Thursday, September 30, 2010

U.N. will not be making Othman a outer space alien ambassador

Sunday there were rumors on the web about the United Nations sending out an alien ambassador. Mazlan Othman, a Malaysian astrophysicist, head of the U.N. Office for Outer Space Affairs, was reportedly in line for the job. Othman said there is only one way this would ever happen. There would have to be extraterrestrial visitors first. The concept of alien contact isn’t that absurd considering all of the planets outside of the solar system being discovered more recently. Earth was given a warning about extraterrestrial existence because of all the concerns. This warning originated from Stephen Hawking. Othman e-mailed the British newspaper to set things straight. There can be no ambassador to space. Source of article – Mazlan Othman as U.N. space alien ambassador is sci-fi by Personal Money S! tore.

The United Nations would be the ones speaking with the aliens?

The United Nations extraterrestrial ambassador rumor “broke” within the Sunday Times. It quickly begun flying all around the world. Othman was quoted by the Sunday Times talking about the search for transmission from aliens. Othman thinks the United Nations should be the ones making the reaction that earth needs to have ready. Newspapers like the Australian took the bait, mentioning that Othman would be talking more about imminent contact with aliens at a scientific conference sponsored by the Royal Society in Britain in the near future.

The search for alien existence

An extra-solar planet is also called an exoplanet. In 1992, this was first discovered to really exist. At least a hundred more exoplanets were found on the Kepler Mission. This was a NASA space observatory that had been launched in 2009. There will probably be hardly any alien existence to exist. Of course, that didn’t stop Stephen Hawking from giving his own personal warning. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Hawking said that instead of seeking the aliens out, mankind should be attempting to avoid getting noticed. Aliens would probably be looking for someplace they can get more resources from. He knows that this is something we all can imagine. Just looking within the mirror can show us the consequences. “We only have to check out ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet.”

Is Earth actively playing host to aliens?

The story about the U.N. alien ambassador did not just come out of the blue. Othman started the rumor. The Guardian was likely tempted to just throw out some articles like everybody else’s. Instead, it looked for facts of the story. The British newspaper called the Royal Society to ask about Othman’s upcoming speech on alien contact. Nobody had heard about this. A switchboard in Vienna is where the U.N. referred inquiries about the Office for Outer Space Affairs. A Guardian e-mail is what got Othman’s response where she said there was no U.N. alien ambassador story. She wrote “It sounds really cool, but I have to deny it.” There is a real problem that needs to be solved in her speech at the Royal Society. Earth may be colliding with some objects in its rotation soon which could be discussed.

Find more details on this subject

The Australian

theaustralian.com.au/news/world/the-un-is-to-appoint-an-astrophysicist-to-be-the-first-contact-for-any-aliens/story-e6frg6so-1225929540635

Sunday Times

timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/space/article7107207.ece

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/news/blog/2010/sep/27/un-alien-ambassador-mazlan-othman



Federal mortgage mods one half as likely as financial institution loan modifications to result in default

An individual in delinquency on a mortgage is more likely to get a financial institution loan modification to stick than a government one. It still is a simple enough premise. Certain people can qualify for a mortgage refinancing via the government. It has not been that big a success. As a result, banks are stepping to the void to modify the mortgages of customers on their own. This isn’t really a victory for the Libertarian crowd though. Homeowners are more likely to default on payments if they receive a financial institution refinancing.

Much more bank loan refinancing than via Home Affordable Modification Program

The Home Affordable Modification Program was part of the stimulus programs of a couple years ago. Also referred to as Home Affordable Modification Program, it has a simple enough premise. Distressed homeowners apply for a loan modification via the feds. An individual gets a trial refinancing of the financial institution loan they bought their home with, if they meet the right criteria. Their loan gets permanently modified if they successfully get through the trial. Unfortunately, less than 45 percent of all permanent modifications stick. That does not mean all of them end up in foreclosure. As outlined by CNN, about 44.5 percent of all individuals who default on the government modification get a refinancing from their financial institution anyway. Presently, banks are far and away the biggest source of modifications for distressed homeowners. For each Home Affordable Modification Program refinancing, there are 2 financial institution modifications.

Much more delinquency on bank mods than Home Affordable Modification Program mods

Unfortunately, there are also more non-payments on bank modifications. Fewer than half of HAMP applicants accepted complete the trial phase. Of those, 11 percent default again. On the modifications made by lenders, 22 percent default. However, there is a reason for that. Generally, Home Affordable Modification Program mods reduce monthly payments by $608. However, bank mods usually lower payments by $307. That may be enough for some people. For homeowners already stretched to the limit, they’ll still probably be running for payday advances.

Employment has to increase before housing

Just about each economic indicator, like housing, won’t really increase until jobs does. Anything else will follow. There are small slivers of hope. Most indicators point to the recovery being slow however steady.

Articles cited

CNN

money.cnn.com/2010/09/24/news/economy/Mortgage_modifications_redefaults/index.htm



Sunday, September 26, 2010

Much more people want subprime used vehicle lending products

The music “Crossfire” by Vaughan details “Money’s tight; nothing’s free”. With all of the falling credit ratings and the recession, it is particularly true within the U.S. car-buying public. The amount of subprime lending options being obtained has remained the exact same when many more Americans purchase second-hand cars showing that lending in The United States is evolving, reports Wards Auto.

Subprime and non-prime loans make credit liquidity look better

Credit is going to flow, even if it is by subprime. This helps the automotive market that needs to sell vehicles to recover. While lenders and dealers with in-house financing choices aren’t targeting the subprime market specifically, the nature of America’s consumer landscape of late has lent itself to such activity. There nevertheless isn’t product availability that is needed. Wards reports Ed Rykulski, car manager for Al Serra Auto Plaza of Grand Blanc, Mich., saying, “We employ 18 salespersons within the sales center and buy seriously at the auctions to keep sales at 2009 levels, when we sold 3,212 second-hand units.”

More subprime female buyers means more saleswomen

Saleswoman Nancy Koehrman of Taylor Used Vehicle Center near Toledo, Ohio, pointed to a growing trend in the current used vehicle sales market: employing much more women as salespeople.

“Women customers prefer women to be handling the car selling and the finance and insurance side, too, especially if they’ve been classified as subprime,” Koehrman told Wards.

It isn’t just women interested in subprime used auto lending products. 43 million individuals, or one quarter of American adult customers, have, reports Fair, Isacc and Co. Inc., a FICO score lower than 599. A lot of the market can be hit here. Consumers with FICOs from 650-699 are frequently being declined for standard automobile lending options, which moves them in the subprime pool.

Inventory built up with off-lease stock

Off-lease vehicles are where a lot of stock comes for the Serra group. Wards interviewed Rykulski who said this. The company’s Grand Blanc used car center is one of the largest of any Ward’s 500 member (dealerships that receive the highest marks from the publication for reliability and a host of other factors). So many people want to get second-hand automobiles that it is hard to keep an inventory full. Even with all the non-subprime customers it is hard to do it.

You are able to get help with second-hand car loan rates with Car Deal Expert

Additional reading

Wards Auto

wardsauto.com/home/subprime_used_cars_100920/



In protection of V-8 motors

Fuel efficiency in cars is something that each driver should know about. Getting an energy efficient vehicle is always a smart move, as you save at the pump. This has been a major concern of the auto industry for a long time, and also the best-selling vehicles on the market are all small sedans that get good mileage with 4- and some 6-cylinder motors. However, there is something that rarely gets brought up. Namely, some automobiles are actually far better off with an 8 cylinder.

Energy efficiency is not rocket technology

Fuel efficiency, or gas mileage, is related to a simple principle of physics. It is called mechanical efficiency. Simply put, mechanical efficiency is the ratio of the energy used to accomplish a task. The more energy is used, the lesser the efficiency. The equation is easy:

Efficiency = Input/Output

In other words, a small engine that has to do more work than a larger engine for the exact same task could be less mechanically efficient. This leads to diminished performance. Lesser performance signifies less gas mileage.

Much better to go bigger

There is something V-8 motors were always loved for. They put out more horsepower. However, many of the vehicles that come with an 8-cylinder standard are already large. For instance, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 gets 15 mpg within the city. The Corvette comes with a 6.2 L V8, the exact same size engine as the 1500. The Corvette also gets 26 miles per gallon. The Corvette has to do less efforts, which is why.

