Michigan on Film: An Endlessly Useful Location

One upper-Midwestern state has gone to great lengths to render itself a desirable filmmaking location-and the entertainment industry is taking notice.

A legislative package recently passed in the Michigan legislature offers incentives designed to lure filmmakers to the Wolverine State. And with broad tax breaks, cash rebates, and a low-interest loan program among the new benefits for Michigan-based film productions offered by this sixteen-bill initiative, fledgling and established filmmakers alike may find Michigan’s offer a difficult one to refuse. Already the bill has attracted notice in Variety, a popular film industry resource, and Michigan’s native sons such as actor Jeff Daniels and author Mitch Albom traveled to Lansing to argue for the bill’s passage.

But there’s nothing new about the relationship between Michigan and film. Even before the Michigan legislature decided to offer a forty percent across-the-board refundable tax credit to filmmakers who spend over $50,000 making a movie in-state-plus further incentives for shooting in one of the 103 state-designated Core Communities, and other opportunities (a complete list and application package are available online from the Michigan Film Office)-the state had contributed a great deal to the world of contemporary film.

Most obviously, there’s the long list of Michigan-born artists who have gone on to do significant work in film. As of 2008, that list includes the above-mentioned Daniels, who costarred in Dumb and Dumber, then returned to his native state to satirize Upper Peninsula mores in Escanaba In Da Moonlight. It also includes Sam Raimi, who revolutionized horror film with The Evil Dead (a student production made in the Michigan woods) before going on to popular success with A Simple Plan and the Spider-Man trilogy. Ann Arbor-born David Goyer helped revolutionize the superhero movie, contributing story work to Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Indie director Mike Binder set his film The Upside of Anger in his home state (though he didn’t film there) before going on to direct the acclaimed 9/11 drama, Reign Over Me, and of course that’s not even mentioning Flint, Michigan’s liberal crusader Michael Moore, of the most commercially successful directors in the history of documentary films.

But it’s as a setting that Michigan has perhaps truly shone. After all, it’s the only state where you’re never more than eighty-five miles from the beach-yet it offers craggy, mountainous locations, diverse and thriving cityscapes, sparse or heavily-wooded forests, enough flat farmland to simulate any state in the Midwest, and, of course, those sand dunes. Does your script require an urban locale? Head to Detroit, where parts of Semi-Pro, Four Brothers, The Island and Transformers were shot, and which provided all the locations for 8 Mile. What about a gorgeous, cultured college town? Try Ann Arbor, backdrop for parts of the recent Jumper and the upcoming Youth In Revolt. The Michigan woods inspired Ernest Hemingway-and they also lend some of the inimitable creepy charm to Raimi’s Evil Dead and Evil Dead II. A suburb of Detroit becomes a major supporting presence in John Cusack’s classic black comedy Grosse Pointe Blank, and of course, we haven’t even talked about the state’s beaches, small towns or the craggy Porcupine Mountains, about the German-imitating tourist town Frankenmuth or the Scottish festival that every year puts tiny Alma on the map (and then takes it off again). Because of its geographical diversity, Michigan can stand in for nearly any state in the Union.

In fact, movies have been made in Michigan for almost as long as they’ve been made anywhere. Such early silent shorts as Baby Lund and Her Pets (1899) and Cadet Cavalry Charge (1900), starring the Michigan Military Academy’s Cadet Batallion, were filmed in Detroit. (In those days, movies were typically under five minutes long, and tended to feature small snippets of real-life events-so the titles of these movies pretty much summarize their contents.) In 1908, Michigan provided the backdrop for an eight-minute version of The Count of Monte Cristo, which seems to have been the first version of that oft-filmed play. This version is largely a highlights package of scenes from the then-popular stage play based on Dumas’s novel-but 1908 was also the year director D.W. Griffith began to work in film, and the medium’s potential for telling a feature-length story would soon be tapped.

And with the birth of feature film comes a series of classics set and/or partially filmed in Michigan, such as the Upper Peninsula-based mystery Anatomy of a Murder, Eddie Murphy’s breakthrough hit Beverly Hills Cop, the John Belushi-starring Continental Divide, and the teen cult classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Noted screenwriter Paul Schrader has drawn on his Grand Rapids and Detroit experiences for films such as Blue Collar and Hardcore (which parodies, and also flatters, the Dutch Reformed subculture of West Michigan), and RoboCop, The Untouchables, and Road to Perdition all use Michigan locations as well. And everyone who saw the classic Christopher Reeve/Jane Seymour romance Somewhere In Time knows all about the potential of Mackinaw Island as a film setting.

Are Michigan officials ready to support the new influx of filmmakers they’ve courted? Certainly, the state already operates its own official Film Office, has an experienced tourism board, and-in Checker Sedan-offers filmmakers a transportation company with decades of experience assisting local and national productions with everything from taking dailies to the developer to picking up that special star or starlet from the Detroit Metro Airport.

