Haggling was a way of life for Mr. B. I knew Mr. B because his son was one of my friends. His
haggling greatly embarrassed my friend, but it didn’t bother Mr. B. He was saving money.

Mr. B was a wonder. His distaste for paying retail was so ingrained he would bargain at the local
fast food restaurant. Not attached to this man by blood, I felt no embarrassment, so I would
watch with interest as he worked his magic with a retail price.

If you were there this is what Mr. B would have taught you:

• Be in command. Feel comfortable in the negotiation process. This will take practice. Start in
  an arena where haggling is a common and accepted practice. Go to a flea market or swap meet.
  Have some fun learning to haggle with the people you find there. After you have honed your skill
  you can have confidence as you move to haggling where the practice is less common.
• Never be satisfied with the price marked. You are looking for a compromise. Any
  compromise leaves money in your pocket. A decent haggler can increase his purchasing power by
  10-20%. That is like getting a 15-25% raise in your pay.
• Always negotiate up. This may seem obvious but many a negotiator has paid too much. Choose a low price to begin with. You do not start at the price you are
  willing to pay. If you do, once you mention a price you are done. Start with a low, even
  ridiculous, amount. (This can be the most difficult part, but forget the embarrassment. Your goal
  and only goal is to get them engaged.)
• As you haggle make your increases in price small. You never know when he or she will
  accept. There is no sense in placing money on the table you could have left in your pocket.
• Never give up. Keep at it. Be sure to go into the negotiation fresh. Don’t fool yourself by
  thinking you are the first person to match wits with this seller and so he has no experience. You
  must not even give a hint you are weakening. A good seller can smell reticence and fatigue.
• Dress the part. There are clothes to wear to work, to wear to church, and then there are
  clothes to wear when you shop. You want to be comfortable and you do not want to appear to
  have money. You can be far more effective if you look like the price you offer is truly all you can
  afford.
• Never downplay the quality or desirability of the item you want. If the item is no good why
  do you want it? You need to downplay the price of the item. You want the item, just not at the
  price they are asking. It can be a good idea to mention you have seen it elsewhere for less.
  However, this can backfire if the item is truly one of a kind. Be careful, only a totally uninformed
  seller will not be aware of the scarcity of his item.
• Make the haggling a two way negotiation only. You don’t want to enter a bidding war with a
  third individual. This can only cause the final price to be higher.
• Select a point to stop. Since you had a price in mind before you began, you should never pay more for an item than
  the price you have set for yourself. You must be prepared to walk away if the negotiation cannot
  get you the price you want. Almost nothing is more effective than walking away from a protracted
  negotiation in which the seller has so much time invested. You will be surprised how often you
  will be called back for another round of haggling.

Now go make Mr. B proud. Get to work saving yourself some money and use it to pay down
your debt.

(C) 2005 David Wilding

David Wilding has for the past ten years worked with groups and individuals to rid their lives of debt. Visit his website http://www.debtattack.com for more ideas, tools, and strategies to become debt free.

Comments Off

Copyright 2005 Internet Publications

Although creatine offers an array of benefits, most people think of it simply as a supplement that bodybuilders and other athletes use to gain strength and muscle mass. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A substantial body of research has found that creatine may have a wide variety of uses. In fact, creatine is being studied as a supplement that may help with diseases affecting the neuromuscular system, such as muscular dystrophy (MD).

Recent studies suggest creatine may have therapeutic applications in aging populations for wasting syndromes, muscle atrophy, fatigue, gyrate atrophy, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and other brain pathologies. Several studies have shown creatine can reduce cholesterol by up to 15% and it has been used to correct certain inborn errors of metabolism, such as in people born without the enzyme(s) responsible for making creatine.

Some studies have found that creatine may increase growth hormone production.

What is creatine?

Creatine is formed in the human body from the amino acids methionine, glycine and arginine. The average person’s body contains approximately 120 grams of creatine stored as creatine phosphate. Certain foods such as beef, herring and salmon, are fairly high in creatine.

However, a person would have to eat pounds of these foods daily to equal what can be obtained in one teaspoon of powdered creatine.

Creatine is directly related to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is formed in the powerhouses of the cell, the mitochondria. ATP is often referred to as the “universal energy molecule” used by every cell in our bodies. An increase in oxidative stress coupled with a cell’s inability to produce essential energy molecules such as ATP, is a hallmark of the aging cell and is found in many disease states.

Key factors in maintaining health are the ability to: (a) prevent mitochondrial damage to DNA caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and (b) prevent the decline in ATP synthesis, which reduces whole body ATP levels. It would appear that maintaining antioxidant status (in particular intra-cellular glutathione) and ATP levels are essential in fighting the aging process.

It is interesting to note that many of the most promising anti-aging nutrients such as CoQ10, NAD, acetyl-l-carnitine and lipoic acid are all taken to maintain the ability of the mitochondria to produce high energy compounds such as ATP and reduce oxidative stress.

The ability of a cell to do work is directly related to its ATP status and the health of the mitochondria. Heart tissue, neurons in the brain and other highly active tissues are very sensitive to this system. Even small changes in ATP can have profound effects on the tissues’ ability to function properly.

Of all the nutritional supplements available to us currently, creatine appears to be the most effective for maintaining or raising ATP levels.

How does creatine work?

In a nutshell, creatine works to help generate energy. When ATP loses a phosphate molecule and becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP), it must be converted back to ATP to produce energy. Creatine is stored in the human body as creatine phosphate (CP) also called phosphocreatine.

When ATP is depleted, it can be recharged by CP. That is, CP donates a phosphate molecule to the ADP, making it ATP again. An increased pool of CP means faster and greater recharging of ATP, which means more work can be performed.

