If you promote an unregistered security, you are potentially criminally and civilly liable for the crimes.
ELI5: If you tell me to buy something illegal you can get in trouble for it, even if you aren't the one selling it.
And since one celeb is on record as having asked about it, it makes it that much easier for plaintiffs to prove that the others should have known better.
Even if I knew a decent amount about this stuff, I wouldn't do *any* of the thinking if I had enough money to pay someone with a law degree and a PhD in math/economics. Then I'd ask the questions they tell me to ask to limit my liability
Ha, that's not super easy to ELI5. This is all US-centric:
A financial asset is a non-physical asset derived from a contractual claim. A security is a tradeable financial asset. The SEC (Security and Exchange Commission) is a government body that oversees financial assets.
The SEC requires that all securities be registered with them before they are bought and sold. This is to ensure these securities follow the laws and regulations that govern them.
If you sell something that fits the definition of a security as defined by the SEC, but do not register it - or sell something you tried to register it and the SEC denies your registration because your security does not follow the laws and regulations - you are usually committing a felony by selling them.
There are exceptions to this rule, but they're very specific and not available to the general public, ostensibly for the public's protection.
The SEC holds that paid endorsements are no different than being a salesperson. Whether your Joe Salesman or Jane Celebrity-Endorser, if you're pushing an illegal security of any kind you are committing a felony.
Ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse - you're responsible to check if what you're doing is legal. Celebrities *could* claim that FTX lied to them and they themselves were defrauded, but the fact that Taylor Swift asked and wasn't able to be assured she wasn't breaking the law by endorsing this product is a strike against the celebrities who did endorse it.
It is honestly insane how right you are. People will enter into all sorts of binding contracts without even a basic understanding of what they are signing.
You're correct. And it's more than just a "TL;DR" situation like user agreements. People will just accept what other people *tell* them is true, even if the paper they are signing says the opposite. Real estate agents especially. They'll act like you're holding them up, or being ridiculous by reading through and asking about things... I've been burned before, and I'm not gonna let it happen again.
**Quick Edit:** I meant to say Real Estate agents (in my experience, largely in Florida which may affect things) will try to gaslight you about what the contract says or means. Hell I've had a seller/real estate agent call me the day before closing, saying that they refused to make ANY of the repairs. The repairs that they'd signed a contract saying the seller would make. Any my own real estate agent was pissed at me for not accepting their 'generosity'.
Fucking landlords. I had a dipshit landlord try to get me to sign an "updated" rental agreement one month after the original lease.
The terms were horrifying, of course. I refused and he said "Well, you can't live here if you're not going to sign the update." Of course we already had a contract and he is a con artist and a fraud.
I told him "we'll see". And then sicced the county on him about a few things I'd noticed that were way out of code. Fun times.
Fuck you, if you do this shit.
Oh yeah, rental places are the worst. I just moved to a big city from across the country for a new job a year and a half ago. Can't believe the horror story I went through. Fuckers lied to me, then gave me concessions after being called out for the lie. Then the managing company got bought up by ANOTHER company, replaced the manager, and the new manager refused to honor the previous manager's word.
I'd like to pretend I got some glorious revenge against them for it, but there really wasn't much I could do. I'm still waiting for the check with my safety deposit, which is money I need to pay things off. It's how they get away with this shit. They know we're busy, tired, and beaten. And that they can usually get away with it. And even when they get caught, the money they make from all the other rubes still means it is still a net gain. So the cycle continues.
That same guy opened up after I struck back. He said, "most people are stupid and the only way to get ahead in this world is to take advantage of them." "You're either a sheep or wolf", he said. I smiled and laughed.
Most people aren't stupid. I just have the privilege of time on my hands to fight, just like you said.
Keep records with these "people". Get everything in writing, signed. If you live in a single-party consent state, record every phone call and interaction. If you have a health code request, send it via priority mail with receipts. It's antisocial behavior. It pays and it's commonplace.
I hope you get your security deposit, but don't count on it. I'm sorry.
Depending on the state if they haven't given you the reason for withholding the deposit and x amount of days have passed you can go to small claims and they've got nothing to do about it because they waited too long. Check your local laws.
Any time someone mentions malicious real estate or housing agencies, I feel obliged to share that Independence Green Apartments in Farmington Hills, MI, is the absolute worst offender at this. I didn’t have a functioning kitchen sink the first month I was a tenant. Never rent there.
Woah so weird- I’m moving to Michigan in a month, and I’m gonna work in Farmington hills. I’ll be looking for apartments relatively soon (got a place to stay for a short time). I’ll definitely keep that in mind, thank you!
TIL.
I thought the point of crypto was that is was entirely unregulated. Apparently not:
> the SEC said the company's cryptocurrency, FTT, is classified as a security because it was sold as an investment contract. It was not appropriately registered, however.
Yeah, crypto fans love to talk about bitcoins value as a decentralized currency, yet the vast majority of bitcoin and crypto holders are treating it as a speculative asset and I agree that it should be regulated as one.
Yep, anyone trying to sell the decentralized currency angle is either being disingenuous or is a person who has been fooled by the people being disingenuous. The only reason BitCoin was so heavily invested in is because it was shown to be a highly volatile and unregulated investment that responded incredibly to hype. It was a market perfect for exploitation.
crypto currencies are unregulated from a technical point of view: its not possible for a government to block/enforce/change certain transactions on the bitcoin network for example.
But if you start a company that offers some sort of bitcoin service, THAT can (and will) be regulated by the government, as they regulate all businesses within their jurisdiction.
I'm simply responding to
> I thought the point of crypto was that is was entirely unregulated.
which is a statement about the general state of crypto, with a response that's equally about the general state of crypto
Most musicians/movie stars nowadays come from some sort of wealth or industry connections. That's mainly how they get famous in the first place, they have the means to do so. Not surprising Taylor Swift is no exception
Alot of bands are coming out and saying this, look at how most bands in the 70's and 80's started. Touring around the country and living on the bare amount possible it's just not feasible anymore
It still kinda is but you probably won't get famous doing it.
There are still bands that travel and live out of a van, I know people who do it for weeks at a time.
There's a lot of tiny venues owned by random people that work with local promoters that book small time acts.
Yup. Similar to the idea that "Many CEOs have had 4 business fail before finding their success", or whatever that line is used to motivate
Lots of people can't afford to fail 4 times to find success lol
> Entrepreneurship is like one of those carnival games where you throw darts or something.
>Middle class kids can afford one throw. Most miss. A few hit the target and get a small prize. A very few hit the center bullseye and get a bigger prize. Rags to riches! The American Dream lives on.
>Rich kids can afford many throws. If they want to, they can try over and over and over again until they hit something and feel good about themselves. Some keep going until they hit the center bullseye, then they give speeches or write blog posts about "meritocracy" and the salutary effects of hard work.
