Source: Denver Business Journal

According to a report released Thursday, unemployment and federal homebuyer tax credits pushed vacancies of Denver-area rental homes to a three-year-high of 5.5 percent in the 4^th quarter of 2009’s fourth quarter.

But despite vacancy increases, average rent for such properties also increased to the highest fourth-quarter rate since the report was started in 2003, at more than $1,000 a month.

The report was released by the Colorado Division of Housing, and includes data on for-rent houses, condominiums, townhomes, fourplexes and other smaller rental homes. Apartment data is provided in a separate report.

The fourth quarter’s rental-home vacancy rate increased from 4.9 percent in 2008’s final period. The last time metro Denver’s rental-home vacancy rate hit 5.5 percent was in the fourth quarter of 2006.

“The main reason the vacancy rate for rental housing went up in the fourth quarter is that vacancies increased for townhomes, condos and duplexes,” said Gordon Von Stroh, business professor at the University of Denver and researcher/author of the housing department report.

That increase was caused by an influx of such properties that were on the market for sale, but didn’t sell, and so were converted to rental properties.

Rental houses, on the other hand, continued to be in demand late last year, particularly by families that have lost the houses they once owned to foreclosure.

“If you’re renting a house, you can double and triple up families, and we continue to see that,” said Bob Alldredge, principal at rental housing management company Jericho Properties Realty LLC in Lakewood. “With smaller condos and townhomes, it’s more difficult to do that.”

“Most people who have lost a home to foreclosure want a rental house,” said Susan Melton, broker owner at Lakewood-based residential property manager Assured Management Inc.

Average rents for rental homes rose to $1,016.77 per month in last year’s fourth period from $995.24 year over year. Rental rate per square foot, though, stayed relatively flat at about 80 cents per square foot.

Ryan McMaken, the housing division’s spokesman, attributes the increase in average rent in a relatively soft rental market with poor job growth to solid demand by renters who want houses or condos rather than apartments.

Specific rental-home data for the fourth quarter of 2009 includes:

• Adams County — Vacancies averaged 4.1 percent, while the average monthly rent was $1,024.79.

• Arapahoe County — This area had one of the metro area’s highest vacancy rates, at 5.7 percent on average, with an average rent of $995.23 a month.

• Boulder/Broomfield counties — These counties had one of the metro area’s lowest rental home vacancy rates, at 3.8 percent, but the area’s highest average rent, $1,631.30.

• Denver County — This county reported the area’s highest vacancy rate, at 6.8 percent, but also a wide range of vacancies by neighborhood — from zero in downtown Denver to more than 11 percent in the north central and southeastern parts of the city. The county had the lowest average rent metrowide, at $952.27 per month.

• Douglas County — Reported the area’s lowest vacancy rate, at 3 percent vacancy rate, and one of its highest average rents, at $1,372.91.

• Jefferson County — Vacancies averaged 4.7 percent, with average rent of $974.90.

The quarterly rental-housing report is co-sponsored by the Denver chapter of the National Association of Residential Property Managers.

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My Take:

Other Resources: With average rents for a tiny condo at $1,000 and up in Denver, I’d be inclined to hire a good Denver criminal attorney to find out why it costs so much to rent a place to live in the Mile High city. In Los Angeles, I can see the demand as realistic. But not in Denver, where even the monthly pay for a good criminal lawyer Denver CO style could be challenged by rental prices. I’m not surprised homes for rent are on the rise, and I think the federal government ought to help foreclosed upon owners stay in their homes on a rental agreement that gives them the option to re-purchase once they’ve paid enough money toward the rent.

Speaking of homes. In California, where even the best construction estimating software in the world couldn’t have predicted the beating new home developers would take as the real estate market out here hit the skids, we have a shortage of good quality homes for rent at decent prices too. In fact, it’s getting to the point where buying a home puts you on a cheaper monthly payment than a rental agreement and in the end you’ve got something to show for it.

I wouldn’t put mortgage lenders in California on the top of my list of favorite people. I watched first hand what they did to unsuspecting borrowers and it was despicable. They promised borrowers trying to get into their first homes everything they wanted to hear just to get their signatures on no-doc loans, adjustable loans and so-called hybrid loans with no interest set-up plans that are now set to expire and will most certainly result in new waves of foreclosures. The cycle will continue to roll until all of those buyers either lose their homes to foreclosure or are approved for some sort of modification on their loans.

Maybe you think of the modification plan as a federal handout. I don’t. A lot of these people may as well have been sold stock in some erroneous construction software company or told they were going to make a fortune in wall mats. Some didn’t even speak enough English to understand what they were buying or agreeing to. The mortgage lending criminals that do get held accountable for their greedy behavior ought to be put into cells with no wall padding or heat. See what it’s like to live almost like a homeless person lives. Maybe then they will think about who they try to make a quick buck off of next time they attempt to sell a mortgage.

