After marriage)

After marriage)
Many people and am not saying that all of us am just talking about Category of people that have
such feeling after marriage .felling that marriage is the end of every good thing no more
freedom and taking responsibility and they see that marriage is exactly like prison .
once they get married they forget his soul mate   his wife and start to act with her as
she were Prison guard so he became unhappy and am saying to these people if you just can change
these ideas. After(marriageyou shall become one flesh; sounds like partners,
you have now become united. so after (marriage) you are each other’s companions,
each others best friend, each others lover, and each other’s support,
 (After marriage  husband and a wife are joined together there is unity.
 Unity is a state of togetherness, wholeness, and completeness.
It’s a tandem working in harmony. A tandem is described as a group of two or more,
arranged one behind the other, or used or acting in conjunction.
 Marriage is two half   the wife is a half of the unity. Husbands,
 wives, are you seeing this? You are not to be acting separately toward your own personal goals;
 you are not singles any more after (marriage) both of you seeking to the benefit of the whole.
 You cannot operate together with singular intentions. This brings up the question,
 are you working together in your relationship? Honestly answering this may give you some
 insight into any dysfunctional areas of your (marriage).and if you get the ability to change
 your wrong insights about marriage you will live very happy life.

read more ....

Miami Heat-Boston Celtics series getting physical

BY JOSEPH GOODMAN
The physical nature of Game 1 between the Heat and Celtics on Sunday nearly got the best of Mario Chalmers.
Moments after a timeout in the second quarter, the Heat’s backup guard found himself in the middle of a scrum in front of the Celtics’ bench. Harsh words were exchanged. Delonte West was given the game’s first technical foul. Before things could escalate, LeBron James rushed over from the Heat’s bench and pulled Chalmers away.
If Game 1 was a primer for things to come, more dust-ups and physical confrontations are in store for a second-round NBA playoff series between two teams built upon a physical style of basketball.
With emotions teetering on a knife’s edge, poor judgment and lapses in concentration can make a significant difference — just ask Celtics forward Paul Pierce.
For the Heat, channeling its energy constructively will be a point of emphasis in Game 2 on Wednesday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
“We know it’s going to be words said and plays made that might not be basketball plays throughout the course of this series, which we know is going to happen, but we’ve got to understand that we’ve got to continue to play the game and not get caught up in the aftermath of everything,” James said.
James’ quick reactions during that timeout likely saved Chalmers a technical foul or worse. Pierce wasn’t so lucky. He lost his poise twice after two hard fouls by James Jones and Dwyane Wade, received technical fouls for retaliation both times and was ejected from the game.
On Monday, Pierce avoided suspension for Game 2 when the NBA announced no further punishment would be levied for his actions. He pushed his face into Jones’ face on one instance and was kicked out of the game after shouting profanity at Wade.
“It’s the playoffs — both teams are going to be chippy,” Wade said. “They took some hard fouls on us, we took some on them and that’s the nature of it.”
Forward Chris Bosh said he expects things to intensify as the series moves forward, especially when one of the teams is facing elimination.
Bosh scored seven points on Sunday but helped limit his counterpart, Kevin Garnett, to six points on 3-of-9 shooting.
“We don’t expect K.G. to have a game like he had last night but we also don’t expect C.B. to have a game like he had,” James said.
On Monday, a practice day for both teams, the Heat rested its starters and mostly focused on reviewing film of Game 1. Coach Erik Spoelstra said he would like to see less jump shots from his team but conceded that success or failure of the Heat’s midrange game would be an important factor in the series.
“Half-court execution was satisfactory at times but we still need to be more committed to executing our triggers and try to get more opportunities in the paint,” Spoelstra said. “It’s tough against a team like that.”
Wade, who led the Heat with 38 points Sunday, was 5 of 8 from midrange. After reviewing film, he said his open looks at the basket were a byproduct of the Celtics’ defensive focus on James.
Wade expects the Celtics to adjust their approach in Game 2.
The series’ overriding theme, physical basketball, will likely not change, though.
Both teams expected a physical series between Eastern Conference titans.
“We’re physical teams; we’re defensive-minded teams,” Spoelstra said. “We play a similar style of basketball and it’s the playoffs.”
On Monday, Wade made light of questions about the tough tone of Game 1.
It featured 40 fouls, including five individual technicals.
“I haven’t been in the second round in a long time but I’m assuming this is how it is, Wade said. “But maybe I’ve been out of the loop for a little while.”


Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/05/02/2197865/miami-heat-boston-celtics-series.html#ixzz1LFdHUQIt
read more ....

Kings Staying Put for Now, But Arena Is Key to Future

Sacramento will hold onto the Kings for one more season, but its chances of keeping them long term rest solely on the city’s ability to approve, finance and build a new arena — a goal the city has failed to meet many times in the last decade.
The Maloof family, which owns a controlling interest in the Kings, announced Monday that it would not apply for relocation, as it had been preparing to do. The Maloofs had negotiated a deal to move the Kings to Anaheim, where they would have shared the Honda Center with the Ducks.

“Out of respect to Kings fans and the regional business community, we have decided to remain in Sacramento for the 2011-12 season,” the family said in a statement.

The Maloofs’ announcement, which was greeted with relief and elation by Kings fans, came with a heavy caveat. If city and regional leaders cannot complete plans for a new arena “in a timely fashion,” then the team will move before the 2012-13 season, with the support of N.B.A. owners. The league’s relocation committee, a subset of other team owners, has signaled it will approve the relocation under those circumstances.

“I would tell you that the Maloofs will have a lot of support for wherever they choose to go,” Commissioner David Stern said in a conference call.

The Maloofs had until Monday to apply for relocation for the 2011-12 season.

Although Los Angeles is already home to the Lakers and the Clippers, Stern indicated that Anaheim — 30 miles away — was a viable home for a third franchise.

The decision to stay is a victory for Kings fans, who rallied support for the team over the last few months, and for Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former N.B.A. guard, who secured $10 million in sponsorships from local businesses to demonstrate the city’s commitment.

Johnson also made what Stern described as “a very good presentation” to N.B.A. owners last month, in which he laid out a plan for increased sponsorships, ticket sales and a regional effort to build a sports and entertainment complex.

The Kings play at Power Balance Pavilion, formerly known as Arco Arena, which was built in 1988. It is one of the league’s oldest buildings and lacks the level of luxury suites and other amenities that an N.B.A. team needs to remain competitive, especially in a small market.

By the team’s count, 11 proposals to build a new arena have failed over the last 11 years. Even as they announced their decision, the Maloofs expressed skepticism that something would get done by the March 1, 2012 deadline.

Stern sounded hopeful about the Kings staying in Sacramento at a new arena. But given the history, he said, “I think it would be fair for many of the people on this call to be skeptical about whether or not there will finally be a successful path.”

PLAYOFF RATINGS ARE UP Television viewership for the playoffs is up nearly a third from last season. First-round games on ABC, ESPN and TNT were watched by an average of 4.15 million people, up from fewer than 3.2 million last year. To this point of the playoffs, TNT has drawn the highest average rating ever for games on cable. ESPN’s first-round ratings were the highest since it began televising the playoffs in 2003, and ABC’s were the best since 2004. (AP)

PLAYER’S WIFE CHARGED Authorities said the estranged wife of Golden State guard Charlie Bell was charged with assaulting him with a box cutter at his home near Flint, Mich. Kenya Bell, Bell’s wife, faces charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and domestic violence. Bell sustained minor injuries. (AP)
source
read more ....

Libyan rebels deny al-Qaida involvement

BENGHAZI, Libya, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The Libyan opposition denied there is any involvement of al-Qaida terrorists in the Libyan rebel forces.

