Empty Voices

All those mortgages that were granted to homeowners with questionable credit and were a driving force behind the Great Recession were overseen by mortgage loan originators and mortgage brokers. Most of these individuals were on the up and up, but a few were crooks. They were out to make as much as they could by seducing consumers into taking out loans that they couldn’t afford.

It is this later category that led Congress to pass the Secure and Fair Enforcement of Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008. This law is designed to protect the public from loan officers who are operating without a license or who are not “in good standing” with their state licensing board. Most states went on to pass their own local version of the SAFE Act to create the infrastructure required to support the federal law. Many also took this opportunity to strengthen their state requirements to exceed that of the federal government.

Loan Officer Training has always been a component of most state licensing. The new system just instituted stricter requirements for content, especially regarding knowledge of federal mortgage law and fair lending practices. Training programs will also include a significant component on state mortgage laws as well as ethics and other mortgage topics.

By creating a national registry of those brokers and loan originators who have valid and active licenses, it makes it much easier for consumers to check that the loan officers they are dealing with are licensed and in good standing. It also makes it easier for state and federal authorities to find those who are operating illegally and take steps against them.

There’s a moment after the holiday season when people are overwhelmed with the amount of money spent and they resolve to be better with money in the New Year. That resolution can be shaken once the next milestone happens — tax season. Those that receive hefty refunds on their taxes may be sorely tempted to splurge on a major purchase or vacation. After all, they think, they earned that money so they should be able to spend it however they want.

The responsible thing to do is to plan a budget getaway rather than a full on vacation. This way they can take a break from the grind of daily life and maybe recover from the stress and strain of the holidays without abandoning their plans for financial security.

There are great hotel deals to be had for those willing to travel mid-week or during the off-season. Instead of heading to Hawaii in February, try going somewhere close to home that may be experiencing a seasonal lull. The weather may be cold, but there will plenty of shopping, dining, and spa activities to keep a couple occupied. Many airlines and car rental companies have good deals during the off-season as well.

With some strategic planning it is perfectly possible to have a vacation and save money at the same time.

When it comes to keeping your guns safe and out of the wrong hands, a quality gun safe is the best location for storage. However the placement of your gun safe is equally important.

One of the biggest threats to gun safes are intruders. They will stop at nothing to get your gun safe out of your house, especially if they have time on their side. Some intruders have been known to take safes right through the walls of wood construction homes. The principle that “if you can get it in they can get it out” definitely applies, so you need to make it as difficult as possible. Your gun safe should be stored in an area that an intruder would never think to look and concealed as much as possible.

Many people put gun safes in their garages; however this is not an ideal location. Not only is it very accessible for intruders but there is also no climate control that can have damaging effects on your guns.
The basement is also a popular location for gun safes. While it is very easy to conceal, it is important to keep in mind possible flooding. If you do choose to store you gun safe in the basement there are special seals that you can buy to prevent water damage should you experience a flood or, if you have fire, damage from the firefighters hose.

Where you choose to store your gun safe, make sure it is a location that you feel comfortable with and have easy access to.

Even though the housing market is in turmoil, there has never been a better time for first-time homebuyers to jump in and take advantage of the many great deals available. Having nothing to sell puts you at a distinct advantage and gives you many opportunities; however it is important to weigh your options carefully so you don’t end up in a financial nightmare.

One advantage to homebuyers in this down market is that there are many more houses available than there are buyers. Not only will this eliminate most of the competition that ordinarily would be for a given house, but it also puts buyers in a position to take advantage of some great deals. No matter where you are looking–Phoenix, Boston, Killeen–real estate deals are out there and it doesn’t take too much effort to find them.

For many potential buyers, getting approved for a mortgage loan is a big obstacle. The many foreclosures, short sales, and underwater mortgages have led to more stringent approval requirements . But that doesn’t mean that approval is impossible. Having a decent down payment will help substantially as will having minimal debt. Most of the time you can find someone who is willing to work with you and help get you into the house of your dreams.

If owning your own home has always been your dream, don’t let this opportunity to get into a great house at a great price pass you by.

It’s a toss up whether virtual or mobile will be the word of the new decade. They are certainly the words of the year for 2010. Everyone is doing everything they can to “go virtual” or “be mobile” and that applies to companies as well as individuals and organizations. In fact, companies are combining the two by investing in cloud computing technologies.

The cloud — which may be a close runner up for the word of the year — is cyberspace itself and more and more companies are locating their computer storage, processing and software programs in the cloud. This frees them from having to buy costly servers and storage space. It also cuts back on the costs of installing and upgrading individual software applications to each computer. All this also means that they no longer need to maintain large server rooms and IT staffs to keep everything in working order. Instead they rely on cloud collaboration enterprises for the products, upgrades and maintenance of their computing needs.

With all their computing infrastructure located in virtual space , companies are able to offer unprecedented flexibility to their employees. Anyone with the proper logins and passwords can access company servers, databases, and software using a laptop, netbook or even smart phone — depending on the processing speeds and memory required. Employees can work from home or on the road without losing access to a single file, program, or piece of data that would be available to them in the office. Virtual computing makes mobile work so much easier.

Remember when dreams of prom and weddings filled your mind with images of beautiful gowns and dreamy guys in tuxedos? Many adults think back on those times with nostaglia and wonder why the only excuses they have to dress up after college are usually associated with fund raisers or awards banquets. Unless you’re a movie star or other type of celebrity, the red carpet stops with graduation.

A great way to combat this feeling is to host an adult prom or other dress up night. This can be done just as a couple or by inviting a group of friends to join you. Pick a night and everyone agrees to dress up as if it were a red carpet event — or a high school prom. This can be a dinner party or event in someone’s home or even a night out at a fancy restaurant — just make sure there are enough people in your party so that it looks like a party. Someplace with a dance floor would also be a good choice.

Encourage those in attendance to go all out. If you’re not willing to invest in an expensive party dress, they can be rented from costume shops and most men will know where to get an affordable tuxedo rental . Women should schedule a day at the spa or salon so that their hair and make up are just so and men should be sure to pick up a coursage for their lady.

The best part of the evening is going to be seeing your significant other, and possibly your friends, not just looking their best, but feeling as good as they look.

Moving is one of the most stressful activities that humans engage in. There are so many things to plan and address, that most people forget about window treatments in the rush of moving into a new home . Setting up a new house is the perfect time to think about an overall room design, instead of just transplanting existing furnishing and maybe adding or subtracting pieces depending on the size of the new space.

When contemplating a new space, homeowners should think about their personal style. It’s highly likely that most of their existing furniture and accessories will reflect that style, even if unconsciously. A move offers the opportunity to consciously review current possession in light of that style and decide on what to keep. This should include reviewing window coverings closely. Since very few windows are alike, it’s highly unlikely that the blinds, drapes, or other treatments that work in one home will properly fit the new one.

For many in this tough economy, the funds won’t be available to create a brand new design for their new home. However, since they will need to get new window treatments to fit the new house anyway, it’s a good way to impact the design of the new home. The choices available are mind boggling, from bamboo wood blinds to blackout shutters to elaborate draperies, homeowners can make their windows into key design elements that reflect whatever personal style they want.

College is one of the most exciting times of your life. It’s a chance to get out on your own, try new things, make life-long memories, and begin planning your future .
Some of the biggest parts of those years are, of course, the classes. Unlike high school you get to study whatever you want and have more freedom in choosing your classes. It’s the time to choose your path and begin acquiring the skills that will help you in your future career .
Along the same lines in the learning process are the all-important internships. The opposite of classes, internships, like those at Southwestern Company , allow you to really get your hands dirty and experience the job first hand. A good internship allows you get involved in projects and be a part of the team. You can get testimonials from previous interns and employees online at websites like the Southwestern Company blog
The main goal of college and the later teen years is to begin planning your future and then putting that plan in place, but you don’t want to forget to have fun. Make the most of your time before marriage and a career to spend time with friends, study abroad, or develop a new hobby. These years will be the most liberating of your life so make the most of them.

Many baseball fans don’t consider their lives complete until they’ve visited every major league baseball park in the country — or at least the big ones, like Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park. Opened in 1912, Fenway is the oldest MLB stadium currently in use and is the oldest venue used by any professional sports teams in the country. Boston baseball fans are proud of this distinction and are rabid about their team, the Boston Red Sox. Many out-of-town members of the Red Sox Nation will stay in Boston hotels to attend major games and playoffs.

Fenway is named for the Boston neighborhood. It was not the original home of the Red Sox, who played at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Ground before moving to their current home. In order to stay in the same stadium through the last hundred years, a number of renovations and adjustments have been made to Fenway over time. In 1999 a proposal was announced to build a new Fenway Park, but after several years of public debate about demolishing the historic park, the plans were dropped.

The most well known feature of Fenway is the Green Monster, the left field wall that rises 37’2″ and is a little over 300 feet from home plate. Originally constructed in wood the wall was covered over in tin and concrete in 1934 and then hard plastic in 1976. The scoreboard, which was added in 1934, is still updated by hand today.

San Diego has a reputation for nurturing research and development. The La Jolla Village and Sorrento Valley in particular house numerous biotech companies with both administrative offices and actual research facilities. San Diego was ranked by the Milken Institute as the top US biotech cluster. In 2009 there were nearly 2000 full-time biological technicians employed in the tri-city area (San Diego-San Marcos – Carlsbad). In addition to being a mainstay of the San Diego economy, research organizations bring visiting scientists, investors, and international representatives to the San Diego luxury hotel s in the area.

Over 140 Contract Research Organizations (CRO) call San Diego home. These CROS provide contract services for the local life science companies. Major biotech companies with offices and labs in the area include Nventa Bopharmaceuticals, BD Biosciences, Integrated DNA Technologies, Neurocrine Biosciences, Merck, Vertx, Pfizzer, and Genzyme, amongst many others. There are also non-profit health care and biotechnology institutes in San Diego , including the Scripps Research Institute, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, the West Wireless Health Institute and the Sanford-Burnham Institute. CROs with a strong San Diego presence include Catalent Pharma Solutions, Pharmatek Laboratories, Accelrys, bio-Quant, Explora BioLabs, Alta Analytical Laboratory and MicroConstants.