Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
by Sarah Russell
It�s happened to me. About a year ago, someone got a hold of my bank card numbers. Fortunately, the crook made some international purchase which immediately clued me in and my bank was quick to settle the whole thing. But most people aren�t so lucky. Identity theft is a serious crime that�s growing each year. Victims of identity theft can spend months, or even years, trying to repair a ruined credit history, which can compromise your chances of getting a new job, a bank loan, insurance or even rental housing. Follow these steps to help keep your identity safe:
Protect Your Credit Card Number When Making Purchases
Check your receipts after making a purchase with your credit or debit card. In most cases, the printed receipt hides all but the last 4 digits of your credit card account number, but some terminals still print receipts that show all 16 digits of your account number and the expiration date. If you get one of these receipts, black out the numbers entirely before throwing it away � this is all the information a thief needs to make charges using your card. You're also permitted by law to hide the first 12 digits of your account number on any copies of the receipt that the seller keeps.
It�s especially important to keep tabs on your receipts at restaurants. Think about it � you pay for your meal and then leave the signed receipt on your table for the waiter to pick up. But in a busy restaurant, it�s easy for a potential thief to �accidentally� bump your receipt off the table (or just steal it) and get your information. If the restaurant�s receipt shows all of your account information, black out the first 12 digits of your credit card number before leaving the restaurant.
Do You Really Need To Give Your Social Security Number?
Be very stringent about who you give your social security number to. You�ll probably need to share your number when you apply for credit or for a bank account, but sometimes a store or an organization will want to use it as an ID number, simply to identify you within their system. This is not only dangerous � it�s illegal. The law says that social security numbers aren't to be used as ID numbers. If you�re ever unsure about giving out your social security number, ask if there�s an alternative � there is in most cases.
Destroy Documents That Contain Sensitive Personal Information
Buy a paper shredder and use it to destroy any documents that contain credit card numbers, social security numbers, phone numbers, your date of birth and any other personal information before throwing them away. Any credit card offers should also be shredded � thieves can fill out the applications and open a line of credit without you ever knowing. Don�t think that throwing out these documents is enough � identity thieves aren't above going through the trash to find information that can help them get credit in your name.
If The Worst Happens
If you do become a victim of identity theft, take the following steps immediately:
* Contact your credit card companies to let them know what�s going on, close your accounts and ask to have new cards issued to you.
* Place a fraud alert on your file with any one of the three major credit bureaus. The other two will be notified automatically.
* File a police report. You may need it to show to creditors as proof of the crime.
* File a complaint with the FTC, which maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for their investigations.
It�s not fun to think about identity theft, but in this age of technology, you can�t afford not to. Identity thieves get smarter every day � just think of the recent rash of companies announcing that their client databases have been hacked into, exposing personal information. Some things are out of your control, but there are some simple precautions you can take to keep your personal information secured. Keeping your identity safe may be one of the most important things you do for your financial future.
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Advice on Buying Estonia Property
Advice on Buying Estonia Property
by John Everitt
Buying property in Estonia is a relatively straightforward and safe procedure.
The wheels of the bureaucratic machine move fairly efficiently, meaning that you could have title transferred in as little as four weeks.
Foreigners were known to have paid higher prices in the early 1990s, but the market has matured. Foreigners are developing many properties in Estonia now. This combined with the closing gap between foreign and local salaries mean that far fewer people, foreign or local, are being taken advantage of.
Most agents meet certain standards within real estate protocol and foreigners getting fleeced is not something to be over duly concerned about.
How much can I borrow?
Estonian banks and financial institutions are happy to give finance to foreigners, though the rates and conditions will not be as competitive as those given to Estonian residents.
Interest rates, however, are very competitive, and can be as low as 3 of the property value for a first property, and 50 off new properties in Estonia around 5-6 lower than the asking price. And because Estonia is experiencing a building boom, needing up to 3000 new housing units a year, haggling might be a luxury you can't afford.
Buying without an agent?
Not recommended!
Buying without a property agent in a country you are unfamiliar with, even for the most experienced property investor, is looking for trouble.
Additional Charges
The Notary is responsible for overseeing the transfer of ownership of property in Estonia.
