ISO 9001 is a recognized industry standard for the quality management of business procedures. It applies to all processes, offers product control solutions and better management regulation for any business organization, and it can be especially helpful to data centres and their customers
Even so, it is expensive to implement, but once in place can help the data center save money in other operational costs. Virtual Internet can attest to the operational efficiencies and competitive "edge" it has gained by attaining both ISO 9001 and 27001 certification.? The following are four benefits ISO 9001 offers to any data center or Cloud based storage business.
?1 - Customer Trust
ISO 9001 inspires trust in your business customers an accredited certification offers proof of customer commitment. It demonstrates the data center's willingness to continually find new ways of improving their services. Once in place, orders are met consistently, issues resolved immediately and services are offered on-time and to the correct customer specifications. ISO 9001 demonstrates efficient quality management that complies with the most rigorous of external audits made by the ISO 9001 certification team.
?2 ? Cost Savings
An organization that implements ISO 9001 saves money as operations are streamlined. Every cost of every department is analyzed, creating more efficient productivity that costs less, and these savings can often be passed on to customers.
?3 ? Addresses Security Issues
ISO 9001 stresses quality assurance, and an aspect of this is security issues. Data centers complying to these standards also comply with ISO 27001 which ensures that:
Threats to the business are managed, assessed and managed on a continual basis.
Physical security is stressed within the physical environment, requiring name and restricted access to work areas.
?CCTV security monitoring and planning are continually enforced.
?Bottom Line
Data centers with ISO 9001 compliance offer more efficient security options and efficiencies business clients need. Customers are more confident in trusting their crucial data to a data center that has undergone the stringent requirements of ISO 9001. Additionally, a business that undergoes the expense and the time commitment involved will continually improve services to meet their ISO9001 compliance. The only disadvantage to using an ISO compliant data center is that these require the reliance on the documentation of all procedures, decisions and implementations, including any special procedure requested by a client.
There are many ways to assist your children?s education. Most children attend public schools. You could also choose an expensive private school. There?s another option known as homeschooling. Do you think you might have interest in homeschooling? If so, keep reading for some tips about homeschooling.
If your family includes toddlers, make sure you offer them a variety of activities while you are teaching. have activities for them that coordinate with the older children?s school time. They?ll feel involved without being a distraction.
Network with other local homeschool parents. You can get together and share tips, ask questions and find new friends. The other parents need not influence every aspect of educating your children, but more experienced home educators can share valuable wisdom.
Particular Subject
If you are not comfortable teaching a particular subject or topic, bring in outside help to assist you. There may be a subject your child has to learn that you do not have much knowledge about. If you lack what it takes to teach a particular subject, just find help.
You need to think about the place in which you will teach your kids in the home. It should be roomy and comfortable, but not in a distracting area. It needs space for building, acting and dancing, along with surfaces for taking tests and writing. It should also give you a bird?s eye view of what your kids are up to all the time, as well.
Encourage independent learning. A child should be able to complete their work without you hovering overhead and supervising every step. Let them know your expectations, but allow them plenty of time to work on things. They?ll become more independent, confident and proactive, too.
Learn whether there are other parents who homeschool in your area, and then start a homeschooling group with them. With a group like this your child can get some social interaction. As an added bonus, it will also give you the opportunity to leave the house regularly.
Be crafty when it comes to homeschooling. You can save a lot of money by creating some resources yourself. Look for inexpensive ways to create flash cards and recycle household items as craft supplies. Brainstorm ideas with your children if you need help with finding supplies and resources.
Sports Teams
Homeschooled children do not have to miss out on the the social activities of public school kids and have a right to joining school?s sports teams and activities. Many schools will allow homeschooled students to join school sports teams and bands. By doing this, your child can get the education he or she needs while also being able to obtain social skills.
You can spend time on vacation learning as well. You can visit historical sites or other educational places on vacation. You can take one day to learn something on vacation. Your family can enjoy themselves while also learning.
There are various ways a kid can learn, but a unique way is homeschooling. Use the above advice to make your own home education endeavors more successful. If it seems to work for your family, your kids have a terrific educational experience in store.
MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- Nikola Pekovic poured in 28 points and Kevin Love added 23 with 18 rebounds Saturday, boosting the Minnesota Timberwolves over Phoenix 111-107.
Minnesota snapped a two-game losing streak with the help of Andrei Kirilenko, who contributed an all-around game of 20 points, five rebounds and four assists.
Alexey Shved (12 points, 10 assists), J.J. Barea and Derrick Williams (10 points apiece) also helped out with big nights for the T-Wolves, who were playing without guard Ricky Rubio (back spasms).
Minnesota logged the win after three-time all-star guard Brandon Roy announced earlier Saturday he intends to try to come back from a seventh surgery last month to treat chronic pain in his right knee.
Luis Scola fired in 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but it wasn't enough for the Suns, who fell to 2-13 away from home.
Shannon Brown contributed 21 points and Goran Dragic provided a double-double of 16 and 12 assists for Phoenix.
We hope you had a fantastic Christmas break and are looking forward to a nice New Year?s break as well (if even for only 1 day). We had a great time with family and friends and even got to play a few board games during the festivities.
