Juliette Binoche and E-Books

Dealmaking in the Middle East

It is common in the Middle East for a party to enter into a transaction only to find strangers claiming commissions when the transaction is to close. What are the legal ramifications?

Here’s the scenario: Buyer contracts with Seller for a product. Seller doesn’t have the product, and eventually admits this to A, saying the product is difficult to find. Seller promises to source the product. Eventually, the product is found. Buyer is surprised because the contracts now mention a Stranger (“C”), who is from a third country (often Lebanon) who seems to have no relationship to the transaction: the Stranger does not have the product to sell.

What is the legal status of the Stranger? What are A’s obligations to him?

Making introductions and acting as a buyer or seller’s representative constitutes valid consideration for a contract requiring payment for services, whether on a percentage or flat fee basis. In other words, there is nothing wrong with the payment of a commission. The problem is when you throw in names of individuals without specifying their roles in the transaction. Then, without a reference to consideration, a trier of fact could reach the conclusion that the contract was a contract for a gift, which is not a legally binding contract.

This happens when someone decides to add names to a transaction to thank someone for whatever reason where that person has no real involvement in the transaction.

If you have a contract that says,

“Buyer will pay a commission to Seller for brokerage services”

that is completely acceptable. But there clearly is no consideration for anything paid to the Stranger.

There may be a relationship between the Seller and the Stranger. The Stranger may be a subcontractor of the Buyer. But that is not the Buyer’s problem or responsibility. If the Seller promised to pay the Stranger for services, let him pay out of his own pocket.

Given the above scenario, someone could later come in and say, “the Stranger is only the Seller’s friend, there’s no entitlement to a commission, so it cannot be paid.”

This is why for the document to be legally binding the roles need to be spelled out. Identifying a party as “integral to the deal” is a good way to analyze the party’s role. If a person has no role which is “integral to the deal” that person is a bystander looking for a gift. Contract law does not require a buyer to compensate bystanders.

Looking Back at the Roger Stone Arrest

I still believe that the (televised) Roger Stone arrest was the result of a deliberate leak by the FBI to CNN.

“everybody knew something was going to happen…”

Secret grand jury proceedings. Indictment sealed. Without a tip-off, there was no reason to send anyone to Broward county. Stone could have been anywhere. The question is, why not simply request that he show up in D.C. as he had so many times in the past? Why the need for the Florida sideshow? Short answer: there was no need; it was done for publicity.

What’s the best way to get publicity? Tip off the press. Which is what happened. Do you think that CNN was the only news agency covering the Mueller investigation? But they were the only one to show up in Broward. So you’re saying every other media organization was asleep at the switch? But that somehow CNN deduced from people walking around in the courthouse carrying pieces of paper that an arrest in Broward was imminent? Or is it simply more likely that someone on Mueller’s team or the FBI leaked the return of the indictment to a single CNN reporter?

It’s important to look back at these events, lest they repeat in the future.

There is no "Kavanaugh Rule"

Lawrence Ferling

Lawrence Ferling is the birth name of the poet you may know as Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

Trump-Biden Debate Analysis

Congratulations, America; you got your spectacle.

The problem is media coverage: treat the (unnecessary) event like a key sporting event and idiots will opine as to who “won” or “lost.” The event–because nothing was debated–was merely more reality TV, with Chris Wallace pushing for drama (“Can you renounce Satan? Right now?”). No Donna Brazile even bothered to leak the questions because they no longer matter. It’s a race to the bottom; if the Biden campaign were smart they would have said no to the event. Can anyone really claim they learned 𝘼𝙉𝙔𝙏𝙃𝙞𝙉𝙂 during this event? These events are useless and add nothing.

Jesus was Illiterate

Jesus was illiterate.

Against All Odds

Unrestrained Greed

Lil Tay was a nine year-old Internet sensation who used foul language while flexing (that is, flaunting her wealth) on Youtube until she reached more than a million followers. Her father pulled the plug because he believed that a child should not engage in such behavior.

Lil Tay’s success showed that a million people approved of her unrestrained greed. They had no problem mocking those who disapproved. Better to be sad in a chauffeur-driven luxury car than happy on a bicycle is one modern Chinese saying. The bicycle rider doesn’t know where his next meal is coming from; the automobile passenger is unconcerned.

Here's a Preview of the 2020 Vote

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bush_v._Gore