Posted by admin on March 29th, 2008 — Posted in Loan Resources
A couple of years ago my wife and I were in the process of selling our house. We were pretty sure we had found a buyer and had agreed on a price acceptable to both them, and us but they wouldn’t be able to buy our house for about three months. My wife and I were totally ok with this since we weren’t in any particular hurry to move, we just wanted to move into a bigger home outside of town, somewhere a bit more rural.
Well, one weekend while we were driving around the countryside looking at houses, we saw the perfect farmhouse. It was exactly what we were looking for. Not too far out of town, on a quiet road, overlooking a little lake and surrounded by tall oak trees. In short it was perfect.
We contacted the selling agent and found out that the price was within our budget, but only just. We told him it would be three months before we’d be able to buy it and this caused him to pause. Apparently there was a lot of interest in that little house and he couldn’t justify delaying the sale for three months. So we let it go.
Why a Bridging Loan?
We did find another beautiful house so the story has a happy ending but is there anything we could have done to get that first house? The answer, had we known it at the time, would have been a bridging loan. Bridging loans are short-term loans offered by commercial lenders to borrowers for a specific purpose. They can range in time from two weeks, for a very short loan, to up to three years for commercial bridging loans. Homebuyers who have not yet sold their property and wish to buy require these bridging loans.
Interest Rates
The interest rates are probably higher than for your typical mortgage but this is because of the added flexibility and convenience you have from the lender. There will also be set up fees involved. However, they may work out at significantly cheaper than some of the alternatives such as renting accommodation. There will also be many situations in which the price will be well worth paying if it means getting your dream home.
You should always shop around before agreeing to a bridging loan as rates and fees can vary significantly. You don’t have to get it from your mortgage provider although there may be advantages to doing so.
Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the loan information sites www.selectloans.co.uk/ and also www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk. At the Personal Loan Store you can find all the different loan types explained.
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Posted by admin on March 29th, 2008 — Posted in Wired Stuff
What are Blogs?
Having heard the term previously but not having paid much attention most are just to afraid to show their ignorance and ask the question, what is a blog? Lets face it; the term blog does not conjure pleasant images.
Blogs are web logs that are updated regularly, usually on a daily basis. They contain information related to a specific topic. In some cases blogs are used as daily diaries about people’s personal lives, political views, or even as social commentaries. The truth of the matter is that blogs can be shaped into whatever you, the author, want them to be.
Where Did Blogs Come From?
The roots of blogging can be traced back to the mid 1990’s. Who the very first blogger actually was is unclear, as the art of blogging did not really take hold until 1999. The original “weblogs” were link-driven sites with personal commentaries. The very first blogs were human guided Internet web tours. While initially thought of as diaries or online journals, blogs have evolved into the latest fresh web content.
The Future of Blogs
A buzz word in techie circles, “blogging” is the wave of the future. Whether its a fad, or proves to be a new way to communicate with existing and potential customers it deserves at the very least a cursory look.
Why is Blogging Helpful to Businesses or Individuals?
Just as animated .gifs were once cool, blogging is the trendy thing to do. That does not mean that it is not beneficial to businesses. Webmasters struggling to keep fresh, attractive content on their websites to lure visitors back, have found blogs the answer. Content is a necessity for online businesses, both for purposes of being found by search engines but also because it gives visitors a reason to come back.
Now that we have established that blogs are not only trendy but also beneficial to businesses, its important to understand how they can be used to your advantage. We currently manage and update two blogs on a daily basis. The first is our new business blog at:
http://www.notepage.net/blog.htm
This professional business blog allows us the opportunity to tell potential, or existing customers industry news, updates, or generally how mobile or paging software can be used in specific situations to alleviate problems. The bottom line is we control the content. Its updated daily, which increases the chances that search engines will spider on a regular basis and it helps with page rank because it’s been submitted to all the blogging directories. Initially started on a whim we’ve found it beneficial to report tips, tricks or make visitors aware of new regulations related to the mobile or paging industry.
The second blog we manage is at:
http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/blog.html
This blog is less formal and contains marketing tips, or promotional advice for software developers or online marketers. We found that we had overflow from our monthly newsletter. Generating a daily blog would require very little effort and would assist us in creating fresh content which our readers told us was of significant interest.