Commenting on the killing of leader of al-Qaida terrorist network Osama bin Laden, the opposition spokesman Abdelhafld Ghoga said "there is no al-Qaida in our ranks."

Libya has been witnessing nation-wide unrest for two months after the anti-government protests broke up in mid February, which demand the country's leader Muammar Gaddafi to end his 42 years rule.

The ground fighting between insurgents and the Libyan government troops has been in a stalemate for weeks, and the front- line is now between Brega and Ajdabiyah, about 100 km west to Benghazi.

Gaddafi has been accusing the insurgents as al-Qaida terrorists, warning the infiltration of the terrorist group could turn the northern African country as second Afghanistan.

The spokesman called for more intensified airstrikes from NATO to attack the Gaddafi troops which blockade the western city Misrata.

The heavy shelling and artillery bombardment in Misrata has made the humanitarian situation in the city worsening, the media reports said.

Meanwhile, Ghoga did not rule out the possibility of using chemical weapon by Gaddafi forces after the death of Gaddafi's second youngest son Saif al-Arab and his grandsons in NATO's air strike in Tripoli on April 30.
source
read more ....

Watch the 'Thor' premiere here, hosted by Isaiah Mustafa!

hor is bringing the hammer down tonight for the film’s red carpet premiere in Hollywood, and you can watch it live here on EW via Marvel.com, with host Isaiah “Old Spice Guy” Mustafa speaking with stars Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Kat Dennings, Rene Russo, Idris Elba, Clark Gregg, and director Kenneth Branagh, as well as Hemsworth’s brother Liam, and his future costar in The Avengers Jeremy Renner — who also appears in Thor in a quick cameo as Marvel hero Hawkeye.
So what will Mustafa be asking? “I tend to be more of an off-the-cuff type of person,” he tells EW, “rather than scripted questions…. I’m sure they’re going to have all kinds of fun stories for me.” So the famously buff Old Spice spokesman won’t be asking Hemsworth about his fitness regimen for the film? “He’s a big guy,” Mustafa laughs. “I’ve met him before. He has a brother also who’s just as big as he is. I think big dudeness just runs in their family.”
source
read more ....

Why Was Bin Laden Buried At Sea So Quickly?


After spending many years hunting down the world's most wanted man, why did the U.S. bury Osama bin Laden at sea within 24 hours of killing him?
The reason is bound up within Islamic practice and tradition. And that practice calls for the body of the deceased to be buried within 24 hours, according to a U.S. official, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters.
"We are ensuring that it is handled in accordance with Islamic practice and tradition," confirmed the official. "This is something that we take very seriously. And so therefore this is being handled in an appropriate manner."
But the lingering question is why at sea? The official said that finding a country willing to accept the remains of the world's most wanted terrorist would have been difficult, so the decision was made to bury bin Laden at sea. Furthermore, one suspects that the U.S. would not have wanted there to be a physical grave site for fear of it turning into a place of worship for bin Laden's followers. There are rumors, however, that the U.S. asked Saudi Arabia to take the body (bin Laden was born in Saudi) but they allegedly refused.
(More on TIME.com: See pictures of bin Laden)
It's also believed that DNA testing would have been carried out beforehand (though CNN is reporting that DNA matching is under way on samples from the slain terrorist leader) to verify that the body was that of bin Laden, as well as being proof against any conspiracy claims that could emanate to suggest that his death didn't take place. The exact location of the burial was not revealed. (via ABC)


Read more: http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/05/02/why-was-bin-laden-buried-at-sea-so-quickly/#ixzz1LDA4REum
read more ....

US forces kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan

US President Barack Obama

Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.
For over two decades, Bin Laden has been al-Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of Bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al-Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must - and we will - remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not - and never will be - at war with Islam.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

Canada receives the news of the death of Osama bin Laden with sober satisfaction. Sadly, others will take his place.

This does remind us why Canadian Armed Forces personnel have been deployed to Afghanistan. Through their operations there to cut off terror at its root, our men and women in uniform have made an enormous contribution to Canadian security at home and abroad.

Former US President George W Bush

This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.

Former US President Bill Clinton

This is a profoundly important moment not just for the families of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and in al-Qaeda's other attacks but for people all over the world who want to build a common future of peace, freedom, and co-operation for our children.

I congratulate the president, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama Bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaeda attacks.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg

After September 11, 2001, we gave our word as Americans that we would stop at nothing to capture or kill Osama Bin Laden. After the contribution of millions, including so many who made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, we have kept that word.

New Yorkers have waited nearly 10 years for this news. It is my hope that it will bring some closure and comfort to all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.

House Speaker John Boehner

This is great news for the security of the American people and a victory in our continued fight against al-Qaeda and radical extremism around the world.
source
read more ....

Real Madrid & Barcelona protests dismissed by Uefa

Uefa has rejected the complaints lodged by Real Madrid and Barcelona following their ill-tempered Champions League semi-final first leg at the Bernabeu.

Real claimed that their opponents were guilty of "unsportsmanlike behaviour", and Pepe should not have been sent off.

But Uefa ruled there was "no common strategy to provoke" by Barca, and upheld the decision to dismiss Pepe.

Barcelona's complaint about Real boss Jose Mourinho was rejected because he is already under investigation.

Both clubs, however, will face the charges brought against them by European football's governing body.

A Uefa statement read: "FC Barcelona have been referred to the proceedings already brought against Mr Mourinho, which will be heard by the control and disciplinary body on Friday 6 May.

"No new disciplinary proceedings are therefore to be opened against Jose Mourinho on the basis of the complaint lodged by Barcelona."

The row between the two Spanish clubs flared following a fiery encounter which was won 2-0 by visitors Barcelona. The second leg takes places at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.

Both clubs hwere charged charged by the governing body over incidents that occurred during the match.

After the game, which Barca won 2-0, Real coach Jose Mourinho suggested the Catalan club is favourably treated by referees.

Real responded by claiming Barca tried to mislead the referee by play acting, leading to both clubs complaining to Uefa.

The decision to reject their complaints were taken by the vice-chairman of Uefa's disciplinary panel and can be appealed against within three days if the clubs wish to do so.
source
read more ....

