February 28, 2010

WARNING ! Tsunami is closing to Hawaii



Latest data reported from the tsunami warning center that anytime the tsunami will hit the coast area of Hawaii and be advised to evacuate immediately and take extreme precaution on what's happen next after the hit.

“The state Department of Transportation urged all shipping agents and shipping companies to get their ships out of port this morning following the anticipated 6 a.m. tsunami siren warning. One cruise ship was scheduled to arrive in Honolulu Harbor for refueling this morning but was scheduled to leave before 6 a.m., DOT spokeswoman Tammy Mori said. Harbor police are also physically notifying harbor tenants about the warning.”


NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center have received a warning data that the tsunami may hit the Hawaii anytime. The governments advised the Hawaiian citizens to take extreme precaution and evacuation steps to prevent any possible destruction. Since the Chile hit by measuring in Ritcher scale of 8.8 earthquake, and the earthquake have set off a tsunami that may hit any coast in Pacific Ocean anytime. 

For more information , check out the warning message and latest data on NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.  GOD BLESS YOU ALL , BE SAFE.

February 27, 2010

Canadian Ice Hockey Team crush Slovakia Team , Next Stop : The American Champion


It is a great major success for the Canadian Ice Hockey Team beaten the Slovakia Ice Hockey Team with a result of  3 - 2 , Saturday they have to face off with the strong former Winter Olympic gold medalist, the Yankee, American Ice Hockey Team. 


Saturday afternoon ( U.S. time), on the final day of these Games, Canadian will play against the United States team, an Olympic gold medal going to the victory. The Canadians -- a team in major disarray just six days ago, got there with a shockingly taut 3 -2 victory against the Slovakia team in the semifinals, earning them another shot at the Americans, with the stakes considerably higher than they were last Sunday.

That was when the U.S beat Canada, 5 - 3 in the preliminary round, chasing a future Hall of Fame goaltender, Martin Brodeur, to the bench, and initiating days of collective, coast - to - coast hand-wringing north of the border. 

The American team have a great feeling might find a way back to win the championship games for the ice hockey by heavily pounded on the Canadian team -- with a roster teaming with all the NHL mega players -- have done just that, after clean sweep the Germany team 8 -2 , and Russians 7 -3 , and now Slovakian.

What will be the final judgement on the American versus Canadian for the final round of the Winter Olympics 2010 at Vancouver ? Find out more on the official website for the Winter Olympics 2010 at here : http://www.vancouver2010.com/     ENJOY !

Inverted Nipple -- The Knowledge of Breast

Have you spotted your breast or nipples protract all because when breastfeeding, as well as using the breast pump and during pregnancy caused you have an inverted nipples ?

Well, here is your answer : An inverted nipples or formerly known as invaginated nipples, is the nipples instead pointing outside, it is retracted inside the breast. Why is it happened ? ALL BECAUSE of during pregnancy , or even resulted by the breastfeeding. Some of the mothers naturally have inverted nipples, so when they feed the children, it won't be have any pain and complication in feeding, however, for the inexperienced mothers may experience an average pain and soreness when attempting to nurse.

Besides, the use of breast pump or even suction device may caused the inverted nipples as well. Also, frequent stimulation such as sexual intercourse such as nipple sucking also caused the inverted nipples too.

To curb this kind of situation, the most direct way is going for the plastic surgery. But, if a woman choose to have plastic surgery, the result MAY BE it will lose the breastfeed capacity permanently.

Another curing method is to have nipples being pierced, this method only allows if the nipples temporarily protracted.  Because the pierced jewellery prevents the nipples from protract, and it might be have adverse effects. The success of this method, everyone's opinion is mixed.

Besides this strategies,  is that you can use special device which is specifically designed to draw out inverted niplpes or a homemade nipple protractor can be constructed out of a 10cc dispoable syringe. Noted that this kind of method is use when the preparation for the breastfeeding is going on.

Two methods which are now discouraged are breast shells and also the Hoffman technique. The first one may be used to apply gentle constant pressure to the areola in order to try and break any adhesions under the skin that are preventing the nipple from being drawn out. The shells are worn inside the bra.

However, the Hoffman technique is a nipple stretching exercise that may help loosen the adhesions at the base of the nipples when performed several times a day. Although both techniques are heavily promoted, but there is a report and research in 1992, report shows that not only do shells and the Hoffman technique not promote more successful breastfeeding, they may actually disrupt it.

