Is American interest levels at fault for New York terrorist Zazi's Plot?

First Hand Account of Mr Zazi in the Court

Terrorist plots may be within the rise. Mr. Najibullah Zazi plead guilty to planning a bomb attack for a New York City subway. Pat Milton an investigative producer for CBS was within the court room obtaining highly sought after information concerning the
subject at hand. Zazi didn’t appear to get upset or even concerned while in court, but he truly had an air of self-assurance and respectability at least reported by Mr. Milton of CBS.

An stupid plan of terror stopped

Mr. Najibullah Zazi planned to memorialize the September 11th attack by blowing up many Americans in it’s subway stations. Obviously this plan of action was certain to fail, mainly because with the additional attention reserved for this terrible day in our history officials would obviously be on guard. Didn’t these people teach them this in terrorist professional training? Otherwise they will from here on out. Most like Zazi seem to be against Western fiscal policies that permit high interest rate loans like bad credit loans and bad credit payday loans, auto loans, mortgages and many others.

Martyrdom vs . Suicide Bomber’s

I guess the Al Qaeda instruction camps happen to be a lot more focused on brawn instead of brains and common sense, due to the fact this chap isn’t the sharpest tool inside the shed obviously, by this failed attempt to earn a place in heaven. Zazi believed wholeheartedly that by sacrificing himself to this cause would in fact save some extra than would really die. It’s tough to ridicule someone who has known nothing else except in the false propaganda which is so readily crammed down some Easterner’s throats. Zazi has touched a soft spot in my heart because he is so gullible and actually only wanted to get accepted inside only world he knows, but to shed innocent lives? Come on! Each particular person knows that that’s the incorrect move to make regardless of what land you live in.

Hello Afghanistan yours truly Zazi.

Now Zazi desired to bring awareness to Afghanistan. I guess he’s not really much of a news person because that’s all you pretty much hear concerning on television these days, and yes in every nation this is true. Zazi wanted to get liked and to belong somewhere. Now he can spend the rest of his existence in isolation and reside very away from any relatives or help. I can’t say that I hate the man because he was doing what he really believed was righteous and true. I seriously hope that he discovers some lessons even though in the American system that will impact him in a good way. This aspiration of mine is surely unlikely, because while still in America the prisons will sadly reinforce the disgust most Easterner’s already have for the US. Unless Zazi finds a few of the great flock amongst inmates, I fear his life might be doomed to hold on to an unforgiving heart.

Things you can do on a Vacation Abroad

A great Experience can be got from a Vacation

Many people go on vacation with the only intention of having a good time. Certain things make vacations a lasting experience. You will have to consider a number of things, which include the culture and laws of the country, if you are traveling abroad. The tips mentioned below must be considered before you go, if you are looking at traveling abroad.

Be sure that you have Understood your Destination

First of all, make a thorough study of the location you plan to go to. There will probably be many things that you should know, even though the destination may look exotic to you in your head. Complete a study of the political scenario and history before you make a decision concerning the destination. You would not want to end up in a destination that could only ruin your vacation. Traveling abroad will cost you a lot of money and time. Using this wisely will no doubt be your choice. Before choosing a destination, make sure that you have every detail about the place in your fingertips.

Cultural Expectations

This really is one aspect of the location that you cannot afford to ignore. Countries across the globe have cultures that will be unique. Some countries are conservative while others are liberal in their outlook. When you make a comparison to the country you are traveling from, these terms could have different definitions. What you consider as liberal in the country of your origin may be considered as offensive in the country of your visit. Certain periods exist during the year when Middle Eastern countries are more conservative than others. If your plan is to visit such a destination, gather all the information about different practices of each country.

The Rules of the Country

Laws of countries differ from one another. There isn’t any difference in the laws of any country. The difference lies in the manner they are applied. In other countries the lawmakers may not give the necessary consideration to your rights. Remember to study the laws of the country before you leave on a vacation. Even better, ensure that you have understood the laws well and seek to avoid disobeying them. It’ll be easy getting into trouble, but tough getting out of it. If you get on the wrong side of the laws of the country, you will be in big trouble.

