I was thinking to myself if that Statuesque figure drapped in a blanket could come alive right at that moment and see where we have come in the short 100 plus years since his death. Would he understand modern technology? Maybe in his wisdom he had some insightful vision of what we would become?

My attention immediately drew back to the cluster of Texters whose fingers were sending out volumes of characters and phonic codes into the cellular highways of our modern world. Would our modern ancestors understand this impersonal form of communication or would they find us genius and efficient.

A cool Northwest gust of wind stirred me back to the reality of July 2009, Seattle, WA. The army of busy workers surrounding me seemed all very normal and I closed my eyes to think of all the wonderful words using that were being sent out to people. I looked up at the Regal Chief Seattle and under my breathe whispered a thot to him- would you text your words if you could. I imagined he peered back at me and winked- affirmative.

WHAT IS TEXT MESSAGING?

Text messaging is most often used between private mobile phone users, as a substitute for voice calls in situations where voice communication is impossible or undesirable. In some regions, text messaging is significantly cheaper than placing a phone call to another mobile phone.

Short message services are developing very rapidly throughout the world. In 2000, just 17 billion SMS messages were sent; in 2001, the number was up to 250 billion, and 500 billion SMS messages in 2008. At an average cost of USD 0.10 per message, this generates revenues in excess of $50 billion for mobile telephone operators and represents close to 100 text messages for every person in the world.

I looked into how Text messaging is being used today by various Unions and found that the applications are very effective in saving money and time to communicate with its members. Here is a list of some of those applications.

Labor Union Applications for Text Messaging

Updates on current contract negotiations

Info on where to find details on current  votes

Notice about meeting dates and  events

Links to other portals for information related to  their cause

Outcome of latest votes

General survey of member reaction to specific  happenings

1-on-1 communication with  members

Labor Union managers are becoming more proactive in their approach to new technologies. Text messaging is the easiest, cheapest and most time efficient way to communicate with ones members.

I, like Chief Seattle embrace this change in how I communicate with our Labor union members. If you want to discuss this with me give me a call.

Mike Maddy-800 741-2049 ext 1

President,

Unions.org

Family Law for Union Members- Eric Lumberg

The experienced family law attorneys at the Law Office of Eugene Lumberg and Eric S. Lumberg are committed to helping a party through the difficult and emotional challenges involved in any domestic matter.  If you are thinking about getting a divorce, need help in any family law matter or have already become involved in a court case, we can help. We handle all matters that come during and after a divorce or other domestic situation including child custody and visitation issues, support for minor children and other expenses, spousal support, property issues and asset management.  We also handle modification of child custody, visitation and support after the divorce is final.  We will work with our client to enforce any court orders and secure all property distributions. Anyone involved in a divorce or domestic matter knows how emotional it can be.  Your life, your family and your future are at stake.  Having an attorney who understands your emotional concerns is equally as important as knowing your financial issues. Your attorney should listen to your thoughts and concerns at all stages of the proceeding and offer full explanations of the process and procedure.  Knowing what to expect in and out of court will help with your emotional thoughts and let you concentrate on the other important issues to help you protect and secure your family and future. Every case is managed with your concerns in mind after extensive discussions about your needs.  We are focused and committed to the areas that concern you the most such as child custody and parenting time, support and property division.  In every case, we focus on your specific needs in order to provide security and protection of your life. We take your financial security seriously and work to protect and resolve any complex property or financial issues.  We work with a team of experts on issues such as business valuation, forensic accounting and retirement account distribution.  Most people will have significant short and long term financial effects and we work to minimize any negative impacts for our clients.  In protecting financial assets, your family security is protected as well. Domestic issues can continue even after the divorce is over, especially if there are minor children.  Since many issues will continue involving the kids until they are adults, the parties can not avoid at least some contact with each other.  Support can be modified as either parents’ income changes.  We work with our clients to make sure that current support and expenses are consistent with income.  It is important that when a change of circumstance occurs, that you contact an attorney immediately to discuss your rights.  Further, both parties must work to place any negative feelings toward the ex-spouse behind them and focus on the future. This can negatively affect the minor children during parenting time periods.  If a modification of the custody order or parenting time schedule is needed, we work with our clients to fully realize the factors necessary to make a change. We also represent clients opposed to changes in support or custody orders.  Such attempts may affect your child support, payment of expenses, or time spent with your child.  There may also be an attempt to move away significantly impacting your family.  We work to explain the process and the requirements of all court procedures to protect your rights and your family.  Contact an attorney at the Law Office of Eugene Lumberg and Eric S. Lumberg today at 248-626-8383 to discuss your family law matter. We also represent our clients in other matters such as all traffic issues, license restoration and modification, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs and open intoxicants.  If you or a family member, including your children, has these issues, contact us today to protect your rights and your future.  Any action taken today can have lasting effects on you later. If you or a family member is involved in a criminal case, contact us immediately to discuss your rights.  Early involvement insures that you get the best possible representation and protection of your rights.  We represent clients in the entire Metro Detroit area, including Oakland, Wayne, Macomb and Washtenaw counties and all cities and townships.  Call the Law Office of Eugene Lumberg and Eric S. Lumberg today at 248-626-8383.

