Where the Ghost Hunters Team investigated. Image from Flickr.

I rarely admit it, but I’m a bit of a Ghost Hunters junkie. The crew of TAPS can keep my attention just about any time they go out on an investigation. So when I heard that there would be Ghost Hunters Live last night . . . well, let’s just say that I was glad I could get an online cash advance to fund the evening. I got some pizza and sat down to watch TAPS Ghost Hunters live at Alcatraz. What could have been better? Well, quite a few things, it turns out.

TAPS Ghost Hunters “Live” wasn’t really

The Ghost Hunters team has done live investigations in the past, and turned up some pretty amazing evidence. In 2008, they had a seven-hour long live investigation that kept me glued to the screen. A year later, TAPS had a Ghost Hunters event where you could help them ghost-hunt. It’s gone downhill from there – in last night’s “Ghost Hunters Live” show, there wasn’t a single grain of actual live investigation. Instead, the investigation was taped and the live portion was hosted out of the SNL studios.

Ghost Hunters Live – the actually live portion

There were some elements of actual live TV in the Ghost Hunters Live episode last night. The TAPS team (or at least some of them) answered 5 or 6 questions from fans. They also chatted a bit about the investigation before switching over to the more standard, taped-and-edited version of Ghost Hunters. After the investigation, they announced another season of Ghost Hunters Academy (a bit of a non-announcement, since this has been expected for quite a while). I just about turned the TV off, though, when Craig Piligan, who is the CEO of the production company for Ghost Hunters, toasted the “Ghost Hunters Franchise”. Come on Craig, we know it’s a franchise. We know you have made piles of money on Ghost Hunters, and you could practically get unsecured personal loans from anybody. You’re just rubbing salt into the fan’s wound of a non-live “Ghost Hunters Live” show, though.

The Ghost Hunters Investigation itself

Ok, so the TAPS investigation for this episode of Ghost Hunters wasn’t live. Sure, the production company CEO rubbed salt and lemon juice in my fan-girl wounds. However, even I have to admit that as far as Ghost Hunters investigations go, this one was pretty darn cool. Almost every member of the TAPS team had a personal experience of some sort or another. Jason and Grant were able to put their Roto-rooter roots to the test when they found an old sewer line that debunked some paranormal claims. Steve and Tango also lived up to their goofball reputations, complete with a bet about the existence of a schnozberry – although the $25 bet will probably just end up being a personal cash loan.

TAPS uncovers evidence Alcatraz is haunted?

In the end, the Ghost Hunters team did seem to uncover some evidence of “paranormal activity” at Alcatraz. A few very compelling EVP recordings especially gave weight to claims of a haunted prison. It wasn’t the best investigation Ghost Hunters has ever done, but it was enough to at least save SyFy from another angry Ghost Hunters fan letter about the deceptively “Live” advertising for the show.

A payday loan may be your only solution

All over the world, normal people have been affected by America’s recession and many end up with their own share of personal money troubles. Some worry about such things as loan interest and look at borrowing as a difficult task. However, as long as those people have jobs, lending agencies can offer instant payday loans to help them quickly overcome some of their financial difficulties.

Benefit from Cash Payday Loans

Paying on time, instead of paying increasing late fees, makes it easier for a debtor to pay off a short term loan. Another benefit you will get from taking out a fast cash payday loan is entering into an easy and hassle-free application process. Applying can be online, it does not require collateral, and there are no credit checks that can discredit your application.

Moreover, the shorter the term you set for your loan, the less interest you will pay, overall. As for late fees, you no longer have to deal with overdraft fees, which may appear like somebody at the bank is robbing you of your hard-earned cash.

A Payday Loan is for everyone

As more people experience the impact of troubled economic times, more strapped borrowers take advantage of quick cash payday loans, and many expect their numbers to increase significantly. Besides, where else can you get $100 or $1, 500 cash today without credit check?

If you want out of a bind today or if you just want to take advantage of special deals, consider going after an instant online cash payday loan for all your needs.

How a Quick and Easy Payday Loan Has Helped Me

I have always thought that life has done everything possible to make things hard for me, until I reached a financial deadlock. I may have maintained a job after the recession, but taking out an easy online cash advance has spared me from struggling excessively hard to make both ends meet from the start.

I had unknowingly stepped onto a money tightrope, so even after I had taken out the loan, I was still reaching for useless ways to get myself off of it. Sometimes, there is no better choice than to take a payday loan and this quick and easy opportunity can, without a doubt, help anybody survive.

Start your quick payday loan application HERE!

Drawing of Casimir Pulaski from Flickr.

Every day on the calendar marks some sort of holiday or another, and today is Casimir Pulaski Day. Many made up holidays celebrate food, drinks or customs such as talking like a pirate. A lot of these are dreamed up by manufacturers of certain products to promote sales. Perhaps we should create National Online Cash Advance Day? Casimir Pulaski Day is a different sort of holiday. Casimir Pulaski Day is a legally recognized holiday in just a few states, where there are varying degrees of observance.

Who was Casimir Pulaski?

On the first Monday in March, Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana recognize Casimir Pulaski Day. Casimir Pulaski was a Polish immigrant to the United States who served as a general in The American Revolutionary War under George Washington. According to Wikipedia, Casimir Pulaski saved George Washington’s life, but there aren’t any further details.

Casimir Pulaski was quickly recognized as a brilliant military tactician, and he became Brigadier-General in charge of Four Horse Brigades, according to Pennsylvania’s Polish-American Center. It’s generally believed that certain states recognize Casimir Pulaski Day because of their relatively large Polish immigrant populations.

Father of the American Cavalry

Casimir Pulaski is perhaps most widely recognized for his contributions to the inception of the American Cavalry. The Polish-American Center writes that “in 1773, through Washington’s intervention, Congress approved the establishment of the Cavalry and put Pulaski at its head.”

This earned Casimir Pulaski the title many use to recognize him today, “the father of the American cavalry.” According to the PAC, even when military loans weren’t available, he insisted on the best for his men:

Pulaski often used his own personal finances, when allocations from Congress were scarce, in order to assure his forces of the finest equipment and personal safety.

Observing Casimir Pulaski Day

Because Casimir Pulaski Day is only a holiday in certain states, no federal services, such as mail, are interrupted. However, Chicago Public Schools and some surrounding districts are closed, and all school districts in Illinois have the option of being closed. The same goes for Wisconsin and Indiana school districts. Also state government buildings in those states are closed today.

Other states, including Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan, observe General Pulaski’s Day on Oct. 11. Pulaski died from battle wounds he received during the Siege at Savannah on Oct. 9, 1779. Many Polish-Americans also consider General Pulaski’s Day and Casimir Pulaski Day a celebration of their heritage.

That's Kristen, on the right. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.org)

I’ve never heard of her, but life is filled with irony and serendipity. And so, as unlikely as it may seem, I’m going to tell you the true story about Kristen Stewart. Serendipitously or not, you just Googled Kristin Stewart’s name and stumbled upon this story. Naturally, I get paid to draw your attention to this site where you can apply for a cash loan when you need a little fast cash to tide you over until next your next pay day. Personal loans are what I’m all about. But you haven’t asked me, yet, about a personal loan; you’ve asked about this Kristen Stewart. So let’s turn to that story first.

Oh, she’s a girl

First of all, Kristen is a girl. She’s an actress, maybe. A Hollywood type, I think. Wait, she may be a singer; I’m not sure. More to the point: She seems to prefer dark, smoky eye makeup when her hair is overly saturated with dark pigment. It’s not a particularly flattering look. Sometimes her hair is blonde, and at those times, she tends toward lighter eye makeup. She looks better that way.  She may once have been kind of cute, when she was even younger than she is now. Recently, she’s started looking, well, let’s just go with “less cute.” She appears to be about 27, if a little worn around the edges, but I’ll take a minute here to confirm her age with a more knowledgeable source. Hold on.

Who’s almost 30

Wikipedia is reliable, I think. Kristen . . .  what was her last name again? Oh, yes, Stewart. She was born, Wikipedia says, on April 9, 1990. That makes her almost 30. So, yes, she’s looking good, agreed? Look at all those nines! According to ChaCha.com, “the number 9 is associated with tolerance, generosity, forgiveness, creative energy, success, and a deep love of life. ChaCha!” ChaCha.com is a numerology website – whatever that may mean. It’s a place where you can find advertisements for weight loss and other breaking news. ChaCha.com is “ur mobile BFF.” I think I may know what that means, but in any event, I did not make it up. Look for yourself: ChaCha.com.

And there’s a boy

Another thing about Kristen Stewart is that she has something to do with this Robert Pattinson. They may be dating. Hold on again. Sorry. I’ll look up Robert Pattinson in Wikipedia. Oh yes. There he is. He’s not that good looking. He’s not good looking at all, actually, although he may only need a bath. Oh, sure, yes, he’s a polymath with little time for matters of hygiene. Actor, musician, and something else — what was it? Hold on again. Oh, a model. So it turns out he must be good looking.  That’s an unexpected denouement, but that’s to be expected in a true story.

Who was a model and now has a driver’s license

Anyway, oh, there’s a photo of him in Wikipedia where he’s kind of cleaned up a little, at a movie premiere. Still, he’s just not that good looking. It says here in Wikipedia that he began “modelling” (and I don’t mean “modeling”) when he was twelve years old. Four years later, at the tender age of 16, he became too masculine for modelling and so he went off to get his driver’s license and do something else. Now he’s 23. That’s an incredible story in some respects, but it’s true. Except for the part about the driver’s license — and we can just assume that’s true — I lifted the facts right out of Wikipedia.

And together they date, hold hands, kiss, and break up

After manliness got in the way of his modelling, Robert Pattinson met up with Kristen Stewart. They’re a hot topic. Oh, he’s English. I wonder if that has anything to do with it. I just did something clever. I just typed “Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart” in my Google search bar. I didn’t bother running the search because I didn’t have to.  The choices in the drop-down gave me a Cliffs Notes version of the much longer, unabridged story.  Here it is: dating, holding hands, engaged, married, kissing, wedding, dating in real life, break up, photo shoot, together.

The end

That’s a good story, but I’m quite done now. Except, of course, to remind you to click here for auto loans and here for an online cash advance.

Uh, that shape should really be used to celebrate fertility, not airborne laser death… (Photo: Wikipedia.org)

Downsizing is the name of the game for too many Americans these days. Even airborne lasers have been scaled back, which should set Dr. Evil’s plans back a spell. At least he still has a fleet of sharks.

But all is not lost when it comes to Star Wars weaponry. For you see, according to CNET, the Airborne Laser Testbed team successfully tested their ultra-powerful airborne laser yesterday against a ballistic missile. Perhaps Iran was paying attention. Multiple targets taken down from hundreds of kilometers away makes for a noteworthy accomplishment. And the airborne laser is much more powerful than this:

But the Pentagon only has money for one right now

The airborne laser is mounted on a modified Boeing 747-400F, and currently there is only one of them. Defense Secretary Robert Gates simply can’t justify writing a check for more at the moment. So we’ll have to be content with having just one of “the most powerful mobile laser devices in the world,” according to Boeing. To be precise, it’s actually two lasers: a Track Illuminator and a Beacon Illuminator. They’re both kilowatt-class, solid-state lasers.

As long as we scramble the plane to the right place at the right time

Ay, therein lies the rub. Since the U.S. currently has only one airborne laser (a problem no online cash advance can solve), that plane would be very busy in the event of missile strikes from multiple locations. Secretary Gates is probably right when he calls the airborne laser program “highly questionable.” But let’s be honest: who doesn’t love the image of condors with “frickin’ laser beams” on their heads? It beats Dr. Evil’s shark force by a mile.

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Bad credit can sneak up on you

Many types of people can use an online cash advance, including people with bad credit. People’s credit can be damaged because of large, unexpected expenses, like medical bills. Even people who are good with money can end up with bad credit because of accidents and other unforseen events.

Bad credit can also happen slowly. It’s easy to build up a balance on a credit card gradually and then find out you can’t catch up. High credit card balances can result in bad credit. But regardless of whether you have bad credit and why, you can get an online cash advance.

What is an online cash advance?

Getting an online cash advance is easy. Regardless of your credit, you can apply for a short-term loan, which is a loan you pay back in two to four weeks, depending on your agreement with your lender. Through some lenders, you can get up to $1,500, and with the right lender, you could have access to your cash as soon as two hours from now. Using Personal Money Store means we will find you the quickest lender with the best rates.

The application is easy and fast. We seek out lenders that do credit checks, because that way you can be approved for a loan regardless of your credit history. Plus, it speeds up the process. Applying for an online cash advance only takes a few minutes.

How online cash advances work

To apply for an online cash advance, just click the “apply now” button and follow some simple instructions. With an online cash advance, you’ll get your cash electronically deposited in your account right away, and you don’t owe anything on your loan or lender’s fees until after your next paycheck.

If you want an online cash advance, apply now!

There are as many reasons to get an online cash advance as there are people who need cash. One of the great things about getting any kind of payday loan — even a bad credit installment loan — is that you’re completely free to decide how to use it.

One person might want to take advantage of a short-lived discount at REI – how does saving over $200 on the Novara Randonee Touring Bike with 27 speeds, lightweight Mavic A319S rims, and double-butted chromoly frame sound to you? The next person might need a plane ticket. The next person might want to send mom a birthday gift on time this time, and the next person might need to pad a bank balance to cover a payment to the electric company. When it comes to money, different people have different wants and different needs.

Who decides how you use an online cash advance?

Any time the subject of lifestyle choices or standards of living comes up, there’s plenty of room for argument, but this much is clear: Reasonable people will agree that reasonable people should make those choices or set those standards for themselves. If you’d consider getting an online cash advance to save a bunch of money on an epic cycling adventure — but you’d just as soon send your mother’s birthday gift a few days late, again – you are uniquely qualified to decide for yourself that hitting the REI sale before it ends justifies getting an online cash advance.

If, on the other hand, you’re the one who just sent that check to the electric company and payday is still a week away, you’re cutting it dangerously close and you should definitely get an online cash advance! If you apply today, your chances of keeping the electricity on and your bank account balance in the black are both very good.

How easy is it to get an online cash advance?

When you need money in a hurry, it’s fast and hassle-free to get an online cash advance. Consider these benefits:

No credit check

No faxing

No phone calls

No driving

No waiting in line

Complete privacy

Cash in as little as two hours

Online cash advances of up to $1500 are available. Online convenience means no waiting or wondering — you’ll know right away whether you’re approved for a loan. Funds are deposited directly to your bank account and are immediately available for use.

How easy is it to pay back an online cash advance?

A regular online cash advance is paid back in one automatic deduction from your bank account on your next payday. Installment loans are paid back over a longer period of time in several smaller payments. Either way, when you’re short of funds until payday, an online cash advance can be a better budgeting tool than a credit card.

With an online cash advance you know exactly how much money you have, so you can’t accidentally overspend and there’s no surprise at the end of the month when the statement comes. Better yet, you know exactly when the debt will be paid off. Unlike a credit card account, you don’t wind up taking months or even years to pay it off.

Why not apply for an online cash advance right now?

Take just a minute to ask yourself whether you’ll be able to get by next payday after paying back an online cash advance. The one thing you don’t want is to put yourself in a situation where getting an online cash advance today will mean that you’ll need to borrow money again next payday. Short of doing that, your reasons for wanting or needing an online cash advance are yours alone. (The rigid opinionist in me, however, can’t resist suggesting that you should send that birthday gift on time, every single time.)

