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Vintage Car & Motorcycle restoration enthusiasts all share one thing in common...

The difficulty in obtaining obsolete spare parts.

How many times have you tried to find a special part for your restoration project, only to find that it's unobtainable.

For the home restorer on a tight budget, it is actually possible to put money back into your own pocket... real savings can be made by learning a few simple skills. Lets face it, if you are rebuilding or restoring old vintage vehicles then you most likely already have many practical skills & abilities.

You could expand on your valuable practical skills even more.

Take for instance the dozens of mechanical components that need to be rebuild/reconditioned... professional re-builders will charge you quite a lot of money for reconditioning parts, which to all intents & purposes could be carried out in the home workshop at a substantially reduced cost.

You may already have the luxury of a lathe, milling machine and a collection of other associated machines in your workshop.

Cast your mind outside the square for a moment... if you're unable to produce a part by machining parts from a solid billet, then all you need to do is to build a simple gas fired furnace, fabricate some tools, mould boxes, and get hold of some green sand to make your sand moulds, learn some new skills, and you'll be able to melt & pour your own special aluminium & bronze parts.

Then you will be able to machine them in your lathe etc, to produce low cost high quality spare parts... it is possible... many people have been doing this for along time.

Why don't you join this select band of people who've discovered that casting your own metal parts is not that difficult, once you have learnt the basic techniques of the craft.

Once your mini foundry system is up and running, you'll wonder why the heck you didn't discover metal casting years ago.

Where you can download free ebooks, access free foundry directory info, and have a lot of fun learning new skills to add to your practical restoration skills.

Learning about metal casting could open up a whole new dimension & opportunities for you in your home workshop. But you wont know just how much until you take the step to learn. Why not take that step today?

My husband and I used to live in NYC. WE would often take dog for a walk last night to get her and us exercise. If you've ever lived in NYC, you know there is never any way to know what excitement that you will wander upon. This particular night, we heard some deep gospel sounds coming from a park near Lincoln Center so we wandered over to check out the event.

As we stood in the back with the other dog owners, a gray terrier and another brown dog came over to greet our dog Mallory. In New York, people always ask what the name of the dog is, but rarely take the time to meet and greet the person. Meanwhile, the owners politely wait as the dogs check each other out, and usually move on. This time however, the owner of the terrier, struck up a conversation with us. He told us that his other dog passed away over a month ago and was starting to look for a second dog as a companion for his 4-Ѕ year old terrier. He asked how Mallory was to train, and how smart she was and whether or not she made a good pet. We of course loved talking about our dog and told him everything he wanted to know.

Meanwhile, this guy had a friend who was walking his dog too. The other guy never took the time to come over and say hi or comment on our dog. David, the man we were chatting with explained to Sway and me that the two of them come to NYC from New Jersey with their dogs to meet women. They say that dogs are magnets to women and that they had met quite a lot of people this way. Simultaneously, our neighbors walked by and were surprised to see us talking to David. They had just spoken with him moments before so we all laughed at the coincidence of that.

David told us that he had been married for 11 years and that he was 48 years old. His buddy, Bob, was 49 and had never been married. They both said that by the strike of midnight on the millennium, they would have the one at their side that they loved, and they vowed that each other would be no where in sight! It was apparent that both men were good guys, they were both successful, but only David took the time to strike up a conversation with others around him.

Next, David asked how Sway and I met. He was shocked to discover that we had met 5 years ago on line. We met in a chat room on America On Line, and he seemed genuinely enthusiastic as we told him our story of meeting for the first time. I told him that in order to be as successful with women as he was with us, to be exactly who he was with us. He was interested in WHO we were and WHAT we were about. I explained that because men are visual, their first question on line to women is usually the typical, "what do you look like" and What are your stats?" I told him how frustrating it is to a woman to have to explain WHAT she looks like in order to have an interesting conversation. I told him that women would prefer to have a guy want to get to know her as a person first and then later, even 10 minutes later, looks can be discussed. I also told David that I tell guys on line who ask me what I look like and if I want to trade pictures even before we said hi, that I usually tell the men something that scares them . I tell men that if they have a woman to respond to their proposition, then they are probably REALLY dealing with a man posing as a woman and don't realize it. That usually does quiet them down? and I get a laugh out of it.