Other Resources:

Legal Trouble?
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Source: Associated Press

Michael Jordan’s plans to buy the Bobcats is just about a done deal.

His latest venture will test his talents and skills like no other.

NBA commissioner David Stern said Saturday he expects Jordan to be approved as majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats by the end of next month. Minutes before his exclusive negotiating window expired late Friday night, Jordan struck a deal with owner Bob Johnson to take over the money-losing team in his home state.

It puts the biggest basketball star of his generation in charge of a 6-year-old team that’s never made the playoffs, has struggled to win over fans and has more than $150 million in debt.

Can Jordan’s streak of business success continue?

“If he’s going to be an absentee owner, just like Bob was, it’s not going to work,” said Felix Sabates, a NASCAR team owner who also holds a minority stake in the Bobcats. “I think if Michael makes a commitment and shows dedication, he can be very successful. He’s a big icon in this part of the country.”

An icon that has been rarely seen. He’s been a part-owner of the Bobcats with the final say on all basketball decisions since 2006. But Jordan has kept a low profile, rarely attending practices or games, taking no role in marketing and leaving the day-to-day operations to a team of assistants.

But former Houston Rockets executive George Postolos, who had an ownership group together to buy the team before Jordan swooped in at the last minute, thinks the deal shows Jordan really wanted the team.

“It’s a very substantial part of his net worth,” Postolos said. “He’s very, very committed.”

Jordan remained silent on Saturday. Details of his ownership group — called MJ Basketball Holdings LLC — weren’t available. Sabates said he won’t be part of Jordan’s ownership group, and believes Jordan is buying 100 percent of the team.

Johnson, the first black majority owner of a major professional sports team, has also declined comment after coming close to ridding himself of a venture that cost him a fortune.

“Whatever the number is, Bob is taking a huge financial loss,” Sabates said. “He tried hard. He just made some stupid mistakes. Bob has a bit of an attitude problem that some people owe him. Nobody owes anybody anything.”

How much is a Bobcat? Considering the debt the team is in, Jordon could easily cover the costs factored in KY financing of the most expensive ranch property from Kentucky to California for what he’s reportedly paying for the Bobcats. Let’s face it: the team needs either celebrity star backing it, or a good SC bankruptcy lawyer. As majority owner of the team, Jordon will likely play a more visible role in management than he has up until now. But managing a team takes more than money and he has enough of it to keep the team form having to deal with North Carolina bankruptcy attorneys.  Just like any business, there are technological costs involved including everything from management of online data recovery to telecommunications between players while out on the road.

Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, paid $300 million for the expansion team, which replaced the New Orleans-bound Hornets in this town and began play in 2004-05. Johnson, who maintained his residence in Washington, had several missteps, from a failed venture to start a regional sports network, pricing tickets too high, clashing with business leaders and struggling to win over fans soured by the Hornets’ ugly exit.

While the Bobcats lost on the floor, Johnson was losing tens of millions of dollars each year despite a new arena funded by taxpayers. The losses mounted as he increased the player payroll after his successful effort to recruit Jordan, who bought a small stake in the team and was given control of personnel moves.

Just like his stint running the Washington Wizards and his decision to draft Kwame Brown No. 1 overall in 2001, Jordan quickly had a gaffe in Charlotte when he selected the disappointing Adam Morrison with the third pick in the 2006 draft.

While Jordan was eventually fired in Washington, he’s been praised for some recent moves in Charlotte, most notably persuading fellow Hall of Famer Larry Brown to take over as coach before last season. They’ve paired up to complete seven trades involving 21 players since the start of last season, and the Bobcats (28-29) are in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.

“Everybody wanted to see him involved and I can’t imagine the NBA not having Michael Jordan involved,” Brown said Saturday while watching the North Carolina-Wake Forest game. “He’s been great for us to work with, he lets us do our job and he’s the best. So thankfully, he’s back.”

Jordan will become the second black majority owner for this franchise in a state where he’s adored. He grew up in Wilmington and hit a last-second shot to give North Carolina the 1982 national championship.

“We have been anticipating an agreement for transfer of a majority interest in the Bobcats and are pleased it has occurred,” Stern said in a statement. “Bob Johnson brought the excitement of the NBA back to Charlotte and I am certain that as Michael Jordan returns to his home state as the principal owner of the Bobcats the team will continue its growth as a success on the court, as a business success and as a valued community asset.”

Sabates said making Charlotte his home is key to making it work for Jordan. If he doesn’t, his streak of business success may end.

“If Michael doesn’t do that, he’s wasted a lot of money,” Sabates said. “But Michael is pretty smart and Michael’s got some pretty good advisers. He didn’t get to where he’s at by being dumb.

“This is the biggest investment of his life. He can have 19,000 people at every game. It’s up to him.”

