Steamwheedle Cartel holding a "Black Market" crafting event - WoW ...

A group of folks on Steamwheedle are holding an RP even (which they've done before), but it's a different kind of event than the usual party or dueling tournament. Instead, it's going to be completely peaceful -- they're having a .....more...

Mobile Monday Boston event: Compelling Mobile Business Models ...

personal blog about mobile technologies, mobile phones, mobile development and Flash Lite...more...

DVD Verdict Review - Event Horizon (Blu-Ray)

If Judge Daryl Loomis wallows in the darkness any longer, his bedroom will form an event horizon...more...

Singletrack » No Fuss’ 2009 Event Listing

All events are a real family day out with entertainment and music for all. For each event race registration and pre race party commence on the Friday evening, with the race scheduled to start at 0900 on Saturday; and an aprГЁs race party .....more...

Denver - The Latest Word - Today's Night & Day featured event ...

Hassel's also a slam-dunk choice for guest at Dazzle's monthly First Monday Art Talk event hosted by Eric Matelski. His experience and bottomless enthusiasm for what he does (and has done for decades) can't help but light a fire under .....more...

Event Held For Kids With Autism

"He does like to play Skee Ball at Chuck E Cheese. We just told him this is a bigger version," said Lori Fritz of Nanticoke. John Heinz autism outreach program helped organize the event. About 230 people signed up. .....more...

Palm's CES Event Generating Buzz

Palm is once again generating buzz with their CES announcement of the Nova OS...more...

Wicked, NFL Playoff tickets dominate the top event rankings ...

TicketNews released its Weekly Top Events rankings for the week ending January 3 and once again Wicked holds on to the number one spot in the Top Combined Events rankings with an 8.37 power score. But with the NFL Playoff kicking off .....more...

How to reduce event costs В« Heather Yaxley - Greenbanana views of ...

This is the title of an email I received earlier today - which claimed that you could learn 50 ways to cut event costs by attending a half-day seminar for ВЈ250 plus VAT. Of course, you should be able to recoup the investment in good .....more...

Hendricks County Flyer, Avon, IN - Tradition remembered at local event

We’ve decided that all of the proceeds from this particular event we’re donating to Project A.N.G.E.L. Project A.N.G.E.L. is a Hendricks County organization and most of the people who come to the event live in Hendricks County. .....more...

BBC News Search: event (20)

Jordan hits out at polo 'snobs'

Model Katie Price hits out at the "snobs" who excluded her from a prestigious annual society polo event.

University picks up games award

Abertay University in Dundee collects an award at a top European gaming industry event.

City's triathlon event cancelled

A triathlon in Edinburgh is cancelled after police refuse to staff its cycling event, organisers said.

Timeline: Haut de la Garenne

The events at former children's home, Haute de la Garenne, which is at the centre of abuse allegations.

Four thefts at music fundraiser

Police investigate four thefts at a music fundraising event at Peel football club.

Meeting on biker event policing

Officers are to inform residents about the operation to police next week's Bulldog Bash.

Timeline: China

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Tonga

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Timeline: Burma

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Brunei

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Australia

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Timeline: Cambodia

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Timeline: Uzbekistan

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Tuvalu

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Turkmenistan

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Thailand

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Tajikistan

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Taiwan

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Solomon Islands

A chronology of key events

Timeline: Singapore

A chronology of key events

The Equity Release Market

Equity release is a way for homeowners to release cash from the equity that has built up in their home. Equity can be defined as the difference between the value of a property and the balance of the mortgage, or any other finance, that is secured on it.

There are several different methods of equity release available to homeowners. This can include releasing all or part of the equity they have built up in their properties either as a lump sum, a drawdown facility, or as a steady cash flow over time. There are two main types of equity release plans – lifetime mortgages and home reversion schemes. Both of these schemes are only available to home owners who have built up a sizable amount of equity in their properties.

A lifetime mortgage is a form of equity release whereby a mortgage is secured against a person’s home after redeeming all other finance secured on it. The equity release can occur as either a lump sum, a drawdown, or as a regular income over time.

With this form of equity release, no interest is payable during the term of the lifetime mortgage. The interest payments will instead roll up into the balance of the loan. The balance of the loan is repayable when either the property is sold or the homeowner moves into long term care.

Home reversion schemes, on the other hand, are a type of equity release that requires the homeowner to sell all or part of their property to the scheme provider. The homeowner will them receive a lump sum payment as their equity release and will usually continue living in the property whilst paying a minimal amount of rent. When the property is eventually sold the reversion scheme provider will take their share of the proceeds and pay the balance to the homeowner or to their estate.

The equity release market is expected to grow considerably over the next few years. As more and more people become concerned that they have not saved enough money for retirement they are looking to their home as an asset that could potentially provide the funds required.

Homeowners have benefited from many years of above inflation growth rates in the property market and have therefore accumulated large sums of in their homes due to natural appreciation that they can put to use through an equity release scheme. Many homeowners have also paid of all or most of their mortgages, providing even more releasable equity. While this does build up personal wealth, it does not provide cash to pay for things unless the equity is released through one of the schemes detailed above or the house is sold.

