It is seemingly a common phenomenon that somehow spontaneously occurs to almost every teenager. It is the nothing thing. You can ask almost any question and the answer is “nothing”. What are you doing? Nothing. What will you be doing tomorrow? Nothing.

It is followed closely by the nowhere thing. Where were you? Nowhere. Where are you going? Nowhere.

And finally, the clincher…I dunno. What do you want for dinner? I dunno. When will you be home? I dunno. What is the name of the movie you are going to see? I dunno.

It seems like these teens are going and coming from nowhere and doing and planning on doing nothing . Why? I dunno. Shrug. Who knows?

Well, fortunately, it is just a phase and soon enough, not only will they be quite willing to say where they have been, what they have been doing and for what reason they will also be willing to tell you where you should go, how to get there and why.

Now, it may seem like this nothing phase disappears from our lives as our hormones settle down a little and our neurons get back to work, but this nothing thing sticks around. It is insidious. It sits there just below the surface waiting for the right moment to take over again.

Adults…fully-grown, and supposedly fully functional, human beings will suddenly revert back to the “nothing, nowhere, dunno” phase when asked any question to which they do not yet have a prepared rationalization or excuse.

This is critical! It is not that they actually do not have or know the real answer it is because they do not yet have a valid sounding excuse or rationalization prepared and rehearsed.

Parents know that their teens are practicing avoidance when they use these one-word dismissals. Somehow, we forget to apply the same wisdom to adult human beings, including ourselves.

Whenever we are called, by inclination or by circumstance, to do a little self-evaluation, the answers we get back to the questions we ask ourselves are often a whole lot of nothing, nowhere and I dunno.

So ask yourself this…why aren t you living the life of your dreams? What comes back?

What s the answer you supply to you? Is it some well-prepared and rehearsed rationalization or excuse? Or, is it some variation of nothing, nowhere, I dunno. The real answer???

I suppose it is ok to not answer others when they ask questions that you do not wish to supply the real answers to but, you must be firm and resolute with yourself. Do not allow your mind to get away with giving you avoidance responses when you are after answers.

Do you truly desire to have a prosperous and abundant life?? If the answer is YES, then you must get specific. Stop allowing yourself to be satisfied with a whole bunch of nothing.

What are you doing? Why?

Where are you going? Why?

When will you get there? How?

© Leslie Fieger. All rights reserved worldwide.

Leslie is the author of The DELFIN Knowledge System Trilogy: The Initiation, The Journey and The Quest plus many more success publications. He also the co-author of The End of the World with Hugh Jeffries and Alexandra s DragonFire with his daughter Ashley. Subscribe to his free and ad-free eZine at ProsperityParadigm.com ProsperityParadigm.com or LeslieFieger.com LeslieFieger.com.

Reprinting and republishing of this article is granted only with the above credit included. Permission to reprint or republish does not waive any copyright.

While taking out loans, time element plays an important role. If you need a loan quickly then there is no point in opting for a loan that eats up a lot of time in formalities and procedures.

There are some loans available in the UK financial market which can be quickly processed by the lenders. So, if you cannot wait for a long period then you should explore unsecured type of loans.

Unsecured loans do not require any security. The conspicuous absence of valuation of property, lengthy procedures, unnecessary documentation, etc., brings uniqueness to such loans. These factors also contribute in expediting the processing of fast unsecured loans. Lenders take few days in the whole process and you get unsecured loans quickly to meet your urgent requirements.

It is advisable not to risk your home or any other valuable property while taking out a loan. Fast unsecured loans make this possible. Since an unsecured loan does not require your home as a security, it is quite safe to borrow. You need not worry about your home being repossessed should any default in repayment take place either advertently or inadvertently. However, an unsecured loan is ideal only if you want small loan amount for a limited period. Otherwise, home equity loans are suitable where you can get a huge loan amount for relatively longer period.

online-unsecured-loans.co.uk/unsecured-loan.html Fast Unsecured Loans can be put to many uses. You can avail these loans for carrying out home renovation like refurnishing, changing the wall paint, replacing the interiors, etc. These easily accessible loan deals enable people to cut down on their time, cost, risk and hassles while carrying out small home improvements. You can also quickly repay your existing debts with these loans. The UK loan market even provides unsecured debt consolidation loan for this very purpose.