Blogs & Your Business
The bottom line is you need to determine how a blog will benefit your business, determine a schedule and adhere to it. Let your readers know what to expect and when to expect it. Blogs provide great supplemental content and direct attention to areas of your business that you want to showcase; you direct the content but let your readers guide you.
Creating a Blog
There are numerous online tools that can be used to create a blog. We found that because of security concerns, it would just be best to use a standard html program. In our case we used Dreamweaver and create daily posts. Its really not much more complicated than typing an email. The content is then sent via FTP to a web server. If you want to test the waters there are online web-based tool that helps you publish to the web instantly. The most popular web based tool is likely Blogger http://www.blogger.com.
Other Advantages to Blogs
While you may initially create a blog for your existing customers, you may find that you can attract new customers by illustrating your expertise in a specific field. There are numerous websites that act as “blog search engines”, be sure to submit your sites to these websites to increase your exposure. This will also help with your page rank and possibly increase the likelihood you will receive decent ranking with Google. You can also create an RSS feed in order to syndicate blog content and gain additional exposure.
About The Author
Sharon Housley manages marketing for NotePage, Inc. http://www.notepage.net a company specializing in alphanumeric paging, SMS and wireless messaging software solutions. Other sites by Sharon can be found at http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com , and http://www.small-business-software.net
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Posted by admin on March 29th, 2008 — Posted in Road Cruisers
Bad Credit? Can you still get a bad credit car loan?
Are you one of the many people who have loan problems? No need
to worry, for you are not alone.
Bad credit is not something to be ashamed of. Anyone can end up
having it,just like the common cold. After some time and some
effort on your part, you can turn a bad credit rating to a
better one.
The good news is, even people with bad credit can be financed on
bad credit car loans. Once you get there, you need to remember a
few things, though, in order to turn your bad credit to the
advantage of your bad credit car loan. Remember not to take on a
car payment that you truly know in your heart that you can’t
afford. Know what you can and cannot afford before talking to a
car salesman.
There are many ways by which you can get a bad credit car loan
even when you have a bad credit. You need to have sufficient
income that can pay up all your bills including additional
payment for your bad credit car loan, insurance, accessories,
repairs and maintenance costs. A steady and sufficient income
could get you that bad credit car loan even if you have a bad
credit. Your lender would like to see that you’ve had your
current job for at least a year and this could make them
overlook your bad credit hence increase chances in approving
your bad credit car loan. Try to maintain your address for a
while, as well, for this can keep your bad credit at bay and
help in the approval of your bad credit car loan.
Having a large down payment will also help in getting your new
bad credit car loan. Your down payment will depend on the car
model you wish to buy. It could range from hundreds to thousands
of dollars.
If you want to have a better chance at having your bad credit
car loan approved, you can be a member of a credit union. Even
if you have bad credit, you can apply to them for a bad credit
car loan. Their credit criteria is often more relaxed compared
to banks and finance companies. The longer you have been a
member in a credit union, the more positive the response is for
your bad credit car loan despite a bad credit rating.
The same thing works for a local bank. Should you have had a
previous loan with them, they could still want to take a chance
with you on your bad credit car loan. If by any chance you have
paid off a previous loan, they could consider your bad credit
car loan application even if you have bad credit history in
other banks of finance companies.
You could also get a bad credit car loan by having a co-signer.
Your co-signer must have good credit rating himself and meet all
the necessary requirement.
Bad credit will indeed affect your bad credit car loan
application, but you can still explore other possibilities. A
large volume new car dealer can give you deals you can bank on.
Choose your vehicle and come up with a deal. Afterwards, talk
with a finance manager who will work with you to get a bad
credit car loan despite your bad credit. The trick is to see an
aggressive finance manager who will see you through choosing
your vehicle, overlooking your bad credit and getting a bad
credit car loan soon.
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Posted by admin on March 29th, 2008 — Posted in The Online Dojo
Do you ever get the feeling that your child is losing ground in the battle for a decent education? Do you dread the high cost of summer camp? Do you feel that your child is learning courtesy and respect in school or summer camp?
None of us can afford to let the years go by and “hope for the best.” Each child must go through a re-programming process every September to regain his or her previous academic level. The child who did great in June may have to settle and adjust to school all over again in the Fall.
The common problems for children, when going back to school, are attention span, motivation, and goal setting skills. We have many choices to enhance the success rates of our children, but if money is a factor, our choices seem to be limited, and every parent wants the best for his or her child.
