Consolidation Loans With Bad Credit: 3 Ways They Can Improve Your Financial Position

As debt mounts, the pressure to repay them increases dramatically. But while the simple solution is obvious, the reality is that the ability to pay lessens as debts rise. The most practical solution? A consolidation loan, with bad credit borrowers getting the funds needed to clear their debts in one go.

Of course, there are other ways to get rid of debt, but not all of them have a positive outcome. Filing for bankruptcy, for example, can see the debt lifted with the minimal settlement payment made (often nothing paid) but it can affect your credit rating for up to 10 years. With the right debt consolidation program, however, the consequences are all positive.

There are several aspects to getting a consolidation loan that must be addressed if the program is to be as effective, but the advantages are significantly greater than any compromise that may have to be made. Here are just 3 of them.

1. A Clean Slate Through Consolidation

Consolidation is not about getting off paying your various individual debts, but is really about replacing them with a more manageable single debt. To this end, taking out a consolidation loan with bad credit is the most practical way to clearing the credit slate and starting again.

For example, if a person as 5 individual loans to repay each month, they have to manage 5 different repayment schedules, 5 different loan balances at 5 different interest rates. This can be a nightmare to manage, but with a debt consolidation program, everything is melted into one payment on one repayment schedule.

And with the slate cleaned, the pressure is lifted for the long term with the only obligation being to repay the consolidation loan each month, over the duration.

2. Free Up Extra Cash

It is one thing to lift the pressure of repaying mounting debts, but it is another to improve the living standards for the borrowers themselves. But even when securing a consolidation loan with bad credit, this is the outcome. How? Because it also frees up extra cash.

Typically, the problem with repaying the original loans is that there is not enough cash to hand to make the repayments. As the arrears build up, the situation worsens and eventually no payments can be made at all. Through a debt consolidation program, the total debt is restructured to lower the monthly obligations.

For example, if repayments on 5 loans amounted to $1,000, the lower interest rate and longer repayment term on a consolidation loan can see the obligation fall to just $500. That leaves an extra $500 to hand every month to cover other bills and expenses.

3. Restore Credit Reputations

While effective debt management is the key purpose behind consolidation, there is another positive consequence – restoring your credit reputation. This occurs because by securing a consolidation loan with bad credit, your credit scores rise.

Unlike other debt management initiatives, a debt consolidation program buys out all of the debts so they are marked down as having been repaid in full. This fact means that your credit score is increased, thus moving the borrower into the good credit range.

Perhaps more importantly though, the reduction in debt repayments means the debt-to-income ratio is improved too. And since this is the key factor in all loan approval processes, the consolidation loan can make a huge difference to future loan applications too.

Louis Riel - A Controversial Canadian Historical Figure

Many residents and citizens of Manitoba Canada are currently celebrating a provincial holiday "Louis Riel Day" - a day off of work in the Canadian province of Manitoba in the months of February without fully appreciating who this local Manitoban authority was and what was his import and his importance to the history of this geographical and community area.

To begin with as with most controversy and controversial personalities it all depends on which side of the Canadian historical fence or side you are reside on and which historical view and viewpoints you partake of.

It can be said, that in the Canadian historical and political landscape, of which many in the world would point out are rather apolitical, and that Louis Riel's role in history is disputed even today. To some, he is the defender of Canadian - especially Manitoba and Saskatchewan aboriginal Native First Canadian Nations (Indian) peoples against unfair treatments by the then Canadian governments. To others he was a rank traitor. With the passage of time and passions, since the last century, Louis Riel as now seen in the historical record overall a the founder of the Canadian Province of Manitoba and as a defender of Western Canadian interests during the formation, in the last century, of the early nation state of the Dominion of Canada.

In the year of 1868, when the Western Canadian geographic land area was being acquired by the leaders of Eastern Canada, from the Hudson's Bay Company, as the great land mass then known as the Hudson's Bay Companies '"Rupert's Land", Louis Riel and his band of followers prevented the entry of the then assigned Canadian representatives from physically entering the Winnipeg and Manitoba "Red River Settlement "areas. Mr. Riel and his agents then a local governmental authority, termed a "provisional government" to negotiate successfully terms with the then Canadian governmental authorities. This set of events, the first of Louis Riel's historical legacy actions, for which he is well known, has been termed in the Canadian historical record as the "Red River Rebellion". Although this was accomplished overall, without apparent bloodshed to attain its political aims, there was one noted expression of violence done under and via Louis Riel's command. A contrary and unruly (at least in the eyes of the Red River Provisional governmental authorities", prisoner named "Thomas Scott", was executed. This execution or what was termed in the rival political areas of Eastern Canada (primarily English Canadian Ontario regions), as an illegal act of simple murder, caused major consternation and controversy in "English Canada". Louis Riel was considered culpable and directly responsible for this heinous act, himself.

After fleeing the regions in the 1870's to the Montana regions in the United States, Louis returned for yet another historical conflict of what was termed on his side great injustice to the local Aboriginal First Nations and the Canadian Metis communities in the present day Canadian Provinces of Saskatchewan & Manitoba a second revolt was organized. In the eyes of the local North American Indians and of the Metis nation (descendants of the French Canadian Coureur des bois adventurous fur traders and the local Canadian First Nations), it was a replay yet again of settlers from Eastern Canada displacing them, their properties as well as the dominant culture and languages. Add to the mix that Louis Riel imagined himself and became convinced (at least in his mind and that of many of his followers), that he indeed was none other than a direct prophet of God, and on top of that adopted the name and personage of Mordechai of Jewish decent and origins.

At this point in time, the Canadian government of the first Canadian Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald felt they had little choice but to show action and authority and put down this rebellion and revolt. The government of that day was much better prepared to take action, along with the partially finished Canadian Pacific Railway.

The "North West Rebellion" was quickly quashed and put down by the representatives of the eastern Canada order - the North West Mounted Police (precursor of the R.C.M.P Royal Canadian Mounted Police". Mr. Riel turned himself in to the local legal police authorities.

After being held for some time as an inmate at the Stony Mountain facility nearby Winnipeg Manitoba, Louis Riel was prosecuted in a well publicized trial. Even though no less a personage than the queen of the British realm, Queen Victoria herself as for mercy and clemency for Louis Riel, this controversial figure was found guilty of "high treason" against "the Crown". Ultimately Louis Riel was hanged in Regina Saskatchewan on November 16, 1885.

This execution, of a local hero and political celebrity caused a furor between the essentially Protestant English community of Ontario Canada and the fundamentally French Roman Catholic Province of Quebec. It is only now after more than a century that the historical record and legacies of Louis Riel are finally coming clean and being appreciated in a more balanced as well as historically relevant perspective and perspectives.

How To Identify The Best Colorado Mortgage Companies

Several places are available for obtaining mortgage rates from different Colorado Mortgage companies. Look at the ads or scour the advanced engines online and you will find many companies offering different rates in your area. Try to find one in the state of Colorado when you are looking for the best Denver refinance rates. The homes in and around Colorado are unique and offer homes that range from modest to luxury.

First, try to find a Mortgage company that offers quotes that spell low interest rates. However, just because the company offers low rates does not mean that they are the best. It is important to ascertain that they have a reputation in the area and are not out to take your money by luring you with false quotes. You should start by examining the fees charged for the mortgage loans. Each company offers different closing costs which you should note. The terms and condition of Colorado Mortgage companies differ and therefore you should be able to make your final decision after studying these points and making comparative notes. The company you select should have excellent customer service and answer all your queries. They should be experienced in the field and help you understand the rates and quotes that are offered.