When I met Sway on line, one of the most incredible things about him was his concern for me as a person. I was going through a separation at the time and he spent more time asking me my opinion of life and of my situation than of my physical attributes. He could see from my profile that I enjoyed working out and kept fit. That may have kept him involved with the conversation but I chose to think that he had depth and that was why I fell for him.

It was about that time that I noticed my husband Sway, fading fast. He had been up since 5am, just drove 2 Ѕ hours from Philadelphia and had nothing to eat, and had survived the Lincoln tunnel without having road rage! I quickly told David that we had to go. We traded numbers and cards and promised to call if we had an eligible friend in mind for him.

After we left Sway and I talked about how lucky we were that we found one another. WE knew it could be us walking around the streets in NY late at night hoping to bump into the love of our lifetime. But we encouraged David to upgrade his limited typing skills and then bring his social skills to the Internet. I have no doubt that David WILL meet the perfect one. He is more interested in others than sharing about himself, yet he was also very willing to share his experiences with us and to help us however he could. He was polite and friendly and enthusiastic about everything we discussed.

Meeting David was a bonus that night. We talked, we laughed and we shared tips on life. If I have a friend who is looking, for a relationship I'll definitely keep David in mind. And so will our neighbors who met him too. And Bob? Bob had a dog, which was the first step, but he never risked anything of himself to meet anyone that night. It was my guess that Bob was hoping that people would come up to him to talk about his dog, instead of using the dog to strike up conversations. But most people would be perfectly content to just listen to the music or just watch the people. If Bob wants to meet others, he'll HAVE to learn how to initiate. He may have been afraid of rejection which is part of life, or maybe he didn't see the perfect woman to speak to. Meanwhile, David at least met 4 people, who have 2 friends, who have 2 friends?..

I wonder which one found their soulmate before New Years Eve? I wonder which one was dancing under the stars with a woman who was searching the world for him too? I wonder which one would try different ways to meet people who may set him up with women they think would be a good match? Sorry Bob, I'm putting my money on David.

Mary Gardner, The Charisma Coach! is an Executive Communications Consultant and Trainer. She works with, coaches and trains individuals, sales teams, executives, and celebrities. She owned and operated one of the first coaching institutions on the east coast, CCI, in NYC, Philly and NJ. Mary has appeared on ABC's 20/20 and has self published a book on public speaking. Mary is married to Sway and is mommy to Jeremy 5, and lives in Orlando, FL.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - She's aggressive with men, dynamic, hot-tempered, and very bossy. You must be very strong-willed with this woman and don't let her boss you around. Don't be a wimp, this woman loves a challenge.

She attracts men quiet easily and can discard them just as easily. Don't try to tie this woman down, she likes her freedom and doesn't like to be smothered. They are very energetic and aggressive in bed and reach orgasm very quickly. If you want some hot sex, this is the girl for you.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - They don't call this the sign of the bull for nothing! This woman is bull-headed and she likes to get her own way and can be very stubborn.

She's very down-to-earth and loves to take care of her man, so be sure and go along with letting her mother you. Shower her with plants, flowers, and money. This woman is very sensual in bed and likes to make love slowly. She can literally make love for hours! I hope you have a lot of sexual stamina to keep up with her!

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - This woman is a big flirt, so if you're the jealous and possessive type this can cause problems. She's very intelligent and the best way to her heart is through her mind. You must keep her mind stimulated to keep her from getting bored with you.

She loves to travel, so take her for weekend get-aways out-of-town. She loves to be stroked, so be sure and give her a sensual massage. They love variety in their sex life, so be sure and try different positions and make love in different settings (in front of the fireplace, in the bath tub or shower, on the kitchen counter, in an open field, etc.).