Therefore, let’s look at our options. You could do it all yourself, and some parents choose this path. You would need to tutor your child, reinforce respect, supervise each activity, and gently guide him or her toward constructive friendships. If you have a career, you might as well put it on hold for the summer.
You could place your child in an affordable summer camp and pray he or she will survive the season. You could also find a good skills camp for a minimum of $300 per week. Between summer camp, back to school, gasoline, and Christmas, we’ll all be working a second job.
However, martial arts summer camps are very affordable in comparison to most summer camps. All of them are run with maximum supervision and kids are eager to belong to a structured society. Children know what is expected of them; it is just a matter of reinforcing the structure and making it fun for kids.
Does it sound like a military school? In some ways it is - but each child who enters a martial arts summer camp, will be a model student in an academic school setting, during the next school year.
How is this possible? The foundation of martial arts is courtesy and respect. This is how a martial arts school maintains structure and integrity. All of the extra life skills such as: goal setting, anger management, stress management, motivation, self defense, and having a positive attitude, are “icing on the cake.”
Every child who enters a martial arts summer camp learns the taste of success, the feeling of achievement - and no child is left behind. In turn, this will prepare him or her for the next school year.
© Copyright 2006 - Paul Jerard / Aura Publications
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Yoga: The Key to Self Mastery. http://www.kids-karate.com
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Posted by admin on March 29th, 2008 — Posted in Web Of Music
Do you ramble on endlessly with your improvisations? If so, good. This has its place in music making and in new age piano playing in particularly. Just listen to New Age pianist Michael Jones’s music to hear an example of this kind of free-form improvisation.
Now, some of you want to create something that will give the listener a slightly more cohesive experience. How is this accomplished? By forming the music into a shape - an ABA shape for our purposes here. To give form to music does not require as much theory and technique as most people think. In fact, it is as simple as applying the principles of repetition and contrast.
Now in most new age piano music there is some kind of form that the composer uses whether it’s extended “A” form ala Michael Jones, or extended “A” extended “B” and back to “A” again as in some of George Winston’s music. Think in sections people. A section of music can last for as long as the person who created it is involved with it- that is, as long as the inspiration is fresh.
As soon as the music sounds dull it’s time for a change - the next section of music. This is the point where a composer will add something-new (contrast) or, if she is smart, end the piece. If the music does not have that freshness, that touch of inspired in the moment fantasy, you’ll be able to detect and hear it. Some composers are so in touch with their feeling that they can take you on a 20 or 30 minute journey using very little means - but by using the elements of repetition and contrast maintain listener interest.
First, get your “A” section. The first few bars (8 usually) is more than enough to propel you forward. You must adopt a listening attitude to hear what is coming next. You don’t force nor will it into being. This will not give you what you want, which is, I’m assuming, inspired content. Listen, listen, listen and the music will come. If it doesn’t just do what Beethoven did.
He worked on 3 or 4 pieces at a time. When the inspiration dried up on a particular piece he was working on, he just moved on to another and picked up on the others later on. You can do the same. Be bold and go forward. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Be afraid of not trying.
Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!
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Posted by admin on March 29th, 2008 — Posted in Hall Of Gender Issues
Women have been feeding their children this way from the beginning, and it is of course natures intended food, therefore the best nourishment for your child. The decision to breast-feed is entirely up to you and each woman should make up her own mind, it is an individual choice.
There are a number of reasons why a mother would decide not to breastfeed, including infection e.g. hepatitis or HIV this can be passed onto the baby through the breast milk, or if the mother is on long-term medication for an illness, in this situation it is advised to bottle feed instead. Some mothers can’t produce enough milk and others just do not like the idea at all, either way it’s a personal decision.
In the 40s and 50s it was very unfashionable to breastfeed and mothers were encouraged to bottle-feed. It’s a different story now days with our health conscious society, more and more mothers are deciding that for them and their infant’s breast is best.
Breastfeeding benefits not only the child but the mother also.
It is the baby’s natural food and is easily digested limiting stomach problems and wind causing pain and discomfort to the baby. It is also provides antibodies reducing the risks of gastro-intestinal infections, urine infections, chest and ear it infections, breathing difficulties including asthma, diabetes, eczema and childhood obesity.
There are also lots of benefits to the mother for breastfeeding including a close maternal bond between you and your baby, a reduced risk of breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis. Breastfeeding also helps the womb to contract back to its normal size much quicker than if you were not breastfeeding.