With a whole week off of work I had great plans to catch up and post a few board game reviews that we?ve filmed. But, as you can tell, that hasn?t happened. It?s just been so fun and relaxing to kick back and simply enjoy time with family. So all the editing and writing was placed on the shelf for a while.
Donuts here we come!
Last weekend we spent a bunch of time together leading up to Christmas ? including going with the kids as they bought presents for each other (each child getting their own 1-on-1 time at the crowded stores). The day before Christmas we started with sledding in new fallen snow and ended Christmas Eve at grandparents house decorating gingerbread trains and trees, reading new Christmas storybooks, playing chimes, playing carols with kazoos, feasting, and eating too many desserts. And Christmas day brought more fun times with the kids and extended family (and more food).
The Donut reward!
The last few days we?ve spent new toys, reading books, watching movies, and going snowshoeing. With almost 4 steady days of snow, the snowshoeing was fantastic! It?s the first time we?ve gone as a family and we had a great time. There?s a place up a canyon near our home called Donut Falls that?s a great family hike both in summer and winter (3 miles RT). So we bought a dozen donuts and hiked to Donut Falls to eat them. It was a great treat/reward for making it to the falls.
Oh ? and I recall playing a board game or two this week as well.
In fact, one board game that we got for Christmas has been played daily by the boys with constant talk of playing again and again. And at 1:30 am this morning it was almost played yet again ? but, we decided sleep was a good option too.
Bring on the dungeon monsters!
What the big board game hit this Christmas? Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition.
It?s the first ?dungeon crawler? game that our family has played and it has been an immediate hit. And with the amount of open-ended possibilities with the game, I think it will continue strong well into the future. With how big a hit it?s been, we?ll get a full review up as soon as we can. But to give you a quick glimpse, it?s a game with heroes venturing into dungeon-type scenarios to battle monsters and accomplish quests.
Battles in progress.
One person plays the side of the Overlord who controls the monsters and the rest are the heroes. The game is chuck-full of miniatures, cards, tokens, and double-sided board pieces to make up the dungeons. There?s 23 page Rulebook and a 43 page Quest Guide. So getting up and running took quite some time (for dad at least ? going through it in preparation). But, the boys are hooked and can?t get enough. And even though we?ve only played a handful of scenarios so far, Trevor?s already wanting to create his own scenario.
Memoir ?44 ? above and beyond One of the items I had at the top of my Christmas board games with list was an expansion for Memoir ?44. And while I didn?t receive one of the expansion sets, I got something completely unexpected and fantastic from my Dice Tower Secret Santa ? the Memoir ?44 Campaign Book Volume 1. The Campaign Books add a new level of fun to Memoir ?44 and the Volume 1 is out of print. So it was very sweet to get this gift and after playing it this week, I?ll agree that it?s a great addition to my Memoir ?44 fix.
The next board game gift we opened on Christmas was the 7 Wonders: Cities expansion. It hasn?t hit the table yet, but we?re looking forward to playing it soon ? once we can clear the big table of Descent.
Caleb was also given the R2-D2 Star Wars game of Trouble. It?s still the same luck-driven simple game of rolling dice and moving your pieces around the board, but I have to admit that the R2-D2 sounds when you pop the dice popper adds some spice to the game.
The gift of time together.
Another gaming gift came from Jaden in the form of a coupon book. It seems he took a page out of Trevor?s gift book from last year and gave me coupons for game time with him. With a book almost constantly in his hands, he?s sometimes the toughest to get to sit down to play games with. Now I have an ace up my sleeve with his game coupon book.
Thursday night we also had some of our neighbor father and sons come over for some fun and games. We didn?t introduce them to any of the new games but instead pulled out a few older ones and ended with a full 7-player game of Shadows Over Camelot ? in which the knights were defeated by the traitor amongst us. Even though the 6 brave knights lost, we had a great time playing.
And that?s what board games are all about ? having fun with family and friends.
So whether we play old games are new games, simple games or more involved games, many games once or one game many times, it?s all about enjoying the time together.
We hope you have a very enjoyable time with your family as you start the New Year 2013!
A couple of weeks back, ?Mexico?s newly elected Presidente (Espanol for President) Enrique Pena Nieto, who happens to be a member of the ?Socialist political party, The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), said that he ?fully supported? President Obama?s immigration reform policy, and ?Pena Nieto made clear that Mexicans were closely following Obama?s plan to tackle a major U.S. domestic issue ? fixing America?s immigration system.?-?Obama, Nieto Forge Amnesty Pact
Mexico?s Pena Nieto appears to be pushing the envelope against American sovereignty with his petitioning of the liberal U.S. 9th Circus (Circuit) Court of Appeals to ?uphold a lower-court ruling that blocked police from enforcing? a ban of harboring illegal aliens.
The Mexican government has filed a legal brief ?with the court asking them to uphold the lower-court ruling because it believed that??the ban harms diplomatic relations between the United States,? adding that it also ?undermines the U.S.?s ability to speak to a foreign country with one voice and encourages the marginalization of Mexicans and people who appear to be from Latin America.?