The author is a business writer specializing in finance and credit products and has written authoritative articles on the finance industry. She has done masters in Business Administration and is currently assisting online-unsecured-loans as a finance specialist. For more information about online-unsecured-loans.co.uk/unsecured-loan.html Fast Unsecured Loan, please visit online-unsecured-loans.co.uk online-unsecured-loans.co.uk

According to the Federal Reserve Bank, 40% of American families spend more than they earn and more than 2 million American homes carry more than $20,000 in credit card debt. Frequently, these individuals are not wildly irresponsible. Rather, they are misguided spenders, unaware that there are budget programs available to ease their financial burdens.

For these and other individuals seeking an easy, affordable answer to balance their household budget comes the system PC World exclaims “sets the standard of excellence!” An online budgeting software program is the award-winning system that helps individuals track their spending, observe personal financial trends, and predict future monetary needs.

Don’t think you need a personal budget program? Think again! This online accountant isn’t just for millionaires. It’s for anyone seeking to improve their personal finances. Indeed, an online budgeting software program bolsters the bank account by improving the management of the individual’s money, revealing sources of wealth that may have otherwise gone unnoticed. Imagine recovering 10% of your income from wasteful spending such as previous debt or ineffective credit card spending management.

One in ten consumers has more than 10 credit cards in their wallets. Without a reliable system, it is very easy to lose track of spending on multiple credit cards. At the end of the month, an individual may think they are in the clear, but then a final credit card bill appears in their mailbox to bury them in a landslide of debt again. This is where an online budgeting software program again comes to the rescue by tracking spending, so any purchases made on a credit card show up instantly in the budget program.

Act now! The worst thing a person in debt can do is wait. According to American Consumer Credit Counseling, the average credit card interest rate is about 18.9%. Credit card companies make 75% of their revenues from finance charges, which enormously ratchet up your overall debt if you delay paying the full monthly balance. Ignoring a financial problem is the worst way to deal with it. An online budgeting software program is an affordable, easy way to nip your money problems in the bud.

Within the first few minutes after purchase, the program displays how much the householder can spend per month, and thereafter they can access their personal budget from anywhere: home or work. This allows one to be deliberate and strategic when dealing with their financial needs. Never again will they wonder how much they can spend on certain items, or dread what will arrive in the mail.

Just as it is never too soon to deal with debt, an individual is never too young or old to repair damage done to their personal credit score. Whether a college student or a retiree, an online budgeting software program is the solution for anyone in need of a personal budget. Credit is the gateway to your future. Without a good credit score, it is very difficult to make large, important purchases like a vehicle or a home. Even when renting an apartment, landlords check credit scores to see if a potential renter is a reliable individual. Years of missed payments and credit card debt damages a person’s personal credit score, but with the consistent usage of an online budgeting software program, they can begin to reverse those years of damage. The program notifies its user of payments, credit card debt, and reveals a larger monthly budget to adhere by. This combination keeps the householder on the track toward financial freedom. You can also pay bills online and track your investments.

Truly, there is no price one can place on peace of mind. A poor credit score can ruin a person’s life, but it is possible to reverse such misfortune and head towards a better tomorrow. Imagine living without financial burden, free of all debt and worries. This type of program has helped thousands of people improve the quality of their lives by easing their financial burdens. Join the thousands of other satisfied individuals and try an online budgeting software program by taking advantage of a free trial today!

Gust A. Lenglet is an accomplished author and financial advisor in the field of personal finance and creating a personal budget. He is President and CEO of Crown Financial Concepts, Ltd. and offers crownfinancialconcepts.org online budgeting software as well as articles and information for creating a budget and debt reduction.

Hey kids! How many of you like to drink soda, and eat things like candy or French Fries? I m going to guess that the answer is nearly every one of you! Why do you like these things so much? Probably because they taste good, right? But if something tastes good does it mean that it is good for your body? In the case of these junk foods the answer is No!