VA Loan Eligibility

There are more than 25.5 million Veterans and service personnel eligible for VA financing, and the VA Loans offer many advantages. Keep in mind that VA Loans are only for Veterans who served on active duty and have a discharge other than dishonorable after serving a minimum of 90 days during wartime or a minimum of 181 continuous days during peacetime. There is a six-year requirement for the National Guard and Reservists with certain criteria. If you meet the these requirements, you are lucky enough to be eligible to pre-qualify for VA Home Loan.

If you are a first-time homebuyer and eligible for a VA Loan think about the following:

• With a VA Home Loan, you can buy a new home for up to $800,000 with no down-payment and get the same low VA Loan interest rate.
• With a VA Loan, the seller is allowed to pay all of your closing costs.

The following are other important facts you should know when looking at getting a VA Home Loan:

• All qualified Veterans have an equal opportunity to obtain a VA Loan.
• Va Loans do not require a down payment.
• With Va Loans, the uyer informed of reasonable value.
• VA Loans have a negotiable interest rate.
• VA Loans offer the ability to finance the VA funding fee and offer reduced funding fees with a down payment of at least 5%. Veterans receiving VA compensation are exempt from the funding fee.
• VA Loans offer comparable if not lower closing costs to other financing types
• VA Loans do not require mortgage insurance, saving you money on premiums
• VA Loans offer an assumable mortgage
• VA Loans give you the right to prepay without penalty .
• For homes inspected by the VA during construction, you can get a warranty from the builder and assistance from the VA to obtain cooperation of the builder
• The VA offers assistance to Veteran borrowers in default on their VA Loan due to temporary financial difficulty

Which lender should you use to get a reverse mortgage? It may depend on the type of loan you want. Public sector reverse mortgages aren't available in most areas. And when they are, usually only one government agency offers any specific type of loan. Normally, you can't have more than one type of public sector reverse mortgage on your home. So you would be selecting a loan type—for example, a property tax deferral loan, or a deferred payment home repair loan—rather than a lender.

In the private sector, the federally-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is by far the most frequently selected reverse mortgage. That is why lenders offering proprietary private sector plans also offer HECMs. So this article focuses on selecting a HECM lender. But it also tells you which of them can give you the side-by-side comparisons of HECM versus proprietary loans that meet AARP's model specifications.

What lender should you use to get a federally-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM)? AARP advises that you consider cost, origination services, loan servicing, and a lender's professional commitment to meeting your needs.

Cost

HECM loan costs can vary by a lot from lender to lender, so it pays to shop around before deciding on a lender. Letting lenders know that you are shopping around may also help you get a better deal.

The only HECM costs that lenders do not control are the upfront and monthly mortgage insurance premiums. So you need to find out how much each lender you are considering would charge you for the origination fee, all third-party closing costs, the monthly servicing fee, and—most importantly—the interest rate. Some lenders may say that their interest rate is based on a specific rate index plus a “margin.” If they do, ask what the actual interest rate would currently be.

When comparing the cost of loan fees versus interest, keep in mind that the interest rate will apply to your total and growing loan balance for as long as the loan lasts. Ask lenders and your HECM counselor to show you what the impact of different available combinations of loan fees and interest rates would be on the amount you would owe in the future. If you are concerned about rising interest rates on an adjustable rate loan, ask them to show you how much more you would owe if the average rate on your loan would be higher than the rate initially charged on the loan.

Origination Services

The level of service a lender provides is more difficult to judge than cost is, but service is just as important. You want your loan officer to be knowledgeable, experienced, and respectful.

After reading all of AARP's Web site information on reverse mortgages, you will be better able to judge how well a lender knows reverse mortgages. How long a lender has been offering reverse mortgages and in how many places may be particularly important if your loan runs into any unexpected snags. An experienced lender has already encountered most of the issues that can cause problems, and is most likely to have a good working relationship with the nearest HUD office.

You also want a loan officer who respects your knowledge and preferences and helps you reach your own decisions. You don't want to feel pressured by a loan officer, And you don't want a loan officer who is clearly more concerned about selling you a loan than meeting your needs.

