Mandy: September 2009

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Installment Loans and How They Operate

Installment loans

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Get access to cash through an installment loan today. Image from Picasa.

If you are one of the many people who are experiencing an unexpected financial emergency, an installment loan maybe just the right thing for you. Installment loans are a simple way to get cash on hand quickly. What exactly is an installment loan? It is a short term loan. When you take out an installment loan you will have a set payment plan until the balance is paid off.

Benefit of Installment Loans for Those with Bad Credit

With the economy the way it is now, most everyone will need an installment loan at some point. In fact, many people are already receiving installment loans, and a lot of these people have bad credit. But how can somebody with bad credit receive an installment loan? … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Installment Loans and How They Operate“

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

‘Kate Plus 8′ | It Was Only a Matter of Time

TLC changes name of popular show

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Not everyone is excited about the November premiere of "Kate Plus 8." Image from Wikimedia.

Ratings for “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ on TLC are down 80 percent from the season premier. Of course, it’s tough to top a much-anticipated, public divorce announcement. However, TLC has decided that because “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ is no longer bringing home the bacon, the network will start a new show.

It should be an easy one to launch. TLC’s new show is “Kate Plus 8,” and it will be exactly what it sounds like. However, The New York Daily News reports that TLC will maintain its “exclusive” relationship with Jon Gosselin. Does that mean Jon Gosselin can’t make extra cash appearing on other shows?

Details and divorced dads

All jokes about Jon Gosselin and “exclusive relationships” aside, what does this contract with TLC mean for Jon Gosselin’s career? Daily News says Jon Gosselin will still make appearances on the show, but he will have a much more limited role. This seems to indicate Jon will get paid less, one would think, especially because TLC is altering the title of the show specifically to omit his name. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “‘Kate Plus 8′ | It Was Only a Matter of Time“

Gogo Inflight Internet Coupon Code

Gogo Inflight Intertnet is now offering WiFi internet on select Airtran, American, Delta, and Virgin America flights. See here for participating flights. I signed up for their mailing list, and got a code for some free WiFi in case anyone is flying in the next few weeks. Here’s another code good until 10/31, but I can’t tell if it’s one-time use only: 222wifi21940a.

Jonathan, first timers surf the internet in flight with a free gogo session this month. Just look for the “gogoinflight” Wi-Fi signal at 10,000 ft and keep up with the world below.

Enter SURFGOGOFREE when you are prompted to purchase your session through October 15, 2009.

*Good through 10/15/09. Offer available on select American Airlines and Delta Air Lines flights. Offer is good for one use per person, may not be combined with any other Gogo promotional codes and applies only to single sessions, such as Gogo Flight Pass and Gogo Mobile Pass. Use of Gogo service requires registration. Terms and Conditions

Monday, September 28, 2009

Do Women or Men Spend More Money?

Before you read the following piece, please answer this first – do you think women or men spend more money? Does the thirst to buy have anything to do with our sex orientation? What to do you think?

I used to wonder why some stores are successful without any decoration, while others spend a huge part of their budget on advertisements and image. Now I know. The former tailors to men, while the other tailors for women because women enjoy the shopping experience, while men just buy. Get in, get out.

In a study titled “Men Buy, Women Shop,” by Wharton’s Jay H. Baker Retail Initiative and the Verde Group, researchers found that women are much more likely going to respond to friendly sales associates, while men are more concerned with the availability of parking, whether the item is in stock or how many people are in the checkout line.

According to Ruth Hayden, the author of For Richer, Not Poorer: The Money Book for Couples, women have been taught to purchase for lifestyle and children, while men have been taught to invest in items that hold value. Another critical difference is that women tend to spend money gradually over time, while men spend them in big chunks. HDTVs, big cars, you name it, men like them. (We know this is true, but the points contradict themselves don’t they? If men likes their car so much, why do they hate having to wait for a parking spot?)

