Finance Tips

The creation of the television in the 1920s serves as a milestone in our modern society, but it did not change the world. Sweeping change did not take place until the implementation of Broadcast Television in 1941. The world has become of different place since then. Even though newspaper media was controlled by internationalists much further back through history, that medium could only target those who read for enjoyment. Broadcast radio came next and the era of targeted marketing really took off. Corporations ratcheted up the hype and made the people want what they were selling. Being a marketer myself, I really can’t hold this particular peccadillo against them.

Then broadcast television came on the scene. It didn’t take long for the robber barons to notice how powerful a tool this medium presented. Following the chains of ownership on all major media outlets, you’ll find that those in control are those who have a vested interest in your belief that the nightly news will tell you everything of importance that goes on in the world.

Quite the opposite is true however. Dumbing down the population remains the number one goal of the majority of broadcast television. However, social manipulation didn’t just pop up with the advent of television, it just took it to new heights.

Even in the ‘smart’ shows we see propagandize opinion in the fringes of the plot lines. As an example, I’ll use one of my favorite TV shows, 4400. This science fiction flight of fancy features main characters who work for the Department of Homeland Security. The very existence of the DHS is a travesty that puts every civil right at risk and a TV show now exists extolling the virtues of DHS style justice.

I recall a moment when a man was arrested and told “You do not have the right to remain silent, you do not have the right to an attorney, you will be treated as an enemy combatant.” Another scene showed the director of the local DHS branch telling a radio producer that “in the old days it would have taken a warrant to have you followed or to listen to every one of your phone calls. It’s not the old days anymore”. I recall a scene from Law and Order where someone, not even a suspect, was threatened with being proclaimed and enemy combatant and locked away if he didn’t tell them what they wanted to know. My best hopes are that showing these things will help people to realize the civil rights issues involved, but I seriously doubt it. Habeas corpus and probable cause don’t cross people’s minds much. Examples like these in popular media examplify the desensitization of the populous against civil rights infringements. If it happens every week on TV, it must be OK. Most people are too concerned about who is going to be the next American Idol or whether Britney is wearing underwear to take notice of any real issues.

When abhorrent legislation passes Congress, is a rallying cry broadcast on the nightly news? Of course it isn’t. When third party candidates enter the presidential race, are they given serious media coverage? No they are not. If the candidate is not Republican or Democrat, the media blackballs them and implies that a third party vote is wasted. This once again colors the viewer’s opinion. I hear ‘wasted vote’ every day when I speak of third party candidates. The real wasted vote is voting for one of the two parties that have stopped representing you and protecting your rights.

The Church Committee investigation of 1975 even revealed a CIA program called Operation Mockingbird whose purpose was to influence domestic and foreign media. The government has stepped in to controlling information as far back as the 70′s for sure and probably further. Propaganda films in World War II were quite common. I for one trust little that I hear on mass media. It is all propaganda of some sort. It tells you what to eat, what to wear, and how to live. It tells you nothing of ever increasing police powers, government malfeasance, or the erosion of your civil liberties. One would be well served to switch to alternative media. Your mind would be released from opinion manipulation.

If you are like me, you love Christmas and more importantly you love a good Christmas party. I love an excuse to get dressed up and there are plenty of nights to do this over the holidays.

When shopping for your perfect holiday dress its important to find a style that suits you and one that you feel fabulous in. When shopping vintage there is such a great range to choose from and best of all, there will be no one else with the same dress! (very important I’m sure all you girls will agree with me)

First thing you need to do when shopping vintage is decide a style you want. I’m going to break this down into a few different points for you.

1920′s – Okay, I dont think I need to go into too much detail here, everyone can picture a flapper dress, right? Well just to recap, they will all be pretty short, with beading and/or fringes, sleeveless with a straight up and down shape as they weren’t meant to hug the body. Its a great idea for a party dress if you love to shake it on the dance floor. 1930′s – this is better if you prefer a longer length because the hemlines did drop somewhat in the 30′s. The dresses were also frequently cut on the bias, which means they had a lovely flow to them, went in and out in all the right places without being to tight. A great idea for simple elegance. 1940′s- hmmm wartime. Maybe not the the first decade you would think of when thinking party dress but the dresses in the 40′s had fantastic structure in them and one of the main feature was the waist. These dresses will be just below the knee and will more than likely have a straight skirt. A beautiful hourglass shape is what these dresses will have. 1950′s – probably the best decade to go to for party frocks because you have the fabulous 1950s prom dresses. Strapless with a tiny waist and full skirt, nothing screams party better than these dresses. With many styles and colors to choose from if you like a statement dress look no further. 1960′s- well maybe the 50′s have competition. Obviously with the 1960′s we got the mod look. Think flicked eyeliner, extremely short hemlines and go-go boots. Also lots of beading and swishy chiffon skirts. Maybe not as much as a statement as the 50′s prom dresses but a classic style. 1970′s- not sure I would go to the 1970′s for a party dress, yes there is great choice out there but I think I would go for something more classic. How ever, for the more daring I would love a classic 1970′s low-cut halter jumpsuit. If you found the right one could be amazing for NYE and totally different. 1980′s- I also have my doubts about the 80′s, (I’m sure you all do) but if you want over the top glamor, tight,stretchy,sequins with shoulder pads then you have found your decade.

