the sole owner of Bain Capital in 2002 and say he earned money as a Bain "executive" in 2001 and 2002.

The timing is notable because Romney has said his resignation from the company in 1999 meant he was not responsible for companies owned by Bain that went bankrupt or laid off workers after that date. But both Bain Capital and the Romney campaign disputed the story, the latter describing the article as "inaccurate."

"As Bain Capital has said, as Gov. Romney has said, and as has been confirmed by independent fact checkers multiple times, Gov. Romney left Bain Capital in February of 1999 to run the Olympics and had no input on investments or management of companies after that point," Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in a statement.

But the Obama campaign immediately seized on the report, slamming Romney's "big Bain lie." They used the article to press on with their calls for Romney to release more information about his personal finances, questioning whether the GOP nominee is "concealing his tax returns" because he's trying to hide something.

"It's time for Mitt Romney to come clean so that the American people can make their own judgments about his record and his motivations," Stephanie Cutter, Obama's deputy campaign manager, said in an email to reporters.



*Romney is a hot ass mess!

We here at Diva's Nation have repeatedly said he's hiding something. We have also reported how he seems to not want the public to know anything about his past business affiliations or his off shore companies or his tax returns.

To us it makes no sense to be that way.  If your trying to become President, then we believe the American people who are the voters have the right to know about your past business affiliations, as well as skills, voting record and more.  It puts alot into perspective when we do go to the polls.

If this information is correct, then Romney has big problems and definitely big problems when voters go to the polls in November!*



Diva's Nation
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MITT ROMNEY GET'S BOOED !



*Romney's speech to the Houston's NAACP event was of mixed reviews. He talked about alot of things, mainly about President Obama and his so-called failed policies. The main thing that got many folks' attention and the boo's was Romney stating he would repeal "Obamacare." Which in fact is a term made up by the opposition to make fun of the President's will to make healthcare available to all.

As the speech went on Romney did make some valid points about education and helping families achieve goals to be financially stable. I think most folk's are on the same page about wanting to be financially secure and providing for one's family. I guess we really didn't need good ole Mitt to tell us that.

As we continued to listen to Mitt's speech about President Obama, he started to look very uncomfortable. He started out being very stiff, then he goes into a "trying to hard" fidget. Honestly; he was all over the place in what he was saying. He went from staying on point to rambling about what the President isn't doing for the people, especially for the black community. It was very uncomfortable to watch FOR REAL!

At the end of the day, Mitt Romney should of stated his points about what he would do better and how he would try to improve many things he thought was broken in America. Instead of going on a rambling feista about President Obama, he should of left his name out of the whole speech and talked about his ideas, while interjecting some comedic lines about his life on the campaign trail or about his family.

That's what we want to hear about mostly, not the bashing of the other side. Americans hear that enough in campaign ads.

Truthfully; Mitt Romney failed to do what he set out to do. That was to woo the upper echelon so-to-speak, of the black community. With his off the wall humor, to his quoting of civil rights leaders; many of them didn't buy it. They didn't buy it for a one reason, and that is his delivery isn't of a genuine nature, especially to people of color.

What we believe Mitt Romney is failing to realize is that, this is a very sensitive nation because of all the things that has happened. People want solutions, and they want them to be clear and concise and not "iffy and stiffy." The key for him is coming down off of his high horse and shaking hands with the people who are living in this state of "bs" and "unkowns."

Those are the people who want to know that you as the potentially incoming President will do everything it takes to improve things for them and this nation.

At the end of the day, if Mitt Romney can't do that, then he won't win. If he thinks he can skate by, by bashing the President on his policies, then he's wrong! That won't cut it either. What will cut it is an honest, genuine and positive candidate who wants the very best for this country.*





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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

17 Year Old Arrested In Columbus; Charged With Murder And Arson In Sister's Death

Police arrested 17 year old Carmen Collins around 2:30am Wednesday in Columbus, Georgia and charged her with murder and arson in the death of her 12 year old sister.
 