?As many will recall back in 2010, Presidente Obama aligned himself with Mexico in denouncing the Arizona Immigration law and called the controversial law ?a misdirected expression of frustration.?
?The United States and Mexico share a significant economic and political relationship that stands to be damaged the more the nations are at odds over immigration, which affects millions of people on both sides of the border.-Presidente Barack Obama (Newsmax)
Perhaps Presidente Nieto should worry less about U.S. immigration laws and worry more about his amigo Presidente Obama?s ?Fast and Furious? gun trafficking fiasco which has fueled the ongoing drug war and killings in Nieto?s beloved country? ?Viva Mejico!
LOS ANGELES ? The Clippers came roaring out of the opening tip and kept on going to their 15th consecutive victory.
Boosted by an early 24-9 lead their starters provided, Los Angeles beat Boston 106-77 on Thursday night to become the first team to win that many in a row since the Celtics four years ago.
Matt Barnes tied his season high with 21 points off the bench, fellow reserve Jamal Crawford added 17 points and Chris Paul had 11 assists as the Clippers scored their sixth straight blowout victory. They haven't had a close win during the streak since Nov. 28, when they beat Minnesota by six points.
"Shows we have a lot of depth. I've probably sat out more fourth quarters this season than any of my previous seven seasons," Paul said. "It's a really good feeling now, a good vibe because everyone is enjoying it."
Blake Griffin had 15 points, Caron Butler added 14 and Lamar Odom 13 rebounds to help the Clippers improve the NBA's best record to 23-6.
"Some people may be impressed by the record, but we can't be," Paul said. "We're not measured by our regular-season wins."
Griffin agreed, saying, "We want to be winning in April, May and June."
Kevin Garnett scored 16 points for Boston, which committed 18 turnovers and never led in dropping to .500 at 14-14 with its fifth loss in seven games. Paul Pierce and Jeff Green added 12 points each to go with 10 apiece from Jason Terry and Rajon Rondo.
Boston's winning streak extended to 19 games in 2008-09.
"Every individual on our team wanted to beat them and every individual tried to do it by themselves instead of just playing our game," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said.
It was the Clippers' largest-ever win against Boston, coming six years to the day of their previous largest, a 100-77 win on Dec. 27, 2006.
"I thought we came out with too much respect. We wanted to back off some of their bigs and Blake hit some shots that he doesn't usually hit," Garnett said. "They came out with a lot of confidence and they packed the paint and that is the reason why have won 15 in a row. They had us on our heels all night."
Barnes had the Clippers' first five points in a 9-0 run that opened the fourth quarter and boosted their lead to 90-67. Willie Green briefly played; otherwise the Clippers' other starters rested to close out the game.
The Celtics were held to 10 points in the final 12 minutes.
"We just want to continue to build good habits," Barnes said. "We jumped on them early and didn't let them have any breathing room."
The Clippers' starters and their bench played to a draw, scoring 53 points each one game after the reserves outscored the starters in a win over Denver on Christmas.
"It still feels like we can get better," said Ronny Turiaf, who had four points and five rebounds. "We're just having fun. We're in the now. We're just trying to ride the wave."
Garnett had six points in the third when the Celtics were narrowly outscored 22-20, but still trailed 82-67. The Clippers' 9-0 run pushed their lead to 21 points before Boston went on a 10-4 run, including 3-pointers by Courtney Lee and Rondo to end the quarter.
The game got chippy at times. In the third, Jared Sullinger was called for a flagrant-1 foul for grabbing the front of Griffin on his way up to dunk. Then Butler and Pierce emerged from a big mass both holding onto the ball, leading to a jump ball. In the first, Rondo was lying on the ball and Paul tried to take it out from under him on the sideline, leading to a testy moment.
The Celtics cut their deficit to four points early in the second quarter ? the closest they came after the opening quarter ? with consecutive 3-pointers by Terry and Lee before the Clippers' second unit rebuilt the double-digit lead the starters had created. Crawford scored 13 points for Los Angeles, highlighted by a fast-break floater and a rainbow 3. He scored the final four points to keep the Clippers ahead 60-47 heading into halftime.
NOTES: The Clippers are assured of finishing December as their best month ever with two games remaining, including the second half of a back-to-back at Utah. They've already surpassed the franchise record for most wins in a month, bettering the old mark of 12 shared by the 1974-75 Buffalo Braves and the 1991-92 Clippers (which included Celtics coach Doc Rivers). ... Boston fell to 5-9 on the road. ... The Clippers' last loss was on Nov. 26 at home against New Orleans. ... Justin Bieber (who had Paul's young son sitting on his lap), Billy Crystal and Olympic 200 sprint champion Allyson Felix were among the Clippers' 67th consecutive sellout crowd.
It warmed our hearts to hear that when Kate Winslet tied the knot with Ned Rocknroll earlier in December, her Titanic co-star Leonardo DiCaprio walked her down the aisle.
Sure, celebs often attend each others' weddings; they even participate in regular people's nuptials, too. But we wondered which other celebs involved their celebrity friends in their weddings, like Winslet and DiCaprio.
