text:
The first quarter of 2012 was supposed to be a sweet spot for passenger cruise lines. Wave season, as it's known, marks a time when cruise companies and travel agents roll out deep discounts on cruise vacations and rack up lots of sales.
But that changed Jan. 13, when the Costa Concordia struck rocks off the western coast of Italy, killing at least 11 passengers in one of the worst cruise-ship tragedies in recent times. Images and videos of the listing liner have been shown appeared continually on TV and online in the media, often accompanied by interviews with survivors, who say panic and chaos took hold during the ship's deadly slide.
The Concordia tragedy could not have come at a more inopportune time for the cruise industry, which is recovering from the 2008 economic bust. Before the accident, the cruise market was expected to grow 5.6% percent and carry 20.3 million passengers in 2012, according to a forecast from Cruise Market Watch.
Cruise travel: In the Jan. 22 Travel section, an article about the outlook for the cruise industry in 2012 described the American Queen as the old Delta Queen. The American Queen was one of three boats operated by the former Delta Queen Steamboat Co. and now is operated by the Great American Steamboat Co. —
An earlier version of this online article said that the online site Travelzoo sells cruises. It doesn't sell cruises. It highlights cruise deals.
Now industry observers wonder how long it will take for the accident to fade from consumers' minds and the idea of cruises as a good vacation value to resurface. Carnival Corp, which owns Costa, said in a statement that the loss of the ship alone would cost the company $85 million to $95 million. "In addition, the company anticipates other costs to the business that are not possible to determine at this time," the statement said.
Some say avid cruise passengers probably won't be deterred, but the occasional or novice cruiser might be skittish. "The next few weeks will be very telling," said Gabe Saglie, senior editor of Travelzoo, the online site that highlights cruise deals. "It's really going to be about the cruisers who are not your seasoned cruisers." Saglie said wave season might continue a little longer this year, with even deeper discounts and incentives.
Peggy Goldman, owner of Friendly Planet Travel in Jenkintown, Pa., said she had a few calls from customers asking about safety issues but no cancellations so far. Goldman thinks the Concordia accident will have an impact on sales in the short term, but then the rarity of a cruise ship tragedy of this magnitude will become clearer. "I can't imagine that any other captain who wants to keep his job, or any cruise line that wants to keep its stock price up, is going to allow any sloppiness in their safety procedures after this," Goldman said.
How "other costs" will play out for Carnival and other cruise lines remains to be seen. In the meantime, these trends might indicate what's on the horizon for cruises and cruise passengers in 2012.
How "other costs" will play out for Carnival and other cruise lines remains to be seen. In the meantime, these trends might indicate what's on the horizon for cruises and cruise passengers in 2012.
Price points:
Andi McClure-Mysza, co-owner of Montrose Travel in La Crescenta, said passengers should expect the cost of a cruise to go up a bit this year. "From a trend standpoint, prices are still depressed," she said. "So there are still good values to be had out there."
Online travel company CruiseCompete calculated average 2012 prices charged by Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean. As of this month, the cheapest inside cabin price per passenger starts at $681 for a February cruise, $687 for March, a low $615 for November and $621 next January. Summer prices jump to $1,064 in July and $1,004 in August.
These average prices aren't exactly what you'll pay; they're just a snapshot of what costs look like at the moment.
Ships' shape:
New ships always create buzz and excitement. Disney Fantasy (2,500 berths), Carnival Breeze (3,690 passengers), Celebrity Reflection (3,030 passengers) and Oceania Riviera (1,250 passengers) are among seven set to debut this year. Disney Fantasy, a sister ship to the Disney Dream, also arrives this year. (The cruise line will sail from New York, Seattle and Galveston, Texas, for the first time this year too.) Royal Caribbean's sister ships continue to be the big draw for bookings. "Sales are booming on Oasis and Allure," McClure-Mysza said. Where else but on the Allure can you walk amid thousands of plants and trees in a Central Park at sea?
There's not much on the horizon in the "wow" department. Cruise Critic reports that renovations (Celebrity Summit and Millennium, for example, as well as three Carnival ships being upgraded to Fun Ship 2.0 status) are favored over new builds.
River madness (still):
River cruising is the juggernaut that just keeps rolling along. Europe, with the Rhine, Rhone and Danube, is a favorite of the river cruise set, while new destinations in Asia such as the Mekong River in Vietnam and Cambodia pique interest too.
The big news for U.S. river lovers is the return of a paddle-wheel steamboat to the Mississippi River. The American Queen (the old Delta Queen, a replicated steamboat) will start sailing in April with itineraries on the north and south stretches of the Mississippi River and on the Ohio and Tennessee rivers. American Cruise Lines will launch a new Victorian-style riverboat, Queen of the Mississippi, in August.
Home-port advantage:
Sixty percent of all cruise ships are positioned in the Caribbean, but there's a growing trend toward boosting home-port options so passengers can drive, not fly, to ships. For example Galveston, back on its feet after devastating Hurricane Ike in 2008, will be a temporary home for Disney Magic and Crown Princess this year. And post-Katrina New Orleans is on the rebound too as winter homeport for Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas.
Kids are here to stay:
DreamWorks characters on Allure, Oasis and Freedom of the Seas; Mickey Mouse and friends on Disney cruises; and Norwegian's mash-up with Nickelodeon are sure signs that the boom in kid-friendly cruising shows no signs of abating. "Multi-generational families are so prevalent on cruise ships that they now have to create adult-only areas," McClure-Mysza said. "Ships will be finding ways to better manage families."
Extra onboard costs:
A trend toward flexible dining options, with separate prices for meals and drinks, will grow. Although it's a plus to have more dining options, Carolyn Spencer Brown of Cruise Critic labeled this as "unbundling" of fares and warns passengers to be aware of the extra spending and how it might affect their travel budget. "You're paying decently cheap fares but you can spend a million times more on board," she said. "No one's charging you for a pillow yet, but some can make it hard not to spend more."
For example, she said, six of 10 restaurants on the Norwegian Epic charge for meals and drinks (the dining room remains a free option). Other ships feature an all-you-can-drink charge. Her point: All the nickel and diming might mean you could afford a luxury line cruise with more extras included, so do the math.
What's hot:
The Mediterranean is flooded with ships cruising the coastal waters of Italy, Greece, Spain and France. That may cool, experts said, and these destinations may be on the upswing.
— Caribbean.
The islands are becoming popular again because of the variety of cultures and destinations. "You could do the same cruise every year for a decade and always discover new things," Spencer Brown said.
— Hawaii.
For the first time, the Disney Wonder will cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii in April and again in October. Trips are long (14 to 15 nights) with more than a week of at-sea days. Norwegian continues its Pride of American tours of the islands that last seven to nine days once you are in Hawaii.
— Australia
. This could be the hot new destination, Spencer Brown said. Carnival Solstice will send a ship for an eight-day tour that includes Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. And ships such as Queen Mary 2 and Carnival Spirit will join the party too.
Mexican cruises:
Mexico remains under a cloud and has cast a troubling shadow over cruises from the port of Los Angeles and elsewhere. Drug-cartel wars in border areas and the interior create the mistaken perception that ports along the Mexican Riviera also are riddled with violence — one many travel agents and cruise watchers say is unwarranted. "My personal message is that Mexico is alive and well, and I encourage people to look into it," McClure-Mysza said.
Still, the U.S. State Department's travel warning for parts of Mexico is enough to scare off some. The resulting slump chased Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Lines from L.A. last year, and Disney just announced plans to follow suit at the end of this year.
Paul Motter of CruiseMates.com has a different take on the Mexican Riviera. He defends Mexico's west coast as a worthy cruise destination but thinks the itinerary could use some tweaking. "Mazatlan as a cruise port has very little to offer," he said. "The port area is a very isolated and industrial place, and there's no place to walk." Spending two nights in Cabo San Lucas or Puerto Vallarta, he said, offers a better experience for cruisers who seek local culture along with their beaches.