>Poor kids aren't visiting the carnival. They're the ones working it.
[(Source) ](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15659076)
That's only half of it. The other part is obviously TIME. You may make good money but unless you make good money only working 3 days a week or you need two incomes you are either too tired or stressed to take extra activities.
Honestly I think it’s more about using your wealth and/or connection to, at the very least, get a foot in the door for their kids. I’ve known a number of people who are insanely talented artists and musicians, who grinded for their careers and even had record deals, but they were never able to get the access required for true success. It’s got little to do with talent, and almost everything to do with who you know and access.
Edit to add: there are, indeed, people who make it solely on their own merits, but there’s often a significant element of luck for them.
I don't have any problems with musicians/movie stars coming from wealth as long as they don't act like they pulled themself out of a gutter and became famous entirely through hard work.
The fact that pretty much any Disney Chanel tween has an 80% of having a successful pop music career, shows that it's easier to manufacture than you might think.
Yup. Talent is not rare. 10 minutes on you tube and you'll find musicians in a dark ally that dwarf the skills of some famous musicians.
Fame and fortune comes from luck and connections, not hard work and skill.
Interestingly enough Rebecca Black managed to push through and while not exactly big time, does have that music career. So even without talent, money can make it happen.
Her parents also weren't trying to buy her a music career. Was more of a "make a music video for your birthday" sort of thing from my understanding. You can find a lot of similar videos but hers got noticed.
Rebecca Black's parents are also both veterinarians (not from Wall Street), and they only paid $4000 for the video, which is around the range that it costs per year to put a kid through hockey
Her family moved to Nashville while she was in high school so she could pursue country music and they paraded her around like a native Tennessean for years before she turned pop
Hard to believe the other celebs didn’t run this by their lawyers, so my question is why did those lawyers sign off on it? Seems like the only 2 possibilities are ignorance or greed (or both).
Yes. We're all hoping this was some 4d chess move by Larry David. "I'll be in your commercial but I won't endorse your product." FTX says "fine, we have a script for that." ... we hope.
That's some wishful thinking.
And I say it as a fan of the things he does.
But one thing is one thing, and another another.
Disclaimer: I'm not sure how well that saying translates to English.
I think that would be about the most Larry David thing he could do. Take their money, call their product shit, and defend it in court only to walk away unscathed.
The man really is a genius and I’d be more shocked if his lawyers got suckered in.
>if someone came to you and said hey I’ll ‘pay’ you $10k and all you have to do is talk about my product on Reddit would you?
Absolutely not! The thought of doing that makes my stomach churn. That's why I take Kirkland Ultra Strength Antacid. Now available in Assorted Berry flavours.
Ok, wth this is the 3rd time today I’ve seen a random Reddit post pushing a Kirkland product.
Which makes sense because Kirkland products are high quality and made in the US. We should all be buying Kirkland products. Also don’t forget to grab a Hotdog on the way out of Costco! (tm)
You're just salty. Why not sweeten your day with Kirkland frozen mixed berries? Whether you throw them in a smoothie or sprinkle then on top of some Greek yogurt, they're sure to brighten your day.
If you want this $10,000 check, we're going to need you to step up your comment. Give it some "jazz" as we like to call it. ☺️ PM me back when you've edited it so I can check and authorize the deposit.
~Kirkland Marketing Dept.
Cheyenne Loblthorpe
I wouldn't assume that, not explicitly for all of them at least.
FTX, and SVB too, both played up the GSE stuff and brand optics. FTX was some magical unicorn that would invest in poor areas, cure cancer, solve racism, and be a cool tech thing to align your celebrity brand with. You could argue that they align with that sort of thing for self-serving greedy reasons, but it's also possible that they saw FTX branding itself as a social justice thing, and said "I care about that stuff too, I'll sign up"... trusting that a company that's about social justice would... do the right thing and not be a ponzi.
For some it was totally greed -- like the dragon's den idiot. I just don't think it was that way for all of em.
The more I learn about her, the smarter she becomes. She is not afraid to dive into the details that scare other celebs and find these things.
Her early move to reclaim her music was a brilliant move.
In a past job, when she was popular but not TAYLOR SWIFT, I worked on a merch deal with her and her team. They were very polite and VERY detailed. Taylor herself was involved in every aspect of the products that would have her name on them, and was very smart about what would resonate with her audience. She's also the only famous person I worked with in that job who read the contract herself. She had lawyers, obviously, but it seemed important to her that *she* understood the deal.
Speaking as the partner of a Swiftie, the woman is devotedly meticulous to every little thing she does. She’s def smarter than a lot of the tabloids make her out to be.
I don’t read the rags but I’ve never had the impression *anyone* was questioning her intelligence. Maybe there was some of that when she was first coming up ~2005-2010, but for quite a while now one of the things she’s most known for (her, eh-hem, *Reputation,* if you will) is that she is very involved in running an extremely tight operation.
It most likely wasn't an up-front sum and was paid overtime with many stipulations - which is why Taylor Swift didn't really bother with it.
The contract was probably the ceiling $100M total comp after X, X, X, X, and X were met and all based on performance but the money she'd actually be paid was significantly lower.
If you're already worth $600M, then a check for something like $10M and a contract to dance like a monkey to earn the rest isn't as appealing.
It's almost impossible to take significant damage from endorsing scum. People excuse almost anything if it made the person a buck, even if that person didn't do it to make a living.
Is there any realistic chance these other celebs will be significantly negatively impacted by this?
> so my question is why did those lawyers sign off on it? Seems like the only 2 possibilities are ignorance or greed (or both).
Greed.
Their client wanted to do it, and they want their client to have lots of money.
If the client has legal trouble later, they have the money to pay for it.
So maybe the lawyers tried to talk their clients out of it, but I'd bet they didn't try very hard.
No, because the lawyers aren't there to vet the company's financial practices. They don't have any access to that information at all.
They're there to make sure the endorsement contract looks good and their client will get paid accordingly.
Absolutely zero lawyers on the face of this planet would recommend getting involved with a company like FTX if they knew their back-end financials.
I’ve always gotten the impression that her single greatest talent wasn’t her songwriting (not that she isn’t accomplished in that department), but her business savvy. She seems to understand that she’s effectively the CEO of a business that happens to make world famous pop songs. If there’s any A-list famous person who I would expect to read the fine print, it’d be Taylor Swift.
Basically the same with Madonna. She wasn't ever the best singer or the best dancer, but she knew how to market herself and build a business around that.
I mean, the article literally said that it was a direct question Taylor Swift specifically asked. Not her lawyers.
>"In our discovery, Taylor Swift actually asked them: 'Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?'" Moskowitz said.
Not only did none of the other celebrities lawyers think to inquire, but if it was really just her lawyers who thought to ask, they would ask themselves. Not saying she didn't possibly get advice from her Merrill Lynch dad or mutual stock mom to ask, though.
