Life. Property Investing. Cooking. In That Order.

Best Indian Recipes

2010-05-22T10:13:00.000-07:00

I wrote an article a while ago about my favorite Indian recipes. The bewildering array of different dishes and spice combination is usually enough to put people off of cooking Indian recipes for themselves, but I have collected together a great collection of Indian chicken curry recipes as well as starters and a variety of other foods.

Indian food is one if the healthiest types of cuisine, and there are many vegetarian Indian recipes to choose from. Authentic Indian curry recipes vary widely from region to region, and this is a compilation of the best easy Indian recipes on hubpages.

I love Indian food, as you will tell from this collection.

5 Steps To Finding Your First Investment Property

2010-05-05T03:47:00.000-07:00

Making your first property investment can be a very nervous time for just about everyone involved, and usually those people closest to you as well. Putting this amount of money on the line for something that you hope will pay off in the end is incredibly risky, but with risk comes great rewards. Here are some ways that you can ensure you set yourself up to win in the property investment game.

Step 1: Look into your local areas before you start scouting into foreign property investments. While the markets outside of the United States may look good on paper, unless you have a strong representation of the area itself, you are literally buying blind. To avoid this, and make sure that the property you purchase can be resold, you’ll want to begin in areas that you are completely familiar with.

Step 2: Make sure that you have adequate financing lined up, and that you know how much you are able to spend without cutting into your potential profits. Investing in properties is all about the returns on your money, and increasing the profit margins. Going over your budget, or wasting too much time trying to line up financing could cost you to lose the house of your dreams, and end up end debt rather than enjoying the riches.

Step 3: Choose a home that is near schools, and shopping centers. These types of establishments are constantly growing and changing, which means that you will have a much easier time selling your home, rather than waiting for the markets to turn in your favor. Shopping centers and schools provide excellent growth opportunities, and even better potential investments.

Step 4: Look for signs that the area is currently growing. A lot of new cars, students walking around in new clothes, carrying cell phones and other gadgets, as well as new commercial construction are all signs that the area you’re in is currently experiencing growth. Selling your home in these markets will be substantially easier, because people are already spending their money.

Step 5: Avoid buying on the high end of homes at all costs. While it does look good on paper, buying the most expensive home in the neighborhood and putting a low amount of money into it in order to resell the property, it just doesn’t happen that often. What you’re going to actually want to do, is look for the houses that are on the lower end, and compare them to the prices that the high end properties are selling for.

This will give you a base judgment of how profitable the area is. If there is a large gap in price between the houses that you are looking to purchase, and the houses on the higher end of the market, you stand to earn a lot of money from a successful flip. Entering into property investment is a great idea if you are wanting to set yourself up for retirement, however, it can be very difficult and confusing at times. Thankfully, international property investment is able to help clear the fog, and get you onto purchasing your first property while staying relaxed!

Commerical Kitchen and Restaurant Equipment

2010-05-05T03:36:00.000-07:00

Whichever way you look at the financial crisis, there are a lot of restaurants going broke - which means a lot of opportunities to buy used restaurant equipment. Auctions are a great place to do so - either in person or online - depending if you know what you are looking for. Here are some links to a few auctions of commercial kitchen equipment.

Great articles and links to auctions for all this stuff. Enjoy. :)

Easy Curry Recipes

2009-12-31T02:39:00.000-08:00

A great way of using leftover turkey is to make a curry. This is a collection of simple, easy to do Indian curry recipes.

This is a selection of incredibly simple and easy curry recipes. They all take less than an hour including cooking time and some of them can be made in even less time. There are no hard and fast rules for making a curry, and to an extent, what you have available in the cupboard will dictate how the curry turns out. The first few will give some ideas for using up leftover Turkey. Easy curry recipes

Gadget love

2009-09-27T02:30:00.001-07:00

Interesting developments in the world of electronic gadgets? I don't think so. I was massively disappointed with my last macbook pro, although I am hoping my iPod touch last a a little longer than the lousy two years I got from the macbook.

More and more bluetooth headset makers keep pounding out the same stuff, I mean how many iphone bluetooth headset makers can possibly survive? As far as I can tell, with the possible exception of the Aliph Jawbone, the damn things are exactly the same as each other and most of them are rubbish.

The advertising is enough to make anyone puke - I mean - it is a headset - for your phone. How cool is that going to be? Not very.

Housing market trends and news

2009-08-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Some headlines from the property markets - mostly indicating more drops in sales volumes, still falling prices and no end in sight to the down turn. The British market has reached the point where it will collapse if prices do not drop. With sales volumes at the lowest point since the land registry office began keeping records, something has to give and it will be prices. So UK house prices will fall drastically over the winter. Exactly how much is difficult to predict, but another 50% fall in total seems in order.

Candy and Candy are being sued for non payment of a $365 million debt in the USA.

Luxury property developers, Christian and Nick Candy, have hit the news once again, and are being sued by Grupo Financiero Inbursa, a Mexican banking conglomerate owned by Carlos Slim. Candy and Candy sued

When will the real estate market bottom out?

“Are we there yet?” is the question on everybody’s lips. As in – are we at the bottom of the real estate downturn? If I could answer this question and be perfectly accurate, I would be a rich man. Having said that, I am going to try and answer it anyway. real estate bottom

How to make money blogging

2009-08-16T03:27:00.001-07:00

Making money blogging is not for everyone, and most of the people I see attempting to do so eventually fail. For several reasons. There is more to blogging than merely starting a blog and going for it.

I am a professional blogger and have written a step by step guide to making money blogging. This is an excerpt and a link:

If I have been asked the question,” how on earth do you make money blogging ?” once, I have been asked it a thousand times. There is an awful lot of misinformation out there about blogging and the problem is that the failures outweigh the successes by about a million to one, so for every successful blogger out there, there are 999,999 people telling you that you cannot make money blogging. What they really mean is they cannot make money blogging. How to make money blogging

This guide is completely free, and if you follow the instructions, a guaranteed way to making money from a blog.

Average property prices in Dubai fell 17 percent Q2 09

2009-08-11T02:35:00.000-07:00

Dubai, UAE - August 9, 2009: Owner behavior is preventing the leasing market from reaching a price floor, but they are just delaying the inevitable, indicates Landmark Advisory's Q309 Dubai and Abu Dhabi Real Estate Report. In an oversupplied market like Dubai, price floors are consumer driven. Jesse Downs, Landmark Advisory's Director of Research and Advisory Services, said "landlords are opting out of the market because of lower rents creating a temporary respite in the price correction process. This short term decline in supply is a market distortion, which will end. Real prices will be determined by what Dubai residents are willing to pay."

The Landmark Advisory report also investigates new macroeconomic factors affecting those interested in investing in property in Dubai. "With mortgage rates currently averaging 8.5%-9%, and construction financing rates at 7%-8%, there is a systematic imbalance. Residential demand is restricted by high borrowing costs and credit scarcity, while building is incentivized by lower capital costs on construction loans." Ms. Downs went on to say that "disjointed lending practices can widen the supply-demand gap in Dubai."

In terms of sale prices and rents, Dubai's average sale prices for villas and apartments declined 24% and 17% respectively during Q209. Sales demand was stronger for villas, which accounted for 73% of all residential sales.

During Q209, Dubai's leasing market saw average villa rents fall 19% to AED 220,350, while average apartment rents declined 23% to AED 129,900. Despite falling rents, transaction volumes increased significantly for both villas and apartments, by 25% and 20%, respectively. Commenting on this, Ms. Downs said: "relocations from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and within Dubai are the primary factors driving leasing demand."

Dubai apartment rental trends showed a significant spike in demand for International City. During Q109, International City accounted for only 2% of all apartment rentals, but in Q2, it registered as many leases as JLT, the second most popular area for apartment rentals after Dubai Marina. Ms. Downs explained that "increased demand was driven by existing tenants within International City upgrading to larger units there."

Turning to Abu Dhabi sales, average residential listing prices regained some stability in Q209. However, secondary market asked prices fell 11% for apartments and 8% for villas. Over the next quarter, sale prices will start stabilizing and are not likely to suffer significant decline. "Furthermore, the delivery of first phases will likely encourage some price recovery for those units as they transition from the off-plan market to end-users," continued Ms. Downs.

Average asked villa and apartment rents in Abu Dhabi both fell by roughly 10% in Q209. Low quality apartments saw the heaviest rent declines, while rents for higher-end units were more resilient. According to Ms. Downs, "as more supply enters the market, average rent levels in Abu Dhabi will likely decline significantly, especially for low quality units, larger apartments, and villas located outside Abu Dhabi Island."

The commercial property prices in both cities are struggling. Office space requirements for most companies already in the UAE are either static or shrinking. However, "Abu Dhabi's mid- to long-term prospects for commercial demand growth are stronger than Dubai's. Abu Dhabi's potential for population growth and job creation, combined with significant pent-up demand, bode well for the medium- to long-term performance of its office market," Ms. Downs concluded.

For further information please visit the Landmark Advisory website: http://www.landmark-advisory.com or follow Landmark on twitter @LandmarkDubai. Landmark Advisory welcomes your opinion on the region's real estate market and has recently launched the Landmark Connect panel. Please visit http://www.landmark-advisory.com/index.php?landmark-connect to register and share your views.

-Ends-

Refinancing with bad credit

2009-08-10T07:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has tried to get a mortgage refinanced recently will know that the options are limited and expensive for those with a bad credit rating. In fact, if you are below average in this area - the chances are that you will not be able to refinance a loan on a dog kennel, let alone remortgage a home.

Whatever garbage may be being thrown about by the governments and banks about recovery and health in the banking sector is just that - garbage. Whether we like it or not, and despite massive efforts on behalf of the government to prevent a market correction from happening one thing is pretty clear - we are returning to the "good old days," of due diligence to make certain that whoever the banks are lending to are in a position to repay the loan. Which pretty much means that of you need to refinance a loan with bad credit, you are going to be SOL, unless you can find a "non-traditional," lender.

