For the love of Home Ownership

Easy to say and yes I am happy, actually I am ecstatic that I finally entered the home owner elite. Well it seems that way at the moment even though I know we are no more elite than anyone else. In actual fact nothing has really changed. I have to pay money to someone else every month for the privileged of staying in a house. I do not like where I am going with this. I love my new house, all mine now I need to make it my own. The mortgage and insurance are taken care of and I have my new carpets arriving next week so all is well.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Government Debt Collection: Necessary Information You Should Know In A Slow Economy

By David P. Montana

Government debt collection differs from ordinary debt collection in several crucial ways. Debt collectors who go after people who miss the due date on their credit cards or skip mortgage payments have one set of skills, but debt collectors who work for the government need another set entirely.

Just like any business, the government needs to insure that their receivables come on time in order to keep things working smoothly. Cash flow is as important to the government as it is to a private business. If the money isn't coming in, the programs will stop.

Some areas where the government collects debt don't require outside help. Tickets, whether they are for parking or for speeding and other traffic offenses, require the offender to pay or they will lose their driving privileges. Library fines come with suspended borrowing privileges. In most cases, the fines are low enough in these two areas or the punishment is high enough that there's not a problem in collecting on them.

There are some areas of government debt where collections are easy. Parking violations or traffic violations have built-in checks and balances. If the driver does not pay, he or she loses his or her license. Similarly, library fines cause borrowing privileges to be suspended. The debtor cannot perpetually ignore these problems. Eventually the consequences will cause him or her to respond.

However, collecting on back taxes or utility bills that have been ignored is a bit harder. Nevertheless, this is crucial revenue for the local government, who has faced a significant reduction in state and federal aid over the past few years due to a poor economy. For this reason, government debt collection has become crucial to a government's ability to deliver on its promises.

Employing a third party collection agency is the right step to take once an account gets past 60 days. Statistically, the longer the debt is outstanding, the harder it is to recover, so if your own in-house efforts have not been successful, it's important to call in professionals before it is too late. Make sure you choose a third party collection agency that is familiar with the type of government debt collection you require.

A collections agency that specializes in government debt issues will use the most proven techniques to recover money before steps are taken such as turning off utilities or foreclosing on property due to taxes. For the municipality, it's preferable to make money on the account without having to get involved in expensive prospects like foreclosures or expend labor on turning off utilities and then having to turn them back on again.

In addition, government debt collection can be expensive to execute due to the cost of mailings. Giving your billing to a specialized debt collector can significantly reduce costs since they bulk mail. A collection agency that specializes in government debt collection can be a serious boon for most municipalities. They are simply able to recover more money at a lower cost than in-house collections, and what business manager doesn't want to improve cash flow like that?

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A DIY Solar Electricity Project Is Easy To Perform And Economical As Well

By Evans D. Smith

Solar electricity is a cheap, efficient as well as an environmental friendly source of energy that is bound to reduce high energy bills. DIY solar power is a choice that will have its origins in the late 70s when the world went through its first energy crisis when oil costs shot and led states that were heavily conditional on oil to look for alternative sources for energy.

Germany Uses Alternate Power Sources Including Solar Electricity

The united states, in contrast to expectancies, does not lead the way in solar electricity and it is left to nations like Germany that use alternative power sources including solar power to fulfill their energy requirements. With each hike in oil costs the energy crisis deepens not only in the Western world, but in all non-oil manufacturing countries as well .

Nevertheless, with solar energy energy technology freely available in the US, there is much to assert for a DIY solar power installation in private homes as well . The task of installing and building solar platforms is not complicated and anyone with basic know-how about construction can make a DIY solar energy unit for him or herself.

While a DIY solar electricity system isn't tough to construct, one need to select between a passive and active solar electricity system. The active solar electricity employs panels to make electricity for the purpose of heating, and may require a contractor to install the system. Another motivation for using active solar power is that state and Fed governments in the US provide massive discounts to those who use active solar electricity systems, and is one more real reason why one can think of it for a DIY solar electricity project.

The passive solar electricity system is also easy and leads to a good Diy solar power project, though one won't be able to avail of any rebates with this actual type. Such a Diy solar electricity project will allow a home owner to orient his or her home to take advantage of plentiful daylight, particularly on the southerly side of the home, and so provides heating to thermal mass materials like masonry that may circulate the heat into the home.

The fantastic thing about a Diy solar electricity project is that it doesn't require any special information and easy home improvement construction knowledge should suffice to put such a project to work. One only desires to get the orientation of the home, placing of windows as well as picking the right materials correct to become successful with a Diy solar electricity project. Besides its simplicity, it also saves plenty of money.

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Tune Acoustic Guitar - Simple Tips That Work

By Nico Davenport

You should be sure to do your acoustic guitar tuning each time you sit down to play, whether you are practicing or performing. Its pretty unpleasant to try to make beautiful music on an untuned guitar. Lots of guitar students think their inexperience is ruining the sound, not understanding the importance of doing their tuning regularly. You will be much more successful in your music making if you set aside that small amount of time it takes to tune your instrument properly.

For acoustic guitar tuning with an electronic tuner, sit down and place the tuner on either a stool or table next to your seat. Then pluck the first string. The tuner's microphone can sense which string is being tuned. You will know how close you are to the right pitch by the indicator on the tuner. It also indicates if you are sharp or flat. Utilize the tuning key to adjust the guitar string until it indicates that you are in tune.

Taking your strings from looser to tighter will tune your guitar, also called tuning down. If the string is too tight, you will need to get it in tune by loosening the strings slightly and then tightening it again until it is in tune. Tuning up will give you a more true tone than tuning down.

