dmmink’s posterous

There are many reasons that trees can lean.  If they are competing for light and space they will often grow towards these resources.  Trees which are improperly staked, have structural defects, have grown with a prevailing wind, or have blown over when younger, often exhibit a persistent lean.  Usually such trees reinforce themselves by forming extra tissue to support them.  It is for this reason that if you look at a cross section of a leaning tree, the middle of the tree will not be in the middle of the cross section.  Instead, the tree will have optimized its situation by forming “reaction wood” and “tension wood.”  While in some cases they do have a higher chance of failure than a tree would with a straight trunk this is not always true.  In many cases if the tree has grown with the lean for many years it likely made the necessary adjustments both in the trunk and canopy to deal with this added stress.  These responses are another evidence of the “toughness” of trees.  They are adaptable and self-optimize in the face of stress. 

Another type of lean which is more problematic is the “recent” lean.  If you suddenly notice a new lean in your tree it is time for careful examination.  Or, if after a storm you find a crack in the soil between the base of your tree and the surrounding ground you may have a problem.  This indicates the tree has shifted.  It may also mean that significant structural roots have been broken or damaged. 

If you are concerned about your tree’s lean it is wise to consult with a Certified Arborist.  If you livein Arizona, I recommed talking with a Phoenix Arizona tree service. Through experience they will be able to help you determine the proper course of action.  In some cases it will be best to measure the lean of the tree and then to periodically assess and re-measure to see if it is increasing.  In other cases significant pruning or the installation of guy wires or other types of support may be warranted.  Sometimes it may be necessary to remove the tree if it has become unstable.  By taking action and hiring a Certified Arborist to assess your leaning trees you can mitigate the potential of tree failure, and in many cases preserve trees which are important to you.

My Dad served in the U.S. Army as a medevac helicopter pilot for over 12 years, and in so doing qualifies for VA Loans.Just what exactly are these special loans? Wikipedia has a great answer. In a nutshell, the Veteran's Administration provides assistance to veterans of the United States Armed Forces by partially guaranteeing loans to veterans with low or zero down payments.

If you have a family member who has served in one of our country's armed service branches you should encourage they do a little research to see if they qualify.

For example, you or your loved one could qualify for a VA loan in any one of the following scenarios:

1. Currently on active duty for at least 180 days

2. Provided 90 days of war service

3. Provided 180 days of peacetime service before the 1980's, or

4. 24 months of continuons service after the 1980's, or

5. 6 years in the Reserves or Guard, or

6. Is the suriving (cannot be remarried) spouse of a a service member who died on active duty due to a service related disability

This is a great program for vets, allowing them to qualify for a home with no down payment and lower monthly mortage payments thanks to reduced interest rates.

Recently my wife has been concerned that our child might have a mild form of autism and as a result I have been doing way too many Google searches on the subject.  In my research, I came across a story about how one autistic child (Brad) has found a unique treatement, a pet Golden Retriever.  Golden Meadows Retrievers is the name of the southern California kennel responsbile for breeding and training the dog that has helped Brad learn how to interact with others and deal more effectively with sensory overload issues. 

Anyway, I have always been a fan of dogs and thought this was a great story.

I recently had the opportunity to learn of the integrity of a Phoenix Arizona tree trimming and removal company - Tree Doctors Inc.   Tree Doctors Inc. was hired by a home owner in Mesa Arizona who needed some tree trimming done on several palm and date trees.  Unfortunately, some of the fruit from the trimming was not cleaned up and ended up staining some of the decorative concrete on the property.  The home owner called one of the company's managers to inform him of the staining.

The Tree Doctors Inc. manager immediately took responsibility for the mistake and arranged to have the stains professionally removed.  I appreciate this kind of service when working with any "service company."  So, I thought I would pass on a referral to any Mesa Arizona resident looking for Mesa Arizona tree trimming or Mesa Arizona tree removal - give Tree Doctors Inc. a shout:

www.treedoctorsinc.com

When you need money fast, a cash advance loan may be a great option for flexible payment, quick turnaround, and a manageable loan amount. However, some quick loans can bring more hassle and problems than they are actually worth.

Traditional Online Cash Advance Loans

Many traditional online cash advance loan companies work on the same basic formula. That overall process requires quite a bit of work on your end, including faxing documents and verifying information via fax.