{Less efforts is additionally a lesser amount of strain|Efforts also is tension|Less work signifies simpler work|Simpler signifies a lesser amount of tense work|Less tension equates to much more performance

If you drive a somewhat larger automobile, like a minivan or a midsize SUV, the mileage drops off with a smaller motor. Even if it’s a turbocharged smaller motor. This benefit is realized by cars smaller than a full size, as the engine will not have to work as hard to pull the load and therefore be more efficient. The engine won’t efforts as hard, will perform much better and last longer due to less mechanical strain over its lifetime.

Discover more information on this subject

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanical_advantage



GM Initial Public Offering might not fully pay the government

GM has gone via disaster and is returning to triumph. The company has started posting profits again, after it had to take billions in loans from the U.S. and Canadian governments. The underperformers of General Motors brands were let go when the company was under bankruptcy protection. There was lots of turmoil within the office also. GM has a new executive, again. GM nevertheless owes lots of money to the government. GM leadership doesn’t think the loans will all be paid off in the upcoming IPO. Only time will tell.

It could be many years until General Motors is paid up

General Motors has had a busy summer. The business got a new CEO, and announced it would file for an initial public offering. It was more than just idle chatter. The company did file for an Initial Public Offering. The working class individuals are still technically majority owners, as 61 percent of GM stock is held by the Treasury. Those shares will get converted and sold to investors in an Initial Public Offering. That is how the government will get compensated back. However, as outlined by the New York Times, General Motors does not expect that the loans from the auto bailout are likely to be compensated back all at once.

General Motors requires a reputation first

In order for the Treasury to feel good about this, and for GM, there must be more of a history of new profitability on the part of the company. The new Chief Executive of GM, Daniel Akerson, right away claimed that selling all of the shares the government holds at once is not a feasible goal. He was totally open about it at a recent press briefing. Akerson just lately held a press briefing about the upcoming IPO. That was precisely what he told a room full of reporters.

A long road ahead

GM is down to four brands. The company is now Chevy, Buick, Cadillac, and GMC. The outgoing CEO, Ed Whitacre, announced his retirement as soon as the second profitable quarter in a row was posted.

Further reading

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/17/business/17auto.html?ref=automobiles



Saturday, September 25, 2010

Car manufacturers encourage EPA to wait for more investigation before making ethanol determination

There has been bluster and rhetoric for over 30 years about dependence on foreign oil, though there is good reason. Over time, different fuels for instance methane and ethanol have been proposed. Over the last few years, ethanol has been gaining prominence. In fact, most gas stations have use mixtures of gas and ethanol, probably the most common being E10, or a mixture of 10 percent ethanol to 90 percent gasoline. The new mixture contained 15 percent ethanol, or E15, is about to be released as well as the EPA has determine whether to approve it for use in older vehicles. Since the amount of evidence is not ample enough to really decide, automakers are urging the EPA to hold off. Resource for this article – EPA urged to mull over ethanol by automakers by Car Deal Expert.

The E15 problem

The merits of E15 are currently being weighed on by the EPA. E15 is the next step up from the already widely sold E10. It has a mixture of 15 percent ethanol to 85 percent gasoline. Currently, it is being tested by the Department of Energy, according to Popular Mechanics. The idea is discover out if it works in autos no older than 10 years old. However, with 88 percent of all vehicles on the road being 10 years old or older, this isn’t the most realistic testing group. The Auto Alliance, a consortium of car manufacturers, has advised the Environmental Protection Agency not for making any ruling on E15 until Auto Alliance studies have been completed. Ricardo Inc., and engineering and design firm has determined that E15 does not harm older vehicles, however more study is likely needed.

From tippling to the track

Ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol or more colorfully as moonshine, is a distillation of alcohol from grain. The energy potential of a chemical is determined by its combustibility, and ethanol is certainly combustible. According to Wikipedia, the drawback to using ethanol is that it has about 34 percent less energy per unit of volume than gasoline. This has a noticeable impact. An ethanol only engine will use about 50 percent more fuel than a gasoline engine. With greater compression, ethanol engines can produce more power and become more efficient. That said, ethanol still doesn’t have quite the very same power as gas does. An increase of mileage cannot be achieved, even with a larger ethanol engine.

Unintended outcomes

Use of ethanol is not likely to be completely curtailed. Grain has been a gasoline crop for some time, and will continue. Grain can’t supplant gas as a fuel entirely, as the price of food grain will skyrocket should ethanol be used as a complete replacement. Cheap and abundant grain cannot be discounted, as that is the very thing which made, and still makes, civilization itself possible.

Discover more details on this subject

Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/alternative-fuel/biofuels/renewable-fuels-association-urges-epa-to-approve-e15-for-older-vehicles?click=pm_news

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_fuel



Auto market creating 4 next-generation systems

Hybrid cars and other styles of next-generation personal consumer transportation have proved to be polarizing in recent years. There are quite a bit of people who are sick of being told they have to change their carbon footprint because of something that has insufficient evidence to prove, even though there are also quite a bit of people who nevertheless believe in reducing their carbon footprint and enjoy the change. You will find some things that aren’t disagreed upon. Some of the next-gen automobile technologies just around the corner are accepted by everyone. A recent article in Popular Mechanics highlights four examples that may seem small, however they’re certain to make a big difference in the way we drive.

Hypermiling is the key with the Infiniti Eco Pedal to save gas

The Eco Pedal is available in Infiniti’s M-series sedans and stops the drivers from jabbing often when in transit on the accelerator with the activation dial on the dash. It is simply done with the pedal. More resistance is added. You will find hypermiling techniques being taught to the driver with the pedal. Of course, it can be overridden within the case of a car accident or a driver trying to stay away from danger. Infiniti is hoping that gas mileage could be helped with the Eco Pedal. It is expected to conserve about 10 percent.

Danger avoided automatically

Radar is something the military and air traffic control use, and it works well. Why not add that to consumer automobiles also? There is a plan by Continental to do that. The product is called Emergency Steer Help (ESA). ESA will use sensors to determine if there is a possibility of a crash and then automatically makes the steering hard to hit the pole and easier to steer away. It is also easier to stay in control following the swerve with ESA’s automobile stability control.

Get the right curve to help

Race track conditions make it so the angle of drivers’ tires needs to get a good camber which is what NASCAR does. Tires go within the cars more at the top than at the bottom with the Camber Tire. This tire is sold by Optima Sports. The corner can grip more effortlessly with the negative camber. The Camber Tire has a camber tilt. This tilt is kept there while the tread lies flat on the road still.

Informed about worn tires on the vehicle

An Intelligent Tire System sounds too good to be true. It comes from Continental. Tire temperature, load and acceleration forces are all monitored by the system along with air pressure. Whenever you need to change to snow tires, you could be informed. The Intelligent Tire System will let you know. Popular Mechanics reports that these easy-to-install devices will begin to appear on luxury cars by 2013, followed by mainstream automobiles as the cost of the technology falls.

Low cost auto loans needed now?

Discover more details on this subject

Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/news/industry/next-gen-auto-technologies-we-cant-wait-to-use

Tatsuru Daimon Lab research on human awareness and making driving safer

youtube.com/watch?v=C2NxXSiCWbw



Household wealth falls and everybody may need additional money

Given the dismal state of the economy in some sectors, recent revelations of the economic recession being over seem to ring hollow. Though recessions are technically over when economic contractions stop, but the depressed state of employment, family wealth and real estate would seem to contradict this idea. The value of assets minus the amount of owed debt is how household wealth, or net worth, is determined. Assets are everything an individual owns. The amount of debt a person or family holds in personal loans and credit cards are counted against assets. Whatever is left over is the wealth of a household. Net worth is almost at an all time low.

Net worth does not look great

Household wealth has been on a roller coaster ride throughout the last couple of years. The summer has not been good to numerous people. Family riches took a serious tumble. The Federal Reserve maintains the data on household wealth, and according to CNN, the Fed just lately disclosed that total net worth has declined 2.8 percent over the second quarter of this year. That amounted to $1.5 trillion of instant money down the drain. Most of the evaporated value was held in stocks, mutual funds and retirement savings. Stocks on the open market were the hardest hit, as individual stocks lost $912 billion over the second quarter.

Property is a plucky sector

Employment is down, however property was where the hugest losses occurred. After a near nuclear winter, real estate is beginning to slowly improve. Real estate values have increased by $46 billion. However, this is an improvement of .3 percent. Nevertheless, it pales in comparison to the $17 trillion property as an industry lost between 2007 and 2009. It seems housing and employment are the areas that really need extra cash, however those statistics have not seemed to benefit at all from the cash advanced from stimulus programs.

Very slow but steady wins the race

Some good news has come out of all this, though. According to USA Today, stock markets have already begun to gain lost value back. The economy is apparently recovering slowly but surely, and a double dip recession does not seem too likely.

