Posts Tagged ‘Articles’
Taking Back Christmas
John Grisham wrote a book called SKIPPING CHRISTMAS. Amazon.com reports: “John Grisham turns a satirical eye on the overblown ritual of the festive holiday season, and the result is Skipping Christmas, a modest but funny novel about the tyranny of December 25….”
My friend Dessa Byrd Reed, author of the poetry books THE BUTTERFLY TOUCH and SEVEN BRIDGES, prefers nontraditional holidays. She wrote in THE DESERT WOMAN that as a widow she often spends time with friends over the holidays, take trips, or simply goes out to eat on Christmas (not necessarily turkey). It’s easy to see why, especially if you grew up with traditional Christmas expectations of warmth, family, and usually, expressions of faith. Christmas is under attack in this country. I think it was my high school AP Government class that asked us about cases involving removing Nativity scenes from public places. At the risk of revealing my ripe old age of 32, that was in 1990.
First we had the trend of saying Xmas for Christmas. Then Christmas sales started way back before Halloween. Now, the holiday season is more about parties, overeating and drinking, and commercialism than expressing spirituality, in particular and especially the Christian faith.
The secularists don’t much like church, whether because of parents who used religion as an excuse for too-strict disciplines (or hatred and prejudice), drug trips in the ’60s, or fanaticism (never mind that Christ welcomed everyone). This secularist attitude got wonderful treatment in a recent episode of “Jack & Bobby” co-created by Brad Meltzer, bestselling author and a friend.
When we try to kick Christ out of a holiday named for Him, our society has a problem.
What’s been the result of using the euphemism “holiday” and banning the Nativity? Congress may not be making any law about the free expression of religion, but the elite brain trust is acting like the Church of England kicking out the Puritans. What’s the result? Clashes over religion. Holiday depression. Loneliness around the holidays, especially in nursing homes. Suicide.
What’s lost among the way? The spirit of giving. Warmth and compassion. Communion with family, friends and neighbors. And yes, that pesky expression of faith the secularists on the far left moan about. Ever notice that when it comes to their free expression of faith or lack thereof, they scream “racism” or “[fill in the blank] phobia” whenever Bill O’Reilly or anyone for that matter dares to pray or remind them that there is a God beyond their ideology? They accuse Christians of proselytizing but don’t hesitate to lecture on what is and what is not offensive today. President George Bush is mocked for his faith, and Senator John Kerry, a Roman Catholic, seems to have his usual difficulty sticking to a point on thorny social issues. No wonder the conventional wisdom was always not to discuss religion and politics, and for whatever God’s sake, don’t mix the two (even though it happens time and again), and let’s just all get along and sing carols at Christmas.
It seems that people are rebelling. The success of “Passion of the Christ,” the Da Vinci Code and the Left Behind Series, as well as “Joan of Arcadia,” “7th Heaven,” and “Touched by an Angel” indicates a movement in popular culture.
Instead of skipping Christmas, let’s take back Christmas in our homes and families. Unless your family members and friends are Orthodox Jews or Muslims, you can celebrate Christmas with them.
After all, Judaism and Islam recognize Jesus Christ as a prophet. Every religion celebrates the spirit of giving, from Kabbalah to Hinduism. We all agree we have too much stuff, too much food (as our overweight society proves), too much alcohol, too little kindness, patience and respect. We all want connection, love, belonging, and a place in the manger.
Top ten tips for taking back Christmas:
1) Make homemade gifts. Skip the malls. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to give something from the heart.
2) Invite friends or relatives to dinner instead of trying to give expensive gifts that no one uses anyway.
3) Don’t roll your eyes when someone says, “Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.” And for Goddess’ sake, don’t use the “men” part to launch an anti-male rant.
4) Whatever your faith, speak up and say that Christian-bashing (or bashing of any kind) offends you, especially around the Christmas season.
5) Get together with friends and family and make care packages for homeless shelters,nursing homes, etc. Make that your gift to each other.