Candy and other sweets are loaded with sugar. This sugar has no nutritional value and a very high chance of being stored as fat in your body. Soda is also loaded with sugar and calories, just because you drink it and you may not feel full doesn t mean your body isn t taking these things in! Fried foods are very high in calories and are loaded with fats that are not healthy.

Not only are foods high in sugar and fat not good for you, they can actually be harmful to your body! They could cause your teeth to develop cavities, and they can make you feel tired, moody and cranky! When you eat candy, soda or fried foods on a regular basis you have a high chance of becoming overweight or obese. When you are overweight or obese it means that you are carrying more fat weight on your body than is normal for your age and height and which can be harmful to your health. There are an estimated 25 million kids in the United States who are overweight or obese, and the problem is getting worse! All of this extra weight is causing a lot of health problems.

Kids are getting sick with diseases such as diabetes (die-uh-bee-tees) which affects the way your body uses sugars for energy. High blood pressure and asthma (as – muh) are two other diseases that overweight or obese kids are at high risk for. These illnesses have big names and may not be simple to understand. It s easy to think “That s not going to happen to me”. But sadly, it is happening. These are serious diseases that are very harmful and are affecting the quantity and quality of the lives of kids everywhere in the United States.

The great news is that there is hope! Most of these cases of overweight and obesity can be prevented or treated by exercising and eating right. That means limiting sugary and fattening foods! I know that it seems they are lurking in every corner. Soda machines, candy bars, chips, pizza and French fries are readily available at stores, in school and basically everywhere you go. It is up to you to start making healthy choices for you and your body.

Maybe you think that since you are a kid you don t have to eat healthy or exercise because it doesn t matter. But the truth is, it does matter and it is very important for you to make healthy choices starting now! Eating right and exercising are important habits that you need to create for yourself. These are things that you need to do for the rest of your life, not just for a short period of time. The sooner that you get in the habit of leading a fit and healthy lifestyle the better!

Skip the fried foods, skip the candy and skip the sodas. Instead feed your body with the right foods. Eat things that are going to keep you energized and healthy! Talk to your mom and dad about eating healthy foods when you are at home. It is important that they know you want to make nutritious food choices.

If you want to start eating healthier things, does this mean you can never have a soda or candy bar again? Absolutely not! Eating healthy doesn t mean eliminating treats from your diet completely. It just means that these things are eaten in moderation and not on a daily basis.

You can start making healthy choices today. Eat some fruits or vegetables or drink water instead of soda. Even a small change in your eating habits can make a big difference when it comes to your health. Don t let junk foods hold you back from being the most fit, healthy and active kid possible! You have the power to make the right eating and exercise choices, do it now don t wait another moment!

Diana Chaloux is the co-founder and owner of Destined 2 Be Fit (www.destined2befit.com). Diana is also a certified personal trainer through ACE, AFAA and FPI, a certified Fitness Coach through Wellcoaches, Lifestyle Management Nutrition Specialist, NPC National Level Figure Competitor (www.dianachaloux.com) and Fitness Model. Diana also has her own personal training studio located in San Antonio, Texas allowing her to work with clients and members both online and in person! For more information on how you can work with Diana visit destined2befit.com destined2befit.com or write to her at mailto:contact@d2bfit.com contact@d2bfit.com

The Securities And Exchange Commission (SEC) is continuing to litigate against fraud and other violations of the US securities laws. During the first nine months of 2006 they announced in Litigation Releases the opening of one hundred thirty-one new cases. Almost half of the cases were of the three following types: accounting fraud, insider trading and PONZI schemes.

Accounting fraud, sometimes called “cooking the books”, is one in which the reporting company alters its books and reports materially different results from its actual results. In the past few years, the media has headlined cases of this type of fraud, the largest being Enron. Since all reporting companies send various reports to the SEC for review, the financial reporting of the company is well documented. When the reporting company gets into financial trouble, the SEC has the documentation to investigate what went wrong. Cooking the books is hard to uncover unless looking in the rear view mirror.

