Professional Massage Therapy Center in Albany Collaborates with SEO Company to Reach Out to Locals

Troy, NY, May 07, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Massage in the Park, offering comprehensive and professional massage therapy in New York’s Capital Region, has recently established a new collaboration with Prospect Genius, a local provider of SEO and Web marketing strategies. Together, these two Albany-area businesses are working to make it easier for Internet users to locate Massage in the Park online.

Today, more and more people first turn to the Internet when looking for local businesses, up to 60% in fact. So while advertising services like massage therapy in the phone book may have worked in the past, the rise of the Web age means that to reach the full pool of potential customers, area companies like Massage in the Park must have a strong Internet presence.

Prospect Genius helps them achieve this using an online advertising philosophy called Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This process works to promote Massage in the Park’s Web site to ensure that it reaches a higher placement in search engine results pages (SERPs): thus, when Capital Region residents look for “sports massage in Troy” or “Swedish massage in Albany” using Google or Bing, Massage in the Park will appear with the best possible ranking. This is critical because the higher a Web site is ranked on results pages, the more site traffic it receives. In this way, SERP rankings can directly impact accessibility for local individuals searching for a massage therapist online.

Matt Gallo, an Internet marketing specialist for Prospect Genius, says, “Search engine results relate directly to how visible—and thus how accessible—a local company is to area residents relying on the Web to find their services. Our SEO program boosts exposure for companies like Massage in the Park to make certain that the Albany-region people who are looking for them online can find their massage services easily.”

Massage therapy can provide extensive relaxation benefits, but it can also be used to address health issues. Services like sports massage, deep-tissue massage, and even pregnancy massage can all safely work through aches, pains, and muscle tightness to leave an individual’s body and mind relaxed and rejuvenated. Of course, when looking to de-stress and enjoy massage therapy, the last thing a prospective customer wants to do is get aggravated by a frustrating Web search. For this reason, it’s extremely important for Massage in the Park to maximize their online presence so that their massage therapists can connect with Albany-area clients looking for therapeutic massage with the minimum of hassle.

Massage in the Park Owner and Operator Craig Fluty states, “We partnered with Prospect Genius to make certain local people who need massage therapy could find our business without a struggle.”

Massage in the Park provides professional massage therapists for sports massage, deep-tissue massage, and other therapies in the greater Albany region.

###Contact Information

Massage in the Park
Craig Fluty
(518) 620-4689
Massage.604@albany-biz.com
massage-therapy.albany-biz.com/
Source  http://www.pr.com/

Ulistic, Pronto Partner on Marketing, SEO for MSPs

Pronto Marketing and Ulistic Inc. have formed a partnership that both sides say will help them more fully meet the needs of their clientele. Pronto is an international IT marketing company. Ulistic is a social media consulting firm focused on managed services providers. Here’s what each company brings to the table for MSPs that need marketing and SEO assistance.
Pronto was founded three years ago and serves MSPs in the United States, Australia, Canada and the U.K. The company specialized in online marketing –from web design all the way to newsletters. But Pronto Marketing CEO Derek Brown admits that there are marketing strategies his clients need to have for a more effective marketing campaign that Pronto does not specialize in, specifically ways to increase their search engine results page (SERP).
Enter Ulistic, a company that has developed search engine optimization (SEO) services, social media consulting services and MSP solutions that Pronto does not offer. Pronto’s online marketing strategy will gain Ulistic’s SEO expertise through the newly-formed partnership. Here’s Brown on how he sees the alliance working out: “Within the context of our service and cost structure, we’re delivering a lot of value and overall good results, but almost every client could be doing better in SERPs, traffic and leads. Now we need a premium SEO program to carry our offerings to the next level, and believe that Ulistic is just the company to do so.”
Meanwhile, Ulistic’s customers will now have the added value of all of Pronto’s marketing solutions and strategies. In a company press release, Ulistic President and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Stuart Crawford said his MSP clients will be taken from a “high school level of marketing” to a “unique, specialized boutique marketing solution.”
Both companies have been inking partnerships lately. In March 2011, Ulistic partnered with MSP Leads to improve the company’s marketing and sales strategy. And in mid-November 2009, Pronto inked a deal with SMB Technology Network in order to develop a full, turn-key marketing service solution.
Source http://www.mspmentor.net/

Site Migration SEO Survival Kit: How to Safely Move Your Site to a New Platform

Imagine: For months you have been planning to launch a new site. The design looks great, the content is engaging and you are excited about the update. However - the site launches, your traffic drops dramatically, and you are never able to recover from the loss.
Migration to a new site can significantly damage a sites organic traffic if not correctly managed. Search engines need to be properly instructed and redirected to the new site in order to maintain ranking and indexing and ensure the above scenario does not occur and you have safe SEO site migration.
After successfully migrating high volume websites (ranging from 40K to 5M pages) I have learned that no matter what you do, your ranking will decrease for 20-30 days. However, implementing the following model will ensure that after a month you regain your SERP position.
Redirect URLs
If possible, keep the same URLs. If you are changing the URL, it is important to properly set up redirects so that search engines understand it is a new site and not duplicate content they are indexing. Implement 301 redirects for each URL in order to keep the links from the original site. Use a 301 redirect rather than a 302 redirect, because the redirect is permanent and if you are using Windows or Linux it is a header configuration that works for all servers.

Make sure to look for hidden URL changes such as moving from .php to .cfm. Internet Officer is a good tool to check your redirects.
Content and Meta Data
If you are changing the structure of your site, then you need to ensure that the meta data can either be transferred or rebuilt. This is a good time to perform a content audit, and add optimized content to be included on the new site.
Be careful not to change too much content so that search engines don't lose trust in your site.
Linking
Don't forget both your internal and external links. Internal links help distribute link power to important pages, indicate to search engines the important pages on your site, and help search engines understand the new structure of your site. Use a link checker such as Xenu or Yahoo Site Explorer to make sure you don't have any broken links.
Implement a external link building campaign to the full URL of the new site so that search engines understand you have changed your site and index it a quicker rate. Publishing an online press release is a quick way to gain some links.
Webmasters
Properly submit your data and verify site ownership to Webmaster Tools so that search engines are aware that new content is available and that they should begin crawling it. Sitemaps are the easiest and quickest way for search engines to discover your new site, so make sure to take advantage of them.
Remove all of your old sitemaps, and then create and submit a sitemap listing based on your new URLs and site structure. Make sure to ping search engines and check your crawler rate. Any changes to off-limits content should be updated in your robots.txt. In your robots.txt you can also block sections or paths that existed in the old site but not in the new one.
Domain Information
Don't change your WhoIs information or search engines will think your website has changed owners, and it may effect your ranking.
Timing
If possible, migrate your site in stages - first the site and then the redesign. If your website is seasonal, migrating during off-season is recommended. This will also reduce the crises of server performance.
Post Migration
Completing the actual migration does not mean that your work is completed. Use the following methods to identify potential problems and fix them:
Closely monitor your site on search engines, web analytics and your server logs.
Use statistic tools to check and compare pre and post launch traffic.
Monitor crawl errors such as 404 pages for signs that something went wrong, and that you are missing traffic because an old page is not properly linking to a new one.
Keep both the old and the new site verified in Webmaster Tools.
Watch search engines to ensure the new pages are properly being indexed.
In order to prevent any confusion, maintain control of your old site domain for a minimum of 180 days.
This article covers the basics of what is involved to ensure safe SEO migration of your site. If implementing these elements yourself seem overwhelming or confusing - contact Emboodo, my Search Engine Optimization company, for a free consultation of how we can help ensure your site migration is a smooth and safe transition.
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For the original version on PRWeb visit: www.prweb.com/releases/prweb2011/5/prweb8378815.htm
Source  http://www.sfgate.com/