Chile Earthquake




BREAKING NEWS ! BREAKING NEWS! EARTHQUAKE AT CHILE SET OFF THE TSUNAMI.
( Source from AFP )
A massive 8.8-magnitude earthquake has struck central Chile, shaking the capital for a minute-and-a-half and setting off a tsunami, which triggered international alerts.
Buildings collapsed and phone lines and electricity were down, making the extent of the damage difficult to determine.
At least 16 people were killed when the earthquake struck, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced.
"We have had a huge earthquake," Bachelet said, speaking from an emergency response centre in an appeal for Chileans to remain calm.
"We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information we will share immediately."
Bachelet said early reports were that six people had been killed, and "without a doubt, with an earthquake of this magnitude, there will be more deaths".
She urged people to avoid travelling in the dark, since traffic lights are down, to avoid causing more fatalities.
The quake hit at 3:34am (1734 AEDT) and was centred 325 kilometres southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 35 kilometres the US Geological Survey reported.
The epicentre was just 115 kilometres from Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city, where more than 200,000 people live along the Bio Bio river, and 60 miles from the ski town of Chillan, a gateway to Andean ski resorts that was destroyed in a 1939 earthquake.
An Associated Press Television News cameraman said some buildings have collapsed in Santiago, where power was out in parts of the city.
An important church was among the buildings that came down in the central city of Providencia, where window glass shattered into the streets and people ran from multistorey buildings, according to TV Chile.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a warning for Chile and Peru, and a less-urgent tsunami watch for Ecuador, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica.
It said a tsunami could also hit Hawaii later in the day.
"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicentre and could also be a threat to more distant coasts," the centre said.
The US west coast tsunami warning centre said it did not expect a tsunami along the west of the US or Canada but was continuing to monitor the situation.
Australia is also on tsunami watch, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warning of a potential threat to NSW, Queensland, Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island.
"Tsunami waves have been observed on the coast of Chile that may threaten Australia," it said in a statement.
Japan's meteorological agency also warned of a tsunami risk across large areas of the Pacific as US geologists said the risk extended as far as the Antarctic.
"There is a possibility that tsunami will widely occur in the Pacific Ocean," an official for the Japanese agency said.
"We are now checking if tsunami may hit Japanese coastal areas."
The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960.
The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left two million homeless. The tsunami that it caused killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage to the West Coast of the United States.

WARNING ! Earthquake strikes Chile !

A measuring about 8.8 scale Ritcher earthquake have just hit on central Chile about 1.5 minutes and then set off a massive tsunami. The report said there is 6 peoples having been killed because of the damage of the earthquake.

Speaking from an emergency response center, the President said, "We have had a huge earthquake. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have. Any information we will share immediately."

The President also asked people to not travel in dark as traffic lights are down.

The massive earthquake hit at 3:34 a.m. (0634 GMT; 1:34 a.m. EST). It was centered 200 miles southwest of the capital, Santiago, at a depth of 22 miles.

TV Chile reported that among the buildings that collapsed , was a Church in central city of Providencia. There was chaos as people were running from high rise buildings and glass shattering from the buildings.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said,  "Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated. It may have been destructive along coasts near the earthquake epicenter and could also be a threat to more distant coasts." So a warning was issued for Chile and Peru and not so urgent watch for Ecuador, Columbia, Costa Rica, Panama and Antarctica. There was a warning for Hawaii as a tsunami could hit there later in the day.

Chile have had a huge quake hit it on May 22, 1960 of  magnitude-9.5. 1,655 people were killed and 2 million lost their homes. The resultant tsunami had killed many people in Japan, Hawaii and Philippines. There was some damage to US West Coast also.

However this time the U.S. west coast tsunami warning center has said that they do not think a tsunami will reach west of US or Canada but still they are keeping a close watch as the situation develops in Chile earthquake 2010.But mostly by the earthquake Chile has been affected. Naturally memories of recent Haiti earthquake have been reawakened by the new Chile quake. We will keep you posted on the relief and rescue efforts in quake affected Chile.

February 25, 2010

Whitehat Copycat - Example Of Macro Niches

By: Alexandrie Earlsmith


Niche market research is the first step that you should take before creating the website. In case you didn't know, there are two type of niches. Those are macro niche and micro niche.

Tim Bekker has created a unique system called Whitehat Copycat. Basically, Whitehat Copycat is about targeting macro niches. Such niche is searched million times per week. Hence, if you could get small portion of this niche, there's a high chance you will be making the money. Here's are example of macro niches:


  1. Antivirus market. Don't browse the internet without antivirus program installed. That gives you the idea on how big antivirus market is. New virus is released by cyber criminals everyday. Therefore, thousands of computer users are searching for antivirus download. Antivirus download has become the source of revenue for lots of companies, including Kaspersky, Norton and CNET.

  2. Registry cleaner download. Registry is the core of Windows operating system. When one computer is still new, there is less registry problem. However, once it is used to browse the web, installing programs or downloads, the registry could be corrupted, resulting in slow computer. Registry cleaner could solve these problems. People who use the computer and internet faces slows down and blue screen error problem everyday and this could mean huge market for you.

  3. Video player program. Media player and mp3 player program are popular downloads at Download.com. In fact, most computers have programs like Winamp, Quick Time Player and Real Player installed.

Antivirus, registry cleaner and media player download are example of macro niches. These programs is a must in every computer and without doubt will be searched million times per day. Target one keyword in these niches and you can expect to get thousands of traffic in a matter of days.

However, keep in mind that not all traffic that comes from these keywords are buyers. In fact, majority of them are just looking for freeware, and therefore will less likely convert into sales. That's why Whitehat Copycat is not just about making sale from affiliate programs alone. Tim Bekker recommend that you generate revenue from these models:


  1. Publish Google Adsense ads in your website. Unlike affiliate programs, you will earn revenue when someone click on your Adsense ads. Therefore, no selling is required.