text:
I am posting this today to coincide with V Smoothe's post at ABO about Streetcars on Broadway. Was going to add more detail before posting in the future at some unknown date. On the other hand, I feel very discouraged that this will probably never happen which is why I didn't post it sooner. The idea of putting railcars back onto Oaktown streets is not original to me, although I didn't know of other people's opinions on this until today. (Other than say people like Len or Vivek saying it probably wouldn't happen.) Streetcars are unlikely to return to Dolores, Valencia and Guerrero either.
I wrote this post knowing that Detroit will rebuild/rebrand itself in the near future by bringing back "railroad tracks" and "trains" on city streets. It will be a smaller city, but a city with streetcars again.
Downtown Oakland (aka theDTO) experienced glory in no small part because of our intra-city and inter-city rail systems. We used to have good ground-level trains here. Being close to San Francisco's earthquake-phobic gold and silver flippers helped as 1906 quake 'fugees fled to the East Bay, hipster style but for different reasons. The World War Two economy also greatly aided Oakland's ramping up, with Kaiser's ship-building yards (yes, that Kaiser) and the Ford plant in Richmond among other things we used to make here.
It is probably more accurate to say Oakland's glory was due to its strong, productive economy, and that streetcars were a symptom of its largess.
We have the 1R and 72R rapid AC Transit buses which are good, decent terrain for cycling, and BART for working in Fremont or SF, but a street car system would be Ooo-la-la! Much less jerky than busses, supportable sometimes with wind and solar and even those dang BloomEnergy BloomBoxes everyone's yapping about today[weeks ago]. If Oakland ever gets a BloomBox fuel cell system, it should be installed right in the midst of EBMUD's sewage treatment plant — plenty of "directed biogas" available there! But back to today's topic: Oakland and its former streetcar rail lines.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Mortgage Glossary
203(b): FHA's single family program which provides mortgage insurance to lenders to protect against the borrower defaulting; 203(b) is used to finance the purchase of new or existing one to four family housing; 203(b) insured loans are known for requiring a low down payment, flexible qualifying guidelines, limited fees, and a limit on maximum loan amount.
203(k): this FHA mortgage insurance program enables homebuyers to finance both the purchase of a house and the cost of its rehabilitation through a single mortgage loan.
"A" Loan or "A" Paper: a credit rating where the FICO score is 660 or above. There have been no late mortgage payments within a 12-month period. This is the best credit rating to have when entering into a new loan.
ARM: Adjustable Rate Mortgage; a mortgage loan subject to changes in interest rates; when rates change, ARM monthly payments increase or decrease at intervals determined by the lender; the change in monthly payment amount, however, is usually subject to a cap.
Abstract of Title: documents recording the ownership of property throughout time.
Additional Principal Payment: money paid to the lender in addition to the established payment amount used directly against the loan principal to shorten the length of the loan.
Adjustment Date: the actual date that the interest rate is changed for an ARM.
Adjustment Index: the published market index used to calculate the interest rate of an ARM at the time of origination or adjustment.
Adjustment Interval: the time between the interest rate change and the monthly payment for an ARM. The interval is usually every one, three or five years depending on the index.
Affidavit: a signed, sworn statement made by the buyer or seller regarding the truth of information provided.
Amortization: a payment plan that enables you to reduce your debt gradually through monthly payments. The payments may be principal and interest, or interest-only. The monthly amount is based on the schedule for the entire term or length of the loan.
Annual Mortgagor Statement: yearly statement to borrowers detailing the remaining principal and amounts paid for taxes and interest.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR): a measure of the cost of credit, expressed as a yearly rate. It includes interest as well as other charges. Because all lenders, by federal law, follow the same rules to ensure the accuracy of the annual percentage rate, it provides consumers with a good basis for comparing the cost of loans, including mortgage plans. APR is a higher rate than the simple interest of the mortgage.
Appraisal: a document from a professional that gives an estimate of a property's fair market value based on the sales of comparable homes in the area and the features of a property; an appraisal is generally required by a lender before loan approval to ensure that the mortgage loan amount is not more than the value of the property.
Appraisal Fee: fee charged by an appraiser to estimate the market value of a property.
Appraised Value: an estimation of the current market value of a property.
Appraiser: a qualified individual who uses his or her experience and knowledge to prepare the appraisal estimate.
Arbitration: a legal method of resolving a dispute without going to court.
Assessed Value: the value that a public official has placed on any asset (used to determine taxes).
Assessments: the method of placing value on an asset for taxation purposes.
Assessor: a government official who is responsible for determining the value of a property for the purpose of taxation.
Assets: any item with measurable value.
Assumable Mortgage: when a home is sold, the seller may be able to transfer the mortgage to the new buyer. This means the mortgage is assumable. Lenders generally require a credit review of the new borrower and may charge a fee for the assumption. Some mortgages contain a due-on-sale clause, which means that the mortgage may not be transferable to a new buyer. Instead, the lender may make you pay the entire balance that is due when you sell the home. An assumable mortgage can help you attract buyers if you sell your home.
"B" Loan or "B" Paper: FICO scores from 620 - 659. Factors include two 30 day late mortgage payments and two to three 30 day late installment loan payments in the last 12 months. No delinquencies over 60 days are allowed. Should be two to four years since a bankruptcy. Also referred to as Sub-Prime.
Back End Ratio (debt ratio): a ratio that compares the total of all monthly debt payments (mortgage, real estate taxes and insurance, car loans, and other consumer loans) to gross monthly income.
Balance Sheet: a financial statement that shows the assets, liabilities and net worth of an individual or company.
Balloon Loan or Mortgage: a mortgage that typically offers low rates for an initial period of time (usually 5, 7, or 10) years; after that time period elapses, the balance is due or is refinanced by the borrower.
Balloon Payment: the final lump sum payment due at the end of a balloon mortgage.
Bankruptcy: a federal law whereby a person's assets are turned over to a trustee and used to pay off outstanding debts; this usually occurs when someone owes more than they have the ability to repay.
Biweekly Payment Mortgage: a mortgage paid twice a month instead of once a month, reducing the amount of interest to be paid on the loan.
Borrower: a person who has been approved to receive a loan and is then obligated to repay it and any additional fees according to the loan terms.
Broker: a licensed individual or firm that charges a fee to serve as the mediator between the buyer and seller. Mortgage brokers are individuals in the business of arranging funding or negotiating contracts for a client, but who does not loan the money. A real estate broker is someone who helps find a house.
Buy Down: the seller pays an amount to the lender so the lender provides a lower rate and lower payments many times for an ARM. The seller may increase the sales price to cover the cost of the buy down.
"C" Loan or "C" Paper: FICO scores typically from 580 to 619. Factors include three to four 30 day late mortgage payments and four to six 30 day late installment loan payments or two to four 60 day late payments. Should be one to two years since bankruptcy. Also referred to as Sub - Prime.
Cap: a limit, such as one placed on an adjustable rate mortgage, on how much a monthly payment or interest rate can increase or decrease, either at each adjustment period or during the life of the mortgage. Payment caps do not limit the amount of interest the lender is earning, so they may cause negative amortization.
Capacity: The ability to make mortgage payments on time, dependent on assets and the amount of income each month after paying housing costs, debts and other obligations.
Capital Gain: the profit received based on the difference of the original purchase price and the total sale price.
Capital Improvements: property improvements that either will enhance the property value or will increase the useful life of the property.
Capital or Cash Reserves: an individual's savings, investments, or assets.
Cash-Out Refinance: when a borrower refinances a mortgage at a higher principal amount to get additional money. Usually this occurs when the property has appreciated in value. For example, if a home has a current value of $100,000 and an outstanding mortgage of $60,000, the owner could refinance $80,000 and have additional $20,000 in cash.
Cash Reserves: a cash amount sometimes required of the buyer to be held in reserve in addition to the down payment and closing costs; the amount is determined by the lender.
Casualty Protection: property insurance that covers any damage to the home and personal property either inside or outside the home.
Certificate of Title: a document provided by a qualified source, such as a title company, that shows the property legally belongs to the current owner; before the title is transferred at closing, it should be clear and free of all liens or other claims.
Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: a bankruptcy that requires assets be liquidated in exchange for the cancellation of debt.
Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: this type of bankruptcy sets a payment plan between the borrower and the creditor monitored by the court. The homeowner can keep the property, but must make payments according to the court's terms within a 3 to 5 year period.
Charge-Off: the portion of principal and interest due on a loan that is written off when deemed to be uncollectible.
Clear Title: a property title that has no defects. Properties with clear titles are marketable for sale.
Closing: the final step in property purchase where the title is transferred from the seller to the buyer. Closing occurs at a meeting between the buyer, seller, settlement agent, and other agents. At the closing the seller receives payment for the property. Also known as settlement.
Closing Costs: fees for final property transfer not included in the price of the property. Typical closing costs include charges for the mortgage loan such as origination fees, discount points, appraisal fee, survey, title insurance, legal fees, real estate professional fees, prepayment of taxes and insurance, and real estate transfer taxes. A common estimate of a Buyer's closing costs is 2 to 4 percent of the purchase price of the home. A common estimate for Seller's closing costs is 3 to 9 percent.
Co-Borrower: an additional person that is responsible for loan repayment and is listed on the title.
Co-Signed Account: an account signed by someone in addition to the primary borrower, making both people responsible for the amount borrowed.
Co-Signer: a person that signs a credit application with another person, agreeing to be equally responsible for the repayment of the loan.
Collateral: security in the form of money or property pledged for the payment of a loan. For example, on a home loan, the home is the collateral and can be taken away from the borrower if mortgage payments are not made.
Comparative Market Analysis (COMPS): a property evaluation that determines property value by comparing similar properties sold within the last year.
Compensating Factors: factors that show the ability to repay a loan based on less traditional criteria, such as employment, rent, and utility payment history.
Conforming loan: is a loan that does not exceed Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's loan limits. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans are referred to as conforming loans.
Construction Loan: a short-term, to finance the cost of building a new home. The lender pays the builder based on milestones accomplished during the building process. For example, once a sub-contractor pours the foundation and it is approved by inspectors the lender will pay for their service.
Contingency: a clause in a purchase contract outlining conditions that must be fulfilled before the contract is executed. Both, buyer or seller may include contingencies in a contract, but both parties must accept the contingency.
Conventional Loan: a private sector loan, one that is not guaranteed or insured by the U.S. government.
Conversion Clause: a provision in some ARMs allowing it to change to a fixed-rate loan at some point during the term. Usually conversions are allowed at the end of the first adjustment period. At the time of the conversion, the new fixed rate is generally set at one of the rates then prevailing for fixed rate mortgages. There may be additional cost for this clause.
Convertible ARM: an adjustable-rate mortgage that provides the borrower the ability to convert to a fixed-rate within a specified time.
Covenants: legally enforceable terms that govern the use of property. These terms are transferred with the property deed. Discriminatory covenants are illegal and unenforceable. Also known as a condition, restriction, deed restriction or restrictive covenant.
Credit: an agreement that a person will borrow money and repay it to the lender over time.
Credit Bureau: an agency that provides financial information and payment history to lenders about potential borrowers. Also known as a National Credit Repository.
Credit Counseling: education on how to improve bad credit and how to avoid having more debt than can be repaid.
Credit History: a record of an individual that lists all debts and the payment history for each. The report that is generated from the history is called a credit report. Lenders use this information to gauge a potential borrower's ability to repay a loan.
Credit Report: a report generated by the credit bureau that contains the borrower's credit history for the past seven years. Lenders use this information to determine if a loan will be granted.
Credit Risk: a term used to describe the possibility of default on a loan by a borrower.
Credit Score: a score calculated by using a person's credit report to determine the likelihood of a loan being repaid on time. Scores range from about 360 - 840: a lower score meaning a person is a higher risk, while a higher score means that there is less risk.
Creditworthiness: the way a lender measures the ability of a person to qualify and repay a loan.
Debtor: The person or entity that borrows money. The term debtor may be used interchangeably with the term borrower.
Debt-to-Income Ratio: a comparison or ratio of gross income to housing and non-housing expenses; With the FHA, the-monthly mortgage payment should be no more than 29% of monthly gross income (before taxes) and the mortgage payment combined with non-housing debts should not exceed 41% of income.
Debt Security: a security that represents a loan from an investor to an issuer. The issuer in turn agrees to pay interest in addition to the principal amount borrowed.
Deductible: the amount of cash payment that is made by the insured (the homeowner) to cover a portion of a damage or loss. Sometimes also called "out-of-pocket expenses." For example, out of a total damage claim of $1,000, the homeowner might pay a $250 deductible toward the loss, while the insurance company pays $750 toward the loss. Typically, the higher the deductible, the lower the cost of the policy.
Deed: a document that legally transfers ownership of property from one person to another. The deed is recorded on public record with the property description and the owner's signature. Also known as the title.
Deed-in-Lieu: to avoid foreclosure ("in lieu" of foreclosure), a deed is given to the lender to fulfill the obligation to repay the debt; this process does not allow the borrower to remain in the house but helps avoid the costs, time, and effort associated with foreclosure.
Default: the inability to make timely monthly mortgage payments or otherwise comply with mortgage terms. A loan is considered in default when payment has not been paid after 60 to 90 days. Once in default the lender can exercise legal rights defined in the contract to begin foreclosure proceedings
Delinquency: failure of a borrower to make timely mortgage payments under a loan agreement. Generally after fifteen days a late fee may be assessed.
Deposit (Earnest Money): money put down by a potential buyer to show that they are serious about purchasing the home; it becomes part of the down payment if the offer is accepted, is returned if the offer is rejected, or is forfeited if the buyer pulls out of the deal. During the contingency period the money may be returned to the buyer if the contingencies are not met to the buyer's satisfaction.
Depreciation: a decrease in the value or price of a property due to changes in market conditions, wear and tear on the property, or other factors.
Disclosures: the release of relevant information about a property that may influence the final sale, especially if it represents defects or problems. "Full disclosure" usually refers to the responsibility of the seller to voluntarily provide all known information about the property. Some disclosures may be required by law, such as the federal requirement to warn of potential lead-based paint hazards in pre-1978 housing. A seller found to have knowingly lied about a defect may face legal penalties.
Discount Point: normally paid at closing and generally calculated to be equivalent to 1% of the total loan amount, discount points are paid to reduce the interest rate on a loan. In an ARM with an initial rate discount, the lender gives up a number of percentage points in interest to give you a lower rate and lower payments for part of the mortgage term (usually for one year or less). After the discount period, the ARM rate will probably go up depending on the index rate.
Down Payment: the portion of a home's purchase price that is paid in cash and is not part of the mortgage loan. This amount varies based on the loan type, but is determined by taking the difference of the sale price and the actual mortgage loan amount. Mortgage insurance is required when a down payment less than 20 percent is made.
Earnest Money (Deposit): money put down by a potential buyer to show that they are serious about purchasing the home; it becomes part of the down payment if the offer is accepted, is returned if the offer is rejected, or is forfeited if the buyer pulls out of the deal. During the contingency period the money may be returned to the buyer if the contingencies are not met to the buyer's satisfaction.
Earnings Per Share (EPS): a corporation's profit that is divided among each share of common stock. It is determined by taking the net earnings divided by the number of outstanding common stocks held. This is a way that a company reports profitability.
Encumbrance: anything that affects title to a property, such as loans, leases, easements, or restrictions.
Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA): a federal law requiring lenders to make credit available equally without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, marital status, or receipt of income from public assistance programs.
Equity: an owner's financial interest in a property; calculated by subtracting the amount still owed on the mortgage loon(s)from the fair market value of the property.
Escrow: funds held in an account to be used by the lender to pay for home insurance and property taxes. The funds may also be held by a third party until contractual conditions are met and then paid out.
Escrow Account: a separate account into which the lender puts a portion of each monthly mortgage payment; an escrow account provides the funds needed for such expenses as property taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, etc.
FICO Score: FICO is an abbreviation for Fair Isaac Corporation and refers to a person's credit score based on credit history. Lenders and credit card companies use the number to decide if the person is likely to pay his or her bills. A credit score is evaluated using information from the three major credit bureaus and is usually between 300 and 850.
Fair Credit Reporting Act: federal act to ensure that credit bureaus are fair and accurate protecting the individual's privacy rights enacted in 1971 and revised in October 1997.
Fair Housing Act: a law that prohibits discrimination in all facets of the home buying process on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.
Fair Market Value: the hypothetical price that a willing buyer and seller will agree upon when they are acting freely, carefully, and with complete knowledge of the situation.
Fannie Mae: Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA); a federally-chartered enterprise owned by private stockholders that purchases residential mortgages and converts them into securities for sale to investors; by purchasing mortgages, Fannie Mae supplies funds that lenders may loan to potential homebuyers. Also known as a Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE).
FHA: Federal Housing Administration; established in 1934 to advance homeownership opportunities for all Americans; assists homebuyers by providing mortgage insurance to lenders to cover most losses that may occur when a borrower defaults; this encourages lenders to make loans to borrowers who might not qualify for conventional mortgages.
Fixed Expenses: payments that do not vary from month to month.
Fixed-Rate Mortgage: a mortgage with payments that remain the same throughout the life of the loan because the interest rate and other terms are fixed and do not change.
Float: the act of allowing an interest rate and discount points to fluctuate with changes in the market.
Flood Insurance: insurance that protects homeowners against losses from a flood; if a home is located in a flood plain, the lender will require flood insurance before approving a loan.
Forbearance: a lender may decide not to take legal action when a borrower is late in making a payment. Usually this occurs when a borrower sets up a plan that both sides agree will bring overdue mortgage payments up to date.
Foreclosure: a legal process in which mortgaged property is sold to pay the loan of the defaulting borrower. Foreclosure laws are based on the statutes of each state.
Freddie Mac: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLM); a federally chartered corporation that purchases residential mortgages, securitizes them, and sells them to investors; this provides lenders with funds for new homebuyers. Also known as a Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE).
Front End Ratio: a percentage comparing a borrower's total monthly cost to buy a house (mortgage principal and interest, insurance, and real estate taxes) to monthly income before deductions.
GSE: abbreviation for government sponsored enterprises: a collection of financial services corporations formed by the United States Congress to reduce interest rates for farmers and homeowners. Examples include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Ginnie Mae: Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA); a government-owned corporation overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ginnie Mae pools FHA-insured and VA-guaranteed loans to back securities for private investment; as With Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the investment income provides funding that may then be lent to eligible borrowers by lenders.
Good Faith Estimate: an estimate of all closing fees including pre-paid and escrow items as well as lender charges; must be given to the borrower within three days after submission of a loan application.
Graduated Payment Mortgages: mortgages that begin with lower monthly payments that get slowly larger over a period of years, eventually reaching a fixed level and remaining there for the life of the loan. Graduated payment loans may be good if you expect your annual income to increase.
Gross Income: money earned before taxes and other deductions. Sometimes it may include income from self-employment, rental property, alimony, child support, public assistance payments, and retirement benefits.
HECM (Reverse Mortgage): the reverse mortgage is used by senior homeowners age 62 and older to convert the equity in their home into monthly streams of income and/or a line of credit to be repaid when they no longer occupy the home. A lending institution such as a mortgage lender, bank, credit union or savings and loan association funds the FHA insured loan, commonly known as HECM.
Hazard Insurance: protection against a specific loss, such as fire, wind etc., over a period of time that is secured by the payment of a regularly scheduled premium.
HELP: Homebuyer Education Learning Program; an educational program from the FHA that counsels people about the home buying process; HELP covers topics like budgeting, finding a home, getting a loan, and home maintenance; in most cases, completion of the program may entitle the homebuyer to a reduced initial FHA mortgage insurance premium-from 2.25% to 1.75% of the home purchase price.
