The Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile - what the buyer believed his keys could launch. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

I know times are getting tough out there, but the Russian launch keys that ended up on Pawn Stars last night pretty much took the cake. The owner thought these were keys for the soviet ICBM system, and he wanted to trade them in for a payday cash loan.

Russian ICBM launch keys aren’t quite what they seem

When the owner of these Russian launch keys brought them into the Pawn Stars shop, he was convinced they would bring him thousands of dollars from these loan lenders. After an expert examined the keys, however, he found out that while these were soviet launch keys, they weren’t quite for the intercontinental ballistic missile system. Instead, these keys were used at one point to launch spacecraft.

Get $10,000 for Russian launch keys?

The kicker of this story is not even in the fact that this customer was attempting to get easy cash loans off what he believed to be launch keys for a deadly system of weapons of mass destruction. It’s not even in the mysterious origins of how he managed to get these Russian launch keys. The kicker of this story is the fact that the owner of these Russian launch keys wanted $10,000 for them. While riding the Soyuz costs $51 million, Rick “The Spotter” Harrison (famed for spotting big-ticket items) offered only $1,500. The seller didn’t take the deal, and walked out of the shop.

More rare items coming up for sale

With times as tough as they are, more and more unique and rare items are coming up for sale. These Russian launch keys are just one of the more unique items. It’s fairly telling that the episode recap for Pawn Stars didn’t even list the Russian launch keys as making an appearance. Instead, a casino chip, airplane, and autographed jersey took the spotlight. And while it’s not being offered on Pawn Stars, an incredibly rare Superman of America ring on Ebay is also gathering headlines. In the struggle to find any short term personal loan, people are offering more and more of the quirky-yet-valuable items they may have held onto in the past.

Soviet government to go after launch keys?

While they may not even work anymore, I am curious if the Russian government is going to make an effort to get their launch keys back. I am certain if these had been working ICBM keys, we would have heard much, much more about them. However, these launch keys are still an historical part of the Russian space program, a program which even NASA relies on for some space travel. Perhaps the next Russian space tourist will buy these launch keys as a souvenir. Only time will tell – but I’m keeping an eye on this story.

"Alice in Wonderland" director Tim Burton. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” blew away the weekend competition at the box office, pulling in $116 million, which was $103 million more than the second-place finisher, “Brooklyn’s Finest.” It also broke a couple of box-office records.

Tim Burton’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ records

“Alice in Wonderland,” directed by Tim Burton, set the box office earnings record for a March opening at $116.3 million. It also set the record for debut of a 3-D feature. Though “Avatar” has set the record for highest grossing film of all time, the 3-D film made only $77 million during its opening weekend, making “Alice in Wonderland” the clear winner for opening weekend for a 3-D film.

If Disney had gotten a personal cash loan to complete this film, “Alice in Wonderland” would still need to pull in a lot more cash to pay it back. The film’s budget was $250 million. Of course, at this rate “Alice in Wonderland” will be turning a profit in just a couple of weeks, despite its huge price tag.

‘Alice in Wonderland’ reviews

The massive opening-weekend success of “Alice in Wonderland” was a bit of a surprise. Unlike “Avatar,” which got great reviews across the board, “Alice in Wonderland” got mixed reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 53 percent of critics wrote good “Alice in Wonderland” reviews.

Clearly, the bad reviews did nothing to sway audiences. With growing interest in 3-D films, Tim Burton at the helm, Johnny Depp in a lead role and the long-standing popularity of the story of Alice, this film’s audience appeal is so broad that it can’t lose.

Weekend box office rundown

“Alice in Wonderland” and “Brooklyn’s Finest,” which made $13.5 million, were the two new wide releases for March 5. Next in line for earnings was “Shutter Island,” now in its third week; it pulled in $13.3 million. “Cop Out,” which got horrible reviews, made $9.1 million over its second weekend in theaters. The budget for “Cop Out” isn’t listed on IMDB, so I don’t know whether its earnings will be enough to repay any loan lenders that contributed.

“Avatar” is still going strong and pulling in big audiences. It stayed in the top five for box office earnings this weekend with $7.7 million. Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” may have shattered records for a 3-D movie opening, but “Avatar” is untouchable when it comes to overall earnings.