Opinion: Bin Laden may be dead, but his ideology lives on

(CNN) -- What role did Pakistan play in the operation against Osama bin Laden?
I would be surprised if Pakistan played a significant role in the operation to apprehend and kill Osama bin Laden, based on the fact that the drone strikes that the U.S. conduct in the tribal areas are done covertly, the authorities in Pakistan are not informed until the very last minute, because of the fear of information leaks.
An operation of this scale in the central urban heartland of Pakistan would mean that information would be kept on a need-to-know basis. Only a few people within the CIA would have known about this operation, it would definitely not have gone out to another country's intelligence agency, especially when there's so little trust with the ISI [Inter-Services Intelligence, the Pakistani intelligence service].
There has been a deterioration in relations at a strategic level -- the ISI leaked out the name of the CIA station chief in Islamabad, and a person working out of the U.S. embassy was detained by the Pakistani authorities, allegedly working for the CIA.
The fact that the U.S. has been conducting drone strikes is an illustration of the fact that there has been little cooperation -- if not none -- with the Pakistani authorities.
We've seen the evolution of relations between Pakistan and America go from 'frenemies' to outright enemies.
Historically, have the U.S. and Pakistan had good ties?
The relationship has always been problematic, flawed, lacking trust. It goes back to during the time of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan: The U.S. and the West turned to Pakistan to provide and assist the Mujahideen in removing the Soviets from Afghanistan.
There was a strategic relationship, but following the Soviets leaving Afghanistan, that relationship went into suspension.
It was only restarted following 9/11: The Bush Administration turned to General Pervez Musharraf, the military ruler of Pakistan, who at that time had become a social pariah.
He was asked to round up the leadership of al Qaeda, of the Taliban, to prevent them from creating an infrastructure inside Pakistan. In return Pakistan would be rewarded with generous aid from the United States and other countries.
Musharraf was very skilled at saying all the right things, but doing virtually nothing, and that scenario continued, from 9/11, right up to the end of Musharraf's tenure as ruler of Pakistan in 2007.
It took a long time but the U.S. finally began to realise that the promises the Pakistanis were making were empty promises: Nothing of real tangible significance was achieved. Information that was being shared ended up being passed on to al Qaeda, and counterterrorism operations were therefore flawed.
The Obama Administration disagreed with the Bush Administration on issues like Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, but the one issue they absolutely built upon was on the drone strikes policy, because if they couldn't deal with al Qaeda on the ground, they would try to tackle them from the skies. Drone strikes were increased substantially under the Obama Administration, because there was this lack of trust.
The perception was that the U.S. would support Pakistan publicly while pressurising them privately. Over time we've seen the public support wane. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Pakistan last year, made it clear that she could not believe that the authorities in Pakistan did not know where bin Laden was.
What has the reaction been in the region to news of bin Laden's death?
Keep in mind the fact that there are protests when drone strikes take place in the tribal areas. This operation to take out Osama bin Laden was in the urban heartland of Punjab. This is the core of where the military establishment is from, so there is going to be a falling out.
Publicly, the Pakistanis will try to make out that they were aware of the operation, and that they played a role in it. Privately, they will be seething that this was done on their territory.
And there will be protests. The radicals and the extremists inside Pakistan --whose infrastructure has not been dismantled, as Musharraf had promised -- they will organize mass protests. There will be propaganda by the radicals and the extremists to try and exploit the situation.
U.S. interests, U.S. personnel, U.S. embassies and consulates will have to take extra precautions.
If bin Laden's death is of symbolic seismic significance, then the fallout in Pakistan will be equally matched.
There is always a reaction. But keep in mind that the reaction may not come from al Qaeda -- it may come from an affiliate, from the groups that have emerged or are emerging from al Qaeda's shadows: Lashkar-e-Toiba, the Pakistani Taliban, al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
These groups have the infrastructure, the resources, the personnel and the desire to plot and plan mass casualty attacks, and they may be in a better position than bin Laden's al Qaeda to carry out a reprisal attack.
Will Osama bin Laden's death have a wider impact?
Al Qaeda central is not the group it once was: the drone strikes have been confining their operational space, one by one the leadership has been picked off, they don't have the ability to train people from the West as they once could.
Their resources are depleted, they are not able to replenish their ranks, so Al Qaeda central may not be able to cause a significant reaction, but other groups are potentially in a better position to do it.
There will be problems that will emerge from this -- the worry is that we don't know potentially what they could be, or when.
The silence is going to be the greatest fear, because it's not necessarily that these groups would want to carry out attacks regionally or globally imminently. They may wait, they may bide their time. We're talking about weeks, months.
Al Qaeda's affiliates have always had very long term thinking -- it's not about today or tomorrow, it's about next year.
They won't necessarily want to carry out something that will fail and humiliate the group further.
We also have to bear in mind that bin Laden has been killed, but his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri is still at large. He has very much taken on the mantle of issuing al Qaeda's messages: Audio, video, through the internet; and his protégé, Abu Yahya al-Libi is also out there.
They will certainly be issuing a message at some point, trying to create a rallying call for vengeance, to inspire their adherents and followers to take up arms.
Bin Laden may be dead, but his ideology still lives, and the message will continue to indoctrinate young, impressionable minds across the world.
source
read more ....

Americans Put on Alert Amid Warnings of Al Qaeda Retaliation

As Americans celebrated the news that Usama bin Laden had been killed following a decade-long international manhunt, they also faced renewed warnings that Al Qaeda and its affiliates may seek to exact revenge for the killing of their longtime leader.
U.S. officials, while congratulating the CIA-led SEALs team that took down bin Laden, sent out a wave of alerts overnight about the possibility of retaliation.
"They want to avenge this," Rep. Peter King, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told Fox News.
Authorities have sent a notice to diplomatic personnel around the world telling them U.S. "diplomatic facilities" are now on "high alert" after bin Laden's death. The notice described the security situation as "severe," though it noted "no specific security threats have been identified."
The New York and Los Angeles police departments have both issued alerts to officers in the field, telling them to be particularly vigilant in light of bin Laden's death.

source

read more ....

Following bin Laden’s death, al-Qaeda affiliates poised to produce new leaders

NAIROBI — With the death of Osama bin Laden, a constellation of al-Qaeda franchises stretching from Africa to the Middle East, and linked by ideology and allegiance to his core values and tactics, are poised to produce their next generation of leaders and operatives, according to terrorism experts.

Yemen, in particular, is likely to become a prominent refuge and operational arena for al-Qaeda loyalists, possibly creating an even bigger challenge for the Obama administration, they said. The poor and unstable Middle Eastern nation is home to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, known as AQAP, which has tried to attack the United States twice since 2009.
“Bin Laden leaves behind a number of groups that have been deeply influenced by him. He has built a movement that will outlast him,” said Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore. “Yemen will become an even more significant theatre than Afghanistan and Pakistan in the coming months and years.”

But Yemen will not be the only area of concern for the United States and its allies.

In Somalia, al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab is seeking to overthrow the struggling American-backed transitional government and turn the region into a Taliban-like Islamic emirate.

In North and West Africa, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has murdered westerners and staged suicide bombings. Kidnappings for ransom are growing, infusing large sums of cash into the group’s coffers. The group is believed to have perpetrated last week’s bombing of a popular cafe in Marrakesh that killed 16, mostly foreigners.

Bin Laden’s death arrives as Yemen is facing its biggest political crisis in more than three decades. President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a vital American ally in counterterrorism, is clinging to power as momentum builds on the streets and in Arab capitals for his ouster, inspired by the populist rebellions that have gripped the region. Saleh has agreed to step down within 30 days after a formal agreement is signed that grants him and his family immunity, but so far the talks have been bogged down by mistrust and disagreement over core demands in the deal.

U.S. officials are deeply concerned about a post-Saleh government. His sons and nephews control crucial security agencies, including American-trained counterterrorism units. For weeks now, those units have remained inside their barracks, as key military officials have defected to the opposition and divided the security forces.

AQAP militants have reportedly taken over areas in the south, deepening their presence especially in Shabwa and Abyan provinces. And Houthi rebels seized Saada province in the north, further weakening the central government. Even before the political turmoil, Yemen had grappled for years with the northern rebels and a secessionist movement in the south, and diminishing oil and water reserves. Meanwhile, rising food prices and a sinking Yemeni rial are exacerbating tensions.

Such instability probably will allow AQAP to bolster its presence, observers say. Earlier this year, Michael Leiter, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, described the affiliate as posing “the most significant risk to the U.S. homeland.” On Christmas Day, 2009, the group dispatched a Nigerian man to try to blow up an American airliner headed to Detroit; last year, it tried to blow up Chicago-bound cargo jets with printer cartridges filled with explosives.

AQAP and other franchises, say terrorism experts, were part of a grand plan by bin Laden to enlarge al-Qaeda’s reach and leave a self-sustaining legacy. Such affiliates received little, if any, financial and material support from al-Qaeda’s central command in Afghanistan and Pakistan — or any directives. They operated independently, conducting their own fundraising, recruitment and strategizing. Often, bin Laden and his associates would step in to offer rhetorical and theological encouragement

“Bin Laden’s biggest achievement was his ability to work with different leaders and disparate groups,” Gunaratna said. “He was more like a politician when it comes to collaborating with other groups. In doing so, bin Laden was able to replicate core Qaeda tactics and operations in other theaters, so that many new al-Qaedas emerged.”
source
read more ....