Below, 11 other celebrities who asked their co-stars to be a part of their Big Day.
Jennifer Garner
Victor Garber <a href="http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/emma-stone-officiates-a-wedding-just-like-these-other-celebrities-20121411">officiated Jennifer Garner's 2005 wedding</a> to Ben Affleck after he and Garner appeared on "Alias" together. He later <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/scott-mendelson/huff-post-review-argo-201_b_1955378.html">starred alongside hubby Affleck</a> in 2012's "Argo."
Donald Faison
Perhaps Zach Braff and Donald Faison's bromance on "Scrubs" is so believable because the two are real-life buds. Braff <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/16/donald-faison-cacee-cobb-married-tie-the-knot-photos_n_2311174.html">hosted Faison's 2012 wedding </a>at his home in Los Angeles.
Beverley Mitchell
When Beverley Mitchell <a href="http://www.instyle.com/instyle/package/general/photos/0,,20352342_20355384_20761809,00.html">got hitched in October 2008</a>, she asked her sisters to be bridesmaids -- her TV sisters that is. Jessical Biel and Mackenzie Rosman, who co-starred with Mitchell on "7th Heaven,"<a href="http://www.justjared.com/2008/10/01/beverley-mitchell-wedding-pictures/"> were in her wedding party</a>.
Stanley Tucci
In 1998, Stanley Tucci directed and acted in a little-known movie called <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120823/">"The Imposters"</a> with Steve Buscemi. Since then, the long-time friends have <a href="http://observer.com/2008/01/buscemi-tucci-team-for-production-company/">started a producttion company</a> together and Buccemi <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20634884,00.html">acted as best man at Tucci's wedding </a>to Felicity Blunt in September 2012.
Jensen Ackles
The whole cast was involved in this "Supernatural" wedding. Jensen Ackles<a href="http://www.justjared.com/2010/05/15/jensen-ackles-wedding-pictures/"> married his "Supernatural" co-star Daneel Harris</a> in May of 2010. His onscreen bother, <a href="http://www.celebritybrideguide.com/jensen-ackles-and-danneel-harris-wedding/">Jared Padaleck, acted as groomsman</a>.
America Ferrera
Vanessa Williams hosted America Ferrera's 2011 nuptials to longtime boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams <a href="http://www.etonline.com/news/111969_NEW_PICS_America_Ferrera_s_Wedding/index.html">at her estate in upstate New York</a>. But she wasn't the only "Ugly Betty" co-star involved in Ferrera's Big Day. <a href="http://wonderwall.msn.com/tv/america-ferrera-weds-at-star-packed-bash-1626991.story">Judith Light officiated</a> the ceremony.
Jenni 'JWoww' Farley
It's no surprise that Jenni 'JWoww' Farley asked Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi to <a href="http://www.eonline.com/news/358465/jwoww-talks-big-tv-wedding-names-snooki-maid-of-honor">act as maid of honor</a> at her upcoming wedding. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/snooki-and-jwoww-best-friends-forever-video_n_1561903.html">The friendship between these two besties has grown</a> over seven seasons of "The Jersey Shore" and now on "Snooki and JWoww."
Hugh Laurie
Before Hugh Laurie played <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/house-md">Dr. Gregory House</a>, he had a hit sketch show on the BBC called "<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/abitoffryandlaurie/index.shtml">A Bit Of Fry & Laurie</a>." He and his comedic counterpart on the show, Stephen Fry, were such good buddies, that <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0491402/bio">Fry acted as Laurie's best man</a> at his 1989 wedding.
Tamera Mowry-Housely
Tamera Mowry-Housely had "Sister, Sister" co-star and real-life twin, Tia Mowry-Hardrict, <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20489964,00.html">as her Matron of Honor at her 2011 wedding</a>. Of course, Tamera was also Tia's <a href="http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,20196740_20448235,00.html#20448229">maid of honor back in 2008</a> when she tied the knot.
"Bachelorette" Ashley Hebert
Chris Harrison, host of the "Bachelor" franchise, took on a new role for "Bachelorette" alum Ashley Hebert and J.P. Rosenbaum -- <a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/bachelorette-wedding-to-air-on-abc-with-chris-harrison-officiating">he officiated their wedding</a>. Naturally, a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/the-bachelorette-ashley-and-jp-video_n_2313671.html">TV special of their Big Day aired </a>in December of 2012.
Tiffany Thornton
Tiffany Thornton <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2062007/Demi-Lovatos-new-romance-Wilmer-Valderrama-heats-step-Disney-stars-wedding.html">had Demi Lovato as a bridesmaid in her November, 2011 wedding</a>. The two have been pals since 2009 when they both starred in Disney's "Sonny With A Chance." Lovato even <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/13/demi-lovato-catches-bouquet_n_1146516.html#s490610&title=Nicole_Scherzinger">caught the bouquet</a> at the reception!