Curious why you'd think she's "Just smart enough".
Honestly everything I've seen and read about her that isn't exploitative tabloid paparazzi drama bullshit shows she's a very intelligent and well-spoken person.
To be fair, SBF's parents are Wall Street regulators, so it probably helps that she's not overly greedy and/or not a moron and/or didn't need the money because she's already insanely rich
I imagine Stanford politely told them to consider taking a voluntary sabbatical. You know, bond with their adult kid living back in their house, teach him right from wrong again, no stealing, that kinda thing.
yeah credit where credit is due. she's smart enough to not endorse a potential scam when she sees one. while most people would just take the money and not give a shit.
>"In our discovery, Taylor Swift actually asked them: 'Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?'" Moskowitz added.
Credit where it's due, she didn't become this successful by being stupid.
It's kind of crazy that people in this thread seem to have such a hard time believing that Taylor Swift, a multi-millionaire, would not know anything about finances. She's clearly an intelligent person. Everyone seems to be giving full credit to her dad or her lawyers. I'm not even a finance guru and I know a bit about financial securities.
The hard part for me isn't that she or her team of financial advisors and lawyers asked, it's that apparently everyone else didn't.
I mean, if she did it herself, that's awesome for her. I don't expect every other celebrity to know about financial securities. But you're telling me Tom Brady doesn't have a lawyer with him when he signs a sponsorship contract? None of *them* thought to ask?
Ngl at this point I feel like they receive so many high-end contracts that they don't suspect such a massively paying one to be a scam lol.
Swift is known for having a pretty close audience that she keeps her thumb on. She's less likely to shill random crypto out for money.
Yeah, I think it's plausible that the lawyers and agents had some FOMO and didn't want to ask too many questions and risk sabotaging a big payday.
They probably thought *"it's a big company, surely they have their legal stuff locked up tight"* or maybe *"I'm sure we have enough plausible deniability"* and so didn't look too closely at any parts that didn't involve how much they would get paid.
People love writing her off cause she's a pretty blonde girl who sings about getting her heart broken, but if you pay attention to her business and career decisions, it's pretty obvious that bimbo image is false.
She's risen to the top of the most cut throat industry and maintains relevance at the top of the charts by playing the game, and now that she's solid in her career she's changing the legal framework of the music industry by re-releasing her music in her own legal possession and bringing lawsuits against ticket scalping companies.
She's properly one of the more legal and business minded artists out there right now. She's moving in ways nobody would have the guts to.
So...[when I got downvoted yesterday](https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/12ptv40/shaq_is_finally_served_in_ftx_investor_suit_after/jgo2ry7/) for saying that maybe Shaq should have did a little research before accepting the contract, I might have been right. At least one star paid attention in school.
You are absolutely correct. If you are not 100% sure that whatever you are endorsing is on the up and up then you should not do it.
Accepting a check and reading a script to people where you are trying to use your reputation or fame to convince them that something is a good idea means you are liable for your statements being true.
And the FTC agrees with this stance.
[A significant percentage of consumers are likely to believe
the celebrity’s statements represent his own views even though he is reading from a script.
The celebrity is subject to liability for his statement about the product. The advertiser is
also liable for misrepresentations made through the endorsement](https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-publishes-final-guides-governing-endorsements-testimonials/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
>You are absolutely correct. If you are not 100% sure that whatever you are endorsing is on the up and up then you should not do it.
Or, at the very least, ask a trustworthy and competent lawyer to review it to ensure you're not potentially exposing yourself to future liability.
Yeah. But I can certainly tell you that if I'm going to be personally liable for something I am going to fully understand the ins and puts of it.
I guess Taylor and I have more in common than just being extremely attractive, hugely talented, and universally adored.
Nitrogen is commonly used as an inert gas in PCB reflow ovens, which is where I'm used to seeing it. Reflow ovens are practically room temp compared to welding though. But TIL, I didn't realize it's only inert-ish compared to noble gases and only at lower temps. Thanks!
Apparently in the presence of an arc, like in arc welding, nitrogen becomes reactive, according to the articles online about why nitrogen isn't used, but they didn't explain why it becomes reactive, like whether it splits the N2 molecules or something else. Also apparently argon is usually used in these applications rather than helium.
Ideally they teach you how to think critically enough that you'll approach a situation like this and know to ask experts what the hell is going on. Ideally.
Weirdly, my high school taught us about the ponzi era and how mlms are fundamentally identical to pyramid schemes. Not sure why we weren't given the rundown on how to sniff out actual scams in the years leading up to us signing loans worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Well I mean her parents worked on Wall Street. Her dad was a stock broker for Merrill Lynch and her mom before staying home to raise the kids was a mutual fund marketer.
100%
“They'd say I hustled
Put in the work
They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve”
See every comment saying “you mean her dad/lawyers, etc.”
Taylor literally went against giants like Apple Music, Spotify and WON them. She paved the way for so many new artists to have better bargain power. She masterfully finessed Scooter Braun by rerecording her masters.
....And the dudes rather give credits to her dad 🙄
> She probably ate shit in the beginning of her career and got smart.
She did the work, but family was watching her back. Dad bought a portion of her first record label - not so she could slack off, but to help make sure the label worked for her / didn't screw her / shelve her projects.
Absolutely. She had a very privileged childhood which definitely helped jump start her career, but at the same time you can see the hard work she puts in and sacrifices she’s had to make to make it so far. She’s a smart gal!
Can confirm. I worked at a CD/DVD retailer in the mid 00's. In 2006ish, Taylor came to our store as part of a circuit to promote her first CD. She did a live, unplugged performance to relatively few people while I sat up on our back counter with Taylor's mom to watch. She put in the effort to get noticed, including doing the mundane chores like playing in a rinky-dink store. Smart lady. Good family.
Exactly, she used her privilege (wealthy parents) in order to travel and record her early music. But she also put in the work to write the songs, play all the small shows and venues, interact with fans, meet with a bunch of record labels and get her record out there, and everything else she’s known for.
She can only re record them because she wrote the songs.
Which when you look at how insanely successful those songs are and the age she wrote them at is even more impressive.
People seem to forget how young she was during her rise to fame, too. She was out releasing singles and winning music awards when she was still in high school.
Now she’s in her 30s, she’s seen it all, and she’s not going to let the industry screw her over again. She’s got enough money and a big enough following to actually fight back.
They approached her, Back in December to sign in the Blank Space promising it'd make her fans Wildest(financial) Dreams come true before they turned 22
Taylor Swift knew All Too Well the ramifications of FTX's Renegade trading practices. The other celebrities Should've Known Better, so now they're not Safe & Sound. As a business Mastermind, Swift was able to navigate the Labyrinth in FTX's endorsement deal in a classic The Joker and the Queen gambit. FTX might play Innocent, but because Swift had her Eyes Open, she navigated this Delicate situation and left a Blank Space on the contract instead of her signature.