  2. Pay-per-lead affiliate marketing. This model is also known as CPA marketing. You don't need to sell anything. However, you most convince visitors to download the program or sign up for free trial offer. Once they sign up, you will be paid.

  3. Affiliate programs. You can find thousands of affiliate networks in computer software niche. For example, One Network Direct and Regnow. By registering as their affiliates, you can sell thousands of computer programs, antivirus, registry cleaner and antispyware program.


Author Resource
Do you want to become a successful in Google Adsense or CPA Marketing? Whitehat Copycat will give you straightforward instructions. Read this Whitehat Copycat review for more details.

February 24, 2010

Sports Photography : Guide to master the techniques and tips

For sports photographers, journalists, newbies, enthusiasts, there’s nothing more exciting than sports people playing their favourite game. The sight of the field, rink or golf course initiates the thrill and anticipation. This, combined with digital photography, can provide some amazing photographic opportunities. However it’s not a matter of point the camera at the person diving for the ball or puck and snapping away. It’s a lot more complicated than that.

In digital photography, the category of sports photography is a toughest challenge among the other categories. The sports people do not present an easy task of being photographed because of the amount of high movement. However, you can indeed achieve great sports digital photography. Most excellent sports digital photography requires good planning and execution.

Here are some exclusive tips for gaining fantastic sports shots in your digital photography.


First things first; know your digital camera. I recommend taking note and practicing first all the settings that sports photography needed. You may find yourself going for the faster shutter speed, increased ISO and burst mode. Let’s take a look at all these things on your digital camera and see how they can be applied to give you sensational sports photos. 


Personally, I quite recommend sports photographer use EOS 1D series, especially EOS 1D Mk III and EOS 1D Mk IV. With high speed burst rate of 10 frames per seconds and 10 to 16 MP, over 60++ focusing area, making it one of the flagship in sports photography arsenal. But these camera are expensive camera that cost you about 10k.


If there is a budget problem, you can choose a cheaper camera such as EOS 7D, it just cost you around USD 1700 or less.

High shutter speeds:
As with all moving objects, in order to capture the “frozen in time” look in digital photography a fast shutter speed is required. The faster the movement the fast the shutter speed will need to be. In digital photography the general consensus is that the shutter speed needs to be faster than that of the subject. For example if you have a sliding puck across ice and there is a someone about to take a dive for it then its necessary to quickly mentally assess how fast that person might be traveling at. If they are traveling at approximately 50 kilometers (approx 32 miles) per hour then you may find a very fast shutter speed is needed for this digital photo.



Source : AFP ( Winter Olympics 2010 , Vancouver)

A very fast shutter speed in digital photography may be anything from 500th of a second or higher. For high speed movement you may want to consider an even faster shutter speed of 1000th of a second or something in that range.

Keep in mind that in digital photography a fast shutter speed works to reduce some of the light which is why a higher ISO is often necessary. (I’ll talk about that in a minute.) Usually a if a ball, such as a baseball going at around 145 kilometers an hour (90.09 miles per hour) a shutter speed of around 1/4000 will get you that “suspended ball in mid air” type of photo. For physical movement, such as someone leaping to catch a football, a shutter speed of 1/500 or over is a good place to start.

Now this is all very well if your scene if well lit. But what if you are taking your digital photography shots indoors at night and the light is not quite enough to provide enough light? In most instances, an indoor stadium at night time will be well lit, but that doesn’t always ensure good digital photos. In sports photography we need to understand that we can only control the artistic value and input of our digital photo and the control of the camera. We can’t control the lighting on the scene being such a public event. In digital photography sports photos we must realize that it’s going to be a challenge to begin with. So here are something’s you can in your digital sports photography to increase the amount of light.

If you have a light tool on your digital camera such as a histogram you can get a good idea of what the light levels are like on your sensor. With this handy tool you can adjust the ISO at the time of your pictures taking.

Increase your ISO: A high ISO in digital photography simply means the sensitivity to light that your digital camera has. In a nutshell the more ISO you have increased the image to, the less light the sensor needs. In sports photography an ISO of 400 or higher can work really well. The downside to this is that it does increase noise. To combat this you can use noise reduction software in the post editing process such as Noise Ninja or increase the LAB mode in the post editing process. Don’t be afraid to try a few shots at 400, 800 and even as high as 1600.

Burst mode:
In most sports digital photography this will be one of the settings you will turn to. Burst mode is also known as ‘continuous shooting’. This ‘continuous’ shooting mode allows you to get a sequence of shoots in succession. You can increase your chances of getting that ideal “split second perfect shot” that you might not be able to get by pre-emption or in normal shooting. This also works so beautifully if your digital camera has a painfully long lag time. I’ve used this so many times to get around the high lag my Sony Cyber shot has got. Some cameras have 3 frames per second and some go up to 12 frames per second. You simply select this mode and hold your finger on the shutter button and it will fire off as many shots in 1 second as it can.