Home Equity Line of Credit: a mortgage loan, usually in second mortgage, allowing a borrower to obtain cash against the equity of a home, up to a predetermined amount.
Home Equity Loan: a loan backed by the value of a home (real estate). If the borrower defaults or does not pay the loan, the lender has some rights to the property. The borrower can usually claim a home equity loan as a tax deduction
Home Inspection: an examination of the structure and mechanical systems to determine a home's quality, soundness and safety; makes the potential homebuyer aware of any repairs that may be needed. The homebuyer generally pays inspection fees.
Home Warranty: offers protection for mechanical systems and attached appliances against unexpected repairs not covered by homeowner's insurance; coverage extends over a specific time period and does not cover the home's structure.
Homeowner's Insurance: an insurance policy, also called hazard insurance, that combines protection against damage to a dwelling and its contents including fire, storms or other damages with protection against claims of negligence or inappropriate action that result in someone's injury or property damage. Most lenders require homeowners insurance and may escrow the cost. Flood insurance is generally not included in standard policies and must be purchased separately.
Homeownership Education Classes: classes that stress the need to develop a strong credit history and offer information about how to get a mortgage approved, qualify for a loan, choose an affordable home, go through financing and closing processes, and avoid mortgage problems that cause people to lose their homes.
Housing Counseling Agency: provides counseling and assistance to individuals on a variety of issues, including loan default, fair housing, and home buying.
HUD: the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; established in 1965, HUD works to create a decent home and suitable living environment for all Americans; it does this by addressing housing needs, improving and developing American communities, and enforcing fair housing laws.
HUD1 Statement: also known as the "settlement sheet," or "closing statement" it itemizes all closing costs; must be given to the borrower at or before closing. Items that appear on the statement include real estate commissions, loan fees, points, and escrow amounts.
Indemnification: to secure against any loss or damage, compensate or give security for reimbursement for loss or damage incurred. A homeowner should negotiate for inclusion of an indemnification provision in a contract with a general contractor or for a separate indemnity agreement protecting the homeowner from harm, loss or damage caused by actions or omissions of the general (and all sub) contractor.
Index: the measure of interest rate changes that the lender uses to decide how much the interest rate of an ARM will change over time. No one can be sure when an index rate will go up or down. If a lender bases interest rate adjustments on the average value of an index over time, your interest rate would not be as volatile. You should ask your lender how the index for any ARM you are considering has changed in recent years, and where it is reported.
Inflation: the number of dollars in circulation exceeds the amount of goods and services available for purchase; inflation results in a decrease in the dollar's value.
Inflation Coverage: endorsement to a homeowner's policy that automatically adjusts the amount of insurance to compensate for inflationary rises in the home's value. This type of coverage does not adjust for increases in the home's value due to improvements.
Interest: a fee charged for the use of borrowing money.
Interest Rate: the amount of interest charged on a monthly loan payment, expressed as a percentage.
Insurance: protection against a specific loss, such as fire, wind etc., over a period of time that is secured by the payment of a regularly scheduled premium.
Joint Tenancy (with Rights of Survivorship): two or more owners share equal ownership and rights to the property. If a joint owner dies, his or her share of the property passes to the other owners, without probate. In joint tenancy, ownership of the property cannot be willed to someone who is not a joint owner.
Judgment: a legal decision; when requiring debt repayment, a judgment may include a property lien that secures the creditor's claim by providing a collateral source.
Jumbo Loan: or non-conforming loan, is a loan that exceeds Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's loan limits. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans are referred to as conforming loans.
Late Payment Charges: the penalty the homeowner must pay when a mortgage payment is made after the due date grace period.
Lease: a written agreement between a property owner and a tenant (resident) that stipulates the payment and conditions under which the tenant may occupy a home or apartment and states a specified period of time.
Lease Purchase (Lease Option): assists low to moderate income homebuyers in purchasing a home by allowing them to lease a home with an option to buy; the rent payment is made up of the monthly rental payment plus an additional amount that is credited to an account for use as a down payment.
Lender: A term referring to an person or company that makes loans for real estate purchases. Sometimes referred to as a loan officer or lender.
Liabilities: a person's financial obligations such as long-term / short-term debt, and other financial obligations to be paid.
Liability Insurance: insurance coverage that protects against claims alleging a property owner's negligence or action resulted in bodily injury or damage to another person. It is normally included in homeowner's insurance policies.
Lien: a legal claim against property that must be satisfied when the property is sold. A claim of money against a property, wherein the value of the property is used as security in repayment of a debt. Examples include a mechanic's lien, which might be for the unpaid cost of building supplies, or a tax lien for unpaid property taxes. A lien is a defect on the title and needs to be settled before transfer of ownership. A lien release is a written report of the settlement of a lien and is recorded in the public record as evidence of payment.
Lien Waiver: A document that releases a consumer (homeowner) from any further obligation for payment of a debt once it has been paid in full. Lien waivers typically are used by homeowners who hire a contractor to provide work and materials to prevent any subcontractors or suppliers of materials from filing a lien against the homeowner for nonpayment.
Life Cap: a limit on the range interest rates can increase or decrease over the life of an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM).
Line of Credit: an agreement by a financial institution such as a bank to extend credit up to a certain amount for a certain time to a specified borrower.
Liquid Asset: a cash asset or an asset that is easily converted into cash.
Loan: money borrowed that is usually repaid with interest.
Loan Acceleration: an acceleration clause in a loan document is a statement in a mortgage that gives the lender the right to demand payment of the entire outstanding balance if a monthly payment is missed.
Loan Fraud: purposely giving incorrect information on a loan application in order to better qualify for a loan; may result in civil liability or criminal penalties.
Loan Officer: a representative of a lending or mortgage company who is responsible for soliciting homebuyers, qualifying and processing of loans. They may also be called lender, loan representative, account executive or loan rep.
Loan Origination Fee: a charge by the lender to cover the administrative costs of making the mortgage. This charge is paid at the closing and varies with the lender and type of loan. A loan origination fee of 1 to 2 percent of the mortgage amount is common.
Loan Servicer: the company that collects monthly mortgage payments and disperses property taxes and insurance payments. Loan servicers also monitor nonperforming loans, contact delinquent borrowers, and notify insurers and investors of potential problems. Loan servicers may be the lender or a specialized company that just handles loan servicing under contract with the lender or the investor who owns the loan.
Loan to Value (LTV) Ratio: a percentage calculated by dividing the amount borrowed by the price or appraised value of the home to be purchased; the higher the LTV, the less cash a borrower is required to pay as down payment.
Lock-In: since interest rates can change frequently, many lenders offer an interest rate lock-in that guarantees a specific interest rate if the loan is closed within a specific time.
Lock-in Period: the length of time that the lender has guaranteed a specific interest rate to a borrower.
Loss Mitigation: a process to avoid foreclosure; the lender tries to help a borrower who has been unable to make loan payments and is in danger of defaulting on his or her loan
Margin: the number of percentage points the lender adds to the index rate to calculate the ARM interest rate at each adjustment.
Market Value: the amount a willing buyer would pay a willing seller for a home. An appraised value is an estimate of the current fair market value.
Merged Credit Report: raw data pulled from two or more of the major credit-reporting firms.
Mitigation: term usually used to refer to various changes or improvements made in a home; for instance, to reduce the average level of radon.
Modification: when a lender agrees to modify the terms of a mortgage without refinancing the loan.
Mortgage: a lien on the property that secures the Promise to repay a loan. A security agreement between the lender and the buyer in which the property is collateral for the loan. The mortgage gives the lender the right to collect payment on the loan and to foreclose if the loan obligations are not met.
Mortgage Acceleration Clause: a clause allowing a lender, under certain circumstances, demand the entire balance of a loan is repaid in a lump sum. The acceleration clause is usually triggered if the home is sold, title to the property is changed, the loan is refinanced or the borrower defaults on a scheduled payment.
Mortgage Banker: a company that originates loans and resells them to secondary mortgage lenders like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.
Mortgage Broker: a firm that originates and processes loans for a number of lenders.
Mortgage Life and Disability Insurance: term life insurance bought by borrowers to pay off a mortgage in the event of death or make monthly payments in the case of disability. The amount of coverage decreases as the principal balance declines. There are many different terms of coverage determining amounts of payments and when payments begin and end.
Mortgage Insurance: a policy that protects lenders against some or most of the losses that can occur when a borrower defaults on a mortgage loan; mortgage insurance is required primarily for borrowers with a down payment of less than 20% of the home's purchase price. Insurance purchased by the buyer to protect the lender in the event of default. Typically purchased for loans with less than 20 percent down payment. The cost of mortgage insurance is usually added to the monthly payment.
Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP): a monthly payment -usually part of the mortgage payment - paid by a borrower for mortgage insurance.
Mortgage Interest Deduction: the interest cost of a mortgage, which is a tax - deductible expense. The interest reduces the taxable income of taxpayers.
Mortgage Modification: a loss mitigation option that allows a borrower to refinance and/or extend the term of the mortgage loan and thus reduce the monthly payments.
Mortgage Note: a legal document obligating a borrower to repay a loan at a stated interest rate during a specified period; the agreement is secured by a mortgage that is recorded in the public records along with the deed.
Mortgage Qualifying Ratio: Used to calculate the maximum amount of funds that an individual traditionally may be able to afford. A typical mortgage qualifying ratio is 28: 36.
Mortgagee: the lender in a mortgage agreement. Mortgagor - The borrower in a mortgage agreement.
Multifamily Housing: a building with more than four residential rental units.
Multiple Listing Service (MLS): within the Metro Columbus area, Realtors submit listings and agree to attempt to sell all properties in the MLS.
National Credit Repositories: currently, there are three companies that maintain national credit - reporting databases. These are Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union, referred to as Credit Bureaus.
Negative Amortization: amortization means that monthly payments are large enough to pay the interest and reduce the principal on your mortgage. Negative amortization occurs when the monthly payments do not cover all of the interest cost. The interest cost that isn't covered is added to the unpaid principal balance. This means that even after making many payments, you could owe more than you did at the beginning of the loan. Negative amortization can occur when an ARM has a payment cap that results in monthly payments not high enough to cover the interest due.
Net Income: Your take-home pay, the amount of money that you receive in your paycheck after taxes and deductions.
No Cash Out Refinance: a refinance of an existing loan only for the amount remaining on the mortgage. The borrower does not get any cash against the equity of the home. Also called a "rate and term refinance."
No Cost Loan: there are many variations of a no cost loan. Generally, it is a loan that does not charge for items such as title insurance, escrow fees, settlement fees, appraisal, recording fees or notary fees. It may also offer no points. This lessens the need for upfront cash during the buying process however no cost loans have a higher interest rate.
Nonperforming Asset: an asset such as a mortgage that is not currently accruing interest or which interest is not being paid.
Note: a legal document obligating a borrower to repay a mortgage loan at a stated interest rate over a specified period of time.
Note Rate: the interest rate stated on a mortgage note.
Notice of Default: a formal written notice to a borrower that there is a default on a loan and that legal action is possible.
Non-Conforming loan: is a loan that exceeds Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's loan limits. Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae loans are referred to as conforming loans.
Notary Public: a person who serves as a public official and certifies the authenticity of required signatures on a document by signing and stamping the document.
Origination: the process of preparing, submitting, and evaluating a loan application; generally includes a credit check, verification of employment, and a property appraisal.
Origination Fee: the charge for originating a loan; is usually calculated in the form of points and paid at closing. One point equals one percent of the loan amount. On a conventional loan, the loan origination fee is the number of points a borrower pays.
Owner Financing: a home purchase where the seller provides all or part of the financing, acting as a lender.
PITI: Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance: the four elements of a monthly mortgage payment; payments of principal and interest go directly towards repaying the loan while the portion that covers taxes and insurance (homeowner's and mortgage, if applicable) goes into an escrow account to cover the fees when they are due.
PITI Reserves: a cash amount that a borrower must have on hand after making a down payment and paying all closing costs for the purchase of a home. The principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI) reserves must equal the amount that the borrower would have to pay for PITI for a predefined number of months.
PMI: Private Mortgage Insurance; privately-owned companies that offer standard and special affordable mortgage insurance programs for qualified borrowers with down payments of less than 20% of a purchase price.
Partial Claim: a loss mitigation option offered by the FHA that allows a borrower, with help from a lender, to get an interest-free loan from HUD to bring their mortgage payments up to date.
Partial Payment: a payment that is less than the total amount owed on a monthly mortgage payment. Normally, lenders do not accept partial payments. The lender may make exceptions during times of difficulty. Contact your lender prior to the due date if a partial payment is needed.
Payment Cap: a limit on how much an ARM's payment may increase, regardless of how much the interest rate increases.
Payment Change Date: the date when a new monthly payment amount takes effect on an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) or a graduated-payment mortgage (GPM). Generally, the payment change date occurs in the month immediately after the interest rate adjustment date.
Payment Due Date: Contract language specifying when payments are due on money borrowed. The due date is always indicated and means that the payment must be received on or before the specified date. Grace periods prior to assessing a late fee or additional interest do not eliminate the responsibility of making payments on time.
Perils: for homeowner's insurance, an event that can damage the property. Homeowner's insurance may cover the property for a wide variety of perils caused by accidents, nature, or people.
Planned Unit Development (PUD): a development that is planned, and constructed as one entity. Generally, there are common features in the homes or lots governed by covenants attached to the deed. Most planned developments have common land and facilities owned and managed by the owner's or neighborhood association. Homeowners usually are required to participate in the association via a payment of annual dues.
Points: a point is equal to one percent of the principal amount of your mortgage. For example, if you get a mortgage for $95,000, one point means you pay $950 to the lender. Lenders frequently charge points in both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages in order to increase the yield on the mortgage and to cover loan closing costs. These points usually are collected at closing and may be paid by the borrower or the home seller, or may be split between them.
Power of Attorney: a legal document that authorizes another person to act on your behalf. A power of attorney can grant complete authority or can be limited to certain acts or certain periods of time or both.
Pre-Approval: a lender commits to lend to a potential borrower a fixed loan amount based on a completed loan application, credit reports, debt, savings and has been reviewed by an underwriter. The commitment remains as long as the borrower still meets the qualification requirements at the time of purchase. This does not guaranty a loan until the property has passed inspections underwriting guidelines.
Pre-foreclosure Sale: a procedure in which the borrower is allowed to sell a property for an amount less than what is owed on it to avoid a foreclosure. This sale fully satisfies the borrower's debt.
Prepayment: any amount paid to reduce the principal balance of a loan before the due date or payment in full of a mortgage. This can occur with the sale of the property, the pay off the loan in full, or a foreclosure. In each case, full payment occurs before the loan has been fully amortized.
Prepayment Penalty: a provision in some loans that charge a fee to a borrower who pays off a loan before it is due.
Pre-Foreclosure sale: allows a defaulting borrower to sell the mortgaged property to satisfy the loan and avoid foreclosure.
Pre-Qualification: a lender informally determines the maximum amount an individual is eligible to borrow. This is not a guaranty of a loan.
Premium: an amount paid on a regular schedule by a policyholder that maintains insurance coverage.
Prepayment: payment of the mortgage loan before the scheduled due date; may be Subject to a prepayment penalty.
Prepayment Penalty: a fee charged to a homeowner who pays one or more monthly payments before the due date. It can also apply to principal reduction payments.
Prepayment Penalty Mortgage (PPM): a type of mortgage that requires the borrower to pay a penalty for prepayment, partial payment of principal or for repaying
Prime Rate: the interest rate that banks charge to preferred customers. Changes in the prime rate are publicized in the business media. Prime rate can be used as the basis for adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) or home equity lines of credit. The prime rate also affects the current interest rates being offered at a particular point in time on fixed mortgages. Changes in the prime rate do not affect the interest on a fixed mortgage.
Principal: the amount of money borrowed to buy a house or the amount of the loan that has not been paid back to the lender. This does not include the interest paid to borrow that money. The principal balance is the amount owed on a loan at any given time. It is the original loan amount minus the total repayments of principal made.
Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance (PITI): the four elements of a monthly mortgage payment; payments of principal and interest go directly towards repaying the loan while the portion that covers taxes and insurance (homeowner's and mortgage, if applicable) goes into an escrow account to cover the fees when they are due.
Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI): insurance purchased by a buyer to protect the lender in the event of default. The cost of mortgage insurance is usually added to the monthly payment. Mortgage insurance is generally maintained until over 20 Percent of the outstanding amount of the loan is paid or for a set period of time, seven years is normal. Mortgage insurance may be available through a government agency, such as the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or the Veterans Administration (VA), or through private mortgage insurance companies (PMI).
Promissory Note: a written promise to repay a specified amount over a specified period of time.
Property (Fixture and Non-Fixture): in a real estate contract, the property is the land within the legally described boundaries and all permanent structures and fixtures. Ownership of the property confers the legal right to use the property as allowed within the law and within the restrictions of zoning or easements. Fixture property refers to those items permanently attached to the structure, such as carpeting or a ceiling fan, which transfers with the property.
Property Tax: a tax charged by local government and used to fund municipal services such as schools, police, or street maintenance. The amount of property tax is determined locally by a formula, usually based on a percent per $1,000 of assessed value of the property.
Property Tax Deduction: the U.S. tax code allows homeowners to deduct the amount they have paid in property taxes from there total income.
Public Record Information: Court records of events that are a matter of public interest such as credit, bankruptcy, foreclosure and tax liens. The presence of public record information on a credit report is regarded negatively by creditors.
Qualifying Ratios: guidelines utilized by lenders to determine how much money a homebuyer is qualified to borrow. Lending guidelines typically include a maximum housing expense to income ratio and a maximum monthly expense to income ratio.
Rate: Also known interest rate, it is usually expressed as a percentage and it is the amount of interest charged that determines a monthly loan payment.
Rate Lock: A rate lock or lock-in refers to a written agreement guaranteeing a home buyer a specific interest rate on a home loan provided that the loan is closed within a certain period of time, such as 60 or 90 days. Often the agreement also specifies the number of points to be paid at closing.
Refinancing: The act of paying off one loan by obtaining another. Refinancing is generally done to secure better loan terms, such as a lower interest rate.
RESPA: The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is a 1974 law aimed at protecting consumers by requiring disclosures (including a Good Faith Estimate) and forbidding kickbacks for referrals among the service providers involved in the sale of a home.
For example, a real estate agent may not receive a payment for referring the client to a particular title insurance company.
Reverse Mortgage: Sometimes called reverse-annuity or home-equity conversion mortgage, it's when a homeowner borrows against the equity in their home and receives regular monthly tax-free payments from the lender.
Seller's Market: When the demand for homes in a given marketplace exceeds the supply of properties on the market.
Title Insurance: Insurance protecting the lender (or a homeowner) against any claims that could arise from arguments about ownership of the property. Should a problem arise, the title insurer pays any legal damages.
Truth-in-Lending: A federal law obligating a lender to give full written disclosure of all fees, terms, and conditions associated with the loan's initial period and any adjustments to the remaining term of the loan.
Underwriting: The process of analyzing a loan application to determine the amount of risk involved in making the loan. It includes a review of the potential borrower's credit history and a judgment of the property value.
Content is being provided for informational purposes only. Definitions may vary.