Refinance is the term that refers to the replacement of a current home loan debt with another obligation of debt with different terms. People do this to either extend the length of the repayment period or to change the existing parameter. People may prefer to pay the Denver refinance rates if their present agreement involves adjustable interest rates. Due to various reasons such as economic turmoil, the interest rates may fluctuate and this affects the mortgage interest rates. This may cause someone in Denver to refinance the adjustable rate mortgage and make it a fixed rate to enable them to pay the amount determined beforehand on the mortgage.

If you plan to live long in your current home in Denver, then you can use this option of refinancing. Call your mortgage counselor and ask them for their valued advice and guidance. They will explain the benefits and disadvantages and help you make the right decision. People in Denver are now refinancing their mortgages in the hope of getting a lower rate. Some people may use their mortgage on their property in Denver to consolidate debts. They may be able to transfer their debt from a high interest rate to a lower interest rate and save money.

There are many reasons to refinance the mortgage but it is important to know the different options and consider the pros and cons when taking one on the Denver home. Beacon Financial is a private company that arranges for loans, using money of others. They offer exceptional service and great rates including low closing costs. This is why you should select one of the best mortgage companies in Colorado to help you make a vital decision on Denver refinancing.

How Unsecured Credit Card Debt Can Be Cleared Through Consolidation

There are plenty of things we would rather do than worry about loans and bills. It might be vacationing through Europe, or charity work in Africa, or hitting the road on a coast-to-coast tour of the USA. But whatever it is, the debt we have built up is ruining such plans. Clearing debt, especially unsecured credit card debt, is possible, and consolidation offers the best solution.

It never fails to amaze people how easily credit cards bills can get out of control, creating a debt that is nothing short of crippling. But it is comforting to know that it is possible to alleviate the situation regardless of how bad the situation has become. Even getting debt consolidation with bad credit is a realistic target.

And with unsecured credit cards providing the majority of debt in the typical American household, the most positive impact that can be made on debt management is a consolidation loan that replaces the troublesome terms with something far more manageable.

What Is Consolidation

Consult the dictionary and consolidation is explained as the bringing together of a number of elements in order to create a stronger position. It depends on the context, but the concept is there. When it comes to clearing unsecured credit card debt, it is a matter of bringing all of the individual card balances together so as to pay them off in one go.

With the average American having 4 credit cards, and combined credit limits of $30,000, the job of managing these credit cards can be a serious task. Each card has different interest rates, and different late fees, so the size of the debt can become large very quickly.

Even when opting for debt consolidation with bad credit, it is possible to get a fixed sum of $30,000 to pay off the debt created by the unsecured credit cards in one simple payment. And replacing it with a single loan repayment over a longer term makes the debt easy to pay back.

Advantages Consolidation Provides

There are several advantages to using consolidation loans to clear unsecured credit card debt, not just the fact that the debt is removed in one go. For a start, the credit rating of the debtor is immediately improved.

Another is that the job of repaying the new consolidation loan is made easier by the terms of the loan. For example, the debt may still be $30,000, but the sum can be repaid over 10 years. This means that monthly repayments of just $265 are needed to pay off the sum. So, even when opting for debt consolidation with bad credit, the financial pressure is alleviated greatly.

However, the advantages enjoyed depend on the terms secured, the total debt to be cleared and the source of the debt consolidation loan. This means that despite the benefits of paying off your unsecured credit cards, there are some issues to consider.

Your Consolidation Source

There are two main sources of a consolidation loan: firstly, a general loan provider, whether traditional or online; and secondly, from a dedicated debt consolidation company. When considering the best to use to clear your unsecured credit card debt, it is important to understand the difference.

From a regular lender, a consolidation loan is usually available at competitive terms but when trying to get debt consolidation with bad credit, there may be issues over the size of the possible loan. This creates a problem if the debt is very high.

However, a company will take on larger debt on you have, and even negotiate a final settlement sum with your creditors. In return, they will charge a fee as well as accept monthly repayments at a competitive interest rate. Either way your unsecured credit cards are paid off and your financial status improved.

A Lake Legacy

Watching the children grow and mature, seeing the wife having fun, and I must admit a little selfishness for myself because I like to fish a bit and explore with the sail boat; are the most important things to me. We live and work in a congested city. Even relaxed times are punctuated with some tension. We traveled to the beach one summer week end and found a different living style and a different pace.

We bought a house and enjoyed it for two years. Then the deterioration of the house and equipment from ocean corrosion, and the crowded congestion reminded us that we had accepted conditions at the beach that are all too similar to our urban living.

A friend from college days called and invited the family to spend the week end with his family at "the lake". I was not thrilled with the thought of a day at the lake when I had the whole ocean. Our two daughters thought it would be fun. I knew that was because my college buddy would have his daughter and handsome teen age son there. So, we agreed to spend the week end at "the lake".

His house was modest, but the water and the view were spectacular. I was surprised at my first impression. His house was nine years old and looked like it was two. No corrosion and very fine landscaping. The first morning there we just sat and caught up on the past while the children giggled. That afternoon we sailed a bit. The next morning we fished. I found that I was relaxed and did not look forward to leaving. Some friends came over the previous evening for a chardonnay party, but crowds were non existent.

The next week I thought about it all. My wife said "why do we drive to the beach and that confusion, when the lake is so comfortable"? That was all I needed. We sold the beach house and built a house we really like at the lake. We spend many week-ends there, and I am even more pleasant at work.

By the way, our house is in North Carolina at Kerr Lake. We may even retire there when the time is right.

Debt Settlement Programs Or Bankruptcy: How To Choose Wisely

When managing debts becomes too much, a choice needs to be made. Should a file for bankruptcy be made, or should one of the debt settlement programs be applied for? This is a choice that needs to be thought over deeply before any move is made.

The reason this decision is not that simple is that there are serious repercussions to choosing bankruptcy, and even if that is the only logical option, there are a number of bankruptcy chapters under which debtors can file. Increasingly, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan is becoming the preferred option, but other chapters are 7, 11, 12, and are just as efficient in ridding oneself of debt.

However, while debt settlement is more expensive and less damaging to credit histories, they do not always turn out to be the saving grace that applicants would like them to be. So, when clearing existing debts, which of the two is the right one to choose?

Check Your Own Status

The first step in ascertaining the best choice is not to look at the options, but to look at yourself. Depending on your credit and financial status, either bankruptcy or a debt settlement program will provide the most effective solution. And reading your credit report is the starting point.

Once the true extent of your debt problem is confirmed, it is possible to work out what the right debt relief option is, based on what kind of deal is affordable. When debts are slightly greater than income, then a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan is likely to be the right choice. When it is very much greater, Chapter 7 might be the most plausible choice.

However, if there is still some income more than debts, then a settlement deal is likely to be affordable. The complication is that, while a settlement involves clearing existing debts for a fraction of their worth, it still requires a lump sum payment to complete the deal. Saving up that lump sum is the problem.

Terms of Bankruptcy Chapters

There are four chapters to the Code of Bankruptcy that any bankruptcy case can be filed under: chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13, The key differences between them relate to the extent of the poor financial situation an applicant has, and the likelihood that a debt settlement program cannot be approved.

Chapter 7 is filed by those seeing liquidation or straight bankruptcy where debts are completely written off. The other options relate to reorganizing debt, with Chapter 11 filed by businesses seeking to reorganize their debt, but not to liquidate. Chapter 12 is applicable to family farmers seeking to reorganize.