Loan Servicing

At loan closing, most lenders transfer their loans to another office or company that specializes in servicing the loan. Ask each lender you are considering, "Who will service my loan after it closes?" and request a sample of the account statements the servicer would send you.

Make certain you fully understand all the information on these statements. In particular, if you are considering a HECM creditline, find out how the servicer would keep you informed about the growing amount of cash that a HECM creditline provides.

Professional Commitment

A commitment to meeting consumer needs can be seen in a lender's professional relationships and consumer information. For example, members of the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) have developed "best practices" for their industry. If you don't want to be contacted by a NRMLA lender, however, be sure to state that preference if you request any NRMLA publications.

Lenders committed to the highest standard of consumer information can provide loan analyses and comparisons that meet AARP's model specifications. The only computer software currently meeting this standard is the Reverse Mortgage Analyzer by Financial Freedom Senior Funding Corporation, and two programs by Ibis Software: the Reverse Mortgage Originator (RMO) and the Reverse Mortgage Analyst (RMA). Lenders currently using RMO are listed on the Ibis  Web site. The printout with the key side-by-side comparisons is called the "Reverse Mortgage Performance" report in the Financial Freedom software, and the "Reverse Mortgage Comparisons" report in the Ibis RMO and RMA software. Be sure to ask for these specific printouts, especially if you are considering a proprietary loan.

Free Reverse Mortgage Information

Complete this form and a free inside information on reverse mortgages packet and the new added benefits for seniors Congress just passed will be sent to you:

Free Reverse Mortgage Information Form

Homeowner Information Name:        First   Last Phone: (555-555-5555) Email: Best time to Call: anytime morning afternoon evening Applicant Age   Co-Applicant Age Select Age 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 None 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100       Co-Applicant Information Name:    First Middle Initial Last Date of Birth:  (mm/dd/yy)

Home/Property Information State: - Select - AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY Zip: Value of Home: $ Select Home Value 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000 110,000 120,000 130,000 140,000 150,000 160,000 170,000 180,000 190,000 200,000 210,000 220,000 230,000 240,000 250,000 260,000 270,000 280,000 290,000 300,000 310,000 320,000 330,000 340,000 350,000 360,000 370,000 380,000 390,000 400,000 410,000 420,000 430,000 440,000 450,000 460,000 470,000 480,000 490,000 500,000 525,000 550,000 575,000 600,000 625,000 650,000 675,000 700,000 725,000 750,000 775,000 800,000 825,000 850,000 875,000 900,000 925,000 950,000 975,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 4,000,000 4,500,000 5,000,000 Current Mortgage Balance: $ Select Mtg/Lien Amt 0 500 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000 70,000 80,000 90,000 100,000 110,000 120,000 130,000 140,000 150,000 160,000 170,000 180,000 190,000 200,000 210,000 220,000 230,000 240,000 250,000 260,000 270,000 280,000 290,000 300,000 310,000 320,000 330,000 340,000 350,000 360,000 370,000 380,000 390,000 400,000 410,000 420,000 430,000 440,000 450,000 460,000 470,000 480,000 490,000 500,000 525,000 550,000 575,000 600,000 625,000 650,000 675,000 700,000 725,000 750,000 775,000 800,000 825,000 850,000 875,000 900,000 925,000 950,000 975,000 1,000,000 1,500,000 2,000,000 2,500,000 3,000,000 3,500,000 4,000,000 4,500,000 5,000,000 Comments:

DUI Laws by State

Every state has drunk driving laws. Most states refer to drunk driving as DUI; some states refer to drunk driving as DWI; still others refer to drunk driving as OUI, OWI, DUII, DWAI, OUIL or OMVI. But no matter what you call it, the consequences are potentially severe: jail, fines, loss of driver's license, required ignition interlock devices, attendance at alcohol education programs, lectures given by MADD, SADD, or RADD, community service or freeway cleanup, increased car insurance rates, a criminal conviction, and more.

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have per se laws defining it as a crime to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above a proscribed level, 0.08 percent. Forty-five states permit some offenders to drive only if their vehicles have been equipped with ignition interlocks. These devices analyze a driver's breath and disable the ignition if the driver has been drinking. In 30 states, multiple offenders may forfeit vehicles that are driven while impaired by alcohol.

Forty-three states and Washington D.C. have laws prohibiting the driver, passengers or both from possessing an open container of alcohol in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

License suspension or revocation traditionally follows conviction for alcohol-impaired driving. Under a procedure called administrative license suspension, licenses are taken before conviction when a driver fails or refuses to take a chemical test. Because administrative license suspension laws are independent of criminal procedures and are invoked right after arrest, they've been found to be more effective than traditional post-conviction sanctions. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia have administrative license suspension laws.

