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Thursday 22 October, 2009 7:57 PM
Sample Articles
Articles 1 to 35 are articles of Hemant Mehta removed from an Article Directory that is updated.
1. Go up in smoke -- but miracles do happen!
Two lovely people get married and enter the blissful stage of a married life. Honeymoon special takes them to that high mountain resort and they simply feel as if they have reached heaven! The young couple dine and wine for a fortnight and then return to earth in the reality of living. The heavenly mountain resort lingers on like a pleasant dream. They both realize that one day they will part their way and truly reach that sublime and ultimate resort called "heaven" -- but that is still many eons away, or at least six to seven decades in the future. Their decision of not attempting to go 'back to the future' takes them into a living style that could be the envy of many couples. Everything is moving their way -- like poetry in an exquisite edifice built in marble!
The creation of life from the elements and smoke
Why do people say that we are built from the elements or dust and smoke? In organic chemistry one reads of all living things -- including some inanimate objects are based on the carbon atom. The philosophers surmise that apart from the materialistic amalgamation of all the elements, one must also take into account the abstract molecules that exude energy in the form of life in otherwise inanimate beings.
Great, so the elements and smoke make up all that exists in the universe today? I guess that pretty well summarizes the philosophical and materialistic thought of the day. Did I say smoke? I must be thinking of those years of puffing away to glory -- or should we term it as 'hell'? It is a matter of interpretation though PLRT (Past Life Regression Therapy) where some of the heaviest smokers may have been either a tobacco tycoon or a cigarette vendor in their earlier reincarnations!
How "Hellish" this 'puffing away' can be?
Coming back to our earlier story of the loving couple who conceived a lovely blue eyed boy after their thrilling honeymoon and named him Chaim which means 'life' in Hebrew. This name ensured (according to the parents) that Chaim would never get into a precarious situation like a common "fiddler on the roof"! He grew up a strapping lad who exuded intelligence and a flair for the sciences -- especially chemistry. In spite of learning all that is cherished by any human being Chaim could not avoid the charm of that chemical called 'nicotine'! A quick experiment in a student's hostel with a few classmates and Chaim started puffing around like a railroad steam engine or better still a "chimney". Little did he know (or maybe he did) that eventually he would reach a 'river of no return' and his lungs would keep storing this chemical he knew so well.
Decades passed and now that strapping lad of 16 had become a coughing Granddad of 56 who had never listened to his wife on the hazards of smoking. Chaim was an intelligent person and knew that one day he could become a being of the past. Smokers will understand this addiction and agree that the end is all too predictable.
The end is near…
Brought about by one who never did hear...
His loved ones kept saying Oh Dear…
Your loss is not what we can bear!
Chaim became a brooder who coughed and coughed till he became exhausted and tired and one fine night at 2.30 in the morning he spat a continuous stream of that life giving fluid we humans call blood! He knew this was it -- and collapsed into that deep labyrinth of darkness we know as unconsciousness.
Was it the end?
Evil that men do - may not always live after them. Miracles do happen!
Chaim saw a couple of white faced and white robed men and two women with their hair tied up in a bun take him on a hospital stretcher with a pipe forced into his gullet and it appeared that he was floating in thin air. He fought with these apparitions who were trying to take him away and then suddenly there was darkness like in a black hole. The day was 21st February 2007. Chaim opened his eyes that were so drugged that he could hardly see the shadows move around him in a slow steady motion and he deciphered that they were nurses and hospital staff. He was breathing so light when the realization came that he was inhaling oxygen through the monitoring system. A man in sterile clothing was seated on a chair next to Chaim's bed. Chaim could barely hear his own voice as he asked the man nurse as to where he was and what had happened. The nurse replied that Chaim was recovering from a very critical state and inquired as to how he was feeling now. Chaim suddenly realized that for the first time in the past forty years he was breathing so lightly without coughing or breathlessness. It was surely the oxygen tube that was doing its trick! Chaim asked if he had been fighting and the nurse replied in the affirmative that he was literally in an angry mood saying I do not have to go as yet - there is still time and I am not ready! Chaim asked where his wife and daughter were (you see Chaim's daughter is a specialist medical practitioner) and why they were not with him. The nurse answered that they were on their way as Chaim was unconscious for nearly three days since his blood curdling lung collapse. Chaim was flabbergasted since he had just had the dream of being taken to the ICU a moment or two ago and fighting with the apparitions who were trying to carry him away. Chaim asked the nurse if he had been here for three days and she replied in the affirmative. The reader may note that Chaim had lost three days of his life and this period was totally wiped out from his memory. The house surgeon then entered and asked him if he remembered anything and Chaim said the only thing that came to his mind was collapsing in his home and those horrifying apparitions in white. The doctor told him that he was doing very well and though he had developed a large cavity in his lung he should recover in a couple of weeks.
Chaim was feeling as if he were ten years younger and the cough that was an integral part of his activities had simply disappeared! Today Chaim is thirty years older but feels like a strapping young lad of 56 only -- the age he stopped smoking after recovering from a lung collapse and a near death experience.
He enjoys life as never before and has never had any craving for nicotine since that fateful night.
It is true that
"Cigarettes are injurious to health"!
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2.
The Second Mortgage - A Second Line
Of Defense?
Property prices
invariably escalate with time and this is the prime reason for the concept
of home mortgage and second mortgage. In comparison with stocks and shares
- and other money investments - property is a much more stable form of
placing your money at a premium. This statement would be very true if you
had this kind of money and took the decision to invest it all in
properties. Very few are honored with such a gift and the majority of
people all around the world resort to borrowing of funds to finance their
homes and other property.
Your home in a few years could have a much higher valuation and this forms
the basis of a second mortgage. It is surely a means of saving money. As
you progress in your life, not only a home mortgage becomes a liability to
be paid off during a certain time period, but you add several debts to be
able to live within the status you have chosen. Therefore, the
consolidation of home mortgage and your other debts is a good idea at
times, possible through a second mortgage.
What Second Mortgage Signifies!
Buying another loan to finance or consolidate previous loans is a common
principle of social economy and development. In this article we are
concerned only with the concept of second mortgage. There are two other
methods of getting money on a loan basis, namely refinancing or opening a
line of credit. These may have a lower rate of interest attached to them
against a second home mortgage. However, the security aspects may be quite
different and it may be worth your while to decide under many
circumstances on a second mortgage only. The higher interest rates on
second mortgages are based on the fact that they are still considered a
second line of defense! In case of bankruptcy or default on repayments,
the primary home mortgage loan gets paid off in the first instance. Only
after all the other liabilities are paid can the second mortgage loan be
claimed back. The higher amount of risk that is involved more than
justifies the higher rates.
Considerations For A Second Mortgage
The basis of a second mortgage is the assets one has! As mentioned
earlier, real estate usually increases in value with time. The market
value of a residential home at any given moment in the future could be
much more than the value one paid for it years ago. Therefore, this
difference in present market value and the original cost of the home
enables one to acquire a second mortgage. The purpose of this mortgage can
be for more than one reason and need not be limited to only real estate
improvements or property loan consolidation. One can borrow money on a
second mortgage for other needs as well.
There are different types of loans based on re-valuated property, and
these are really extensions of the second home mortgage. It is necessary
to identify the best method of financing one's need for "second time
around" before deciding on a particular type of 'refinancing'. In the
past, applying for a second mortgage was sometimes considered an
indication of financial weakness, but times have changed and it is now
common to find many competitive offers towards second mortgage or what we
can interpret as 'property enhancement' loan scheme.
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3. Second Mortgage -
Its Variants And Conditions
There are three types of
what we call "second: mortgages. The choice between them depends on the
current and past credit history of the borrower and it is suggested that
one should explore all three possibilities before taking a decision on the
particular variant they wish to pursue. What are these three types called?
They are:
1. Traditional Second Mortgage.
2. Home Equity Loan.
3. Home Equity Line of Credit.
Each of these 'second mortgage' sources have specific terms and conditions
attached to them, with varying relationships to the main mortgage taken
out earlier. Though interest is tax deductible in all cases, the rates may
considerably differ.
Traditional 'Second' Mortgage
You are in the process of repaying your first home mortgage of say two
years, but in the process of doing so, you acquire liabilities for several
other items associated with your overall development and status. These
acquired debts can be anything and everything like property renovation,
vehicle purchase, child education costs, sudden treatments where coverage
by medical insurance may take time, and other emergency situations.
Further or on the other hand you may be finding the costs related to your
first mortgage a bit too heavy on your purse and are worried as to how you
shall make two ends meet! This is where the concept of a second mortgage
comes in.
Second mortgage is an additional loan that conjugates with the first
mortgage. All properties increase in value with time. Very few cases may
be noted in history where the value actually decreased! Therefore, the
market value of any property is generally higher than what one paid for it
in the first instance. It is this very difference between the present
market value and the amount of first loan that is used to calculate your
eligibility for a second mortgage. The common principle of the second loan
is that you can get additional money for the fortunate re-valuation of
your existing property current value that has increased with time.
However, since this is only an additional loan, one must be prepared to
pay a higher rate of interest compared to the first one. Simply, the risks
are also higher than a first home mortgage! One silver lining for second
mortgage is that it has more flexible conditions for availing and lower
transaction expenditure. Therefore a second mortgage may turn out to be
more economical in the longer term.
In case the interest rates in the market have fallen due to the national
economy, one can consider a 'refinancing' debt rather than a second
mortgage. With refinancing loans you can obtain a higher amount than
compared to the consolidated debt you calculated during your evaluation
earlier.
Home Equity Plan
Commonly, a specific plan exists of a 126% "loan to value" home equity
type of second mortgage. Perhaps not too attractive most of the time, home
equity is usually an adjustable plan that depends on the changes in
interest rates. One must very carefully consider the pros and cons of this
type of financing before taking the final decision.
Home Equity "Line Of Credit" Scheme
This variant of the second mortgage loan is based on a nearly three-fourth
re-valuated portion of your other property mortgages. One advantage that
is said to be there for this type of loan is that repayment can take place
at any time, even without making any regular installments, within the
stipulated period of the loan.
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4. Comparing Second Mortgage And
Home Equity Line Credit!
In order to make a comparison, the "traditional" second mortgage will be
weighed against home equity line credit loan, since both are similar
variations of the generic term known as 'second mortgages'. There are
major differences between the two variations of this loan system and one
must fully understand the consequences of each. The decision to choose one
or the other depends of course on the individual's credit or debt history,
as well as, how borrowers anticipate their future expenses on several
items. There is nothing like having enough liquid money to fulfill one's
needs and possibly 'wants', but this does not always happen! Nor is this
concept of spending one's own liquid assets a very wise one as money can
always be used more constructively through judicious investment to ensure
profitable turnover and a secured future for everyone.
Differences In Interest Rates For Second Mortgage & Equity Line
Major differences on interest rates for these two types of loans gives the
borrower ample flexibility to decide what is good in their own individual
cases. Traditional second mortgages are characterized by a fixed interest
rate with the stipulation that all funds need to be repaid prior to
completion or 'closing', within the typical loan period between 15 and 30
years. In the case of a equity credit line, the calculations and 'modus
operandi' is certainly quite different. The approved funds in this type of
loan must be enjoyed through an account that is linked to the 'credit
line', as and when required by borrowers. No lump sum payment is generally
stipulated at closing of the loan. The most significant difference between
the traditional second mortgage and equity line of credit is interest rate
in the latter are variable and relating to a "prime rate index", that is
regularly monitored.
Need For Property Appraisals
Whenever the owner decides to buy a second mortgage, whether traditional
or equity based, a property revaluation or appraisal is necessary. This is
regardless of any appraisals made even in the recent past! The lending
second mortgage company chosen by the owner is the best judge of how
detailed such an appraisal needs to be, as lending companies have their
own criteria. The borrower should be prepared to obtain a proper appraisal
at all times from a professional re-valuator firm. A point to be kept in
mind is that appraisal validity extends generally for a period between 3
to 4 months.