You need to keep in mind that when you are breast-feeding it is not safe to take the combined pill but you can take the mini pill for this duration, this of course dispels the myth that you cannot get pregnant during breastfeeding you definitely can.
Another positive note is that breastfeeding aids in the loss of the body’s fat stores that were stored in preparation for breastfeeding, this will speed up loosing the pregnancy weight.
Although keep in mind that eating a well balance diet with daily vitamins and minerals is fundamental for producing high quality milk for your baby, this is not the time for any crash diets.
One of the big concerns for mothers when breast feeding is that they are unsure of the amounts of food the baby is consuming, once the baby is breastfeeding well and he or she is having wet and dirty nappies be assured all is well. Your midwife or maybe friends and family can help and advise when you are going through those anxious few weeks of breastfeeding, there are also breast feeding support groups that you can go along to and speak to other mums with the same problems or concerns as you.
Another concern for mothers is breast-feeding in public, most people are okay with breastfeeding in front of friends and family but the thought of breastfeeding in public makes them a little nervous. Do not let this put you off, if you and your baby are comfortable with it that’s all that matters. There is always a discrete table you can sit at in a restaurant and or on the train and there is always the option of planning your outings around feed times to avoid it completely.
When you decide the time is right to wean your baby onto bottles and get some routine back into your life you need to decide if you will be expressing your own milk or using formula.
Expressing is said to be a difficult and tricky task that takes a bit of time and patients, however if you decide to go down this route you can build up a store of breast milk and freeze it in specially adapted freezer bags. Breast milk can last up to six months in the freezer. This way you can be more flexible with your time and your baby gets all the goodness of breast milk.
Although a lot of women actually want their breasts back and to feel it’s their body once again so they go with formula. Bottle feeding using formula is not a bad idea as you can stop worrying about those embarrassing wet patches and get back into your pretty smaller size bras again.
Not all women want to or can breast feed but I think you should give it a go. It is a wonderful bonding experience for both mother and child providing a lot of health benefits, its extremely rewarding all round.
About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice for parents and consumers on purchasing a variety of
baby products which includes
baby crib bedding,
strollers,
and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information.
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Posted by admin on March 28th, 2008 — Posted in Better Home Improvement
Most Americans prefer having a roof deck in their homes just so they can have their private tanning sessions. Others opt for sun rooms or solariums to get that sought-after tan.
The concept of a solarium or sun room has changed over the years, from the rooftop solarium of a house as it is known in Rome to the castle roof solarium as it was known during the medieval period. During the olden times, solariums were typically located at the upper floor of the house, usually with large windows surrounding the room to welcome sunlight.
Solariums were not really made for tanning then, because medieval women used the solariums as their nook where they spend hours gossiping and exchanging pleasantries.
During the modern times, the sun rooms became more extravagant and elegant. Today, sun rooms are built surrounded by window glasses. Some sun rooms are even built with walls made of glass. Sun rooms today are also used by the family members as a relaxation area where they can entertain visitors or host parties. Today, sun rooms are also built to serve as greenhouses where exotic plants are kept and grown.
The concept of using sun rooms as tanning rooms is relatively new but it has attracted homeowners who find the idea practical. Instead of going to tanning shops or spas, there are home owners who buy use the sun rooms for personal tanning sessions.
Solariums or sun rooms are more popular during summer when the whole household can avail of in-house tanning services. Some get their own portable beds and stay in their sun rooms the rest of the day.
Having your own sub room can be practical and cost effective. It can save you time and money in going to tanning salons. However, people who use sun rooms for tanning purposes should be aware of the dangers of too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Even if you are just in you sun room, you have to make sure you are protected by wide-brimmed hats. To be more practical about it, use sun protecting creams or sunscreens with higher protection level. The common belief is that a person does not need sunscreen if he is jus tin the confines of his home. Of course, a sun room is just within your home but you are getting more sun exposure there so you have to protect your skin and your eyes.
You can enjoy your sun rooms but do not endanger your health by enjoying your sun rooms without proper protection.
The author is a regular contributor to Sunroom Tips where more information about sunroom designs and sources is freely available.
