Random Jottings from (",)::~~~ the Absolutely Hilarious, Fabulously Wonderful Guy!

With No Down Payment
by David Finkel

It's late at night and the television is showering you with visions of riches and freedom. Story after story is played out on the screen of average people, some of them just like you, who went on to make a fortune investing in real estate.

And after the show is over you're left wondering what you need to do to get started on the road to wealth.

This article is my answer to your search. It is the three-step action plan I recommend to help you get successfully started investing in real estate.

Step One: Making a decision.
You have a decision to make. Are you prepared to persist in your investing until you win? No matter how "easy" late night television makes it seem, getting started investing in real estate takes work. And don't listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. But without question, real estate is still the most accessible pathway to financial success for the average person.

Are you prepared to stick it out for the three to six months it's going to take you to serve your investing apprenticeship? Because if you invest 5-15 hours a week over this period of time, you can change your financial future. The key is to never quit. Commit to six months of effort, with a good attitude and a mind open to learning, and you're well on your way to success.

Step Two: Invest in your real estate education.
Earlier this week I was talking with a MBA graduate from a prestigious business school. He told me that he spent two years of his life and over $75,000 for tuition to earn his advanced degree. Why did he do it? To secure a solid, high paying job.

The good news for you the beginning investor is that it isn't going to cost you $75,000 (or even $10,000 for that matter.) But you are going to have to budget some of your time and money into your real estate education. There is no faster way to learn what you need to learn so that you can earn what you need to earn than through the wealth of information you have available for you on real estate investing.

There are three specific areas you need to learn about to help you on your way. First you have to gain a good, general investment understanding. This means learning how properties are valued, how title is transferred, what title insurance is (and is not), as well as other general real estate terms and concepts. You've taken a good first step by consistently reading this article. Now expand your learning by reading every book on investing you can get your hands on.

Next you need to learn about creative financing techniques because they let you buy and control property with a minimum of risk and with a large profit potential. You need to especially learn all you can about lease-options. In my opinion, lease-options are the best way for you to begin investing in real estate. They offer you the easiest way to do nothing down deals no matter what your credit is like.

Third, you need to learn how to find motivated sellers. A motivated seller is someone who because of some personal situation or circumstance is willing to sell you his property at a substantial discount or on very flexible terms. When you're investing, it all begins with finding a motivated seller. It's almost never about the property itself. Rather, you make money (a ton of money) by dealing with a highly motivated seller. Every technique you learn about finding motivated sellers will repay you a hundred times over.

To be successful you need to invest the time and money to learn. As the saying goes, you can either pay now or pay later… but sooner or later you're going to pay. Why not pay pennies on the dollar for someone else's life experiences than have to learn the painful lessons yourself?

Step Three: Get started immediately!
The biggest challenge most new investors make is waiting until they know it all. They feel if they just spent more time learning before they get started, then they'll get to their financial goals that much faster.

But unless you are willing to start learning by doing you'll never enjoy the security and freedom that could have been yours. By all means study and learn, but make sure you also are out there learning by doing. You will be amazed at how much faster you will integrate and internalize the investing information you are studying when you conscientiously work to apply it.

Each week spend a half hour getting clear on what you have learned. Also, take a few minutes and ask yourself what you still need to learn and focus on to make maximum progress next week. Find another investor you can network with so that the two of you can talk through your common experiences and support each other.

Ultimately you can strike it rich with real estate. It's all up to you. You're at the front end of a journey. Just follow these steps and you will be well along the road to wealth.

How to Create the Freedom You Need to Live the Life You Want!
by Matthew Chan

The Intrepid Way is a "must read, can't put down" book for anyone looking to create Personal Freedom! Matthew Chan shows you the "truth" about conventional wisdom and why it just doesn't work. You will learn his innovative system to create "income layers" that will upgrade your lifestyle without having to "work" at a job. This system created "financial freedom" for Matthew in less than five years and will show you how to do the same!

See also:

Getting Started with Creative Investing

Finding Motivated Sellers

Negotiating with Sellers

Finding Tenant Buyers

Buying Homes in Nice Areas with Nothing Down

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Without Any of Your Own Money or Credit
by Bill Bronchick

A profitable, yet easy-to-learn method of creating cash flow is to buy and re-sell properties in back-to-back closings. However, flipping properties in this manner requires you to KEEP WORKING. When you stop working, the cash flow stops coming in. Rather than flip properties for all cash, flip them for some cash and a promissory note that pays you monthly income with interest for years and years.

The "Wraparound" Transaction
Obviously, you need the cash to buy the property. Most people buy properties using a mortgage loan, which means you need enough cash flow from the sale of the property to pay off the loan you borrowed.

Enter the wraparound formula. A "wrap" is a transaction that involves leaving the first mortgage in place and creating a new loan to a buyer which is secondary to the first mortgage. The payments come in from the buyer, and you make the payments on the underlying loan still in place. There is a "spread" between the two payments which equals cash flow to you. Most agents equate a "nothing down" offer with a buyer who is not serious.

Example: Buy a property worth $100,000 for a discounted price of $90,000. Put 20% down ($18,000) and finance the balance of $72,000 at 9% with a conventional loan. Your principal and interest ("P&I") payment is about $580.00 per month. Resell the property for $110,000, taking a down payment of $15,000 and a $95,000 note at 12% interest. You collect about $977 per month. Your cash flow is almost $400 per month ($4800/year), with just $10,000 invested (figuring $5000 in closing costs.) That's 48% annual interest on your money!.

This deal is definitely "cookie cutter" and easy to do, but I said "no money or credit." Here's the solution: find a partner to put up their money and credit.

Step 1: Locate an open-minded investor who has good credit and provable income.

Step 2: Form a limited liability company ("LLC") of which you are both the members, 50/50.

Step 3: Locate properties in nice middle class neighborhoods available for 10% or more below market.

Step 4: Execute a resolution from the LLC that your investor member will purchase a particular property in is name, for the benefit of the LLC. Have the investor purchase the property in his name, using his credit and down payment.

Step 5: Advertise the property for sale by owner "no credit required." Find a buyer willing to pay at least 10% more than the appraised value of the property with 10% or more as a down payment. The investor gets the cash to recoup his investment

Step 6: Execute a land contract to the new buyer.

Step 7: Collect monthly cash flow and split it with the investor.

In the above example, you do all the legwork and you split the cash flow with the investor. When the investor is unable to obtain any more loans, find another investor, rinse and repeat.

to Spruce Up Your Rental or Rehab Property
by Bill Bronchick

It's easy to fix up your properties if you have unlimited cash. However, you need to keep your repairs to a minimum to stay profitable. You also need to keep your properties in good shape to attract tenants or buyers. There are the basic improvements, such as carpet and paint, but these can still costs thousands of dollars. The following are some inexpensive ways to improve your properties with very little cash.

#1) New Electrical Switch Plates
This is such a minor, yet overlooked improvement. Most rental owners and rehabbers paint a unit and leave the old, ugly switch plates. Even worse, some even paint over them.

New switch plates cost about 50 cents each. You can replace the entire house with new switch plates for about $20. For the foyer, living room and other obvious areas, spring for nice brass plates. They run about $5 each - not much for added class.

#2) New or Improved Doors
Another overlooked, yet cheap replacement item is doors. If you have ugly brown doors, replace them with nice white doors (you can paint them, but unless you have a spray gun it will take you three coats by hand).

The basic hollow-core door is about $20. It comes pre-primed and pre-hung. For about $10 more, you can buy stylish six-panel doors. If you are doing a rehab, the extra $10 per door is well worth-it. For rentals, consider at least changing the downstairs doors.

#3) New Door Handles
In addition to changing doors, consider changing the handles. An old door handle (especially with crusted paint on it) looks drab. For about $10, you can replace them with new brass finished handles. Replace the guest bathroom and bedroom door handles with the fancy "S" handles (about $20 each).

#4) Paint/Replace Trim
If the entire interior of the house does not need a paint job, consider painting the trim. New, modern custom homes typically come with beige or off-white walls and bright-white trim. Use a semi-gloss bright white on all the trim in your houses.

If the floor trim is worn, cracked or just plain ugly, replace it! Home Depot carries a new foam trim that is pre-painted in several finishes and costs less than 50 cents per linear foot. Create a great first impression by adding crown molding in the entry way and living room.

#5) New Front Door
You only get one chance to make a first impression. A cheap front door makes a house look cheap. An old front door makes a house look old. If you have nice heavy door, paint it a bold color using a high-gloss paint. If your front door is old, consider replacing it with a new, stylish door. For about $125, you can buy a very nice door.

#6) Tile Foyer Entry
After the front door, your next first impression is the foyer area. Most rental property foyers are graced with linoleum floors. Consider a nice 12" Mexican tile. An 8' x 8' area should cost about $100 in materials.

#7) New Shower Curtains
It amazes me that many landlords and sellers show properties with either no shower curtain or any ugly old shower curtain in the bathroom. Don't be cheap - drop $40 and buy a nice new rod and fancy curtain.

#8) Paint Kitchen Cabinets
Replacing kitchen cabinets is expensive, but painting them is cheap. If you have old 1970's style wooden cabinets in a lovely dark brown shade, paint them. Use a semi-gloss white and finish them with colorful plastic knobs. No need to paint the inside of them (unless you own a spray gun), since you are only trying to make an impression.

Americans spend 99% of their time in the kitchen (when they are not watching TV). A fancy modern faucet looks great in the kitchen. They can run as much as $150, but not to worry - most retailers (Home Depot, Home Base, etc) often run clearance sales on overstocked and discontinued models. I have found nice Delta and Price Pfister faucets for about $60 on sale.

#9) Add Window Shutters
If you have ugly aluminium framed windows, consider adding wooden shutters outside. They come pre-primed at most hardware retailers and are easy to install. Paint them an offset color from the outside of the house - (e.g., if the house is dark, paint the shutters white. If the house is light, paint them green, blue, etc.).

#10) Add a Nice Letterbox
Everyone on the block has the same black letterbox. Stand out. Be bold. For about $35 you can buy a nice colourful letterbox. For about $60 more, you can buy a nice wooden post for it. People notice these things... and they like them!

Another Moronic African

From: Mumba Tema Koroma mumba4044@yahoo.com
Reply-To: mumba25@yahoo.ca
To: azlan
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 08:29:56 +0000
Subject: HELP.....
Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Add sender to contacts list | Trash this message | Report phishing | Show original

from the bujumbor refugge camp
accra ghana, west africa.......
dear,sir/madam
Please permit me to introduce myself to you through
this medium. I know you don't know me before and maybe
surprise to read from me today, I got your contact in
my searching of a good reputation foriegn partner to
assit me in my late father fund, when I was making a
research on how me and my two brothers, can travel to
overseas and Invest on the petroleum business.
I am very glad to have this opportunity to contact you
and I want to count on you for reliability and
trustworthiness and I also want you to handle this
Issue I am about to disclose to you as confidential,
because of my personality in my country.
I am Mumba the son of Chief Tema Koroma from
Diamond Creek, Lofa County, Liberia. My father was
until his death, the Paramount Chief of Lofa County
also an Independent Diamond Mineral & Merchant. He
died in March 13, 1999 after a brief illness at the
age of 70.One day after my father's death, I was going
through his under ground save when I saw some very
Important Documents which reveals to me that my Late
father has deposited one trunk of consignment box of
$22.2 Million U.S dollars with a Security company here
in ghana My two brothers, PETER and MOSES and myself
have not traveled out side West Africa before.

his is the main problem we have.At this moment,
we are now in Accra-Ghana where we flee to in the
wake of recent fighting between the government, the
LURD & MODEL, Rebel groups. We are presently taking
refuge at the Buduburam Refugee Camp here in Ghana
under the Auspices of the United Nations High
Commission for Refugees, U.N.H.C.R.I want you to
assist us in retrieving the funds to your country then
make aragements for me and my two brothers, to Join
you there, where you will also help us buy a House and
Invest the rest of the money on any profitable
business for us.My two brothers, and myself are
willing to set-aside 5% of the Total money to cover
any expenses you make. We also offer to give you 15%
of the Total amount for your service.I will give you
further details of the Security company in ghana also
the Documents covering the funds as soon as I get an
indication of your interest to help us,please do send
me your phone number and your fax number on your
reply.
Thank you very much,
solomon Tama Koroma......
you can alaso reach me on my private email,
mumba25@yahoo.ca

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

SUPPLEMENTS FOR GOOD EYESIGHT
by Camille Chatterjee

Cataracts, night blindness, conjunctivitis and reduced sight are just a few of the vision impairments that descend with age--and poor nutrition. But it's never too late to keep an eye on these problems. A review of studies in the journal Eye confirms that certain foods and vitamins can help fend off these ailments. Those that Nicholas Brown of Oxford University's Nuffield Laboratory of Opthalmology deems most useful:

Vitamins. People with cataracts are often low in vitamins C, E and beta-carotene. Brown concludes that they are most helpful in smokers or people with poor nutrition. They can be found in green vegetables, fruits and nuts. In pills, he suggests an upper limit of 10 mg of beta-carotene, 1000 mg of C and 600 mg of E.

Zinc. Deficiency of this metal can lead to night blindness. Studies also show that taking zinc leads to better visual acuity. Find it in meats, eggs, whole cereals and seafood. As a supplement, 20 mg is safe.

Carotenoids. These yellow pigments colour fruits and vegetables like melon and spinach and are essential to eye health. Carotenoids seem to be particularly useful in protecting the eye against macular degeneration.

Essential fatty acids. Because the body can't synthesize them, it is crucial to get fatty acids through food or supplements. A remedy called Evening Primrose Oil, which contains gamma linolinic acid (GLA), is useful in treating conjunctivitis and dry eyes. Omega-3 fatty acids like docosahexanoic acid (DHA), can be found in oily fish such as mackerel and are crucial to maintaining the health of the retina.

Glossary of Eye Surgery and Eye Conditions

Copyright 1991-2004 Sussex Publishers

Topic Overview

Glaucoma
A group of disorders characterized by progressive damage to the eye at least partly due to intraocular pressure.

Normal intraocular pressure (IOP) ranges between 11 and 21 mm Hg; however, this level may not necessarily be healthy for all people. Some people with normal pressure develop optic nerve injury (normal- or low-pressure glaucoma). In contrast, many patients have pressure >21 mm Hg without any optic nerve injury (ocular hypertension).

Glaucoma usually affects side (peripheral) vision first. If glaucoma is not treated, the person continues to lose vision until total blindness develops. If glaucoma is identified early and treated appropriately, good eyesight can usually be maintained.

Open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma in the United States, usually affects both eyes at the same time. However, one eye may be affected more than the other. In open-angle glaucoma, the vision changes so slowly that much of the person's eyesight may be affected before the condition is noticed.

* Increased pressure and other factors gradually damage the optic nerve.
* The outer and inner sides of vision (peripheral vision) are affected first. These blind spots gradually meet, increasing the area of blindness. Central vision--used for reading and seeing details--is affected last.
* If untreated, open-angle glaucoma affects central vision, leading to permanent total blindness.

What is a Trabeculectomy?
This operation is performed to treat glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes). The operation entails forming a small channel through the white part of the eye under your upper eyelid. This channel will allow the fluid made naturally in the eye to drain away more easily into a small pocket.

Topic Overview

What is a cataract?
A cataract is a painless, cloudy area in the lens of the eye that blocks the passage of light to the retina, the nerve layer at the back of the eye, usually causing vision problems.

What causes cataracts?
A cataract occurs when the lens of the eye becomes cloudy. Aging and exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause cataracts. Changes in the lens of the eye are often a normal part of the aging process and are common in older people, but they do not necessarily lead to cataracts.

Cataracts can also occur after an eye injury, as a result of eye disease, after the use of certain medications, or as a result of medical conditions such as diabetes.

An Introduction

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches and other food into energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be a mystery, although both genetics and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play roles.