Terms of Second Mortgages
- Traditional Second Mortgage: This type of loan generally has a life span
of 15 - 30 years, within which the monthly payments are to be made at a
fixed interest rate. Compared to the first home mortgages, this second
mortgage carries an interest rate slightly higher and the actual interest
percentage is based on the equity or credit history of the borrower.
- Equity Line Of Credit: This term implies that borrowers are sanctioned a
line of credit that is calculated on the basis of PRI (Prime Rate Index),
and their borrowing capacity or credit worthiness. This is really a
checking account loan for a typical period of 15 - 25 years. Second
mortgage in this category is highlighted by the practice that withdrawals
normally take place in the first 10 - 15 years of the loan span, whilst
the balance time is used to repay the loans. The credit line type of
second mortgage has a variable monthly outgo of money, since interest is
only applicable to what is withdrawn at any particular time. One may find
their balance line of credit showing fluctuating balances as they make
repayments and/or withdraw funds to pay for their needs.
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5. Noise Control: Basic Concepts
And Terms
To begin a discussion on noise control, one must
comprehend the basic terminology associated with this topic:
Sound
Frequency (Hz)
Noise
Infrasound and ultrasound
Decibel (dB)
Noise level measurement
Adding noise levels
Octave band
Sound transmission
Resonance
Sound reduction by distance
Sound transmission loss (TL)
Noise reduction (NR)
Sound absorption
The Sound Factor!
Sound is produced when a source sets the air energy level nearest to it in
a wave motion. The speed of sound is about 1116 feet per second or 340
meters per second in air. The speed of sound is however greater in liquids
and solids; for example, 4,925 f/s in water and 16,417 f/s in steel.
Definition of Sound Frequency
The frequency of sound waves is a number measured in vibrations per
second, and is given in a unit called hertz (Hz). Sound that we can hear
ranges between the audible range of 20 to 20000 Hz.
The boundary between low to high frequency is normally considered to be at
1,000Hz. Sound may be thought of as pure single tone, however it is
normally consisting of several tones at varying intensities.
What Effect Does Noise Have?
Noise is any sound that is other than desirable to our ears. The "noise
effect" is linked both on the tone intensity as well as the frequency. For
instance, high frequency is far more disturbing than low frequency sound.
Pure single tones can also be more distraught to our ears than multiple
tone emission.
Infra-sound Vs. Ultra-sound
Sound at frequency levels below 201-Hz is called infrasound. Sound with
more than 20,000Hz is called ultrasound. It is thought that the sound
emitted at over 20,000Hz in the ultrasonic region and not heard by humans
is surely a health hazard, especially in workers at noisy or humming
machine shops.
Decibel (dB)
The measurement for sound is the unit known as the decibel (dB). If sound
level increases by 10 dB, our ears react as if it had increased by double
the factor! Similarly a reduction of 10 dB gives us the impression that
the sound intensity has reduced by half.
Measurement Of Noise Level
Instruments that are used for measuring the sound level are based on the
human ear and its sensitivity to 'noisy' sound that is emitted at high and
variable frequency. These special instruments give the "A-weighted sound
level" unitized as dB (A).
Sound transmission
Sound transmission is in air and also in liquids or solids. Though the
term "sound" normally is linked to waves transmitted through air, that
makes our hearing possible.
What is Resonance?
All objects along with the air surrounding it 'resonate' or as it is
termed as a re-sound. This resonance at particular frequencies reinforce
the sound we hear. The frequency of resonance also is related to the
construction as well as size of any object or the volume of air
surrounding it.
Sound reduction by distance
Sound waves depend on the distance and medium conveying them. For example,
every doubling of the distance results in reducing the level at least 6 dB
or so, in measurement using air as the conveying medium. It is also true
that other media or enclosed spaces have a different effect on sound
transmission, where normally the reduction is significantly less than in
air.
Transmission Loss And Sound (TL)
Let us take the instance of how sound relates to transmission losses and
why!
Similar to study of Physics on the topic of "Sight", and relating it to a
solid wall, we can grasp this relationship by striking the wall. We find
that only a part of sound transmits or is 'absorbed' through the wall and
most of it bounces or 'reflects' back. The rating known as Transmission
Loss or TL is quite stable for any wall construction and is again measured
in decibels (dB).
Sound Absorption And Noise Control
Noise control uses the principle of sound absorption in many
constructional materials to reduce the transmission losses. Generally,
porous materials like Polystyrene Foam or Gypsum Expanded sheets prove
very effective in controlling the transmission of high intensity sound
waves.
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6. How Noise Control Impacts Our
Daily Lives
Noise impacts us everyday and we each react
differently. Some of the noises one encounters in our daily lives are
neighboring noises like loud music, appliances, cars, air conditioners,
refrigeration units, pumps, animals such as barking dogs etc.
Contemporary Living Needs Understanding About Noise Control!
Today’s homes are filled with decibel-raising high-tech gadgetry including
big screen TV's, computer games, CD players and stereo systems. All
contributing to inadequate noise control awareness. Add to this the
changing dimensions of today’s homes since we now have spacious kitchens
with ‘great rooms’ attached. The overall effect results in noisy
environment that has an adverse affect on family’s sleeping habits, their
stress level, and life's quality.
More families are seeking to control noise within and outside their house.
In this context, the well known fiberglass insulation is an excellent
sound absorbing medium. Such a insulation system increases comfort and
adds to the value of your property.
What is Noise and desired levels of Noise Control?
Noise is considered to be undesired sound transmitted as a result of
vibrations through air, ceilings, floors, and walls. People have a human
tendency to consider every sound as noise other than what they themselves
create! A common quip on the subject of "Sound" in Physics is: When I play
my music...it is Music. When YOU play your music...it is Noise! When
someone is conversing on the phone, they do not wish to even hear the
television in their room, and vice versa! In a majority of houses the
insulation factor for ceilings, walls, etc., leaves much to be desired.
Normally the noise generated is recorded in Decibels (dB) units. Examples
of average sound level can be noted for say, normal conversation (60 dB),
whispering (20 dB), traffic (80 dB), operating lawn mowers (105 dB), etc.
Long duration exposures of the human ear to noises above 80 dB is proven
to be harmful to hearing. Noise Control in a nutshell is therefore keeping
the emitted decibel levels at lower than 80.
How Can You Achieve Adequate Noise Control in Your Home?
Various measures can be taken to keep your home within the purview of
Civic Noise Control norms. A checklist such as given below will enable you
to adhere to the norms in the best possible manner, especially if you are
either building a home or moving in a purchased premises.
- Install telephones, doorbells, intercom or audio systems on interior
walls only. They should not be installed on partition walls or common
corridors.
- Caulk holes made by wiring to commonly connecting structures with
commercially available elastic caulk and/or dry packing materials.
- Openings around ceiling fixtures can be sealed so that they are
airtight.
- Having potted plants, thick drapes and wall hangings in your home
absorbs sound much more efficiently!
- Make sure electrical boxes fit snugly in drywalls and minimize gaps
through caulks.
- A well-planned layout should be implemented to minimize the noise of
flowing water by insulating walls containing the drain pipes.
- All bottom plates should be sealed during construction of the walls.
- Undercutting of doors should be avoided as far as possible. Many a times
this may not be possible to implement for proper air circulation. In such
cases, a simpler solution for adequate ventilation is keeping doors open
for rooms that are not in use or exhaust vents suitably located.
These measures and precautions will surely result in your being a
thoughtful neighbor and improve the quality of your living!
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7. Once Burnt Service Buyer -
Twice Shy!
Outsourcing to freelancers around the globe is truly "the name of the game" in today's online world. However, there is not much control on the quality classification for freelancers on various portals servicing these hard-working, diligent, and dedicated individuals. Sure, there is a rating system on websites like GAF, RAC, GAC, Elance, ScriptLance, etc but some of the ratings appear a trifle "made up" or as they sometimes say in the sport's world - "fixed"! This interpretation could be specific only in a few cases nevertheless it does exist and several freelancers fall victim to an outsourcing "bias" that can be devastating for the growth of a healthy concept.
Bias - Any resemblance to … is purely coincidental
This could be a fairly common occurrence on bidding portals that cater to service buyers and service providers in the form of freelancers. Of course 'any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental' and this standard disclaimer applies for the content of this article as well.
Some people are more voluble than others and this is a very common trait of the human race. Perhaps it is also there in many non-human living beings and one has only to understand their behavior under varying circumstances. After stating this let us consider a particular and maybe fictional case of one portal where thousands of freelancers make their bids for projects initiated by hundreds of service buyers. Before we detail this instance it is wise to realize that a significant number of freelancers come from the third word or developing countries. Having said this, let us look at that case since it is of interest to all who patronize the freelance job sites on the Internet. It could be an isolated "happening" or a common event is quite a debatable issue.
No one can control bias - but someone must!
There are many issues in our world that cannot always be solved and one has to accept them as a "necessary or unnecessary evil" within the humane society. Bias of any sort - directed towards anything, practiced frequently in many nations, condemned by all on paper, and decreed as an unfortunate human trait - is considered an undesirable activity. A service buyer could be quite frustrated or even like a "burnt child who …" when he/she states that "I am not interested in those freelancers who are in the category of ESL that means 'English as a second language' who write for service buyers". Or they may like to add to their project the following type of comment --"one does not live in a country where its first national language is English or a version they call English, so to state need not bid, and the commonly acceptable countries whose bid will be considered valid are UK, USA, Australasia The Continent, Canada, and Ireland".
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. We live in an independent world and we are our own boss! Common etiquette or better said 'Net Etiquette' is what wins us friends and influences people. These are the service buyers who attract bids from the ethical and excellent service providers - regardless of their race, creed, sex, caste or color - and consequently their ratings are very high in a logical scale the concerned websites introduced some years ago.
Coming back to the title of our article it is normal to be "twice shy" but one must be constructively analytical rather than destructively critical! Maybe a real life (and not reel life) incidence may illustrate this point in a better way. To conclude this article, think of a person who was a native English speaker living in a non-English speaking country like The Netherlands. How would he have felt when the local populace treated him as an alien since he could only talk in broken Dutch (they call it "Hollands" in The Netherlands) that was hardly decipherable. But let us know a fact from Holland that the Dutch are extremely tolerant with languages and this is just a hypothetical example to drive our point home!
The morale of the story
again reverts to that popular Confucian saying "Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you"!
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8. Noise Control - Case Study!
Dear John: My brother lives in a condominium complex and his unit
is virtually soundproof. I really envy his builder for the excellent job
done in noise control! One can hardly hear any type of noise nor sounds
from the neighboring units. On the contrary, my current home is not at all
soundproof. Can I do anything to control noise and lower the sound
transmission in my home? Is it possible at all to make my house more
soundproof?
Dear Neil: Pardon me, what did you say? Did I hear you speak? Oh I
am just joking!
An often mistaken and neglected aspect of residential construction is
soundproofing. It is still thrilling to learn that your brother's home is
an exception! I am still glad you asked the question. As a "Noise Control"
expert, I can perhaps start by informing you about sound.
What is Sound Within the Purview of Noise Control?
Audible sound is the result of an object vibrating. The vibrations cause
sound that can travel in an air medium. These sound waves then either
bounce off other objects and/or cause them to begin vibrating. A chain
reaction of sound waves is created through the transmitting medium and our
ears translate the vibrations into that physical sense we call 'sound'.
Depending on the vibration intensity, reflection of these vibrations,
density of the transmission medium (air, water, liquids, solids, etc.),
the ear drum trills and the brain interprets this as audible sound. Sound
can be both pleasurable as well as undesired - in the latter case it
becomes noise! Even within the purview of normal conversation or listening
to music, it is experienced that different people exhibit different
definitions of sound or noise at different times!