6) Call those friends or relatives you usually avoid talking to. Hearing about your old college roommate’s third marriage might not thrill you, especially since you can’t get a word in edgewise, but it’s a good way to give of your time, something we all feel we don’t have enough of but make for friends anyway.
7) If you’re just dying to cook that turkey dinner but your parents or mother-in-law insist on doing it THEIR way, give in. This is not a “me me me” time.
Rent or watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Linus’ recitation of the Bible and the gang’s rendition of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” could make even Scrooge smile. And even Lucy van Pelt admits, “Charlie Brown is a blockhead, but he did get a nice tree.”
9) Take quiet time to think, meditate, and yes, pray. Consider it the mental vacation to Tahiti you can’t take because the family has camped out at your house.
10) Appreciate your children’s gifts, especially the homemade macaroni ornaments. The first gift of Christmas was a child.
We’ve taken back our streets. We’ve taken back the night. Let’s all take back Christmas, and we won’t have to skip it. But if you do feel like skipping Christmas to restore your faith, do it. The gift of one less stressed grumpy person around the holidays is priceless.
Kristin Johnson is co-author of Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com
Handing in Your Resignation and Serving Notice
Have you made the right choice? Before deciding to resign from your current position and move to a new employer, you should weigh up as objectively as possible all the relevant factors: remuneration, working environment, location, travel demands, training and development opportunities, promotional prospects, and your future bosses.
Consider also what impact a job with the new company would have on your resume. Once you have received and accepted a formal written commitment from your new employer, you should serve notice immediately.
It is important to behave in a professional manner throughout the resignation process. Your character and your personal integrity should never be in question. Be positive; be co-operative; and avoid recriminations.
State that you are leaving the company and hand in your letter of resignation at the same time.
Be prepared for a reaction. If your employer presses you for reasons, give brief and positive answers. Don’t argue or complain. Don’t allow yourself to be deflected from your purpose or drawn into a protracted discussion.
Do everything possible to establish a friendly tone and leave a good impression. State that you are leaving because your new employment offers you opportunities for advancement. Your decision is the result of careful consideration.
Your written resignation should be concise and definite. Do not go into details or give your reasons for leaving. If you have any grievances, don’t express them in the letter. Give no cause for animosity. Ask if there is anything you can do to ensure a smooth transition.
In the letter, state that you are leaving and when. Give as much notice as possible. Two weeks is generally acceptable, but check your contract or the company handbook.
Sample letter:
Dear ( )
I have decided to resign my position as (??..) at (company) effective (date) to take a position with (new employer). I greatly appreciate the opportunity that you and (the company) have given me to develop my skills and further my career.
I shall make every effort to ensure that the transition period goes smoothly for all concerned.
Yours sincerely
( )
Counter offer. Your decision was carefully thought out, so stick to it. Changing your mind makes you appear indecisive and creates a negative impression. It calls into question your long-term commitment and loyalty to your current employer.
During the period of notice, carry out your duties in a diligent and professional manner. Assure your boss that you will complete any outstanding task. If this is not possible, leave detailed instructions for your replacement. Check that all your records are in order. Inform your colleagues that you are leaving. When discussing things with them, resist the temptation to make disparaging comments about your present job or boast about your new one. Do your best to leave on good terms with everybody.
Exit Interview. Many companies expect their employees to attend an exit interview with the Human Resources Manager. If requested to do so, co-operate fully. Conduct yourself in a professional manner. Say only positive things about your employer and the company. Focus on accomplishments or learning experiences you had while employed there. Remember that anything you say is likely to be recorded in the personnel profile.
Visit the author’s website at: http://www.assignmentsplus.com
Gerard McLoughlin, author of ‘Four Minutes To Interview Success’, has contributed career-related articles to hundreds of recruitment companies, websites and publications throughout the world, including: USA Today, JobBankUSA.com, US-Recruiters.com, etc.
To receive FREE career tips on a regular basis, sign up today for The Assignments Plus Newsletter.