Insider trading is simply trading a stock with information not known to the public. Martha Stewart is the best-known recent example of this. She was sentenced to five months in Federal Prison for obstructing justice, making false statements, and conspiracy during her investigation of trading ImClone Systems stock using insider information. She had been told through her broker that ImClone’s chairman was selling his stock before a Food and Drug Administration’s rejection of the firm’s new cancer drug. She sold her stock also on this information not known to the public.

PONZI schemes are investment schemes where new investors’ money is used to pay old investors, so they will think they are receiving a profit. Charles Ponzi defrauded over forty thousand investors of more than fifteen million dollars in Boston in the 1920’s selling them investments in postal reply coupons. His pitch was the offer of a high return in a safe investment. These frauds are hard to identify until they implode due to a never-ending need for new investors. The media has called Evergreen Security, Ltd. “the largest PONZI scheme in Florida’s history.” It took investors down for over $213 million during the nineties.

The next seven most numerous types of cases opened by the SEC this year were, in order of number: unregistered securities offerings, misappropriation of funds, hedge funds, illegal touting of securities, false statements, fraud transactions, and stock manipulation. There were fifty cases opened during this period for these seven types of cases. There were seventeen other cases opened, which don’t fall into the ten largest types.

So what can an investor gain from this information? Fraud in the world of securities is a continuing problem. Although the SEC is the primary regulatory body for US security markets, it is mainly a reactionary regulator. In other words, most of its cases come from complaints investors make after they have been defrauded, or tips received through hotlines set up by the SEC or companies. The perpetrators are usually prosecuted in the larger cases, such as Enron, Martha Stewart and Evergreen, and third parties are appointed to recover the lost investor funds. The sad fact is the sentences are usually short and the recovery is usually in the pennies per dollar lost, if any at all.

Investors need to guard against these types of frauds and not rely on the regulators to protect them. Some of the warning signs, which have been evident in previous frauds, are the following: 1. securities which are not registered, 2. investment funds (including hedge funds) which are not registered, 3. investments with high returns with little risk, 4. secret trading schemes, 5. offshore investment funds, 6. small-cap stocks touted on the Internet or by faxes, 7. investment advisors who want trading control of your portfolio without the proper oversight 8. investment advisors who advise you to put all of your portfolio in their can’t-lose investment, and 9. returns which are just too good to be true.

Although many investments with some of these warning signs are fine, some are not. It is avoiding the ones which aren’t, that is your job. Old investment wisdom tells us that the hope of a great return is never worth losing your principal.

Mr. Cuthill’s practice is limited to court-appointed positions in large fraud cases. His work has produced the return of millions of dollars of investors’ funds. For more information about him go to trusteeandexaminerCuthill.com/ trusteeandexaminerCuthill.com.

Let s hide our Sesame Street pals, Oscar and find Elmo!!! No grouches allowed! So, whenever someone finds Oscar during the course of the party, it is their duty to hide him, but Elmo is “hiding” too, and each time he is “found” the one who finds him wins a prize!

It is easy to find Sesame Street party packs, both online and at your local party store. From Big Bird, to Bert and Ernie, Elmo, and even Oscar, there are hats, noise makers, plates, and napkins. Any bakery is certain to be expert at producing Sesame Street Character cakes, because they have certainly had a lot of practice creating cakes adorned with these lovable characters. Top it off with a Big Bird Cake, and your child, and party guests are sure to have a Sesame Street theme party to remember!

One thing to remember is children in this age group, need structured party activities…but, luckily children this age are easy to entertain. If you have an older child in the family, it s a great idea to get them involved in the party, so instead of feeling bored at the youngster s party, they can become a part of it. Really, all it takes to create a puppet show stage is a sofa pulled away from the wall, where the older child, or children, can put on a preplanned puppet show, using favorite Sesame Street character puppets as actors.

Following Sesame street tradition, have alphabet cards on each plate of snacks “C” for cake, “A” for apples, and so on. Have contests with the children sitting in a circle, matching an item with the corresponding color, or letter of the alphabet, or picking a number: 1 apple, 2 oranges, 3 Hershey s miniatures, etc.
Sesame Street characters are a beloved part of growing up, not because of their bright colors, or funny names, but because of their simple, effective ways of challenging the imaginations and learning capacities of children. Carry on that tradition at your child s Sesame Street Party!