text:
Vitalize, Inc. needed a new logo design and created a contest on 99designs.
A winner was selected from 65 designs submitted by 14 freelance designers.
Vitalize is a modern, fresh, unique retail experience that provides consumers with a wide variety of supplements, organic and all natural foods, and green personal care and household products. We are also offering a juice/smoothie bar and an education center to help consumers expand their knowledge of obtaining a healthy lifestyle.
Vitalize: v. To endow with life; animate. To make more lively or vigorous; invigorate
- We have three key words that could be included in a tagline: nutrition, health, wellness.
- We want people to know what we do from our logo.
- As a future, national franchise, we need our logo to be memorable and distinctive.
- We want a logo that makes an immediate statement preferably with a picture or illustration.
- Possibly have the "vita" stand out as it serves as a double meaning (vitamins).
- Our target audience ranges in age from young adults to mature adults depending on the city in which that particular retail location is located; it needs to be versatile.
- This logo will be used as the fascia signage at most of our retail locations.
- Clean, functional, scalable, and easy to reproduce
- Dynamic and simple in execution.
- Do not exceed 3 colors.
- Incorporate vibrant greens. May also experiment with grays, oranges, black (in addition to the green).
- We also need to be able to reproduce the logo in black and white.
- We'd prefer no gradients or shadows
- Feel free to sample the logo on business cards, stationary and anything else that might help us get a better idea of its real life application.
- Please keep our customers and nature of our business in mind.
- We need a vectored .eps and a .pdf so we can send it to sign manufacturers.
- Expect to see your design at retail locations, magazine advertisements and city locations such as Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Atlanta, Charleston and Raleigh.
Be creative and have fun! We cannot wait to see what you come up with!!
Find out how a design contest works or learn more about our logo design services.