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Posted by admin on March 28th, 2008 — Posted in World Of Sports
When we learned to swim freestyle as children, most of us swim flat in the water, with little or no hip rotation as our arms are doing the majority of the work. Many triathletes and open water swimmers have found it necessary to change their stroke and swim more on their sides in order to conserve energy, swim faster, and get through potential rough water conditions with greater ease.
Rotating from side to side as you swim is a method that has been around for over 30 years. When Mark Spitz was gaining national recognition in the early 70’s, many critics said his only problem is that he does this side-to-side action as he swims! Little did they realize just how revolutionary that stroke was. Science has now backed up this style of swimming, and great swim coaches like Howard Furby and Ernie Maglischo have popularized swimming on your side with many successful swimmers over the years.
Good swimming is about using the core of your body- hips, stomach, lower back, and chest. Top swimmers rotate the core of the body from one side to the other, while keeping the head fixed. When you rotate in this way, you move through the water more like a fish, or a boat, reaching further forward on each stroke, and maximizing your efficiency.
Here is a drill to begin practicing (you may use Zoomers or fins if you have them): Kick on your side with your left hand extended out and your right hand by your side. Keep your head down and locked to your shoulder. On the second length, switch sides and extend your right hand, with your left hand by your side. When looking down, you should be at about a 90-degree angle in the water. When you need air, roll all the way up into more of a 45-degree angle, take a few breaths, and repeat. Continue to practice this kicking drill and add in arm strokes as your side balance improves.
Swimming freestyle on your side may seem like a foreign concept at first. But with consistent practice, you will be able to swim more efficiently, resulting in faster swim times and greater energy conservation.
Kevin coaches masters and triathlete swimmers in San Diego, CA. He operates the website http://www.TriSwimCoach.com, a resource for future or current triathletes needing help with the swim. The site features a free email newsletter offering tips and articles on triathlon swimming. Kevin has also written an electronic book titled “The Complete Guide to Triathlon Swimming” which is sold on his website http://www.triswimcoach.com in downloadable form.
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Posted by admin on March 28th, 2008 — Posted in Savvy Product Infos
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
There are distinct processes that enhance problem identification and idea generation and, similarly, distinct processes that enhance idea selection, development and commercialisation. Whilst there is no sure fire route to commercial success, these processes improve the probability that good ideas will be generated and selected and that investment in developing and commercialising those ideas will not be wasted.
One useful tool in the idea generation phase is to simply be prolific. It can be said with great confidence that quality is related to sheer quantity. Some of the most highly recognised creative products came about when the creator was being most prolific.
In addition to the above, the best ideas usually occur late on in the idea generation process. It is after the creator has produced fifty, one hundred and two hundred ideas that he starts to really produce quality output in higher numbers.
But before that stage the creator tends to hit a wall.
The wall is similar to the experience curve. Initially relative lack of experience, knowledge and refined methodology limits performance to sub-optimal levels. With time these factors improve and productivity increases exponentially. Along the way valuable competencies are learned. This is encompassed in the expression “you have to write a million words before you write anything good.”
These topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com.
You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.
Kal Bishop, MBA
**********************************
You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.
Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com.
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Posted by admin on March 28th, 2008 — Posted in Wired Stuff
The Internet links us all to a vast array of
information-sometimes more than we expect, and to sources we
didn’t know even existed. When searching for ‘online dictionary’
I pulled up a variety of ‘ordinary’ dictionaries, and such sites
as etymology dictionary (www.etymonline.com). Adding ‘desert’ to
my search query pulled up sites as diverse as: Dream Dictionary
(http://www.soulfuture.com/dream_dictionary/dream_dictionary_main
.asp) and The Astrodigital Online Dictionary of Meteoritics
(http://www.astrodigital.org/astronomy/metdict.html)
Like a lot of people I sometimes get diverted from what I’m
doing by this kind of interesting link appearing in front of me,
of which is entirely irrelevant to what I’m doing. In this case,
I looked up a definition of the word ‘desert’ which I
subsequently found, but in the end didn’t end up using. My
search had nothing to do with meteors called ‘fireballs’ which
are much brighter than normal meteors because they are roughly
the size of peas, some even the size of a grain of sand. I love
discovering this kind of trivia. Thankfully, using the Internet
makes researching much faster so I can spare a few minutes to
connect with interesting web sites, and still learn what seeing
a desert means in a dream, before getting back to connecting
with the facts I need to know today. You know the next time I
see a very bright meteor, I may remember it is a ‘fireball’, and
why it is so bright.
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