Plus Size Fashion Tips: What?s Hot this Summer
The sun is sizzling, and so will you this season! A lot of trendy, fun and colourful styles are in fashion at the moment: follow our guide which highlights what’s hot in the plus size fashion scene for summer 2005.
This summer it’s all about the subtle touches that give an outfit that extra something. Try and put in a touch of glitter into your style to give yourself some allure and shine.
Halters are back in girls. Do not feel shy to expose those shoulders! Just make sure you are protected with a good sun-protection lotion, this is very important ladies. Spin around in trendy summer styles by mixing and matching up different items with halter-neck tops. You can see a good example of a perfect colored halter top at Torrid.com: in stock at the moment they have a brown halter-neck, which can be easily matched up with a pair of jeans, trousers, skirt or capris pants!
Green is a particularly popular colour this season, so go for chocolate, gold and forestry colors which can easily be matched with green.
Accessories should be an important part of your wardrobe this season also: be ready to stock up on some fun, exotic and feathery earrings, necklaces and bracelets. What’s very popular are peacock feather earrings.
And don’t forget those trendy pair of metal sunglasses! Besides protecting your eyes from the blazing sun, I think sunglasses are a vital part of a summer outfit, as they complete a look and style. Retro and metal styled sunglasses are sizzling hot this season.
Maya Matthew is the resident writer at http://www.pasazz.net, the plus size clothing directory. A plus size women herself, Maya strives to provide plus size ladies with fashion and lifestyle tips and ideas. Please visit the plus size clothing directory at at http://www.pasazz.net to read more articles.
Freelance Technical Writers – How Much Are You Worth?
Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay? Is there a place where you can go and find out where you stand? As with any field, pay is determined by several things, not just because you can do the work. Instead, it is about how you work, what type of work you do and how well you work with other people. It is often said that you cannot get experience without experience. That is true when it comes to these jobs as well. But, if you want to know about technical writing pay, then look at the characteristics you possess first.
Here are some basic things to consider about yourself before you go looking for the pay that you believe you should get.
- How experienced are you? Yes, we mentioned that sometimes it feels that you need experience to get it, but have you had any employment in which your skills were utilized?
- In your completed work what type of reference do you think your boss would give you? It doesn’t even matter if this is something totally unrelated to your current employment position. Will your boss say that you were a hard worker, dependable, and honest? These qualities go a lot farther in some cases than your resume can.
- What types of work have you done? Are you willing and able to write in other realms in order to get some experience?
There are many things that will determine the pay that you will receive. In many cases, vacancies are only filled by qualified individuals, but you can change this situation when you present yourself in a qualified manner. When you take a look at yourself to determine your worth, you will have a better understanding of what type of pay you should get.
Visit http://www.FreelanceWritingResource.com for more Articles, Resources, News and Advice about Freelance Writing. Copyright © FreelanceWritingResource.com. All rights reserved. This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links are included intact.
7 Vital Book Promotion Tips
As a literary publicist I often am asked about publicity tips, tricks, and the magic behind my work. It’s not magic. All you need to know are the basics and from there you will be able to create an effective book promotion. Below I’ve listed the most vital and basic tips to a successful book publicity campaign.
1. ALWAYS Take ‘No’ for an answer
It can be frustrating when the media isn’t interested in your book or story idea, but always thank them for their time and move on. If you try and persuade or argue with them you will leave a bad impression of yourself and your chances of working with this particular media in the future are slim. Try back in a couple months if it’s a show or publication that you’re particularly interested. The media changes with the seasons, and trends, so they may love your show or feature idea then, rather then now.
2. Don’t Hound Your Publicist
The more time you take up with your book publicist the less time they have to talk with the media. When you first begin your book publicity campaign ask your book publicist when an appropriate time would be to have a weekly chat, and see if they have a number to call in case of a publicity emergency. This will be well received by your book publicist and their efforts will be more successful!
3. Start NOW
A book publicity campaign is the most successful within the first 6 months from your book’s publication date (differs for traditionally published authors). This is because the media wants the latest products and they want to be the first to tell their audience about them. It’s best to start publicizing your story to mainstream and industry media prior to your book’s release and reach out to consumers once your book is available to order.
