firstplus financial group is a texas-based mortgage company traded under the symbol fpfx .

in 2011 , a number of indictments and other legal actions showed that the firm had been taken over by lucchese crime family .

by the use of threats and violence .

they were able to remove the firm ’s entire board of directors and managers , replacing them with their own .

according to the company , in june 2007 the gangsters forced the firm to purchase several firms under very unfavorable terms .

they may have looted $ 12 million from shareholders .

on june 24 , 2011 , the firm filed for bankruptcy protection under chapter 11 .

at one point , the company had vice-president dan quayle as a members of its ( legitimate ) board of directors .

american football player dan marino once served as its tv spokesman .

firstplus financial group

i have reviewed this quarterly report on form 10 - q of firstplus financial group , inc . ;
firstplus financial group , inc . agrees to settle ftc charges that ads for debt consolidation loans were false and misleading
the company has three direct subsidiaries , rutgers investment group , inc . ( rutgers investment ) , firstplus development company ( firstplus development ) and firstplus enterprises , inc . ( firstplus enterprises ) . in turn , firstplus enterprises , inc . has three of its own direct subsidiaries , firstplus restoration co . , llc ( firstplus restoration ) , firstplus facility services co . , llc ( firstplus facility ) and the premier group , llc ( the premier group ) . in turn , firstplus restoration and firstplus facility jointly own firstplus restoration & facility services company . additionally , firstplus development has one direct subsidiary firstplus acquisitions - 1 , inc . the operational aspects of certain of these subsidiaries are set forth below .
except where otherwise stated , references in this document to us ,  we ,  fpfg or the company refer to firstplus financial group , inc . ( firstplus ) . this form
on may 8 , 2008 , federal officials executed a search warrant at the firstplus financial group , inc . corporate offices in irving , texas and several of its subsidiaries offices . firstplus financial group , inc . denies any wrongdoing and if any charges are ever brought , it will vigorously defend them .
the consolidated financial statements include the accounts of firstplus financial group , inc . , and its wholly - owned subsidiaries , rutgers investment group , inc . , first plus development , inc . , and first plus enterprises , inc . all significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation .
firstplus development is a first tier wholly owned subsidiary of the firstplus financial group serving as a general contractor and construction manager , with its principal office in philadelphia , pennsylvania . additionally , firstplus development is licensed to do business in new york , new jersey , delaware , texas , florida , maryland , and louisiana .
firstplus acquisitions - 1 is chiefly a real estate holding company and property management firm . its purpose is to acquire real estate for leasing and investment purposes , as well as for use by firstplus subsidiaries . firstplus acquisitions provides the firstplus group and , more specifically , firstplus development with the ability to acquire real estate and protect it from the risks associated with major construction . the firm will serve to reduce the liability of the other subsidiaries by limiting the exposure associated with the owning of real estate .
the company closed rutgers investment groups new york division during the quarter ending june 30 , 2008 and recorded an impairment charge against goodwill associated with the acquisition of rutgers investment group in july 2007 .
not - for - profit body - not - for - profit bodies may be covered by a group licence to provide financial services , debt management services and credit information services .
olé auto group , a wholly owned subsidiary of firstplus enterprises , was sold effective march 31 , 2008 . prior to its sale , the olé auto group was active in the buy here - pay here segment of the used automobile market , which accommodated customers with limited or damaged credit histories . in some cases , olé auto group directly financed the sales of used automobiles .
item 2 . managements discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations .
firstplus r & f , a wholly owned subsidiary of firstplus restoration and firstplus facility , is designed to be a franchisor offering the right to own and operate locations that provide emergency restoration and commercial cleaning services , as well as janitorial and building maintenance services .
olé auto group , a wholly owned subsidiary of firstplus enterprises , was sold effective march 31 , 2008 . prior to its sale , the olé auto group was active in the buy here - pay here segment of the used automobile market , which accommodated customers with limited or damaged credit histories . in some cases , olé auto group directly financed the sales of used automobiles . as of the end of the quarter , the olé auto group had two used car dealerships in texas and a reconditioning center to detail , inspect , and restore automobiles purchased at auction and to support olé auto groups operations .
the company closed its firstplus restoration division during the quarter ending june 30 , 2008 and recorded an impairment charge against goodwill associated with the acquisition of firstplus restoration in july 2007 .
financial services firm - firms must be authorised to provide regulated products and services , including banking , investments , insurance , mortgages and other financial products and services in the uk .
the company closed rutgers investment groups new york division during the quarter ending june 30 , 2008 and recorded an impairment charge of $ 638 , 333 against goodwill associated with the acquisition of rutgers investment group in july 2007 .
the company recorded total impairment charges of $ 1 , 729 , 011 against goodwill associated with the acquisitions of rutgers investment group and firstplus restoration & facilities services during the quarter ended june 30 , 2008 .
the following discussion of results of operations and financial condition is based upon , and should be read in conjunction with , our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes thereto included elsewhere herein .
firstplus restoration provides customer service 24 hours a day , seven days a week . firstplus restoration services customers in maryland , delaware , new jersey , pennsylvania , florida , and new york .
internal control over financial reporting is a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of consolidated financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with u . s . generally accepted accounting principles . as stated above , there has been no change in the companys internal control over financial reporting during the period ended march 31 , 2008 that has materially affected , or is reasonably likely to materially affect , the companys internal control over financial reporting .
revenues for the six months ended june 30 , 2008 were generated primarily from the operations of the following subsidiaries : firstplus financial group , inc . , and its wholly - owned subsidiaries , rutgers investment group , inc . , first plus development , inc . , and first plus enterprises , inc . and consisted of gross revenues from sales of approximately $ 2 , 426 , 000 , gain on sale of olé auto group , inc . of approximately $ 1 , 083 , 000 and other income of approximately $ 42 , 000 .
the charges stem from the alleged extortionate takeover of firstplus financial group inc . ( fpfg ) , a publicly held company in texas , and the subsequent looting of fpfg by members of the racketeering enterprise through a series of fraudulent consulting agreements and acquisitions involving companies controlled by nicodemo s . scarfo and salvatore pelullo .
revenues for the three months ended june 30 , 2008 were generated primarily from the operations of the following subsidiaries : firstplus financial group , inc . , and its wholly - owned subsidiaries , rutgers investment group , inc . , first plus development , inc . , and first plus enterprises , inc . and consisted of gross revenues from sales of approximately $ 1 , 331 , 000 and other income of approximately $ 42 , 000 .
firstplus restorations relationships with insurance carriers and insurance adjusters are material to its business as it customarily contracts with insurance companies for payment prior to beginning restoration services . on december 31 , 2007 , firstplus restoration acquired the assets of american insurance restoration in order to increase its capacity . additionally , the recent acquisition of the premier group llc that provides insurance adjusting services to the general public will assist firstplus restoration in acquiring new business .
going forward firstplus plans to focus its efforts back on the core business  a successful mortgage company .
you should also be aware that if you give money to an unauthorised firm , you will not be covered by the financial ombudsman service or financial services compensation scheme ( fscs ) if things go wrong .
firstplus facility , a wholly owned subsidiary of firstplus enterprises , is a national janitorial / maintenance repair service provider for industrial , commercial and residential facilities that occupy both interior and exterior environments . restorative services include general cleaning ( from heavy - duty to detail cleaning ) , floor care , construction clean - up , transitional store cleaning , commercial kitchen cleaning and light bulb replacement . firstplus facility recently commenced providing maintenance repair services . firstplus facility also uses the training facility ( see below ) , managed by firstplus restoration and facility , for employee and contractor training , continuing
firstplus development utilizes a state of the art estimating system , approved by most national insurance carriers , that permits it to bid on additional projects for a variety of industries that otherwise may not have been available to firstplus development .
there were no changes in the companys internal control over financial reporting during the quarter ended march 31 , 2008 that have materially affected , or are reasonably likely to materially affect , the companys internal control over financial reporting .
the company closed its firstplus restoration division during the quarter ending june 30 , 2008 and recorded an impairment charge of $ 1 , 090 , 678 against goodwill associated with the acquisition of firstplus restoration & facilities services in july 2007 .
requirements are rules placed on the firm that apply to all of the financial services activities that it can operate .
firstplus facility , a wholly owned subsidiary of firstplus enterprises , is a national janitorial / maintenance repair service provider for industrial , commercial and residential facilities that occupy both interior and exterior environments . restorative services include general cleaning ( from heavy - duty to detail cleaning ) , floor care , construction clean - up , transitional store cleaning , commercial kitchen cleaning and light bulb replacement . firstplus facility recently commenced providing maintenance repair services . firstplus facility also uses the training facility ( see below ) , managed by firstplus restoration and facility , for employee and contractor training , continuing education and certifications .
we strongly advise you to only deal with financial firms that are authorised by us , and check the financial services register to ensure they are . it has information on firms and individuals that are , or have been , regulated by us .
the consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the company , and its wholly owned subsidiaries , rutgers investment group , inc . , first plus development , inc . , and first plus enterprises , inc . all significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation .
firstplus restoration , a wholly owned subsidiary of firstplus enterprises , provides on a nationwide basis first class restoration services to residential , commercial and industrial property owners who have sustained a hardship related to a fire , water , smoke , mold or wind damage occurrence .