Okay so I’ve been talking about your digital camera and the setting’s used for ideal sports digital photography, so what about any external equipment? If you have been thinking about this you’re spot on. You can take as much time with your settings but there’s not much point if you can’t get close to the action. There’s no point having a picture with perfect lighting and perfect action if the players are like dots on a sheet of paper. You need a good telephoto lens if you can’t get close up. A telephoto lens brings you closer because of its long distance capability. It will get you closer to the action but will need a faster shutter speed.

Many fantastic sports digital photos are taken with an emphasis on a very fast shutter speed, an f stop of around the 2.8 mark to blur the background and focus in on the subject. You may find that if your sportsperson is visually separated from the background and you take the digital photograph with a telephoto lens you’ll have a more shallow depth of field which can give you a more powerful feeling in your digital photo. You can get away with a good optical zoom lens, but you’ll get far better digital sports shots with a proper telephoto.

So what about the artistic side of sports photography with your digital camera? Plenty!

Pre-emption and Emotion is the key to good art.
When taking sports photography you probably won’t find a more public display of human emotion. The emotions of a sports person range from intense anticipation to extreme disappointment or extreme exhilaration. Pre-empting when these emotions take place is they key to getting artistic and impressive sports photos. This comes with practicing your digital photography.

SO much pressure is placed on our athletes, expecting them to perform so we can enjoy the show and the investors can enjoy their returns. This is another reason why I say to get a telephoto lens so you can capture the emotions on their faces and their body language. It makes for superb photography. For ideas on ice hockey, have a look at some ice hockey images that are great study tools.

Don't hesitate anything, don't think a lot on how to take, and don't just look on the photo, your job is to study them and make a practice for yourself.  Take on the attitude that studying sports photography will improve your digital sports photos ten fold. You will have a style to emulate and copy to start with then eventually, when you become confident, you’ll start to adopt your own style. 



I remembered my master, Mr. Ruddiee Khaw, sports journalist have gave me a lesson, " Trust with your camera and your gears, no matter what model of camera you are, just click it confidently , it's 99% accuracy. " Just believe yourself you can do better in sports photography.


This is one of my artwork at Sepang F1 International Circuit http://alanthedriftking.blogspot.com/2009/12/malaysia-super-series-greatest-time.html


You also can refer on ESPN Sports  because they also have a lot of impressive photo inside.


HAPPY SHOOTING

February 22, 2010

节省您结婚的开支 - DIY 婚纱摄影

你的婚礼即将来临,你想让您的回忆持续一生。不过,您是在预算和没有很多钱花费专业婚礼摄影师。你仍然可以得到专业的前瞻性,创造性,有DIY婚纱摄影令人难忘的照片。

第一件事要做的是找到一位拍得很美的照片的摄影师。这并不需要做的是一个专业摄影师。许多人都有一种“大眼睛”,并本能地知道如何拍摄出的照片。想想朋友或家人谁你对他们的度假摄影称赞成员,例如。另一种方法找到一个廉价的婚礼摄影师是看本地大学布告栏,或者他们自己张贴在摄影艺术的部门或部门。许多学生有惊人的天赋,但由于他们仍然有些经验,将是您的专业婚礼摄影师婚礼摄影师价格的一小部分。有些人甚至可能您的婚礼照片是免费的,不超过1免费午餐和他们的投资组合,你的婚礼照片的使用。您也可以考虑让一个业余爱好者谁不是专业婚礼摄影师对Craigslist的广告,但有艺术眼睛,喜欢拍照。获取样本的工作和谈判的价格都与你感到高兴。

无论您使用人才陌生人或艺术倾向的朋友或家人作为您的婚礼摄影师成员,确保他们有一个良好的专业相机。你甚至可以考虑购买优良的品质,数码相机,你可以给他们的“支付他们”。如果您需要购买你的自助婚礼摄影摄像头,请务必把它送给了他们的婚礼摄影师很多时间学习插件和相机的输出,这样他们就可以调整设置。数码相机还可以实现简单的编辑,让您或您的自助婚礼摄影师可以编辑您的婚礼照片。此外,数码相机有一个大容量存储很多照片,并有记忆卡可放几百张照片,以便您可以将大量的结婚照片进行挑选,以留下您的特别的一天。

另一个想法是与您的自助婚礼摄影师举行会议,制定一个你想要的拍摄计划。请记住,因为您将节省不聘请专业婚礼摄影师很多钱,你必须对自己做出一些贡献。这包括提供一个你想要的DIY拍摄名单婚礼摄影师。这可能包括结婚戒指照片,喜帖,党的新娘,在伴郎,新娘的家,新郎,新娘和新郎的初吻,家庭,婚礼服务等,这将帮助你和您的自助婚礼摄影师在前期了解彼此的所想要的东西,所以您就能了解在您的大日子中您想得到什么样的东西。

同时,鼓励其他人拍摄您的婚礼照片。最好的婚纱摄影有些是那些由一些客人坦率地陷入美妙的时刻。一些新人选择把对桌采取一次性相机的照片,然后要求他们离开时,相机离开婚宴。有人曾作为婚礼摄像机的主张和要求,任何伟大的婚礼照片被发送到夫妇。

最后,考虑两全其美。您可以租用一个短的时间内专业婚礼摄影师拍摄一些非常具体的图片,然后在您运用自助摄影师和婚礼宾客为您拍摄接下来环节的照片。这将消除专业婚礼摄影师不少的费用。您也可以选择穿上几天在事件发生后你的婚礼服装,到电影公司有几个采取专业的照片。

记住,不一定要聘请专业婚纱摄影师来拍摄超棒的,专业的婚纱照,其他人也可以做到。祝您开心愉快!