This is why creatine has been so successful for athletes. For short-duration explosive sports, such as sprinting, weight lifting and other anaerobic endeavors, ATP is the energy system used.

To date, research has shown that ingesting creatine can increase the total body pool of CP which leads to greater generation of energy for anaerobic forms of exercise, such as weight training and sprinting. Other effects of creatine may be increases in protein synthesis and increased cell hydration.

Creatine has had spotty results in affecting performance in endurance sports such as swimming, rowing and long distance running, with some studies showing no positive effects on performance in endurance athletes.

Whether or not the failure of creatine to improve performance in endurance athletes was due to the nature of the sport or the design of the studies is still being debated.

Creatine can be found in the form of creatine monohydrate, creatine citrate, creatine phosphate, creatine-magnesium chelate and even liquid versions.

However, the vast majority of research to date showing creatine to have positive effects on pathologies, muscle mass and performance used the monohydrate form. Creatine monohydrate is over 90% absorbable. What follows is a review of some of the more interesting and promising research studies with creatine.

Creatine and neuromuscular diseases

One of the most promising areas of research with creatine is its effect on neuromuscular diseases such as MD. One study looked at the safety and efficacy of creatine monohydrate in various types of muscular dystrophies using a double blind, crossover trial.

Thirty-six patients (12 patients with facioscapulohumeral dystrophy, 10 patients with Becker dystrophy, eight patients with Duchenne dystrophy and six patients with sarcoglycan-deficient limb girdle muscular dystrophy) were randomized to receive creatine or placebo for eight weeks.

The researchers found there was a “mild but significant improvement” in muscle strength in all groups. The study also found a general improvement in the patients’ daily-life activities as demonstrated by improved scores in the Medical Research Council scales and the Neuromuscular Symptom scale. Creatine was well tolerated throughout the study period, according to the researchers.1

Another group of researchers fed creatine monohydrate to people with neuromuscular disease at 10 grams per day for five days, then reduced the dose to 5 grams per day for five days.

The first study used 81 people and was followed by a single-blinded study of 21 people.

In both studies, body weight, handgrip, dorsiflexion and knee extensor strength were measured before and after treatment. The researchers found “Creatine administration increased all measured indices in both studies.” Short-term creatine monohydrate increased high-intensity strength significantly in patients with neuromuscular disease.2

There have also been many clinical observations by physicians that creatine improves the strength, functionality and symptomology of people with various diseases of the neuromuscular system.

Creatine and neurological protection/brain injury

If there is one place creatine really shines, it’s in protecting the brain from various forms of neurological injury and stress. A growing number of studies have found that creatine can protect the brain from neurotoxic agents, certain forms of injury and other insults.

Several in vitro studies found that neurons exposed to either glutamate or beta-amyloid (both highly toxic to neurons and involved in various neurological diseases) were protected when exposed to creatine.3 The researchers hypothesized that “? cells supplemented with the precursor creatine make more phosphocreatine (PCr) and create larger energy reserves with consequent neuroprotection against stressors.”

More recent studies, in vitro and in vivo in animals, have found creatine to be highly neuroprotective against other neurotoxic agents such as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and malonate.4 Another study found that feeding rats creatine helped protect them against tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which produces parkinsonism in animals through impaired energy production.

The results were impressive enough for these researchers to conclude, “These results further implicate metabolic dysfunction in MPTP neurotoxicity and suggest a novel therapeutic approach, which may have applicability in Parkinson’s disease.”5 Other studies have found creatine protected neurons from ischemic (low oxygen) damage as is often seen after strokes or injuries.6

Yet more studies have found creatine may play a therapeutic and or protective role in Huntington’s disease7, 8 as well as ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).9 This study found that “? oral administration of creatine produced a dose-dependent improvement in motor performance and extended survival in G93A transgenic mice, and it protected mice from loss of both motor neurons and substantia nigra neurons at 120 days of age.

Creatine administration protected G93A transgenic mice from increases in biochemical indices of oxidative damage. Therefore, creatine administration may be a new therapeutic strategy for ALS.” Amazingly, this is only the tip of the iceberg showing creatine may have therapeutic uses for a wide range of neurological disease as well as injuries to the brain.

One researcher who has looked at the effects of creatine commented, “This food supplement may provide clues to the mechanisms responsible for neuronal loss after traumatic brain injury and may find use as a neuroprotective agent against acute and delayed neurodegenerative processes.”

Creatine and heart function

Because it is known that heart cells are dependent on adequate levels of ATP to function properly, and that cardiac creatine levels are depressed in chronic heart failure, researchers have looked at supplemental creatine to improve heart function and overall symptomology in certain forms of heart disease.

It is well known that people suffering from chronic heart failure have limited endurance, strength and tire easily, which greatly limits their ability to function in everyday life. Using a double blind, placebo-controlled design, 17 patients aged 43 to 70 years with an ejection fraction <40 were supplemented with 20 grams of creatine daily for 10 days.

Before and after creatine supplementation, the researchers looked at:

1) Ejection fraction of the heart (blood present in the ventricle at the end of diastole and expelled during the contraction of the heart)

2) 1-legged knee extensor (which tests strength)

3) Exercise performance on the cycle ergometer (which tests endurance)

Biopsies were also taken from muscle to determine if there was an increase in energy-producing compounds (i.e., creatine and creatine phosphate). Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the ejection fraction at rest and during the exercise phase did not increase.

However, the biopsies revealed a considerable increase in tissue levels of creatine and creatine phosphate in the patients getting the supplemental creatine. More importantly, patients getting the creatine had increases in strength and peak torque (21%, P < 0.05) and endurance (10%, P < 0.05).

