How to Observe Memorial Day
The “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been ignored by too many of us who are beneficiaries of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice. Often we do not observe the day as it should be, a day where we actively remember our ancestors, our family members, our loved ones, our neighbors, and our friends who have given the ultimate sacrifice:
by visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
by visiting memorials.
by flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
by flying the ‘POW/MIA Flag’ as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
by participating in a “National Moment of Remembrance”: at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our falled dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.
Also, please consider adding your voice in support of the efforts to restore the traditional day of observance of Memorial Day back to May 30th (instead of “the last Monday in May”). This would help greatly to return the solemn meaning back to the day, and to help return minds and hearts to think upon the ultimate sacrifices made by those in service to our country. Just one day out of the year to honor our loved ones, our ancestors, our friends who died in conflicts and wars — not to honor war, but those that died in those conflicts and wars.
I receive many emails from people expressing their thanks for those who have served and gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country. The following, received in 1999 and used with the author’s permission, sums up all the emails I have received very elegantly, and is true to the original spirit and meaning of Memorial Day.
“This weekend I am going to do something different. I am going to buy some carnations each day and go to one of the nearby cemetaries and walk through the sections for soldiers. When I find a grave that has no flowers, I’ll leave one and say a prayer for the family of that person, who for some reason could not bring their soldier flowers. I will pray for our country and all who serve or have served. For their families, who also serve by losing precious days, weeks and months spent with their loved ones who are off serving, preserving peace and the freedom we have in this country. I’ll pray for the families who paid the ultimate price, who’s loved ones died, or were taken captive and never returned. I’ll pray for anyone who may still be held in captivity and thinks perhaps they are forgotten. I do NOT forget.
I’ll say a prayer for every person on the Internet who takes a moment from their time to come to sites like yours and be reminded of what this holiday really means. And I’ll say a prayer of thanks and ask God’s richest blessings on you.
Thank you again…. and God bless!
Sylvia Mohr”
No, Thank you and God Bless you, Sylvia. May more follow your example.
In fact, wonderful people in other nations sometimes show more of the true spirit and mission of the U.S. Memorial Day than we do here. For example, a 2001 US Memorial Day Guestbook entry from a citizen of the Netherlands states:
“Hi,
In 1999 I laid flowers at the grave of a young U.S. fighter pilot who was KIA in my village in 1945. In the Netherlands I know of schools ‘adopting’ graves of Allied servicemen, keeping those graves in excellent condition ! Does anybody know of adopting graves in the U.S. by schools ?
Sincerely,
Paul Patist <patist@wanadoo.nl>
Castricum, The Netherlands – Tue May 15 04:50:29 2001″
More schools in the U.S. could follow the lead of the Netherland schools. Let us take a few moments this Memorial Day to reflect on the meaning of the day, to observe the day and be mindful of the sacrifices of others before we go and enjoy the freedoms they bought for us.
Subscribe to the comments for this postCareer Development Loans (CDL)
A Career Development Loan is a specific bank loan that is designed to help an individual pay for career development learning. Paying back the loan starts the first month after the training in over.
It does not matter if you are employed, self-employed or unemployed if you are expecting to launch a new career or gain training, experience or qualifications the Career Development Loan or CDL can work for you. The Career Development loan is available because of a special arrangement between the three high street banks and the Learning and Skills Council or LSC.
The requirements to qualify for the Career Development Loan are as follow: you must be a resident in England, Wales or Scotland, you must be at least 18 year old, and you must intend to work in the European Union after your course is finished. You can borrow up to 8.000£ and you can agree with the bank on your payments plan. If you are a full time student you are entitled to 80% of courses fees and expenses, but if you have been unemployed for more than three months you are entitled to 100%.
