Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

In an ideal world, you’d walk out of every first date
with a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’ etched in your mind for a second date
with the person in question. Unfortunately, in reality you often
come out confused, not knowing if the guy/gal is really worthy
of a second date. As a result you often say no in haste and
repent not taking the chance later. At times the opposite
happens and you may really regret giving someone a second
chance. We came up with some questions you could ask yourself
clear the confusion and help you make the right decision.

How did you react when you first saw your date?

If the first thought that crossed your mind was that you have
dated better, do not let that stop you from going on a second
date. Your date may have intellectual qualities or a sense of
humor which may more than make up for the lack of physical
attributes. Do put up points in their favor if you felt that
they took time and made an effort to look good. However, if
their grunge look made you wonder if they even knew they’d come
for a date, don’t think twice before saying no.

How much eye contact did you make?

Eye contact fosters trust and understanding and hence is a
pointer to the quality of future interaction you may have with
someone. Making a fair amount of eye contact, indicates positive
interaction, and should be taken as green light for a second
date. If your date was looking around quite a bit and you don’t
even remember the color of their eyes, give it up before you
regret wasting more time.

How did the conversation flow?

It will be a rare first date where you have a lot to say to each
other and conversation flows from start to finish. Even if
conversation was bumpy, at times flowing and at times sprinkled
with awkward pauses, it’s worth a second chance. On the contrary
if you found yourself wondering ‘Did he/she really say that?’
several times during the date, it may not make sense to pursue
things further.

Did your date mention any past relationships?

If your date mentioned a previous relationship in passing it’s
nothing to worry about but if they went into longwinded details
about a former bloke/ babe, think twice before going out with
them. They may be rather hung over on the previous relationship
and hence may not be ready to move on.

What did your date want to know about you?

Did they ask you things like what you like to do for fun, what
kind of places you hang out at? If they did they are a potential
hit. On the other hand if they hardly asked anything about you
it may be better to refuse to take things ahead. If they asked
you rather too much about your daily schedule including
seemingly irrelevant details like where you park when you go to
work etc. treat it as a safety red flag and retreat as fast as
you can.

How would you sum up what you know about your date?

At the end of the date do you know rather too much or too little
about your date? If you know what kind of car they drive, what
they enjoy most in life and the movie they enjoyed best you are
on the right track. If you don’t’ know what work they do and
feel that your date was rather cagey with details about
themselves don’t go forward with the next date.

How did you feel at the end?

If you felt a frizzle of excitement, you should not be reading
this article. If you felt rather happy but not on top of the
world, there exists some potential. If you felt confused and
wondered about their intentions don’t feel any inhibitions in
not going out with them a second time round.

Would you want to be friends?

This is the one question that you should base your decision on.
If you can think of the person you dated as becoming your friend
you should go ahead, else you should walk away. If you can’t see
them as being your friends, believe me you won’t reach the lover
stage!

Each and every day “fifty-something’s” throughout our nation come to the cold, hard and often sudden realization that not only is retirement, gulp, merely a decade or less away, but also that they are not as financially prepared for their golden years as they had hoped to be. Far too many middle aged Americans are approaching senior citizenship without any financial nest egg to speak of - an understandable concern for those intending to maintain the same standard of living they had prior to retirement.

If you are retired, or getting close to retirement, your goals are likely shifting away from asset and wealth accumulation. Now your needs are asset and wealth preservation and income generation. To achieve those goals and live the retirement lifestyle you want, you need to evaluate your financial resources in a very different way than you did during your working years.

For those in the worrisome predicament of having relatively little time to get their financial ducks in a row before retirement is upon them, here are five approaches for late retirement planning success and, as importantly, five distinct pitfalls to avoid:

Late Retirement Planning Strategies:

o Take stock. Assess where you are - financially speaking - right now. What is your current income? What are your current expenses? What assets do you currently have and what, if any, debt? This information is imperative for mapping out your financial future, as you won’t know where to go if you don’t know where you are.

o Dig deeper. Next, attempt to identify income-generating opportunities and potential risks you may face. How can you eliminate any debt as quickly as possible? Do you anticipate any major increases or decreases in income or expenses? Are there any specific medical issues to deal with and/or plan for?