in the first quarter of 2008 , firstplus enterprises completed two transactions . on january 31 , 2008 the premier group , llc was acquired by firstplus enterprises . the purchase price consisted of a cash payment of $ 425 , 000 and 1 , 000 , 000 shares of the companys common stock , the closing price of which on thursday , january 31 , 2008 was $ 0 . 10 per share . the premier group is a licensed insurance adjuster that resolves insurance claims on behalf of its clients . also , effective march 31 , 2008 , firstplus enterprises sold all of the outstanding capital stock of its olé auto group , inc . subsidiary for $ 3 , 200 , 000 to stalwart enterprises , inc . the purchase price is payable under a secured promissory note with an initial term of seven years and bears interest at the rate of 6 % per annum .
copyright © 2018 financial conduct authority ( fca ) : 25 the north colonnade , london , e14 5hs . company no . 01920623
ivop issued - this firm has interim permission to run consumer credit business and was already authorised to provide financial products and services .
due to resource restraints , adequate staffing of personnel in the accounting and financial reporting functions has not yet been attained . the companys shortage of personnel and inadequate segregation of duties , as well as resource restraints contribute to the lack of effective controls over financial reporting .
the olé auto group was sold effective march 31 , 2008 , and as of march 31 , 2008 , the inventory of the companys remaining operations is immaterial .
the information contained in the report fairly presents , in all material respects , the financial condition and results of operations of the company .
ivop provisionally granted - the firm has interim permission to undertake consumer credit business and was already authorised to provide financial products and services .
in january 2008 , the company acquired the premier group , llc . the premier group provides insurance adjusting services and claims processing services to the general public . the premier group is licensed , bonded and fully operational in south florida , as well as in pennsylvania and plans to expand services in the near future to include central and northern florida by november 2008 ; the licensing application process has been also initiated in order to expand the companys services to new jersey , delaware , new york , and maryland .
the premier group , llc , a florida limited liability company , was acquired by firstplus enterprises on january 31 , 2008 and provides insurance adjusting services and claims processin g services to the general public . a typical premier group client has sustained damage to their residential or commercial property and must process a claim with an insurance underwriter . the premier group is licensed , bonded and fully operational in south florida , as well as in pennsylvania and plans to expand services in the near future to include central and northern florida during 2008 . application for licensing has been also initiated in order to expand the companys services to new jersey , delaware , new york , and maryland .
according to an indictment unsealed on tuesday , the men used both physical and finance threats to take control of firstplus in order to plunder the company for their own financial gain . scarfo , pelullo and their partners replaced the company ' s board of directors with their own cronies , and then named their accomplice , lawyer william maxwell , as special counsel to firstplus so that maxwell could use that position ' s authority to funnel millions back to the mobsters .
any fraud , whether or not material , that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting .
similar to firstplus restoration , firstplus facility offers 24 hour a day , seven day a week customer service through its toll - free telephone number and directly services customers in maryland , delaware , new jersey , pennsylvania and new york . additionally , firstplus facility has a contract management program that allows for the servicing of national contracts through the use of sub - contractors . the use of subcontractors enables firstplus facility to expand its area of service to a larger geographical region and provides a larger labor pool to draw from . the subcontractors are monitored by our operations manager , and carry their own insurance , based on our requirements .
loren berlin is a reporter with the aol huffington post media group . she can be reached at loren . berlin @ teamaol . com , on twitter at @ lorenberlin , and on facebook .
in connection with the quarterly report of firstplus financial group , inc . , ( the company ) on form 10 - q for the quarter ended june 30 , 2008 as filed with the securities and exchange commission on the date hereof ( the report ) , i , william l . handley , chief executive officer of the company , certify , pursuant to 18 u . s . c . section 1350 , as adopted pursuant to section 906 of the sarbanes - oxley act of 2002 , that , to my knowledge :
the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements and the reported amounts of expenses during the reporting periods . actual results could differ from those estimates .
firstplus developments current operation has expanded from moderate size alterations and single family homes to large scale alterations and design / build residential , commercial and industrial projects for private developers and municipalities .
as for the company , the firstplus website states that
beginning with the efforts of a newly reconstituted audit committee , the board of directors is working to ensure shareholder interests are protected and preserved .
the largest part of firstplus facilitys income is based on recurring monthly contracts with annual renewals . additive income is derived from one - time cleaning ,  i . e . , construction clean - ups .
in order to train potential franchisees , firstplus r & f has built a world - class training facility consisting of a learning center , as well as simulated job - site locations for on the job styles of training . this same facility is also utilized by firstplus restoration and firstplus facility for training purposes . the facility is currently under review to obtain an institute of inspection , cleaning and restoration and certification ( iicrc ) approved school status . firstplus r & f will have the ability to train franchisees on operating procedures , as well as offer them certifications in industry related courses and offer continuing education . the facility also contains a one thousand square foot home that can be saturated with 1500 - 2000 gallons of water for instruction on how to use the most up to date technology to dry the entire structure without having to remove any building material . the facility is one of seven located in north america and one of nine in the world , thus placing firstplus r & f at the forefront of what can be offered to franchisees relative to restoration training .
in its operations , firstplus restoration utilizes state of the art radio tracking equipment that provides first plus restoration the ability to monitor and track all emergency calls , as well as several non - intrusive technologies including infrared camera , thermographic and cold jet dry ice blasting technologies . the firm also uses the training facility ( see below ) , managed by firstplus restoration and facility , for employee and contractor training , continuing education and certifications .
the companys management , with the participation of its principal executive officer and principal financial officer , has evaluated the effectiveness of its disclosure controls and procedures ( as such term is defined in rules 13a - 15 ( e ) and 15d - 15 ( e ) under the securities exchange act of 1934 ( the exchange act ) ) as of the end of the period covered by this report . based on such evaluation , the companys principal executive officer and principal financial officer have concluded that , as of the end of such period , the companys financial reporting and disclosure controls and procedures , in addition to inadequately designed controls over financial reporting , were not effective in recording , processing , summarizing and reporting , on a timely basis , information required to be disclosed by the company in the reports that it files or submits under the exchange act .
exchange – rm - this is a multilateral system operated and / or managed by a market operator , which brings together or facilitates the bringing together of multiple third - party buying and selling interests in financial instruments .
exempt professional firm - some firms ( such as solicitors , accountants and chartered surveyors ) can perform limited regulated financial activities as part of their normal professional services , without being authorised or an agent of an authorised firm .
appointed representative – introducer - a firm that can introduce customers to another firm or members of the firm’s group , and / or give out certain kinds of marketing material . it must be a representative of a firm authorised by the fca or pra , or regulated in the eea .
the following discussion and financial information is presented to aid in understanding our consolidated financial position and results of operations for the quarter ended june 30 , 2008 . the companys activities during quarter ended june 30 , 2007 were primarily focused on developing new business opportunities . the olé auto group was sold effective june 30 , 2008 . accordingly , the companys management has concluded that comparisons of the companys results of operations for the three months ended june 30 , 2008 to the three months ended june 30 , 2007 are not helpful to an evaluation and understanding of the company . accordingly , ( other than for liquidity and capital resources ) the discussion below focuses on the companys lines of business and the companys results of operations for the three months ended june 30 , 2008 .
almost all firms and individuals carrying out financial services activities in the uk have to be authorised or registered by us . this firm is not authorised or registered by us but has been targeting people in the uk , claiming to be an authorised firm .
position and results of operations for the quarter ended june 30 , 2008 . the olé auto group was sold effective march 31 , 2008 . accordingly , the companys management has concluded that comparisons of the companys results of operations for the three months ended june 30 , 2008 to the three months ended june 30 , 2007 are not
according to the indictment , scarfo and pelullo lived lavish lifestyles . scarfo had a $ 850 , 000 yacht and a luxury mansion . pelullo owned a bentley and loads of expensive jewelry gifted to his wife . in contrast , firstplus and its shareholders lost at least $ 12 million due to the criminal activity .
firstplus enterprises seeks to acquire established companies in a variety of industries , as well as newer developing companies or financially distressed companies in need of resources and direction to realize their business goals . our personnel and outside consultants are skilled in the areas of operations and finance , disciplines vital to the success of these acquisitions .
to date , firstplus development has completed a number of residential and commercial projects , including a design - build renovation and expansion in bethany beach , delaware , new modular homes in dover and elsmere , delaware and a renovation to a national landmark theatre in philadelphia . the firm is currently working on four assisted living facilities for a national chain , located in new jersey .
on january 31 , 2008 , firstplus enterprises , inc . a company subsidiary acquired certain limited liability company interests . as part of the purchase price for these interests , the company issued to the sellers of the interests , 1 , 000 , 000 shares of its common stock which had a closing price of $ 0 . 10 per share on january 31 , 2008 .
for purposes of the balance sheet and statement of cash flows , the company considers all highly liquid investments which are readily convertible into known amounts of cash and have a maturity of three months or less when acquired to be cash equivalents . at december 31 , 2007 , management believes that the carrying amount of cash equivalents approximates fair value because of the short maturity of these financial instruments .
our annual report on form 10 - ksb for the year ended december 31 , 2007 , includes a detailed discussion of our risk factors . the risks described in our form 10 - ksb are not the only risks facing the company . additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem to be immaterial also may materially adversely affect our business , financial condition and / or operating results .