Additional reading

CNN

money.cnn.com/2010/09/17/news/economy/household_net_worth/index.htm

USA Today

usatoday.com/money/economy/2010-09-17-net-worth_N.htm



Friday, September 24, 2010

Is a Sugarhouse Casino going to be an undesirable friend?

Pennsylvania’s Sugarhouse Gambling establishment opened this week. On the shores of the Delaware River, this casino has been hotly debated. The hotly debated Sugarhouse Casino opened its doors recently. This is the first large gambling establishment on the shores of the Delaware River. Only five gaming licenses were issued by the state in 2006. The risks associated with having a gambling establishment in their back yard doesn’t appeal to some. Though the Sugarhouse will create billions of dollars in tax revenue, some are nevertheless protesting. The new facility is destined to be contending with groups trying to lower their business, now that the efforts to prevent it from opening have failed. Source of article – Sugarhouse Casino – Dangerous neighbor or badly needed stimulus by Personal Money Store.

Discussions against the Sugarhouse Gambling establishment

From the day HSP Gaming, L.P. was granted a gaming license by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, residents have expressed concern. Groups ranging from the Philadelphia Neighborhood Alliance, the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association and Casino Free Philadelphia argued the Sugarhouse Casino would create crime, noise, pollution and companies that offer payday advances no faxing and other forms of credit. A candlelight service was held outside the gambling establishment on opening night. Organizers have stated that the vigil was “for people…who are sure to gamble away their savings”.

Helping the economic climate with Sugarhouse Gambling establishment

There has been strong debate resistant to the Sugarhouse Casino. Residents of Fishtown, closest to the casino, have said that they are happy to have it open. Sugarhouse Casino has already paid $ 175,000 to the Special Services District, which is getting used for arts, sports, schools and veterans’ affairs services. Over 900 people have been hired by the Sugarhouse Casino, including 800 full-time employees.

Will the Sugarhouse Gambling establishment carry on the same route

You will find big strategies for this gambling establishment, even though they opened with several hundred slot machines fewer than planned. The Sugarhouse Gambling establishment has three more expansions prepared for the future. The individuals who have campaigned against this new business aren’t giving up. You will find campaigns in place to minimize the business coming to the new gambling establishment. Though the majority are concerned about this new “dangerous neighbor,” the industrial-area casino may very well prove to be a badly essential economic stimulus.

More on this topic

My Fox Philly

myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/sugar-hpuse’s-pledge-to-keep-area-safe

Philly.com

philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20100921_SugarHouse_Casino_opens_this_week_in_Philly_to_hoopla_and_harrumphs.html?page=2 and c=y



National Happy Hour September 29 giving out free Budweiser beer

National Happy Hour Sept 29 supplying totally free Budweiser beer

People in America have really enjoyed Adolphus Busch’s Budweiser “Bohemian-style” pale lager. This was introduced in 1876. For al-beers sold in the United States, the Busch family corporation, Anheuser-Busch, got a 50.9 % market share based on the St. Louis Business Journal report from 2008. Belgian-Brazilian beer magnate InBev bought off many of the Anheuser-Busch stock later that year. American sales went down then. This is since the “King of Beers” became “de Koning van Bieren” after selling off. Anheuser-Busch InBev plans to give away totally free beer on Sept 29 during National Happy Hour as Budweiser, accounts St. Louis Today.

Budweiser is free with the marketing

Participating bars and restaurants will be offering about 500,000 free of charge Budweiser beer samples. These will come, depending on local and state rules, in 6- and 12-ounce sample sizes. The advertising campaign “Grab some Buds” will run September 25 via Oct. 3 in a massive effort to raise Budweiser U.S. market share, which had dropped to 9.3 percent after a high of 26 % in 1988. Drinkers in their mid-20s are the corporation’s primary target, as market studies have found that approximately 40 percent of beer drinkers aged 21 to 27 have never even touched de Koning van Bieren.

Anheuser-Busch InBev President Dave Peacock said, “We want to close that gap,” to St. Louis Today.

Texas sells the deep fried beer

If you’re of drinking age and happen to make it to the 2010 Texas State Fair, find Mark Zable. He’ll be preparing ravioli-sized deep-fried beer, which could (in moderation) make a fine complement to de Koning van Bieren or your beer of choice. After filling pretzel dough with beer, he dunks for 20 seconds the dough into 375-degree oil. The dough could be cooked enough after that time. Of course, the alcohol won’t be burned off though. The London Telegraph reports that diners find the treat delicious, and that Zable is trying to patent the cooking process, which may or may not contain other secret ingredients.

Mark Zable uses a special beer. He uses Guinness. That means no Koning van Bieren.

Additional reading

London Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/7973944/Deep-fried-beer-invented-in-Texas.html

St. Louis Business Journal

bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/04/21/daily42.html

St. Louis Today

stltoday.com/business/article_a7801e6d-16b3-5ad7-ba55-08475f94a313.html

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budweiser_(Anheuser-Busch)

What’s up with free beer?

youtube.com/watch?v=B1PaVo00U3c



Vick a beginning QB once again

There has been lots of debate and rumor concerning the Eagles and Michael Vick. The great debate is if the Eagles Michael Vick starting status is only temporary. However, debate is all academic at this point. Michael Vick is the starter. Of course, he had already taken over that spot for one game. Kolb had been injured, and Vick had to step in. The question became whether or not Vick was still a quality quarterback. The proof was in the pudding. Vick nearly beat the Green Bay Packers in one half and bested the Detroit Lions in the driver’s seat. Vick was recently named the beginning quarterback by Eagles private coach, Andy Reid.

Eagles over the lions

After Kevin Kolb received a concussion in the opening game against the Green Bay Packers, the job of leading the Eagles offense passed to Vick. Vick took over and put on an inspired performance that nearly culminated in a victory. He was left in the driver's seat for the Sept. 19 game against the Detroit Lions. He had a barnstormer of a game, according to Sports Illustrated. He passed for 284 yards, and two touchdowns. Vick also recorded over 30 yards rushing, as he still can scramble like crazy. The Lions fought to win the game late, but the end result was a 35 to 32 victory for the Eagles.

Seeing Reid

At that point, Eagles coach still insisted Kolb was the starter. Reid had said Kolb was back in as soon as he was cleared medically. However, he changed his mind not long after Vick won the game in Detroit. Vick is known for being mercurial towards pass rushes, and also the Eagles have been having some difficulties with the offensive line. The decision may have more to do with Vick than Kolb. Both Reid and Vick insist that Kolb is an exceptional quarterback, and he has certainly shown promise. However, the future of Kolb in Philly is academic. Vick could be the starter against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Redemption song

Michael Vick was convicted on dog fighting charges and did 18 months in prison. He was hired by the Eagles as a backup and saw limited game time until this year. Though he has never been in contrast to Joe Montana or Brett Favre, Vick can move around the backfield and find opportunities not numerous other could, like 49ers Hall of Fame QB Steve Young.

Further reading

Sports Illustrated

sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/football/nfl/09/21/vick.starter.ap/index.html



Monday, September 20, 2010

Michael Grimm America's Got Talent victory proves underdogs still win

Followers may have to wait until next year as “America’s Got Talent” is over. The “America’s Got Talent” final four were a daunting group, packed with talent. There were 3 incredibly talented singers in Prince Poppycock, Jackie Evancho, and Michael Grimm, and Fighting Gravity, an amazing dance crew. Guest spots from some good entertainers rounded out the final episode, with Jewel, Lionel Ritchie, and Donna Summer making the final show a spectacle really worth watching. The favorite was Jackie Evancho, it seemed, as the ten year old has a Susan Boyle like voice impressed many. Michael Grimm stole the win, and few expected him to get the winning votes.

Finale worth watching

The finale for “America’s Got Talent” season five was a great thing to view. It almost always is. Two days before the finale was the last round of competition. Michael Grimm is kind of the singer/songwriter type, with a really bluesy tinge. Prince Poppycock sings a mélange of Lady Gaga, Kiss, and Paul Revere and also the Raiders in an operatic fashion, with elaborate staging and costumes. The power of the voice of Jackie Evancho belies her tiny size and scant ten years, and she’s been a preferred to triumph for weeks. Then there was Fighting Gravity, an unbelievably good dance group was the only non-singer act.