o Forecast. Look ahead to where you intend to be based on your current path or plan. What can you count on in ten years? Will you have pension, Social Security and/or other income and, if so, how much? How much income will be needed from investments to cover living expenses and when?

o Develop a financial game plan. Discern what available investment vehicles will improve the likelihood of having the lifestyle you desire with the least amount of risk? What is the minimal amount of return on our investments necessary to attain your goals? If you can attain your goals without, or with very little, risk, why put your retirement funds in jeopardy to chase higher returns? The best plan will account for inflation and taxes while preserving principle.

o Pull the trigger. Once you have developed a solid financial game plan, implement those strategies ASAP and stay the investment course - with just 10 or fewer years until retirement, time “is” of the essence, after all, and looking for greener grass is a sure-fire hazard. Monitor your investments regularly to ensure all stays on track toward your goal.

Late Retirement Planning Pitfalls:

o Failing to make a plan. Any plan is better than no plan at all, even if it’s somewhat minimal and won’t necessarily get you where you had intended to be. In the end, it’s ultimately about survival, and having no retirement financial plan at all put your fate in the hands of others who may or may not share your same views on “quality of senior life”.

o Chasing the “golden carrot”. Chasing high returns at all costs, taking unnecessary risks, and speculating as opposed to investing - all sure-fire ways to watch your retirement dollars dwindle. Far too often we hear of those who lost their retirement nest egg and had to get back into the work force to survive. When done correctly, the high risk, high reward stock market is one good investment resource, but by no means should one put their retirement nest egg in that basket alone.

o Not foreseeing the unforeseen. Plan ahead for potential risks, such as high medical, insurance, prescription medication, and long term care expenses. Know what your options are with respect to Medicare and otherwise, which will be critically important once employer-based benefits are no longer available.

o Thinking a Will will suffice. Beyond the will, it’s also important to have a durable Power of Attorney to protect you from potential financial hardships of living probate. In addition, a Healthcare Power of Attorney and a Living Will can help you avoid heartache such as that publicly witnessed with the Terri Schiavo case.

o Going it alone. Those who have ten or less years before retirement and have not made any notable strides in securing their and their family’s, financial future should seek the advice of a credentialed investment expert who can create a solid and often custom-tailored financial plan. Optimally, choose a financial advisor with multiple designations who specializes in retirement-based investing and is expert at safely preserving, protecting and proliferating retirement assets.

Senior Financial Coach Hank Parrott, ChFC, RFC, CEP, CSA is President of Estate & Financial Strategies, Inc. (EFS) - a financial services firm dedicated to helping seniors safely preserve, protect and proliferate their assets. He can be reached through his Web site at http://www.SeniorFinancialCoach.com or via toll-free telephone at (800) 492-8102.

When the snow starts to melt and flowers begin to dot the
scenery, you know it is spring! What better way to celebrate the
coming of the season with packing away your heavy winter
sweaters and coats and welcoming the spring season in with
pastel colors, feminine prints, and gauzy clothing? When it
comes time to plan your spring wardrobe, it may be tempting to
run around in thin, flutter sleeve shirts and flirty skirts, but
your local weather may not allow it. Keep your physical weather
in mind before you buy silky tops, cropped pants, and flippant
skirts–finding yourself out in the cold!

Many places in the country equate spring with rain. If you live
in an area where the March, April, and May showers mean
summertime flowers, then take this into account when choosing
your spring fashion wardrobe. Consider purchasing a fantastic
rain jacket, cute rain hat, or fantastic umbrella to warm off
the wet weather and remain dry. Also, the trend here of recent
allows individuals to wear brightly patterned galoshes with
everyday clothing in order to protect your tootsies from the
puddles.

If you area allows warmer clothing to be ushered in with the
spring season, then do not hold back! Choose strappy heels that
will provide your feet with a much needed break from stuffy
boots. Do not forget to treat yourself to that lovely pedicure
and paint your tootsies a lovely pastel shade of pink. Find
flirty dresses, skirts, and tops that are one hundred percent
feminine and spring-like. You may need to look into a couple of
cardigans to cover up on the chilly days, but look for one with
pretty trim like lace or crochet. Finally, lighten up from those
heavy wool pants and choose lightweight trousers that are
crisply pressed and khaki in color.