More Steak Please

After advising dieters for years to satisfy their hunger with liberal amounts of steak, eggs and other saturated fats, the promoters of the Atkins diet now say that people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat.

Responding to years of criticism from scientists that the Atkins version of a low-carbohydrate, high-fat regimen might lead to heart disease and other health problems, the director of research and education for Atkins Nutritionals, Colette Heimowitz, is telling health professionals in seminars around the country that only 20 percent of a dieter’s calories should come from saturated fat. Atkins Nutritionals was set up by Dr. Robert C. Atkins to sell Atkins products and promote the diet.

An Atkins spokesman said Ms. Heimowitz has been giving these seminars for five years, but that they do not represent a departure from the original premise of the diet.

Atkins representatives say that Dr. Atkins, who died last year, always maintained that people should eat other food besides red meat, but had difficulty getting that message out. There has been a revision in expressing how the diet should be followed, not in the diet itself, they say.

But in their consumer publications, Atkins officials have never set limits on saturated fat, and Atkins is widely known as the diet that lets you eat all the meat you want.

Dr. Atkins did more than anyone else to popularize the idea that dieters could eat fat and lose weight. As millions followed his advice, sales of red meat soared and steakhouses grew in popularity. His book ”Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution” has sold 15 million copies. Atkins Nutritionals reported $100 million in revenues for 2002.

The change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carbohydrate diets that call for less saturated fat. A book on one such plan, the South Beach Diet, came out in April 2003 and has sold more than five million copies. Atkins representatives made the revision, Ms. Heimowitz said, because ”we want physicians to feel comfortable with this diet, and we want people who are going to their physicians with this diet to feel comfortable.”

The Atkins regimen remains a high-fat diet. But Atkins officials are specifying the amount that should be saturated — the kind that comes from meat, cheese and butter — and the amount that should be unsaturated — the kind that comes from most vegetable oils and fish. The revision places more emphasis on fish and chicken.

Paul D. Wolff, chief executive of Atkins Nutritionals, said the company is trying to get its message out clearly. ”The way the book was promoted was, here’s the program that is counterintuitive,” he said. ” ‘You can eat a lot of bacon and steak.’ It was the marketing of the book. The media saw it as a sexy story.”

”Perhaps what was communicated in the past was unclear,” he said. ”We would agree with that.”

So why not tell people straight out that you can’t eat all the steak and eggs you want, Mr. Wolff was asked.

”Interesting question,” he said as he hung up to catch a plane.

The clarification came as a surprise to Atkins dieters who were interviewed. ”A lot of people will be totally shocked,” said Ellen Bain, a graphic designer in Brooklyn. The message she said she had taken away from reading Atkins books and Web sites was: ”The fat in the diet is very good for you; it doesn’t make any difference what kind of fat it is. There are no limits of any kind in the meat department, like steak and eggs for breakfast, a burger for lunch and beef stir-fry for dinner.”

Ms. Bain, who said she has lost 48 pounds on the Atkins diet since July 1, said, ”Is it possible that now they are revising their thinking?”

Beef, pork, lamb and butter were on the list of ”foods you may eat liberally” in ”The New Diet Revolution,” first published in 1992; its update is No. 1 on the New York Times advice, how-to and miscellaneous paperback best-seller list.

”Atkins for Life,” Dr. Atkins’s newest book, published a few months before his death, says: ”You should always eat a balance of different types of natural fat.” The precise proportion of saturated and unsaturated fat was unspecified, Ms. Heimowitz said, because ”trying to tell consumers to do math is futile.”

Russ Klein, a marketing executive, who has been on Atkins since Dec. 21, interpreted the phrase ”foods you may eat liberally” to mean ”eat until you are full.” And, he added, ”I think it’s probably true you can eat all the red meat you want.”

Ms. Heimowitz said people read the phrase ”eat liberally” as a license to gorge on red meat. ”Not making a distinction between one kind of protein and another, that was a mistake,” Ms. Heimowitz, ”and that is why we had to write another book, to get the story straight.”

But, she added, ”Even in the old book it says ‘eat until you are satisfied but not stuffed.’ ”

Total fat in the revised Atkins diet remains much higher than other diets recommend: 60 percent of the calories are still derived from fat, twice the level recommended by the Agriculture Department. Of that, one-third can be saturated fat — also twice the level recommended by the department. The rest should be poly- and mono-unsaturated fats.

That means that a person who eats 1,500 calories a day could eat a 17-ounce strip steak every day, according to Mindy Hermann, a registered dietitian. After the diet’s first phase, the amount of fat allowed drops to 55 percent, but the percentage of saturated fat stays the same.