Women also tend to buy regardless of whether or not it’s a good long term investment. This can potentially become a huge risk for women as they age, because of the lack of investments at a young age (remember time grows money). Men’s biggest risk on the other hand is their egos. They need to brag about their possessions and how much money they’ve made in the market, so they end up chasing market performances and keeping up with the Jones much more than women.

Now there’s proof – Women love shopping. It’s not that men don’t spend though. In fact, we might spend even more if we can find that parking spot quickly.

Hey, I thought you might be interested in what others think (at least I am). So scroll a little more and type in your thoughts while reading what others have to say!

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Saturday, September 26, 2009

‘Pandorum' Movie Reviews | ‘Surrogates' Movie Reviews

Sci-fi frenzy this weekend

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The Quaid brother who was not arrested recently stars in "Pandorum"

Sci-fi lovers will have a heyday at the box office this weekend, possibly making a return trip so they can see both “Pandorum” and “Surrogates.” The only other wide release, dance drama remake “Fame,” got horrible reviews. If you ask me though, the worse a dance drama flick is, the better it is. I think some of my faithful readers know exactly what I mean.

Anyway, aside from the small fraction of moviegoers who love terrible dance-themed movies (I am going to see “Fame” Tuesday) sci-fi is pretty much the only option this weekend. Comedy lovers have to wait until next weekend to see “The Invention of Lying.”

‘Pandorum’ movie reviews

“Pandorum” and “Surrogates” both got mediocre reviews, but “Pandorum” scored higher on Rotten Tomatoes (no Metacritic score yet) so we will start with “Pandorum” movie reviews. The space program might be investing in armed forces loans after they see this thriller about aliens terrorizing astronauts on a mission to colonize a new planet. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “‘Pandorum’ Movie Reviews | ‘Surrogates’ Movie Reviews“

Friday, September 25, 2009

'Giant Pool Of Money' Mortgage Crisis Follow Up

A year and a half ago, NPR News and This American Life teamed up to produce “The Giant Pool of Money,” a program that explored what was thought at the time to be the worst financial crisis the U.S. had experienced in decades. After that show aired, in May 2008, the crisis got much worse. How are the people profiled in last year’s program doing now?

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

Pregnant Woman Pregnant Again | A Rare Superfetation Case

A son conceived 2 ½ weeks after a daughter

A pregnant woman is pregnant again… at the same time, and they aren't twins! (Photo: wikipedia.org)

Todd and Julia Grovenburg of Arkansas are expecting new additions to their family. However, unlike the vast majority of expectant mothers with two kids on the way, Julia Grovenburg isn’t going to have twins, and the children aren’t going to be at least nine months apart. Her children, a girl to be named Jillian and a boy to be named Hudson, were conceived two-and-one-half weeks apart. They’re growing alongside one another and will have separate due dates.

Superfetation – a gift that makes you thankful for payday loans

Think one kid is expensive? Try two of them this way!

Julia Grovenburg is experiencing superfetation, which was discovered during a routine ultrasound. ABC News reports that this rare medical occurrence has doctors beside themselves.

“They saw one sack, one baby developing, and that baby had a certain gestational age; then they noticed a second heartbeat in a child that was much, much younger developmentally,” Dr. Karen Boyle commented. She also noted that the difference in size and development between the fetuses is uncommon. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Pregnant Woman Pregnant Again | A Rare Superfetation Case“

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

8 Bizarre Real Estate Deals

(polymath blues)

Let’s face it – the typical real estate transaction is pretty boring. Few of us can get all that excited about yet another “three bedroom, one and a half bath” changing hands in the town or city we live in. The daily occurrence of these deals – and the ordinary properties involved – are simply too commonplace to react any other way. However, every once in a while a truly remarkable property comes on to the market or is developed for sale. Whether it’s a house that’s only nine and a half feet wide or one made entirely of glass, these bizarre properties provoke more than a passing glance. The following are some of the most noteworthy:

World’s Most Expensive Home

Plenty of us have complained about our high mortgages or rent, but no one louder than whomever winds up buying this place. The German website Spiegel Online International describes the house for sale at an eye-popping €6.3 million (roughly $9 million US) What is even more mind-blowing about this particular deal is the size of the home. Most people would expect a sweeping, palatial mansion that casts a majestic shadow on passersby for such a steep asking price, but alas, the property clocks in at a tiny 322 square feet. Spiegal offers some hints as to the astronomical value of the property, which sits on the German holiday island of Sylt:

“According to owner Heinrich Haase the building stands on 2,400 meters of land in the millionaire’s neighborhood of Kampen on the island, off Germany’s northern coast near the Danish border…”

The property is also said to be situated amidst natural sand dunes and offer an unrestricted view of the sea. Interest is rumored to be high in the historically expensive home, including amongst people “whose names you would know.”

The Bubble House

Now may be the most inopportune time to be cracking jokes about bubbles and houses, but that didn’t stop Pierre Cardin from snapping up this bad boy. OddityCentral.com chronicles the story of this strange property in photographed, high-resolution detail, describing its early history as follows:

As the story goes, Pierre Cardin was looking to buy a nice house on the Cote d'Azur, but was horrified by all the unoriginal designs that he had seen and that didn't match his avant-garde fashion designs. That one day he stumbled upon a construction site, where an architect by the name of Antti Lovag was building a bubble-house for some industrialist who happened to have died. Cardin was thrilled to acquire the almost finished residence that finally satisfied his exigent taste.”

OddityCentral goes on to note that the bubble house was far from an instant hit upon its 1990 completion. In fact, some even referred to it derisively as the “crazy-house.” However, it is today a historic monument visited by tourists each and every year.

The Harlem Castle

Few types of real estate are as compelling as domineering, Gothic castles that cast their shadows down from on high. This is precisely what we find in the recent sale of Harlem’s Grey Gardens castle, deemed by New York Magazine to be “the steal of the year” at $1.5 million. NY Mag’s reporters who researched the story noted that they were

“…blown away by the gorgeous 8,250 square feet of interior space, the quirky architecture, the original stained-glass windows, the herringbone wood floors and the coffered ceilings, the history (it was built by a circus impresario and was later a funeral home), and most of all the $3.5 million price tag.”

The $2 million discount (75% off!) came about due to the extensive repairs that will have to be done by the new owner, ranging from rotted floors to cracking plaster to a “jungle” in the backyard. However, the consensus is that the new owners got a steal and that there is “no other property like it on the island of Manhattan”.

New York’s Skinniest House

(Marcin Wichary)

Many an unhappy home owner has lamented the lack of space in their homes. Belongings pile up, discomfort builds, and life at home becomes too cluttered for our liking. But few of us know “small” like the owner of the house covered in a recent Yahoo! News story:

“It’s 9.5 feet wide and 42 feet long (2.9 metres wide by 12.8 metres long) and is billed as the narrowest house in New York City. But there’s nothing small about its asking price: $2.7 million.”

These absurd dimensions make the Greenwich Village house in all likelihood even narrower than the one pictured above. Yahoo also notes that the current owner paid $1.6 million in 2001 for the property, which a real estate broker quoted for the story describes as “a place for someone who wants a little history.” It remains to be seen whether the new, higher price will be met (especially in this economy), but the eventual sale of this property is sure to attract attention one way or another.

The Glass House

(Christopher Peterson)

Everyone’s heard the line about how people who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones, but no one ever gets to say it to an actual glass house owner – that is, until this dwelling came along. Designed by American architect Phillip Johnson, the glass house was erected in New Canan, Connecticut in 1949 as Johnson’s own residence according to the house’s website. In addition to being declared a National Historic Landmark in 1997, the house passed to the National Trust For Historic Preservation upon Johnson’s 2005 death, and has been subsequently opened to visitors and tourists. The only non-glass materials used are brick for the floors and charcoal-painted steal for the exterior beams.

