Today I realized I am going bald.

It is so embarrassing. My hair is getting so thin. I bet I go bald in a few more years. I am going to have to start wearing a wig because of the embarrassing bald head. I really love my hair. This is so sad. It might be nice to be able to use a wig instead of doing my own hair. That way I won't have to worry about bad hair days anymore. I also will be able to have whatever color hair I want whenever I want it. I can do anything I want with my hair. That is actually making me a little excited for it. It will still be a little bit embarrassing to admit to people.

Having a Top Paying Job Can Help You Get a Payday Loan

Job choices

In today's economy payday loans are a way to help people cover their bills. These types of loans are short term in nature and a quick payout to qualified customers. Normally the requirements are that you are 18 years of age, employed and have an active bank account. If you are accepted, the money you qualify for will be deposited into your account within a few days, sometimes sooner. On your next payday, the funds are automatically withdrawn from your account. It's a simple way for qualified applicants to pay bills on time, when the funds aren't readily available but soon will be.

A payday loan is predicated on employment and that's a standard concern in society. "What do I want to do for a living?" is a question everyone has to ask themselves at a certain point of their life. Some ways to decide are to be aware of what personal likes and dislikes are, what certain proclivities are and what the market is projected to be like in the near, and distant future.

Top Paying Jobs

A recent study of the top paying jobs of America was released. As expected, the medical field is still one of the top earning industries to be in. According to the U.S. government's Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates data, surgeons make on average $206,770 annually. Anesthesiologists are close behind with an average pay of $197,570, a 2.5% growth in salary since last year. Next in line are a slew of medical related workers such as orthodontists, obstetricians and gynecologists, with internists and oral surgeons next. It's no wonder the medical field takes a huge part of the top paying American jobs. Remember that the training for the privilege is rigorous. The medical workers surveyed were established in their fields and had long track records of accomplishments in the health industry. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Having a Top Paying Job Can Help You Get a Payday Loan"

Small Businesses Need Installment Loans to Find Funding

Community banks are suffering because of the excess of Wall Street firms

Small businesses are going to need to look into installment loan options as the economy balances itself out. According to Camden Fine, president of the "community banks account for 45 percent of all small business loans. They are the engines of Main Street." Unfortunately community banks' reputations were tarnished with the focus on bigger financial institutions who were managing unscrupulous lending policies during last year's loan explosion. Small banks are protesting, stating they had nothing to do with the excess of Wall Street firms and risky investments but they are under the same criticisms, and even bigger penalties.

Small banks are under scrutiny

Community banks are also feeling a backlash of bad behaviors of Wall Street investment firms. They are under the same tight analysis as the entire banking industry but the $767 bailout package is catering to large banking institutions. Small banks are under the same microscope, but with a much smaller benefit. In addition, there is an assessment the government wants to charge all members of the banking community to build the Federal Deposit Insurance Fund; the same fund that large banks drained.

According to Fine, many community banks are choosing to wait out the economic downfall in lending. They are turning to other revenue-generating practices to make ends meet, but staying far away from lending practices. Businesses who formerly looked to small business loans as a means of underwriting, now have to look to installment loan options for additional resources. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Small Businesses Need Installment Loans to Find Funding"

I am always cold

I am pretty sure that I am cold blooded. It is always a big joke that I am cold hearted or cold blooded like a reptile. I tried to figure out which reptile I might be today. I think I would make a pretty good alligator or crocodile. I don't even know what the difference is between them but I am sure that one of those reptiles is the one I would be. I might even be a lizard. That would be cool. I know I'm not really cold blooded but it is still funny to joke about considering the fact that I am always so cold.

Werewolves are the best mythical creatures ever

They are amazing because they can be humans or werewolves. They can be good or bad. I personally believe that most werewolves are good. In my mind, there are very few mythical creatures that could be bad like people think they are. They are probably nice and willing to help people with their powers. They probably spend a lot of time protecting humans like they should. They probably sincerely care about other creature's well beings. I bet that they would be really upset if someone were to be killed because they weren't doing their job. If only these creatures were real. I think they would be really interesting to study.