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - This woman will want to baby and take care of you. Let her do it, by all means, because its part of her maternal instincts.

She's very emotional and romantic, so you can really capture this woman's heart by doing anything romantic. She soaks up compliments like a sponge, so be sure to compliment her often. She makes a good sex partner because she will do anything to please her man.

LEO (July 23 - August 22) - This woman is very charming, has lots of sex appeal, and loves to party. She's a very social person and loves to be on the go. If you're a couch potato, you're not the man for her.

Very passionate and affectionate and has lots of love to give to the right guy. Attracted to unusual, dynamic men who are often a bit eccentric. You must be well-dressed and treat her like royalty because she has a strong ego. She's a real tiger in bed and rules the bedroom.

VIRGO (August 23 - September 22) - Very intellectual and a bit cool and acts aloof. Very picky about men and you must meet her high standards. Very critical nature.

Take it slow with this woman. It takes her awhile to warm up to you because of her cautious nature. It's worth it in the end because once she's yours she's yours to keep. Very faithful and devoted. Can be very exacting in bed and wants to follow a set routine. She wants everything to be perfect.

LIBRA (September 23 - October 23) - This is one of the most beautiful signs in the Zodiac. She's very feminine and her good looks attracts a lot of men.

She makes an ideal mate because she's so giving and loves peace and harmony. She's so sexy, seductive, and charming. A very social creature and very romantic and sentimental. Be sure and appeal to her romantic nature and she's all yours!

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 21) - This is a very intense and mysterious woman. She doesn't do anything half-hearted and when she sets her sights on a man she will pursue him with relentless intensity. She may even scare you away with her intensity, jealousy, and possessiveness.

She can be a very moody and emotional person. Don't get on the wrong side of this woman because she can make a dangerous enemy and will stop at nothing to get even with you.

Very intense in bed and probably the best lover in the Zodiac.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21) - She's very independent and loves her freedom. If you try to pin her down and you're the jealous and possessive type, you will scare this woman away.

She loves the outdoors and sports, so plan you're activities outside and play sports and attend sporting events. She loves to travel, so take her places to capture her heart. Enjoy her while she's around because her heart is known to wander. She doesn't like long-term commitments. You must have a good sense of humor and be happy-go-lucky like her.

CAPRICORN - (December 22 - January 19) - This woman is very reserved in the beginning but once you have broken down her barriers, she will love you with all her heart with lots of intensity. She's very ambitious and career-oriented. Appeal to her by talking about making money and attaining goals.

Move slow with this woman. You must become her friend first before you can get her in the sack. She's not into casual sex, so you must not be sexually aggressive with this woman.

AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18) - Very intelligent and you must appeal to her mind. Can be very elusive and afraid of commitment. There are a lot of bachelorettes born under this sign and they usually marry late in life.

She's a strong believer in friendship and will remain your friend even after you have broken up. Keep in mind that they can be a little cold-natured, so if you're expecting a hot & sexy passionate sex-goddess, then you may be disappointed.

PISCES (February 19 - March 20) - If you want a loving, devoted, affectionate, sympathetic woman to cater to you're every need, this is the woman for you.

This woman need lots of affection and attention. The more romance you can give her the better! She's got lots of love to give in return. She's very emotional and moody, so you will have to help keep her balanced emotionally.

Well, a logo for your business. Why is it important? Does it matter what it looks like? Is Yours Professional?

These are some good questions to ask when you are considering to get a logo design or already have a logo for your business. See a logo speaks volume about your company, it right off the bat tells your "future possible client" if you are reliable and instils trust in them. Although how good your service is matters, how you present your company is what will win you their trust and in the end win them as a client.

Even though in the end of everything, how good your service is will decide on if you are successful. The image of your company tells alot in a little way. Your logo says to clients a few different things:

1. Are these guys professional?

2. Do they seem to care about their business(which in turns means do you care about your clients)?

3. Do they seem to know what they are doing?

4. Does their business seem to be one I can trust to do the job right?

What makes a good logo you may ask? Well it comes down to a few things. Design, Colors and if it gives Your Business a clear Professional Image.

