Instant Money - Real Estate Investing

Make, "Millions in Real Estate." Become Wealthy while staying at home after reading my Book, "How I skimmed the suckers out of $100.00 per copy." Oops, wrong headline... No Experience needed, "only a credit card." Join Thousands of other people just like you who are "Making Fortunes in Real Estate." Don't Miss out on the next," Gold Rush" That is happening right now! Where? In REAL ESTATE DUMMY! I think you get the Idea. More and more articles, books, and cd's are coming our way on TV, Radio, Internet, billboards and roadside Bandit Signs all SCREAMING out the Message that you can make lots of money investing in real estate... Right Now... All suggest an urgency that you should get on the bandwagon before it's too late... Also personal appearances' by Various Real Estate Gurus and famous people all willing to share their secrets on Making Big Bucks, FAST, - as long as you are willing to open your wallet and let them have a little taste of your cash. So, I decided to cash in on this real estate Boom while there was still time for me to get rich. After all if these people I'm hearing about are making all this money, often with no credit or money down, why shouldn't I get me some? Indeed, don't I owe it to my family to make as much money as possible while these opportunities abound? If the current economic situation would change, I would be left out in the cold having missed the chance of a lifetime.
I think you get the idea and perhaps, you've had similar thoughts about getting in on this,"Bonanza." There definitely are a bunch of people making lots of money in real estate today and the ones who are leading the Pack are the ones who are peddling their secrets about How to Get Rich Quick. Well, after trying out some of the methods I would read about or hear about from the,"Real Estate Evangelists," I discovered that Yes you can make money investing in real estate but you better know what you are doing or, the chances are, you will get skinned and lose the money you set aside for this once in a lifetime opportunity and, as an added bonus, blow your credit.
What I am telling you is that there is a learning curve in real estate that needs to be learned before you can start making wise investments and learning this curve will cost you Money and Time. Take foreclosures for example; What I hear from various Gurus is this is great way to make quick money and get a property with lots of equity. And that is true if there are no title problems, no current liens still on the property, no serious construction issues such as foundation problems, termites or other insect issues, no back taxes owed local or federal, no mud taxes and, god forbid no heavy issues with the authorities or the Home Owners Association. Another issue which can bite you is hidden legal problems such as a survey which is not accurate or has not been recorded along with the title in a timely manner. In my quest for wealth and fame I have encountered all of the above mentioned problems and had to really scramble to get them corrected. This cost me time and you will learn very quickly, as I did, that in the Real Estate Game, Time is Money and the clock can tick very fast.
Well, I thought, maybe buying foreclosures have too many potential problems, so I will try flipping houses. The Gurus are quite clear on this and they told me I could easily do this with no money down... Well if you ever tried to buy a house from a seller with no pre-approved credit and nothing down, you might notice, as I did, that after they stopped laughing the real estate sales people handling the house were not very interested in showing the house to me or tying up the property for $10.00 unless I could show them proof of funds.
As I kept hearing about the fast money being made by investing in properties I thought there must be a better way of investing in real estate, which I don't know, and I had better learn how to do this before my cash runs out. So I joined a Real Estate investment cub to learn the ropes. And did I learn. I learned that I needed to watch myself and my money very carefully as there were some very experienced people in there and they were sharks waiting for the new fish to show up. I met a so called real estate investor who was the past president of the club. He specialized in getting new people to work for him for free under the guise of training them, and even got some to pay him for this learning experience. He would have these new fish print signs saying," I buy houses;" at their expense and place these so-called bandit signs at major intersections, which in some cities could get you a $440 fine. That was his formula for making money, get others to work for him for free and throw them a bone if they bring him a deal he likes. He was a past president of the club, and as far as I know is still gulling the new fish with this formula.
So, What is the bottom line to my Rant?? There is no quick easy money. Put those dreams away for another day. Yes, Money can be made in real estate, if you take the time to learn the basics and be very selective of whom you listen to.

I have paid my dues learning about Real Estate and hope this article prevents you from making some of the errors I did and the loss of money I have experienced by believing in some of these Real Estate Evangelists. With my extensive construction background I found out that I still had a lot to learn regarding the basics of investing in real estate.