Medicines

If you fall ill, make sure you are carrying all medications you will need before you begin your vacation. Carry the reports and prescriptions that your doctor has provided. These can be valuable in case of any emergencies. Some medications that are necessary most likely are not available or will have different names and be equally good as well. Just be sure you have a list of those medications.

Indemnity

Last, but not least, carry insurance for your entire getaway. The talk isn’t just about travel insurance. Speak with your travel agent concerning the policy types you should be carrying. Explain your condition in the event you face any illnesses. Best options available to you are going to be advised by your travel agent. These precautions taken before your vacation, will transform it into a lasting encounter .

F Factor Diet makes the rounds of The View

Diet encourages low-carb, but not at the expense of good food

(Photo: livinlavidalocarb.blogspot.com)

As usual, something from "The View" sticks. You do hold these women in high esteem, don't you, America? This time, it was guest nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot, who is the official dietician of the Miss Universe Organization. Zuckerbrot wrote a book entitled "The F Factor Diet" that came out in 2007 (get out that credit card, diet fanatics), and in this book she proposes a diet that depends less upon fad ideas and more upon basic human anatomy and physiology. High fiber foods are very important.

Don't just cut carbs or fats

Eliminating a food group entirely lacks creativity and simply isn't natural, claims Zuckerbrot. The F Factor Diet is about adding foods that help with weight loss while increasing energy and good cholesterol, rather than wholesale subtraction and fasting. She claims the F Factor Diet will "reduce your risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon cancer and breast cancer" as well.

What's a cornerstone of the F Factor Diet?

According to an Examiner review, "GG Scandinavian Crispbread crackers" are of great import. They have only 12 calories each, but boast five fiber grams. Top those with a little mustard, low-calorie cheese, peanut butter or even some turkey breast and you have a very healthy snack. To pack in even more nutrition, sardines are another suggested option. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "F Factor Diet makes the rounds of The View"

Plan Your journey to California

How you will plan your trip

Some individuals just want to discover how to plan a trip. It is important to first decide on a few things. I will explain to you how I planned my trip.

Make a budget to start with

I first began a budget. I had a vacation budget of $2000 to start with. We had saved up enough for that. We had already decided that we wanted to go to California for our vacation so that narrowed down what we were going to do a little bit. Our time frame was merely a week.

How to get there and transportation

I had to decide between driving and flying. Having six people going made it cheaper to drive. We would go on a road trip to get there. This would save cash on gas. It is best to next decide where to stay. We stayed in hotels that were close to the next day's activities. I decided to get nice yet cheap hotels.

Make a decision about where you would like to go

We had already planned on California making this easy. Decide what you would like to see after getting there. The public has free admission to the San Francisco Golden Gate Park the very first Wednesday of each month. It is usually kind of busy but worth it if you are taking a lot of people with you. It will help you to save your money. Driving out there could take you all day. Where you live will decide this. It can take some individuals two days and others five hours. The beach is a superb place to go the first day. You will need to pick a beach to go to. It might be fun to go to a theme park the second day. This should correlate with the budget. We decided to go to the Golden Gate Bridge and free park on the third day. I wanted to go to the pier to shop and to the San Francisco Wharf on Thursday. We are going to Alcatraz on Friday afternoon. We wanted to go to the giant redwoods on Saturday. We chose drive home on Sunday. Be sure you do this in enough time to get all y! our tickets and reservations.

Before you buy your journey

Make sure you are going without a doubt before you pay for things. If you aren't sure, go through an agency. It will be your protection. You should now enjoy your vacation and be safe!

Mint.com Wants Limited Power of Attorney

A reader recently asked me about what I thought about the fact that financial aggregation site Mint requires you to give them limited Power of Attorney when using their website. There was also a recent discussion on Bogleheads about it. You can find it in the Terms of Use Agreement page.