Keep in touch! Check out HuffPost Weddings on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Arguably the straight to DVD release of the smartphone world, BLU Product's Vivo 4.3 is getting a second act in the form of the Vivo 4.65 HD. Aside from the 4.65-inch HD Super AMOLED display it's named after, this up-and-comer ships with Android 4.0, a 1.2GHz A9 dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM and an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera. If you can get past less than stellar specs -- and resist waiting for the Nexus 4 to be back in stock -- BLU's future flagship can be yours outright for $300 sometime in January.
Your credit score isn't everything, but it can greatly affect your financial future (getting a job, new home, and insurance). The NY Times is reporting that bad credit might even ruin your dating chances. So, we're curious, Lifehacker readers: How much do you care and pay attention to your score?
People who are looking to make a big financial decision or looking for a new job would do well to check and work on improving their credit scores, but for everyone else, how close an eye do you keep on your score and credit reports? If good credit is starting to increasingly matter in other areas of life, such as dating, does it matter more to you?
Sound out in the comments.
Perfect 10? Never Mind That. Ask Her for Her Credit Score. | The New York Times
2012 was a banner year for scumbags and skanks, making our task of curating the most deplorable for our annual round-up of bad behavior a breeze. So come all ye readers, and delight in our slideshow of meticulously selected cads.
This year we have golden boys that fell from grace, the ever-present lying, cheating politicians, and Internet louts, not to mention the disgraced and humiliated in the wide world of sports. May this refresher serve you well as you cozy up to your family this holiday season and think how truly blessed you are that some mistress isn't stalking you and that your cousin isn't Violentacrez (whew). Oh, and if we missed anyone, please let us know in the comments. Some years, there are just too many cads to keep track!
In 2012, the national housing market finally turned a corner. We?ve now experienced 13 straight months of home value appreciation. Sales were up significantly over 2011 as buyers returned to the market, boosting demand.
So what will 2013 have in store? Here are five things consumers can expect to see in the housing market next year:
?Up, Up and Away
The national housing market hit bottom in October 2011, and home values have since risen 5.3 percent from that trough. The most recent Zillow Home Value Forecast calls for 2.5 percent appreciation nationwide from November 2012 to November 2013.
According to a recent Zillow survey of more than 100 economists and analysts, respondents predicted home values (based on the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index) to rise 3.1 percent in 2013, on average.
Most markets covered by Zillow?s Real Estate Market Reports have already bottomed out, with only 10 of 255 covered metro areas not projected to hit a bottom within the next year.
Bottom Line: Homeowners looking to sell in 2013 can largely rest assured they won?t be selling at the bottom, and many will find themselves in a sellers? market. Potential buyers in 2013 may be more motivated to get a deal done while affordability is still extremely high and mortgage rates continue to be historically low.
Real Estate Is Local Again
According to the Zillow Breakeven Horizon, buying beats renting when staying in the home for three years or more in roughly 60 percent of U.S. metros. The areas where it might make more sense to buy (if you?re planning on staying for three-plus years) are clustered in the Southwest and Southeast. If you won?t be staying put for at least a few years, consider renting in the Northeast, where buying often doesn?t make more financial sense until five years or more.
The goal of Zillow?s Buyer/Seller Index is to determine where buyers have the most leverage in a sale, and where sellers might have the upper hand. In general, we determined that metro areas in the West and Southwest ? including the Bay Area, Las Vegas and Phoenix ? are strong for sellers. Metros in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic ? places such as Chicago, Cleveland and Philadelphia ? are best for buyers.
Bottom Line: The housing market recovery has remained true to the old real estate axiom of ?location, location, location.? How your local market is faring today ? and if it makes more sense to buy or rent, to sell now or to hold off if possible ? is largely determined by unique, local factors and fundamentals. Arming yourself with timely and comprehensive local market information is good advice at any time, but will be even more important in 2013 as buyers continue to seek bargains and sellers look to maximize returns.
Coming Up for Air
In the third quarter of 2012, the percentage of homeowners with a mortgage in negative equity ? or ?underwater,? owing more on their mortgage than their home was worth ? fell below 30 percent for the first time since Zillow began tracking that data using an improved methodology in early 2011.
Still, 28.2 percent of homeowners with a mortgage remain underwater. Because underwater owners have a far more difficult time selling their home, a large number of homes that otherwise might end up on the market aren?t getting listed. As a result, inventory in many areas is incredibly tight, leaving buyers to fight it out amongst themselves, which in turn can help drive up prices. This, among other factors, has led to tight inventory in many of the hardest-hit cities around the country.
Bottom Line: As home values continue their upward march in 2013, more homeowners currently trapped underwater will begin to surface. This will be good for buyers exhausted by limited inventory and intense competition in markets such as Phoenix and Miami, but it will also have the effect of cooling price increases. As a result, in 2013, we predict home value appreciation in many areas will look more like a series of steps, characterized by cycles of price spikes and plateaus. Price spikes will free some homeowners from negative equity, allowing them to sell, thereby easing supply constraints and dampening prices until the cycle is repeated.
Historically Affordable
Mortgage interest rates have been hovering at or near historic lows for the past year, and the Federal Reserve has taken concrete steps to ensure they stay low for at least the foreseeable future.