The $25 Million Bounced Closing Check

One thing all real estate deals have in common is the closing, where buyers and sellers (or their attorneys) meet up to consummate the final details and sign off on all remaining paperwork. Typically these are rather ordinary affairs containing little of interest to outside observers. In 2006, however, a closing unlike any other in history took place in New Jersey. TheRealEstateBloggers.com tells the story of Solomon Dwek, a real estate investor from Ocean Township who deposited a $25,000,000 check from a closing he had just wrapped up nearby. The check was deposited from a drive-through teller window (which was apparently Dwek’s usual method of depositing) and promptly bounced, creating a domino effect whereby $23 million in checks written against the money bounced thereafter. The story behind the bogus check remained shrouded in mystery for several years, stating only that the FBI was investigating. In 2009, however, TillerStillers reported that Dwek had been arre! sted for using the illicit funds to repay old loans, as well as trying to cash a second $25 million check at a different PNC branch.

UFO House

(robinart.com)

Conspiracy theorists will find much to explore in Chattanooga, Tennessee’s UFO house. In an investigative piece on the property, Gizmodo.com conducts a photographed overview, describing it as “one of the most bizarre abodes we’ve ever seen” and recalling that it boasts “a button activated stair case, curved bar area and customized bathtub, as well as various UFO paneled controls throughout that are simply priceless, or so you would think.”

Unfortunately for the Gizmodo crew, the home’s asking price of $100,000 puts it “about $99,999 out of our budget.” Perhaps these extraterrestrial home owners will be forced to beam down their price a bit in light of the economy.
$1.8 Billion NYC real estate investigation

As the above example illustrates, some of the craziest real estate deals involve not just the property itself, but the insane manner in which the deals are carried out. Another fascinating example is the $1.76 billion Riverside South project in NYC, on Manhattan’s West Side. According to the New York Post, the deal (which involved 77 acres of waterfront real estate destined for luxury condos and is said be the biggest in NYC history) saw a Chinese consortium “evade taxes by having the buyers, developers Extell and the Carlyle Group, pay a $17 million finder’s fee to a British Virgin Islands-based shell corporation.” As of September 19, 2009 there had already been one arrest in connection with the convoluted deal, which alleges that consortium members funnelled bonus money and other payments through illegal tax havens in foreign countries.

Charges brought against Barry Gross thus far include “grand larceny, falsifying business records and offering a false instrument for filing.” It remains to be seen how much more chaos unfolds from this strange and apparently deceptive deal.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Michael Moore's New Target: 'Capitalism' Itself

Michael Moore is famous for skewering the excesses of American industry — and in his latest film, he goes looking (mostly on Wall Street) for the source of the trouble. Critic Kenneth Turan says that while Capitalism certainly has spirit, the pop-culture polemicist may have taken on more than he could chew.

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FDIC Needs a Bailout from Banks This Time

Because propping up failing banks is tough

FDIC borrowing back from banks – coming soon! (Photo: Ryan McFarland)

It would appear that the FDIC is in need of payday loan lenders these days. Maybe they’ll need something even stronger. But here’s a possible scenario that could be in store for the federal organization that has helped insure customer deposits in failed banks: banks will bail out the FDIC.

Scrounging for cash

When you or I need money, payday loan lenders can help. For the FDIC, billions of dollars are necessary to continue to hold the safety net. This recession has been tough, and according to a New York Times story, senior regulators are considering asking healthy banks for billions. Bankers and their lobbyists are strongly behind the potential deal. It should go without saying that most taxpayers support a plan that doesn’t involve them giving up more money.

Remember when there were people who viewed the bank bailout with clear eyes?

[youtube url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63H5vt9qaHs] … click here to read the rest of the article titled “FDIC Needs a Bailout from Banks This Time“

Monday, September 21, 2009

Unsecured Loans | Get Help Without the Hassle

Get unsecured loans with no collateral

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Thinking of running to the pawn shop to get a little help? Think again.

Pawn shops have been around for a long time. In fact, some historians say they are the oldest form of lending. So often, when people are short on cash and need some finances right away, their first thought is to go to the pawn shop. Of course, that means you must bring some collateral.