An online installment loan is extremely beneficial in times of need

It may seem hard to try to get a decent money loan, but there are many loan lenders out there who will cater to your needs. Look no further than an online installment loan to secure your financial troubles in a quick and easy way, as they are experts in helping many people like you who need a grip on quick cash.

An online installment loan for people with bad credit is available

Bad credit should not be a reason not to get emergency money since everyone, especially the most hardworking individuals, deserves a second chance. Securing an installment loan for bad credit is not impossible with some research and ambition. The online installment loan process is quite easy, but do not assume that you know everything there is to know.

Installment loans can benefit almost everyone, but it is best to make sure that you are qualified for one, so check if you meet the following requirements:

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Have a minimum amount of regular income
• Have a social security number

Payday installment loans come in different packages. A frequent package allows for the loan to be extended to a long repayment term so that it doesn’t have to be paid off right away. Once you get some money, you can pay off bits of the loan at any time, as well. When loan lenders offer flexible repayment terms, they can extend help to you so that you save some money for yourself while waiting for your next payment. Additionally, most payday installment loan lenders don’t ask for any collateral, credit check, or paperwork. With a few clicks, you get your same day loan.

Go for a reputable money lender for your online installment loan

For a faxless, paperless, online installment loan without credit checks, make sure that you trust reputable money lenders, and Personal Money Store can help you do just that. So help is waiting for you, after all, on your cash-strapped days.

Start your installment loan application HERE!

Visiting ManCrunch?

An online dating site called ManCrunch submitted a commercial to CBS for play during the super bowl, but the commercial was rejected, reports CNN Money. The gay dating site’s slogan is “Where many many many men come out and play,” and you can view a video of the ad at the end of this post.

The ad looks to me like something Super Bowl fans would enjoy, but CBS wrote in the letter of rejection to ManCrunch that “is not within the Network’s broadcast standards for Super Bowl Sunday.” The confusing thing is, CBS also said at one point that the reason the commercial was rejected was because the TV spots were sold out (they weren’t).

More strange stories

CBS also said in the letter that it “had trouble verifying [ManCruch's] credit status.” However, Elissa Buchter, spokeswoman for ManCruch, says the site didn’t need loan lenders and offered to pay for the spot in cash. ManCrunch recently raised $40 million from investors, so the Toronto-based company would have no trouble paying for the Super Bowl spot, which would have cost $2.5 million.

“It’s straight-up discrimination,” said Buchter. CBS has not responded specifically to that allegation. “Our standards and practices department decided not to accept this particular spot,” said CBS spokeswoman Shannon Jacobs. “We are always open to working with a client on alternative submissions.”

ManCruch commercial

I have watched the ManCrunch commercial, and I think it’s perfectly targeted toward the Super Bowl viewing audience. It is humorous, it features men watching sports, trash-talking and even a friend looking on awkwardly at the  scene that plays out before him. I have been surprised in the past about things that “standards and practices” have allowed on the air during the Super Bowl before, and now I am surprised that they rejected this:

In the event that video gets pulled for some reason, you can watch it at the ManCrunch web site.

Looking for the best mortgage rate? Check out these helpful tips!

Though we are far from the housing bubble that burst in 2007, with loan lenders more cautious than ever to sell mortgages to anyone with less than stellar credit history, this is indeed the best time to buy property. Lower property prices coupled with lenders looking to regain a portion of the money they lost due to the many foreclosures make this the prime time to buy—if you are in a decent position to do so, that is. If you have a decent FICO score and have adequate financial resources, your mortgage rate can be extremely low.

Mortgage Types

The rate you get will depend on the type of mortgage you end up getting. Below are the mortgage types available and the terms of each one to help you make a more informed decision:

• Fixed—These mortgages have fixed interest rates that typically start out higher than other loans, but end up being lower than national rates in later years. The interest rate stays the same throughout the life of the loan.
• Adjustable—The interest rate on these mortgages will start out lower to entice you into borrowing the money, but as the introductory period (typically seven years) ends, your rate will jump to whatever the current interest rate is. This mortgage type works best if you do not plan on holding a property for long and can sell it before the rate adjusts.
• FHA—This is a federal loan through the Federal Housing Administration, and is used for those who cannot qualify for a conventional mortgage. Interest rates will be a bit higher than conventional loans, but the lending restrictions will be somewhat more flexible.
• VA—If you have served in the military at one point or another, you may qualify for a Veterans Affairs (VA) loan. Mortgage insurance is not required on these, but you may need to pay a small fee as a “funding fee” when borrowing the money.
• USDA—A USDA mortgage is typically used in rural areas by small farmers and low income people to gain property. Interest rates for these loans will match the market rates, but the benefit to these loans is that applicants may be able to qualify for 100 percent financing.
• Interest Only—Interest only loans allow you to pay just the interest payment for a specific period, such as 10 years. This will give you a smaller payment each month as well as a lower initial rate. But, these will adjust just like the adjustable rate loans, and once the interest only period is over, you will begin to pay on the principal and the loan will amortize like a regular loan.