Both peak torque and 1-legged performance increased linearly with increased skeletal muscle phosphocreatine (P < 0.05). After just one week of creatine supplementation, the researchers concluded: "Supplementation to patients with chronic heart failure did not increase ejection fraction but increased skeletal muscle energy-rich phosphagens and performance as regards both strength and endurance.

This new therapeutic approach merits further attention.”10

Another study looked at the effects of creatine supplementation on endurance and muscle metabolism in people with congestive heart failure.11 In particular the researchers looked at levels of ammonia and lactate, two important indicators of muscle performance under stress.

Lactate and ammonia levels rise as intensity increases during exercise and higher levels are associated with fatigue.

High-level athletes have lower levels of lactate and ammonia during a given exercise than non-athletes, as the athletes’ metabolism is better at dealing with these metabolites of exertion, allowing them to perform better.

This study found that patients with congestive heart failure given 20 grams of creatine per day had greater strength and endurance (measured as handgrip exercise at 25%, 50% and 75% of maximum voluntary contraction or until exhaustion) and had lower levels of lactate and ammonia than the placebo group.

This shows that creatine supplementation in chronic heart failure augments skeletal muscle endurance and attenuates the abnormal skeletal muscle metabolic response to exercise.

It is important to note that the whole-body lack of essential high energy compounds (e.g. ATP, creatine, creatine phosphate, etc.) in people with chronic congestive heart failure is not a matter of simple malnutrition, but appears to be a metabolic derangement in skeletal muscle and other tissues.

Supplementing with high energy precursors such as creatine monohydrate appears to be a highly effective, low cost approach to helping these patients live more functional lives, and perhaps extend their life spans.

Conclusion

Creatine is quickly becoming one of the most well researched and promising supplements for a wide range of diseases. It may have additional uses for pathologies where a lack of high energy compounds and general muscle weakness exist, such as fibromyalgia.

People with fibromyalgia have lower levels of creatine phosphate and ATP levels compared to controls.13 Some studies also suggest it helps with the strength and endurance of healthy but aging people as well.

Though additional research is needed, there is a substantial body of research showing creatine is an effective and safe supplement for a wide range of pathologies and may be the next big find in anti-aging nutrients.

Although the doses used in some studies were quite high, recent studies suggest lower doses are just as effective for increasing the overall creatine phosphate pool in the body.

Two to three grams per day appears adequate for healthy people to increase their tissue levels of creatine phosphate. People with the aforementioned pathologies may benefit from higher intakes, in the 5-to-10 grams per day range.

About the Author

Download Your FREE Indepth Report On Creatine’s Usage in Sports , Health and Anti Aging Creatine Report From Sports Nutrition Expert Will Brink here:
http://www.creatine-report.com
And see Will’s other websites here:
http://www.dietsupplementsreview.com
http://www.musclebuildingguide.com

Comments Off

Understand the Service

In just about any industry in the world, you understand the
product or service you will be receiving.  If you were going to
have a contractor build a deck in your backyard, you have a
basic idea of what’s involved.  The contractor has to provide
design services, labor, materials, and make a profit.  After a
few quotes, you have a fair idea of where the market is in your
neighborhood.  You also understand the deliverable, a new deck
in your backyard.

Many SEO companies operate by a different set of rules.  There
seems to be a big secret around how some companies will provide
a customer with the results they promise.  Now that doesn’t
sound very fair.  How can you determine what you should pay for
a service when you have no idea what services will be
performed?  How can you compare two different SEO companies when
they both have “secret” formulas they cannot disclose to you? 
The answer is simple.  You don’t do business with either company
and you look for one that will be a little more honest about the
services they will be providing.  There are no secrets in SEO and anyone
telling you differently should not be trusted.

There are a few reasons an SEO company would not tell a customer
how they intend to increase their search engine visibility and
neither are good.  The first is that the service they will be
providing is basic and overpriced.  This is actually the better
of the two.  The second reason the process may be kept secret is
because the SEO intends to use unethical or black hat techniques
such as doorway pages, cloaking, or disposable websites which
can end up doing the customer more harm than good.  There have
been many websites banned from major search engines due to
practices performed by questionable SEO companies.

Understand the Agreement

Contracts can be very misleading and deserve a great deal of
attention before signing.  When it comes to SEO contracts, it is
imperative that the verbiage reads exactly as the oral
commitment.  I have seen many SEO contracts that state the SEO company will “guarantee
X number of top ten listings in any of the major search
engines.”  Most of the time, the oral agreement is based on
specific pages and keyword phrases within the customer’s
website.  The issue with this or a similar statement is that it
is too vague.  The door is left wide open for the SEO company to
define a second tier search engine as a “major search engine.” 
They can also use any successful keyword phrase from the
customer’s website rather than the keyword phrases they agreed
to optimize for verbally.  If you agree to optimize for the term
“lion king tickets” with such a contract, the SEO could come
back and say you received a top ten for the keyword phrase “new
lion tickets king york” so, therefore, their end of the contract
was met.  I think it’s safe to say no one in their right mind
would search for Lion King tickets in New York in this
manor.

The key to avoiding such trickery is to add every specific
commitment into the contract.  That means keyword phrases,
individual web page URLs, and any other details need to be
defined within the contract.  If the SEO company is not willing
to amend their contract for any reason, they are not worth doing
business with.