________________________________

My Take: I agree that if Jordon is going to put some “magic” back into basketball in his home state he needs to show he’s got faith and genuine interest by being present, meaning putting down stakes in Charlotte and becoming a key player in the community, not just behind the scenes and courtside.

Whether you run a NJ narcotics law firm, a CA professional security solutions company, work as an Ocean County criminal attorney, or make your money running a hard drive recovery services firm in Louisville KY, you have to show that you are both emotionally and physically invested in your company. You can’t work as the owner of a Sacramento armed security guard company and live in Fiji and expect things to go smoothly, right?

So if Jordon wants to show he means business and if he wants to bring the “cats” back to the court with verve, get them out of debt, etc., all he has to do is show up and watch the fans start pouring in for games, and their money too.

Other Resources
Loan Modifications for FHA Loans
If you have a Louisville KY FHA loan and are having trouble paying your mortgage, you would probably qualify for a loan modification under President Obama’s TARP program. Government FHA loans and others qualify; you just have to jump through a lot of hoops, get your paperwork in order, and be very patient, as the process can take as long as six to seven months to complete. Visit HUD online for more information at http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/avoiding_foreclosure.

Source: Realty Times

A new trend is on the rise in rentals: landlords are supplying the sofa.

The market for furnished rentals is on the rise despite business travel being down, the folks at CorporateHousingbyOwner.com say. It seems struggles to get unfurnished homes rented are being eased by comfortable furnishings. “When we were looking to purchase a home we saw the potential of the basement,” says landlord, Colleen Cameron. They bought a home several years ago, converted the basement and added a kitchen, turning it into a separate housing unit. Then they tried to rent it. The furnished rental was snatched up quickly.

“We found a renter within the week,” says Cameron.

“We had a lot of furniture that both my husband and I had doubles of from when we were single. So rather than sell that furniture, we used furniture that we already had to furnish the unit,” says Cameron.

It was a win-win situation. The couple didn’t want to sell their furniture or have to pay to store it; the furnished unit differentiated the rental from most.

“If the furnishings are done in good taste and are gender-neutral, I think that when someone walks in they already feel like it’s a home versus just an empty shell. And, especially, it’s attractive for the right type of renter who is looking for a furnished property,” says Cameron.

Perks Plus

Landlords across the U.S. are getting hip to the fact, too, that renters also want other perks in their buildings besides just a sofa and a lamp. In turn, many are offering things like coupons for area managed print services, cleaners, shoe repairs, etc. Others even provide onsite convenience sites for things like cheap office supplies.

However, their furnished rental serves another purpose. “We have showed our furnished properties to renters who have their own furniture and I think it just helps sell the space because … it’s staged,” says Cameron.

Cameron has found such success with the furnished rental that the couple doesn’t rent it unfurnished, although, they will make some minor exceptions. “We were able to move a couple of the items out. The issue is the cost to us to store the furniture. If we have no place to put it then it increases our cost,” says Cameron.

She adds, “There are plenty of renters who are looking for furnished units; we’re fine with walking away because [unfurnished rentals] are not really our niche.” Most of us think that furnished rentals would likely be very short-term leases. “We have been a landlord for five years. Our longest renter was two years,” says Cameron.

She also points out that whether renters have their own furniture or not, they are transitional; for instance they’re waiting to buy a house or they don’t know where they’ll be located next because of a job change or an upcoming marriage.

Cameron believes her furnished-rental market position narrows the competition. “I think the majority of the inventory out there is unfurnished and I don’t want to compete against that,” says Cameron. She believes that “we have a tighter niche and there’s less availability for furnished units and that’s why we’re able to get renters at the price we want.”

______________________________________

My Take: I finally bought my first home a few years ago and frankly, sometimes I miss having the ability to put the pressures of the broken sinks and stopped up drains on my landlord. There’s something to be said for not having to worry about all those homeowners’ headaches, never mind the pressures of keeping up your property and having to work on weekends when renters out there are free to play.

On the other hand, I’m not too likely to have to deal with a San Diego landlord tenant lawyer as a homeowner. If you buy an existing home, there are not issues involving a San Diego construction lawyer, or a Bronx construction accidents lawyer, as the home is already built.

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Source: People

An Alaska judge awarded child support to Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol and a trial date has been set, but the judge is encouraged the 19-year-old to settle with her son’s father out of court on a support arrangement.

Judge Kari C. Kristiansen suggested that Bristol and her former fiancé Levi Johnston, also 19, avoid the trial set for September by holding a settlement conference, the Associated Press reports.

Bristol attended the hearing in Palmer, Alaska. Johnston did not.

The couple made headlines last year when first the announcement of the pregnancy hit the headlines, creating a stir among liberal and conservative backers of Sara Palin, the vice presidential nominee on the ticket alongside Sen. John McCain.

