A surety bond is a contract among at least three parties: (i) the principal, (ii) the obligee, and (iii) the surety. Through this agreement, the surety agrees to make the obligee whole (usually by payment of money) if the principal defaults in its performance of its promise to the obligee. The contract is formed so as to induce the obligee to contract with the principal, i.e., to demonstrate the credibility of the principal.

Suretyship bonds originated hundreds of years ago as a mechanism through which trade over long distance could be encouraged. They are frequently used in the construction industry: in order to obtain a contract to build the project, the general contractor (and often the sub-contractors as well) must provide the owner a bond for its performance of the terms of the contract. Conversely, owners and contractors may also provide payment bonds to ensure that subcontractors and suppliers are paid for work done. Under the Miller Act, payment and performance bonds are required for general contractors on all U.S. federal government construction projects where the contract price exceeds $100,000.00.

Surety bonds are also used in other situations, for example, to secure the proper performance of fiduciary duties by persons in positions of private or public trust.

More on [ Surety bond ]

TechCrunch

TechCrunch50: You Want Advertising? We’ll Give You Advertising
Michael Arrington Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:08:23 -0000
Despite our best intentions, it looks like the DEMO v. TechCrunch50 war will continue, even with DEMO under new management. In 2007 we launched the first TechCrunch50 event - a place where companies can launch to rabid fans and tech press. These launching companies are the stars of the show, and they don't pay a cent to attend. We thought DEMO's longstanding policy of forcing launching companies to pay a $20,000 fee was ridiculous, and led the conference organizers to make decisions based not on the merits of the startups but simply on who was willing and able to pay. Not only do we let startups launch for free, we give the top one a $50,000 prize. Our conference has grown rapidly - nearly 2,000 people attended TechCrunch50 last year while DEMO languished in San Diego with a paltry few hundred. To be fair, our events were on the exact same dates, so they were hit doubly hard. This year we moved our dates to give them some breathing room. We thought we were done battling DEMO. But today DEMO announced that they're giving away a "massive" prize - $2 million - to the top two startups at the event. The press is eating it up, saying that TechCrunch50 looks paltry in comparison. Of course, there's a catch. The "advertising" is remnant stuff on IDG properties (IDG owns DEMO) and will certainly be priced at rate card. They'll also charge for creative and other expenses. Meaning there is very little actual value. I'm guessing that the amount of advertising actually delivered would be in the tens of thousands of dollars of value, at best. And, of course, every startup launching still needs to pay to launch. But whatever. You want adverting? We'll give you advertising.
The Inevitable Anti-U.S. Backlash Has Started On Kiva
Leena Rao Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:31:32 -0000
When we reported on Kiva.org's decision to open up its micro-lending platform to U.S. entrepreneurs, Kiva CEO Premal Shah told us he was concerned about backlash in the community. Shah acknowledged that the decision to open lending to U.S. recipients may draw criticism because it goes against the idea on which Kiva was founded—lending to help development in third world countries where credit options are limited. It looks like Shah's prediction was correct. There is now a lending team on Kiva's community platform titled "Unhappy Kiva Lenders." The members, which total 375 lenders from around the world, are angry that Kiva is extending loans to U.S. entrepreneurs. The team's page states that "including borrowers from the USA has undermined the very core of what made [Kiva] so unique and special; small, impactful contributions to entrepreneurs in impoverished situations in developing countries."
Want The Obama “Hope” Artwork On Your iPhone? Nope, Says Apple.
