Monthly Archives: December 2009

Money Mutual The Right Short Term Cash Advancements backed by Montel Williams

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Micro-loans, otherwise known as Payday loans are making life easier for thousands of individuals everyday. With this downturn in the economy, a majority of people are feeling the pinch of financial issues and a short-term loan is the best solution to free them from feeling helpless and trapped. Once an application is filled out on-line, the funds will be wired to their bank account, sometimes within hours.

When there’s not enough funds in the bank account, or credit cards are at their credit-limit, these micro-loans are best when there is an emergency, such as a loved one admitted to the hospital for an emergency surgery, an expensive auto repair bill, or an unexpected high utility bill.  Searching on the Internet, you will see pages and pages of payday loan companies and usually the borrower will not have time to do due-diligence when it come to finding the best micro-lender, such as the Money Mutual Montel Williams TV Campaign, which is one of the better micro-lenders on the net and one that will benefit any ‘strapped-for-cash’ individual quickly and compassionately.

The benefits of applying for a Payday loan, is that most financial institutions, such as banks, will deny most short-term loans, plus they will want to know what the loan if for before they deny the loan. With a Payday loan, there will be formalities to fill-out on the application, but the reason for the short-term isn’t necessary and the money will be wired to the individuals bank account. Then, once the individuals paycheck is deposited, the micro-lender will get back the amount loaned along with the interest due. Another benefit is just how fast the loan is approved so the borrower can immediately take care of business and keep their peace of mind.

It’s always wise to do comparison shopping when it comes to Payday loan companies, because they are very competitive when it comes to the interest rate charged for the short-term loan. When financial aid is in need, Payday loan companies are there to help not only the borrower, but the creditors as well.

Romantic Getaway on a Cook Island

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Paul is two things, he is an incurable romantic and he is addicted to traveling. So it’s only natural that when he heard that the Cook Islands are frequently considered to be the greatest secret in the Pacific, he absolutely had to go and he wanted to take a date. As can sometimes happen with extreme romantic individuals, Paul seemed to be slightly more into the idea of romance than with whom he was enjoying the experience. A good example of this occurs every year on February fourteenth. Regardless of the amount of time he has been dating a woman he goes to every length possible to make Valentine’s Day an event to remember. This was even true for the one year that he didn’t have a girlfriend on that significant date. He ended up having a first date with a woman and scheduled it on Valentine’s Day just so he could carry out his annual ritual of roses, wine, chocolate and fine dining followed by a river cruise.

When Paul found out about the intrigue of Cook Islands he happened to be in a relationship with Judy, a woman he had been dating for two months, which was a long time for him. Unfortunately he had also been thinking about ending things with Judy as she was just too practical for him and was showing signs of growing tired of the constant love notes and surprises. So, while this seemed like the perfect romantic trip to Paul he found himself in something of a dilemma. He wasn’t sure if he should plan the trip and make reservations in a Cook Islands hotel right away or if he should hold off, wait for Judy to break up with him and take someone else. Well, one other tendency Paul had was to be impatient, or as he preferred to say, spontaneous. So, once again another surprise came Judy’s way and she was presented with the tickets and reservations. This time she was actually excited and the two of them had a fabulous time, and yes it was even romantic with the beautiful beaches and sensational sunsets. They spent a full week on Rarotonga, one of the largest of the fifteen islands, which is also were they flew into.

The USS Constellation in Baltimore

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The maritime history of Baltimore is rich and extensive.  The city was built on the shores of the Inner Harbor, and through the years this harbor has been responsible for the growth and the success of this fishing town in Baltimore.  International trade and commerce has thrived, the port was once only second to New York in welcoming European immigrants, and consequently, the city has one of the most impressive collections of historical ships in the country.

For fans of history, fans of the shipping industry, this is a place wherein many dreams come true.  From tours to midnight strolls on the decks of these ships to a Baltimore restaurant experience out on the waters in the Harbor, to educational programs, this city has it all.  One such impressive ship is the USS Constellation.  For many years during both World Wars, Baltimore was the ship building capital of the country, and the USS Constellation is one of the finest examples of the work that was done during those years.