There are 18.2 million people in the United States, or 6.3% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 13 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, unfortunately, 5.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease.

In order to determine whether or not a patient has pre-diabetes or diabetes, health care providers conduct a Fasting Plasma Glucose Test (FPG) or an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT). Either test can be used to diagnose pre-diabetes or diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends the FPG because it is easier, faster, and less expensive to perform.

With the FPG test, a fasting blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl signals pre-diabetes. A person with a fasting blood glucose level of 126 mg/dl or higher has diabetes.

In the OGTT test, a person's blood glucose level is measured after a fast and two hours after drinking a glucose-rich beverage. If the two-hour blood glucose level is between 140 and 199 mg/dl, the person tested has pre-diabetes. If the two-hour blood glucose level is at 200 mg/dl or higher, the person tested has diabetes.

Major Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes
Results from the body's failure to produce insulin, the hormone that "unlocks" the cells of the body, allowing glucose to enter and fuel them. It is estimated that 5-10% of Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 1 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes
Results from insulin resistance (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin), combined with relative insulin deficiency. Most Americans who are diagnosed with diabetes have type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnant women - about 135,000 cases in the United States each year.

Pre-diabetes
Pre-diabetes is a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. There are 41 million Americans who have pre-diabetes, in addition to the 18.2 million with diabetes.

Additional Information

Diabetes Learning Center for the Newly Diagnosed
You've just been diagnosed with diabetes. Chances are you have a million questions running through your head. To help you answer those questions, and take the first steps toward better diabetes care, visit the Diabetes Learning Center -- an area for people who are newly diagnosed with diabetes, or those needing basic information.

Diabetes Symptoms
Often diabetes goes undiagnosed because many of its symptoms seem so harmless. Learn what they are in this section.

Diabetes Risk Test
More than 18 million Americans have diabetes - one in three does not know it! Take our diabetes risk test to see if you are at risk for having diabetes. Diabetes is more common in African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Diabetes Statistics
With so many people affected by diabetes, the American Diabetes Association has compiled statistics on the impact of diabetes and its complications. We have statistics listed by population, complication, and economic impact.

The Genetics of Diabetes
You've probably wondered how you got diabetes. You may worry that your children will get it too. Unlike some traits, diabetes does not seem to be inherited in a simple pattern. Yet clearly, some people are born more likely to get diabetes than others.

Diabetes Mellitus
For gestational diabetes, see Diabetes Mellitus in Chapter 251.

Hypoglycemia
An abnormally low plasma glucose level that leads to symptoms of sympathetic nervous system stimulation or of CNS dysfunction.

Diabetes Glossary

to Your First Bargain Purchase
by Bill Bronchick

Finding good real estate deals is an art that takes time to master. Like any business, customers are what drive it. Your primary customer is the seller who is motivated to sell below market value. Finding motivated sellers requires advertising, marketing, salesmanship, and, like any business, keeping your nose to the ground.

Nothing happens and nothing matters in real estate until you find a deal. You cannot put together a deal without a motivated seller and you can only convince a motivated seller to do something creative or that involves a discounted price. A motivated seller is one with a very good and pressing reason to sell below market.

The most common problem new investors face is finding bargain properties. Many who start out in real estate investing quit without ever buying their first property. They go through the motions of looking for deals for a few weeks or months and then decide it doesn't work. They forget that finding motivated sellers is similar to the salesman finding his first customer... it takes persistence and hard work.

Find the Motivated Seller
At the cost of sounding redundant, the concept is simple: find motivated sellers that are willing to sell their properties at a discounted price or "soft" terms. Currently, the real estate market in some parts of the country is hot, hot, hot! Many people are complaining that the strength of the market precludes investors from finding deals on properties. The popular misconception is that in a rising market, even the most motivated seller can find a buyer for his property at full market price.

The truth is, you can find deals in ANY market. Real estate legend A.D. Kessler once said, "There are no problem properties, just problem ownerships." The definition of a motivated seller fits squarely within Kessler's idea. A logical person knows that time, money and effort can solve virtually any real estate problem. However, some people are too emotional about their real estate problems or have other motivating issues to deal with.

Some of these issues include:
* Divorce
* Lack of concern
* Inexperience with real estate repairs
* Time constraints
* Death of a loved one
* Job transfer
* Landlording headaches
* Impending foreclosure & other financial problems

Farming Neighbourhoods
Successful real estate agents utilize a technique called "farming" to increase their business activity. They pick a neighbourhood or two and focus their marketing efforts within that area. You should try the same technique. Start with a neighbourhood that is relatively convenient for you.

1. Drive the Area
Spend a few weekends driving around the area. The goal for you at first is to learn about the area, the style of houses and the average prices. Over time, you may expand your farm area, but stick with areas that contain the type of homes you plan to purchase. It is not necessary to begin your investment career by learning every square mile of a large metropolitan area; it is important to learn the value of "typical" homes in your target areas. This knowledge will enable you to make quick decisions about whether a particular prospect is a bargain.

2. Attend Open Houses
Visit open houses and "for sale by owner" (FSBO) properties on weekends. Speak directly with owners and their agents. Pass out your business cards. Make friends. Word of mouth and referrals are a big part of any business.

Part of the process of finding a deal is to know how to recognize one. Take a good look at the property and its physical features. After viewing a couple of dozen open houses in the neighbourhood, you will get to know the value of the properties and the different styles of houses. When someone calls you about a house in that area, you will know the value by its description.

3. Look for Ugly and Vacant Properties
While you are driving around neighbourhoods, look for vacant, ugly houses. How can you tell if a house is vacant? Look in the window! Of course, this practice may get you shot, bitten by a dog or arrested. First look for the obvious signs of vacancy - overgrown grass, no window shades, boarded windows, newspapers, garbage, mail piled up, etc. If you are not certain whether the property is vacant, knock on the door. If the owner answers, be polite, respectful and ask if he is interested in selling. In many cases, it may be a rental property, so ask the occupants for the name and telephone number of the owner.

If the property is vacant, ask the neighbours if they know the owner. Most neighbours are helpful, as they know "ugly" houses hurt their own property values. In addition, ask the postman - they know all of the empty houses on the block. Leave a business card and write down the address of the ugly or vacant properties. When you get home, look up the name and address of the owner. Finding the owner of a vacant house can be difficult, which is why the persistent people who find the information make the most money. The name of the owner can be found by calling your local tax assessor's office or by looking up the deed recorded with the Land Office records.

If you want to contact the owner, it takes a little more digging. Try speaking with the neighbours or asking the post office for a copy of a change-of-address form on file for the property. Online services, such as www.infousa.com, will search public databases, such as the Driver's License Bureau and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Some cities, towns and counties will "tag" a house with code violations. This is often a sign of a neglected or vacant property. Ask your city if you can obtain a list of such properties or find where this information is publicly recorded.

in Asset Protection Planning
by Bill Bronchick

William Bronchick, CEO of Legalwiz Publications, is a Nationally-known attorney, author, entrepreneur and speaker. Mr Bronchick has been practicing law and real estate since 1990, having been involved in over 600 transactions. He has appeared as a guest on numerous radio and television talk shows including CNBC Power Lunch. He has been featured in Who's Who in American Business, Money Magazine, the Los Angeles Times and the Denver Business Journal. William Bronchick has served as President of the Colorado Association of Real Estate Investors since 1996.

When I present seminars on the topic of "Asset Protection," a common question I hear is "now that I am incorporated, should I cancel my insurance?" To the other extreme, a common remark made by ignorant tax professionals and attorneys is, "don't bother with corporations, just buy a lot of insurance." Both of these approaches are dangerous.

Insurance should never be overlooked as a means of protection. Insurance will cover many claims of a "tortious" nature (slip & fall, negligence, etc). The fact that you have insurance to cover these types of claims will help if your corporation is undercapitalized. If you do not have insurance and someone who is injured sues your "shell" corporation, then a court may think you were not "playing fair." This is particularly important if your business is engaged in activities that are dangerous or hazardous to the public.

Insurance will not typically cover breach of contract claims, but courts are less likely to set aside a corporation for these types of debts. However, claims such as sexual harassment, employment discrimination, wrongful termination and fraud are almost never covered by insurance.

Another benefit of insurance is that the duty of an insurance company to "defend" (pay for your legal defense) is much broader than its duty to "indemnify" (pay for a judgment against you). Legal fees alone can be painful, especially for frivolous lawsuits, even if you win in court. They rarely award the defending party legal fees and the plaintiff's lawyer is often working on a contingent-fee basis, so that the plaintiff himself has nothing to lose by suing your company (have you ever heard the expression, "never get into a fight with an ugly person because he has nothing to lose?").

The following is a brief summary of available insurance for your protection:

General Business Liability Insurance
This type of insurance can be reasonable and will cover a wide range of lawsuits from personal injury claims to copyright violations. Obviously, the higher the deductible, the cheaper the insurance. It may be worthwhile to keep an insurance policy with a large deductible and high limits to substitute for having to keep excess capital in your corporation.

Malpractice Insurance
Lawyers, doctors, engineers, architects, real estate brokers and other professional can obtain malpractice or "errors & omissions" insurance. This insurance covers goof ups that you and your employees make in dealing with clients. This insurance can be very expensive, depending upon the kind of business which you are involved. In addition, the coverage is weak because the policies are often "claims made"; that is, it only covers claims made in the year the policy is in effect. Regular liability insurance will cover you if you are sued years later for events that occurred during the policy period. In many states, the statute of limitations for malpractice is six years, so a lawsuit years later will not be covered if you do not maintain continuous coverage.

Director Liability Insurance
Director liability can be so precarious that many people refuse to serve on the board of any corporation without director liability insurance. This insurance is expensive and may not be necessary for a small corporation.

Umbrella Liability Insurance
An umbrella policy is one that kicks in after all other underlying coverage is exhausted. For example, if you have a general liability policy with $100,000 and a judgment is rendered against your corporation for $500,000, the umbrella policy kicks in the extra $400,000. Umbrella insurance does not cover other claims that are otherwise not insured (e.g., breach of contract claim). Most insurance companies require that you maintain all of your insurance with their company before they will issue an umbrella policy. Umbrella policies are quite reasonable, and can cover your business for up to several million dollars.

Extended Homeowner's Insurance
A typical homeowner's policy will cover basic liability claims against you regarding the property. It will not cover general liability claims unrelated to your property. For example, if you injure another while riding your jetski on a nearby lake, this claim will not be covered unless your homeowner's policy has a special endorsement. Review your policies with your insurance agent as to coverage issues and policy limits. If cost is an issue, increase your deductible. A lower deductible on a policy is general more expensive than a higher coverage limit for liability.

FDA will implement 'black box' warnings on risks for children.
by Erika Check

The FDA's actions follow a year of controversy over whether antidepressants cause suicide in children.

The US Food and Drug Administration said on 15 October that it will require drug manufacturers to issue strong 'black box' warnings on all antidepressant medications.

The FDA said the warnings must indicate that the drugs may cause children and teenagers to exhibit suicidal thoughts and behaviours. The warnings will also indicate whether the FDA has determined that the medication being sold works in children.

Only one antidepressant, fluoxetine, sold as Prozac, has been approved by the FDA to treat childhood depression. However, physicians regularly prescribe other medications 'off label' to treat depressed children. Medicines for all kinds of ailments are prescribed off-label for children, but it does mean that the FDA has not officially approved them for such a use.

The FDA also said that it is issuing a patient medication guide, or MedGuide, which will be distributed to patients and their families, and will contain information and advice.

Strong language
The FDA's actions come after a year of controversy over whether antidepressants cause suicide in children. Concerns have focused on newer types of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

The decision to issue strong warnings follows a recommendation issued by an advisory committee to the agency on 14 September (see "FDA considers antidepressant risks for kids"). The committee said that evidence from clinical trials of antidepressants showed that 2-3% of children taking the drugs experienced suicidal thoughts and behaviours because of the drugs.

"These conclusions are based on the latest and best science and reflect what we heard from our advisory committee last month," said Lester Crawford, acting commissioner of the agency. "They also reflect what we have heard from many members of the public."

FDA officials also said they were concerned about the possibility that prominent warnings might scare patients away from seeking treatment for depression. They hope to manage this risk by asking parents to monitor their children closely during treatment.

Story from news@nature.com

The Secrets of Real Estate Acquisition and Funding

No other field of investment has created more millionaires than Real Estate. It has and always will continue to generate large sums of money for those who participate in it. The best part about real estate investing is that it is open to everyone.

A little effort, knowledge and determination is all that is required to become highly successful. It isn't much compared to the money (or the millions) that one can make starting with such a limited investment.

I'm sure you've heard someone say, "If only I had bought that house 10 years ago I could have been rich today." But it's never too late to buy property. Ten or 20 years from now people will still be saying the same thing! So the time to buy property is NOW because 10 years from now is always too late. If you start buying property now, in a few short years you could be rich instead of thinking about how rich you could've been.

True Stories
As a young man, Allan Crane saved US$4,000 which he planned to invest in real estate. He used the money as a down-payment on a run-down two-storey building. He took his time and fixed up the property on his own, painting the interior, adding some landscaping and making the basement into a separate apartment.

After a short time, he had converted the entire house into eight separate rental units. He rented each unit and within one year used the rental income he saved as a down-payment on another piece of property. By buying run-down properties, fixing them up and renting them out, he had made his first million dollars in combined equity and income. And he had done this in less than 3 1/2 years from the time he had begun.

Henry Miller took his life savings of US$3,400 and used it for a down-payment on a small apartment house. The owner had neglected the property and the condition had deteriorated. Henry did not have the funds to complete the repairs, so he placed an ad in a local paper and brought in two partners.

The partners invested the additional money to make the necessary repairs to the building. In less than one year from the time he purchased it, the building was completely restored and all apartments were rented. The investors were making a 20% profit on their money. With his profits, Henry was able to purchase two more apartment houses. He followed the same formula and in a few short years he too had become a millionaire.

But what makes real estate such an explosive investment? Why does it create fortunes for those that apply these sound investment practices? It is a powerful combination of property appreciation (supply and demand), equity build-up, consistent monthly rental income, numerous tax benefits of ownership and the ability to start and expand using little or no cash. This is indeed a powerful combination.

No other business has the explosive ability to create wealth starting with such a small investment!

These examples happen everyday all across the country. Millions of dollars are being made not only through single and multi-family homes and apartment houses, but also through commercial property. These are not unique situations or extraordinary individuals. These are normal, everyday people just like you and I who had one thing in common... they had the desire to make it happen.

Finding Bargain Properties
There are many ways to locate property for sale which require little or no investment. They can be found in newspaper ads, through apartment owner's associations, Local Savings and Loans, Mortgage Lenders and Realtors and even online!

The following link is to a company that provides an online searchable database of foreclosure properties:

http://www.hylandfin.com/cgi-bin/to.cgi?l=RT

Finding property is not that difficult and you don't have to be an expert to recognize a money-making property.

But in order to locate and acquire properties at deep discounts takes a specialized knowledge. You must learn effective negotiating, creative financing techniques and no-money-down buying methods to name a few. These powerful tools can make the difference between experiencing immediate success or the slow and sometimes painful method of trial and error.

One of the best ways to become successful in real estate is by using other people's money. Using other people's money not only benefits you, but also benefits the lender. The proper use of this type of leverage can quickly increase a person's net worth.

A lender loans money for the sole purpose of making a profit. The only way he can make a profit is by helping you to complete your real estate deal. You make a profit by purchasing the property and you return a profit to the lender for providing funds for the purchase. It makes no difference whether it is from a mortgage company, a seller providing financing for you to purchase their property or a private investor looking for higher returns on his investment dollars.

This is one of the key elements which makes real estate such a dynamic investment while being totally secured by the existing property. It is this valuable security which makes real estate the best investment on earth. Never steer away from using other people's money. Instead, realize that leverage is a powerful tool that can quickly multiply a person's net worth.