Notaries play a necessary role in the closing process and are paid separately.
In Estonia, their fees are fixed by the state ranging from 0.4 to 1.0.
Most new builds sell off the plans and are sold complete with interior decoration. Demand in Estonia for 2- 3-roomed apartments has grown, particularly in the suburbs.
This is in contrast to its Baltic counterparts, Riga and Vilnius, where demand is largely for 1 -2 roomed apartments.
The result is a 5 more for any type of property for sale in Tallinn's old town. Demand for such properties has increased significantly over the past year in both the buyer and rental markets.
Investor's interest in new build apartments around the city centre has led to less demand for houses in Estonia. While demand has fallen, prices have remained stable, though selling times are longer.
It is possible to find bargain properties in Estonia's rural areas at extremely low prices and the past year has seen far more of these properties come on the market than in previous years.
The Buying Process
The settlement process in Estonia is fairly efficient, typically taking between 30 to 60 days, although it can be sooner depending on how quickly an appointment can be arranged with the Notary.
The Role of the Notary
The notary will oversee the transfer of ownership and ensure that it is in accordance with Estonian law. If it is not, recommendations for change will be made since the notary is financially responsible for potential mistakes or violations of the law. Once approved by the Notary, the documents are then signed in the Notary's office. Bear in mind that the notary's role is neutral. You will not be advised on any aspects of title, searches or burdens that they property may carry. The Notary will can also handle payments for the property through their account if required. Each party will be issued copies of the contract on signing at the notary office.
Notary Fees
The most equitable agreement for paying notary fees is to divide the cost equally between the buyer and the seller. Be sure to negotiate this before the meeting. There will also be a small amount of tax [state duty] to be paid by the buyer. This amounts to approximately 0.4.
The Contract or Pre-Purchase Protocol
The "pre-purchase protocol" is the agreement that commits the buyer and the seller to the property sale.
It usually requires the payment of a deposit, set at around 10%.
The pre-purchase protocol is immediately binding and under Estonian law there is no opt-out period.
Once the contract has been signed, you are legally obliged to follow through on the terms of the agreement.
Estonian property purchase contracts are generally "firm sale only".
In contrast to other countries where you may negotiate a property purchase conditional on getting bank finance or selling another property, it would be very rare for an Estonian property seller to accept conditions on a property sale.
Always beware of contracts that have been translated from Estonian to English.
A bad translation may compromise the terms of the contract. You are legally obliged to have an accredited translator with you at the notary's office to take you through the contract and to ensure that you fully understand the terms of agreement.
To ensure that the pre-purchase protocol is legally valid, it must be signed by an Estonian Notary.
Many agents however do not insist on this procedure since it incurs extras costs.
However, without a formal signing at the notary's office, the terms and conditions of the contract do not have any legal sway.
Deadlines may extend longer than they should and other problems may arise. As a final note of caution, make sure that the director of the agency you are working with signs the contract. In order for a contract to be valid under Estonian law, the director of the company and not the agents working for the company must sign the documents.
Don't expect to be handed the deeds of the property once the purchase has been completed.
In Estonia, there are no property deeds.
A notorized application is made to the Land Register to transfer the ownership of the property to the buyer in the land register book. This cannot happen until the state fee is paid.
After this process, the title is legally valid.
Public notice of the transfer must be published in the Official State Gazette, though this does not affect the title, which is secured after being noted in the land register book.
These guidelines are meant for guidance only and describe a straightforward purchase scenarios. However this information is not meant to replace proper legal advice, which we always insist you take.
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Efficient Use Of Your Home Freezer
Efficient Use Of Your Home Freezer
by Johnny Waymire
Your freezer is like a little city and you are a real-estate agent. The first thing you need to understand is property value. Don't worry there is no licensing exam required.
In real-estate there are many things that affect property values, but in your freezer there is just one. Temperature! In the same way that mild climates and good weather contribute to the high property values in coastal cities, maintaining the desired temperature is the ONLY determining factor in Freezerville. In real-estate you have probably heard that the three most important things are location, location, location. The same holds true in Freezerville.
You can break it down into three neighborhoods: the back of the freezer � the palatial estates and gated communities; the front of the freezer � nice neighborhoods with clean parks and �normal' sized houses; and the freezer door � the rough part of town where you hope your car doesn't break down.