Finding financing with good credit is bad enough, as most mortgage providers are requesting a 30% deposit or equity in the property as collateral for any loans provided. the real estate market is still headed downwards price-wise, British property prices are still crashing hard, no matter what the newspapers might have you believe. US property prices have already corrected back to 2003 levels and show no signs of stabilizing, unless you call buying distressed homes at 20 cents on the dollar stabilizing. We still have a rocky road to recovery in front of us.

California, here we come

2009-01-07T07:49:00.000-08:00

Suspended in permanent sunshine, the golden state of California attracts millions of people each year, some trying to catch the fame train, others drawn by the climate and stunning scenery. Now, new figures released by the state’s Department of Finance show that the population is higher than ever…

The question isn’t who does want to go to California, but who doesn’t. California tourist attractions are numerous and diverse. Whether you enjoy cities, mountains, forests or oceans, the State of California offers more variety than any other state in the U.S.

A demographic survey conducted by the state’s Department of Finance showed that the population of the west coast state surpassed 38 million after growing by 1.16 per cent this year. That equates to 436,000 new residents all eager to sample a taste of the golden state.

These latest figures mean that since 2000, the population of California has increased by a whopping 4.3 million people at an overall growth rate of 12.6 per cent.

The majority of the growth (75 per cent) has been attributed to more people being born than are dying, with the remaining quarter being accounted for by immigration.

With the buzz of the City of Angels and the stars of Hollywood, the lush Napa Valley, sun kissed San Diego and Santa Barbara, the education on offer at Berkeley, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the beautiful wild beaches of Carmel and of course Disneyland in Anaheim, the world’s most famous theme park, California is a true feast for the senses.

Located on the western coast of the United States, California extends along the Pacific Ocean from the Mexican border in the south for nearly 900 miles to its northern border with the state of Oregon.

The state is approximately 200 miles wide from its western beaches to its eastern deserts bordering the states of Nevada and Arizona.

OK, I’ll admit it, I am biased. I spent one of the best years of my life at the University of California in Santa Barbara, an hour outside Los Angeles. The weather was warm, the beaches were beautiful and the living was easy. Returning to the UK was a struggle of epic proportions.

If you are considering investing in properties in California overseas and are keen to take a long term view of a property market, you could take advantage of the lower prices in the US at the moment and snap up a bargain property in California.

The rising population should ensure a strong rental return on a California property should you choose a buy to let purchase.

Due to the recent interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve in the USA, which saw them drop to a guide target of between zero and 0.25 per cent, you could be in luck with mortgage financing too.

For more information on American properties and the market in general, please visit http://usa.themovechannel.com/

Resource for Luxury Real Estate in Los Angeles Lanches New Website

2008-12-30T03:50:00.000-08:00

EstateHomesLA.com is specifically designed to showcase the wide range of possibilities that are available in the Los Angeles, CA luxury real estate market, with a focus on the higher end neighborhoods of Brentwood, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Malibu and Pacific Palisdades. Visitors are most certainly welcome and encouraged to take full advantage of the free and user-friendly MLS Property Search feature, as well as my many other useful tools on the site, such as mortgage calculators, the latest interest rates, featured properties & company info, local maps, images of the area, direct links to valuable resources and much, much more.

As an example, one can browse through the ‘Areas’ and click a city in the Los Angeles area such as ‘Malibu’. There, visitors can find great photos from around town, information on city government, activities, current weather, and even local drive times to and from the specific areas. From here it is simple to find specific luxury properties for sale that meet your needs and requirements or see relevant homes that David has helped past clients sell in the area.

The website has tons of relevant information and area resources that cover the entire Los Angeles area, from Beverly Hills to Malibu, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Los Angeles, Bel Air, and even up to Ojai, just to name a few. For more details on how to get started exploring the Los Angeles luxury real estate market, please visit David Findley of Sotheby’s International Realty at 310-345-6911.

FIABCI Announces Agreement with LUXURY FILM

2008-12-18T04:19:00.001-08:00

The International Real Estate Federation, FIABCI, is announcing a relationship with LUXURY FILM, a premier video production, consulting and animation company which services the luxury real estate market on a global basis. The company is comprised of an exclusive network of experts and international professionals who provide a full spectrum of creative services for video production. "The selection of LUXURY FILM as ‘Preferred Video Supplier' will strengthen FIABCI as the world's leader within the real estate market by providing and enhancing communication tools for our global members," explained Luis Correa-Bahamon, FIABCI World President. "This relationship is just one example of how we are continually striving to support our global membership so they can actively, or should I say virtually, participate in state-of-the-art technology and communication vehicles," he continued.

Luxury Film, headquartered in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, USA, filmed FIABCI's 2008 World Conference in Amsterdam and is providing the footage to all FIABCI members by creating an FIABCI World Congress Amsterdam Video Channel. This streamed conference is available for individual members' websites, as well as all Regional and Chapter websites, who can embed the video for free by going to http://www.luxuryfilm.com/fiabci-2008-world-congress/embed

In addition, LUXURY FILM is working in partnership with FIABCI to offer members an economic yet sophisticated member centric FIABCI Video Network which includes custom branded players, hosting and streaming as well as a state-of-the-art technical team for member support. "It is a great opportunity to work with the world's most prestigious Real Estate Federation," said Shaun Stanley, LUXURY FILM Director of Video Solutions. "Our introduction to the high-quality standards of FIABCI was captured in the 2008 FIABCI World Congress in Amsterdam. We are committed to that standard of excellence and look forward to continually providing the same service to FIABCI members on a global basis," he continued.

The International Real Estate Federation, FIABCI, is an organization of real estate professionals in 65 countries which represents more than 100 national real estate associations, over 2 million professionals, and serves as special consultant with NGO status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations Organization (ECOSOC). FIABCI helps members acquire knowledge, develop networks and optimize business opportunities throughout the world. For information, go to www.FIABCI.org or contact Alyssa Nightingale (631) 367-8599.

You are free to reproduce this press release on your own website, but if doing so, please leave all live links intact. Thank you.

Golf Community Search Portal Announced - Online Search

2008-12-15T04:58:00.000-08:00

Fairway properties announces the launch of online Golf lifestyle real estate portal, offering search facilities and video of major golf communities around the world

For those passionate about living the golfing lifestyle, finding the perfect development can be challenging. Fairway properties’ new website offers buyers the opportunity to search a massive golf development database which showcases the best golf communities around the world using videos of the developments to highlight features and facilities.

If your dream is to live on one of the finest golf community developments in the world, Fairway properties’ allows you to search using a large number of criteria.

Whether you are interested in living on a PGA tour course, Audubon certified course, or courses designed by famous golfers such as Tiger Woods or Greg Norman, Fairway properties can help you live the dream.

People passionate about golf are often passionate about their real estate, and with an ever increasing number of developments using golf to help create a community, being able to easily search for your dream home on a dream course can save time, money and perhaps get you teeing off sooner than you thought.

Many Country clubs are now offering residential real estate, along with time shares, condo-hotels and private residence clubs focused on golf-based amenities. With such a bewildering array to choose from, video is the key, providing the ability to see with your own eyes, not only the facilities and properties, but also the surrounding environment - all from the comfort of your current home. Visit - Fairway Properties.

Real Estate professional Bruce Blomgren Joins Windermere

2008-11-13T02:36:00.000-08:00

Bruce Blomgren, the Coachella Valley's preeminent authority on the luxury home market, has joined Windermere Real Estate as a “Premier Director,” it was announced today.

Blomgren, a well-respected Realtor in the Coachella Valley for 25 years, has been involved in over $630 million in sales in just the last 10 years.

“We are fortunate to have Bruce join the Windermere family with such an established reputation in luxury home sales,” said Bob Deville, broker owner of Windermere Real Estate Coachella Valley. “Bruce is a tremendous asset to our company throughout the valley.”

Blomgren said he joined Windermere's Indian Wells office because of its stellar reputation as a successful company. “They have a lot of integrity and have top notch, high-level real estate marketing.” He also said Windermere's well established presence in the Pacific Northwest is a valuable network to attract those buyers to the Coachella Valley.

“I have a lot of repeat, move-up and long-term clients who also refer me to their friends,” Blomgren said. “Effective marketing and referrals are the keys to guarantee repeat business. You have to work hard to match up the right Client with the right home."

Blomgren is a recognized Coachella Valley real estate market expert and the luxury home market in particular. He is often quoted in the media because of his expertise and is a member of the esteemed Desert Estates Network. Blomgren, his wife Vickie and their two daughters live in La Quinta and are involved in various community activities. Bruce Blomgren's son, Keith, has been an integral part of his real estate team in Indian Wells for over 10 years.

For more information, call Bruce Blomgren at (760) 779-1653 or visit his award-winning Web site at www.BruceBlomgren.com

Auction Company to Sell Historic French Quarter Estate in the Big Easy

2008-11-04T00:57:00.000-08:00

NEW ORLEANS, Nov 03, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- A historic French Quarter Estate will sell at real estate auction on Thursday, November 13th at 2 p.m. J.P. King Auction Company, the nation's leading real estate auction marketing firm specializing in luxury properties will manage the sale of the home.

"This is a rare opportunity to purchase a home in the historic French Quarter and a piece of New Orleans history," said Craig King, president & CEO of J.P. King Auction Company. "In addition to its wonderful amenities, this French Quarter Estate is only a short stroll from Jackson Square."

The home was originally built in 1817, a two-story French Quarter estate full of history and richness. In the mid-1900's, it served as a Gallery Circle Theatre and since has been renovated with modern and luxurious amenities. The focal point of the 3 + suites, 4.5 bathroom estate is centered on the spectacular private courtyard with pool that is perfect for entertaining guests or escaping the energy of the city for quiet relaxation. The courtyard's garden area contains a sprinkler system and automatic fertilizer.

"This is the type of house you never get tired of, a home that makes you love it even more over time," said owner Jerriane Long. "It's truly un-describable. It has a personality all of its own, where each room has its own theme."

