Thứ Bảy, 6 tháng 9, 2008

Second Mortgages

Second Mortgages: A Great Way to Get Some Extra CashEvery homeowner has been in this situation. After paying off the down payment for a home for sale and having no problems paying off the home mortgage loan payments, they suddenly find themselves in need of extra cash. Whether it’s medical bills, buying a new car, home renovations, or paying off a child’s college tuition, homeowners often find themselves in a bit of a financial squeeze. However, there is hope, as you can cash in on your real estate investment by taking out a second mortgage! Second mortgages refer to a financial process in which a homeowner is able to borrow money by using their home as collateral. In most instances, a homeowner is able to borrow the difference remaining between the home’s market value and the remaining debt left on the homeowner’s home mortgage loan. Depending on the homeowner’s need, a second mortgage can be taken out in two ways. For homeowners who require a large lump sum of money, they are able to take out a closed end second mortgage, which is a one time loan and prohibits further borrowing until the second mortgage is paid off. The other option for homeowners when taking out a second mortgage is to take out an open end second mortgage, which works like a line of credit. A total is given to the number that a homeowner is able to borrow and the homeowner is to borrow small amounts

of money at different times. Many homeowners are reluctant to take out a second mortgage, which is understandable as there is the possibility that they could lose their home. However, home mortgage lenders do not usually want to foreclose a borrower’s home and a homeowner is usually able to take on the added financial costs of a second mortgage. The key is through sensible financial planning. For many homeowners who take out a second mortgage, they are surprised by how easy the process is. While it is generally a bit more complicated for a homeowner to take out a second mortgage, home mortgage lenders understand that there is a growing demand for second mortgages. For this reason, home mortgage lenders are making it easier for homeowners to take out a second mortgage. However, a general requirement for a second mortgage is that the homeowner has good credit. Still, there are some bad credit second mortgage plans available. When choosing a second home mortgage loan, it is important that you pick the right one for you. Second mortgages are available at either a fixed interest rate or an adjustable interest rate. By choosing the second mortgage interest rates carefully and the right length of time for a second mortgage, you will be able to use your home as a real estate investment and help you out.
FROM:http://www.ringsurf.com/online/937-second_mortgages.html

What is a tax attorney ????

When a taxpayer has problems with the Internal Revenue Service, or the state department of revenue, he may be able to solve it himself. However, with the intricacies of U.S. tax law being what they are, the taxpayer may find himself better served in hiring a tax attorney.
A tax attorney specializes in working with taxpayers to solve their problems with the IRS or state revenue department. In fact, they generally focus only on tax issues and relief. A tax attorney can help a taxpayer in trouble make it through an audit, have fines reduced, liens removed, and can navigate through the minefield of small business and self-employment tax issues.
Many small business owners consider their tax attorney to be as vital as their accountant. This is because a good tax attorney can help head off tax problems before they even begin. He or she can see potential trouble spots for a business and can advise the owner how to avoid them.
U.S. tax law is not only labyrinthine in structure, it also changes nearly every year. Thus, a good tax attorney will keep up with the latest changes and can advise clients accordingly. A tax attorney may also be helpful when setting up trust funds, stock portfolios and the like, so a taxpayer doesn't run into unexpected surprises on April 15.
A person looking for a tax attorney shouldn't call the first one listed in the phone book. He should look around, ask friends, or even his personal attorney (if he has one) to recommend a good tax specialist. As a prospective client, the taxpayer should look for a tax attorney with extensive experience in dealing with the IRS, in debt management cases, and in working with real live taxpayers. He should also ask the attorney for references. The taxpayer should also make certain his tax attorney is a member of the American Bar Association and the state bar association. A client should also make sure he knows what his attorney's rates are, and make arrangements for payment early on in the consultation process.
If a taxpayer finds himself in over his head where the IRS is concerned, he should certainly consult a tax attorney. Tax fines tend to snowball, and it is always in the taxpayer's best interests to get problems solved while they are still relatively small ones. Waiting until the last minute to see a tax attorney could be extremely costly, and might result in jail time for the taxpayer, as well as higher legal fees.
Money invested in the services of a tax attorney can be considered a wise investment for a taxpayer.
FROM:http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-tax-attorney.htm

