2007 Suzuki SX4 Reviews

Introduction
The Suzuki SX4 is an all-new subcompact car that comes standard with all-wheel drive. Suzuki says SX4 stands for (S)port (X)-over for (4) seasons. We found these were all good reasons to like this car.

The SX4 is indeed reasonably sporty, when equipped with a manual transmission. It offers versatility and even looks like a stylish mini-SUV. We'd classify it as cute. Finally, it's good for all seasons as it comes standard with an effective all-wheel-drive system.

A number of all-new models brings excitement to the subcompact segment. The Suzuki SX4 competes directly with the new Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, and Chevrolet Aveo. Yet the SX4 comes with all-wheel drive and it looks, drives and feels different from these other cars.


Lineup
The SX4 comes in two trim levels, the SX4 ($14,999) and the SX4 Sport ($16,399). Each is available with a five-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic ($1,000).

Safety features include six airbags: front driver and passenger airbags, driver and passenger side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags, all standard. Four-wheel ABS with electronic brake-force distribution, a tire-pressure monitoring system, and seatbelt pretensioners come standard.

Standard features include air conditioning, power windows, locks and mirrors, remote keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system with four speakers, tilt steering wheel, 16-inch alloy wheels and black roof rails.

The SX4 Sport adds electronic stability control and traction control, auto temperature control, cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel with steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, premium audio with six-disc CD changer and nine speakers including subwoofer, silver-color roof rails and SmartPass keyless entry and start system.

Walkaround
If you like the tall look of many modern small cars you'll love the lines of the all-new 2007 Suzuki SX4. From the side its profile has an uncanny resemblance to the latest Mercedes-Benz ML-Class SUV. That's not bad considering the ML has a much sleeker look to it than other more blunt-nosed SUVs.

It seems strange to talk about the SX4 in the same breath as an SUV, but it is exactly how Suzuki describes it in the U.S. To be fair it describes it as a crossover, which is accurate in that it has a tailgate, fold down rear seats for added cargo space and all-wheel-drive. In Europe, where the car was designed and has been well received, it's described as a hatchback. Nothing wrong with that in Europe where hatchbacks are considered smart and practical.

One of the most unusual design cues is the unusually large quarter panel in the front door windows. Another is the wraparound glass at the rear behind the C-pillars, which are placed well forward of the tailgate. These design features give the car a distinct look.

The SX4 has a large windshield that slopes down to a hood that has a nicely curved front edge that wraps around the large one-piece headlight/turn signal units which are in turn nicely integrated into the sheetmetal. The curve of bodywork from the front of the distinctive front fenders extends down to the lower lip of the front bumper with its large air intake.

All in all, we found the design of the SX4 to be very pleasing. It does not look too small and despite its high roof line it has a sleek and modern stance.

Interior
The Suzuki SX4 is more a utility vehicle than an ordinary sedan, so we were particularly interested in the back end of the cabin. The specifications say there is only 10 cubic feet of luggage space with the back seats in place it seems much larger primarily because it is fully useable with little intrusion from the wheelwells. The wide track and low mounted rear suspension components allow for a flat floor.

Tip the 60/40 split rear seats up all the way and there's a generous 38 cubic feet of cargo space, with a flat floor all the way to the hinges on the front underside edge of the seat bottoms. Getting stuff in and out is a breeze thanks to a full-width one-piece tailgate.

Considering the overall size of the car, rear-seat leg room is pretty good, more than sufficient for a six-footer. Put in perspective it's the same as in the much larger Mercedes-Benz E-Class but not quite as generous as in the similar size Nissan Versa. Ingress and egress is fine as the rear wheels are so near the rear end that the wheelwell does not intrude much.

Moving to the front you'll find a pleasant cockpit with well placed climate control knobs mounted high up, just below the sound system, which is on a level with the center of the steering wheel. No gimmicks; everything is well placed and the brushed aluminum trim seems to be well finished. The car has decent cupholders and large map pockets in the front and rear doors.

Three gauges fill the instrument pod, located in front of the steering wheel. Again no gimmicky central mounted pod like you will find in the Toyota Yaris. The large speedometer is mounted in the central position slightly overlapping the smaller tachometer.

Driving Impressions
One of the best things about permanent all-wheel-drive is that the benefits are available at all times. Even on a dry road the car sticks well with no torque steer or spinning wheels. It goes without saying that the car grips much better on slippery surfaces.

As an aside all modern rally cars use all-wheel-drive and Suzuki has announced it will enter the spectacularly fast World Rally Championship in 2008 with a high performance specially built version of the SX4. Although the company will not say officially, it does appear promising that there will be a production version of this car probably named the Suzuki SX4 SWT (Suzuki Works Techno).

Subaru's WRX and Mitsubishi's Evo, both WRC-based road cars, have been hot tickets with car enthusiasts for several years. Suzuki already enjoys a strong following with bike enthusiasts so it makes sense for the company to follow in Subaru and Mitsubishi's footsteps down the rally performance road.

This is a roundabout way of saying that the SX4 has the basic ingredients for a solid performance car. In its stock trim it offers the most powerful engine in its class. It has a wide track for great handling and it seems to have a solid body. The downside is it tips the scales with a slight weight penalty, which means it is not much faster than its competitors and its fuel consumption is not quite as good.

The all-wheel-drive system is called i-AWD and operates in three modes via a console-mounted switch. The 2WD mode is for maximum fuel economy on dry pavement, the AWD Auto mode controls the drive power distribution ratio to the rear wheels from zero to 50 percent, depending on available traction while the AWD Lock mode is designed to facilitate traction in case of snow or mud. When in the lock mode, power is distributed to the rear wheels in the range of 30 percent to 50 percent. When the vehicle reaches 36 mph in AWD Lock mode, the system automatically switches to AWD Auto mode.

Honestly we don't see the point in the 2WD mode as the fuel savings have to be minimal and it means the driving feel changes when you switch to or from the automatic mode. It seems much more sensible to have the benefits available at all times so that in an emergency situation one has all four wheels doing the work. The lock mode is useful for really adverse conditions at slow speeds.

We found the car fun to drive with a manual transmission. It could do with a sixth gear as we found ourselves wanting to up shift several times as we drove the car on straight highways and freeways. Around the twisty bits, however, just shifting through the gate between second, third and fourth gear was fine.

We only tried an automatic for a short distance and the shifting seemed smooth. The SX4 with achieves a slightly better EPA-estimated fuel economy rating with an automatic than it does with the manual.

The power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering feels fine with virtually no sign of torque steer. It might not be quite crisp enough for a racer but it's far from being sloppy. We never had the chance to try the brakes in a panic but have no reason to doubt they work fine especially as ABS and electronic brake-force distribution are included on all models.

Overall handling is competent thanks, as much as anything, to the long wheelbase and wide track as well as the AWD system. Those who like a soft cushy ride might find it a little too stiff for their liking. Those who want a sports car like ride will want to install stiffer springs and stronger shocks. The Sport model does not include any suspension changes. Nonetheless the SX4 does appear to provide a good base for making a truly sporty small car a la WRX or Evo.

Summary & Specs
The Suzuki SX4 is an ideal small car for anyone looking for something other than just the cheapest most basic car. The SX4 might cost slightly more but it delivers more, including all-wheel drive. In many ways it is difficult to pigeonhole the SX4, though it's probably fair to say it fits between the Honda Fit and the Subaru Impreza. As an added bonus, there's Suzuki's 100,000-mile, seven-year, fully transferable, zero-deductible powertrain limited warranty.

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent John Rettie test drove the Suzuki SX4 near San Diego.

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Radio Active Jelly...

A few students on foundation day painted a van with Lucas HeightsNuclear Commission on the side of it and whilst driving through GeorgeSt, Sydney, rolled out a 40 gallon drum of green jelly onto the road.They stopped, got out in suits and Geiger counters set on max sensitivity so as to continuously crackle. The resulting mayhem of pedestrians and drivers was something to behold. Soon the police cordoned of the area. The driver of the van said he was off to get some gear and disappeared. The others soon after also disappeared, leaving the police with a 40 gallon drum with nuclear signs on it and green stuff falling out of it and a very worried public.


Egg In Hankie

1. Buy Egg
2. Find bus-stop with long queue.
3. Stand near the start of the queue.
4. Take out hankie
5. Put Egg in Hankie
6. Make snorting noises and start saying "Oh God No.."
7. Put Hankie (and hidden egg) around nose
8. Make LOUD Snorting noises
9. Squeeze Egg
10. Allow egg to drip down arm on to floor.
11. The long bus queue will now be much shorter.

Bunny Prank
This always gets funny looks. Walk into a shop an buy a MARS(Tm) bar. Take off the wrapper in the shop an stuff the MARS(Tm) bar in to your mouth sideways and hop around the store. Good Bugs Bunny Impression!!
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What You Should Know About Car Leasing

Leasing a car can be a fantastic way of getting the keys to your dream car without having to fork out the purchase price. The UK seems to be a country that is obsessed with going into debt in an attempt to pay off a loan. People make massive sacrifices in their living standards to afford a mortgage to repay the mortgage value when they could be paying far less with an interest only mortgage and have a far better standard of living. The same seems to happen with vehicles. A large proportion of car drivers choose to purchase a car. The money they subsequently pay on the loan can make the car cost considerably more than the car was initially worth and if people do take this plunge then they will often experience a loss in value of the vehicle. A growing number of people are beginning to recognise the true cost of purchasing a vehicle and seeking to find another way of financing a vehicle. One if the most popular options available is car leasing.