If you are taking in consideration to apply for this kind of loan it is wise to apply well in advantage, knowing that it takes two to three weeks for the bank to answer. By doing this if your loan is refused by the bank that you applied to you will still have enough time to apply at a different bank. Another important fact about the request for the loan is to be sure of the amount you will be requesting. It is important for you to calculate your monthly living expenses, but also books and materials you may need and travel costs, and if the case costs associated with disability
A “Start Certificate” will have to be completed by you and your learning provider and be submitted to your bank for the funds to be released. The bank does not release any founds until your learning provider can confirm that you have started the course. Once the bank receives this confirmation the funds will be released as follows: the bank will pay the fees for the course directly to your learning provider and the funds for your other expenses will be sent directly into your bank account.
Now the interest on your loan while you are learning and one month after you finished is being paid by LSC, then you start repaying the loan over an agreed period at the fixed rate of interest.
If you believe you may not be able to repay the loan it is vital that you contact your bank. You can postpone the start of your payments to a maximum of 17 months if you are receiving a Training Allowance, or if you may have to extend the course or even if you are unemployed and are claiming benefits. In order for any of this to happen you must agree with the bank on these matters before your repayments would start.
In the unfortunate case in which you will be dissatisfied with the course or if you fail to complete the course or if the learning provider ceases trading you will still have to pay back the full amount of the loan. It is very important that you stay in contact with the bank and keep them informed of anything that would affect the time of your study and the start time of your payments.
Getting Power Over Your Good Name with Online Debt Settlement
Online Debt Settlement
Countless Americans are laden with high interest credit accounts. Bad credit happens when average men and women can’t keep up with their credit card bills and other debt payments because of losing a job, lack of employment, or the everyday trials of life. If you’ve gotten yourself in this situation, it’s a good idea to take control of the situation rather than letting your bad credit to deteriorate. What follows is the most simple information regarding reclaiming command over your bad credit and on the road to a debt-free existence.
1. Pull Up Your Equifax Report. Some balance holders are just a couple of billing cycles in arrears on their credit card bills as a result of tight budgets, and they may have forgotten about a couple of unpaid bills that are pulling their credit scores downhill. Some of us have gotten so far back in bills that we’ve forgotten what we owe! The primary step to getting back on the track to acceptable credit is to order your credit report so that you can see 1) the companies you hold a debt with, 2) how much you need to pay them, and 3) what your debt payment is. You are guaranteed one no cost credit history from all three of the major reporting companies annually. When you know your balances, you are in a better position to make an informed resolution regarding your debt situation.
2. Renew Communication With Your Creditors. Yes, it is true. At some stage you’re going to have to re-establish contact with your credit card companies if you’ve lost touch with them after falling behind in payments. At the very worst you’ll have to endure a long quizzing with a sprinkling of bad attitude. The positive news is that it’s possible that you’ll be extended a deal to pay off debt that can get your credit back on track and probably eradicate some of those blemishes on your credit.
3. Cease Using Available Credit. Possibly the main choice you have to make so that you can reclaim command over your credit and debt affairs is to stop making charges on open credit accounts. That means you have to take the scissors to your credit cards and begin making do on a currency only basis. Adopt this way of thinking: if you do not have the cash to make a buy, then you can’t afford it.
4. Assure That Your Paycheck is Enough To Take Care of Your Bills. The most difficult requirement to ending your debt woes is netting the salary that is required to cover your payments and get current with your creditors. That is because your income is sometimes not in your control. Think about getting a 10 hour per week side job and dedicate all of the income from that to your debt balances.
5. Consider Debt Solution Plans. If you’re seeking to decrease your regular payments, pay off debt fast, or if you simply need to steer clear of direct contact with your credit card companies, you may want to consider an online debt Consolidation program. These helpful programs are overseen by debt settlement companies that specialize in debt reduction and debt negotiation with your card issuers.
Do You Know The Financial Condition of Your Family?
Do You Know The Financial Condition of Your Family?
So many of us rely on our husbands to know the in’s and out’s of our finances. That is great, sometimes, as it leaves us one less chore to do! However I would strongly advise that you at least have some idea of what is going on financially. If nothing else, know where to find the information when you are struck with pertinent questions about your family’s financial security. I know there are some women who truly do prefer to have their husband run the money show and there is nothing wrong with that. But just at least have a part in it.