Apply for an online cash advance here!

Without an online payday loan - a type of online cash advance – aliens would have kidnapped my cat and changed it into one of the Kentucky Derby 2009 field. I couldn’t live with that on my conscience.

I’m listening to a Halloween rebroadcast of the classic Mercury Theatre on the Air radio production of “War of the Worlds.” The lights are low and I’m feeling fine, even though I am alone, in the dark and by myself. OK, that’s only partly true. I’m creeped out, man. Orson Welles has me glued to my chair.

First aired on October 30, 1938, “War of the Worlds” still has the power to scare listeners, even though today we’re supposedly more sophisticated and understand that a Martian invasion isn’t really happening. I know that logically, but with the signs of water that we’ve recently discovered on Mars, I can’t be too sure. Once the giant, flaming Martian cylinder falls on Grover’s Mill, New Jersey at 8:50 p.m., the roots begin to work their way into my mind.

They Come From Beyond

As the news reporter struggles for words to explain the foreboding mystery monolith from the deep, dark sky, the hairs stand up on my neck and my heart speeds up to a half-run – a “what’s going on here” prelude to a hell-bent sprint for my life. Once the craft opens, revealing the salivating gray snake creature, my mind is screaming out of the ballpark. I have to hold on for dear life to my chair, white-knuckled, or risk stumbling over my shoes and becoming one with the radiator. Luckily, my cat isn’t around to see me like this; he looks to me for strength. He’s a very odd cat.

I’m managing not to have a heart attack, and then the military begins to bomb the vile space conquerors. As soon as the bombs go off, I hear a series of strange sounds that aren’t part of the program. Out on the lawn there is such a clatter, I wake from fear to see what’s the matter. I run outside (managing not to trip on my shoes, or put them on) and discover some neighbor kids dressed in alien costumes. They’re terrorizing my poor cat with their Martian masks! I have to help him!

Casualties of War and the Need for an Online Payday Loan

Gathering all the strength I can muster, I run at the kids like a Martian-stomping machine. Or a mildly annoyed soccer fan. Or something like that. Anyway, I manage to scare the kids away and give kitty an escape route.

Unfortunately, I also roll my right ankle as I step in that pothole in my driveway that I’ve been meaning to fix but never have the time or money. Kitty runs in the house, I writhe around on the ground in pain and the Martian kids give me a rotten drive-by egging before returning to their mother ship.

Payday Loans Ain’t No Garbage

The following morning, I’m still there in the driveway. Something has to be broken in there, because it hurts way too much to move, or even crawl. It isn’t until the garbage man comes that somebody calls an ambulance.

The hospital takes care of me, and I come home on crutches. I’m extra careful not to plant a crutch in that damned hole in the driveway. That’s when it hits me. I’ve used a payday loan from Personal Money Store before – why not now? Rather than waiting for a more serious injury to happen, I apply for a loan and get enough money to repair the damaged driveway. Once I’m on my feet again, I’ll break out the cement and tools I bought and do the job.

And if those kids show up again, there’ll be a war of the worlds of a different kind…

Related Video:

Apply for an Online Payday Loan HERE!

Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, image from Flickr.

I thought the Droid was supposed to be the iPhone killer, but today, on Nexus One release day, word on the street is that Nexus One will be the iPhone killer. Yawn. Which iPhone killer are we on now? Eight? Nine? Clearly — given that every new smartphone that comes out appears to view the iPhone as its biggest  competition — the iPhone is not dead, and probably only a machine of Terminator proportions can annihilate it.

Moving on, I am not here to try to mock people into not using the phrase “iPhone killer” anymore; I am here to talk about the Nexus One release. There is a Nexus One review or two floating around out there. Before you apply for an online cash advance so you can buy a Nexus One on release day, check out what those “in the know” have to say so far.

Nexus One review

Though Nexus One, made by Google, is not going to be an iPhone killer, it is certainly an iPhone immitater. It looks very similar to the iPhone, and according to Engadget, that is a good thing. Engadget says:

The device, a Snapdragon-powered, HTC-built phone looks — on paper, at least — like the ultimate Android handset, combining a newly tweaked and tightened user interface with killer industrial design.

The folks at Engadget are clearly fans of the “Google Phone,” and you can read the full Nexus One review here. Despite the fact that the appearance of the Nexus One is very similar to the iPhone, critics love it, although a writer who goes by 3rd-Geer who posted on the Nexus One blog says the photos make it look plain.

Nexus One details

The Nexus One runs on the new Android 2.1 processor, and Nexus One reviews say this new device is super fast. The battery life is comparable to other smartphones, as are the applications, though 3rd-Geer really loves the voice-to-text app.

Neither of the lengthy Nexus One reviews I have linked to say that the Nexus One is better than the iPhone, though both say it’s as good. If you want feature-to-feature comparisons, Engadget does a pretty good job.

An online cash advance can get you back on track quickly

Money causes so many problems, especially when you don’t have enough of it. When you’re counting every dollar until next payday, any unexpected expense can wreak havoc on your budget. Something as simple as an unusually high utility bill or a minor car repair can be a huge problem when you’re short of cash.

No matter what kind of lifestyle you have or how much of money you earn, an online cash advance is a quick and easy solution when you need cash.

• No credit check
• No need to fax documents
• No need to drive anywhere
• Convenient, secure, online application process
• Instant response to your loan request
• Loans of up to $1500 available
• Funds deposited to your bank account in as little as two hours
• Installment loans for bad credit available
• No waiting, no wondering, no hassle

Avoid bigger problems with an online cash advance

When you start to fall behind on bill payments, late fees and penalties can really add up. One late fee on your mortgage or rent can be more than what you’d pay for an online cash advance. Bank and credit-card company fees are at all-time highs. If you’re scraping by until payday but your luck runs out, each bounced check can cost you as much as $42.

Why put yourself through that kind of stress when you can actually save money by getting an online cash advance and paying your bills on time? If you can still get by after paying back an online cash advance from your next paycheck, don’t wait for things to get worse. Apply for one today.

Protect your credit with an online cash advance

Credit scores are becoming more and more important. Your credit score isn’t just relevant to your ability to borrow money any more. Employers use them now to make decisions about hiring and promoting. Landlords use them to select tenants for apartments and houses. Insurance companies use them to determine how high your premiums will be.

If you have good credit now, protect it from derogatory marks by getting an online cash advance when you’re unable to pay your bills on time. If your credit score is already compromised, a loan for people with bad credit can keep it from getting worse. When you use an online cash advance to stay current on your bills, it can even help improve your credit.

Avoid over-spending with an online cash advance

When you live from paycheck to paycheck, it can be tempting to use credit cards when you’re short of cash. Credit cards are easy to use, there’s no arguing with that. But credit cards are expensive and they make it all too easy to overspend. When you charge more than you should on a credit card, it can take a surprisingly long time to pay it off.

Instead, use an online cash advance when you’re short of cash and you can’t overspend. With an online cash advance, you know exactly how much you can spend and exactly when the debt will be paid off. Compared to paying off a credit card, it’s easy to get an online cash advance, make a few adjustments to your budget, and pay the loan back on payday.

Photo from Picasa

Moving is expensive!

If you have ever moved before, then you know that it can be a financially draining experience and extra quick cash can save the day. Having just gone through this myself, I learned that as careful as I was about the expenses I would incur, there were surprises I did not expect, none of them in my favor. The first miscalculation was the amount of miles I would drive. Since most moving companies charge by the mile, this adds up to two separate cost; miles and gas. By the time I drove from California to Washington State, my moving finances were completely over budget. When I went to the rental company to turn in the rental truck, they presented me a bill I could not pay. I didn’t know what to do. My new job wasn’t starting for two weeks so I was really between paydays.

I needed help!

I asked friends for suggestions and one of them was to get an online cash advance. This way I could get cash now, and since my credit is not good, there were ways to get installment loans for people with bad credit. I got online and started looking. It wasn’t that hard. I found a link to the Personal Money Store and they advertised no credit check personal loans. Within two hours they deposited into my bank account the emergency money I needed to complete my move.

Why I was moving.

I was moving because the company I worked for in California was forced to lay off 90% of its work force. I know a lot of people this happened to last year. We are all scrambling to find work and many of us had to move out of state to seek new employment. I had worked for a company in California for 15 years. I found that it does not matter how secure our jobs were in the past, things change and we could all use a little help. I would recommend a short term personal loan for anyone who finds themselves in a situation where they need instant cash loans.

Apply Here for Quick Cash!

If you need money now, there’s no better time to apply for a cash advance. Money issues are almost always time-sensitive. Time pressure is often the reason why money becomes an issue in the first place. Sometimes you can ignore money issues, but they never really go away until you do something about them.

Get a Cash Advance today and avoid more problems

When you ignore money issues, you risk late fees and derogatory credit reports — not to mention anxious days and sleepless nights. A quick online cash advance can resolve all those issues. And yes, Personal Money Store really does work with lenders who specialize in installment loans for bad credit.

Get a Cash Advance today and have a better day tomorrow

The sooner you get money issues behind you, the sooner you can stop worrying and get back to living your life. When you get a cash advance, you can’t accidentally overspend the way you can when you use a credit card. You know right up front exactly how much the loan will cost and when it will be paid off. By applying for a cash advance, you can get cash today, take care of money problems today, get a good night’s sleep tonight, and make a fresh start tomorrow.

Get a Cash Advance today and pay it back automatically

One of the best things about getting an online cash advance is that you don’t have to do anything at all to pay it back. You don’t have to remember to write a check or go online to pay. Most cash advances are paid back in a single automatic deduction from your bank account on your next payday, but there are also installment loans, and even installment loans for bad credit, that allow you to make smaller payments over a longer period of time.

Get a Cash Advance today!

No credit check – bad credit okay

No need to fax documents

One short, online application matches you with the best payday lender

Quick, private, secure approval process

No waiting, no wondering, no hassles

Funds deposited directly to your account in as little as two hours

Apply for your Cash Advance HERE!

I used to work night shift at a local hospital, and I earned a night shift deferential that made my pay check exponentially larger than it normally would be. Well one pay period my boss moved my shift to days. This took away my normal night shift deferential. Due to this change the normal amount of money I would receive on payday was cut drastically short. I was in a panic and didn’t know what I was going to do.

How Personal Money Store helped me in a crisis

I went online and did a payday loan search because I needed one of those short term loans for bad credit. I found many online payday loan companies who wanted my business. All these companies required though, that I fax in all sorts of information and their fees were way too high. I was at my wits end, when I finally found Personal Money Stores website. They were able to help me find a lender that met my needs that could loan me a cash advance to help me stay out of debt, while working on the day shift. Boy was I relieved when I found out they didn’t require a fax machine and that their service was free. When the online cash advance I needed was deposited into my bank within hours, I was speechless. It felt great to find a payday loan service who really understood.

Why you should use Personal Money Store for all your money needs

The application process was quick and easy. There was no faxing and my credit rating didn’t matter. I had the payday loan in a matter of hours. My bills were paid on time and I didn’t have to suffer from outrageous overdraft fees or late payment fees. Personal Money Store really saved my life. They were the allies I needed, and they can be what you need too. I will always use Personal Money Store for my online payday loan needs. When my cash is low one click is all that’s needed to have the fast cash I desperately need. Thanks Personal Money Store!

Start Your Payday Loan Application Here

This is without a doubt what people feel when they apply for short term loans. Please note that your personal experience may be different. (Photo: flickr.com)

In today’s economically unsteady world, you cannot always remain geared to face economic emergencies. So when faced with financial emergencies, short term loans are the best way to overcome them. Short term loans like online cash advances, are debt instruments that provide instant cash when you need it.

It’s Easy to Get a Loan Online

You just have to fill an online application form to get access to a short term loan. You fill out the online form in the privacy of your home without worrying about confidentiality. The payment of short term installment loans is also done online.

It’s a No Fax, No Credit Check Process

The big incentive of a short term loan is that it requires no credit checks. You also do not need to fax any documents to the loan company.

Simple, Straightforward Requirements

To get a short term loan, you must be at least 18 and you should have a checking account that has been open a minimum of 90 days. You must either be regularly employed and paid or receive a regular monthly check such as from a pension or social security.

Payback in 14 to 18 Days with Extension Facility

The payback time for short term loans is usually 14 to 18 days. You should choose a payment date by which you are sure you will have the deposit in your bank account. If unable to pay, you may apply for an extension, but keep in mind that an extension comes with very high interest charges.

Short Term Loans Have High Interest Rates

The interest rates for short term loans are relatively high. A typical short term loan costs $15 to $30 per $100 borrowed. This may not seem much but in terms of APR it is 390 to 780 percent interest which is huge.

However, compared with overdraft fees and utility reconnect fees, short term loans can be a relative bargain. Yet it still is in your best interests to consider your options before applying.

Extending Term is Not a Good Idea

You should pay the entire amount for the short term loan as soon as you can. Any financial adviser would advise against selecting longer terms than usual on this particular type of loan. As a matter of fact, it is advisable not to take any other loan until you repay your short term loan.

Short Term Loans: Useful When Options are Few

Short term loans should be taken after you have exhausted other alternatives like taking an advance from your employer, using checking overdraft protection or taking a small loan from a credit union as an emergency short-term loan.

Cash in hand is a very secure position for every person. But this is not really possible all the time. Small term debt problems can very easily and quickly convert into long term issues. Short term loans, if used in a planned way, can be constructive in rendering long term solutions.

Apply for Short Term Loans HERE!

No matter how much money you make, it can be tough to make ends meet

If you’re in a financial dilemma and you need cash today, now may be the time to apply for an online cash advance. No matter who you are or how much money you earn, it can be tough to make ends meet. Incomes have not kept pace with the ever-increasing cost of living, and people across all sectors of society are feeling the crunch.

Payday lenders specialize in cash advances

It used to be commonplace to get a personal loan from a local bank. Small, unsecured loans were daily fare at mainstream banks. But today, a traditional banker would probably think you were crazy if you walked in and asked for a short-term, unsecured loan. When banks stopped making personal loans, specialized payday lenders began to take up the slack, and today it’s easier than ever before to get cash until payday by applying online.

It’s easy to get a cash advance today

It takes just a few minutes to apply for an online cash advance, and you’ll know right away whether your request is approved. There’s no credit check and nothing to fax. Cash advances of up to $1500 are available, and in many cases funds can be deposited to your account in as little as two hours.

A cash advance solves so many problems

Everyone’s situation is different, but all kinds of people are finding it tough to get by. It can take a long time to catch up with expenses after a stretch of unemployment or a wage reduction. Anyone who’s ever been faced with uninsured emergency medical expenses, a divorce, or the needs of an elderly parent, knows what it’s like to really need a cash advance. Or maybe it’s just the approaching holidays that have you worried about how you’ll afford to do all the things you need to do.

A cash advance gets you back up and running

Whatever your situation, when you need money now, a cash advance can get you back up and running very quickly. No matter what kind of money pressures you’re facing, the peace of mind that comes from taking care of financial issues right now makes getting a cash advance worthwhile.

Apply for a cash advance HERE!

Personal Money Store can assist you in getting the top-of-the-line loan for your needs in as little as 2 hours. Everyone needs help now and then. Ask yourself these few questions. Do I need cash to help pay my bills, get groceries or an unexpected expense?