The design can differ from something as simple as the Microsoft text to represent your business, something as unique and colorful as the ebay logo or a symbol such as the GE(general electric) symbol. What makes the design so important is that it creates an image, that when seen is unique to your business and makes clients recognize your company automatically. As seen in the examples of the Microsoft, eBay or GE logos, the design can be simple or complex, just as long as it is unique.

Colors are an important factor in representing what business you are in. If you are in Finances or Banking you mainly see colors such as blue, green, black and sometimes gold. Although all colors can be used, in a way certain colors are associated better with different industries. Just look at fast food and junk food, they tend to go with brighter blues, reds, yellows and oranges which seems to make you want to eat more(hmmmm).

A professional image can be as simple as just a text logo with a different color letter in it to give it uniqueness, or a logo with a symbol to represent the company. Making it professional is what is important. The quality(meaning the texture of the logo is important) such as smooth curves and smooth text, all add to the quality of the logo. Having jagged edges or un-readable text can really hurt the quality of the logo which in turns can be negative to the image of the business.

So remember when purchasing a logo to keep it clean and clear, make it unique to your business and keep it professional!

1. Myth: Digital photos are pixilated or fuzzy. Reality: most people that say that have never seen a photo produced by a professional grade digital camera. The quality of modern digital cameras is equal of greater than film cameras.

2. Myth: Digital photos don't last they will fade in a couple of years. Reality: Only the photo capture part is digital. The printing is done using traditional photo paper on the same paper and chemistry used to print film photos. So, both will last the same.

3. Myth: Digital colors are muddy. Reality: Only if they are produced with cheap, low quality cameras and/or the photographer doesn't know how to adjust them and process them for printing

4. Myth: Digital photos are dangerous; the photographer can lose your photos.

Reality: Nowadays most photos are stored using Flash Cards that is one of the most reliable forms of digital storage. After the wedding the photos are downloaded to the computer and additional backups are created on CD or DVD allowing several copies of the same event to reside on different locations. In the case that photos are accidentally deleted they can be recovered using software. With film there is only one copy. It is not uncommon for the photo labs to lose the film, damage it in the printing machine, process it in the wrong chemistry, scratch it, etc. Film also can be damaged in camera, be fogged, damaged by X-rays at the airport, suffer color changes due to heat or age etc.

5. Myth: Digital photos lack detail. Reality: Only if they are produced with cheap, low quality cameras. It is not unusual for us to produce 30x40 inch prints from our professional grade cameras with stunning detail.

6. Myth: Digital is cheaper because there is no film. Reality: Professional grade digital cameras and lens are very expensive. In addition the professional photographer has to invest on computer equipment and software to process the photos.

7. Myth: I got a digital camera that takes great photos now I can start a career as a wedding photographer. Reality: Wedding photography requires that you have artistic talent and that you learn photography including composition, lighting, etc. A wedding is an uncontrolled event that requires technical and artistic skill. It is not the place to learn photography.

8. Myth: I don't have to take care when I take photos anymore I can fix it later in Photoshop or other photo-editing program. Reality: Garbage in and garbage out. There is no fix for badly composed photos, out of focus, bad lighting, etc.

9. Myth: Digital photography is easy now I don't need a professional wedding photographer. Reality: If you trust your wedding memories to somebody who doesn't have the professional skills you are likely to be sorry or disappointed.

10. Myth: I am afraid that the photographer will do weird effects. Reality: the purpose of the editing software is to enhance the quality of the photos. It is not a license to create weird stuff. Talk to your photographer about your expectations.

11. Myth: Digital will never be better than or equal to film. Reality: Digital cameras are equal or better than film in terms of resolution color fidelity etc. and far superior in low light situations. The "film look" can be easily emulated using digital imaging processing techniques.