Compare Closing Costs

Closing costs will vary with each loan lender, so do your homework carefully. No matter where you borrow your money from, there will be three main parts to the closing costs: lender fees, third party costs and mortgage taxes. While the mortgage taxes should be exactly the same no matter what lender you choose, you should make sure you review these as closely as the other parts. Anything that does not look right or will cost more in the long term, walk away from.

Get the Best Deal or Walk Away

You do not have to accept any loan offer and can walk away from any deal. If after comparing the closing costs – along with the interest rates – you do not see any mortgage rate that is the best, feel free to walk away from any deal and wait until you can get a better deal. If we learned one thing from the great housing bubble crash of 2007, it is that shoddy mortgages often end up biting the borrower in the end, resulting in foreclosure. Be sure to choose the loan lender who will give you the best mortgage rate before buying that property, or face getting burned in the long term.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/respres/ / CC BY 2.0)

Apply for Online Payday Loans HERE!

Pictured: Tom Colicchio and some other people. Image from Flickr.

So maybe you’ve been invited to a “Top Chef” finale party but haven’t been following the show. Or maybe you just love to read about the last three chefs who are left on “Top Chef.” Either way, the winner will be chosen tonight, and we must prepare ourselves.

The “Top Chef” season finale always makes me a little sad because it means there’s only one hour of “Top Chef” goodness left for this season. But, of course, “Top Chef” will be back. Until then, we must sop up all the “Top Chef” goodness we can tonight. Part of the fun is trying to guess who will win, and this year it’s particularly tough to predict. So who will avoid having to go to loan lenders for the cash to finance opening his own restaurant? Let’s break it down.

Michael Voltaggio

The younger Voltaggio brother won a car on the most recent episode during the quickfire challenge. He has fewer elimination challenge wins than the other two finalists, but more quickfire challenges than his brother. Michael Voltaggio has been in the bottom group once, during episode seven, when contestants held a dinner party for Macy’s Culinary Council members.

Statistically speaking, this is a very close race. Michael has won three elimination challenges and two quickfire challenges. He’s often complimented for his creativity and compared to Picasso. From a viewer’s standpoint he definitely comes off as the most arrogant and off-putting, but that won’t matter to the judges.

Bryan Voltaggio

Michael Voltaggio’s older brother Bryan has remained a strong contestant throughout the competition. He has never been in the bottom group. He hasn’t won any quickfire challenges, but he has won four elimination challenges. The numbers seem to reflect his personality and cooking style: steady, strong and humble.

While the other two contestants had big ups and downs, Bryan has remained consistent. Mistakes get chefs sent home on “Top Chef,” so consistency is a huge asset for Bryan. I also think that his helpful attitude toward other chefs means he has some good karma headed his way.

Kevin Gillespie

Despite not having sibling-rivalry fuel powering him, Kevin has a whole lot going for him. He has nine wins. NINE: Five elimination challenge wins and four quickfire wins. The judges just love his food. The only time he has been in the bottom group was the Restaurant Wars, when the bottom group consisted of the entire losing team of four chefs rather than the usual three. Furthermore, the judges have said more than once that this was the closest Restaurant Wars competition yet.

Kevin also is a big hit with fans, some of whom are Fans of Kevin Gillespie’s Beard on Facebook. He has won both an elimination challenge focused on pork and a vegan elimination challenge. He has shown that he is versatile and creative, but will he beat the brothers?

Hopes and predictions

Based solely on numbers, I predict Kevin will win. However, while Kevin’s food is known for its simple deliciousness, the Voltaggios tend toward more creative yet refined cooking, and on the finale it might be pulling off a risk that gets the judges’ attention.