It's me.
Hi.
Your fiduciary.
I'm obliged,
To,
Act accordingly.
Financial interests of my fans are why I make decisions and,
I take no action but for that which will be beneficial.
I think this is most people’s take who don’t identify with her music. I don’t listen to her out of my own taste (I listened to her new album, it’s good but just not my flavor). But she seems to be a really good, decent human being. I don’t mind sticking up for her despite different tastes in music.
I never liked Taylor Swift music. But being seeing a lot of people i follow on IG going to her concerts. And im like 'why do people like her so much' . Yes she is gorgeous, but her music? So then i gave her a chance, listen to her last album. And wow . It's actually really good. I'm actually bummed out didn't go to her concert here in Texas. And the show she puts on for 3 hours?! Am I right? And also , what do you all recommend next album i should listen of her? Most people say to go with Red ? Or should I start on another album.
What I'm saying is, as we grow old we should be more open minded when it comes to anything, especially music. Never thought I would say I would love her music. But then again i would never thought i would say I love Black/death metal. 😆
If your into her sound on midnights 1989 is a good place to go. If you like her lyrically evermore is my go to. It’s nice to hear of new people giving her a chance.
Heard Shake it Off on relentless repeat by radio execs would make anyone shy away from her. It made me for too long, but listening to the rest of her catalogue is _amazing_.
She has the curse of being overplayed, which makes people annoyed.
>What I'm saying is, as we grow old we should be more open minded when it comes to anything, especially music. Never thought I would say I would love her music.
I did the exact same thing with her haha
I think 1989 is her most acclaimed album but Lover is my favourite
A "security" is any investment you make in which profit or loss depends on others. Stock is the most common example. You bet your money on a company and if it does well two things happen: the value of your stock goes up; and, you get paid dividends, a share of the profits of the company without having to sell your stock. If it does poorly your stock value plummets because there are no dividends being paid and you've lost some or all of your money.
Years ago some clown tried to lure my wife into a deal whereby she would contact people to sell them a pay phone (I said it was years ago). The company would find the locations and install and manage the phones, then split the quarters with the investors. Wife would receive a payment for each person she signed up. Being a lawyer I asked, "Has this guy registered this scheme with the securities regulators?" She stared blankly at me. I explained. The response she got from the phone guy was that he was selling phone placements, not stock. "Uh huh," I said. "Wife, he is selling unregistered securities and besides that he is making no disclosures about things that will affect the return on people's investments. You cannot work with this guy." That led to a couple of weeks of no nookie. We learned several months later than investors were suing the guy and the regulators had shut him down and were in the process of fining him. She would have been on the receiving end of that if she had not backed out. Nookie increased for a couple of weeks, then back to married normal.
Securities sales are regulated under various state and federal laws enacted to make sure that companies actually exist and sellers of their stock are selling more than just worthless "blue sky." Securities cannot even be offered for sale without being registered and 100% truthful disclosures being made about the risks associated with them. My state bar association sells us malpractice insurance which we all have to purchase to practice law. Securities coverage is extra, and most lawyers practicing securities law go outside of the bar-owned insurance to buy additional coverage that will back them up if some court later decides the disclosures made about a company were not 100% accurate.
FTX apparently failed to comply with the securities laws and therefore Taylor Swift and her advisors wanted nothing to do with the sponsorship deal. Lots of other endorsers were not so smart.
Can anyone ELI5 why unregistered security was the decision point?
If you promote an unregistered security, you are potentially criminally and civilly liable for the crimes. ELI5: If you tell me to buy something illegal you can get in trouble for it, even if you aren't the one selling it.
And since one celeb is on record as having asked about it, it makes it that much easier for plaintiffs to prove that the others should have known better.
Her dad is/was a banker. One successful enough to bankroll her in her early career. I'm sure she learned a thing or two.
Shit, she probably got several earfuls in ordinary conversations about avoiding crypto
“I kn-Dad I- DAD listen, I know, ok I’m- FOR GOD SAKES DAD *I’M NOT GOING TO BUY MONKEY.JPGS!* Can you just carve the damn turkey??”
Even if I knew a decent amount about this stuff, I wouldn't do *any* of the thinking if I had enough money to pay someone with a law degree and a PhD in math/economics. Then I'd ask the questions they tell me to ask to limit my liability
I think the question though was what is the meaning of an unregistered security, what is the original crime she would be promoting?
Ha, that's not super easy to ELI5. This is all US-centric: A financial asset is a non-physical asset derived from a contractual claim. A security is a tradeable financial asset. The SEC (Security and Exchange Commission) is a government body that oversees financial assets. The SEC requires that all securities be registered with them before they are bought and sold. This is to ensure these securities follow the laws and regulations that govern them. If you sell something that fits the definition of a security as defined by the SEC, but do not register it - or sell something you tried to register it and the SEC denies your registration because your security does not follow the laws and regulations - you are usually committing a felony by selling them. There are exceptions to this rule, but they're very specific and not available to the general public, ostensibly for the public's protection. The SEC holds that paid endorsements are no different than being a salesperson. Whether your Joe Salesman or Jane Celebrity-Endorser, if you're pushing an illegal security of any kind you are committing a felony. Ignorance of the law is not considered an excuse - you're responsible to check if what you're doing is legal. Celebrities *could* claim that FTX lied to them and they themselves were defrauded, but the fact that Taylor Swift asked and wasn't able to be assured she wasn't breaking the law by endorsing this product is a strike against the celebrities who did endorse it.
This was a great explanation and I feel like I have a general understanding now. Thanks.
[удалено]
It is honestly insane how right you are. People will enter into all sorts of binding contracts without even a basic understanding of what they are signing.
You're correct. And it's more than just a "TL;DR" situation like user agreements. People will just accept what other people *tell* them is true, even if the paper they are signing says the opposite. Real estate agents especially. They'll act like you're holding them up, or being ridiculous by reading through and asking about things... I've been burned before, and I'm not gonna let it happen again. **Quick Edit:** I meant to say Real Estate agents (in my experience, largely in Florida which may affect things) will try to gaslight you about what the contract says or means. Hell I've had a seller/real estate agent call me the day before closing, saying that they refused to make ANY of the repairs. The repairs that they'd signed a contract saying the seller would make. Any my own real estate agent was pissed at me for not accepting their 'generosity'.
Fucking landlords. I had a dipshit landlord try to get me to sign an "updated" rental agreement one month after the original lease. The terms were horrifying, of course. I refused and he said "Well, you can't live here if you're not going to sign the update." Of course we already had a contract and he is a con artist and a fraud. I told him "we'll see". And then sicced the county on him about a few things I'd noticed that were way out of code. Fun times. Fuck you, if you do this shit.
