| Trade winds blowing?
Not supposed to win when your "Big 3" shoot like that. Yet, somehow, within 4. Not that I expect them to actually come from behind and win…but somehow this team always seems to give you that slight bit of hope and desire before crashing down on you. LOL .
UPI NewsTrack TopNews
BAIJI, Iraq, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- At least seven people were killed by a car bomb Saturday near northern Iraq's largest oil refinery.
The bombing in Baiji, in Salahuddin province, came a day after attacks in the neighboring province of Diyala killed at least 26 people, the BBC reported Saturday.
The attack in Baiji targeted housing for security forces guarding oil installations. The dead included at least four guards and three civilians, the BBC said.
Baiji, about 155 miles north of Baghdad, is a key transfer point for crude oil being exported from Iran. The area has seen a sharp rise in violence as insurgents have been routed from Baghdad by an increased U.S. troop presence, the BBC reported.
Oil reaches shore in South Korea
SEOUL, Dec.
Kerhaghan wins three more Golden Guitars
NEWLY-crowned Australian of the Year Lee Kernaghan's charity work has been acknowledged for the second time in two days, winning three Golden Guitars for his fund-raising song 'Spirit of the Bush'. Kernaghan was last night named Australian of the Year for his years of charity work that has raised more than $1 million for drought-affected farmers, and his ongoing contribution to country music. And tonight his song 'Spirit of the Bush', recorded with Adam Brand and Steve Forde, took out three top gongs at Australian country music's night of nights including single of the year, vocal collaboration of the year and video clip of the year. Kernaghan has now won 27 Golden Guitars, officially called the Country Music Awards of Australia. Tonight's haul takes him closer to the record number of 37 Golden Guitars won by late country music legend Slim Dusty. Dusty was also named Senior Australian of the Year in 1999.
Bankrate: Mortgage Rates Lowest Since March 2004
NEW YORK, Jan. 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mortgage rates dropped for the fourth week in a row, with the average conforming 30-year fixed mortgage rate now 5.57 percent. According to Bankrate.com's weekly national survey of large lenders, the average 30-year fixed mortgage has an average of 0.33 discount and origination points. The average 15-year fixed rate mortgage popular for refinancing fell to 5.11 percent, and the average jumbo 30-year fixed rate eased to 6.85 percent. Adjustable mortgage rates plummeted, with the average one-year ARM plunging to 5.41 percent, and the average 5/1 ARM sinking to 5.35 percent. Adjustable mortgage rates plunged following an emergency interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve. The repeated rate cuts by the Fed will benefit the many homeowners with adjustable mortgage resets still to come in 2008.
Brief information from Somerset County
The loans, which require no down payment and no private mortgage insurance, can finance up to 100 percent of the appraised value of a property plus the 2 percent guarantee fee.Closing costs, guarantee fee, legal fees, title services, cost of establishing an escrow account and other prepaid items may be included in the amount borrowed, as long as the total loan does not exceed the appraised value plus the guarantee fee, the USDA said in a release.Expected monthly housing costs, including the housing payment, real estate taxes and property insurance must be no more than 29 percent of gross monthly income. The monthly housing costs plus other monthly obligations must be no more than 41 percent of total monthly income.For most rural areas surrounding Johnstown, the income limit for a family of four is $68,550.To determine if a home is in an eligible rural area, visit the link http://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov.For more information about programs in Somerset, Cambria, Bedford, Westmoreland, Fayette and Blair counties, call Rural Development's Greensburg office at (724) 853-5555, ext.
Home » NBR Comment » Sub-prime? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet
Sub-editors can spend their upcoming Christmas break drafting banner headlines in preparation for the sub-prime mortgage debacle that is set to unfold in 2008. While the sub-prime Titanic has been one of the major financial market stories of this year, so far it has simply scraped along the side of the iceberg. But over the four quarters of next year it will finally get holed and sink. What is the scale of this disaster waiting to happen? For the answer we need to look at the footnotes to the March 27 US House of Representatives testimony on sub-prime mortgages and their alt-A cousins by the US Federal Reserve’s consumer and community affairs division director, Sandra Braunstein. Of the 43 million first lien mortgages outstanding in the US, over 75 per cent are held by prime borrowers, 13 per cent to 14 per cent are sub-prime and the rest are alt-A.
10 Worst Innovation Mistakes In A Recession.
Banks especially. The rise of social networking and consumer power means that companies have to be part of a larger conversation with their customers. This means big money spent on IT. 3) Reduce Risk. Innovation requires taking chances and dealing with failure. Recessions push managers to be more conservative. They need to fight this instinct. 4) Stop New Product Development. Saving money often means cutting back on new products and services during an economic downturn. This hurts companies when growth returns and they have fewer offerings in the marketplace to attract consumers. 5) Boards Replace Growth-Oriented CEOs with Cost-Cutting CEOs. Sudden declines in revenues and profits often leads boards of directors to search for managers with experience in pinching pennies.
NBA ALL-STARS: No Pistons starters as fans fail to support Detroit
It feels like I'm over the hump now and people are starting to realize the hard work that I put in to get here," he said. "It's all because of the fans. They're obviously liking what they've been seeing out of me and the production that I'm giving out there on the court this season. It's finally starting to pay off."
Garnett, another perennial starter, will experience the game from the other conference for the first time.
The Boston forward will appear in his 11th straight All-Star game, second among active players to Shaquille O'Neal's 14, and ninth start. The longtime Minnesota Timberwolves star is a leading MVP candidate at midseason for the impact he has made on the Celtics, who own the NBA's best record at 33-7 after winning only 24 games last season.
"It's appreciated," he said earlier Thursday of his expected selection.
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