Bloom Box Fuel Cell Power Plant For Home



This is secretive fuel cell company Bloom Energy’s big week. Tonight 60 Minutes aired an exclusive look inside the Bloom Box, and on Wednesday the company is officially launching, after operating for 8 years and having reportedly raised around $400 million from investors like Kleiner Perkins.

It is kind of like an industrial-sized refrigerator, that sucks up oxygen on one side and fuel (natural gas, biomass, etc) on the other. 60 Minute’s reporter Lesley Stahl takes a look at the “secret sauce” behind the Bloom Box, and reports that Bloom bakes sand and cuts it into little squares that are turned into a ceramic, which are then coated with green and black “inks.” Using a special process Bloom creates these ceramic discs and stacks them together interspersed with metal plates of “a cheap metal alloy.” The bigger the stack the more power the Bloom Box will create.

If you keep track of green technology companies, you may have heard rumblings about Bloom Energy, a secretive company that has raised nearly $400 million from investors like Kleiner Perkins for its supposedly game-changing fuel cell device. Now the 8 year-old company is finally emerging from the shadows with the Bloom Box, a $700,000 to $800,000 machine that 60 Minutes calls "a little power plant-in-a-box". So what exactly is the Bloom BoxThe box consists of a stack of ceramic disks coated with green and black "inks" . The disks are separated by cheap metal plates. Methane (or other hydrocarbons) and oxygen is fed in, the whole thing is heated up to 1,000 Celsius, and electricity comes out. Bloom estimates that a box filled with 64 ceramic disks can produce enough juice to power a Starbucks.

As of right now, Bloom isn't angling for the residential market--the box is far too expensive. But major companies like eBay, Google, Staples, and FedEx have already started using the boxes. So far, the Bloom Box has been a success--eBay has already saved $100,000 in electricity costs since its 5 boxes were installed nine months ago. EBay even claims that the boxes generate more power than the 3,000 solar panels at its headquarters.

Of course, fuel cells aren't new. They have just been too expensive to be viable until now, and Bloom still has to prove that its box can produce energy at a cheaper rate than other power sources. The box also produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct--a potential downside depending on how much it generates.

Bloom Energy founder K.R. Sridhar estimates that a Bloom Box for the residential market could be out in 5 to 10 years for under $3,000. That's a big improvement from the $800,000 box of today, but only time will tell if Sridhar is being overly optimistic. And in the coming years, big name competitors will probably catch up to Bloom with cost-efficient boxes of their own. Will the Bloom Box and fuel cell devices like it eventually replace the power grid? Probably not, but they have the chance to one day at least partially free homeowners from the grid--along with solar panels, wind turbines, and other alternative energy sources.

February 21, 2010

HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT

A home equity line of credit is a form of revolving credit in which your home serves as collateral. Because a home often is a consumer's most valuable asset, many homeowners use home equity credit lines only for major items, such as education, home improvements, or medical bills, and choose not to use them for day-to-day expenses.


With a home equity line, you will be approved for a specific amount of credit. Many lenders set the credit limit on a home equity line by taking a percentage (say, 75%) of the home's appraised value and subtracting from that the balance owed on the existing mortgage. For example:


Appraised value from home = $ 100,000
Percentage x75%
Percentage of appraised value =$ 75,000
Less balance owed on mortage - $ 40,000
------------------------------------------------------
Potential line of Credit = $ 35,000



In determining your actual credit limit, the lender will also consider your ability to repay the loan (principal and interest) by looking at your income, debts, and other financial obligations as well as your credit history.


Many home equity plans set a fixed period during which you can borrow money, such as 10 years. At the end of this "draw period," you may be allowed to renew the credit line. If your plan does not allow renewals, you will not be able to borrow additional money once the period has ended. Some plans may call for payment in full of any outstanding balance at the end of the period. Others may allow repayment over a fixed period (the "repayment period"), for example, 10 years.


Once approved for a home equity line of credit, you will most likely be able to borrow up to your credit limit whenever you want. Typically, you will use special checks to draw on your line. Under some plans, borrowers can use a credit card or other means to draw on the line.


There may be other limitations on how you use the line. Some plans may require you to borrow a minimum amount each time you draw on the line (for example, $300) or keep a minimum amount outstanding. Some plans may also require that you take an initial advance when the line is set up.



What should you look for when shopping for a plan?


If you decide to apply for a home equity line of credit, look for the plan that best meets your particular needs. Read the credit agreement carefully, and examine the terms and conditions of various plans, including the annual percentage rate (APR) and the costs of establishing the plan. Remember, though, that the APR for a home equity line is based on the interest rate alone and will not reflect closing costs and other fees and charges, so you’ll need to compare these costs, as well as the APRs, among lenders.