Okay, now that I have broken that down for you, I hope it will help give some people a clearer idea on what to look for. If you aren’t to picky about a particular style and just want to find something beautiful and unique, than I would suggest, taking the afternoon off and go to your nearest vintage store and start trying those dresses on.

Should property investors still be buying properties in the current property market? This article endeavours to explore this question and answer it once and for all.

In the last few months many lenders have made it increasingly difficult for new entrants to break into the buy to let market. The credit crunch has hit lenders hard and in response they have hit the buy to let investor harder.

Banks don’t trust each other and therefore are no longer freely lending money to each other; this is having a knock on affect on their lending to the general public and investors. The number of mortgage products available has decreased by almost 75% since April 2007. Significant players like mortgage express have pulled key products leaving many buy to let landlords wondering how to make their next property purchase stack up.

Every Tom, Dick and Harry seems to be claiming that they can be the solution to the property investor financial problems and that they can still offer products like instant remortgaging. Investors have become weary of these deals and promises because they know some of these deals maybe bordering on the fringes of what is lawful.

Should you be buying properties at the moment?

Well it depends on what your strategy is. Are you a buy to let investor who is in this for the long run? Can you handle the negative comments in the media and not have a heart attack every time you hear the words “Property Market Crash”. If you answered yes to both these questions, then you should still be buying.

However, you should be analysing your strategy, as it might need tweaking in the current market conditions. By following the guidelines below you stand more of a chance of building a robust portfolio at this time.

Focus on buying for more than 25% below market value. Focus on buying lower value properties with good rental yields and positive cash flow. – Stay away from anything off plan, or anything that it is difficult to get comparisons for. Don’t release equity and put it all straight into your next purchase, begin to build up a bit of a cash reserve to help you weather any storms if things get any worse. NEVER, miss a mortgage payment. At the moment if you miss a mortgage payment on any of your properties, you are probably going to decrease your financial options even further. Lenders are being more stringent with applicants than they used to be and the odd blemish on your credit file that you might have been able to get away with before may now stop some of your mortgage applications in their tracks. Buy properties where you are able to simply and easily rearrange the internal structure. Doing things such as moving internal walls around to create added value such as an additional bedroom, could be crucial at the moment. Do everything you can to entice the buyer. Consider advertising that you will pay stamp duty and all legal fees, this can be the difference between success and failure in the current market place.

For the investors that understand the property and financial markets and learn how to work with them in any and all conditions, the next few years promise to be times of learning and expansion, not contraction. Yes there are difficult times ahead, but out of huge challenges can come tremendous growth.

If you have hit an impasse, use all your powers to work out how to push through it. Maybe you need to learn a new skill such as lease options, sale and rent backs or investing abroad. Be adaptable, be resourceful, ask questions, learn from others, do joint ventures, make up your mind to push forward not go backwards.

This is when the men get separated from the boys, the novice investors from the professionals and tomorrows property multimillionaires from the “I could have been somebody” crowd.

The village’s glory days are over, but many inhabitants of Chuong Have kept a traditional skill alive, producing the humble, durable, elegant and very, very conical hats.

In the past, the entire village in former Ha Tay province (since merged with the capital city) relied on the trade. It seemed that everyone, from the most senior citizens to the youngest, knew the ins and outs of making conical hats. Conical hat making ran in their blood, so to speak.

Even today, the village bustles with residents pursuing the traditional vacation, whether it is buying and selling raw materials, picking out palm splints, stitching the conical ring, or selling them in the market.

The conical hats from Chuong were so famous that they were even presented as gifts to the members of the royal family.

Chuong residents used to make the “non quai thao” (a kind of conical hat with fringes hanging on both sides) or the “non ba tam” (flat palm hat with fringes).

However, the market now demands only the normal conical hat.

One feature with which the conical hat made here can be distinguished from others is that it has 16 layers in the conical ring, making it elegant, rounded and durable.

Holding the simple hat in our hands, it is hard to imagine that making it is highly time – consuming process. The first task is picking out young and tender leaves and bamboo splints. The leaves have to be cleaned with sand and dried under the sun to achieve the light touch.

They are then smoothed out with a hot iron to prevent them from wrinkling. The bamboo splints that are used to make the conical ring must be hung in the kitchen earlier to make them “termite proof.”

