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Archive for April, 2012

Frank McKinney sentenced to Death…Death Valley that is!

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Frank McKinney sentenced to Death…Death Valley that is!

Delray Beach, FL – On July 16-18, real estate artist and philanthro-capitalist Frank McKinney will race in the Death Valley Badwater 135-mile Ultramarathon, the world’s toughest footrace according to National Geographic.

In this, his seventh go at Badwater, McKinney is trying to become only the 15th person to finish the Badwater Ultramarathon seven or more times. To put that potential accomplishment in perspective, consider that more than 3,000 people have successfully climbed Mt. Everest.

Why have so few achieved this?

The Badwater Ultramarathon, established in 1987, is an invitation-only race held during the desert’s hottest time of the year. In 2012 there will be 95 runners from 20 countries. Typically, 30% of these ultra-athletes will not finish the race.

Badwater starts at 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. Air temperatures can exceed 130 degrees, while ground temps on the blacktop road are 200+ degrees, high enough to melt the gel in your shoes, not to mention fry your brain right inside your skull.

The course traverses 135 miles through the Mojave, over three mountain ranges, and finishes nearly 8,500 feet above sea level. There are no aid stations.

McKinney chooses to selectively suffer a little for those who are suffering a lot in Haiti, where his Caring House Project Foundation (www.CHPF.org) has built seventeen self-sufficient villages, with the next to be built in Anse Rouge, Haiti. He uses this mind-blowing undertaking as a way to raise money for the villages his Foundation creates.

USA Today crowned McKinney “king of ready-made dream homes,” and The
Wall Street Journal hailed him as a “real-estate rock czar” because he is the creative force behind some of the world’s most magnificent mansions, shattering price records with each new project. McKinney is a true maverick with a rock star look, without peer in the risky world of speculative, high-end real estate.

A five-time bestselling author in three genres, McKinney’s newest release, The Tap (www.The-Tap.com), explains in detail what moved him to undertake the Badwater Ultramarathon. He summarizes it this way:

“We feel most alive when experiencing extremes for the benefit of others. Badwater, and all the suffering and sacrifice prior to and during the race, is endured for those who have no choice but to suffer immensely every day.”

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Valuable Tips From An Expert Who Simplified College and Financial Aid Planning

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Valuable Tips From An Expert Who Simplified College and Financial Aid Planning
 
Lanham, MD – College and the financial aid planning process should start as early in a child’s life as possible. It can be a frustrating and complicated puzzle, and parents often have no idea where to begin or how to help their children get through it.

If I Knew Then What I Know Now! College & Financial Aid Planning From A Parent’s Perspective (Pendium Publishing) by Cynthia Hammond Davis, is the true story of her struggle to find help putting all of the pieces of the college search, financial aid, scholarships, athletics and extracurricular activities together.

After experiencing first-hand how complex this journey can be, Davis decided to combine her findings and include them in a book to help other parents and students with early college awareness. This book acts as a priceless guide to help parents understand their role as well as offering basic tips on how they can assist their children through the process as efficiently as possible.

Want to know where a lot of scholarship money can be found? Want to find out how your child may be able to attend an out-of-state college while paying in-state tuition costs? Want advice that will save time during the college admission process? Answers to these questions and more can be found in this book – outlined in a short, simple, and to the point approach.

Davis believes that there is nothing to prepare parents on how and where to begin and they struggle through trying to help their children, just as she did, and it was through trial and error she learned how to get to the right information. In her instructive book, she is very candid about mistakes she made along the way in hopes of helping other parents avoid making those same mistakes.

Cynthia Hammond Davis is a College and Career Advisor, Founder/Executive Director of The Light of the City, Inc., a nonprofit organization, and President of CollegeAndCareerAdvice.Com.  She is the radio talk show host of her own Saturday morning talk show, “The College and Career Information Hour,” and an in-demand public and motivational speaker.

As a college and financial aid advisor since 2001, she has helped many parents and students get through the process, resulting in their receiving scholarship offers that total over $1 million collectively each year. What Cynthia Hammond Davis does, she does with the passion of someone who truly cares about her work and about helping students to become tomorrow’s professionals.

College is one of the most expensive things parents can plan for their children and now they don’t have to waste countless hours doing their own research – Davis has done it for them. All they need to do is read the book!

For more information please visit: www.collegeandcareeradvice.com.

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Crooks Beware: Cops Recommend A New Product That Keeps You Out And Keeps Us Safe

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Crooks Beware: Cops Recommend A New Product That Keeps You Out And Keeps Us Safe

“With Rural Burglaries on the Increase – College Towns are on Alert”

Nashville, TN – Alan Young’s common sense and economical approach to prevent becoming a victim has made him a popular guest for radio show hosts who understand how a lagging economy has contributed to an increase in home invasions. In fact, after Young appeared on Georgiann Kiricoples ‘Breaking Through’ radio show, the host commented: “It was really interesting to hear his common sense approach to security. I know that it made me think, especially the part about alarm systems…”

Young, the CEO of Armor Concepts, is especially troubled because crimes are increasing in the suburbs and small towns where it rarely happened in the past.

The recent murder of Yeardley Love, a star Lacrosse player from the University of Virginia, who was killed after her boyfriend allegedly kicked in her door, underscores the theme of bad things happening to good people in good areas. “In any type of home invasion, buying time is critical. If a potential intruder can kick in a door and be in your home in 10 seconds, you don’t have a lot of time to react. If getting in is more difficult, you have time to call the police, plan your escape or possibly prevent them from coming in at all. Home invasions can happen anywhere and at any time,” commented Young.

Featured on local news segments as well as programs like the CBS Early Show, The Today Show, Fox News, Bloomberg and The Discovery Channel, Young explains there are three  important factors in making your home secure: “Use some common sense. Don’t post vacation plans on Facebook and don’t post vacation photos while still on vacation. Many burglaries are committed by someone you know or by someone connected to someone you know. Letting the world know that you’re not home is an easy way to become a target.”    

The second is to make your home a less inviting target than your neighbor’s. By this, he means keeping shrubs trimmed and installing proper lighting (inside and out). “This will make your home less attractive to a burglar unless he knows you have something he really wants.”

The third factor is about securing the exterior of your home, namely doors. While home alarm systems are helpful, with police response times often greater than 20 minutes the burglar could be in and out before the police arrive. Young equates an alarm system with having OnStar in your car: “Would you not buckle your seat belt because OnStar will call the police after you have an accident? Alarms are a good addition to your home’s security but 85% of all break-ins are through a door. Secure your doors and you greatly increase your likelihood of success against a burglar.”

For door security, Young recommends EZ Armor, an inexpensive kit that reinforces the jamb, locks and hinges on an exterior entry door. The kit can be installed in about 30 minutes by a do-it-yourselfer; it’s guaranteed to help prevent kick-ins and it can be purchased at major hardware/DIY stores, or online at www.armorconcepts.com. Easily installed on any door, this would also help bring parents some peace of mind while their kids are away at college.

Young was featured on Nashville news last year when a couple, who had been victims of burglary, avoided a repeat offense by taking Young’s advice. After being robbed, the couple installed EZ Armor as kick-in prevention on their door. When the same burglar came back weeks later and tried to kick in the same door, he made so much noise that the neighbors called the police and he was apprehended. Young reiterates: “Security doesn’t need to cost a lot, it just needs to work. Anyone that tells you otherwise is taking you for a ride. With a little common sense and a little effort you can effectively secure your home.” 

Many other valuable home security tips, along with recommendations for what to do after a burglary, can be found at www.armorconcepts.com.

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