Dr. Atkins said that carbohydrates caused obesity and eating fat helped regulate levels of insulin, which helps produce body fat. Ms. Heimowitz said, ”Saturated fat isn’t as much of an issue when carbohydrates are controlled; it’s only dangerous in excess when carbs are high.”

But Dr. Frank M. Sacks, a professor of cardiovascular disease prevention at the Harvard School of Public Health, scoffed at those scientific claims. ”What they are saying is ridiculous,” he said. The revision, he added, ” has nothing to do with science; it has to do with public relations and politics.”

The medical establishment largely disputes Dr. Atkins’s reasoning and says that high levels of saturated fats are dangerous.

Dr. George L. Blackburn, associate director in the division of nutrition at Harvard Medical School, said the diet’s new version is ”definitely healthier,” but that ”all of the studies we have on Atkins are based on the Atkins of the 1970′s: eat all you can as long as you keep carbs out.”

Branding a Nation: Don’t Stuff With the Australian Brand

Another year…another year of predicted doom and gloom. Yes, the celebrity bureaucrats from Tourism Australia have predicted the number of foreign visitors will plummet this coming year, even after they spent tens of millions of dollars on another failed advertising campaign. Not to mention that MOVIE or its massive tax relief. Is branding Australia that hard?

I don’t think so. If you look at the bare facts, Australia’s lack of visitors has nothing to do with being seen or heard. Our key brands SYDNEY and AUSTRALIA are continually being voted as number 1# travel destinations.

So what are the celebrity bureaucrats doing wrong? Well, my own cynicism says it’s something to do with our tourism elite wanting to move away from our low brow beach culture of sun, sea, surf and bronzed Aussie’s. It must be too crass for them…

I have the impression they’d like to remove the cringe factor by repositioning Australia as a sophisticated destination for the middle aged adventurous traveller who is into natural, cultural and spiritual awareness.

Travellers willing to climb aboard a white 4WD, drive through hot deserts and beautiful bushland, roughing it in green tents and being at one with happy aboriginals.

Let’s face it people, most foreigners visiting Australia are looking for a coastal paradise with beautiful beaches, long sunny days, big surf and lots of bronzed Aussie guys and girls saying “G’day mate.”

Just think about it, fat middle aged Yank’s, Brit’s, Jap’s or Chinese with fat wallets aren’t going to travel half way round the world in there millions to spend three weeks roughing it in a rent-a-tent with no amenities just outside Dungog or Cessnock? Nothing wrong with Dungog or Cessnock…

Australia’s real point of difference is its modern beach lifestyle. Remember people, its near impossible to change someone’s mind that’s why Paul Hogan’s 1984 “The Wonders Down Under” TV commercial was so successful…

Bring back Hogan! Pity about his problems with the tax office.

Baby Dry Skin

Today, one in every four or five babies and toddlers suffer from dry skin. This makes them prone to more serious skin conditions such as eczema. Since their skin is more delicate than adults’ skin, it is important to know the ins and outs of skin care for them.

Causes of Baby Dry Skin

When the baby is born, she is initially covered in a slippery coat of amniotic fluid. During the first several days, her skin may still not be used to such a dry environment and develop patches of dry skin and redness. Dryness in the air, such as during winter and inside heated homes, can also strip her skin of moisture.

Doting parents may be tempted to give the baby daily baths to make sure she stays clean. What most people don’t know is that daily baths are unnecessary, and may actually harm and dry the skin even more. Summer is also a time for swimming in the pool and the ocean, especially for active toddlers. The salt and chlorine have drying effects on the skin and can cause rashes.

Prevention and treatment of baby dry skin

Adding a humidifier or vaporizer in the baby’s room will help control the moisture content in the air and help hydrate her dry skin. When the temperature gets too cold, it is often a better idea to give the baby more clothes to wear instead of turning the heat up; doing so will lower the humidity. During the summer, take steps to protect the baby from sunburn. Give her gloves or mittens during the winter, both to protect against dropping humidity levels and scratching.

When it comes to washing the baby, a bath every three or four days is actually enough to give her a measure of protection against dry skin. As the baby grows and begins to crawl and get dirty, a bath scheduled every other day is reasonable; just make sure to avoid bubble baths as much as possible, as soap and lather tends to dry the skin. It is often enough to simply sponge areas that look dry during the day.

While giving baby a bath, it is advisable to use warm water instead of hot, as hot water dries the skin. It is also a good idea to cut down the bath time to ten minutes or so-any longer will sap most of the moisture from her skin. Don’t use soap on the baby. Instead, use a soap-free, fragrance-free cleanser. Soap, as in every other possible case, dries the skin. Within a few minutes after the bath, pat her dry and apply a moisturizer, lotion, or emollient. This will lock in the moisture her skin took in from the bath and keep her skin supple until the next bath time. Make sure the moisturizer has no dyes and heavy perfumes, as these can irritate and dry skin.