And let’s be honest. Most of us don’t have fax machines in our homes, and if we do, getting the paper documents necessary to send to these companies scanned and fax can be a huge hassle. So that leaves the options of using a public fax machine.

Many people resort to using pay-for-fax services at local copy shops or general stores that offer fax services. In most cases, that means handing your personal, private documents over to a complete stranger. It also requires the cost of gas and time to get to the store to fax the documents. There’s no privacy. No comfort. And all hassle.

Online No Fax Loans

With no fax loans, the entire loan process takes place from the comfort of your own home. Your information is submitted electronically, and that information is verified by phone. No faxing. No rushing around town. And no loss of privacy and confidentiality.

These no fax cash advances are much more convenient and much less troublesome than their traditional counterparts, and we highly recommend seeking out companies with no fax options. Typically, these companies are more aware of the experience of their customers, and will work hard to make sure you are not inconvenienced and that your confidential information is kept secure.

The bottom line: Always carefully research the company you are considering using for a quick payday loan, and give extra consideration to those that offer the safety, security and convenience of no fax loans.

It is the first week of March and my family and I just returned from a week at the beach in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.  I think this is the first time I have ever gone to the beach during the "off season".   One of the things I could not help but notice was how differently the beach bums were dressed. Usually, California in July means a myriad of bikinis, sun-tanned bodies, and other folks trying to show off what "momma gave them", but California in March was all about hoodies, jeans, and other modest women's clothing. Obviously, the whole world has not taken up the modest clothing movement.  But it was strange to see so many beach dwellers in modest clothing, even if it was just the brisk weather forcing people to cover up.

Our family was a little unsure of what to expect from an off season beach trip.  We were pleasantly surprised with the less crowded beaches, the lower prices (everything was discounted), and the warmth of a good wet suit.  We were able to do just about everything we usually do - including surfing, boogie boarding, sea creture hunting (during low tide), and long walks on the beach.

 
1. Drive less.  Yes, gas prices have come down.  But, who knows when they will skyrocket again.  Find ways to reduce your transportation costs.  Does your area have a transportation system?  Could you carpool with a friend or neighbor?  Cut your transportation costs and put that money into savings.
 
2. Cut back on the drinks.  You don't have to have a Starbucks coffee every morning.  Have you ever stopped to think about how expensive those gourmet drinks are?  How much do you spend every day?  Multiply that by 1 week?  Now, multiply that by 52 weeks in a year.  That is how much money you could have in savings if you brought your own drinks from home or went without entirely.
 
3.  Conserve that precious energy.  Turn off the light when you leave the room.  Turn off the TV when you leave the room as well.  Find ways to reduce your heating and air conditioning bill.  The biggest home-energy expenses are heating and air conditioning.  According to the U.S. Department of Energy, "During every 24-hour period, you will save about 3 percent on your energy bill for every 1 degree you lower the thermostat setting (or, conversely, raise it when air conditioning is the big cost).
 
4.  Take up gardening. Gardening has many benefits.  You will burn calories.  A nice garden will make for a nice yard, which will add value to your home.  Mowing your own grass will save you $300 per summer.  Apply your own weed killer and fertilizer to save another $200.  That's $500 right there!
 
5.  Choose small pets, or go pet-free.  Large pets are a large expense.  Here are some approximate annual costs of pet ownership: small dog, $780; cat, $640; a medium dog, $1,115; a large dog, $1,500.  When it comes to pet ownership, smaller is better and cheaper.  Less really is more (more in your savings account).
 
6.  Don't flush money down the toilet.  Do you have to buy brand-name toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, plastic-wrap, etc.  Consider buying these products in bulk.  You'll pay half the price as you would normally.  Instead of buying these items at your local grocery store, try buying them at Costco, Sam's Club, Kmart or Wal-Mart.
 
7.  Go easy on the media.  Media and entertainment expenses has become a huge expense for many people.   Take a look at how much you spend on cable, satellite television, Internet, etc.  See what you can do to cut this major expense down.
 
8.  Use the tax-advantaged plans at work.  You can use your company's cafeteria plan, health savings account, flexible spending accounts, etc.  You can easily put $500 into savings by using these plans once you spend $2,000 in pretax-ed dollars.  Most employers can offer some sort of these plans.  Use those pretax-ed dollars before you spend your own dollars.
 
9.  Don't go out to eat.  Eating in can obviously save you a lot of money.  Instead of going to a restaurant and spending at least $25, go get a $7-$10 pizza at a pizza joint.  Or better yet, cook yourself.
 