12. Myth: I got a bigger fancier camera with more megapixels than your so my photos will be better than yours. Reality: Unless you have the technical and artistic skill the camera that you use will have minimal impact on the quality of the photos that you produce. A great camera in the right hands will produce great results. Some of the greatest photos in history were produced using mechanical cameras.

Juan Carlos Torres is a very respected and awarded wedding photographer in Oregon. He has a Masters Degree in Remote Sensing with a strong background in digital image processing and photography. He is a member of the several professional photographer organizations including the Professional Photographers of America, the Professional Photographers of Oregon, the Wedding Photojournalist Association, and the Oregon Wedding Photo Guild. His wedding photographs are unique and very artistic and have been featured in national and international magazines.

A friend of mine recently exclaimed, "Dating is so complicated!" I thought about it for a moment and realized, "No it's not!" It's actually very simple if you follow two principles that will solve 90% of your romantic issues. Let's begin.

You meet someone. You're attracted to them. They're attracted to you. You start dating. Now, I know it's not always that simple. You may be interested in someone that initially isn't as interested or vice versa. Maybe you're already in a relationship and someone else piques your interest or you like someone that is already committed. How you arrive at dating someone doesn't really matter, as long as you're both attracted and available.

As I said, you start dating. Here are the two things you must keep in mind:

If: You're happy, the other person treats you well and your life is better as a result of that person being in it, you stay.

You must have all three. There's not point in being with someone that treats you well and makes your life better, but for one reason or another you're unhappy (probably because you're not compatible). On the other hand:

If: You're not happy or the other person doesn't treat you well or your life is not better as a result of that person being in it, you leave.

You only need one of these to be present.

You're probably saying to yourself, "Yes, that's obvious." If it's so obvious, then why are there so many bad relationships? Think back to your last liason or even to a present one. How many times have you stayed with someone you weren't happy with? Or, what about the people that didn't treat you well but you stayed anyway? Why does that happen?

I believe that all too often people hand their self worth and self esteem over to their romantic partner. They feel that if someone loves (and I use that term loosely) them, that they are worthwhile. If they don't have someone in their lives, then they assume they're not. You may have heard the old saying: You're nobody till somebody loves you. Yukk! Please don't ever believe that. How a person treats you speaks to who they are ? never to who you are. Let me prove this to you using an extreme example. Let's say you're dating someone who's physically abusive. They say, "You make me so mad! You make me want to hit you." Now, if this were true, that would mean that everyone you dated would hit you when they became angry. Of course we know this doesn't happen. Someone else may choose to walk away or to talk to you. You cannot change how a person behaves. If you don't believe me, think about the times you tried to change yourself. How easy was it? Exactly!

The other excuse for staying with someone that you're not happy with is because you think the situation will get better. Hope is always the last to die and the person that is nice to you once in a while, keeps you hanging on. How much time are you willing to waste in a bad relationship? Time is a non renewable resource. Once it's gone, it's never coming back.

If I'm single today, it's because I stayed with people that didn't make me happy, didn't treat me well and didn't make my life better. I hope you'll be wiser.

Lucia is a dating and relationship expert, columnist, lecturer and host of the TV Show "The Art of Love".

With over 20 years experience on the relationship market, Lucia has dated men of all nationalities in six cities, four countries and two continents. Her practical know-how makes her the perfect candidate to dispense relationship advice ? after all, in almost every dating dilemma she has been there, done that and lived to tell about it.

Seems like everywhere we surf on the Internet nowadays we run across this little advertisement: 'Free online personals'.
They are everywhere, they are dating sites, and more are opening up shop every day.

Welcome to the newest internet gold rush.
More and more people are signing up to these new and "free" dating sites.
What they are really getting is a place on the web where they can post their profile and let strangers contact them.
As more and more dating sites pile up on the web, more people are ending up with very distasteful experiences because of this.
Why? 99% of today's (and tomorrow's) dating sites do not screen their members at all. This means there are sex offenders, predators, scam artists
mixed in with genuine people who are looking to find a match.
Dating services need to be very discretionary and much safer, until that time comes here are some important things to consider
when thinking about joining a dating site.