The opportunity to profit from real estate investing is wide open and available to anyone with a desire to achieve real wealth and a lifetime of security. The only requirements are knowledge and commitment.

Fortunately there are proven formulas that can make real estate highly profitable while side-stepping the pitfalls. Applying the knowledge and experience of professionals allows you to proceed through each step
with the confidence and skills needed to succeed.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

For my sweetheart, my hunny, my darlin (you know who you are!)

What else is love but understanding and rejoicing
in the fact that another person lives, acts, and experiences otherwise than we do...?

Friedrich Nietzsche
German philosopher (1844 - 1900)

Not so Long Ago, a Tiny People Lived

Once upon a time, but not so long ago, in a tropical island midway between Asia and Australia, there lived a race of little people, whose adults stood just more than one metre tall. Despite their stature, they were mighty hunters. They made stone tools with which they speared giant rats, clubbed sleeping dragons and hunted the packs of pygmy elephants that roamed their lost world.

Strangest of all, this is no fable. Skeletons of these miniature people have been excavated from a limestone cave on Flores, an island 600 kilometres, or 370 miles, east of Bali, by a team of Australian and Indonesian archaeologists. Reporting their find in Wednesday's issue of Nature, they assign the people to a new human species, Homo floresiensis.

The little Floresians lived on the island until at least 13,000 years ago, and possibly to historic times. But they were not a pygmy form of modern humans. They were a downsized version of Homo erectus, the eastern cousin of the Neanderthals of Europe. Their discovery means that archaic humans, who left Africa a million years or so earlier than modern people, survived far longer into the modern period than was previously supposed.

The island of Flores is very isolated and, before modern times, was inhabited only by a select group of animals that managed to reach it. These then became subject to unusual evolutionary forces that propelled some toward giantism and downsized others. The carnivorous lizards that reached Flores, became giant sized and still survive, though now confined mostly to the nearby island of Komodo; they are called Komodo dragons. Elephants are excellent swimmers; those that reached Flores evolved to a dwarf form the size of an ox.

Previous excavations by Mike Morwood, a member of the team that found the little Floresians, showed that Homo erectus had arrived on Flores by 840,000 years ago, to judge from the evidence of crude stone tools. Presumably the descendants of these Homo erectus became subject to the same evolutionary forces that downsized the elephants.

In a written commentary accompanying the article, two anthropologists not connected with the find, Marta Mirazon Lahr and Robert Foley of the University of Cambridge, say it is "among the most outstanding discoveries in palaeoanthropology for half a century." The first little Floresian, an adult female, was found in September 2003, buried under about six metres, or 20 feet, of silt that coat of the floor of the Liang Bua cave in Flores. A team of paleoanthropologists headed by Peter Brown, of the University of New England in Armidale, Australia, identifies the skeleton, which is not fossilized, as a very small but otherwise individual, similar to Homo erectus. Because the downsizing is so extreme smaller than modern human pygmies they assign it to a new species.

In a companion report Morwood, an archaeologist who is also at the University of New England, estimates that the skeleton is 18,000 years old. He has since found the remains of six more individuals in the cave, with dates ranging from 95,000 to 13,000 years ago, he said in an interview.

Also buried in the cave are a number of objects that illustrate how the little Floresians lived. There are bones of Komodo dragons, beasts three metres in length, and of an even larger lizard. The dragons can eat animals the size of deer, but as cold-blooded animals they are sluggish at low temperatures and not so hard to kill. There are bones of the pygmy elephant, giant rat, fish and birds. There is evidence the Floresians knew the use of fire. And there is a suite of stone tools, considerably more sophisticated than any yet known to have been made by Homo erectus. The tools include small blades that might have been mounted on wooden shafts.

If the stone tools were made by the little Floresians, as Morwood believes, that is striking evidence of their cognitive abilities. Morwood says they must have hunted cooperatively to bring down the pygmy elephants. To conduct such hunts, and to fabricate such complex stone tools, they almost certainly had some form of language, he said.

This will be a surprising finding, if true, because the little people have brains slightly smaller than a chimpanzee and similar in size to Australopithecenes, the ape-like ancestors of the human line. Foley said he would not rule out Morwood's suggestion but noted that chimpanzees hunt cooperatively without using language. Modern humans are known to have reached Australia by at least 40,000 years ago and were probably in the general neighborhood of Flores at the same time, so it is plausible that they could have been the makers of the stone tools. "I think it's a big jump" to assume the Floresians had language, Foley said.

Morwood said he has found no sign of modern humans in Flores until 11,000 years ago so has no basis for associating them with the tools in the Liang Bua cave. G. Philip Rightmire, a paleoanthropologist at Binghamton University in New York, said he was persuaded that the tools were made by the little Floresians.

"It's a wonderful demonstration of apparently 'archaic' humans adapting to the special conditions on Flores," Rightmire said. "I wouldn't have supposed that such small-brained people descended directly from Homo erectus would be capable of producing these artifacts, but the evidence is pretty compelling." The new findings add to the rapidly emerging picture of Homo erectus, which has long been overshadowed by the better-known Neanderthals of Europe. Like the Neanderthals, Homo erectus generally disappears from the scene just before modern humans arrived in their territory. The little Floresians not only survived long into the modern period but unlike most of the other archaic human populations managed to coexist with them.

They also demonstrate the adaptability of the human form and how readily humans conformed to the same pressures for pygmification that affected other island species.

Most of the extraordinary finds in paleontology have been surprising because they were so old. "What's exciting about this one is that it's so late, telling us about the processes and patterns of evolution in a way that's deeply informative," Foley said.

Copyright 2004 Rednova 2004

Critical Illness (or Dread Disease) Insurance covers 36 common critical illnesses as follows:

1. Heart attack
2. Coronary artery bypass surgery
3. Kidney failure
4. Major organ transplant
5. Multiple Sclerosis
6. Blindness
7. Deafness
8. Loss of speech
9. Major burns
10. Terminal illness
11. Parkinson's Disease
12. Occupationally acquired HIV infection
13. Aplastic Anaemia
14. Benign brain tumour
15. Chronic liver disease
16. Acute Bacterial Meningitis
17. Apallic syndrome
18. Brain surgery
19. Stroke
20. Cancer
21. Fulminant hepatitis
22. Paralysis (paraplegia, tetraplegia)
23. Primary pulmonary arterial hypertension
24. Heart valve surgery
25. Aorta surgery
26. Alzheimer's Disease
27. Coma
28. Motor Neurone Disease
29. HIV infection from blood transfusion
30. Accidental head injury resulting in major head trauma
31. Muscular Dystrophy
32. Viral Encephalitis
33. Poliomyelitis
34. Other serious coronary artery disease
35. Full blown AIDS
36. Chronic lung disease

The list may differ from one Insurance Company to another.

There was a man who had worked hard all of his life, had saved all of
his money, and was a real miser when it came to his money. He told his
wife, "When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the
casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me."

And so he got his wife to promise him with all of her heart that when
he died, she would put all of his money in the casket with him.

Well, he died. He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was
sitting there in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When
they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to
close the casket, the wife said, "Wait just a minute!"

She had a box with her; she came over with the box and put it in the
casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled
it away.

So her friend said, "Girl, I know you weren't fool enough to put all
that money in there with your husband."

The loyal wife replied, "Listen, I'm a Christian, I can't go back on
my word. I promised him that I was going to put all his money in that
casket with him."

"You mean to tell me you put all that money in the casket with him?"

"Sure I did," said the wife. "Got it all together, put it into my
account and wrote him a cheque. If he can cash it, he can spend it."

Saturday October 16, 02:59 AM
Climber who cut off his hand hails "miracle"
By Nicole Spiridakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Aron Ralston, the Colorado climber who saved his life by cutting off his own hand after he became trapped under a boulder last year, calls the experience a "miracle and a blessing."

Stranded in a hidden Utah canyon for six days, Ralston thought he would die and even videotaped a farewell to his parents, sister and friends as he languished, his right arm wedged behind a massive rock. "I will die here," Ralston recalls in his memoir "Between A Rock and a Hard Place," published last month. "I will shrivel up, slumping here with my arm trapped in this place, when dehydration decides to stop toying around and finally kills me."

His experience and how he defeated those seemingly impossible odds garnered international media attention and gave him new purpose in life.

"The public and media attention has given the story an ample audience to do the work I think it was brought to me to do," he said in an interview.

"I look at what happened to me as a miracle and a blessing and I therefore feel it a duty, even an obligation, to share it."

DECAYING ARM
At the time, his situation looked anything but blessed. Ralston, 28, an avid outdoorsman living in Aspen, Colorado, was climbing in April 2003 in Canyonlands National Park in central-eastern Utah.

That afternoon he was making his way down to a ledge in a narrow canyon when a boulder fell towards him. He tried to protect himself by throwing his arms up. The boulder crashed down, pinning his right arm from the wrist down. He tried frantically to free himself without success. As day waned, Ralston cursed himself, realising no one knew where he was.

"I violated the prime directive of wilderness travel in failing to leave a detailed trip plan," he wrote later. "I am alone in a predicament that could very shortly prove to be fatal."

On the sixth morning of his entrapment, exhausted from not sleeping and severely dehydrated, Ralston saw that his trapped hand was beginning to decay. Disgusted and agitated, he pulled on it repeatedly, trying to force it from his body.

Then he was struck by a realisation: He could break his arm by angling his body to snap the bones and use his dull pocket knife to saw through tendon and muscle.

Ignoring the excruciating pain, Ralston carefully severed nerves, muscle and artery of his right arm just above the wrist.

Wrenching free from the rock, he wrote, was the most intense feeling of his life.

"I was really just stuck there thinking I was a dead man for six days, but then that epiphany changed everything," Ralston recalled.

A LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS
Ralston credits his education as a mechanical engineer, outdoor experience and training in search and rescue for his survival.

Once free, he still had to rappel down a cliff and hike 8 miles (13 km) to reach a trailhead and the hope of rescue. Friends and family had searched for him for days, alerting authorities who were also on the lookout.

With just a mile (1.6 km) to go -- a mile he knew he was too drained to hike -- he was picked up by a rescue helicopter and flown to a hospital in Moab, Utah.

Ralston's physical recovery came in stages over about four months, during which he underwent five surgeries and spent 17 days in the hospital. He went through challenging rehabilitation therapy to learn to live with one hand.

Within two weeks of his last surgery, Ralston returned to his active lifestyle, running at elevations of 8,000 feet (2,438 m) and backpacking at 12,000 feet (3,657 m). He ran a 100-mile (160-km) ultramarathon last year and designed a one-of-a-kind prosthetic device to use while rock climbing.

Finishing his book means he now has more time to focus on his quest to become the first person to solo-climb all 59 of Colorado's 14,000-foot (4,267-m) peaks in winter.

"At this point my physical fitness matches or is even better than before the accident," Ralston said.

FINDING PURPOSE THROUGH LOSS
Rather than see his entrapment as an unfortunate accident, Ralston views it as an opportunity. He is touring to promote the book and giving motivational talks.

What compels him to tell his story again and again are the "dozens upon dozens" of personal stories people share with him.

"I feel I'm fulfilling a sense of greater purpose in my life," Ralston said. "I get feedback from people about how the story has helped them, has inspired them to take on new challenges, to perhaps see a different way of living.

"It may even help people find a way to cope with pain or surviving loss," he said.

He now feels capable of nearly anything.

"Day to day I have this really deep reference point of the euphoria, what it feels like to really, deeply enjoy being alive," Ralston said. "Nothing is impossible. I know that we each have the capacity to go farther than we think we can go, to do more than we think we can do.

"I've always believed that you can create your own reality, and this (experience) has confirmed this belief."

A man staggers into an emergency room with two black eyes and a five iron wrapped around his throat. Naturally the doctor asks him what happened.

"I was having a quiet round of golf with my wife, Julia, when she sliced her ball into a pasture of cows," said the man.

"We went to look for it, when I noticed one of the cows had something white at its rear end. I walked over and lifted up the tail, and sure enough, there was my wife's golf ball-stuck right in the middle of the cow's butt. That's when I made my mistake."

"What did you do?" asks the doctor.

"I lifted the tail and yelled to my wife, "Hey, this looks like yours!"

---

A young couple got married and left on their honeymoon. When they got back, the bride immediately called her mother. Her mother asked, "How was the honeymoon?"

"Oh, mama," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So romantic..."

Suddenly she burst out crying.

"But, mama, as soon as we returned, Matt started using the most horrible language... things I'd never heard before! I mean, all these awful four-letter words! You've got to come get me and take me home... Please mama!"

"Julia, Julia," her mother said, "calm down! Tell me, what could be so awful? What four-letter words?"

"Please don't make me tell you, mama," wept the daughter, "I'm so embarrassed they're just too awful! Come get me, please!"

"Darling, baby, you must tell me what has you so upset...Tell your mother these horrible four-letter words!"

Still sobbing, the bride said, "Oh, mama..words like DUST, WASH, IRON, COOK..!"

---

A very wealthy man is dating three women and wants to decide which to marry. He decides to give them a Test. He gives each woman a present of $5,000 and watches to see what each does with the money.

The first does a total makeover. She goes to a fancy beauty salon, gets her hair done, undergone plastic surgeries, new makeup and buys several new outfits and dresses up very nicely for the man. She tells him that she has done this to be more attractive for him because she loves him so much. The man was impressed.

The second goes shopping to buy the man gifts. She gets him a new set of golf clubs, some new gizmos for his computer, and some expensive clothes. As she presents these gifts, she tells him that she has spent all the money on him because she loves him so much. Again, the man was impressed.

The third invests the money in the stock market. She earns several times the $5000. She gives him back his $5000 and reinvests the remainder in a joint account. She tells him that she wants to save for their future because she loves him so much. Obviously, the man was impressed.

The man thought for a long time about what each woman had done with the money, and then he...

..married the one with the biggest tits. Men are Men!

---

A man enters his favorite restaurant and, while sitting at his regular table, he notices a gorgeous woman, Julia, sitting at a table nearby, all alone.

He calls the waiter over and asks for their most expensive bottle of Merlot to be sent over to her knowing that if she accepts it, she is his. The waiter gets the bottle and quickly sends it over to the girl, saying this is from the gentleman.

She looks at the wine and decides to send a note back. The note read: "For me to accept this bottle, you need to have a Mercedes in your garage, a million dollars in the bank and seven inches in your pants."

The man, after reading this note, sends one back to her.

She reads the note: "Just so you know - I happen to have a Rolls, Ferrari, and a Mercedes in my garage; plus I have over two million dollars in the bank; but, not even for a woman as beautiful as you, would I cut three inches off in my pants!"

And Not Take A Bath

Special Report by Joe Brillante & Lou Castillo

When referring to buying wholesale properties from an investor, it is often commented: "Buyer Beware!" The feeling is that many of the wholesalers in the field are unscrupulous, and will take advantage of unwary buyers. The truth is that most wholesalers are very ethical and provide a valuable service. The trick is to be able to evaluate each deal to make sure it is profitable for YOU.

Don't be scared to purchase a deal because the wholesaler may be unethical. This could also be true if you were dealing with the original home owner. Instead, what makes more sense is to know how to fully evaluate a deal, then purchase the deal that makes sense - that way no one can get the best of you. So how do you evaluate a deal?

First of all, you have to look at a wholesaler just like any other home seller in the field. No better, no worse. You don't try to buy a house from a homeowner, and ask the homeowner to tell you whether it's a good deal or not. You expect them to advertise the best points, and you'll determine based on your criteria, if it works or not. You should approach wholesale buying the same way. Assume the data that a wholesaler gives you is all 100% accurate - only to determine which houses you'll go to look at in more depth. In other words, if based on the info they provided you, you're not interested, don't pursue any further.

Now, once you've gone to see the property for sale, if you're still interested, you have to verify all the information. At this point you have to plug in your own figures, do your own calculation, and see if the deal works. If you do that, you're no longer at the mercy of the wholesaler. You'll feel empowered to pick and choose, and you won't be worried.