4. Don’t Pitch Your Book
Make sure that you’re pitching a concept, show idea, or solution when you begin promoting your book. If you sound more like?. “Hello, I am an author who just published my women’s interest novel…..” rather then, “Hello, is this a good time for you? Great. I’m a relationship expert who has proven that love novels bring couples closer in bed?” The second pitch is more intriguing and will most likely get a few minutes from the person on the receiving end. Your goal with every pitch should be to get their attention, a few minutes of their time and booked or featured as a guest, depending on the type of media.
5. Create a Press Kit
Before you begin promoting your book you should have a press kit ready to go. The essentials in most literary kits are a cover letter, press release, author bio, Q&A page, sample interview questions, and articles that make your topic relevant today. You’re publisher should supply you with these materials and if you’re self-published you’ll most likely need to create these materials from scratch and on your own. This can be a daunting task to some, but the internet or library can be helpful when researching the proper formats of these products. Or, find a publicist to create a press kit for you!
6. Know Your Target Audience
Who will buy your book? ‘Everybody’ is not the correct answer to this question, although it is a common answer. The more focused you can get with your efforts the better your results will be. If your book is more main stream rather then specialized, then try beginning with a smaller audience and broadening your focus after you’ve saturated this first audience. Just a tip: Authors should always start with their local media, then regional (surrounding areas and states), and finally saturate national media.
7. Have fun!
Your enthusiasm, humor, and smile should shine through in every phone pitch, letter, and e-mail. If you’re not excited about getting your work out there, then why should a producer or editor be excited to give you time on their program or space in their publication.
I truly believe that any author can publicize their own book if they have the drive, energy, and time to see it through from beginning to end. Publicity is the most vital within the first six months from its publication date, so authors should hit the ground running. If you need more guidance or would rather hire a professional to handle your book’s publicity then start looking now. There are many publicity companies out there, but you need to find the one that’s right for you and that is as excited about your book as you are.
Please visit us for more information on our book promotion services: Book Promotion and Book Marketing Services
Motivation and Goal Settings ?The to Do List
What is it that you need to do in order to be successful in your endeavor?
One way to find out is to write a daily “To do list”. This “To do list” will supplement your goal settings. It will simplify yours steps towards achieving your long term goal(s).
You can write your “To do list” while having breakfast or perhaps before going to bed the night before. TIP: Writing a list before you go to bed not only will appease your mind for a good night sleep but will also start your day with a purpose (this is the motivation part!)
Example: The goal I will be working on for the next 3 weeks (it is said that it takes that long to change a habit, good or bad!), will be to regularly organize my home office (always a problem!).
This is the list I would write the night before (keeping in mind my main goal)
The more specific your daily list the greater you will achieve. Make it achievable not unreachable, thus the daily “To do list”, to break down your goal into smaller steps. Keep it Simple yet Meaningful till you reach your goal.
Always prioritize.
To finalized my “To do list”, I like to enumerate the task in priorities or by rationality. If I am going out I might as well do everything on my list that requires driving. And you guessed, the priority in this case, would be to archive my filing cabinet (this in any case would have to be done in order for this “To do list” to be successful). And if by the end of the day, you did not cross out everything on your list, don’t beat yourself up! You might have wanted to do too many things in one day – Be flexible, adjust accordingly. Write it down for the following day until it’s crossed out.
This useful technique will motivate you to stay focused on your goal. You will also feel like you have achieved a part of your goal, you will be thrilled and proud. Trust me.
Want more? Do you need a little motivation? Inspiration? A motivational quote will not only boost your energy but can also help you stay focused on your goals. Motivational quotes also have the power to rewrite negative thoughts. Motivational quote, tips, articles, recommendations, newsletter and more!
Visit us at Motivational Central © – All Rights Reserved
Lets Not Forget About The Little Guy
Every business has to start somewhere. What truly makes this country great is the freedom of enterprenuership that every one of its citizens have. Capitalism at its best signifies the power of a single person to reach monumental goals and turning a simple idea into a huge corporation. But in our pursuit of this glorified state, have we snubbed the little guy?