LendingClub: My P2P Loan Portfolio Update (+Bonus)

I’ve been meaning to post some smaller updates about my ongoing experiences with person-to-person lending at LendingClub, but I decided to wait and roll them up into one larger post.

Current Portfolio
I now have a total of 32 active loans with $1,122.21 in outstanding principal. Most are A grade, with a few Bs. Here is a screenshot from my account page:

These are the loans that originated after LendingClub completed their SEC registration, which means I can sell these loans on the open market. I also have $91.91 in 4 notes that were pre-SEC registration (these are accounted for separately), all A grade.

Performance
All 32 loans are current, with no late or defaulted loans. I don’t think any have even gone temporarily late. According to LC, my “Net Annualized Return on Investment” based on my interest payments received so far is 8.80%. This is net of all fees. The oldest loans are about 16 months old now, almost halfway through the 3-year term. So far so good.

You can view the statistics for all LC loans here. This study states that as of the end of November 2008, lenders earned an average rate of 9.05%. If you are familiar with Prosper, you’ll note that this is significantly better than their stats. There are several reasons for this, in my opinion. For one, an A grade loan on LendingClub is a lot better quality than an A loan on Prosper. You need to have a 660 credit score as well as other additional requirements just to make their lowest G grade. Also, LC is much more stringent on approving loans. Only about 10% of loan applications are accepted. Their data verification system seems to be more comprehensive and weeds out a lot more questionable and/or fraudulent loans.

Loan Filters / Methodology
For the most part, I only lend to borrowers with a nearly perfect credit profile. I don’t use their PortfolioMatch tool, I handpick each of my loans. It doesn’t take very long; Here’s my basic search filter: A/B grade only, 714+ credit score, debt-to-income ratio < 10%, zero delinquencies, and 50% funding status. The high funding status usually means that the loan has already been approved, with LendingClub verifying enough application information.

I check whenever I remember to, probably once every two weeks or so, and if I see something I like, I throw either $25 or $50 at it. My ideal borrower has a 10+ year clean credit history, a stable government job, and is just looking to consolidate debt into a lower rate. Paying 8% APR from LendingClub is a lot better than 10-20% from even the best prime credit cards, and new credit is harder to get now. I like the idea that they can clear out their consumer debt in 3 years or less.

Open Market
You can now buy and sell loans, so there is no longer a fixed 3-year commitment. I’m happy with my returns so far, and have not yet tried to sell any of my loans on the open market. I do see that loans with a good payment history of 6 months or so are asking a 4-6% premium to outstanding principal, so it might be a feasible strategy to repeatedly find good loans and sell them after 6 months. You might be able to limit your exposure and still maintain a decent return. (Sellers pay a 1% transaction fee.)

Self-Directed IRA Option
In March, LendingClub announced that you can now hold their P2P loans in a Self-Directed IRA and get the tax benefits. The main downside to this is that you are subject to a $250 annual account maintenance fee. Unless you have a very large amount of IRA funds that you wish to commit to this, $250 is a big drag on performance (1% of $25,000, 5% of $5,000). However, you can also hold other things like real estate or physical gold bullion in this Self-Directed IRA, so it does offer additional flexibility.

Safety of Principal
With the new post-SEC setup, you are now technically buying notes from LendingClub. This brings up the question of what would happen if they went bankrupt. This was previously addressed in my Q&A with Rob Garcia, Director of Product Strategy. In addition to that, I saw on TechCrunch a couple months ago that LendingClub secured another $12 million in Series B venture funding.

$25 New Lender Bonus
If you are interested in lending, you can still use this special $25 lender sign-up link to get a free $25 to try it out with no future obligation. There is no credit check and you don't even have to deposit anything. After you are approved, the $25 will show up in your account balance, and you can lend it out immediately.

If you’re looking to borrow at LendingClub, my advice remains the same. Send in your information, and see what interest rate they offer you. If you like it, try and get a loan. If your full amount is not funded, you can either accept partial funding or walk away with no obligation.