Car leasing enables the person that wants to use the vehicle to drive it around as their own without the worry of depreciation in value or maintenance costs. Car leasing organisations offer contracts that can be inclusive of a wide number of different costs. So you can arrange a contract with a fixed price so that you can manage your finances effectively and so that you don't have to worry about being hit by unexpected costs. This makes having a car less stressful because even the newest of cars experience problems that could end up being costly.

There are a number of advantages of having a car on a car leasing deal. The major advantage is that you do not have to suffer the effect of depreciation. Most cars lose a great deal of value over time. Even just a few years of ownership can drastically reduce the value of the car. If you don't own the vehicle you do not suffer this loss in capital value; the owner of the vehicle does. So you can use a new vehicle for a number of years and at the end of your lease simply hand it in and choose another one. You will not have to go through the stress and effort of advertising, negotiating and selling the vehicle for an upgrade.

In many cases the cost of car leasing costs significantly less than the loan repayments on a purchase vehicle. This is because you obviously don't own the vehicle at the end. There are obvious benefits of this. Firstly you do not have to worry about selling the vehicle when you want to upgrade. The selling process can be both expensive and, for those that are unfamiliar with the process, daunting. So using car leasing can be a great way of reducing the stress that you face when it comes to changing cars. The second major advantage that comes when you come to the end of your lease is that you can exchange your car for a different model quickly and without any hassle at the end of your deal. All you will need to do is return the car in the condition you agreed upon hand over the keys and then you can pick a new one. This is a great way to keep using an up to date vehicle.
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Choose the Right Program to Home-School Your Child

Teaching methods are many, depending on what your choice of teaching should incorporate. Textbooks have been the most relied method for most types of teaching; but it depends on how much we lean on them or just take them as guidelines. What are important are how to go about the teaching method and what program to choose from! It will help to consult the web, books and articles on the different kinds of programs available. It would also help to consult and discuss with other similar minded persons as to the choice available and advisable.



Home School Method

Today, the student to teacher ratio compels parents to opt for the home school method where the student can get better personal attention. This of course follows the traditional school teaching method of textbooks, assignments, grades and evaluations. If the child has been accustomed to the ways of a public school, the home school method will not be difficult to abide by. This is alright for older children, but in the case of younger children it will take time to adjust to a different set of rules and schedules. The curriculum will need your attention. No curriculum will ideally suit your needs and you may need to mix and match them to suit your and your child's needs.

Non-Schooling Method

Many parents are of the belief that the child should be allowed to learn and grow from everyday situations. The belief is that the child learns more through the method of curiosity or enthusiasm rather than the text book. This is applicable to natural learning situations and surroundings when children learn faster, and retain and recall just as fast. This is so for mathematics too. The grasp and understanding is faster than working from a textbook or writing on paper. This kind of learning can be applicable to the pre-school years. There is much to learn about nature, plants, animals and weather for a child. Shopping for grocery and vegetable or fruit too is exciting. It helps the child to know the names and recognize the item being purchased as well as simple calculations when paying the bill.

Other Methods of Home-schooling

The Montessori Method of learning is quite popular among children. A proper environment needs to be organized for the child to learn. A child progresses according to his own pace under the observation of the teacher. This method allows for experimental learning. Some parents opt for Home-schooling from the junior high-level stage, after the child has attended a Montessori schooling in the initial stages.

Informal Method of Schooling

Charlotte Mason advocated the method of informal learning through observing. Subjects like history and geography too could be learnt by visiting and seeing places. Traveling is the answer to this subject.

Unit Study Method

In this method, a topic with several subjects surrounding it helps in an all round learning. This could involve colors to vocabulary, to sentence formation and grammar. Similarly other topics could be selected to develop learning. It is important to know your child and what methods would best be applicable when teaching your child. The textbook system may be boring and outdated, while first hand learning with the preschool stage is a welcome change.
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What You Should Know About Home Schooling

Home schooling vs. public schooling, this is what the parents must decide. When we consign our children to public schools, we feel satisfied that they are receiving 'quality education'. But, are we really getting our money's worth? More importantly, are the children gaining anything from this kind of a learning procedure?


As the failure of public education becomes more obvious, more parents are chaffing at the restriction of freethinking afforded our children in public schools.

I refer to free thinkers as those who embrace individual responsibilities and ideas; those who practice time-tested rules and morals without restrictions imposed by the public school system. Hence, there is a movement afoot for parents to take more responsibility for their children's education.

The home school movement has brought about many superior, efficient, and exciting teaching approaches. Most of you reading this were taught in a public school using the traditional textbook method.

The home school movement has brought about many superior, efficient, and exciting teaching approaches. Blot out all your preconceived ideas of how you think school should be and your previous experience of education.

Find out how you and your children like to learn. Real effectiveness is developed over time by improving a few steps at a time. All children have different gift and talents. Read the Parable About the Animal School to put this into focus. Browse through the different teaching approaches on this site to find the method that fit your family.

Scholastic education aside, what about moral education? Public schools are teaching high schoolers proper condom usage, while staying away from such alternatives as chastity. Pro-homosexuality and anti-gun sentiments are being hurrahed in schools, yet prayer is banned.

With recent tragic events, many parents and schools are being forced to take a closer look at our present schooling structure. Everyone is looking for reasons as to why our children are either part of, or in a defensive position of this social chaos. The result of this chaos? Gangs, guns, drugs, a high rate of teen-pregnancy and even terrorism.

The 1998 study by Dr. Rudner of 20,760 students, found that eighth grade students whose parents spend $199 or less on their home education score, on the average, in the 80th percentile. Eighth grade students whose parents spend $400 to $599 on their home education also score on the average, in the 80th percentile! Once the parents spend over $600, the students do slightly better, scoring in the 83rd percentile.

The message is loud and clear. More money does not mean a better education. There is no positive correlation between money spent on education and student performance. Public school advocates could refocus their emphasis if they learned this lesson. Loving and caring parents are what matters. Money can never replace simple, hard work.

On average, home-schooled students in grades one to four performed one grade level above their age-level public/private school peers on achievement tests. Students who had been home schooled their entire academic life had higher scholastic achievement test scores than students who had also attended other educational programs.

Home school and the public school system can comfortably and successfully co-exist. And in the best-case scenarios, these two entities actually become benefactors of each other's time and talents. As home schooled, having the respect of a local educational community is an essential factor in this co-existing equation and is readily achieved by following three very basic, yet vital, steps.

Parents new to home schooling often have a thousand of questions to ask. It has been accepted that parents have an inherent right to determine the pros and cons of home schooling.

There is little long-standing knowledge among regular school goers because most things are learnt for the exam. There is no correlation of facts with life. The child may know a lot, but understands very little. This is where the home schoolers beat the regular school goers. Ultimately, home schoolers emerge more adept at facing the outside world.

The bottom line on this home schooling vs. public schools issue is who do you want your children to be molded by? You or some gun-toting, drug testing, bureaucratic soldier working for the state?
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Making The Right College is the Key to Happiness and Success

Everybody knows it is a very big consideration that is often neglected when choosing where you will go to school. The weather can determine many things such as: The time spent outdoors, the difference between seasons, ability to play sports outdoors, snow, rainfall, heat, whether you will need air conditioning or heating where you live, ability to drive a car (eg. excessive snow falls or ice), what clothes you will take or need to buy, areas that are hit by natural disasters seasonally (eg. Hurricanes in Florida) will affect your time at the school.


The weather is a huge consideration for most people when it comes to choosing schools where there are extreme differences in the weather and seasons. You may have to endure months of snow and ice in some states which will reduce the amount of time that you can spend outdoors. This will be a problem if you are an athlete that plays outdoors.

The best advice here is to make a list of what you want; your preferences weather wise, and then check off each item as you look into schools. It shouldn't be the only determining factor when deciding on schools.

When you are looking at schools it is extremely important to do some research into the schools location. The USA is a large and diverse country in that many states and regions will differ from each other quite significantly. You will need to research the following key points to see if this school is right for you based on where it is located: What state is the school in? Will you pay in-state or out of state fees? Is it in a big city? Is it in a small rural area? Does it have a good public transport system, if not you will need a car. Is it near a major airport? What is the driving distance from the school to the nearest shops? Is it near mountains, beaches or lakes?

Are you a city person or a country person? City life brings about both positive and negative attributes just as those associated with schools located in more remote towns. Often towns are called "college towns" in the sense that the life of the town depends on the business from the college population. Shops, bars, restaurants, movie theatres and so on depend purely on the college.

If you decide to attend a college away from the city then you may be able to experience more of the outdoor activities such as skiing, kayaking, camping or even hiking at a nearby mountain.