Everything in the universe produces energy in one form or the other. Sound
also produces energy that is directly proportional to the intensity of
this sound. Energy in turn is responsible for the consequent vibrations
that can be transmitted through less dense materials, thereby causing one
to experience disturbances due to hearing a variety of sound or noise
inside the home. Corollary is that if less dense materials cause
appreciable transmission of sound, denser objects or mediums can absorb
them and make the environment more soundproof.
What Can You Do For Noise Control in Your Home?
There is absolutely no problem if you are in the process of getting your
home built. Here the architect or the building contractor is in a position
to make modifications and changes. The trouble begins if you have
purchased a second-hand house, or are already living in a home for many
years. Major changes in these cases can be very expensive and unaffordable
many a times.
According to John, this is the exact case in this example of Neil
enquiring or really complaining about noise in his present home! The only
way to control unwanted noise in a built house is therefore to curtail the
airborne sound and to absorb it through available noise control means:
-Use heavy drapes or curtains on windows and doors.
-Caulk or plug wide openings in wall fittings, plumbing interface with
walls and floors etc.
-Provide adequate rubber cushioning for all articles that vibrate like
washing machines, music systems, fans, air-conditioning equipment,
domestic appliances, refrigerators, etc.
-Semi rigid weather strips are commercially available that can fill the
gaps between the frames of doors and windows. Since no air leakages occur,
the effect of noise is also drastically reduced.
-Using an underlay to a thick 'wall to wall' carpet in your home reduces
the thumping noise of walking - especially if you are living in apartments
or condominiums.
Remember, "stop or absorb energy emitted by the vibrations and you will
institute a healthy noise control system".
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9. How Does Active Noise Control
Benefit Mankind?
Conventional noise control technology in specific
instances can be expensive or impractical due to inconvenient techniques.
On the other hand, Active Noise Control offers a vast improvement in 'low
frequency' noise damping resulting in some major advantages over the
earlier used static damping methods. Active noise control can also be
effected in a wider sense, specially in enclosed areas.
The following three benefits make Active Noise Control a very attractive
technique:
* more economic installation and operating/maintenance costs due to lower
down time
* a higher life cycle as a result of durability in performance
* less fatigue and consequently better efficiency of working by the
operators of the system
Some Typical Application Reasons For Active Noise Control?
Active noise control is a future technique! It offers vast improvement in
noise control in several areas like enclosed cabins, headphones, ducts,
exhausts, etc. Although the technique has been widely researched and
perfected, its wide application in commercialization is still in its
infant stage. Many people have still not heard about it!
The best commercial example can be found in the case of headphones. Active
noise controlled headphones are widely used by the pilots flying noisy
helicopters and still used small propeller aircrafts. The principle behind
this "Active" version of noise control is that a filter interface is used
to obviate the lower frequency sound that contributes to interference and
noise. Thereby the mid or higher frequency conversation and signal sound
can be heard much more clearly. How is this possible? The headphones have
special pair of ear pieces so constructed to include miniature circuit
board, battery, and signal hardware for voice/music.
Active noise control can be also very effective in the case of vehicular
exhaust systems. Conventional exhaust vent pipes or "mufflers" require the
engine to exert more and these exhausts are prone to restrictive deposits
that need to be periodically cleaned. The application of Active Noise
Control exhausts in vehicles would result in better vent flow and improved
engine efficiency. As the economics becomes more and more affordable,
active noise control "mufflers" may induce many automobile manufacturers
to extensively use this exhaust system. Extending this technology to other
exhaust emission applications like industrial engines, generators,
compressors, large fans etc., is forthcoming.
This is a summary of common Active Noise Control examples:
1. Small aircraft's noise control, specially for interior cabins.
2. Helicopter cabin's through active noise control isolation.
3. Active noise control for the lower frequency component of light
machinery.
4. Turbine, air blowers, pumps, cooling towers, compressors etc., can also
use active noise control technology.
5. Aircraft turbo engines is an area for active noise control.
6. Internal Combustion Engines vent system can be modified to accommodate
active noise control equipment.
7. In the case of automobiles, active noise control components can benefit
passengers comfort - both in the cabin as well as the body. This is an
extension of Active Noise Control for the exhaust system of automobiles.
8. Although active noise control of transformer noise in the electrical
industry may be a matter of further improvements, the possibility
certainly exists! Since transformers have several noise generating
sources, a single component installation is not going to solve the total
noise control emitted. A composite solution therefore needs to be worked
out in this area.
9. In the case of air-conditioning equipment, that low-frequency 'humming'
sound could also be controlled by active components, especially in the
ducting system.
10. Active headsets and earmuffs.
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10.
Holistic Medicine - Nature's Gift to Mankind
The spirit of
Christmas should always begin with the feeling of Charity. This is
especially true for lonely old couples, the childless, those far away from
home, or one's who crave for a family reunion on such a solemn occasion
like Christmas. Visualize the feeling of contentment when we make others
happy! Confucius gave us one of the most important messages in "do unto
others what you would like them to do unto you". Christmas Charity could
be the appropriate event to recollect our noble thoughts for all mankind
and enjoy the world's most popular festival that rings in the New Year.
That is what would make the New Year Prosperous as we often say in
greeting! Let us summarize it by stating that not only Christmas is an
occasion for doling out a financial or other supportive act, but any
festival or happy event can give inner happiness if we make others happy!
How then can we make our Christmas an event to be revered and remembered
for years to come? Simple! Imbibe the spirit that Christmas advocates and
make at least one child or a poor family enjoys this big day in the same
manner you would. Charity begins at home and it surely begins on
Christmas! Take an example of many aspiring parents or single parents in
the United States. Also remember the great Tsunami disaster of 26th
December 2004 (this must be Christmas Day in the Western hemisphere) that
spelt doom for many people including innumerable kids. Recollect the
multitude of those charitable people from around the affluent world trying
to adopt those poor children to give them a good life. Such lovely
thoughts of Christmas Charity bring back faith in the goodness of human
race!
One of the basic human traits that we cannot deny or debate is the
collective feeling of empathy whenever any form of disaster strikes. The
continuing devastation of the last hurricane season in the Caribbean and
South East coastline of US bear witness to this statement when governments
and people joined hands to relieve the suffering and property loss to
ensure these victims still had a merry Christmas. Remember that Christmas
or any national festival in any part of the world was probably devised to
periodically bring out a feeling of togetherness amongst races, caste,
creed, and color. The more philosophical people of this world always wish
that all realize the importance of friendship as advocated by the most
revered of festivals of different nations and blend this with Christmas so
that one day--- when that proverbial "hour of reckoning" arrives--- every
one will get up in unison and say to each other in one common voice that
this is the Human Race--- The Creator and The Created!
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12. What Does The Term "Maritime"
Mean?
Firstly, the dictionary meaning of the word
'Maritime' is as follows:
-connected with the sea or seafaring
-living or found near the sea
To interpret this dictionary terminology and give international coverage
to Maritime, the term today encompasses amongst others, a wider field:
-connected with the sea or seafaring, in relation to navigation, shipping,
etc.
-of or pertaining to the sea: maritime resources, maritime law, maritime
insurance.
-bordering on the sea: maritime provinces, maritime farmers, maritime
cultures.
-living near or in the sea: maritime plants.
-characteristic of a sailor; nautical: maritime clothing.
-etc.
We are aware that nearly 70 percent of earth's surface is covered with
water whilst the balance 30 percent is land. No wonder, a maritime concept
evolved even in the ancient world as the human spirit endeavored beyond
their respective boundaries in search of adventure, food, goods, friends
and sometimes enemies!
Have Water - Will Travel! The Maritime World
Since the evolution of mankind, a pioneering spirit has prevailed to scale
new heights and conquer new frontiers. Waters of the rivers, tributaries,
seas, and the oceans proved no hindrance to this adventurous being - we
call Man! Due to this natural trait, the word maritime embraced all that
happens on the shores, on and in the water bodies that cover our earth.
Tracing the history of maritime existence would be akin to writing a
thesis or a novel larger than any known documentation. From
pre-'prehistoric' times to the 21st century, maritime life has dominated
all nations - both at peace and in war! We can only skim the surface and
still wonder in awe at the discoveries being made every day on the secrets
of maritime ecology and techniques. The subject is so dense and vast that
numerous institutions were established and each of them cover and research
only a few maritime topics. The International Maritime Organization or IMO
is one of the only legal body that covers nearly all that has to do with
maritime terminology. The Internet is full of references on almost each
and every subject that has anything to do with maritime or even near to
it! Of course, the more active maritime adventures may not be for those
who are unfortunately victims of "hydrophobia"!
Learning Or Researching Maritime
From the ordinary fisherman to the adventurous traveler to the tough
Mariner, the word maritime means a life full of events. These people are
truly amphibians as they spend nearly half their lives on or in the water.
Each and every nation of the world provides learning bodies and
institutions on all related topics for maritime education, whether it be
fisheries, marine life, coastal development, the navy, oceanography
research, transportation (remember the great tycoon - Alexander S. Onassis?),
etc. It is all there from the exploits of the first Man to the present
day, from the first 'boats' to the most sophisticated ships, from the
first ocean travelers to today's explorers - bringing to life the
proverbial term "the final frontier" appear infinite and unreachable. Not
only on our blue planet but also reaching out into outer space and
galaxies of the universe for exploring life forms and prospects of rich
marine culture. This is one topic that demands more than one lifetime to
learn and experience all its richness!
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13.
Enlargement of the Prostate Gland
As men approach their middle age the prostate gland
begins to enlarge and consequently at some stage of life may cause an
inconvenient ailment due to this enlarged Prostate. The illness is not
serious however several outcomes – especially Cancer – results in medical
practitioners taking a rather careful look at symptoms of enlarged
Prostate. If one experiences signs of UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) it is
always advisable to consult a physician to check possibility of an
enlarged Prostate and its subsequent disease called Prostatitis. There is
nothing to be shy about an enlarged Prostate and one must never neglect
this inconvenience.
Enlarged Prostate Symptoms
Every male who experiences periodic discomfort in urination must consider
the possibility of an enlarged Prostate and immediately consult his house
physician or a specialist Urologist. The initial symptoms or discomfort
could be unnoticeable however if neglected can lead to several conditions
that warrant more complicated treatments. The function of the Prostate is
linked with sperm production and its smooth passage due to the fluid
excreted by this gland. It surrounds the urethra that allows urine to be
cleared from the bladder. In enlarged Prostate condition the gland presses
against the urethra thus causing discomfort, pain or irritation during
urination.
Enlarged Prostate Progress
This walnut sized gland follows a two stage growth during man's lifetime.
First growth spurt is during puberty and second occurs around the age of
25. Enlarged Prostate is not noticeable till the age of 40 and many
overlook symptoms as minor urinary problems. The ailment manifests in
nearly 50 percent of men around their sixties and almost 90 percent males
in their seventies! The enlarged Prostate presses against urethra muscles
making them contract over time and thereby causing frequent painful
urination. Enlarged Prostate can be precursor of malignancy and the well
known Prostate Specific Antigen Test can point towards presence of an
infection due to either Prostatitis or the more dreaded cancer.
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14. Basics Of
Home-Mortgage
It is so true: "There is no place like Home"! A stage
comes in every person's life when they wish to fulfill their aspirations
to own a dream house. There are still many who cannot achieve this dream
and it always remains a utopian factor in their entire life cycle! For the
millions who can convert this 'want' into reality, home-mortgage is the
only loan facility that has to be tackled very very carefully. If you are
in the category of those very few millionaires or billionaires, you have
nothing to worry. Nevertheless, how did you become one is a question you
would pose to yourself? Surely not by spending all your hard earned or
inherited fortune! Money bringing in money is a conventional adage.