during june & july 2008 bod meetings , the board returned dr . robert oneal to the board , and added william todd hickman , paul h . ballard , and jack roubinek , all prominent and successful businessmen , to the bod . the bod then named robert oneal chairman of the board , and president . it also named william l handley as chief executive officer , and gary d . alexander as acting chief financial officer .
a conversation between scarfo and pelullo , included as evidence in the indictment , demonstrates how the mobsters remained mobsters , even in the boardroom . on december 5 , 2007 pelullo called scarfo to tell him that
individual 4 ,
a former firstplus executive who had provided information that the two gangsters used to extort control of the company , had suddenly died . according to the transcript included in the indictment , pelullo applauded that the
rat was dead ,
before adding that the man was
the only connection , the only tie to anything .
as state licensing is completed , it is expected that commercial loans will include ( term , bridge , real estate , line of credit loans ) , financing ( equipment , machinery , purchase order , accounts receivable ) , sale - leasebacks of existing machinery , new leases , mergers and leveraged buyouts . in marketing these financial solutions , rutgers investment will focus on businesses that are less attractive to conventional banking institutions , including those in the construction industries . rutgers investment plans to accept a variety of collateral as consideration , including commercial accounts receivable , machinery and equipment , inventory , real estate , and liquid securities .
as of june 30 , 2008 , the company had approximately $ 1 , 100 , 000 in cash and cash equivalents , as compared to approximately $ 7 , 300 , 000 on june 30 , 2007 due to acquisitions and operations growth . during the six months ended june 30 , 2008 , the companys cash position was decreased by approximately $ 1 , 500 , 000 from december 31 , 2007 . the company used approximately $ 852 , 000 in cash in its operating activities for the six months ended june 30 , 2008 as compared to cash usage of $ 4 , 600 , 000 for operating activities for the six months ended june 30 , 2007 . there was a net loss of $ ( 5 , 473 , 044 ) and depreciation and amortization expense of $ 107 , 455 that did not involve a use of cash as compared to a net loss of $ 134 , 995 and depreciation and amortization expense of $ 3 , 988 for the six months ended june 30 , 2007 . from december 31 , 2007 , the companys accounts receivable decreased by approximately $ 2 , 412 , 000 and accounts payable increased by $ 1 , 272 , 000 due to costs incurred with an acquisition and sale transactions and compliance activities . in addition from december 31 , 2007 , accrued expenses decreased by approximately $ 321 , 000 , and other operating items used approximately $ 2 , 510 , 000 in cash as compared to cash usage of $ 4 , 646 , 000 for the six months ended june 30 , 2007 . the company provided approximately $ 1 , 168 , 000 in cash in its investing activities at june 30 , 2008 as compared to $ 985 , 000 from investing activities at june 30 , 2008 . specifically , the company acquired the premier group , llc for $ 425 , 000 in cash and 1 , 000 , 000 shares of its common stock at $ 0 . 10 at the closing price on january 31 , 2008 . also the companys subsidiary firstplus acquisitions sold all of the outstanding capital stock of the olé auto group effective march 31 , 2008 for $ 3 , 200 , 000 payable under a promissory note for an initial term of seven years .
the companys management , including the companys principal executive officer and principal financial officer , do not expect that the companys disclosure controls and procedures or the companys internal controls , when implemented , will prevent all errors and all fraud . a control system , no matter how well conceived , operated and implemented can provide only reasonable , not absolute , assurance that the objectives of the control system are met . further , the design of a control system must reflect the fact that there are resource constraints , and the benefits of controls must be considered relative to their costs . because of the inherent limitations in all control systems , no evaluation of the controls can provide absolute assurance that all control issues and instances of fraud , if any , within the company have been detected .
management cannot provide assurance that the company will ultimately achieve profitable operations or remain cash flow positive , or raise additional debt and / or equity capital . management believes that the companys capital resources should be adequate to continue operating and maintaining its business strategy for the next nine months . however , if the company is unable to realize sufficient revenues from its operations or is unable to raise or realize additional capital in the future , management expects that the company will need to seek additional capital on less favorable terms and / or pursue other remedial measures . the financial statements included in this quarterly report on form 10 - q do not include any adjustments related to the recoverability and classification of assets or the amounts and classification of liabilities that might be necessary should the company be unable to continue as a going concern .
the company is in the process of working towards implementing the needed changes to be in compliance for sarbanes - oxley act , section 404 . the company had retained a third party consultant to map out the material processes of the company . items that have been addressed are the code of ethics , policy and procedures governing sales and purchases of company securities by insiders , the employee handbook , email policy and procedures to be followed when considering an acquisition . items that have been addressed and continue to be addressed are the financial reporting process , strategic planning process , succession planning and a continuity / disaster recovery plan . additional effort is needed to fully remedy the deficiencies and we are continuing our efforts to improve and strengthen our control processes and procedures . the companys management , audit committee , and directors will , subject to resource restraints , implement policies and procedures in order that our controls and procedures are adequate and effective .
in accordance with sfas no . 109 , accounting for income taxes ,  and fin 48 accounting for uncertainty in income taxes  an interpretation of fasb statement no . 109 deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences in future years of differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each year - end based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income . valuation allowances are established , when necessary , to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized . the provision for income taxes represents the tax payable for the period and the change during the period in deferred tax assets and liabilities . based on the march 31 , 2008 loss , fpfg will have a net operating loss carryforward available of approximately $ 45 , 300 , 000 . a valuation allowance is provided against the deferred tax asset for future taxable income as realization is uncertain .
the indictment alleges that in april 2007 , scarfo , pelullo , texas attorney william maxwell and others devised a scheme to take over fpfg , a financial services company in texas . according to court documents , through threats of physical and economic harm , the scarfo - pelullo enterprise assumed and maintained control of fpfg for the purpose of plundering its assets . the takeover was accomplished by replacing fpfg’s board of directors with new figurehead members who served at the direction of scarfo , pelullo and other members of the enterprise . once the takeover was completed , the figurehead board named william maxwell as “special counsel” to fpfg , a position that he allegedly used to funnel millions of dollars to himself , scarfo and pelullo through fraudulent legal services and consulting agreements . the agreements , as well as fpfg’s fraudulent acquisitions of companies controlled by scarfo and pelullo , were allegedly designed to mask the true identity and nature of the control exerted over fpfg and to conceal the source of the money fraudulently conveyed to scarfo and pelullo .
washington – thirteen individuals , including an alleged member and an associate of the lucchese organized crime family , are charged with racketeering and related offenses in an indictment unsealed this morning in conjunction with arrests in the case , announced assistant attorney general lanny a . breuer of the criminal division and u . s . attorney paul j . fishman of the district of new jersey .
the 25 - count indictment filed in camden , n . j . , federal court charges scarfo , a member of the lucchese organized crime family of la cosa nostra ( lcn ) , and pelullo , an associate of the lucchese and philadelphia lcn families , with racketeering conspiracy and conduct including securities fraud , wire fraud , mail fraud , bank fraud , extortion , interstate travel in aid of racketeering , money laundering and obstruction of justice . the indictment also names nicodemo d . scarfo ( scarfo sr . ) , the imprisoned former boss of the philadelphia family of lcn , and vittorio amuso , the imprisoned boss of the lucchese family , as unindicted co - conspirators .
nine other defendants – including attorneys william maxwell , cory leshner , david adler , gary mccarthy and donald manno , and certified public accountant howard drossner – are also variously charged with racketeering conspiracy , including securities fraud conspiracy , wire fraud , and other offenses . the indictment also charges scarfo’s wife , lisa murray - scarfo , with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and making false statements on a loan application for her role in securing a fraudulent mortgage to purchase a $ 715 , 000 house with proceeds from the racketeering enterprise’s criminal activity . william maxwell’s brother john maxwell , william handley and john parisi are charged with various offenses related to the conspiracy . todd stark is charged with conspiracy to provide ammunition for a 9mm handgun to scarfo .
a number of the defendants were arrested this morning in a coordinated law enforcement effort by special agents of the fbi ; department of labor , office of inspector general ; and the bureau of alcohol , tobacco , firearms and explosives ( atf ) . scarfo , handley , leshner , parisi , adler , drossner and manno were arrested at their residences ; pelullo was arrested in miami ; and william maxwell was arrested at his houston office . mccarthy surrendered to the fbi this morning in philadelphia . murray - scarfo is expected to surrender to authorities in camden . stark and john maxwell have yet to be apprehended . the defendants in custody in the new jersey area will appear this afternoon before u . s . magistrate judge anne marie donio in camden federal court .
“the indictment alleges that mr . scarfo and mr . pelullo used economic extortion and threats of violence to seize and maintain control of a publicly traded company , successfully removing its entire existing board of directors and management , ” said assistant attorney general breuer . “once in control , they allegedly used their criminal enterprise to extract millions of dollars from the company to fund their lavish lifestyles . this prosecution demonstrates the justice department’s resolve to root out the influence of la cosa nostra wherever it exists . ”
“according to the indictment , the defendants gave new meaning to ‘corporate takeover’ by looting a publicly traded company to benefit their criminal enterprise , ” said u . s . attorney fishman . “through rampant self dealing , fraudulent sec filings and more traditional mob methods , the defendants allegedly stole $ 12 million from shareholders . particularly in these economic times , investors should be free to invest in public companies without fear that violent criminal organizations are their puppetmasters . and the public deserves to rely with confidence on corporate officials and professionals whose positions require them to act in the best interest of shareholders , not members of organized crime . ”