When washing the baby’s clothes, wash them in a batch separate from the clothes of other members of the family. Do not use laundry soap and fabric softeners on her clothes, as the detergents can irritate her dry skin and cause allergies. Tea-tree oil and baking soda has been advised in the past as a substitute for laundry detergents. During the day, make sure the child isn’t dressed too tightly, and try to avoid any wool or nylon in her wardrobe. Wool, as well as other synthetic materials, has rough edges which easily causes irritation, especially on the baby’s delicate skin. Disposable and cloth diapers are both fine and acceptable for babies. There is only one rule to remember about diapers: if it’s wet, change it. Many parents leave disposable diapers on their babies for too long, until the core bursts and exposes the baby’s skin to more than just wetness.

Toddlers love to play in the water, and trips to the beach or the pool are often in order during the summer. To protect against dry skin caused by salt and chlorine, rinse the child completely in tap water after swimming, then apply a good moisturizer. As a general rule for children, the thicker the moisturizer, the better.

Consult your doctor

Regularly check your child’s skin for any dry skin and redness. While eczema is often treatable with regular applications of moisturizers, it is often best to see the child’s doctor if the redness does not disappear or if the child is always uncomfortable. Red, dry skin may also be an indication of icthyosis, a genetic medical condition. As dry skin gets worse, it may break, swell, or get infected.

It is always a good idea to consult with your doctor if your child’s dry skin problems worry you. Schedule a visit if her dry skin does not respond to home treatments.

New to cruising

New to Cruise

Your complete guide

1st Time Cruising

IS IT YOUR FIRST TIME ….. ON A CRUISE?

OR….. NEVER BEEN AND THINKING ABOUT IT?

Taking a cruise is the IN thing in the holiday world – lots of people take their first cruise in trepidation with lots of misgivings only to find they are not true and wonder why they never cruised before. Many get the bug and end up taking a couple of cruises each year. Cruising is the fastest growing sector of the holiday industry with more than a million people in the United Kingdom taking a cruise each year.

Here‘s why:

CRUISES COST TOO MUCH

When asked – most non cruises expect Caribbean cruises to cost upwards of £1500 per person and Mediterranean cruises to anything from £1000pp. Also many people are not sure what is included in the cost – many think that flights and tax are additional. Here – at Jetline we have been at the leading edge of the cruise industry for the past 10 years bringing to the public new and innovative ways to enjoy a cruise holiday. Our collective expertise and contacts in the cruise industry mean that we can provide amazing cruise deals and great prices which are hard to match elsewhere. We pride ourselves in being the first to find incredible prices, exclusive offers and bespoke packages.

Cruises start from only £399 into the med for a week, Caribbean from £699 and the Nile from £399 including 10 excursions. These prices include stateroom accommodation, any flights that are required to take you to your port of departure, food virtually 24 hours per day and all port / air tax and fuel surcharges.

Also included are the majority of facilities and entertainment on board such as – theatrical shows every nights, nightclubs, variety shows, fitness centre, swimming pools, hot tubs and much more. Plus you will always find tea and coffee on tap 24 hours a day. Extras may include: tips foe the cabin crew, transfers ( in the case or our exclusive low cost tailor made cruise holidays), on board drinks that are served to you at the bar and at dinner, specialty restaurants, excursions and any additional service such as massages etc.

CRUISES ARE FOR SNOBS

Gone are the days of the Titanic with the first Class people on the upper deck and steerage passengers in the bowels of the ship. Cabins are priced from the bottom upwards and all passengers have access to all public areas of the ships. Cruises these days are a classless society.

CRUISES ARE FOR OLD PEOPLE

Cruises were traditionally the realm of the retired – but these days the average of the cruises if around the mid forties. Gone are the days of sedate cruises sitting in a deck chair under a tartan blanket, dressing up, ball room dancing and perhaps a game of shuffleboard for the energetic. Cruise ships have an incredible range of facilities and are built to appeal to all age groups. Perfect for families with a wide range of children’s clubs and facilities which far surpass the best land based resorts. Ideal for couple young and old and amazingly satisfying for the most energetic of holiday makers. After all you would not catch grandma in the video games arcade, scuba diving, rock climbing or ice skating … would you???

CRUISES ARE TOO FORMAL

Pardon – no way. Gone are the days of dressing for dinner every night and jostling for position at the captain’s table. Some cruise lines even go out of their way to market themselves as informal – one tag line sums it all up – “The cruise for people who don’t do cruises!”. During a standard 7 day cruise most cruise ships will hold only 2 formal nights in the main restaurant for dinner only. Formal could mean as little as a business suit for the gentlemen and trouser / skirt suit for the ladies. If you did not want to participate you could simple eat in one of the many other places on board. Throughout the day casual attire (as you would wear in any beach resort) is the norm. Even on Cunard you could get away with cruising without any formal clothes at all.