Grimm mood for the last show

The voting is just like “American Idol.” Also, viewers have to wait to view the results. Prince Poppycock got buzzed by Piers Morgan, according to CBS, during his performance. In fairness, Prince Poppycock has one act however has different songs. Evancho had the truth that she is only 10 years old on her side. That said, after so many ballads, individuals get bored. Variety is the spice of life, and Michael Grimm reaped the benefits of that in his winning “America’s Got Talent.” It was sort of a singer’s year. Grimm, as outlined by Individuals, plans to buy his grandparents a house.

Great duets

There were great invitee artists too. It certainly made the ending more entertaining. Donna Summer sang with Prince Poppycock, and Lionel Ritchie sang when Fighting Gravity performed. Grimm and Jewel had an amazing duet with “Me and Bobby McGee.” The finale episode was almost the best part of the entire season.

More on this topic

CBS News

cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-20016467-10391698.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody

TV Watch

tvwatch.people.com/2010/09/16/americas-got-talent-winner-michael-grimm/



Sunday, September 19, 2010

Lady Gaga appears on Music Television music awards in animal meat dress

What happens when Lady Gaga and her meat gown mix with the garbage bag outfit of Ke$ha? It really just leaves you hanging. It leaves you with a disaster. There were some interesting things going on at the MTV Video Music Awards. According to Hollywood Life, even Taylor Swift’s forgiveness song to Kanye West inspired just minor buzz. Host Chelsea Handler was thwarted by mostly inert scripted jokes. Lady Gaga is known for the outfits she dons continually. This is why the PETA and vegan groups that got offended shouldn’t have been shocked by her animal meat outfit. She’d already modeled an animal meat swimsuit for Japanese Vogue. Animal meat was used in clothing before by others. In fact, “America’s Top Model” used it. I’m serious… Source for this article – Lady Gaga meat dress only juic! e MTV awards have to offer by Personal Money Store.

The Lady Gaga meat dress whet Cher’s appetite

13 awards were what Lady Gaga and her meat dress were nominated for. She won, as outlined by SeattlePI.com, eight of those. Everybody first saw her outfit of various cuts of animal meat as she stepped on stage. She got on stage as “Bad Romance” was announced as Video of the Year. The beef may have been really tasty also as expensive. This may have been if it were Kobe beef that is.

The award was given from Cher to Gaga. Of course, this included a large hug. Seasoning may have changed things. She might have even wanted to use seasoning salt to season up the meat. In other news, individuals performed and “Jersey Shore” types flashed their spray-tanned torsos.

Why a meat dress for Lady Gaga

Gaga just lately told Billboard the animal meat dress was a show of solidarity for her gay enthusiasts and a protest against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Do not Tell” policy. She was not trying to offend vegetarians in her ensemble choice. It was really meant to be an illustration for many. Gaga was undaunted by the veggie dress Ellen DeGeneres offered as a choice to the woman. She explained to Billboard. Gaga, at the MTV Video Music Awards, explained “I am not a piece of meat.” She said this when accepting the “Bad Romance” Video of the Year award.

If Gaga really is not animal meat

Where does that leave Ke$ha? Miss auto-tune told MTV news in reference to her garbage bag dress that “It’s not like I’m going to go to the garbage with crusty food on it, all garbage is not equal.”

That’s what I mean.

More on this topic

Billboard

billboard.com/events/lady-gaga-reveals-motivation-behind-her-1004113855.story?tag=hpfeed

Ecorazzi

ecorazzi.com/2008/03/13/americas-next-top-model-is-dead-meat/

Guardian

guardian.co.uk/music/2010/sep/13/lady-gaga-triumphs-mtv-vmas

Hollywood Life

hollywoodlife.com/2010/09/13/mtv-vmas-lady-gaga-meatkesha-cher-worst-dressed/

Seattle PI

blog.seattlepi.com/tubular/archives/221120.asp

Lady Gaga in meat dress, Cher handling the meat

youtube.com/watch?v=CsLmRFOZFMQ



Saturday, September 18, 2010

A G.O.P. compromise anticipated with the Bush tax cuts mentioned by Boehner

Bush tax cuts were the number one concern for Monday’s Congress conversation. Congress had just returned from five weeks of vacation. No one expects Congress to get much done before lawmakers drop everything in about four weeks to campaign for the mid-term election. Democrats suggested that the Tax cuts by Bush be repealed unless one is making over $250,000 a year. Republicans have said they’ll not vote for anything but making the Tax cuts by Bush permanent for every person. The typical Congressional stalemate seemed inevitable. There was some controversy as House Minority Leader John Boehner said he’d certainly vote to cut regulations and tax breaks on the rich if that was the only way he’d be able to get his own taxes cut.

Bush tax cuts take every person for a surprise with Boehner

At the end of the year, the Tax cuts by Bush should expire. These cuts were enacted in 2001 and 2003 and applied to all people. The Obama administration wants to extend the Bush tax cuts to every person but America’s richest individuals. CNN reports that Republicans and some Democrats oppose the plan, calling it a tax increase in a weak economy. Republicans have confronted a filibuster unless the tax cuts are extended to all–which would basically allow them to expire for all. Democrats say that the middle class regulations and tax breaks are getting used just to get breaks for the rich with the Republicans. Everyone was interested to hear that Boehner was thinking about compromising on the Tax cuts by Bush.

Democrats drifting toward Republican ideas

Everybody was amazed that Boehner dropped the bomb as he did. This is because so numerous Democrats fearful of the mid-term elections were already considering switching their vote to make Tax cuts by Bush last while the economy gets better. According to the Washington Post, an extension of tax cuts for the rich were suggested by Democrats. The Democrats include Senate candidates as well as senators. In the House, the number of incumbents taking that position is growing. You will find so numerous different places with different costs of living that another suggestion has been raised. This suggests the $250,000 tax break threshold be $1 million per household.

Boehner maneuvers for power, not the middle class

When Boehner made his remark on the Bush tax cuts issue, Democrats seemed to boast. As outlined by the Christian Science Monitor, Boehner may just be trying to get Speaker of the House if Republicans start to control the government after mid-term elections. The Monitor said that unlike the opposition leader, the speaker is really responsible for getting bills passed. By suggesting he might be willing to compromise, Boehner could set up a tax-cut deal he could take credit for. Republicans might show how much better they think they’re than Democrats at getting results by simply passing a tax bill before mid-term elections come. There is still no answer as the whether or not Boehner cares about the middle class. The Monitor had no response.

More on this topic

CNN

cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/09/12/tax.cuts/index.html?npt=NP1

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/12/AR2010091204308_2.html?wpisrc=nl_headline and sid=ST2010091204277

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2010/0913/Why-did-John-Boehner-change-his-mind-now-on-Bush-tax-cuts



The non concealed cost of evading nursing

Decline in nursing triggering pediatric costs to spike

Health care expenses are out of control, but solutions are within reach. But the U.S. does not appear to be paying attention. You see, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that nursing for children over six months of age drops off significantly, well below what their Healthy Individuals requirements recommend. Medical experts believe that this breastfeeding reduction increases pediatric costs dramatically, as children who don’t breastfeed have been proven to be more susceptible in general to a variety of diseases that have contributed to increased rates of infant mortality.

Nutritious Individuals were breastfed as children

”Meeting the national nursing initiation goal is a good accomplishment in women’s and children’s overall health, but we have more work ahead,” said CDC Dr. William Dietz to the medical omnibus online publication Medpage Today. Considering the numbers the CDC has discovered – only 43 percent of United States infants still breastfeeding at 6 months, down to 22 percent at one year – America has a long way to go.

Breastfeeding in troubled waters

Breastfeeding rates vary wildly by state within the 2007 CDC Nutritious Individuals study – 90 percent of newborns are nursing in Utah, versus about 53 percent in Mississippi, for example. The stance state governments take on breastfeeding plays an important role within the CDC study. The CDC study found that there were 21 states without appropriate breastfeeding facilities or hospitals that scored low for maternity conveniences and lactation and latching instruction. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, there has been improvement on the legislative level since the 2007 CDC study, but there remain states that do not have specific laws guarding the right to breastfeed outside the home in an area other than a cramped restroom. Considering the 2009 Facebook scandal where photos of breastfeeding mothers were removed from the site, questions nevertheless exist as to how civilized Americans are as a culture. And if the details surrounding the long-t! erm boycott of infant formula maker Nestlé are indicative, the culture of hostility toward breastfeeding extends far beyond this nation’s borders.