One common aspect of attending a small rural college is that you will experience a different relationship with your college professors. Often they will know your name and are more accessible to assist you with your own personal needs. When I was in college we would often attend social events, BBQ's etc. at our professor's homes. This would be less likely to occur at a larger city college.

Another key issue is the security factor associated with your college campus. You will tend to find that rural campuses take on a more secure feel due to their location away from the big city. Many rural college campuses are located in remote areas so their peaceful surroundings can give you that instant sense of security that is not found in the more congested city campuses.

Some of the benefits of going to a college in a big city include: Close to transport, close to a major airport, more bars and clubs, sporting events with professional teams, other schools near by, more social choices and options, close to government offices, competition from shops so there are more choices, close to major libraries thus making it easier to conduct research and find more resources for school papers, reports, thesis etc.

Some of the negative aspects of going to a college in a big city include: Potential for more violence and crime, more pollution, more traffic, more distractions, increased costs associated with city living, more noise, less likely to get to know your professors. You may be just a number to them. You may be intimidated by the size of the school

Your Checklist for Choosing Your College or University should include the following: City or country, in-state or out of state, weather, cost, number of students at the school, availability of funding, tuition fees, reputation, what is your sports coach like if you are an athlete, can you get a sport scholarship, what is the budget of your team, sports facilities, quality of residence hall or dormitory, food available in the dining hall, other fast food restaurants on campus, are there shops near by, fraternities or sororities, on-campus social events, homecoming, reputation of faculty and programs, job availability, religious affiliation, transport availability on and off campus, selection of majors to choose from, foreign exchange opportunities and student services.

Some schools have special areas of study that they specialize in and some schools try to maintain their reputation for having a great program in a particular field of study (eg. business). Some schools have graduate programs while others just focus on their undergraduate programs. Some schools are co-ed with both males and females attending while others are single-sex. Some have a stronger religious aspect than others. As you see schools can vary significantly and it is up to you to do your own research otherwise you may find that the school is not for you.

Not all colleges cost the same amount and each school will vary in the amount of financial aid that you may be able to receive. This is a big factor for many students and their parents when choosing a college.

Schools vary in the demographics of their students. You will often find a noticeable difference between the big schools found in the cities compared to the smaller schools found in the more rural areas. Obviously schools with small student population will take on a feel of being a big family where everyone seems to know everyone and what they have been up to.

You will find schools of all sizes with student populations ranging anywhere from as low as 800 students to well over 30,000 plus. This will come down to your own personal wants and needs when deciding on the size of the school. The bigger schools will obviously offer more options with classes, majors and resources.

If you desire the big football games or big basketball games then you may want to choose one of the well known big schools that have successful programs for these sports. If you are looking for an athletic scholarship for yourself, then you will likely find more competition amongst current and new students for those limited scholarships. It may be easier to obtain a scholarship at a smaller or less popular school in a more remote location.

Colleges in the United States are either funded publicly or privately. You will find that the public colleges are less expensive than private schools due to the fact that public schools are funded by each state.

You will find that private colleges are funded by higher fees, private gifts from donors, contributions from the corporate world and endowments. You will find that private schools are more expensive but you will also likely find that these private schools offer more financial aid in the form of grants and scholarships.
Private colleges are also likely to be smaller in student population size and are therefore more suited to those students looking for smaller classes and being able to develop a more personal student-professor relationship.

This is a very personal decision based on your own beliefs, values and needs. You will find colleges that are associated with a religious organization which will also require you to participate in their religious activities. There are also colleges that are associated with a specific religion but you will often find a wide range of students from varying religious back grounds who attend that college.

When searching the many "college search directory" sites you will be able to be more specific in selecting schools based on these religious needs. For some students the religious aspect of choosing their school will take on more priority than many of the other issues associated with college selection.

It is important to take some time in selecting your college. Going to college can often be a life-changing experience so you will want to try and get it right with your first choice. Good luck with your college planning and school selection!
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Jessica Alba's News

Another confirmed pregnancy! Yes, you've heard it right. It was confirmed that Jessica Alba is pregnant to her boyfriend, Cash Warren. They were expecting it in late spring, early summer. "I can confirm that Jessica and Cash are expecting a baby in late spring, early summer," says rep Brad Cafarelli (source: people).


Jessica Alba was born in Pomona, California on 28th of April 1981. Born to be good and gifted actress she is, she took her first acting class when she was only 12 years old and just after nine months, she already signed a contract. She made her film debut in 1993 in a comedy film Camp Nowhere (1994). She also starred in 1994 Nickelodeon's TV series “The Secret World of Alex Mack”, “Flipper” an the 2000 hit sci-fi TV series “Dark Angel”. Her charm and talent does not end there, because side by side movie offers had bloomed before her. She starred on many hit movies like Never Been Kissed and Idle Hands in 1999, Into the Blue, Sin City, an aspiring dancing-choreographer in Honey, and 2007's Good Luck Chuck. She won a lot of awards including Breakthrough Actress of the Year 2001 (wiki) because of her outstanding acting performance.

So sexy as she gets, she became the "Sexiest Woman in the World" in FHM Magazine in 2007, and became the No. 1 on AskMen.com's "99 Most Desirable Women" in 2006. And now she will be one of the hottest moms in the Hollywood.
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10 Important Tips for Getting Children to Read

A child who reads becomes an adult who reads. Most adults who begin reading at an early age continue to learn by reading throughout their lives. Reading is more than a necessary skill - it's a source for learning, entertainment, enjoyment and comfort. The skill of reading can be one of the most valuable gifts that you give to your - or any - child.


Still, the question remains: How do you get children to read? There are so many distractions in today's world - television, cartoons, and video games, to name a few - that it may seem impossible to get your children to sit down and read, let alone turn them into reading enthusiasts. As a mother who has raised five avid readers, I can tell you that it's nowhere near as hard as you might think. Here are ten important tips for getting your children to read - and loving every minute of it.

1. Let them see you read.
I'll bet you thought that #1 would be "Read to them", didn't you? That's important (and it will get its own tip), but the single most important thing you can do to raise children who love reading is to be a reader. It doesn't matter if you read magazines, newspapers or books. What is vital is that your children, from an early age, see reading as a valuable and fun thing to do - and the best way to show them that is to read in front of them.

2. Read to your children regularly.
Bedtime stories are an enduring childhood ritual, but don't stop reading when your kids outgrow being tucked in at night. In our house, we made nightly reading a part of our evening - not at bedtime, but in the living room. Even when they reached their teens, my kids would often wander out into the living room to listen if I was reading to younger brothers and sisters.

3. Talk about what you read.
I am not suggesting that you should give your kids a reading comprehension quiz every time you read a story to them. Instead, get used to talking about the books that you read in casual conversation. Mention how excited you are that your favorite writer has just published a new book. Ask them how they think Ramona (or Harry Potter) would handle a situation. Remind them about scenes in stories that you read to them when you run into similar scenes in real life.

4. As soon as they're old enough, get them a library card.
Your public library is still the very best source of reading material. Take your kids to the library often. Hang out with them in the kids' room and let them choose their own books. Get them familiar with the librarian, and let them see other people enjoying books.

5. Make a big deal of their personal writing.
Writing gives kids an appreciation for the written word and deepens their enjoyment of reading. When children and teens start writing their own stories, they stop viewing books as something magical and unusual, out of their reach. If your children write, treat their writing as you would any other book. Buy them a journal. Help them create and bind their own books. Put their books on the bookshelf next to their bought books.

6. Subscribe to children's magazines.
Books are fun, but magazines offer a different kind of reading and engagement. Too often, even we adults only consider it "reading" if it's in a book. Magazines are colorful, topical and fun. Many children who consider reading a chore when the reading comes in book form will eagerly snatch their favorite magazine from the post box the moment it arrives and not put it down till they've read every last page.

7. Make books and magazines accessible - in every way.
Buy books and magazines for your kids as gifts. Make sure that there are books around the house in places that are easy for them to reach. Make sure, as well, that the books you choose are accessible - written for the right age level, and geared to their interests.

8. Institute family reading time.
When your kids start thinking they're too old for read-aloud, institute a family reading time. It can be as little as twenty minutes a day, or an hour two or three nights a week. The only rule is that everyone in the family participates - shut off the televisions and computers and everyone reads.

9. Show an interest in what they're reading.
The single most valuable reward for most kids is attention from their parents - so pay attention when your kids read. Notice it when they read a book that you remember. Ask them what the story is about. Talk to them about the books that they like.

10. Watch movies based on books - and then read the books together.
The other way around may work as well. Television and movies don't have to be the enemy. When you read Charlotte's Web, rent the video and watch it together - then talk about how well it captured the book. Or reverse the process - watch Harry Potter, then read the book together and talk about how much more depth there is in the book. Either way, you're fostering a critical eye and showing your children that behind every movie or television show is a writer and often, a book.
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Backpacker Travel Insurance

If you are planning a gap year and want to travel around the world visiting exotic locations and experiencing destinations that are off the beaten track on a backpacking trip, then one of the things that is absolutely essential to get is backpacker travel insurance. These specialist policies are designed to provide you with a comprehensive insurance cover throughout your journey around the world, and ensure that no matter where you go, or what trouble you get into, you will be able to get help and assistance.