Equity release schemes can have an impact on state benefits and inheritance tax. It is therefore a good idea to talk to an Independent Financial Adviser or mortgage adviser before entering into an equity release scheme. For mortgage advisers to provide advice on lifetime mortgages they must complete a special qualification. This helps to ensure that their clients receive expert advice on this topic as equity release is a serious action to undertake.

How Often Should You Bathe A Pet

Bathing your dog or cat is an important part of pet ownership. Regardless of your pets’ breed and coat type, shampooing promotes cleanliness and a healthy skin and coat. Frequency of bathing varies greatly between breeds and individual pets, and how often your pet should get a bath depends on the needs of your own dog or cat.

Cats and dogs may share many things, when it comes to baths and bathing techniques, cats and dogs couldn’t be more different. Cats are fastidious self-groomers, and many cats can go a lifetime without requiring a true bath. This is generally a good thing, because most cats aren’t big fans of the bathing process, and bathing a cat is generally not for the inexperienced cat owner, or the faint of heart.

Some cats do require bathing, usually for medical reasons. Cats being treated for skin infections or fungal infections, such as ringworm, may need regular baths to treat and prevent reoccurrence of skin problems. Older and overweight cats may not be able to groom themselves as thoroughly, and may require routine bathing in order to keep up their personal hygiene. An occasional bath may be necessary if your cat gets sprayed by a skunk, gets unusually dirty, or gets a foreign substance on his or her coat. But for the average, healthy cat, a good brushing program may be able to replace the bath for routine coat care.

On the flip side, while dogs do require routine baths to stay clean and healthy, they fortunately are a little more accepting of the process. Regular bathing of all dogs, despite coat length or type, helps to keep the coat and skin healthy. Most dogs do not require frequent bathing (once a month or less!), but brushing in between bath times helps to keep them clean, removing dead hair, dirt and other debris from the coat.

How often you should bathe your dog depends greatly on your dog, his activity level and breed. The best way to tell if your dog needs a bath is through your nose- if your dog has that “doggy odor” than it’s probably time for a bath.

Some dogs require more frequent bathing as a matter of cleanliness, but as a generally rule, most dogs should not have a bath more than once a month. Some breeds prone to oily skin, such as Cocker Spaniels and Shih Tzu’s, may require baths every 2-4 weeks, while thick coated dogs, like Chows and Huskies may only need a bath a few times a year.

Unlike human hair, dog fur is not suitable for constant bathing, and repeated washing will strip the skin of its natural, protective oils. The loss of these oils can cause your dog to scratch, irritating the skin, and, yep- making the dog skink, causing him to be bathed even more frequently. While over-bathing can be a vicious cycle, there are some things you can do to make sure that bathing doesn’t create a problem for your pet.

For the average dog, bathed once a month or so, human shampoo can usually be used without ill effect. Dog skin is more sensitive than human skin, and using shampoo designed for people can cause a pH imbalance in the skin, leading to excessive dryness. Any dog being bathed more frequently than once a month should always be washed in a dog-specific shampoo.

A quick trip to your local pet store, and you will find a variety of shampoos for every possible need your dog may have- formulated to help combat itchy skin, fleas and ticks, doggy odor, excessive shedding, coat color enhancers, and everything in between. Not all soaps are created equal- if you have questions, consult your veterinarian or groomer for their recommendations on a good shampoo for routine use.

There are some cases where your dog may need baths every few days for a time, such as for treatment of skin infections, fungal infections and other skin and coat problems. Your veterinarian may prescribe a medicated shampoo, designed to help combat the underlying skin problem. It is important to follow your veterinarians’ instructions carefully in these cases, because often the medicated shampoos must be lathered onto the dog, and left in place for several minutes for optimal effect.

If your dog is prone to skin problems, talk to your veterinarian about your current grooming regimen, and see if adjustments should be made. Often dogs that suffer from recurrent hot spots and skin infections can be helped with a more steady bathing ritual, to remove dirt and build up from the coat and allow the skin to breathe. Dogs that swim in pools and the ocean should be bathed thoroughly after every swim- the chlorine and salt water are both highly irritating if left on the coat, and can cause skin irritations and infections.

If your dog is longhaired, or prone to tangles, a coat conditioner may be useful as a second step to the bathing process. Conditioners can help to manage the hair and make it softer, allowing for mats and tangles to be more easily removed, along with re-moisturizing the coat.

It is important to note that in dogs prone to ear infections, bathing (and swimming) can be a constant cause of ear irritation. In order to help avoid ear problems, place a cotton ball into the outer part of your dogs’ ear canal while bathing, to prevent excessive water from seeping in. After bathing, clean your dogs ears with a dog-specific ear cleaner- this will help to remove excess water from inside the ear canal, a prime candidate for causing ear infections.

How often you should shampoo your pet depends greatly on your dog or cats living circumstances, age, condition and breed. Bathing is a valuable tool to keeping your pet healthy and happy, and when done correctly, can help your pet to lead a long and happy life.