Be prepared to pay intensely if you turn your back on nursing

According to Dr. Melissa Bartick of Harvard Medical School and Arnold Reinhold of the Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics, the growing absence of colostrum-rich breast milk in children’s diets has caused pediatric costs to skyrocket. Their report within the journal Pediatrics states that “$3.6 billion might be saved if breastfeeding rates were increased to levels of the Nutritious Individuals objectives”. That’s 2001 info. Updated, the author’s study bears even more sobering numbers. Bartick and Reinhold found that if kids six months and under were fed breast milk exclusively at the CDC Nutritious People level of 90 percent, American families could conserve “$13 billion per year and prevent an excess of 911 deaths, nearly all of which would be in infants”.

What about infant formula? When inferior to breast milk in terms of disease prevention and growth promotion, it is also costly. There might be medical reasons why a mother cannot breastfeed, in which case formula is OK, even if it is too costly for Americans who need money. Needing payday cash advances for infant formula powder is not a good place to be, financially.

Additional reading

Pediatrics

pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-1616v1

CDC Breast Feeding Report Card

cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/BreastfeedingReportCard2010.pdf

Medpage Today

medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/22162

National Conference of State Legislatures

ncsl.org/default.aspx?tabid=14389

Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_milk



Senate verifies Austan Goolsbee as economic council chair

President Barack Obama has had a political beating from every side over how he’s got managed the economy. In a speech he made in Cleveland, he was, when it comes to understanding “the plight of the middle class,” really disconnected, says Arianna Huffington. Obama explained to the individuals, “Not everything we’ve done over the last two years has worked as easily as we had hoped, and I am keenly aware that not all our policies are popular.” This is probably the reason, says the Wall Street Journal, that Goolsbee was given the position of chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors. Goolsbee is a step closer. He already cleared the Senate. Resource for this article – Senate confirms Austan Goolsbee as economic council chair by Personal Money Store.

Austan Goolsbee was before known as a university economist and advisory board member

Austan Goolsbee is at the moment an economist at the University of Chicago business school, also as the executive director of Obama’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Many speculate, says the WSJ, that as a result of personal friendship and association with the administration’s inner circle, Goolsbee got the job as the White House Council of Economic Advisers chairman. Goolsbee will replace previous Economic Advisers chairwoman Christina Romer.

The WSJ reports that Goolsbee assisted in drafting policies during Obama’s first year, including expanded health care access, higher education aid and an energy push to generate jobs. These areas are part of the president’s “New Foundation” for middle-class economic security – at least in theory, says the Huffington Post.

Austan Goolsbee may not be what we want

Joblessness numbers in America have continued to go up. At the very same time, the economic recession isn’t recovering as we’d hope also. Outrage has been palpable, even in Democratic circles, where the potential firings of Treasure Secretary Tim Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers are discussed openly by lawmakers. Goolsbee in charge of the White House Council of Economic Advisors may not actually help the country at all. The WSJ thinks it will mean anything will stay the same.

Discover more details on this subject

Sun Times

blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2010/09/obama_cleveland_jobs_speech_tr.html”>Chicago Sun-Times

Huffington Post

huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/obama-insists-he-made-the_b_711515.html?utm_source=DailyBrief and utm_campaign=091010 and utm_medium=email and utm_content=FeatureTitle

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704644404575482661827896950.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories

Austan Goolsbee on CNN’s “Late Edition,” Sept. 21, 2008

youtube.com/watch?v=TKvMfVntY2g



Friday, September 17, 2010

Viva Mexico isn't heard by many this Mexican Independence Day

Many still commemorate Mexico’s Independence Day. On September 16 the holiday is celebrated. Mexican Independence day 2010 is a special one. This is because it celebrates freedom for 200 years. Many think Cinco de Mayo, May 5, is the exact same thing as Mexican Independence Day in the U.S.. On May 5, the Battle of Pueblo is celebrated for Cinco de Mayo with recipes and more fun things. Sept 16, 1810 was the time that Mexico started its 10 year long war with Spain for freedom. This is why we commemorate on September 16 Mexican Independence Day. Mexico has made lots of changes within the last 200 years. Although there are great changes, the country may not be rejoicing with all of the corruption, human rights issues and drug violence going on this year.

Celebrating even the drug violence

A $40 million party in Mexico City is how President Felipe Calderon decided to celebrate Mexican Freedom Day Sept. 16. USA Today reports that the two-day bicentennial bash features laser shows, fireworks and music. The Mexican government hopes the party will lift the people’s spirits despite a recession and bloody war against narcoterrorists. Even though there is security in the festivities, many worry that drug cartels might attack. The crowd suffered a couple of years ago as grenades were thrown into a crowd by narcoterrorists. This was during a Mexico’s Independence Day festival happening in Morelia. Seven people were killed and 132 were wounded. Reforma newspaper reports that drug violence has killed over 22,000 people since December 2006 when a military campaign on Mexican drug cartels started.

Bicentennial encourages resignation from Mexicans

Many historians, politicians and artists all think that Mexico, the country rejoicing with a traditional “grito,” or shout of “Viva Mexico,” is in serious trouble right now. The Washington Post reports that Mexicans are nevertheless reeling from the massacre of 72 illegal migrants from Central and South America in northern Mexico last month. Mexico’s top immigration official resigned this week over the killings. Reforma published a poll stating that 67 percent of residents in Mexico City do not even care about the bicentennial. 6 in 10 asked thinks the cash could possibly be put to better use. A great many are getting e-mails asking that there be no participation in government-sponsored events. These are coming anonymously. In a 2006 election, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was defeated by Calderon and says he plans to have, near Calderon’s celebration, his own little party. There are less public events in cities more most recently. This! is because narcoterrorism is something many hope to avoid.

Now there is some good news

Hillary Rodham Clinton gave her opinion of the situation as U.S. Secretary of State. She said Mexico seems just like the drug-racked Colombia from 20 years ago, although there is some good news still. Latin America’s murder rate is not as low as Mexico’s at 14 per 100,000, reports the Associated Press. It is not uncommon to view things like iPhones among upper-middle class Mexicans, making them much like Americans. They also have things like modern apartments, smaller families and education. 25 years ago, issues like crime, human rights and also the environment were unheard of as the grass-roots movements are making it more significant. In the aftermath of the worst recession since the 1930s, Mexico has stable government finances. There is also an additional thing they have accomplished. A Supreme Court system is set up.

Discover more info on this subject

USA Today

usatoday.com/news/world/2010-09-15-mexicobicentennial15_ST_N.htm

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/14/AR2010091406672_2.html?wpisrc=nl_headline and sid=ST2010091406720

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iyrGq2t_rHNPZAyOKqFdMrAad0yQD9I6Q4200



Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Stay away from bad keyword density

Keyword density is the percentage of how numerous times your keywords appear within the text of your webpage compared to the total word count on the page. It has a powerful role in articles because keywords choose the quality of articles and the way well they will rank in search engine results. Post resource – SEO Keyword Density – sometimes less is more by FranroseLive.com.

A known practice of keyword use you want to avoid

It is believed by numerous SEO copywriters that using a keyword or phrase multiple times throughout an article will increase their chances of getting a better positioning on the Web. Nevertheless, this is far from the truth, and this practice could actually cause more harm than good. For example, Google has a keyword density requirement. If you’re seeking to take over the first page of search results for your targeted keyword, you’ll have to abide by its conditions in order to rank well.

Keyword stuffing is not a good idea

Numerous new SEO optimizers may be tempted to use the very same keyword or phrase over and over to try and rank number one for that unique keyword they are targeting. This method is known as “keyword flooding,” where the writer overloads the content, such as the Meta tags of the web page, with each possible keyword or phrase related to the site in multiple ways. It is obviously evident that the keyword density in this method is far from balanced. Probably any content generated through this practice can be classified as spam, from your readers to all the search engine algorithms. When the search engine crawler arrives to examine your site, its algorithm can quickly determine whether a keyword or phrase is being used an unreasonable number of times, hence the term “keyword stuffing.” The results of keyword flooding could involve a severe drop in web ranking and a complete removal of your site from the search engine index.

The right keyword density

In my opinion, if you write an article that’s 300 to 400 words long, the main keyword or phrase should appear no more than six to eight times. Do not use the keyword in each and every other sentence or in the exact same paragraph. Google in specific allows no more than two percent of a web page’s words to contain targeted keywords. So when you have an article that is 500 words long, you can use the keyword 10 times, at a maximum. The allowed keyword density percentage varies with different search engines. Yahoo and MSN, for instance, may allow up to five percent. There are many free online tools that will help you determine the keyword density of your web page.



Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Mortgage refinancing applications are downward but purchase application submissions increase

Few victories could be pointed to within the housing industry. Banks, buyers, sellers and real estate agents alike are awaiting a return to at least some decent activity. It’s not as though the industry has gone comatose; it’s just slowed down. There was a recorded uptick in the number of new home loan application submissions for purchasing a home. There was also fewer applications for loan refinancing. The majority, far and away, of mortgage loan activity is nevertheless for modifying mortgages into low cost loans.

Much more home loan applications

More people have been filing mortgage application submissions for buying a new home. There was an increase of 6.3 percent in application submissions for a fresh mortgage loan recorded by the Mortgage Bankers Association, according to Reuters. It is the biggest rise since May. However, it isn’t exactly good news. The number is up. The numbers of applications that loan lenders received are at record low levels though. Mortgage loan applications rates are down about 40 percent since May 2009.

Most applications are for refinancing

Many of the application submissions are for home loan modification. Applications for a refinancing dipped 3.1 percent, a slight decrease since May of this year, but refinancing applications made up almost 82 percent of all home loan application submissions. New mortgages would be low interest loans. The rate for a fixed 30 year is 4.5 percent. The MBA has been keeping track of these figures since 1990. Current rates are about as low as have ever existed. This is good for fresh borrowers. That is also good for individuals looking to refinance. However, since finance loans are so much harder to access, it is difficult for many to reap the benefits.

So what happened with the stimulation?

The stimulus seems to not have worked. The federal refinance program barely works. The tax credit only boosted sales for just a little while, so recovery is going to be slow and it will go from the bottom up. There has to be more stable income for people. That way they’ll feel confident enough to buy.

Discover more info on this subject

Reuters

reuters.com/article/idUSNLL7KE6FT20100908



Is the government mortgage modification plan worthwhile?

President Obama was really glad to be elected in 2008. He may have been too excited when putting so much money into so much of a stimulus. A home loan refinancing plan through the Federal Housing Administration was one of the first programs called Make Home Affordable. Benefits are rearranged on the loan for everyone between the FHA and loan applicant’s lender. However, the cash advance that was drawn from the Treasury for this program may have been ill spent.

Loan refinancing from Uncle Sam

The Make Home Affordable plan only works one way. In this way, the person has to apply for a loan modification. If the application is accepted, the government, working in coordination with the applicant’s lender, sets up a trial program for a few months. The payments and the loan are restructured on a trial basis, to see if the person can nevertheless meet their payment obligations. The modification can only happen if the temporary refinancing works. It sounds simple enough. Whether or not the modifications are enough will determine if the program becomes permanent. This is what everybody wants to know.

Plan passes less than half

Less than 50 percent, says the Wall Street Journal , of the modifications work. In August, an audit of the Home Affordable Refinancing Program, or HAMP, revealed that only 434, 716 successful permanent modifications have gone through so far. There were 616,839 trial modifications which were canceled. That’s lots of wasted cash. There is a huge risk in applying. This is why many don’t. Debt to income ratios for HAMP participants tends to be at a 63.5 percent average. A person has to have a debt to income ratio of 41 percent or lower to get an FHA mortgage, usually the biggest source of bad credit loans for homes.

Just a little stimulus

Stopping foreclosure was the intent of the plan. Refinancing should be left to the private market thinking about 40 percent of applicants cannot do anything.

Discover more information on this subject

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704075604575356663725805580.html”>Wall Street Journal

of applicants result in being able to do nothing and have no change. Maybe this means the private market should the take the program as it is cut}.

Find more details on this subject

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704075604575356663725805580.html



U.S. authorities warn of danger in Koran fire

The Dove World Outreach Center Church, of Gainesville, Fla., made news by announcing the objective of the members and Pastor Terry Jones, to set copies of the Koran alight in a protest over several issues, including Muslim extremism. The plan made headlines and garnered condemnation from numerous levels of government. The Muslim world has currently condemned it. General David Petraeus himself called for a stop to the planned fire of the Koran. He has said it will do nothing besides put our service personnel and civilians in greater risk.

Dove World Outreach Center warned

According to the Christian Science Monitor, Gen. Petraeus has requested the church to halt any Koran fire. He said it would only harm our troops, and he would know, as the commander of all U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Petraeus has warned the action will only be doing the Taliban a favor, as a group of American Christians fire the Koran would be a recruiting tool for the enemy. He also cautioned that as a result, it would make winning over Afghans and others worldwide that much more difficult and put American soldiers in greater danger. Tensions between Muslims abroad and American foreign relations are already high. The Ground Zero mosque debate has currently been enough of a point of contention.

Church to dwell on the repercussions

The Dove World Outreach Center Church has put a temporary stop to the demonstration. The church is considering whether to go through with it or not. The potential ramifications are on the mind of the members and Pastor Terry Jones, which is why, according to CNN, the members will think it over. The intention was to burn Korans on an “International Burn a Koran Day” on Sept. 11 this year. Nevertheless, the caution from Gen David Petraeus has given them pause. The group claims that all of Islam was never the target of the demonstration. Instead, the aim was to demonstrate against radical elements of the Muslim world.

This will do no benefit

The pastor and his congregation can believe anything they wish, and protest whatever they wish as it is their right. Nevertheless, Gen. Petraeus is right. This demonstration will only help the enemy. More extremists will be created by this protest of extremism.

Further reading

CS Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0907/Petraeus-Dove-World-Outreach-Center-s-Burn-a-Koran-Day-endangers-troops

CNN

cnn.com/2010/US/09/07/florida.quran.burning/?hpt=Sbin



Monday, September 13, 2010

Lennon slayer Mark David Chapman rejected for parole

There are some people who have committed especially notorious crimes. As a result, they’ll never again breathe the free air. Some examples contain Sirhan Sirhan, Manson, or Chapman. On December 7, 1980, Lennon was returning to the Dakota, the high rise luxury apartment building he lived at in New York. Chapman shot him five times within the back. Not too long ago, Mark David Chapman became eligible for parole, for the sixth time. His request for parole was denied. It isn’t as if he has any fans out there. Few individuals would like to view him go free.

Chapman parole rejected

According to ABC, Mark David Chapman was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. His sentence, for the murder of John Lennon, started in 1981. He was first eligible for parole in 2000, but it was rejected. He was eligible for parole again this year, which he has been each second year after his first instance of eligibility. The parole board was not satisfied the community would be well served by his release, and denied his parole for the sixth time. Yoko Ono, John Lennon’s widow, has opposed his release each time he has come up for early release.

The madman in the rye

There is one more rather cultish component concerning Chapman. Namely, his obsession over J.D. Salinger’s novel “The Catcher in the Rye”. The book, and the main character Holden Caulfield, were claimed by Chapman to be the prime motivations for why he murdered one of the Beatles, and one of the greatest popular music figures of all time. Caulfield is an angry teenager, rebelling against the “phoniness” he finds in adult life and institutions. The book is associated with more than one murderer, though it has always been a popular work that is still required reading in some schools. The attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan which was carried out by John Hinckley Jr., one more rabid fan of the book. Delusional interpretations of the book weren’t the sole reason, as he was diagnosed with severe mental health issues.

Probably the most effective strategy

The crime of Chapman was almost a generation defining moment. Like JFK, people talk about where they were the day Mark David Chapman killed Lennon. The parole board agreed the community is better served with him behind bars, as outlined by CNN, and that was the reason the board denied his request. He is up for parole again in August of 2012.

Find more information on this subject

CNN

cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/07/new.york.chapman.early release.hearing/index.html

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=11580349



Friday, September 10, 2010

Car incidents now involve crash tax and insurance deductibles

Car accidents aren’t something anybody likes dealing with. The expense of a deductible and also the physical damage can be extraordinary. Motorists now have something else to contend with. Have you ever heard of a crash tax?. You receive a bill, and a large one, if you obtain in an auto crash from your home area if EMS even shows up to talk to you. Post resource – Accident victims could have crash tax to go with deductible by Car Deal Expert.

No ‘crash tax’ involves the discussion of fault

If only the crash tax worked like other taxes; you could file for a break in some instances. Let’s say a person gets in an auto crash from home. If emergency services shows up and checks them out, even if they don’t ask for it, the person gets billed. The bill is often never gargantuan, however is far from being innocuous. Often, the bill is not to the thousands. The norm is apparently a couple of hundred. New York Times reports that one crash tax bill recipient was billed $200, and a Chicago Tribune piece profiled a woman who received a bill for $350. Neither needed hospital visits. Both declined to be checked out by medics.

It isn’t everywhere to date

Several states have banned the practice, though they’re a minority. Ten states, being Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee got rid of the practice. The law is almost always created at the municipal level. The idea is to recover funds used by giving emergency services to individuals that live elsewhere. It is also referred to as ‘resource recovery’. There are 24 states that have it. The highest fees in crash tax bills are, of course, in California.