Read more about LendingClub: My P2P Loan Portfolio Update (+Bonus)…

Summer is here, go ahead and enjoy the heat

It’s that time of the year where you get to see loads of mangoes along the street, the water melon sellers making brisk business, butter milk and tender coconut becomes your favorite drink, girls walking with colorful umbrellas, floral patterns become the trend, coolers are a must when you step out. Well, ya it's summer time yet again. Despite the heat and the sultriness it brings along, there is more to summer.

Summer spells fun in most parts of the world especially in places where it's covered with snow most of the year. Even otherwise, summer means fun right from the time we were kids, as we got the longest holiday for the year during summer vacations and it is then that we got to explore new places with family, attend summer camps with friends, visit your native place, get to savor the king of fruits – Mango and a lot other fun stuff. Summer is here, go ahead and enjoy the heat.

I love swinging on swings.

I go to parks and elementary schools all the time just to swing on the swings. I remember that when I was a child, I used to have the goal of getting over the bar. We would try really hard to swing harder to get up further. I would kick my little legs as hard as I could until I eventually realized it would be scary to actually fly over the bar. I stopped doing that until the other day. I was trying to get as high as I could. I guess it didn't really work because my patience right now is much less than it was back then.

I love the game apples to apples.

I tend to be really bad at it. I always lose. I usually put in things that are completely opposite of the adjective that is on the green card. That way it is funny but nobody ever picks me to win. I really love it still. In my family, we have an apples to apples crown. Whenever somebody wins at a family function, they get to sign the crown. I have never been able to sign my name to it but I don't care. It is more about the game and family time than it is about the crown and winning.

Verizon and Frontier Communications Make $8.6 Billion Deal

Cutting the land line

Do you remember rotary telephones? I’ve never owned one, but I remember my parents having a couple. Spinning the dial took forever if you compare it with today’s speed dial and voice-activated wireless devices, but there was something about guiding your finger to its destination in the cycle, as well as the satisfying sound of the spinning dial that followed. Now that’s the mark of a technological dinosaur. In fact, wired land lines are becoming antiquated, and some of the biggest telecommunications companies in the land are letting them go.

The recent Verizon and Frontier Communications deal is a case in point. Verizon is selling their land lines to Frontier Communications so they can focus on other areas of their business. It will no doubt save them money in the long run, just as cutting the land line (well, VoIP is OK) can keep you from having to take out that extra installment loan or use the credit card each month.

An $8.6 billion dollar deal

An Agence France-Presse report in the Sydney Morning Herald states that Verizon and Frontier Communications have entered into an $8.6 billion dollar deal where Verizon announced agrees to sell its land line service in 14 American states to Frontier Communications. This is an all-stock deal; Verizon shareholders will get $5.3 billion in Frontier shares, which will give them a 68-percent stake. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Verizon and Frontier Communications Make $8.6 Billion Deal"

The designer coffee effect on my personal finances

I made a mistake and I paid a price.

But in this case I paid the price with a smile.

This morning my wife had a chore in the adjoining town, saw me sitting blankly in front of the computer and asked if I'd like to come along. With a gasp of relief at having an alternative, I grabbed my car keys and off we went. The business was over in a few minutes and as we walked back to the car she said, "how about morning coffee in the mall?" That was the moment of my mistake. Now, too late, I remember the last time we had morning coffee in the mall. But things were different then.

The mall

The mall is huge. Two floors of heavy shopping, and to my surprise as a Recession Writer, thronged with people. And most of the people were carrying shopping bags, a sure sign that they are buying or at worst, exchanging something they bought that doesn't fit. The other alternative, I think, is that they are all out there operating on Installment Loans which gives them enough money to make a shopping trip.

The coffee shop is great. It features the latest in coffee shop architecture and serves designer coffee to designer housewives wheeling little designer babies. The place is pretty full and the babble of conversation drowns out the coffee music.

