Archive for » August, 2008 «

31
Aug
Don’t Let the Rise of Zombie Debt Haunt You
Rebecca

Many people never heard of zombie debt until they receive a letter regarding their once resolved fraudulent credit issue which has been re-awakened. This is known as zombie debt. Imagine that your credit card was stolen and the thief goes on a shopping spree. You notify the credit card company of the theft and to rectify the situation. All charges are cleared and you are not responsible for them. Right? Better think again.

Collectors harass consumers to no avail when collecting debt. Consumers who believe the debt was resolved or never even had any in the first place are reporting more and more abuse from collectors. From nasty phone calls to trashing credit reports, the Federal Trade Commission has heard it all. They received many complaints in 2005 about third party debt collectors. For more information on zombie debt, please visit MSN.com.

About.com: “Zombie debt refers to old debt purchased by debt collectors hoping to intimidate consumers into paying the debt. If you’re contacted by a collection agency about an old debt, don’t give in immediately. You have several tools you can use to fight back.”

Links to Tackling Zombie Debt

  1. Deal With Zombie Debt. Find great advice on how to deal with zombie debt.
  2. Sound Money Matters. Ready to fight zombie debt? Learn how to deal with zombie debt once and for all.

The bottom line is to be vigilant with your credit! Review your credit statements on a monthly basis and review your credit score at least once a year. Do not assume you owe the debt. Verify that you owe the debt and make the collectors prove you owe the debit. Start a file and keep all letters from collectors in one place. Feel free to hang up on collectors if they are being rude or call everyday. You may want to consult with an attorney if the calls and letters continue.

Finally, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. They are pursuing illegal collections and are shutting down collection agencies. Make sure you know your rights and take the necessary steps to handle the situation. It’s your credit that is on the line!

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Category: All Finance  Tags:  One Comment
29
Aug
World Bank: U.S. Borrows Money from China, Buys Oil from Saudi Arabia, Funds Israel
Rebecca

How many Americans are aware that the United States of America is borrowing money from China? The answer is probably slim to none. How many Americans realize that the money being borrowed is funneled to Israel? Did you know that Iraqis have money in our banks? We, the American people are funding a war and responsible for rebuilding Iraq, yet Iraq has money in our banks. Does this make sense?

Most Americans are unaware that the money borrowed from China is being used to purchase oil from Saudi Arabia. Instead of creating alternative fuels or tapping our oil wells, the U.S. chooses to be indebted to another country. China is a country whose history obviously surpasses the United States of America’s history. After all, “the first unified Chinese state was established by the Qin Dynasty in 221 BCE!”

According to Wakeup From Your Slumber “Israel is again lobbying our Congress for its annual handout. If past behavior is any indicator, Congress will borrow the money (from China) to provide Israel an aid package worth over $5 billion. This represents one-third of our foreign aid in spite of the fact Israel makes up only 0.001 percent of the world’s population, and has one of the world’s higher per capita incomes.” No doubt, Israel will use the money to purchase military weaponry to fight the Palestinians.

Links to Blood Money

  1. Kucinich. Dennis Kucinich speaks about China.
  2. Ron Paul. Video from 2007 in which a discussion takes place about the U.S. borrowing money from China.
  3. Wikipedia. Learn how much debt the United States of America has and to whom.
  4. The Atlantic. Great article about U.S. Debt.

Isn’t it ironic that some Americans protest against Communist China, yet their own government is borrowing money from China. It would behoove people to question that tactics of their own government before they cast stones at the government of another country. Get the facts first, before passing judgment.

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Category: Politics and Social Issues  2 Comments
28
Aug
Families Raise Cash and Save Money – How Do They Do It?
Rebecca

Many families are looking for ways to raise cash and save money. According to CNN.Money some ways to raise cash fast are as follows: sell investments, raid the emergency funds, ask parents for a gift, and take out a home equity line of credit.