Had the couple been married and working on a divorce, they’d have a wide range of options but would probably not have had much privacy. These divorces between B list stars, or politicos are always big side shoes, and whether the couples are represented by a Passaic County divorce lawyer, or a Bergen County divorce mediator, they would have garnered a lot of attention from the press.

The daughter of the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate will get an payment for the care of son Tripp retroactive to the day he was born.

She is asking for $1,700 a month, or $19,232 total – not including the $4,400 Johnston has already given her.

“The judge decided that Bristol should have child support, which we don’t disagree with,” Rex Butler, the attorney for Johnston, told ABC News. “Fortunately, Levi has put this money aside a long time ago. The back support is going to come out to about $10,000 to $13,000, and he’s going to write Bristol a check.”

______________________________________

My Take: It’s interesting to find out that the courts ruled in favor of the mother in this case, because, as the daughter of Sara Palin she certainly can’t be hurting financially. I suppose it’s because the laws cover the child and not the mother, but it would make sense that the income disparity between Levi and the Palin clan would also be taken into account.

I would love to serve one day as a Los Angeles court reporter during a divorce trial between two big name Hollywood stars. What an interesting job that must be to listen in on the secrets and see the dirty laundry airing out in public. No makeup, no special treatment. Just two people trying to dissolve their marriage. It’s got to be a little heartbreaking too for Los Angeles court reporting professionals too, because they have to see a lot of heartache.

I can’t imagine working as a lawyer, actually. But if I had to choose, I suppose I’d prefer to work as a Dui lawyer Redwood City style, up where life is slower and I could possible help people. Redwood City CA criminal attorneys don’t have to contend with Hollywood stars getting busted for dui’s or drug possessions. But the state of California has it’s share of outrageous criminals and it doesn’t matter whether you’re in San Diego or all the way up on the Oregon border, people mess up ad they need a lawyer when they land in jai.

Other Resources:

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Source: CNN Money

The unemployed may get some help paying their mortgages from the Mortgage Bankers Association under a recently proposed forbearance program.

Under the proposal, loan servicers would reduce eligible borrowers’ monthly payments to no more than 31% of their household income for up to nine months. Unlike a modification, however, the arrears would be tacked onto the end of the mortgage.

As part of the proposal, the association has asked the Treasury Department to provide loans to some servicers to cover payments to the mortgages’ investors. Treasury officials, who met with the group last week, have not made yet a determination, a spokeswoman said.

The trade group’s goal is to address the growing number of people who are falling behind on their mortgages because they’ve lost their jobs.

“Borrowers with such a precipitous drop in income can’t qualify for most loan modification programs, so we are looking for ways to allow those borrowers to keep their homes while they look for another job,” said John Courson, the association’s chief executive.

Once borrowers find new employment, they will be considered for a long-term modification under the Obama administration’s foreclosure prevention program.

Most consumer advocates, however, do not think forbearance plans are an answer to the foreclosure crisis. Most delinquent borrowers need more help than just a temporary reduction of their payments.

Help for business? It’s not just residential homeowners who are struggling. Reports show that commercial loan default numbers are on the rise as more business feel the heat from the unemployment spike over the last two years. Many say that Quick business loans are the key to helping companies stay afloat, pay their commercial building loans, while homeowners and the unemployed get help from the other side. Both small business loans, and mortgage workout plans are needed, many suggest, to serve the economy organically so that buyers have money to purchase the goods and services being provided by the small business owner.

Also, it’s unlikely that borrowers will find new jobs in nine months in this tough economy, said Kathleen Engel, a law professor at Suffolk University in Boston who specializes in foreclosures. She said the program would need to last at least two to three years to be effective.

The association unveiled its proposal the same day that Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress that he’s concerned about the weak state of the job market. And the White House’s top economic adviser has said she expects unemployment to remain around 10% for the rest of this year and remain high in coming years.

Engel suggests the government provide loans directly to the distressed borrowers to help them meet their obligations while unemployed.

“So far, we haven’t seen a lot of help going to the borrowers,” she said.

The Obama administration last week announced a $1.5 billion initiative to help borrowers who are unemployed or owe more than their homes are worth. The program funnels the funds to five state housing finance agencies and charges them with coming up with programs to help these homeowners.

_________________________________

My Take: You’d have to be living in a cave not to feel the impact from the current economic slowdown across America. Every time you hear the sound of a credit card processing machine it’s difficult not to think about the enormous amount of debt folks are racking up on their credit cards as they try to eek out a living on unemployment and ride out the crisis. Many unemployed workers are reportedly not even paying their mortgages before credit card bills, because they figure they’ll need their credit if and when they are foreclosed upon, and, on the up-side, they might just get some help from the government on their mortgage anyway, so keep the banks happy in the meantime.