Notre Dame's Skylar Diggins gains perspective

All good things must come to an end.

I would like to take the time to say that I am truly proud of my team and what we were able to accomplish this year by playing in the national championship. We had a great run in the tournament.
Those girls around me really pushed me and challenged me to be the best that I could be, and never let up. Never in my life have I invested so much into one team and one goal than I did this season. Our seniors will truly be missed.

For a student-athlete, the end of the season can be bittersweet. Saying goodbye to seniors could be hard. On the other hand, fatigued bodies are allowed to rest for a while. Also, more attention and focus is allowed for the "student" part of student-athlete.

Now is the time to catch up with work that was missed due to relentless schedules and travels. Regardless, postseason is never "easy" in any sense of the word.

With the end of the season comes the beginning of the offseason. This is when you take the time to prepare yourself mentally and physically for the next season. Strength and conditioning, individual workouts and meetings with coaches are just some of the things that will be taking place over the next couple of months.

This is the point in time where you work on the things that will help you better your team.

I must say I am really inspired and motivated to get back on the court and start working out again. It might sound somewhat corny, but not seeing the faces of my teammates, with whom I've spent days at a time, is starting to feel awkward. I have faith that every member of our program will do his or her part in being prepared for every challenge that is thrown our way next season.

Like I've said before, life is all about growth. I've had the chance to be a part of something great this season. Now, I finally get a chance to look back and reflect on this experience that was my sophomore year.

It was an amazing ride and I am proud to say that I've learned a lot. I hope that my stories were able to give insight on the life of a student-athlete, particularly from a woman's perspective. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts.
http://espn.go.com/espnw/blog/_/post/6307886/notre-dame-fight-irish-skylar-diggins-gains-perspective
read more ....

Home Equity Loan: What You Need to Know

The idea of getting a home equity loan while interest rates are low to help you pay off your bills, buy a car, or even pay for your child's education may seem like a great idea. However, you should educate yourself first so you know exactly what a home equity loan is and if it is really right for you.

The basic idea of a home equity loan is that you can borrow against the current equity in your home, so the more equity you have the larger home equity loan you can receive. In essence, to receive a home equity loan you are using your home as collateral, or the basis, for the home equity loan. If you do not pay the home equity loan back, then your home is at stake and may be foreclosed upon. This is sobering news many people are not aware of, so getting a home equity loan requires some thought and the ability to repay the home equity loan as well.

However, you might be reading this and actually interested in a home equity loan, but have no idea what equity is or if you have any. Equity is how much of your home you have paid for. So, you take the home's current value and subtract it from the amount you still owe, and that is how much equity you have in your home and what will ultimately be used to approve or deny your home equity loan application. For example, your home is currently worth $400,000 and you have $280,000 left to pay on your mortgage. Your current equity is $120,000.

You will need to know all of this information before you apply for a home equity loan to know if you have enough equity to even apply for a home equity loan. Plus, the more you know about applying for and negotiating rates for a home equity loan the better deal you will receive. Remember, knowledge is power and the more home equity loan knowledge you have the more powerful you will be able to negotiate.
Source: Free Articles
read more ....

Important Things to Remember When Applying for a Home Loan Modification

If you are having difficulties in paying your monthly mortgage obligations, then a home loan modification program is the right one for you. A lot of people today are relying on home loans in order to buy their homes, but due to several economic circumstances, a lot of people are having problems with paying off their mortgage. Most of them are even in the brink of losing their property.

Fortunately, there are a lot of methods that will allow you to fix your mortgage and one of this is home loan modification. This method is rapidly becoming popular because it offers a lot of benefits that will help you clear off your mortgage or make the payment terms easier for you. Everyone can apply for a home loan modification program, but you should understand that there are certain rules that are considered before your application is approved.

Your debt to income ratio is one of the most important factors that should be considered when modifying your mortgage. Your monthly payment should not be lower than your debt to income ratio or the 31% of your gross monthly income. You should also provide all the information regarding the sources of your income, because this will determine the outcome of the new mortgage terms.

If you are having problems when applying for a home loan modification program, I would suggest that you seek professional help. There are a lot of companies who are offering their services which will help people like you to fix their finances. You can find several companies by searching the Internet. You can also ask them for free online quotes that will help you determine whether you are eligible for a home loan modification or not.

You can also approach a home loan attorney if you want to clear off your debt. They will be asking you a few questions regarding your financial status, and they will be giving you suggestions after a few days. You should also take note that the whole process of applying for a home loan modification can take up to 30-90 days, and during this period, you need to pay your monthly bills properly in order to increase your chances of getting the modification program.
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_15858.shtml
read more ....

Ways to Show Appreciation to Your Teacher From Small Cash Loans

by: E.A. Hammer

Teachers serve as second parents when we are in school. They do so much to hone us to become better citizens someday. It is never easy what they do. If you plan on showing your appreciation to your teacher, there are so many ways you can do it. But if you fear you might be short on money, there are small cash loans to rely on. If you do not have a job yet, you can always ask your parents to get instant cash loans for you so long as you pay them back.

Gift certificate. Even teachers love to shop so treat them to their favorite stores. Buy them a gift card and allow them to shop using your gift.

The gift card can be for their favorite sports shop, arts and craft shop, boutique, and more. Additionally, you can also present them with gift cards to their favorite restaurant.

Homemade pastries. If you know a great recipe for cupcakes or cookies, bake some at home. Next, place them in a beautiful pastry box or jar. Tie a ribbon around it, add a little thank you note, and leave it at the teacher’s desk. He will be glad to see your little surprise but most of all, he will be touched by your effort to bake.

Scrapbook or photo album. If your teacher is also your mentor in other areas like drama club or Science club, you can put together an album, which shows all your fun memories together. Pick pictures that hold good memories for all of you. Also, have the entire class sign on the scrapbook or album, too.

Personalized items. If you want to give a personalized t-shirt, have it printed with cool phrases that refers to your teacher. For instance, you can write ‘world’s coolest teacher’ or ‘the best teacher ever’.

Think of any witty remarks to put on the shirt and not only will this be funny but ego-boosting to your teacher as well.

Books. Teachers would appreciate a book. You can give him a book by your favorite author. You can also give him some limited edition books if your small cash loans allow it. Write a message on the first page of the book to so he will always remember it came from you.

You do not have to spend lots of money just to show your appreciation to your teacher. Often, just a simple gift from small cash loans is enough. It is never how big of instant cash loans you spend but how special your gift is in terms of sincerity.
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/family/article_4187.shtml
read more ....

