I think the tragedy of September the 11th will always remind us of itself in this way or another. And the article about a university professor fired for expressing his opinion on the victims proves that.
I was never interested in politics but when it comes to affecting education, then it does need discussing.
The whole thing promises to be rather interesting and the professor threatens a lawsuit if he is finally dismissed...
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Monday, May 28, 2007
can it be hotter?
Well, I'm here at long last... At my granny's - in Memphis, TN. I arrived at night but whent I went out, I was nearly captured by the hot air that seemed to burn my skin. I wondered then, if at night it was 81 Fahrenheit, then what would it be at daytime? I hope, there will not be rain though, I hate humidity....
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
My biggest impression
I think Americans are mad on movie going. At least I'm sure I am, and I always try not to miss the first night. Well, just recently I've seen "Spider-Man 3:A Tangled Web" and I was merely amazed by its breathtaking special effects and by the story itself. The latter, though, is not without some drawbacks as there are lots of story lines drawn together and one can get confused at some point.
But the whole impression is just great! Just as in the previous two parts, Spider-Man is still a favorite fantasy figure for viewers of all ages. He brings speedy justice, as ever and he does seem to be moving in a flash and the audience, watching his crazy flights, become a party to his adventures.
What I liked about the picture as apart from the story itself, is that the actors and much of the creative team have remained the same and preserved the spirit and ways of the previous two parts. So, it was like I visited my dear granny after a period of missing her.
I am sure the picture is to have a huge worldwide success and I advise everyone to see it as you will not laeve the cinema unimpressed.
But the whole impression is just great! Just as in the previous two parts, Spider-Man is still a favorite fantasy figure for viewers of all ages. He brings speedy justice, as ever and he does seem to be moving in a flash and the audience, watching his crazy flights, become a party to his adventures.
What I liked about the picture as apart from the story itself, is that the actors and much of the creative team have remained the same and preserved the spirit and ways of the previous two parts. So, it was like I visited my dear granny after a period of missing her.
I am sure the picture is to have a huge worldwide success and I advise everyone to see it as you will not laeve the cinema unimpressed.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Your credit tricks
How else can one benefit from credit cards exept for collecting points and recieving cash back? Tha answer is - balance transfers which are becoming more and more popular among smart credit card holders. Making balance transfers, credit consumers take the most advantage of their credit card as they reduce their current debt and at the same time save their money on lower interest rates.
Some customers move balances simply for the purpose of making more money, even if they do not have any credit card debt at the moment. But there is a trap. Lots of people begin to enjoy balance transfers and start to actively spend on their new credit card, thus accumulating another debt. It may end up in a credit card debt spiral.
So, if you want to use your card wisely, do get a balance transfer credit card, but be very careful lest it turns into a problem rather than benefit.
Some customers move balances simply for the purpose of making more money, even if they do not have any credit card debt at the moment. But there is a trap. Lots of people begin to enjoy balance transfers and start to actively spend on their new credit card, thus accumulating another debt. It may end up in a credit card debt spiral.
So, if you want to use your card wisely, do get a balance transfer credit card, but be very careful lest it turns into a problem rather than benefit.
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Again on spring...
I can't wait till summer comes at last! Do you share my feelings? If so, you most certainly have started thinking about what's in fashion this summer and what to put on to be trendy and look irresistible. I'm greatly concerned with the issue so I've looked over the latest trends in the world of fashion this season and have tried to give a brief outline of what we're going to put on very soon.
Silhouettes
Hold your breath, girls! The wonderful seventies prints and ultra-short hems are coming in together with lovely minidresses which are taking over the planet this season...You can always add cheerful accessories especially small bags or wallets which will give you the air of irrefutable coquette!
Colours
Silver is coming to the fore. That's great news - I love silver, especially small bags or wallets.And just think of those lovely metallic minidresses which are glittering in the sun, being in silver! A great interest is also given to flashy colours or amazing buttercream yellow which looks jusy what it sounds - buttery. creamy. yellow. And doesn't it reminds us of the delicious frosting on our favorite Magnolia cupcakes?
Now, essential looks for the new season will play in to your hand!
By the way, do not forget that sunny days and warm weather are not to stay for good so make sure there are an overcoat and a trench coat in your wardrobe.
Well, i've tried my best to tell you of the latest tendencies in clothes in the 2007 summer fashion but for more information you can visit numerous online resouces and get fully armed and ready before you take off warm clothes.
Silhouettes
Hold your breath, girls! The wonderful seventies prints and ultra-short hems are coming in together with lovely minidresses which are taking over the planet this season...You can always add cheerful accessories especially small bags or wallets which will give you the air of irrefutable coquette!