Their search turns up success

Slingshot SEO founders Kevin Bailey (top, left) and Aaron Aders talk with Mayor Greg Ballard (right) at a news conference announcing the company's expansion. / Brent Smith / Slingshot SEO photo

When three car-crazy Zionsville High School boys were passing notes in chemistry class a decade ago, they actually were puzzling over some of the on-coming riddles of the Internet.
Fast-forward a few years, and the trio of school friends has created Slingshot SEO, a successful search engine optimization business with 65 employees, 150 clients, $5 million in sales last year and $15 million projected this year.
The company helps its clients' websites to show up high in the results of a keyword search on Google, Yahoo, Bing and other Internet search engines.
For companies, a prime first-page location gives the appearance of being the first choice out of potentially millions of answers to a question or source of information.
Now 29 years old, the three dot-com entrepreneurs were standing Friday with city and state political leaders at company headquarters to announce plans to continue triple-digit growth.
"Not bad for a company built from an after-school hobby," quipped President Kevin Bailey, as Gov. Mitch Daniels and Mayor Greg Ballard chuckled.
The governor and the mayor announced a package of economic development incentives intended to keep Slingshot in Indianapolis and to help the 4-year-old Internet marketing company create up to 114 additional jobs by 2013. The jobs are to pay from $50,000 to $100,000.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered Slingshot up to $1.15 million in state tax credits based on the number of new jobs ultimately created. And through Develop Indy, the city will support property tax abatement if the company meets the growth targets.
The company plans to invest about $685,000 to expand its space at 8900 Keystone Crossing.
"Indianapolis is a hotbed for Internet marketing," Ballard said, referring to at least 70 locally based companies in Internet marketing, search engine optimization and other online or software niches. "We have companies in this industry, including Slingshot, that are experiencing rapid growth and gaining national recognition."
Aaron Aders, chief operations officer and one of the founders, said many of the company's employees are coming from Indiana, Purdue and Ball State universities and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, which have strong academic programs in information technology, computer sciences, software engineering, marketing or journalism -- skills needed in the new economy.
Aaron Aders, chief operations officer and one of the founders, said many of the company's employees are coming from Indiana, Purdue and Ball State universities and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, which have strong academic programs in information technology, computer sciences, software engineering, marketing or journalism -- skills needed in the new economy.
Slingshot's clients include sports-apparel retailer Finish Line, computer software developer Interactive Intelligence, Volvo and package shipper FedEx.
But the roots of Slingshot grew in high school science class in 1998 when Bailey, Aders and Jeremy Dearringer, now the chief research officer, were trading notes about their Web pages. Bailey's was about the Dodge Viper, Aders' was about the Ford Mustang and Dearringer's was about his favorite, the Humvee.
They got advertising on their pages and began to roll up a couple of thousand dollars a month in revenue from page views on their sites, which they made appealing to search engines.
They got back together in 2006 to create a site for small Noblesville company, Metro RP, which wanted to be at the top of Google searches for anyone looking for "rapid prototyping."
The goal was to attract a dozen new customers for Metro RP; the result was 300 in 2008.

Bailey said, "When performed properly, search engine optimization can have one of the highest returns on investment of any form of digital marketing."

Call Star reporter Bruce C. Smith at (317) 444-6081.
Source http://www.indystar.com/

U.S. published the video of Bin Laden in hiding in Pakistan

Pentagon unveils 5 video tape, revealing little about the activities of Osama Bin Laden in residential Abbottabad, Pakistan, U.S. special before being killed.

 In these, but the tape shows bin Laden are following your own images on television. He was sitting on the floor,  holding a remote control, repeatedly to change the radio station to see what they are saying about him.
 In that video, especially the gray beard of him very definition, can not be mistaken for anyone else.
In a video, neat beard had been trimmed and dyed black to prepare to shoot a propaganda video titled "Message to the American people." Specialists say that this video was filmed in October last year, or 11 .
The documents also show that Bin Laden care about the outside world he looked like.
During the news conference quickly in Washington, U.S. intelligence officials said bin Laden had "actively promoting terrorist network Al Qaeda's house in Abbottabad. "
 But this video tape (according to U.S. officials is to have 5 rolls) U.S. special forces have been collected after leaving home in Abbottabad .
U.S. intelligence officials said the video, computer hard drives, and other documents seized showed that Bin Laden is not a symbolic character played by al-Qaeda which is really important decision importance of the activities of this network.
Video Bin Laden said on his TV show: Video

Quebec conductors making their mark away from home

The consensus view of Quebec this week is as a place that pays barmaids and McGill students rather more than minimum wage. Let us remember that it is also a place that produces a disproportionate cohort of skilled orchestra conductors.

Not all of them are named Yannick. One, Alain Trudel, formerly famous as a trombone virtuoso, is now much appreciated for his ear and attitude on the podium. Already music director of the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, the National Broadcast Orchestra (which arose from the disbanded CBC Radio Orchestra in Vancouver) and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Trudel has been named music director of Orchestra London in Ontario.
Trudel's other made-in-Canada position is principal guest conductor of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, where he led a program of contemporary music Friday night. (Trivia question: Which conductor from Quebec held this position from 2003 to 2008? Hint: His first name is Yannick.)
Jean-Marie Zeitouni is another Montrealer on the move. In October he was named music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra, an appointment that required moving to the Ohio city.
Not that he has broken ties with Quebec. We heard him conduct the Opéra de Montréal production of Massenet's Werther in January. Zeitouni remains principal guest conductor of Les Violons du Roy. A bigger development: He has been asked to take the reins of I Musici de Montréal from its retiring founder, Yuli Turovsky. An announcement is imminent.
(Another trivia question: Which conductor from Quebec did Zeitouni replace in Toronto Symphony Orchestra performances of Bruckner's Ninth Symphony last June? Hint: He has a hyphenated last name.)
Nor should we forget Jacques Lacombe, principal guest conductor of the MSO following the Dutoit meltdown of 2002, and the conductor who opened the current MSO subscription season in September with Carl Orff 's Carmina Burana. This native of Cap de la Madeleine is music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, which he will lead through Mahler's Third Symphony in three different cities, May 20 to 23.
If you cannot make it to the Garden State, just drive two hours due east next Saturday and hear Lacombe conduct the same weighty score - the longest symphony in the standard repertoire - with his other ensemble, the Orchestre symphonique de Trois Rivières. (Go to www.ostr.ca for details.)
If you cannot even manage that, check out a local television news feature on the conductor, preserved on YouTube. This is not a high-level treatment - "The maestro is an enigmatic figure with a cinematic, 007 kind of life," opens the voice-over - but there are some interesting comments from musicians and Lacombe's American wife, Janet Lacombe.
The clip lets slip some news that does not appear on Lacombe's website: The conductor has moved from Montreal to Newark.
This is significant. Where Yannick NézetSéguin is often called "Gallic" by American writers who find the distinction between French and French-Canadian hard to fathom - and consequently presume YNS to be especially skilled at Berlioz, Debussy and Ravel - Lacombe has built a reputation as a hard-working regular guy in New Jersey, where he has even pursued a policy of reviving interest in composers from the state.