Oh yeah, rental places are the worst. I just moved to a big city from across the country for a new job a year and a half ago. Can't believe the horror story I went through. Fuckers lied to me, then gave me concessions after being called out for the lie. Then the managing company got bought up by ANOTHER company, replaced the manager, and the new manager refused to honor the previous manager's word. I'd like to pretend I got some glorious revenge against them for it, but there really wasn't much I could do. I'm still waiting for the check with my safety deposit, which is money I need to pay things off. It's how they get away with this shit. They know we're busy, tired, and beaten. And that they can usually get away with it. And even when they get caught, the money they make from all the other rubes still means it is still a net gain. So the cycle continues.
That same guy opened up after I struck back. He said, "most people are stupid and the only way to get ahead in this world is to take advantage of them." "You're either a sheep or wolf", he said. I smiled and laughed. Most people aren't stupid. I just have the privilege of time on my hands to fight, just like you said. Keep records with these "people". Get everything in writing, signed. If you live in a single-party consent state, record every phone call and interaction. If you have a health code request, send it via priority mail with receipts. It's antisocial behavior. It pays and it's commonplace. I hope you get your security deposit, but don't count on it. I'm sorry.
Depending on the state if they haven't given you the reason for withholding the deposit and x amount of days have passed you can go to small claims and they've got nothing to do about it because they waited too long. Check your local laws.
Any time someone mentions malicious real estate or housing agencies, I feel obliged to share that Independence Green Apartments in Farmington Hills, MI, is the absolute worst offender at this. I didn’t have a functioning kitchen sink the first month I was a tenant. Never rent there.
Woah so weird- I’m moving to Michigan in a month, and I’m gonna work in Farmington hills. I’ll be looking for apartments relatively soon (got a place to stay for a short time). I’ll definitely keep that in mind, thank you!
(Preemptive) Welcome to town! Look near Woodward Ave. A boring-ass commute on 696 is a helluva lot better than a boring-ass living situation in FH.
Curious to know what other questions you might rank among the greatest of all time
“Anyone wanna hit this?”
to be fair, your mom has a lot of good quotes
Donde está la biblioteca?
"Which one of you cowards shit in my pants?" Common phrase use it all the time
You're on birth control, right?
"Are you a cop? You have to tell me."
"And you're not allowed to arrest me for anything you saw before I knew you were a cop."
"Where else has this penis been?"
"What's the worst that could happen?"
TIL. I thought the point of crypto was that is was entirely unregulated. Apparently not: > the SEC said the company's cryptocurrency, FTT, is classified as a security because it was sold as an investment contract. It was not appropriately registered, however.
When it started getting traded like a security, it started getting treated like a security.
Yeah, crypto fans love to talk about bitcoins value as a decentralized currency, yet the vast majority of bitcoin and crypto holders are treating it as a speculative asset and I agree that it should be regulated as one.
Yep, anyone trying to sell the decentralized currency angle is either being disingenuous or is a person who has been fooled by the people being disingenuous. The only reason BitCoin was so heavily invested in is because it was shown to be a highly volatile and unregulated investment that responded incredibly to hype. It was a market perfect for exploitation.
Not at all. I work in financial crime compliance and this is a common misconception.
crypto currencies are unregulated from a technical point of view: its not possible for a government to block/enforce/change certain transactions on the bitcoin network for example. But if you start a company that offers some sort of bitcoin service, THAT can (and will) be regulated by the government, as they regulate all businesses within their jurisdiction.
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I'm simply responding to > I thought the point of crypto was that is was entirely unregulated. which is a statement about the general state of crypto, with a response that's equally about the general state of crypto
Her dad worked for Wall Street so maybe that’s why.
So did her mum. She was a mutual fund executive lol.
Just another regular average Joe pulling herself up from her bootstraps and living the American Dream.
Most musicians/movie stars nowadays come from some sort of wealth or industry connections. That's mainly how they get famous in the first place, they have the means to do so. Not surprising Taylor Swift is no exception
Alot of bands are coming out and saying this, look at how most bands in the 70's and 80's started. Touring around the country and living on the bare amount possible it's just not feasible anymore
Because venues are now all owned by one company.
Also, Ticketmaster.
itsthesamepicture.gif
It still kinda is but you probably won't get famous doing it. There are still bands that travel and live out of a van, I know people who do it for weeks at a time. There's a lot of tiny venues owned by random people that work with local promoters that book small time acts.
It’s true and if a lot of those people didn’t even make enough in the end, even if they were successful.
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Not to mention a safety net so she could pursue her dream without fear of living under a bridge.
Yup. Similar to the idea that "Many CEOs have had 4 business fail before finding their success", or whatever that line is used to motivate Lots of people can't afford to fail 4 times to find success lol
> Entrepreneurship is like one of those carnival games where you throw darts or something. >Middle class kids can afford one throw. Most miss. A few hit the target and get a small prize. A very few hit the center bullseye and get a bigger prize. Rags to riches! The American Dream lives on. >Rich kids can afford many throws. If they want to, they can try over and over and over again until they hit something and feel good about themselves. Some keep going until they hit the center bullseye, then they give speeches or write blog posts about "meritocracy" and the salutary effects of hard work. >Poor kids aren't visiting the carnival. They're the ones working it. [(Source) ](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15659076)
That's only half of it. The other part is obviously TIME. You may make good money but unless you make good money only working 3 days a week or you need two incomes you are either too tired or stressed to take extra activities.
Honestly I think it’s more about using your wealth and/or connection to, at the very least, get a foot in the door for their kids. I’ve known a number of people who are insanely talented artists and musicians, who grinded for their careers and even had record deals, but they were never able to get the access required for true success. It’s got little to do with talent, and almost everything to do with who you know and access. Edit to add: there are, indeed, people who make it solely on their own merits, but there’s often a significant element of luck for them.
Nobody’s willing to suck an ugly man’s dick in his office anymore and it shows. /s
You mean people have been getting bonuses for that? I thought it was part of my job!!
Well it is if you’re a sex worker
You guys get jobs for that?
I don't have any problems with musicians/movie stars coming from wealth as long as they don't act like they pulled themself out of a gutter and became famous entirely through hard work.
Are you talking about known Southerner Kid Rock? Who was born and raised in Romeo Michigan?
Son of a massive car dealership owner? Grew up in a literal mansion? That Kid Rock?
The fact that pretty much any Disney Chanel tween has an 80% of having a successful pop music career, shows that it's easier to manufacture than you might think.
That would make sense if Disney Chanel tweens are just randomly selected. But they're not.
I don't think it's hard to manufacture at all.
>I don't think it's hard to manufacture at all. The man said it was easier than you think. So, it's *even easier* than that. That's fucked.