For many travellers, one of their main concerns is their possessions. If you are travelling around the world in the 21st century, the chances are that you will be taking plenty of technological items to document your trip. Digital camera, lap top computer, and MP3 players are all popular gadgets, and many people travel with these in their pack. Thieves will often target young travellers, knowing that they have got this kind of expensive equipment with them, and will try and steal it. With a back packer travel insurance policy, you will be covered for replacement goods, and the insurance company will be able to handle your claim no matter where you are in the world.
Visiting countries that are off the beaten track will often mean coming into contact with cultures that are different to that which you have experienced before, and this will often entail trying dishes and food that you will not have tried before. In addition to this, in some countries, you will also find that you are exposed to drinking water that is not properly treated.
This can lead to various types of sickness that are unpleasant and inconvenient, not to mention expensive when it comes to getting local medical treatment . Medical centres in some countries are lacking in facilities and yet still charge tourists a considerable amount for relatively basic treatments. You will need travel insurance, make sure that it includes medical cover; that it is valid for the whole duration of your trip; and most importantly, that it provides cover in all of the countries where you may need it. While insurance comparison websites such as Qotr do offer the ability to compare a huge number of travel insurance policies to find the best deal, it is important to contact your provider to add on any activities that you are planning to try such as diving in order to be confident that you are covered.
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Is It Good To Have An Online Savings Account

So we've all heard about what they call a brick-and-mortar bank. This is usually where you deposit your paychecks, transfer money from checking to savings, visit with your teller friends and even get cash back from an ATM. Well, times have changed and now you can do most of your banking online.


Now, your brick-and-mortar bank might offer online banking, but you probably don't get an interest rate of almost 5% on all savings account cash. This is just one of the benefits of an online savings account.

If you have a regular savings account, you probably earn less than two percent on interest each year. Just by moving your cash to a web bank, you could earn up to three percent more than you do now. So, what's the catch?

You might wonder how these banks can afford to give you such a better interest rate, but it is not a scam. By not having to pay tellers keep an ATM open all the time, they can simply give more money back to you through their interest rates.

You can transfer money to your online savings account from other bank checking accounts. Most online savings accounts also offer online bill pay options. This way you can pay your bills out of your savings account.

So, this may all sound too good to be true, and in some ways it is. When you use an online savings account service, you lose out on true customer service. Usually having a personal relationship with tellers and loan officers is what keeps customers depositing their checks personally.

Instead of that personal relationship you currently enjoy, you could be stuck with automated tellers and a voice recording any time you have an issue with the savings account website. You could also be put on hold or end up having to e-mail your website and wait for days for a reply.

Besides a higher interest rate that helps you earn more money each year, online savings accounts also avoid making their customers pay fees. Most online savings accounts only cost about $1 to open and maintain.

Most don't even make their customers maintain a minimum account balance. This means that you can transfer any amount at any time, and not have to worry about that $25 that most banks require in your account at all times.

Another benefit is that you can access your account information and handle your money at any time of the day and from anywhere you can get internet access. You won't have the benefit of using an ATM or handling cash, but an online savings account could still be the answer for making more money on your savings.

Before you transfer all of your money to an online savings account, do a little research on interest rates and find the best deal on the web. Be sure you are using a site that is an accredited banking website, so you don't get scammed into giving your financial information to the wrong people.
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Health Insurance Types

The American health care system offers an enormous range of health insurance choices starting from low-cost minimum coverage plans to highly-expensive comprehensive plans. Health insurance plans are broadly classified as Indemnity Plans, Managed Care Plans and Health Savings Accounts (HSA). These different health plans differ in the approach they use to cover medical costs which includes factors like the your control over the care you receive, the cost of the care, the network of doctors and hospitals, and insurance coverage. Indemnity and consumer directed plans offer a wider choice of doctors whereas managed care plans offer broader coverage. Check out the details of various health care plans below:


Indemnity Plans: These plans are also commonly known as traditional or fee-for-service plans. These health insurance plans give insureds the full freedom to choose any doctor or hospital and they then indemnify him for the cost of the care. This means that the insurance company does not directly pay the provider unless the benefits under the policy have been assigned to the health care provider. These plans generally have a deductible before any benefits are available and will pay a percentage of the cost after the deductible has been met up to a specified limit. Indemnity Plans are usually very expensive option and are suitable for people who are willing to pay more for the freedom of choice they get to select medical providers.

Managed Care Plans: Managed care plans provide 1st dollar benefits like office and prescription copays and they control the cost of health care by managing health care services. The insurance company has an agreement with network of doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers that provide health care services to the insured at a reduced cost. These plans are less expensive, provide benefits for preventive care and offer less out of pocket expenses. There are three primary types of Managed Care Plans:
a) HMO or Health Maintenance Organization,
b) PPO or Point of Provider Organization, and
c) POS or Point of Service.

HMO or Health Maintenance Organization

HMO's benefits are usually a copayment which varies on the type of services you are receiving and they generally have no deductibles or co-insurance expenses. Benefits are limited to services delivered by a medical provider from the HMO network except in the case of a life threatening emergency, and a referral is generally required to visit a specialty care physician like a cardiologist. HMO networks include physicians, physical therapists, psychologists, surgical centers, hospitals and other health care providers. Some include holistic and alternative medicine providers as well. HMOs include the convenience of minimal paper work when you see a network provider and a simple copayment when you get care. These insurance plans protect you against all types of health challenges and also provide health benefits like preventive care. The downside of an HMO is that you have to use their providers, which is fine when you are healthy. The challenge is when you or one of your dependents becomes catastrophically ill, and you need to see an expert who is not in the HMO.

PPO or Point of Provider Organization

PPO includes benefits of both indemnity plans and managed care plans. You can visit the doctor of your choice but your benefits are much better if the doctor belongs to the PPO network. The cost of a PPO plan is also lower than an indemnity plan, and can be comparable to an HMO plan. Benefits typically include a copay for office visits and prescription drugs and you will need to pay your deductibles and coinsurance for other services and a higher deductible for out of network care.

POS or Point of Service

POS plans are a hybrid between an HMO and a PPO plan. POS plans provide the highest benefits when you work within the rules of the plan but you also can receive care from medical providers outside the network, but you will have more out of pocket expenses. These plans generally require referrals for specialty care although you can visit specialists without a referral by paying the higher cost in the benefits.

Contact www.benepath.com for the most comprehensive and affordable health insurance plans. Benepath is a licensed health insurance consulting firm that offer health plans from industry leaders.

Health Savings Account (HSA): HSA’s require that you buy a qualified high deductible health plan with minimum deductibles and out of pocket maximums. These plans are generally offered with an Indemnity or PPO plan design, with the PPO plans providing you with the negotiated discount for health expenses before you meet the deductible. You then can save money into the account on a tax deductible basis, and take the money out with no taxes to cover any qualified medical expenses. These plans are the most affordable plan and the best value for most consumers.

Visit www.benepath.com for more information and health insurance quotes on the most comprehensive and affordable health insurance plans. Benepath is a licensed health insurance consulting firm that works with agents across the country to offer health plans from industry leaders.
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Amusing Stories

A blind man was standing on the corner with his dog when the dog raised his leg and wet on the man's trouser leg. The man reached in his pocket and took out a doggie biscuit. A busybody who had been watching ran up to him and said, "You shouldn't do that. He'll never learn anything if you reward him when he does something like that!". The blind man retorted, "I'm not rewarding him. I'm just trying to find his mouth so that I can kick him in the ass".


A Felching Session

"In retrospect, lighting the match was my mistake. But I was only trying to retrieve the gerbil." Vito Bustone told bemused doctors in the severe burns unit of Salt Lake City hospital.

Bustone, and his homosexual partner Kikki Rodriguez, had been admitted for emergency treatment after a felching session had gone seriously wrong. "I pushed the cardboard tube up his rectum and slippedFaggot, our gerbil, in," he explained. "As usual, Kikki shouted"Armageddon," my cue that he'd had enough. I tried to retrieve Faggot but he wouldn't come out again, so I peered into the tube and struck a match, thinking the light might attract him." At a hushed press conference, a hospital spokesman described what had happened next. "The flame ignited a pocket of intestinal gas and a flame shot up the tube igniting Mr. Bustone's moustache and severely burning his face. It also set fire to the gerbil's fur and whiskers which, in turn, ignited a larger pocket of gas further up the intestine propelling the rodent out like a cannonball."

Bustone suffered second degree burns and a broken nose from the impact of the gerbil, while Rodriguez suffered first and second degree burns to his anus and lower intestinal tract. Sheriff Hugo Root later told reporters: "It's Faggot I feel sorry for. Being stuffed up some queers tradesman's entrance."
What Not To Name Your Dog

Everybody who has a dog calls him "Rover" or "Boy." I call mineSex.

Now Sex has been very embarrassing to me. When I went to City Hall to renew his dog license, I told the clerk I would like to have a license for Sex. He said, "I'd like to have one, too." Then I said,"But this is a dog!" He said he didn't care what she looked like. Then I said, "But you don't understand. I've had Sex since I was nine years old." He said I must have been quite a kid.