For purposes of this Agreement and solely to provide the Account Information to you as part of the Service, you grant Intuit a limited power of attorney, and appoint Intuit as your attorney-in-fact and agent, to access third party sites, retrieve and use your information with the full power and authority to do and perform each thing necessary in connection with such activities, as you could do in person. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT WHEN INTUIT IS ACCESSING AND RETRIEVING ACCOUNT INFORMATION FROM THIRD PARTY SITES, INTUIT IS ACTING AS YOUR AGENT, AND NOT AS THE AGENT OF OR ON BEHALF OF THE THIRD PARTY. You understand and agree that the Service is not sponsored or endorsed by any third parties accessible through the Service.

Sounds serious! My first thought is that without this clause, Mint could not perform their intended service of being a one-stop shop for all of your online financial accounts. They would essentially have to walk up to every single site and ask for permission to be an official portal for them, yet at the same time be released from liability. That would be basically impossible.

In the end, you are basically giving up some of your rights in exchange for the convenience of having all your accounts checked for you at once. If you are worried about something going wrong with either Mint, a rogue employee, or a malicious hacker getting access to your personal information, then you might consider limiting what accounts you link.

Along that line, I would think that credit cards would be both the most helpful to link since you can then track your expenses, while also having the least exposure to fraud. This is because as long as you report any fishy behavior to your credit card issuers as soon as you find it, you likely won’t be liable for any unauthorized charges. (And if you monitor regularly with Mint, you’ll be that much more likely to notice…)

However, I for example would be more hesitant to link my Vanguard and Fidelity accounts with the bulk of my IRAs and brokerage accounts, as the benefits aren’t as great. Most of my net worth is stored at those brokers, and any screw-up would be highly stressful. Besides, I can usually check my balances at those sites separately with little added effort.

What do you think?

Read more about Mint.com Wants Limited Power of Attorney...

You Need a Budget

Budgets Save Time

These days, it is harder than ever to find time to do the little things, let alone handle your finances. You have not taken the time to get organized if your finances are in a mess. By creating a budget, you can easily get organized. You do not need to create an elaborate budget. This budget will help you know what bills you must pay and when. You will have all the information in place when it comes time to pay the bills. You can see when and where your money is going by using a budget.

You Save Money

All the experts seem to agree that when you create a budget, you will save money. A budget will help you see where your money is going. Grocery or gas spending will be curbed with a budget. You will also see where you are not taking responsibility in your finances. A budget will also be a roadmap to getting out of debt. If you stick to the budget, then it will help you save money. You cannot save money if you do not stick to a budget. The budget is only as powerful as your commitment to stick to it. Sticking to a budget will help you save money and be debt free.

No More Stress

If you have a financial mess on your hands, you will end up being very stressed. And that stress can create many health problems. Then, these health problems will cause you to miss a lot of work. Your earnings will do down if you miss work. When you have less money, you start going into debt. As a result of not having a budget, you can really destroy your finances by giving yourself a lot of undue stress.

Knowing where your finances are at with a budget can really help you reduce this stress. And if you know where you are at financially, you will take back your financial power. You can be debt and stress free with this power. With no financial stress, you will not be that sick anymore. Being well will help you earn more money. Being debt free is a result of earning more money. If you create a budget, you will save yourself a lot of money and stress.

Create a Budget and Live Well

As you have seen, creating a budget is a good idea if you want to live well. You will have more time to spend with family and friends. Rainy days will see more money saved. If you are healthy, you can enjoy your extra time and money. Why should you not desire to create a budget? By creating a budget, you can plan for life’s crippling emergencies. Having a little time and money left over for fun after your needs are met is what living well is all about.

What consumers should expect from credit card companies in 2010

Credit cards and minimum payments

Let's say you are lucky enough to get a new unsecured credit card. That means that your credit has to be somewhat stable, because credit card companies are no longer handing out credit like they used to. Now there is a rigorous intake process that sorts through applicants and notes those who are most likely to pay their debt on time and those who are most likely to default.

Once you get your credit, you run to the local store to make your first purchase. It could be something as innocuous as dinner for your family, or it could be a big-ticket item that you were waiting to put on credit. It may seem well and good for a while, but then your bill comes. For a lot of people it isn't until their bills come that they realize the true relationship they have with their credit lenders. Though there is an immediate benefit, there is a long-term payout.