We order

My wife orders a small cappuccino and a Danish, the cinnamon kind, she says. I order a medium latte with a shot of caramel syrup and the same Danish. Everything is delicious. The Danish arrive on plates with a small mound of cinnamon dust on the side meaning that the waitress or the chef almost understood the order. Whatever, it was great. Then we got to the finances. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "The designer coffee effect on my personal finances"

Robotic Air-Powered Hand with Elastic Ligaments

A team of young science students studying at Virginia Tech's Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory have designed a wonderful and functional robotic arm which can hold an egg. They have called this robotic hand RAPHaEL or Robotic Air-Powered Hand with Elastic Ligaments. It is very flexible and strong. An operator can operate its finger joints by controlling air pressure. This robotic hand is fixed to a compressed air tank. There is no requirement to manipulate individual finger separately. All finger joints can be moved by one motion activator. This robotic hand will be available in the market at low price rate. RAPHAeEL has bagged the Compressed Air and Gas Institute's Innovation Awards for the years of 2008-09. According to the experts, this highly modernized robot will be helpful to assist scientists to probe the different areas of the research in near future.

Light Emitting T-Shirts – To Be Launched Soon

A group of Japanese scientists will soon launch new type of T-shirt which emits light. Making the proper utilization of the sophisticated Japanese screen printing technique, they will smear the texture of the textile and paper with a luminescent gel like material. This gel will also be put on the fabric to make them much more brighter and elegant. Researchers and scientists at Dai Nippon Printing in Tokyo have clarified clearly that this qualitative gel contains high graded ruthenium component which sparkles light at the time of the charging voltage via silica nanoparticles and electrolyte. Electrolyte is a type of ionic liquid which helps to display the print without coating. It is also effective in preventing the blotting and degradation of the ink. Therefore, after rinsing the shirt with water, the print or ink will not be faded or discolored. However, scientists are still trying to upgrade this technique so that the shirts and paper will flash blue and greenish light. People will soon be able to purchase light emitting banners, clothing and beautiful T-shirts at reasonable price rates.

Tyler Frost Might Sue School for Suspension

Tyler Frost suspended for going to prom

Everyone's got a prom story. Tyler Frost's just might beat yours.

Tyler Frost knew he was going to a school that didn’t allow handholding, dancing or listening to rock ‘n’ roll. However, he says he doesn’t see anything in the Heritage Christian High School handbook saying students are required to follow school rules after school or on weekends.

Nonetheless, Tyler Frost was suspended because he attended Findlay High School’s prom with his girlfriend. The Ohio teen says it was worth it, and he and his step father told a morning new show that they plan to sue the school.

Harsh punishment

Tyler Frost was required to get a permission slip to attend Findlay High School’s prom. When he brought the slip to his principal, the principal said he could be suspended and possibly not graduate if he went to the dance.

Most kids have to endure begging for personal loans from their parents to pay for tuxes and limos and flowers, but that’s nothing compare to what it might cost Tyler Frost.

Tyler Frost went anyway, and he says he has no regrets. However, because of his suspension, he faces the possibility of not being able to take his final exams on time and thus not being able to graduate on time. These are the grounds on which Tyler Frost’s family might sue the school.

Strange circumstances

You can watch a video of Tyler Frost’s interview with “The Early Show” at the CBS News web site. Strangely, after sitting quietly through the interview and saying a few brief words about the grounds for a suing Heritage Christian High School, Tyler Frost’s step father gets up walks off the set without explanation. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Tyler Frost Might Sue School for Suspension"

Tips to Lose Weight

Obesity is a big problem to people who suffer a lot due to the overburden of the weight. Therefore, it is better to opt for the good and effective weight loss medication and proper diet. However following a number of good tips, people can shrug off weight within couple of weeks. First of all, it is a general rule that one should eat fresh vegetables, protein and whole grains. Secondly doing free hand exercises is another convenient way to reduce weight. In this connection, people must calculate how much weight they are able to reduce on weekly basis. Lastly, an effective consultation with the healthcare consultants will help a person to get the positive result. Consumption of good weight loss medication and proper dietary program will certainly put you in a good standing of health.