Personal Loans - Easiest and Fastest Way Of Obtaining Loans

A loan which is granted to the borrower without using collateral is called a personal loan. Here the individuals promise to pay and his credit worthiness plays an important role rather than the pledged asset. It is the loan that is given for personal use and establishes consumer credit. It is generally unsecured in nature and is based on the borrower's ability to pay. The types of personal loans granted are based on the needs of the borrower's, the purpose of the loan, the amount of money needed and time of repayment. Some of these loans are also secured by some kind of collateral security which may include a car or a house or jewelery only if the individual defaults in payment.
Secured loans are loans in which a borrower pledges some assets as collateral security making it a secured debt. In case the borrower defaults in payments the creditor has every right to take possession of the asset pledged as collateral security. By granting loans through security the creditor is relieved from major financial risks as he is allowed to take possession of the asset pledged. The creditor has the choice of granting loans with attractive interest rates and also repayment periods.
To help students pay for their higher education, university fees, books, tuition fees and other miscellaneous expenses a student's loan has been designed. This loan differs from other types of loans mainly because of the lower interest rates and easier repayment terms. Repayment on the principal amount and interest is deferred till the student is out of School. The option of extension of loan is offered by the lender which includes extended payment period.
Unsecured loans are those loans which are granted by the lender to the borrower only on the latter's creditworthiness and not on any collateral security. Here the lender must have full knowledge about the borrower's credit rating as he is under enormous financial risk. In the case of bankruptcy of the borrower, the unsecured creditors have no claim over the assets of the bankrupt borrower.
Many business enterprises obtain a loan from banks for their growth and expansion. Such loans are termed as business loans. These bank loans are used by many businesses to finance and expand their operations. These loans help business firms increase production without investing their own capital and potentially gain profits. Obtaining such loans helps business firms in increasing their stability and earns goodwill which increases the credit rating of the firms.
Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/personal-loans-easiest-and-fastest-way-of-obtaining-loans-4347886.html
read more ....

Payday Loans - Sanctioned Promptly With No Lengthy Procedures

A small, short-term loan proposed to cover an individual's expenditure until his next pay is termed as a payday loan. These loans assure a safety net when individuals suffer a financial crunch and help them meet their emergency requirements. These loans have the advantage of being easily applied and are also known to have a simple and quick procedure. This helps in saving the time of both, the lender and the borrower. These payday loans are also known to be sanctioned promptly with no lengthy procedures.
All pending loans are paid off through consolidated loans. These loans are secured loans and hence require some sort of an asset like a house or a car to be pledged as collateral security. The striking feature of this type of loan is the low interest rate which makes individuals worry less as he is required to pay off only one debt at a time. These loans are also used to pay off credit card debts.
Loans that are issued to finance construction projects are termed as construction loans. These are short term loans which are financed by the mortgage on the property being financed. These loans are repaid with the help of the cash generated by the property completed. The defining feature of such a loan is that the principal amount borrowed needs to be repaid once the construction is completed and the interest charged is paid during the construction process.
A loan that pays off two or more loans is termed as a debt consolidation loan. The striking feature of this loan is the lower interest rates along with longer repayment period. These loans have an advantage of tax benefits. Individuals are allowed to gain tan benefits from the interest of the loan. This process is often used for student's loan. If an individual wishes to increase is credit availability, then these loans are a good move.
Loans that are obtained by the borrower from the lender purely on his creditworthiness and goodwill and not on any collateral security are called unsecured loans. Due to the high involvement of financial risk the lender must have full information regarding the credit rating of the borrower and also have full knowledge regarding his previous loan repayments. In an unfortunate case of bankruptcy the creditors have no claim what-so-ever over the assets of the borrower. Therefore, a full scrutiny of the borrower must be to ensure his credit worth.
Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/payday-loans-sanctioned-promptly-with-no-lengthy-procedures-4297647.html
read more ....

Tips for Getting Your Home Loan Approved

Home Loan Tip #1 Pay Your Bills
It is very important that you always pay your bills on time and never miss a payment. When you have this type of history paying bills your mortgage lender will believe you will be just as responsible with your home loan. If you want to be approved for a home loan, be sure you are current on all your payments and have been making them regularly for some time before you apply for a home loan.

Home Loan Tip #2 Employment History
In general, when an individual has been employed in the same job for at least two years, or at least the same type of job for that amount of time, a home loan approval is more likely. So, if you have been in your same job for a year and a half and are considering quitting or changing jobs, but are also looking at buying a house, wait until your home loan is approved before you make any changes. Once you have your home loan, you can make any changes.

Home Loan Tip #3 Pay Debt Down
Your debt to income ratio is considered when you apply for a home loan. If you really want to be approved for a home loan then you need to make sure you pay off as many debts as possible in order to look favorable to the home loan lenders. A home loan is approved for individuals who have a low debt to income ratio.

Home Loan Tip #4 Savings
Before applying for a home loan, make sure you have saved at least 20% of the down payment and also have enough money to cover several months of your home loan payment. When you have enough money in savings to cover you if you experience financial difficulty one month or even two or three then the lender will be more likely to approve your home loan.
Source: Free Articles
read more ....