"The goal for me is to become a Jersey boy, and the orchestra becomes a bit of who I am," was Lacombe's memorable comment on this subject when he was appointed in October 2009.
One ex-Montrealer who has almost slipped into the memory hole is Marco Parisotto, who made some well-received appearances with the MSO and OdM in 2002 and then found himself sequestered in Oshawa, Ont.
He is still there, although the OshawaDurham Symphony Orchestra has wisely changed its name to the Ontario Philharmonic. I heard Parisotto lead this ensemble, made mostly of Toronto professionals, last Saturday at Koerner Hall, the excellent concert facility of the Royal Conservatory of Music. To say I was surprised is putting it mildly.
Right from the opening of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 1, there was a surge of power from the strings (and a rhythmic impetus from everybody) that suggested an uncommon level of commitment. Anton Kuerti (whose Mooredale organization brought the band downtown) was beautifully poised against the orchestra, making his points with clear tone rather than raw force.
The spirit remained intense after intermission in Brahms's First Symphony. The opening was ferocious. This timpani player meant business. Yet there was always a feeling of respiration, even at the speedy tempo Parisotto selected for the Andante. Clarinet and horn exchanged colours warmly in the scherzo, and the brass made impressive entries in the finale. The hymn tune had big-orchestra warmth.
Everything about Parisotto's exacting and fluid style on the podium suggested a major international talent. A Toronto Symphony Orchestra player tells me that he seeks extra work in Oshawa (a manufacturing city to the east of Toronto) not for the money, but for the sheer pleasure of making music with this maestro.
Think about it: There is great music in Trois Rivières, Oshawa, Victoria and Newark, N.J., because there are conductors from Quebec.
akaptainis@sympatico.ca
Source http://www.montrealgazette.com/

Find elephants a new home, zoo report recommends

After years of controversy and soul searching over what to do with its elephants, Toronto Zoo staff is recommending the best thing . . . is for them to leave.
Seven elephants have died at the zoo since 1984. Three aging elephants remain: Toka, Thika and Iringa. . Zoo staff were tasked with looking into what to do with them.
They found that, given the cost of building appropriate facilities — an estimated $16.5 million — combined with substantial future operating costs of $930,000 a year, and other factors, keeping the program running isn’t the best option, said the report to the zoo’s board of management.
The report also recommends the zoo “reassess its options” for another elephant program after 2013 when a U.S. study on captive elephant care is completed.
Other zoo animals would use the elephant enclosure in the interim, the report recommends.
The zoo board is set to vote on the recommendations at its May 12 meeting.
“Overall I’m very pleased with the report,” said city councillor and zoo board member Glenn De Baeremaeker.
“It’s cold in Toronto especially in January . . . You have a moral responsibility to the animals you shipped into this country to take care of them. And they’re currently in a space that is grotesquely too small,” he said.
Revisiting the idea of another elephant program at a later date is “just plain silly” De Baeremaeker said, adding “we don’t have $16 million or $20 million today, and we won’t have it two years or five years from now.”
Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby, another board member, said that, while she’s disappointed an easier solution than phasing out isn’t being recommended, she understands why.
She remains hopeful that the program will be revisited in a few years, and that “some kind soul will show up with $16 million to help us build a bigger enclosure for the elephants.”
Consultants’ reports conducted for the zoo said the elephants need a new holding and exercise barn four times the size of the existing barn, and two new outdoor paddocks that would triple the current open air space.
The staff report says the existing herd of three female elephants, though healthy, is aging and in a short time the zoo could be below the minimum standard of three elephants accepted by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The report says the elephants should be transferred to one or more AZA accredited facilities.
That rules out massive elephant sanctuaries in California and Tennessee that animal rights advocates have been pushing for the animals to be sent to. Animal protection advocate and former Price is Right game show host Bob Barker came to Toronto last month to push for the elephants to be sent to a sanctuary, even offering to put up an unspecified sum of his own money to make that happen.
If the Toronto Zoo board goes ahead with the staff recommendation, zoo officials would then consult the AZA’s elephant experts to determine the best facility, said John Tracogna, the zoo’s CEO.
The cost to transfer the three elephants would be in the range of $30,000 to $50,000.
Source http://www.thestar.com/

Discerning buyers rule market

t would appear, according to a national study, that home shoppers in Alberta are a picky lot.
Now that the weather has finally become more springlike, traffic through the various weekend open houses and show homes has picked up.
And according to the 2011 TD Canada Trust Home Buyers Report, seven in 10 Albertans are looking for a home that won't need any fixing up.

In fact, the report says nearly double the national average of 22 per cent are likely to pay the extra money for a new home. In Alberta, the figure is 39 per cent.
Nationally, the TD Canada Trust Home Buyers Report also found that men are more likely than women to prefer a fixer-upper because it is more affordable (14 per cent versus eight per cent) and because they can renovate to their taste (37 per cent versus 29 per cent).
"The boom in the development industry over the last few years in Alberta has created a larger market of new homes for buyers with more options to choose from," says Jessy Bilodeau, with Mobile Mortgage Specialists, TD Canada Trust.
"There are still some fixer-uppers out there and if you're willing to do the renovations or upgrades, you can transform the space into your dream home."
But, she adds, if someone decided to go the renovation route, it's important to understand the costs of the upgrades intended and factor those in when deciding on the price range for a home.
The most important factors in deciding what home to buy:
- Despite being very willing to pay extra money for a home that doesn't need any fixing up, 97 per cent of Albertans still say the most important consideration when buying a home is cost.
- Nationally, women are more likely to say this is a very important consideration (82 per cent versus 70 per cent of men).
- Other important factors for Albertans are security and safety (96 per cent), size (94 per cent), features of the home and location (both 92 per cent).
"Albertans wisely say that cost is the No. 1 consideration for a home purchase, evidence that they realize that to truly be comfortable in their home, they need to comfortably be able to afford it," adds Bilodeau. "When house-hunting there are some factors, like the features of the home, which can be adjusted once you've made your purchase."
Other factors, like the location, cannot be changed. Finding the right home is about getting the right balance -and at a price you can afford, she says.
To help house hunters, Bilodeau has these suggestions before starting your search:
- Know the process: From pre-approval to signing final paperwork, there are a number of steps involved with getting a mortgage. Before you start house-hunting make sure you understand each of these steps, so you know what to expect. From bidding wars to surprise findings in house inspections, house-hunting can be unpredictable but getting a mortgage should not be.
- Learn about your options: When shopping for homes, you look for places that will suit your needs and lifestyle. You should do the same when deciding on your mortgage. Ensure you understand the differences between fixed and variable rate mortgages, the pros and cons of a shorter or longer amortization period, etc. Payment flexibility is also important when deciding on a mortgage to know what you can prepay as well as options to pay less at a later date if something unexpected comes up. By understanding the options, you can make an informed decision about what mortgage is best for you.