When I got married and went on my honeymoon, I took the dog with me. I told the motel clerk that I wanted a room for my wife and me and a special room for Sex. He said every room in the place was for sex. I said, "You don't understand. Sex keeps me awake at night!" The clerk said, "Me too."

One day I entered Sex in a contest, but before the competition began, the dog ran away. Another contestant asked me why I was just standing there looking around. I told him I had planned to have Sex in the contest. He told me I should have sold my own tickets. "But you don't understand," I said, "I had hoped to have Sex on TV." He called me a show-off.

When my wife and I separated, we went to court to fight custody of the dog. I said, "Your honor, I had Sex before I was married." The judge said, "Me too." Then I told him that after I was married, Sex left me. He said, "Me too."

Last night Sex ran off again. I spent hours looking around town for him. A cop came over to me and asked, "What are you doing in this alley at 4:00 in the morning?" I said, "I'm looking for Sex."

My case comes up Friday.
The Invention of Sex...

Sex was invented by Thomas Alva Edison on July 16, 1876.

At the time, Edison had been working to develop "entertainment devices" for the masses-and during the previous months he had invented the whoopee-cushion, the hand-buzzer, Play-Doh, fake-nose eyeglasses,the first cordless vibrator (a massive steam-powered unit that covered six and a half square city blocks and required 235 men to operate), and the one device he considered to be his greatest gift to mankind at the time: the ball-point pen that turned over to reveal a naked woman.

Upon being introduced to sex, the country was thrown into a turmoil - and in order to maintain order, the government seized all ofTom's patents and drawings, and locked them away in the federal archives until the year 2186. (The only exception to this were his plans for the steam-powered vibrator, which were released in 1964 and used as the basic design for the nuclear submarine USS Trident.)

Devastated at the havoc he'd created, Edison redoubled his efforts to provide entertainment for the masses and quickly invented movies, the mimeograph, and the phonograph.

In fact, his greatest invention of all, the light bulb, was created as a means of deterring sex. Because as Tom himself put it, "Who inGod's name would ever want to do it with the lights on?"
Zorba The...

Upon arriving in Greece, a couple decided not to see the country the traditional touristy way but to hire a guide from one of the small villages. After finding a guide, the guide took them on a boat ride showing them the sights of Greece. After a while, they past a grove of fig trees.

After the tourists commented on the beauty of the trees, the guide says, "See all those trees? I planted every one of those trees. I nurtured every one of those trees. But do they call me Zorba the tree-planter? No."

The couple looked a little confused at his outrage but kept quiet. After about 15 minutes, they past a nice village on the bank of the river. The tourists comment on the beauty of the village.

Again, the guide goes off. "See all those houses? I built every one of those houses. With these two hands alone, I built those houses. But do they call me Zorba the house-builder? NO."

The couple again looked confused and worried about the guide's outrage. They didn't want to annoy him again. After about 30 minutes,they pass a small fleet of fishing boats. The husband comments on the boats.

"You see all those boats? I built those boats. With these two hands, I built every boat and not a one has sunk. But do they call meZorba the boat-builder? NO!!"

The tourists stay quiet until they see something which the guide could not have built. "Look at those lovely donkeys", says the wife.

The guide looks at them and says, "Oh, but you fuck one donkey..."
An American In Jamaica...

A young man truly in love with his girlfriend decided to have her name tattooed on his penis, her name was Wendy, and the tattoo was done while the penis was erect, so when it was not erect all you could see was W Y. Shortly after the couple was married they were honeymooning inJamaica the man was in a bathroom in Jamaica, and standing next to him was a Jamaican man who also had a W Y on his penis.

The American said to him "Oh is your girl named Wendy too?"

The Jamaican replied, "No, Mon that says Welcome To Jamaica Have aNice Day".
Jack or Barb

Dave was the vice-president of ACME inc. One day the president,Mr. Smith called him into his office.He told Dave that they had to make some cutbacks and either Jack or Barb would have to be laid off.

Dave looked at mr Smith and said " Barb is my best worker, butJack has a wife and three kids. I don't know who to fire."

"I'll tell you what to do. Fire the first one of them who comes in to work tomorrow" Mr. Smith replied.

The next morning Dave waited for either Jack or Barb to show up.Barb was the first to arrive. Dave said to her "Barb I've got a problem."

"Really? What's wrong?" Barb replied.

"Well you see, I've got to lay you or Jack off and I don't know what to do?"

Barb replied, "Jack off! I've got a headache."
Milk of a Nursing Mother

There was a gentleman living in a small village who unfortunately had a stomach disorder that required him to drink the milk of a nursing mother. Well there weren't too many women in the village nursing babies and even fewer who would agree to allow a grown man to suck on their breast. But low and behold, the poor man finally found a rather buxom young girl who recently had given birth who was willing to help him out -- for a price. The man was desperate because his condition was growing worse, so he agreed to pay the woman the amount of money she demanded. After all, the woman had a new born baby to care for and the father had abandoned them to their fate.

The first day was a bit awkward as the man showed up and, with a bit of anxiety and embarrassment, leaned over and began to suck on the woman's breast. Well weeks went by and the awkwardness began to fade.

One day, the woman realized that the man's sucking was beginning to arouse her sexually. It became almost unbearable and finally, in a sensuous voice,she said, "Is there anything else you'd like?"

The man paused in his sucking for a moment and looked up at her. "Yeah,"he said finally. "Can I have a cookie with my milk?"
Tattoo Art...

A woman walks into a tattoo parlour.

'Do you do custom work?' she asks the artist.

'Why of course!'

'Good. I'd like a portrait of Robert Redford on the inside of my right thigh, and a portrait of Paul Newman on the inside of my left thigh.'

'No problem,' says the artist. 'Strip from the waist down and get upon the table.'

After two hours of hard work, the artist finishes. The woman sits up and examines the tattoos.

'That doesn't look like them!' she complains loudly.

'Oh yes it does,' the artist says indignantly, 'and I can prove it.' With that, he runs out of the shop and grabs the first man off the street he can find; it happens to be the town drunk.

'Well, what do you think?' the woman asks, spreading her legs. 'Do you know who these men are?'

The drunk studies the tattoos for a couple of minutes and says.'I'm not sure who the guys on either side are, but the fellow in the middle is definitely Willie Nelson!'
Czech Dissident
Through the center of Czechoslovakia there's a train speeding along. In one compartment of the train there are four people. A beautiful vivacious young woman, an old matronly woman, a Russian soldier, and aCzech dissident.

Suddenly the train goes through a tunnel. It is completely dark. Then is heard a loud kiss and an equally powerful slap. When the train exits the tunnel, the Russian soldier is holding the side of his face, and the Czech dissident is grinning his face off.

The old matronly woman thinks : "Now that's a fine young woman, theRussian soldier tries to steal a kiss in the tunnel and the lady slap shim one!"

The young woman is thinking : "Now that's a strange Russian soldier,he'd rather kiss that old hag than me."

The Russian soldier is thinking : "Now that's a smart Czech, he steal the kiss and I get slapped."

And the Czech dissident is thinking : "Gee I'm smart! We go through the tunnel, I kiss the back of my hand and get away with slapping aRussian soldier."
Adjustable Face Lift
This women of forty, being a rather vain person, decided she needed a face lift. With her pocketbook as large as her ego, she went to several plastic surgeons before choosing the best money could buy.

The doctor assured her that he could make her look young for many years because of a new technique he used.

After the operation the doc told her that he had put a screw behind each ear that she could tighten as needed to keep her fresh young look.

The woman was pleased for several years until one morning when she noticed bags under her eyes. Furiously she stormed into the doctor's office demanding to know why there where bags under her eyes.

The doctor replied, "Lady those aren't bags, they're your tits, and if you don't stop turning those screws you're going to have a beard!"
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English Teaching Strategies - for Teachers

English provides a common platform for all to express their minds freely and conveniently. This is the most common language spoken across the world. Learning the English language is the best’s thing you can do for yourself.


Benefits of Learning Language

As we all know English is the most wide spread language of the world. The language has many benefits that will help a person to gain a command over English. You can get access to some of the best relevant information as there are lots of books, magazines, websites and other resources use English as their language.

Communications become easier with use of English language as a large part of people understand and use this language. For pushing ahead the career, English helps a lot. This language helps you to express your opinions and thoughts freely and help you to understand others’ thinking process and mindset.

Four important pillars of English language, which helps you to learn the language better:

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is one of the important aspects of English language. Learners must practice their vocabulary to have a good hold on this language. There are many ways through which word power can be increased to a great extent.

Grammar

Grammar is the backbone of any language. Therefore, it is necessary to find a tutor to get the basics of English grammar correctly and accurately.

Pronounciation

For people who want to speak impeccable English, getting a hold on pronunciation is really important. You can find good online tutors to practice your speaking power and gain a command over the language.

Writing English

Fro writing a good piece of English language, a person can learn the basics accurately and apply all basics to generate a good writing piece. You can read many good writing advices by searching online.