The back of your freezer, or the palatial estates, keeps the most consistent temperature. It is not as affected by the door being opened throughout the day. This is where you want to have your "rich" foods � raw meat, ice-cream, baby food, etc. � anything that would go bad if it were to even partially melt. If you have a shelf in your freezer then you double the space in your high-rent district, as the back of both the bottom and top would be roughly as cold.
The front of your freezer, or the nice neighborhoods, stays pretty cool when the door is opened, but is directly affected by the rush of warm air when you open the door. This is a good place to keep fully cooked meats or snacks. Things like frozen taquitos, quiche, pizza rolls � products that were fully cooked and purchase frozen.
The freezer door is the bad side of the tracks, or in this case the wrong side of the warm air. Every time you open the freezer door the temperature of these items immediately begins to rise. The real problem is if the door remains open for a longer period of time, like when you are putting away groceries or staring blankly at the frozen bags trying to decide what to have for dinner. In that case the freezer will usually kick up its production of cold air, but since these items are hanging out in the warm air of the kitchen, they are usually too far away to benefit from the cool breeze blowing through the better neighborhoods.
These are the mean streets of Freezerville where only the hearty stock can make it: frozen veggies, flour, ice packs, etc. Even though the door seems like a place you wouldn't want Mr. and Mrs. Fudgebar to raise their ice cubes, remember that even the undesirable neighborhoods in Freezerville are prime real-estate. Don't let any of it go unused.
Just like people in a community contribute to the quality of the neighborhood, items in your freezer actually contribute to the cold. Once an item is frozen its cold temperature helps to maintain the overall temperature in the freezer. Leaving a lot of open space requires your freezer to work harder to create more cold air to circulate. When you don't have enough food to fill your freezer simply stock extra icepacks or plastic containers partially filled with water. That way, when you need the extra space for food, you can just store the icepacks/containers elsewhere until the freezer is low again.
Finally, remember that you don't want to oversell your space. When I say full I don't mean busting at the seams. You want to have space for the cold air to circulate through the freezer or it will also be inefficient. Make sure you can see to the back of your freezer, as this is where the cold air blows into the freezer, and you want it to make it all the way out to the door once it is closed.
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How To Walk Humans
How To Walk Humans
by Luke Marchant
The problem with many dogs nowadays is that they forget that a human is not just for Christmas, it is for life. Shortly after being born, many puppies (with the naivety and inexperience of youth, I must add) impulse buy a human. They seem to think that owning humans will be all play, forgetting that the first few months are the hardest and that they�ll have to work like a�hard worker.
This essential guide will help you through those first months and hopefully, provide all first-time people buyers with some invaluable insight into the bizarre workings of the human mind.
1. Entering the house. Once you walk into the �house� (an over-sized kennel), mark your territory immediately. Ideal locations for doing this include any expensive looking rugs or elderly relatives that are lying around. If the humans yell at you, do it again. It is important that you let them know who is boss.
2. Make yourself at home. Humans love home improvement, so try to add a bit of yourself to the house by altering the furniture. This is very easy to do, just nibble off the corner of a coffee table or scratch a door to pieces. Don�t be afraid to use your imagination and try something new; my personal favourite is moving lots of human food from the inside of their fridge to the adjacent floor. When the humans discover your work, make sure you sit next to it and wag your tail so that they realise whom to accredit the alterations to. If they become over excited, mark your territory.