Therefore investing money in lucrative areas, whilst borrowing money on
long term basis is the key to successful economics. Home-mortgage is
consequently the only way to establish your affluence and credit
worthiness. The subject is vast and one has to learn a lot when the time
comes to apply for home-mortgage. The most important and initial step is
to know as to where you should look for a home-mortgage.
Where Can One Find A Home-Mortgage?
One begins the process by first looking for a suitable home that shall
meet your 'needs' and possibly 'wants'. This initial step is the precursor
to what follows. Once you have established the basic requirements, set a
budget to this effect, and researched the various properties available in
the area you desire to reside, the need arises to look for a home-mortgage
source having or agreeing to the best repayment terms you can afford.
The first source one can think of tapping is your own bank looking after
your checking or savings transactions. Though this need not be the only
one - and definitely should not be the only one! Other institutions like
commercial banks, associations handling loans, savings, mutual funds can
also be considered for a survey of the most economic method that meets
your requirements. Consider home-mortgage companies under a separate
heading since they are specialists in their own field. In view of the
intensive competition in the home-mortgage loans, it is advisable to do a
bit of shopping with several institutions. Your local supermarket,
newspaper, banks, etc., are extremely useful sources to begin your survey.
What Considerations Govern Home-Mortgage Loans?
There are three basic types of home-mortgage loans. These can be privately
financed, or insured guaranteed conventional loans, or federal guaranteed
and insured loans. Obviously the insured and federal guaranteed loans
would be more attractive but one look at the terms and conditions that
could sometimes be more restrictive in nature. Home-mortgage depends on
the loan amount available and based on your credit worthiness, the
interest rate, period of loan, and down payment initially made.
The most conventional types of home-mortgages available are:
Fixed Mortgages
Variable Mortgages
Combo Fixed-Variable Mortgages
Several other considerations govern a home-mortgage decision. One of them
is an important factor relating to the total loan period and how much is
the down payment required to initiate this loan. You have to calculate the
monthly outgo and the general rule is - higher the down payment coupled
with a longer term loan - lower are the payment you would have to set
aside every month. Various institutions may have different levels of
interest on term loans, thereby making it necessary for you to calculate
accurately your financial expenditure. In the case of the above three
types of home-mortgages, the interest rates can vary from fixed to
adjustable or a combination of both.
When you are meeting executives from different financial institutions to
negotiate a home-mortgage loan, you must fully comprehend the various
types of loans with their specific terms and conditions. Make a
comparative statement calculating how each one differs from the other and
in the long term, which one is more beneficial to your needs and capacity.
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15. What Type of Home-Mortgage Is
Available?
Home-mortgage loans are divided into several
categories:
Primary Mortgage: This type of home-mortgage loan gives maximum
flexibility to the buyer of real estates, and is meant for mostly first
time purchasers of property. The interest rate on primary home-mortgage
loan can be either fixed or variable, depending on the amount of down
payment made and the repaying capacity of the property buyer. It is an
example of a secured or protected loan with a lien on the property as
base. Quite frequently, lending companies offer very attractive discounts
like First Home Buyer Discount, down payment waiver, pre-approved mortgage
possibility, full loan (100%), etc. These special or periodic offers do
have conditional clauses attached to them, so you should be very carefully
study the actual application of these discounted loans in your individual
case.
Home-Mortgage With Fixed Interest Rates: The entire span of the
loan is at a fixed interest rate. This is sometimes attractive in spite of
having higher rates of interest when compared to loans with variable
interest rates. However, fixed rate loans have protection from changing in
case the interest rates increase over a period of time. Conversely, a
reduction of interest rates in future would not give any benefit to the
owner!
Home-mortgage With Variable Interest Rates: When compared to the
'fixed rates of interest' type of loans, this type of loan is
characterized by varying rates during the time span of the loan. It is
possible to experience adjustments on this rate at any time and is related
to the well known economic standards of financing loans like LIBOR (London
Inter-Bank Offered Rate) or the PIR (Prime Interest Rate).
Second Home-Mortgage: With time you may find that it becomes
difficult to make your primary home-mortgage repayments and you must do
something to continue the loan without defaulting. Maybe you have already
established a default with your primary loan company! This is where the
second home-mortgage concept comes in and it is concurrent to the primary
loan, taking a second place in the priority of defaulting property owners.
It must be noted that the risk carried with these second mortgages is
higher and it could also attract a much higher rate of interest than
primary mortgages. The decision to take a second mortgage is purely based
on the owner's financial status at any particular moment and the
possibility of trouble-free repayments they can make in the near future.
It also depends largely on the existing interest rate plan where initially
low rates can support a second mortgage vis-à-vis a refinancing
home-mortgage loan.
Home-Mortgage Loan Based On Equity: Owning a property is equivalent
to holding equity shares! Your investment can be used to finance other
investments through a HEL (Home Equity Loan) scheme. Before considering a
total refinancing of your existing home-mortgage loan, you can investigate
the probability of obtaining an equity based loan having the same basic
structure as an ordinary primary loan, but easier to process with a
financing company. It does have an advantage since you can finance other
capital items as well and can claim a tax rebate!
Refinancing Home-Mortgage: This type of financing is only an
extension of other conventional home-mortgage loans. Many companies in the
housing loans sector offer the possibility of consolidating all your
various loans and liabilities, with a single home-mortgage loan that can
even cover your future needs of other fixed or variable investment to a
certain degree.
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16.
What Are My Home-Mortgage Rights?
One of the most significant law mooted out for people
looking for a home-mortgage is their right against discrimination! This is
important for especially those well-to-do immigrants who wish to make an
honest living in USA, and are able to afford a reasonable amount of their
hard earned money in a home-mortgage. All lenders must honor this federal
stipulation and therefore for the purpose of buying a house, everyone in
the country is to be treated at par.
What Lenders Are Bound To Do?
Regardless of type of lender or financial institution, the following
points can be checked out by the buyer when approaching for a
home-mortgage:
- All necessary application forms and details on a home-mortgage loan.
- Full discussion on the types of loans available with the company and a
logical inference if you meet all the qualifications.
- Check the normal time delay in processing an application after all the
required and mandatory data is provided to the lender association or bank
etc.
- Inform you regarding neighborhood's demography, general practices
evolved by resident's society or forum, any discriminatory evidence, etc.
Discrimination is an unwritten practice all over the world. Let us be
frank and recognize this without prejudice! But the rights established by
federal agencies etc., can help us in instituting a society of happy and
contented residents, where ever we live and work.
Discrimination & Rights
Let us delve a little deeper on this subject! You are either a lawful
citizen - though in the minority group; you are an immigrant lawfully
working in USA; you are a US citizen of Foreign Origin. Does not matter
who you are as long as you have a legal status of working and living in
the US! You have a single aim to purchase property for living and have the
means to do so in the economic sense. You also have all the backups needed
to apply and acquire a home-mortgage. In the unlikely chance of
experiencing any form of real estate discrimination or unwarranted
hesitation of the lending agencies, tapping the resources of several
organizations can be of some help.
These can be a specialized lawyer dealing with real estate matters; or a
private group handling fair and non discriminatory practices in housing;
or in case of more serious experiences, you can approach various
authorities such as federal or the human rights association, etc. However,
it is best to consult local experts before approaching any of the above
sources! Do remember, discriminatory practices in any country of the world
cannot be solved by violent means! The only sensible way to overcome this
age-old structure of the human society is to have a cool, reasoning,
co-operative attitude and a friendly nature!
Nevertheless, your rights against discrimination in acquiring a house are:
1. Laws that are established by federal or state home-mortgage financing
Acts.
2. Another important anti-discriminatory judicial document that is widely
practiced is "Equal Credit Opportunity Act". In the financing domain this
Act is based on the assumption that no one shall be refused a credit
possibility to legal residents on the basis of the well known
discriminatory terms like, "color-creed-or religion", origin, disability,
children, marital integration, sex, or age.
3. Similar to the above Acts, discrimination is illegal in house
transactions in the "Fair Housing Act" as well.
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17. Establishing Home-Mortgage Is
Serious Business!
Once a survey is complete of the available
home-mortgage loans, a detailed investigation is imperative to analyze the
various competitive offers and clarify any doubts that may arise, before
finally accepting a loan.
Checklist For Home-Mortgage Loans
Is this offer the golden pond?
Out of many sources and schemes, one can always find a home-mortgage offer
that appears as if sent from heaven - at first glance! Be pragmatic and
look at the various offers once again for plugging all the loop holes
there may be, or to understand fully the implications of a particular
clause, conditional statement, legal consequence, etc., before taking the
final plunge! The under mentioned three points illustrate the clauses one
should analyze, compare, and conclude for any home-mortgage scheme that
comes your way:
Pre-payment Clause - This stipulation is still included by some
home-mortgage lending companies though it is rapidly becoming less
frequent than in the past. As far as possible, one should avoid getting
into this clause. What does it mean? Simply, it is an early repayment of
the principal amount of the loan because of many reasons linked to
interest rates, affluence of the borrower, need for a refinancing, or
selling of the property, etc. Home-mortgage lenders are never very happy
with this outcome as they lose their main source of income by way of
interest revenue accrued in giving a loan - a common economic principle!
All said and done, what are the circumstances where one can still accept a
pre-payment clause in home-mortgages?
- Pre-payment fee is quite low.
- As a consequence of the low fee, the rate of interest is also lower than
normal.
- You are sure that the loan will not be subject to any pre- or early pay
back.
Generally acceptance of this so called "penalty" clause is dependent on
the flexibility the borrower wishes to have in his home-mortgage loan. If
you are sure that you will not be defaulting on this item, there is no
harm in accepting it on a shorter term basis of say the first 5 - 10 years
of the home-mortgage.
'Point' fees Clause - This is an important and interesting
stipulation in the entire home-mortgage business! It has to do with the
relationship of interest rate change and what you put up as an initial
amount for your total borrowings. Suppose you are taking a loan at 9
percent interest rate for a specified time span at zero points or are
considering another offer of 8 percent at two points. It simply means that
for the lower interest rate a upfront payment in cash of two percent is
made for the loan amount you have taken. This ensures that your outgo for
interest on the home-mortgage will be lower in the long run. It is
especially beneficial if your intention is to carry the loan for a period
exceeding 7 years or so. In case your purpose is to repay the loan before
this period and/or look for a refinancing within this time span, a higher
interest rate with 0 points can be tolerated.
Other miscellaneous fees - Three other 'fees' can be noted for any
home-mortgage loan. These are fees for the loan, fees for appraisals you
may need, and fees for inspecting the intended property in case of older
homes or susceptible areas etc.
The morale of the story is to ensure that each offer in the home-mortgage
field is well compared and analyzed! Depending on your overall borrowing
capacity, your need of a particular home you have seen, the affluence of
the area you wish to reside in, and the prevailing interest rates at any
given moment, you can take a decision for the best combination of
home-mortgage borrowings available to you.
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18. Borrowing Capacity For
Home-Mortgage
You are no millionaire or a billionaire not to worry
about or consider a home-mortgage loan from financial lenders! Therefore,
a realistic survey of your capacity for calling a home-mortgage is
necessary and wise before even investigating the market availability. In
this short article, your borrowing limits and what you should borrow in
reality to accomplish your aim of being a home owner is detailed. It must
be realized that borrowing limits and what should be borrowed are two
different things, only related to the purpose of establishing a reasonable
line of credit. They do not mean that one must borrow all that one CAN
borrow!
What Are Your Home-Mortgage Borrowing Limits?
One of the best methods of calculating your home-mortgage borrowing limits
is the three point approach.
- Calculate gross monthly inflow.
- Establish your existing and future long term debts.
- Cash assets one can arrange for initiating, down payment, closing of a
home-mortgage.