At the same time, home values ? while recovering nicely ? still have a long way to go to reach their pre-bubble levels. Overall, national home values in November were still down 19.4 percent from their peak in May 2007, according to Zillow.
Bottom Line: Between 1985 and 2000, Americans spent, on average, about 20 percent of their household income on mortgage payments. That percentage increased to more than 24 percent by 2006, before falling to just 13 percent by the second quarter of 2012. If you can qualify for a home loan, the combination of low rates and low prices means your home-buying dollar will continue to take you farther in 2013 than in recent years, even for buyers on modest budgets.
Mortgage Interest Deducted?
Changes to the mortgage interest deduction (MID) may be a key element of any ?grand bargain? reached by politicians in order to avert the year-end fiscal cliff. If adopted, any measure to limit or repeal the MID will result in some home price impacts over time and by market segment.
Home values at the high end of the market will likely be more negatively impacted by MID changes than home values overall, according to a recent Zillow survey of economists. For example, in the event that the maximum MID-eligible mortgage amount is reduced from $1 million to $500,000 and the deduction allowance for second homes is eliminated, the majority of respondents said they expect high-end home prices to fall while U.S. home prices overall experience little or no price impact.
Bottom Line: Real estate lobbying groups have long fought against changes to tax rules allowing for the deduction of mortgage interest, arguing that any changes will impact or eliminate some of the historic financial advantages of owning a home. But unless you?re buying a proportionally more expensive home or are buying in a more expensive area, the impacts of MID changes will likely be muted. The decision to buy or sell a home is highly personal and dependent on a number of factors, only one of which is potential tax implications. In 2013, make your decision to buy or sell based on your own informed opinion and your unique situation.
Credit problems can stop people from getting loans, renting an apartment, or getting a job. When you don?t pay your bills or if you pay fees too late, your credit score can drop. If you are seeking an opportunity to increase your credit rating, read on.
Getting home financing is no small feat, especially if your credit score is less than perfect. If you are in this situation you should look into FHA loans before speaking with a bank. FHA loans offer lower down payments and help with closing costs.
No credit score repair company can remove factual information, no matter how damaging, from your credit report. This information can stay on your record for about seven years. But, you should remain mindful of the fact that errors can be deleted from your report.
If you find inaccuracies on your credit report, make sure to dispute them. Create a dispute letter for agencies that have the error, and submit additional supporting documents along with it. Make sure when you send the dispute package that you request proof by signature that it was received.
Credit Counseling
Before you choose a credit counseling agency, find out more about them. Although some can be quite legitimate, others have motives that are less than kind. There are many scams out there. Smart consumers will always check to see that credit counseling agencies are, in fact, legitimate before working with them.
Before you agree on an agreement for settling your debt settlement, you should determine what affect this will have on your credit score. Certain methods of settling your debts have less detrimental effects on your credit history. They are just out to get their money and do not care how that effects your credit score.
It?s vital that you actually begin paying the bills that you have if you want to improve your credit. Paying your bills on time and for the full amount is important. As soon as you start paying off your bills so that they are not late, your credit score will immediately start going up.
You should keep a low balance on your credit cards to improve your credit rating. Paying off your balances will have a perceptible positive impact on your credit score. The FICO system has a new level for every twenty percentage points of your credit available.
You should make an effort to pay off past due accounts and accounts that have gone to collection. These accounts will still appear on the credit report, but will be showed as paid. This shows future creditors that you made good on your debt.
If you are doing hardcore credit restoration, you need to scrutinize your report for negative entries. If you find errors in any of the information, you might be able to request the entire negative record be removed from your credit report.
Credit Card
To protect yourself from credit card fraud, it is essential that you carefully review each monthly statement from your credit card companies. Go through line by line for accuracy, and to prevent getting charged for an item or service you did not actually get. You should ensure everything is okay and does not have any errors.
If credit improvement is your goal, create a plan and stick with it. You need to change your past habits and build new, better approaches to credit. Don?t buy the things that aren?t needs. Ensure that you can afford everything you buy and that you really need it.
Maintain multiple different types of credit. Each different kind of account will have a positive impact on your overall credit score. If you have several types of credit then you can increase your credit score effortlessly by paying all of the payments on time.
Try not to use your cards at all. Use cash to pay for things whenever possible. When you find credit card spending unavoidable, pay down your balance immediately.
Credit Score
Any person will have their credit score impact their lives at some moment in time. Whether it be wanting home finance or simply buying an insurance policy, credit scores affect everything we do. Your low credit score can be rectified with the use of the simple tips described in this article.
Hopefully, you are better informed regarding check out this site now that you?ve had a chance to read this piece. Use the information you learned here and put it to the test. Continue to do your research while applying what you?ve learned here to improve your life. Soon, you will see the results you want.
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Seventy-seven area nonprofit organizations -- including seven Barrington organizations -- got a welcome holiday boost last week as they received funds generated from the CVS Caremark Charity Classic in Barrington.
The tournament, Rhode Island?s largest charitable sporting event, raised $1.2 million this year for charities across Southern New England, bringing the total funds raised since its inception to more than $16 million.
