Buying a car online

It is easier now than ever before to buy a vehicle online. The real question, though, is if purchasing a car online is a good idea.

Do not believe anything you see

The best decision you are able to make is to look into a used car before you really purchase it. If possible, local bargains will be the best because you do not have to stress about paying for shipping of the vehicle, travel to get the automobile or for somebody else to drive the vehicle to you. Online ads sometimes have incorrect images while avoiding complete accuracy.

Stay near where you live

Make sure you get a vehicle that is as close to local as possible for you. This is something everyone should do, specifically if it is being acquired online. You can get a local dealer to check out the vehicle. Make sure you call the dealer yourself and set up the appointment and then have the person take the vehicle for the car checkup. The mechanic can email you the results and make sure the automobile is in good working condition. Make sure you get recommendations from friends in the area or look at online reviews to make sure that you get the best possible mechanic.

Photos from someone you know

If you can, find someone to go look at the automobile and take pictures. They should test-drive it if they can and should take photos of trouble spots. The seller is going to be willing to put up with this if you are spending more on the automobile purchase. A friend or local contractor on TaskRabbit or other service can help you do this.

Buying is all that is left

You may have decided that it is worth your time and cash to get a vehicle that has been photographed and test driven already. Keep in mind that you will still need to pay tax on the vehicle based on laws in each state. That is an expense individuals often forget. Put the cash into escrow till it is delivered if you want. Another choice is to do a contract that shows exactly what cash you are both responsible for when it comes to shipping, delivery and unreported damage to the automobile.

Sources Escrow.com Beat the car salesman CarTalk.com

Father and mother are keeping newborn's gender a secret

Toronto locals Kathy Witterick and David Stocker became third-time parents with the New Year's Day birth of their baby Storm. What makes their story special is the fact that they have decided to keep their child's gender a mystery until the time comes when Storm he or she decides to expose it.

Parents are standing for freedom

"We've decided not to share Storm's sex for now - a tribute to freedom and choice in place of limitation, a stand up to what the world could become in Storm's lifetime (a more progressive place? ...)," wrote Witterick, 38.

Only a few know baby's sex

Not even the grandparents know. It is a true secret. Storm's sex is something only a few individuals know. There was one close family friend given the information. The two midwives that helped deliver the baby also know. Storm's two older brothers, Jazz, 5, and Kio, 2, also know the gender. Nobody has said what it is yet though.

Questioning, 'Is it a girl or a boy'

"When the baby comes out, even the individuals who love you probably the most and know you so intimately, the first question they ask is, 'Is it a girl or a boy?'" Witterick said. Her husband Stocker, 39, an educator at an alternative school, added: "If you really want to get to know someone, you don't ask what's between their legs."

Choosing for themselves

"What we noticed is that parents make so many choices for their children. It's obnoxious," Stocker said.

Witterick and Stocker believe children are capable of making meaningful decisions from a very young age. Kio and Jazz pick out their own clothes and decide when they want haircuts already.

Calling their kids 'unschooled'

The children are "unschooled" by their parents. The father and mother use their children's natural curiosity to home school. According to Witterick, it is "not something that happens by rote from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays in a building with a group of same-age people, planned, implemented and assessed by someone else."

Why they decided this

Witterick said that Jazz was having "intense" gender problems which caused them to keep this child's sex a secret. Stocker came across a 1978 book titled "X: A Fabulous Child's Tale," by Lois Gould. The book showed a baby being raised sex neutral. The kid ended up living a great life.

"It became so compelling it was almost like, how could we not?" Witterick said.

How they respond to negativity

Witterick said, "We always turn the question back. Yeah, when will this end? When will we live in a world where people can make choices to be whoever they are?" This is whenever people are resistant about the decision.

Information from

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/is-raising-a-gender-neutral-child-a-fantasy/2011/05/25/AGr1mPBH_blog.html

Yahoo News

news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110524/ts_yblog_thelookout/parents-keep-childs-gender-under-wraps

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1389593/Kathy-Witterick-David-Stocker-raising-genderless-baby.html

Beer costs keeping up the rising trend

No product is immune from inflation. As we're forced to tighten our belts, costs continue to rise. As the summer season approaches, with promises of barbecues and outdoor activities, beer prices escalate faster than they have in three years.