Credit card trends to be wary of

Credit is necessary in today's market. If you ever expect to get a car, house or any big-ticket item, you have to have a decent credit score. However, now that lenders have been through the recession, they are changing their rules as to how credit is managed. Here are some new characteristics of credit cards to pay attention to: ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "What consumers should expect from credit card companies in 2010"

Five Keys to Unlock Your Financial Power

You have financial power

You have the power to find the road to financial freedom

Everyone has financial power. Those who realize this know how to harness their power and use it for something great. Those who are unaware of their power end up misusing it to create excessive debt, bad credit, and a life of financial struggle. The following five keys can help you take control of your financial future and proceed toward prosperity.

Key 1: Resolve to make a change

Sure, many people daydream about having financial control over their lives, but without a dogged determination to change, they remain in debt. Instead, those who prosper are those who make a firm decision to do so. The first key to unlocking your financial power is to place your focus on making strong, positive changes in the right direction. Mark this date on the calendar, because it is the day that you are taking your first step towards prosperity.

Key 2: Let go of fear

Most people don't want to stay in debt, but most people are afraid to take the steps necessary to get out of it. Some people have a genuine fear of handling money. Sure, they can spend it, but when it comes to actually balancing a checkbook, creating a budget or even speaking to bill collectors about debts owed, they prefer to bury their heads in the sand. This produces overwhelming feelings of financial inadequacy and does nothing but make a bad situation worse. The second key to unlocking your financial power is to face your fears head on. Whatever you personally avoid in handling your finances, make this the day that you simply stop and face reality with bold confidence. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Five Keys to Unlock Your Financial Power“

The Credit CARD Act - Is It Beneficial to You?

Is the Credit CARD Act ethical to consumers or the banks?

When it comes to credit cards, many consumers have been getting shafted. All of the major banks providing credit cards have gotten away with reaping profits, and they have no problem lobbying and distributing the money to any Washington lawmaker that get in their way. Washington lawmakers are getting this dirty money from these banks to keep their regulatory laws and their profits in tact so it will not affect the credit card industry if it becomes law in a few years. Durin! g George W. Bush's presidential terms, if anyone attempted to change any provision regarding the credit card regulatory laws, the changes were usually fizzled out and swept under the rug. The credit card industry was fine and there were more choices for the consumers and there was no reason to amend anything. There was no credit card reform in sight.

On the other hand, the United States has been in a recession and we have a new president and an administration in Washington, and they have made credit card reform one of their top priorities. The credit card industry is directly linked to consumer debt and as a result, the industry must be reformed. In May of 2009, the Credit CARD Act of 2009 was implemented. However, the bill's first provisions were not in effect until just recently. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “The Credit CARD Act - Is It Beneficial to You?“

Managing Money for Household needs

Dropping Incomes

Many people have been complaining over the past year that incomes are dropping. This is the truth for many people who already have jobs. Others who have faced job losses are living on unemployment benefits. There has been a drop in incomes, but not in expenses. It is a fact that expenses are rising all the time. The prices of food, utilities and consumables have shown a marked increase. Quickly developing cash management skills are the need, under these circumstances. The skills help in controlling household budgets and that, cannot be ignored. Here is something that will help you maintain a semblance of control over your budgets.

Prioritize Household Purchases

Every expense that you indulge in affects your household in some way. Expect your expenses to go long, if they are planned effectively. It must be considered that every dollar saved is a dollar earned. Planning of budgets should include basic goods and services. If you may have thought about any luxuries get rid of them. They can wait until they can be afforded. Leave out every commodity not important out of your shopping list. Your impulsive spending will have been reduced, releasing your budgets for debt repayments, by doing this.

Shop Around for Better Prices

Markets are also facing the same strain everyone else is. Store owners hope that more and more consumers will walk into their stores. Don't forget to look around before you start shopping, you will find discounts and offers at the drop of a hat. Have plenty of time by starting early in the day for leisurely shopping. You will see your budget cut itself down to size, when you find lower prices for things you intended to buy anyway.