As if insurance policy covered it

Often, a people will be billed for EMS response even if they don’t themselves request to be checked out by medics, which an insurance policy business will not include. Insurance businesses and many other organizations oppose it.

Additional reading

NY Times

nytimes.com/2010/09/05/automobiles/05CRASHTAX.html?pagewanted=1 and _r=1 and ref=automobiles

Chicago Tribune

articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-03-02/business/ct-biz-0302-problem-locklin-20100302_1_billing-ambulance-services-emergency

Sacramento Injury Board

sacramento.injuryboard.com/automobile-accidents/can-crash-tax-help-to-reduce-the-rate-of-accidents.aspx?googleid=284322



Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Straightforward procedures for cleaning up foggy headlights

If driving with fogged or dirty car headlights sounds like a good idea to you, then be prepared for the unexpected whenever you hit the road – or a tree – at night. That can spell a serious incident. The longer moisture and other goo is left to sit inside the headlamp casing, the more likely the lights are to burn out. Burnt-out bulbs can also spell a ticket from police if you’re on the road before you notice a light is out of commission. Ultimately, however, fixing the small problem of fogged headlights is a simple affair.

When car headlights go bad

Water will discover its way into the inner recesses of your headlights, reports Popular Mechanics. Cooler temperatures produce the miracle of condensation, and all your car’s surfaces will be subject on the wet touch. That exact same cool moisture gets into the headlamp mechanism, which is vented to compensate for pressure differences so that cracking does not occur. Typically this is not an issue, however; the morning sun burns off the moisture. But if it doesn’t – let’s say your auto is parked in a shady spot or parking structure – some action may be necessary.

Fogged car headlights, prepare to be banished

If you are a Grey Poupon-style auto owner, then just turn on the headlight defogger. But let’s assume you are like the rest of us.

Right out of the gate, search for a Technical Service Bulletin for car, says Popular Mechanics. This handy little doc will unveil possible upgrades, such as whether there’s an upgrade to your factory headlight fixture, which is probably cheap and no frills.

Is there an upgrade? If not, it’s easy to check this on your own. Do not worry about a couple of droplets. A car trip with headlights for a couple of hours should provide the necessary heat for evaporation – and please… please… be sure to drive two hours Each time condensation occurs, even if it disrupts healthy sleep patterns. It’s a good excuse to take the scenic route. Take out the fixture if there’s lots of water in there. Watch for mud, wasps and spiders while you are in there clearing up. Dump out any water and bug genocide backwash, and swab it all down with alcohol. Then let it dry in a well-ventilated place, preferably with some sun, for a couple of hours. Last however not least, park your automobile facing south from now on for maximum sun exposure in the northern hemisphere, says Popular Mechanics.

Further reading

Popular Mechanics

popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/repair-questions/how-to-prevent-foggy-headlights



Sunday, September 5, 2010

You can also explore auto loan modification

Some people may be led to believe that loan modification is just for home loans, but that really isn’t the case. Auto loans could be re-loaned too. In fact, fairly much any large loan could be re-loaned. Right now is not a bad time, either. Rates for vehicle loans are fairly low. Act easily enough, your car loans can be low interest loans, or at least lower than to start with.

Refinancing not simply pertaining to home loans

You can refinance a vehicle loan just like you are able to get mortgage loan modification. You will find low rates for automobile loans right now, so looking into it would be better quicker rather than later. Auto loans are subject to market conditions, just like any other. According to the Washington Post, the interest rates on auto loans are down right now, too. Dealers want to sell automobiles, and lenders want to lend. Keep in mind though, that loans from a bank and a dealership are not quite the same. Loans from a dealership often carry higher rates because they’re trying to make more cash as the middle man between you and also the bank.

That isn’t really the entire tale however

There is, as there always is, a small catch. Auto loans are tied to your credit score; the higher your score, the lower the rate. An individual may not be eligible for re-modification or new loans if they took out auto loans for bad credit. For those who have good credit, the market rate is 5.7 percent whereas poor credit loans have a market rate of 18.5 percent, in that exact same article on the Washington Post website. If you look into refinancing an auto loan, shop around and figure out the terms and conditions each lender offers.

And so must I refinance?

Anyone who has a bad credit score probably can’t benefit from new loans an car loan. They just can’t get access in this market, whereas individuals with great credit can. You also have to be careful of who offers you loan modification. The fastest growing type of scam around is the loan modification scheme, so make certain you know who you are doing business with before you commit or hand over any money.

Find more information on this subject

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/28/AR2010082800170.html



Crowd estimates at the Glenn Beck rally manipulated by philosophy

Nobody knows beyond doubt how many individuals attended the Glen Beck rally. The different figures being mentioned show that people will state whatever supports their point of view. Nearly 500,000 devotees made the trip to the Washington Mall, as outlined by Beck and the followers. Up to a million was the declaration by certain Republican political figures. Event organizers often rely on attendance figures to support the righteousness of their beliefs. Supporters exaggerate the totals when detractors scoff at their naive optimism. However an exact number of Beck’s cult members recruited to walk all over the legacy of Martin Luther King’s’ “I have a dream speech” at the site of the address on its 47th anniversary is extremely hard to figure. Resource for this article – Glenn Beck rally atte! ndance figure is in the eyes of the beholder by Personal Money Store.

Conservative opinion of The rally for Glenn Beck attending

Glenn Beck rally attendance numbers reached heights upwards of 500,000, said Beck and conservative commentators such as Joe Scarborough at MSNBC. Their assertions are typical said the Christian Science Monitor. The stated figures, as outlined by the Monitor, reflect the interests of those involved in the story. Rally organizers always say crowds were huge and bigger than expected. Those who are not in favor of the cause can be counted on to dismiss their assertions. There is always controversy. In October 1995, the National Park Service officially estimated that about 400,000 individuals went to the “Million Man March”. Disputing the numbers, the event’s organizers threw their lawyers on the park service, which has since gotten out of the business of counting crowds.

Airborne images belie Beck’s hyperbole

Glenn Beck rally attendance was big enough to disrupt Washington’s subway service. But rather than guess, CBS News really hired a company called AirPhotosLive.com to get a bird’s eye view. Photos were shot from above. The crowd spread from the Lincoln Memorial around the Reflecting Pool and over to the Washington Monument . Based on the images, AirPhotosLive gave an estimate of 87,000 individuals in the guests. The company gave its estimate a 9,000-person margin of error, so anywhere from 78,000 to 96,000 individuals were there.

National politics no place for truth or purpose

The day after the event Beck preened. He said the number of the audience was someplace between 300,000 and 500,000. “We’re not going to let anyone get away with saying there were less than a million here today — because we were witnesses,” was the declaration uttered by Republican congresswoman Michelle Bachman into a microphone at a side event Saturday. However, it is all much ado about nothing to Southern Fried Science. The blogger WhySharksMatter said an exact number makes no difference, given that Beck’s followers ignore facts and evidence anyway. To illustrate, he referred to a Pew Research Center poll. It determined the statement “President Obama is a Muslim” is considered true by 18 percent of Americans. If a lesson could be drawn from the issue, it is that national politics and religion, particularly when mixed together, have nothing to do with reality.

Additional reading

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com

CBS

cbsnews.com

Southern Fried Science

southernfriedscience.com



Saturday, September 4, 2010

The Golden State plastic industry lobbyists conquer plastic bag ban

The ruling on Wednesday shows one thing. The Golden state senate doesn’t want the plastic ban. There were numerous people that supported the bar in California. These include grocers, Republican Arnold Schwartzenegger and retailers. Plastic industry lobbyists wanted the ban to pass. Many individuals within the world use plastic bags. These are usually for groceries. Plastic bags are being considered a human hazard to health when killing an incredible number of birds and marine animals as they can’t degrade. Republicans and some Democrats opposed to the California plastic bag ban said it created an undue burden on consumers.

Plastic bag issues in California

Plastic bags wouldn’t be allowed in stores in California anymore if the bill passed. It would be the first state with the ban. The Silicon Valley Mercury News reports that the bill was inspired by growing public awareness of plastic garbage hazards. Each year, 1 million plastic bags pollute the San Francisco Bay. This was explained by Conserve the Bay. Each year, Californians use 19 billion plastic bags. This was shown by state officials. Collecting plastic bags for landfills costs the state a lot. In fact, it costs about $25 million a year. Chevron, Dow and ExxonMobil are all incorporated in a group called the American Chemistry Council. This group thinks there shouldn’t be any kind of change since the state, with an $18 billion spending budget deficit already, would need to pay $1.7 million for it.