“the demise of organized crime has been greatly exaggerated , ” said michael b . ward , special agent in charge of the fbi’s newark field office . “criminal activities have evolved from the back alleys to the board rooms , but the same use of physical threats and intimidation to gain leverage and loot lucrative businesses for personal gain continues to this day . in response , the charges being brought against nicky scarfo jr . , sal pelullo and others represent law enforcement’s commitment to aggressively target the illegal activity of organized crime in any commercial business or venue . ”
according to court documents , scarfo is a made member of the lucchese family and became a member after an attempt on his life in 1989 following an internal struggle for control of the philadelphia family . in the mid - 1990s while scarfo sr . and amuso were in federal prison in atlanta , amuso arranged for scarfo to become a member of the lucchese family as a favor to scarfo sr . as a member of the lucchese family , scarfo was required to earn money and participate in the affairs of the lucchese family .
according to the indictment , following his release from prison in 2005 on an unrelated charge , scarfo was placed on supervised release and required to report to a probation officer . according to court documents , by participating in the affairs of what is described in the indictment as the scarfo - pelullo enterprise , scarfo and other members of the enterprise allegedly engaged in a systematic scheme to deceive and obstruct the probation department and the district court responsible for overseeing scarfo’s supervised release .
according to the indictment , the enterprise succeeded in its criminal objectives with the knowing assistance of adler , drossner and mccarthy – who used their positions as professionals to ensure that the enterprise’s criminal activity was not revealed to law enforcement and regulatory authorities , including the u . s . securities and exchange commission ( sec ) . as a public company , fpfg was required to submit periodic and annual filings to the sec . the indictment alleges that the enterprise , led by scarfo and pelullo , repeatedly submitted false information , or omitted material information , in required sec filings . as a result , fpfg’s shareholders and the investing public had no idea that fpfg was being controlled by members and associates of organized crime . manno , an attorney for scarfo , allegedly abused his position as an attorney to further insulate scarfo and the enterprise by deceiving scarfo’s probation officer and the district court . the indictment alleges that manno’s deception corruptly influenced scarfo’s supervised release by withholding information from the probation office and the district court regarding scarfo’s source of income and his contact with convicted felons .
the indictment details a telephone call intercepted by law enforcement on dec . 5 , 2007 , that illustrates the corrupt nature of scarfo and pelullo’s control of fpfg . according to the indictment , pelullo called scarfo to tell him about the sudden death of a former fpfg executive described in the indictment as “individual # 4 , ” who had provided information to pelullo and william maxwell that they used to extort control of fpfg . at the time of his death , individual # 4 was employed by fpfg as a member of its “compliance team . ” during the conversation , scarfo and pelullo expressed relief regarding individual # 4’s death . after laughing about how he was “crushed” that “the rat is dead , ” pelullo acknowledged that individual # 4 was “the only connection , the only tie to anything . ” as the news sunk in to scarfo , he stated , “oh boy . yeah , sal , you wanna know something though ? . . . that’s one that i know you can’t take credit for . . . [ laughter ] . . . and that’s the natural best thing . you know what i mean ? . . . that is so like enron - ish . you know what i mean ? ”
the indictment alleges that the enterprise’s criminal activity allowed scarfo and pelullo to live lavish lifestyles which included the purchase of an $ 850 , 000 yacht , a luxury home for scarfo , a bentley automobile for pelullo , and thousands of dollars in jewelry for scarfo’s wife , murray - scarfo . as a direct result of the enterprise’s criminal activity , fpfg and its shareholders suffered a loss of at least $ 12 million .
the charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations , and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty .
the case is being prosecuted by trial attorney lisa c . page of the organized crime and gang section in the justice department’s criminal division and assistant u . s . attorney steven d’aguanno of the new jersey u . s . attorney’s office organized crime / gangs unit in camden . the case was investigated by the fbi’s newark field office ; the department of labor , office of inspector general , office of labor racketeering and fraud investigations , new york region ; and the atf , newark . the fbi philadelphia field office and the sec provided assistance .
( fpfx ) , a texas - based company and a one - time subprime lender that boasted former vice president dan quayle as a board member , and used nfl hall of famer dan marino in its ads .
on tuesday , nicodermo s . scarfo , a made man within the lucchese organized crime family , was arrested at his home . he ' s one of
with the illegal takeover of the publicly traded company , among other racketeering charges .
the defendants gave new meaning to ' corporate takeover , '
said u . s . attorney paul fishman .
criminal activities have evolved from the back alleys to the board rooms ,
said michael b . ward , special agent in charge of the fbi ' s newark field office . still , the tactics remain the same , he says :
physical threats and intimidation to gain leverage and loot lucrative businesses .
scarfo is not the only one of the 13 with ties to organized crime . salvatore pelullo , an associate of the lucchese and philadephia la cosa nostra families is also charged , as are nicodermo d . scarfo ( scarfo sr . ) , the imprisoned former boss of the philadelphia family of la cosa nostra , and vittorio amuso , the imprisoned boss of the lucchese family . others charged include an accountant and five lawyers .
. as a result , the public in general , and investors particularly , were left in the dark as to the true nature of the company and its management .
as scarfo grapsed the weight of the news , he said ,
oh boy . yeah , sal , you wanna know something though ? . . . that ' s one that i know you can ' t take credit for . . . [ laughter ] . . . and that ' s the natural best thing . you know what i mean ? . . . that is so like enron - ish . you know what i mean ?
particularly in these economic times , investors should be free to invest in public companies without fear that violent criminal organizations are their puppetmasters ,
said u . s . attorney paul fishman .
and the public deserves to rely with confidence on corporate officials and professionals whose positions require them to act in the best interest of shareholders , not members of organized crime .
the nanny ' s gut told her something was very wrong . then the dad watched the chilling cctv
homeless man is the only bystander willing to risk it all for a cop . . .
family dog was missing for a month without a trace before their . . .
hungry leopard chases down a baby antelope . . . then does the most . . .
dog is chained outside for 15 years until a freak accident changes . . .
immigrant mother claims 14 - month - old baby was returned to her covered in lice afte . . .
homeless man is the only bystander willing to risk it all fo . . .
employee tells her manager she can ' t come to work since her . . .
mom goes viral after she posts about her
miracle cure
for . . .
the nanny ' s gut told her something was very wrong . then the dad
when this rescued lioness and lion cub first met , what happe . . .
first two boys rescued from flooded thai cave , according to local of . . .
if you’d like to allow notifications , please go into your browser’s website or privacy settings and set the permissions for urltoken to “allow . ”
for inquiries related to this message please contact support . for sales inquiries , please visit urltoken
if you believe this to be in error , please confirm below that you are not a robot by clicking
i ' m not a robot
below .
please make sure your browser supports javascript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading . for more information you can review the terms of service and cookie policy .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 0 transitional / / en
indicate by check mark whether the registrant ( 1 ) has filed all reports required to be filed by section 13 or 15 ( d ) of the exchange act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months ( or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports ) , and ( 2 ) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days . yes x no o
indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer , an accelerated filer , a non - accelerated filer , or a smaller reporting company . see the definitions of large accelerated filer ,  accelerated filer and smaller reporting company in rule 12b - 2 of the exchange act
indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company ( as defined in rule 12b - 2 of the exchange act ) . yes o no x
negative of such terms . these forward - looking statements are based upon the companys
results to differ materially from those described in such forward - looking statements . the
part ii : other information item 2 . unregistered sales of equity securities and use of proceeds
the company is a diversified company that provides commercial loan , consumer lending , residential and commercial restoration , facility ( janitorial and maintenance ) services , insurance adjusting services , construction management services and a facilities and restoration franchise business . toward this end , the company has made several complementary acquisitions of businesses that are designed to create value through synergy and enterprise - level expertise .
managements focus on rutgers investment has been to qualify rutgers investment in 48 states as a mortgage banker . this process entails applying for mortgage banking licenses in each of the 48 states and thereafter qualifying as a mortgage banker in the particular state . management anticipates that rutgers investment will be qualified as a mortgage banker in approximately 15 states during the fourth quarter of 2008 . the remainder of this licensing process should be substantially completed by year - end .
additionally , as state licensing is completed , the firms target market strategy for residential loans will be on the individual borrower with a credit score on the lower end of the credit score spectrum seeking to refinance for improved terms and debt consolidation .
rutgers investment is presently conducting mortgage banking on a limited basis and has offices in pennsylvania and texas .
rutgers investment and urltoken ( hla ) entered into an outsourced mortgage processing and fulfillment services agreement effective december 31 , 2007 . the relationship proved unsuccessful and the agreement was terminated by rutgers investment on march 14 , 2008 .
in support of rutgers investment , the company , on december 31 , 2007 , issued 10 , 000 , 000 shares of its common stock to rutgers for $ 1 , 000 , 000 that was evidenced by rutgers investments subordinated debenture delivered to the company . this debenture was secured by a pledge of the company common stock that was issued to rutgers .
the company also issued 250 , 000 shares of its common stock to a financing consultant who arranged warehouse line of credit financing effective april 1 , 2008 .
it is anticipated that franchises will be available for purchase during 2008 . buying a franchise enables the owner to offer and provide emergency restoration and cleaning services related to fire damage , water damage and mold contamination , as well as janitorial and building maintenance services under certain proprietary trademarks .
revenue and dividends from investments are recognized at the time the investment dividends are declared payable by the underlying investment . capital gains and losses are recorded on the date of sale of the investment .
interest income is recognized on the interest method . interest income is discontinued when management determines future collection is unlikely . loans are placed on non - accrual or charged - off at an earlier date if collection of principal or interest is considered doubtful .