The first thing to do is verify the ARV (After Repaired Value). Someone told me the other day that they didn't believe the ARV in another wholesaler's flyer because the house in the picture didn't look like it would have that kind of value. Frankly, that's no way to evaluate a deal. Using just your eyeball you could either under or over estimate its value. I have been amazed at some of the prices that I have sold small houses - many times it's all about the area, and the craftsmanship of the rehab. The only way to determine the ARV is to look at comps.

Evaluating Comps
Any wholesaler worth his salt will give you the comps used to determine the ARV (if they don't I would question how they determined the ARV in the first place). The first thing you want to look at is how far away they are from subject property, and how old they are. Appraisers use 1 mile and 1 year. As much as possible, we try to use ½ mile and 6 months.

Next, go drive the comps. Is the neighborhood - or even the street - the same as the one you're looking at. For instance, if the house you're looking at is on a street with a lot of boarded up properties, and the houses that are inhabited are all run down, but the comp is on a beautiful street full of rehabs, then it is not a true comp. Same is true for evaluating the house itself against the comp. Are they basically the same house? Obviously, the comp is going to look great - it has probably already been rehabbed. That's OK because you're trying to figure out what your house will be worth AFTER rehab as well. But is the construction essentially the same? You can not compare a small frame, plain-jane cottage with no architectural design, to a huge brick multi-dimensional mansion - unless you've calculated enough in your rehab to get your house to look the same when it's done. What you want in a comp is similar size, similar number of bedrooms and baths, similar design, same frame or brick, etc to what your home will look like when you're done. We've bought houses for rehab that did not look like the comp when we bought it, but we knew that it would after the rehab because we would add a bath or a bedroom, and would change the facade of the house - but our rehab budget reflected that as well.

Now sometimes, there are no houses that are exactly like the one you're looking at. That doesn't mean that you can't use the comps at all. It just means that you have to make a ARV price adjustment. Think of yourself as the ultimate homeowner. How much of a price drop will it take for them to buy your house over the competition if your house is different? How significant is the difference? For instance, one California contemporary house in a neighborhood of Craftsman style homes will be very difficult to sell, so you'd have to drop the price significantly. On the other hand, a fenced yard versus no fence will not affect the value much.

Finally, if you're not comfortable with the data that the wholesaler gave you, go get some more. If you don't have access at home, go to GaREIA and use their tax record databases to see what's selling in the area. You can go one step further and ask a Realtor to pull comps from MLS (the tax records are more comprehensive because they have all houses that sold including FSBO's, but the Realtors have access to more current data). You're probably going to find a fairly wide range of prices. We throw out the extreme high and the extreme low, and look for the median range price at which most houses are selling.

With all of this work done, you should KNOW the ARV. You'll no longer have to guess whether the wholesaler properly evaluated it for you or not. So what's the rest of the formula?

Calculating Your Price
Just like dealing with a homeowner seller, you can only pay what you can pay. It doesn't matter what the wholesaler is asking. So let's figure it out. The formula we use is:

ARV - Repairs - Buy/Sell/Hold (B/S/H) Costs - Profit
= Maximum Allowable Offer

So you already know the ARV. Repairs are a little more difficult, because everyone has a different list in their head of what needs to be done, how elaborate the work needs to be (e.g. tile versus linoleum; carpet versus hardwoods; Corian versus laminate), and the cost of the contractors to do the work. We try to come up with a fair middle of the road figure that we advertise as a wholesaler, but truly, it's meant to be a guide, not an absolute. You have to determine your own repair number. Our Streetwise A-Z Start-Up Kit for Real Estate Riches course (www.atozrealestateriches.com) provides a worksheet for determining renovation costs quickly and easily.

B/S/H costs are all the closing costs when you buy the property (title work, attorney's fees, title insurance, survey, loan origination fee, appraisal, etc), the closing costs that you pay for your buyer when you sell, the realtor commissions or marketing costs, and the costs to hold the property (debt service, taxes, insurance, utilities). We have found that a good average for all of that is about 15% of the ARV. It could be higher or lower for you based on the cost of money, and how you plan to sell your house. But as a rough gauge, the 15% rule seems to work.

The fun part is the profit. How much do you want to make in this deal. Of course, we'd all like to make $100,000 in every deal, but we'd never buy a property if we always plugged in that number. I recommend that you plug in the minimum amount that you would accept and still be happy. Using that figure you should be happy either way:

I bought the house at the price that will give me that profit - OR - I couldn't buy this property because I wouldn't make enough profit. You don't want to kick yourself later saying I really would have done the deal for $5,000 less, now I missed the opportunity.

But remember, this is your maximum price. You still have one more step...

Negotiating
Unlike the grocery store, you can negotiate on price. The wholesaler has a spread and a profit requirement that he can work with as well. The trick is to negotiate the best deal where both sides are happy. Let me tell you how it works from the wholesaler's side. If we have a hot property, and a lot of interest, we're not too negotiable on price. In fact, we've even accepted offers over the asking price. If the property hasn't had too much interest, we're far more negotiable. It's the law of supply and demand.

If you determine that you need to buy at a price lower than the wholesaler is asking, submit an offer. If nothing else, it at least starts the negotiating process. We've had buyers offer less than we paid for the house - so obviously we pass. But we almost always give a new price that we may be able to work with. The risk of going too low on your part is that the wholesaler may accept another offer in the meantime, and you never get a chance to negotiate. Bottom line, be fair and up front, and it will work out for the best. But always make an offer on a house you're interested in. You never know. You may get your price!

How much should a wholesaler make?
Sometimes it may seem that the wholesaler makes a lot of money for not doing anything to the house (usually not even take title). But you have to remember the marketing effort that goes into attracting the motivated sellers, and the time requirement to sift through all of the deals, visit all the houses, and to negotiate all the deals, to find the few that can be offered on the wholesale market.

We've purchased numerous wholesale deals in our careers. We've never cared what the wholesaler made because we negotiated a deal that worked for us. We were happy to pay the fee - as long as the total cost of the deal worked.

Remember, do your own due diligence. Review the comparable sales. Make sure they are truly comparable to the subject property. Drive by each one. Get a feel for the neighborhood, and what you plan to do. Determine your own costs. The wholesaler is providing an average. Your actual costs may be higher or lower. Determine the price that works for you, then negotiate your best deal. When you follow this process, you'll never worry that someone has taken advantage of you because you'll know for sure that the deal is profitable.

Best of fun, happiness and success!

Joe Brillante & Lou Castillo

Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you think could benefit from it!

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The "Meat & Potatoes" of Real Estate Investing

That's an obvious question - we all do! So what is the trick? So much time and money is spent on systems updates, roofs, and structural issues, that many times there's nothing left for what really makes the sale: what your potential buyers see. And more importantly, what they fall in love with.

People don't walk into your house, and say, "Wow, they have all new electric. Let's buy." That's just a core expectation. The trick to selling houses fast is to seduce your customers to fall in love when they walk through. It has to feel like a home to them.

The two most inexpensive yet surefire ways we have found to create this atmosphere is through color and through decorating.

A tastefully decorated house really stands out from the others. New house builders learned this a long time ago. Why do you suppose they hire interior decorators? But they have the advantage of creating one masterpiece to sell many. Rehabbers don't have that luxury. But we discovered that a house can be "staged" to feel like a lived in home. Staging is the art of artistically placing decor items around the house. Perhaps a colorful place setting on the kitchen counter along with open coffee beans for aroma, and an open recipe book turned to a colorful picture. Bathrooms dressed up with beautiful towels, sweet smelling soaps, and window treatments as shower curtains. Finally, fireplace mantels decorated as if the family was already living there.

But even staging doesn't create the ambience you need. It is the warmth that comes from color. You may have heard to use a white-on-white color scheme to remain neutral and not turn anyone off. The truth is - no one is turned ON either. Buyers aren't attracted to all white houses. At best, there's no emotion. With the use of contemporary designer colors, however, these same people fall in love with the home. That's the emotion that sells. When they love, they buy. And they fall in love with houses that are brought to life with full color.

Since we have no talent for color selection, and didn't want to have our visitors running and screaming from the house, we decided to... (MORE)

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The Basis of Your Mutual Attraction

Birth Data for B:
Birth Date and Time..... October 14, 1966 7:30 AM
Birth Location............. Singapore, Singapore

Birth Data for A:
Birth Date and Time..... September 5, 1958 10:36 PM
Birth Location............. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

B's Mars Conjunct A's Pluto:
Together you elicit one another's deepest, most hidden desires and drives. You will take one another to sexual levels you've both previously only fantasized about; this could lead to some obsession, however, or fanaticism in your attraction and connection to one another. It is wise to maintain a sense of balance when you experience such strong desires for another person. Take care not to let feelings of jealousy or urges to compete sexually overwhelm your more sensible ideas.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

An Edifying Tale

Twenty years ago, I drove a taxi for a living.

When I arrived at 2:30 am, the building was dark except for a single light in a ground floor window.

Under these circumstances, many drivers would just honk once or twice, wait a minute, then drive away. But, I had seen too many impoverished people who depended on taxis as their only means of transportation. Unless a situation smelled of danger, I always went to the door. This passenger might be someone who needs my assistance, I reasoned to myself. So I walked to the door and knocked.

"Just a minute," answered a frail, elderly voice.

I could hear something being dragged across the floor. After a long pause, the door opened.

A small woman in her 80's stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase.

The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. There were no clocks on the walls, no knickknacks or utensils on the counters. In the corner was a cardboard box filled with photos and glassware.

"Would you carry my bag out to the car?" she said.

I took the suitcase to the taxi, then returned to assist the woman. She took my arm and we walked slowly toward the curb. She kept thanking me for my kindness.

"It's nothing", I told her. "I just try to treat my passengers the way I would want my mother treated."

"Oh, you're such a good boy," she said.

When we got in the taxi, she gave me an address, then asked, "Could you drive through downtown?"

"It's not the shortest way," I answered quickly.

"Oh, I don't mind," she said. "I'm in no hurry. I'm on my way to a hospice."

I looked in the rear-view mirror. Her eyes were glistening.

"I don't have any family left," she continued. "The doctor says I don't have very long."

I quietly reached over and shut off the meter. "What route would you like me to take?" I asked.

For the next two hours, we drove through the city. She showed me the building where she had once worked as an elevator operator. We drove through the neighbourhood where she and her husband had lived when they were newlyweds.

She had me pull up in front of a furniture warehouse that had once been a ballroom where she had gone dancing as a girl. Sometimes she'd ask me to slow in front of a particular building or corner and would sit staring into the darkness, saying nothing.

As the first hint of sun was creasing the horizon, she suddenly said, "I'm tired. Let's go now."

We drove in silence to the address she had given me. It was a low building, like a small convalescent home, with a driveway that passed under a portico. Two orderlies came out to the taxi as soon as we pulled up. They were solicitous and intent, watching her every move. They must have been expecting her. I opened the boot and took the small suitcase to the door. The woman was already seated in a wheelchair.

"How much do I owe you?" she asked, reaching into her purse.

"Nothing," I said.

"You have to make a living," she answered.

"There are other passengers," I responded.

Almost without thinking, I bent and gave her a hug. She held onto me tightly.

"You gave an old woman a little moment of joy," she said.

"Thank you."

I squeezed her hand, then walked into the dim morning light. Behind me, a door shut. It was the sound of the closing of a life. I didn't pick up any more passengers that shift. I drove aimlessly, lost in thought. For the rest of that day, I could hardly talk.

What if that woman had gotten an angry driver, or one who was impatient to end his shift? What if I had refused to take the run, or had honked once, then driven away? On a quick review, I don't think that I have done anything more important in my life.

We're conditioned to think that our lives revolve around great moments. But great moments often catch us unawares--beautifully wrapped in what others may consider a small one.

PEOPLE MAY NOT REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID, OR WHAT YOU SAID, ~ BUT, THEY WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER HOW YOU MADE THEM FEEL.

You won't get a big surprise in ten days if you send it to ten people.

But, you might help make the world a little kinder and more compassionate by sending it on.

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance. Every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special. Every day, every minute, every breath, truly, is a gift from God.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2004 04:30:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Kofi Yousaof" kofi_2005_mail@yahoo.com
Subject: I believe that your assistance will be of profitable advantage to us.
To: azlan
From: Mr Kofi Yousaof

Re-Investment Research

Dear.

How are you and your business? I am very interested in doing business
in your country, therefore I would like to seek your assistance and
help.

I am particularly interested in properties but your advise on other
areas of private sector would be appreciated.

I got your contact at the World Trade Center here in Thailand and I am
of the believe that you would be of great help in guiding me to a
successful exploration of the investment potential of your country
which grantee good capital returns and human security.

As a result of this, I can take you in confidence basically because of
the source of my fund here by believing that your assistance will be
of profitable advantage to us.

I am Mr Kofi Yousaof : formerly of United Liberation Army of Northern
Angola {UNITA} under the military leadership of Gen. Gonas Savimbi. My
comrades and I sensing the weakness of our Liberation movement and
loss of confidence in facing a better trained and equipped federal
government Army towards the last one year. We decided to escape with
some fund under our care.

We deposited this money with a private security firm in Bangkok , it
was deposited as a family treasure so as not to let the company know
the real content.

This was made possible true special arrangement. South Africa however
not being safe for me because of it closeness to Angola, I escaped to
Thailand were I'm staying at the moment as a refugee.

I would there fore like you to help me in every possible way in
securing this fund to your country since I intend to live and run my
business there.

The amount involved is, Fifteen million five hundred thousand united
states dollar {$15.5m}

Sir, I would like you to understand my modesty in imploring for your
help which is categorically due to my lack of business experience and
exposure.

I also want you to acknowledge the fact that I am a carrier soldier
who by virtue of the war was opportune to posses the amount of money
with me.

This fund being the basis of my future and business ambition, your
friendship, assistance and advise will be immensely appreciated while
your effort will be rewarded by parting with some percentage of the
total fund to you.

Be also assured that you stand on no risk of any kind as it was an
event during a war situation and I look forward to your urgent reply.

Best Regards.

Mr.Kofi Yousaof .

Not to be missed!

I've managed to get a special deal on this Robert Kiyosaki seminar ~ RM90 per pax - if I can get a group of ten pax to register with me. Email me if you are interested. You need to pay me by Thursday, Oct 21 at the free preview (details below).

Azlan
azlan088@gmail.com

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

From: Mrs SALISU SALISU salisu582003@netscape.net
Reply-To: salisu60@netscape.net
Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2004 12:44:57 +0200
Subject: PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE RECIEPT.


33 KINBERLEY AVENUE
BELLVIEW EAST JHB
JOHANESBOURG
R.S.A SOUTH AFRICA
SALISU60@NETSCAPE.NET

DEAR

I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE WE DO
NOT KNOW EACH OTHER BEFORE BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF INTRODUCTION ,I AM
MRS SALISU SISULU CHIEF AUDITOR OF AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK]
(ADB).THERE WAS AN ACCOUNT OPENED HERE IN 1980 AND SINCE 1990,NOBODY
HAS OPERATED ON THIS ACCOUNT AGAIN,AFTER GOING THROUGH SOME OLD FILES
IN THE RECORD,I DISCOVERED THAT IF I DO NOT REMOVE THIS MONEY OUT
URGENTLY,IT WILL BE FORFEITED FOR OTHING .

THE OWNER OF THIS IS MR KARL HEINZE WARAF,A FORIGNER AND A MINNER AT
KRUGER GOLD COMPANY ,A GEOLOGIST BY PROFESSION HE DIED SINCE 1987.NO
OTHER PERSON KNOWS THAT THIS ACCOUNT HAS NO OTHER BENEFICIARY AND MY
INVESTIGATION PROVED TO ME AS WELL, THAT HIS COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT AND THE AMOUNT INVOLED IS US$29.6}TWENTY
NINE MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLAR}.. I AM ONLY
CONTACTATING YOU AS A FOREIGNER BECAUSE THIS MONEY CANNOT BE APPROVED
TO A LOCAL BANK HERE BUT, CAN ONLY BE APPROVED TO ANY FOREIGN ACCOUNT
BECAUSE THE MONEY IS IN U.S.DOLLARS AND THE FORMER OWNER OF THE
ACCOUNT.MR KARL HEINZE WARAF, IS A FOREIGNER TOO.