• We require neither credit check nor any faxing
• Secure and confidential
• Lenders compete for your business
• Network of Lenders

It is simple to get the loan you need

We have many companies that compete for your business as soon as you call or apply for a loan online. We will require no credit check nor will we require you to fax any necessary documents.

Our network of providers gives you a great chance of getting the desired loan you need instantly. You’ll not have a long wait, but a quick and prompt response without any waiting nor do you need to look for other services.

Nowadays, many people are very busy

On that note, you can apply for a loan right now, or during your lunch break at work, even when you’re relaxing at home. Applying is easy and quick.

Our easy to use web application and our ability to find lenders quickly mean that you will have money deposited to your account very fast and securely into. This is a short term loan you can use for any emergency or because you are in need of extra cash for daily activities

Online payday loan requires no faxing

When you apply for an instant payday loan, the payday application data will be stored utilizing the latest data encryption and security measures. You can rest assured that your personal information will be kept very confidential and safe in our systems.

Personal Money Store understands that there are times that you need cash for emergency situations. The best thing about using our online service is not having to go out looking for one. We are here to assist you online.

Apply now for a short-term payday loan!

Once you are an approved payday loan applicant, you will be informed immediately that you qualify for a payday loan.  The only agreement is between yourself and the approved lender; and not Personal Money Store. Please always read any necessary agreements you will receive from your lender carefully.

Apply HERE for a Payday Loan Online

Applying for a cash advance at Personal Money Store is very convenient. Check out our application today! (Photo: flickr.com)

It is not difficult to get an online cash advance loan these days, and it seems that just about anyone can get one. An element that adds the cherry on top of a payday advance is that the process can be quick, easy and convenient.

There are simple measures that a future borrower needs to undergo, such as researching which companies offer them the best customer satisfaction, and other areas of service that help streamline the application process. These make things roll as smoothly as possible.

Some Cash Advance Requirements You Should Know

The requirements for getting a cash advance are generally that a borrower be at least 18 years of age. A valid checking account and a minimum monthly income of $1,000 are usually required as well. There are many cash advance lenders who have different requirements, such as three months of employment history and a checking account in the borrower’s name that has been open for at least as long as the applicant’s employment history. Also, a borrower should make sure that all of his/her important information is gathered for the application. Financial information such as bank statements, pay stubs, and account and savings numbers should all be ready. With the proper preparation, a borrower can speed up the already short application process considerably.

What if You Don’t Have Checking or Are Self-Employed?

There are many cash advance lenders who will gladly accept a valid savings account in lieu of a checking account. It’s also a great idea to check with your chosen cash advance lender to see exactly what they require. If you are self-employed, lenders may require a few more documents from you. Income documentation, typically for a three- to six-month time span, might be asked of you in a situation of self-employment. However, online cash advance lending companies like Personal Money Store are a tad more lenient as far as the income requirements and supporting documentation goes.

With Personal Money Store, it Couldn’t Be Easier

You’re here at PersonalMoneyStore.com because the online application is very easy to use. You should have all of your information handy, as it speeds up the process. Have your social security number ready. After all of the necessary information has been given, lenders verify the information given through a series of databases. Many lenders advertise that they guarantee applicants “no credit checks,” credit rating or history checks. You’d have to have been living under a rock if you’ve never heard the typical, “No-Credit” or “Bad-Credit” cash advance invites. This pulls the situation into the borrower’s favor, because even if they are denied by their chosen lender, many other cash advance sources are available.

A payday lender who approves you for a cash advance will contact you by phone or E-mail after reviewing your application. At this point in the process, the lender will carefully outline all repayment terms and discuss the length of the cash loan. There are some businesses who offer a same-day cash advance, but that won’t always happen. Generally, cash advance companies can have your money in your account within three to five business days.

Electronically Wired Funds

Funds that are electronically wired into a borrower’s bank account will be available to them a lot quicker, but there may be extra fees from your bank and cash advance lender attached. Speak with your lender in depth about wire transfers before you decide to commit. Aside from the extra costs the lender may charge, wire transfers can be the fastest, easiest way to receive cash advances. Again, take note that many lenders charge a 10 to 15 percent fee of the total transfer amount for wire transfer services.

Your Information Should Be Treated With Care

The best thing for you to do is your homework. Make sure that you are completely aware of the risks you could face when offering your personal information. A study conducted by a group of University of Toledo marketing graduate students showed that out of 50 online cash advance services, as many as 10 do not provide secure cash advance application pages. This is not the case with Personal Money Store, however.

Many different types of companies were listed in the survey, which included payday loans, unsecured loans, online loans and short-term loans. Make sure that you’re careful. If your personal information is unsecure and floating around the World Wide Web, even the most moderate of hackers can access all of your personal records. Remember that the most well known, and established, companies are best. That’s the kind of security Personal Money Store offers you.

Find That Privacy Policy!

Just to make sure that you know your personal information is secure and not at risk of being hacked, start with the cash advance company’s privacy policy, which should be posted somewhere on the Web site. Make sure you look for a few sentences that should read something like this: “We do not share personal information with any outside entity, or engage in third party marketing.” Once all of the anxiousness and fear has gone away, remember these simple measures needed, and get your cash advance today!

Apply for a Cash Advance HERE

Looking to make a little more of this? Join the club.

Google has long been on the short list of high-earning companies who still continue to reap huge profits during the recession. So it’s no surprise that whenever Google is involved in a new venture, many people get the same idea: “I want to work for them!”

Google’s latest project is Vevo, which will be an online music video service. Other heavy hitters such as Sony Music Entertainment are in on the project as well, making Vevo jobs some of the most coveted in the country, even though the company hasn’t even announce a release date for the new service.

How many Vevo jobs are available

Vevo President and CEO Rio Caraeff says the company is looking to hire about 35 people to do Vevo jobs. He says they’re hiring for positions including ad sales, engineering, accounting, music programming and others. He says they’ll be hiring for Vevo jobs for about the next six months.

I’m sure people will be falling all over themselves to get Vevo jobs, so you’ll have to be prepared to do whatever it takes. That might me taking out an online cash advance for a plane ticket or a new suit. Be careful, though, Vevo jobs are in very high demand, so don’t go through all the trouble unless you are extremely well qualified.

How is Vevo linked to Google?

The Vevo music video service will run on YouTube technology.  Google owns YouTube, so the service will have Google power behind it. Other stakeholders include Universal and Abu Dhabi Media Company, who reportedly bought somewhere in the neighborhood of $300 million worth of shares. The Christian Science Monitor recognizes why there is so much interest in the venture and it Vevo jobs:

Content, cash, battle-tested video technology, a record industry plagued by slumping sales – you can see the appeal of the Vevo project.

If you’re seriously thinking of applying for one of the Vevo jobs, I suggest getting started on the process right away. No doubt those 35 Vevo jobs will be snapped up in no time. Not only are there a lot of unemployed workers out there right now, I am sure a lot of people will be more than willing to leave their current jobs to take Vevo jobs.

Taylor Swift (Image from Flickr.com)

She won’t be performing in the U.S. until next year, but Taylor Swift tickets are now available for several of her tour dates. Taylor Swift tickets for shows in Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Missouri are already selling like hotcakes. Stories of teenagers waiting throughout the night are starting to circulate.

Taylor Swift ticket prices vary depending on the area, but it looks like the general price range is about $25 to $60.

Peak of popularity

Would you get an online cash advance to buy Taylor Swift tickets? A lot of people would go much further than that. Taylor Swift is one of the music industries “it” girls right now, as lovers of both country and pop music are faithful listeners.

She might have even won over a few rap fans when she teamed up with T-Pain to do a spoof song. Her little brush with Kanye West only seems to have gotten her more attention and made her more popular. In case you have been living under a rock, during the Video Music Awards, Kanye West jumped on the stage while Taylor Swift was accepting an award. He took the microphone and proclaimed Beyonce had the best video of all time. Swift stood silently, looking shocked.

More Taylor Swift tickets

You can view Taylor Swift’s full tour schedule at her web site, TaylorSwift.com. If you’re going to be in the UK or Australia in the next few months, you can still get Taylor Swift tickets to one of her shows there.

I’m betting Taylor Swift tickets to most U.S. shows will sell out pretty quickly. Next week, tickets to her shows in Florida, Ohio and some shows in California go on sale. If you’ve got the cash and the passion, make sure you jump on getting those Taylor Swift tickets quickly!

As the end of the month approaches, various bills start catching up with you. If you have run out of cash and are unable to pay these bills on time, you will have to delay the payment until you receive your next paycheck. But, in doing so, you will end up paying high overdraft fees, late fees,  or both. A financial emergency like this is not a rare thing nowadays.

Almost anyone can end up in this situation in these economic times because of increased cost of living. If you are in such a situation, you don’t need to panic or lower your esteem by asking for loans from friends. Instead you can acquire an online cash advance. Cash advances are short term loans not unlike installment loans. How do you benefit by obtaining such loans? Let’s find out.

No processing fee for cash advances online means savings

When you apply for an online cash advance, you do not need to pay any sort of application fee. Also you are not subjected to credit checking processes in most cases. So even if you have a bad credit history, you can still easily get an online cash advance.

For most other types of loans the processing fee can be substantial especially if you obtain the loan for just a short period. Quite often, the seemingly low interest rates are actually offset by unmentioned high processing fees that you are not told about until late in the process. With an online cash advance, there is no such thing. Clearly you are getting a host of benefits by opting for an online cash advance over traditional lending.

Privacy and Security for Online Cash Advances

If you have heard about bad things related to personal data happening online to people and so have less confidence in online transactions, or have concerns about your information being misused, you need not worry about your online application process for a cash advance. Our entire process is geared to be 100 percent safe and secure.

Advanced security techniques like 128 or even 256 bits encryption and other such complex techniques ensure that your details are safe from any eavesdropping scammers or fraudster. Our online cash advance process stringently follows extensive and foolproof privacy policies, thus ensuring the confidentiality of all personal data of borrowers such as you.

This is not some overlooked or ignored policy. Trust of so many people is built on honesty and openness. However, it is always a good thing for you to go through our privacy policy carefully and the policy of the loan company that we connect you with in order to be informed about your rights.

Online cash advance loan processing is fast and convenient

There are many benefits of an online cash advance, including low fees compared to late fees and overdraft fees. You don’t have to send copies of your bank statements or your identification documents to the loan company except in rare cases. You apply for the cash advance online. After your application is submitted, all verification and validation about your details as well as your banking information is done electronically.

When your loan request is approved, the money can be directly deposited into your bank account. Since every process is done online, you can get this loan in as quick as 2 hours.

When it’s time for the repayment of your online cash advance, the amount due is also electronically withdrawn from your bank account. The due date is agreed between you and the cash advance company at the time of approval and is usually the date when you receive your payroll. It may be a fixed date or based on the trigger of a specific event such as your wages or salary amount being deposited that when credited to your bank account results in automatically transferring the due amount to the loan company.

Start your online cash advance today!

These are dangerous if you're running on empty. A cash advance can keep you going until your next payday. (Photo: flickr.com)

With all of the financial turmoil that American families are facing right now, cash advances have become a way to get the money you need, when you need it. Read on to better understand a few of the main reasons why people turn to a cash advance in times of need, as well as how you can take advantage of this same benefit.

Main Reasons for a Cash Advance

The most common reason people apply for a cash advance is to avoid overdraft fees and credit card late payments. The fees for an overdraft check or a late credit card payment range from $26 to $56. In addition to large fees, being late on your credit card can have serious negative effects on your credit score. So, using a cash advance in these circumstances can really aid you in saving money and protecting your credit score.

When Surprises Strike, Cash Advances are There

An additional reason for someone to apply for a cash advance is to help cover an unexpected bill. Whether it is an unexpected car repair or even a home repair, cash advances are always there to help you get the money you need.  Cash advances are fast, reliable and typically do not require a credit check.

What is a Cash Advance and How Do I Get My Money?

A cash advance is a type of short-term loan that usually requires repayment on or before your next payday. Loan amounts range from $100 to $1,500, and there are generally no credit checks required when applying for your cash advance. After your loan has been approved, the lender will electronically transfer the funds to your bank account. In some cases, you can receive your online cash advance in as little as two hours.

Please click the “Apply Now” button to submit your cash advance request now!

Heidi De Jong Barsuglia: she who gets spanked (Photo: b4tea.com)

Orange County California Assemblyman Mike Duvall, 54, has been spanked by the media for his penchant for spanking and having his way with lobbyist Heidi Dejong Barsuglia, 36 (“De Jong” is actually the correct form), and at least one other woman. Now he has resigned his position, effective immediately. Unlike South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, Mike Duvall apparently has enough dignity to recognize when it’s time to go. If a voice in his head tells him his “work isn’t done” (as Sanford claims happened to him), I’ll assume it means he has more oats to sow. So long as the taxpayers aren’t putting up his salary while he does it and his wife and children are set for a better life away from him first, I don’t have a problem. If he needs an online cash advance to pay for upgrades to his Harley, he has the right.

Wait, what am I saying? I have a big problem with this when there are children involved. People who cheat in these situations are cheating on their children. They should be made to feel the pain their kids are feeling. I guarantee you, it’s exponentially worse than the “Ooops, I was caught” flash of remorse.

But you want to know about those Heidi Dejong Barsuglia pictures… you animals!

As you know, Heidi De Jong Barsuglia is a lobbyist who works (worked, I imagine) for Sempra Energy in Southern California. Her previous lobbying work was for the California Retailers Association, from January 1, 2009 through March 27, 2009. They represent over 9,000 retail businesses in the state of California and their sales routinely eclipse $100 billion per year. Two weeks after her CRA gig ended, she caught on with Sempra Energy, a conglomerate that represents Southern California Gas and San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E). This goes to show you that an educated, capable lobbyist will always be in demand. Oh, is she pretty and blonde, too? I hadn’t noticed. I leave that kind of stuff to the Mike Duvalls of the world who want an online cash advance to outfit their hog now and again.

Darn, I can’t fool you, can I?

He’s not charming, he’s powerful

The Orange County Weekly has published allegations that include claims that the “powerful” vice chair of the Utilities & Commerce Committee was regularly seen socializing with Heidi Dejong Barsuglia (see the picture?) after-hours around Sacramento. They went out together, attended fund-raising events together and even shopped for groceries together “just blocks from the capitol building.” Mike Duvall clearly thinks he’s powerful enough to do whatever he wants, but not powerful enough to escape resigning his post.

Power is the operative term here, as Mike Duvall certainly doesn’t sound charming in video footage. A staff member who worked alongside Duvall in the California state capitol in Sacramento put it in plain terms: “He’s old and fat. She’s hot, blonde and about 20 years younger. He could have never gotten a woman like that before he got this job.”

What job is Mike Duvall walking away from?

Duvall’s committee held jurisdiction over public utilities. The California Public Utilities Commission; California Energy Commission and California Independent System Operator are all subject to the committee’s rulings. Electricity, natural gas, wireless communications, various cable systems, international trade, tourism and women and minority business ventures were all fall under the umbrella of the Utilities & Commerce Committee. So yes, I suppose Mike Duvall was powerful. He’ll probably find a consulting job somewhere.