WWE Friday Night SmackDown April 8, 2011 Results

Five nights after a historic and unforgettable WrestleMania, the 607th edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown came to you from the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC. After their loss at WrestleMania and their failed attack on The Rock and John Cena on RAW, The Corre would be looking to get back on track as Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, and WWE Tag Team Champions Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel would face “The Big Red Machine” Kane, “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show, former WWE Tag Team Champion Santino Marella, and former Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston in a unique WrestleMania rematch as these two teams would face off in the first ever 2-out-of-3 Falls 8-Man Tag Match!
Match Results
2-out-of-3 Falls 8-Man Tag Match: Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella, & Kofi Kingston def. The Corre with a score of 2-1.
Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella, & Kofi Kingston def. The Corre by Kofi Kingston pinning Justin Gabriel with a high cross body.
The Corre def. Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella, & Kofi Kingston by Wade Barrett pinning Santino Marella following Wasteland.
Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella, & Kofi Kingston def. The Corre by DQ after all four members of The Corre attack Kane.
Cody Rhodes def. Trent Barreta by pin following Cross Rhodes.
Beth Phoenix & Kelly Kelly def. LayCool by Kelly Kelly rolling up Layla.
#1 Contender’s Match for the World Heavyweight Title: Alberto Del Rio (with Brodus Clay) def. Christian (with Edge) by pin following the enziguiri to become the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title at WWE Extreme Rules.
Detailed Results
Five nights after, not only failing to win the World Heavyweight Title from Edge, but having his $100,000 Rolls Royce destroyed by Edge & Christian, SmackDown kicks off with “The Mexican Elitist” Alberto Del Rio and his entourage of his personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez, and his protégé, Brodus Clay! Del Rio states that his “destiny was delayed” at WrestleMania, thanks to Edge and the “coward”, Christian, who “destroyed” his “WrestleMania moment” and also “destroyed” his $120,000 Rolls Royce! Del Rio states that his cars are like his “children”, but he is going to make Edge & Christian “pay”, but before Del Rio can continue, “The Mexican Elitist” is interrupted by the World Heavyweight Champion, Edge, who comes out on the back of a tow truck with Del Rio’s destroyed Rolls Royce on the back! Edge states that, when he saw Del Rio crying over his totaled car at WrestleMania, he assumed it was because Del Rio is a “greedy, arrogant, narcissistic moron who puts material things over everything else in his life”, but when Del Rio said that his car is like his “child”, he “reassessed” his thoughts and that, like a “child”, the car needs some “tender love and care”! Edge would then proceed to spray paint the hood of the car in yellow!
Alberto Del Rio would state that he was very close to making Edge “tap out” at WrestleMania, but Edge interrupts and tells Del Rio that he did not get the “job done” and that is why Del Rio is “whining and crying” in the ring while he is still the World Heavyweight Champion! Del Rio then demands a rematch for the World Heavyweight Title, but Edge denies the request, citing that Del Rio can not “change” his “destiny” and Del Rio “lost”! Edge continues that there are many contenders who deserve it more than Del Rio before the driver of the tow truck is revealed to be Christian as Edge reminds Del Rio that Christian has beaten Del Rio twice before telling Del Rio that, if he wants a “fight”, then they will give him one! As Edge & Christian walk to the ring, they are halted by the General Manager of SmackDown, Theodore Long, who announces that, on SmackDown, Christian will go one-on-one with Alberto Del Rio with the winner challenging Edge for the World Heavyweight Title at WWE Extreme Rules in Edge’s specialty, a Ladder Match! Who will become the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title at WWE Extreme Rules? Will Alberto Del Rio get his WrestleMania rematch or will we see two Ladder Match veterans square off for the World Heavyweight Title?
In a WrestleMania rematch demanded by The Corre, the opening match of the night would see The Corre trying to redeem themselves from their loss at WrestleMania and their failed attack on The Rock and John Cena on RAW as Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett, Ezekiel Jackson, and WWE Tag Team Champions Heath Slater & Justin Gabriel would face “The Big Red Machine” Kane, “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show, former WWE Tag Team Champion Santino Marella, and former Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston in the first ever 2-out-of-3 Falls 8-Man Tag Match! The first fall of the match would see Kofi Kingston diving off of the top rope with a high cross body on Justin Gabriel en route to pinning the WWE Tag Team Champion to put the team of Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella, & Kofi Kingston up one fall to zero! The second fall of the match would see Corre member Wade Barrett hit the Wasteland on Santino Marella to even up the score at one to one between the two teams! In the end, it was a complete breakdown of the match as all four members of The Corre entered the ring and attacked Kane, forcing the referee to end the match via disqualification! After the match, Big Show and Kofi Kingston would come to the aid of Kane as Kofi Kingston would hit Trouble In Paradise on Wade Barrett before Kane would hit the chokeslam on Heath Slater and Big Show would blast Justin Gabriel with the Knockout Punch! All four men would then turn their attention to the monster of The Corre, Ezekiel Jackson, as Kane, Big Show, and Santino Marella would deliver a three-man chokeslam to “Big Zeke”, leaving Kane, Big Show, Santino Marella, & Kofi Kingston all standing tall in the ring! How will The Corre respond to their second 8-Man Tag loss in a week, as well as the post-match beat down?
Five nights after his controversial win over Rey Mysterio where he used Rey’s own knee brace to allow him to pick up the win, Cody Rhodes would be in action on SmackDown as Rhodes would go one-on-one with “The Dude Buster” Trent Barreta! In the end, it was Cody Rhodes hitting the Cross Rhodes on Trent Barreta en route to picking up the win! After the match, Cody Rhodes would deal out more punishment to Trent Barreta as Rhodes would repeatedly strike Barreta with headbutts to Barreta using the protective face mask, but Rey Mysterio would rush out and attack Rhodes as Rhodes would narrowly escape! How will Cody Rhodes respond to Rey Mysterio’s involvement?
Five nights after they were part of the losing team in a 6-Person Mixed Tag Match against Snooki, Trish Stratus, & John Morrison at WrestleMania, LayCool would be looking to rebound as Layla & Michelle McCool would face Kelly Kelly & “The Glamazon” Beth Phoenix in Divas tag action! During the match, Michelle McCool would be sent into the ropes, inadvertently knocking Layla to the floor in the process and, when McCool went for the tag, Layla was still recovering on the floor, leading to a confrontation between Layla and McCool as McCool would shove Layla before getting back on the apron! A little later on in the match, Layla would try to tag Michelle McCool, but McCool would have a sudden and apparent back injury as McCool would tell Layla that her “back hurts”! The distraction would allow Kelly Kelly to roll Layla up en route to picking up the win for her team! Can Layla & Michelle McCool continue on as a team or is LayCool done for?
Five nights after the anonymous General Manager of RAW ruled him the winner of his WrestleMania match against Jerry “The King” Lawler and four nights after he squirted barbecue sauce all over Hall of Famer Jim Ross on RAW, commentator Michael Cole would proclaim “who shot J.R.?” before the confident commentator would introduce his trainer and a Superstar who cares only about his “personal well-being”, Jack Swagger! Swagger states that there is “plenty of Team Cole to go around” before stating that it was “easy” to prepare Michael Cole for his WrestleMania match as you start with “superior intelligence” and “mix it with insatiable desire” and, on top of all that, a “man with gifted ability from head to toe”! Swagger continues that only Michael Cole can have his first match at WrestleMania, “earn a dominating victory”, and become the “new Mr. WrestleMania” before telling the fans to “applaud” Cole! Cole then praises Jack Swagger and states that, in a “fair fight”, there is “no one” who can defeat Jack Swagger! Cole and Swagger would then do their “victory lap” before they are interrupted by the shocking appearance of the worldwide high-flying sensation, Sin Cara!
After targeting United States Champion Sheamus on RAW, the mysterious Sin Cara would make a surprise appearance on SmackDown as Cara would target Jack Swagger as the high flyer would hit a springboard elbow on Swagger before sending Swagger to the outside where Sin Cara would take flight, taking Swagger down with a corkscrew cross body! Where will Sin Cara appear next and who will Sin Cara target next?
Then it was time for the main event as, five nights after failing to win the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania, Alberto Del Rio would be looking to earn his rematch as “The Mexican Elitist”, with Brodus Clay and Ricardo Rodriguez in his corner, would go one-on-one with “Captain Charisma” Christian with the winner challenging Edge in a Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Title in four weeks at WWE Extreme Rules with World Heavyweight Champion Edge a guest on commentary! During the match, Brodus Clay would temporarily distract Christian, but Edge would get up from his seat to deliver the Spear to Clay, but the distraction would be enough for Alberto Del Rio to catch Christian with an enziguiri on Christian, knocking Christian off of the top rope en route to pinning Christian to pick up the win and become the #1 Contender for the World Heavyweight Title at WWE Extreme Rules where Del Rio will challenge Edge for the gold in Edge’s specialty, a Ladder Match! Can Alberto Del Rio fulfill his “destiny” at WWE Extreme Rules by becoming the World Heavyweight Champion or will Edge’s prowess in Ladder Matches trump “destiny” and keep the title with Edge?
http://www.wrestling101.com/home/2011/04/wwe-smackdown-4-8-11-results/
read more ....

The Benefits of the 15 Year Loan


Recently people have been interested in a lot of the more exotic loan programs from no interest loans to negativeamortization. There has been some negatives associated with these loans with the changes in the mortgage industry. So I wanted to take some time to talk about the almost forgotten 15 year loan. Some people see the 15 year loan as drab and boring compared to all the fancy loans out there, but there are a lot of benefits of the 15 year fixed-rate loan.

For one, you pay the loan off in half the amount of time you would with a 30 year loan. So if someone is currently 30 years old, they would pay off the loanwhen they are 45 instead of 60. Because it takes half the time, people frequently think that the payment on a 15 year loan is twice as much as on a 30 year loan, but this is far from the case. For instance, if we look at Compass Bank today a 30 year $160,000 loan will have a monthly payment of $1037.75. On the other hand, a 15 year loan is $1382.80 a month.

This shorter loan life translates to paying significantly less interest over the life of the loan. To figure out the interest, we take the total payments per year over the life of the loan and subtract the original amount of the loan which is 160k. So for the 30 year loan we use the formula ($1037.75 * 12 * 30yr) - $160,000 = $213,590. So you are pay a total of $213,590 in interest over the 30 years. On the other hand, for a 15 year loan using the same formula ($1382.80 * 12 * 15yr) - $160,000 = $88,904, you end up paying only $88,904 in interest, which is a 59 for a 15 year and 6.75% for a 30 year.

Are there any downsides to a 15 year loan? The biggest is probably inflation. If we went through a period of rapid inflation then for the last 15 years of the loan the payments would effectively be less because of inflation.

I am not saying everyone should get a 15 year loan. Frequently, people cannot spare the extra money per month and need to put that money into getting a larger house because of children or other needs. And I would never expect a 15 year loan to be the most prevalent mortgage used. But before picking a mortgage, it's probably a wise move to consider the 15 year mortgage and weight out its advantages.
Source: Free Articles
read more ....