1). Examine the site's physical properties. Is it poorly constructed with missing graphics or jagged fonts, mis-aligned sections? If so, this indicates a lack of attention to detail in the construction and layout of the site. It may have been pre purchased and the owner does not have the skill to alter it correctly. Why would you care? Well, a site in a state like this gives a clue that the back end program probably is also in a state of disarray or disregard. If the webmaster cannot construct the face of the site, then it is likely they cannot also construct important safety features behind the site. A hacker then could easily penetrate it and get your personal information including your photo. If you eventually pay this site, your credit information could be stolen as well! A nicely designed site means careful construction and a better chance of good quality code running the site in the background.

2). Look at some sample profiles on the site before you sign up by running a quick search. Do the profiles look a little bogus? A lot of them are. Many sites (especially new ones that have just started up) pad their membership database with photos of models or random (usually good-looking people) to attract new members. Do the profiles have a lot of jibberish characters or nonsensical phrases in the descriptions? That means the dating site you are at does NOT screen the people who sign up. This welcomes people with ill-intent. You should get out of there immediately and go to one that does.

3). Does the site have a privacy link? Look at the bottom of the site's main page. If they have a privacy link, click it and examine. Make sure they specifically state that they do NOT sell your information to anyone. This is an invitation to a spam and junk-mail nightmare. Also look for some sort of a web site rules page or a terms of use page. Check to see if they screen their profiles or somehow >disallow racial, hate or overly sexual material. If they don't state this than, anything goes for this site, another reason to leave.

4). Does the site have a links page? If so click and examine. See who they are affiliated with. Usually, there will be graphical banners or icons next to the names of their associations. Are they sex-sites? Spam sites? Even a quick glance in this area could tell you what kind of a dating site you are at.

5). What is the copyright date at the bottom? This could indicate the age of the site. If it is very young, this could help you determine if the site has worked out all the kinks (program bugs) and how many members they have accumulated.

6). Be wary of statements like "You are the 4697th member to join today." and "Search through millions of profiles." these statements are usually false. Major sites, which have been running for YEARS usually can support these statements. look for a "whos online" link. If you are the only person (1 guest online means JUST you are there) then you know these claims are false. A site with millions or even thousands of members will always have a bunch of people currently online. If you detect this in a dating site, it is better to leave than to take a chance with a dishonest site. This is just a short list of ideas to help keep you safe when dating online. Be leary, be safe.

Flirting is the way most people determine whether or not a member of the opposite sex is interested in them. Following is a quick outline on how you should go about the complex, sometimes fun, sometimes not so fun, task of flirting. It all beings with your approach.

The Approach

One person approaches the other. They move into closer physical proximity. This much is clear: NO approach equals NO possibility of initiating contact. You must approach!

Example: A woman sits down next to a man in a coffee shop, or a man stands near a woman in a dance club. This is the first step. Once you approach, you begin looking for the signs.

The Signs

The person who has been approached will always signal the other's presence in some way?a sign. This signal is not like a train whistle, however, more a subtle body language which you can learn to recognize. For example, he or she simply may look up, move over to make room, nod slightly, or signal with a glancing eye contact.

A display of total obliviousness to the one who is approaching generally indicates lack of interest altogether. Don't be discouraged. But if the one you approached shows absolutely no interest, then it's time to re-group and try again. But let's say the approach works. You have your positive acknowledgement, now what? Time to talk

The Verbal Exchange

The two people may then engage in a mild verbal exchange about impersonal, unimportant matters such as the weather or the scene around them. The key word here is MILD.

This is the classic place for the clever "line," but cleverness is not required. At this point, a verbal exchange is not for the purpose of sharing valuable insights about life or determining philosophical compatibility. It is just a vehicle to further the developing contact.

Examples: Verbal overtures might include anything from "please pass the pickles" to "your looking great tonight", to "have you seen the waitress?". Without some form of verbal response, it is highly unlikely that the next step will occur. Let's say all is going as planned. Time for body language.