As for Heidi Dejong Barsuglia, I hope she picks up the pieces and does right by her family and children. The road for her will definitely be more difficult. It would be a shame if “Heidi Dejong Barsuglia pictures” is her final claim to fame. If an online cash advance could help her, I suppose she should apply. Right here. Click the button, Heidi.

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Image from phillyburbs.com.

The other day I read that Alpine, NJ, despite being the most expensive place to buy a house in the country, has the among the lowest property taxes. When a city official was questioned about this, he said they were able to keep property taxes down, he said they focused on “not becoming a full-service town.

Of course, being on the lower end of the wealth scale, I thought “That isn’t fair that these people who own $4 million homes and obviously have tons of money get to pay less in property taxes!” Today I came across an article about property taxes on CNN Money and discovered that there’s a way for the common folk to get lower property taxes, too.

Dispute property’s assessed value

Beth Braverman from Money Magazine says the only way to get your property tax decreased is to get the estimated value of  your property decreased. You’ve got to come up with a good argument for why the property assessment amount should be decreased, and you must win.

This won’t be as easy as getting an online cash advance, but it sounds like it can be done. Home prices have dropped 27 percent since 2006, so it makes sense that if your property value has dropped, you should not have to pay as much property tax.

Learn the rules

First off, you must appeal your  tax bill within 30 to 90 days from when you get it, depending on where you live. Find out the rules in your area regarding how long you have to make an appeal as well as how much your assessment has to be off by in order to file an appeal.

Make sure you carefully read over your official property record and check to make sure it is accurate. Then, check out zillow.com and compare your homes value to similar homes.

The faster the better

The sooner you file your appeal, the closer to the front of the hearing line you’ll be. Most areas require that you show up in person for your hearing. Braverman recommends sitting in on a property tax hearing to prepare for your own hearing.

If your hearing is after your taxes are due, you will have to pay them. However, if you win your appeal you will get a refund.

If you lose your appeal on the city level, you can appeal at a state level. States usually won’t take appeals from people seeking less than a few thousand dollars.

Be nice!

Braverman emphasizes that property assessors are bombarded with angry people demanding their assessment be changed. If you nicely, pleasantly and informally discuss your property value with the assessor, you’ll stand out.

Never underestimate the power of being nice.

Nest eggs are hard to come by when you live on chicken feed

The rent is due

Your landlord doesn’t care why you’re down and out. He makes a bundle, but he won’t pay a penny for your thoughts. In his eyes you’re a deadbeat and he wants cold hard cash. You live from hand to mouth and every month you pay an arm and a leg to help your landlord make money hand over fist. You pay through the nose for the leaking roof over your head while your landlord lives high on the hog.

The golden rule doesn’t seem to apply when it’s time to pony up. Your landlord was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and you can bet your bottom dollar he won’t wait until payday.  You’re going to have to pay on the nail.

When you’re caught short, cut your losses with a quick payday loan. Dollars for doughnuts, you can make ends meet with an online cash advance so long as paying it back on payday won’t leave you strapped for cash again.

The weekend is coming

You’re hard up and payday is still a week away. You’re not a cheapskate, but you don’t ride the gravy train, either. Although you have generous friends who somehow manage to stay in the black, it’s humiliating when they always have to pick up the tab. You live on a shoestring, but you don’t like someone else footing the bill all the time.

For my money, a quick cash loan is the way to go if you can pay it back on payday and still have a little money to burn. Your friends may have hearts of gold, but when it comes to having fun, it sure feels good to pay your share out of your own pocket.

It’s on sale now

You aren't made of money, but that new tent is sound as a pound

At $189, that new two-person tent with mesh vents and detachable rain-cover seemed like highway robbery. But at the end-of-summer sale, it’s looking cheap at half the price. You’ve been pinching pennies all summer for a weekend camp-out at the lake, but payday is two weeks away and the sale ends tomorrow. They’re selling your tent for a song and you’re counting down until payday.

If you don’t come up with some extra cash right away, you’re going to be a day late and a dollar short. If you can pay the piper on payday and still cover all your expenses without having to borrow again, it may make good sense to get a personal loan now. A quick loan won’t cost the earth, and you’ll feel like a million bucks, camped by the lake in that luxurious tent, safe from the bugs and rain.

It’s going to bounce

You don’t have two pennies to rub together, and your math skills are in the hole, too. You just found a mistake in your check book and you’ve overdrawn your account. It wasn’t intentional, but the bank won’t let you put in your two cents: You’re going to get hit with some hefty overdraft fees if you don’t come up with some fast cash.

It sure would be nice to be loaded and to be able to solve advanced math problems at the drop of a dime, too.  But you’re not.  You’re going to take a beating and your bank is going to make a killing if you don’t do something quickly. All that glitters is not gold, but in a situation like this, an online cash advance is pay dirt worth every red cent.

Is a TV this size for $9.99 too good to be true? Yes.

Although thousands of BestBuy customers ordered the Samsung Best Buy $9.99 TV, only five people will get the 52″ flat-panel LCD TV for that price. As most people assumed, the Best Buy $9.99 TV price was a mistake.

This message has started making its way around:

To recent victims for our price error on BestBuy’s Samsung LCD monitor, we will only allow the first 5 orders to be delivered. The following orders for the model LN52A650 will be canceled and BestBuy will reimburse your payment and follow our ‘Errors on Our Site’ procedure. Best Buy will issue a credit to your credit card account in the amount of the charge. BestBuy, Inc. apologizes for this inconvenience.

Online shopping vs. ‘the old days’

The Internet has more benefits than drawbacks, that’s for sure. But so rarely does an opportunity to point out an in stance in which the “old-fashioned” way is superior, we must always seize these opportunities. Kind of like seizing the opportunity to get an online cash advance before your bank account gets overdrawn.

This certainly is not the first time BestBuy or any other retail business has written the wrong price on something. However, back in the days before Internet shopping, there was a lot more work involved in sticking a price tag on something. And if someone had gone into a BestBuy, saw the $9.99 price tag on a 52″ television and tried to buy it, the matter would have been worked out face-to-face between a stuttering teenage sales associate and a customer who knew very well she wasn’t getting that price.

How much does this LCD TV really cost?

The error that advertised the Samsung 52″ flat-panel LCD for $9.99 has been corrected, and the price is back to its normal $1,699.99. That’s the price it was supposed to be put on sale for, about $100 less than the usual price.

Unfortunately, after seeing the set advertised for $9.99, I think BestBuy is going to have a tough time convincing people that $1,700 is really a good price.

Web site maintenance time

Now, the Best Buy $9.99 TV debacle leaves BestBuy with a problem on its hands. Right now, the Samsung 52″ flat-panel LCD is listed on the site as on sale for the disappointing but discounted $1,700 price, but the item is also listed as sold out.

It really only comes down tto a matter of reprogramming the site to say that the item is not sold out, but first someone, probably a big-time someone from corporate, needs to make sure that the shipping department is aprised of the situation. I don’t know how many, if any Best Buy $9.99 TVs were shipped before the company discovered the error.

If you’re single and mired in a contemptible cycle of living from paltry paycheck to paltry payday loan to paltry paycheck, consider marrying money. But sugar grows better in some areas of the country than it does in others, and to optimize your chances of securing it, you may have to pack up and move. According to a recent CNN report, the five best places in the United States to find the rich and single are:

Hermosa Beach, California

Population: 19,414
Single: 47.2%
Median family income: $137,941

You can bask in the sun nearly all year long in this Southern California paradise, although you can’t rely on a suntan alone to attract sugar. To speed you along in your quest for moneyed matrimony, you’ll need to get another low-paying job – perhaps at one of the many bars near the Pier Plaza — so you can get online cash loans for incidental local amenities including roller blades, surf boards, swim wear and volley balls.

Arlington, Virginia

Population: 204,568
Single: 41.6%
Median family income: $108,815

You’re sure to meet someone in the pubs of the Clarendon district where live music and amateur stand-up comedy abound. But the singles scene in Arlington is dominated by scientific geniuses and government types, so you may have to do a little personal upgrading to meet local standards. For starters, you’re going to need another low-paying job – a regular day job, not a stand-up comedy gig – so you can get payday cash advances to fund an advanced online degree of your own. When choosing which degree to click on, think science not art.

Coronado, California

Population: 22,845
Single: 36.1%
Median family income: $106,817
Coronado is a peninsula surrounded by white sand and sparkling waves, so it’s a perfect place to hang out at the beach. But Coronado is a tall order: Golf, tennis, and sailing around the bay are the ordre du jour, so you’ll need to upgrade your employment situation before you move. Then you can make a smooth transition into a high-paying job with a commute to San Diego and qualify for those cushy $1500 online personal loans. You might also consider switching to installment loans because you’ll need extra cash for nightlife in the trendy bars and clubs of the Gaslamp district. For what they’re worth in your quest to marry money, the spectacular San Diego sunsets — sans drinks — are free.

Edgewater, New Jersey

Population: 9,582
Single: 34.3%
Median family income: $105,830

You may need to do some advance planning if you want to share a million-dollar townhouse nest with an affluent Edgewater professional. Holding hands while gazing at the silhouette of the Manhattan skyline is free. But it’s expensive to flirt with neighbors in the organic produce aisles of the local markets and to expand your social circle while ostensibly toning your muscles at one of the borough’s fitness centers. An Edgewater marriage is a lofty goal, indeed. You’ll need a good income and some correspondingly good payday cash advances to negotiate it. But once you have the necessary extra cash and have taken up that amazing line of steeples, towers, and belfries, you’ll be a shoe-in for marital bliss on the Gold Coast.

Santa Clara, California

Population: 109,756
Single: 34.0%
Median family income: $101,840

To the extent that being single in the Silicon Valley is synonymous with having a high IQ, you may need more than the best payday-loan money can buy to snag sugar in Santa Clara. But armchair sports fans need not despair: Santa Clara is home to the San Francisco 49ers’ training camp, which is open to the public on certain days. For sports fans more inclined to participate than watch, even a modest online cash advance will get you into the water – and possibly marriage — with fellow athletes at the International Swim Center.

“You know they call them killer whales
But you seem surprised
When it pinned you down to the bottom of the tank
Where you can’t turn around
It took half your leg and both your lungs”

- From “People Gotta Lot of Nerve” by Neko Case

Making pets of wild animals can be a gamble. A great deal of care must be taken to ensure that they get the food and activity they need in order to live in relative health. This is important because captivity can be stressful for animals accustomed to roaming free. It can also be expensive; be prepared for an online cash advance or personal loan to help close budget gaps torn asunder by exotic animal food bills.

If there is neglect – not giving the animal the necessary care, making sure their enclosure is secure, etc. – accidents and catastrophes can occur. And when a snake kills a baby (Shaunnia Hare) as it did recently in Sumter County, Florida, we see that the risk can far outweigh the reward.

Snakes have been given a bad rap

I blame the Bible first, and I’ll throw the snake-handling cults in with that crowd. The more you mystify a natural, magnificent creature, the more you enforce ignorance over understanding. Humanity’s relationship to the natural world needs to be based on understanding of animal behavior and their needs. We are in a unique position to be benevolent stewards of the countless varieties of life in our world. This position offers great benefits, but it also comes with great responsibility. No, that snake isn’t part of a family tree that leads back to Satan, in much the same way that lightning bolts don’t come from Thor’s hammer.

Sharon Wynne blogs for the St. Petersburg Times the question on the minds of many regarding snakes, particularly the parents of young children: Should they be kept as pets? The unfortunate family whose two-year-old baby was hunted in her crib that horrible night thought it made an attractive pet, and they were devastated by the turn of events.

Attractive animal vs. attractive pet

There’s a huge difference here. Wynne suggests that a Burmese python’s “smooth, shiny scales” would make for an attractive finish on a purse, but I’ll have to disagree. Snakes are marvels of muscle strength, contracting to move, to eat or do most anything else. It’s also amazing to me how they can unhinge their jaws to make room for their meals. Texture, pattern and color are all strong selling points. Yes, a Burmese python is an attractive animal.

Setting a bounty

Here’s something else about animals the size of the snake that kills baby. Not only do they require a lot of specialty food, but they need custom-built enclosures that are quite expensive. Online cash advances and personal loans, anyone? Unfortunately, since all of this is as expensive as it is, there are lots of owners who simply release their pets into the wild. This frequently leads to the animal injuring other animals or people. The final result is typically the euthanization of the ex-pet.

According to National Geographic, American has imported over 144,000 Burmese pythons into the country over the past five years. This only adds to the numbers of animals jettisoned into ecosystems where they don’t belong.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson recently introduced a bill to ban the import of pythons. A similar bill was brought before the state House, as well. There’s even a proposal that would put a bounty on exotic snakes discarded in the Everglades, which will surely draw the Bayou Billys out of the woodwork.

Don’t let docility fool you

Snakes are animals that should be handled with caution. Apparently, the Florida family allowed their little daughter to hold both their Burmese python and their boa constrictor. But that doesn’t mean the snake and child are safe playmates. Wynne reports that the mother’s boyfriend, Charles Darnell, 32, told authorities he had checked on the snake just a few hours the horrible incident. It had escaped its enclosure, so he put it back in, put a quilt over the terrarium and tied it down – even though Florida state law requires the use of a lock.

What Darnell discovered the next morning is a parent’s nightmare made real. The eight-foot Burmese python was wrapped around little Shaunnia Hare, its teeth embedded in her head in order to hang on to its prey. The snake didn’t have an axe to grind with the child, it isn’t an evil creature (or a good one, for that matter). Nature laughs at “good vs. evil.” Survival has neither the time nor the room for such inventions.  The snake was not secured, and it was hungry. It was operating on instinct. Tragically, a little girl died.

As a parent, my instinct says that having large snakes in a home with small children is a horrible idea. I wouldn’t use an online cash advance or personal loan for the best cage money can buy. I simply wouldn’t have a snake that close to my children on a regular basis.

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Now more than ever, families are seeking cheap, kid-friendly activities to do this summer. The Youngstown Air Show, officially the Youngstown Air Reserve Show, will provide free entertainment in August, and tickets are available starting today.

Even though the Youngstown Air Show is free, you must have a ticket to get in. You can get tickets from www.youngstownairshow.com, but hurry.

Online ordering only

As far as I can tell, ordering online is the only way to get tickets to the Youngstown Air Show. But if you have used an online cash advance before, you know that ordering things online can be quick and simple. If you want tickets to the Youngstown Air Show, you probably should act fast. YOU CAN ORDER TICKETS HERE.

Although there are 35,000 tickets available for the show, they are free and this is the first time in 23 years Youngstown Air Reserve has put on the show. The Youngstown Air Show is Aug. 8 and 9 in Vienna, Ohio, on the Youngstown Air Reserve Base.

Youngstown history

Youngstown Air Reserve Base is also called the Youngstown-Warren Air Reserve Station, and it is in Vienna, Ohio, about 11 miles north of Youngstown and 10 miles east of Warren.

Youngstown Air Reserve Base is in Trumbull County and operates with Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.

More air shows

Don’t worry, if you don’t live in Ohio or near the place hosting the Youngstown Air Show, you don’t have to spend a fortune on transportation and hotels to see a U.S. Air Force Demonstration.

Here is a full list of scheduled demonstrations from The Composed Gentleman:

June

20-21 Dover AFB, Dela.
27-28 Helena, Mont.