Personal Yahoo

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Gov. Sarah Palin sent e-mails to the state's top police official, criticizing Alaska State Troopers for their investigation of an officer who went through a bitter divorce with her sister, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
Former Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan showed copies of the e-mails to The Washington Post. He didn't provide copies to the newspaper, but said he has turned copies over to an investigator probing the firing for the Legislature.
Monegan has said he felt pressured by Palin family members and her administration to fire Trooper Mike Wooten, whom they say threatened to kill Palin's father, among other accusations, all taking place before she became governor. Monegan was fired by Palin in July.
The Post reported on its Web site that the e-mails were sent from Palin's personal Yahoo account. In one, dated Feb. 7, 2007, it says of the investigation of Wooten: "This trooper is still out on the street, in fact he's been promoted."
Who does this? Seriously, who in 20effing06 doesn't know that e-mails can be found and read by anyone ever? Also, I mean, I have a Yahoo account. But I'm a chick with a web site, not the GOVERNOR OF ALASKA. People of the great north state, can you not spring for an AOL account for her or something? A quality sockpuppet? Good Lord.
A.
FROM:http://www.first-draft.com/2008/09/personal-yahoo.html

Mesothelioma Symptoms

Mesothelioma is a unique disease in that symptoms do not usually manifest themselves until anywhere from 20 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos. For patients and doctors, this is the most frustrating aspect of the disease. The latency period of mesothelioma is lengthy, making the disease undiagnosable until its later stages when symptoms finally begin to appear and little can be done to slow the progress of the disease.
Recognizing Symptoms
Just like any other disease, the symptoms of mesothelioma vary from case to case and with the severity of the illness. The type of mesothelioma - whether pleural, peritoneal, or pericardial - also determines what the symptoms might be. Often times, the general overall health of the individual, as well as his/her age, may also play a role in how the patient is affected by the disease and which symptoms are most bothersome.
One of the most difficult problems with diagnosing mesothelioma and connecting the symptoms with the disease is the fact that so many of the symptoms - both individually and in tandem - can easily be mistaken for other more common diseases like flu, pneumonia, bronchitis, heart disease, and others.
A doctor well versed in mesothelioma treatment will take time to investigate a patient's history and hopefully connect past exposure to asbestos with the symptoms. Patients, however, can do their part as well. Anyone that was ever exposed to asbestos, even if it was decades ago, should inform their doctor of the exposure. That information will not only aid the doctor in diagnosis but will also help eliminate the need for many costly and uncomfortable tests that may be ordered while fishing for a diagnosis.
Tests are being developed that will help diagnose mesothelioma at an earlier stage, even before the most common symptoms appear. It is hoped that these tests will aid in treating the disease before it reaches its most advanced stages.
The Symptoms
As was stated previously, symptoms of mesothelioma can vary, but the most common general symptoms are:
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Coughing
Pain in chest or abdomen
Fluid in the chest, lungs, or abdomen
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
Inability to sleep
Husky voice
Difficulty swallowing
It is the first two symptoms that generally bring a patient to the doctor's office. Both difficulty breathing and persistent coughing are caused by the lung's inability to expand properly due to tumors in the pleural region. The growing tumors cause the pleura, pericardium, or peritoneum to expand, thus allow fluid to enter. That generally causes pain - acute to severe - in the affected regions, such as the chest or abdomen. Breathing difficulties also make it hard to sleep and often result in loss of appetite and, eventually, weight loss.
Depending on the type of mesothelioma diagnosed - pleural, pericardial, or peritoneal - symptoms might vary from the above, which pertain mostly to pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of the disease.
Common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma might include:
Abdominal pain, acute to severe
Swelling of the abdominal region due to fluid accumulation
Breathing difficulties
Loss of appetite resulting in weight loss
Bowel obstruction
Nausea
Vomiting
Weakness
Fever
Anemia
Common symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma might include:
Chest pain, ranging from uncomfortable to severe
Shortness of breath
Heart palpitations
Persistent coughing
Extreme fatigue after minimal activity or exertion
Because the three types of the disease are similar but centered in different parts of the body, the patient is likely to have symptoms that overlap. For example, nearly all meso patients suffer from shortness of breath and fatigue, but the pain may be more apparent in the abdominal/stomach area for peritoneal patients and in the chest for those with pleural or pericardial mesothelioma.
Ascertaining a Diagnosis
If a doctor recognizes symptoms as indicative of mesothelioma or another asbestos-related disease, such as asbestosis, the patient will be asked to undergo several tests. Most doctors begin by ordering a conventional x-ray in order to get a closer look at the chest or abdomen. What appears on this x-ray will be the first indication of whether or not the doctor should continue pursuing his suspected diagnosis and order additional tests.
If mesothelioma is still suspected after the x-ray, an MRI or CT scan will most likely be in order. These sophisticated imaging processes allow an even closer look at organs such as the lungs or abdomen. A blood test may be ordered as well because such tests can measure the levels of specific proteins, which might aid in the diagnosis.
However, because other more common diseases, such as benign asbestos-related pleural disease, can have very similar appearances on imaging studies, a tissue biopsy is usually recommended and is often the final test that leads to an accurate diagnosis.
References:
Dodson, R. and Hammar, S. Asbestos: Risk Assessment, Epidemiology, and Health Effects. Taylor & Francis: Boca Raton. 2006.
Stahel RA,Weder W, Felip E; ESMO Guidelines Working Group. Malignant pleural mesothelioma: ESMO clinical recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Clinic and Policlinic of Oncology, University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland. 2008.
Pass, I., Vogelzang, N., Carbone, M. Malignant Mesothelioma: Advances in Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Transitional Therapies. Springer: New York. 2005.
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/malignantmesothelioma
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html