Body Language

Over a period of time, a couple that has begun to talk may also begin to orient themselves physically to one another, to turn toward one another until, if all is goes well, they are fully facing one another. This is your goal.

This step can take minutes or hours . . . or weeks or months . . . to achieve. Yet, without this physical reorientation toward one another, not very much can ever happen, so give up on people who turn their back toward you for long periods of time! But if they don't?

Touching

The woman or the man (most often the woman) touches the other in a light, fleeting way. Examples: A couple might accidentally brush their hands against one another while reaching for a drink, or the woman might pat the man on the arm in the middle of a shared joke. The exchange of very subtle, almost glancing touches may continue for some while, and if all goes well, can escalate into the casual affections shown by couples who are dating. If you've reached this point, then flirting has now become the beginning of a relationship. The Art of Flirting should always end with the beginning of a relationship. Now get out there and flirt.

The Art of Flirting is really the Art of making first contact. You only have one shot at making a great first impression. By following some of the guidelines we've established in this article, you should now be equipped to locate, approach, and ascertain whether or not your subtle flirting has opened the doors to a new and exciting relationship.

By: Andre Leblanc

Read more articles on relationship, sex and more at

In Less Than 30 Days.

"What can you do to increase that set of three numbers on your
credit report that can be so important with your financing?"

I came across this question as I was surfing discussion groups
the other day. Check out my answer:

Dear Friend,

Here are 3 steps I used to take my credit score from 592
(horrible credit) to 762 (perfect credit) almost overnight.
If you're interested in improving your credit rating quickly,
you'll find this story helpful:

In 1995 I made a decision that would ruin my perfect credit
history. I quit my salary job to become an insurance salesman.
The job paid commission only. Within a few months I lost
everything - house, car, credit rating and my self respect.

By the end of 1996 I was living with my mom, all my credit
accounts were severely past due, and I was paying 22%
interest on a broke-down green Geo Storm...I was a real loser.

Then, in 1997, I became a banker. I didn't know it at the time,
but this would turn out to be the break I needed to eliminate my
credit problems forever.

During my seven years as a banker, I came across several
legal and highly effective ways to improve my credit rating.
As a result, I was able to increase my credit scores by an
average of 170 points.

Here's what I did:

Step #1:
After spending hundreds of dollars on credit repair services that
didn't work, I found out how to get negative accounts removed
on my own.

Basically, I wrote letters to the collection agencies requesting
proof that the accounts were mine. 89% of the time they had
no proof that the bad accounts belonged to me. So I was able
to get them deleted from my credit file.

Step #2:
I opened new accounts with high credit limits and kept the
balances low.

I discovered that if you keep your available credit limits high and
only use 10% to 30% of the credit you have available, your
credit score will improve dramatically.

Step #3:
Next, I added accounts with years of perfect payment history to
my credit file. This step took my credit score from 647 to 762.

While you can certainly add seasoned accounts to your credit
file for free, there are companies that claim they can do it for
a fee.

The problem is, they charge between $2,000 and $2,500 per
account. If you want a 700+ credit score you'll need 3 to 4 of
these accounts. That equates to a cost of $6,000 to $10,000.

(You can conduct a search on your favorite search engine for
companies that offer this service.)

While there are several highly effective steps you can take to
increase your credit scores by as much as 200 points, these
are the main ones...And here's the good news: Each step can
be completed in less than 30 days.

Until recently lawyers for victims of credit damage had little possibility to collect for damages beyond medical treatment, lost wages and property loss. Insurance companies threw up their hands in sympathy, claiming victims can only be compensated for what can be measured - tangible goods and services. But, what happens when the victim has lost considerable time from work, the family bank is broke and monthly payments on mortgages, car loans and credit cards payments are missed? Regardless of the haggling between lawyers and insurance companies, it's the credit victim who ends up having to live with a bad credit rating.