However, many of us live in areas where spring only means winter
with a few more flowers. If you find yourself stuck in winter,
even though spring has arrived, change your state of mind. Even
though you may still need those heavy coats, perk it up with a
brightly colored faux flower corsage. Look into swapping out
those dark winter colors for light springtime colors like pinks,
green, purples, white, cream, and blues. If you find you need
those winter boots, still treat yourself to a pedicure to perk
up your tootsies to feel more spring like on the inside.

1. Many people are not getting good or complete advice. Often for example people don’t understand all the concepts of Internet Marketing and having a website so they simply pay to have a website developed. Often this website may look good but it falls far short in the area of being “search engine friendly”. This is typically because many businesses that deal with the web are very one track focused.

People need to get independent opinions from a knowledgeable person. Someone who doesn’t have a biased agenda. Most businesses have a product or service they try to push customers toward because they make a greater profit on these items.

Many businesses that deal with the internet can be narrowly focused on their one main niche. They may do webpage design and development and for their ease they either knowingly or not don’t consider other important attributes like optimizing the page for search engine placement.
Some example are weblinks in java scripts. Search engines don’t read these. Another example is the over use of images to display text on webpage. Search engines develop your webpages reputation based upon the words on the page. If the words are in images they can’t be read by the search engines. A simple test to search for words is in your internet browser click on Edit and then click on Find and search on any suspect words.

2. People put too much emphasis on their Company name in their website title. The title should be geared toward keywords, etc. They don’t take into account search engines and keywords and that starting out nobody is going to be searching on their Company Name.

3. People don’t wisely choose their keywords or market. Planning here is key - do some sample searches and see what comes up - who is your competition?

4. This is kind of a subset of number 3 above,- lack of adequate planning. I.E - What is the purpose of your webpage - is it to sell them right there or perhaps gather their information for further use?

5. People don’t either set up their website to collect names and leads (email list) or they just collect everyone’s name in one big box. For example if you have several categories of interest on your site try to collect the person’s email tied to their specific point of interest.

6. Over Targeting - I see this problem all the time. People have a small website and they try to over target every keyword remotely associated with their website on each individual page. Each individual webpage should be targeted as much as possible. A variation of this is people try to optimize their sales page for good search engine ranking. A much better approach is optimized pages, which direct people to their sales page.

7. And of course they do a any number of things that are not friendly with search engines. (Here are just a few examples)

Like using frame pages incorrectly.

You are hosting your Web site at a free Web space provider.

Your Web site has a low link popularity.

Bonus Tip: When requesting links from other websites vary the linking text (title) you provide them, so that the linking text coming to your site isn’t always the same. Think of it like this, in nature you would have a variance of linking texts. So if you do what is more natural, you should rank better with the search engines.

Nick A. James offers informative tips and information on nutrition, health and working from home. Get the Exclusive Free Report! -6 Steps to Simplify Your Life, Improve Your Health & Give You Dynamic Energy! His many years of Internet Marketing expertise puts him in unique position to help others starting a home business. For free advice, health blog, and cutting edge info contact him at: http://www.health-goji-juice.com

(Part 2 of a 5 Part Series on Body Awareness)

If I were to tell you there is an energetic, vibrant and creative person inside of you and all you needed to do was eat certain foods to let that person out, would you believe me?

Each and every one of us, at our very core, is each of these three things. Vibrant, Energetic, Creative. We each have a wonderful capability to accomplish many great things and do them all with an abundance of energy. No one was short changed in terms of their ability to have a energetic soul. That’s our gift.

Now, why are you so darn worn out?

We’ll, you’re probably eating the wrong foods.

There’s a way to release that spectacular spirit and live an enriched and energized life… eating the right foods is the first place to start.

In Part 1, “Fighting Fatigue and the American Diner Diet, ” of this series, I discussed listening to your body and how important it is to hear the things it tells you after you eat certain foods. In my case, I ate a fried tofu wrap and then passed out at my computer 20 minutes later. You’ve probably had a similar experience.