At a pawn shop, you must trade a piece of property for your short-term loan, which is called a secured loan. Through Personal Money Store, you can get unsecured loans. That means you can get cash without trading anything. All we need is your promise to pay back your unsecured loans on time, and you’ll have cash in just a couple of hours.

Get started on your unsecured loan application

How can we hand over cash with no collateral and give out unsecured loans? There are, of course, fees for the lenders’ services, but you don’t have to pay until your loan is due. The fees are lower than the average bank’s overdraft charges, so it’s cheaper than running out of money completely and you don’t run the risk of losing your property.

So why do we trust borrowers to pay back their loans, even though we don’t take any collateral? Because it works. The vast majority of people who take out unsecured loans pay them back on time, complete with lender’s fees. So borrowers get the cash they need when they need it, they save money because they don’t overdraw their bank accounts and the lenders make a little money. Everybody’s happy. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Unsecured Loans | Get Help Without the Hassle“

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Whitney Houston Interview with Oprah Part 2: Milking It

Not enthralled by part 2

Image of Oprah from Flikr. com

So getting a billion (I’m exaggerating) people to watch her Season 24 premier interview with Whitney Houston wasn’t enough for Oprah. She extended the “oh my gosh, she’s back after seven years!” event into Whitney Houston interview with Oprah part 2 so those billion people would tune in once again. And another billion would go to her web site today.

This kind of thinking is why Oprah is a billionaire. However, I am wondering whether other Oprah.com visitors are as disappointed with Whitney Houston interview with Oprah part 2 as I was. You see, I have to read the transcripts of the Whitney Houston interview on Oprah.com because I have one of those job thingies that prevents me from plopping down in front of the TV at 3 in the afternoon.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Kurt Cobain Back From the Dead for GH5, Courtney Love Cries Necrophilia

Loving remains of the Nirvana star’s legacy damaged by game, she says

I’m a fan of the video game series “Guitar Hero.” I own two of the games currently, “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock” and “Guitar Hero World Tour” (which is technically Guitar Hero IV). I own a PlayStation 2 system that I got on the cheap, and any games I buy are used or from the clearance bin at GameStop. My collection is modest, much smaller than it was in my video game-playing heyday. I just can’t justify paying $40 to $60 whenever a new game comes out. I am splurging for “Batman: Arkham Asylum” for my PC, but that’s a rare exception. There are plenty of classics out there for $5 to $15 used, which doesn’t break the bank and force me to consider an online personal loan whenever I’m looking for some new entertainment.

Number Five is Alive

Now Guitar Hero V is on the market. I’m excited because it features “The Man in Black,” Johnny Cash, but there is another performer included in the game that has caused no small amount of controversy. I’m talking about former Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain, who helped define the grunge movement and spoke to a generation of disillusioned youth with his songs, including the classic “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

“Vile” and “necrophilic?” Come on, Courtney

Activision, the company in charge of the “Guitar Hero” franchise now (RedOctane had sole ownership of the first two games), claims that they made a legitimate deal with Cobain’s estate to use his likeness in the game. However, Cobain’s widow Courtney Love is throwing a fit over what she considers to be a “vile” and “necrophilic” use of her dead husband’s avatar in Guitar Hero 5. Take a look at some footage and see what you think:

The banshee is humorless

According to Wired coverage, her main beef appears to be that Kurt sings other people’s songs. That, and the fact that Love appears to treat Cobain’s music as some kind of sacred text that Activision has blasphemed. Is that really what he would have wanted? Is that what any self-confident musician truly wants from the public? Singing someone else’s song honors the originator; it doesn’t lessen the person performing the piece. Of course Courtney Love knows a lot about honoring one’s image, including her own.

She’s intent upon suing Activision and wasting everyone’s time

Not only that, but the cost of frivolous lawsuits are always passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices. Less video games, more money for everyone to purchase recreational substances, eh Courtney? I find her to be generally disgusting and in this case horribly misguided. Here is Courtney’s Tweet heard round the Web, “for the record.”