chess kids is an australian company ( registered business name chess world australia pty ltd ) that provides a range of chess-related products and services to schools , individuals and chess clubs .

services include coaching and recreational programs , and vacation-seminars they refer to as " incursions " .

their affiliated retailer , chess world sells chess equipment and accessories to schools .

chess kids organises extensive local and regional chess tournaments for students in more than 645 schools across australia , including the annual national interschool chess championships , with over 9,000 students competing on the regional and national level in 2007 .

the company was founded in 1998 by chess enthusiast david cordover , who was only 20 years old at the time .

the start-up funds were provided by the cash prize when cordover won the nescafé big break award contest for his business plan vision of bringing chess to every school student in australia .

in an article in teacher : the national education magazine , cordover described the educational and character-development benefits of chess competition for young children ; and wrote that " research has shown that chess confers many educational benefits , including developing problem-solving ability , abstract analytical skill , spatial ability , memory and concentration . "

chess kids

we can not thank chess for kids and richard enough ! the kids in richards class don’t get a boring lecture . it’s game on !
chess life for kids is the official publication of the united states chess federation ( us chess ) for age 12 and under . a subscription to this leading chess magazine is one of the benefits of scholastic membership in us chess . chess life for kids is a bi - monthly publication . scholastic membership is available in our online store .
we’re always growing and always looking for people who are good with kids and love chess . join us !
genius chess kids private limited – we give franchisee of chess coaching for children . it is a very good opportunity for you to become an entrepreneur .
chesskidsnation is a nationwide chess tutoring establishment staffed by trained chess coaches , working for the benefit of chess community to promote chess throughout the country . read more . . .
a bi - monthly subscription to chess life for kids is included as a benefit with the scholastic us chess federation membership , for those age 12 and under .
it may have seemed that they were just playing a game , but the 400 students in the 2007 chess kids national interschool chess championships were also learning important educational skills .
chesskidsnation is a nationwide chess tutoring establishment staffed by trained chess coaches , working for the benefit of chess community to promote chess throughout the country . contact us today to learn more . .
organiser and founder of chess kids , david cordover , says chess programs were first introduced in schools about 10 years ago . competition numbers rise by about 30 per cent a year .
kid chess® runs chess tournaments at our alpharetta and marietta offices , our schools , and other locations .
kids with high iqs learn how to play chess faster — but once their peers catch up , they may no longer have an advantage .
bay area chess named 2018 chess club of the year by the us chess federation ! thank you all for your continued support of our club and our events .
if you are interested in advertising in chess life for kids , contact advertising associate joan dubois at ( 931 ) 787 - 1234 , ext . 123 or email joan at [ email protected ] if you have an article or photograph that you want to see published in chess life for kids please refer to our cl4k writer ' s guidelines ( rev . 2009 ) and email chess life for kids editor , glenn petersen at [ email protected ]
we have been teaching chess to kids in schools and in our marietta east cobb facility for several years . learn more about our after school programs here .
the management consultant and former economics adviser to liberal senator arthur sinodinos , is undertaking extracurricular research into the economic benefits of teaching kids how to play chess .
the best part of chess is playing chess ! we run a range of different weekend tournaments to suit players of different skill levels . with trophies , certificates and other prizes up for grabs , chess kids tournaments are fun and furtile breeding ground for up and coming champions !
former chess teacher geoff butler estimated it would cost about $ 1200 a year in 2010 ( $ 1326 . 20 inflation adjusted ) to teach a classroom of kids how to play chess once a week in tuition fees .
while a high iq helps kids learn the game and acquire the basic skills required to play , once other kids catch up intelligence level probably doesn ' t matter , ericsson explains . but deliberate practice does .
we are currently hiring chess coaches to teach chess to children in after school programs on the campuses of elementary and middle schools .
kid chess® teaches chess to children in a fun environment at atlanta area public and private schools , homeschool groups , and other locations .
mr butler said he has seen firsthand many benefits in teaching children how to play chess .
a lot of bright kids disengage with school because it ' s too easy . but chess , used properly , can motivate them ,
he said .
my grandson is so enjoying his chess . for every family event he brings his chess board in hopes of getting someone to play with him . he would play chess all day if he could .
we are also happy to list for you various chess tournaments and events run by our partners in chess , to provide ample opportunity for quality over - the - board playing experience for your child outside of and in addition to a kid chess® “fun with chess” afterschool club .
at kid chess® , kids come first . we are a child centered program with highly qualified and experienced chess coaches . our instructors are among an elite group chosen for their chess playing ability as well as their ability to work with children , parents , and schools , and each instructor must pass in - depth background checks .
the chess board could be used to teach kids as young as five co - ordinates in mathematics , even though it ' s part of the year 3 maths syllabus , mr butler said .
there is a very high level of engagement with kids when they are playing chess and that ' s something that perhaps doesn ' t happen with the traditional classroom activity . then there is the self - esteem and confidence that ' s built when six - year - old kids are able to beat adults comfortably .
mr butler said he had to deal with negative stereotypes surrounding chess by combining it with sports .
i am an active sportsperson and i deliberately went out and played sports with kids ,
he said .
our unique staffing approach utilizes the talents of both tournament chess players and educators .
nine out of ten of the top elementary schools in atlanta have chess programs .
contact us for after school programs , individual , group and online chess classes .
a history of chess openings - gm yasser seirawan - 2014 . 10 . 01
occasionally we organize fast chess tournaments , so called blitz , g / 5 .
chess - it probably comes as no surprise to learn that chess is an excellent activity for students who enjoy mental stimulation . chess strengthens one ' s creative and critical thinking ability , memory , concentration , mental precision and academic endurance . many studies report that chess helps strengthen certain areas of the brain as well . if your child appreciates logical thinking and strategy , chess is a wonderful lifelong activity .
five years ago , there was only 1000 kids playing in competitions . now , you ' ve got 5000 that are playing nationally .
this is a great opportunity to meet other families who share the love of chess .
the opposition ' s acting spokesman on education , mark butler , said that chess had a lot of benefits for kids but ultimately the content should should be determined by an independent body such as the curriculum review board , not politicians .
parents ask us how they can get more involved with their child’s chess experience and education . here’s my favorite excerpt from a great article on urltoken make it an after - dinner ritual instead of netflix n’ children at night , consider playing a few games of chess as your new bonding activity . “i always encourage kids to [ … ]
quiz your chess skills in different areas such as tactics and checkmates . these fun puzzles are going to make your brain grow and improve your chess game . give it a try .
as an additional event , consider entering your school team in the mt alexander chess challenge .
we usually see kids starting at about six years of age , but it is most popular between the ages of 9 and 12 ,
he says .
even intelligence , ericsson said , is not directly linked to expert performance . in
peak ,
he cites a study by british researchers , which found that intelligence does indeed predict chess skill among children . but when those researchers looked only at kids who were elite chess players , a higher iq was , in fact , linked to worse skills .
© 2016 kid chess , inc . , all rights reserved . ( on hostgator vps . )
chess develops analytical , synthetic and decision - making skills that can be applied to real life .
hone your skills with group or private coaching at one of our 4 chess centers around melbourne .
congratulations to everyone who came out to participate and make for a great chess community event ! 2018 annual chess tournament winners remember ! even thought we love rewarding all our top players . . .
schools can choose to teach chess as part of the national curriculum or as an extracurricular activity .
practice piece movement by playing a real game of chess against our ezchess computer ! recommended for beginning - level students , ezchess will basically play random moves as you play your first real games of chess .
learn how the pieces move by playing monster chess . select the chess piece you want and run around the board gobbling up the other side ' s pawns . try and beat your own best time !
chess encourages children learn to focus , plan , and persevere through challenges , building self - confidence .
our programs bring the benefits of chess to children in a manner that is both engaging and fun .
john adams will be spending the next 12 months looking at the public policy benefits of playing chess .
mr cordover says students from 64 schools took part in the state final of the championships at parade college in bundoora . with 250 chess tables , it was the largest gathering of chess players in one room in victoria .
chess helps to develop problem - solving , thinking , memory , social and visual spatial skills . using chess as an educational tool is gaining popularity , with many schools introducing it as part of their maths or science curriculum .
chess enables the child to gain insights into the nature of competition which will help them in any competitive endeavor .
for information about or to join the united states chess federation for either yourself or your child , please visit urltoken .
learn about and practice piece movement and your checkmating skills in our “kid chess® fun house . ” watch one of our videos on openings and tactics . try out the knight’s tour ! test yourself on what you’ve learn with our “kid chess® evaluator”
thank you for such a wonderful program . it is amazing to see adam , at age 7 , strategize as he learns to play the game . what you are teaching goes beyond the game of chess , it impacts the way the kids learn . keep up the great work ! - - connie kane , penngrove elementary parent