Cut Down on Borrowing Money

Borrowing money increases your household expenses, because they must be paid. After making the payments on the scheduled date you will be left short of cash for the month, which affects your entire household budget. Eliminate loans from all sources, which includes those from credit cards as well. Buy everything with cash, because you will know exactly what you have spent. You will also avoid the extra charges you will face if you default on future payments.

Reduction of Transportation Costs

The average American household has two cars. While this may look impressive to others, the owners themselves may be burdened with the cost of gas and car payments. Suggestions that are offered to families to reduce the number of cars they have; it is just not practical. Cutting down on the use of these cars can certainly be looked at. Try keeping these costs under control, by using public transport or even signing up to use car pools. Needs dictate situations, therefore do not compromise them, use the cars. Let the cars get some rest while you conserve on some gas. You will soon get your budget down to the bare essentials. Your budget will be kept under control with this help. You can look towards a future that is free of debts.

Health Care Costs can be Lowered with Proper Nutrition

Paleolithic Times

In times before agriculture, humans had to go out and kill or pick their food from nature. We lived on the basic foods for millions of years, such as animal fat and protein, nuts, berries, and certain vegetables. Because of this, we thrive on this food. We were healthier and more active in those days. Payday loans or supermarkets were not needed to get food. It is false to assume that they died from modern diseases from their diets, as they were prey for larger animals. Once the many bone analyses were completed on the Paleolithic man, it was revealed that modern diseases did not exist back then.

The Current Age

Fast forwarding to today, we see many health issues and diseases that come from digesting foods that do not cooperate with our genetic makeup. Grains never were a part of the hunter gatherer diet. It is also known that they did not eat potatoes, beans or peanuts in this way of eating. However, these foods have become part of the modern diet since the beginning of agriculture. Many illnesses and diseases have sprung up as a result of these new foods.

Medical Care Costs

The expenses of health care in today’s world have skyrocketed beyond what any reasonable individual can pay without the help of payday loans. The loans cannot help, because the costs are still too high. A more dishonest event is happening behind the scenes beyond the costs. The more appropriate name for health care should be Sick Care. Patients are only there for the medical industry to suck out as much money from them as possible. They do not want to get the patient well, but instead, prescribe medicines and make money. Eating the hunter gatherer diet as our ancestors did will eliminate this issue.

Primal Diet

In what is affectionately known as the "Paleo Diet", the founders have outlined the basic foods our ancestors ate. Even though the particulars are disagreed on, the basic foods remain the same. It is okay to eat those fruits and veggies that are safe in their raw form. By following this thought, most vegetables, fruits and berries are included. Toxic elements from roots, grains, tubers and beans must be cooked out for a long time and should not be eaten. Cooked animal flesh is the way many people prefer it today, even though our ancestors ate it raw. Many people buy into the myth that saturated fat is bad, but it is actually very healthy. Evidence supporting this is found on Doctor Barry Groves's website, http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/cholesterol_myth_1.html and http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/animal_fat_breast_cancer.html.

You Can Conserve Money on Medical Care

Many people can save money on health care just by following what our ancestors ate many, many years ago. Health care payday loans can also be avoided. If you cut grains from your diet, you can avoid many modern diseases. Far be it from me to tell you what to eat. I should tell you, however, that my health is gradually improving and I am losing some weight by doing this. You will not look back to the old way of eating if you try eating as our paleo ancestors ate for a while.

Beating Credit Card Debt For Good - Part Two of Two

Worthwhile credit card debt recovery strategies

It's going to take some time, but it is definitely worthwhile.

In part one of this series on getting rid of credit card debt, we discussed both drastic and practical ways of approaching financial recovery. Now that you have considered those first steps, it is time to figure out what to do next in order to embrace debt-free living. The following suggestions are certainly not easy, but those who are now in full debt recovery will tell you that they are certainly worthwhile.

Get on the phone and discuss your credit card debt

Now that you’ve created a snapshot of your debt, go down your list and call each credit card company. If you are late on a payment to them, explain why and give them a date by which you can send a payment. Even if it is a small payment, be honest about when you can send it in and then do exactly that.