Gross Monthly Income: For the purpose of establishing a
home-mortgage, a thumb rule can be followed that states the outgo towards
housing should be between 25 - 28% of gross income per month. This
includes the principal home-mortgage amount, taxes on property, insurance,
payment of interest, etc. In no case, should this expenditure be higher
than 29% of the income per month.
Long Term Debts: The amount of money one should normally consider
as long term debts and housing costs is around 33 - 36% of the gross
monthly inflow. Do remember that for the purpose of home-mortgage loans,
long term debts are those that you incur for a period exceeding 10 months
or more.
Initial Down payment: Normally home-mortgage companies require upto
25% of the required loan amount as down payment. This includes the money
necessary to close a deal etc.
In establishing your "borrowing" it is better to consider both 'good' and
'bad' credits. Today, home-mortgage is a competitive service, although
within certain norms and limits. One can get really confused with the wide
and varying offers from several sources like banks, home-mortgage
companies, private money lenders, housing associations etc. You must keep
an open mind and do your calculations effectively, before approaching a
company for home loans. Many factors govern the actual amount one can
borrow and diverse or widely varying offers may be received by you. If you
do your home work properly, you can understand the reasons for this
variation and not be perplexed by the fact that one company offers you a
$150,000 loan and the other can give you a $200,000 loan for the house you
wish to purchase. The fine prints and 'reading between the lines' would
explain the difference and you can take a judicious decision on which
company to choose.
What Should Be You Practical Home-Mortgage Loan?
"Needs" and "Wants" are two very different concepts in our lives! For
example, if you have an excellent credit track record, a large sum of
money can be available from the home-mortgage financier. But do you need
all this money? You may want it since it is available and use the same for
other "wants"! It is quite easy to stretch one's imagination, but
extremely difficult to convert it into reality! Also 'economic' spending
does not mean that you must spend less - it really signifies that you
should spend what you can get 'wisely'! Living within your most stringent
'means' would give you a happy home!
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19. What is the Loan Application
Process For Home-Mortgage?
Information required before applying for a loan must be
compiled and should include data to be supplied to your home-mortgage
lender at various stages of the approval process.
1. Details needed at the initial application stage:
Social security number
Name and social security number of any co-applicants
Property Address
Phone Number
Residence Address
Previous Residence Address (for credit report)
Estimated Value of Property
Annual Income
2. Data required after applying for a loan:
Employment details such as appointment letter, salary slips, 'no objection
certificate' from the employer, etc.
W-2 forms for the past one year.
Income Tax returns statement of at least the last two years.
Recent mortgage statement if you already have existing mortgage or loan.
Most recent statement from your bank.
If you made a purchase contract for a house - a copy should be provided.
Proof of any cash gift received recently that could be or will be used for
down payment etc.
Current property documents (if applicable) such as lease papers, insurance
policy, tax on property etc.
Social compensations received like alimony, child support, social
security, and so forth (if applicable).
Present proof of residence and rental details of this accommodation.
Proof of any bankruptcy in recent times (if applicable).
Any other type of documentary proofs must be collected prior to applying
for a home-mortgage loan to ensure that you have all your homework done
and are set to go ahead with the actual application of the home loan.
Application For The Home-Mortgage Loan
The 3 major methods of applying for a home-mortgage loan should be well
understood so that you fully grasp the pros and cons attached to each of
these loan sources. Only then should you apply for the home-mortgage!
The 3 sources are: Bank, Mortgage broker who has good credibility, and
"Online" application.
Bank Loans: Obviously, the first source that could come to your mind is
your own bank or their referrals! Although banks are attractive in terms
of having all your financial transactions at one place, they can be having
limited flexibility in offering various types of loans, especially
home-mortgage loans. You should consider this source for comparative
survey and not accept it as the only form of availability.
Mortgage Broker: Let us understand what a 'broker' is! Usually a
persuasive, competent, persevering, and relentless salesperson who can
sell you everything and anything! No kidding...but if you are lucky to
have a good home-mortgage broker, you could have the world of moneylenders
at your doorstep - but, if you get someone who is a little unethical, you
could land up with a lot of nuisance value as well. One must consider a
well known neighborhood home-mortgage broker since they can muster up
enough resources to your taste at quite attractive rates and service
costs.
Online Applications: In the days of widespread Internet activity, not only
information is available freely but also various types of online purchases
and transactions. Home-mortgage search is like publishing a tender! You
may be able to gain tons of information and receive many more offers than
the previous two methods. Since there are so many moneylenders available,
you must make a decision and short listing to approach only the ones you
really need for your specific requirement.
The Final Frontier In Applying For Home-Mortgages!
The choice of a particular home-mortgage loan is yours, whether it be from
a bank, or a broker, or online. Choose the best alternative that gives you
a realistic timeline statement, best rates, good advice, help you in
gathering data and filling applications, adequate service during the life
of your loan, and last but not the least - ensure you do obtain your
favorite choice of home-mortgage loan!
Also remember that you are the customer and can always change moneylenders
in cases of dissatisfaction or disputes, since the current competition in
this field gives you this leeway!
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20. The Study Den!
Students invariably learn how to go about completing their studies and just mastering the simple techniques of concentration helps one is achieving this goal. Apart from the actual studying it is of utmost importance to first establish the procedure and environment for the 'learning cycle' to be most beneficial and this need not be a Herculean task! One must constantly prepare for tutorials, projects, assignments, periodic internal assessments, annual examinations, and competitive entrance tests etc.
The very first thought should go towards the study environment at home if one has to succeed in the academic life prior to venturing out in the world of jobs, business, institutional and other disciplines.
To concentrate on imbibing what is learnt in an institution (Pre School, school, college, post graduate stage, higher studies etc) it is necessary to realize that the security of one's home is the best place to revise and 'devise' the gained knowledge into practical reality. A convenient and privacy oriented work or study space is a welcome beginning for the serious student and here the distractions of outside influences should be at its bare minimum.
The first preparation is the aspect of light ambience. Proper study for hours can only be healthy if eye strain is obviated and therefore one must choose correct form of lighting that achieves this objective. You must make sure that the light is bright enough to sustain your natural study comfort pattern but not so bright that you may find difficulty in concentration. The opposite is also true that dim lights induce sleep and act like a lullaby!
Concentration is the key to study regime! One should avoid distractions of loud music (soft music can actually help studies), phone ringing, TV/radio, traffic, and last but not the least in-between desires of munching something or the other! Absolute quiet can be also disturbing to some students and their "study den" may not be like a bomb shelter!
Remember study is serious business to later on be able to build up business acumen in what ever branch becomes a specialist. These are preparatory years where total dedication and concentration can take you to the riches of Solomon or the treasures of the fabled island brought to life by Robert Louis Stevenson! Study today and live happily ever after is the motto of the day during these young years. A respite for coffee or tea or your favorite beverage is quite alright, however absence for longer periods during the study hours can be really devastating.
The "Study Den" should be a permanent place where you concentrate for achieving the desired results. The ambience of a desk, table lamp, stationery, and study books must be at its minimum with no distracting media that could take you off from the priorities of your study. The room or space should be well lit, well aired, and large enough to take those quick walkabout respites. Sometimes you may not be fortunate enough to have such an enclosed space. In this case a mobile partition could convert your bed/sitting/living room into a cozy enough "den"!
If one is able to
implement these simple suggestion during the preparative years a bright
future is almost assured and you will be more than satisfied with what you
did to deserve the best in your future life. Do remember a quote from an
award winning motion picture "The Renaissance Man" where Danny DeVito
declared that" All I know is, the choices you make dictate the life you
lead"!
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21. What are the Ten Commandments
for choosing Affiliate Programs?
The word "affiliate" really means associate for any business venture and is related to the concept of employing freelance sales agents who work on a commission basis. Having stated this it may be wise to look at ten of the basic commandments that one must consider prior to joining up as an "Affiliate". The affiliation or association could be off line or online depending on the business venture one wish to represent. There are trillions of affiliate programs around the Internet that promise to take you by the hand and lead you along that legendary "yellow brick road" to the riches of a Wizard at the other end! Do not embark on such a hazardous journey without taking into account the pros and cons of affiliate business as it stands today. Logical research and analysis will take you miles yonder and this way one will surely reap what one sows!
Let us look at the golden rules of affiliate viability.
One Commandment for each extremity of your hand!
We all know about the "rule of the thumb" or "thumb rule" as it is sometimes known as. This time our focus is on all fingers and two thumbs that make up the extremity of our hands. Ten in total more or less are a manifestation of the 10 commandments with 2 of them of paramount importance that deserve a "thumbs up" verdict!
First the 'fingers' and the eight golden rules of the affiliate game:
1. Cost of initiating oneself as an affiliate is the perpetual question one invariably asks when they are searching for a fruitful association with an online venture that offers attractive (as it appears) affiliate possibilities. Most are free while some charge a small amount to join. The question many ask is why should we pay when there are hundreds of affiliate programs that are totally free to join?
Great question always deserves a greater answer!
A free affiliate program is very attractive, especially when it offers lucrative returns. However it can also be in need of a "workaholic" who strives and strives to no end for those extra dollars or residual income. Additionally many free schemes may not be a very serious proposition since the venture is probing into the possibility of high sales, recruitment, credentials and such media attracting gimmicks that eventually do not yield the desired result.
Therefore one must look at this first commandment that states:
"Study and carefully analyze affiliate programs before leaping into the business"
2. The second commandment is linked to the type, percentage, and time of the commission you earn as an affiliate. Most people on the Internet or those who work from home are interested in a regular income from their affiliate programs. The return on your time is your ROI (Return on Investment)!
3. Most affiliate websites indicate an average success rate for visitors who really buy a product. They also inform the affiliates what the average conversion rate is and how many visitors click on the links to make a single sale. This aspect is linked to monetization rate and is important to know for the various affiliate possibilities you may be considering.
4. Affiliate system works mostly on referrals. Each and every affiliate program has their own stipulations, terms and conditions, pay out rates, referral tracking period, and type of purchases that are considered valid. One must check all these fine points and "read between the lines" to understand the scheme and whether it falls within your aspirations or purview. Some programs offer a life time referral pattern with residual income spread out for a number of items that your referred persons engage in.
5. The type of reporting that affiliate programs offer is important for you to take any progress actions in cases of a drop in income or activity etc. A regular periodic report in the form of ezine or email is quite in order with a majority of programs.
6. Some affiliate programs offer an amount based on 'per click' approach and this can be ascertained to add to your commission income.
7. Residual income plans offer attractive affiliate activities and this must be checked out with the program you wish to pursue. Down line affiliates generate income based on your referrals and you can earn a commission on this as well!
8. Always read and digest the legal aspects of any affiliate program before signing up. This is imperative and the legal content study must also include the terms and conditions and that "fine print" concept of the popular phrase "conditions apply" one encounters quite often.
How about the two thumbs that really give you that "up" sign?
Thumb Commandment 1
The structure of the affiliate program must be properly understood. The most lucrative schemes offer a multi-tier system of referral activity and ensure that your referrals work as a team under your overall supervision. This chain reaction continues with their teams and all make a decent enough living! Always check out this aspect and make a note of the details.
Thumb Commandment 2
Consider the commission
rates offered by the affiliate programs and what these constitute. Many
schemes add various items and then average out the earnings. It is
essential to list out all the pay outs and then choose the right scheme
that gives you the maximum pay out.
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22. How Web Sites Should Be
Checked for Performance
Every website on the Internet is placed for a reason
and that is mostly informing the surfers about its presence for a special
cause. Consequently one of the most important and foremost marker of
effective marketing is the traffic your web page generates in terms of
visitors, inquiries, orders, and feedback. Just plain traffic is not the
desired function of success since there could be thousands of visitors
browsing through the Internet without any special purpose. This is the
cursory glance type of surfers! What is important are the serious targeted
visitors who leave some form of a mark in the way of a comment, an
inquiry, an order, or bookmark the page for later processing. Thus the
"Site Conversion Rates" is one of the parameters we look for in the
usefulness of any website.