Mesotheliome Infomation

Mesothelioma Information at MesoInfo.com is an educational resource for those who suffer from the lung cancer mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer, or who know someone who does.Included within this site are sections describing what mesothelioma is, the role of asbestos in the contraction of mesothelioma and who is most at-risk of contracting the asbestos disease.Also included are sections covering your medical options including information on available mesothelioma treatment, information on coping with this illness including counseling and support groups, as well as information on the legal rights of victims of the lung cancer mesothelioma and how to contact a mesothelioma lawyer. A mesothelioma lawyer who specializes in these cases can more readily protect your rights
FROM:http://mesoinfo.com/

Thứ Tư, 3 tháng 9, 2008

Treatments for Mesothelioma

A diagnosis of mesothelioma is always difficult, whether it is pleural mesothelioma or another variety. Because this is such an aggressive and stubborn form of cancer, patients and their families may have a difficult time addressing the issue of treatment, but because options for mesothelioma patients are steadily increasing, the discussion of treatment is quite important, even if all hope seems lost.
Each mesothelioma case is considered individually and there is no right or wrong treatment for the disease. What's best for you or your loved one will depend on a number of factors. Diagnostic tools such as x-rays, MRIs, CT scans, and biopsies will be used to determine these factors and these tests will assist the doctor and/or oncologist in determining the best treatment for the patient in question.
What are the Options?
Cancer treatment usually focuses upon destroying malignant cells and preserving healthy ones. This can be accomplished in a number of ways. At present, mesothelioma patients are faced with three major options for treatment of their disease - surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. What course of treatment is recommended will largely depend on these issues:
The type of mesothelioma and location of the tumor
The size of the tumor(s)
The degree to which the cancer has spread or metastasized
The stage of the cancer - beginning, advanced, etc.
The age of the patient
The overall physical health of the patient
Setting up any type of treatment may involve seeing a variety of doctorsincluding an oncologist (cancer specialist), pulmonologist (lung specialist), or radiologist. Patience is sometimes necessary, but doctors will no doubt set up treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis.
FROM:http://www.maacenter.org/treatment/

