Sources say that Plum TV founder and exec Tom Scott will be in Miami Beach today to address the future of the magazine. We hear that the staff expect to get the boot and are already looking for new jobs as far away as Los Angeles.

A bitter disappointment for all who work at Plum but especially for those who left positions as Ocean Drive magazine to join Plum Miami earlier this year.

The StyleWise article comparing the three luxury magazines in Miami published several months ago predicted that this market could not sustain three similar magazines competing for the same advertising dollars and now it appears at least one may fold. Time will tell.

Posted by David Siqueiros

Express-1 is a non-asset-based, third-party logistics (“3PL”) transportation services provider offering expedited transportation solutions, domestic and international freight forwarding, and premium truckload brokerage services to retail, commercial, manufacturing and industrial customers.

Jacobs will become the majority shareholder in Express-1 and chairman of its board of directors. In addition, he will lead the Company as chief executive officer. Jacobs previously built two multi-billion dollar, publicly traded companies: United Rentals, Inc. (NYSE: URI), the world’s largest equipment rental company, and United Waste Systems, Inc., the fifth largest solid waste company in the United States at the time of its sale.

Jacobs said, “I plan to build a multi-billion dollar transportation brokerage business over the next several years. Express-1 is an ideal platform, with prominent positions in expedited services, freight brokerage and freight forwarding. I’m excited about leading the company into its next phase of growth.”

Mike Welch, chief executive officer of Express-1 Expedited Solutions, Inc., said, “We’re very pleased that Brad has decided to make such a significant commitment to advancing Express-1′s position in the industry. We view his decision as a strong vote of confidence in the caliber of our employees and our operations.”

Express-1 is expected to maintain its current headcount and central operating locations in Buchanan, Mich., Downers Grove, Ill., South Bend, Ind., Rochester Hills, Mich., Miami, Fla., and Tampa, Fla.

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and UBS Investment Bank served as financial advisors to Jacobs, and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP served as legal advisor. BB&T Capital Markets served as financial advisor to Express-1’s board of directors, and Roetzel & Andress, L.P.A. served as legal advisor. Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. provided a fairness opinion regarding the proposed transaction to the special committee of the board of directors.

Freight Brokerage and Freight Forwarding
Express-1 serves retail, commercial, manufacturing and industrial customers in two growing areas of the transportation industry: domestic freight brokerage and international freight forwarding.

The size of the U.S. freight brokerage market (via trucking) is estimated to be approximately $50 billion annually. While there are more than 10,000 licensed freight brokers in the United States, 99 percent of them generate less than $200 million in revenues. The size of the international freight forwarding market (via air and sea) is estimated to be approximately $150 billion annually, with the 10 largest firms accounting for about 40 percent total share.

About Express-1 Expedited Solutions, Inc.
Founded in 1989, Express-1 is a non-asset-based, third-party logistics (“3PL”) services provider that uses a network of relationships with ground, sea and air carriers to find the best transportation solutions for its customers. Express-1 offers its services through three distinct business units: Express-1, Inc. (expedited transportation solutions), the fifth largest U.S. expedited freight service provider, according to The Journal of Commerce; Concert Group Logistics, Inc. (domestic and international freight forwarding); and Bounce Logistics, Inc. (premium truckload brokerage). The Company serves more than 4,000 retail, commercial, manufacturing and industrial customers through six U.S. operations centers and 22 agent locations. In 2010, the Company completed more than 144,000 transactions for customers and generated revenues of approximately $158 million. For more information about Express-1 Expedited Solutions: www.xpocorporate.com.

About Bradley S. Jacobs
Since 1979, Bradley S. Jacobs has founded and led four highly successful companies, including two multi-billion dollar, publicly traded corporations: United Rentals (NYSE: URI), the world’s largest equipment rental company, and United Waste Systems, which was sold in 1997 for $2.5 billion. As chairman of United Rentals from 1997 through 2007, Jacobs grew the company to $3.9 billion in revenues, with more than 700 branch locations, 13,000 employees, and a ranking as the 536th largest public corporation in America by Fortune magazine. He has been instrumental in raising more than $6 billion through dozens of financings in the debt and equity markets since 1992.