Mrs. Party… Gail Leino is the internet s leading authority on selecting the best possible partysupplieshut.com party supplies, using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. Tons of fun partysuppliesshop.com/sesame-street/ Sesame Street Party Supplies, party favors, decorations, pinatas, free games and ideas to help complete your event.

Many Americans still believe that paying off your mortgage is the best thing you can do. After all, it is a guaranteed savings, right? Well, let’s take a look at it further.

Right now, there is a new craze in the mortgage industry, one that is being marketed heavily and is being presented as the best solution for you to pay off your mortgage in as little as 7 years. But is this the best thing for you, or could it actually be costing you more money?

Those that offer these programs have different names for them, Money Merge Accounts, Mortgage Accelerator, Homeownership Accelerator, etc. All are designed to take the typical thought process of paying off your mortgage as quickly as possible and “sucking you in” to thinking this is the best solution for you. Also, many reps from United First Financial, and others, have used misleading information in order to further show their product is the only solution, so beware.

Now, these programs are not really bad programs, but they may actually be costing you more money over time. Here is a activerain.com/blogsview/83669/How-to-Earn-Money” target=”_blank blog post you can use as a reference to learn more about a direct comparison.

The truth is that paying off your mortgage could actually cost you more money over time, no matter how you go about doing it. The time value of money and the ability to grow your money through compounding interest, instead of paying off straight line interest, allows your mortgage to work for you as an integral part of your overall financial and investment plans. The difference can be into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In fact, a family who could easily afford a 15 year mortgage, but decides to use their mortgage as a financial tool instead, could actually pay off their mortgage faster using a 30-year interest-only mortgage instead. What’s more impressive is that due to the time value of money, if they decided not to pay off the mortgage as fast as possible, in 30 years they could have accrued enough money to pay off the mortgage and still have nearly $400,000 more money than if they used the 15-year mortgage, paid it off, and then invested every dollar they had originally sent to pay off the mortgage. Please refer to activerain.com/blogsview/14618/A-Tale-of-Two” target=”_blank this post for the comparison.

What about those who are not in able to get a 15-year mortgage?

Well, many Americans also have a reasonable amount of equity stored up in their homes, so they could take advantage of other strategies. We could go into great detail about different strategies, but let’s just look at this one. You could take out equity from their home and invest the money in a safe, conservative investment that can improve their liquidity, safety, and rate of return.

The example I will use is cashing out $100,000 of equity and investing it at the same rate as your mortgage. For this example, I will use the rates as 7.0% and we assume you are in the 34% tax bracket. As the illustration shows, we will be highlighting the difference between the net cost and net gains of the same $100,000, so the difference is pure profit.

After the first year, the net cumulative cost of your mortgage would be $4,620. In the meantime, the net cumulative growth of your $100,000 would be $7,000, so you would already be ahead by $2,380.

By the 10th year, your net cumulative cost of the mortgage would be $46,200, but your investments would have grown by $96,715, so you would have gained $50,515 on your $100,000 so far.

About the author: Robert D. Ashby is President of Solid Rock Mortgage, a licensed Mortgage Brokerage Business in the state of Florida. He has been in the financial services business since 1997 and obtained his Series 6 and 63 Securities Licenses as well as Life and Health Insurance Licenses in the state of Virginia. He moved to Florida in 2002 and decided to focus solely on mortgages, obtaining his Mortgage Broker License for Florida in 2003 and then opening Solid Rock Mortgage in 2004. He has become Florida’s first Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist and Florida’s Debt and Equity Management Expert.

Additionally, he has developed a unique process called MEDS (Managing Equity and Debt Strategically)™ that ensures the mortgage is properly integrated into the client’s overall financial and investment plans.

Troubled teen violence is a common problem in today?s high-pressure world. Statistics for teen violence may upset you as a parent of a troubled youngster. According to a research conducted in 2002, around 900,000 of individuals from 10-24 years of age experienced injuries incurred from acts of violence.

Youngsters who experience or suffer from several physical or emotional symptoms, family problems, or school problems make troubled teens. The symptoms include fatigue, red eyes, changes in moods or personality, depression, low self-esteem, irritability, refusing to accept authority, having a negative attitude, getting in trouble at school, etc.