FTR_carmen_collins_new.jpg
 
Police apprehended Carmen Collins without incident when they located her white 2011 Acura.

India Collins died alone in her home on Tuesday evening when it was allegedly set on fire by her sister Carmen.

The investigation is ongoing. Autopsy reports should be available by tomorrow.
(Autopsy has been performed)
 
 
 
*What a very sad story for this family in Warner Robins GA.
 
This family has lost two kids because of the idiotic senseless act of one.  I hope that they throw the damn book at this girl for doing such a horrible thing to her young sister. 
 
I guess the main question is; why?  Why would this young girl kill her sister and burn the damn house down to try to cover up?  This is a very quiet middle class community, which you wouldn't think this sort of thing would happen. 
 
However, in these times I guess you never say never, because crime is everywhere.
 
At the end of the day, this girl did the crime so she has to suffer the consquences.*
 
 
 
 
 
 
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*Join The "17 Year Old Arrested In Columbus; Charged With Murder And Arson In Sister's Death" Conversation"
 
 



 

Who is Kim Jong Un’s mystery woman?

(Yahoo News-The Lookout)-Who is she?



That's what people around the world want to know about a mysterious young woman who appeared with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at a pair of events over the weekend.

The woman first appeared with Kim on North Korean state television on Sunday at a ceremony marking the 18th anniversary of his grandfather and North Korea founder Kim Il Sung's death. She is believed to be the same woman shown in a photograph released by the Korea News Service on Monday showing Kim and others clapping during a July 6 performance by new Moranbong band in Pyongyang. (The unusual performance included appearances by Disney characters—including Mickie Mouse, Minnie Mouse and
Winnie the Pooh—not often seen in North Korea, which traditionally shuns entertainment of the West.)

The mystery woman sparked a crush of media coverage in South Korea, where some speculate that she could be Kim's younger sister or wife. No official details about her identity have been released.

According to London's Telegraph, "South Korean intelligence sources" say the woman is Hyon Song Wol, a singer "who used to front the Bochonbo Electronic Music Band" and "responsible for a string of hits that included 'Footsteps of Soldiers,' 'I Love Pyongyang,' 'She is a Discharged Soldier' and 'We are Troops of the Party.'"

Her popularity "peaked in 2005 with the song 'Excellent Horse-Like Lady,'" the Telegraph said, adding:
Hyon subsequently disappeared from public view at the time that Kim emerged as the heir-apparent to his father, Kim Jong Il.
There are reports that 28-year-old Kim Jong Un was ordered to break off his relationship with Hyon by his father and that she later married an officer in the North Korean army with whom she has a baby.
The North Korean government is notoriously secretive when it comes to its leaders. It took more than a day to announce the death of Kim Jong Il in December. And as the Associated Press points out, little personal information is known about Kim himself, though he is thought to be in his late 20s. Kim's younger sister, Kim Yo Jong, was born in 1987, the AP said.




*What! A female appearing out in front with Kim. That is very new!

North Korea has always been a secretive nation about everything.  Very rarely do that let the press in to film anything.  The government keeps a tight lid not only on gov't affairs but it's people.  Most of the time the people have to do whatever the North Korean gov't tells them. That includes, what they watch on television, clothing, how many babies they can have, and the biggest thing is what they can say.

For them to be so secretive and now to have a woman showing up at events and being photographed is something new.  One could only speculate if it's a rebranding of the nations image, or a ploy to throw off the press so they will stop discussing how crazy this nation is with it's bed of secrets and how it treats it's people.  Again one can only speculate. 

If we had our guess, it's to get the attention of the press and show that the North Korean Gov't isn't as bad as being reported.  We also believe it may be a strategy by the current leader to appear soft to the world in order to bring in more business. 

At the end of the day we can only speculate about why this female is showing up, but whatever the North Korean Gov't is up to, it's working because the world press is all over it.*




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Thursday, July 5, 2012

Alabama Pastor Holds White's Only Conference

(The Lookout)-A controversial pastor's conference welcoming only "white Christians" is underway in Lamar County, Ala., upsetting residents of the nearby town of Winfield in the western part of the state.