This ship was actually built very early on in the industry, in 1787 she was launched in the harbor, designed by Josiah Fox and Joshua Humphreys at the Sterrett Shipyard.  Her first journeys include trips to the West Indies and to the Caribbean captained by Thomas Truxtun, in order to protect the United States trade interests in those foreign waters.  Then a few years later in 1799, the ship and her crew successfully captured a French ship, L’Insurgente in a battle at sea just off of the island of Nevis in the West Indies.

She survived many such adventures, but was damaged by winds in the Delaware Bay in 1801, and required numerous repairs.  In all this is a ship where just walking on the decks one will be filled with the hundreds of years this ship and her crews have taken to the open waters.  Word has it around Baltimore, that some of those crew members still walk the ship from time to time, and it is for this reason that the USS Constellation is often included in the ghost tours of Baltimore.  If the sea, and the ships, and the possibility of catching a glimpse of a ghostly captain are things that you are interested in, this is one historic location in Baltimore that should not be missed.

Accessories for Fireplaces: Function and Design

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I remember the fireplace accessories my grand-parents had sitting just aside their fireplace.  They consisted of a cast iron basket in which to hold the logs, and a stand which contained just three things, a fire poker, a small broom and a small cast iron “dust pan” on the end of the handle.  My memories of this flood back when I see these sets of accessories today, and great waves of nostalgia. However, with the new designs of fireplaces, the new additions and alterations to the fireplace, there are so many more accessories that are not only functional, but are artistic and intended to enhance not only the building and maintaining of a fire, but the beauty of it and the fireplace as well.

Now, one may choose to add a “fire-back”, which is a reflective piece of metal put along the back, behind the fire, which will greatly enhance the visual effects as the dancing flames are doubled.  Andirons are another accessory, and are used for function and for beauty.  Instead of the standard grate that is used to keep the logs from rolling out of the fireplace and onto the floor, the andiron keeps the logs in the fire, and will also protect the fire-back from damage of the flames.

Many people will add a touch of the charm of the old days, such as adding a steamer or a kettle.  And again, they serve to not only create a mood or an atmosphere, you fill these pots with water, and the humidity levels will rise in your home.  This is a great addition to consider as fires may dry out the already dry winter air.  Beauty and function may also sit atop the mantle, for not only are there many beautiful vases in which to hold your long fire matchsticks, the matchsticks too, now come in an array of colors.  So you may decide to incorporate them into the overall color scheme of your home decor.  With so many options, the fireplace can now not only be the functional centerpiece for a room, but the focal point of design as well.

Fame, Swiftranking Elks

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The culture of instant stardom is something that takes a toll on everyone, whether you have close ties to the entertainment industry, or if you’re living far off the map, planning an internet-based revolution.  It’s difficult to escape that instant need to look at three or more things without putting them into some kind of order in your mind.  This could very well be the result of the shows where people compete and try to have talent in front of other people.  There are judges, and there is a pithy host, and there is usually an audience, and all of these units have the ability to make a judgment.

Sometimes it’s a swiftrank, and sometimes it’s less quick, but we have a new reflex in us that we’ve never seen before.  It’s a fascinating phenomenon, but it may be one we will have to reckon with in the years to come.  Who knows what kinds of realities are shaped when we can have access to all kinds of new information in seconds?  This becomes even more complex when we add the culture of stardom to the equation.  Of course, the idea of celebrity is really nothing new.  Milan Kundera’s Immortality has some fantastic and elegant passages about the history of the sound bite, arguing that it was in existence long before the phenomenon of recording media accessible today.

We have always had an uncanny ability for discernment, and it’s one of the great pillars of wisdom.  What’s possibly novel, in these times, is not our ability to discern, but the need to judge.  It is built into how we look at the world, and it’s certainly something that’s peculiar to the age where rising stars are often determined by instant ratings on television and the internet.  What’s peculiar here is not the act of judgement itself, but the impulse behind it.  We are programmed as if our ability to make quantitative judgments was in fact a life of death proposition.  And the fact of the matter is, there is no giant elk running toward us, threatening our lives if we don’t decide who is the better pop singer.  Interestingly, we are at the point where we all have ready answers, and are willing to speak into the elk’s antlers at the drop of a hat.