To evaluate this parameter one needs to calculate the percent of surfers
who actually take some type of action linked to the activity mentioned in
the preceding paragraph. Briefly this means one relates the useful
visitors to the total surfers who made a "hit" on your web page. Higher
this figure, better are the statistics that reflect popularity of your
website.
"Squeeze" pages are great for collecting email addresses and following up
some promotion campaign with those addresses, without of course spamming
their mail boxes. It is a true example of one-way opt-in list. The number
of emails one collects for either informing your members about new
developments, new offers, or sending periodic ezines becomes a criterion
for checking your website for performance. Here one important aspect needs
to be kept in mind. The sales value or conversion rate may not be positive
in terms of actual sales or number of customers but it surely helps in
increasing the reach of your website and who knows -- one day this can
also result in residual income through "word of mouth" transmission of how
effective or useful your web presence is for many surfers.
There are therefore many methods of increasing the performance rating or
ranking of your website. Finally it boils down to an increase in traffic
and consequent increase in the sales volume of the product or service you
are selling. Last but not the least, it is worthwhile to ensure that your
website is easily navigable and the journey of any visitor is as pleasant
as you can make it for them. Nothing is more disgusting or frustrating
than a boring "going on and on" type of website that has no end other than
one page after another!
Two heads are better than one is how the saying goes! Let a few people
browse through your creation and read the content in methods available on
the net before it is uploaded to your website. This helps in keeping the
relevance of any commercial venture alive as well as enticing to bring in
those important visitors who will eventually become your customers.
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23. The Proverbial "Click" to Your
Favorite URL
Placing URL links in an article is one way of
increasing traffic to any website. This technique is provided by hundreds
of article directories and authors are finding novel methods of
amalgamating these subtle links to URL s that are a part of the author's
Most Wanted Response or are their USP (Unique Selling Proposition). At
first glance the philosophy of increasing traffic to any website appears
to be quite confusing and many authors dread this process. Authors
normally try to locate an affordable SEO consulting person who manages
their article submissions. It is great if you can find a suitable Search
Engine Optimization Expert who is proficient enough to deliver the goods
-- the goods here are one way links to your website or any place on the
Internet where you have interest. It is just like employing a sales person
who goes about marketing your wares to the target audience.
Most article directories have strict stipulations for the way an article
is presented. Just check out any directory out of thousands on the net and
you will invariably see the "Author's Guidelines" and Resource Box where
authors place their bio-data or expertise note. These article directories
also ensure that you do not place live links to websites of relevance in
an off hand manner. Specific guidelines are given as to where and how many
URL links can be present in any one article. All authors are advised to
study these stipulations and follow the simple steps given therein. This
is the only way to have standardized article writing that do not reek of
spamming or irrelevant diversion of logical traffic. All authors must also
understand the important concept of "anchor text" that is conventionally
used for exhibiting a link. A balanced linking and relevant anchor text
will make your article sprint miles ahead in the great traffic race!
All article directories provide what they term a "Resource Box" that is
meant to be a credential 'sidebar' for authors. They always encourage the
writers to use this resource box to the fullest and try to keep the links
within this space. The articles look more attractive and do not have those
broken areas generally caused by a funny http://www... link that surely
hinders the flow of the story. To write within the resource box could be
termed as an art -- or a science if you prefer it that way! It is also
suggested that if one cannot avoid mentioning an URL for the purpose of
relevance, follow up information or reference, creating emphasize for the
subject under discussion, or just making a strong point it is worthwhile
to use that magical concept of anchor words or anchor phrases to denote a
live link that will take your visitor to the explanation of a sentence you
have just mentioned. Quite ingenious you will agree!
The resource box therefore is your "magic hat" and you can easily take out
a rabbit or in relevant terms guide your visitor to consider learning more
about the arguments you are placing before the person. What can be more
democratic?
Authors must spend a great deal of their time and effort in properly
understanding the purpose of the "Resource Box". There is a lot you can
accomplish from this little space on article directories and sometimes
that can be much more than what you achieve from the article itself! Most
directories allow a maximum of three live links and three non-linking URLs
in the article and suggest that these be only used in the resource box.
One can still use the anchored links in the latter half of your article's
body and not be penalized for doing so by the management of the directory.
Take these tips seriously as detailed in the Author's Guidelines and you
will be flooded with traffic on your important and relevant links.
Is this not what you had begun to achieve?
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24. Bid Low or Bid High - Is it a
Question?
India is one of those fortunate nations that can take immense pride in its
computer savvy section of the population. Software development, web
designing, graphic design, and freelance writing are just a few of the
disciplines the Indian expertise covers in the outsourced field. Why is
India suddenly the playground of the world in terms of BPO and
Outsourcing? The answer not only lies in its grasp of the graphical
interface within the Internet but also the proficiency in the English
language. It is fine that the language aspect can be a driving factor in
outsourcing and India probably has the largest number of English speaking
professionals. The historical experience of using English as one of the
official languages of India is the main advantage though many nations
still consider this country under the "English as a second language"
category -- a fallacy that must be corrected however academically true it
may be on paper!
The economic situation, standard of living, growth rates, inflation rates
in comparison with the developed nations of the world, unemployment or
better termed as employment density, job opportunities and related
parameters did make India a very attractive outsourcing 'source'. A dollar
yields nearly 39 Indian Rupees (the equation is rapidly changing!) and a
"fistful of dollars" could still be a fortune in India. Therefore in
context of outsourcing many are today asking the question as to how a
freelancer should bid for projects opened on a multitude of web sites that
specialize in job portals.
This article is just a beginning of a "world debate" that could open up
newer avenues of BPO or outsourcing growth in the very near future. We
have only touched the tip of the iceberg and the comments of the reader
are solicited to bring the true viable perspective in front of
governments, freelancers, outsourcer, and economists.
Demand and Supply -- Can I bag that project?
This is the proverbial title that drives the freelancer from developing
countries to the brink of exasperation or the brim of the filled cup of
wealth and opportunity! For most individuals who make up the majority of
the free lancer's community it can be sometimes a nightmare of uncertainty
and they constantly dread that polite email by the administration of a
"bidding" portal that their bid was unfortunately not accepted by the
outsourcer. After all and like in most business environments there is a
cut throat competition within freelancers and outsourced projects. Bid low
and bag that project -- bid high and lose it could be the order of the
day. As is normal the demand and supply situation between projects and
freelancers remains something of a concern to the management of bidding
portals. It can also cause a lot of flutter amongst the outsourcer since
so many bids are received that it becomes difficult to take a wise
decision. In fact several operators only bid low to get the project and
then go about re-outsourcing the work to other freelancers -- at sometimes
throw away ridiculous prices -- that can be truly a blot on the
professional free lancer's ego.
How then can one find the perfect solution to outsourcing while still
enjoying the viable economics of using a community that can deliver world
class goods at lower than domestic costs?
A 64 million dollar question -- no doubt!
What is required - a Union of Freelancers -- or an Association?
None is the answer! There are several portals that allow you to place a
sensible bid. It is however seen that freelancers (or even some large
companies) indulge in the unsavory art of under cutting the offers and
winning projects. It is all very democratic to do that but do remember
that if one downgrades the gift of good writing, quality will only suffer.
There are a few websites that debate what the right price for writing
articles, software development, script creation etc should be. One need
not be a financial wizard at costing or accountancy to arrive at the most
perfect price!
Just downgrading the freelancing cost per hour will probably give short
term gains but it will surely blot the profession and it is not a long
term durable practice. The demand and supply market for projects and
freelancers is not such a desperate "black hole" that one cannot
successfully cross that "low bid - throw away price" frontier. Asian
countries are preferred in this field since their cost of production is
quite low -- but one must realize that it is not so low to warrant a 'near
free' quotation! Art, proficiency, ethics and capabilities have to be
weighed correctly in dollars or what ever currency (even a pot of gold!)
one is comparing with.
Freelance Well, Be Happy, Live Happily ever after!
Freelancing is for the purpose of helping those who cannot help
themselves. This is the heavenly feeling every freelancer must have and
not the aspiration to extract what one can by exploiting the market. Do
bid realistically - explain your bids - respect the urgency of the project
owner - and last but not the least enjoy the job of a freelancer -- you
are one in that ocean of freelancers around the world -- striving to make
a good living.
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25. Keywords or Key Phrases need
to be on Top!
Since the advent of the Internet keywords or key phrases have occupied a
position of great importance and considerable debate has taken place to
analyze the positioning, choosing, order of keywords, their use in the
content of the web page etc. A writer or better stated a copywriter
specializes in garnishing sentences and paragraphs with appropriate
keywords or key phrases. Key phrases seem to have a tremendous effect on
the positioning of the content in the order of merit of the Search
Engines. The first axiom of how these important words need to be used and
placed governs the position of your web page in the hierarchy of Search
Engines. In plain English what is one's page rank or competitive position
within similar web pages!
The significance of key words or phrases cannot be undermined since that
is the only way an interested onlooker (surfer in Internet jargon) will
locate something he or she is looking for. Obviously and in true inference
the keywords or key phrases must be able to bring your content to the top
of the search engine list -- that is the first page you get when searching
for a given set of keywords. If one accomplishes this operation, the web
page or content is considered to have scored a top hit! Therefore the
title of this brief article becomes viable and you will see the Meta tag
for 'title' on the top of the order. What more can one wish for other than
top position?
This is what Search Engine Optimization is all about. The philosophy is
relevant for not only web page content but also focused articles one
includes in a website or submits to prominent article directories. A well
balanced article -- try this very one for checking the word count in each
of the 4 paragraphs, as an example -- not only looks good but also conveys
a lot more than miles and miles of scrolled pages. In a majority of cases
a 500 word article that is well balanced in paragraphs and keywords or key
phrases speaks volumes of the subject. One should try to say a lot in just
a few words and properly amalgamating your keywords or key phrases can do
the magic trick.
The keywords and key phrases should be well dispersed in the content
without sounding like a spammed message. There is really no fixed rule for
the keyword density! One needs to make a judgment on how many times a
keyword or phrase should be used in the content to make it understandable.
Too many of these can be really "too much"! If one is bent on using
keywords or the phrases for anchoring a link the choice should be
grammatically correct and 'stuffing' is discouraged. Remember the joke
about a tourist who kept blabbering for five minutes to another tourist
and when the interpreter translated the message it was nothing more than a
mere "Thank You"! Would you not have appreciated a simple thanks instead?
The above four paragraphs have 125 words each and the article is 500
words, excluding the sentence you are now reading!
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26. Choose A Search Engine
Optimizer With Care!
Search engines have come a long way from the early days of the Internet
when people were still learning the basics of surfing and searching. Today
it is quite normal to hire professional or more appropriately experienced
persons who have imbibed the art of reading the search engines. All major
SE s like Google, Yahoo, Ask Jeeves, All the Web, AOL Search, HotBot,
Teoma, Altavista, LookSmart, Lycos, MSN Search, Netscape Search, and Open
Directory etc employ algorithms that govern how your meta tags are treated
for listing on search engines. This is quite a systematic and scientific
rank positioning method.
As stated in the first paragraph the person who specializes in Search
Engines is known as a Search Engine Optimization expert. Obviously SEO has
become a popular acronym for this profession! Before we proceed further
let us understand a negative aspect of Search Engine Optimizing. This
aspect is "cloaking". Do not consider at any point of time the practice of
cloaking since it is looked down upon by SE s in the same way you would
loath a hijacker! Unethical means of increasing Search Engine Rankings is
the synonym of "cloaking". Try rational approach in your search engine
optimization efforts.