The estate boasts hand painted murals throughout, two kitchens, beautiful copper ceilings, cypress flooring, exposed brick, granite countertops, spiral staircase, theatre room, antique bar area and a unique and open layout. The French Quarter Mansion has impeccable architecture throughout the property, preserving the traditional appearance and the nostalgic feel that the area is known for. The estate offers complete privacy from the street with a two-car garage and private parking in the courtyard.

New Orleans is known as the birthplace of jazz, a vibrant city full of diverse culture, deep historical traditions, quaint neighborhoods and fantastic cuisine. The estate is near some of the major attractions in New Orleans including Cafe du Monde, French Market, Bourbon Street, Aquarium of the Americas and the Moon Walk along the Mississippi River. This central location is ideal for experiencing annual Mardi Gras celebrations, performing arts, museums, professional sporting events and the pulsating nightlife.

Individuals interested in more information about the upcoming sale may contact J.P. King at 800-558-5464 or visit the company's web site at www.jpking.com.

J.P. King, based in Gadsden, AL, is the nation's leading real estate auction marketing firm specializing in high-value properties such as superluxury homes, ranches, land, condominiums and developments. J.P. King has marketed upscale properties in 49 states and 6 countries with recent sales in California, Florida, Las Vegas, South Carolina, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, Montana and Alabama.

Press release

ZipRealty Adds Walk Score Ratings for all Homes for Sale on Site

2008-10-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

A home’s proximity to local retailers, schools, and restaurants increasingly important to today’s buyers grappling with high gas prices and desire for “walkable” neighborhoods.

EMERYVILLE, Calif., (October 13, 2008) – With higher gas prices fueling online searches for homes close to local businesses, schools and mass transit stations, ZipRealty announced this week it has integrated Walk Score ratings – the relative “walkability” score of a home on a 100-point scale – into all home listings on its popular home buying site.

Home buyers working with ZipRealty in any of its 35 operating markets across the U.S. can locate listed homes’ walkability scores on ZipRealty.com under each listing’s “Neighborhood Info” tab. Scores are calculated by Walk Score according to a formula based on a home’s proximity to grocery stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, movies, bars, mass transit stations and more.

“With gas prices going through the roof, our buyers want homes closer to where they work, local stores, and public transportation,” says Patrick Lashinsky, ZipRealty’s President and CEO. “A while back, we added information regarding proximity to transit stations in urban areas and Yelp-rated businesses near the homes for sale on our site. This new partnership takes the idea to the next level.”

ZipRealty operates in nine of the top 10 most walkable cities in the U.S., according to Walk Score, including New York, San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Malaysia's Largest Urban Development

2008-10-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

The Iskandar Investment Board (IIB) yesterday launched Malaysia's largest urban development at Cityscape Dubai.

Medini Iskandar, a 2,300 acre (920 hectares) international mixed-use urban development project consisting of nine clusters, should bring in about Dh20 billion in the next 15 to 20 years, said Arlida Ariff, managing director of the Malaysian-based Iskandar Investment Board.

IIB holds a 30 per cent stake in the Medini development.

Incentives
It will be located on prime Greenfield land in the heart of Nusajaya which lies between Malay-sia's second crossing to Singapore and the southern Johor state's New Administrative Centre

At a press conference unveiling the project, Ariff said the development enjoyed the support of the Malaysian government.

"The development has been accepted by the government of Malaysia. It enjoys the incentives that could only be given by the government," she said.

Iskandar partnered with established Middle East developers on the project with the Mubadala Development Company leading a consortium called Global Capital including Aldar Properties and Millennium Development International.

"Medini Iskandar is a very exciting project for the consortium.

"The strength of the relationships within the consortium and with the Malaysian government is a major driving force behind Medini Iskandar," said John Thomas, chairman of Global Capital's board of directors.

Medini is IIB's first offering on the international property scene.

The nine clusters will include lifestyle, leisure, culture, wellness centre and a finance district.

The lifestyle cluster includes the development of 1,240 acres (496 hectares) of land into a city centre, golf village, medical and wellness village, amusement bay and residential district.

Construction will begin by year-end and will be completed in three years, Ariff said.

The International Financial District is poised to become a "world class hub of Islamic finance in Southeast Asia."

Property News from Around the world. Haunted house foreclosed upon, Britney Spears selling her Beverly Hills Home and an Interesting Investment in Oz

2008-09-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Britney Spears is selling her home in Beverly Hills. Let us just hope this is not another one of those silly things she seems to have been doing lately.

A British business man claims his house is possessed and then re-possessed by the bank. Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

An off-plan development in Sydney, Australia offers good investment returns.

Off plan is the way to go it seems.

VideoPros Announces Beta Launch: Professional Videographer Search and Content Management

2008-09-23T04:31:00.000-07:00

Denver, September 24, 2008 – VideoPros announced today the beta launch of its online video service and Web site, VideoPros.com (http://www.videopros.com). VideoPros is a venue to find and contact video professionals. Featuring a sophisticated videographer search, VideoPros services individuals, small businesses, corporations and industries needing professional video production and online distribution. The website offers video professionals a robust video hosting, streaming and content management system.

Beginning today, video professionals and consumers from around the world can go to VideoPros.com and begin using the Web site. Video professionals can create professional profiles, display demo reels, get indexed in search results, host and stream professional content, and create custom video players. Consumers can search, request bids and contact local, national and international video professionals.

“We’re excited to launch VideoPros.com to serve a professional, business-driven audience,” said Sean Murphy, Principal of VideoPros. “User generated content, social networking and Web 2.0 have delivered minimal ROI for businesses and video professionals. Launching VideoPros.com is a first step in delivering a solution to the professional segment of the online video community.”

The company announced VideoPros products and services are positioned to take advantage of several trends reported by research firms.

• “Local online video ad revenue will reach $1.5 billion in four years. Video ads will account for 11.6 percent of the online advertising budgets of small and medium-sized business by 2012.” (The Kelsey Group, June, 2008)

• “The online video market is expected to explode to record $4.5 billion in sales by 2012.” (In-Stat, July, 2008)

•“As media companies change their business model, putting more and more professionally created video content online, the audience, and related ad dollars will increase dramatically.” (eMarketer, August, 2008)

VideoPros brings together professional content producers and provides a tool-set to help them grow their business,” said Layne Solheim, Online Media Specialist for VideoPros. “Video professionals are demanding better resources, technology and ways to service their clients. Businesses of all sizes are demanding professional content and online distribution. VideoPros is where they come together. It’s the perfect storm of professional collaboration.”

VideoPros announced it has closed an initial round of funding from angel investors. The official terms of the funding are undisclosed.

The company announced it will undergo an official “Beta” period to resolve any technical complications associated with the launch. Users are encouraged to report any malfunctions or errors. VideoPros announced rapid development continues for the Web site. For more information, a development timeline can be viewed on the company’s official Beta Storyboard. (http://www.videopros.com/pages/beta_storyboard).

About VideoPros
VideoPros is a privately-held company headquartered in Denver, CO, USA. The company is an online service for video professionals, individuals and corporations. The Web site is a venue for video professionals, consumers and businesses of all industries. VideoVine™, ProCertified™ and ProAPI™ are official products and services of the company. The website features a professional videographer search and video content management system. For more information, visit VideoPros at www.VideoPros.com.

Billionaire's Giga-Yacht in Cannes

2008-09-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

Multi-billionaire Andrey Melnichenko parked his brand new Mega_Yacht "A" in Cannes recently. To the admiration and envy of the entire French coast (except for those who consider it a design abimination). Perhaps the most beautiful ship on the seas at the moment? You decide.

Photos of Mega-Yacht "A"

Daman Investments in Dubai announces new company

2008-09-17T06:28:00.000-07:00

Dubai-UAE: Daman Investments, a UAE-focused investment holding company with an initial capitalization of US$ 180 million. The company has nine founding partners of which Daman Investments is one. The partners are GCC based (from Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE) and are a mix of private and public sector institutions as well as high net worth individuals.

Buildan is a venture capital company that aims to become a leading developer and investor in aviation and logistics related businesses as well as real estate projects located primarily within and in the vicinity of the new Al Maktoum International Airport at Jebel Ali. Buildan will work through direct investment, partnerships, venture capital and infrastructure investments. Already in operation, Buildan is fully staffed and set up with projects in the pipeline, some of which are nearing completion. Major projects will be announced in mid October, 2008.

Commenting on why this company was established, Mr. Shehab Gargash CEO of Daman Investments said: "Buildan was created to participate in very early entry opportunities which we recognized when the new Jebel Ali area airport was announced. Conceived as a holding company that will act directly or through special purpose vehicles, Buildan is a very early strategic investor within this new infrastructure city and international logistics hub currently being developed with costs estimated at US $33 billion.

Mr. Gargash added: "We believe that Buildan is yet another example of Daman's ability to bring premium financial products to life with enhanced investor value. We are proud to be a pioneer investor in this important infrastructure and logistics hub which will change the face of transportation and tourism in the region. "

When asked about future projects in Dubai and long term planning Mr. Gargash replied: "As the business evolves, Buildan will naturally require a broader capital base. We foresee that we may consider an IPO within a 4-5 year time horizon."

Speaking on behalf of Buildan, Mr. Ahmad Al Matrooshi, Strategic Project Manager said: "We have had the opportunity to work closely with Dubai World and their highly professional team from a very early stage of the project. This enabled us to bring value as a private sector contributor to this impressive initiative."

Al Maktoum International Airport will house 6 integrated clusters and become the largest, most technically advanced new international airport in the world. Mr. Al Matrooshi continued: "Although a very young company, Buildan is built upon a clear vision with well defined goals backed with a team of seasoned investment professionals. With our specific geographic and sector development focus, the company will benefit from its early mover advantage."

Buildan's initial focus and primary objectives are the development of assets and operating businesses located primarily in the Al Maktoum International Airport area located in Jebel Ali, Dubai. These businesses may include specialized airport facilities, long-term investments in the airline industry and freehold purchases of commercial property, warehousing or logistics property as well as specialized airport facilities and residential property.