Christian Identity Ministries is holding a three-day conference for so-called "white Christians" who contend they have been treated unfairly, the Rev. Mel Lewis told local TV station WSFA. Lewis, the organizer and keynote speaker, says they have the right, like any other Americans, to worship how they wish.

Ku Klux Klan flags and white supremacy slogans surround the conference, which will conclude with a cross being set on fire Friday night. Organizers say it's not a cross-burning, but rather sacred Christian cross lighting.

"We are not breaking any laws. We're not violating any ordinances. We're bringing the Word of God to people who want it, obviously, or they wouldn't be here," Lewis told the TV station.

Lewis said of the conference-goers: "They are part of the chosen race."

The mayor of nearby Winfield said residents are upset, and the event does not represent their town in any way.

"Business people are upset. The city is upset. The city of Winfield does not condone this," Winfield Mayor Wayne Silas told another local TV station, WECT.

"It's surprising to see something like that in our town," said Tyler Cantrell. "I know it's been here in the past."

Organizers say their ministry is not a hate group and that although there is a strong KKK presence, the Klan did not sponsor the event.




*Treated unfairly my ass!

Truly this idiot is trying to prove a point with this all white christian conference.  He's not fooling anyone these days, especially with the likes of the KKK showing up and burning crosses and what not.

This mess doesn't surprise me, because only in America do we have things like this that seem to make national headlines.  This type of gathering is nothing more than a KKK white supremacist meeting for people who don't like the society we live in these days. 

Think about it. 

We have a black President who runs America.  We also have same-sex couples who is getting married and flaunting it in everyone's faces.  Then we have a ravished economy with the loss of jobs, as well as the loss of the so-called American dream.  Then our education system is crap.  So honestly it's not a shock people are rallying and trying to call attention their so-called pain and suffering.

Hell; I'm sure we all suffer but to hold a conference with the KKK in place and then set fire to a cross is definitely taking it way to far.  These people need to find something better to do with their time and get over it. 

"I'm bored with this...yawn."



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Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Mystery Bermuda-based company and other undisclosed Romney assets hint at larger wealth

WASHINGTON — For nearly 15 years, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s financial portfolio has included an offshore company that remained invisible to voters as his political star rose.
Based in Bermuda, Sankaty High Yield Asset Investors Ltd. was not listed on any of Romney’s state or federal financial reports. The company is among several Romney holdings that have not been fully disclosed, including one that recently posted a $1.9 million earning — suggesting he could be wealthier than the nearly $250 million estimated by his campaign.

The omissions were permitted by state and federal authorities overseeing Romney’s ethics filings, and he has never been cited for failing to disclose information about his money. But Romney’s limited disclosures deprive the public of an accurate depiction of his wealth and a clear understanding of how his assets are handled and taxed, according to experts in private equity, tax and campaign finance law.

Sankaty was transferred to a trust owned by Romney’s wife, Ann, one day before he was sworn in as Massachusetts governor in 2003, according to Bermuda records obtained by The Associated Press. The Romneys’ ownership of the offshore firm did not appear on any state or federal financial reports during Romney’s two presidential campaigns. Only the Romneys’ 2010 tax records, released under political pressure earlier this year, confirmed their continuing control of the company.

The mystery surrounding Sankaty reinforces Romney’s history of keeping a tight rein on his public dealings, already documented by his use of private email and computer purges as Massachusetts governor and his refusal to disclose his top fundraisers. The Bermuda company had almost no assets, according to Romney’s 2010 tax returns. But such partnership stakes could still provide significant income for years to come, said tax experts, who added that the lack of disclosure makes it impossible to know for certain.