Money Back Guarantee

If an SEO company is as good as they say they are, they will put
their money where their mouth is.  There are many SEO companies
that will promise a money back guarantee if they fail to live up
to their commitment.  Sketchy SEO companies will claim they have
no way of controlling search engine changes so there is no way
they can make that commitment.  A trustworthy SEO will be able
to adjust their optimization model to meet any changes that come
along from the search engines.  They may need a little more time
to achieve the committed results, but they will succeed in the
end.  Managing change is part of the game.  Think about it.  How
would any SEO company stay in business for any period of time if
they were not able to adjust to search engine algorithm
changes?

Comments Off

For those of us who consider ourselves novices when it comes to
“the financial world”, it is interesting to understand the
impact of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and its
role in the world of investment. The SEC touts as its mission
statement, “…to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and
efficient markets, and facilitate capital formation.” That’s
good because many of us need all the help we can get.

As a part of the SEC’s mission the belief is that in order to
sustain and advance economic growth, capital formation must
thrive. The SEC’s actions protect the value of savings and
advocate a growing economy. It is that growing economy that
should improve our standard of living and should spur the
creation of new jobs. The SEC offers investor protection that is
especially needed by first-time investors planning for such
things as home mortgages and college funds.

Because of the complexities in the investment world, it is
important that all investors do research and question what they
do not understand. There are no guarantees when it comes to
stocks, bonds and other securities that can go down in value. If
a person wants security, one option is to just stick with the
banking world where deposits are guaranteed by the federal
government.

One of the main functions of the SEC is that it requires public
companies to disclose information to the public. The securities
industry is governed by laws that follow a very simple concept -
all investors should have access to certain basic facts prior to
investing. The premise is that investors can only make sound
decisions if they have timely, comprehensive and accurate
information to help them judge whether to buy, sell, or hold.

Because the formation of capital is so important to the nation’s
economy, the SEC works with major market participants and
investors to address their concerns. The SEC is concerned about
promoting disclosure of information, protection against fraud,
and fair dealing. To that end it oversees the securities
exchanges, brokers, dealers, mutual funds, and investment
advisors. Every year hundreds of civil actions are taken against
companies and individuals by the SEC for violation of the
securities laws. The most common infractions are insider
trading, accounting fraud, and false information about
securities.

How does the SEC obtain the information they need for
enforcement? Most of it comes from investors themselves. This
validates the emphasis on educated investors and providing
information that keeps them current. In fact, the SEC offers
information on its website that includes disclosure documents
that the Commission requires to be on file.

Does the SEC stand alone as the only overseer and regulator?
Absolutely not. Congress, other federal departments and
agencies, the stock exchanges, state securities regulators and
other private organizations all work toward those goals. The
President has established the President’s Working Group on
Financial Markets, which consists of the Chairman of the SEC,
the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, the Secretary of the
Treasury, and the Chairman of the Commodities Futures Trading
Commission.

What brought about the creation of the SEC? Prior to the 1929
Great Crash federal regulation for the securities markets was
not support. During the post-World War I activity there was no
support for regulation that would require financial disclosure,
unfortunate because it cold have helped prevent fraudulent stock
sale.

During the 1920’s the common goal of many investors was “rags to
riches”, This theme was rampant, and most investors turned a
blind eye to the dangers in the lack of control of market
operations. Looking to take advantage of the post-war
prosperity, many sought to make their fortunes through the stock
market. Unfortunately, many investors had heavy losses, and the
eventual “run” on banks caused many bank failures.

After the Crash of 1929 and during the depression, Congress
looked to identify problems and find solutions through a series
of hearings. The feeling was that the public trust in markets
needed restoration. As a result of the hearings, the Securities
Act of 1933 and the 1934 Securities Exchange Act were passed.
What those acts accomplished were twofold: 1) companies were
required to provide the truth about their business and
securities to the public; and 2) exchanges, dealers, and broker
must put investors’ interest first and treat investors in an
fair and honest manner.

Today the SEC has 3,100 staff members and operates from 11
regional and district offices. There are five Commissioners
appointed by the President after Senate consent. The President
designates one of the five Commissioners as Chairman. No more
than three Commissioners may belong to the same political party,
which is intended to keep the Commission non-partisan. The
functions of the Commissioners is as follows: 1) federal
securities laws interpretation; 2) rules amendments; 3) address
changing market conditions with new rules; and 4) enforce laws
and rules.

This Commission is, in deed, is an integral player in the
protection afforded to investors. For the novice investor or the
veteran investor, there is that on-going need for sound market
regulation. The SEC does that and more.

The SEC is not the enemy… it’s those other guys.

Happy trading!

No permission is needed to reproduce an unedited copy of this
article as long the About The Author tag is left in tact and hot
links included. Questions and comments can be sent to
floyd@TraderAide.com.

Comments Off

Do Search Engines Drive Internet and Offline sales?

According to a recent article by Jason Miller, a reporter for Web Pro News “MSN searchers were 48% more likely to buy online than the average Internet user. His info was based on a report from the month of June by comScore Networks, Inc. The report also indicated that “Google users are 42% more likely” to buy than the average Internet users.

On the flip side of this good news was the lackluster ecommerce involvement of AOL users, who were only 3% more likely to make a purchase than the average Internet user. This is significant to know because search engine users have been traditional thought of as better potential customers than other types of Internet traffic. Search engine users are proactively looking for information with specifically targeted search terms, and therefore are considered by many marketers as target direct response driven prospects.

One theory is the reason MSN searchers may be more likely to buy is that the majority of them are women (who many times make more buying decisions for their families), while the majority of Google users are men at 51%.

This theory doesn’t really hold up because AOL subscribers are 52% women, but who tend “NOT” to make many more purchases than the average Internet user. Perhaps MSN users are slightly more upscale than Google, Yahoo! or AOL users.