Business Week asked financial advisors for advice on how to reduce expenses and boost savings. A few ways are to vacation in the off-season, cut back on eating out, if you have two cars, sell one; cut out premium cable stations, and find FREE entertainment.

Other ways families can raise cash is to sell antiques and heirlooms. Yes, “parting may be sweet sorrow,” but if the money is needed to pay the bills, do it! Great, Great, Great Aunt Martha will understand. She’s probably in the afterlife and really would not care what you do with the heirloom. Consider selling jewelry, furniture, exercise equipment, and furniture.

Saving money is relatively easy. Families must be vigilant and want to save money. Cutback on Starbucks, carpool, trim phone expenses, make a budget, pay off credit cards or make payment arrangement and cut-up the ones from department stores because VISA and MasterCard are accepted everywhere you go, and keep track of expenses. If you receive a gift of money or unexpected cash, put it in the bank. Pay for purchases with cash versus credit. As mom would say “if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it!”

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Category: All Finance, Just Think  Tags:  One Comment
26
Aug
Go Mobile! Uncage Yourself and Change Your Career
Rebecca

How many people would love to fire their boss? Most people have dreams but choose not to pursue them. They show up day after day to perform a job they do not like. It’s not fair to them or the organization.

The main reason they stay is because of FEAR! They dream of doing what they love and getting paid for it, but wake themselves from the dream. They focus on their current reality which breeds more fear and contempt.

Take a chance and choose to escape from a job that you dislike. Flexibility and freedom are within reach. Make the decision today to grab hold of them.

Top 5 Mobile Careers

  1. Graphic Designer. Create logos, newsletters, brochures, signs, flyers, postcards, business cards, and anything else visual.
  2. Web Designer. Design websites from the comfort of your own home.
  3. Travel Writer. The next time you travel remember to pack the laptop and your imagination. Write about your travels wherever, whenever.
  4. Personal or Business Coach. Coaching is very popular and hot right now! Coach via email, face-to-face, or over the phone.
  5. Copywriter. Write copy for B2B, B2C, emails, newsletters, intranet sites, websites, flyers, and anything else that will sell products and services.

Choose the career that is right for you. These are just some suggestions. Just imagine being a travel writer who writes from an Italian courtyard. Perhaps you are passionate about personal coaching. Think about how many people you can help by offering your services. Not only will you help them but you will help to heal our planet. The more people heal their lives the better off the rest of us will be!

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Category: All Business, Life  Tags: ,  One Comment
18
Aug
Break Free From the Chokehold of Domestic Violence
Rebecca

Night after night, the yelling and swearing coming from the apartment next door has become unbearable. Why does the woman on the other side of the wall stay with this man? A man who punches the wall, yells, and stomps the floor like a spoiled child that does not get his way.

Why do women stay with men who abuse them? Is it because they feel they are worthless? Do they have nowhere else to go? Are they dependent upon the men to support them financially? These are not good excuses for women to stay with men who treat them like garbage or property.

Domestic violence can be found cities and suburbs across the country. Do not be fooled and believe that abuse does not happen even in the wealthiest of cities or suburbs because it does. The facade of a luxurious apartment community can only work for so long. The walls have ears and the people on the other side may pickup the phone and dial 911!

If you are in a domestic violence situation, pickup the phone or find a shelter! Get out today in order to have a better future tomorrow. You are worth it! Take control of your life and contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Also visit Domestic Violence.org and Medicine Plus.

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Category: Healthy and Well, Just Think, Relationships  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
13
Aug
Shocker! Halo Purely for Pets Canned Spot’s Stew is Actual Stew
Rebecca

Not only is Ellen DeGeneres a queen of comedy and talk show host but she’s also part owner of Halo Purley for Pets. Halo touts itself as having the “world’s best natural pet care products.” Their entire line of products for cats and dogs are made with the highest quality ingredients. They are also made with real ingredients. For the skeptics out there, Halo puts their money where their mouth is!