I KNOW THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE AS WE DO NOT
KNOW OUR SELVES BEFORE, WE WILL SIGN AN AGREEMENT,BUT BE SURE THAT IT
IS REAL AND A GENUINE BUSINESS. PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY SO THAT I WILL
INFORM YOU OF THE NEXT STEP TO TAKE IMMEDIATELY. SEND ALSO YOUR
PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS INCLUDING THE FULL DETAILS OF THE
ACCOUNT TO BE USED FOR THE DEPOSIT. I WOULD LIKE US TO MEET FACE TO
FACE OR TO SIGN A BINDING AGREEMENT SO THAT YOU CAN RECIEVE THIS MONEY
INTO A FORIGHN ACCOUNT AS A FORIGHN BENEFICIARY.

I NEED YOUR FULL CO-OPERATION TO MAKE THIS WORK FINE BECAUSE THE
MANAGEMENT IS READY TO APPROVE THIS PAYMENT TO ANY FOREIGNER WHO
PROVIDES CORRECT INFORMATION OF THIS ACCOUNT WHICH I WILL GIVE YOU
LATTER.

IMMIDIATELY YOU INDECATE YOUR INTEREST AND CAPABILITY TO HANDLE SUCH
AMOUNT OF MONEY, YOU WILL THEN FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTION AND ADVICE FOR
OUR MUTUAL AND HONEST BUSINESS TRANSACTION, BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO
MAKE ANY MISTAKE AT ALL. I NEED YOUR STRONG ASSURANCE AND TRUST,20% OF
THE MONEY WILL BE YOURS,75%FOR ME AND 5% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR THE
EXPENSES THAT COULD BE INCURED THROUGHOUT THE CAUSE OF THIS
TRANSACTION.

I LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EARLIEST REPLY THROUGH MY E-MAIL
THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING
BEST REGARDS
MRS SALISU SISULU THE AUDITOR.

Don't they Ever Give Up?

From: Greg and Heba
Reply-To: greheba@netscape.net
To: azlan
Date: Sun, 17 Oct 2004 16:34:13 -0600
Subject: Urgent Request

Dear sir ,
It's Good thing to write you. We have an important proposition for
youth is how ever is not mandatory nor will I in any
manner compel you to honour against your will.
Your profile pushed me to send you this mail, I Greg
and my only sister Heba the only surviving children of late Mr. Mrs james. Our
father was a highly reputable business magnet (a cocoa merchant)
who operate during his days in Africa .
It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during
one of his business trips abroad on 12th.December 2002.Though his
sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have
been masterminded
by an uncle of his who travelled with him at that time. But God knows the truth!
our mother died when my younger was just 4 years old, and since
then my father took me so special.Before he made the trip to france
that lead to his fortune(his death)He called me,explained to me
the reason why he will make the trip is to negotiate
for foreign investment and also told us that he has the sum of
fourteen million, seven hundred thousand United State
Dollars.(USD$14.700,000)deposited in one of the commercial bank here in Africa.
YOUR INFORMATIONS FOR THE CLAIMS IMMEDIATELY:
1.YOUR FULL NAME AND AGE.
2 YOUR CONTACT ADDRESS
3.YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER
we are young once and undergraduate university students and really
don't know what to do. This is because I have suffered a lot since
the death of my father actually brought sorrow to my life.
we in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards.
Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded.Upon your willingness
to assist us transfer the sum into your account,we
have the deposit slip from the bank issued to our late fahter on the
day of deposit Now permit me to ask these few questions:-
1. Can you honestly help us ?
2. Can we completely trust you?
3. What percentage of the total amount in question
will be good for you after the fund might have been transfered into your account?
Please, Consider this and get back to us as soon as possible through my personal email ---hebagreg@netscape.net.
Thanks.
Greg and Heba

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Cooperation between Hugo Boss and smart

In October 2004, smart and HUGO Fragrances will tour together through nine European countries with their "Urban Drive" promotion. A central element of the cooperation is an exclusive special edition of the smart forfour developed together with P&G Prestige Beaute, the worldwide licensee of HUGO BOSS AG fragrances. This limited special edition of which just five vehicles will be produced combines smart's urban lifestyle with HUGO's modern and trendy outlook on life.



The smart forfour special edition with a black tridion safety cell, bodypanels in jack black and HUGO lettering on the B-pillars is based on the equipment level of the smart forfour edition sportstyle which is limited to 500 vehicles. The special HUGO interior featuring the HUGO colours red and black with red leather trim, two HUGO logos embroidered in the front headrests, a HUGO logo on the glove compartment trim and red HUGO lettering on the floor mats enhance the exclusivity of this special edition. Further information on the smart forfour special edition can be found on the website www.smart.com.

The smart forfour special edition is exclusively available to the winners of the main prizes in the "Urban Drive" fragrance promotion. "We want these vehicles to remain something very special which is why we won't be selling the special edition but will only be giving it away to the competition winners", explains Lueder Fromm, responsible for cooperation and licences at smart.

Three of the smart forfour special edition models will be on display in selected Douglas perfumeries in Germany. Two further models are destined for France and Spain.

"The smart forfour is the perfect car for all those who live according to their own rules and a perfect match for the attitude to life embodied by HUGO fragrances: Urban. Innovative. Provocative.", is how Markus Spieker, Brand Manager P&G Prestige Beaute for Germany, Austria, Switzerland sums up the importance of the cooperation.

Information and entry forms for the competition that will run from October 11 to 23 2004 are available at all Douglas perfumeries.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Innovative cooperation between the Apple and smart brands
smart integrates iPod into limited edition smart fortwo i-move

smart is the first car manufacturer worldwide to offer an integrated Apple iPod play-back and charging station into it's limited edition smart fortwo i-move that will go on sale from May 2004 in selected markets. The white smart fortwo cabrio with a silver tridion safety cell will come standard with an iPod engraved with the smart logo and the smart "iPod Car Kit" consisting of a mount with connection for iPod.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

How to Become Rich Using Your Banker's Money

Dolf de Roos - #1 Best Selling Author - is on a Mission:

"To Show You How You Can Make 10 Times More Money Working for Yourself than Creating Wealth for Someone Else..."

Stop creating wealth for someone else and start using your wealth creation potential for yourself.

Dolf de Roos remembers thinking... "Why would anyone in their right mind agree to work for forty hours a week, for forty-nine weeks of the year... when in one week you can do a deal worth US$35,000 and take the rest of the year off?"

When it comes to being rich or poor there are two types of people...

Those who have wealth creation systems and those who work for those who have them.

Which one are you?

"I'm willing to bet that you have just as much if not more potential, desire and aptitude than any of those people out there that have created major wealth - all you are missing is a little help from someone who has been where you are now and is where you want to be.

As I've traveled the world I've shaken up a lot of people when they discover I studied eight years to earn my PhD and then turned down a job offer for US$32,000 because a week earlier I had closed on a real estate deal that put US$35,000 in my bank account in one lump sum.

Yet I continue to take regular people (from all walks of life) and have shown them exactly what to do to unleash their hidden wealth earning potential for themselves and quit giving it away to someone else in a 9-5 job," Dolf de Roos writes.

"Why work for someone else when you can learn exactly what to do to earn 10 times more money than you can make working for someone else?"

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

The secrets of finding hidden profits that most investors miss
By Ken McElroy

Book Excerpt from a new book in the Rich Dad's Advisors Series
From Chapter Three...

It Takes a Team
Who was it that said, "No man is an island?" Whoever he was, he could have been living in the twenty-first century because today we don't do anything without the help of other people. Even when movie stars win Academy Awards, they never walk up to the podium, face the crowd, smile, and say, "Thank you. I am quite wonderful for having done this all by myself." Instead, it practically takes a vaudeville cane to yank them off the stage as they thank the hundreds of people who helped them along the way. Everyone has a team. Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto and Silver!

Well, in the business of investment real estate, you can't afford to be a lone ranger. In fact, it's impossible to accomplish your goal on your own no matter what your goal is. And no one is expecting you to. Quite the opposite. We're expecting you to build an extensive network and a close-knit team that will be your most valuable resource.

Why Have a Team?
Having a team of experts on call is not free and it is not cheap. Those are the two biggest reasons why many inexperienced investors make a rookie mistake: They try to do almost everything themselves. Sure, they my save a few dollars in the short run, but they usually lose in the long run. Without experts on your team, deals take longer to find, evaluate, and close, so there's the value of your time and the loss of valuable opportunities. Do-it-yourselfers miss details that experts would see in a minute, like clauses missing in contracts, obvious defects in construction, and hundreds if not thousands of other issues experts would point out up front.

An expert team on your side means you'll have fewer surprises as you wade through the sometimes turbulent waters of purchasing and managing a property. Surprises are wonderful on birthdays, but the kinds of surprises that come from investment property are usually not very welcome.

Real-World Case
One investor who decided to go it along alone is a man from Seattle who called us right after he purchased a 100-unit property and asked us to help him manage it. The key word here is "after." The property is in Phoenix and he had absolutely no plan for it. He had never walked any of the units; he never called anyone to inquire what the resident mix was like. He never even checked what kind of neighborhood the property was in. When we talked it was obvious he had not done any research at all on the property; he bought it sight unseen. The property was in massive disrepair -- a nice way of saying it should have been condemned -- and worse than that, it was full of gang members. Even the Phoenix police department was instructed to never enter the premises without backup.

This man's laziness on the front end cost him tons of money. I wonder why now, but we did take on the management contract for this property and the price tag was pretty steep to get this place back in shape. Outside contractors of every kind, lawyers, you name it, we hired them all. We sent eviction notices that nearly evacuated the entire place just to get rid of the riffraff. That meant the owner endured months of significantly reduced income and sky-high marketing costs to get the property leased. It was a mess that took the better part of a year. If this man had taken the time to establish a network of people in Phoenix before buying the property, they would have either steered him clear of this property or flushed out all the issues so he could have established a plan to turn the property around.

This is just one example. There are thousands of others. The point here is simply that the wise investor pays on the front end and reaps the rewards on the back end. The fees it would have cost the property owner from Seattle to have his Phoenix team visit the property and file a report or two were a pittance when compared with what it cost him out of his own pocket to get his investment in shape. Had the work been identified up front, the cost of the property improvements would have been factored into the seller's listing price. Build your team now. You'll save money and be prepared for whatever you encounter along the way.

And here's one more bonus. Often it is the team you establish that becomes the foundation for your entire network. Think of your network as your lifeline. Not only will they help you with the deals you're working on now, they are usually the ones who will bring you your second, third, and fourth property opportunities -- particularly if you have voiced your goal to them clearly, as discussed in the previous chapter. There's no need to do all the work yourself. You need experts. I've been doing this for years and I still rely on my team of experts. I wouldn't do a deal without them.

Also in this chapter:

The Pros and Cons of Working with Family Members

Partners - A Good Thing or a Bad Idea

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

an unprecedented act of Internet censorship
By the Editorial Board
13 October 2004

The US government move to shut down nearly two dozen antiwar, anti-globalization web sites on October 7 is an unprecedented exercise of police power against political dissent on the Internet. The World Socialist Web Site denounces the attack on the Indymedia sites and demands a halt to all such attempts at suppressing political criticism of the US government.

The shutdown was carried out by Rackspace, a US-based web-hosting company with offices in San Antonio, Texas, and greater London, in response to an order from the FBI requiring it to turn over two of its British servers that were hosting dozens of Indymedia sites. There are conflicting accounts of the legal process, with Indymedia attributing the order to a US federal district court, while the Electronic Freedom Foundation, which is supplying legal representation to the group, describes it as a "commissioner's order" directly from the FBI itself.

At least 20 national web sites, including those for Brazil, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Uruguay were taken down when the hard drives for the servers were given to the FBI. Most of the sites were restored to service by the end of the weekend, but they may have lost significant digital content because of the removal of the hardware.

The seizure appeared to be politically timed. It came just one week before the start of the third session of the European Social Forum (ESF), a large gathering of antiwar and anti-globalization activists, scheduled to take place in London October 15-17. The ESF was to be broadcast live via streaming video on many of the Indymedia sites.

The FBI said the action was taken at the request of Italian and Swiss authorities, under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, which provides for cooperative efforts by various national police agencies against international terrorism, kidnapping and money laundering. According to a statement issued by the web-hosting firm, "Rackspace is acting as a good corporate citizen and is cooperating with international law enforcement authorities."

The invocation of such a treaty against a group of left-wing web sites with no link to any form of terrorism is an outrageous smear. Indymedia was formed in 1999 to provide live on-the-spot coverage of the anti-globalization protests in Seattle. It has expanded into a worldwide network of 140 locally based sites that provide extensive coverage of political activities that are frequently blacked out by the corporate-controlled media.

According to a statement issued by the Indymedia network, the group was asked by the FBI last month to remove a story posted on one its member sites about Swiss undercover police. The story included photographs of two secret police officers who had acted as agents provocateurs during anti-globalization protests last year outside the G-8 summit meeting in Evian, France. The FBI conceded that the posting of this information did not violate any US law, and Indymedia did not take down the information.

The two policemen had engaged in violent actions in the center of Geneva, the Swiss city adjacent to Evian, where most of the anti-globalization protests took place. These provocations became the pretext for police attacks on peaceful demonstrators. The Indymedia report gave the names and addresses of the undercover cops as well as their photographs.

Indymedia said it could not be sure that the FBI action was related to the Swiss police exposure "since the order was issued to Rackspace and not to Indymedia." Two other possible motives have been suggested: one relating to the politics of Italy, the other relating to the US elections.

According to some Internet reports, the federal prosecutor for the Italian city of Bologna, Marina Plazzi, has begun an investigation of Indymedia for possible "support of terrorism," claiming a link between the group and attacks on Italian soldiers in the Iraqi city of Nasiriya last November. Plazzi claims to have contacted the FBI as well as the Italian Department of Justice.

Several leaders of the neo-fascist National Alliance party have demanded the outright shutdown of Indymedia, including Alessandra Mussolini, granddaughter of the fascist dictator. National Alliance leader Gianfranco Fini is the deputy prime minister in the coalition government headed by billionaire Silvio Berlusconi, and a fervent supporter of Italian participation in the occupation of Iraq.

According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which condemned the Indymedia shutdown, this action may be related to a court case heard September 30 in San Jose, California, against some Indymedia activists who helped expose security flaws in the electronic voting machines that will be used by tens of millions of voters in the November 2 US elections.

Aidan White, general secretary of the IFJ, declared, "We have witnessed an intolerable and intrusive international police operation against a network specializing in independent journalism... The seizing of computers and the high profile nature of this incident suggest that someone wanted to stifle these independent voices in journalism."

A representative of the US-based Electronic Freedom Foundation said, "The Constitution does not permit the government unilaterally to cut off the speech of an independent media outlet, especially without providing a reason or even allowing Indymedia the information necessary to contest the seizure."

Reporters Without Borders, an international group defending freedom of the press, also condemned the seizure of computer equipment in an open letter to David Blunkett, the British Home Secretary. The letter declared: "This intervention is the responsibility of the British authorities because it relates to a hosting company operating on their territory. Closure of websites is a serious step, the reasons for which should definitely be made public."

This intervention by American police to shut down antiwar web sites has been widely reported in Europe, with accounts carried in the British Guardian and Independent and by the French news agency Agence France-Presse, among others. But nothing has appeared as yet in the American mass media. This silence only underscores the role of the American corporate media as the accomplice of the Bush administration's attacks on democratic rights, both at home and abroad.