- Calculate your mortgage numbers: Before you start looking, run the numbers and settle on a price range that you can afford. Most banks offer you a convenient online mortgage calculator which allows you to factor in your income and the amount you have saved for a down payment and compare different mortgage options and payment plans. When you know what you can afford, you can narrow your search and shop with more confidence, knowing that the houses you view may fit within your budget.
- Get pre-approved: The homebuying process can happen very quickly and it may be important to move fast when you find a home that you want. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage before you start shopping puts you in a good position to make an offer when you find the right home. There is no cost or obligation to get pre-approved for a mortgage and it is a good opportunity to come in and talk to a mortgage expert to clarify any questions you may have.
Prospective homebuyers can find more information, along with tips and tools to guide them through the process at www.tdcanadatrust.com/home.
"A home is a major purchase and people need to be comfortable that they are making the right decision -both with the home they buy and the mortgage option they select," says Farhaneh Haque, regional manager, Mobile Mortgage Specialists, TD Canada Trust.
Source http://www.calgaryherald.com/

Simply Money: Help making your mortgage payments

"It's take my diabetes medication or my cholesterol medication, or make my house payment. I make my house payment," said Pat Weiland.
Pat Weiland has diabetes, high cholesterol, and an adjustable rate mortgage that she has "tried for months" to get modified. Without a lower rate, she says there isn't enough money to buy all the medication she needs, so she is "going without." Something her doctor says is very dangerous.
"The doctor yells at me all the time, ‘you're going to lose your kidneys, you're going to lose your eyesight, you're going to have a heart attack'," said Pat.
Pat and her husband Jim have that adjustable rate mortgage, or ARM, through American Home Mortgage. Their rate can go as high as 14 percent, though, right not it is at nine percent. Every month they scrape together the money to pay on time. Every week, they call to check on the mortgage modification application they made back in October, but they get nowhere.
 "When we call, our calls are sent to India," said Pat. They're not sent here to the United States. We talk to a different person every time, so you have to give the same information time and time again, and it gets so frustrating."
Jim says he knows the picture that's usually painted of homeowners in dire financial straits; that these people who bought big houses they couldn't afford. However, Jim and Pat's place is far from a palace; it's a modest 960 square foot house.
"We definitely could have gotten into a much larger home but I wanted to stay conservative so it wouldn't affect our quality of life, so we could afford to do other things, but the mortgage situation, with the flexible interest rate, when we have extra money to improve our quality of life, it goes to the mortgage company," said Jim.
Pat and Jim are in good company. A recent Harris poll found nearly one in four American homeowners is having a hard time paying their mortgage. That is 32 million people. Seven percent of homeowners say they're having "a great deal of difficulty." What makes this even harder; one in five homeowners is now underwater, meaning they owe more on their home that it's actually worth.
That is where Pat and Jim are. They had their home appraised in a failed refinancing effort a few years ago, and the appraisal came back nearly $30,000 lower than the amount of their loan.
Meanwhile, they're on time every month, but it doesn't seem to help their cause. In fact, they wonder if that hurts them. "It's like we're sitting on the back burner because someone else is not making their payments, and so they're being pushed ahead."
Simply Money Mortgage expert Britt Scearce says there isn't as much incentive for a lender to help a homeowner who is able to make the payments, even if it means making some very difficult choices. "Pat and Jim keep calling and they keep saying, ‘Just keep making your payments!' I don't want to say that nothing is happening, but just in case, you may be wanting to pursue some of these other options," said Scearce.
He says when lenders drag their feet on an in-house modification, as Pat and Jim say their lender has, there are other programs that can help.
"I would recommend that they explore the "Hardest Hit Funds"," said Scearce. "There were 18 states, plus the District of Columbia, that were designated the "hardest hit" states. There are funds available to help them in this situation if they've had hardships with mortgages."
Through those programs, distressed homeowners can apply for as much as $15,000 in assistance; money they can use to reduce their loan's principal. For most homeowners, the Feds "Making Home Affordable" program is a good place to start. The Feds provide financial incentives to lenders to participate, but know going in that it likely won't be easy or fast.
The program was designed to serve as many as 3 million distressed homeowners, but has so far only helped 700,000. Scearce says it can take as long as six months to get the help you need. "What happens is, by the time they're getting close to making a decision for you, all of the documentation you originally send them is outdated, so they need new pay stubs, they need new bank statements."
The Weiland's admit, they didn't realize they had agreed to an adjustable rate mortgage, their closing was quick, they didn't absorb all the details and they were really excited about getting a house. Now, Pat is worried about losing her job; her employer says layoffs are coming. She wonders how much longer they can go on like this. "It's just.. I'm trying to be a good person, I'm trying to do what I'm supposed to do, but when everybody's throwing things at you, you don't know which way to go," said Pat.
There is now a positive update to share. After we interviewed the Weiland's, we called American Home Mortgage and asked why the process had stalled. Within a few days, the Weiland's learned they would get a mortgage modification after all; with terms they could afford.
If you need information about programs, see the list of helpful links below.

• Hope Now www.hopenow.com 1-888-995-HOPE(4673)
• Making Home Affordable www.makinghomeaffordable.gov

Local help:

• The Home Ownership Center of Greater Cincinnati http://www.hometoday.cc/
• Neighborhood Housing Services / Butler and Warren Counties http://butlercounty-nhs.org/

Hardest Hit Funds:
Ohio:
https://www.restoringstability.org/
Kentucky:
(866) 830-7868
www.ProtectMyKYHome.org
Indiana
1-877-GET-HOPE (1-877-438-7673)
www.877gethope.org
Find out if Fannie or Freddie owns your loan…
Fannie Mae www.fanniemae.com
Freddie Mac www.freddiemac.com
Source http://www.fox19.com/

LG is the "cause" that iPad 2 shortage ?

Open fault light on the plate 9.7 inch screen 2 of the iPad has forced LG Display, the display manufacturing partners of Apple, to stop production for a long time, which yields 2 iPad is a severe shortage .

Error opening iPad 2 screen brightness.
Apple sold 4.69 million iPad 2 in the last quarter, but "big", said the company might even sell more if the production goes smoothly. The information revealed close to Apple, cause 2 iPad shortage is due to disruption in the manufacturing of LG Display.
LG Display has detected an error on the opening morning of the 6th line of the company, therefore, forced to stop production. Manufacturers from South Korea recently announced that it has overcome this error and will continue to provide display panels in the second quarter for Apple.

DigiTimes says Apple has shifted the order of 4 million 9.7-inch screen for Samsung. Before the error occurred, LG producing only 3.2 million display panels.
iPad 2 is sold in the U.S. in March and soon to be offered around the world. Just a few weeks to ship, on its website Apple had announced "Fire", is Apple only meet orders iPad 2 after 3-5 weeks of receipt.
  

WHYTE AIMS TO WIN OVER FANS

He has been dubbed the 'Whyte Knight' after emerging as the man with the millions who was set to ride to the rescue of debt-ridden Rangers and transform the fortunes of the Glasgow giants.But, as the Sir David Murray era drew to a close on Friday after an association of more than 22 years with the club, and Rangers finally secured a new owner following a protracted six-month period of wrangling and due diligence, the question remains: who exactly is Craig Whyte?Still, little is known of the Scots tycoon who is now the new owner of Rangers.
His was a name that was met with raised eyebrows and a shrug of the shoulders when his interest in purchasing Murray's shares first emerged in November.
Whyte has been described as both a millionaire and a billionaire, suggesting no-one actually knows exactly how substantial his fortune is.
What is clear, despite the vast wealth he has accumulated, is that the 40-year-old had successfully managed to fly below the radar for many years before going public with his plans to buy one of the most famous football clubs in Europe.
What is known about Whyte is that his interest in making money and the financial markets - and apparent talent in that area - was developed at an early age.
The most famous fact about his formative years was how he began dabbling in the stock market at the age of just 15 while still a student at Glasgow's Kelvinside Academy, using cash from a part-time job at his father's plant-hire firm.
Two years later, and with a £20,000 fortune of his own, Whyte started up his own plant-hire business, Whyte Hire, which went on to make a £150,000 profit in its first year.
He expanded his business interests to include security and contract cleaning and, by 1997, at the age of 26, Whyte was Scotland's youngest self-made millionaire.
These days, he makes his money as a venture capitalist and splits his time between London and his home in the Scottish highlands - the historic Castle Grant, near Granton-on-Spey, which he bought for £720,000 and renovated to make his family home.
The question which naturally follows on from 'who?' is 'why?'.
Born in Motherwell in 1971, Whyte is reportedly a lifelong Rangers fan. Right now, that appears to be the single, biggest reason for purchasing the club.
Rangers' financial woes have been well documented and the involvement of main creditors Lloyds Banking Group ever more significant in recent years.
Debts stood at around £20million before the takeover was completed and vastly depleted resources on the park means there will be pressure to make cash available for new boss Ally McCoist to strengthen his squad ahead of his first season at the helm.
Whyte first confirmed to the stock exchange he was considering making an offer for Rangers and was in talks with Murray International Holdings regarding a proposed takeover on November 18.
The journey since then has been a long and often frustrating one.
First convincing Murray and Lloyds of his credentials, before eventually receiving the green light from the independent committee of the Rangers board, headed by chairman Alastair Johnston.
Now he must convince the Rangers fans he is the right man for the job and really is the club's 'Whyte Knight' after all.
Source http://www.sportinglife.com/