UAE: Real Estate Financing Sector to Touch $40 Billion

2008-09-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

The unrealistic growth on the real estate sector due to speculation is a serious challenge that has put real estate financing on higher risks, says a report by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI).

In a research report, Abu Dhabi's main trade body has said that real estate financing in the emirate is projected to shoot up to $40 billion over the next five years, driven by the $354 billion in construction projects announced so far, record surge in demand for housing units and soaring rents of residential apartments.

But, the remarkable growth is not without any challenges.

Lack of adequate regulations to regulate the real estate market; absence of long-term in-depth studies, risk management analysis and forecasts at the GCC level; Long-term bank financing in real estate investment could affect bank liquidity.

It said that rapid developments in the sector could invite contingent changes in the market. Any possible correction in the prices of real estate assets could harm real estate financing amid lack of legislations; Defaults of clients could plunge financiers into troubles.

The report has called for learning lesson from the US's subprime crisis, as the record growth in the real estate sector in the GCC in particular and Arab countries in general could result in credit crisis as happened in the world largest economy. Unexpected boom and accelerating demand have left banks and financing institutions with little room to introduce innovative financing products to satisfy great expectations of developers, contractors and investors. The ADCCI report says that abundant supply of up-scale properties doesn't cope with actual demand of medium and low-income categories for houses, leading to a decline in prices of units, thus overshadowing the sector at large.

There is strong need for regulations to regulate the real estate sector in attracting investment so as to protect interests of all stakeholders and maintain the growth momentum.

The report asked for chalking out a strategy to match projected growth in demand for houses with growth of supply under the economic expansion plan of Abu Dhabi. The ADCCI report asked for providing accurate data on demography, population increase, incomes, and number of young men and women planning to get married to forecast the deficit in the demand-supply equation for housing. The report recommended drawing a housing plan to cater for low-medium income groups.

Similar issues are facing Dubai, and recent attempts to regulate the out-of-control growth rate include:

The removal of guaranteed residence visas in Dubai for foreign buyers
A new law to regulate the mortgage market in Dubai
The introduction of a high capital gains tax on properties bought in Dubai and sold within a year

Worldwide Property News and Markets

2008-09-04T04:56:00.000-07:00

This is a list of links to interesting real estate news from around the world. As the saying goes, "One man's meat...." which means falling prices in certain areas combined with volatile foreign exchange rates are helping to change the face of the world's property markets.

Property prices in Moscow are falling, which is a big turnaround, and perhaps reflects the fact that like most other cities, overbuilding will eventually catch up with demand, surpass it and cause prices to fall.

A new waterfront developmen t in Sydney, Australia offers a potential good investment. Like many other areas of the world, prices have been falling here, and perhaps now is a good time to buy before the tide turns.

Manhattan luxury real estate also sees a drop in prices this month, with large drops in both prices and the amount of sales made. Our feeling is this market has not quite reached rock bottom yet, but for buyers spending Euros, this is a good time.

Other markets are also feeling the pinch, not just the property markets. Even the designer handbag market is seeing problems with luxury buyers waiting to see what the future brings rather than rushing out and buying the latest bag as soon as it is launched.

Office furniture, oddly enough is another market being hit. With job losses in most industries, and more job cuts planned across the USA, used office furniture just got a whole lot cheaper.

Promoting your website

2008-08-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

This is a guide to making your website or blog work. Just writing away without doing any promotion at all will fail. Much as I hate to say it, you need to do some promotion or you will fail. Which sux ! But that is the wya it is so here are a few ideas and suggestions.

How to get a web page on the front page of google's results.

How I got my hub on google’s front page:
Simple really – No keyword stuffing, no long tail keyword phrase research, no bullshit marketing or paying for links - I simply followed hubpages’ instructions on how to write a flagship hub which are:

Using social networking sites to promote a real estate blog

This is a hot subject in real estate marketing, luxury or otherwise. How to generate traffic to your website by using social networking sites. There appear to be more social networking sites than fleas on a dog......

Using dofollow blogs to create back links.

This blog is now (from today) a dofollow blog, which means all comments left are no longer tagged nofollow which is the default wordpress setup.

Luxury Property markets around the world feeling the pinch

2008-08-19T04:57:00.000-07:00

Romania is the latest luxury real estate market to feel the pinch of the credit crisis with a number of large developers being forced to cancel projects before breaking ground. Romania luxury real estate.

Designer Purses - New and Interesting Models

2008-08-12T03:29:00.000-07:00

Kate Spade Belle Heaven Malva

If you like orange leather - this is the one for you.

Devi Kroell Wooden Clutch

Crystal embedded wooden purses? Who would have thought they could be so sexy?

Fendi Paillette Spy Bag

Nearly $5,000 buys you this hideous or gorgeous bag - depending on your persepctive. The price stays the same though :)

Most Expensive Homes around the World

2008-08-06T02:01:00.000-07:00

The most expensive real estate in the world always gets some attention and here are some interesting snippets from the luxury real estate world.

The most expensive house in France failed to sell.

Mukesh Ambani's monstrosity in Mumbai is still under construction.

London continues to set ridiculous prices for property. The most expensive basement apartment in the world.

It is nice, but $32 million? Insane.

Singapore's most expensive home is being fought over in court.

And the most expensive golf course in Scotland is up for sale.

And one of the most expensive luxury homes in Chicago has just been completed and offered for sale.

Luxury Yacht Provisioning on the French Riviera

2008-07-28T05:20:00.000-07:00

Shopping for food and drink on the French Riviera dusing the summer is nothing less than a pain-in-the-ass.

A whole industry has sprung up around supplying luxury yachts with the best quality fine wines and foods from around the world.

Luxury Yacht provisioning on French Riviera

Connecting a Sony Video Camera to a Macintosh MacBook Pro

2008-07-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

Who could have thought it would be such a pain in the ass to make a Sony Handycam Camcorder work with a Mac computer?

Me now. It turns out Sony and Apple disagree over some such rubbish that I don't know about and Sony have deliberately made it difficult in the hope that you will buy a Sony VAIO and their proprietary software. No thanks. The fix is here:

Connecting a Sony Handcam to a Macintosh MacBook Pro.

Investing in Australian Real Estate

2008-07-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

The best Australian real estate blog on the planet. News, opinions and advice on teh Australian real estate market.

Australian Real Estate

The slowing property market in Australia has meant that some real estate agents are finally having to do some work to earn their generous commissions.

Golf Developments

2008-07-17T05:33:00.000-07:00

As the 2008 British Open Golf championship kicks off in Lancashire today, I felt a look at some of the golf developments around the world would be appropriate, especially one of the more spectacular properties close to Royal Birkdale.

2008 British Open Tees Off at Royal Birkdale

The 2008 British Open Golf championship tees off today, with the notable absence of Tiger Woods. Whether Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, or Ernie Els will step up and fill the breach remains to be seen

Fashion Designer to design Luxury Hotel in Dubai Golf Development

What do Karl Lagerfeld and Paris-based Lebanese designer, Elie Saab have in common? They are both designing property in Dubai now.

Tiger Woods Golf Development in Dubai Becomes Nursery

If any more proof was needed that you can do anything with enough money, the latest news from Dubai regarding the Tiger Woods Golf development should clinch it. The Tiger Woods Dubai, a residential golf course development at Dubailand, is now also planned to become the country’s largest nursery.

Scotland’s Most Expensive Golf Course for Sale?

By any one’s definition of the word “luxury,” a golf course has to be up there. I mean, giving over several acres of prime real estate, covering it with lush, green grass that gets more attention than a new-born infant and persuading a lot of middle-aged men to pay $150,000 for the privilege of knocking a little white ball around with a stick sounds like luxury to me.

Bollywood Stars Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan buy in Dubai

The “Bollywood” celebrity couple Abhishek and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have purchased a villa in the prestigious Sanctuary Falls, a resort-style villa community within Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Gourmet Summer Recipes

2008-07-15T06:10:00.000-07:00

Gourmet recipes do not have to be insanely complex. Just use the best ingredients and follow some simple instructions to create some very simple, high quality summer meals. These are a few recommendations.

Smoked Trout creams - Best steelhead trout recipe

This trout recipe is really special to serve as an appetizer. They really need to be prepared the day before, or at worst, the morning before serving because they need to sit for minimum of six hours before cooking. I much prefer to do them the day before.

Asparagus and Cheese Tart recipe

The wonderful thing about this recipe is the fact that it makes a small amount of Asparagus go a really long way. Where I live, Asparagus is incredibly expensive and this is a good way of making it go further.

Taramasalata - How to make simple Taramasalata

There are very few famous Greek dishes, and Greek cuisine seems sadly neglected by many of the well-known chefs. But Greece has a fabulous history of cooking and there are many wonderful Greek recipes.

Ceasar Salad - How to make the best Ceasar Salad - The original Recipe

Making the perfect Caesar salad is not hard, it just requires a little attention to detail. For me, the perfect Caesar salad has a hint of garlic, a medium flavor of anchovies and a strong taste of parmesan cheese.

The Best of the Property Blogs and Webpages

2008-07-13T09:35:00.000-07:00

Looking for information on the world of luxury real estate and international property investment? Look no further.

Information and news from the Australian property market

Investing in the Dominican Republic

Golf Developments around the World

Buying a Private Island

Buying Real Estate in Morocco

Investment news from Dubai

Investing in Foreclosures in the United States

Private Islands

2008-06-17T02:52:00.000-07:00

Perhaps the ultimate luxury accessory could be considered to be your own Private Island। Due to the scarcity of islands a simple solution seems to be – build some more. Perhaps not quite as luxurious as owning your own tropical island, they are certainly more convenient, being as most of them are close to a large urban conurbation. A number of artificial island projects have been created over the last few years, some of them quite staggering in scope and size.

Private Islands

Luxury Real Estate Ups and Downs

2008-06-03T04:18:00.000-07:00

Falling home values mean an attractive investment opportunity for America's affluent according to the Luxury Institute.

24% of affluent Americans plan to buy property in 2008.