When you can recognize how your food affects you and this process becomes a habit, you will begin to identify the particular foods bring your energy levels down. Practice listening to your body for a few weeks and I guarantee that you’ll have a similar list to the foods I’ve listed here:

* Fried Anything

* Pancakes

* Sausage, Bacon

* Large portions of meat.

* Coffee (Don’t be fooled, if it didn’t bring you down you wouldn’t need another cup!)

* Potato Chips, Corn Chips, Crackers, Other Snacks.

* Sweets, Candies, Pies (after the sugar high wears off)

It doesn’t take much to deplete your energy. Eat a large fry from McDonalds and you’ll understand what I’m telling you. The nutrient balance in your body is easy to upset. A few days of eating energy-starving foods like the ones I listed above and you’re feeling pretty lame–probably propped up on the couch after work because you’re whipped after only a half-day of work.

So how does this apply to the “energetic, vibrant and creative person” I was talking about?

Well, when you have some or many of these energy-starving foods in your diet, your energy levels drop significantly. Your body is not getting enough nutrients to function at an efficient level. It starts to move into crisis mode and stores energy and nutrient reserves for later so that you will be able to use them in case of an emergency.

This is pretty serious stuff on the physical level. Your body is hoarding nutrients, water, and whatever else it needs and making sure you don’t use everything up all at once. So what happens to you? You fall asleep after a meal. You don’t have enough energy to make it through the day. You name it… your body is doing it.

The scary thing is that once that has happened over a period of time, something psychological begins to happen.

Instead of THINKING that you have low energy, you begin to BELIEVE that you ARE a tired person, that you ARE a lazy person, that you ARE the type of person that doesn’t have any energy. Getting down on yourself and believing you ARE the things that your food is causing you to be is a challenging battle to fight and is probably why many people experience failure with their diets and exercise programs. They truly believe that they are what their food is making them.

You’re actually none of these things. You are a vibrant, energetic and creative being, remember? It’s just the fuel that you are taking in that is making you sputter. Think about the effect sugar has on a car engine. It stops it from running.

If you’re putting sugars and bad oils and other toxins into your tank, your engine is going to jump and clunk and spit–just like any old car would. If you’re putting in the high-grade fuel–energy rich foods–than you are burning them efficiently and are rewarded with the by-product of boundless energy. No more 2:00 blues. No more waking up more tired than you were when you hit the sack. No more “I’m a tired person. Your confidence grows. You feel good about yourself.

Stop identifying your energy levels with you and look at the foods that are causing your energy deficiency. Know that you are the vibrant, energetic and creative person.

Remember how you used to play for hours on the playground and in the backyard as a child? That playfulness is still there and wants to burst out of you… it’s just waiting for you to eat the right foods.

In Part 3, I will discuss the second component of bringing the energetic and playful child in you back to the surface–exercise. Through exercise, you will be able to build energy just as quickly and effectively as eating the right foods. Put them together and you are unstoppable!

Until then, here are some foods that you should consider eating more of for maximum energy:

* Fresh vegetables

* Fresh fruits

* Raw nuts and seeds

* Organic meats (in small portions)

* Fresh vegetable and fruit juices

* Fruit Smoothies

* Whole Grains

* Brown Rice

Put one or more of these into your everyday diet and watch how quickly you lighten up in your step and how much more energy you have everyday. You’ll be amazed.

Kevin Gianni is the holistic fitness expert. He is a certified personal trainer and co-author of “Lifestyle Fitness”, a home workout program for the time and energy strapped!

Be sure to sign up for our free email newsletter that has the fitness and health tips other “gurus” are charging big bucks for.

http://www.yourlifestylefitness.com

The teenage years are a test, for parents and for teachers, but most of all, for the teens themselves. Teens are constantly being tested on life decisions, and they need a lot of guidance at a time of life when they least want to hear it. But much of the time teens are amazingly wise about the issues we worry they will not be able to handle. The trick is to guide them, while allowing them to hold on to that independence they so value.

You can guide your teens by coaching them to arrive at the smart and sensible answers they already know, and just have to discover within themselves.

Here are nine questions you can pose to your kids to develop the process of thinking through their life issues. These questions work in just about any situation, such as peer pressure, school achievement, and dilemmas that come with hard to make choices.