July

4-5 Battle Creek, Mich.
11-12 Peoria, Ill.
18-19 Dayton, Ohio
22 Cheyenne, Wyo.
25-26 Milwaukee, Wisc.

August

8-9 Vienna, Ohio (Youngstown Air Reserve Base)
15-16 Chicago, Ill.
19 Atlantic City, N.J.
22-23 Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich.
29-30 Hillsboro, Ore.

September

5-7 Cleveland, Ohio
12-13 Sacramento, Calif.
19-20 Hickam AFB, Hawaii
Sept. 22- Oct. 26, Far East locations

November

7-8 Homestead ARB, Fla.
14-15 Nellis AFB, Nev.

Performers

The Thunderbirds will be doing demonstrations at the Youngstown Air Show. According to the Thunderbirds’ web site, this year they are flying the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 52 aircraft.

The Thunderbirds’ web site also says that the Thunderbirds were designated the U.S. Air Force’s official demonstration team in 1953, six years after the U.S. Air Force was established as an independent service.

Inspiration for the Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds are based at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. The Group was named after the Thunderbird fabled in American Indian legend, a giant fowl that commands fear and respect.

The Thunderbird in the story shot bolts of lightning from its eyes and couldn’t be defeated  by any other creature. The Thunderbirds’ web site says the legend of the Thunderbird made its ways across the country by word of mouth.

A diverse group

The web site says the Thunderbirds, who will perform at the Youngstown Air Show, are made up of 140 officers from 30 different career fields.

You can find pictures of the officers who will demonstrate and the equipment  they’ll use at the Youngstown Air Show at http://thunderbirds.airforce.com/team/FlashVillage_Photon/index.html.

Are you a coquette who bats your eyelashes at a hungry world? Are you a dish that our mouths and minds just can’t get enough of? Are you a blissfully floaty member of your local chapter of the youth and beauty brigade? Give me a sign and I will begin to salivate like a dog. Wear ankle bells to complete the Pavlovian effect.

But enough of your fantasies about what tickles me. Answer me this: what would you endure for long, lustrous lashes? Time? Boredom? Envy of those that have great lashes? Maybe you should check out  Rapid Lash. Don’t come crying to us when you find that cash advance or online cash advance needed to buy artificial eye lashes from  Tleilaxu eyes, then!

Get Great Thick Eye Lashes

RapidLash is a popular brand of eye lash and brow renewal serum that’s applied like eyeliner to your top lashes or brush on  your brows. It may increase the appearance of  thickness and length of your lashes and brows within 4 – 6 weeks.

Many who used it every night for about 2 weeks, believe it or not, claim to have seen a huge change in their lashes; they seemed longer than ever! But, for RapidLash to be effective, you must use just a small amount every day but don’t over due it, less is more. Once you have the results you want, you can reduce use to every second or third day.

Dan Sevigny FALSELY reported for Alternative Health Journal that while the Rapid Lash Eyelash Renewal Serum may plump and flatter your batting devices, you must understand the potential cost. In fact Alternative Health Journal removed the article from their site altogether. Originally he claimed Rapid Lash may have harmful chemicals contained in the product like prostaglandin and cloprostenol. While these substances may produce the eyelash effects you’re looking for, he went on to faslely claim that it can also produce conditions that you don’t want.

What are these chemicals? They’re drugs used in the treatment of ocular conditions like glaucoma. They only began to be used in cosmetic eye products when doctors noticed that glaucoma patients began to develop “full, bush, elongated” lashes, writes Sevigny. The enterprising young optical surgeon passed the idea on (likely for a healthy fee), and then cloprostenol began to appear in more and more products, like Rapid Lash.

Then there were… wait for it… siiiide effects of the non cosmetic versions of these chemicals

• Eye irritation (ouch)
• Loss of vision (yikes)
• Eye-Color change (get the changeable eyes you’ve always wanted!)

What Rapid Lash has done is make some changes to the original eye-irritating formula. What they use is Isopropyl Cloprostenate, and Rapid Lash asserts that it is different enough from its base components to avoid the problems those non cosmetic components are known to promote. Reportedly, Rapid Lash has in the past and is conducting independent trials to satisfy nay sayers like Sevigny of Alternative Health Journal in order to conclusively prove their product is not harmful.

Many people are convinced

I’ll bet there are a lot of people out there like Brown Girl Gumbo. In her blog, she talks about how she’s tried Rapid Lash. Mind you, she stopped using it after she heard of the dangers of the non cosmetic versions of the base components, but who among us would put the pedal to the metal instead of taking the extremely safe route? I’m sure some would think she may be overly paranoid. Here’s what she has to say. Pay close attention to the update she posted:

I think it’s pretty safe to say that I’m completely obsessed with eye lashes! I’ve tried just about every popular mascara brand on the market on a quest to create enviable long, luscious lashes. Since I’ve tried so many mascaras, I decided to take my lash obsession up a notch – I tried RapidLash.

RapidLash is a popular brand of eye lash renewal serum that’s applied like eyeliner to your top lashes. It’s supposed to increase the darkness, thickness and length of your lashes within 4 weeks. I used it every night for about 2 weeks and believe it or not, I saw a huge change in my lashes; they seemed longer than ever! …

**UPDATE** I’ve been informed that contrary to other brands’ potential health concerns, Rapid Lash is paraben-free, with vital proteins and vitamins, including pumpkin seed and licorice extracts that help replenish and fortify lashes. So perhaps, I’ll give it another go!

Rapid Lash is expensive ($49.95 a bottle via their Web site), but then again, I guess all non-Wal Mart cosmetics are. Sure, a cash advance or online cash advance can cover the bills while you splurge, but is that the best way to handle your finances. Try something if you can afford it, but don’t neglect the important things: food, shelter, clothing and body massages.  Please, treat yourself (and your budget) right.

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What is this “MAC clause” business everyone is blogging about? Does it have to do with Apple computers? Macaroni and cheese? A department store cosmetics line?

Unfortunately, a MAC clause isn’t as much fun as any of those things. Unless, of course, your large financial institution stands to gain or lose from the acquisition of another large financial institution. In other words, if you are Bank of America or Merrill Lynch. Particularly if you are Bank of America, you might find a MAC clause a lot of “fun.”

MAC clause defined

The MAC in MAC clause stands for Material Adverse Change. According to a financial expert who made a very studious-looking PDF that I found online:

MAC clauses are a common means of allocating the risks presented by adverse business or economic developments occurring between the signing and the closing of an acquisition agreement.

So basically, Large Financial Institution No. 1 agrees to purchase Large Financial Institution No. 2, and they sign the papers. And we’re not talking about a quick, online cash advance here. We’re talking about a very lengthy process that involves lots of paperwork. So, after they sign paperwork and sometime before the parties declare, “OK, this deal is final,” something happens that changes the value of FI2 or the financial position of either company.

Bank of America and Merrill Lynch

So, of course, in the real, non-hypothetical world, Large Financial Institution No. 1 is Bank of America, Large Financial Institution No. 2 is Merrill Lynch, and adverse business developments are adverse business developments, and the economy is the economy.

Bank of America is saying that it was pressured into agreeing to buy Merrill Lynch, and financial analyst Mark Fightmaster reports:

CEO Ken Lewis threatened to use a MAC clause to kill the agreement to buy Merrill Lynch because he wanted to get a lower price, according to the Financial Times. New e-mails reveal how he was then pressured to proceed with the deal.

So, we have e-mails showing B of A was pressured to buy Merrill Lynch. However, do we have proof of a material adverse change?

One man’s opinion

Well, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, for one, apparently doesn’t believe that a material adverse change has occurred. Either that or he believes that even if it did occur, it has nothing to do with Lewis’ threat to use a MAC clause. The Financial times reports:

Bernanke called Lewis’s MAC-clause threat a “bargaining chip” and a “foolish move,” before he stated that “the regulators will not condone it.” An e-mail from top executives at B of A said they “want the transaction to go through but have to protect their shareholders.”

The end

So, now that you know what a MAC clause is, and who is threatening to use it against whom, all we can do is wait to see whether the clause is invoked and whether it works.

Until then,  you can go back to Googling “Tiger Woods Hawaii House,” “Chad Johnson face tattoo” and “prickly shark.” Oh yeah, I know what you’re up to.

People in America have gotten used to freedom of choice. From a consumer finance standpoint, choosing an instant payday loan or online cash advance is a right no government should be able to take away. Many people hold a similar view when it comes to the thorny issue of healthcare in this country. The free market has given many people the ability to make choices that best suit their medical needs. However, a large (and perhaps mostly silent) group of people are finding that choice means nothing when none of the choices are affordable.

This is the group of people President Obama has in mind when he encourages America to move toward socialized medicine. This is a red hot button topic in politics these days. The concept of the cream of the income crop paying more into the healthcare system so that those less fortunate can have access to care has its supporters and detractors. Supporters cite successful examples from Canada, the United Kingdom, France and even the American Veterans Administration system of hospitals, saying that the level ground makes for a happier, healthier populace. Detractors claim socialized medicine subsidizes the irresponsible behavior of others who abuse their bodies and paralyzes private health insurance providers. Furthermore, they suggest that healthcare systems like those in Canada don’t always work.

FreeOurHealthcareNow.com says no

An unknown group is using FreeOurHealthcareNow.com as an online petition that people can sign if they think that socialized medicine is the wrong option for America. They are particularly concerned about government-run health insurance and care. Their petition reads as follows:

President Obama and Congress are pushing “reform” that will move America closer to a government-run system like Canada or Britain. If they succeed, most Americans will no longer be able to keep the insurance they have. Instead, they will be forced into a government-run health insurance market, with most people enrolled in a government-run health plan.

I support the following as key elements of any health care reform plan:

Choice: I support the right to choose my own doctor and to choose a health insurance plan that best fits my family’s needs and budget.

Access: I want to get the treatment I need, when I need it, without delay or denial and I want my health care to be patient-centered rather than government-centered.

Fairness: I want the same tax breaks employers get if I have to pay for may own health insurance; and I want government assistance redirected to those that truly need help.

Responsibility: I want more control to cover my own health care decisions and I want a system that encourages everyone to eliminate fraud, waste and abuse. I want insurance I can take with me if I have to change jobs.

In closing, FreeOurHealthcareNow.com prompts citizens to declare this: “I, the undersigned citizen of the United States, petition the U.S. Congress to stop any increased role of the government in my health care decisions, I also petition the U.S. Congress to protect my right to choose my own doctors and hospitals without delay or denial, to obtain care that is patient-centered, and to have health insurance that is personal, portable and best suits my needs.”

Americans will have the chance to choose very soon

Click the pic to spin this record

It appears Democratic lawmakers are at least willing to put the socialized medicine option out there to see if it sticks. But most do not agree with President Obama’s hearty endorsement of it. They want to continue to offer improved private options.

But make no mistake, you must choose. If you don’t, you just might be hit with tax hikes.

David Espo reports for the Associated Press that senior House Democrats are “considering slapping an unspecified financial penalty on anyone who refuses to purchase affordable health insurance.” Furthermore, Democrats are considering a new tax on certain insurance benefits as a means of covering those who have been uninsured.

Choice A or Choice B

Private insurance or the government option are your choices. Under the House Democratic plan, “individuals and small businesses would be able to purchase coverage from a health exchange and the government would require all plans to contain a minimum benefit,” writes Espo. One welcome aspect of this is that applicants would be exempt from rejection or a higher premium due to pre-existing conditions.

Then there’s the Medicaid upgrade option. Democrats are seeking a uniform level of coverage across the nation. A revamped Medicaid would also up the payments to health professionals (thanks to a tax hike, doubtless).

“Play or pay”

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., who is the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has confirmed that there will be a penalty for those who refuse to buy coverage they can afford. It’s “play or pay.” Waivers would be available for those who could not cover the cost of insurance.

“There is no use having a mandate without a contribution,” he said.

Democratic leaders hope to pass legislation in both houses by early August. Then they hope that a compromise measure will be ready for the president’s signature by the fall.

$1 trillion over 10 years

Financing socialized medicine as Obama envisions it could cost $1 trillion over the next decade, experts predict. Cutting Medicare payments to home health care, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, hospitals and others to cover the expense has been considered, but it is unclear how effective that would be at closing the expense gap. The idea welcomes a rash of other criticisms as well.

Locating areas for saving within the private insurance market is still underway, and this would perhaps be an ideal option to the majority of those concerned. Raising taxes on healthcare would go against the president’s previous pronouncements, but sometimes a politician has to do a 180 and be willing to go face down in the mud.

Getting rid of dead weight

Obama would be mostly alone there if he went with socialized medicine. FreeOurHealthcareNow.com would suey like a pig headed for a future in bacon. But Senator Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, would apparently be in Obama’s corner. According to Espo, she has been searching for a compromise that would hold government-funded healthcare as a last resort for those who cannot afford insurance, even after a Congressional overhaul of the current diseased system.

Personally, I’m willing to pay higher taxes for universal healthcare. The private system has had time to regulate itself via competition and it clearly hasn’t worked. If self-regulation were possible, I’d consider that first, to be sure. However, I look at healthcare and education as basic human rights (not privileges). If socialized medicine becomes a reality in America, I would like to see private companies be absorbed into the process rather than see them simply disappear. Of course some turnover would be inevitable, but I’d like to limit that to some of the top healthcare executive class (expensive dead weight). They’d serve America better hawking ShamWows or joining hands to form live border fences. Once in a while, consumers can pitch in with an instant payday loan or online cash advance to feed them. Because they mustn’t leave their posts near places like Juarez or the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. Leaving their positions is bad for our health.

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Low and behold, I think I have an idea even greater than receiving a cash advance during those times when your money is tight. Well, if not greater, my idea could be just as great as a cash advance.

My idea: jogging.

Sometimes, it’s so easy to give up. Most people give up easily, whether it’s a personal goal that they feel they are not accomplishing fast enough to even a crossword puzzle in the local newspaper that’s mentally stumping you. Whatever idea you have, whatever goals that are set in your mind, to lose weight, stop smoking, or start your career, if you’re going to set a goal, it’s best to commit to it.

Last Lap

Reaching the last lap can be exhilarating and painful all at the same time. When we strive to finish, and control ourselves long enough to complete your mission, it is on the last lap that we realize how much we’ve accomplished and decide that we must have victory!

Wake Up

First, wake up bright and early and say this affirmation: “I am going to finish all my laps.” Try to get enough sleep the night before so that you are fully energized. Eat a light breakfast, and head to the track, or a park. You can either measure your walking or jogging progress through laps or you can measure yourself by completed miles.

Stretch

You would make sure your future finances were in order before getting a cash advance, solely to prepare yourself to return the cash advanced to you. Just like your body needs to stretch as preparation before exercise, you mind should be exercised. After you’ve eaten your breakfast, taken a shower, and are dressed for your walk/jog, stretch your arms and legs. Rotate your neck, and stretch the muscles in your thighs as well as calf muscles.

After you’ve completely stretched your body, sit in a straight backed chair, close your eyes, and start taking deep, concentrated breaths.

Walk │Jog to Success

Now, it’s time to get on the track or to go to the park. Before walking or jogging, stretch your muscles again, to make sure you don’t get muscle cramps and begin walking.