The Barrington organizations receiving funds:
Barrington Arts Alive
Barrington Community School
Barrington Education Foundation
Barrington Land Conservation Trust
Barrington Public Library
Barrington Senior Center
Bayside YMCA
Present to award the funds raised by this year?s tournament ? which draws some of the world?s best PGA and LPGA golfers to Barrington each summer ? were CVS Caremark President and CEO Larry Merlo and PGA tour professionals/CVS Caremark Charity Classic co-hosts Billy Andrade of Bristol and Brad Faxon of Barrington.
The trio distributed the funds amid a holiday atmosphere, and inspirational stories were shared by a student and the Head of School for Our Sisters? School ? one of the nonprofit recipients of the funds ? located in New Bedford, Mass.
?The appeal of the CVS Caremark Charity Classic is two-fold,? said Merlo. ?First, the tournament provides world-class entertainment for avid golf fans. In addition, the tournament has a deep commitment of providing much-needed financial support to a range of organizations that make a real difference in the lives of so many. In such a challenging economic climate, we are especially proud to give back to the communities we serve through the CVS Caremark Charity Classic.?
Funds raised by this year?s CVS Caremark Charity Classic will support the missions of a multitude of charities, in turn, touching the lives of people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. From helping Crossroads Rhode Island, which provides basic emergency needs, shelter and housing for homeless families and individuals; to assisting Bradley Children?s Hospital in providing a range of family-focused, high quality mental health care to infants, children and young adults with emotional disorders and/or developmental disabilities; to supporting Our Sisters? School in New Bedford in offering a quality education to girls from challenging financial backgrounds ? the Charity Classic provides significant funding to target critical needs within the community.?
?As a result of the generous gift we received through the CVS Caremark Charity Classic, middle school girls from New Bedford will be able to access educational opportunities at Our Sisters' School that would otherwise not have been financially possible for their families,? said Lisa Yates, Head of School for Our Sisters? School. ?Our goal of challenging each student to reach her full potential by developing academic competence, social confidence, cultural proficiency, intellectual curiosity, integrity and hope is bolstered by donations provided by the tournament. Our students are active volunteers in their community, inspiring role models of educational attainment for others in their families and leaders at the secondary schools our alumnae attend. The CVS Caremark Charity Classic Auction supports this important work.?
Merlo added, ?When we hear stories about the challenges and success from our charity partners ? like the one shared today by Our Sisters? School ? it drives us even more to continue to raise funds through the CVS Caremark Charity Classic. We are extremely proud to host an event that has become so meaningful in our community.??
In addition to acknowledging the charities for their important work, Merlo accentuated the leadership provided by Andrade and Faxon through their roles as co-chairs during the history of the Charity Classic, presenting them with thank you plaques and special replications of the CVS Caremark Charity Classic logo. He also emphasized the dedication of the 20 working charities that provided nearly 1,000 volunteers to help bring the tournament to life.?
A total of 77 nonprofit organizations received funds raised by the CVS Caremark Charity Classic. Among the beneficiaries attending today?s check presentation were representatives from the ?working charities? of the tournament. They include:?
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#1 ? herodotas?
Group:Normal Members
Posts:26
Joined:09-January 09
Gender:Male
Interests:alcoholism, misanthropy, trekkerism
Posted Today, 12:32 AM
I downloaded new free synth Podolski and new Bazzile beta from u-he and have a problem: when I trying render selection to sample, renoise render only few miliseconds of sound, rest is a silence. When rendering few notes, second note rendering normal. Older renoise 2.1 does not have this problem, all works fine.
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#2 ? vV?
Group:Moderator
Posts:14354
Joined:24-October 03
Gender:Male
Location:Netherlands
Posted Today, 12:38 AM
Perhaps try to disable the "Auto-suspend" option in the plugin options [?] Or change the static buffering checkbox there.
Vv....
cpu Intel Core2 Quad CPUQ6600 @2.40GHz chipset nVidia nForce 4 SLI x16 -> Driver rev:5.1.2600.445 (management 4.4.5.0) mem 8 Gb 800Mhz os Win 7 64-bit SP1, DirectX 11 audio ESI ESP1010e - > Driver rev:2.0.1.0 video nVidia Geforce GTX580 - > Driver rev:306.23
KAILUA, Hawaii (AP) ? How President Barack Obama spent the fourth day of his Christmas vacation on Tuesday in Hawaii:
? GYM: Obama headed to Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe for his usual morning workout, the second of his trip since arriving early Saturday.
? LOUNGING: Obama spent most of the morning and early afternoon with his family in their rented beachside vacation home in Kailua, a sleepy Honolulu suburb on the east side of Oahu. The family opened gifts Christmas morning, ate breakfast and sang carols.
? PHOTOS WITH MILITARY: Obama and first lady Michelle Obama visited with military service members at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe, thanking hundreds of service members as they ate an early Christmas dinner. Obama gave a short speech, then took photos with individual service members and their families.
? DEPARTURE PLANNED: The White House said Obama would return to Washington, D.C., on a redeye flight Wednesday night, and that Michelle Obama and their daughters would remain in Hawaii.