Pick one or two. Don’t overload. Sometimes one key question opens the gateway for your teen to reach that “Aha!” moment and do the right thing for his or her life.

Questions for your teen to reflect on:

1. Can you give your full commitment to this plan?

2. Where would you like this decision to take you?

3. What will you do when there are temptations to do something different from what you have planned?

4. What will it feel like to meet this goal?

5. How can you keep remembering that there is a better way to think about some things? […when you feel yourself slipping.]

6. What will happen when / if you don’t follow through? How will you help yourself make a correction?

7. What can you tell yourself if your resolve begins to weaken and you need a confidence boost?

Final Tip: Sometimes teens need a mentor or an adult they respect, who is not their parent. It does not diminish your role as a parent. What is happening when your teens seem to respect the opinion of others though you would have said the very same thing? They are working on the normal adolescent process of growing away from you. The behavior of teens can be very confusing. Remember your teen is exploring how to be with and without you as an integral part of his or her life. If your child does work with a mentor type person, it is a good idea for you to know who the supporting adult is, but once you have trust in that person, stepping aside may be a great gift to your teen.
If you do decide to encourage your teen to find a mentor, here’s the question to plant:

8. Who is a person you feel comfortable going to, to talk things over when you need a sounding board?

Parents, don’t expect feedback, but welcome it. You will get your best feedback in the results you see.

Ellen Mossman-Glazer M.Ed. is a Life Skills Coach and Behavioral Specialist, specializing in Asperger Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, ADHD, and learning difficulties. Over her 20 years in special education classrooms and treatment settings, Ellen has seen the struggle that children and adults have when they feel they don’t fit in. She now works in private practice with people across the USA and Canada, by phone, teleconference groups and email, helping parents, educators, caregivers and their challenging loved ones, to find their own specific steps and tools to thrive. Ellen is the author of two on line e-zines, Emotion Matters: Tools and Tips for Working with Feelings and Social Skills: The Micro Steps. Subscribe for free and see more about Ellen at http://artofbehaviorchange.com.
You can take a free mini assessment which Ellen will reply to with your first action step.

Cardio Exercise…

A huge variety of fitness activities provide cardiovascular benefits. If you’re breathing hard and can feel your heart beating, you’re doing cardio. Because walking is fun, easy, and requires little time and no financial investment, it’s our top choice for cardiovascular activity.

Walking uses your body’s largest muscle group, your legs. Because it’s rhythmic (you repeat the same basic movements), and it’s aerobic (you take in and use more oxygen than usual), when walking is sustained for more than several minutes at a time it provides fantastic cardiovascular benefits - including weight loss - and can be quickly and easily implemented into your daily routine.

Walking at a moderate pace for about 30-60 minutes burns stored fat, and can build muscle to help speed up your metabolism, burning fat even while you sleep! So, let’s start moving…

First, wake up your muscles by walking at a warm-up pace for five minutes, signaling to your muscles that they can’t just sit back and burn up the available sugars, they need to tap into your fat reserves. This means not starting your daily walk at a high speed. On the contrary, a low-intensity or low-speed start signals your muscles that you are engaging in a long-term activity, prompting the burning of stored fat, and not just sugar burning.

After five minutes, pick up the pace. The speed to walk at for optimal fat burning is a “determined” pace, at which rate you should be breathing noticeably harder, but still able to carry on a conversation in full sentences. By doing this, you raise your heart rate to about 70% of your maximum heart rate, which acts as a
catalyst for burning stored fat.

Try walking as though you’re 15 minutes late for an important appointment. Now, start with walking at this pace for 30 minutes each day. For optimal weight loss, walk at least 5 days of the week, with weekly time spent walking eventually reaching 5 or more hours each week.

Use the following “cheat sheet” to help implement a quick and easy walking program into your daily routine:

• Start with a few gentle stretches

• Begin walking at an easy pace for five minutes

• Walk 30-60 minutes at about 70% of your maximum heart rate

• Cool down at a slower pace for 5 minutes

• Finish with a few gentle stretches

• For longer walks, walk 60 minutes at your target heart rate, and slow down a bit to complete 90 or 120 minutes at a comfortable pace

Walking an hour a day is also associated with drastically decreasing your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes and stroke. Find time to work one-hour walks into your life. It’s well worth waking up an hour early to do so. After all, aren’t you worth it?