Increase of beer price common

In 2011, the cost of beer has risen steadily. It went up in both January and February 2.6 percent. And domestic, specialty and non-alcoholic beer prices have gone up 5 percent to 8 percent from a just a year ago. Most craft beers have been hit quite hard. It was not easy for them. Prices are up 42 cents a case since last year, according to Paul Gatza, who is director of the Brewers Association.

Selling hops

Without hops, beer wouldn't be possible. It is the main ingredient. About 35 percent of the world's supply comes from Germany. Three years ago Bavaria, the largest state in Germany, was devastated by a poor hops crop. Brewers worldwide felt the crunch, prices rose and, though the crunch has lessened somewhat since then, they're still scrambling to make up for it.

Grain creation is down

Grains are also essential to beer. Without them, it would be impossible. One very commonly used ones is malted barley. Grain production is down this season because of a drought in China and a devastating heat wave in the Ukraine region of Russia. beer prices have gone up due to this too. The International Monetary Fund reports that barley prices have gone up a lot from last year until now. They went from $137.30 per metric ton to $196.37.

Increasing price of gas

Transportation is another factor. Raw materials have to be delivered to the brewer before they are also shipped from the manufacturer to the customer. Bio-fuel costs continue to increase. This means beer prices increase too.

Getting rid of a pub in the United Kingdom

Everywhere in the world is having this problem. It isn't just in the U.S. England is suffering a small business crisis as pub after pub, which is a mainstay of their local economy, is closing down. There were tax hikes and smoking bans some blame for this. It is mostly because of the cost though.

"I would drink in pubs if the prices were not so high," said Pete Jayes of Corby, England. "You can buy it for half the price in the supermarket."

Information from

Daily Finance

dailyfinance.com/2011/05/19/whys-my-beer-so-expensive-the-forces-behind-a-sudsy-economic-i/

Evening Telegraph

northantset.co.uk/news/local/corby/jobs_fear_over_the_rising_cost_of_beer_1_2503350

Fox Business

foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/03/17/raise-glass-higher-beer-prices-st-patricks-day/

Accusations denied as Bishop Eddie Long photos arise

There are some Bishop Eddie Long pictures which are coming to light. The photos in question were all allegedly received by the individuals suing Bishop Eddie Long. The New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, which Long is the head pastor of, has over 24,000 members. The Bishop Eddie Long scandal entails some young men which were mentored by Long. It is alleged that Eddie Long, who had previously fervently preached against homosexuals, had engaged in inappropriate and predatory acts of a sexual nature with these men he mentored.

Bishop Eddie Long images come up

Not long after the lawsuit was filed against Eddie Long, photos started surfacing of the pastor, as outlined by CBS. The photos were allegedly from the really individuals suing him. Some of the pictures are definitely not official portraits. The pictures show Long posing in really tight fitting clothing. Even the plaintiffs' lawyer states the pictures in question are innocent. The content is unknown, but it is known Long emailed the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit is nearly class action

A fourth person has joined the lawsuit against Bishop Long, according to CNN. All four plaintiffs allege that Long used his position of power within the church to elicit sexual favors. Long was also the men's benefactor. All four were in a mentoring program run by Long's church. Long maintains his innocence. He has fervently denied all allegations. Long has been labeled a bigot within the past for his stance o n homosexuality. He has waxed stentorian about the issue before. He even led a march for a ban on very same sex marriages.

The reality should come out

The case is going to go in front of a judge. Bishop Long ministers to a mega-church. The membership totals over 24,000. There is usually never an empty seat at one of his sermons, which routinely draw over 10,000.

Further reading

CNN
cnn.com/2010/CRIME/09/24/georgia.pastor.lawsuit/index.html?iref=obinsite
CBS News
cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20017613-504083.html?tag=contentMain;contentBody