The comScore study also reiterated what a lot of recent studies have shown by other sources. It indicates the more sophisticated and complex search terms are, the more likely the searchers using those terms will be inclined to make an online purchase.

Another interesting revelation in this article is that many searchers (85%) made their purchases offline 5 to 12 weeks after the initial search session. Only 15% made a purchase during the first search session (which by the way is very high because most websites have a initial conversion rate of .5 - 1%).

It is because of these facts that search engine marketing is debated as a direct marketing tool. Many would categorize search engine marketing as more of a long term marketing strategy, because their usage may precede a purchase by as much as 60 to 90 days. According to the comScore study most searches (70%) started out as generic generalized terms and then became more specific. Only about 20% of the search terms started out as brand names like Sony, HP, or Dell.

It must be mentioned here however that closer to the buying circle more brand names are used in searches.

A deeper look at the comScore study also showed that “search played a role in roughly half of all online purchases.”

The comScore study was commissioned by DoubleClick because comScore had a panel of 1.5 million U.S. Internet consumers.

In is also interesting to note (in a different study) that According to Hitwise, an online competitive intelligence service search engines contributed greatly to the record traffic to shopping and classified sites last Dec. 11th, 2004 of 9.73 percent). In other words search engines drove about 10% of Holiday sales. The specific traffic drivers were Google (4.26 percent), Yahoo! (2.24 percent) and MSN 0.54.

According to the Hitwise research Google seems to drive retail traffic of books, sports, fitness and music. Hitwise further reveals “Yahoo! search is stronger in sending its shopping referrals to: … video and games, automotive, and classifieds”. MSN sends a higher share of its shopping referrals to Apparel & Accessories, House & Garden, and Appliances & Electronics”.

Here are some other reasons to use search engine marketing…

The Top 7 Reasons Your Site should have a Search Engine Marketing Strategy.

1. 47% of Internet traffic is driven from the search engines.

2. 91% of Internet sales are first researched on the search engines.

3. Search engine traffic is the best free way to position your business to target ideal sales leads and customers.

4. Search engine traffic is more targeted and receptive to your products and services. This is the case because unlike traditional advertising search engine traffic is initiated by the customer.

5. 20% of search engine queries are for local traffic. Twice as many people use search engines to find local businesses as do use the local yellow pages.

6. Search engines are the cornerstones of any Internet marketing campaign (I don’t know any successful Internet marketer that doesn’t have a search engine marketing component to their marketing).

7. Search engine traffic can be inexpensive or free but naturally monetized with strategies like Google Adsense, link brokering, and traditional advertising.

This definitely shows that search engine marketing is an important part of the marketing mix of most companies — especially in the retail industry. Search engine visibility may take a few months to manifest themselves, but search engines without a doubt drive sales down the info superhighway — showing us the money along the way.

About the author:

Kamau Austin Helps Small Businesses make more money by using search engines as marketing and sales channels to increase their business. He also publishes http://www.eInfoNEWS.comFor more search engine news visit His New Jersey based site http://www.SearchEnginePlan.com.

Comments Off

Many hundreds of monks gained outstanding results and brought fame to Martial Arts of Shaolin for ever. All of them attained such unusual abilities thanks to special secret practices traditionally called “72 Arts of Shaolin.” They are the base and essence of the Shaolin Combat Training.

Chronicles of the Shaolin Monastery (Shaolin Si Zhi) preserved for us many names of monks-warriors from Shaolin who attained mystic heights of mastery and obtained superhuman abilities thanks to indefatigable training and diligent observance of true methods.

For instance, monk Hong Wen who lived in the XIII-th century sat into the stance MA, put a stone slab weighing 50 kg on his head, stood a man on each knee and stayed so until a huge incense candle, as high as a man, half burned off.

His disciple Jue Yuan could dodge several spears thrown at him, broke stone slabs with his fist, knocked a hollow in a wall with his finger, ground pebbles into powder in his palms, handled all kinds of Shaolin weapons with skill.

Monk Zhi Yin who lived in the XV-th century came to Shaolin at the age of sixteen. He gained such a mastery that he could easily move a stone weighing 500 kg with a push of his leg, break trees with kick, drive piles into ground with his heel, knock down several people at once with a kick.

Monk Shu Ran who lived in the XVII-th century perfectly mastered the art of “Light Body” QING GONG, jumped out of one pit into another, could jump up a wall or a high pole, and for it he was nicknamed “Genuine Master of Gong Fu”.
His contemporary, monk Shu Qing mastered the art of “Diamond Finger” to perfection, with his finger he could pierce a wooden board as it were a straw mat and crush stones into sand with blows of his elbows.

The XIX-th century also knew a lot of true masters. Monk Ji Hui gained outstanding success in exercises for hardness YING GONG. He crushed huge stones with his elbow like with a diamond pestle and broke thick wooden beams with an arm blow. Besides, he was proficient in the art of “Golden Bell”, blows of a big iron hammer did not hurt him at all.

Monk Hai Fa beat off arrows shot at him, was able of dodging spears pointed at him from a few sides. Besides, he mastered the method “A Leg Weighing 1000 Jins”, he could crush a stone with a “trampling” blow and kill a man with the “Iron Fist”.

Monk Zhen Yue ran up a sheer wall of three meters high and mastered the art of “Light Steps”. His disciple Ru Bi achieved some success in “Hard Art” YING GONG and additionally he perceived the “Luohan’s Art” LUOHAN GONG and could fight against several armed enemies in pitch darkness.

Shaolin Kung Fu OnLine Library - Canonical Texts of Shaolin Monastery - Old Chinese books, treatises, manuscripts

Learn more at http://www.kungfulibrary.com.