Here are some questions to ponder…
• Do you know where your main Financial Institution is?
• Where are your chequing and savings accounts?
• Do you know when the bills are due and which accounts they are to be paid from?
• Do you have RRSP’s, stocks, bonds or any other kind of investments? If so, where are they, do you know how to contact the company for statements, etc?
• Do you or your husband have a pension plan? Did you know that you can go to the Government of Canada website and find out exactly how much is in your Canada Pension Plan? To request a statement just go to www.hrdc.gc.ca or call your local Human Resources Development Canada office. Find out how much is being accumulated then check with your financial advisor and see if you need to make some changes to your contributions. Perhaps there is not an adequate amount being put away for your retirement future.
• Do you have insurance? Life, house, mortgage, automobile. If so, know where and how much you have. You should evaluate your policy regularly to determine if you are sufficiently covered. Especially with the value of homes rising in today’s markets, most families do not have the proper amount of insurance to cover the value of the home.
• Do you and your husband have a will? Find out where your wills are located and if you don’t have one make an appointment with your lawyer today to begin the process. Be sure that this is done for your family, it is a must have!
If there is information that you don’t have, talk to your husband. Explain your concerns, I am sure he would be more than happy to have you take an interest in your families finances.
Having financial security is a blessing and it takes some work. You will feel better knowing exactly what is going on with the finances in your home.
Don’t leave life to chance.
Get a FREE Analysis today at https://www.ccdr.ca and find out all the options to get out of debt!
IRS Mortgage Debt Relief Laws
The Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act and Debt Cancellation |
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Instant Cash Loan: Attain Quick and Easy Funds Without Any Hassles
Everyone reaches a point in time when their finances are not in the best shape. Every day expense have suddenly become overwhelming and difficult to manage with the current your current income resources. Then there comes a time when all your funds are depleted and you’re in need of emergency cash to pay a bill or make auto repairs. As usual when you’re in this type of predicament there isn’t enough readily available cash to support your emergency. There’s nothing to stress over, because you can easily attain quick and easy funds without any hassles with an Instant cash loan.
You don’t need to have assets or own a home to apply, all you’re applying for is quick cash for a short period of time. Typically Instant cash loans offer a range of available funds. If you need $100 to 1500.00 and in some case more, plus you’ll get approved and have funds available in up to 24 hours. Using instant cash loans you have the option of remitting payment 2week to a month for a small fee however because of this unsecured loan type the interest rate is considerably more than cash advances loans. Naturally with a little homework you can find a instant cash lender with lower interest rates.
Because the instant cash loan is directly deposited into your bank account, you will not be required to submit verifying documentation or complete a long drawn out application. The process is pretty simple; all you need to do is complete the small online application which requires pertinent information. You will be required to give your full and legal name, Employment information including monthly income, bank account information and contact numbers. Upon the short verification process the loan will be directly deposited into your checking account and ready within 24 hours.
As with most payday loan or cash advance loans, instant cash loans do not require a credit rating endorsement, which makes this an attractive process, especially for people with poor credit scores. Even if you have bankruptcies or debts in collection the loan is based upon the information provided, therefore its quick, easy and no hassles to get some emergency money. Since everyone encounters an emergency Instant Cash loans take the worry about making the necessary payments required to alleviate your money woes.
You can receive quick online approval through an Instant cash loan through a secured legal site from an authorized instant case lender. What’s best you can request assistance for any amount of money and have two options for your repayment terms. Always compare prices between competitors to ensure you’re getting the best deal, and quick approval and money instantly deposited in just one day from application submission.
Your Credit Card Payments Doubled MSN
The big players have raised minimum payments from 2% to 4% of your balance, meaning you’ll get out of debt much quicker. Here’s how to cope until that day.
Good news: Credit card companies are doubling their minimum payments.
Bad news: Credit card companies are doubling their minimum payments.
Huh?