The suggested connection between the Indymedia shutdown and the US elections is especially significant. At the September 30 court hearing in northern California, federal judge Jeremy Fogel ruled in favor of two Swarthmore College students and the Online Policy Group, an Internet service provider that hosts an Indymedia site, in their suit against Diebold Election Systems, a leading manufacturer of electronic touch-screen voting machines.

The two students had web-posted internal Diebold company memos describing flaws in the software of the voting machines that would permit vote rigging and alteration of vote totals. The Online Policy Group was a party to the suit because it served as the Internet service provider for the San Francisco Bay Area Indymedia web site, which posted a link to the memos.

Diebold had brought lawsuits against several other groups that posted the memos, but the two students, active in the Swarthmore Coalition for the Digital Commons, filed a civil suit against Diebold claiming that it had unfairly used provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

Judge Fogel ruled that Diebold had violated provisions in the act that make it illegal to knowingly misuse copyright law to stifle free speech. He ordered the giant manufacturer to pay damages as well as court costs and lawyers' fees.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

What Every Woman Should Know About Improving Her Libido

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

...and to Taking Control of Every Situation in your Life!
By Terry Rich Hartley, PhD

Like it or not, we are all gladiators. We go to sleep and wake up in a social arena from which there is no escape. Challenges cascade upon us, walls restrain us, and a mob of spectators jeers or cheers us. Each day brings new battles whether we want them or not. Life forces us to face one skirmish after another - no choice in the matter.

What we can choose, though, is which kind of gladiator to be, victor or victim. Being a victim in this social arena translates into having bad relationships. Most people are victims - victims of their own perceptions.

That's because people don't develop and listen to their own unique, authentic self. Rather they allow their mental spectators - those little tyrants rattling around in their heads - to tell them second by second how to fight their battles, what they can and cannot do.

These mental spectators are the memories of the judgments of real-life people. It's the memory of your aunt saying, "I hope you marry someone rich, because you're not going far on brains." It's the echo of your father or coach growling, "You've got a back problem - no spine."

And their influence over your relationships can't be overestimated.

Millions of people accept the judgments of their mental spectators as the truth and, therefore, the mediocre results that come from believing those judgments. With so many people living this way, the question becomes, is this the way I have to live? Fortunately, the answer is not unless you want to.

Once you identify your mental spectators - and your interactions with them - you can move beyond victim and assume the role of victor. What it takes are eight steps for getting command, steps you can apply to most any situation you want altered. You can positively influence your relationships, your employment options, any aspect of your life.

Let's look at the steps.

1. Define What Ails You
Ask, what's my problem? Am I a jealous weasel, troubled that others have what I want? Am I ticked off most of the time? Am I sad and whiney? Anxiety ridden? Moody? All of the above?

2. Discover the Effects
Ask, how are my problems affecting my life? Am I a lousy parent, a friendless dork, a backstabber, a drunk, a junkie? Am I none of the above, but someone who is less than I could be?

3. Seek the Source
Ask, from where are my problems coming? Who are my real and my mental spectators? What do my mental spectators look like, say, and do? Exactly who or what is keeping me from taking command of my life?

4. Identify Your Role
Ask, how am I contributing to my problems? What is my responsibility in all this? Did I decide to be a garbage disposal? Do I treat myself as a friend or an enemy? Do I allow my mental spectators to drive me to distraction, depression, anger, anxiety?

5. State Your Desires
Ask, what do I specifically want to do about my problems? Do I want to be a doormat, a drunk, a friendless geek? Or do I want to rule my mental spectators? Do I want to stand up to a spectator, real or imagined, who puts me down? Do I want to take command of my education, my bank account, my relationships?

6. Seek Options
Ask, what are my options, and in what order should I place them? What is the first option I should concentrate on? The next one and the next? If you have a soul-sucking hangover most mornings, you might opt to give up your booze buddies for some real friends.. If, instead, you're a workaholic and you want to spend more time with your kids, then DO IT.

7. Learn Winning Techniques
Ask, how do I rule my real and my mental spectators? Must I collapse in a heap when they point thumbs down? How can I learn to take charge on every level? There is no "magic" involved, but you might feel as if there is. Unlike a vanquished gladiator falling at the whim of spectators, you decide your own course.

8. Master Your Relationships
Ask, what more can I do to master my relationships by strengthening my perceptions? How do I take command right now in developing my own identification and self-worth? Congratulations! You're working on the one person in the entire world you can work on - YOU! And any improvements in yourself can't help but enrich your relationships and the world around you.

Although this is only a brief overview of each of the eight steps for jump-starting your relationships and taking control of your life you'd be amazed at how significant the effects of a few minor adjustments in perception can be.

About the Author
Dr Hartley is a social psychologist, a scientist, and the author of Tyrants of Self-Concept: Ruling the Rulers, a 125-page ebook that thoroughly describes the eight steps for improving your relationships, taking control of your life, and living the life you want to live. It includes easy-to-relate-to stories, examples, humor, and concrete, practical worksheets and exercises that get results fast. To learn more about how you can apply the steps, click here: www.rulingtherulers.com

Wise Tips for Smart Investors

The Concept of Financial Planning

The Financial Planning Process

Financial Calculator
Financial Planning Software:

Child Education Plan
Use this calculator to check out the money you need for your kids' education.

Family Protection Plan
Use this calculator to check out the insurance you need to provide continuous income for your family.

Accumulation Plan
Use this calculator to check out the money you can accumulate.

Retirement Plan
Use this calculator to check out the money you need for your retirement.

Please click The Risk Profiler to find out your risk tolerance and the suitability of various funds to meet your needs.

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

When Azlan Adnan was born, the Sun was in the Sign Virgo, the
Craftsperson. Azlan Adnan has an infinite desire to improve a
relationship, and an astonishing capacity to notice every detail about
the partner and the couple. Living up to one's potentials is high on
Azlan Adnan's list, and he doesn't easily accept a careless,
catch-as-catch-can attitude. An ideal mate understands the importance
of personally fulfilling work in Azlan Adnan's life, and that when he
isn't content with his job, he may not be very content with anything
else, including, possibly, the relationship. In return, Azlan Adnan
may need to recognize that no person, situation or relationship is
ever perfect, and that there's a point beyond which striving for
impossible standards can frustrate and alienate the partner.

The Basics (Introduction to unit trust)

Regulatory Framework

The Benefits (How can I benefit from investing in unit trusts?)

Why would I want to invest in unit trusts?

The Benefits (How can I benefit from investing in unit trusts?)

The Potential Risks

What kind of risks am I taking?

Managing Risks for the Balanced/Equity Funds

Specific Risks Associated with Bond Fund

Managing Risks for Bond Fund

The Benefits (How can I benefit from investing in unit trusts?)

Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

News

11 October 2004

Bernama

Southern Bank Offers Two New Syariah Funds

Southern Bank and its unit trust company, SBB Mutual, will offer customers greater investment options with the launch of the SBB Dana Al-Ikhlas (Ikhlas) equity fund and the SBB Dana Al-Hafiz (Hafiz) bond fund.

In a statement Monday, the company said that two new Syariah funds were developed in line with the capital market master plan and efforts to establish Malaysia as an international hub for the Islamic capital market.

With the launch, SBB Mutual is now the largest private Syariah fund provider in the country offering investors a choice of eight Syariah funds with a total approved Islamic fund size of 5.4 billion units.

Both the funds are now available through all Southern Bank branches and SBB Mutual's agency network.

Southern Bank had underwritten RM100 million of each of the funds to boost its range of unit trust products in its retail banking business.

SBB Mutual chief executive officer, Paul Low said: "Ikhlas is an Islamic equity growth fund and a minimum of 70 percent investment will be made in Syariah-compliant stocks which have equally strong qualitative and quantitative fundamentals."

"The equity fund represents a good long term investment for investors with a tolerance for short term fluctuations and liquidity risks in exchange for long term higher capital gains."

"As for the Hafiz bond fund, meanwhile is suitable for diversification purposes as bonds by nature have a negative correlation with the equity market. Investors should look at Hafiz as a core holding in their investment portfolio as bonds can reduce portfolio risks," added Low.

The new funds, he said were designed for investors who prefer greater choice through different market instruments whilst preferring Syariah-compliant investments.

SBB Mutual is one of Malaysia fastest growing unit trust management companies with a total approved fund size of 15.85 billion units.

The company manages 26 funds and is also an institutional unit trust distributor for five reputable fund houses.

from University College London

Structured by the course Director Dr A Mandaraka-Sheppard,
Solicitor,
Head, Shipping Law Unit, UCL, (on sabbatical during 2004-05),
Founding Director, The London Shipping Law Centre

Taught this year by a Visiting Lecturer of UCL:
Peter Macdonald-Eggers, Barrister at 7 Kings Bench Walk

Course Convenor for this year: Ben Leach, Solicitor

Introduction:
This is one of the four postgraduate shipping law courses (the others being Carriage of Goods by Sea, International Trade Law and Admiralty Law). It is also one of two insurance law courses (the other simply entitled Insurance). There is no absolute necessity to combine this subject with the other shipping law subjects, though they provide a useful background for Marine Insurance. Nor is it necessary to take the general Insurance course. Indeed, although it is possible to take both Insurance subjects, there is some overlap between the topics dealt with by each. This suggests, on the one hand, that the two insurance courses complement and reinforce each other but, on the other, a student who wishes not to concentrate on too narrow an area in his studies might well consider not taking both courses.

Course Aims and Objectives
The aims of the course are: to enable students to acquire an in depth understanding of difficult legal concepts of Marine Insurance, to analyse case law, to interpret the Marine Insurance Act 1906, and generally to gain legal skills in applying the legal principles to practical situations of claims against the insurer.

The particular objectives are: to enable students to learn the method of studying common law from decided cases of the English courts; to develop skills in identifying the issues and summarising the principles; to distinguish the principles applicable to a different set of circumstances; to develop a skill of critical analysis and commentary.

Course Outline:
Marine Insurance is a specialised Contract law course. It draws on general principles of the English law of contract as well as having contributed to them. Some familiarity with at least some of the main features of the English law of contract and tort of negligence is, therefore, necessary but this can be easily assumed during the course. The framework of much of the relevant law is provided by statute, the Marine Insurance Act 1906 but the relevant statutory provisions are mainly derived from the common law. Problems of statutory interpretation and how these have been, or have been attempted, to be resolved by the courts, will be highlighted during the course.

The course requires
(i) a study of the existing law, both in the cases and in the statute;
(ii) an examination of the standard contract terms that dominate marine insurance in practice; and
(iii) an understanding of how marine insurance law operates in practice.

Realistically, theoretical and practical issues must be studied together closely in this course.

The syllabus includes an examination of general principles and commercial practices. It considers, in detail: insurable interest; types of marine insurance policies; the principle of utmost good faith (disclosure and representations); the role of Lloyd's brokers; the nature and terms of marine insurance policies and additional clauses; warranties; premiums; assignment of policies; insured and excepted perils; causation; types of losses (actual and constructive total losses, partial losses); salvage, general average and particular charges; measure of indemnity and abandonment; mitigation of loss; insurers' rights on double insurance and subrogation; protection and indemnity associations; reinsurance.

As in the other shipping law courses, the main syllabus is supplemented by extra curriculum events (lectures and workshops) run by the London Shipping Law Centre (www.london-shipping-law.com) as guided by its founding Director. Students benefit from these events in terms of extra knowledge in both the legal and commercial infrastructures of shipping law as well as by having the opportunity to meet with people from the shipping industry. Contact the Centre's manager at UCL for details.

This course, like all shipping law courses, has been jointly taught at UCL for all students of the University of London since 1993 as co-ordinated by the course Director and Head of the Shipping Law Unit.

Students are also offered opportunities to visit a ship, the Lloyds insurance market, and a P&I club. They have the additional benefit of practical knowledge by visiting lecturers, experts from the City of London.

Once students definitely decide to take this course, they will be given a study guide.

Teaching Method:
Teaching is interactive and students are expected to prepare in advance and participate fully.

Method of Assessment:
Students are guided on exam techniques and are given assignments to practise; but marks of such assignments are not taken into account at the final examination which is a three hour written examination.

Recommended reading:
A detailed syllabus and study guide will be given to those who decide to take this course. To familiarise yourself with the subject, you may start reading either the book by Bennett or the one by Susan Hodges on Marine Insurance Law

from University College London

Taught by:
John Lowry and Philip Rawlings, UCL.

Introduction
While insurance law is significant in its own right it also plays a critical role in the development of other branches of the law. Insurance contracts obviously underpin commercial transactions, particularly contracts for goods and services (including consumer contracts) and international trade. Insurance law also pervades the policy issues not always openly vowed in the reasoning of the courts when deciding negligence cases and claims for breach of statutory duty.

The course is designed to provide a critical overview of key elements of the insurance contract (excluding marine insurance). Although we will not be examining marine insurance in its own right, reference will be made to the Marine Insurance Act 1906 and to the case law decided thereunder relevant to non-marine insurance contracts. Where appropriate reference will be made to developments in other common law jurisdictions (e.g. the USA, Canada and Australia) in order to see how insurance law issues may receive different judicial/legislative responses elsewhere.

Course Structure

• Elements of insurance – definitions; regulation of insurance business; voluntary controls.


• Insurable interest – indemnity; life & property policies; joint & composite insurance.


• Assignment – methods & effects of assignment; rules governing life policies.


• Formation – common law principles; commencement of the risk; cover notes; renewals.


• Conflict of laws – jurisdictional issues; the law governing insurance and re-insurance contracts.


• Reinsurance – basic principles in outline.


• Utmost good faith – the mutual duty of disclosure; misrepresentation; remedies for breach of duty.


• Terms – warranties; conditions.


• Insurance intermediaries – regulation; insurance agents; insurance brokers.


• Premiums – payment; return.


• Construction of the policy – rules of construction; specific terms.


• Causation – doctrine of proximate cause; the assured’s misconduct.


• The claims process – notification clauses; fraudulent claims; claims co-operation.


• Resolving disputes – the courts; arbitration; the Insurance Ombudsman Bureau.


• Indemnity – the indemnity principle; valued and unvalued policies; mitigation of loss and ‘due precautions’ conditions.


• Reinstatement – contractual reinstatement; reinstatement under statute.


• Subrogation – the insurer’s rights; allocation of recoveries; prejudicial conduct by the assured.


• Double insurance – effect of double insurance; contribution between insurers.


• Liability insurance – general principles; employers’ liability insurance; third party rights.


• Motor vehicle insurance – the statutory scheme; scope of motor policies.

Assessment
Assessment is by way of two components:

• An essay (5000 words max.) worth 25% of the total marks (submission date – July 1st 2005)


• An unseen examination worth 75% of the total marks.

Course texts:

• John Lowry & Philip Rawlings, Insurance Law: Cases & Materials
  (Oxford, Hart Publishing, 2004).


• John Lowry & Philip Rawlings, Insurance Law: Doctrines and Principles
  (Oxford, Hart Publishing, 1999; reprinted 2002)

Introductory reading:

Malcolm Clarke, Policies and Perceptions of Insurance
(Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1997).

Additional Reading:

John Birds, Modern Insurance Law 5th ed.
(London: Sweet & Maxwell, 2004).

Robert Merkin, Colinvaux’s Law of Insurance 7th ed
(London, Sweet & Maxwell, 1997)

John Birds, Robert Bradgate, Charlotte Villiers, Termination of Contracts
(London: Wiley Chancery, 1995).

Charles Mitchell, The Law of Subrogation
(Oxford, OUP, 1994).

Ray Hodgin, Insurance Law: Text and Materials
(London: Cavendish, 2002).

National Consumer Council, Insurance Law Reform (1997)

Reference/ Practitioners Works:

Malcolm Clarke, The Law of Insurance Contracts
(London, Informa, 2002)

Nicholas Legh-Jones et al, MacGillivray on Insurance Law 9th ed.
(London: Sweet & Maxwell, 1997) + supplements. A new edition is due November 02.