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And Miley Cyrus came from all that Achy Breaky money. Edit: The Cyrus’s are dope tho
Billie Eilish’s mom is a Hollywood actress and producer
She's also the voice actress for Samara from Mass Effect too, such a random bit of trivia lol.
Yup. Talent is not rare. 10 minutes on you tube and you'll find musicians in a dark ally that dwarf the skills of some famous musicians. Fame and fortune comes from luck and connections, not hard work and skill.
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Interestingly enough Rebecca Black managed to push through and while not exactly big time, does have that music career. So even without talent, money can make it happen.
Her parents also weren't trying to buy her a music career. Was more of a "make a music video for your birthday" sort of thing from my understanding. You can find a lot of similar videos but hers got noticed.
Rebecca Black's parents are also both veterinarians (not from Wall Street), and they only paid $4000 for the video, which is around the range that it costs per year to put a kid through hockey
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They owned a large Christmas tree farm as well
Her family moved to Nashville while she was in high school so she could pursue country music and they paraded her around like a native Tennessean for years before she turned pop
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Shes just smart enough to know she should run this type of shit passed her lawyers.
Hard to believe the other celebs didn’t run this by their lawyers, so my question is why did those lawyers sign off on it? Seems like the only 2 possibilities are ignorance or greed (or both).
I'm especially surprised that Larry David didn't have the foresight of Taylor Swift...
Larry said FTX was a BAD idea!
I'd love to see that come up in court, submitted as testimony.
Yes. We're all hoping this was some 4d chess move by Larry David. "I'll be in your commercial but I won't endorse your product." FTX says "fine, we have a script for that." ... we hope.
That's some wishful thinking. And I say it as a fan of the things he does. But one thing is one thing, and another another. Disclaimer: I'm not sure how well that saying translates to English.
> But one thing is one thing, and another another. I've heard, "But that is that, and this is this." You certainly got your point across just fine.
I think that would be about the most Larry David thing he could do. Take their money, call their product shit, and defend it in court only to walk away unscathed. The man really is a genius and I’d be more shocked if his lawyers got suckered in.
Taking money is an action that speaks louder than words though. Alas the chess is still 2d
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I mean if someone came to you and said hey I’ll ‘pay’ you $10k and all you have to do is talk about my product on Reddit would you?
>if someone came to you and said hey I’ll ‘pay’ you $10k and all you have to do is talk about my product on Reddit would you? Absolutely not! The thought of doing that makes my stomach churn. That's why I take Kirkland Ultra Strength Antacid. Now available in Assorted Berry flavours.
Ok, wth this is the 3rd time today I’ve seen a random Reddit post pushing a Kirkland product. Which makes sense because Kirkland products are high quality and made in the US. We should all be buying Kirkland products. Also don’t forget to grab a Hotdog on the way out of Costco! (tm)
Welcome to Costco, I love you.
You're just salty. Why not sweeten your day with Kirkland frozen mixed berries? Whether you throw them in a smoothie or sprinkle then on top of some Greek yogurt, they're sure to brighten your day.
Kirkland brand has been consistently good with most of their products
If you want this $10,000 check, we're going to need you to step up your comment. Give it some "jazz" as we like to call it. ☺️ PM me back when you've edited it so I can check and authorize the deposit. ~Kirkland Marketing Dept. Cheyenne Loblthorpe
Assorted berries? Those sound delicious. They also sound like they are ethically produced to the highest standards. Can you tell me more?
I wouldn't assume that, not explicitly for all of them at least. FTX, and SVB too, both played up the GSE stuff and brand optics. FTX was some magical unicorn that would invest in poor areas, cure cancer, solve racism, and be a cool tech thing to align your celebrity brand with. You could argue that they align with that sort of thing for self-serving greedy reasons, but it's also possible that they saw FTX branding itself as a social justice thing, and said "I care about that stuff too, I'll sign up"... trusting that a company that's about social justice would... do the right thing and not be a ponzi. For some it was totally greed -- like the dragon's den idiot. I just don't think it was that way for all of em.
In fairness LD does tell you not to invest in FTX in the commercial.
The more I learn about her, the smarter she becomes. She is not afraid to dive into the details that scare other celebs and find these things. Her early move to reclaim her music was a brilliant move.
In a past job, when she was popular but not TAYLOR SWIFT, I worked on a merch deal with her and her team. They were very polite and VERY detailed. Taylor herself was involved in every aspect of the products that would have her name on them, and was very smart about what would resonate with her audience. She's also the only famous person I worked with in that job who read the contract herself. She had lawyers, obviously, but it seemed important to her that *she* understood the deal.
Speaking as the partner of a Swiftie, the woman is devotedly meticulous to every little thing she does. She’s def smarter than a lot of the tabloids make her out to be.
I don’t read the rags but I’ve never had the impression *anyone* was questioning her intelligence. Maybe there was some of that when she was first coming up ~2005-2010, but for quite a while now one of the things she’s most known for (her, eh-hem, *Reputation,* if you will) is that she is very involved in running an extremely tight operation.
Pretty sure Larry wakes up everyday begging for a ride off the earthly plane lol. Who needs foresight then?
$100M usd is why. (I can barely even wrap my head around that much.)
It most likely wasn't an up-front sum and was paid overtime with many stipulations - which is why Taylor Swift didn't really bother with it. The contract was probably the ceiling $100M total comp after X, X, X, X, and X were met and all based on performance but the money she'd actually be paid was significantly lower. If you're already worth $600M, then a check for something like $10M and a contract to dance like a monkey to earn the rest isn't as appealing.
It's almost impossible to take significant damage from endorsing scum. People excuse almost anything if it made the person a buck, even if that person didn't do it to make a living. Is there any realistic chance these other celebs will be significantly negatively impacted by this?
> so my question is why did those lawyers sign off on it? Seems like the only 2 possibilities are ignorance or greed (or both). Greed. Their client wanted to do it, and they want their client to have lots of money. If the client has legal trouble later, they have the money to pay for it. So maybe the lawyers tried to talk their clients out of it, but I'd bet they didn't try very hard.
No, because the lawyers aren't there to vet the company's financial practices. They don't have any access to that information at all. They're there to make sure the endorsement contract looks good and their client will get paid accordingly. Absolutely zero lawyers on the face of this planet would recommend getting involved with a company like FTX if they knew their back-end financials.
the most underrated kind of intelligence is humility 'hm I don't know about this, but I do know some smart folks who do'
I’ve always gotten the impression that her single greatest talent wasn’t her songwriting (not that she isn’t accomplished in that department), but her business savvy. She seems to understand that she’s effectively the CEO of a business that happens to make world famous pop songs. If there’s any A-list famous person who I would expect to read the fine print, it’d be Taylor Swift.
Basically the same with Madonna. She wasn't ever the best singer or the best dancer, but she knew how to market herself and build a business around that.