I agree that the small business sector is also being pounded by the economy . Let’s face it: If workers can’t afford to pay their mortgages, how can they buy anything extra, whether it’s imprinted shirts for their kids’ baseball teams, dinners out on weekends, or family vacations to national parks. This belt tightening trickles all the way down to business, and even the most successful companies out there are having to forego perks for employees, buying and sending corporate gifts to clients, and upgrades on technology and infrastructure.

The key, as Obama and others have been saying, is to create more jobs. Once we get more people back to work and making money, we’ll start to see spending habits shift and the much-needed infusion of money into the small business sector will begin to flow.

Other Resources:

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Source: Los Angeles Times

Tiger Woods is reported to have offered an apology to the parents of children at the preschool where his has 2-year-old daughter attends, according to reports from an Orlando television station.

WFTV reported on its Web site that it has obtained a letter that Woods and his wife, Elin, wrote to parents of children attending Premier Academy to apologize for increased media scrutiny around the school.

“We hope that the paparazzi will find something better to do with their time in the near future,” the letter said.

Pursuing Kids

The rich and famous have always had a hard time coping with the balance of public vs. private life, and no other area of contention hits harder than the effort to keep kids out of the spotlight. In this case, Tiger Woods’ and his wife have probably had a difficult time accepting everything from birthday party invitations to play dates in the park without having to scrutinize the potential for unwanted media attention. Some people are so famous their babies become victims of the paparazzi long before ultrasound systems have a chance to determine their sex or even a possible delivery date.

Media coverage around Woods and his family has been intense since the Nov. 27 accident outside his home led to revelations that the world’s No. 1 golfer had been cheating on his wife. Woods did not make his first public appearance until Friday at the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla..

Woods’ wife did not attend his nationally televised appearance, and photographers were seen outside the Premier Academy that day. WFTV says an off-duty sheriff’s deputy has been hired to sit outside the school.

The station did not say when the letter was sent.

During his 13½-minute statement, Woods lashed out at paparazzi for chasing after his family, including his daughter, Sam.

“However, my behavior doesn’t make it right for the media to follow my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter to school and report the school’s location,” Woods said. “They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.”

Woods thanks parents for their support and did not indicate he would remove his daughter from the school.

“In the meantime, it is our goal to keep life as normal as possible for our children,” the letter said. “We are sure that as parents you can appreciate that. For Sam, that normalcy means attending the school that she enjoys so much.”

_____________________________

My Take: In all honesty, you couldn’t pay me in cash, prizes, or a year’s worth of free Silver spring cleaning services to have to go through the kind of media scrutiny most “stars” of Tiger’s stature go through. He may only be a golfer, but for the money he makes and the attention he gets from fans, he may as well be the biggest star on the silver screen. There isn’t an executive out there who wouldn’t have given their annual salary to have Tiger Wood’s represent their product or endorse their cause, whether they were the owner of top medical equipment companies, ran a maid services MD staffing agency, or created talking Halogen light bulbs. Everyone wanted a piece of the duffer.

Now, things are different. The papparazi is hounding Tiger and his family in an effort to perhaps present him at his worst. Under the glare of white hot light bulbs and press conference madness, Tiger laid out all his dirty laundry for us via national television, admitting multiple affairs and problems with addiction. Now, he just wants to get his life and his wife back no matter what the cost. Apologizing to his fans and sponsors, and now the parents and their kids who may have been caught in the cross fire is a start.

Other Resources:

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Picture This:

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Source: Reuters

Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou said in an interview with BBC television that Greece’s borrowing needs are covered until mid-March, adding that Athens is meeting goals set out in an austerity plan aimed at helping the city address financial woes.

Market concerns about Greece’s debt pile have hit the euro in recent weeks.

“At this point we don’t have a need for borrowing, our borrowing needs are covered until mid-March,” he said in response to a question on whether there would be any new Greek bond issuance next week.

Papandreou said that despite street demonstrations against austerity measures his government has taken to tackle the debt crisis, he believed there was broad support in Greek society for painful economic reforms.

“Even though there are austerity measures and they do hurt, we have the support right now for the austerity measures which is around 50 to 60 percent of the population, and the government also has that support,” Papandreou said.

“What we’re seeing here, and I haven’t seen this except during the Olympic Games in 2004, is a real sense of unity by the Greek people of wanting to make a change,” he said, blaming the previous administration for Greece’s debt woes.

What about a sale?

Perhaps the Olympic Games could be used as a model for raising additional funds for the beleaguered city. The money to be made selling the country’s well-loved products during a national event such as an Olympic-style extravaganza, everything from Greek clothes to cheese, could be used to raise funds. Greek shirt makers for fraternities here in the U.S. may want to think about ramping up sales somehow by tagging a “funds for Athens” branding logo on their Web sites and other marketing outlets.

Papandreou said European Union partners should continue to offer political support to Athens as it battles to get its public finances back onto a sustainable path.