When you feel you can comfortably walk an hour on a single day each week, try the following weekly schedule for increased weight loss and added health benefits, alternating the days to fit your personal weekly schedule:

Sunday: Long Day, 90+ minutes

Monday: Day Off

Tuesday: Short Day, 30+ minutes

Wednesday: Short Day, 30+ minutes

Thursday: Long Day, 90+ minutes

Friday: Short Day, 30+ minutes

Saturday: Long Day, 60+ minutes

On all days, remember to start with some light stretches. Start walking slow for 5 minutes. Walk at your “determined” pace of 70% of your maximum heart rate for the time specified, concluding with an easy pace for five minutes. Always finish with gentle stretching. Lastly, when walking for weight loss, you should take no more than one to two days off each week.

Keep up the water intake and your new ‘fat loss’ walking program - I’ll see you in 7 days to check in on your progress and to give you the second Secret in our Health & Fitness Tactics Course.

For a ton of f.ree, valuable tips, tricks, and secrets visit: http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

© 2002-2005 Wisdom Books, LLC & Christopher Guerriero WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this blurb with it: Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning ‘Maximize Your Metabolism’ system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FR*EE how-to articles and F.REE teleseminars, visit http://www.MaximizeYourMetabolism.com

You are buying the house of your dreams with an interest-only mortgage. You’ll get a low mortgage payment, and you’ll maximize your tax deduction, all on your current income! Everything seems to be going good. But have you really understood the concept of interest-only mortgage and how it functions.

So What Is An Interest-Only Mortgage?

Well it may break your bubble but there is no such thing as an interest-only mortgage - because eventually you’ll have to pay the loan principal as well. In other words, with an interest-only mortgage loan, you pay only the interest on the mortgage in monthly payments for a fixed term. After the end of that term, usually five to seven years, you pay the balance in a lump sum, or start paying off the principal. Net Net! What you’re really getting is an interest-only payment method which can be combined with any type of traditional mortgage.

For What Types Of Borrowers Are Interest-Only Mortgages Suitable?

An Interest only mortgage can be an excellent choice for some borrowers, who have a valid use for a lower initial required payment. For most homeowners, paying down mortgage debt is the most effective way to build wealth. Nonetheless, some may build wealth more rapidly by investing excess cash flow rather than paying down their mortgage. Of course for this to hold true, their return on investment must exceed the mortgage interest rate.

The interest only product was originally designed for individuals whose income is cyclical. Borrowers with fluctuating incomes may value the flexibility the IO mortgage gives them. When their finances are tight, they can make the IO payment, and when they are flush they can make a substantial payment to principal.

Financial advisers don’t recommend interest-only residential mortgage to regular wage earners who take out moderate-size residential mortgage loans and don’t have a strategy for investing the savings.

An interest-only mortgage might be a good fit for:

• someone whose income is mostly in the form of infrequent commissions or bonuses;

• someone who expects to earn a lot more in a few years;

• someone who truly will invest the savings on the difference between an interest-only mortgage and an amortizing mortgage, and who is confident that the investments will make money.

Again, an interest only mortgage is not the right choice for everyone, but it can be a very effective choice for some individuals.

The Deception You should Watch Out For

By remembering one critical fact the borrowers can save themselves against most deceptions. If two mortgages are identical except that only one has an interest-only option, lenders view that one as riskier. The reason is that, after any period has elapsed, the loan with the IO option will have a larger balance.

Deception 1:

An interest-only loan carries a lower interest rate. Lenders usually charge a higher rate for an identical loan with an interest-only option. Most interest-only loans are adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), and ARMs have lower rates than fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs). ARMs with the IO option have lower rates than FRMs because they are ARMs, not because they are IO.

Deception 2:

An interest-only loan allows the borrower to avoid paying for mortgage insurance. Any IO loans with down payments less than 20% that don’t carry mortgage insurance from a mortgage insurance company are being insured by the lender. The borrower is paying the premium in the interest rate rather than as an insurance premium.