So far, MBNA, Citibank and Bank of America have announced they are doubling minimum monthly payments on credit card balances from 2% to 4%. Others are expected to follow suit quickly. To some cardholders, that could be seen as a good thing. To others it could be devastating.
If you can handle the increased payment it’s good. Let’s face it, if you pay only a 2% minimum each month, your debt would probably last longer than most marriages. Doubling your minimum might put you back on the financial straight and narrow. Ostensibly designed to help consumers get out of debt faster, the increased minimums will force cardholders to pay off fees, interest and at least a portion of the principal each month.
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But if you simply can’t make that doubled minimum month after month, it could put you and many other debtors in over your head.
Why it’s happening
Over the past few years, low minimum payback rates of between 2 and 2.5% have encouraged Americans to spend, spend, spend — and to rack up an average credit card debt of close to $10,000 per household. For the estimated 40% of cardholders who carry a balance from month to month, the low minimums free up cash. But paying off a big charge little by ever-so-little also means that a $1,000 debt can turn into a 22-year commitment — and that you’ll accumulate thousands more in interest in the meantime.
“People are now in a revolving debt cycle that they’ll never escape,” says Adam Brauer, a debtor advocate and in-house counsel for Debt Settlement USA in Scottsdale, Ariz. “So the government nudged credit card companies into saying, ‘This isn’t working.’”
Specifically, regulators with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency began pressuring credit card companies to raise minimum payments. Another incentive for change: The newly enacted Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005, which requires credit card companies to post a kind of Surgeon General’s warning on monthly statements that notifies consumers about how long they’ll be in debt if they make minimum payments.
Help for big spenders
Although increased minimum payments aren’t a panacea for consumer debt, most financial experts think they’ll help.
“If you pay more per month, you’ll get out of debt quicker and you’ll pay less interest,” explains Mike Peterson, vice president and co-founder of American Credit Foundation, in Midvale, Utah.
Take the $2,000 Hawaiian cruise you charged to a card with an 18% interest rate. If you faithfully make minimum payments and never add another dime to the balance, it’ll still take you about 30 years to pay off the trip — and you’ll end up forking over almost $5,000 in interest. By making 4% minimum payments on the same debt, you’ll finish up in 10 years, and your interest payments will be around $1,100. “It’s a huge saving in time as well as interest,” says Peterson.
Another way increased minimums may cut debt is by forcing buyers who think in terms of monthly installments to take a second look at what they can afford. The new minimums will effectively double the monthly price of a purchase, turning a $40-a-month payment for a new sofa into an $80-a-month one. “People charge up to the point that they feel they have room within their budget to afford those payments,” Peterson explains. “If I’m trying to figure my budget based around what my credit card payment is going to be, I’ll be able to carry less debt.”
Bad news for big debtors
Of course, if your finances are already squeezed to the breaking point, the rate hike is a bitter pill to swallow — good for you in the long run, but hard to take right now.
“If you’re living paycheck to paycheck and your minimum payment goes from $200 to $275, spread over five cards, that’s an extra $375 a month,” says Brauer. “A lot of families can’t come up with that.” The banks already know that and are planning for it. Bank of America, one of the first to raise minimum payment requirements, worked an extra $130 million into its 2005 budget to cover projected losses from defaulting cardholders.
But default isn’t your only option if your new payment seems out of reach.
“I always tell people there are two sins: not paying, and not paying as agreed,” says Cate Williams, vice president of financial literacy for Money Management International, in Chicago. Most creditors would rather opt for the latter, so give your credit card company a call to see if you can either negotiate a reasonable payment arrangement or reduce your interest rate. Otherwise, missing a payment can quickly have you fielding calls from collections agencies — and at that point, no one will be willing to listen to you, says Williams.
Coming up with the cash
If you’ve been carrying a big credit card balance and suddenly need an extra $300 a month to make your minimum payments, now’s a good time to re-examine your finances. With some smart spending shifts and careful planning, virtually anyone can dig an extra 10 to 15% out of their budget.