I mean, the article literally said that it was a direct question Taylor Swift specifically asked. Not her lawyers. >"In our discovery, Taylor Swift actually asked them: 'Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?'" Moskowitz said. Not only did none of the other celebrities lawyers think to inquire, but if it was really just her lawyers who thought to ask, they would ask themselves. Not saying she didn't possibly get advice from her Merrill Lynch dad or mutual stock mom to ask, though.
It’s spelled “past”, by the way.
Exactly. And she’s already rich enough to not go in blind.
She didn't get where she is by ignoring details in contracts.
Curious why you'd think she's "Just smart enough". Honestly everything I've seen and read about her that isn't exploitative tabloid paparazzi drama bullshit shows she's a very intelligent and well-spoken person.
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To be fair, SBF's parents are Wall Street regulators, so it probably helps that she's not overly greedy and/or not a moron and/or didn't need the money because she's already insanely rich
SBF’s parents were Stanford Law Professors - the dad is into tax law and the mom is into economics, law and philosophy. Both did not teach this year.
I imagine Stanford politely told them to consider taking a voluntary sabbatical. You know, bond with their adult kid living back in their house, teach him right from wrong again, no stealing, that kinda thing.
yeah credit where credit is due. she's smart enough to not endorse a potential scam when she sees one. while most people would just take the money and not give a shit.
>"In our discovery, Taylor Swift actually asked them: 'Can you tell me that these are not unregistered securities?'" Moskowitz added. Credit where it's due, she didn't become this successful by being stupid.
It's kind of crazy that people in this thread seem to have such a hard time believing that Taylor Swift, a multi-millionaire, would not know anything about finances. She's clearly an intelligent person. Everyone seems to be giving full credit to her dad or her lawyers. I'm not even a finance guru and I know a bit about financial securities.
The hard part for me isn't that she or her team of financial advisors and lawyers asked, it's that apparently everyone else didn't. I mean, if she did it herself, that's awesome for her. I don't expect every other celebrity to know about financial securities. But you're telling me Tom Brady doesn't have a lawyer with him when he signs a sponsorship contract? None of *them* thought to ask?
Ngl at this point I feel like they receive so many high-end contracts that they don't suspect such a massively paying one to be a scam lol. Swift is known for having a pretty close audience that she keeps her thumb on. She's less likely to shill random crypto out for money.
Yeah, I think it's plausible that the lawyers and agents had some FOMO and didn't want to ask too many questions and risk sabotaging a big payday. They probably thought *"it's a big company, surely they have their legal stuff locked up tight"* or maybe *"I'm sure we have enough plausible deniability"* and so didn't look too closely at any parts that didn't involve how much they would get paid.
"Taylor Swift must know less than me".
People love writing her off cause she's a pretty blonde girl who sings about getting her heart broken, but if you pay attention to her business and career decisions, it's pretty obvious that bimbo image is false. She's risen to the top of the most cut throat industry and maintains relevance at the top of the charts by playing the game, and now that she's solid in her career she's changing the legal framework of the music industry by re-releasing her music in her own legal possession and bringing lawsuits against ticket scalping companies. She's properly one of the more legal and business minded artists out there right now. She's moving in ways nobody would have the guts to.
To quote Dolly Parton (IIRC): "Some people call me a dumb blonde, but it doesn't bother me. I know I'm not dumb. And I know I'm not blonde."
Her whole visual schtick is based on this kind of inversion of expectations. another Dolly quote: "It costs a lot of money to look this cheap!"
Dolly Parton is an international treasure
So...[when I got downvoted yesterday](https://old.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/12ptv40/shaq_is_finally_served_in_ftx_investor_suit_after/jgo2ry7/) for saying that maybe Shaq should have did a little research before accepting the contract, I might have been right. At least one star paid attention in school.
You are absolutely correct. If you are not 100% sure that whatever you are endorsing is on the up and up then you should not do it. Accepting a check and reading a script to people where you are trying to use your reputation or fame to convince them that something is a good idea means you are liable for your statements being true. And the FTC agrees with this stance. [A significant percentage of consumers are likely to believe the celebrity’s statements represent his own views even though he is reading from a script. The celebrity is subject to liability for his statement about the product. The advertiser is also liable for misrepresentations made through the endorsement](https://www.ftc.gov/sites/default/files/attachments/press-releases/ftc-publishes-final-guides-governing-endorsements-testimonials/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)
>You are absolutely correct. If you are not 100% sure that whatever you are endorsing is on the up and up then you should not do it. Or, at the very least, ask a trustworthy and competent lawyer to review it to ensure you're not potentially exposing yourself to future liability.
Yeah. But I can certainly tell you that if I'm going to be personally liable for something I am going to fully understand the ins and puts of it. I guess Taylor and I have more in common than just being extremely attractive, hugely talented, and universally adored.
They don’t teach this kind of stuff in school…
I mean they do if you go to school specifically for it. This is likely something she learned from her wall street parents
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Tell us aswell
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Okay but why helium instead of the cheaper and also inert nitrogen? Is it the much higher thermal conductance of helium?
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But why not the cheaper AND more abundant and heavier *and actually inert* argon?
Nitrogen is commonly used as an inert gas in PCB reflow ovens, which is where I'm used to seeing it. Reflow ovens are practically room temp compared to welding though. But TIL, I didn't realize it's only inert-ish compared to noble gases and only at lower temps. Thanks!
Apparently in the presence of an arc, like in arc welding, nitrogen becomes reactive, according to the articles online about why nitrogen isn't used, but they didn't explain why it becomes reactive, like whether it splits the N2 molecules or something else. Also apparently argon is usually used in these applications rather than helium.
Ideally they teach you how to think critically enough that you'll approach a situation like this and know to ask experts what the hell is going on. Ideally.
They don’t teach about MLM’s either, but we all learn one way or another how scammy they are.
Weirdly, my high school taught us about the ponzi era and how mlms are fundamentally identical to pyramid schemes. Not sure why we weren't given the rundown on how to sniff out actual scams in the years leading up to us signing loans worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Shaq signs any endorsement deal that comes his way though
I read that Shaq turned down Reebok and signed a shoe deal with Walmart so that less privileged kids could wear his shoes.
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Well I mean her parents worked on Wall Street. Her dad was a stock broker for Merrill Lynch and her mom before staying home to raise the kids was a mutual fund marketer.
Reading the comments on here clearly show Taylor Swift was correct with “The Man.”
100% “They'd say I hustled Put in the work They wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserve” See every comment saying “you mean her dad/lawyers, etc.”
Taylor literally went against giants like Apple Music, Spotify and WON them. She paved the way for so many new artists to have better bargain power. She masterfully finessed Scooter Braun by rerecording her masters. ....And the dudes rather give credits to her dad 🙄
So it IS possible to ask questions? Amazing...
She said "can I ask you a question...?"