Sweet & Maxwell, CCH and Informa (LLP) also publish a range of loose leaf practitioners’ texts.

Journals:

Needless to say you are advised to regularly monitor the journals - especially Lloyd’s Maritime & Commercial, the Journal of Business Law, the Modern Law Review, the Law Quarterly Review, etc.

 

1. One hand on wheel, one hand on horn: IPOH driver

2. One hand on wheel, one hand out the window with cigarette: KEPONG driver.

3. One hand on wheel, one finger out window, cutting across all lanes
of traffic: DOWNTOWN KUALA LUMPUR driver.

4. One hand on wheel, one hand on parang, foot solidly on accelerator:
JOHOR driver.

5. One hand on wheel, one hand on non-fat double decaf cappuccino,
cradling cell phone, brick on accelerator, hands-free on the lap:
BANGSAR driver.

6. Both hands on wheel, eyes shut, both feet on brake, quivering in
terror: FOREIGNER, driving in MALAYSIA.

7. One hand on 12 oz. double shot latte, one knee on wheel, talking on
cell phone, foot on brake, mind on radio game, banging head on
steering wheel while stuck in traffic: SUBANG JAYA DRIVER... on the
Federal Highway!!!

8. One hand on wheel, one hand on passengers head rest, alternating
between both feet being on the accelerator and both feet on brake,
throwing rambutans or durian shells out the window: KARAK HIGHWAY
KUANTAN driver.

9. Four-wheel drive pick-up truck, READY-TO-KILL attitude, rear window
stickers read "Make my day", beer cans on floor, wedding ribbon still
attached to antenna: CONSTRUCTION SITE PUCHONG driver!

10. One hand on the handphone, another hand picking nose, One leg on
the dash board, another leg crossed on the seat with a beer can in the
middle ~ turning anywhere he likes, parking anywhere he likes, in
fact, driving anywhere he likes. aaahhh... this is a heaven for
drivers... welcome to PENANG!

11. Two hands gripping tightly to the wheel, eyes glued on the
windscreen, alternately stepping on the accelerator and brakes every
five seconds. WOMAN DRIVER!

Assalamualaikum wbt

Kalau berita 'lain' mudah hantar, harap yang di bawah ni pun boleh hantar kepada member-member lain juga. JGN DELETE walaupun sebelum ni dah pernah terima email macam ni dan juga dah pernah fwd pada kengkawan. Kerja baik buat selalu pun tak per..

Doa Nabi Yunus semasa terperangkap di dalam perut Ikan Nun...

LAA ILA HA ILLA ANTA SUBHANAKA INNI KUNTU MINAZ ZHALIMIIN
(Surah Anbiyak)

Kirimkan kepada 10 orang, insyaallah Allah akan memecahkan segala kesulitan dan kebuntuan mu!

Salam.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Williams Benjamin williamsbenjamin@mmail.com
Date: Tue Oct 12 06:54:27 PDT 2004
Subject: I await your response
To: azlan088


Dear Friend,

In order to transfer out £15,000,000,00 (fifteen-million pounds
sterling) from our bank we need to look for a reliable and honest
person who will be capable for this important transaction, believing
that you will never let us down either now or in future.

I am the auditor and head of computing department of a bank here in
Scotland, United Kingdom. There is an account that belongs to one of
our foreign customers who died along with his entire family of a wife
and two children in the Sept.11 2001 terrorist attack on America.
Since we heard of his death, we have been expecting his next-of-kin to
come over and put claims for his money as the heir, because we cannot
release the fund from his account unless "someone" applies for claim
as the next-of-kin to the deceased as indicated in our banking
guidelines. Unfortunately, none of their family member or distant
relative has ever appeared to claim the said fund. Upon this
discovery, I and other officials in my department have agreed to make
business with you and release the total amount into your account as
the heir of the fund since no one has come for it nor discovered he
maintained an account with our bank,after going through some old
files, I discovered that if I do not remit this money out urgently, it
will be forfeited for nothing.

The owner of this account was Mr. John Hughes who was a foreigner and
the manager of Petrol chemical service here in London, a chemical
engineer by profession, We need to transfer this money into a safe
foreign account abroad but I don't know any foreigner, I am only
contacting you as a foreigner because this money can not be approved
to any local bank here in Scotland, but can only be approved to any
foreign account because the money is in pounds sterling's and the
former owner of the account was a foreigner too.

I know that this message will come to you as a surprise as we don't
know our selves before neither have we met, but be sure that it is
real and genuine. I believe in God that you will never let me down in
this investment. When the transfer is approved and payment schedule is
allocated overseas, through the offshore paying delegate for final
clearance and signing of the payment release form by the beneficiary,
I want us to see at the overseas payment clearance office face to face
for signing of the original binding agreement to bind us together so
that, we can receive this money into a foreign account or any account
of your choice where the fund will be remitted.

I need your co-operation to make this work out, because the management
is ready to approve this payment to any foreigner who has the correct
information to this account, which I will Give to you when sure of
your capability to handle such amount in strict confidence and trust
according to my instructions and my advice for our mutual benefit
because I don't want to make any mistake, I need your strong assurance
and trust. I shall destroy all documents concerning these transactions
immediately we receive this money leaving no trace at all.

I will use my position and influence on other staffs to effect the
legal approvals and onward transfer of this money to your account with
appropriate clearance from foreign payment department. With assurance
that this money will be intact pending my physical arrival in your
country for the sharing and possible investments. Please do reply me
through: williamsbenjamin@mmail.com or call me on my private mobile
phone {447040108476}

Thanks and God bless you.
Sincerely,
Williams Benjamin

# posted by (",)azlan::~~~ @ 22:12

Introduction
All of us have dreams. Dreams of a better life, a good education, material wealth ~ things we believe will make us happier and more fulfilled. Dreams need not be just wishful thinking. For they can also be achievable, if you have the right investments working for you.

For medium- to long-term goals, unit trusts are a viable investment option as they utilise time and the power of compounding interest to your advantage. The earlier you start, the better your chances of reaping potentially high rewards.

Unit Trusts are a form of collective investment that allows investors with similar investment objectives to pool their funds to be invested in a portfolio of securities or other assets.

A professional fund manager then invests the pooled funds in a portfolio which may include the asset classes listed below:
1) Cash
2) Bonds & Deposits
3) Shares
4) Property
5) Commodities

Unit holders do not purchase the securities in the portfolio directly. Ownership of the fund is divided into units of entitlement. As the fund increases or decreases in value, the value of each unit increases or decreases accordingly.

Each investor of the fund receives a certificate of entitlement, known as a unit trust certificate. The number of units held depends on the unit purchase price at the time of investment and the amount of money invested.

Today, most companies have gone scriptless. Investors, however, can request a certificate for a fee.

The return on investment of unit holders is usually in the form of income distribution and capital appreciation, derived from the pool of assets supporting the unit trust fund. Each unit earns an equal return, determined by the level of distribution and/or capital appreciation in any one period.

Unit trust investors are typically those with small amounts to invest, who neither have the time nor the inclination to hold portfolios of direct investments or shares. Rather, they prefer to invest in a secure, reputable investment vehicle that suits their purposes. Unit trusts allow investors to have easy access to a wide range of investment exposures not normally available to them.

As investors seek to maximise returns on their financial resources, unit trusts provide an ideal way for them to gain exposure to investments that, in the long run, should produce returns superior to cash savings and fixed deposit investments.

The cost of these potentially higher returns is of course the risk that accompanies the investment. In the short run, the certainty of investment returns of most unit trust products is less than those offered by fixed deposits. However, in the medium to long term (i.e. 3-20 years), unit trust investments generally provide superior returns at acceptable levels of risk.

This is because unit trusts take the middle ground between high-risk/high-return investment vehicles such as the stock market, and low-risk/low-return vehicles such as fixed deposits. As such, many people find unit trusts a very palatable way to invest.

There's a reduction in risk because the portfolio is spread over several types of investment categories, such as equities, bonds, andthe money market. And it's managed by professional fund managers, most of whom possess the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification.

Unit trusts can also be bought and sold within one working day so there's little risk of your money being tied down.

Benefits of Unit Trusts
For an individual to maintain his own portfolio of investments, he needs to keep up to date with market information and sentiment. In today's sophisticated financial markets, this means having to embrace a wide range of information from a plethora of sources. For many individual investors, this is difficult, if not impossible and at times, very frustrating as they attempt to "keep on top" of the information pile.

Investing in unit trusts transfers most of the necessary 'know-how' of investing to those best equipped to handle it - the professional fund managers.

There are a number of other substantial benefits of investing in unit trusts that should be noted:

Diversification
A larger pool of funds allows the fund manager managing the unit trust to purchase a wider range of investments. Rather than concentrating an investment portfolio into one or two investments or shares, a portfolio of market securities can be held. The wider the spread of investments, the less volatile (i.e. variable) the investment returns will be. In simple terms, investment into unit trusts means diversification of risk: "not putting all your eggs in one basket."

Liquidity
Most investors require that their investment be liquid. That is, they can easily buy and sell within a short period of time. Unit trusts provide this benefit, being bought and sold easily. An excellent return that cannot be "cashed-in" (i.e. sold) does not necessarily mean a good investment as poor liquidity constitutes an additional risk factor for the investor.

Professional Fund Management
The people making investment decisions for unit trust holders are professionals. Their training and background ensures that decision-making is structured and according to basic investment principles. In the process, unit trust funds enjoy the depth of knowledge and experience that fund managers bring. In the long term, it is this expertise that should generate above average investment returns for unit trust investors.

Investment Exposure
For the individual investor, it is sometimes difficult to gain exposure to a particular asset class. For instance, if an investor with RM5,000 wanted to gain exposure to the Malaysian property market, global equity markets and the Malaysian bond market, it would be impossible to simultaneously hold a direct investment portfolio in all of these markets. With unit trust investments, it is possible to spread your money around to all of these asset classes at the same time, so that the investor can gain the investment exposure he requires.

Wholesale Investment Costs & Access to Investments
When making small investments, the investor faces costs and charges that are much higher. Unit trust funds are investing with large amounts, so that the economics of the transaction are more favorable i.e. the fees and charges/brokerage, and etc. per investment ringgit are likely to be less.

Also, because fund managers invest in larger amounts, they are able to get access to wholesale yields and products that are impossible for the individual investor to obtain. For instance, unlike unit trust funds, most individual investors cannot directly access the Malaysian Government Security market because, amongst other reasons, the amount of each transaction could run into millions of Ringgit.

The Comfort of Regulation
With the introduction of unit trusts in Malaysia came regulation from various regulators, especially the Securities Commission. The entire range of variables relating to the unit trust industry is governed by various legislation.

The sole purpose of such regulations is to protect the interest of the investing public. Without the safeguards imposed by regulations, investors can be exposed to the acts of unscrupulous people who raise funds from the public, never to be seen and heard again.

Regulations provide investors with a level of comfort that they are investing in a safe investment mechanism.

Having said that, you should take charge and have the final say when it comes to your investments. You should know what your options are, based on your risk tolerance, so that you can make informed decisions. And realise that those decisions lie entirely in your hands.

Risk Tolerance
Investing towards a financially secure future is important, but it's equally important to feel comfortable with the investments you make. That's why you need to assess your risk tolerance. This helps to define the kind of investor you are, which then helps to narrow down the unit trusts that are most suited to you. The result is a more customised and focused investment plan.

Click here to visit a Risk Profiler and determine your risk tolerance level.

Click here to visit another Risk Profiler and determine your risk tolerance level.

Guidelines and Code of Ethics
Registration as a Person Dealing in Unit Trusts (PDUT) also known as a Unit Trust Consultant (UTC) requires compliance with all clauses under the Minimum Standards for Registration of PDUT, as stipulated in the Guidelines on Marketing and Distribution of Unit Trusts issued by the Securities Commission, including the requirement to pass the Unit Trust Examination prior to registration.

The registered PDUT must comply with all the provisions of the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct for The Unit Trust Industry at all times.

Disclaimer
Investments in unit trusts are not obligations of, deposits in, guaranteed or insured by the fund manager. All applications for units in the funds must be made on the application forms accompanying the prospectus. Investors should read the prospectus for details. The value of the units and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Any forecast made is not necessarily indicative of any future or likely performance of the funds. Your Unit Trust Consultant may receive a commission from the fund managers in respect of their transactions and have no obligation to account to you for all or any part of such commission. Information on unit trusts provided in this article (including, without limitation, information in the fund fact sheets) is furnished by the relevant fund houses. You should, therefore, check with them before relying on such information. This article is for education purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Copyright 2003-2004 Azlan Adnan Legal Notice

Hi Azlan

Thank you for subscribing to my free report. As promised, you can find a sample chapter of my persuasion e-book at:
http://www.20daypersuasion.com/samplechapter.html

I know you're excited to start your 7-day journey, so let the fun begin!

Did you know that you have the potential to achieve anything you want? All people have different perceptions of their ideal life. It may mean obtaining financial freedom, attaining over-all good health, having great relationships, or even as simple as owning a new pair of sneakers.

Unfortunately, many also fail to reach their aspirations. What is it that hinders many from getting their heart's deepest desires?

For the next few days, you will embark on a journey to literally help you get what you want. Are you ready for a life-changing experience? Bet you are. First lesson starts now.

STEP 1 - KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT

You must be specific in your passions, then focus all your efforts on that particular desire.

Some people don't really know what they want. For one moment they're excited over a particular thing or endeavor. The next thing you know they completely abandon it; either because they lose their interest or because they give up when they encounter a little problem.

Those who always change their minds and those who give up easily when the going gets tough will never get anywhere.

Maybe right now you're a bit confused. You don't seem to know what you really want in life. You might want to consider these:

1) What makes your heart beat with excitement?
2) What makes you happy?
3) What are you consistently thinking of day and night?
4) What do you want to do for the rest of my life?
5) What do you enjoy doing?
6) What are your obsessions?
7) What things make you jump with joy?

To help you out, just follow these steps.

1) Write on a piece of paper all your possible answers for the seven questions above. Write anything, even seemingly unimportant ones.
2) Encircle 5 to 7 items that interest you the most.
3) Then evaluate and choose with your heart the one and only thing that is worthy to spend all your time and resources with. The chosen one should really be something that brings out the best in you.

Other than the exercise above, you could also ask your close friends and relatives about their personal dreams. You could also read books and surf the net to help you in your search.

Use your heart. Other people may disagree with you, but you should be firm with what you really want. Others may give comments or advice, but the final decision is always yours to make. You should concentrate on what you want, not on what others want for you.

Don't go sleeping tonight without making a final decision on WHAT YOU REALLY WANT IN LIFE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

Tomorrow you're going to learn how to stay on track in achieving your dreams. After reading it, you'll be able to keep your focus and resist yourself from the temptations that will stray you away from your desires.

Take care coz I care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

---

Hi Azlan

Congratulations! You now know exactly what you want. But this is just the beginning. You have to remember to do everything you can to accomplish it despite the many distractions around you.

Picture this. You want to make it to your basketball team. So you practise everyday after school. You seem to get your shots through. You seem to get a lot of rebounds and assists. You're looking ahead to a great future.

Then one day, one of your favourite programs shows up on TV. So you said you'll practise later. Then the next day, your friends invited you to go barhopping. You decided to practise the next day. Then the excuses go on and on. My goodness! You'll never prevail this way.

So here's STEP 2 - SET SPECIFIC and ATTAINABLE GOALS

First, make your goal specific.

"I want to be rich someday."

This is not a specific goal. How much do you want to have in your bank account? How long will you allow yourself to earn this much money? Your goal does not answer these questions. You're quite blurred for the moment.

"I will earn at least $5,000 every month."

Now this is specific. But maybe we can make it more specific.

"I will earn at least $5,000 every month working 5 hours everyday."