Home values fall by a massive 14.1% in the first quarter of 2008. (see above)

Donald Trump sell luxury mansion in Florida:

After dropping his price by $25 million, Mr. Trump sold his mega-mansion in Florida.

New record price reached for a home in London:

Britain's richest man, Lakshmi Mittla has reputedly agreed a new record price for a luxury home in London.

LuxuryProperty.com Breaks New Ground in Online Real Estate Marketing

2008-05-23T00:57:00.000-07:00

It can be hard to find objective information about real estate amongst the welter of self-serving advertorial being dished up by real estate companies. One company has taken the innovative approach of employing a professional real estate blogger to provide a breath of fresh air to its corporate web site: The Luxury Property Blog.

(PRWEB) May 22, 2008 -- Responding to the market trends of growing internet usage and a decline in the consumption of traditional media, Luxury Property.com have taken the unprecedented step of hiring an independent professional blogger to drive their new media marketing strategy, the Luxury Property Blog - Mark Knowles

Corporate blogs have historically been dull and self-promotional, perhaps because producing content has been left to traditional marketing departments. Effective blogs, which attract thousands of readers daily, require a completely different skill set from traditional marketing, but attract a demographic which is very difficult to reach through mainstream media.

Building, maintaining, and promoting a corporate blog is part of our strategy to usher in an era of advanced online marketing for the luxury real estate industry.

Internet usage continues to increase and now rivals TV in the media consumption stakes. According to a study by The European Interactive Advertising Association, " 57% of Europeans now regularly access the internet each week. That equates to 169 million people now frequently online across the ten European markets surveyed in the study." The internet is rapidly becoming a hub for all media with internet users increasingly consuming media such as magazines, newspapers, radio and TV digitally. Advertising.com states: "The majority (62%) of consumers are viewing video online."

This applies to the wealthy consumer also, and, according to the Luxury Institute, "wealthy-consumer participation in online social networks is on the rise. Whilst Unity Marketing, a luxury market research firm, states that the internet is playing an increasingly larger role in influencing luxury consumers.

Michael D Murphy, CEO of Luxury Property.com said, "Building, maintaining, and promoting a corporate blog is part of our strategy to usher in an era of advanced online marketing for the luxury real estate industry."

According to homestomper.com, 77% of home buyers begin their research process online.

The term "Blog," is short for "Web log," a specialized site that allows an individual or group of individuals to share a running log of events and personal insights with online audiences. Bloggers tend to be highly-opinionated mavericks and the term "Executive Blogger," almost seems like an oxymoron. When asked if the corporate environment would stifle Mark's creative thought process, Mr. Murphy responded:

"Absolutely not. Mark is a professional and an expert, and he has to be able to call it like he sees it, or the blog loses all its value to the readers. We think he had a fair point when he criticized our failure to properly launch the Luxury Property main site within our projected time frame. Unfortunately that was outside our control due to a poor choice of contractor for the site's construction. We have since moved these operations in-house and will be re-launching this summer."

Mr. Knowles is a long-time blogger with experience both of blogging and real estate. He has written and operated several internationally recognized property blogs. His past experience also includes managing a successful photographic processing laboratory servicing real estate marketer's needs.

His plans for the blog include creating a number of foreign language versions, including a Chinese version of the luxury property blog with guest bloggers from around the world contributing regularly. When interviewed about the becoming the world's first executive blogger, Mark said:

"This job fits very well with my skill set, and LuxuryProperty.com is an extremely progressive website with a good grasp of the future, both in the luxury real estate world and the marketing possibilities of Internet Video. I am very happy to be a part of this team and looking forward to taking blogging, and Internet Video Marketing to the next level. With a little luck, I might even be able to cut down on the amount of horrible real estate videos I see posted to YouTube."

When asked about this aspect, Michael D. Murphy said:

"In my opinion, what most internet users enjoy about blogs is their authenticity. If Mark wants to make an example of the poor quality real estate videos on YouTube, we're certainly not going to stop him. If anything, such a practice should serve to raise the standard of online marketing - and that is what our company is all about."

The job description, "Executive blogger," is not widely-used, and only time will tell if this becomes as mainstream as blogging has done recently. Technocrati claim to be tracking over 112 million blogs, not including the estimated 73 million Chinese-language blogs, although the Blog Herald asks "Have we reached such a great amount of blogs that we no longer feel the need to count them?

About:

Mark Knowles is a pro-blogger and has, in the past, written for several other well-known property blogs including the International Property Investment Blog. For quotes, photos and more information, please email.

LUX, based in Denver, CO and Chicago, IL, specializes in the development and operation of a growing network of luxury-themed websites and services: LUXURY PROPERTY, LUXURY SOIREE, LUXURY FILM, and an international network of luxury blogs.

Press Release available here for down load in Printer friendly, PDF and Reader Versions with photographs.

Luxury Real Estate Development News

2008-05-16T02:24:00.000-07:00

More developments, more luxury. Although, as usual most of the new developments are coming out of the UAE.

Jumeirah Golf Estates

The idea of a luxury real estate development based around a gold course is not exactly a new one, but in the desert? This one is pretty spectacular though.

Emaar launches "Signature Residences."

Emaar Properties will roll out an exclusive roster of signature residences within its established master-planned communities on May 10, 2008.
The one-day special sale of premium residences within The Lakes, The Views, Downtown Burj Dubai and Dubai Marina will be on a first come, first serve basis with several financial institutions offering easy home finance options.

A green development on the beachfront in Belize

Belize’s First Eco-Friendly Resort Designed Green from the Ground Up Ravenspur Investments Inc. today unveiled plans for Palmetto Bay Resort at Maya Beach, a secluded tropical hideaway in Southern Belize situated on 16-miles of white sand beaches and complemented by stunning scenery of the Maya Mountains.

Another Development from Emaar - "The Address" A five star Luxury Hotel Brand.

Emaar Hospitality, the hospitality & leisure business subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, has revealed plans to launch and operate its own five star premium global brand of world-class hotels and resorts under the brand name, The Address Hotels & Resorts. Set to redefine the hospitality experience, Emaar’s global hotel brand will roll out later this year with the opening of The Address flagship hotels in Downtown Burj Dubai and another property in Dubai Marina.

Two more Skyscrapers launched in Abu Dhabi

Hydra properties, a UAE real estate developer, today announced the launch of two new projects - Hydra Avenue Towers and Hydra 55 Towers.

A Chinese blog even picked up on the latest development in London. Cornwall Terrace Mews. I have no idea what they are saying, but they seem to like it.

伦敦最奢华的房产

“Oakmayne Bespoke”即将在伦敦推出最奢华的房产（见上图）- 6 座大使馆风格的双面居所，另外还有三套房产位于伦敦摄政公园 Cornwall Terrace Mews 20-21 号。我拿不准应该使用住家还是住房。就叫居所吧。

Best iPhone Accesories

2008-04-06T01:20:00.000-07:00

With the staggeringly massive amount of accessories available for the iPhone, how on earth do you decide what to buy.

Unfortunately, there is a massive amount of rubbish available and it is really easy to make the wrong choice. For an independent opinion, try these web pages:

iPhone Cases
iPhone Earphones
iPhone Bluetooth headsets
iPhone Speaker Systems
Apple Mac book Air review

Property News around the World

2008-04-05T05:31:00.000-07:00

Despite the recent crash/subprime crisis, property continues to be a subject that everyone is interested in. This is a quick roundup of some happenings in the World wide property markets, and online property sites.

The Luxury Property Blog finds luxury real estate agents attempting to use new marketing techniques to sell properties valued in excess of $10 million. Although, using pretty girls to sell things is not exactly a new idea. Video here.

They also have some interesting news of another new development in Dubai, the Burj Park Dubai, a waterfront luxury condominium development.

International Property investment also has more news of happenings in Dubai. The Blue city development, now under new ownership after some legal wranglings will continue. Blue city Dubai.

But rumblings of a real estate slowdown in Chennai, India, may end up slowing the Indian property markets.

The International Herald Tribune real estate blog, "Raising The Roof," has a look at the disastrous state of teh Spanish real estate market.

And mentions that even Spanish developers are beginning to look for opportunities outside of Spain.

Luxury Costs - The Rolls Royce Phantom Coupe - $400,000

2008-03-12T04:42:00.000-07:00

There can be only two words to describe Rolls Royce’s latest Phantom Coupe launched at the Geneva Motor show last week – Luxurious and Big. In fact, ridiculously so on both counts. Hand bag makers around the world will have to rethink the whole idea of supple leather, because the seats in this car makes a typical calf skin purse look decidedly rough.

Full Article

Trout Recipes

2008-03-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

Possibly my favorite trout recipe. Smoked Trout Creams. Easy to do, and tastes wonderfull

Rainbow Trout Recipe

Eco Terrorist Burn Luxury Property

2008-03-05T06:20:00.000-08:00

The Earth Liberation Front has been accused of burning down three luxury homes in Seattle.
The Full post is here:

Luxury Homes destroyed

Hot Gadgets for 2008

2008-01-09T04:12:00.000-08:00

What's going to be hot in 2008 - Is it going to be the year of the iPhone again? Or will someone topple Apple off their perch?

The Tech Brief has some predictions for 2008

Getting in Google's top five search results

2008-01-03T07:44:00.000-08:00

So, you want to be in the top five for google's search results? How? here's a quick and easy guide.

How I got my hub to be on Google's first page

Stop Foreclosure

2007-12-21T16:03:00.000-08:00

Many Americans are facing the prospect of losingtheir home to foreclosure. But there are ways to avoid it.

Avoiding Foreclosure

Hundreds of thousands of Americans are facing the prospect of foreclosure on their home right now. Foreclosure rates are running higher than at any time in the last twenty years. A combination of over borrowing, low lending standards and a drop in property values is exacerbating the situation. President Bush himself addressed the nation recently with a series of measures designed to help the situation. Read the rest.