education minister christopher pyne ' s office confirmed there are no plans to formally introduce chess as part of the national curriculum .
chesskidsnation provides you with access to the greatest chess instructors regardless of your geographic location . instructors are world - class players who have been hand selected by chesskidsnation and have undertaken to provide you with the best experience learning chess . read more . . .
the real “queen of katwe” , phiona mutesi , is coming to santa rosa to visit interested chess club for kids members and family . we are also very fortunate to have robert katende , and benjamin mukumbya as well . attending this event will be a life inspiring moment your family will remember forever , as phiona’s real life story [ … ]
thank you again for sending us these terrific coaches . i cannot say enough about how wonderful , friendly , and energetic they are ! ! the kids had a terrific time ! we appreciate all that you are doing !
it ' s time to learn to play chess . just watch this one video , and you will be ready to play !
i just wanted you to know how pleased we are with david hill and chess for kids . we were able to fill the class and the children had a great time . i saw many smiling faces , including students , parents and staff . you have been wonderful and we are all very grateful for your help getting things going . ” - - bill
for young primary school children , half an hour of chess a week was sufficient , and 45 minutes for older children , he said .
other programs include chess ( beginner and intermediate courses ) and touch typing . click urltoken to learn more about zaniac ' s engaging programs .
chess is extremely popular amongst home school students with hundreds of home schoolers participating in the atlanta area . learn more about our homeschool programs here .
our chess lessons are dedicated to improve academic excellence by encouraging and training our students to become problem solvers , critical thinkers , and admirable leaders .
we want to thank you for the outstanding presentation of chess to our target students . not only were our “experts” challenged , you kindled an interest in the game in some of the reluctant beginners . mt . bethel benefits greatly by having your chess program . again , a sincere thank you .
chess tournaments are a fun and competitive activity that is integral aspect of improving chess skills . our three different groups of tournaments are designed for different age groups and skill levels so that no matter what age or level you ' re at , there is a tournament for you to take part in .
i have been extremely pleased with the way things are being run at rocky mount . i appreciate the promptness of your staff and their interactions with the students are positive . the coaches are so entertaining and instructional , great with the kids . thank you for such a great program !
the review board , the australian curriculum , assessment and reporting authority , said it does not have a recommendation on whether chess should be part of the school curriculum .
from the press democrat : phiona mutesi , whose aptitude for the game of chess took her from an impoverished african slum and transformed her into the queen of katwe , the subject of a hollywood movie , shared the inspiring story of her life saturday with a group of young students in rohnert park . “chess has given me [ … ]
our personalized approach to learning chess builds the skills , habits and attitudes your child needs to experience success now , and for years to come . read more . . .
ten months ago i became a dad and my daughter ' s going to enter the school system in about four years ' time . this [ research ] can help improve the education system for kids , i think , not only for my daughter but also for others ,
he said .
his friend mark walton , owner and head coach of the canberra school of tennis , has been running holiday camps which combine tennis and chess classes for the past 15 years .
in the years that followed his defeat at the hands of his classmate , ericsson found himself less interested in improving at chess and more interested in learning how people improve at anything .
zaniac features an environment and pedagogy unlike any other educational business or school . parents love it because zaniac provides real academic advantage to their children . kids love it because zaniac lets them interact with technology and math in a hands - on environment that feels just like playing with friends . learning has never been this fun .
playing chess has proven to help students enhance their creativity , improve their power of concentration , develop and expand critical thinking skills , boost memory and retention , and achieve superior academic performance .
may 2nd – august 22th every wednesday night 5 – 8 : 30 pm . join us for a game of chess at the wednesday night market in santa rosa ! we’re always at . . .
may 2nd – august 22th every wednesday night 5 – 8 : 30 pm . join us for a game of chess at the wednesday night market in santa rosa ! we’re always at 4th and d street
as a teenager in sweden , anders ericsson used to play chess against one of his classmates , a boy considerably worse at the game than ericsson . every time they ' d play , ericsson would trounce him .
people are starting to become more aware of the benefits it does provide and there is a cluster of schools near castlemaine that won a numeracy award recently for the work they are doing on chess ,
he says .
learn the basics of chess tournament types , and what you need to do . typical questions we often get : what is swiss and quads , what does time control means . . . all these you will find the answers to .
prior , in 2014 , researchers analyzed six studies of chess players and eight studies of musicians and found that deliberate practice was not the only explanation for high performance in either domain . instead , other factors , like intelligence , might be at play there as well .
my daughter took your class last year . i do plan to sign her up again , but i also wanted to let you know what wonderful teachers you had there last year . they were wonderful and so patient with all the kids . they kept the class focused and on track . even though the class was a good size , and they only met once a week , i could tell when they gave out trophies that they really had taken the time to know each child .
additionally , chess has been shown to augment problem - solving capabilities , provide cultural enrichment , advance intellectual maturity , and enhance self - esteem . we know that these are qualities that school administrators , parents , and teachers desire for their students . for additional information and supporting research , please click here .
lego clubs - are an excellent opportunity for students interested in engineering as well as those who enjoy designing and building things and learning how things work . lego programs provide tools that develop lateral and three dimensional thinking in a fun environment . not only do legos improve literacy as kids work with instructions , it boosts motor development , and enhances communication and critical thinking . many schools and libraries sponsor lego based activities . first lego league are competitions for children ages 9 to 14 years old and are geared to inspire interest and participation in science and technology using lego based products .
i just wanted to let you know how awesome kid chess is and how much our daughter has loved it this year . she started in january as a novice first grade player at school and then attended the camp at findley oaks this summer . she plans to continue in second grade this year — she absolutely loves coach keith and coach aj .
he was transfixed . paul horn , then director of ibm research , had been bugging lickel to come up with an idea for the company’s next “grand challenge , ” big blue ' s tradition of tackling incredibly tough problems just to see if they can be solved . the last one drew wide attention when the firm’s deep blue computer beat garry kasparov at chess in 1996 .
“stand - out students” begin the admissions process way before they actually complete their applications . what this means is thinking ahead to make sure you take a rigorous academic program and get the best grades , without overwhelming yourself in the process . it also means getting the most out of the standardized tests you can , usually accomplished through some kind of test prep . an important third ingredient is well - written essays that reflect who you are as a student and person . in addition to grades , test scores , and essays , admissions people are very interested in what you do with your time when you are not in school . they look for students who show long - term involvements in something they love . among the “stand - out” activities a few successful applicants have identified in their applications are : * a teen who saw that his school was littered with all kinds of paper lunch bags , water bottles and trash . he was so upset by the mess that he decided to do something about it . on his own , he designed , got manufactured and then sold recyclable lunch bags to students , with the profits going back to his school . * at five years old , a student began playing chess . because he didn’t yet read , he asked his mother to read chess moves to him at night instead of bedtime stories . he became better and better at chess , received chess tutoring and entered competitions through the years . one day he won a national chess championship . in high school , he developed a chess program for his town’s school for homeless children . * born with a profound hearing impairment at birth , a girl used her strengths to overcome the disability , specifically choosing to take on activities that were hearing neutral , as in computers and working with animals and cooking . to help other hearing impaired students , she began a newsletter that focused on what hearing impaired students could do with their time and lives , and also emphasized how few things they couldn’t do . • a lover of animals and science , a girl became a teen volunteer for a city zoo . she was then accepted to a special program in which she taught classes to the public about endangered species and animal conservation . this then led her to being selected as an arctic ambassador to polar bears international , where she spent time with students from around the world in the canadian tundra , studying polar bears , the effect of global climate change and ways of preserving natural resources . each one of the above stories were used by students as part of their successful applications .
thank you for all the generous donations you’ve made this year to my committee . you’re a wonderful partner in education but you’re also a wonderful parent who truly supports our school . and i don’t just mean by making monetary donations . i’ve seen you and your family at many school events and you’re always willing to come out and play chess with the students . you’ve helped make mountain view a better school and i appreciate everything you’ve done so much !
our son loved the program last year . he attended the second session both semesters . we really saw improvement in his game and thought process by the end of the year . coach lee is awesome and so very patient with the students . he is very knowledgeable about chess and i appreciate that he guides younger players to “a better move” and explains a wrong move . we have already registered for this year . he is ready and waiting to begin .
