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Welcome to the major leagues of debt. Collateralized debt obligations, almost always referred to as a CDOs, are horrendously
complicated deals that often leave anyone without a MBA wondering what was put into these CDOs.
The first thing to
understand about bonds, (aka debt) is that bonds are often backed by something else. Think about your home mortgage. If you
don't pay your mortgage, the bank can take the house. You end up homeless, and the bank sells the house to pay off the rest
of that mortgage. There is something "backing" that mortgage; something lender can fall back on, if you don't pay your bills
like a good human being. That's called collateral.
CDOs are one flavor of an entire sector of investing called structured
finance, and they are also backed. CDOs, in the simplest concept, are just bonds backed by something else. In most cases,
a CDO is backed by a collection of various types of debt. CDOs can be home mortgages, or other types of debt like credit cards,
auto loans, and personal loans. Most of these types of debt are usually considered a bit more risky and they don't have the
backing that a home loan does. So, if you think it through, you can imagine that CDOs are usually considered a risky investment.
To take a step further, understand that CDOs have multiple flavors within each CDO. These flavors are called tranches. If you've taken French, you might recognize the word, it means "slice" or "portion." Each slice of that CDO you invest in is a little different and carries different amounts of risk.
You could invest in the lowest risk tranche of the CDO, which would
provide you lower risk. But, you don't get a good return on that investment. Or, you can be the heroic adventurer of bonds
and invest in the lowest-grade tranche of the CDO. You'll make an amazing return, but if the economy even looks at you wrong,
you might lose the entire investment.
CDOs aren¿t easy, and are almost always invested in by mutual funds, insurance
companies and hedge funds. As an individual investor, you will probably not come across a CDO you can participate in.
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
EA Announces Star Studded Cast for Command and Conquer Red Alert 3
Comtex
LEIPZIG, Germany, Aug 20, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) ----During a press conference at Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:ERTS) today announced the all-star ensemble cast featured in this holiday's highly anticipated real-time strategy video game Command & Conquer(TM) Red Alert(TM) 3. Starring in the Command & Conquer(TM) franchise's trademark live-action movie sequences, the diverse group includes a host of award-winning actors, action stars, science fiction legends, up-and-coming starlets from around the globe and even mixed martial artists.
The cast of Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 follows (in alphabetical order by last name): Gemma Atkinson (the UK's Hollyoaks), Tim Curry (Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Hunt for Red October), Andrew Divoff (LOST), Kelly Hu (X2, The Scorpion King), Jenny McCarthy (Scream 3, former Playboy Playmate of the Year), Ivana Milicevic (Casino Royale), Jonathan Pryce (Pirates of the Caribbean), J.K. Simmons (Spider-Man, Juno), Autumn Reeser (The OC), Peter Stormare (Prison Break, Armageddon), George Takei (Star Trek, Heroes), and two of the most recognizable names in competitive mixed martial arts Randy "The Natural" Couture (former UFC Heavyweight champion) and Gina "Conviction" Carano (Undefeated Elite XC fighter, American Gladiators).
"This is by far the most exciting cast we have in over 13 years of shooting live-action movies for Command & Conquer," said Chris Corry, executive producer at EALA. "The caliber of the performances we received, both individually and collectively, have really raised the storytelling bar for the franchise. We are really excited that we will be delivering such a high quality production that is on par with movies and television shows."
"I wasn't sure what to expect when I came in to work on a video game," said Jenny McCarthy from the set of Command & Conquer Red Alert 3, while playing Tanya, Allied commando and the most beloved heroine in the history of the Command & Conquer universe. "What I realized is Red Alert 3 is not just a video game, it's absolutely an interactive movie. This is where the people at home get to move the story forward, and where seeing the plot thicken is a reward for a job well done. And that's really cool."
"I think video games are one of the new frontiers for actors and using live action is just another way to connect more easily to the gamer rather than CG or animation techniques," said J.K. Simmons from the set of the game, who is playing the anti-Communist U.S. President Howard T. Ackerman. "To be in a groundbreaking game like Red Alert 3 where we are using full on shooting of live actors and to be with Jonathan Pryce, Tim Curry and Peter Stormare, it was a great opportunity for a character actor like me to have some fun."
Fans searching for an opportunity to see even more of the talent in Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 can now order the Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 Premier Edition - a limited edition copy of the game that includes a bonus DVD with over an hour of exclusive content, including interviews with the talent and a behind the scenes look at the shooting of the game's cinematic sequences. The Premier Edition is also packed full of additional Command & Conquer Red Alert goodness, including exclusive multiplayer maps, strategy tips from the development team, the official soundtrack and an exclusive beta key to a future Command & Conquer game.
Those who secure the Premier Edition or regular version of Red Alert 3 now via pre-order will also receive a special bonus package(1), including:
-- Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 - One of the most beloved RTS games of all time!
-- From Fighter to Assassin - A featurette on EliteXC superstar, Gina Carano.
-- Premier Edition Sneak Peek - Exclusive previews of Raising of the Iron Curtain, From Pens to Pixels, Command School, and BattleCast Primetime
-- Red Alert Retrospective - A look back at Command & Conquer(TM) Red Alert(TM), Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 and Command & Conquer(TM): Yuri's Revenge(TM)
-- Exclusive multiplayer/skirmish map for Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 when the game ships
-- Exclusive Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 desktop wallpapers
Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 is set to ship this fall for the PC and Xbox 360. Gamers who want to get a head start on the return to Command & Conquer Red Alert can do so by purchasing Command & Conquer 3: Kane's Wrath, which includes automatic entry into the Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 beta(2) happening right now. More information is available at http://www.ea.com/redalert/beta.jsp.
Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information about the game, please visit www.redalert3.com and tune into Command & Conquer TV at www.commandandconquer.com in the coming weeks to catch the special one year anniversary episode of the online channel's flagship program "BattleCast PrimeTime," filmed live from the German Games Convention 2008.
(1) Certain retailers may have additional, exclusive pre-sale incentives.
(2) Command & Conquer Red Alert 3 beta access is granted with purchase of Command & Conquer Kane's Wrath PC version only. The Red Alert 3 beta is also PC only.
About Command & Conquer
The groundbreaking Command & Conquer franchise was one of the first to introduce players to the modern RTS genre, has spawned over a dozen PC titles, and ranks in the top 5 best-selling PC franchises of all-time according to the NPD Group. Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars(TM) was the number #1 selling PC RTS of 2007 and recently won the "Strategy/Simulation Game of the Year" award from the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences."Additionally, Command & Conquer Red Alert 2 and Command & Conquer(TM) Generals were the number one best-selling(3) PC RTS titles in 2000 and 2003 respectively. Collectively, the series has sold over 25 million units worldwide to date. The franchise boasts one of the largest and most active fan communities in the world. For more information on Command & Conquer series, please visit www.CommandAndConquer.EA.com.
(3) According to NPD Group
About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is the world's leading interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, cellular handsets and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS(TM), EA(TM), EA SPORTS Freestyle (TM) and POGO(TM). In fiscal 2008, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $3.67 billion and had 27 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA's homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA's products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.
EA, EA SPORTS, EA SPORTS Freestyle, POGO, Command & Conquer, Red Alert, Yuri's Revenge and Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S and/or other countries. All Rights Reserved. Xbox and Xbox 360 are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Electronic Arts Inc.
EA Games Label Andrew Wong, 650-628-2781 PR Manager anwong@ea.com Tammy Schachter, 650-628-7223 Sr. PR Director tschachter@ea.com
Copyright Business Wire 2008
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