Variable interest rates


Home equity lines of credit typically involve variable rather than fixed interest rates. The variable rate must be based on a publicly available index (such as the prime rate published in some major daily newspapers or a U.S. Treasury bill rate). In such cases, the interest rate you pay for the line of credit will change, mirroring changes in the value of the index. Most lenders cite the interest rate you will pay as the value of the index at a particular time, plus a "margin," such as 2 percentage points. Because the cost of borrowing is tied directly to the value of the index, it is important to find out which index is used, how often the value of the index changes, and how high it has risen in the past. It is also important to note the amount of the margin.


Lenders sometimes offer a temporarily discounted interest rate for home equity lines--an "introductory" rate that is unusually low for a short period, such as 6 months.


Variable-rate plans secured by a dwelling must, by law, have a ceiling (or cap) on how much your interest rate may increase over the life of the plan. Some variable-rate plans limit how much your payment may increase and how low your interest rate may fall if the index drops.


Some lenders allow you to convert from a variable interest rate to a fixed rate during the life of the plan, or let you convert all or a portion of your line to a fixed-term installment loan.



Costs of establishing and maintaining a home equity line


Many of the costs of setting up a home equity line of credit are similar to those you pay when you buy a home. For example:

A fee for a property appraisal to estimate the value of your home;
An application fee, which may not be refunded if you are turned down for credit;
Up-front charges, such as one or more "points" (one point equals 1 percent of the credit limit); and
Closing costs, including fees for attorneys, title search, mortgage preparation and filing, property and title insurance, and taxes.


In addition, you may be subject to certain fees during the plan period, such as annual membership or maintenance fees and a transaction fee every time you draw on the credit line.


You could find yourself paying hundreds of dollars to establish the plan. And if you were to draw only a small amount against your credit line, those initial charges would substantially increase the cost of the funds borrowed. On the other hand, because the lender's risk is lower than for other forms of credit, as your home serves as collateral, annual percentage rates for home equity lines are generally lower than rates for other types of credit. The interest you save could offset the costs of establishing and maintaining the line. Moreover, some lenders waive some or all of the closing costs.



How will you repay your home equity plan?


Illustration of a calculator, checkbook, and papersBefore entering into a plan, consider how you will pay back the money you borrow. Some plans set a minimum monthly payment that includes a portion of the principal (the amount you borrow) plus accrued interest. But, unlike with typical installment loan agreements, the portion of your payment that goes toward principal may not be enough to repay the principal by the end of the term. Other plans may allow payment of interest only during the life of the plan, which means that you pay nothing toward the principal. If you borrow $10,000, you will owe that amount when the payment plan ends.


Regardless of the minimum required payment on your home equity line, you may choose to pay more, and many lenders offer a choice of payment options. Many consumers choose to pay down the principal regularly as they do with other loans. For example, if you use your line to buy a boat, you may want to pay it off as you would a typical boat loan.


Whatever your payment arrangements during the life of the plan--whether you pay some, a little, or none of the principal amount of the loan--when the plan ends, you may have to pay the entire balance owed, all at once. You must be prepared to make this "balloon payment" by refinancing it with the lender, by obtaining a loan from another lender, or by some other means. If you are unable to make the balloon payment, you could lose your home.


If your plan has a variable interest rate, your monthly payments may change. Assume, for example, that you borrow $10,000 under a plan that calls for interest-only payments. At a 10% interest rate, your monthly payments would be $83. If the rate rises over time to 15%, your monthly payments will increase to $125. Similarly, if you are making payments that cover interest plus some portion of the principal, your monthly payments may increase, unless your agreement calls for keeping payments the same throughout the plan period.


If you sell your home, you will probably be required to pay off your home equity line in full immediately. If you are likely to sell your home in the near future, consider whether it makes sense to pay the up-front costs of setting up a line of credit. Also keep in mind that renting your home may be prohibited under the terms of your agreement.



Lines of credit vs. traditional second mortgage loans


If you are thinking about a home equity line of credit, you might also want to consider a traditional second mortgage loan. This type of loan provides you with a fixed amount of money, repayable over a fixed period. In most cases, the payment schedule calls for equal payments that pay off the entire loan within the loan period. You might consider a second mortgage instead of a home equity line if, for example, you need a set amount for a specific purpose, such as an addition to your home.


In deciding which type of loan best suits your needs, consider the costs under the two alternatives. Look at both the APR and other charges. Do not, however, simply compare the APRs, because the APRs on the two types of loans are figured differently:

The APR for a traditional second mortgage loan takes into account the interest rate charged plus points and other finance charges.
The APR for a home equity line of credit is based on the periodic interest rate alone. It does not include points or other charges.

Disclosures from lenders


The federal Truth in Lending Act requires lenders to disclose the important terms and costs of their home equity plans, including the APR, miscellaneous charges, the payment terms, and information about any variable-rate feature. And in general, neither the lender nor anyone else may charge a fee until after you have received this information. You usually get these disclosures when you receive an application form, and you will get additional disclosures before the plan is opened. If any term (other than a variable-rate feature) changes before the plan is opened, the lender must return all fees if you decide not to enter into the plan because of the change.