Obama Is About To Modify Tax Code System

Honorable President Barack Obama has taken drastic measures to bring a massive change to the present tax code system. As per the current overseas tax system, those who like to open new jobs in Bangalore and Bombay in India will get the advantage of paying low taxes in comparison to the domestic entrepreneurs. According to Obama, this is very unfair and it must be modified. Though multinational companies are trying to occupy the prestigious niche in the international market, it is not better to overtake domestic rivals by minimizing their rights. By moving jobs to other countries like India, the scope of employ-ability in America will get bottle-necked. He wants to block the unfair transfer of the profits of the country to other states by doing injustice to the domestic companies. However, economists and tax policy experts have given their opinions that unless the higher authority doesn't take necessary steps to reduce the corporate tax rate, the multinational compani es will prefer to shift jobs to other tax friendly countries.

Some people like to say that texting is ruining our society

I don't agree. I think that texting could be the one thing that could actually prevent an accident from happening. If it doesn't prevent an accident from happening, it will help the people in the accident to get out. A lot of times, one has just enough bars to send a text but not enough to make a phone call. I travel a lot and have noticed that I can send texts when I can't make phone calls all the time. It is really good for people to have something that could help save their lives like this one small thing. It may make it harder for people to have good communication, but we have learned that with the good always comes the bad.

Bags By Chilli | Advertise your Business, Yourself

Bags By Chilli mean business

Former TLC member Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas has started Bags By Chilli, her own line of handbags. The bags allow you to turn your favorite horizontal photo into a tote, purse or clutch.

While Chilli started the company because she wanted her bags to feature pictures of her children, Bags By Chilli could help entrepreneurs as well as people seeking work.

Bag some business

Because you can use any image to decorate Bags by Chilli, the space could easily be used to promote your business. Many companies advertise with bumper stickers, decals, T-shirts, pens and other trinkets.

Bags By Chilli are sleek, slick and fashionable. The glossy surface of the bags attracts the eye, and the images displayed are crystal-clear, sharp and professional looking.

Gotta pay to play

Such good-looking, quality advertising can’t be cheap. You probably won’t need to pay off installment loans to finance a bag, but it might have to go on your credit card. Huliq News points out:

However, it’s not cheap. Bags by Chilli range from $140 to $340 dollars. The collection at bagsbychilli.com shows the price range of various products.

But if you’ve got some business capital to sink into marketing and promotion, it might be worth a shot. Especially if you are planning to buy gifts for birthdays or other holidays and you were going to spend about that amount anyway. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Bags By Chilli | Advertise your Business, Yourself"

So as Valentine’s Day came yet again this year

I realized how very much I hate that day. Valentine's Day is just another pointless holiday that was created so people would spend more money on cards, chocolate, stuffed animals, and on people who they will most likely break up with later that day or will not be with later that month. Most people either don't do anything worth mentioning on that day or don't remember a few days later what they did. Valentine's Day was just a conspiracy created so we would spend more money and companies could get more out of us.

I love food

Food is so delicious. The best thing about food is there are so many different kinds. There's really healthy food and there's really fatty foods and they all have a different flavor. Once when I was a junior in high school I started running every day and I lost a lot of weight. My friend told me she was concerned because she thought I didn't eat. I laughed and told her that I not only would never starve myself but I could never starve myself because I love food way too much. If I could then I would totally eat all day long.

Popsicles are the best.

It's been one of those days where a popsicle has saved my sanity. My one year old neice has been fussy all day long. The only time she has been quiet for more than three minutes today was when she was taking her nap and right now as she's sitting in her high chair and sucking on a popsicle. I tried to give her dinner and she ate two bites of it and then started whining again so I gave up and gave her a cherry popsicle. She took one lick of it and has been happily licking and slurping for over fifteen minutes. Horary!

Growing up, I was deathly afraid of my oldest brother.

He's about ten years older than me and he's a huge guy. He says he worked out with weights all summer when he was younger but I think what really happened was he got a hold of some kind of toxic waste that blew him up three sizes. I don't really know why I was so afraid of him. He would terrorize my other siblings sometimes to show them he was the boss and he yelled at me one time because I was crying, and he hates it when people cry, but he never once touched me.