Pet lovers who buy canned food for their cats and dogs usually receive a product that is processed into a brownish/pinkish mush. The ingredients are listed on the label, but can you clearly pick them out? In most cases the only ingredient you see is the broth.

Halo’s canned cat food is not your average cat food. Spot’s Stew Wholesome Chicken Recipe is the “original,” with natural ingredients. That’s right folks. The label reads something like this: chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, celery, chicken broth, carrots, green peas, and other natural ingredients. Can this be canned cat food? Yes, it’s a very healthy and natural meal for your cat or kitten.

Spot’s Stew looks like the stew grandma used to make for Sunday dinner. It even smells like it! Your cat or dog will wipe the plate clean and will bark or meow for seconds! If you want the very best for your best friend, then pickup a couple of cans of Spot’s Stew today. Cats and dogs everywhere give it two “paws” up!

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Category: All Animals, Green Corner  Tags:  Leave a Comment
07
Aug
3 Ways to Stand in Your Power
Rebecca

According to best-selling author Debbie Ford “when we’re stuck in the pattern of people-pleasing, we do not have access to making clear choices. We are driven to fulfill others’ needs in order to be loved. In order to stand in our power, we must have the option of saying no. We have to be willing to give up the need for others’ approval and give up our need to make others happy. The truth is that not everyone will like us and it’s not our job to make others happy — just as it isn’t the job of others to make us happy.”

“It’s so easy to give our power away to oblige our partners or console our families. But if the choices we make rob us of too much of our private time, if they deprive us of our joy or our inner peace or prevent us from expressing our creative gifts, then ultimately they are violations we are perpetrating against our own souls. These violations do not affect just us in negative ways they affect all those around us.”

Stand in Your Power

  1. Do not forsake your own needs for another! Caring for another is different from pleasing another. When you genuinely care for someone, your actions take no effort. Pleasing another is giving your power away to that person. You do not feel good about your actions; resentment settles upon you. In order to care for another, you must care for yourself first!
  2. Make waves and speak your mind. Napoleon Hill said “opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth.” You have a right to speak your mind. Do not stay silent. Your thoughts and ideas can make a great contribution to society. Who knows, you may have the solution to a problem that a family, friend, or employer has been waiting for!
  3. Let go of guilt, feeling obligated, and the words “should and have.” Guilt can eat at you and cause tremendous stress. If you are going to help another, do so because you want to be of service. Feeling obligated to do something will not serve you or another!

In conclusion, ask yourself if you are standing in your power or trying to please another. Reclaim your power and life today! Parents, grandparents, former teachers, and others mean well, but do not realize how their words and actions will impact your adult life. Let go of old beliefs that you picked up from childhood which are not serving you today. As an adult, you have the right to change your thoughts, beliefs, and life. Live in the now and leave the past in the past!

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Category: Healthy and Well, Just Think, Motivation and Inspiration  Tags: ,  Leave a Comment
06
Aug
Warning! Working With People Maybe Killing You!
Rebecca

Most people cannot stand to go to work. When Sunday comes around, they are already dreading going to work. Perhaps it’s because the boss or another employee makes their blood boil or stomach do “flip-flops!” Most people have experienced an overbearing, rude, or negative boss, co-worker, or employee at some point in their career. It is becoming a job requirement to know how to work with all types of people.

“In their book, “Working with You is Killing Me — Freeing Yourself from Emotional Traps at Work,” (Warner Business Books, 2006), Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster offer advice on how to recognize a co-worker problem and provide tools for dealing with them professionally and effectively.” See MSN.CareerBuilder for further reference.

Do not allow people to take your power! Most people do things to get a reaction out of others. Once they know what buttons to push, they will do it all of the time. Here’s a saying that you can say to yourself if you find yourself in a negative situation at work: “I’m rubber, your glue, your negative energy bounces of a me and sticks to you!” You may even find that a smile forms across your face.