In 1989, Jacobs founded United Waste and built it into the fifth largest solid waste management business in North America. In 1987, he founded Hamilton Resources (UK) Ltd., a worldwide oil trading company that served major oil companies and oil-producing countries and generated annual revenues of approximately $1 billion. In 1979, he co-founded Amerex Oil Associates, Inc., creating one of the world’s largest oil brokerage firms, with an annual gross contract volume of approximately $4.7 billion.

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Actions speak louder than words. Let this be a lesson for Lebron and the other two kings. Walk the walk before you promise what you cannot deliver. I hope there is a humbling effect of losing the big one and it helps him to be truly great in the near future. He has the potential.

Dallas deserved it all. They wanted it more. It showed. They were hungrier and better coached. Better teamwork beat better athleticism. CONGRATULATIONS MAVS!

Here at home we see Miami is really Wade’s team. He is the Heat’s go to guy. Confirmed – the “Decision” was a dumb thing to do and again they do not play on South Beach!

I can hear the guys at the Downtown Athletic Club saying “just wait till next year” and I think they’re right. The Heat will come back a little hungrier and quieter. That’s if they’re smart and learn from their mistakes. Lets go Heat!

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Posted by David Siqueiros.

“Power in the boardroom is meaningless to men – their real power comes from their relationship with their woman. Men emasculate themselves by marrying powerful sucessful women then choose to cheat with powerless, submissive women”, says Dr. Wanis. “This is the new phenomenon of men marrying up but cheating down.”

“Rock stars and athletes choose women like food off a buffet, but when a highly successful man is coupled with an equally successful woman and he possibly feels powerless in his personal life, overshadowed or even ignored in his own relationship, he then turns to women whom he can control and lord it over:

• Jesse James cheated on famous actress Sandra Bullock with a tattoo model
• Arnold Schwarzenegger with his housekeeper
• Charlie Sheen used prostitutes
• Kobe Bryant cheated with a hotel employee in Colorado
• President Bill Clinton with an intern
• IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn (married to a famous TV host and heiress) allegedly tried to rape a hotel maid
• Robert Moffat Senior VP of IBM cheated with a hedge fund analyst
• Christopher Lee, a congressman from New York tried to cheat on his wife by advertising himself on a Craigslist dating ad

“Yes, Power leads to cheating because it can lead to delusions of invincibility, entitlement and the male ego-drive to win, conquer and dominate but, when an externally powerful man cheats with a submissive woman, one whom he can control, he is trying to feel the power and masculinity that he lacks in his relationship with his often very powerful or famous wife. Men unconsciously seek the approval and validation of their wife and without it they look for another woman to compensate.” says Dr. Wanis.

“This, in no way justifies cheating nor does it lay blame on the wife, but the women engaging in the betrayal are giving into the greatest aphrodisiac of all – the power that these men offer” concludes Wanis.

For more quotes and insights, read the full article by Patrick Wanis PhD: - http://patrickwanis.com/blog

**** Originally from Australia, Patrick Wanis PhD, is a Celebrity Life-Coach, Author, Expert in Human Behavior and Relationships and a Clinical Hypnotherapist with a PhD in Health Psychology. Wanis has appeared on FOX News, MSNBC, Extra, the Montel Williams Show, Mike and Juliet,Cosmo, Rolling Stone, InTouch Weekly, Women’s Health, Dating on Demand, E! TV, Vh1, CNN.com, MSN.com, Date.com, Matchmaker.com, NY Daily Mail, NY Post, Vogue Australia, FHM, etc. WGN Chicago and Syndicated TV show, “The Daily Buzz” anointed him “The Woman Expert” and FOX News pronounced him “A voice for women.” CNN.com turned to Wanis for expert insights and analysis when Michael Jackson died. Over five million people have read Wanis’ books in English and Spanish.

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“Sheen has never experienced rejection on such a large scale before and Sheen has obsessively and desperately been trying to get the public’s approval, to convince everyone that he is a winner but last night’s blatant disapproval and rejection by the audience could push Sheen to drugs again or his behavior could become even more extreme or even violent; his language is full of references to violence – a reflection of his deeper unresolved anger and rage” says Dr. Wanis.