'Star Trek' Movie Tops Box Office Earnings

‘Star Trek’ sales exceed expectations

Chris Pine plays Captain Kirk in "Star Trek."

The internet has been abuzz with Trekkies anticipating, reviewing and planning viewings of “Star Trek” the movie, which opened Friday. Paramount expected the movie to pull in about $50 million on opening weekend. However, “Star Trek” sold $76.5 million worth of movie tickets over the weekend.

Midnight at the IMAX

“Star Trek” made $4 million just from midnight showings Friday morning. It also made $8.2 million from IMAX showings.

That figure beats the previous record for IMAX sales, which belonged to “The Dark Knight.” Last year’s release, the latest in the “Batman” series, “The Dark Knight,” pulled in $6.3 million from IMAX tickets.

Turning a profit

“Star Trek” had a budget of $140 million, but Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore believes that the movie will make $200 million over the summer. So any short term loans taken out to produce this film should be repaid in short order.

Considering that ticket sales are more than halfway to paying back the cost of the film, I’m sure the filmmakers won’t be seeking debt relief any time soon.

Golden tomatoes

Much of the “Star Trek” movie’s opening-weekend success could be thanks to overall glowing reviews of the film. On popular movie review web site Rotten Tomatoes, “Star Trek” got 96 percent good reviews — amazingly high marks at a site known more for its criticism than its raves. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "'Star Trek' Movie Tops Box Office Earnings"

Happy Mother’s Day

I want to take the opportunity to wish every mom in the world a Happy Mother’s Day. Thank you for everything you provide for the family and the lessons you teach your children. Even though we never say it enough, we know deep down that it’s the love and care of you that help glue the family ties so tightly together.

A big hug also goes out to my mom. Thank you for your selfless care each and everyday. I’m honored to be your son.

Personal Finance Article

• Since moving, My Two Dollars were able to save much more than two dollars. Here, he shares with us some expenses he was able to cut.
• Months (it may even be years) since she’s started Squawkfox, she finally tells us who is behind that wonderful blog. Find out Squawkfox’s real name here!
• When I was young, I used to cut out expensive watches and pretend that I own them. Is getting a Visa black card just for people that want to pretend they own the American Express Centurion card or is there more than that?
• Frugal Dad have talked about going off the electrical grid for a while now and it looks like he’s got a solid plan of how his family can start.
• Here’s another option for your money - ShareBuilder. This broker’s biggest draw is the ability to buy stocks on a preset schedule (read automatic). Sound interesting right?

—
Related Articles at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning:

• My mom should be paid $138,095 in salary this year
• Happy New Year!
• What’s Wrong With Not Spending Much
• Happy Thanksgiving!
• Happy New Year and Enjoy a Great 2009!

Read more of Happy Mother's Day…

Secret to Free Life

Modern science claims that human brain is fully under manipulation of Nature which controls the physical and nervous systems of the human beings. B.G. Walter, a renowned scientist, has elaborately explained regarding the development of the brain in his book The Living Brain. Once a world famous French physiologist made a comment that the fixed interior ambiance is the base point of a free lifestyle. According to Walter, in ancient times, ape like mammals were deprived of thermostatic equilibrium and their nervous system didn't work rapidly. However, with times proceeding Nature owned up the responsibility to install the thermostatic mechanism into the brain of human beings. This thermostatic apparatus is accountable to keep the inner temperature unchanged. The temperature insides the brain never fluctuates with the change in temperature of the environment. It is also called homeostasis condition which trains men to enjoy liberty and freedom in life whereas in other irrat ional animals this homeostasis is meant for mere physical existence or survival. Through deep meditation, one can achieve the mental stability which will guide him to get enlightenment or vision in life.

Myxer | Get Free Stuff for Your Phone

Myxer has many features

No, you can't download free gas at Myxer.

Myxer.com is more than just a source of free cell phone ringtones, wallpapers and games. You can also use it to turn mp3 files or even original music into ringtones.