Woman Accused Of Trying To Rent Foreclosed Home

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. -- A Channel 2 Action News investigation has put a north Georgia woman under the spotlight for allegations that she tried to steal a $1 million Decatur home. The woman now faces a criminal investigation by the DeKalb County District Attorney.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer uncovered paperwork the woman filed, claiming ownership of the home, but the home is actually owned by a bank. A man told Fleischer he saw it advertised at a bargain.
“That’s why I jumped on it as soon as I saw it, I figured I could make money renting other rooms out because she gave me the permission to do that,” Ian Greye said.Greye told Fleischer he thought the 5,000-square foot home with a movie theater and an elevator was a steal at $1,200 a month. He signed a lease with a woman who said her name was Sam Wilson and paid her $2,400 up front. But a document filed at the DeKalb County courthouse showed a woman named Susan Weidman claimed possession of the house because of its “apparent abandonment.”
Channel 2 showed Greye a picture of Weidman, and he confirmed she is the Sam Wilson who rented him the home. Fleischer tracked down Weidman at her home in Cobb County, but she declined an interview.
“Not going to talk to you,” Weidman told Fleischer as she closed the window.Weidman spoke to Fleischer last year for a story on her success canceling her own mortgage to stop foreclosure.“I didn’t set out to commit a crime. I set out to call a bluff,” Weidman told Fleischer in November.Weidman was still living in her Cobb County home and hadn’t made a payment in more than a year. She demonstrated how to write up and file her own court documents using the Internet.“She knows what she’s doing, and it’s unfortunate because the documents she does show, they do look legitimate until you look at them closely,” said Realtor Kris Kolarich, who’s trying to sell the Decatur home.Kolarich said the longer the home sits on the market, neighboring property values will drop.“It’s frustrating because we want to get it sold,” Kolarich said.The bank offered to pay Greye back his money in an arrangement called “Cash for Keys.” It’s a faster and cheaper way for banks to remove tenants, instead of using formal eviction. Weidman left some of her furniture in the house, which under state law means the bank would have to evict or pay her to leave as well.“She’s a pro, and she probably can get away with it time and time again, unless the District Attorney or DeKalb County or the banks step in and start prosecuting,” said Kolarich.In March, prosecutors indicted twelve people for racketeering after Channel 2 exposed their scheme to steal houses last summer.Records show the same district attorney has now opened a criminal case against Weidman for her actions. He said the case could also include her cancelling her own mortgage in Cobb County. The mortgage company has since filed paperwork declaring the cancellation invalid.“When they clean up Wall Street, I’ll start to feel guilty,” Weidman told Fleischer during her interview last year.Greye said he will cooperate with investigators and start looking for a new place to live.“Maybe next time I’ll have to make some phone calls and verify somebody before I go moving into a place,” said Greye.
Source http://www.wsbtv.com/

Plan to restore historic Coconut Grove home stirs controversy

Despite promises to preserve and not make any changes without full cooperation from neighbors, statements from developers who want to turn an historic Charles Avenue home into a bed & breakfast are running into skepticism.

Miami wasn’t yet a year old when a Bahamian immigrant named Ebenezer Stirrup put the finishing touches on his West Grove home.
Now, 115 years later, the landmark on Charles Avenue that was the first home built in Coconut Grove is in disrepair. And the man who leases the property wants to turn it into a bed and breakfast, with perhaps a café  a move that has inflamed some longtime residents, but one the Stirrup family says is the only way to preserve the two-story wood frame home.
If those old walls could speak, they might tell of how Ebenezer Woodberry Frank Stirrup, a carpenter’s apprentice, moved from the Bahamas to Key West in 1888, and from there to what is now Cutler Bay, where he toiled in the hot sun picking pineapples. When he saved enough money, Stirrup moved north to Charles Avenue, eventually building over 100 homes in the Coconut Grove neighborhood.
Stirrup, a firm believer in home ownership, made millions of dollars and lived in the home now nestled between a bank and a condo community on historic Charles Avenue until his death in 1957. His descendants still owns about 30 properties in the area.
That story, touching and historical, is a major reason a gaggle of homeowners who live on Charles and in the surrounding neighborhood are opposing the rezoning of 3242 Charles Ave. to commercial designation. They’ve flocked to meetings of the Coconut Grove Village Council and the city of Miami commission with signed petitions and strong voices.
One of their leaders, Williams A. Armbrister — who will run in November against Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, a supporter of the plan to upgrade the home — has lived in Coconut Grove all of his 60 years. His fear: Changing the zoning on Charles Avenue will open the floodgates to all types of commercialization.
“Charles Avenue was the first street in Coconut Grove in 1880. To have commercial development on Charles Avenue would be a tragedy,” said Armbrister. “It would be setting a trend of what we can expect from our city officials. It would create a domino effect, and no one can prove it won’t.”
To allay Armbrister’s fears, the developers who control the property have added a host of unusual covenants as they seek the zoning approval. Among them: If they should ever purchase the neighboring residential property to the west it can never be rezoned; no vehicular access would be allowed from Charles Avenue to the property; insurance will be purchased to completely restore the home if it’s ever badly damaged, and if the adjacent property is ever purchased and even an attempt is made to rezone it, the developer is liable for $1 million.
Because the home is on the city’s historic registry, changes to it have be approved by the Historic Preservation Board, maybe the toughest board to gain approval from in all of Miami.
“Anyone who is against this is just against it because they’re against it,” said land-use attorney Tucker Gibbs, a neighborhood preservationist who in a rare reversal is representing the developer.
To be sure, a lot about this rezoning attempt is unconventional.
Besides the sturdy covenants, the company 3242 Charles LLC, which is applying for the zoning change, has secured a 50-year lease from the Stirrup family for the property. Partners Rick Kalwani and Gino Falsetto bought what was the former Taurus Steak House property on Main Highway in 2004, and built condos, a restaurant called Calamari’s and a smaller version of the Taurus bar.