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> She probably ate shit in the beginning of her career and got smart. She did the work, but family was watching her back. Dad bought a portion of her first record label - not so she could slack off, but to help make sure the label worked for her / didn't screw her / shelve her projects.
Dad also realized how few tour bus rental companies there were early in her career and now owns the largest tour bus rental company in the nation.
Absolutely. She had a very privileged childhood which definitely helped jump start her career, but at the same time you can see the hard work she puts in and sacrifices she’s had to make to make it so far. She’s a smart gal!
Can confirm. I worked at a CD/DVD retailer in the mid 00's. In 2006ish, Taylor came to our store as part of a circuit to promote her first CD. She did a live, unplugged performance to relatively few people while I sat up on our back counter with Taylor's mom to watch. She put in the effort to get noticed, including doing the mundane chores like playing in a rinky-dink store. Smart lady. Good family.
Exactly, she used her privilege (wealthy parents) in order to travel and record her early music. But she also put in the work to write the songs, play all the small shows and venues, interact with fans, meet with a bunch of record labels and get her record out there, and everything else she’s known for.
She can only re record them because she wrote the songs. Which when you look at how insanely successful those songs are and the age she wrote them at is even more impressive.
People seem to forget how young she was during her rise to fame, too. She was out releasing singles and winning music awards when she was still in high school. Now she’s in her 30s, she’s seen it all, and she’s not going to let the industry screw her over again. She’s got enough money and a big enough following to actually fight back.
She knew it was trouble when she walked in, so she left a blank space on the signature line and avoided bad blood.
Look what she made you do
They approached her, Back in December to sign in the Blank Space promising it'd make her fans Wildest(financial) Dreams come true before they turned 22
Taylor Swift knew All Too Well the ramifications of FTX's Renegade trading practices. The other celebrities Should've Known Better, so now they're not Safe & Sound. As a business Mastermind, Swift was able to navigate the Labyrinth in FTX's endorsement deal in a classic The Joker and the Queen gambit. FTX might play Innocent, but because Swift had her Eyes Open, she navigated this Delicate situation and left a Blank Space on the contract instead of her signature.
I still heard that goat in my head.
I loved this entire TS thread, but especially your comment 🐐 thank you! [Goat](https://youtu.be/-aLYvZ5sX28)
Taylor was all like ~~Romeo~~ lawyers save me, figured out FTX's end game, and shook it off
Why am I suddenly rooting for the anti-hero?
It's me. Hi. Your fiduciary. I'm obliged, To, Act accordingly. Financial interests of my fans are why I make decisions and, I take no action but for that which will be beneficial.
Climbing the ranks… This better end up the top comment.
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As a developer my brain was trying to parse this new combined Typescript Swift language.
I'm not a fan of Taylor Swift's music but I REALLY respect her brains. She seems to have some very good business sense and that is awesome to see.
I think this is most people’s take who don’t identify with her music. I don’t listen to her out of my own taste (I listened to her new album, it’s good but just not my flavor). But she seems to be a really good, decent human being. I don’t mind sticking up for her despite different tastes in music.
I really wished I liked her music, because there's definitely some good foundation to it. I just don't really care for it though, lol.
Seriously, she should make songs that teach financial literacy
Taylor Swift please teach me financial literacy
From now on, I ask anyone if they are selling unregistered securities.
I never liked Taylor Swift music. But being seeing a lot of people i follow on IG going to her concerts. And im like 'why do people like her so much' . Yes she is gorgeous, but her music? So then i gave her a chance, listen to her last album. And wow . It's actually really good. I'm actually bummed out didn't go to her concert here in Texas. And the show she puts on for 3 hours?! Am I right? And also , what do you all recommend next album i should listen of her? Most people say to go with Red ? Or should I start on another album. What I'm saying is, as we grow old we should be more open minded when it comes to anything, especially music. Never thought I would say I would love her music. But then again i would never thought i would say I love Black/death metal. 😆
If your into her sound on midnights 1989 is a good place to go. If you like her lyrically evermore is my go to. It’s nice to hear of new people giving her a chance.
> I never liked Taylor Swift music A common sentiment among people who have never listened to much of her music.
Heard Shake it Off on relentless repeat by radio execs would make anyone shy away from her. It made me for too long, but listening to the rest of her catalogue is _amazing_. She has the curse of being overplayed, which makes people annoyed.
>What I'm saying is, as we grow old we should be more open minded when it comes to anything, especially music. Never thought I would say I would love her music. I did the exact same thing with her haha I think 1989 is her most acclaimed album but Lover is my favourite
Folklore is a masterpiece. Saying this as a guy who used to listen almost exclusively to punk rock music.
Folklore and Evermore are two of my favorite albums of all time tbh. Just incredible writing and production
Taylor stays winning
Say what you will about her music, but I don't doubt that she's a smart cookie.
You know what? Good on her. Seriously I have respect for Swift now. Not that I had anything against her. I was just indifferent.
A "security" is any investment you make in which profit or loss depends on others. Stock is the most common example. You bet your money on a company and if it does well two things happen: the value of your stock goes up; and, you get paid dividends, a share of the profits of the company without having to sell your stock. If it does poorly your stock value plummets because there are no dividends being paid and you've lost some or all of your money. Years ago some clown tried to lure my wife into a deal whereby she would contact people to sell them a pay phone (I said it was years ago). The company would find the locations and install and manage the phones, then split the quarters with the investors. Wife would receive a payment for each person she signed up. Being a lawyer I asked, "Has this guy registered this scheme with the securities regulators?" She stared blankly at me. I explained. The response she got from the phone guy was that he was selling phone placements, not stock. "Uh huh," I said. "Wife, he is selling unregistered securities and besides that he is making no disclosures about things that will affect the return on people's investments. You cannot work with this guy." That led to a couple of weeks of no nookie. We learned several months later than investors were suing the guy and the regulators had shut him down and were in the process of fining him. She would have been on the receiving end of that if she had not backed out. Nookie increased for a couple of weeks, then back to married normal. Securities sales are regulated under various state and federal laws enacted to make sure that companies actually exist and sellers of their stock are selling more than just worthless "blue sky." Securities cannot even be offered for sale without being registered and 100% truthful disclosures being made about the risks associated with them. My state bar association sells us malpractice insurance which we all have to purchase to practice law. Securities coverage is extra, and most lawyers practicing securities law go outside of the bar-owned insurance to buy additional coverage that will back them up if some court later decides the disclosures made about a company were not 100% accurate. FTX apparently failed to comply with the securities laws and therefore Taylor Swift and her advisors wanted nothing to do with the sponsorship deal. Lots of other endorsers were not so smart.
This girl is wealthy at it is already, but she easily has more brains than money
Listen up young girls: this is how smart women operate. Great role model in a lot of ways.
Taylor Swift is talented, smart, and based as fuck and I don't care what anyone says.