Not everything at Myxer is free. But a lot of it is!

Avoid pricey promotions

About once a week I get a text message on  my phone offering a new ringtone that I can download. Usually the hottest new song will cost at least $2, more likely $5 if it’s really popular.

I will admit, I have put up to $1.49 for a ringtone on my credit card because I just had to have it. But it has always seemed silly and wasteful to me to spend money on ringtones. Sure enough, now there is a place to go to get free ringtones, Myxer. If you’ve ever had to get a quick payday loan to keep your phone from being shut off because you downloaded so much stuff, this could be a good resource for you.

Myxer lets you do it yourself

Scrolling through the catalog of ringtones available for download on my phone is often frustrating. It’s so tough to find THE song. You know, the song that so perfectly expresses my personality that I simply must have it for my ringtone.

Well, if you have that song in your iTunes, but not in your phone, you can upload it to Myxer and it will convert it into a ringtone for you. For free! ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Myxer | Get Free Stuff for Your Phone"

Talk about awkward!

Last night the most awkward thing happened to me. My sister in law and her boyfriend came over to hang out. Her boyfriend, we'll call him "Joe", decided to sit right by me and laid down a little since no one else was sitting on the couch. Then my sister in law, we'll call her "Alyssa", went over to "Joe" and started cuddling with him. Ok, no big deal…yet. "Alyssa" then starts making out with her boyfriend "Joe" right in front of me, not just in front of me…but right NEXT to me. Then "Alyssa's" dad walks in and catches them making out. Talk about awkward!

Have you ever been chased by a goose?!

I didn't think so, but man is it scary! If you feed them bread and you run out ….you're going to get it. We had to stand on top of a table with them flapping their wings and honking at us. It was so scary, those things seem like they could kill you if they had a chance. Those big heads and those huge wings could knock you down with one hit. Maybe they should be one of the most dangerous animals. I'm all for that, beware of the killer animal, goose!

Small Businesses Look to Installment Loans Despite Bank "Revival"

Small businesses still looking for aid

Small businesses are still looking to installment loans to carry them through until the rocky economy stabilizes. The U.S. market has made it difficult for small business owners to find funding. Many are closing their doors, as they feel the crunch of the recession. However, there are a greater number of hopeful business owners who are looking for ways to wait the economy's downturn out, and once again flourish as a result.

Bank of America

Bank of America saw a profit in Q1, which is the good news, although their stocks fell 17%, which is the bad news. Analysts say the profit created was a benefit of unusually strong bond trading, however this is not expected to last, and cannot be relied upon, as the loan industry reorganizes.

Some banks are seeing a profit, but that can no longer be interpreted from a solely "good/bad" perspective. Because of the economy, there are many other factors when assessing the banking climate. One analyst, Bart Narter stated, "Bank of America is no longer exclusively a retail bank and there can be more fluctuations."

Looking deeper into the finances of Bank of America shows a more accurate picture. They did increase revenues, however troubled loans and under-performing assets increased from $7.8 billion last year, to $25.7 billion this year. They also lost another $1.8 billion on card services. CEO Ken Lewis stated, "Credit is bad and we believe [it] is going to get worse before it will eventually stabilize and improve…whether that turn is later this year or in the first half of 2010, I'm not going to hazard a guess." ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Small Businesses Look to Installment Loans Despite Bank "Revival""

How to Get the Best Out Of Your Payday Loan

Introduction to Payday Loans

It’s a universally accepted fact that payday loans have come to represent easy and fast cash, whenever you need it. At the same time, it’s also true that the human psyche is such that anything which is easily available tends to lose its importance, which at times leads to misuse and abuse of such products.

Something on a similar note happens with payday loans; their relative abundance sometimes results in their abuse and when the effects of this abuse raises their head, some end up blaming the payday loans and lenders for the misuse. Hence, what follows is a brief set of guidelines/precautions to keep in mind while using the payday loan cash.