Prosecution for drunk driving in every state focuses on four areas: driving patterns, physical appearance, field sobriety tests, and chemical tests (or the refusal to give a breath or blood test, which may show a consciousness of guilt).

Prior drunk driving convictions may impact a current DUI arrest, but the formula will vary from state to state. In some states, the date of the prior arrest will control. In other states, the date of the prior conviction will control.

Because of the threat of loss of federal highway funds, there has been a strong trend to reduce the legal limit for those 21 and older to 0.08% across the country. No one is lobbying on behalf of the impaired driver. However, given the problems associated with alcohol testing technologies, and possible subjective and erratic manner in which drunk driving investigations can be performed in the field, there may be doubts as to whether some DUI arrests and prosecutions are justified.

Questions & Answers When Looking For an Elder Law Attorney

Legal problems that affect the elderly are growing in number. Our laws and regulations are becoming more complex. Actions taken by older people with regard to a single matter may have unintended legal effects. It is important for attorneys dealing with the elderly to have a broad understanding of the laws that may have an impact on a given situation, to avoid future problems.

Unfortunately, this job is not made easy by the fact that Elder Law encompasses many different fields of law.

Some of these include:

• Preservation/transfer of assets seeking to avoid spousal impoverishment when a spouse enters a nursing home



• Medicaid



• Medicare claims and appeals



• Social security and disability claims and appeals



• Supplemental and long term health insurance issues.



• Disability planning, including use of durable powers of attorney, living trusts, "living wills," for financial management and health care decisions, and other means of delegating management and decision-making to another in case of incompetency or incapacity.



• Conservatorships and guardianships



• Estate planning, including planning for the management of one's estate during life and its disposition on death through the use of trusts, wills and other planning documents



• Probate



• Administration and management of trusts and estates



• Long-term care placements in nursing home and life care communities



• Nursing home issues including questions of patients' rights and nursing home quality



• Elder abuse and fraud recovery cases



• Housing issues, including discrimination and home equity conversions



• Age discrimination in employment



• Retirement, including public and private retirement benefits, survivor benefits and pension benefits



• Health law



• Mental health law

Most elder law attorneys do not specialize in every one of these areas. So when an attorney says he/she practices Elder Law, find out which of these matters he/she handles. You will want to hire the attorney who regularly handles matters in the area of concern in your particular case and who will know enough about the other fields to question whether the action being taken might be affected by laws in any of the other areas of law on the list. For example, if you are going to rewrite your will and your spouse is ill, the estate planner needs to know enough about Medicaid to know whether it is an issue with regard to your spouse's inheritance.

Attorneys who primarily work with the elderly bring more to their practice than an expertise in the appropriate area of law. They bring to their practice a knowledge of the elderly that allows them and their staff to ignore the myths relating to aging and the competence of the elderly. At the same time, they will take into account and empathize with some of the true physical and mental difficulties that often accompany the aging process. Their understanding of the afflictions of the aged allows them to determine more easily the difference between the physical versus the mental disability of a client. They are more aware of real life problems, health and otherwise, that tend to crop up as persons age. They are tied into a formal or informal system of social workers, psychologists and other elder care professionals who may be of assistance to you. All of these things will hopefully make you more comfortable when dealing with them and ease your way as you try to resolve your legal problem.

Discover everything you should know about quitting smoking.

Quiting Smoking is said to be the hardest addiction to overcome. In this article you'll learn how to break down your smoking triggers and overcome your nicotine addiction.  You'll educate yourself about the health risks of smoking and learn how to escape the cycle of quitting and then slipping up and smoking again.  You'll find helpful tips, new smoking cessation methods, and the latest information that will help you quit smoking for good...The key is making the effort to quit and rewarding yourself for taking those difficult steps.

By providing resources and useful information about smoking cessation, our site aims to help people permanently beat their nicotine addiction.  We offer valuable resources that will help you quit smoking and finally break free from nicotine addiction  so you can start enjoying new challenges again.  Don't waste any more of your time and money! It's not too late to gain your lungs

QUIT smoking NOW

Learn:  How you can break free from your nicotine addiction.

• How to fight the power of nicotine:  insider articles.
• What are the "true" consequences to your health of smoking? Read the "Ugly Facts About Smoking!"
• Understand how to use nicotine replacement products.
• Many more secret methods to fight and prevent slip-ups.
• Improve your will power.
• Deconstruct the psychological addiction that is created by habitually smoking cigarettes through cognitive therapy.