Understanding New Strategies for Supplier Risk Management

The growing information field related to Supplier Risk Management relates to the highly variable business conditions that people building an inventory face, as well as how fragmented this very broad field has become. It relates to everything from outsourcing to globalization, because stock can come from any source around the world. It might be that a company owns a factory or shop in a foreign country, or it might depend entirely on third party providers.
Making a supplier selection based on a desire to reduce liability can be a challenge, and really depends on having expert advice related to each industry. It might be possible that an overseas location would provide cheaper labor, but that the quality would be inferior. Another variable would be the cost of shipping from a long distance.
The price of oil tends to fluctuate, and virtually all container ships burn oil at a predictable rate. Rising oil prices could eat into profit margins. It is therefore important to estimate potential changes in expenses. Sea shipping also has a small chance of cargo loss, although that possibility is acceptable compared to the more expensive option of aircraft transit.
This is a simple example of risk management. A company has several options when it comes to shipping, with sea traffic still being the cheapest. The airport is much faster and safer, but also more expensive. A large part of supplier management is just basic accounting practices and foresight. Research can easily eliminated the unexpected. Asking someone experienced is also important.
Supplier selection is all about knowing how the other company operates and what their strengths and vulnerabilities tend to be. It is good to know their long term performance history. It is just as important to learn the geopolitical situation of their base of operations. What country they are in can influence continuous supply.
An older company that has performed for customers in the past will likely perform for you. Your inventory will just be one more order serviced by a well greased machine. This is logical. On the other hand, sometimes even the best companies can endure financial hardship. If a great deal of money rides on the success of this arrangement, it pays to do digging and look at their viability.
SRM is at the same time an intuitive and difficult field. Choosing the right supplier follows basic logic, but there might be additional details to consider. It might be in the obscure facts that important considerations lie. A real specialist has been around the block and knows what to look for.

Expert Tips On How To Fix Straight Eyelashes

Asians usually have short, sparse, very straight eyelashes, that do not like to hold a curl. Lashes that don't curl are primarily due to a lack of a double crease. The monolid forces lashes to grow straight down. Plus, the lid covers the base of the lashes making them look shorter than they are.
Here's the tips from beauty expert and also a celebrity makeup artist, Taylor Chang-Babaian, and see what she has to say about it.

Tip 1: CURL YOUR LASHES EVERY DAY
Babaian says with daily use of the curler, "you can actually train your lashes to curl." Initially, lashes are more resistant to curling, so you may have to hold down on the curler longer for the first few weeks. But she says eventually they will learn and you'll see a difference, so don't be discouraged after the first few times and continue to curl dutifully.

Tip 2: CURL TO OFFSET UNEVEN EYES
Sometimes, women can have one lid that has a crease while the other doesn't, which causes one eye to look bigger. Babaian says curling the monolid's eyelashes more will help even them out. "When you curl your lashes it puts weight into the base of your lid and it'll actually push your eye open," she says. "It makes a humongous difference.

Tip 3: THE TOOL MATTERS 
She says, "If your lashes go straight down, the key is to use a great eyelash curler." She recommends curler that's wider, which "I like even more. This is great especially for eyes that are longer like a lot of Chinese eyes are." Also, since the curler is less curved, it better adheres to the flatter lids that are common among Asian women, helping to grab the entire range of lashes.

Tip 4: WALK IT OUT
To avoid the L-Shape, "make sure to walk the curler out" by starting at the base and holding it there for 10 seconds, then a shorter hold in the middle and then at the tip.

Tip 5: CHANGE CURLERS FREQUENTLY 
"If you see a line in the black rubber, you gotta toss it," says Babaian. "This is really important otherwise it will cut the lashes." You're supposed to switch out the rubber tip every three months, but "if it's indented at all, toss it."

Tip 6: WEAR MASCARA
The moment you finish curling your eyelashes, they'll start to fall. Mascara acts as a sealer, so you should apply mascara immediately after curling. "I've worked on thousands of Asian women, and when you curl your lashes and wear mascara it actually helps push the eyelid up. It puts weight on the lashes and lifts the lid," Babaian says. You can also opt to wear a mascara base, but be wary as sometimes they can be too heavy which will make your lashes fall. Find something that helps freeze the curl and also thickens lashes.