For the first mile that you walk, try your hardest to breathe deeply, pushing out your abdomen as you inhale (until your lungs seemed filled to capacity with air), holding for a count of four and then exhaling. As you do this, your body will go through lots of emotions, sensations, and feelings. You might receive a boost of energy, and then a minute later just feel like stopping. Just remember to breathe deeply, try to maintain a consistent moving pace (so your heartbeat remains steady) and walk.

Thought and Action

Now that you’ve walked a mile and are breathing correctly, it’s time to put your brain to use. Start to think about a goal you wish to accomplish. Envision thinking of the idea, writing down creative steps toward achieving the creation of that idea. You should picture yourself achieving your goal. Where are you? How do you feel — accomplished, relieved, overwhelmed with emotion? What are you wearing? Who is around you? These are questions that should pop up in your mind, causing you to ponder on them, while your brain is in an active yet alternately relaxed state of consciousness.

Reach the Last Lap

Once you reach the last lap, or last mile, it’s time to really push your imagination and body. Keep your pace and movement steady, don’t speed up unless you know for sure that you have the energy to continue in that fashion. Sometimes we might want to achieve something so bad that we push ourselves before being completely prepared. Let’s say you want a new car. You’ve been dreaming of getting one, you know the model and the custom gadgets you’ll have installed. You finally get the car, but after a month realize you can’t afford the car payments or the particular vehicle you wanted requires a rare and expensive type of gasoline. You were not fully prepared for the success of that goal, therefore you’re left disappointed and unhappy.

The same principle of thinking is applied to walking or jogging. If you know you are not physically or mentally ready to speed up your pace or start jogging when you began walking, you will burn yourself out. Some people end up spending months away from the track or park because they pushed themselves further than they were prepared to go.

Once you have mastered a morning jog, and can make it through the last lap or mile, you will be more than ready to conquer the goals you’ve set to claim victory over! The same way your muscles burn, hurt, and feel tired, that’s how your ego will feel when you’re striving to live your dreams. People will have doubt in your abilities, others will try and stop you, but if you remember the burn from your morning walks, the way you wanted to give up on the second mile, but pulled through to the last, you’ll gain more strength to succeed. This determination is what gives individuals the chutzpah to stay strong during hard times, and claim an online cash advance without fear or worry, because payback is as sure as the completion of that last lap. Until you reach it, stay positive.

Most people consider it a good thing for their cash advance application to be approved. Of course, there are lots of things in our lives that we deem “good” or “bad.” But sometimes the line between both good and bad is crossed, and we must look at the outcome of our actions or life with a discerning eye. What looks sweet can be bitter underneath, and most often, if you’d rather be on the other side, the grass will seem greener there, as well.

Before success can be gained, we must start to change our mindsets and how we perceive and think about things. Striving to develop more expansive ideas and conclusions can assist in catapulting you and your ideas to sure-fire success!

Affirmations

First, I’d like to discuss the subject of affirmations, and how they can play very positive roles in the decisions that we make, and the paths we take. Affirmations are simply statements recited to spark a change in the individual speaking them. For example, a mother might say this affirmation every morning before getting out of bed: “I am rejuvenated and ready for the day. I will accomplish everything I set out to do.”

By speaking that particular affirmation every morning, and even throughout the day, she will began to believe what is said, and act upon it. This is the entire reason why affirmations exist, helping people overcome fears, or motivating them to jump-start their goals.

Communication

Try to gain friendships with people who are doing or want to do what you are doing. Communication is the key to networking, and networking is the key to success. Anyone who’s ever said they’ve achieved their dreams solely on their own is lying. You must be able to speak clearly and listen closely when partnering with anyone.

Thinking and Feeling

Sometimes we get our thinking and feelings mixed together, blurring the two together and forgetting which is which. A woman might see a homeless man walking down the street and say, “seeing that makes me sad,” and she might think she is sad, but she really isn’t. The thought of being sad is what caused her to emit emotions of sadness. Had she said, “After seeing that man, the thought of being homeless makes me sad,” the message and feelings would have been conveyed more clearly. Try taking the time out to decipher what you’re thinking and what you are feeling. Your communication skills will become more effective.

Receiving as well as giving…

For thousands of years, mystic spiritualists have been saying that we receive with our left hand and give with our right. This is known as transference of power. Most of the time, when we shake another individual’s hand, we are both giving and receiving power, because we are mirroring one another, transferring the same energy: absorption or amalgamation. Try thinking about the many ways you receive and give energy. This will assist you in understanding the right words to speak at the right time. With practice and observation on what is given from us (words, opinions, actions), and what is received. Remember, life is give and take. You couldn’t get a cash advance and not pay it back, so for everything you receive, find a way to give in return.

Preparing Thought

A good way to help turn negative thoughts into positive ones is by building your thoughts. The simple way to do this is learning and teaching more often. Everything that you learn should be retained in a manner sufficient enough to teach it. Buying a few crossword puzzles and playing mind-stimulating games can certainly build your thought, which helps you communicate and think better. When your cognitive abilities are strengthened, so is your success.

Preparing Actions

As you whip your thoughts and mind into shape, your actions need to be disciplined as well. Try to start thinking from a structured mindset instead of an animalistic and reactive viewpoint. Every action taken and every word spoken from your lips should have a value, meaning you should know why you speak what you say and do the things you do. After all, who would get an online cash advance and not know why they need it?

The story about Wanda Sykes and her controversial statements has been getting more buzz lately than Personal Money Store’s cash advance programs. Who would have thought that a comedian, doing what they’re paid to do, would spark so much debate?

The Story

Wanda Sykes was invited to be the mistress of ceremonies for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner held on Saturday, May 9, 2009. Apparently, there were some statements made about Rush Limbaugh.

This was the main statement that roused White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs into stating that there are a lot of topics that are better left for serious reflection rather than comedy.

Ms. Sykes controversial remarks:

“He said he wants the country to fail…” “To me that’s treason. He’s not saying anything different than what Osama Bin Laden is saying. You might want to look into this, sir, because I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker but he was just so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight…”

After jokingly asking the crowd if the statement was too much, she added, “Rush Limbaugh, I hope the country fails, I hope his kidneys fail, how about that? He needs a good waterboarding, that’s what he needs.”

Though the President laughed at Ms. Sykes’ jokes, on Monday, May 11, Mr. Gibbs set out to remove Barack Obama from any ties to the jokes and said he didn’t think there is any doubt that 9/11 is one of the topics better left for serious reflection.

My Two Cents

Some people have been calling Wanda Sykes a crazed liberal and some folks have lashed out at Rush Limbaugh, calling him weak, as if he initiated the backlash against Ms. Sykes. Though Wanda had very strong opinions of Mr. Limbaugh (after all she said she wants his kidneys to fail) he refused to make any public statements directed to or about Sykes and her comments. I believe that’s the best decision for him to make. Just like with a cash advance, if he isn’t fully sure of what he’s getting into, he should take some time and evaluate the entire situation before taking action.

A Joke’s a Joke

I’ve heard plenty of jokes in reference to the Pearl Harbor attack, the bombing of Hiroshima, and plenty of other devastating events. I’ve seen footage of politicians telling jokes about Hurricane Katrina, and I could have sent a letter to the White House or posted a seething blog post, but at the end of the day, it’s a joke. Granted, some individual’s idea of funny could be ruthlessly insulting to others (Wanda Sykes saying she hopes Mr. Limbaugh’s kidneys fail), however it still is another person’s opinion.

Personally, I found the entire video of Wanda Sykes’ comedy routine funny and refreshing as an online cash advance. What people don’t realize is the message behind Sykes’ comedic rant: if Mr. Limbaugh wants our country to fail, why should we care for him? We went to war because someone or a group of individuals wanted the United States to fail, so that’s what Ms. Sykes did: went to war! Do I agree with her statements? No. Do I understand them? Absolutely.

How do you feel about the situation? Do you think her statements were too out of line? Leave a comment expressing your feelings.

When my feet found the floor Saturday morning, a vague recollection was already pushing its way through the fog in my head. I shuffled bleary-eyed toward the kitchen. By the time I reached the espresso machine, I was awake enough to notice a crystalline blue sky framed in the window. I pulled the first shot and tried to reflect. Half-way through the second pour it hit me: This was the day for my annual trek north to the Canadian Winter Blues Boogie in Silverton, B.C.

Getting Ready to Go

Thanks to a small online cash advance I’d gotten the week before and already paid back, I had snow tires on the car and was ready to go. I wouldn’t miss this event even if I’d had to get an installment loan. I chugged the second shot, tossed my junk in the back seat, and was off to see Dr. Fun and the Nightcrawlers. Route mapping and other minor details could wait.

Planning My Route Carefully

I knew it was a four-hour drive, but I was hoping that careful route selection would make the trip  much longer than that. I asked the customs agent at the border if he knew the ferry schedule on Kootenay Lake. He handed me a printed schedule and offered me a sly grin that seemed to say, “Beautiful day to be on the lake.” That grin assured me that my careful planning had been worth the extra effort.

Composing a Rocky Mountain Eulogy

People write songs about the Canadian Rockies because they can’t help it. With the sunshine flooding through my sunroof, I was composing some effusively sentimental doggerel of my own, when the mountains rose up on the opposite shore, their likeness mirrored without defect on the placid, blue water.

Starting the Day Later that Night

I climbed over the pass (finally, a reason for the snow tires) and rolled into the parking lot of the Silverton Memorial Hall. It was eight o’clock and the sun had been behind the peaks for hours, but the day was just getting started. The doors of the hall were unlocked and everyone in town was shuffling through the knee-deep snow and up the welcoming steps.

Getting Good Stuff for Free

Inside I noticed a sign on the wall touting “Crystal Clear Glacier Water, Fresh from the Tap – Free.” Same price they charge for smiles. The stage was full of instruments. Dancers loitered on the hardwood floor and the air was charged with anticipation. When the Nightcrawlers hit the first note, the dance floor was instantly packed, and tables and chairs became a waste of floor space. Dr. Fun squeezed his way through the ten other musicians already on the stage and the band tore through the first set.

Getting My Hair Raised

Earlier in the day as I drove through town, I had noticed promotional posters for a special guest, Helen Davis. I wasn’t familiar with the name, but I had learned a long time ago that great and famous rarely have much in common.

I found out later that Helen Davis is part of an award-winning a cappella group called the Euphorics. If you want to hear earnest singing, listen to someone who sings without instruments. That’s how Helen Davis does it.

Davis and the good doctor finished the second set with hair-raising renditions of “Burning Down the House,” “Treat her Right,” “Fever,” and “Think.” The third set started with Dr. Fun looking and acting younger than he ever had in all the many times I’d seen him here.  The dance floor was full before the first song ended and it stayed that way until the last note.

Refusing a Frozen Finale

The party ended with a plunge into the icy lake on Sunday morning. Being warm-blooded, I opted out, but my return trip through the Rockies was an adequately grand finale. The Boogie organizers had promised that this year’s event would be even better than last year’s, and it was. I wouldn’t have believed it could be true, had I not been there to witness it.

Marking Next Year’s Calendar

I shuffled into my kitchen and tossed my junk on the table. I reached for an espresso cup, but changed my mind and reached instead for a pen. I flipped through the months of the calendar hanging on the wall above the espresso machine, found the date for next year’s Boogie, and wrote: Best-Ever Canadian Winter Blues Boogie. Then I ground the coffee.

The excitement of a same day online cash advance hasn’t gone away since its inception. However, according to Alexa.com, Facebook has become one of the biggest websites to hit cyberspace. As of April 2009, Facebook was voted number 5 on the Alexa website. Users typically spend around 30 minutes on the site, browsing through over 13,000 applications that their work associates, friends, and family own. Each person connects, and it can be a wondrously powerful tool, to say the least.

Business owners

With enthusiasm to connect via Facebook, the leverage received is very useful for business owners. Whether you are a performer, inventor, clothing designer, blogger, or freelancer, utilizing this phenomenal website can be very beneficial. First, you need to know the basic understanding of marketing and visualize your end goal.

Some Much Needed Information:

Building Your Facebook Profile

It’s not very difficult to create a Facebook profile page. The website directs you to a form where you simply fill in the appropriate information. Leave none of the vital stuff out, such as your blogs, videos, URL’s of your websites and social networking profiles; all of this should be documented in the profile’s area.

Remember that you can easily turn visitors into potential sales when you put just a little thought into your Facebook profile. If you are a speaker or performer, upload demo videos from events you’ve participated in. If you’re a business owner, upload videos of the products or find a creative way to showcase the service you offer. All pertinent educational background, related affiliations, and accreditations should be added to insure trust and reliability for visitors.

Share Status Updates

One major thing I particularly found simplistic yet impressive about Facebook was the ability for members to provide limitless updates to people they’ve connected to, or added as friends.

Keep your updates interesting…

One of the first things you need to remember when creating a status update is to keep it interesting. Do whatever you have to, within your chosen marketing techniques- whether it is personal, an opinion, an idea, a few insights- to keep readers interested. Don’t go against who you are, or pretend to be someone else though. When I mentioned your chosen marketing techniques earlier, I meant that you should balance your updates among purely business and personal issues so either group of people can better relate.

Facebook Emails

A great tool for marketing on the Facebook is the powerful tool called: email. The website offers a fantastic way to manage your contacts, bestowing the ability to send emails about forthcoming specials, discounts, new blog posts or videos to other social networking websites, and upcoming Facebook events.

Facebook Events

Members of Facebook can create event updates and invite all friends and colleagues to live events, teleclasses, product launch pages, webinars, internet radio shows (podcasts) or whatever they like. The template for events is very efficient and can hold lots of valuable information, like clickable links, sales pages and more. This builds interest in whatever service, product, or expertise you plan on providing. An example of this is an online cash advance company like Personal Money Store. Check out their videos on Youtube and learn from their techniques.

Start or Join Groups on Facebook

I’ve found most of my high school alumnus through Facebook Groups. The “groups” application makes it effortless to create groups, and this is a very powerful way to promote your products, businesses, etc. Don’t hesitate to stop off at the discussion board, as well. This informs members about the latest and greatest on the Internet and encourages you to join conversations and leave topic related comments.

Facebook’s broad user base is an astonishing business tool, making you a targeted success based on interest. Thousands of people are holding conferences, teaching people how to utilize the social networking power that only interaction with others can bring. If your business’ profits don’t skyrocket through the roof immediately, just relax. Before you get an online cash advance to cover your business expenses, hang in there, go and make friends on Facebook, and create an interesting profile page to expand your business or your “friends” list.

Housing markets are tough for sellers right now. One of the best things you can do to attract a buyer is make sure your bathrooms are clean, bright, and modern. Start by cleaning, but remember that cleaning to attract a buyer may not be as obvious as it sounds.  Read House Fluffing on a Budget | Making the Bathroom Shine.

Once you’ve cleared the cleaning hurdle, take a critical look at your bathrooms and think about what you should do to update the bathrooms. Get ideas from home staging, interior design, and bathroom remodeling websites. Then ask yourself whether a quick online cash advance or installment loan would help you whip your own bathrooms into shape.

Buyers love updated bathrooms

The last thing potential buyers want to see when viewing a house is bathrooms that need updating. Here are a few of the many things you can do to update yours without breaking the bank. If you have a bathroom that really needs work and you can’t afford to do it, don’t give up. Take a little time to figure out which things would make the biggest difference, and limit your undertaking to those. Many times any improvement is a big improvement.

