Latest News
The Scariest Prank Ever
This prank might be going too far in my opinion but it is hilarious.
Surprised the guy didn't have a heart attack.
Thank you Youtube!
Posted by Daisy
on
Monday, February 1, 2010
, under
entertainment
|
comments (0)
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love music. I would sometimes spend hours on Youtube watching videos of my favorite artists and there's nothing like witnessing the raw talent that can only be fully appreciated when the performance is live. That's why I was very excited when Youtube announced last year that they were going to offer videos in HD sound and picture quality. Enough of watching blurry concerts with poor quality sound, now I can see it in high definition and experience it as if I was there.
The difference in sound and picture quality of a 720p video and a 360p video is like night and day. This is especially true for myself because I use a 32" Samsung LCD HDTV as my computer monitor. Needless to say, I have been spending a lot of time watching a lot of live performance HD videos on Youtube. So I thought I'd make a site which will house a collection of the best live performances I could find on Youtube which are available in HD. This website is called HD Music Tube. Please visit it and see what you think.
But before you do, I want to highlight two videos
The first one is a video of the greatest vocalist that ever lived - Whitney Houston. This was probably during '93-94 after The Bodyguard had just come out and she was at the peak of her prime. I remember watching this performance that night and it blew me away. The power and control this woman has puts Aretha Franklin and Mariah Carey to shame. That is why she is referred to in the music industry as simply "The Voice".
The second video is a prime example of why I decided to make a whole site dedicated to live performances in HD. The clarity in sound and picture quality makes you feel like you're there.
Best Website to Watch Free TV Shows and Movies
Posted by Daisy
on
Thursday, January 28, 2010
, under
entertainment
|
comments (0)
Cancel your cable tv and return that PVR because I am about to reveal my favorite website on the internet. A site I have only came across a couple of months ago which has revolutionized the way I look at TV programming. This website will blow your mind in both quantity and quality and will save your money in the process.
Most Expensive Condo in Vancouver
Posted by Daisy
on
Monday, January 25, 2010
, under
Canada
|
comments (0)
The other day my brother and I drove by a property under construction in the Point Grey area of Vancouver. Once complete this property will become one of the most expensive in Canada, valued to be around $30m. That got me curious as to which is the most expensive condominium in Canada. Turns out it is also in Vancouver and is estimated to be worth $17m.
Location
4101-1077 W Cordova St., Vancouver, B.C.
Bedrooms
6
Bathrooms
7
Sq ft
7,473
Despite this list being littered with homes, one condo did make the cut. And for good reason. This $16.8-million, 7,500-sq ft single-floor home belongs to an "action actor from Hollywood," says agent Mark Raymond. "He's best known from his many American martial arts movies."
While he's mum on this person's name, he does reveal that this A-lister spent $750,000 on a state-of-the-art audio and video setup and electronic blinds that cover the panoramic windows.
The condo is on the 41st floor of Shaw Tower, and is partly occupied by residential suites, but mostly houses Shaw Cable Vision's offices. That doesn't mean it has a corporate feel, though. Large limestone floors, "meticulous" millwork, a "Hollywood-style" dressing room and a full yoga and workout gym complement an impressive view of Coal Harbour.
The only thing missing from this sale? A walk-on part in a big budget action flick.
I happen to know which action star owns this sweet piece of real estate. It is none other than Jean Claude "I can do the splits on kitchen counters" Van Damme. The penthouse is on top of the Shaw Tower in the Coal Harbour area of downtown Vancouver overlooking the north mountains. I heard he bought it for approximately $4m around 2003 and made major customizations to the condo while it was being built.
With his added upgrades and the condo boom that took place between 2003 til now, I estimate that his penthouse's market value should be closer to $20m. Van Damme banked big time in the purchase of this property. I've actually worked out with him a few times. Okay, not WITH him but right beside him at the gym near by.
I will do a future post on the most expensive residential property in Canada on the market at the current time. It's estimated to be worth $25m and happens to be down the road from my house.
Universal Studios free photo booth
These are clips from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno where they do a bit in Universal Studios. They set up a free photo booths for unsuspecting tourists and the results are hilarious.
.
The Final 3 - Best card trick in the book
Ever wish you knew a cool card trick so that you can entertain your friends? One that involves really no special skill or magic but very impressive nonetheless? Well here's one you can easily master.
The 5 Cs of Credit
Unless you have all the money in the world, eventually everyone at some point will need to borrow money from the bank. Whether you want to purchase a car, establish a credit history, consolidate debts, or buy a home, there will come a time when you will need to apply for credit.
Today I'm going to explain what all lenders look at when evaluating any credit application. These factors will determine whether you will be approved for any credit be it a $500 credit card or a $500,000 mortgage. Being aware of the factors that affects your application will help put you in a better position the next time you apply for any credit. Theses factors are called the 5 C's of credit.
1. Credit Rating
This factor is based on your credit score, the higher your score the more likely you will be approved. Banks want to know that they'll be getting their money back, and preferably on time as promised. Your past credit history will be a good indication of that. The lower your rating, the higher the risk the bank must take on as a lender to you. This is why it is important to make sure you have good credit in case you ever need to borrow money.
2. Capacity
This measures your ability to pay and is based on your cash flow (income vs expenses). Banks want to make sure you have enough income to meet your existing monthly obligations plus the new loan payments. It is an industry standard to gauge your ability to service your debts by two debt ratios:
- The GDS (gross debt service) ratio is based on just your housing costs. It shows the proportion of your income that must be used for housing. If you rent and are not looking for a mortgage then your housing costs will include only your monthly rent. If you own a home or are applying for a mortgage, then your housing costs would include your monthly [mortgage payment + heating + property taxes + condo fees + fire insurance]. This total is divided by your gross monthly income to get your GDS ratio or (potential GDS if you're applying for a mortgage).Banks want to see your GDS under 32%
- The TDS (total debt service) ratio is a wider measure of your ability to pay as it also includes all your other monthly obligations in addition to your housing costs. These include any existing loan payments, your (minimum) monthly credit card payments, and all other monthly payments that you are obligated to pay in addition to housing. Banks want to see your TDS under 40%.
3. Capital
This factor measures your assets and is a component of your net worth. The more assets you have (car, bank accounts, investment accounts, house) the more likely you will be approved. Having assets can only help your application so it serves your best interest to disclose as much as possible them. Even if your debt ratios are above the guidelines set or your credit is not that great, having sufficient assets might be the deciding factor for them to approve the loan.
4. Collateral
This factor serves as insurance for the bank. The more assets you are willing to put up to insure the bank in case of a default, the more likely you will be approved for a loan. A fully insured debt is called a secured debt and because they completely eliminate the risk of the bank they typically offer the best interest rates and easiest approval. Such credits include secured loans, lines of credits, and credit cards. In the case of a mortgage, the house will be used as collateral in the event of a default. The more the down payment or equity you have in the home, the less risky you are as a borrower.
5. Character:
This last factor is the least important (but I have successfully used this many times to convince the banks to approve credit for my clients). It looks at how you are as a person. It looks at your job stability, your education, your profession, your relationship with the bank, and these sorts of things to try to gauge what type of person you are and whether a person of your character is likely to default on a loan.
5. Character:
This last factor is the least important (but I have successfully used this many times to convince the banks to approve credit for my clients). It looks at how you are as a person. It looks at your job stability, your education, your profession, your relationship with the bank, and these sorts of things to try to gauge what type of person you are and whether a person of your character is likely to default on a loan.
These 5 Cs of credit are what all adjudicators look at when evaluating every credit application for any lender. Remember they are just lending guidelines and are not written in stone. Having a bad credit rating can still get you approved for a loan if there is collateral or if you have a lot of assets. You can still be approved for a loan if your debt ratios are higher than 32% and 40% if you have excellent credit. You can be approved for a mortgage with no down payment (no collateral) if you have a very high income (capacity). Which factor will be the most important in your credit application will depend on the type of credit you are applying for.
In a future post on credit I will go into more detail on the factor that is generally the most important in any credit application (especially a mortgage) and that is capacity - your ability to service the debt. By looking at your expenses and income, I will show you how to use your TDS and GDS to determine the maximum amount of money the bank will let you borrow when you are looking to purchase a property (or any type of credit for that matter).
Figuring out this amount on your own before speaking to the bank or realtor is the very first thing you should do when planning to buy a home (or even applying for a small loan).
Read more about the first factor here:
Good Credit: How It Works & What They Never Tell You
