Titanic Crazy

Interesting Facts About Top Ten Romantic Movies

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:00:31 +0000

Movies have always created an aura of magic and charm in the world of entertainment. A larger than life portrayal of characters, which makes deep impression in the sensitive minds of film lovers, remains a classic forever. Hundreds of films are being made every year. But only a few movies can create that magic spell on its viewers. These dreams, which are gracefully created on the silver screen, make a permanent place in the hearts of millions of movie lovers.

It is very hard for anyone to select top 10 romantic movies of all times since every good romantic film has its own charm and delicacy. Even then, there really are a few films which never lose their charm even with age.

A film like that has to be Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. The glamorously created movie is set in Rome. It is the tale of a beautiful princess who is bored of her daily routine of grandeur and opulence. Therefore, she sets off for a quick look at the regular life of ordinary people and ends up at the quaint little apartment of Gregory Peck who happens to be a journalist. Thus, the romance starts between the princess and the pauper. The dramatic and yet unhappy ending of this film makes it immortal in its genre.

The second best film in the romantic category has been Anastasia starring Yule Breyner and Grace Kelly. The film was created aesthetically in the backdrop of Russia. It is the ultimate dream made visible on the celluloid. The fantasy and fairy tale romance between gorgeous Grace Kelly and tough Yule Breyner makes the film an evergreen tale of romance.

In third position one would place Walk in the Clouds which stars Keanu Reeves and Aitana Sanchez-Gijon. Shot in the north California, the film narrates a very mushy love between two strangers in the beautiful intoxicating vineyards of North California.

In the fourth position is a film which tells a different kind of a love story called Ghost starring Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze. The name indicates that it is not the love between two mortal human beings but between a husband who loves his lovely wife so dearly that even after his death he protects her from every possible danger.

Pearl Harbour takes the fifth place in the list of top 10 movies. It is set in the backdrop of the Second World War and the notorious destruction caused by the Japanese on the Pearl Harbour. Kate Bekinsale and Ben Afflek looked magnificent in the film – a real love story in the time of distress. The cinematography was excellent and the songs sung by Faith Hill became instant hits.

Then comes Titanic – an all time favorite of everyone. The famous song sung by Celine Dion has made a permanent place in the hearts of millions. Seventh comes When Harry met Sally, a really funny movie to watch. Meg Ryan is marvelous in this movie.

In the eighth position comes Pretty Woman, a heart-warming movie with all the commercial ingredients. The star cast is the main attraction of this movie. You’ve Got Mail, starring the evergreen pair Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, occupies the ninth position. This film was a first of its kind. And lastly, it is none other than Splash, which is again a very unusual love story between a mermaid played by swimmer Daryll Hannah and a small time employee taken up by Tom Hanks.

How to Stay Awake All Night

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:31:11 +0000

There are various reasons why you might need to pull an all nighter. Whether you are a student who frequently leaves studying until the last minute, a parent trying to get by on little or no sleep or simply someone who wants to party it up all night long, it can be very useful to know how to stay awake all night.

No matter what your reason for needing to stay awake, you have two main choices. You can either stay awake by using natural methods or through the use of . . . not so natural methods.

Natural Ways to Stay Awake

These would include things that are actually good for you, like taking a nap earlier in the day to give you the energy needed to stay up through the night. There are a number of ways to stay up without resorting to energy drinks and other non-natural help.

What you eat plays a big factor in how to stay awake all night. A heavy meal in the evening, rich in carbs, will make you sleepy fairly early and you’ll have difficulties getting through the evening, much less the wee hours of the morning. Instead, stick to fairly light foods and look for things that give you energy, like a banana or salad.

Exercise can also help and this is a great way to keep your mind clear, as well. This is a great way to give yourself a burst of energy in the middle of the night. Try jogging in place, doing jumping jacks or even jogging around the room or block.

Fresh air is another method of waking yourself up, so open a window and let the cool night air in. If it’s cold, all the better.

Not-so-Natural Ways to Stay Awake

Caffeine is what most people think of when they want to stay up all night, but if you really want to know how to stay up all night, you need to combine some things. Caffeine is great, but add in some sugar and you have a potent combination. Not very great for you, but effective. Heavily sugared coffee or caffeine candies are perfect for this.

The other option is to drink energy drinks with things like taurine and adrenaline to get your blood pumping and heart racing. These are not good for you in excess, but if you just need to stay up for one night, you can certainly rely on these to keep you awake. When used too often, they lose their effect and you will have to drink more and more to stay awake.

There are probably more non-natural methods available for keeping you awake than natural ones, so it’s up to you to decide which is best for you. Educate yourself, try a few different methods and see which works best. If you want to know how to stay awake all night, it might take some testing to find the best way.

STUDENTS WITH DEBT FEEL LIKE THE POOR ON TITANIC

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:22 +0000

By Stuart Siegel, CCPS

Who got off the ship first? Rich people. Everyone else was just left to drown.