• If the caulk lines along your bathtub or sink are not spotlessly clean, remove and replace the caulk. Replacing caulk is one of the simplest, least expensive, and most effective things you can do to improve the appearance of a bathroom.
• If the grout between tiles has cracked and fallen out, hire a tiler to replace it. New grout can make old tiles look new.
• If you have an older tub that doesn’t shine anymore or that has a damaged finish, consider hiring a professional to reglaze it. It may not be as expensive as you think, and a clean, shiny tub can make all the difference.
• If the toilet seat is less than perfect, replace it.
• If the fixtures in your bathroom are damaged or outdated (spigots, handles, mirrors, etc.), replace them with sleek and modern fixtures. Stay away from brass fixtures. Most people don’t like them. To see what the styles popular, tour a model home or flip through an interior design magazine or website.
• If the lights are outdated or if they cast a less-than-flattering light, replace them. Light fixtures should be simple and attractive.
• Carpets hold moisture and odors. Remove them and replace with tiles, bathroom-grade wood laminate or a good quality linoleum. Contoured mats that fit around the pedestal of toilets and sinks as well as those plush toilet tank and lid covers feel unclean and look old fashioned. Get rid of them.
• If you have windows in your bathrooms, raise the blindsor pull back the curtains to let as much natural daylight in as possible. If privacy is a concern and your budget permits, consider installing textured modesty glass or applying an inexpensive window film to obscure the glass while allowing light to come in.
• If you can spend a little more and you really want to increase the appeal of your home, consider installing a pedestal sink. They are very popular right now, and they make the bathroom seem larger by freeing up space.

Bathrooms are right up there with the kitchen when it comes to features that make a house attractive to potential buyers. Sprucing up the bathrooms before you put your home on the market is well worth the effort. If you need to get your house on the market and you’re crunched for cash, it’s worth getting a quick online cash advance or installment loan to help get your bathrooms in tip-top shape.

Bathroom updating can be an expensive undertaking, but you don’t need to take it too far to make a big difference. Some inexpensive improvements combined with lots of scrubbing and polishing can work wonders. The formula for success is one part quick payday loan to three parts physical effort and exertion. Once your bathrooms are clean and bright, you’re ready to move on to updating. Read House Fluffing on a Budget | Making the Bathroom Modern.

Clean, clean, and then clean again!

Your bathrooms may be just as clean as the bathrooms of the potential buyers who will be touring your home. But that’s not clean enough. People get comfortable with their own bathrooms, but they are much more discerning and demanding when they’re looking at someone else’s, especially if they’re thinking about buying the house. Buyers love the idea of a brand new bathrooms that no one else has ever used. A thorough cleaning will go a long way toward making yours seem that way.

• Put on your “buyer’s glasses,” step back, and take an objective look. You may be surprised, for example, at the build-up around the edges of the sink fixtures. Leave no signs of usage such as toothpaste stains and soap scum. Scrub the small, hard-to-reach places with a toothbrush or toothpick.
• Glass shower doors are always a cleaning problem. Remove them and take them outside for cleaning. Use a solution of one part muriatic acid to ten parts water (use protective eyewear when mixing). Scrub the doors with steel wool and rinse them clean. If you’ll be using the bathroom while the house is on the market. Dry the insides of the doors with a soft, absorbent towel after every shower.
• Don’t stop after you’ve cleaned the obvious things. Clean the light fixtures, windows, window sills, base boards, heat vent covers, towel racks, and toilet paper holders. Clean the cabinets and drawers, inside and out.
• Give the tiles a thorough scrubbing. If the grout is discolored use bleach and a tooth brush (wear protective goggles and gloves) or a grout pen to restore the whiteness.

Be firm about decluttering

Bathrooms can be like curiosity shops. Leaving personal items on display is not only unattractive, it’s distracting. Be modest; treat your bathrooms like they belong to someone else.  If you don’t, potential buyers will focus on your lifestyle instead of the room. Too much information is not a good thing, so keep everyday care products and towels out of sight.

Get rid of reading materials.  Pare down wall decorations to an absolute minimum. Invest in some attractive bath oils, scented soaps, or natural candles that will gently infuse the air with a clean but not clinical or highly perfumed scent. Purchase a set of matching towels that work with your color scheme, and use them for show only.

Be prepared for showings

If you’ll be living in your house while it’s on the market, it can be very challenging to keep the bathrooms spotless, especially if you have children. Think about buying some simple wicker baskets, one for every member of the household. Keep everyday toiletries in these baskets. Carry them to the bathrooms when needed and store them away, along with towels, in cupboards or closets when not in use. This, combined with toweling off wet surfaces like shower walls and doors after use and keeping the room well ventilated, will make it easy to have your home ready for a viewing on short notice.

There are times when emergency surgery is necessary. It could be that it’s the only thing that keeps you alive after a traumatic incident. Sometimes it might not be a requirement in order to live, but it could mean a dramatically increased quality of life. Whatever the case, such surgeries are almost prohibitively expensive.  If your insurance doesn’t cover it, or only covers up to a certain point, you may find yourself in a financial dilemma. Do you pay your other bills until your next paycheck comes in, or do you try online cash advance and installment loans? The former exposes your credit rating to damage, while the latter greatly improves your quality of life, at least financially. But for Connie Culp, a face transplant improved her entire quality of life. Hers is the first face transplant of this degree (80 percent), and she is showing the world that she is strong enough to rise above the domestic tragedy that once engulfed her.

“Not a monster”

Marilynn Marchione reports for the Associated Press that Connie Culp has recovered admirably from a shotgun blast that completely disfigured her face. Expressions aren’t completely natural yet as circulation and nerve growth improve, but Culp can talk, smile, smell and taste again. Her speech may sometimes hard to decipher, her skin may droop as face transplant pictures show, but Connie Culp has nothing but praise for her doctors and the donor family who made a new face available after a recent death.

Beyond horror

Culp’s husband, Thomas, fired a shotgun into her face in 2004, then turned the gun on himself. He survived and went to prison for seven years. Connie Culp’s nose, cheeks, the roof of her mouth and an eye were destroyed. Only the upper eyelids, forehead, lower lip and chin were left. Hundreds of buckshot and bone fragments were embedded in her face. She required a tracheotomy in order to breathe. Thirty operations later, Connie Culp was on the road to a better face, but there were still difficulties. Despite having parts of her ribs taken to make cheekbones, leg bones used to construct an upper jaw and numerous skin grafts, Culp still couldn’t eat solid food, breathe without aid or smell.

Then, the face transplant

A 22-hour face transplant operation in Cleveland, Ohio by Dr. Maria Siemionow and her team of doctors replaced most of Connie Culp’s face with bone, muscles, nerves, skin and blood vessels from a recently deceased donor. It was much more extensive than the face transplant on Isabelle Dinoire, the world’s first. At this writing, no information has been released about the face transplant donor or how she died, but it is known that the family of the donor woman were “moved” once they saw the before and after shots of Connie Culp, said Dr. Siemionow. Since the face transplant was an experimental surgery, the Cleveland clinic expects to absorb the cost. according to doctors. Siemionow estimated the cost at $250,000 to $300,000. Astonishingly, that’s less than the $1 million other surgeons estimate it costs to treat severely disfigured people through dozens of operations, she said.

On being a role model

Connie Culp has said she wants to use her face transplant as a springboard to motivate those who have suffered burns and disfiguring injuries – and to help bring about acceptance of their appearance in society. “When somebody has a disfigurement and don’t look as pretty as you do, don’t judge them, because you never know what happened to them,” she said. “Don’t judge people who don’t look the same as you do. Because you never know. One day it might be all taken away.” Related Video:

After eight months of unemployment, I finally landed a job. But by then, I had been sliding on my bills for a few months and it was time to pay the Piper. It may seem ironic that my financial situation sank to its nadir after I started working again. But I had been skimming by on my meager savings, and as time passed I started to push bill-paying to the absolute deadline I would pay the utility bills just before my service was scheduled to be cut off. I would pay my rent on the last day of the grace period.

By the time I finally found a job, I had no money left. I had built up some some lag-time in my bill paying system, but luckily, it didn’t catch up with me until after I had been working for about six weeks.  And then the utility cut-off notices started coming in. I juggled the bills for the first month (and the first two paychecks), but I was faced with the stubborn fact that my paychecks were a little too paltry to get me caught up. So I found myself looking for an online cash advance loan.

I had nowhere else to turn

I never thought I’d be in that situation — shopping for a payday loan. I’ll admit I was ashamed, but I don’t have credit cards or anyone to turn to for financial help. My financial downturn started when I moved to a new city about a year ago. Economically, it wasn’t a good time to move. But I had the opportunity and the ability to go, and I’m not one to let a faltering economy dictate my life choices.

Still, it wasn’t a smart move. I had a lot of difficulty finding a job. I finally found some part-time work as a cashier at a neighborhood market. Then things got worse. I had been working only three weeks when all the part-time employees were laid off.  I had been self-employed before moving and hadn’t been employed long enough in my new location to collect unemployment compensation.

I finally found a job

Some 148 job applications and eight months later, I finally landed a job. I had made it through eight months of unemployment by stretching every dollar of my savings to the limit. I hadn’t borrowed any money or bought anything on credit, but still, I was sinking financially. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t get my first check until almost three weeks after I started. So I had to keep pushing those payment deadlines.

A small payday loan kept the wolf from my door

By the time I was due for my third paycheck, I couldn’t pay any bills at all. Everything was due at once. What I needed was just a little more money right now. I got a $250 instant payday loan, and as soon as I did, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel. The loan was automatically deposited to my bank account at about the same time as my regular paycheck.

I used the $250 cash advance to pay the minimum amounts due on all my utilities, and I used my paycheck for the rent. The loan will be repaid by an automatic deduction from my next paycheck. I’ll use the balance of that paycheck to pay my car insurance and all the remaining balances on my utility bills. I’ll even be able to get my hair cut. I’ll still be living hand-to-mouth, but at least I’ll be back in business.

I cut my losses

Without that payday loan, I’d be in a real mess. I don’t know what I would have done about the utilities. I suppose I would have spent a good deal of time on the phone begging utility companies for mercy. If I couldn’t work out something with the utility companies, I’d have been looking at hundreds of dollars in hook-up fees and deposits. I’d have had to pay my rent late, and that would have been an $80 late fee. I’d also have had to pay my car insurance late, which would be another $10 late fee. I probably would have been forced to float a check at the grocery store, and if I had miscalculated the time it took for the check to clear the system, I’d have been looking at a $42 overdraft fee. It goes on and on.
I’m paying $37.50 for my payday loan. According to the truth-in-lending statement, that’s an annual percentage rate of 614%. I’ll admit that’s a hard fact to swallow. But had I paid my rent late by just a couple days instead of getting the cash advance, my landlord’s fee would be more than twice that rate. And that’s even harder to swallow.

I’m in the open

Or at least, I’m out of the thickest part of the woods. Everything will be paid on time, and I won’t have to risk bouncing any checks. Two paychecks from now, I might even be able to put a little away in my savings account. I know there is a lot of contentious debate circulating about payday loans. Unless you’ve been to this place for yourself, you’re not likely to understand the significance of a measly little $250 cash advance. But I’ve been there, and that payday loan saved me from real financial trouble.

Welcome back to the “Repair Your Credit” E-book. Last time, we discussed some steps you can take to right the ship if you’ve depended too much upon borrowed money like online cash advance. It’s all about good habits. Now, let’s go further with more helpful strategies and hints you can begin to apply right now. Fewer loans and fewer credit cards can equal fewer worries, once you have your finances under control. Repair your credit today!

Eliminate debt

Perhaps your reason for a payday loan is that you’re trying to keep up to date on your payments with creditors. Perhaps this month you’re falling short and want to avoid late penalties that will put you further in the hole. If you do not have a large amount of total debt and just need a little bit of help to avoid falling deeper, online payday loans can be useful. Avoiding them and choosing penalties and a lower FICO score simply doesn’t make sense.

However, if you’re facing an even deeper struggle to handle everyday expenses and bills, don’t be afraid to seek help.

Shape up

Your goals are twofold. Not only do you want to repair your credit, but you want to travel that road where it takes you – toward creating wealth. So you much be in control of your finances.

How do you get and stay out of debt? There are several strategies that you can implement to put yourself back in control of your financial affairs. I hope this E-book can steer you in the right direction.

Let’s get started

Think you’re alone in your debt trouble? Think again. There’s something you should know about Americans, courtesy of author Kevin Trudeau:

Did you know?

• Between credit, debit and retail charge cards, there is a total of 1.3 billion cards issued in America. The average household has thirteen cards
• Over $1.5 trillion dollars are charged to credit cards annually. 40 percent of U.S. households spend more than they earn
• The average American has $8,400 in credit card debt and pays $950 dollars a year in interest
• 96 percent of all Americans will be financially dependent on the government, family, or charity at retirement
• Nearly one in 100 households in the United States will claim bankruptcy
• Nearly half of Americans have less than $10,000 saved for their retirement

Left unchecked, debt is detrimental to your financial future. As mentioned, the average American pays $950 each year in debt. Wouldn’t you love to be able to put that money to better use, particularly during a recession? When enough is enough, it’s time to get tough on your financial habits. CLICK HERE and we’ll go even deeper into what you can do to take the reins of your finances and repair your credit.

When you need money, the dollar sign is your constant companion. It follows you everywhere. It fills your mail box, calls you on the phone, and makes demands. It even wakes you up in the middle of the night. It cheats you at the gas pump, shocks you at the grocery store, and gets a good laugh when you look at the price tag on a new pair of shoes. Why not get this persistent symbol off your back with a quick payday loan? Then relax for a minute and consider where it may have come from.

The dispute rages on (in limited circles)

Thomas Jefferson

The origin of the dollar sign is a matter of controversy for anyone interested in numismatics, the study of coins and paper money. The first use of $ in an American context is in 1784 in a memorandum from Thomas Jefferson suggesting the dollar as the primary unit of currency. Some have deduced from this that he made it up there and then, either as a monogram based on his own initials or as a kind of doodle.

Ayn Rand

A more widely held notion is that it originated as the letters U and S superimposed on each other and that the U eventually disintegrated into unconnected parallel lines. The problem with this theory (popularized by novelist Ayn Rand in Atlas Shrugged) is that $ as a symbol for peso far outdates its application to U.S. dollars and is still widely used as a peso sign throughout Latin America.

Hercules

The most likely explanation may be that the dollar sign is a simplified depiction of the Spanish coat of arms engraved on the old, silver Spanish pieces of eight – the twin Pillars of Hercules wrapped around with an S-shaped scroll.

Other theories abound

The numeral eight

The dollar sign is derived from a slash through the numeral eight, denoting Spanish pieces of eight.

The Potosi mint mark

The dollar sign was inspired by the mint mark on Spanish “pieces of eight” minted in Potosi (a city and department of Bolivia) comprised of the letters “PTSI” superimposed on one another.

A unit of silver

The dollar sign derives from a unit of silver, each unit being one bit of a piece of eight. Before the American Revolution, prices were often quoted in units of the Spanish dollar. According to this theory, when a price was quoted a capital S was used to indicate silver with a capital U written on top to indicate units. Eventually the U was replaced by double vertical hash marks.

The Romans

The dollar sign derives from the sesterius, a Roman coin represented by the letters HS which, when superimposed, form a dollar sign with two vertical strokes.