Source http://www.miamiherald.com/

Make Money Online Using the Best Internet Income System For 2011

 Robert Allen focuses his vast experience on sharing the simple, powerful systems that can guide you, step by step, to Internet riches. He provides strategies which entrepreneurs can utilize to achieve a lifestyle that most only dream about.LOS ANGELES, CA, May 07, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- If you are looking for a better way to make money, fire your boss or spend more time with your family, you are definitely not alone. With unemployment numbers extremely high, everybody is looking to make a few extra bucks these days. Many people are turning to work at home programs. But, which ones are real and which ones are scams? You might even decide that one of them is a good fit for you, and you can begin making money from home today.Consumers purchase Billions and Billions of dollars worth of products and service online each year. Every time people use the internet to perform a Google search or log into Facebook to connect with friends and family, someone is making money through online commerce. This program will teach you how to get a piece of this money and free yourself from the 9-5. The internet economy has grown by leaps and bounds even in this recession, so why not take advantage of his fact? There are plenty of scams on the internet claiming you can make millions of dollars a year, but this is exactly what they are, only scams.Finally you can sign up for a proven Internet Income System that works, and was created by the #1 New York Times best-selling author Robert Allen. This system will teach you to do just that, exploit the internet's vast reach for your own profits and start making some real money online.
 Source http://www.stockmarketsreview.com/

Fence Installers in Greenwich, CT, Partner with SEO Expert to Bring Fencing to Area Homeowners

Greenwich, CT, May 06, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Best Fence, a fence installer in Greenwich, CT, has developed a partnership with Prospect Genius, a leader in online local advertising. In implementing this business venture, Best Fence will utilize the SEO expertise of Prospect Genius to attract and maintain potential clients. As a result, a larger number of residents in the Greenwich area will be able to connect with Best Fence for the quality fence contractor services they are searching for.

Acknowledging the importance of Internet visibility, Ken Reinartz, owner of Best Fence, hired Prospect Genius as part of an ongoing campaign to reach more local homeowners in need of his company's fence contractor services. He states, "I am thrilled to work with Prospect Genius and to bring my services to more Greenwich residents than ever before."

Prospect Genius uses SEO, or search engine optimization, to promote businesses like Best Fence in part by creating Web sites that contain the specific elements required to increase their rankings on search engine results pages. Through the use of carefully researched information, Prospect Genius makes the site wholly accurate, informative, and relevant, thus allowing potential customers to find it--and the services they need--easily. Now all it takes to find a quality fence company in the Greenwich area like Best Fence is a search on any major search engine.

Matt Gallo, a senior marketing specialist at Prospect Genius, says, "Everyone here at Prospect Genius is confident that we can create a site for Best Fence that attracts as many homeowners as possible. We are looking forward to bringing Mr. Reinartz's abilities to more area residents than ever before."

With the creation of an effective Web site, Best Fence has made it stress-free for their potential clients to find top-notch vinyl or wood fencing for any and all of their fencing needs. This is a clear message to all Greenwich residents of Best Fence's dedication to customer service and professionalism. Now instead of searching through numerous sites that have little relevance to their needs, potential clients can find the fence installation experts quickly.

Best Fence is a fence installer specializing in wood and vinyl fencing in Greenwich, CT, and the surrounding area.

###

Contact Information
Best Fence LLC
Ken Reinartz
(203) 541-0849
bestfence.586@conn-biz.com
fence-installation-repair-greenwich.conn-biz.com
Source http://www.pr.com/

Mobile Electronics Specialist in Milwaukee Joins Up with SEO Pros to Reach Out to Area Customers

Car-feteria, a car audio shop that has served Milwaukee since 1965, is proud to announce its new partnership with Prospect Genius, a leader in online advertising for local companies.

Milwaukee, WI, May 06, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Car-feteria, a car audio shop that has served Milwaukee since 1965, is proud to announce its new partnership with Prospect Genius, a leader in online advertising for local companies. Working together, Car-feteria and Prospect Genius hope to make it easier for area drivers to locate Car-feteria’s vehicle customization services online.

Today up to 60% of individuals looking for a local service provider turn to the Internet to find area businesses, and that number is typically even higher for technology-based industries like mobile electronics. This means that the traditional advertising resources that may have worked for Car-feteria when they first opened their doors way back in 1965 may not be able to reach a very broad audience in today’s market. However, Car-feteria’s new collaboration with Prospect Genius will enable them to reach more customers through the Internet.

Prospect Genius specializes in search engine optimization (SEO). This particular type of online advertising focuses on maximizing a company’s Web site rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Because the highest ranked sites receive the greatest amount of Internet traffic, achieving the best listing placement can make a major difference in the visibility—and subsequent success—of a company like Car-feteria.

As Patrice Steeber, owner of Car-feteria, comments, “Prospect Genius’s SEO program will help our car audio shop be more accessible online.”

With PG’s SEO program in place, Milwaukee-area drivers who want a remote car starter or car alarm system can now find Car-feteria online instead of having to page through the phone book. A quick Internet search should bring up Car-feteria’s Web page with an improved placement in the SERP rankings, making it easier than ever to find their mobile electronics shop.

Matt Gallo, an online advertising professional with Prospect Genius, states, “Our SEO team is committed to helping local businesses like Car-feteria connect with the area customers who are searching for them online.”

Car-feteria is an aftermarket car customization shop specializing in car audio, mobile video, and more in the greater Milwaukee region.

###

Contact InformationCar-Feteria
Patrice Steeber
(414) 939-0222
carfeteria.600@milwaukee-biz.com
car-audio.milwaukee-biz.com
Source http://www.pr.com/