Or maybe I am predicting Kevin will win because I am hoping Kevin will win. I will also be happy if Bryan wins. Of course, because I can’t taste Michael’s food, but I can hear his snarky and arrogant comments, I will be disappointed if he wins. However, everyone seems to be in agreement that these three represent the strongest finalists in “Top Chef” history, and all of them so far have shown they deserve the title Top Chef and the $125,000.

What happens when shopping is a compulsion instead of a hobby? Image from www.designmom.com.

Many people who love spending time at the mall and filling their closets with the latest fashions call themselves “shopaholics.” Usually it’s followed by a laugh or a joke, but this habit can sometimes take the form of a destructive disorder called oniomania, which is the clinical term for the compulsive desire to buy things.

You might know an oniomaniac — someone who is already in debt, already in some kind of trouble but keeps buying more and more stuff. Sometimes oniomania, from the outside, looks like another disorder: hoarding. People who compulsively buy things end up filling their houses to the brim with stuff to the point you can barely get around the house.

Does America create oniomaniacs

It’s not surprising that oniomania exists, especially in a country that has entire historical period called “the rise of consumerism.” The introduction of credit, including loan lenders, in the U.S. changed consumer behavior radically. I highly doubt oniomaniacs would exist if people had to stop buying things as soon as they ran out of money.

Rather, perhaps oniomania would still exist, but people would not be able to act on their compulsions so much. As you can probably tell, I think oniomania is a disturbing and dangerous disease, but why?

Bad for people, bad for the planet

As anyone who has ever watched the A&E series “Hoarders” knows, oniomania and the conditions it spawns can be very dangerous to people’s health and relationships. For anyone who is not extremely wealthy, oniomania can cause serious debt and an overabundance of stuff to the point that it is dangerous. Debt and money issues are at the root of many relationship problems, and oniomania sometimes is at the root of debt and money issues.

Furthermore, as U.S. consumers buy more and more stuff, companies make more and more stuff. Most of that stuff ends up in a landfill, and someday we’re going to run out of space for garbage. If you think you might be an oniomaniac, seek help for the sake of yourself, your finances, your loved ones and the planet.

Labor Day in New York, 1882 (Photo: commons.wikimedia.org)

What is Labor Day? Why do we celebrate Labor Day? According to Wikipedia, this holiday originated in Canada and was intended to remind people of various labor disputes between workers and business owners in the late 19^th century. It migrated to the United States after American labor leader Peter McGuire attended a Canadian labor festival and decided to bring this tradition south of the border. Considering the deadly labor disputes that were occurring in America at that time (such as the 1894 Pullman Strike), President Grover Cleveland made organized labor reconciliation a priority. Just six days after the Pullman Strike concluded, Labor Day was signed into law and it became a national holiday in America.

Organized labor, united in… travel?

This is traditionally what Labor Day has become for most families – a time to travel. However, in this difficult economy, people are less willing to spend big money on vacation travel. There are loan lenders that can help, but the economic reality is daunting. Thus, as Bloomberg reports, people are staying home (“stay-cations”) or staying local. The American Automobile Association (AAA) is predicting a 13-percent drop in highway travel from last year. Considering that kids are already back in school, the tourism industry won’t be cashing in this Labor Day weekend. AAA also foresees an overall decline in road and air travel across America of around 6 million people. That’s a staggering figure.

Hotel and Real Estate analyst William Marks tells Bloomberg that “There will be some good deals out there that may cushion occupancy, but it will be a tough weekend in comparison to other years.”

Unemployment is ugly, not a happy Labor Day tale

The latest estimates put the United State’s number of jobless at 6.7 million since the current recession began in December of 2007. Unemployment currently sits at 9.5 percent, which reflects an increase from July to August. Unless that trend stops, travel will continue to fall by the wayside for many American families. Their use of loan lenders likely will focus more on essential everyday expenses and less upon things like travel.

Lowering prices to make people bite

Considering the increasing lack of demand, prices for flights and hotel rooms are down on average. Travelocity reports that the average Labor Day airfare in the U.S. is now $286, which is 16 percent lower than in 2008. Expedia is one of several online air fare and lodging portals that have seen an increase in their stock price thanks to the number of American who have been able to take advantage of the value prices. However, a strong economy would feature more travel overall. Travel companies are seeing increases relative to where they were at during the nadir of this recession.