“We love to associate with strong, confident winners but now the public’s perception has shifted from a winner fighting for what is right against the big Hollywood machine to being a desperate, negative, rambling former drug addict who is still seeking everyone’s approval as exemplified by his attempt on stage to connect to the audience by telling crack stories and asking who has smoked crack. Recall that something similar happened when the crowd turned on Tila Tequila and threw feces at her when she was on stage at a festival. The public generally supported Sheen but he gave them no reason to continue supporting him and in fact, he betrayed them by not being able to deliver entertainment or even one ‘torpedo of truth.‘”

Wanis says that Sheen is an actor – an entertainer with a script but without the script he is lost for words and has no experience as a live entertainer. “Sheen falsely and foolishly believed that if all he gave the audience was more of the same (the porn actresses kissing, references to drug use) the audience would be satisfied; the audience expected comedy, fun, truth, inspiration, escape and instead all it got was the sad ‘torpedo of truth’ that Charlie Sheen needs help and is desperately trying to get the public to approve of him, reassure him he is a winner and side with him against Hollywood. ”

“Sheen is also used to simply walking the red carpet and being applauded and having his photo taken, but when you ask people to pay money to see you perform live, they expect you to stand and deliver and Sheen did neither.”

Wanis claims that Sheen’s words “I am tired of pretending like I am not special…I am tired of pretending like I am not bitchin’, a total frickin’ rock star from Mars” have now come back to haunt Sheen. “I revealed that Sheen subconsciously believes he is a loser and was desperately and obsessively trying to convince the public that he is a winner, and unlike real rock stars, Sheen doesn’t have the experience or the necessary mental and emotional grounding to handle the rejection and that could push him over the edge.”

“Sheen also said on a TV interview ‘I am a man of my word.’ Let’s see if he is and if he will actually finish the tour or dropout. However, the best case scenario is that Sheen does drop the tour and instead checks into a clinic for real help – before it is too late” concludes Dr. Wanis.

For more quotes and insights, read the full article by Patrick Wanis PhD: - http://patrickwanis.com/blog

**** Originally from Australia, Patrick Wanis PhD, is a Celebrity Life-Coach, Author, Expert in Human Behavior and Relationships and a Clinical Hypnotherapist with a PhD in Health Psychology. Wanis has appeared on FOX News, MSNBC, Extra, the Montel Williams Show, Mike and Juliet,Cosmo, Rolling Stone, InTouch Weekly, Women’s Health, Dating on Demand, E! TV, Vh1, CNN.com, MSN.com, Date.com, Matchmaker.com, NY Daily Mail, NY Post, Vogue Australia, FHM, etc. WGN Chicago and Syndicated TV show, “The Daily Buzz” anointed him “The Woman Expert” and FOX News pronounced him “A voice for women.” CNN.com turned to Wanis for expert insights and analysis when Michael Jackson died. Over five million people have read Wanis’ books in English and Spanish.

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We met and talked to an entertainer soon to be a doctor named Phyllisia. As a daughter of Haitian descent, Phyllisia has committed herself to raising funds and helping in the humanitarian relief efforts for Haiti.

She recorded the song “L’Union Fait La Force,” sung in both English and Creole, as a means to raise funds for Haiti’s Project Medishare. It’s a great video and really brings tears to your eyes!

A full video of the 2011 Chefs with a Purpose Benefit featuring top chefs Dewey Losasso,  Chef Creole, Jan Jorgensen and Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Pierrre Garcon will be published soon.

This blog posted by David Siqueiros.

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The Hudspeth County Attorney Kit Bramblett had said Nelson could resolve the charges by pleading guilty, paying a fine – and singing “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” for the court.

Originally Bramblett said Judge Becky Dean-Walker demanded Nelson appear in court, not plead by mail. Later on the Texas judge said Willie Nelson can plead guilty without coming to court and won’t have to sing in court to resolve marijuana possession charges. The suggestion that he do so was a joke. Dean-Walker thinks the prosecutor was trying to be funny, “and it got out of hand.”  Willie Nelson has declined to comment on the sentencing suggestion.

I personally would have loved to have been in that court room and heard that rendition.