10.  Get out of debt.  Avoid credit card debt at all costs.  NEVER pay interest on an instant approval credit card and pay off your balance in full every month.  Getting out of debt quickly can save you a bundle in the long-run.
 
As you can see, it doesn't have to be difficult to start a savings account.  Take a close look at your spending tendencies and make necessary changes to get your savings account up and going. 

Yesterday, I mentioned that Dream Systems Media had the opportunity to attend/speak at SMX West 2009. I also mentioned that it was a fairly expensive venture, however it would have been much more expensive had we not been able  to hedge a lot of our costs via credit card rewards. 

We paid for four round trip flights and hotel accommodations for 4 nights all via credit card rewards.  All of this was made possible thanks to a credit card comparison study that we conduct each year.  Our company goal is to make sure that we leverage the money we spend and that means choosing the right credit card.

On a personal level, I use an AMEX cash back credit card and have enjoyed getting some decent checks from them.

Have you heard of the new real estate site www.unclesamsland.com ?  In my opinion, Uncle Sam’s Land might be a great find for those looking to invest in today's real estate ‘buyer’s market’.

Apparently, there is no membership fee for the site, and properties start under a thousand dollars.  Uncle Sam's Land is picking up these properties via hundreds of tax auctions all over the country.  The company assigns staffs of researchers to conduct due dilligence on each property available at a tax auction and then they "bid on the best crop available."  

If your unfamiliar with tax auctions, here is the typical proicess:

1) The land owner does not pay property taxes
2) The state puts a tax lien on the property, and from this point, 1 of 2 things can occur

Option 1 - Tax lien sale

The county can sell a tax lien certificate to the highest bidder at an auction. Please note that the certificate is not a deed to the property.  In fact, the bidder is actually bidding on the right to an interest rate, which she can then charge the delinquent property owner for paying the taxes. At tax lien sales, the lowest bid (lowest interest rate) wins.  Now if the property owner fails to pay back the certificate, the certificate owner can foreclose on the property just like a mortgage company.  At that point, the property owner would have a set period of time to pay back the loan or lose the house.

Option 2 - Tax deed sale

The county can also hold a tax deed sale at a public auction.  The highest bidder wins the auction and now owns an acutal deed to the property.  At this point, all individuals with liens against the property are notified of the sale and have a right to bid on the property.  If they fail to bid on the property within a cetain period of time they lose their right to their lien claim and the auction winner now owns the property free of any other claim.

Uncle Sam’s Land inventory consists of tax deed sales.  Most of the land purchased by this group are empty lots.  Occasionally, the properties will have structures on them. 

Why would these properties make good investments?

Because each of the properties has gone through the foreclosure process, they are priced dramatically less than what the fair market value would indicate for them.  Basically, the new owner is walking into a significant amount of equity for a relatively meager amount.  Purchasing real estate for ‘pennies on the dollar’ is without question the biggest attraction to Uncle Sam’s Land. 

Furthermore, the basic nature of the purchase transaction is nearly effortless for even the most novice investors.  Included in the purchase price are the documentation fees which will enable the new owner to be placed on title of the property.  Once payment has been submitted following a transaction, Uncle Sam’s Land will create a Quit Claim Deed which will request that the new owner customer be placed on title of said property.  Normally, the county will take anywhere from 1-3 months to process the request, and once the process is fully completed, the Deed (the document which proves you are the owner) is sent to you to keep for your records.  Simple as that.

I recently read that at one point in time Google deleted their corporate blog.  Can you believe that?  The most powerful search engine in the world deleted its blog.  In fact, accidental blog deletion happens all of the time to companies and individuals.  Luckily for us there is a new company whose aim is to provide blog backup. Bloggled.com is the name of the company, and their motto is "Be a hero. Save a blog." 

Bloggled was founded by a fella named Brent Ramey who realized that his wife and many of her friends spent an amazing amount of time blogging.  One day, Brent's wife accidentally deleted the family blog and nearly went into depression.  Brent and his business partner decided it was time someone offered a backup blog service, and Bloggled. com was born.

To date, the young company has backed up hundreds of thousands of blogs.  Bloggled also runs a fantastic corporate blog, with lots of funny stories, political fuel, and other reads of interest. So if you have a blog, and who doesn't, I ask you : have you backed up your blog? If not, you may want to go take a look at Bloggled's service.  It is free for a limited time.