If you don't purchase an electronic tuner, you still need to have a reference for pitch when playing acoustic guitar. You can use another guitar, a piano, tuning fork or an MP3 that you are certain is already in tune. Acoustic guitar tuning with an electronic tuner will consistently provide reliable tuning. But if you choose to tune the traditional way then use an electronic tuner to test your results. This is a great way to learn to develop your ear.

To begin tuning your guitar, use the reference pitch to tune the sixth string (the thickest string) to low E. Once this string sounds right, the other strings can be tuned to their correct pitch based on that note. There is a reason why this technique works, but the explanation is long. Acoustic guitar tuning is a bit like driving. You don't have to understand the internal combustion engine to drive a car, and you don't have to understand music theory to tune your guitar.

Here's how to do your acoustic guitar tuning:

1. Strum (in tune) the sixth string on the fifth fret. Tune the open fifth string to that exact note. 2. Strum the fifth string on the fifth fret. Tune the open fourth string to the same note. 3. Tune the fourth string on the fifth fret. Tune the open third to the same note. 4. Follow closely; this is different than the above. Play the third string on the fourth fret and tune the open second string to this note. 5. Play the second string on the fifth fret and tune your open first string to this note.

If you're just starting out with acoustic guitar tuning, you may want to ask someone at the music store when you purchased your guitar to show you how to do acoustic guitar tuning the proper way. Then just keep practicing until you're comfortable with the process. It takes time and practice to learn to do acoustic guitar tuning, especially by ear. For the novice, the simplest way to perform acoustic guitar tuning is with the use of an electronic tuner. You can find one for around $20 and you will definitely get your moneys worth. An electronic tuner that is made specifically for tuning guitars has the ability to recognize which string is being played.

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Acoustic Guitar Tabs - Vital To Learning Guitar Successfully

By Nico Davenport

Guitar music has it's own form of notation, called a tab, or tablature. Tabs are different from standard musical notation because they do not use staffs, ledger lines, key signatures, or notes. For this reason, acoustic guitar tabs are beneficial because they allow you to learn how to play the instrument without also having to learn to read music. Tabs may also be used as notation for other stringed instruments.

Acoustic guitar tabs are a form of visual musical notation . The acoustic guitar tab has a diagram of guitar strings. The first string is the top one and the sixth string is the bottom, these are represented by the lines. There are numbers on the lines which tell you what fret to play. An open string is represented by a zero (0). A muffled string is noted by an X.

The area between the two metal bars on the neck or fingerboard of a guitar is called a fret, if you are not familiar with this. On an acoustic guitar, there are usually 21 to 24 frets. The dots on the frets are visual guides for your convenience when playing.

Check out acoustic guitar tabs and you'll notice that the numbers run all in one line, indicating which fret to use on the one string you're plucking. Those numbers tell you that you're supposed to be playing each of them individually. If there's a number on each line and the numbers are on top of each other, then you're supposed to play the notes simultaneously, strumming away on all six of your strings.

When you're reading on up acoustic guitar tabs, a few other things are going to come up, like hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends and slides. The letter h indicates a hammer-on. For instance, you might see something like 7h9 on one of the lines. Pull-offs are indicated by a p, bends by the letter b, and slides by the notation "/ (that's a slash mark).

After understanding how to read tabs, surf online for easy acoustic guitar tabs and pick a familiar but simple song and practice playing it. You will be amazed at how easily you can read tabs, even while it takes a bit of a time to familiarize yourself to read and play acoustic guitar tabs.

It is best that you hear the song you are trying to learn as it makes the learning easier. While you can remember how a song goes, listening to it while you practice can help you with the rhythm and detail. It can be tremendously fun to learn how to play a guitar when you utilize acoustic guitar tabs. Before you realize it, you have many songs in your repertoire that you can play at parties to impress friends, or for your sole pleasure.

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Master Bedroom Decorating Scheme

By Henry Younger

At the end of the day, when everything is finally done, your bedroom is the one place you look forward to retreating to for some much deserved rest and relaxation. When you are planning the decor for your room, you should try to keep this in mind. This is your space to have your own nook, design around your own specific tastes, and find a way to unwind. Listed below are a few ideas to help you get started.

Creating your own special nook in your master bedroom can be done many different ways. One easy way to do it is to pick a corner, and set up shop! You can designate a different space by adding an area rug to it. A rug centered in the middle of the space tends to block it off from the rest of the room. Add a comfy chair, small table, and lamp and voila! Your reading nook is complete. If your master bedroom is large enough and you want a television nook, then you can put a small television stand and television, in front of an area rug. Complete the look with your favorite chair and lamp and your television nook is in place. Area rugs are easily attainable online as well. This will cut some time off of your day of running errands! With a simple click of your mouse, the accessory for your nook will arrive at your front door.

Use colors that appeal to you. Ideally, colors are light to make relaxing easier. Bright colors are stimulants and if you're one who already has trouble sleeping, then the bright hues might just hinder sleep all the more. If on the other hand, you want some splashes of color, you can always use it in your accents, like throw pillows, area rugs, bed sheets and comforters, and cushions. Fabrics make the best color carriers for decorating.

Nocturnes are up and about at nighttime and most find themselves productive or active in the dead of the night. If you're a night person or just like to be doing things at home, setting up a space for productivity, such as writing, doing puzzles and crafts, is a good idea. You won't have to "work" in bed and thus make your sleeping area exclusively for rest. A corner desk is better as this doesn't eat too much space.

Make your bedroom as comfortable as possible. Suit it to meet your taste and needs.

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