MG Siegler Fri, 03 Jul 2009 17:48:19 -0000
Start Mobile has managed to get 18 separate iPhone applications approved by Apple. So you'll imagine their surprise when one of them was recently rejected. But you may be even more surprised to find out why. Apparently, Apple doesn't like the way one piece of art in the app depicts President Obama. Is it out of line or tasteless? Well, you can determine for yourself, because you've undoubtedly seen the art in question before: It's Shepard Fairey's famous "HOPE" image of Obama that was everywhere during his Presidential campaign. So why on Earth would this be rejected? Well, here's the wording in the rejection: It contains content that ridicules public figures and is in violation of Section 3.3.12 from the iPhone SDK Agreement which states: "Applications must not contain any obscene, pornographic, offensive or defamatory content or materials of any kind (text, graphics, images, photographs, etc.), or other content or materials that in Apple's reasonable judgement may be found objectionable by iPhone or iPod touch users." "Ridicules public figures"? This image is hanging in the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian — yet, Apple apparently finds it inappropriate.
Tweetmeme Wants To Be The King Of Retweets
Erick Schonfeld Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:36:22 -0000
One of the most effective ways to amplify your message on Twitter is to get your followers to retweet it to their followers. Retweeting is also becoming a popular way to pass links around Twitter. They are becoming the new currency of the Web because of the power of passed links. One service in particular, Tweetmeme, is cornering the market on retweets by making it easy for blogs and other sites to add a retweet button to every page. You can see one at the bottom of this post. Just click on it, and it will take you to your Twitter account and populate a message with a "RT," the headline, and a short link. Go ahead, do it now. Do it again. Okay, thanks. Lots of sites use Tweetmeme's retweet button, and it drives a lot of its overall traffic. Nick Halstead, the CEO of Fav.or.it (Tweetmeme's parent company) says that the buttons are so widespread right now that they are generating 196 million impressions a week month. In other words, that is how many pages load with the buttons every month week, and some portion of those result in actual retweets. Halstead is making some improvements to the retweet buttons. Before each retweet generated by the button would include a promotional "via @tweetmeme." That has now removed to make more room for the actual headline and link. Next week he is going to introduce an image button which can be included in RSS feeds and emails to spread the retweet love even further. And sites will be able to embed a retweet counter to show how many overall retweets they get every week.
How To JailBreak the iPhone 3GS
John Biggs Fri, 03 Jul 2009 15:52:24 -0000
Before I go defile myself with burgers and beer I wanted to jailbreak my iPhone 3GS for you all. The process was amazingly simple. Using a Windows netbook - it doesn't work under Windows 7 - I simply installed iTunes and ran purplera1n. It took a second to reboot then it rolled through recovery mode, rebooted, and an app called Freeze appeared. Freeze then installed Cydia and all was right with the world.
Singing A New Tune: The Imeem Music Store.
Erick Schonfeld Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:56:32 -0000
Does embattled music streaming site imeem think it can take on iTunes? For the most part, nearly every streaming song on the site has a download button which links to both iTunes and the Amazon MP3 store. But it is quietly testing its own music download store which bypasses iTunes and Amazon and sells MP3s directly. For instance, this is the case with some Sub Pop artists, such as Iron and Wine and The Shins. When you hit the download button on songs for those artists, a window pops up showing the album where that song came from with with the option to download the entire album or any individual song for $0.99. You can then pay imeem directly by credit card or Paypal and download the song to your computer. (Screenshots after the jump).

Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability News - ENN

New Household Cleaners Reduces Packaging
dotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdot Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:05:00 -0500
A new line of household cleaners by Bumgartens will be sold in tablet form, requiring 75 percent less packaging and reducing the impact of shipping because the products have 85 percent less "water weight."
Dams Are Thwarting Louisiana Marsh Restoration, Study Says
dotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdot Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:12:00 -0500
Desperate to halt the erosion of Louisiana’s coast, officials there are talking about breaking Mississippi River levees south of New Orleans to restore the nourishing flow of muddy water into the state’s marshes. But in a new analysis, scientists at Louisiana State University say inland dams trap so much sediment that the river no longer carries enough to halt marsh loss, especially now that global warming is speeding a rise in sea levels.
Air Pollution From Freeway Extends One And A Half Miles Away
dotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdotdot Sun, 28 Jun 2009 10:43:00 -0500
Environmental health researchers from UCLA, the University of Southern California and the California Air Resources Board have found that during the hours before sunrise, freeway air pollution extends much further than previously thought.

The Financial Page

James Surowiecki: Caveat Mortgagor
James Surowiecki Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000
In 1937, the Massengill Company began selling a health product called Elixir Sulfanilamide, which contained one of the antibiotic sulfa drugs. Unfortunately, it also contained diethylene glycol, a solvent that happens to be deadly to humans. In a matter of months, the elixir killed more than a hundred consumers. The . . .
Will gas prices pump up inflation?
James Surowiecki Mon, 15 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000
How fast the world turns. Only a few months ago, as consumer spending evaporated and commodity prices collapsed, investors and policymakers were haunted by the spectre of deflation. Today, with the economy showing some signs of bottoming and commodity prices back on the rise, the worry du jour has suddenly . . .
James Surowiecki: Argentina's great coin shortage.
James Surowiecki Mon, 01 Jun 2009 04:00:00 -0000
As you walk into the Retiro train station in downtown Buenos Aires these days, you pass a long line of people snaking their way from the station’s entrance to a single window. At first glance, this is unsurprising: what’s more common than a queue in a train station? But there . . .

NYT > Your Money

Your Money: A Day to Tackle the Financial To-Do List
By RON LIEBER Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:14:34 -0000
Taking time, 10 or 12 hours, to tackle ever-postponed money tasks and clear the books can be lucrative.
Patient Money: For a Frugal Dieter, Weight Loss On a Sliding Scale
By LESLEY ALDERMAN Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:22:44 -0000
A dieter’s commitment to weight loss can sometimes be linked to how much money he or she is willing to spend.
Shortcuts: Raising Children Who Care in Times That Need It
By ALINA TUGEND Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:57:23 -0000
Philanthropy is not only for the wealthy. You can bring children into the fold by letting them figure out how they would like to contribute.

The Economist: The World Bank and the IMF

The World Bank and the environment: When the learning curve is long
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:45:57 -0000
After an abrupt about-face, an agency frets about its footprint IF ANYONE suggested the World Bank did not take global warming seriously, its bosses would bristle: only last October, they would point out, the institution issued a “strategic framework” laying out its thinking on development and climate change. This promised more emphasis on noble things like energy efficiency and renewable power; and more bank support for “sustainable forest management, including reduced deforestation.” Those words intrigued green campaigners, who were up in arms over a $90m loan by the bank’s private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to the Bertin group, Brazil’s leading beef exporter. As the greens observed, cattle farming is widely seen as the biggest threat to the Amazon’s trees. ...
The IMF's search for funds: Promises, promises
Thu, 11 Jun 2009 11:29:47 -0000
Politics influences fulfilment of the G20’s funding pledgesMUCH has changed for the IMF as a result of the financial crisis. The G20 summit in London in April promised a tripling of its lending capacity. Long known for championing fiscal stringency, the fund has recommended that Tanzania and Mozambique consider countercyclical fiscal expansions. Mexico, Colombia and Poland have been enticed to sign up for its new precautionary lines of credit. Another first is now well on the way, as the IMF prepares to issue its own bonds.The bonds have aroused a flurry of interest from emerging markets. The fund announced on June 9th that the Chinese authorities had signalled their intention to invest up to $50 billion in its notes. On June 10th Brazil’s finance minister said the country was interested in bonds worth $10 billion. Russia had previously said that it was eyeing a similar amount. According to the fund, the bonds will give emerging economies access to “a safe investment instrument with reasonable return”. ...
Africa's economies in the downturn : Prudence can win
Thu, 28 May 2009 11:44:11 -0000
The IMF says some African countries can spend their way out of recessionWHEN demand collapses in an economy, the governments of rich countries can try to compensate by spending more of their own money. But poor countries have rarely risked such counter-cyclical fiscal expansion. Limited cash, and worries about debt, usually mean they must cut spending rather than increase it when times are tough and revenues dip. This could change if the IMF has anything to do with it. Recent missions of the Fund to Tanzania and Mozambique have explicitly advocated fiscal stimuli. This is rather new for the IMF, which has rarely advocated loosening purse strings in poor countries. But its economists believe that some sub-Saharan Africa countries are better placed to implement fiscal expansion in this crisis than in previous ones. ...

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