Pitfalls of Interest-Only Mortgages - Risks a borrower should take into consideration

Interest-only payment options began to be offered to the masses not as a way to leverage their money, but rather as a way to borrow more money while not increasing the monthly payment. In turn they are using this method to be the high bidder, or to buy a somewhat larger home. Borrowers employing this method aren’t “cash-flow” or “income-leveraging” borrowers. What they’re doing is buying more debt.

One always has to remember that with increased leverage comes increased risk. And if you are a sophisticated investor, you should take into that as a borrowers who “debt leverage” into a more expensive home, with a larger mortgage, you are expecting that your income and the home both will appreciate. That may not be a big gamble when homes are appreciating, but it could certainly play differently in a down real estate market.

There is a danger in not reducing the balance. If prices should fail to increase during the interest-only period, and if you should find a need to sell the home, you could potentially be on the hook for thousands of dollars in sales costs which would need to be paid out of whatever equity (in the form of the down payment) you started out with.

Let’s look at the more extreme side, prices actually decline during the mortgage holding period. If you finds yourselves in that situation, coupled with a low down payment, you could easily going “underwater” — a descriptive term that means you are selling the property for less than the remaining balance of the mortgage.

Not only is house selling for less, the borrowers - that is you - would be required to somehow coming up with rest of the money to fulfill the mortgage balance as well as any sales charges (commissions, inspections, etc).

Interest Rate Risk

Unfortunately, most of the interest-only loans being made today feature only short fixed interest periods, if any; some features adjustable rates which can change each month. Thought the rates are low today, these low rates will inevitably rise.

The Final Analysis

Interest-only payments do have a place in the world, at least with the practical users. There are borrowers who can utilize a mortgage with interest-only payments to their fullest. However, it would require careful financial planning on behalf of the borrower to avoid going underwater.

Don’t rule out interest-only mortgages. Consider its pro and cons to your particular situation and the lender you would be working with. On the hind side also remember to question yourself that interest-only payments may be working for friends or family but does it work for you?

The internet is one of those things in life that borders on the verge of a good versus evil battle. It can be the greatest money making tool in existence, or the most malicious time waster. When people venture into the business of internet marketing, they often think it’s going to be a piece of cake. Most people who decide upon internet marketing as a business venture love the internet to begin with and want to unleash its evident power to their advantage.

Sometimes these web lovers are sorely disappointed because it seems that they work for hours upon hours and don’t get anything accomplished. That, my friends, is the nature of the beast!

If you intend to do business on the internet, you absolutely have to be disciplined in order to manage your time. Here are 7 steps to doing a better job of it:

1. Set work hours

It is so easy to waste time when you should be working and to end up working unreasonable hours. Internet work can seemly turn into an addiction overnight if you don’t set specific work hours and stick with them.

2. Schedule play hours

Don’t spend your work hours playing - surfing the net, visiting internet forums or participating in chat rooms. Set aside leisure time for such activities if you are prone to them.

3. Schedule communications

Set specific times during your work hours to open email. This should usually be the first thing and the last thing you do each work day. If you open your email periodically and respond to it, your work hours can be eaten up in a hurry! Turn off any indicators that tell you you’ve got new email.

4. Block the SPAM

Use a SPAM blocker to isolate or block SPAM email and keep it up to date. Use a separate email address for your business and personal email. Open personal email during your leisure time and business email during your scheduled communication time within your work hours.

5. Make a long-term plan

Make a long-term plan of what you wish to accomplish through your internet marketing. Having a vision with milestones and deadlines will keep you focused and working purposefully day after day.

6. Plan your days

Plan your days ahead of time with a “to do” list that ensures important things will get accomplished. Always plan a little time for unexpected interruptions or demanding little emergencies.

7. Kill the messenger

If you use messenger programs such as MSN Messenger or Yahoo Messenger, log out during your work hours. If you conduct business communications through the messenger program, open separate accounts or block contacts so that only your business associates that you need to be available to can contact you via the messenger program during your work hours.

Implementing these 7 simple tips will help you to master your time and will skyrocket your productivity!