3. Avoiding danger. Shortly after you have settled in your new home, many humans will come to visit you. However, you need to be careful as you will inevitably encounter �Children� (mini humans; remember, the smaller the human, the more dangerous they are). Many children will insist on attacking you; they�ll either rapidly tap you on the head or scratch your ear. This may be painful, or even just plain annoying, but please, please do not run away. Stay still (perhaps wag your tail as a sign of impatience) and pray that the mini-humans will lose interest. If you do attempt escape, the children will rapidly pursue you. Indeed, nature knows no worse predator than a determined mini-human. Upon cornering you, the children will awkwardly hoist you in the air and scratch/tap you some more. For emergency escape, mark your territory. The child will quickly abandon you. (This is not strictly true, the smallest mini-humans, the variety referred to as �Bairns�, �Babies� or �Li�l Tykes� will probably mark their territory as well and then continue harassing you. Whimper to let them know that they have won and they will hopefully abandon you)
4. New Tricks: The older you get, the harder these are to learn, but humans will try to teach you certain performance pieces. They will often spend seven laborious hours with you (one in human time) getting you to act like them for various delicious rewards. Remember: the more you fail, the bigger the reward. It is imperative that you let the humans know that you will only perform for them if they pay you with treats. The famous actress Lassie infamously forgot this golden rule. Apparently, she started off performing tricks such as �sit� without edible rewards, and before long was rescuing mini-humans from mine shafts for little more than an affectionate pat on the head.
5. Exercise: Take your humans for walks regularly. Humans are notoriously lazy so will need much encouragement. When walking, you will have your humans on a �lead� (a cable designed to enable dogs to tow and guide their humans to various destinations). The humans will frequently pull on this lead and slow you down, but you must not let them walk at a normal pace; they will not get proper exercise if they go too slowly.
Once you are off the lead, you must protect your humans from any passing cats or cyclists. Furthermore, many humans suffer from acute amnesia in open spaces. Indeed, they very often drop a ball or a stick on the walk, which you have to return to them. Moments later, they will drop the object again. Make sure you are patient and bring the discarded object back to them each time, otherwise they will forget it.
When you return to the house, demonstrate that you realise that you are home by marking your territory.
6. Conversational English: Here are a collection of human phrases that you will find useful (do not repeat them, humans find it disturbing if their canine owners talk back to them in the same language).
Sit! - Take the weight off your feet and rest on your haunches.
Dinner!� I have poured some dry, meat flavour biscuits into a bowl. Please try it. Din-dins!
Walkies!- Please take me outside.
Good Boy/Girl � Congratulations are in order.
Vet- Run for your life.
Wilma�s next article will be published soon. For the mean time, dogs are welcome to try her earlier work, the self-help book �Finding Your Inner Puppy�
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Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Ensuring Data Protection
Ensuring Data Protection
by Scott Elliott
All of us require computers be it for personal use or work, or for some commercial purpose. For the same reason, it is important to take precautions because data is prone to leakage. The situation is most risky when you use the Internet as well.
Think about what you experience when you lose important data. You cannot even sleep properly if your data is lost. It is thus essential to have regular backups done.
Nobody wants their personal and confidential information to be disclosed over the Internet but unfortunately with the growing use of computers these days, data is no longer secure. The size of your organization or business is hardly a concern. It doesn't matter if you are using your computer at home or in office. The only concern is data protection. It is a great challenge in itself to protect confidential data. It is also important to be aware of what exactly are the reasons behind these data loss.
Various tools are available in the market these days in order to protect your valuable data. Some of these are backups, firewalls and various protection software packages for viruses.
Negligence by an employee is one of the other reasons for data leakage. Thus, it is considered therefore that employees can prevent a major portion of this data loss. If the employee is equipped with basic knowledge about computers and are honest while performing their tasks, lots of important data can be prevented from getting lost. If some strong security system is not implemented, employees generally take this for granted and work carelessly. This may mean that confidential data is lost.
Here are some methods that would help to protect your data:
Encryption: You can protect your data using a technique called encryption. In this technique, data is encrypted or is converted into some code, which can be decoded by only those who know the key or the related password. These days with the availability of so many data encryption software in the market, you can choose any one of them to ensure safe transaction of data.
Backups: Backing up your data is one of the tools that you should always use in order to avoid any sudden data loss. It is most effective in case of data loss due to a sudden power failure. If you are performing regular backups, these situations can easily be avoided. There is no specified interval during which you are expected to perform a backup. However, once in a week is the least limit, though thrice a week is normally advised to perform these backups. The best thing would be to ensure back up on a daily basis. Confidentiality of your data is the only criteria to set the limit for these backups.
Firewalls: A layered type of system is followed when it comes to security. An operating system may also serve as protector of data or else a firewall may be used. Through firewalls, nobody can access your system without your permission. This way, your data becomes much safer. It is recommended to update your computer at regular intervals to maintain security in a more consistent manner.
With this helpful information, you can ensure that your data is protected and not lost.
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Of Course You Can Develop Products
Of Course You Can Develop Products
by Pat Wiklund
Virtually every One-Person Business owner I've worked with has both products and services. Some of them just don't realize what they have. Don't let thinking you only provide service, don't have products, or don't know how to get started, slow you down. Time to learn from OPE (other people's experiences).
Look at what your competitors and colleagues offer in addition to their standard/professional services. What do they offer on their web sites? What have they published? What complimentary materials do they offer clients and potential clients?
One client of mine was surprised to realize that one of the services she bundled into her consulting--documenting how and what she had been doing for the client, her processes and procedures--was as valued by her clients as her consulting services. She hadn't mentioned the documentation in her sales pitch, just added it to the deliverables at the end of the project. She didn't realize she could charge more because she was providing more service.
Develop products that sing to you. I love to write special reports, five - eight page expositions of a single topic or addressing a specific issue or question. Usually these come from issues or discussions that arise when working with my clients. As I puzzle out the answers, it becomes clear how helpful the information could be for others.
One colleague hates to write, but put her in front of a video camera and she comes alive! Most of her products are video based, not written. Another prefers to service her client base with teleseminars. All her products are recorded live with existing clients, and then bundled with excellent workbooks, real-time videos demonstrating step-by-step directions, and follow-up autoresponder series adding value and easily implemented next steps.
Develop products and services that fit your life and lifestyle. One seasoned professional loves nothing better than going to another part of the country, preferably for a long-term consulting assignment. She enjoys getting to know new people, places, and local highlights. Me? After doing that for more than thirty years, I'm ready to stay home with my cats, garden, and family, working more on the phone and the Internet.
Of course, your products have to fit your clients. If you are targeting high-end executive coaching, your most effective piece just might be a four-color, printed white paper, rather than a downloadable special report. Both the format and design of your products, and the fees you charge, should reflect market prices, and your marketing collateral and web site be congruent with your executive look.
If you're working with start-ups, you'll need a more aggressive look. With governments, stability and seriousness. With co-operative nursery schools, a playful, fun look might be more appropriate.
Whatever your business, your life style, or your client base, start developing the right product mix to leverage your impact on your clients and your bottom line.
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Why Are House Prices Still Being Misquoted - (Part Two)
Why Are House Prices Still Being Misquoted - (Part Two)
by amos graham
Three years ago, the State Government introduced a law that it said would stop this practice. It requires that estimates are based on what �a willing but not anxious buyer� would pay, and forbids agents from advertising for less than their own estimate. However, it does not attempt to define an underquote by percentage. As yet, not one agent has been prosecuted under the state law. It seems to me that this law is failing and it is time that the state government took action and began an inquiry into why this is occurring so frequently without any investigation.
It is obvious that this government legislation no facilities to solve the present problems. It is common knowledge that the Estate Agents Council has been asked to monitor the situation. Consumer Affairs Victoria has revealed that they would deal with complaints, however, industry sources say Consumer Affairs has done little beyond monitoring. Again, it comes back to buyer frustration and that is where the anxiety is. Of course, anyone in a service business understands that one should never want to estrange clients, particularly when they are sincere, genuine buyers.
Buyers with whom I have talked at auctions, know that they need to adjust to these real estate agents changing conditions and buyers experience in the market has taught them to add 20% to 25%, but when it becomes an outrageous amount like 40% or 50%, then buyers are becoming very annoyed. Looking online for genuine real estate can be difficult too, but to add to your search, why not login to http://reiv.com.au where they will assist and make sure that the property you are buying is the right one in terms of price, location, value, size, and lifestyle. The other site I highly recommend is http://OzFreeOnline.com where there are thousands of real estate ads, Australia-wide, and a real estate forum, which will help you get in touch with likeminded people, who have hints and tips you can exchange.
For me there is the emotional and rational side. I feel that house hunting is eating away at much of my life, and every time I feel as though I have a chance to buy within my price range, I have the rug pulled out from under my feet. It is positively exasperating and I feel the industry is treating potential buyers, just like me, with contempt.
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