CRUISES ARE TOO CONFINED AND ORGANISED

Imagine standing outside a 14 storey office block that is the length of four football pitches. The building towers above you and stretches further than the eye can see without turning you head. This is the size of typical modern cruise ship above the water line – confined – I don’t think so. Ships are being built bigger and bigger – the average size of ships these days being twice the size of the Titanic and 1.5 times the size of the QE2. Quite often with so much to see and the different ports of call many people disembark without having seen the whole ship. As with any beach resort hotel there are organised activities – but equally passengers are free to do their own thing: many cruise ships having dining options at any time, pool areas that have no organised events and each port of call you do not have to book organised excursions – you simply get off and do your own thing. Also you can escape the crowds and find quieter parts of the ship and bars to enjoy some solitude if needed.

CRUISES ARE BORING

Imagine a hotel with the following : 13 bars, 9 restaurants, 3 swimming pools, 24 hour pizzeria (free), rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, 1400 seat theatre, mini golf course, in line skating, night club, shopping mall, casino; state of the art panoramic fitness centre, saunas, hot tubs, steam rooms, thalasso therapy pool, thermal relaxation lounges, sports court, surfing pools, 4 kids clubs, internet café, video arcade, and cinema. Plus when you walk out of your hotel you can visit a different set of beaches, local shops, historical sights and places of interest each day. Ask yourself again … Are cruises boring????

CRUISES TAKE TOO LONG

That’s the point – see more and do more whilst your floating resort cruises between destinations. Avoid travelling time in planes, trains and automobiles and enjoy all your floating resort has to offer as it takes you on to the next destination. Wake up at a different destination each day and take several holidays in one.

CRUISES ARE TOO COMPLICATED

You check – as you would a hotel. Drinks and excursions are charged back to your room – as you would in a hotel, the difference being that there is so much more choice on a cruise than the limited facilities of a hotel resort. Everything is at hand at no extra charge – unlike a hotel. No need to find other places to eat and drink unlike the limited choice at a hotel. No need to work out how far places are and what taxi’s cost to see different places of interest – unlike a hotel. What could be simpler than a cruise?

CRUISES DONT HAVE ENOUGHT TO DO

Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean Cruises are actually floating luxury hotels and some of the larger ones have more facilities than your local town. Imagine Ice skating in the Caribbean, rock climbing in Alaska or catching a wave on their brand new surf simulator called the flow rider. These ships have everything on them from gyms, theaters, libraries, internet cafes and more bars and restaurants than you can imagine. If just sitting down reading a book is your thing then you can do as little or as much as you want. And remember nearly everything is covered in the price.

PEOPLE GET SEASICK

Yes they do – if they are ultra sensitive or crossing the Atlantic in a Force 10. The majority of cruise holidays cruise around sheltered waters such as the Med, the Caribbean or the Alaskan coastline. All modern ships have stabilisers on them which reduce the rocking motion and all public areas and passenger accommodations are on decks above the waterline. Quite often passengers do not realise the ship is moving until they look out of the window! If you are ultra sensitive – book a cabin in the middle of the ship on a low deck when any motion is minimal.

Seasickness – not an excuse!

….. GO ON TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH – BOOK YOUR CRUISE – YOU WILL GET HOOKED!

How to Lose Belly Fat – 3 Top Tips Revealed

Many people yearn for six pack abs and yet struggle to turn that desire into reality. Are you one of them?

In this article, I want to highlight 3 proven strategies on how to lose belly fat and develop six pack abs. You don’t need any fat loss pills, ab gadgets or follow any fad diets to achieve your goal of getting ripped or six pack abs, or a flat stomach. Once you do what is right, you will be showing your ripped abs in no time and be the envy of others!

Firstly, dietary habits are the sole determinant of whether you get ripped abs. Most people will never have low enough body fat for visible abs if their diet is poor. Do you know that diet is even more important than exercising if you want to lose belly fat? Unfortunately, there has been so much misleading and confusing messages in the media about what’s healthy and what’s not in promoting fat loss. Gimmicky diets usually limit or favour one food group such as low fat, high protein, low carb, atkins, south beach, vegetarian, cabbage soup, fasting and so forth. They tend to focus more on one macronutrient while your body needs all macronutrients, vitamins and minerals. By eliminating an entire food group, your body is deprived of what it needs to function most efficiently. It is important to eat a wholesome, natural and balanced diet as much as possible. Avoid refined (grains, flour, sugar, oil), processed foods and trans fat as these can damage your metabolism and adversely affect your hormone balance in your body.

