BridgeAlliance

07/20/2024

80 years ago on this date of July 20th Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg tried to kill Hi**er by detonating an explosive hidden in a briefcase. Learn more about the attempted coup d'état know as operation Valkyrie.

80 years later and still an inspiration

05/06/2020

Wall Street Rallies for a Second Day as Oil Prices Rise: Live Updates

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/05/business/stock-market-today-coronavirus.html

05/05/2020

Cleaning and Disinfectant Chemical Exposures and Temporal Associations with COVID-19 — National Poison Data System, United States, January 1, 2020–March 31, 2020
On January 19, 2020, the state of Washington reported the first U.S. laboratory-confirmed case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by infection with SARS-CoV-2 (1). As of April 19, a total of 720,630 COVID-19 cases and 37,202 associated deaths* had been reported to CDC from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and four U.S. territories (2). CDC recommends, with precautions, the proper cleaning and disinfection of high-touch surfaces to help mitigate the transmission
Read more
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6916e1.htm
https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/hand-sanitizer-use.html
https://aapcc.org/track/hand-sanitizer

04/24/2020

Vacation and Legal Holidays Germany, France and United States

04/21/2020

What is it in a Logo?
Land O'Lakes drops controversial Native American logo from butter products
The Native American princess known as Mia has been a fixture on Land O’Lakes products for nearly 100 years.
Grocery shoppers may have recently noticed something — or someone — missing from the dairy aisle.
Mia, the Native American woman, whose cartoon image has been a fixture on Land O’Lakes products for nearly 100 years is gradually disappearing from the brand's packaging as the company rolls out a new logo on containers of butter, cheeses, heavy creams and more
Read more
https://www.today.com/food/land-o-lakes-drops-controversial-native-american-logo-butter-products-t179154

04/17/2020

AP PHOTOS: Spain's race against the virus in photographs
Spain was expecting a bright, hopeful spring of blossoms, soccer games and music festivals. The eastern city of Valencia planned to burn huge satirical sculptures for its annual Fallas celebration. As days stretched longer, cafés and bars served the first outdoor vermouth of the season.

After years of sacrifices and austerity, the country had turned a page on the worst of the past decade’s economic crisis. Even politically, there was certain room for optimism after four general elections in as many years. Some normalcy had settled on the rumbling conflict over Catalan separatism, and a new governing coalition was taking its hesitant first steps, hoping to last longer than its short-lived predecessors.

MADRID (AP) — Spain was expecting a bright, hopeful spring of blossoms, soccer games and music festivals. The eastern city of Valencia planned to burn huge satirical sculptures for its annual...

04/17/2020

Brazil’s Bolsonaro takes risk with new minister for pandemic
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro made it clear on Friday that he wants his new health minister to help protect the country’s economy as the government seeks to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

Nelson Teich, an oncologist, was sworn in as health minister after his predecessor, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, was fired by Bolsonaro, who has downplayed the threat of the COVID-19 disease. Mandetta had garnered support for his handling of the pandemic, which included the promotion of broad isolation measures enacted by state governors.

“This fight to start reopening for business is a risk that I run,” Bolsonaro said during a ceremony in the presidential palace in Brasilia. If the pandemic escalates, he said, “it lands on my lap. But many people are aware that we need to open.”

Bolsonaro said Teich’s task is hard to accomplish.

“Put my and Mandetta’s positions next to each another, then split the difference. Then you will reach what interests all of us,” Bolsonaro said.

Mandetta’s measures had drawn the ire of Bolsonaro, who has said temporarily shutting down the economy would be devastating. He has also repeatedly described the virus as a “little flu,” and touted the yet-unproven efficacy of an anti-malarial drug.
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RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil’s new health minister was sworn into office on Friday, after pledging to work not only to save lives from the new coronavirus, but also to spare the economy....