I have nothing against rich folk. In fact, I wish I were in the club. But even if I had sipped bubbly and dined on lobster and caviar every night, I doubt I would’ve ignored the screams of four out of ten college graduates going down with the ship.

Imagine the victim’s faces, realizing the irony of it all as they watch the lifeboats being filled with the privileged few; the banks and assorted essential industries, paddling off to safe harbors. The same government that loaned them the very money they needed to be educated so that very same government could tax their future earnings has again preferred to bail out the ne’er-do-wells of high finance and let the common citizenry swim for it.

For a country depending on the next generation to get us out of the economic mess we’re in, the inability of recent grads to pay off unshakable debt, let alone crack the monthly nut creates a lack of faith in a brighter future and that is truly a horrifying prospect. It’s as though the Pharaohs have returned.The College Board reports that student debt is increasing by eight percent per year while incomes have all but stagnated.

This means that the debt graduates are carrying is growing faster than their initial chances to earn the money to repay it.

Once a student graduates, loans go into repayment within six to nine months, regardless of what the job market is doing. Loans can be deferred, but never erased (unless you die or are permanently disabled). And when those payments are due, many will face the prospect of paying back not only fixed-rate federal loans but also high-interest private loans.

For those unable to find adequately paying jobs, and there will be plenty, the consequences of defaulting on student loans can be life-altering, ranging from ruined credit reports to garnished wages to liens placed against property and bank accounts. Not even declaring bankruptcy can hold them exempt.

Today’s graduates don’t deserve the hand dealt them. They were told by those who were to be believed and respected that a college education was the way to a better life. They were told that if they worked hard, they could go to the college of their dreams. For way too many, that dream has morphed into a nightmare. Perhaps, someone should have pounded into their brains this old adage instead, “Never pay retail when you can get it wholesale.”

The options graduates have at their disposal are few and to some, not very inviting. Here are the best alternatives of dealing with unmanageable student debt that I can come up with short of fraud and embezzlement.

Lower the payments

If your monthly loan costs are simply too much, one simple and immediate solution is to reduce them by finding out if you can lengthen the amount of time you have to pay the loan, say from 10 years to 20 years, for example. Of course, extending the loan term means paying more interest over time, but lowering the monthly payment amount may be the top priority right now. Remember, borrowers can always increase the monthly payments later – and thereby shorten the length of the loan – as the financial situation improves in the future.

Consolidation

Students often sign up for a number of different loans to finance their education. This may mean ending up writing several checks to different lenders at various points in the month. By consolidating, a new loan is taken, which is equal to the total debt, and that is used to pay off all existing balances. Then there is just one student loan bill each month. One good point about consolidating federal loans is that there are no origination fees deducted because they were already paid when the other loans were issued.

This will make life easier, but it may not necessarily lower the overall monthly outlay, depending on the new loan terms. If a consolidation loan does reduce monthly payments, you should make sure the terms of the loan are closely examined. And you should remember if you will be paying off the consolidation loan over a longer period, the loan will cost more in the end, so it may not be the best choice.

Last resorts

There are some programs that allow deferment and/or forgiveness of student loans. It’s possible to cancel some or all federal student loan balance by signing up for any one of a number of programs aimed at making a positive change in the world. For example, teaching in an elementary or secondary school in a low-income area can reduce some federal loan totals.

The Peace Corps: Volunteers may apply for deferment of Stafford, Perkins and Consolidation loans and partial cancellation of Perkins Loans (15% for each year of service, up to 70% in total). Volunteers make a real difference in the lives of real people with two years of service in more than 70 developing countries.

AmeriCorps: Serve for 12 months and receive up to $7,400 in stipends plus $4,725 to be used towards loans.

Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA): Volunteer with private, non-profit groups that help eradicate hunger, homelessness, poverty and illiteracy. Provide 1700 hours (42.5 weeks) of service and receive $4,725 or $2.78 per hour. Volunteers may qualify to postpone loan payments while they are involved in the program and receive stipends, which can be used to pay off student loan debt.

Health professionals who spend two years working with the National Health Service Corps serving communities who have a shortage of medical help can qualify for loan forgiveness of up to $25,000 a year. In addition, many law schools have loan forgiveness programs for newly minted attorneys who take jobs in public interest law. If you have a strong interest in making a difference, the commitment can also help you relieve some of your student loan obligations.

You can always go home

Hopefully, there’s room at the inn. So unless you’re the “I want to make a difference in the world type”, a doctor or lawyer, there’s not much for you to do short of moving back in with the parents. For today’s college graduates, there are no easy answers, no quick fixes.

But there is something you can do about it. Start with complaining to your congressman or woman (their offices actually listen to their constituents), senators, and the President. If three million graduates exercise their right to protest and demand change, it’s possible that there will be a reason to believe in the emancipation of the college graduates of today and tomorrow.

For college admissions and financial aid information please visit: http://www.collegetuitionsolutions.com

For more on what you can do about student debt contact the Project on Student Debt at https://projectonstudentdebt.org/voices_post.php