Practice to the fullest to get the real hold on English language!
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Pc Satellite TV 2008 Elite Edition - Review

There are many Satellite TV programs that cost as much as $120 a month or higher. After recently purchasing Satellite TV for PC 2008 Edition for a one off cost I was so impressed with the software and the features and performance that it offers.

This would by far have to be one of the best programs that I have come across in a long time. You just can’t get better value for money than this, at a one time only fee of just $49.95 you have access to over 3000 channels offering fantastic quality. I don’t think you could get Satellite TV for that price anywhere with no ongoing monthly cost whatsoever.


When I first purchased this PC Satellite TV program I paid the original discounted cost of $199 and I thought that was a great deal and now they have reduced it even further. Click here for more info

The 3000 plus channels offer a huge variety of entertainment including sports from around the world, movies, music, kids channels, weather, educational channels and much more.

The software is extremely easy to use and also comes with two plugins that were TVAnts and TYUPlayer which gave me over 600 additional channels. The TV and the Radio channel selections are listed according to specific country making it easy to search for the preferred channels for your language.

The biggest problem with this PC Satellite TV program is that is has so much to offer that sometimes it can be difficult choosing what you are going to watch. You can do almost anything you want with this program as far as entertainment and information goes, you can’t get much better.

You can watch these channels from anywhere in the world so if you travel as long as you have your laptop with you then you can just plug it in and watch. You receive an automatic membership to all the stations so you will not miss anything.

This PC Satellite TV software program really does stand out from the crowd as far as PC Satellite TV goes and not that you would need it but they do offer a full money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase and they also have fantastic customer service. I would give this software a 10 out of 10 and if you will now excuse me I’m off to watch my favourite movie.

Visit our website at PC Satellite TV to find out more
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Become a Succesful Investor

Even the most experienced investors from all over the world will tell you that becoming a profitable investor is a long journey.First you have to research everything that is out there on the financial markets and then you have to look at yourself and ask yourself what kind of personality you have got.This all takes a lot of patience.After that you also got the trial and error phase.



Investing can be a very time consuming enterprise.Make yourself well aware of this before you start your endeavor.Place your targets and mark your goals before you go forward.Set your timeframe and figure out how much capital will be needed to achieve your goals.If you want to retire in let's say 20 years then you must find out how much you want to make to do this.

The next thing you have to do is find out what works.Look at some reading material and check out on an investing course,a lot of info on this topic can also be found on the world wide web.Once you have established your strategy and feel comfortable using it you must set your trading rules.Trading can be done using fundamental or technical analysis,they can be used together or you can use just one of both.It's up to trader what will be used but has to be figured out before you start.

Decisions that need to be made can only be made by the investor himself.Find out what kind of personality and character you have.The best investors are the individualists and traders who can be very analytical in their thinking.

It takes a lot of studying and this can take up to much time for some investors.Maybe an investment fund can be a good alternative,make sure you check out their past performance figures before you invest.Tax wise,investing offshore can be very beneficial.

You also got to figure out who your friends and enemies are.Your books,the media or an experienced investor can be considered as your best friends.But do remember that you always have to be very careful who you trust as your capital is at stake.Also keep in mind that your enemy number one is your own personality when money is involved.Don't compare your own performance with what your friends might be making,that's using a short term vision while you have to look at it in the long term when investing.

If you are not disciplined there is a big chance you won't make it.You have to stick to your strategy ones you have chosen one.The most important thing that you must do is keep studying,this is what can make it a success.This can be a long process.If you make a bad investment you must accept it,learn from it and move on.

Your profits will be based on your long term vision and the effort you put in but never walk away from your trading plan,stick to it at all times you there is a good chance that you will make it as an investor.
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Several Options Available For Personal Financing

Most people are so busy earning incomes that they fail to consider all personal financing options that are available to them to save some of the hard earn dollars they work for. People use credit cards to purchase many things in life but rarely think about the debt they are accumulating by doing so. Most of the paycheck goes to paying those bills but rarely do people personally finance their futures by placing money in a savings account.


Money saved can be used to finance many business ventures and personal pleasures. Large luxury items could be true luxury when there is no bill to pay at the end of the month. People could then afford gas to put in sports boats and recreational vehicles. Pleasure purchases have top priority in people's lives but the pleasure disappears when these items are repossessed because the person did not have personal financing selected to pay for it if loans at the bank went unpaid. Planning for those purchases using a budget and a verifiable repayment plan would be wise choices.

The personal financing options for small purchase amounts are easier to plan. People can pay for those purchasing with a loan from a bank or save money and own it outright. Obtaining a bank loan might require a review of the applicant's credit history if the amount is over $500. Signature loans can be obtained for lesser amounts and the repayment options on those loans are negotiable. Banks will consider payroll dates when determining the date payment is due, but most banks would expect payments to be made according to the terms of the loan contract. Most contract terms on signature loans specify payment within a 30-day period.

Personal financing can be arranged for utility service to be activated. Many electric utility companies will charge fees of $100 or more to establish service, and at a customer's request, they will split the payments into thirds. This type of personal financing works well if payments are on time each month. It could also be costly if the account becomes delinquent at anytime because utility services will often ask for additional deposits to be made on the account to continue service past the cut-off date. Utilities will return interest earned on the deposits after a year of service.

Some financing needs are emergent and require immediate payment. People have the option of borrowing money from family and friends and arranging a repayment plan that is tailored to the family budget. If the money is used for medical care, then loan givers are usually more amicable to waiting for repayment. Using friends as a money source can ruin relationships because some people assume that this money will never have to be repaid. Future requests for cash will be denied and that is when friends realize that a friendship loan is a contract signed with a handshake.

Many people will use personal property as collateral for a personal loan. The title of an automobile serves as collateral for a loan with a title loan company and the owners benefit from this style of personal financing because they are allowed to drive the car while the loan is active. The value of the automobile will determine the amount of money that can exchanged for cash amounts. Repayment plans for title loans are once a month until the balance is paid. High interest rates will apply to title loans and only a portion of each monthly payment is applied to the balance.
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Tips Find A Better Trucking Jobs

If you’re looking for a career in the transportation field, specifically as a truck driver, then there are a number of things you should keep in mind. Truck drivers are in high demand with a lot of companies, but the trick to finding a better job with better pay starts before you interview. It starts before you apply. It starts before you make a phone call.

There are a lot of openings, but few companies that are willing to pay a driver the top dollar for their miles. However, if you’re careful, and follow these steps, you’ll be well on your way to making more money, being home more often, and getting better benefits for you and your family. These days, it’s not just about your driving experience that will lead you to a better truck driving opportunity, it’s a bigger professional picture that if you make sure to do some of these recommendations, you’ll get the job that you’ve been working for, for so many miles. Take a second, you deserve to know:



1. Make Sure You Have A Job Now. Imagine you’re the recruiter. Do you want to hire someone that doesn’t have a job? Potential hires are “hotter” prospects when they’re currently employed. This means the new company has to make a better offer to steal you away from your current employer. Plus, if you have a job now, you don’t have to worry about going without a paycheck.
2. Get Your Work History Together. Most employers will require all necessary info regarding your previous three (3) employers – minimum. Most of them also require your previous three (3) years worth of employers. If you’ve had several jobs, you’ll need to be able to provide the names of the employer and supervisors as well as the phone number and addresses for all the companies. Yes, it’s a chore to dig up, but it’s worth it. Also, type it up or get it typed up so you have something professional to present to a new employer. This is one of the most overlooked aspects of truck driver jobs hunting.
3. Check Your DAC History. Your DAC driver history is a transportation company’s way of checking your driving history before checking your MVR (motor vehicle report). It’s a good idea to know what the recruiters see when they’re looking up your info. Disputing your DAC can be a chore, just FYI, in the event something is incorrect. However, you knowing what’s on there also means you don’t go into a conversation or interview not knowing information, about yourself.
4. Check Your Personal Driving History. That’s right, your personal driving history. It might show something different – could be good or bad – than what your DAC history or MVR shows. The best way to find all the info, and find it for FREE, is call your insurance company. The company that insures your personal vehicle has access to all of your info and can quickly and freely tell you all the info that’s associated with you. Again, you knowing all the available info prepares you for any question you might be asked.
5. Make Sure Your CDL Is Current. Too many drivers try to find a job and realize that their CDL (commercial driver’s license) is expired. Just how in the world is a trucking company supposed to hire a driver that does NOT have a current CDL? That’s an impossible question that is asked but goes unanswered every day. This is something painfully obvious, but lots of to-be drivers don’t have a current CDL.
6. Get Added CDL Endorsements. Yes, it’s some extra cost, an extra test periodically, but high dollar freight takes a higher level of insurance which means the driver will be held to a higher standard of knowledge. Tanker drivers make more than van drivers. HAZMAT freight drivers make more than flatbed. Double and triple endorsements mean you can haul more freight, meaning you can make more $/mile.
7. Don’t Have Your CDL? If you’re going to school or to get training to obtain your CDL, you need to be aware of all of your options. Some of the big companies actually have their own school, will train you a minimal expense, and guarantee you a job when you graduate. However, they do sometimes require you to drive for them for a certain amount of time – which is fair – considering they footed the several thousand dollar bill of you obtaining your CDL. You might also go to an independent school or a lot of junior colleges have CDL training programs. You might have to get a loan or pay out of pocket, but you’re on your own in terms of deciding you drive for in the coming months and years upon graduation.
8. Get Current on DOT and HOS Requirements – Both Federal and State. The federal regulations don’t always exactly line up with the state regulations. You need to know the different rules of the road and rules of cartage for the freight, truck, time, speed of delivery with regards to the states you’re traveling through because regulations can change just by crossing a state line. But, if you know this info in advance, you’ll have a more successful driving career, because you’ll know info other drivers don’t. It might seem boring to research, but exceptionally helpful in a sticky situation.
9. Join Your State’s Trucking Association. Every state has one and the dues are usually pretty reasonable. You can stay current on regulations while also learning the whos and whats of your state with regards to trucking. Again, this is info that you never know when it’ll help you out. Also, if you get involved – even a little bit, you’ll meet a lot of people with a lot of connections to the trucking industry, and that can quickly lead to better employment opportunities.
10. Be Extra Careful Driving. This is THE most obvious thing to keep in mind when trying to get a better trucking job. Think about it, safe drivers, with safe driving histories, get the best jobs. Why? They take their time, do what their asked, and do it without damaging cargo, equipment, or the company’s name. You do that and you’ll be the one getting the better pay, better home time, and bigger bonuses.
½. Do Some Research. You need to know what opportunities are out there. You need to know the names of the companies that are hiring. Go to your local truck stop and find some of the digest magazines, they’re covered with advertisements. But if you really want to know all the trucking jobs info quickly, use the Internet. Go to a search engine and search for some companies or find a site that lists lots of companies that are hiring truck drivers. You can contact them, read about them, or apply with them, all from the convenience of your home. Imagine if you got a list of trucking jobs offers to choose what’s best, versus, having to call a company and settle for what they give you. Also, when you interview, get a haircut first, shave, and dress up a little. You only get one opportunity to make a first impression, so be sure to make a great one.