Some people are very insecure or in so much pain that they do not know how to deal with their issues. It is not your job to “fix people.” It’s your job to monitor your thoughts and feelings. When a person is “getting on your nerves,” walk away as fast as you can. Think about something that makes you happy, like a new job. Be sure to thank your current job for providing you with experience and a salary, then start looking for a new job.

The workplace is full of people. The key is to know how to deal with all personalities types. Remember, it’s just a job and not your life. Another way to deal with toxic people is an attitude of gratitude. You can thank God you are not related or married to these people! Can you imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? It would be an exciting day which would make you want to be at work instead of spending the holiday with them.


As Featured On Ezine Articles

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04
Aug
How do Families on Extreme Makeover Home Edition Pay for Their Homes?
Rebecca

ABC’s hit show Extreme Makeover Home Edition, headed by Ty Pennington, tears down a family’s home and rebuilds a dream home that is safer and roomier. These dream homes are brilliantly designed on the outside and inside. How can a family afford their brand new home which costs $400,000 or more? Do they seek financial counseling? Are most of the materials donated?

According to the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution a family in Georgia foreclosed on their Extreme Makeover Home Edition home. “Materials and labor were donated for the home, which would have cost about $450,000 to build. Beazer Homes’ employees and company partners also raised $250,000 in contributions for the family, including scholarships for the couple’s three children and a home maintenance fund.”

Apparently the family used the two-story home as collateral for a $450,000 loan. The home will be auctioned off August 5 on the steps of the Clayton County Courthouse. Many people worked very hard on this project. It’s disappointing and aggravating because they gave their time, energy, and supplies which were squandered.

Most of the families featured on Extreme Makeover Home Edition are struggling to make ends meet. Some have children with disabilities others open their hearts and homes to foster children or even children in their own families that cannot be cared for anymore.

The question remains. How do families pay for their brand new home? Do they receive contributions from others? Does the builder pay for it? Are they required to have a certain amount of savings or investments? Perhaps some questions will never be answered.

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Category: All Finance, Just Think, Life  4 Comments
01
Aug
Do You Smoke? Akron Children’s Hospital to Ban Smokers from Employment
Rebecca

Recently, Akron Children’s Hospital in Akron, Ohio has announced that it will not hire new employees that smoke. To read Akron Children’s Hospital’s news release about the ban on smoking, click here.

According to The Medical and Science News from The Plain Dealer, Akron Children’s Hospital will not hire employees that smoke. On August 1, 2008, all applicants will be given a nicotine test. New hires who test positive for nicotine will be given the opportunity to enroll in the hospital’s free smoking cessation program. On Nov. 1, new applicants who test positive will not be hired. They can reapply in 90 days.

The ban does not apply to current employees. What is the purpose of this ban? Akron Children’s Hospital employs 3,600 employees. Smoking is smoking. Apparently, it’s all right for pediatric doctors and nurses who smoke to keep their jobs and to care for children. It’s probably because they “scrub up” with anti-septic soap which would kill the nicotine and not transfer it to the children. Perhaps all employees of Akron Children’s Hospital who smoke will be “scrubbing up” before they deal with people.

Furthermore, what if a new applicant who does not smoke comes in contact with an employee that does smoke? Non-smokers who accompany their friends to bars and clubs will tell you that they come out smelling like an “ashtray” from being around all of the smokers. God help all applicants if Ohio has gusty winds on the day of their interviews!

It’s great that Akron Children’s Hospital is doing something to curtail smoking by employees on the hospital’s property, but is this an effective way to do it? Could the hospital ban smoking for all employees and not just new employees? After all, it’s a hospital which is a place of health, healing, recovery, and rest. Isn’t it ironic that a place of health would allow smoking on its premises in the first place?

Since the hospital has “snuffed out” new applicants who smoke, next up will be potential employees who are 30 lbs. or more overweight. Let’s not forget that America is still “fighting” the war on obesity. Here’s a suggestion. Instead of fighting the war, attack the “battle of the bulge” with common sense healthy diet and exercise. Turn off the TV, get moving, and watch the portions! Yes, it’s that simple!

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