04/15/2020

Do you know what is novel law?
Novel Legal Challenges From the New Coronavirus: Force Majeure
The unfolding situation is implicating previously seldom-used contractual excuses in a variety of commercial contexts. This article explores potential frameworks for navigating contractual challenges in light of potential future litigation
The business community is faced with unforeseen litigation risk, in addition to the other challenges it faces from the coronavirus pandemic. Among other issues, the crisis is compromising the ability of parties to perform contracts. The unfolding situation is implicating previously seldom-used contractual excuses in a variety of commercial contexts. This article explores potential frameworks for navigating contractual challenges in light of potential future litigation.
read more
https://www.law.com/newyorklawjournal...

https://youtu.be/ewxoJrTgtWY

Novel Legal Challenges From the New Coronavirus: Force Majeure The unfolding situation is implicating previously seldom-used contractual excuses in a variety...

04/14/2020

Can my PPP loan be forgiven in whole or in part?
After the Small Business Administration (SBA) applications under the CARES Act for the Paycheck Protection Program are now possible and many banks have opened their portals and applications are pouring in, the next question is: can the loan be forgiven?

The quick answer is: Yes. We suggest that you open a new bank account, put all the loan in there and use it for allowed purposed. This makes tracking much easier.

The amount of loan forgiveness can be up to the full principal amount of the loan and any accrued interest. That is, the borrower will not be responsible for any loan payment if the borrower uses all of the loan proceeds for forgiveable purposes described below and employee and compensation levels levels are maintained. The actual amount of loan forgiveness will depend, in part, on the total amount of payroll costs, payments of interest on mortgage obligations incurred before February 15, 2020, rent payments on leases dated before February 15, 2020, and utility payments under service agreements dated before February 15, 2020, over the eight-week period following the date of the loan.

However, not more than 25 percent of the loan forgiveness amount may be attributable to non- payroll costs. While the Act provides that borrowers are eligible for forgiveness in an amount equal to the sum of payroll costs and any payments of mortgage interest, rent, and utilities, the Administrator has determined that the non-payroll portion of the forgivable loan amount should be limited to effectuate the core purpose of the statute and ensure finite program resources are devoted primarily to payroll.

Read more
https://bridgehouse.law/can-my-ppp-loan-be-forgiven-in-whole-or-in-part

04/09/2020

OPEC and Russia reach a deal to temporarily trim oil output.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other countries including Russia reached an agreement on Thursday to temporarily cut large volumes of production, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

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Live updates on stock market and business news during the coronavirus outbreak.

04/08/2020

Coronavirus unemployment guide: What to do if you get laid off or furloughed

The novel coronavirus has leveled the American economy and has businesses of all sizes tightening their belts. Much of that pain is getting passed on to workers as businesses are forced to close because of public health orders or cut costs through layoffs and furloughs. Here’s everything you need to know if you’ve lost your job or been furloughed because of the spread of covid-19.

How many people are getting laid off and furloughed?
More than 10 million Americans applied for jobless benefits in March, though experts say the real number of unemployed is higher because many people haven’t been able to apply for assistance in their states. Phone lines have been so busy that many people have not been able to get through. And self-employed and gig workers, such as barbers and hairstylists, were not eligible to apply until the end of March, when the federal $2.2 trillion relief package kicked in.

Read more

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/03/unemployed-coronavirus-faq/?arc404=true

04/07/2020

Future of Society?
Coronavirus outbreak
Coronavirus The global war against Covid-19 is a pivotal moment. Our lives have changed – and now we really are all in it together shows the folly of stripping state and society to the bone
ost of us have experienced nothing like this before. It is strange, forbidding and dislocating to a degree probably only experienced by those alive in the early 1940s. Events will get worse then hopefully better, but things will not go back to how they were. Nor should they.

Overload in a time of coronavirus

The first priority of the crisis is of course public safety, especially for the groups most at risk from catching the virus. But there are public policy issues and different futures that might arise as the crisis unfolds. Covid-19 doesn’t exist in a political vacuum.
The overriding narrative around the crisis can go one of two ways. It can become a story of personal, social and national isolation, of stockpiling and looking after number one, spiraling into something more sinister. Blame and the politics of ethno-nationalism and authoritarian populism could be boosted.
Read more
https://www.theguardian.com/commentis...

https://youtu.be/rMIJAYm8V8Y

Coronavirus outbreak Coronavirus The global war against Covid-19 is a pivotal moment. Our lives have changed – and now we really are all in it together shows...