Yes, this is a bit detailed, but it’s also truth. Pay attention to some details, some small things, and you’ll get big rewards. I’ve worked in the trucking advertising industry for about 8 years and these are just some of the general helpful hints that recruiters look for that drivers don’t pick up on. If you’ll cross all your I’s and dot all your T’s you’ll be sure to be rewarded. Best wishes to you in you trucking career!
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How To Save Money In College

College is expensive all by itself and when you add the cost of actually living to it, you may feel like there is no way you can afford to pay for it all. Well, fortunately for you, if you play your (credit?) cards right, there are a lot of things that you can do to help get you through this very expensive and stressful time in your life.


One of the things that you can save the most money on a regular basis on is food. Whatever you do, one of the main rules is to not go shopping while you are hungry, because you will buy a lot more food than what you really need.

Make a list of the things that you absolutely cannot live without every month and how much they cost so you know exactly how much money you have to spend on necessities. This will include housing, utilities, food, and transportation at the bare minimum. Be reasonable, however, when calculating these. Try to cut down on the fast and junk food that you eat on a daily basis and try to be cheap. Ramen noodles may be cheap, but they are also bad for you. Take this into account, as well.

Your utilities can be reduced a great deal by using less of your air conditioner and heating during the summer and winter. Keep the lights and other appliances that you are not using off and when you have to wash clothes, try to wash an entire load instead of half of one. Running half a load of clothes uses the same amount of electricity as a full load.

Another place you can save money has to do with avoiding fees and interest charges when you bank and use your credit cards. If you like using your debit card instead of cash all the time, be very careful not to let yourself become overdrawn at the bank due to the fact that most debit cards will continue to work even if you go over what you actually have, just like credit cards do. You will be subject to overdraft fees, so keep a close eye on how much money you have in your checking account.

When using credit cards, never go over your credit limit and never be late on your payments because of the fees you will incur. You also want to avoid the cash advance feature on your credit card, as well, or if possible, disable it altogether. You will be charged interest on the money that you are advanced. If you need cash and you have it in your checking account, use that instead.
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How to Eliminate Investing Mistakes

It is inevitable that you will make mistakes throughout your investing years. This is normal and you can certainly learn from mistakes. There are some big mistakes that you can and should avoid. First off it would be a mistake to let your fears keep you from investing. All wealthy people have learned how to make their money work for them. Even if you start off small it is better than nothing at all.


Make sure you are financially stable before jumping into the stock market. You dont want to start investing when you have lose ends to tie up with bills or massive debt. You dont have to be in the perfect financial situation but you definitely want to take care of priorities first.

Be careful with what mindset you approach investing with. Thinking you are going to get rich in a week or two from penny stocks is dangerous. Youre definitely going to need more patience than that and realistic expectations. Im not saying you should expect the worst but only be prepared for it, there is a difference.

You definitely want to diversify. There is no sense in taking unnecessary risks by having so much trust in one stock that you bet all of your money on it. You need a portfolio that will weather the storms of the stock market. I mention diversification many times on this site because it is one of the best defenses against losses.

Be careful what stocks become your favorites or which ones you become loyal to. Remember they are only as loyal to you as long as business is good. Though it may sound cold it really is about the money and you are just another investor. So you must look out for yourself because no one else will.

You cannot afford to play favorites when it comes to your money. No one will care about your money more than you. Of course there are those who care about getting it but we are talking about keeping it and making more off of it. Would you be willing to give me all your money if I just simply asked for it? I didnt think so. So dont give it away to those asking for it in a more creative sales manner. Trust not what you see but what you feel when it comes to important financial decisions. This method will definitely pay off in the long run.
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Trading Lesson: The Butterfly

I am sure many of you have heard of a sophisticated sounding strategy called the Butterfly. For some reason, it seems to be the darling strategy of many of those 'teach-you in five hours' type option companies. They publicize the 'mystical magical Butterfly' and the 'sophisticated Condor' as if they were going to unlock the options version of Pandora's box. I guess they feel that, by introducing you to the catchy named strategies, they will grab your attention and thereby give them a chance to promote themselves. From a marketing standpoint, that is not a bad idea.


However, the Butterfly is a 'sophisticated' only for those that do not know options! If you have done your homework and have learned the option basics properly, then the Butterfly is a simple strategy that is just a combination of an already familiar, basic strategy. Let's take a closer look and uncover the secrets of the mysterious Butterfly!

Butterfly Construction
The first thing you must understand about the Butterfly is that it is constructed by using either all calls or all puts. The Butterfly is never a combination of the two. (We will talk about an exception called the Iron Butterfly later.)

Whether you choose to use calls or puts, butterflies are always constructed in a '1-2-1' arrangement. For the long Butterfly, you would buy one low strike, sell two medium strikes and buy one high strike with the strike prices equally spaced. The center strike typically matches the current price of the stock.

For example, if the stock is 55 and you decide to create a long Butterfly by using calls, you could buy a 50 call, sell two 55 calls, and buy one 60 call. If you decided to use puts, you could buy a 50 put, sell two 55 puts, and buy one 60 put. The long Butterfly is always long the outer strikes and short the center strike.

You would construct the short Butterfly in the opposite way. The short Butterfly will always be short the outer strikes and long the center strike. For example, to create a short Butterfly, you could sell a 50 call, buy two 55 calls, and sell one 60 call. The short Butterfly trader is simply taking the opposite side of the trade with the long Butterfly trader.

This is not a complicated construction. The trick is to understand that while there are three strikes to a Butterfly, there are four options involved. I know the construction will be hard to associate with long or short in the beginning, so here is a little trick or two to help you remember how to differentiate a long Butterfly from a short Butterfly.
When I think of whether a Butterfly is long or short, I always look at that first strike. If that first strike is long, then it is a long Butterfly. It is as simple as that. Some people find it easier to just focus on the center strike where you have the two-option position. If you are short the center strike, then you are long the Butterfly.

The opposite would be true for short butterflies. These are just a couple of ways that you can determine whether a Butterfly is long or short until you become so familiar that you automatically know which Butterfly is which. Until you get to that point, you will want to use little tricks to remember which one is which. Use whichever is most comfortable but I suggest you focus on only one 'trick' and use only it until you become so familiar with butterflies you don't need it any longer to recognize which one you have. Make your choice and stick with it!

The following chart shows the long and short Butterfly construction:

Notice that the strike prices are equally spaced. This is a necessary aspect of all butterflies. However, while the strikes must be equally spaced, they do not need to be spaced by five dollars as in this example.

We could have spaced them by ten dollars and created a different long Butterfly by purchasing the 45 call, selling two 55 calls, and buying one 65 call. You just have to understand that the strikes must be set up in an equidistant manner and they must be either all calls or all puts in the proper 1-2-1 ratio.

From a terminology standpoint, we call this the 50/55/60 Butterfly or, more simply, the 55 Butterfly taking the lead from the Butterfly's middle strike.

We add to that term whatever month you are dealing with. If we are referring to the June expiration cycle, it would be called the June 55 Butterfly. If we were in April, it would be called the April 55 Butterfly.
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Top 10 Best Credit Cards on the Market

If you're looking for the top 10 best credit cards, look no further. I have the list. For the lowest interest, best introductory offers and highest rewards, these credit cards top the charts. Want to make sure you're carrying the best of the best? Here's the cards to look for...