Tip 7: AND MAKE SURE IT'S WATERPROOF 
The most common complaint among women with straight lashes is how mascara smears onto their lower eyelids. The solution? Wear waterproof. "If it's smearing you're using the wrong [mascara]. You just have to wear waterproof," says Babaian. Waterproof formulas are lighter and have a drier consistency, so the lashes freeze in the curl quicker, which is key in maintaining the curl.

Tip 8: BREAK A CARDINAL RULE
If after meticulously following these tips, your lashes still refuse to hold a curl, Babaian says you can break one of makeup's cardinal rules: Curling your lashes after applying mascara. If you're not careful, the curler can get stuck onto your lashes and pull them out. You must make sure that the mascara is completely dry and not sticky before gently giving a squeeze. Babaian admits this is a common makeup artist practice.

Letters of Recommendation for Business School

I'm starting a new feature on my blog where I answer reader's questions. I try to reply to everybody's email directly, and if the question can benefit others, then I will post it on my blog as well. So let us begin:

Q: What is your take on letters of recommendation for applicants (particularly military)?
-- Captain Dan in Iraq

A: As always, I will begin with the caveat that I don't have secret admission knowledge and that all my answers are purely my own speculation. I'll answer this question generically first, and then add some specifics for military applicants.

Unlike most schools, HBS requires three letters of rec, not two. There is no such thing as an ideal lineup, and every applicant is different. However, generically speaking, if I could have my dream recs, it would be the following:

1. Direct supervisor
2. Academic reference
3. Leader from a non-profit organization or any organization outside of your profession

I would consider this as a very strong lineup and let me explain why. The HBS application is relatively short. Every essay, every letter of rec, and every sentence should be used to complement and add to your application. Therefore, for example, three letters from supervisors may be redundant (i.e. he's a great worker, brilliant employee, visionary leader, etc.). Ok, got it, and reinforcement is always good, but I think that a deeper picture is more important than reinforcing existing expectations/assumptions. I believe that presenting yourself as a multi-dimensional and multi-talented candidate is more important than reinforcing your professional accomplishments. However, this doesn't mean that every letter of rec should present a totally different strength or side of your personality; rather, it should show how your focused strengths and abilities are manifested across diverse settings. The exception to this is if you are trying to break out of a pre-conceived expectations (see my HBS 2012 essay post for more on this) and are really trying to focus on one specific aspect of your personality. Let me discuss each one with a little more detail.

1. Direct supervisor

If your resume is already packed with great professional accomplishments, one letter of recommendation from your professional circle might suffice. It should bring to life some of your accomplishments and reinforce your claims with a human touch. It should also breath some life into an otherwise unemotional resume list of accomplishments.... such as how your personality enabled those successes. As with all letters of rec, it should reinforce the strengths and weaknesses that you are presenting throughout the application.

As far as direct supervisor versus peer recommendations; take the best recommendation you can get, but direct supervisor probably trumps a peer all else being equal. Anybody can get a recommendation from a peer saying he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. A direct supervisor is more difficult, and he also sees you from a more professional point of view, so if you can swing it, I think it's better. What about direct supervisor versus non-direct supervisor from higher within the organization? I would say that all else being equal, the higher ranking (and experienced) the recommender the better... however... the more separated somebody is from you the less detailed and genuine the recommendation tends to be. The latter (detailed and genuine) is too important to compromise, so don't sacrifice those just to get a more impressive title at the bottom of the letter.

2. Academic reference

This may seem most relevant to those just coming out of undergraduate, but I believe it applies to all. An example can be a professor or a supervisor of your research. I believe it's actually most beneficial to older applicants who need to show how much they value their academic record and that they have not outgrowned their scholastic interests in life. If anything, younger applicants could use more of the other two types of letters of recs (assuming a strong academic record).

3. Non-profit or non-professional organization

The trickiest part for most people will be the third letter (outside of school and outside of work - as I have artificially defined it). People heavily immersed in creating a strong professional track record often don't have the time to also establish a strong reputation with a non-profit or non-professional association worthy of a serious recommendation. However, such a letter of recommendation could really add to one's application. The difficulty of achieving this speaks to its advantage in differentiating the applicant from others who only have business related letters of recommendation.