The Greeks (who lumped bankers with thieves)

The dollar sign originated with Hermes, the Greek god of bankers, thieves, messengers, and tricksters. One of Hermes’s symbols was the caduceus, a staff from which ribbons or snakes dangled in a sinuous curve.

Give peace a chance

Whatever its source, the dollar sign is everywhere and it’s here to stay. So try to make friends with it. A convenient online cash advance may be just the debt relief (as well as the peace offering) you need.

A key element of how you’ll “Repair Your Credit” is making mountains of debt more manageable. CLICK HERE if you missed the last installment of this article.

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Let’s face it. Managing debt can be a long, slow and tedious process. If you find yourself juggling numerous revolving credit accounts each month and relying upon online cash advance and installment loans to make ends meet, you need to find a different path through the woods. It could help you to use methods of debt consolidation. By doing so, you can put all your debt under one umbrella. At the very least, it’s likely you’ll save on interest rates each month, which makes a big difference in the long run.

When is it time to seek debt consolidation help?

Seeking help can be humbling for some and many find themselves embarrassed to seek out the appropriate help. But we’re living in a recession, we aren’t getting any younger – no Benjamin Buttons here – and we want to repair credit here. So if there’s any possibility that you could use help, take action and find it. The longer you wait, the more interest accumulates and the larger your debt pile becomes.

A good time to seek debt help is when you experience the following:

• You can only afford the minimum payments on your credit cards each month
• You’re taking on debt to pay for previous debt. An example would be using your credit card to make payments on other cards
• You write checks from one account to make a payment on another because you lack the money needed to keep up
• You are in or near “maxed out” city
• You’re working more hours or taking up part-time work in addition to your day job so that you can keep up
• You find yourself using credit for essentials like groceries and gas
• You have lost your job and don’t know how you’re going to make the minimum payments

If any of this applies to you, it’s time to take action. Begin thinking about what you can do to manage your debt before it gets out of control.

Credit card balance transfers

If your credit is at least fair (let’s say a FICO score of 660 or better), transferring the balance from a high interest card to a lower interest card might be an option. A key thing to look for here is a card that doesn’t bear an annual fee. Since there are so many banks and credit cards out there that are willing to compete for your business – recession or not – you’re bound to find a transfer option out there that has terms favorable to you. A zero percent interest rate for the life of transferred balances is ideal. Also look for a card that will allow you to transfer multiple balances, if necessary.

Home equity loans

This is the most popular form of debt consolidation, because a person’s home is generally the largest asset they possess. If you currently own a home with some equity left in it (I know, there are no guarantees of that in this economy), you can refinance the mortgage to pay off your debts and, if you’re lucky, you may even get a lower interest rate while you’re at it. Considering how low interest rates still are after the collapse of the American housing market, mortgage loan modification pays. Spread your payments out over thirty years. This gives you some immediate relief and ties all your debt into one payment with your mortgage.

CLICK HERE to see what else you can do…

Tough year for consumer finance. People use online cash advance loans and credit cards to dig in where their paychecks don’t go, but habitual use can create trouble. It has also been a rough year for American high finance. Small and large banks have collapsed under the weight of their own irresponsible lending (special thanks to ACORN and Self-Help, Inc. for that recession bomb). The largest financial institutions have begged at the doorstep of Obama’s big top government, and they have made off with billions of dollars. Whatever confidence investors and the general public had in this system is severely damaged. One would hope that it is not permanent.

Then there are big time lenders like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They have disgraced themselves (again, with ACORN and Self-Help, Inc.’s assistance) before the eyes of the taxpaying public, and the day-to-day efforts to rebuild credibility must weigh on their consciences like a great millstone.

But money and public opinion are never worth more than a life. Sadly, acting CFO David Kellermann of Freddie Mac may have taken his own life over it.

A horrific story

Tom Jackman, Debbi Wilgoren and Zachary Goldfarb of the Washington Post report that David Kellermann was found dead in his Fairfax County home after apparently committing suicide, Fairfax police said.

Kellermann, 41, was a longtime Freddie Mac executive who joined the firm as an analyst in 1992. He became acting CFO in September of 2008. Police were called to his home shortly before 5 a.m. according to the authorities. The call was made by someone inside the home whose identity has not been revealed. The body was was found in the basement. It was unclear to the Post whether a suicide note or other sign of motivation had been left behind.

A company in trouble

It may very well have been stress that led to the David Kellermann suicide. Freddie Mac had made “risky mortgage-related investments” that resulted in losses in the billions. After the American housing market crashed, Freddie Mac was “transformed into a quasi-government agency, carrying out big parts of the Obama administration’s housing recovery plan,” as the Post puts it.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were severely criticized by Congress for paying $210 million in retention bonuses (spread between 7,600 over an 18-month span). Further inflaming matters, federal regulator James Lockhart defended the ill-timed bonuses, saying “those currently working at the companies are an important part of the solution and not the problems of the past.”

The public didn’t agree

As acting CFO, Kellerman was responsible for Freddie Mac’s financial controls, financial reporting, tax, capital oversight and compliance with federal oversight requirements. He also oversaw the company’s budgeting and financial planning.

According to the Post, Freddie Mac’s government-appointed CEO, David Moffett, quit following disagreements with federal regulators. John Koskinen has been serving as a temporary replacement. No permanent successors to Moffett – or Kellerman – have been named.

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Apparently the Googlesphere has a burning question on their minds:

What is waterboarding?

Since many people view this as treading into murky waters, I shall refer to The Swamp in this discussion. Mark Silva writes that President Obama may have only discovered the tip of the iceberg when it comes to how often the torture tactic was used under the G.W. Bush administration’s consent.

Before telling you how often, consider this, taxpayers. Is this what you want the government to be doing with your tax dollars? Then turn around and tell you that online cash advance and installment loans aren’t OK when you need help between paychecks?

How does 266 times on two prisoners sound to you?

Here’s part of a recent New York Times report:

The CIA officers used waterboarding at least 83 times in August 2002 against Abu Zubaydah, according to a 2005 Justice Department legal memorandum. Abu Zubaydah has been described as a Qaeda operative… former C.I.A. officer, John Kiriakou, told ABC News and other news media organizations in 2007 that Abu Zubaydah had undergone waterboarding for only 35 seconds before agreeing to tell everything he knew.

The 2005 memo also says that the C.I.A. used waterboarding 183 times in March 2003 against Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described planner of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Human rights vs. national security

We already know that CIA employees who utilized the practice will not be tried in court. Rahm Emanuel recently reiterated this, and informed ABC News’ “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” that the president is still editing his official statement on waterboarding before their release. We also know that Mr. Obama has ordered that all interrogations be conducted according to rules contained in the Army Field Manual.

Inevitably, there are critics of Obama’s position. Mike Hayden, a former director of the CIA under George W. Bush, said that releasing CIA memos that reveal the use of waterboarding “makes the nation less safe” by instructing terrorists as to the extent of America’s interrogation techniques.

On that human rights thing

I know some of you will argue that those who conspire to commit mass terror – to kill – may forfeit certain rights. I can only agree with you to a point. I do not want to invest my tax dollars in supporting what amounts to a moral end around. I have suspicions that the intelligence community could stand to expand their recruiting efforts and rely more upon the power of method acting. Judging by the state of disarray before and after 9/11, our nation’s intelligence was not prepared. Now they should know what problems need fixing.

But what if life imitated the television program “24?” What if information was needed to save lives, and agents only had moments to get it? Ideally, with a proper intelligence network in place, these scenarios would not occur. However, in an emergency, I’m hoping we’ll perfect the technology to read brain engrams. Oh yes, we’re part-way there already. Technology will serve us in that capacity. It’s like poet Emily Dickinson wrote in poem 185:

“Faith” is a fine invention
When Gentlemen can see—
But Microscopes are prudent
In an Emergency.

If you like, we can discuss the invasion of one’s thoughts in the comments section. Excelsior!

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It appears the recession is not dissuading Boston Marathon runners from marking the occasion with souvenir merchandise. Sales at the three-day John Hancock Sports and Fitness Expo are right on track compared to previous years. In fact, the race’s official outfitter, Adidas, plans to double its sales over last year’s.

Gotta have it

Apparently, runners are willing to do whatever it takes, whether that means getting an online cash advance or using credit cards, to take home memorabilia that commemorates their participation in the Boston Marathon. From the Boston Globe:

“This is possibly a once-in-a-lifetime thing,” said Heather Billings of Boston, who checked out an $80 souvenir Adidas jacket at Marathon Sports on Boylston Street. “You always try to weigh the options. Do I really need this? Yes, I do because this is something I’m really proud of doing.”

More on the merchandise

Of course, Boston Marathon gear includes aisles of running gear. Also very popular are the commemorative plaques, lithographs and jewelry.

To put it in the words of the Boston Globe: “The 113th Boston Marathon appears largely recession-proof.

Sponsors still invested

The executive director of the Boston Marathon, Guy Morse, says that the slump in consumer spending has cause sponsors to re-evaluate how they spend their money.  However, he stays that sponsorship for the marathon has remained steady. He expects to add more sponsors next year. Adidas has already signed on to be the official outfitter again next year.

The job search isn't what it used to be.

If you’re unemployed, underemployed or just don’t want a permanent job, SoloGig.com is a great tool to help you find contract, freelance or consultant work.

SoloGig.com is the contract provider for CareerBuilder.com, the largest online job board.

Getting started

Just as easily as you can get an online cash advance, you can sign up at SoloGig.com. In fact, you don’t need to be signed up to view the contract gigs available in your area, but you do have to register to apply for jobs online.

The site asks all of the usual questions plus what type of work you are seeking, categories you are interested in and desired salary. There is a spot to post your resume, too.

Types of work

SoloGig.com calls itself “the preeminent resource for finding contract, consulting, freelance, temp-to-hire, and part-time project opportunities.” It offers jobs in the following categories:

• Engineering & Aerospace
• Creative & Design
• Law & Paralegal
• Clinical & Scientific
• Sales & Marketing
• Finance & Accounting
• IT & Technical
• Healthcare
• Energy
• Construction

And, of course, Other.

Where in the world is the work?

SoloGig.com lets you search based on location, and you can search your city, your zip code or your state. Or another state, as the case may be. You can also put in keywords that explain the types of projects or jobs you want.

From the company

SoloGig.com advertises itself as such:

Sologig.com offers users the tools and technology expected from the largest online job board combined with the comfortable atmosphere and one on one attention independent professionals deserve.

Help in this economy

Surely enough, the unemployment rate is still climbing. With all of the competition out there it is good to have as many weapons in your arsenal as possible to launch your attack on joblessness. SoloGig.com has opportunities that you won’t find on craigslist, and it is specifically geared toward people seeking temporary employment. But you never know what can happen once you get your foot in the door.

In a challenging economy, it’s important to be as diverse as possible in your skill set. Employers like employees who can bring something valuable to the table. Being able to communicate in multiple languages is quite valuable in a business setting. It’s like an online cash advance for expanding the sales market. It can also be culturally enriching on a personal level. Whatever the case, it doesn’t take reading the cards to credit someone who takes the initiative to improve.

The only exposure to a foreign language many Americans have is through required high school and college courses. However, if you have a computer and a bit of extra money to spend, Rosetta Stone computer software is a fun way to learn a new language (I’ve tried Spanish, Japanese and Arabic). And now that the Rosetta Stone IPO has occurred, you’re going to be seeing more of them.

A good first day

Tim Mullaney reports for Bloomberg that Rosetta Stone Inc. made a killing in its first day of trading after raising “more than expected” in its initial public offering. The stock jumped 40 percent by 4 p.m. EST in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Underwriters from Morgan Stanley and William Blair & Co. started the price at $18 per share, which turned out to be more than the company’s own projection of $15 to $17.

Investors are optimistic Rosetta Stone will earn enough money through the sale of stock to extend their reach further outside the United States. In doing so, it seems likely that they would grab their share of the $83 billion annual share of the post-college language learning pie.

A world of sales to be had

To their credit, Rosetta Stone has boosted sales of their software more than 50 percent in each of the past two years. Yet 90 percent of their earnings still come from the United States. They are confident that this public stock offering will be their ticket to the world.

Indeed, part of the proceeds will pay for that expansion, says CEO Tom Adams. According to Mullaney, the company also “plans to supplement its product line with an online ‘socialization environment,’” which will enable customers to practices their language skills while making friends.

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(This is part three of this segment of “Repair Your Credit.” CLICK HERE if you missed part two)…

Remember what I said about the media? Well, they manage to extract testimonials from some “victimized” consumers. They are meant to elicit sympathy for those whose lives have supposedly been torn apart by short term loans. Here’s a sample of such a testimony. Of course you aren’t hearing exactly how the original debt was accrued and a rundown of how fees rose as high as they did. That wouldn’t make for good television, as the pundits see it. This would:

It was a $700 loan and I was paying back almost $1,900… when you first sign the contract, it sounds so good, it’s just not that way when you are writing out the checks.

And your hovercraft is full of eels

How’s that for an incomplete story? These types of public testimonies against the industry by consumers are loud, but weak. They try to drum up sympathy through a personal account of irresponsibility. Here, the customer’s testimony leads us to believe that there were was some hidden plot to rob her of an extra $1,200.

Yet the fact remains that the customer didn’t pay her debts according to the terms agreed upon at signing. To dig that much of a hole, the consumer would have to default or roll over multiple times. Current federal laws limit the number of allowable rollovers with a single cash advance lender, so this customer appears to have been very busy finding new Peters to borrow from to pay Paul. If the principal and interest had been paid on time, the most the customer would likely have paid is around $1,000 – and that’s only with the most expensive online payday loan providers. The typical amount would be much lower.

CLICK HERE to see what online cash advance companies can’t do. The image on the left should give you a pretty good hint…

The 2009 “Pig Book” is being released today. The book is a detailed account of “pet project” or “pork barrel” government spending.

This year’s “Pig Book” reports that the government has funded fewer pet projects but spent more money on earmarks overall.

‘Pig Book’ by the numbers

Capitol Hill lawmakers this year have added 10,160 pet projects to the budget. That’s a 12.5 percent decrease from last year’s 11,610 projects. However, the total cost of the 2009 pet projects is $19.6 billion, compared to last year’s $17.2 billion.

The “Pig Book” reports this represents a 14 percent increase in cost to taxpayers. Of course, under the new stimulus plan you won’t see that cost immediately. But it may send you scrambling for an online cash advance to pay your taxes next year.

What constitutes ‘pork’?

The “Pig Book” has been released every year since 1991 by the Citizens Against Government Waste. The group calls itself “America’s #1 taxpayer watchdog.” It defines “pork” as any government-funded project that meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Requested by only one chamber of Congress
• Not specifically authorized
• Not competitively awarded
• Not requested by the President
• Greatly exceeds the President’s budget request or the previous year’s funding
• Not the subject of congressional hearings
  
• Serves only a local or special interest

You can download a summary PDF of the book or order a hard copy if you make a donation at CAGW’s web site. However, some details of the book were printed in the Christian Science Monitor.

Enforcing transparency

Besides reporting the amount and nature of each pet project, the “Pig Book” names the sponsors of each earmark — if it can. Christian Science Monitor reports:

Of the 10,160 projects is this year’s Pig Book, CAGW identified 221 earmarks worth $7.8 billion that were funded in violation of Congress’s own transparency rules.