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A Writer's Den: July 2010

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

At The Playground: Is Your Nanny Watching Your Child?

credit: nyul © istockphoto.com/nyul

Kiddy Social Time at the Playground
It is eleven o’clock in the morning and your toddler wants to go to the playground to have kiddy social time. But there is one problem. You absolutely dread going to the playground between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Not only because it’s steaming hot outside, but also because it’s nanny time at the playground between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. If you have a nanny or if you are a nanny, I know you’re probably thinking “what’s wrong with nannies?” Or “maybe I’m one of those moms that are jealous because I don’t have a nanny?” To answer your first question, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having a nanny. To answer your second question, I’m not jealous that I don’t have a nanny because I’ve happily given up part of my professional career based on my family’s personal choices and decisions in raising our children. And I applaud all moms and dads for waking up everyday, making the same personal decisions that my husband and I struggle with. READ FULL ARTICLE: At The Playground: Is Your Nanny Watching Your Child?

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Monday, July 19, 2010

Fannie Mae to Require Lenders Police Delinquent Loans


credit: akurtz © istockphoto.com/akurtz

Kicking Borrowers when They're Already Down?

On June 23, 2010, Fannie Mae announced policy changes designed (1) to encourage borrowers on the brink of foreclosure to work with their lenders, and (2) to penalize borrowers who strategically default on their mortgages. These policy changes were developed in light of the rising number of borrowers choosing to walk away from their mortgages and start over.

Good Faith vs. Bad Faith and Everyone Else
According to Fannie Mae, “borrowers facing hardship who make a good faith effort to resolve their situation with their lender will preserve the option to be considered for a future Fannie Mae loan.” These borrowers can be considered for foreclosure alternatives such as a loan modification, a short sale, or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure. Borrowers who successfully enter into a foreclosure alternative program with their lender could be eligible to apply for a Fannie Mae-backed loan in as little as 2 years. READ FULL ARTICLE: Fannie Mae to Require Lenders Police Delinquent Loans

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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Splash Away the Summer Heat with Your Toddler at Six Flags White Water

credit: walcott © istockphoto.com/walcott

Does your toddler love to play outside with water?

Would you like to beat the summer heat and have fun with your toddler at the same time?

Are you looking for a new, exciting activity to do with your toddler besides the kiddy pool in the backyard?

If you answered yes to these questions, Six Flags White Water (“White Water”) is a great place for you and your toddler to splash away the summer heat.

Location, Location, Location

Six Flags White Water is conveniently located about 15 miles northwest of Atlanta, in Marietta, Georgia. Being the largest water park in the southeast, White Water attracts visitors from Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee; Birmingham and Montgomery, Alabama; Greenville, South Carolina; and Augusta and Macon, Georgia.

Attractions
If your little one watches PBS Sprout, you are probably familiar with The Wiggles. Not only are they a hit in your living room on weekday mornings during the Wiggly Waffle, The Wiggles Water World is now the newest attraction at Six Flags White Water. With rides like the S.S. Feathersword, a 25-foot tall interactive play ship, Wags the Dog's Kennel Slide Tower, Henry the Octopus's Pop Jets, Dorothy the Dinosaur's Spray Garden, and the Big Red Car Slide, your toddler is sure to enjoy this life sized wiggly world. READ FULL ARTICLE: Splash Away the Summer Heat with Your Toddler at Six Flags White Water

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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Homebuyer Tax Credit

credit: DNY59 © istockphoto.com/DNY59

Stimulating the Economy or Fueling False Hope?

Recently CNNMoney.com reported that pending home sales fell a whopping 30% in May, according to the National Association of Realtors. Although experts are shocked by this seemingly large decrease, any decrease should come as no surprise in light of the lapse of the homebuyer tax credit on April 30th. However, to fully understand why home sales suddenly sank, we must understand the true purpose behind the Homebuyer Tax Credit.

Initially, the Homebuyer Tax Credit was passed to stimulate the economy by bribing first-time homebuyers into purchasing the American Dream. A bribe is simply something that serves to induce or influence. In the midst of the mortgage crisis where millions of Americans are losing their homes in foreclosure for various reasons, such as being bribed into no-money down, interest only, adjustable rate, ballooning home loans, that have sucked the life out of so many families READ FULL ARTICLE: Homebuyer Tax Credit: Stimulating the Economy or Fueling False Hope?

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