text:
107 members6 Likes
ANDREA has not received any gifts yet
Are you close to Millenia mall area? Moving in the area and looking for a tennis player. Prefer singles but doubles is fine too. I am casual yet competitive player.
Anyone want to play tennis at avalon park please feel free to contact me. Looking for someone to casually play with.
Hello Andrea,
Would you be interested in playing on 12/18 or 12/19? If so I can come over to Oralndo. Let me know.
© 2019 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


text:
Saturday, 15 November 2008
there will now be a short interlude...
See you later!
9 comments:
- Manggy said...
Have fun!
Yay, holiday pics! :)
- 15 November 2008 at 11:42
- Bellini Valli said...
Have an excellent vacation:D
- 15 November 2008 at 18:11
- Holler said...
Have a great time and bring back stories :)
- 15 November 2008 at 19:43
- Loving Annie said...
Have a wonderful time, and some great meals, and good pictures of your travels to share with us !
- 15 November 2008 at 21:46
- Heather said...
Bon voyage!
- 19 November 2008 at 03:00
- Rosie said...
Have a great time :)
Rosie x
- 19 November 2008 at 21:58
- Cynthia said...
Have loads of fun!
- 23 November 2008 at 14:13
- nicisme said...
Hope you are having a great time, can't wait to see some photos!
- 24 November 2008 at 11:03
Many jewelers have personnel links jewellery on staff that is able to create a unique piece of jewelry to your specifications, links of london bracelet sale and if there are no personnel that can accomplish this task, links of london charms sale they can order it specially made for you. Not only do you have links of london womens watches the option of making this piece exactly the way you want it links of london rings sale to look, but no one will have one exactly like it. links of london necklaces sale Unique diamond jewelry does not have to be gaudy, but many people think gaudy is gorgeous.
- 16 August 2010 at 04:09


text:
Second Annual Neighbors For Good
The Office of Student Development, Washington College Students in Free Enterprise, the Service Council and the Student Government Association hosted the second annual Neighbors for Good: Connecting Campus and Community at the Daniel Z. Gibson Center for the Arts. The event brought 36 community agencies that benefit Kent and Queen Anne's county together with 28 student clubs and organizations to make connections leading to joint efforts to aid our community in a host of areas. Interests included providing urgent hunger relief, promoting the arts and local history, protecting our environment, and promoting social justice.


text:
Five months into her pregnancy, Jessica Su was already thinking about what she would eat after her baby was born.
On a rainy Saturday afternoon, Su and her husband were sampling soups: pigs feet with dates and peanuts, pork chop with green papaya, beef and carrots with Chinese yam, sesame oil chicken. The makeshift cafe in Walnut was packed with pregnant women helping themselves from metal urns.
Nicole Huang, the tasting event's sponsor, rushed from table to table answering questions posed in Mandarin and English: "Am I allowed to eat fruit?" "Can you provide translations, so I know what I'm eating?"
Su hadn't decided whether she would fork over $2,000 to get Huang's meals delivered to her Buena Park home, or hire a nanny to cook similar foods and tidy the house. Whichever she chose, she planned to observe the Chinese custom of zuo yuezi, or "sitting the month," after giving birth.


text:
Waste Management: Products and Services
Skips are trailer bins that are issued by public garbage disposal committees as well as private garbage disposal companies and agencies. It works quite similarly to the huge garbage trailer bins that are placed on the neighborhood block while the trucks collect the weekly waste. However this is a service that means you can call for a mini skip hire and clean out all your junk in one shot. You know that periodic spring cleaning sessions you have, right? They're not always in spring, but come to you when everything is getting really cluttered up, every once in a while.Maybe it has come with the onset of a new job or at the end of an old one. Maybe you are shifting houses and need to get rid of the excess you have accumulated, since one habit most humans seem to have in common is hoarding. Of course, maybe none of these life changing events has happened and you're just having a good old in depth clearing out session. Either way, where to put all the stuff you are disposing of poses a quandary. You can't just shift it all out on your doorstep or your lawn and wait for the garbage collect truck to haul it away after three or four days or even later.
Home improvement projects are rapidly becoming the norm amongst homeowners in Australia and the Western world in general due to a combination of factors including:- Growing number of DIY stores - Cheaper materials/tools due to the China effect - Growth in instructional DIY internet sites and magazinesThe result of this growth in home DIY improvement projects? More rubbish and waste that needs to be collected from the residential consumers. With this in mind, the skip/bin business will be doing a roaring trade. However, for the domestic market, is a skip hire the best solution?In Europe and the US, skip hire is dwindling for the growing majority of domestic home improvement projects. Due to advances in polypropylene innovation, a new breed of skip has emerged - a skip bag (proly bag). These are essentially plastic bags made out of polypropylene and have incredible strength and durability. They can handle all kinds of waste including bricks, roof tiles, ceramics, gravel, you can even throw a bath tub in there. They are initially flat-packed and are roughly A3 size. However, they expand to 2.5 cubic metres and can contain up to 1.5 tonnes of debris. Lapordata (the International Materials Testing Institute) testing on the new skip bag which has just been introduced into Melbourne and Sydney in Australia has been tested up to 9 tonnes. Yes, that wasn't a typo, the poly bag passed a stress test at 9 tonnes. As the the skip bag's marketing messages point out on their website, it really has the strength of a steel skip yet the convenience of a bag. Other brands common in the US and Europe are generally able to support a load of 4 tonnes however, crane trucks are only capable of lifting 2 tonnes so as a rule, the rubbish within a skip bag should not be in excess of 1.5 tonnes.Households throughout the world are generating more and more rubbish with the advent of increases in DIY home improvement projects and the affect of our materialistic society. These new polypropylene bags are revolutionising the way the domestic market dispose of their rubbish and evidence of that is widely seen in the US and Europe. Australia are catching on and the skip bag is the final step in the DIY consumer experience - waste generated by DIY projects requires large volume rubbish removal.
Rubbish Bins - Importance of Design
Some of it could be rubbish, old appliances, old furniture or even garden waste. If you leave it out, just like that, raccoons, rats, bandicoots and other marauding little creatures could infest your external property and become a regular problem. Your neighbors will almost definitely have an issue with that kind of mess, at the very least from an aesthetic perspective. Hygiene, contamination, creating a breeding ground for disease, bacteria and fungus… are all factors that play across one's mind when we think of irresponsible waste disposal. So it is best to plan out the 'spring' cleaning beforehand. The kind of cleaning materials and the quantity you require, the time you will have to invest in getting the job done and lastly and most importantly, how you will sort out the trash and where it has to go.There is a new really great way to get this done. You can call a mini skip company, and they deliver a mini skip bin to you, where you can chuck all your stuff. They come and take it away and put it in the tip. The job is done. Another alternative to mini skips are the latest feather in cap for many trash disposal agencies whether private or public. You can ask for a jumbo bag instead. Instead of a steel bin, you are provided with a bag. It is foldable, and you can open it up whenever you need it. You can fill it with up to 1.3 tons of trash. The reason they are preferred over mini skips is because they are not as unsightly, they do not come with a waste loading time frame and you are not charged for hire. The most appreciable thing is that eighty percent of all waste is recycled.


text:
2Deep - 4 Everybody But U [Unsigned Hype]
2 reports " DSD1 ent. presents 2Deep the southern president's video to his album introduction "4 Everybody But U". directed by DTV films and produced by Web www.2deepmusic.com
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


text:
Two bodies in the mirror: one's me, the other's you,
with two far different cultures some say will bring just strife.
A DIFFERENT SHADE OF LOVING, a different color of life.
Valentine's Day is a reminder that though love comes naturally, it's not without obstacles.
Given America's apartheid legacy, interracial romance has historically been taboo, scandalous or confined to back-door liaisons. As recently as 1967 Southern anti-miscegenation laws criminalized having intimate relations with or marrying someone of another race.
if you think America's beyond all this, consider that a Louisiana justice of the peace denied an interracial couple a marriage license in 2009. A Cheerios commercial depicting a black-white couple and their biracial child elicited complaints in 2013. Interracial love portrayals are still rare enough to make news. Hollywood treatments range from treacly (Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?) to melodramatic (Monster's Ball) to sophomoric (Guess Who?) to banal (Something New).
Whether your interracial poster couple is Kim and Kanye or newly elected New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio with his black wife and their biracial children high profile images such as these reinforce the emerging mosaic. The phenomenon is real, not hype. In 2012 the Pew Research Center found interracial marriages in the U.S. reached a record 4.8 million or an all-time high of 8.4 percent of all U.S. marriages. More recent Pew studies find broad acceptance of interracial coupling among all major racial-ethnic groups and the increase of biracial children blurring color lines as never before.
This organic movement is a result of individuals pairing off according to the law of attraction, not social constraints.
Even when mixing risked not just gossip or indignation but danger and imprisonment, it still went on. Some couples openly defied convention and ostracism. Some challenged race laws in court. It seems human heart desires trump artificial efforts to keep different persuasions apart.
There's also the intrigue of exploring the other side. Online adult sites promote interracial hookups that range from romantic dates to one-night-stands to paid sexual encounters.
When it comes to amour, anecdotal currents say race is not a driving factor for mixed couples though it can be for those around them.
Five metro couples, all variations of black-white twosomes, recently shared their stories. None of the individuals involved went looking for a partner of another race, it just happened. While their relationships are not racialized, race is an undeniable factor in their lived experience.
Emily Pearce and Travis Mountain are 30-somethings who each dated interracially before getting together. He has two children from previous relationships, including a son whose mother is white. Emily, a fitness instructor and elementary school vocal instructor and Travis, a U.S. Marine veteran, personal trainer and rapper, are parents of a girl, Rebel Mountain.
They're keenly aware being interracial matters to some.
"I do think it makes a difference to people," Emily says. "I don't think we'll ever live in a post-racial world, honestly. Neither of us thinks of us as being in an interracial relationship but other people do, and it does bother me."
"As far as interracial couples, like it or not it's something popular now," says Travis, aka Aso. "It's just more accepted. If people do have a problem with it it's more just kept to themselves."
Not always.
"It does get thrown in your face ," Emily says. "If you go somewhere without a lot of diversity you do get looks."
She says at some schools she's taught at black women staffers became unfriendly when they discovered she was dating Travis.
"They treated me differently. They were nasty to me."
"Her dating me has opened her eyes about how differently she's treated by dating somebody that's black," Travis says. "Black women hate to see 'a good black man' date a white woman because they look at it like you're taking that black man away from our community but I don't look at it that way.
"People want to put you in a category and it's so stupid."
The two hail from widely divergent backgrounds. She's from an intact middle class family in Enid, Oklahoma. He was the only male in a single mother-headed home in North Omaha projects. She says her educator parents brought her up to be color-blind and never had an issue with her dating outside her race. He says the matriarchs of his family disapproved of interracial dating but didn't have a problem when he did it. Each feels accepted by the other's family.
"It's like homosexuality – you can have a problem with it if you want to but what happens if it's your brother or your kid? So be careful what you're really hating because it might just happen to you," says Travis.
"Neither of us set out to be in an interracial relationship, we just liked each other and we really balance each other out and I think it is because of the totally different experiences we have," says Emily.
Dell and Lena Gines are another 30-something couple. They too faced little family resistance. She's white and he's the product of interracial parents. Together 23 years, Dell and Lena have five children. They feel America's moved forward on race but has far to go.
Lena, a fitness instructor, says Dell's parents have "shared some of their struggles and we definitely didn't have to go through the same struggles. I think their generation kind of paved the way a little bit. It's come so much further from even when we were dating. Seeing that progress is encouraging but it's very slow."
"It's going to take more time," says Dell, senior community development director with the Omaha Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. "I've never met somebody that's past the race thing but I know people who are comfortable with interracial relationships while acknowledging the race thing. I do think we're more aware of race and are more willing to recognize people can get together and function in relationships regardless of race."
Dell grew up in multicultural northeast Omaha, where he says he came up with "tons of mixed kids." Self-identifyng as black, he and his biracial friends dated both black and white girls.
"It was a normal thing."
Lena didn't grow up around people of color. Her first interracial dating experience was with Dell, whom she took for Middle Eastern. When she discovered he was black, she says, "I didn't think it was that big of a deal."
For them, it's never been about race. "We fit and that was it," she says. Dell says, "I think it's very important to note our similarities outweigh our differences."
"I didn't even think about the racial thing until he came to my family's Christmas party, where everybody else was white and I was like, 'Oh, this looks different.' Then he took me to an African-American church and it was like reversed," says Lena.
The couple intentionally reside in North O for the diversity it exposes their biracial children to.
One of the few times someone confronted her about being with a black man was when a woman at a hair salon called Lena a n_____-lover.
"It took me by surprise," she says. "That's when it kind of became real. I didn't have any friends, black or white, who had any issues with it, but I had other black women say things to me like, 'You're taking one of ours' and 'Why don't you leave him to us?'"
Dell says racial baiting is "past the tipping point" now that interracial relationships are trending up, adding. "East of 72nd it's such a common sight. Maybe if I lived out west I would have a different experience. You're rarely going to hear it from black guys anyway. You're much more likely to hear it from black girls. I've never had anybody actually come up to me and challenge or question me on that. I would dare anybody to say anything about it to my face."
He believes intermixing will create a new racial narrative in America.
"You're going to have kids like me or my children identifying along lines that aren't so clear anymore. It's going to change the way people look at race and ethnicity. It has to. Once you can get past identifying people as a class or a group and you identify them as individuals then it's hard to keep gross intolerance in play.
"The rise of interracial relationships is going to force change because it means families that probably haven't intermixed now have to. When you meet people on that basis then you begin to see things other than ethnicity or race."
Ron and Twany Dotzler make their 33-year mixed marriage and large rainbow family – they're parents to 14 – a living symbol of inclusion and tolerance through their Abide Network and Bridge Church.
The mid-50ish couple met at now defunct Tarkio (Mo.) College, where both played basketball. He came from insular all-white rural Iowa. He was naive about his own prejudice and the plight of Black Americans. She came from an almost exclusively black Washington D.C. neighborhood and the discrimination her family endured made them wary of whites. Twany says she once couldn't conceive of being with a white man because "I just couldn't see what two people from different backgrounds would have in common."
When they got together in the early 1980s his family had no problem with his choice of mate but many residents of his hometown did.
"A lot of people were outraged. A big uproar."
Twany's family opposed their union. It took time, but acceptance came.
Each partner also had to work on their own racial hangups, especially when they began having children.
The family's encountered welcome and disdain. The first few years the Dotzlers were married they lived in Broken Bow, Neb. They moved to the burbs, where Ron says, "Everybody seemed to accept us." After entering the ministry the pair committed themselves to mission work. North Omaha became their calling. Racial incidents began happening.
"We were at a restaurant in Fort Calhoun and this guy at the bar yells, 'Hey, you n––––r, yeah, you n––––r, get out of here.' At a church picnic one of my kids goes to kick a ball and another kid kicks it and says, 'Aw, go get it n––––r."
When the couple applied to have their kids attend a small Washington County school local residents turned out en mass at a school board meeting to oppose their admission.
"Other families had been accepted. Our family had been rejected. We were denied access to the school," Ron says.
"That was a real blow," Twany says. "They didn't want us to come."
Overturning fear-based perceptions is what the Dotzlers do through Abide sponsored home renovation projects, neighborhood cleanups and justice journeys that bring diverse people together.
"I think that's why I love what we do," says Twany. "We can be a bridge to expose people to those differences, to people who may not think like you do, act like you do, look like you do, yet if you can just be intentional about getting to know them through relationships you'll see what we do have in common and what we can do together.
"It's all relational – seeing a person different from you and being able to value them right where they're at. We've been getting people together to build relationships, to break down those denominational walls, those racial walls, those economic walls, for a long time. When you have to be together for a long period of time you learn some things about yourself and about others."
Somehow some folks are threatened by what we represent,
Although to make a statement was never our intent.
When Michael and Cassandra Beacom began dating in the '80s he was not only a newbie at interracial romance but to people of color having grown up in white-centric Keystone and attending white Catholic schools. Moving with her father's Union Pacific job, she was exposed to both integrated and segregated environs. She dated mostly black guys in college, though a white boyfriend did propose marriage.
The Beacoms fell head over heels upon first meeting at a party. When they became a couple not everybody approved.
"The girl that introduced us was not thrilled with us being together," Cassandra, says, "so you find out who your friends are or at least their viewpoints anyway."
"Some friends said we support you, we're behind you all the way," Michael says, "and some others cut and ran or had their thing about it."
He says her parents were cool but while his folks liked her as his friend they were "definitely not prepared" for him to have a black girlfriend.
"They said horrendous, horrible, evil, terrible things, to the point where I understood I would have to be saying goodbye to my family."
Nothing negative was said to her, an administrative assistant with the Omaha Public Schools, only to Michael, a senior agent at PayPal.
"They gave him all the grief, they didn't give me the grief," says Cassandra, who adds she only found out much later the extent of his family's unease.
Rather than cause a scene, the couple eloped and kept their marriage secret. Michael says, "I was terrified." When Cassandra got pregnant with their first child, the family embraced her. The big wedding the couple put off was finally held. She and her late father-in-law became close and she's tight today with her mother-in-law.
Their biggest hurdles with race have been with institutions. They say racist assumptions forced their son into foster care before a court intervened. That separation trauma still hurts. As do double standards that have seen her treated one way because she's black and him another way because he's white. Then there's the times people assumed they couldn't possibly be a couple.
Union for Contemporary Art founder-executive director Brigitte McQueen Shew upsets expectations in northeast Omaha. Not only is she a mix of African-American and Iranian-Chaldean, she's married to a younger white man, chef Tim Shew.
"I have run-ins with people who say I'm not black enough to understand the African-American crisis. I do feel because of my work here, my advocacy for North Omaha and the fact I live in this community there's an element of surprise when people realize my husband is not African-American. This is nonsense. Could we stop doing this to each other?"
The couple's experience differs from that of her parents, whose extended families wanted nothing to do with Brigitte and her siblings.
"We were the yellow kids with funny hair. We were different and were always treated as such."
She says she's glad things have progressed to where she and Tim don't have to go through what her interracial parents "went through in the '60s," adding, "It's interesting how much of a non-issue that factor is in our relationship."
Brigitte, who grew up in Detroit, dated interracially from the jump.
"Race is not a criteria. It's not something I think about, it's more about personality and who the person is than what color they might be," she says. "With my mom it never mattered. I had moments with my siblings where it was like, 'Why is it you always seem to be dating white guys?' It wasn't an issue, it was more of an observation. I don't think anybody would say that if you were dating someone who was blonde or brunette. I realize not everybody has that sort of blindness to it."
Tim, who grew up in west Omaha, was curious about brown girls but never did anything about it until Brigitte. Their families have always been fine about their relationship. She says the only time her race has come up with them was at a birthday party for one of his nephews.
"I made a chocolate cake. We were all at the table and I was sitting across from this sweet little boy who said, 'Why are you the same color as the cake?' Some people were really embarrassed and Tim's brother totally defused things with, 'I'm glad somebody finally asked that question, I've been wondering that since you started coming around.' It was just this perfect moment."
The Shews plan to have children one day. Though aware biracial kids can have a tough time they take solace in the fact their families and friends don't hold the prejudices earlier generations did.
"I'm excited for our child to be part of the family we've created," she says. "It's a brilliant thing."
We sense their eyes upon us:
the glance, the stare, the gaze.
Some puzzled, some condemning, some burn with inner rage.
With but a few accepting, some hurl the jagged knife.
A DIFFERENT SHADE OF LOVING, a different color of life.
Lyrics are from "A Different Shade of Loving" by Mick Terry.
Read more of Leo Adam Biga's work at leoadambiga.wordpress.com.


text:
|» Step 1: Tell Us About Your Case
|» Step 2: Provide Contact Information & Submit
Start a Lawyer Search
Tell us about your case so that we can connect you with the right lawyers.
TaxSmith, LLC
We at Taxsmith understand that the idea of battling the IRS on your own can be scary, but we are here to alleviate that fear and worry. We will carefully evaluate your case and establish a plan for your particular issues so that you can gain control.
Address: 60 State St. - Suite 700 - Boston, MA 02109
Phone: (888) 741-0272
Optima Tax Relief
Having resolved over a half billion in tax debt, Optima offers nationwide full service tax resolution for almost any IRS or state tax issue. FREE Consultation: (800) 536-0734.
Address: 3100 S. Harbor Blvd - Santa Ana, CA 92704
Phone: (800) 536-0734
The Landis Tax Group, P.C.
A law firm of tax attorneys that resolve both individual and business IRS problems. We offer reasonable fixed and flat fees for our clients. We are highly experienced and provide aggressive solutions to the most difficult tax issues.
Address: 9100 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 601E - Beverly Hills, CA 90212
Phone: (800) 934-3578


text:
Blog of Dr. Miland Brown that features different aspects of world history. Not everything can be covered but sites dealing with any historical issue or topic are possible future posts. Also includes sites which discuss teaching history. Dr. Brown is an academic in North America.
Friday, November 16, 2007
Alexander the Great's relationship with alcohol
The article aimed to clarify:
• Whether Alexander indulged pathologically in alcohol.
• If, on the basis of the existing historical evidence, the diagnosis of alcohol abuse, consumption causing harm to health with resulting dependency, or pathological intoxication, as defined by the diagnostic criteria DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association 1992) and ICD-10 (World Health Organization 1992), can be established.
• The social and political context of alcohol use in Alexander's time and during his military campaigns.
• The probable accuracy of the attribution of alcohol as Alexander's cause of death.
Was Alexander the Great an alcoholic? The study did not reach a conclusion. It noted, "In conclusion, it appears that Alexander was indeed involved with alcohol. However, bearing in mind the existing historical evidence, the national, social and cultural conditions of the historical period during which Alexander lived, it appears likely that Alexander periodically consumed large amounts of alcohol which resulted in instances of alcoholic or pathological intoxication. The diagnostic criteria of ICD-10 and DCM-IV seem to prove useful in our endeavour to evaluate the involvement of Alexander the Great in the use of alcohol. On the basis of the currently existing phychiatric classification systems, the existing evidence does not support convincingly the idea that Alexander would be 'diagnosed' a posteriori as suffering from either dependence on or abuse of alcohol" (p. 567).
The article has lots of medical jargon but it is understandable. If you are interested in ancient history, this article is worth hunting down in paper.
2 comments:
- Margaret said...
Interesting blog! My godmother directed me here (she's a historian and I'm a teacher and write historical fiction, so this is a recurring theme).
This sounds quite fascinating, actually. On the surface of things, it would seem he didn't have much more of a problem than many people in Macedon at the time, which was *legendary* for its alcohol consumption (and its devotion to Dionysus - for which Alexander's family was particularly of note). Apparently, it was fairly common to have drinking contests that would include fatalities (of the drinkers, though probably homicide was also an occasional occurrence - Alexander was drunk when he killed Cleitus).
- M said...
You are welcome to post a comment to this blog. However, do not leave a link to that alcohol abuse site. My comments are not a method for you to promote and build links for your site.
Thank you,


text:
Look folks, I was there. I saw it all. Okay, maybe not all of it, but a lot of it, anyway. This was the first year I made the 11-hour trek from Dayton, Ohio, to the PWI office in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, to participate in the big meeting that would lay the foundation for this year's "PWI 500." In my three decades as a wrestling fan, I never thought I'd be one of a handful of guys who would be sitting in a room drafting the international rankings for the best and brightest in the business. On that morning in mid-June, we knocked out the first 130 or so rankings before wrapping up with the understanding that the selection and review process would continue by e-mail, phone, and text for the next few weeks as Senior Writers Dan Murphy and Al Castle worked their way through numerous drafts and biographical sketches.
PWI Contributing Writer


text:
Chrsitian Bingham necesitaba un nuevo diseño de logotipo y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 70 diseños de 27 diseñadores freelance.
We are a pair of general business consultants looking to bring a fresh look to our public image. We are looking for a trendy, clean, professional look that will catch the eye but is not super bold.
Bingham-Magee Consulting Services Inc.
Bingham-Magee Consulting Services Inc. is made up of a pair of individuals with widely different business backgrounds and employment histories who share the common goal of helping local small-businesses succeed in todays tough marketplace.We use both proven and innovative techniques to help business market their products and services while assisting in setting up systems to handle their day to day business requirements.
It is important to us that our new logo is able to instill confidence while making us feel approachable. We are looking for a very professional and powerful logo that can be used
to represent our knowledge and experience with a bit of flare.
- Logo
- Business Card
- Fresh
- Organic
- Professional
- Bold
- Depth
- Flashy
- Unprofessional
- Childish
- No outragous fonts
Descubre cómo funciona un concurso de diseño u obtén más información sobre nuestros servicios de diseño de logo.


text:
Event Information
Date and Time
The Moore Room
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Mrs Macquaries Road
Sydney, NSW 2000
Kids have lots of creative and active fun in the Garden with our professional, enthusiastic educators!
This all-day school holiday program is full of fun and adventures in the Garden. Kids spend the day exploring the garden and connecting with nature! Join us for:
- A variety of garden activities such as planting and harvesting
- Nature-based art and craft
- A visit to the Calyx for inspiration
- Outdoor play and nature meditation
- A 'behind the scenes' visit to the Herbarium, Calyx, Plant Clinic, library or glasshouse
- A special 'meet and greet' with one of our scientists, botanical illustrators, wildlife and plant experts
- Garden discovery walks and stories
- Games and fun!
Your child can explore the Garden all day with nature play, stories, art and craft to take home, fun games and gardening activities. There are different themes each day, and the children also have the chance to find out about botany, scientific illustration, horticulture, wildlife and more with guest experts!
Wednesday 17 January 2018- GADIGAL GARDEN ART- Explore the Cadi garden and enjoy Dreaming stories. Learn about Aboriginal art from one of our Indigenous educators and paint your own wooden hanging ornament. Get messy making a mini damper and visit The Calyx. Learn to meditate and do yoga!
Thursday 18 and Tuesday 23 January 2018- GARDEN SPLASH- Run the gauntlet without getting wet! Play water games and enjoy the sun! Paint with watercolours and design, and print your own canvas bag! Yoga, meditation and flavoured ice treats for all! Please ensure that children have a change of clothes and a towel for our Garden Splash days.
Wednesday 24 January 2018- BUGS & BEASTIES- Explore birds and minibeasts with our 'Museum in a Box' program. Make a personalised animal digital print` and get messy creating with clay. Dip net in the main pond and meet a garden wildlife expert. Animal yoga, meditation and of course...outdoor play!
Watch our Garden Grubs video here
For more information please download our Garden Grubs Fact Sheet.
Who: Kids 6 - 12 years
Time: 9am – 3.30pm (Standard Day) OR 8am - 5.30pm (Long Day)
January dates: 16th, 17th, 18th, 23rd & 24th January 2018
Meeting Point: The Moore Room, see map below
Members Pricing: $76.50 per child (Standard Day), $103.50 (Long Day)
Non-Members Pricing: $85 per child (Standard Day), $115 per child (Long Day)
Bookings: Essential online, limited places available
Booking siblings? Receive 20% off the second child's ticket! Please contact us on email@example.com
Price includes afternoon tea and craft materials.
"Abi and Samuel had the most wonderful time at Garden Grubs! So much so that they ended up going for 3 days in a row! They loved exploring the gardens and making art. The staff who ran each day we're all amazing!
Meeting Point Map:
Date and Time
The Moore Room
Royal Botanic Garden Sydney
Mrs Macquaries Road
Sydney, NSW 2000


text:
Brāļu kapu memoriāls veltīts 1. pasaules kara cīnītāju piemiņai. Brāļu kapu ansambli atklāja 1936.g.novembrī.
Originated from a small fishermen village, for centuries Riga has been an important part of the trade chain between Russia and Western Europe. A lively crossroad of cultures and backgrounds for over 800 years, the historical centre of Riga has accumulated an impressive cultural baggage and today is justly included in the UNESCO's World Heritage list.