Assess and monetize your needs

• Once you are sure that you need a payday loan, the next step is to sit down with a pen and paper and carefully list your special/urgent needs for which you need the loan. Be careful, the emphasis here is on 'needs' and not 'wants'. So anything which is not necessary and can be put off should not be included in this list.
• Next, make an estimate of how much you will need to spend on each of these needs. Again, be as conservative as possible, even though you are getting fast cash with no credit checks, still you have to be able to pay it back at the end of the month.

Dynamic Budgeting

• In this recessionary environment, you never know when you might have to face another unforeseen expense, after you have already obtained the payday loan. The key is not to panic and make suitable changes to your budget.
• Look carefully and trim your 'avoidable' expenses even more, keeping in mind the goal is to be able to pay back the payday loan at the month end. Tough times call for tough measures.

Stick to the original estimates

Once you get a whole load of cash in your hands, it is quite possible that you are tempted to deviate from the original plan of action. Think twice before going on any spending spree, it’s like digging the ground around you and setting up your own grave. The key is self discipline. So if you took the payday loan to pay off your gas bill, then do it as soon as you get the cash, rather than falling into the temptation to spend it on something else. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "How to Get the Best Out Of Your Payday Loan"

Ola Ray Files Lawsuit for 'Thriller' Royalties

Ola Ray’s paperwork is in

Modern-day Ola Ray

It’s official, Ola Ray has filed a lawsuit against Michael Jackson for falling short on royalty payments for “Thriller.” Ola Ray played Jackson’s date in the the 14-minute music video, which won the Video Vanguard Award for The Greatest Video in the History of the World.

Circumstances more clear now

In an earlier article, I reported that Ola Ray was claiming Jackson had never paid royalties to her. However, now that more details on the case are emerging, it’s been made clear that Ola Ray is suing for payments she should have gotten since 1998.

Daily News reports:

A Jackson attorney reportedly paid an unspecified amount to Ray through the Screen Actors Guild in 1998, but payments to date have fallen short.

Whew, 11 years of royalty payments for “The Greatest Video in the History of the World.” That’s got to be some serious cash. Jackson is going to need a lot more than a quick payday loan to settle up.

About Ola Ray

Before Ola Ray co-starred in the 14-minute musical mini film for “Thriller” in 1983, she was a “Playboy” model. She appeared as a centerfold in 1980.

Ola Ray is now 48 and lives in California. Daily News reports she is filing the lawsuit because she “wants a jury to end her nightmare of trying to collect royalties.” ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "Ola Ray Files Lawsuit for 'Thriller' Royalties"

My Ride Had 'Coons - Raccoons - and I Needed Help

An automobile horror story

This is a recollection of my torment; installment loans and short term loans were used to protect an innocent vehicle.

***

The blinking check engine light brought me prostrate, upon my knees. As I fought back the grief and tears, all I could do is croak, “Why hast thou forsaken me?” It all used to go down as smooth as a mint julep, whose recipe had been a family treasure since I was knee high to scavenging rodent.

Sure, mechanics say the first thing you should do is check your owner’s manual when this message lights up on your dashboard, but I always fancied myself as having an intuitive connection with the intimate internal doings of my vehicle. From the time I sat in the driver’s seat, turned the key and backed out of my driveway, I knew how she was doing. When I hit the highway, our conversation kicked it up a notch and we made a real connection. The feel, the sounds and smell all meant something to me. Idling, accelerating and taking hairpin turns were like our own little symphony, and I was Zubin Mehta. He’s a conductor, in case you’re wondering. People can love cars and Beethoven’s “Hammerklavier.”

Into the pit, the pendulum

And why should I bring my ride into one of those homogenized “Mickey Dee” lube shops when I can take care of it myself? I even installed a pit underneath the floor of the shop in my back yard. I always take care of my own.

This is why that little light hurt so much. What had I not done to keep her happy? Had I not loved her enough? Impossible! I wouldn’t believe it. It wasn’t me; it was her. I’m trying to give you an idea of how low I went, because that last one was the grief talking. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "My Ride Had 'Coons - Raccoons - and I Needed Help"