Onstream Media Signs MarketPlace365® Master Agent Agreement With WebiMax

POMPANO BEACH, Fla., May 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Onstream Media Corporation (NASDAQ: ONSM), a leading online service provider of live and on-demand corporate web communications, virtual event technology and social media marketing, today announced that WebiMax, a leading provider of Internet marketing solutions and search engine optimization, has signed a MarketPlace365® Master Agent Agreement. WebiMax is currently the world's leading provider of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services, according to the TopSEOs website, which identifies itself as an independent authority on search vendors. 
Since its creation, WebiMax has sought to provide their blue chip client base with solutions to increase online viability, lead generation and conversions.  MarketPlace365 will now become an integral part of WebiMax's highly acclaimed Internet marketing solutions.
"MarketPlace365 is a perfect complement to our existing business," said Mr. Wisnefski. "We are excited to be working with the premier provider of this innovative leading virtual tradeshow technology and believe our clients will embrace the MarketPlace365 solution as an extension to their overall marketing strategy. In addition, we look forward to establishing relationships with many of the MarketPlace365 promoters with an overall aim of improving their social media marketing and lead generation results."
The strategic relationship is poised to take MarketPlace365 to the next level.  WebiMax's consistent ability to provide highly valued Internet visibility for their clients, combined with the qualified lead generation and social media marketing capabilities of MarketPlace365, has forged a powerful partnership. As a key aspect of the understanding, WebiMax is expected to assist Onstream Media with their MarketPlace365 SEO implementation strategy, with a goal of ensuring that Onstream's MarketPlace365 is fully optimized for maximum exposure.  Furthermore, Webimax Founder and CEO Ken Wisnefski is considered one of the world's leading authorities on Video Search Engine Optimization (VSEO). The multimedia nature of MarketPlace365 is a perfect fit with Mr. Wisnefski's VSEO expertise.
Randy Selman, President and CEO of Onstream Media, stated, "We are excited to work with WebiMax, ranked by TopSEOs as the number one provider of search engine optimization services in the world.  The impact on the highly focused vertical search capabilities of MarketPlace365 as well as the SEO benefits to our promoter base will undoubtedly have a profound effect on our positioning as a leading provider of virtual trade show and event technology."
WebiMax will also be featured in the MarketPlace365 resource hub and is expected to provide preferred pricing to Onstream Media's MarketPlace365 client base.  Increased visibility through the use of WebiMax's suite of Internet marketing services is anticipated to leverage the exponential nature of MarketPlace365's social media elements and create new potential revenue opportunities for show organizers and venders alike.
MarketPlace365 is a comprehensive, online lead-generation and communications virtual conference and trade show platform that enables publishers, associations and tradeshow organizers to quickly, easily and affordably self-deploy and manage their own online multimedia "marketplace," while creating a compelling social-media experience for the attendee. MarketPlace365® brings communities with common interests together online for commerce and information exchange. MarketPlace365® features include: social networking, search engine optimization, advanced analytics, videos, webinars, presentations and a full suite of marketing and communications tools. For more information, visit www.MarketPlace365.com.
About WebiMax:
WebiMax is a leading provider of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), social media, PPC (Pay-Per-Click) management, web design, eCommerce solutions and reputation management services.  Its global presence has allowed them to work as an effective strategic partner with their client base, helping each client reach their goals through a proven optimization plan.  They focus on lead generation, online visibility and increased sales. Select WebiMax customers include: Marriott, Harrah's Casino, Sam's Club, Braun, FitClick, Hay Group and Blue Mile Cloud. www.webimax.com
About Onstream Media:Onstream Media Corporation (NASDAQ: ONSM), is a leading online service provider of live and on-demand corporate web communications, virtual event technology and social media marketing. Onstream Media's innovative Digital Media Services Platform (DMSP) provides customers with cost effective tools for encoding, managing, indexing, and publishing content via the Internet. The company's MarketPlace365® solution enables publishers, associations, tradeshow promoters and entrepreneurs to rapidly and cost effectively self deploy their own online virtual marketplaces. In addition, Onstream Media provides live and on-demand webcasting, webinars, web and audio conferencing services. To date, almost half of the Fortune 1000 companies and 78% of the Fortune 100 CEOs and CFOs have used Onstream Media's services. Select Onstream Media customers include: AAA, Dell, Disney, Georgetown University, National Press Club, PR Newswire, Shareholder.com (NASDAQ), Sony Pictures and the U.S. Government. Onstream Media's strategic relationships include Akamai, BT Conferencing, Qwest and Trade Show News Network (TSNN). For more information, visit Onstream Media at http://www.onstreammedia.com or call 954-917-6655.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements
Certain statements in this document and elsewhere by Onstream Media are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such information includes, without limitation, the business outlook, assessment of market conditions, anticipated financial and operating results, strategies, future plans, contingencies and contemplated transactions of the company. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause or contribute to actual results of company operations, or the performance or achievements of the company or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed, or implied by the forward-looking statements. In addition to any such risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed elsewhere herein, risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause or contribute to actual results differing materially from those expressed or implied for the forward- looking statements include, but are not limited to fluctuations in demand; changes to economic growth in the U.S. economy; government policies and regulations, including, but not limited to those affecting the Internet. Onstream Media undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth in Onstream Media Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.ONSM Media Relations:
Chris Faust
Fastlane
973-226-4379
cfaust@fast-lane.net

ONSM Investor Relations:
Alon Kutai
ProActive Newsroom
212-828-7373
akutai@proactivecrg.com
SOURCE Onstream Media Corporation
http://www.onstreammedia.com
Source  http://www.prnewswire.com/

Bristol must make use of their home advantage

SOME people will say this has been a bad season for Bristol – but I would not go that far.

I think it has been substandard, although the opportunity remains to come away with something tangible after a difficult 12 months.
To reach the promotion play-offs and win the British & Irish Cup could not be considered a bad season – and Bristol have a huge advantage tomorrow in that they are at home against Bedford.
I only hope that, because they are now playing in front of their own supporters, they do not lose the fear factor they clearly had when they went to Pontypridd for the semi-final.

They knew they had to be at something near their best going to Wales – and they should have the same approach tomorrow. Yes, this has been a turbulent year for the club and a difficult season, but the opportunity is there to sign off on a high and put down some building blocks for next season – and it is an opportunity that must not be missed.
The game is on Sky, too, so there will be a big audience watching around the country – and Bristol can show potential future investors and players what they are all about.
This game is a huge shop window, because Bristol is still a hotbed of rugby, even if the team hasn't performed like that this season. Whenever an opportunity like this comes along, you have to grasp it – and I think Bristol will.
Whether you are leaving the club or staying put, you are only as good as your next game – and the players have a great chance now to go out and win some silverware.
Say what you like about Bristol's season or the British & Irish Cup, these players have earned the right to be where they are and now they have to go out and take advantage of this chance.
Bedford will not be easy opponents, though. Just ask Worcester, who almost came a cropper against them last weekend. They have, however, had a short turnaround from an exhausting game since – and only tomorrow will we know how they react to that.
For Bristol, with Paul Hull, Matt Salter and a number of players leaving, tomorrow can provide a great ending for them – and the kind of end to the season that the club needs.
● It is less than a month until I climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for Bristol Children's Hospital. For further information, or to donate, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/MarkRegan KilimanjaroChallenge2011.
Source http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/

4 Ways Your Home Can Pay You

Despite being financially stressed and worried about retirement, homeowners, by and large, continue to see their homes as a roof over their head and not a key financial asset that may improve their retirement prospects. According to research by the Society of Actuaries, only about 20 percent of homeowners plan to use their home equity to help finance retirement. Of those who do, few have thought about tapping their home's value and simply plan to sell it to generate retirement funds.