How will you celebrate Labor Day?

Is there travel on your agenda, or will you stay at home like many others? If you find that all you’ll need is quick cash from a loan lender to make this weekend fantastic, we welcome you to click the button and apply. It’s quite easy. Just make sure that the amount you’re borrowing is something you can comfortably repay.

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It wouldn't be Comic Con without the costumes!

Where were you 40 years ago? I wasn’t born yet, but in San Diego in 1970, the most avid of avid comic book fans were attending Comic Con 1969, the first International Comic Con.
Comic Con 2009 marks the 40th celebration of all things comic books — and then some. It starts today, unless  you count preview night yesterday, and goes through July 26. That’s Sunday, by the way.

Tantalized by ‘Twilight’

Comic Con 2009 isn’t just for comic book lovers. It’s for fans of the video games, movies and television shows that have resulted from them as well. This year, it’s all about vampires, specifically the vampires in “New Moon,” the upcoming film and next installment in the “Twilight” series. No doubt the producers will be able to pay of their loan lenders in no time.

Buddy TV reports:

It’s the definition of mania. Twi-hard fans from across the globe began gathering days ago at the San Diego Convention Center, camping out for a chance to hear New Moon stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, and Taylor Lautner discuss the upcoming film.

Taking the ‘comic’ out of Comic Con 2009

So, Comic Con 2009 is all about “Twilight.” However, “Twilight” has never been a comic book series. It was originally a series of novels. Not graphic novels, just regular ones. So what is “Twilight” doing at Comic Con 2009?  Perhaps it’s the possibility that it will someday be comic books? Your guess is as good as mine, but Casey Saijas from MTV has some interesting insight:

At a recent “TwilightLive” event, MTV’s resident “Twilight” authority Larry Carroll was asked by a fan if there would be graphic novels based on the vampire love story anytime soon.

Given the fact that we’ve seen comics and graphic novels based on everything from Barack Obama to “The Ghost Whisperer,” it’s not only a valid question, but one that seems like the next obvious step in “Twilight” mania. After all, a marriage of Stephenie Meyer’s wildly popular series and comic books — arguably one of the hottest storytelling mediums going today — seems like a match made in vampire heaven, right? (Read some of our own ideas for a “Twilight” comic series in the Splash Page blog.)

Naturally, one would assume that comic book publishers would be lining up for the chance to give “Twilight” the four-color treatment, but surprisingly, when asked directly if they’d made any attempt to obtain the rights for a series of “Twilight” comics or graphic novels, nearly all the comic book publishers MTV News contacted gave the same response: “No comment.” Exactly why they chose to remain silent varied for each publisher, but if you’re looking for a similar situation in terms of popular books that never made it to the comic shops, look no further than “Harry Potter.”

Something for every nerd

Here is a report from the Chicago Tribune on the goings-on at Comic Con 2009 tonight:

3:00pm to 4:00pm “Robot Chicken with Titan Maximum” The series delivers irreverent comedy that sucker punches the fan boy and nostalgic in all of us. It is no doubt that they will be promoting their latest DVD, Robot Chicken: Star Wars Episode II. They announced a show exclusive that allowed attendees who purchase a DVD with an early entry voucher to an all ages Skate Party in National City. Vouchers will allow attendees to enter the party an hour earlier than the general public, where I am sure it will be no problem to get that DVD autographed (hint-hint). I will be walking Comic-Con with friend, co-writer, and Autograph Collector columnist, Josh Board. This will be a must attend. (Room 6A)

4:30pm to 5:00pm “Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus” — Heath Ledger’s untimely and tragic death happened during the filming for this Terry Gilliam movie starring Christopher Plummer as Dr. Parnassus, who taps into the dreams of others with the help of the devil (Tom Waits). A theatre troupe, joined by a mysterious con man named Tony, set out to rescue the Doctor Parnassus’s daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole). Due to Ledger’s death, Gilliam honors the work of Ledger by allowing a rewrite of the script to allow the character of Tony to be played by Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell. Terry Gilliam (Time Bandits, 12 Monkeys, Brazil, The Brothers Grimm, Fisher King), who started with the British comedy troupe “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, has many film and directorial credits under his belt that have successfully been able to blend science fiction and fantasy together to form new worlds where strange and wonderful characters are brought to life.