Thứ Ba, 2 tháng 9, 2008

Kevin Keegan on the brink of Newcastle exit

Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan is on the brink of leaving the club today after holding a meeting with club owner Mike Ashley.
Sources within St James' Park claim that Keegan has already left the club, although there is no official confirmation yet.
Speculation mounted all morning that Keegan’s second reign as Newcastle boss was drawing to a close after his main transfer targets failed to materialise when the window closed at midnight.
He is also thought to be unhappy with the restructuring of the club that included the appointment of Dennis Wise as executive director of football.
Keegan recently claimed James Milner would not be sold - only for the midfielder to join Aston Villa in a £12million deal. He asked Newcastle United supporters angered by the move to reserve their judgment until after the transfer deadline had passed.
Having been unable to add to the signings of Argentinian pair Fabricio Coloccini and Jonas Gutierrez with several big-name stars, Keegan is believed to have become disillusioned with his lot at Newcastle.
Keegan returned to Newcastle as manager in January 2008 after the departure of Sam Allardyce, having previously held the post between 1992 and 1997.

FROM:TIMES

Manchester City pounce with £34.2m deal for Robinho

English football embraced a new superpower last night as Manchester City, who are on the brink of becoming the richest club in the world, outbid Chelsea with a British record offer of £34.2 million to sign Robinho, the Real Madrid and Brazil forward.
And on a truly extraordinary day in the Barclays Premier League, Manchester United finally got their man when they agreed to sign Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur. The London club also got what they wanted with a fee of £30.75 million for the Bulgaria striker and the loan of Fraizer Campbell, the United forward, for a season.
City wasted no time flexing their newfound financial muscle as Thaksin Shinawatra moved closer to selling the club for £200 million to an Arab royal family understood to be considerably richer than Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire Chelsea owner.
Robinho has signed a four-year deal worth £95,000 a week after tax, effectively trebling the wages he was earning at Real. Mark Hughes, the City manager, said: “We have been in the market today for Robinho and I think people understand now that there is another club with the financial power to compete for any player in the world and that’s Manchester City.”
Having sparked a remarkable tug-of-war with United for Berbatov after lodging a late £32.5 million bid for the Bulgaria striker, City switched their attentions to Robinho when it became clear that Berbatov favoured a move to Old Trafford. Robinho is understood to have threatened to stay in Brazil for two years unless he was allowed to leave Real.
It is rare that Abramovich is trumped in the transfer market, but with the Chelsea owner refusing to increase his bid of £29 million for Robinho, City landed the player in a stunning coup as the landscape of English football prepared to undergo monumental change for the second time in five years.
The figure eclipsed the record £30.4 million that Chelsea paid AC Milan for Andriy Shevchenko two years ago.
With their club seemingly on the brink of financial turmoil only a few weeks ago, City supporters awoke yesterday to the news that the club was on the verge of being sold for the second time in just over a year.
Thaksin, who is seeking political asylum in Britain as he refuses to answer corruption charges in his native Thailand where he was Prime Minister, has agreed to sell City to the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment (ADUG) for £200 million.
The Times understands that the ultimate prospective owners of City are members of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich Gulf state. The Al Nahyan family’s total holding is said to run to more than £26 billion.
Outlining their intentions in an interview with The Times yesterday, Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, a prominent Middle East businessman who has been leading the prospective takeover, made clear that the aim was to turn City into the next Chelsea.
“We are looking to make the same kind of impact at Manchester City that has happened at Chelsea,” Al-Fahim said. “That is what we want and we think it is achievable. The target is to finish in the top four this season and then challenge for the Premier League title next year.”
Al-Fahim said that they would not hesitate to spend £200 million next summer if it was deemed necessary, although claims that the club also bid for David Villa and Mario Gomez, the Valencia and VfB Stuttgart forwards respectively, were understood to be wide of the mark. The due-diligence process could be completed by the end of the week.
United’s capture of Berbatov and Campbell’s loan move in the other direction also negated any threat of legal action by Spurs against United, who had in recent weeks expressed outrage at the manner of the Premier League champions’ approach to negotiations for Berbatov.