Corporate earnings are billions of dollars a year for executives and shareholders. Online companies such as eBay, PayPal, Google, and Blockbuster have crushed the little guy beneath the giant wheels of change. What would have been important to the small companies as they used to be is a far cry from the values that these corporations embrace today. Will it always be this way? Change is inevitable, but does it really take stepping all on the individuals that got them there in order to succeed? It’s as if once a certain dollar amount is reached in net revenue, the blinders go on, and the company loses touch with the little guy.
EBay, Inc. began in 1995 with one little guy’s idea on a better way to garage sale, as a way for his girlfriend (now his wife) to trade Pez dispensers online. By 2001, more than $9 billion in merchandise was sold via the auction monster. Now, eBay Inc. is the biggest internet marketplace, reporting a gross profit of $2,656,894 for 2004.
In an interview with eBay’s founder Pierre Omidyar in BusinessWeek Magazine, Senior Correspondent Robert D. Hoff asks a pertinent question:
Hof: “It seems ironic that eBay started out intending to level the playing field for small businesses and individuals, and now eBay is a big corporation. How do you make those jibe these days?” Omidyar: “It sure is ironic. I like to think we’re a different kind of big company, because of the way we interact with our community. If we lose that, we’ve pretty much lost everything. If you’re starting a revolution and you succeed, then are you still a revolutionary? It’s a little bit weird, but I think we still have a long way to go, bringing the level playing field to the rest of the world.”
Interestingly, earlier in the interview, Omidyar touts his original ideals of listening to his customers, and shaping the software based on their suggestions, sometimes even the same night he received an email from a customer. But increasingly, as of late, eBay’s customers are reporting a greater dissatisfaction with the way the conglomerate is handling their marketplace. After all, it is eBay sellers that are the actual customers, because they pay all the fees, and therefore are the source of eBay’s revenue. And unless you are a Power Seller, forget about calling eBay. Their number is reserved for only the elite few who can meet their standards of maintaining so many thousands of dollars in sales per month. You’ll be lucky if they respond to your email within a week. So I wonder what makes a level playing field, as Omidyar so aptly puts it. Can eBay truly claim to not have reached it yet? Come on?
Since the company raised its prices to sellers earlier this year, though, there are defections to Overstock, Yahoo, Amazon, and other smaller auction sites. Is eBay in that much financial distress that it has to rob the sellers of their hard earned auction profits only to pay higher fees? By the looks of the profits listed earlier, we can all see they’re not struggling. According to BusinessWeek’s David Kiley:
“Ebay’s stock is trading at almost half its 52-week high despite continuing to make money. One wonders if eBay has simply become as complacent as General Motors became in the 1980s, figuring that Toyota and Honda would never amount to much, and that people would prefer a used Buick to a new Hyundai. Ebay is still a market share leader by a big margin. But investors and Wall Street tend to value a stock based on what they think future performance will be. Looks pretty bleak.”
Tiffany & Co., which has filed a lawsuit against the Internet auction giant for facilitating counterfeits, claims that eBay has a responsibility to police its auctions. Gucci, Prada, and other big names are closely watching the suit, as the ramifications will affect them as well. Originally clinging to the values of Omidyar himself, policing auctions was indeed something that they did. Now, the complacency of eBay and it’s “hands off” attitude is almost disgusting. Big mistake; the stakes are high for eBay. Other firms are watching and legal experts predict a flood of similar copyright lawsuits if Tiffany prevails. Lawyers salivate at the thought of getting a piece of the eBay pie.
“Everybody wants to see where this is going,” said Lou Ederer, an intellectual property rights expert. “How much longer can eBay hide behind their bigness? They are taking the position that they can’t monitor thousands of auctions going on all at once. But where do you draw the line? Firearms, alcohol? There are certain industries where the line has to be drawn.”