2008 Motorcycle Guide

2007-12-16T02:35:00.000-08:00

What's new for 2008? Just about everything it seems. new Harley Davidson models; brand new bikes for Yamaha, Honda and Ducati. The 1098 grows 100ccs for the new World Superbike rules and there's a new Suzuki Hayabusa with even more power !
Check it out here.

Ducati's new 848

2008 'Busa

Forex Exponential Moving Average Based Systems

2007-12-01T00:58:00.000-08:00

A Moving Average is the technical indicator that shows the average value of a particular currency pair over a previously determined amount of time. This means, for example, that prices can be averaged over 30 to 60 days, or 20 to 40 minutes depending on the time frame you are using at the moment of your trading activity. The basic mechanics of Moving Averages tell you where the forex market is moving, either up or down, at the moment of your analysis by considering two different time frame Moving Averages and plotting them on a chart. It is very important that one of these MA is over a shorter time period than the other one. Many brokers offer this as part of their basic trading platforms. Read the rest.

Forex Trading Guide

2007-11-23T05:34:00.000-08:00

An excellent guide to the ins and outs, risks and pitfalls of foreign exchange day trading.

Forex Overview

Forex, or the foreign exchange market (also commonly known as FX or simply, “currency”) involves trading one currency for another. Forex is by far and away the largest financial market in the world. Trades are made between large banks, central banks, currency speculators, multinational corporations, governments, and even the other financial markets. According to The Bank for International Settlements (BIS), a world-wide central bank organization, the average daily trade in the global forex and related markets is currently over three trillion US dollars – A DAY. This is several times larger than all the U.S stock markets combined. The trading is done from all round the world, with little or no hard cash changing hands. Read the rest.

Google Hacks for Dummies

2007-11-20T01:35:00.000-08:00

Google is a powerful tool. Most of the time, most users are restricted to using Google as a search engine, and looking at pages on the internet Google has allowed or encouraged you to see, but there is a darker side to Google – “Google Hacks.”

Google hacks are strings of code entered into the search box that will access information that was never intended to be available to the general public. Some enterprising hacker has discovered which particular string of search parameters will provide normally restricted information.

There are many hacking guides, written by hackers. Unfortunately, most of these guides are written for the already initiated and assume a level of knowledge far above the typical user’s. Loosely translated this means they are a, really boring and b, impossible to understand.

The other problem I came across looking for usable hacks is that the hackers are far more comfortable talking to a machine than a person which makes the instructions even more difficult to follow. Here is an example: read the rest.

Top Ten American Recipes

2007-11-17T04:30:00.000-08:00

Mark Knowles' salute to American recipes. A top ten favorite list of USA foods from one of the best food writers in the known universe.

The Best Gazpacho Soup Recipe

2007-11-16T04:28:00.000-08:00

This is a wonderful summer recipe and is extremely refreshing. It is really important to use fresh vegetables. And by fresh, I mean fresh, grown in season locally. Don’t try and make this in November in New York. The rubbish that the grocery store is selling out of season has been flown half way round the world and will taste of nothing.

This is one of my issues with grocery store chains. It is just not possible to get good tasting vegetables that far out of season. They can get them to look good, I will give them that, but when you smell them or taste them, you know they’re garbage, just imported to tempt you into buying and throwing away. I think the grocery store chains make more money out of getting you to throw food away than the food you actually eat. So, only in-season, summer vegetables and you will have one of the tastiest soups ever. Another simple recipe that just takes a little time. Read the rest.

Authentic Indian Baked Spiced Chicken

2007-11-14T06:42:00.001-08:00

Authentic Indian cuisine is not hard to make; this recipe calls for crushed whole spices, smells and tastes spectacular and is as close to genuine Indian cooking as you can find. The only thing missing is a clay oven, although if you have a clay oven, this is the recipe to use for it.

If you are unable to find fresh, whole spices, it’s OK to substitute dried, but it’s worth the effort of finding whole spices. While this is an easy recipe, it takes a little time and the chicken needs to be prepared a few hours ahead of time, or preferably overnight. Read the rest.

How to make Chicken Noodle Soup

2007-11-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Chicken noodle soup may not be a genuine American recipe but it goes in that category for me because I just can’t think of it as anything else. Genuine hodge podge is about right I think. Perhaps it’s a Jewish recipe, perhaps it’s an Eastern European recipe, who knows? Either way, I give credit to the people of the USA for this one. Accordingly, there are thousands of different ways to make this soup, but here is my own personal favorite. This is a really easy recipe, but it no five minute one. You need at least half a day to do this – but most of the time is spent not doing anything other than watching the pot simmer. Read the rest.

Ultimate Chocolate Brownie recipe

2007-11-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

If you are not content with a double shot of espresso to kick start the day, here’s a great recipe to perk up those slow-to-start people among us (myself included). Although, as the saying for beer goes, “Brownies are not just for breakfast.” Read the rest.

The Best Home Made Chili Con Carne

2007-11-12T02:43:00.000-08:00

Making your own home made chili is a breeze. Chili con carne means chili with meat. It’s a simple and easy as cooking gets. Everything gets thrown in a pot and left to cook for a while.

Home made chili is a hundred times better than a store bought meal. You know what went into it and you can adjust the heat to suit your families tastes. This particular version is fairly mild, but if you prefer a hotter chili, just increase the amount of chillies and spices. This recipe serves 6 people. A good family meal with some leftovers. That’s another great thing about chili: it makes wonderful leftovers. I prefer to make my own chili powder and use fresh chillies, but if you are using ready-made chili powder, that will work..... Continue reading.

Making an Omelet

2007-11-11T11:53:00.000-08:00

How to make an Omelet.

This had to be one of the simplest recipes ever and is probably the easiest meal to cook. It takes less than ten minutes including the preparation work. For this one I have added cheese and onion, but you can adjust the recipe to your needs. Bacon (cooked) ham, vegetables, olives and feta, smoked salmon, whatever you like. If you are using meat, just be sure to cook it first before adding it to the Omelet.

This is for a one person Omelet, but as a general rule, two or three eggs per person is about right. As far as measurements go, with this recipe it’s not vital to use exact measurements. If your splash of milk is a little bigger or smaller than mine, it makes no difference. If you use four eggs instead of two, that’s OK. This recipe is almost impossible to ruin. Read the rest.

How to generate traffic to your website.

2007-11-09T14:28:00.000-08:00

One of my friends over at HubPages has just written a really useful guide on how to generate traffic. It's aimed at Hubpage users, but the same rules apply to any website. Take a look, it is here:

Get Traffic To Your Hubs

The Best Damn Collection of Italian Recipes Ever

2007-11-08T15:14:00.000-08:00

I love to cook. that's probably why my waistline is not what it used to be. It' somewhere north oflglkhj. Hmmm.... I seem to be having trouble writing that. No matter. My favorite recipes are Italian. I love Italian food. I also love to write recipes that I personally have tried, made up, experimented with and generally think are the best damn easy Italian recipes ever. I have chosen HubPages as the venue for my recipes. They have an extremely helpful set of people running the site, and it looks good. So, I have compiled a brief introduction and a collection of my favorites here. Click on a photo or a link to see the entire recipe. Try them out. If you like them as much as I do, I will be happy. If you don't - I offer a full refund. While you are over there, take a look at HubPages. It's kinda like WordPress, but with the opportunity to make some advertising money. Never a bad thing. These are in no particular order, I could never pick one recipe over another; they're all great in their own way.

Home made Pizza Napoletana

Best Lasagne recipe

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ossobucu recipe

Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella salad

Risotto alla Milanese

Home made Pizza with Mozzarella, olives and anchovies (Pizza Romana)

Baked meat and Macaroni pie

Macaroni and cheese

Best spaghetti a la carbonara recipe

Best Hotels on the French Riviera - Le Beauvallon

2007-11-03T00:31:00.000-07:00

Le Beauvallon, situated across the bay from St Tropez, between Grimaud and Ste Maxime, touts itself as “The best kept secret of the Cote D’Azur.” This is not entirely true, and they have a strong looking website that disproves it, but compared to many hotels in the south of France, Le Beauvallon is relatively quiet and for a change, welcomes small children. One of the great things about Le Beauvallon is the fact that they have their own private beach and gardens. I will reiterate the fact that they welcome children, because this is not the case in many up-market hotels on the Riviera. Continue reading.

The Best Roast Turkey Ever

2007-10-31T04:07:00.000-07:00

Roasting a turkey is very simple. Many people have been persuaded away from the traditional way of roasting a turkey, but I still think this is the best way to do it. I know it is slightly faster to cook the bird with no stuffing in and many people now buy a ready-made stuffing in a box that just requires water being added. I have tried all the ready made stuffing and do not recommend them. Cooking a turkey in this way is an all day event. If possible involve the whole family. If you are cooking for a large group of family and friends, there is a lot of work to do. Kids will love to help peel the potatoes. (Or not.) Continue reading.

Roast Duck with Morello Cherry Sauce

2007-10-30T07:46:00.000-07:00

Roasting a duck is no harder than roasting any other bird. In fact, it is easier because one thing a duck does not need is any added fat. Duck is a naturally fatty food, but most of it will come out during cooking, which is great because we will use this excess fat to cook our roast potatoes. (See roast potatoes recipe)

This is a very simple recipe, because we are going to do nothing other than season the bird with salt and pepper, and roast it. This will serve 4. Continue reading.

Poule Au Pot (Chicken in the pot) recipe

2007-10-30T04:12:00.000-07:00

It was Henry IV of France’s ambition to create such a wealthy nation that every family in the land would be able to afford this dish every Sunday. Of course, that put a little strain on the chicken population come Sunday, but it’s a nice story.

The original recipe for this calls to use the giblets to make a stock, but there is a tendency nowadays to remove the giblets before the chicken gets to the customer, so You will need some ready made stock instead. I prefer to use a liquid stock rather than bouillon cubes for this recipe. Continue reading.