Here are some ways to get started:
* Pay less to Uncle Sam. In 2004, 80% of taxpayers got a refund — on average, $2,400 a pop. By adjusting your withholdings, you can keep that money in your own pocket and put an extra $200 a month toward your debt.
* Curb your spending. Even small changes, like brown-bagging lunch or renting one DVD a week instead of three, can free up to 10 to 15% of your income, says Peterson. To find expenses you can shave, track your spending for seven days. You may be surprised at how relatively small expenses — like 75 cents for a Diet Coke from the vending machine — add up over time.
* See a credit counselor. The new bankruptcy law mandates at least two financial counseling sessions during the bankruptcy process, but if you see a counselor now you may be able to avoid reaching that point altogether. For help finding one, visit the website of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies or the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
* Control your cards. Paying down a big debt is hard enough without adding more fuel to the fire. To avoid the temptation to spend, “Take every credit card except one out of your wallet,” recommends Williams. “Lock them away. People have frozen them in bowls of ice or given them to a trusted friend. I’m concerned about people walking around without some means of emergency cash. But we all agree what an emergency is, and a shoe sale at Nordstrom is not it.”
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Mortgage Modification Legal Network launches its new Spanish division!
Mortgage Modification Legal Network has just launched its new Spanish division, Centro Legal de Modificaciones Hipotecarias, which can be found at modifiquehoy.com MMLN’s goal is not only expand the audience in which they speak too, but make loan modifications easier and more comprehensive for the end users across all communities.
This weekend Centro Legal de Modificaciones Hipotecarias will be speaking at Templo Calvario on Sunday January 18th, located in Santa Ana, CA. CLMH was asked to speak to Templo Calvario’s congregation to help inform them of today’s market and their options with loan modifications.
Mortgage Modification Legal Network and Centro Legal de Modificaciones Hipotecarias’ ultimate goal is to inform communities of their options and how loan modifications may be the answer they are looking for.
To learn more about the loan modification process or a local seminar in your community visit wesavehomes.com or modifiquehoy.com today.
Your Online Debt Settlement Solution
It is 8 am in the morning and the phone is ringing, who on earth would be calling so early? You pick up the phone and a foreign sounding voice squeaks in your ear. “Hello Mr. Smith, this is Jamal from the book club. I am calling in regards to your outstanding bi…”, and you decide to hang-up on this early morning interruption. Don’t these people know that one should have coffee before getting these horrible phone calls? This is not an unheard of situation. If this has ever happened to you, go online and check out online debt consolidation.
This might just be what you need in your life to create some order in what seems to be a bottomless pit of despair. Yes even you can be helped with your financial hardship. Would it not be great if you could answer the phone without being afraid of bill collectors? You must know by now that ignoring the problem will not make them go away. Even worse, you are the one having to end up paying for their time and phone costs, so spike their route of harassment and get an online debt settlement today.
If you’re worried about all the embarrassment of having to go through money management classes then I have good news for you. We only provide these classes if you want them as it is, and will never be a must. But we do have highly trained staff available if and when you would need them. Our goal is to get you debt free and happy in life again. You see a lot of our financial problems are not there because we are bad people, they are there simply because there was a reason and that reason is not always our fault. Even if you made a big mistake, online debt consolidation will work hard for you to make sure that this mistake will be turned around into a cope able situation. We are sure that you have learned the hard way that a mistake like this should not happen again.
So let’s get to work and clean up your life. What most people don’t know is that when we start working on their case, a lot of the time the amount owed can be brought down to a more affordable monthly payment or even a lump sum payoff can be arranged. This will save you in many cases 30 to 40 percent. So knowing all these factors and knowing our willingness to work hard for your financial life, we ask you to go and check out online debt settlement, you will be glade you did.
No more phone calls early in the morning or even worse late at night. No more worries about the door bell, and finally peace of mind. Now that is worth the 5 minutes it will take you to see what we can do for you wouldn’t you agree? Together we can work on a debt free world. Check us out today.