Another giant, Google, is seemingly only a bit better. Google’s search engine does not generate revenue, as there are no paid inclusions to be listed in the search engine. Rather, Google relies upon its infamous PageRank to rate the importance of sites, and how they get listed. Factors such as keyword density and placement, aging, and link popularity all figure in to the secret algorithm, called PageRank. So where does Google make its money? Google’s pay-per-click advertising, AdWords, is the major source of Google’s income. Google’s concept started in 1996 with two little guys, Larry Page and Sergy Brin. While students at Stanford University, the pair collaborated on a search engine called BackRub, named for its unique ability to analyze the “back links” pointing to a given website. Housed with low end computers in a meager dorm room, the two college students originally sought a buyer for their technology, but no one was interested, so they decided to give it a go themselves. They got a few investors, and Google, Inc. was born. What had been a college research project was now a real company offering a service that was in great demand. The rest is history.
Now, with Google’s enormous impact on the internet, considering that 85% of all website traffic comes from search engines, people cannot fail to take notice. If your website doesn’t appear in Google, chances are you’re not getting good quality traffic. Google ranks #3, surpassed only by Yahoo and MSN, #1 and #2 respectively. Further, the corporation seeks to match its closest competitors by moving away from search engine technology and into the fields of web-based email, shopping, local searching, blogging, and even home pages, in order to steal that market share as well. When is it enough? That’s the funny thing about greed–it engenders more greed, and procreates like a bunch of rabbits.
But the search engine giant is in trouble in the courts, having lost one lawsuit already to Louis Vuitton, Inc. for trademark infringement in October, 2003, and another that the Versailles Court of Appeals, upholding the Vuitton decision, published in March, 2005. The court ordered Google to stop allowing the linking of advertisements to search terms trademarked by two travel companies by Google’s AdWords and to pay damages to the trademarked companies. According to CNN.com, “?The 20-page October 13 ruling by the court in the Paris suburb of Nanterre called into question the legality of the search system at the heart of Google’s business model.” The lawsuit will have ramifications on the validity of the pay per click advertisements, calling Google’s main source of revenue onto the carpet as more court cases ensue.
Google is in the process of removing French news agency Agence France Presse (AFP) from its Google News service, which aggregates links to online articles and accompanying photos from about 4500 news outlets. AFP sued Mountain View, California-based Google in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in March, 2005. The news agency is seeking to recover damages of at least $17.5 million from Google. AFP also asks the court to forbid Google from including its content in Google News. And the greed continues.
In other news, Blockbuster’s CEO John Antioco was ousted at the May 11th, 2005, shareholder meeting, only to reinstated to CEO two weeks later by the board when the dissident financier and corporate raider Carl Icahn voted himself onto the board, with voting rights of 10% of Blockbuster’s Class A shares, and 8% of Class B shares, only to find out that outing the chairman would cost the corporation $51 million dollars. The two other board members voted in actually had extensive media experience. The only experience Icahn has is buying shares and then being loudmouthed at shareholder meetings. So keeping Antioco on the board, and thus voiding the compensation package, seems like more of an afterthought, or even a fast recovery from what could have been a very costly second quarter. The way corporate America is set up seems to be a good way to be accountable (i.e. to the FCC and stockholders), but is a good idea for the ones with the most money making all the decisions? What’s laughable in the Blockbuster drama is that Icahn wasn’t privy to the executive contract that Antioco had, and once Icahn was informed after his election to the board, he quickly changed his tune.
Blockbuster, Inc. was founded by Wayne Huizenga, who was named Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year for 2004 and 2005. He is the only man to have created six NYSE companies, and three Fortune 500 companies: Waste Management, Inc., Blockbuster, Inc., and AutoNation. He started as a door to door salesman for a trash hauling company. From meager beginnings into the world of multi-billionaires, Huizenga’s is truly a Cinderella story, although his character wasn’t always pretty. And now Blockbuster stock is half of what it was a year ago, and keeps dropping. It seems for every mountain peak, there is the downhill slide.