Ratatouille

2007-10-29T17:42:00.000-07:00

Ratatouille sounds like a hard dish to cook and I think most people are put off by the fact that it includes eggplant. Eggplant is not difficult to cook either, but it does require some preparation work before you can cook it. I will go through this step by step and you’ll find it’s no more difficult than any other vegetable. Ratatouille makes a wonderful accompaniment to many different meals and if you are vegetarian is a great meal served with fresh bread. Continue reading.

The French Riviera - Antibes

2007-10-29T10:19:00.000-07:00

Antibes is an interesting town for several reasons, not least of which is the old castle overlooking the port. It’s many alleys and narrow streets are crowded in the summer, but offer a varied selection of restaurants, fine wine sellers and of course, the ubiquitous tourist traps. Continue reading.

Coq au vin recipe

2007-10-29T05:49:00.000-07:00

Coq au vin means literally, “Cock in wine,” but nowadays it has become less traditional to use an actual cock because it’s far easier to find a chicken than a cock. This is another really easy recipe that just takes a little time to prepare. If you wish to make a less expensive version, just use chicken pieces (legs and thighs) rather than a whole chicken. I prefer to use a whole chicken though. This takes very little time, perhaps 1 ½ hours including preparation time. This is another great smelling dish that fills the kitchen with a wonderful aroma whilst cooking. If you have a friendly butcher, ask him to cut a chicken into 6 pieces for you. Even though the wine is going to be used for cooking, it is worth buying a reasonable bottle. Continue reading.

Easy Irish Stew with Dumplings

2007-10-29T02:18:00.000-07:00

I am not so sure about this being a genuine Irish recipe, but that’s the name, so I’ll stick with it. This is a very tasty, easy recipe, because basically you just throw everything into a casserole dish and leave to cook. I like to add dumplings and for me, that’s what makes this the perfect meal. It’s a very inexpensive meal and the only thing that takes any real time is a small amount of preparation and a little time making the dumplings. There are lots of ways to make dumplings, but if you follow this recipe, you will have light, fluffy dumplings that complement this stew perfectly. An interesting variety is to add parsley to the dumplings. But only add it if you can find fresh parsley – dried will not do, it’s too strong. Continue reading.

Braised Meatballs with peppers and tomatoes

2007-10-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

Meatballs are a truly economical way of eating meat, but many people are put off by the amount of work they think needs to go into them. But the reality is that meatballs are easy – If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty. I like to make them by hand, and they are really easy. I like to mix pork sausage and ground beef, but if you prefer, you can use Italian sausage and ground pork or veal or mix it up however you like. For this recipe I will recommend ground beef and pork sausage because it gives the most authentic flavors. Use a good quality sausage because we are going to add breadcrumbs so we don’t want a sausage that has already been diluted. Continue reading.

The World's Most Unusual Properties for Sale

2007-10-26T13:29:00.000-07:00

This is a collection of weird and unusual properties currently for sale around the world.

Dracula’s castle, Transylvania is on the market for around $80 million. Seems like a bargain to us, as long as there are no incumbent tenants.

Vatu Vara island is claimed to be the most expensive freehold island in the world. If you have to ask, you can’t afford it. It is often nicknamed Hat Island because of its unusual shape — the top of its peak is flat because it was once at sea level. It is part of the Lau group of islands and its peak dominates the surrounding skyline. It is said to be one of the last four freehold islands to come on to the market in Fiji. Continue reading.

American style Pancakes Cooking made easy

2007-10-26T00:16:00.000-07:00

Pancakes. Every one loves pancakes and most people buy a ready-made mix. Why not try making your own? They taste far better and are really easy to make. And, you know exactly what went into them. No preservatives, no artificial flavors. Much better. This recipe takes about 15 minutes preparation, mostly waiting for the buttermilk to be ready. That’s right, this is a twofer, you will make your own buttermilk too. Buttermilk is not widely available in Europe, so I had to work out how to make my own, and it tastes much better than the store bought. Try it and see. Continue reading.

Risotto alla Milanese

2007-10-25T01:13:00.000-07:00

For this recipe, it is important to use Italian rice; Arborio is probably the most well known, but Carnaroli or Vialone Nano are good too. This is a very simple recipe but it does need a lot of stirring, particularly towards the end of the cooking time as the rice absorbs the liquids. This can be served as a main dish, but also makes a great accompaniment to Ossobuco. If you have a paella dish, that’s the best way of cooking this dish, if not, a large heavy bottomed frying pan will work just fine.

There are many variations of this recipe, but this is a very simple version. If you can find veal stock, that would be best but beef or chicken stock works well too. Most people spoil this recipe by adding the cheese too early. I prefer to add the cheese right within the last few minutes of cooking. Continue reading.

Short Sale alternative to Foreclosure

2007-10-24T01:35:00.001-07:00

When people talk real estate these days, there’s a whole bunch of ominous terms being bandied about. With some northern US states hit so hard by the housing downturn that over 30% of their houses are empty, and south Florida leading the state , if not the country in foreclosures, the increase in anxiety is to be expected. But homeowners need not panic, there are alternatives to foreclosure.

Getting in over your head financially doesn’t have to mean losing your home investment. You should always try to work things out with your bank first. Contact them as soon as you’re having trouble making your payments. Banks don’t like foreclosures and you may be able to make a deal that will make your payments bearable and allow you to keep your home. There are also some programs though HUD that can help you stay put until the market balances out.

Once you’ve exhausted your options, you may want to try and negotiate a short sale. read the rest.

Ossobucu recipe

2007-10-23T00:43:00.000-07:00

This is a very rich dish and famous world wide. When you buy the veal, try to get the pieces around 2 inches thick. There are very few Italian casseroles and this one is one of the few instances where I like to mix white wine rather than red with tomatoes. Preparation time is very short although it does need to be cooked for about 1 ½ hours, so it needs to be started well ahead of time. Read the rest.

Essential cooking tools

2007-10-23T00:41:00.000-07:00

There are dozens, if not hundreds, or possibly even thousands of gadgets for sale to use in the kitchen. My personal opinion is that most of them are going to spend much of their lives at the bottom of a drawer, or the back of a cupboard, with a few exceptions.

There was a time when I would buy all the latest gadgets based on the sales techniques. They will make your life “easier” “improve the quality of your cooking” or “make you a better person.”

As you may have noticed, if you have read any of my other cooking articles, I now use very few pieces of equipment. I have few basic utensils that are indispensable, but the rest of the gadgets and gizmos are just not worth the money. These are my indispensable tools: Read the rest.

Feng Shui your home sold

2007-10-22T09:59:00.000-07:00

You are probably wondering what Feng Shui has to do with selling your home! Well, Feng Shui is the 3,000-year-old ancient art of creating peace and harmony within your home. A balanced environment supports your ability to prosper by improving your well-being for greater happiness. When used accurately it can assist you in your home selling journey to a successful end. Feng Shui is a tool at your disposal to invoke positive, impulse buying emotions within potential buyers. To get your home sold swiftly it is imperative that your home immediately provoke a connection with any potential buyers that enter. That connection lends to potential buyers ability to envision themselves living within your home. Peace and harmony are two such feelings that drive buyers to write and make offers. Let’s face it; if they are not feeling it, they are not buying it!
To create peace and harmony within your home you must consider the impact of your home’s color choices and furniture placement. Continue reading.

Normandy Pork with Cream and Apples recip

2007-10-22T02:31:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderfully rich dish I like to serve in the Autumn. It’s not quite a winter dish, nor a summer one, so Autumn feels right. Autumn is a sadly neglected time of year for recipes. There are loads of “summer salads” and “winter warmers” but I feel Autumn gets left out, so here’s a recipe for Autumn. The combination of garlic, onion, apples and cream is unbeatable.

This is best cooked in a heavy skillet with a lid, but if you don’t have a lid for your skillet, a casserole dish is good also. So, if you do not have a lid, the oven will be used as well as the stove top. This is definitely a French recipe. This will serve 4 people. Continue reading.

Boat Drinks

2007-10-20T02:54:00.000-07:00

“Gentlemen, we have boat drinks.” The classic toast at the end of the film “Things to do in Denver when you’re dead.” Of course all the characters are dead, but finally they are realizing their dream. Sharing boat drinks with friends on the deck of an expensive boat at sea. Jimmy Buffet had a few words to say about boat drinks as well, “Boat drinks! The Boys in the band ordered boat drinks!” and “Waitress I need two more boat drinks. Then I’m headin’ south ‘fore my dream shrinks.” These are lyrics from the song of the name boat drinks. Read the rest.

Best roast potatoes

2007-10-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

My favorite potato recipe.

Potatoes are an important source of vitamin C, higher in protein than most other vegetables and, cooked with their skins, also a good source of fiber.

It always amazes me that potatoes in the grocery store are displayed in bright light, washed and prepackaged in see-through bags. This is, of course, a ruse by the grocery stores to get you to throw away more potatoes and therefore buy more. Here is my reasoning:

Washing potatoes in warm water causes them to begin to rot. How many times have you taken a bag of potatoes home and had to throw half of them away a week later? And why wash them anyway? Potatoes grow under ground – in the dirt – why on earth (sic) should anyone want a washed potato? The answer is because Kroger or Sainsbury’s are trying to convince you that dirt on a potato is bad – therefore they wash them – therefore they rot quickly – therefore they get thrown away – therefore you buy more. Simple. Read the rest.

Home made Pizza Napoletana

2007-10-18T01:46:00.000-07:00

Home made Pizza beats a delivery Pizza any day of the week. It’s more work but definitely worth the effort. Most delivery Pizza companies, despite their advertising campaigns, put a load of garbage on their Pizza. What Papa John says is true. Better ingredients equals better Pizza. They just don’t do it. So, here is a very simple Pizza recipe to make at home. It will take more time than picking up the phone, but, in my opinion, it’s worth it. And, much, much cheaper. On top of that, you know the ingredients going onto it are better, chosen by you. And it has that magic ingredient-YOU. You know it wasn’t thrown together by some spotty teenager who couldn’t care less. You did it yourself and put a little love into it. Try it and see. Continue reading.