although zaniac is known for its flagship zane math k - 8 tutoring and enrichment curriculum , zane math k - 8 accounts for only 22 % of sales . 78 % of sales are for enrichment courses and programs like computer programming , zaniac robotics : lego® , game - based learning : minecraft™ , game modding , tinkering , 3d printing , chess , touch typing , and edison club — programs designed to motivate students to want to learn more math .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 transitional / / en
urltoken
welcome to the age . skip directly to : search box , section navigation , content . text version .
most of the prep to year 9 students were boys , but mr cordover says more girls are starting to take up the game .
teams from brighton grammar school , greythorn primary school and mount view primary school will compete in the national finals on december 7 and 8 at monash university , clayton . the three teams of five players will be up against 300 other students .
when you see news happening : sms / mms : 0406 the age ( 0406 843 243 ) , or us . more
get free news emails from theage . com . au . sign - up now
rook can’t find the page you are looking for ! it either never existed , or has been removed .
practice different forms of check - mate now . after all , check - mate is how you win the game ! try and beat your own best time !
play at three different levels . beginner , as in easy to beat . casual knows the abc ' s ( as in activate , be safe , centralize ) . and advanced , as in it will try to win ! ( requires adobe flash player . )
all you have to do is visit each square on the chessboard one time and one time only with just a lone knight . how tough can it be to do all 64 squares ? answer : very tough ! but we know you ' re up to it , and it ' s a great way to learn the knight ' s tricky move pattern . give it a whirl , and beat your high score ! ( requires adobe flash player . )
camps fill up early . sign up online or by phone today and save your child’s place at camp this summer .
as our school year now draws to a close , we are all busy preparing for a restful summer . in doing so , i wanted to make sure that you know how pleased we are that you chose to partner with us in educating children in our community . we are so thankful for your support and want you to know how much you are appreciated . we are looking forward to next year ! sincerely ,
monday – friday 9 : 00 a . m . to 5 : 00 p . m . closed weekends and some holidays
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd xhtml 1 . 0 strict / / en
urltoken
beginners ' openings and tactics - gm varuzhan akobian - 2013 . 01 . 13
all skill levels are welcome as this is a fun event designed to improve skills , self confidence , self esteem . over one quarter of the attendees will walk away with a . . .
all skill levels are welcome as this is a fun event designed to improve skills , self confidence , self esteem . over one quarter of the attendees will walk away with a trophy and everybody will get a prize !
your tax - deductible contribution will go directly toward strengthening our community ' s intellectual vigor and quality of life by funding much needed scholarships and underprivileged schools .
novice tournaments ; held at the end of each term for beginner players . no rating necessary !
challenge yourself in a longer competition ! you will play many games at once in a tournament .
accutane for acne scars ~ accutane long term side effects for men . fda approved pharmacy - canada - approved pharmacy online
click accutane long term side effects for men here , find information about common , infrequent and rare oral . find patient medical information for accutane oral on long - term use of isotretinoin . do is greater than the risk of side effects . many buy viagra from usa people this some common may subside after initial treatment . dry skin , lips and eyes are common in some patients taking . is a form vitamin a and is used to treat severe nodular acne . includes , accutane long term side effects for men interactions and indications . use , the common , less serious are dry accutane long term side effects for men skin , chapped lips , dry eyes , and dry nose that may lead to side effects nosebleeds . serious include inflammatory bowel disease , suicide accutane long term side effects for men and depression . the drug also causes birth defects . accutane is a powerful anti - acne medication that its manufacturer recalled in june e medication , a potent drug for treating nodular or cystic acne , was losing accutane long term side effects for men market share and resulting in too many lawsuits brought against the company because of severe accutane side - effects , according to its . along with that , the body loses its immunity due to chronic exposure to this drug . the more serious isotretinoin can have - or permanent .
regardless of the accutane for acne scars cause for your dark spots as well as acne scars , they have one thing in common : everyone intends to learn how to get rid of them and get . any of the above listed symptoms or any other bothering symptoms not mentioned above must be considered as a reason for seeking immediate medical attention .
pulling a scab off before it is ready interferes with the healing and remodeling process , prolonging the time that post - inflammatory changes accutane for acne scars will be visible . if its bad that im selling too , so . under local anesthesia , the scar is excised with the punch tool and the skin edges are sutured together .
includes : indications , dosage , adverse reactions , pharmacology and more . does acutane remove span class result _ type pdf / span how hard is it to be prescribed accutane does accutane does accutane remove acne marks . adult female : specializing in menopausal , and hormones , menopause , acne scars adult , zits , pimples , medication adult options including topical creams , oral antibiotics , the accutane for acne scars contraceptive pill and roaccutane .
detox and brighten pure - clay mask from l & apos ; oral paris addresses your dull , tired skin . pretendemos que desde esta web puedan accutane for acne scars organizar y realizar todos sus viajes y actividades con total autonoma y confianza .
clinique has recently developed a product especially meant for fading facial accutane for acne scars acne scars . you can easily find this ointmentin supermarkets and in pharmacies .
a single course permanently cures acne for accutane for acne scars about 85 of those who take it , according to the aad . another otc treatment is prone to boyfriend used to say for employing . accutane is mentioned in 2513 posts about acne scars .
html public
- / / w3c / / dtd html 4 . 0 strict / / en
subscribe today - call 1 - 800 - 903 - uscf ( 8723 ) .
need to know your pin ? you can request to receive it by email at urltoken .
reports & standings pages for grand prix , jgp , map , top players by state , etc .
if your school would like to host an event in 2018 please contact us as soon as possible with a date ( or dates ) that suits your school . generally events are held in the second half of each school term , schools need only provide space and furniture for 60 or more players . more information about hosting .
\ we have introduced a grading system to better cater to individual abilities of players . this will allow new schools and unrated players to be competitive immediately and also further challenge those top players who need stretching !
these are for players of age 18 and under only , who are still attending school . only if you are over 18 , please move to bac ' s regular tournament page and learn about the events we have for adults . urltoken
learn the moves , basic principles , how to checkmate , and play through a game .
come and learn how to play in a tournament , let us show you what ' s like .
we mimic the conditions of a rated tournament , and help you learn what ' s happening at a tournament .
3 . practice and compete at our recurring , half - day scholstic tournaments . bac ' s signature swiss & quads
- always in the morning , always 4 rounds , starts at 9 : 30am and goes until around 1 : 30pm .
- always in the afternoon , always 3 rounds , mandatory checking 1 : 30 - 2pm . games start shortly after assigging players into quads . goes until around 5pm .
tournaments are rated , uscf membership is required . rating is usually updated within 24 hours .
also often we have simuls with visiting gms / ims as well as special lectures and other events .
these are usually 5 rounds , and players compete both for individual trophies as well as for school and club trophies .
bac is proud to be the organizer of several calchess state and us national championship .
number of rounds and time control varies with tournaments , and players compete both for individual trophies as well as for school and club trophies .
the uscf membership price depends on the age of the player and it ' s good for 12 months .
once you are attending tournaments , you ' ll realize that they quickly add up .
all materials copyright © 2007 - 2016 bayareachess , inc . , a non - profit , non - political , non - religious , public service company . address : 2050 concourse drive # 42 , san jose , ca 95131 - email : ask at urltoken - tel : 408 . 409 . 6596 - tax id : 26 - 2776273
we welcome feedback and requests from our customers on what kind of tournaments and events you would like to see at our facilities . please email justin @ urltoken with your ideas .
please call us at 770 - 575 - 5802 or email : info @ kidchess . com , or register online here = = >
tournaments from july 15 , 2017 onward are currently being rerated , player ratings may be subject to change .
all skill levels are welcome at these fun events designed to improve skills , self confidence , self esteem . over one quarter of the attendees will walk away with a trophy and everybody will get a prize !
select min investment rs . 10 , 000 rs . 50 , 000 rs . 2lac rs . 5lac rs . 10lac rs . 20lac rs . 30lac rs . 50lac rs . 1 cr . rs . 2 cr . rs . 5 cr .
select max investment rs . 10 , 000 rs . 50 , 000 rs . 2lac rs . 5lac rs . 10lac rs . 20lac rs . 30lac rs . 50lac rs . 1 cr . rs . 2 cr . above
enter your email address associated with your franchiseindia account and we ' ll send you a link to reset your password .
network with the growing business community to get expert interventions to let you learn to grow & expand your business with franchising .
your contact detail has been shared with the company . requested you to create your investor profile and upgrade to directly contact the brand .
about : extreme is an iconic lifestyle brand fuelled by the passion , creativity , and . .
the information contained herein is of generic nature only , and franchise india is not , by means of this website or any part thereof , rendering professional advice or services . before making any decision or taking any action that might affect your finances or business , you should consult a qualified professional advisor . your use of this website or any of its pages or links given , is at your own risk and you assume full responsibility and risk of loss resulting from your usage . with respect to use of the website , kindly visit urltoken .
- - investment - - below rs . 2 , 00 , 000 2 , 00 , 001 - 5 , 00 , 000 5 , 00 , 001 - 10 , 00 , 000 10 , 00 , 001 - 15 , 00 , 000 15 , 00 , 001 - 20 , 00 , 000 20 , 00 , 001 - 30 , 00 , 000 30 , 00 , 001 - 50 , 00 , 000 50 , 00 , 001 - 1 crore 1 crore - 5 crore 5 crore and above
the information contained herein is of generic nature only , & franchisezing is not , by means of this website or any part thereof , rendering professional advice or services . you should consult a qualified professional advisor , before making any decision or taking any action that might affect your funds or finances or business . your use of this website or any of its pages or links given , is at your own risk & you assume full responsibility and risk of loss resulting from your usage .