However, a Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan is sought by individuals who earn the average income or higher in the state the case is filed in. The court decides on the terms of the debt reorganization, and continuously monitors the repayment progress. So, clearing existing debts is done under strict conditions.

Bankruptcy or Settlement?

The basic deciding factor is cost, with the fees associated with a debt settlement program almost double that of the costs of filing for bankruptcy. But there is also the matter of monthly repayments and other terms associated with the type of bankruptcy. If the Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan is more affordable than the settlement plan, it makes sense to choose the former.

But the consequences of the decision need to be considered too. For example, clearing existing debts through a settlement plan will reduce a credit score by around 50 points, but bankruptcy cuts it by a minimum of 200 points. And it will be on your record for 10 years, while with a settlement plan, credit is returned after 2 years.

Debt Consolidation Loans With Bad Credit: Solving Financial Woes In One Fell Swoop

The pressure created through quickly mounting debts can cause real chaos. It does not take long for creditors to begin to demand payment, and unless something is done to deal with the problem, bankruptcy becomes a real possibility. So what is the solution? Well, it is not difficult to secure a debt consolidation loan with bad credit, and to clear the troublesome debts in one go.

The challenge of clearing existing debts, and lifting the weight that can cripple even the hardest working of us, is no light matter. It usually requires great discipline to take control of debts, making it extremely difficult to achieve independently.

A precisely tailored consolidation plan can make a real impact, and a debt consolidation loan provides the means to restructure the money owed into something that is manageable to handle. But how is this possible, and what are the terms that should be sought?

How Consolidation Is The Answer

Applying for a debt consolidation loan with bad credit is a good decision, but it may seem strange that a new loan can actually make your debt situation better. Knowing how consolidation works is the best way to ascertain the effectiveness of the strategy. In its simplest form, consolidation replaces multiple debts with a single loan, thereby removing the complexity and lessening the burden.

The biggest problem with multiple loans and debts is that they each have their own terms. So, 5 loans will have 5 different interest rates and 5 different repayment dates. That means the amount of interest is higher than it needs to be, but clearing existing debts with a single loan means a single interest rate is paid.

And even the principal if the debt consolidation loan is $50,000 to buy out the individual loans, the terms can be much better than those original debts combined, making it much more affordable than the original deals.

What Terms Should Be Sought

Of course, applying for a debt consolidation loan with bad credit is one thing, but securing terms that make it worthwhile is another. By and large, lenders offering consolidation packages are willing to offer very flexible terms, but the key issues are the interest rate and the loan term.

The interest rate can be quite low, but what is most important is that the rate is significantly lower than the average rate charged on the existing loans. That way, clearing existing debts and replacing them with a new loan can be accomplished while making savings - as much as 50% on monthly repayments.

Crucially, however, it is the size of the loan principal that makes the biggest impact, and this is where the loan term comes in. With 5 loans to pay each month, the total sum could easily reach $1,500, but even a $50,000 debt consolidation loan repaid over 10 years could be half that amount. The longer the lifetime of the loan is, the lower the required monthly repayment.

Considering a Consolidation Company

When it comes to applying for a debt consolidation loan with bad credit, there are two chief options. The first is to approach a lender (traditional or online) and apply for a loan large enough to clear existing debts. While securing a large loan might be difficult usually, if the purpose is known to be debt consolidation, approval is more likely.

However, there is no guarantee of approval and this means that the problems might only persist. Another option is to approach a debt consolidation company, professional service providers who will buy out your debt and then receive monthly repayments directly.

Of course, this option is a little more expensive as there are fees to pay on top of interest on the debt consolidation loan. Still, the cost is manageable, and progress in lifting the debt is certain to be made.

By: Mark Venite

The State of Modern Music

Today's practitioners of what we once called "modern" music are finding themselves to be suddenly alone. A bewildering backlash is set against any music making that requires the disciplines and tools of research for its genesis. Stories now circulate that amplify and magnify this troublesome trend. It once was that one could not even approach a major music school in the US unless well prepared to bear the commandments and tenets of serialism. When one hears now of professors shamelessly studying scores of Respighi in order to extract the magic of their mass audience appeal, we know there's a crisis. This crisis exists in the perceptions of even the most educated musicians. Composers today seem to be hiding from certain difficult truths regarding the creative process. They have abandoned their search for the tools that will help them create really striking and challenging listening experiences. I believe that is because they are confused about many notions in modern music making!

First, let's examine the attitudes that are needed, but that have been abandoned, for the development of special disciplines in the creation of a lasting modern music. This music that we can and must create provides a crucible in which the magic within our souls is brewed, and it is this that frames the templates that guide our very evolution in creative thought. It is this generative process that had its flowering in the early 1950s. By the 1960s, many emerging musicians had become enamored of the wonders of the fresh and exciting new world of Stockhausen's integral serialism that was then the rage. There seemed limitless excitement, then. It seemed there would be no bounds to the creative impulse; composers could do anything, or so it seemed. At the time, most composers hadn't really examined serialism carefully for its inherent limitations. But it seemed so fresh. However, it soon became apparent that it was Stockhausen's exciting musical approach that was fresh, and not so much the serialism itself, to which he was then married. It became clear, later, that the methods he used were born of two special considerations that ultimately transcend serial devices: crossing tempi and metrical patterns; and, especially, the concept that treats pitch and timbre as special cases of rhythm. (Stockhausen referred to the crossovers as "contacts", and he even entitled one of his compositions that explored this realm Kontakte.) These gestures, it turns out, are really independent from serialism in that they can be explored from different approaches.

The most spectacular approach at that time was serialism, though, and not so much these (then-seeming) sidelights. It is this very approach -- serialism -- however, that after having seemingly opened so many new doors, germinated the very seeds of modern music's own demise. The method is highly prone to mechanical divinations. Consequently, it makes composition easy, like following a recipe. In serial composition, the less thoughtful composer seemingly can divert his/her soul away from the compositional process. Inspiration can be buried, as method reigns supreme. The messy intricacies of note shaping, and the epiphanies one experiences from necessary partnership with one's essences (inside the mind and the soul -- in a sense, our familiars) can be discarded conveniently. All is rote. All is compartmentalized. For a long time this was the honored method, long hallowed by classroom teachers and young composers-to-be, alike, at least in the US. Soon, a sense of sterility emerged in the musical atmosphere; many composers started to examine what was taking place.

The replacement of sentimental romanticism with atonal music had been a crucial step in the extrication of music from a torpid cul-de-sac. A music that would closet itself in banal self-indulgence, such as what seemed to be occurring with romanticism, would decay. Here came a time for exploration. The new alternative --atonality -- arrived. It was the fresh, if seemingly harsh, antidote. Arnold Schonberg had saved music, for the time being. However, shortly thereafter, Schonberg made a serious tactical faux pas. The 'rescue' was truncated by the introduction of a method by which the newly freed process could be subjected to control and order! I have to express some sympathy here for Schönberg, who felt adrift in the sea of freedom provided by the disconnexity of atonality. Large forms depend upon some sense of sequence. For him a method of ordering was needed. Was serialism a good answer? I'm not so certain it was. Its introduction provided a magnet that would attract all those who felt they needed explicit maps from which they could build patterns. By the time Stockhausen and Boulez arrived on the scene, serialism was touted as the cure for all musical problems, even for lack of inspiration!