There is a feeling that many parameters are significant when evaluating
the efficiency of Search Engine Optimization engineers or marketers. As
with other evaluations of professional persons this could be true for
search engine tweaking as well, however it is not a necessity! Search
Engine Optimization is nothing more than writing a good rational and
relevant content for a website that deals with products or services of any
kind. Therefore only looking for a good copy writer or content manager
will suffice for your initial purpose. If the URL scores ethically high on
Search Engines, they are the right people!
How do we visualize this evaluation? Look at the primary keywords used by
the first URL for any combination of phrases or keywords. Then consider
how they appear in the title of the URL. Finally browse the keyword
density in the content and its dispersion statistics per paragraph. If the
keywords/key phrases are bold then they should look natural for emphasis
rather than for 'spiders"! Reading a lot of e-books on net marketing or
e-commerce will surely help you in understanding these simple concepts.
Finally as I always say in my noting -- do not write a novel... write only
a crisp focused precise that will have a great effect on your client and
reader.
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27. Rewriting Is Also An Art
If one browses the numerous online freelance portals it will become
obvious that there is a great demand for "rewriters". Many service buyers
surf the Internet to locate a good rewriter who can deliver an original
article or content from what already exists on the web. The paradox
remains that during our early years at school we all have at one time or
the other indulged in pages and pages of rewriting! Take a précis written
from an essay or an excerpt from a book that was given to us to rewrite in
our own words. This is exactly what most writers are doing even today as a
freelancer. Of course this is no crime nor is it considered unethical to
reword available material in order to make it sound better or more
understandable!
There is also Science in rewriting!
There are two destinations for the rewriting business. One is gathering
knowledge through reading existing material and then reviewing or
analyzing the content to create a viable and simple version for a
layperson to grasp. The other destination is creating an entirely unique
content to avoid copyright problems that would otherwise have drastic
consequences. The latter method is mostly adapted to collate readable
information for the search engines that will guide their spiders or bots
to index your own content on the World Wide Web. This is the very concept
of attracting traffic to a website! Consequently, it becomes a science to
be able to write in such a manner that you market your product or service
to a wider section of our global society.
Is rewriting simpler than Original Writing?
To be frank and out of some years of writing experience this question can
only be answered in a bit of a negative tone -- though the debate can be
taken further by stating that it could be simpler than original writing!
What is rewriting anyway? The reader can check out the costing data here
to begin this discussion and we can then take it from there to clarify
some points that every service buyer and all service providers must
understand. We can look at this topic in the following two ways:
First implication of the query on rewriting simplicity in relation to
original writing can be that the two jobs are not really very different
and the answer therefore must be "no... rewriting is no simpler than
original work"! How does one explain this?
When one goes about rewriting an article to convert it to a unique
presentation the essence of the original must be maintained at all costs.
It is not really necessary to keep the formatting in terms of paragraphs
and words the same or nearly the same. Keywords or key phrases are of
course important for a SE Optimized write-up. Many service buyers insist
that the paragraphs should also be kept in the same format and doing this
may become a bit of an art for the writers. If this is so then it is clear
that rewriting is the same as original writing since one need to make the
wording unique that will pass all copyright tests. For those readers who
like to learn more on this aspect it will be wise to hit this link for
detailed discussions and information.
Secondly one can argue that rewriting is simpler than original work since
you only have to change sentences or order of words to make the piece
unique! Agreed that this is the intention and one does not need to do any
research that involves time and money. Material is already available and
writers only have to rearrange the context. However, when one looks at the
rewritten paragraphs it is obvious that it no longer matches the original
-- other than the context and essence of the article. Therefore how is it
simpler?
Inference on the debate
To a writer who wishes that all his or her work is unique it hardly
matters if the rewriting or original writing is to be researched or not.
Each sentence -- nee each word and their compilation into a logically
relevant sentence -- is unique though it may mean similar to what others
have written. It is like several journalists reporting on a news item. The
material is available however each reporter presents the news in a
peculiarly unique fashion.
Rewriting is not really simpler -- on the other hand it could be more
challenging than original writing!
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28. Jewelry Product Descriptions
Can Be Entertaining!
We see millions of product descriptions on the Internet and follow them to
make purchases. Several products are self explanatory and need just a few
words to influence the buyer in clicking the "add to my cart" button. For
a net business this is the ultimate success! Writing short, crisp, and
effective product descriptions is a work of art and many acquire this by
years of practice. There are down to earth and straightforward
descriptions, many attract your attention through a myriad of pictures
interspersed between words, several may contain sales pitch that sometimes
reeks of spamming, thousands would rely of the technical specifications to
make a sale, a majority of descriptions use the 'gift of gab' to induce
the potential client to hit that order link -- and the story goes on and
on!
If I can romance you I can make you buy!
The world revolves around love. There is nothing more powerful than a
"power play" that has a central theme on love. Love is as supreme as it is
sublime! The romance that evolves within a popular motion picture draws
millions to the golden screen time after time. Think of a product
description as a 30 second jingle. That certain smile, the come hither
look, a twinkling gaze can give you messages that are really infinitely
long and last a life time! Do you need better training in salesmanship?
Not really as well romanticized descriptions can be quite a unique way of
selling a product. Which is the best example product in this category? The
answer is obvious and it is invariably jewelry items.
This short article only recognizes the importance of attracting buyers
through a story that involves gifting one's beloved with wordy 'gems'! A
writer once wrote dozens of product descriptions for a jewelry firm
selling exquisite designer's creations that were magnetic as much as they
were affordable. We can easily reword the proverb "diamonds are forever"
as "descriptions are forever attractive -- to buy the described product"!
The Theme of the Story
The theme of a product description could be anything. What is imperative
for the purpose of attracting buyers is the brevity that includes virtual
reality in describing what you sell. If I can make a jingle with only
words and no pictures or movie, I have made the sale! Many decades ago a
great person stated "Ideas have Legs". These three simple words convey
miles and miles of hidden thought! Imagine your little jingle of words
that makes a jewelry item sell by the millions as you weave in the virtual
reality of its features.
It reminds me of the earlier Reader's Digest stories on medical health
topics that began with the phrase "I am Joe's ..."! Do you remember the
effect it created with the public?
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29. I Am "Numero Uno" - I Wish To
Stay That Way!
It is never bad to have aspirations of becoming No. 1 in any sphere; in
fact it is desirable to have this aim as a great rocket expert once said
"if I do not aim for the stars how I will reach the Moon". Aiming high is
natural but aiming high and trying to reach that ultimate pinnacle of
success needs ethics and perseverance - not dishonesty or 'short-cuts'!
Fortunately, a majority of human beings think rightly and strive
competitively in climbing to the top of the ladder. As we all know the
first position needs to be occupied by only one person - maybe in some
cases two or three could share this rank! Therefore we should accept that
though there is only one 'numero uno' many are still as good as this
winner and can look upon themselves as partners-in-winning!
It is a known fact that Google and Yahoo are today the leading search
engines that control the presence of any website on Internet. Millions are
competing for the top slot for their chosen keywords or key phrases. Links
are sought in a religious way to ensure top ranking amongst equals and the
competition for the most efficient and focused websites is fierce. You can
see this by downloading and installing the famous Google Toolbar for your
browser and checking Page Ranks on a continuous basis. As long as you see
even a shadow of the green bar lines you are safe. Do not try to link with
those websites that are not represented or indexed by Google since there
are two things that could be the reason. One is that the site is
blacklisted by search engines and the other is that it has not yet made it
to the Google or Yahoo indexing stage. The latter reason is not too bad
since it is probably only a question of time before the site gets indexed
by the spiders.
When creating web pages it is very important to understand that search
engines are very professional and efficient in detecting fraud or spam. Do
not ever try to mislead them for your unethical benefit. You could land up
in a state experienced by many webmasters who are now a "have been" on the
Internet! To reiterate this sentence do not try to cloak your pages as
this is the worst you can do to harm yourself. A simple honest and ethical
approach can take you miles and place you on top of Google's platform.
If you adhere to the proverbial KISS the search engines as well as the
world will be in your arms and you can truly enjoy the advantages of the
World Wide Web. In case you are keen to learn the ropes further, do make
it a point to enter this fantastic world by clicking here to the domain of
writing and authoring great pieces!
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30. Smoking Is Great But Disaster
Is Excruciating!
Smokers and even those chronic tobacco chewers little realize what is
really happening inside their complex organic bodies. Even if they do it
dawns on them much after the damage is done or they literally "look death
on the face"! We smoke over a life time only to finally realize that the
dark alley taking us to the proverbial "black hole" is becoming shorter
and shorter. All smokers know of the hazards of nicotine but do we care?
Management by crisis is not a great decision making exercise and
"prevention is better than cure" could be a wiser route - however these
thoughts do not even come to us or we do not wish to recognize their
importance for the mere pleasure of a single puff! Smoking causes injuries
in hundred percent of the cases and this fact is indisputable. Yet the
human spirit neglects this important axiom treading towards the path of
self destruction with nonchalance and disregard of the natural creative
rules of the game called life.
You have smoked, you have survived - what happens now!
Yes this is true that you have smoked, you have fallen critically ill -
even gone through that lucky phase of "near death" and finally survived.
The habit has been licked as they say! Now what awaits your destiny?
To tell you the fact it is the experience of "experiencing" heaven on
earth. For once and in a long time you are breathing oxygen and not smoke!
This in itself is the best heavenly feeling and nothing compares to it.
Each inhalation through your nasal passages can be felt to invigorate you
and fill your body with life as it was meant to be. Each exhalation throws
out that poisonous carbon dioxide that would have suffocated you without
the oxygen. Your extremities are now a bright pink color and not crumpled
blackish shade with yellow nicotine patches. Your oxygen count is reaching
100 percent in place of each breath indicating a lowered content when you
were smoking. Your lungs are reviving and possibly rejuvenating - you are
able to breathe in deeply and exhale with strength to make those tree
leaves shudder with excitement, even at a distance of 5 feet! You climb
stairs in a jiffy and not a single puff - because you did not take any
puff of the killer smoke. You have not coughed for a long time and have
even forgotten the sound of your own cough! The air around you is no
longer polluted with the smell of nicotine and your family or friends
always remark how wonderful life is now without that passive suffocation.
It all sounds like a very happy and contented motion picture that has no
villains or tragedies - just like the "It's a wonderful life"!
You have to live it to experience it. Do so now by quitting smoking before
life quits you!
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31. How Can A Freelance Writer
Achieve Success As A Ghost Writer?
The art of writing is not new. There is always that little writing talent
in almost all human beings and it is wrong to assume that this is one area
a normal person cannot dare to enter. The truth is that anyone who has a
general command over any language can become a successful writer. What is
really important in this context is the will to compile information and
the way to present the same in an interesting manner to the reader.
Everything else then falls into place like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.
An ordinary writer or author can belong to two basic categories. One is
who writes under his or her own name or a pen name and has a specific
category that makes her or him stand out in the literary world. The other
is a person who writes for others and therefore that person is known as a
'ghost writer'. The art of writing within these two broad categories is
not really the same and one must understand the basic requirements of
penning thoughts for the specific category.
As a freelance writer who also could be an 'author' in their own right it
is essential to develop a striking style that can be their brand equity.
This means that on reading their works it is not too difficult to decipher
the author. Remember Ian Fleming and Agatha Christie or even Erle Stanley
Gardner who wrote thrillers with their unique style that reflected on
their own character. The ghost writer on the other hand needs to evolve a
knack of presenting words that would fit the style of the person they are
writing for. If it is a sport lover the words must reflect the style and
if it is a doctor the lingo must be in line with how doctors converse.
Subject matter can of course be gathered from literature but style is to
be developed to make this a 'living' piece!