1. Blue from American Express

Topping the list of our top 10 best credit cards is Blue from American Express. Not only is this one of the only American Express cards available without an annual fee, but it also offers a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a lifetime balance transfer APR of 4.99% and rewards points redeemable for travel, merchandise and more.

2. Discover More Card

Discover cards have usually been associated with higher interest rates, but not the Discover More card. Not only do you get a 6-month 0% intro APR, when the intro period is over your rate can be as low as 10.99%. Add that to the fact that you get up to 20 percent cash back from participating retailers and it's not hard to see why the Discover More card is one of the top 10 best credit cards out there.

3. Fidelity Investments 529 College Rewards Card

How would you like a credit card that helps pay for your kids' college education? That's exactly what this card will do. You get 1.5 percent of every dollar you spend on the card placed into a 529 plan. With the increasing cost of college, we couldn't help but add this one to the list of the top 10 best credit cards out there.

4. Orchard Bank Platinum MasterCard

If you have great credit, the orchard bank card probably isn't anything special. However, if your credit isn't the best then this is definitely the best of the top 10 best credit cards out there. The Orchard Bank card is easier to qualify for than most other credit cards and for a bad credit credit card, the interest rate and fees are very reasonable.

5. Simmons First Platinum Visa

If you're looking for a no-frills credit card with an unbeatable fixed rate, you'll see why the Simmons First Visa Platinum makes our list of the top 10 best credit cards. The low fixed rate is just 7.25% and there's no annual fee, which is rare when it comes to fixed-rate low-interest cards.

6. Chase Freedom Cash Visa Signature

When it comes to rewards cards, the Chase Freedom Cash Visa Signature is hard to beat. When you make your first purchase, you get $50 and then you get 1% to 3% cash back for all of your other purchases. When you earn $200 in rewards, you get another $50 bonus. With such generous rebates, this card is definitely one of the top 10 best credit cards on the market.

7. Pulaski Bank Visa

When it comes to a low fixed rate, you can't beat this card. Pulaski Bank Visa makes it to our list of the top 10 best credit cards because of its generous 0% 6-month intro rate and its unbelievably low fixed rate of just 6.5%.

8. The GM Business Card from Chase

If you're looking for a great business credit card this one just might fit the bill. The GM Business Card from Chase offers 3% earnings on all fuel purchases and 1% on all other purchases. You also get a $600 credit on your card each time your company leases or purchases a GM vehicle through the GM Business Choice program.

9. Chase Amazon.com Platinum Visa Card

Are you a frequent Amazon.com shopper? If so this card is a must. You earn 3 points for every dollar spent at Amazon.com and 1 point for every other dollar spent with the card. When you earn 2500 points, you get a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate.

10. Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa

If you're looking for the best student credit card in this top 10 best credit cards list, you've found it. The Citi mtvU Platinum Select Visa doesn't just offer no annual fee, a competitive interest rate and rewards points for every purchase you make, but it also offers bonus rewards points for paying your bills on time, staying within your credit limit and keeping your grades up.

When it comes to credit cards, there are the good, the bad and the ugly. Using the above list of the top 10 best credit cards available, you can avoid the bad and the ugly and have nothing but the best in your wallet.
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Important Information About the Student’s Loans

n the contemporary world people become more and more interested in the continuing of their education and obtaining of the university degree. Those people, who have good educational background, have usually higher level of incomes and better career chances. But the studying nowadays is very expensive and majority of the student cannot cover all such expenses without additional financial aid. Usually the students apply for the receiving of the student`s loans.


But there are some problems, which are connected with the receiving of the student`s loans. It refers first of all to those students, who have bad credit history. But such students also have a chance to receive the student`s loan. But they must have a cosigner, which will responsible for the debts in the case of nonpayment. Besides, such students usually receive the loans on not very advantageous conditions. The interest rates are high and the repayment plan is not very flexible.
Moreover, those students, who do not have credit history at all, are also in the same situation. Majority of the students do not have credit cards, car and home loans. The lenders risk if they give the loans to such people, as they cannot be sure in the repayment of the debt. They need guarantee and the cosigners become such guarantees. Usually the parents become the cosigners. In this case the credit history of the parents and credit score becomes the main factor for the lenders concerning the decision.
When the students choose the loan offer, they have to pay attention on the level of interest rates. Even 1 percent can play in the future great role, as the people repay their student`s loans during long period and the percents add each month. As a result, the longer repayment period is and the higher interest rates are, the more students will have to pay in the future.
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Getting the Stats on the Top Three : Subaru Shopping

This will be a brief on some of the features that are offered for several of Subaru's top models. If you are reading this and are seriously considering a Subaru, it can be a good reference to investigate further on what kind of Subaru would make a good fit for you.

Subaru, as you may know, have a tradition of longevity. Their car's engines and each Subaru part are meticulously monitored from its manufacture source at the Fuji Heavy Industries plant. Fuji Heavy Industries knows about the quality going into parts and assembly, as its aerospace division has contracts with the Japan Defense Agency to make aircraft, helicopters and target drones.


The Forester

The forester, like all the Subaru models, comes with the acclaimed Boxer engine that has its pistons aligned horizontally flat rather that the typical V-shape. This format has shown great torque readings with less noise. The Forester is a SUV model that doesn't really look like the square shaped archetype of the traditional SUV.

Its design this year has made its interior more lush and roomy with lots of space and attachments for a laptop and mp3 players. The roof has been raised and the wheelbase lengthened for more space yet better handling. It has a double catalytic converter which eliminates more emission as well making it very environmentally friendly.

The Forester has turned some heads with its safety record. Subaru's Forester car parts specifically have produced great results in impact tests. In 2002 it won "Best Pick" with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. This was mainly due to the proprietary Ring Shaped Reinforcement frames and other Subaru Forester parts that work in conjunction.

The Impreza

The Impreza has changed its look over the years making it more and more streamlined each progressive model release. There are a few newly added Subaru Impreza parts to the package. They still have the all wheel drive capability and Boxer engine, but now, just this year, Subaru has the double wishbone rear suspension that will also make room for the added wheelbase, which is better for road handling.

With projected sales of 2,500 units per month, there will be no problem finding dealers who have Subaru Impreza parts if there is ever a repair or option that you want to add later.

The Legacy

The Legacy is the multi-model mix bag car of the three types of body shapes. It's often noted for the sport kit type with flared out the body including spoilers and other added Legacy car parts. The body types vary from wagons, to hatchbacks and sedan-type Legacies.

Internally, it's as sound as all of the other models; just as their catch phrase goes "It's what makes a Subaru, a Subaru." Still sporting the Boxer engine and all wheel drive, the Legacy is built for styling and large cargo holding capacity. The '08 model has a trunk-area-concealed under-floor storage tray with grocery bag hooks to nicely match that description. Subaru is also releasing the first diesel powered turbo for the legacy; the first of its kind as a test market in Japan.
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Financial Freedom Books

So you want to be not only debt free but also be free from the tyranny of worrying about money all the time. Have you noticed that you worry about money even when you have enough to meet all your needs and even some extras? Do you really want to be rich or would you rather be comfortable with what money you are in charge of? Who is really in control, you or your money?


Perhaps you have been to seminars, but really would prefer to read books on financial freedom that you can sit and read at your leisure at home. You can underline things that jump out at you as pertinent to your life situation.

One lady who is interesting and fairly easy to follow is Suzie Orman who writes books on financial freedom and answers questions on television about what to do about various financial situations. One book that she wrote is called "9 Steps to Financial Freedom." Since that is what she is always talking about, it is no wonder that she wrote books on financial freedom!

There is one book that is quite interesting. It's called "What I Didn't Learn at School But Wish I Had" by best selling author and self-made millionaire Jamie McIntyre. There are many great books on financial freedom, but this one seems to be different somehow. This book teaches one how to master money. It teaches money management skills, millionaire mindset, balancing time and money, eliminating debt and many more. It also teaches strategies that one can use in the stock market, real estate and investment properties, business and internet so one can be financially free and give back more to society. Jamie 's investment strategies to produce wealth that is taught in very simple and easy to understand language that makes sense to normal people just like you and me.

There are probably millions of books on financial freedom. A lot of people think books on financial freedom are about getting out of debt. That subject can be part of it, but being free financially is about a lot more than that one basic but very essential step.

It is not enough to be free from debt, it is more important to be free to enjoy the money you make... to enjoy the party you can afford to put on for your child's birthday, for your wedding anniversary, for exotic travel around the world and many other luxuries.

You can read books on financial freedom until you're blue in the face and still not know what it is to be financially free. You are not free when you worry all the time about your money, stocks, or other investments. You are not free when you go to one extreme or the other, either spending more and more as your income goes up or tightening the purse strings from fear of losing everything.

Find a book that explains what the heart of financial freedom really is. Find the balance in your life and let that balance be involved with your money, your time, and all different areas.

Be free from anything that would control your mind, your heart, your feelings, and especially your spirit. Be free to be the person you were created to be: rich...in compassion, caring and giving, and a good steward of everything you are blessed with-including money!
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