A Winner’s Edge

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It’s funny how things that cycle through the common wisdom of the times, and how each generation always has to go through a little process of reinventing the wheel to discover what works now is often very much like what worked before.  In the early days of business training, we were taught to have a winning attitude, and that this was sometimes everything.  It’s come around again this generation where that wisdom is coming back into vogue, and of course, it never really left, but just had to work its way into the language again.

There are often times when things work so well for so long, that we decide collectively that there must be ways of improving on what we know to be true.  That’s always a genuinely good-intentioned assumption, but it never goes very far before we start looking deeply at the complexity of our times, to try to find some hidden patterns that we didn’t see before, in order to gain some kind of new wisdom for what we need to do to make things work.  It does seem as though this always results in discovering, somewhere along the way, that there is no new wisdom at all, but the lessons of the past are still relevant to our times.  Perhaps the only new wisdom, then, is that the old wisdom works, and that’s why it’s called wisdom to begin with.

Because there are so many new ideas, it’s always beneficial to learn the basics, and to keep refreshing ourselves on these, so that we can remain solid in what we do.  And there certainly have been new lessons to learn in how the basics work, and that’s one reason why sales process improvement comes with immersing ourselves in the traditions and techniques that have always made great salespeople who they are.  A winner’s edge in this day and age may have some new accessories, but the heart of the attitude is still very much the same, and very much worth cultivating at every turn along the way.

Having Fun on Sentosa Island

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My first full day on Sentosa Island, which is across the water from Singapore. After a great sleep at one of the Sentosa hotels Singapore offers as well, but I decided since I came to Singapore to visit Sentosa only, why not just stay on Sentosa. I missed the complimentary breakfast, I stayed in bed and ordered room service instead. I had arranged to meet up with these two guys I met on the plane trip, they too wanted to see Sentosa Island, but were staying in Singapore. We were to meet at 12:30 at the Merlion statue.

I forgot to bring a charger for my phone! So my mobile was dead, so there was no way to call the two American guys in-case our meet-up time and place needed to be changed or there was a mix-up. They had my hotel number though. As I was waiting by the Merlion statue and it was getting to be 1pm, it dawned on me that there are two Merlions! One here on Sentosa and one at the Singapore harbour. I mean, we didn’t specify which Merlion to meet at, I was assuming the one on Sentosa, but they could have meant the one on Singapore. I waited until 1:30pm and they were a no show. I thought I’d give it enough time for them, if they figured it out that I’m at the Sentosa Merlion, to take the cable car over here. But, by about a quarter till 2pm, I figured this was a bust.

I headed back to my hotel room to see if I got a message, I did! They were wondering why I stood them up. I returned their call from my hotel room and left them a message about the two Merlions, and that I’d be out and about all day today, since I only have today and tomorrow here. I told them if they’d like to try again tomorrow, same time, same place (my Merlion) to leave me a message at my hotel.

I finally broke down and bought a phone charger, ugh, an expense I wasn’t counting on, but I feel helpless without a mobile phone. Then I explored what Sentosa could offer me. It’s like a holiday island with tons of visitors and attractions. Since I already visited the Merlion, a main attraction here, I went to the Singapore tower, which is a revolving tower that gives great views of the skyline. I didn’t realize just how massive Singapore’s port of harbor is, it’s huge with loads of container ships scattered all over the bay. I then went on the Luge, which is this 700 meter concrete course with plastic sledges with which you go down the hills. I really had a great time there, if I meet up with the American boys tomorrow, I’ll have to take them here. It’s so much fun.

When I got back to my hotel, I got another message, they will meet with me tomorrow, here on Sentosa! Now, I’ll start having a fantastic time here, those boys are fun!

A Trip to Sorrento

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In the last year, I’ve had no less than two friends return from Italy, each with a digital camera or video recorder filled with photos and clips of their stay, from Florence to Rome.  Although I’ve traveled fairly extensively myself, I began those journeys later in life, and so have begun to think not only of the places I’ve been, but the places I still wish to go, and the trips of my friends have made me add not only a new country to the list, but a new city, too: Sorrento.