What I hope to accomplish by this article is not stir up anger towards corporate America; quite to the contrary! What I actually hope to do is give each and every little guy out there the hope and light the fires of passion that you can be a success story as well. But there is a clear warning that growing beyond the bounds of reason has its consequences as well. If your goal is to gain enough wealth to be comfortable, then by all means, go for it. But if your design is to be the best, or to be all things to all people, there is fair risk to you of replacement.
Are American corporations getting too big for their britches and forgetting their roots? You bet. So hey, America, stop forgetting the little guys that made you great in the first place! The little guys like you and me, enterpreneurs with one goal in mind: to make a living, can make a difference. After all, it only takes one to rock the boat.
Jennifer E. Sullivan is an Internet Business Consultant who specializes in search engine optimization and web marketing. Her emphasis is on small to medium business marketing. She has written several web marketing articles, including “Hiring an SEO Consultant: 10 Reasons Why You Should”, “PageRank for Websites: Is There More to the Web?” and “Success for the Early Entrepreneur”. You can find more information on her services at http://www.firstclass-seo.com
Online Credit Report and Online Credit Reports
Online credit reports are easily accessible to those interested in viewing them. If you have wondered about what kind of credit score you have, you can go on the Internet and look at your online credit report. Most people are concerned that they have good credit and a solid standing with where they are financially. This is an important factor because it pretty much makes or breaks someone’s ability to get a loan for something they may need later on down the road. Your online credit report is an encompassing reality of who you are as a spender-it can show literally every part of your financial history to date.
Those days of frivolous spending are not forgotten your credit card debt is still visible to the credit bureaus as much today as it was in the past, especially if you are still paying back what you owe. Those “had to have it” items that are now collecting dust or in someone else’s possession are still being paid for years later by you. Is that how you want to live? To be remembered by the credit bureaus as someone not worthy of loaning money to because of their online credit report? Think about it, do all you can now to keep your record cling, especially when you need to view those online credit reports and rate your own abilities.
Say you have a desire to purchase a new home. You don’t have the money for the mortgage, so you consider going to the bank to get a loan. One of the first things the bank will do is determine whether or not you have good credit. They can determine this by checking into your online credit report and seeing if your credit report is flawless or marred because of bad credit. The choices you made in the past do have an effect on the way your future plays out. If you didn’t do so well with what was entrusted to you, what makes you think someone is going to want to take a chance by lending you money you don’t seem to be responsible with? Though your ways may have changed, your online credit report may indicate otherwise. Don’t let your online credit report get marred-begin doing all you can today to protect your name and the online credit reports you want to reflect goodness.
If you want to buy a car, the dealership too will look at your online credit reports. They will use your online credit report to see if you are a valuable asset to loan money to or just another risk. It is hard for people to lend money, especially when there isn’t a solid credit history. These online credit reports get heavily weighed when it comes to forking over the funds for a new car. If you have concerns about your online credit report and what the dealership may discover, talk to the people in personnel who handle these cases. You can inform them of the reasons your online credit report looks the way it does. Ask them if there are ways in which you can better scores on your online credit reports and how you would go about addressing that. Good luck with your online credit report and remember be wise in the way you spend money. Honor the Lord will all He has entrusted you with, and keep your online credit reports looking sharp!
For more information about online credit reports, visit:
http://creditreport.christianet.com
http://creditreport.christianet.com/articles.htm
http://www.christianet.com
The Worlds Elite Golf Courses
We all here different opinions of great challenging golf courses around the world, full of history and storytelling of great games and tournaments between the legends of the professional world. Every year we hear of new championship courses opening but in my opinion they have a lot to live up to if they want to stand alongside the old greats.
My favourite world courses with their own individual characters over the years
Augusta – USA Augusta is a stunningly beautiful course located in the American Deep South. Augusta is the home of the world-renowned Masters tournament. Beautifully designed with lightning fast greens, without a doubt one of the world’s best.