Pause for a minute and think of two pieces of Schonberg that bring the problem to light: Pierrot Lunaire, Op. 21 (1912 - pre-serial atonality) and the Suite, Op. 29 (1924 serial atonality). Pierrot... seems so vital, unchained, almost lunatic in its special frenzy, while the Suite sounds sterile, dry, forced. In the latter piece the excitement got lost. This is what serialism seems to have done to music. Yet the attention it received was all out of proportion to its generative power. Boulez once even proclaimed all other composition to be "useless"! If the 'disease' --serialism --was bad, one of its 'cures' --free chance --was worse. In a series of lectures in Darmstadt, Germany, in 1958, John Cage managed to prove that the outcome of music written by chance means differs very little from that written using serialism. However, chance seemed to leave the public bewildered and angry. Chance is chance. There is nothing on which to hold, nothing to guide the mind. Even powerful musical personalities, such as Cage's, often have trouble reining in the raging dispersions and diffusions that chance scatters, seemingly aimlessly. But, again, many schools, notably in the US, detected a sensation in the making with the entry of free chance into the music scene, and indeterminacy became a new mantra for anyone interested in creating something, anything, so long as it was new.

I believe parenthetically that one can concede Cage some quarter that one might be reluctant to cede to others. Often chance has become a citadel of lack of discipline in music. Too often I've seen this outcome in university classes in the US that 'teach 'found (!)' music. The rigor of discipline in music making should never be shunted away in search of a music that is 'found', rather than composed. However, in a most peculiar way, the power of Cage's personality, and his surprising sense of rigor and discipline seem to rescue his 'chance' art, where other composers simply flounder in the sea of uncertainty.

Still, as a solution to the rigor mortis so cosmically bequeathed to music by serial controls, chance is a very poor stepsister. The Cageian composer who can make chance music talk to the soul is a rare bird indeed. What seemed missing to many was the perfume that makes music so wonderfully evocative. The ambiance that a Debussy could evoke, or the fright that a Schonberg could invoke (or provoke), seemed to evaporate with the modern technocratic or free-spirited ways of the new musicians. Iannis Xenakis jolted the music world with the potent solution in the guise of a 'stochastic' music. As Xenakis' work would evolve later into excursions into connexity and disconnexity, providing a template for Julio Estrada's Continuum, the path toward re-introducing power, beauty and fragrance into sound became clear. All this in a 'modernist' conceptual approach!

Once again, though, the US university milieu took over (mostly under the stifling influence of the serial methodologist, Milton Babbitt) to remind us that it's not nice to make music by fashioning it through 'borrowings' from extra-musical disciplines. Throughout his book, Conversations with Xenakis, the author, Balint András Vargas, along with Xenakis, approaches the evolution of Xenakis' work from extra-musical considerations. Physical concepts are brought to bear, such as noise propagating through a crowd, or hail showering upon metal rooftops. Some relate to terrible war memories of experiences suffered by Xenakis, culminating in a serious wound. To shape such powerful sounds, concepts akin to natural phenomena had to be marshaled. From the standpoint of the musical classroom, two things about Xenakis are most troubling: one is his relative lack of formal musical training; the other, or flip side, is his scientifically oriented schooling background. In ways no one else in musical history had ever done, Xenakis marshaled concepts that gave birth to a musical atmosphere that no one had ever anticipated could exist in a musical setting. One most prominent feature is a sound setting that emulates Brownian movement of a particle on a liquid surface. This profoundly physical concept needed high-powered mathematics to constrain the movements of the (analogous) sound 'particles' and make them faithful to the concept Xenakis had in mind. There is, as a result, a certain inexactitude, albeit a physical slipperiness, to the movement of the sound particles. Nice musical smoothness and transition give way to unpredictable evolution and transformation. This concept blows the skin off traditional concepts of musical pattern setting! Its iridescent shadows are unwelcome in the gray gloom of the American classroom.

In their haste to keep musical things musical, and to rectify certain unwanted trends, the official musical intelligentsia, (the press, the US university elite, professors, etc.) managed to find a way to substitute false heroes for the troubling Xenakis. Around the time of Xenakis' entry into the musical scene, and his troubling promulgation of throbbing musical landscapes, attendant with sensational theories involving stochastic incarnations, a group of composers emerged who promised to deliver us from evil, with simple-minded solutions erected on shaky intuitional edifices. The so-called 'cluster' group of would-be musical sorcerers included Krzysztof Penderecki, Henryk Górecki and Gyorgy Ligeti. These new musical darlings, with their easy methodologies, gave us the first taste of the soon-to-emerge post-modernism that has posed as our ticket to the Promised Land for the last thirty years. It seemed that, just as music finally had a master of the caliber and importance of Bach, Schonberg, Bartok and Varese in the person of one Iannis Xenakis, history and musicology texts seemed not to be able to retreat quickly enough to embrace the new saviors, all the while conspiring against an all embracing creativity found fast, and well-embedded within the turmoil of the stochastic process.

Alas, Xenakis has been exiled from American history, as much as the powers have been able to do so! His competition, those in the intuitive cluster school, became the fixtures of the new musical landscape, because their art is so much easier than that of Xenakis. Ease of composing, of analyzing and of listening are the new bywords that signal success in the music world. Those who extol such virtues herald the arrival and flourishing of post-modernism and all its guises, be it neo-romantic, clustering or eclecticism. The proud cry these days, is "Now we can do about anything we wish." Better, perhaps, to do nothing than to embrace such intellectual cowardice.

The promise of a return to musical fragrances that walk in harmony and synchronicity with intellectual potency was precious and vital. It should signal the next phase of evolution in the creative humanities. The challenge to write about this potential of a marriage of humanities was overwhelming. No adequate text seemed to exist. So I had to provide one. All that was lacking for a good book was a unifying theme.
Algorithms control the walk of the sounds. Algorithms are schemata that work the attributes of sound to enable them to unfold meaningfully. An algorithm is a step-function that can range from a simple diagram to stochastic or Boolean functions. Even serialism is an algorithm. While they are important, algorithms take second place in importance to the focus of music: its sound. This concentration is given a terminology by composer, Gerard Pape: sound-based composition. Isn't all music sound based? It's all sound, after all.

Well, yes, but not really. The point of the term is to highlight the emphasis of the approach being on the sound, rather than on the means used for its genesis. In sound-based composition, one concentrates on a sound, then conjures the way to create it. In serialism, ordering takes precedence over quality. The result often is vapid: empty sound. Directionless pointillism robs music of its vital role, the conjuring of imagery, in whatever guise. The other leading practitioner of sound-based composition is Dr. Julio Estrada. In his composition classes and seminars at UNAM (Universidad National Autonoma de México), he emphasizes the mental formation of an imaginary, sort of an idealized imagery. Then the composer/students are directed to formulate a conspirator sound essence that conveys something of the élan of this imaginary. Only then, once the construct of sound is concocted, is the method of sound shaping in the form of notation employed. Understanding of imagery and of fragrance precedes their specification. This is a sophisticated example of sound-based composition.

A curious, special case arose out of the arcane methods of Giacinto Scelsi, who made explicit what long had been lurking in the background. He posited a '3rd dimension' to sound. He felt that the trouble with the serialists was in their reliance upon two dimensions in sound: the pitch and the duration. For Scelsi, timbre provides a depth, or 3rd dimension, explored only rarely until his groundbreaking work. He devised ways to call for unusual timbres, and evolutions of timbre that resulted in his focusing on the characteristics of, and the transformations between (within!), attributes of single tones. Indeed, his Quattro Pezzi are veritable studies in counterpoint within single tones!

This concept of sound-based composition provided the unifying seed around which a book could be built. It would be one that could salvage something of the first principles of the union of intellectual discipline and a vibrant sound context: that is, music with meaning, challenge, discipline, ambience and something that requires courage and commitment in its conception. Such would be a music that yields special, beautiful, powerful, alluring fruits, which, nonetheless, disclose their secrets only reluctantly, demanding skillful teasing out of their magic.

This epiphany revealed a road by which we could reestablish the Xenakian ideal of musical power attainable primarily through processes that have their basis in the physics and architecture of the world around us. Here was not only the answer, the antidote, if you will, to the rigidities of serialism, but also a cure for the sloppiness of unconstrained chance composition. Here was a way out of the impasse confronting composition in the 1960s. The question should be not what method to use to compose, for that leads only to blind alleys (serialism, chance or retreat), but why compose? What is in the musical universe that can open pathways not yet explored, pathways that reveal something that stir a soul? What is the best way to accomplish that?

If we abandon the search for unique roads and for challenge, we will become the first generation ever in music to proclaim that backwards movement is progress; that less is more. Yet the very apostles of post-modernism will have us believe just that! They hold that the public has rejected modernism; the public has held modernism to be bankrupt. Post-modernists will lure you into the trap that, because of its unmitigated complexity, serialism promised only its demise. "The only road into modernism is sterile complexity; we need to root this out, and return to simplicity. We won't have a saleable product, otherwise." This is the thinking that gave us minimalism, the nearest relative to 'muzak' one can conjure in art-music. One composer, a one-time avant-gardist, actually apologized for his former modernity, on stage, to the audience, before a performance of his latest post-modern work!

There is an inscription in the halls of a monastery in Toledo, Spain: "Caminantes, no hay caminos, hay que caminar" (pilgrims, there is no road, only the travel). This was a beacon for one of music history's most courageous pilgrims - a fighter for freedom for the mind, for the body, and for the ear: Luigi Nono. His example could serve us all well. He exposed himself to grave danger as a fighter against oppression of all kinds, not least of all the musical kind. It takes courage to create. It isn't supposed to be easy! Nothing worthwhile ever is. It would seem to me that Nono's example serves as the antithesis to that of the previous composer.

I examine music history of the 20th century to find clues as to why certain composers generate more excitement than others. Is it possible that sound-based composition has flourished in an intuitive way from back into the 19th century? Has it been around a while, but just not codified explicitly as such? I feel that is so. To some extent the roots of this idea can be found in the so-called nationalism of such composers as Bartók and Janacek. Nationalism has gotten something of a bad rap due to folksy, cutesy concoctions usually redolent within its environments. But, upon reflection and examination, the more rigorous efforts in nationalistic composition yield tremendous fruits. Note especially Bartók's highly original devices of twelve-tone tonality (e.g., axis positions and special chords). Less well known, but important as well, are the special folk vocal inflections resident in Janácek's music. These special qualities spilled over from the vocal to the instrumental writing. So it appears that we can make a strong case for sound-based composition (composition focused on special sound qualities) being rooted in the music by the turn of the 20th century.

The process of creation is the focus; not the glorification of the superficial sounds that only mimic real music. The reinstatement of Xenakis', Nono's, Scelsi's and Estrada's ideals to preeminence was crucial. The recognition of these trends, in preference to those of the more facile and easily attractive ones espoused by Penderecki, Ligeti and others, had to be ensured. The easy lure of cluster music had to be resisted.

If we don't make this distinction clear, all that follows is nonsense. Too many people apply modernism to anything that resided in the 20th century that contained a little dissonance. That is a common error. For others, modernism exists in any era - it simply is what's happening at a given time, and is appropriate as a description for music in that era. This, too, is wrong for its reluctance to confront the creative process.

We mustn't yield to these impulsive descriptions, for to do so renders the profound efforts of the 20th century meaningless. There is a unifying thread in music that qualifies it to be considered modern, or modernist, and it isn't just a time frame. Modernism is an attitude. This attitude appears periodically in music history, but it is most effectively understood in the context of creativity, most pronouncedly found late in the 20th century. Modern music is the music composed that results from research into the attributes of sound, and into the ways we perceive sound. It usually involves experimentation; the experimentation yields special discoveries that bear fruit in the act of composition. This distinction is crucial; for even though much cluster music, and some neo-classical music, contains high dissonance, their focus is reactionary. The experimental work of Schonberg, Berg, Webern, Bartok, Varese, and that of some Stravinsky, is forward-looking, in that the music is not a solution unto itself: it provides a template for further work and exploration into that area. Even more so, the works of Cage, Xenakis, Scelsi, Nono and Estrada.

The composers chosen for discussion herein are the ones I consider to be the most exemplary models in the development of sound based composition. They are as follows:

-Janacek (nationalist inflection)
-Debussy (chord-coloration)
-Mahler (expressionism and tone-color melody)
-Ravel (impressionism)
-Malipiero (intuitive discourse)
-Hindemith (expressionism in a quasi-tonal context)
-Stravinsky (octatonic diatonicism)
-Bartok (axial tonality, arch form, golden section construction)
-Schonberg (expressionism, atonality, klangfarbenmelodie))
-Berg ('tonal' serialism)
-Webern (canonic forms in serialism, klangfarbenmelodie)
-Varese (noise, timbral/range hierarchies)
-Messiaen (modes of limited transposition, non-retrogradable rhythms, color chords)
-Boulez (special live electronics instruments)
-Stockhausen (pitch/rhythm dichotomy)
-Cage (indeterminacy, noise, live electronics)
-Xenakis (Ataxy, stochastic music, inside-outside time attributes, random walks, granularity, non-periodic scales)
-Nono (near inaudibility, mobile sound, special electronics)
-Lutoslawski (chain composition)
-Scelsi (the 3rd dimension in sound, counterpoint within a single tone)
-Estrada (The Continuum)

There is so much glitter in the world, and so much noise pollution that we are being rendered incapable of reflection and of creative thought. We become mortified at the thought of a little challenge. We are paralyzed when faced with the challenge of keeping our evolutionary legacy in focus. We cannot afford to trade away quality for mediocrity, just because mediocrity is easier and more enticing. This would not be an acceptable social outcome. To live we must thrive. To thrive we cannot rest.

Entertainment is a laudable pursuit in certain settings and times. It cannot be the force that drives our lives. If a composer desires to write entertaining music, that is all right. But that composer must be honest about his or her motives for doing so. Do not write entertainment and then try to con the public by claiming this is great music. It is best to be able to discover the key to the writing of a music that can fulfill a need for tomorrow. By understanding nature, the nature of sound and the human condition, we can write music capable of conveying something essential. That goes beyond entertainment. It fulfills music's most crucial purpose: providing a teaching role. What better way to go through a learning process than to find oneself doing so while wrapped in a cocoon of beauty? Music can be our best teacher.

It is all right to find beauty in old sources. Even Respighi can be very charming, engaging. It is also just as good to listen to soothing, euphonious music as it is to write such music. But can't we as composers do better than this? Why can't we give something besides pleasure to tomorrow? Young composers today are at a crossroads. They can fulfill a vital mission by helping fulfill a tradition that carries on a cultural legacy. Today's composers must begin to dream; and then compose.

Living With Bankruptcy In Connecticut

It can be extremely stressful when people find themselves strapped with so much debt they can't function well. As each have their own set of rules, there are a number of ways to deal with your debt depending on your overall financial situation. Declaring bankruptcy in Connecticut is just one of the many avenues you can take to being able to breathe again and not feel a cloud of dread descending over you every time the phone rings or you go to check the mail. The stress involving financial problems can be eliminated and your debt dealt with by filing for bankruptcy.

The first thing you should understand about bankruptcy is there are two types: reorganization and liquidation. Filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy falls in the liquidation category. With this solution, you can sell your items in order to knock off some of your debt. You will be permitted to keep certain items as mandated under state laws which provides protection for specific valuables. If you apply for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Connecticut, you’ll be filing for reorganizational bankruptcy. Chapter 13 is probably the most well-known of the reorganization bankruptcy. You’ll be able to keep everything that you own and instead of selling off your assets you will make monthly installments over the next three to five years to either repay all of the debt you owe or some of it.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy generally lasts three to six months, and any debt that remains after you’ve sold your property becomes unsecured debt. That unsecured debt will then be wiped out. Based upon your equity level, items you're able to possibly keep include clothing, furnishings and any vehicle you own. If you have any secured debts, like car loans, you can either let the creditor repossess them, keep paying for the item, or give the creditor enough money to equal the actual replacement value of your secured debt. For those who do file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, there are particular secured debts that can be eliminated. When it comes to Chapter 7 bankruptcy however, something to bear in mind is not everyone is able to qualify. If your disposable earnings are enough for you to qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you won’t be allowed to file for Chapter 7. Chapter 7 bankruptcy also won’t do you any good if you owe tax debt, child support, or spousal support.

Before being allowed to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in Connecticut, you’ll have to have a reliable source of income. A repayment schedule will have to be established that spans a three to five year period. Minimum monthly amounts is decided by how much your debt is, the amount of money you make and the amount of money you would have paid your unsecured creditors had you filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy instead. There are federal limits set in place for Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Right now, you can’t have more than roughly $1,011,000 in secured debt and about $337,000 in unsecured debt. Before your creditors are permitted to take action against you, you will be allowed to make up any missed payments for your secured debts.

Look into bankruptcy options if you want to get a handle on your finances. It can definitely be worth considering even if it is not your very first option. Carefully look into your finances, research your options and think about the amount of debt you owe when attempting to make the best decision possible for any kind of bankruptcy.

Kicking Up the Game of Your Longer-Term Employees: Getting the Tenured and Tired to Grow and Evolve

"A lot of us have been here a long time."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry over the phone when a salesperson gave this answer to my question about investing in a sales and service training program for her team. To me, these few words were both comical and tragic to me at the same time, and told me all that I needed to know about the organization - and why it was behind in its performance.

Many organization leadership teams and managers no doubt face this same dilemma. While it has long been thought that people with many years of experience at their jobs translates to permanent success, many things today prove otherwise. "Evolve or die" is not so much a threat as a prediction nowadays. And we can learn this lesson from many different industries.

In a recent interview on ESPN, Alabama Head Football Coach Nick Saban, who knows about winning (his teams have won three NCAA titles in four seasons) says that "The future and legacy of a team will be determined by what happens ahead of them, not what happened before... There is no continuum for success, it's an ongoing process regardless of what we've accomplished in the past."

TEACHING OLD DOGS NEW TRICKS

I'm sure the above-quoted salesperson, who had been at her post for several years, answered me in the manner she did because she thinks that you cannot necessarily teach old dogs new tricks, or - worse yet --- she feels that they likely already know everything they need to know in order to do their jobs, and don't need to learn anything new.

"I just taught my 15 year old dog to not jump on the couch, so you CAN teach old dogs new tricks," offers Chris Durso, Major Market Developer with InterContinental Hotels Group, "In fact, if you're losing market share, you're not done learning."

Greg Ayers, President/CEO of Discover Kalamazoo (MI) weighs in on continuing the learning in his organization: "While our team possesses a wealth of experience, we are always looking for ways to further develop our talent... One of our strategic priorities is to continuously improve." Greg backs it up by engaging outside consultants to conduct a sales team program evaluation that reviews everything they do to generate new group business for Kalamazoo, "even if we don't want to hear some of the answers," he adds.

Like Ayers, true leaders are about taking chances, and either checking under their own hoods or engaging others to do it, just to make sure the engine parts are still working efficiently and effectively.

"I've been down that road of hearing 'we don't need training' for our seasoned staff or salespeople," says Wade Bryant, Director of Sales and Marketing for the Embassy Suites Hotel in Charleston, SC. "You could probably classify half of our long-timers in the hospitality industry as insane, if by definition that means, as Steven Covey said, doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different or better result. The fact is long-timers probably need it (training) the most."

To a team leader, it can be a fine line between managing a seasoned, happy team member who uses their great wealth of experience in handling certain (often difficult) situations vs. the "been-there-too-long" team member who carries a burned-out or sluggish attitude around the business, refusing to embrace any new wrinkles. Never mind that as a business owner you may want (or need!) to change things up or move your customers or products in a new direction. From many of these folks, you may be getting push-back and old-style thinking.

THE TIMES - AND YOUR CUSTOMERS - ARE CHANGING

It's like nails on a chalkboard for me when I hear "we've always done it that way." Sure, many companies are thriving again and have built their legacies of service and stellar treatment of their customers in the past. But those customers are changing. The expectations of the baby-boomers, not to mention the greatest generation, the gen-X'ers, and the millennials can all be very different. A business's service teams have to be able to evolve their skills in order to stay viable to a changing demographic with changing needs and expectations.

Are your long-time employees those who have their habits so ingrained that they cannot change or be flexible to the new wave of customers or changing landscape in your competitive landscape? Do they feel that they are above training and "refreshers" aimed at re-invigorating their efforts or re-focusing them? If so, it's time for management to step in and take training (or re-training) by the nose. It won't happen by osmosis.

"I'm often encountering life's plodders, doing just enough not to be fired," remarks Phil Anderson, veteran of the hospitality and resort business as both a general manager and a sales/marketing executive. "It seems like the theme is 'sustained mediocrity' in some places I go, and when you inherit a veteran or tenured staff to manage, it can mean trouble."

Of course, not all long-term employees are toxic, not by a long shot. Many frequent customers have come to enjoy seeing the smiling faces and feats of great service from these veteran team members over the years. The ones with great attitudes and abilities to teach can also be key in getting new employees up to speed on their jobs and tasks. Indeed, to some customers, the veterans ARE the company or product.

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, GROWTH IS OPTIONAL

But still, change is inevitable. It's the growth part that's optional. And long-timers need to evolve their skills to stay relevant. After all, the "I want it now" generation is taking hold. The speed has quickened a bit, including service and value expectations from members.

"If you and your team don't take the time to reinvent your approach to business, you will lose, plain and simple," says Doug Small, President/CEO of Experience Grand Rapids (MI). "While others have decreased their budgets for professional development, we have gone the other way... we actually set goals for enhancing the skill set of our employees in a variety of disciplines to help them stay ahead of an ever-changing marketplace." Small even takes it beyond his own team on a larger scale: "We 'fund' education for our member hotels, too, as it's a collaborative approach to increasing revenues for all."

INVESTING IN YOUR TEAM'S GROWTH

Consider these points when deciding about training and re-training:

* If you're not getting better, you're getting worse. This in itself can keep hospitality managers up at night.

* Many people fear change, and being trained or re-trained represents change. Get your best long-timers around the reasons for a program - Illustrate "what's in it for them?" and they're more likely to visibly support the training initiative to other team members. This will cut down on the grumbling.

* Assess which specific areas you and your guests feel need the greatest attention, and start your training there. Chew the elephant in small bites.

* Support it visibly, actively, and often. Nothing kills a training program faster than when upper management doesn't come to the workshops or meetings, or get involved in the follow-through. The line staff then gets the feeling that "they must be above all of this."

* Determine roles, goals, responsibilities, and accountabilities in your program. Have a plan, don't just scatter-gun a few hours here and there for some parts of your facility - After all, your hotel/resort has a culture, and it's a family, not a bunch of independent silos.

* Make continued training and learning a culture, not a fleeting "program of the month" that will quickly be forgotten. Make your training programs just that - programs - that are sustainable. Constancy and consistency will help insure long-term success.

Tenured and tired, or growing and evolving? Take a look under your hood and keep your long-time team members in forward motion with preventative maintenance and frequent tune-ups. Your customers will thank you with their return business and positive social media reviews.

Debt Consolidation Loans For Bad Credit Borrowers: Viable Solutions To Real Problems

At some point, we all have to deal with stressful financial situations. As time goes on, our creditors become more demanding, and the added interest on late loans and credit card payments, build up to a level that makes it even harder to stay on top of things. But with the availability of debt consolidation loans for bad credit borrowers, there is a viable escape.

The chief problem for anyone with financial difficulties is cash flow, with repayments falling behind only because the cash was not available at the required time. The logical solution, therefore, it to restructure debts to ensure the repayment schedule is simpler. This can be done by clearing existing debts with a single loan, then repaying it.

And that is exactly what a debt consolidation loan is for – buying out the balances of existing debts to allow the overall debt to be restructured into something more manageable, and more affordable. But is the deal really as viable a solution as it seems?

Consolidation As A Solution

The good news when seeking debt consolidation loans for bad credit management is that opting for consolidation offers more benefits than simply buying out existing debts. In reality, the chief motivation when seeking these loans is to clear debts, but there is also an opportunity to set things up for a better financial future.

For example, since all of your debts have been brought together and bought out, it means they have been paid off in full. This fact is noted in your credit report, thus ensuring that your credit score is increased. So, as well as clearing existing debts, consolidation ensures better loan terms in the future.

Also, while all debts are basically replaced by a debt consolidation loan, the new structure should mean that the size of monthly loan repayments falls significantly compared to the combined repayments of the original loans. This means that the debt-to-income ratio is improved too.

The Consolidation Terms To Seek

So what are the terms that should be secured to make the whole exercise worthwhile? Actually, besides the usual interest rate concern, there is only one real issue when applying for a debt consolidation loan for bad credit borrowers to consider carefully.

The term refers to the lifetime of the loan, with the basic idea being the longer the term the smaller the size of the repayment each month. For example, the number of repayments in a 3-year loan is 36 (36 months), to the principal borrowed is divided by 36. If the term is 5 years, the principal of divided by 60.

If the debt consolidation loan sum is $10,000, the difference is $110, which is a significant sum to free up, thus lowering the pressure to make the necessary repayments. So, clearing existing debts and saving money can actually be done simultaneously.

Where To Get A Consolidation Loan

A key part to securing the maximum benefits from a debt consolidation loan for bad credit borrowers to enjoy is to approach the right lender. Like all financial products, there are different terms available from different lenders.

Most lenders offer some kind of debt consolidation loan, but the interest rates are usually quite high and the loan limit is fairly low. This is because the applicants are bad credit borrowers. Online lenders will offer better terms than a traditional lender, but the same restrictions apply.

A professional debt consolidation company is ideal when the size of the debt is very high. They take the task of clearing existing debts into their hands, and in return they withdraw set payments from your account over an agreed period of time. They will charge a fee, but they also take control of finances, so the risk of failure is practically nil.

Instant Approval Personal Loans: Arrange Funds For Urgent Requirements

Adequate inflow of money has always been the basic requirement of a happy and contented survival and who can better agree with this statement, than those who are dealing with the deplorable phase of financial shortage? It is quite true, that any kind of financial problem can disturb the mental peace of a person; therefore, to improve your condition, both mentally and economically, searching for a financial resource is must. Thankfully, our finance market is buzzing with various loan schemes that are efficient enough to manage funds instantly and instant approval personal loans, are one of those available loan schemes. Easy availability and fast processing pace of this loan plan, has made it extremely popular among people, as every borrower wishes to meet his or her financial requirements, as soon as possible.

Instant approval personal loans are capable of offering instant cash assistance to the populace, as these loans take a very short duration to complete the entire approval process. Moreover, these loans have low and reasonable rate of interest that the borrowers can easily afford with their basic expenses. Hence, if you are also looking for a quick supply of funds to repair your home or to pay your child's higher education fees, then consider the convenient solution of instant approval personal loans and get rid of your financial worries. However, those who have maintained a bad credit history so far, may find some difficulties in utilizing this loan assistance, as their repayment ability is doubtful. But fortunately, with the extensive expansion of finance market and growing rate of competition, they too can enjoy this financial aid under certain limitations, such as a high interest rate or strict repayment schedule.

Since every field is enjoying the facility of technological changes, the finance industry is also ready to serve its consumers with this amazing service. Now, every borrower is allowed to draft the loan application from the comfort of his home and this has become possible just because of the online services. All you need to have is a computer and an internet access and then with just couple of clicks, you can initiate the loan processing. Thankfully, all finance companies of today are well equipped with the option of online application processing facility. Hence, if you are also looking for an urgent monetary assistance, then do not vacillate any more on the decision of instant approval personal loans, as it promises to offer cash in the shortest possible duration.

Instant approval personal loans are not only easily accessible but they are also very efficient in solving all sorts of personal financial problems. The loans are tailored by keeping the hectic schedule of the customer in mind. Perhaps, for this reason only, all borrowers, including the category of extremely busy professionals, who do not have much time to visit various finance institutions and banks, are opting for these loan plans to satiate their personal financial needs. With this easy-to-execute procedure, these loans have successfully managed to offer good financial solutions to the loan seekers, who like to walk shoulder to shoulder with technological advancements.

Experience the Charm of Rajasthan Forts and Palaces During a Rajasthan Tour

Rajasthan forts and palaces are no doubt the best manuscript which utters the saga of audacious Rajputana clans. Rajasthan is the Land of Romance and Chivalry which is known throughout the world for its magnificent forts dotted along the barren sandscape of the Thar Desert. These eloquent of the bygone era are among the most popular attractions of Rajasthan which are visited by scores of tourists round the year. These forts are the paragon of architecture which not only illustrate great works of craftsmanship, but also famous for their majestic color combinations with the surrounding landscapes. The magical attractions of these grand monuments are among the best Places to see in Rajasthan. Some of the most famous Rajasthan forts and palaces are:

Chittorgarh Fort:

The Fort of Chittorgarh is the largest and the grandest fort of Rajasthan as well as of India. This is located in Bhilwara the city in Mewar region of Rajasthan. It is among the grandest fort and prominent attraction of Rajasthan tourism which is perched on a 180 meters high hill and sprawl over an area of 700 acres. The Fort is a treasure trove of history which offers great deal of insight into the life of the Great Rajputana dynasties who ruled this fort for centuries. This fort can be accessed through entrance gates like Padal Pol, Hanuman Pol, Ram Pol and Bhairon Pol.

The fort houses a number of palaces within the complex which include Rana Kumbha Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Padmini's Palace and more. This magnificent fort is known for its impressive 13 kilometer long wall and soaring towers. The Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower) is an imposing 37 meters high nine storied structure covered with an exquisite sculptures of Hindu deities and the Kirti Stambh (Tower of Fame) is a 22 meters high tower dedicated to Adinathji, the first of the Jain Tirthankaras are the most striking monuments of this fort.