In general...

Think of the letters of recommendations as three shots across the bow of business school. They are not to be taken lightly and I believe their importance may be underemphasized by some applicants. Each one should have its own message and should reinforce a dimension you are trying to send to the ADCOM. If you have a weak academic record but strong professional accomplishments, consider getting two academic letters of recommendation. If you have a really strong professional record but weak extra-curricular activities, you would probably benefit from having a letter from an outside organziation. If you are a non-profit guru with strong social work background, perhaps letters of rec from supervisors highlighting your direct business skills and potential would serve you best.

The above list of letters are just a generic solution to the world's most perfectly balanced applicant - who probably does not exist. You have to carefully pick and choose your letters of rec to support your own strategy and the message(s) you want to send. Don't forget to also consider how good of a job your recommender may or may not do for you. There are people who may love your contributions and speak highly of you, but are not the most persuasive authors.

For schools that only require two letters of rec, your combination of letters is simpler, but the strategy should still be the same.

Military appplicants...

Military applicants have probably been deployed at least once or twice in the past few years... and are probably lucky enough to have sustained a relationship with a spouse or significant other, let alone with a worthy non-military organization from which to solicit a letter of rec. This is why it is such a great supplement to your application. Many military applicants may only have letters of rec from supervisors, and I am proof that it may be ok. My three letters were all from previous and current supervisors (two O-5s and an O-4). I didn't have the scholastic reach to warrant an academic letter of rec, and I certainly haven't been home enough to be seriously involved with an outside organization. My purpose and sole focus in life was to train my soldiers, lead them in combat, and bring everybody home alive. I made no apologies for not having much free time outside the military. However, if you can somehow swing a balance, I think you will be that much better off.

Tips For The Best Affordable Accommodation In Cities

Finding the right accommodation
If you are on a tight budget it becomes very important where you stay, what your accommodation costs are and the type of accommodation available within your budget
As a tourist or traveller in any new city your goal is to see and enjoy as much as you can within your allocated budget and the time you have, get to all the places that interest you and participate in the local flavor that the city and its inhabitants has to offer.
If you are interested in saving money on accommodation but still want the comfort and convenience of accommodation based in the heart of a city, then it pays to look around. Most cities will have a large choice of accommodation depending on where you want to stay and what your budget is. Fortunately, there are many types of accommodation available to the budget traveler that is affordable, comfortable and situated right in the centre of a city. By making savings on your accommodation you get more to spend on fun and other activities.
When you are looking at the different options for accommodation make sure there is plenty of variety in what they offer. Sometimes you will be travelling on your own and just need a single room, or you may be travelling as part of a group and want to stay together - so you will need a hotel that has the capacity to accommodate groups.
A good budget hotel welcomes and provides accommodation for all types of travelers, whether you are traveling for business or pleasure. Most hotels feature a large variety of rooms for single and couples so you can find something suitable for your needs.
With a good budget hotel you will often find they offer several luxuries like a good restaurant and bar for their guests convenience - a good idea if you want a quick breakfast before you head out for the day. If you prefer to have your meals at the hotel most places offer room service for evening meals or a great choice at the on-site restaurant.
As most of us communicate by email while we are away on holiday you will find most hotels offer a business suite and also provide free wireless internet. This is great if you are away on business and you need to use these facilities to keep in touch with people.
Getting Around Easily
Any new place is exciting and you can't wait to leave your hotel and get out and look around to find places of interest.
But before you do make sure you have a business card or the address of where you are staying. It's so easy to get caught up in the excitement of a new city and get lost - next thing you are unable to find your way back to your hotel!
It may sound silly but there are many stories of people having trouble finding their way back to where they are staying, or even remembering the name of it! This tends to happen more when you are on the road a lot and staying at a different location every few days.
The next thing to do is get a good map of your local area, preferably one with all the important landmarks showing.