Secondly, focus on the intensity of your workouts and on training the largest muscle groups of the body to maximize your fat burning effect. Working out large muscle groups like the legs, back and chest stimulates fat burning hormones and metabolism. Some effective exercises include squats, deadlifts, lunges, clean and press, etc. Although training small muscle groups like biceps, triceps and shoulders have certain benefits, it does not develop a lean body.

Long, steady cardio is not the best way to lose body fat and get visible six pack abs. Interval training is more effective than slow cardio routines. Due to the variety of intensity, interval training has been proven to strengthen the heart and maximize fat loss. Your metabolism remains elevated post interval workout so your body burns more calories than it would have burned during a cardio workout.

Thirdly, let’s discuss about abs training. Forget about doing hundreds of crunches and sit ups. These ab exercises do not provide enough stimulus for the abs of most people who already has some training under their belt. Resistance helps to build and tone muscles. However, crunches are one of the ab exercises that provide the least amount of resistance. High resistance ab exercises such as hanging leg raises and lying leg thrusts are more effective in developing six pack abs.

Bear in mind that ab exercises do not get rid of belly fat, so don’t waste too much time training your abs directly. Specific ab training should only form a small part of your workout program. Your six pack abs will not be visible if covered with fat. Focus on full body exercises which create metabolic changes that help to reduce body fat. These exercises also indirectly work the entire midsection. Combined that with a healthy, natural and wholesome diet, you will definitely get your ripped abs in the shortest time!

We Buy Houses! We Can Buy Your House Fast in North Carolina

We Buy Houses Fast For a Fair Price! – Wilmington North Carolina
Are you having a challenge selling your house fast? Read on, your not the only one!

The we buy houses fast people, www.HomeSolutionsGroupInc.com are now looking to buy houses in the following locations of North Carolina:
Wilmington | Carolina Beach | Kure Beach | Wrightsville Beach | Bayshore | Castle Hayne | Hightsville | Kings Grant | Kirkland | Masonboro | Murraysville | Myrtle Grove | Ogden | Sea Breeze | Seagate | Silver Lake | Skippers Corner | Wrightsboro

If you are looking to sell your house fast in any of these locations we can buy your house when you want to close by contacting us today to se if your hmoe qualfies for our Quick Home Purchase Program

Unfortunately in this market selling a house is not as easy as putting up a sign and hoping that someone will drive buy and buy your house.

Look at Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. He has been trying to sell his house for months. It is obvious that even he can see signs of a poor economic housing situation for the nation. The Obama official has been feeling the reality of the housing crisis since listing his 32 Maple Hill Dr, Larchmont, NY home for sale back in February for approximately $33,000 more than what he bought it for in 2004. Despite a price reduction, the home sat untouched for months.

Today, June 3rd 2009, the Associated Press announced that the house has been taken off the market and is being rented to an unidentified family. The message here is everyone is feeling the pain of the housing crunch, even high appointed officials.

There are only a couple of options available to most home sellers. You can list it with a realtor, list it as a “for sale buy owner” or you can sell your house fast to a we buy houses company like company name. We have heard from many home sellers what some of the biggest aggravation are and have a list below that may be applicable to your situation.

Problems you may sometimes experience selling your house yourself retail:

Months of waiting to sell your house on the retail market.
Most homeowners are not able to finance another houses while their houses is still in their name. In order to buy another home we need to sell the one we currently own. This can only cause more frustration as we try to move. Long rehab, repair jobs and dealing with contractors.
Let’s face it, home buyers are picky and you will be too when you buy your new home. Just like you, the buyer of your new home is going to want everything to be perfect and while have a list of repairs for you to do before they sign the paperwork. This can take extra weeks or months and possibly even a hefty chunk of change if you want to sell your house. Now you will have to research contractors, permits and many other unforeseen situations. Advertising, open houses, showing your house to the curious at all hours.
It’s true, today we have more tire kickers than ever wanting to walk into your house at all hours of the day. It can get old real fast and take what you think would be a fun experience and turn it into nothing but a time waster. Continuing to make the mortgage payments while the house is vacant.
This is a situation that unfortunately can only get worse. We think we can find someone to buy your house fast, but in reality it can take up to six months or more. Think about how much money you could have saved in not having to make that monthly house payment, taxes, insurance, electric, water,etc, etc. if you could have sold your houses the day you wanted to sell months earlier. These expenses can and will add up to thousands of dollars. Selling on the For Sale By Owner market, taking calls at all hours.
This is an option for everyone, but everyone is not a sales person who can handle calls at all hours of the day and night. At first you will love taking the calls thinking “this one is a buyer” but after days, weeks and months, this will wear you down. You won’t have to worry about a foreclosure on your history.
It can happen and it has happened to thousands. You think if I cant sell it for what I owe for it then I will just let it go into foreclosure. That may sound like a solution today, but a home foreclosure will stay on your credit for years and cause many financial difficulties for years to come. Coming up with cash to catch up on house payments, or back taxes if you are behind.
Why be house broke when you can sell your house today!