Kumbhalgarh Fort:

This is the second most important fort of Rajasthan after Chittorgarh which was built in 15th century A.D. by Maharana Kumbha. It is located 90 km north-west of Udaipur in Rajasthan State and famous for its 36 km long wall which is the second longest continuous wall in the world. Rounded bastions, soaring watch towers and crenellated walls make this fort an impregnable structure which had nurtured Mewar kingdom for centuries. The fort complex houses around 360 temples among which Shiva Temple is worth visiting because of a huge Shivalinga.

Apart from this the fort is also known for its beautiful palace known as 'Badal Mahal' or the Palace of Cloud. This is the birth place of great warrior Maharana Pratap which is renowned for its beautiful rooms with lovely color combination of green, turquoise and white.

Forts of Rajasthan are known for its grandiose structure, majestic constructions and delicate decorations which preserve the cultural as well as historical legacies of royal dynasties who ruled Rajasthan for centuries. Some of the other famous forts of this heritage land are Mehrangarh Fort (Jodhpur), Jaisalmer Fort (Jaisalmer), Junagarh Fort (Bikaner) and Taragarh Fort (Bundi).

Insurance Options for the Self-Employed

If you're self-employed and work by yourself you need to make sure you organize the correct insurance for you and your business. This will be insurance that covers you against any unforeseen and unexpected set backs or accidents that befall you and your company. If not protected you could face serious losses or even the closing of your business.

A lot of insurance companies offer something called Public Liability Insurance for the self-employed. If you search the internet you will be able to see a number of different quotes and policies. This is the most important type of insurance for your business. It covers you and your business for claims made against you by customers, clients and third parties, including members of the public.

The exact type of insurance you need depends on your type of self-employment, and one policy will vary from another. In addition, and depending on the nature of your career and your dealings with the public, you may well need to combine Public Liability Insurance with other kinds of insurance. For example, financial advisors may need to have both public liability and also professional indemnity insurance because of the nature of their profession and because of the position of trust they take when dealing with the general public. In addition their may be insurances that their own industry require they take out, related to financial advice, for example.

There are, then, a number of specialist insurances that self-employed workers should check if they need. The following are the most common insurance policies for the self-employed:

Public Liability Insurance

Public Liability Insurance protects you and your company from claims against you by members of the public, customers, clients and is advisable for almost all businesses.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Professional Indemnity Insurance gives you insurance cover for the services and advice you might give to your customers or clients. Should that advice or service be incorrect or wrongly performed and cause damages to your customer, they would have redress in the courts. Professional Indemnity Insurance covers you.

Employer's Liability Insurance

Essential insurance for all self-employed people who have reached a stage with their business where they need to employ other people.

Commercial Vehicle Insurance

If you use a commercial vehicle for your work then you need to get commercial vehicle insurance.

Business Buildings Insurance.

Business Buildings Insurance is essential if you work from home or rent or own a site - it covers both the building and any of the business equipment inside.

To find a suitable self-employed insurance policy for your business seek out brokers who specialize in self-employed and contractor mortgages, tax solutions, umbrella companies, pensions and insurance policies. They will give you a better rate than most general brokers and financial institutions.

Salient Tips On Getting The Best Denver Home Loan

ortgage Companies are established in various areas to help people who wish to purchase their home or refinance the mortgage on their existing home. Since mortgages are available in various packages, it is important for customers to be able to select the best packages for their requirements. Information is available online for learning about the configuration and effect of interest rates on one’s finances. At the end of the day, you should be able to pay off the mortgage loan with the tenor mentioned in the loan contract.

Denver home loans are available with Beacon Financial Mortgage lenders who are reputed in the field and offer low interest rates and various options for customers. If you are cautious about taking mortgages and require discussing your options with a counselor you can call them and they will offer their best customer service.

Denver home loan rates are available for people who are credit worthy and maintain a high credit score. They can get better interest rates with mortgage companies. If your credit score is low, some companies like Beacon Financial Mortgage will make an individualized decision to help you with a proposal. The advantages with selecting a company such as Beacon Financial is that they are accredited and do not charge any lock fee, application fee or other such fees. They have streamlined the mortgage process and have the ability of closing your loan in 15 days.

Try to get the best Denver home loan when you wish to purchase property or a home. You will want to ensure that the home becomes your own after many years of paying the mortgage loan interest rates. You may pay the same amount of interest rate every month when you decide on a fixed rate mortgage. You can either take the fixed rate for a period of 15 to 20 years or you can use the option for a five and seven-year fixed rate loan with balloon payment at the end. This is different from adjustable rate of interest.

If you are interested in finding the best options then you should log on to the websites of several mortgage companies and read the types of loan interest rates to find out which one will benefit you in the long run. Do not hesitate to contact the customer service support and ask them to answer your queries. You should have no doubts when you are paying out money in order to purchase a dream home that you are living in currently.

Most of the popular and reputable sites offer tools and calculators and set up track sheets to let you see the current rates of interests especially when you plan to purchase properties. Make sure you are well informed about Denver home loan rates and make the right decision when you visit the mortgage company. You have the option of deciding on the loan program that you wish to take and the mortgage counselor will help you to select the right option.

Essence

My son and I share a passion for history. I must admit that as I write this, he knows more about it than I do. I look at history in terms of people, what drives them.
I love old houses. They have character. They are imprinted with the signature of the previous owners. I love the house that we live in. It is perfect for the four of us. My son, my two dogs and myself.

The house that we live in is quite ordinary. It has three bedrooms and two full baths and a half bath outside. I always wondered why there is a bathroom outside of the main house. One of my previous colleagues told me that it was probably constructed for the help who landscaped the yards. It does have a very big backyard. It took me two years to find this house and it was as perfect then as it is now. I had to change a couple of things here and there, but the yard is pretty much the same except for the addition of a water fountain. Oh except one of the trees fell off when hurricane Lily passed. On it's stump I placed a concrete statue of the buddha. This one is unusual because it is a smiling buddha and the hands are not folded in a meditation posture. It is as if the buddha is just enjoying the traffic of all kinds of birds taking baths in the fountain, the squirrels that tease the dogs and, one day, even a snake. All part of the dance of life in my backyard.

The couple who used to live here are retired and they did a terrific job of landscaping the property. Even now, when azaleas are in bloom, ours is the only home surrounded by magnificent colors in our neighborhood which also an older neighborhood. I can only remember one house that seems to change owners unusually frequently for as long as we have lived here. Most of the residents on the houses lining the street are either retired or working at home, so on any one weekday, the cars are parked on the carport as if it were a weekend.
The pine tree in the backyard is the tallest on the street. I can see it as long as I am on the same street. It serves as a beacon to me.

The flowering plants that continue to give us flowers were planted by the previous owners. I am always grateful for the generosity of spirit of the previous owners for leaving us this gift. I can tell they loved the land as I do now.

That is the history of this house for me. That is what I will remember when I either move away someday or die. I wonder how it was for the people who built it? I wonder how my son will remember it when he goes to college? He always thought it too small. No swimming pool. No tennis court. Not a place for big parties. For me, it is perfect. Small enough that I know where he and the dogs are at any one time even when I am at work on my computer.

I will always remember this house as the house where I found the most peace. When I pass on the ownership of this house to someone else, I wonder what they would change and what they would keep? What kind of signature will they leave? I hope that at least they will keep the bananas and the lemon tree and the dogwoods that I planted. Oh and I will leave them the buddha on the stump and the water fountain as my gift, just like the previous owners left calla lilies and african daisies and the enormous fig tree as their legacy to the future occupants of the land. For the land remains. The house may change, the occupants do change, but the land will always keep a record of the life that was there.

© 2007 by Melinda M. Sorensson