Get Beautiful With Organic

Do you really know what is in your skin lotion or shampoo? One of the number one ingredients in these beauty products is alcohol. And what does alcohol do? This ingredient strips your hair and skin of the important oils they need to stay healthy. What most people don't realize is that these beauty products that promise healthier skin and hair only causes more damage. Alcohol is the worse thing you can put on your body unless it is to cleanse a wound. If this isn't a reason to try out organic lotions and other beauty products then I don't know what is.
With an organic lotion, you don't have to worry as much about having a bad skin reaction unless you are allergic to one of the all natural ingredients. These ingredients include honey, raspberry, seaweeds, algae extract, and tons more. Each and every one has a special use for your body and people have been utilizing them for thousands of years. What's more, can you imaging being able to purchase these organic lotions with exactly the ingredients you want?
We offer you the ability to pick and choose what you get in your lotion. Perhaps you want a great exfoliation, or you may just want something that works great on a sun burn. What ever your needs, our products can fulfill them. We are dedicated to staying green with our products in order to keep you healthy and the environment. And what's more, you don't have to spend an outrageous amount of money. Our wholesale beauty products are a lot less expensive because we deal in bulk every day so you don't have to.
We don't believe that you have to be rich to have beautiful and healthy skin. This is why we strive to keep our prices low. And this is just one of the reasons to choose us as your organic beauty supplier. Another reason is our experience. We have worked for years in finding the best products to use and the best ingredients. You can be sure that we are very versatile in what we offer. Moreover, we don't just offer organic lotions.
Our products range from lotions, bars, shampoos, and more. Now you can give your beauty product collection a face lift. Don't settle for products that are full of chemicals you can't even pronounce. Throw out your off-the-shelf creams, lotions, and soaps, and prepare yourself for the ultimate in organic beauty treatments. What's more, if you are really into beauty products and would be interested in selling your own, you should check out our affiliate beauty products program.
Make your friends green with envy while you sell them the best organic products at affordable prices. Why stop at just pampering yourself when you can share the secrets of organic beauty care. Come and check us out on the web to learn more. Either way, when you purchase our products you can rub it in without worry and get that beautiful skin that you so deserve.

7 Powerful Ways to Stop Hair Loss

Hair loss is common and widespread in both men and women, especially as people age. You don't have to just face it without doing anything. There are plenty of preventative measures you can take in order to be proactive. Continue reading to find out more information, and use these 7 powerful ways to stop hair loss.
One preventative measure you can take is to change up your diet. Quit eating all the processed foods high in sugars, bad fats, and carbohydrates. Instead, eat a diet that includes all the food groups so that your body gets the right nutrients and vitamins. This ensures that your body stays healthy overall and that your hair stays healthy individually also. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and make sure that you eat healthy fats, which are good for your skin and hair.
Sometimes hair loss can be caused by a separate medical condition that you might not even know you have. Or, you can be taking medications that are causing your hair loss as well. Make sure you speak with your doctor because he or she can tell you if this is the case with your condition. Wearing hats or other things on your head too often can cause hair loss as well. This mats your hair down, and it also can break hair. Hair needs to be treated gently as much as possible. Don't keep hats off your head permanently if you like to wear them, but just don't wear them all the time.
If you have hair care products in your hair throughout the day, you need to be sure that you wash your hair at the end of the day to get rid of them. Leaving them in overnight will damage your hair, and this will cause hair loss. You need to be using all-natural shampoos and conditioners on your hair as well. These are usually high-end, but they are worth the money. Don't just take their word for it either. Make sure you look at the labels, and you can even speak with a dermatologist for recommendations too. Maybe someone you know has already checked into this, and you can get the recommendations from him or her.
When you get out of the shower, are you immediately drying your hair with a towel? This is abrasive to your hair, and you need to let it dry naturally. This means no using blow-dryers either. This is harmful for your hair, and it can cause your hair to be damaged and fall out. You can wrap a towel around your hair, but make sure that you're being gentle. Also, don't immediately start brushing your hair while it's wet. This will also cause your hair to fall out as well.
If you are a woman that likes to pull her hair back or put it up in different hairstyles, make sure that you're not too rough with your hair. Pulling it back too tightly will not be good for your hair. You want to be gentle, and you want to make sure you're not abusing your hair. The hair brush that you use needs to have hard bristles. Does anyone remember when your mom used to brush your hair as a kid and you would want to tell her to stop because it hurts. Many people love using soft bristle brushes, but they're not good for your scalp. You don't need to do it as hard as your mother did, but you do need to revitalize your scalp.
Make sure you're eating a well-balanced and healthy diet and drinking plenty of water. This is very important. Think about it! If you need a healthy diet so that your whole body stays healthy and can fight against diseases, wouldn't it be the same thing for hair loss? Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and make sure you you eat all food groups in a healthy way. The balanced diet and a good vitamin will give you everything your body needs all the way around to stay healthy. In order to keep your skin and scalp healthy, you also need to make sure you're adding plenty of healthy oils to your daily diet. Omega fish oil is good, and eating plenty of healthy fish choices for meat instead of red meat all the time will help do this for you.
There are things you can do besides just brushing your scalp to help you have good scalp circulation. One thing is to gently massage your scalp with your hands. You don't want to do this in a bad way to where you disrupt follicles and pull hair out consistently. Also, getting plenty of exercise, (another thing that keeps you healthy overall), will help your scalp have good blood circulation as well. Do you see how everything as far as your health is tied together?
Stress may also causing hair loss
Stress is also known to be a cause of hair loss. Most people are very busy and also do not get enough sleep. Worry and tension due to work or family situations will definitely contribute to hair loss. This stress factor is often not recognized as a cause or, if it is, people may feel there is nothing they can do about it. But that need not be so. Setting aside a time each day to relax, to meditate or listen to music that melts away your cares, can help restore a calm and happy state of mind. It is important to do this before sleep. Going to sleep while feeling tense, unhappy, or in turmoil over unresolved conflicts will seldom lead to a deep, rejuvenating night's sleep. Your hair follicles need this restorative rest just as much as the rest of your body. Stress, if not relieved, can lead to a notable increase in hair loss.
Traditionally, hair loss has been a condition that people just accepted because they felt there was nothing they could do. However, whether it's already started for you or you're trying to keep it from happening, you need to remember the tips you've read in this article. There are many things you can do to help out your situation, and you definitely shouldn't just take what comes. Do what you can, and start stopping that hair loss today.