“Let us together with the EU authorities, the Commission and the European Central Bank, let’s sit down, let’s look at how our progress is doing, how we’re doing in the stability and growth plan that we have tabled,” he said.

“We’re on target, beyond target on Jan statistics so we’re doing well. If we do need extra measures, we will take extra measures in order to reduce our deficit this year by 4 percent. We’re ready to do so if necessary.”

Papandreou said that while Greece was not asking for financial support from EU partners, it did need strong political backing as it battled to restore its credibility with financial markets.

This was particularly important for Greece to be able to borrow at lower interest rates than it was currently facing, he said.

“We need the help so that we can borrow at the same rate as other countries, not at high rates which undermine our ability to make the changes we need to make,” he said

________________________________

My Take: I’m a huge fan of Greece, despite their inability to do something about their smog problem. In Athens alone, the air quality was so bad when I went there in 1998 that I could barely walk around the city in the middle of the day because of the exhaust from all the taxis on the road. The city has a of traffic and maybe it’s time they looked at ways to get people to sell junk cars and replace them with newer models. I’m sure the country must have options for how to
buy wrecked cars or junk cars that would help to get some of the clunkers off the roads.

Traffic is heavy in Athens. Add in to the mix the fact that the drives are downright aggressive and unruly, and it’s a miracle anyone can get anywhere alive by car. I don’t know if Athens offers safety courses for tourists who want to take their chances and rent a car while visiting Athens. But just in case, you might want to think about fortifying yourself with a New York defensive driving program before you head over.

All kidding aside, Greece is a beautiful country and deserves a little help from its EU partners or the banks in any way possible. The architecture of the monuments we all know and love to visit in Greece is one part of the country’s beauty and allure. Try walking up and down the hillsides of the neighborhoods above and around the city of Athens. You’ll find amazing colors, beautiful homes with gorgeous wood entry doors and flowered porticos and archways that are worthy of a thousand pictures.

You’ll find the most amazing collection of mahogany front entry door and side street entry doors on display, with beautiful carvings and rod iron accessories on them. They are inviting and so much so you are tempted to wander through just to escape all the noise of the city traffic and get a moment of quiet.

Other Resources:

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Source: Los Angeles Times

It’s possible to save money on pay as you go cell phone plan, but you have to be very careful about the plan you choose and read the fine print.

“They’re perfect for people who need a phone for emergencies but don’t want to text message or use the Internet a lot,” said Jeff Kagan, a Georgia-based telecommunications analyst. “You can save a lot.”

Even heavy users can save money with the right plan, said Firas Naji, director of national sales for PlatinumTel Wireless. But you probably can’t be too picky about your phone because many pay-as-you-go plans are using last year’s models.

To understand who can and can’t benefit from these deals, you need to know how they differ from a standard cellphone plan.

With a standard plan, you sign a contract in which you agree to maintain your service for a set amount of time — most commonly two years — at a set price. In exchange, you usually get unlimited calling and receive a phone free or at a deeply discounted price.

You are effectively paying for the phone over time through monthly service fees that are slightly padded to account for the phone’s cost. If you cancel before the contract term is up, you’ll pay a fee that can range from $50 to $400, depending on the plan, when you canceled and the phone you bought.

With a pay-as-you-go plan — also called a prepaid plan — everything is a la carte. First you buy your own phone upfront, making sure it’s compatible with your chosen provider’s service.

Then you can buy a month’s worth of phone connection services, a set number of minutes (that will last for a month or longer), Internet access, text messaging or a bundle of these services.

You can choose to be billed by the minute/text or choose a plan that gives you a set number of days (usually 30) for a set rate. If you don’t like the service — or find yourself too strapped to pay for it — you don’t have to continue after your minutes are used up.

That’s particularly attractive for people who need basic service on the cheap, perhaps because they’re unemployed and looking for work, Naji said. PlatinumTel, for example, has a limited service plan for as little as $10 a month. Add in $40 or so for a basic phone and you’re spending $160 for the year.

The cheapest traditional plan advertised by Verizon Wireless and AT&T run $39.99 a month, or roughly $480 a year. But you get their phone for free.

“With traditional cell service, you gain in the beginning but you pay more in the long run,” Naji said.

Security check

Managed security services companies can still provide you with the same kind of backup for data you might use if you choose to surf on a prepaid plan and use the Internet for sending and receiving e-mail just as you would using a month-to-month plan. However, for any network security software plan to work effectively, you have to keep your pre-paid cell with Internet access plan fully paid in order to stay protected.

And, in case you’re wondering, you can also use a pre-paid plan to call information for phone listings, which means if you’re searching for a Los Angeles drunk driving accident lawyer, for example, you’d just go to yellowpages.com as you would form your computer.

But prepaid plans aren’t always cheaper. And they sometimes don’t offer all the services you want. Some, for instance, don’t provide access to e-mail; others restrict Web browsing and require you to pay as much as 50 cents for getting a single text message, whether you wanted it or not.

And if you’re not careful about when minutes expire, you could end up paying far more on a per-call basis for prepaid than you’d ever pay for traditional cell service.

“The big issue is that you have to look carefully at how you use your phone — the number of calls you make, the type of services you need — and then search around,” said Ken McEldowney, executive director of Consumer Action, a San Francisco-based advocacy group.

Things to consider include:

Minutes: With a traditional cellphone plan, you pay a fortune for any minute that you go over the packaged amount. With a prepaid plan, you pay a fortune if you don’t use all the minutes you paid for.

Why? In most cases, your minutes will expire after a set period of time. So if you pay for 100 minutes and only use 50, you’ve paid 50% too much. Minutes are cheaper in bulk. But estimate your needs carefully before you buy to get the best deal.

Service: Check the coverage area of any provider you’re considering to make sure you can get calls in the locations you frequent the most, Naji said. Also find out if you’ll be charged a different amount for local calls versus long distance.

Some carriers charge the same no matter who, when or where you’re calling domestically; others stagger their rates based on the time and location of the call, and sometimes on whether you’re calling somebody who is in the same phone network.

Activation fees: Some, but not all, prepaid plans include an activation fee, usually $25 to $30. If you allow your minutes to expire without renewing for a few months, you might have to pay another activation fee to get service revived.

Text messages: The typical plan will give you unlimited texting for about $10. With a limited plan you could pay through the nose for each text over the allotted amount.

Find out ahead of time if your carrier requires you to pay for unwanted text messages you receive.

Internet: Accustomed to checking e-mail or websites from your phone? Cull prepaid plans carefully because some don’t offer Web access, or severely restrict it.

The challenge of buying a la carte is paying attention to the details, McEldowney said. “You’ve really got to read the fine print.”

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My Take: I’ve had a pre-paid cell phone service in the past and frankly I found myself paying more for it than I do now with my regular plan. I think that’s because I wasn’t very good at tracking my time and my Internet use. I don’t text all that much, and I certainly don’t try to search the Internet while I’m driving. I don’t need to also worry about having to find Los Angeles injury attorneys to get me out of a jam after texting and crashing my car. But in general, I found that the extra money I might be paying each year out of pocket to have a traditional cell phone plan is worth the peace of mind of knowing that I won’t run out of cell phone minutes when I’m right smack I the middle of something important, like pricing out the best Phoenix AZ hair loss doctor, or researching Airline cargo handling companies to get pricing for shipping orders overseas.

Other Resources:

High Visibility

If you run a business I highly recommend working with an SEO company to help you improve your company’s visibility on the Web. No one business out there can claim to be the best  SEO company, but there are many who are better at this than others. Ask a provider for client references before you sign a contract and find out what kind of hits they’re getting and how the optimized program they have been using has helped their customer base grow.

Source: Rolling Stone

A grassroots campaign has popped up on Facebook urging rocker John Mellencamp to run for the U.S. Senate.

Following the resignation of Indiana Democratic Senator Evan Bayh, the “Draft John Mellencamp for Senate!” page started up to convince Mellencamp to run for the open seat. Over 1,500 users have joined the campaign with the hopes that Mellencamp can secure the 4,500 signatures necessary to stage a run for Senate candidacy.

So far, the campaign is entirely grassroots, as Mellencamp has made no mention of embarking in a political career. However, even CBS News is lobbying for Mellencamp to make a run for Bayh’s seat, saying his connection to the plight of the working class in his native Indiana makes him an ideal candidate despite his lack of political experience.

Fight or Switch?

This isn’t Mellencamp’s only recent foray into Facebook. Recently his son Speck launched a Facebook page on a bet with his dad that if he got 1,000 members to join it the rocker would quick smoking. Mellencamp may want to think about trying electronic cigarettes. While they are not proven to make traditional tobacco smokers quit for good, these new e-cigs are supposed to offer a healthier smoking alternative, and you can reportedly smoke them in public places, like concert halls and arenas.

Mellencamp came out in support of President Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential election with radio ads, complained when John McCain used “Pink Houses” at rallies and just last week performed at the White House’s tribute to the music of the civil rights movement.

The Facebook campaign also cites Mellencamp’s activism with groups like Farm Aid as cred to explore a senatorial run. Given his fame and political beliefs, CBS News argues that Mellencamp could emerge as the Democratic favorite in the upcoming election, if he chooses to run. So will we soon be referring to the rocker as Senator Mellencamp? Keep it tuned to Rolling Stone as this story and grassroots campaign gains more steam.

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My Take:

I’m a huge Mellencamp fan, I have to admit it. I love the guy’s look on stage, the way he pulls off a T-shirt, jean jacket and a pair of low rise jeans is awesome. I hope he does quit smoking so we can make sure he’ll be around longer giving us all that great music.

As for politics, I’m pretty sure I’d vote for him too if he were running to represent my state. I’d sell discount designer perfume, install garage flooring, and even wear a Mellencamp for Office with my women’s stretch jeans if I thought it might help get the guy elected. Think of the fun we’d have watching him on TV or online, knocking a few more of the White House old white guys off their pedestals.

Speaking of pedestals, I’m having a new pedestal sink put in my bathroom this weekend. I’ve chosen the sink from an online source at www.glassicart.com. They make beautiful, hand-crafted custom bowls for the sinks, including some that look like Tiffany glass.

Other Resources:

Stay Sweet:
Did you know that if you keep your designer perfume in the refrigerator it will last longer? It’s true. The cold temperatures keep the fumes from leaking out of the bottle top and from what’s known as “browning.”

Writing Tools:
Looking for a great way to design your kids stationary? Try an online version here. You can create custom cards and notes for your kids to send out for announcements, party invitations, or thank you cards.

Cosmetic Surgery Info: If you are a Destin plastic surgeon you can register your business online with a fully searchable director of local professionals that you can link in with to share all kinds of important information.  Matrixdirect.com has a growing number of companies joining forces and exchanging service information on a public Web site where, for example you can find a great  Panama City Florida face lift doctor or contractor all on one site.

Source: The Guardian

As London begins to plan for the Winter Olympics in 2012 what can chairman Seb Coe learn now from Vancouver’s Winter games set backs and upsets to prepare for his city’s opportunity to play host to the biggest sporting event on TV?

Some of the issues that have plagued the games’ organizers – such as the warm weather that led to convoys of lorries ferrying snow from higher ground and prompted refunds for 8,000 spectators – have been (largely) out of their hands. Others, such as the glitches that beset the opening ceremony, the home team’s brazen mission statement to “own the podium”, and the creaky transport system, have not. And then there is the furious debate surrounding the death in training of Georgian luger Nodar ­Kumaritashvili.

The repercussions for both Vancouver and the International Olympic Committee could be severe. Estimates put the cost of the games at CAN$6bn (£3.6bn), and the race to host the 2018 edition features just three bidders, the lowest number since 1988. The host broadcaster, NBC, stands to lose $200m on televising these games, so future sponsorship could suffer.

Skating By
These figures don’t entirely reflect the costs of any extra security that may or may not have to be employed, including hardware such as crowd control barricades, police forces, and part time security check personnel. The costs of putting on the Olympic games in winter is probably going to have the British crossing every “T” and dotting every “I” over the next couple of years, right down to the type of ice floor cover they use to protect their rinks leading up to the game.

The twin specters of the Montreal Olympics of 1976 and the 1996 Atlanta games hang over Vancouver. Montreal was left bankrupt, facing financial repercussions that lasted three decades. The Atlanta games, often cited as the worst in history, are remembered for a bomb attack, compounded by a host of other logistical problems.

Things are not quite that bad yet. But while London 2012 organizers insist they are planning for every eventuality, what they have seen in Vancouver will surely have made them redouble those efforts.

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My Take: Here’s my theory on what London should and shouldn’t be doing now to prepare for the 2012 games. First of all, they might want to think about ramping up their use of metal detection equipment in and around the site for obvious reasons. London is no Vancouver, and it is for all intents and purposes, one of the major hubs for international flights, including flights coming in and out of Pakistan, Turkey, Greece, and other portions of the Middle East. No metal detector alone is going to keep the games safe, but these games will need a lot of extra security protections in place before I’d be willing to attend. As much as I love the sexy costumes they wear in the skating competitions, and downhill skiing and snow boarding competitions, I’d be pretty nervous about flying in to London and this reporter here is on target when he says that the 2012 London games hosts and organizers have their hands full in rethinking not just how they will handle security issues, but all the other issues he mentioned.

Speaking of costumes, I’m thinking that we’re going to be seeing a lot of ware wolf Halloween costume picks this year given all the hoopla over the new Benicio Del Torro film “The Wolfman.” Nothing like a good monster to create a buzz, right? I’m betting a close contender will be characters from Percy Jackon’s “The Lighting Thief” as well. As a joke, Hades costumes could be a riot up against a gang of folks dressed up in fire resistant jackets. Not that flame resistant clothing would be fun to walk around in all night, but at least it would protect you from falling candles.

Other Resources:

Spring Cleaning

Halloween is a long way off, but spring is just around the corner.  If you’re searching for the best Arlington carpet cleaning Fairfax, or Virginia cleaning services Fairfax company, you should make sure to get references from workers before you bring them into your home.  Find out where they have worked before and for how long, and, most importantly, if they are trustworthy and reliable; the two most critical things you want in a cleaning service, right?