DAVIS, Calif. (CBS/AP) ? A veterinarian at the University of California, Davis has some good news about a dog from the Philippines who became an international hero after sacrificing its snout to save two young girls.
Veterinarian Gina Davis said the dog named Kabang appears to have beaten the cancer it was suffering from.
Kabang, however, is still facing treatment for heartworms in its arteries before it can have the gaping wound on its face closed.
Newspapers in the Philippines have reported that Kabang had her snout and upper jaw sheared off when she jumped in front of a speeding motorcycle, saving her owner?s daughter and niece who were apparently about to be hit.
Kabang ended up in Davis earlier this year after a nurse from Buffalo, N.Y. spearheaded a fundraising campaign to bring her to the U.S.
(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
Just seven months after the singer and actress delivered daughter Maxwell Drew, Simpson and fianc? Eric Johnson are expecting their second child, the couple announced via Twitter Christmas Day.
HONG KONG - Rich Chinese are buying bicycles that cost more than the average citizen makes in three years, motivated by nostalgia for the days when two wheels were the primary means of transport.?
China is now the world's biggest auto market, but high-end bike sales are expected to grow by 10 percent a year as they become a status symbol for wealthy executives.?
Yu Yiqun, the creative director at an advertising company in the Chinese capital, cycles to work on his favorite bike - a 100,000 yuan ($16,000) hand-made Alex Moulton.?
"It might be the only one in Beijing. It's like the Rolls-Royce of bicycles. Very classical, purely hand-made," said the 40-year-old Yu, who has about 35 high-end bikes.?
"I remember my father used to ride me to the city in the winter - about 40 km and minus 30 degrees centigrade. Back then, it was a means of transport that fulfilled your dream of travelling afar, which was relatively cheap but required brawn."?
Yu symbolizes a new bike culture in China, where wealthy, health-conscious executives are upgrading their lifestyle, in some cases abandoning flashy cars and taking to the road on high-end bicycles that can cost more than a car.?
"Demand for mainstream luxury items such as premium cars, watches has come to a point of saturation. High-income groups now turn to high-end bikes to show off the uniqueness in taste and healthy lifestyle," said Zhou Jiannong, general manager of Rbike Networks Ltd in China.?
Analysts estimate about 10 percent annual growth in the Chinese bicycle market over the next few years, with the high-end segment forecast to grow by as much as 15 percent a year.?
Companies are also getting in on the act, with a Hong Kong-based supplier taking an order for 1,000 pricey bikes from a Chinese financial firm as a year-end bonus for employees.?
"People are sick of conventional gifts such as wines and tobacco. For mainlanders, a bike is a great gift that shows your unique lifestyle," said Adam Wong, managing director at Hong Kong's Komda Bicycles.?
Wong declined to name the bank that had ordered the bikes, but he said they had an average price tag of 3,000 yuan ($480).?
Fashion statement Fashion label Shanghai Tang, eager for a slice of this growing pie, teamed up with Dutch bike maker Colossi Cycling to make bicycles aimed specifically at China, where bike demand is estimated at about 28 million units a year?
"The high-end sector is going to be the major source of growth in the Chinese market. In China, bikes are more than just a means of transportation. It has become a fashion," said Terry Liu, an analyst at Fubon Research in Taiwan.?
It can cost up to HK$300,000 ($38,700) for an imported limited edition of expensive brands such as Italy's Colnago or France's Look, nearly 100 times the price of a Flying Pigeon, China's official bike since it was born in 1950.?
But the cost as no object for many high-income Chinese looking for the best two-wheeled vehicle.?
"For businessmen, they are not looking at the price. They are looking at the quality. They assemble their bike with import components in accordance to their taste and needs," said Zhang Lei, a director of a Zhuhai paper products supplier, who plans to spend 10,000 yuan to upgrade his current bike.?
Yu, the advertising executive in Beijing, has orders in for four more hand-made bikes, expanding his vast collection which includes brands such as Trek, Bianchi and Colnago.?
He and his wife have two cars but he says he doesn't drive.?
"I always bring my bike when I go on a business trip," Yu said. "When I go to Harbin, I bring a small, folding bicycle since it's easier for me to get around the city. When I go to Dalian, I bring a bigger bike since it's a mountainous city."?
We hope you had a fantastic Christmas break and are looking forward to a nice New Year?s break as well (if even for only 1 day). We had a great time with family and friends and even got to play a few board games during the festivities.
A couple of weeks back, ?Mexico?s newly elected Presidente (Espanol for President) Enrique Pena Nieto, who happens to be a member of the ?Socialist political party, The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), said that he ?fully supported? President Obama?s immigration reform policy, and ?Pena Nieto made clear that Mexicans were closely following Obama?s plan to tackle a major U.S. domestic issue ? fixing America?s immigration system.?-?
Melanie Pinola 
Your credit score isn't everything, but it can greatly affect your financial future (getting a job, new home, and insurance). The NY Times is reporting that bad credit might even ruin your dating chances. So, we're curious, Lifehacker readers: How much do you care and pay attention to your score? 
? 