You get the picture. Make it as specific as possible.

Second, make it attainable.

"I will earn $100,000 by the end of the month."

I doubt even some gurus can do that; and for average people like us, this goal is simply impossible unless you win the lottery. That's why it's also important to evaluate how do-able your goals are. If you say $5,000 by month's end, that's more attainable.

Third, you got to break down your goals into smaller digestible parts.

"I will earn at least $75,000 by the end of this year."

Hmm. It's specific and quite attainable. But how will you know if you're advancing or not? A year is too long a period.

Break it down.

Maybe you can set a goal to achieve for the first month. After accomplishing it, then you could go set another goal for the second month. But this time it will be a more challenging goal because you've already gained some experience.

Then after achieving it, set another goal that will pull you closer and closer to your "ultimate goal."

This way, it is more manageable. And you don't have to be overwhelmed by the figure of $100,000 in one year. You may make it $10,000 the first month. Then, $12,000 the next month and so forth.

To summarize, SET A SMALL SPECIFIC GOAL THAT CAN BE ACHIEVED IN A SHORTER SPAN OF TIME. AFTER ACHIEVING IT, GO ON TO ANOTHER SPECIFIC GOAL. THEN GO LITTLE BY LITTLE UNTIL YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL.

Tomorrow, you will find out something inside of you that can increase your chances of success tenfold. Applying the techniques will not only be fun, but will certainly be effective in attracting success to you like a magnet.

Take Care Coz I Care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

---

Hi Azlan

Today you're gonna have some fun. We're going to let your imagination work. Here's my experience.

It's been a long time since I played basketball. But I have a passion for it. Everyday I would think that I am making jumpshots from every angle of the court. Then I would also imagine that I've won the championship, that I'm also the highest scorer in the game. I would really love to play again but I'm too busy with my job and other stuff.

Then the opportunity came when my friends invited me to play. I haven't been practising, but I'm making more accurate shots than those who have been playing everyday.

STEP 3 - VISUALIZE AND AFFIRM YOUR DEEPEST DESIRES

Well, that's the power of imagination and visualization. If you want to be a lawyer, visualize as one. Act like one. Think of what suit you are wearing, the judge, the case you're handling, the courtroom. Visualize the evidences. Smell the victory. Make everything real.

You should also affirm, believe that you are what you are visualizing. So you want to be a lawyer? Tell yourself, "I'm the best lawyer in the world." Don't say to yourself, "I will be the best lawyer in the world."

Affirm strongly. Say "I am," not "I will," because "I will" suggests something that will occur only in the future. You have to experience it NOW, not in the future.

You must sink into your unconscious your deepest desire. The unconscious mind can do what the conscious mind cannot. Here's an exercise.

1) Get a comfortable and quiet place to rest.
2) Relax your whole body. Command every part of your body to relax starting from your feet up to your head.
3) Count back slowly from 20 to 1, where in each count you relax deeper and deeper. Upon reaching 1, you are completely relaxed.
4) Now affirm your deepest desire. If you want to be a lawyer, say, "I am the greatest lawyer in the world." As you're saying that, picture yourself to be the best lawyer ever, winning every case you've come across. You may say "I am now explaining to the jury my winning proposition" or anything that'll affirm what you're conceiving in your mind as of the moment.
5) Then after about 10 to 20 minutes of continuous confirmation and visualization, count slowly from 1 to 20. Upon counting, slowly be aware of your surroundings. Feel refreshed and invigorated after doing this exercise.
6) Repeat this exercise everyday.

What you have just learned is a very powerful technique to greatly enhance the power of visualization and affirmation by imbedding it into the subconscious. What once is nearly impossible to achieve will become easier to reach from now on.

Tomorrow will be an important day indeed. It will be the backbone to your success, much like an instruction manual. Don't miss it!

Take Care Coz I Care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

---

Hi Azlan

You often hear the following being said.

"If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail."

STEP 4 - PLAN YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS

The planning phase is very important in organizing your thoughts to carry out the desired effects.

You might say that this is boring stuff, but you should never under-estimate this process. This is like a guideline to steer you
into the right direction.

Your plan will be your road map. Spend enough time to ponder through the different approaches and choose the best one to implement.

It will be best if you choose a quiet place to make your plan. Your mind can focus and think more clearly this way.

Evaluate all the pros and cons. Assess how much time, money, and other resources you have to impart or sacrifice in order to fulfill your desires.

Let your goal guide you to choose the best plan to implement. Let the image of your visualization inspire and motivate you to make a plan that will produce the desired results.

Every individual has his own unique perception of a well-made plan. There are no specific rules in making it. But in case you're in a tight situation, let me give you some tips.

1) Write down your objective. This is a precise definition of your target.
2) Brainstorm the strategies and tactics you will employ to accomplish your objective.
3) Assess the advantages and disadvantages of carrying out those strategies and choose those tactics where the pros outweigh the cons.
4) Set a timeline or deadline in completing your mission.
5) Make modifications and back-up plans in case Plan A doesn't work.
6) As your plan evolves, you will gain experience. Learn from your mistakes.

Hey, to make this more fun, you could imagine being a top secret agent with "an impossible mission." In everything you do, try to mix up some fun and excitement to motivate you further.

Tomorrow, it's butt-kicking time. Time to get off the couch. Time to make some killer moves. Most important part of this 5-day report comes tomorrow.

Take Care Coz I Care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

---

Hi Azlan

Did I tell you that the most important part of this report comes today?

Yup, it is the core of your success.

STEP 5 - ACTION!

Okay, you're probably confused.

Question: What action should you take?
Answer: The type of action that would accomplish the plan you've prepared and the goals you've set. Apply what what you have planned and go to work using your goals and visualization as motivation.

Question: When should you take action?
Answer: Immediately, after you've finished doing the 4 steps you've learned for the last 4 days.

Question: Why should we take action?
Answer: Because it is the most important step of all. It is the application of all the preparations we have made.

Question: Can I act now even if I don't have a perfectly-made plan?
Answer: You should act now! You don't have to wait for everything to be perfect in order to start. You're just going to make excuses after excuses if you prolong the process.

Question: What if my actions don't work?
Answer: Keep on trying, testing, tweaking, and adjusting. Don't be discouraged by failures and mistakes. It's only through these means that you'll come closer and closer to success.

Yes, it may be hard. It may be frustrating. But if you have the passion, the vision, and the goal, you will be inspired and motivated to carry on despite the many setbacks.

Be sure to learn from your failures. Use those mistakes as stepping stones that connect you further and further to achieving success. Progress and apply the ideas that respond to you best.

Again, use your imagination in every way you can. Make your work as fun as can be.

"There are no failures, just lessons to be learned."

Tomorrow I'll tell you a characteristic that is so important to possess, you'll go nowhere without it.

Take Care Coz I Care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

---

Hi Azlan

Let me tell you a true story.

There was once a young boy who always believed in himself. But he was always belittled by his parents and relatives.

He sometimes had failing grades because of the school's high standards. But he was trying his best. Despite of this, that boy
overheard one day his mom telling her friends how stupid he was.

So he vowed to himself to prove that he's not stupid. That he's got great talents and abilities. So he studied long and hard. He sacrificed his time and effort to prove his worth.

He was able to pass high school with good records and was admitted into one of the best universities in his country.

He went to take the admission exams for the Accountancy Program. He passed that exam where only about 235 out of 700+ students were admitted.

Then it was time for the CPA Board Exams. He knew it was a very difficult task considering the high failure rate. But that boy was ever so determined.

At that time, blackouts occurred frequently. So in spite of the darkness at night, he continued his endeavour. He studied hard, using only the faint light of candles to see through his lessons. He fought like there's no tomorrow.

Then one day, he did it. He passed the exams where only 19% of those who took it passed. Finally, he was able to prove that he can do things no one thought was possible.

Guess who that boy was? It was ME. This is not to brag but to serve as an inspiration for those who are thinking of calling it quits when the going gets tough.

STEP 6 - PERSIST LIKE THERE'S NO TOMORROW

Never give up the fight.

Yes, I know the feeling of doing everything you can and not YET attaining your desired results.

But think about these.

1) You've come along this far, baby. If you quit now, you've just wasted all your time, efforts, and resources.
2) There are many people who quit just when they're one hair's length away from achieving success.
3) Read about the success stories of Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Edison. You'll be inspired to know how they persevere (when ordinary people in their situations could've probably taken the easy way out).
4) You reap what you sow. Some may disagree with me, but I believe in karma. If you work hard enough, you'll get the corresponding result of that hard work.

But what if you've been persisting and persevering with all your heart, and you're still not getting any desirable outcomes?

Maybe you're doing something wrong which you've overlooked. Study the pattern. Evaluate and modify your plan and action if need be.

Ask advise from others. It will be better if you have a mentor or anyone who would inspire and motivate you to face the challenges head-on. The pot of gold is waiting for you at the other end of the rainbow.

"Quitters never win, and winners never quit."

It's almost graduation time. But you've yet to learn the most powerful force of the 7. See you tomorrow.

Take Care Coz I Care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

---

Hi Azlan

The greatest power can be yours if you follow:

STEP 7 - PRAY FROM YOUR HEART AND HAVE FAITH IN YOUR PRAYERS

In all my 25 years of life here on earth, God has never failed to answer my prayers if am truly sincere or desperate in asking them.

Always have faith. Believe that your prayers will be answered.

If you pray that your sick relative be cured, then really believe it. Don't worry anymore. Be assured that your prayers will not be left unheard.

God will never forsake you. In times, you may feel that He has completely abandon you. But He may just be testing your faith. Or He may have something better in store for you.

The best thing to do is put all your cares and problems to God's hands. All will be done according to His will.

If you have a problem that can be solved, why worry about it? And if it can't be solved, why worry about it either?

"Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you."

"Whatever you ask God, BELIEVING, He will give you."

The same principle goes no matter what religion you're in. The important thing is that you have DEEP SPIRITUAL FAITH.

Studies have shown that having this kind of faith actually prolongs your life. The inner peace that your faith brings can contribute significantly to good mental and emotional health.

If you have deep spiritual faith, you have the power to conquer all obstacles that come along the way.

May you have the power to achieve whatever you want in life.

Take Care Coz I Care!
Michael Lee, CPA
http://www.20daypersuasion.com

By Michael Lee

Have you encountered a time when you were in a traffic jam and
was running late for an important meeting? Did you stay calm
and focused? Or did your mind wander into the dark side of
the impending consequences that may occur?

If you're always picturing people getting mad at you and
thinking of negative outcomes, then your body suffers as well.
You may experience chest pains, anxiety disorders, indigestion,
and other health problems. Why worry when you can't do anything
about the situation? Moreover, you don't even know yet what
will happen. Both good and bad things happen unexpectedly.
Why bother to worry? It's just not worth it.

Your mind directly influences your body's capabilities and
reactions; so if you always project negative thoughts and
images in your mind, your body suffers as well. But if you
always think of positive and enthusiastic stuffs, your body
will react positively too.

The mind is an absolute powerhouse, a dream granter, and
goal achiever, all rolled into one. But do you know how to
optimize it for best performance?

Many times we've heard people say that "If you think you can
or you can't, you're right."

That is so true. But do you know exactly how to use your
thoughts in reaching what you desire to achieve?

They say affirmations work. Yes, they do. But the results
might be minimal and might not turn out according to your
expectations.

Do you want to know a method that is much more powerful? What
I'm going to tell you is a technique that is so effective in
itself; that if you combine it with affirmations, then you
possess one of the deadliest combos of self-improvement.

Want to know the secret? Here it is.

Visualize images. It's as simple as that. Our mind
communicates with our body using images. You know that the
thought of people getting angry with you can negatively
affect your health. Otherwise, picturing yourself relaxing
at your favorite vacation spot can ease some of your stress.

Take this exercise.

Imagine the juiciest whole piece of fried chicken right in
front of you. You can smell its tempting aroma. You sliced
it into pieces and heard the crispy crunching sound. Picture
yourself taking a large bite and enjoying the gastronomic
experience. Did that made your mouth water? Did that made
you hungry?

Images are very powerful and can be used to improve your
health, attain your goals, and achieve anything that you
put your mind into.

For instance, you're a burn victim. You have a wound that
is quite agonizing. Don't just say, "Hey, burn wound. Get
out of my skin." Picture it in your mind getting smaller and
smaller. Visualize it melting and vanishing into thin air.

You may imagine the wound itself healing miraculously, or you
may designate any object of your choice to represent that
wound. For example, you visualize a black stone as a symbol
of your illness. Imagine that object shrinking and
disintegrating slowly. As you're thinking of this, feel
your wound and all negative forces simultaneously going
along with the action of the black stone. Let them become
smaller and smaller until they have ceased to exist.

So which technique is better - imagining the real thing or
assigning a representational object to it? It all depends
on you. Pick and apply the method that you are more
comfortable with, the one that you are more inclined to
think and visualize upon.

But it's not as easy as you think. Practice makes perfect.
One way you can optimize the power of imagination is by
becoming more observant and meticulous. If you're going
to use a certain flower in your visualization, go to the
park and become a keen observer of that flower. Touch it.
Smell it. Feel its texture. The more senses involved, the
more powerful your visualization will become.

Visualization can be a very powerful tool in getting what
you want in life. Practice and apply it often. You'll be
amazed at the results.

About the Author:
Michael Lee is the author of "How To Be A Red Hot Persuasion
Wizard," an ebook designed to easily seduce others to like
you, fully improve your relationships, multiply your profits,
win negotiations, and attain complete freedom and power.
Visit http://www.20daypersuasion.com/samplechapter.html
and grab a sample chapter.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: PRINCESS FAYAD princessfayad@excite.com
Date: Fri, 1 Oct 2004 12:06:40 -0700
Subject: REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE
To: azlan

Attn: Sir,

I am contacting you for an urgent assistance to mobilise a business
transaction and further to have explicit investment information about
your country from you. I am Princess Fayad Bolkiah, the wife of Prince
Jefri Bolkiah, former Finance Minister of Brunei, the tiny oil-rich
sultanate.

I will save your time by not amplifying my extended royal family
history, which has already been disseminated by the international media
during the controversial dispute that erupted between my husband and
his stepbrother, the sultan of Brunei Sheik Muda Hassanal Bolkiah.
As you may know from the international media, the sultan had accused my
husband of financial mismanagement and impropriety of US$14.8 Billion
dollars. This was as a result of the Asian financial crisis that made
my husband's company Amedeo Development Company and government
owned Brunei Investment Company to be declared bankrupt during his tenure
in office.

However my husband is in jail now, his bank accounts and private
properties including a crude oil export refinery have been confiscated
by the sultanate.

Furthermore, during this unfortunate period i was advised to evacuate
my immediate family outside the sultanate to avoid further prosecution
from the sultan and his security operatives, but luck ran against me on
my attempt to escape.I am now kept under house arrest by the Sultan and
i have no access to a phone but I have a Palm V hand-held computer from
which I am sending you this mail. Before my In-castration, I went ahead
to dispatch the sum of Three Hundred Million United States Dollars
US$300 Million under special arrangement into the custody of different
Trustee companies for safe keeping abroad.This action was on the orders
of my husband to me to enable us start a new life.

The money were splitted and kept in the following countries in this
proportion:US$150 Million is in Euroupe, US$100 Million is in Middle
East and US$50 Million is in Asia respectively. Hence I seek your good
assistance to invest these funds into profitable investment in your
country to facilitate future survival for my family abroad.I have
decided to offer 20% of these funds to you as compensation for your
strong cooperation.

Please I count on your absolute confidentiality, transparency and trust
while looking forward to your prompt reply towards a swift conclusion
of this business transaction.

Many Thanks & May Allah's blessing remain with you,Amen.

I remain yours sincerely
Princess Fayad Bolkiah

NB:PLEASE ALSO COPY YOUR REPLY TO MY ALTERNATIVE E-MAIL ADDRESS:
princessfay@gaza.net