Ghost writers gain immense exposure through researching topics that are so
wide and varied that they can be termed as masters of all. I could be a
Chemistry graduate and a Plastics Technologist by profession but as a
ghost writer I have to write about pets and especially fish breeding, the
beauty of coral reefs northwest of Australia, web designing and net
marketing, jewelry descriptions that could be wacky, hair care, fitness,
the maritime world, parenting, science fiction and even review adult
websites or present a critical essay on the world of entertainment etc.
The world of ghost writing is infinite! In fact it could be a universe
full of topics from A to Z.
When you wish to become a writer you must decide if you want to write your
own thoughts or you desire to help those who are not so fortunate to be
able to wield that pen as effectively as you!
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32. Your Articles Make Money For
Your Customers
The best way of achieving a lucrative presence on the Internet is by
writing good articles for your customers. This is also a free way of
advertising your website, product, or service and is much more effective
than the paid advertising services commonly available online. The more one
writes higher is the quantity and quality of the traffic that visits your
webpage.
The technique requires careful planning and wise management with a basic
understanding of how the average potential visitor or surfer is influenced
to become a customer! Reading Dale Carnegie's famous treatise on "How to
Win Friends & Influence People" will no doubt take you back to the
nostalgic era of those magnificent days of marketing when the discipline
was young and Internet unheard of!
There are a few important features of how article writing is effective in
earning a satisfying income and also keeping abreast of world happenings,
gaining knowledge through wider exposure, instilling a feeling of content
by literally writing "content", and sense of commitment by helping others
be a kind of "partners in business" when they also make money through the
articles you write for them.
Does it not sound like a balanced universe with everything moving in
unison and complete harmony? You could learn a lot more about working
philosophy by clicking here to imbibe what all is possible. There is
nothing greater than that sublime feeling of being of assistance to your
fellow beings in this world of collaboration, outsourcing, net marketing,
and being independent!
What is an Article and What does it do?
Articles are the backbone of modern net marketing methods for almost any
product or service. Words always have spoken volumes -- with timeless
contributions from authors who are world figures in the field of
literature. The global population of good article writers (quite different
from copy writers!) is vast and the profession is highly competitive.
South and South-East Asia has given a large number of writers to the
community and their affordability varies from cheap to highly sophisticate
and therefore expensive. The rule of thumb is valid here as the quality is
directly proportional to the cost of article writing. Good copywriting,
editing, article writing can be outsourced to freelance "craftsperson" who
can mold your thoughts into living or dynamic words that will keep your
"piggy bank" brimming with coins!
You Write or Others can Write for You
Writing is both an art and a science. It teleports your thoughts to
another being and if practiced correctly will create a direct image in
another person's mind. Descriptive thoughtful narration can take you by
the hand on a journey that is both pleasing as well as real. If you can do
this through practice and learning and then you have become an Author. On
the other hand you can outsource your work to other professionals who are
dedicated to use that famous Shakespearean philosophy of "To Write or Not
to Write -- that is not the question -- it is a necessity"!
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33. Fighting The "Cut Throat"
Competition In Copywriting!
Copywriting to create thoughts that are well arranged in each sentence of
any web content is the crucial elixir to success in net business. Copy
writing, article writing, editing or proof-reading, product descriptions
are most important in marketing your website and it must be understood
that precise or focused content always has an edge over long paragraphs
and highly loaded adjectives. Most people and nearly all service buyers
look for the lowest bids for these jobs. On the other hand one can find
quite a few buyers who truly understand the importance of targeted content
and agree to pay the freelancers rates if the quality of work is
exceptional. Saying a lot in just a few words is therefore the maxim of
good copywriting and a writer must concentrate more on action words than
adjectives!
The competition in this business is immense and as the freelance writers
population around the world increases, the "cut-throat" competition takes
a heavy toll of the dedicated and focused writers on the Internet.
Nevertheless it is nothing to be excessively worried about since a logical
management or reasonable marketing strategy can still ensure the best
margins the excellent writers work for! Like with everything else in life
cursing is never a solution to any problem. It is more profitable and
satisfying to analyze the particular circumstance of this competition and
then turn the surmised disadvantage to a concrete advantage. The first
thought that strikes the mind of a persevering writer is "Oh my God, how
do I deal with this "cut-throat" business?"
The best way of tackling the competition is to have a calm poised
competitive edge to other writers in the fray. Whenever you find yourself
in such a predicament take a quick stroll around the neighborhood or take
a cup of coffee or tea, or even your favorite beverage. A mindset that can
accommodate the most difficult situation and come out of all difficulties
reaches the winning post! Always establish a logical calculation on your
jobs and spend considerable time in learning about the marketable pricing.
It may not be always the "right price"! Remember the wise saying that "a
bird in hand is worth far more than two in the bush". Understand budgeting
and costing before embarking on any competitive business.
One of the most important economic principles is the concept of total
revenue generated. It is imperative to consider your aspirations in
projecting the target revenue per unit time. If one wishes to earn X
amount every month then pricing needs to be done by adding up all probable
resources and distributing the revenue in proportion to the jobs in hand.
This exercise is important to understand the market potential and what a
particular job can earn. Everyone is looking for a reasonable pricing and
it would be quite unethical to quote a price that is not in line with the
customer's mindset. After finalizing a price it is necessary to "seal the
deal" in order to leave no loopholes and ensure a smooth transaction.
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34. Internet Service Providers -
Small Town Blues
Small towns in a big country have many plus points associated with it
however there can also be those obvious negatives that make life a bit
harder. We are now in the 21st century and driving hard to evolve into a
society of the future. Great thoughts and even greater application of our
knowledge is the routine of the day. The consumer is becoming more and
more aware of its right to information, great service and honest or
ethical business (wholesale and retail) practices. Business houses are
striving to bring the best package of services to the customer and the age
old concept of "customer is king" has given way to the more appropriate
adage of "Customer is Emperor"!
How has this change affected the consumer today and is the protection
truly available or is the entire tale a mythical assumption? A great
example of the hairline difference between myth and reality can be seen in
the case of ISPs or Internet Service Providers of the year 2009! Let us
consider a few cases that may be quite similar to your current situation.
The good in our case may be 'oft interred with the bones' as William
Shakespeare once wrote but it is many times also highlighted by good ISPs
- though they may be counted on your finger tips!
Let us elaborate on this preamble.
ISP called X is competing with the A, B, C ISPs in a small town
environment where the number of people requiring broadband or dial up
connections are rather limited to the intelligentsia or business
community. This ISP (Mr. X shall we say) has the mindset that to conquer
the market - even in a small community - one must keep the prices at rock
bottom and promote extra services or "perks". This of course is great
philosophy and could perhaps take you miles in enhancing your business
potential. If you are the type that believes in what you say or claim the
effort will certainly pay off. They say however that greed is the worst
infection that can cause many businesses to collapse after the initial
short term success. Consumers rapidly see through practices that do not
seem to be of help to them. Eventually the ISP or any small business
becomes a rolling stone that initially gathers a lot of moss, but slowly
withers away to deluge in to the clutches of a whirlpool that leads to
closure. The ISP has the lowest price, unlimited bandwidth usage, extra
goodies thrown in to attract customers, a so called service cell that
promises professional attention to the users, and last but not the least -
easy pay out terms. The mythical utopia of Internet browsing is finally
there at last!
You have now installed the connection and all appears to be rosy 'all the
way'. The connection works like a bullet train speeding along the magnetic
rail installation. You decide to take a break of one hour to watch your
favorite soap on the television. Now you must return to complete the work
that was waiting for a good Internet access. The computer is started and
as it boots up you dream of the "rake-in" expected from the new business
that came your way a week ago. You click the login button and to your
amazement and horror you get an error signal that states "Connecting
through WAN Miniport (PPPOE) Error xxx. You try again and again with the
same result.
It is time to call the customer help desk. You dial the number and get a
recorded welcome with the signal of "please wait till our customer service
engineer comes on line as all are busy with other customers" A couple of
minutes go by and then the connection fades away. You try again with the
same result of recorded message or engaged tone till your fingers are
weary of redialing and your ears aching with the musical interlude of a
busy tone. One has to give up and wait for a better or promising sign or
time. The story is repeated and once in a while you are able to connect
and register a complaint. The action taken is equally discomforting and
lengthy. You do manage a connection but the happenings of yesterday repeat
consistently for weeks and months till you decide to forego or cancel the
ISP.
This could be a story from your recent experience!
Small is great but big is greater can also be an axiom that holds the key
to your current ISP problems. It could also be the reverse that is true -
if you are lucky! This fable is really true of some third world countries
like India and could have trickled into the lives of even the more
developed nations of the world where competition is fierce.
Many have tried the various ISPs who provide broadband services in smaller
towns of the Asian sub-continent and the general satisfaction level is
just around 40 percent or so. The good ISPs who operate in a more
professional manner and do not promote the fact that they are excellent
may be few though several are there like the Telephone Departments etc.
These corporations have gained great expertise in maintaining their
broadband and dial up services so that customers have a higher comfort
level. The telephone departments (owned by the Government) have geared
themselves up for satisfactory customer service and their Internet
connections do not also need the cables generally used by private ISPs.
The existing telephone lines in small towns are mostly underground cables
and therefore safer to maintain against vandalism, natural calamities etc.
The efficient Government facilities have rewritten the laws of customer
service and sound marketing as demand and technology increased in
developing countries and small towns. The private ISPs may have more funds
and resources to their disposal but they have also to improve their
philosophy regarding the customer service and awareness that is fast
developing with knowledge of the customers. Finally, a lot of knowledge is
a good thing for the end users to control the supply of Internet services.
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35. Why Indians Wish to Become a
NRI?
The acronym NRI stands for Non-Resident Indian though several patriotic
people in India also term it as a Non Returning Indian! It is really a
matter of interpretation and mindset as to how you expand the NRI acronym.
I was a NRI long time ago when people used to call me and my family a non
resident Indian living in Europe. I can also call myself a NRRI or non
returning (resident) Indian since I never did go back to Europe or another
developed nation of our globe, ever since my return to India in late
seventies. If one has seen the popular Indian Motion Picture "Swadesh"
meaning "Home Country" they would perhaps recognize the "return of the
prodigal" after years of stay in a foreign land!
What then drives us Indians to leave our fertile shore and settle down in
a strange far away land - only never to come back? There are millions of
reasons and causes that trigger this rather popular recourse.
The first and foremost since India's Independence is the urge to see the
developed nation's affluence and societal freedom common in UK, USA,
Australia, Europe, Singapore etc. Let us be frank and admit that these
countries offer a great life and money including an unbiased work
atmosphere for those who can adopt the way of life and language of the
local folk. The discipline experienced in the developed nations has a
significant influence on Indians who feel that their own country lacks in
this trait. This makes them accept the concept of remaining abroad as even
a second class citizen.
Simple things of life are easily available in most of these countries and
one does not have to struggle for them as is the case of many in India.
The second major reason of settling abroad as an NRI is the absence of
everyday corruption that one comes across in Indian society. The current
economy, politics, and society values is the breeding ground of corruption
in India where one has to cope up and reluctantly accept the unhealthy
practice of "turning one's head" to avoid stress.
The third major criterion of living abroad and picking up many types of
jobs is the money one earns and the possibility of financing one/'s family
back in India. The Middle East development of the seventies is a perfect
example of the exodus from South India.
The most important "intelligentsia" emigration is based on the increased
education level or higher level of learning and the lack of adequate
opportunities that are commensurate with the knowledge base possessed by
the current professionals. The population growth is so high that
opportunity floats around in a maze of applicants and the true deserving
candidates do not manage a job of their choice and temperament.
The list is endless but the above few reasons for leaving one's home
shores can spark off a thought process that will finally benefit in Indian
Society recognizing the shortcomings and obviating them for a quick
transformation in to the Global world.
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