If you do not have frequent late payments or are not behind in your bill, and if your FICO score is decent, call each credit card company and try to negotiate a better interest rate than the one that you currently have. One way of doing this is to single out one of your cards with a more affordable rate and call the companies with higher rates to inform them that you are considering sticking primarily with the one with the lower rate. Or, another way of approaching this is to research companies offering better rates and tell the credit card companies with higher rates that you are considering changing to one of those cards because of the rate difference. If a lower rate is not immediately offered, don’t be afraid to ask them to lower it. ! The worst thing that can happen is that they can say no and, compared to the high interest rates that you’re paying, that shouldn’t be nearly as frightening. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Beating Credit Card Debt For Good - Part Two of Two“

Repayment of Debts With a Resolution

Not in Control of Debt Repayments

It is never easy to repay debt. People start out with huge New Year's resolutions to get their finances under control. Their resolutions go off track when the unexpected happens.

The main reasons for their finances to be thrown off balance are unscheduled events like car accidents, visits to a doctor, or an expensive medical treatment. One of the first casualties of such an event is the debt that exists. These unexpected expenses lead people to incur more debts forcing them to forget the resolutions made at the beginning of the year. With a little thinking, matters can be put back on track, though things may look impossible for the moment. How can you achieve this?

What is left to be Remembered

Debt repayment is not easy; however it is not impossible either. Some thought should be applied to the repayments of debts, if you have faced an unexpected expense and incurred a debt of $ 1000. Create a budget for the month by looking at your finances. Apart from the money you set aside for regular expenses, leave some aside for emergencies as well.

Some of the money that is left over should go towards repayment of the debt. Even a payment of $ 500 from the original amount will reduce your payment by half. The objective in this case is to reduce the overall outstanding debt. Interest fees can make these things worse if they are left alone, even though they may seem a lot to some.

Debt Repayments require Long Term Plans

Having a long term plan to meet debt repayments is wise. Look at your finances regularly and compare them with the repayment plans you have made. Every dollar paid towards the debt is a dollar less that you owe. This will mean that you have to reduce certain expenses and cut down spending money on items that are not essential.

This is the best way for you to stay out of debt. Do not lose sight over your long term repayment plans and your finances. You will retain control over your finances with this exercise.

Be Determined to get out of Debt

Regardless of what you are about to encounter, you must be strong-minded about getting out of debt on your own. If you give up, you will have more debts than you can handle. Do not stop walking the talk after you have made a promise that you will stick with your decision. Cutting down on unnecessary expenses will help. You may look frugal to your friends, but they do not understand your stress. Rather than look for a shoulder to cry on, walk the extra mile to repay your debts. This is the only way you can succeed.

Debt repayments can leave an everlasting impact on your life and this should be remembered. Circumstances that bring in difficult times will be seen, but that is life. Stay with your resolutions. You will find it different from your original thoughts.

Debit Cards offer quick cash access but at a price

The debit card option

For consumers with bad credit, getting quick cash access from debit cards is a priceless advantage. Credit lenders are stricter these days. After having faced the lending crash of the recession, many lenders are closing their doors to even moderate-level scorers. That leaves few options for people with bad credit and many turn to the debit card option for purchases. The debit card is useful because it has the "Visa" or "MasterCard" logo and ! is accepted by merchants who accept credit cards. Using a debit card also helps consumers manage a budget. By limiting purchases to the total in the funding account, consumers don't have to worry about going over limit or incurring fees. It's a great safeguard against more fees that can eat away at savings.

The downside of debit cards

There are some downsides to using debit cards, though. First of all, there are annual fees charged to consumers. An annual fee is normal, but some debit card providers charge more fees than others. There can be start-up fees that eat away at money. For example, the GoNow debit card offers the services of a bank account on a debit card, but charges $14.99 monthly and a $49.99 start-up fee. That means that if a consumer deposits $100 to the card, 65% of it is gone in the first month. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Debit Cards offer quick cash access but at a price“

Home Buying 101 – Buying a Condo

Buying a Condo

Homeownership certainly has a number of benefits, from the tax advantages to the equity you'll build in your property. That said, traditional family homes require maintenance that not everyone is prepared to cope with. If you aren't ready to spend weekends on yard work or home repairs, why not consider buying a condo?