Copyright 2005 Jason Tarasi

Jason Tarasi publishes the reciprocal links newsletter “Elite Links” Learn HOW thousands of other Elite Links members generate FREE traffic and increase their search engine rankings by swapping links. Grab your free lifetime subscription now at: http://www.freeclassifiedlinks.com

Bell had followed him home. After a night of forty year old
leaches in polyester groping her through thick clouds of stale
cigar smoke at the Howard Johnson on route 60, she followed this
tall stranger home. She was on business travelling for this
dot.com company that was about to fold at any moment. She was
reduced from nights at the Ritz Carlton to rooms that the bed
rolled down sunken v-shaped floors to rest in the center on 45
degree angles. Her only hope was that the bed stopped rolling
before she was flung off. But these rare stays, which have been
lately saving her from the uneasiness of sleeping in rest stops
on the side of the highway. Dodging those midnight flashers that
came knocking on her window and covering her ears from the moans
of the men in the rest room. But here in lounge lizard heaven
she wished for the ineptness of London fogs and the safety of
the detestment of her sex. To tell the truth she did not mind
the company of homosexuals, for her head could spin off her
shoulders but she was guaranteed to be left solid standing on
her feet. But the emotion this crooner had felt and permeated
through the clouds of smoke to smote the loudness of green
polyester and lard that jingled and mashed about this room
through gold bands hurried into small tight pockets. The scotch
was stiff and so was everything else in this sausage factory for
retiries. But when he sang it all faded away, he was a man of
heartache and compassion, one to be tender, but then be full of
explosives. I had little explosions going all night. The smoke
from my ears just mingled with the rest around me unnoticed. So
I had to follow this lone keyboardist. Then when he went for his
keys and turned the knob, he did not make a last minute slide of
gold band onto his finger. I was golden if he would just notice
me before he closed the door. So I yelled and slipped down onto
my ass holding unto my ankle. He came running, a bit jostled he
tried to catch his breathe amongst the words of “Can I help you”
which sounded like “I love you” to me. I stood up and
immediately fell down again pushing him away saying I am fine.
He picked me up and insisted that I come in and get some ice put
on my ankle. How could I resist with my foot in such agony, but
little did he know the real fire was just abit higher. He
carried me through the threshold and closed the door with his
elbow. He placed me down in his craftmatic lounger and
maneuvered the buttons to raise my feet. “Hold on I ‘m going for
some ice.” he said as I thought if he had one of those ice chest
that they kept in the hall ways for those who raid the minny bar
late at night. For he was going to need two of them to cool me
off. He came back with an ice pack and a towel and wrapped them
un-top of my right ankle. I shivered a little when he touched
me. He apologized for he thought he hurt my ankle, little did he
know, Silly Boy. I started to go on and on like some corn bred
fool in pigtails about how much his music moved me. I told him
it was real, real you know. He blushed and tried to hurry the
subject. What subject, I am not sure about. But he was in a
hurry to get no where I felt. And I needed him to be somewhere
on top of me. He kept looking at his watch as I went on and on
about my job, my past loves (which I told him he was nothing
like…), my parents, my interests, and how well he played that
damn piano. I started to worry he might think he was talking to
Charlie Brown’s god damn teacher, so I shut up and got a bit
sullen. He asked how my leg was doing and I started rubbing my
left ankle and said it is going to take bit more to reduce the
swelling. But he thought the leg looked fine. He apologized for
being a bit distracted but he had a lot to think about and
needed to wind down off the stage for awhile. I told him I
understood. So I just sat there for awhile starring into his
eyes, but he kept blinking and looking away at the clock. We
did not say anything much for quite some time when the dawn
started to creep up on us. He stood in a dash and insisted I had
to leave now, that he needed some sleep before he began his day.
I insisted that the leg was still swollen and I couldn’t move
it. Then he asked me which leg was it and I said it was my
right! He snapped then at me and accused me that I could not
keep my story straight and I was some kind of weirdo and he
insisted I leave now! I blew up on him and started to call him
one big conceited asshole whose ego was so over inflated to
think I would fake an injury just to spend the night with him as
I stood up and pointed him into a wall with my finger
consistently jabbing into his chest. As he hit the wall, a cloud
of smoke appeared. Poof! My finger went into the wall and I
quickly grabbed it in pain. He was gone. Then I heard a small
little gaelic “Fuck” from below. Continued in Part Two