Comments Off

There have been a good number of inquiries as to whether it is time to refinance home loans. Of course, the answer definitely would depend on the whole scenario for each borrower. Our company policy is very different from other mortgage companies. We make sure we get all income/asset/credit information from the borrowers and then make sure that the appraisal value is acceptable to the program selected. Then we formally approve the loan and issue a commitment to the borrowers with a guaranteed rate lock and a guaranteed closing fees. All these processes are done in a matter of minutes, as long as all income information and appraisal value are verified.

With this process, I am able to make sure that the clients fully understand how the process of the loan works. We make sure that you are happy with the whole transaction and advise you with options that will benefit you the most. I wish I could say yes to everyone who wants to refinance their loans. My policy might be conservative, but it is guaranteed that if we take your loan, you will close on schedule and on the rate and terms that we first disclose to you. The only thing I cannot control in a transaction is the title insurance. There are instances when a property has been recorded incorrectly with the county and it could take months to resolve that problem. We would normally know about these things in 3-5 days.

Here are some of the reasons for refinancing:

*If you have an adjustable rate loan where the payments are due to increase, it would be wise to do it now while the rates are low and you can get a fixed rate option loan where you still pay the same amount.

*If you are interested in cashing out money to pay off credit card debts and consolidate your loan. Even if you have those 0% credit card offers, remember you still owe that amount of money and it has to be repaid. Consolidate your debts into one payment and you will be surprised at the savings, not to mention the tax benefits. Remember, credit card interest is always non tax deductible while mortgage interest is tax deductible. Wouldn’t it feel great if you paid Uncle Sam less and had more money in your pocket to enjoy?

*Rates over 7% or higher fixed rate mortgage are also due for refinancing; the current rates as of February 14, 2006 is about 5.75%. You should refinance to a better rate and you might even be able to refinance the loan with no cost. Your rates would be based on your current loan balance. If you have high rates but only have a few years remaining, then we would have to analyze your loan, it might not be worth refinancing. Call me for advice.

*Loans with Negative Amortization are also being converted to fixed rate mortgage. Negative Amortization–where your principal balance increases for the first three years of your loan–must be fully understood. I am surprised with how many callers ask me about their Negative Amortization loan or Option loan payment program and don’t understand how they adjust. These loans have their share of disadvantages if you are not aware of them.

*Interest Only loans that are adjustable are definitely the first to go, with the way the market is going it is better to be safe than sorry. A low payment option does not always mean interest only program. There are other fully amortized loans that can offer a lower payment and yet you are paying both interest and principal.

*Combo Loans, paying a first and a second mortgage. If there is enough equity in your property it might be smart to combine both payments into one. A second mortgage is always higher in rates compared to your first loan. A line of credit is even scarier if you took out a large amount and plans to pay it off within 5-10 years. Lines of credit are adjustable loans that were 9% in year 2000, it climbed up 2 full percent in less than a year. It has increased a full 2.00% in the past year. We are currently at 7.50% and anticipating at least another .50% increase in the coming year.

One key point in refinancing is to always get the best value from your appraiser. You can assist your lender by doing a little of bit of investigating yourself. It’s always beneficial for you to keep track of your neighborhood properties sold recently. An appraiser can only use comparables that are similar to your property and within a mile radius, so if you happen to see a sold sign or closed escrow sign please inform us that might help us bring more value to your property. Also, the appraiser’s information is normally behind by two to three weeks, so if there are very recent closings in your area the appraiser might not be aware of it yet, let us know and we can use that as a comparable for your property.

Another note you should be aware about is that the value for refinancing and selling your property is slightly different. For refinance values, we always need to use closed comparables while in selling your property, you can always go higher than the last closed sale.

Ken Go has been running his southern California home loans business since 1987. His honesty and courtesy equal loyalty to his customers. Forget about “good faith estimates.” With 1st Innovative Finance Group, all loan rates and fees are guaranteed upon application. Ken Go writes a California home loans blog for anyone who might want free advice about financing a home with a mortgage. Ken speaks English, Chinese, and Filipino (Tagalog).

Comments Off

One of the highest rated prime time television shows of the late 70s and early 80s was The Dukes Of Hazzard. The family friendly action series took a comic book approach to telling its tale of a family of farmers with a fast race car named the Dukes. The Dukes – comprised of Uncle Jesse, Cousin Bo, Cousin Luke, and Cousin Daisy – are reformed bootleggers who constantly butt heads with local sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane and county commissioner J.D. Hogg. With the aid of local mechanic Cooter and the bright orange General Lee race car, the Dukes are always one step ahead of the bad guys…

The Dukes of Hazzard (Season 2) DVD provides a number of famous episodes, including guest appearances by Cale Yarborough and The Oak Ridge Boys. Deputy Sheriff Cletus (Rick Hurst) also makes his first appearance in the show’s second season. Boss Hogg nephew Hughie Hogg (Jeff Altman) also makes his first appearance. With Waylon Jennings’s weekly narrations as “The Balladeer” (performing artist of the show’s legendary, chart-topping theme song), The Dukes of Hazzard provides hours of family-friendly programming as Boss and Roscoe match wits with the Duke clan…

Below is a list of episodes included on The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 2) DVD:

Episode 14 (Days Of Shine And Roses) Air Date: 09-21-1979
Episode 15 (Gold Fever) Air Date: 09-28-1979
Episode 16 (The Rustlers) Air Date: 10-05-1979
Episode 17 (The Meeting) Air Date: 10-12-1979
Episode 18 (Road Pirates) Air Date: 10-19-1979
Episode 19 (The Ghost Of The General Lee) Air Date: 10-26-1979
Episode 20 (Dukes Meet Cale Yarborough) Air Date: 11-02-1979
Episode 21 (Hazzard Connection) Air Date: 11-09-1979
Episode 22 (Witness For The Persecution) Air Date: 11-16-1979
Episode 23 (Granny Annie) Air Date: 11-23-1979
Episode 24 (People’s Choice) Air Date: 11-30-1979
Episode 25 (Arrest Jesse Duke) Air Date: 12-14-1979
Episode 26 (Duke Of Duke) Air Date: 01-04-1980
Episode 27 (The Runaway) Air Date: 01-11-1980
Episode 28 (Follow That Still) Air Date: 01-18-1980
Episode 29 (Treasure Of Hazzard) Air Date: 01-25-1980
Episode 30 (Officer Daisy Duke) Air Date: 02-01-1980
Episode 31 (Find Loretta Lynn) Air Date: 02-08-1980
Episode 32 (Jude Emery) Air Date: 02-15-1980
Episode 33 (Return Of The Ridge Raiders) Air Date: 02-22-1980
Episode 34 (Mason Dixon’s Girls) Air Date: 02-29-1979
Episode 35 (R.I.P. Henry Flatt) Air Date: 03-14-1979
Episode 36 (Southern Comfurts) Air Date: 03-21-1979

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 2) DVD.

Comments Off

Today we have grown into a nation looking for instant gratification, the buy now pay later syndrome. So, without a good credit rating it will be very difficult to get the things you want at the time you want them. Consumer credit has become widely accepted as a substitute for ready cash, so having good credit is the key to your future of getting all you deserve, and the key to opening doors that make your life more comfortable and worry free.

As a consumer it is to your benefit to fully understand how credit works and every aspect of what is involved when you apply for any type of credit, including the major credit reporting agencies that hold your credit report file. When you understand what the banks and other creditors are looking for, and you know what is in your credit report, you will be able to control your financial future and make the best choices for yourself and not accept anything less than what you deserve.

When you apply for credit, lenders want to know about you, your employment history, your income, your assets, and most importantly they want to know about your credit history. A lender will get lots of information directly from you through a credit application, then, they will pull your credit bureau reports to confirm this information and review your credit references and credit report scores. Then upon evaluation of your credit application combined with your credit report, the lender will determine your credit risk and make a final decision on whether or not to grant you credit and at what rate of interest they will charge you.

So, now that you know the process of getting credit, let us take a deeper look into the factors that can either be an asset or liability to you when applying for credit – your credit report.

What is a credit report

Your credit report is your financial resume, a summary of your financial reliability, containing both personal and credit information. Your credit report is maintained by credit reporting agencies, also known as credit bureaus, and provided to lenders, employers, insurance companies, landlords and other companies who have a legitimate need for this information, based on the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Your credit and personal information is reported to the credit reporting agencies from various creditors, in most cases electronically, instantly updating your file.

What is in my credit report

Your credit report is divided up into five main areas: personal profile/identifying information, inquiries, credit history, public record information and your credit score.

PERSONAL PROFILE / IDENTIFYING INFORMATION – this is where all your personal information is recorded – your name including any alias and possibly your spouses name, current and previous addresses, Social Security number, date of birth and current and previous employment. You might find some of this information is incorrect or incorrectly spelled, this can occur when creditors pull your credit bureau as they usually enter in the information though the computer where data entry errors can occur, and these mistakes will update your credit bureau report. However, if there is information that is not even close, such as an address, this should alert you to investigate this further as it is a possibility that you may be a victim of identity theft.

INQUIRIES – in this section you will find listed all the parties that have requested a copy of your credit report and the date it was done over the past two years. There are two types of inquires, soft and hard. A hard inquire is when you have applied for something and is initiated by you, for example, you have applied for a loan or mortgage or completed a credit application for a credit card or even applied for insurance. These hard inquiries are the ones that appear on your credit report and are visible to creditors when they access your credit report. A soft inquiry only shows on your credit report when requested by yourself and do not show to the creditors. A soft inquiry can come from your existing creditors that are monitoring your account, companies that are looking to offer you promotional applications for credit and each time you request a copy of your credit report.

CREDIT HISTORY – in this section you will find an itemized list of your credit cards, loans and mortgages, both currently active accounts and past closed ones. The information reported includes, type of account, when it was open, the high balance or limit, monthly payments, date of last payment, how the account is paid including any late payments, date of last activity and a rating of how the account was paid.

PUBLIC RECORDS – this information is obtained from local, state and federal courthouses and includes bankruptcy records, foreclosures, tax liens, monetary judgments, court-ordered payments, and over due child support payments. Public records are a negative credit reference and will lower your credit score. They also stay on your credit report anywhere from six to ten years.

CREDIT SCORE – your credit report scores are a rating determining you credit risk and the likelihood of defaulting on a loan. Lenders will use this score as a tool to assist them in deciding whether or not they will lend you money. Your credit score is a snap shot of your credit at that point in time, and can change on a daily basis. The score is a three digit number ranging between 300 and 850. Statistics show that the higher the number the less likely you will default on a loan, therefore you are a good credit risk; and the lower the number the greater chance there is for you to default on your payments, making you a greater credit risk.

When your credit score is low, you still may be able to borrow money but, you will most likely have to pay a higher rate of interest and you may not get all the money you request and possibly have to pay additional fees, basically you are at the mercy of the lender. However, the higher your credit score is the more you are in-charge, you can get any loan at the best possible rates with no restriction.