The advantages of owning a condo

As a condo owner, your liability is limited to the interior of your unit – the structure of your building and all exterior spaces are owned communally by the home owners' association (HOA). This means that costs of repairs - like a new roof or siding - are shared by members of the association, instead of completely on you. While you'll still be required to pay for interior improvements and repairs, your overall costs will be much lower than with a standalone home.

Lower repair bills aren’t the only advantage. Your complex also might offer community facilities such as pools, gyms, or clubhouses onsite that you may use, possibly for free. Bills for heating and cooling may be lower than single family homes, as shared condo walls are more energy efficient. Finally, condo complexes offer a sense of community you won't find in your own home – if you're ever feeling lonely, your neighbors and friends are just a wall away.

What you need to be aware of with condo ownership

Of course, there are some downsides to condo ownership. Let's take a look at a few of them:

1. Fees for HOAs

Although you aren't responsible for many traditional homeowner tasks, you aren't off the hook altogether. Every month, you'll be required to pay a home owner association fee which goes towards the maintenance of common areas, on top of your mortgage and tax payments. The fee itself depends on the size of the association, and services they offer, but most often, monthly dues are in $ 100 to $ 400 range.

2. Rules and Regulations

When you buy a condo, you agree to abide by the rules and covenants set forth by the HOA. These may include such things as how you're allowed to decorate your home, how much noise you can make and whether or not you can rent out your condo in the future. Breaking these rules can result in penalties or fines, and a strict HOA board can make your life miserable if you aren't prepared to abide by them. Basically, if you need the freedom to choose your own paint scheme, think long and hard about buying a condo.

3. Resale Values

Traditionally, condos appreciate less in value than single family homes and often take longer on the market to sell. It isn’t always the case, as condos in popular neighborhoods sell quickly, but be prepared to wait a while before the sale can close. If potential resale values are a concern for you, you'll want to do your homework to determine whether a condo or a single family home makes more sense for you.

ING Direct Business Savings Reference Code: $100 Bonus

ING Direct has an business version of their popular online savings account, called Orange for Business. It has no minimum balance requirements and no maintenance fees, while currently paying 1.05% APY. As with their personal account, you’ll need to link this account with a business account under the same legal name.

You can also get a $100 bonus upon opening an account by using the Reference Code BSA298 on your online application. Expires 2/28/2010.

Read more about ING Direct Business Savings Reference Code: $100 Bonus…

Is Apple banning location-based ads in iPhone apps?

We know they’re a monopoly, but why abuse app community even more?

I find this convenient, so long as it isn't overdone.

Apple has not made many friends with its App Store acceptance policies. Viewed in turns as both arbitrary and petty in their efforts to protect what they view as their property rights, Apple has cracked down on many App Store developers who are looking to make money in this difficult economy. Rather than allowing the lot of them to profit with minimal restriction, Apple puts many talented programmers in a position where they wonder if payday loans wouldn’t be a better cash influx option.

Now they’re cracking down on location-based ads in App Store apps

According to ReadWriteWeb, iPhone app creators have been warned: “submit an app that uses user location data ‘primarily’ for targeting advertisements and that app will be sent right back to you to be changed.”

If programmers aren’t making a living through your App Store, where’s the money coming from?

And what constitutes “primarily,” Apple? I’m not even an iPhone developer, yet I can see that this is a bad sign for your future. Augmented reality, a feature that the iPhone 3GS provides in its brightest new apps, allows the user to be served product and business-based ads, coupons and more, based upon the iPhone user’s physical location. If a business is close, an Apple location-based ad will pop into your viewfinder. It is the future of advertising, yet it’s a game over which Apple appears to want complete control. No third-party players will be allowed. … click here to read the rest of the article titled “Is Apple banning location-based ads in iPhone apps?“