Ballybunion – IRELAND Ballybunion is fantastic links course situated in County Kerry southern Ireland. Well known for it’s towering sand dunes and cliff side holes running along the Atlantic. Stunning scenery surrounds this course but it is an unbelievably challenging links course. A fantastic welcome awaits all who visits.
Cypress Point – USA Just a stone’s thrown away from Mayor Clint Eastwood’s Carmel and John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. A fearsome course for hard men. The Monterey Peninsula on the American west coast is a pictures location but certainly one of the most difficult golf courses to date.
Kiawah Island – USA Kiawah Island was only opened in 1991. Located off the south coast of Carolina. Kiawah was awarded the 1991 Ryder Cup between Europe and the USA. Fabulous Atlantic setting rich in marsh land and sand dunes. A truly terrific links course.
Kingston Heath – AUSTRALIA One of Australia’s greatest golf courses. Located only 25km from the heart of Melbourne and is perfect test for championship golf. If you like bunkers then you will love Kingston Heath. Your sand wedge will be the best club in the bag (even bring a spare). Scoring well here needs you at your best concentration level.
Muirfield – SCOTLAND Muirfield is located of the East Lothian coast in Scotland. A very flat links golf course that allows you play to your handicap. Most championship links courses are designed with only the professional in mind, muirfield is a very popular links course in Britain.
Pebble Beach – USA Simply one of the greatest golf courses in the world. Pebble Beach is located just south of San Francisco. A VERY, VERY challenging golf course. High winds play and important factor on your scorecard. Pebble Beach is adjacent to the rocky Californian coastline. Deceptive on every hole, beautifully designed.
Pinehurst No. 2 – USA A traditional style golf course located in North Carolina. This course has not got the man made features that other golf courses and is not stunningly located. Some people may think what all the fuss is about with this course. A very true saying, ” A good course doesn’t need glitter and glitz, Pinehurst has its unique unspoiled holes and will always be a favourite.
St Andrews Old Course ? Scotland St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The home of golf itself. The date for which it was first laid is still up for question but we think somewhere in the early 1300’s. The course was designed around the natural hazards and still remains one of the worlds most challenging links courses today. Home of the Open Championship. St Andrews has four 18 hole courses but the old is still the best.
Valderrama ? Spain Opened in 1985 but has become one of the favourites with the golfing world. Set with breathtaking views of the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains. It has become one of the world’s elite in championship courses. As stunning as it may look any wayward shot will be badly punished.
The above list of golf courses is from my own playing experience. Of course there are many more out there such as Royal Birkdale, Turnberry, Druids Glen (Druids Glen is based in County Wicklow Ireland and will be host to the Ryder Cup 2006) and so on that should have a mention, however I only speak from experience.
What makes a great Course?
The key factors:
· Good Architectural work to start
· Designed with the input of a professional golfer who knows the game
· To work with nature and include natures hazards as apposed to removing them
· Good accessible location
· Excellent drainage on the land
No matter what your standard of golf is like from high to low handicaps we will share in the same excitement when we enter onto the first tee.
About the Author
Declan Tobin is a successful freelance writer providing advice for consumers on purchasing a variety of Golf Equipment which includes Golf Apparel, Golf Bags, and more! His numerous articles provide a wonderfully researched resource of interesting and relevant information for all of your Golf interests and needs.
Guide to Play Gambling Games
If you think gambling games are hard to play, you don’t need to force it. Gambling games can be learned. You can find guide or course that can teach you how to play the gambling games. There are many guides you can choose and also download from the internet and if you are lucky, you can also get some tricks and trick to beat the dealer.
The best guide for gambling games that can be obtained is from Videopokerdaddy.com. From this website you will see various guides to play gambling games. The guides are prepared by the expert and therefore you don’t need to hesitate. The Video Poker Daddy prepare guide in the form of video. You will see example clearly from the video and you only need to practice.
To download the video tutorial, you need to open the website and simply browse it until you get the video you need. This website also provides many online casinos that you can choose to play any gambling games you want. In this website, there are also many articles that you can read to enhance your gambling skills. Just open the website and download all things you need and print it for more comfortable reading.