At Home Solutions Group, Inc, not only can we save you from all of the frustrations listed above, we can also handle all paperwork and close quickly so you can move on with your life. We are home investors and we will take our experience in buying and selling houses and go to work for you immediately. Contact us today by completing our online questionnaire at www.HomeSolutionsGroupInc.com

How to Fix the Havoc Brought by Cellulite

Most women are excited about summer because it is the time of the year when they can shed their clothes and display their slim and slender bodies on beaches and resorts. So after putting up with thick clothing during the winter months, many are excited to start wearing tank tops, shorts, swimsuits and bikinis and let the sun shine upon their pale white skin.

However, a common problem that plagues both slim and plump women also during this time of the year is cellulite, especially those that are found on the thighs, arms, and buttocks. These ugly subcutaneous fatty deposits can really ruin a perfectly fitting bikini or swimsuit all the time.

Facts About Cellulite

The appearance of cottage-cheese skin is an indication that there are some physiological changes happening underneath your skin. Up to now, many experts are still baffled on what causes cellulite formation. One thing that they are sure of, however, is that this problem cannot be prevented or reversed by dieting, eating healthy or performing regular exercise.

Cellulite is exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyle, weight gain, improper eating habits, and inadequate water intake. As a person ages, cellulite also becomes more visible as the subcutaneous levels of your skin start to lose their tone and thickness.

What You Need To Do To Fix The Problem

Improve Your Blood Circulation

Many agree that improving blood circulation in affected areas help make cellulite less visible. Gently massaging the affected area is one effective way of reducing the appearance of dimples on your buttocks and thighs. If you find it difficult to massage yourself, you can always go to a spa for a deep tissue massage using oils and creams that have ingredients which can help melt away the fat.

Another way of improving blood circulation is through dry brushing or scrubbing. Make sure that you use long strokes to dry brush your skin. Loofah and a soft brush are the tools you need to make dry brushing more effective.

Exercise is also crucial in improving blood circulation and making the muscles surrounding the affected areas firmer. Don’t skip exercise even if it does not directly treat your cellulite problems because there are many other benefits you can get by exercising regularly.

Do The Detox

Many believe that the toxins and other waste products that are inside your system are responsible for the formation of cellulite. Thus, if you want to prevent further formation of these fatty deposits, you first need to make sure that your body’s elimination systems work very well.

To help get rid of toxins, you first need to drink plenty of water. You need to understand that water is crucial in many bodily functions, including disposing of harmful substances out of your body. Furthermore, water is also vital in moisturizing your skin from the inside. Having soft and supple skin can help minimize the appearance of cellulite.

Load up on vegetables and fruits because these foods contain fiber that helps make your bowel movement regular. Furthermore, fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that fight free radicals that can ruin not only your skin, but other bodily processes as well.

You can also do some detoxification by using internal cleansing systems available in the market. Just make sure that you use products that are safe and proven to be effective.

Take Care Of Your Skin

The appearance of cellulite also depends on the quality of your skin. Skin that is dry and not firm could surely exacerbate orange-peel-looking skin. Make sure to use lotions and creams to moisturize your skin all over the body, particularly on the affected areas.

It is also advisable to use anti-cellulite creams and gels to help get rid of cellulite. There are many products in the market that can reduce cellulite. One anti-cellulite cream that is recommended by many is Cellutherm. Know more about this product by visiting http://www.cellutherm.com.

Buying Cyprus Property

Buying a vacation property has become more than just trendy – it has become an important part of anyone’s financial portfolio. People from Western countries are increasingly snapping up vacation properties in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, and other choice locations in warmer climates.

One island that is seeing renewed interest is Cyprus. Being a relatively new member of the European Community, Cyprus property are also seen a surge in demand because English is widely spoken as a second language.

Being part of the EEC is expected to be a precursor to increased property prices, making Cyprus an excellent long-term investment for real estate. The stable economy is expected to continue to grow as a result.

Investment properties in Cyprus are like tax havens

The exciting news for any property investor is that Cyprus is almost like a tax haven within the European Community. There is no inheritance tax or gift tax, pensions from abroad are taxed at a flat rate of just 5%, interest earned on foreign capital imported into Cyprus is tax exempt, and investment income remitted to Cyprus by foreign nations is taxed at a flat rate of 5%. Even the corporate tax rate is a flat 10%. Cyprus also has signed double taxation agreements with many countries, including the United Kingdom. A Capital Gains Tax of 20% is payable on the sale of immovable property in Cyprus, but no capital gains tax is payable on gains from investments. Personal income tax rates range form 0 – 30%.

Interestingly, there is increasing demand for Cyprus properties from non-traditional sources, including the Middle East, Russia and its former states and United States, as well.