Colours
Silver is coming to the fore. That's great news - I love silver, especially small bags or wallets.And just think of those lovely metallic minidresses which are glittering in the sun, being in silver! A great interest is also given to flashy colours or amazing buttercream yellow which looks jusy what it sounds - buttery. creamy. yellow. And doesn't it reminds us of the delicious frosting on our favorite Magnolia cupcakes?
Now, essential looks for the new season will play in to your hand!
By the way, do not forget that sunny days and warm weather are not to stay for good so make sure there are an overcoat and a trench coat in your wardrobe.
Well, i've tried my best to tell you of the latest tendencies in clothes in the 2007 summer fashion but for more information you can visit numerous online resouces and get fully armed and ready before you take off warm clothes.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Trap is close...
Credit card debt... These awful words have become the reality to most US credit card holders resulting in a growing number of bankruptcies and even suicide. You're offered best credit cards, which you can't resisit applying but you inevitably find yourself in debt if you fail to manage your credit card properly. Unfortunately, very many people fail. And when they do, there are several options for them: cancelling all credit cards ans starting to pay them off, taking a debt consolidation loan or making use of debt counselling services. That's where the trap hides! Debt counselling can take you to even deeper debt if you do not distinguish a really good, non profit organization from a pilferer. Taht's what my friend warns me about. He's been trapped. He addressed a credit counselling service and they charged him $3000 upfront fees. But when the time of negotiating lower rates came, they disappeared leaving him in a far greater debt! Are you in debt today and seeking help? Well, try credit counselling, but find a legitimate one. Do not put your already damaged credit at such a great risk. If you have some questions connected with the issue, you can leave them in your comments. I'll be glad to help.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
The Importance Of Having Credit History
As you start thinking of your personal finance management, you can't leave credit rating issue without attention. So I decided to study a number of posts to draw conclusions about how to treat CREDIT SCORE.
To build your credit and increase the credit score one should know and understand how this score works to avoid serious mistakes. In fact, some companies can use your ignorance and try to convince you to improve your credit on their terms and at the cost they require.
A CREDIT SCORE IS…
A number, usually varying from 300 to 850, that is calculated in some mysterious way and that is a display of credit risk you represent for a lender. Banks and credit companies are extremely interested in the way you paid off your debts, how many of them you are having at the moment and whether you are able to pay anything off at all.
There are 4 degrees in credit rating that are determined by the number of credit points:
Excellent Credit - 750-850
Good Credit - 660-749
Fair Credit - 620-659
Poor Credit - 350-619
No Credit - 0-0
The higher your rating is the better risk you are considered to be, so the bank can give you credit with lower rates and with more rewards. If your score is lower than 600, it is rather difficult to find credit, while scores over 720 attract creditors to you as a borrower. Credit scores have much in common with GPAs or SAT scores – they let the company see how you are doing, but different banks can pay more or less attention to this figure. You can never be sure whether the bank will look at your credit score only or they will be interested in details of your credit history. Besides, there are banks that are ready to work with those who have less than 600 points, while others (AmEx, for example) will be interested in you if you have more than 650.
CREDIT SCORE CAN BE FOUND IN…
The number of points of your credit rating is based on your credit report which is a record of your past debts, payments and is a picture of your relations with credit companies. Credit bureaus use special formulas to calculate the score, evaluating each item according to the certain systems. It's interesting that each credit bureau has its own method for calculations (which is the reason for you having different scores with different bureaus), but most of them use the FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation company) system – the most used credit score calculating software designed some years ago. Credit rating calculated by FICO system is called FICO score to make it different from other scores.
For each consumer interested in boosting his/her credit score it is important to realize that the math used by any credit score calculation system is based on research and comparative mathematics, like those in insurance.
WHAT A CREDIT SCORE AND INSURANCE ASSESSMENT HAVE IN COMMON?
When you come to the insurance company, you are expected to answer question about your health, lifestyle, habits etc. as this information helps them evaluate the risk you are and the possibility of your making large claims later on. And the basis is research, as according to it, smokers are subject to serious illnesses and can require more expensive medical service, that's why they can pay higher insurance premiums.
Credit bureaus and credit companies have a similar approach, looking at general patterns that were worked out by research. People with multiple debts are not attractive for creditors and can not enjoy beneficial terms, since they are a great risk. So, you should conclude that:
1) credit score is not a personal characteristic of yours, it doesn't really show how good or bad you deal with money. It is just an indication of how lenders consider you to be reliable in payments or not – according to the previously gathered statistics.