Assessing the difficulty of getting an auto loan

by: Rachel anthony
Borrowers who go for auto loans have to face many difficulties and these difficulties arise primarily because most of these borrowers are already running low of cash for many years in succession. Quite significantly, the cash problem keeps growing and with all the mismanagement in their bank accounts and credit score, lenders often find it difficult to offer them auto financing. Banks and traditional financial institutions do not consider such borrowers as their prospective customers, and the private lenders on the other hand charge high interest rates. Therefore, the only significant fact that makes auto financing difficult for a borrower is finance itself and nothing more or nothing less. Banks and traditional financial institutions will be ready to offer auto finance loans to the borrowers who have impressive credit score and good monthly income. And for quite natural reasons, they consider such high credit score borrowers as good investors over the long run. Even those borrowers who have bad credit history can go for auto financing through traditional banks if they place any collateral against the loan. This will obviously give security to the bank and the traditional financial institution.

Most of the auto finance borrowers are hardly aware of their credit situation; as a result, they get hackneyed at the end when they fill the loan application and go for a particular car loan financier. If you are interested in buying hassle free and right type of car loan finance, it is very essential to have complete understanding of the auto financial market. This will also help you in finding the right financer who will be ready to offer you finance after analyzing your credit history. As a borrower, you also have the role to play where you should present a completely honest loan application before the financier. Do not try to present falsified representation of your finances before the financier as it will just make the loan process a complex and critical affair rather than being simplified and quick. Make sure that you get started in the right way.

The next difficulty level that affects bad credit and good credit borrower is car loan interest rates. The rates of interests charged by the auto financier varies, and it also depends upon the credit score of individual borrower. Good credit score will mean low interest rates, get your finances back on track and check the interest rates offered on loan. You will automatically come out of difficulty.
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_15896.shtml
read more ....

Anniversary of Kurt Cobain's Suicide (A Top Story)

On Tuesday Anniversary of Kurt Cobain's Suicide was a top story. Here is the recap: (Gibson) On this day in 1994, Kurt Cobain committed suicide at his Seattle home. Cobain's body wasn't discovered until April 8, by an electrician who had arrived to install a security system, who initially believed that Cobain was asleep.
A suicide note was found that read; "I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as creating music, along with really writing … for too many years now."

A high concentration of heroin and traces of Valium were found in Cobain's body. His death was officially ruled as suicide by a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head.
source :http://www.antimusic.com/news/11/april/ts05Anniversary_of_Kurt_Cobains_Suicide.shtml
read more ....

Viral Video: Jared Leto As Kurt Cobain Performing “Pennyroyal Tea”

It was about the same time somewhere in the ’90s when I simltaneously pined for both Jordan Catalano and Kurt Cobain, and now there’s a video of Jordan Catalano dressed up as Cobain while performing Nirvana songs “Pennyroyal Tea” and “Rape Me.”

Leto uploaded this video in honor of the anniversary of Cobain’s death, which was this past Tuesday. He wrote: “Not sure I’d be doing this if it weren’t for him… This made me recall a short piece of film I shot when I heard they were making a film celebrating his life. I made it to explore the character and explore the creative possibilities. I never sent it to the studio or to anyone but thought I’d share it now.”

The circle of my teen dream is now complete.
source http://www.crawdaddy.com/index.php/2011/04/08/jared-leto-as-kurt-cobain-performing-pennyroyal-tea/
read more ....

Unsecured Loans - No Obligation To Pledge Security

Unsecured loans are those loans which are issued by the lender on the credit rating and creditworthiness of the borrower. Here, the borrower is not obliged to pledge his assets as collateral security. He guarantees to repay the loan without any defaults in payment. The financial risk involved in granting unsecured loans is pretty high. Hence it is required that the lender does his full study on the borrower before granting him a loan. The creditor cannot claim any assets of the borrower in case of his default payments or bankruptcy.
Short-term loans approved to cover the daily expense of the borrower are termed as a payday loan. The emergency needs of many individuals are met in times of financial crunch by assuring a safety net through these loans. Loan in US has no lengthy procedures which help in saving the time of both, the lender and the borrower. These loans have an advantage of being easily applied and promptly sanctioned.
Personal loans can be secured as well as unsecured. Unsecured are those loans in which an individual’s promise to pay and creditworthiness plays an important role. Here there is no need for an asset to be pledged as collateral. These loans are considered to be the easiest and fastest way of obtaining loans. The interest rates for these loans are determined from bank to bank and may vary widely. The type of loans granted are primarily based on the amount of money to be borrowed, the period of repayment, the purpose of the loan and the time of repayment.
Secured loans are those loans wherein the lender grants a loan only on a collateral security which means the borrower has to pledge some assets like a house, car etc. In case of a default in payment by the borrower the lender of the loan has every right to take possession of the assets pledged. The creditor has the choice of granting loans with attractive interest rates and also repayment periods. These loans give a sense of security to the lender as he is rest assured of the repayment.
Debt consolidation loan is a loan that pays off two or more loans. The striking and most defining feature of this loan is the lower interest rates along with longer repayment period. Tax benefits can be enjoyed on these loans and individuals are entitled to gain these benefits from the interest of the loan.
Source:  http://www.articlesbase.com/loans-articles/unsecured-loans-no-obligation-to-pledge-security-4263458.html
read more ....

Help! My Friend Wants Me to Cosign A Loan

Many people find it difficult to get a loan if they have bad credit. For them one of the easy ways to get credit is to have a loan cosigned for them. If you have been asked to cosign a loan by your friend or relative, there are several things you need to consider before asking where to put your John Hancock.

Most of us think that it is just a matter of signing our name to the loan application; oh it is really not that much of a deal. WRONG! In reality, by cosigning a loan you are entering into a serious loan transaction. When you sign the loan statement you are promising the loan lender or bank that if your friend or relative (for whom you have cosigned the loan) makes any fault in repaying the loan you will pay the amount. In simple words, the entire responsibility of the loan is on your shoulder. Therefore you need to be very careful while cosigning a loan.

Here are some points you need to take into consideration before you cosign a loan.

If your friend or relative ask you to cosign a loan, think why is the bank is not giving them the loan amount with out a consigner? The answer is simple the bank is not ready to take a risk on the person on their own. The truth is that your friend or family might have a bad credit history, or no credit history at all. The lender is not sure whether the person will repay the loan or not. So before cosigning the loan, make sure that the person will pay the amount correctly and there is no risk for you if you do decide to cosign the loan.

The next step is to consider how consigning will affect your credit report. You have worked hard to create a good credit history you need to maintain it well. If your friend has made any fault in his repayments it will surely affect your credit report.

Consider all these factors before you decide to cosign a loan for your friend. If you feel that you cannot say NO to your best friend when they ask you to cosign a loan, consider these simple steps to protect yourself.

Request your loan lender to inform you through mail or phone if your friend has failed to pay the monthly repayment amount. This will help you to make any arrangements to cover the amount of repayment. As you are cosigning the loan you can collect all the loan documents and details of repayment schedules from the bank or loan lender. Keeping the copies of all the documents will be an advantage in case there is a dispute.

To conclude, keep in mind that cosigning a loan is a serious responsibility and you need to think twice before making any deal. Think of all the responsibilities and the consequences before you sign the loan document. If you are ready to cosign a loan, it is always advisable to be prepared so that you will not end up in a financial crisis.
Source: Free Articles
read more ....

10 Questions to ask a Mortgage Loan Broker to become certain they offer the right Mortgage Refinancing service for you.

1. What assortment of lenders do you as a Mortgage Loan Broker have listed on your financing panel?

Make certain that the individual you are dealing with is a Refinance Mortgage Broker or Mortgage Planner who has access to a variety of lending institutions as opposed to a Mortgage Consultant who only represents one lender and that lender's range of products.