When you open a home equity line, the transaction puts your home at risk. If the home involved is your principal dwelling, the Truth in Lending Act gives you 3 days from the day the account was opened to cancel the credit line. This right allows you to change your mind for any reason. You simply inform the lender in writing within the 3-day period. The lender must then cancel its security interest in your home and return all fees--including any application and appraisal fees--paid to open the account.



What if the lender freezes or reduces your line of credit?


Plans generally permit lenders to freeze or reduce a credit line if the value of the home "declines significantly" or, when the lender "reasonably believes" that you will be unable to make your payments due to a "material change" in your financial circumstances. If this happens, you may want to:

Talk with your lender. Find out what caused the lender to freeze or reduce your credit line and what, if anything, you can do to restore it. You may be able to provide additional information to restore your line of credit, such as documentation showing that your house has retained its value or that there has not been a "material change" in your financial circumstances. You may want to get copies of your credit reports (go to the Federal Trade Commission's website for information about free copies) to make sure all the information in them is correct. If your lender suggests getting a new appraisal, be sure you discuss appraisal firms in advance so that you know they will accept the new appraisal as valid.
Shop around for another line of credit. If your lender does not want to restore your line of credit, shop around to see what other lenders have to offer. You may be able to pay off your original line of credit and take out another one. Keep in mind, however, that you may need to pay some of the same application fees you paid for your original line of credit.

UFC 110 : Battle of Nogueira and Velasquez




Damn I love fighting competition , besides WWE , TNA Wrestling , and also ECW, nevertheless , it's UFC 110 Ultimate Fighting Championship , I can't wait the next ultimate fighting action coming up soon. HERE is the list of the appearance that will arrange for the show :

IGOR POKRAJAC VS. JAMES TE HUNA
C.B. DOLLAWAY VS. GORAN RELJIC
BRIAN FOSTER VS. CHRIS LYTLE
STEPHAN BONNAR VS. KRZYSZTOF SOSZYNSKI
MIRKO “CRO COP” FILIPOVIC VS. ANTHONY PEROSH
RYAN BADER VS. KEITH JARDINE
GEORGE SOTIROPOULOS VS. JOE STEVENSON
MICHAEL BISPING VS. WANDERLEI SILVA
ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA VS. CAIN VELASQUEZ

Want to noted you guys is the two major MMA industry of the show will be Cain Velasquez versus Antonio R. Nogueira. You can't miss it because it will be the peak point of the show. Catch up on your local television and online TV stream.

Lindsey Vonn - First American Alpine Ski Racer took the Bronze Medal




Lindsey Vonn, the American alpine ski racer, earned a bronze medal in the women's Super G yesterday at Whistler Creek, her second medal of these Winter Olympics and a seventh for the record-setting U.S. ski team. Make her to be the first ever American woman succeeded in alpine ski category in Winter Olympics Games 2010.

Austria's Andrea Fischbacher, starting two places behind her in the 53-woman field, captured the gold medal with a time of 1 minute, 20.14 seconds, much to the delight of her ski-mad, cowbell-clanging countrymen. Slovenia's Tina Maze took the silver.

But Vonn, who won the downhill and wiped out in the slalom portion of the super- combined, thought she could have had a second gold yesterday. She had won the previous three Super Gs on the World Cup circuit.

Starting 17th, Vonn sped through the more difficult upper portions of an icy course that was so challenging 15 skiers failed to complete it. Then, in its easier stretches, she appeared to relax.

"Once I got through those difficult sections," she said, "I kind of backed off the gas pedal. I felt like I just didn't ski as aggressively as I could have. I think that's where I lost the race."

It was just the opposite on Thursday, when Vonn thought she had been forced to go too fast in the super-combined's slalom, trying to best eventual winner Maria Riesch of Germany. Riesch, eighth yesterday, agreed with Vonn's assessment.

"I think she was skiing a bit conservative," the German said. "But I've seen her skiing this way often this season, and she's still won."

And so the glamour girl of the American team, the blond skier some had hoped might win three, four, perhaps even five gold medals here, is 1 for 3, with her two weakest events to come - Wednesday's giant slalom and Friday's slalom.

How much the right-shin injury she suffered a week before these Games affected her probably will never be known.

"It's definitely sore," said Vonn, who finished 0.74 seconds behind the winner. "I didn't do the free-skiing on the race hill, which all the other athletes did. Maybe I should've done that, maybe I shouldn't have. I don't really know, looking back, what the right decision was. . . . I'm really happy that we have three days before the next race, which is really going to help me."

Julia Mancuso, Vonn's U.S. teammate who has a pair of silvers here, started first and finished ninth, nearly flying off the course on one of its scariest and quickest turns.

"It was a lot faster up near the top," Mancuso said, "much faster than I expected. I was carrying too much speed into that turn, and that cost me."

Vonn was still near the finish line when Fischbacher, who has had only modest success on the World Cup circuit but finished a close fourth in the downhill here, began her winning run.

When the Austrian got to the bottom and saw her time flash on the scoreboard, she looked as if she couldn't believe it.

"It was really crazy," the winner said. "It was a really straight course, and you had to push from start to finish. . . . I was thinking you have to go really fast and fight and fight. It's a dream come true."