Generally, troubled teens are of two types. The first type of teens is very introverted and they do not talk to most other people, particularly adults. The second type is just the opposite of the first. They are extroverted and speak openly about any ideas of violence. Most of them fight back against their attackers.

There are lots of factors that cause a youngster to be violent. Studies report that drug or alcohol use, weak control over behavior, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, difficulties with information-processing, easy access to weapons, and frequent exposure to violence through the media are all responsible for the increase in violent behavior in troubled teens.

Certain other factors also contribute to violence or hostile behavior in your child. These include an authoritarian style of kid upbringing, displays of violence and disputes or conflict within the family, disciplinary inconsistencies, lack of emotional connection of children to their parents, parents dealing with substance abuse and criminal offenses, poor income and a parent?s low education, and inadequate supervision of the household and children.

i-troubledteens.com Troubled Teens provides detailed information on Troubled Teens, Schools for Troubled Teens, Troubled Teens Programs, Camps for Troubled Teens and more. Troubled Teens is affiliated with e-bootcamps.com Teenage Boot Camps.

Everywhere you look there are advertisements for debt consolidation services. These can refer to many different things and it is important to know what you are signing up for when you work with a particular company.

Some companies offer debt consolidation loans. These allow you to pay off your other debt with the one loan. When you have great credit, a debt consolidation loan can be a viable option. Loans may be less attractive when you have high debt balances. These might not be the right option for you since the interest can be quite high if you have poor credit. Other possible debt consolidation services provided by some companies could include debt negotiation or even bankruptcy. Know specifically what you are getting into.

If you have a hard time paying for unsecured debt, such as credit card debt, a debt management plan might be a good match for you. A debt management plan allows you to consolidate your many payments into one usually lower monthly payment.

Unlike a debt consolidation loan, a debt management plan does not change your debt from one company to another. Instead, the debt management company distributes the money that you pay them to each of your creditors. You will be able to see your individual accounts’ balances decrease.

A debt management plan not only is a convenient way to consolidate your debt but it can also save you in fees and interest on your individual accounts. The consolidated payment can even be paid directly from your credit or savings account. This can provide you with the accountability you need to get these debts paid off.

A debt management plan might be the right debt consolidation service for you if you have struggled with credit card debt or simply are paying the minimum amount on your accounts. Talk to an accredited credit counselor to determine if this type of debt consolidation might be right for you.

What a credit counselor will do is discuss your situation with you and identify potential debt consolidation services that could benefit your situation. They will give you realistic expectations about each service so that you know what the possibilities are ahead of time. If you would like to meet with a credit counselor, feel free to find a reputable agency that encourages visits.

Ronnica Rothe graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Oklahoma. She is currently enrolled at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC.

She is a regular contributor to educational information disseminated through Personal Financial Network. You can find related information on pfni.net/consolidate_your_payments.htm debt consolidation services.

You are a good parent and you have been very careful raising your kids. Now that they are teens you worry a little about the teen scene. You trust you kids good judgment, but often worry about some of their friends and the stories you have heard out there. You have also heard stories from your friends and at a neighborhood watch community meeting you went to a couple of years ago. You are aware of the teenagers, high-schoolers and young adults in your community and their party habits. You know of the police breaking up the parties and you also personally know who some of the troublemakers are. You are worry about the crystal meth, which is running ramped in the area and you suspect some of your children s friends of using these drugs on occasion. You are pretty certain that your child is smarter than that, but it bothers you at times.

Well, how certain are you that your kids will not try the drugs too? Did you know that fourteen hundred teens die from drug and alcohol partying every year? Often teens find themselves under severe peer pressure and are only interested trying out once because all their friends are or have. So often it is during these times of experimenting that these kids get themselves into trouble. They try it, then under clouded and altered judgment do not stop and end up in a terrible situation. Don t let your teens die from drug or alcohol abuse. Think on this.

“Lance Winslow” – Online WorldThinkTank.net/ Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance WorldThinkTank.net/ www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for ourspokanemagazine.com/ Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington