Top Reasons Why People Apply For A Loan

The biggest single reason people apply for a loan is to purchase a home. Mortgages, where the borrower provides the property as security against non payment, are a huge segment of lending. An estimated 60% of all domestic property has some form of mortgage loan outstanding. The total value of all property loans as disclosed by the Bank of England at the end of July 2010 was £1,239 billion pounds. This compares to lending to individuals for other purposes of just £217 billion. As customers are adapting to the harsher economic times, this amount is slowly being repaid and has fallen from £225 billion in January 2010.

Credit card debt accounts for £58 billion of this total. An amazing amount given that the rates of interest for borrowing on a credit card are extremely high compared with a personal loan. This short term borrowing is probably the most expensive form of debt individuals carry for any period of time.

Away from short term debt the principle reasons for borrowing fall into three broad areas:

Debt consolidation – This is where customers take out a new loan on better terms to pay off existing debt at high rates. For example, it may be that there is a combination of credit or store card debt at 18% interest bundled with a personal loan taken out a few years ago at 12% interest. Even in today’s tough markets it may be possible to obtain a new loan to cover this at 10% over a longer period. This can greatly ease the pressure on family finances. Many people have woken up to this option and lending for this purpose has grown considerably since debt management companies have highlighted the benefits of such an approach.

Acquiring a vehicle – This will probably be the second most expensive purchase after a home. Manufacturers and dealers are well aware that most customers cannot pay cash for a new or used vehicle. Hence, there is a huge market in personal loans and personal contract purchase plans to make obtaining a vehicle affordable for those on a budget. Be it a car, van, caravan or motorcycle there will be a point of sale option for financing the purchase. Many banks and other financial institutions also target this as a specific area of lending.

Home Improvements – Whilst the main home may be acquired on secured loan, home improvements such as double glazing, new kitchens or furniture are usually paid for by borrowing on unsecured loans. These tend to be relatively short term reflecting the smaller amounts involved when compared to property loans.

Lenders focus on the ability to repay and so there are regional variations in the amount of credit granted to individuals. The wealthier regions have more appeal than the poorer regions in the North and West of the country. Less well off areas are the domain of the subprime lenders and doorstep lenders who use different products and techniques to approach the market. Weekly payments and short term loans from places like http://www.cashwindow.co.uk at high rates will be more common in these areas as people’s credit ratings are generally lower and less appealing to mainstream lenders.

 source: everythingfinanceblog.com

Kim Kardashian gives birth to baby girl ahead of schedule: reports

LOS ANGELES – Reality television star Kim Kardashian gave birth to a girl fathered by rapper Kanye West, celebrity magazines People and Us Weekly reported Saturday.

Each magazine posted a story on its website citing an unnamed source in confirming the birth of the daughter to the celebrity couple.

Representatives for Kardashian and West could not immediately be reached for comment.


People magazine said Kardashian, 32, gave birth on Saturday ahead of schedule, with the baby reportedly due in early July.

Kardashian stars with her sisters in the reality show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” She has a clothing line and several product endorsements and was the most-searched person on the Yahoo! in 2012.

Grammy-winning rap star Kanye West and Kardashian began dating in April 2012.

Two months ago Kardashian and her second husband, Kris Humphries of the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets, announced they had reached a divorce settlement. They had split 72 days after their August 2011 wedding.

Humphries had first sought an annulment, alleging that Kardashian, who cited irreconcilable difference when filing for divorce, had no intention of keeping to the marriage, which was filmed as part of her reality show.

source: interaksyon.com

The car is the next major tech platform — GM

BOSTON — The car is the next great proving ground for communications technology, General Motors Co Chief Executive Dan Akerson said late this week.

The automobile will become a major platform for tech “and one with far better battery life than an iPhone,” he said in prepared remarks to the Chief Executives’ Club of Boston.

Developing better in-car technology is critical for automakers like GM to attract younger, tech-savvy buyers. If they can pull it off, the companies will generate new sources of revenue and boost profit margins. One approach may be for GM to sell advertising within the car itself, Akerson said last month.

In mid-2014, the No. 1 U.S. automaker, teaming up with AT&T Inc, will start selling vehicles embedded with 4G LTE mobile broadband, a wireless connection that allows for faster flow of data that GM says would allow passengers in the backseat to watch streaming video.

Akerson, a former top executive with telecommunications companies MCI, Nextel and XO Communications, said automakers have no choice as the average U.S. consumer is spending more than 2-1/2 hours a day on their smartphones and tablets. That tops the 16 hours each week spent in cars as drivers or passengers.

“Marry the two and you have a megatrend that we intend to harness for competitive advantage,” he said.

Akerson cited a J.D. Power study that found more than two-thirds of new car buyers own a smartphone, and for 80 percent of them connectivity strongly influences which car they buy.

Moreover, it’s not just American consumers who want that, he said, citing similar studies in China, the world’s largest auto market.

He said drivers want hands-free calling, navigation and automatic crash warning, in that order. He called those “the bread and butter” of the company’s in-vehicle OnStar service that connects drivers to live operators for directions or emergency help. OnStar has more than 6 million subscribers.

As for why consumers with smartphones would want such services, Akerson said GM’s features will be integrated to prevent distracted driving.

However, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released a report on Wednesday saying that hands-free technology in cars actually increases driver distraction. AAA urged the auto industry to consider disabling certain functions of voice-to-text technologies, such as using social media or interacting with email, so they are inoperable while the vehicle is in motion.

Citi analyst Itay Michaeli has estimated that OnStar generates about $1.5 billion in annual revenue for GM and the unit is worth between $5 billion and $7 billion as a whole.

Akerson said installing 3G Wi-Fi in vehicles only scratches the surface of what’s possible.

“Imagine that your vehicle can predict that it needs a new battery and then automatically schedules a visit to your dealer before it dies on the (Massachusetts) Pike in rush hour,” he said.

“How cool would it be to have your car automatically call Dunkin’ Donuts when you’re a mile away, so your coffee and cruller are ready and paid for when you pull up?” Akerson added.

Some services will need far more bandwidth and much higher download speeds, which 4G LTE will allow, he said. “We’re going to turn millions of our cars and trucks into nodes on the Internet through the industry’s largest global deployment of 4G LTE.”

The tech features will just be the beginning as GM needs to entice thousands of code writers to come up with apps for its cars, he said. That approach made Apple and Android dominant in their field, and Akerson said he hopes a GM App Shop someday will be just as popular.

source: interaksyon.com

This baby stroller is engineered for total safety and ultimate childcare

Buying a stroller is not just for taking the baby on a sweet and smooth ride apparently, but also ensuring the stroller itself is built according to the child’s development. The latest buzz on strollers is the all-new Aprica Karoon Plus stroller that has been upgraded with science-based features and functions that doesn’t just ensure complete protection but is also built to properly pace with your baby’s natural growth and development.

It’s all in the stroller’s “8-5-8 Principle,” which is found in every Aprica product’s design and function. Manufacturers claim they have identified 8 childcare factors to help ward off 5 dangerous risks that can threaten its young rider’s health: oxygen desaturization, shaken baby syndrome, sudden infant death syndrome, sleep disturbance, and risk from increased walking disorders that may interfere with the child’s development and adversely affect his growth.

The eight childcare factors, on the other hand, are: the baby’s head and neck with delicate bones that have yet to merge and be given full protection; the cervical vertebra that babies aren’t able to support on their own yet; the spine that remains vital to function, form and life even into late adulthood; and the lower limbs and hip joints that need extra care during the first years of life. Other factors include the skin, which is very fragile; baby’s respiratory-connected breathing and posture; heart regulation; and lastly, the baby’s biorhythms. Karoon Plus’ double-thermo medical system is said to address these problems. It provides heat protection and a 3D suspension that ensures proper ventilation and smooth movement.

All Aprica products fill the eight essential Key Points of baby care, namely: laying your baby in the supine-flat position, ensuring freedom of respiration with proper posture, regulation of body temperature, protection of feet and hip joints, protection of your baby’s head, neck and spine, ensuring natural sleep patterns, protection from direct sunlight, and having correct gait and posture.

Another handy feature is that it’s lightweight and can be carried by an adult by one hand.

Aprica’s products are available in leading baby stores and department stores in the Philippines.

source: interaksyon.com

Why your smile prefers water over soft drinks

HERE are some interesting stats about soft drinks:

• The average soft drink serving size has tripled since the 1950s.

• The average person drinks about 45 gallons of soda per year.

• Seven percent of adults drink four servings or more per day.

• At least 20 percent of children drink four servings or more per day.

Soft drinks are loaded with sugar and empty calories. Consumption has been linked to obesity, diabetes, and heart problems.

But of major concern to us, as your lifelong oral health partner, is that sugary, carbonated drinks really bully your teeth!






1. The acids eat away at your tooth enamel

Your tooth enamel is strong—the hardest substance in your body, in fact. But the phosphoric acid and citric acid in soft drinks (ironic name for sodas, isn’t it?) is stronger.

2. Carbonated sugar is replacing calcium-rich milk

In 1966, Americans drank more milk (33 gallons/year) than soft drinks (20 gallons/year). Contrast that with 2010, when the average American drank 45 gallons of soft drinks and only 20 gallons of milk.

3. Diet isn’t really better

You can remove sugar from the equation, but the acid is still there! In fact, many sugar-free soft drinks are more acidic than high-sugar ones.

Root beer may be the safest soft drink for your teeth, even though it’s loaded with sugar. Why? Because it’s comparatively low in acid.

4. Constant sipping creates a constant war zone

Every time you take a sip of a Coke, your mouth becomes an acid-attack zone. It takes your mouth up to 30 minutes to rebalance and create a safe zone for your teeth again. Until then, your teeth ARE losing protective substance, leaving them more vulnerable to cavities, and sensitivity.

5. It’s a dessert disguised as a beverage

Don’t believe us? Here’s the math:

One 12 oz can of Coke (the smallest serving available) has 39 grams of sugar, which is more than:

• 3 snack packs of Chips Ahoy

• 2 servings of frozen yogurt

• A whole slice of apple pie WITH ice cream on top.

So, minimize the damage by:

1. Drinking less! Replace soft drinks with milk, water, even juice.

2. Drinking it all at once, instead of sipping all day.

3. Swishing it down with water to clear away the sugar and acidity.

source: asianjournal.com

Solar plane ends US tour in Washington

WASHINGTON DC - The single-seater, solar-powered Solar Impulse aircraft landed at an airport near the US capital early Sunday, after the final leg of its cross-country journey, organizers said.

The plane, which runs on four electric propellers powered by 12,000 solar cells mounted on the plane's 63-meter wingspan, touched down in the dark at Dulles International Airport at 12.15 am (1415 GMT).

The Solar Impulse usually lands in the middle of the night, when traffic at the airports has subsided.

At the controls was Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard, who is taking turns with compatriot Andre Borschberg on different legs of the flight across the United States.

The Solar Impulse landing was broadcast live on the organizer's website, live.solarimpulse.com.

The aircraft can fly at night by reaching a high elevation of 27,000 feet (8,230 meters) and then gently gliding downward, using almost no power until the sun comes up to begin recharging the solar cells.

The flight from Cincinatti, Ohio took about 14 hours, after a 14-hour pit stop in the midwestern US city prompted by difficult weather.

The organizers had planned for the solar craft to fly directly from St. Louis, Missouri to Washington DC, but strong cross and head winds slowed down the aircraft, organizers said in a statement.

The conditions were such that the flight to Washington would have taken longer than the self-imposed 24-hour time limit set for the pilot in the cramped single-seater cockpit.

The Solar Impulse project, founded and led by Piccard and Borschberg, aims to showcase what can be accomplished without fossil fuels, and has set as its "ultimate goal" a round-the-world flight in 2015.

The first leg of Solar Impulse's US tour took place on May 3, when Piccard flew the aircraft from the San Francisco, California, to Phoenix, Arizona.

St. Louis was chosen as the Midwest stopover as a homage to aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh and his "Spirit of St. Louis," the first plane to fly from New York to Paris non-stop.

source: interaksyon.com

Heat strike back against Spurs to tie NBA finals series

The Miami Heat showed championship pride, rebounding from a blowout loss with a 109-93 victory over the Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday (Friday morning Manila time).

With its Game Four win, Miami tied the NBA finals series at 2-all.

“They kicked our butts the other night,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. “We were horrible. There was a better response today.”

LeBron James led the way with 33 points and 11 rebounds, but it was Dwyane Wade’s vintage performance that turned things around for the Heat. The 2006 NBA finals MVP played his finest game of the postseason with 32 points, six rebounds, and six steals.

San Antonio committed 19 turnovers, which Miami turned into 23 points.

“Turnovers obviously hurt us. We can’t give them over 20 points on turnovers. They’re too good,” said Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.

Chris Bosh added 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Heat.

Miami looked nothing like the team that was humiliated 113-77 in Game Three as once again they displayed their ability to recover from defeats.

Miami is now a perfect 6-0 following a defeat in the post-season and all six wins have come by double digits. Miami hasn’t lost back-to-back games since January 8 and 10.

Tony Parker had 15 points and 11 assists and Tim Duncan finished with 20 points for the Spurs, who were looking to take a stranglehold on the series after their dominating victory in the last match.

Parker was playing with a sore hamstring he injured in the previous game.

Spoelstra decided to shake up his lineup Thursday by starting forward Mike Miller. James also made good on his guarantee to play better after a dismal performance in the game three loss.

Miami outscored the Spurs 28-17 in the fourth quarter after the teams were tied 49-49 at the half.

James drained a 25-foot three pointer for the last of his 33 points with 23 seconds left in regulation to help seal the win in front of a crowd of 18,581 at the AT&T Center.

James said going into Thursday’s game that he took “full responsibility” for the Heat’s ugly loss in game three and vowed to do better.

He got his first field goal halfway through the first quarter on a driving layup to cut the Spurs’ lead to six points, 15-9.

San Antonio did come out the stronger of the two teams Thursday as France’s Parker scored six points and the Spurs hit three from beyond the arc to jump out to a 15-5 lead in the first five minutes.

But Miami shot 60 percent from the field in the first quarter and Wade made a running eight foot jump shot to give the Heat a 29-26 lead heading going into the second quarter.

The Spurs closed the second period on an 11-2 surge which included seven points from Parker.

Boris Diaw’s driving layup allowed the Spurs to tied the score, 49-49, going into halftime.

Diaw completed a nice give-and-go with Danny Green who got the assist on the final basket of the first half.

Game Five of the series is set on Sunday (Monday Manila time) in San Antonio.

source: interaksyon.com

Ellen Adarna flaunts lean bikini body

Actress Ellen Adarna tweeted this Intagram collage of selfies on Thursday showing off her lean physique.

So happy got my new bikini tops! Can't wait for the other 3!!! #fitting @badjgenato http://instagram.com/p/afyAn6DIMX/


This is probably the slimmest the “Bubble Gang” mainstay and two-time FHM cover girl has looked since she joined showbiz in 2010.

Ellen, 24, is an advocate of juicing — a diet in which she hardly consumes any solid food, only fresh fruits and vegetables that she juices and drinks all day.

Her current physique is perfect for her latest project — the lead role in her second film, “Isang Tag-araw sa Buhay ni Twinkle Marie Payawan”.

She stars as an 18-year-old adopted daughter of a retired Army general who is forced to rehabilitate from her cocaine addiction while getting to know her biological father — a former communist rebel who is dying of cancer.

“Isang Tag-araw” is director Gil Portes’ entry in the Sineng Pambansa All Masters Film Festival in September. Ellen made her film debut in his most recent film, “Bayang Magiliw”, shown last April.

The screenplay for “Isang Tag-araw” was written by InterAksyon entertainment editor Enrique Ramos.

source: interaksyon.com

Apple looking at bigger iPhone screens, multiple colors — sources

Apple Inc is exploring launching iPhones with bigger screens, as well as cheaper models in a range of colors, over the next year, said four people with knowledge of the matter, as it takes a cue from rival Samsung Electronics.

The moves, which are still under discussion, underscore how the California-based firm that once ruled the smartphone market is increasingly under threat from its aggressive South Korean competitor. Samsung has overtaken Apple in market share through the popularity of its bigger-screen Galaxy “phablets” and by flooding the market with a range of products at different prices.

Apple is looking at introducing at least two bigger iPhones next year — one with a 4.7-inch screen and one with a 5.7-inch screen — said the sources, including those in the supply chain in Asia. They said suppliers have been approached with plans for the larger screens, but noted it is still unclear whether Apple will actually launch its flagship product in the larger sizes.

“They constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment, so you’re not really sure whether this is the final prototype,” said one person with direct knowledge of the matter.

Apple declined to comment.

Under pressure

Apple’s possible shift to offer what is often referred to as “phablets” – chunkier smartphones not quite big enough to qualify as tablets – comes as the long-time consumer and investor darling faces pressure to deliver more than one new handset model a year. Critics say its pace of innovation has slowed since the death of legendary co-founder Steve Jobs.

The iPhone 5 launched last September was the first to veer away from the Apple phone’s 3.5-inch screen, which Jobs famously deemed “the perfect size for consumers” and had been used in every iPhone since the iconic device was unveiled in 2007.

The current iPhone 5 has one of the smaller screens among the best-selling smartphones in the mobile market, where consumers spend more time browsing the web and streaming content. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 and Galaxy Note 2 have 5-inch and 5.5-inch screens, respectively.

For this year, Apple is expected to launch two new models, widely referred to as the iPhone 5S, with new fingerprint technology, and a cheaper version in plastic casing, supply chain sources have said. Apple plans to dress up the cheaper phone in a range of 5-6 colors to differentiate it from the more expensive model that has traditionally come only in black and white.

The U.S. firm has discussed a price of $99 for the cheaper phone, the timing of which could slip to next year, one of the people said. It’s not yet clear what the final price would be.

Apple – whose revenue growth has decelerated from the heady days of 2010 when it introduced the iPad and when the iPhone was the world’s top selling smartphone – has sought ways to re-energize its flagship line.

Broader product range

Analysts say the company needs a cheaper gadget to push on in growth markets in China and India, and to counter Samsung’s edge in having phones priced up and down the spectrum. China, the world’s biggest smartphone market, is set to grow 48 percent this year, outpacing the global increase of 31 percent, according to industry forecasts.

While Apple only offers a single phone model across all markets, it has successfully marketed the iPod music player and its iPad in different sizes and at varying prices. Asked at last month’s AllThingsD industry conference why Apple hasn’t launched different sized iPhones, CEO Tim Cook said: “We haven’t so far. That doesn’t shut off the future.”

He explained that the range of iPods serve different audiences and needs. “On the phone, that’s the question. Are we now at a point to serve enough people that we need to do that?”

Cook noted a larger screen comes with trade-offs on features such as battery life, resolution and brightness.

Test production for both the standard and cheaper iPhone models aims to start next month, with mass production ramping up in August to meet a September launch target, two people said.

“Trial production was originally planned to start in June, but the mixing of colors is taking longer than expected as Apple has very high and idealistic standards,” said one source in Asia, adding 20 million plastic iPhones are expected to ship in the October-December quarter.

Japan’s Sharp Corp and Japan Display and South Korea’s LG Display will supply the panels for the aluminum iPhone 5S and the plastic iPhone, while Hon Hai Precision Industry will assemble the higher-end phone and Pegatron will put together the cheaper model.

source: interaksyon.com

Singaporean company completes takeover of Touch Solutions

MANILA – A unit of a Singapore-based firm has completed the acquisition of a controlling stake in Touch Solutions Inc.

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Touch Solutions said 43.225 million shares of the company were crossed through a special block sale at P6.48 per share.

The shares, valued at P280 million, represent about 70 percent of the listed company's outstanding capital stock that were sold by its major shareholders to Shiok Success International Ltd.

Shiok is an investment holding company based in the British Virgin Islands. It is a wholly owned unit of Singapore-based Capilion Corp Pte Ltd.

The seven members of Touch Solutions' board of directors led by president Anson T. Uy resigned, to be replaced by Shiok officials led by Peter YB Tay, who was named president.

In April, Touch Solutions said its major shareholders accepted the offer of Shiok to buy a controlling stake in the listed firm.

Touch Solutions recently consolidated and transferred its IT-related assets and liabilities to wholly owned unit Sagesoft Solutions Inc. They also approved the amendment of Touch Solutions' Articles of Incorporation, changing its primary purpose to that of a holding company.

Formed in 2001, Touch Solutions’ main objective is to provide end-to-end information and communications technology solutions and services to its customers.

The company started commercial operations by offering and distributing accounting software in the country. A year later, it shifted focus to open source and open systems technologies and in 2004 opted to spin off its accounting software packages to Sagesoft.

source: interaksyon.com