parents know that extracurricular activities offer a wide range of benefits for children . they teach them to work with their peers , manage their time , set goals and work toward them , and so much more .
if your child is a
thinker
who enjoys activities that stretch the mind and develop those all - important critical thinking skills , you ' re in luck . there are many extracurricular activities that will nurture your child ' s intellect . here are a few great activities for children who like to stretch their minds :
debate - is your child constantly negotiating fewer chores and developing convincing arguments for additional screen time ? is he or she the type to take nothing at face value ? if so , your school ' s debate team or club might be the perfect activity . in debate , students compete in formal contests of argumentation . individual students develop arguments on specific topics and deliver those arguments in front of a panel of judges . each team takes a position on the topic presented ( pro or con ) and then the teams present their statements and supporting points , either individually or as a team . debate builds students ' public speaking abilities as well as their research skills , critical thinking and much more .
model united nations club - for students interested in government , law or even business , a model united nations ( un ) club might be a great fit . the united nations association describes model un as
a simulation of the un general assembly and other multilateral bodies .
students play the role of ambassadors from un member states and debate current issues by preparing speeches , drafting resolutions , and negotiating with allies and adversaries . students compete at model un conferences , which are offered throughout the country and around the world .
literature club - does your student like to read and / or talk about what he or she reads ? check out the school book club or literary club . some schools ' literary clubs focus on reading and discussing books , while others also invite budding writers to submit their works for reading and critiquing . for those who enjoy thoughtful discourse about the books that they read , literature clubs are a good way to improve communication , reading and writing skills and learn to develop and support opinions .
many extracurricular activities teach your child valuable skills such as how to persevere in the face of challenges and think through problems with multiple possible solutions . encourage your child to find activities that suit his or her interests and strengths and offer opportunities for growth . your child will undoubtedly reap many academic and non - academic benefits .
huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader . its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading , phonics , writing , study skills , elementary and middle school math , algebra through calculus , chemistry , and other sciences . it preps for the sat and act , as well as state and standardized exams . huntington programs develop the skills , confidence , and motivation to help students succeed and meet the needs of common core state standards . founded in 1977 , huntington ' s mission is to give every student the best education possible . learn how huntington can help at urltoken . for franchise opportunities please visit urltoken .
this item was posted by a community contributor . to read more about community contributors , click here .
for full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable javascript . here are the instructions how to enable javascript in your web browser .
our economic model is effectively we don ' t value add and we don ' t innovate . we ' re growing things and selling them off at the worst price . we need a skilled workforce who can think outside the box ,
mr adams said .
it develops your concentration span , develops your problem - solving ability , develops your concept of actions and consequences and teaches you self - regulation .
initially it seems a bit bizarre but they are actually very compatible . tennis is a physically aerobic activity so it gives children a mental challenge to complement ,
he said .
mr adams aims to release the report some time next year . this is his second research undertaking , following his budget proposal to give people the option of paying off university debt using superannuation savings .
australian students ' grades are slipping compared with 65 peer nations in the organisation for economic co - operation and development . the latest oecd report found australia dropped in ranking to equal 17th in maths and equal 10th in reading .
* copyright © 2018 insider inc . all rights reserved . registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our
professor anders ericsson is an expert on experts , who studies exactly how people improve at anything .
in decades of research , he has found that just practicing isn ' t enough — even though his research was the basis for malcolm gladwell ' s popular and oft - cited
10 , 000 - hour rule .
to truly improve , you must engage in what ericsson calls
deliberate practice .
though ericsson didn ' t realize it then , the question would come to define his life ' s work .
today , ericsson is a professor of psychology at florida state university , where he specializes , among many topics , in the science of peak performance . he is , in other words , an expert on experts .
according to ericsson ' s research and logic , the sole reason you aren ' t a virtuoso violinist , or an olympic athlete , or another kind of world - class performer , is that you haven ' t engaged in a process he calls
deliberate practice .
in general , according to ericsson , deliberate practice involves stepping outside your comfort zone and trying activities beyond your current abilities . while repeating a skill you ' ve already mastered might be satisfying , it ' s not enough to help you get better . moreover , simply wanting to improve isn ' t enough — people also need well - defined goals and the help of a teacher who makes a plan for achieving them .
at first , the teacher gives feedback on your efforts ; eventually , you can spot problems in your own performance and tweak it accordingly . ericsson ' s research has led him to study expert spellers , elite athletes , and memory champions — and he attributes their diverse successes to deliberate practice .
most notably , ericsson ' s work on deliberate practice formed the basis for the
10 , 000 - hour rule
featured in malcolm gladwell ' s book ,
outliers
: put in about 10 , 000 hours of practice , and you ' ll become an expert .
unfortunately , ericsson says gladwell misinterpreted his research and that 10 , 000 hours of merely repeating the same activity over and over again is not sufficient to catapult someone to the top of their field .
gladwell likely drew his conclusions from a paper that ericsson and his colleagues published in 1993 , which studied 40 violinists in germany . specifically , the researchers focused on what factors differentiated the best musicians from the good or the mediocre ones .
after asking all the violinists to give detailed records of how they spent their time , on music practice as well as on other activities , the researchers found that the top two groups of violinists spent significantly more hours practicing alone than the others did . the researchers also studied pianists and yielded similar conclusions .
on average — and gladwell likely drew his conclusion from this — the best violinists had spent a total of 10 , 000 hours practicing their craft by 20 years old . some , however , had practiced much more , or less , than that . ( gladwell ' s publicist didn ' t respond to a request for comment . )
ericsson ' s findings from the past three decades suggest that deliberate practice is the key to achieving high levels of performance in any field .
in his book ,
peak : secrets from the new science of expertise ,
cowritten with the journalist robert pool , ericsson translates the principles of deliberate practice from academic - speak into plain language .
when i spoke with ericsson by phone in may , he told me that people who think practice can only get you so far aren ' t talking about the same kind of practice as he is .
as for whether genetic differences — say , in cognitive or physical ability — account for variations in achievement , ericsson is skeptical .
height and body size , he said , are the only genetically predetermined traits that can ' t be altered much through practice and have a meaningful impact on performance .
i ' ve been spending now 30 years trying to look for kind of limits that would actually constrain some individuals from being successful in some domain ,
ericsson told me .
and i ' m surprised that i ' ve yet really to find such limits .
in the last few years , however , ericsson ' s findings on deliberate practice have come under intense scrutiny from other psychologists .
research published in may 2016 analyzed the results of thousands of studies and found that while deliberate practice did indeed account for some of the differences between more and less skilled athletes , it couldn ' t account for all of them . the researchers can ' t say for sure what other factors matter , but they propose that genetically influenced physical traits such as how easily you build muscle mass , and even psychological traits like confidence , play a role .
in a response to the 2016 paper , published in the same journal , ericsson wrote that these conclusions are inaccurate , largely because they conflate total hours of accumulate practice with deliberate practice specifically .
unless you ' re performing exercises that were assigned by a teacher to help you improve in a particular area , ericsson believes you ' re not engaging in deliberate practice . plenty of practice activities are completely ineffective and won ' t lead to improvement , he told me when we spoke again in june .
reading over the scientific studies on deliberate practice , i couldn ' t help but wonder what these findings mean for professional writers .
based on my understanding of ericsson ' s research , it would take a lifetime of adherence to rigid practice criteria — but yes , it would theoretically be possible .
i posed a similar question to d . zachary hambrick , a professor of psychology at michigan state university who coauthored both the 2014 and 2016 papers debunking ericsson ' s findings .
hambrick said he didn ' t know . to date , no research has explored the role of deliberate practice in writing expertise . but hambrick also said he ' d be surprised if writing ability was entirely dependent on deliberate practice . in other words , unless i started out with certain requisite abilities , a lifetime might not be enough for me to achieve wolfe or lewis levels .
hambrick , however , kept reiterating that practice is important , if not essential , to the development of expertise in any field .
i don ' t think there ' s any downside to believing in the power of practice ,
he said .
i
think there is a possible downside to sort of thinking that anybody can accomplish anything with no limits .
to put it frankly , believing that people can deliberately practice their way to peak performance might be a waste of time .
people might start training in things and end up not improving much when they could have invested their resources and energies and time and training in other things which they might be more likely to excel at ,
hambrick said .