2) to increase your credit rating you should act to become the kind of a debtor that is likely to pay back accurately, according to statistics. There is no need in changing your personality or dramatically increase your income, you just need to become a trustworthy lender, so after realizing this you will see it is easy to give or credit a boost or repair.
It is just like a chain: you are a client of a bank that is interested in your credit history before lending you money, and the bank is the client of a credit bureau which collects information about you.
WHEN YOU START YOUR CREDIT HISTORY?
When you open a bank account or get some bills to pay, a file is started in credit bureau. So the information about you is stored and collected. Each action of yours, either it is a late payment or closing an account, is reflected in the file, the banks reporting of them regularly. The score is calculated according to the history you have, each negative item decreasing it and each positive record adding more points. It is worth paying attention to the fact that every detail is taken into account – what sort of debt or loan you had, the amount due to pay off, how regularly you make payments and how soon you pay off the debt.
At the same time, you age, sex and income do not influence you credit rating (like they sometimes do in insurance). Credit bureaus do not reveal the secret of the way they calculate credit scores, so in most cases it is hard to say how many points are added or taken away after a certain change in your credit record.
To build your credit and increase the credit score one should know and understand how this score works to avoid serious mistakes. In fact, some companies can use your ignorance and try to convince you to improve your credit on their terms and at the cost they require.
A CREDIT SCORE IS…
A number, usually varying from 300 to 850, that is calculated in some mysterious way and that is a display of credit risk you represent for a lender. Banks and credit companies are extremely interested in the way you paid off your debts, how many of them you are having at the moment and whether you are able to pay anything off at all.
There are 4 degrees in credit rating that are determined by the number of credit points:
Excellent Credit - 750-850
Good Credit - 660-749
Fair Credit - 620-659
Poor Credit - 350-619
No Credit - 0-0
The higher your rating is the better risk you are considered to be, so the bank can give you credit with lower rates and with more rewards. If your score is lower than 600, it is rather difficult to find credit, while scores over 720 attract creditors to you as a borrower. Credit scores have much in common with GPAs or SAT scores – they let the company see how you are doing, but different banks can pay more or less attention to this figure. You can never be sure whether the bank will look at your credit score only or they will be interested in details of your credit history. Besides, there are banks that are ready to work with those who have less than 600 points, while others (AmEx, for example) will be interested in you if you have more than 650.
CREDIT SCORE CAN BE FOUND IN…
The number of points of your credit rating is based on your credit report which is a record of your past debts, payments and is a picture of your relations with credit companies. Credit bureaus use special formulas to calculate the score, evaluating each item according to the certain systems. It's interesting that each credit bureau has its own method for calculations (which is the reason for you having different scores with different bureaus), but most of them use the FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation company) system – the most used credit score calculating software designed some years ago. Credit rating calculated by FICO system is called FICO score to make it different from other scores.
For each consumer interested in boosting his/her credit score it is important to realize that the math used by any credit score calculation system is based on research and comparative mathematics, like those in insurance.
WHAT A CREDIT SCORE AND INSURANCE ASSESSMENT HAVE IN COMMON?
When you come to the insurance company, you are expected to answer question about your health, lifestyle, habits etc. as this information helps them evaluate the risk you are and the possibility of your making large claims later on. And the basis is research, as according to it, smokers are subject to serious illnesses and can require more expensive medical service, that's why they can pay higher insurance premiums.
Credit bureaus and credit companies have a similar approach, looking at general patterns that were worked out by research. People with multiple debts are not attractive for creditors and can not enjoy beneficial terms, since they are a great risk. So, you should conclude that:
1) credit score is not a personal characteristic of yours, it doesn't really show how good or bad you deal with money. It is just an indication of how lenders consider you to be reliable in payments or not – according to the previously gathered statistics.
2) to increase your credit rating you should act to become the kind of a debtor that is likely to pay back accurately, according to statistics. There is no need in changing your personality or dramatically increase your income, you just need to become a trustworthy lender, so after realizing this you will see it is easy to give or credit a boost or repair.
It is just like a chain: you are a client of a bank that is interested in your credit history before lending you money, and the bank is the client of a credit bureau which collects information about you.
WHEN YOU START YOUR CREDIT HISTORY?
When you open a bank account or get some bills to pay, a file is started in credit bureau. So the information about you is stored and collected. Each action of yours, either it is a late payment or closing an account, is reflected in the file, the banks reporting of them regularly. The score is calculated according to the history you have, each negative item decreasing it and each positive record adding more points. It is worth paying attention to the fact that every detail is taken into account – what sort of debt or loan you had, the amount due to pay off, how regularly you make payments and how soon you pay off the debt.