Today, there are legally accepted means for measuring loss of credit through the procedure of Credit Damage Measurement (CDM). CDM is fast becoming a potent tool for recoverable credit damage awards when the damage is not self-inflicted. Previously, both judge and jury, and especially the insurance companies, refused to acknowledge CDM claiming it was speculative because they could not define it as tangible damage.

However, in case after case, victims of credit damage who use the CDM method are getting compensation for credit loss. Many factors are changing the old mindset including credit bureau technology improvements, the application of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), risk scoring sophistication, and the development of CDM as an objective, repeatable method that measures out-of-pocket damage reliably.

Credit Ratings and Recovery

The impact of a bad credit rating is much more significant than most people think. Consider what poorly rated consumers face when they want to lease or buy vehicles, obtain credit cards, buy or lease or refinance their residence. In most cases, it's an easy decision for the creditor: the credit application is simply turned down or the borrower is charged a much higher down payment ? maybe thousands of dollars more with monthly payments that are typically several hundred dollars more.

"A person with bad credit is viewed with suspicion and is charged significantly more for future extension of credit because the lender feels the need to protect against a greater risk or default," says Tom Key, a civil litigator practicing in Tustin, CA.

"Over the years I have heard reports of financial damages from clients who have been wrongfully terminated, defrauded, injured in an accident or suffered losses from breach of contract," Key says. "These victims were especially distraught over the fact that their prime credit reputation, carefully nurtured for years, is destroyed overnight. It seemed to me that there must be a way to compensate victims for that type of loss."

Key has witnessed the reactions of many jurors who failed to award a victim of credit damage their rightful compensation simply because they could not quantify the damages. "Jurors want a specific loss that they can count, hold and see," says Key. "Their reasoning is that they need to know that it is genuine. They have a tough time awarding damages based on sympathy. In order for them to confirm authenticity of a claim, they want to see its quantification."

Measuring Loss of Creditworthiness

Assuring authenticity has been a sticky situation when it concerns measuring out-of-pocket loss for victims of credit damage - until now. Attorneys who represent victims of credit damage are now utilizing the Credit Damage Measurement method to recover out-of-pocket losses for their clients.

"CDM measures the actual out-of-pocket dollars reasonably expected from loss of creditworthiness, which includes higher down payments, higher points and costs on loans, higher interest rates, higher monthly payments, or outright denial of credit," says Key. "In addition, the CDM method also calculates the rates, costs and other terms applicable to the resulting credit rating by lenders and projects the results over the relevant number of years for the types of loans the client is likely to seek."

Key continues, "For example, if a client's credit was near perfect before a triggering event, and is subsequently damaged by the event, the CDM procedure can illustrate before and after analyses, calculating the cost of the same loans with the two different credit reports, Pre- injury credit compared to Post-injury credit." In many cases, CDM clients have already realized significant compensation. In one such case CDM was instrumental in recovering $56,000 for damaged credit reputation. "That calculation is the difference between what refinancing a $140,000 loan would have cost my client with their prior rating, and what it will cost them out-of-pocket with their damaged credit rating -measured over a seven-year period."

Isolated Compensation vs. Repeatable Compensation

The CDM method of measuring intangible credit loss is increasingly becoming the basis of recovery for victims of credit damage. It's changing the way judges and juries measure recoverable out-of-pocket loss, and then can compensate for loss of credit expectancy. Certainly there are still some skeptics, mostly defendants. Technically, credit damage measurement is intangible. However, CDM has proven an objective and practical procedure to calculate out-of-pocket damage for companies or families to compensate for their credit damage.

"To have this kind of measurement is an exciting complexity in our society," says Key. "CDM is very understandable and a rather simple way to come to a conclusion of loss for the victim. If you understand the math and are an expert at reading credit reports, the calculations and recovery are undeniable. It's a method of turning isolated compensation into repeatable compensation. It's changing the way jurors rule on these damaging cases. Because of this method, victims of credit damage can be more fairly and more completely compensated for out-of-pocket damage."

Georg Finder, president of CM Financial Services of Fullerton, California, wrote and presents the first State Bar accepted continuing legal education seminar on credit reports and credit damage.