Posted by David Siqueiros

Michael Thompson: Portraits presents work spanning Thompson’s illustrious 20-year career. Taken from the pages of fashion and lifestyle magazines including Vogue, W, GQ, Allure and Vanity Fair, the nearly 150 images in this book intensify the mythic power of their subjects while simultaneously inviting an intimate glimpse into their inner lives. The images have been selected by the widely admired photography critic and connoisseur Vince Aletti, who conducts a far-reaching appraisal of celebrity, using Thompson’s images as a touchstone to examine the emergence of celebrity as cult, as well as the power of the photographer’s astringent gaze to strip artifice from his subject. As one of the foremost celebrity photographers of the last two decades, Thompson emerges here as a leading image-broker for our times.  The limited edition of portraits comes with a numbered and signed photo by Michael Thompson (10 x 17 inches) and is housed in a linen box. Publication Date: June 2011.

Posted by David Siqueiros.

MICHAEL THOMPSON: PORTRAITS – EDITED BY VINCE ALETTI. PUBLISHED BY DAMIANI

ISBN 978-88-6208-157-3Boxed Cloth, 10.25 x 13 inches, 216 pages, 147 color, signed and numberedUS $750.00 CDN $825.00Published by Damiani

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1. The number of new building permits fell to a new all-time record low in February. In fact, new building permits were 20 percent lower during February 2011 than they were in February 2010.

2. As of the end of 2010, 23.1 percent of all U.S. homeowners with a mortgage owed more on their homes than their homes were worth.

3. At least 8 million Americans are at least one month behind on their mortgage payment.

4. It is estimated that there are about 5 million homeowners in the United States that are at least two months behind on their mortgages.

5. 18 percent of all the homes in the state of Florida are sitting vacant. That number is 63 percent larger than it was just ten years ago.

6. Celia Chen of Moody’s Analytics projects that home prices in Florida are going to fall another 11 percent.

7. In the state of Arizona, approximately 16 percent of all homes are now sitting vacant.

8. In total, approximately 11 percent of all homes in the United States are currently standing empty.

9. In Dayton, Ohio today 18.9 percent of all homes are now standing empty. 21.5 percent of all homes in New Orleans, Louisiana are currently standing vacant.

10. Home prices in the United States declined by 5.7 percent between January 2010 and January 2011, according to CoreLogic.

11. New home sales in the United States in January were a shocking 11.2% lower than they were in December.

12. New home sales in the United States are now down 80% from the peak in July 2005.

13. An all-time record of 2.87 million U.S. households received a foreclosure filing in 2010.

14. The number of homes that were actually repossessed reached the 1 million mark for the first time ever during 2010.

15. 72 percent of the major metropolitan areas in the United States had more foreclosures in 2010 than they did in 2009.

16. In 1996, 89 percent of Americans believed that it was better to own a home than to rent one. Today that number has fallen to 63 percent.

17. In 2010 sales of previously existing homes in the United States were at their lowest level in 13 years.

18. 26 percent of all the homes sold in the United States last year were foreclosures or short sales.

19. Distressed property sales accounted for nearly 60 percent of previously owned home sales in California last.

20. The median sale price of a home in California has declined on a year-over-year basis for five months in a row.

21. Since the real estate peak, U.S. home values have fallen by a staggering 6.3 trillion dollars.

22. Deutsche Bank is projecting that 48 percent of all U.S. mortgages could have negative equity by the end of 2011.

23. Two years ago, the average U.S. homeowner that was being foreclosed upon had not made a mortgage payment in 11 months. Today, the average U.S. homeowner that is being foreclosed upon has not made a mortgage payment in 17 months.

24. Right now there are now approximately 15,000 vacant buildings in the city of Chicago.

25. According to Zillow, U.S. home prices have already fallen further during this economic downturn (26 percent) than they did during the Great Depression (25.9 percent).

26. In September 2008, 33 percent of Americans knew someone who had been foreclosed upon or who was facing the threat of foreclosure. Today that number has risen to 48 percent.

27. Some markets can only get better. Detroit Will Pay You To Take One Of Over 100 Abandoned Houses.

Source – http://www.businessinsider.com/

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