At the same time, you age, sex and income do not influence you credit rating (like they sometimes do in insurance). Credit bureaus do not reveal the secret of the way they calculate credit scores, so in most cases it is hard to say how many points are added or taken away after a certain change in your credit record.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Credit And Finance, Finance And Credit - beating my brains over...
So, as I decided to start an adult life, I'm going to get a credit card to put the first record in my credit history. I found the numerous and numerous sites for credit applications, some of them with articles and tips for building credit. I read tens of articles and made a number of conclusions:
- it's impossible to build good credit in a year or two
- you should spend a lot of money on expensive bad credit cards to earn a high payment rating
- you can choose among a number of options, all of them are equally inconvenient - either a secured card, or a card with co-signer, or a totally ruining unsecured card for no credit. It's impossible to choose the least of the evils, as you have to spend much in any case.
I chose a secured credit card for a beginning - namely Orchard bank MasterCard, as I don't want to be dependent on the cosigner and spend even more on fees and interest.
Having sent the application online - I'm waiting for the approval to be mailed...
- it's impossible to build good credit in a year or two
- you should spend a lot of money on expensive bad credit cards to earn a high payment rating
- you can choose among a number of options, all of them are equally inconvenient - either a secured card, or a card with co-signer, or a totally ruining unsecured card for no credit. It's impossible to choose the least of the evils, as you have to spend much in any case.
I chose a secured credit card for a beginning - namely Orchard bank MasterCard, as I don't want to be dependent on the cosigner and spend even more on fees and interest.
Having sent the application online - I'm waiting for the approval to be mailed...
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Is tan really necessary?
The spring is all around and I came to think over the tan issue - I'll have to stay at the city for the whole summer - so no sea or sunbathing))
Looking for an artificial tan - cream or lotion I found so many different opinions that I'm in 2 minds now - whether to buy one from Dove or L'Oreal or it's better to stay pale as I am... Plus, I'm afraid to become orange or some other ugly color.
But the thought of becoming bronzy and cool just urges me to go and buy a lotion, maybe just to try.
It's so strange - some decades ago tanned people were considered to be of lower class, only outdoor workers were tanned and opposed to the aristocracy - absolutely white. Today we want to be tanned, sunkissed, glowing - whatever - to create an image of a "lazy sunbather" who spares her time on hte beach, on the yacht - lounging and caring about nothing...
Stranage, foolish - but I want to be tanned, at least artificially))
Looking for an artificial tan - cream or lotion I found so many different opinions that I'm in 2 minds now - whether to buy one from Dove or L'Oreal or it's better to stay pale as I am... Plus, I'm afraid to become orange or some other ugly color.
But the thought of becoming bronzy and cool just urges me to go and buy a lotion, maybe just to try.
It's so strange - some decades ago tanned people were considered to be of lower class, only outdoor workers were tanned and opposed to the aristocracy - absolutely white. Today we want to be tanned, sunkissed, glowing - whatever - to create an image of a "lazy sunbather" who spares her time on hte beach, on the yacht - lounging and caring about nothing...
Stranage, foolish - but I want to be tanned, at least artificially))
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Personal concern and social trouble
Reading news is damaging your mental harmony! It's really true, as I've just tried it.
From internet financial ezines I learned that it can take a number of years to build good credit history, so I started to hesitate whether I would be able to buy car soon. BUt to be sure, I asked a question about it at credit card care service and they said I should wait 1-2 days to receive the answer...
Reading through the main topics of NYTimes.com I found the most shocking details of Virginia tragedy and a thought came to my mind... Maybe it is our fault that young people turn so cruel, next to mad? Maybe something in our sweet American life is so wrong that there's a sudden click in the guy's head and he takes the gun and shoots in dozens and then in himself? That's the question that really should make us all look into ourselves and reflect...
From internet financial ezines I learned that it can take a number of years to build good credit history, so I started to hesitate whether I would be able to buy car soon. BUt to be sure, I asked a question about it at credit card care service and they said I should wait 1-2 days to receive the answer...
Reading through the main topics of NYTimes.com I found the most shocking details of Virginia tragedy and a thought came to my mind... Maybe it is our fault that young people turn so cruel, next to mad? Maybe something in our sweet American life is so wrong that there's a sudden click in the guy's head and he takes the gun and shoots in dozens and then in himself? That's the question that really should make us all look into ourselves and reflect...
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