2007-10-17T01:22:00.000-07:00

I love potatoes, it’s no secret. Sautéed potatoes are nice and simple to do. This recipe calls for onions, but if you prefer them plain, just leave out the onion. This is a really easy recipe, but to get the potatoes as crisp as possible, I always use two frying pans so that none of them overlap with each other and are always in contact with the pan. I know it’s a pain, but it’s worth it in the end. And don’t listen to people who tell you you can bake these – it’s just not the same.

You can sauté in any oil, but for the best, cleanest tasting result I prefer to use olive oil. It is not vital to use the best quality, but if you can afford the good stuff, it’s also worth it. Credit for this one has to go to France. This will make two large or four small servings. Read the rest.

Easy Huevos Rancheros

2007-10-15T01:31:00.000-07:00

Huevos Rancheros is a Mexican dish, but has been adopted by the USA and there are probably more recipes and ways of making this dish than almost any other recipe. My personal preference is a very simple version. As far as I am concerned, way too many chefs mess this dish up with complicated additions. I much prefer to make a basic version, using fresh ingredients where possible. Fresh tomatoes are best, but canned will do if you can’t find good tomatoes. Continue reading.

Don's Wine Flog Blog: Weber Q Barbeque

2007-10-14T03:15:00.000-07:00

Don's Wine Flog Blog: Weber Q Barbeque

2007-10-14T03:08:00.000-07:00

Good dating advice for men.

The Cost of Buying Property in Spain

2007-10-12T13:56:00.000-07:00

The following are the costs you should include on top of the purchase price when buying property in Spain.

Lawyers/Solicitor’s Fee:
Although it is not compulsory to engage a solicitor, if you are not familiar with the procedure you can appoint your own solicitor. It is important to seek professional advice from a local solicitor (Abogado). Their standard fee for the purchase of a property is 1% of the purchase price plus VAT. Using a non-local solicitor will be more expensive. The Spanish legal system is very different from other European countries and, to avoid misunderstandings, disappointments and possible fraud, it is essential to seek expert professional advice from the beginning.
Notary Fee:
These are collected by the Notary after preparing the deed and presiding over it’s signing. This fee is fixed by law, on a set scale according to the property value, but is not usually more then 1% of the purchase price including VAT.

Please note all professional fees including the notary’s and land registry’s charges are subject to 16% VAT. Read the rest.

Mild Chicken Curry

2007-10-12T02:50:00.000-07:00

Indian food does not have to be difficult to cook. Whilst this is not a traditional Indian meal, the basic ingredients, ginger, turmeric and curry powder lend an authentic taste to the dish.

This is definitely one o the easiest dishes to cook. With a little prep time and a few spices, you can create and unusual, exotic dish in very little time. The great thing about this dish is the wonderful aromas that fill the kitchen during cooking. Just close your eyes and you can imagine you are in India. The chicken needs to marinade for a few hours before cooking, so preparation needs to be done well before the meal is to be served. If time is an issue, you can marinade the chicken overnight, but a minimum of three hours. Continue reading.

2007-10-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

If you feel the need for an impressive, albeit expensive meal, perhaps to impress someone, or just plain indulge yourself for once, this recipe has to be top of my list. The English like to claim this recipe as their own, but the French also have a claim, calling it, “Boeuf en croute.” Either way, I like to think of this as the first “fusion” recipe, because I can see how the two culinary cultures combined for this. So, I am giving equal credit to England and France.

Some people have trouble making pastry, so I am going to let that slide for once. If you don’t enjoy making pastry, go ahead and buy some ready-made. That’s something you will rarely hear from me, but I totally understand because pastry making needs a large flat surface to work on and many kitchens just don’t have enough room, mine included. Just make certain it’s flaky pastry.

Read the rest.

2007-10-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

Say it aint so ! Cubicles are taking over the world.

October 9th, 2007 · 1 Comment

Not content with working in Cubicles, Sleeping in cubicles, and eating in Cubicles, the Japanese are apparently getting their entertainment in them too. I came across a reference to “Manga Cafes,” and wondered what they were, only to discover that A manga café or a manga kissa is a kind of cafe in Japan where people can read manga cartoon comics. IN CUBICLES. People pay for the time they stay in the café. Most manga cafés also offer internet access like internet cafés and vice versa, making the two terms mostly interchangeable in Japan. For an hour stay, the cost is generally about 400 yen, with most places requiring customers to pay this as a minimum even if leaving earlier. Some manga cafés offer a service where one can rest for the night and even have a shower if need be. Diane has some interesting information about not just the cafes, but all things iconic here.

New blog

2007-04-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

OK got fed up with Google's blogger and moved to:

http://web.mac.com/marcus1234/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html

Public Slavery Apologies

2007-03-27T02:52:00.000-07:00

Peter Hain, British Cabinet Minister, has publicly apologised to black people for slavery.

Why?

Presumably it's some lame effort to reduce the level of violence amongst young black men in the inner cities?

Slavery was first recorded in human history in 6800 B.C, is mentioned in the bible, and as far as I can see, still practiced all over the world. Just because Nike calls it "utilizing local labour practices" doesn't make it any different. A 12 year old working 15 hours a day for a bowl of rice is still slavery, but I don't see Mr. Hain calling for a ban on Nike products. Why is that?

But don't worry...... we'll be along in a couple of hundred years to "apologise".

Africa, to this day is a tribal culture with tribal politics and tribal practices, one of which is enslaving the weaker tribes around them, or failing that killing them off. Barely ten years has passed since the Hutu tribe attempted to wipe out the Tutsi tribe. The African slave trade has been going on for thousands of years. When the first British trading ships started carrying slaves, they didn't run off into the the bush dragging people out of their mud huts; they purchased them from the most dominant tribe in the area who had already enslaved them.

If we are deciding to publicly apologise for all our misdeeds of the past, the least we could do is change the way we behave today, perhaps the apologies might the ring true. In the meanwhile I have compiled a short list for Mr Hain to apologise to, some of which are now overdue.

IRAQ. 2007. We invade them, kill an "unknown" amount of people in the name of freedom, based on faulty intelligence. Sorry about that. Apology due 2203.

IRELAND. Apology due 2118.

TRANSPORTEES TO AUSTRALIA. Well overdue.

INDIAN INSURGENTS. Apology due 2057.

THE BOER WAR. Lest we forget that amazing British invention, the concentration camp. Apology due 2099.

THE AMERICAN INDIANS. Apology overdue.

AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES. Apology overdue.

What's the use of an apology if you keep on behaving the same way?

No doubt some upstanding member of the black community will come forward and say: "Thanks. We feel really validated now. Our young men will stop shooting and knifing each other."

I don't think so. Tribe = Drug gang.

Interfering with nature

2007-03-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

Apparently, some mad scientists have come up with a genetically modified mosquito that is better than the ones nature has created. These new bugs are resistant to malaria. They intend to eventually release them into the wild in the hope that they will outperform and supplant the natural ones.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6468381.stm

Does nobody else see this as a potentially bad idea?

I have 2 words:

Rabbits. Australia.

'nuff said.

These are probably the same scientists who decided it would be a good idea to feed sheep's brains to cattle as a money saving operation.

Did nobody stop and say, "Maybe that's not such a great idea. Cows aren't supposed to eat sheep. It could turn out badly."?

I guess not.

Welcome to mad cow disease.

What is it with these people?

I have to assume that their intentions are good in the first place, but we all know what the road to hell is paved with.

If we end up with a new, stronger strain of malaria or 3 foot long, man eating mosquitos some-when in the future, don't say I didn't warn you.

Accountability

2007-03-13T05:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. First attempt, so if it turns out to be more of a rant than a blog I pre-emptively apologise.

What happened to accountability amongst our public servants? Or am I kidding myself there was ever any in the first place?

I'm reading the newspaper the other day, and several stories stand out.

Apparently a builders merchant, accused of killing some greyhounds is to be sent to prison for an insanely long time and/or fined a huge amount of money, charged under the Pollution prevention control regulations for burying the greyhounds without a permit. I, of course, in no way condone his actions, yet Tony Blair and George Bush can inflict who knows how many dead in Iraq on a misguided premise (a lie to you and me) and I just wondered if they had a permit to bury them? If not perhaps we'll be seeing Mr Blair in court soon? Somehow I don't think so. Apparently he's not to be held accountable as presumably he has a note from his mother explaining that it was the other little boy's fault.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/animalrights/story/0,,2014909,00.html

Another story that caught my eye was the fact that, despite aggresively pursuing smoking bans across Europe, after only 43 days, the European Parliament has reversed it's ban on smoking in their buidings, claiming the ban was "unenforcable". As the smoking ban in England comes into force I see that local councils are already gearing up with smoking police ready and willing to enforce the ban. Just what we need; more "public servants". Somehow I think that it will be "enforcable". Try lighting a cigarette in your local pub and see what happens. Do as I say not as I do?

http://www.smokersclubinc.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=4121

The environment minister, Barry Gardiner claimed a mileage allowance of nearly 11,000 miles, despite the fact that he is provided with a chuaffeur driven car for official business during the week, at the same time claiming to be trying to make "a minimal carbon imprint on the planet". I have some advice for said minister. BUY A BICYCLE. Of course in the interests of non accountability he is unlikely to have to face any consequences, other than parhaps a bad case of piles, from sitting in a car seat for too long. I'd also be interested to know how many miles he travelled in his chauffeured car. Assuming a similar mileage he would have travelled nearly 40,000 miles. Minimal carbon imprint? How stupid do they think we are?

http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1217049.mostviewed.mp_faces_questions_over_travel.php

Pretty bloody stupid as it turns out. Let's face it, driving a car that many miles has got to be at least as harmfull to those around you as smoking, but I don't see anybody banning cars. Wonder why that is? Could it be because the Automotive/petrochemical industries actually run the world and not the "elected" governments? Maybe.

Yes, definitely more of a rant than a blog. Perhaps I should call it a brant instead (WEBrant.... copyright). Anybody caught using this new term without permission, will of course be sued immediately, to the full extent of the law and or 'till I run out of money.