“We don’t know the big picture,” said Victor Fleischer, a University of Colorado law professor and private equity expert who urged corporate tax code reforms during congressional testimony last year. “Most of these disclosure rules are designed for people who have passive ownership of stocks and bonds. But in this case, he continues to own management interests that fluctuate greatly in value long after his time with the company and even the end of his separation agreement. And the public has no clear idea where the money is coming from or when it will end.”

Named for a historic Massachusetts coastal lighthouse, Sankaty was part of a cluster of similarly named hedge funds run by Bain Capital, the private equity firm Romney founded and led until 1999. The offshore company was used in Bain’s $1 billion takeover of Domino’s Pizza and other multimillion-dollar investment deals more than a decade ago.

Romney’s campaign declined to answer detailed questions from AP about Sankaty. Romney aides have said in the past that some disclosures were not required because those assets were valued by his financial advisers at less than $1,000 — below the minimum threshold under federal rules set by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics. A financial snapshot of Sankaty in Romney’s 2010 tax returns showed the holding with almost no value at the time— with $10,000 in both assets and liabilities.

“Everything on the filings is reported as required,” campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said in a brief statement. “If OGE has an issue with any filings, they would let us know.” The agency declined to comment.
While Sankaty no longer plays an active role in Bain’s current deals, private equity experts said such holdings could provide significant income to Romney under his 10-year separation agreement from Bain, which expired in 2009. Investment funds typically churn “carried interest,” profit shares due to the managers of the funds that often range as much as 20 percent of a fund’s annual profit — known as “the carry.” Even after investment funds are exhausted, profit shares and other late earnings from those stakes can contiue to stream, arriving as lucrative “tails,” tax experts say. In some circumstances, the analysts added, offshore companies like Sankaty could also offer limited tax deferral advantages.

The implications of Romney’s Bain profit-sharing became clear last month when his trust reported that one rarely disclosed asset had posted a $1.9 million payout. The income was described as a “true-up” payment, catch-up income that made up for unpaid earnings owed to Romney as part of his Bain separation agreement.

Such sizable earnings are possible depending on the terms of the agreement,” said tax law expert Michael Kosnitzky, an attorney at the New York firm of Boies, Schiller & Flexner. The Romney campaign acknowledged recently that it could not rule out more large future payments.

The use of offshore companies such as Sankaty is allowed under U.S. tax laws. They are typically set up as shell corporations by private equity and hedge funds to route investments from large foreign and institutional investors, such as large pension plans, into corporate takeovers. The money is used to provide equity and buy up debt. In turn, the investors gain U.S. tax advantages by passing their funds through the offshore “blocker” corporations, avoiding a high 35 percent tax on earnings that the Internal Revenue Service describes as “unrelated business income.

Set up in Bermuda in 1997, Sankaty served as Romney’s partnership stake in Bain’s Sankaty group, which invests in bonds, bank loans and corporate debt instruments. That first wave of Sankaty funds managed more than $100 million in investments in the late 1990s and early 2000s, according to a corporate analyst familiar with the funds. The analyst insisted on anonymity because the analyst was not authorized to discuss the funds publicly.

Since late 2003, Romney has left his financial decisions to what his campaign describes as a “blind trust” overseen by lawyer R. Bradford Malt, a longtime Boston legal associate. The trust was set up under
Massachusetts law, but it’s not a federally qualified blind trust — which Romney plans
to use if he wins the presidency. Romney does not oversee his investments under his current trust, but its general composition is made public and Malt invests according to Romney’s political positions.

Romney’s 2010 tax returns show him and his wife as sole owners of Sankaty. A 2011 Bermuda legal document lists Malt as Sankaty’s president. Michael F. Goss, currently Bain Capital’s chief operating officer, is listed as vice president, and Quorum Corporate Ltd., a Bermuda law firm, as secretary. Malt deferred questions about Sankaty to the Romney campaign; Bain Capital and Quorum declined to comment.