Kurt Cobain is a playable character

I suppose if an unskilled “Guitar Hero” player got hold of Kurt Cobain’s avatar as their character and stunk up the join, Courtney Love would also try to sue the gamer for slander or something equally ridiculous. A video game is escapism. I don’t doubt that Kurt Cobain was a serious musician, but a healthy outlook on life would allow for such fantasy. If anything, gamers look forward to playing as Kurt Cobain; they are HONORING him, Courtney. I don’t care if Kurt raps or sings hair-metal when used to perform songs by other artists. This is escapism. It’s fun. You need to lighten up and not fall prey to perhaps the same demons that doomed Cobain, Courtney.

Activision appears to have legal legs to stand on

“Guitar Hero secured the necessary licensing rights from the Cobain estate in a written agreement signed by Courtney Love to use Kurt Cobain's likeness as a fully playable character in Guitar Hero 5,” an Activision rep told Wired.

Yet Ms. Love wants to “sue the s*&% out of Activision,” as she told the Guardian. What a shame then that you signed a contract. Perhaps it was signed during a blackout session? Whatever the case, if the Kurt Cobain Trust had an objection to this, they should have spoken up much earlier. As it stands, it appears that usage of Cobain’s image was approved. If Courtney Love is looking for a payday (which, if her Twitter record is any indication, may be her life’s obsession), online personal loans would be a legal route that isn’t harmful to herself or others.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

More Than 350,000 Homeowners Aided by Federal Mortgage Program

Lenders have helped more than 350,000 homeowners reduce their monthly mortgage payments through a federal foreclosure prevention program, according to government data released Wednesday morning.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Visa Signature Concierge: Useless for Immediate Travel

As I’ve mentioned recently, my maternal grandmother passed away a few days ago, my second of two grandmothers to pass away in the past few weeks. A few years ago, she moved out to California to be cared for by my mother and brother who had also moved out to the west coast several years earlier. When my grandmother entered hospice care, I mentioned to my boss that I would be taking a few days off for the funeral with short notice, as I intended to travel to California to be with my family. On Tuesday last week, my mother called me to share the news while I was getting ready to leave work for the day.

I immediately began searching for a round-trip flight that would take me from the New York City or Philadelphia area to the Los Angeles area on Wednesday and back over the weekend. My primary tool for searching for flights online is SideStep, but I also look at websites for individual airlines. Not finding anything and wanting to leave the office to continue searching at home, I notified my boss that I would be out for the remainder of the week.

I decided to give the Visa Signature concierge service a try. I signed up for a Visa Signature card earlier this year for the purpose of putting its service through real-life tests and writing about them here. There is no annual fee, but the card is marketed offering exclusive perks and services, such as a 24-hour concierge and access to exclusive events. I called the Visa Signature concierge during the drive home with the intent of using the service to find and book my flight to California.

Flight The concierge who answered the phone could not have been less helpful. To research flights, a travel specialist needs to be on call, and at the time I called, they had none. The best they could do is take my flight requirements and get back to me within 24 to 48 hours, and the impression I took away from the call is that all travel requests require this excessive turnaround time. Since this was Tuesday evening and I needed to travel Wednesday, this did not meet my needs. A regular travel agent would have been able to take care of my request immediately.

I thanked the representative for her help but I spent an hour or so doing my own research and booking the flight when I arrived home. I determined that bereavement fares, last-minute rates designed for people who need to fly in situations like mine, do no longer exist at most airlines. When they do, the rate is a five or ten percent discount off the full coach fare, not the non-refundable economy fare. I would be better off with the economy rate. I spent more than I would have liked, but the fare I chose was decent for a non-stop flight considering the circumstances.

I’m pleased I was able to be with my family in a difficult time, but I would have liked the process to be smoother, and the concierge service let me down.

Photo: Doug Letterman

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Visa Signature Concierge: Useless for Immediate Travel