Ensuring The Success Of The Risky Plan in Cosmetic Surgery

With the increased improvement of facilities and technological advances that are being made every day, very many procedures are being undertaken and successfully so. In the end, this will mean ultimately that more options can be explored in saving and enhancing life.

It has often been thought that many cosmetic procedures are simply expensive surgeries performed on people who are dissatisfied with who they are physically. There could be some truth to this, but it is also worth noting that there is an equal number, if not considerably more, of people who through unfortunate incidences have had their bodies affected and damaged.
One such common procedure is liposuction, which involves removing excess fat cells from the areas they accumulate, in this case, the abdomen. Cosmetic procedures in this light have sought to restore a sense of normalcy to such patients.
To achieve this, it is important to make sure that the physician is recognized among the board of certified plastic surgeons. This is often because a good cosmetic surgeon ought to have qualifications as a plastic surgeon.
The following are some of the considerations that must be taken into account when settling on a particular physician for a cosmetic procedure:
- The best cosmetic surgeon is actually a certified plastic surgeon. This is because they are not only able to carry out the cosmetic aspect of the treatment, but they are actually trained in surgery procedures as well.
- Plastic surgeons are better able to make use of a wider variety of treatment plans and are not bound to the provisions made available in the hospitals alone. This means that the patient is able to recover much quicker from all the varied treatment options availed to them.
- In the unlikely event that a complication or emergency occurs, a plastic surgeon is in a better position to know what to do as this too is part of the training they receive.
- A plastic surgeon by training is well vast with the surgical procedures that surround the face and body; they are trained to understand the mechanisms that govern the workings of the organs and therefore are able to consider a lot when treating a patient.
When it comes to the tummy tuck however, it may tend towards the enhanced appearance as opposed to a life saving procedure. Following liposuction on the abdomen, the result may be a large mass of skin is left once the fat cells are removed. This is often because skin is elastic and would stretch to accommodate the new fat cells as they are produced. Now that they are missing, the skin may be unable to retract, forming a loose and flabby part of skin on the area that had the procedure. The process of seeking to remove this unwanted flab is there actual tucking away of the flab.