Many cities in Europe were founded in around the 11th Century, such as Neuchatel, Switzerland, or Tallinn, Estonia, but Sorrento claims history as long ago as the 1st Century B.C., when the Romans colonized it and, similar to Pompeii, it became a resort for the rich.  As with any place that has lasted this long, a number of interesting things have happened: It’s seen many battles; once the Roman Empire fell, the city was taken by the Goths, conquered again in 552 A.D., by the Goths, and, until the 10th Century, was a part of the Byzantine Duchy, receiving independence in 1067, then conquered again in 1133 by the Normans.  It passed through several more hands and fought peoples and towns, only to be destroyed by pirates in 1558.  Immediately afterwards, the town was rebuilt, boasting new fortifications — defensive towers and walls.

Walking through the center of Sorrento, you’ll find Medieval Buildings.  On the west side of Piazza Tasso, at 14 Via Pieta, you should find the Palazzo Veniero, with 13th Century facades, much like wood marquetry.  The former Palazzo Correale contains two 14th century windows and a portal at number 24.  Then, walking a few more steps, you’ll find the town’s 15th Century Duomo (the Cathedral of San Fiolippo and San Giacomo).

Sorrento is perhaps best known for its the craft of wood inlay and marquetry.  To take a look at 19th Century marquetry furniture, as well as frescoes, take a look at the Museo Bottega della Tarsia Lignea, which is to be found inside the 18th Century Palazo Pomaranci Santomasi.

Throughout the town, though you’ll find examples of architecture from the 11th Century to the 18th Century.  Personally, I can’t wait to look through the hotels Sorrento has, and make a reservation for my own visit to Italy.

Little Coastal Town

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Well they they have all been here over the centuries. This little port town, Roquestas de Mar, has seen the likes of the Romans, Greeks and Phoenicians as they came and went in the early years. This town like many on the coast of Spain started as a modest fishing town with agriculture in the lands behind it. It has the old Castle of the Las Roquetas. They also call it Santa Ana and it was built by the Muslim settlement that came here in the eighteenths century. In the Parrales, there are vineyards they used to cultivate.

As they got more into their agriculture they created the first greenhouse which of course made them famous. It was such an innovative design that worked so well that they shared it with the surrounding areas and it became a success. The province of Almeria was the innovator of a new cultivation technique. Since fishing was a small trade in Roquestas de Mar, they put more into their agriculture and that is were they gained there wealth. In the 1960s, people became more internationally mobile and this quaint little town wanted to attract more visitors. It’s efforts paid off and it became the center of national tourist interest in 1964.

After visitors have checked into one of the sweet roquetas de mar hotels, they can set out for some little adventures. There is always the beach and water to spend time on. In the San Jose bay water sport enthusiasts can take off on may kinds of water crafts, toss a line out for some fishing or do some underwater photography. If it is land adventuring that is more interesting, spectators can take a day trip to a small lost village in the middle of the mountain range. There are a few hidden forgotten treasures in the woods like the Castala, the Alcolea, or the Laujar which were old residences to the Moorish Kings.

Fishing Town Battles

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There is still talk of Scheveningen being named from a previous use as a point of shibboleth. During World War II the Germans would identify spies by the way they pronounced certain words. Of course the accent was different between German and Dutch speaking people. Namely the “sch” of a word. They are still debating who the first inhabitants of the area were. Possibly it was Anglo Saxon or maybe it was Scandinavian settlers. No matter who was here first the main order of the day was fishing. Fishing was the food and the business of the area even still today.

Like many port towns along any European coast centuries ago Schevenigen had its battle with the British. In 1653 the battle ships of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces waged all out war upon each other in a fight for the town and area surrounding it in the Battle of Scheveningen. A few months before this battle there was the Battle of the Gabbard where the English fleet blocked the Dutch coast line with about 120 ships. Sea General George Monck captured many merchant ships. With out the income of fish, the Dutch economy began to fall. Quickly people became starving and unemployed. Of course this made the Dutch a bit upset so they had to come up with a plan.

Lieutenant-Admiral Maarten Tromp with the Dutch military set out to change the situation. He wanted to lift the blockade from the Dutch coastline. He did some great naval tactical maneuvers that landed him a perfect position to take the British. His position moved a few British ships away from his partner ships so they could slip in and take them out. This battle did demonstrate some amazing victories from both sides. The British remained tactically superior and the Dutch did lift the blockade. In the end, however, the British won and the events that unfolded from here lead to the Treaty of Westminster in 1654.  Visitors can stay in one of the hotels Scheveningen provides and check out some of the history it has.