According to Glen Young of SunSeaker Properties, the island has the dual benefits of being popular for both retirees and vacationers. Retirees buy property in Cyprus for their own use, largely to bask in the warm Mediterranean sun and escape the snow and cold winds of winter. The attraction of Cyprus as a second home (or a new first home) is helped by a skilled work force, relatively affordable prices and a friendly, welcoming population.

But Cyprus is also a popular travel and leisure destination, with regular affordable flights from major European cities. Visitors look for quality accommodation, such as villas and apartments can offer. This makes Cyprus property a good investment, earning an income until the owner wants to sell and cash in…or until the owner decides to retire and use the property for his own purposes.

Of course, over 320 days of sunshine certainly don’t hurt land values on this Mediterranean island.

Unlike in many other sunshine destinations, the legal system in Cyprus is mostly based on the British legal system and is designed to safeguard the property purchaser. This makes it particularly attractive to UK investors. Once the contract of sale is signed and a deposit is paid, the contract is registered at the land registry office. This procedure protects the purchaser’s ownership rights until the title deeds are issued and transferred to his or her name. The contract in the hands of the Land Registry cannot be withdrawn by anyone, and therefore the property cannot be leased, sold, transferred or mortgaged. Only the purchaser himself can alter this status.

Cyprus investment properties might require some patience

With so much going for it, even Cyprus is not perfect. Sometimes it does take patience to buy property in Cyprus. As with many sunny locations, the bureaucrats don’t always see the need to rush and paperwork can take longer than an eager buyer would sometimes like.

In the case of buying property “off-plan”, it can often take a couple years for the development to be completed…meaning that the buyer might need some bridge financing until the property can be let and income starts rolling in. Mortgages, usually up to 75%, are readily available, and the wise investor will look for one that requires only 30% to be paid down over the period of construction, making financing affordable to average investors.

With a little planning and patience, Cyprus properties are easy to obtain and promise to carry a positive return on investment. Sooner or later, everyone retires; it’s never too early to stake out an investment property on your favorite Cyprus beach.

Educating Schools, Parents and Kids About the Environment

Summertime is here and kids are out of school, so it is the perfect time for parents and kids to get serious about our environment and keeping it a safe and beautiful place to enjoy for many years to come.

According to a recent article in THE Journal by Chris Riedel entitled, “Green Schools: The Color of Money” school districts have finally discovered that going green can mean financial rewards.

It is not just about turning off lights, changing light bulbs or shutting off idle computers — it is about rethinking the way things are done at every level from companies, to schools, or even at home.

Schools need to analyze everything from natural gas and electricity use to heating and air conditioning systems, along with maintenance and construction procedures. It is important for any organization to develop long-term plans.

The Taunton Public Schools called in a group known as Energy Education, who helps develop energy conservation programs for U.S. school districts with the goal of converting dollars spent on energy to dollars spent on education. Tis group was retained to help find ways to decrease its energy consumption and their bottom line.

One interesting example mentioned in the article; typical school vending machines cost up to $450 a year to run, but by using a motion sensor that shuts down the machine’s compressor when there is no activity, schools can save up to two-thirds with each machine, and most schools districts have from 40 to 50 vending machines.

In just two years, the Energy Education program helped Taunton save more than $660,000 in energy costs, including costs on electricity, natural gas, fuel oil, and water. Everything from disabling vending machine lights to managing irrigation played a role in savingsand our environment.

Students everywhere in schools across the country are also beginning to get the message about taking responsibility for helping to save the planet. To help parerets out, following is a list of environmentally inspired websites for kids to take a look at this summer:

Environmental Education for Kids is an online magazine for grades four to eight created by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, which has short articles and activities about animals, and plants.

- EPA Student Center – This Environmental Protection Agency site includes information on a wide range of environmental issues. Kids can click on “Fun Activities” to play environmental games.

- Be, Live, Buy Different – A project of the World Wildlife Fund and the Center for a New American Dream, the site was created to inform young people about how everything we buy and use affects biodiversity. Take the Buy-O-Diversity Quiz!

- The Green Squad – An NRDC website that’s also available in Spanish shows you how to identify and solve environmental problems. You can can explore a colorful virtual school room by room, and use the mouse to locate potential hazards. Teachers and parents will find the site useful as it offers a wide range of resources.

- The Greens – Izz and Dex are green animated characters that not only have green skin, but they have lots of great ideas about protecting the planet. Visit this site to watch short cartoons about environmental issues Nature Challenge for Kids.

Nature Challenge for Kids – a David Suzuki Foundation website place for all kinds of fun activities starting with ten simple ways you can protect nature.

Remember to join community projects this summer in your town to help pick up garbage at the beach, or simply at a nearby park. Teaching our children about the importance of the environment is a job that both parents and teachers must share — at home and at school.

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