Purchasing state politician votes from business of plastic

In California, the plastic bag ban has opposition. This came from the American Chemistry Council mostly. According to the Miami Herald, the group is actually in Virginia although it funds all of the opposition in The Golden State with environmental bills anything that is anti-plastic. The council produced a costly TV and radio ad campaign against the plastic bag bill and wrote a bundle of checks to politicians. In August at least seven state senators collected campaign donations directly from the council or its affiliates Exxon and Hilex Poly Co., a South Carolina plastic bag manufacturer.

Why and why not with the plastic bag ban

The California plastic bag ban was created to encourage shoppers to use reusable totes. Bans on plastic bags are already in place in some places in California. San Francisco is one of the places. The bill was authored by assemblywoman Julia Brownley who explained to ABC News that changing habits of shoppers is a better approach than cleaning up the mess. It was explained to ABC News. This came from Republican Senator Mimi Walters who said that “If we pass this piece of legislation, we will be sending a message to the people of California that we care more about banning plastic bags than helping them put food on their table.”

The Good Pacific Garbage Patch

There was an estimate by the Environmental Protection Agency of how many plastic bags were made in 2008. About 90 percent of those were tossed. They were just thrown away. According to the Wall Street Journal, the United States goes through 100 billion plastic buying bags annually at an estimated cost to retailers of $4 billion. A U.N. study from 2006 stated that 10 percent of the world’s plastic accumulates in the ocean. The Good Pacific Garbage Patch is what we call the place with the most there. There is about 3.5 million tons of trash about the size of Texas there.

More on this topic

Silicon Valley Mercury News

mercurynews.com/ci_15927563?source=most_emailed and nclick_check=1

Miami Herald

miamiherald.com/2010/08/26/1792991/californias-plastic-bag-ban-opponents.html

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/US/california-votes-plastic-bag-ban/story?id=11526792 and page=1



Friday, September 3, 2010

Hawking thinks there is no need for God in galaxy comprehending

God isn’t something needed to explain the world, states Hawking. Hawking wrote a book with Caltech physicist, Leonard Mlodinow, called “The Grand Design” that suggests God is just a human contrivance. Part of The Grand Design explains theories about scientific research and religion that have always been discussed. Hawking claims God is not what created the whole world but gravity is. People who disagree with Hawking say science, being limited by laws of nature such as gravity, is an inadequate approach to understanding the role of God in the galaxy.

Beliefs of Sir Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking

Sir Isaac Newton beliefs are challenged in “The Grand Design.” This is Stephen Hawking’s new book. Newton stated that God designed the whole world. The universe is not something Newton believed could exist on its own. It could not have just randomly come together so well. Hawking says gravity made the spontaneous creation of the universe possible. Hawking believed in God in 1998 when his book became bestseller. This book, reports the Guardian, is called “A Brief History of Time”. He nevertheless believed in God’s role within the world then. He even wrote about this within the book. ”If we discover a complete theory, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason – for then we should know the mind of God,” he explained then.

Science will win, says Hawking

Hawking is considered a successor of Newton. This is because he was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge in London. In 1992, a planet was found orbiting a distant star. This is when, says Hawking, the first doubt to Newton’s idea of the galaxy being formed in chaos, came to him, he says in “The Grand Design”. Hawking was interviewed by ABC in June stating that humans created a God that they can have a personal relationship with in their image. He also said it is extremely hard thinking about human life was a complete incident and doesn’t have any significance. Science will win between science and religion, ABC News reports Hawking saying.

Hawking needs to explain

People of faith, for instance William Crawley at the BCC, disagree with Hawking’s idea of the world naturally being created by calling it a “classic agnostic response”. To Crawley, Hawking is only speaking for himself when he says God is not necessary for comprehending the whole world. There isn’t anything in “The Grand Design” proving there is no religious part in the galaxy. There are no facts proving the theory. You will find numerous scientists that disagree with Hawking also. Professor George Ellis, president of the International Society for Science and Religion, told Fox News that Hawking offers a false choice between science or religion in which science may be the loser. “A lot of individuals will say, OK, I choose religion then,” he said, “and it is science that will lose out.”

Further reading

The Guardian

guardian.co.uk/science/2010/sep/02/stephen-hawking-big-bang-creator

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/WN/stephen-hawking-god-create-universe-question-day/story?id=11542128

BBC

bbc.co.uk/blogs/ni/2010/09/god_hawking_and_the_universe.html



Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Modest bump for stock markets as reduced quantity of jobless cases tend to be submitted

It has been a while since the number of new jobless claims dropped. The common theme of employment has been of becalmed waters, though a small reprieve was because of the census and seasonal hires for the holiday retail season. Less unemployed cases is welcome good news, even if real estate is set to be read the last rites. The news is more a Pyrrhic victory than other things. Unemployment has held steadily since November of last year. On the plus side, it did cheer up stock markets. There was a slight boost on Wall Street as a result.

Minor reduction in new jobless claims

There was a reduction in new jobless claims for unemployment benefits, says the Department of Labor. The quantity of unemployed cases dropped 31,000 to a seasonally adjusted 473,000 since last week. A drop in new unemployment claims is encouraging, but the average of the last four weeks is nevertheless 486,750, the highest levels since November 2009, as outlined by Forbes. That said, winter jobless claims have to be taken with a grain of salt, as holiday seasonal employment provides a slight spike for the busiest part of the retail year. The United States of America Census also employed a fair amount of individuals seasonally.

Unemployed cases encourage stock market increase

As outlined by the Wall Street Journal, the news did some immediate good. It gave stock exchanges a very modest boost. The largest increase was .3 percent for Standard and Poor’s, a barely mentionable gain. The Dow went up an unbelievable .1 percent, and Nasdaq shot up .2 percent. The big news on Wall Street is really the Dell acquisition, though others try to stop it, of data storage company 3Par. There’s a big bidding war going on, and it is even bigger news than the Potash saga. Hewlett Packard and Dell are fighting it out for 3Par, and it is causing a huge firestorm of coverage.

A long way to go before we sleep

This is not really an indicator of much in the way of unemployment radically decreasing. There just aren’t the jobs accessible anymore, and the economy keeps contracting. The real estate market has been nothing short of dismal, and it is estimated that 10 percent of all homeowners are at risk of foreclosure.

Find more info on this subject

Forbes

forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/08/26/real-estate-industrials-us-economy_7879865.html

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100826-709681.html



Third drug arrest for Paris Hilton

There are some individuals that follow Paris Hilton news. Apparently, the socialite and heiress extraordinaire can’t not break the law. It seems that a quiet night at home is impossible for her; she has been arrested yet once again. Evidently, she can learn to get a cab, however not to leave her illegal drugs at home. She was found by las Vegas PD to be possessing cocaine. This makes the 3rd time she has been arrested for harmful drugs in the past year, having been twice arrested for possessing marijuana.

It’s really no lawful joke for Paris Hilton to toke

According to the New York Post, Paris Hilton’s boyfriend was pulled over by a Las Vegas police officer, and the SUV she was riding in smelled of pot smoke. As she was being searched, she asked the officer if she could retrieve some lip balm from her purse. That is when the plot thickened. A baggie containing what seemed to be cocaine fell from her bag. That was not the only thing. There were also wrapping papers in the bag. She was arrested, and also the Paris Hilton cocaine saga started after two separate Paris Hilton marijuana arrest incidents.

These aren’t flippant charges

The baggie contained about .8 grams of cocaine. This won’t just mean a fine. Hilton is charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. The Cheech to her Chong, Harold to her Kumar, or Cy Waits only was booked on a misdemeanor charge of DUI. Hilton of course, denies the baggie was hers. She says she had lent her bag to a friend of hers, or maybe a one armed man. Within hours, her Twitter page was alight with support from her followers. Hilton is also saying the search was improper, and she is expected to contest it at her trial. Hilton could possibly be looking at a 15 year sentence and $500,000 in fines at the maximum.

A quiet night in is just impossible

This is drug arrest number three for her. She was arrested twice in July for possessing marijuana, in South Africa during the 2010 World Cup, and days later in Corsica for the same crime. Nevertheless, there is something that should be said in fairness. On both occasions, she was let go. Though it may be feasible that someone else is responsible for said contraband, a noted history of association with illegal substances will not bode well for her should she be convicted.

Further reading

NY Post

nypost.com/p/news/national/paris_hilton_claims_the_coke_belonged_8C2KMg1FXGAyRp2zUQwpcN