The next process requires a high level of skill. It is called “lop la” or “quay non”, shaping the stems into the “mould” into which treated bamboo leaves are arranged by layers. If this is not done carefully, the layers will bulge, crumple or tear and that hat will not achieve the right balance.

The sewing process is even more difficult. The work cannot be done with a machine and must be accomplished by hand, using silk threads to sew small, tight stitches. Even the most – skilled person can only finish sewing two hats per day. The conical hats made in Chuong village are so well stitched that the threads are hardly visible.

Later, it will go through the final touch as it is lightly exposed to sulfur to make it brighter.

Golden days of yore

The golden days of Chuong village were during the subsidized period when lives were much harder. Every household, both in the rural and urban areas, had to have conical hats because they were economical and useful in all seasons. Even during those days, the residents of Chuong village could not become wealthy from this trade alone – a conical hat, no matter how much effort hoes into its making, cannot be sold at a high price.

As the country becomes more developed people have shifted their preference to other types of modern hats, and obviously, helmets on bikes. Demand for the conical hat has decreased dramatically, and many residents are no longer interested in maintaining the trade. Some have left the village to find jobs in the city.

However, there are those for whom the conical hat is still a symbol of hat work – the farmers sweating in the rice fields, the itinerant vendors, the women who struggle to make ends meet by selling food in the markets, and even corkers on constructions sites. For them, this simple object is a treasure.

That is why the tradition in Chuong village has a reason to continue. The market here has not lost its vibrant ambience despite the glory days being well behind.

Considered the biggest market if it’s kind in the northern region, the market in Chuong village gathers six times a month – on the fourth, 10th, 14th, 20th, 24th and 30th of the Lunar month. It is open only from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. as the sellers are in a hurry to transport their products to other regions. Thousands of conical hats are sold every market day at prices ranging from VND 20, 000 to 50, 000 each.

There are tourists who also come here to pick out a conical hat and experience the environment of the countryside, not to mention a famous traditional handcraft village. Every visitor is charmed by the residents’ friendliness and hospitality, and impressed by the skills of the local artisans making the conical hat.

In the hearts of many Vietnamese, especially those who have to live far away from home, nostalgia and homesickness. Along with the “ao dai”, the conical hat honors the unique beauty if the Vietnamese women, making them national icons.

Local authorities are looking at ways to further develop tourism in the village and find more markets for its main product. They have succeeded in getting orders from Japan, China, Australia and Korea, but are looking to expand this trade further. The conical hat markers deserve it not their diligence, commitment and perseverance.

If they succeed, the Chuong village could revisit its glory days again.

Are you trying to find a brand new approach to revolutionize your ground? Have you been fed up with finding scratches in your hardwood flooring? A place rug can often be an ideal issue to add elegance and convenience to any room in your home.

Location rugs are available in a range of different styles from Persian carpets to rugs made of cotton bamboo or even leather. Youll find a range of designs colors patterns and shapes to pick from. The borders and fringes may also lend an exotic appear.

Home owners take pleasure in region rugs for their comfort also. For one they cost substantially much less than the blended fees of walltowall carpeting and set up. Theyre easy to maneuver alter shop and substitute too.

However essentially the most incredible issue about location rugs is the fact that theyve the capability to carry out the surrounding shades close to it subtly accentuating what the eye may have handed above just before. For instance imagine how your bland white carpet would stand out having a stunning Persian area rug from it to provide contrast and fashion. Region rugs also look great when contrasted using the organic elegance of hardwood floors.

However area rugs are greater than just stylish decorations. For example if youd like to safeguard your hardwood floors an area rug is the best approach to preserve your floors totally free of scratches. Theyre also beneficial in that they provide a barrier among your bare ft and the difficult ground. Anybody who has stepped out of bed to get a drink of drinking water and winced at the feel of a chilly floor will enjoy how a location rug can really feel beneath their feet.

A drawback several property owners find with hardwood floors is theyre noisy. Nonetheless a location rug efficiently muffles the sound. In addition they aid substantially in stopping you from slipping specifically in hectic areas these as hallways or foyers.

Ultimately location rugs are effortless to take treatment of too. By dusting your rug often you can preserve the worst from the dirt and pet hair at bay. Inside the occasion youll need to clean your location rug all youll need to do is consider a rough sponge or bristle brush and scrub using a answer of water and gentle soap. Make sure to not scrub as well tough as this will loosen fibers. When your rug has dried completely itll search and smell significantly much better.

Regardless of what sort of region rug you choose youll be able to be satisfied in the knowledge that you are providing the rooms in your house having a timeless beauty which you will appreciate for a long time to arrive. Discover a lot more these days about how a place rug can gain you