Your credit score is a complicated calculation, where the credit reporting agency takes into consideration many factors, including but not limited to, your payment history – late payments, both current and previous will bring down your score; your credit balance in relation to you limit – if you are at your maximum credit limit or if you are over it will bring down you score; the number of inquires – if you have to many in a short period of time it will bring down your score; the length of time you have had credit, the total number of outstanding debts and any derogatory information or public records, such as bankruptcies, collection, judgments and written off accounts – will bring down your score.

Where does the information on my credit report come from?

Your credit history information is gathered at companies called credit bureaus or credit reporting agencies. There are three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. They receive information voluntarily from creditors and the credit reporting agency updates and maintains your credit report file with this information. Creditors report, loans, credit cards, mortgages, on a regular basis electronically. Your file is also updated when you apply for credit, as the information from your credit application is submitted to the credit reporting agencies when they pull your credit report.

Who are the major credit reporting agencies

There are three major credit reporting agencies. Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. These are independent companies from one another, and it is important for you to know that they do not exchange information. This means that it is quite possible that you not only have a separate credit report with each of them, but that they may contain different information. There are hundreds of smaller credit bureau companies across the country however these major credit companies are the largest and the main bureaus that the banks and financial institutions use. You will find that creditors may use one of the three credit reporting companies, however it is not unusual for them to use all three.

Who has access to my credit report

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) contains rules regarding who can access your credit report. Generally speaking, a credit reporting agency may only provide information from your credit file when the requested relates to the extension of credit, collection of a debt, a tenancy applications, an application for employment or insurance, the issuance of special licenses or potential financial dealings that involve you. The law also gives these companies access to your report as part of an ongoing business relationship. An example of this would be you have a loan at a bank and you miss your payment, this gives that bank a right to obtain an updated copy of your credit reports. Credit card companies use this option a lot. They consider it part of the maintenance of your account. As credit cards are revolving (not a closed end loan), a customers circumstances can change, so credit card companies will obtain updated credit reports on their customers to review them and look for warning signs of a customer getting over extended in credit which could result in problems fulfilling their obligations. This is how credit card companies can either raise or lower your credit limit or interest rate automatically. However, in the case of an employer, this law does not apply and they need the employee’s permission each time they wish to request a copy of your credit report.

You are also entitled to copies of your credit reports, and today with the internet there are many fast and easy ways to obtain credit reports online. You can purchase a copy from each of the major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian or Tran Union, the cost may vary however, under the latest Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rules they are restricted to the maximum amount they can charge you. Check with your state laws, as some states require the credit bureau companies to provide you with a copy of your credit report periodically for free. The FCRA gives you the opportunity to receive a copy of your credit reports if you have been denied for credit or other benefits based on your credit report, you are entitled to receive a free credit report from the credit bureau that provided the report. The FCRA also allows you obtain
totally free credit reports. If you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft or fraud, if you are unemployed or if you receive welfare assistance.

Linda Meadley is very knowledgeable in the field of credit. Throughout her 20 year career she has worked as a mortgage and loans office, credit manager and financial advisor, assisting consumers in their financial endeavors. To further assist consumers she has a web site dedicated to credit reports. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about credit reports, and where you can obtain totally free credit reports.

Comments Off

I got asked a really good question a couple of
days ago by a leader that finds it difficult
to listen to others.

Ok, on with the show - here is the email I received:

“Hi Sean,

Listening to my staff is an area I feel really difficult
to master.

Have you got a short, sharp model that I can easily
remember that I can take into EVERY situation when
I need to actively listen?

Thanks again Sean

David”

here is the reply that I sent to him!

“Hi David,

Your twenty pound note is in the post for your
kind comments!

You did a great job on the second exercise when
you went into it with the mindset of “Active”
listening rather then “Passive” listening.

Ok, let me give you a whistle stop technique that
you can use to become a better listener.

It’s called R.A.S.E

R = Respond to the content

A = Acknowledge the feelings of what is being said

S = Show your understanding

E = Encourage further information

Let me give you an example:

RESPOND TO THE CONTENT

This is another term for reflecting back what they have
said in your own terms. By doing this it demonstrates
your own understanding and if you know you have to do
this it really makes you listen believe me!

This is also called “paraphrasing” David. There is a
section on paraphrasing in your course manual page
67.

So, if the person says:

“You can cut the atmosphere with a knife at work”

You could reply with:

“So, there are some serious going’s on then with people”

This response shows the speaker that you have understood
what they have said.

Then…..

ACKNOWLEDGE THE FEELINGS

So you change your focus to acknowledge what the person
must be feeling:

“It sounds as though you are feeling uncomfortable
about what is currently going on within your office”

Then…

SHOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND

Make your understanding real and legitimate even if
you do not agree with them yourself. Remember, you
are taking the speakers point of view into account
and appreciate that.

“If I was in your situation I would feel uncomfortable
too. I can see that you do not like this type of
atmosphere in the air at work”

Then…

ENCOURAGE FURTHER INFORMATION

The final step in RASE is to encourage further discussion
by asking an open ended question.

“So, tell me - what exactly is going on there?”

In Summary:

I hope that you find that model useful David.

That does not mean that you use it everytime as
people will tend to see straight through it if
you do.

Add it to your toolbox of skills and use it whenever
you need it.

Thanks again David and please do take advantage of
our post-course email support system, it is there to
help you.

Sean”

I hope you found that useful?

It’s now time to add that technique to your toolbox!

Sean McPheat is the Managing Director of MTD Training, a leading UK management training company. Sean is regarded as one of the leading authorities in leadership development has been featured on CNN, ITV, BBC and Arena magazine to name but a few.

Please feel free to download MTD’s FREE Management Skills Course at http://www.management-training-development.com/freeecourse.htm

For further details on MTD’s range of management training courses and programmes visit http://www.management-training-development.com

Comments Off