FROM:TIMES

Mark Hughes claims Robinho deal signal of intent from Manchester City

Mark Hughes believes that the capture of Robinho for a British record fee of £34.2 million has underlined the ambition of Manchester City’s prospective new owners as they look to transform the club into challengers for the Premier League title.
City beat Chelsea to the signing of Robinho last night after outbidding the West London club and Hughes believes that the arrival of the Brazil forward, who has agreed a four-year contract worth £95,000 a week, heralds a new era in the history of the club.
“We’re obviously at a different stage of development than the clubs we’re going up against, but sometimes players look at different situations and say that’s one I want to follow and that’s what we’ll try to emphasise to people,” the manager said. “We’re a club going places and hopefully players will want to be part of it.”
Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment (ADUG), which is understood to be an investment vehicle for the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, the Gulf state, are expected to complete a £200 million takeover of City by the end of the week after Thaksin Shinawatra agreed to sell the club. And Hughes believes that, with such backing, City will be able to compete with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

“I came to the club on the premise that I would be given resources to really compete,” he said. “Dr Thaksin was not able to do that with his situation \ but he has brought people to the table that will hopefully allow me to compete for the Premier League and in Europe. All the promises I was made when I left Blackburn have been fulfilled at this point.”
Although City also bid £32.5 million for Dimitar Berbatov, the Tottenham Hotspur forward, Hughes claimed that Robinho was the signing he wanted. “It’s a fantastic signing for us. If we want to go to the places we expect to and are going to compete against outstanding teams and clubs then we have to attract world-class players and that is what we have been able to do this evening.
“He’s exceptionally talented. He’s one of those players who can excite stadiums and who opposition players will fear. You only need to look at the clubs who coveted him and who he played for to know that. We’re delighted and looking forward to seeing him in a Manchester City shirt.”

FROM:TIMES

Sulaiman Al-Fahim aiming to become Manchester City's answer to Roman Abramovich

Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim, the businessman behind the takeover of Manchester City, says there is no limit to his ambition for the club, adding that he aims to replicate the impact of Roman Abramovich.
With the due-diligence process expected to be completed by the end of the week, Al-Fahim's Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG) will become the majority shareholders of the club and Al-Fahim has already said he would not hesitate to spend £200 million next summer if it was deemed necessary.
"We would like to see Manchester City fighting for trophies in every tournament," Al-Fahim said. “We are looking to make the same kind of impact at Manchester City that has happened at Chelsea."
"We don't just want Manchester City to be challenging for trophies in England, but also in the Champions League. We want them to be in for every trophy available."
City wasted no time flexing their newfound financial muscle yesterday, outbidding Chelsea with a British record offer of £34.2m to sign Robinho. The Real Madrid and Brazil forward signed a four-year deal worth £95,000 a week after tax, effectively trebling the wages he was earning at Real.
Mark Hughes, the City manager, said: “We have been in the market today for Robinho and I think people understand now that there is another club with the financial power to compete for any player in the world and that’s Manchester City.”
Hughes has already been charged with qualifying for next season's Champions League and Al-Fahim says the new owners expect this term to be a vast improvement on last season's ninth place finish in the Premier League.
"A place in the Champions League is quite a jump from last season, but we are ready to sit down with the manager, find out the players he would like, and bring the right players into the club," Al-Fahim added.
"This season we would like to be a lot better than last season, and we are eager for trophies next season."
City face Chelsea at Eastlands in their next league match a week on Sunday and Al-Fahim says he hopes to attend that game, as he looks to finalise the details of the takeover.
"Our message to the fans would be we promise we are here to sustain the club and make Manchester City competitive for trophies at the highest level," Al-Fahim said. "We would also like to bring in extra revenues by introducing new marketing ideas.
"Looking at the club, they have a lot of fans, they are loyal fans, and there is the opportunity to grow there. They also have a lot of history. It was all very attractive to us. I think the one thing that has been missing was the right person to provide the right investment."
FROM:TIMES