"Even for middle-income and moderately affluent Americans in their critical preretirement years (55-64), non-financial assets, principally home equity, may represent as much as 70 percent of total assets exclusive of pensions and Social Security," the report said. Tom Horgan, a Society of Actuaries spokesman and former chief actuary of the Federal Housing Administration, agrees with traditional advice that home equity should only be tapped when necessary, and when it helps achieve a specific retirement objective. In most cases, his best advice for homeowners approaching retirement is to sell their home and downsize into smaller, less-expensive living quarters that also may be closer to shopping and cultural activities. Renting an apartment also eliminates property taxes and most maintenance expenses. 
"Retirees are really not looking at home equity as an attractive option for helping to fund their retirement," says another Society of Actuaries spokesman, Steve Siegal. "I think people tend to look at their houses as an anchoring point, and are kind of reluctant to mess with that. There's an emotional attachment there." While echoing Horgan's emphasis on only accessing home equity after very careful thought, Siegal adds that the study found that people were "not exploring any of the options. The point is that people should explore options and find out what's right for them."
There were slightly more than 23 million U.S. households in 2009 headed by someone at least 65 years old, according to federal housing statistics. About 80 percent of these households owned their homes, and of these, 65 percent had no mortgage or other home debt. Even with sharp housing price declines, the median value of homes owned by older people was about $150,000-over $100,000 more than they paid for it.
The best home-finance solutions, experts agree, tend to be the ones that meet an individual's specific needs. The major variables in home equity use include age, health and healthcare expenses, marital and family situation, life expectancy, current and future income streams, family assets, and estate considerations. In short, just about all significant life decisions can come into play in deciding how to deal with your home as a possible retirement.
There are four major types of decisions that involve your home and your future: borrowing against the value of your home, generating rental income from your home, taking full advantage of government tax breaks, and moving into a residence that cuts monthly housing expenses and is more aligned with reduced retirement income levels:
1. Loans. Home equity loans and mortgage refinancings are rarely advised for paying basic retirement expenses, but they may make sense for special needs or one-time projects. Usually, borrowers need a reliable income stream to satisfy lenders of their ability to repay the loan. In some cases your retirement income would be enough, but you'd need to satisfy lenders that you have enough left over after paying your living expenses to service and repay the loan. Reverse mortgages do not require repayment but usually only make sense for people who plan to stay in their homes for a long time and do not intend to sell them and use the proceeds for other retirement needs. If you have a mortgage and are sure you want to downsize to a smaller home in a few years, consider refinancing your mortgage into a five-year adjustable rate mortgage. You will save a lot of money on mortgage payments and can use those savings to pay down your home loan even further. Just make sure you can sell the home before the five-year reset deadline occurs.
2. Income. Consider renting out a room in your home to generate extra income. This may make special sense if you're still carrying a mortgage on the property. Most retirees bring home less money in retirement than when they worked, which can make carrying a mortgage very difficult. Rental income can help you pay off the mortgage and take a lot of pressure off of your retirement budget. You could even consider renting our your entire home for a visiting vacationer. It could pay for your own vacation, and tax specialist CCH says if you rent out your home fewer than 15 days a year, you don't even have to include the money you receive as gross income on your tax return.
3. Taxes. The mortgage tax break may be reduced or even disappear as Congress wrestles with reforming the tax code and reducing budget deficits. But for now, it's the largest single tax break that individuals receive. Interest on home equity loans is usually deductible. There may also be energy credits and other tax breaks that make sense.
4. Moving. Downsizing can be the smartest way to let your home-or in this case, your new home-pay you money. Reduced living expenses, smaller utility bills, and even lower commuting costs should be on your mind as you consider how you will balance the household budget during your retirement years. Moving closer to key shopping and cultural activities can not only save you money, but also make increasing sense as you age and your time behind the wheel of a car grows shorter. Think carefully about whether you want to rent or buy your new home. And don't forget that gains on the sale of your current home-up to $500,000 in gains for a couple-are tax-free.
Source http://au.ibtimes.com/

‘Squatter Rent’ May Boost Spending as U.S. Mortgage Holders Bail

Melissa White and her husband stopped paying their mortgage in May 2008 after it reset to $3,200 a month, more than double the original rate. That gave them extra cash to pay off debts and spend on staples until their Las Vegas home sold two years later for less than they owed.
“We didn’t pay it for about 24 months,” said White, who quit her job as a beautician during that period after becoming pregnant with her first child and experiencing medical complications. “What we had, we could put towards food and the truck payments and insurance and health things I was dealing with.”
Millions of Americans have more money to spend since they fell delinquent on their mortgages amid the worst housing collapse since the Great Depression. They are staying in their homes for free about a year and a half on average, buying time to restructure their finances and providing an unexpected support for consumer spending, which makes up about 70 percent of the economy.
So-called “squatter’s rent,” or the increase to income from withheld mortgage payments, will be an estimated $50 billion this year, according to Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York. The extra cash could represent a boost to spending that’s equal to about half the estimated savings generated by cuts to payroll withholding in December’s bipartisan tax plan.
“We’ve had a lot of government transfers to the household sector; this is a transfer from the business sector to households,” Feroli said. “It’s a shock absorber that has helped the consumer ride out the storm.”

Now Renting

White, 28, now has two children, daughter Makenzie, 2, and son Christian, 1. She and her husband, Shannon, a sheet-metal worker, rent a house for $1,425 a month.
“My credit’s back,” she said. “I’d buy a house again, but I’d get a fixed-rate loan.”
Consumer spending is projected to rise 2.8 percent this year, according to economists in an April Bloomberg News survey, after a 1.7 percent increase in 2010.
Delinquencies and defaults have helped homeowners save more, pay down other debts and move on to more affordable homes, according to Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow Inc., a Seattle-based provider of housing data. Owners in default need the savings because degraded credit scores from the default make it more difficult to borrow, he said.
“It’s bad that they’ve lost the home, but household finances have been rearranged in such a way that it’s arguably more sustainable,” Humphries said.

Delinquent Debt

Van Perrault, a home appraiser who defaulted on his Saint Mary’s, Maryland, investment property in 2007 after his tenants stopped paying the rent, used the extra money to take care of late payments on his delinquent credit-card debt.
The additional $1,500 a month “made a difference in my life,” said Perrault, 60, adding that paying down his card balances helped him and his wife limit the damage to their credit scores.
Consumer debt fell to $11.4 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2010, down about $1.1 trillion from the peak in the third quarter of 2008, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in February. Mortgage debt dropped 9.1 percent in the period.
A total of 6.3 million homeowners weren’t current on their loans at the end of March, with 2.2 million in the process of foreclosure, according to data from Lender Processing Services Inc., a Jacksonville, Florida-based provider of mortgage- processing services and data. Loans in foreclosure were an average 549 days late.

Conscious Decision

While many Americans couldn’t make payments because they lost their jobs or earned less during the recession, others made the conscious decision to stop paying -- or carry out a so- called strategic default -- on homes worth less than the outstanding obligation.
About 27 percent of single-family homeowners with mortgages, or about 15.7 million, were “underwater” at the end of last year, according to Zillow, the highest share since the first quarter of 2009, during the recession. Las Vegas led the nation, at 82 percent, followed by 70 percent for Phoenix.
Failing to pay a mortgage bill is “a big moral issue,” said Karl Case, co-founder of a housing-price index that bears his name. “On the other hand, it’s exactly what you would expect given the way we treat and reward behavior in an economic system built for private gain.”

Strategic Default

More than a third of mortgage defaults were strategic, according to a June 2010 survey by finance professors Paola Sapienza of the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. That was up from 29 percent in a March 2009 survey.
Almost half of Americans surveyed in January “said they would be more likely to default if their bank was accused of predatory lending, even if they’re morally opposed to strategic default,” Zingales said in a telephone interview from Chicago. “One likely reason for this may be related to a psychological notion of retribution.”
Adam Turner, 43, went eight months without making payments on his Las Vegas townhouse after he quit his job as a casino- restaurant wine steward in November 2009. He stopped paying as “a way of sticking it back to the banks” for pushing mortgages on people who shouldn’t have been qualified, he said. He sold the property in a July 2010 short-sale -- when a bank agrees to accept less than the outstanding value of the loan.

Distressed Deals

Distressed deals -- short sales and foreclosures -- accounted for 40 percent of existing-home transactions in March, up from about one third last year, according to the Chicago- based National Association of Realtors.
With unemployment at 9 percent in April and forecast to average 8.7 percent for the full year -- well above the 4.6 percent average in 2007 before the recession began -- more Americans probably will enter the default pipeline this year. The number of homes receiving a foreclosure notice will climb about 20 percent, reaching a peak for the housing crisis, predicts RealtyTrac Inc., an Irvine, California-based data seller.
Turner, now a waiter and renting an apartment, used the money he saved by not making mortgage payments to take care of electric and phone bills and buy necessities while he was unemployed.
“It definitely boosted my cash flow, which was helpful to move on with my life,” said Turner, who made almost $100,000 a year before the recession. “It was not like I was celebrating and partying. It was a rough time. It represented the American dream that collapsed around me.”
To contact the reporters on this story: Robert Willis in Washington at bwillis@bloomberg.net; John Gittelsohn in New York at johngitt@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Chris Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net; Kara Wetzel at kwetzel@bloomberg.net

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