Maze, too, said she was stunned to find herself finishing ahead of Vonn, who has dominated their sport the last several years.

"It seems like she's always first in World Cup and she's always leading," Maze said. "It's kind of annoying to be at the start knowing she'll probably be first. But anything can happen, and this shows she's human, too."

J.R. Celski tattoo shows up at Winter Olympics 2010



Yes, the main focus of the Winter Olympics is now turn to a young participant -- J.R. Celski , becomes the hottest talk on the town right now because of the coolest tattoo on his body. It's very proud and honour for him to show the Filipino cultures and heritage to the whole world. He is the 2010 winner of the 1500m Short-Track Bronze Medal in Vancouver who has made a serious wave showing off his tattoo when changing his clothes on TV broadcast.


Funeral Held For Yolanda " Lala " Brown Upon Her Death





Funeral services were held for Yolanda "LaLa" Brown Thursday. Services were held at the Mason Temple Church of God in Christ Child at 6090 N. 35th Street in Milwaukee.


Hundreds turned out in Milwaukee Wednesday evening to say goodbye to singer Yolanda "LaLa" Brown. The wake for the 21-year-old, arising star in the R & B world, was held at the Pitts Funeral Home at 20th and Capitol Wednesday. Brown was from Milwaukee's north side, and was found dead inside her recording studio on 55th and Lisbon Friday. Her producer and boyfriend, 22-year-old JeTannue Clayborn was also killed. Milwaukee Police are now asking for the public's help to find the killer. "We know that there were people who heard from our two victims before this occurred. We're hoping we can hear from them,"

Anne E. Schwartz of the Milwaukee Police Department said, Schwartz won't say why they want to talk to those people, but will say they hope to get more information about what happened in the days leading up to the murders. We now know that the recording studio was burglarized just days before the murders; almost $10,000 of equipment was stolen.

Police don't know yet if the burglary is related to the killings. A makeshift memorial has been set up outside that recording studio for the two victims. "LaLa was a flamboyant, happy person, who lit up the room whenever she walked in," Alicia Brown, LaLa’s sister said.

Another sister, Simone Brown, said, "She was a very beautiful person and we need to find out who did this to her. JeTannue's mother, Dina Chambers, describes him as energetic, with an eye toward making music his career. "He loved music. He loved people. He was very kind. They called him "Koolaid" because every time you saw him, he was smiling," Dina Chambers said. If anyone has any information for police, or talked to either of the victims in the days leading up to their deaths, call police at 414-935-7360.

Lala Brown's family released the details of her funeral and invited any friends, family, and fans to come. Yolanda Brown's family also set up a trust fund for LaLa's 5-year-old daughter Amirrah Airreal Brown.

Tiger Woods : I AM SO SORRY

Tiger Woods press conference is ended just a moment ago, and he have explained about his faults and weak point to the press and media and make an apology to all the peoples, fans and his family during the broadcast to the whole world. Here is the speech that the famous golfer, Tiger Woods on the press conference :


TIGER WOODS: Good morning, and thank you for joining me. Many of you in this room are my friends. Many of you in this room know me. Many of you have cheered for me or you've worked with me or you've supported me.

Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me. I want to say to each of you, simply and directly, I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.

I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife, Elin, and to my children. And while I have always tried to be a private person, there are some things I want to say.

Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behavior. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss; however, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us.

I am also aware of the pain my behavior has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down, and I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners.

To everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors and most importantly, the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever. Thirteen years ago, my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the Learning Center students in Southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington, D.C., millions of kids have changed their lives, and I am dedicated to making sure that continues.

But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position.

For all that I have done, I am so sorry.

I have a lot to atone for, but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.

The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable, and I am the only person to blame.

I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong, but I convinced myself that normal rules didn't apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn't have to go far to find them.

I was wrong. I was foolish. I don't get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife's family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.

I've had a lot of time to think about what I've done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It's now up to me to make amends and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I've made. It's up to me to start living a life of integrity.

I once heard, and I believe it's true, it's not what you achieve in life that matters; it's what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count.

Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.

It's hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days from the end of December to early February, I was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I'm facing. I have a long way to go. But I've taken my first steps in the right direction.

As I proceed, I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and the times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin and I will remain together. Please know that as far as I'm concerned, every one of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife.

Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight. They did not do these things; I did.

I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors, my commercial endorsements. When my children were born, we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behavior doesn't make it right for the media to follow my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter to school and report the school's location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.

I recognize I have brought this on myself, and I know above all I am the one who needs to change. I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. That's where my focus will be.

I have a lot of work to do, and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don't realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist, and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.

As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I've learned that's how people really do change. Starting tomorrow, I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I'm making these remarks today.

In therapy, I've learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things that are most important to me -- my marriage and my children.

That also means relying on others for help. I've learned to seek support from my peers in therapy, and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day, I just don't know when that day will be.

I don't rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game. In recent weeks, I have received many thousands of e-mails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me.

I want to thank the PGA Tour, Commissioner Finchem and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course.

Finally, there are many people in this room, and there are many people at home who believed in me. Today, I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again.

Thank you.