2. What's the best type of homeloan that would fit my cashflow cycle and financial structure?

Make sure that the Mortgage Loan Broker or Mortgage Planner demonstrates how the particular type of homeloan will sustain your financialstructure and maximise the use of your cashflow. It is important that the method in which the homeloan repayments are needed to be made doesn't hamper the effective usage of your cashflow in minimising the amount of home loan interest payable.

3. Is it advisable to focus on the home loan products with the cheapest home loan interest charge?

If the response is a clear-cut yes, inquire as to why and proceed with caution! There is nothing wrong with low homeloan interest rates supplied the finance provider displays a track record of low interest rates and stable funding! Mortgage products that appear to give a grand deal may contain high penalties, fees and charges, or may not give the flexibility of use that you want in the future. To prevent selecting a loan you could later regret, consider with caution a suggestion centred primarily on cheap interest rates.

4. What are the best loan products to suit my direct circumstances and objectives, and how will they support any future experiences I may have?

Make sure the refinance mortgage brokers recommendation consists of at least 3 mortgage products that experience reasonable comparisons among the products. Beware of a assessment that contains 1 product that appears to be far better to the additional 2! Look for product features and product flexibility that will assist you to tweak the loan product to meet your future ambitions and plans.

5. Apart from the payments and charges associated with the new home loan, what extra charges and fees am I likely to incur?

Finance Institutions, Service Providers and Government Departments often charge costs connected with the lending process and occasionally may be an expensive surprise for the unwary. A worthwhile Refinance Mortgage Broker or Mortgage Planner will furnish you with a Loan Costing Sheet itemising all costs, fees & charges associated with the proposed homeloan procedure.

6. How do you get paid and what is your payment arrangement?

Asking for an explanation in writing of how your service provider gets paid for their labor will help identify and reduce conflicts of interest. If the recommended Lender's commission is by far the uppermost payment of all credit providers on the broker's lender panel, proceed with caution as this may well signify a conflict of interest.

7. Do you present your customers with a Mortgage Broking Contract? Not every Refinance Mortgage Brokers service is clear in what it will deliver as compared to what it is that you have need of as an end product. Thus it is highly recommended that a Mortgage Broking Contract be drawn up among the parties outlining the scope of services/products to be provided and commissions connected with the work.

8. Do you do FREE Annual Reviews and what extra services do you offer?

Identify how enthusiastic the broker is to remain in touch with you and confirm that your homeloan is meeting with your goals. What further services does the broker give either personally or via referral that might possibly be of benefit to you and are there discount rates offered if you bundle these services with that of the home loan?

9. Where might I turn if we have a disagreement that cannot be sorted out?

Do you offer an External Dispute Resolution Service (EDRS)? Ask the service provider to make clear the complaints process offered by their business, outlining who you may complain to and which EDRS they are a associate of? A valuable Refinance Mortgage Broker will present you with a personalised Finance Services Guide at initial meeting which will define all the particulars of their complaints procedure as will their Mortgage Broking Agreement.

10. Are you an MFAA certified Mortgage Loan Broker?

By dealing with a broker who is a certified MFAA associate, you are doing business with a broker that has satisfied minimum standards of education, experience and ethics to sustain their association status.
Article Source:
http://www.articlecity.com/articles/business_and_finance/article_15866.shtml
read more ....

Syrian protests turn deadly; 32 reported killed

By BASSEM MROUE and ZEINA KARAM, AP
BEIRUT (AP) — Mass protests calling for sweeping changes in Syria's authoritarian regime turned deadly Friday, with the government and protesters both claiming heavy casualties as the country's three-week uprising entered a dangerous new phase.

The bloodiest clashes occurred in the restive city of Daraa, where human rights activists and witnesses said Syrian security forces opened fire on tens of thousands of protesters, killing 25 people and wounding hundreds.

At the same time, state-run TV said 19 policemen and members of the security forces were killed when gunmen opened fire on them. It was the first significant claim of casualties by the Syrian government, which has contended that armed gangs rather than true reform-seekers are behind the unrest — and it could signal plans for a stepped-up retaliation.

The protests were in response to calls by organizers to take to the streets every Friday to demand change in one of the most rigid nations in the Middle East. Marches were held in cities across the country as the movement showed no sign of letting up, despite the violent crackdowns.

At least 32 protesters were killed nationwide, according to human rights activists. The bloodshed lifted the death toll from three weeks of protests to more than 170 people, according to Amnesty International.



U.S. President Barack Obama in a statement Friday night condemned the violence and called on Syrian authorities to refrain from attacks on peaceful protesters.

"Furthermore, the arbitrary arrests, detention, and torture of prisoners that has been reported must end now, and the free flow of information must be permitted so that there can be independent verification of events on the ground," he said.

The calls for reform have shaken the regime of President Bashar Assad, whose family has ruled Syria for more than 40 years. Assad, a British-trained eye doctor, inherited power from his father 11 years ago and tried to help the country emerge from years of international isolation and lift Soviet-style economic restrictions.

But despite early promises of social and political change, Assad has slipped back into the autocratic ways of his father.

As the wave of protests have gathered steam, Assad has offered some limited concessions — firing local officials and forming committees to look into replacing the country's despised emergency laws, which allow the regime to arrest people without charge. On Thursday, he granted citizenship to thousands of Kurds, fulfilling a decades-old demand of the country's long-ostracized minority.

But those gestures have failed to mollify a growing movement that is raising the ceiling on its demands for concrete reforms and free elections.

"The protests are about Syrians wanting freedom after 42 years of repression," said Murhaf Jouejati, a Syria expert at George Washington University. "Mr. Assad may fire all the people he wants, this still doesn't touch on the basic issues and the basic demands of the protesters."

Witness accounts out of Syria could not be independently confirmed because the regime has restricted media access to the country, refusing to grant visas to journalists and detaining or expelling reporters already in the country. Daraa has largely been sealed off and telephone calls go through only sporadically.

But residents, who spoke to The Associated Press independently of each other, said mosques were turned into makeshift hospitals to help tend to hundreds of wounded.

One man who helped ferry the dead and wounded to the city's hospital said he counted at least 13 corpses.

"My clothes are soaked with blood," he said by telephone from Daraa. Like most activists and witnesses, he requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.

A nurse at the hospital said they had run out of beds; many people were being treated on the floor or in nearby mosques.

Videos posted on YouTube showed demonstrations in at least 15 towns, large and small, across the country. The videos could not be independently confirmed, but they appeared to show the most widespread gatherings since protests began.

Ammar Qurabi, who heads Syria's National Organization for Human Rights, said 32 people were killed nationwide: 25 in Daraa, three in the central city of Homs, three in the Damascus suburb of Harasta and one in the suburb of Douma.

Douma has become a flashpoint after eight people were shot dead there last Friday.

One activist said tens of thousands protested and dispersed peacefully in the early afternoon, but he saw security forces open fire later in the evening as a group tried to enter Douma. He said he saw security forces taking a body away.

Protests were also reported in Latakia, which has a potentially volatile mix of different religious groups. The city has seen violence in recent weeks, and some fear it could take on a dangerous sectarian tone in Latakia.

Syria had appeared immune to the unrest sweeping the Arab world until three weeks ago, when security forces arrested a group of high school students who scrawled anti-government graffiti on a wall in Daraa.

Protests then exploded in cities across the country.

A city of about 300,000 near the border with Jordan, Daraa is suffering sustained economic effects from a yearslong drought.

___

AP writers Elizabeth A. Kennedy and Diaa Hadid in Cairo contributed to this report.
read more ....