The candidate’s 2010 tax returns listed at least 20 investment holdings besides Sankaty that had not been previously disclosed on federal reports. At least seven were foreign investments. Bain Capital Inc., the holding that posted the $1.9 million earning, was listed on Romney’s state ethics reports in 2001 and 2002, when he ran for governor, but was missing from any annual ethics report until Romney’s trust included it last month on his 2012 financial statement.

Sankaty is the only offshore holding in the Romneys’ portfolio under their full control. On his 2010 taxes, Romney’s blind trust filed an IRS form identifying Sankaty as a “controlled foreign corporation.” That filing is required for any U.S. taxpayer who owns more than 50 percent of a foreign company. Romney’s 2010 tax returns indicate that he and his wife control all 12,000 shares.

Several U.S. Securities and Exchange documents from the late 1990s and 2000s depicted Romney as Sankaty’s owner at the time, but when he ran for Massachusetts governor in 2001 and 2002, Romney did not list the company on annual disclosure forms required by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission.

The ethics commission would not comment on the omissions. Boston College law professor R. Michael Cassidy, who was a member of the commission at the time, said that if Romney “owned this business before he signed his ethics disclosure, then he was obliged to report it.” The state’s disclosure rules also allow a $1,000 minimum threshold. A six-year statute of limitations covering Romney’s ethics reports has since expired.

Bermuda legal documents show that on Jan. 1, 2003, the day before Romney was sworn in as governor, his wife’s trust acquired 12,000 shares of Sankaty. The transfer was not made public. The month before, Romney had placed his assets in the state-approved trust overseen by Malt. The move legally allowed the trust to describe Romney’s holdings in 2003 only as “various investments and securities” — without providing details. The trust filed similar disclosures between 2004 and 2007, the last year of Romney’s term.

Romney’s use of Sankaty as his partnership stake in Bain deals is documented in several U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission reports between 1998 and 2000. The company controlled 50,000 shares of Global-Tech Appliances Inc., a Chinese appliance firm that Bain briefly invested in. Sankaty was also used to manage 385,000 shares in the 1999 takeover of Domino’s, as well as the $75 million investment into the Stericycle waste disposal firm and a $150 million investment in the US LEC telecommunication firm.

Romney was named as sole owner and president of Sankaty in several of those documents. Though no longer active at Bain by then because he had left to head Salt Lake City’s Olympic

Games bid, Romney remained a participant because of his partnership stake.

Even though Sankaty is no longer used for Bain investments, several tax analysts said its legal offshore status still could be used by Romney to defer some taxes on some of the “carried interest” income related to the Bain deals.

Romney has said he gets no tax break. He told an audience at a Maine town hall appearance in February that “I have not saved one dollar by having an investment somewhere outside this country.”

But the lack of disclosure over the years, private equity experts said, makes it impossible to tell.
“Without knowing more about an offshore’s history and how it was used,” Fleischer said, “you’re left in the dark.”


*Romney think his ass slick. What he has failed to realize is that all that mess he was doing before he made the decision to run for President will come out.  All of his business wheeling and dealing will see the light of day because the American people have to know what you've been up for most of your life.  It allows us to make a sound decision on if we want you as our President or not.

We smell a rat in this Sankaty company of Romney's and he's not going to be able to hold people off from investigating everything about it. 

When you get down to it, Romney has been doing his thing and getting away with lord knows what, that he believes he's above any suspicion.  He thinks he's covered his trail so damn good that the press won't find anything out that the opposition can use against him.

WRONG!

What the Romney campaign fails to realize, is just because you've ran a company for many years and then became Govenor, doesn't mean that your track record is spotless.  Whatever wheeling and dealing you were doing before you made a choice to run for the highest office, will find it's way back to you. 

All in all, Mitt Romney better be ready to provide an explanation to his constituents about this.  Truly, at the end of the day, there's a small percentage of his high dollar friends, but and even bigger percentage of the hard working regular people who always have their eyes and ears open.*




Diva's Nation
*Join The "Mystery Bermuda-based company and other undisclosed Romney assets hint at larger wealth" Conversation*